Restarting

 Keep an eye out....new post coming soon.

Keto - jumping on the band wagon

I have been going through my church cookbook as noted in previous posts but it is now time to get myself straight. I have diabetes type 2 and epilepsy. My bones are weak. Last year I broke my ankle and my wrist. Being wheelchair bound was not fun. With my neurological imbalance on my right side (hence the falls) I am finally only required to use a crutch.

Let's face it friends: I am overweight. So much so that the following word that I hate is applied to me right now. Obese. Ugh.

I am going to work now to fight the reasons behind my obesity and do my best to overcome those things which hold me back.

Number 1: I come from an abusive background. Being overweight helped me to be "invisible". I knew that no one would really look at me as an older, heavier woman.

Number 2: Poor diet choices. Is there anything more lovely than a Krispy Kreme donut? Well, actually there is: twelve of them! Sugar was my comfort food and my enemy.

Number 3: Carbohydrates. I know we need some but it was all I was eating. Pasta, potatoes or any other high carb food. And not in correct portions. 

Number 4: Exercise. It was a dirty word for me. And sitting in a wheelchair only added to me eating more comfort food and not getting any exercise. Plus, when I had to go through any painful thing my reward was donuts.

So....now I have begun to get it under control. I have taken the bare principals of keto to heart. Am I an expert or a doctor. No. I don't recommend or not recommend you follow it. I just know that right now it works for me.

And the proof is in the pudding that I don't eat anymore! At the doctor today I got on the scale and I have lost 11 pounds. Yes, I fall of the wagon sometimes. After all, it takes time to kick the bad habit of self comfort with food. It's a life long habit that I am working to change.

Do I want to be high school weight and size? No! but about 50 pounds or so down would go a long way to getting healthier.

So, I will be posting recipes I have found that work for me. And I'll try not to be absent for so long!
Thanks for reading! And God bless you.

The Cookbook Experiment: Beef A Roni

Hello! Another recipe from the church cookbook. This one was submitted by Mary Grode who is the mother of Judy Mastros. Great families, all of them!

I was looking for a fast dinner tonight and as I poured through the cookbook this one jumped out at me.

Beef A Roni by Mary Grode

1 pound ground beef
1 cup Elbow macaroni
1/2  onion, minced
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1-15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 - 3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Cook ground beef. Stir in macaroni, onion, green pepper, salt and pepper; cook stirring until macaroni is transparent.  Add tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce and cover. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir then let stand 5 minutes with heat off.

My take-aways from this recipe:

1. I could not wrap my head around adding the macaroni at the stage it said in the recipe so I did not. I boiled my macaroni noodles separately.
2. I increased the amount of sauce and noodles because I have a house full to feed.
3. I also used ground turkey in lieu of hamburger because we have someone in the family who is allergic to red meat.
4. It was really good however I am going to talk to the daughter of the recipe writer and see if the macaroni really goes in before being cooked.
5. I really wanted to add cheese to this...blame the Italian in me.

Until tomorrow!! Take care.

The Cookbook Experiment: Aunt Lorraine's Carrot Soup

Hello all! What do you do when you have too many fresh veggies and are not in the mood for a salad? Don't let them rot! Make a soup! I turned to my trusty church cookbook to decide what direction my soup would take and came across another recipe submitted by the amazing Martha Lee Cash and her Aunt Lorraine! If you stroll through my previous posts you will find an amazing recipe for her lasagna. 

Aunt Lorraine's Carrot Soup

1 lb. carrots
3 medium potatoes
1 large onion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Dash of salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups milk

In a soup pot, saute the chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of butter or low fat margarine.  Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth.  Combine with the carrots and potatoes and cook until done about 15 minutes. Put in blender, blending to mush consistency. Return to pot and add a dash of salt and pepper and 1 1/2 cups milk. Store in refrigerator. When ready to serve, heat and garnish with dill (optional).

SO....once again I goofed it up like I did last night. I went a little off the rails as I wanted to use my Instant Pot. This is what I did since I had veggies to use up.

I used a 16 ounce bag of carrot chips and cut them into slices.
I set my Instant Pot on saute and put the onion and butter in to soften up. After the onions were softened I dumped in my carrots. I did not chop my potatoes very small since I was worried they would break down too far. Next I added the chicken broth.  I also had some stir fry vegetables that consisted of chopped fresh brussel sprouts, red onion and cauliflower.  I did not mush any of them in a blender.  Next, because I knew the Instant Pot needed to pressurize I added two more cups of water. I am just a novice with the Instant Pot so don't just do what I say. Read your manual and judge for yourself how much liquid you need with your food items. I set my Instant Pot on Soup/Broth and then fell asleep and took a nap! When I got up about an hour later the soup was done and it had self-released. All the veg was very tender. I did NOT add the dairy. Dairy does not really belong in the Instant Pot and honestly, I liked the lightness without the milk.

So I went pretty far off the recipe on this one. But it was the beginning and a good start. And it is a healthy lunch for all this coming week.

My return to posting and a new recipe: Best Ever Corn Pudding

I'm sorry I fell of the map. Life has a way of knocking you around and I let it get in the way of a lot of things. I fractured my ankle and ended up having surgery. I have also fractured my right wrist and have been in a cast for three months and am hoping it won't mean surgery too.

Additionally my depression has had a strangle hold as well. Changes in life, church, children - I have let it all just run through like a large storm. Time to take back control.

I am continuing going through my church cookbook with the goal of trying every single recipe. Tonight it was "Best Ever Corn Pudding" by the amazing Pat John. She is an incredible woman of faith and I should really be more like her. Here is the recipe:

Best Ever Corn Pudding by Pat John

(1) 16 ounce can cream of corn
(2) eggs, beaten
(1) can evaporated milk
(2) heaping tablespoons of flour
(1)  teaspoon salt
(1/3) cup sugar
(2/3) cup melted margarine

Beat eggs. Add other ingredients. Bake at 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Use an 8 1/2" square dish, sprayed.

There is a VERY important reason I have no picture for you. I got distracted making this and forgot to add the milk. Disaster. It really was not that bad but it was mostly just over-buttered cream corn. I will make it again soon and this time I wont forget the milk. I'm sure its wonderful.

I hope you all are doing well. I'm working on getting back to the normal things of life. Take care!

Simple Fish Tacos with Corn and Tomato Salsa by My Fitness Pal blog

Still no church cookbook but I am continuing my quest to make exceptionally healthy and fulfilling meals for my family and stay at 400 calories or less. I'm really enjoying the adventure of cooking in new ways. Tonight's recipe was found after hitting Google up for "Recipes with 400 calories or less".

Google led me to the Fitness Pal blog and "14 Filling Dinners - 400 calories or less". The recipe that caught my eye was the Fish Tacos. Truthfully I have always been afraid of cooking fish. I was never taught how and it seems pretty intimidating to me.

You can find the recipe right here:

Simple Fish Tacos with Corn & Tomato Salsa

I decided to use Tilapia instead of Mahi-Mahi. I also decided to get a frozen bag instead of buying it fresh. I'm not really sure how to buy fresh fish so frozen worked for me. I was in a little bit of a rush at the store and missed a few ingredients. One important one was the coriander for the rub/sauce that went on the fish before it was baked. I ended up using more cumin in place and it worked. I did learn something new: coriander is basically dried cilantro.

When I made the corn and tomato salsa the recipe said to cut the grape tomatoes in half. I did not like how large that left the tomatoes so I cut most of them into thirds. I also forgot to purchase the shallot so I used green onions in place of the shallot.  It was very good.

First bite of the taco was amazing! I loved it and it tasted better than any I have ever had in a restaurant. Yeah, I know, I made them but it was wonderful. I baked the tilapia and it turned out perfect. I will definitely make this again!

Womans Day magazine recipes

We are finally back in our home. Unpacking is continuing and I have no idea where my church cookbook is but I hope to find it soon and resume my testing of each recipe in the book. Until then I have been looking for healthier ways to feed the family.

The March 2017 issue of Womens Day has four recipes that are 400 calories or less. The first one I made tonight was the Meatball soup. It was a little bit labor intensive because of the grating of the fresh ginger. Outside of grating the ginger, it was a fairly easy recipe to make. I admit I was a little nervous broiling the meatballs but it worked very well. I am not going to list the recipe but instead I have provided the link to the website as this is not mine.

Gingery Meatball Soup with Bok Choy

My take aways for this recipe:

• I only bought one head of Bok-Choy. Truthfully the recipe was not exactly clear. It said four heads and about 12 ounces. I believe it actually needed four separate ones but not sure. I felt like the one I bought did not provide enough greens for the soup. Next time I make it I will use more Bok-Choy. 
• It was the very first time I have ever tried Bok-Choy and was not sure how to use it. My little friend Google told me that the stem parts are edible as well so I tore the leaves into the pan but chopped the stems up so that they would cook quicker.
• The ground chicken was very, very sticky. I have no idea what I should have done to make it easier to roll the meatballs.
• I made my meatballs too big so the cooking time under the broiler was longer for mine.
• I did not chop the cilantro up well enough. Mine had large pieces of the leaves and that just did not work out well. Next time I will chop finer. 
• The husband liked it but the son did not. I liked it but felt the cilantro was too strong and that it needed more garlic.

As if trying one new recipe was not enough, I also tried a second recipe from the same magazine and same set. I have provided the link to the website as this is not my recipe.

Sweet and Sour Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry

My take aways for this recipe:

• This recipe was quite delicious. The only problem is it did not have enough sauce. I do not know if it was the recipe or if it was me as I followed it completely except for the bean sprouts.
• The only reason I did not add the bean sprouts was because Kroger did not have them today.
• I think next time I will try this with chicken as my hubs cannot have very much pork.
• I will also double the hoison sauce mixture
• Everyone like this one - hard to believe a serving is only 317 calories.

Overall it was a successful meal. It was very challenging for me to use new ingredients I had never tried before. I hope you give it a try and I sure wish Womens Day would let me know some more info on both recipes.

Glad to be back!!

The Cookbook Experiment: Ginger Cookies

Sometimes it is hard living in a house with family that have completely different ideas about what certain types of food we should have and others that are off limits. There is one member of my family that does NOT like chocolate chip cookies. Its a travesty, I know. I needed to find a cookie that everyone would like so I turned to my trusty church cookbook.

The recipe I found was "Ginger Cookies" by Sandy Viner. Sandy is one of the hardest working people at the church. She is the secretary, a Sunday school teacher, my mentor, my friend and a mother.  This recipe seemed like a real winner.

Ginger Cookies by Sandy Viner

(1 1/2) cups shortening, some butter added for flavor
(2) cups granulated sugar
(2) well beaten eggs
(1/2) cup molasses
(2) teaspoons soda
(2) teaspoons cinnamon
(2) teaspoons cloves
(1) teaspoon ginger
(1/2) teaspoon salt
(4) cups flour

Cream shortening and sugar together; add eggs. Sift dry ingredients together; add with molasses and beat. Chill. Form in small balls; roll in mixture of 6 tablespoons sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart. Bake in 375 oven for 12 to minutes.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I only had cinnamon. I could not find my ginger and I did not have cloves.  I used (2 1/2) teaspoons in lieu of the (2) called for in the recipe.
• I did not let the dough chill. I had no time for that and they rolled into balls to put on the cookie sheet just fine.
• I forgot to roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. They were still amazing.
• This makes a LOT of dough. My large Kitchen Aid could barely handle that this recipe made.
• I used (1) cup of butter and (1/2) cup shortening. Why? Because butter. But do not neglect putting in the shortening as it is an important ingredient.
• With my oven I baked them exactly 12 minutes and did fine. They stay soft for only a few minutes then they turn into snap cookies.
• Don't neglect to add the salt. It is an important ingredient.
• These cookies are amazing. They have become one of my families favorite cookies. 

The Cookbook Experiment: Hawaiian Surprise Cake

Tonight's dessert cookbook experiment is a cake from Mr. Dick John. He has a lot of recipes in this book and so far I have liked them all.This was no exception.

Hawaiian Surprise Cake by Dick John

(1) package yellow cake mix with pudding
(1/2) cup oil
(4) eggs
(1) small can mandarin oranges, undrained

Beat cake mix, oil, eggs and oranges for 2 minutes.  Bake in a 9" x 13" pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool

Frosting:

(1) 8 ounce container of Cool Whip
(2 1/2) cups well drained, crushed pineapple
(1) small box instant vanilla pudding mix

Mix all together with a spoon.  Spread over cooled cake.  Decorate with flaked coconut and orange slices.  Refrigerate.  Serves 12.

My (and Paulina's) take-a-way for this recipe:

• I made the cake portion. I did not have a cake that had pudding in the mix so I just used a standard yellow cake mix.
• I did not have a small can of mandarin oranges. I did have the large can and went ahead and used it all without any noticeable difference. 
• Paulina made the frosting. She states and I agree that a homemade whipped topping using heavy whipping cream. 
• Paulina added some strawberries to the top of hers.  

The Cookbook Experiment: Deep South Sausage and Pintos

Tonight's cookbook experiment is another recipe from Mrs. Doreen Lay. She is an awesome lady and she has quite a few awesome recipes in this book. I have been very curious to try this particular one because it sounds like something my mom and dad would have loved. Pinto beans were an every week kind of meal in our house when I was little. Mom and dad had to feed seven children so beans were a staple.

Deep South Sausage and Pintos by Mrs. Doreen Lay

(1) pound link sausage
(1) large onion, chopped
(1) green pepper, chopped
(1) 16 ounce can pinto beans
(1) 8 ounce can tomato sauce

Fry sausage until brown on all sides.  Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add onion and green pepper; saute until tender.  Add remaining ingredients. Stir to blend, simmer 10 minutes and serve hot with cornbread. Serves 6

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• This recipe is very easy. It also does not list any spices to add. I found that a little bit odd.
• It has a very plain clean flavor without any spices added.
• Of course, me knowing my Italian husband like I do, no spices added would simply not do.
• I cannot give you exact measurements. I just added until it smelled right to me.
• I added, chipotle chili powder, regular chili powder, steak seasoning blend, Italian seasoning blend and some crushed red pepper.
• I let the dish simmer and bubble for about 30 minutes on very, very low to let the flavors marry up and get happy.

The Cookbook Experiment: Cheesy Nacho Bake

The final cookbook experiment of the night is Mrs. Susan Strom's Cheesy Nacho Bake. Susan is a woman at church who I greatly admire. She is a very brave and courageous woman who believes and loves with her whole heart.

Cheesy Nacho Bake by Susan Strom

(1 1/2) pounds ground beef or turkey
(1) 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, unstrained
(1) package Taco seasoning mix (1 1/4 ounce)
(1/2) cup water
(1 1/2) cups sour cream, divided
(1) 5 ounce package tortilla chips (8 cups)
(1) 8 ounce package Shredded Colby and Monterrey jack cheese
Chopped tomatoes and green onion for garnish

Brown meat, drain. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup water and seasoning mix. Cook, uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in 1 cup sour cream. Place 1/2 of the chips in a 13" x 9" baking dish, cover with 1/2 the meat mixture and 1/2 the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.  Top with remaining sour cream, chopped tomatoes and green onions if desired.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• This was very easy and very tasty
• The sour cream blended with the meat and tomato mixture was just perfectly creamy.
• Adding the fresh grape tomatoes and green onion on top with some sour cream was wonderful.
• This is definitely going on the list of things I will make again and again. Thanks Susan!

The Cookbook Experiment: Breaded and Baked Eggplant

One of tonight's cookbook experiments was Mrs. Lona Martin's Breaded and Baked Eggplant. Lona is an amazing women and one of a trio of sisters that attends our church. They are a force to be reckoned with! All of them are just so dang awesome. I love them.

Breaded and Baked Eggplant by Lona Martin

Olive oil cooking spray
(2) eggs
(2) cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
(1) large eggplant

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk eggs in wide, shallow bowl and set aside.  Place the bread crumbs in a similar bowl set next to the eggs.  Trim the ends off the eggplant, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Use a fork to dredge each slice through the egg, then through the bread crumbs, flipping to evenly coat both sides.  Arrange the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Spritz the eggplant slices with cooking spray, then bake for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the slices and bake another 20 minutes, or until both sides are just crisp and slightly browned.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I have always been kind of intimidated by eggplant. I have no idea why I am letting some big purple bulbous veggie make me nervous!
• I was not really sure what to expect with this recipe as I think I have only had eggplant one other time.
• I only used one cup of bread crumbs. I would say start with one and then add more if needed. I did not need more because my eggplant was not too big.
• This turned out really well even though I used regular cooking spray. I don't think I have ever bought olive oil spray.
• My husband (the Italian) said I did not cut them thick enough. He said he would have preferred them to be thicker. I did not even know he liked eggplant! Learned something new about my amazing man.
• I would like to make this again and put it on top of a bed of rich spaghetti and sauce.
• Thanks Lona! This was easy and delicious and gave me a lot of ideas.

The Cookbook Experiment: Caramel Brownies

My middle child and amazing cook Paulina wanted to make something sweet. She chose Mrs. Doreen Lay's Caramel Brownies. I love Doreen. She has the best smile and her sense of humor is wonderful. She is one of my favorite ladies at our church.

I will caution you on this one very important fact: IF you are dieting don't even think about making these because you will NOT be able to stop at one, or two, or even three. They are that amazing!

Caramel Brownies by Doreen Lay

(1) 1 pound box brown sugar
(1 1/2) sticks butter
(3) eggs
(2 2/3) cups flour
(1) teaspoon baking powder
(1) teaspoon salt
(1) package chocolate pieces
(1/2) cup chopped pecans
(1) teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Combine sugar and butter; melt over low heat. Cool. Add 1 egg at a time; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add. Add chocolate pieces, chopped nuts and vanilla; mix well.  Pour into 9" x 12" pan; bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Cut into squares.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• This recipe is made by making REAL caramel....swoon!
• Paulina used about 1/2 package of a 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips.
• She did not add pecans because we did not have any in the house.
• I would recommend eating a piece IMMEDIATELY when it comes out of the oven. It is divine!
• I thought they tasted best when at least warm so when I went back for another piece (and another, and another) I microwaved it for about 8 seconds to warm it back up.
• Like I said above, don't make this if you are dieting. It is impossible to resist! Thanks Doreen!

The Cookbook Experiment: Quick and Easy Swiss Steak

Tonight's cookbook experiment is once again courtesy of Mr. Dick John. His Quick and Easy Swiss Steak intrigued me so I was determined to give it a try. The only problem? I really did not want to stand around and brown the steaks in shortening. No time for that! I work full time and I wanted it easier but not necessarily quicker.  I will fill you in on what I did after I tell you how to make it the way Mr. John makes it.

Quick and Easy Swiss Steak

(4) medium sized cubed steaks
(1) onion, sliced
(1) can cream of onion soup
(1) can beefy mushroom soup
(2) tablespoons shortening
(1) can water

Brown cubed steaks in shortening. Place in baking dish. Cover with sliced onions. Mix together onion and mushroom soups and water. Pour over onions and steaks. Bake in 325 oven for 45 minutes or until onions are cooked.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I did not want to stand around and brown the steaks. I knew that today being Monday that I would not have time.  I loaded up the crock pot with the steaks and the onions.
• I could not find cream of onion soup. I am not even sure they make it anymore. I guess I should hit up the Campbell's website and find out.
• I used cream of mushroom in place of the cream of onion.
• I knew I would need more liquid since I was using the crock pot.  I used two cans of the Beefy Mushroom soup and two cans of water.
• I cooked this on high from 12:00 Noon until I served it at 6:30 tonight. The steak was so amazingly tender.
• I wanted a thicker, richer gravy so I did two things: I added about 2 tablespoons from a block of Philadelphia cream cheese. I also mixed a little bit of the hot gravy with a tablespoon of corn starch. I beat the corn starch really well into the little bit of gravy to make sure there were no lumps. I let that go for a while until the cream cheese melted into the gravy and the gravy thickened up.
• It turned out so good! I made white rice to go under it and we also had some corn. I had to walk away from the crock pot because all I wanted to do was get bread and keep dipping it in the gravy it is so good! Thanks Mr. John!! Again!!

The Cookbook Experiment: Aunt Lauretta's Lasagna

Sunday's cookbook experiment is courtesy of a lovely lady named Martha Lee Cash! I have known her and her husband and family for almost forever. Don and Martha Lee are two more heroes of faith that I greatly admire.  I grew up with a few of their children and love them all very much.

This recipe is from her Aunt Lauretta.  I had to try it because....oh my, here comes the confession! My last name (married) is Maurizi. That is Italian! My husband was raised Italian around all these amazing women who could cook. Conquering good Italian cooking is a passion of mine. What I would give to spend time in the kitchen with Nick Stellino! But, anyway, here is the confession: the first time I ever made lasagna was almost six years ago. It was a total flop! So bad a flop I never attempted it again. This cookbook experiment and a recipe coming from Martha Lee, I decided to try it again. I am glad that I did! It was wonderful and everyone loved it.

Aunt Lauretta's Lasagna

(2 1/2) cans Italian tomatoes
(4) 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
(2) teaspoons salt
(3) teaspoons dried oregano
(1/4) teaspoon onion salt
(2) cups minced onions
(1) cup Parmesan cheese
(2) cloves garlic, minced
(1/2) cup olive oil
(2) pounds ground chuck or round steak , ground
(1) pound lasagna noodles
(1 1/2) pounds Ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
(3) packages Mozzarella cheese

In large saucepan, combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and oregano.  Simmer uncovered. In skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned. Add ground meat. When meat loses color, add to tomato sauce.  Simmer 2 1/2 hours. Cook lasagna as directed on box. Drain. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In bottom of two baking dishes, place few spoonfuls of sauce. Top with crisscross layers of noodles, then half of ricotta; top with 1/3 of mozzarella and 1/2 the Parmesan. Repeat again ending with sauce. Top with mozzarella and bake until bubbly.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I knew I would not use the 1/2 can of leftover Italian tomatoes so I used all of the 3 cans.  
• I did not know what size the cans of Italian tomatoes were to be so I used the regular 14.5 ounce ones.
• I really like a hint of basil in my tomato sauce so I added this with the oregano.
• Please do not buy cheap Parmesan. There was an article recently about all the "wood pulp" some manufacturer's use to keep the grated cheese from sticking together. I used Murray's Parmesan Reggiano and grated it myself while the sauce was bubbling away.
• I should have realized that the lasagna noodles were going to be VERY HOT and VERY STICKY! I used a cookie sheet sprayed with a little cooking spray to spread out my lasagna noodles so they would not be stuck together. I used a set of tongs but still burned the mess out of my fingers! I'm sorry Aunt Lauretta but next time I am going to use no-boil noodles! Does that make me "wimpy Italian"? I hope not.
• I was not very good at splitting up the ricotta cheese on the fly. I should have separated it before I needed it. And truthfully, I think I would have liked a lot more on it than I put on it.
• There was no size for the Mozzarella cheese packages. I thought I would be okay with one large bag that they have at Kroger but sadly I was wrong. I needed at least two of them.
• This recipe was AMAZING! Thanks to Aunt Lauretta and Martha Lee I am no longer afraid to make lasagna. I can only improved from here!

The Cookbook Experiment: Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Tonight's dessert cookbook experiment is "Chocolate Eclair Dessert" by one of the most amazing women that you will ever meet. Sandy McConnell is such a champion of faith. I have the utmost admiration for her and her faithfulness to God, to church, to her family. She is selfless and giving. I am a much better person for having her as my friend. She lifts me up. One knows for certain that when she says she is praying for you that she means it.

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

(1) box low fat graham crackers (24 crackers)
(2) boxes Vanilla instant pudding (fat free)
(4 1/2) cups skim milk
(12) ounce Lite Cook Whip (thawed)
(1) box chocolate instant pudding (sugar free)

Place 8 crackers in bottom of 13" x 9" pan. Mix vanilla pudding with 3 cups milk, mix well and let stand for 2 minutes. Gently fold in lite Cool Whip. Pour half over the graham crackers. Top with another 8 graham cracker, pour remaining pudding mixture over crackers. Top with last 8 crackers. Mix the chocolate pudding mix with 1 1/2 cups milk, let stand 2 minutes. Spread over graham crackers, let sit 6 hours or overnight to soften the graham crackers. Strawberries can be used as a garnish for this.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• No ounce size was listed for the pudding mixes. By process of elimination I determined that the (3) ounce size is what was required.
• Truthfully, I did not do anything "lowfat" or "sugar free". I used regular graham crackers, regular pudding and whole milk. 
• This is so amazing!!! Thank you Sandy!

The Cookbook Experiment: Taco Soup

Tonight's cookbook experiment is another excellent recipe by Sharon Giambrone. I love Sharon and I love her recipes too. My family loves anything to do with tacos and I thought I would give this one a try. It sure is easier than trying to wrangle all the ingredients together for regular tacos and tonight after a rough day at work and a rough time at physical therapy I needed easy.

Taco Soup by Sharon Giambrone

(2) pounds ground beef
(1) onion, chopped
(3) cans mild Rotel
(1) can Shoe-peg corn
(1) can black beans
(1) can kidney beans
(1) can pinto beans
(1) package dry ranch dressing
(1) package dry taco seasoning
(1) cup water

Brown ground beef and onions, drain. Add other ingredients and simmer at least 2 hours. Layer in bowl: Fritos or other corn chips, soup, cheese and sour cream.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• I drained the black beans and rinsed them.
• I had a green pepper I needed to use before it went bad so I chopped it and added it at the same time.
• I also had some bacon leftover (how did that happen in this household?) so I added that in. It was actually not a good idea because it got soggy. I should have saved it for the top as a garnish.
• Before I added any of the cans and after I drained the hamburger meat, I added the taco and ranch seasoning so that it could mix well and would not be lumpy in any of the juice/water.
• This was an excellent recipe. My whole family (minus the one vegetarian) loved it. I will definitely make it again.  Thanks Sharon!

The Cookbook Experiment: Do Nothing Cake

 Tonight's dessert is another one from the Littles family. Mrs. Alverta Littles is one seriously amazing woman. I love her quiet faith and steady hand. She is definitely someone you can believe when she says she is praying for you, you know she is.

Do Nothing Cake by Alverta Littles

(2) cups flour
(2) cups sugar
(2) eggs
(1) teaspoon vanilla
(1) teaspoon soda
(1) teaspoon salt
(1) large can crushed pineapple
(1/3) cup Wesson oil

In a 9" x 13" baking pan mix all cake ingredients.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Topping

(1) stick margarine
(1) cup sugar
(1) 5 ounce can milk, evaporated
(1) cup chopped nuts
(1) cup coconut

To make cake topping cook margarine, sugar, milk for 5 minutes over medium heat. Do not burn. Add nuts and coconut, spread over hot cake. Then cool.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• The can of pineapple is 20 ounces.
• Any vegetable or corn oil is okay for the Wesson oil.
• Truthfully, I would not have mixed the cake right in the baking pan if I had realized just how much stirring was required. I was constantly in danger of flour/sugar going overboard with how much mixing was required.
• For the topping I used butter in lieu of margarine...because BUTTER is better in my opinion.
• Please be very, very careful with the topping. I cooked mine over medium low and timed the five minutes just as it began to boil. This mixture is prone to bubble up (or spit as I call it) on you and could cause a burn. I would not stop stirring once you set the five minute timer.
• The recipe says to cool.  That did not happen. I cut immediately and it was a little rough. You could tell it needed to cool first.
• I thought the topping tasted like sweetened condensed milk, a light version, with coconut added in.
• Thank you Alverta, this was a good dessert for tonight and everyone (except my non-coconut eating oldest child) loved it.

The Cookbook Experiment: Pretzel Salad

Last night's cookbook experiment for dessert was "Pretzel Salad" by Mrs. Wilma Eley. I loved her, she always, always, always looked perfect. Perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect clothes. She was also known for having a perfect front yard! Her husband was an angel. He was one of my heroes of faith. Both of them are. They were beyond faithful to the church and especially the nursery program. I really miss seeing her smile.

Pretzel Salad by Wilma Eley

(1) 6 ounce strawberry jello
(2) 10 ounce packages frozen strawberries
(1) 8 ounce package softened cream cheese
(1) 8 ounce carton Cool Whip
(1) cup sugar
(3/4) cup butter, melted
(2) cups crushed pretzels, small pieces not too fine
(3) tablespoons sugar
(2) cups boiling water

Mix melted butter, pretzels and 3 tablespoons of sugar.  Press pretzel mixture into bottom of 9" x 12" baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool. Combine cream cheese, sugar and Cool Whip, spread over pretzel mixture. Then combine the Jello in 2 cups boiling water and add frozen strawberries. Pour onto cream cheese layer. Chill and serve. (Very good with chicken or turkey)

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• Truthfully, I should have chopped the strawberries. I could not find any chopped strawberries so I used the whole ones. I was too impatient to take the time to chop them. I don't know if thawing them would have made any difference on the recipe. I will have to figure that out the next time I try it.
• I think I will make double the cream cheese layer next time. I would have really liked more.
• I used a 9" x 13" cake pan.
• Make sure you let the pretzel layer cool completely.
• This was very, very good! I will definitely be making it again!

The Cookbook Experiment: Snickerdoodles

My daughter Paulina felt like making something last night.  She chose the Snickerdoodles recipe by "Unknown".  I like Unknown....he/she never causes any problems!

Snickerdoodles by Unknown

Fun Fact: Snickerdoodles were a favorite of America's cookie-loving Dutch colonist.  No one knows where they got their funny name but, given their delicious flavor and texture, we're sure they'll be around for a few more generations.

(1) cup shortening
(1 1/2) cups sugar
(2) eggs
(2) teaspoons cream of tartar
(2 3/4) cups sifted flour
(1) teaspoon baking soda
(1/4) teaspoon sugar
(2) teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly.  Blend flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.  Stir into shortening mixture.  Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in mixture of (2) tablespoons sugar and cinnamon.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

My take-a-ways for this recipe:

• We typically do not use cream of tartar because we do not like the taste. Instead we used (2) teaspoons of baking powder. Baking powder and baking soda together can be a substitute for cream of tartar anyway.
• These should have been called "disappearing cookies" because as soon as they came out of the oven they disappeared!
• The best part about this is that my daughter made them!