I've been slacking

OK, So I have been slacking on my food blog. We moved a couple of months ago and are in between houses right now. We are staying with my parents and it is hard to get motivated to cook when your mom is there cooking and making such yummy meals. I will post pictures and recepies of the meals my mom has made for us while we have been at their house. 

Zucchini or Pea Soup with finger bread

I love soups in the fall. This is one that my mom always made for our family when I was a child. It is so yummy. We made finger bread (scones) to go along with it. It made for a wonderful lunch today. Way beyond our usual peanut butter and honey sandwiches. This recipe is huge and it makes a lot but it is nice to have extras. You can half it if you need to.

Zucchini Bisque

Cook then blend

6 lbs - Zucchini or Peas

1/4 lbs. - butter

2 cups - onion

3/4 cup - Chicken broth

3 1/2 quarts - water

Add to zucchini mixture when back in the pot after blending

3 cups - half n half

1/2 t. - pepper

1/2 t. - nutmeg

1/2 t. - salt

pinch - Cayenne

Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top and eat.

Serves 30

(Zucchini, butter, onions, chicken broth and water cook till zucchini is soft and then blend in a blender)

(Add seasoning and then serve!! MMMM MMMM Good!)

Finger Bread (Scones)

Finger bread is something that my grandmothers for generations back would make there families. They would make bread for their family each week and with the extra dough they would make finger bread as a treat. This is an awesome legacy to pass on to my children.

Use your favorite bread recipe (Here is mine).

Let dough rise.

Put vegetable oil in a pan and heat on medium

Flatten the bread out with your fingers and place in the hot oil. Let it cook until it is golden

brown and turn using a fork. Place on a plate and paper towel.

We like to put butter, honey, and or jam on them.

Granola

7 c. Quick Oats

2 c. flour (white/wheat)

3/4 c. sunflower seeds

3/4 c. slivered/sliced almonds

1 c. Coconut

1 c. Wheat Germ

1 c. Cornmeal

1 Tbls. Seasame Seeds

2 tsps Cinnamon

Mix dry ingred. in a big bowl

In a saucepan combine:

1/2 c. Water

1 c. Oil

1/2 c. Honey

1/2 c. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Heat until all honey and sugar is dissolved. Pour over dry ingred. and mix/coat thoroughly. Pour onto baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour...stiring every 15 min. When cooled, put raisins or any kind of dried fruit in that you want.

YOu don't have to add all of the dry ingre. The cornmeal and seasame seeds and wheat germ just add more fiber etc. Sometimes if I don't have the sunflower seeds or almonds I still make it. It is personal preference. I just use this as a base and go from there.

Grandma Moutray's Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c. Biscuit baking mix

2 tbs. brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1/2 c. canned pumpkin

2 tbs veg. oil

1 tsp vanilla

maple syrup

In a bowl, combine the baking mix, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add eggs, milk, pumpkin, oil and vanilla. Mix well. 

Cook on hot griddle

Serve with Syrup

Yield: 1 dozen 

Spooky Meals

The excitement of Halloween is everywhere you go. I am so excited for Halloween. I love watching Harry Potter, carving pumpkins, making pumpkin pie, soups, and other yummy mummy things that look goolish.

I will post some of my favorite Halloween foods. This first one came from a Taste of Home Halloween magazine.

Eyeball Taco Salad

2 1/2 pounds ground beef

3/4 c. water

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 package (14-1/2 ounces) nacho tortilla chips, crushed

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded monterey jack cheese

4 cups torn iceberg lettuce

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

10 slices tomato, halves

1 c. (8 ounces) sour cream

10 whole pitted ripe olives, halved

In a pan cook your beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add the water, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Place the tortilla chips in a greased 15 x 10 baking pan. Sprinkle with monterey jack cheese. Spread the meat mixture over top; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 325 for 25- 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Top with lettuce and onion. Cut into ten 5 x 3 pieces. On each piece, arrange two tomato slices for eyes; top each with a dollop of sour cream and an olive half.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is such a quick recipe if you need to bring a dessert to a get together with short notice. 

1) Sift Together

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

2) Bring to boil 

1/2 lb. Margarine or butter

4 tbs. cocoa

1 c. water

3)Mix together pour over 1 & 2. Mix well

1/2 buttermilk

2 eggs, slightly beat

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Sheet pan 

Bake temp:  400 

Cook time: 20 min

Frosting. Beat well. Spread when cake is warm.

1/4 1b. Margarin or butter

6 tbs. milk

2 tbs. cocoa

Bring to boil & add 1 lb powdered sugar. 1 tsp of vanilla. 1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Carmel, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. My Aunt Fran use to make these for family gatherings. I got the recipe from her a couple of years ago and realized that this recipe was actually on the back of the carmel packaging. Otherwise I probably wouldn't give this one out seeing that it really belonged to my Aunt. This is a treat that I have taken to baby showers and various pot lucks and received so many comments on them. But i want to warn you... ONCE YOU START EATING THESE COOKIES YOU CAN'T STOP. 

Microwave the caramels for 30 seconds at a time until softened. Mix together. It isn't easy but its worth it. 

 48 caramels (1 bag)

7 1/2 tsp whipping cream

Mix

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. oatmeal

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 tsp soda

Mix

1 1/8 c. butter (melted) pour in dry ingredients.

Spread Thin

1. put half of the dough in the bottom of your pan (cook 10 minutes)
2. sprinkle 12 ounces chocolate chips
3. sprinkle 1/2 c. nuts (optional)
4. pour warm caramel & whipping cream mixture
5. Lay the rest of the dough on top (cook 15 minutes more)

Oven Temp: 350

Pan size: 9 x 13

Pigs in a blanket

Needed ingredients

• Hotdogs
  
• dough (crescent rolls, Rhodes dough, or homemade dough)

Pre heat oven 375

wrap pre-cut dough pieces around each hot dog. Cook 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool and eat. 

My Aunt Sheries Rolls

This is one of my families favorite bread recipes. It is so easy and delicious. 

Measure into mixing bowl

3 1/2 c. flour (white or wheat)

1 T. yeast

Warm

1 1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. shortening

1 tsp. Salt

Combine ingredients - add 2 eggs. Let raise and make into rolls

oven temp: 400

cook time: 10 to 12 min.

No Bake Cookies

These are so yummy. I always think of my roommates at college and my brother (Aaron) when I make these cookies. 

Bring to a boil

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. milk

4 T. coco

Add

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. oatmeal

Stir it all together. Drop the batter on a strip of wax paper/cookie sheet/a clean counter. After about 15 to 20 minutes they will be firm enough to eat. 

Sticky Buns

My husband makes fun of these pictures. I'm not even going to tell you what he calls them. All I need to say in my defense is that this was my first attempt at making sticky buns and that he couldn't stop eating the finished product. Hopefully the next time I attempt making this for my family my presentation will be more appetizing. You can make any bread recipe or even buy the Rhodes frozen dough in the freezer section of your favorite grocery store for this recipe. This is so yummy.

1/2 c. melted butter

1 c. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

Step One

Dip dough in melted butter

Step Two

Dip buttery dough in cinnamon & sugar

Step Three (Drizzle over top)

melt 2 tsp. butter

2 tsp corn syrup

Place in a bunt pan or whatever you have. You can't mess this up.

Oven Temp: 350

Cooking Time: 20 to 30 min

Minestrone Soup

This is my favorite Minestrone soup. I live in a hot, dry,  area were two seasons exist. Summer and winter. Fall doesn't fill the air until Halloween night and if the leaves change colors it is celebrated. In previous years my husband has called me to let me know that there was a tree on a particular street with fall colors. As soon as football season starts I long for fall time things such as, blue jeans and sweaters, hot chocolate with marshmallows, Soup with home made bread, cooler weather, football games, and sitting by the fire. School is starting and football is being watched therefore it is time to breakout those things that make the season of fall so much fun.  This soup is so yummy and very easy to make. My mom got this recipe from a friend in Macon Georgia when I lived there as a kid. Try it. I know you will like it.

Add to a big pot

2 cans Minestroni Soup

2 cans pork n beans or white beans 

1 can tomatoe sauce

cooked ground beef ( I like mine with lots of meat. You can add to your liking)

1 onion (diced)

4 Tb. wistsore sauce 

little water (optional)

Excellent side dishes

Sandwiches (grilled cheese, BLTs, etc)

Salad

Corn Bread

Sunday Dinners at Mom and Dad's house

I have been married to my husband for 10 years this January. I can't believe how fast the years have gone, but there has always been Sunday dinners at my in law's house. It is the one time that I don't have to think of a meal to prepare. We go there and have such amazing food every week. My mother n' law (Joanne) is always trying new recipes and making her own concoctions. 

Another good thing about Sunday dinners is that...

The women prepare the meals.

And the men are on clean up duty. I love this arrangement. It makes Sunday dinners so relaxing. After we eat the women sit and visit while the men run around cleaning everything up. We have the best husbands!

 

Bread

Wednesday night I taught a group of teenage girls from our church how to make bread. It was so much fun. After this experience I realized that not very many people know how to make bread. That really surprised me. When I was a teenager my mom was on a mission to teach me how to be a good cook. Unfortunately I kept on telling her that cooking was not my thing (with a flick of my hair). My mom would get so mad at me and I would laugh because I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Well, after I got married I really wanted to make a good home cooked meal for my husband. I hurried home from work and started making rolls. I cooked and cooked for a few hours. Somethings turned out and some did not. The most disappointing this about that meal was that our house smelled like homemade rolls but the smell was all we got. They were all in the garbage because I didn't know all of the steps to making bread. The rolls were a flop. What a teaser! I too, like my mom, am on a mission to teach my children how to be good cooks. I eventually learned the art of making really yummy bread but only with many calls home for advise. It would have been easier if I had let my mom teach me while I was at home but sometimes we have to learn things the hard way to appreciate them. My mom could have said I told you so but she lovingly guided me. If you would like to learn, the following steps are the guidelines my mom taught me.

First, you need to make sure that the temperature of the wet ingredients are hot but not too hot. The temperature is similar to how hot a hot tube gets. I know that that is a funny thing to compare it to but it helps me. You can tell that the yeast is good (alive) and that the temp of the water is correct when you combine them and the yeast starts to bubble.

Second, adding flour. One of my favorite bread recipes calls for 6 cups of flour. I add it slowly until the dough is the right consistency. The dough should be sticky but not sticky enough that the batter comes off on your fingers when you touch it. This sometimes means that you don't add all of the flour it calls for. When I am making bread I don't use measuring cups. I just dump until the dough is to that perfect consistency.

Third, After you have all of your ingredients together don't forget to knead the bread for a good 5 to 10 minutes. Then stick the dough in a bowl next to the warm oven and cover with a clean damp cloth. The heat from the oven will help the bread to rise and the damp cloth will keep it from drying out.

Fourth, Let your bread rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The longer you let it rise the lighter your bread will be.

Once you master bread you can make so many different things. You can make cinnamon rolls, bread sticks, Pizza, dinner rolls, pigs in a blanket, orange rolls, scones, etc. Bread is one of my favorite things to make.

My recipe blog

Ok, so I know that there are tons of recipe blogs out there but I love food and I thought it would be fun to start my own. I am a stay at home mother of 4. My day consist of caring for my children, cleaning and cooking. Sometimes it feels like I am in my kitchen all day. I get breakfast put away and then it is time for Lunch and then dinner. When I am organized I enjoy it so much. I look forward to making a good meal for my family. 

Things that tell me that my meal was a winner... 

Little to no talking at the dinner table. 

Clean plates

No left overs

Food is something our lives revolve around so we might as well make it fun it.