The Frugal Kitchen: Easy Rice Pilaf

I just noticed that almost all of my recipes start with "Easy".  Oh well, the life of a busy mother.

Easy Rice Pilaf Ingredients

White or brown rice, as much as you need for your family
Chicken Stock, follow rice instructions for the amount of needed liquid
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup diced carrots or 1 8oz can petit peas
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 scallion finely diced

In a skillet add oil, scallion and carrots.  Cook until lightly browned.  I used my rice cooker for this recipe, but you can use any pot or pan that you normally use for rice.  Add rice, stock, cashews, raisins, salt and all the ingredients from the skillet.  Cook as you would normally cook rice.  Fluff rice pilaf and serve with meat or vegetables.

This dish allows for a variety of substitutions.  Use the stock, nuts and vegetables of your choice.  You can vary the dish based on the type of protein you are serving.  I served the pilaf with some reheated, left over chicken.

Enjoy!

God bless,
Pam

Asian Sauce for Fried Wings or Chicken Tenderloins

This sauce is perfect for fried chicken wings and chicken tenderloins/strips.  A nice alternative to buffalo chicken wing sauce.

Ingredients for Fried Tenderloins

8 chicken tenderloins
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/8 cup coconut oil

Add salt and pepper to the flour.  Have three bowls ready with flour mixture, beaten egg, and bread crumbs.  Heat coconut oil in fry pan over medium heat.  Bread the chicken by coating in flour, then dipping in egg, then the breadcrumbs.

Brown on both sides, then finish cooking in a 350 degree fahrenheit oven for ten minutes.

Ingredients for Asian Sauce

1/4 cup jalapeno pepper jelly
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. Siracha or other hot sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.  When the chicken is done toss the chicken pieces in the sauce to coat.  Or place in a small decorative bowl for dipping.

This is a sweet, spicy sauce that can be used in many ways.  Perfect for the New Years Eve chicken platters.

God bless,
Pam

Good Reads: The Whole Town's Talking

The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Whole Town's Talking is about a small Missouri town from it's settlement in the 19th century to it's demise. Told through the stories of it's inhabitants, it a feel good, sometimes poignant story of everyday lives and their sometimes greatness.

I thoroughly love Fannie Flagg books, but this one lacked some of the easy flow of her earlier books. However, it's a good read with a great deal of warmth. Perfect for a winters day.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Sweet Potato Casserole and Cranberry Sauce

Every year we go to my brother in law's house for Thanksgiving.  They provide all of the main dishes, but I always bring sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce.  These are easy recipes and can be made in advance.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

4 large sweet potatoes
8-10 ounces of orange juice
1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar, to taste
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp.  nutmeg
or 1/4 tsp. clove
1/4 - 1/2  pecans

Bake potatoes in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 1 hour.  Leave out to cool.  Remove the skins, then slice into medallions.  Place in a greased 13" by 9" dish in a single layer.

Melt butter in a sauce pan, then add other ingredients.  

Fresh nutmeg with micro grater

Pour liquid over the sweet potatoes and sprinkle pecans over the top.

Bake covered in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 bag cranberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp. grated orange rind (optional)

Place orange juice and cranberries in a sauce pan over low heat, bring to a boil and cover.  Cook, covered,  until the cranberry skins have broken.

Add sugar and orange rind.  Cook, uncovered, over low until sugar has dissolved and juice has thickened.  Place in container and refrigerate.

Both of these recipes can be made ahead and the casserole reheated before serving.

Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving,

Pam

Good Reads: Lowcountry Book Club

Lowcountry Book Club by Susan M. Boyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lowcountry Book Club is the fifth book in the Liz Talbot mystery series. It is a well written and professionally edited, full length novel.

Liz and her husband are hired to investigate a murder by a prestigious law firm. Their job is to prove that the defendant, the victims husband, is innocent. But Liz can't stop herself from trying to find the true murderer and the evidence to prove it.

I've always loved the main characters in this series, because they are intelligent and honorable. The mystery in the Lowcountry Book Club is fast paced, detailed and unpredictable.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading future books in this series.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Homeschooling 2016/2017

During my Dear Daughters (DD) last semester of the 2015/2016 school year  DD was homeschooled.  I developed her curriculum using textbooks I found online and she went to two computer classes at Indian Rocks Christian School.  This worked well for us, especially since we concentrated on her worst subject, mathematics.

This year I researched and found a Florida accredited school that had virtual classes via Apex Learning and would accept her homeschool transcripts.  If you do this with your students it is very important to develop a strong curriculum and keep a detailed portfolio. Champion Preparatory Academy (CPA) was highly rated through the Florida Parent Educators Association.

DD is also attending a Fine Art class at Indian Rocks Christian School.  Their art teacher is top notch and teaches a combination of fine art and humanities.

Apex is new to us, so we are dealing with a learning curve, but things have settled down now that DD has used the program for several weeks.  One thing I don't like about Apex is that, while their lessons are easily understood, their test problems are much more complex than the lessons and the practice problems given to the students.

Since DD is now attending two Florida accredited schools, she does not need to be registered with our county school board homeschool office.  CPA will ensure that she receives full credit for her learning and provide her with legal transcripts.

I hear people talking about their children completing their homeschool tasks in a couple of hours.  This may be true of kindergarten, but if your older child (especially middle and high school age) is not spending eight hours a day on their lessons, then you are short changing them.  Remember we are preparing our children for college (university), careers and to be responsible adults.

If you have any questions about homeschooling please feel free to ask.

God bless,

Pam

Good Reads: A Killer's Guide to Good Works

A Killer's Guide to Good Works by Shelley Costa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Killers Guide to Good Works is the second book in the Val Cameron Mystery series. It is a well written and professionally edited full length novel.

The plot was very good; fast paced and detailed. Shelley Costa is an accomplished author and at times writes so beautifully that I would read a section, stop, exhale and relive her words. After reading the prologue I found myself grinning and rubbing my hands together at the thought that I had a whole book of her writing before me.

So if I enjoyed the book so much why did I only rate it as four stars? Because it read like a first book. None of the secondary characters from the first book were in this one. Val's love interest has flown off into the sunset and only rates a couple of sentences. It was disconcerting. I hope this isn't one of those series where the main character has a new man in each book. I enjoy watching characters' relationships grow over time.

I enjoyed A Killers Guide to Good Works and look forward to reading future books in the series.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

*Sex and violence is not graphic in this novel.