Three Layer Meat Casserole

I'm back!  I got caught up with all the Christmas excitement with having my son home.  And the shootings at Sandy Hook school really affected me, as it did many, many people - totally beyond comprehension.  Made me appreciate my family so much more.  I was never so glad to have my son home for Christmas!!

I did bake the usual assortment of Christmas cookies, candies and fudge.  Won't be getting on the scale anytime soon!!

For Christmas, my husband bought me the neatest cookbook:

Getting Your Goat: The Gourmet Guide by Patricia A. Moore with Jill Charlotte Stanford - DISCLAIMER - I do not know either of these authors and I am not paid for endorsing this book.  It is just a really neat cookbook!

As you may know we raise goats and finding a good cookbook that has good goat recipes is rare - well, here it is!!  BUT, if you don't like goat, you can substitute beef or your choice of meat.  Last night I made her Three Layer Goat Casserole - OH MY was it good and so easy to make!!  We didn't have any goat meat, so I just used ground beef. 

Here is the recipe with the ground beef:

2 lbs ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T dried basil
2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
1 8 to 10 oz. package of spinach fettucini noodles
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1  8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk

Brown the ground beef in a skillet.  Mix in the garlic, onion, tomato sauce, and basil.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to the directions on the package.  Drain.

Separately, mix the cream cheese, sour cream and milk.

In a 4 quart casserole dish, spoon the meat mixture in first, top with the noodles, sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly, then pour the cream cheese/sour cream/milk mixture over the noodles and meat. 

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.

This is so good!!!  Enjoy!!!

Christmas Cookie Time!!

My favorite time of the year - Christmas Cookie time!  The time when the work "diet" is a four letter word!! Who goes on a DIET at Christmas time?? IMPOSSIBLE!!  So do you have a favorite Christmas Cookie recipe? 

I have to admit I am an iced sugar cookie addict.  Is there a 10 step program for me?  It is a serious addiction.  The problem is there is SO many cute cookie cutters!  And I have so much fun decorating them!

The other day when I was going through my cookbooks, I found an old recipe from my Grandmother (my Mom's Mom) for a Swedish Christmas cookie.  It is sort of a fruitcake type cookie - really good.  I will try to make that next week.  Boy, just the thought of that cookie brings back so many good memories!!

So for the next month or so, I will hide my scale and wear pants with elastic waistlines!!  Merry Christmas and Happy Baking!

The Demise of the "Twinkie"

How can this be???  How can we go on???  No more Twinkies!!!  Today, Hostess Bakeries have decided to close their doors forever (and I mean FORVER!!) which means no more Twinkies.  Now, to me that is no big deal because I am not a huge Twinkie fan (I know - the HORROR!!).  BUT, to my family this is the worst news ever.  Of course, I will terribly miss the Hostess Cupcakes (that is another story!!).

Have no fear Twinkie Addicts!! Help is on the way!!  I have found a recipe for homemade Twinkies - TADA!!  No applause necessary!  Now, I have not tried this recipe yet.  I will in the next couple of weeks and will post my "findings."  Again, this recipe comes from the "FAMOUS INTERNET" folder. 

Homemade Twinkies recipe

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the filling:
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup light cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease mini loaf pans* with cooking spray.

mini loaf pan on Amazon

.Beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer until thick. Slowly add in all other ingredients and beat until fully combined. Divide the batter among the mini loaf pans, filling about 3/4 full. Bake cakes for at least an hour, or until golden brown. Cool in pans and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

While cakes cook, prepare filling by mixing shortening, sugar, vanilla and light cream with a mixer. Once mixed, slowly add in sugar and beat until combined. Fill a pastry bag with frosting and cut a small hole.

.Once cakes have cooled, carefully poke three holes in the bottom of the cakes. Pipe frosting into the holes until just filled. Cool for at least 20 minutes and enjoy!  Life is good again!!

Buttermilk Bread

Now, doesn't that sound good!  I've heard of Buttermilk Biscuits, so I figured Buttermilk Bread has got to be good.  So when I saw the recipe in my new book, I knew I had to try it - thus a NEW adventure was born.  And how long has been since I have made bread . . . too long!!

This recipe can be found in Suzanne Dunaway's book, No Need to Knead, Handmade Italian Breads in 90 Minutes.  Once again, I am not paid for endorsing her book nor do I know Suzanne Dunaway personally.  I just read a lot of good reviews on her book, so I bought it.

Onto the recipe . . .

First you need to make a BIGA (or a sponge) the night before.

BIGA

2 T active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (85 to 95 degrees F)
2 cups warmed buttermilk (I heated it up to about 70 degrees F)
2 cups unbleached bread flour

In a small glass measuring cup, mix the yeast with the warm water and stir well - set aside.  Mix the flour and buttermilk together  in a larger bowl and add the yeast mixture.  The yeast mixture should be bubbly by now.  This will form a very, very wet dough, almost the consistency of thick pancake batter.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let "ferment" overnight at room temperature.  (If your house is cold at night like mine is - put the bowl in your oven with the oven light on).  This is what you should find the next morning:

BREAD

2 T melted butter (I always use unsalted)

1 T honey

3 to 3 1/2 cups white flour

olive oil

Add the butter and honey to the biga and mix well.

Stir in all the flour until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Add up to an additional 1/2 cup of flour if the dough is too moist.

Move the dough to a floured surface.  Rub your hands with flour.  Push the dough with the heels of your hands and flip it over, folding it on itself several times.  The dough will be slightly sticky.  Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until the dough has doubled in volume - about an hour.

Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 by 4 inch bread loaf pans.  Divide the dough in half and form each into a loaf.  Place the dough into the plans.  Brush the each loaf with olive oil, cover and let rise until the dough reaches the rim of the pans - roughly 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Place the pans in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the loaves sound hollow when tapped.  Cool on a wire rack - if you can wait that long!!

I will give you the verdict on these loaves in the next couple of hours.  My kitchen does smell heavenly.  Hopefully, they taste as good as they look!

Enjoy!

Cornbread Muffins - YUM!!

As Hurricane Sandy edged into the Ohio Valley bringing with her cold air and rain, it was the PERFECT evening to stay huddled inside with a bowl of hot soup and watch TV.  Before I go any further, would you please take a moment and remember our friends on the East Coast who have had their lives dramatically changed by this Superstorm.  If you pray, please say a prayer for them as I think they are going to need a lot of prayers.  My son is stationed on East Coast and Thank God he is OK!

I found a recipe for Swedish Split Pea Soup - hmmm never REALLY thought of Split Pea Soup as being Swedish but what do I know??  BUT, this is not about the soup!!  Normally, I would make grilled cheese sandwiches to "compliment" the soup.  But I wasn't in the "grilled cheese" mood!  You know what I mean!!  Then I remembered the cookbook I bought just last week  - The Complete Magnolia Bakery by Allysa Torey and Jennifer Appel (I am not promoting this book nor do I get any compensation for mentioning this book!).  The very first recipe in the book is called Corn Muffins.  I think the title is misleading because when I first saw that, I assumed that it meant Corn like corn on the cob - HA! silly me!  Well, duh - corn meal like cornbread.  So that is why I titled this Cornbread Muffins!!

OK, so now that we got that straight onto the ACTUAL recipe!!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 T baking powder
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease well 9 cups of a 12 cup muffin tin (I put in cupcake liners - BIG mistake - they stuck to the muffin!! DO NOT USE CUPCAKE LINERS!!)
In a larger bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, making a well in the center.

Mix the liquid ingredients separately.

And add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to over mix.  The batter will be very lumpy.

Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden or a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Do not overbake!

These were a defnitely winner!  My husband ate 2 when he came home from work!! 

Enjoy!!

Black-Eyed Pea Gumbo

I just love this Fall weather!!  And I love making soups!  Fall and soups are just meant to be together!  There are SO many wonderful soups out there!!  This recipe was given to me by one of my husband's co-wokers.  It is so easy AND it is delicious!!  PLUS it makes a huge pot of soup that you can freeze a batch for next week or next month. 

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 medium size green bell pepper chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
4 (15) cans black-eyed peas with liquid
1 (10) ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I used mild - your choice)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions, peppers and celery.  Cook until tender.

Pour in the chicken broth.  Mix in rice, black-eyed peas with liquid, diced tomatoes with green chilies, diced tomatoes and chopped garlic.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes until rice is tender. 

Add water if soup gets too thick.

Perfect with French Bread or a grilled cheese sandwich.  Great for those cool or chilly Fall evenings!!  Life doesn't get any better than this!

Enjoy!

Homemade Yogurt - Revisted

A new experiment - well, sort of, BUT today I am going to attempt (drum roll, please) to make yogurt using store bought milk.  OK, I know that sounds rather boring but this can be really big if you are a yogurt fan like I am and a container of Greek yogurt at Walmart costs $1 a container - that gets expensive!! 

So here is what you need and it is SO easy!!!  1 quart of whole milk and 1 container of yogurt.  Make sure the label on the yogurt says that it contains live and active yogurt cultures - otherwise this is not going to work!!  I have had a lot of success with Chobani yogurts.  I use either the plain or the vanilla.  Don't choose any of the "flavored" ones like black cherry, blueberry, etc.  - plain or vanilla will work just fine.

First, pour the milk in a sauce pan and heat to 185 degrees.  Then cool to 115 degrees.  I know that sounds kind of stupid, but trust me this is an important step.

Now I will pour the milk into a pyrex casserolle dish and add 2 tablespoons of the Chobani yogurt.  Mix thoroughly.  I always use a whisk - that works really well for me.  Cover the bowl with the glass top that comes with the casserolle dish.

The important thing with making yogurt is that you need to keep it at a constant temperature.  This is where my proofing box REALLY comes in handy.  Here is a link to that proofing box:

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1165951741735856006#editor/target=post;postID=6222357938742825808

Keep the yogurt in the proofing box for about 6 to 8 hours until the milk/yogurt has thicken.  Now but the casserolle dish in the refrigerator for another 6 to 8 hours. 

I like the Greek style yogurt.  If you don't, you can now add fruit, jam, honey, etc. to the yogurt and ENJOY!  Otherwise, line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth.  Place the colander over a larger bowl so that it will collect the whey from the yogurt.  Spoon the yogurt into the colander with the cheesecloth and let this drain in your refrigerator for another 6 hours.  NOW you have Greek yogurt  - YUM!  You can add fruit, jam, granola, honey or whatever you like.  ENJOY!!!

The Best Potato Soup Ever Made!

OK, let me rephrase that - the best potato soup I have ever made. Now that sounds better!!   Doesn't sound so "lofty."

The good thing about making homemade soups that you get a whole meal in a bowl - you have your veggies and usually your meats (ham, chicken or ground beef). And the great thing is that it usually makes a HUGE pot that you have enough for the next night or you can freeze it for later on!!

Autumn is my favorite time of year.  Love the crisp, cool air - the sound of the leaves crunch as you walk through them, the beautiiful Fall colors - hot chocolate with marshmallows and all the wonderful "warm" foods available this time of year - chili, all the delicious soups - just makes you feel warm and cozy all over!!

I found this recipe on the About.com website and I tweaked it just a bit. It is so easy to make and so good!!

Potato Soup with Ham

Ingredients
2 cups red potatoes (or new potatoes) - peeled and chopped into small bite size pieces
3 T butter (I used unsalted)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups milk
3 T all-purpose flour
black pepper
1 cup cooked and cubed ham (I bought the pre-packaged ham in the store)
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Reserve 1 cup of the potato water. Drain the potatoes.

Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onions - cook and stirring frequently. Stir in flour and pepper. Add in potato water, milk, and potatoes. Mix well. Add ham. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat. Add cheese.

Season as you like.  If you would like a little more spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper.

Great with a big hunk of french bread or a grilled cheese sandwich.  Life just doesn't get any better than this!!

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cobbler

This "adventure" comes to us from my husband's cousin.  Doesn't this sound wonderful!!  Pumpkin cheesecake cobbler!!  OH MY!! Just the perfect autumn dessert!!  And it is so easy to make!! Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cobbler

20 oz pumpkin puree (not pie filling - be sure to check that you are getting puree)
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 package white cake mix (I used Pillsbury - use your favorite brand)
1/2 cup butter, melted but not hot
1 8 ox package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan

Mix together the cake mix, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice with 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs.  Spread on top of pumpkin mixture.



Mix in gently with a fok. 

Mix the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and drop on top of the pumpkin mixture.



Mix melted butter with 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs and 1/3 cup brown sugar (and pecans if you want them).  Spread across top of pumpkin mixture. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

I make this without the pecans.  I think next time I will add the pecans, the crust is slightly crunchy but seems to be missing something.  So if you make this, do add the pecans.  The cake portion is very moist. My husband hasn't tried the cake yet, so I will update this with his opinion.  I thought it was pretty good.  I would probably make this again.

Your kitchen will smell wonderful!!  Happy Autumn!!  Enjoy!! 

Which Yogurt is better for you?

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with  baking, but I thought since I posted a recipe earlier on how to make Goat's Milk Yogurt - some might find this interesting.

This is an excerpt from an article I found on the website www.kitchendaily.com about which yogurt is better for you - Greek Yogurt or "plain" yogurt.  Everywhere you look these days, you see Greek Yogurt.  So is it really that good?  Read for yourself:

"Both types of yogurt are made with milk that has had live bacterial cultures added to it, causing it to ferment. The fermentation process thickens the yogurt and gives it a tangy flavor. The yogurt is then strained to remove the liquid whey. The difference between the two types of yogurt is that Greek yogurt is strained much more extensively to remove most of its whey. Because it is strained so much, it takes a lot more milk (up to 4 times as much) to make the same amount of Greek yogurt than regular yogurt. The result is a thicker, creamier texture similar to sour cream.
Here’s how Greek yogurt stacks up compared to regular yogurt:

•Protein- Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt- almost double the amount. The high protein content helps keep you feeling full longer. It’s a great option for breakfast to give you long-lasting energy throughout the morning. It can also be a good source of protein for vegetarians.

•Carbohydrates- Greek yogurt has less (roughly half) carbohydrates than regular yogurt because a lot of it is lost during the extensive straining process. This makes it a great option for anyone watching their carbs, including diabetics. But be careful because the carbs can add up if you add a lot of sweeteners to your yogurt.

•Fat- Greek yogurt actually has more saturated fat than traditional yogurt. Saturated fats in your diet should be limited because they raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. So, if you’re going Greek, choose the fat-free or low-fat varieties instead of full-fat. The good news is that the lower fat versions are so creamy and thick, you won’t miss it.

•Sodium- Greek yogurt has less sodium than traditional yogurt because a lot of it is lost in the straining process. This makes it a great option for anyone watching their sodium intake.

•Calcium- Greek yogurt has less calcium than regular yogurt because once again, some of it is lost through the straining process. Although Greek yogurt still contains a good amount of calcium, if you are worried about your calcium intake, make sure you get adequate amounts from other sources.

So what’s the final verdict? With more protein combined with less sugar and sodium, Greek yogurt does have a nutritional edge over regular yogurt- just be sure to choose fat-free or low-fat varieties. But with this said, keep in mind that both types of yogurt are good for you and provide probiotics that are beneficial for digestive health- just make sure the label states that it contains live, active bacterial cultures."

So now you know!

Carrot Pie?

Are you serious??? Carrot Pie??    Yes, Virginia there is such a thing as Carrot Pie and it is a dessert!  When I first read about this, I thought maybe it was some sort of quiche or vegetable dish.  But, lo and behold, it is supposedly very similar to pumpkin pie.  So I was intrigued. 

This recipe comes to us today from the website, www.raisingjane.org.  Not really sure how I ended up there - it was one of those where I followed one link which lead to another link which lead to another link, etc., etc., etc. and I ended up with Carrot Pie - it is just that kind of day I guess!

Back to Carrot Pie, you don't need any special ingredients besides the carrots.  I ran to the store and bought a pound of carrots which seems to do the trick.  Just plain ole carrots - nothing fancy. 

The first thing you need to do is clean the carrots by scraping them.  Then I cut them up into chunks and grated them in my food processor.

Isn't that a pretty color!!

Now you need to cook the carrots.  I know  . . . this seems like a lot of work for one silly pie!  I scraped all the carrots together and steamed them.  This is kind of a neat photo because you can see the steam rising from the pan as the carrots are "cooking" or "steaming" (I guess that is the better terminology!). After the carrots are done steaming and cooled, you need to squeeze any excess liquid or moisture out of them by pressing them with a large spoon against the bottom of the steamer.

Now for the recipe. 

I cheated and used a Pillsbury pie crust.  If you have a good pie crust recipe, use that (and share it with me, pretty please!!)   Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes at 400 degrees and let it cool.

FILLING:
1 cup finely grated and cooked carrots (see above)
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger
½ t salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk

To prepare filling, combine carrots, sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, eggs, and milk in a large bowl.  Don't be concerned, this is very liquidity.  I was concerned, but it does solidify during baking.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust and cover the edge of the pie crust with foil to prevent it from over-browning.

Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes or until center of the pie has set.

Remove from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 1 hour (if you can!!).  I bet this is good with whipped cream or ice cream - OH YUM!!

Fresh out of the oven!!  It certainly looks like a pumpkin pie, doesn't it.  Now the hard part . . . waiting for it to cool down.  Well, that will give me the chance to run to the store to get some Cool Whip (oh am I wicked or what!!).  It certainly smells good - love that cinnamon/ginger scent!! 

VERDICT:

Very good!  The appearance sort of throws you off - it looks like a pumpkin pie, so you are expecting it to taste like pumpkin pie when you take that first bite.  So when you taste the small chunks of carrots, it seems odd, but you quickly forget that because it tastes really good - very unique sweet taste - not sickening sweet.  AND excellent with whipped cream!!!  My husband thought it would be good either way - with or without the whipped cream.

So the final verdict - we have a winner!  This is definitely a keeper recipe.




.

It's Alive!! It's Alive!!

Isn't that what Gene Wilder screamed in the movie "Young Frankenstein"?  OK, this is not as dramatic or noteworthy!!

AND this is not the BEST picture (OK I am not the world's best photographer!!).  BUT, see those tiny dots - those are actually bubbles - a very good sign - you want bubbles - lots of bubbles.  And you want your sourdough to have an odor . . .  sort like beer.

I am going to feed these babies for a day or two, then put them back in my refrigerator until next week when I am ready to start baking.  Normally, I will take my chosen starter out a day or two before I bake and feed it (sort of waking it up - hello darling, time to go to work!)

Until next week . . .

It's Sourdough Time!!!

Fall is in the air - I can feel it!  The leaves on the trees are starting to turn their pretty shades of burnt orange and gold.  Even though the calendar still shows August, I can feel Autumn coming.  And with the coming of the Fall season, my heart turns to baking and baking means bringing out my sourdough containers from hibernation in the refrigerator.  Wake up sleepy heads . . . time to go to work!!

You open up your mason jar and look in dismay at some brownish liquid floating atop of your starter - OH NO!!

How can this be??  What have I done?  All is lost!!  Oh despair!! 

First of all, all this means that you need to feed your starter - it is hungry -VERY hungry.  So feed the poor dear.  There are two schools of thought - one says to stir the hooch back into the starter and the other school says to pour it off.  I have tried both - I have seen no difference in my starters.  So it is up to you how you want to proceed.

NOW if your starter looks pinkish or orange - sorry folks, it is going bad and you need to throw it out and start fresh.

So this afternoon, I took my four jars of starters out of the refrigerator - hello children!!  Two of the jars had hooch and the other two didn't.  What I did is to discard about half of the starter in each of the jars and feed them my usual feeding ration - 4 T of all purpose flour and 3 T water.  I am going to leave the jars out on my kitchen counter and feed them twice a day to make sure they are alive and kicking.  I should see bubbles within the next 24 to 36 hours.  Here's hoping for signs of life!!  Stay tuned!

MY Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

If you will remember last week, we "accepted" the challenge from Alice Currah in her book Savory Sweet Life with her recipe titled "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever."   I am sure there are a million and a half Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes residing on the Internet and each one better than the last. 

There are 3 things that my husband loves (besides me!) . . . Reese Peanut Butter Cups, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Soup and my Chocolate Chip Cookies!  I normally don't give out my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, but since Alice offered up the "CHALLENGE",  I think I have to.

For variations, sometimes I will use M & M's or Butterscotch Chips in place of the Chocolate Chips in the recipes.  The M & M's make the cookies look more festive and the Butterscotch Chips give the cookies a whole new taste!  Haven't tried the Reese Peanut Butter Chips yet - now that would be interesting!!

Anyway, here is my recipe . . .

Diane's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Shortening
2 Large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups Chocolate Chips (see note above about substitutions)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Cream sugars together with shortening.
Add vanilla and eggs one at a time and mix to blend
Add dry ingredients and mix
Add chocolate chips

I used a soup spoon, rolled the dough into small balls and placed them onto the cookie sheet (dough will be sticky).   You don't have to do that.  You can just drop them onto the cookie sheet - it is your choice. 

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes.

Cool on rack.

Enjoy!!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever? OK!

We have a new challenge!!  Don't you just love a challenge!!  If you have been following this blog, you KNOW I love a challenge.  Well, I picked up a book yesterday at my local library.  I will review a cookbook through the library before I buy it so I can see if it is worthwhile before spending my precious money.  We don't have a lot of money and I don't want to waste it on a useless cookbook. 

Yesterday I picked up a copy of Savory Sweet Life by Alice Currah.  I have read a lot about the book and I do follow her blog.  AND she does get glowing reviews from Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman).  So I figured the cookbook has got to be good.  Well, the very last recipe is titled "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever."  Kind of a bold statement, if you ask me!  But, it is a free country and we do allow freedom of speech.  I have nothing pressing to do today so . . .  I accept your challenge Alice.  Let's see if these are in fact the BEST chocolate chip cookie known to mankind!

The recipe . . . (fortunately you should have all the ingredients in your kitchen)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter - at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt (if you don't have sea salt, just use regular salt)
2 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, gradulated sugar and brown sugar togeter on medium high for 3 minutes, until nice and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Add the vanilla and mix for 2 more minutes.
Reduce the mixer to medium low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
When the dough has absorb the dry ingredients, stir in the chocolate chip and mix until they have been distributed pretty evenly.
Drop 2 tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are nice and golden brown. 
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool for 2 minutes. 
Slide the parchment paper with the cookie still on top onto a rack to cool completely.

SO, now the test . . . are these the best chocolate chip cookies you have ever had in the whole wide world??? Now be honest!!

I will let my chocolate chip "expert" (aka my husband) decide.  Supposedly he married me because of my chocolate chip cookies.  So we will see what he thinks.  Stay tuned!!

My Verdict:

Disappointing.  Very crunchy.  My husband is not going to like these at all - he doesn't like crunchy cookies.  The best chocolate chip cookie EVER - I doubt it!  I think the 360 degree temperature is too high.  The cookies come out looking overcooked.  If I tried this recipe again, I will bake them at 350 instead of 360.  I think my chocolate chip recipe is much better than this one.  I have a feeling the chickens will be having chocolate chip cookies for dinner tonight!

Update

My husband didn't like them.  He doesn't like "crunchy" cookies.  So if I bake these again, I think I will bake them at 350 and maybe move the rack down to the middle of the oven.  I do think my recipe is a lot better than hers. Sorry Alice, you lose!

Julia Child's Brownies

I am on a Julie Child kick!  Ever since I found out that her birthday was last week, I have been baking "Julia."  So today I am making her "famous" brownies which have been titled "the best brownies ever made."  Ok - that sounds like a challenge!  So let's see how good these actually are!  To be honest, I am not even sure which one of her cookbooks this recipe is found in - it is certainly not in her earlier books.

You will probably have to run to the store to get a few of the ingredients - sorry about that!  But, supposedly these brownies are worth it.

Here is the recipe:

Julia Child's Brownies

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks)
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped*
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs at room temperature

* you can find these where they have the chocolate chips

Directions:

Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and chocolates together in a microwave in a large bowl or over a double boiler.

Add one cup of sugar to the butter/chocolate mixture and stir for 30 seconds.  Stir in the vanilla.

Mix the remaining sugar and the four eggs in an electric mixer for a few seconds until just combined.

Pour half of the sugar/egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula so that the eggs don't set from the heat.

Whip the remaining sugar and eggs in the electric mixer for an additional 3 minutes.

Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the remaining eggs into the chocolate mixture.

After the eggs have been completely mixed in, fold in the flour.

Pour the batter into a non-buttered 9 inch square baking pan.

Bake the brownies for 22 to 26 minutes.  They should rise a little and the top will look dark and dry. 

Make a small cut in the center of the brownies after 22 minutes to check for doneness.  They will be perfect if they are just barely set and still gooey.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a rack.

ENJOY!! I bet these would be excellent with ice cream!!

Bon Appetit!

VERDICT

My husband hasn't tried them yet.  They are very moist, almost to the point of being crumbly.  Being the best brownie I have ever tasted  . . . well, I won't go that far!!  But, they are good.  Whether or not I would make them again, not sure.  I am not entirely pleased with the texture, almost too moist for me,  I will let you know what my husband thinks.

Julia Child's Chocolate and Almond Cake

Or as Julia would called it Reine de Saba.  Since I don't speak French - Chocolate and Almond Cake.  I am making this today in honor of her 100th Birthday.  Happy Birthday Julia!! 

This recipe comes from her very first published AND most famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  According to her description, it is supposed to be slightly underdone.  It has a "creamy" center - OH MY!!  It is covered with chocolate butter icing and is supposed to be decorated with almonds. 

Please note that this does not rise a lot and makes a cake that is about an inch or an inch and a half tall!

Here is the recipe . . . and don't forget to put on your pearls, girls!!

Reine de Saba  (Chocolate and Almond Cake)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour an 8 inch round cake pan.

Melt 4 ounces or squares of Semi-sweet chocolate with 2 T of rum or coffee (I didn't have rum - so coffee it is!!).  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl:
cream 1 stick of softened butter with 2/3 cup sugar
until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture.
Beat in 3 egg yolks until well blended.

In a separate bowl, beat the 3 egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. 
Sprinkle on 1 T sugar and beak until stiff peaks form.

With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in 1/4 tsp almond extract  and 1/3 cup chopped almonds
Immediately stir in 1/4 of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. 
Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, slowly add 1/2 cup cake flour* and continue folding until all egg whites and flour are mixed.

Pour batter into cake pan.  Bake in middle level of the oven for 25 minutes.  Cake is done when it has puffed and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the edge and when a needle plunged into the area comes out clean.  The center should move slightly if the pan is shakened.  Do not be shocked when the cake sinks after being taken out of the oven - that is normal!!!  So do not panic!!

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan and reverse the pan on the rack.  Alllow it to cool for an hour to two.  It must be thoroughly cold before it is to be iced.
*Just in case you don't have cake flour - don't make a wild dash to the grocery store!!  If you have all purpose flour and cornstarch - you are in luck.  For every cup of flour, remove 2 T of flour and replace them with 2 T of cornstarch.  Now sift the heck out of it - I usually sift it about 5 times.  Eureka!! You have now made cake flour - pat yourself on the back!

Chocolate Icing - Glacage Au Chocolat

This is so easy it is sinful and it is DELICIOUS!!

You will need:

2 ounces or squares of semi-sweet chocolate
2 T rum or coffee (again I didn't have rum, so coffee it is!)
5 or 6 T unsalted butter

Melt the chocolate with the coffee.  Add 1 T of butter at a time, mixing until the butter has melted.
I put then put the icing into the refrigerator to cool down and until it was "spreadable."
In the meantime, I chopped up a handful of almonds to sprinkle on top of the cake.
Once the icing has cooled down, spread a thin layer on top and on the sides and sprinkle the chopped almonds on top.

VERDICT!

OH MY!!!  Want to talk about a decadent dessert!!  I won't classify this as a cake, it is more like a very moist and rich brownie!  My husband loved it and thought it would be wonderful with ice cream.  I would probaby make it again but not soon because my waist line doesn't need it! 

You definitely have to try this recipe!!  As Julia would say, Bon Appetit!!

Happy 100th Birthday Julia Child!!

Today Julia Child would be 100 years old!  What an impressive lady!!  Just think where we would be without her?  We would probably all be eating TV dinner - shudder!!!  Julia brought us back into the kitchen and taught us how to cook and I thank you Julia!!  I wish I had known you!  I think you would have been a lot of fun!

So today to honor Julia, get out your copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (or go to the library and borrow a copy), and pick out a recipe. 

As Julia would say, Bon Appetit!!

Goat's Milk Yogurt

FINALLY, I have made goat's milk yogurt!!  Yippee!  If you only knew how long I have been working at this!  Well, it hasn't been THAT long - just a month or two, but it seems like ages!  Let's just say that my chickens have been eating a lot of failed yogurt batches!!  The funny thing is they seemed to be enjoying it!!

This recipe should work with whole cow's milk.  I haven't tried it yet with pasteurized store bought milk yet. That is the next step.  BUT it actually tastes and has the consistency of yogust - WOO HOO!!  I did it!! 
\

And here is the "award-winning" recipe . . . (ok, not award winning but the one that worked!!)

**for the first batch, I bought commercial yogurt (Chobani) and used that as my starter.  After that, I saved 2 T from the current batch to use in the next batch.

Homemade Yogurt

1 quart whole milk either goat or cow or sheep (if you have one!)
2 T yogurt ** (see above!)
1/2 cup powdered milk (for goat's milk only!!)

Heat the milk to 185 degrees in a medium size pan
Remove pan from heat and let milk cool down to 115 degrees.
Pour milk into a separate container - I used a small casserole dish with a glass cover
Add yogurt (and powdered milk if using goat's milk - this makes a "thicker" yogurt) and cover
Place in a warm spot where the milk should stay at an even 115 degrees for the next 6 to 8 hours.
After 6 to 8 hours, the milk should have a custard like consistency.  this is the "curd".
Put the container in the refrigerator for 12 hours.  The curd will harden up.
After 12 hours, line a colander with two layers of cheese cloth and pour the curd into the colander, let drain for several hours.
You now have yogurt - it's a miracle!!

I added 1 T spoon of honey and some fruit - YUM!! 

REMEMBER save 2 T for your next batch!!

Now wasn't that simple!!  And is it every good!!  You will never go back to store bought again!!

Enjoy!

Peaches!!!

I am so excited!  Look what I found yesterday on my way home from doing errands!!  Locally grown peaches!!  I felt like I died and went to Heaven!  Aren't they pretty?  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself.  It doesn't take much to get me excited!  And the best thing is they are only a mile from my home!!  Life just doesn't get any better than this!!

Of course, I almost had an accident pulling into their driveway.  I swear the road I live on is the practice road for the Indianapolis 500!!  You really take your life into your hands when you pull out on the road!!

But, I got my peaches and they only wanted $3 a basket!!  Guess where I am going back today. 

I see peach jam, peach butter, peach pie and maybe peach struesel muffins in my future!!  Looks like I am going to be a busy lady!!

Neapolitan Bundt Cake

OH Boy does this cake ever look good - well, the picture of this cake looks good, so that is why I am baking it!!  This adventure comes from Betty Crocker.  Somehow I got on their mailing list and . . . well,  it is a long story . . . but they sent me something wrong by accident so to make up for their mistake, they sent me a Dessert "eBook" and this recipe was included in it.   Reading the instructions, it looked pretty simple and required a quick dash to the grocery store.  So a new adventure was born!

Ingredients:

1 box Moist White Cake Mix (don't tell them I used Pillsbury!!)
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp almond extract
10 drops red food color
1/4 cup chocolate flavored syrup
1/2 cup Chocolate Frosting (again don't tell them I used Pillsbury!!)

Heat oven to 325F.  Grease and lightly flour 12 cup bundt cake pan or spray with baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, mix cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer until combined.  Pour about 1 2/3 cups of batter into cake pan.

In a small bowl, pour 1 1/3 cups batter, stir in almond extract and 10 drops of red food color - mix.  Isn't that a pretty color!!

Carefully spoon the pink batter over the white batter in the pan.

Stir the chocolate syrup into the remaining batter.  Carefully spoon the chocolate batter over the pink batter.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan.  Turn the pan upside down onto a cooling rack or a serving plate.  Cool completely for about 1 hour.

In a microwavable bowl, heat the frosting uncovered on HIGH for about 15 seconds or until the frosting can be stirred smooth and is thin enough to be drizzled.  Spread the frosting over the top of the cake, allowing some to drizzle down the side of the cake.
When you cut this cake, it will have 3 different layers with 3 different flavors - the white cake, the pink with the almond extract and the chocolate layer - how cool is this!!

 YUM!!  ENJOY!!

Quick and Easy BUT Delicious French Toast

OH MY was this the best breakfast I have ever made.  Well, maybe not the BEST but pretty darn close!  And was it ever easy!!  If you are looking for a fast, but delicious breakfast, look no further!!  AND the best thing is that is not expensive and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand!!

This breakfast "adventure" comes to us from Zestuous.com.  I modified the recipe a bit.  In their recipe, they make their own blueberry sauce.  I cheated and used my own Blueberry Ginger Jam which worked out wonderfully.  In fact, I think you could substitute any jam for a different taste and it would be delicious! 

The only ingredient you need to buy is the King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.  I found these at our Kroger Store in the Baked Goods Section.  They weren't very expensive - I think I paid $3.89 for the package - you get 12 rolls.

Now onto the recipe . . .

Blueberry French Toast

1 jar your favorite Blueberry Jam or Preserves
6 King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
2 eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 T butter.

Place the blueberry jam in a disposable Wilton Decorating bag with a large decorating tip.  Set aside.

Crack the two eggs into a bowl and whip. 

Mix the sugar and cinnamon into another separate bowl.

With a knife, slice a small slit in the side of the roll and with your finger, widen the hole.

Dip the roll in the egg bowl and then dip the roll in the sugar.  Pipe the blueberry jam into the hole.  Repeat until all 6 rolls are done.

Place the butter into a baking pan and melt in a 400 degree oven.  Place the rolls on their side with the blueberry side facing up.

Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Serve warm.

YUM, YUM, YUM!!

Need I say more!!  Next time, try a different jam or preserves - won't this be great with peach preserves (oh be still my beating heart!! - life just doesn't get any better than this, does it!!).

Enjoy!

The best of both worlds Jam!

Can you imagine a jam made with your two most favorite fruits in the whole wide world!  Here it is . . . well, that is if you love blueberries and peaches!!  

OK, these happen to be two of my most favorite fruits, so when I found this recipe I KNEW I HAD to give it a try!!  I thought it just couldn't get any better than this!!

The best thing about this is that the blueberries came from my own yard - how cool is that!!  OK, I am getting overly excited! 

Here is the recipe:

Blueberry Peach Jam

3 cups fresh blueberries (I imagine you could used frozen, but thawed blueberries)

2 cups fresh peaches

1 pkg powdered fruit pectin like Sure-Jel

1/4 tsp cinnamon

7 cups sugar

Crush the blueberries and put them in a medium size saucepan.

Peel and remove the stone from the peaches.  Cut the peaches into slices and chop them into small pieces.

Add them to the blueberries.  With a potato masher or something similar, mash the peaches and blueberries.

Mix the fruit pectin and cinnamon into the blueberry/peach mixture and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil while stirring constantly.

Add the sugar all at once, mix to blend into the fruit mixture.  Bring to a full boil and boil hard for one minute - stir constantly.

Remove the pot from the heat.  Skim any foam.

Ladle the jam into hot jar and seal.

Place in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 7 to 8 half-pint jars.

How does this taste???  Wonderfully delicious!!  OK, I will try to be more precise.  Definitely blueberry but with a slight peachy "kick."

As you can see, it looks more like Blueberry Jam than Peach Jam.  This is definitely a keeper recipe!

ENJOY!

Caramel Oatmeal Bars

This recipe was given to me by a customer.  OH MY!! are these the BEST brownies or bar cookies that we have ever tasted!!  You just can't eat one!!  If you are on a diet, definitely do NOT make these because they are addictive!!  I swoon at the thought of these - they are THAT good.  The best thing is they are so easy to make, too!!

She said they are also known as "Caramel Crack" - LOL!!!  Anywhere, here is the recipe!!

Caramel Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Brown  Sugar (packed)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups Oatmeal
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 sticks unsalted Butter melted
1 jar Caramel Topping
3/4 bag of 12 oz Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.

Combine the brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and baking soda.  Add the melted butter and mix until crumbly.  Press HALF of the mixutre into the bottom of the baking pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and spread the jar of caramel topping on top of the crust, followed by the chocolate chips.

Sprinkle the remaining crust over the top.

Bake in the oven for an additional 15 t0 20 minutes, until it is a light golden brown.

Allow to cool and chill completley before cutting them into squares.  ENJOY!!  These are SO good! 

Grilled Pizza?

Who ever heard of such a thing as Grilled Pizza?  My husband thought I was nuts.  You can't grill a pizza!!  How on earth on you going to do this?  You have had some crazy ideas but this one sounds just plain silly!!  Grilled pizza!!  If you want pizza that bad, just call the pizza shop!  Those were my husband's comments last night before I made Grilled Pizza.  He is singing a different tune this morning!!

To be quite honest, I did have the Pizza Shop's phone number handy just in case . . .   Now I wish I had taken pictures, but we didn't make these until 9:00 last night and it was pretty dark outside.  This was a combination of two different recipes.  The pizza dough recipe came from the Become A Better Baker website and the pizza sauce is from the book Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila.

Before I get to the recipe, there are a couple of things I want to note or point out.  We used a charcoal grill.  You can make these on any type of outdoor grill.  Secondly, let the grill cool a bit.  We put the dough on when it was a bit too hot and some of it burned.  Live and learn.  On to the recipes . . .

This pizza dough is EXCELLENT!!  It recommends that you use Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast which I never heard of.  Here is a website that tells where you can buy or order it: http://www.pizzacrustyeast.com/  If you can't find it, just use the Rapid Rise Yeast instead.

Pizza Dough

3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour
1 package Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast or Rapid Rise Yeast
1 T sugar
1 1/3 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
1/3 cup Olive Oil

Blender Pizza Sauce

28 oz. can of Crushed Tomatoes
2 T sugar
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 1 T fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
5 T tomato paste

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth.
Keeps in a covered container for 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

Start the charcoal fire or gas grill to medium high heat.

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and sugar.  Add the very warm water and oil, mix until well blended - about 1 minute.  Gradually add the rest of the flour to make a soft dough.  The dough will be slightly sticky and form a ball.  Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and put on a floured surface.  Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed.  (I love how this dough feels - you can tell it is going to be good!!).

Divide the dough into 6 or 8 balls.  Pat or roll each dough on a well floured surface to about 8 inch circles (doesn't have to be perfect!). 

When the grill is ready, place the dough circles carefully on the grill (remember it is HOT!!).  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from grill with cooked side up.  Cover the cooked side with your sauce and desired toppings (i.e., pepperoni, cheese, etc.).  Put back on the grill for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.  (We put the cover back on the grill to help the cheese melt - the instructions don't say that but we think that helps the toppings heat up and melt).

Remove from the grill and ENJOY!

VERDICT:

Really good pizza!  The crust was excellent.  My husband liked this crust so much better than my other crust recipe.  He said whatever I did, remember it because he loved this pizza!!   So we have a winner!!

Brown Sugar Cookies

Today's "adventure" comes from Joy the Baker's blog. I just thought these sounded interesting.  I am a sugar cookie addict.  Brown Sugar cookies really are a whole new adventure for me!!  These are so simple to make!

The recipe:

Brown Sugar Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (I didn't have dark brown, so I used light brown)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger.  Set aside

Mix butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients all at once to the butter/sugar mixture.  Beat on low speed until the dough just starts to come together.  Stop the mixer and finish mixing the ingredients with a spadula.

Cover the bowl with Saran Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment papper.  Drop tablespoon size balls of dough onto the baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Enjoy!!  These really are very good!!  Don't think they will last long in this house.

VERDICT

These are definitely winners!  My husband loved them.  A keeper recipe for sure!