Slow Cooking Thursday for June 7

CROCKPOT “ROTISSERIE” CHICKEN

1 roasting chicken or 2 smaller chickens (I have also done this with bone-in chicken breasts)
Seasoning of your choice

Remove the bag full of “innards” from the chicken and discard it. Rinse the chicken with cold water. Place the chicken in the crock pot. Sprinkle liberally with the seasoning of your choice. I prefer the Montreal Chicken ™ seasoning blend, but Greek seasoning or lemon pepper are two other tasty possibilities. That’s it -- you don’t need to add anything else.

Cover the crock pot and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high. You will have falling-off-the bone, beautifully seasoned chicken and a lot of good broth. You can freeze the broth to use later for another purpose, or use it as a start on a soup with leftover chicken later in the week.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Here, for Joan and anyone else who might be interested, is the salad I made for last night's picnic by the river. It's very good. I adapted this recipe from the Low-Fat Living Cookbook, by Leslie L. Cooper.

BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD

2 16-ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 sweet red pepper. chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley*
2 Tblsp. chopped fresh basil or cilantro**
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbslp. olive oil
1 or 2 tsp. dried minced onion***
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. cumin
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the black-eyed peas, rep pepper, carrot, chili peppers, and basil or cilantro. Toss to mix.

In a jar, place the lime juice, olive oil, minced onion, garlic, and cumin. Cover jar; shake vigorously. Pour dressing over salad and toss again to mix. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Yield: 6 servings

* I didn’t have this so left it out. It would probably be great, though.

** Didn’t have fresh herbs so substituted 2 tsp. dried basil.

*** Recipe calls for 1 red onion, sliced, to be tossed with the other veggies. I don’t care for raw onion in salads, so chose to do it this way.

This is a tasty salad with a definite Southwestern edge to the flavor from the chiles, cumin and lime juice. And, an added advantage -- it has over 7 grams of fiber per serving!

Picnic by the River for June 6

Last summer and fall, Mr. T and I started a fun tradition of bringing our supper to a nearby picnic spot near a river on the way to church on Wednesday nights. It was really a lot of fun to plan what to bring and to enjoy a few minutes relaxing at a picnic table by the river. Tonight we had our first Wednesday night picnic of 2007!

It was cool and breezy, so I was glad I'd chosen to make sausage subs for our picnic supper. I wrapped them in foil right out of the oven and brought them in an insulated container. They stayed nice and hot. I also made a salad with black-eyed peas -- really good! I'll share the recipe for the salad tomorrow.

Here's the sub recipe -- I used turkey Italian sausage for these and it worked out fine.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SUBS

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage links
1 c. water, more if needed
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, thinly sliced
2 c. spaghetti sauce
4 crusty sub rolls
4 oz. shredded mozzarella

Prick the sausages in several places. Place in large skillet and add water. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered,turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until nearly cooked through. (If water begins to boil away, add a little more to keep sausages simmering.) Remove to a cutting board and slice 1/2” thick.

Pour off any liquid and add the olive oil to the skillet. Return the sausages to the skillet, and add the onion and green pepper. Saute´over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes or so.

Preheat the broiler. Put the spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan and heat it to a simmer. (Or place it in a microwave-safe bowl and warm it in the microwave.)

Cut the rolls in half and place, cut side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Divide the sausage mixture among the roll bottoms, then top with sauce and cheese. Broil for about 30 seconds.
Replace the tops on the rolls, cut in half, and serve at once.

Yield: 4 servings.

These sausage subs are so easy to make! They taste like those you might purchase at a country fair and are a favorite in our home.

Some favorite rhubarb recipes

While rhubarb is still in season, I thought it would be fun to share these favorites of mine. Perhaps someone else would like to try these for their own families. I know I've shared the Four-Fruit Crumble before, but it's one of those recipes that bears repeating!

RHUBARB STREUSEL CAKE

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 egg
4 cups sliced fresh rhubarb
3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup quick or old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup butter or real margarine, melted

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the oil, milk and egg; beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well combined. Spread the batter in a greased 13X9” baking pan. Arrange rhubarb evenly over batter; sprinkle with gelatin powder. For Streusel Topping, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly; sprinkle evenly over rhubarb. Bake at 375º for 35 to 40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and cake tests done. May be served warm or cool. Yield: 1 13X9” cake

I have been making this cake for my entire married life! It's one of the first dessert recipes I turn to when the rhubarb is ready every spring. The strawberry gelatin is the touch that makes this cake
especially mouth-watering.

RHUBARB CRISP

3 cups diced fresh rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour, divided
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup butter or real margarine

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and 3 tablespoons flour. Place in a greased 13X9X2" baking pan. In large bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, the brown sugar, and oats. Cut in the butter until medium crumbs are formed. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the rhubarb mixture in the pan. Bake at 375º for 40 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender and bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm or cold, with vanilla ice cream if desired. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

I found this rhubarb crisp recipe nearly 30 years ago in a wonderful dessert cookbook given me by an aunt. It is easy and delicious -- a real taste of springtime in new England!

RHUBARB PUDDING CAKE

4 cups diced rhubarb
1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or real margarine, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

In medium saucepan, cook rhubarb, 3/4 cup sugar, orange juice, and water over medium heat until tender. Keep mixture warm while preparing cake batter.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar, using electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to the creamed mixture. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square baking dish. Spoon the hot rhubarb sauce over the batter. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

My family just loves rhubarb desserts and eagerly awaits the
appearance of rhubarb every spring. This tangy pudding cake is one of our favorites.

Here's a very different rhubarb pie which my family really loves.  The recipe came from Karyl Bannister's Cook & Tell many years ago.  It's sort of a variation on rhubarb custard pie and is fabulous.

LETITIA'S RHUBARB PIE

First, bake this Pat-in-Pan Crust.

1 cup flour
2 Tblsp. confectioners sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 cup butter

Sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter with pastry blender. Press this crumbly mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 350º oven. If pastry seems to get too puffy, press it down lightly with the back of a spoon.

For the filling,
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup sugar
2 Tblsp. flour
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups diced rhubarb

Beat egg yolks lightly. Add cream, sugar, flour & salt. Beat just until blended and thickened. Fold in rhubarb. Pour into baked Pat-in-Pan crust. Bake in preheated 325º oven for 40-50 minutes, until set. Serve at room temperature.

I used to make this one all the time and had sort of forgotten about it. It's so quick and easy and very, very good.

FRANK'S RHUBARB COBBLER

4 cups sliced rhubarb (sliced 1/2 to 1 inch thick)
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tblsp. flour
-------------------
1 cup flour
3 Tblsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 Tblsp. chilled butter
1/2 cup cream or milk

Heat oven to 400º. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Put the first 3 ingredients in the prepared plate and toss them together lightly. Place the pie plate into the oven for 7 minutes (or longer) while you prepare the dough.

For dough, sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the particles are the size of tiny peas. Make a well in the mixture and add the cream. Stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll or pat it out to a diameter slightly smaller than the pie plate. Remove the rhubarb from the oven and place the rolled-out dough on top of it. Make several slits in the dough with a sharp knife.

Return the cobbler to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough is a rich golden brown and the rhubarb is tender and juicy. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

And one more....

FABULOUS FOUR-FRUIT CRUMBLE

3 cups diced rhubarb
2 medium apples, chopped
1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup raspberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

TOPPING:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup canola oil

Combine fruit, sugar and flour; place in greased 13x9x2” baking dish. Combine brown sugar, oats, and flour; mix in oil until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit mixture. Bake at 375º for 40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Yield: 10-12 servings.

Hope your family enjoys these rhubarb recipes if you give one or more of them a try!

Menu Plan Monday for June 4

Happy Monday, everyone. Looks like a busy week ahead here! Here's this week's plan:

MONDAY: (guests for supper) Vegetable Lasagna, Lemon Artichoke Romaine Salad, Ranch French Bread, Rhubarb Crisp

TUESDAY: Baked Ham & Cheddar Sandwiches, Breakfast Potatoes, Baby Carrots

WEDNESDAY: (Picnic) Turkey Sausage Sandwiches, Black-Eyed Pea Salad

THURSDAY: Pepper Steak, Bow Tie Pasta, Green Beans

FRIDAY: Seafood Melts, Oven Potato Wedges, Coleslaw

SATURDAY: Overnight Spinach Manicotti, Salad, Ciabatta Rolls

SUNDAY: Crockpot "Rotisserie" Chicken, Potato Salad, Tossed Salad with Oranges and Dried Cranberries, Cranberry Sauce

Oven Potato Wedges

Photo is from Pixabay

Here's a neat recipe I hadn't made for quite some time. I fixed these tonight to serve with veggie burgers (just the frozen ones from Morningstar Farms). I'd forgotten how good and easy they are -- reminiscent of seasoned steak fries.

OVEN POTATO WEDGES

4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled, each cut in 8 wedges the long way
2 Tblsp. olive oil
3 Tblsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
Garlic powder to taste

Put the oil in a gallon size ziplock bag and add the potato wedges. Shake well to coat with oil. Add the remaining ingredients to the bag and shake well again to coat with the cheese and spices. Place the wedges, skin side down, in a single layer in a foil-lined shallow pan. Bake at 350º-375º for 45-55 minutes or until cooked through, brown, and beginning to blister.

This potato recipe is good with egg dishes as well as to serve instead of french fries or chips with burgers, sandwiches, etc. It’s easy but delicious and quite low in fat.

Another page from the summer devotional

Here's another page from this year's summer devotional -- written for kids, but I know some of you are enjoying reading these from time to time. One of the weekly sections is called "In the Dome Car". This page is from that section. It's the devotional for May 19.

"Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." (Psalm 107:43)

Today we are going to begin learning about a special type of railroad car called a dome car. This type of car has seats and often has tables as well. But the most interesting thing about a dome car is its windows. There may be a special dome-shaped section on the top of the car that is made all of glass. The passengers can sit here and they are able to see all of the scenery that the train is passing through. The Amtrak train California Zephyr has a car called the Sightseer Lounge which is much the same as a dome car. This car has huge windows that wrap around most of the ceiling. These windows make it easy to see all of the beautiful mountain scenery, and even the sky. There is so much to see in this amazing country of ours. Traveling by train in a dome car means people can see places they could never drive to in a car.

We can observe, or see, much from a dome car. Over the next few weeks we will “see” many sights from the windows of the California Zephyr. But our Bible verse today talks about observing some things, too. Psalm 107 is a psalm that tells us we must give thanks to the Lord. It gives us two reasons for thanking Him: 1) The Lord is good; and 2) His mercy endures forever. Then the psalmist goes on to give many examples of God’s goodness and mercy which He has showed to His people. Four times in the psalm, the psalmist says, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” In the very last verse, the psalmist tells us that if we are wise, and observe all that God has done, we will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. How true that is! When we observe all that God does for His children, we begin to understand what a kind and loving God He is!

* Thank God for His goodness and mercy. Thank Him for the loving kindness He shows as He cares for you and your family.