Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!!

Hope all of you have a safe & enjoyable time this evening however you ring in 2012!

A couple of ideas for last minute appetisers:

Spinach dip in a bread bowl - buy a bread mound at your local bakery; cut out the middle making sure not to go through the bottom of the mound; scoop spinach dip into the bowl and cut up the bread into bite size pieces. Buy a couple of different kinds of bread to cut up for dipping in it as well makes a beautiful table display!

Rotel Cheese Dip - Velveeta cheese & a can of Rotel tomatoes; put in microwave and melt stirring every minute or so. Serve with tortilla chips!



Friday, December 30, 2011

Lentil & Ham Soup

We love smoked ham. . .it is a favorite for Christmas. Normally I get a spiral cut, this year to save some money I just bought a bone in smoked ham butt. It was so good. I have always heard soup from a Ham bone is amazing. If you know me by now, I had to try it. We were not disappointed. The broth you get from boiling it is very tasty and useful for many different recipes.


So off I went to find a great recipe. I am really liking www.allrecipes.com AND they have an app for my phone. Found a few recipes and settled on one, but in the midst of making it, decided to not add the tomatoes it called for & changed the spices a bit. So, below is my modified version of Lentil & Ham Soup.

Lentils are a wonderful dried bean & source of protein, you don't have to soak them and they cook very fast. If you are not a fan of beans, this is a great one to try as it does not have as much of the bean texture.
 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Tuscan Vegatable Beef Soup

Trying some new soups out for the the winter months! Now that I live up north you need soup to warm your bones! I'm such a spoiled FL girl. 

I've worn out the two recipes I've been using - chili - chicken & wild rice. So here is my newest recipe. . . Tuscan Vegetable Beef Soup!!

Try substituting chicken or smoked sausage for the beef to give more variety to your dish. I wanted to use a smaller pasta than bow tie, but that is what I had. Next time I will use a smaller pasta. Barilla makes a mini version of several kinds of pasta called Piccolini. . .  http://www.barillaus.com/Pages/Products-Landing.aspx

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Sheri's Veggie Bake

In my search for new recipes for Christmas dinner,  I actually took some recipes I found and modified them. This Veggie Bake was so delicious & easy it will become a regular side dish. You can cut the veggies to whatever size you like, I prefer them kind of bite size, so I pretty much quartered it if I had to cut it. 

The great thing about this recipe is you can make it your own with the veggies your family likes. Or change it up here & there. The Thyme seasoning is what really brings this dish together! I hardly ever used it before, but it is fantastic with vegetables.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!!!

Hope you are all enjoying wonderful Food, Friends & Family time today! Thanks for reading my blog hope it helps you feel more courageous to try new things in the kitchen!

Here's to more cooking in 2012!!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Brownie Whoopie Pies

Brownie Whoopie pies. . .what a great idea! Use the recipe in the previous post adding 1/2 cup flour. Then using a cookie scoop for 'uniformness' Scoop onto a cookie sheet, bake for 9-11 minutes. let cool completely and then use this frosting recipe below (or buy some from the store) put a spoonful of frosting on the bottom side of one brownie/cookie and twist press the other cookie to evenly distribute frosting between the brownies. *

* add 1/2 cup cocoa to frosting for chocolate frosting!

Creme De Menthe Brownies! mmmmmm

This is my new favorite Brownie recipe! It is called a torte, but it will work for brownies, it is just a different pan you bake it in. For the holidays I added Andes mint baking chips, what a wonderful taste it gave to the brownies. If you like Andes mints you will LOVE this recipe! YUM!

Click to enlarge

This recipe calls for wax paper - you only need it or foil if you are making the Torte as it is in a spring form pan. I used foil as I did not have wax paper and it turned out fine. As a torte you can add delicious toppings to it for a more elegant dessert such as sweetened berries & whipped cream, I have even put a layer of no bake cheesecake on top with canned cherries over that, talk about yum!

If you do not have any spring form pans, I encourage you to get a set. They are so handy, I use them for my pies instead of a traditional pie pan. Never been a fan of the thick pie crust, and this makes it more like a torte and the crust does not get over done.

Happy Christmas Baking!


Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas Baking Day!





The chef's outfits were a huge hit! We began our Christamas baking.....

First off we made my version of a family christmas candy my mother always makes called Cobblestone - My version will be called:

Cobbelstone Brickle

1 bag of Semi Sweet choc chips
1 bag of Butterschotch chips
half bag of mini marshmallows

Super easy recipe - sprinkle all chips & marshmallows onto a foil lined baking sheet with at least one inch lip around the side. Bake at 350 till marshmallows begin to puff up apprx 15 - 20 minutes. remove from oven let cool. break into chunks and enjoy!

Gifts for my assistants!

I was soooo excited when I found these great gifts at HomeGoods for $11! My two little baking assistants will be decked out today when we do our Christmas baking! Of course these are early presents. . .but I just can't wait and we are baking today, so it's the perfect time to give these. I will add pics of them later today!


I hope all of you are enjoying the holiday season and  that you are not
too wrapped up in the "busyness" to enjoy this wonderful time of year!

We are making candy today so the pics & recipes will be on here later!

Merry Christmas!!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Searching for different Christmas Dinner Recipes

I am on the hunt for some new and different Christmas Dinner recipes. The possibilities are endless. In searching I have found some really great looking recipes I am adding to our meal this year.

This may just be a year round keeper as we love egg salad & avocados. I think I will modify for Christmas dinner in the form of deviled eggs! We get tired of boring deviled eggs, but how great to mince avocado lemon juice & red onions in with your normal egg mixture! Then fill your egg whites. I think it will be really pretty as well!

*** I made this egg salad this evening to see what it was like, I added a couple shakes of cayenne pepper & brown horshradish mustard, decreasing the amount of mayo & not adding milk. It is delish!

 I am going to make this broccoli and add crumbled bacon to it as well. Always love finding new veggie recipes.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Holiday Gift Baking Ideas

An "Impulse buy" turned into a great Holiday baking find! I don't normally buy the magazines at the grocery checkout. But yesterday I was waiting in line and this one caught my eye! So after glancing through it I bought it. You can never have too many recipes!

There is a list of some of their baking products inside the first couple pages. Did you know that Hershey makes 'cinnamon chips'? (like chocolate chips only cinnamon) I had no idea.  I really love their butterscotch chips, the flavor is a bit more 'buttery' than other brands and they are a bit cheaper. (check out the website www.hersheyskitchens.com ) This will be one to bookmark!
more ideas - www.hersheyskitchens.com
What a great little cook book! The best thing is that you can make several of these (some are super easy) and give them as gifts to friends & family! I don't know too many people that don't love getting homemade goodies during the holidays (at anytime for that matter). Like this one below Cookie Pops! You can get your kids involved in this one.
Snowflake Lollipop Cookies

Recipe courtesy www.hersheyskitchens.com


Use your favorite cookie recipe
and then add a stick & decorate!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Here it is. . .Jalapeno Chicken

Since you have had to wait a week for my next post, I decided to bring out my favorite recipe of all times Jalapeno Chicken! This recipe was made for us at a friends house when we lived in Ft. Myers in the early 90's. We fell in love with this dish and have been making it ever since.

Such a versatile and guest friendly recipe. You control the heat for each separate piece of chicken! Have company coming that doesn't like spice? put the topping on their chicken before you add the jalapenos. . .taste is a bit different but still delicious!

Click to enlarge

I season my flour with Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt & black pepper. You can use any seasonings you like.

This is what your chicken will look like when ready
can be a little more brown on top if you can wait that long! LOL


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

My Favorite Cookie - Oatmeal Scotchies!!

As a kid I always loved anything butterscotch! Didn't matter, I loved it if it had that warm buttery taste! So my favorite cookie was always Oatmeal Scotchies. Comfort food! Mmmmm. :)
Two of my favorite cooking assistants

So, here is the recipe I used, had to modify it in the middle of baking as the first batch came out tasty but flat. So, this is the result. . .the picture shows both the flat ones and the good ones!

Click to Enlarge

Good & Bad

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Sheri's Famous Chili

If you have ever been to my house for any length of time or multiple get togethers you have more than likely tasted this Chili. Usually it is in the form of Frito Pie** (which I found in PA they had not heard of "Frito what?"). So it was a lot of fun explaining and watching them come to love one of our families favorite dishes.

When it gets cold out, I start making chili. Usually, I make a large pot and then freeze leftovers in small containers for quick meals in the coming weeks. Lately I've had to do this because I was used to making large quantities to feed family, members of Youth & College Bible Studies at our home and I couldn't seem to make a small pot of chili! I'm getting better at this, well maybe. My son-in-law likes it when I make a lot of chili because he knows he'll get a few bowls for his lunches.

So, here is the recipe:
Click to enlarge recipe
The thickening is the key to this chili. I am not a fan of runny chili, in a large pot I have had to repeat the "thickening" process 2 or 3 times. It is a matter of preference.

Optional Variations: use ground turkey or pork; add beans - Black beans go really well in this chili; I have also made it without the smoked sausage & its good. Serve with Corn Bread or rice or see Frito Pie directions below. . .
Chili with wheat sourdough rolls
**Frito Pie - to make frito pie, make your chili and then as you plate or bowl it up place Frito's Corn Chips on the plate or in bottom of bowl; spoon chili over fritos, top with cheese, lettuce, onions & sour cream. Like you would top your tacos, whatever you like. Then enjoy! 

Sheri's Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Panera Bread has the best soups, my favorite is the Chicken & Wild Rice. Of course we move so much that several times we did not live near a Panera. :(

So, I decided to make my own recipe up. This recipe is super easy & fast, everyone will think you slaved over it! The only difference is I do not add carrots. If I did I would add shredded carrots as I don't like the big chunks of carrots in their soup. But that is a personal preference.

Click recipe to enlarge
 If you are not one that likes to make rice, you must try these rice packets from Uncle Ben's! They are the best and so easy! 90 seconds in the microwave! Really great when you don't have a lot of time. There are quite a few flavors as well. For this recipe I used this one:

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Cold Weather Comfort Food. . .Soup & Grilled Cheese

When the temp drops I start thinking about soup! I love how it warms you up. I remember as a child, in Boulder, CO, we would play out in the snow until we were about frozen & then come inside to eat Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese! YUM!

I still love Campbell's tomato soup today, sometimes though I want a little more to it so, I add on to this great soup starter! It is easy and can be very delicious!

Sheri's Tomato Soup & Grilled Ciabatta

1 Large can of Campbell's Tomato Soup
1 c milk
1 can of petite diced tomatoes garlic & onion flavored
Rosemary to taste

Whole Wheat Ciabatta rolls sliced
Sliced jalapeno Jack cheese

Stovetop: In sauce pan mix together soup, 1 cup milk, tomatoes drained; Add rosemary about 1 tsp;
Oven: pre-heat to 375; place ciabatta rolls open face on stone or cookie sheet; place 1 or 2 slices jalapeno jack cheese on each side; place in oven till cheese melts; You can broil for a few seconds to crisp up the top if desired.

I grind some pepper on top of the soup,
you can sprinkle cheese or just get creative!

Other options: Feta cheese, croutons or bacon crumbles on the soup; of course on the bread you can use any type of cheese or bread for that matter. This can be a very versatile meal!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Mrs. Fields (that would be me) Cookies

Our favorite cookie recipe came to me back in the 80's over a fax machine. A lady had tried to buy THE "Mrs. Fields" cookie recipe and was charged $200 instead of the $2 she thought they were charging. They would not refund her money and so the recipe was faxed out to anyone and everyone she knew. So I was the beneficiary of one of these faxes. Below is my modified version of this recipe. I divided it into 1/2, 3/4 or whole recipe because the whole makes sooooo many cookies. Normally I make the 1/2 batch for just family time.Make sure you use Real butter, margarine totally changes the taste & consistency of the cookie.

Click recipe to enlarge


 
We made these last night and used 1 bag of Semi sweet & 1 bag of white chocolate chips. They turned out very good. A great variation would be to add to the flour mixture 1 cup cocoa powder for chocolate chocolate chip cookies!

My assistant Baker Ava!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Sheri's Pan Grilled Salmon

I think my favorite thing to eat is Salmon. I love it pretty much any way you fix it. There are different kinds of salmon. Atlantic & Sockeye seem to be the most prevalent in stores I have been in. I tend to prefer the Atlantic when sauteing. Sockeye is great on a cedar plank on the grill. But it is a healthy & delicious fish. (My husband won't eat it because it's pink! That is so his loss!) Here is a link with some great info on purchasing & the different types of salmon: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/salmonselect.html

 Sheri's Pan Grilled Salmon

1 lb Atlantic Salmon (sear the skin side first for easy removal)
Olive Oil
Real butter
Minced garlic to taste
Garlic powder
Seasoned Salt
Optional: ground rosemary

Heat the olive oil in your skillet over medium heat; add one pat of butter & Tbsp of minced garlic; place salmon skin side down in the skillet for about 45 seconds just to sear the skin; while heating season the top side with garlic powder, seasoned salt & rosemary; turn the salmon; with a fork peel off the skin, discard and season this side; the searing time on each side is dependant on how done you like your salmon (I love mine to be almost rare in the middle) sear for 2 min on each side cover and remove from heat; let stand for a minute; You can cook it longer on each side if you want it well done.

Serve with your favorite side - Uncle Ben's Brown & Wild Rice*, Caesar salad or some roasted veggies are my favorite. *These are the orange packets they sell in the rice section and they microwave in 90 seconds & are delicious!


This makes for a nice departure from all the heavy food consumed during the holidays or just anytime.

ENJOY!!!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Ideas for YOUR Christmas List!

My KitchenAid is my most prized kitchen gadget. . .While browsing around on their website I found their Outlet area. . .great deals on refurbished stand mixers & food choppers.


http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/more-ways-to-shop-1/outlet-2/factory-refurbished-3/102020034/

For even more ideas I was at Burlington Coat Factory and they had these amazing KitcheAid fun kitchen gadgets at really reasonable prices. So, if you want or know someone that loves cooking you can get great quality stocking stuffers there & also check out TJ Maxx & Ross. They usually carry upper end gadgets at better than the bargain shop prices!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

I hope you were all with friends & or family yesterday! After a crazy day before T-Day of running my youngest granddaughter to the Emergency Room for stuffing a spongy keyboard piece up her nose, I didn't get started baking until it was dark out! But thankfully she is ok.

For The big day we had our daughter & her fam over & then friends came over for the second round of food and our holiday kick-off tradition of watching "Christmas Vacation"! Had a great day! I think breakfast was the biggest hit of the day. . .
I have to admit they were really good. The best part was I prepped them the day before from dough I had in the freezer, letting them rise while I was baking pies & such, covered & placed in fridge over night. Popped them in the oven first thing Thanksgiving morning and we had a very yummy breakfast that was quick & actually easy.

Our Thanksgiving Feast was fun & good. I love cooking with my daughter, it makes me happy! Instead of one person taking the brunt of everything we split the shopping & cooking duties in half & brought it all together for a wonderful meal. We enjoy just being together so that makes it even more fun!

Well it's Black Friday, so if you have been out there shopping, more power to you! I avoid BF at all cost. I have seen alot of sales on some great kitchen gadgets, but even that is not enough to drag me out! LOL

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Italian Stromboli

Stromboli is a great alternative to Pizza. . .you can fill it with pretty much any of your fav sub/sandwich ingredients. I made this one like the Italian BMT sub we love.


Ingredients:
1/2 pizza dough recipe or 1 mound from store or freezer
1 - 2 Tbs olive oil
 10 - 12 Sliced Hard Salami,
1 bag reg Pepperoni or large sliced
6-8 sliced Smoked Ham
8-10 slices provolone cheese
Add these to your liking:
Banana peppers
chopped jalapenos
diced onions, etc.

Pre-heat oven to 400; Place stone* in oven to heat; Roll out pizza dough to large rectangle (don't roll it too thin or it will fall apart when rolling it up). brush lightly with olive oil; in rows layer the meat so that is covers the dough - minus 1 inch along the long edge of the rectangle; layer cheese over the meat; then add your toppings; roll the dough long ways and seal edges; make small slits along top of Stromboli to vent steam; Bake for 25-30 minutes.

*baking on a pre-heated stone makes the bottom crispy!

I recommend using a stone, but you can also use a cookie sheet with a raised edge. don't use a flat cookie sheet as the oils may drip out onto your oven.

For a healthier recipe: use whole wheat dough and Turkey Pepperoni (the turkey pepperoni is less greasy and actually cooks up better than the regular pepperoni).

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Pumpkin Bread

Guess I am on a "Bread" roll. . .LOL. But the Holidays always get me in the mood for yummy breads and all kinds of comfort food. This recipe is actually a modified Banana bread recipe that is very moist and custard like in consistency. (My friend that hates bananas would say Thank you!) It is really yummy sweet bread.

Pumpkin Bread

1/2 to 1 Quart of cooked pumpkin (mashed)
3/4 c each of white & brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 sticks of real butter softened
1 1/4 cup milk warmed
2 Tbs cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 c self rising flour
1 Tbs Vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; Cream butter & sugar together; mix in pumpkin and remaining ingredients in order given; grease (or spray) 2 loaf pans;  divide evenly into loaf pans and bake for 45 min - 1 hour;

After removing from oven loosen from pan and allow to cool on wire racks if you can keep your family away from it that long! You can also use Mini loaf pans and use as gifts during the holiday season. If you like banana bread just substitute the pumpkin for 3 medium ripe bananas smashed.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Waffles!!!

Great Holiday Breakfast idea! BACON WAFFLES!

I will confess, I tried my hand at a scratch recipe for waffles & they weren't that great, taste was ok, but they were very heavy. So I recommend using Krusteaz Belgian Waffle mix (it is fantastic & easy!)

For Bacon Waffles -
Cook 2-3 peices bacon per waffle
(Thick sliced applewood smoked bacon is best - more flavor);
Chop bacon into small bite size or smaller peices;
Preheat waffle iron;
Prepare waffle mix as directed on box;
Drop bacon pcs on heated waffle iron right before pouring batter;
Pour batter over bacon, close lid;
Cook as you normally would on your waffle iron;

DELISH!!



"Creating Smiles One Recipe at a Time!"