Bread......

My son told me today that he wants me to teach him how to cook and bake! JOY OF JOYS! How cool is that?!? So today he asked what was for dinner and when I told him Nana was bringing Clam Chowder he seemed a little disappointed, then I offered to let him help make the Honey Oatmeal bread. He said yes and other than my directing him on the hows he made the bread all by himself! I am so proud!


Maybe someday he will be a world famous chef or bread baker!

Lentil Stew

Lentils

Beef Broth

Onion

Garlic

Bacon~fried

Grated Carrot

Barley



Bring all ingredients to a boil then simmer til lentils are tender!  I don't use amounts couldn't tell you any if I had a gun to me head! I just throw it all in there! Makes for an easy dinner. If ya want you can add a splash or two of red wine~it adds a nice flavor!

Watch out they POP!

     So I am busy making all kinds of goodness for Thanksgiving. This morning I started out making homemade cranberry sauce. I don't like that canned crap! OOPS...I said crap on a blog! Well that's what it is...crap! I rarely ever eat cranberry sauce because it tastes like a can! So I was on one of my favorite blogs and the gal was making sauce AND it was super easy so I thought...I can do that. I bought my 2 bags of  cranberries and got a bottle of POM juice...THAT stuff is expensive! I got it anyways because all I am doing is desserts and I figure I can splurge on some juice! Well she said to put the juice and cranberries and sugar in a pan and started it to boil. I kept hearing the weirdest sound. I FINALLY figured out that the cranberries were splitting from the heat but they POP when they split. Kinda cool actually. It was like my sauce was Rice Krispies!


I also make a Pumpkin Streusel pie, Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting and now am going to make PUMPKIN ROLLS!


I am very Thankful for this holiday and my family and my friends! Have a great weekend!

Its been another while...

BUSY, thats was last week was! Spent every day from Thursday to Sunday with our dear friends. Then I needed to recoup.

Today I am back at it. I have felt lead to sell scones via good ole FB! (code for facebook) and donate the earnings to a family in our church who are raising support to go to Africa. SO I had a few orders this week and 3 more for next! YAY!! I am happiest when I use my baking to bless others. It fulfills me.

Today I also made 2 batches of Pecan Chocolate-chip Biscotti. I was only going to make one and then "accidently"  put 3 eggs into the batter instead of 2~oops! So I am pulling those out of the oven now.

Next week I shall be making Cranberry Sauce and Honey Wheat Black bread and ALL the desserts for T~day!!! We will be celebrating my dad's 60th birthday and I have a few special things up my sleeves for that! Think dense Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting.....OHHH to die for!

Also making a pie...I do not care for pumpkin pie but know its tradition for Thanksgiving so am contemplating a twist. If I must make that which I detest I will make it more likable!

Company....its whats for dinner!

So today I find that we are having out of town unexpected company. NOW this may throw some into a tizzy but me? I just roll with it. YAH RIGHT. Me and my control issues had a hay day with this. What am I gonna make?


I thought about it for a second and decided to make a dish I made just last week. The name? Uhh well, its kinda embarrassing. I mean its does not have fancy words in the name like bachemel sauce or crepe or fondue or anything with a REALLY fancy name. Its called "Easiest~Ever Beef and Wine Casserole" REALLY???? I mean come ON, they should have come up with a better name than that! But seriously it IS the easiest ever. The taste? Well its really amazing.

So you take beef, onions, WINE (who wouldn't love that) beef broth, flour and bread crumbs (what???) and dump it ALL in and bake at 300 for 3-6 hours. UH....YES I will make this a regular rotation!

I am also making the best EVER bread (my words) Here is the link and when they say shaggy its true its shaggy. Seriously never heard that about a bread dough before but tis true.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/honey-wheat-black-bread-recipe


You simply must try it. Warm with a pat of butter, oh with a TON of butter, after all my friend does say that bread is simply the mode for getting the butter to thy mouth! This bread could stand alone.

And then I will make glazed carrots from my garden and a salad....because we all know what I am REALLY after....



DESSERT! Ok seriously the very very VERY best Cheesecake I have ever had. Pumpkin...ahh sweet pumpkin. I did however change the crust and used. Anna ginger thins (available at Costco in BULK) So here is this recipe.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pumpkin-cheesecake-with-bourbon-spiked-cream-recipe/index.html
Trust me, this is so worth the effort. I also think you could half the recipe and be just fine!

crepes, and scones, and missions trips

Last night I made savory crepes! Chicken and mushroom with a cream sauce over the top. I bought organic chicken from Costco and sauteed up some mushrooms with garlic and then some purple onions. Mixed all that together and  kept it warm in the oven while I made the crepes. THEN I made a bechamel sauce and added a package of cream cheese to it. Then I made the crepes and it was incredible!

So today I was convicted to do something  completely out of the ordinary. During devotions with my kids, I felt a calling to give away my next two scones sale earning to our family friends for their missions trip. So I posted on FB that any money made will be donated to them.

Here is a link to their blog, we had met them just when Tejan was going home the first time, and then he stayed and then we were impacted as a family. Neat family, special kid that Tejan is!

http://goinstosierraleone.blogspot.com/


So if you would like some scones, hit me up. Help them out!

Pumpkin Roll!

As promised I am sharing with you my famous family recipe!

History first:
Chris and I made this recipe the very first Thanksgiving we spent together. I think there have been a few years that we didn't make it together but it has been at our Thanksgiving table every year since the beginning.


Pumpkin Roll:

Ingredients

• Pumpkin Roll:
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup sifted flour
• Filling:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 cups powder sugar
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened 

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Set aside.
• Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes, then add rest of the ingredients in order. Fill jelly roll pan with batter and then bake for 15 min. While baking take a clean dish towel (same size as jelly roll pan) and sprinkle liberally with powder sugar. When the cake is finished, take out of the oven and while it is still warm invert onto the powdered sugar lined towel. Roll up the cake starting with the small side. Let cool and then refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning make the filling. In your mixer cream butter and cream cheese together. Then add the sugar and whip cream.
• Next un-roll the pumpkin cake and remove the wax paper. Then spread the filling over the inside part of the roll. Next re-roll the pumpkin roll. Refrigerate for a few hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy. Yield: serves 15 or 2 if you are really selfish! :)
  
  

  Notes: 

  This pumpkin roll has taken the place of pumpkin pie in our family. One roll is never enough, I usually make 2!

GOODNESS!

I promised you all my secret Pumpkin Roll recipe.....I just realized how close Tday is!!!

I will post it later today!!!!

Butternut Squash

It has to be my favorite squash of ALL time. I love the flavor. I usually slice it and sprinkle with salt and pepper and then pour whip cream over the top and sprinkle with parm cheese and then bake til tender. I love that, very fattening but VERY good!

Alas you can only serve that dish once or maybe 2 times close together before it gets old. As good as it is it still gets old. SO today I have decided to branch out and try something new. I am going to incorporate my over abundance of carrots and make a soup! I am trying to decide if I will use fresh ginger or not. I will post the outcome tonight!!

I hate Carrot Cake

I do. I don't know why but I do. Its just gross. When I think cake...I think soft dense goodness. NOT vegetables and fruit! Alas my friends have a mission to get me to like carrot cake.

Tonight I was telling one of them about these muffins...
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/carrot-apple-nut-muffins-zmrz10zgri.aspx

and after she looked at them she said...uh Kyrsi? Thats like a carrot cake. Put cream cheese on it and call it carrot cake!


I think they may just MAYBE getting closer to the goal!

I make these for breakfast when we run out of milk which happened today!

Try these YUMMY muffins and I HIGHLY recommend using fresh ginger...its just a perfect fit!

Easy dinner...Mexican style

Start with dry black beans, rinsed and picked over. Ok so I just put that in there...they ALWAYS say to pick over the beans....I have never found anything but beans in my beans but I guess one can never be too careful. So when you have them picked over pop them into your crock pot and add some chicken broth. Then add some cumin and some chili powder and some red pepper and onion and garlic. If ya wanna get fancy you could add lime juice at the end. I cook them on high and add more broth or chicken broth as the beans absorb the moisture. At the end of the day when they are nice and soft, mash them and grate some cheese over the top. Make some rice and serve with chips, tomatoes, olives, avocado, sour cream and salsa! Easy cheap dinner!!

November.....

2 months left to get my new year's goal in...YIKES! Ok wishing I had thought that one through....not in the mood just yet to make croissants!

Today I am attempting Peanut Ginger Chicken! I love my recipe so far~looks pretty easy!

http://www.nibbledish.com/people/Jaylene/recipes/peanut-ginger-chicken

Next week in honor of my promise I will post that pumpkin roll recipe!

Last week I was craving Red Lobster biscuits so I looked up a  recipe and made them...needless to say they were a total hit! I did change the milk out for buttermilk which made them even more flaky and it seemed to be just perfect!

Here is that link as well!

http://purplefoodie.com/cheddar-cheese-biscuits/'


I think I like the purplefoodie site...it looks rather cool!