Today, I made an old time favorite banana
pudding. It is made using vanilla wafer cookies, or what was most common when I was growing
up, Nabisco Nilla Wafer cookies. Whatever brand of wafers you use, there have
always been some trials when making the meringue topping. However, I learned
from my mom that best way to prevent meringue from weeping and maintain its firm
texture is to add a little cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar readily available in stores and has
been use in many fruit dessert, like Lemon Meringue Pie, Key Lime Pie, Banana Wafer
Pudding, Baked Alaska and other dessert requiring meringue as a topping or
filling.
Below is the Meringue recipe my mom taught me many, many
years and that has never failed me.
Today's Dessert
Meringue
Ingredients
3 eggs whites
1/4 cup sugar, for meringue
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions
1.Beat
the egg whites on high speed of mixer
2.Alternate
adding cream of tartar and sugar gradually until stiff peaks forms.
3.Spread
over dessert, sealing well to
edge of dish.
4.If
required, bake in preheat oven for 350°F until topping is lightly browned.
On my 'Evelyn’s Twigs, Thyme and Stranger Things Gardens, blog' earlier this morning, I mentioned that we has eaten a couple Pak Choi of fresh homegrown salads mixed with Parris Romaine Lettuce, as well as a one-dish meal of Chicken
and Pak Choi Teriyaki Noodles.While the salads were just standard salads with the Pak Choi added, the Pak Choi Teriyaki Noodles meal is based on the Knorr's Chicken & Bok Choy Teriyaki Noodles Recipe.
It is well that the Asian vegetables Boy Choy, Pol Choy, Pak Choi and others cabbage like vegetables are interchangeable, so to make my meal, I used the the teriyaki noodle meal that I just happened to have a package of and substituted the many of the ingredients to my liking.
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Chicken & Pak
Choi Teriyaki Noodles
Ingredients
2 tsp. vegetable oil or roasted sesame oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size
pieces
Salt and Pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. fresh ginger chopped
15 - 20 fresh and homegrown Pak Choi leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup carrots cut into short 3/8" sticks
1 package Knorr® Teriyaki Noodles Side
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup unsalted almond slices or 1/4 roasted peanuts,
chopped (optional)
Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and
cook chicken, garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally, until chicken is
thoroughly cooked, about 6 minutes.
Remove and set aside.
Add Pak Choi and carrots to skillet and cook, stirring
occasionally for 2 minutes.
Stir in water and Knorr Asian Sides: Teriyaki Noodles and
bring to a boil.
Cover; reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 7
minutes or until pasta is tender.
Stir in chicken and nuts.
If desired, garnish with more nuts, sliced green onions or
lemon wedge.
Today, after running through my recipe file, I have decided to post a few of my favorite recipes that we have enjoyed for years, and some of which were especially created for two. I hope you will try and enjoy them as we do.
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My Fish and Shrimp Gumbo
Ingredients
1 large onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, red and green, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Gumbo File
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1- 1-1/2 pound of large shrimp, fresh or frozen
1- pound Fish Fillet – can be Whiting, Perch, Tilapia, Or Swai
1- 8 to 12 ounce package sliced frozen Okra
1 – can whole oysters
1 – can crab claw meat
½ teaspoon minced fresh or dried parsley
1 cup dry Jasmine rice
Oysters or fish sauce
Directions
In large pot over medium-high add all veggies including tomatoes juice, seasoning, clam juice, chick broth.
Simmer until shrimp is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Add fish and okra; simmer until tender an additional 15 minutes.
Add cornstarch the last 5 minutes and stir constantly until mixture is thicken to your liking.
Serve over Jasmine Rice with oyster crackers and small side salad.
Best method for microwaving any rice. 1 cup of dry rice equal 3 cups cooked.
Add 1 cup of rice to a 1 ½ cup of water.
Microwave on high for 5 minute.
Then using power setting cook at 50% for 10 minutes. Let stand for five minutes and then serve. (If your microwave only has the 60% setting, cooking rice for 8 minutes and let stand. For microwave ovens that cook at slightly higher temperature, microwave rice on high for 5 minutes, then set the power setting to 50% for 8 minutes.)
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2026
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Betty Crocker Pancake Recipe for Two
Ingredients
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon regular baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/8 cup rice milk, regular or unsweetened
1 tbsp. cooking oil
Margarine or butter
1 egg
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt
In another medium bowl or mixer add milk, cooking oil and egg, mix until blended
Stir into flour mixture just until moistened
If the mixture is too thick add a little more rice milk
For each pancake, pour ¼ cup mixture onto preheated 350°F to 365°F nonstick-coated electric skillet
Add some butter, margarine, or cooking spray
Flip when bubbles form on the surface
Cook until golden brown
Makes 6 pancakes
Adapted from recipe in Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook
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Homemade Mulled Wine Spices for Storing Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick ( about 3 or 4cm long)
1 teaspoon crushed anise seed
1-1/2 - 2 teaspoon grounded cinnamon
1 teaspoons ground cloves
½ teaspoon black peppercorns, whole
1 teaspoon ground ginger (allspice can be substituted)
2 teaspoons sugar or brown sugar, for additional taste (optional)
1 teaspoon dried orange peel
Directions:
Add all ingredients to blender and blend to a find powder.
Store standard in size seasoning jar
Use ½ to ¾ teaspoon per cup of wine or can be increased for one full bottle.
Store in standard size spice jar or small air tight mason jar
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2026
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Greaseless One Pounder Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
6 to 8 small mushrooms caps. or 2 large mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
Equipment
Oven
Rachael Ray Bakeware Meatloaf/Nonstick Baking Loaf Pan with Insert or similar for greaseless meatloaf.
Topping
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Knead and mix thoroughly.
Transfer beef mixture to a greaseless meatloaf pan and smooth the top. Press mushrooms into the top and coat with olive oil. Place meatloaf pan in oven.
Bake meatloaf in oven 40 minutes.
While meatloaf is cooking, prepare glaze by combining ketchup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. When there is about 5 minutes left on your timer, spread glaze over meatloaf
Remove and allow meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2026
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Old-Fashion Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices pineapple in juice drained
9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Direction
Preheat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter.
Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar.
Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over.
Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm.
Store cake loosely covered.
A Widescreen Online Review Plus Recipe@2026
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Evelyn's Quick and Easy Frozen Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
2 chilled 9 to 10 inch deep dish or roll out pie crusts
Filling for 9 inch pie:
2 cups frozen blueberries, don't thaw them
One 21oz can blueberry pie or topping filling
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Add the can pie filling and frozen blueberries to a large bowl and mix well.
Pour the blueberry mixture into the pie crust and spread it out evenly.
Spread out the second pie crust dough over the blueberry filling. Tuck the outside of the dough under, and use a fork to flute the edges. Cut 6 to 8 slits in the top of the crust.
Lightly brush the top with egg wash, optional.
Bake the Pie:
Bake the pie about 90 to 120 minutes until the crust is golden and the pie is bubbling in the center.
To keep the pie from running, let it completely cool to room temperature before serving.
TIP: Check the pie around the 45-minute mark and then every 10 minutes after. If the crust starts to turn golden before the pie bubbles in the middle, cover the pie with a piece of aluminum foil.
Yesterday I ran into an unexpected problem with a bag of 15
bean soup. After cooking the beans on the stovetop in my usual way, and serving
them, we immediately notice that all of the beans were hard. Now one would
think that after two plus hours of cooking that the beans in the soup would be
tender, with maybe a few under cooked Garbanzo
beans, but no. All of the beans were hard. My only guess was that the beans
were very old.
Now I have never been one to
soak beans overnight, so the problem surprised me. However, after viewing and
reading a few resources online, I discovered that the beans were indeed old, but
still editable, if prepared properly with baking soda. I also discovered that
not only did I not have to resort to soaking the beans overnight, but that I could
follow my usual recipe and just add the baking soda right into the cooking pot.
What a release!
While yesterday’s dinner was
ruined by the harden bean soup, the same pot of beans were a delicious winner
tonight. For those who were neither unaware of the “old and hard beans” problem,
nor it solution, I share with you my new and improved 15 bean soup
recipe.
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My 15 Bean
Soup Recipe
Ingredients
One
20 oz. package HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® with the ham seasoning packet
6
to 8 cups water
1
smoked ham hock or leftover ham or smoked sausage
1 can of red kidney beans
1
onion diced
2
cloves garlic minced
15
ounces diced tomatoes with juice
1
package McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix
1
tablespoon lemon juice
1 packet
of ham favoring
1 ½
teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon
black pepper
Cooking
Directions
Rinse beans and drain. Sort any unwanted
debris and set seasoning packet aside.
Separate the Garbanzo (Chickpea) from the
rest of the beans, and then pre-cook them in the microwave for 45 minutes with
a 1 teaspoons of baking soda and 2 of the 6 cups of water.
Once soften, pour the Garbanzo beans and hot
water into the cooking large pot with the cut ham, garlic and onion, and add with
the remaining water. Cook to a rolling boil for1 hour.
Add the remaining beans and cook uncovered at
a boil for an hour, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Simmer for 1 ½ to
2 hours or until beans are tender.
Stir in salt, and pepper, tomatoes, McCormick
Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix, and lemon juice.
Simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes
or until thickened.
Stir in the seasoning packet from the beans and season
with salt & pepper to taste. Simmer 1 minute more.
Slow Cooker Hard
Bean Soup Rescue:
If the Garbanzo beans or all beans are still hard before adding the McCormick
Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix, tomatoes and lemon juice, transfer them with the onion,
the garlic and the meat to the six quart slow cooker.
Add then McCormick Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning Mix, tomatoes and lemon juice.
Also, stir
in the seasoning packet from the beans and season with salt & pepper to
taste.
Cook on high for 7 to 8 hours.
Stir occasionally, and add more water when necessary.
Serve with a slice of cornbread on the side.
Note: 15 bean soup freezes very well. Add to
airtight containers or freezer zip lock bags. Freeze for up three months.
Note 2: For all other beans and to soften, prevent
gas and bloating: Cook beans with a tsp of baking soda as usually cooked with
meat and seasonings.
I hope this first month of the New Year has treated you
well. Yes, darlings I am still alive, a bit slower but alive.
Last night, just as I was on the brink of sleep, I remembered
an old recipe for short ribs and cabbage. Luckily, I found that I had all the
ingredients on hand; so before I made my morning cup of coffee, I started
dinner. This recipe is an old family favorite, one in which I usually cooked on
the stove with a half pot of water. However, today, I want to savor the flavors
of the meat and vegetables by cooking in them a crockpot.
Evelyn’s Crockpot Short Ribs and
Cabbage
Ingredients
One pack of boneless short ribs
½ cup water
3 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil
3 large carrots, chopped2 medium red bell peppers, chopped
1 medium or ½ large cabbage
½ to ¾ bag baby potatoes, whole
½ large onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
½ teaspoon dried chives
¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon bacon grease
Directions
Microwave chopped
carrots and baby potatoes for 25 minutes
Rinse and
pat dry short ribs; cut in ribs in half
Seasons ribs
salt and pepper in all sides
Heat garlic
infused olive oil in large
skillet
Add short
ribs and brown each piece on all four sides
Remove ribs
from skillet, save the drippings and deglaze the skillet with 2-3 tablespoons of
water.
Add ribs to a
six quart or more Crockpot
In a large mixing
bowl add chopped celery, onion, cabbage, and bell
peppers
Add save
the drippings, water, bacon grease, dried chives salt, crushed red
pepper and ground
black pepper to mixing bowl. Mix well
When easy to pierce add drained potatoes and carrots and discard
water
Add drained potatoes and carrots into the large mixing bowl with
the other ingredients.
Mix ingredients well to coat everything with short rib
drippings and bacon grease.
Then add on top of short ribs in crockpot. Set crockpot on
high for four hours;
After the first hour stir short ribs vegetables together.
After about 45
minutes pull ribs on top on the vegetable
Cook for another 45 minutes, then cook every 45 minutes but in
the last 45 minutes or so, stir short ribs in with vegetable again and cook until
short ribs are tender.
Enjoy with fresh
baked yellow corn muffins
Despite not having any corned beef in it, this recipe would still
make a great meal for Saint Patrick’s Day.
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