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Lunch with Friends with a Side Order of Covid

3 Apr

Florida weather is beginning to fully behave like Florida weather. The winter was very pleasant with a nice mix of chilly nights and mild days. Now that spring has arrived the chilly nights are history and the air conditioner is running 24/7. The weather forecast for the next seven days are predicted to be in the mid 80s.

As the saying goes, “the mountains are calling and I must go.”

Soon we will be packing and heading out. I checked the weather forecast for our first week home and lows will be in the 30s with highs in the 60s. I plan to soak up the last of the cold.

We can see on our security cameras that our daffodils are blooming and the Japanese maple trees are shedding their winter brown and will soon be flush in reddish purple.

Two deer visited a few nights ago. I think they were checking out my husband’s grape vines. He is convinced the deer believe he grows grapes just for them. Our hosta plants haven’t awoke from their winter sleep but they will any day now. I suspect the deer were checking them out as well.

For several weeks I have been trying to arrange a lunch with a life long friend. She had been dealing with dental issues and eating was a chore for her. Finally last week she called to say her dental issues were almost resolved and we could meet. Almost as an after thought she mentioned she had seen a mutual friend, T, in a store, who moved away several years ago. She asked if I would like to include her in our lunch. I said, absolutely.

The three of us met up in a newly opened Buffett restaurant. We talked and laughed and it was almost like we were those young women of long ago.

As part of reconnecting, we discussed where we were living. T knew of our plans to move the the North Carolina mountains and I knew that when she left Florida she moved to eastern North Carolina. I told her we divide our time between Florida and the mountains. To my surprise she said we do too! Turns out that our homes in the mountains are about 50 miles apart and I go to their town frequently.

In the course of conversations, I asked T where she was staying in Florida. When she named the street she has a condo, my mouth dropped open. Her condo is on the same street where we stay in the winter. She had been there five years! How could this be?

I was delighted to know she was a neighbor and we decided to get together again before we left for that mountains. That was on Thursday.

Saturday morning I received a text asking if I was feeling alright. My first thought was oh no, food poisoning. I told her I was fine. She wasn’t and neither was T. Both of them began feeling ill on Friday and woke up during Friday night with fever and chills. Turns out they both had Covid and feeling pretty miserable. Since both my friends are single ladies, I’ve been texting every day to see if they need anything. So far they have everything they need and thankfully they are on the mend.

We have been wondering why I haven’t come down with Covid. Our best theory is the Buffett may have been contaminated. They both ate peel and eat shrimp and I didn’t, so maybe that was the source.

We definitely are planning to meet up when we are both back in Western NC. And I suspect we won’t be lunching at a buffet.

We enjoyed our time in Florida with our daughter. We will miss her and grand dog Ollie.

Ollie enjoys sitting at the window watching the birds.

I will miss her fast internet. Our mountain internet delivers a whopping 6 mbps on a good day. Rumor has it that fiber is coming this year. Fingers crossed. Until then, I learn a lot of patience waiting for downloads.

PS Today is our 54th wedding anniversary.

I'm a winner

After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I’m a general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  

My 2024 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.

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Let’s Eat! Fiesta Chicken

30 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wils

Some years ago, our oldest daughter, Karen found a recipe that she and Brian really enjoy eating.  It’s official name is “Fiesta Chicken Crock Pot” but they lovingly call it “yardbird.”  So when we – or they – talk about having “yardbird” we know exactly what we are talking about.  Fred really likes this dish, and since it’s a crock pot dish that I can put in the pot early in the day and just let it cook…I like it as well!

Try it…you might like it!!  (The comments are from the originator of this recipe – not me)

Fiesta Chicken Crockpot Recipe

Photo Credit on photo
  • 4 chicken breast (frozen or raw)
  • 1 packet Fiesta Ranch dip (by the salad dressing)
  • 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 can Ro-tel
  • 1 block cream cheese

Cook on high in the slow cooker for 4 hours or 6 on low. Shred with forks and eat over rice  or tortillas.

As I probably told you, I no longer buy the Hidden Valley Ranch Fiesta Ranch packet (though it’s certainly easy that way); I get a regular ranch packet and sprinkle the ground red pepper over the concoction instead. Same difference. I also don’t bother to rinse the black beans, but I do drain the can before putting them in. 

The cream cheese doesn’t need to cook all day with the chicken. In fact, it might curdle if you boil it. I typically toss it in about 40 minutes before we eat, it just needs to get soft enough for you to stir in.

My kiddos are typically difficult with new foods, so I made a few adjustments to keep the peace. I used Pinto Beans in place of the black and a taco seasoning packet, instead of Ranch. HUGE HIT! I also noticed it was soupy  so about an hour before dinner, I threw in a couple handfuls of rice – PRESTO! Problem solved! Thanks!

JUDY’S COMMENT:  The original recipe calls for adding corn to the mix, but neither Fred nor I can eat corn anymore (doesn’t agree with our plumbing), so I just leave it out.  If we are at Karen’s house, and she fixes this, she typically leaves it out, and adds another can of Ro-tel.

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat! Turkey Tetrazzini

23 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

My Mother gave me this recipe, and I use it whenever I cook up a turkey – usually at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.  It uses up the left-over turkey in a grand and delicious way that we all enjoy.  In fact, Fred says it’s his favorite part of the turkey!  

There are several ways to serve this – either on spaghetti noodles, rice, or egg noodles.  I’ve done it on all of these, and either the spaghetti noodles (actually Angel Hair pasta) or the egg noodles are my favorite.  I think that it would also be good on zucchini noodles (zoodles).

Enjoy!

TURKEY TETRAZINNI

1 cup cooked rice**                                                             2 Tbsp flour

2 sticks diced celery                                                            2 cups (total) broth and milk**

½  onion, chopped                                                               Salt & Pepper to taste

1 small can mushrooms with juice                                    1 tsp Worchestershire Sauce         

¼  lb. butter (1 stick)**                                                         1 /4 lb. grated cheddar cheese

                                                                                                Cooked turkey, cubed

Cook celery and onion in butter until transparent.  Combine vegetable mixture, flour, broth, mushrooms and juice, and seasoning to make the sauce.  Add turkey and most of the grated cheese to the sauce.  Cook until cheese is melted and mixed in with the sauce.

Put cooked rice in a greased casserole and cover with the turkey sauce.  Top with remaining cheese.

Bake in a 350º oven for about 20 minutes.

**SOME NOTES:  

  1. Instead of butter, you can use ½ cup Olive Oil
  2. For the “broth and milk” – if you have any turkey gravy left over, use that and top it off with milk to make the two cups.  If no broth or gravy, use chicken bouillon and milk.
  3. This is really good over cooked thin spaghetti or Vermicelli.  We like the Vermicelli better than rice.  We’ve not tried it over Couscous, but I think it would be good, as well.  Cook the Couscous in chicken bouillon.

Enjoy!!

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat!

16 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

TERIYAKI AND FRIED RICE

Many years ago, I was given this recipe from Fred’s youngest sister, Sally.  She and her husband were part of a group that got together once a month and shared recipes and food.  This recipe came from that group, and we love it!  I would like to say it is a “man’s’ food, in that I have never made it for a man who didn’t like it!  

Frequently, when we have visitors to our house for one reason or another, I will fix this menu, and it is always received enthusiastically.  

Give it a try:

TERIYAKI AND FRIED RICE

MARINADE:

            ½ cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce

            ¼ cup white wine

            Generous sprinklings of:

                        garlic powder (or 2 tsp fresh minced garlic)

                        ginger, ground

                        sugar

            ½-1 cup water

            green onion, sliced (optional)

            sirloin tip roast, sliced ¼” thick

                        (or minute steaks)

                        (Double or triple this recipe for large amounts of meat)

Marinate at least half a day, at room temperature, covered with marinade.  Stir occasionally.

Charcoal on grill – at least 5 minutes – turning once.

FOR CHICKEN:

Use same marinade as for steak.  Use skinned, deboned chicken breasts.  Cut diagonal slashes across each breast, about  ¼” deep, and marinate at least ½-1 hour.  (I marinate it about the same time as the steak). Bake in marinade in oven (450°) one hour.  

OR – you can charcoal this on the grill the same as the steaks.  I like it that way better than oven baking.  Just make sure it is thoroughly cooked.  It probably takes 10-15 minutes, turning often and basting with marinade.

FRIED RICE:

Cook 1 cup (dry) rice w/2 cups water.  This makes up about 2-2½ cups cooked rice. 

While it is cooking, cut about 6 slices of bacon into 4ths and pan fry in large skillet.  

Remove cooked bacon pieces from the skillet  and drain on paper towel.

Add about ½ cup of chopped onion (and ¼ cup chopped bell pepper, if desired) to the bacon drippings and sauté.  Drain most of the drippings out – leave about 2 Tbsp of bacon drippings for flavor.

Add hot cooked rice to the onion mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.

Add one raw, beaten egg to the mixture and stir it in before it has a chance to cook.

Add soy sauce to taste.

Put into serving bowl and crumble bacon onto top of mixture.  Cover to keep warm.

Optional:  Oriental Bean Sprouts mixed in this are good:  about ¼ cup is good for

crispness.

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat! Tacos and Sopapillas

9 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I learned to eat Mexican food quite early.  I don’t remember my Mother making anything but enchiladas, but we ate out at Mexican restaurants quite often.  It took me a while to learn to eat guacamole and enjoy it, but now it’s one of my favorite foods!  I never try to make it myself, but our favorite Mexican restaurant in town makes the best!  I have a friend from Albuquerque who owned a health food store and eatery one time, and she just whipped up the best guacamole I’ve ever eaten!  Wish I’d gotten her recipe!

In any case, I had a sopapillas recipe from my Aunt Jessie, but was a bit difficult and time consuming to make, so didn’t do that too often.  I did make enchiladas quite often however.  While we were living in northern Maine for 13 months, we met a family across the court from us who had a Mexican heritage, and she made really good Mexican food.  She shared her recipe for tacos and sopapillas, which have been my family’s favorite for a long time. 

I don’t make the sopapillas that often, but they are a great compliment to the tacos.  They puff up nicely.  Bite off one corner of a sopapilla and pour warmed honey into it…and yummm!!  Lots of Mexican restaurants use sopapillas as a “dessert,” but that’s not what I use them for.  I could make a meal of them!  As a matter of fact, when our girls were growing up, they really didn’t like the tacos, so whenever I made that meal, their meal was the sopapillas!  However, they’ve both grown to love all kinds of Mexican foods.

TACOS

1 finely chopped onion, sautéed in 2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)

Add and simmer until most of the juice has cooked out:

½ cup V-8 juice

3 peeled minced green chilies (one small can)

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

⅛ tsp thyme (or less, according to your taste)

½ – ¾ tsp salt

Dash of cayenne

Stand taco shells up in a 9”x13” pan; fill each shell with cooked mixture.  Top with chopped tomatoes (or not) and shredded cheddar cheese, and lettuce if you desire.

Bake in a 350º oven until cheese is melted.

(I doubled this recipe for 12 tacos shells)

Credit Google Search, Pixabay and Taco Time Again Taco

SOPAPILLAS

1¾ cup sifted all-purpose flour (unbleached is okay)

2 tsp baking powder (NOT BAKING SODA)

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp shortening (Crisco) – use the stick kind – easier to measure

⅔ cup cold water

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening (I have a pastry blender that I use).  Mix with your hand to get the “feel” of all the shortening mixed in.  Add the water and mix thoroughly to make a stiff dough.  

Knead the dough lightly until it is smooth.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at least 10 minutes. Longer than 10 minutes is okay – it only makes the dough softer.

Roll the dough very thin (about ⅛” thick) into a rectangle.  Cut into 3” squares.

Heat the oil in a large pot until it is very hot (385º – 400º on a deep-fat-frying thermometer).  When hot enough, drop a few squares of dough into it.  Turn frequently so that the sopapillas will puff up evenly.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  

Serve hot with warmed honey.

Credit Google Search and isabeleats.com

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat! Chicken a La King

2 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Credit Google search and Taste of Home

This is a recipe that I found while living in Wiesbaden, West Germany, 1967-1970.  The Wives Club that I belonged to served this at a luncheon one time, and about three or four of us wives were tasked with making this.  That’s where I learned to cook up the pastry shells and serve this meal in them.  

Please notice that, as I said last time, that Fred just doesn’t eat some things – olives and pimentos are just two of them.  After the luncheon was finished, there was some of the chicken and sauce left over – enough for each of us to take some home.  I did so, and told Fred what was in it.  He picked out the olives and enjoyed the remainder of it.  However, the next time I made it, I purposely left out the olives/pimentos, since I knew he didn’t like them.  But at the end of the meal, he told me to add them back in the next time, as the flavor was just not the same without them.  So, believe it or not, when I do make this, he actually eats the olives/pimentos.   

Here is the recipe.

QUICK CHICKEN A LA KING

Wiesbaden, West Germany

1969

1    10½ oz. can Cream of Mushroom soup – undiluted

5 oz can deboned chicken, shredded

2 oz jar green olives stuffed with pimento – or to taste – drained and sliced

½ cup chopped celery

Heat soup, stir in remaining ingredients.

Heat thoroughly and season to taste (salt, pepper)

Serve in cooked pastry shells or toast cups.

Serves 3

NOTE:  I purchase the Pepperidge Farm frozen pastry shells and cook them for this.  Makes a nice receptacle for the sauce.

Goes well with a salad and/or vegetable.

Credit Google Search and Pepperidge Farm website

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

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Let’s Eat! Old Time Welsh Rarebit

23 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Recently, Fred suggested I fix a meal that I haven’t done in quite a while – a recipe I got from his Mother all those years ago…Old Time Welsh Rarebit.  Some people call this “Welsh Rabbit” – but I’ve never called it that, nor did she.  Her handwriting has faded quite a bit, so I’m glad I transferred it to my computer.

Funny thing about this recipe – Fred thoroughly enjoys it, but it also contains mustard (although not very much of it ) and Worcestershire Sauce – another thing he doesn’t like to eat.  However, since it all mixed in together, and dominated by cheese, he doesn’t mind those two things in it.  As a matter of fact – it wouldn’t taste the same without those two condiments in the sauce.  So all is good.

In making up this dish, it reminded me that there are quite a few other main dishes that I make, or have made in the past, that I didn’t put in this series.  So this is one of those “other” main dishes I forgot to mention.

This is a good-tasting meal, and goes well with either a vegetable or salad.  It does make quite a bit, so there is usually enough left over for at least one more meal – at least for just the two of us eating it.

OLD TIME WELSH RAREBIT

(from Charlotte “Kitty” Wills)

3 Tbsp butter                                                            

¾ tsp Worcestershire Sauce

½ cup flour                                                                        

 3 cups milk

½ tsp salt                                                                          

 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar Cheese

⅛ tsp prepared mustard                         

 English muffins

Dash Cayenne Pepper

In a double boiler melt butter.  Stir in flour, salt, mustard, cayenne, then Worcestershire Sauce, then milk.

Cook , stirring, until thickened and smooth.

Add cheese, cook, stirring occasionally until melted.

Serve over English muffins.

Makes 6 servings

Photo credit Google Search and foodnetwork.com

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat! Beef Stroganoff

16 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Another of my favorites is Beef Stroganoff.  I got this recipe from a German friend while we were living in Wiesbaden, West Germany, 1967-1970, so it is an authentic German recipe.  I have searched for other stroganoff recipes, but haven’t found any that look to be as good as this one.

One thing I learned very early on in our relationship – is that Fred doesn’t like ANY condiments!  I mean….no mayo, mustard, ketchup, vinegar, pickles, olives…you get the picture.  So, since this recipe calls for sour cream (another thing he won’t eat), I make up the entire batch, then set some out into a separate dish for Fred, then add the sour cream to the rest of it, for me.  As he likes to say – “just leaves more for you!”  That works for me!

As with my recipe for Beef Tips, I again get a steak and cut it into chunks, as I don’t like stew meat.  

If you aren’t a person who likes fresh mushrooms – this recipe might not be for you.  You could try it without the mushrooms…but they really add to the flavor!

Here’s the recipe.

                                                            BEEF STROGANOFF

1 lb. beef (steak) cut in 1” cubes (sirloin is best)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp flour

Cream of Mushroom soup – undiluted – 1 10.5 oz. can

2 small onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup real butter

8 oz. sour cream

Sauté onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter.  Drain and remove to a plate.

Brown meat in vegetable juices.  Add salt and pepper.  Sprinkle flour over meat and cook about five (5) minutes.  Add Cream of Mushroom soup and stir well.  Return onion/garlic/mushroom mix to skillet, and mix together.  Cook about 10 minutes longer.  Add sour cream, stirring in completely.  Sprinkle ground nutmeg and dried parsley flakes over mixture

Heat thoroughly.

Serve over egg noodles.

Credit Google Search and allrecipes.com

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat!

9 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Beef TIPS

Well, I’ve exhausted my recipes for cakes, pies, cookies and breads.  But in going through my recipe file, I’ve found more main dishes that I like to make – and we like to eat.  So I’m adding them at the end of this series

One of my favorites is what I call Beef Tips.  Chunks of steak, cut into 1″ pieces, browned in oil, then smothered in Cream of Mushroom Soup mixed with milk and Lipton dry onion soup mix.  Yummmm.  Really hits the spot on a cold winter’s day…or anytime, for that matter.  I usually serve it over cooked egg noodles, but mashed potatoes works well, and possibly rice, although I’ve never done it that way.

Photo Credit: Word Press A.I.

I got this recipe from a lady who did the church suppers at our church in Virginia.  Of course, she made it for a crowd, but it works well with the recipe cut down.  I also like a lot of “sauce” so to make it as this recipe calls for, it’s just right.  Adjust the meat to just how much meat you want. 

It originally called for Stew Meat, but I learned a long time ago that I didn’t like all the “fat” in stew meat, or the lack of tenderness in stew meat.  So I purchase a good quality steak and cut it into chunks, and like it much better.  To each his own, I guess.  There are lots of cooks who will use stew meat for this recipe, and they are welcome to it.  I’ll stick to the steak…

Here’s the recipe.

Beef Tips

Judy Wills, 2016

2 pounds lean steak (sirloin is best)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup – undiluted

2 cans milk

2 envelopes dry Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Cut steak into 1″ pieces.  Roll in all-purpose flour and sauté in hot oil until brown on all sides.  Put into Crock Pot.

Mix Cream of  Mushroom Soup and milk in bowl.  Add the dry Onion Soup Mix and mix again.

Pour the soup mixture over the meat to cover; place cover on crock pot, and cook on low setting.  Can be cooked all day.

Serve over either mashed potatoes, rice, or small (narrow) cooked noodles (especially good).

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Let’s Eat! Breads and Dinner Rolls-Part 2

2 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

There was a time, growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that we would go to our church on Wednesday evenings for dinner.  We had some amazing cooks there, and  what they made was delicious.  But what I remember the most was the dinner rolls they made – absolutely amazing!!  I still remember that yeasty taste, and have tried to find a recipe that is even close to those.  There is one I found called “Schoolhouse Rolls” that comes as close as I can find to that taste.  Here’s the recipe:


School House Rolls

 (makes 24 rolls)


1/2 C. powdered milk 
2 pkgs. active yeast
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. shortening (do not use oil or butter, shortening only)
1 1/2 C. warm water
4 C. all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 C. water along with 1/2 tsp. sugar in a small bowl (smallest bowl of three nested bowls.  Allow to foam. 

 Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the shortening and blend. 

 Add the foamed yeast to the mixture.  Add the remaining water and blend well.

  Remove the dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a floured surface.  Kneading the dough a couple of minutes and form it into a ball.

Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in size. 

 Punch down the dough, knead again for a couple of minutes and divide the dough in half. 

 Roll out each half to 1/2″ thickness.  Cut with a biscuit cutter and place on a greased baking sheet, or pull into small balls, place two in each greased muffin tin, to make Dolly Partons.  Let rise again until double in size.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown on top.  Around 10-12 minutes. Brush with melted butter.

There was another time when a friend gave me a recipe for rolls for breakfast.  The neat thing was, the rolls were frozen!  I could purchase them frozen from the store.  The night before I wanted to make them for breakfast, I would get out my Bundt Pan.  I would put together sugar and cinnamon, dip the rolls in melted butter, and roll them in the sugar and cinnamon mix.  Then place them, stacked, in the Bundt Pan.  When all the rolls were in place, I would spread the remainder of the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the rolls (if there was any left), then pour the remainder of the melted butter over it all.  Cover with a dish cloth and let it rise overnight, then bake in the morning!  Yummmm!  

To add bread to a supper meal, I would take those frozen rolls (I can’t find them here in Florida, much to my distress!), place two frozen rolls in each cup of a muffin tin, brush with melted butter, then let them thaw and rise together, and bake when they had sufficiently risen.  

To help them rise, I would heat the oven to about 250º, then turn off the oven when we put the muffin tin in the oven.  They would thaw and rise nicely! We called them “Dolly Parton” rolls – for obvious reasons!  But BOY were they good!

One lady in our church would always bring her squash casserole to church dinners.  I asked her one time if she would share her recipe.  Her comment was “I’ll give you that recipe if you will give me the one for your dinner rolls.  They taste just like the ones my mother used to make”  I was embarrassed to tell her they were frozen rolls!  But we shared recipes, just the same.

Credit Google Search and aseasyasapplepie.com

Long time ago, I was given a recipe for “Dilly Bread” that included Dill Weed in the dough as well as cottage cheese.  It was usually made in a round, squat loaf, rather than in a loaf pan.  I thought it was quite good – a bit different from normal.  Fred, of course, wouldn’t eat it because it had the cottage cheese in it.  So I didn’t make it very often – and haven’t done so in many years. But the memory is there, and I can almost taste it…  Here is the recipe:

DILLY BREAD

1 package yeast – dissolved in ¼ cup warm water

1½ cup cottage cheese – warmed

3 Tablespoons sugar

1½ Tbsp minced fresh onions

1½ Tbsp butter

2 teaspoons dill weed

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp baking soda

1 egg beaten

2½ to 2¾ cups all-purpose flour

Mix all ingredients – add flour gradually until very stiff

Cover – let rise about one (1) hour

Punch down and place onto baking sheet, shaping into a round loaf

Let rise another 40-60 minutes

Bake at 325̊ for 40-50 minutes.  Cover with foil after 15-20 minutes

Brush with butter and salt

Credit Google search and Farmfreshforlife.com

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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