Netter's Risotto

People are always asking me for this recipe. I know why...it's good and it's easy. Yeppers, two of my favorite words in one sentence. (That refers to more than just food.) LOL. You must try this dish. It freezes really well, so keep that in mind.

Broccoli, Chicken, & Parmesan Cheese Risotto


5 ½ Cups (44 fl.oz) Chicken Stock or Broth

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

Sliced fresh mushrooms- as many as desired

4 Cups (12 oz) broccoli florets

1 ½ Cups (10 1/2 oz) Arborio Rice/ Risotto Rice

1 Cup (4oz) grated parmesan cheese, plus additional cheese for serving.

Chicken tenders, cubed

Salt and Pepper to taste...actually, I never add salt because I think it is salty enough with the stock.

Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cubed chicken and cook until done. Adjust heat to keep broth hot but not boiling.

In a large heavy saucepan, over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent- about 5 minutes.

Add rice and stir until white spots appear in the center of the grains- about 1 minute.

Add a ladle of stock at a time, ladle by ladle as needed. Cover, simmer….stir, add stock…cover, simmer, ECT. Add chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms. Continue until broccoli and rice are tender. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese.

It’s that easy.

Grandma's Sauerkraut and Dumplings

This recipe came from the care home. It is an old bohemian recipe that was a favorite of the residents. I did not think that I would like this, but it was very good. I also like this fixed without the dumplings and cut up polish sausage put in instead. The cooks at the care home swears that Bush's kraut is the best.

1 large can of sauerkraut
1 apple peeled and diced
1 small onion diced
2 stalks of celery diced
A bit of caraway seed
Sugar to taste
Water to cover

2 eggs
1/2 C. milk
2 C. flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt


Simmer kraut, onion, celery, apple, caraway seed, and sugar with enough water to make kraut juicy. Cook until apples and celery are tender. (Make sure that you cook in a large kettle)

Beat eggs into a bowl and add milk. Sift the dry ingrediants into the beaten eggs and milk. This makes a rather stiff dough. Drop by teaspoon onto the juicy, bubbling kraut. Cover tightly for 10 minutes. VERY IMPORTANT: LID MUST NOT BE REMOVED UNTIL THE 10 MINUTES HAS ELAPSED SO THAT THE DUMPLINGS WILL BE TENDER. Remove one dumpling at the end of 10 minutes and tear in half with two forks. If a bit raw in the center, boil for a few more minutes. Tear all of the dumplings in half with 2 forks when removing them from the kettle and put into a serving bowl. Place kraut in another bowl. May smother dumplings with kraut. This is good with pork. You can add polish sausage instead of dumplings.

Snicker Apple Salad

Another very yummy recipe from Good Shepherd. If this sets over night it tastes a little like Kahlua.

1 8 oz container of Cool Whip
1 8 oz. container sour cream
6 apples chopped
4 snicker bars chopped, can use more

Mix together, refrigerate and serve.

Fresh Salsa

I make this every summer for the people that come into the Outpost. They all love it. I do not measure anything. It is one of those throw together recipes that depends on your taste and how much that you want to make.


You will need to dice several tomatoes and then add diced onions, cucumbers, bell peppers(any color), raddishes, and jalepeno peppers add everything to the tomatoes and then add cilantro, vinegar, and lime juice. Again it depends on your taste. Everyone in Summerfield likes it very hot so I add quite a few jalepenos. You can also add chopped zucchini and a variety of other peppers. Serve cold with tortilla chips. This will store in the refrigerator for several days.

Grandma Kaster's Refrigerator Pickles

Grandma Kaster popped into my head out of the blue today. I'm not sure what made me think of her, but I have a friend that says when that happens they are near, checking up on you. (Thank goodness I never think of them when I'm getting lucky...I'd probably become a nun, even though I'm not Catholic...lol.) Anyway,I suddenly got a craving for her fridge pickles. Try some.

Refrigerator Pickles

2 C. Sugar
1 C. Vinegar- (or more)
1 Tbsp. canning salt
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. celery seed
1 C. onions -sliced thin
7 C. pickles -sliced 1/8"- 1/4 " thick

Let sit for 4-5 days.

Peach Tapioca Salad

2 boxes of vanilla tapioca pudding
1 small box of peach jello
1 small can madarin oranges
1 small can peaches
1 container of Cool Whip
2 3/4 c. liquid, use juice from fruit and water

Cook the liquid and 2 boxes of tapioca pudding until thick. Add box of peach jello. Stir until blended and then cool. Add fruit and Cool Whip and mix together. Chill and serve.

LaDonna's Fruit Bread Pudding

I am not fond of bread pudding, but this was a recipe created by LaDonna Thomas the former dietary supervisor of Good Shepherd Village. This is Awesome.

16 slices of dry bread, cubed
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
3 c. milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 T. vanilla
1 can of fruit pie filling (I prefer peach)

GLAZE
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
2 T. milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Put bread pieces in bottom of pan. In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar, milk, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until foamy. Pour over bread. Then put pie filling over the mixture and bake 50 minutes at 350^. After it is done, mix all of the glaze ingrediants together except for the vanilla and heat to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/4 tsp vanilla and mix well. Drizzle over the bread pudding.

Simple Poppyseed Bread

This is the only good thing that I walked away from New Canaan with. It's quick, in case you need something in a hurry. It's mopre of a cake than a bread but that is how Dede worded the recipe, so who am I to change it.

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package toasted creamy coconut pudding (Royal)***
1/2 C. oil
1/2 C. poppyseeds
1C. hot water
4 eggs- beat together

1. Grease loaf pans
2. Bake at temp. Indicated on the cake mix package (-around 350 degrees probably-)
3. 3 loaves 45 minutes, 2 loaves 30 minutes...check to see if they are done by inserting a pick, if it comes out clean, you are good to go.
4. ***Substitute lemon pudding for Lemon Poppy Seed Bread.***

Runza Casserole

The Runza Cassarole and Butterfinger Dessert is a recipe that LaDanna made at the care home. Anything she makes is delicious. The taco soup is somthing that I decided to make. It is soo good.
RUNZA CASSEROLE
2 tablespoons vegetable oil spread
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups cabbage (chopped)
1 can low sodium mushroom soup
2 cans crescent rolls (eight per package
1 eight ounce package shredded cheddar cheese
1 eight ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese

Melt vegetable oil spread in skillet. Brown hamburger in spread. Add onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add cabbage and cook until tender. Stir soup into hamburger. Press eight rolls into bottom of 9 X 13 glass baking dish. Pour hamburger mixture on rolls. Top with both cheeses. Cover with eight more rolls. Back at 350 for 20 minutes.Makes eight servigs. 370 calories per serving.


Taco Soup
"Taco soup. It's really easy, cheap and delicious. Great for last minute dinner decisions! Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese on top, if desired." Original recipe yield: 8 servings.


INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 cups tomato juice
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the ground beef and the onions. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until onions are tender. Add the tomato juice, corn, beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir well and heat throughout, but do not boil.

BUTTERFINGER DESSERT
2 c Graham cracker crumbs
1 c Soda cracker crumbs
1/2 c Butter; melted
1 pk Instant vanilla pudding
1 pk Instant butterscotch pudding
2 c Milk
1 qt Vanilla ice cream
8 oz Cool Whip
4 Frozen Butterfingers

Combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press 2/3 into bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Combine puddings and prepare using only 2 cups of milk. Blend in the softened vanilla ice cream. Beat until smooth. Pour over crumb mixture. Freeze until partly firm. Remove and cover with Cool Whip. Crush candy bars and mix with remaining 1/3 cup crumb mixture. Sprinkle on top of cool whip. Refrigerate -DO NOT FREEZE- several hours.

Nett's Quickie Quiche

This is a simple one. If you make your own pie crusts, stick some cheddar cheese and poppy seeds in the mix for an added trill. hehehe! If you are lazy, you can use a pre-made pie crust like the roll out kind that Pillsbury makes. They are nice and flaky and not too thick. No need for a special baking dish, just use a glass pie plate.

1/4- 1/3 lbs of cheddar cheese, grated
1- 1 1/2 cups of chopped broccoli
3 Tbsp. onion
1/2 cups bacon (cooked, drained, chopped)
milk
3 eggs

1. Saute onion and broccoli in 1-2 tbsp of butter or olive oil, add to uncooked pie crust.
2. Add bacon, put cheese in pan on top of the cheese.
3. Beat together 1 cup of milk and 3 eggs, pour it over the cheese in the pie crust
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 375 degrees.

* You can add any ingredients that you think would be tasty together. I like to add mushrooms or asparagus. These freeze well too, so you can make them ahead of time and put them away for a future meal.

Pasta with Tomato and Lime Sauce

I made this last night because I wanted something different and lite. It seems to be a hit.

Serves 4

1lb (450g) very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
1 small bunch of tender, spinach leaves, torn
4 cloves garlic, crushed
grated rine of 1/2 lime
juice of 2 limes
1/4 chili sauce (I left this out because I don't like hot stuff...but nobody thought it was bland)
12 oz (250g) thin spaghetti (angel hair/capellini)
salt and pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Combine the tomatoes, spinach, garlic, lime rine and juice,and chili sauce. Stir well to mix. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.

2. Cook the pasta in a boiling salted water until just tender (check package directions for timing). Drain and return to the pan.

3. Add the olive oil and tomato and lime sauce to the pasta. Toss well together. Season with salt and pepper. Add Parmesan cheese to taste, toss again and serve.

Welcome to the delicious world of Nett and Cindy!

Yeah, Cindy and I were instant messaging and we decided that we had some good recipes to share. I thought it would be fun to create a joint site to post our yummy, yum, yums on. Ta Da! When Kaster's put their evil little heads together, trouble looms. Mark my words.,people. Anyway, if you are interested in submitting a recipe, email me and I will post it for you. We are posting "tried and true" recipes only.