When I Think of Bisquick

When I think of Bisquick,

I think of my Granny.

She always had box of Bisquick on the shelf.

Bisquick was one of those things that was supposed to save time

for the "modern" housewife back in 1931! 

The Impossible Pie is still one of my favorite things.
So quick and easy.

The one I make the most is Spinach and Feta.
This time I added some fresh, thinly sliced home grown tomatoes to the pie,
right on top of the spinach, cheese and onions. 
I make some minor changes -- mostly to taste -- all the time.
This is the original recipe.



Spinach and Feta Impossible Pie

1 package (12 ounces) frozen chopped spinach thawed 
and squeezed to drain

1/2 cup feta cheese

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4cup)

1/2 cup Bisquick Original or Fat Free

2/3 cup  milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400. Grease pie plate. 
Mix spinach, cheese and onion in pie plate.

2. Stir remaining ingredients until blended.
Pour into pie plate.

3.  Bake 30 - 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Quick and easy. 



Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Comfort Food

If I asked you to list your favorite comfort foods, what would they be?

Macaroni and cheese

Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup

Scrambled eggs

Chocolate
Ice Cream

For me I'd have to add scalloped tomatoes to the list.

For my Granny and my Mother, scalloped tomatoes were their go to vegetable.

Quick and easy.

There are lots of recipes for scalloped tomatoes (Google and see) and

the recipes are basically all alike.

I cheated when I made this one.

I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano.

I sauteed some onion and celery, added the tomatoes and mixed well.

Dumped everything into a baking dish.

Added about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs to the tomatoes -- mixing well.

Then sprinkled a little more bread crumbs on top with some grated parmesan cheese.

Baked at 350 for around 30 minutes --

Bubbling and the cheese was melting.

Easy!

Yummy!

Perfect as a side dish for On The Menu Monday and Meatless Monday.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Do You Remember Impossible Pie?

If you said "yes" to this question,

then you remember or still use Bisquick.

I've been going through my cookbooks -- clearing out.

I have way too many -- so many that haven't been opened in ages.

Amongst the cookbooks, I found several smaller soft covered publications like:

Betty Crocker's Creative Recipes with Bisquick.

I'm sure this belonged to my Mother.

I remember her saving green stamps to buy things on her wish list.

I also remember her cutting out the stickers on Betty Crocker items.

With so many stickers and 50 cents she could buy the latest book on Bisquick!

One of the fun things about this little book - it was published in 1980 to celebrate
the 50th anniversary of Bisquick!
The creation of Bisquick in 1930 marked the beginning of a new era in home baking.
It was America's first biscuit mix.

Back to the Impossible Pie --

I made a lot of them when I was younger -- easy to make for dinner after a long day at work.

One of my favorites was the Impossible Vegetable Pie.

From Betty Crocker's Creative Recipes with Bisquick

From Betty Crocker's Creative Recipes with Bisquick

I don't think I have ever made a recipe the same way twice.

I might start out as it was written, but the second time -- watch out!

For the veggie pie, I would have left out the green pepper and added a little Hatch green chili.

The two cups of veggies would have included what ever I had on hand.

We had a very successful veggie garden in New Mexico -- lots of squash -- so two cups

of veggies would have included different kinds of squash.

I do the same now -- squash, mushrooms, some garlic, perhaps some tomato.

You get the idea.

This little trip into the past got me thinking about Bisquick and I visited 

the Betty Crocker site and found a recipe I know I will try.

From the Betty Crocker website.

IMPOSSIBLE SPINACH AND FETA PIE

Dinner made in impossibly easy way. Enjoy this cheesy pie made using Bisquick Original baking mix and spinach - a wonderful meal.

Makes 6-8 servings

1 package (10 ounces) frozen choped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain.

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup Bisquick Original or Reduced Fat baking mix

2/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400. Grease pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches. Mix spinach, cheese and onions in pie plate.

2. Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

I think these recipes are good for a busy On The Menu Monday

and Meatless Monday.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

This And That

We are half way through Autumn.

Hard to believe when I live with temps in the high 80s!

I looked for a postcard that celebrates Autumn and this is what I found.

Gorgeous!

Postcard of Beaulieu Vineyard, 

Entrance to Historic Vineyards "BV1" and BV2", Napa County. 

From WINE COUNTRY:30 Postcards published by Chronicle Books

***

Let me ask you a question.

Do you soak your lentils?

Last weekend the first true cool down arrived and I made lentil soup.

I wanted to make something a little different and pulled out 

VEGETABLE SOUPS: From Deborah Madison's Kitchen.

Deborah soaks her lentils.

She says "they cook better, more quickly, and seem to have more flavor when soaked".

So, I soaked my lentils for 2 hours (Deborah's suggested time).

Here's the recipe I used - a good one for Meatless Monday!

A RUSTIC LENTIL SOUP WITH SPINACH

All greens are good with lentils, and I (Deborah Madison) especially like to add them to a soup that's going to be a meal. That way you get all your good foods together in one bowl. 

1 1/2 cups brown or mixed lentils, soaked if possible

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil 

1 large onion, finely diced (I used a red onion)

1 carrot, grated or finely diced (I like my soups chunky and I love carrots. I put in two carrots chopped.)

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped or 1 bottled roasted pepper, chopped 

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 bay leaf

6 to 8 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock.

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Hefty bunch of spinach, stems removed, leaves washed and chopped

Chopped mint or parsley for garnish

Red wine vinegar to taste

1. If you haven't soaked then, cover the lentils with hot water and set them aside while you start the rest of the soup.

2. Warm the oil in a wide soup pot. Add the onion, carrot, red pepper, and parsley. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the onion is softened and starting to color, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir in the tomato paste and mustard, working both into the vegetables and cooking until there is a film on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the wine, scrape up the pan juices, then simmer until partially reduced after a few minutes. Drain the lentils and add them to the pot with the bay leaf and water, using the larger amount if the lentils were soaked only briefly, Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 30 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and continue cooking until the lentils are soft, another 10 to 20 minutes. Taste for salt and season with pepper.

3. Add the spinach to the soup and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste the soup and add the mint and a little vinegar to sharpen the flavors.

This makes a LOT!

***

It's supposed to rain this weekend.
That is good.
Musashi's Garden needs the rain.

I'm planning on reading.
I've been saving THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel
by Louise Penny for several months now -- just waiting for the right moment to visit
with Inspector Gamache.
This is the weekend!
A cup of tea, a kitty (or three) curled up next to me and a good book.

And when I'm not reading I'm going to do this:

Many thanks to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

Light and love to her and to her family.

I'm also joining On The Menu Monday.

Remember to pray for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Wishing you well, much joy and a fun filled weekend!

Just Around The Corner

I'm looking forward to fall

and right around the corner is

Halloween.

I'd like you to meet Henry Higgins and Eliza Boolittle!

I found them at Tuesday Morning.

They were pushed to the very back of a shelf.

I almost didn't see them.

Good thing they called to me!

You can clean your pantry out with this Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

from Pillsbury's Halloween Best Recipes.

Halloween Best Recipes by Pillsbury 2011

BLACK BEAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Servings: 9

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (3/4/ cup)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups vegetable broth (from 32 oz. carton)

1/4 cup white wine, if desired

2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso black beans, drained, rinsed

2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

1 can (15.25 oz) Green Giant whole kernel sweet corn, drained

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1. In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add garlic, cumin and chili powder; cook 1 minute.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling: reduce heat. Cover: simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Another good recipe for Meatless Monday!




Thank you to the hosts of Seasonal Sunday and On The Menu Monday.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Meatless Monday

SQUASH AND CHICKPEA MOROCCAN STEW

(Perfect for Meatless Monday)

From the November 2011 Issue of Yoga Journal Magazine

Makes 4 Servings (Their idea of a serving must be HUGE!))

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, small dice

4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

2 cups vegetable broth

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and large dice

3/4 pound red potatoes, large dice

2 cups drained, cooked chickpeas

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices

Pinch saffron, optional

1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped

1 cup brined green olives, preferably Cerignola

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the broth, squash, potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, and saffron (if using). Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the squash is fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the preserved lemon and olives.

3. Serve over couscous and garnish with fresh cilantro, toasted almonds, and plain yogurt.

Now -- for the changes I made! I had two very small butternut squash. I didn't use anything from the saffron down. I used ground cinnamon since I didn't have a cinnamon stick; a can of tomatoes with chile (Rotel) and a can of chickpeas (Goya). In other words, I used just what I had or made do with something else. I didn't have any potatoes. I served it over couscous and didn't do any garnish. It was delicious. I have enough for several more meals.

I'm joining On The Menu Monday.

Wishing YOU well and a joy filled day!

Oh! One more thing. I could stay at Poppytalk all day ... every day. Oh, My!