Category Archives: Recipes

Posts that contain recipes for HASTY TASTY MEALS

April 29, 2023 · 2:10 pm

Derby Party Essentials

It’s almost Derby Day in my old hometown, which involves at least two weeks of events leading up to two minutes of horse racing. The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuously running sports event in American history. The parties are a big deal, and I have hosted a few. Through the years, certain recipes and dishes have emerged as essentials to serve at any Derby-theme gathering.

Benedictine Spread or Dip

My favorite recipe for Benedictine Spread is the one published by Southern Living: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/benedictine-spread

Benedictine spread is easy using a food processor.

Derby Pie®️

If you like a custard pie with chocolate chips and walnuts, you’ll love Derby Pie®️! There are many copycat versions, but buy the real deal if possible. https://derbypie.com/

Mint Julep

There are variations, but basically a Mint Julep requires only fresh mint leaves, Kentucky bourbon (must be Kentucky bourbon!), a simple syrup made with sugar and water cooked ahead of time and chilled, and crushed ice. Virgin Mint Juleps are great, too. My favorite recipe is Paula Deen’s: https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/mint-julep/ Her recipe starts with a mint-infused simple syrup. Yum.

Kentucky Hot Brown

In listing the essentials, I must include the Kentucky Hot Brown. It’s an open-faced sandwich eaten with a knife and fork. The KHB was created in the mid 1920s at the Brown Hotel to feed the late night dance crowds. Basically, it’s turkey on Texas toast topped with plum tomatoes and a cheese sauce browned under a broiler. An easy recipe is found at A Taste of Home: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/kentucky-hot-brown/

These are my favorite “essentials” although others might argue that I omitted Bourbon balls, Pimento cheese, and Horseradish Deviled Eggs. However you celebrate the Kentucky Derby, remember to wear your lavish bonnet if you’re a lady and your red rose boutonnière if you’re a gentleman.

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as ,

June 15, 2022 · 12:49 pm

Hasty Tasty Apple Cobbler

If you follow me, you’ve guessed by now that I prefer easy yet healthier cooking. I can’t claim apple cobbler is figure-friendly, but I did lighten it a bit. Here’s how to make my HastyTasty Apple Cobbler.

Ingredients:

  • One Krusteaz Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake & Muffin Mix
  • One can apple pie filling (no HFCS*)
  • Half tablespoon butter
  • One serving egg substitute or one egg
  • Three-fourths cup liquid (water, milk, or buttermilk)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Grease a 9X9” baking pan with butter.
  • Cover bottom of the pan with apple pie filling.
  • Remove the cinnamon sugar pouch from the muffin mix and sprinkle about one-third over the apples.
  • In a large bowl, mix together egg and liquid. Add one-third of the cinnamon sugar and stir.
  • Stir in the batter mix with the egg and liquid. Batter will be stiff.
  • Drop spoons full over all the apple pie filling.
  • Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over batter and gently press in until apple filling is completely covered.
  • Bake 40-45 minutes. Rotate pan after 20 minutes for even baking.
  • Allow finished cobbler to cool ten minutes.
  • Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.
Spread apple pie filling on bottom.
Batter will be stiff.
Drop scoops of batter over the apples.
Top with cinnamon mixture.

Leave a comment

Filed under Apple Cobbler, cinnamon, desserts

December 31, 2021 · 2:51 pm

Hammy New Year!

At our house, we celebrate New Year’s Day with ham, cabbage (or greens), black eye peas, and cornbread—tradition for good luck in the coming year.

Ham doesn’t have to be a laborious undertaking. I use a pressure cooker. This year I pulled out my oldest electric cooker, my trusty Power Pressure Cooker XL, because it still works great and its 8-quart capacity is perfect for my 6 pound, semi-boneless ham. (Unfortunately, Tristar stopped selling this model)

I borrowed a trivet from my Instant Pot 6 quart, added two cups water, and placed the ham on the trivet. That’s all that’s necessary, but I wanted to jazz it up a bit since, you know, it’s New Year’s Eve and I feel festive. So I inserted a few whole cloves and added some dried mango for a bit of sweetness to complement the savory pork. Any fruit works, especially pineapple and dried apples. Use what’s convenient for you.

Mangoes and cloves add interesting flavor notes.

Forty minutes later, the ham is hot and ready to serve (after the pot depressurizes, of course.) Plus the pot has a delicious broth* perfect for flavoring vegetables or soaking dried black eye peas.

I always use this method for cooking ham, and without any fancy additions. A good ham and a couple of cups of water for forty minutes in the pressure cooker is delicious on its own.

Happy New Year!

Slice and serve.

*Caution: don’t add salt until you taste the ham. It can be salty enough as is. Then season as desired.

Leave a comment

Filed under ham

Tagged as , ,

August 14, 2021 · 12:20 pm

Watergate Salad Revisited

Remember Watergate Salad? That pistachio pudding confection that appeared at Shoney’s salad bars, church potluck dinners, and holiday dinners. Dole published their version, featuring Dole canned crushed pineapple of course, and Jello had theirs, featuring Jello Instant Pistachio Pudding mix. There are variations (some added coconut). This ubiquitous dessert has remained a favorite and continues to make its appearance at dinners and buffets.

Why is it called Watergate Salad? Good question. It’s not a salad and it didn’t originate in Washington DC at the Watergate complex. Unconfirmed stories claim a food writer titled it after Jello introduced its pistachio pudding because the Watergate wiretapping coverup was in the headlines. The name may be silly, but it stuck.

I recently came across my copy of the recipe, handwritten some 40 years ago by Rachel, my late mother-in-law. Making Watergate Salad today was like a visit with her. So, in Rachel’s memory, I made her version of the recipe.

Watergate Salad

Serves 8

🔘1 package instant pudding mix, pistachio*

🔘1 20 oz can crushed pineapple + juice

🔘1 8 oz tub non dairy whipped topping (thawed)

🔘1 cup miniature marshmallows

🔘½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

🔘1 small jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate. Serve.

That’s it. Simple, easy, and light. No wonder this dish is still a favorite.

*To cut calories, I use the sugar-free Jello Instant pudding, but I recommend using regular whipped topping. The fat free and sugar-free versions don’t save many calories, and the texture and taste are significantly better in the regular or extra creamy varieties.

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , ,