A Pair of Bartletts

Grandma's Vegetable Beef Soup

I made this incredibly warming, comforting and downright yummy soup today, and it was all thanks to Rob's late Grandmother Crabtree. Y'all know by now that I don't measure much of anything, but I think I can get this pretty close for those who need to stick to the step by step.

Here is what you will need:

GRANDMA CRABTREE'S VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

2 pounds of good beef stew meat

2-3 beef boulion cubes (or more to taste)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3 large ribs of celery, chopped bite sized

5 large carrots, peeled & sliced into 1/4 rounds

1 cup heaping frozen mixed vegetables

1 heaping cup frozen mixed okra

1 cup heaping frozen butter beans

1 medium russet potato, cubed (small) (optional)

1 large can of whole tomatoes in sauce

Water

Coarse kosher salt

Black pepper

Olive oil

In a large 5 quart Dutch oven, heat a few teaspoons of olive oil and brown stew meat, enough to get color but not cooked through. Cover meat with about 4-5 cups of water (halfway up the pot) and drop in at least 2 boulion cubes and add two good pinches of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, cover and let meat cook about 15-20 minutes. Add chopped onion, carrots and celery and cook 15 more minutes at a rapid simmer. Add frozen veggies, then add whole tomatoes one at the time, squishing each one before you drop it in. Add all residual tomato sauce from the can. Add enough water (if necessary) to fill the pot almost to the top. Allow to cook at a very rapid simmer, stirring off and on for a good hour. Adjust seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. If you want a thicker "stoup" (Rachel Ray's term for a cross between a stew and a soup), add the chopped potato in the last 15 minutes of cooking. If you don't use the potato, consistency will remain that of soup. Adding the potato will definitely thicken it a bit.

Serve with crackers, cornbread or some hot homemade crusty bread. Enjoy!!!

Refreshed

Well, all I can say is, I'm REALLY AND TRULY finally back to the blogging realm.  I thought I was going to catch up recently and the Lord just had a different agenda.  There has been so much happening....some incredible things that God has done.....all of which I can't wait to share with you.  Let's take them little by little...we've got all spring and summer to catch up!

I will say that during my hiatus, the Lord has grown me in ways that I never thought possible, simply because I think that sometimes, we put so many LIMITS on the Lord. In Isaiah 55 it say that His ways are higher than our ways...

⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
   so are my ways higher than your ways 
   and my thoughts than your thoughts."

And in Jeremiah 29, we are promised that His thoughts towards us are good...

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

And friends, I can tell you that the Lord is faithful to uphold HIS promises.  I have so many instances that I can tell you about that have happened in the last few months...countless examples of God's faithfulness.  But, one thing at a time....there's plenty of time for catching you up to speed.  

So why don't you come back....grab something ice cold to drink and sit down with me for a little bit.  As a matter of fact, I'll get you started.  Here's a great little refresher that I put together today after coming in out of the yard...nothing fancy....and just using things that I had at home already.

SPRINGTIME BLUEBERRY ZINGER

1/3 cup semi frozen blueberries

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

crushed ice

unsweet fresh brewed iced tea (or sweet, if you want the sugar)

Muddle the blueberries with some of the crushed ice and lemon juice in a large tumbler like this....

Then add the brewed iced tea and more ice....give it a stir...and enjoy!

Blessings to you....stay tuned for more,

 

 
 

What Kind of Pumpkin Are You?

I LOVE FALL!  I love EVERYTHING about it!  I love the COLORS, I love the SMELLS and the FLAVORS!   God was so good to us when He created such richly colored and flavored things like pumpkins.  I think pumpkins are beautiful to look at and I love their flavor....in both sweet and savory things.  I also love pumpkins because they remind me of the Glory of the Lord.  Have you ever seen two pumpkins that look just alike?  If you have, then we're ALL going to be rich!  You can't show me two pumpkins that are 100% identical to each other...YOU CAN'T DO IT!  

Pumpkins are beautiful things...they come in  an incredible palette of colors, some have bumps, some have ridges and lines, and sometimes, they are as smooth as silk.   Some have knotty stems and some have really beautiful stereotypically formed pumpkin stems.  Some might even have a worm hole or two!

God's children are a lot like pumpkins.  We have lumps and bumps and we have things that to some, are "not so beautiful", but to others, are just breathtaking.  We have lines and ridges...and we can be rigid when we want to be...and at times, we can be as smooth as silk in the outward showing of our personalities.  But lumps, bumps or otherwise, God created us uniquely and as incredible individuals...each of us being a total masterpiece in the eyes of the Father.  It's hard to remember sometimes that God created the beautiful and the not so beautiful...but to HIM....total perfection.  After all, we are created in HIS image!

         "So God created man in his own image, 
       in the image of God he created him; 
       male and female he created them."

                                 Genesis 1:27

Well, believe it or not, this was what I was pondering today as I made a batch of some really fabulous pumpkin soup.  I hope that you will consider it all "food for thought", no pun(kin) intended!

I'll leave you with the recipe that I used, and yes the pictures above were from today's batch of soup.  I hope that you'll try it!  The recipe is adapted from one that belongs to one of my favorite Food Network chefs, Robin Miller.  You can find her exact recipe for this soup by clicking here.  I will include my recipe below, since I have a couple of things that I add in addition to Robin's INCREDIBLE recipe.  I hope that you enjoy it!  And if you are looking for economical...THIS IS YOUR RECIPE!  For those of you who are fellow American Frugal Housewives...you'll love it!

SMOKY PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CUMIN

1 can (15 oz.) of canned pumpkin**, ~OR~ 15 oz. of fresh cooked pumpkin

1 ½ cups of reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup milk (I use Horizon Organic 2%)

1 pinch ground sage

1 pinch ground cinnamon 

½ tsp Sun Crystals (or other sugar substitute like Splenda)

15 turns of the peppermill

¼ tsp. sea salt

1 pinch ground bay leaves (or 2 whole bay leaves)

**MAKE SURE that you do NOT buy the pumpkin pie mix!  It should be the PLAIN canned pumpkin!

Whisk all of the ingredients together over medium heat. Serve hot!   If you like a smoother texture, you can process the soup through either a food mill or a food processor for a smoother puree.   If you are not a cumin fan, or if you are not sure if you are, then you may want to start with ¼ tsp. of cumin and then work up from there.  I love it, so I use the 1 tsp. that it calls for.

Enjoy!

 

 

Spatchcocked Rosemary Chicken With Olive Oil

Sorry for not being as prepared with step by step pictures for this recipe as I usually am.  We have been in the process of moving and getting settled into a new home, so things have been a little hectic, to say the very least.  One thing is for sure though, when Rob said this was the best chicken that I've made the whole time we've been married (and I've made LOTS of chicken), suffice it to say that I had to share enough to give you the method and the ingredients.   

Those who follow this blog regularly (if that's you, thank you!) will remember the post that I did regarding the "spatchcock" method of cooking chicken.  If you missed that, the posts are in the "categories", so you should be able to find them.  At any rate, this is the only method that I use for roasting a chicken now that I've mastered it.  I LOVE IT!  It's so easy, the cooking time is so much less, and the chicken is SO moist and delicious, no matter what flavor profile that you should choose in the marinade.  

When I got busy trying to get us ready for the move, my beautiful herbs at the other house became a victim of the heat and my neglect of watering them.  So, for now, I'm starting over.  While at the hardware store in our little town this past Saturday, I bought the most beautiful rosemary bush...not a little plant, but a BUSH for $11.99...what a deal!  As the young man at the hardware store was putting it in my car, I couldn't help but start to think of what I would marinate for dinner that night.  I had just bought a whole chicken the day before...so problem solved! 

I usually try and get measurements for you on recipes, but this time, I had so much going and had mixed up the marinade before I could think about noticing what my measurements were (I was not taught to cook by measure but to measure by sight).  But, I have a pretty good idea of what to tell you, so here it is...and trust me, the longer this marinates, the better.  It has a LOT of rosemary in it, but I love that flavor and I like it strong...so if you want to back off a little, feel free.  Make it your own!

ROSEMARY CHICKEN WITH OLIVE OIL

1 cup of very good quality extra virgin olive oil

4 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

3 large cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp. coarse Kosher salt

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1 Tbsp. good quality dijon mustard

4 pound whole chicken, all giblets removed

In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except the olive oil.  Whisk them together until well combined.  While whisking, stream in the olive oil until you have an emulsion.  (You can also do this in the blender if you would like, but if you use a blender, add the rosemary AFTER you have blended the ingredients, otherwise, you'll end up with pesto sauce.) 

With poultry shears, turn the chicken breast side down.  Place the shears on one side of the backbone and cut straight up and away from you.  Then repeat on the other side of the backbone.  Once you have cut up both sides, then you should have successfully removed the backbone.  At this point, it is not necessary to remove the breast bones, but I prefer to do it since it makes the chicken lie flat.  It also decreases the cooking time.  If you choose to do this, then just flip the chicken over and use your shears to clip around the membranes and clip out the breast bones.  Maybe one day I'll do a video tutorial on this...

Place the spatchcocked chicken in a gallon sized zip loc (heavy duty) bag.  Pour the marinade into the bag and over the chicken.  Seal up the bag and "squish" it all together to ensure that the marinade gets into every part of the chicken.  Place in the fridge and marinate over night.  

Place the chicken breast side up on a foil lined baking pan that has an edge (to catch the liquid).  The chicken should be flat and look like this:

 Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until the meat is at least 180 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  (It is harmful to your health to consume raw or undercooked poultry...please make sure that you test for doneness!)

Your chicken should be golden brown, succulent and beautiful....here's how mine turned out:

I hope that you enjoy it as much as we did!  I had leftovers tonight and it was even better the second time around (wrapped in foil and re-heated in the oven at 375 degrees).

Blessings!

    

 

Got Toast?

....it laughs in the face of apple butter.  Heaven in a jar...thanks Mom! 

 

Sourdough Bread: How To Begin (easy sourdough for the beginner or novice)

(from the blog article titled "Sourdough Baking The Basics, by S. John Ross)

Sourdough bread is bread made without added yeast. By making a "starter" in which wild yeast can grow, the sourdough baker can raise bread naturally, as mankind did for thousands and thousands of years before a packet of yeast was an available convenience at the local market. Not all sourdough is sour-tasting; Amish Friendship Bread and other types of live-yeast breads are also sourdough.

via http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm

Since we are about to be in full swing of the moving process and will be boxing everything under the sun, the least I can do is get my sourdough starter "started". That way, it will be raring to go as soon as we get to the house in the next couple of weeks. I wanted to share this blog because it's about the best on that I've ever seen in regard to breaking out and explaining the sourdough and the sourdough starter process.

Break bakers....UNITE!

Let me know how your starter turns out!

Rolo Pretzel Turtles~from Tina at Cherryhill Cottage

 

 

To see how to make these beauties...you need to check out my friend Tina's site...I can't wait to make these!  You can find this yummy post at Cherry Hill Cottage Check out Tina's site when you can...she is a fabulous cook!

 

Mint Tea on a Hot Summer Day

 

 

WHEN SPEAKING OF ICED TEA,  "Truvy" (played by Dolly Parton), in Steel Magnolias, exclaimed "It's the house wine of the South!".  Well, she wasn't kidding!  If you live in the South, you will find iced tea on every corner.  It's probably my favorite drink of all time.  Now, most everyone in the Deep South favors sweet tea ("swayt tay"), and that's okay.  As a child, however, I drank unsweetened iced tea.  So, I have diverted a tiny bit from the traditional Southern preparation, but LOVE a good brewed iced tea, nonetheless.  

 

Today has been quite a scorcher, so all I could think about was a cold glass of iced tea...and then I walked by my mint plant and had a change of plans.  Not only did I want iced tea, I WANTED SOME ICED MINT TEA.  You do NOT have to spend big bucks to have simple little pleasures like homemade mint tea.  And,  herbs of any sort are so easy to grow and keep here in the Deep South.  (Right now I've got sweet basil, Greek oregano, mint and rosemary.  I have some plans to add a few more in the next couple of weeks, so as soon as I'm finished, I'll post some pics of my kitchen garden.)

 

In the meantime, go grab some mint and serve yourself a big cold glass of mint "tay"--SHUGAH (Lucretia, that was for you sister!)!  

 

The Wife's Mint Tea

2 family sized bags Lipton "Iced Tea Brew" tea bags

6-10 fresh mint leaves (washed and patted dry)

sugar or honey for sweetness (optional)

2 quarts of water

Place tea bags and the mint leaves in the desired pitcher.  Bring water to a boil in a kettle or in a pot on the  the stove (I use an electric kettle).  Once boiling, pour water over the tea bags and the mint leaves and allow to steep for 5 minutes. (Add sugar or honey at this point if you are making sweetened tea.  Mix thoroughly to dissolve.) Remove tea bags and allow tea to cool.  Remove mint before serving.  Garnish iced tea glass with a sprig of fresh mint. Enjoy!

 

Nana's Southern Pickled Peaches

 

Directions Combine the sugar, vinegar and water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Press one or two cloves into each peach, and place into the boiling syrup. Boil for 20 minutes, or until peaches are tender. Spoon peaches into sterile jars and top with liquid to 1/2 inch from the rim. Put one cinnamon stick into each jar. Wipe the rims with a clean dry cloth, and seal with lids and rings. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal, or consult times recommended by your local extension.

via allrecipes.com

I cannot wait to get jars of these good ol' standby's on my pantry shelves. It's so funny, these are things that we only had at holidays, funerals and family reunions! I make a motion that we have pickled spiced peaches all year 'round!

What is something that you feel is something that has been more a part of traditional days than regular days and what are you going to do to try and bring in into your home year 'round?

 

In A Pickle

In the midst of grilling some fabulous ribs and making some yummy potato salad, I threw a few jars of these bad boys together.  What is summer without cool crisp pickles!  I love sparkle-y jars of homemade canned goods!  What is your favorite homemade canned good to make?

 

 
 

Zowie! Zucchini Bread

I believe that my sweet husband was a little "less" than enthusiastic when I told him that I was going to make some zucchini bread with the beautiful golden zucchini that we bought last night.  He's really never had a chance to try it, and you know what they say, "don't knock it 'til you try it"!  And folks...he's now a believer!  

I've had a couple of folks ask me for my recipe, so here it is.  I'll be the first to tell you, it's not the conventional recipe, but just try it.  There are a couple of special ingredients in it that really put this recipe over the top.  First, I use demerara sugar, instead of regular white sugar.  The demerara gives it the most beautiful caramel color.  I use Florida Crystals Demerara Sugar, but there are plenty of others out there.  Just use what you can find.  

And secondly, I don't use vegetable oil, which is what is typically used.  Instead, I use (heart smart) extra light olive oil.  Now I know what you are thinking...olive oil?  In a sweet bread?  Gentle reader, don't you worry....I know that olive oil is typically used in savory dishes, but by using extra light, it will not compromise the sweet flavor profile AT ALL!  Your finished product will taste NOTHING like olives and it will have an incredibly tender texture....and even better, olive oil is SO good for you.   

 

 

I hope that you will try it....don't let it "bug you" that you're using zucchini in a sweet bread.  The zucchini is used simply for the moisture....and if you have little short people in your house, they'll never know that there are veggies in their treat!  You can even use this batter for muffins!

Well, without further adieu....I'll leave you with my recipe. Let me know how you like it!

 

The Wife's Zucchini Bread

3 cups unbleached, all purpose flour* 

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

1 cup *extra light* olive oil

3 large eggs

2 1/2 cups Demerara sugar

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.  Mix eggs, vanilla, sugar & oil thoroughly. Then incorporate the dry ingredients a little at the time until all are mixed.  The batter will be very thick, almost like cookie dough.  Add the grated zucchini and mix thoroughly.  The dough will then turn into a thick batter.  Recipe makes 2 loaves, or you can make muffins with it.  Enjoy!

*if you do not have unbleached all purpose flour, regular all purpose flour will be fine.

**optional--sprinkle extra demerara sugar on top of the batter prior to baking, which will create a little crunchy topping

Vegging Out

I'm SO excited about my great find tonight at my favorite local produce market (I love you Alegri Farms!).  Don't these golden zucchini look amazing!  The picture almost doesn't do them justice.  They are SO bright and SO sunny, they just scream "Summer!".  And I have big plans for this sunny bunch....some will find themselves in a sauté, some will find themselves being roasted....and the rest, well there is a fabulous batch of yummy zucchini bread in their little futures!

And those precious little pickling cucumbers?  What is their fate you ask?  There is definitely a little batch of New Pickle on the horizon.  It's so crunchy-sweet-tangy, all in one bite.....my mouth is puckering already!

What are your favorite summer veggies?

 

  

Spatchcocked Chicken 2 The Finished Product (Asian Style)

Voilà!  May I present my first attempt at Spatchcocked chicken!

 

And might I add, it was SO tender and SO juicy! The Asian flavors were SO yummy!  This is a must try!  I also cut up two sweet yellow onions and cooked them around the chicken.   

 

Since the chicken cooks at a high temp (see "Spatchcocked Chicken 1"), the onions caramelized beautifully and were SO sweet!

 

I removed the onions after roasting the chicken and mixed them in a bowl with these roasted potatoes (roasted with olive oil, sea salt and rosemary).  It made a wonderful side dish!  

We thoroughly enjoyed this new method for roasting chicken, and will MOST certainly be trying it again soon.  We are also going to use this method of prepping the chicken the next time that we grill out.  This method is great for grilling!

I hope that you will try it too!  Please let me know if you do...and by all means, please send me your pictures!

What new methods are you trying in your kitchen?

 

Spatchcocked Chicken 1 (Asian Style)

spatch·cock

 

–noun

1.

a fowl that has been dressed and split open for grilling.

–verb (used with object)

2.

to prepare and roast (a fowl) in this manner.

When I first read about the spatchcock method of chicken preparation, I'll have to say that I was a bit overwhelmingly intimidated.  After all, it looked like a method that only the incredible Julia Child or maybe Alton Brown could pull off.  I first read about it in a magazine and then began to look around on the internet.  Apparently, it was a consensus. All I should need would be the chicken (of course) and a pair of poultry shears.  Why is it that the things that are really the most simple can really seem the most difficult?

At any rate, I was determined to climb what I thought was a culinary mountain. Mountain?  Well, it was more like a mole hill.  I will tell you though, you must have a very strong pair of poultry shears that will easily cut through bone.  If you have that (and the chicken...don't forget the chicken!), then you're all set.  As for the flavor profile that you choose for the roasting, the possibilities are absolutely endless.  I happen to be using an Asian flavor in my bird, but you may like something as simple as some salt, pepper and garlic.   Or, you may like some white wine, thyme and rosemary....or even just a simple Italian dressing marinade.  Like I said, the possibilities are ENDLESS!

 

Okay...onward and upward!  This post is going to show you the method itself.  I will be cooking my Asian marinated spatchcocked chicken tomorrow evening.  So, make sure and check back here on Tuesday to see the pictures of how it turned out!

SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

1.  Using a 3-4 pound chicken, turn the chicken breast side down on the work surface.  When looking down at the chicken, the wings should be at the top and the legs should be at the bottom.

2.  Use your fingers to trace the backbone up and down the bird so that you know where you will be cutting.  Start on one side of the backbone and cut up and away from you straight to the top of the chicken.  Then take the shears and place them on the other side of the backbone and do likewise.  (Sorry, I had cut the chicken before I realized I had not taken a pic of this step, but you'll see the outcome below)

3.  Here is the finished product.  You can see the size of the backbone that was cut out at the bottom of the picture.  The legs should lie down flat now.

4.  Now when you turn the bird over, you should be able to press everything down flat.  At this point, your bird is ready for whatever flavor profile your little heart may desire.   

5.  Roast in your desired dish in a preheated 500° oven for 30 minutes (yes, I said 30 minutes!), or until the internal temperature is 165° on an instant read thermometer (in the thickest part of the thigh) and the juices run clear.  

When you get ready to roast, you can choose to put vegetables around it, or you may choose to do the chicken by itself.  Whatever way that you choose, I'm sure that it will be delicious.  And please, by all means let me know if you try this method and let me know what flavor profile that you chose.  I would love to post some of the results!  And send pictures too!  

For now, my method was an Asian marinade.  As I type, my freshly spatchcocked little bird is resting for the night in a gallon sized zip lock bag, swimming in some mighty yummy Asian flavors!

JEN'S YUMMY ASIAN MARINADE

1/4 cup extra light olive oil

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce

2 tsp freshly grated ginger root

Wisk the above ingredients together thoroughly.  Salt and pepper the chicken and place in a gallon sized zip lock freezer bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken.  Press the extra air out of the bag and seal.  Squish the chicken around in the bag and make sure that the marinade has covered all of the pieces.  Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight. Cook using the method above.  

See you back here on Tuesday!

 

Strawberry Pretzel Salad (A light and refreshing Easter dessert)

We are keeping it light and easy for Easter dinner on Sunday.  This salad has been a long time favorite of mine.  It's called a salad, but it's really more of a dessert, but it makes me feel better to still call it a "salad"!  I hope that you will give it a try.  The first time I heard about it, my first reaction was "strawberries and pretzels? what kind of salad is that?"  But I promise you...it's got a wonderfully unique flavor.  The sugar that is cooked with the salty pretzels and then topped with all of that strawberry and cream cheese yumminess (yes, it's a word).....it's divine!

Let me know how you like it!

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

1 1/2 c. crushed pretzels
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. melted butter
1 (6 oz.) box strawberry Jell-o
2 c. boiling water
1 (16 oz.) frozen strawberries
1 (9 oz.) Cool Whip
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 c. sugar

Crush pretzels, not into a fine powder, but just crush them.  You still want to recognize that there are pretzels in the crust.  . Mix together pretzels, 1/2 cup sugar and butter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes in a 9" x 13" pan. Beat together the Cool Whip, cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar. Spread onto the TOTALLY cooled crust. Add boiling water into Jello. When the Jell-o is thoroughly mixed and free of any powder, add strawberries. Place Jello in refrigerator until it becomes partially gelled. Place on top of the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate covered with Saran Wrap. You can place toothpicks around the dish so that the plastic wrap doesn't stick to the top of the pretty dish.

 

Poundcake Muffins

Okay....pay close attention.  I'm going to give you the instructions on these really fast.  Go to the baking aisle of the grocery store.  Next, find the muffin mixes, specifically those named after a woman named "Martha".  Locate the ones that say "poundcake" and get 2 bags.  Now go home.

Next, once you have gotten home, take out a mixing bowl.  Put both packages into the bowl and add one cup of milk (I use organic milk, but who cares).  Mix thoroughly but don't over mix.  (For an added touch, sprinkle a little demerara sugar, or regular sugar on top before baking...just to make them "truly" homemade).  Two packages will make 5-6 jumbo muffins and about a dozen regular sized muffins.  The ones in the picture are out of a jumbo muffin tin.

These are certainly not my momma's poundcake, but let me tell you one thing....they will "do" in a pinch.  If you don't want to make the muffins, you can mix the two packages the same way and just pour the whole thing in a loaf pan....I won't tell the people that you work with that you really didn't make it from scratch....it will be our little secret!

I promise~~~~~

   

 

Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal

 What says love on a cold night more than a hot steamy bowl of oatmeal?  Well, it's been cold here again, so for supper tomorrow night, we are going to try a new spin on oatmeal...how about some Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal?  Honestly, there's not that much to it, but I thought it sounded pretty yummy.  The idea was on the Taste of Home website.  Not only does it sound great but it's a pretty frugal dish to make.  Add some toast on the side and we're done!   This is also great for me because Monday's are SO hectic at work.  It really is nice to have something quick on Monday's...then I don't mind cooking the rest of the week! And hey, not only is it quick, but it's definitely in the spirit of the American Frugal Housewife!

What's your quick fix for hectic Monday's?

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk or water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 large bananas, sliced
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a large saucepan, bring milk and salt to a boil. Stir in oats; cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in the bananas, peanut butter and vanilla. Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 
 

   

 

Quick Boeuf Bourguignon

Sorry I don't have pictures tonight...I guess that's why it's called "Quick" boeuf bourguignon!   But stick with me....you can do this.  It was VERY easy and VERY flavorful!

QUICK BOUEF BOURGUIGNON

2 pounds of good beef tips

1 large Spanish onion (yellow), sliced in very thin rounds 

1 sweet red bell pepper, cut in strips

10-12 sliced baby bella mushrooms with stems removed (baby portabellas--wiped free of dirt with damp paper towel, not washed under water)

1 cup red wine

15 oz. can beef broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

extra virgin olive oil 

Kosher salt

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven.  Add onions and bell peppers and sweat them down (keep them moving and don't let them caramelize). (I use a mandolin to slice the onions into the thin rounds.  If you don't have one, you can just use a knife...but be careful! ) Sprinkle a pinch of Kosher salt over the saute to help sweat them out.  Once they start to turn a little translucent, add sliced baby bellas and continue to saute.  Once the mushrooms start to saute well and start smelling nutty, remove everything from the pan into a large bowl and set aside.  With the same dutch oven, add another 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil and bring back up to temperature.  Salt and pepper the beef tips and then add to the hot olive oil.  Brown meat until outside is browned but inside is still rare.  Add back the veggies and mix together well.  Add the wine and the beef broth and bring back to a bubble.  Adjust the seasoning at this point to your taste.  Let sauce reduce for about 10 minutes on medium heat.  Once reduced, add cream of mushroom soup to tighten up the sauce.  Adjust seasoning again if you need to.

Serve with either rice or with broad egg noodles.  The sauce to this is SO flavorful.  I could just drink the sauce like a soup!  We had this tonight and it was SO yummy on a cool night!

Enjoy!  Or as Julia would say.....Bon Appetit!

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Julie's Recipe)

If you liked the roasted cream of asparagus soup recipe earlier this week, then you have to try this one.  I have to give all the credit to my sweet sister in law, Julie.  She is a fabulous cook and the one who turned me on to doing sweet potatoes this way.  Honestly, I was SO skeptical as to how my taste buds would react.  I have this sweet vs. savory phobia....I don't like them mixed together..usually.  And since we're in the Deep South, sweet potatoes are not usually done this way.  They are usually all covered up with everything from brown sugar to marshmallow to four inches of butter.  But not these!  Give them a try!

(2 servings)

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into cubes

extra virgin olive oil

coarse Kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.  potatoes into 2 inch cubes.  Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet (Julie and I use a Pampered Chef stoneware "bar pan").  Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil.  Then sprinkle with Kosher salt and give about 15 grinds with the black pepper mill.   Roast for about 20 minutes or until fork tender.  

I served these with my cream of oven roasted asparagus soup and some homemade cornbread for dinner the other night.  They were all a hit, especially on a very cold winter night!

Enjoy!

 

Cream of Oven Roasted Asparagus Soup

It's SO cold here in our home town right now (has been in the 20's)!  If that were not enough, I myself have had the sniffles for the past week.  With that being said, I had a craving for some soup tonight but didn't want the "same-old same-old" standby, like veggie beef or chicken noodle.  No, tonight, I was craving something "gourmet-ish", but at the same time, REALLY easy and quick.  

Here is my quick and easy take on a VERY fast pot of cream of roasted asparagus soup. You could essentially follow this same recipe but could substitute other veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash or any other veggie that you would like to try.  

Soup....it's "what's for dinner"!  Enjoy!

CREAM OF OVEN ROASTED ASPARAGUS SOUP

(serves 4 bowls or 6 cups of soup)

1 bunch of asparagus 

1 pint of heavy cream (or half and half, your preference)

3 cups 2% milk (I use Horizon Organic with DHA Omega-3)

coarse Kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 or 2 dashes of garlic powder

1 or 2 dashes of onion powder

extra virgin olive oil

Danish Havarti cheese for grating (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°.  Take each asparagus stalk and bend it.  The stalk will snap when you do this.  Discard the end of the stalk that snapped off.  Once you have snapped all of the stalks, place then in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle them with a hefty (not soaking) drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and then sprinkle them with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Then take a pair of tongs and toss them to coat all of the stalks.  Spread them back into a single layer and roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender, but still bright green in color. 

(pictured above, roasted asparagus that has been cut and ready to go in the processor) 

Remove the roasted veggies from the oven.  Cut the hot asparagus into "canned green bean sized" pieces.  Place the hot veggies in a food processor or a blender and pureé.  Once pureed, stream in the heavy cream and continue to process.  Then stream in the .. 

(pictured above, hot steamy asparagus, ready to be processed) 

Once combined, remove the mixture and put into a pot and heat on medium high until very hot but not boiling.  Add the garlic powder and onion powder.  Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste and serve.  Add a grating of a little Danish Havarti cheese to the top for extra flavor and maybe some extra pepper.

 

 

Christmas Carrots (A Super Soufflé)

Christmas Carrots

(my adaptation of the Piccadilly restaurant's recipe for carrot soufflé) 

4 pounds of baby carrots (pre peeled in bags)

2 sticks of salted real butter

5 large eggs, well beaten

3 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ cups sugar

4 Tbsp. flour

3 tsp. pure vanilla extract

powdered sugar for dusting

 

1.  Boil the baby carrots until very tender and drain them well.  While the carrots are hot, puree them in a food processor until smooth.  I have a large food processor, so I puree them in two batches.  Divide the butter into how many batches that you are going to puree.  For me, doing two batches, I use 1 stick of butter in each batch.  If you are doing 4 batches of puree, then you would use ½ stick of butter with each batch.  It will depend on how large your processor is as to how many batches of puree that you will need to do.  

 

2.  Measure dry ingredients and add them to a mixing bowl and set aside.  Once you have finished all of your puree, add puree to dry ingredients and mix with a heavy spatula.  Take out 2-3 Tbsp. of the mixture and add to the bowl of beaten eggs to temper the eggs.  Once mixed, add the egg mixture back to the large bowl of the carrot mixture and blend thoroughly.  

 

3.  Preheat the oven to 350°.  Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with non stick cooking spray.  Pour the soufflé mixture into the baking dish and bake at 350° for 1 hour.  If using a disposable aluminum dish, choose the 9" x 13" lasagne pan.  If using a dish of your own, a 9" x 13" glass dish works well.  

 

4.  Dust the top of the soufflé with powdered sugar and serve hot.

 

 This dish has become one of my immediate family's favorites, so much so that no one want sweet potato casserole anymore.  I made this on Christmas Eve for an extended family gathering.  It went over very well, especially considering that it was being served to a "die hard" sweet potato casserole crowd!

It's so good that you can even eat it as a dessert!

Enjoy!

 

 

 
 
 

Homemade Pantry Pleasures

I discovered this great recipe over at Monica's blog, The Homespun Heart.  This is a great mix to have on hand!  I'm going to make a jar for myself this weekend and think I may even may a few "gift jars" of this handy dandy little mix!

2 Corinthians 9:7 (New King James Version)

⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Thanks to Monica for always sharing such great tips and ideas.  If you have not visited Monica, please stop by her "house"....I guarantee that you will see something there that will make you smile!

Cream Soup Mix

2 c. powdered milk
3/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. chicken bouillon
2 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 tsp. basil leaves
1 tsp. thyme, ground
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients in an airtight container. When you have a recipe that calls for cream of chicken soup, blend 1/3 c. of dry mixture with 1 1/4 c. cold water. Cook, stirring until thickened. Use as recipe requires.

 

What's Cookin' ??

 

This is what I'm curling up with tonight!  This is the coolest book!  It's not entirely a cookbook, but more of an encyclopedia of all of the greatest instructions and "how-to's" composed by Julia herself....and straight out of that genius brain of hers.  I'll have to report on some of her cool tips once I've had a chance to peruse the pages.  

Julia is one of my all time favorite "pre-Food Network" chefs.  As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that she is one of the greatest chefs of all time.  I love the new guys just as much as anyone else, but Julia will always be the best in my book....a class act of all class acts.

What book are you curling up with?

 

Pom Pom Pomanders!

Ephesians 5:2 (New King James Version)

² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

I absolutely LOVE the smell of spices, but especially cinnamon, cloves and all of those great "Christmasy" spices that make it holiday time.  What's even better is making a fun craft with my niece and nephews.  I had a great time with them last year during Thanksgiving. We did a craft project on Thanksgiving day and made some "apple turkeys" . They were SO cute!   But, this year, I thought it would be fun to make something new. It didn't take me long to think about what would be fun for them to do while making something decorative that everyone can enjoy. SOOOOO, pomanders it will be!  I remember that my grandmother always loved pomanders.  I wish that she could be here to make them with the children...she would have been right in the middle of all of the festivities!  

So this year, we're going for the sweet smelling craft.  I think that their smell is so yummy and I love how they look all piled up in a bowl.  It will be a lot of fun but I always love to have the opportunity to teach them something at the same time.  There is a history lesson in the pomander, but I think that there is a biblical application as well.  Pomanders were carried by the ladies in the 15th century.  They would wrap them in handkerchiefs and carry them while they were walking along the streets.  To prevent smelling the rancid smells of the streets in the town, they would hold them to their noses and sniff the pomander ball instead.  From the biblical perspective, I think that the story of the pomander could be a very practical reminder to us as Christians.  I think that the smells that the women in the 15th century were trying to avoid represent our sin in the nostrils of our Lord.  And the pomander ball is the sweet smelling aroma that we bring to the Lord when we walk in love.  I pray that I would bring a sweet smelling aroma to my Lord and that I would be reminded of the story of the pomander ball on a daily basis.  I don't want to be the cause of a stench in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.   

What crafts will you do this Thanksgiving?

Another Great Recipe Find--Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I wanted to share this article with you from my new favorite kitchen website. The site is called My Kitchen Cafe and it has some REALLY great finds.  The instructions are super easy and the flavors are really great!  My sister in law made this recipe for my Mom and I on our last trip to visit.  The flavors of the honey, the chili powder and the lime put these over the top!  I hope that you will try them too.  I'm going to make some this weekend for sure.  Simply DELECTABLE!  Go check out their site!  You won't be sorry!  This dish was good to the very last crumb!

 

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
from Brittany at The Sisters' Cafe

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with good results)

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

via mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

My Kitchen Cafe: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I am SOOOOO going to make some of these. They just scream out Fall!   Also...this is my new favorite website, thanks to my sister in law, Julie....thanks Julie!   You have to go and visit My Kitchen Cafe !  I think it might become your new favorite website too!  

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture

*Makes 24 muffins

For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or greased foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In another large bowl combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well 1/3 of the way with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice on top of the batter in each muffin well and gently press (don't press all the way to the bottom but just slightly into the batter). Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the top of the muffin (about 1/3 of the way down) comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

*My tip: if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following combination: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together and you have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Recipe Source: adapted from Annie's Eats

Bonjour!

Look what I just got in the mail and guess what I'm going to be avidly reading?  And avidly experimenting with?  

I'm so excited!  I'm off to read now!  It's like Christmas!  I may not do like "Julie" in the movie and make it through all of her recipes....but I sure am going to try and have as much fun as the lovely Mrs. Child did trying!

BON APPETIT!

French food anyone?

Well, let me just give a big shout out to Melissa D'Arabian, the newest Food Network Star!  I tried one of her recipes night before last and can I tell you something?  It was P-E-R-F-E-C-T!  I have never made ANY pastry dish, much less a French dish,  where it turned out like the picture off of the page of a magazine.  I can usually make them turn out pretty well, but there's always one or two little things that I usually wish may have turned out a little crisper, flakier, etc.  But folks....follow this recipe and you WILL NOT FAIL!  Although, my grocer was out of Gruyere cheese, but I substituted a really good fresh baby Swiss and it was still P-E-R-F-E-C-T!  (Don't just substitute any old cheese...you would need one that is of the same relative consistency and texture of the Gruyere in the recipe, otherwise, you would have either too much or too little moisture in the dish.  So, if you don't know a lot about cheese and you can't find Gruyere....I promise, you won't go wrong with a good baby Swiss (not the sliced kind, but the fresh kind that you would grate yourself--about $6.00 for a pretty decent sized chunk).  

Also...the recipe does give the instructions for making your own pastry.  However, if you are extremely busy, like me, refrigerated pastry crust is just fine...actually, in some cases, it's even better!  I used Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (2 per box--not the crust in the pan but the kind that you would put in your own dish!).  

So, on with the recipe.  I have pasted it for you below, compliments of Food Network and Melissa D'Arabian.  I HOPE that you will try this!  It was absolutely DIVINE!  And if it's any testimony from the husband point of view, Rob LOVED this.  The reason that this thrilled me so much is that he is usually not a "savory pastry" fan.  But he COULD NOT stop talking about this.  He was totally shocked!  After all of his praises the other night, this recipe is DEFINITELY going to the FRONT of my recipe box!  

PLEASE try this and PLEASE let me know what you think!  One final little "cooks tip"....I would HIGHLY recommend that you slice the potatoes using a mandolin  or a food processor slicing blade (or like me,  a Pampered Chef Zyliss slicer, set to thin--not paper thin, maybe about 1/8" thick).  If you don't have evenly sliced potatoes and if they are too thick, this dish is not going to cook evenly and your layers won't be as pretty when you cut it.  But, if you don't have a slicer, just make sure and get the slices as uniform as possible.  You're going to be "dealing these out" in the dish almost like you would deal a deck of cards...they should move that fluidly in your hand.  So, if they don't then you might have them sliced too thick.  

Okay...are you ready?  I have included their text from the website, but the pictures below are mine, each step of the way.  I can't wait to hear from you!

Ingredients

• 4 strips bacon
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme (I was out of fresh, so I used about 1/4 tsp of dried thyme)
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows (I used Pillsbury refrigerated pre-made crusts!)
• 3 medium baking potatoes, peeled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. (I "dock" the bottom of the pie crust with a fork so that it will not bubble up....this will let the steam come through and your crust will cook perfectly--you can see the fork's marks below)  Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon.

Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. 

Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream.) (writers note: I used all of the cream and it was perfect) Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash.

 Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. (My over is calibrated pretty well and 50 minutes was perfect).  

If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

(~~SEE THE PRETTY LAYERS!~~)

Pie Crust:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

Hummus is YUMMUS!

After going to see the new blockbuster, Julie & Julia  today, I was inspired to come home and create something!  I know that the movie revolved around French food, which is YUMMY, but today, I had something different in mind...

Rob and I LOVE Mediterranean/Arabic food, especially at our local favorite restaurant, The Jerusalem Cafe.  We especially love hummus.  We have even become somewhat "hummus connoisseurs" in our own rite.  So, here is the recipe for hummus that I use and that I hope you will try.   It's adapted from the recipe in "How to Cook Everything".  I just use a little more olive oil than what it calls for and I adjust the seasonings a little differently.  I have included step by step instructions and pictures....it's SO easy!  You can eat hummus as an appetizer, but we actually like it for a meal.  You can make sandwiches on the flatbreads instead of cutting them in the triangles if you like.  If you're eating it for a meal...it is very filling.  I hope that you will try it...and by all means, please let me know if you do and let me know how you like it!  Enjoy!  (And it's good for you!)

THE WIFE'S HUMMUS

• (2) 16 oz cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• juice of 2 fresh lemons
• 1/2 cup Tahini (sesame puree)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (high quality)
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
• pinch of sea salt
• parsley (garnish)
• extra virgin olive oil (garnish)
• Hungarian paprika (garnish)
• gyro bread (true flatbread--not pita bread, which is really thin)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or a blender and blend to desired consistency.

To cook flatbreads:

Place flatbreads on a baking sheet and put in the center rack of the oven.  Put oven on broil but watch closely....brown them just a little on the bottom sides and only let the top sides just heat up and stay "white" and soft...just flip them and get them hot on both sides.  Cut in triangles using a pizza cutter.

      

...and get ready to make a pretty plate.  Dust with parsley, a tiny bit of paprika, another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnish with kalamata olives (I only had jumbo queen olives in the fridge tonight....any will do)

...and add your hot gyro/flatbread slices!  ENJOY!

Blueberry Morning Muffins

No explanations necessary...these were DELICIOUS!  If you like blueberries and bananas, then you will LOVE these muffins!  Let me know if you try them!  Mine turned out so pretty!

BLUEBERRY MORNING MUFFINS

3 cups all purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 large eggs 3/4 cup real butter (salted), melted 3/4 cup milk 1 very large extra ripe banana (or 1 and 1/2 small very ripe bananas), mashed 1 tsp good (real) vanilla extract 2 cups fresh, whole blueberries 1 cup chopped walnuts   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  In another bowl, beat the eggs, banana, melted butter, milk and vanilla until smooth.  Add wet mixture to the dry mixture and gently mix with a "spoonula" or a wooden spoon until "just" combined--do NOT overmix (this is a very thick batter, so don't be worried at the consistency).  Fold in blueberries and walnuts.  Using a muffin scoop, place one heaping scoop in muffin pan that has been lined with foil lined baking cups.  Bake at 375 degrees for exactly 20 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Makes exactly 18 muffins.

The Hot Jezebel Revival

 

If the title of the post didn't' get your attention, then the sauce really will!  I posted about this sauce once when I was on my old Blogger account.  I have had a "hankerin" for some Jezebel sauce lately, so I thought I would do a revival post of the recipe.  I won't have time during the week to make it, but I'm planning to whip up a batch on Saturday! 

If you like hot and spicy, then THIS is the recipe for you!  It is best when served over a block of cream cheese with some wheat thins, triscuits or really any cracker you choose.  Wheat thins just happen to be my favorite.  This also keeps for quite a long while in the refrigerator.  It's also a great gift if you break the recipe out into smaller jars and add some sweet embellishments to the gift jars.  I must warn you though, like the name Jezebel, this sauce has quite a kick to it.  The combination of the dry mustard and the horseradish leave it packing a little punch.  But with the cream cheese, it lightens it up just a bit.  I hope you enjoy....please let me know if you try it!  I would love to hear back from you!

THE WIFE'S JEZEBEL SAUCE
1 (10 oz) jar of apple jelly 1 (10 oz) jar of pineapple preserves 1 (8 oz) jar of prepared horseradish 1 Tbsp of dry mustard 1 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. of onion powder Mix all ingredients together in a bowl using a whisk.  Pour up into one large jar (or smaller jars for gift giving).  Refrigerate at least over night before the first serving to allow the flavors to marry.  After that, will keep in the fridge for about 3 months.   **You can also use apricot preserves instead of the pineapple for another twist on this little concoction!

***In addition to serving this with cream cheese and crackers, you can also glaze a ham with it.  And, just recently, I saw someone on "Diners, Driveins and Dives" on the Food Network who served this on burgers.  I haven't tried that one yet, but I'm sure it would give a burger quite a kick! 

Let me know what you think! 

For more great "Talk About Tuesday" post archives, drop by Lara Gallagher's blog at The Lazy Organizer.   This week is the last Talk About Tuesday post on her blog, but I will probably continue my own from time to time. 

Rob's Sunday Night Special

Sunday = ROAST BEEF!  Who doesn't love roast beef on Sunday?  But come Sunday night, who wants to be in the kitchen again?  Well, make room for "Rob's Sunday Night Special"!  I tend to do most of the cooking, but tonight, when Rob and I were trying to decide what to have tonight, he suggested one of his old favorites from his childhood when he lived with his Grandmother.  She didn't use hot sauce like we did, so you can leave that out if you want.  We had a big container of leftover potroast from Mom's house today, but neither of us wanted hot roast beef again.  So, we did a little choppin' and did a little mixin' and SHAZAM...."Rob's Saturday Night Special"!  Don't knock it until you try it!  It was lip smackin' goooooood!

 

ROB'S SUNDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

2 cups chopped left over roast beef

1/4 cup Kraft mayonnaise

Frank's Hot Sauce (to your taste--we like spicy)

FRESH white bread (We like Bunny Bread)

Since the roast had been cooked in mushroom soup and onion soup mix, there is really no need to add extra spice in addition to the hot sauce, unless you just absolutely want to.  Chop the roast beef in a medium to fine dice.  In a seperate bowl, whisk mayo and hot sauce to make the dressing for the roast.  Pour over roast and mix until combined.  Depending on your preference, you may want more (or less) mayo.  Once combined, spread on white bread and ENJOY (we don't find the need for extra mayo on the bread...the mayo in the spread is enough to keep the bread moist)!  Serve with some chips and salsa and your favorite soft drink (We are Coke Zero fans)!

A Day In The Garden--and Finally some NEW PICKLE!!!

I was so excited today to finally have some time to make Mrs. Smith's "New Pickle".  I have been wanting some so much and was so glad to get to the holiday weekend so that I could be afforded the time to make it.  And I must tell you ....IT WAS SO EASY!  Now the big problem is that I'm having to stay out of it so that it can chill really well and "get all married" as Emeril says.  But in the meantime, I thought I would share my snapshots from the "adventures of new pickle" from today.  I hope that you will try this summer salad--it's definitely a winner.  You can find the recipe here.

 

....whisking the sugar, vinegar and dill together over the heat....bringing to a boil.

 

....slicing the cucumbers thinly

 

the beautiful thinly sliced onions..........

 

....and finally mixing with the sweet and tangy dressing

 

.....and all nice and cozy in the fridge to let all of the flavors "get married'!  Keep me out of it LORD!!!

Talk About Tuesday--New Pickle!

I LOVE CUCUMBERS!!! I love them any way you slice them or dice them.  They are so fabulous in salads and pickles and cucumber sandwiches....I will even be happy just slicing one up and just eating it raw--right on the spot!

Down here in the deep south, they are in incredible abundance the whole summer long.  I have been trying new recipes and eating them just about any way that I can get my hands on them.  Typically, before a post, I have actually tried the dish or made the dish myself.  However, in this case, I haven't made "new pickle" yet but will be making it tomorrow evening.  But, I wanted to get the recipe out there for Talk about Tuesday.  So, here is the recipe...if you have loads of cukes like we do, you might just like to try this.  It's a cucumber salad, but has also been called "new pickle".  Whatever you call it, I just hope that you try it!  I will post some pictures of my "new pickle" as soon as I get it made tomorrow evening.  If you make "new pickle", I would love to see your pictures also!

Enjoy!

CUCUMBER SALAD OR "NEW PICKLE"

 

4 cucumbers

1 yellow onion

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 Tbsp dried dill

Peel and cut cucumbers into thin slices.  Peel and slice onion thin.  Mix together.  Bring sugar, water, vinegar and dill to a boil.  Pour over cucumber and onion.  Chill well before serving.

Our family friend, Shirley Smith, raves over this recipe and says that her adult children request it over and over.  I can't wait to try it!  Let me know how it turns out for you!

**recipe variation--instead of peeling the cucumbers, slice them VERY thin and leave the peelings on.  Pour them up into jars for some very "quick" sweet pickles!  ENJOY!

For more great Talk About Tuesday posts, visit Lara Gallagher at The Lazy Organizer.

Peanut Butter Crunch Trifles

You could say that this recipe just fell out of the sky.  Mom and I had a little shopping to do yesterday, so on the way, I stopped by my husband's UPS box to get the mail.  There it was...a Better Homes and Gardens supplement to my regular subscription.  Of course, Mom and I tore it open immediately (you know how girls are about new recipes).   

Well, we'd planned the whole menu for yesterday's dinner, but were missing that great little sweet thing at the end...dessert.  We both agreed that this not only sounded good, but that it looked incredibly easy to make.  And for the record...it was SOOOO easy!  It took less than 10 minutes to make!  I will be honest, by husband wasn't too wild about it, but Mom and Dad and I all loved it.  Some people are not too wild about the yogurt, which is why I think it wasn't his favorite.  But, if you love yogurt, you'll love this.  I loved the texture of it. 

The peanut butter made it  really nice and velvety.

You don't even need a mixer or anything more than a whisk and a spoon to make this.  As for the crunchy part, you have lots of options here.  You can get your favorite granola cereal to use or you can just bash up some granola bars in a zip loc bag.  I spotted a new cereal though,that I thought would be great with the flavors in this.  "Honey Bunches of Oats" now puts out a cereal called "Just Bunches" (which were my favorite parts anyway.  They had a couple of flavors to choose from, but I bought the caramel flavor, thinking that would be great with the banana and peanut butter flavors.  Well, with that being said...on with the recipe!

PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH TRIFLES

• 1 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 3 bananas
• granola

Whisk the yogurt, peanut butter and the honey together

 

Start assembly in parfait glasses beginning with the yogurt mixture, top with bananas

 

To me, bbananas sliced on the diagonal are just prettier

 

Top the yogurt and banana layer with the granola

 

Repeat for another layer and......TA DA!  Just chill them and serve.  The recipe says that you can chill the yogurt mixture first and then assemble them right before serving.  I assembled them and then chilled them, which took a little bit of the crunch out of the cereal.  They were kind of like "pie in a glass".  The cereal took on the texture of pie crust.  Either way...ENJOY!!

 

Refreshing Summer Garden Salsa

Straight out of the garden from Mom and Dad's house....

• 2 medium jalapenos , seeded & finely diced (or leave them in if you want to burn your lips off)
• 1/2 medium onion, small dice
• 7-8 medium home grown tomatoes
• 2 tsp lemon or lime juice
• 1 home grown sweet bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (high quality)**
• Kosher salt to your taste
• 2-3 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 basil leaves chopped

 

Be careful not to touch the seeds of the jalapeno.  You may even find that you need to wear gloves if you are really sensitive. They will burn you for sure!  A teaspoon works great to scoop them out.

 

There is no particular order that you need to follow with the ingredients. 

 

Don't compromise on the fresh herbs (if you can absolutely help it).  I know that I have a measurement for the cilantro listed above.  I am only estimating that is how much that I used.  I included this picture so that you could see about how many leaves that I used. 

 

I seed the tomatoes and then chop them.  If you will cut the ends off of the tomatoes, then cut them in half.  Lay one half on the round side and run your knife between the seeds and the tomato's skin.  Follow through to the other side (going in a half moon pattern).  This is a quick way to remove the seeds without squeezing the life out of your tomatoes to get them out.  I forgot to take a picture of that technique, but the next time that I do it, I'll come back and add a picture to this post.

 

Add the kosher salt to your taste and ENJOY!!!! ENJOY!!!! ENJOY!!!

**I like to use the "Tone's" brand of garlic powder (Sam's Wholesale) when Im making a recipe that I want garlic flavor infused without the bite of fresh garlic.  This is not to say that you can't use the fresh garlic, but in this recipe, it can sometimes be overpowering.  I like to be able to taste each of the ingredients individually.  Also, the reason I like that brand of powder is that it's because it's a true powder.  A lot of the cheaper versions of "garlic powder" are really dehydrated garlic that has not fully been made into a true powder.  They can also be very overpowering.  Anyhow...that's my little personal "tip of the day"  ;o)

Let me know if you try your own salsa!  Some great variations of the recipe above are to add some chopped fresh peaches.  You can also add fresh corn or blackbeans...or you can add all three!

Happy salsa making!

...It's "What's" For Dinner

While visiting my in-laws last Christmas, my sweet Mother-in-Law (Toni) gave me this recipe.  I don't know why it's taken me until now to try it, but MERCY, it was GOOOOOOD!  The nice thing about it is that you can make it as mild or as spicy as you want to.  The prep work was so fast!  You can't go wrong with this if you need something very hearty but that is quick and easy. 

Let me know how you like it!  Sorry the picture isn't that great...I snapped it on my Blackberry instead of my real camera.  I didn't feel like going upstairs to get it!  Enjoy!  Thank you Mamma Toni!

MAMMA TONI'S MEXICAN LASAGNE

1lb ground turkey (or ground beef)
1 small can green chilis
2 regular cans Mexican stewed tomatoes ... Read More
2 cups (16 oz) of your favorite salsa
1 pint of ricotta cheese
1 pkg taco seasoning (or 1/4 cup if out of a spice jar)
10-12 lasagne noodles
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack

(HA HA--2 cups of cheese...no way!  I always put more cheese!  I think I used about 3 cups in all)

Brown meat and drain thoroughly. Add tomatoes, chilis, salsa and taco seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from the heat. Begin with 1/3 of meat mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Top with noodles, then spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, then top with cheddar cheese. Start layering again with meat mixture, then noodles, then ricotta, then add the rest of the meat mixture to the top and top with the Monterry Jack cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. If you are using the "oven ready/no boil" noodles, then cover and add about 20 minutes to the baking time...cook until they are tender. ENJOY!

Bombshell Breakfast Casserole--For Supper!

BOMBSHELL BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
1 1/2 pounds sausage 10 slices fresh white bread 2 cups shredded Danish Havarti cheese (or your favorite hard cheese, like cheddar) 7 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream (double cream if you have it) 1 teaspoon dry mustard 4 ounces mushroom pieces, drained (optional) 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced (optional) 1/4 cup green onion, diced (optional) Beat eggs and mix with milk, cream, salt and mustard (and any of the optional ingredients listed).  Brown sausage, drain. Layer bread in bottom of 9 x 13-inch well-greased baking pan, overlapping each slice of bread on top of the other. Sprinkle 1/2 of the sausage over the bread. Pour 1/2 of the egg mixture over the layer you created.  Then repeat with another layer of bread, then sausage, cheese and ending with the remaining egg mixture.  Bake at 350F for about  40 minutes.  Adjust your cooking time and temperature based on your oven.  The casserole should puff up like a souffle and should be set all the way through the middle, golden brown on the top--don't over cook.  Note: Other ingredients may be added or substituted for the vegetables. Serving Size: 8

I was looking for something quick and easy last night for dinner and this casserole was "the bomb", hence the name above.  I know that cream makes it richer, but you won't be sorry.  It makes the casserole smooth and velvety.  Also, since there is no butter this dish, the Danish Havarti cheese gives it a buttery flavor without adding actual butter to it.  If you like cheddar, then chances are that you will like Danish Havarti cheese.  I buy it in a huge block at Sam's and use it for all kinds of things throughout the week.  It makes yummy cheese toast and it's also quite yummy in Mexican dishes too....I know,Danish cheese in Mexican food?  Trust me....it works! 

I hope that you will give this a try.  Rob loved it and wanted seconds.  Since he can be is picky, I know that I've picked a winner if he wants seconds!  Let me know what you think!  Sorry that I was so busy that I forgot to snap a picture....but please feel free to send me pictures of yours!

Bon Appetite!

Fort Morgan Trifle

I love to come up with creative ways to make things around the kitchen stretch...kind of like the "Semi-homemade" style. I don't go this route for everything, since I do love to make things totally from scratch. But, when we're at the beach, I like to try and do some new things that use up the items we have bought, so that we don't have to bring home too much. So, out of this came "Fort Morgan Trifle".

We always stop at Burris Farm Market on the way to the beach to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies to take with us. One of my purchases happened to be some BIG, BEAUTIFUL, RUBY RED Baldwin County strawberries. I also picked up some things at Sam's Wholesale before we left town. One of my purchases there was a really good looking lemon bundt cake.....it was SO yummy and moist. After having a friend of ours over to the condo, along with some of our family that came for the day on Saturday, there was a chunk of the cake left. When I was making a list to get a couple of things at the grocery store on Sunday evening, Rob specifically asked for some vanilla pudding for after Sunday night supper. Well, since I love to cook, it's really hard for me to make "just pudding". So, while on the way to the store, my mind started spinning on what I could do with vanilla pudding that would give it a little more zip. There you have it folks.....Fort Morgan Trifle. Since I knew that there wasn't a trifle bowl at the condo, I had to come up with something that would be pretty and that would hold these thick ingredients. Here are the ingredients that I used, but I didn't really include measurements, since it would depend on how many that you need to make. They were really easy and you could come up with any variations that would make it your own. I happen to love the flavor combination of the lemon, vanilla and the strawberry. I hope that you will try these out! If you do, send me a picture of yours so that I can see your unique variations!

FORT MORGAN TRIFLE
Lemon poundcake or bundt cake, cut in 1" cubes
Vanilla pudding, prepared by directions for thick, pie style filling
fresh strawberries, sliced (or your own seasonal favorite fruit
Cool Whip topping, or fresh whipped cream

Cut cake into 1" cubes. Make layers beginning with cake on the bottom, pudding next, slid sliced fruit around sides of the glass, follow with whipped topping. Repeat for another layer and end with whipped topping. Add a pretty berry slice to the top for a garnish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow everything to "get married" and soak together. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

Frugal Friday--Pumpkin Granola Muffins and Handcream--what a combo!

I am a little late getting it together this week. It's been extremely busy. I'm behind o n everything....laundry, housework, cooking, emails, you name it....I'm behind on it! So, Frugal Friday is just a few hours over due. My Frugal Friday tasks will actually take place on Saturday! I am going to make some of Joanne Heim's (The Simple Wife)Pumpkin Muffins and also some homemade handcream. 

For the muffins, I thought I would add a little crunch, since I LOVE a good crunchy and crusty muffin top.  I have some really great organic pomegranate and cherry granola that I thought might be great sprinkled on top of the hot muffins, just for a little crunch.  I'll try and snap some photos and get them posted to that you can see how they turn out with the granola.  I'll probably have to paste it just a little with some butter and a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar, but I'm sure it will work out. 

Here is Joann's recipe for the muffin:

Pumpkin Muffins
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
6 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can pumpkin (use the big Libby's can)
3/4 cup butter, melted
3 eggs


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients until dough forms. (Do not overmix or you'll end up with tough muffins.) Pour into greased muffin tins. Bake 20 minutes. Makes about three dozen muffins. (Here is where I improvise an add toppings.  There is no science here...just sprinkle on whatever you like.  It could be just oatmeal, or nuts....you name it, whatever strikes your fancy)

As for the handcream, I believe that Mom told me it was 2 parts baby lotion, 2 parts petroleum jelly and 1 part Vitamin E cream....whip up in the Kitchen Aid and put into pretty little jars.  I told her it would be good to try it with some other lotion bases, like Jergens Cherry Almond lotion, or even the lavender scented baby products.  It's not rocket science, so I'm sure being creative with it will yield some pretty cool outcomes.  I have used some that had been given to Mom...and I loved it.  It makes a really rich hand cream.  And now there are so many containers available...even at Walmart....you can get some cute little things to put it in and give it as gifts.  I'll also try and get some pictures posted once I have made some....you'll have to try it with some of your favorites and let me know what happens! 

What are some of your favorite homemade beauty products?  I would love to get some other recipes...I know Mom would love some too! 

Labels: Frugal Friday's, Homemade Beauty Products, Recipes