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< Back Poppy Seed Dressing Prep Time: 1 Minute Cook Time: 1 Minute Serves: 1 cup Level: Beginner About the Recipe A deliciously sweet Poppy Seed Dressing made with 6 pantry staples! Perfect for fruit and vegetable salads, this makes any side dish taste like dessert. Ingredients 1/2 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil (see note 1) 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (see note 2) 1/4 cup granulated sugar or less to taste (see note 3) 1 teaspoon dried mustard (see note 4) 1 teaspoon poppy seeds Salt Preparation In a bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, dried mustard, poppyseeds, sugar, and salt. If you’re making a salad right away, keep the dressing out at room temperature to let the flavors mingle while preparing the salad. (However, you can make it up to 4 days in advance.) Instructions In a small bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried mustard, poppy seeds, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Stir or shake to combine. Allow the flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the salad. Notes Oil: Use something neutral such as vegetable oil, light olive oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil. Red wine vinegar: Substitute white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar if you prefer. Sugar: Add sugar or your favorite sweetener to taste, or leave it out entirely. Dried mustard: Ground mustard powder balances out the sweetness and adds another layer of flavor. If you don’t have it, use an equal amount of Dijon mustard instead. Yield: About 1 cup Storage: Store the dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Blender: For the smoothest, creamiest dressing possible, emulsify the dressing in a blender. Previous Next

< Back Danish Dumplings Prep Time: 15min Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 4 Tbsp. Butter or margarine 1/2 cup Boiling water 2/3 cup flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar ¼ tsp. Nutmeg 2 eggs Preparation Bring butter and water to a boil. Mix all dry ingredients together, When butter is melted and water is hot add flour and seasonings all at once stirring continuously. Cook until mixture leaves the sides of the pan. When cool, add the eggs, ONE at a time, mixing well with a spoon (wooden is preferred) until they are all incorporated. Dip a tablespoon into the hot soup so that the mixture won’t stick to the spoon and then scoop up a tablespoon full and drop into boiling broth or soup. Do not cover. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes - they are done. Serve hot. So good! Previous Next

< Back Orange Blossom Syrup Prep Time: 1 min Cook Time: Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 ½ cups corn syrup 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 Tablespoon water Boil 2 minutes, then add: ¾ Tablespoon almond extract ¾ Tablespoon orange extract Preparation The smell of this syrup is divine! And, if you have an English garden that you can borrow for the afternoon – enjoy!

< Back Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Sandwich bread slices Green bell pepper, thinly sliced Red onion, thinly sliced Tomato, thinly sliced Avocado, thinly sliced Spinach leaves, torn Deli-sliced sandwich meat of your choice Sliced mozzarella cheese (enough for two slices per sandwich) Dry grated parmesan cheese in the shaker bottle Soft butter Preparation Prepare all the sliced ingredients and set aside. Heat your electric skillet to 275°F. Butter one side of a slice of bread, sprinkle with dry parmesan cheese and place in skillet butter-side down. Layer ingredients starting with mozzarella cheese, adding a few slices of everything and ending with another slice of mozzarella cheese. Buter one side of a second piece of bread, sprinkle with dry parmesan cheese and place butter-side up on top of sandwich. Cover with lid and grill slowly so the heat will reach the cheese without burning your bread. Toast until golden brown on one side, then very carefully flip to other side and grill slowly until second side is golden brown. Enjoy! Previous Next

< Back Marry Me Chicken Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Marry Me Chicken is creamy, juicy, and full of flavor! It's said that this chicken dinner is so good that if you cook it for your partner, he will propose to you! Yes, it's THAT amazing! Funny name, but probably the best chicken recipe ever! This Recipe has affiliate links which I earn a commission from at no extra cost to you. Ingredients 3 large chicken breasts boneless and skinless, sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 6 tablespoons (50 grams) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter 3 cloves garlic minced 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK) ½ cup (43 grams) parmesan cheese grated 1 teaspoon chili flakes ¼ teaspoon oregano ¼ teaspoon thyme ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes chopped 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves Preparation Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour and shake off any excess. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and melt the butter on medium heat. Swirl pan to coat with oil and butter evenly. Brown the chicken (do not overcrowd and work in batches if needed) for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer onto a plate, cover, and set aside. Saute the garlic for a minute or until it's fragrant. Add the chicken stock, and deglaze the pan scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Adjust the heat to medium-low, and add the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese to the skillet. Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes, then season with chili flakes, thyme, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to your taste, add the sundried tomatoes then put the chicken back in the sauce and let the sauce simmer and thicken for a few more minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and serve warm over pasta or rice. Notes: Chicken cutlets/steaks are available in most supermarkets, but you can slice a chicken breast in half and get the same result. To slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets : Place a chicken breast down flat on a cutting board. Hold one hand flat on top of the breast, and use a sharp knife to cut the breast in half, parallel to the cutting board. Typically, that is all you need to do! The cutlets should be about ¼ inch in thickness. If they are thicker than that, use a meat mallet to pound them down thinner. Boneless and skinless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breasts, but keep in mind that they take longer to cook. When sauteing the garlic, add a little bit of sundried tomato oil for more flavor. Do not use half and half/single cream as that won’t thicken the sauce enough. I recommend buying a block of parmesan cheese and grating it yourself. I found that store-bought parmesan cheese doesn’t have much flavor, and doesn’t melt well in sauces. Storing Tips Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven, you will need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce as it thickens in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces as they change textures to grainy when frozen. Previous Next

< Back Homemade Pumpkin Puree Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 whole small pumpkins Preparation 1. Select a couple of small sized pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. Using a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this. 2. Reserve all of the seeds in a separate bowl. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp 3. Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350°F oven until the pumpkin is fork-tender, 45 minutes. They should be nice and light golden brown when done. 4. Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill. 5. Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it over cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.) 6. Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done. 7. You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you'd like or store it in the freezer for later use. 8. To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them. It's around this time of year that I start storing up pumpkin puree in my freezer, in approximately one-cup quantities. I've read opinions that declare canned pumpkin puree just as good as, if not better than, the fresh stuff. And you know me—I'm always willing to go along with a more convenient shortcut. But all I can tell you is that in my experience… in my isolated, agoraphobic, reclusive experience… I've been more pleased with the outcome of pumpkin-based dishes in which I've used the from-scratch puree. To begin, select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. The larger they are—for instance, jack-o-lantern pumpkins—the more you’ll run into weird tastes and textures. (Though the first time my mother-in-law and I pureed pumpkin, we used a big motherin’ thing and it turned out just fine.) I think the one on the left senses the end is near. Could have something to do with the gigantic knife right next to him. Ugh. This is always the worst part. I'm sorry, guys… but you're a part of the food chain. I’m just following the natural order of things. Pretend he's a jack-o'-lantern and lop off his head near the stem. Cut in half Then take a moment to examine his innards. Pretend you're a surgeon. Repeat with the other pumpkin. Okay, wait a minute. I know there are vegetarians. I understand that. And while I don't necessarily subscribe to the exact same set of values vegetarians do, I do understand where they're coming from. Animals are sweet. And cuddly. And fellow citizens of this earth. But before I continue with this personification of vegetables, is there such a thing as a belief system that espouses that vegetables are somehow alive? And that if we lop off their heads we're committing some form of murder? I just want to make sure before I continue on to the next step. I'm all about not offending here at ThePioneerWoman.com . I don't want to make anyone's hiney cringe. Anyway, as I was saying, back to the pumpkin's guts… With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. Sometimes, you have to use a little elbow grease—the stringy stuff likes to hang on. And don't get too worked up about leaving a few strings behind. It won't hurt anything. (Translation: I give you permission not to be thorough.) Place all the seeds into a bowl and please do not discard them. We'll roast them later. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp. Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350° oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. This is what it looks like when it's done—just nice and light golden brown. (FYI, I don't drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil before baking, because I want the puree to be in its purest form.) And that makes it pretty easy to remove the skin from the pumpkin pieces. Sometimes, I use a knife and scrape the "meat" from the skin as I peel it back. I don't want to sacrifice any of that delicious orange goodness. My eyes. They need it. Continue peeling off the pumpkin skin… Until you have a big pile of the stuff. And if you think I didn't break off a chunk of this stuff and pop it right into my mouth, you're sorely mistaken. Now, if you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. OR… you can simply mash it up with a potato masher… OR move it through a potato ricer… OR process it through a food mill. Whatever makes your skirt fly up. Pulse the pumpkin until it's totally smooth. Now, while some pumpkin, depending on the batch you get, can be quite watery, this was almost too dry. I added in 3 tablespoons of water during the pulsing and it was just the moisture it needed. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid. Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl… Then fill the food processor with more pumpkin chunks. And puree away! And dump it into the bowl with its fallen comrades. NOW! You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like…or you can store it in the freezer for later use. Here's how I store my pumpkin: Grab a large plastic storage bag and fold the edges outward. (This will keep you from smudging pumpkin all over the inside of the bag, not that that matters since it'll eventually be all over the inside of the bag anyway, so why am I even suggesting this? Forgive me, please. Forgive me.) I spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each bag; that way, I know exactly how much I’m getting when I pull a bag out of the freezer. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. See? IT'S A GOOD THING I HAD YOU FOLD THOSE SIDES DOWN SO YOU WOULDN'T GET PUMPKIN ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE BAG, HUH? Sometimes, I amaze myself. Fill as many bags as you can, stacking them as you go. Store them in the freezer until you need them. I know those freezer police try to tell you only to store it for six to eight months, but I SWEAR I've used a year-old pumpkin from the freezer before with great success. Don't tell the freezer police. I don't want any trouble. Previous Next

< Back Black Licorice Caramel Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 20 min Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 can sweetened condensed milk ¼ t. salt 1½ c. light corn syrup 2 t. (or less) anise (licorice) oil 1 c. butter 1 t. (or less) black food color 2 c. sugar Preparation Lightly spray or butter a 9” square (or 7xll”) baking pan – glass is best. (Update: can line with sprayed foil, then lift out after they’ve set up.) In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk Corn syrup, butter, sugar and salt. Place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Cook, stirring constantly to 235º or 236º. Remove from heat and stir in flavoring, food coloring and blend well. Without scraping, pour into prepared pan. Allow to stand at room temperature for several hours. Cut and wrap. Be prepared for black teeth when you eat them! Find the recipe for sweetened condensed milk in the Recipe section under Miscellaneous.

< Back Cornmeal Popovers Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup fine white cornmeal 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 ¾ cups whole milk 4 large eggs ¼ cup butter, melted Preparation Preheat muffin tin to 450°. Wisk eggs and milk together. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and then add the mixed milk and eggs. Put about a teaspoon of the melted butter in the bottom of each muffin hole and then fill each about ½ to a 1/3 full. Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes. So good as a side for a steaming bowl of chili or soup. YUMMY! Previous Next

< Back English Toffee Our families Christmas craving, trust me... they are like crack! Soooooo good!!! Previous Next

< Back Can Sizes How much is in a can? Well, it depends on the size. Can Size Name Weight Volume Picnic 10 1/2 to 12 ounces 1 1/4 cups 12 ounces vacuum 12 ounces 1 1/2 cups No. 1 11 ounces 1 1/3 cup No. 1 tall 16 ounces 2 cups No. 1 square 16 ounces 2 cups No. 2 1 pound 4 ounces OR 2 1/2 cups 1 pint 2 fluid ounces No. 2 1/2 1 pound 13 ounces 3 1/2 cups No. 2 1/2 square 31 ounces scant 4 cups No. 3 51 ounces 5 3/4 cups No. 3 squat 23 ounces 2 3/4 cups No. 5 56 ounces 7 1/3 cups No. 10 6 pounds 6 ounces TO 12 cups 7 pounds 5 ounces No. 300 14 to 16 ounces 1 3/4 cups No. 303 16 to 17 ounces 2 cups Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

< Back Ukrainian Style Beef Borscht Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 4 Hours 45 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Hello fellow soup lovers. This delicious, rich and classic Eastern European comfort food dish is a labor of love - read: much chopping. But worth it! It highlights the last of the winter harvest. I know you’re going to love this recipe as much as I do. Ingredients Broth 2 packages Ferme Reveuse beef short ribs (approximately 1kg) 1 large pork bone (optional, approximately 500g) salt and pepper 1 large onion, washed, peel left on, cut in half 1 leek, washed thoroughly, white part only 2 carrots, peeled drizzle of olive oil 4 cloves garlic 2 bay leaves 1 whole clove Borscht 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 225g ground pork 2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped 5-6 beets, approximately 900g, peeled and chopped 4 cups white cabbage, shredded 1 red potato, peeled and chopped 1 cup cooked kidney beans (can use 1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans) reserved meat from broth 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or to taste 1/4 cup dried dill 1/2 tsp caraway seeds 1 cup sour cream or yogurt to serve Preparation Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking tray with tin foil. Season beef short ribs and pork bone with salt and pepper. Place vegetables except garlic around the meat. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until charred slightly. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Add in bay leaves and clove. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 3 hours or until beef falls off the bone. Strain out the broth and set aside. Carefully remove the meat off of the bones and set aside into another bowl. Discard the bones and vegetables. Skim as much fat off of the top of the broth as you can. In a large pot, place 3 tbsp skimmed beef fat into the bottom over medium heat. Saute onion, carrot, celery until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in and cook ground pork until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Pour in 2L broth. Stir in parsnips, beets, cabbage, potatoes and beans. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as desired. Stir in reserved beef short rib meat, vinegar, dill, and caraway seeds. Serve with sour cream or yogurt. To create a shortcut, use a pressure cooker to make the broth. Follow the recipe until you're ready to place the ingredients in the pot after roasting the bones. For everything that you would put into the broth pot, place in an electric pressure cooker and pressure cook on high for 45 min, naturally release for 20 min. Resume the recipe as follows. Previous Next

< Back Ricotta Gnocchi Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 5 Level: Beginner About the Recipe This ricotta gnocchi recipe was passed down to me by my great-aunt. It is easy, traditional, and delicious! Ingredients Gnocchi: 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese 2 large eggs ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed Sauce: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes (Optional) 6 basil leaves, finely shredded Salt and pepper to taste 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks Preparation Step 1: Prepare the gnocchi: Stir together ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Step 2: Divide dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll into 1/2-inch thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Step 3: Make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Step 4: While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain. Step 5: To assemble the dish: Stir cubed mozzarella into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl and spoon sauce overtop. Previous Next