Tasty Oven Fries

This recipe comes from an old newspaper clipping. I love baked fries. You get all the taste of French fries without all that grease.

Tasty Oven Fries

4 large russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
Salt, optional
Catsup, optional

Dip each potato wedge into egg whites and place on nonstick baking sheet. Season to taste with salt.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, turning after 5 minutes, or until browned. Serve with catsup.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Chocolate-Pecan Brownies

This recipe comes from the Great American Home Baking folks. I suppose I got it in the mail. I don’t really remember. But we’re always looking for quick recipes when we need to take something somewhere. This is perfect.

The baking tips section tells us to cool the chocolate mixture completely before combining it with the other ingredients. Also, test for doneness 2 to 3 minutes before suggested baking time.

I also recommend putting wax paper in the pan, greasing it on top and bottom, as well as sides of the pan. This helps insure that the brownies are easy to remove from the pan.

Chocolate-Pecan Brownies

¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons water
1 package (12 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a small bowl, mix together flour and baking soda.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; remove immediately from heat.

Stir in 1 cup of chocolate morsels and vanilla extract until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Cool completely.

Stir in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in flour mixture until smooth.

Stir remaining chocolate morsels and nuts into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares.

Makes 16 brownies.

Baked Bananas

I grew up watching my two grandmothers cook. Neither was big on measuring anything. Most of their recipes were from their memories. That worked great for them but wasn’t real helpful when I tried to cook.

So I started reading cookbooks. And I learned a few basics. Like always pack your brown sugar into the measuring cup. And lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup, then use a flat edge to level it off.

 

This recipe comes from another yellowed clipping. Better get used to it. I found a large brown paperbag full of old recipes just waiting to be shared.

Baked Bananas

1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
1 cup water
Dash salt
1 lemon, zest and juice
6 bananas, just underripe, not speckled or green

In small saucepan, bring sugar, butter, water, salt and lemon juice to boil. Cook briefly until syrupy. Add lemon zest.

Peel bananas and cut half, lengthwise. Place cut side down in lightly buttered glass baking dish. Do not overlap. Pour on syrup.

Bake at 300 degrees 10 minutes. Baste and cook another 10 minutes. Baste and cook another 10 minutes. Serve with syrup.

Makes 12 servings, approximately 132 calories per serving.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Cake

This is from another old newspaper clipping. I’d substitute pecans -- which all falling off the trees right now -- for the walnuts.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Cake

¾ cup butter
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins, optional
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

Combine butter, flour and sugar in bowl and, with hands, rub to crumbs. Add baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and orange zest. Gently mix.

Mix pumpkin, egg and buttermilk together. Add to dry ingredients with raisins and walnuts. Gently stir with fork to incorporate liquid. Do not over mix.

Pour into greased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan and gently spread. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Makes 24 large servings, about 108 calories per serving.

Double Blueberry Buckle

This recipe comes from another old newspaper clipping. Wish I’d had it when the blueberries were fresh. It doesn’t matter though. I’ve got plenty in the freezer. How about you?

Double Blueberry Buckle

Cake

¼ cup butter or margarine
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Blueberry Topping

¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup blueberries

To make cake, cream butter and ¾ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and rind. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Gently fold in 1 cup blueberries. Spread dough into greased and floured 9-inch square pan. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

To make topping, in small saucepan, combine all topping ingredients, reserving ½ cup blueberries; cook, stirring, until thickened. Spread hot topping over warm cake. Use reserved blueberries for top decorations.

Makes 8 servings.

Scalloped Potatoes

I pulled this recipe out of a huge paper bag filled with old recipes. It’s from the October 1990 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. Can you believe that? Of course, it’s been buried all these years so how could I use it? I’m so thankful that now I can find it when I need it.

Scalloped Potatoes

3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups milk
¼ lb sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
5 medium-sized potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon paprika

About 1 ½ hours before serving:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium heat, in hot margarine or butter, cook onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and salt until blended; cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in ¼ cup shredded cheese.

In shallow 2-quart casserole, arrange half of the potato slices; pour half of the sauce on top; sprinkle with half of remaining cheese; repeat. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, covered, 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Makes 6 servings, about 255 calories each.

Smoky Three-Bean Chili

      A chill in the air signals that it's time to get a big pot of chili going on the stove. The only problem is time. This solution from Pillsbury changes all that. Can't wait to give this chili a taste test. And don't forget to head over to the Pillsbury website for even more chili recipes.

 

Smoky Three-Been Chili

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cans (15 oz each) beans (great northern, kidney, black and/or pinto), drained, rinsed
1 can (18 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ fire roasted tomato cooking sauce
2 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

In 4-quart saucepan, cook bacon, beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is brown and onion is soft; drain.

Stir in chili powder and cumin. Stir in beans, cooking sauce and broth. Heat to simmering, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook about 15 minutes or until thickened.