Heather's Hash

I made this last night and it was good! And easy!

We're scraping the cupboards here because we don't want to go to the grocery store before we leave TOMORROW for Nashville. Thankfully I had the ingredients for this already around...and it helped me cook up some veggies that I didn't want to waste!

The recipe is in the Family Cookbook, so I won't type it here. But the combination I used was: cubed frozen hash browns, chicken, yellow squash, zucchini, shallots, garlic, and cheese! Throw in some garlic powder, salt, and pepper and it was great!

Bacon Onion Pasta

I just made Auntie's Bacon Onion Pasta last night and Josh almost died because it was so good. I think it is super simple. I just followed her technique. Last night I used: bacon, shallots, frozen peas, bow tie pasta, and a lot of graded Parmesan. It was delicious!

Have you made it? What combination do YOU like??

Love!

Aunt Marg’s Corn Chowder

6 slices bacon, cooked.

Add to same pan, 1 onion, chopped; cook ‘til transparent.

Add 4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced, and enough water to just cover the potatoes.

Simmer 7 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add 2 cans of corn soup, or creamed corn.

Add 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, 1 cup chopped broccoli, and ¼ cup chopped roasted red pepper(optional.)

Add about 2 ½ cans of milk.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in 1 cup (or more!) or cheddar cheese.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

aka: Amazing-ness.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and pumpkin-goodness, I'll share this! These cookies are so incredible, everyone who eats them just can't get enough. I got this recipe from a friend and I've loved making them ever since! Plus, since the pumpkin keeps them so moist, it is so hard (if not impossible) to make them crunchy...and I do love a good soft, moist cookie :)


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 c. butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. packed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
¾ c. chocolate chips (I always use more!)

Beat margarine and sugars. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Mix together dry ingredients and add to first mixture. Mix in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes.

Herb Rubbed Chicken

I've made this a couple times and it is, of course, delish! It lasts a couple meals too--and whole chickens are kinda cheap per pound, so you're definitely gonna wanna try this!

1. Start with a whole chicken, pat it dry, and place breast up in a roasting pan. Shove a whole apple into the cavity of the bird.(this will keep it moist from the inside)

2. Mix together some dried rosemary, basil, tyme, salt, and pepper(enough to season the whole bird)

3. Rub butter all over the chicken, then top with minced garlic and the herb mixture.

4. Turn chicken over BREAST DOWN and repeat step 3. (cooking poultry breast down allows all the fatty juices to fill the breast, keeping them nice and moist--and VERY yummy!)

5. Keeping the chicken BREAST DOWN, place in oven at 375 for about an hour and a half(consult a roasting guide online or in a cookbook for more accurate time per pound).

6. Pull the chicken from the oven, cover, and allow to sit for 10 min before carving.

7. Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Okay Sisters, this is THE dessert of the year! I know Sister Jessica is the queen of pies, so she will especially love this! I've made it twice this year already and almost everyone who eats it says, "Let's to away with the old pumpkin pie and eat this instead!". Everyone is begging for the recipe(which I got from a friend) so I thought I'd better share with you two:)

Crust:

1 box yellow cake mix(set aside 1 cup for topping)

1 egg

½ cup margarine, melted

Mix together and press into a greased 13x9 pan

Filling

1, 30oz can pumpkin pie filling

2-3 eggs

2/3 cup evaporated mils

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Beat well and pour over crust

Topping:

1 cup yellow cake mix

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped nuts

¼ margarine, melted

Combine and sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Serve with whipped cream. Keep refrigerated(tastes best cold!). ENJOY!!!

Auntie's Helpful Pantry Tips!

So, a few weeks ago I was very frustrated by the state of my kitchen...I go grocery shopping every week, yet I always feel like I have nothing to cook!

I realized that I need well-stocked pantry with things I can fall back on to cook in times of cooker's-block, and with things that many basic recipes call for.

But where do I get such a list?? Who else but Aunt Cindy!

So, she was so super helpful as so email me back (about 2 hours after I emailed her) this wonderful list of pantry must-haves. I'm still working on stocking my new kitchen, but I think so far that this has helped me out. Let me know if either of you think of anything you would add! Maybe we can keep a "My Sister's Table" running pantry list!

So, from the mouth of Aunt Cindy here are some helpful pantry tips:

Here are some basics that I keep in my pantry, frig, etc:

FRIG
Mayonnaise
Lemons( I use them just for water, for chicken salad,marinades,salad dressings, oh.... for lots of things!)
Worcestire sauce
Tomato paste in a tube- keeps a long time and is a great addition for pastas, soups, etc.
Dijon Mustard (I use dijonnaise- great for sandwiches, too, and salad dressings)

Keep in a basket in your pantry or I guess you can refrigerate these:
Onions
Garlic
Potatos


SPICES
Fresh ground pepper- you can buy a pepper grinder pretty cheap at homegoods or TJMaxx
Kosher Salt- I buy it by the box and keep a little bowl of it by my stove- I use kosher salt for EVERTHING, including baking! It has more flavor than the iodized salt and therefore you use less.
Cayenne pepper
Red Pepper Flakes (these make a great addition to any pasta sauce)
Garlic powder
Cumin
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Oregano
You can buy spice combinations that are great in salads, on steaks or chicken, or as flavorings in soups.

PANTRY
Pastas of all kinds – I use Gemelli, Penne, Angel Hair (for chili) and egg noodles
Canned Beans: beans are cheap, full of protein, and really versatile!
White canellie or navy beans (work great in white chili!)
Black Beans (can use these to make nachos or in tacos/burritos)
Kidney Beans ( for chili)
Oatmeal- for cookies, ofcourse! 
Brown Sugar, White Sugar
All purpose, Unbleached flour
Cocoa
Red Wine Vinegar (great for homemade salad dressings, or for marinades)
Crisco (buy it in those bars- it will probably stay fresh longer)
Pam (great for everything and then you don’t have to grease and flour when you make cakes- I also use it when I make those egg sandwiches in the microwave)
Chicken Broth (great base for all kinds of soups)
Big Cans of tomatoes (get the ones with the fewest ingredients on the can)- I use these for soups, to make your own tomato sauce –super easy- and for pastas!)
Cream of Mushroom soup – I only use this in a pinch when I need something quick- cut up some chicken, blanch some broccoli, add it to the mushroom soup with a half can of milk, add the broccoli and chicken and a squirt of dijon mustard, and serve over rice!