Category: MISC

Favorite Ingredient Friday ~ Bread Edition ~ Bubble Bread

BUBBLE BREAD
BREAD
1 cup scalded milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1teaspoon salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup minced walnuts
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 Jumbo eggs, beaten
4 1/2 – 5 cups flour
TOPPING
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted
OPTIONAL GLAZE
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup powdered sugar

  • Soften the yeast in the warm water.
  • Stir together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
  • Soak the raisins in the rum until needed. Drain before adding to the bread.
  • Combine the milk, shortening, sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm.
  • Add yeast to milk mixture and then the eggs, the raisins and nuts.
  • Add the flour. Mix to a soft dough.
  • Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Turn over once, cover with a cheesecloth and let rise until double in size.
  • Punch down and let stand ten minutes.
  • Roll into many small balls about the size of golf balls.
  • Dip each one in the melted butter and then the cinnamon topping.
  • Grease a bundt cake pan.
  • Arrange the balls haphazardly in the cake pan.
  • Allow to rise until double in size (about 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours)
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
  • Glaze if you choose.
  • Enjoy
For the updated & much quicker version visit Overwhelmed with Joy for her Monkey Bread Recipe.

Have you heard about the Need to Knead Bread Roundup? We will roundup all types of bread recipes. We already have a number of people signed up and it promises to be great. You are all invited to participate. We would love it if you would join us, and we would love it if you would help us spread the word by putting this button in your sidebars or even writing a short post about the roundup. Just come back here on October 15th & sign Mr. Linky. We’ll see you then.

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Friday Fill Ins

1. The leaves changing color, laying the new bathroom floors and our first snow are some of the things I’m most looking forward to in October.
2. Sometimes I wonder why time has sped up so much.
3. I recently told a friend I never get sick since we moved and now I am and that’s why there is a saying, “never say never”!
4. When I’m down, I‘m out for the duration, but it takes a LONNNNNNNG time for me to get there to begin with.
5. Lately, outside preparing for winter is where you’ll find me most often.
6. A rainy day is good for reading, quilting and blogging, not necessarily in that order.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to getting over this flu so doing nothing more than I have to, tomorrow my plans include the Harvest festival if I’m up to it and Sunday, I want to quilt if I’m better!

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Aloha Friday ~

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
QUESTION:
How do flies get into enclosed light fixtures?

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Thursday Thirteen ~ International Disturbed People's Day

I recently received an email from a friend in honor of International Disturbed People’s Day with the message to send it on to another disturbed friend just as they had done. It said that every 60 seconds you spend angry, upset or mad is a full minute of happiness you’ll never get back. Today’s Message of the Day is: Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Life may not by the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we should dance. SO in honor of passing it on to my friends I offer you 13 of the images that accompanied it.

Let me just say someone had way too much time on their hands!

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Hamburger Steaks with Parmesan Potatoes and Onion Gravy



HAMBURGER STEAKS
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound hamburger
1 sleeve Keebler club crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 Jumbo eggs
1 tablespoon liquid Smoke – MYSTERY ingredient
PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES
6 medium red potatoes, washed and cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup Buttermilk
ONION GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoons cream sherry
2 cups hot water
1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
salt and pepper to taste

  • Combine all the hamburger steak ingredients until well mixed. Form six steaks.
  • Bake 30 minutes in convection oven at 350 degrees.
  • In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
  • Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.
  • Bring potatoes to a boil until tender. Drain.
  • Combine potato ingredients and beat until smooth.
  • Enjoy

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Split Pea Soup


SPLIT PEA SOUP

1 Honey Baked Ham Bone
2 cups ham pieces
3 quarts water
1 small bag baby carrots, chopped
5 large stalk celery, leaves included, chopped
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups split green peas
2 cups split yellow peas
1/4 cup barley
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper & white pepper mix
1 bottle beer – Mystery ingredient

  • In a large stock pot, bring ham bone* & water to a boil. Boil until the meat is falling off the bone, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours)
  • Remove the bone and let cool enough so you can cut the meat off the bone.
  • In the mean time add the carrots, celery, onion (4 cups total) and seasonings to the water and return to a slow boil for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  • While the vegetables are boiling, rinse the peas and pick out any bad ones.
  • Cut the ham pieces off the bone. Refrigerate the ham pieces and discard the bone.
  • After the vegetables have cooked 45 minutes or until tender, add the peas and barley. Cook for another 1 1/2 hours.
  • Add the beer and ham pieces back in and cook another 1 1/2 hours.
*I always save my honey baked ham bones after the meat is all cut off. I then freeze them and save them for future soups. I always get at least 2 cups of meat off when I boil the bone.

This makes a huge batch and I always freeze it in several batches (3-4) for future easy weeknight meals. In this case it will be a big batch when everyone is here at Christmas.

TODAY’S TRIVIA as heard by hubby on an old game show – Campbell’s soup used to fill the bottom of the bowl with marbles so the vegetables would be at the top giving the appearance of more vegetables in each bowl of soup. That trick was not done here – what you see is what you get.

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BLOGGITY BLOG TAG

This blog was tagged by Diana over at Forgetfulone for a bloggity blog tag.
The rules:
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you either positively or negatively
2. link back to the person who tagged you ~ Diana (Thanks for thinking of me!)
3. link back to this parent post: Bloggity Blog
4.tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them!

  • My cousin Jenn suggested blogging when I was having a difficult time adjusting to a cross country move and making new friends in a very closed community that doesn’t openly welcome outsiders.
  • I have met some wonderful warm and friendly people blogging, several like Diana over at Forgetfulone, Sandra over at The Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, Joy at Joy of Desserts, Penelope at The Cafe at the End of the Universe… and the list goes on and on at that I communicate with almost daily and one in particular who is kindred spirit and I feel like I have known all my life, Barbara over at Candy Hearts & Paper Flowers.
  • Blogging has become a creative outlet that has helped me get back on track with a number of projects; cookbooks, quilts, organization…
  • I’m able to participate in some fun memes and do pay it forward in not only the monthly books, but my overall attitude and sense of self that I seem to be regaining.
  • I so agree with Diana when she said, “I am constantly thinking about my blog and my blogging buddies. Sometimes I wonder if it’s too much of an obsession, but it’s not something I want to give up. Best of all, blogging gives me a sense of community. In many ways, it’s better than FIRL (friends in real life). I have developed some special friendships, and making new friends is always fun, too. Bloggers are genuine, accepting, generous, understanding, honest, and fun!
I tag anyone who reads this! The more the merrier!

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Recipes, Cook Books and Decisions

So I need some advice. I’m trying to finish up my next cookbook and I need some Guinea pigs. You guys game? I have a list of recipes that I like, but need to pare down the list. I really want recipes from across the board and represent home style, you know like grandma used to make. I thought I could write up the list and get all of you to vote on your favorites for me to make, photo and post??

What recipes would you like to see posted in the near future?
Boston Cream Pie
Pork Fried Rice
Chicken Kiev
Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Peasant Chicken Breasts
Salmon Spread
Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade
Beef Wellington
Chicken Wellington
Split Pea Soup
Firecracker Shrimp
Creamed Corn
Pizza Dip
Turkey Tettrazini
Apricot Cheesecake
Cream of Tomato Pork Chops
Bruschetta Halibut
Tarragon Sherry Chicken
pollcode.com free polls
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The Revival of Common Courtesy ~ written by Forgetfulone this week

Professional and Public Manners
courtesy of Diana this week – thanks Diana
I’m down with a bad case of the flu so thankfully Diana has covered all the bases

What are Professional and Public Manners?

Professional manners are those etiquette rules that govern your behavior when you are associating with professionals (as in a Doctor’s office or place of business) or when you are working with colleagues in a professional manner.

  • One should observe the hierarchy in one’s business, study it, and emulate it.
  • Typically, a lower ranking person is introduced to the higher ranking person.
  • Stand when meeting someone, and stand for a higher ranking associate, male or female.
  • Professional courtesy usually calls for a handshake upon meeting a new client or colleague.
  • If offered a business card, it is best to acknowledge some information from the card while making eye contact with the giver.
  • Dressing as a professional is common courtesy in most places of business.
  • Avoid gossip and back-stabbing.
  • Keep emails in a professional tone, and keep personal email to a minimum (if your boss approves) or to none. Just because email is so much easier to use than the telephone doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve the same attention to detail and professional courtesy that a face-to-face conversation would receive.
  • Keep professional conversations short, and leave out personal information unless specifically asked.
  • Don’t complain about your boss or your workplace while you are in the workplace.
  • You can create a professional image with just these few reminders!
Public manners are those that are always on display when you are in public.
  • Out in public, it is best to keep your cell phone calls private.
  • Other rules you may follow to display courteous manners include saying “Excuse Me” or “Thank You” if the situation calls for it.
  • Another rule of etiquette to remember when you are out in public is to be patient.
  • You may also consider it proper common courtesy not to spit, litter, or curse in public.
  • It’s easy to present a positive image in public by following a few, simple rules of etiquette.
In both professional and public situations, treat others with consideration. For me, that boils down to the three P’s.
  • Be Prompt
  • Be Prepared
  • Be Polite
(These are the same rules I have in my classroom, and they pretty much cover everything.)
“Manners are the happy ways of doing things. If they are superficial, so are the dewdrops which give such a depth to the morning meadow.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

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