Cooking With Sugar

Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:10:00 +0000

Here is a simple and delicious blueberry dessert that I’m sure the entire family will enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen blue berries
1 cup cold coconut milk
12 oz frozen whipped cream
8 oz cream cheese
9 inch graham cracker pie shell
Sweetened Condensed Milk or sugar (to taste)

Directions:

Place first 4 ingredients in a blender and blend until mixture is smooth. Add condensed milk or sugar a small bit at a time until desired sweetness is achieved.
Pour mixture into pie shell, cover and freeze for several hours (until icecream is set).
Serve and enjoy.

Chicken and Dumplings

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:14:00 +0000

Ever since I heard the song “She’ll be coming ‘round the Mountain,” I have been haunted by chicken n’ dumplings, lol!! Let me tell ya, this was like no soup I’ve ever tasted, talk about real comfort food. I cooked this southern dish with my very own Bahamian twist; needless to say my husband loved it so much, that he went back for seconds. This dish will definitely be a mainstay our house because it is so simple and so delicious.

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken soup (fat free)
2 cups fat free chicken stock
4 pieces seasoned chicken (drumsticks & thighs)
2 – 3 cups flour
Water
Salt
Black pepper
Onion powder

Optional:

2 carrots – diced
1 medium sweet potato – cubed

Directions:

Pour cream of chicken soup and chicken stock in a medium pot on medium-low heat.
Add chicken and vegetables and bring to a boil
Reduce heat to low then season to taste.
Make the dough for dumplings by placing flour in a mixing bowl and adding just enough water to make a firm dough (I prefer mine without baking powder).
Roll small pieces of dough between the hands to form dumplings and add to pot.
Cook on medium-low heat for another 15 – 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Makes about 4 servings

Banana Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:03:00 +0000

The outcome of this hassle-free cake was not what I had initially planned. I started out making a cobbler, but I ended up with this instead. Some of the best inventions came about by accident.

Ingredients:

2½ - 3 cups flour
2 bananas (sliced)
1 tbsp baking powder
1½ cups sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup evaporated milk
½ cup canola oil or 1 cup melted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl, add remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
Add milk and oil, beat until smooth.
Pour batter in a large greased baking pan.
Place banana slices on top of batter.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes (or perform the toothpick test).

French Fries and Drumsticks

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Sometimes when you’re scratching your head wandering what’s for lunch or dinner, the answer is right under your nose, or in this case, right on your kitchen counter, or wherever it is you store your potatoes. On the menu today: french fries, laced with ketchup and they go great with those chicken drumsticks I did earlier. The kids are in dog heaven right now☺

Ingredients:

4 – 5 medium potatoes
2 cups canola oil
Salt (optional)
Ketchup (optional)

Directions:

Pour oil in medium pot (hard bottom) or frying pan and set on medium-high heat.
While the pot is heating wash, peel and slice potatoes about ½ inch thick.
Cut into strips (whatever size you choose).
When the pot is hot (about 350 degrees), fry your potatoes until they are golden brown – for me it took approximately six minutes. Do not overcrowd the pot.
Place on paper towels or in a colander to allow excess oil to drain off.
Lightly salt while still hot (optional) and dot with ketchup (optional).
Serve and enjoy.

My chicken drumsticks were seasoned with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. I lightly coated them with flour before frying for about 4 minutes on each side. To make sure my chicken was cooked all the way through, I placed them in a 350 degrees oven for an additional fifteen minutes. Bear in mind that “Old Betsy” doesn't cook as fast as she used to, so your oven may require less time.

Perfect White Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 02:06:00 +0000

After many years of trying to cook the perfect pot of white rice, I discovered Jasmine rice. From that point on there was no turning back. Not only is the flavor remarkable, but it cooks up nice and fluffy, absolutely perfect each time.

Ingredients:

Two cups Jasmine rice
4 cups water
¼ cup cooking oil
1 tbsp salt

Directions:

Bring water, oil and salt to a boil in a medium pot with a tight fitting lid.
Stir in rice and reduce heat to low.
Let rice cook for about 12 – 15 minutes or until all of the water is dried out and the rice is nice and fluffy. It's that simple♥

Baked Pork Chops with Apricot Preserves

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:47:00 +0000

Just in time for Sunday lunch or dinner; this recipe of pork chops topped with apricot preserves is so easy and delicious. All it takes is two main ingredients and some seasonings, what could be easier?

Ingredients:

6 – 8 pork chops
6 oz apricot preserves
Salt
Black pepper
Onion powder

Directions:

Season pork chops and refrigerate for about an hour.
Place pork chops in baking pan and lightly brush each chop with cooking oil.
Bake in a 350 degrees oven anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pork chop).
Remove pan from oven and spread apricot preserves generously on each pork chop.
Replace in oven for about five more minutes. Allow to rest before serving.

Could be served with veggie rice.

Guava Cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:01:00 +0000

Just hearing the word cobbler gets me drooling, lol! My husband suggested the guava cobbler, (I had originally planned on doing a peach cobbler, but I had no peaches). This cobbler was done with canola oil, because I was out of butter. Result – not bad, not bad at all.

Ingredients:

1 – 16 oz can guava shells (in syrup)
1½ cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
*1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup canola oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon

*If you don’t plan on using the syrup from the guava shells then you would need additional sugar and maybe a bit more liquid.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain syrup from guava shells and set aside.
Roughly chop shells and place in a bowl, add a sprinkle of cinnamon and set aside.
Sift flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl, add remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
Add milk and oil, beat until smooth.
Pour batter in a greased pan.
Spoon guava on top of batter.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

You may serve your cobbler with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Veggie Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:21:00 +0000

Even if you’re not crazy over vegetables, this is a great way to get a serving or two in your system: veggie rice. As always, remember to adjust the quantities to accommodate the size of your family.

Ingredients:

4 cups white parboiled rice
½ cup cooking oil
6 oz tomato paste/ tomato sauce
14 oz can kernel corn (with liquid)
14 oz can sweet peas & carrots (with liquid)
3 – 4 cups water
salt (to taste)
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Directions:

Place a medium/large hard-bottom pot on medium heat and add oil.
Stir in tomato paste/sauce followed by peas, carrots and corn.
Add water, salt and other seasonings.
Bring to a boil, and then add the rice.
Reduce heat (medium-low) and cover pot.
Allow to cook for about 20 minutes, be sure to test the rice to ensure that it’s cooked through.

Makes about 8 servings

Tip: one great way to get my rice to cook all the way through without adding more water is to “trap” the heat in the pot. You do this by placing a piece of plastic or foil over the rice and placing the lid back on, reduce the heat to a very low setting and allow it to “soak” for a few minutes. Watch your pot and don’t allow your rice to burn.

Turkey Meat Loaf

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 00:24:00 +0000

This turkey meatloaf will not take much of your time at all. I chose ground turkey because it has far less fat than ground beef. It came out quite moist and delicious. Remember to keep it simple and your kids will love it; mine sure did.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 lbs ground turkey
1 – 2 cups breadcrumbs
1 small sweet pepper (diced)
1 small onion (diced)
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Thoroughly combine all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Form mixture into the shape of a loaf and place in large baking pan that has been greased or sprayed.
Spread barbecue sauce on top of the meatloaf.
Bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Enjoy!!

Sauce:

1 cup bbq sauce
1 tsp mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Simple Vanilla Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:38:00 +0000

If you’re looking for a quick, easy, yet scrumptious cake, then you would love this vanilla cake recipe.

Ingredients:

1 package of French Vanilla cake mix (Pillsbury)
1 cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup milk
¼ cup water
¼ cup cooking oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour baking pan (8½ x 11 x 2).
Sift dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, add milk, water and oil.
Gradually mix in dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
Pour batter in pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting:

1 stick butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Sift confectioner’s sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add butter and vanilla and blend with electric mixer.
If it is too stiff add a bit of milk. Add more sugar if it is not stiff enough.

Chicken Wings with Cranberry-Molasses Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 00:08:00 +0000

I know what you’re thinking – cranberry sauce with molasses?! Don’t knock it before you try it, lol. After all, molasses is used for basting meat anyhow, so I thought, why not? Furthermore, I was out of barbecue sauce and wanted something to glaze my wings with. I mixed a concoction of cranberry sauce, molasses and brown sugar; go easy on the molasses, because the stuff could be overpowering. Depending on the amount of wings you’re preparing, here’s what you will need:

Ingredients:

2 lbs wings (sectioned)
2 tbsp cranberry sauce
1 tsp unsulfured molasses
1 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

Season wings with salt, black pepper and onion powder.
Bake for about 45 minutes.
Baste wings, then throw off excess fat.
Blend the ingredients for glaze in a bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds.
Brush glaze on wings and allow to bake for an additional 15 – 20 minutes.

Hope you enjoy!!

Pumpkin Roll

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:37:00 +0000

If you’re looking for a dessert this Thanksgiving other than the traditional pie, then give this pumpkin roll a try. You’re gonna love it, and so will your guests.

Ingredients:

¾ cup flour
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp soda
2/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. softened cream cheese
6 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a cookie sheet (15x10).
Line the sides and bottom of the cookie sheet with parchment paper, grease or spray paper with a good non-stick cooking spray.
Sift dry ingredients and set aside.
Beat eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add the pumpkin and continue to beat.
Mix in dry ingredients and pour onto the cookie sheet, spread evenly.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until done.
Loosen the cake right away and turn onto a towel that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
Peel off the paper.
Roll up cake and towel together (beginning with the short end).
Set aside to cool while making the filling.
Once the cake has cooled completely, unroll and spread with filling leaving a one inch border.
Roll cake again and refrigerate until it’s time to serve.
Dust with more confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Oversized Banana Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 01:13:00 +0000

Muffins are definitely a way to go when I'm in no mood for baking cookies, pies or cakes. These over-sized banana muffins are a result of my unwillingness to freeze or dispose of the extra muffin batter. Normally, I should have used only 2 cups of flour, but instead I decided to add a bit more (about ¼ cup).

Ingredients:

2¼ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 eggs
½ cup evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter in a mixing bowl

3. Add eggs and milk

4. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter and eggs mixture.

5. Blend in mashed bananas.

6. Fill greased muffin tin (to the very top) and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.

(Makes 12 muffins)

Quickie Apple Danish

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 15:38:00 +0000

This apple danish is by far the simplest dessert I’ve ever made. It is a quick fix for a sweet tooth and best of all it requires only 3 – 4 ingredients that's probably sitting in your cupboard or pantry. The end result – deliciousness!!

Ingredients:

2 sheets thawed puff pastry
1 can apple pie filling (Comstock preferably)
½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 beaten egg (for egg wash)

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Pour pie filling into a bowl, add cinnamon and stir.
Unfold one puff pastry sheet and roll on a lightly floured counter (be sure to put a bit of flour on the rolling pin and the pastry). Roll pastry to desired size and cut each one into four squares.
Repeat with the other pastry sheet.
Place a tablespoon of pie filling in the center of each square.
Brush the edges of the squares with the egg wash and fold two corners diagonally. Place danish on baking sheet and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
Before baking, brush the top of each danish with eggwash. Bake in a 350 degrees preheated oven for about half an hour or until puffed and golden brown.

Crawfish Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 13:27:00 +0000

Crawfish in any form is considered a delicacy here in the Bahamas. It is one of the most expensive seafood in these parts. However, crawfish is much cheaper in what we refer to as the out islands or family islands, so I consider myself pretty fortunate whenever my relatives from Abaco are kind enough to send some for me.

There are countless recipes that utilize this dainty shellfish, but today I’m making crawfish salad, my husband’s favorite. Lobster may also be used because the taste is similar to crawfish.

Here is how I made my salad (a very large serving), you may reduce or increase ingredients as desired.

Ingredients:

Bahamian Crawfish

10 – 12 medium cooked crawfish tails (shelled and deveined)
1 large sweet pepper (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
2 medium tomatoes (diced)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 large limes/lemons
Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Onion powder

Directions:

Dice crawfish into medium chunks and place in large mixing bowl
Add lime/lemon juice.
Add remaining ingredients and toss well, don’t over mix.
Allow to chill in refrigerator before serving.
Enjoy!!!

(This salad could be served with rolls, on a bed of lettuce or as is).

Spaghetti and Ham Alfredo for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 02:12:00 +0000

Here’s a quick, but wholesome meal your kids are sure to love…well, at least mine did. This entire process took me about half an hour; well, it would have, had I been able to pull away from that chick flick that over-powered me, lol!!

Instructions:

16 oz box spaghetti
15 oz alfredo sauce
1½ cups cubed cooked ham
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
2 tsp onion powder
Salt (to taste)
Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling)

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions (ensure that water is adequately salted before adding spaghetti).
After draining spaghetti, place in a large/medium pot and add remaining ingredients. Combine well.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Serves about 6 - 8

Soft Pillowy Dinner Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:56:00 +0000

First Batch

OMG!! I’m so excited, I’ve finally made soft, pillowy dinner rolls. My secret – three packets of yeast, yep, that’s right, three packets, lol!! For those of you who think this is a bit much, feel free to follow the recipe that calls for just one packet. But truth be told, when I make my rolls I have to triple the ingredients. You must appreciate that food disappears at a rapid pace in my house and with these rolls being such a hit, they didn’t stand a chance.

Ingredients:

4 cup flour
1 packet dry yeast
4 tbsp butter
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

Directions:

Place flour in a bowl along with salt and set aside.
In a large bowl dissolve yeast to warm milk.
Add sugar, eggs, butter and mix well.
Add flour gradually, mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until it has doubled in size.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic.
Allow the dough to rest ten minutes.
Divide dough into twelve equal parts.
Roll each part in the palm of your hands until round.
Place the rolls in a greased pan (allow them to touch)
Cover and place in a warm place for another ten minutes.
Brush with egg wash and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Second Batch

Cinnamon Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 03:17:00 +0000

In less than an hour you will be enjoying these hot, delicious muffins!! Don’t you just love easy?

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 eggs
½ cup evaporated milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter in a mixing bowl
Add eggs and milk
Sift dry ingredients and add to butter and eggs mixture.
Spoon equal parts in a greased muffin tin and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.

Makes about 12 muffins

Old-Fashioned Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:56:00 +0000

These are pancakes just the way my mama use to make ‘em – with no baking powder whatsoever. That’s what I call old-fashioned pancakes. Did I mention that no pancake syrup is allowed?

My kids can’t seem to get enough of these tasty treats. I made them for breakfast one rainy morning and couldn’t help but get that warm, fuzzy feeling.

Measurements don’t have to be exact here, for a small batch you will need:

2 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 egg
¼ tsp salt
½ cup evaporated milk
½ cup water

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
Add wet ingredients one at a time and mix well.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat with about ½ cup vegetable oil.
Scoop a large tablespoon full of pancake batter and drop in frying pan.
Cook until each side is golden brown
Drain on paper towels.
Enjoy with eggs and sausages, yum!!

In the frying pan :)

Broccoli Frittata

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 21:55:00 +0000

I was just dying to try my hand at one of these: introducing my broccoli frittata with a bit of ham and lots of cheese, of course. This was super easy! So easy; in fact, your kids could make this. As for the taste - not bad, not bad at all.

Here’s how I made my frittata:

Ingredients:

6 medium eggs
1 cup cooked broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1 cup cooked diced ham
1 cup parmesan cheese
½ cup cheddar cheese
¼ cup evaporated milk
½ green pepper (diced)
½ onion (diced)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add about 2 tbsp of olive oil to a skillet and sauté green pepper and onion over medium-low heat.
In the meantime, break eggs in a medium bowl, add salt & pepper. Beat lightly (do not over beat).
Add cream, parmesan and cheddar cheese and mix.
Add in the sautéed vegetables along with broccoli and ham. Combine well.
Pour mixture in a lightly greased standard pie pan.
Bake until the entire frittata is firm/set. (Normally, once the middle is done, then you’re good to go).

Remember, when you’re dealing with eggs, you want to ensure that it is cooked thoroughly before consuming. Enjoy y’all☺

Breakfast Courtesy of My Hubby

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 05:14:00 +0000

One of my favorite breakfasts - grits (topped off with a slice of cheese), scrambled eggs and turkey salami, yummy!! And nobody does it like my hubby. I love that man♥♥♥

Steamed Tuna

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:42:00 +0000

Here’s a real quickie meal if you’re in a hurry or if you're not in the mood for splurging on lunch/dinner.

Ingredients:

Three 6 oz cans of tuna in water (I used Sea Best)
1 small onion (diced)
1 small green pepper (diced)
One 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp cooking oil
Garlic Powder
Salt
Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

Sauté onion and green pepper on medium heat in a skillet with the cooking oil already added.
Mix in tuna (do not drain) and tomato sauce. At this point you may break the tuna up further if desired.
Add seasonings to desired taste and combine thoroughly.
Simmer on low heat for 2 – 3 minutes.
Serve over white rice and enjoy!!!

Cheesy Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 06:53:00 +0000

Here’s a recipe I came up with for cheese muffins on a night when I was totally bored. I admit, I got a bit carried away, but they came out super moist, plus my hubby said he really enjoyed them, hope you do too. So if you’re feeling particularly brave today, have a go at it, but of course you don’t have to use all of the ingredients listed below. Have fun!!!

Ingredients:

1½ - 2 cups flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp mayo
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
10 oz can cream of chicken soup (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Add cheese followed by remaining wet ingredients and mix well.
Spoon equal parts in a greased muffin pan and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins, enjoy!!

How to Get Your Kids to Drink Their Milk

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:13:00 +0000

Chicken Wraps

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie aka "Sugar") — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Here’s another nifty idea for roasted chicken leftovers – chicken wraps. My wraps consist of soft tacos layered with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, topped off with slices of roasted chicken, drizzled with Vidalia onion vinaigrette. Yumalicious!!