Preparing the Harvest

Sorta Swiss Steak

2010-02-18T17:10:00.000-08:00

Swiss steak is a comfort food in our home. I have a recipe I have used for years - but it requires my slow cooker and this morning I decided I wanted Swiss steak - but my meat wasn't thawed. So I went online and did a search for a different sort of recipe using cubed steak. Most of the recipes were for "chicken fried steak" - I didn't really want that - so kept looking til I found this one and decided to give it a try. The name alone was intriguing.

Sorta Swiss Steak

1 lb cubed beef steak
1 cup flour, divided
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 large onion
2 cups beef broth
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Our grocery store has a regular deal which is 5 meats for 19.95. The variety changes week to week and occasionally they do this and you get the 6th one free. The prices are amazing - you pay 3.99 each and on the week that the 6th is free - the price is even better. I tend to watch for this deal and stock up. Last week they had cubed steak as well as other great meats included in this offer. I filled my freezer. For this recipe I used 2 lbs of meat because I was feeding 6 people . Each package had about 1 lb and 4 pieces of meat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper the meat and dredge in flour.

Set aside and finishing dredging the rest of the meat.

Heat oil over medium high heat. Brown meat 4 to 5 minutes total. Not cooked - just to get a nice crust on meat.

Once meat is browned, set aside on a plate and continue to brown the rest of the meat.

Slice onion into wedges.

Layer onion in the bottom of a roast pan and top with a layer of meat.

Continue to layer - I had 3 layers of onion and 2 of meat. Pour beef broth and Worcestershire sauce over layers.

Cover and bake for 2 hours.

This is the completed dish. Everyone really enjoyed this version of Swiss steak. I am not sure if I will ever go back to the other. The meat was incredibly tender. The onion picked up some amazing flavors. My husband raved about this.

I served this with beets (frozen by me this summer), boiled Yukon gold potatoes & peas.

Oven Baked Chicken, Mushroom Rice Pilaf, Tossed Salad

2010-02-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

I love fried chicken - but not very often. It just isn't good for you. So.. over the years I have tried various recipes for "baked" fried chicken. Finally one that is a keeper. This was nice & crispy.

Oven-Baked Chicken (serves 8 - 10)

1 tbsp butter

2/3 cup Bisquick mix

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cut-up whole chicken (mine was under 3 lbs and I was serving 7 people so I bought 2 chickens)

My grocery store had whole chickens on for 99 cents a pound. They also had the same chickens cut-up for the same price. I bought 2 of each. I love oven baked whole chickens - and then use the leftovers for sandwiches or on a salad. In each package of cut up chicken was 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 wings and 2 drumsticks. It also included giblets - which I tossed in the garbage.

Heat oven to 425 degree. In 9 x 13 inch baking dish, melt butter in oven. (I omitted this step, didn't think I needed the butter although next time I would spray the pans for easier clean up. One reason for the butter is more about putting the chicken in an already warm dish.)

In medium bowl, stir together Bisquick, paprika, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and pepper.

Coat chicken with mixture. Place skin side down in heated dish. (oops, apparently I missed this instruction....I don't think it really mattered...but will try to remember this next time and see if it makes a difference.)

Bake 30 minutes, turn chicken and back another 30 minutes, or until juice of chicken is clear.

Isn't the color beautiful? The skin was crispy - the chicken was juicy - not dried out at all.

Mushroom Rice Pilaf (Serves 8)

1 cup green pepper

1 cup onion

1 cup mushrooms

2 tbsp butter

4 cups water

2 cups long grain rice

3 tsp chicken bouillon

3 tsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

In a saucepan, melt butter.

Chop green pepper, onion and slice mushrooms.

Add vegetables in pan with melted butter, saute until tender.

Stir in the water, rice, bouillon, parsley, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat.

Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes on low, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

I really enjoyed the rice dish - although next time I would switch out the green pepper for celery. The green pepper didn't really add anything to the dish - and I think the celery would add a nice crunch to the dish.

I also served tossed salad. I buy the bagged salad mix. I serve the salad mix in a bowl and then add fixings at the table. I put individual toppings in bowls, such as cucumber, mushrooms, cheese, croutons and tomatoes. The salad dressings also go on the table. I find everyone makes the salad they want to eat and what is left goes into the fridge for another day. I used to put the fixings in the salad and add the dressing - and if it didn't get eaten it was pretty much wasted as it got so soggy before the next meal. My family quite likes this and less waste is a good thing.

Japanese Onion Soup, Ginger Salad Dressing, Steamed Pork Buns & Shu Mai

2010-02-16T17:25:00.000-08:00

Our family are big fans of dim sum - this is a type of Chinese cooking/restaurant. I first had this when living in Ottawa way back in the mid 80's. I was a legal secretary and my boss, Michelle, would reward me for working long hours or weekends by taking me out for lunch. She took me for "dim sum" and I fell in love. You sit at a table and these Chinese ladies wander around with carts and different kinds of dishes. There are many different kinds of things - mostly tiny little parcels of food and on saucers of 3 or 4 of the same thing. You choose what you like - and keep doing that til you are full. When you are done eating they add up the individual little plates that the food is served on.

Over the years - many of the places that we have lived have not been near a Dim Sum restaurant. It is something I look for when travelling/visiting different places. It is my absolute favorite type of food - hands down!! We have made some of the foods at home - but it is hard work and fiddly - and so much better when you are being served - lol.

I have also discovered that many Chinese markets/groceries carry some dim sum in the freezer section - so we fill up when we can.

A week ago Friday we found ourselves in Cleveland and found a sweet little Chinese grocery with a wonderful couple who run it. We bought a bunch of dim sum, steamed pork buns, dumplings & shumai (a little parcel of shrimp and other yumminess).

Another restaurant I love is a Japanese Steakhouse/Hibachi style. I love the soup and the salad dressing they serve. I did some searching on the internet and found recipes for both...so for supper tonight I decided to make soup, and salad and steam some pork buns and shumai.

Here goes - pictures and all!!

Japanese Onion Soup

1/2 stalk celery, chopped

1 small onion,chopped

1 tsp grated fresh ginger root

1 tsp minced garlic

8 quarts chicken stock

3 tsp beef bouillon

1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms (our grocery store did not have fresh, I used dried)

2 cups water

1 cup Baby portobello mushrooms, sliced (we have these - if not button - or leave out entirely)

1 tbsp minced fresh chives

In a pot, combine the celery, onion, ginger, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, chicken stock, beef bouillon & water. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. When the mixture reaches boiling, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 45 minutes.

Here is the package of the dried shiitake mushrooms I purchased. I just broke them apart as they can't really be sliced when dried out. Normally you rehydrate them in hot water and then they can be sliced etc... Because they were being boiled and cooked for quite a while I decided I didn't need to worry about them. They were fine.

Slice the baby portobello mushrooms.

Place them in a pot.

Slice the chives and place in bowls - waiting for the soup to finish.

When soup is finished cooking the 45 minutes drain over a sieve into the pot with the baby portobello slices. You have basically made a stock from the original soup mixture. The soup is now ready to serve into individual bowls.

Here is my bowl of soup - sooo yummy-I love this!! And yes even without the mushroom it would be awesome!!

Ginger Salad Dressing

1/2 cup minced onion

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp minced ginger

2 tbsp minced celery

2 tbsp ketchup

4 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until all of the ingredients are well pureed.

Serve on a tossed salad. I made this once the soup was boiling so the dressing had time for the flavors to mingle. Very yummy. Leftovers ...yeah me!!

The picture below shows my bamboo steamer - there are 2 layers here - and each one has cabbage leaves on the bottom and the dim sum sits on the cabbage. Place the steamer, with lid, over a pot of boiling water. The cabbage (lettuce also works) keeps the contents of the steamer from sticking.

Here is a close up of the pork buns - these are mini - normally they are about the size of your fist.

Here they are after they have been steamed. These are more like a dumpling rather than a steamed pork bun.

Here is the packaging from the Shrimp Shumai (prounced - sue my)

Here are the shumai after steaming - and almost gone too!!

Yummy - if I do say so myself doesn't quite replicate Dim Sum or Japanese Steakhouse - but not bad for home!!

Let me know if you give these recipes a try!!

Banana Bread

2010-02-10T22:30:00.001-08:00

What do you know...more overripe bananas...hmmm, banana bread time. I made this yesterday and when I got back from picking up my husband at the airport it was gone!! I didn't even get a try. Fortunately I did get a couple of the banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins this week!!

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl.

Cream together.

Add first egg and beat until smooth.

Add second egg and beat until smooth.

Add mashed bananas and blend in.

In second bowl, stir in flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add dry mixture to liquid mixtures.

Stir just to combine.

Transfer batter to greased loaf pan.

Bake at 300 degrees for one hour. Insert toothpick comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cake rack to cool.

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the finished product - and like I said when I got home last night there were only crumbs!!

Hearty Beef Stew

2010-02-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

My middle child, Nelson, loves stew. It is one of his favorites. Not so with my husband. Since my husband was away this week on business I decided to make some. I love stew from a slow cooker. The meat cooking for 8 or 9 hours really does just fall apart. This was a new recipe - and it calls for hoisin Sauce (used in oriental cooking). I liked the addition.

Hearty Beef Stew

2 tbsp butter
2 lbs beef stew meat
1 tbsp minced garlic
12 oz pkg of mushrooms , cut in half
1 1/2 large sweet onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 parsnips, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch slices
3 carrots, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch slices
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 - 1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes, quartered, about 10 potatoes
2 - 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 - 14 oz cans beef broth
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tsp dried thyme

Melt butter in skilled until sizzling, add beef and garlic. Cover over medium-high heat until beef is browned (4 - 5 minutes). You might need to do this in batches. Put all ingredients into slow cooker with rest of vegetables.

In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, broth, hoisin sauce and thyme and pour over slow cooker ingredients - stir to combine.

Cook on low for 8 - 9 hours. I did turn it to high for the last hour or so. Not sure if it was necessary.

Here is the finished product. This was most definitely a heart stew. Great flavors. A little soupy. Next time I would try flouring the beef just before frying. The flour will then mix with the liquids and help thickening things up as it cooks.

The nice thing about stews is you can throw in whatever vegetables you have on hand. I love the root veggies so plan ahead and make sure I have them on hand when I make stew.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-02-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

I have tried several recipes...banana, banana chocolate chip and banana oatmeal...this time I decided to combine two of them and came up with this recipe!! I love banana and oatmeal together and the chocolate chips are just perfection!!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 eggs

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup milk

1 cup mashed bananas

In large bowl measure in flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt & chocolate chips.

Mix well and make a well in the center.

In small bowl mash bananas. I do this with a fork - it seems to separate the banana better than a spoon.

In small bowl combine eggs, oil, milk and bananas.

Mix well.

Pour liquids into the well in the dry ingredients.

Stir just to moisten. The batter will be a little lumpy. Fill greased muffin cups.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. This makes 12 full muffins. I prefer them a little larger.
Here is the muffins all warm and toasty brown. By far the best recipe I have tried.

Simple Chicken Bake

2010-02-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

This is a nice simple recipe - throw together - put it in the oven and relax...or do one of the other 100 jobs that there is for us mom's to do ;0)

Simple Chicken Bake

1 1/2 cups long grain rice, uncooked
3 lbs chicken parts, skin removed
1-10 oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 cups water
1 pkg of dry onion soup mix
1 tsp paprika

Put rice into a 3 quart casserole.

I purchased chicken legs with the backs attached and cut them apart into the backs and the drums. I then pull the skin off.

Lay chicken parts on top of the rice.

In medium bowl stir the soup, water, soup mix and paprika until mixed well.

Pour over chicken.

Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours til rice and chicken are cooked through.

Here is the finished dish.

I had less than 3 lbs and I fed 5 on this with 1 piece of chicken and some rice left over.

Stuffed Round Steak, Broccoli with Toasted Garlic & Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

2010-02-04T15:24:00.000-08:00

Stuffed Round Steak

Serves 6

2 lbs boneless beef top sirloin steaks (about 1 lb each)

4 bacon strips, diced (I had part of a bag of bacon bits and use this instead)

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 1/2 cups unseasoned stuffing cubes

1 tbsp minced parsley

1/2 ts salt

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/4 tsp sage

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup beef broth

1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce

Recently while trying to pound out meat I tried putting the meat between 2 flexible cutting boards. In the past I have used plastic wrap or waxed paper. Both rip and get into the meat and make a mess. The flexible cutting boards are perfect. You can pound the top layer - you can lift the cutting board and see if the meat is pounded enough. And when you are done -the cutting boards go into the dishwasher. So easy and cost saving too.

Here are the two steaks after they have been pounded out.

Saute onion in a tsp of olive oil.

Combine stuffing cubes, parsley, salt, celery salt, sage & pepper in a bowl.

Add bacon - as I mentioned - I had a partial bag of bacon bits that I keep on hand for salads etc... I decided rather than open a package of bacon - I would use up this bag which equaled about 4 slices of bacon. Add onion once is cooked, add to stuffing mixture.

Spread stuffing mixture over each steak with within 1 inch of edges.

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short end. Tie with kitchen string. Place in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Pour beef broth over steaks.

Cover and bake for one hour at 325 degrees.

After one hour, remove from oven and uncover.

Take tomato sauce and pour over rolls.

Bake another 45 minutes or til cooked through.

See finished meat product at the end of the recipes.

Broccoli with Toasted Garlic

1 bunch of broccoli

1 cup of water

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt and black pepper, to taste

Cut broccoli into florets an put in a steamer basket in a pot of water. Steam til tender.

I have dried garlic chips and decided to try to rehydrate them in the oil. This didn't work - it was a dismal failure and the garlic burned quickly and was bitter smelling. I use minced garlic and I added that to the oil and just cooked til the garlic flavor was infused in the oil.

Once broccoli is cooked add the garlic and oil to the broccoli and salt and pepper to taste.

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

1 1/4 lbs potatoes unpeeled

1/4 cup chicken broth, warmed

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

salt and black pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until cooked. Smash in the skins and add both the chicken broth and sour cream.

I had potatoes left over from the low country boil so used these and a full can of chicken broth. Just heat til the potatoes are warmed through. I drained the potatoes and reserved the broth. I added the 1/4 cup broth back in and smashed the potatoes in their skins. Add the sour cream. I added a little more of the reserved broth - and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Here is the finished potatoes.

Here is the complete meal - lol - sort of :0) Most important is the meat so you can see what the finished product looks like after the string is removed and it is sliced up. The family really enjoyed this meal. It was a definite comfort meal.

Low Country Boil

2010-02-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

We lived in Georgia for 2 1/2 years. While there we were introduced, fell in love and cannot resist...Low Country Boil. Such a simple meal - but such yummy food and wonderful memories every time we eat this meal.

Low Country Boil

2 lbs frozen little ears of corn, thawed (they are regular ears that are cut into about 3 pieces)

2 lb raw shrimp

1 lb kielbasa

2 lb new baby potatoes

1 bag Old Bay Crab Boil

Bring Water and Crab Boil seasoning bag to a boil. Add potatoes and boil 20 minutes.

Cut kielbasa into pieces and add to potatoes. Boil 5 minutes.

Add mini corn cobs to potatoes and kielbasa and boil for 5 minutes.

Add shrimp to the pot and cook just until cooked.

Drain food and put onto platters and serve.

This is a feel good meal. Yummy corn, especially on the cob in the winter!!! Great tasting shrimp. Kielbasa that is bursting with flavor and those beautiful little red potatoes that remind me of summer. This meal is one that you can play with the ingredients. Cook more or less of what ever you prefer. We serve it with seasoning salt and Old Bay seasoning. Enjoy.

Turkey Stroganoff, Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, Salad & Pillsbury Breadsticks

2010-02-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had 11 for supper. Our oldest son was in a band and we had the band with their new members for supper and hang out time. It was nice to reconnect with these young adults again. Along with them our family and a friend of my daughters. One of the band members is sort of vegetarian - but she eats turkey/chicken. I did turkey version of Beef Stroganoff. It was a low calorie version that turned out very nice.

Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles
(This recipe serves 2 people. Because I was feeding more I multiplied the recipe by 6)

1 1/2 cups egg noodle
1 slice whole-wheat bread torn
2 tbsp skim milk
8 oz. ground turkey
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup grated onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp butter
1 tbsp flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/3 cup skim milk

Prepare noodles according to package directions.

Take bread and cut into small pieces

Soak bread in milk.

Combine turkey, egg, onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Stir in soaked bread. Form mixture into 8 meatballs [obviously I made many more :0)]

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, 5 minutes; remove meatballs and set aside.

Melt butter in the skillet and stir in flour; cook 1 minute.

Whisk in broth; reduce heat to medium.

Whisk in milk.

Mix together brown sugar and thyme.

Add sugar/thyme mixture into cream sauce.

Return meatballs to sauce; simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Serve over meatballs.

Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

(I have made this recipe several times, but I think this is the first I have shared it. The flavors in this side dish are amazing - sweet, rich, yummy)

8 cups (about 1 large head) cut into florets

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried marjoram

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put cauliflower in baking pan.

Toss cauliflower with oil, marjoram, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 - 20 minutes. Toss with vinegar and Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven and roast until the cheese is melted and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Salad

I take romaine hearts and slice them in about 1/2 inch slices. Pull the slices apart and mix together in a large bowl. To serve I put an assortment of dressings, croutons, bacon bits and cheese on the table for a serve yourself salad. Any salad less is stored in a Ziploc bag. I have found it lasts longer by not mixing it with other ingredients and dressing. It also means the lettuce is ready for a quick lunch salad for me without much work.

Pillsbury Bread Sticks

2 packages of Pillsbury Bread Sticks

olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Italian seasoning

I take them apart and twist each one onto the baking pan. I sprinkle them with olive oil, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Bake according to directions. They are a dressed up version -easy to do.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-01-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

I am helping out a friend who works out of the home full time. She struggles with getting nutritious, home cooked meals on the table at night. I am preparing some ready made freezer meals that can be baked, slow cooked or stove top prepared. I did some research on Once A Month Cooking blogs/websites and found some interesting ideas.

Don't Mess With Texas Soup Mix in a Jar

1 pkg brown gravy mix
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp garlic powder
10-12 tortilla chips, crushed
1 cup small uncooked pasta noodles

Add gravy to a pint sized jar. Combine chili powder, oregano, cumin, minced onion and garlic powder. Add to jar in a layer. Add crunched tortilla chips then top with pasta. Press down if needed. Tightly seal with lid.

Brown 1/2 lb ground beef in saucepan. I took this ground beef and put it in a Ziploc bag and froze it. It is ready to go when the meal is used.

Instructions for Preparing Soup. Add ground beef, jar contents and 7 cups of hot water. Heat to boiling. Add a 15 oz can of corn (preferably with bell peppers) and a 14 oz can diced tomatoes. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir regularly to prevent sticking. Serve with more tortillas and Monterey Jack cheese.

* I made 2 jars - one for me and one for my friend. Will report back when I make the soup up.

Potato Soup Mix in a Jar

1 3/4 cups instant mashed potatoes

1 1/2 cups dry milk

2 tbsp instant chicken bouillon

2 tsp dried minced onion

1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp turmeric

Put mashed potatoes in bowl

Add instant milk.

Add remaining spices and mix to combine. Add to quart jar, sealing tightly.

Instructions for Potato Soup: Place 1/2 cup of soup mix in a bowl and add 1 cup of boiling water. Stir or whisk until smooth. Serve immediately.

* I made 3 jars of this soup. Again, will report back once I give this a try.

Caesar Chicken Casserole

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into pieces

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/3 cup light cream Caesar dressing

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1 - 12 oz pkg of tube pasta (penne or macaroni) cooked and drained.

1 cup croutons

Combine all ingredients but croutons, mixing well.

Put casserole contents into a Ziploc bag. flatten out evenly (for easier freezing) and get out as much air as possible.

From Freezer Instructions:

Thaw casserole. Place in a 2 qt casserole dish. Top with crushed croutons. Bake at 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes or until topping is browned and casserole is bubbly.

Slow Cooker Saucy Meatballs

1-6oz pkg stove top stuffing mix for Turkey

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup water

2 cups mushrooms

2 medium green peppers, sliced (about 2 cups)

4 cups spaghetti sauce

1 - 1lb pkg spaghetti

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese.

Combine stuffing mix, meat, egg and water. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet and flash freeze

Once frozen, place meatballs in freezer bag and layer flat for easy freezer storage.

To Make Meatballs: Thaw and put in slow cooker, top with mushrooms, peppers and spaghetti sauce. Cover with lid. Cook on low 6 - 8 hours or high for 3 - 4 hours. Cook spaghetti as directed. Serve meatballs with sauce over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.

Shepherd's Pie with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

3 lbs potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 cup milk, hot

2 tbsp butter

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

1-19oz tomatoes, diced

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp thyme

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tsp paprika

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water til tender.

Mash potatoes. Combine with milk, butter, salt, pepper and cheese. Reserve.

Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic and beef. Brown lightly, drain any grease.

Add tomatoes. Cook until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Add seasonings, breadcrumbs and peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a buttered casserole. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.

* This is one of my family's favorite meals. I have been using this recipe for about 20 years. The only shepherd's pie recipe I have ever used. The recipe came from a Canadian Milk Calendar. Hope you enjoy this comfort food as much as my family has over the years. I made a double batch. On for my friend and one for our supper tonight - it was as good as ever!!

Moo Goo Gai Pan

2010-01-15T13:01:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010! It has been awhile - but I am back and looking forward to sharing some more recipes with you. My husband and I have made a commitment to lose some extra pounds that we have found lately ;0) So some of our recipes are calorie reduced. I will provide the calorie count on recipes as often as possible.

So...without further ado....

MOO GOO GAI PAN

A dish that is quite commonly found at any Chinese Restaurant. I served this with steamed long grain white rice. This recipe is nice because change out vegetables to what you have on hand - or ones that you prefer.

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp sherry (I use cooking sherry)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp soy sauce (we only use Kikkoman - it has a much better flavor)

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp minced ginger

3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3), sliced 1/4" thick and cut julienne

2 tbsp oil (not olive - smokes too easily)

1 cup shredded Chinese cabbage (napa or bok choy)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup celery

1-8 oz can bamboo shoots, cut julienne

1-8 oz can water chestnuts, sliced

Stir broth into cornstarch in small bowl. Add next 2 ingredients. Stir and set aside.

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger in a bowl. Add chicken. Stir until coated. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat wok on medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 tbsp oil. Add chicken and marinade. Stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl - keep warm.

Heat second amount of cooking oil in wok. Add vegetables. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stir broth mixture. Stir into vegetable mixture for about 1 minute until boiling and thickened.

Add chicken. Stir until heated through.

Serve over rice or noodles. This recipe is to serve 4. I doubled it and it served 6 comfortably. There was a very small serving left over. So...4 small servings - or 3 large servings. The dish is rather bland looking - but yummy to eat. Sprinkle with soy sauce before serving.

So...if you give this recipe a try - let me know what you think.

Mushroom Turkey Tetrazzini

2009-11-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry JD - lol - just couldn't resist. I know you dislike mushrooms as much as I love them. Thanks for trying one the other day :0) eventually you WILL like them - I promise. I appreciate that many people don't like them at all - this recipe is forgiving - try using onion, celery, peas - let me know what you try!! Would love to hear what you think of this recipe. This is one of my husband's favorites. He is not a casserole fan - but this is an exception.

Mushroom Turkey Tetrazzini

1 - 12 oz pkg of spaghetti - I use whole wheat - good fiber and great flavor
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sherry
3/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
1/4 tsp paprika

Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Reserve 2 1/2 cups of cooking liquid.

In large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender.

Stir in flour until blended.
Gradually stir in sherry and reserved cooking liquid.

Add lemon pepper, salt and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stir and cook for 2 minutes until thickened.

Reduce heat to low; stir in milk.
Add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese until blended.

Add sauce to bowl with spaghetti and turkey - stir to combine. Pour mixture into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

Mincemeat, Christmas (Fruit) Cake, Hamburger Soup, Lasagna

2009-11-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

Today was quite a day. Jolaine (JD) is visiting from Canada and it is wonderful to have her here for a few days. We decided to stick around home today - I had some cooking/baking plans and all my kids were home with assorted friends coming and going - a wonderful day. Also...Tia - a friend of JD's from "blogworld" drove from Michigan to come and officially "meet" JD. Such neat things today - an absolutely beautiful day.

Light Orange Almond Fruitcake

I grew up with my mom making fruitcake or Christmas cake every year. I never cared for it - candied fruit was too sweet....just not my thing...Until I found this recipe that is. I purchased The Canadian Living Christmas Book in 1993 and saw the picture for this fruitcake and knew I needed to give it a try. I have made it every year since - and it is something our family looks forward to at Christmas. (Canadian Living is a Canadian magazine)

One cute story about this cake. When we lived in Canada I would make this cake in mid October and store it in Tupperware in our storage shed. It kept it cold, dry and away from the "critters". One year we had an extra loaf left and Tim went out in the spring only to find the lid off and the wrappers empty with some crumbs left. At supper that night we were talking about it over supper when I noticed our middle child - Nelson - with a sheepish look. We asked him about it - come to find out - he had discovered the treat and had eaten a little at a time til it was all gone.

3 cups mixed candied fruit

2 cups golden raisins

1 1/2 cups halved candied cherries

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped candied pineapple

1 1/2 cups whole blanched almonds

1 cup candied citron peel

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp coarsely grated orange rind

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup orange juice

In large bowl, combine mixed candied fruit, raisins, cherries, pineapple, almonds and citron peel; toss with 1/2 cup of the flour and set aside.

Stir together remaining flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy;

Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add orange rind and almond extract, beating well. Add flour mixture alternately with orange juice, making three additions of dry and two of juice and mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Fold in fruit mixture. Harley was willing to lend a strong arm to get the fruit good and coated with the cake batter.

Courtesy of guest photographer Jolaine (JD)

Scrape cake into pans lined with parchment paper.

Courtesy of guest photographer Jolaine (JD)

The recipe suggests 2 full size loaf pans. I used 2 mini pans and 3 medium size pans. I prefer the smaller sizes - that can be given as gifts.

Bake cakes on center rack in 250 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours or til cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely in pans on racks. Once cooled I wrap them in plastic wrap then foil and store either in cold storage or the freezer til Christmas.

Mincemeat

Another Christmas tradition - and unfortunately another taste/flavor I just didn't enjoy. My husband, Tim, loves mincemeat...so this year I decided to spoil him a little. I did a search online for a recipe - wow...so many - but I came across one that intrigued me - a recipe that dates back to 1910. I liked the idea of a recipe with a long history.

3 cups golden raisins
3 cups dark raisins
3 cups currants
2 1/2 lbs apples
1 lb ground beef, cooked
3/4 cup citron
1 1/2 tbsp grated cinnamon
1/2 tbsp grated cloves
2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
3 cups brown sugar, packed
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 quart apple cider
1/2 lb beef suet, minced
3 lemons, juice and *zest
3 oranges, juice and *zest

Peel, core and chop apples into half inch dice.

Put all ingredients into a large pot. Mix well, and bring to a simmer.

Cook, uncovered, until apples are soft, stirring frequently. When softened, cook for 30 minutes, partially covered. Pack into sterilized jars and **process for 30 minutes.

*To zest is to remove the outer skin of the fruit - not the whole rind - just that light outer layer. I have a tool that helps to do this...called a zester.

**To process put lids on jars, do not tighten, and place in pot of boiling water for 30 minutes. Remove from pot and tighten lids.

I have to say...I think I have grown up or at least my taste buds have :) because the smell of the mincemeat cooking was wonderful and I found myself looking forward to making pies/tarts with this mixture. This recipe made 5 quart jars.

Hamburger Soup

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/3 cup barley

In a large pot, combine the beef, onions, carrots, celery and garlic.

Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Stir in broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and barley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the barley is cooked.

I think this has become my new favorite soup. Simple and easy to make...such nice flavors on a cold winter day. Although today was in the 60's here - lol. I like the combination of the ground beef and chicken broth - the veggies are good - the Worcestershire sauce always gives a nice touch too. mmmm soup...

Lasagna

I haven't made lasagna for quite awhile - but Tim, my husband asked me last week if I would make it sometime. I decided today was a good day since there were lots of people around. I combined two recipes and liked the results. One recipe is from Paula Deen's restaurant, Lady & Sons and the other was from the lasagna noodle pkg by Barilla.

1 1/2 lb ground beef
no-bake lasagna noodles
12 oz cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1-8 oz. pkg cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I used 2 quarts of homemade)

Mix cottage cheese, egg and Parmesan cheese - set aside.

Mix Swiss and cheddar together, set aside.

Crumble ground beef and cook til no pink is left. Set aside.

To put together the lasagna here are the steps.

1. Spread 1 cup of sauce in bottom of baking dish.

2. Layer as follows: lasagna noodles, 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of cubed cream cheese, 1/3 of browned beef, 1/3 of cheeses, 1 cup of sauce.

3. Repeat layers 2 more times.

4. One more layer of lasagna noodles, finish with remaining sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for 15 minutes before serving.

This was a wonderful recipe...there were so many things I like about this. The egg in the cottage cheese mixture gave nice texture. I had never tried cooking lasagna without the cheese from the beginning of cooking. I preferred this to using foil and having the cheese stick to it. This gave opportunity for everything to cook - add the mozzarella and let it melt and brown. One thing I would change the next time is to leave out the cream cheese. I did not find it added anything to the lasagna either in flavor or texture. I believe I have found my new go-to lasagna recipe...thanks Paula and Barilla

Today was a blessing. Our goal is to have our home a haven for family and friends. A place they can come for rest, food, laughter, tears, long chats, or quiet times and always a warm hug. God has blessed us and we pray we use it to bless others. That is my prayer.

Inside-Out Stuffed Cabbage Meatballs, Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary & Nutty Broccoli Slaw

2009-11-05T17:48:00.001-08:00

Inside-Out Stuffed Cabbage Meatballs

3 tbsp butter

2 lbs green cabbage, shredded

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp caraway seeds

salt and pepper

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 tsp ground allspice

Slice cabbage or put through the food processor. (I just sliced with a knife)

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-heat. Add the cabbage and 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and 1 tsp caraway seeds; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer 1 cup cabbage to a bowl and let sit until slightly cooled.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the meat mixture with the breadcrumbs, egg, allspice and remaining 2 tsp caraway seeds.

Divide the mixture into 12 mounds. (I learned a trick to doing this - spread the meat into a rectangle of even thickness on a piece of wax paper. Using a knife cut the mixture into the desired number of squares - I added some extra because I was serving 6 - not 4 for this meal)

Hold 1 mound in your hand and press a heaping teaspoon of the cooled cabbage mixture into the center; shape the meat around the cabbage to form a meatball. Repeat with the remaining meat and cooled cabbage.

Add 1 cup of water to the cabbage in the skillet; nestle the meatballs in the cabbage. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cover and cook, turning the meatballs once, until cooked through - about 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve the meatballs on the cabbage.

Serves 4

This was a nice meal. Although it was decided that the meatballs don't really need the cabbage inside them - just extra work that doesn't change the flavor at all. I will definitely try this again.

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

2 lbs. potatoes, cut in quarters

Heat over to 425 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Stir together oil, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add potatoes. Toss well until coated. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 30 - 35 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown.

Serves 4

Also YUMMY - I have used this recipe with assorted herbs and spices. This mixture was nice.

Nutty Broccoli Slaw

2 pkg chicken flavored Ramen noodles

1 lg pkg broccoli slaw (or 2 small)

2 cup diced onions

1 cup sunflower seeds (or more to taste)

1 cup slivered almonds (or more to taste)

1 small can sliced black olives

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Ramen noodle chicken seasoning pkg

Mix salad ingredients together.

Mix dressing ingredients together and blend well.

Combine all in a large bowl with a lid. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

First - I didn't add the black olives. I am not a fan so left this ingredient out. This recipe is going in the keeper binder.

My dear friend Jolaine (or JD) arrived today for a visit. All the way from the East coast of Canada. I am so blessed that she would come all this way for a visit. She was here this summer with her kids and arrived in time for the 4th of July. We have a picnic with our small group from church and then head to the park to watch the fireworks. This salad was brought by a friend to the picnic - and Jolaine was a big fan. She has been asking me for ages for to try to get the recipe. I finally followed through and got the recipe last week. I got all of the ingredients together and made it so JD could enjoy the salad tonight - her first night here in Ohio again :) It did make her smile!!

Jolaine and I are planning lots of cooking during our time together. I am looking forward to spending time together sharing some of my traditions - Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding, Mincemeat, Beef Jerky and MORE Grape Juice.

Home-Style Shrimp Curry, Basmati Rice and Pan-Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2009-11-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

Home-Style Shrimp Curry & Basmati Rice

1 cup Basmati rice, rinsed

1 1/3 cup water

2 tsp Madras-style curry powder

kosher salt

3 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, minced

1 - 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Combine the rice, 1 1/3 cup water, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tbsp oil in a saucepan. Cover and cook undisturbed over medium-low heat, about 15 minutes; keep warm.

Meanwhile, chop the onion in a food processor, drain the excess liquid and set the onion aside.

Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp curry powder and stir fry until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and water and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.

Add the shrimp, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the shrimp are firm, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the yogurt. Serve with rice.

Serves 4

This was very nice - next time I would add some chilies for a little more heat. But nice texture and flavor.

Pan-Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2 lb Brussel sprouts, halved lengthwise

1 tbsp olive oil

7 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp butter

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp salt

In a large saucepan cook Brussel sprouts, uncovered, in enough lightly salted boiling water to cover for 3 minutes, drain well.

Place a large heavy skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, add oil and garlic. Cook and stir for 2 minutes and then add half the butter. Increase heat to medium-high; carefully arrange half of the sprouts, cut-side down, in the hot skillet. Top with half of the rosemary, fennel and salt. Cook, uncovered for 4 minutes or til sprouts are well-browned.

Remove sprouts from pan. Repeat with remaining butter, sprouts, rosemary, fennel and salt.

Serves 6

This was also tasty - but lots of fiddly work. Not sure the taste is worth the time involved.

Super-Sticky Chicken, Holy Haluski and Creamy Garlic Dressing

2009-11-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been struggling with headaches for longer than I want to think about. Last week my husband was travelling. As a result of him being gone, I had a busier week and my headaches were worse - so my kids fended for themselves at mealtimes.

If I haven't mentioned it before - I am collector of recipes, recipe books and recipe magazines. I love them all. I love to try new recipes on a regular basis. I knew I needed to get back into the swing of cooking meals and blogging. So...here we are.

Super-Sticky Chicken

2 lbs of chicken pieces (I used quarts - legs with the back attached)

3 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced garlic in the jar)

3 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp ground ginger

Place chicken pieces in large dish/roasting pan.

Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over chicken, turn and coat. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and back chicen for 30 minutes. Turn to coat and bake another 30 minutes. Check for doneness. May need a few more minutes depending on size and number of chicken pieces.

Because of my busy day, I was unable to marinate the chicken for an hour. In the future I would marinate it at least an hour - and possibly overnight. It wouldn't hurt. This has nice flavor.

Holy Haluski

This recipe is from the November issue of Food Network Magazine. My husband and son are fans of the show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. This is a traditional Polish recipe he experienced while visiting Kelly O's Diner in Pittsburgh, PA. He made some adjustments and I did the same. I left out a couple of ingredients and was very happy with the results.

3 tbsp butter

4 oz thinly sliced pancetta, diced (bacon can be used - but I like the flavor of the pancetta)

2 large onions, sliced

1 medium head of cabbage sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 cup carrots, cut in 1/4 inch julienne

1 tsp kosher salt (regular salt works the same)

2 tsp black pepper

8 oz. wide egg noodles

3 tbsp minced garlic (again, I used the minced in a jar)

1/4 cup while wine

1 tbsp lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles.

In a large pot, melt 1 tbsp of the butter over medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring, until crisp - 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the pancetta to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Add 2 tbsp butter to the pancetta fat and melt. Add the onions, cabbage and carrots. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables with the butter. Cover and cook til the cabbage is wilted and almost tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer til the cabbage is very tender, about 10 more minutes.

While the cabbage cooks, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the package.

Increase the heat to high , stirring until the cabbage and onions are golden, 10 - 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan (stirring to release the yummy bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan). Stir in the lemon juice. Add 3/4 of the pancetta, combine well and remove from heat.

Drain the noodles and add to the pot with the cabbage. Toss well to coat the noodleswith the cabbage mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining pancetta and serve immediately.

This dish was amazing. There are very few recipes that I make that all 5 of us love. I encourage everyone to "critic" a new recipe. What would they change, add, take away...They are not so much critical of the cooking - but the recipe. For this one - they all loved. It is an interesting dish...unusual - but sooo yummy. Definitely a keeper - one for the binder JD.

Creamy Garlic Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp minced garlic - yes, from the jar :0)

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients; shake well. Chill.

Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 1 2/3 cup.

I used a dish and whisked the ingredients. I used about 1/3 of the dressing on romaine lettuce with some chopped mushrooms (yes JD mushrooms) and cucumber. Any lettuce mixture and add -ins can be used. Nice flavor.

Sausage, Potato and Cabbage Stew

2009-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

This recipe creates more of a "stoup" - a cross between a soup and a stew.

1 lb kielbasa, sliced

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 tbsp spicy brown mustard

1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 lbs red potatoes

3 cups (1/2 pkg) store-bought coleslaw mix

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook the kielbasa and onion over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the mustard and vinegar; then add chicken broth.

Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and add to pot, along with the coleslaw mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe serves 5. Serve with fresh bread. Yummy.

Cinnamon Nut Coffee Cake

2009-10-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

Our adult small group meets on Sunday mornings at church while our kids have their own small groups. When I wake up early on Sundays (which doesn't happen as often as I would like!!) I get up and make something to bake for our small group. I had been thinking about it this week and how I would like to take something - and what do you know - at 6 am I was wide awake. I decided to try a new recipe - here goes....

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl whisk the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla.

Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened; set aside. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.

Spread half of batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping. Carefully spread the remaining batter over top; sprinkle batter with the remaining topping.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.

Serves 12 - 15 pieces.

Home from Church and the coffee cake was yummy. This will go in the keep pile :0>

Halloween

2009-10-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a very strict Christian home. There were a lot of things we were not allowed to do as kids, no television, homework or sports on Sunday. We reserved Sunday for Church, family and friends. I saw my first every theater movie at the age of 18. My boyfriend (now my husband) took me - Raiders of the Lost Ark- wow what an amazing first movie! I didn't tell him til afterwards that it was the first time I had been to the "show". He was appalled - figured my parents wouldn't be impressed. I don't think they ever knew. Anyway, something we DID do was celebrate Halloween. My parents hosted Halloween parties in our home for their friends. My husband grew up in Africa on the mission field...and they celebrated Halloween. Somewhere along the way...Halloween for Christian's become a bad thing. Somehow we lost the "fun" part of just being able to let our kids use their "imagination" and have fun. Dressing up and visiting friends. It seems a shame that we as Christian's "give" our holidays away - allow satan or evil to take over something that could be innocent - and even an opportunity to share Christ - wow, your church has a Halloween Party?

I did a lot of sewing when my kids were young and made all of my kids Halloween costumes - the first ever was a bee costume - he was just a year old - so sweet. From there I continued until about 4 years ago. Every year - a new costume - it become quite a tradition - the kids and I would go and pour over the pattern books and decide "who" they wanted to be that year. We have had Zorro (my absolute favorite), a mermaid, Rapunzel, Robin Hood, a dinosaur, the kids loved those times.

Over the years I have had many conversations with many people about this subject. I lose the battle when I don't have information to back it up - my memory isn't great for dates, etc... But I still feel strongly that we have to look at this differently. This post was brought on by the fact that we did pumpkin carving last night. Another think I love is doing neat designs - yes I use patterns and special tools - i guess it is that jigsaw puzzle lover in me :)

We have a friend - she is the same age as my oldest - and we have "adopted" her as part of our family. She goes to church with us and is usually at the house several times a week - for a quiet (?) place to study, join us for a meal, hang out with my daughter, or just to chat with me. We love Erin...she has never carved a pumpkin before and was looking forward to it. So yesterday we went to the grocery store and picked out our pumpkins, came home and decided on a design and started cleaning out pumpkins.

This is Erin cleaning out her Pumpkin

My 16 year old daughter, Sadie - making faces while she cleans out her pumpkin.

Look at all those pumpkin guts. Almost done cleaning.

Erin working on her design - laughing at something Sadie said - these two laugh a lot.

Sadie "posing" for me - she is "poking" her way around her design.

There are restrictions to our Halloween - no witches, warlocks, skulls, etc... nothing that depicts evil - just good clean fun.

Here are the finished designs, all lit and ready to go :0) Mine is the first one, a cute little
Boo Ghost". The second is Erin's - a "Cross-Eyed Happy Face". Erin did an amazing job for her first ever pumpkin carving. The 3rd one is Sadie's - he was called "Bugaboo" .

This morning I was sitting here thinking of posting the pictures of us carving pumpkins and got thinking more about the concept of Halloween being a secular holiday. I did a quick search on google and what did I find - wow - some fascinating information.

Halloween DID begin as a Christian Holy Day! No matter what you have heard before the truth of history and the understanding of the word Halloween is quite Christian. Halloween broken down is the eve (evening) before the Holy (Hallow) day. It was first called All Saints Day or Hallows Day in 610AD and was celebrated on May 13. So the very first step is to understand the meaning of the word. Halloween means the Holy Eve. Happy Halloween means Happy Evening before Holy Day!

The church moved Hallows Day from May 13 to Nov 1 on 741AD to place it on the same day as the Pagan (unbelievers) Festival of Death. This was very common in the early church because they moved Christmas and Easter already to coincide with Pagan celebrations so that Christians had something Christian to celebrate when everyone else was celebrating.

Hallows Day was a day to honor all the martyrs that died from Christ's death and resurrection until 311 AD when Constantine made it against the law to persecute Christians. The church picked one date to celebrate all the people who willingly and often joyfully followed Jesus and refused to deny their faith.

Recognize that we have been ignorant of our Christian history and did not understand that the Pagans took their celebration known as Samhain (festival of death) to be one with Halloween. Instead of continuing to call their day Samhain over the years it got mixed into being called Halloween for both celebrations.

As a Christian we don't need to run from Halloween, but to redeem it and embrace it as a Holy Eve Celebration to remember all the martyrs that have died and that continue to die in our generation for their faith. We really have something to celebrate because our faith could not be destroyed or mowed down because Christians are not afraid of death but embrace it..."For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." The sting of death was taken away after Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected.

Now the choice is yours. Be creative! Find a way to celebrate your Holy Day! And be set free by the truth and know your can really cheerfully say, "Happy Halloween!" guilt-free!

This article came from www.ehow.com when I searched "How to Celebrate Halloween as a Christian"

So...what is your take on this holiday that we celebrate? Would love your feedback.

Chicken in a Cashew Nut Sauce

2009-10-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our family likes to try different foods from different cultures. Something we enjoy is curry. I have a recipe book - Best Ever Curry Book (over 150 great curries from India and Asia). The author is Mridula Baljekar. I have been trying to get in the habit of taking pictures of the meal as it progresses...but last night I got so into the cooking that I didn't remember until I was sitting at the table enjoying the food...oops. I did manage to remember to take a picture of the finished dish. I also cooked Basmati rice to go along with the rest.

2 onions

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/3 cup cashew nuts

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp plain yogurt (I used a Greek yogurt - it has a nice texture)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp sultana (golden) raisins

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed

6 oz mushrooms

1 1/4 cup water

Cut the onions into quarts, then place in a food processor or blender. Process for 1 minute.

Add the tomato puree, cashew nuts, garam masala, crushed garlic, chili powder, lemon juice, turmeric, salt and yogurt to the onions and process for a further 1 1/2 minutes.

In a wok or large pan, heat the oil, lower the heat to medium and pour in the onion and spice mixture from the food processor or blender. Fry gently, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary.

Add the fresh coriander, raisins and chicken to the pan and continue to cook for a further minute.

Add the mushrooms, pour in the measured water and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes.

After this time, check that the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick. Continue to cook for a little longer if necessary.

Served over rice.

Serves 4

This was a big hit. Everyone enjoyed. It is not a hot curry. Nice flavor with just a little bite. We will definitely try this again. Well worth the time of spending with the food processor/blender to make the sauce. What do you think? Was it worth it?

Scooter

2009-10-22T08:21:00.003-07:00

This is my two year old dog, Scooter. He is a labradoodle - but a mini - so smaller than most people expect. Scooter has two favorite toys. Both are stuffed animals from my 16 year old daughter that Scooter has "stolen" and adopted for his own. One is a black cat and the other is this dog. One or both join Scooter in bed along with our other dog, Abby. When Scooter is in bed he lays his head on the dog or cat. Last night he was laying on the ottoman (that he has called his own also) and gently chewed/played with his dog/puppy friend. I couldn't resist getting photos. So, indulge me and take a look at my sweet Scooter.

2009-10-22T08:21:00.001-07:00

Mushroom Barley Soup

2009-10-19T15:43:00.001-07:00

I love soup. I can - and often do - eat soup every day. I love creamy, brothy, about the only kind I don't love is cold soup - to me the whole point of eating soup is it warms me up. Next to my love of soup - is mushrooms - sorry JD :) Today I tried a new recipe - it turned out yummy - give it a try - did you love it?

8 cups (2 quarts) beef broth

1/2 cup raw pearl barley

2 large carrots, sliced or diced

1/4 tsp dried sage

1 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

10 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Combine the broth, barley, carrot and sage in a pot. Bring to a quick boil; reduce the heat and simmer slowly for 40 minutes.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until wilted. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes more.

Stir the mushroom mixture into the broth. Simmer partially covered 10 minutes longer.

Taste for seasoning and add the pepper and salt. Serves 4.

Beef Jerky

2009-10-18T15:39:00.000-07:00

Just a note regarding the Beef Jerky recipes. I would suggest not adding the salt in the New Recipe. Mine was a tad salty. I also noticed that because the jerky cooked quickly - maybe more salt was absorbed in the meat?

Classic Meat Loaf, Rice Dressing, Asian Salad & Apple Crisp

2009-10-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoon I got a call from Julie (one of my best friends), she had gotten word that one of the ladies in our small group at church was in hospital - we decided to go visit that evening. God was in the moment. She had been alone all day due to them having 6 children, her husband trying to keep it all together and his Dad also being in the hospital. It was a good visit with lots of laughter. Something our small group does it try to help each other during these times, so I am coordinating meals for the family. My day was today and I am posting about the meal that I took them. My family??? they ate leftovers - lol -but they know that reaching out to others is more important than having a home cooked meal. Here are the recipes of the meal I took:

Classic Meat Loaf:

1 large egg

3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup minced onion (or 1 tbsp dried minced onion)

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef

1/4 cup ketchup

Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Add ground beef. Mix well. Press into greased loaf pan. I put the mix into two smaller pans. Spread ketchup on top of loaf. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours. Serves 6 (I adjusted the recipe a small amount to serve 8)

Rice Dressing:

4 cups chicken broth, divided

1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup butter

2 cups chopped mushrooms [sorry JD :0) ]

3 tsp parsley

1 1/2 - 2 tsp poultry seasoning

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp thyme

In saucepan, bring 3 1/2 cups broth and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or til tender.

In a saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender.

Stir in mushrooms and continue to saute til softened.

Stir in rice, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, sage, thyme and the remaining broth. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 350 degree for 30 minutes. Serves 10

Asian Salad:

2 pkg oriental Ramen noodles, crushed (or whatever flavor you prefer)

2 seasoning pkgs from Ramen noodles

1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil (olive oil will work - but the sesame adds good flavor)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds (pine nuts, sunflower seeds or pecans also work)

Put everything in a saucepan and toast over medium heat. Stir often til browned. Set aside to cool.

I use a spring mix of greens and Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing. Put them in a bowl and mix well. Add enough of the above mixture to coat greens. Soooo yummy. I make several recipes at once and store in either a Ziploc bag or container so I always have it on hand. It is a nice quick tasty salad to add to a meal.

Apple Crisp:

5 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1 cup flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup softened butter

In 11 x 17 baking dish arrange apple slices in an even layer.

In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using pastry blender or with fingertips, rub in til mixture is crumbly.

Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over apples.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 - 40 minutes til topping is lightly browned and apples are tender and bubbly. Serve warm.

I used all disposable containers so that the family could just toss things when they were done and didn't have to worry about trying to return things. This is one of those "comfort meals" that I like on these cool fall days. Let me know what you think? Did you try any of these?

Beef Jerky

2009-10-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

I purchased a new preserves book this fall. It is called "Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It, and other cooking projects" the author is Karen Solomon. It is an interesting book with recipes for some basics and other things like, bacon, cheese, marshmallows. There was a recipe for Beef Jerky. I have a recipe that I use regularly but decided it would be fun to do two recipes - our old stand by and this new one and let my kids decide which they prefer. Here is the beef. I found a small beef roast and it was BOGO so I asked the meat department to slice it for jerky. They did this while I shopped. It was awesome. Below is a picture of the how the meat looks before I get it ready for marinating.

New Recipe :
1 lb. lean top sirloin or flank steak
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried chile flakes (optional)
1 tsp black pepper (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and put both meat and marinate in a large Ziploc bag. Put in fridge and let sit for 24 hours. Occasionally push meat around in Ziploc bag to make sure all meat comes in contact with marinade. Below is a picture of the meat and marinade in Ziploc bag.

My Regular Beef Jerky Recipe

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place both marinade and meat in Ziploc. Close bag and massage the meat so that all meat comes in contact with the marinade. Place in fridge and occasionally move the meat around to keep meat marinated.

Below is a picture of my new dehydrator. My original machine had no thermostat control or fan. The bottom of the machine had the heater coil so could not be washed. I tried making sun dried tomatoes this summer with it and because it was not hot enough my tomatoes went moldy before they were dried out. So I decided to splurge and get a new machine. It has a fan that circulates the heat better. There are several temperature settings and on the top it shows what temperature to set for what you are drying. The fan and motor are in the lid of the machine so that the racks and base can all be washed. I have done sun dried tomatoes in the new dehydrator and love it. This is the first I made jerky and it was quick. Maybe too quick so I tried the second batch at a lower temperature.

After meat has marinaded for a minimum of 24 hours take out and place on racks of dehydrator. Here is a picture of the meat when it starts out.

When meat has dried out take off rack. Some pieces will dry faster than others depending on size and thickness. You may find that you need to rearrange the meat on less racks as meat dries. When meat is dried I store it all in a Ziploc bag. Be aware - it won't last long once the family members find it - and that is a good thing.

White Mac & Cheese and Greek Style Chicken Salad

2009-10-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

Mac & Cheese Recipe:

1-1 lb box penne pasta
2-12 oz. cans evaporated milk
2 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
3 - 8 oz. pkg shredded italian blend cheese
2 - 5 oz. pkg. shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

In a large mixing bowl combine evaporated milk, salt, pepper, cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Stir in cooked pasta until well combined. Spoon into prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together reserved parmesan and panko. Spread evenly over top of pasta and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Below is the finished product. It was cheesy, ooey, gooey goodness - oh so yummy. This makes 8 - 10 servings.

Salad Recipe:

1/2 red onion, diced fine

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt (in my store this is called "Fage")

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried)

Grated peel of 1 lemon

Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs

3 romaine hearts, chopped

1 English cucumber, chopped

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved

In a bowl combine, onion, yogurt, dill, lemon peel, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and put in fridge til ready to serve.

In a large bowl toss the romaine, cucumber and tomatoes, set aside til chicken is ready.

Preheat a grill (I have a small indoor grill that I used). Brush the chicken with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on grill - about 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

Combine dressing with salad and mix well - this is a rather thick dressing but quite easy to mix - be patient. I decided not to combine the chicken and salad so that both would keep if there were leftovers. We served the salad and topped it with the chicken individually. Below is the salad with the dressing combined.

This was a yummy meal - we got our starch, our dairy, lots of veggies and some protein as well. The salad was a nice change. For anyone that enjoys Greek food - especially Tzaziki sauce - this dressing is a similar flavor along with a fresh splash of lemon. Hope you give it a try and enjoy.

Creamy Ham Fettucine

2009-10-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

1 lb fettuccine

3 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 1/2 cups whipping cream

4 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook fettuccine according to directions. In large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter til tender. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add broccoli. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or til broccoli is tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Stir in ham, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.

This was a first time recipe - and it is definitely a keeper. It was yummy and fresh broccoli was a nice addition. I love a good alfredo sauce and this was good and easy.

Applesauce

2009-10-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

I have had a request to share my applesauce recipe. Unfortunately - I don't really have a recipe per se...But I will do my best to share how I do this.

I take a large pot and quarter apples - skin, seeds and all. I find that Ida Reds or similarly very red skinned apples are best. Because I cook them with the skins - it gives a beautiful reddish tinge to the sauce that I love. Cover the apples with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook until the apples are broken down and resemble a wet applesauce. Most of the water should have been cooked off - sometimes you may have to add some extra water if things get too dry.

I have a piece of equipment that my mother used to make applesauce. I have no idea the actual use for this - or other uses for this gear. I always called it a "colander". It has a metal stand - a metal "colander" that is triangular in shape, and a wooden tool that is used to move the ingredients around inside the colander and release the sauce out of the wholes. (I used this for the grape juice also - although I lined the colander with several layers of cheesecloth as I only wanted the juice - no pulp).

Once the apples are cooked down - pour it into the colander (which has been placed over a large bowl) and start moving the wooden dowel around and removing the sauce. You will need to use a spatula to take the skins away fromt he sides to allow for more sauce to get through. Process all of the apples and then toss the skins, seeds and cores. What is left in your bowl is applesauce.

I taste it and add some sugar to taste. I sometimes add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste as well.

I fill jars and process them in a hot water bath for 20 minutes. Remove from bath and tighten lids.

This equipment can be found at http://www.lehmans.com/ . This store is known for carrying "non-electric" equipment for the Amish community. It was a small local store until the year 2000 when the Y2K scare and people started researching this store. As a result it has become quite the tourist attraction and carries many items that are very helpful. When people come to visit - it is on the list of places to take them.

Enjoy. This one is for you Deborah.

Preserving and Canning

2009-10-08T05:43:00.000-07:00

This will come as a huge surprise to those that know me - but I love to can....crazy I know - I'm not sure why this obsession has got a hold of me - but there is something about seeing all of this food all ready to feed the family over the winter months. Years ago when the kids were little I did Salsa and Pickles - that was about it. And then we moved to Ohio - in the heart of Amish country and the fresh produce is so amazing and cheap - how could I resist. My sister makes Spaghetti Sauce and after trying it I realized there is no comparison between this homeade goodness and store bought. So last year I started with spaghetti sauce, salsa, pickles, relish & apple sauce. This year I did more dreaming - scheming and searching out recipes that had to be tried. I have been blessed also with friends who planted too many vegetables for their own use (Thanks Julie and others) so this has added to my stash. This photo is my pantry that stores all my canned foods and supplies for canning as well. Here is my list for 2009...

Spaghetti Sauce - 27 quarts

Salsa - 20 quarts, 3 pints

Tomatoes - 6 quarts

Dill Pickles (whole) - 5 quarts

Dills (chunks) - 9 quarts

Dills (sandwich slices) - 4 quarts

Sweet Dills (for hubby) -4 quarts

Bread & Butter Pickles - 6 quarts

Bread & Butter (sandwich slices) - 5 quarts

Lime Pickles - 10 pints

Relish - 6 quarts, 7 pints

Banana Pepper Rings - 3 pints

Pickled Beets - 6 quarts

Borscht (Beet Soup) -7 quarts

Three Bean Salad - 6 quarts

Hot Pepper Jelly - 4 pints

Blueberry Pie Filler - 2 quarts

Apple Pie filler - 8 quarts

Blueberry Butter - 1 pint, 2 half pints

Blueberry Syrup - 6 pints

Apple Sauce - 1 quart, 2 pints

Blueberry Jam - 2 pints, 2 half pints

Raspberry Jam - 2 pints, 2 half pints

Elderberry Jam - 1 pint

Blackberry Jam - 2 pints

Grape Juice - 30 quarts

In Freezer:

Cabbage Rolls - 54

Corn - 21 bags of 3 cups each

Green Beans - 7 bags of 3 cups each

Sundried Tomatoes - 4 bags of 1 cup each (100 + tomatoes)

Diced Green Peppers - 3 bags of 2 cups each

I think I am done for this year - but as my family knows - no guarantees. I might find some more fruit and or vegetables that need a home - and I am always happy to oblige...its a wonderful life indeed.

Grape Juice

2009-10-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

16 cups of washed grapes and 8 cups of water - bring mixture just to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Take off stove and pour into cheesecloth (4 layers) lined colander. Once drained return juice to pot and add 1 - 1 1/2 cups of sugar to taste. Bring back to just a boil and fill jars. Put lids on and do not tighten up. Place in a pot of boiling water and let simmer (process) for 10 minutes. Remove from pot and tighten lid. Set aside to cool - the lid will seal as it cools.

Here are my jars of juice - I got 3 full jars and 3/4 of another. I will add the remaining juice to the next batch. I cannot tell you just how amazing these grapes smell. My whole house has this wonderful grape aroma - and then when the grape juice is bubbling away I feel like I am in the Welch's grape juice factory. Definitely a smell I could get used to.

Harley

2009-10-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

Today my oldest child is 20 years old. Where does the time go - how do so many days slip by without noticing that your kids are growing into these amazing adults. I am blessed everyday - yes, even the days they don't clean up after themselves. I love my kids - love to hang out with them - talking about life - love - their dreams and where God is taking them. Harley is loving life these days. He is finding his way and open to what God is teaching him. Today we are spending the day together - shopping of all things. I am proud to be your mom Harl. Hope this day is the beginning of an exciting year for you.

Grapes

2009-10-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

JD - this entry is for you...I spent an hour this morning picking grapes from these vines. A good friend from church brought me a meal a couple of weeks ago when I was sick. It was homemade chicken noodle soup, fresh bread, jello and grape juice. The juice was devoured by my kids...not a drop for me :(

This same friend told me on Sunday that she had made all of the juice she was going to this year and I was welcome to what was left on the vines. So I headed out this morning - not sure what to expect, how long it would take - or even how to "pick" grapes... There beside the vines were gardening scissors - I took along my own boxes. It was a gorgeous fall morning - cool and overcast. I so enjoyed my time - reflecting on God's handiwork - providing the sun and rain all summer to grow these amazing little guys - and then providing the cool fall weather to make them that beautiful purple color.

Here are all the grapes I picked - after they have been removed from the stems. I am going to be making juice and some jelly - recipes to follow.

Avgolemono

2009-10-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

So... about 11 years ago we were living in Southeast Georgia. We discovered this little Greek restaurant that was fabulous. They served a soup that has become a favorite - but I have always been intimidated by the recipe. I was on a website and found another recipe for this soup and decided to give it a try.

4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons long-grain white rice
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan.

Stir in rice and simmer over low heat partially covered, until it is tender but still firm, about 10 - 12 minutes.

Whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until very smooth. Whisk a couple of ladles of the hot broth into the egg then vigourously whisk the eggs back into the saucepan of soup. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the soup over low yeat until it thickens enough to coat the spoon, which should only take a minute. (this took several minutes - maybe I had the heat lower than necessary) Do not let it come close to a simmer or it might curdle.

Remove it from the heat - the soup will thicken a little more as it sits for the next minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4

OK - so...I love lemon - and tart and salty - so I added much more lemon juice than the recipe calls for. This is an unusual soup - but so heart warming and a comfort soup - especially when feeling cold and under the weather. It is a little unusal - but come on - give it a try!!! It might just become your new favorite too. Let me know.