Pie!

Heather says we should get back to posting more on this blog, so I decided to take her up on it.

Every year for Thanksgiving, I volunteer to make pies- peach, pecan, berry, coconut cream, pumpkin, apple, chocolate- everything. I love to make pie. The main reason I love to make pie is because I don't like to eat it. However, several years ago my dieting neighbor brought over a pie that she claimed came from a Weight Watchers cookbook, and I fell in love. My seven year-old even made this one all by himself this year.

Key Lime Pie

1 8 oz. container fat free Cool Whip

1 3 oz. pkg. sugar-free lime Jello

2 Yoplait fat-free key lime pie yogurts

1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

Mix the Cool Whip and the Jello together. Stir in yogurt. Put mixture in crust, cover and freeze.

Hot Chili Cheese Dip (From Taste of Home magazine)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 cans chili without beans

2 cups salsa

2 pkgs (3 oz each) cream cheese, cubed

2 cans (2 1/4 oz. each) sliced olives, drained

Tortilla chips

In a skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a slow cooler. Stir in the chili, salsa, cream cheese, and olives. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Stir before serving with tortilla chips.

(I used store bought green salsa, and I used plain old chili with beans.) This was so good that we forgot it was an appetizer and only had the dip for dinner.

Creamy Garlic Pasta Sauce

This is one of my favorite pasta sauces. It is incredibly easy to make, and has just enough cream to give it great flavor, but not so much that it makes you feel like you need to eat an entire plate of salad to repent for it. My family loves it on penne pasta. I've been sneaking in whole wheat pasta enough so that last time I made this recipe, I used whole wheat by itself, and no one noticed.

1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes

1 envelope Good Seasons Garlic Italian salad dressing mix

2 tsp. OR 2 cubes beef bouillon

1/2 c. heavy cream

Cook tomatoes, salad dressing mix, and bouillon in saucepan on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring to crush tomatoes. Whisk in cream. Cook on low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Add 1 lb. cooked chicken OR cooked, cleaned shrimp. (Optional: Add 1/4- 1/2 c. vodka to sauce just before serving.)

If you can't find garlic flavored Italian dressing mix, just use regular mix and add 1 tsp. garlic powder. This sauce also freezes well!

Never Fail Sugar Cookies

   It has been a while since we've posted any recipes. I haven't been cooking much lately because I got a new job teaching dance, and my husband is working out of town. I have been baking cookies for a bake sale to help my dance students raise money to go to competition. This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever tried, and I have tried at least 30 of them. None of them tasted quite right, and I couldn't get them right tweaking the recipes. Usually tweaking recipes is my forte....ha ha. This one is great because there are only 6 ingredients!
*My recipe calls for Butter, but Kristin Mabb (Who gave me the recipe) likes to use Margarine.

1 cup Butter (2 sticks) room temperature
3 1/2 cups Flour, plus more for rolling dough
3 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup Sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

Cream Together Butter and Sugar. Add Eggs and Vanilla. Stir in Flour and Baking Powder.
Roll out to 1/4" and cut using cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 10-15 minutes.
**the original recipe said to bake for 8-10 minutes, but mine are never done. I think it may have to do with elevation, because in Cedar they were always done in 10 minutes.

Savory Lentil Soup

Heather asked me for this recipe so I thought I would post it here so others can use it as well. It's a good, healthy but hearty soup that, for some reason, I really like to have in the spring.

In a large Crock Pot (or other slow cooker) combine:

—3 cans vegetable, chicken, or beef stock (or any combination thereof)
—about 3/4 bag of lentils.
—about 3 stocks of chopped celery (with leaves!)
—3-4 chopped carrots
—3 crushed and diced cloves of garlic
—several sprigs of parsley, chopped

Once I have all the ingredients I check to see the ratio of stock to ingredients is. You might need to add more water. Remember that the lentils soak up quite a bit of water. If I add more than a few cups of water then I'll drop in a bit of chicken bullion. Next add spices:

—fresh ground or restaurant style black pepper
—Italian seasonings
—dash of dill weed
—savory
—no salt seasoning (we have some from Big Lots that was cheap and good) or you can add some onion powder and whatever else catches your fancy.
—other seasonings that you like

!!IMPORTANT!!
Don't add salt until the soup has been cooking for several hours. Probably around 3/4 of the way through the cooking process. Salt blocks the water from entering the lentils and they will not soak up enough of the water. Nobody want's crunchy lentil soup.

I usually let the soup cook for at least five hours. This is a flavorful soup but to be quite honest it's not the prettiest looking food in the world so it may not be all that kid friendly.

***EDIT***
I forgot to mention that it's best not to use the lentil soup packages (with alphabet soup in it). The alphabet noodles take less time to cook so they are totally mushy by the time the lentils are done. You can probably experiment with different types of lentils. I've even mixed them with split peas before.

What the heck do you do with kale?

Well... I have no idea, but I threw it in with some asparagus and it was good! Most of all I thought it looked really good so I took a picture of it and thought I would share since kale is not all that common.

This was winter kale that I got in a bountiful basket. If I can remember correctly I added a generous amount of olive oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Then, of course, a bit of fresh ground black pepper. After it had cooked part way through I drizzled honey and added sliced almonds. I found that the kale that was directly on the pan longer was better. It can be tough but when it sat against the pan it became more crispy than tough. Overall it was a pretty healthy dish and was tasty. My conclusion is that it was good but it could be better.

Related Blogs

My friend, Christina, shared some other blogs with me about food, so I thought I would pass them along:

http://www.tastespotting.com

http://www.smittenkitchen.com

http://www.stephanieskitchen.com

http://picky-palate.com

Spicy Roasted Potatoes

Once, a long time ago, I attempted to make French fries on the stove. To make a long story short, I ended up having to get a new stove because the old one was no longer in working condition. That was about eight years ago, and I haven't deep-fried anything since then. Unfortunately, though, I am a Southern girl at heart, and fried food is still the fifth food group. So when I get a crazy craving for something fried, I just go visit the South (it's cheaper than a kitchen remodel). However, I have learned how to get around frying, and my family's hands-down favorite way to eat potatoes is when I roast them. And luckily for them, Grandma gets us a 50-lb. bag of Russet potatoes every fall fresh from Idaho.

This is how I make roast potatoes:
Coat a cookie sheet with vegetable oil- about 2 Tablespoons. Dice several potatoes and spread them on top of the oil. Coat the potatoes with Tony Chachere's seasoning. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 50-60 minutes, stirring about every 20 minutes. They are done when they are crispy.

And this brings me to two of the most important rules in my kitchen:

1. Don't fry anything

2. When in doubt about how to season anything, coat it with Tony Chachere's seasoning.

http://www.tonychachere.com/

Lesa's Bread

My friend makes the best bread in the world. I think she is one of the few people in the world left who doesn't buy bread at all. I'm typing this while I sit in my kitchen watching her making dinner rolls, hoagie rolls, loaves of bread, and now she says she's going to make something heavenly that involves braided dough with cream cheese and pie filling. And not just any pie filling either- it's her home-canned pie filling. So, this is her bread recipe using a Bosch mixer.

10 1/2 c. flour- any combination of white, wheat, or different types of grain flours

1/2 c. sugar- this can be reduced down to 1/3 cup

3 Tblsp. instant yeast

1 Tblsp. salt (add more salt if you are using a high ratio of wheat flour)

3 Tblsp. soy lecithin (don't measure it- just pour it in

4 c. hot water

Add all the ingredients right into the mixing bowl. Begin mixing, and make sure the dough has a playdough-like consistency. Add more flour or water as needed. Turn on the mixer and let it knead for 5 minutes. Quickly shape into rolls or loaves, place in buttered pans, brush with melted butter, and let it rise for 25 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.

Rosemary Chicken Bake

This is so unbelievably easy, cheap, and delicious. It's like Dinner-for-Dummies easy!

I make this for two(with some leftovers), so you might need to double it. I also like to occasionally add seasonal vegetables along with the potatoes.

~4 Chicken Legs/Thighs/Whatever you can find. I get the cheap cuts because it tastes great either way.
~4 potatoes, cubed
~1 cup chicken stock
~1/8 tsp Rosemary
~Black Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Place cubed potatoes in the bottom of a deep casserole dish. Add Chicken Stock and Pepper. Place Chicken on top and sprinkle the Rosemary on the Chicken. Bake for 40-50 minutes. The chicken juices drip down and flavor the potatoes, and the Rosemary saturates the chicken meat.
Enjoy!
             ~Heather

Lemon Poppyseed Bread

This is one of my favorite recipes ever! I got it from my sister, Kelly, several years ago. It usually doesn't last long enough to even cool off from the oven completely. I made some this morning, and luckily enough, I just snagged a piece and it reminded me to write this blog. (I actually took a picture this time!)

Lemon cake mix (not Duncan Hines)

1/3 cup oil or applesauce

1/2 cup flour

2-3 Tblsp. poppyseeds

Small box of lemon instant pudding

1/4 cup water

4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together and put into two small or one large greased loaf pan. Bake 30-40 minutes at 375. Remove bread from pans and drizzle glaze over it.

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tblsp. lemon juice

Here's a hint: if you use poppyseeds very much at all, you will save yourself a lot of money if you get them in bulk from a health food store rather than buying tiny containers from the grocery store. For that matter, any time you use large quantities of any herb, it's probably a much better deal to buy them in bulk.

Cooking tip for dudes: Get Spicy

So I have decided to create a series of posts specifically for men. Really, they will be for anyone who may just want some simple tips but I had the guys in mind when I came up with the idea.

There are a lot of recipes that are labeled "easy" that rely on things like salt and MSG for most of the flavor. Fortunately God gave us a variety of herbs and spices so that we don't have to eat bland food all our lives! The problem with that variety is so much to choose from that it can be intimidating for some people (especially men). It is much easier to just add another cube of bullion than to try and figure out which spice will do the trick. I have discovered that you can get, not only a healthier, but a much better and fresher diet by utilizing the spice rack. The two main points I have about using spices and herbs can be learned by watching movies... cartoons to be exact!

1. The big secret. If you haven't ever seen Kung Fu Panda there is something wrong with you. Watch it now then come back and finish reading this! The secret to using spices is the same secret to the secret ingredient soup. There is no secret. Unlike baking powder you don't need an exact amount. Just don't go too crazy on it. Remember that you can always add more but you can't take any out so go light and add more if you need to.

2. Use your sniffer. On the movie Ratatouille the mouse knows what to add because he smells the food first. In most cases if something smells good, it will taste good. Your sense of smell and sense of taste are so closely related that some people even say that your sense of smell IS part of your taste experience. So when in doubt hold the spice which is in question over your food and smell it. If you gag then it's probably not a good combination. If it smells good then try it.

It helps to know what different spices taste like so go ahead and experiment a little bit. You can always rely on spice mixes such as Italian mix, Mexican mix, or Curry powder for the first few adventures. For a quick reference I'll write up a cheat sheet below to explain the basic taste of some different spices and their (very) generic uses.

ITALIAN:
Oregano — Savory, Bold
Basil — Sweet
Garlic — (You should know what garlic tastes like!)
Savory — Savory, Sweet)
Thyme — Savory
Red Pepper — Spicy
Parsley — Mild herb

MEXICAN:
Cumin — Mildly Spicy, flavor enhancer
Red Pepper — Spicy
Garlic
Chili Powder — Mildly Spicy
Black Pepper
Cilantro — Fresh, Mildly Spicy herb

OTHER:
Mustard Seed — Spicy, Tangy, Good for some Asian dishes
Celery Seed — Savory
Ginger — Sweet, Tangy (Smells a little bit like soap but tastes better. Good for Asian dishes)
Cloves — Sweet, Bold (Goes well in things like honey glazed ham or deserts like pumpkin pie.)
Nutmeg — Sweet (Test it in hot cereal with cinnamon. It might remind you of eggnog or pumpkin pie.)

Is there anything good that I've missed? Good luck with your spicy adventures!

Advice

Do not overcook scallops- they get nastily rubbery.

Tortilla Soup

Allow me to say one thing, "HOLY MOLEY, this soup is good!" This recipe is torn out of the Nov. 2005 edition of Family Circle magazine, and I LOVE it!

Juice from 1 lime

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat

2 tsp. hot chili powder

2 tsp. oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) jalapeno-flavored diced tomatoes

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

shredded cheddar cheese

chopped avocado

crumbled tortilla chips

Heat broiler. Drizzle lime juice over chicken; sprinkle with 1 tsp. chili powder. Coat broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Broil chicken 5-6 minutes per side or until 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove, tear into small pieces and set aside.

Heat oil in large, deep pot over medium heat; add garlic and remaining tsp. chili powder. Cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with their juice), broth, and 1 cup water; bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, covered. Add chicken to broth mixture and serve with avocados, cheese, and tortilla chips on top.

Here's a tip for you: save your money and don't buy canned chicken broth. If you cook chicken very often, make your own broth. In a large pot, cover your raw chicken with water. Add desired seasonings to water (dried or fresh)- bay leaf, garlic, onion, celery, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, salt, pepper, whatever, I don't care. Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken is done. (Use your chicken in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.) Strain the broth, allow it to cool, then pour into ice cube trays or liquid measuring cups. Freeze. When it is frozen solid, dump it into a large ziplock bag, and voila- you have made your own low-sodium, organic, completely green and recyclable chicken broth for free (and you saved an aluminum can too).

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

For years I was interested in baking but was afraid to break into the realm of using yeast. I would make things with baking powder but I avoided regular breads with yeast. Once I made the plunge I found that it really wasn't that bad. In fact it is one of my favorite things to do. I love to make pita bread. This has, by far, been the most requested of all my recipes. My favorite thing to do with these is dip them in hummus or make a Mediterranean pizza (which I'll post more about later). We usually store most of them in the refrigerator since they have no preservatives they can go bad somewhat quickly. 


Now a word of warning: This recipe is very organic in the sense that it changes every time I make it and I never measure anything. I usually end up with about 3 or 4 gallon size ziplocks full of pita bread. 
1. Put 3 or 4 cups of warm water in a mixing bowl, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar (for the yeast) and about 1-3 Tbs of oil. I've also used applesauce in place of the oil and it works pretty well.

2. Add about 1 table spoon yeast and let it activate for about ten minutes or until it foams up. 

3. Turn on the mixer and begin adding whole wheat flour. (NOTE: If you use fresh ground whole wheat flour you don't need any extra gluten. If you have store bought flour you may want to add a bit of gluten.) Mix until the consistency is about that of a thick batter. This is your sponge.


4. Cover the sponge with a towel and set in a warm place to raise. Let it raise for about 15-20 minutes


5. Return to mixer and slowly add flour. Continue to knead in mixer or by hand until you get a smooth dough mixture. If it's really sticky then there is not enough flour. (TIP: kneading bread by hand is a good workout but don't drip sweat into the dough!)

6. cover dough mixture and let raise in a warm room or in the oven at a low temperature until the dough is about double in size. 

7. knead some more after the dough has risen. Pull small handfuls of dough and roll out into the size that you want. You will want to let the pita raise some more before you put it in the oven. The more you let them raise the more of a pocket will form.

8. Once they have risen a little bit more then put them in the oven on an cookie sheet with just a pinch of flour on the sheet to keep from sticking. Cook them at 350 for four minutes then flip them and cook four more minutes. They may puff up with air in the oven. That means that they have a good pocket formed. Let them cool before storing. (TIP: If you pack them too tightly for storage the pockets will smash together a little bit and fuse while cooling.)

9. Enjoy...

Another new adventure (Laura)

My friend, Carrie, and I are starting a cooking group. Our group is going to consist of 10 members, and once a month we will get together to trade frozen meals. So how that works is, once a month each member makes 10 meals, then trades them and comes home with 10 different meals. We thought it would be a great idea for busy families- and who doesn't fit into that category. Also it will hopefully be a way to expand our social circles.

I am looking forward to trying something new. So if anyone wants to know how this works out, let me know. In the meantime, if you're curious, feel free to check out that blog: frozenfiasco.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Pie (Heather)

I love this pie. It's really hard to ruin, TRUST ME. I burnt the crap out of it on Thanksgiving and it was still Terral's favorite. I had to make it again to redeem myself. I took some(non-burnt) to my neighbor and he said it was the best pumpkin pie he'd ever had. The secret really is in the topping. You bake the crust(which is graham cracker-easy), then bake the filling, top it with whipped cream, then a cinnamon crunch. It's wonderful:
~I make the Crunch first, Preheat oven to 350
1/4 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
3 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, Cold, in small pieces
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend. Bake in a Tin Foil lined oven safe dish until Crispy and Golden(about 20 min). I usually stir it once just so it cooks evenly.
~Crust:
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 stick melted Butter(8 tbsp)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Combine all ingredients, press and bake in pie pan @350 until Golden(mine bubbles a little, it's normal. Just don't burn it like I did).
!REDUCE OVEN TO 300. I forgot this step on Thanksgiving....It's important.
~Filling
5 Large eggs
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Ground Clove
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 tsp Vanilla
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Whole Milk
3 Tbsp butter, melted
Bake at 300 until edges are firm, about 40 minutes. The middle will still be jiggly.
~Whipped Topping~ This is so yummy.
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
Vanilla to taste(I put in a cap full, approx 1/2 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
1-2 Tablespoons Bourbon whiskey(I just used one, make sure the syrup doesn't overpower it).
My grandma laughed at me because I heated it up to evaporate the alcohol. You don't need to. There's not near enough to do anything. I just did because there were kids coming...and my Mother in Law.