Fudge

Fudge

4½ c. sugar

1 can evaporated milk
2 sticks butter
1 pint jar of marshmallow cream
1 t. vanilla
1 pkg. semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
nuts, optional

In a medium heavy saucepan combine sugar, milk, and butter.  Boil hard for 9-10 mins. or to as soft ball candy stage. Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips, vanilla and marshmallow.  Beat until the fudge stands in peaks or changes in texture.  Pour and let stand 24 hours.

Compound Butter (revisited)

 

 

Rosemary Orange Butter

 

1 c. butter, softened

2 T fresh Rosemary, finely diced

2 T orange juice

1 orange rind, finely grated

1-2  fresh garlic cloves, minced

 

Combine all ingredients and place on wax paper, roll and refrigerate until firm.  Remove from wax paper and serve.  This is also fun to place in molds and chill. 

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup (great for the leftover Thanksgiving turkey)

Wild Rice Turkey Soup

 
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice
½ c. green onions
1 ½ c. turkey
8 strips fried crumbled bacon
3 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2 c. water
2 c. half and half
½ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
salt to taste
2-3 caps of cooking  (optional but gives a good flavor)
 
Boil your rice in the broth until rice is tender.  Make your rue.  Combine all ingredients and simmer until ready to serve.

Grandma Rayda's Butter horn Rolls

Butter Horn Rolls
 

2c. milk, scalded

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 t salt
2 pkgs. yeast
1 c. water
6 eggs, beaten
8-10 c. flour, add until dough is soft but not stiff

Bake at 400 for 15 mins.

 

(Grandma Rayda Stevenson made these rolls all of the time.  She had it down to an art and had made them so often that she made them from memory.  The aroma in the house was wonderful as they baked.  We could always look forward to them buttered and toasted the next morning for breakfast; we loved the “breakfast toast”.)

Pumpkin Roll (modification)

 

 Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs, beat on high for 5 minutes.

1 c. sugar gradually added to the eggs
2/3 c. pumpkin (stir into the above mixture)
1 t. lemon juice

In another bowl mix.

3/4 c. flour                                         

1 t. baking powder                               
2 t. cinnamon                                       
1 t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
 

Stir the above together and fold into pumpkin mixture.  Spread in a greased and floured jelly roll pan. (Parchment lined then floured and greased makes it easier to roll.  Wax paper can also be used) Top with 1 c. finely chopped walnuts (optional)  Bake at 375 for 15 mins.  Turn out on tea towel, cool.  Spread filling over cake.  Roll and chill.

Filling

1 c powdered sugar               (note we do one and half of the filling recipe to make a thicker filling)

8 oz. cream cheese
4 T. butter
½ t. vanilla

Beat until smooth.

(lg can of prepared pumpkin pie filling makes five pumpkin rolls.  The pumpkin roll freezes well.  Any left over pumpkin can also be frozen, simply measure out and place in a zipper freezer  label and freeze.)

Holiday Tableware (caution for lead poisoning)

I love dishes!  I used to collect dishes for different holidays, weddings, special occasions, etc.  Until a few years ago I learned of the lead poisoning that can occur from dishes.  There was a so called effort to try and regulate these types of items as they were imported or manufactured and stickers were being placed on safe items. Safe to use, to put in the microwave or dishwasher.  It was short lived and I rarely see those stickers anymore.  Specialty dishes are often the ones that have more lead in them!  Be sure you check the labels.  If you do have some don't use them in the dishwasher.  Much to my dismay my favorite special birthday plate was highest in measurement when I had some of my dishes  tested.  Unfortunately it sits on the shelf as a decoration now.

Inexpensive dishes often accompany neighborhood Christmas gifts this time of year so buyer be ware!

These Christmas plates are safe but because they are a type of china I never use them in the dishwasher,  I don't want the pattern to disappear.

 At a very young age I had and Aunt that gave me some depression glass.  I fell in love with it and have collected more over the years.  Only last summer as I was looking in an antique store in Carson City Nevada did I learn something I had never known about these dishes before.  The dealer held up a black light to show me that they were indeed depression glass and informed me that they were made with a radio active isotope.  The glassware glowed, wow!  I have never used these in the dishwasher either because of the age and not wanting them to be scratched.  Now I am relieved that I haven't because it would cause scratching from the caustic detergent and would have cause problems with the use of the glass.  I only use them once in awhile but I was grateful to learn more about them.  I still love them and will look for "special pieces."  I just won't use them as regular servings!

Orange Bread

Orange Bread

3 c, flour
2 c. sugar
¾ c. orange juice
2 eggs
½ c. oil
1 c. milk
zest from 1 orange
1 t vanilla
1 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t salt

Mix ingredients and pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake in 350 oven for 45-50-minutes.

 

We use this to make French toast and it is heavenly!  Just after we were married the Gourmet Guy went with  a couple of friends to a wedding in California.  While they were there they picked fresh oranges and brought them home.  We had a lot for a young couple so we tried making bread from them and discovered that it was really good also makes really good French toast.  Some trial and error is just worth the effort.

Pasta Shells

This is one of the cookbooks I have collected over the years.  I chose this recipe because I literally had all of the ingredients in my pantry/fridge.  I only had the medium shells so it took longer to stuff them than it would have with the larger shells.  I also put the meat in with the cheese mixture and pulled some of my own homemade marinara sauce (recipe on the bottom of the blog as Lauri's Italian Sauce) out of the freezer.  What I realized is that the reason I chose this recipe on the fly is because I always have these ingredients in stock and it tasted much like my own. I would also use Sweet Italian Sausage rather than the ground beef in the future.  This is so close to the way I make my own Manicotti, not very risky but good flavors and seemed comfortable.

(From the Cookbook-Church Suppers)
 Stuffed Shells

25 jumbo shell
2 c. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. salt
1/8 t black pepper
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 . ground beef
1 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce.

Cook shells according to the package directions; drain.  In a large bowl, combine the cheeses, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.  Preheat the oven to 350. Fill each shell with 2 T of the mixture.  In a large skillet, brown the beef and mix with the spaghetti sauce.  Spread a thin layer of sauce in 3 qt. rectangular baking dish.  Place the shells 1 deep in the dish and cover with sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Make 6 servings. 

German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake

½ c. shortening

1 ½ c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten separately
pinch of salt
1 t. soda
1½ c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1½ squares of baker’s chocolate

Cream sugar and shortening, add egg yolks, melted chocolate and a little red food coloring

Alternate buttermilk, with soda added, with flour.  Fold in egg whites.  Bake in layer pans 30-35 minutes at 350.

German Cake Icing:

1 can evaporated milk

1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
¾ small package of coconut
pecans, finely chopped

Mix ingredients except the coconut and cook, about 12 minutes at a boil.  Stirring constantly not to let it scorch.  Cool and spread on cake.

(This was a recipe that Grandma Smith was well known for.  It was a treat for my sister and me to get this cake for our birthdays.  Two days before she passed away she was concerned that she had not been able to get a birthday cake made for Rosemarie. She had all of the ingredients purchased and waiting on her counter top.  We were all touched that she worried about the cake not being taken care of even as she was dying.  I love the frosting but cheat and put it on a much moister cake than the above recipe.  However, this is her true recipe.)

Cinnamon/Orange Rolls

 

After craving these for many months I finally broke down and made these sweet rolls. I used  the remaining mashed potatoes from another day because it makes the dough so soft. Since there are only two of us in the home I have been reluctant to make them, only because I knew that I wouldn't eat just one.  One of my solutions is to share with family and friends.  They were every bit as good as they sounded, nice and soft and filled with cinnamon and or orange.  Next time I'll do the Sticky Bun version!  ( I only made half of the recipe.)

Cinnamon Rolls

4 c. scalded milk  (Or 4 c, hot water and 1 c. powdered milk)

1 ½ c. sugar

2 t. salt

8 eggs, beaten

2 c. mashed potatoes

1 ½ c. shortening

½ c. warm water

2 pkg. yeast

6 c. whole wheat flour (or enough white flour to make a soft dough. approx. 9-10 c.)

 

Combine ingredients and let raise.  Roll out.  Sprinkle with butter, sugar, and cinnamon.  For orange rolls sprinkle with sugar and orange rind and some fresh squeezed orange juice. Roll and cut, place on a greased jelly roll pan and let raise once again.  Bake at 375 until golden brown.

Sheperd's Pie or Green Bean Casserole (Multitasking)

(individual portions for tonight and one for a freezer meal for another night, multitasking)

 

 

Shepherds’ Pie or Green Bean Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 ½ oz. can green beans, drained
1 10 ¾ oz. can of tomato soup
3-4 medium potatoes
cheddar cheese, grated

Peel potatoes and cut into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking time, add to salted boiling water.  In a large frying pan brown the ground beef, add the onions when the meat is no longer pink.  When the onions become translucent, stir in the green beans and tomato soup, heat through.  Place the meat mixture into an oven safe casserole dish and top with the mashed potatoes and cheese.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly on top. 

Sweet Pork Burritos /Salad (Copy cat Cafe Rio)

Tomatillo Dressing

1 jalapeño pepper, minced finely
2 tomatillios, cut into pieces
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1 fresh lime
¾ jar of Ranch Dressing with peppercorns (Kraft)
Salt to taste


Sweet Pork

4 lbs pork butt roast
4 8oz cans tomato sauce
3 tsp minced garlic
3 cups brown sugar
4 tsp cumin
Dr. Pepper
3 Tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp salt

Put pork in crockpot with Dr. Pepper and cook on high for 7-8 hours. Strain and add the other ingredients and some more Dr. pepper, cook on low for 5 hours.

Cilantro lime rice
2 cups rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp- 1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp minced onion
Juice of 1 small lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Add all ingredients to rice cooker and press start.
Tortilla Strips
Cut corn tortillas into thin strips. Deep fry, drain, and salt.

*Serve with lettuce, black beans, quacamole or avacado, cheese, etc on warm tortilla.

Multitasking/ Mashed Potatoes

While making potatoes for chicken pot pie I knew that I had Shepherd's Pie on my menu and also wanted to the  make Cinnamon Rolls that I had been craving so I make extra potatoes.  Peeling  potatoes takes time and since I was already in the moment I decided to do it all at one time.  After cooking the cubed potatoes I removed the quantity that I wanted for the pot pie mixture and then I mashed the remaining potatoes and put them in the fridge for another day or two. While I could use instant potatoes for both the Shepherd's Pie and Cinnamon Rolls, and I have, I love the real thing.

Chicken Pot Pie (update)

(for this post/batch I only did a half of a recipe and still had enough for 2 ramekins for a dinner, a freezer meal for the "Gourmet Guy" and I and a small freezer meal for my Mother-in-law.  I also had two previously grilled chicken breasts in the freezer that I used on the fly for this instead of cooking a whole chicken like I typically do.

Chicken Pot Pie

 

Boil a chicken roaster or use rotisserie chicken left overs or any leftovers you many have such as turkey.
 

Make Gravy:                                                       Half recipe gravy:

2/3 c. margarine or butter                                  ½ c. butter                    
2/3 c. flour                                                         ½ c. flour                                  
1 t. salt                                                               ½ t. salt                                   
½ t. pepper                                                          ¼ t. pepper
3½ c. broth                                                         1¾ c. broth
1 1/3 c. milk                                                        ¾ c. milk

Melt butter over low heat, blend in flour, salt, and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly, remove from heat.  Stir in broth and milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.  (reserve about 1/3 of gravy for top when serving.)

Stir in

2-4 boiled potatoes, cut up
cooked meat                               
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1 16 oz. bag of frozen vegetables

Pie Crust

1/3 c. plus 1 T. shortening                                         
1 c. flour                                                                       
1/2 t. salt
 2-3 T .cold water

(Double for two crust)

Pie crusts did not come easy to me until my mother-in-law showed me how to make them.  The method of rolling them out in wax paper was the best advice I have ever had.  A double pie crust recipe was perfect to top all of these.  For the full recipe it would take two double pie crust recipes to top all of the mixture.  These freeze really well for up to about six months.  Because they freeze like a brick they should be taken out the night before and placed in the fridge to thaw.  They may still be partly frozen and need to be out on the counter for an hour before baking.  I have put them in completely frozen and it took at least two hours to cook through and some even longer.  Bake them at 425 until the mixture bubbles through the slits on the top of the pie and the crust is golden brown. the fruits  of one evening, four meals and I did extra potatoes and mashed them for a couple of other projects that will be in the next few days,  Maybe it is has been awhile but they were the best tasting mashed potatoes that I have make in quite awhile, I guess good practice for the upcoming holiday! 

 

 And the chicken filling inside of the flaky crust was just the meal I was looking for that night. Pure comfort food.



 

The efforts of the night and multitasking in a nice way!

Bread Sticks (repeat)

Bread sticks

1 T. yeast

2 T. sugar
1½ c. warm water
Add:
1 t. salt
3½ c. flour

Mix slightly sticky dough.  Let raise once.  Roll out, cut, and twist.  Put on cookie sheet with 1 cube melted butter.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, and sesame seeds.  Let rise until double and bake at 400 until golden brown.

I also use this recipe to make Calzones!  Cydney uses this to make the bread sticks as well as cinnamon knots for her family.

Low Cal Tostadas - Pantry Staples

I have been watching recipes on Pinterest for new or improved recipes.  I have noticed a lot that are called Mexican Pizza's or Mediterranean Taco's or something similar.  I came up with something from my pantry.
I always have corn and flour tortillas in my fridge as well as salsa's or my own Pico.  In my freezer I have chicken breasts, chicken thighs, drumsticks, and whole chickens.  I also have cooked chicken, sometimes grilled, baked or boiled, cut up into pieces ready for certain recipes.  In food storage I have my home canned salsa, green chilie's, black beans, as well as frozen chilie's from my garden. so this is my version of Low Cal Tostada's

2-4 corn tortillias
olive or canola oil
black beans, warmed and drained of most liquid, mashed
1 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1/3 med. onion, chopped finely
1 t. cumin, more if desired
tomato, cut in pieces
1/2 half avocado, sliced

 Place tortillas on a foil lined baking sheet and brush with olive or canola oil.  Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes to turn crisp, a shorter time will make them tough.  Put black beans into a pan and heat thoroughly, drain leaving a small amount of the liquid to mash.  In a skillet place a small amount of oil and saute the onion until transparent, add the chicken, the green chilie's, and cumin and warm through.  Place the beans on top of the shell then the chicken, avocado, and tomatoes.  Additonal toppings if desired.



other possible ingredients: (this would add calories and no longer be dairy free)
sweet corn
cheese
sour cream
olives

Homemade Bread (the lost recipe)

White-Whole Wheat Bread

2 T yeast
3/4 c. warm water
2 c. milk lukewarm  (I use 2/3 c. powdered milk with two c. warm water)
1 T shortening
1 t salt
7-8 c. flour

425 until Golden Brown.  Makes two loaves

Trick or Treat 2014

After time of for another and lengthy recovery I was starting to feel like doing fun things in the kitchen again!  Who better for than my Grandkids!

 

Rather than giving them an extra large candy bar like in the past I decided to do something I borrowed from Pinterest.  The adults thought they were kind of creepy but I thought they were fun and different.

Looking through some of my old recipes I found my file on Harry Potter party themes and it made me want to do something for fun since it was Halloween I actually got more response to these little loaves of bread than from the hands.  I hadn't made bread in a very long time and I couldn't believe that I didn't have my original recipe in my "binder" or on the blog.  We, the Gourmet Guy and I, even tried a recipe for Butterbeer but it didn't turn out as well I had hoped. It was fun trying and seeing responses.  Oh to have the recipe from Universal Studios! It felt so good to be back at the creative stuff again.

 

 

Roasted Corn Salad

Gourmet Guy here.We had a couple of ears of fresh corn and didn't use them right away. Needed to find a way to use them, so I winged it and this is what happened!

Ingredients

2 ears fresh corn
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium bell pepper
2 slices yellow onion, 1/4 inch
1/2 small jicama
3 Roma toamtoes
1 Anaheim chili
1/2 small jalapeno
1 scallion
Cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Honey lime dressing

Coat corn with olive oil and grill over high heat until corn begins to char. Slice corn off cob and place in bowl. Cut sides off bell pepper core. Grill two sides and dice the other two. Remove skin from the grilled pepper and dice. Grill onion slices until browned and dice. Peel and dice jicama. Dice tomatoes. Dice scallion and chilies. Add all ingredients to the corn, stir, salt and pepper to taste.

Honey lime dressing
1 Tbsp honey
1 lime, juiced
3 Tbsp oil
2 small cloves garlic, pressed

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.

Strawberry Spring Salad with Red Onion Vinaigrette

Salad

Spring Mix
Strawberries, sliced
1 c candied pecans
1 c sugar
Craisins
Cucumber, sliced
Feta

Vinaigrette

! c red onion, diced
2 c canola oil
2/3 c. white vinegar
1 c sugar
2 t Dijon mustard
2 t salt

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until serving, can be stored for up to one week. 

Layer all salad ingredients and drizzle dressing over, usually one half of the recipe is enough, or serve on the side.  Top with candied pecans, also can be served to the side as an option. 

Candied Pecans

1/4 c. sugar
2 T water
1 c pecans

Dissolve sugar in water and bring to a boil.  Add the nuts and coat evenly place on parchment and let stand.


(Note my youngest daughter dislikes most of the ingredients in this salad but she is the one who found and brought this to our family meal.)

We love Frozen!

Like so many our family has been struck by the movie Frozen!  With five daughters the message of sisterly love touched me deeply.  At family gatherings we often turn on the music and before long all of us are singing at full volume.  The grand kids love to have the music playing out on our deck and I am sure the neighbors think we are nuts, but we have a great time, memories abound. 

For recent birthdays the love of the theme has been prevalent.  Three different cakes made for three different granddaughters by three different mothers with who are so talented. 

 

1. The most recent

 

2. Frozen in the summer time

 

     

3. The first. (several sides)

 

Love my creative and imaginative girls!!!

Cutest Cookies-Natalie does it again.

I have the most talented girls, they do so many things and cooking is one they all do well.  It was a big day for our youngest Granddaughter and Natalie made the adorable cookies for all of those her attended the blessing.  Nothing more needs to be said except maybe YUM!

Brussels Sprouts (Roasted)

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
Olive oil for coating
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 325.  Put Brussels sprouts and garlic in bowl and toss with olive oil.  Place them on a baking sheet and sprinkle with red pepper, salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 10 mins.  Cover the pan with baking foil and continue baking for another 15-17 minutes.

(This is from one of the books on my shelf, we didn't feel the covered baking time was adequate so I added my own extra time. The original called for 10-15.  Also we put the pepper flakes in with the oil and will not do that again, too spicy.)

Raspberry Rhubarb Crubmbles (Martha Stewart)

(For the "gourmet guy" and I we only made 1/2 of the recipe but made the full crumble topping recipe and it was perfect!)

Raspberry Rhubarb Crumbles

1/2 t orange zest
2 T orange juice
2 c raspberries, strawberries, or combination of the two
1 1/2 lb. rhubarb (2 c. frozen)
1 1/4 c sugar
2 T tapioca
pinch salt

Combine ingredients and place in ramekins (6).  Top with crumble mixture, place on foil lines baking sheet.  Bake at 375 until topping is golden brown and juices bubble up.  Cool on wire rack for 30 mins.  Top with ice cream or vanilla yogurt.

Crumble topping

6 T butter softened
1/4 c brown sugar
1 c flour
1/4 t finely grated orange zest, for Raspberry and Rhubarb recipe

Work together



Spanish Rice

Over the years I have tried a variety of different recipes for Spanish Rice and this has become my go to recipe.  (From Suzanne Price)

 



Spanish Rice

 

3 c rice

5 c water

1 c tomato sauce

1 t cumin

1 med onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

 

Brown the rice, saute with onion and garlic.  Mix rice mixture with liquids and cook for 25-30 mins.

Lemon Blueberry Loaf

Lemon Blueberry Loaf

1/3 c melted butter
1 c sugar
3 T lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 T lemon zest
1 c frozen blueberries

Mix together butter, 1 c. sugar, juice, and eggs.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt with egg mixture and milk.  Fold in lemon zest and blueberries.  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 60 mins. 

Glaze

2 T lemon juice
1 T butter, melted
1 c powdered sugar

Roasted Beet Salad (My Copy Cat)

While visiting Seattle in March the "Gourmet Guy" and I went to Ivar's on the wharf.  We of course had some delicious fresh seafood that night but we also shared a salad the we both talked about for a couple of days.  For a few weeks I tried to find a recipe and then I finally broke it down and found or made up my own version of, here is my Roasted Beet Salad

Roasted Beets

1 gold beet
1 red beet  

Remove the greens and wash thoroughly, cover in foil separately so that the red color doesn't bleed into the pretty color of the yellow.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 50-55 mins. depending on the size of the beets.  Cool, remove the skin, and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Vanilla Vinaigrette

1/3 c. olive oil
3 T white vinegar
1 T sugar
1/4 t ground pepper
2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t. salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Chill.  Shake vigorously before serving

Candied Cashews

1/4 c. sugar
2 T water
1 1/4 c lightly toasted cashews

Dissolve sugar in water and bring to a boil.  Add the nuts and coat evenly place on parchment and let stand.


Add the above recipes to a bed of mixed greens and slivers of white cheddar cheese, serve. 

(On the spring salad menu we noticed the same vinaigrette with strawberries instead of beets and  candied almonds instead of cashews.  Oh the possibilities.)

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

1 lb. boneless beef chuck or round steak, slice thin
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1/2 c. soy sauce (La Choy is gluten free)
1 T sesame oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T cornstarch
2 T cooled sauce (at the end of cooking time)
Broccoli, fresh florets. (frozen can be used as well just add a little cooking time)
Mushrooms, fresh or canned, to taste

Combine broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and garlic mix well.  Pour over the meat in the bottom of the crock pot.  Cover, cook on low for 7 hours. At the end of the cooking time remove 2 T of the sauce and let cool, combine with the cornstarch and add to the meat mixture and stir well.  Add the broccoli and mushrooms, stir cover for another 30 mins.  Serve over hot rice.

(I have had this one tucked away for awhile, it is so easy and yummy and will become a staple in my rotation. To make it even easier use a crock pot liner and clean up is a breeze.)

Coconut Fruit Dip

Coconut Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz. Cream of Coconut (not coconut oil or water!)
8 oz. Cool whip

Mix cream cheese and cream of coconut until WELL blended.  Fold in cool whip and chill.  Serve with fresh fruit. (Makes a very large batch.)

(This is my adaptation from a recipe I found on line.  It was a huge success with my family.  I made the mistake of doubling the recipe for a family event, it wasn't necessary to double it.  The benefit was having it in the fridge for snacks!)

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

2 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. sour cream
1 1 oz. packet ranch dressing
1 T salt
3 lb. bone in chicken breasts or thighs
5 slices white bread, sandwich

Mix buttermilk, sour cream, 2 T of the ranch mix, and salt until well combined.  In a large zip style bag add the mixture and the chicken.  Marinate 30-60 minutes.  While the chicken marinates place bread into a food processor and process until finely ground.  Add the seasoning mix.  Place on a baking sheet and place in a 450 oven until golden brown (3-5 minutes)  Put the chicken into the mixture and then place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake on the lowest rack in the oven for about 10 minutes, move the baking sheet up on level and reduce temperature to 400.  Bake until the chicken is golden and internal temperature is 160 for light meat 175 for dark.  20-25 minutes, the breading may look burned but it is not. 

My mom used to make the best fried chicken when I was growing up but because of the grease I have not done it in my own family.  I found this recipe years ago when I received a free copy of Cook's Country Magazine.  I have been going to try it since then. I finally did and it is one I will make again.  Since I was making an "old fashioned recipe" I decided to do red potatoes and peas like she used to make as well.  Yummy dinner.

Where Do I Begin?

As part of my new pantry I had our finish carpenter build a set of shelves that I could store my collection of cookbooks on.  (There are two shelves that are not pictured.)  the builder thought I was crazy and very specific but it turned out just like I wanted

 

 

Over the years I have become a collector of recipes and recipe books.  Many of which I haven't even looked at once again after they came into my home.  So I have a new goal I am going to try a new recipe each week, I tried this when my kids were little but it didn't go over so well.  Since the Gourmet Guy and I have become much more adventurous over the years I thought I would give it a go again.  The ones that are successful I will post and share.  It will take a couple of weeks to get started as I figure out which ones I will start with and make my menu and shopping lists. Here goes nothing!

Back Again

Back Again

 

Almost one year ago we were in total chaos.  We were in the process of building a new home, my dream home!  We had finally sold our home and had to move out before we could move into the new one.  Fortunately our daughter had a spare bedroom to let us crash in for several weeks.  The excitement to get  into the house was almost more than I could handle.  As we walked through daily to see progress the room where I would spend a great deal of time doing "what I love" amazed me.  Little did I know it would turn out so well and that I really do love spending time here and having my family come and spend time here!

 

Not only was the kitchen a dream come true but the pantry was as well. 

 For the first time since the Gourmet Guy and I got married 35 years ago I have places to store food my dish collections and appliances!  To say that I love my kitchen/pantry/home, is an understatement.

 

Three months after finally getting settled in I had a knee replacement and have been involved in rehabilitating since then.  I am happy to be feeling more like a normal person once again.  (Just in time to play during spring and summer months!)  Part of feeling more normal means I feel like cooking and experimenting in the kitchen once again, so I am Back Again!