Copper Pennies

30 years ago, I worked in Highland Mall in Austin.  One of my favorite places to eat was Chicken Revolution in the mall's food court.  They featured rotisserie chicken and this carrot salad that I LOVED.  For years I said I was going to find the recipe and make it, and I finally did this last weekend.  Its more a chilled side dish than a salad and it turned out great!  This is based on Paula Deen's recipe of the same name, with tweaks.

Copper Pennies
1 c. sugar
1 c. white vinegar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 T. grainy mustard
1 T Worchestershire
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. coarsely ground pepper
1 can tomato soup
2 pounds peeled, sliced, and cooked carrots
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped

Cook the carrots gently in a covered pan with a little water and salt until they are just done - about 15-20 min.  Drain and set aside.  Combine sugar, vinegar, oil, mustard, Worchestershire, salt, and pepper in that same saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add the tomato soup.  Mix the onions, peppers, and carrots in a large glass dish and pour the sauce over it all.  Gently stir, cover, and refrigerate overnight.  This salad will keep for up to 6 weeks in the fridge.

We enjoyed this with rotisserie chicken on Sunday for lunch and it was great.  I will definitely make this again for summer days ahead.  It made a lot of marinade/sauce, so when the carrots are gone, I will whisk more grainy mustard into it and finish it up as a salad dressing.  Let me know if you try it!

Gina

Empty Nest Menu #37

This week I am shopping my freezer and pantry which is why it looks like I am repeating meals. 

Monday - (freezer) Pinto Beans with garlic toast or leftover cornbread

Tuesday - Tater Tot Casserole (loaded with veggies!) {finals week at Texas State*}
Wednesday - Crockpot Mushroom Chicken, rice, kale
Thursday - Scalloped Potatoes with carrots and ham
Friday - (freezer) Penne Pasta and Beef, squash
Saturday - Eat at Highlands - fondue night? {wine club pick-up at Perissos}
Sunday - Mexican Tilapia, twice baked potatoes, seared padron peppers {Mother's Day!}
Dessert this week is Nana's Lemon Pie with a berry topping

Gina

Crockpot Lentil Soup

I've mentioned lentil soup before, but I never included a real recipe.  For me, lentil soup was one of those things that I just made up as I went along.  As long as I had enough liquid and water, add a few veggies, it all worked out.  I remember we had an Italian babysitter our first summer in Galveston - she would make this soup and it was like a warm hug.  Even in summer we loved it.

I found a recipe to act as a kind of framework for a really good pot of soup, and while I know it isn't exactly soup weather, we could all use a little comfort right now.  Not to mention that it was a thrifty meal that will serve us several times and almost always tastes better the next day!

So here is what you do:

Crockpot Lentil Soup
4 c. broth*
1 can diced tomatoes, juice and all
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium celery stalk, chopped (I used the leaves, too!)
1 c. dry lentils (I had Red Crimson)
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1 T. ketchup
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. each cumin and paprika
I also added a cup or so of some chopped ham, but feel free to either leave out meat, or add whatever you like.  Link sausage, smoked turkey, etc.  All good!
Dump everything into the crockpot and cook on low for at least 10 hours.  Fish out the bay leaf and serve soup with some rolls or garlic toast.  Freezes well.

*For the "broth" - I had plenty of juice left from a pork roast I cooked the day before, so I saved it for this soup.  But I also had some chicken stock in the fridge, and those two things combined was 4 cups of liquid.  Use whatever you have!  Crockpot soup can be a little bit different every time you make it.  Maybe you'll have green lentils.  Maybe no celery.  Use purple onion instead of white or yellow.  Try Rotel instead of plain tomatoes. Don't sweat it if you leave the cumin out.  Its going to be delicious either way.

Like a hug in a bowl.

Gina

*shared with 
Miz Helen's Country Cottage! 

Empty Nest Menu #36

Monday - Slow Cooker Lentil Soup, crescent rolls {off today, working on the yards}
Tuesday - Casserole in a Jiffy, chard {cook pork roast in the crock pot for two meals}
Wednesday - Jamaican Rice and Beans*, cabbage and carrots 
Thursday - Slow Cooker Queso Chicken Tacos, lettuce, some leftover pico from last night
Friday - Baked Beans and Hamburger* (make with ground turkey), zucchini
Saturday - Eat at Highlands - Rotisserie chicken, Copper Pennies {wine club pick-up at 7 Creeks}
Sunday - Freezer meal - I've got an extra Penne Pasta with meat sauce OR Doritos Cheesy Chicken Casserole, and we will have a fresh veggie with it

No grocery shopping this week which thrills me no end!

Here are two comfort food recipes I have been making for years:

*Jamaican Rice and Beans - Stir 1 1/2 c. diced leftover pork roast into prepared rice and beans.  Top with your own homemade pico de gallo, or a mixture of mango, cilantro, and red onion.

*Baked Beans and Hamburger - Brown 1 pound of ground beef with 1/4 pound of diced raw bacon.  Drain the fat off.  Add 1 small chopped onion, 2 cans of pork and beans, 1 can of drained diced tomatoes, 1/4 c. each of brown sugar and ketchup.  Simmer on the stove at low heat, covered, for about and hour and serve with garlic bread. (you can use ground turkey in this, too)

Gina

Empty Nest Menu #35

Monday - Shrimp Burgers with sliced tomato and purple onion, coleslaw {order my produce box}
Tuesday - Gnocci with link sausage and marinara (didn't make this last week), frozen mixed veggies
Wednesday - Pot of Pinto Beans with smoked turkey leg, corn muffins
Thursday - Farro Skillet with tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, ham
Friday - Ranch Chicken Salad in pita pockets, Fritos I found in the pantry!, sliced purple onion, fresh fruit
Saturday - Take-out and I'm going to have to brave the grocery store for next week
Sunday - Pesto Tilapia, seasoned rice, peas and carrots
Dessert this week is Apple Pie

Gina

5 thing Friday - dryer, haircut, candles, pie crust, garden

A couple of weeks ago, (the 10 years old at least) dryer failed.  Since the appliance repair guy didn't want to come to the house, Hubby googled around, figured out what was most likely the case, then fixed it.

Its also handy that, since he used to be an electrician, he was able to diagnose a corresponding problem with the breaker, too.  We estimate it would have cost $180 minimum for the dryer issue alone.  Our cost was around $60.  BOOM.  A dryer is a nice thing to have when the weather is rainy.

I need a haircut so badly.  Maybe because it is getting too long, but for now, pulling it back into a pony tail for work is a must.

I ordered two scented pillar candles from Kohl's and got an amazing deal - $29 worth of candles for $7 with free shipping and Rakuten points.  But when they arrived they were a hot mess.  Literally.

They were sent in an unpadded plastic envelope and had obviously been banged around in a warm delivery truck long enough to warp.  I feel annoyed with Kohl's.

I finally found flour and Crisco at HEB and bought it immediately to make a batch of homemade pie crusts.  Quiche was had for Easter morning and there are enough packages of crusts in the freezer to make pies and quiches in the future.

The Healing Garden at work continues to be a lunchtime respite for me.  The weather is warming but it is still a million times better to sit out there compared to our breakroom at work.  People nerves seem to be getting more frayed by the day.  Its hard not to get into an argument when you are feeling stretched past your breaking point.  I am suggesting a lunchtime garden break to every co-worker I can.

Gina

Easter 2020

Since the Cannarys are all still staying socially distant (is that even really a thing with your family members?), I devised a menu and a plan to take Easter dinner to my peeps that live in Austin.  

I saw these lidded to-go food containers and thought they would be perfect for packaging up some goodies.  They are re-useable and less pricey than the Rubbermaid containers.

My plan also involved these insulated bags that I get in my Imperfect Foods boxes.

I made a list and headed to the store on Friday, then spent Saturday morning cooking up a storm.

I made enough food for 4 hungry people, with leftovers to spare.  After they cooled on the table, I stored them in the fridge and set about writing the instructions for heating them up. I included this letter: 

Happy Easter!

We miss all of you, but want you to be safe and keep “social distancing” for a little while longer – this too shall pass.  When all of this is done, we will plan a family get together with good food and good times.  Until then, please keep taking good care of yourselves!  On the menu today is:  BBQ Pork Chops, Arkansas Green Beans, Honey Carrots, and rolls.  Please enjoy some Strawberry Wine, too!  Heat the containers gently in the microwave, venting the covers.  The containers can be re-used; wash on top rack of dishwasher.  Here are the recipes if you like the dishes:

BBQ Pork Chops (these are stewed in a skillet)
Brown some pork rib chops in a little oil, medium heat, seasoning both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.  The first time you turn them over, add one onion, chopped to the skillet.  While you wait for the second side to brown, mix up a cup or so of ketchup with worchestershire, mustard, brown sugar, and a little BBQ sauce.  (or you can just use BBQ sauce by itself!)  Pour that over the chops and stew for about 45 minutes on low, covered, until meat is very tender.

Arkansas Green Beans (half the recipe if you don't want a ton of leftovers)
Put 5 cans of drained green beans in a casserole dish.  Mix up 2/3 c. brown sugar, ½ stick of melted butter, 7 t. soy sauce, 1 ½ t garlic powder and pour over the beans.  Cook 7 slices of bacon and chop up; stir into the beans.  Cook on the stovetop, covered, until hot and bubbly, stirring now and then.  (this time I used frozen beans so I cooked them longer.  I cooked the bacon covered in the microwave for about three minutes, then chopped it up)

Honey Carrots
Peel and slice one pound of carrots.  Add to a covered saucepan with a couple tablespoons butter, a couple tablespoons honey, salt, pepper, maybe a little ginger or cinnamon.  Cook on low, stirring every now and then until carrots are tender.

 We love you very much,

Mom and Slap Daddy Mac (aka Dad)

On Sunday morning I packaged up the meal containers, a bottle of Strawberry wine, some Easter candy, and a pretty cross ornament.  Then we headed over to their respective apartments for the drop off - "Meals on Wheels" remarked Firstborn.  We chatted a little out in the parking lot at each one's place, then headed home to Bubbie home for the day. 

The three of us enjoyed a delicious meal of pork roast, loaded mashed potatoes, honey carrots, rolls, and honey butter.  We capped it off with a small white wine port.  It was a very different Easter.  And since I was also on call for the day, and we couldn't go anywhere, it made me feel a little blue.  But better times are coming.  And I'm hoping next Easter will be different.

Gina