Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Fundraising Tri-Challenge

Our local Women's Shelter is going this challenge. A friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go in it with her as a team. We'd do a pregnant team. I didn't know she was pregnant, so that was nice news. I told her i would think about it, I haven't walked all month except for a couple of leasurely walk but this would be go incentive to start again. The fatigue is starting to wear off.

They have two categories, Gold Rush and Gold Poke (we'd be in the Gold Poke section, slower pregnant ladies that we will be). Swimmining, biking and running/walking. I would also have to take pledges, so i haven't done that since high school! It's for a good cause so I guess I will do it.

Anyone want to pledge me?

Monday, June 19, 2006

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 c. brown sugar
1½ c. Canola oil
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
4 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. cardamom
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1/16 tsp crushed cloves
1 tsp. salt
2 c. grated carrots
1 c. pineapple pieces
1 c. walnuts (I used soaked raisins instead)
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix eggs and brown sugar together. Add canola oil and mix until light and fluffy. Mix dry ingredients together and add to egg mixture. Add rest of ingredients. Bake in 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish at 350°F for approximately 40 to 50 minutes.
Cake freezes well.

Icing: 2 cups of cream cheese, ½ c. of unsalted butter, 2 cups icing sugar, 2 tbs. lemon juice. Mix together. Icing will keep for a long time in the refrigerator.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Chicken Tetrazzini

One of my favorite recipes from 30 Day Gourmet. I hadn't made this in awhile but decided last week to make since it would make great leftovers for the kids lunches.
Well, my photo doesn't seem to want to post so I guess I'll just go without for now.

Chicken Tetrazzini
Recipes: 1
Servings: 10
Makes: 9”x13” pan

Ingredients:

Dry spaghetti noodles 12 oz.
Margarine 2 T.
Chopped onion 1/2 C.
Garlic cloves, minced 2
Cream of Mushroom soup 10 oz.
Cream of Chicken soup 10 oz.
Chicken broth 8 oz.
Velveeta cheese 8 oz.
Cooked, chopped chicken 3-1/2 C.
Sliced canned mushrooms 8 oz.
Shredded cheddar cheese 1 C.
Assembly Directions:
Break the noodles into 3" to 4" lengths. Cook for half the recommended time and drain. In a large saucepan or stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Sautee the onion and garlic in the butter. Add soups, broth, and cubed Velveeta cheese. Lower heat and cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and mixture is well-mixed and smooth. Add spaghetti, chicken, and drained, sliced mushrooms. Mix well. Transfer to a 9"x13" baking dish.

Freezing Directions:
Place the cheddar cheese in a small freezer bag. Wrap baking dish well in freezer paper and foil, and then slide into a 2-gallon freezer bag. Place cheddar cheese bag inside bag with the casserole. Or, tape the cheddar cheese bag to the top of the well-wrapped casserole.
Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove cover, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, and bake 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Comments:
This recipe is adapted from the Luby's Cafeteria 50th Anniversary Recipe Collection, which is now out of print.

You may want to add chopped celery and saute it with the onions. You can also mix in some sliced or chopped black olives with the mushrooms. After baking, this dish looks very pretty with some sliced green onions sprinkled over the top.

To double, you can simply add more noodles, without increasing the rest of the ingredients, stretching it out to 2 meals instead of one. I often make this to take to a sick friend or someone who's just had a baby, making one to take and one for my family for dinner that night.

Tip: Boil your chicken in water, adding whatever seasoning you prefer. I usually add Italian seasoning, or rosemary. Use the water you've just boiled your chicken in for the chicken broth in the recipe. If you have leftover broth, place it in an ice cube tray and freeze it. Once frozen, you can pop the chicken broth cubes into a freezer bag to save for the next recipe that calls for chicken broth.

Nutritional Information:
Per Serving: 463 Calories; 22g Fat (41.6% calories from fat); 32g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 85mg Cholesterol; 1373mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 3-1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 3 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.