Apple Cake Saves the Day

In order to lift off some of the doom and gloom around here, I've posted Debby's Apple Cake over on my recipe site HERE.

I made it on Saturday as I have 1/2 a lug of Red Delicious apples getting wrinkly and unappitzing.  We just don't like that variety for eating fresh.  But chopped up in this cake they are amazing.  Just enough apple-goodness to mix with the cinnamon and walnuts.  And this cake is sooo moist. 

Make it soon.  And don't bother with the frosting.  Just pour yourself a cuppa coffee and enjoy the spicy goodness as you sit in the sunshine and plan your upcoming garden.  Spring will be here soon.

Hugs
K~

PS  if you would, please send up prayers for Ds1, Ddil and Dgd3.  Instead of the home-birth they were looking forward to, it appears they will be having a C-section sometime this week.  Some little Missie is being stubborn.  Thank you so much.

New recipe on PQandKRecipes

I just wrote a review and my notes on a Fine Cooking recipe: Roast Salmon with Leeks and Bacon ove on my recipe blog.  (link on the right hand side)   It was delicious!  Even my Farmer said it was pretty good.  This coming from my meat & potatoes man. 

This is just one of 3 recipes I had bookmarked from the Fine Cooking site. I know there are more, so keep watching for more cooking and reviews.

Please let me know here or there if you make this and what you thought of it.  

Hugs
Kay

The Recipes Have Left the Blog

Announcing the New Prairie Quilts and Kolaches Recipe Blog... you can find it HERE.  I wanted the freedom to edit and customize each entry individually.  The page here would not let me do that.  I'm revamping that page to list the books I've read and enjoyed. 

I hope this makes it easier for both you and me to find my recipes. 

Happy Cooking!
Kay

Shrimp Pasta with recipe

Fresh Tomato Shrimp Pasta

Update!  You will find this recipe on my Recipe Blog.

The last time I wrote about a shrimp dish,  I had some readers asking for the recipe.  This isn't that one, but it is what I made for dinner this evening (for me... Dining Alone again.  Farmer-dear had Sloppy Joes, french fries and frozen veggies.  He was very happy.)

If you click on the photo caption, it will take you to the original recipe (printable) on Allrecipes.com.  Below is my variation from this evening.  It's changed enough to be my own now, I think.  ;o)


Hugs!
Kay~
** "My idea of pure heaven is to spend a day in the kitchen, peeling, chopping and stirring 
while the words of a good book fill the air around me." ~~ Ruth Reichl

More Pantry Challenge Meals

I'm having so much fun with the Pantry Challenge that I think I will continue it for another month. Anyone else thinking the same thing?

This week has been 99% pantry meals. I apologize right now for the lack of photos. It just was not the week for them. The websites below will have photos but I just cooked and ate.

First was wonderfully delicious meal came from the blog "Living Dangerously While Eating". Tammy made a Seafood Bisque ala Paula Dean. I love creamy soups and I love seafood and just happened to have some bay scallops in the freezer. I'm not a fan of scallops just sauteed or in pasta, as I am shrimp, but they were awesome in this soup. Tammy might have been smarter and healthier in her version, but I only have real butter and EVOO (organic) and real half-n-half here, so that's what I used. And do you know how thrifty and chef-like I felt using my own home-made chicken broth in this. :o)
Thanks again for posting this, Tammy!



Another oh-so-yummy meal was Pan-Seared Thick Strip Steaks with Red Wine-Mushroom Pan Sauce from Cook's Illustrated May 2007. Filet Steaks from the freezer, a one-glass bottle of Shiraz, a few quartered Baby Bell mushrooms, that home-made chicken broth and a shallot. OH MY Stars!! Along with bag salad and a baked Yukon Gold potato. (All produce was purchased recently, but the other ingredients were pantry/freezer-stash.) Now that was great Pantry Eating!
(And yes, I am a CI junkie..... the bound yearly editions, a cookbook, the website, the emails and the television program. I can't help it...I don't like recipes that fail. I'm a by-the-book cook until I get the concept down in my head.... then I can wing it.)

The last Pantry meal was too simple for words.... Spicy Beef Nachos. I know.... from serious foodie meals to this? Considering the Blue-eyed Farmer was having issues with a calf and a prolapse and the vet (I'll spare you the details), I did a quick and easy and comforting meal.

Basically this was a pound of our ground beef, a package of taco seasoning (or the equivalent if you make your own and I should make some more!), nacho cheese....(yes the stuff in the big can from Sam's Club....what can I say, He likes it and it makes great nachos, of course), black beans (or any beans you like), salsa, sour cream, jarred pickled jalapenos, shredded sharp cheddar, shredded lettuce and green onions & tomato if you have them... I didn't.
Oh and the chips!
Brown the beef, and make the taco meat according to the package. Heat the beans and nacho cheese. Open the jars, containers and bags of toppings. Once the meat and cheese are cooked & heated, it's just a matter of layering however you want. I went for traditional that night while the Farmer did Naked Nachos (chips on the side).
Extreme comfort food, that was much needed.
Again, the produce (lettuce) was a recent purchase (severe price mark-down as it was almost past use date, but no ick factor yet and that was 5 days ago), but all else was freezer/fridge/pantry stash.

Not a main dish but a dessert/goodie I took to church last Sunday was Pecan Tarts. Everyone has eaten these or at least heard of them. Basic cream cheese-based crust dough, with a chopped pecan pie filling, baked until done. Again, all "pantry" stash. And too good!

Next on the menu is Chili Soup for our church's chili cook-off. I have no great expectations of winning but hope they like the soup. I think I've posted my basic recipe, but if I find I haven't, I'll do it next week. (NOTE to Self: I need an index here of my recipes. This summer!)

Also on the list is Shredded BBQed Pork using a pork roast and the last package of spare ribs. This recipe is for the slow-cooker. The recipe was in our local newspaper and the story featured the blogger from "crockpot365.blogspot.com". Since I found the recipe on Stephanie's website, I'm not going to post it here. Just click on the link above. I have all the ingredients except Tabasco Sauce, but I have Chilpotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce and that will provide any extra needed kick.


Another pantry stash-busting project is to make bread and I want to play with the dough, trying a slow, cool first ferment. Someone just hide my King Arthur Flour catalog and don't let me log onto their website. Oh my..... SAF Yeast (great stuff-- so much better than Red Star or Fleschman's); Espresso Power for extra UMPH in chocolate recipes; something called Cinnamon Filling mix..... I have such a craving for Cinnamon Rolls; a dried fruit mix of moist dried apricots, raisins, pineapple, dates, and cranberries -- OH MY! And all those are free shipping this weekend. I think I can justify buying them.... I'm doing RAB* this year. But that's a post for another day.....

And also for another day is a Milk Chocolate Caramel Tart from the Feb10 Bon Appetit magazine. Valentine's Day IS coming soon.....

*Random Acts of Baking

What is cooking in your kitchen this week?

Hugs
K~
**Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~Plato

Peaches & Tarte Tartins

I have wonderful, if sneaky, neighbors. One of them left these awesome, Nebraska-grown peaches on my front stoop. But no note, so I don't know who to thank. And I can't recipricate with anything yummy from my kitchen. People around here are like that... they like to gift and act innocent. Random Acts of Kindness sometime run amok out here on the prairie.


Yum... Peaches. One of my favorite summer pleasures. I love stone fruit. Peaches, necterines, plums, apricots. I eagerly await for July & August each year so I can indulge to the fullest on the fresh fruit. I don't get the same pleasure from canned or frozen.

While the best way to eat a juicy peach is to just wash and eat (over the sink), sometimes I like to find a new recipe. Just for the fun of it.

There are only the two of us here now and I'm slowly learning to cook/bake for two. Not 4-8 people....which is what you have to cook for when 3 of the people are growing or grown men.
And since, in our getting older state, we don't need a lot of extra calories, I made just 2 individual desserts from some yummy peaches earlier this month.

(sorry, can't remember which magazine I got this from. Either Gourmet or Bon Apetite)

The Players-- Puff Pastry, peaches, almond flavoring, brown sugar (because I was not going to make caramel on a weeknight... or any other night for that matter. I just wouldn't.) Just imagine the egg and butter here also, please....sheesh~
And please notice my favorite knife. I would grab that second if we had a fire. (not really, but I do love it!)
And those cute, cute, cute tart pans!

See! Cute!

(and sorry about the photo quality below. It was totally operator -error.)



Slice up 2 peaches and place in the cute tart pans. (I sprayed them with cooking spray because those little dimples are a pain to wash!)
Sprinkle with a little almond extract and top with brown sugar.


One sheet of puff pastry, thawed and cut into squares. (again, notice the awesome knife!)

Gently tuck the puff pastry around the peach slices and sugar. Brush with egg wash and bake according to the recipe directions.


After the time spent in the oven, they come out looking browned and crispy and smelling yummy!

And after a short cooling time and a dollop of whipped cream (oh... ok, Whipped Topping), they are savored and ooooooed and ahhhhhhed over by moi.

Silly Blue-eyed Farmer forewent eating his, for some unknown, ridiculous reason and being the wonderful wife I am, I saved it for him and then it got moldy. That won't happen again. Someone, but not necessarily me, will eat my creations!

That was then and now I have a large baking sheet of getting-ripe peaches with whit to plan new adventures.

And soon it will be Nebraska apple time!

Until next time,
Hugs!
Kay~

** “Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it." ~Thomas Walker

Monday, Monday.... & zucchini cake

Zucchine


Happy Monday! I'm rejoicing in the day, even if it is suppose to get up to 97-stinkin' degrees this afternoon! **s-i-g-h~~~** I guess I can't complain. We did have an awesome July, cool and comfortable and wonderful. I got a little spoiled by those cool days and nights.

It's August. My month of "me time" is over. **another sigh** Back to doing all those projects on the list.

At the top of the list is something totally wonderful and awesome and all those teenage adjectives..... My dear, loved, "twin-of-another-mother" Girl Friend, LISA is coming to visit in 3 days!!!! She'll fly into Lincoln on Friday noonish. I'm bouncing with anticipation and eagerness. 5 days won't be near long enough but I didn't want to keep her too long from her dfamily.
Be watching for photos and reports on our time together.

In preparation for Leesie's visit, I have some decluttering and cleaning to do this week. And of course since the weather has decided to heat up to normal standards, I need to rethink the sleeping arrangements. She'll keep the guest room but we'll be on the fouton. I need to move it and add more padding to that sad little mattress. But no complaints, at least we'll be able to sleep in the cool.

And on a more irritating note-- I found mouse droppings in the pantry! OM Stinkin' Gosh!!! You all know how much I HATE, Fear, Despise those vermin!! My dear Blue-eyed Farmer set traps in the usual hole (lazy susan) and one in the pantry. I didn't find any chewed up food stuffs and I can't for the life of me, figure out why it would be on the lid of a newly canned jelly jar, 2 feet off the ground. But I'm not taking any chances of being surprised later.
I so need a cat in the house.. ... ** more sighs **

I will be working later today and so need to get at my to-do list. But I did want to share my favorite zucchini cake recipe (HERE) . It is that time of year. **wink** I love getting zucs from my neighbor. It is a very good thing.

Enjoy the yumminess and stay cool today. Zucchini cake goes with anything cold to drink.

Hugs!
Kay~

** "Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,
Ripening fields lush- bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn."
~ Michelle L. Thieme, August's Crown

Swiss Banana Cake

Swiss Banana Cake

"This old-fashioned banana cake is based on a recipe that was given to Mrs. Bolander many years ago. Brown-sugar sea-foam frosting is perfect for this moist, light-layer cake."

by Mrs. Elizabeth Bolander, Indianapolis, Indiana
(1950- 100 Prize Winning Recipes: From Pillsbury's 2nd Grand National $100,000 Recipe and Baking Contest)

Bake at 350° for 35-40 mins. (check after 20-25 mins)

Sift together:
2 cups flour (they call for Pillsbury of course)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Set dry ingredients aside.

Cream together:
1/2 cup shortening (I used half butter & half shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar.

Blend in:
2 eggs, one at a time
1 cup mashed banana
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat for one minute.
Measure 1/3 cup butter milk or soured milk (1 tsp. lemon juice and rest milk. Let stand few minutes.).

Add milk, alternately with the dry ingredients; beginning and ending with the dry. Blend thoroughly after each addition.

Blend in:
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans.)

Pour into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
Bake until tests done in center. Cool for a few minutes in pan and then turn out onto cooling rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.

Sea-Foam Frosting (I did not make this.)

Combien 2 egg whites, 3/4 c. firmly-packed brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cream of tarter, 1 Tb water and 1/4 tsp. salt in the top of a double-boiler. Cook over rapidly boiling water, beating with rotary beater or electric mixer until the mixture stands in peaks. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and continue beating until thick enough to spread.



If Pie is more to your liking, you'll like this site: Warm Pie, Happy Home.

No-Knead Bread

(The extras for the Olive-Garlic-Parmesan-Rosemary version. I can't wait to eat this one!)

Happy Sunday Afternoon, Dear Readers!

The sun is shining, the temperature is 32° & the snow is slowly melting, I had a great time at church this morning and did I say the sun is shining?

I'm sorry I missed out on the Chili Cook-off at church today. It smelled wonderful but my poor Farmer is down with Another sinus infection. I really hated to leave but there will be a next time. We both are more than ready for Spring!

The No-Knead Bread has been baked and sampled. The first try was good but I know I can improve. The bottom crust was a tiny bit scorched and it was a bit, too springy of a dough? The second try of the original recipe is fermenting now. And the first try of the Olive-Garlic-Parmesan-Rosemary version is proofing the final time and will be baked this afternoon.

The recipe is from the January 2008 issue of Cook's Illustrated. (http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=11841)
The site will probably ask you to log in, but you can sign up for a 14-day trial. I did subscribe because I go to that site all the time. It is a wealth of information. I have stopped my regular subscription and just get the bound yearly editions.

Farmer-dear really liked it and it makes great toast. Not your normal store-bought bread type of toast but more intense and with more gusto.

I will also be making 2 more loaves of my usual Honey-Wheatberry Bread tomorrow. I cooked up the wheatberries yesterday. I could do it today but I'm heading down to the sewing room in a few minutes. Or I'm going to sit in the sun in my chair and read. One way or another, I'm going to be happy.

Have a great afternoon!
Hugs,
Kay~
**“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.” ~M. F. K. Fisher (1908-1992)


Find the recipe and my photos on My Recipe Blog HERE.

Life in late winter, In the Prairie Kitchen and more Frugality

"Life" on the Prairie-Farm

The "girls"

Mama & Baby #292

She really was not happy with me at all.
This was taken from about 100 feet away and she still was glaring at me.

First Baby of 2009

Go ahead and say it, "Awwwwwwwww~~"
Isn't she just the cutest thing?

"Thistle"

There is beauty, even in the "dead of winter."

---

In the Prairie Kitchen:

We're baking again in the Prairie Kitchen. I made a full batch of THIS BREAD on Sunday, 2 loaves. One in the freezer for possible gifting and one almost gone now. (what is it, Tuesday? How can it be almost gone? Oh yeah, I've had about 7 slices. )
Anyway.... I am mixing up The New Bread (No Knead Dutch Oven Bread) this afternoon. The Olive, Rosemary, Parmesan variation has me very intrigued. This bread calls for 12oz of lager. It was a bit embarrassing to remember I had a 6-pack of beer in my cart yesterday when I ran into an old neighbor who has no idea why I'd be buying beer except to drink it. Which I don't. And I didn't even think about it or that I should have explained. oh well.... maybe it added to their dinner conversation.
I thinking the regular version of the bread with Fluffy Orange Butter sounds wonderful.

I have been using the French Vanilla Creamer in my morning oatmeal. I only need a little bit, cut with much more milk, or it's wayyyyyy tooooo sweet for me. The French Onion Dip has been tossed. It just wasn't working it's way into any of our meals.

Farmer-dear has been making his favorite 1000 Island Dressing. We had all the ingredients so, Another savings! I will be digging out my dressing recipes for Dorothy Lynch (it's a Nebraska thing!) and Raspberry Vinegrette. I have some Splenda I need to use up (don't like it as a normal sweetner) and I think it will work in this.

This is tonight's supper:

Carolyn's Bacon Tater Crockpot Breakfast
1 pound pkg. frozen tater tot potatoes
1/2 lb. Canadian bacon
2 onions, chopped
1 and 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk (I used skim... no difference)
2 TBSP flour
salt and pepper to taste.

In crockpot, layer ingredients in order... one third of the tater tots, bacon, onions, and cheeses. Repeat layers two more times, ending with the cheeses.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and flour until combined... season with salt and pepper if desired. Pour mixture over layers in crockpot. Cover, cook on low for 7 or 8 hours.
Will serve 6 - 8.

I used dried onions as I wasn't in the mood to chop up onions at 8 a.m. And I think using the sandwich sized Canadian Bacon would be better than the pizza size that I used. I'll give you a review later on it.


More Frugality

1. Still trying to be frugal but not doing as well as I'd like. I bought a few inexpensive things for the girlies for Valentine's Day. We went out to eat twice over the weekend. It was breakfast both times so at least that was cheaper than a dinner meal out.

I did take a trip to the grocery store for Olives (Feta-stuffed, Garlic-stuffed and Kalamata, they are my guilty pleasure right now....6 sliced up on my salad / dinner meal.); and a few ingredients for the recipe above. We've been eating just salads for dinner lately. Bagged salad is on sale through Tuesday (99¢!) and I want to get more of those 38¢lb bananas. They were really GREEN yesterday.
We're trying to get our 7-9 servings of fruits and veggies in every day. Farmer-dear takes some kind of fruit in his lunch and I've been putting dried cranberries in my oatmeal, baby carrots with my lunch or for afternoon snack and fruit later too.

2. Remember I told you about Playlist.com for free music. I found another site.
http://www.pandora.com/
You can put in a name of an artist, song, types of music and it finds songs that meet the criteria. You can approve songs or disapprove. You can add more than one "station." So far I'm liking the variety. I have some pretty obscure intrumental music likes and it's found plenty to play. Seamless playing without having to rebuffer all the time. (one of my biggest pet peeves with iTunes radio) NAYY, just sharing what I've found.

3. I'm drying pineapple again. When fresh pineapple drops below $3 each, we buy 2 or 3 and I dry it in 2-3" slices for Farmer-dear. It's a healthy (and less expensive) treat for him in the evenings. I use the "ugly" bits & pieces in my evening fruit & yogurt dessert.
We'll continue to do this until the price goes back up. Out of the 2 fruit we got on Sunday, I had a large Tupperware mixing bowl full of slices. Easily 4 large cans worth. A can of pineapple here is close to $3 so I'm definitely saving money.

4. I did start my Cash for Christmas savings. I emptied Farmer's change container (except for the quarters that he uses everyday) and my change plus my loose dollar bills into gallon ziplock bags and have it tucked away so I can add to it every week. When the bag of coins gets full, I'll take it in and get bills. Not sure if I'll open a savings account with it or just put it away here. We'll see...


That's the latest news from the Prairie Farm. I'm off to find some lunch (leftover pizza) and then OMG! SEWING!!! After all, dinner is taken care of and doing laundry is sooooo boring.

Hugs!
Kay~

**"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
~e.e. cummings~

Fall Comfort Foods

Brrrr.......... It's definitely Autumn now. We turned the furnace on mid-week and I put an extra quilt on our bed.

With the cooler temps comes the desire for warm comfort food.
Here are two recipes I made this past week. Not only are they comforting, they also use in-season produce.

Autumn Squash Soup with Sauteed Apples

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, very finely chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme, 2 sprig rosemary, leaves removed & minced
• 3 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (I used evaporated milk.)
• 1 teaspoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1. To prepare the soup, in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat until foaming. Add the scallion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the herbs, squash, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to low, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, to cook the apples, in a skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced apple and remaining sprig of thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

4. In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Or ladle the soup into a blender and puree until smooth a little at a time. Leave it coarse and chunky if you prefer a more rustic soup or puree until smooth for a more elegant soup. Add the cream, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

5. To serve, ladle into warm bowls and garnish with the sautéed apples.

(Note: I had a bowl 2 days later and I think it was even better.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear Brownies

• 2 unpeeled Pears, grated (about 2 cups)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tb. butter, melted
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp rum flavoring (or 1 tsp. vanilla total)
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. dark raisins (optional)
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9" baking pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine the grated apples, eggs, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.
In a small bowl, combine the flour and spices. Mix well. Add raisins and nuts. Add flour mixture to apple mixture. Stir until just combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 30-35 mins or until tests done. Cool pan on rack.
Serve warm with ice cream or cool alone w/ dusting of cinnamon sugar.

=================================================================

I hope you all find a way to celebrate the season with something warm and comforting.

Next time I hope to share with you some fun vintage wins from Friday's estate auction. Fun, fun, fun stuff!
And also I want to share the almost-completed table runner I'm quilting.
(I need alot more practice on my free motion machine quilting. OMStars! )


Have a wonderful week everyone!
HUGS!
Kay~
~~"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~Jim Davis

Thanksgiving Shopping, Scalloped Corn Recipe and Baked Potato Soup Recipe

It is early on Tuesday. Farmer goes to work at the factory around 4:45 a.m. so I'm up then too. I'm not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, so usually I sit here at the computer with my cup of coffee and try to wake up enough to function. It takes a while.

I need to get "woked up" as it has gotten much busier at the office. People are starting to shop for holiday gifts. I didn't move from my desk yesterday. Between the number of incoming phone calls and all the mail I had to process, I was BUSY! I wasn't able to finish all in the in-coming mail so already I know I have a full day's work ahead of me. I don't mind at all. I like working full days rather than just a few hours. And my paycheck likes it too.

Last evening we went grocery shopping for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The store was very busy for a Monday. But I had a list and stuck to it. I was disappointed in the selection of organic produce this time. I also have to get past my obversion to non-organic poultry with this year's turkey. Next year I will plan ahead and get an organic one earlier in the season. I've been spoiled by the wonderful organic chickens I get locally.

I had clipped a few coupons and with our store card we saved over $9. The total was less than I had anticipated also. It is a good feeling to have the freezer, fridge, pantry and countertops filled with good food. It makes me feel cozy and safe inside.


A good read
We received the latest "The Berean Call" newsletter in the mail this week. I've included the link to the Nov. issue if anyone is interested in reading it. Dave Hunt writes about a call to repentence for the Church. I found it very thought-provoking.
http://www.thebereancall.org/Newsletter/html/2006/nov06.php


Menus
We haven't eaten many meals here at home in the past few days, with the weddings and last night's shopping trip to the city. I did cook on Sunday evening. I made a pot of our ultimate comfort food, "Baked Potato Soup". YUM! Very rich, very filling and very good.

Baked Potato Soup
2/3 cup butter (the real stuff)
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
6 scallions, chopped
4 cups, baked, peeled and diced potatoes (I zap them in the mw while the bacon is cooking in the oven-see below)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I bake it on a rack over a sided baking sheet, 350 for 30+ min, until crisp. While it is baking I zap the potatoes and start the soup.)

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the flour and cook stirring, over medium to medium-high heat, to make a roux. Add the milk in 2 cup portions (just eyeball it), stir each addition and cook until thickens. After the last addition of milk has been added and heated, add the scallions and diced potatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 min. Watch closely as the bottom will scorch if not stirred enough. Lower heat to medium-low. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and stir to combine. Right before serving, stir in the bacon. (or add bacon as garnish to bowls)
Serves 4-8 depending on bowl sizes and appetites.

Becky asked for my Scalloped Corn recipe. This came from my maternal grandma. It was not a holiday meal at her house without it or Liver Dumplings. I'll save that story for another time.

Scalloped Corn
1 can cream-style corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten slightly
2 Tb. butter, melted
1 cup crushed soda crackers.
Combine all ingredients. Pour into greased/sprayed casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 mins. or until top is puffed and golden brown.

-----------------------------------

Tonight I plan to clean out the pantry. (dang mice anyway!) I'd like to sort out the ingredients and recipes and dishes I'll need for Thursday. Wednesday I'll make the dishes I can prepare ahead.

I hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday!

Hugs
Kay


** "Man does not live by a turkey in every oven or a color TV set in
every home. Man lives by faith and hope and love, by the star on the
horizon, by the trumpet that will not call retreat." -- E. Merrill Root (1895-1973) American Writer

Cooking Week & Mennonite Fruit Salad Recipe

The Week for Cooking is Here!

Yes, it is the week that those who love cooking, wait for and those who don't enjoy it, dread.

I am in the former group. I love to cook. I'm an aspiring "foodie". It's hard to be a true foodie on a farmer's budget and living in the boonies with a meat & potato-loving farmer. Little by little I'm changing his mind and indulging in my "foodie" cravings. Fresh mozzarella has been the most recent splurge. mmmmm!!

My menu for Thanksgiving is as follows:

Roast Turkey
Baked Ham
Dressing
Mashed Yukon Gold potatoes & gravy
Gramma's Scalloped Corn
Fruit Salad
Either Sunshine Jello Salad or Crudities and dip
Homemade rolls
Pumpkin pie
Citrus pound cake

The men asked for both turkey and ham, so that is what we are having. It'll make for lots of leftovers and I won't have to cook all weekend. Especially since we are attending a second Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday.

This year I will be trying something different. Roasting a frozen turkey! According to those in the know, it works great.
Here is the website:
http://busycooks.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/cookfrozenturke.htm

In our home, Thanksgiving is all about tradition, so we must have scalloped corn and Sunshine Jello.

I will try to make the rolls this week before hand. The pie crusts will be made on Wednesday. The dressing, I'm ashamed to say, will be store-bought and boxed. It's what we like the best.

I will be doing my last minute shopping on Tuesday for dairy and produce. Tonight I will be checking the pantry and freezer for supplies.

Here is the recipe for the Fruit Salad.

Mennonite Fruit Salad
6 cups in any combination of the following: apples, pears, pineapple, nuts, marshmallows, mandrin oranges, tropical fruit salad, bananas (drain canned fruit very well)
Mix gently to combine.
Dress with following: 1 cup Cool Whip, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tb. sugar. Mix well and fold into the fruit right before serving.
It is best right away but will keep for a few days.


I hope everyone has a marvelous Monday!
Hugs
Kay

** "Talk of joy: there may be things better than beef stew
and baked potatoes and homemade bread --- there may be."
David Grayson