Category: MISC

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

GOOD MORNING! I had a great weekend and am looking forward to the last week of August.  If I had to pick a month I hated, it would be August!  Other than our anniversary being in August (which only happened because so much of the family had conflicts with the first date we picked) August has always been a stifling month to me – always too hot, too humid and downright miserable.  So, I am really glad it is on its way out and my favorite time of year is quickly approaching.   
I LOVE FALL!
HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY IS HOSTED BY SANDRA at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom .  
Be sure and stop by to see what it’s all about!

  • A big cup of coffee and then a homemade fruit smoothie (banana, pineapple, strawberry and cherries) before I go to the gym. 
  • Pool in time and then the gym to avoid the warmer water from the humidity of the recent storms.
  • Laundry
  • Groceries & Errands.

Whatever strikes our fancy off the DVR.  I try not to plan this in advance and just go with the flow at least until the NEW Fall schedule starts.

Hot as usual! It’s only supposed to be 100 today but it’s now officially monsoon season so the humidity is really unpredictable.

 Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
MONDAY 8/25 YOGURT
Peanutty Pork Noodle Salad
TUESDAY 8/26 BAGEL & CREAM CHEESE
Mandarin Chicken and Noodles
WEDNESDAY 8/27 YOGURT
Chicken Fried Chicken
THURSDAY 8/28 FRUIT
Mexican Cobb Salad with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
FRIDAY 8/29 CEREAL
Snapper Wrappers
SATURDAY 8/30 Oven Omeletes
Sweet and Sour BBQ Pulled Pork
SUNDAY 8/31 German Pancake
Pot Roast – Savory style

 Do a little quilting and finish a few older projects though I have yet to have a few minutes to myself LOL like that’s going to happen.

I have a list of tons of recipes I want to try.  Stay posted for the results.

As I combine all my old blogs into this new one I’m also keeping a list of those recipes that I cannot in good conscience bring over until I remake them and take some decent pictures LOL.

WONDERING who stole my mosaic memorial lights for Dicken’s grave and better yet WHY?

On a positive note though I really want to make one of these:

 
On the way home from our anniversary getaway we stopped by the Salton Sea.  If you don’t know about it, you can read about it here.  It’s pretty interesting.   On Friday they issued an ODOR WARNING – not at all uncommon for this time of year in Monsoon Season.

I’m finding that more and more of my favorite blogs are posting less and less, if at all, but I found that one of my baking blogs is still around.  LICK THAT SPOON is still around.  She has some really beautiful food photography and interesting recipes.

I’m still looking for that perfect coffee as I must start my day with coffee and then more coffee, but for now this is my signature blend.

I open all 3 and pour all of the Dunkin’ donuts original blend and Folgers Morning Cafe in. Then I add 1/2 of the Millstone caramel truffle! YUM! Do you have a favorite coffee?

Guidance as we start the research on our new adventure and home search.

SIMPLE CHICKEN & FEATHER DUMPLINGS

SIMPLE CHICKEN & FEATHER DUMPLINGS
1 rotisserie chicken picked clean
chicken carcass with enough water to cover
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped small
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
3 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 cup milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter

  • Cover chicken carcass with water. Bring to a boil and reduce broth to 7 cups.
  • Save 4 cups aside for making the dumplings.
  • Pour 3 cups through sieve into a large saucepan. Set aside.
  • Melt butter and saute’ vegetables.
  • Whisk together milk and flour until smooth.
  • Gradually whisk milk mixture into broth mixture until well blended.
  • Add in sauteed vegetables and chicken pieces.
  • Simmer until desired consistency.

DUMPLINGS
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg, well beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup milk

  • Sift together flour, salt, pepper and baking powder.
  • Add egg, butter and enough milk to make a moist, stiff batter.
  • Drop by teaspoonfuls into the boiling liquid.
  • Cover and cook 15-20 minutes ~ Watch closely!



PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD SNACK CAKE

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD SNACK CAKE
1 box Angel Food Cake Mix
1 large can crushed pineapple with juice

  • Mix them together, pour into a spring form, bundt pan or 13×9 baking dish.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes in a 350 oven. 
  • Voile’, a light and fruity dessert. 
  •  If you want to get fancy spoon Comstock cherries over top before serving.  It is very good with a war rum raisin sauce also.

CHUBBY HUBBY BROWNIES

This recipe adapted from Can’t Stop Baking!  OMG these brownies are FANTASTIC!! You MUST try these!

Chubby Hubby Brownies
1/2 cup butter

  • 1 ounce Baker’s white chocolate
  • 1 ounce Baker’s bittersweet chocolate
  • 2 ounces milk chocolate candy bark
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup pretzels, chopped
10 Oreo cookies, chopped

  • In a large saucepan, melt butter. 

  • Add chocolate and stir until completely melted.  

  • Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 

  • Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. 

  • Gently stir in cookies and pretzels ( Reserving some to sprinkle on top.) 

  • Pour into greased 8×8 pan. 

  • Sprinkle remaining cookies an pretzels on top. 

  • Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Let cool. 

Milk Glaze
1 cup powder sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 recipe Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

  • Combine powder sugar and milk, mixing until smooth. 
  • Drizzle over cake with Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce.

Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/8 cup milk
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla. 

  • Mix over medium heat until smooth. 

CHILE LIME CHICKEN PATTIES with LIME REMOULADE SAUCE

CHILE LIME CHICKEN PATTIES with LIME REMOULADE SAUCE
2 cups rotisserie chicken. chopped small
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, fresh
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 cup Panko crumbs, divided in half
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons Franks Chile hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons butter

SAUCE
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lime
Several drops Franks Chile Hot Sauce

  • Process chicken until just ground, or choppy VERY fine.
  • In a large bowl mix together chicken, celery, parsley, green onions, 1/2 cup Panko crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, lime juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.
  • Form into 6-8 patties and coat with remaining Panko crumbs.
  • In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Cook patties slowly until browned, about 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
  • For the sauce, whisk together all ingredients until well blended and smooth.
  • Serve with lime wedges if desired.

ITALIAN BAKED CHICKEN

ITALIAN BAKED CHICKEN serves 8

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in halves)
salt and pepper to taste
provolone cheese slices
prosciutto slices
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
fresh basil
1 cup white wine (I used zinfandel)
3 tablespoons butter

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Generously salt and pepper each piece of chicken.
  • In a large skillet melt butter until frothy.
  • Add chicken pieces, searing each side quickly.  Drain on a paper towel. Do not discard butter.
  • Warp each piece of chicken in a slice of prosciutto and then lay a slice of provolone on top.  
  • Arrange chicken pieces in a baking dish.
  • In the skillet add the garlic and green onions, sauteing until soft and fragrant.
  • Add the wine and lemon juice, simmering until starts to thicken.
  • Pour sauce over and around chicken pieces.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

SPICY APRICOT GLAZED BBQ PORK CHOPS

These are the easiest and yummiest pork chops!
SPICY APRICOT GLAZED BBQ PORK CHOPS
2 large center cut pork chops
1/3 cup apricot jam
1/3 cup Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

  • Blend together until well mixed.
  • Grill chops, topping with glaze during last few minutes.
  • Enjoy!

SALT the finishing touch

It’s not a question of whether to salt food, but when, how and what salt to use.  We are no longer forced into a plain iodized table salt world when we cook.  Keep in mind though that while these up and coming salts can add great flavor, they can also be quite expensive, but are great for those special dishes and needs to be used sparingly.

Iodized salt (white table salt) that we were all raised on has its place, but is quite boring in today’s world.  Visit any spice shop and you will find at least a dozen other salt options.

No matter the size and shape (fine crystals, coarse crystals or flakes) you use, the subtle differences are n the flavor and these differences depend on where the salt originated from and the minerals present  in the salt.

Kosher salt is popular among chefs because it has no additives and dissolves very quickly despite its larger grain size. Kosher salt is very popular for rubs.

Sea salt, made from evaporated seawater) is available in both grains and flakes and is quite often used as a finishing salt in the flake form.  Maldon flaked sea salt from the shores of Essex, England is quite popular and a great finishing salt for sea food.

For me, salt “FLAVORS” are a personal thing.  I have my favorites like Hawaiian red and Black Sea Salts, Himalayan Pink, French Grey Sea salt,  Shallot Salt or Makrut Lime Sea Salt, but am always looking for new infused flavors to try.

SALT WORKS has a good guide to help you learn more about the individual salts and their uses.

DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN & HELPFUL HINTS PLUS BONUS FRIED CHICKEN ALTERNATIVES

In an effort to clean out my magazines and cookbooklets, I joined Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice many years ago. What I really like is that she isn’t strict about when you post so I can publish these yummy results as I find them. I have this horrible habit of cutting recipes out and throwing them into a box and then I have no idea where the original recipe came from. To be honest it didn’t help me eliminate recipes, but I enjoy it anyway.  I’ve ended up with multiple recipes and they are ALL good so just pick your favorite from this bunch! Both of these recipes make a chicken where the crust doesn’t break apart on the first bite.

DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN
Cut up chicken pieces
1/4 cup beer or ginger ale
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Oil for frying

  • Bring oil to frying temperature in a cast iron skillet.
  • Wash chicken pieces, dry and sprinkle with salt.
  • Whisk together the beer, baking soda and salt.
  • Dip each piece of chicken in beer mixture and then fry.
  • Drain on paper towels.

BUTTERMILK BRINED FRIED CHICKEN
3 pounds of your favorite chicken pieces
3 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 tespoon paprika
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 jumbo eggs

  • In a very LARGE bowl combine the 3 cups buttermilk, kosher salt and sugar, stirring to dissolve.
  • Add ALL the chicken pieces, turning to make sure each piece is coated in brine. and seal tightly.
  • Chill 3-4 hours, turning occasionally to make sure chicken pieces are well coated in brine.
  • Remove from brine and dry on paper towels. Discard brine. 
  • Heat large skillet with 1 1/2 inches of oil to 350 degrees. OIL WILL BE HOT!!! USE CARE!!
  • Whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup buttermilk into a shallow dish.
  •  Combine flour, sea salt, white pepper and paprika in a large Ziploc bag. Divide into 2 shallow dishes.
  • Dip each chicken piece in the first flour dish, then the egg dish and then the 2nd flour dish.
  • Add chicken pieces, adjusting as necessary to maintain heat. 
  • Cook 12-15 minutes until golden brown turning only once when you see blood as grams would say.

NOTE:  LET YOUR USED OIL COOL AND THE STRAIN IT INTO A GLASS MASON JAR.  REFRIGERATE AND IT CAN BE USED 2-3 MORE TIME IN THE THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.  BE SURE TO STRAIN IT EACH AND EVERY TIME!

HELPFUL HINTS FOR FRYING CHICKEN:

  • SIZE DOES MATTER. Try to cook pieces similar in size at the same time.
  • DO NOT CROWD YOU PAN.  Cook in batches allowing plenty of room for the oil to make your crust crisp.
  • BUTTERMILK BRINE:  Buttermilk brine on chicken as well as beef acts like an enzyme to break down muscle fibers and fat allowing more flavor to be tasted in the finished product.
  • ROOM TEMPERATURE! Bringing your pieces to room temperature before the wash and dredge does 2 helpful things – 1) your oil will not cool as much or as fast giving you an even cooking and 2) your wash and dredge will stay put better making a crispier chicken.

    BLACK BEAN KITCHEN SINK CHILI

    I call this kitchen sink chili because I use it to get rid of all the leftovers!  Today I added some leftover crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes and I was out of tomato juice so I used Budweiser Clamato.

     BLACK BEAN KITCHEN SINK CHILI
    1 pound chuck steak, cut into 3/4 inch chunks**
    15 ounce can diced tomato
    1 can original Rotel tomatoes 
    15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons chili powder
    2 cups tomato juice
    2 cubes beef bouillon
    medium red onion, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
    1 bunch green onions, sliced (reserve some for garnish)
    sour cream
    grated cheese

    • Combine tomato juice and beef bouillon until well blended.
    • Add diced tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, blending well.
    • Add beef pieces, red onion and green onion.
    • Bring to a SLOW boil, reduce heat and then simmer 1 hour.
    • Top with sour cream, grated cheese and onions for garnish.
    • I served the chili over grilled hot dogs for hubby for opening night football.

    **We had grilled rib eyes the night before and I got a great price on buying the family pack so we grilled them all and then I cut the remains into 3/4 inch chunks for the chili.  I have to say the charring added some great flavor.

    BLEU CHEESE STUFFED PORK LOIN

    OOPS wrong adage, but the try, try again really fits.  I like to succeed, but I also LOVE to experiment.  My dear friend Jenn and hubby both gave yesterday’s Bleu cheese spread for the Danish Cube Steaks two thumbs up, but I couldn’t stop there – I still had spread left!  I also had a fresh pork loin and had just read Martha’s STUFFED FLANK STEAK recipe and voile’ just like Melanie Griffith, er Tess McGill in Working Girl combining Trask and radio to succeed, I had an idea! I combined pork roast, our new favorite Bleu cheese spread and Martha’s flank steak style with superb results – true success!
    STUFFED PORK LOIN – serves 4
    1 small pork roast, cut in half
    1 1/2 ounces Bleu cheese crumbles
    1/4 cup mayonnaise
    1/8 cup minced green onions
    • In a small food processor blend together the mayonnaise, bleu cheese crumbles and green onions until smooth.
    • Cut volcano shaped slice out of the center of each pork half.  Next time I will buy a large roast and have it butterflied, but today I worked with what I had.
    • Fill with bleu cheese mixture.
    • Salt and pepper generously.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour- 1 1/4 hours.
     
     
     
    Now nothing goes to waste at our house.  We use it until it can be used NO more.  If it’s a sauce, it may become a dressing for hubby’s salads by adding flavored vinegars or oils or a filling for a casserole, but it gets used.  I had  a tiny bit of our favorite BBQ sauce left, but it wasn’t enough to do much with, so I used it as a rub on the baked potatoes and then mixed the last couple of tablespoons with some butter and sour cream and darned if it wasn’t super yummy and flavorful too!

    CRAB SHRIMP LOUIE SALAD WITH JALAPENO 1000 ISLAND DRESSING

    This recipe is almost identical to my normal crab salad, but we were looking to spice it up a bit so I added shrimp and used Jalapeno ketchup in the dressing and it was a nice spicy change.

    CRAB SHRIMP LOUIE SALAD & HOMEMADE JALAPENO 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
    CRAB SALAD
    8 ounces Louis Kemp Crab, finely chopped
    8 ounces large fresh shrimp, chopped small
    1 stalk celery, finely chopped
    1/3 cup minced red onion
    salt and pepper
    mayo (about 1/4 cup)
    Romaine lettuce
    Roma tomatoes, sliced
    Snap peas, halved

    • Wash lettuce, peas and tomatoes. Arrange on plate. Salt and pepper.
    • Mix crab, celery, onion, salt and pepper together until well blended using enough mayonnaise for desired consistency.
    • Place a large scoop of crab salad over the romaine mix.
    • Serve over chopped romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes and snap peas.
    • Top with dressing.

    1000 ISLAND DRESSING
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    2 tablespoons JALAPENO ketchup
    1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
    2 teaspoons sugar
    3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
    1 heaping tablespoon minced red onion
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    salt and pepper

    • In a mini blender blend all ingredients to desired consistency.