CHILI!!!!!!

It's my last hurrah to winter! I just had to make a pot of chili one more time. It is just my traditional "poor people" chili. 

I soaked a pot of pinto beans while I was at work.  I rinsed the beans and set them to boil.  After they got soft, I started to get the rest ready.  In a saute pan I softened up some sweet onion and garlic in a combo of butter (real butter NOT margarine) and some olive oil.  Once they were softened up a bit I added FRESH ground chuck from my amazing butcher.  I also added my new found friend:

It added some amazing color and taste.  I discovered this little gem thanks to my sexy hot friend who is an amazing Puerto Rican Chef, Monique Negron.  She is awesome!

Anyway, added the beef and onions and garlic (oh yeah, I forgot to tell you I also added a rather large amount of minced garlic too) to the beans along with two cans of tomato paste and three cans of V-8.  Additionally, I added chili powder, paprika and some Soul Seasoning.  It is gently simmering now to develop its flavors.  I am off to see if I have enough ingredients to make cornbread.  If not, I may boil some noodles to put my chili over....I know that is weird.  I had never done it before but I saw it on some Food Network show and tried it....very good!

Another Random Soup night

I like to make a hearty soup on Tuesdays for a friend of mine who needs some "motherly TLC".  Tonight I just was not exactly sure what to do so you know me! I just started throwing stuff into the pot!

I started with about two teaspoons of olive oil and chopped almost 2/3rd's of a sweet onion and put that on medium high.  After a while I added two heaping teaspoons of garlic.  After the onions got soft I added two cans of chicken broth.  Into that I put one very, very large skinless boneless chicken breast, cut up (I swear this bird was at least a double D!!!!).

After the chicken gets done I am going to add a can of Cream of Chicken with Herbs and some flat dumplings.  That should be good and hearty and do him well for the week.  I like being able to share this gift.  I enjoy cooking. I hope he enjoys it!

Irish dinner a day late!

I had great plans for dinner on Saturday March 17th! I had purchased a big slab of corned beef from my butcher and grabbed a large head of cabbage while at the Farmer's Market.  I was going to make a traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner.  Unfortunately other things happened to completely delay it.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/police-shoot-robbery-suspect?ref=scroller&categoryId=20000&status=true

So, after the excitement of a shoot-out and not getting my car back until after 9:30 pm, we just went to bed. 

Today, Sunday, I put the corned beef in the crockpot around 11:30.  At 7:00 pm tonight I poured the liquid from the crockpot over some chopped potatos (russets) and some chopped cabbage and boiled until tender.  We enjoyed our dinner of beef and cabbage.  Everyone, that is, except my oldest child who does not like cabbage.  She had a ham and pepperoni cheese sandwich.

yummy mushrooms and Texas Pete

I went to the grocery store to get some more Texas Pete (I swear it is what keeps my darling hubby all spicy and sexy!).  As I wandered into the store I went straight to the fresh veggies.  In the mushroom section was an interesting package from Modern Farms Mushroom.  It was a mushroom blend of sliced baby bellas, shitake and oyster mushrooms.

 http://www.modernmush.com/products.html

Honestly I have never had anything except the small white button mushrooms! Who knew the complex and earthy flavors I had been missing out on? They were woody and wonderful.  I was surprised at the aroma of the oyster mushrooms.  I put them in a small saute pan with a stick of REAL butter and got them all warm and yummy.  I used them to pour over my roast I made for dinner tonight.  I had made a quick run to the butcher and picked up a new cut of beef I had never tried.  It was called a beef tip roast.  It was already trussed up by the butcher.  I wasen't sure what to do so I just threw it the oven for a couple of hours.  It was pretty good but it was even better with the mushroom sauce.

I also bought a 3 pound bag of red potatoes and made mash-a-taters with some real butter and milk. I meant to fix some brussel sprouts but got distracted and forgot.  It was definately a meat and potatoes night. 

Okay, I admit it......

I use Campbell's soups to cook with.  I am not a sauce genius yet and sometimes I just don't feel like whipping up a bechemel sauce or gravy from scratch.  Tonight was one of those nights but I have discovered that Campbell's has this Cream of Chicken with Herbs soup.  It is WAY yummier than regular cream of chicken.

I poured it over three very large bonelesss chicken breasts, put foil over it and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour until the chicken was done. Oh! And I used two cans of soup with about 1/2 of can of water...that is all you need.  I poured it over rice although it is really luscious over mash-a-taters but I was too lazy tonight to do that.

The picture does not do it justice.  The gravy is good enough to just drink by itself....it was quite the yummy, no fuss dinner.  I hope you try it sometime!

Itza meatballs!! (and da sauce!)

I am channeling my Italian grandma tonight.  I am making my own sauce and it goes a little something like this:

2 teaspoons of yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons or so of olive oil
Saute for a bit then add:

A couple tablespoons of minced garlic
a tablesppon of real butter
Saute some more!  Then add:

2 cans of Hunts chopped tomatoes and stir well, then add:

Two cans of Hunts tomato paste and stir well
Next:

Two cans of V-8 Juice and stir.
Then I added dried oregano and basil, as much as you like (I am very heavy handed with it as we like the rich flavor but I am sorry, I do not measure!)

While my sauce was simmering I decided to make meatballs. But I have a horrible confession....my budget ran tight and I could not go to my local butcher. so I got my hamburger at the grocery store.  It is not as good as quality as fresh ground from my butcher but it will work for today.  I mixed my hamburger with bread crumbs, crackers, two beaten eggs, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and garlic powder.  I mixed it up well and put my meatballs in the pan to bake.

This is the meatballs as they go into the oven.

This is the finished meatballs...they are very Italian tasting with the oregano and basil...total yum.  I am going to mix these with the sauce and get the pasta going and have a nice dinner.  I love Italian food!

DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE SIN!!!!

I was feeling the urge to bake tonight but did not seem to be in the mood for the "normal" cookies or bread.  I pulled out a different cookbook and began to peruse it.

I came across a recipe titled "Brownie Pudding Cake".  I read it and it sounded like the old pudding and cake mix combos they made in the 1970's.  I loved those things, all gooey pudding and cake all in one pan.  I just had to try it.

I was a little disconcerted by the first step of mixing.  It seemed thick and strange.  But by the time I added the remaining ingredients, it was looking good.   Below is the progression of ingredients:

The recipe stated that as it baked it would separate into cake and pudding layers.  And it sure did.  When I took it out of the oven it was a deep, rich, dark cake on top with amazing deep chocolate pudding underneath.

Let me tell you....it is pure sin.  It actually needs some ice cream or real whipped cream to go on top.  I mean, if your significant other is not available....this stuff would definately fill the bill in the short term....

Mad Scientist.....or desperate woman on the edge??

I am still getting adjusted to working full-time again.  That means I have not been grocery shopping yet.  BUT....I am sooo tired and cannot sleep and am in dire need of hot chocolate.  I am completely out of regular sugar.  This is what I did.

Scant 2/3 cup of powdered sugar
Scant 2/3 cup of Hershey's cocoa
2/3 cup of water

I mixed the above briskly with a whisk and put on the stove at about medium high.  I brought it to a boil and let it boil while stirring for approximately one minute.

Removed from heat and added a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Added one 12 ounce can of evaporated milk (have to save the regular milk for the kids breakfast in the morning).

Heated it through without boiling (did not want to scald the milk).

It is not great, but it is comforting.  It does the trick for now.  I am going to make sure I get a good stocking up of my staples so I don't run out everything again when I can't get to the store!  Goodnight everyone! (PS...think I might thin it out a little bit with a splash of real milk....)

Bright Day Banana Muffins

So, the homemade cinnamon rolls were a hit with the crew today.  They were gone faster than you could shake a stick at them! I felt bad for one of the guys....he thought they were going to be only for him! So I am making him some "Bright Day Banana Muffins".  I was too tired to do the whole yeast bread thing!

The recipe comes from my "The Pillsbury Cookbook".

I believe it is dated 1995. I got it at a thrift store, of course! It is kind-of my "go-to" cookbook for basics like pancake mix and baking powder biscuits.  I know you are asking yourself, "what did she change about this recipe?"....and I hate to disappoint but I didn't change anything! At least the first batch I made it exactly as the recipe called for.  The second batch I made was a little different as I substituted the white sugar for brown sugar.  I definately liked the second batch the best.  I think the caramel-ly flavor of the brown sugar works well with banana. HA HA! Are you asking yourself why I switched? The truth of the matter is that I have not been grocery shopping and ran out of white sugar! It was a happy thing and worked out well.

So, two batches are under my belt.  Two bags are fixed neatly for two people and the rest are left for the natives in this household whom I have NO doubt will demolish them in short order!!  If you want the recipe, message me and I will send it to you.  I am kind-of afraid to post it here since it is not mine. :)

Lunch?

I have not been grocery shopping this week.  Things are a tiny bit tight while I wait for that first paycheck that arrives on this Friday.  However this does provide an opportunity for making more things from scratch instead of running to the store for the convenient version!

The first thing that I am making today is some honey wheat bread.  I am not sure what recipe I will use yet.  I may just modify my white bread recipe and cross my fingers! Although I do have a bread machine cookbook with lots of different recipes in it.  I wonder if the recipes have to be modified for use WITHOUT a bread machine?

I also just made some pasta salad to take to work with me this week.  It is basically a tuna macaroni salad.  It has just two cans of tuna, six hard boiled eggs, chopped yellow onion, chopped, sweet pickle relish, Duke's mayo, some mustard and some salt and pepper. This is a recipe my family has made for a long time.  My mom also used to put in cubed sharp cheddar cheese but I don't really like the cheese with the tuna.  I am not a real big fan of any cheese with any seafood! 

I am craving sweets too.  Maybe some snickerdoodles today? Or a chocolate chip? Or all the sweet stuff in the house!! My daughter's PMS must be rubbing off on me so I am craving tacos and chocolate cake! :)

Winds of Fortune.........

Tonight I am making fortune cookies for my youth group but instead of the usual "fortunes" inside, I am putting their bible memory verse for the following Wednesday! It is kind of a fun and yummy delivery system.  Of course I am changing the recipe a tiny bit (as I usually do) because I am not a big fan of almond flavoring!  I used vanilla flavoring instead!  Here is the recipe site I used as I have lost my original recipe (I had not used it since around 1984!)

http://makefortunecookies.com/

So I have gotten a few cookies done with minimal burning of my fingers.

Unfortunately, there are a few problems.  I think I need different paper.  The regular computer paper is sticking to the cookie.  I also think I may need to re-think the use of only vanilla flavor because they are a little too sweet.  <sigh> A work in progress!  I will keep you updated.

THE GREAT DEBATE: flat dumplings versus biscuit dumplings

Which do you prefer snake or bison meat?  That lovely sentence was typed by my son when I turned my back to stir the dumplings.  My original sentence said "Which do you prefer, flat dumplings or biscuit ones?"

I am making chicken and dumplings for dinner tonight but it is not the way my mother taught me.  It is the way my husband likes.  He has always had his dumplings from Anne's Old Fashioned dumplings.

I have never used this before I got together with my sexy Italian husband.  I am still on a learning curve using them.  My mother always used Bisquick and made biscuit dumplings.  They are my favorite, especially when I put a stick of real butter in right before I start dropping the biscuit dough because it creates a line of butter through the dumpling.  My middle child does not like the biscuit kind but she does like the flat ones.

So.....I just boiled my boneless chicken thighs (I like using them because they have more flavor than the white meat in my opinion) and then pulled them out to shred them.  I added the dumplings plus (I know my step-kids will shake their heads at this next statement LOL) I added a can of Campbell's  Cream of Chicken Soup.  I added the chicken back and now it is boiling. Soon the dumplings will be done and we will eat.

I think I may make biscuit ones soon.....