My Cookbook Nook

Out with the old...

2012-02-10T16:30:00.000Z

I admit right up front- I have an ever growing collection of cookbooks that is in desperate need to be weeded out! I figure that today was as good as any day to sit down and go through the ones I no longer use as a reference source for ideas. Well little did I know that I was setting myself up for some serious laughter...

So,there I was...innocently thumbing through a recipe book when I noted something odd. There was a reference to the origins of the recipe and how the original had called for use of "Squirrel Meat". Squirrel meat? Really??? My first thought was, How old is this cookbook? And my second thought was, Oh Lord let this have been and gift and nothing I bought for myself! When I looked at the cover, I laughed even harder because I instantly knew who had given me this cookbook. I smile and shake my head at the little things that make me laugh!

Spicy Salsa Meatballs

2012-02-10T15:06:00.000Z

I saw a recipe for "spicy meatballs" and then decided to kick it up a couple of notches. I wanted something different to serve at our house warming party but still keeping within the "Tex Mex" theme that my husband requested.

Ingredients you will need;
for the Meat Balls...

1 1/2 to 2 lbs Ground Turkey
2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt and course ground Black Pepper
2 Eggs
1 cup Bread Crumbs
1 TBS Freeze Dried Jalapenos

for the Sauce...
1 Jar of Thick and Chunky Salsa
1 jar of Cocktail Sauce
1/4 cup Jalapeno peppers I used the kind from a jar), I measured them w/o the liquid and then I chopped them and added them to the sauce- use less if you like it less spicy).
water

So here goes...
Mix the meat and all ingredients in a mixer, it should go rather quickly. I used Litehouse brand freeze dried Jalapenos. You can find them in your local grocers your produce section. Make meatballs no bigger than 1 inch in diameter only because if you make them any larger there's the very real issues of them not cooking thoroughly (I had experienced this while making these). Here's a tip; roll meatballs while your hands are damp- it helps to keep the met from sticking to your hands.
I fried my meatballs in 1 inch of canola oil, I rolled them around in the pot until they were golden brown. Drain them on paper towels. Put into oven to keep warm (oven temp 200).

Making the sauce- just dump everything into a pot, mix well with a wooden spoon. let it bubble and then turn it down to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Place meatballs in a covered casserole dish, pour sauce over meatballs just prior to serving.

2012-01-31T17:00:00.000Z

Fish is the only food that is considered spoiled

once it smells like what it is.

-P. J. O'Rourke

Two Tex Mex recipes!

2012-01-13T15:35:00.001Z

When I'm in the mood for Tex Mex flavor, I want it fresh and I want it now! Once you make read over these 2 recipes, make them and taste for yourself- you'll never go back to the stuff from a jar again!

This is so fresh and tasty you'll want to put it on nearly everything from your tacos, to grilled chicken, fish and even your eggs!

First and foremost wash all produce in warm soapy water or use a product such as veggie wash to get waxes and unseen ickies that can cause you or your family members to get sick. Remember- germs and bacteria are everywhere!

Use either Beef Steak or Hot House tomatoes for these recipes. Remove the seeds. I use these kind because of the juice and flavor factor. I use Roma Tomatoes in all things Italian.

And please oh please practice Pepper Safety! Be caredul handeling fresh peppers because chili peppers have oils in thier skin that can cause you some major discomfort if it comes into contact with your nose eyes or mouth! So please always wear some sort of rubber or plastic gloves when handling them! Also wash all items that come into contact with said chili peppers in HOT soapy water to remove all trace of the oils! And always wash your hands after taking off those gloves, it never hurts to be safe!

Please check out Miss Vicki.com for a guide to peppers with pictures!

Pico De Gallo

This is how I make mine...

3 large Hot House tomatoes diced
3 Fresno Peppers (seeded and diced)
1 medium Red Onion
Fresh Cilantro to taste (I like a lot of cilantro so I used a lot)
Lime juice- about half a lime depending upon how big your lime is
¼ to a ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt

Mix together, let sit for an hour or more to get the onions to lose thier bite and the tomatoes to absorb the other flavors.

Now this can be as spicy as you want it. The peppers I used are at the medium (a #5) spice level. You can use Jalapenos if you like yours with more heat, or like it nuclear hot? Use a hotter chili pepper such as a Habanero-OUCH! That hurts my tongue and my tummy just reading it!

Salsa- Sandie Style

Again, I can't stress this enough...Use the freshest ingredients available to you!

4 Large Hot House Tomatoes

1 medium to large onion (I like to use red onions because of their sweeter flavor)

1 small to medium Bell Pepper (I use any color but green because the green ones taste like grass to me- silly but true)

1 clove minced garlic (now here is where I use my roasted garlic because it doesn't have that harsh raw garlic taste and here's an extra bit of trivia roasted garlic doesn't produce gas in your body like raw garlic does).

3 chili peppers- your choice depending upon how hot you like it! Use Miss Vickies Pepper Guide to help you make your choice. Me, I used those Fresno chilis and it came out just fine!

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Juice of 1 Lime

Cilantro- I used half a bunch- it was yummy!

You can also expand this by adding other goodies such as:
frozen corn (about a cup)
1 can of Black Beans (thoroughly rinsed)
Pineapple, Mango, Raspberries , Grapes, etc.

Just think about all of the different kinds of salsa out there on the grocery store and gourmet food store shelves and remember that you can make it at home without all of the preservatives, additives and you know it's fresh and good for you!

What country did that garlic come from?

2012-01-13T13:32:00.000Z

I'm always on the look out to make the food I serve my family and friends from freshest ingredients I can find. Lately I have to say that I am quite disturbed by what I have found in my local grocery store. The more I learn about how much of our nations food is outsourced to foreign countries astounds me.

While living in England I accepted that the fruits and vegetables available in the local grocery stores were imported on a more Global scale than I had ever experiences before. BUT and this is a huge but- in England it was clearly labeled where your food came from, almost to the point of having large heavy print showing you that your produce came from places such as Germany, South Africa, Egypt or Belize. While living in England I got to witness first hand the heavily advertised nation wide campaign to buy British meats and produce. The first thing I thought to myself was "Wow, America should do this with thier meat, fish and produce". I tell ya, I followed this campaigns advice and only bought Grown in the UK food stuffs and I bought from local butchers and farmers markets whenever I could. Now you're wondering..."Where exactly are you doing with this Sandie?" Okay I'll tell ya...

Yesterday I'm in my local grocery store and I'm picking up fresh fruit and veggies for the salsa and chicken pie that I was going to make (made them both and they were sooo good- recipes to come later). Once I got started looking at labels and country of origin I found that I could not stop. I had heard on the news that all canned mushrooms are now imported from Thailand- I checked that out for myself and OH MY GOSH it's true! Not that I could or would use canned mushrooms in any recipe of mine BUT I don't want to eat stuff that's grown someplace where there are little to no regulation on the kinds of chemicals and pesticides that are used in growing produce. I picked up a package of fresh Garlic- looked at the label and there it was in black and white "product in China". Garlic from China? Whatever happened to Garlic that's grown in Gilroy California? I have bought Gilroy grown Garlic for my entire life! I have also bought Washington State Apples, Maine or Idaho Potatoes and California Almonds. I want to know WHO is going to buy and cook with that garlic from China when there are so many recalls of every day items from China that are potentially hazardous? I also heard on the news that now all Limes are imported? Really? We can't grow Limes in this country? I don't believe it! Same goes for avocados, oranges, grapes, lemons. lettuce, tomatoes and so much more!

Take a stand and say NO to food imported from China. We've done it with our clothes and goods for our homes why not with your/our food?

Worm Soup aka French Onion Soup

2011-12-05T15:00:00.002Z

I happen to LOVE soup! French Onion soup especially has got this "home" quality to it that just makes one feel all warm inside. I laugh at this- my children like to call French Onion Soup "Worm Soup" because of the thin pieces of carmelized onions. Call it what you will, this soup will have you smiling and wanting more!

¼ cup Butter (I use the salt free kind)

3 lbs White Onions thinly sliced you can use yellow onions but they are sweeter and it will taste a little different than using the white onions. Now for the slicing, I use a mandoline- it's so much easier than doing it with a chef's knife).

1 32 ounce box of sodium free Chicken Broth

2 10 ounce cans of Beef consommé

½ cup dry white wine (make sure it's something you would drink because putting in crappy wine in any dish just makes it all not worth the effort you're putting into making a quality meal).

4 fresh thyme springs

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
I like to use a dutch oven to make this soup but if you don't have one then a nice sturdy cook pot will do.

Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat; add onions and cook stirring often until the onions are golden in color. This IS going to take a while, so be prepared to be there in your kitchen for up to 1½ hours with this process. It will be worth it in the end, I promise!

Add the rest of the ingredients (minus the s and p) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. I usually don't add salt as the beef consommé is plenty salty for my tastes.

Here's the fun part- You're going to need 6 thick slices of a French Bread and 6-. 1 one ounce slices of Swiss Cheese and oven proof bowls. Set oven at 450º, place soup bowls on a lined baking tray, ladle in soup, place bread pieces in bowls with cheese slices on top. Put into oven until cheese is all melted and starting to brown (watch close as the cheese can go brown brown to black in a blink of an eye).
Now grab those soup spoons and dig in!

Le Creuset

2011-09-25T16:27:00.001+01:00

Here is it, my latest kitchen toy- my Le Creuet Braiser. My darling husband bought it for me yesterday. Hands down, I am one lucky woman! So I've decided to take you on a walk through my small but growing collection of Le Creuset cookware. I have the following pieces...

3½ quart Braiser in Flame
5 quart Oval French Oven in Cherry
6¾ quart Wide Round French Oven in Kiwi
3½ quart Oval French Oven in Caribbean
7½ quart Round French Oven in Kiwi

I use these various pieces for all sorts of things. The oval ones are perfect for using in the oven to bake things like whole stuffed chickens and fancy pork and beef roasts. I love the round ones for stove top items such making soups, stews, chili and deep frying. My winter favorite is this rustic stew (it's an Ina Garten recipe) that goes from the stove top to the oven to finish it off. There's no limit to the things one can make in these wonderful French Ovens.

Places to check for great bargains on Le Creuset has to be their outlet stores. Other places such as Marshall's, TJ Maxx and Home Goods. These are the kind of cookware pieces that are handed down through the generations. I know that my daughter will enjoy pieces such as these when she starts collecting quality cookware for her own home one day.

Now you may wonder at the various colors. I have a same thing going on with my Kitchen Aid appliances. The matter of the fact is that I love variety and the rainbow. There's that and the fact that I happen to buy whatever color strikes my fancy and whatever "good deal" comes my way. Hence the 2 larger French ovens in Kiwi. I came across the wide one on clearance at a TJ Maxx store for such an impossibly good deal that I simply could not pass it up!

Reduce your stress at Thanksgiving...

2010-11-24T05:04:00.004Z

Years ago I started making about ½ to ¾ of our Thanksgiving meal a day or two ahead of time. Having veggies and or even the entire dish its self prepped and ready to go is the key!

We were living in a house that had a small kitchen and cooking a big meal in there could be quite stressful. Having small children and a husband at home chanting "is it turkey time yet" did not help the matter. Not only did cooking ahead save me on time on the big day but I also found that I wasn't stressed out and better yet... my kitchen wasn't the ominous towering inferno of dirty dishes. I had time to enjoy my friends and family and pulled off a huge dinner and made it all look near effortless -how? Simply because I was organized.

Ways to be organized for Thanksgiving Dinner

♥ Start making your plan at least 2 weeks ahead of time. Plan everything from beverages, to dinner napkins, table linens and of course the food being served.

♥ I find that grocery shopping at least 3 days ahead of time to be the key.

♥ Be sure to have plenty of those inexpensive plastic food storage containers on hand (Glad and Ziploc are the best). They work great for storing prepped veggies, storing leftovers and sending leftover desserts home with guests.

♥ You can bake desserts up to 3 days ahead of time. Depending upon the items being made is how you will have to store them.

♥ Prep that green garden salad a day ahead. Ziploc plastic bags are great for this! All those great veggies can be cut and ready to go at a moments notice. Heck you can do this while watching TV.

♥ You can prep veggies up to 2 days in advance- store in plastic containers in fridge.

♥ You can make things like mashed potatoes and home made rolls a day ahead of time. Heat them up either in the microwave or in the oven for a few minutes. How many of us have burnt the rolls because we were busy attending to "other items" ? Seriously, bake them in advance when you aren't stressing about your guests being comfortable and the food all making it to the finish line (the dinner table) at the same time.

♥ While the turkey is in the oven, give the floor the last quick sweep or mop (depending upon how messy of a cook you are you may have to do both) before the guests arrive.

Easy Clean Up after the meal

♥ Those same plastic containers work great for soaking flatware and serving utensils. No stuck on food particles for you this year! Put a few drops of dish washing liquid and fill with hot water and there you are!

♥ Rinse the dinner dishes and stack them on a cookie/baking sheet. Keeping them in stacks makes for easy loading of the dishwasher or hand washing.

♥ Do this same thing for the used glassware. Use a paper towel to wipe off lipstick marks.

♥ Those plastic containers are great for storing those leftovers. Be sure to get them tucked into those containers as soon as dinner is over to prevent salmonella.

♥ Soak as many dishes as possible. You may find that you will need to run the dishwasher 2 or even 3 times to get through everything. That's okay, that's why you rinsed and stacked the dishes- having them organized like that makes them quick and easy to load in the dishwasher.

♥ Now grab yourself a glass of wine and get in there with your family and friends and enjoy the evening!

Sandie's Cottage Pie

2010-09-20T08:46:00.012+01:00

Being that I currently reside in England, I like to try new to me dishes. I do like experiment with the local cuisine but I also like to revise how it's made and turn it into something that "I" would serve to my family and friends. I can't wrap my head around eating Lamb- to me they're just too cute and frisky to think about eating them. Besides, I prefer to wear their wool in the shape of hats, mittens, scarves and sweaters!

So first off I bet that you're wondering what's the difference between Shepherds Pie and Cottage Pie right? It's the meat! Shepherds pie is made from minced lamb or mutton (that's meat from an adult sheep). There are subtle variations on the ingredients and I came up with my own version of a Cottage Pie which is pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself. Oh I should mention that I like loads of veggies

Stuff you're going to need-
Potatoes- about 2½ pounds
1 cup milk or half and half
grated cheddar cheese 2 cups (I use white cheddar)
3 cups carrot-diced
1 large onion-diced
2 cups celery diced
1½ pounds of ground/minced beef,chicken or turkey and yes you can even used those vegetarian crumbles-although this really isn't a vegetarian kind of dish
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon grated orange peel
2 cups hot water
2 Knorr Beef Stock Pot (these are little tubs) OR you can use 2 cups of Swanson's Beef Stock
add salt and pepper to your own personal tastes. I only add pepper as the beef stock will add plenty of flavor.

What to do with those things above...

Earlier in the day grab a fork and poke holes all over in all of those spuds! Put them straight on the rack into a preheated 350º oven for 1½ hours.

Use a very large skillet and place your 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil in pan, place carrots in pan and saute for 5 minutes, next add celery and onion cook another 4 to 5 minutes. Next add in your ground/minced meat, cook until browned. Add in your hot water, your 2 Knorr BEEF Stock tubs, the 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, the 2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste and the ½ teaspoon of grated orange peel. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors incorporate. Now if the sauce is not think enough just do the cornstarch thing...read the box it will tell you 1 tablespoon cornstarch to 1 tablespoon cold water. make sure it's all dissolved BEFORE adding in to the pot or you will have cornstarch lumps.

So, you've baked those potatoes earlier, time to peel them and mash them up. Add in your salt and pepper, your milk (or half and half), mix in the grated cheddar cheese. Now set aside.

Your cottage pie is ready to be assembled you can do this a few different ways but which ever way you choose make sure that the dishes you choose are oven proof.
I've done all of the following;
♥ individual bowls
♥ a deep dish ceramic pie plate
♥ a 9x13 ceramic casserole (lasagna dish)

Put the fillings in your bake-ware of choice, do not fill all the way. Place potato cheese mixture on top (this is your crust). Bake at 350º oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese in the potatoes is melted and the peeks of the potatoes are browned.

♥Today decided that I would make a double batch as I wanted to bring a meal to a family whose military member is Tdy. This is a great dish to make for large families, potluck events or just for you and your hubby. I have more "pie filling" in my stock pot and am going to freeze it for use at a later time.

NOTE- filling will be HOT!

Sunny's Quesadilla Casserole

2010-09-11T16:06:00.002+01:00

Another yummy dish from our "Mexican" themed cooking club dinner. There was not a single item that was not delicious last night! I can see myself making every dish that was brought to cooking club be it just for my family or for when we have friends over for dinner. Try one or two of all of these recipes if you're looking for something new and exciting to try!

Sunny's Quesadilla Casserole

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cans ( 8 oz. each) tomato sauce

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (8 3/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, undrained

1 can (4 1/2 oz.) chopped green chilies, undrained

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp oregano leaves

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

6 flour tortillas (8-in)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Brown beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies; mix well. Stir in all of the spices except red pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Add red pepper to taste, if desired.

2. Spread 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on bottom of 13x9x2-inch dish sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese.

3. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Sopapilla Cheesecake- by Alisha

2010-09-11T12:27:00.002+01:00

I got to taste this delicious little treat last night at our cooking club event.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Ingredients
1 8 oz package cream cheese 1 stick melted butter
1 4 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2cup white sugar 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 packs refrigerated crescent rolls

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a 9x13 in baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat cream cheese with 1 1/2 cup sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth; set aside
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each sheet into 9x13 rectangles. Press into the buttered dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into dish, then cover with the remaining piece of dough and brush w/melted butter. Stir together the remaining sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown (about 30 minutes). Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving

Sandie's Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-09-10T13:48:00.007+01:00

After looking at literally dozens of tortilla soup recipes and not seeing one that jumped out at me I've decided to make up my own recipe. I knew what ingredients that I wanted in my soup and well tonight is perfect because I'm test driving this recipe on our neighborhood cooking group. Keep in mind that I'm making soup for 15 people and I'm sure that you can cut down this recipe

Sandie's Chicken Tortilla Soup-

Ingredients;

4 - 14½ ounce cans reduced sodium chicken broth

6 to 8 -cooked chicken breasts chopped (add or minus if- if you like lots of chicken use 8, like a little use less)

2 -15 ounce cans diced tomatoes

2-14 ounce cans dark red kidney beans (rinse the beans in cold water)

2- 14½ ounce cans black beans (rinse the beans in cold water)

3- medium sized yellow bell peppers -diced

3 medium sized green bell peppers-diced

3-red peppers (medium heat)-seeded and diced

4-green peppers (medium heat)- seeded and diced

2 cups yellow onion - diced

2 cups frozen yellow corn

2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin (add or minus to your personal taste)

½ teaspoon dried jalapeno flakes (or add a fresh diced jalapeno if you wish)

Toppings...

Sour cream

Chopped Scallions (green onions)

Shredded Mexi-blend cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, asiago)

Fresh chopped Cilantro or as they call it here in the UK Coriander

Diced Avocado (squirt with lemon or lime juice to keep it from turning brown)

Sour Cream and for my British friends you can use Creme Fraiche

Lime Wedges

Tortilla Chips

Cooking Instructions (can't get by without these)...

Cook your chicken breasts, let cool dice and set aside.

Saute diced onions and diced bell peppers in 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil until bell peppers are soft and onions are transparent. Add chicken broth, canned tomatoes, canned beans and those diced medium heat peppers. don't forget to wear gloves when handling hot peppers and what ever you do DON'T touch your nose or eyes!!! Add in your ground cumin and let simmer. Taste it, if you like it spicy add more of the spicy peppers and cumin, don't like it too spicy, use less.

Add chicken and corn shortly before serving or else they will turn to mush.

Top with your favorite toppings (see above list for ideas) and the tortilla chips are a must! Don't forget to have an icy cold Corona Beer with it!

2010-07-24T09:48:00.000+01:00

"No person in the world has more courage than the one who can stop after eating one peanut."

-Channing Pollock

Chicken Breast wrapped in Streaky Bacon

2010-07-23T16:34:00.006+01:00

preheat oven to 350º

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts that were all trimmed up. Season with salt and pepper then wrapped with thick cut Bacon (for my British friends this is thick slice streaky bacon). I used 2 of 3 slices of bacon, wrapped all the way around the chicken breast. I did drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the bake pan but to be honest the fat from the bacon will make it not stick to the baking sheet.
Cook for about 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly and the bacon is crispy. Believe it or not but the chicken was remarkably moist- even after cooking so long.

*side note- I'm going to experiment with temperature and time and see if I can get the same results at a higher temperature with a shorter cooking time. Might have to solicit some friends to try this one on as my family gets rather tired of me cooking the same things over and over again trying to get a recipe down pat.

2010-07-22T09:09:00.001+01:00

One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Fruit Tart Flag

2010-07-05T09:45:00.007+01:00

I'm always striving to make something "different" when having friends over for a social gathering. I've been getting recipe e-mails from Food Network for what seems to be for forever and once I saw this one for the Flag Fruit Tart Well I knew that I was going to make it for our son's graduation party.

I changed a few things from the recipe on Food Network- for one, there's no place (to my knowledge) to buy those mini tart shells so I had to make my own. I bought 2 boxes of those Pillsbury pre-made pie crust (you'll need 3 packages), rolled the crusts out and used a 2½ inch circle cookie cutter and cut 48 of those pie dough circles- which worked great in my Wilton mini tart/mini muffin pan. I baked them @ 350º for 10 minutes. Don't forget to use a folk and poke vent holes for the steam. The mini tart shells popped right out too! Let them cool on a wire rack. The shells can also be made a day or two in advance.

I added in a ½ cup of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of Vanilla, I used whipped cream from a can (use what you have on hand in my motto). The reason I added more sugar is that British version of whipped cream in a can is not sweet as it is back in the USA.

Now for putting it together...I put my mascarpone mixture into a gallon size ziplock bad, snipped of an end and used it as a pastry bag. Unless you do a lot of cake decorating, pastry bags aren't something most folks have "on hand". Squeeze into each little tart shell, smooth over with a frosting knife (a butter knife will do well too). Place your berries and berry slices as the picture shows and there it is!

2010-06-25T08:46:00.001+01:00

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.
-Julia Child (1912 - 2004)

2010-06-24T08:36:00.003+01:00

The first law of dietetics seems to be if it tastes good, its bad for you."
-Isaac Asimov

Chick Food Chicken Salad

2010-06-22T12:14:00.004+01:00

THIS is the chicken salad recipe that I made for my girlfriends on our trip to Stoke-on-Trent. I call it's My Chick Food Chicken Salad because of the grapes and cashews. I find that men don't enjoy fruit in their salads...then my husband surprised me and told m,e how much he enjoyed it. Then he really surprised me with his request that I make this for other occasions.

Side note- I like to take short cuts where I can, especially when it comes to food preparation. It's even better when they save you time and money!

Things you need:

2 Whole Roasted Chickens from the grocery store- meat plucked off the bone and shredded! Don't worry about the seasoning of said roasted chickens, it doesn't matter (sweet huh)
2 cups seedless grapes- Black or Red, I personally prefer Black grapes because of their sweetness and firm texture but either one of these are fine. BEWARE-Green grapes are too tart for this recipe.
Cashews- chopped (this will be the topping for the salad)
2 cups chopped celery
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup sour cream or creme fraiche
¾ cup mayonnaise

Lets get cooking!
All of your cooking is done because you bought those lovely roasted chickens from the grocery store! Simply pluck the meat off of the chicken and shred! Slice grapes into halves or quarter them if they are large. Chop the celery but not too fine. Mix All 3 together in large bowl. Mix the lemon juice, sour cream and mayonnaise together, pour over chicken mixture in bowl and toss. I've not added any salt to this what so ever, if you feel that it needs some salt add only at the very end . I like to use the salted cashews as a sprinkled on topping, they add a great crunch factor and just the right amount of salt to this recipe. Serve it on croissants or on Bibb Leaf lettuce leaves (also called Boston or Butter Leaf lettuce). It's perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, church socials, coffees and luncheons.

Baked Potato Soup

2010-06-22T07:48:00.004+01:00

One of my favorite simple meals is making stuffed baked potatoes for dinner. Potatoes can be used in so many ways and here's a great recipe to get that great baked potato meal in a soup- enjoy!

Here's the list of goodies you'll need:

½ pound bacon cut into small pieces
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 small shallot chopped fine
3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press
3 Tablespoons flour (the all purpose type)
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 very large baking potatoes - baked, peeled and cubed
1 cup half and half cream
shredded cheddar cheese

Now to cook it up:
In a large saucepan- cook bacon until crisps, drain, reserving 1 T. of drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute the chopped onion and shallot in the bacon drippings until tender. Stir in the flour, salt (to your own liking) basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add in the broth stir so you won't have lumps in your soup. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Add potatoes and cream, heat thoroughly but no not boil. Garnish with bacon and cheese.
Serve this with a small garden salad and some crusty french bread and make an apple crisp for dessert...m'm!

Popovers

2010-06-21T13:09:00.004+01:00

This recipe is one of my favorites from my childhood. I've been baking these since I was 11 years old. I never let my mom make them for me, this was my special treat that I would make all on my own.

Things you will need are...

popover tins- although muffin tins will work too.

1cup flour (the all purpose kind)
½teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt for all of my baking and cooking)
¾ cup milk
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon melted butter (I use unsalted butter in all of my recipes)
2 large eggs- beaten

Preheat oven to 425º this recipe makes between 8 to 12 popovers.
Coat the popover/muffin tins with butter, set aside. Mix flour and salt together. Add milk, honey and melted butter, mix well. Add in beaten eggs, mix well.
Fill each popover tin to just under half full. Bake 25 to 30 minutes OR until the popovers are golden brown. Do not open the oven door to peek- turn on the oven light and look through the window instead... or your popovers will fall and not rise again :-(
Serve hot with with honey and butter, YUM!

Pasta e Fagioli

2010-06-21T10:55:00.006+01:00

This soup recipe is my Hannah's favorite soup ever! There are days when I know that my girl will come home from school simply exhausted. There's nothing like a pick me up of this Italian classic with a couple of slices of garlic bread to pick her back up!

you'll need...

2 large sprigs fresh Rosemary
a good sized bunch of fresh Thyme
1 large red onion finely chopped
2 (14½) can red kidney beans
about 3 ounces of Pancetta chopped
5 to 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth
Black pepper to taste
rind of Parmesan Cheese
1 cup elbow macaroni

Let's make some soup!

I like to put my rosemary and thyme in a sachet bag (can be bought in any cooking store or in your grocers kitchen utensil section). If they don't have it then place in some cheesecloth and tie up with some cooking string.

Heat the olive oil and butter and saute the onions until translucent, add in the pancetta and cook until crisp.
Next add in the chicken broth and kidney beans, add in the sachet of fresh herbs and your cheese rind. Put lid on pot, bring to a boil then bring down to a low simmer for about 10 minutes.
While soup is cooking I like to make my pasta separately- boil the elbow macaroni until al dente. Put pasta in bowls then ladle the soup over the pasta. Sprinkle with some fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano and if you like, drizzle a little olive oil on top just before serving.

Serve with a side salad of fresh greens and a couple of slices of hot crusty garlic bread. What a wonderful meal on a cold or blustery day!

Something that I do for myself

2010-06-21T09:51:00.003+01:00

I copied this in whole from my "scrapbooking" blog because as I see it, it's about dishes and pottery and it should have been posted here instead of there, enjoy the read!

I see it as being rather funny how so many of women friends save their China for that "special occasion". I have many friends who either have it and don't use it or they use it only once a year for Christmas dinner. Maybe this is an American thing- being that I don't have all that many British friends and the ones I do have, well they think I'm a nutter with all of my pottery (and that's okay so do my American girlfriends -and I still adore them all).

My thing is this...make YOU a priority. You're someone special aren't you? The next time you make yourself some tea and lunch- serve it up on that lovely china you that you've been saving for that "special occassion".

Quiche-any way you like it!

2010-06-21T08:30:00.004+01:00

This is my no fail make it for brunch, lunch or when ever I want something that is easy and will make a good impression on new friends recipe. You can do this a few different ways with the crust...

buy a box of pre-made pie crust
buy the frozen pie crust in the pie tin
or make your own pie crust from scratch

you will need the following items;

4 jumbo eggs
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 small onion diced
¼ to ½ cup of cooked crumbled bacon
5 ounce bag of shredded Swiss Cheese
2 Tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper to taste

I use pre made pie crusts and will be giving directions for them...

Pierce crust with fork all over...lots and lots of times as this will let the steam out when baking. I also covers with aluminum foil and fill the pie (over the aluminum foil) with beans to keep the crust from rising up. After 10 minutes remove from oven, take out aluminum foil and bake until golden, could be as little as 6 minutes or more than 10 depending upon your oven. Set aside.

Saute onions in butter until transparent. Beat eggs and cream together, add salt and pepper. Place the cooked onion and crumbled bacon on bottom of pie crust, even spread the shred Swiss cheese over the top. Pour egg and cream mixture over the top. Bake at 375º for 30 to 40 minutes or until quiche is set and is no longer jiggly and can be cut cleanly with a knife.

There's no hard set rule as to what you can and can't put in a quiche. Omit the onions if you don't like them, try various things such as asparagus, mushrooms, ham or broccoli. Just remember to have the items precooked and drained before putting into you quiche!

I use a deep dish ceramic pie plate -mine is by Home Laughlin China Company- better know for it's #1 selling line Fiesta dinnerware...I simply love to bake in it! Now if you use the frozen pie crusts that are already in a pie tin you will need to divide the ingredients as those pie tins are quite shallow and this recipe will make 2 quiches in a shallow pie dish. The pie plate from Portmeirion will also do very nicely- although I've only used mine to make cottage pie- but that's another recipe story ;-)

Scones

2010-06-21T07:39:00.006+01:00

This is my tried and true recipe, I've been making scones from this recipe for about 16 years now. Got it from a girlfriend when we were stationed at Dyess AFB, Texas.

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1Tablespoon sugar
6 Tablespoons butter (slightly softened-do not put in microwave)
2 eggs well beaten
½ heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher salt for all of my baking)
½ teaspoon Vanilla

Mix dry ingredients well, work in butter with a pastry knife. Add in wet ingredients making sure that eggs are well beaten before adding. Stir until well blended. Dust kneading area with flour, kneed on cold surface for one minute. Roll out to ¾ inch thick, cut into wedges or use round cookie cutter for a more neat appearance. Here I used a 2½ inch round cookie cutter.
Heat oven to 400º, Bake on baking stone for 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
Cooking times do vary in different ovens. I've moved several times over the years and every oven has it's little differences.

You can serve these fresh right out of the oven with butter (this is how my children like them) or the way they serve them here in England- cold with clotted cream and strawberry or raspberry jam. Either way they are a tasty treat!

Chili Corn Bread Salad

2010-06-21T07:30:00.001+01:00

Chili Corn Bread Salad
From the Kitchen of Alisha C.

1 pkg. (8 and ½ ounces) corn bread muffin mix
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. oregano
Pinch sage
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup green onions, chopped
10 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare corn bread according to package directions. Add green chilies, undrained, cumin, oregano, and sage. Bake in greased 8-in. pan at 400 degrees for 20 -25 min. Let cool. In a small bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and dressing mix. Set aside. Crumble half of cornbread in a 9X13 pan. Layer with half of beans, mayo mixture, corn, tomatoes, green peppers, green onions, bacon and cheese. Repeat layers (dish will be very full). Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Makes 12 servings.

Beef and Ale Pie- revised!

2010-06-19T14:55:00.008+01:00

There's a running joke about the food here in England...it's served piping hot so you'll burn your tongue so you won't know that it's bland. That's simply NOT true! Sure they serve the food scalding hot but that's just the way they cook out here. Now as for flavor... I find that it depends upon what you go and what get. For myself, I like to have what's considered to be classic "Pub Food". You can't go wrong with this pub food classic- Beef and Ale Pie. I did some searching on the internet and with my knowledge of meats and veggies along with spices and the workings of my stove or "cooker" as it's called here in England I've come up with a rather nice Beef and Ale pie recipe of my own. Oh for my Friends back in the states, your Pyrex measuring cups should have the ml measurements.

So here's what I've come up with...
Butter- salt free
salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce- just a dash
pre-made pie crust (I like Pillsbury but you could also make your own)
1½ pounds of lean beef (I used a lovely lean roast) cut it into cubes
2 med to large red onions- chopped
1 cup of a nice brown ale (I used Old Hooky)
1 400g can of diced tomatoes
26 ounces Swanson 33% less sodium Beef Stock
1½ to 1¾ lbs carrots- diced
½ to ¾ teaspoon of dried Grated Orange rind
3 Tbs cornstarch to thicken

Now lets get cooking!

Add some butter to a skillet and brown those beef bits! Do it in small batches or else you'll end up steaming your meas instead of browning them- salt and pepper your meats at this time. Place browned beef bits in a dish, saute the raw veggies, add the meats back in and add the canned tomatoes, ale, dash of worcestershire let reduce. Add in the beef stock and smimmer until the sauce reduces.
Use 1 Tablespoon cornstach to 2 Tablespoons COLD water, stir until there are no lumps and cornstach is well mixed,add in to meat mixture in pot stir until thickened. Place in pretty ceramic pie plate. Put a pie crust on top, cut some cute shape into the top of it (I usually make a heart) and bake in the oven until the top of the crust is golden brown. Follow directions on the pie crust to achieve desired effect. Remember your "pie filling" is already cooked.

This recipe makes enough for 4 people.

Tips from Sandie...
♥you can do a couple of different things to make a beautiful golden brown crust- brush crust with milk OR with a beaten egg, either one works well.
♥if you have oven proof bowls why not bake your beef and ale piein them! It's easy to bake individual servings that way! Just another reason why I love my Fiesta-ware!

**I've gone and revised the recipe for this dish- after having ate a few more pies in some various eating establishments and through trying various ingredients I've gone and changed up a few things. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the orange rind- it really helps to balance out the flavor (weird but true)

Curried Chicken Salad

2010-05-25T08:35:00.003+01:00

This recipe comes from Carrie- the newest neighbor on our street. This was fresh and delightful!

Curried Chicken Salad:
3 chicken breasts
1 cup Mayo
1½ - 2 tablespoons curry powder
1 celery stalk finely chopped
4 green onions thinly sliced
¼ cup slivered almonds (can omit if nut allergy)
¾ cup seedless red grapes or cherries when available
Lettuce and pita pockets for serving

Parboil chicken. Let cool and chop or shred. In large bowl, combine the Mayo and curry powder. Add chicken, celery, green onions, and almonds. Stir until well combined. Just before serving add grapes or cherries. Serve over a bed of lettuce or in pita pockets. (I do both:)

Cooking Clubs

2010-05-25T08:24:00.004+01:00

With the desire to get to know our neighbors better, Our Neighborhood started a cooking club. Although I was unable to attend the first 2 get togethers (first due to a prior engagement and 2nd due to being sick) I am a charter member. I can't begin to tell you all how much fun having something like this going on in your neighborhood. Pick a theme, I chose "salads" for mine and go from there. Sure it can be challenging for people to think outside of the box when it comes to salads but I think that we had a terrific show of "different" dishes. Salads are not just limited to "lettuce", there is so much more out there. That's what the cooking club is all about, trying new to you dishes without the expense of buying all of the ingredients. I dare say that all of the salads were delicious! From appetizers, to sides and main courses to desserts! As the recipes trickle in from the cooking club members I am compiling them. I will post them here look under "recipes" when you are looking for something "different" to try.

I'm getting a blog makeover!

2010-05-24T17:33:00.003+01:00

My dear friend Terri is giving me a blog makeover. I hope that it will inspire me (and you) to get creative and get to writing up those recipes!

Birthday Cake

2010-02-20T11:21:00.002Z

Birthday Cakes here at my house are a little different than the norm- I don't do cake decorating. I've tried my hand at it a few times and I never got the results I wanted from it. It's something that I will probably take a few classes on in the future in order to perfect the technique. But here's something I know how to do- it's baking cakes and making chocolate stuff to go with it! This is a Chocolate Truffle Cake and I dare say it is to die for! Happy Birthday to my husband!

2010-02-08T07:27:00.000Z

Cheese - milk's leap toward immortality.
Clifton Fadiman

making Potato skins and Gnocchi

2010-02-06T14:45:00.004Z

Have you ever wanted to make something with leftovers from another recipe? Well here's your chance!

The other day my daughter and I made potato skins as part of a pre-super bowl party of sorts for our single military Men and Women who live in the dorms. Well there's lots of left over "meat" of the potato and what better to make with it than...gnocchi!

So here goes...

Potato Skins

I bought a small bag of white potatoes at the local grocery store

preheat oven to 350º

wash potatoes, pierce all over with a fork, bake in the oven for 1 to 1½ hours. Place directly on oven rack.

Let cool at least one hour. Then cut potato into quarters length wise scooping out potato flesh and leaving about ¼ inch or there about of flesh on said potato skin. Place potato skin on a baking try brush lightly with cooking oil and cook at 425º for 8 minutes or until crispy. Take out of oven turn over fill with what ever you like. If you want traditional cheese and bacon 'tato skins...sprinkle with shredded cheese and cooked bacon bits put back into oven for3 to minutes or until melted. Top with sour cream and chopped scallions- and watch them disappear!

Now for the Gnocchi, hey you've got all of that let over potato that's just hanging around might as well use it right???

you'll need about 1 pound of your potato flesh- you can run it through a ricer or use a potato masher, mash it up well!
Season with some and pepper, whisk 1 large egg mix into potato, add ½ cup of flour, use you hands to mix. Kneed the dough slightly not too much it will make a tough pasta. Roll into a 1 inch thick log and cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Run the pieces over the tines of a fork (the grooves help the gnocchi to hold sauce). Drop into boiling water for about a minute (they will float when done). get them out quick or they WILL boil apart.

Top with your favorite pasta sauce- our sauce of course is Momma Sauce.

2009-12-25T06:57:00.001Z

Health food may be good for the conscience but Oreos taste a heck of a lot better.”
- Robert Redford

How to carve a whole Turkey

2009-11-26T08:53:00.001Z

HOW TO CARVE A WHOLE TURKEY:

* Let it Sit
Once the bird is removed from the oven, it should stand for 20
to 35 minutes, depending on its size. This gives the juices a
chance to soak into the flesh, allowing for succulent cuts of
meat. Before you begin carving, have a warm serving platter
ready and waiting for all the juicy white and dark meat you'll
soon be slicing and digging into.

* Remove the Legs
Arrange the turkey, breast side up, on a cutting board. Steady
the turkey with a carving fork. Using a sharp knife, slice
through the meat between the breast and the leg. Next, using
a large knife as an aid, press the thigh outward to find the
hip joint. Slice down through the joint and remove the leg.
Cut between the thigh bone and drumstick bone to divide the
leg into one thigh piece and one drumstick.

To carve the drumstick, steady it with a carving fork and cut
a thick slice of meat from one side, along the bone. Next, turn
the drumstick over so that the cut side faces down. Cut off
another thick slice of meat. Repeat, turning the drumstick onto
a flat side and cutting off meat, carving a total of four thick
slices.

To slice the thigh, place it flat side down on a cutting board.
Steady the thigh with a carving fork. With a knife, cut parallel
to the bone and slice off the meat. Be sure to place all the
cuts on the warmed serving platter as you work.

* Remove the Wings
Before you carve the breast, the wings must be removed. Slice
diagonally down through the edge of the breast toward the wing.
Using a knife as an aid, press the wing out to find the shoulder
joint; cut through the joint and remove the wing. Place the wing
on the serving platter as is.

* Carve the Breast
To carve the breast meat, hold the back of the carving fork
against the breastbone. Starting parallel to the breastbone,
slice diagonally through the meat. Lift off each slice, holding
it between the knife and fork, and place on the warm serving
platter. Continue until you have carved all the meat on one side
of the breast. Repeat, carving the other side of breast.

Now just enjoy your feast!
from ezine@gophercentral.com

Chicken Cacciatore

2009-10-19T07:54:00.004+01:00

This is such a classic dish which was designed to be made with rabbit meat but over the years we've changed our dietary habits in the US and now use it for chicken only. If you prefer rabbit meat, then use it as it is found greatly in Britain and all over Europe.

I've made Chicken Cacciatore dozens of times over the years from various recipes. But I think that I finally found one that I put my own twist on and it comes so delicious that I now feel comfortable to serve it to my friends. So here goes...

The original recipe calls for chicken thighs I hate using thighs as they are usually full of fat and gristle while yielding very little meat -basically a total waste of my time to cook them! I decided to go without the fresh basil and use dried, just using what I have on hand and saving a few dollars in the process.

I used the following ingredients;

4 to 6 chicken breasts
salt and pepper-I use kosher salt in my cooking
½ cup flour for coating the chicken
Olive oil
no salt butter
1 large Red Bell Pepper- chopped
1 large Green Bell pepper-chopped
1 medium sized Red Onion- chopped
3 cloves garlic- minced
¾ cup dry white wine- make it's something that you would drink
28 ounces of chopped tomatoes with the liquid
¾ cup of reduced sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons of capers-drained
1½ teaspoons of dried Oregano
1Tablespoon of dried Basil (or a little more)

I used a large 5 quart skillet w/ lid to cook all of this in- bought it at Sam's Club about 5 years ago, it's one of the best things I ever bought as I use this skillet ALL of the time!

I find that it's best to have all of your ingredients already measured out and chopped as this will go fast!

*heat the oil and butter over a medium setting

*I cut the chicken breasts in half, sprinkle salt and pepper the raw chicken (both sides) and then drag it through the flour to lightly coat it. Put chicken in hot skillet that has oil and butter (I love combining the 2 as the flavor is so rich). Saute until just browned (about 5 minutes per side), it's okay if the pieces are not thoroughly cooked, they will go back in to the skillet later on to finish the cooking process. Don't crowd the skillet, having too much meat in there will cause the chicken to steam rather than to fry because of the excess moisture- so, you may have to do this is a couple of batches. Transfer chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.

*Add bell pepper and onion saute for 4 minutes, then add garlic continue to saute for one more minute. Cooking garlic too long can make it turn bitter. Season with salt and pepper.

*Add the wine, stir and let simmer for about 3 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.

*Add the tomatoes with the juice, the chicken broth, capers, oregano and basil, place lid on skillet and let simmer over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the skillet. The liquid will have reduced greatly, then place the chicken pieces in and cook another 15 minutes.

The chicken will be tender and delicious and the sauce delectable! I like to serve this with fettucine pasta, garlic bread and a side salad. My teenagers gobbled this up! I even took this recipe on a test drive made it for my lovely neighbors who just had a baby and another neighbor who is just a sweetheart who does a lot of volunteering with me. I will be making this recipe for a deployed spouses function later on this week to serve at least 20 people.

Side note...Now if you don't have capers don't sweat it! It does add a little bit of a zing to the recipe but it also won't fall flat if you don't have them.

Autumn cooking

2009-09-29T14:35:00.005+01:00

To me, Autumn means progressively shorter days, the fall foliage turning brilliant shade of crimson red, flame orange and deep gold and of course it's also sweater weather! Autumn also means time for cooking comfort foods such as homemade macaroni and cheese, chili, chicken pie, and of course there's hearty beef stew (my favorite recipe is Parker's beef stew- it's one of Ina Garten's recipes) and cottage pie. Lets not forget dessert! Apple pie has to be one of my most favorite things to eat in the Autumn, the scent of apples and cinnamon swirling around in the air just sings happiness! Pumpkin pie and Pecan Pie (my dear friend René makes the BEST Pecan pie). Lets also think about the cakes...Gingerbread cake, Spice cake, coffee cake and of course carrot cake! Where do we begin to pick out our favorites? One of my childhood favorites was Acorn squash stuffed with...what else, stuffing! Yes, the stuff you would put into a turkey. You put the stuffing in when it was about ½ to ¾ of the way done, stuffing doesn't take as long to cook as the squash does. I remember thinking that this was the end all be all of enjoying Autumn veggies. You could also fill it with a meat filling made in the same manner as you would meat loaf or a Florentine meat filling for manicotti (I use ground chicken or turkey). Heck, you can do this same thing with zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers...the list is endless!

So go out there and cook up something fantastic tonight using the bounty of veggies from the Autumn harvest!

Le Creuset versus Tramontina Cookware

2009-09-03T09:13:00.004+01:00

I've had more people write to me about this topic than any other. I have to say that in the end I did donate my Tramontina cook-pot to the local women's shelter. It was a heavy pot! It weighed a lot more than the Le Creuset pot of a similar size. When I would have it filled and put into the over to finish cooking the oven rack would have a very noticeable "sway" in the middle. That always made me very nervous.

One of the comments made on the original post (same topic headline as this one) there was a person who said that they had bought a Le Creuset pot at an outlet mall for a seriously discounted price. I too have bought a deeply discounted Le Creuset pot at TJ Maxx, paid about 1/3 of the cost if it had been first quality. You do need to be aware that at outlet malls and discount stores like TJ Maxx the Le Creuset pots and pans being sold there are seconds (they are discretely marked) and the warranty does not apply to them.

Oven BBQ Ribs

2009-07-28T11:37:00.005+01:00

I love to cook and better yet I love to cook for others. We've been asked to help out with making dinner for the single Airmen (men and women) that live in the dorms at RAF Croughton. On the menu- Ribs! Many of us are making ribs and all of us are using our own recipes to create something delicious.

So here's what I've done...I use a recipe from All Recipes.com and found a recipe for oven baked BBQ ribs and I've changed it up a bit for my own personal tastes. Remember...recipes are only a starting point you can adjust anything in them to make it a bit more to your liking.

First off... what I've done is that I have changed the recipe from 6 to 12 servings, and I've changed the recipe measurements from metric to US.

I use Kosher Salt when cooking, it's lighter tasting and volume wise there's less of it (it's lighter weight) than regular granulated salt. So go ahead and use the 2 tablespoons, it's really not going to be a true 2 tablespoons of salt.

I use Colmans dry Mustard as I feel that it really does make a difference when I cook foods and especially when make BBQ sauce. Add an additional ½ teaspoon.

Being that I am living in England and I've been buying things on the economy and they come in metric- I've become accustomed to making slight adjustments. For instance the 2 bottles of generic brand ketchup that I used were 730 grams each and I used the entire bottle (times 2). I also filled said bottles up with water and put that into my huge mixing bowl.

Onions, when I cook with onions, I use RED onions. I think that they are the sweetest onions hence I use them in every recipe unless I'm making French Onion Soup...but that's another recipe. I put in 5 cups of onions instead of the "suggested" 4...red onions make everything taste YUMMY!

Dark Brown Sugar, I used an extra ½ cup.

White Vinegar- added and extra ½ cup

Again I'm in England and the containers are a little different I put in the entire 150 ml or 5.3 fl oz bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. Again I throw in a brand name because that's what I use.

Meat- I used Pork Ribs, and I cut them to serving portions before I browned them in canola oil (it makes them easier to handle). I sprinkled them lightly with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper while in the frying pan. That's why I only used the 2 tablespoons of kosher salt in the sauce recipe.

Stay tuned for pictures later...as I've been taking pictures as I cook today.

Any questions? Please don't hesitate to ask me!

Bamboo Cutting Boards

2009-01-12T15:36:00.003Z

I've been using Bamboo cutting boards for over 4 years, and I just love them! They are long wearing and don't dull your knife the way some other types cutting boards can. I also own and use antimicrobial cutting boards, those I use just for raw meat. I use the bamboo cutting boards exclusively for breads, cheeses and of course fruits and veggies and cooked meats. I own two different brands of bamboo cutting boards TruBamboo and Totally Bamboo I love them both! They are easy to care for and long lasting!

And right now Totally Bamboo is having a sale- go check it out!

the many uses of olive oil

2009-01-04T13:37:00.003Z

I've long been a user of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and have long wondered what elese can I do with this stuff? After some serching, I found these gems of information on the internet. Enjoy!

We're most familiar with olive oil in relation to cooking, but there's so many other ways it can be used; often avoiding the need to use chemicals, compounds and substances that aren't very environmentally friendly. For these tips, you don't need to use the best grade of olive oil.- After polishing copper or brass, rub it with a little olive oil to slow down the reocurrence of tarnish
- Can be used as a stainless steel cleaner; apply sparingly
- Rub olive oil into wooden cutting boards to help prevent cracking, repel staining and marking
- Remove paint from hair or skin by dabbing a cotton ball dipped in olive to the affected area
- Use it as an alternative for de-squeaking hinges
- Olive oil can help unjam zippers - use a cotton bud to apply
- Apply a little olive oil to your shoes to restore their shine
- Old leather can be made more supple by rubbing in olive oil (spot test first)
- Coat garden tool blades with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent dirt sticking to them and to help prevent rusting. This works really well!
- Mix one part lemon juice with 3 parts olive oil to make a wooden furniture polish
- Rub into to fingernails before and after manicuring
- A small amount of olive oil applied after shampooing can substitute hair conditioner.
- Extra light olive oil can be used as a massage oil
- Olive oil can replace shaving cream or shaving oil
- Dip a razor into olive oil after use to prevent the blade rusting
- Can be applied to chapped lips to to relieve the dryness
- Use as a makeup remover
A teaspoon of olive oil can help soothe a tickling or sore throat (I've just tried that out and it has provided some relief) and in some cases if taken just before bed, can alleviate snoring :).
What non-food uses have you found for olive oil?

Hoppin John with a twist!

2009-01-01T12:55:00.005Z

It's a southern tradition to make and serve Hoppin John on New Years Eve. I was looking for a recipe for Hoppin John but was wanting something a little different and I found it over at Epicurious, it's Hoppin' John Risotto. Now I did change a few things from that original recipe...

This recipe serves 8 to 10 meal sized portions and the recipe can be cut in half to serve 4 or 6 people.

Bacon- fry more bacon! First off you will want more bacon for the topping trust me you will! The extra bacon fat is needed to add flavor to the onions while they are caramelizing. I personally felt that there was not enough bacon fat or butter in this recipe to properly caramelize the onions.

Pancetta and Garlic- if you make the full recipe use 4 ounces of pancetta and fry it with the red onions, celery and garlic as this will add more flavor, by drawing out the fat from the bacon and crisping it up. I do this when making pasta e fagioli and it adds a wonderful flavor! Garlic- the full recipe needs almost twice as much garlic then it calls for.

Parsley- I say forget the parsley, as it adds a grass like flavor that your kids will hate! And you want them to eat this as it takes a long time to prepare and make this dish!

I added freshly grated Parmesano Reggiano -that's Parmesan cheese that's from Parma Italy it is so seriously yummy and worth every penny! I buy mine at Sam's Club and save 50% on the cost per pound than it I were to buy it at the grocery store or even the commissary.

Do all of the prep work before you even think about starting this meal. At one point you will have 3 pots going at the same time on the stove- do not be frightened by this! I think that this is when I am most in my element. :-)

Freshly ground pepper- it calls for ¾ of a teaspoon, if you make the full sized recipe you will need more, a lot more!

Good luck and Happy Cooking!

Minestrone by Michael Chiarello

2008-12-27T20:02:00.002Z

One of my FAVORITE channels on cable is the Food Network. Check out Micheal Chiarello and his show Napa Style oh my word he's got great recipes for casual entertaining and every day dining. here's a recipe of his that I happened to come by on a box of reduced sodium chicken broth, enjoy!

Prep time 30 minutes. Start to finish 50 minutes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic-chopped
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (about 2 small)
1 cup diced celery (about 2 medium stalks)
1 cup diced carrot (about 2 medium)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme leaves
1 15ounce can of kidney beans
1½ cups undrained diced tomatoes
4 cups diced zucchini
1 cup uncooked tube shaped pasta
2 cartons (32 ounce each) reduced sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
_________________________________________________________________
1- in a 6 quart stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic- stir occasionally cook about 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2- stir in rosemary, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, pasta and broth. Heat until boiling, reduce heat.
3- cover, simmer about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Season with salt and pepper, serve topped with cheese.

For those who like to bake...

2008-11-21T16:28:00.002Z

I've always enjoyed baking cakes. Since the start I've loved using shaped cake pans and this one over at Williams-Sonoma is just darling! For those who have children of an age who enjoy the Build a Bear experience (my 13 year old still loves it) this is right up there!

My Cookbook Nook: Soups on!

2008-11-12T19:06:00.000Z

My Cookbook Nook: Soups on!

Cooler weather brings out the Chef in me...

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2008-11-12T18:54:00.006Z

Soup's On! It's during the months with cooler weather that my passion for making soups comes alive. Today's home made soup of choice is/was Cream of Broccoli.

Using an immersion blender is so much easier than taking all of the soup and putting it through the blender or food processor (much less to clean too). I don't use the woody stems of the broccoli, only the tops. I'll be bringing some of this YUMMY soup to a dear friend whose husband is deployed.

Enjoy this family favorite!

3 to 4 cups of chopped broccoli
2 cups broccoli cooking water
2cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup chopped celery
1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/3 cup lightly packed parsley
1/3 cup uncooked rice
1/3 teaspoon salt
¾ cup half and half
2 Tablespoons butter

Wash and trim about 2 or so pounds of broccoli- keep in mind if you plan to cook they way I do and not use the woody stems you will need a little over 2 pounds of broccoli. Cook in boiling salted water until tender (about 5 minutes). Drain Broccoli reserving 2 cups of the broccoli cooking water. Chop broccoli, set aside. Hopefully you'll have 3 to 4 cups of broccoli.

Pour broth and cooking water into a 4 quart pot. Bring to a boil and add celery, onion parsley, and rice. return to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Add 3 cups of the broccoli and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Soup should be getting thick by this point. Puree broccoli with your immersion blender or put in a food processor. be careful as it is HOT! After you're done pureeing the soup, add in the half and half and butter, add in the rest of the broccoli if you desire and chunky soup or puree all of it for a nice creamy soup (I do it both ways depending upon my mood). Add salt and pepper to taste and serve it with a thick slice of a crusty whole grain bread.

2008-11-12T16:15:00.002Z

Have you been to All Recipes? Check this out...the Perfect Pantry, I love it! It's this list of items to have on hand, to keep stocked in your pantry. Does your pantry measure up?

2008-11-12T15:46:00.001Z

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."
~ Jim Davis

2008-10-26T11:29:00.000Z

"Cheese - milk's leap toward immortality".
~Clifton Fadiman

Pumpkins- YUM!

2008-10-15T10:04:00.004+01:00

From the Susan Branch newsletter...of this is so yummy I HAD to share!
I thought maybe you would like the recipe for this, so here goes: While sweet potatoes are cooking (see further along in recipe) cut off the tops of the pumpkins, hollow out cleanly and smear insides with a little softened butter. Put them on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. With an electric mixer (not a food processor) you whip together 4 c. cooked (boil them) and mashed sweet potatoes, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 c. softened butter, 2 beaten eggs, 1/4 c. packed brown sugar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. dry sherry, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Whip until light. Stir in 3/4 c. chopped walnuts. Fill the pumpkins, sprinkle each with nutmeg, put on the tops, and bake 40 min. until pumpkins feel tender when lightly squeezed.

My Scrapbook Nook: Coffee Trivia#links

2008-10-15T09:59:00.000+01:00

My Scrapbook Nook: Coffee Trivia#links

I adore coffee and when this bit of trivia came to my attention- well I just had to share it!

It's Apple season!

2008-09-30T14:56:00.002+01:00

Apples are my favorite fruit! Here are some links to some awesome apple recipes over at Sothern Living, enjoy!

Carmel Apples

Stuffed Apples with cornbread dressing and sausage

Quick Apple dumplings

Apple Fritters

Apple Almond Stuffing

my wordle

2008-09-07T14:31:00.002+01:00

Yummy finds when catching up on my girlfriends blogs

2008-07-25T18:49:00.000+01:00

So here I am trying to catch up on the lives of my girlfriends and I'm ready Brandy's Blog (My Chaotic Life) and she's talking about a recipe for zucchini cakes that's over on The Pioneer woman. Hannah was in the room and I told her about the recipe (with pictures no less) and she grabbed my hand and said "Lets make this!". I knew that we had some yummy little zucchini's in the refrigerator I went into the kitchen to immediately make these. Talk about a little slice of yummy heaven! The only thing I changed was to add 2 eggs right from the start, 1/3 cup of bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (yes I'm out of fresh so mine was from a jar too) and I used 2 small to medium sized zucchini. I added cracked black pepper (I didn't measure the pepper, I just twisted the pepper mill to my hearts content) added a dash of kosher salt and at least a half cup (or more) fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Hannah and I gobbled it right up!

Heirlooms- have you tried them?

2008-06-20T14:09:00.002+01:00

With the rising price of gasoline and hence food and other products, there's now a big push to grow your own fruits and veggies. With the latest salmonella scare happening across the country with tomatoes, I've got and bought a yellow heirloom tomato plant. I put it in a large terracotta pot with hopes of it not attracting chipmunks, prairie dogs or little bunnies to it's lovely fruits. I thought about giving strawberries a try and will look at some while I'm at Menard's this morning.

Now to get with the Heirloom plants- they're a bit different looking that the regular ones you can get tomatoes, apples, cucumbers and various squash plants. Check your local nurseries to see what they have available. Give them a try, you'll be happy you did!

Panini- another word for YUM!

2008-06-02T19:58:00.002+01:00

Last week I was watching Giada and she was making Panini sandwiches using cantaloupe, prosciutto and brie cheese. Here's the link to the recipe on the foot TV site-Prosciutto and Melon Panino. I changed mine a bit and made it to suit my own tastes...I omitted the baby arugula (too peppery for me) and just used the melon, the brie on the top and bottom of the sandwich and substituted salty Virginia Ham thinly sliced for the prosciutto. I bought my focaccia bread at Safeway in town (the one in Baken Park-their bread is always fresh).

Now for those that do not have a panini press (believe it or not, I don't have one) I used my George Foreman Grill- no joke it worked perfectly! Give it a try, you'll be surprised how easily it works! It put the grill marks on the bread and melted the cheese and made it all ever so delicious!

I made these for lunch today and they were so good that I made them again for dinner. Okay so Hannah passed on having another panini so I made some Bruschetta- it's VERY simple to make...
Use a package of grape or cherry tomatoes, cut into small pieces making sure to squeeze the seeds out, fresh basil chopped (it takes quite a bite of fresh basil), some sea salt, red wine vinegar and some olive oil and ¼ cup fine chopped red onion. You're going to hate me but I didn't measure anything...I'm guessing that I used ¼ cup red onion could be more. I like to cook "to taste", that is that I taste a lot during the cooking process. Go easy on the salt, it doesn't take very much, maybe ¼ teaspoon a couple of tablespoons for the red wine vinegar and same for the olive oil. Let everything macerate (flavors blend) in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour- it helps to take the bite out of the onion. Serve on sliced baguette. If you want to have authentic Bruschetta brush olive oil on each piece of diagonally sliced baguette, place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350º they will be toasted and ready for topping!

For dessert - somthing very simple and is our daughter's favorite, fresh strawberries rolled in sugar YUM!

Cold Weather Comfort Foods

2008-05-01T21:05:00.002+01:00

I don't know about you but when it's cold outside I look forward to making "comfort foods" such as vegetarian chili and all kinds of hearty soups.

Lentil Soup-

2 russet (baking) potatoes
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice (peel first)
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, chopped fine1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound lentils, picked over and rinsed (about 2 cups)
8 cups low-salt chicken broth

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch dice. In a 5- to 6-quart heavy kettle cook potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, and onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add lentils, broth, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and soup is thickened.

I like to add some grated Parmesan cheese on top with a slice of french bread on the side...m'm m'm I'm hungry just typing this!

Crock Pots...

2008-03-15T14:20:00.005Z

I've had my current Crock Pot since July 1995, it's the same age as our daughter Hannah, LOL! I've been wanting to replace it for over a year now. Crock Pots these days have a "warm" setting in addition to the "high" and "low" settings. And dragging our crock pot around to the various potluck events that we attend throughout the year has been a major pain in the neck. There are several models on the market that come with insulated carriers- oooh momma what an awesome idea!

I've been wanting to purchase one of these for ages, aren't they adorable? I love the oval shape and well the Mary Engelbreit theme makes them YUMMY!

Coffee Trivia

2008-03-05T19:55:00.001Z

The heavy tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773, which caused the "Boston Tea Party," resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. Drinking coffee was an expression of freedom.

Sandie's Super Bowl Snacks

2008-02-03T13:56:00.000Z

I personally only watch the game for the commercials- they're always a crack up! But since my husband and daughter and football nuts I'm catering to them today. This is a family that loves chips, be it potato chip or corn chip they love to nibble on them! So I have to have first rate dips to go along with those chips.

First off, the 7 layer dip this link will take you someplace YUMMY!!! And the other alternative to buying premade french onion dip- make it yourself and you're never going back to store bought again!

And nothing goes better with a football game than honey bbq chicken wings. This recipe will delight everyone!

Then a dessert I like to make Black Forest Brownies...here's MY recipe

I use a boxed mix from Ghiradelli, I can't make brownies any yummier!
Then here's my chocolate ganache recipe...

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips with cream over low heat stirring confusingly. Remove from the heat, let cool to room temperature or cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Pour over brownies while they are still in the baking pan. Spread ganache with a spatula if necessary to evenly coat, working quickly before it thickens. Chill until set.
For spreadable ganache, chill until mixture reaches a spreadable consistency. Spread over brownies or cake. Chill until set.

Now for some fruit...you can used canned pie filling for this either cherry or strawberry, which ever you prefer, use cool whip or better yet indulge and use real whipped cream. Everyone will RAVE about your Black Forest Brownies

Corn Chowder with Grilled Shrimp

2008-01-23T16:42:00.000Z

A farmers market or roadside stand is the best source for sweet corn. The natural sugars in the corn begin converting to starch the minute the ears are picked, so freshness is critical. Look for cobs with crisp green husks and dry, brownish silk that extends out the top (yellowish silk marks an immature ear). The kernels should be tightly packed in even rows and look plump and juicy.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. minced fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
18 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 yellow onion, diced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
5 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ears of corn, kernels removed
3 bacon slices, cooked and chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Lime slices for garnish
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the 1/4 cup olive oil, the basil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp, stir to coat and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, warm the 1 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk and cream, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the corn and bacon and cook for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 2 cups of the soup mixture to a bowl. Using an immersion blender, puree the remaining soup until smooth. Stir in the reserved soup mixture, the cayenne, salt and pepper and keep warm. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the shrimp from the marinade; discard the marinade. Thread the shrimp onto skewers. Arrange the skewers on the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls. Garnish with the shrimp skewers and lime slices and serve immediately. Serves 6.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Chicken and Corn Chowder

2008-01-23T16:39:00.001Z

Chunks of chicken transform this hearty chowder into a main-course soup. Round out the meal with a loaf of crusty bread and a simple green salad.
Ingredients:
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3/4 lb potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
6 green onions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
3 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
2½ cups half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cook the bacon in a saucepan over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 Tbs. of the fat from the pan. Cook the vegetables and chicken. Add the bell pepper, corn and potatoes to the same pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are just softened and the corn and potatoes are lightly tinged with gold, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the broth and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, covered, until opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Finish the chowder. Stir in the green onions, thyme and half-and-half. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the chowder into bowls, sprinkle with the bacon and serve immediately. Serves 4. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Weeknight, by Melanie Barnard (Oxmoor House, 2006).

Roasted Tomato Soup with Tiny Meatballs and Rice

2008-01-23T16:37:00.000Z

Intensely flavored roasted tomatoes and extra-virgin olive oil give this soup a wonderfully fruity flavor. The tomato base can be made up to 1 week in advance and frozen.

Ingredients:
4 lb. ripe tomatoes, halved crosswise

1 large sweet onion such as Vidalia, cut into wedges

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 fresh thyme sprigs

1 fresh rosemary sprig

3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 lb. ground veal, turkey or lean pork

1 egg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbs. torn fresh sage leaves

1 tsp. salt, plus salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/3 cup arborio rice

About 2 cups beef or vegetable stock, or canned broth

1/3 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 orange zest strip, 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide

1 garlic clove

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Arrange the tomato and onion pieces, cut sides down, on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and lay the thyme and rosemary sprigs on top. Roast until the tomatoes begin to char and the onions are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs: In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of the water. Let soften, about 5 minutes. Add the meat, egg, cheese, sage, 1 tsp. of the salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

While the meat is chilling, cook the rice: In a heavy saucepan over high heat, bring the remaining 1 cup water to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Pass the tomatoes, onion and juices through a food mill placed over a large bowl. Discard the solids. (Alternatively, puree in a food processor, then pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.) Measure the tomato mixture; you should have about 6 cups. Add enough stock to measure 8 cups total. Transfer to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to very low and cover.

Shape the meat mixture into tiny balls each about 3/4 inch in diameter. You should have about 25 meatballs. Slip the meatballs into the broth, re-cover, raise the heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. While the rice is heating, on a cutting board, finely chop together the parsley, orange zest and garlic.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, distributing the meatballs evenly. Sprinkle with a little of the parsley mixture and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Holiday Celebrations, by Marie Simmons (Time-Life Books, 1998).

Mexican Meatball Soup

2008-01-23T16:35:00.000Z

You can prepare the meatballs in advance and freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To use, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Add to the soup as directed below.
Ingredients:
2 zucchini, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups beef stock
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) whole plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juices
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt, to taste, plus 1 1/2 tsp.
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Make the soup baseIn a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the zucchini, celery, stock, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, all but 2 Tbs. of the onion, 1/2 tsp. of the oregano, the chili powder and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft and the flavors are blended, about 30 minutes. Season with salt. Prepare the meatballsMeanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, the remaining 2 Tbs. onion, the remaining 4 tsp. oregano, the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and the pepper. Mix gently with your hands, then shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Set aside. Finish the soupWhen the soup base is ready, using a large spoon, gently slide the meatballs into the simmering stock. Cook until opaque throughout, 7 to 9 minutes. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and serve. Serves 4. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Soup, by Georgeanne Brennan (Oxmoor House, 2006).

Soup warms the Soul on a cold winter day

2008-01-23T16:17:00.000Z

If it's cold where you are (like it is where I am), well grab yourself the latest issue of Cooks Illustrated and a warm blanket. I have a copy of the Winter 2008 issue and it's HOT stuff! It's all about "Soups & Stews". One word sums it all up "YUMMY". Nothing is more warming to the soul on a cold winter day than a rich hearty soup. Gather your family together for a delicious bowl of home made soup accompanied with a think slice of a warm crusty peasant bread.

Le Creuset vs Tramontina Cookware

2008-01-22T22:41:00.000Z

I've been wanting a Le Creuset Dutch Oven for ages. I've always told myself that they were too expensive. I went along with the recommendation from Cooks Illustrated on purchasing a 6½ quart round Dutch oven by Tramontina (see the red one...I bought it back in November) and have used it several times and have been VERY happy with it's performance. The Tramontina Dutch oven was a huge savings over the Le Creuset Dutch oven. I paid $60 for the 6½ quart Tramontina Dutch oven versus the hefty price tag of $270.00 for the 5½ quart and $315.00 for the 7¼ quart Dutch Oven. I love this shade of blue (it's called Caribbean) and Le Creuset is running a special on their smaller soup pots. With our upcoming vacation to the Caribbean, I thought that this color was just what I needed to add something bright and cheerful to my kitchen. So I spent my Christmas money on a soup pot...that's okay, I like soup :-) The other thing to keep in mind is that Tramontina is made in China and Le Creuset is made in France. I know that many of us (yes even myself) are trying to avoid buying items that are made in China but sometimes that just can not be helped. When the savings is so dramatic, you really can't help but to buy the less expensive brand...especially when it comes so highly recommended by such a highly respected magazine such as Cooks Illustrated

How much cookware do you own?

2008-01-22T16:38:00.000Z

Lets face it, there are those of us that love to bake and cook and those that don't. With my passion for cooking comes this need for the right tools for the job. I have amassed a collection of bakeware and cookware that has spread past my kitchen being able to contain it all. One thing that my kitchen is no longer able to store is my collection of decorative cake pans and spring form pans. I own a wide variety of spring form pans of various sizes and they have all come in very handy! I have cake pans in all sorts of shapes and even many different types of bundt cake pans. And lets not even start with the muffin tins, popover tins and mini tart tins (insert eye roll here). I can say in my defense that I have used them all at one time or another. I've even used my cupcake trees :-)

Roasting pans...how many of these do I really need? I have 3 of those enamel coasted metal roasters in various sizes, and 4 clay roasters of various sizes. I have no plans of getting rid of the clay roasters (I really enjoy cooking in them) but I am going to take all of my enamel roasters in to the Thrift Shop and sell them off. How many food items can I roast at one time anyway? Besides I have 2 of those open type roasting pans (they are a medium and large size) and I've been pretty happy with them. So the enameled metal roasters are out of here! I need to call my Mom and see if she would like a small one (I bet she would).

On line shopping...

2008-01-14T12:43:00.000Z

One of the gifts that I received for Christmas is a gift card to Williams-Sonoma. There are 1001 things that I could spend my gift card on, but alas I can only pick a handful, besides-I'd have a pretty tough time storing 1001 items :-D (that smiley is me giggling and the very thought of going on a shopping spree at Williams-Sonoma.
There are obscure items such the Olive/Cherry pitting tool which in its self is pretty unique tool and I just might have a use for it. There's the Scone pan...do I really need it? No not really. I've been making scones for years, rolling them out and cutting them into pie shaped wedges (by hand) and baking them on a baking stone. I don't know why I even considered buying a scone pan, maybe because it's rather novel idea scones that bake in a shaped pan- I've taken it out of my shopping cart but the pitting tool stays :-). I'm in no hurry to buy anything and my gift card doesn't expire nor does it diminish in value over time. So for now, I'll wait...

The new coffee pot

2008-01-10T15:03:00.000Z

So here it is...the NEW coffee pot! I looked in amost every retail store in Rapid City that sells coffee pots and this is what I ended up with. I found this little gem at Target for $40 LESS than the same item at Lowes.

2008-01-09T16:22:00.000Z

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.
~Alice May Brock

I saw this quote about food and HAD to share it!

Aprons

2008-01-09T15:32:00.000Z

There are different kinds of cookware for various kinds of cooking and that they come in all shapes and sizes, I've know this from a young age. I've been teaching my children about these sort of things and how important it is to wear an apron while cooking.
I had ran into an acquaintance yesterday, the woman was ranting about all kinds of things and during her angry diatribe she went on about how she gets grease splatters all over her clothes when she cooks hamburger and how her husband is getting angry with her at her constant complaining at how cooking ruins her clothes. That he's angry with her demanding to have a new outfit every week. Apparently she took great offence at him offering her the idea of wearing an apron while in the kitchen preparing food. She had asked me what I would do in such a situation ( keep in mind that this person is an acquaintance and does not know me other than being a volunteer in the military community) I told her that I actually wear an apron because I like to protect my clothing from such things as splattering sauces and oils. That I'm a messy cook and that I need to wear an apron, LOL! Apparently that was NOT the reply she thought that she would get from me. So much so that she started in with some nasty remarks about the store that I recommended she look at for buying herself a nice quality apron. Lets face it, some of us wear aprons and some don't. It's right in tune with the same concept as having babies and toddlers wearing bibs while they eat- to keep their clothes from getting soiled from food. I don't think that anything that I said was going to make that woman happy- all she wanted was for me to agree with her that cooking sucked and that she has every right to buy a complete new outfit every week. I'm sorry but I can't agree to that, not when a $20 apron would suffice at protecting her clothes. The one you see here is from when I made the chocolate volcano cakes....needless to say, I was quite the sweet chocolaty mess :-)

When good appliances go bad...

2008-01-08T14:50:00.001Z

For weeks now, every morning there has been this small pool of water near my coffee maker. I've been blaming it on my inability to pour water into the reservoir without spilling. Then yesterday after I had filled my coffee maker with water, I noticed some water pooling near it. Knowing full well that I did not spill water this time I went looking around for the source...there it was a steady drip drip drip coming from my beloved appliance. The source of the leak had been located, it was the water level indicator. I've got a temporary fix going on it but alas it needs to be replaced. I went out yesterday and looked at new coffee makers, nothing really caught my eye- well with exception of the Kitchen-Aid coffee maker in red over at Lowe's. There was a Krups coffee maker over at my favorite kitchen store- I want to look at it again. I kind of like the idea of having a small water filter in the coffee reservoir, I think that it would help greatly with water scale (we have very hard water here in this area). I've also been looking at coffee makers on line and have been reading up on the reviews. So for now the search is on for a new coffee maker.

Not just for the Kitchen...

2007-12-30T15:58:00.000Z

Spice racks are not just for the kitchen...This spice rack is from the McCormick Gourmet Collection. I first bought one last year, I had "plans" for it and no it wasn't for my kitchen. You generally see these spice racks at you local grocery store or commissary during the holidays. I just looked them up on line and they retail for $75.00 (plus shipping if you buy them on line from McCormick). Now is the time to see if they've been marked down - our commissary had them at a great savings over the retail price at $45.80 before Christmas. Now after Christmas, the spice racks were marked down and they were a down right steal at $22.40! That's like $1 per bottle of herbs/spices and the rack is FREE! The spices alone are worth so much more than $22.40! So here's a picture of what I use the spice rack for in my scrapbook nook...it holds my making memories paints!

Gifts made with Love

2007-12-23T14:09:00.000Z

For me there's nothing more fun that seeing someones face light up when you give them an unexpected Christmas gift- especially when it's something that is home made. For me the holiday gift of choice is a small 4 inch cheesecake. Wrapped up pretty with bright cellophane and a curly ribbon, there's nothing that gets bigger smiles!

Cooking and Food Blogs

2007-12-19T13:28:00.000Z

Besides being passionate about scrapbooking and needlework I'm also passionate about cooking. So of course I like to read cooking and food blogs. If you've not been to it please take a peek at http://www.passionateeater.blogspot.com
http://www.cupcakeblog.com

Both are wonderful food blogs! I look at the pictures at the Passionate Eater blog and I want to recreate all of those wonderful yummy meals! Now over at the cup cake blog- desserts are the topic! I get an ear to ear smile from every post!

So here I have my own little food blog. I need to jot down more recipes and post them here (that's one new years resolution for ya). I'm not happy with giving my family chicken strips and boxed macaroni and cheese - but I do give it to them from time to time. Does it make me a bad Mom? NO, it just makes me a busy Mom. So starting in the new year I'm going to post a recipe every week.

Chocolate Volcano Cakes

2007-12-18T14:52:00.000Z

I've been wanting to make these for quite some time. Believe it or not, I was desperate enough to once buy a box mix to make this. Don't ask about it- it wasn't even close to what the restaurants make. So here I am ready to try making them again- this time with a tried and true recipe from where else- Cooks Illustrated magazine! It's in their Holiday Baking issue so hurry up and get yourself a copy! I got mine at Lowe's (hard to believe right?) but hey they give a 10% discount on magazines!

So knowing full well that one really needs to have the right tools to do the job properly I went to the kitchen store (Someone's in the Kitchen-Rapid City) and bought six 8 ounce ramekins/souffle cups. Only to discover that I bought the wrong size and the wrong number (after putting them through the dishwasher)-oh well! So now I need to go back and purchase eight 4 ounce ramekins. I see myself having quite the variety of ramekins when this is all done and over with (as I already have eight 6 ounce ramekins). So why am I going through all of this? I want to make chocolate volcano cakes for my family for Christmas. Now for me to make sure that I have the right kinds of chocolate they call for in the recipe...just thinking about making this is bringing a HUGE smile to my face.

Christmas Gifts for the Gourmet cook in your family

2007-12-18T01:40:00.000Z

Christmas time is perfect for picking out special things for the gourmet cook in your family. From fancy schmancy cookware, to cookbooks, kitchen appliances, table linens to kitchen gadgets and exotic spices.

Cookbooks make such wonderful gifts! I find myself in the cook book section. Oh my gosh hold me back! I love cooks books, reading them fills me with such joy and desire to make something yummy for my family. I ended up with a few different kinds of cookbooks and one or two are going to be given away as gifts to some of my girlfriends. There's nothing more fun than trying out new recipes and sharing them with friends. If I'm lucky, my friends will enjoy their cookbooks and share new recipes with me :-)

The Ultimate Sticky Buns

2007-12-17T14:04:00.000Z

I can't begin to tell you have much I enjoy reading Cooks Illustrated and now so does my daughter Hannah. So, the recipe is called "The Ultimate Sticky Buns", the results...they're delicious! I've changed something on the recipe though- I didn't put the finishing pecan nut glaze on them instead I used store bought Cream Cheese Frosting. Oh my gosh, these rival the sticky buns from Cinnabon (no joke). The recipe does take a bit of time okay so it's while from start to finish (over 6 hours). It's all of that rising time that does it, all of the actual preparation time is probably 1 hour max. But in the end it's well worth it! So go out and get the "Holiday" edition of Cooks Illustrated.

Panettone

2007-12-14T14:51:00.000Z

I have such fond memories of Christmas as a child, especially when it came to food. My mother was so frugal throughout the year but when it came to Christmas she pulled out all of the stops. She and my Pop would go to the German Delicatessen and bring home the most delicious imported foods for our Christmas Eve dinner. On one such occasion I remember having first tasted the delightful Italian bread called Panettone. This is so much better than the heavy fruitcakes that are popular here in America.

So with that I'm including a couple of links to recipes for Panettone...enjoy!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Panettone-Loaves/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Panettone-II/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Panettone-I/Detail.aspx

Gifts in a Jar

2007-12-12T18:05:00.001Z

Do you remember when gifts in a jar first gained popularity? It was back in the 90’s when I first too notice of this unique gift giving idea. The great recipe ideas come from a newsletter that I subscribe to called “I’m not Martha”.

Most of the following recipes require a quart jar, large or

small mouth opening. I find though a large mouth works easier

to get the ingredients in.

Besides a quart jar with lids, you will need a large rubber

band. A piece of material 8x8 square. Ribbon to decorate.

After filling the jars, place the material on the lid and

put the rubber band around it to secure it in place. Tie

with decorative ribbon and tie the recipe card to the ribbon

for the directions on how to bake the ingredients. If you

have a printer, print out the tag onto a colorful piece of

paper or onto adhesive paper.

When putting in the ingredients, make sure to pack them down

tightly. If you have loose ingredients like nuts, M&M,

raisins...etc. make sure they are the next ingredient on

top of packed brown sugar. If the next layer is to be white

sugar or flour, the white sugar or flour will seep through

the nuts, M&M...etc some what.

Also when using coco, wipe inside of jar before adding

another ingredient to keep jar looking nice.

Have fun....it's a nice thing to do with your children for

their gifts. They get to feel the pride of having made the

gift.

LAYERED SNACK MIX

Layer snacks into a wide mouth quart canning jar. Select 4

or 5 diferent salty type small snacks of different colors.

Put in even amounts of each kind. As an example, layer in

this order.

Sunflower seeds

Salted peanuts

Fish crackers

Small pretzel nuggets or twists

Raisins

CHRISTMAS SOUP MIX IN A JAR

1/2 cup dry split peas

1/3 cup beef bouillon granules

1/4 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup lentils

1/4 cup dried minced onions

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice

1/2 cup alphabet macaroni or other small macaroni (put in

a plastic sandwich bag)

In a pint jar, layer the first eight ingredients in the

order given.

Seal tightly

Attach recipe below, to jar:

______________________________________________

Christmas Soup Mix

You will need the following additional ingredients:

1 pound ground beef or stew meat - 3 quarts of water

1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, undrained.

Remove macaroni and set aside. In a large saucepan

brown beef and drain. Add the water, tomatoes and

soup mix; bring to a boil, reduce heat.

Cover and simmer for 45 min. Add macaroni and simmer

for 20 min. more

______________________________________________

GINGER SPICE MUFFIN MIX IN A JAR

1 3/4 cups flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Store the

mixture in an airtight container.

Attach this to the Jar

_____________________________________________

Ginger Spice Muffins

Makes 1 dozen

1 pkg. Ginger Spice Muffin Mix

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and grease 12 muffin

tins. In a large bowl, combine the muffin mix with the

butter, egg, vanilla and milk Stir the mixture until the

ingredients are blended. Do not overmix. The batter will

be lumpy. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, and bake for 15

minutes.

_______________________________________________

OATMEAL FRUIT COOKIES

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup wheat germ

1 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup raisins

2/3 cup packed flaked coconut

1 cup flour mixed with 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp.

salt.

Layer ingredients in order given in a quart jar.

Attach recipe below, to jar:

______________________________________________

Oatmeal Fruit Cookies

Empty the contents of the jar into a large bowl. Blend

mixture well before adding: 1/2 cup of softened butter

or margarine. Mix until mixture resembles coarse

crumbs. Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 cup

milk. Blend egg mixture into the dough until well

combined. Bake on greased cookie sheet at

350* for 10-14 min. Makes 1- 1 1/2 dozen cookies

______________________________________________

RUSSIAN TEA MIX IN A JAR

2 & 1/2 cup Tang

1 & 1/2 cup white sugar

1 - 12 oz of instant lemonade mix w/o sugar

2 tsp. cloves

1 & 1/2 cup instant Lemon flavored tea

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Measure out all ingrediants first into separate bowls.

Layer the tang, sugar, lemonade and tea into jar as little

or as much as you like. Repeat the layers often to make a

pretty layered looking sand art type look. Add the cloves,

cinnamon & nutmeg last. This is a very sweet drink.

Attach recipe below, to jar:

______________________________________________

Russian Tea

Mix dry ingrediants well and replace

into your jar for storage. Add 2 Tbls. into

coffee cup and add hot water.

Stir well - Get a good book - relax!

______________________________________________

And for friends who everything especially your love....

FRIENDSHIP CAKE

1 cup of greetings

1 cup of love

1/2 cup of smiles

1 tsp. sympathy

1 large handshake

2 cups hospitality

Cream greetings and smiles thoroughly. Add

handshake separately. Slowly stir

in love. Sift sympathy and hospitality and fold in

carefully.

Bake in warm heart. Serve Often!

_______________

Kitchen-Aid

2007-12-11T14:37:00.000Z

I love this picture! Then again I do like a rainbow of color in my kitchen.

I received a Kitchen-aid stand mixer for Mothers Day 2001. Yes I specifically asked for this appliance, but this isn't any ordinary appliance. I tell ya, I could not be the cheesecake baking Queen that I am today without my trusty Kitchen-Aid stand mixer. I use it several times a week, and I recommend them to any and everyone! It's so worth the money!

How to ship home baked cookies

2007-12-10T14:56:00.000Z

After all of the trouble you go to baking cookies and other
goodies to ship off to your loved ones, the last thing you
want is to have them end up as "crumbs" once they get there.
Here are a few tips on mailing cookies:

* Don't pack crisp and soft cookies together. The moisture
from the soft cookies will seep into the crisp cookies,
making them lose their crunch.

* Don't overstuff or under-stuff your container or the
cookies may be damaged. They should fit snugly so crumple
up some tissue paper to fill the holes if you need.

* Pack in a sturdy tin or airtight container. Place a piece
of bubble wrap on the bottom of the container, then line
the container with waxed paper or cellophane. Leave enough
to tuck over the top once the container is fully packed.
Place one layer of cookies in the container, then cover
with waxed paper. Arrange another layer of cookies,
followed with more parchment paper, and repeat until full.
Tuck the cellophane or parchment paper over the top and
place another piece of bubble wrap on top before sealing
the container.

* Pack your tin or container in a heavy-duty cardboard box
that's large enough to allow a two or three inch cushion
between the tin and the wall of the outside box. Place a
layer of shipping peanuts, air-popped popcorn, or crumpled
paper on the bottom of your shipping box. Set your cookie
tin on this bottom layer. Then fill in the sides and top
with more shipping materials. Seal the shipping box with
two-inch-wide shipping tape.
Don't forget the mailing label and you're ready to ship!

Holiday Cooking - Day 1

2007-11-19T21:46:00.002Z

So here I am on my holiday cooking adventure. I'm breaking it down into what I can cook ahead so I will have more time to spend with my family and friends and NOT in my kitchen scrubbing pots and pans.

Day 1- make the cranberry chutney- done

Granted recipes are only a suggestion...and this one was just that-a suggestion. I added more sugar, more cinnamon and I added an extra ingredient-ginger. Talk about a wonderful condiment for "leftover turkey" sandwich! The cranberry compote is sweet and tangy...I want to share it with all of my friends! It is seriously YUMMY!!!!

So here is my version of a cranberry chutney of sorts...
2 cups granulated sugar
1 red onion minced
2 granny smith apples peeled and cored-shopped
2 pears (yes a pair of pears) peeled, cored and chopped
3 tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
½ cup apple cinder vinegar
2 -12 ounce packages of fresh cranberries
2 TBS olive oil

heat large skillet, put in oil add minced onions saute for 3 minutes. Add orange juice, apple cider vinegar sugar and spices, cook for 3 minutes more. Add in chopped apple and pear cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the fruit breaks down and the sauce is thickened.

This should keep for about 5 days- but I doubt highly that there will be anything left after Thursday afternoon.

Holiday Menu Planning

2007-11-13T14:50:00.000Z

I can hardly believe how quickly this month is going by. I look at the calendar and another week has gone by. Yesterday I realized that Thanksgiving is on the 22nd-yikes! We're having guests this year and needless to say I am thrilled! My girlfriend Susan and her family are going to stay with us for the 4 day Turkey Day weekend. I want to make her visit here a memorable one...in a good way, LOL! So here I am planning out a menu for each day. I've got all sorts of things I want to cook and each of them I look at as "comfort foods". I want my friend and her family to feel relaxed and to enjoy their time here with us. I'll have all sorts of things made in advance in preparation for Thanksgiving Day. I'm going to have the desserts made and some of the side dishes made in advance too. I want to spend quality time with my best friend -it's been over a year since we last got to visit with one another.

I've got to plan out breakfast for every day...something yummy. Waffles, kids always love to eat waffles. Then there's Susan's tried and true recipe for a warm you up breakfast casserole that is just delightful! Now to sift through all of my recipe books and get grocery lists made!

Parchment Paper or heat resistant Silicone Mat?

2007-11-03T12:42:00.000Z

For years I have used parchment paper for lining cookie sheets, cake pans and spring form pans. I had thought about getting myself a couple of sil-pat liners for years but to be perfectly honest, the cost was holding me back. Sil-Pat is a brand name and it's made from woven fiber glass with a silicone coating. There are silicone baking mats made by many different companies. The silicone mats that I happen to own are made by Wilton. They're fine to use for cookies but they (the mats) do become stained from the oils and fats (it's the butter) in the cookies. This kind of stain is permanent. I've long wondered about the silicone mats retaining residues and if they would effect other items being baked on them in the future. Well guess what...my beloved Cooks Illustrated did a comparison on parchment paper and silicone mats and guess what- my suspicions were right. Silicone mats do retain residues and it does effect the taste of other items being backed on them. For me...my silicone baking mats are only used for cookies, nothing else. But I know many others who use them for everything from fish fillets to baked sweet potatoes. Parchment paper came out #1 in this product test by Cooks Illustrated magazine.
I recently stocked up on more parchment paper at the commissary. Hey that 75¢ coupon brought the price of a roll down to $1.10 and between you and me, that's a horrifically GOOD price! Especially since a box of parchment paper generally sells in the $5 to $7 price range depending upon where you buy it. And there's always something about the winter holiday season that pushes up the cost...as if people don't bake during any other time of the year, LOL!

Baking pans and Cookie sheets

2007-11-02T12:50:00.000Z

The October issue of Cooks Illustrated is wonderful! And the December issue is fantastic! I've been on the fence for quite a while about changing out my baking pans/cookie sheets (again). Have you ever heard that "twang" in you oven when you put a baking pan in with fish fillets or cookies on it? Well that's the pan...warping from the heat. I also get it when I pull it out of the oven and rest it on the cool stove top "twang" that's the heat leaving it I suppose. What ever it is, it bugs me to no end. I had switched over to using Wilton cookie sheets and jelly roll pans and I paid plenty for the Wilton name...those pans did the same thing as the cheapo pans from Wal-Mart and Target. Well I read the review in the December issue of Cooks Illustrated on baking pans...WOW! They review quite a few and lets just say I was surprised by it. The funny thing is...just a few hours earlier (that same day) I almost bought a heavy duty jelly roll pan from my local Kitchen Store- one for $22, YIKES! I hemmed and hawed on it and decided against it. Bought the magazine and said WOW, glad I didn't buy that pan. What I did so is to go to my local Sam's Club and check out what they had in their professional line...I was able to get a set of 2 heavy duty 15x20 jelly roll pans for a little over $10, for the set! I used my pans last night for the first time and am I ever happy with my purchase! No warping, no funky sounds coming from my oven from the pan twisting and turning in the heat. Everything cooked up evenly and to a crispy golden brown. Those Wilton pans of mine...off to the Thrift Shop they go!

Cooking Magazines...

2007-11-02T12:33:00.000Z

Do you subscribe to any "cooking" magazines? I love to try new recipes or recipes that have a different spin on a traditional favorite. I like Southern Living magazine for it's unique recipes- heck I'll buy almost any recipe book created by Southern Living (yes I think that their recipes are that good). But I also like to get a couple other magazines that deal mainly with food. Martha Stewart's Every Day Food is a wonderful publication, lots of great articles and recipes that are out of this world YUMMY! Another publication that I really and truly enjoy reading is "Cooks Illustrated". I've glanced at it a few times but the $5.95 price tag had me putting it back on the shelf. But the other day I was at Lowes and I picked it up and thumbed through it...I was entranced by an article on baking pans ones that do double duty as a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. I found myszelf a magazine that I couldn't put down. I enjoy the product reviews that they do in this magazine and they go into detail with so many things...oh yeah I am hooked!

could you be a vegetarian?

2007-10-23T14:57:00.001+01:00

You Could Definitely Be a Vegetarian

You would make a great vegetarian - if you aren't one already.
You're adventurous enough to try all sorts of new veggie foods...
And your commitment to animal welfare will motivate you to stay meat free!

Could You Be a Vegetarian?

Comfort Foods

2007-10-17T15:01:00.000+01:00

What kind of meals does your family consider to be comfort foods? For some it's pasta, any kind of pasta, for others it's ethnic foods-foods from their home country. Here in America comfort foods are listed as being "Casserole Dishes". I think that "it" is something different for everyone. For my son it's Lasagna and garlic bread, for my daughter it could be roast chicken with mashed potatoes, country gravy and of course home made biscuits or something along the lines of re-fried beans w/cheese and tortillas. For my husband it could be grilled marinated beef tips and cheesy potatoes (this recipe comes from my girlfriend René, who by the way is truly Southern).

For me, I see comfort foods being of a soup variety. I adore soup! The simplicity of it makes it a remarkable meal. Put a grilled cheese sandwich with it and WOW! Now your grilled cheese can be almost any kind of cheese on any kind of bread. Have you ever tried grilled Swiss on Sour Dough or Rye? When it's paired with just the right soup it's out of this world!

Try your hand at making some soup, you're going to love the results!

Cookbooks

2007-09-21T04:44:00.000+01:00

One of these days I'm going to do it...write a cook book that is. I've had this idea for quite some time now. I do enough cooking and making up my own recipes that I can get enough recipes to make an entire recipe book. I'll get my children and husband to do the illustrations- now wouldn't that be a total laugh riot! I can just see it now, drawing of all kinds of things besides food. It's actually got me laughing just thinking about it.

Apples

2007-09-07T12:43:00.000+01:00

Apples- Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, Empire, Pippin, McIntosh, Fuji, Braeburn, Winesap, Cortland and one of my newest favorites- Grâpple the apple that tastes like a grape.

But seriously with so many varieties out there for us to choose from it's hard to pick just one. So I've got some links for you all to check out.

http://www.grapplefruits.com/
http://www.applejournal.com/useall01.htm
http://www.allaboutapples.com/varieties/index.htm

Now lets look at recipes sites for apples...
http://www.bestapples.com/Recipes/
http://www.pastrywiz.com/archive/category/apple.htm
http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/recipes/applerecipes.html
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/commodit/horticul/apples/recipes.htm
http://www.applejournal.com/ofr.htm
http://www.nyapplecountry.com/recipes.htm
I hope you have enjoyed my little bit on apples and will try some of the various varieties the next time you are grocery shopping.

It's now September...

2007-09-07T12:26:00.000+01:00

and with it comes cool Autumn nights, College Football, tailgate parties and my favorite...baked apples! Our daughter loves watching football with her Dad and let me tell you she has her reasons. Of course there's spending quality time with her Dad but what Hannah describes as the best part is that Mom (that's me) makes the yummiest snacks for Dad while he's watching a game and she wants in on the yummy snacks and nibbles that I bring out on trays.

Be it chips and store bought dip to my 7 layer bean dip and tortilla chips- football and snacks got hand in hand. But my favorite things to bake during this time of years is APPLES!

Apples come in so many different varieties these days and all are great to use in various ways...some make better pies, others are best of making applesauce, some are great in salads and so forth.

Here's a recipe that I received the other day from "the Daily Recipe" and on line service that sends you a new and different recipe every day (it's so cool). I love this new twist on my favorite dessert- I'm going to make it this weekend!

RECIPE: PINE-APPLE CRISP
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
INGREDIENTS:
Fruit -
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
3/4 cup pineapple preserves
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
Crumb Topping-
2/3 cp flake coconut
1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup whole almonds, chopped
vanilla ice cream (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For fruit, slice apples into
thin rings, then cut rings into quarters. Combine pineapple
preserves and flour in mixing bowl. Add apples, tossing to
coat evenly. Pour into bottom of a 9-inch pie plate or similar
shallow baking dish. For crumb topping, combine coconut, oats,
brown sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Microwave butter on
high for 1 minute and add to chopped almonds. Add butter and
almonds to topping ingredients; mix well. Sprinkle topping
evenly over apple mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until apples
are tender and topping is golden brown. Cool slightly. Serve
warm with ice cream, if desired.
Yield: 12 Servings
per serving: calories 210, fat 9g, sodium 80 mg.
Categories: Desserts, Apples
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com The Daily Recipe Website
http://archives.gophercentral.com/newsletter_13.html "

Cook Books...how many do you own?

2007-08-17T13:01:00.001+01:00

What is it about cookbooks that draws me in like a moth to a flame? I'm serious, it's almost like an addiction of sorts, LOL!

SOooooooooo, I'm working at the base thrift shop 3 days a week and I'm finding all sorts of little treasures in the place, my latest being a beautiful assortment of cookbooks. Many are near being brand new, like they've maybe been cracked open- glanced at - then consigned or donated to our thrift shop. We're selling them for a fraction of their retail cost. I was able to get some fantastic cookbooks which are making me want to cook up a storm this weekend! The Fish cookbook is making me drool! I look as if I have a serious case of rabies, LOL! There's on all about Vinegarettes- WOW that's one amazing cookbook! The kids cookbook is about cooking experiments- Hannah has the death grip on this one and we've already made 2 "experiments" from this great kids in the kitchen cookbook

Are you practicing "Flexitarianism"?

2007-07-31T18:51:00.001+01:00

Sounds like something from a science fiction novel/movie doesn't it? As I'm reading an article on that very topic (in the August 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine) I had to chuckle out loud. Flexitarianism, is that even a word? The new made up word is in reference to having a diet that is largely made up of plant based foods rather than centering your diet around meat. Interesting enough but to make up a word for it? Come on, LOL! I've always based my eating habits on items other than just meat, chocolate as you know should be a food group...ask any woman, I'm sure that she'd agree! Now if you're interested in knowing more about this...it's on page 20.

What are you eating this summer?

2007-07-23T15:27:00.001+01:00

Summertime to me is one of those seasons when I love to make use of every fresh fruits and vegetable I can get my hands on. I prefer to use those that are grown locally but that isn't always possible. Some items such as bananas and pineapples have to be imported from far off places.

I want to encourage everyone to go out and buy themselves a new recipe book and make something from that book at least 3 nights a week for the remainder of the summer! I have some cookbooks that I got with my latest Calphalon pan purchase, the one I'm using right now is the "Food Network Kitchens Cookbook" and let me tell you that these recipes are to die for! Yesterday I made Lobster Rolls for lunch...all I have to say is YUM! I had to keep the kids from trying to take mine when I wasn't looking, LOL! Just picture me trying to guard my little sandwich with a wooden spoon and my kids giggling like fiend's trying to take it from me. Now of course when I make this recipe again I'll add more celery as I felt it needed a little more crunch, other than that it was perfect! As for the bread, I used buns that are for bratwurst- they've got a meatier bite to them and will not get soggy.

I need to make a trip into town to shop for specialty items such as chipotles in adobo sauce and some fancier types of cheeses as our commissary doesn't carry those kinds of items.

Enjoy your summertime vegetables and fruits and make something new and exciting for your friends and family this week!

Fruit Smoothies

2007-07-23T11:23:00.000+01:00

Just about everyone loves a good fruit smoothie and I’m no exception. I fell head over heels in love with smoothies during our summer vacation in 2003. Well I finally decided to break down and make them from scratch instead of buying those over priced bottles of smoothies from the grocery store. So here is what I did…in my blender I put;

2 cups plain yogurt

3 ripe bananas

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

¼ to ½ cup turbinado sugar (you can also use plain granulated white sugar)

1 cup of ice

And puree the heck out of it! Oh my word it’s soooooo yummy!!!! Apparently my bananas weren’t all that sweet and neither were the strawberries so I HAD to add the sugar (it was just too darn tart).

Coffee and Coffee Makers

2007-07-22T12:01:00.000+01:00

Last week I had the funniest conversation with my mother in law about coffee and coffee pots. We talked about brands of coffee and how the ground stuff in a can has changed over the years. Sizes for one this...they keep putting less and less in the cans of coffee. I mentioned how I like to grind my own beans (coffee beans that is) from time to time. But I also grind them there at the grocery store/commissary. When we spoke of brands she didn't have a favorite one per say- just what ever was the least expensive in a can. Myself I prefer to buy and use Millstone, my flavor "Swiss Chocolate Almond". Another favorite (it's a seasonal flavor) is Pumpkin Spice- there's something about cinnamon and nutmeg and just a hint of pumpkin, m'm it's so yummy! Since I'm the only coffee drinker in the house I can pretty much make what ever flavor of coffee that what I want.

Our conversation turns to coffee pots, and this is where it gets funny. We both are saying the same thing...it costs more to replace a broken carafe than it does to replace the entire coffee making system. Why is that? I never really understood that concept. I've had a handful of coffee makers over the years and to be honest the best ones were the cheapest ones. The most expensive coffee maker that I ever bought was made by Cuisinart and it was also my biggest disappointment. I was going on reputation for Cuisinart being extremely reliable and have a sterling reputation for quality. Well apparently that didn't apply to their coffee makers- or at least to the 2 that I had, UGH! The first thing to go was the stop and pour system. then the lid to the coffee pot broke...all within 3 weeks of me owning the darn thing! So I take it back to the store and they give me another one...this one makes it a little longer (3 months) then it too does the exact same thing. I deal with the defective coffee pot for nearly a year. We moved here (Ellsworth AFB, SD) in the fall of 2003 and that's when I said "adios" to the coffee pot and I went out in search of a new one. Not being impressed by the last brand of coffee maker that I had owned, I look at discount stores like Wal-Mart, Target, ShopKo and K-Mart for something that will suit my needs. I found one at Target- it's by Phillips. I've had it almost 4 years now and it has by far out preformed that Cuisinart that I had owned while we lived in Virginia. Before that...I would get those free ones from Gevalia Coffee (you've seen the ads in magazines). Those free coffee pots are the best! They are awesome appliances, I know that my little 4 cup coffee pot was made by Krups and it was an awesome appliance!
My mother in laws story is pretty much the same, it would be one name brand appliance after another that would just crap out on her. Her biggest complaints being that 1- the heating element would burn out and 2- the price of replacing the carafe. She's buy a $35 coffee maker and have it cost her $25 for the new carafe. So one day after yet another carafe breaks she starts using her Pyrex measuring cup as a stand in replacement, LOL! Then of course the heating element gives out. My father in law who by the way is not ever in tune with his wife's needs actually does something nice for her...he's at the grocery store and there's this in store sales promotion on of all things...coffee makers and they were $4.99. My father in law remembering something about my m-i-l and her coffee maker issues buys one and brings it home to his wife. My m-i-l looks at this coffee maker and says what the heck lets give it a try. It's some no name off the wall brand...she now SWEARS BY THIS THING! She says that it brews the best pot of coffee, no more high priced name brand coffee makers for her, she too is going for what ever works.

bye bye Cilantro

2007-07-19T13:59:00.000+01:00

It's official...I've killed my Cilantro plants. The other herbs are doing fairly well but the Cilantro is no more and for that I am sad. I'll have to go to a plant nursery and buy a couple more plants...this time I'll baby them a bit more.

Organizing your kitchen work space

2007-07-11T13:43:00.000+01:00

How is your kitchen organized? Can you find things easily and quickly? Or are you "hunting" for them? How about your dinnerware (plates, soup bowls and the like)? Is it in areas that makes retrieving and putting away easy? How about your serve-ware (serving bowls, platters etc.)? Where are they located?

I have a girlfriend who just kills me (makes me laugh my head off) when she enters my kitchen. She's under the misguided idea that everything needs to be located around the dishwasher. Sorry but I don't believe that one for a second! Locating your dishes, glasses and serving pieces is just as important as assigning work or task station areas in the kitchen. Where do you like to chop your vegetables? When using a mixer, where in your kitchen do you like to do that? Those things are just as important as to where in your kitchen your utensils and dinnerware are located.

My last kitchen was a shoebox- it had 3 upper and 3 lower cabinets where I could store things along with a whopping 3 drawers. Yes it is what you would call a Galley Kitchen (and no, we didn't live on a boat).

This kitchen is larger than my last but I find that at times I could use more storage space- only because I have more cake pans, roasting pans, cookware and spring form pans than anyone else I know, LOL! Okay so maybe having 16 place settings isn't such a good things after all, LOL! Ü Let me ask you this...do you have other items crowed around your plates and bowls? I'll use my Mom's kitchen as an example...she would have all sorts of other little things crowded around in the cabinet where she kept the plates and serving bowls, medicine bottles, a cutting board, miscellaneous papers and a jar with nails (I have no idea what was up with the nails). My point is that you should have only your dishes in the cabinet...no medications, no papers and definitely no jar with nails in it, LOL! You need to have clear access to your dinnerware and serving pieces. From the pictures here you can clearly see that I have loads of plates and bowls but there is nothing hindering the access to them. Nothing that I have to move out of the way or worry about falling out of the cabinet when retrieving anything from it.

My serving bowls are located near my gas range. It's easy to take hot items and put them into bowls or onto platters. Also my ceramic 9x13 and 8x8 bake-ware and casserole dishes are located in the same area for ease of access.

Now you may have noticed that neither of these areas is located "near" the dishwasher. The area near my dishwasher is a bit troublesome to get to really, so I prefer to have my glassware and coffee mugs located there. On the far cabinet side (the one really difficult to get to) I store lesser used items such as pitchers, sauce boats, wine glasses and pilsners (beer glasses).

Task Lighting

2007-07-10T17:17:00.000+01:00

Do you see the 3 silver little round things under the cabinet? That's task lighting. My husband who is so attentive to my needs installed a touch pad for me to tap to get the lights to come on. It's a cool thing to have to give me extra light when working in that area of my kitchen. The space between the stove and the sink also has under cabinet task lighting.