Simplicity.
1. Freeze those babies! Skewer, wrap with plastic wrap or put them in a baggie/storage container. It's a whole lot easier than trying to tote them around your house or a party if they're on skewers.
2. Cut them and put them into a creamy chicken salad or pasta salad. Add some nuts for a crunch and you've got yourself a healthy, hearty party in your belly.
3. Serve them with good cheeses, good cured meats, toasted baguette slices, crackers, and other finger picking fruit and veg for an exceptional picnic dinner. There is nothing wrong with an appetizer that is a three-in-one course with no more effort necessary. Open a bottle of champagne and celebrate simplicity!
4. Slice them up and put them in some gelatin along with other fresh fruits that you love. You can't go wrong.
5. Dehydrate them! Homemade raisins are amazing!
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Five Uses for Meatballs
Did you find some meatballs in the freezer section that were less than your choice of meat per pound? Or are you simply tired of the same old songs? Let's give you some light.
1. Tangy sliders. Half French dressing, half barbecue sauce of your choice. Pot, pan, crock pot, grill, or dutch oven. Now that's one heck of a 5 minute meal, don't you think? My absolute favorite barbecue sauce trick for pork country style ribs, too.
2. Go Greek! Cut them in half and stuff them in a pita with lettuce, onion, tomato, feta cheese, and a good cucumber yogurt sauce.
3. Toss them with egg noodles, butter, and parmesan.
4. Shepherds pie, except with meatballs. Cut and cook your veggies fresh or buy them in a can, it doesn't matter. Veggies on bottom, meatballs in the middle, lots of yummy mashed potatoes on the top. I always top it with cheddar.
5. Skewer those babies and toss them to the grill or grill pan. Brush them with a nice sauce of your choice. I'd probably use a vinaigrette or flavored ketchup and have some carrots skewered as well.
1. Tangy sliders. Half French dressing, half barbecue sauce of your choice. Pot, pan, crock pot, grill, or dutch oven. Now that's one heck of a 5 minute meal, don't you think? My absolute favorite barbecue sauce trick for pork country style ribs, too.
2. Go Greek! Cut them in half and stuff them in a pita with lettuce, onion, tomato, feta cheese, and a good cucumber yogurt sauce.
3. Toss them with egg noodles, butter, and parmesan.
4. Shepherds pie, except with meatballs. Cut and cook your veggies fresh or buy them in a can, it doesn't matter. Veggies on bottom, meatballs in the middle, lots of yummy mashed potatoes on the top. I always top it with cheddar.
5. Skewer those babies and toss them to the grill or grill pan. Brush them with a nice sauce of your choice. I'd probably use a vinaigrette or flavored ketchup and have some carrots skewered as well.
Five Ways to Use Vinegars
This is for those vinegars that you can see through quite easily such as rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, etc. I'll do a 'part 2' later on down the line with your balsamic and similar. Here's a tip for the road, too: Keep them in a cool, dark place to store them, and only have them open long enough to pour out your amount and close it right back. Vinegar is like spirits where oxidation is concerned. It just doesn't taste the same the farther down the bottle you get if you don't respect it.
1. Make your own salt and vinegar potato chips! Or pork rinds! You might possibly need a mandolin to cut the potatoes to the right consistency, but there's no reason that you can't have thick salt and vinegar potatoes now, is there? Mmm, definite side dish potential there. You can grab a bag of plain Jane (I use ruffles and kettle chips) and brush them with vinegar, or throw a vinegar damp paper towel into the bag and shake it up. Then add the salt. Same goes with the pork rinds.
2. Sweet and sour glazed everything, right in your slow cooker. 6-8 hours isn't a long time to wait until the first time you taste it, then you're going to wish you had a time machine to fast-forward to dinner! Vinegars can carry along such great tang. Seriously just shake up some of your favorite flavor vinegar with your favorite oil and toss a meat of your choice in it. Throw it on a salad or pull out a few veggies to compliment it sweetly, like carrots.
3. Alfredo sauce. I don't make one without it. I'm a firm believer in depth when it comes to my tastes. If it doesn't give me a 'wow' moment, it's not worth my time. A small amount goes a long way to jazz up a boring cheese sauce.
4. Make your own barbecue sauce! I'm not joking! Use different fruits and veggies pulverized in it or make it chunky style with your favorite vinegar. You just add enough sugar or salt in one form or another until it's to your tastes. Dates make a good add-in to stretch your tomatoes.
5. Pickle everything! Vinegar, water, celery seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, sugar, salt, dill, etc. Find your perfect flavor for the food you would like to pickle, and go for it! Fridge them a week before trying one for best results, unless it's something that you'd like a quick result, then just warm the mixture and toss in your items, allowing them to sit for a bit. Unless you're sealing cans, make sure to watch them in the fridge for when they start to go to Heaven.
1. Make your own salt and vinegar potato chips! Or pork rinds! You might possibly need a mandolin to cut the potatoes to the right consistency, but there's no reason that you can't have thick salt and vinegar potatoes now, is there? Mmm, definite side dish potential there. You can grab a bag of plain Jane (I use ruffles and kettle chips) and brush them with vinegar, or throw a vinegar damp paper towel into the bag and shake it up. Then add the salt. Same goes with the pork rinds.
2. Sweet and sour glazed everything, right in your slow cooker. 6-8 hours isn't a long time to wait until the first time you taste it, then you're going to wish you had a time machine to fast-forward to dinner! Vinegars can carry along such great tang. Seriously just shake up some of your favorite flavor vinegar with your favorite oil and toss a meat of your choice in it. Throw it on a salad or pull out a few veggies to compliment it sweetly, like carrots.
3. Alfredo sauce. I don't make one without it. I'm a firm believer in depth when it comes to my tastes. If it doesn't give me a 'wow' moment, it's not worth my time. A small amount goes a long way to jazz up a boring cheese sauce.
4. Make your own barbecue sauce! I'm not joking! Use different fruits and veggies pulverized in it or make it chunky style with your favorite vinegar. You just add enough sugar or salt in one form or another until it's to your tastes. Dates make a good add-in to stretch your tomatoes.
5. Pickle everything! Vinegar, water, celery seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, sugar, salt, dill, etc. Find your perfect flavor for the food you would like to pickle, and go for it! Fridge them a week before trying one for best results, unless it's something that you'd like a quick result, then just warm the mixture and toss in your items, allowing them to sit for a bit. Unless you're sealing cans, make sure to watch them in the fridge for when they start to go to Heaven.
Five Uses for Peanuts
No explanation or coaxing needed. If you're reading this, you obviously want to find an idea to make. Let's see if I can help.
1. Asian inspired pizza is a knockout with peanuts on top for crunch and a mix of half soy sauce, half homemade peanut butter. I top it with spinach and caramelized onion, roasted red peppers, and I goof it with some feta cheese. I know you think it sounds weird, but it's pure heaven. Especially when you coat some chicken in dredge that has pulverized peanuts in it!
2. Homemade peanut butter is an obvious one that some people look over because they think it will be hard to do. Peanuts, salt, sugar. That's it.
3. Coat it, like I said! If it can be crusted on the stove top or crispified in the oven normally, it can be done with peanut crumbs mixed into the dredge.
4. Honey roast them, then make your own trail mix or granola bars. They couldn't be simpler. Get your favorite dried fruits, honey, peanuts, favorite oats, wheat germ, whatever you'd like. Dip the bars in chocolate if you make them. It's heavenly. You can use those peanuts for peanut butter and chocolate granola bars if you just do what I said up above and pulverize with some sugar and salt.
5. Slaw. This one is so overlooked and it really shouldn't be. Why can't we make something that is sweet and crunchy take a jack-up with even more crunch?
1. Asian inspired pizza is a knockout with peanuts on top for crunch and a mix of half soy sauce, half homemade peanut butter. I top it with spinach and caramelized onion, roasted red peppers, and I goof it with some feta cheese. I know you think it sounds weird, but it's pure heaven. Especially when you coat some chicken in dredge that has pulverized peanuts in it!
2. Homemade peanut butter is an obvious one that some people look over because they think it will be hard to do. Peanuts, salt, sugar. That's it.
3. Coat it, like I said! If it can be crusted on the stove top or crispified in the oven normally, it can be done with peanut crumbs mixed into the dredge.
4. Honey roast them, then make your own trail mix or granola bars. They couldn't be simpler. Get your favorite dried fruits, honey, peanuts, favorite oats, wheat germ, whatever you'd like. Dip the bars in chocolate if you make them. It's heavenly. You can use those peanuts for peanut butter and chocolate granola bars if you just do what I said up above and pulverize with some sugar and salt.
5. Slaw. This one is so overlooked and it really shouldn't be. Why can't we make something that is sweet and crunchy take a jack-up with even more crunch?
Five Uses for Milk
If you're the kind of person that buys milk and then ends up tossing out half of the container because it expires before you can use it all so you have to pay double for a smaller jug? You are not alone at all. I am definitely guilty.
1. White gravy! Cheese sauce! Saute' up some sausage or bacon and create a gravy starting with flour and the fat that is rendered from the meat or some oil/butter if you don't want meat. Pour in milk slowly while whisking on low heat to keep lumps from forming. It goes faster if you warm your milk past room temp, but it really is optional. At this point, you would be finished, but you have the option of tossing in cheeses to use this milk-dump in so many other different ways. Southern chicken fried steak with parmesan in the crust and sauce elevates the dish to a crazy level.
2. Make up some chai tea or cocoa and freeze it! There's something extra special about milk when you flavor it with exotic spices. Even more special when you use half milk, half coffee in an iced coffee drink when you've chai-spiced your milk. It really is just exotic spices. For the hot cocoa, just heat your milk, add the sugar of your choice, stir in a melted chocolate bar of your preference.
3. Say cheese! Milk of choice, vinegar, salt. That's it. Look it up when you've got the time. You'll be amazed at how many kinds of cheese you can make. Use your newfound knowledge of the basics of cottage cheese to put some fresh into your pancake batter of choice!
4. Pudding! Make lots and lots of homemade pudding! Freeze the pudding in pop molds. You'll thank me later!
5. Use in place of cream for lighter chowders, soups, and stews that either require a lot of milk to cook in or finish with it.
1. White gravy! Cheese sauce! Saute' up some sausage or bacon and create a gravy starting with flour and the fat that is rendered from the meat or some oil/butter if you don't want meat. Pour in milk slowly while whisking on low heat to keep lumps from forming. It goes faster if you warm your milk past room temp, but it really is optional. At this point, you would be finished, but you have the option of tossing in cheeses to use this milk-dump in so many other different ways. Southern chicken fried steak with parmesan in the crust and sauce elevates the dish to a crazy level.
2. Make up some chai tea or cocoa and freeze it! There's something extra special about milk when you flavor it with exotic spices. Even more special when you use half milk, half coffee in an iced coffee drink when you've chai-spiced your milk. It really is just exotic spices. For the hot cocoa, just heat your milk, add the sugar of your choice, stir in a melted chocolate bar of your preference.
3. Say cheese! Milk of choice, vinegar, salt. That's it. Look it up when you've got the time. You'll be amazed at how many kinds of cheese you can make. Use your newfound knowledge of the basics of cottage cheese to put some fresh into your pancake batter of choice!
4. Pudding! Make lots and lots of homemade pudding! Freeze the pudding in pop molds. You'll thank me later!
5. Use in place of cream for lighter chowders, soups, and stews that either require a lot of milk to cook in or finish with it.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Five Ways to Use Potatoes!
Potatoes are always available in good bulk sizes for very little money. No matter what grocery store you shop at or if you go to a farm to buy a share, potatoes are probably the most affordable and versatile tuber. There are no seasonings that I can think of that can't go with potatoes in some way.
1. Hash. Dice, slice, or cut them into the shape you want and fry them in butter for a good start to hash. Throw in some veggies and/or bacon of your choosing and scramble an egg in there for protein. Simple, delicious, and as healthy as you could want it, since it can be customized in so many ways to use up your leftovers.
2. Mashed with the flavor turned up. I don't peel my potatoes, but if you prefer them peeled, go for it before you cut them up. Start cut up potatoes in cold water on the stove. Cook until just tender all the way through. The smaller the pieces, the smaller the cooking time. Make sure your water is well salted. When they're finished, throw them into a pan with some mayo, scallions, and cheddar cheese. Mix them up, breaking them up as chunky or smooth as you'd like. Add bacon in there for extra flavor, and you can add the bacon fat to your potatoes for extra homestyle happiness, or use it to make a gravy. Fresh cracked black pepper is the perfect finisher.
3. Not just any potato salad. Toss peeled, cut, and boiled (or roasted, mmm) around in a simple vinaigrette instead of the heavy traditional ingredients. For the vinaigrette, whisk your favorite vinegar or citrus juice with a good tasting olive oil or melted butter. Zest some lemon or orange in there for more flavor. Fresh cracked black pepper is perfect to finish this one too. Salt to taste. If you'd like, add in some bacon to this one too and use your bacon fat as your oil in your vinaigrette. You won't regret it. I toss in sweet peas and diced cooked carrot for a bit of sweet with my tangy vinegar potato salad.
4. Hasselback. So much flavor that you can hardly make yourself stop eating. You cut the potato like you would cut discs, just not cutting all the way through. It should look like an accordion. Put a tiny pat of butter between each crevice , rub the outside with butter, and salt your potatoes with a good flaky salt (I just use kosher). Feel free to use your favorite fresh herbs in the cuts, such as small pieces of basil, little sage pieces, or pieces of parsley. If you want to melt your butter instead to keep your hands cleaner, put the butter in a pan or microwave with the herbs and they will flavor your butter nicely for brushing it on and in the potatoes. Roast them on 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, then take them out and let them rest for a few. Sprinkle on a little parmesan or dollop some sour cream on top for an even greater treat.
5. Marinated. Cut up peeled potatoes and toss them in a baggie or self-made foil packet with salt, lime pepper or lemon pepper (zest and cracked black pepper that has been allowed to sit for a couple days), lemon or lime zest, a slice of onion, garlic powder. Let them hang out in this mixture for anywhere from a half-hour to overnight. Turn the oven on 400 and roast them for 30-45 minutes, stirring them around about halfway through cook time. Feel free to change up the add-ins. Cook them on the stove if you don't want to wait for the oven or the oven is occupied. Cut them to grill up without falling through the grate if you want them to have some grill action. You can even microwave them, the consistency will just be different.
1. Hash. Dice, slice, or cut them into the shape you want and fry them in butter for a good start to hash. Throw in some veggies and/or bacon of your choosing and scramble an egg in there for protein. Simple, delicious, and as healthy as you could want it, since it can be customized in so many ways to use up your leftovers.
2. Mashed with the flavor turned up. I don't peel my potatoes, but if you prefer them peeled, go for it before you cut them up. Start cut up potatoes in cold water on the stove. Cook until just tender all the way through. The smaller the pieces, the smaller the cooking time. Make sure your water is well salted. When they're finished, throw them into a pan with some mayo, scallions, and cheddar cheese. Mix them up, breaking them up as chunky or smooth as you'd like. Add bacon in there for extra flavor, and you can add the bacon fat to your potatoes for extra homestyle happiness, or use it to make a gravy. Fresh cracked black pepper is the perfect finisher.
3. Not just any potato salad. Toss peeled, cut, and boiled (or roasted, mmm) around in a simple vinaigrette instead of the heavy traditional ingredients. For the vinaigrette, whisk your favorite vinegar or citrus juice with a good tasting olive oil or melted butter. Zest some lemon or orange in there for more flavor. Fresh cracked black pepper is perfect to finish this one too. Salt to taste. If you'd like, add in some bacon to this one too and use your bacon fat as your oil in your vinaigrette. You won't regret it. I toss in sweet peas and diced cooked carrot for a bit of sweet with my tangy vinegar potato salad.
4. Hasselback. So much flavor that you can hardly make yourself stop eating. You cut the potato like you would cut discs, just not cutting all the way through. It should look like an accordion. Put a tiny pat of butter between each crevice , rub the outside with butter, and salt your potatoes with a good flaky salt (I just use kosher). Feel free to use your favorite fresh herbs in the cuts, such as small pieces of basil, little sage pieces, or pieces of parsley. If you want to melt your butter instead to keep your hands cleaner, put the butter in a pan or microwave with the herbs and they will flavor your butter nicely for brushing it on and in the potatoes. Roast them on 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, then take them out and let them rest for a few. Sprinkle on a little parmesan or dollop some sour cream on top for an even greater treat.
5. Marinated. Cut up peeled potatoes and toss them in a baggie or self-made foil packet with salt, lime pepper or lemon pepper (zest and cracked black pepper that has been allowed to sit for a couple days), lemon or lime zest, a slice of onion, garlic powder. Let them hang out in this mixture for anywhere from a half-hour to overnight. Turn the oven on 400 and roast them for 30-45 minutes, stirring them around about halfway through cook time. Feel free to change up the add-ins. Cook them on the stove if you don't want to wait for the oven or the oven is occupied. Cut them to grill up without falling through the grate if you want them to have some grill action. You can even microwave them, the consistency will just be different.
Five Ways to Use Cherries
Cherries are aplenty this time of year, which is fine by me. If we had a cherry festival down here in Georgia or Florida, I would eat every cherry thing I could get my hands on. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them.
1. Make cherry cream cheese or cherry butter. In either choice, it's simply about how sweet you want them, and the amount you use determines the amount of sugar you need. Pit them and toss them into a saucepan either cut up or whole. Start small with the sugar and taste often while you cook them down, adding bits of sugar until they're just right. Cool them and fold them into room temperature cream cheese or butter and wrap them up into a log with plastic wrap or into a seal able container. It really is that simple. If you wanted, you could also just cook the cherries up until they're how you want them to taste, and put them into a container just like that for a sauce or add-in for desserts.
2. Steak. Cherries cooked down in beef broth until they're super soft can start a sauce like no other. Dash in some Worcestershire sauce, then mix a spoon of corn starch with a small amount of cold broth or water and pour it in while the cherries and broth are boiling away. Lower the heat a bit and let it simmer just until thickened how you'd like. You could also make a roux (heat up a fat and add flour, cooking the flour taste out) if you don't have corn starch or don't know quite how it works. When your roux has deepened in color you add in your cherry broth a few spoons at a time while whisking constantly until it's all incorporated and thickening nicely.
3. Coat them with your favorite chocolate. Pit your cherries and toss them in a bowl of tempered chocolate chips or chocolate bar. You just put your chocolate into a bowl and nuke it in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until the chips or bar are almost all the way melted. You keep stirring for a minute after it comes out of the nuker and it will all melt the rest of the way, trust me. Put coated cherries on wax or parchment paper and let them set. That's all it takes. Got leftover chocolate? Drizzle it over the tops of the dried cherries with a bit of coloring in it, or even just as it is. Flare is good, and so is chocolate, so no waste necessary.
4. Get them drunk. Pick a favorite liquor (use brandy here) and pour it over cherries and sugar in a sealable container and store for a week in the fridge, shaking once per day. Talk about fruit that opens your eyes! Coat them with chocolate and allow it to dry for an even more decadent treat. I'd give you amounts, but the truth is nobody likes them the same way. Go as light or heavy on the sweet as you want, it's your adventure!
5. Cereal, hot or cold. Pit and cut your cherries for use in your favorite cereals and oatmeals. They're always a great tasting addition, and they add nothing but health to your meal. Toss them around in some granola to carry with you if you'd like, because cherries really do keep quite well whether hot or cold.
1. Make cherry cream cheese or cherry butter. In either choice, it's simply about how sweet you want them, and the amount you use determines the amount of sugar you need. Pit them and toss them into a saucepan either cut up or whole. Start small with the sugar and taste often while you cook them down, adding bits of sugar until they're just right. Cool them and fold them into room temperature cream cheese or butter and wrap them up into a log with plastic wrap or into a seal able container. It really is that simple. If you wanted, you could also just cook the cherries up until they're how you want them to taste, and put them into a container just like that for a sauce or add-in for desserts.
2. Steak. Cherries cooked down in beef broth until they're super soft can start a sauce like no other. Dash in some Worcestershire sauce, then mix a spoon of corn starch with a small amount of cold broth or water and pour it in while the cherries and broth are boiling away. Lower the heat a bit and let it simmer just until thickened how you'd like. You could also make a roux (heat up a fat and add flour, cooking the flour taste out) if you don't have corn starch or don't know quite how it works. When your roux has deepened in color you add in your cherry broth a few spoons at a time while whisking constantly until it's all incorporated and thickening nicely.
3. Coat them with your favorite chocolate. Pit your cherries and toss them in a bowl of tempered chocolate chips or chocolate bar. You just put your chocolate into a bowl and nuke it in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until the chips or bar are almost all the way melted. You keep stirring for a minute after it comes out of the nuker and it will all melt the rest of the way, trust me. Put coated cherries on wax or parchment paper and let them set. That's all it takes. Got leftover chocolate? Drizzle it over the tops of the dried cherries with a bit of coloring in it, or even just as it is. Flare is good, and so is chocolate, so no waste necessary.
4. Get them drunk. Pick a favorite liquor (use brandy here) and pour it over cherries and sugar in a sealable container and store for a week in the fridge, shaking once per day. Talk about fruit that opens your eyes! Coat them with chocolate and allow it to dry for an even more decadent treat. I'd give you amounts, but the truth is nobody likes them the same way. Go as light or heavy on the sweet as you want, it's your adventure!
5. Cereal, hot or cold. Pit and cut your cherries for use in your favorite cereals and oatmeals. They're always a great tasting addition, and they add nothing but health to your meal. Toss them around in some granola to carry with you if you'd like, because cherries really do keep quite well whether hot or cold.
Five Ways to Use Bacon!
I don't think I've met too many people who didn't find bacon one of the most desired meats on the menu. The salty goodness makes your mouth water just thinking about it. Do you know any of these non-standard ways of using it?
1. Gravy. Who doesn't like a good gravy for their mashed potatoes or chicken fried steak? Well, it just got a million times better. Render your bacon, starting in a cold pan, until all the fat is in the pan and the meat is as cooked as you prefer it, then take it out of the pan to drain and rest. Add a little butter or oil if the bacon fat doesn't seem to be much. Sprinkle just enough flour into the pan that it soaks up the grease and whisk until you see no lumps and it has cooked to a light golden color. Whisk your liquids into your pan slowly and constantly so that you don't build a gravy with lumps.
Depending on your intentions for the gravy, there are a few different liquids that are good to complete a gravy with. Chicken broth makes the gravy light brown, usually preferred for potatoes by quite a few people. Beef broth makes the gravy a fantastic sauce to add a little depth to steaks and it's good to heat meatballs in with a spoon of sour cream and a dash of Worcestershire sauce for tang. Whisk milk into your flour and fat if you want a good white gravy for things such as biscuits and gravy or you want something to dip your fried chicken in.
Each of these gravies just need salt and pepper to make them worthy of accompaniment with tons of meats and veggies. You choose how you want your gravy seasoned. Cook up some cauliflower and puree with some butter and milk/cream/sour cream for a faux mashed potato to put gravy on. Your kids won't believe their tastebuds and you make a better choice for yourself in the process.
2. Stuff it. I mean it. Anything that can be stuffed with something deserves to be stuffed with bacon. Cut a chicken breast open and stuff it with spinach, bacon, and onions. Cut a pork chop open and stuff the hole with a mixture of small bread cubes, butter, bacon, and your favorite herbs. Got to make a big bird or roast for an occasion or just feeling like some rotisserie? Make a big pan of stuffing to eat with that pile of meat. Pulverize a bunch of stale bread and give it some love with your preferred broth, rendered bacon fat, and chopped up cooked bacon. Mix in lots of fresh herbs and some fresh minced garlic. Talk about a winner!
3. Wrap it. If you can fry it, you can fry it with bacon wrapped around it. Hot dogs in the fryer? Why not? Wrap that dog with some bacon and taste the magic. Corn dogs? Yes, those too. Bump up that after school snack with a bacon-wrapped corndog. You won't regret it. Your pants might...but who says they get a say in this? Wrap up that meatloaf before you put it in the oven. Wrap up chicken legs before you roast them with some bbq. Wanna grill something? You know what I'm going to say. Wrap it with bacon, baste it with bacon fat, and put a little bacon in that Bloody Mary while you're waiting for Mr. Grill. Burgers and bacon are best friends. Don't like asparagus much? Wrap it with bacon and throw that on the grill or into the oven. Corn on the cob gets a nice salty bite to it's natural sweet when it's wrapped up in bacon. Wrap it around green beans and put the beans down into a foil pan with a little bit of brown sugar or honey and roast it a while.
4. Sandwich it. Put it with your favorite greens on some bread with a deliciously juicy green or red tomato for your own style of BLT. Put it in between bread with some sloppy joes. Put it on a burger. Put it on a chicken sandwich. Make a wrap with any of these ideas if you don't have bread or want less carbs. My favorite wrap is a good use for it. Cheeseburger wraps are quick and easy, with the option of using whatever kind of ground meat you could possibly wish to use, as it all tastes good with bacon. I cook up the bacon in one pan and the ground meat in another. When the ground meat is finished, I mix in some ketchup and mustard. Fill a tortilla with your ground meat mixture and top it with your choice of cheese, bacon, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and whatever else you want wrapped up in it. You won't be sorry when you get a taste of this one.
5. Last but not least is pasta. There is so much I could say here, but I'm going to stick with what happens to be my favorite pasta dish...spaghetti alla carbonara. You cook up your pasta, then bacon, keeping a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan, then throw them together in your bacon pan after chopping the bacon. Beat a couple eggs with some good parmesan or similar hard cheese and pour into the pasta pan. Toss the pasta constantly until coated and the sauce is thick, keeping the pan off of the heat. Salt and pepper to taste, just remember that bacon and parm are both quite a bit salty. I add lots of black pepper before serving because it gives it a good depth of flavor for me.
1. Gravy. Who doesn't like a good gravy for their mashed potatoes or chicken fried steak? Well, it just got a million times better. Render your bacon, starting in a cold pan, until all the fat is in the pan and the meat is as cooked as you prefer it, then take it out of the pan to drain and rest. Add a little butter or oil if the bacon fat doesn't seem to be much. Sprinkle just enough flour into the pan that it soaks up the grease and whisk until you see no lumps and it has cooked to a light golden color. Whisk your liquids into your pan slowly and constantly so that you don't build a gravy with lumps.
Depending on your intentions for the gravy, there are a few different liquids that are good to complete a gravy with. Chicken broth makes the gravy light brown, usually preferred for potatoes by quite a few people. Beef broth makes the gravy a fantastic sauce to add a little depth to steaks and it's good to heat meatballs in with a spoon of sour cream and a dash of Worcestershire sauce for tang. Whisk milk into your flour and fat if you want a good white gravy for things such as biscuits and gravy or you want something to dip your fried chicken in.
Each of these gravies just need salt and pepper to make them worthy of accompaniment with tons of meats and veggies. You choose how you want your gravy seasoned. Cook up some cauliflower and puree with some butter and milk/cream/sour cream for a faux mashed potato to put gravy on. Your kids won't believe their tastebuds and you make a better choice for yourself in the process.
2. Stuff it. I mean it. Anything that can be stuffed with something deserves to be stuffed with bacon. Cut a chicken breast open and stuff it with spinach, bacon, and onions. Cut a pork chop open and stuff the hole with a mixture of small bread cubes, butter, bacon, and your favorite herbs. Got to make a big bird or roast for an occasion or just feeling like some rotisserie? Make a big pan of stuffing to eat with that pile of meat. Pulverize a bunch of stale bread and give it some love with your preferred broth, rendered bacon fat, and chopped up cooked bacon. Mix in lots of fresh herbs and some fresh minced garlic. Talk about a winner!
3. Wrap it. If you can fry it, you can fry it with bacon wrapped around it. Hot dogs in the fryer? Why not? Wrap that dog with some bacon and taste the magic. Corn dogs? Yes, those too. Bump up that after school snack with a bacon-wrapped corndog. You won't regret it. Your pants might...but who says they get a say in this? Wrap up that meatloaf before you put it in the oven. Wrap up chicken legs before you roast them with some bbq. Wanna grill something? You know what I'm going to say. Wrap it with bacon, baste it with bacon fat, and put a little bacon in that Bloody Mary while you're waiting for Mr. Grill. Burgers and bacon are best friends. Don't like asparagus much? Wrap it with bacon and throw that on the grill or into the oven. Corn on the cob gets a nice salty bite to it's natural sweet when it's wrapped up in bacon. Wrap it around green beans and put the beans down into a foil pan with a little bit of brown sugar or honey and roast it a while.
4. Sandwich it. Put it with your favorite greens on some bread with a deliciously juicy green or red tomato for your own style of BLT. Put it in between bread with some sloppy joes. Put it on a burger. Put it on a chicken sandwich. Make a wrap with any of these ideas if you don't have bread or want less carbs. My favorite wrap is a good use for it. Cheeseburger wraps are quick and easy, with the option of using whatever kind of ground meat you could possibly wish to use, as it all tastes good with bacon. I cook up the bacon in one pan and the ground meat in another. When the ground meat is finished, I mix in some ketchup and mustard. Fill a tortilla with your ground meat mixture and top it with your choice of cheese, bacon, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and whatever else you want wrapped up in it. You won't be sorry when you get a taste of this one.
5. Last but not least is pasta. There is so much I could say here, but I'm going to stick with what happens to be my favorite pasta dish...spaghetti alla carbonara. You cook up your pasta, then bacon, keeping a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan, then throw them together in your bacon pan after chopping the bacon. Beat a couple eggs with some good parmesan or similar hard cheese and pour into the pasta pan. Toss the pasta constantly until coated and the sauce is thick, keeping the pan off of the heat. Salt and pepper to taste, just remember that bacon and parm are both quite a bit salty. I add lots of black pepper before serving because it gives it a good depth of flavor for me.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Five Ways to Use Peaches!
It's the hottest part of the summer, and here in Georgia that means that the peaches are at their best. There's no reason not to buy a huge basket of the delectable delights, because there are so many uses for them that this post seems almost too easy.
1. Jam. Simply put, peach jam is my absolute favorite of all possible jams. Depending on your preferences and the ripeness of the peaches, you generally use about a pound of sugar for every pound of peaches you cook down. I prefer mine just a bit tart, and in smaller batches, so I use about 1/2 tsp per peach. I cook my fruit down most of the way before adding my sugar, because that way I can taste how close I am to how I want it before adding more sweetness so that I can be sure it's where I prefer. It usually takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to get them where I want them, on medium heat.
Don't have fresh peaches? No problem. Substitute those canned peaches in the pot. You won't need nearly the same amount of sugar, just cook it down into the consistency you like!
2. Palmier. Puff pastry dough from the freezer section makes this cookie and pastry a cinch to make. Thaw your pastry in the fridge overnight, and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to use it, it needs to stay cool to get the most crisp palmier cookies. When you're ready to roll it out, sprinkle granulated sugar and a bit of cinnamon on top of a cutting board large enough to hold the sheet opened up. Sprinkle some of the sugar and cinnamon on the top of your dough and roll a pastry roller or rolling pin gently over the dough to get the creases out. Spread cooked and cooled down peaches onto the dough and fold the left side halfway to the middle and then follow with the right. Fold them again into the middle, then fold the two sides together. Using a sawing motion, cut the cookies and lay them flat on a baking sheet, spread at least 2 inches apart. Standard temp is 450, and cooking time is quite fast, just until browned. I have success with 6 minutes on first side then about 4 on the other for perfect golden flakiness. Be your own judge for how done you would like them and how brown you would like them.
3. Barbecue sauce. Yes, you read that right. If you have never had a fruit-enhanced sauce for chicken or pork, you are missing out. Vegetarian? No problem there, as you're just using what you've got or what's on sale. You literally just pick your favorite sauce and throw in some pulverized peaches. It is crazy how good it tastes. You may need to add honey or a bit of sugar and warm it, but like I said up above, I like tart. I will get a rack of spare ribs and cut them to fit a sheet pan, season them with seasoned salt, and wrap them in foil. 2 hours wrapped up in a 350 oven is long enough, then you cut open the foil and slather the ribs with barbecue sauce and stick them back in for an additional 15 mins. I usually do this about 3 times because I like a lot of caramelized sauce.
4. Margaritas or your favorite white wine. Tequila and lime with a muddled peach slice in the glass has a way of making you feel at home wherever you are with a big smile on your face, especially when you rub the rim with the peach juice and dip it in course sugar. Muddling a peach slice in a wine glass before pouring in your favorite white wine makes a great relaxing drink. Champagne is just as great for celebrations.
Non-alcoholic, no problem. Peaches are great in citrus sodas and your standard juices such as orange, grape, and even apple.
5. Milkshakes. Throw a few scoops of vanilla or strawberry ice cream (or frozen yogurt) into a blender with a cut up peach. Add milk as needed to get it to the right consistency for you, since we all like a different thickness of milkshake. Toss those peaches onto the grill with the cut sides down after a dunk in some sugar and then add them to ice cream for an extra note of flavor. Very few fruits taste bad after being on the grill, and peaches are definitely the best (in my opinion, anyway).
1. Jam. Simply put, peach jam is my absolute favorite of all possible jams. Depending on your preferences and the ripeness of the peaches, you generally use about a pound of sugar for every pound of peaches you cook down. I prefer mine just a bit tart, and in smaller batches, so I use about 1/2 tsp per peach. I cook my fruit down most of the way before adding my sugar, because that way I can taste how close I am to how I want it before adding more sweetness so that I can be sure it's where I prefer. It usually takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to get them where I want them, on medium heat.
Don't have fresh peaches? No problem. Substitute those canned peaches in the pot. You won't need nearly the same amount of sugar, just cook it down into the consistency you like!
2. Palmier. Puff pastry dough from the freezer section makes this cookie and pastry a cinch to make. Thaw your pastry in the fridge overnight, and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to use it, it needs to stay cool to get the most crisp palmier cookies. When you're ready to roll it out, sprinkle granulated sugar and a bit of cinnamon on top of a cutting board large enough to hold the sheet opened up. Sprinkle some of the sugar and cinnamon on the top of your dough and roll a pastry roller or rolling pin gently over the dough to get the creases out. Spread cooked and cooled down peaches onto the dough and fold the left side halfway to the middle and then follow with the right. Fold them again into the middle, then fold the two sides together. Using a sawing motion, cut the cookies and lay them flat on a baking sheet, spread at least 2 inches apart. Standard temp is 450, and cooking time is quite fast, just until browned. I have success with 6 minutes on first side then about 4 on the other for perfect golden flakiness. Be your own judge for how done you would like them and how brown you would like them.
3. Barbecue sauce. Yes, you read that right. If you have never had a fruit-enhanced sauce for chicken or pork, you are missing out. Vegetarian? No problem there, as you're just using what you've got or what's on sale. You literally just pick your favorite sauce and throw in some pulverized peaches. It is crazy how good it tastes. You may need to add honey or a bit of sugar and warm it, but like I said up above, I like tart. I will get a rack of spare ribs and cut them to fit a sheet pan, season them with seasoned salt, and wrap them in foil. 2 hours wrapped up in a 350 oven is long enough, then you cut open the foil and slather the ribs with barbecue sauce and stick them back in for an additional 15 mins. I usually do this about 3 times because I like a lot of caramelized sauce.
4. Margaritas or your favorite white wine. Tequila and lime with a muddled peach slice in the glass has a way of making you feel at home wherever you are with a big smile on your face, especially when you rub the rim with the peach juice and dip it in course sugar. Muddling a peach slice in a wine glass before pouring in your favorite white wine makes a great relaxing drink. Champagne is just as great for celebrations.
Non-alcoholic, no problem. Peaches are great in citrus sodas and your standard juices such as orange, grape, and even apple.
5. Milkshakes. Throw a few scoops of vanilla or strawberry ice cream (or frozen yogurt) into a blender with a cut up peach. Add milk as needed to get it to the right consistency for you, since we all like a different thickness of milkshake. Toss those peaches onto the grill with the cut sides down after a dunk in some sugar and then add them to ice cream for an extra note of flavor. Very few fruits taste bad after being on the grill, and peaches are definitely the best (in my opinion, anyway).
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Waste Not, Want Not
I'm going to start posting five uses each for the things that we may not know how to use to their full potential. What's even better? I'm going to make sure that every recipe for food has five ingredients or less. If you've got an idea of something you'd like to see brought out into a new light, comment away.
I plan to touch on non-foods such as window cleaner, wood scraps, old paint, old fishing line, old chopsticks, etc. in quick notes on each post. It will be a bonus 'did you know?' section with just a simple tip about whatever the item may be.
I plan to touch on non-foods such as window cleaner, wood scraps, old paint, old fishing line, old chopsticks, etc. in quick notes on each post. It will be a bonus 'did you know?' section with just a simple tip about whatever the item may be.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Simply Simple Meringues
2 egg whites
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Beat egg whites on high until very white and foamy. Add sugar in three stops. Add the cream of tartar and vanilla with the last of the sugar. Beat mixture until very shiny and stiff peaks.
Using a teaspoon, spoon dollops of meringue on parchment lined baking sheets while your oven preheats to 200 degrees. When the oven is finished preheating, put the meringues in and set a timer for two hours. When the two hours is up just turn off the oven and the timer and let the meringues stay in the warm oven for a few hours to overnight until they are crisp. They won't burn. They won't go bad. They go very very good.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Chocolate Chip Goodness!
Everyone needs a go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. This one is mine. It is fail-proof, or at least it has been for me!
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder (can be omitted)
2 cups chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet, feel free to change)
Beat together oil, sugars, and vanilla until sugars are dissolved. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cocoa. Add to liquids in three batches and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is preheating, use two teaspoons to form balls of dough and place onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment or foil, or roll little balls of dough in your hands. Place about two inches apart to allow them not to run into each other.
When you put the cookies in the oven, set a timer for 10 minutes. Pull them out and let them cool when the timer goes off. Repeat as many times as needed to get through the dough. It helps to have two cookie sheets to interchange. These cookies become crisp-chewy as they cool. You may think that they look underdone at the 10 minute mark, I promise that they are not.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder (can be omitted)
2 cups chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet, feel free to change)
Beat together oil, sugars, and vanilla until sugars are dissolved. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cocoa. Add to liquids in three batches and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is preheating, use two teaspoons to form balls of dough and place onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment or foil, or roll little balls of dough in your hands. Place about two inches apart to allow them not to run into each other.
When you put the cookies in the oven, set a timer for 10 minutes. Pull them out and let them cool when the timer goes off. Repeat as many times as needed to get through the dough. It helps to have two cookie sheets to interchange. These cookies become crisp-chewy as they cool. You may think that they look underdone at the 10 minute mark, I promise that they are not.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
I want to give kudos to a company in this post. www.drinkclick.com Click Espresso Protein! This stuff is usable in so many ways and it gives you a protein kick to so many things without a ton of added sugar! You can make ice cream with it, I've made no sugar added espresso pudding with it, I make hot and cold coffee and spice up hot cocoa drinks with it. It's so versatile! My Patrick is diabetic and a 911 communications officer, so it has been essential for us to find something that fills him and keeps him energized to do his job while not making his sugar skyrocket or causing energy crashes. This stuff gets it done! They have mocha in caf and decaf, and they have vanilla. We prefer the full caf mocha flavor, it really is delicious!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
My Vows
Do you guys want to read my vows? I've written them, and I don't think I'll change them much. I know it's a long shot for Patrick to write his, but I'm going to read these regardless. I want the world to hear how I feel about him. I want my mom and his mom to understand that this really is forever for both of us. Neither of us believe in divorce. We wouldn't be going through with this if we weren't 100% sure that we could tolerate each other for the rest of our lives should something happen to go wrong. We are realistic about things, and we know that people fall away from each other. He's still my best friend, and I'm still his. Nobody gets me the way that he does, or tolerates me the way that he does. No other chick could tolerate him, so I know I'm good there, lol. (That really was a joke, guys. Sort of.)
'You are the greatest man that I have ever or will ever know. You are the example of what every man should be when it comes to being understanding, patient, reassuring, chivalrous, and kind. It didn't take anything for me to fall head over heels in love with you, and it takes nothing for me to fall for you all over again every day that I get to spend with you. You always somehow manage to make every day as good as it can be. You give me everything I could ever need or want, even when it's unreasonable, just because it makes you happy to see me smile. You're always my number one friend, and I always seem to be yours. You understand almost everything about me, and that's really saying something considering how weird I am. Things may get rough, but we'll both know that we have each other in times that we may feel that nobody else is around. You show me a compassion that is almost limitless, so much that I sometimes find it hard to think that it's possible that I could ever deserve you. It will be an honor, a privilege, and the greatest gift you will ever give to me when I walk back down this aisle with you as my husband. Thank you for you, the good parts and the bad ones. For as long as I live you will know that I cherish you. I love you with all that I am.'
If anyone ever needs supper ideas, lunch ideas, breakfast ideas, dessert ideas, snack ideas...I'm always here. Email me at sparkpeopleup@gmail.com. I check my email daily. I'm here to enrich others' lives in any way that I possibly can, so feel free to come to me. Even if you just want to whine about your day, even if I don't even know you, it's really okay.
The truth is that I plain have no life outside of the kitchen. I chose this life, so don't think that I don't appreciate it. I'm just saying that I really do live in my kitchen or at my laptop. I love to cook and bake. I'd love to teach you how to cook or bake things that you would like to learn. If you have a request for something that you'd like me to put on my blog, or you have a recipe that you'd like me to test and then put here, I'm all ears (or eyes!)...
The truth is that I plain have no life outside of the kitchen. I chose this life, so don't think that I don't appreciate it. I'm just saying that I really do live in my kitchen or at my laptop. I love to cook and bake. I'd love to teach you how to cook or bake things that you would like to learn. If you have a request for something that you'd like me to put on my blog, or you have a recipe that you'd like me to test and then put here, I'm all ears (or eyes!)...
And another one!!!
Simple Bread, Made Delicous! (You can use this one for cinnamon rolls, I'll tell you how!)
1 pkg yeast (use either active or fast acting, I've used both and both work, I'll explain)
2 cups milk (100 degrees if using plain active yeast and not fast acting)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted (use a little more if you want a more buttery taste!)(can substitute oil!)
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
Pour yeast into milk and add your sugar to activate and let it sit for 10 minutes if using active and not fast acting. If using fast acting, no wait! Add melted butter or oil, stir. Add half your flour and the salt, mix up some. Add the rest of your flour. Knead for 10 minutes until it's soft and shiny, using as much flour as needed to keep it from sticking to everything(or cheat and use a stand mixer, or dump it all into a bread machine and let it do all the work! I've done all three with this dough!). Oil a bowl and place your ball of dough in it, turning it over to coat it. Cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise for at least 45 minutes. Punch it down and put it on/in greased pan(s) you're baking on/in. Let rise 45 more minutes, or go ahead and bake it for a more dense bread. I've done it both ways, and both ways were delicious.
The oven temperature that I have found perfect for this dough is 375 degrees. Bake times vary depending on how you have decided to cook your dough. Poke it at 20, if still wet on the toothpick/knife, cook 10 more and re-poke. If still wet, 10 more. When your baking is done and it's ready to come out of the oven, plop the bread out of or off of the pan and put on a cooling rack or a counter top to cool. Don't cut into the hot bread, it may deflate on you, or it possibly will not have completely rested and finished cooking the very middle.
Now, if you'd like this dough to be cinnamon rolls, I'll tell you how to do it. Roughly, anyway. After your first rise (that's the one after the muscle exercise!), punch it down and roll it out onto a well-floured surface. Brush it with butter, sprinkle lots of brown sugar and cinnamon (and nuts and raisins if you like) and roll it up. Cut in inch increments and put into/onto the pan you will cook the rolls on. Let them rise for at least 30-45 minutes and then cook them at 375 degrees. When they are golden brown, they are done. This is generally 20-30 minutes into cooking.
I made sticky buns with this dough also! When you've done cutting up your cinnamon rolls, plop them into a pan that is coated well with spray or butter, brown sugar, and nuts if you want them. Bake the same as the cinnamon rolls, watching for that golden brown color!
If you have any questions, ask me. I know I write like an excited middle schooler.
Simple Bread, Made Delicous! (You can use this one for cinnamon rolls, I'll tell you how!)
1 pkg yeast (use either active or fast acting, I've used both and both work, I'll explain)
2 cups milk (100 degrees if using plain active yeast and not fast acting)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted (use a little more if you want a more buttery taste!)(can substitute oil!)
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
Pour yeast into milk and add your sugar to activate and let it sit for 10 minutes if using active and not fast acting. If using fast acting, no wait! Add melted butter or oil, stir. Add half your flour and the salt, mix up some. Add the rest of your flour. Knead for 10 minutes until it's soft and shiny, using as much flour as needed to keep it from sticking to everything(or cheat and use a stand mixer, or dump it all into a bread machine and let it do all the work! I've done all three with this dough!). Oil a bowl and place your ball of dough in it, turning it over to coat it. Cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise for at least 45 minutes. Punch it down and put it on/in greased pan(s) you're baking on/in. Let rise 45 more minutes, or go ahead and bake it for a more dense bread. I've done it both ways, and both ways were delicious.
The oven temperature that I have found perfect for this dough is 375 degrees. Bake times vary depending on how you have decided to cook your dough. Poke it at 20, if still wet on the toothpick/knife, cook 10 more and re-poke. If still wet, 10 more. When your baking is done and it's ready to come out of the oven, plop the bread out of or off of the pan and put on a cooling rack or a counter top to cool. Don't cut into the hot bread, it may deflate on you, or it possibly will not have completely rested and finished cooking the very middle.
Now, if you'd like this dough to be cinnamon rolls, I'll tell you how to do it. Roughly, anyway. After your first rise (that's the one after the muscle exercise!), punch it down and roll it out onto a well-floured surface. Brush it with butter, sprinkle lots of brown sugar and cinnamon (and nuts and raisins if you like) and roll it up. Cut in inch increments and put into/onto the pan you will cook the rolls on. Let them rise for at least 30-45 minutes and then cook them at 375 degrees. When they are golden brown, they are done. This is generally 20-30 minutes into cooking.
I made sticky buns with this dough also! When you've done cutting up your cinnamon rolls, plop them into a pan that is coated well with spray or butter, brown sugar, and nuts if you want them. Bake the same as the cinnamon rolls, watching for that golden brown color!
If you have any questions, ask me. I know I write like an excited middle schooler.
Let's post some recipes! I'm sorry I've been MIA, I've had a lot happening in my life that has affected many parts of it. Sick kitties, foster kitties, re-homing foster kitties, pending hurricanes, and much much more has been part of it. I'm sick myself, but I'm not going into that. It's better to spread good things than bad, telling people about the bad doesn't affect it.
Citrus Sugar Cookies!
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup vegetable oil (olive oil works too!)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated citrus rind (I used an orange, you can use a lemon or two limes, or a combination!)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine eggs, oil, vanilla, grated rind, and sugar in a mixing bowl until well blended. I literally just used a spoon, this recipe is that simple.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the egg mixture until well mixed.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment or an ungreased baking sheet and flatten with your hand or the bottom of a greased glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven to a preferred place to cool. Store in a container or zipper bag.
These are best once they've sat overnight. If you overbaked by a minute or so, it is especially good for them to sit overnight. They remoisturize themselves! Don't judge the cookie by the taste and texture when it first comes out, I promise that it changes most wonderfully!
Citrus Sugar Cookies!
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup vegetable oil (olive oil works too!)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated citrus rind (I used an orange, you can use a lemon or two limes, or a combination!)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine eggs, oil, vanilla, grated rind, and sugar in a mixing bowl until well blended. I literally just used a spoon, this recipe is that simple.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the egg mixture until well mixed.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment or an ungreased baking sheet and flatten with your hand or the bottom of a greased glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven to a preferred place to cool. Store in a container or zipper bag.
These are best once they've sat overnight. If you overbaked by a minute or so, it is especially good for them to sit overnight. They remoisturize themselves! Don't judge the cookie by the taste and texture when it first comes out, I promise that it changes most wonderfully!
Monday, August 20, 2012
http://www.gofundme.com/12kbq4
I'm raising money to help me pay for excess stomach skin removal to reduce and hopefully eventually eliminate recurring staph infections on my skin. These are very dangerous for me and I know that now is the time to get fundraising started to maybe be able to have the surgery this fall. Please help. I'll bake you whatever you want, promise!
You can donate using the site above or donate through PayPal with the link on my blog. Thank you again!
I'm raising money to help me pay for excess stomach skin removal to reduce and hopefully eventually eliminate recurring staph infections on my skin. These are very dangerous for me and I know that now is the time to get fundraising started to maybe be able to have the surgery this fall. Please help. I'll bake you whatever you want, promise!
You can donate using the site above or donate through PayPal with the link on my blog. Thank you again!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Banana Bread and Pancakes...Or Pancakes with Banana Bread...Or Banana Bread Pancakes...
I'm starting over. What used to be an idea to share recipes with the world has now turned into it actually happening (again, for real this time). I've missed sharing recipes and ideas with people, mostly because my household is now only two people. I have friends close by that could have been tasting and testing my recipes, but I guess I just didn't have the want or the energy for a while. I'm back in the swing now.
In the past week, I have baked what seems to feel like endless amounts, though few recipes have come out of it. I have made delicious banana bread, delectable sandwich bread, and chocolate chip cookies that are simply 'to die for'. Here is where I will share my successes and my failures. There have been quite a few successes, and quite a few more failures.
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Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
4 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans)
Preheat oven to 325°F
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together salt, baking soda, and flour. Add into the butter mixture slowly until all is well combined (I use 1/3 cup measure). Stir in your mashed bananas and nuts.
Scrape into your medium loaf pan with your utensil of choice and flatten out the top of the mixture.
Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check if done with a toothpick inserted in the middle. If it comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out with a thin layer of batter, leave in the oven with the heat turned off for 10 extra minutes and then test again.
When the bread has cooled down to a temperature that you can handle with your palm, remove the bread from the pan by inverting into your hand and set the loaf on a cooling rack. Cut it when you wish, how you wish. I like mine cooled completely when the banana has has time to really permeate the bread. This is an easy bread to bake and give as a gift. It keeps well at room temperature, even better in the fridge.
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I composed (baked twice, failed once) and perfected the banana bread recipe after a friend said it was a favorite. I enjoy pleasing people and I enjoy baking, so requests are always welcome. It posed a bit of a challenge, as I had never before made fruit bread of any kind.
I have a lovely waffle/pancake recipe that I have yet to add fruit to, only chocolate chips. I think I might consider mixing in some banana, strawberries, or blackberries the next time I make it to see how it would do. I'll post the basic recipe here so you can try yourself if you like.
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Waffles or Pancakes
1 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup half & half (can substitute milk if you have to, no worries)
1/2 cup milk (I've never substituted buttermilk, but you could try)
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix together sugar, liquids, egg, and oil. Make a well in the sifted ingredients and add the liquids all at once. Mix until just combined, if you stir until all the lumps are out your waffles/pancakes will be tough and not fluffy.
Heat your waffle iron or pan (medium heat) thoroughly before use. Use oil/butter/spray just before putting batter in/on your preferred cooking method for prevention of sticking. Cold oil in a hot pan is the best way to prevent sticking with any food, but most of all for eggs or batters.
If having waffles, follow the manufacturer's directions (adding fillings at the time that you put the batter in the iron...sprinkle, not dollop). If having pancakes, use a cup measure that is the appropriate amount for the pan you are using, and the size of pancake you like (1/3 is perfect for me). Once it is in the pan do not touch until bubbles are developed along the edges of your pancake, then it is time to flip.
If you are wanting to use fruit or chocolate in your pancakes, now is the time to sprinkle them. If you're impatient, you could always spread the batter onto a sheet pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (if you're a nervous flipper...or an early flipper...or a burner...)!
Working patiently is key. Slide the very tip of your spatula up under the edge of the pancake to avoid upsetting it over much if your spatula is a bit thick. Once you are under the edge, feel free to slide it the rest of the way and flip. When you poke the pancake with your finger and it bounces back, it is done.
Place cooked waffles/pancakes on a sheet pan inside a 200°F oven until all batter has been made, or you have enough. Serve them with warm syrup, fresh fruit, or (my personal favorite) peanut butter and jelly.
This batter stores well for two-three days if you aren't making it all at one time. The waffles or pancakes themselves store very well in the fridge or freezer. Fridge for up to two weeks, freezer up to two months.
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The waffle/pancake recipe is another that I wrote on my own, and had quite a few 'almost perfect' outcomes. The recipe put here makes waffles/pancakes exactly the way that I like them for putting peanut butter and jelly on them.
In the past week, I have baked what seems to feel like endless amounts, though few recipes have come out of it. I have made delicious banana bread, delectable sandwich bread, and chocolate chip cookies that are simply 'to die for'. Here is where I will share my successes and my failures. There have been quite a few successes, and quite a few more failures.
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Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
4 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans)
Preheat oven to 325°F
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together salt, baking soda, and flour. Add into the butter mixture slowly until all is well combined (I use 1/3 cup measure). Stir in your mashed bananas and nuts.
Scrape into your medium loaf pan with your utensil of choice and flatten out the top of the mixture.
Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check if done with a toothpick inserted in the middle. If it comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out with a thin layer of batter, leave in the oven with the heat turned off for 10 extra minutes and then test again.
When the bread has cooled down to a temperature that you can handle with your palm, remove the bread from the pan by inverting into your hand and set the loaf on a cooling rack. Cut it when you wish, how you wish. I like mine cooled completely when the banana has has time to really permeate the bread. This is an easy bread to bake and give as a gift. It keeps well at room temperature, even better in the fridge.
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I composed (baked twice, failed once) and perfected the banana bread recipe after a friend said it was a favorite. I enjoy pleasing people and I enjoy baking, so requests are always welcome. It posed a bit of a challenge, as I had never before made fruit bread of any kind.
I have a lovely waffle/pancake recipe that I have yet to add fruit to, only chocolate chips. I think I might consider mixing in some banana, strawberries, or blackberries the next time I make it to see how it would do. I'll post the basic recipe here so you can try yourself if you like.
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Waffles or Pancakes
1 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup half & half (can substitute milk if you have to, no worries)
1/2 cup milk (I've never substituted buttermilk, but you could try)
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix together sugar, liquids, egg, and oil. Make a well in the sifted ingredients and add the liquids all at once. Mix until just combined, if you stir until all the lumps are out your waffles/pancakes will be tough and not fluffy.
Heat your waffle iron or pan (medium heat) thoroughly before use. Use oil/butter/spray just before putting batter in/on your preferred cooking method for prevention of sticking. Cold oil in a hot pan is the best way to prevent sticking with any food, but most of all for eggs or batters.
If having waffles, follow the manufacturer's directions (adding fillings at the time that you put the batter in the iron...sprinkle, not dollop). If having pancakes, use a cup measure that is the appropriate amount for the pan you are using, and the size of pancake you like (1/3 is perfect for me). Once it is in the pan do not touch until bubbles are developed along the edges of your pancake, then it is time to flip.
If you are wanting to use fruit or chocolate in your pancakes, now is the time to sprinkle them. If you're impatient, you could always spread the batter onto a sheet pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (if you're a nervous flipper...or an early flipper...or a burner...)!
Working patiently is key. Slide the very tip of your spatula up under the edge of the pancake to avoid upsetting it over much if your spatula is a bit thick. Once you are under the edge, feel free to slide it the rest of the way and flip. When you poke the pancake with your finger and it bounces back, it is done.
Place cooked waffles/pancakes on a sheet pan inside a 200°F oven until all batter has been made, or you have enough. Serve them with warm syrup, fresh fruit, or (my personal favorite) peanut butter and jelly.
This batter stores well for two-three days if you aren't making it all at one time. The waffles or pancakes themselves store very well in the fridge or freezer. Fridge for up to two weeks, freezer up to two months.
________________________________________________________________
The waffle/pancake recipe is another that I wrote on my own, and had quite a few 'almost perfect' outcomes. The recipe put here makes waffles/pancakes exactly the way that I like them for putting peanut butter and jelly on them.
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