Crocheting!

I really enjoy crocheting dish clothes and giving them to people. I recently just started experimenting with some awesome colored cotton yarn. If you look really hard this one has flecks of peach, green, and brown in it. Beautiful. Its funny. Once people realize how great doing dishes with dish clothes are they become very particular. For example-my mom likes the cloth to be tight with no holes and not to big. Others like holes because it dries quicker. Myself-the smaller the better otherwise its too much for me to hold in my hand. Enjoy the patterns! (This is one that has holes).

Pancakes!

My relationship with pancakes are a funny story. When I was growing up I dreaded the day that my mom decided to make pancakes--because that meant that my dad wasn't making crepes! Crepes hold a special place in my heart! Top 'em off with butter or just some yogurt, they're delicious and my dad always used to make them on the weekends. Maybe one year ago-things changed. It started with a box of bisquick-but I have graduated to the real recipe. Pancakes are amazing! Just as much as crepes. What was I thinking all those years! This summer I think I've almost more than made up for those years of lost pancakes. Enjoy!

I'm included two recipes-both are amazing! One is buttermilk one is not!
recipes from Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking

Basic Pancakes:

2 C flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBLSP sugar
2 eggs
2 C milk
1/3 C melted butter

Beat eggs. Once smooth add milk. Stir in melted butter.
Add flour and stir until perfectly smooth.
In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Add to milk mixture all at once.
Stir until smooth.
Cook on stove.
Top with butter and syrup!

Buttermilk Cakes:

1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 C buttermilk
1/4 C butter

Beat egg, stir in buttermilk.
In a separate bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add all at once to wet mixture.
Add melted butter.
Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Cook 'em up!

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

The vegetarian or vegan answer to Shepherd's Pie, "Wynelle's Pot Pie" from Sundays at Moosewood, provides a delicious alternative. A favorite family dish, DD prepared the familiar vegetarian pot pie, yet this time, totally vegan, thanks to Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and Natural Shortening.

Organic produce featured a variety of root vegetables: beet, potato, carrots, and onions. Whether stepping into summer or welcoming the autumn months, this recipe is always a crowd pleaser.

http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/#/products/

Basic Roux

2 Tblsp butter/vegan buttery sticks
2 Tblsp unbhleached white flour
1 cup milk/soy milk
1 tsp white wine or spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (opt)

This is simply a basic white sauce or Bachamel sauce.

Happy Birthday Blog & Brother B!

This blog is officially a year old this month! Our very first post was a birthday cake so I felt it appropriate to post the same birthday boys birthday cake this year! He was 17 years old so we had a cake created of the 17th hole! BTW---he loves golf. He decided that he would like an ice cream cake. Unfortunately we took a short cut and hired Maggie Moos to make the cake. Maybe next year we will tackle an ice cream cake by ourselves.

As an ice cream cake hater...I was really impressed with such a great job that Maggie Moos did with the cake. The ice cream was vanilla with oreos mixed in, on top of a oreo crust. Delicious!

I have a new attitude towards ice cream cakes! If anyone is interested in Maggie Moos ice cream cakes please find your local parlor and order it ahead of time!

Peanut Butter Pie! Oh my!

I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's food blog, Tasty Kitchen. This pie is nothing but bad for you but its a winner! It is super fluffy and will not disappoint. If you want a kick butt dessert thats super quick this is your lucky day! I ended up making a homemade oreo crust but I would recommend using extra butter for this crust because as you can see mine is a little crumbly. So make sure it sticks together good...because this pie is going to have a short life! Enjoy!

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

This recipe came from Martha Stewarts website and it was sent by a friend. This cake has many appetizing features. Starting with the butter flour crumb layer on the bottom. Then moving to the next layer of a yellow cake with a hint of orange. And on top a delicious layer of rhubarb. Martha makes hers by slicing the rhubarb in long thin strips. Watch her video and get recipe here.

Waffles

Waffles, yes please! I am a fan of all things breakfast. Crepes, pancakes, and waffles. Today we made waffles because a request came into the kitchen around 9:30am and it was for waffles with strawberries and syrup. And the kitchen does not like to disappoint so we complied. They turned out delicious!

Recipe:

from Meta Given's, Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking

(the cook book was as pretty as the waffles!)

2 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs separated

2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 C milk

1/3 C melted butter

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In mixer beat egg whites until frothy, add sugar until stiff peaks form.

Beat yolks with milk and melted butter, add to flour mixture and combine.

Fold in egg whites.

Cook 'em up on your waffle iron!

Pot Roast

I was watching a good morning america clip from last spring when Ree Drummond was on and she made a pot roast look simple and delicious! So two days later I begged DD and sure enough I was blessed with a pot roast. Interestingly enough-I'm not really a meat eater and I could do without cow but I had to try this pot roast. Easy and delicious. I think we could have left it in longer and it would have been a little more tender. But i'm not complaining! Is it time for leftovers yet?

Rhubarb, My dear friend!

Rhubarb...you are my dear dear friend...even though I read today that your leaves are toxic...you are still my favorite! Recently I was given some delicious locally grown rhubarb from a family in Lima, New York. I have enough rhubarb to make another pie or cake...I'm not sure! This time around I made a Rhubarb Peach Pie with a whole wheat crust. I have been experimenting with King Arthurs White Whole Wheat Flour-it really gives an interesting taste and its not as bad as regular whole wheat flour. I really liked how this pie came out! Delicious!

Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms

There are four things that I love...chicken, mushrooms, artichokes and Ree! The Pioneer Woman has really nailed several dishes that DD has been cooking lately! After much disappointment and experimentation of recipes from Giada de Laurentiis....DD and I were extremley unsatisfied! I think it's safe to say that Ree saved the Day! Recipe here.

Drumsticks w/ Garlicky Tomato Sauce

This chicken dish is the ultimate satisfying surprise! Drumsticks are browned and then roasted in a tomato sauce so rich and succulent you'll want extra for the next evening's meal! DD paired her chicken with red potatoes and savory cabbage, sauteed in butter and garlic-yummy! Tonight DD & family will enjoy the remaining sauce over pasta with a side of broccoli rabe. Thanks go to AM for introducing me to PW for this excellent chicken recipe, which can be found here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/chicken-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/

Oven Baked French Fries

If there is one food that I could not live without...it would be potatoes! I love potatoes! Any kind...but my weakness is french fries! So delicious! This recipe is a sweet success! Try as soon as you can potato lovers!

Oven Baked French Fries

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Cut potatoes into wedges, with or without skins.

Place cut potatoes in a hot water bath for fifteen minutes.

Dry off with paper towel and put into another bowl.

Toss with just enough canola oil, salt and pepper.

Bake about 20 minutes, until brown.

Results are flawless!

Want to try YAMS wedges instead? Simply decrease oven temperature to 400 degrees and check at 25 minutes, bake up to 35 minutes. 

Banana Caramel Cheesecakes

These little muffin tin goodies are delicious! But there is one set back. For easy eating I would recommend baking these in ramekins or small custard cups because they stuck to the paper wrappers! But this did not stop me from getting the stubborn cheesecake off of the paper! These are truly delicious. The icing is going to taste amazing on any kind of cupcake, I can't wait to try it!

Cheesecakes:

Vanilla Wafers

3/4 cup sugar

16 oz cream cheese

1 TBSP lemon juice

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Blend cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, lemon, vanilla, blend until smooth. Place a wafer at the bottom of each tin/ramekin. Fill 2/3 full with cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Caramel Frosting:

3/4 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup dulce de leche/caramel

Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar. Add heavy cream and vanilla until smooth and no lumps appear. Add the dulce de leche and beat to incorporate. Frost away!

Assemble: Bake cheesecakes and then let cool. Top with bananas and caramel frosting! And then eat before everyone else figures out how good they are!!

Slab Pie

Its official. I like cooking, but I LOVE baking! I think I was sold when I made this pastry! I was sold because its very simple and great anytime of the day! Try it and spread the word! Slab Pie Rocks!

Recipe Adapted from Smittenkitchen, Slab Pie

Blueberry Peach Slab Pie(but any fruit combo will do)

2 Pie Crusts, keep separate, chilled for at least an hour in the fridge

Recipe for one pie crust: (make two)

1 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup butter

about, 3T cold water

combine flour and butter, add water until desired consistency.

Recipe for filling:

about 4 cups blueberries/sour cherries/or any other fruit combo(fresh or frozen will work; if frozen, defrost and drain first)
3/4 to 1 1/4 cups of sugar*
1/4 cup cornstarch
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch or two of salt
one egg, beaten with a tablespoon of water

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water or 1 tablespoon water plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice (I did this to make the glaze more interesting)

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine; set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle. Do your best to work quickly, keeping the dough cold.

Transfer to a 15-by-10-by-1-inch(or something similar) rimmed baking sheet, (pastry will hang over sides of pan). Line with parchment paper. Pour blueberry mixture into lined baking sheet; set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough into a 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Drape over filling. Bring bottom pastry up and over top pastry. Pinch edges to seal. Using a fork, prick top crust all over. Brush with heavy cream or milk.

Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk, water or lemon juice (or combination thereof) until desired glaze consistency is achieved. Use a spoon to drizzle over top.

Bradbury Cookies

Yes...BD is baking! What's next...cooking! I can't wait (DD)! ...all of sixteen and he had fun in the making!!