Cooking on the Go
By Janet Groene, F47166
September 2006
Rice Patties
Make these versatile fried cakes to serve with pancake syrup for breakfast or add tiny bits of vegetables, herbs, or a little grated cheese to turn them into a savory side dish to serve with meat from the grill. If you prefer to cook your own rice, you’ll need two cups of cooked, cooled rice. Rice flour is found in most supermarkets these days. Peanut oil is good for frying, because it has a high flash point.
Oil for frying (preferably peanut oil)
16-ounce packet cooked rice
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1½ cups rice flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
Pour approximately ½-inch oil in a large skillet and heat it to 350 degrees (or test it with a little bread to see if the bread browns). Mix the other ingredients together and drop by heaping tablespoons into the hot oil, frying on both sides until they are lightly browned.
Crusty Cobbler
5 slices white sandwich bread
16-ounce package frozen blueberries
16-ounce package frozen strawberries
½-cup sugar
½-cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sprinkling of sugar
Cut the bread into narrow fingers and set aside. Toss the frozen berries with the ½-cup sugar and ½-cup flour and put in a greased oven dish. Top with the strips of bread, arranged to form a solid layer. Add more bread if needed and discard any excess strips. Whisk together the melted butter, 2 tablespoons flour, the egg, and the vanilla. Drizzle the batter over the bread and sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake the dish for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until the top is golden.
Note: This method of assembly won’t work with canned fruit, but other frozen fruit, such as sliced peaches, can be used
Pizza Whirlagigs
Serve these bite-size beauties for lunch with a cup of soup, or as a snack with cocktails.
2 8-ounce cans refrigerated crescent rolls
15-ounce can pizza sauce
6-ounce can or jar of real bacon bits
1 small can mushrooms, drained and chopped (optional)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Unroll the dough on lightly floured paper towels and press it together at the perforated areas to form a solid sheet. Cover the dough evenly with pizza sauce, using the back of a spoon to spread the sauce to the edges. Sprinkle with the bacon bits and the mushrooms. Roll up, slice into ½-inch slices, place on a greased baking sheet, and brush with the beaten egg. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golde
Pizza Whirlagigs
Serve these bite-size beauties for lunch with a cup of soup, or as a snack with cocktails.
2 8-ounce cans refrigerated crescent rolls
15-ounce can pizza sauce
6-ounce can or jar of real bacon bits
1 small can mushrooms, drained and chopped (optional)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Unroll the dough on lightly floured paper towels and press it together at the perforated areas to form a solid sheet. Cover the dough evenly with pizza sauce, using the back of a spoon to spread the sauce to the edges. Sprinkle with the bacon bits and the mushrooms. Roll up, slice into ½-inch slices, place on a greased baking sheet, and brush with the beaten egg. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golde
Curry In A Hurry
This recipe easily can be converted into a vegetarian main dish if you substitute a medley of colorful cooked vegetable chunks for the chicken and use cream of celery soup.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12- to 16-ounce package fully cooked chicken chunks or strips
1 medium onion, diced
1 tart apple, cored and diced
2 teaspoons curry powder (or more to taste)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
8-ounce carton sour cream
Hot rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes
Heat the oil in a roomy skillet. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir-fry the chicken, onion, apple, and curry powder until the onion and apple are crisp-tender. Stir in the undiluted soup and the sour cream. Cook over a low flame until it’s heated through. Serve over the desired starch. Complete the plate with sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumbers sprinkled with salt-free dilly seasoning.
Creamy Shrimp
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 can condensed cream of potato soup
½-teaspoon dried thyme
16-ounce package peeled, cooked, frozen shrimp, thawed and drained
Hot sauce to taste
Pepper to taste
Stir-fry the pepper and onion in hot oil in a large saucepan until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the soups and thyme; bring to a boil; and add the shrimp. Cover and cook over low heat until the mixture is evenly hot. Season to taste and serve over rice, grits, toast, or mashed potatoes.
One Big Mayomuffin
Stir up this batter in minutes without having to cut in fat. Then make one big muffin and cut it into portions to serve warm at breakfast smothered with the Pear Honey (recipe below).
2 cups self-rising flour*
1 cup milk
1/3-cup real mayonnaise
2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
Set out an 8-inch-square baking dish or pan and coat it with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the flour in a bowl. Whisk together the milk, mayonnaise, and oil; dump into the flour; and mix just until the ingredients are evenly moistened. Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until it’s golden and puffy. Cut into portions and serve hot with butter and jam, Pear Honey, or creamed chipped beef.
*To make your own self-rising flour, combine 2 cups flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1-½ teaspoons salt.
Pear Honey
15- or 16-ounce can pears, well drained
8-ounce carton peach yogurt
3 tablespoons brown sugar (more or less to taste)
½-teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Whirl everything in a blender or food processor until the mixture is satin-smooth, then spoon over plain cake or ice cream for dessert, or over toast, muffins, or pancakes for breakfast.
Note: You also can prepare the same recipe with undrained canned pears. The consistency is thinner, making it perfect to drink as a smoo
Chili Cheese Dip
Whip up a batch of this hot, meaty dip for cocktail hour, or serve it for lunch with a raft of raw veggies.
12-ounce packet cooked ground beef or beef substitute
15-½-ounce can chili with beans
1/3-cup milk
8-ounce package grated Monterey Jack cheese (with or without peppers)
Stir together the beef or beef substitute, chili, and milk in a microwavable casserole dish. Heat on high, turning every 30 seconds, until the chili mixture bubbles. Stir in the cheese and continue heating and turning every 30 seconds just until the cheese is melted. Stir and serve with tortilla chips and/or raw vegetables for dipping.
Roquefort Ribeyes
What a way to crown ribeye steaks hot from the grill! Make this topping up to a week ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.
4-ounce package blue cheese or Roquefort cheese
3-ounce package cream cheese
1/4-teaspoon dried, granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Let the cheeses come to room temperature and mix everything up with a fork; chill. Place a heaping of the mixture atop each sizzling steak. This makes enough for four to six steaks
Crunchy Chicken Casserole
2 10-ounce cans chunk chicken, broken up
2 or 3 ribs celery, diced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
8-ounce can diced water chestnuts, drained
1/3-cup sliced, toasted almonds
1 can or package Chinese noodles
Mix together everything except the almonds and Chinese noodles in a microwavable casserole dish; cover; and microwave on high for 12 to 14 minutes, turning every two minutes. Stir; top with almonds and a sprinkling of Chinese noodles; and serve at once. This recipe makes four to six servings.
Apple Syrup
2 cups apple juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
½-teaspoon cinnamon
1/4-cup light butter
Whisk together everything but the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Serve hot over whole-grain pancakes.
Books for cooks
How do you barbecue bison? How can you be sure grilled chicken is done? What’s the difference between a half chicken and a split chicken? Find all the answers, as well as scores of great recipes, in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grilling ($16.95, Alpha). This is a book for anyone who is new to grilling as well as veterans who want to expand their repertoire. Delicious recipes give exacting directions for using various types of grills.