Keepsake Juels

Time flies...

2011-01-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Wow I knew it had been a little while since I last update this and added a post, but 3 mos---REALLY?? I have been busy at work, but still...
So I tried another RR recipe last night, one I want to add---it was so good.
Buffalo chicken pot pie
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts(abt 1 1/2-1 3/4 lb chicken)
1 lg onion, chopped
5 TBS EVOO, divided
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into bite size
3 stalks celery, chopped into bite size
2 cloves garlic, grated
4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
2 1/2 c chicken stock
1/4 c hot sauce (add more if you want more kick)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 batch corn bread (can use jiffy brand--I make from scratch)
2 eggs (I think for juffy mix??)
2/3 c milk (I think for jiffy mix??)
1 c blue cheese, crumbled
Jeat 2 TBS evoo ina large skillet over med-high heat. Add the chopped chicken chunks and saute them on both sides, til golden brown. REmove chicken froms skillet, put on plate. Add 2 more TBS EVOO, onion, carrot, celery & garlic to the same skiller and cook, stirring occasionally, til veggies are tender, 5-6 mins. While veggies are cooking, start the sauce: In a med sized sauce pan, melt butter over med-high heat then stir in the flour & cook til light brown, abt 1 min. Whisk the chicken stock and hot sauce into the butter/flour mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer the gravy til thickened, 2-3 mins. Return the reserved chicken to the skillet with the cooked veggies and add gravy, stirring to combine. Transfer everything to a 9x11" casserole dish and set aside while you prepare the topping. Prepare according to directions, stirring the bleu cheese crumbles into the bread mixture. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the top covering it completely. Bake the pot pie until the cornbread is baked through and the filling is hot, 20-30 mins.

(I covered the casserole completely and could not get the center of the bread to cook, so I would leave spaces between the bread "biscuit style" so that it can cook completely. I, also, only used 1/2 hot sauce, and it had a little kick, but not too much---we don't like REALLY hot dishes. I also added frozen corn to the pie, which was good.)

Quick, easy--and oh so good!!!

2010-10-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

OOOOOHHHH!! Rachael Ray does it again. I tried this recipe over the weekend, and it was so fantastic!!! Better yet--it was so quick to make. I used the canned chicken, I canned last year. So good...its a must try!
Korean-Style Chicken or Pork Noodle Bowls
Salt and pepper 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated 2 large cloves garlic, grated About 1/4 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce) About 3 tablespoons honey or agave syrup (eyeball it) 2 tablespoons tomato paste About 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (a couple of healthy splashes) 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Sriracha, plus more to pass around the table 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thigh meat, chicken breast meat or thin-cut boneless pork chops, cut into thin strips 1/4 small cabbage, very thinly shredded 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced or chopped 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
While the pasta is working, using a blender or food processor, combine a splash of the boiling water (before you add salt), the ginger, garlic, Tamari, honey (or agave), tomato paste, vinegar, sesame oil and hot sauce until smooth.
Get all of the remaining ingredients ready for a quick stir fry. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Add the chicken or pork and stir fry until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and bell pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the scallions and ginger sauce and toss for 1 minute. Pour over the drained noodles and top with the sesame seeds. Pass more hot sauce around the table.

Toasted Pecan Bundt cake

2010-10-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

Monday's treat for Cart is a re creation from the past. When I was in high school my mom had a book bith the most divine Toasted Pecan cake. A week before Cart's missionary farewell (I know they do not call it that anymore---but what is it???--A MISSIONARY FAREWELL) don't get me started on this... anyways, back to my story, I went on line trying to find that recipe. I did not find it, but another one got my attention, because it fits a little better into my thoughts of cooking. I try to make fantastic food at least a little more healthy than the average. Soooo, with a bundt cake you can use LESS frosting, and I decided to try it. It turned out to be a very good recipe and I am sharing it and made it last night to send to Cart this Monday. I love to send him things right out of the oven, but since I am filling in at work, an early shift, I had to make his treats this weekend. Here is the recipe, along with the penuche frosting I drizzled on top.

Toasted Pecan Bundt Cake
1 c cgopped pecans
1 c butter softened
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz) pkg dark brown sugar
4 lg eggs
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
Arrange 1 cup pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degreesfor 5-7 mins. cool on a wire rack 15 min or til cooled. Reduce oven temp to 325
Beat butter and cream cheese at med speed with an electric mixer til creamy. Gradually add brown sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Sift together 2 1/2 c flour and next 3 ingreds. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in toasted pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 12 cup Bundt pan.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 min, remove from pan to wire rack and let cool 30 min or until completely cool.
Prepare Penuche icing and drizzle on top oc cooled cake.

Icing
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Bring first 3 ingred's to a boil in 2 qt saucepan, over med heat, whisking constantly, boil 1 min. Remove from heat, whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla til smooth. Stir gently 3-5 min or til mixture cools & begins to thicken silghtly. Use immediately.
I put the frosting into a baggie and cut about a 1/4 " hole in the corner. I then drizzle a heavy drizzle on top of the cake and let set, about 30-40 min before slicing.

I found this on the internet and it is such a great recipe. It was a big hit at Carter's farewell and I hope he and the kids down at the MTC, tomorrow will enjoy it as well!!! Boy, I miss that kid and am really struggling at the fact it will be 2 LONG years before I see him again---BUT I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

Missionary MTC treats

2010-09-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

So with Cart at the MTC I have spent every Monday cooking treats for him to get, the 2 mos he is in the MTC. I was a little disappointed about the pricing, I had to pay to get 12 cinnamon rolls to him. I felt like I was being taken advantage of, trying to get treats to those at the MTC. I am seriously considering starting a business of my own, baking and delivering resonably priced treats to the missionaries at the MTC. I had to pay almost 9.00 to get his cinnamon rolls delivered. Then, I went online to see that 6 cinnamon rolls were 20+ dollars to have delivered to the MTC or missionary training center in Provo, UT. I LOVE to cook, have fantastic recipes, and have my food handlers license and am thinking of trying to help out parents/friends across the US who want to get their sons/daughters/parents treats, but are unable to do so, due to the excessive costs. I know if I lived further away I could never afford to have treats sent, and I think it is disgusting that those who offer the services are doing it at the prices they are...JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION! So I am asking anyone who happens across this to let me know what you think about my idea. I am currently finding out what I need to do to gain delivery access to the missionary training center in Provo, Ut. and would love some feedback.

Chicken and rice pliaf

2010-09-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

Spring Pilaf (from Rachael Ray)
1 TBS butter
1 TBS EVOO
1/2 c orzo pasta
1 1/2 c rice
2 1/2 c chicken stock
3-4 TBS pistachios or pine nuts, lightly roasted
1 clove galric, chopped
1 1/2 c or 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
zest of 1 lemon
4-5 TBS EVOO
genereous handful of parmigiano-reggiano cheese
In a pot w/ tight fitting lid, heat melted butter in a drizzle of EVOO. Add orzo pasta, cook to golden brown, 3-4 min. Stir in rice and chicken stock, bring to a boil. Cover pot and simmer 17-18 min or til rice is tender.
Meanwhile, in a food processorr, combine parsley, mint, nuts, garlic,cheese and lemon zest. Turn processor on and stream in 4-5 TBS EVOO to make pesto. Stir into rice.

B-B-Q Chicken Katie Lee's

2 chickens (ea cut into 10 pieces, backbone removed)
2 TBS kosher salt
2 tsps chili powder
1 tsps galric pdr
1 tsps freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS Oilve oil
Season chicken with spice mixture, drizzle w/ oilive oil. Cover and refrigerate 2 hr or overnight.

Homemade B-B-Q sauce
1 TBS olive oil
1 c minced onion
3/4 c low sodium chicken broth
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c molasses
1 TBS worchestershire sauce
1 TBS chili pdr
1 tsp garlic pdr
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
Heat the olive oil in a med saucepan over med heat. Saute the onions til translucent., 7-8 min. Stir in remaining ingreds, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally, for 30 min.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 and heat the grill to med high.
Brush the grill w/ oil. Place the chicken, skin side down and cook 5 min. thru and cook and additional 5 min. Place the chicken in a baking dish in one layer. Pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken. Cover tightly w/ aluminum foil. Bake 45 min til for tender.

NEW RECIPES!!

2010-09-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

I have been sick, down on my back, and unfortunately watching way too much TV. On the early morning show, Katie Lee made some homemade BBQ sauce, and put it on chicken legs. Then the next day, Rachael Ray make some pistachio pesto and put it in a rice pilaf, which sounded fantastic. I decided to MAKE Cart miss me, so I thought how better to do it, than make fantastic food before he goes on his mission. I made both those today along with a bundt cake, I wanted to make for his farewell, but I had already plenty....so today was experiment central for dinner....
I made Chocolate Gold Rush Cake (which took first place for Michele Cobarrubio in the Ghirardelli choc championships a few yrs ago)--it is a very dense, rich dark choc cake. It does not rise alot--but not to fear--it is FANTASTIC!!
Chocolate Gold Rush Cake
8 oz (I used bakers, less expensive) 2-4oz bars Ghirardelli 100 % cacai unsweetened choc baking bar, chopped
1 c unsalted butter, chopped
3 c sugar
5 eggs
1 T BS pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 bag (5.3 oz)
Ghirardelli choc squares milk choc w/ carmel filling (I used dark choc w/ carmel filling)
1/2 c toasted pecans, finely chopped
1/4 c pdr sugar
Preheat over to 350. Spray fluted 2 qt bundt pan with baking style cooking spray. In a 1 qt saucepan over low heat, melt butter and both baking bars. Remove from heat when choc is almost entirely melted. Continue stirring til choc is completely melted, set aside.
In a small bowl, combine flour and salt, Set aside.
In a stand mixer on low speed, mix sugar, eggs and vanilla. When these are incorporated, grdually increase speed to med high for approx 10 min. Batter will be pale yellow and fluffy, alternately add choc mixture wnd flour mmixture to egg batter, beginning and ending w/ the choc. Mix until must incorporated.
Pour 1/2 batter into prepared pan. Placed unwrapped choc squares side by side around the center of the pan on top of the batter.
Sprinkle toasted pecans over the choc squares. Bake at 350 for 45-55 min.
I did not use nuts or pdr sugar and the results were so amazing!!!

2010-09-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

So today is the last Sunday Cart will be here for 2 years---I should have been happy that I have 2 yrs I do not have to go and ruin his sleep by waking him up. Instead, I was sad, and thinking how much I am going to miss him. As I jumped on his bed, I started crying, and he was laughing at me. I told him that would be a good time to tell me he would miss me, also, but he did not, because he said he was enjoying my crying!!! That sorta made me a LITTLE less sad about his going! I know he is going to have fun and will love almost every minute of it SO I need to get over my little boy growing up and get on with having NO kids at home. It is so wierd and sad, and great and almost every emotion I can imagine. There is a part of me that is SCREAMING "are you kidding, your parental responsibilities are dwindling, another part YELLING "where are my kids at?? Even a little part saying "Now WHAT in the world am I suppossed to do?" I don't know what to think, or feel or want. I am just gald I have my best friend EVER next to me~~~ I LOVE YOU BRENT!!!

yet another yummy recipe

2010-06-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Thai-style chicken wraps with mango salsa (I got this from the des news)
Start to finish--30 min servings 4
salsa:
1 small mango
2 TBL coarsley chopped cilantro
1 TBL lime juice
wraps:
1 1/2 TBL toasted sesame oil
3 c shredded napa cabbage
1 c shredded carrots
3/4 c scallions
3/4 c lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 c mint
4 burrito sized tortillas
1/4 c purchased peanut sauce

to make the salsa, in a small bowl, stir together the mango, cliantro and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate til ready to serve.

for wraps, in lg skillet, over med high, heat the sesameoil. Add cabbage, carrots and saute til verries begin to soften, abt 2 min. Stir in the scallions and peanuts.-add lime juice, soysauce and blk pepper, then saute again, until mixture is heated thru, abt 2 more mins. Remove pan from heat, and stir in chicken and mint.
Spread center of each tortilla w/ abt 1 TBLS peanut sauce. Top with quarter chicken mixture, fole in 2 ends, then roll up. Place wraps on a microwave sage plate, seam-side down. Heat wraps in microwave on high til heated thru, abt 1 1/2 mins. Serve w/ mango salsa.

I made this a couple of nights ago, and at first thought this looked like alot of work. It was SO easy and SOOOOO worth the little chopping it took. I did chop my carrots in a food processor, and was happy with those results. I made it for company and they thought I was a gourmet cook, and that Brent ate pretty well all the time....if they only knew!!! this is definately a keeper and just so easy AND HEALTHY!!

Pumpkin waffles.

2010-06-11T09:18:00.001-07:00

I thought I had posted my pumpkin waffle recipe. I looked for it today and it was not here so I am going to put it on. These are fantastic with buttermmilk syrup! Although, I love the syrup you may want to try the syrup w/o the baking soda--we like it much better that way~~~

PUMPKIN WAFFLES
2 c whole wheat flour
2 T brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 3/4 c milk
1 c pumpkin
2 egg yolks
3 T butter, melted
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel
2 egg whites
In a large bowl stir together first 8 ingredients, set aside.
In another bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, yolks, butter and orange peel. Add wet ingreds all at once to dry ingreds and stil til JUST mixed, batter should be lumpy. In a small bowl, beat egg whites on high speed, with electric mixer, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold eggs whites into pumpkin mixture, leaving a few puffs of egg white. Heat a lightly greased waffle baker, pour some of the batter onto the waffle grids. Close lid- do not open til done. Bake according to manufacturers directions. When done use fork to lift waffle off grids. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediatelyor keep warm, in oven, in a loosely covered openproof casserole dish at 300F degrees.

HomemadeButtermilk syrup
1/2 c buttermilk (can use 1/2 c milk with 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice)
2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Mix ingreds in a larger pot, (as this goes very frothy and will increase more than you think) boil for 3 min. the sauce will turn to the carmel color towards end of boiling. Stir in vanilla when syrup is finished cooking. I DO NOT LIKE FLAVOR THE SODA GIVES, so I do not add any in the syrup!!!! I make double recipes of these, cook them then freeze for a quick, very healthy dinner....

Homemade yogurt

2010-06-09T08:56:00.001-07:00

So I am feeling pretty much like SUZY homemaker!! My yogurt turned out SO good and it was so inexpensive!!! I just laugh when I think of how bad I used to hate my dad trying to "beat the system" and now it feels so good, to do just that....even if it is just in my own little way. The best part of it all, it knowing all that goes into the food I eat, some things sound healthy but aren't. I did not even follow the directions exactly, because I misunderstood some things and found out too late, and it still worked out. so if anyone has any questions, just let me know, it is so fun to make your own food , expecially when it is so darn easy....I am all about easy cooking/baking!!!

YUMMMMM!!

2010-06-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

So I have been wanting to try and make homemade yogurt for a long time....well not THAT long, I have given 2 brand new yogurt makers to DI, thinking I would never use them, years ago, I had no desire to make yogurt back then, but for the past year or so, I have wanted to try and use my food storage dry milk. So I would go online and get recipes, but never make the effort to make it. Shopping last week, I realized I was paying almost a dollar for my 5.5 oz brown cow yogurt and thought the time has some. I went online and watched several different videos on how to make yogurt and WA LA~~ I made it this morning, I will get back online later and tell how it worked...

I also made some granola. For a year, I have been trying to eat healthy...due to high cholesterol and tryglicerides, and I cannot take the meds...so I am trying to control it myself eating the things I need to eat to stay healthy (and alive)! Oatmeal is one of the foods I eat alot and I thought I would make some granola to change things up a little bit. Here is the recipe!

Deluxe Granola

In a saucepan combine: then heat til mixed together
1 1/2 c honey (or molasses,agave, etc)
1 TB vanilla
1c water
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 c oil
3 TB cinnamon

In large tupperware bowl combine:
5 c oatmeal
2 c coconut (I do not use due to saturated fats)
1 TB salt
! c wheat germ
1 c sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or various nuts
1 c raisins (craisins)
Pour warm liquids over mixed dry ingreds and mix well.
Place on cookie sheets and cook at 300 degrees for 30 min stirring often- then cook at 350 for 10 min.
Let cool and put in storage container. this makes quite a bit of cereal.

2010-01-19T19:57:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season I have been so busy! I made about 10 aprons and then I made 2 quiet books. (I am trying to remember how to add the pics to this~~so hopefully I will add them soon.) I love to sew and have had so much fun making and GIVING the cute aprons. Now I need to make myself one so I can take a pic of it and put that on as well.
I am painting the house. In our entry, I covered my chili pepper red wall and painted it a light blue. I added a few dark brown accent walls, and I really like how it all turned out. The colors look good with my "muddy river green" color.....I am going to start painting the basement this weekend. Brent has torn out the complete bathroom downstairs and we are going to start making that over, along with all the painting.

STILL CANNING

2009-11-15T19:28:00.000-08:00

So, last night I finished 65 quarts of applesauce. I am giving some to my sister, in return for the free apples. The applesauce is fantastic, but SO much work. I am freezing pumpkin tomorrow and then I am THROUGH!!!! I should have kept a running total, but this fall we have frozen corn, pumpkin, green beans and green tomatos (to use for chile verde) and canned apricots, green beans, mustard pickles, relish, salsa, tomatoes, plums and spagetti sauce....I get so tired canning, I really CANNOT understand why I love doing it~~it has to be the great feeling of full shelves in my pantry and plenty of good food for the winter!! I am so greatful for the fantastic garden we had again this summer. It blows me away to see all the food that little piece of ground provides us with, year after year! Can I just say again, how happy I am to be finished canning!!!???

H1N1?

2009-11-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

I have been SO sick the past couple of days. At first I thought it was my allergies and sinus'. On Friday my head hurt so badly I just wanted to cry and make it feel better. I did not go to a cousin's baby shower on Sat, in case had something which could get everyone there sick. I really wanted to go and felt I should, but when I thought about it, I realized if the tables were turned and it was MY daughter's baby shower, I would be upset if someone came not sure if they were sick. I stayed home and later that night, after being wit 5 of my grandchildren that evening, my sore throat and deep chest cough came with a vengence. BOY, was I ever glad I did not go to Amber's shower. I called my doc this morn and they told me to go to the insta care, but I opted not to, since I am already on a pretty good antibiotic, and even though I am pretty sick, I am feeling a little better....and have no fever, throwing up or hard time breathing.. I guess I just have to wait and see if I get better. I have not been this sick in a LONG time, and I hope it is a very long time until I get this sick again!!!
The past few days I have been freezing pumpkin and green tomatoes. I am using the green tomatoes for chili verde, and the pumpkin for pumpkin waffles.... we tried the pumpkin as squash for dinner tonight and it tasted exactly like squash....so we could have that as a veggie, as well as using it in the waffles. YUMMM!

2009-10-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

today I am feeling a little frustrated about not getting much done. I cannot figure out if I am just slower now that I am getting older, or if I am really that disorganized...hummmm. I feel like I want everything to be in order before I start the HUGE task of copmpletely reorganizing my home. Maybe I will just have to take a room a day and make that work. It seems like in the fall I am so busy canning, and just keeping things up, I GET NOTHING DONE!!! I thought with my kids grown up I would be free to do more and I swear my time is more busy than it was with 5 little kids~~~ how does that happen? I just finished some canning tonight so I better get to bed!!!

2009-09-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have been feeling a little lazy. I canned my crazy head off, and the I BURNED out bad! Luckily the past couple of weeks, I was able to give away my tomatoes and I am going out after this to pick the last of the tomatoes I will probably get this year. I want to make some more salsa and some more spagetti sauce!! YUMMMM...
I made choc chip cookies and some fresh wheat bread with homemade strawberry jam for Ethan today. I hope he likes them, I have been meaning to send him some goodies in the MTC and he is about 1/2 way thru and still NOTHING from me. Oh my good intentions!!

2009-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

So today I am starting over with my blog! I was making it for everyone to see, and I decided that did not especially work for me. Now I am writing it for me!! I am going to keep somewhat of a journal about what I am doing and what I am interested in.
Today I amgoing to pick tomatoes and green beans from the garden and Kailey and I will can them for her new storage room. ALthough it is so much work, it is so great to see the results of that work when you have shelves full of things put up for the winter. After canning the beans we will make more salsa~~~ I got a great recipe from the Utah State extension service website. I have several I really like, but I make this one because it has been tested and is a safe recipe. It scares me to use recipes from people who just make them up!

Salsa using paste tomatoes (Roma)
7 qt peeled, chopped tomatoes
4 c seeded, chopped long chiles (can use some green peppers, if desired)
5 c chopped onion
1/2 c finely chopped, seeded jalapenos
6 cloves garlic
2 c lemon juice
2 TBLS salt
1 TBLS pepper
3 TBLS oregano leaves
2 TBLS cilantro
Combine all ingreds, except cumin, oregano and cilantro in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, reduce heat and summer 10 min. Add spices and simmer another 20 minutes. Ladle into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2" jead space. Procss in boiling water canner 20 minutes.

Using Roma (paste) tomates works best, as slicing tomatoes require MUCH long cooking time to get desired consistency.