Wrap foil around the underside of a cupcake tin. Wrap bacon around and over the bottom of each cupcake well. Bake at 300 degrees for five minutes. This will not take very long and keep your eye on them. Gently slide off the cupcake well and place on paper toweling to dry. Before putting salad in them place in fridge to get a nice cool temperature. Instead of using this with a salad try crumbled up sweet cornbread for a more savory dish.
Don’t throw away those pumpkin seeds – Save them! They are full of nutritional value and provide some great health benefits. Scoop them all out and separate them from pulp. Strain with warm water to process the rest of the pulp away from seeds. Spread in dry cookie sheet still wet and sprinkle with seasonings. Salt can be fine (or bake them with none which makes for a great salad topping or use on top of casseroles. Try popcorn seasonings like ranch and cheddar cheese or go simple with no sodium garlic powder and onion powder. Bake at 350 until the tops are getting slightly golden in color. Do your best to flip them all and toast on the other side until golden in color. If you would like a bit of “fried” taste spray lightly with a spray olive oil and then season before baking. Cool before placing into a storage container and don’t forget to eat some while they are hot. Has a great butty flavor that is good by itself or added to other food.
EASY HOMEMADE KETCHUP:I ran out of my stockpiled ketchup, so I finally tried a homemade ketchup recipe. It was quick, easy and delish!
6 ounces can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Cover pan with lid until cool. Place in recycled ketchup bottle and chill.
Cranberry-Port Pot Roast
1 beef eye of the round or rump roast (3 1/2 to 4 Ib.)
1 tablespoon salad oil
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) regular-strength beef broth
1 3/4 cups port
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen petite onions
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Parsley sprigs
Salt and pepper
Rinse meat, pat dry, and rub with oil. Place in a 10- by 14-inch roasting pan. Bake in a 450° oven until meat is well
browned, about 45 minutes; turn often. Add broth and port. Cover tightly; reduce oven to 400° and bake l’/2 hours.
Mix sugar and onions into pan; cover and bake 1 hour. Add cranberries; cover and bake until meat is tender when pierced, about 30 minutes longer.
Put meat and noodles on a platter. With a slotted spoon, ladle onions and berries onto noodles; keep warm. Skim fat from pan juices. Mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Bring pan juices to boiling over high heat. Stirring, add cornstarch mixture until sauce is as thick as you like. Pour sauce into a small bowl; serve with meat and noodles. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 10 to 12.
Per serving: 363 cal (20 percent from fat); 33 g protein; 8.0 g fat (2.3 g sat.); 38 g carbo.; 87 mg sodium; 98 rag chol.
Fall Pear Salad
6 slices (about 14 Ib.) bacon
3 large firm-ripe red pears (about mib. total)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package (10 oz.) washed fresh spinach (or I’/z Ib. spinach, stems and wilted leaves discarded), rinsed and crisped
1/2 pound mushrooms, rinsed and thinly sliced
Ginger dressing (recipe follows) In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until brown and crisp, turning often. Drain on towels. When cool, crumble.
Core pears and cut each into 16 wedges; mix fruit with lemon juice.
On a platter or 8 salad plates, arrange spinach and mushrooms; top with pear slices and juice. Moisten with dressing; top with bacon. Serves 8.
Ginger dressing. Mix !/2 cup minced crystallized ginger, !4 cup each extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, and !/2 teaspoon pepper.
Per serving: 201 cal. (43 percent from fat); 3.2gprotein; 9.5 g fat (1.7 g sat); 29 g carbo.; 103 mg sodium; 3.4 mg chol.
Country & Victorian Times 