Villa Voss – Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog

Villa Voss - Susan M. Voss' Cooking Blog

Welcome to my Cooking Blog!

When you’re married to a man whose life and job are steeped in technology, it makes sense that some rubs off on you.  And then one day, you come home, or are home (since I am a SAHM) and it is announced that you now have a blog and it’s time to start writing something.  Hmmmm…  Well, I am a SAHM and the little guy will definitely provide some interesting anecdotes.  But would that be enough?  What else is interesting in my life?  Good question!  The one constant in my life, the one thing I do on a very regular basis, deals with food.  I like food, I shop for food, and I cook food.  So food it is.  On a typical day, I prepare three meals a day and try to make everyone happy – my German-born husband, my three-and-a-half year old, and me (with celiac disease and currently on the diet).  And I don’t like to be bored and don’t want to break the bank.  Not easy, but so much fun!

What’s Cooking Today

  • What to cook when the electricity goes out
    We live in New England and last week we had a snow storm.  In October.  How wrong is that??  We were without power for most of two days (with a two hour reprieve in the middle that got my hopes up, but we won't go there) but had a woodstove [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: The Best Cookies
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! I love cookies.  And I love all kinds of cookies - chocolate chip, oatmeal with raisins, sugar, shortbread, Oreos.  Cookies and a large glass of milk have made me happy all my life. A couple of years ago I was asked to be on the Board for [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Fishy Friday
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Our meatless Fridays are continuing for another week after this and I'm still looking for good recipes to use.  We've had a lot of pasta on Fridays so tonight I opted for fish.  I like to eat fish and I like to cook fish - it's [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Easter Feast
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! I grew up having ham for Easter dinner.  I like ham.  Our Easter meal has always been terrific.  One year, after I was married, my parents went away for a month to enjoy the sun and warmth of Florida.  That particular year, Easter occurred while they [More...]

  • A Greek Feast – Chicken
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Chicken is a definite favorite in our house.  Our two and a half year old, at the moment, calls every meat he sees chicken, but we also eat it frequently.  All the recipes I've put up so far include chicken but I do try to mix it up when [More...]

[See all posts in What's Cooking Today...]

Baking

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Dipped Gingersnaps
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Dipped Ginger Snaps (1)* 2 cups sugar (3/4) 1 ½ cups vegetable oil (1) 2 eggs (1/4) ½ cup molasses (2) 4 cups all-purpose flour (2) 4 tsp. baking soda (1/2) 1 Tbs. ground ginger (1) 2 tsp. ground cinnamon (1/2) 1 tsp. salt Additional sugar for rolling. (1) 2 (11 or 12 ounces) white chocolate or [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog – Gluten Free Lemon Cake
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Gluten Free Lemon Cake  1 Gluten Free yellow cake mix for an 8-9” round cake (I like the Betty Crocker one) prepared according to directions 1 lemon 1 Tbs. margarine, melted 1  cup of confectionary sugar Prepare the GF cake mix according to the directions.  Zest the lemon and add the [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Baked Donuts
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Baked Donuts 1 cup all purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1 tsp, baking powder 1/8 tsp. nutmeg ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 3 Tbs. buttermilk powder (optional) 2 eggs 3 Tbs. vegetable oil 2 Tbs. water (you can substitute buttermilk for the water and omit the powder) Whisk dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl (or [More...]

  • Susan’s Sugar Cookies
    1 cup sugar (for rolled cookies, substitute 1 ½ cups powdered sugar) 2 sticks softened margarine 1 tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. almond or lemon extract 1 egg 2 1/3 cups flour ½ tsp. baking soda Heat oven to 375°.  Beat sugar and margarine on low speed until light and fluffy.  Stir in extracts and egg.  Stir in [More...]

  • Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
    1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky) 1 cup sugar (brown sugar and white sugar, half and half) 1 egg 1 tsp. baking soda Preheat oven to 350˚.  Combine peanut butter and sugars and beat until just mixed.  Add egg and baking soda and beat until just mixed.  Roll into walnut sized balls and [More...]

[See all posts in Baking...]

Soups

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Split Pea Soup
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Split Pea Soup 1 pound split peas (picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight) 2 cartons of chicken stock 1 - 2 cups water 1 ham bone 3 carrots, peeled and diced 3 potatoes, peeled and diced 1 package of kielbasa, cut in bite sized pieces 1 tsp. Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste Soak peas [More...]

  • Cooking & Baking: Susan’s Goulash Soup
    Goulash Soup 2 Tbl. Margarine Enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot 1 onion chopped 2 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika (3 if you like it hotter) 1 tsp. sweet paprika 2 lbs. beef – bottom round cut unto 1 ½ inch chunks or good stew beef cut the same flour to coat 3 cans of [More...]

  • Friendship Soup
    Friendship Soup Layer the following ingredients in a 1 ½ pint jar in the order listed: ½ cup dry split peas (yellow or green) 1/3 cup beef bullion granules ¼ cup pearl barley ½ cup dry lentils ¼ cup dry minced onion 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning ½ cup uncooked long grain rice ½ cup small macaroni Seal jar tightly. To prepare [More...]

  • St. Patrick’s Cheddar Potato Soup
    St. Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup 4 potatoes 4 carrots 4 Tbs. margarine 3 cans beef stock 1 –2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ tsp. thyme salt and pepper to taste 1 cup milk 5 oz. shredded cheddar Clean, peel, and dice vegetables.  Melt margarine in a soup pot and sauté the vegetables lightly for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add stock, garlic, [More...]

  • Chicken Soup
    Chicken Soup Poach 2-3 skinless split chicken breasts in enough water to cover by several inches.  Sprinkle in a generous amount of Mrs. Dash (flavor of your choice).  Bring to a boil and then cook for 30 minutes. Remove chicken to cool.  To the broth, add four peeled and sliced carrots and four [More...]

[See all posts in Soups...]

Main Dishes

  • Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
    Macaroni and Cheese   1/3 cup margarine 1/3 cup flour (GF flour works great!) 2 ¼ milk (warmed in the microwave) 1/8 tsp. pepper ½ tsp. dry mustard 8 oz. shredded cheddar 3 Tbs. dried breadcrumbs (flavored are fine, or omit) Additional cheese for sprinkling 8 oz. small pasta cooked (GF works well) Start the pasta cooking before you make the [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Pizza Dough
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Pizza Dough Two cups of flour One cup of lukewarm water One Tbs. yeast Two tsp. sugar Two tsp. salt (any salt) Two Tbs. olive oil Mix dry ingredients, then add water and oil. Roughly move all ingredients until wet ingredients are incorporated. Let sit for 20 ~ 25 minutes (this develops the gluten). [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Marinade for Pork Tenderloin
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Marinade for Pork Tenderloin ¼ cup soy sauce 2 Tbs. dry red wine 1 Tbs. brown sugar 1 Tbs. honey ½ tsp. cinnamon 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 green onion (or a small white onion) Puree together in blender.  Marinate pork overnight if possible.  Great in the crock pot.

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Basic Marinade
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Basic Marinade ¼ cup of red wine vinegar 2 Tbs. soy sauce ¼ tsp. onion powder black pepper to taste 2 Tbs. vegetable oil 2 Tbs. catsup garlic powder (or minced garlic) to taste Combine ingredients and marinate beef, chicken, or pork.

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Teriyaki Rice
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Teriyaki Rice 2 cup chicken (or beef) broth 2-3 Tbs. soy sauce ½ tsp. garlic powder (or 1 minced clove of garlic) Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Add 1 cup of arborio rice.  Simmer (covered) for 20-25 minutes. Shut off heat and let sit for [More...]

[See all posts in Main Dishes...]

Gluten Free

  • Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
    Macaroni and Cheese   1/3 cup margarine 1/3 cup flour (GF flour works great!) 2 ¼ milk (warmed in the microwave) 1/8 tsp. pepper ½ tsp. dry mustard 8 oz. shredded cheddar 3 Tbs. dried breadcrumbs (flavored are fine, or omit) Additional cheese for sprinkling 8 oz. small pasta cooked (GF works well) Start the pasta cooking before you make the [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Salmon Fish Sticks
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Salmon Fish Sticks ¾ to 1 lb. center-cut salmon fillet, about 8 by 4 inches, skinned 1/2 cup GF flour 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 egg 1 cup seasoned crushed GF cereal and 1 cup grated Parmesan (or 1 ½ cups of cereal and no parmesan) Olive [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Split Pea Soup
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Split Pea Soup 1 pound split peas (picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight) 2 cartons of chicken stock 1 - 2 cups water 1 ham bone 3 carrots, peeled and diced 3 potatoes, peeled and diced 1 package of kielbasa, cut in bite sized pieces 1 tsp. Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste Soak peas [More...]

  • Susan M. Voss’ Cooking Blog: Baked Donuts
    Welcome to my Cooking Blog! Baked Donuts 1 cup all purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1 tsp, baking powder 1/8 tsp. nutmeg ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 3 Tbs. buttermilk powder (optional) 2 eggs 3 Tbs. vegetable oil 2 Tbs. water (you can substitute buttermilk for the water and omit the powder) Whisk dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl (or [More...]

  • Susan’s Delmonico Potatoes
    8-9 medium peeled, diced, potatoes (cook 15-20 minutes until fork tender) 1/3 cup margarine 1/3 cup flour (GF flour works well) 2 ¼ milk (heated) 1/8 tsp. pepper 8 oz. shredded cheddar (double the original) 3 Tbs. dried breadcrumbs or crushed cereal (flavored are fine) In a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt margarine.  With a [More...]

[See all posts in Gluten Free...]

Desserts

  • Snickerdoodles
    1 ½ cup sugar 2 sticks margarine, softened 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2 2/3 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 Tbs. cinnamon 3 Tbls. sugar Preheat oven to 350°.  Beat sugar and margarine with a mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add egg and vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt and beat [More...]

  • Chocolate Pudding
    Chocolate Pudding ½ cup sugar 2 Tbs. corn starch 2 cups milk 1 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate (mini chips work well) 1 egg, lightly beaten, in a bowl 1 tsp. vanilla Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium sauce pan.  Add milk slowly while whisking until well blended.  Continue whisking over medium heat and add the chocolate [More...]

[See all posts in Desserts...]
 
Go To Top »