Recipe Review #8

We have tried a handful of new recipes.  These are a few of our new favorites!  I use Pinterest to save links to recipes and then I move them to a new folder once I test them out.  The first is a frozen blueberry scone recipe.  Super simple, not too sweet and delicious! 

Might Not Look Delicious - But IS!

This is a simple sugar cookie where I used a dinosaur to step into them and put sprinkles on them.  Zooey loves them.

Fun!

These are sweet cinnamon sugar roasted almonds.  More simple than you would think and the perfect afternoon snack.  I made a big batch of just almonds and then took them into work.  The recipe says to mix up the nuts (which you could try) but I like just almonds.

Delicious!!

I didn't take a photo of these but we made these stuffed shells Mexican style.  I use faux meat and served it with cabbage and tomatoes on top.  Something we have now made a number of times.  It also freezes and serves up after perfect!

Recipe Review #7

These muffins are incredible!!!

I used cranberries - because I had no raisins.  Zooey calls them num nums.

Recipe Testing #6

I tested a mix berry muffin - but Zooey hated them and I thought they were just so-so.  Now this is the recipe to end all muffin recipes.  I think I'll be making these a lot!  Blueberry heaven!

Recipe Testing #5

This weekend I made something I've always wanted to try - gingerbread cookies.  For some reason I have just never tried them.  I read up on different recipes and I wanted the type you cut out - because I got a cookie cutter at a garage sale this summer.  I decided to also test out royal icing (which was a first for me).

Gingerbread in a Royal Icing

For the recipes I picked this icing recipe.  And this gingerbread recipe.  I followed the instructions and did chill the dough for over 2 hours before shaping.  

I'm pretty sure these are the best gingerbread cookies I've ever had!!

Recipe Testing #4

Here are a couple more from the weekends baking festival!!

Blueberry banana muffins.  Moist and with a little pop of flavor!  I changed the recipe to use 1/2 cup of the flour was whole wheat as well!

Pumpkin dark chocolate cookies.  I followed the recipe except I added 1/2 cup extra flour.  And that was whole wheat flower.  Made the cookies a bit stiffer.  I also used dark instead of milk chocolate.

Rice crispy pumpkins.  Super smile.  Regular rice crispy recipe with orange dye in the marshmallow mixture and then a half tootsie roll on top.  Perfect for all the little kiddos at day care!

Recipe Reviews #3

Another Pinterest item.  Stromboli that is rolled.  I found it baked a lot more even when I covered it.  My recipe was simple pizza dough, peppericini, tomato, pepperoni, and peppers.  I used a basic pizza cheese mix, rolled and baked at 425 for 45 minutes.

Mike bought a new IR roasting machine and with it he made a turkey.

A few interesting things about IR cooking.  First it took 2.5 hours for a 16lb bird (longer than deep frying).  But we rubbed t&e bird and stuffed the bird with a rosemary citrus mix and the meat held the flavor!

For my stock I just tossed in the caucus, added water, vegitables and spices.  I then let it cook for hours.

Recipe Review 2

 

I made some pumpkin cranberry banana muffins.  It sounds like a lot to put into one recipes, but it really is very nice.  The recipe is for banana pumpkin - so I added 1/2 a cup of cranberries.   Overall they are nice and Zooey loves them.  But, they are very very moist. 

 

We made this chicken green chili stew.  It was very spicy and pretty loaded with chicken (which I normally don't like) - but it all worked well.  I replaced the white beans with pinto (since that is what I had in the cupboard), otherwise I just followed the recipe.   We will be making it again.

Great Bread!

A friend of mine makes this bread every weekend. I might start doing the same thing. Delicious and simple!
Bread:
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon salt
1 5/8 cup water

1. Mix ingredients, cover and let sit over night (you must do it over night)
2. Form into a ball using flour and let sit covered for 15 minutes
3. Dust with flour, wrap in a cotton towel and let sit for 1.5 hours
A) meanwhile heat the oven to 450 and let a Le crueset pot heat for 30 minutes (with the lid on)
4. Put dough in pot and in the oven with the lid on - bake for 30 minutes
5. uncover and bake for another 10 minutes
6. Remove, cool and eat!!!

Summer Putting Up!

Here are some more things from the garden that I've starting putting up for winter. I've found a nice recipe for the peaches and the pesto is my good old standard. What are you harvesting and saving this year?

Peaches:
Peeled and sliced. Put into a jar with sugar water (1 cup sugar to 3 cups of water). Can for 20-30 minutes.

Pesto:
2 cups basil
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup pin nuts
3 cloves garlic
3 roasted green chiles
Salt and pepper to taste
All in a blender or mixer of some kind. I put it into a Tupperware and cover the top in olive oil. Stays fresh in the freezer for up to a year.