tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17269506799634902472023-11-16T02:40:00.013-08:00FoodMomma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-68362892308322934272010-09-18T15:10:00.000-07:002010-09-18T15:10:56.841-07:00PW's Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich (AKA The Marlboro Man Sandwich)DEFINITELY worth making this one.... That's all I have to say. I did make several changes though, but I don't think they really changed the sandwich as a whole.<br />
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First - get the recipe <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/marlboro_mans_f/">here</a><br />
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I followed the directions until the meat was cooked and it was time to add more butter. Instead, I added bacon grease. Yes, my lovelies... bacon grease...... clogger of arteries!!! Looking back, I think I would use it nearly entirely in place of the butter, but hey, at least I thought of it before it was all over.<br />
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I had about 3 lbs of cube steak and 3 medium onions. In the future I think I'd increase the oninons a little and maybe even add some sliced mushrooms..... mmmmm. And maybe cook them in the bacon grease too. Man oh man does this smell good!<br />
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Definitely make sure you slice this THIN. In the cookbook she says 1 inch slices. I think I would prefer about 1/4 inch slices! After the meat was cooked, I went further than her recipe and actually diced it up - this was to make it easier for both LD and dad to eat. Then, rather than toasting the buns (which I'm betting would be FABULOUS) I loaded them up with the filling and wrapped them in foil.<br />
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Place in a 350 degree oven on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes or so - just long enough for the rolls to heat through and the juices to soak in. Serve up with a green salad and it's a meal that kids and adults alike will enjoy! I know we all did. <br />
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As an afterthought, both dad and I agreed that some cheese melted on these (like mozarella) would be just what the doctor ordered!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-11299996384063684842010-09-09T04:27:00.000-07:002010-09-09T04:30:17.888-07:00Chicken & Herbed DumplingsYesterday, because it felt a little like Fall might be arriving, I made Chicken & Herbed Dumplings, the easy way.<br />
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So without further delay, here's what you'll need:<br />
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1 fully cooked chicken<br />
1 small bag baby carrots<br />
3 medium russet potatoes<br />
1 medium yellow onion<br />
1 "celery heart"<br />
2 cans chicken broth<br />
1 can cream of chicken soup<br />
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Jiffy or Bisquick baking mix<br />
Milk <br />
fresh herbs<br />
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Start by removing the chicken from the bones. Now you can cook one up yourself, but I went for easy & used a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Once you've got the chicken removed, dice it up - being sure to remove any pieces of skin, fat, gristle etc. Unless you're Jack Sprat's wife, in which case you can leave in the fat.<br />
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Dice up the veggies - leave the skin on the potatoes! Celery can be rough cut across the rib, no need to cut them lengthwise unless that's your thing. Follow with the onions and finally the baby carrots. These can be cut in half, or in thirds. The size of the dice here is all dependent upon how you like it - big or small or somewhere in between - whatever floats your boat, or in this case, your dumplings.<br />
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Place the veggies on top of the chicken as you cut them up. Pour in both cans of chicken broth and add enough water to not quite cover everything. Contrary to what we've all been told, for.... well forever, you don't need THAT much liquid to successfully cook stuff (pasta, veggies etc).<br />
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Place on the stove and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until all the veggies are cooked through. Add in the can of cream of chicken soup, mix well. Allow to return to a boil, then reduce heat so that it's still bubbling but not vigorously boiling.<br />
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You'll now have enough liquid that you can only see the veggies & chicken if you actually stir and lift them with a spoon. <br />
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While this is happening, mix up the baking mix and milk according to the package directions for dumplings. Before adding the milk however, add some herbs - I had fresh basil & rosemary but you can use whatever you like. If you have rosemary that's fresh, a little goes a LONG way.<br />
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If you're unsure about how much milk to use, dumpling "batter" should be about the consistency of drop biscuits - firm but not so firm that you could roll it flat and it should easily scoop up with a spoon. I used about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of baking mix, about two tablespoon or so of fresh herbs and enough milk to hold it all together. Don't worry if you see small lumps of dry baking mix - it'll all be just fine in the end, I promise.<br />
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Drop the dumpling batter by soup spoonful on top of the bubbling soup mix until you've either used all the batter or there's no room left. It's ok if they're really packed in there. In fact, the more crowded it is, in my opinion, the better - the dumplings tend to get bits from the soup stuck to the bottom of them which is always a good thing!<br />
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Allow this to simmer, covered for a few minutes. The dumplings are done (and not soggy inside) when they look glossy but not raw on top and there's barely any of the broth bubbling up between the dumplings. You can double check by carefully inserting a fork into a dumpling and gently prying it open - it should look just like a cooked biscuit on the inside.<br />
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Use caution when serving as this will be EXTREMELY hot - particularly when serving to children whom you've starved all day long. They'll dive into this and burn the bejesus out of their mouths if you don't let it cool before telling them it's dinner time.<br />
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What? No salt & pepper added? Nope. This has a nice mild flavor and the cream of chicken soup adds some salt. However, I offer both at the table so that everyone can make it just how they like it. <br />
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This meal has received not only the "LD Picky Eater" seal of approval, but it also a "mom that smells REALLY good" honorable mention.<br />
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So the next time you're faced with the first cool, cloudy and nearly rainy day of fall, make some. Be sure to starve your children all day long, or at least let them THINK you've starved them .... They'll come back for seconds!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-48608557975697431302010-09-02T22:38:00.000-07:002010-09-02T22:38:05.793-07:00Suzy Q,...... Baby I love you!One of the downsides to living away from everything is that when you get a craving for something, you know.... um.... bad for you.... it's tough to get. Tonight it was Hostess Suzy Q's. I became a woman on a mission.<br />
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The cake was easy. Use a dark chocolate cake mix - preferably devil's food or a fudge one - I had a dark chocolate fudge mix just sitting in my pantry..... go figure! The only change I made to it was to use more oil than it called for - the box says 1 1/3 cups water, 1/2 cup oil and 3 eggs. I basically swapped the oil & water measurements..... try it next time you make a cake - it'll be beyond moist.<br />
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I baked the cake according to the package directions - but I used a mini-loaf pan. You can use muffin pans if that's what you have - you could even make a huge Suzy Q with a sheet cake pan! However, it might be a bit tough to handle!! Allow the cake to cool completely in the pans - oh and make sure you get some Baker's Joy spray. It'll save your sanity. Once the cakes are cool, make the filling. I played around and finally opted to use the filling from the Twinkie knock off found <a href="http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Hostess-Twinkie-Recipe.html">here.</a><br />
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After you've made the filling, you'll need to get the cakes ready. Baker's Joy spray is my friend. The little cakes just dumped right out of the pan... like magic!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItopV-4-LHguAA85m1wsvZglbwVInj7XFSXS4zzTpIgymlf-SJZUAIIX_BwMDNjsksIHrbbhFhJh0w9-TDnBrCQlnW3U9_lSpm_B2DVDY1K-iZiCe30t3vSSmeOg7ykM6Vuxv8yXpbhw/s1600/DSC_2744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItopV-4-LHguAA85m1wsvZglbwVInj7XFSXS4zzTpIgymlf-SJZUAIIX_BwMDNjsksIHrbbhFhJh0w9-TDnBrCQlnW3U9_lSpm_B2DVDY1K-iZiCe30t3vSSmeOg7ykM6Vuxv8yXpbhw/s640/DSC_2744.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>Anyway.... first things first - get a VERY sharp, serrated knife and carefully cut off the top of the cakes - you don't want ANY part that's even remotely crunchy... and the tops will be. Not to mention they will be rounded, lumpy etc... definitely NOT looking Suzy Q'ish at all. Save the tops -you never know when you might want a little piece of chocolate cake numminess! Put them in a container and toss in the back of the freezer! Or, if you go overboard like I did, you can make a double recipe of the filling and eat it with the cake tops.<br />
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Once you've removed the top of the little cakes, carefully cut them in half so you're left with two slices. Make the top slice a little thicker - removing the slightly crunchy part ruins the structural integrity of the top slice so handle with care. Oh do me a favor would ya? Be sure you make a big 'ole mess of your counter while you're at it, ok?<br />
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Next, plop on a generous helping of the filling. Next time I'll use a pastry bag or something similar. The knife method is um.... challenging. <br />
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Place the top slice on the filling and set each little sandwich on a cookie sheet over a sheet of either waxed paper or parchment. Store loosely covered with plastic wrap - you can leave them out of the fridge for the first day but then they should be kept cold after that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Yum... and oh man, did these ever induce a sugar coma....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlFCMOAqw76feRvKyLzEAM0VuUn0Qz_9D5UG3nzrQJFY-P_-NreXQpO0duBV2eteF3_RYtvh_KYo4kk8SYYYnyJ7lN6fYPf3dyZrQZ5J2_w7AtSq4hKK8NVYKkgE2D7gYQFinSLI3-8M/s1600/DSC_2754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlFCMOAqw76feRvKyLzEAM0VuUn0Qz_9D5UG3nzrQJFY-P_-NreXQpO0duBV2eteF3_RYtvh_KYo4kk8SYYYnyJ7lN6fYPf3dyZrQZ5J2_w7AtSq4hKK8NVYKkgE2D7gYQFinSLI3-8M/s640/DSC_2754.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Yep.... definitely yummy!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-83297555911912161562010-08-20T13:40:00.000-07:002010-08-20T13:40:51.089-07:00Simply. Perfect. BaconI know of nothing on this earth that gives more pleasure in the realm of food than bacon. Not that overcooked, crumbly stuff. I'm talking thick, perfectly cooked, straight & flat bacon. Bacon like I once had at a quaint bed & breakfast inn over in Grass Valley. I almost couldn't eat it, it was so perfect. Almost. In the end, after oh, maybe 30 seconds of being in awe over the sheer perfectness of each slice, I gobbled it down.<br />
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Since that time, I have always searched, in vain, for a way to recreate that salted pork bliss. Today, I have found it. Bacon Nirvana.<br />
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You'll need bacon of course - preferably the thick cut stuff, peppered or regular. I had regular - a HUGE 5+ pound package of it. And I intend to cook all of it in this manner now that I've found the light.<br />
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The other key players here are:<br />
Parchment Paper<br />
Aluminum Foil<br />
Two heavy duty rimmed baking trays - these need to be the same size, fairly heavy and they need to be able to nest inside each other. These are the same trays I use to make my Texas Sheet Cake and I've found I use them for SO many things!<br />
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First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, line one of the baking trays with a good layer of foil, being sure to wrap it up around the edges - this does nothing to help with the cooking, but it just makes clean up easier. Next, lay down a couple of layers of parchment. This keeps the bacon from swimming in grease. Lay several slices of bacon in the tray, side by side but not touching.<br />
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Cover with a couple more pieces of parchment and another piece of foil - which will protect the top baking tray from getting all greasy. Then, nestle the other baking tray on top, pressing down slightly. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 40-55 minutes - depending on how crisp you want your bacon. If you used the thinly sliced bacon, start checking it after the first 15-20 minutes to make sure you don't incinerate it. <br />
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Make sure you drain off the grease between batches - otherwise your top pan will end up coated in the stuff. You may also have to swap out layers of parchment now & then, depending on how much bacon you're cooking. The second tray helps in several ways - no spattering grease is the main reason, but it also ensures that the slices of bacon remain flat and straight and totally eliminates the curling factor. <br />
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When it comes out of the oven, it's perfect. Absolutely perfect. Remove from the pan and place on several layers of paper towels to absorb any lingering grease. If you cook large quantities of this (like I do) you can let it completely cool and store in a zip loc bag or airtight container in the freezer. 30 seconds or less in the microwave and they're ready to go!<br />
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Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more bacon to cook..... cause I just ate that whole pan.Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-6327302337119148192010-08-10T19:56:00.000-07:002010-08-10T19:56:09.783-07:00PW's RisottoWhen regular rice just won't do it for you.... Risotto is what will. Be prepared to devote at least a half hour to making this dish - as in don't answer the phone and if a kid gets an owie, someone else has to kiss & bandage it. Because of the heavy attention this dish required - constant stirring over the stove for the full duration of the cooking time I opted to use my little point & shoot Cannon Powershot.... taking pics with one hand is not really possible with my big Nikon... so the Cannon got some use today. And, it also helps explain why the pictures aren't the best - taking a picture and stirring at the same time is not easy... I even forgot to stir a couple times!! Unfortunately, it also made for somewhat blurry pictures LOL... Oh well!<br />
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Here's the link to PW's <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/04/risotto-one-of-lifes-great-triumphs/">recipe</a> - I made half the volume and am glad I did. If I'd made the full recipe we'd be eating this for days. Not that it wasn't good, but a girl needs variety dangit!<br />
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The only real advice I can give you is this - make sure you have all your ingredients prepped (cut, measured etc) and set out, ready to go, before you start cooking. If you don't, you won't be able to. It took 25 minutes to reach the right doneness, and it really didn't start getting there till after the 20 minute mark.<br />
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Here we are, about 5 minutes in, after the addition of the second cup of chicken broth, and then so on down the line:<br />
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Until it was time to add the chives, oh man does this stuff smell delicious!<br />
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I had put some chicken thighs in the crock pot earlier - seasoned with only salt, pepper and some sprigs of lemon thyme. Right before I started cooking the risotto, I placed the chicken thighs in a 9x13 pan and placed them in the oven at 300 degrees, along with some brown bread. I did add some garlic salt to the chicken before placing it in the oven. <br />
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The other thing I did was make some gravy from the juices in the crock pot - 2 tbsp butter melted in a pan, wisk in 2 tbsp flour & then strain the crock pot juices through a sieve. It made an awesome gravy for the chicken and required NO additional seasonings!<br />
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Serve it all up with a nice green salad... YUM<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvtyUhp2QmZCAhr72WZqeL4I6mghxfVOX8u_RnBUjV4F2YE0GUacmT1VeLP6sCgsSc5Q42GNX43mtFNrQL1Nq-2oyZxCtBHs0oCYlvIET5I_v_eXEyYGe4wiq0wbhyphenhyphenvlFJMiaMnq3SAg/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvtyUhp2QmZCAhr72WZqeL4I6mghxfVOX8u_RnBUjV4F2YE0GUacmT1VeLP6sCgsSc5Q42GNX43mtFNrQL1Nq-2oyZxCtBHs0oCYlvIET5I_v_eXEyYGe4wiq0wbhyphenhyphenvlFJMiaMnq3SAg/s640/IMG_0016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-53219986444013225592010-08-09T19:53:00.000-07:002010-08-09T20:05:55.375-07:00Teriyaki Pulled PorkSometimes I just run out of steam when it comes to thinking up stuff for dinner. Hey, it happens to the best of us now & then..... We had tacos last night so sloppy joes tonight was just too much ground beef too soon. I thought grilled chicken, but I had some <a href="http://mommajadesfood.blogspot.com/2010/08/hawaiian-rice-balls.html">Hawaiian Rice Balls</a> left and wanted to make something that would go well with them. And then it came to me! Teriyaki Pulled Pork!!! I keep pork carnita meat in the freezer on a regular basis because it's really a good, all-purpose pork to have around - plus, it's usually pretty cheap.<br />
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I got this stuff back in April when it was $1.48 a pound. Don't worry if you have it frozen - you don't need to defrost it for this dish - let the crock pot do the work for you. You'll need to start with a "family size" package of meat - you could use beef or chicken too, but I opted for pork tonight.<br />
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Turn the crock pot on HIGH. It's ok, we're just warming it up until the meat can be placed in it. Now, remove the outer plastic wrap from the meat and place the whole thing, styro tray and all, in your sink and run cool water over it - this helps dislodge the meat from the styro tray.<br />
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Next, flip the meat over, remove the tray and adjust the water till it's barely warm. This will allow you to pull the plastic covered absorbing material off without it tearing and creating a HUGE mess.<br />
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Once you've removed that stuff, coat the meat with some salt & pepper on one side. Turn it over and place it in the crock pot and add salt & pepper to the other side of the meat. Don't worry that it sort of sticks up a little... less than 30 minutes in the crock pot & you'll be able to break it apart enough that it'll settle down to the bottom of the crock. Just remember to put the lid on it so the heat gets to it evenly.<br />
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Now, take a break - read a magazine, do a puzzle... or you can do what I did - water plants, pick tomatoes, take a picture of the sunflower boquet and try to fix the pepper grinder. I watered the garden plants that are in the bucket. While doing so I noticed quite a few of the orange tomatoes were ready to go as well as one of the little red "Patio" variety. After watering I picked these - don't they look great??? And the tiny orange ones are SO sweet!!! The red one was just over an inch in diameter - perfect bite sized tomatoes!<br />
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Here's the boquet... these just make me happy! <br />
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After that I tried to fix my pepper grinder. This is just one of those "disposable" ones from Costco... It got dropped and the top cracked inside... as a result we were getting a LOT of large chunks of pepper. That's all fine & well if you like to chew the peppercorns. However, there's a lot of food around here that needs a more powdery type of pepper so I decided to attempt to fix it. I took the top off and used Gorilla Glue to run a fine bead all around the post of the grinder. And by the way, I'm happy to report that the glue held and we're back to having appropriately sized ground pepper.<br />
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If you've never used Gorilla Glue, please, do yourself a favor and go get some. It comes in MANY different styles and you can find it in the paint section at Home Depot - at least that's where I found it last time. It's an AMAZING glue - the variety that I got doesn't dry quite as fast as Krazy Glue, but the holding power is so much better. I'm sure they even make a variety that's a quick dry like Krazy Glue.<br />
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After all of that, it had been less than 30 minutes and I was able to push the pork down in the crock pot. Oh - take a look at those cookie jars in the background.... I'll tell you about those another time. <br />
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Place the lid on and walk away... let it cook like this, on high, for several hours. If you're going to cook this while you're gone, cook it on low and leave it all day. If you're home, you can cook it on high and you can start it later in the day. I started it at noon.<br />
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Next, you can either ignore it and do the rest of the work later, OR you can do some prep work so that all you have left to do later is cook your side dishes. I opted to do some of my prep work early. For the rest of the pork dish, you'll need the following - Lawry's Teriyaki marinade, some pineapple and an onion.<br />
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This was a pretty large onion so I will only be using half of it. Cut the onion in half, removing any tough papery layers. Slice half of it lengthwise into strips. Now you can wrap up the other half and refrigerate it for later. I opted to dice it up and store it for use in other things... like breakfast burritos or my breakfast potatoes.<br />
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I try to keep some diced onion in the fridge all the time just for these type of things. Just cover & refrigerate the onions till later. Set aside the marinade and the pineapple for use later as well. In addition to the rice balls I decided to serve steamed broccoli and carrots with this.<br />
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Start by cutting some peeled carrots into about 3" lengths, then cut in half and then each half in quarters or thirds - basically, you want fairly even pieces so they cook at the same rate.<br />
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Next, take a head of broccoli and cut the florets down through the stem .<br />
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Place these in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for later.<br />
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About an hour after you first put the meat in the crock pot it should start smelling pretty good - Now is the time to break up all the individual pieces and move them around so the juices circulate.<br />
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Now go ahead and add the FULL bottle of the marinade. Don't worry about how much liquid there is, you want it all in there so it permeates the meat (and it'll pretty much all get soaked up in the end). At this point you can leave it for several hours - until about 30 minutes before you want to serve dinner - I planned to serve it around 6 tonight. I usually only move the pieces of meat around a few times during the cooking process, so that each piece gets equal time in the sauce. <br />
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About 30 minutes before you want to serve dinner, take a couple of forks and start pulling the chunks of meat apart, sort of shredding them up. Let the shredded, aka pulled, pork sit and simmer a little longer in the teriyaki sauces with the lid on the crock pot. If you taste it at this point it will seem quite salty - as if you OVER salted it. Don't worry. The sweetness of the Rice Balls will counteract the salty flavor of the pork and it'll end up being that perfect sweet & salty combination that we all (well nearly all) love. Trust me on this one! But... if you still worry about salt content you can always salt it AFTER it's cooked completely, or not at all. I'm just sayin' you have options here. <br />
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Place the veggies in the steamer and set over high heat.<br />
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While those are cooking, add a tablespoon of butter along with a little olive oil to a saute pan.<br />
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When the butter is all melted, add the sliced up onions. Cook these until they're just starting to caramelize around the edges and are getting translucent.You want to make sure they're good & tender, but still have their shape & texture - the last thing you want is mushy onions...<br />
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Add the onions to the pulled pork.<br />
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And mix it all up.<br />
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Now, you can add the pineapple at this point as well - OR, if you're not so keen on the pineapple, you can set it aside and let folks add it if they want it. I served it on the side because dad doesn't care for it that much and LD would eat it all given the opportunity.<br />
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Serve it up with the rice balls and the steamed veggies. YUM!!!<br />
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You will need:<br />
2 cups uncooked white rice - recipe calls for Calrose and I've found it really does work best<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1/2 cup shredded coconut - you can use fresh or the packaged kind<br />
Additional coconut to roll the rice balls in<br />
Water to cook the rice, according to package directions<br />
<br />
First - cook the rice - follow the directions and make sure that it's good & sticky when it's done - do NOT undercook this!!<br />
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Mix the rice, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup coconut together in a bowl - you can use a spoon to get it all mixed. I usually place the rice on top of everything else<br />
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Mix well, then bring out the potato masher to really "smush" it up - don't worry about breaking or crushing the rice grains - the starches released will help hold the balls together.<br />
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After it's well mixed, it'll look glossy. Allow it to cool well before handling - it doesn't have to be cold, but you don't want it warm to the touch - room temperature, or close to it - is just fine. Form the rice into balls - I make them about the size of a golf ball, but you can make them whatever size you want - from a tennis ball down to a cherry tomato. Whatever floats your boat. Hint!!! You can NOT roll them into a ball - you have to sort of push them (form them) into the general shape. Trying to roll them just causes them to fall apart.<br />
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Next, roll them in more coconut.<br />
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Place in a dish or on a tray - Mine went into a 9x11 pan.<br />
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Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Best served cold. <br />
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I got 30 of these about the size of a golf ball from this recipe... I could have gotten probably 36 if I hadn't snacked on some and if I'd made them a bit more consistent in size. Oh well, it was worth it! <br />
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Oh... and just a word of caution - these are pretty messy to make - I had to make a point of NOT licking my fingers till I was completely done - almost more than I could take. I also try to use one hand and a spoon to press it together - that way you still have one clean(ish) hand to do things like turn on the water, answer the phone etc..... Or you can just ignore the phone like I do.Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-22838229359828364312010-07-18T20:01:00.000-07:002010-07-18T20:01:13.014-07:00Now THIS is Fried Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vp103xFrSZLOCOrRsVVPZPCT4ui6iw8WRO3KvaKUQY6eBoWsFtkj7bNGNBH4Pc8aiVfzEz8g3SzBuasNcBkivYQPmVyhNGRGBcromzqzwYX2VYC8rjYtXto8KDsOu4zVZpBiB7i1udc/s1600/DSC_2295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vp103xFrSZLOCOrRsVVPZPCT4ui6iw8WRO3KvaKUQY6eBoWsFtkj7bNGNBH4Pc8aiVfzEz8g3SzBuasNcBkivYQPmVyhNGRGBcromzqzwYX2VYC8rjYtXto8KDsOu4zVZpBiB7i1udc/s400/DSC_2295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Look at that... THAT is fried chicken. What makes it different than any other fried chicken you ask? Oh let me tell you my dear. THIS is what makes the difference.This marvelous device:<br />
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If you don't have a deep fryer, you really are missing out. And they're good for more than just making chicken that looks this good.<br />
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I made MUCH more than Dad, LD & I could eat for dinner tonight. I used the "boneless, skinless chicken tenders" that you can find at Costco - They come all cut up and packaged into pouches. I used three pouches (About 30 pieces of Chicken total). Marinaded in Italian dressing for a few hours, then drained it. Coated in flour, dipped in and egg and 1/2 & 1/2 mix and then breaded it in equal parts plain bread crumbs and Parmesan Cheese. A few minutes in the deep fryer and they were prefect.<br />
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Add Easy Chicken Gravy, some biscuits and a veggie of your choice (or a salad) and you've got a fairly easy meal. The hardest part was cooking all that chicken! It just took quite a bit of time, but the deep fryer made it painless - literally - no hot oil splattering on me!<br />
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Easy Chicken Gravy:<br />
3 tbsp butter<br />
3 tbsp flour<br />
1 can chicken broth<br />
A generous splash of heavy cream<br />
parsley<br />
<br />
Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add flour and wisk together - it will start to thicken immediately. Add the chicken broth, mix well and then add the cream. If the chicken flavor isn't strong enough you can add a couple teaspoons of chicken bullion. Add a tablespoon or so of dried parsley and stir and simmer till it thickens - should only take a few minutes!<br />
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From French Fries, Onion Rings, Mozarella Sticks and Fried Zuchinni to Donuts, and Oh so much more. Yeah, I know, you can fill a deep pan with oil and achieve very similar results. However, the biggest difference comes when it's time to clean up. The last time I made my Italian Fried Chicken, I fried the pieces in a deep frying pan. It required turning them over mid way through the cooking. And the mess? And smoking oil? Oh goodness, it was something else. And you can't beat a deep fryer for even cooking either. <br />
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So let me say this again - if you don't have a deep fryer, you NEED one. I'm not saying cook things in it every day. What I'm saying is that for every 10 times you cook something that CAN be fried another way (such as the oven or stove top etc), please cook that same thing just ONCE in the deep fryer. You'll be glad you did... or maybe you'll hate me for talking you into it.Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-81673514513291814062010-07-14T18:26:00.000-07:002010-07-14T18:26:56.853-07:00First harvestToday, I picked the first of our harvest (not counting a couple of tomatoes...those were a snack while I was watering). If you're interested in the rest of the gardening woes, read on <a href="http://mommajadesfun.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-does-your-garden-grow.html">here.</a> And, if you're interested in a snack of more than a couple tomatoes, have at <a href="http://mommajadesworld.blogspot.com/2010/07/evil-crackers.html">this one</a>.<br />
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Today though, we're talking Peas.<br />
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Not a lot, but enough to add to a pasta salad<br />
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2-3 cups assorted pasta<br />
2.25 oz sliced olives<br />
peas... I think I got MAYBE 1/4 cup<br />
1 dozen grape tomatoes, quartered or smaller <br />
Gorgonzola cheese<br />
dressing of choice - I made one using the following:<br />
1/4c. olive oil<br />
1/4c. +2tbsp rice vinegar (roasted garlic flavor)<br />
1 tbsp sugar<br />
<br />
Cook the pasta & add the peas in the last 10 seconds, drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water until completely cool.<br />
Add tomatoes, olives & cheese, top with dressing, refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving<br />
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I also made some sweet & tangy meatballs and PW's Buttered Rosemary rolls and we made them into the most amazing sandwiches! <br />
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Start by steaming some Calrose rice - make sure it's good & sticky! I love my rice steamer, but you can use a good 'ole pan if that's what floats your boat.<br />
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While that's cooking, prep your veggies - 2 carrots sliced ultra thin (use a mandolin if you can)<br />
2/3 of a large yellow onion, sliced<br />
1 lg head of broccoli, stems & all, sliced up<br />
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Next, make the sauce - mix these together in a bowl & set aside:<br />
8 ozs. Hoisin Sauce, hold out 3 tbsp for the marinade for the shrimp<br />
2 14oz. cans chicken broth, hold out 1/4c. for the marinade<br />
2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil<br />
1 tsp minced ginger<br />
1 tbsp minced garlic<br />
6 tbsp corn starch<br />
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Now, marinade the shrimp: you could use any meat you like here, I just had shrimp that I needed to use:<br />
60 smallish shrimp, prepped, cooked (I like the bagged frozen ones - all you have to do is defrost & pull off the tails)<br />
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Mix up the following and pour over the shrimp & stir <br />
2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
3 tbsp hoisin sauce<br />
1/4 c. chicken broth<br />
Make sure you let the shrimp marinade at least 30 minutes<br />
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About 20 minutes into the marinading process, heat some sesame oil in a large skillet - LOTS of sesame oil - a couple tablespoons at least.<br />
Toss in the onions, carrots & broccoli. Stir till the onions are starting to cook then add some water, stir around and cover for about 5 minutes letting the water steam the veggies. You can cook longer, just all depends on how you like your veggies. <br />
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Once the veggies are starting to become how you like them, add the shrimp, mix to combine and then add the sauce.<br />
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Where's the picture of the veggies & shrimp in the sauce you ask? Well.... I kinda got hungry & forgot to take a picture of it....Serve like I did, over that sticky steamed rice, or chow mein noodles etc.... top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.<br />
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And then, wonder why you haven't used Hoisin Sauce before!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-84556470521439037602010-06-21T19:34:00.000-07:002010-06-21T19:34:11.828-07:00Ice Cream and leftoversThough, preferably not at the same time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Just to prove that Ice Cream is a happy thing:<br />
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Now, I had several miscellaneous left overs in the fridge that needed dealing with - carnitas, mexican rice, cheese, tomatoes, corn... I combined them all, loaded up a romaine lettuce leaf, topped with crunchy chow mein noodles, sour cream, cotija cheese, cilantro and lime juice..... don't knock it till you try it.... warm up the carnitas, rice, cheese & corn. Fill the romaine leaf and top with the rest of the goodies & eat like a "taco."<br />
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It's SUPER easy. Cut each boneless skinless breast into 3rds, and place in a zip loc bag. Add a bottle of "30 minute marinade" - you can use Lawry's or any house brand equivalent - I've used both and they come out the same. The flavor I use is the Herb & Garlic one. Let them sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes. Place them on the grill & cook for several minutes on low heat turning & basting with any left over marinade.<br />
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YUM.<br />
<br />
You can serve them with these yummy sliced baked potatoes -<br />
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4 lg russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/8-1/4 inch slices, but don't cut them all the way through - you want the potatoes to "fan" out when you place them in a baking dish.<br />
1 cube butter, melted<br />
2 tbsp finely chopped herbs - I used fresh: lemon thyme, parsley, basil and rosemary<br />
salt & pepper<br />
cheeses - about 1/4 cup grated/shredded cheese of your choice.<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 425<br />
place prepared potatoes in the pan, pour the melted butter over the potatoes, sprinkle the herbs, salt & pepper over the top - make sure the butter gets in between each slice of the potatoes.<br />
Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes<br />
Remove from the oven and with a pastry brush, baste the potatoes with the butter from the pan. Sprinkle cheese over the top - tonight I used a mix of grated cheddar and fresh parmesan<br />
Place back in the oven and bake another 10 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOPXLn-0d266DAY4MzKFFQCkTVAXCu7fTS3sej3hqn1sP4udQgAMcGOCSa_uWmwYn9v_GYETJYbW-heBjvJ7h5ejm6lWkbUCb5ZI5vDELeUNA-UM6hSkIvTr_VCGiiMt0H2daX7eYO8A/s1600/DSC_1385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOPXLn-0d266DAY4MzKFFQCkTVAXCu7fTS3sej3hqn1sP4udQgAMcGOCSa_uWmwYn9v_GYETJYbW-heBjvJ7h5ejm6lWkbUCb5ZI5vDELeUNA-UM6hSkIvTr_VCGiiMt0H2daX7eYO8A/s400/DSC_1385.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Enjoy!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-89862430156202197442010-06-11T23:07:00.000-07:002010-06-11T23:07:29.610-07:00Carnitas & homemade flour tortillasI love Mexican fare. Of all the "ethnic" foods out there, it's positively my favorite. I love the contrasts - colors, flavors, textures, temperatures (hot/cold, spicy/mild etc). Today, we had MEXICAN!!! 'Ole!<br />
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First, I started by reheating the yumminess that I'd started yesterday in the crock pot - at that time, it looked like this:<br />
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And THIS, this is pork carnitas, AFTER being cooked for hours upon hours - trust me, the flavor is out of this world! I added a can of fire roasted chiles and diced up a largish roma tomato. Set the crock pot to high. After cooking the better part of yesterday, the meat was fork tender and was easily shredded. Certainly not "authentic" Mexican carnitas, but it's my own spin on them. AND a dear little Mexican friend of mine gave me her seal of approval, so I'm good with it!<br />
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A couple hours before dinner time, I put the crock back in the heating unit, set it to "warm" and left it alone. While the carnitas were spending some quality time with the chiles and tomatoes and broth created from cooking all day yesterday, I made PW's flour <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/homemade-flour-tortillas/">tortillas</a>.<br />
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I opted to wait to make these until I had lard. Having never made fresh flour tortillas before, and having never used lard before, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to do both. I'm glad I did, on both accounts. The lard was essentially like shortening, with two subtle differences: 1. consistency - it's rather gelatinous where shortening is more solid. 2. smell - well, this should not have been a surprise but I really wasn't expecting it. It smelled like FAT, as in the FAT smell when I cooked down the pork carnitas and the fat was all liquified. I know, big shocker!<br />
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As far as PW's recipe goes, it was NOT hard. I kneaded the dough, let it sit, and then shaped it into balls. Clearly, I have NO ability to make uniformly sized balls of dough though:<br />
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I followed the recipe, and after rolling out a few with my rolling pin (which is marble), I decided to try just sort of smushing them out. Remarkably, I found this to be FAR easier than the rolling pin and I was able to achieve a more uniformly round shape - which pleased my inner perfectionist quite nicely. I rushed Beth through the next few pics.... sadly they didn't turn out as clear as we'd have liked). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwV3Z_R7K4Cx2bnBSzSIGxclFncOYlImGzSTlxtm8zm7cP48ZGc2zLVIBtQMfIRipgImaqpTFm0uDeRpP-QvWXrpQBexTMAdUuYr5jafb-8_kgRDdFdRqNA4qmKhxnE_L2FLiGKlkf5E/s1600/000_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwV3Z_R7K4Cx2bnBSzSIGxclFncOYlImGzSTlxtm8zm7cP48ZGc2zLVIBtQMfIRipgImaqpTFm0uDeRpP-QvWXrpQBexTMAdUuYr5jafb-8_kgRDdFdRqNA4qmKhxnE_L2FLiGKlkf5E/s400/000_0075.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XFltbLASZjVwtefVHd2EHrxnMbapW2qTSlyPm9lqY4gDVPeYMX3tKA12rU9hKbcJ77q8Yz0fjX1Ux_V9PX-RiFnttM2Hn2YkMgNqQGN1YEvg4gE6iPSvR5SSlrROfsR6iRlYQyUC5aw/s1600/000_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XFltbLASZjVwtefVHd2EHrxnMbapW2qTSlyPm9lqY4gDVPeYMX3tKA12rU9hKbcJ77q8Yz0fjX1Ux_V9PX-RiFnttM2Hn2YkMgNqQGN1YEvg4gE6iPSvR5SSlrROfsR6iRlYQyUC5aw/s400/000_0076.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyu45L7OAP_ar-8GyVwvGTeMKUCCGqbXAyZGq_iXyZZRgWfGU7P77VG10BILgehRpjfmTjSbZDqGYeAG03N5MpkdWJeFo3crbVEVzpgp3ePza9qCLtIIzodu46C8z0S2qKWH7GbvyCp-4/s1600/000_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyu45L7OAP_ar-8GyVwvGTeMKUCCGqbXAyZGq_iXyZZRgWfGU7P77VG10BILgehRpjfmTjSbZDqGYeAG03N5MpkdWJeFo3crbVEVzpgp3ePza9qCLtIIzodu46C8z0S2qKWH7GbvyCp-4/s400/000_0077.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Cooking them proved to be the more challenging part of this - getting the heat to be just right so that they weren't under or over cooked. After they were cooked, I placed them in my handy-dandy tortilla keeper and left the lid on them until the rest of dinner was ready. The only thing I noticed was that they became a little brittle after being exposed to air for a while - my guess is that I made them just a touch too thin. No matter though, they were WAY better than store bought. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KGgKnLABu5SRbINpm_C3JhLKD5DshNvKExyz3i5d9H_an64qGPBIkg8K2XWV2lUkdv_8bNYWPwiAOqRiChsN_YlAkKC8dw2cp9rqIZpnp_eS3syCKykMVx712m5QsmCOVAI3sw9Wcg0/s1600/000_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KGgKnLABu5SRbINpm_C3JhLKD5DshNvKExyz3i5d9H_an64qGPBIkg8K2XWV2lUkdv_8bNYWPwiAOqRiChsN_YlAkKC8dw2cp9rqIZpnp_eS3syCKykMVx712m5QsmCOVAI3sw9Wcg0/s400/000_0078.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Now, a Mexican meal is not complete without an appropriate side dish. And I'm not talking beans. NO BEANS ALLOWED here. While I could have made one from scratch, by adding some of my pico to some cooked rice:<br />
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I opted instead to use this little number - FAR easier than steaming some rice etc. AND, this is NOT Spanish rice, which is more red than this. My family prefers this to traditional Spanish rice. Go figure!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjyQ-sgGyKm5aV92iVdLzWTWevxShO0sje0Fi3iZDqJqK1JI0H-zG90yDAetz1ZzcPH5l5D9ZLbNOmZzDo0OtoE0saH76ox6DWfNSlXsm36EhGzVZos7A4nFBV00VxcOpNdKy2LzxYME/s1600/000_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjyQ-sgGyKm5aV92iVdLzWTWevxShO0sje0Fi3iZDqJqK1JI0H-zG90yDAetz1ZzcPH5l5D9ZLbNOmZzDo0OtoE0saH76ox6DWfNSlXsm36EhGzVZos7A4nFBV00VxcOpNdKy2LzxYME/s400/000_0081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Though I didn't get any pictures of it all together, I served up the shredded and seasoned carnitas with the Mexican Rice, pico, the fresh tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, colby jack cheese, Cotija cheese, sour cream... and of course limes and cilantro.<br />
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YUM.Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-33776409531626236752010-06-09T20:06:00.000-07:002010-06-09T20:14:01.990-07:00Ravioli & Broccoil with PW's Alfredo Sauce.Because I was exhausted from building a <a href="http://mommajadesworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/dont-fence-me-in-part-2.html">fence</a> today, I wanted EASY yet satisfying food for dinner tonight. I wanted pasta... and some sort of creamy sauce.... and did I mention I wanted it to be EASY??? Off I went to PW's recipes and found her <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/07/fettuccine-alfredo/">Alfredo</a> sauce.... 3 ingredients (plus salt & pepper). THAT was what I was looking for.<br />
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I pulled some of these little jewels out of the freezer. If you've never tried these, you really should. They're phenomenal, for frozen stuff that is. They also went REALLY well with the cheesy Alfredo sauce - there's NO cheese in them and the chicken/herb mix was a perfect compliment/contrast to the creamy cheesy sauce. <br />
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I steamed some broccoli and added it to the raviolis & Alfredo sauce.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZKaMKhq6EZtIjn4DYidVlQN6i1HG2KxrsTBGh-8dXt_NWJ3GQDZ3eBz-2XqnVP6XYvSONIeekKoeysIMtxznjZ7rA8FTff03r6rDAqFHhYnyMVp5HlvB12wHdMFl0jFKuFnNbhO1QsY/s1600/Alfredo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZKaMKhq6EZtIjn4DYidVlQN6i1HG2KxrsTBGh-8dXt_NWJ3GQDZ3eBz-2XqnVP6XYvSONIeekKoeysIMtxznjZ7rA8FTff03r6rDAqFHhYnyMVp5HlvB12wHdMFl0jFKuFnNbhO1QsY/s400/Alfredo+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Ok, so I could have wiped around the edge of the bowl to make it look pretty... and I did forget to top it with the extra Parmesan before I served it up.... but hey, I was too tired and too hungry to care! Take a look at it though... Ohmigosh it was yummy.<br />
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I also baked some Pilsbury crescent rolls, and dinner was ready in less than 30 minutes. The best part??? It was absolutely, positively delicious. Dad loved it. The kids loved it. I loved it. It was just what I was hoping for, and it was easier than I imagined. And, PW wasn't kidding, I fell in love with this sauce. I can't believe I ever thought Alfredo sauce was difficult to make, and I can't believe I ever bought jars full of the stuff, or even the little packets of sauce mix. I will NEVER, EVER, scout's honor, make Alfredo sauce any way but this way, ever again. <br />
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The only word of caution I have is in regard to the salt. I thought at first that I had oversalted it - Parmesan is pretty salty, and I'd already added some salt to the cream/butter mixture before I added the cheese. However, it turned out perfect. So, perhaps use less than you think it needs, because you can always add more later!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-58197280485565534572010-05-30T20:59:00.000-07:002010-05-30T20:59:05.455-07:00Memorial Day YummiesLet me start this off by saying that I ate WAY too much tonight.....The main course is what we call Hillbilly BBQ. It utilizes a rather unconventional cooking utensil - it's the ultimate in recycling of old items which would have otherwise been headed for the junk pile, and then the land fill. <br />
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1 50 gallon drum, top removed. Drill some holes around the bottom and top it off with an old Webber BBQ lid. The only other thing you need are metal rods - such as rebar - to hang the meat from. Now, meat is not the only thing you can cook in these puppies - you can cook whole meals in here, everything from sides to desserts. Here you can see the smoke coming from the top of the barrel as well as off the sides - they get REALLY hot and even the painted outside smokes.<br />
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Today's menu was barrel cooked chickens, corn on the cob, dill pickle and olive potato salad, super garlic bread and dessert of fresh blackberry cobbler.<br />
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The chickens are easy - pour a whole large bag of charcoal into the barrel, give it a good dousing of lighter fluid and set it aflame until it's all gray. While that's happening, rinse your whole chickens, hang them with wire hangers (see, they are still good for something!!) and liberally coat with season salt or your choice of other seasonings - today I did one with Lawry's Season Salt and the other with Garlic Salt. Hang them over the hot coals, cover with the lid and walk away.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQvz3Qz1-sCC-Go_SkOva4xGoqNqfxClZNoMQIKvzWg0cEPQii7SlD5Xe6pyt9XyifMqdBTpw8ep8suwzp9b-W399IArNi4KWv1gxCJT5OAH-8IN8MJeylXQhNYfYxgoRL8uy6ExVjSY/s1600/seasoned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQvz3Qz1-sCC-Go_SkOva4xGoqNqfxClZNoMQIKvzWg0cEPQii7SlD5Xe6pyt9XyifMqdBTpw8ep8suwzp9b-W399IArNi4KWv1gxCJT5OAH-8IN8MJeylXQhNYfYxgoRL8uy6ExVjSY/s400/seasoned.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib989ziNDMdAZd7NV9gcxEuvsg-dLX5jLpoU22tNzr6ZF9bSJkFBuJdP9wWSc85OzKx34skPKI7NEGfeqzzL2fkrBv10zbomjAhyphenhyphenPm7NTkzDhw3b1LUlFxCVHk4OJtdYv5Z66OkBb4KiY/s1600/hanging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib989ziNDMdAZd7NV9gcxEuvsg-dLX5jLpoU22tNzr6ZF9bSJkFBuJdP9wWSc85OzKx34skPKI7NEGfeqzzL2fkrBv10zbomjAhyphenhyphenPm7NTkzDhw3b1LUlFxCVHk4OJtdYv5Z66OkBb4KiY/s400/hanging.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After 2 hours or so, they look like this:<br />
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Remarkably, this chicken is super moist, even though it's cooked hanging over the hot coals. You know they're done when the skin over the legs is nearly translucent. And, when you lay them in a pan to serve, the legs will usually pull this number: <br />
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The potato salad is a little different than the typical - it has NO acidic flavor and is really yummy - you'll need potatoes, whole kosher baby dills (I opted for garlic ones), sliced olives, mayo, hard boiled eggs, celery and salt & pepper. I mix the egg yolks with the mayo before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. The pickles and celery should be diced up pretty small - including some of the celery leaves as well.<br />
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The bread was an experiment that went rather well - pick your choice of soft bread rolls - these were some "un-named" rolls in a bin at Save Mart. The key is to look for SOFT bread. I'm sure crusty bread would work as well, but I've always made oven broiled stuff with soft breads. I mixed "spread" (Country Crock) with several tablespoons of garlic - you can either mince up your own, or use the stuff in the jar - I didn't feel like mincing up several tablespoons of garlic. Add an amount of granulated Cotija cheese (or Parmesan in the green container) equal to the spread and some parsley for color. Mix well and spread thickly over the bread. Place under the broiler and watch carefully - you want them golden and just crispy on the top but not burned. I got a little impatient and didn't quite let them cook long enough. The garlic flavor was intense and there wasn't much bread left after dinner.<br />
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Corn.... well, that's pretty simple - boil water, add corn, boil some more. Serve with lots of butter, salt & pepper.<br />
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And finally, the blackberry cobbler. I followed <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/the_great_cobbl-2/">PW's recipe</a> for the fruit, but was out of eggs for the topping so I sort of winged it.... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ihJ0q2sAAJ2hYu8nRwos5gKPnTs8r6rvL_C2JuCbavzMXgYctxdzLOYIitkq9lTmPsN1fqOd9jGVyjltXBLPTpob5zluyVBDqzF3FoUH3rYlhfAemGgILBiFQGrVSGaot7BlRoLkxrM/s1600/cobbler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ihJ0q2sAAJ2hYu8nRwos5gKPnTs8r6rvL_C2JuCbavzMXgYctxdzLOYIitkq9lTmPsN1fqOd9jGVyjltXBLPTpob5zluyVBDqzF3FoUH3rYlhfAemGgILBiFQGrVSGaot7BlRoLkxrM/s400/cobbler.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>While this was a good cobbler, I wasn't a big fan of the lemon taste. Though, I'm still searching for something comparable to the cobbler we had several years back at the Trinidad Bay Eatery... Oh man... THAT was amazing stuff.<br />
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Good thing we didn't have to go do anything else, cause this meal was a food coma waiting to happen!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-26330566477106147732010-05-10T16:33:00.000-07:002010-05-10T16:33:52.297-07:00Cinnamon ToastLike most people, I'd never given cinnamon toast much thought... You toast bread, smear it with butter (or spread) and sprinkle the melted butter with a cinnamon/sugar mixture.... It's one of the first foods many kids learn how to make - that's WARM.<br />
<br />
Well PW has, once again, shown me the "error of my ways" with her cinnamon toast <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/the-right-way-and-the-wrong-way-to-make-cinnamon-toast/">recipe</a>. Let me clarify... I really try not to use "right" and "wrong" as terms - a lot of what people think of as right or wrong is subjective.. oh heck, MOST if not ALL of it is subjective..... here it's "wrong" to belch loudly in public... elsewhere, it's a compliment.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I learned a NEW way of making cinnamon toast today. Granted it takes a little longer, but does make 8 times the quantity that you make at once when you use the old toaster method. You can read her full recipe <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/the-right-way-and-the-wrong-way-to-make-cinnamon-toast/">here</a>.... but I thought I'd just leave you with a few pictures and my own comments.<br />
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First, I didn't really follow her directions to the letter... I put all the ingredients in the bowl & then mixed them up - as opposed to her recommendation to mush up the butter first... what can I say, sometimes I just can't handle following directions precisely. I also halved the recipe because it was just me and LD:<br />
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Once it's mixed up, this is what it looks like... and I am here to say, I could eat this straight from the bowl...<br />
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Pretty straightforward recipe, mix it all up, spread it on the bread<br />
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Bake and then broil briefly till it's bubbly<br />
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Then, cut and serve<br />
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Just LOOK at that - it's crispy yet chewy but not tough... and has amazing flavor... must be the vanilla!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGR7JJsr6a46uoakHiv2AG00bQ3VLK-_21Cw9KkYrlgNTwzbs93yfRo_yY-UCMHR2MsxuS87zLSisKKLKWgtZmcERjcv5Hm1rlTvAGiW3Z99NI8qTtNTmONYWXVjx0qPLukheIWtWE4yc/s1600/bite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGR7JJsr6a46uoakHiv2AG00bQ3VLK-_21Cw9KkYrlgNTwzbs93yfRo_yY-UCMHR2MsxuS87zLSisKKLKWgtZmcERjcv5Hm1rlTvAGiW3Z99NI8qTtNTmONYWXVjx0qPLukheIWtWE4yc/s400/bite.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-50909157509082403012010-05-05T19:45:00.000-07:002010-05-05T19:45:46.644-07:00Dear Mandolin, I love you.Even though much of today was spent lounging round, watching movies & eating popcorn, I did need to come up with a "real" meal for dinner. We'd just finished up the rest of the left overs last night and it was time to have something new. The result was apricot glazed chicken, baked potatoes and steamed Mexican Squash.<br />
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First though, I want to introduce you to one of my most favorite kitchen tools. The Mandolin. You don't have to spend a wad of dough to get one either - this is a Martha Stewart one from Kmart - I bought it a few years ago for less than $10. <br />
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A mandolin will completely change the way you think about slicing veggies - particularly when you want nice, even thin slices. This is PERFECT for slicing carrots for stir fry, potatoes for au gratin dishes, and in this case, squash for steaming. A word of caution though, this puppy is crazy sharp. You're slicing along and all of a sudden you've reached the end of your item and the next thing you know you're slicing your finger tips off. But, if you are paying attention, the mandolin is an invaluable tool.<br />
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Just look what it did - I started with two of these little Mexican Squash - about 5" long:<br />
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I sliced off the blossom end - to use the stem end as a handle of sorts, and these perfectly even slices are what you end up with:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCzmT51kkIq91u5oJWJoI_XVwzHH_os490CzupbAnVf27uZsnWQcvmNAJJY3TK6Dgo2FDe0XMLFTO465aRxHfMg0VW9hd5w0posboQiKyQ6t6W9X6Wm_JVHSVAbMKqc_-o5TzO9VlsCc/s1600/sliced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCzmT51kkIq91u5oJWJoI_XVwzHH_os490CzupbAnVf27uZsnWQcvmNAJJY3TK6Dgo2FDe0XMLFTO465aRxHfMg0VW9hd5w0posboQiKyQ6t6W9X6Wm_JVHSVAbMKqc_-o5TzO9VlsCc/s320/sliced.jpg" /></a></div>These perfect slices of squash made my inner perfectionist sing. As did this pan with steamer insert. These were some that my grandma bought before she passed away. I have no idea what they cost her but I bet it was a pretty penny.<br />
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But, it was really the chicken that was the star of tonight's dinner - here's the recipe of sorts: <br />
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Place 8 frozen chicken thighs, skin & all, into a crock pot with some salt & pepper.<br />
Cook on high for a few hours, until they are almost, but not quite falling off the bones.<br />
Remove the skin, take the meat off the bones and place it in a 9x13 pan.<br />
Return the skin and the bones to the crock pot - add 3 cups of water and leave on high - this makes great chicken stock. Cook until the meat falls off the bones, strain & refrigerate for later use.<br />
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In a mixing bowl, combine the following - and I apologize in advance, I was too lazy today to get exact measurements so you'll have to wing it:<br />
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Most of a jar of apricot preserves<br />
A generous splash of Worstershire<br />
Add some dijon mustard<br />
Finally, throw in several shots of Tabasco sauce<br />
<br />
A lot of this is dependent upon your individual tastes, so add a little, mix and taste, adjust as needed.<br />
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Once the sauce is mixed up, pour over the chicken.<br />
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Bake for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees. After that, it looks like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1RP8fhk1xT4XPKshMRCztbMYv5YV5I3YRb6QYhXynw9seyB9GV40bt2luJm_IMCruuW0PzaYO_TPrIc2PaTSSfo6HrMmDH5gjS4p5HdOIJ7om1YfpvaCU2J6NVQnnElYp3Ee40pL2mk/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1RP8fhk1xT4XPKshMRCztbMYv5YV5I3YRb6QYhXynw9seyB9GV40bt2luJm_IMCruuW0PzaYO_TPrIc2PaTSSfo6HrMmDH5gjS4p5HdOIJ7om1YfpvaCU2J6NVQnnElYp3Ee40pL2mk/s400/chicken.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><br />
Serve with some yummy sides - like baked potatoes and steamed squash. Don't forget to top your potatoes with plenty of butter, sour cream and chives. <br />
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Hope you enjoy!!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-3000142885389427322010-05-02T15:07:00.000-07:002010-05-02T15:09:28.143-07:00Comfort MeatballsI ran across this recipe in PW's cookbook. And I was relieved to find that they are also on her website! If you don't have her cookbook, you can get the recipe for these amazing little morsels right <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/bbq-meatballs-comfort-food-to-the-max/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Normally, when people think meatballs there's two types - Swedish Meatballs and those with Pasta. Not being a huge fan of either I am always interested in finding new ways to serve meatballs. After all, they're just plain fun. Kids like 'em too, which is always a bonus around here.<br />
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I read though the recipe and thought, mmmmmm this sounds delightful!<br />
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So I made them.... with LD's help, of course. I'm so grateful that he is in the helpful phase of childhood right now, because soon I know it'll be like pulling teeth to get him to pick up his own socks, let alone help me cook or clean up.<br />
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And let me tell you, they were good. SO good, So good that LD had SECONDS<br />
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Instead of waxing poetic about HOW good they were, I'll just leave you with these pictures. And my recommendation that you make them. SOON.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E2sOjjB3V9mhVpxni0GMBDOZlN6NFYSEw8KD5XG3OtiS3THcV084JqbK0tiy-D8vYv3muB8Aji-lE2dRDt9MTNzw6h3hbX9YJhBD26eLKoet0rc9FuXlLM2hyphenhyphen4xRVOuL3SDNFCX2i2U/s1600/DSC_0751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E2sOjjB3V9mhVpxni0GMBDOZlN6NFYSEw8KD5XG3OtiS3THcV084JqbK0tiy-D8vYv3muB8Aji-lE2dRDt9MTNzw6h3hbX9YJhBD26eLKoet0rc9FuXlLM2hyphenhyphen4xRVOuL3SDNFCX2i2U/s400/DSC_0751.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxzayW3-MWJamEukNurZ61LGnBm6CEEHwbJFJ81ks8syDKopEVDy1LhaplyKuv4vhcD3QDFVX-_ZMmsd5XOKv2k2puGlmvKfvNOrl11d4kbt2Vo0BXOO476hGw-hz-jKN-97O_r8Vmwc/s1600/DSC_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxzayW3-MWJamEukNurZ61LGnBm6CEEHwbJFJ81ks8syDKopEVDy1LhaplyKuv4vhcD3QDFVX-_ZMmsd5XOKv2k2puGlmvKfvNOrl11d4kbt2Vo0BXOO476hGw-hz-jKN-97O_r8Vmwc/s400/DSC_0755.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIz7qpOWbeq2Mol68kXjiNuzQhVsE73wLgLcsOIGXIUTZ0kK4ATYBr3G0Ex1BIBk6VDu0yeF5NULSt9AjpM1uR9NyNTFNSqHSz_5nKPCu4ZhrnHaY3yWxtRXOJ4txT52UH-ga4FtYtTaQ/s1600/DSC_0752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIz7qpOWbeq2Mol68kXjiNuzQhVsE73wLgLcsOIGXIUTZ0kK4ATYBr3G0Ex1BIBk6VDu0yeF5NULSt9AjpM1uR9NyNTFNSqHSz_5nKPCu4ZhrnHaY3yWxtRXOJ4txT52UH-ga4FtYtTaQ/s400/DSC_0752.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2FAiXOmx5sK8xKEtgEXOXKGMN95Vqvx8X5NEVIWC-VwT8WTBzO1HSdP3fCmrGtSnTERaGVgqHREuxcKfcFa3Qpfgms96M1NcxZ3-pKAgx7LrLywCyuHg8bGj0EeHoGTYPLGshhDeVUI/s1600/DSC_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2FAiXOmx5sK8xKEtgEXOXKGMN95Vqvx8X5NEVIWC-VwT8WTBzO1HSdP3fCmrGtSnTERaGVgqHREuxcKfcFa3Qpfgms96M1NcxZ3-pKAgx7LrLywCyuHg8bGj0EeHoGTYPLGshhDeVUI/s400/DSC_0759.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwN_t6zq_idsFLEOG4x6Pyx8OegRYpyjoE-MyGfB0e2vroJ931_9yPQBj61WFZgBZ3B2NO6JuaOoVWb_wqRsgO7fD0WOispQB4E1g2wkXfvlYfSlH3pU9spOrChreUcBaelVqNOTyDuQ/s1600/DSC_0763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwN_t6zq_idsFLEOG4x6Pyx8OegRYpyjoE-MyGfB0e2vroJ931_9yPQBj61WFZgBZ3B2NO6JuaOoVWb_wqRsgO7fD0WOispQB4E1g2wkXfvlYfSlH3pU9spOrChreUcBaelVqNOTyDuQ/s400/DSC_0763.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
YUM....and that's all I have to say about that!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-73132055826586504232010-04-29T14:08:00.000-07:002010-04-29T14:58:06.329-07:00Strawberry Shortcake Cake. Send Help... Hurry!!Today I made PW's <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/strawberry-shortcakecake/">Strawberry Shortcake Cake</a>. I thought, "hey, after Tuesday's crazy wind & rain, and the very UN-Spring like SNOW on Wednesday, we needed something that screamed spring." I had strawberries that needed to be used, so this seemed the perfect solution. Oh boy, was I ever wrong!<br />
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I wasn't wrong that it screamed Spring. It really did - it also made me think of summer, bbq's, and splashing in the creek. I wasn't entirely wrong that it was a solution either. So exactly what was I wrong about? I assumed that this would be a nice light fruit-filled confection, with a fluffy, spongy like cake (you know, like a mix from a box?). I was wrong. Oh so wrong. I never would have known it by looking at it..... would you? I mean, look at it, it's PERTY!! Look at how the strawberries peek through the frosting!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJNpHaXypAsmeehJ2NS_6IkG2JeT39ERKdI1Q-dtiW2GB6QW-wUDgWooxI5p4PQhasxoeRFh7R3XGTEbcKhb6wjQO7rSWkvTg9et2dbdQ48csGcouKX8tyrnZsdruM1SUXVEMcK8bKmI/s1600/peeking+through.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJNpHaXypAsmeehJ2NS_6IkG2JeT39ERKdI1Q-dtiW2GB6QW-wUDgWooxI5p4PQhasxoeRFh7R3XGTEbcKhb6wjQO7rSWkvTg9et2dbdQ48csGcouKX8tyrnZsdruM1SUXVEMcK8bKmI/s320/peeking+through.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Now, don't let me confuse you here. The cake was truly amazing. It was more an issue of my own tolerance for sugary sweet stuff that did me in. You see, sometimes sweets are just fine. Like PW's apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream. Or the Texas Sheet Cake I made the other day. They are a nice balance of sugar and other things. But there are times like this, times when there's just too much for me to handle. In this sort of case I can tell in minutes (literally one or two) if I'm going to have a reaction. I'm not sure if it's an allergic reaction, or if it's simply just too much sugar.<br />
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Whatever the case the reaction is always the same - It starts off with this Extreme Headache, the kind that throbs no matter how you move. And don't even THINK of bending over or sneezing! Next, my teeth start hurting... yeah, I know, weird. Finally, if I stop going I can collapse in a heap in seconds flat - a true sugar coma.<br />
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Well this cake sent me over the edge into that Sugar Coma in record time. It was..... the frosting.... 1 package of cream cheese, 2 sticks of unsalted butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt.... oh, and a POUND & A HALF (yes, 1.5 lbs) of powdered sugar... I didn't even use all the frosting either. I can't imagine what it'd be like if I had used all the frosting. I probably wouldn't be typing right now. I'd probably be frantically scavenging for some celery (Can you name that movie?).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHSDNnZf2VgQ1e_LzflfSRC-5bZV8g1B3f0K-Y_rfsu4ts-oFISfXppAV82R6ewMQXOSwIxrE0LA_iUWows_I5lRz39k1q9UA3IJFP5ED5R1A-UyouK-0FhbJinsmq9fMN2fWXcoWBBc/s1600/slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHSDNnZf2VgQ1e_LzflfSRC-5bZV8g1B3f0K-Y_rfsu4ts-oFISfXppAV82R6ewMQXOSwIxrE0LA_iUWows_I5lRz39k1q9UA3IJFP5ED5R1A-UyouK-0FhbJinsmq9fMN2fWXcoWBBc/s400/slice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Now that I've bashed this sinful delight, let me tell you what I LOVED about it, because yes, help me, I did love it! I loved an entire 1/8th of the cake, which was probably part of the problem. Maybe... I should have had a smaller piece? Maybe I should have chilled the cake for several hours (like PW says to do) before cutting into it? But, I just couldn't be bothered with the waiting....or a smaller piece. So I ate the WHOLE piece.... and I was soooooo sorry I did. Not because it didn't taste good.... No Ma'am!<br />
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The cake is definitely like a short cake - dense with a semi-crusty outside. (And I absolutely love shortcake.) This was no exception, it was more like a biscuit than a cake in texture, and I loved it. I also loved how the sugary sauce from the strawberries was absorbed by the cake - it added an extra depth of flavor to the cake which was really wonderful. I also loved the way this cake looks... I can see it sitting on a pretty table for a tea party or a foo-foo ladie's luncheon. But, it definitely needs to be served in small pieces!!<br />
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I would say, if you're brave enough.... if you don't slip into a sugar coma like I do...if your teeth don't hurt just reading this post... that this cake is OH SO WORTH making. I think for me however, IF I make this again, it's going to need many more strawberries and a much lighter frosting. And definitely a smaller serving! Cause I like to be coherent after dessert, most of the time. Oh wait, maybe a whipped cream/Cool Whip type frosting with some berries in it... Oh, I could even imagine this with a whole assortment of berries.... And I think making it in a 9x13 pan might make it easier to get a smaller piece with less of the frosting on it all at once. <br />
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Ok maybe, just maybe, this cake may have been granted a reprieve....with the help of a vegetable intervention I may just recover.Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-46038677039626628922010-04-28T12:31:00.000-07:002010-04-28T12:31:22.335-07:00Pancakes.I want to apologize in advance to those of you who feel "real" pancakes can only be made from scratch. And don't get me wrong, I'm all for that. There are some days though, when I want pancakes, and I want them easy and quick. I've been through so many "instant" pancake mixes that I can't recall them all: Bisquick, Jiffy, Sturdiwheat, Aunt Jemima, and mixes from countless "specialty" shops, mixes you make ahead of time and store, as well as online vendors. When you get right down to it, there are times when I don't want to mix it from scratch. Now, even more importantly since I've moved to the middle of nowhere, when I run out of eggs or milk (hey, it happens), I need something that is of a "just add water" sort of affair.<br />
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All of that brought me to Krusteaz buttermilk mix. Really, truly. Just add water. That's all it NEEDS to make pancakes that are light, fluffy and nearly always turn out perfect. However, don't think that you have to stop there. Just because a mix "needs" only water doesn't mean you can't still make really tasty pancakes with it. Sometimes, I add fruit - fresh blueberries are my favorite, but diced apples, bananas and peaches work equally well. If I want savory, I add garlic or corn, diced peppers or sometimes cheese!! The options are as limitless as your imagination!<br />
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The other piece to adding stuff is that I am not a huge fan of pancake syrups - they're sweet, often too sweet for me to start my day with... and they're just so.... normal. This probably goes back to when I was a little girl and my grandpa made pancakes differently than most other folks. Often, we had them with light corn syrup vs pancake syrup, which isn't as sweet and certainly is NOT maple flavored. Other times, butter was all that was needed, or maybe a touch of powdered sugar. <br />
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Today, because it was SNOWING, I wanted a warm breakfast. Yesterday exhausted me. The running around in frantic wind and rain, trying to clean up the messes that Mother Nature was making.... So I wasn't really in a mood to make a full on "mountain man" breakfast (steak, hash browns etc). The solution? Easy pancakes. I did up the ante just a bit by adding 2 tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the mix. It was perfect. Even LD who loves syrup on his pancakes, opted NOT to dip most of them in the syrup, butter was enough.<br />
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Cooking perfect pancakes is not as difficult, messy or labor intensive as you may think. However, it largely depends on your definition of "perfect." Around here, that translates into, more often than not, NO crispy edges, and a thinner pancake that is less cake-like than others. I'm not here to berate anyone who loves crispy edges on their pancakes. Nor am I begrudging anyone who wants thick cake-like pancakes. They're just not for us at breakfast time. There is one exception to the "no crispy edges" rule - and that is when it comes to the savory pancakes. But there's also the rule around here, that savory pancakes aren't breakfast pancakes. So for the purposes of this post, here's what you need for our version of perfect breakfast pancakes:<br />
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1 large, nonstick, electric griddle. The bigger the better - also helps warm plates!<br />
Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix & your choice of additives<br />
A place to warm your plates<br />
A good, sturdy, yet flexible spatula - should be wide enough to fit under your WHOLE pancake. The other key to a perfect pancake is that your spatula should be THIN - too thick and you can damage the edge when you're trying to slide it under the pancake. Mine is plastic and VERY thin... almost like a metal one.<br />
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Notice anything missing? such as OIL or some sort of cooking spray? That's right... with these, there's NO NEED for any of that stuff!!<br />
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For today's pancakes, I cooked them on a preheated griddle at about 280 degrees. As the griddle is preheating sick a couple of your plates under it - that's right, under it. The heating element will warm your plates at the same time as it's cooking your pancakes. And, it doesn't warm them so much that they'll burn little fingers - just enough that they don't chill your pancakes before you serve them.<br />
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Add the water to the Krusteaz mix as directed on the package. Once mixed, throw in your "additives" which can be as simple as a little sugar & vanilla or as complex as several fruits. If you opt for NO additives, which we sometimes do, you can cook at a higher heat. Ladle the pancake mix onto the griddle, spacing them so they don't run and stick together. I make 4-5 inch pancakes for most of the family and cooking them 8 at once which means two people get to eat at the same time.<br />
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Your other option, for "same time" eating for the masses, is to place your pancakes on a tray or cookie sheet in the oven on the lowest setting - use caution though, you can easily dry them out and they can stick to the tray. <br />
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Making smaller pancakes has several advantages;<br />
1. No need to go looking for a crazy large spatula<br />
2. They're easier to maneuver and you don't get uncooked batter flying everywhere as you turn them<br />
3. You can cook 8 or more at a time, depending on the size of your griddle - which translates to quicker service to the children swarming around your ankles.<br />
4. They fit in the toaster - that's right - these are GREAT frozen and toasted some other morning when you want pancakes but want them even easier! Better yet, this is perfect when only ONE member of the family wants pancakes. <br />
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Here is what they look like right before they're ready to be turned - you know they're ready when about 70% of the bubbles have popped:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDo_NubYitdRZOahjyUvIJZlQ678mrsa6tiWY9uupLahyphenhyphenZr0ip1fYA83wHTtE6v5Fg800mqyK08TkqDFrQhdhMyDmV2sGlaB0b6UYQ9mpXRJY7minlDPVvBX_436mtyZAVZ5Vb0XJGymY/s1600/ready%20to%20turn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDo_NubYitdRZOahjyUvIJZlQ678mrsa6tiWY9uupLahyphenhyphenZr0ip1fYA83wHTtE6v5Fg800mqyK08TkqDFrQhdhMyDmV2sGlaB0b6UYQ9mpXRJY7minlDPVvBX_436mtyZAVZ5Vb0XJGymY/s400/ready%20to%20turn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And after turning - what "our" perfect breakfast pancakes look like - evenly golden, with a nice creamy colored edge. They're about 1/3 of an inch thick. Because cooking times vary due to mix consistency & additives, elevation, humidity etc, you'll have to play around till you figure out what works for you. In general though, it only takes a few minutes to create a perfect pancake:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJSKRK6szadKMzJK82uGT6GSRhp2a7dVFCvo4ztjCaPGcvl1DCv9dm0TUbMTT7G5wqFJCl2-18H94jvepSVZyt8e1EZkjddlatLEfBcSngcAIxmGAFHjozvcu5OH5pJe31pQFgYQ0sAY/s1600/perfect!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJSKRK6szadKMzJK82uGT6GSRhp2a7dVFCvo4ztjCaPGcvl1DCv9dm0TUbMTT7G5wqFJCl2-18H94jvepSVZyt8e1EZkjddlatLEfBcSngcAIxmGAFHjozvcu5OH5pJe31pQFgYQ0sAY/s400/perfect!.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
And because my little monkey likes to dip his pancakes in a cup of syrup, I always make him some that are about the size of a dollar coin (If I'm not exhausted, I sometimes make them as small as nickels!):<br />
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Here's my "short stack" complete with melted butter and a little drizzle of corn syrup... YUM!! <br />
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Today I made the smallest batch of batter based on the directions on the Krusteaz bag - 1 c of mix and 3/4 c of water. It made 13 4-5 inch pancakes and a half dozen little dippers for LD. I had 9 pancakes left over which I placed in between sheets of parchment and then into a zip lock bag and into the freezer. I now have them available when someone says, "I want pancakes," at a time when I really don't feel like cooking or cleaning up after cooking, or when no one else wants them. A short stint in the toaster makes them nearly identical to FRESH. You can even make a big batch of these over the weekend and freeze them for pancakes during the week!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-91923502597149402422010-04-27T12:40:00.000-07:002010-04-27T13:28:11.378-07:00Left over chicken... what to do what to do???Today started out with the loss of our power at somewhere around 3:30 am... it didn't come back on till almost 10am. It was dreary. It was cold. It was wet. I wanted something warm & comfy for lunch.<br />
<br />
Well, I didn't start out thinking stew, I was thinking chicken soup. But as I started putting it together I wanted something thicker than a soup - sort of like a chowder. I also wanted to use most of what I'd just cut off the asparagus that I was going to roast to go along with dinner - you know, that part you trim off the bottom 2 inches to get that nice consistent green color?<br />
<br />
You'll need the following:<br />
<br />
2c. cooked chicken meat, roughly chopped <br />
2c. milk (fat free but you can use whatever you have on hand)<br />
6 small (palm sized) russet potatoes, peeled & diced<br />
3 medium carrots, peeled & diced<br />
2" cut off the bottom of some asparagus, sliced in 1/4" thick slices<br />
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced<br />
2 cans chicken broth<br />
Olive oil, salt, pepper and either corn starch or flour as a thickening agent<br />
Fresh herbs for garnish<br />
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In a stock pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, place the cut up asparagus stems, the onion some olive oil and salt & pepper. Saute until the onions and asparagus start to brown.<br />
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Add some water to further cook the asparagus - you want it JUST tender but still crunchy. Should only take a few ounces of water.<br />
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When the water cooks down and the asparagus are just getting tender, remove from heat & set aside. <br />
<br />
By now the chicken broth should be boiling nicely. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook, boiling, for around 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. I recommend covering it so you don't lose too much of the liquid during the cooking process.<br />
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Once the potatoes & carrots are done, add the chicken along with the asparagus and onion mixture.<br />
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Add the milk - reserve a small amount of milk and add a couple small scoops of flour or cornstarch to it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEild99xLxuRVbY3IvUyv60w0mfk3eD2syjsfkeI-odaFZ9Et-m5SEhALrfkcdno6BTKGsACVE19_xazA4ULPWIqckCfNJs0DI4MEmQCkku23kEj0sEd-fiUclTtRVHQLMZdTsPWxjgCKFE/s1600/slurry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEild99xLxuRVbY3IvUyv60w0mfk3eD2syjsfkeI-odaFZ9Et-m5SEhALrfkcdno6BTKGsACVE19_xazA4ULPWIqckCfNJs0DI4MEmQCkku23kEj0sEd-fiUclTtRVHQLMZdTsPWxjgCKFE/s400/slurry.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Mix the milk & flour/cornstarch till it's all dissolved and add to the pan. Stir until all incorporated. This will give your soup a nice thickness and it'll be more chowder-like.<br />
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Once I served this into bowls, I garnished with some fresh parsley and chives. It was YUM! But even more than my own like of it, was the fact that LD at his whole bowl - he's my toughest critic!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Enjoy!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-89117461116788889642010-04-24T20:42:00.000-07:002010-10-27T11:52:16.139-07:00Texas Sheet CakeAfter a couple hours of <a href="http://mommajadesfun.blogspot.com/2010/04/as-garden-grows.html">gardening</a> stuff this morning and enjoying a near perfect <a href="http://mommajadesworld.blogspot.com/">spring</a> day, LD and I decided to make this cake... because, well, any time is a good time for a chocolate cake, especially one that is this yummy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOeOqSepPGQn-pZTxOwYf8acPNqPL_-SWTP2xSkscXKq5CQ6Q1dgHE_itpInqU6usvcfKtURI_IjufJ89dDyBbrXso8-K6Zol33m5SG9ZGTfSPtpEVpYgTb9fPSu__iUEuEue9Spl3Zk/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOeOqSepPGQn-pZTxOwYf8acPNqPL_-SWTP2xSkscXKq5CQ6Q1dgHE_itpInqU6usvcfKtURI_IjufJ89dDyBbrXso8-K6Zol33m5SG9ZGTfSPtpEVpYgTb9fPSu__iUEuEue9Spl3Zk/s400/cake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I first had this delightful, and oh so rich, cake at a block party, more than 15 years ago. The woman who brought it also brought these amazing little beef & green chile burritos in foil. I couldn't get enough of either one. I asked her for the recipe for both... However, she said I could only have ONE....<br />
<br />
Oh the torture... Oh the anguish.....I told her I would have to think about which one I wanted and get back to her. After a couple of miserable days recalling BOTH of the dishes, I finally decided on the Texas Sheet Cake. Now, mind you, this was before the internet was as common place in people's homes as a coffee maker. Today you can probably go to any recipe website and find a recipe very similar to this one, if not this exact one.<br />
<br />
Even though it's made from scratch, it's really easy - in fact, I often forget how easy it is until I break down and make it. You don't even have to frost it because you pour the warm frosting on the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven - gravity does most of the work...Here's my budding chef mixing the cake batter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdj6yLQUbK0CzwC9rOiBsOuDWLPlVZzRU77Ld7MUehsZxleyhrqcF3u6NbnJurqgu4JVw9otvQ9j9ub4-8woTiIGkqMkUgeYS10a8xUV1Ycn4aXljl8E9OvG-T9NPIcKx70etnkNDpCY/s1600/budding+chef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdj6yLQUbK0CzwC9rOiBsOuDWLPlVZzRU77Ld7MUehsZxleyhrqcF3u6NbnJurqgu4JVw9otvQ9j9ub4-8woTiIGkqMkUgeYS10a8xUV1Ycn4aXljl8E9OvG-T9NPIcKx70etnkNDpCY/s400/budding+chef.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I do have to warn you though, this is one of those desserts that sneaks up on you.... It doesn't seem rich at first... Before you know it, you've eaten half a pan and are collapsing on the floor in a sugar coma. It sort of reminds me of a really light (in texture) brownie with a fudge frosting that has become one with the cake. And, as tempting as it is to eat it before it cools completely, DON'T... let me save you the agony now..... It's SO much better after it's completely cooled. This also keeps the frosting from running off the cake, which is really, REALLY important. It just is, trust me on this one.<br />
<br />
The verdict? LD, my chocolate-connoisseur kid, had not a word to say till it was all gone... Now that's a good chocolate cake!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhPM2TVnKnsA8zcDPKaNNCxvVgtgxuNr5mHM4QpGf-INSqSTRHt3FJRD4gxSYAJCaPrKjC1AzEf7bMtj3Ti0Gy1adeJ2GJfIIrvYTgYp_PzLiDtHBMGCtZsa3vRZK_-wbU1-C_AkPuhQ/s1600/LD+likes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhPM2TVnKnsA8zcDPKaNNCxvVgtgxuNr5mHM4QpGf-INSqSTRHt3FJRD4gxSYAJCaPrKjC1AzEf7bMtj3Ti0Gy1adeJ2GJfIIrvYTgYp_PzLiDtHBMGCtZsa3vRZK_-wbU1-C_AkPuhQ/s400/LD+likes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here's the recipe:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7EXVa1vdCNvI0NwRkmw6ycY37hH3mY-XU74FmITIe7wy5VoD14IXlcTm27NTutFIXhyphenhyphendunAkUFdlMzjumMBCzOSNqCIEKqjD2oKMlAm3VMRHyeAWb-f6ninvzAHiXyeWZz3f9XlIhm4/s1600/Baker's+Joy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7EXVa1vdCNvI0NwRkmw6ycY37hH3mY-XU74FmITIe7wy5VoD14IXlcTm27NTutFIXhyphenhyphendunAkUFdlMzjumMBCzOSNqCIEKqjD2oKMlAm3VMRHyeAWb-f6ninvzAHiXyeWZz3f9XlIhm4/s200/Baker's+Joy.jpg" width="158" /></a>Heat Oven to 375, grease & flour a large rimmed baking sheet (jelly roll pan), the deeper the better. Mine is almost an inch deep. I have officially been converted to this stuff (Baker's Joy Spray) by PW... it's AMAZING and SO much easier than greasing & flouring a baking dish, plus it doesn't leave a layer of flour on the cake!!! (you can even get it at Wal Mart!)<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to the cake....<br />
<br />
Mix in a large bowl:<br />
2 c. flour<br />
2 c. sugar<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
<br />
In a sauce pan mix<br />
2 sticks (1 c.) butter<br />
1 c. Water<br />
4 tsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened)<br />
Bring to a boil, then boil for 10 seconds longer and remove from heat and mix into the flour mixture. After it's mixed completely, add:<br />
1/2c. Sour Cream<br />
2 eggs<br />
Mix well and pour into your prepared pan.<br />
<br />
Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the middle of the cake clean.<br />
<br />
While the cake is baking, make the frosting - the timing should be almost perfect - I was able to wash the dishes from the cake and make the frosting and it was done exactly when the cake came out of the oven.<br />
<br />
In a sauce pan, melt<br />
2 sticks (1 c.) butter<br />
<br />
Add 4 Tbsp. cocoa powder, mix well and reduce heat to low<br />
Add:<br />
1 tsp. vanilla<br />
1lb (3 1/2 c.) powdered sugar<br />
6 tbsp. sour cream <br />
and, if you want, 1c. chopped nuts. I used macadamia nuts today - but it's also VERY good with pecans.<br />
<br />
When the cake is done, immediately pour the warm frosting over the top of the warm cake. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-18610845057738997602010-04-19T20:07:00.000-07:002010-04-19T20:08:20.615-07:00Ravioli with Shrimp sauceAfter lunch today I put on a movie for LD and promptly fell asleep. When I woke up the movie was over and I realized that I hadn't put anything down to defrost for dinner... So I had to figure out something different - something that I had already (aka left overs) or something that was meant to go from freezer to dinner in very little time (which isn't much).<br />
<br />
What I finally decided was that I wanted shrimp and pasta. However, I was out of cream, and fat free milk a good alfredo sauce does NOT make. I rummaged around the freezer and realized that I had frozen shrimp and frozen raviolis, add onion, garlic and some other stuff and it was dinner!<br />
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First, place the shrimp in a colander and run cold water over it to defrost. While that's happening, add some olive oil to a non stick pan, once it's hot, add some onions and salt & fresh pepper.<br />
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While you CAN get the frozen shrimp with the tails removed, I had these on hand, so once they were defrosted I just pulled the tails off... aren't they pretty??? I LOVE shrimp:<br />
<br />
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Once the onions are almost translucent, add the shrimp, some salt & freshly ground pepper.<br />
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Make sure the heat is on low, cover the pan and gently simmer, while you dice up 4 cloves of garlic - you can roughly dice these or mince them - whatever floats your boat - here's what I like - not so huge that it's overpowering, but still big enough that you can actually bite into the pieces: <br />
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After you've cut up the garlic, remove the lid of the pan - in this time there will be quite a lot of broth. Add the garlic and raise the heat to medium, cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally until all the broth is evaporated - you don't want a heavy fishy overtone to this. While you're reducing the shrimp broth, start a pot of water for the raviolis:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJL4_2XHK6f0bk6L5KgzK_BgjEl158_7dXtJ58pSGELuJw8Jbf1nwikALbutGeFxnIV8FcycRpdaMDCdrKVHU2NLm3QutHUJ8vlcAB48jeOZ2v1Ntlb0Ot3kKBbD_OMo4TRazVyuo2150/s1600/DSC_0575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJL4_2XHK6f0bk6L5KgzK_BgjEl158_7dXtJ58pSGELuJw8Jbf1nwikALbutGeFxnIV8FcycRpdaMDCdrKVHU2NLm3QutHUJ8vlcAB48jeOZ2v1Ntlb0Ot3kKBbD_OMo4TRazVyuo2150/s400/DSC_0575.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB7kek65HYv3nQl2xSUlI-9luruf1zzXO5nVI9ONhoPLFnjAtf_hSCca_cTbVd33qTXc8OaEPwfkX6Kr4ar-KMjzY3fMTLSmMREQjGHxa6AA4J5HFkBFOEek3hm80KDRyONcONr3EaqE/s1600/DSC_0576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB7kek65HYv3nQl2xSUlI-9luruf1zzXO5nVI9ONhoPLFnjAtf_hSCca_cTbVd33qTXc8OaEPwfkX6Kr4ar-KMjzY3fMTLSmMREQjGHxa6AA4J5HFkBFOEek3hm80KDRyONcONr3EaqE/s400/DSC_0576.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXY4CHnjmHvzw2J3CNi4cA2Ry_7MTZ8z6n_rUVT6RtWPFvSlW0o79n8HThyKTDBT3mer-B48JJx2pTml7zsYjmy0KiiERnUhAK1iUNNXwnMXq7aLzorUllP3n4fBUU0kfPIjNAIneWiU/s1600/DSC_0577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXY4CHnjmHvzw2J3CNi4cA2Ry_7MTZ8z6n_rUVT6RtWPFvSlW0o79n8HThyKTDBT3mer-B48JJx2pTml7zsYjmy0KiiERnUhAK1iUNNXwnMXq7aLzorUllP3n4fBUU0kfPIjNAIneWiU/s400/DSC_0577.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Once the broth has COMPLETELY cooked down, and it starts to sizzle, reduce the heat as low as it'll go and pour in a jar or can of your favorite pasta sauce, stir to mix & cover until the pasta is cooked.<br />
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Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook according to package directions - generally, once they start to float they're done:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the ravioli are done, drain and top with the sauce. I got so excited about eating it I forgot to take a picture of it with the cheese on it - I had grated some mozarella to top it all off with - REALLY a nice contrast to the shrimp and the ricotta in the raviolis, and a nice change from parmesan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDLUA_dfscm4oJymbJCHWObek0E7Sq5MEhWzx3v8cc765H_rqUv414oq56xnIsh1xtau83-p8Uh22fiMoMripf3F5D1Dc5FTBiT_zVROiHoIoNrIE2sDCLgLXSOWt6qKKgkWHthekC5s/s1600/DSC_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDLUA_dfscm4oJymbJCHWObek0E7Sq5MEhWzx3v8cc765H_rqUv414oq56xnIsh1xtau83-p8Uh22fiMoMripf3F5D1Dc5FTBiT_zVROiHoIoNrIE2sDCLgLXSOWt6qKKgkWHthekC5s/s400/DSC_0580.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Here's the ingredient list:<br />
<br />
1lb frozen shrimp (whole or parts)<br />
1 24oz package frozen raviolis<br />
4 cloves garlic, diced or minced<br />
1/2 large yellow onion, large dice<br />
1 24oz jar of pasta sauce<br />
olive oil, salt & pepper<br />
freshly grated mozarella cheese <br />
<br />
Enjoy!Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-13070969054713153612010-04-17T20:43:00.000-07:002010-04-18T15:15:43.782-07:00Chicken..... it's what's for dinner.Sometimes coming up with "what's for dinner" is often more confounding than I'd like it to be. Perhaps I should do some better planning? Hmmmm....Sometimes, you just want something that hasn't been on the menu in the last 6 months. <br />
<br />
Well, after being gone for 3 days, having a LONG day yesterday, and coming home late last night, I wanted something (relatively) easy for dinner tonight. Now, PW posted a <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/chicken-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/">Chicken with Tomatoes & Garlic</a>, which looked wonderful. However, I didn't have enough canned tomatoes to make it.... sigh.... So I hopped on over to Tasty Kitchen for some inspiration. I saw a yummy looking recipe for some chicken legs, but again, not all of the ingredients.... so I decided to wing it...<br />
<br />
I took 8 legs & 8 thighs, removed the skin (left the bones) and placed them in my crock pot with salt & pepper. I started them on high and cooked for a few hours till I could see hardly any pink. While they were cooking, I mixed up the following ingredients and then poured it over the chicken pieces:<br />
<br />
10oz seedless raspberry jam/preserves<br />
1c. ketchup<br />
1/4c. worstershire sauce<br />
3 tbsp brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp dijon mustard<br />
4 chopped up cloves of garlic<br />
2 shakes of Tapatio hot sauce<br />
<br />
After I added the sauce, I cooked it (still on high) for another 3 hours (give or take). Basically, I wanted the meat falling off the bones and the sauce nicely mixed up with the liquid that the chicken had made in the previous 4 hours. <br />
<br />
Just LOOK at this.... chunks of garlic, yummy sauce, meat that falls apart... YUM YUM YUM!! <br />
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I let it sit for about a half hour (while the olive cheese bread was cooking) and served it with a salad and the olive cheese bread, with MUCH less olives. Oh, and I followed it all up with some of PW's insanely delicious <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/apple_dumplings/">Apple Dumplings</a>. The only change I make to that recipe is that I use 3 apples - cutting each into 6th's - instead of 2 apples cut into 8 pieces. We all agreed that a little more apple was in order.<br />
<br />
The chicken does produce a fair amount of "juice" which translates into yummy broth AND fat. While I didn't drain off the fat before adding the sauce, I did spoon some of it off after cooking it down. There was enough chicken here to feed all 5 of us and leave a good amount left over. I pulled all the remaining meat off the bones and shredded the meat, which was mostly already to that point. I placed it and ALL the sauce/juice into a container & put it in the fridge. I think I'll serve it over rice for dinner tomorrow... YUM...Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726950679963490247.post-23680636062054411382010-04-12T20:29:00.000-07:002010-04-12T20:41:29.583-07:00Coffee, you need not apply, and other food stuff....Some people like coffee in the morning. Some even like soda. But me, well for me there's NOTHING in this world that compares to a glass of OJ.... Especially FRESH SQUEEZED....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKyPhaZxNz-lyFnllAHal_rIEcWvtmd9yPSUM1GHVrSnpV28kvIcLYSGTgU6hWQWQCGSvCsRG_Dz70l_4uUHclsj9ycjNNiYqrxahQ62C3mab1MJ7VNjaQuk-ATkGSoxx88fjvMBajzw/s1600/OJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKyPhaZxNz-lyFnllAHal_rIEcWvtmd9yPSUM1GHVrSnpV28kvIcLYSGTgU6hWQWQCGSvCsRG_Dz70l_4uUHclsj9ycjNNiYqrxahQ62C3mab1MJ7VNjaQuk-ATkGSoxx88fjvMBajzw/s400/OJ.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>Look at that.... don't get me wrong, frozen concentrate is ok, that Simply Orange stuff is even better. However fresh squeezed, particularly when it's winter - when the oranges are best, well there's just nothing like it.<br />
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<br />
This little baby makes fresh OJ a breeze!! My mom got it for me more than a decade ago..... I absolutely LOVE it. I love most that it gets ALL the possible juice from an orange. From just 4 oranges I can get 24 ounces of liquid gold.... mmmmm I love this stuff!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsXTbX0o0mZPsu6bnh-RD_yytBJ_DGfh2FxlR82M1dNpZZ_LwqV3KC7g-a_PeLLauGVh01KIQELlmE5WBKA70YZTowSdEaN_D3jZ4c5GsrpgbZ-WmFTpg4s25RI7OSOKZdX9KM4342Ls/s1600/juicer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsXTbX0o0mZPsu6bnh-RD_yytBJ_DGfh2FxlR82M1dNpZZ_LwqV3KC7g-a_PeLLauGVh01KIQELlmE5WBKA70YZTowSdEaN_D3jZ4c5GsrpgbZ-WmFTpg4s25RI7OSOKZdX9KM4342Ls/s640/juicer.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><br />
Then, I perused PW's recipes.... I made her sausage <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/09/biscuits_and_gr/">gravy</a> from the website and from her cookbook I made chicken fried steak. LOOK at this gravy. Holy moly. Sausage & cream.... mmmmmmm....... by the way, this IS phenomenal over biscuits... but we didn't have biscuits today....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9HFgq2poaHoMJvQvWNVeYtmQygkIN-7lgyISOgeyxg4SWLNZvrwZGHYKUEeXSmv1mx2RzIQxxKWQakB9u4D0-PLFgMR0vqWwJaIGLg7AltucFN-ag44r0GoL1eUQ2bg4t_lMJJij_oU/s1600/gravy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9HFgq2poaHoMJvQvWNVeYtmQygkIN-7lgyISOgeyxg4SWLNZvrwZGHYKUEeXSmv1mx2RzIQxxKWQakB9u4D0-PLFgMR0vqWwJaIGLg7AltucFN-ag44r0GoL1eUQ2bg4t_lMJJij_oU/s400/gravy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Dale is a Chicken Fried Steak connoisseur.... Every time we've ever gone out to breakfast at a new place, he always tries the Chicken Fried Steak. So far, according to Dale, the BEST EVER Chicken Fried Steak is to be found at Mel's Diner in Reno. I'm not a big fan of this dish, I just can't justify beating a good steak to mush, breading it and then drenching in gravy... But who am I to deny a guy his favorite breakfast?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0oXWFAL2cDdsNdoJLgOoUEX2OmoSv8_JQFgklGRi_5m1lVP8jSN08PixKSISO1GkEuWgN0V0rxroNs7RDYDYMiowbw4UQILnBOxXHYnA9HeJUBZ6goM65QzoyLdNZH-HEwT0d0Ca8VE/s1600/chicken+fried.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0oXWFAL2cDdsNdoJLgOoUEX2OmoSv8_JQFgklGRi_5m1lVP8jSN08PixKSISO1GkEuWgN0V0rxroNs7RDYDYMiowbw4UQILnBOxXHYnA9HeJUBZ6goM65QzoyLdNZH-HEwT0d0Ca8VE/s400/chicken+fried.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
After eating this (along with eggs and my country potatoes) he says, "this is ALMOST as good as Mel's." WHAT??? OMG really? I was excited because I tasted the Chicken Fried Steak at Mel's, and even though I am not a huge fan of it, it tasted really good. Like any mom/wife, I really LOVE it when my family likes what I cook. The only thing I don't like about cooking is the mess:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwp-vt9XchC6Bzeeg8rS-PxdBV8T8bFJn2l2IvDmnJ3ugIUFyp5hnTs-B8ahduiejLaR-P3x3QwY2PzlOPirB-SN5IGTbAvYPbVOp2eFsyj2UrMPZya4RLeyZ4Yr_qf5MfRlidYeJda4I/s1600/the+mess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwp-vt9XchC6Bzeeg8rS-PxdBV8T8bFJn2l2IvDmnJ3ugIUFyp5hnTs-B8ahduiejLaR-P3x3QwY2PzlOPirB-SN5IGTbAvYPbVOp2eFsyj2UrMPZya4RLeyZ4Yr_qf5MfRlidYeJda4I/s400/the+mess.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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After we stacked a bunch more wood, I started thinking of dinner.... and opted for <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/06/the-best-spinach-salad-ever/">Spinach Salad</a> and <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/olive_cheese_br/">Olive Cheese Bread. </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWHjWtx_NVriBWk8U2dDBLFCvWET29IBrDEhHfF0fpIhrOQOVhRagQuBmYSttZok1N6qIpqsjzIMzRVus-_5ExUSs0VTkwkmFplOcGW3fqIchMudrZt51yRe0BrPcE2qzVALFjSkXKLY/s1600/salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWHjWtx_NVriBWk8U2dDBLFCvWET29IBrDEhHfF0fpIhrOQOVhRagQuBmYSttZok1N6qIpqsjzIMzRVus-_5ExUSs0VTkwkmFplOcGW3fqIchMudrZt51yRe0BrPcE2qzVALFjSkXKLY/s320/salad.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Let me start with the Salad.... I've had spinach salad before.... but at home it was always made with the store bought dressings & raw onions. The sauteed onions and mushrooms? That was just too much good stuff. Ok, there's NEVER too much good stuff. The dressing made from scratch was amazing. It was PERFECT!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dItOi4C7yzh6MOGPovIpy5yGSSE2fwjgNR96_UjtFbDS_XCeckFaTwlRTFR4szCbfPjU4HGBPnojCedul8cy9pzD9BSE_UWHN_L0iE9dZAUpS1QsAarIpRUrt7H6u5PO6of1gHP2Jlg/s1600/dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dItOi4C7yzh6MOGPovIpy5yGSSE2fwjgNR96_UjtFbDS_XCeckFaTwlRTFR4szCbfPjU4HGBPnojCedul8cy9pzD9BSE_UWHN_L0iE9dZAUpS1QsAarIpRUrt7H6u5PO6of1gHP2Jlg/s320/dinner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And the Bread??? Oh man. This stuff is really great. It was a touch on the salty side, and I think the next time I make it (and there will be MANY next times for this bread) I will use fewer olives - particularly the green ones. It was salty enough that I'm really glad I didn't serve it with anything BUT a salad.Momma Jadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03941135372493466123noreply@blogger.com1