hobble creek kitchen

Bake Potato Soup

2012-01-16T06:00:00.001-07:00

I live in Utah at about 6,500 elevation. It is January. There is NO snow. It is starting to piss me off. Typically, at this time of the year I would be inviting all my friends and family over for a fabulous sledding party. I would be stoking up the fire, cranking up the hot chocolate machine, and whipping up some warm and hearty soup for everyone to enjoy as they stare out the window, watching the big flakes pile up. We would hear the children squealing in delight as the zoom down the hill just of the deck of our house. Alas, there is no snow, the mountains had more snow that this on the 4th of July! Although I can not control mother nature, I can still make some fantastic soup, and hold out hope for a huge storm.

This soup, of my own invention, truly tastes like a loaded baked potato. Don't throw away those potato skins, because they will make perfect potato skins to accompany the soup.

Baked Potato Soup

4 large already baked, and cooled Russet Potatoes
1 small onion, fine diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 T butter
1/4 c flour
2 cups Chicken Stock (you only use homemade right?)
1 c sour cream
2 c shredded medium cheddar cheese
3 c milk
1 T fresh chives, diced
salt and pepper to taste

bacon, fried onions, and sour cream for garnish

After you have added and cooked the butter and flour.

Step 1:
Saute the onions in a little olive oil, add garlic. Sauté till fragrant.

Step 2:
Add butter and flour and saute for a few minutes. Season lightly with salt and fresh pepper.

After the chicken stock has thickened

Step 3:

Add the chicken stock. Scoop the inside of one of the potatoes and mix well into the stock mix. Let this simmer and allow to thicken.

After the cheese and sour cream are added

Step 4:

Add the sour cream and the cheese.

Step 5:

Scoop the remaining potato guts into the mix and stir well with a wire whisk. Continue to simmer till thickened. Give it a taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. It most likely will. Lastly, add the fresh chives. Let your guest garnish their own soup with bacon, more sour cream, fried onions, chives, and anything else you think would be fabulous!

That is not all! Quickly turn the skins into some great appetizers to go with the soup. Cut the skins into quarters. Season them with salt and fresh pepper. Top them with cheese and pop them in the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Instead of sour cream, top them with ranch dip. Next add plenty of bacon and some chives. They will be a huge hit.

Sunday Dinner Roast Beef

2012-01-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

Sunday dinner is a big deal for our family. It is the biggest meal of the week, and Sunday dinner isn't just defined by the day the dinner falls on. Sunday dinner doesn't have to be on Sunday, and it doesn't have to be at dinner (its almost always lunch!) Sunday dinner is when lots of family comes over and we have Roast Beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, green vegetable, yellow vegetable, corn, fresh greens, fresh fruits and a dessert. That's how my mom did it, and that is how I do it. Every week. My parents come, my grandma, and my sister and her family. They don't even wait for an invite. They just come. Often times I have a brother or two call and invite themselves. We get home from church and before I even kick off my heels, I get the water boiling for the potatoes, and divide out the work for the kids. Of course, the Roast Beef has already been braising in the oven for hours, its the first thing you smell when you come in from the garage. It is the signal that Sunday Dinner is near!

Table for two by the fire please! Alta and Lilli make their Sunday dinner special.

The most wonderful part of Roast Beef is that the leftovers ( if there ever is any) can be used for so many other great meals! I always make two, not only to feed the potential last second guests but to have some leftover meat for a another meal later in the week! The possibilities are endless. Stay tuned for more ideas.

A good roast beef is first browned, then cooked low and slow so it is tender, moist and just falls apart. Because you cook it slow, you can use a less expensive cut of beef. Look for a chuck roast, or a top sirlion roast, top round roast, or any roast that is under 4.00$ a pound. An expensive cut of beef, like rib eye roast, tenderloin roast, or prime rib should never be cooked low and slow, that would be a waste! They should be cooked rare!

Every year I buy a half a cow and store it in my freezer. I STRONGLY encourage this. First, you will save money. Generally speaking, will get all the cuts of beef (steaks, roasts, etc) for the price of ground beef. Second, you can get grass feed beef which is 10X HEALTHIER for you than corn fed cow. Third, you are supporting local farmers, and eating grass fed cows is better for the environment. Even though the farm I get my cow from isn't organic certified, these cows are pretty dang organic they are just eating the grass I am driving by every day on the way home. I even get to say to my kids, "look, there is dinner!"

Give yourself a minimum of 4 hours to cook a thawed out roast. If it is frozen, give yourself 6. I usually cook my thawed out roasts for 6 hours. Here is where many people say, "what about a crock pot?" I say that crock pots are fine, but not my first choice. Here is why, crock pots don't brown food. Even if you brown it before you put it in the crock pot, it won't continue to brown in the slow cooker. One of my biggest rules is COLOR IS FLAVOR!

How to Cook a Sunday Dinner Roast Beef:

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the roast fat side down in a heavy pot that has a lid. (I think a professional chef would say fat side up, but I like the meat to get brown, not the fat, plus the fat will melt and be in the braising liquid). Salt and pepper the heck out of it. Salt it like it is snowing, don't be shy. Place in the hot oven to brown for about 45-60 minutes.

Step : 2

Once the meat is nice and brown and there are dark drippings at the bottom, remove from the oven.

Best beef base ever! Costco baby!

Step 3:

Now add to the pot;

A coarsely chopped onion
5-7 bay leaves
4-6 smashed garlic cloves
a big spoonful of beef base (pictured below)
Enough hot water to cover the meat half way.

Ready to go back in the oven

Step 6:

Cover the pot with a lid and return to the oven. Reduce the heat. For a 3 hr cook time, reduce to 325 degrees. 4 hour cook time--300 degrees. 5-6 hour cook time-- 275 degrees. I have even cooked a roast for 12 + hours at 180 degrees. The time can pretty forgiving. The more it cooks, the more tender it becomes.

Just out of the oven

Now you have all this lovely braising liquid to make gravy. You can watch my YouTube video to learn how to make easy gravy. Please like the video, these dislikes are cramping my style! How could you not like it? :)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2011-11-29T00:00:00.001-07:00

Picture taken by my vegetarian husband

My husband travels a lot for work. Lucky for him, he has a fantastic wife who manages pretty well while he is away. He likes to think of it as a fantastic team work, he's out on the frontline and I am holding down the fort.

When we met, he was a vegetarian, but it was quickly remedied by a diabolical plan. He began to eat beef only. So when he went out of town, that is when I always cooked chicken. Pork and chicken week was code for, "Fairb's out of town".

Well recently, he decided he was a vegetarian again. This time to lose weight. Oh dear, this
won't do, this won't do at all. Lucky for him, I always cook plenty of veg, but I will always have beautiful, gracious, humble, giving animals on the menu. So good news for me, I don't have to wait until he goes out of town to cook chicken, because I'm not coddling to a stinking vegetarian, that's for sure! So recently, while he was in town, I made one of my favorite dishes, sweet and sour chicken.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

First, dice up 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts and marinated it for a few hours in;

1 egg

splash of soy sauce

splash of cooking rice wine

splash of pineapple juice

splash of ketcup

3 smashed garlic cloves

small quartered onion

Meanwhile, thin sliced carrots, cut 1 red pepper and 1 onion. Also cut up a fresh pineapple into chunks. You are welcome to eat a few chunks, just don't get a canker!

Time to make the sauce.

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

Boil above ingredients together and thicken with a corn starch slurry (1 part corn starch 1 part water). While it is boiling, slowly add the slurry and whisk, continue until it reaches the desired consistency.

Now that the prep work is done, its time to get cooking. Drain the chicken from its marinade and discard the onions and garlic. Coat the chicken lightly with some flour.

Get your wok or pan smoking hot, and add about 3 T vegetable or peanut oil in the pan. Add the chicken add stir fry till the chicken is cooked throughout. Remove the chicken from the pan, and add more oil. Allow the pan to get smoking hot again. Add the vegetables and pineapple and stir fry till tender crisp. Add the chicken back in then add the warmed sauce.

Serve with rice. This is a fantastic chicken dish. Sorry Vegetarian Fairb.

The Epic Saga of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: Part VI The Soup A Heartwarming Conclusion

2011-11-21T08:51:00.001-07:00

The ultimate comfort food: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's a chilly fall evening, the cool wind is sweeping the dead leaves about the yard. Your manly husband come home early from work and is building a fire in the fireplace. You've got some leftover roasted chicken and plenty of homemade chicken stock in the freezer. Now this can either turn into a trashy romance novel story, or the perfect story about making homemade chicken noodle soup. I prefer the later, thank you very much!

For the perfect homemade chicken noodle soup, it's a must to make your own noodles! Using my recipe, your dough should be happily resting on the counter before you begin to make the soup.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 onion chopped

1-2 cups chopped carrots

1-2 cups chopped celery (including celery tops)

Sauté the above ingredients in about 1 T of that fabulous chicken fat you reserved when you made your homemade stock (otherwise use butter). You only need to sauté briefly to release their aroma. Add ;

1-2 cups chopped potatoes. Season everything lightly with salt and fresh pepper.

Add two quarts homemade chicken stock to the pot and about 2 c water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender. Notice how I didn't have you add any spices? No sage, no thyme, no rosemary. The stock stands on its own! That is what good homemade stock is!

Return the soup to a brisk boil and drop in the homemade noodles (cut them so they aren't too long).

Chop the leftover chicken into bite sizes and add to the soup. You can garnish the soup with parsley, if you want a little pretty factor.

And the soup and the homemade rolls rode off together into the sunset. . . . . . .

THE END

The Epic Saga of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: Part III-- Homemade Noodles

2011-11-16T00:00:00.001-07:00

The Star of Chicken Noodle soup should be the noodles. The only way to make that happen is to make your own noodles. It also happens this recipe makes fantastic pasta for just about any sauce you can think of. You can also make this recipe with Semolina flour, which most pasta is made from. I use regular flour and get great results. Different between homemade pasta and regular-old pasta from a package you ask? That stuff doesn't have eggs, it only has Durham wheat, go check you package, I'm not lying! The eggs is what makes homemade pasta so much more superior. To make my pasta, I have the pasta roller attachment. My husband bought it for me for Mother's Day once, and it was just about the most romantic thing he has ever done for me. It still brings a tear to my eye! The pasta roller is incredibly convenient, fun and wonderful. If we are BFF's you can even borrow mine. However, you don't have a pasta roller, you can still use this recipe and hand roll and cut the pasta.

Making the Pasta dough

2 cups flour

pinch of salt

3 large eggs

2-4 T water (maybe)

Crack the eggs in middle of the flour, and with a dough hook, begin to combine. Occasionally you will have to scrape the flour back into the center of the dough. It will soon become apparent that the eggs won't be enough to make this into a dough. Add 1 T of water and see if this does the trick, if it doesn't, continue to add water 1 T at a time till the dough forms a ball. Knead it with the hook for about 2 minutes. The dough should be tight and stiff and probably not entirely smooth.

Once you have a ball, put it in a plastic bag and let it rest on the counter for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you let it rest longer it might be better. Letting it rest changes the texture of the dough. It makes it softer and more elastic.

Now if you have a pasta roller and cutter, now is the time to get it out. You work the dough in small batches (split the ball into about 6 balls).You have to run it through the first stage 5 or 6 times to work the dough. You fold it in half every time and run it through again. After that, you move the roller up and run it through without folding it until its the thinness you like. I did my pasta a 4.

If you don't have a pasta roller, you can roll it out by hand. You still need to roll it out then fold it in half and roll it out again about 5 times. On the last roll, roll it out as thin as you can and then cut it to desired thickness with a pizza cutter or a knife.

You do not need to let it dry. Once it is cut, you can drop straight into the boiling soup or the boiling water. If you let it dry for whatever reason, make sure it is drying on a well floured surface so it doesn't stick. You will just have to let it boil longer. Otherwise about 3 minutes is all it needs. The rumors are you can freeze the pasta if you don't want to cook it right away, but I can say these are just rumors as far as I am concerned, I have never tried it.

Find out next exactly what boiling pot of soup you should be dropping these fantastic noodles in!

Enjoy!

The Epic Saga of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup PART II: Chicken Stock

2011-11-14T00:00:00.001-07:00

Homemade Chicken Stock, it separates the good soup from the soup people tell you is good, but they don't really mean it. Ever been to a great restaurant and had the best soup of your life and thought to yourself, how the flip did they make this soup? That restaurant makes their own stock, trust me. So today is the day you tell Swanson's to kiss off, because today is the day you start making your own stock. When people tell you that they like your soup, they are going to mean it!

Instead of throwing away all the skin and bones leftover from a Sunday Roasted Chicken, we are going to use them! Everything you can rangle up, everything left over when you strained your gravy. Heck you can even take all the leftovers from all the kids plates who SWORE they cook eat all that. Why not? Throw everything into a big pot and cover it with water by about 2 or 3 inches. If you didn't have much by way of vegetables and onions, add a few more to the pot for good measure. Give the water a good taste. Can you taste the salt? If you can, leave it, it just kind of tastes like greasy water, then add some salt till you can taste it.

Pot ready to get simmering!

Bring the pot to a boil and then turn it down to medium and cover. Let boil for at least 1 hour. Once it has boiled, strain the liquid from all the stuff. Once you strained it, you want to run it through a fine sieve. The stock will have the chicken grease in it, and you don't want that in your stock, or your soup will have a oil slick on the top, and you don't want that. So you need to seperate it. If you have one of these, you are money ---------------------->

If you don't, there are many other ways to separate the fat from the stock. One way is to put it in a bowl, put it in the fridge and let the fat float to the top and solidify, then scoop it off. Another way is to put into a used milk jug. After a few minutes the fat will float to the top. Once it has separated, just put the jug over a bowl and poke a hole in the bottom of it. Stop the flow into the bowl once it gets down to the fat.

But heavens to betsy, do not throw away that fat! It is darn useful. Not only can you use it to sauté onions for your soups, but you can use to make other things tasty! Roast carrots or squash in it. Its like gold!

The chicken fat "gold"

From two chicken leftover carcasses, I made 5 quarts of stock. I put them in jars and put them straight in the freezer. They will be there at my beckon call for vitually any use. Of course the greatest of these uses is HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP! Stay tuned . . . . .

The Epic Saga of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup PART I: Roasted Chicken

2011-11-11T00:00:00.004-07:00

This begins the four part series on how to make the ultimate homemade chicken noodle soup. Most of you will probably quit reading, because you would never make something that would take you 4 recipes just to make it. Tell that to Julia Child (have you read "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"? Jeez Louise!) The reality is, chicken noodle soup is made from left over Sunday Roast Chicken. You will be merely trying to be resourceful and recycling your leftovers.

When I go to the grocery store and see those sad, pathetic boneless chicken breasts, I pity them. I pity them because anything that has been good or flavorful about them has been robbed from them. Chicken needs its skin and bones to have any decent flavor.

Sunday isn't the only day you can enjoy a roasted chicken, but around our house, ROASTED and Sunday go hand in hand. I have read many recipes about roasting chicken, but I have never read done like I do it. Frankly, this is the way my mother taught me, and I didn't know there was another way until I started reading cookbooks for fun. Mother always knows best.

First of all, if you are going to roast a chicken, you might as well roast two. Because then you will have plenty of leftovers for other recipes, and well, they come in a convenient two pack at the mother ship (aka Costco).

Sunday Roasted Chicken

Step 1

Get out your roasting pan and line the bottom with any great aromic vegetables you have. I use onion (a must) carrots, celery with the leaves, and a small handful of garlic cloves (a must).

Step 2

Discard the gibblets and the neck and such and rinse and dry the chickens. Place them on top of the vegetables.

Step 3

Stuff the inside of the chickens with a small onion quartered and a few garlic cloves.

Step 4

LIBERALLY (meaning salt and pepper the heck out of it) salt and pepper the outside of the chicken. Dot the top of the chicken with a few pads of butter. Tie together the legs, if you care to (optional, I don't always do it)

This is what it should look like before it goes in the oven

Step 5

Put in a 450 degree oven for around 30-45 minutes to brown. Browning is where the flavor comes from!

The Chicken Base

Step 6

Add a heaping spoonful of chicken base to the bottom of the pan, then add enough water to barely cover the vegetables.

Step 7

Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of rubbed sage, and add about 6-7 bay leaves.

Before you cover it to go back into the oven

Step 8

Cover the chicken with tin foil, and reduce the oven to 300 degrees. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for 2 1/2-3 1/2 (whatever works into your schedule. I'm flexible!)

Out pops a perfectly delcious and tender roasted chicken to enjoy. You most likely will make some fabulous gravy with the drippings (watch my tutorial here) But whatever you do, don't dispose of any drippings or caracas, we need to make some chicken stock!

Stay tuned for the next installment of "The Epic saga of Homemade chicken noodle soup! Daa! Daa! Daaaaaa! ( that was my cliffhanger music)

Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-11-09T00:00:00.002-07:00

Cream cheese frosting on banana bread is only the beginning! Red velvet cupcakes, carrot cake, pumpkin bunt cake or just in a pastry bag directly into your mouth. What is not to love about a little cream cheese frosting!

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup softened butter
8 oz softened cream cheese

Beat together till light and fluffy. Add 2 t vanilla extract, (preferably white or clear) and beat again for about a minute. With the mixer on low, slowly incorporate approximately 4 cups of powdered sugar. Once it is incorporated and the right thickness, turn mixer on high and beat for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Hope you will join me in the Hobble Creek Kitchen

2011-11-07T06:01:00.002-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Hobble Creek Kitchen is back! I know many of you have been returning to the blog for favorite recipes, but have long given up the hope for something new. Today, I am happy to say that I am energized and ready to bring you new recipes, as well as reviving and improving on some of my old ones. Now don't let this be in vain people! Please share this blog with your friends and like my page on facebook you can also follow me on twitter. I promise to blog if you promise to read it and give me feedback!

I spent the last year not only cooking for my family but for plenty of other people, which leads me to my announcement. I have begun to cook professionally! Please check out my tabs above for more information on how you can have a dinner party cooked by me, and even have your party at the Hobble Creek Kitchen! I'm just going to go ahead and toot my own horn and say that my food is pretty darn good, so book a party with me quick, before I am all booked up!

banana bread with cream cheese frosting

2011-11-07T06:00:00.002-07:00

Banana bread is dang good. Banana bread with cream cheese frosting is DANG good! In my never to be humble opinion, banana bread should never be poisoned with nuts. However, if you must, you must. This recipe makes two loaves, because if you are going to make it, why just make one?

Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection (375 conventional)

1 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar

Cream together in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Add;

1 c buttermilk
6 ripe bananas

Mix together till bananas are well incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine;

2 cups whole wheat flour (preferably fresh ground)
2 cups white flour
1 t salt
2 t baking soda

Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, until just combined. Divide into two large, greased bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees convection for 45-50 minutes (375 regular). Be sure a toothpick comes out clean, all stoves are different!

Serve with Cream Cheese Frosting

With the cream cheese frosting this bread is like crack, just to warn you. The whole wheat flour gives the bread a fantastic texture and a nutty taste, and you can pretend you are eating something healthy. Go fiber!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2010-11-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Not to make you jealous or anything, but as you read this, I am sitting on the beach in Hawaii with my family. We are having a long Thanksgiving vacation on the white sandy beaches of Kauai. Aaahhhh . . . . Which mean the traditional Thanksgiving just went out the window. No cooking this year.

However, being the Thanksgiving purist that I am, I had to cook a traditional Turkey dinner before I left. So I will leave you with a small holiday recipe. You will never use marshmallows again with your sweet potatoes or yams, this is the recipe of all recipes for sweet potatoes. I had to compliment myself at least 5 times at the dinner table, not to mention all the other compliments.

Ingredients

6 large sweet potatoes or yams boiled, peeled and mashed (don't over cook!)

1/4 c butter melted

3 eggs

1/2 c sugar

1/2 t nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste.

topping:

1 c brown sugar

1/3 c flour

1 c chopped pecans

1/3 c butter

1 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After the potatoes have cooled, add the eggs, sugar, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Transfer into a oven proof baking dish. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the potatoes have puffed and set. Meanwhile combine the topping ingredients till well combined. Once you remove the potatoes from the oven, you can put the topping on and return it to the oven for 10 or 15 more minutes until the topping is browned and caramelized. However, the great thing about this recipe is you can make the casserole a day or two in advance. You can put the topping on cover it and put it in the fridge, and on the day of serving put it into the oven for 20-25 minutes till the topping is brown and caramelized.

This is what it looks like when you put it in the fridge, before you cook it the second time.

This recipe is so dang good! If you are responsible for bringing the yams to Thanksgiving dinner this year and you bring this, the host is going to secretly hate you for upstaging her, and you are going to love it!

Pumpkin Cake Bites

2010-11-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

These cake bites have been on my list a long time. It was Father's Day. I was at church. At our church they always give a small gift to the dads on Father's Day. Since Fairb was out of town, I didn't even bother to see what they were handing out. I friend of mine asked me later in the church service if I had tasted what they gave to the dads. When I said no, she gave me a look like I was missing something VERY important. So I immediately hunted some down. Luckily my own father goes to the same church and so I poached his gift. On a small plate were a variety of little truffles of different colors and flavors. I went for the yellow one, assuming it was something lemon. Oh my goodness, total ambrosia! Dense, moist lemon cake dipped in white chocolate. So of course I had to go for the rest. Red velvet, peanut butter, strawberry, mint, vanilla, and chocolate. As far as my dad was concerned, these cake bites never existed, they were all mine.

The first thing I did when I got home was to call the master mind behind these cake bites. I didn't even have to ask who had made these, it had Jodi's name all over them. She is a culinary genius (and a loyal reader of the blog, love ya Jodi!), and she managed to make to make probably 600 cake bites for all the dad's in our church (aka ward for all of you who speak Mo'). I demanded to know how she made them, to which she happily told me, ignoring the fact that I was acting completely manic. They have been on my mind ever since, but not till now have I tried to attempt them on my own, the flavor possibilities are endless with cake bites, and they are darn easy to do. Jodi told me the basic formula, bake a cake, mix crumbled cake with frosting or filling, shape into balls, dip in chocolate. The flavor combinations are endless.

First you must bake a cake. The first time I did this, I used a spiced cake mix, but the second time, the store (curse you wal-mart) didn't have a spice cake mix so I got a yellow cake mix and I liked it better.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

1 yellow box cake

1 T cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t clove

mix well, add;

4 eggs

4 oz cream cheese (half a pkg)

half can of pumpkin puree

1/2 c oil

1/4 c water

Beat until well combined. Bake in a cake pan at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes till done.

While the cake is baking, prepare cream cheese frosting;

1 8 0z package cream cheese, softened

3 T butter softened

1 t vanilla

2 1/2- 3 c powdered sugar

First beat the cream cheese and butter together till smooth. Add vanilla and beat till smooth. Add powdered sugar 1/2 c at a time and continue to beat. Add sugar till desired thickness and taste is reached.

Once the cake is done, while it is still warm, scoop the cake out into a large bowl. Add about 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese frosting to the cake and combine well.

Once the cake mixture is cool enough to handle, using a mini ice cream scoop or a big spoon make ping pong size balls. Roll them in your hand to make them as round and as smooth as possible. Arrange them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. This recipe will make about 32-36 cake bites. You don't need to freeze them completely, but you want them hard, and cold enough that you can dip them in chocolate with ease.

Once the cake bites are chilled properly, it is time to melt the chocolate. I recommend using the dipping chocolate disks, and not chocolate chips. I melt my chocolate over simmering water, but I know you can melt them in the microwave (I don't have a microwave, I know, I know, I am weird, the microwave is the devils machine). It is time to dip. Just drop the cake bite into the chocolate and roll it around till coated. Scoop it out with a spoon and carefully roll it off the spoon back onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment.

Then you can garnish the tops with milk chocolate, sprinkles, or anything else fancy. Some friends of mine, turned their cake bites into eyeballs for Halloween.

These are divine, they taste like pumpkin pie with whipped cream. The good news about this recipe I gave you is that it make an amazing spiced pumpkin bunt cake.

Use the exact cake recipe and frosting recipe. Just bake it in a bunt pan for the same amount of time, just check it with a toothpick to make sure it is done. Use the same cream cheese frosting. Put the frosting in a pastry bag, or ziplock bag and chill the frosting before you pipe it onto the cake. You don't even need a pastry tip, just cut the end of the bag and run it in lines down the cake.

Can't wait to try my next flavor of cake bites. Thanks Jodi for introducing them to me!!

I am totally going to blog again . . . .maybe.

2010-10-15T09:45:00.004-06:00

So you are probably a little annoyed by now. You have probably figured out I'm not in Kenya anymore, and that I am just being lazy. It's all true! The fact is, I have been cooking up a storm, but frankly, EATING the food is a lot easier than blogging about it. Did you know taking a picture of your dinner is a pain? Further, when your food is good, no one wants to wait around to take a picture before you eat it. Also, I never cook with recipes, which makes it a little difficult to write recipes. I actually have to REMEMBER what I did. Excuses. Excuses. Did you know I am the mother of 3 children who now go to school all day? Oh boy, the moment is finally here, and I have earned this! I can have 6 hours of unadulterated time in my kitchen if I so wish! (insert evil laugh).
The fact is, I am going to return to blogging, I really am. The plan, return November 10th. The goal, a great post once a week. So get excited, tell all your friends, follow my blog, and get cooking.

wondering where I have been lately?

2010-06-03T11:27:00.002-06:00

I've been in Kenya, visiting my parents, jump over to my mom's blog to read a little about it!

here

Pulled Pork again

2010-04-23T13:12:00.003-06:00

So I have blogged about pulled pork before, but now I am doing it for real. This recipe is the ultimate feed a crowd recipe on the cheap. I am making it constantly. Blue and Gold banquet (oh cub scouting you are the bane of my existence), big family parties, and other events. Last weekend I made it for the camera crew that came to film the human sling shot at my parents house (I will blog about that later) I buy a pork shoulder from Costco, you know the big ones, I forgot the weight. First I make a rub--

Pork Shoulder Rub

3 T salt

2 T pepper

3 T brown sugar

1 T Paprika

2 t dry mustard

2 t dried sage

1/2-1 t cayenne pepper (depending on how spice you like things)

Before you rub it on the shoulder, give the meat a few liberal drops of liquid smoke. I am not really sure what liquid smoke is, but it does make it taste smokey, so just use it. Rub the rub all over the shoulder, focusing on the non-fat side. Most people like to put the meat fat side up (that is the classic way) however, I go fat side down because I don't eat the fat, and I want the parts I eat to be nice and browned and tasty, so I go fat side down. Then add 2 or three onions quartered, add 7 or 8 garlic cloves sliced or smashed, and about 8 bay leaves.

This is one package from Costco, two came in one bag

Put in the oven for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees, then turn down to 200 degrees and cook for at least 12 hours covering it half way through ( I cooked this one for like 18 hours, but that was because I was lazy) . If you want it a little quicker, just turn up the heat, add some water and cover it (like 325 for 5 hours would work). Low and slow is best. You know it is done when it falls apart. Pulling it is a matter of putting on some gloves and letting fall apart between your finger, and discarding the fat. Run the drippings through a sieve and spread it over the meat. Now in my opinion, putting the barbecue sauce all over is a crime. It tastes good on its own, and serving BBQ sauce on the side is a perfect compliment.

It is great to make in advance and just reheat it in its own drippings. You too can have a great Blue and Gold banquet! You deserve it for all those merit badges you earned for your kid!

Beet Obsession

2010-04-10T16:48:00.000-06:00

I have just realized that I really like beets. It started the invention of the romance salad. Next, upon reading Tom Colicchio's recipe book that Kris bought me in Vegas, it has a recipe of roasted beets. So I bought me some beets at wally world (aka wall mart) for future roasting. That evening, I forced Fairb to take me to a new restaurant that I have been dying to try, Communal in Provo. (did I mention that Grandma Vicki saved spring break and let the kids have a 4 day sleep over at her house? She is amazing!) He had roasted beets on the menu.

As a review for Communal, I thought it was fabulous. The beets were great, Utah trout cooked perfectly, and my husbands pot roast was to die for. It is a great little gem. What I loved about it is that you can tell that the restaurant is the Chef's pride and joy and all his dishes are all his little babies that he is so proud of. He served his roasted beets cold with some creme freche.

The next day I roasted my own beets and ate them hot with with a little butter. Delish! I saved the rest in the fridge to put in the next salad.

Roasted beets:

Peel and quarter the beats. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Toss the beets with a little olive oil kosher salt and fresh pepper. Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Serve warm with butter.

If you don't want red hands for a few days, wear gloves, which I did not do.

You will devour them, which will result in a surprise for you the next day when your are in the bathroom. Gross. I just ruined this blog post didn't I?

White Bean Soup

2010-04-07T15:50:00.003-06:00

I know I have been neglecting you all, of which I apologize. Just to make you insanely jealous, I took a girls trip to Las Vegas. I lost a TON of money . . . . at awesome restaurants!! My number one goal for the trip was to eat raw oysters every day. A goal I met. My other goal was to eat at Top Chef judge, Tom Collichio's restaurant, Craftsteak. Holy smokes! It was the best food of my life!! If you have never had Wayngu Beef (also known as Kobe Beef) it is to die for! All I want for Christmas is a Wayngu cow in my backyard ( is that even possible?) It was fabulous food, not to mention great company and lots of laughs (the highlight was when the waiter humiliated Emily by asking her if they could be facebook friends, she was red in the face for the rest of the night!!). We also ate at one of Wolfgang Puck's restaurants for lunch (can't remember the name, sorry). I was skeptical, once a chef starts putting out frozen foods I get a little concerned. However, the food was great. My friend ordered a white bean minestrone, which inspired this soup.

It is spring break and there is a foot of snow in my yard! So soup season isn't quite over yet. Now the annoying part of this recipe I created is that you really won't get the same soup unless you use the braising liquid from some pork ribs. Once you have removed the ribs from the pot, let the liquid cool enough that the fat solidifies and you can skim it from the top. Then strain the liquid from all the other stuff. What remains is a perfect stock for soup! The moral of the story is always save any braising liquid, always!!

Recipe

1/2 lb white beans (northern beans) soaked overnight

4 c pork stock (or chicken stock)

1 can vegetable broth

2 c water

1 onion fine diced

1 c carrots fine diced

1 c celery fine diced

1/3 c flat leaf parsley minced

couple big handfuls of spinach

salt and pepper to taste

Start the beans cooking in the pork stock and water. Meanwhile, dice up the veggies (except spinach) and saute them in a little oil till fragrant season with salt and pepper. Add to boiling beans and turn down to medium low heat. Add parsley. Cook till beans are tender. Add spinach and cook a little longer. Taste for salt and pepper.

note: if you don't have your own fabulous stock, you might want to add some other seasoning like bay leaf, garlic, sage. . . .

Cheese Grits

2010-03-23T09:36:00.003-06:00

Because I oversee the sunday school for the children at church (aka P. Prez) when the phone rings Sunday morning I usually cringe because I fear it is one of my primary teachers calling me to tell me they won't be there, and I will have to scramble to come up with a solution. Often though, I am wrong and it is someone calling me with a cooking question. When I take the call, I myself am usually putting my own Sunday dinner in the oven. So am so happy it's a cooking question and not a primary emergency! This Sunday, I was making a new recipe, cheese grits, that I got from my friend Dierdra. She is a very cautious and thoughtful person, the kind of person that ALWAYS writes a thank you note (I am the person who NEVER writes a thank you note). She is very sweet and mild mannered, but in moments (like bunko moments) goes wild and I have seen her fight like a pit bull for her children, she is great. She is also really fun to tease. So just as I was making the recipe she shared with me , the phone rang. It's Dierdra. Of course, as the polite person she is, she has to go into the, "so sorry to bother you" stuff. No bother, what is up? She was making my baked chicken and wanted to know if she could transfer the chicken into the crock pot after she had browned it in the oven.

"Ya, you can, but why not just cook it in the the oven?"

A hesitation.

"Oh Deirdre! You don't like to leave the house when the oven is on? You mean to tell me you have never left the house with the oven on?"

I continued to ridicule her, then I assured her that I leave to oven on EVERY Sunday when I'm at church. It was time for her to take a walk on the "wild side."

When I saw her at church, with a smile on her face, knowing I would be so proud, she told me that she was cooking the chicken in the oven. To which I said,

"Wait, you don't have a gas oven do you?"

The blood drained from her face . . .

I was just lucky she really did have a gas oven, or I wouldn't be able to tease her!

"Just kidding!! you'll be fine! Don't worry!!" She laughed, but in the back of her mind I could see she was imagining her house engulfed in flames.

Anyway, so this is Deirdre's Baked Cheese Grits recipe. What's great about this recipe, with addition of eggs, it kind of makes it like a soufflé. Really great.

1 c quick cooking cheese grits (cooked according to directions)

big handful of shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 t granulated garlic (approx. according to taste)

1 stick butter

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 c milk

Once grits are cooked, add cheese, garlic and butter. Give them a taste test. Let them cool. Once cooled, combine eggs and milk and add to the grits. Pour into a 2 quart buttered casserole dish. Optionally, sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered at 375 F for 1 hour. Top should be brown, and should look puffed up. Serves 8.

Shrimp Jambalaya with Chicken Sausage

2010-03-14T19:37:00.005-06:00

So I am a newly minted member of a cooking club. This is a SERIOUS club, I mean it has a list of rules and everything. Which makes nervous because I have never been one to follow the rules, let alone read a list of rules. (speaking of, I better go read the rules!) What is great about the group, I don't even really know these people, but they are all major FOODIES. So last week we had our second get together which was southern cooking. I really didn't have any southern cooking recipes, so I asked the host to assign me something, and I would create a recipe. She gave me Jambalaya. This is something that I had never eaten, nor cooked. So I read a bunch of recipes and watched a few youtube videos and off I went to create a really great recipe. The meal was SOOO good, and I will be using some of the other recipes very soon . . . . . I just cut and pasted the recipe the way I brought it to the club meeting.

Shrimp Jambalaya w/ chicken sausage

Original recipe by Natalie Fairbourne

hobblecreekkitchen.blogspot.com

1 lb chicken sausage; sliced

1 med onion diced

1 small green pepper; diced

1 lb small shrimp (cooked or non)

1 small red pepper; diced

3 celery stocks; diced

1½ c long grain rice

1 lb small shrimp (cooked or raw)

28 oz can diced tomatoes

4-5 cloves garlic; minced

2 t salt

1 t pepper

2 t smoked paprika

¼ t cayenne pepper

2 c water

Heat oil in large skillet or pot that has a lid. If using raw sausage, begin by browning the sausage, add veggies and garlic and sauté till fragrant and soft. If using cooked sausage, add now and brown a little. Next add dry rice and toast the rice briefly. Add tomatoes seasonings and water. Heat to a simmer and cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes till rice is tender. Stirring occasionally. If using raw shrimp, add 5 minutes before rice is done. If using cooked, add just long enough to heat throughout before serving.

I used raw sausage and didn't slice it until it was cooked ( I fished it out of the jambalaya at the end and sliced it). As far as sausage goes, you could use any kind you want, just don't use an Italian, I think the fennel would throw off the flavors. I got my sausage at the Sunflower Market in Orem, they have an awesome selection of house made chicken sausages.

The recipe that shames me: Beef Stroganoff aka "slop"

2010-03-02T14:34:00.004-07:00

I have been doing this blog for over a year, and I have never blogged about this dish. We eat this dish at least twice a month, and I have never blogged about it. It is my children's FAVORITE dinner, and I have never blogged about it. I often pre cook it and take it on family vacations because it is such a crowd pleaser, but I have never blogged about it. It is easily the quickest, yummiest way to to use leftover roast beef from sunday dinner, but I have never blogged about it. Why you ask? See the can? It shames me. Mormons all over the country have cases of these cans in their basement, and I am no different. To make matters worse, not only does the recipe call for "cream of mushroom soup" but a package of "lipton onion soup" a double wamie of bad Mormon cooking. Sure, I could make a great Beef Stroganoff from scratch with fresh mushrooms and onions, cream etc . . . but sometimes you just have to have a dish in your recipe box that is easy, no frills, no thinking, just feed your family and be done with it. That is what this recipe is the definition of "semi homemade" Now the only time I make this dinner is when I plenty of left over roast beef from sunday dinner. I ALWAYS cook more roasts then I will need for two reasons, 1) you never know who is showing up for dinner. 2) leftover roast beef is gold because it can be used for so many easy quick meals for the rest of the week. Beef stroganoff is one of those meals. So I am only describing how to make it in this context, you've got to have leftover roast beef and gravy, about the equivalent to about 2 lbs of meat.

Ingredient list

Leftover roast beef with gravy (about 2 lbs)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 pkg lipton onion soup

1 t dill

1 1/2 c sour cream

a little water if needed

Add everything but the sour cream into a sauce pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add sour cream. Serve over cooked rice.

The sad part is, its the dish I am the most ashamed of, and it is easily my family's favorite meal. I weep . . . . . Don't get me wrong, I like it too, but mama likes to show off her skills!!

lemon asparagus risotto

2010-02-23T09:48:00.017-07:00

So I had some really great encounters with risotto lately. First was a lemon shrimp risotto at Sparks in downtown Provo, Utah. The second was a lobster risotto at Balthazar in New York City and the third was a mushroom risotto at an Italian restaurant called Rustico Ristorante in Telluride. Now it was time for me to try making it myself. Being so excited, I got all my ingredients together and off I went making some incredible gourmet lemon asparagus risotto. I was so proud of myself for pulling it off on my first try, it was truly a work of art. So it was time to serve it up for dinner. It was a given that the children weren't going to like it. Alta, who is my best eater, ate enough to be satisfied, the other children didn't even consider it. When Fairb came home he took a couple bites and shrugged his shoulders. "What's the deal?" I ask.

"I don't know, its rice. Just slimy rice. I couldn't eat very much of it" So these are the lamos I have to cook for. . . . . stayed tuned for the next post which is a recipe all lamos will like. Until then, try making this risotto. . . . .

Ingredient list

2 c arborio rice (Italian style rice)

6 c chicken stock

1 c dry white wine

1 small onion finely chopped

2 clove garlic minced

bunch of asparagus

1 lemon

4T butter

handful of Parmesan cheese

fresh ground pepper

Saute the onions and garlic in the butter, after a couple minutes add the rice and toast the rice until it is shiny, but not browned.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer in a pot next to the risotto, keep it at a simmer. Prepare the asparagus by removing the woody ends. Chop off the tips and set aside. Chop the good parts of the stem into one inch pieces. Steam the tips over the chicken stock.

Once the rice is shiny, add the asparagus stems and add the wine and stir until the wine is nearly absorbed. Add a couple ladle fulls of hot stock, just to barely cover the rice.

Continue to stir as the stock absorbs ( I didn't go crazy with the stirring, just occasionally).

Once nearly absorbed, add more stock and repeat the process. Repeat the process until you taste the rice and it's al dente done. Somewhere in the middle of the process, add the juice from the lemon (you will use the zest at the end) You don't want the liquid completely absorbed, you want it a little runny still. Once the rice is done, add the remaining butter, a handful of cheese, and the asparagus tips. Top with lemon zest and fresh ground pepper.

Happy Valentines Day!! Chocolate covered strawberries

2010-02-13T21:21:00.004-07:00

Oh love day, me amore . . . . Happy Valentine's day to one and all. I think Valentine's Day is much more than romance, it to celebrate all forms of love. Actually, I just say that to justify how horribly unromantic my husband Fairb is. He needs about a week advance notice if he should be required to celebrate a holiday. I remind him at least 5 times for Mother's Day because Mother's Day is where I put my foot down. It is the most important holiday of the year as far as I am concerned. Today he went to costco for me (which is romantic in its self, because he rarely does errands for me) and when he got home, I asked him why he didn't get me flowers while he was there and he said, " I didn't know we were celebrating Valentines! You didn't tell me!" Oh well, if you expect your husband to be romantic when he is inherently inept, you will have a disastrous marriage. I love him just the way he is!

On a more romantic note, my niece and nephew are staying with us this weekend. Their family was scheduled to go to Disneyland for a cheer competition that my 9 year old nephew, Adam, was competing in. Christian and Sunni didn't want to go because they just transfered to a new school and just COULDN'T miss any days of school, lest they get even further behind. Imagine, young teenagers missing a trip to California at the expense of their studies. Ya right! The TRUE reason was soon revealed . . . . . the middle school Valentine's Dance!! They were sooo excited! They dressed in their best clothes, I curled Sunni's hair, Christian asked if Fairb had any cologne (sorry, no.) and they were off to the dance. Sunni is loved and adored by all boys, and she revels in it. She came back wearing a homemade bracelet a boy had given her. After the dance, Christian was so proud of himself. He said that before the dance he was scared to death of girls, but now? He has conquered his fear! He couldn't wait to tell us about all the girls he asked to dance. It was to great to hear and feel their excitement after the dance.

So tonight they helped me make chocolate covered strawberries and caramel and chocolate dipped pretzels.

I was at the grocery store and they were selling 3 chocolate strawberries for 6 bucks!! Oh no you didn'! Right next to the dipped strawberries were nice, big, ripe, cheap strawberries. So I scooped them up and rushed them home to couple them with all this chocolate I bought during Christmas when I had high expectations of myself to make all my neighbors fancy treats, and expectation I never met. Sorry neighbors. Your not getting any strawberries either, I am too greedy tonight.

Chocolate dipped strawberries are pretty self explanatory, but here are some good tips.

1-- In the past I have used the dipping chocolate that is the little chocolate disks, but its not the best tasting chocolate and it comes out a little waxy in my opinion. So this time I use the brick of chocolate that isn't as fool proof and you have to temper. The directions are seemly complicated, with all these temperature readings you have to take. I didn't mess with all that. This is how I melted it. I chopped up a pound of chocolate into chunks and put it in a bowl and placed over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl didn't touch the water. I reserved 3 oz chocolate. While it was melting I stirred it now and again (no one stirs "continually" do they?) once it was melted I removed it from the heat and let it sit for about 45 seconds. Then I dropped in the 3 oz chunk and stirred (that is basically how you "temper" chocolate). It came out perfect! The 3 oz chocolate doesn't melt completely, it is just a step in the process of tempering the chocolate.

2-- I washed the strawberries much earlier in the day and put them back in the fridge so they were cold and dry, ready to be dipped.

3- To add the pretty lines of the opposite color chocolate I put a few spoonfuls in a plastic bag and carefully snipped the tiniest bit of the end off.

4- I place the dipped chocolates on parchment paper.

5- For the pretzels, I melted caramel squares, and with help from a spoon, covered the pretzel rods in caramel and let them harden on Pam sprayed parchment before I dipped them in any chocolate.

6- With the left overs, I drizzled over some blueberries.

I I did reserve a little something to give to my Visting Teachie's, to which Jason replied, "You're are visiting teacher?" That shows how awesome of a visiting teacher I am. Oops.

The romance salad

2010-02-08T10:14:00.002-07:00

The only reason I call this the romance salad is because it has a lot of red components to it and its Valentine's Day soon, and because I am in love with it!! I served this at my fancy pants dinner and it was a hit. This recipe is my own creation, however, I stole the pear and beet idea from a salad I had at a UVU dinner party. I tell ya' the culinary arts department at UVU is incredible! They do awesome work.

Ingredient list:

Romane lettuce

pickled beets (buy the best quality you can preferably in a jar, not a can)

hearts of palm (which are not pictured in the photo, it was a delicious after thought)

candied pecans or marcona almonds (which are the white, more round almonds you don't buy them candied you candy them yourself by putting them in a frying pan with a little butter and sugar)

Red pears

For the dressing:

1 shallot

1/3 c red wine vinegar

1/4 c sugar

2/3 c vegetable oil

1 t salt

For the dressing, I sauteed the shallot quickly in a little oil. Just to remove the raw taste (optional). Add the shallot, vinegar, salt, and sugar to the blender, and blend till smooth. Slowly add the oil.

To prepare the salad

Chiffonade the romaine (my new fancy word for fine shred)

Drain and rinse the beets then fine dice (I used my nicer dicer)

Drain and fine dice the hearts of palm

Slice the pears like you were to slice a tomato for tomato slices

Toss the romaine in the vinaigrette. Put two slices of pear on the salad plate, top with the lettuce. Top with the lettuce with the remaining ingredients.

Its Amore!!

Fancy Pants Birthday Dinner!!

2010-02-08T09:48:00.004-07:00

This weekend two of my dear friends both turned 29 (or something like that anyway). To celebrate I hosted a 5 course, fancy pants dinner. Our conversations however, were not fancy, it went from sex toys to poop to boob jobs and back again. We literally ate, cooked and talked for 5 hours!!

The Menu

Mini Crab cake for an amuse bouche (I really just wanted to say the phrase). I haven't written the recipe yet, stay tuned . . . .

Mushroom soup with warm artisan bread

The romance salad -- A chiffonade of romaine lettuce tossed with red wine vinaigrette, topped with pickled beets and hearts of palm and candied marcona almonds resting on ripe red pears. (wrote that fancy didn't I? I had to google "finely shredded" to get the fancy word "chiffonade")

Beef Tenderloin a shallot demi-glace, a twice baked potato and roasted asparagus

For dessert a choice between creme brulee with fresh berries or bread pudding with rum sauce and fresh cream.

nan's notes: many of these recipes I went back and edited to make them even more perfect!! So check them out!!

Boston Cream Cake

2010-02-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

I know its called a "boston cream pie" but look at it, does it look like a pie? no, it looks like a cake. If a true baker doesn't use cake mixes, then I am not a true baker. However, I maintain that a cake mix is always the way to go. So you bakers can be snooty, and I can by smarty.

First make a yellow cake mix according to directions. I add either a 1/2 c of sour cream or yogurt to make the cake more moist. Bake them in two 9 inch rounds, and allow them to cook completely.

Make the filling:

one 3.9 oz box vanilla jello (small box)

1/2 a can of sweetened condensed milk (7 oz)

1 c water

Blend above ingredients till smooth and allow to set in the fridge. Meanwhile whip 1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream until stiff (no sugar added). Fold together the pudding mixture and the cream. This is the filling.

Make the ganache frosting.

1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream

16 oz chocolate chopped (any kind you like, milk, semi sweet, bitter . . .)

Bring whipping cream to a soft boil turn off and add the chopped chocolate and stir till smooth. Allow to cool down so it can thicken. The cooler it gets, the thicker it gets. If you leave it over night in the fridge it is spreadable. I allowed it to cool to pourable.

Assemble the cake by sandwiching the pudding between the two round cakes. Pour ganache over the cake. Reserve the remaining ganache to serve with the cake just in case people want extra chocolate.

peace out mom and dad, now who am I going to cook for?

2010-02-01T11:03:00.003-07:00

One the biggest reasons I haven't been blogging much lately was because I was partying down with the family to the build up of my parents retiring in Africa. Saturday afternoon the weree off for new adventures saving the world.

Now who am I going to cook for? Mom and Dad came up 5 days a week for dinner, they showed up at 6 and were out the door by 6:30 with a smile on their face. My youngest son, Everett, knows no life where his grandma and grandpa weren't at the dinner table. I will be liable to burst into tears tonight if he asks if Grandma and Grandpa are coming to dinner.

I think one of the reason that people don't like to cook is because no one appreciates their effort. A mom goes to all this effort to prepare a healthy home cooked meal, and the kids are complaining. They want mac and cheese with hotdogs. The husband is indifferent and emotionless, when dinner is over he puts his plate in the sink and goes about his business. All the while, mom has barely just sat down to eat her own creation. Makes the whole thing no fun at all. Might as well be doing another under appreciated task like folding clothes (you mean those clothes don't magically appear back in the closet?)

Well in my case, I had two extremely grateful, food loving people to cook for!! I didn't have to cook plain boring food that only children like. They didn't mind when I experimented with new things, and always complimented the food. Having people like that really makes working the kitchen fun.

So alas, they are in Africa now. So thanks Mom and Dad for coming up to dinner every night (and paying for the food to boot!) and appreciating my efforts. I will miss you. I weep. I think after a couple of weeks of having your chairs empty at the dinner table, and I scrape the plates of the gourmet food my children didn't eat I will weep some more. I am proud of you guys and you two are the greatest examples to me and Fairb. At least now that they are gone, maybe they will read my blog for once! I will still cook the same fancy food, my kids can suck it. I don't do hot dogs, sorry kids.

I haven't died, and I certainly haven't starved to death!!

2010-01-25T21:31:00.002-07:00

Yes, I still have been cooking, but no I haven't been blogging. Cooking is dang fun, blogging is only semi-fun. So much has been going on, so blogging is at the bottom of the list. Cooking however, is NEVER at the bottom of the list!!

A few highlights from the last couple months . . .

1. Got swine flu over thanksgiving, didn't cook a thing.

2. Christmas time was great, but did more skiing than cooking. Didn't open one present, it was so nice!!!

3. Went to NYC with my mom and sisters. Ate at Bobby Flay's restaurant, believe him and his throw downs, it was incredible!!! Went to a taping of the Rachael Ray show, they told me they probably aren't going to do "Hey Can You Cook?" What a bummer!! After watching her tape her show, I can frankly say, Martha Stewart was right, Ray Ray is a poser. Bobby Flay, not a poser, his restaurant was some of the best food I have ever had!! Also note, raw oysters are now officially my favorite food.

4. Went on a 5 day ski trip with my entire family in Telluride. The final party before my mom and dad move to Africa. It was a blast!! I cooked all the food (32 people), and witnessed my 6 and 8 year old ski double black diamonds and huck some pretty big jumps.

Anyhow, I am still cooking and still obsessed with this recipe but I have rigged me the master bread cooking system.

this
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plus this

equals this

My enormous magnalite pot is my pride and glory. I bought this french bread pan at Williams and Sonoma. I took it to my dad's manufacturing plant and had them shave down the ends so it would fit perfectly inside the pot. So instead of making two round loafs, I can make two beautiful french bread loaves. So I raise the bread in the french bread pan, and when it is ready, I drop the whole pan straight into the hot magnalite pot and replace the lid.

I did make a small modification to the recipe since I posted it, My bread was always coming out a little flat. I think it was because the oven was too hot. So now I pre-heat at 450 degrees. After I put the loaves in (still in the Williams and Sonoma pan) I keep it at 450 the whole time, including when I remove the lid to let it brown. Lid on, 25 minutes, lid off 15 minutes.

This is darn good french bread. The crust has the crackle, and the bread is soft and chewy.

Anyhow, don't hate me if I don't blog. Oh wait, no one is reading anyway, so I should be good!

Pope is making the news

2009-12-10T19:44:00.004-07:00

This month my Dad is retiring from his position as CEO of US Synthetic and he and my mom are moving to Kenya. For the last 10 years, my dad heart has been in Kenya. Striving to help families who face life threatening poverty to become economically self reliant. He started a micro-credit bank in Kenya, and he also plans on starting other enterprises to create jobs while he is there.

KSL featured him on the news (look for my fat face in the red on stage briefly). He was also featured on the front page of the Deseret News last saturday. Proud of you dad, can't wait to get over to Kenya with you!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

For information about my dad's exciting projects to help fight poverty click

here

here

and here

Brigham Young's Doughnuts

2009-12-08T09:08:00.003-07:00

My blog is getting lame. It only took me a year to get bored of it. Blogging is soooo 2009. So it will probably continue to be lame for a while, but my blog is helpful when I have no desire to clean my house. I know I can post a blog entry! Sit down at my nice comfy chair and be in front of my sweetheart, my big screen mac. House work? what house work?

This picture is officially ancient. We now have about 2 feet of snow in our yard. However, these doughnuts will be great for my future sledding parties!

I am the queen of clipping out recipes from magazines and newspapers. I have a huge stack of clippings. This is the first time I have EVER actually used a recipe I have clipped. I clipped it from the Salt Lake Tribune back in July, and have just now used it.

Now I am a cake doughnut person. Yeast rise doughnuts are ok, but I would pick cake doughnut any day! These doughnuts are great and really easy. They are only good the day you make them, the next day they are hard as a rock.

These doughnuts are supposedly the doughnuts Brigham Young ate for breakfast. A real pioneer recipe.

Brigham Young's Doughnuts

5 1/2 c flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 1/2 t ground nutmeg

2 c buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 c sugar

6 T butter, melted

oil for frying

Preheat oil to 375 (I used a fryer). Combine flour, salt nutmeg, baking soda. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk and sugar. Then add the melted butter to the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon till just combined, the dough will be sticky. Let rest for 5 minutes. Roll dough out on a well floured surface to be between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. I cut the doughnuts out with a widemouth canning ring and used a medicine cup (or a shot glass) to cut out the holes. Collect the scraps and make more doughnuts. Frying the holes make yummy little treats. Put the doughnut in the fryer, when the dough starts to crack on the top, it means its time to turn it over. Cook until both sides look golden brown. Drain on paper towels or a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. They taste good plain, or with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Everettisms

2009-12-02T07:00:00.001-07:00

Feels like I have been gone a while! Thanks a lot SWINE FLU! I don't really know if it was swine flu, I wasn't going to pay the doctor 100 bucks (thanks America's awesome health care system) to tell me I have a virus. I was totally out for 5 days and completely missed Thanksgiving. My mother was left to cook the whole Thanksgiving meal herself. She pulled it off great despite putting whole cloves and baking soda in the sweet potatoes. I didn't matter to me because I didn't feel like eating anyway.

So I am just barely starting to feel like I might live. So hopefully I can get back to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, my I have a boy turning 5 years old today. I begged him to let us celebrate his 4th birthday again, or better yet his first birthday! I don't want him to grow up. He refused. Although his is a year older, he still is giving me some gems . . .

He said he wants to have his birthday party at Wall-Mart and invite everyone who is at Wall-Mart to his party, that way he will get tons a presents.

Everett is obsessed with sugar cereal, he loves it with all his heart. So for the Thanksgiving break I bought some cinnamon toast crunch. When I gave him a bowl of it he said two things.

"Mom, I can't believe I am eating this right now!"

also

"This cereal must be from Wal- Mart because all junk food comes from Wal-Mart!"

Yesterday Everett heard the primary song, "I am trying to be like Jesus." and he said,

"Mom I am always trying to be like Jesus. I always try to walk on water, but I take one step and I fall right in every time!"

Happy Birthday Everett!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T20:22:00.003-07:00

The super bowl is here! Thanksgiving day. Tomorrow you will see me at Coscto buying food to feed 40 people. Bring it on baby! Last year I did the 12 days of Thanksgiving, please review . . .

If you want an easy roll recipe that will knock everyone's socks off, try my family's out of this world rolls recipe. I have been eating them since out of the womb.

Want to free up the oven for the rolls and all the other stuff you need to bake, cook your turkey in a roasting pan and make in D good.

Delish stuffing only comes around once a year. Ours has mushrooms and pine nuts.

Does gravy frighten you? Learn how to make gravy now! (and see me in my kitchen at work).

Now I don't do creamed corn, but I do cook frozen corn without water, and it makes it tasty. Try it!

This is truly a no fail pie crust and I don't understand why isn't the only pie crust recipe in the world, because it is so easy, and without a doubt the best tasting pie crust on earth.

The question is, why are they called mashed potatoes when we all know we should be ricing our potatoes!

These pie fillings are easy and the best!

So good luck one and all and happy thanksgiving!

Custard and shortcake with berries

2009-11-19T09:10:00.002-07:00

Under these berries lies a delicious little secret . . . . .

Now this is one of the most heavenly desserts I have ever put together. This is because I have combined two of my favorite desserts, strawberry shortcake and creme brulee.

First you must make the custard for the base.

4 c heavy cream
3/4 c sugar
7 egg yolks
1 1/2 t vanilla or one vanilla bean scraped (I used the bean)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and get some water boiling. Meanwhile. In a sauce pan heat the cream (first add the vanilla) till just before it boils (its ok if it boils, no biggie). While the cream is heating up beat together the sugar and eggs till the eggs lighten in color and it is smooth. When the cream is hot, ladle the cream into the eggs very slowing while stirring. you want to temper the eggs and not create scrambled eggs. If you introduce the heat slowly, that is called tempering. Once all the cream is combined run it through a fine sieve to get out any accidental scrambles. Pour into six ramekins evenly. Place into a roasting pan. Place in the oven and add the boiling water in the pan. Be careful not to splash water into the ramekins. Insure the water reaches half way up the ramekins. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. The custard should look set but be slightly wiggly in the middle.

Once they are done, let them cook in the fridge for at least two hours, but can be done in a day advance.

Next make the shortcakes.

1 c flour
1/4 c butter
1/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 baking powder
1 egg
1/4 c buttermilk

In a food processor (or by hand if you are old school) combine flour sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter by adding it to the flour and pulse a few times with the food processor. Beat the egg and buttermilk together. Add to processor and run until all combine and makes a ball.

Drop dough onto a cookie sheet with a mini ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until light golden and cooked throughout. Cool.

Top custard with a shortcake and top with fresh berries, then top with fresh sweetened whipped cream.

To brine or not to brine?

2009-11-17T14:11:00.002-07:00

First of all let me say that the hardest part of doing this blog is the photos. You know how many countless great things I have cooked and forgotten to take a picture before we ate it all? It happens ALL the time. Like for instance this Sunday I cooked a dandy of a turkey, but I forgot the picture, I could take a picture of the ziplock full of leftover turkey, but that wouldn't do it justice now would it.

Why did I make a 20 lb turkey for Sunday dinner do you ask? Because I wanted to ask myself the question, to brine or not to brine. I have always brined, because I always want to do things the best way, not the easiest way . . . usually. But frankly, brining is a big pain the rear. My turkey from last year was really good no doubt, but was it the brine? perhaps. So I have been reading turkey recipes and putting my ear to wind every time I hear turkey. So many different ways to do things, cook it upside down, deep fry it, buy a pre brined turkey, inject it . .bla bla bla. Which one shall I try first? What sang to me the most was putting butter and herbs under the skin of the turkey between the breast and the skin.

So this is what I did. The night before I made an herb butter with a stick of butter, three cloves garlic minced, about a teaspoon of sage, thyme and rosemary, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I mixed the butter and herbs together and rolled it into a loaf in parchment paper, and put it in the fridge. The next morning before church, I preheated the oven to 325 degrees. I rinsed the turkey and patted it dry. I seasoned the cavity with salt and pepper and stuffed it with stuffing. Next, sliced my herbed butter loaf into thin slices. I loosened the skin from the breast of the turkey gently and slid butter under the skin all over the turkey. I put it in the roasting pan, coated the top of the skin with olive oil and liberally salt and peppered it. Then I put it in the oven and roasted it for about 4-1/2 t0 5 hours. 2 of those hours were uncovered the rest were covered. I used a digital thermometer to make sure it read 165 degrees (it actually was about 170)

I have to say, it was a great turkey. Moist and flavorful. I felt so much easier not to brine! and I couldn't really see a difference. That being said, I must admit I am not a turkey officianato. Turkey is merely a vehicle to plate all the other great things for thanksgiving, as far as I am concerned. Its no beef tenderloin if you catch my drift.

So this year, I am not going to brine. Its a pain. Hope not to disappoint.

pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin

2009-11-10T14:43:00.003-07:00

So I love pumpkin pie indeed. However, I have never made a pumpkin pie because they are so readily purchased from the store that are really good. I have never tasted a homemade pumpkin pie that tasted any different than coscto's pumpkin pie. They come out of the same libby's can anyway, right? Wrong.

My children go to an amazing school. Their teacher, Mrs. Sorensen, is like the kid whisperer. She is this incredible grandmother who has been a teacher her whole life, and now teaches, pre school through 2nd grade right out of her home. The school is unreal, they do everything, violin, spanish, ballet, tumbling, geography, farming, art, science, math, reading, spelling, religion and the list goes on. I don't know what am going to do next year. Porter has only known this matriarchal teacher who just loves him up, praises him, give him all the attention in the world, and he is will have to join the dark world of the Utah public school system, where with thirty five kids in a class . . . I shutter.

Anyway, on thursdays they always do cooking, and they made a pumpkin pie, which I got to taste. It was special! Can pumpkin pie really be special? It was made from a fresh pumpkin! So of course I had to rush home and try it for myself. I was so excited I forgot to ask for the recipe, so I had to make one up myself. Thats half the fun right?

First get a pumpkin, now there is such thing as a "pie pumpkin" or a "sugar pumpkin" but I am not even sure that is what I bought, I just bought a pumpkin about the size of my head (actually a little smaller, but that is only because I have an enormous head, your head should suffice). Now put it on a cooking sheet, and place in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour, till it is soft. Once you pull it off, the skin will just peel off.

Now cut into chunks, removing the center with the seeds and puree in a blender or food processor till smooth. You need 1 1/2 c puree.

Meanwhile, get your pie crust going (use a store bought or the easiest pie crust in the world ) and pre bake it. Now in the picture I did something pretty cool (ok, I stole the part of the idea from martha stewart) I took an extra pie crust and cut out a bunch of triangles and brushed them with egg wash and sprinkled them with sugar, so you can do that too if you want. Don't bake these, but set them aside. Bake the pie crust a little on the under done side. Let it cool completely.

Now to make the filling:

3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

1 -12 oz can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 c pumpkin puree

1/2 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t ginger

dash of nutmeg

dash of clove

dash of all spice

Mix the above ingredients till smooth. Pour into the cooled, baked pie crust. With the uncooked pie crust triangles, line the rim of the pie, over lapping each triangle over the next and pressing down so they stick.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes until it is set, but a little wiggly in the center. It will set more as it cools out of the oven.

A pie with fresh pumpkin has a yummy earthy flavor, I love it! Pumpkin pie must be served with cream and not with you know what . . . . . cool whip blaa!

Bon Jon

2009-11-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am finally posting this recipe, I think I have mentioned Bon Jon a couple times, but have never posted it.

This is a family recipe that is in the top 20 of most made dinners. It is a Iranian dish that started with my Grandma Pope (who is not Iranian, but lived in Iran for 3 years) Think of it as a Persian version of beef berginion, but not anything like it. It is my dad's favorite meal in the whole world, and its definitely in my top five. That being said, you might be quite disappointed if you don't like "ethnic tasting foods". This is a slow cooker, and and equally be done in a crock pot, I use the oven.

note: in the photos I am doing a double batch. this stuff freezes great so I always do double!

Ingredient List:

2-3 lbs stew beef

1 eggplant, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic minced

4 bay leaves

2 t cinnamon

2 t turmeric

1 t curry powder

1 t beef base

2 large cans diced tomatoes

salt and pepper

step 1:

Lay out your stew beef on some paper towels and allow it to come to room temperature before you brown it.

step 2:

Brown the meat on high heat. Season each batch with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. I only brown one side because I think that is all you need. Don't crowd the pan, do the meat in batches.

step 3

After all the meat is browned add a cup-ish of water to the bottom of the pan, along with the teaspoon of beef base. Stir to get the brown bits of the bottom of the pan. Pour off the liquid onto the meat that you have set aside.

step 4

Saute the onions (add a little oil to the pan). Season with salt and pepper. Cook until they become fragrant.

step 5

Add eggplant and garlic to the pan and saute a little longer. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6

Return meat with drippings to the pan with the onions and eggplant. Add tomatoes and all remaining spices. Season with a little more salt and pepper.

Step

Stir everything together. Cover and put in the oven to slow cook. Time and temperatures depend on the time you have. At minimum cook at 325 for 3 hours. I cooked this batch at 275 for 6 hours. Low and slow is the best. This is what it looks like when it is done.

Serve over rice.

Homage to one of my first posts ever!

2009-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yo peeps! I have been doing this blog for a year now! I can't believe it! Time has gone by so fast. What is crazy I haven't even posted my all top twenty most used recipes yet. What the flip have I been writing about! I just want you to come back wanting more. . . . .

So I figure, many new readers don't really delve deep into the archives like they should. If you haven't read how to make pizza yet, you should. It has been one the single greatest things I have learned in recent years. My sister in law Krista hooked me up with this lesson, and now I am hooking you up . . . . again!

how to make dang good pizza and never see the delivery boy again .

As for the pizza above, it could be called the Costco pizza, because I bought all the ingredients (besides the dough) at costco.

Chicken Artichoke Pizza

Costco Alfredo sauce

Fresh mozzarella (the pearls from costco)

fresh spinach

marinaded artichokes

cooked chicken (rotisserie from coscto)

Top the pizza dough evenly and cook in a 500 degree oven on a baking stone. Best to make the dough thin!

Inspired from Malaysia

2009-11-02T11:44:00.002-07:00

A mall food court is a pit of despair. What is worse, sometimes the food looks like it might be good, then you order it and you can barely eat it. Well not in Malaysia and Singapore. Some of the best food we ate was in a mall food court. This meal is inspired from one of the places we ate.

The place looked like a diner with stools up to the counter. Instead of a counter it was a tempanyaki style grill. So you would order of the menu and sit down any where you wanted, then the cook would grill up the food right in front of you and then you would eat it right off the grill. It was so good, I had to go back again the next day.

What I loved the most was the beans sprouts and the bak choy. The bean sprouts they stir fried in just a tiny bit of oil, salt, pepper and a little soy sauce. Then he add a splash of water and covered them to let them steam. I have eaten bean sprouts but never, just bean sprouts. SOOO GOOOD!

Next it was the bak choy. Same thing, salt pepper, soy sauce and also some fresh garlic. Cooked it the exact same way. Done in about 3 minutes.

The shrimp ( I buy the already shelled and clean frozen raw shrimp at costco, its the best, the tails are still on and you have to remove the smaller vein still) He cooked in oil, lots of garlic and lots of chilies, and a little soy sauce.

I cooked them the same way, but can anyone tell where in the halibut I can buy fresh red chilies? If you know please make a comment. So I used chili paste. Which still worked good. I cooked them in a really hot pan and took them out of the pan as soon as the turned pink, so they were tender.

The beef wasn't really inspired by Malaysia, this is something I cook all the time, and is actually inspired by Korean BBQ.

1/4 c soy soy

1 clove garlic minced

2 T sugar

2 T sesame oil

2 T dehydrated onions (or double that green onions minced)

2 T rice vinegar

1/2 t chili paste (optional if you don't like spice)

1 T toasted sesame seeds

1-2 lbs sirloin steak, super thin sliced (two inches wide 1/4 inch thick)

Add all the ingredients besides the steak together, add the steak and let marinade for at least 30 minutes. Cook on a hot griddle or pan. It should take no more than 2 or 3 minutes to cook.

What are your anxieties?

2009-10-30T07:00:00.001-06:00

I was born from a high anxiety person. Like a "go take your pills" anxiety person. Luckily, I am generally a chill person and have almost no anxiety. Although, for everyone some anxiety still exists. Do I have anxiety that my husband is going to die in a firey plane crash, or be murdered on the mean streets of Africa? Some wives would worry a little, but Fairb is golden, nothing is going to kill that guy. I could have a blog just about reasons my husband should be dead. Do I have anxiety that I am destroying my children's lives because I am a completely non sympathetic mom who isn't always thrilled with motherhood and I occasionally loose my temper? I have friends that worry about that, but I don't because that is exactly how my mother was, and I am golden! I turned out great!

My small anxieties rear their heads in the kitchen. Like yesterday, I saw raspberries at the store for 4.74$ for a whole flat. That is a completely unreal price. A regular priced flat would be like 30 $ Our family just started consuming freezer jam, opposed to store bought regular jam. Well it turns out that freezer jam is like 10 million times better than regular jam. Now my kids won't even eat regular jam. So now, I have anxiety that we are going to run out of jam before I can buy raspberries on the cheap. So of course to feed my anxiety, I had to buy the raspberries. Two flats. Yes, I am in the throws of major primary halloween party prep. Yes, I have two sick kids. (probably swine flu, I will not feed into the frenzy!) Yes, I haven't even done the dishes from last nights dinner. But I HAVE to buy these berries, and from the looks of them, the jam has to be made tonight.

So I bought the berries, realizing we haven't eaten that much of the jam I already made, I didn't even have enough jars. I just counted my jar of raspberry jam . . . .50 jars. Good thing I have a big freezerThats a lot of toast and peanut butter and jelly. I better go make some bread.

Tis the season for caramel apples

2009-10-28T20:46:00.003-06:00

I am no chocolatier, but making caramel apples at Halloween is one of our families favorite traditions. This is what I do know about making caramel apples,

1. a fondue pot or crock pot is the perfect thing to melt the caramel. Which gives away the fact that I did not MAKE caramel, candy thermometer? I am not there yet. Add a couple tablespoons of water for a bag of caramels. Yes, I unwrapped a million caramels. You may say, Natalie it was you who told me about "caramel bits", why didn't you use those? I did use a bag of those, and it was a huge mistake because they just plain didn't melt smooth!

2. Airheads candy is the perfect candy for decorating everything, just use scissors to cut the shapes you want. Airheads come in tons of colors, so its great.

3. Chocolate (including white) are great toppings. Along with nuts, butter finger, m&m's, snickers, Reese's pieces, and anything and everything else candy.

4. Set on parchment that has also been sprayed with cooking spray.

What I don't know about making caramel apples:

1. How to make caramel

2. How to melt white chocolate on the stove without screwing up the first batch.

3. How prevent everything from sliding off the apple

4. how to make them pretty.

Luckily, it all tastes good in the end, and a good time was had by all!

Seasons change

2009-10-26T21:39:00.005-06:00

The trees are naked again, the air is cold, we have stacked the wood and let the fire burn again, making our little house on the hill be cozy and happy. Its times like theseyou feel like yummy earthy soup. Mmmm..... I almost called this soup, "cream of mushroom" then I realized "cream of mushroom" only means one thing, bad mormon recipe (hey, even I am not immune to using cream of mushroom soup in one of my recipes, its shames me) So let's just call it "mushroom soup" shall we?

Cream of mushroom soup

Mushrooms of any variety you like (I used shikate, baby portabella, and button) about 2 pkg worth

1 small onion diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 can chicken broth

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

4 T butter

1 c cream

water

In a large sauce pan sauté the mushrooms, onions and garlic in the butter. Don't try to sauté it all at once, do it in batches as to not crowd the pan so you can brown the mushrooms properly. While sautéing, season with salt and pepper. Be gentle on the salt because you are going to add stock, but be liberal on the pepper because it is the star flavor of this recipe. Once all the mushrooms and onions have been sauteed, put them all back into the pan and cover with the chicken broth. Now add some water, enough to make the liquid cover the mushrooms by about a 1/2 an inch. Let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Taste to make sure the salt levels are good and you can taste the spice from the pepper. Transfer to the blender and blend till smooth, or use an emulsion blender. Before serving, heat throughout and finish with the cup of fresh cream. Although the bread in the picture is from Costco, want to make your own yummy crusty bread? Try this bread.

nan's note: if you are using any dried mushrooms, reconstitute them by boiling them in the chicken stock.

pumpkin pancakes

2009-10-23T08:07:00.007-06:00

Ok, its been a slacker halloween. I haven't even taken my kids to get pumpkins. The problem is, I HATE carving pumpkins for three children. The children are worthless when it comes to pumpkin carving. They are too little to use the knifes, and when it comes to getting the guts out, they cry and moan that it feels "gross". Further our menace dog Rock has an inkling for pumpkin. Grandma Vicki sent some little pumpkins home with the kids and Rock destroyed all of them. So I am trying to lay low on the whole pumpkin thing this year. Think I can get away with it? I made up for it by making pumpkin pancakes instead, and boy were they yum! yum! yummy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups natalie's nearly whole wheat pancake mix

1 c pumpkin puree from a can

2 eggs

1 c milk (might need more)

pinch of cinnamon (optional)

pinch of nutmeg (optional)

First mix together the eggs, milk, pumpkin, and spices until well combined. Add pancake mix and gently mix to combine, do not over mix. Make the batter to your perfect consistency with milk or more pancake mix.

Serve with butter, syrup and chopped pecans.

Nearly whole wheat pancake mix

2009-10-21T08:52:00.004-06:00

Did you know Bisquick is basically poison? I grew up on Bisquick, and now I am learning its poison. It has trans fat in it. Come on Bisquick get in the 21 century. It doesn't matter because its over between us, hopefully the damage you have done to me is reversible.

Secondly, have noticed how expensive "healthy" pancake mixes are in the stores? Listen, I am no bargain grocery shopper and even I noticed that buying a tiny box of pancake mix for like 6 bucks is expensive. So I had to come up with a great tasting pancake mix on my own. Now this is nearly whole grain because we've got to keep everyone in the family happy. Here is the mix:

2 c whole wheat flour (preferably fresh ground)

1 c oat flour (I just put old fashion oats in the blender)

2 c all purpose white flour

1/2 c sugar (I use evaporated cane juice, you know the brownish organic sugar, sugar is optional in this recipe)

8 t baking powder

1 T salt

one stick butter, cold (1/2 c)

In your food processor, combine all the dry ingredients. Cut butter into cubes and add to mixture, pulse to cut the butter into the mixture. Store in an airtight container. (if you are butter in the fridge girl I guess you could store it in the fridge, but I keep my butter on the shelf).

To make pancakes and waffles mix with eggs and milk. Use 1 egg for roughly 1 cup of mix. How much milk you use depends on how thick you like your pancakes. I am a make them thin and stack them high pancake girl, so I make my batter thin. If you are a muffin girl (if they are thick, its a muffin not a pancake) then go easy on the milk. I have never in my life measured milk for pancakes. If you are reading this and say to yourself, "I always measure the milk!" Then NOT measuring while making pancakes from a mix is the first step on learning to eye ball stuff when cooking. You can't be a good cook if you can't eye ball. So go practice on some pancakes.

Stay tuned this week for some other great pancakes!

Let it snow!!

2009-10-20T14:02:00.003-06:00

Forgive me for not giving fall time and halloween its due (this kind of looks like a ghost actually), but we are a family of winter time. We live on top of a mountain where we get FEET of snow. My children sleep in an igloo and make fun of city kids and their "rain". This year Porter and Alta are going to ski on the sundance ski team. Tonight is their equipment night, and we are bringing "snow" to the party.

I own a cotton candy machine. It was a necessity really. Along with me movie popcorn popper. You can rent cotton candy machines at party supply stores, and if you are my BFF, just call me and you can borrow mine. Anyhow, so I made this "snow" with plain white C&H sugar to which I added a little vanilla extract to flavor it. I let the vanilla dry in the sugar before I put it in the machine. In my world the snow is sugar! Welcome to my world!

I am home!

2009-10-16T18:28:00.003-06:00

Holy cow, I think Malaysia is the the farthest place on the earth. I have been up for 30 hours. Airplanes smell like butt. Are my kids always this loud? I will start cooking soon, I swear it. Till them I am going to dream of spicy shrimp and bean spouts . . . .

Everettisms

2009-10-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yes I am on my 2nd honeymoon, and no I am not blogging. I left the on the dock, just in case you missed me. Thank you target for making footsie jammies for all sizes, my kids are in heaven. Except Everett has a small issue with them. See, he sucks his thumb and puts his other thumb in his belly button (perverted I know). So he was so excited to wear them until it was time to get comfortable on the bed while watching Scooby- Doo. Luckily he is smart kid and figured out he just had to zip them down a little, Hasseloff style, to show his chest and he could access the button. Here are to Everettisms . . .

Everett HATES getting sunblock applied, so while in Powell as I struggled to get him lubed up, he was getting increasingly difficult, to vent his frustration he said,

""Aaarrgghh! Why did Jesus make the people anyway!"

Tonight Everett gave the family prayer tonight it went like this,

"Thank you for my shark mom. Thank you for my Shark dad. Thank you for my shark sister. Thank you for my shark brother. Thank you for the ocean. Amen."

To which we disapproved when he was done, and we let Alta give a real prayer. When she was done we told her it was a good prayer. Everett replied,

"Ya, but mine was funnier."

Oh dear.

10 years: 10 days!

2009-10-06T07:00:00.002-06:00

Our wedding announcement photo, 10 years ago!

Big announcement! I am actually going to celebrate my anniversary this year! I can't remember the last time my husband was even in town for our anniversary. We are going to Malaysia and Singapore for 10 days! I can see the stress building in my husbands eyes from the thought of not working for 10 days! I love it!

We were married October 12, 1999 in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. 6 months before that, it was a powder day at Sundance I was a BYU student taking a telemark ski class. With no telemark skills, I was struggling down the powdery mountain. Just then, I saw a beautiful creature in a bright red coat gracefully making free heeled turns right past me. I, at the time, was infatuated with all men on telemark skis, so I called out, "Hey will you marry me?" He didn't hear the call, but when I got down to the bottom of the mountain, he was the assistant teacher to the class. That is when we met. It turned out he worked at Sundance, along side one of my roommates. My roommate was going to order me a tent through work that I was going to give my boyfriend who was on an LDS mission at the time. So I called her at work and Fairb answered the phone. Right then and there he asked me on a date, and needless to say I never got the tent. It wasn't long until Fairb and I were in love, and the missionary got his "Dear John" letter.

Now Fairb is wildly successful, an incredible father, and a amazing husband. And I get to go with him to Malaysia and Singapore for 10 days. We practically closed our eyes and put our finger on the map. Malaysia it is! All we have planned is our plane tickets and our first nights hotel. The rest we will figure out when we get there. It is going to be great! I know that food is going to a big part of my trip (otherwise it would be not fun right?) So hopefully I will have plenty to share when I get home. Wish us luck, and wish Grandma Vicki luck who is willing to watch our kids while we are gone. Thanks Grandma Vicki! So see you in 10 days, maybe you will hear from me while I am gone, maybe you won't . . .

our "other" wedding announcement, just to give our friend a laugh and shock our grandparents!

Demi glace

2009-10-03T14:18:00.003-06:00

-
So my BFF Kris (she is becoming totally famous, and she loves it) signed up me and her for a cooking class at Thanksgiving Point for my birthday. Turns out, those suckers canceled the stinkin' class. Jerks. So instead she got me this stuff from Williams and Sonoma that she swears by that makes all sauces and gravys AMAZING! So of course, I was excited to try it. All I can say is Oh LA LA!

So its just a paste for a quick way to get a demi-glace but it also can be used to make your beef gravy taste even more tasty. So I first tried it with tenderloin steak. I used my cast iron skillet. It seems like if you use a non stick pan it is hard to get a nice brown on the meat. Of course I cooked the steaks medium rare, I don't want to dishonor the cow for sacrificing his life for me, the least I could do is cook it right. Once the steaks were done, I let them rest and quickly sauteed a small handful of chopped shallots. Once they were soft and poured in a little brandy to deglaze the pan (you could use water, I need to do a post about cooking with alcohol . . . remind me) and a tablespoon of the demi-glace. Once it cooked a little, it was ready. I sliced the steak and topped it with the sauce. It was delish! Get a friend like Kris and she will buy you some.

Fall Storm

2009-09-30T17:26:00.002-06:00

Its a beautiful world when I can sit by the fire and watch it snow and still eat a BLT with tomatoes out of my garden. Its a good world on top of the mountain.

My Lake Powell Reads

2009-09-29T10:20:00.002-06:00

Yes, I take cook books on vacation. Along with a huge stack of cooking magazines. I didn't read MTAOFC cover to cover, but I did look at it quite a bit and I am excited to do some French cooking. However, after cooking all week at Powell, only to come home and the next day throw a formal dinner party for 27 people (thanks to Fairb for volunteering me) I need a break from the kitchen, BIG TIME! So sorry Juila, give me a couple weeks and I will be saying, "Bon Appetit!"

As for the second book, its the complete opposite of MTAOFC, its about food storage. People often ask me when am I going to post recipes using food storage (food storage? confused are you? Mormons are encouraged to store food in case of disaster, whether it be financial, natural, etc). I know some pretty hard core food storage chicks, who can whip some serious goods from their food storage. That ain't me people. First, I have to first admit that I haven't been following the Prophet, I don't have food storage! Ok, I admitted it! Shame me! Flog me! Banish me! When the emergency preparedness person in our neighborhood emailed me to ask me if I was level one certified for emergency preparedness, the only response I could muster was to tilt my head to the side, "da' hell?" When I asked Fairb what our emergency plan is, he said, "Follow me, that's the plan" When I asked what to do if he wasn't around (which he never is mind you) he said, "then follow you". So we are not prepared, we are terrible people.

One of the reasons I have never made food storage a priority is a really stupid superficial reason. When I look at hard core food storage people I kind of see them as crazy, gun wielding, doomsdayer right wingers. There are definitely those people out there, but most people are just doing what is right and trying to keep the commandments, which I am not doing. So I have decided to get going, and get my own food storage.

The book I read, "I Dare You to Eat It" was a good inspiration and it got me thinking on what I need. The best thing I got out of the book was, 1) getting food storage is following the Prophet and 2) food storage isn't just to sustain your family, but to sustain your neighbor, it is intended to be shared if ever needed. 3) There is no reason to not work on building your food storage.

The last thing I got out of it which I don't think the author intended is that I definitely won't be cooking out of my food storage, so no wheat berry and canned chicken recipes here, sorry folks. All the recipes she describes in the book were painful. I don't think I could cook any of them. She dares me to eat it, no thanks, I will take truth. The truth is, I will get food storage to follow the Prophet, but I'm not going to use it unless I have to! Let my enjoy my food till disaster strikes (which it probably won't).

So I am going to store, wheat, beans, rice, oats and pasta. Along with yeast, sugar, salt, some kind of fat like butter and spices. I could eat bread, pancakes, oatmeal, rice with beans to live, no problem. I have no intention of using it, and when it expires in 30 years, I will replace it. In a more rotating storage, I will store peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, canned soup, mac and cheese, Mrs. Butterworths, baking powder/soda and cereal. Maybe I will store powdered chocolate milk, and powdered regular milk. Some evaporated milk, and spice packets. I have a feeling that if there came a time when the Saints were called upon to use food storage, it would all be going to the Bishop's store house anyway. Here's my beans, take 'em. I'll cook on the chuck wagon that will be my other contribution.

So if you see me at the cannery, don't laugh! Just saddle up next to me and chat because I don't know what the heck I am doing!

off to Lake Powell

2009-09-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

So we are off to Lake Powell with the whole crew (am I doing the food? What do you think!). So I know you will all miss me. Let me leave you with some of this weeks Everettisms . . .

"Mom when I grow up I am going to be nothing, like you." (ouch).

For a whole day he added "yo" to the end of every sentence.

"Mom make me some honey toast with butter on it, yo!"

"Mom turn on Scooby Doo, yo!"

I don't buy white bread, but he loves it with all his heart. "Mom when I'm a grown up, I am going to buy white bread."

He clearly has a great trajectory for when his is a grown up, he is going to do nothing and buy white bread ( I am assuming with his food stamps?). I am doing an excellent job if I do say so myself.

Peace Out!

Sucker for those Costco Samples

2009-09-22T07:00:00.001-06:00

Costco samples are meant for people like me. I have more kids than food in the cart, and the only thing keeping us alive are the samples that old ladies are giving to my children. You have been told many times, don't go to the store hungry. I ALWAYS go hungry! Therefore, I always take the samples and I always end up buying what they are sampling (except the dino chicken nuggets, that is just gross). So the latest sample I bought was...

I never buy sausage, but it was tasty! Then they sat there, staring me in the face every time I opened the fridge. So I finally had to use them. Along with some garden tomatoes and some garden basil, I turned it into a tasty pasta.

Ingredient list

6 sausage links, sliced

3-4 garden tomatoes

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6-7 minced basil leaves

splash of white wine

splash of balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

1 T butter

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil. Add sausage to brown (I was using fully cooked sausage). Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan. Add tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Splash with about 2 T balsamic vinegar. Simmer till tomatoes cook down a little. Add torn basil leaves and butter. Toss with cooked pasta of your choice. Top with fresh parmesan.

How to cook Halibut: in my never to be humble opinion.

2009-09-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Halibut is a good intro fish. If you hate fish, don't start with salmon, start with halibut and you will learn to love fish. Make sure its fresh halibut, not frozen. I buy my halibut, where else? Costco. This is how I cook it.
First things first, halibut smells quite fishy, but some how it doesn't taste fishy at all, if you rinse it first. Always rinse fish in cold cold water before cooking it. Then you have to adequately dry it once you have rinsed it, that is very important. You can do this recipe as a whole fillet, or cut it into portions.

Step 1

Once you have completely dried your fish, season it with kosher salt and lemon pepper (or regular pepper) just in one side.

Step 2:

Take a handful of sliced almonds and a short stack of saltine crackers (or any cracker) and a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese and put it in the blender to make a fine crumb. Also beat an egg with about a tablespoon of water for an egg wash.

Step 3:

Dip the fillet in the egg wash.

Step 4

Dip the fillet in the crumb mixture, coating evenly on all sides.

Step 5:
Melt about 2 T of butter in a large skillet that has a lid. Once the butter starts to get bubbles add the fillets.

Step 6:
Turn the heat down to medium, and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cooking time will really depend on how thick your fish is. Once fish turns opaque and can easily flake with a fork, its done. Its not chicken people, its better to be under cooked than over cooked. Frankly, fish takes practice and cooking times can not be applied. Also keep in mind it will continue to cook as it rests. So don't cremate it, think just a little more cooked than sushi :). Finish the fish with some fresh lemon.

Mother Knows Best: Baked Pork Chops

2009-09-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

When it comes to food and cooking for the family, my mother gave up her authority a long time ago, and I argue, with it went her mind. She taught me almost everything I know. It was literally a pass on, what she gave me she no longer holds, or so I thought.

She likes to lay on the couch and watch me cook, occasionally interjecting her opinion. Often times I have to respond, "Mother dear, what drugs are you on today?" Because she has the worst memory on HOW she taught me to make almost everything.

"Don't forget the cottage cheese!" she will say.

"Mother dear, we have never put cottage cheese is this in the history of our family." I will say.

"You need to cut the meat cross grain!" I will hear her say from across the room.

"I am mother dear!"

So this week was my Dad's 62 birthday day. I invited the whole clan up to my parents house for a little birthday dinner.

When I asked dad what he wanted for dinner, her requested pork chops and mashed potatoes. Now I like pork chops alright, but when ever I eat a pork chop I think to myself, I wish this was steak. However, this is what he wanted and that is what we would have.

So my mother said, coat the pork chops in graham crackers. To which I refuted, because I said coating them in graham crackers is well and good, but would make some nasty graham cracker gravy. So we argued and argued about it in our normal fashion. Me telling her she was crazy and her saying she couldn't wait till I was old and had a a daughter like me. So she said SHE would make the pork chops and gravy. Mom coming back to the kitchen would be like Muhammad Ali coming out of retirement.

So I bought her some nice thick pork chops from Costco, a box of graham crackers and let her do her thing. I still watched over her shoulder. I chastised her just like she does me. I reprimanded her for being heavy handed on the salt (not even kosher mind you), and I demanded she drizzle some oil over the top before she browned them. When she wasn't looking, I turned down the oven. In my mind I was thinking how I could stubtly let the family understand that the pork chops were NOT by my hand, just in case they were a flop. I've got an image to uphold.

I mixed the flour and water together so Mom could make her gravy. After she was done I gave it a taste. It was great! No nasty graham cracker gravy there, it was very tasty indeed! The pork chops were moist and yummy. My Dad even said we should forget about turkey on Thanksgiving and just go with pork chops. Good on ya' mom! You still gots it!

So this is a public apology to my mother dear. Mom you were absolutely right about everything regarding the pork chop dinner. You are the ultimate cook, and you taught me everything I know. So if you want some great pork chops and gravy, here is the recipe.

Bake Pork Chops with gravy

Ingredient list

Thick cut pork chops

package graham crackers mashed into crumbs

sage (or pork chop seasoning)

salt and pepper

bay leaves

oil

Coat the pork chops in the graham cracker and line in a oiled roasting pan. Season with salt pepper and drizzle with some oil. Brown in the oven at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, add a few pinches of sage and some bay leaves, add a little water, cover and return to the oven to bake for 1-2 hours a 325 degrees, until tender and happy.

Once the pork chops are done, remove from the pan onto a serving dish and tent with foil. Prepared a flour and water mix (approx 1 part flour 2 parts water, mixed well). Add a little extra liquid to the pan (preferably the leftover hot water from potatoes) and get it boiling. Add about a 2 teaspoons of chicken base. Once it is boiling, thicken with the flour mix. Give it a taste, make sure its seasoned properly (you could add more salt, pepper, sage) Finish the gravy off with a tablespoon of butter. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Peaches are on! Let's get canning people!

2009-09-15T16:20:00.003-06:00

Once you have eaten home canned peaches, you can never go back to the tin can tasting store bought peaches. And like I said with the tomatoes, canning things at home are more economical and environmental. Opening a can of peaches in the dead of winter when there isn't a fresh piece of fruit in sight is a blessing. I have been canning peaches like a mad woman. The steps are almost exactly like tomatoes, I couldn't take photos to narrate my step by steps because I was doing it solo and had no one to click will I was using both my hands, so look at the tomato pictures and just imagine. . . .

First you have to decide what kind of peaches you want to can. For years and years I have taken the advice of the silver haired ladies at the farm stand and canned Lemon Elberta. Their advantage is that they are very big and firm. They peel really easy, and they hold up really good in the jar. The disadvantage is they aren't as sweet and peach tasting. This year I tried a some Pink Ladies, and they are sweeter and more peachy indeed, however, they are more susceptible to mushy stringiness. I won't be able to tell you what I prefer until I crack a jar open in the dead of winter with some cottage cheese. If it is your first time canning peaches, I recommend the Lemon Elberta. One box (half bushel) will do between 12-14 quart jars.

Getting started--

First prep your jars, the best way is to put them in the dishwasher, that way they will be clean and hot and ready to go. If your jars are clean and you don't want to wait a whole dish washing cycle, just rinse them with hot water and you will be fine. (the canning nazi's would probably disagree). Meanwhile, get a big pot of water boiling to blanch the peaches. Also get your canning pot boiling.

Get out three big bowls, (or you could use your double sinks, I have a farmers sink so it doesn't work) and fill them with cold water. One pot is to drop the blanched peaches into, the second is to drop the peeled peaches into, and the third is to drop the sliced peaches into. In the second two pots, add a few splashes of bottled lemon juice that way the peaches won't go brown. Boil a little water to soak the canning lids in as well.

Next, prepare the syrup that will go in the jars with the peaches. I do a medium to light syrup. I looked up the instructions for syrup that Ball gives and they were needlessly complicated. A med-light syrup is plenty sweet and if you want anything else, look another place. I do a simple ratio of 2 to 1. Two cups water for one cup of syrup. I did 27 quart jars of peaches today (one bushel), and used roughly 9 cups of sugar (18 c water).

Step 1:

Blanch the peaches in boiling water for about 60 seconds, till skin comes off easily (don't cook too long or you will get mushy peaches). Drop into cold water.

Step 2:

Peel the skin off the peach. The skin should just slip off the peach. I just let the skins build up in the very bowl I drop the peaches into from the hot water. Once they are peeled, drop them into a different bowl of cold water (that has lemon juice in it).

Step 3:

Slice the peaches into the third bowl with cold water. You can do halves, slices or quarters. I do quarters. I like halves, but you can't fit as many into a jar. So quarters is a compromise.

Step 4:

Drop the sliced peaches into the clean warm jars. Give the jar a shake so the peaches can work their way comfortably to their place. You want to fit as much as possible in the jar but below were the jar's lid screws.

Step 5:

Pour the hot syrup into the jar, just to cover the peaches (see the tomatoes to know how full).

Step 6:

Stick a knife or a chop stick into the jar to release any air bubbles.

Step 7:

Wipe the jars rim with a paper towel to make sure its free from anything to prevent it from sealing.

Step 8:

Top the jars with a warm sealing lid, and screw down with a a ring.

Step 9:

Immerse it the boiling water and cover with the lid. Boil for 30 minutes.

Step 10:

Remove the jars from the water and let the jars cool on the counter. They often won't seal till after they have come out of the water. Once they are cooled. Check the seal by pushing on the top. If it still have a flex or a pop, it didn't seal. You can try again, but replace the lid.

The smoothie

2009-09-14T08:50:00.001-06:00

EQUALS =

Now I have this thing about dinner, you all need to have a fresh fruit and a fresh veg at the table. It doesn't seem balanced if you don't. So we eat a lot of fruit salad at dinner. Not cool whip on fruit cocktail and marshmallows fruit salad, but fresh fruit cut into pieces and usually dressed with some yogurt. So quite often, because I feel like I haven't done my job satisfying everyone unless there are plenty of leftovers, there is fruit left over. So I pop it the fridge and later it is fruit all prepped, ready for a smoothie the next day.

Now, many would add a little protein powder. What is protein powder exactly? Its clearly not food. Muscle milk? That is just plain freaky. Instead of adding engineered, processed products, add a little whole grain oats! It is really tasty and really boasts the value to any shake. Some fruit, yogurt (full fat of course, low fat yogurt is a crime against humanity) about a 1/4 c oatmeal and some ice and it is a delicious smoothie that will make your body happy!

Tassie Cups

2009-09-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Being the P. Prez (aka primary president, aka in charge of the kids at church) I get to go the baptisms. This last weekend I got to speak at the baptism. Only here will I admit that I spent more time on these tassie cups that I took to the celebration party afterwards, then I did on my talk. Luckily, the gospel is simple so I don't feel guilty. My friend Kris, who's son was being baptized, put out a beautiful lunch buffet. Someone commented, (in a rude kind of way mind you) that it looked like a wedding. I think she should have taken it as a compliment because if you were to count the top five most important days in a persons life, your baptism day is one of them, right next to your wedding day. It should be made special and important, because you are making a special and important covenant. So good on ya' Kris!

The bare bones of this recipe I got from Ms. Paula Dean. Get her recipe here. This is great lemon curd recipe that I use all the time for all sorts of different things. What is great about the tassie cups is you do it in the food processor and it is so easy. I have the little pampered chef wooden dowel to shape the tassie cups.

For one filling I did Paula's lemon curd, topped with whipped cream and a raspberry. The second filling I did was chocolate pudding. Now here is the secret to making chocolate pudding taste yummy and homemade. Instead of making the Jell-O packet with milk, make it with half and half. Second tip, make it right in a ziplock bag so it is ready to be piped into the tassie cups. Once you are ready to fill the cups, snip off the end of the bag and pipe it right into the pastry cups. I topped the chocolate with a sliced strawberry. For the next filling, I did a cream cheese filling as the following;

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened

3/4 c powdered sugar

1/4 c heavy cream

1 t vanilla

First beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar (start slow or you will have mess) then add the cream and vanilla and beat till smooth. Transfer into a ziplock and put in the fridge and let it set until you pipe it into the cups. I topped this with more whipped cream and a peach. When you are prepping the peaches, let them soak in about a 2 cups of water with about a 1/4 c lemon juice (doesn't need to fresh) and a 1/2 c sugar. That way they won't go brown sitting on top of the cream.

The cups can be made a day in advance but don't put the fruit on until you are close to serving time, otherwise the fruit will bleed and look and taste sad.

Other note; Paula's recipe call for a 3 oz package of cream cheese, am I blind when I am at the store, or is there no such thing? I weighed it out from the enormous Costco style cream cheese she is using, but it got me thinking, is there such thing as a 3 oz pkg?

One dough recipe made me 15 cups.

Nearly whole wheat banana muffins

2009-09-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I find that my kids do very good with "nearly whole wheat". Since I have banned prepackage treats, I need to make treats that they like. So instead of going hard core on the whole grains, I am opting for nearly whole grain. I am a glass half fun kind of gal. So if its mostly whole wheat, its healthier!

Nearly Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

1/2 c butter

1/2 c apple sauce

1/2 c sugar

4 eggs

6 ripe bananas (or any other ripe fruit, I also used apricots)

1 c milk

2 c whole wheat flour (fresh ground if you are cool)

2 c all purpose flour

1 t salt

2 t baking soda

cream butter and sugar, add eggs, apple sauce, bananas and milk. Combine flours, salt and baking soda. Slowing add to wet ingredients. Do not over mix. Fill any muffin tin size you like. I filled lots of different one. This recipe makes a lot of muffins, so freeze half of them and you will be happy.

Yummiest way to eat them is, slice them in half, put them in the toaster to reheat them and some butter, and put both sides back together. yum! Great to pack in those lunches.

Everettisms

2009-09-07T09:25:00.004-06:00

I am the youngest in my family. The proof of this is that there are no baby pictures of me. The same is true for my youngest. I put together a video montage of Porter's first year of life, documenting his first solid food to his first steps, all set to sentimental music. Everett doesn't even have so much as a Kiddie Kandid of himself. Thus, he is the last child. Everett is an incredibly intelligent, hilarious child. Since, I haven't been exactly documenting his life, I thought I might record some of the entertaining things he says on my blog. I know its not exactly appropriate for a food blog, indulge me. He says classic things all the time, and I already have forgotten most of them, every time thinking, "I need to write that down!" So here are some gems from this week;

Earlier this week, Everett informed me that when he grew up he wanted to be an evil scientist, just before that he wanted to be on American Idol and sing, "Born to Be Wild"

In primary the 1st councilor in the bishopric was teaching the children about initiative, and how it means you do something without being asked. Everett turns around and says, "Hey, Alta did that once!" Meaning of course, he could never think of a time HE had ever used initiative.

He primary teacher told me that he ratted me out in class. They were talking about eating healthy foods, and Everett told the class I drink coke, and dr. pepper. To which another kids his mom did too, and Everett insisted that I drink more than his mom (I told you he was smart).

Everett is really into Superman, he wears a superman cape 24/7. We were in the car and he told me that he needed to go to Sequoyah's grave (our dog who died about a year ago whom he misses very much and talks about constantly) when we got home. When I inquired, he said it was because he needed to say this;

"Sequoyah, even with all these powers, I couldn't save you!"

Stay tuned for more Everettisms . . .

Julie and Juila

2009-09-06T17:57:00.004-06:00

Ok so I am officially the last food blogger on earth to see Julie and Juila. I finally went out last night with a group of chatty ladies to see it (love you all). We also tried the restaurant, Terra Mia, which is across from the new movie theatre from Costco.

The movie:

I had high yet low expectations for the movie. High expectations because it got great reviews and so many of you food bloggers out there loved it. I had low expectation because the book was so painfully boring, there is hardly FOOD in the book and Julie Powell is kind of obnoxious and I really wasn't interested in her weird friends and her crappy apartment. Plus, as stated before, she drops way to many F-bombs to be that boring of a read. Also the book has nearly nothing in it about Julia Child, just some letters about her, and of course the concept of cooking from her book.

The movie however was FABULOUS! I laughed the whole time, and Myrle Streep was incredible. It made me want to rush home, get me a first edition of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", cook Beef Bourguignon, and watch the "The French Chef". All the while saving my pennies so I can ship myself off to Paris to attend Le Cordon Bleu.

The restaurant, Terra Mia was not French, it was Italian, and from the looks of it, very authentic Italian! It was VERY delicious. The great news is, it is not a chain but family restaurant, and everyone was speaking Italian in the back. I can't even tell you what I had, because it was the special, and I couldn't pronounce it, but it was pasta with a red sauce that had a smoky hint of bacon, and I loved it. They also have Neapolitan style pizza and gourmet salads. I didn't try the gelato, but it looked really good. The other great thing is that its not a sit down restaurant, its a go up and order then sit down and they bring you your food. So it is a great place to go before a movie. I recommend indeed.

For now, lets get cooking some French food. Ok, maybe not, French food is so complicated, I once saw a chef demonstrate how to make gravy the French way, its was like 10 days later you have gravy (ok, exaggeration, but it was complicated), just thicken the pan drippings with some water and flour already and be done with it, sheesh! So instead, lets go eat some french food and then watch "The French Chef" reruns. We'll make plans over lunch at Terra Mia.

Loving the Provo Farmer Market

2009-09-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

I love when Saturday rolls around because we get to go the farmers market! I love buying straight from the farmers and see all the other cool things they have. This is what a took to the church picnic.

All the ingredients I got from the farmers market. Marinated cucumbers and tomatoes!

Orange heirloom tomatoes, red garden tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon cucumbers and red onions.

Lemon cucumbers, hadn't heard of them till now, they were cool.

Cut it all up, cover it with 2 parts white vinegar, 1 part water, 1 part extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper and a couple tablespoons of sugar. Makes a yummy summer treat.

Canning Tomatoes: Step by Step

2009-09-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

Canning makes you feel like a full on pioneer! I love to can foods because 1-- they taste way better than what you buy in the store, 2--they are minimally processed with no chemicals or preservatives, making them healthier, 3-- Once you own the jars and continue to reuse them, not only is more environmental, but it is also cheaper by about 50 percent than buying cans of tomatoes or peaches or pears . . 4-- They make your pantry look so pretty! So stop by a farm stand on your way home and get some tomatoes so you can have fresh garden tomatoes all year long to use in your recipes!

What you will need to do two boxes of tomatoes, or one bushel:

One cold pack canning pot (the big black speckled ones, they are cheap!)

25 quart jars w/ rings and lids (rings and jars you can reuse, you have to buy new lids every year).

bottle of lemon juice

kosher salt

Make sure your jars are very clean and its best to keep them in the dishwasher staying warm while you prep your tomatoes, that way they won't crack when they go into the hot boiling water. Fill your canning pot with water about 2/3 full (add a little vinegar to water so your bottles won't get water spots)

Also get some water boiling in another big pot so you can blanch your tomatoes. Get some water boiling in a tea pot as well for the lids and to top off the jars.

STEP ONE

Go get a route 44 diet coke with vanilla from Sonic, you will be glad you did.

STEP TWO

Core all the tomatoes

STEP THREE

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for about 60 seconds then peel off the skin.

STEP FOUR

Dice the tomatoes.

STEP FIVE

Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the bottom of your clean, warm jars (7 jars fit in one canning pot, so do it seven at a time).

STEP SIX

Add tomatoes to the jars, fitting as much in as possible. Top the jar off with some boiling water, it should be only about 2 or 3 tablespoons, use a stick or a knife to release any air bubbles in the jar. The jar should be filled like the pictures shown here, to full or not full enough could hamper the seal of the jar.

STEP SEVEN

Wipe the rims of the jars so they clean and ready for the lids.

STEP EIGHT

Place the lids in a bowl of hot water for about 3-5 minutes then place them securely on the jars and add the rings and twist them on tight (you don't have to go crazy, just make sure they are on right).

STEP NINE

Put seven jars on the wire canning rack and place them in the boiling water. Make sure the water goes at least an inch over the jars. Bring it back to boil and boil them for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes are up, grab the wire rack with hot pad and remove the jars (they are heavy be strong!) and let them cool on the counter. Add the next 7 jars. Once they are are cooled, check the seals by pushing on the top. If seal still moves, there is a problem, and you will have to redo the steps. However, if you did the steps right, the jar will seal. Always check the seal of a home canned jar before you use them.

Now don't blame me if you get botchulism, because this is how I do my tomatoes. There are probably other "safety" things that other people do. I have never had any problems. The biggest thing is to keep the canning area clean, keep the jars clean and sanitary and keep your hands clean so nothing will go into the jars that could potentially get you sick later. and if the jar isn't sealed, its not eatable!

Tips for a Painless Lake Powell Trip Part III

2009-09-01T20:35:00.003-06:00

Before I start on my final advice for lake powell, let it be noted there are two ways of eating at Lake Powell, one is eat to survive, and the other is survive to eat. I, of course am a survive to eat kind of gal. Like as stated in my above motto, "its not a vacation without good food." For many, Lake Powell is all about the jet skiing, the cliff jumping, the wake surfing and the water skiing at dusk on glass. Not for me, Lake Powell is about being on a gorgeous lake with friends and family and eating GREAT food. I only go out on the speed boat and wave runners as a token for being there, and to impress my children. So, I am giving advice for having great food, the easiest way possible. Of course, there are way easier ways to roll at Powell; cold cereal, sandwiches and hamburgers. What fun would that be?

My last and most important tip is. . . .

Plan Meals Precisely!

Having a well written menu plan, shopping list, and "to bring list" is a must. First lay out the menu in detail. This was my menu for roughly 30 people for 6 days:

Wednesday: No breakfast, no lunch

Dinner: Spaghetti with meat sauce

Garlic Bread

Green Salad w/ olive garden dressing

Watermelon

dessert: store bought ice cream

Thursday:

Breakfast: Whole wheat crunchy french toast w/ buttermilk syrup

fresh berries and bananas, milk, orange juice.

Lunch: Cold cut sandwiches, artichoke dip with baguette , fruit

Dinner: Salmon, chicken kebabs, assorted roasted vegetables and pineapple,

egg rice, corn on the cob, fruit salad

dessert: fresh baked cookies

Friday:

Breakfast: Eggs any style, hash browns, bacon and toast, orange juice

Lunch: Mexican beef, homemade refried beans, fresh cooked tortillas, fruit

Dinner: London Broil, angel hair pasta, roasted asparagus, poppy seed salad,

watermelon

dessert: store bought cakes

Saturday:

Breakfast: Nearly whole wheat granola pancakes w/ apple cider syrup, fresh fruit

Lunch: Cold cut sandwiches, pasta salad

Dinner: Beef stroganoff on rice, green beans, green salad w/ ranch, watermelon

dessert: peach shortcake with fresh cream

Sunday:

Breakfast: Old fashioned oatmeal with fresh whipped cream and berries

Lunch: Beef chili nachos

Dinner: Baby back pork ribs, skillet cheese potatoes, fruit salad, green salad broccoli

dessert: Magalby's chocolate cake

Monday:

Breakfast: Nearly whole wheat pancakes w/ buttermilk syrup and fresh fruit

Lunch: Hot steak sandwiches

Dinner: Bon Jon on rice w/ balsamic strawberry and goat cheese salad, fresh peaches

dessert: homemade lemon pineapple ice cream

Tuesday:

Breakfast: cold cereal, leave boat by 9 am

So that was just the outline folks (many of these dishes I have posted before, some I have not, just let me know what you want to hear about later). Once you have the outline, you have to write the mother of all lists.

So you go through your outline and write down specifically what each component of the meal entails. For instance, crunchy french toast-- you will need bread, corn flakes, eggs, cream, oil for the pan, For the syrup; butter, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, baking soda. Then the fruit, and the beverages.

Once you have done that, you have created a huge list. Then you need to organize that list. Put everything into a category of produce, dairy, middle of the isle, etc. Also, into categories of where to bring from, or buy from; from home, from Costco, or to be bought closer to Lake Powell. Make two copies, so you can check it off once it has been purchased, and then check it off once it has been packed, so you know you didn't miss a thing. Also make a list for your equipment. You also have do add drinks, paper goods, snacks and treats.

The only things I buy from a grocery store in Page, (close to Powell) is bread, deli meats, and dairy because I want the freshest possible, and I want to cut back on the number of coolers I have to bring. Everything else I buy from Costco, and prepare and pack at home.

Label your coolers, so you don't have to constantly open them to find what you need once you get there.

Ok, my brain hurts. The good news is, once you have made the list, you can use it year after year.

Remember, good food equals good vacation. This last trip it was adults only (I was cooking for my Dad's company vacation and I was getting paid to do it, holy sweetness) and it was WAY less work then being at home with my kids! Cooking three meals a day and cleaning up afterwards, that's it? No shoe tying, no bum wiping, no reading "Magic Tree House" no yelling, no teeth pulling. Just cooking. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! I read, I napped, I swam, I laid in the sun, I went on the boat. When I came home I was so happy to see my kids, and they were happy to see me. It was great. So I guess what I am saying is, I am for hire! At an outrageous fee of course.

Tips for a Painless Lake Powell: Part II: Equipment

2009-08-30T17:23:00.004-06:00

If you are cooking for a lot of people in a small area like on a house boat, the right equipment is an absolute necessity.

first tip . . .

DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT

Ok, so maybe that's not the best way of putting it. What I mean by that is bring as much "disposable" things as possible. I almost never use disposable at home, but for Powell, I make an exception. I will say however, I always like to use real silverware because I really HATE eating with plastic cutlery (plastic cutlery is not worthy of my food). The most useful disposable item is the tin casserole dishes to serve the food in.

At a regular grocery store they are kind of spendy, so always buy them at the dollar store. Its pretty much the only thing that takes me to a dollar store, which infuriates my children because they love it there. Paper plates, bowls, cups and napkins are an obvious must. Make sure to pack a couple black sharpies so people can write their names on their cups (something I forgot to do and we went through way too many cups). Paper towels, and clorox wipes are a must for clean up.

When you get home, walk to the grocery store with your reusable sacks to repent of your environmental sins.

second tip:

Big Bowls, Big Pots, Big Grill

If the kitchen you are cooking in is small, chances are the equipment is small too, so bring your own. Also, if you are a knife snob like me, bring one of your own knives. Now the pots and bowls I brought are HUGE, I got them at orson gygi. What I love the most is the stove top grill. Its a beauty . . .

Thinking ahead to what equipment you will need for each meal makes a big difference on the trip.

Tips for a Painless Lake Powell Trip Part I

2009-08-27T12:19:00.005-06:00

These tips would work for any trip where you are going to feed a lot of people, but have a kitchen that is small and painful, like a kitchen on a house boat. I fed about 30 people for 6 days all by my lonesome self. So the first must do tip is . . . . .

PRE-COOK or PRE-PREP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

The following things I precooked and froze:

Bon-Jon (I just discovered I have never posted this recipe! wow! top 20 for sure, stay tuned . . )

Beef Stroganoff (I haven't posted this recipe yet, stay tuned)

baby back ribs

mexican beef

re-fried beans (stay tuned)

beef chili (which I used for nachos)

The following things I pre-prepped and froze:

Thin sliced steak for steak sandwiches (still need to post that recipe too)

cut and marinaded chicken for chicken kababs

shortcakes for peach shortcake

The following I prepped to stay cool;

chocolate chip cookie dough that I rolled into log and rolled in parchment so I could cut them into cookie pieces

sweet balsamic dressing

poppy seed dressing

pancake mix (killer "mostly whole wheat recipe" stay tuned . . . )

granola

apple cider syrup ingredients (stay tuned . . .)

The more you get done at home, the happier you will be. This brings me to a kitchen tool of the week (which I haven't done for months)

A food saver. Yes, they seem like one of those lame, pointless, take up space on your counter appliances, but I use it ALL the time! Once you put food in a food saver bag, vacuum it and seal it, it is bomb proof. Lay it flat in your freezer, and soon enough you have nice stackable frozen foods that won't leak once they thaw out.

If you have lots of frozen foods, nicely stacked in a cooler, you can put a small brick of dry ice just to ease your mind, but really it will stay frozen for up to 7 hours in a cooler till you get to your destination to get it into a freezer.

Sure my kids go no attention while I was home fervently prepping all this food the week before powell. However, my book got loads off attention while I was on the lake because I didn't have much to prep!

note: I read the book "Julie and Julia", way too boring for dropping that many F-bombs, I however, still want to see the movie, despite the book being Lame, (that's right, with a capital L). It did however make me want to make my own mayonnaise.

fresh back from powell, so much to do

2009-08-26T08:59:00.002-06:00

Feels good to be sitting in front of my computer in the morning, reading the news, blogs, facebook, all that good stuff. Never mind that I haven't unpacked, I haven't even showered. I have been cooking for 6 days straight on a boat, I need a break!

However, canning season is upon us, salsa to be brewed, tomatoes to be jarred, gardens to be harvested!

My children are returning to school, outfits to be bought, lectures to be given, anticipation to be drummed up in their hearts!

What about all the blogging I must do from Lake Powell, I may just be the BEST Lake Powell cook on earth, I can't deprive the people?

Not to mention Fairb and I had the lamest birthdays EVER! (august 22, and 23rd respectively) we need a redo this week.

My kids are still asleep, I am out of milk and bread . . . . I think I'll just enjoy sitting in this chair a little longer, thank you very much.

note: kids need vacation from their parents! they were so happy to see me yesterday, I haven't even heard, "I hate you mom!" since I have been back! Its nice!

Nitro circus seal of approval

2009-08-16T20:55:00.004-06:00

On Friday I "catered" a lunch for the cast and crew of MTVs Nitro Circus. They came to my parents house to shoot and episode using the human slingshot and bowling ball cannon. I am clearly not cool enough to know anything about the show, but I guess these guys are pretty dang popular. Travis Pastrana is the premier person for what ever the crap he does, (triple million back flips on motor cycles or something like that). Whatever they do, they were pretty hilarious guys and really nice. Travis had all these fans from the canyon show up, and he was really nice to them, and they all liked my lunch, which makes them tops! So now I can officially say I am a caterer to the stars. I am famous! I told the guys from Nitro Circus I would make THEM famous by putting them on my blog. So stay tuned for their upcoming season to see my dad and the crew (perhaps a little Fairb). For a little sneak peek, they shoot a car with the bowling ball cannon.

Travis Pastrana lighting the bowling ball cannon

Travis running from the cannon

The car they shot

This is me with Jeremy Rawle, I am really that dorky, its not an act, but look at the spread behind us!

Cooking has all been a blur with prepping for Lake Powell and the Nitro Circus thing, so I am off to Powell this week, I promise to divulge my tips into having a flawless Lake Powell trip with amazing food when I get back!
Wish me luck!

Le Crueset can suck it!

2009-08-13T09:03:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I went up to Salt Lake to go to the restaurant supply store, Orson Gygi. I am going down to Lake Powell to cook for my dad's company retreat and we were in need of some mega sized pots. I could lay down a lot of coin in this store, which I did actually. I did see a little piece of heaven, which I just had to purchase.....

The picture may not adequately depict this angelic creation. This baby is huge! You could roast a 20 lb turkey in it. My mom has a magnalite pot that she has had since the beginning of time. I was always jealous of it. I have NEVER seen them in stores. So, I and this pot were meant to be. I can't stop looking at it . . . . aaahhhhh . . . .

So when I brought it home and Fairb saw it, he had to make a stink about it. Then I remembered! Its my birthday this week! BAM! I had a justification! and its not just any birthday, I am turning 30! BooYa! I just saved his bacon! I got myself a birthday present.

So I am so happy with my new pot, and it just in the nick of time! I cooking for 30 for 6 days, 3 meals a day at lake powell. I cook nearly everything before I go. I will have to blog about it later. Second, I am catering for the 50 person film crew from MTV's nitro circus who is coming to the cabin to do the human slingshot on friday.

THEN . . I have a primary quarterly activity on saturday which I am in charge of .

THEN, its Sunday which I will be alone in primary conducting, sharing time . . .

THEN, We've planned an outdoor theatre night in our back yard for a canyon FHE, (oh ya, your all invited.)

THEN, its off to powell.

Ok, so my pot didn't have a lot to do with any of that, but it still makes me happy.

Roller Coasters make my belly hurt . . .

2009-08-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Fairb is always conveniently absent when Lagoon day rolls around. Which means I am the one who gets to ride all the rides with the kids. Although I myself hate roller coasters because they remind me of what its like to be pregnant, I force my children to ride them. People are stare at me as I block my children from escaping out of the line. I hold Porter and Alta's arms tight as they beg me to not make them. I bribe them with diamonds and gold, and they still cry. Why do I torture my children, why do you ask? First, I know they are going to love it and be so proud of themselves for doing it. As I took Alta on the ride "Wicked" I thought she was literally going to pass out, when it was over I thought for sure she would flip out on me and never forgive me. As the ride stopped I looked over wincing, once she was finally able to breath she said, "that was so awesome! let's do it again!" Phew!

Second, in a safe environment, I want them to get familiar with doing something even when it is scary. You really can't be successful at anything if you don't push forward even when you are nervous. Pushing through fear is a good thing for kids to practice, because its hard to learn as an adult.

Third, I want them to trust that when mom says something is safe, its safe. Maybe they will start trusting the climbing rope. I am still trying to convince Alta that the scariest thing she can do is drive down the freeway without a seatbelt.

I would rather ride roller coasters than be pregnant because the nausea is temporary and there is no baby to sleep in my bed until he is 5. So now that I feel better, lets eat some pasta shall we? (talk about a lame segway)

Chicken Artichoke Pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes

3 artichoke hearts, quartered (or you can use a can of artichokes)

1 small onion diced

1 garlic clove minced

1 small can diced tomatoes

splash of white wine

salt and pepper

any italian cheese you fancy

box of penne pasta cooked according to instructions

Give a hot saute pan a splash of olive oil and brown the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken and add the onion, garlic and artichokes (if using canned hold off on the artichokes) season with salt and pepper. Cook till onion are translucent. Give the pan a splash of white wine to release the bits on the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes (now you would add the canned artichokes). Cover and simmer till artichokes are tender and the chicken is tender. Add the penne to the saute pan and combine to coat. Top with some cheese.

Mystery Solved!

2009-08-07T11:47:00.002-06:00

Who has been eating big bites out of my tomatoes in the garden?

It was heimlich!

Let's use up those carrots shall we?

2009-08-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Seeing how I'm not buying packaged goods anymore, I've got to make more wholesome snacks to have around the house, these carrot muffins are perfect, this is merely a wholesome twist to the best carrot cake ever. I can report, that Porter at a whole wheat muffin, and liked it (after he pulled off at the nuts of course)

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

2 1/2 c whole wheat flour (fresh ground if you fancy)

2 t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

dash of nutmeg

1 c sugar

1 stick butter

3/4c buttermilk

1 t vanilla

2 c grated carrots

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple

combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Cream together butter and sugar, add remaining ingredients. Note: instead of just grating the carrots, I put them in the blender to make them fine (I have a vitamix, I don't know what a crappy blender could do) I also blend the pineapple.

Spoon the muffin mixture into buttered muffin tins, optionally top with some chopped pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean.

I'm sure you have more carrots, I do.

2009-08-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

These are cookies from my childhood. They are so soft and yummy, you have to keep telling yourself they have carrots in them to justify eating so many of them.

Frosted Carrot Cookies

1 cup cooked carrots, mashed

1 c sugar

1 c butter

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 c flour

1/2 t salt

2 t baking power

icing:

1 stick butter

1 orange rind grated

2-3 c powdered sugar

3-4 T orange juice

touch of vanilla

The cookies:

Cream together butter and sugar, add carrots, eggs and vanilla and blend till combined. Combine flour, salt and baking powder, add slowly to creamed mixture. Drop teaspoon sized balls onto cookie sheet (I chilled the dough, I always chill the dough, its probably optional). Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes till browned. They should be more set then say chocolate chip cookies because these are more cake like, and not chewy.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting like you always prepared frosting. Cream the sugar with the softened or melted butter (and the orange zest), add the liquids until reaches desired consistency. Frost the cookies after they have cooled for about 10 minutes.

Its the carrot harvest

2009-07-30T19:00:00.001-06:00

Today I took the kids down to my mom's house to harvest the carrots. They loved being farmers for the afternoon. We will all be orange by the time we eat all these carrots. Don't mean to toot my own horn or anything (please, I love to toot my own horn), but I created a masterpiece with these carrots for dinner tonight. A savory, creamy carrot bisque.

The color of the soup might bum you out, but it is the best darn carrot soup you will ever taste. The secret to the soup is some leftover sunday dinner gravy from a beef roast.

Ingredient List

1 small onion chopped

1 potato chopped

5 cups of carrots chopped

1 garlic clove minced

1 1/2 c beef gravy or beef stock

3 c water

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

1-2 cups heavy cream

Saute onions, carrot and garlic, liberally season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes. Add gravy. Add water. Add bay leaves. Simmer until potatoes and carrots are very tender. Blend in a blender until smooth, but before you do, fish out the bay leaves. Do a seasoning taste test. If its too thick add some more gravy or water. Before serving add cream and swirl.

I served it with some homemade artisan bread and some fresh wild greens (from mom's garden) homegrown tomatoes (from farm stand) tossed with olive oil and balsamic and goat cheese. Real food people! Love it!

Now you could probably use beef stock, but it doesn't have my name on it anymore! It may not be as good. That is how the Chef from Chef's table gets away with giving out all his soup recipes, because the recipe calls for chicken stock, we all use Swansons, and he's using the yummy stuff he makes from scratch. It makes a big difference.

What to do with all that bacon grease

2009-07-28T18:41:00.003-06:00

So now that I am on a "real food" kick, I am happy to announce that bacon is a real food, and so is a potato, so lets put them together shall we? So we had bacon and eggs for breakfast. Now a good housewife would know you never pour bacon grease down the sink, because it will clog up your pipes eventually. So I usually let it solidify and spoon it into the garbage. Today however, I used it to roast my potatoes. You would think that rendered bacon fat would taste strongly of bacon, If you have ever put your finger in bacon fat, it really doesn't. It mostly just tastes like fat, with a mild hint of bacon.

I think we all connote bacon fat as the ultimate artery clogging substance. However, did you know they have never actually proven that saturated fat causes heart disease? Frankly, bacon fat is a "real food" where as vegetable oil is merely a food like substance and is high in omega- 6's which counteract the health benefits of omega 3's.

So don't feel guilty by these roasted potatoes in rendered bacon fat, because they are darn tasty.

Cut up any potato you like in big chunks (I used russets, but would have been thrilled to use yukon gold if I had them). Boil them in salt water until tender. Properly drain them (I spun them in the salad spinner so they were nice and dry). Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, positioning your rack on the top third of your oven. Spoon your bacon fat (as little or as much as you like) on a cookie sheet and add the potato. Season liberally with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing half way through until they are crispy and unbelievably irresistible. I couldn't stop eating them!

A little summer reading

2009-07-26T16:10:00.002-06:00

I only read a book once a year. I read a book on vacation when my children are completely distracted away from me. While perusing the bookstore I came across the New York Times best seller, “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan, which of course I picked up because I am all about defending food. Examining it closer, I realized I couldn’t possibly read it because I hate being told what to eat. I hate the guilt such literature ensues. After all, I am a raging sugarholic and have enabled three more abusers (my children), and I hate the phrase “health food”. After looking at a book about midwives (no more babies please) and the history about the Nation’s capital ( I thought it meant “capital” like assets, but it was the actual building, holy boring). I was lured back into “In Defense of Food”. Yes, I felt incredibly guilty after reading it. However, I really got some things out of it.

The premise of the book is that for the last 30 years our nation has been listening to the advice of nutritionists, instead of our mothers and grandmothers and it has only made us obese and unhealthy. The bombardment of the food industry creating “food like” products and claiming them as “healthy” is hurting us, and we need to get back to eating food. The author gives the example of butter, which is an ancient food. Well all the sudden butter was bad, and margarine was healthy because the experts said so. Turns out that the famous trans-fat margarine was breeding the heart disease.

The tag line of the book is, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”. Pretty good motto! Lucky for me, I didn’t feel too guilty because I cook mostly food. Aside from refined flours, and sugars, I use food my recipes, but I would like to fill my pantry with more food, and less food like substance. I believe in whole food. I crave whole food. Wholesome food takes time, but I got time. What is more important teaching my kids good eating habits and setting them up for a healthy life, or having my house clean for when the visiting teachers come over? (they laugh because my house has never been clean when they come over, and I am always in my robe). I have a new focus, not health food (gross), not low fat food (evil), not no-way-my-kids-would-ever-eat-that-are-you-crazy-food, but stuff your grandmother made from scratch food using whole ingredients. I have told my kids that I am no longer buying candy, chips, sugar cereal, egos, gogurts, and any other packaged foods (my 4 year old son Everett is preparing his emancipation papers). I going to make more bread, and more delicious whole food treats from scratch to fill our family belly.

Don’t get me wrong folks, I’m not going granola on ya’. Even though I’m not buying diet coke anymore, I’m still hittin’ sonic for a route 44 when I can. I’m not going to put nuts and dried apricots in the piñata at my kid’s birthday. I’m just going to try to let the whole foods push the food like substances off the plate a little.

Join me won’t you?

all you get is this crazy eyed picture

2009-07-19T16:50:00.003-06:00

Last night I cooked for over 60 people. If I would have had my camera, I could blog about homemade rolls, 6 varieties of cupcakes, homemade ice cream, shrimp macaroni salad, slow roasted pulled pork, homemade rootbeer . . . I forgot my camera, and blogging without a photo doesn't do the food any justice. So all you get this crazy eyed web cam photo. Sorry.

I am officially on vacation. The kind of vacation where I will need a vacation when it is over. Luckily, I pre-cooked everything! I'll blog about it sometime . . .I hope I remembered camera!

peace out

Pasta Salad

2009-07-19T07:00:00.001-06:00

This is the best snack to have sitting in the fridge to just pull out and have some bites right out of the bowl. It tastes better as it sits. Pasta salad is "waymo" (definition: way mormon, or extremely typical of Utah Mormon behavior) I have been to countless enrichment nights where it is pasta salad mania. Now this pasta salad is nothing special, no candied walnuts, no cranberries, no guinevere cheese, just pasta and vegetables.

Ingredient List

Bag of tri colored rotini pasta

dry pkg of Good Seasons Zesty Italian

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

1/3 c balsamic vinegar

handfuls of the following fine diced vegetables

green bell pepper

red bell pepper (yellow too if you want)

carrots

peeled cucumber

tomato

red onion (very optional)

Handful of shredded parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta and rinse it in cold water. Combine the oil and vinegar and seasoning packet. Combine everything together and stir well. Allow to cook before serving.

Too much fun

2009-07-16T09:09:00.009-06:00

Don't get me wrong folks, I have been cooking up a storm, but we have been playing too much to be blogging. Fairb has been home for awhile and we have been camping, hiking, biking, swimming, and partying. As a result the blog has been severely neglected. However, I have discovered a great recipe for a lemon dessert that I really need to share. This dessert is a winner. I got it off another blog,mykitchencafe.blogspot.com. She called it a lemon pudding cake, but I am respectfully changing it to a LEMON CUSTARD CAKE, because pudding makes me thing of JELL-O and custard makes me thing of ooh la la! It is a custard after all. Besides topping it with some fresh whipped cream, I followed her recipe to the letter. To find the most amazing lemon custard cake recipe, click here. I have made this recipe twice already. The second time I bake individual cakes in ramekins which made the presentation nicer. This cake is going to the repertoire.

Shish Kababs with out the Kababs

2009-07-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

For Bunko night I made these Shish Kabobs but I didn't use the skewers. I love the presentation of the food on the skewers, but they some how make me uneasy. I don't know if I feel like things are getting cross contaminated, or meat and vegetables can't cook together in harmony. Either the meat with be over cooked the the veggies will be raw. Plus it is very time consuming to skewer all the food! So I used some grill baskets like this one;I cooked the chicken, the beef and the vegetables in different baskets, and it worked out perfect! I marinated both the beef and the chicken.

Now everyone was so impressed by the tenderness of the meat, I would like to tell them it was the fantastic marinade, but it was tender because it was a tender cut of meat, that is why they call it the "tenderloin" or the fillet mignon. However, it was because of the marinade it had a fantastic flavor!

Beef Marinade

1/3 c soy sauce

1/4 c rice vinegar

3 T sesame oil

2 T sugar

4 garlic cloves smashed (not minced)

1 small onion quartered

Combine all the ingredient and add the meat. Marinade in the fridge for a couple hours. Now you don't want to fine chop the onions or the garlic because you only want to give the meat the essence of those things, if they stick to meat when they hit the grill, the garlic and onions would burn.

Chicken Marinade

1/4 c ketchup

1/2 c pineapple juice

1/4 c vinegar

3 T oil

1/4 c soy sauce

2 T sugar

As for the veggies, I used onions, mushrooms, zucchini, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and of course tons and tons of pineapple! After cutting it all up I coated it will olive oil and salt and pepper. I cooked the veggies first.

You just place the basket on the grill, and give the food a toss now and again until its done!

It was a hit! However, I didn't get a bunko, and I didn't even win a prize. I never do!

Gyoza

2009-07-07T07:00:00.004-06:00

Gyoza is one of those yummy Japanese foods that got me nice and chunky I love gyoza. Now I can make it.

Ingredient List:

1 lb ground pork

1 cup of cooked cabbage (shred some cabbage and boil it for a few minutes with a little salt)

2 green onions fine diced

1 T minced ginger

1-2 garlic cloves minced

2 T soy sauce

1 egg

Round won ton wrappers (they sell the round ones at Smith's)

Combine the above ingredients (excluding the won ton wrappers of course) using your clean hands to mix together well. Once combined, lay the won tons wrappers (about 6 at a time) on the counter and place about 1 T filling in the middle of each wrapper. Brush the edges with water and pinch together the edges in the prettiest way you know how.

Once all the wrappers a filled, heat 2 T vegetable oil in your biggest saute pan with a lid. Place the gyoza in the pan with the edges pointing to the sky. You will have to sort of push down on the gyoza to make a flat edge so they will sit up straight.

Once the bottoms of the gyoza are browned, add a glass full of water in the pan. The water should go about half way up the gyoza. Turn to med-low and let simmer until most of the water cooks off.

Now you can buy gyoza dipping sauce at some stores, but it is just as easy to make it.

Gyoza Dipping Sauce:

1/4 c soy sauce

2 T rice vinegar

2 T hot sesame oil

Combine.