Trina's Kitchen

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Venison Soup

Venison Soup

After his first hunt in long time, my husband came back with a deer to process. I have never processed a deer before so this was quite the learning experience for me. Most of the parts were easy to cut but  I had difficulties with cutting the meat off the neck. To make life easier,  we decided to boil the meat instead of cutting it up.  We boiled it in a big pot on our stove which left the meat tender and a nice broth for Venison soup.  With a nice simmering broth and chunks of meat we added vegetables and spices which made it into a warm and comfy soup. After explaining the recipe to a friend of ours he told us it reminded him of the borscht that his grandmother used to make.

 

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

1. Venison chunks ( we boiled the neck and back and used the chunks of meat from it.)

2. 1 onion chopped

3. 2 cups of beets

4. 1 cup of chopped carrots

5. 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup

6.  Large tomato cut into chunks

Spices added to your taste

5. chopped garlic

6. chopped basil

7.  chopped parsley

8. dried oregono

9. black pepper

 

HOW TO MAKE

 

To Prepare the meat

1. Fill soup pot with water about 6 cups

2. Place bone with meat on it in water

3. Bring to boil

4.  Once boiling bring temp down to simmer to cook meat.

5.  Cook Meat until it falls off of bone  ( this could take some time)

6.   once cooked, remove bone from pot

7.   remove meat from Bone

8. Skim water for pieces of bone and fat missed

9. Place meat back into pot

(If you are cooking without bone, cut up venison  and boil in water. This cooks the meat and makes a nice broth)

To make the soup…

1. Add the onions, tomatoes, beets,  and can of cream of mushroom soup..

2.  Mix well

3. Add the spices to your taste

4. let simmer until cooked though

 

Serve with bread and butter

 

Sidenotes:

  • This can be made with other meats such as chicken or pork
  • Can be frozen into make ahead meals
  • Other spices and flavorings can be added

 

Leftover Soup

My husband wanted to use up some of the leftovers in our fridge and freezer. After doing some searching he found that we had vegetables, rice and chicken so he mixed them together and came out with a comfy soup. This is his thrown together recipe.

THINGS YOU NEED

Leftover chicken
Vegetables
Rice
Cream of Mushroom soup
Sea Salt
Garlic seasoning
Onion Seasoning

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Mixed chicken, vegetables and rice together. Add a can of cream of mushroom soup and seasonings to taste
Heat until warm
Serve with bread and butter

This is a very versatile recipe. This is the leftovers we had in our kitchen. you can add anything you want to make a warm and delicious soup perfect on a cold, rainy day.

Acorn Squash Rings

ORIGINAL RECIPE


I love acorn squash and but getting quite bored with cooking them with brown sugar and butter. Since I have plenty of squash this year I have the chance to try several different recipes without spending a fortune on squash. I came across this recipe from About.com. This recipe sounded wonderful but due to time restraints and the fact its only my husband and I eating the squash I made some changes. Here is a copy of the original recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 large acorn squash
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Trim ends from squash; cut into crosswise slices 1/4-inch thick. Place slices in a large lightly buttered shallow baking pan; add orange juice. Cover with foil and bake at 350? for 30 minutes. Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, lemon peel and salt; pour over squash rings. Bake, uncovered, about 15 to 20 minutes longer, basting occasionally, until acorn squash is done and nicely glazed. Acorn squash recipe serves 8 to 10.

MY VERSION

Since its just the two of us eating this I thought the originally recipe would be to much and then we would have leftovers that probably would not get eaten.? So, I decided to cut all the ingredients in half? and cut the squash into half rings with their skin on. Except for the orange juice which I did 1/2 cup instead of the 2/3 cup the recipe called for. I then microwaved the squash for ten minutes. Checking on it once.  I was guessing on the time limit with the microwave I was actually cooking until they were tender.  I then made the glaze and spread it over the squash.  Since, I already had chicken cooking in the oven I put the squash in the oven for another 15 minutes until it was done.

MY OPINION

My opinion of the recipe was that it was YUMMY! I thought it tasted sweet.  I was disappointed that the glaze did not caramelize but melted and the squash soaked it in.

Freezing Beets..

Beets are a new vegetable I have acquired a taste for. I have never eaten them until recently at my husband’s grandparents house.  We decided to grow them in our garden this year but with the heavy rains and the humidity they did not grow they way I would like. I ended up by some at our local farmers market and decided to freeze them to use throughout the year.

 

THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEED

  • Beets either fresh from your garden or from a farmers market
  • Pot for boiling
  • Water
  • Knife
  • Tongs or colander spoon
  • Cutting boards
  • cookie sheets
  • containers or bags

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill large pot with water at least half full or more

2. Bring pot to roiling boil

3. While water is coming to a boil, trim stems and leaves? off of beets

4. Place beets into boiling water

5. Cook until they are fork tender? 20-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets

6.When beets are fork tender, turn off water and fill the sink or bowl with cold water

7. Using either tongs or a colander spoon,? scoop out beets and place in cold water

8. Cut ends of beets off and remove skin

9. Either slice or cube beets and lay them out on the cookie sheets

10. Freeze beets on cookie sheets for at least 24 hours

11. When beets are frozen solid, place in bags or containers for use during the winter months.

How to freeze Peas..

Last years crop of peas gave us just enough to have a few pods for a few dinners and some garden snacking. This year I really wanted to grow enough peas so that we could have during the winter months. This means we needed more space and a better solution of hold the pea plants up.  We found the perfect solution while driving home one day.  On the side of highway laying on the ground was some fencing that looked as if flew off of some persons truck.? We did not have room in our small car so we went home to get our truck and figured that if the fencing was still there we may have a good find.  My husband went back and picked up the fence.  We were lucky that the fence was in excellent condition , fit perfectly in our garden and the best of all..IT WAS FREE!!!!  We decided to grow our peas against this fence so we stretch it out so it was lengthwise and planted the peas next to it.  The peas grew nicely against the fence and we had a huge crop this year.  I was a little disappointed with the pods they tasted woody to me but the peas inside were great.  I decided to not snack on as many and actually freeze some this time.

 

THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEED

  • large amount of Peas either in the pod or not
  • container to hold the peas and pods
  • bags or containers to hold the peas in
  • Cookie sheet and wax paper

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Find a comfortable spot to remove the peas from the Pod
  2. Have you peas, bowl and pail in front of you for easy access
  3. Remove peas from pods
  4. When you are half way though heat water to boil for blanching
  5. When all the peas have been removed from their shells, place peas in boiling water and boil for three minutes. In the meantime, fill a bowl full of ice water.
  6. At the end of three minutes, strain the peas and place them in the ice water to cool off. Keep them in the water for three minutes
  7. Fully drain peas
  8. Place a sheet wax paper on the cookie sheets. Spread the peas on the cookie sheets
  9. Double freeze the peas by placing them in freezer and let freeze for at least 24 hours
  10. when the peas are completely frozen place them in a ziplock bag or container of your choice and label, and freeze.

Fool Proof Pie Crust

I found this recipe on an index card from my mom’s recipe collection. Looking at it I believe it actually came from my Grandmothers recipe collection that my mother inherited. I wrote down the recipe as stated on the card with clarification of the instructions. This is a simple pie crust recipe that can be used right away, stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen.

THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tb vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 bowls

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In first bowl,  mix together flour, vegetable shortening and salt
  2. In second bowl, mix the vinegar, egg and water
  3. Add the second bowl to the first bowl stirring with a fork until all is moist
  4. Mold dough in a ball
  5. Chill for at least 15 minutes
  6. Roll out and place in pie pan

Tom’s Wheat Bread Recipe

My husband and I received a breadmaker for Christmas a couple of years ago . We were excited about this because now we could make our own bread that was tasty and nutritious. We were not fond of the recipes that came with the breadmaker so my husband decided to create one of his own.  After some research on the web he found a recipe for white bread. However, he decided to modify it and make it healthier by adding wheat flour to it and substitute honey for the sugar and lessen the amount of salt added.  With these changes he created a great tasting wheat bread that even a non-wheat bread lover can enjoy.  We normally eat this bread fresh out of the breadmaker sliced with butter on top. However, this bread can also be used for sandwiches or as toast.

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

  • 1 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup wheat flour
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • breadmaker

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the following in the breadpan…

  1. 1 1/4 cup warm milk
  2. 2 tbsp melted butter
  3. 2 tbsp honey
  4. 1 tsp salt
  5. 2 cups all-purpose white flour
  6. 1 cup wheat flour
  7. 2 tsp active dry yeast
  8. baked bread according to your breadmakers instructions
  9. When finished remove from breadpan, cool and enjoy!

****This recipe makes 1 1/2 pound loaf

How to Freeze carrots…

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

  • Carrots
  • Knife
  • Bowl
  • Chopping block
  • freezer bags or foodsaver bags

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Wash carrots so that all dirt is off. Peel off skins and remove carrot top
  2. Slice carrots into 1/4 slices and place in bowl
  3. Fill freezer bags in 1 of 2 cup portions
  4. Freeze

Whipped Topping

Craving desert with whip cream on top I decided to make up a batch of pudding. However, when I went to my freezer to get out the whip cream there was none there. I remembered a recipe I tried awhile ago making whipped topping out of creamer. I also remember not being real impressed with the recipe and was going to see if I could find a better one. I happened to look at our box of nonfat dry milk which had a recipe for whipped topping. I decided to try it and found it to be an easy recipe that took about ten minutes to make. I used vanilla flavoring which gave it a nice flavor and with the 2 tablespoons of sugar it was not as sweet as regular whip cream.  The recipe did not say how long it would be good for so I did a little experimentation with it. I put in the refrigerator to see how long it would last before liquefying which was not long. I recommend that if you use this recipe to use it right away.Next time, I decide to make it I am going to try using different flavoring such as mint to see if that will work.

 

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

  • nonfat dry milk
  • 1/2 cup? cold water
  • lemon or vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • mixer
  • bowl

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Mix 1/2 cup of Nonfat dry milk with 1/2 cup cold water
  2. Beat mixture on medium high speed with an electric mixture until soft peaks form ( around four minutes)
  3. Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract
  4. Beat another 6-7 minutes at the medium high speed
  5. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat 1 minute at medium high speed
  6. Serve immediately

Artichoke Frittata

I found this recipe on a box of garden crackers and craving something to put on my crackers I decided to give this recipe a try.  This recipe is simple to make and delicious. The original recipe is made to be served as a entre for brunch or served as a appetizer.  I used as a mid afternoon snack and something for my husband and I to put on top of our crackers. The recipe itself was created by Marlene Sorosky Gray who is an author of several cookbooks which can be found online.

 

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

  • 4 eggs
  • 13 oz marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 lb Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup onion
  • 1/2 cup crushed Garden Vegetable crackers ( i used Busy Baker from our Dollar tree)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350′F
  2. Spray 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
  3. In a medium bowl stir all ingredients together until well blended
  4. Pour into prepared pan
  5. bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm
  6. Cool slightly before serving
  7. cut into squares, serve warm

Makes 6 entr?e servings

Can be baked up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat in over for 5 minutes at 375′F