Creamy New England Clam Chowder Stacey's Way

It is a cold and snowy day on Beaty's Creek and I want some Clam Chowder. This is a recipe that I made up after making some that I did not care for. I top this with crispy bacon, I think it is a good addition to the chowder.

Needed:

5 pounds of golden Yukon potatoes-peeled and cut into 1 inch squares
3 carrots-peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch rounds
2 stalks of celery-stripped and chopped into 1/8 in slices
2 cans baby clams with juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 quart Milk
2 T Cornstarch
1 quart Water
2 sticks of butter

In a large soup pot melt butter and add celery and carrots, saute until slightly tender, now add about 1 quart of water. Add potatoes to water with salt and pepper, cook until potatoes are fork tender. Now add your clams with juice and milk, next add cornstarch to 1 cup of water and stir very well. We like ours a little thick so you may want to start with less cornstarch if you like a thinner chowder. Bring to a low boil to thicken a little. Serve with crackers and bacon. Yummy!! Well that is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Snickerdoodle Cookie

This is one our favorite cookies, of course we throw no stones at any homemade cookie fresh out of the oven. Know what I mean?? Ransome has a recital tomorrow and the mothers always bring something to nosh on so this is what Sean is bringing. Raine is not so into music as her brother so we stay behind so all can enjoy.

Needed:
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs(I use free range)
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3 cups unbleached all purpose four
1 cup sugar mixed with 4 T cinnamon-this is to roll the cookie balls in before baking

Cream in your Kitchen Aid or with your mixer in a bowl the following, shortening, sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy, now add your flour and baking powder(I sift these two together first) and mix until well blended. Roll into 1 inch balls and then drop into sugar and cinnamon mixture and roll around until well coated. Place on a parchemnt lined cookie sheet and bake at 350' for 10 minutes. You want golden cookies, they will still be soft but the bottoms will be crispy. These are so good with milk or coffee.

The 2nd Best Brownies You Will Ever Eat

This recipe is so moist and chewy you will be amazed that it is so simple to make. That is if you don't mind using a double boiler. I like to double this and make half with nuts and half without. It really doubles easily, so make a bunch, they will not last long.

Needed:
1 stick butter(no substitutes)
9 ounces chocolate of your choice(I love semi sweet and Raven loves dark)
1 cup white sugar
1 t salt
3 eggs(I use free range)
3/4 cup of flour
1 cup nuts-chopped(optional)

Melt butter, chocolate, and sugar together in a double boiler. Once chocolate and butter melt and sugar is mixed well remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Don't over mix, pour into a 8 inch baking pan and bake a t 350' for 45 minutes. These are really good with vanilla ice-cream, note to self buy more vanilla ice-cream. That is What's Cookin today on Beaty's Creek.

Stacey's Shrimp Scampi

Yesterday was our 17th wedding anniversary and I would rather cook a special meal than go out. I know I'm a freak, but that is what I enjoy, cooking. Last night was an easy meal, shrimp scampi, rib eye steaks, spring green salad and a rich chocolate dessert. Raven is busy at an acting workshop so we are having a busy weekend to beat. This scampi recipe may not be like ones you have had before but it is good! I am so glad you can buy deveined shrimp at Sam's! It saves a lot of time and trouble. We had this as an appetizer last night but we've had it over angel hair pasta and it is great also.

Needed:
4 pounds of deveined and shelled shrimp, I use the 15-20 per pound count size
1 pound of butter
10 garlic cloves-minced
1 pound Parmesan cheese-shredded


Melt butter in a large skillet, add garlic and shrimp. Cook over medium heat until shrimp turn pink, now add your cheese. This is so easy to make and so good! Make sure you make this bread to have along with it. The sauce, aka butter in this recipe is worth the calories!

Sex in a Pan

Gosh I have sex on the mind this weekend. Wonder if it is because it is getting close to our anniversary??? Go ahead make it, this recipe that is, and enjoy!

Needed:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 package cream cheese-softened
1 cup powder sugar
4 1/2 cups Cool Whip-thawed
1 package instant vanilla pudding-made according to directions on package
1 package instant chocolate pudding-made according to directions on package
1 cup of caramel sauce

Place graham cracker crumbs in a bowl with melted butter, stir until well coated, press crumbs into a 9x13 pan and bake at 325' for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile mix softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup of Cool Whip together until smooth, pour on top of graham cracker crust, next pour your chocolate pudding on top of the cream cheese layer, do the same with the vanilla pudding. You are almost finished. Place the remaining Cool Whip on top of vanilla pudding and pour 1 cup of caramel sauce on top of Cool Whip and swirl. Place in fridge for at least 4 hours, overnight is best. I have not met one person who does not like this. Try Sex in a Pan and you might like it too.

Veggie Lasagna

I really don't care for red sauce lasagna, but of course I will eat it along with any other Italian food I make or can get my hands on. This vegetable lasagna recipe I have tried several different ways and think this is the best over all. We are having this with Caesar salad and homemade cheese bread. Soo good on a cold winter's day, did I tell you winter is back on Beaty's Creek? Yep, showed up last night for a few days. I would love to have snow but I hate cold with no snow, it is the kid in me I guess. Nothing says winter fun like doing donuts in the snow in a Ford pick-up truck. Good times I tell you. Now on to the recipe.

Needed:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
6 cups of whole milk

Melt butter and add flour. Stir constantly until golden brown, now add 6 cups of milk slowly all while stirring. When it thickens up a little remove from heat.

2 packages frozen of spinach-thawed and squeeze all the moisture out
1 package frozen green peas-thawed
5 carrots-peeled and sliced into thin coins
salt and pepper to taste
6 cloves garlic-minced
1 large container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 pounds mozzarella cheese-shredded
1 pound Parmesan cheese-shredded
2 eggs
1 package lasagna noodles-boiled

Mix together all of the veggies with garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix ricotta, eggs and Parmesan cheese together until creamy.

Mix ricotta, eggs and Parmesan cheese together. Mix well.

Pour enough milk sauce to coat bottom of a very deep 9x13 pan. You will layer in this order;
Noodles
Sauce
Veggies
Cheese Mixture
Mozzarella cheese
Noodles
Sauce
Veggies
Mozzarella Cheese
Noodles
Sauce

Bake at 400' covered for 45 minutes, remove cover and bake for 20 more minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes and serve.

Better Than Sex Cake

I will not go as far to say this cake is "better than sex" but it is pretty darn good. When Raven was little she would ask for this cake by name, not so good when you are at a Kindermusik class. If you don't have someone to celebrate Valentines Day with, this cake will do for a stand in. Bake this cake and it will make you think of spring even if you have a high of 20° today.

Needed:
1 yellow cake-baked according to directions on box
1 large box of cooked vanilla pudding-cooking according to box instructions
1 can crushed pineapple
1 cup of white sugar
1 small container of Cool Whip
1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut

Place pineapple in a small saucepan with sugar. Boil until pineapple thickens a little and sugar dissolves. Poke a few holes in baked cake and pour pineapple over cake. Now pour the vanilla pudding over cake. Place in fridge overnight. Just before serving cake spread Cool Whip on top evenly and sprinkle coconut over top. This cake gets better with age.

Black Bean Poblano Pepper Bake

This was a home run on Beaty's Creek tonight. Raven had rehearsal so we made a quick dinner of it. I made rice with this but eggs cooked along with the peppers in the oven would be delish! Raven ate corn tortillas with hers, still need to learn to make those. Give this a try and you will have a good dinner without alot of effort.

Needed:
7 poblano peppers-cut in half and seeded
2 cans of black beans-drained and rinsed
3 pounds of pepper jack cheese-shredded
1 large can Rotel
1 large can of enchilada gravy
2 T cumin
2 T garlic powder
Paul Newman's Salsa

Pour Rotel and enchilada gravy into your baking pan. Lay each half of your peppers in the mixture. Now mix your beans and cheese together(I think I will add a can of whole kernel corn next time.). Place about a 1/4 cup in each pepper, make sure you fill it up but don't overfill. Now sprinkle your cumin and garlic over the top of everything. Cover and bake at 350' for 1 1/2 hours covered, take cover off and bake for 40 minutes more. Peppers will still have a bite to them but if you want them a little softer cook covered 40 minutes longer. Serve over rice with eggs and corn tortillas. If you want to cook your eggs with the peppers just break the eggs into the gravy. They will cook along with your peppers. We love eggs this way. I love to pour Paul Newman's Salsa poured all over mine!

Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

I really like bread bowls for soup. I love to eat the bread with the soup soaked in, soo good on a cold winter's day. If you want to see a picture of mine click here.

Needed:
3 cups of warm whole milk
2 T yeast or 2 packages
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 t sea salt
1/2 cup oil of your choice(I use canola)
6 cups of whole wheat flour(You might need a 1 cup more in humid climates.)

Mix milk and yeast together. Let sit for 5 minutes, now add molasses, sea salt, and flour. I use my Kitchen Aid, mix with a bread hook for 5 minutes, scrape down bowl and knead for 10 more minutes. Allow to double in size covered, this usually take 2-3 hours in our home. Now break off soft ball size balls and fold over to make a nice smooth ball of dough. Place on Silpat lined baking sheet and let double in size once again, this usually take an hour or two. Preheat oven to 450' and bake for 30-40 minutes. The bowls should sound hollow when pecked on. With a knife cut a hole in top of bread and scoop out insides of bread, I save these to eat with the soup. Make sure you don't go through the bread bowl or it will leak. Fill with soup and enjoy!

Stacey's Split Pea Soup

If you are a teen of the 70's I know what comes to your mind at the thought of pea soup.... So don't go there. This soup is sooo good your kiddos will scarf it down in no time. I cook mine in the Crock Pot and all I have to do is make bread bowls. I will post my recipe for my tried and true bread bowls later today. We like shredded sharp cheddar cheese with our soup but some people like sour cream too. It feels like spring today on Beaty's Creek complete with thunder storm watches. Stay safe and enjoy this soup.

Needed:
1 pound of split peas-rinsed
2 quarts of chicken broth
2 large carrots-peeled and slice into 1/4 inch pieces
2 large celery stalks-peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
5 red potatoes-washed and cut into quarters
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 6-8 hours.

Chicken Ragout

This is another family favorite around here. I first made this from an Everyday Food recipe but it was not a favorite until I changed it to our likes. Once everything is chopped up it goes together really fast. It is a one pot meal more or less.

Needed:
6 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 pound small red potatoes-quartered
2 red onions-quartered then cut into 2 inch pieces
2 yellow or red bell peppers-seeded and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 pints of cherry tomatoes-halved
1 cup of water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Salt and pepper chicken to taste and brown chicken on both sides in a skillet coated with oil. Remove from skillet and add onions, peppers, potatoes, and 1 cup of water. Scrape skillet to release all of the goodies left by the chicken. Cover skillet and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, now add the chicken and tomatoes back to the skillet and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. The gravy that this makes is really good sopped up with the chedder biscuits that I have just listed also.

Cheddar Biscuits

These are really good biscuits. They are similar to the Red Lobster biscuits. Give them a try the next time you have soup.

Needed:
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup of milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese-shredded
1 cup butter-melted
1 t garlic powder

Mix Bisquick, milk, and cheddar until a soft ball forms. Drop by 1/8 cup balls and bake at 450' for 8-10 minutes. Now mix butter and garlic powder. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven roll in butter mixture.

Sweet Potato Fries

These fries are so good with salmon patties but they are equally good on their own.

Needed:
1 sweet potato per person-peeled and cut into fries
Olive oil to coat sweet potatoes
Chili Powder 1 T per potato
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 500', make sure it is heated up to 500'. Place fries on a baking sheet, I use my Silpat for this, pour olive oil over fries, I use about a 1/2 cup for 5 potatoes, now salt and pepper to taste, now you will sprinkle chili powder all over the fries. Place in hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The longer they are in the crispier they will be. We like them a little crispy.

Salmon Patties

This is a kid friendly meal that adults like too and is always a good dinner or lunch. I serve these patties with sweet potato fries. You can eat these patties on a bun or not. Raven likes hers served as a burger but it is up to you. Anyway that is "what's cookin" tonight on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
2 cans of salmon(I use wild caught salmon)
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup bread crumbs(I make mine own but store bought is fine.)
1 egg-beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste

I really crushed the bones that are in the canned salmon. I mix everything together and make patties in my hand. I place the patties in an oil covered skillet over medium heat. Brown them on both sides, this usually takes bout 5 minutes per side. They make a quick dinner on a busy night.

Pork Chop Casserole

This is an easy and tasty casserole. We like ours with rolls or cornbread. I use home canned tomatoes for this and they taste so good that they make you think of summer. We need that on Beaty's Creek today, it is cold and breezy.

Needed:
5 pork chops
4 lbs. of potatoes-peeled and quartered
2 yellow onions-peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick in rings
1 large can of peeled whole tomatoes(I use home canned tomatoes.)
1 large can tomato sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Salt and Pepper pork chops and brown on both sides. I do this in the same covered pan that I cook the casserole in. Once browned, layer in this order, pork chops, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and tomato sauce. Cover and cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes in a 425' oven. The gravy this casserole makes is so good to eat with fresh bread. Well that is "what's cookin" tonight on Beaty's Creek.

Shrimp Fajitas

I decided that since I just made salsa and guacamole, we should have shrimp fajitas tonight. Glad I have shrimp in the freezer and lucky me they are already deveined. I loath deveining shrimp. This is really an easy but impressive meal to make. All of my brood really like fajitas too. Raine even chowed down on the shrimp tonight. Well that is "what's cookin" tonight on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
4 pounds of deveined, peeled shrimp
3 large yellow onions-peeled and quartered
5 bell peppers-seeded and cut into inch strips
1 cup oil
2 cups of water-for marinade
4 fajita seasoning packs(I know this is ready made but I really like the already made packs.)
2 pounds of sharp cheddar-shredded
Guacamole
Salsa
Sour Cream
Flour tortillas

Place onions, peppers, and shrimp in a large bowl and mix seasoning packets with 1 cup of oil, I use canola, and 2 cups of water. Let marinade in the fridge for at least 4 hours or a little longer is fine. You will have to cook your fajitas in batches. Don't over crowd your pan. I use a caste iron fajita pan that is not real large so I must cook in smaller batches. I also use part of the marinade to cook my fajitas in. I really like the marinade with my fajitas but this is up to you. Cook your fajitas until the veggies are the tenderness you want and the shrimp is no longer transparent. This happens in about 10 minutes over medium high heat. Serve them with salsa, guacamole, cheese and sour cream. I need to make my own tortillas though. I think maybe that will be my new project, we will see.

Guacamole

Guacamole this time year is a perfect dip, meaning avocados are on sale this time of year and they are good! Did you know more avocados are sold the week prior to Super Bowl than any other time of year? Here is my recipe for guacamole, give it a try!

Needed:
5 avocados-chopped
1/2 small white onion-chopped
1 garlic clove-minced
1 tomato-chopped and seeded
Juice from 1 lime
Salt to taste

I mix all of the ingredients together and then really stir it up. This way you still have chunky guacamole and not mush, don't like to eat green mush. The lime juice will help the avocado from turning but ours never last very long. Munch out with your favorite tortilla chips!