Every Sunday we head out to Sam's Parents' house for dinner. It is something I think we all look forward to. The kids get to play with Grandpa and Grandma. I don't have to cook dinner. Sam can watch tv in peace (most of the time).
I also love going over there for dinner because of all the different recipes. One of my favorites and easiest meal is hamburger soup. It is warm, hearty, and so good.
Hamburger Soup
Lennay Crockett
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cans beef broth
1 can tomatoes
1 med. onion
3-4 stalks of celery
1 can corn
1 lb. ground beef
2 bay leaves
Noodles (Egg noodles or pasta works)
Put spaghetti sauce and broth in to a large pot. Fill sauce jar 1/2 full with water and add to pot. Chop onion and celery and add to pot with the bay leaves and tomatoes. Heat until it begins to boil and reduce it to a simmer. Brown the ground beef and add to the pot. Add corn and let simmer for one hour. In a different pot cook your noodles. and add 5 minutes before serving or if you are wanting some for leftovers leave the pasta and soup separate so the noodles don't get too mushy over night.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
A Sunday Breakfast Staple
Having two little kids and nine o'clock church is not exactly the ideal situation for me. I enjoy my sleep and knowing that I need to get up early enough to get myself ready, breakfast out, and have at least one of the kids ready to go to choir with me is almost laughable until... Baked Oatmeal!!
It is healthy and delicious. It is easy and delicious. It is easy to double or half for more or less people. Have I mentioned that it's delicious?? It is.
Baked Oatmeal
adapted from Recipezaar
2 c. uncooked oats (I've used quick and old fashioned and prefer old fashioned.)
1/3 c. packed brown sugar (I've used 1/4 c. and it was just as good)
1-2 t. cinnamon (I like lots.)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. raisin
2 T. craisin (optional)
1 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. applesauce
1 T. butter, melted
1 lg. egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350' degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in separate bowl and whisk well. Stir the wet into the dry and stir well. Grease 8x8 pan and pour batter in to the pan. Bake 20 mins or til golden. (Mine usually takes 25 minutes)
You can pour milk over it or not. Whatever you want just enjoy it!!
It is healthy and delicious. It is easy and delicious. It is easy to double or half for more or less people. Have I mentioned that it's delicious?? It is.
Baked Oatmeal
adapted from Recipezaar
2 c. uncooked oats (I've used quick and old fashioned and prefer old fashioned.)
1/3 c. packed brown sugar (I've used 1/4 c. and it was just as good)
1-2 t. cinnamon (I like lots.)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. raisin
2 T. craisin (optional)
1 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. applesauce
1 T. butter, melted
1 lg. egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350' degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in separate bowl and whisk well. Stir the wet into the dry and stir well. Grease 8x8 pan and pour batter in to the pan. Bake 20 mins or til golden. (Mine usually takes 25 minutes)
You can pour milk over it or not. Whatever you want just enjoy it!!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Tomato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
I have only very recently been turned on to the super grain called quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) and I love it! I wish I would have found it long ago. One of our local coffee shops (Jolts & Juice) has a tomato and black bean quinoa salad but the flavor was fairly muted and I wanted a little more flavor so I created this and it delish. I make it Sunday or Saturday and it provides lunch for me and sometimes Sam for the rest of the week.
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa Salad
adapted from Epicurious
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa Salad
adapted from Epicurious
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Not Too Sweet Magical Frosting
I saw this frosting in one of my fav magazines but it looked very similar to one on Tasty Kitchen I have tried several times and it never came out very successful. I tried different techniques and it always came out the same way... I could see the potential but didn't know how to get it to perfection but then I saw over on Mel's Kitchen Cafe that she had tried the recipe from Cook's Country and made it successfully so I figured I would give it a shot for Kellen's birthday and I am so glad I did. It's not too sweet but it is insanely creamy and amazing. I don't know what happens in the hour it sits but when I first tasted it I could kind of feel the texture of the cornstarch and I started getting nervous but after I frosted it and tried it again it was unbelievable!
Better than Buttercream Frosting
*Makes about 4 cups frosting (plenty for two 9-inch cake layers)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened at room temperature
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium saucepan and pour the milk mixture through the strainer into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature. This is a very important step. Not warmth at all!! If it is warm the butter would melt and not beat up properly. I set it on the counter and did laundry and ran errands while it cooled.
Once you check the milk mixture and it is room temperature beat in the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined. Increase the speed to med and add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy. Let the frosting sit at room temperature until it is a bit more stiff, about 1 hour. Frost whatever you desire and enjoy.
I made Kellen's cake two days early and put it in the fridge and it was great!!
Saw at Cook's Country and Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Better than Buttercream Frosting
*Makes about 4 cups frosting (plenty for two 9-inch cake layers)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened at room temperature
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium saucepan and pour the milk mixture through the strainer into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature. This is a very important step. Not warmth at all!! If it is warm the butter would melt and not beat up properly. I set it on the counter and did laundry and ran errands while it cooled.
Once you check the milk mixture and it is room temperature beat in the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined. Increase the speed to med and add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy. Let the frosting sit at room temperature until it is a bit more stiff, about 1 hour. Frost whatever you desire and enjoy.
I made Kellen's cake two days early and put it in the fridge and it was great!!
Saw at Cook's Country and Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Dark Chocolate Cake.
OH MY GOODNESS!! I don't say this very often but you have to make this cake right now. I mean stop what you are doing and make this cake!! I made it with Special dark cocoa powder and it was AMAZING!! but our family loves dark chocolate! If yours does not the original recipe called for unsweetened coca powder so you can use that just as easily.
I have tried Pioneer Woman's sheet cake and it was yummy but it doesn't work as well with dark cocoa. I've also made this frosting on Tasty Kitchen and have struggled with it each time so when I saw this frosting and this cake and Mel's Kitchen Cafe (one of my fav cooking blogs!!)
It caused one slight problem in the house... her name is Wesli. The night I made the cake I went to the gym and Sam was watching the kiddos. It was Kellen's bedtime and Sam took him in to get him changed and ready. Wesli was alone for less than two minutes and she drug the chair over to the counter and took a bite out of Kellen's unfrosted cake!! I was so sad but instead of making another one I just frosted over it and it turned out ok. When asked why she did it Wesli said, "It smelled so DELICIOUS!" I asked her if it was and she said, "Yes."
Make this cake...Now!
Dark Chocolate Cake
Kellen's Birthday Cake
*When I made this I used regular cake pans but it is a lot of better and it over flowed a little bit. I went out to Joann's and bought the taller cake pans. Or you could make cupcakes instead or a sheet cake but if you use normal cake pans either watch it or don't use all the batter.
3/4 special dark cocoa powder
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour your cake pans. Sift all your dry ingredients in to a large bowl. Add all the wet ingredients and mix on low speed for 3 minutes til smooth. Pour batter in to pan of your choice. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from iron and cool on wire racks for 15 minutes. Turnout cake out onto cooling racks and let cool.
*Remember I made 2- 8 in cakes so the baking time is for those. If you are doing cupcakes or a sheet cake you need to watch it and test with a toothpick until it come out clean. I suspect if you overbake it it will be quite dry.
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
I have tried Pioneer Woman's sheet cake and it was yummy but it doesn't work as well with dark cocoa. I've also made this frosting on Tasty Kitchen and have struggled with it each time so when I saw this frosting and this cake and Mel's Kitchen Cafe (one of my fav cooking blogs!!)
It caused one slight problem in the house... her name is Wesli. The night I made the cake I went to the gym and Sam was watching the kiddos. It was Kellen's bedtime and Sam took him in to get him changed and ready. Wesli was alone for less than two minutes and she drug the chair over to the counter and took a bite out of Kellen's unfrosted cake!! I was so sad but instead of making another one I just frosted over it and it turned out ok. When asked why she did it Wesli said, "It smelled so DELICIOUS!" I asked her if it was and she said, "Yes."
Make this cake...Now!
Dark Chocolate Cake
Kellen's Birthday Cake
*When I made this I used regular cake pans but it is a lot of better and it over flowed a little bit. I went out to Joann's and bought the taller cake pans. Or you could make cupcakes instead or a sheet cake but if you use normal cake pans either watch it or don't use all the batter.
3/4 special dark cocoa powder
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour your cake pans. Sift all your dry ingredients in to a large bowl. Add all the wet ingredients and mix on low speed for 3 minutes til smooth. Pour batter in to pan of your choice. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from iron and cool on wire racks for 15 minutes. Turnout cake out onto cooling racks and let cool.
*Remember I made 2- 8 in cakes so the baking time is for those. If you are doing cupcakes or a sheet cake you need to watch it and test with a toothpick until it come out clean. I suspect if you overbake it it will be quite dry.
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
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