Author: QuiltLady

COOKING THURSDAY ~ SNICKERDOODLE CHEESECAKE BARS ~ BLOG 366.18

For years many trusted name brands featured recipes on the labels – Bisquick, Campbell’s Soup, Quaker Oats, Nestles, Philadelphia Cream Cheese… These days the recipes are fewer and farther between. I did decide to try a recent Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe and found it exceptionally flavorless. A few tweaks later and we love the recipe.

SNICKERDOODLE CHEESECAKE BARS
CRUST
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons QUALITY cinnamon
3/4 cup COLD butter

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Line 8 inch baking pan with foil so that it overlaps to create handles.
  • Sift together the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl.
  • Use a cheese grate and grate cold butter into bowl. Use a pastry blender or your gloved hands to cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse sand. Reserve 1/3 of the mixture to use as topping.
  • Press remaining dough into baking pan.
  • Bake 20 minutes until lightly browned.

FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
16 ounces QUALITY cream cheese
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla
Seeds from one vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon PURE almond paste
1/4 cup sour cream
2 LARGE eggs

  • While crust is baking prepare the filling.
  • Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, vanilla seeds and almond paste together until well blended.
  • Add sour cream and eggs one at a time, mixing on low JUST until blended.
  • Set aside until crust is done baking.

TOPPING
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon.

  • Mix sugar and cinnamon together.

ASSEMBLY

  • When crust is out of the oven pour the filling into crust.
  • Top with reserved crumb topping.
  • Top with cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Bake 45-50 minutes until center of cheesecake is almost set.
  • Cool COMPLETELY.
  • Refrigerate for 4-5 hours before cutting and serving.

30th ANNIVERSARY of the NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE ~ BLOG 366.17

This is ALWAYS one of those dates that sticks with me! 30 years ago today, on a holiday Monday, my world turned upside down (along with thousands of others) when at 4:31 AM the Northridge earthquake struck and we lost it all. Even after growing up in southern California and knowing about, as well as living through other major quakes, the memories of this one in particular are VERY vivid. I honestly thought a jet plane had crashed into the neighborhood from the violent way it all happened (I was literally thrown out of bed across the room and had bruises on the bottoms of my feet for a month), but I lived on a street near a DWP plant and what I thought I saw was actually the transformers on the pole tops all blowing one after another…

I realize now that we were very fortunate.

The major shock lasted 10–20 seconds and its peak ground acceleration of 1.82 g was the highest ever instrumentally recorded in an urban area in North America and registered a magnitude of 6.7. It was caused by dip slip on a thrust fault—the overriding movement of one crustal block up and over a second crustal block.

This is what was left of the parking garage I would have been parked in later that day had it not been a federal holiday for Martin Luther King day.

When it was all over, my feet were bruised so badly on the bottom I could barely stand, a freight train had gone through my hallway while a volcano had gone off in my house – at least that’s how it felt.  I was thrown from bed into a doorway, thank God.  When I was able to look into that same room all I saw was chaos and my bed was covered in shattered glass as well as several hundred pounds of books from the nearby bookcase. The new semester had just started, but there’d b about no college for quite some time as CSUN had sustained just as much damage.

When it did begin classes were held under trees, in tents and just about anywhere available. But, we also had nowhere to park as you can see and had to walk quite a ways from parking on side streets and such. They quickly converted some previous fields to parking lots, but it was still near impossible to get parking unless you got there at the crack of dawn.

This is the first piece of Princess House crystal I ever purchased and the ONLY piece I have left. Only God knows how it survived that day since NOTHING else did. In it are the shells from the Galveston, Texas Gulf Coast that I have collected with my cousin Jenn throughout my life. She and I neither one live there now, but do still have friends and family in the vicinity.

I still can’t believe it’s been 30 years today. Life has carried on and we no longer live in earthquake land, but since then we’ve been through other natural disasters like blizzards, tornadoes, major floods, hurricanes, SNOWMAGEDDON… all of this making me realize it doesn’t matter where you are there is always going to be something…

GARLIC BUTTER ROAST CHICKEN ~ BLOG 366.16

GARLIC BUTTER ROAST CHICKEN

8-10 chicken thighs
1 head garlic, cleaned and minced to a paste
FRESH ground sea salt and pepper
1/3 cup butter, melted

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Add a piece of foil to a roasting pan.
  • Pat dry chicken thighs.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and pepper.
  • Arrange chicken thighs skin side up on roasting pan.
  • In a small bowl combine melted butter and mixed garlic until you have a paste.
  • Spread paste over the skins.
  • Roast 45 minutes and then loosely cover with foil (to prevent burning) for another 30-45 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  • Let stand, covered for 5 minutes before serving.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 3 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.15

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

We are SOOOOOO WET! This past weekend especially it seriously rained. It rained so much I swear I saw Noah float by on an ark. In all seriousness there is major ice, cold, flooding… businesses north of us closed early due to power outages… airport closed… and then Saturday night it hit us with a power outage that left us thinking about taking a trip. After SNOWMAGGEDON a few years ago we vowed we’d take a small trip if it happened again and as the temperature was dropping we sat in the dark contemplating just that for about 3 hours when it came back on. It was nice to snuggle in and just read, but it really threw off my timeline for things I was trying to accomplish for the new project.

I mean this is the Pacific North West and we’re used to rain and wet, but I’m seeing standing water with ducks paddling in it where there used to be a road. Our local pond “normally” has a path all the way around, but when I left the estate house (which looks down on the whole pond) last night I noticed that the back end is completely under water.

Today is supposed to be cloudy and then back to the rain tomorrow and Wednesday and for the rest of the week. I’ll be working on a new estate sale a good part of this week, but all the work is NOT indoors so it may get a bit dicey at times. This estate sale is more of a clean out than higher end things and antiques that we are used to, so may use today to start making outdoor trash piles…so grungy clothes it is today.

There are a few things on my mind that I’m working through, but it’s just day to day things. I’m feeling well other than a few aches and pains, but am still avoiding people like the plague as COVID works its way through our community once again. 🙁

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have 2 loads of laundry to do and am hoping to finish clearing the house of the Christmas totes with a break in the rain today.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have to do the shopping for one of the auxiliary women’s dinner on Friday so will do our errands at that time on Tuesday. Unfortunately it is supposed to be raining 🙁
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I have several this I want to accomplish this week.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m a bit uninspired right now with all that’s going on, but just like Stella, I WILL get my groove back. 🙂

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • The DVR is pretty empty while we wait for the “new” season to finally begin. As always I catch the Kid’s Baking Championship and a few other cooking shows. We did watch a couple of good movies on Prime though. Champions with Woody Harrelson and Cheech Marin was really cute and we finally saw the Peanut Butter Falcon.

I’m working on finishing the Canary Girls, but got a bit sidetracked with the power outage. I do love historical novels – I always seem to learn something new. Do you know why they were called Canary girls? I’ll give you a clue – it has nothing to do with birds or singing.

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
MONDAY 1/15
TUESDAY 1/16
WEDNESDAY 1/17
THURSDAY 1/18
FRIDAY 1/19
SATURDAY 1/20
SUNDAY 1/21
DINNER
 BBQ BAKED CHICKEN & POTATO SALAD
 BROWN CRACKER MEATLOAF with MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY
 SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS
 MISO BUTTER  ROASTED CHICKEN & CARROTS
 BRIDGE CLUB CHICKEN & SALAD
 CHILE LIME SALMON & ARTICHOKES
 CHICKEN FRIED STEAKS with MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY
DESSERT
 
 
DANISH APPLE SLAB PIE
 

We went to an impromptu comedy show on Friday night to support a local winery family who has been in the valley for over 100 years, but is being forced out of business due to family infighting over a recent patriarch death 🙁 so sad. We then went to a favorite local haunt for karaoke and a couple of friends (sisters who were drinking pretty good) did a duet to Dirty Laundry 😀

COCONUT MILK CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES ~ BLOG 366.12

While on a holiday shopping trip last October, a bestie took me to a favorite coffeehouse of hers. Funny thing, I ordered iced tea, but she made me try her favorite cookie, a soft and chewy cookie that was LOADED with milk chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and a sweet shredded coconut.

I instantly fell in love – I mean heart thudding, swooning kind of love and had to immediately experiment to recreate these incredible cookies.

Well, I did actually wait until the next day, but boy did I nail it, if I do say so myself 😀

You will want to make these cookies a little on the larger side so that you get lots of chewy goodness in each and every bite.

COCONUT MILK CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES 16-18 cookies
1 cup cold butter, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 teaspoon almond paste
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1 1/2 cups of cake flour
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups QUALITY milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups Sweetened Flaked Coconut
1 1/2 cups Macadamia Nuts

  • Preheat oven to 375-400°.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together cold cubed butter, almond paste, brown sugar, and sugar for 4 minutes or until creamy.

  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
  • Add vanilla.
  • 
Sift in flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt mixing until JUST combined.
  • Gradually add flour mixture into creamed mixture until well blended.
  • Fold in chocolate chips, coconut, and macadamia nuts. 

  • Roll dough into medium-sized balls and place on a silpat or parchment covered cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
  • Let them rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes to set.


COOKING THURSDAY ~ GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS ~ BLOG 366.11

In Germany potato dumplings are known as Kartoffel Kloesse. They are traditionally served with a brown butter sauce, but I usually serve them with my Chicken Paprikash and top them with that sauce.

GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup AP flour
3 LARGE eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground nutmeg
1/4 cup minced shallots
6 cups homemade chicken bone broth
6 cups water

  • Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender.
  • Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Mash potatoes.
  • Stir in flour, eggs, bread crumbs, salt and nutmeg.
  • Shape into 16 2 inch balls.
  • Bring bone broth and water to a boil in a Dutch oven.
  • Carefully add the dumplings. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 7-8 minutes until dumplings float and a toothpick comes out clean.

BROWNED BUTTER SAUCE
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

  • In a small saucepan melt butter and onions over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-7 minutes or until butter is golden brown.
  • Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH ~ BLOG 366.9

This easy recipe is my version and isn’t the traditional Hungarian dish where bone-in pieces of chicken are used (that recipe is below), but we prefer the skinless, boneless cuts to not have to deal with the bones. It is still cooked in a delicious sauce loaded with paprika and sour cream. Using Greek yogurt is certainly not traditional either, but is definitely a workable substitute for lower fat and calories.

HUNGARIAN CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
2-3 tablespoons QUALITY Hungarian paprika (see notes)
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3 tablespoon butter
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cups homemade chicken bone broth
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

  • Combine flour, 2 tablespoon paprika, salt and pepper in a dredge pan.
  • Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. NOTE: DO NOT THROW OUT FLOUR you will use it later.
Heat butter in large Dutch or skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add chicken pieces and brown 3-4 minutes per side.
  • Remove chicken and set aside, keeping warm.
  • Add onion, cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon paprika, saute 2-3 minutes until the onion is tender.

  • Add chicken stock.
  • Bring to SLOW boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through. 

  • To the leftover flour, add ½ cup sour cream and ½ cup of liquid from skillet. Mix until smooth.
  • Add mixture back into pot and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasional.
  • Return chicken pieces to the sauce.
  • Turn heat off and add remaining sour cream, stirring constantly.
  • The sauce should be a very pale orange color.
  • Serve immediately.

NOTES:

  • Chicken thighs contribute another layer of richness to the dish.
  • Regular paprika has almost no heat level whereas Hungarian paprika has a serious kick to it. Adjust the type and amount of paprika based on your tolerance for the heat level.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH Yield: 6 servings slightly adapted from MOLLY YEH

Level: Easy Total: 35 min Active: 35 min

4 tablespooel.ns unsalted butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
FRESH ground Kosher salt and black pepper
4 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
2 tablespoons Hungarian SWEET paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken bone broth
Pinch of sugar
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Crusty bread, for serving, optional

  • Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan.
  • Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes, until dark red in color.
  • Add the flour and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the broth and sugar and cook2-3 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
  • Add the chicken to the sauce and bring to a SLOW simmer.
  • Cook over medium-low heat 10-15 minutes until the chicken is tender. Stir in the heavy cream and vinegar.
  • Taste and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Serve with crusty bread if desired!

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU & RECIPES week 2 of 2024 BLOG 366.8

Good Morning friends. I hope this second week of 2024 finds you healthy and happy. We’re doing well, but there has been a major resurgence of COVID here in our little rural town and MANY people we know are down with it so as a precaution we have not strayed far from home this past week nor will we this week. I read that there is a new strain that is rearing it’s ugly head all over the country, so please be careful.

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our hostess, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

It is still really cold here (highs in the low 40’s and lows in the 20’s), breezy and REALLY wet here with snow the last 2 nights that didn’t stick here on the valley floor, but did on the local hills so we can see it all around us. It is predicted to be in FULL swing later this week as we are on winter storm watch now. The weatherman can’t make up his mind as to when the snow will actually hit though – it keeps changing hourly so I guess we’ll have to wait and see as the storm actually hits. Honestly I’d prefer the snow to the rain most days.

I did get a new really warm and cozy hoodie that I’ve just about been living in along with comfy Levi’s and UGGs.

I have a bit of my normal winter sinus issues due to the atmospheric pressures being all over the place with these storms, but doing well otherwise. I’m thinking about how to adjust all my schedules due to COVID closures and such and still meet commitments. The only real appointment I have this week is for a haircut tomorrow and to pick up a few groceries on the way home.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’ve still been de-decorating from Christmas and packing things away. Will do a deep clean later this week since I’ll be home.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS Haircut tomorrow and groceries.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS Hoping to finish a few things up this week and start with a clean work area.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m supposed to cook at the Eagles several times in the near future, but right now I’m taking it a day at a time since things are so up in the air with closures.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • YAY! New shows for the season are slowly coming back. I’m enjoying the KID’S BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP and catching up on some old movies. We watched A League of Their Own last week and STRANGE WEATHER, a Holly Hunter movie which was pretty strange itself.

I finished Marie Force’s State of Bliss last weekend and finally started Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini. I also got caught up on all the stray magazines I had around, but there are a couple cookbooks to finish up.

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
MONDAY 1/8
TUESDAY 1/9
WEDNESDAY 1/10
THURSDAY 1/11
FRIDAY 1/12
SATURDAY 1/13
SUNDAY 1/14
DINNER
CASHEW CHICKEN and CHEESY LEEK GRATIN
CHICKEN CHILES RELLENOS STRATA recipe will post 1/25
 CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
 JACKFRUIT TACOS with GREEN APPLE SALSA
 BBQ CHICKEN
 GRILLED PIMIENTO CHEESE SANDWICHES with TOMATO BISQUE
 MISO BUTTER ROASTED CHICKEN
DESSERT
 
CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
 CHEESE APPLE CRISP
 

In order to take favorite photos, one must first leave the house. That hasn’t happened this week, so here’s a favorite from New Year’s Eve of my winning charcuterie board. And of my white Christmas Cactus that’s blooming up a storm.