Hey, thanks Jon for setting this up. I'm officially a blogger!!! Does that make me important?
Dad and I have had a low key Sat. which is wonderful. We have not both been home on Sat. for a long time. Well I guess we were several weeks ago but we had three little ones with us so they were the priority. Dad got stuff done outside, I went to a visitation and then to Wal Mart for a new iron and toilet paper. My iron literally fell apart when I was ironing. The bottom feel off - to bad it wasn't mine that feel off. I washed windows and took screens off and I remember again how much I enjoy looking out clean windows. A small joy in life.
We are going to go to Ft. Wayne tonight, along with Jim and Shirley to see Cliff who is at a Rehab hospital after surgery. He had the wires removed from his head because they were infected. He will be in this hospital for 4 to 6 weeks. Steve and Dad went to see him this morning and according to Steve, Cliff was a grump. Can't wait!
OK, the rest of you can chime in.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Cream Cheese Frosting
My mom gave me this super easy recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting. I used it for decorating Cut-out cookies but it can used for pretty much anything like pumpkin rolls or carrot cake or anything you like with cream cheese frosting!
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
2 T. butter, softened (real butter tastes the best)
1 t. vanilla
powdered sugar to desired consistency (approx. 1 cup for pumpkin roll, approx. 3 cups to decorate cookies)
Whip cream cheese and butter together. Add vanilla and whip again. Add powdered sugar. Allow to whip together well.
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
2 T. butter, softened (real butter tastes the best)
1 t. vanilla
powdered sugar to desired consistency (approx. 1 cup for pumpkin roll, approx. 3 cups to decorate cookies)
Whip cream cheese and butter together. Add vanilla and whip again. Add powdered sugar. Allow to whip together well.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Ham Bone Soup
In crock pot combine:
1 ham bone (with small amount of meat still on it) and broth or 1 ham hock
1 rib of celery, chopped with leaves
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. dry pinto beans that have been washed
optional – 1 whole hot pepper (chop, if high heat is desired)
Cover all with water to an inch or so from the top of crock. Cook on high all day (5-6 hours). Taste test broth. Depending on amount of salt in ham, salt may need to be added as beans absorb salt. Before serving, remove ham bone. Allow bone to cool about 10 minutes. Remove meat, cutting into bite-sized pieces and adding back into the crockpot.
Good served with crusty cornbread, baked in a cast iron skillet.
1 ham bone (with small amount of meat still on it) and broth or 1 ham hock
1 rib of celery, chopped with leaves
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. dry pinto beans that have been washed
optional – 1 whole hot pepper (chop, if high heat is desired)
Cover all with water to an inch or so from the top of crock. Cook on high all day (5-6 hours). Taste test broth. Depending on amount of salt in ham, salt may need to be added as beans absorb salt. Before serving, remove ham bone. Allow bone to cool about 10 minutes. Remove meat, cutting into bite-sized pieces and adding back into the crockpot.
Good served with crusty cornbread, baked in a cast iron skillet.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Whole Wheat Bread
1 1/2 c. boiling water
4 tsp. salt
6 TB shortening
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 1/2 TB yeast
2 c. warm water
2 eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour
9 c. white flour
This is a really good recipe, but the key is to not get too much flour in it. The dough has to be sticky when you first let it rise. As it is, the recipe doesn't use much whole wheat flour. I like more, so I increase the amount of whole wheat to 3 or 4 cups. If I do that, then I usually will decrease the white flour by a cup or cup and a half, since the wheat is more coarse and the recipe will require less flour in general. So, if using 4 cups of whole wheat then I would use only 5 1/2- 6 cups of white flour.
Also: make sure that the honey mixture is cool before adding the yeast mixture. Excessive heat can cause the yeast to die and the bread doesn't rise. (Much anger and flat bread to go around.)
A good addition to this recipe is rosemary and sea salt. =) Beat an egg and add fresh chopped rosemary to it. When you make your loaf, before it starts to rise, brush the egg/rosemary mixture over the top and then grind sea salt over it. You can also knead rosemary into the loaf.
4 tsp. salt
6 TB shortening
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 1/2 TB yeast
2 c. warm water
2 eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour
9 c. white flour
- Combine boiling water, salt, shortening, honey and brown sugar.
- Dissolve yeast in warm water
- After honey mixture is cooled to lukewarm, add yeast, eggs and whole wheat flour + 3 c. of white flour; mix for 2 minutes.
- Gradually stir in 6 more cups of white flour. Dough should be sticky, but let it rest for 20 minutes, then pour some oil over the top and gradually knead until oil is absorbed.
- Turn dough over in the bowl, cover and let rest for 1 hour.
- Form into 4 loaves; put in pans and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
This is a really good recipe, but the key is to not get too much flour in it. The dough has to be sticky when you first let it rise. As it is, the recipe doesn't use much whole wheat flour. I like more, so I increase the amount of whole wheat to 3 or 4 cups. If I do that, then I usually will decrease the white flour by a cup or cup and a half, since the wheat is more coarse and the recipe will require less flour in general. So, if using 4 cups of whole wheat then I would use only 5 1/2- 6 cups of white flour.
Also: make sure that the honey mixture is cool before adding the yeast mixture. Excessive heat can cause the yeast to die and the bread doesn't rise. (Much anger and flat bread to go around.)
A good addition to this recipe is rosemary and sea salt. =) Beat an egg and add fresh chopped rosemary to it. When you make your loaf, before it starts to rise, brush the egg/rosemary mixture over the top and then grind sea salt over it. You can also knead rosemary into the loaf.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Menu ideas
Ever tried making a menu for the upcoming week? I've found that menu planning takes away the headache of trying to decide what to make for supper that night, when the last thing you want to think about is planning out a balanced meal. I've found we eat healthier and cheaper when I plan out my meals before the week begins. Here's some of my ideas for menu planning.
Monday
- Theme the week. For example:
- Monday-Italian
- Tuesday-Mexican
- Wednesday-American/Mennonite
- Thursday-Asian
- Friday-Soup N Salad
- Saturday-Pizza
- Sunday-Snacks and leftovers
Monday
- Spaghetti
- Caesar Salad
- Garlic Bread
- Salsa Chicken Rice Casserole
- Sliced apples or a fruit salad
- Chips and salsa
- Hamburgers
- Applesauce
- Veggie tray
- Crockpot Sesame Chicken
- Rice
- Steamed broccoli
- Sausage Bean Stew
- Biscuits
- Cheese slices
- Pizza
- Applesauce
- Chips
- Whatever's left over!
OSU-Beats-Michigan Good Wings
5 lbs chicken wings
Sauce
1 1/4 c. Louisiana style hot sauce
1/2 c. + 2 TB butter
3/4 c +1 1/2 TB honey
pinch of garlic salt
pinch of black pepper
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper-- more if you like them spicier.
Marinate chicken wings in one batch of sauce for at least 4 hours.
Preheat grill on high.
Lightly oil grill grate. Grill chicken 8-12 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove to a large roasting pan.
In a saucepan over med. heat, mix another batch of sauce. Simmer about 10 minutes until blended and heated through. Mix 2 TB cornstarch into 3 TB water. Add to sauce. Bring to a boil until thickened slightly. Pour sauce over grilled wings and stir to coat.
*Debbie's note: I usually just do 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper in the first batch and then add a little bit more to the sauce that goes over the grilled wings.
Sauce
1 1/4 c. Louisiana style hot sauce
1/2 c. + 2 TB butter
3/4 c +1 1/2 TB honey
pinch of garlic salt
pinch of black pepper
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper-- more if you like them spicier.
Marinate chicken wings in one batch of sauce for at least 4 hours.
Preheat grill on high.
Lightly oil grill grate. Grill chicken 8-12 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove to a large roasting pan.
In a saucepan over med. heat, mix another batch of sauce. Simmer about 10 minutes until blended and heated through. Mix 2 TB cornstarch into 3 TB water. Add to sauce. Bring to a boil until thickened slightly. Pour sauce over grilled wings and stir to coat.
*Debbie's note: I usually just do 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper in the first batch and then add a little bit more to the sauce that goes over the grilled wings.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Crockpot Jambalaya
2 to 3 lb. chicken, cut up
1 to 1 1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut in bite-size pieces
2 (1 lb.) cans of tomatoes (I use 1 qt. tomatoes or juice)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch shallots, chopped (green onions)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 t. salt
pepper and red pepper, to taste (or 1 chili pepper, chopped)
2 c. water
Place all ingredients into crockpot. Set on low for 8-9 hours or high for 5 hours. Stir well and serve over rice with crusty French bread. Serves 6-8.
I use a mixture of meats, not just chicken - beef, squirrel, venison, a handful of shrimp - enough to equal 2-3 cups of meat. The sausage should not be omitted though. I freeze the liquor from fresh oysters to add as part of the water amounts to give it a more Cajun seafood boost. If serving different levels of spicey hot preferences, start mild and serve with Tabasco on the side.
1 to 1 1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut in bite-size pieces
2 (1 lb.) cans of tomatoes (I use 1 qt. tomatoes or juice)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch shallots, chopped (green onions)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 t. salt
pepper and red pepper, to taste (or 1 chili pepper, chopped)
2 c. water
Place all ingredients into crockpot. Set on low for 8-9 hours or high for 5 hours. Stir well and serve over rice with crusty French bread. Serves 6-8.
I use a mixture of meats, not just chicken - beef, squirrel, venison, a handful of shrimp - enough to equal 2-3 cups of meat. The sausage should not be omitted though. I freeze the liquor from fresh oysters to add as part of the water amounts to give it a more Cajun seafood boost. If serving different levels of spicey hot preferences, start mild and serve with Tabasco on the side.
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