Cabbage Patch Soup

PREP TIME: 1 Hour SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cabbage, finely shredded
2 tbsps margarine
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup garlic, diced
1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes with juice
2 cups water
1 can red kidney beans
1 tsp chili powder
salt and black pepper

METHOD:In a 5-quart cast iron dutch oven, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and brown until meat is thoroughly cooked. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are wilted. Add tomatoes and, using the back of a spoon, break tomatoes into the meat/vegetables mixture. Add water and beans, blending well until all is incorporated. Add Add cabbage, bring mixture to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook until cabbage is tender. Season to taste using chili powder, salt, pepper .

Shrimp Fondue

1 can shrimp Campbell’s soup
8oz. cream cheese,
½ sour cream
1 teaspoon horseradish
¼ Worester sauce
1 can shrimp
Heat

Aunt Bobbies Sugar Cookies

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
1 egg
½ teaspoon each vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, salt
2 cups flour

375- for 6-8 minutes roll thin= crispy when edges go brown, they are done- (if you make a double batch, need to put less flour- so when you put flour on the board to roll- that’s where the extra flour comes from)

Shrimp Fondue

My favorite Son In Law

Two wonderful recipes come from my favorite son in law Tim. When I visit my daughter Jen and Tim in Minneapolis Tim often has dinner ready for us when we return from running around doing what moms and daughters do.

Parmesan Chicken

1. 3/4 cups Original Bisquick mix
2. 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
3. 2 tablespoons Parmesan
4. 1 egg
5. 4 chicken breast
6. 3 table spoons olive oil
7. 2 cups tomato pasta sauce
8. 1 cup shredded cheese
9. spaghetti or noodles

Mix together ingredients #1-3, in a separate bowl beat the egg. Coat chicken with the Bisquick mix, then dip in the egg and cover in Bisquick mix again. Cook in olive oil 4-6 minutes turn cover and cook 8-10 minutes. Add pasta sauce to skillet, put chicken on top of sauce, cook 2-3 more minutes.

Cook spaghetti or noodles, sever chicken and sauce on top of spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.

Just last night I made the chicken alone and served it with mashed potatoes, a vegetable and salad. It was fantastic!! Thanks Tim.

Tim's second recipe is the latest favorite of my husband Jim. Of course he says that after every meal.

Taco Squares

1. 1 pound hamburger
2. onion- chopped
3. 2 tablespoons Taco Mix seasoning
4. small can green chillies
5. tomato sliced or chopped
6. 1 cup Bisquick
7. 1/4 cup water
8. 1/2 cup sour cream
9. 1/3 cup mayo
10. 1/2 cup cheese

In skillet brown onion and burger together, add Taco seasoning, chillies and tomatoes. In separate bowl mix 1 cup Bisquick and 1/4 cup water- spread in a baking dish I use an 8x8 square dish. Cover the Bisquick with the hamburger mix. Mix the remaining ingredients together and spread over the top. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
20 caramels
2 1/2 teaspoons water
36 large single stick pretzels
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, divided

Directions:
Grease a cookie sheet with the vegetable oil. Combine the caramels and the water in a saucepan and melt over low heat stirring frequently or in a covered dish in a microwave
at full power for 1 1/2 minutes.

Dip a single pretzels a few at a time in the caramel about half way leaving a handle of clean pretzel lay on the greased cookie sheet.
Refrigerate until caramel is firm.
Melt 3 ounces of the chocolate. Remove from heat. While the chocolate is still hot, mix the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate into the melted chocolate in 2 additions, stirring until each addition is completely melted before adding the next.

Lift the caramel covered pretzels from the sheet and dip one at a time into the chocolate. Coat completely and lift. Shake off excess chocolate by rapping on the edge of the bowl lightly. Remove any drips from the bottom by running the fork across the edge of the bowl.

Slide the candy covered pretzel onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Once you get the hang of this decorate the chocolate before it cools. Allow to cool until solid. Let chocolate set at room temperature. Wrap in Saran wrap and tie with a pretty piece of ribbon. Wonderful gift.

CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS

Quick an Easy Aunt Bobby's Chocolate Covered Pretzels

6 oz. coating chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Desired amount of pretzels for dipping1 tbsp. shortening

Place chocolate in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Add shortening. Stir until mixture begins to melt. Remove from heat and stir until completely melted.
Coatings dip best at 85 degrees. Dip each pretzel in coating Aunt Bobby only dipped half the pretzel. Remove with tongs and lay on baking sheets lined with waxed paper. Chill, uncovered, until coating is set. Stack and store in airtight containers. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Chocolate Covered Spoons

Supplies you will need:
12 ounce package of chocolate chips. You may use semi-sweet, white chocolate, raspberry flavored, or any other kind of baking chip of your choice.
40 heavy plastic spoons
Shortening
Deep glass measuring cup
Colored cellophane or Saran Wrap
Waxed paper
Thin Ribbon

Chocolate Spoons Instructions
Pour the chips into a heatproof container, such as a measuring cup. A deep cup is the best for this project.
Microwave the cup of chips at half power for one minute. Stir. Repeat in 30 second bursts until chocolate is smooth and fully melted, but do NOT over cook.
Add to the melted chocolate one teaspoon of shortening for each cup of chips. Stir lightly until just blended.

Dip plastic spoons into the chocolate to coat the bowl and about one inch of the handle. If the chocolate starts to harden, microwave 30 seconds at half power.

Lay spoons on wax paper to set. When chocolate spoons have set, put them in the freezer for 15 minutes. This makes them easier to handle when you start to wrap them.Take squares of colored cellophane and wrap the coated spoons. Tie with a pretty ribbon.

Once you have mastered the basic technique, you can experiment! Try drizzling streaks of white chocolate over dipped spoons to create a design. Sprinkle colored sugar on chocolate before it sets for a holiday look.

A bundle of chocolate spoons set in a coffee mug makes a nice gift.
Tie a few spoons to a bag of gourmet coffee beans for a coffee loving friend.
Keep spoons on hand during the holidays to use when serving drinks to your visitors.

OR

Chocolate Dipped Spoons

- Stir a little chocolate sweetness into a mug of coffee, espresso or hot chocolate.

Plastic spoons

6 ounces white dipping chocolate

6 ounces dark dipping chocolate

1. Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper.

2. Put the white and dark chocolate in separate bowls and melt each type of chocolate in the microwave. Microwave at half power for 1 minute. Stir thoroughly. Continue to microwave and stir at 15 second intervals until smooth and completely melted.

3. Dip a spoon into the bowl, covering both sides completely. Place the spoon on the cookie sheet & rest the spoons handle on the cookie sheet edge.

4. Make some spoons using white chocolate and others using dark chocolate.

5. Drizzle a contrasting chocolate color over each spoon.

6. Refrigerate until chocolate is completely hardened.

7. Wrap each spoon in cellophane, and bind it around with a piece of seam binding, or ribbon.

Turkey Sandwiches

By special request I am sharing the secret to a truly good turkey sandwich.

• Left over turkey or turkey from the Deli-( it must be turkey slices from a turkey breast, not the thin slices)


• Cheap white bread- optimum word being cheap here.


• Can of cranberry sauce


• Mayo


• Potato chips


• Salad of choice to accompany
  
  Reaching into the bag of bread for the center slices of very soft white bread remove the number of pieces needed for the amount of sandwiches you are making.
  
  Generoulsy spread each slice with mayo, lay your turkey slices to cover the bread, salt and pepper, add thin slices of cranberry sauce and eat. For the deluxe model sandwich add pototo chips to the sandwich for crunch.
  
  This is a fun lunch or dinner any time of year.
  
  Enjoy!!

Baked Spinach with Eggs

1/4 cup butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 can spinach, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
use1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Add spinach and salt. Reduce heat to low.

Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese in the bottom of prepared baking dish. Spoon in spinach mixture and sprinkle with paprika, pepper and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, beat together egg and milk; pour over spinach mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake until the cheese bubbles, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
Makes 6 servings.

Spinach Lasagna

Stuffed between thick layers of sauce, cheese and noodles, canned spinach offers both lutein and flavor.
Ingredients:
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta or cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups marinara-style pasta sauce
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cans (15 ounces each) spinach, well drained

Preparation:Heat oven to 375°F.
Mix 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic; set aside. Pour 3/4 cup marinara sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish; arrange 3 pieces of no-boil lasagna noodles over sauce. Pour 1/2 cup sauce over pasta; spread half spinach over sauce; spread half cheese mixture over spinach; repeat the layers. Top with the last 3 lasagna noodles and remaining 1/2 cup sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.
Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Servings: 8

Tacos on the Ocean

8 servings
1 lb ground chicken breast skinless- canned chicken works well when sailing
1/4 tsp salt
1 c onions, chopped
4 ozs cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c bell peppers, chopped
4 ozs iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded- cabbage works when on a passage
1 c salsa-Safeway has a nice variety of salsas
8 whole taco shells-I use the Mission Carb Balance soft Tortillas- they keep on a long passage
1 1/4 ozs taco seasoning mix


In a large saucepan, cook chicken, onions, and bell peppers until chicken is no longer pink. Add salsa, taco seasoning mix, and salt. Mix well and cook until boiling; stirring constantly. Fill each taco shell with half cup chicken mixture. Top with lettuce and cheese.

Canned Chicken Meatloaf

12 servings
1 c onions, chopped
1/4 c ketchup
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsps worcestershire sauce
1 lb ground chicken breast skinless- I use canned chicken when sailing
1 1/4 tsps salt
3/4 c bread crumbs
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 whole egg
1/2 c ketchup

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 8" x 4" loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a non-stick skillet, cook onions and garlic until tender. Place in a mixing bowl. Stir in chicken, bread crumbs, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Place mixture into prepared pan. Spread top with remaining ketchup.

Bake for one hour, or until loaf reaches 185 on a meat thermometer.
Let stand five minutes before slicing.

Fiesta Skillet Spaghetti

1/2 tsp olive oil
1 lb ground chicken breast, skinless
1/2 c onions, chopped
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
15 ozs tomato sauce
4 c water
1 env taco seasoning mix
8 ozs thin spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 c fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Stir in water, tomato sauce and taco seasoning mix. Bring to a boil. Add the uncooked spaghetti. Reduced heat covered and simmer until spaghetti is tender, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.

6 servings; 290 Calories; 2g Fat; 23g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 44mg Cholesterol; 899mg Sodium

TACO CASSEROLE

1 lb ground skinless chicken breast
1/2 c onions, chopped
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
8 ozs taco sauce
1 c fat-free sour cream
1 c fat-free cottage cheese
1 c low-fat tortilla chips, crushed
1 c low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 400. Spray cooking spray on bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside. In a skillet, cook chicken, onion, peppers, and garlic clove until tender. Add seasoning mix and taco sauce; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside. Place half the crushed chips in the bottom of casserole dish. Add meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the meat with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining crushed chips. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted.

8 servings; 287 Calories; 4g Fat (13% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 43mg Cholesterol; 1002mg Sodium

Hoptoad Tortilla Soup

After a long days ride this soup is deluxe.

2-15 oz. Cans, Pinto Beans
2- 15 Oz. Cans, Black Beans
1-15 oz. Can, White Beans
2-10 oz. Cans, Ro*tel (Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies)
1- 15 oz. Can Corn (Drained)
3-4 Chicken breast (cooked and shredded into bite size pieces)

Add all can ingredients and cooked chicken into large pan. Do not drain liquid off beans.

Simmer about 20 minutes. This is the key!!

Serve in a bowl topped with fresh Cilantro, Sour Cream, Avocado, and Tortilla Chips.

S/V Hoptoad: Shawn's Coffee Cake

Jeff, Margie, Sonny and Shawn.

Thanks Shawn, I used this recipe all the way around the world. It came in handy in a pinch and was really tasty each time I made it.





Cake:
1/4 cup salad oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon melted butter

8x8 pan- no need for grease
mix cake, melt butter and add cinnamon and brown sugar pour over cake. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Shawn says to really make this good increase the topping. You can also add 1 can drained peaches or any other fruit you have on board.

Scramble

This is a wonderful breakfast for company.

Serves approximately 6

12 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

season to taste

add what ever you have on hand... any type of meat cut up, onions, mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, you name it it will work. Scramble the eggs and add the other ingredients. Bake for about 35-40 minutes. I serve this with salsa & sour cream.

This was the main course for Bern's birthday Second Breakfast!! Happy Birthday Bern.

Potato Tuna Bake

Denise and Grant live aboard Discovery a 48' Tollycraft which is tied up next to us at Shilshole Bay Marina. How lucky for me that Denise loves to cook and has taken me on as her personal mission. She is bound and determined that we will not set sail until she has supplied me with a number of nutritional and easy to make recipes. WOW!! Thanks Denise.

Adaptation of Gram'ma Long's recipe
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
3 cans (6 ounces each) tuna or chicken, chunk style
1 container (9ounces) shoestring potatoes
1-2/3 cup milk
1 can (10-3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cups shredded cheese (plus more for topping)
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoning Salt
4 ounces diced green chiles-optional
1-1/2 tablespoons minced onion

1. Dump all ingredients into a greased (I never grease it) 2 quart casserole dish and mix.
2. Sprinkle top with additional shredded cheese.
3. Bake in moderate oven(375) about 35-45 minutes.

Quick and Easy!

These two recipes come from Jeanni Thomas who is one of the most wonderful cooks I have ever met. Thank you Jeanni for sharing.


Grilled Salmon w/ citrus sauce

Heat grill to med. high. Rub salmon w/ 1 tsp. sesame oil, juice from ½ lemon. Sprinkle lightly w/ garlic powder, salt, pepper, dill and rosemary.. Let salmon marinate for at least 20 minutes. Lightly oil grates ; place salmon, skin side up on grill..Cook about 4 min. on each side, or until opaque throughout and flaky. Serve salmon w/ warmed citrus sauce. Citrus sauce!! In a small skillet over med. heat, boil ½ cup oj, ¼ cup fresh lime juice(about 1 whole lime) . Whisk in 2 tabs. honey, 2 tsps.dijon mustard and 2 tabs. olive oil. Simmer 8-12 min, until reduced to ½ cup liquid… Drizzle warm sauce over salmon on a salad bed, or salmon over steamed rice.

Sauce compliments grilled halibut as well.



Smoked Salmon Quesadillas
Tortillas(preferably spinach, but flour or roasted tomato would work well too) Cream cheese seasoned w/ chives & onions Roasted chopped shallots(can be raw if preferred) red onion is ok too ½ roasted red pepper, diced Lemon juice Smoked salmon Spread cream cheese over tortilla. Layer smoked salmon bits, roasted shallots, diced red pepper, drizzle w/ lemon juice. Fold over tortilla and grill until lightly toasted. Or toast in oven at 350 about 8 min. or lightly browned. Season sour cream w/ lemon juice, a light sprinkle of dill and dried chives.

Serve quesadillas warm w/ a dollop of seasoned sour cream.