Yellow Happiness

When Doug and I were in The Big City a few weeks ago for the state dental convention I pretty much spent all my time in our hotel room working on some of my on-line class assignments. I did go to the gym every day so that the maid could "do" the room (although I did consider putting the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and making the bed myself. But I do that every day and this was My Break. So I let her.)

One afternoon I did venture out for a couple of hours. I didn't really need anything. It was just to get out and see what was out there.

I found an area with a lot of stores that looked like they'd be fun to go to, one of them being TJMax(x? Two x's?) and next to it was a store called Good Home, or something. I rarely go to TJMax(x?), so I went there first, and discovered the Good Home (?) store was connected inside and they have lots of fun things for your home. Lots.

I didn't know, until I saw it, that I needed this dish:

It spoke to me. It said, "Take me to your kitchen and we'll make all sorts of happy food together!"

How could I not buy such a Happy Yellow Dish?

My challenge, of course, is that while I love beautiful and fun dishes, I don't exactly like having to do a lot of cooking.

(But I keep trying.)

This Happy Yellow Dish sat on my counter for a week or two and I decided I really had to actually use it. So one busy night I made this:

It is a fast and easy go-to recipe that involves chicken, Ritz crackers and a stick of butter.

Yep. A Stick of Butter. And Ritz crackers.

And thinking about that crunchy Ritz cracker goodness makes me want to go eat one right now.

The thing I love about this cookbook is the author's audacity to use a stick of butter in every recipe. That kind of cracks me up.

Ritzy Chicken Casserole

1 (4 lb.) chicken

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups egg noodles

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup flour

12 lb. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 small box butter crackers (like Ritz crackers)

1 stick butter, melted

*Cover chicken with water in large saucepan; add garlic and preferred seasonings. Stew until tender; drain and cube. Cook noodles in salt water and drain. Thicken **broth with flour. Mix all together; add cheese and pour into greased 9x13 pan. Crush ***crackers and mix with melted butter; sprinkle on top. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

*I buy chicken breasts when they are on sale and boil them and put 2-3 at a time in freezer bags and have them in my freezer ready for when I need them. A quick defrost zap in The Wave and I'm ready to go.

**I always think it would be nice to have my own home-made and seasoned chicken broth, but I just used the canned stuff.

***Who has a "small box" of crackers? I just use one of the four packaged tubes that comes in the box of Ritz.

This was supposed to be about my Happy Dish, but you got the recipe, too. It is a bland enough recipe that kids like it. Doug, of course, has to spice it up before he eats it. I'm okay with that.

**************************

On The Road To Spring:

Temperature last night at 6:00 PM: 40*

WOW!!

Leaf Me!

Mondays are crazy-busy this school year.

So I make crock-pot dinners so we can eat at a decent time.

Today while we were taking a bit of a break

from our history and Language Arts and math

so that I could get the potato soup in the crock pot

I looked out the front window

and found Abbie

and Luther

in the leaves.

She was raking up the leaves into a pile

and getting everything just so

and while keeping Luther on the leash

she was teaching him how to run

and JUMP

into the leaf pile.

And then they were happy to hang out together

covered in leaves.

There are actually people who don't like trees in their yard

because they don't want to deal with the leaves.

I'm not one of those people.

And in case you would like a good potato soup recipe, here's one to try. I just kind of make up the quantities depending on how much I need to make. But basically, this is how to do it:

Potato Soup

Chop up an onion (or two) and about 1/2 a package of bacon and cook it up in a pan on the stove top. I've also made this soup without bacon and just sauteed the onions a bit, and it is fine.

Put 6 (ish) cups of water in crock pot. Add one teas. chicken bouillon for each cup of water. Peel (if you want, otherwise scrub real good) 6-7 medium potatoes and chop them up, add to the crock pot. After the bacon and onion are cooked, add them to the pot. Add some pepper and-here is the key ingredient-dill weed! Yes! Really! Shake in a teas. or more or less.

Let this cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 5-8, until the potatoes are tender. The last half hour or so add about 1/3 cup of flour to 1 cup of half and half and mix that up well and add it to the soup. This will thicken it. Just before you serve it grate a cup or two of cheddar cheese and add that and let it melt. Sometimes I add steamed corn. Sometimes broccoli.

This is a family favorite. Tweak it until you like it. Maybe I'll post a picture later when it is all done.

Mmmmm...num num

It is a sad, but true, fact

that the fewer children one has living at home

the easier it is to make certain foods.

Case in point:

The Dutch Baby Pancake.

I used to make this many years ago.

But the more children we had, the more impossible it was to make this

because one wasn't enough for everyone

and our oven wouldn't fit two pans

and they take 20 minutes to cook

and are okay cold, but better hot.

So as we had more children, I stopped making them.

Now there are only four of us at home.

I've made three of these in the last 9 days.

I give you the recipe for morning yumminess:

Dutch Baby Pancake

3-4 qt. oven-proof pan

1/3 cup butter

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

To make, place butter in pan and set in a 425* oven. While butter melts, mix batter quickly. Put eggs in a blender or food processor and whirl at hight speed for 1 minute. With motor running, gradually pour in milk, then slowly add flour; continue whirling for 30 seconds. (You can also do all this by hand in a bowl.)

Remove pan from oven when butter is melted and pour in batter. Return pan to oven and bake until pancake is puffy and well browned (20 -25 minutes).

Serve while hot with powdered sugar or syrup or fruit.

Enjoy!!

(An apology to my sons who have moved out of the house. If you come home for a visit I'll make this for you. I did for Sam last week when he came home :) )

So. Yesterday something possessed me and I felt like cooking. A lot. Of different things.

I went to the grocery store and stood in front of the meat section somewhat befuddled and then the butcher came out and I started asking him questions. Lots of them. I probably stood there talking with him for a good ten minutes. Asking him all sorts of meat questions. I had the thought that he might have been asking himself how someone as obviously old as I am has been able to get to this point in life and be so amazingly clueless about meat and what to do with it.

I didn't explain all my years of going meatless and how when I became pregnant with Abbie I decided to eat meat "for the baby" and I haven't been able to go back to the meatless ways yet.

Anyway, he helped me get the kind of meat I needed for what I was going to make, and I went on my merry way, undeterred by the lateness of the dinner hour.

You see, two friends have recently asked me if I've made The Pioneer Woman's Steak Bites yet, and I haven't and I was told in no uncertain terms that I "HAVE TO MAKE THEM!".

So I did.

And I forgot to take a picture.

But they pretty much looked like this:

(Pioneer Woman's Steak Bites from thepioneerwoman.com)

Just on MY plate. Hers do actually look better. But I'm sure mine tasted as good.

And I also made Crash Hot Potatoes. But you already know that I am making those every few weeks.

And the family gobbled everything up. They were in a mild state of disbelief that I had made such cowboy food for them.

I also made her Apple Tart only we don't have the puff pastry in our little grocery store so I bought Phyllo dough instead. And it worked fine. A little baclava-ish, but good none-the-less.

So, yes, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen again last night. But it was pretty fun and everyone did enjoy the food.

But what I really want to talk about is this:

I used fresh lemon on the sliced up apples ( I used Granny Smiths) and tossed the apple slices around and then put the brown sugar in and tossed them around again.

When I cut into that lemon I was overcome by the smell. I wondered how long it had been since I've smelled an honest-to-goodness lemon. Not a lemon scent. Not Realemon from the bottle. Real I-just-cut-this-lemon-after-rolling-it-on-the-counter-to-make-it-juicy Lemon.

I was taken away to a new place. A real place. A sweet citrusy place.

And I liked it.

And the leftover Granny Smith apples slices covered in lemony brown sugar? Wow. That was as good as anything else last night.

It made me think that I need to have more real lemons in my life.

I think that when life brings me sweetened lemon-aid and I'm tempted to go for the soothing distraction, I need to say "No thanks. I want the real lemon."

Who Is This Person--& Where Have You Taken Shauna?

I had some chicken drumsticks and thighs that needed to be cooked on Sunday. So I thought I'd make my family some fried chicken, the kind that is cooked in oil. My family doesn't really know fried chicken. I think I have made it once or twice in the last 25 years. I thought it might be a nice surprise.

Nick came into the kitchen while I was stripping the skins off of the thighs and drumsticks and asked why I was doing that. I told him because the skin is gross. Sometimes it has little feather-things sticking out of it. He asked if they do that at KFC? I told him "probably not" as I continued ripping the skins off.

I made the fried chicken and it was a hit. I, myself, didn't eat any of it because it looked too much like the animal from which it came. When it comes to eating animal parts I have to have it as far removed from the original animal as possible. That means only boneless-skinless chicken breasts. And I only buy the kind that has no added hormones or antibiotics. None of those "enhanced" huge chicken breasts, if you know what I mean.

(However, I also made Blonde Brownies, or Congo Bars-as they say in these parts, for dessert, and I did eat those.)

Yesterday I felt so bad (not really too bad) about feeding my family fried chicken that I wanted to make it up to them. 

So I decided to make pita bread sandwiches for dinner.

I started making the pita bread in the afternoon.

And I felt really good about all the work I was doing so that my family could eat something healthful.

And whenever anyone came into the house they said it smelled so good. Have you noticed how any kind of baking bread always smells so good? That's one of the hints to remember if you are ever trying to sell your house: bake bread just before you show your house. Or onions in butter. That's also supposed to make your house smell like the kind of place where someone would want to live.

I made 20 pita breads. 

"Load up the camels, Omar! And don't forget the hummus and figs!"

While the pitas were baking I made the filling.

I used my knife for chopping olives, onions and tomatoes. It was wonderful.

This filling is so good I could eat it by the spoonful.

And I did, in fact.

Stuffed pitas. I felt better about feeding this to my family.

But I feel like I'm spending way too much time in the kitchen.

And just in case you want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially after you've ALREADY spent a lot of time in the kitchen the day before making fried chicken...actually, this was the third day of spending a lot of time in the kitchen because Saturday was our home-made pizza and movie night and I made 5 pizzas. 

Okay. Anyway. Here are the recipes:

PITA BREAD (I actually doubled this recipe last night)

6 cups flour

2 tsp. salt

1 TB. yeast

2 cups warm water

1 TB honey

Let yeast dissolve in the warm water. Stir the honey in the water and yeast mixture. Add the salt and flour slowly. Stir until it becomes too tough to mix. (This is where a Bosch comes in handy, although I'm sure the nomads were fine using their hands.) Put dough on a surface lightly covered with flour. Knead dough for 10 minutes. Place dough in a buttered (I just used spray oil) bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or damp dish towel. Let dough rise about 2 hours, it should be doubled. Punch dough down, shape into 10 balls. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, then shape into approximately 6"-7" round shapes (like mini pizza crusts). Preheat oven to 450*. Place dough on cookie sheet (I used our oven brick and made sure it was good and hot) and bake on lowest rake in oven for 10-12 minutes.

The bean filling came from this book...

...which I love, but my children were known to moan when they would see it on the counter. They're more grown up now so the moaning isn't so bad.

One of the reasons I love this book so much is because for a meatless book it relies on really basic food that you might already have or can easily find in the grocery store in towns like ours, small and basic. I don't use my Laurel's Kitchen or Moosewood Cookbook as often because they seem to call for more obscure or fancy ingredients that I just can't get out here.

Bean and Cheese Wrap-Ups (makes 4 servings) (I actually doubled this last night, also)

2/3 cup cooked kidney beans (4 ounces) (I used one can, or two if I'm doubling, drained and rinsed)

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped tomato

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 cup) (I admit to really packing the cup)

10 small black olives, chopped (I just chop up a small can)

1 TB. plus 1 tsp. Italian dressing (experiment on which dressing you like to give the flavor you enjoy) (I'm not sure what's with the 1 TB and then 1 tsp. When I doubled I just used 3 TB. You just don't want it to be too oily or your pitas will get soggy.)

4 1-0z pita breads

Preheat oven to 400*

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except the pita breads. Mix well. (This is exactly what it says in the cook book! Don't you think folks would know not to combine the pita breads?!)

Split open one end of each pita. (I cut mine in half and then split each half open.) Divide filling evenly and spoon into open end.

Wrap each sandwich tightly in a piece of aluminum foil.

Bake 15-20 minutes

Serve hot.

These are really good. We also add avocado after they've baked. Last night we also spread baba ghannouj on the pitas. 

There you go! 

Saturday Night Togetherness

Saturday night

home-made pizza and movie night.

Check.

Got the movie

"American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong"

from Netflix.

Check.

Making

and baking

the pizzas:

two sausage...

Check.

...one vegetarian.

Check.

Have "Texas Sheet Cake"

baked and waiting.

Check.

HEY!

Who snitched at the cake??

I know this is the BEST cake-from-scratch

but come on.

I wanted to take a pretty picture.

Okay.

I'll just use a different angle...

Okay then.

1000 piece jigsaw puzzle

completed

so Mom can have a life again.

Check.

(Thank you all the TV programs about the Inauguration)

Saturday Night family fun can begin.

Check.

(No pictures. Having too much fun.)

But here is the recipe for "Texas Sheet Cake". I've always felt a little partial to this cake since I was born in Texas. I have kind of twisted up how great this Texas Sheet Cake is with how great I must be because I'm originally from Texas. I don't know how to explain this and I'm as confused about it as you must now be. Sorry. Just know that the cake will never disappoint.

Unlike me.

Well. I had to get some cake. Just talking about it made me want to eat some.

Okay. Here we go:  

Texas Sheet Cake

Bake at 375*        20-25 minutes          Greased 10 1/2" x 15 1/2" x 1" pan

Boil: 1 cup margarine (I use butter)

          1 cup water

          4 tbls. cocoa

Add to: 2 cups flour

              2 cups sugar

              1/2 tsp. salt

Add: 1/2 cup sour cream or milk (I use sour cream, of course)

          2 eggs

          1 tsp. vanilla

          1 tsp. soda

Mix well. Batter will be thin. 

Bake as per above instructions.

In the meantime make the frosting:

Boil: 6 tbls. milk

          1/2 cup margarine (butter)

          4 tbls. cocoa

Mix in: 1 lb. (3 1/2 cups) powdered sugar (I sift mine so it won't be lumpy)

              1 tsp. vanilla

Add: 1 cup chopped nuts

Frost the cake while it is hot. Give it a few minutes after you take it out of the oven so that is isn't too hot. 

This is a good cake.

Texas. Ya know?

Y'all enjoy now.

OH MY GOODNESS!

I am writing this post early enough in the day to give you time to do this.

TODAY. You must do this today.

In my never-ending quest to find and prepare good and interesting food for my family I have been trying different recipes from different sources. My friend, Tami, told me that she tried a potato recipe from The Pioneer Woman that was good.

If it involves potatoes, I'm there (my Irish heritage beckoning me to my roots).

Last night I brought my sweet new Notebook to the kitchen so that I could follow Pioneer Woman's wonderful step-by-step instructions for Crash Hot Potatoes:

And I made them. And let me tell you, ooooohhh are they good. They are so good they are better than good.

You have got to stop whatever you are doing RIGHT NOW and go to the store and get the stuff for these. Actually, you can finish reading this first because that's what you're doing right now.

Pioneer Woman uses these as a side dish with steak. We used them as a main dish. They would be good with steak. Or with veggie burgers. Or as the main dish (we can be pretty simple).

Doug said we should have these every week. I said we need to be careful not to burn out on them. Okay, he said, then at least every other week.

They are that good.

I promise.

Okay. I'm done.

Now go to the store.

I Love My Bosch

A few years ago for Christmas Doug gave me a Bosch and I was so excited to get this work horse of a mixer. I use this mixer for all sorts of breads and rolls. My personal favorite is when I grind wheat for immediate use as I make 100% whole, and freshly ground, wheat bread. There is something amazingly magical about the bread when the wheat is ground within 3 minutes of being made into bread. Maybe I just imagine it, but I think it is extra delicious.

This is my hard working machine

The magic for my children happens when I make 100% white flour bread. You would think this is the best treat in the world! Every now and again I'll whip up a batch of white bread for dinner (and with this machine and the recipe I use the bread is ready from start to finish in just about an hour and a half) and it doesn't matter what else I serve for dinner, everyone is happy because of the white bread. Actually, if I'm trying a new recipe for dinner and I'm not sure how it'll be, I'll make some white bread just so we can for sure have something good to eat! (Now my family knows my secret...) I always feel like such a good Mom when I make white bread! How funny is that?

This is the yummy result of all that hard work!

Last night Sam told me my bread is fit for a king. He told me some other funny stuff before that, but I choose to remember that he thinks my bread is fit for a king!

Recipe for Bosch Bread

3 1/2 cups warm water (I just use the hot water from the faucet)

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup honey

1 egg if desired-not necessary (I've never done this)

2 TBS dough enhancer (from "health food" stores, its in a can)

1 TB salt

Mix for a second or so

Add 4 cups fresh ground flour--mix for a minute, then add 2 TBS SAF yeast.

Mix again until like pancake dough.

Let set for 10 minutes--this is called sponging your dough.

Then add enough flour as the mixer is mixing on low to allow the dough to clean out the sides and bottom of the bowl. This should only take 2 minutes or so. The object here is to add as LITTLE flour as possible, only enough to let it clear the sides of your bowl.

Let it knead now for 10 minutes on low.

Oil hands and shape into 3 loaves and put in bread pans.

Put loaves into a 200* pre-heated oven and let rise for 20 minutes.

Raise temp. to 350* and bake for 20-30 minutes more.

I am always on the look-out for a good bread recipe so if you have one please send it my way!