OLD HOUSE HOMESTEAD

July 31, 2010

Best of Old House Kitchen: Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

July 30, 2010

Best of Old House Kitchen: Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken cooked and chopped (this works out to be about 4 cups)
1 1/3 stick butter
1 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 cups cheddar cheese
16 oz. box thin spaghetti

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Break noodles up into thirds or fourths (I do this so that it's a little easier to eat...and it doesn't have the Lady and the Tramp spaghetti thing going on.)
Cook noodles approx. 10 minutes in boiling, slightly salted water. (After it's drained leave it in the large pot so you can mix in the sauce mixture.)
While they are boiling melt butter in a large sauce pan. Stir in flour until blended and then stir in milk until it thickens. (Keep stirring and make sure you don't have the heat up too high, you don't want to scorch the sauce.)
Stir in soup and garlic powder.
Blend in cheese and then the chicken. Add to the pan of noodles and mix together.
Pour into large 9x13 dish -- it will be quite full (An 11 x 17 dish would be better.)

Topping:
1 dozen butter crackers, crushed
2 T. butter
Sprinkle topping mixture over the tetrazzini before baking. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Notes:
This meal is made for our family in mind...10 people...if you want a scaled down version and you don't have BigOven (it's designed so you can change the portion sizes) then see my conversion below.
Serving suggestions: mixed veggies, a fruit dish, rolls or even garlic bread.

Scaled down to feed a smaller crew:
2/3 stick butter
1/2 c. flour
2 c. milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb chicken (2 c.)
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
8 oz. spaghetti
(Keep the topping recipe the same. You may have a bit left over but you can package it up and save it in the freezer for next time.)

July 29, 2010

Queen of the Castle: Week 30

For those of you playing along...(if you've just joined us you can get caught up a bit here) we are on week 27 of the book Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker.

This week's chapter is titled "Flea Markets". Lynne writes about getting rid of and buying things at a flea market (or garage sale). She has one great suggestion that we (usually) try to adhere to: when one new item comes in a new item goes out (thrown away, given away, sold, etc.) It's a great concept for the closet as well as mugs, pictures, knick knacks, anything in the home.

"Flea market shopping is fun, though you need to be discriminating and not let bargain fever overtake you" warns Lynne.

Here are a few tips for shopping at a flea market (or garage sale for that matter):
*When you first get there, scan through the booths quickly before purchasing anything to get a feel for prices.
*Be aware of the two kinds of booths: those run by people who are cleaning out their garages and want to simply get rid of stuff, and those run by people whose goal is to make real money. Just because you're at the flea-market, don't assume everything is bargain-priced.
*Bring small change such as quarters or one-dollar bills, in case the person running the booth runs out.
*You'll have better selection earlier in the day, but by day's end prices may be slashed to almost nothing. So shop accordingly.

- - -

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

July 28, 2010

Best of Old House Kitchen: Lasagna

The next few weeks our family is going to be very busy! We have two more camping trips, 4-H week, Vacation Bible School (my hubby's in charge of this so of course I'm helping, too!), our 16th wedding anniversary, a birthday celebration, and we have overnight guests coming to visit on two separate occasions! Crazy busy! So ya'll will forgive me if I re-post a few things here and there, right? Good. I knew you were nice like that! : ) Monday menu plans will be new each week because, after all, we have to eat and I need a menu. Tuesday's kitchen tips will be new and we'll keep following the Queen of the Castle series, but the recipes that I post will be our family's favorite ones. I've taken a poll during one of our latest Dinner Time Quiz Shows so here is a family's favorite.

Lasagna

3/4 lb. ground beef
8 -ish lasagna noodles (make 'em fit in the pan however you can) I do three in a row lengthwise and then break one into about a 2/3 piece and place it at the end (perpendicular to the other ones). I buy the oven ready kind. No need to dirty another pot, right?
1 beaten egg
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese divided (I'm cheap so I use the kind in the can)
1 T dried parsley flakes
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can of Hunt's Garlic & Herb spaghetti sauce

Brown beef in a small stock pot (I usually sprinkle in a little pepper, onion powder and garlic powder while it's browning), drain, and then pour in one can of Hunt's Garlic & Herb spaghetti sauce. Heat until the sauce is warmed.

For filling: Combine the egg, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley flakes.

Layer half noodles, then half filling (spread it out the best you can), half sauce/meat mixture, sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella, then repeat. Once it's assembled sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Let it stand about 10 minutes. This gives you a chance to pop in some yummy garlic bread!

*Note: Sometimes I'm out of the Secret Sauce (Hunt's) so I'll use a different brand. Just make sure to add some extra garlic powder, oregano, basil and hint of onion powder. I love Hunt's Garlic & Herb. Way back in the beginning of our marriage a friend shared the secret of Hunt's Garlic & Herb and it was the start of my kitchen coup d'état (another story).