Tag Archives: prairieland food

Keeping Your Berries Fresh

Articles - Cooking Food At Home, Recipes-From Outside PLF 04/03/2012 Leave a comment

Keeping Your Berries Fresh

One of the Prairieland Food directors, June Glasgow found a great little gem of information on saving berries and we’d like to share that information as it is so welcome this time of year. Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are favorites at our home but many people really prefer raspberries when berry season rolls around.

Aside from the pure joy of being visually appealing and energizing our taste centers, berries are a heart healthy food. Whatever berry you like best, it is full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

If you’re a berry lover too, you already know that berries don’t stay fresh long, and especially raspberries seem to grow mold overnight, even when just purchased. Whatever your favorite berries are, here is a great tip to keep them fresh longer when you get them home.

How to keep your berries fresh longer – a recipe for berry lovers!

Prepare in a large bowl
1 – 1 part vinegar – white or apple cider.
2 – 10 parts water and stir around until blended.
3 – Add berries and swirl in mixture.
4 – Drain, rinse if you want (however the mixture is so diluted you can’t taste the vinegar.)
5 – Place in container and keep in the fridge.

This would equate to —
5 cups of water and 1/2 cup vinegar or
10 cups water and 1 cup vinegar.

“The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they’ll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them.”

All credit for this berry gem recipe information goes to:
Simply Living Smart – Food Storage Videos and Healthy Recipes.
You folks at SLS have made our berry season brighter.

Berry Much Thanks! 😀

~~~~~  ~~~~~  ~~~~~

Prairieland Food Strawberry Recipes

Strawberries and Cream  —  Strawberry Salsa

🙂

Unstuffed Cabbage #plfrecipe

Recipes 03/03/2012 Leave a comment

Un-stuffed Cabbage

Recipe from June Glasgow 

June told us in an email that her husband doesn’t like cabbage but loved this recipe when she made and served it to him. A departure from many cabbage recipes of the past. Sounds good, let’s give it a whirl!

Ingredients

1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
6 cups chopped green cabbage
1 lb ground beef
1 cup frozen onion (I used fresh chopped onion)
1 can (14.5 oz) Stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) Tomato Sauce
2 tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1 – Place rice and broth in 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir.
2 – Place cabbage on top; DO NOT STIR. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 15 minutes or until rice and cabbage is tender.
3 – Meanwhile, cook beef and onion in large skillet over medium-high heat until beef is crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain.
4 – ADD undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, and pepper to meat.
5 – Break up tomatoes with spoon.
6 – Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer about 10 minutes.
7 – When rice mixture is done, add to skillet, toss together.

Note: In February we all received fresh cabbage in the Prairie Pak, discount food package from Prairieland Food.

It can actually make us better cooks to take an ingredient we might not normally buy at the local grocery and hunt for or make up our own recipes. Experimentation can really be the “spice” of life, eh?

Enjoy!

😀

Sunday Dinner From Prairieland Food #plfrecipe

Articles - Cooking Food At Home 01/30/2012 Leave a comment

Sunday Dinner From Prairieland Food

It dawned on me while preparing our Sunday dinner that almost all ingredients in this meal are from our Prairieland Food Prairie Paks or specials. What better time to snap a few pictures and show you the incredible value you may glean by turning in your volunteer hours (to any entity) for about half off grocery store prices utilizing monthly discounted food packages from Prairieland Food.

This was not intentional but since most all our meats come from Prairieland Food and many of our fresh fruits and vegetables too, it seemed like a no brainer to make this meal a good example of the great food and magnificent price breaks we receive.

First off, we purchase a minimum of two (2) prairie paks each month and usually a special or two (sometimes more). Our freezer is almost always full with good meats and veggies from Prairieland Food so actually, for people who have to budget for everything, we eat really well.

Today’s menu consisted of:  6 stuffed pork chops – baked potato casserole – broccoli, cauliflower, carrots – sliced kiwis and garlic potato bread. OH! We had company coming.  Enough food for six hearty appetites.

Total Cost is at the end of this article. Guess (go ahead!) how much this meal would cost if you prepared it from scratch by purchasing all the ingredients at the grocery store.  Guess now, but don’t peak down there!  You need to understand what a great meal this was before you find out the final, actual cost.

~~~~~ 

The Potatoes – (we love ’em) – Eileen’s Baked Potato Casserole with Cheddar Cheese.

My baked potato casserole consisted of 8 baked potatoes (not baked) (from January 2012 Prairie Pak), peeled, quartered and cut into 1/2 cubes. Steamed ’till cooked well – 1/2 stick of real butter and about 1 cup of sour cream.  Tossed up together with a little basil salt, pepper and chopped chives, as shown below:

Eileen's Baked Potato Casserole

OOps! I decided I wanted to go a little further and add some of the cheddar cheese (December 2011 Prairieland Food Special) so I shredded a pile to mix in the casserole:

Eileen's Baked Potato Casserole with Cheddar Cheese

Topped it all off with more shredded cheddar cheese. Then it was time to heat it all up in the oven and melt the cheese on top a little. about 15 minutes at 300 degrees.  Because the cheese is real, hard sharp cheddar, it does not melt like soft cheeses do and I did not want to scorch my casserole on the bottom!  It was lovely and my grand-sugar liked this the best, well, except for the kiwis! She loves those.

Eileen's Baked Potato Casserole with Melted Cheddar Cheese

SO, for this dish the two main ingredients, potatoes and cheddar cheese came from Prairieland Food at a cost of  $7.41. This price includes $2.00 for ingredients not provided by Prairieland Food.

Mixed Vegetables – Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots – ALL fresh from Prairieland Food.

In December we received 2 bags of baby carrots with our 2 Prairie Paks ordered. We used one but kept the other in the refrigerator crisper. The Broccoli and Cauliflower came in our Prairie Paks for January. We just chopped it all up; steamed in a large steamer pot, and added a little chopped chives along with a bit of butter. My DIL remarked she could sure tell the difference of my fresh veggies as compared to the frozen kind she usually buys.

Steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

The cost of the vegetables total comes in at — (drum roll please!)  $6.24 (this includes the butter and chives too).  We still have some fresh left for another meal on some other day.

The Fruit – Kiwis! Always yummy.

We peeled and sliced all 10 kiwi’s we received by way of the two January Prairie Paks. A lovely side dish of fruit for everyone:

Sliced Kiwi Fruit.

Yikes! Blurry picture, but the only one I took, so blurry it has to be.  Our kiwi’s came in at a cost for 10 at $4.16 through Prairieland Food. Perfectly ripe and delicious.  Try getting 10 kiwis at the grocery store for that price!

The MEAT! Six (6) Stuffed Pork Chops.

I cooked these on top of the stove with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Glass lid on with about 1/4 heat on electric stove top. Cooked about 30 minutes, turned, cooked another 30 minutes (covered).  This cooks them through, but I wanted a grilled look so I drained the pan of all juices, added a bit of olive oil again, turned the heat up to medium to brown both sides.

Stuffed Pork Chops

The pan I used is a chicken fryer so is bigger than a normal frying pan – It’s 11 inches wide with straight sides and is 3″ deep. These pork chops completely filled the space when I put them in the pan, but of course, shrank a tad with cooking.  Still, one is all anyone could eat.  This is the priciest part of our meal.  The stuffing was generous and delicious.

And this was a price we don’t usually pay for meat with Prairieland Food.  It was a January 2012 Special coming in at $21.00 for the six. I choose these this month as we thought:  #1, we could actually afford it for a change, and #2 it has been awhile since we bought something of this quality.

So that’s our Sunday Dinner from Prairieland Food and it come in at a mere $38.81.  UNDER $40.00 for a meal, for six people. When was the last time you were able to do this?

I thank my lucky stars each day when I am preparing our meals here at home that we have a program like Prairieland Food in Kansas.  I truly don’t know what we’d do without the discounted food packages.

SO, how was your Sunday Dinner?

🙂

Money Saving Tips for Food Shopping

Articles - Cooking Food At Home 01/09/2012 Comments: 2

Money Saving Tips for Food Shopping

Guest Post: This post was written and provided by guest post writer, James Lander. Lander is a regular contributor for couponing and deals site, Couponing. Turn to this website for top-retailer coupon information, couponing etiquette and more.

~~~~~

Every year Americans spend an impressive 478 billion on groceries alone. The average household stuffs at least 100 dollars a week into the cavernous pocket of their local store – relying on them for everything from diapers to midnight snacks. When it comes to the relationship between grocer and consumer, we are the embarrassingly dependent partner. It’s safe to say that if our local grocery store were our significant other, our friends would tell us to leave it. There are ways, however, to ensure you are not taken advantage of. You just need to commit to a bit more work than you may be used to. Nevertheless, when you realize that you could be saving up to three thousand dollars per year by shopping smart, you’ll probably change your tune.

Don’t go in half-prepared.

You know the flyers you wrinkle your nose up at and toss away? The grocery advertisements you line your birdcage with? If you are seriously interested in saving money on food, these previously ignored papers need to become your study material. You simply won’t be able to save money if you don’t know how much your products are worth. Reading these flyers will give you a clear idea of how much your chosen items are retailing for across the board and prepare you to recognize when it’s really a sale, not a scam.

Arm yourself with lists.

Before you go through those glass doors, before you are assaulted by pretty displays and delicious smells – know what you really need. As soon as you set foot in the store, you are at the mercy of in-store marketing and manipulation. Don’t let advertising erode your resolve. Having a carefully planned list, detailing the things you actually need and will use, has been proven to help curb your spending. It is so easy to fill your cart with things you ‘didn’t realize you need’ only to come home with a grocery bill almost double what you had budgeted for.

Attack with Coupons.

The use of coupons has reached an unheard of level of popularity due to an odd mix of the current financial crisis and TLC’s half hour of ‘Extreme Couponing’ hysteria. People are realizing that the little papers they had shunned previously can save significant amounts of money when used properly. Many consumers are ‘stacking’ their coupons by waiting for the product to go on sale in the store and then combining the sale price with a manufacturer’s coupon. This can result in savings of 80% or more for seasoned couponers. As you are perusing the flyers, take the time to clip any coupons that are relevant to your lifestyle.

Hit them where they’re weakest

Although you may be disturbed by the idea of a ‘discount’ grocer, there is no need to turn your nose up and spend the extra money for status. Discount grocery stores such as Grocery Outlet, Food Basics and Price Chopper offer the same food you’d purchase at mainstream stores with a 30% discount or more. The product is still perfectly fine, but may have been overstocked by other stores or slightly damaged in transit (it’s like the Nordstrom Rack of grocery stores!). When the produce is in season it is just as lovely as in other establishments and if you don’t mind a cheaper cut of meat, you can enjoy massive savings on your protein portion.

Take no prisoners.

If you don’t fancy the idea of cheap meat and produce, you can always ‘work the system’ at a conventional or high-end grocery store. Most meat is still fresh and edible for up to five days after the expiry date listed on the package. If you purchase the discounted meats, there’s an excellent chance that with a quick freeze, it will still be delectable a few weeks down the line. If you choose to take advantage of these steep discounts, be sure you transfer your meat into a freezer bag before storing it away. Actually handling (and smelling) your purchase is the best indication of whether your dinner needs to be fried up right away or if it can last for a few extra days.

Unless you are one of the lucky (and industrious) few with a vegetable garden in your backyard and a barn full of animals, you are largely at the mercy of the grocery store. If they were to close their doors, the majority of us would eventually starve. If they were to raise their prices to a ridiculous amount, the majority of us would eventually pay it. More and more, consumers are learning the importance of being proactive when it comes to shopping. After all, if saving 50 a week eventually puts 2600 back in your wallet, is there really another option?

~~~~~

Thank you James Lander and Couponing.com.  Great tips to remember! Don’t forget, if you are a volunteer (in Kansas, Nebraska or Oklahoma), in any respect, you qualify for The Prairieland Food Discount Food Program.  Happy Couponing!

😀

Microwave Potato Chips #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 12/28/2011 Comments: 5

Microwave Potato Chips

Recipe Submitted by Eileen Brown Derby KS

This can be found all over the internet however, we’ve been making these on New Year’s Day, when time in the kitchen is easy and not rushed. Not exactly a traditional food item but so much more healthy than packaged potato chips.  And of course, no matter how we want to eat right, there is nothing quite as good as potato chips with a sandwich for lunch.

It’s been many years ago that I found this online.  I printed it out and put it in my big kitchen notebook where I keep recipes from magazines and now those I find on the web that I actually like and make in my own kitchen.

Blurry photo but snapped just a few minutes ago.  I guess I should have taken several to make sure one was sharp and clear. At any rate, my recipe is two printed pages with photos.

As you can see in the second pic down at left they use a mandolin to slice the potatoes.  I do too, and it is the best way to get uniformly sliced potatoes for this effort.

A Note here: This can be a tad time consuming if you have a small microwave for heating only.  In my kitchen there is a large microwave for cooking so I have a bit of  an advantage.  But, if you are making potato chips for one or two people, the time is cut down considerably.

This is also a great thing to do with kids.  They love to spend time helping in the kitchen so you can task them with this as “little kitchen helpers.”

Preparations:
Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed.
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

01 – Slice potatoes into thin (1/8-inch) rounds.
02 – Toss the slices in a medium bowl with oil and salt to coat evenly.
03 – Coat a large microwave-proof plate with cooking spray.
04 – Arrange some potato slices in a single layer on the plate.
05 – Microwave, uncovered, on High until some slices start to brown, 2 to 3
minutes depending on potato thickness and microwave power.
06 – Turn the slices over and continue microwaving until they start to
crisp and brown around the edges, 2 to 4 minutes more.
07 – Check frequently and rearrange slices as needed to prevent scorching.
08 – Transfer the chips to another plate and allow to cool completely.
09 – They will crisp more as they cool.
10 – Repeat with the remaining potato slices.

Potatoes should be golden or slightly browned to be really good, so be sure to adjust cooking times after the first batch.  I almost always overcook the first batch!  Also, I sometimes do peel the potatoes, depending on which type of potatoes I have on hand.

On New Year’s day (this time) I’m gonna write down the time it takes on the recipe I already have in my kitchen notebook. I don’t know why I’ve not done this before!

Enjoy!

Eileen Sig - Fall

Christmas Countdown to Gift Giving – 2 – Crafty Hands

Gift Giving For Crafty Volunteers 12/08/2011 Leave a comment

Christmas Countdown to Gift Giving – 2 – Crafty Hands

17 days until Christmas arrives.

This is one of the best times of year to teach Charity to Children.  But as they say ‘charity’ starts at home.  Give yourself or a family member a gift that will keep on giving.

The Family Christmas Tree Skirt.

Crafty Hands  For households with little ones this is a twist on the “little hand in plaster” that many parents cherish.  And it is a take on “lending a helping hand” for families who may volunteer all year long.  Make a Christmas tree skirt to hand down to generations to come, or as a start up for a family with a tiny wee one.  The only limitation is your imagination.  We also saw a suggestion to add tiny feet, how sweet!

1 – Most any tree skirt you choose will work fine but felt or felt pieces work
really well too.
2 – Gold, silver or glitter paint, a non-toxic type.
3 – Place paint in saucer and have child coat palm with paint.
4 – Carefully place little palm on fabric. Voila! Instant art.
5 – Add child’s name and date to each print or pair of prints.
6 – Add parent handprints too, as a family is not complete without
Mom and Dad, eh?
Parent hand prints can be added later, after the gift is given, so
keep those paint supplies handy.

Variation For a Crafty Stitcher – Applique

We especially like this idea and it could be used for wall hangings too,
as a Christmas gift for new parents or families.
1 – Buy or make a tree skirt to whatever dimensions you choose.
2 – Trace tiny hands, right and left onto plain muslin or other fabric.
3 – Embroider the outlines, add the child’s name and date; embroider.
4 – Cut out your work either in a circle or other shape.
5 – Applique (stitch) onto the tree skirt.
6 – Use glittery thread to add a little sparkle.

Whatever you decide to do and to give this Christmas Season, as always, make it from the heart.

From all of US to all of YOU:

The Christmas Birthday

Christmas Cheer

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas

😀

Christmas Morning Casserole #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 12/06/2011 Leave a comment

The Christmas Morning Casserole – A Make Ahead Recipe

Recipe submitted by Eileen Brown – Derby KS

Ingredients
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 lb. pork sausage, browned and drained.
1 cup biscuit baking mix
2 cups milk
1 tsp oregano

Directions:
1 – Brown the sausage and drain.
2 – Mix together all ingredients.
3 – Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2 casserole dish.
4 – Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5 – Bake uncovered in preheated 350 oven.
6 – Bake about one hour.

Notes:

We like to have hash browns or American country
fries with this breakfast casserole and there is
plenty of time to do this while the casserole is in the
oven. Serves about 10 or 6-8 if you overeat. 😉
An easy thing to do with this yummy recipe.

The Prairie Pak often comes with pork sausage or
turkey sausage and the turkey sausage is also
perfect in this recipe. Prairieland Food discount
food packages cover a lot of area with this type of dish,
at our home.

Enjoy your Christmas morning more by preparing ahead!

🙂

Christmas Eve Salad #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 12/06/2011 Comments: 2

Christmas Eve Salad

Recipe Submitted by Eileen Brown – Derby KS

I’m not sure where this recipe came from.  I’ve had it among my favorites for so long but with no notes as to whom might have passed it along.  A variation does say you can substitute jicama for the apples but we always have plenty of apples so apples have always been used.

Ingredients
1 head romaine lettuce, torn in bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
1 (13 1/4 oz) can pineapple chunks, chilled.
2 unpared apples cored and sliced.
2 bananas, sliced.
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned.
1 (8 oz can) whole beets, chilled, drained and sliced.
3/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts.
Seeds from one pomegrante.
1/2 cup salad or olive oil.
3 Tblsp. Lime juice or vinegar. (I sometimes use wine vinegar).
1/2 tsp. sugar. (large pinch)
1/4 tsp. salt. (small pinch)

Directions
1 – Use a shallow but large salad bowl.
2 – Place romaine in salad bowl.
2 – Drain pineapple but reserve juice.
3 – Dip apple and banana slices (as you go) in pineapple juice to
prevent darkening.
4 – Place pineapple chunks, apple, banana, orange and beet slices
on top of romain.
5 – Sprinkle with peanuts and pomegranate seeds.
6 – Shake together oil, lime juice (or vinegar), sugar and salt.
7 – Pour over salad and toss gently.

Recipe Notes:
– I have also substituted the fresh oranges with canned, drained
mandarin oranges.
– Another substitution is sweetener for sugar, which makes this
a good diabetic recipe.
– I have added red onion rings to this and thought that quite a
good addition. Little kids don’t much like the onions though.
– The suggested substitution of jicama leads me to believe this may
be a Mexican recipe of origin. At any rate it is a nice refreshing
fruit and vegetable salad that does not include whipped topping.

Enjoy!

— To make this even more convenient, we receive apples,
oranges and sometimes bananas in our Prairie Paks from
the Prairieland Food discount food program. Nice 🙂


Oven Baked Chicken with Sweet and Smokey BBQ Sauce #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 11/28/2011 Leave a comment

Oven Baked Chicken with Sweet and Smokey BBQ Sauce

Recipe Submitted by Mary Lee M. – Derby KS

Ingredients
1 Chicken, cut into serving pieces
( I use the chicken legs we receive in the Prairie Paks
but you can use whatever chicken pieces you like.)
1 lg Onion – peeled and cut in pieces.
Pepper to taste

BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup Catsup
2 TLB Mustard
1/2 cup cooking Oil
1/2 cup Maple Syrup, can be sugar free.
1/4 cup Vinegar
1/4 cup Liquid Smoke
(Hickory Salt can be substituted for liquid smoke.)

Directions:
1 – Place chicken in baking dish.
2 – Sprinkle with pepper.
3 – Place onion pieces around chicken.
4 – Pour sauce over chicken.
5 – Place in 375 degree oven.
6 – Bake until done, about 45 minutes to one hour.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive chicken 
most every month in the Prairie Pak, so a lot of chicken
recipes will be appearing here!  
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

:)

Teaching Charity to Children Through Volunteerism

Food-News 11/24/2011 Leave a comment

Volunteers do more than help other people or their communities.

They teach, by example, charity to their children. With all the hustle and bustle that surrounds the holidays each year, we can forget important things that don’t make it onto our printed calendars.

November 20 was National Family Volunteer Day.  We did not forget the day but preparing for Thanksgiving does rush us along and this very important day can be overlooked.

What better way to kick off the Holiday Season than to teach, by our very own examples, just how volunteerism helps our neighbors and communities grow and flourish.  The volunteer spirit is born in most of us.  As we grow older, we realize that there is no better way to grow healthy, happy families than to share and care.  By exhibiting a giving spirit; a loving and caring hand; and smiles (instead of scowls) to those less fortunate than ourselves, it is possible to ingrain the volunteer spirit into our family life.

How to spread the volunteer spirit.

Here is southern Kansas, in the Wichita metro area we have some great services where extending that helping hand is always welcome.  The Lords Diner, now at two locations, feeds hungry families but also depends on volunteers to help accomplish the task.  Places to volunteer abound here, really, but let’s take a step back and see what we can do to teach children how to spread their giving spirit.

  • Work together to make baked goods as a donation to a church, community or charity fair.
  • Help your child donate a portion of his allowance and birthday money to the charity of his choice.
  • Instead of exchanging duplicate gifts – donate one of the items to charity.
  • Encourage your children to donate one item off their Christmas or birthday wish list to a less fortunate child.
  • Teach a class together. Senior centers, YMCAs and women shelters are very receptive to the help.
  • Walk, brush, feed and clean pets at a rescue shelter. Even younger children can appreciate this action.
  • Volunteer to read to the blind. Let older children read while the younger ones turn pages.
  • Organize a food drive in your neighborhood. Even small children can help deliver and collect bags.
  • Organize a toy, book or clothing drive. Have the kids chip in by donating some of their unused toys and outgrown clothing.
  • Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers are needed to build, paint, cook and serve food, watch children and more.
  • Sign up to receive Habitat’s free newsletter for monthly updates and share it with your children.
  • Help an elderly neighbor with shopping . Let your child carry the grocery list and decide on “gift” items not on the list.
  • Help an elderly neighbor with yard clean up.  When a whole family pitches in, the work is done in half the time.
  • If you don’t have a Goodwill drop-off nearby, donate old clothes to a community church clothing bank. Have your children help with this activity.

Allowing your children to help you help others is what it is all about.  There is another list here at the Prairieland Food Blog that might also help you find an activity to help teach about volunteerism on the “Are you a volunteer?” page.

However you choose to teach charity to children, whether your own; a scout troop; a sports team or club you monitor, this action is more than worth the effort.

Even if all you do is on one day during the year, make that whole day about giving freely of your time to others, in some capacity.  November 20, next year, could be the day your child learns about charity for the long term.  But even better, how about one day a month? Don’t get stuck on what day your calendar expresses what you should do, but what you feel in your heart.  Could passing that “good spirit” feeling on to your child be worth a mere 12 days a year?  You bet’cha.

Rewarding Volunteers.

Prairieland Food recognizes that volunteers are an important part of every good community.  Offering discounted food packages to those with a truly giving spirit is the mission of the organization. Allow your child to accompany you to D-Day, when the food comes in, and when you can, donate a Prairie Pak to someone you know needs that helping hand.  Your child being a part of this action, will learn about charity first hand, from your example.

🙂

Spicy Bratwurst Supper #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Larned KS 11/17/2011 Comments: 3

Spicy Bratwurst Supper

Recipe Submitted by Connie F. Larned KS

Ingredients
6 Bacon Strips, diced
1/3 Cup Chopped Onion
5 Fully Cooked Bratwurst links, cut into 1/2″ slices
1/2 lb. Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
1 T. Diced Jalapeno Peppers
2 Cups Meatless Spaghetti Sauce
2 oz. Gouda Cheese, shredded
Hot Cooked Rice

Directions
01 – In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat
until bacon is almost crisp.
02 – Remove to paper towels to drain.
03 – In the same skillet, sauté the bratwurst, mushrooms and
jalapeno for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
04 – Stir in spaghetti sauce and bacon mixture.
05 – Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes or until heated through.
06 – Sprinkle with cheese.
07 – Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive Bratwurst
in the Prairie Pak sometimes.
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

:)

Apple and Pear Oatmeal Crisp #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 11/15/2011 Comments: 2

Apple and Pear Oatmeal Crisp

Recipe Submitted by Eileen B. Derby KS

Recipe Body Ingredients:
2 cups cooking apples, peeled and sliced
2 cups pears, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 -2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup water

Recipe Crisp Topping:
1 cup oats
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
01 - Peel apples and pears, rub them with the lemon juice
so they don't turn brown.
02 - Place apples and pears in a greased shallow 9”
square baking dish.
03 - Mix together 2 tbsp. brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg
and water.
04 - Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the apples and pears.
05 - Combine remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl,
add melted butter, mixing until crumbly.
06 - Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the apples and pears.
07 - Bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender.
08 - Serve with vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or whipped topping.
Great by itself too.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive fresh apples 
almost every month in the Prairie Pak, and during the season a 
lot of pears too.
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!
This recipe from the PLF Derby KS recipes archives.

:)

Beef Wraps #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Canton KS 11/14/2011 Leave a comment

Beef Wraps

Recipe Submitted by Michelle A. – Canton KS

Ingredients
1- boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
3-garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbs. soy sauce, divided
3-tsp olive oil, divided
1- medium onion cut into rings or wedges
1/4 cup beef broth
6 Tbs. ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas
lettuce
tomato
1-red or green pepper

Directions
01 - Coat a large skillet with cooking spray.
02 - Saute the beef, garlic, pepper, and 2 Tbs. soy sauce in
2 Tbs. olive oil until meat is no longer pink.
03 - Remove from burner but keep warm.
04 - Saute the red or green pepper and onion in the broth and
remaining soy sauce; bring to a boil.
05 - Return beef to the pan; simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.
06 - Spread the ranch dressing over one side of each tortilla. 
07 - Add your lettuce, cheese, and tomato.
08 - Add beef mixture and roll up.
09 - Cut into and eat up!

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants often have the option
to purchase steak for just this kind of recipe.
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

Derby Foodie :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Wichita KS 11/10/2011 1 Comment

Chicken Tortilla Soup – With a Kick!

Recipe Submitted by Cheryl G. – Wichita KS

This is a Crock Pot recipe. Takes about 4 to 6 hours.
Recipe makes a large batch, but some can be frozen for later use.
Dump all ingredients into pot - Cook on high first hour or so.
Turn to low rest of time.

2 - 4 chicken breasts (cup into small pieces)
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups water
1 can rotel tomatoes (this imparts the "kick")
2 cups corn (frozen can also be used)
2 cans tomato soup
2 tsp roasted garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 cans pinto beans (with juice)
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1 envelope dry Ranch Dressing

Serve with Tortilla Chips, Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive fresh chicken 
almost every month in the Prairie Pak, so a lot of chicken
recipes will be appearing here!  
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

:)

Hawaiian Pork #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Wichita KS 11/07/2011 Leave a comment

Hawaiian Pork

Recipe Submitted by Sonja H. – Wichita KS

Prepare on the stove; crock pot or using a pressure cooker. 
Recipe Ingredients:
2 1/2 LBS lean Pork Roast, cut in to cubes
1/4 c. Fat
8 slices Onion
1 1/2 Cups Pineapple Juice
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 cup Green Pepper, diced
2 (#2) cans Pineapple Chunks
2 TLB. Soy Sauce
5 TLB. Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Water

Pressure Cooker Directions:
01 - Brown pork cubes and onion slices in hot fat.
02 - Add pineapple juice, water, vinegar, brown sugar and salt.
03 - Cover, set control and cook 12 minutes after the control jiggles.
04 - Reduce Pressure instantly.
05 - Add diced green peppers, pineapple chunks and soy sauce.
06 - Add cornstarch mixed with water and cook until thickened,
stirring constantly.
07 - Serve over rice.
Serves 6 to 8 guests.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; we often have Pork roast as a
special package and often in the Prairie Pak, pork chops.
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!
This recipe from the PLF Derby KS recipes archives.

Sounds Yummy, eh?

:)

Raw Apple Cake #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 11/05/2011 Comments: 2

Raw Apple Cake

Recipe Submitted by Roseanne B. Derby KS

Recipe Body Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
2 TLB. shortening
1 cup evaporated milk
6 cups apples (chopped)

Recipe Topping:
4 TLB. brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
4 TLB. softened butter

Mix Body ingredients well and spread evenly in a 9 x 13 pan.
Mix and sprinkle topping ingredients over the top.
Bake 40 to 60 minutes in a 350 oven.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive fresh apples 
almost every month in the Prairie Pak, so a lot of apple
recipes will be appearing here!  
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!
This recipe from the PLF Derby KS recipes archives.

:)

Santa Fe Casserole #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Canton KS 11/02/2011 Leave a comment

Santa Fe Casserole

Recipe Submitted by Michelle A. – Canton KS

Cooking Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sour cream
1 (7 oz.) can diced green chilis

Layering Ingredients: 
1 jar salsa
1 bag corn tortilla chips
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
Some chopped green onions, if desired.

Instructions:
01 - Brown ground beef in skillet, drain fat.
02 - Add taco seasoning to beef and mix well.
03 - In small bowl, combine broth and flour.
04 - Add to meat mixture and bring to a boil to slightly thicken.
05 - Stir in sour cream and chilies and stir to mix well.
06 - In 9x13 pan spray with cooking spray -line with tortilla chips.
07 - Top with 1/2 of meat mixture, 
1/2 jar salsa, 
1/2 of cheese and
1/2 of green onions.
08 - Repeat layers one more time.
09 - Bake uncovered at 375 for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive lean
ground beef in the Prairie Pak quite often.
*Recipes submitted may not be family recipes.
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

:)

Crock Pot Pork Chops #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Ulysses KS 11/01/2011 Comments: 2

Crock Pot Pork Chops

Recipe Submitted by Rebeca K. – Ulysses KS

Ingredients:

½ cup to ¾ cup flour
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. ground mustard
½ tsp. garlic powder
~~~~~
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/3 cup water.

Directions:
01 - Mix flour, salt, ground mustard and garlic powder
(first four ingredients) in a bowl.
02 - Dredge 6 pork chops in flour mixture.
03 - Brown chops in 2 TBS oil in skillet.
04 - Combine 1 can Cream of Chicken soup and 1/3 cup (or more) of water.
05 - Put chops in crock-pot and pour soup mixture over chops.
06 - Cook in crock-pot for 6-8 hours on low.

Note: Serves 6

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive Pork Chops 
quite a few times a year in the Prairie Pak and in some
Special Packages.
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

:)

Caribbean Chicken #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Kingman KS 10/31/2011 Leave a comment

Caribbean Chicken

Recipe Submitted by Crystal M. – Kingman KS

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken pieces (mixture of dark and white meat)
1 TLB Oil
4 potatoes, cubed
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Pepper, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 TLB. Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Pepper
¼ tsp Cayenne
¼ tsp dried Thyme
¼ tsp Salt
½ cup Chicken Broth
1 ½ cups Coconut Milk

Directions:
01 - To reduce the fat, remove the skin from the dark meat.
02 - In a skillet, brown the chicken in oil over medium-high heat.
03 - Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
04 - Add the potatoes and tomatoes to the slow cooker.
05- Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, pepper,
cayenne, thyme and salt to the skillet and cook over medium-high
heat for 3 minutes.
06 - Stir the broth into the skillet.
07 - transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
08 - Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
09 - Stir in the coconut milk and cook for an additional 
30 minutes on low. 

Note: Serves 4
Tip: This is a relatively mild version of Caribbean Chicken, 
so if you'd like to spice it up, double or triple the cayenne.

Enjoy!

Eileen's Note: In case you (the reader) are not currently a 
Prairieland Food participant; Participants receive fresh chicken 
almost every month in the Prairie Pak, so a lot of chicken
recipes will be appearing here!  
See Prairieland Food Derby for archived Prairie Pak contents!

:)

The Many Uses of Celery

Articles - Cooking Food At Home 10/25/2011 Comments: 2

What to do with all that celery…

Celery

Celery from 2011 Prairieland Food Prairie Pak

At our house we almost always buy two Prairie Paks,
( yes, PLF says "Pak" instead of "Pack" so we do too! )
and sometimes three full packs.  Can you dig how much
fresh celery that amounts to when celery is on the menu?

Celery, with all it's wonderful flavor is a staple in many
homes where Mom's truly like to cook. The reason is clear:
versatility. A few reasons why...

First, you can dip it - when fresh it's crunchy texture makes
it a flash to upload a wad of your favorite dip. The bigger
the wad, the better, eh?

Second, you can stuff it - with velveeta, pimento cheese, cream
cheese, peanut butter and uh, what else can we think of folks?
The only reason we do not "stuff" more often at our house is I
am not crazy about de-stringing the celery. If I'm going to take
the time to stuff it, I feel like de-stringing is a also a must.  
We "stuff" when company is coming, mostly.

Third, cooking it in your favorite recipes - celery, without a
doubt is the best accompaniment flavor when cooking chicken
for casseroles and soups. And some of the very best flavor is to
be had in the leaves.  Yep, that's right.  Chop and put some
celery tops in your pot of chicken when pre-cooking to prepare
a dish from a recipe.

Fourth, add to fresh salads. Celery adds a bit of crunch to 
chicken and tuna salads as well as any vegatable salad you 
prepare for your family or friends.

Fifth, chop celery to freeze for later use in your own recipes.
Celery is basically water. When freezing it you are going to cause
the water in the cells to expand and turn it quite soft upon thawing.
Use frozen celery for soups, casseroles, sauces and stock only.  
If your celery has become limp, chop it and freeze it!  It will 
still be good to cook with.
A pile of celery is only 200 calories.

Eat it raw with a little salt, chop it and freeze it too!

You may think I found all this on the web.  Well, you'd be wrong
on that score.  My Mom (R.I.P.) taught me more about cooking,
just off-handedly in her kitchen or mine, that I can hardly imagine
what kind of cook I'd be without all those comments, thrown out
with no more thought than if she was talking to herself.

Thanks to my Mom, I can make the best southern cornbread from scratch,
dumplings from scratch, and banana pudding, (and more) you ever wrapped
your lips around.  Did you know there is a certain type of potato for 
creamed and another type for mashed that tastes best?  And do you know 
how to pick the best onions for sweet or hot flavor?  My Mom taught 
me all that, and so much more.  (back to celery...)

Celery, in all it's different ways of pleasing us should be a summer
and winter staple in kitchens everywhere. Oops! Almost forgot this! 

Sixth, you can dehydrate celery. The flavor intensifies and in this 
form is very handy, as it may take less to garner more flavor. 
I have a dehydrator I bought about 15 years ago, when making jerky 
was a fad around here.  I have found that it really comes in handy 
for more than just jerky tho'.
Celery with Chicken and Celery chopped to freeze.

Chicken drums cooking with celery and chopped celery to freeze.

Celery is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol.
It is also a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid,
Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary
Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.
Celery - nutritional facts.

Celery - Good for ya' too, eh?

Celery and chicken drumsticks pictured are both from Prairieland 
Food Discount Food Packages Program. Whew, that can be a mouthful.

:)

Food Buddy Ks

Articles - Cooking Food At Home 10/20/2011 Comments: 2

As a “Food Enthusiast,” as many of us are, the world is just too big to know, and be able to mix ingredients for all of everywhere.  But if you like quick AND delicious, take some tips from cooks who do cook at home.  Sometimes the very best is made from natural, whole ingredients and sometimes mixes are thrown in to make a long task shorter and more pleasant all the way around.

Most of the time, we love cooking and hope to share some of the best, old fashioned and new, recipes for new cooks to learn, improve upon and share themselves.

Lip Smackin’ B-B-Q Chicken #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Conway Springs KS 10/19/2011 Leave a comment

Lip Smackin’ Bar-B-Q Chicken Bake

Recipe Submitted by Margie S. – Conway Springs KS

Ingredients: 
⅔ cup Original Bisquick® mix
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
¾-cup barbecue sauce
3 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into ½ inch pieces           

Directions: 
01 - Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch pie pan or 9-inch
square baking dish with cooking spray.
02 - In small bowl, stir together Bisquick® mix, water and egg.
03 - Spread in bottom and ½ inch up side of pan; sprinkle with
1 ¼ cups of the cheese.
04 -  In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Cook chicken in oil, stirring occasionally, until white on outside;
drain.
05 - Stir in barbecue sauce; heat just until hot.
06 - Spoon over batter in pan to within ½ inch of edge.
07 - Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until edge is dark golden brown.
08 - Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.
09 - Bake 1 to  3 minutes longer or until cheese melts;
loosen from side of pan.
10 - Remove from oven - Lip Smackin' Eatin'!    

Notes:
Keep the ingredients for this recipe on hand so you'll 
be ready to wing it for dinner any night.

(A Recipe From the Prairieland Food Recipes Archives 
courtesy Derby KS host site.)

🙂

Strawberry Salsa #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 10/19/2011 1 Comment

Strawberry Salsa

Recipe submitted by Mary Lee M. – Derby KS

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries.
1 cup chopped green pepper.
2 Tablespoons chopped green onions.
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley.
1/3 cup prepared Catalina salad dressing.
Dash hot pepper sauce.
Pepper to taste.
Tortilla chips.

Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, green pepper, 
onions and parsley.
02 - Stir in the salad dressing, hot pepper sauce and pepper.
03 - Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
04 - Serve with tortilla chips: Yeild 3 cups

Notes:
No one guesses the secret ingredient as no one ever thinks of 
strawberries!

(A Recipe From the Prairieland Food Recipes Archives 
courtesy Derby KS host site.)

🙂

Eileen’s Apple Salad #plfrecipe

Recipes, Recipes - Derby KS 10/19/2011 Comments: 2

Eileen’s Apple Salad

Recipe Submitted by Eileen B. – Derby, KS

3 to 6 Apples, washed, quartered, cored and chopped.
2 cups Mini Marshmallows
1/2 to 1 cup Walnuts, chopped.
1/2 to 1 cup Real Mayonnaise
(Do NOT use Miracle Whip as this will dramatically change the taste!)

01 - Dump all together in a large bowl and toss-coat dry ingredients well.
02 - Variation: add 1/2 to 1 cup chopped celery for a little extra crunch.
03 - Tastes best if refrigerated overnight to allow flavors to mingle. 

Notes:
Tart and crisp apples are best for this recipe.
If you use more apples, you will need to increase other ingredients.

We receive apples almost every month in our Prairie Pak and Fruit and
Veggie Discount Food Packages.  This recipe helps use those apples for
more than just dipping in caramel (which we do here, a LOT!)

 🙂

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