For the March 8, 2007
Carefree… by Joyce McCombs

Carefree Wacky Ingredients

Welcome to the wacky ingredient file – also known as “Cool Stuff I Stole from Other People.” It’s a sad fact that sooner or later, I will pester you for a recipe, no matter who you are or how we met. Are you changing a tire at twenty below? Let’s talk soup! Chasing your overtired kids around the store at 5:30 on a Saturday? Tell me your favorite cake recipe right now! Once, after tasting a potato dish that was so good it knocked me sideways, I hauled out a pen and notebook then and there to scribble down the recipe. Did I mention this was during a formal wedding reception, complete with tiny baby orchids, tuxes and a full orchestra? Clearly, I have recipe issues and the only way to deal with it is to of course, find even more to share with you. Thank goodness I still have friends in Delta I can steal ideas from on a regular basis.

Cheeseburger Soup
Stolen with a smile from Eileen Herman, who served this during our last Bunco fest at her pretty house out on the river. Twelve of us had no problem lapping up bowl after bowl of this tasty and filling soup and we almost lost our ambition to play the game by the time we’d finished supper. Who knew cheeseburgers in a bowl could be so tasty? Belated congrats to Martha Kimball, Bunco Queen Bee Winner of the night!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced celery
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes, diced
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces Velveeta cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon basil
¼ cup sour cream
salt and pepper
Brown beef and onion together in large heavy soup pot, like a Dutch Oven. Drain and set aside. Saute onion, carrots, celery and basil in same pan about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and add broth, potatoes and beef.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts.
Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Keeps nicely in a crock-pot for hours and good with some hearty bread on the side.

WACKY CAKE
This recipe is as old as the hills, which might even be older than I am, considering how I've been creaking around lately. I first ran into it years ago in the I Hate To Cookbook by Peg Bracken, the patron saint of busy moms and aspiring food writers everywhere. It never fails, and it’s a lifesaver when you run out of eggs but must produce a cake for some function or other. Through the magic of vinegar and soda, I promise your cake will rise!

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon cocoa
1/3 cup melted shortening or oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350..
Sift dry ingredients into a well sprayed 9 x 9 inch pan. Mix well with a wire whisk. Make 3 holes, one for vinegar, oil and vanilla. Pour water over all. Mix well with fork. Do not beat.
Bake for 30 minutes. Leave in pan and frost while still warm with:

WACKY CAKE TOPPING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 stick butter
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


CHICKEN WITH CASHEWS
I was resistant to using nuts in anything but cookies or quick bread for a very long time. But then this recipe came into my life courtesy of another college pal, Mama Lori, who we all adored and still do, since she’s a second grade teacher with endless patience and a mega wattage smile. She was a whiz in the kitchen and dreamed up all kinds of good things on a regular basis. She was very fond of cashews, so this recipe was an immediate hit, and I became a cashew chicken convert at once.

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small chopped onion
1/2 pound mushroom, trimmed and sliced
1 small cabbage head, shredded
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups cashews
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 ounces Chinese noodles

Place chicken, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a bowl; let stand for 15 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil with salt in wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry until white and firm. Add onion and mushrooms and stir-fry until vegetables are soft.
Remove from pan.

Add 2 tablespoons oil to wok. Stir in cabbage and sugar. Stir-fry 3 or 4 minutes until cabbage is crisp tender. Return chicken-vegetable mixture to wok. Add cashews and toss to combine. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1/4 cup soy sauce. Stir into chicken-cashew mixture. Cover and steam 1 minute. Uncover and stir until sauce is slightly thickened. Sprinkle with Chinese fried noodles before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Company Carrots
Cooked carrots are one of my top three favorite veggies, and I don’t ever find them boring, especially when they come tossed with a bit of butter, salt and pepper. The first time my college pal Sara Jane made this recipe, I had a hard time believing so much intense flavor came from such simple ingredients. You’ll believe it, though, and enjoy the results.

1/3 cup water chestnuts, sliced
2 Tablespoons butter, divided and melted
2 c. carrots, cooked, drained and sliced
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. dried mint leaves
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Sauté water chestnuts in 1 tablespoon butter for 5 minutes. Combine with carrots and place in 1 quart casserole. Add remaining butter. Combine sugar, mint and cinnamon. Sprinkle over carrots. Cover and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring frequently. Serves 4.

Corn And Walnut Dip
I ran this in the column a couple of years ago and happily swiped it from our dear friend Patricia Smith, who recently moved back East. (We miss you, Pat!). She loves a spicy treat and the crushed chilies in this are adjustable to your liking. Here’s more nuts used to give this interesting spread a great texture.

16 oz cream cheese; softened, (Two 8 ounce packages)
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
dash of pepper
1 cup walnuts; chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon crushed red chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
One 8 3/4 oz corn; whole kernel, drained
1/4 cup chopped onion

Beat all ingredients except corn, walnuts and onion in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth. Stir in corn, walnuts, and onion. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 4 cups of dip.

Holiday Potatoes
This is the recipe mentioned above that I scribbled down during the wedding reception. It’s so easy and so good and so full of calories that you probably shouldn’t make it too often. But you probably will anyway.

2 packages frozen hash brown potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon dry onion soup mix
2 cups sour cream
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, diced
1 can evaporated milk
Pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Paprika
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish and add the frozen hash browns. Mix the soup, onion soup mix, sour cream, cream cheese and milk and pepper. Pour evenly over the spuds. Top with Cheddar cheese, then Parmesan cheese and finish with a sprinkle of paprika. Set baking dish on a foil lined cookie sheet to catch spills, and bake uncovered for 45 minutes until top is well browned. Let rest fifteen minutes before serving.

Surprise Fudge
Cheryl Helkenn knows me well, and actually offered this recipe before I even asked for it! She says it’s very tasty and you can’t even tell it’s made with beans, which give it a creamy texture and satisfying mouth feel. It makes a huge pan and you’ll end up with 80 pieces if you cut them into 1” squares. If you’re with us on the Weight Watchers Team, each piece is just half a point!

15 oz can pinto beans rinsed & drained
1 cup baking cocoa
3/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
7 1/2 cups powered sugar
4 tablespoons peanut butter

Mash beans well with fork till smooth. Cover & microwave for 1 ½ min. Add cocoa, butter, vanilla, & peanut butter. Then slowly add sugar (will be thick). Press in "Pam" coated 9 x 13 pan. Cover, refrigerate till firm. Cut into 1" pieces. Yields about 80 pieces.
Equals 1/2 point per piece
 

Index to Carefree Gourmet Articles

Sourdough Sensations June 29, 2007

Kitty Treats June 29, 2007

Dog Treats April 20, 2007

Sandwich Plan March 23, 2007

Carefree Wacky Ingredients March 8, 2007

Homestead Hearth January 25, 2007

Carefree Cooking 101 January 11, 2007

Holiday Punch December 23, 2006

Holiday Treats December 12, 2006

Thanksgiving II November 20, 2006

Standby Favorites October 16, 2006

Cabbage October 11, 2006

Apples September 22, 2006

Kids Cook July 6, 2006

Wacky Tips June 8, 2006

Graduation May 11, 2006

African Cuisine April 13, 2006

A Bit of Irish March 23, 2006

Crazy for Carrots March 9, 2006

February Vacation February 23, 2006

Easy Budget January 12, 2006

Christmas Treats December 22, 2005

Sweet Surprises December 8, 2005

Turkey Times  November 22, 2005

Grand Champions - Part 2 - October 13, 2005

Janet Boyer September 22, 2005

Grand Champions September 5, 2005

Blueberries  August 12, 2005

Halibut and Zukes July 28, 2005

Orange Juice July 14, 2005

Happy Birthday June 30, 2005

Honey June 9, 2005

Picnic Dishes May 26, 2005

Celebration Salads May 12, 2005

Kraft Foods April 21, 2005

Shrimp April 7, 2005

Carry on Airline snacks March 25, 2005

Sandwiches March 10, 2005

Back from Vacation February 24, 2005

Super Bowl Snack Attack  January 14, 2005

Ginger Snaps December 29, 2004

Christmas Memories - December 12, 2004

Thanksgiving November 23, 2004

Glen and Meat  October 29, 2004

Blueberry Pie Champion  September 30, 2004

Fair Winners  September 2, 2004

Glen's Knives June 11, 2004

Aunt Aggie Tells All... May 13, 2004

Crazy About Catsup April 29, 2004

Carefree Clearance Special April 8, 2004

Seattle Adventure March 26, 2004

Vegas, part 2 March 12, 2004

Vegas Wind February 12, 2004

Casserole Bonanza January 11, 2004

No Fuss Dishes  December 19, 2003

Fake and Bake Christmas  December 11, 2003