Wild Rice Casserole!

My mom gave me this recipe, and it's kind of vague.
It calls for a box of wild rice.
Box? I am guessing that the stuff I bought last time was 8 oz.
I will go look and see what a box is
at the grocery store, but now my friend Jane went to Northern
Minnesota and brought me back one pound bags, so we shall see
how this works. I'll fix it when I find out.

Grease a casserole dish.

1 Box wild rice soaked in water overnight.
drain, then mix in the bowl with:
1 cup of whole canned tomatoes, chopped up.
1 cup sliced black olives
1 cup onions, shopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup oil
1 cup boiling water
1 cup grated cheese

Bake 1 hr @ 350

I'd salt and pepper to taste,
I'm going to use chicken stock,
my mom used American cheese, I think
I'll use a cheddar.

I am a farmer

Okay..I am not a farmer; but I did grow fresh herbs, tomatoes, red and green peppers this year. If the squirrels don't grab the tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro to make salsa with, we should be good to go in a few weeks.

Oh, BTW..those tomato planters, the Topsy Turvy things..hahahaa..THEY WORK! Photographic proof to follow.

I will be making the marinara sauce on this blog ( some place ) if we don't eat them all or they don't all get stolen. Something small and furry ate my Italian parsley.....

My annual post

WOW..I really need to be better about this, don't I? :p You think with over 100 cook books and all the online sites I belong to, that I would contribute more.

Huh.

Nutella..chocolate hazelnut crack in a jar..now in cookie form!

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of Nutella
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter in an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix for 10 seconds.

3 Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda (do not skip this step as sifting eliminates clumps of cocoa). Mix into the butter mixture on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides at least once to ensure even mixing. Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes.

4 Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 6 dozen.

What I made yesterday and the day before

I made some cornbread, used real corn, grits, eggs and AP flour, baking soda and salt. the stuff came out of my 9 x 13 pan a bit dense, moist and tasty, but not cornbread. It was an experiment that sort of failed. I saved it til the next day. I cut it into large squares, and ran a knife thru those squares and fried each square in butter. ha.

I had some deli roast beef left in the fridge, I fried up some onions, put mayo on the bottom square, onions, heated up the roast beef just a tad, and Nico had some verde salsa in the fridge, that he'd put avocado in, I thought it was gross, til I put in as the last thing on the sandwich before I put another slice of the cornbread on it, and OMG was it good. It was so good I have to put it here so I don't forget it.

WOW

Audrey,

Your friend Deb sure is smart...HAHAHAAAA

I have tons to post..I shall return!

Spinach Rice Salad

I can't find my mom's recipe book, well, I could but don't want to.
Too busy.

So, when I wanted to make my mom's Spinach Rice Salad, I called Deb,
hoping I'd told her what it was, but no. I had forgotten.
Par for my course.

She suggested Googling the ingredients that I remembered, and
There It WAS, oh, man, now Deb's ahead of me in points.

This is as close as I'm going to get until I find the original one
from my mom, I'm not much on sugar in my salad, but you might be.


* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
* 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
* 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
* 4 green onions, thinly sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 2 cups baby spinach

In a bowl, combine the salad dressing, soy sauce and sugar.
Stir in rice, celery and onions. Cover and refrigerate for
at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in spinach and bacon.
___________________________________

I think my mom did the rice with the sauce soaking in the fridge
the night before, and I think that altho I abhor the thought of
Uncle Ben's, I think it holds up better, the shape, as I had my
son cook some rice for me to use tomarrow, and it got all
split looking. Whats with that?

We worse than suck.

Ok, so to show up my partner here, I'm going to tell you what I made for dinner.

I took pork tenderloin, cut it into little dollar shapes, thin slices,
and fried it up with garlic that I minced, butter, some Lawry's seasoning salt, and some baby spinach.

I put it on homemade bread, and called it a sammich. yep. It was that easy.

niener niener cookieface, your turn.
I can't believe we haven't looked at this personal treasure trove of ours
since June! You were swimmin, what the HELL was I doin?

Britney Cooks!

I found this on All Things Hollywood, on a tag from SERIOUS EATS.
Who knew Britney Spears was a cook? Is she?

Artisan Bread Unbelievably Easy.

Typing it all here would be hard, and seeing we're doing easy, I'll post a link to the best tasting easiest bread on the planet. No kneading, and you have a round loaf of bread with that crackly thin crust. Keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks, and all you have to do is chunk some off of whats in the fridge, pinch it up into a ball, let it rest and then bake it. I don't own a pizza peel, I don't have a baking stone. I put it on a greased flat pan, and had my broiler pan underneath, preheated with the oven, that I threw hot water into when I put the bread in. Incredibly good, and a revolution in how to make bread. Click on the headline for the link!

I salute you, Mother Earth News!

Because basically, I am all about the easy way out...

YAY!!

Easy, Easy, Bacon, potato,cheesy

Yeah, the title sucks ... live with it :p

I am making these tonight in honor of New Years.

k..this recipe lacks only one thing: A RECIPE. It is really more of a formula, a suggestion, if you will.... They are spectacularly unhealthy; they are decadent and wonderful..and whenever I make this, even in massive quantities, ( to take to a cookout, potluck thing ) there is never any left.


These are for my hsb. and my son in law..both of whom I adore. :)


My Suggestion is:


Potatoes, in your chosen amount; you may peel them, or leave them w/the skins. ( Just remember to scrub them well )




Bacon, your chosen amount, fried crispy, crumbled ( or buy the bags of the real stuff, already crumbled )



Shredded Cheese, your chosen amount, your chosen variety.



Slice the potatoes as you would do for homefries. Spread 1st layer over bottom of pan ( size varies with amount ), cover with cheese, bacon...repeat until you have desired amount layered. LAST LAYER SHOULD BE CHEESE/BACON.



Bake at 350 until potatoes are tender, cheese has melted thoroughly throughout all layers.
Feel free to add onions, peppers (before baking) etc.; basically, anything that sounds good to you :) Adorn with sour cream.



Cool thing is..you can do these on the grill in nice weather; either in a foil pouch or grill proof pan.

Damn that Food Network is good!

They don't suck, we do~! (NAH)

Here's the first of the 12 days of Cookies, Alton Brown's Paradise Macaroons, I don't even like coconut, but I'm making these fo shizzle. what the heck did i just say, and more importantly, why? I don't care, I'm making these cookies.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paradise-macaroons-recipe/index.html

Onward and Upwards to Paula's Linzer Torte Cookies!!!! Damn, I made Jam this year, I don't suck after all!!!!!! Wait in your response to see if I actually get a chance to make them.

Cause I am so damn behind in everything..

http://www.christmas-cookies.com/

This will get you started...yes, I suck.

I found this.

Scribbled on a piece of yellow paper, lines faded out. Must be old.


It looks like a dip, it looks pretty good!!!

1 lb Velveeta cheese
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup horseradish
1 T minced onion

Melt all this in a double boiler, then beat it
for 3 minutes.

Thats what it said, 3 mins. Why?
Fluffiness? I don't know. Seems a bit heavy handed
on the horseradish, what kind? I don't know. I've
never actually bought horseradish. I had a friend in
Indiana who would bring down homemade, and it was so
good you could eat it with a spoon. My dad said his
mom used to make it, and if you stuck your head in the
crock, you'd pass out. The stuff from Indiana wasn't
like that.

I don't know what to use this with, any suggestions,
other than making a prime rib dinner more calories than
you ate last week? Deb, what would you dip into this?

(I'd start with a finger, end up with it in a bathtub)

Easy Peasy Rice and Cheesy

'K, this post has NOTHING to do with rice or cheese...just so ya know that upfront. However, the recipe that will eventually show up in this post is easy.

Many moons ago, I gave a surprise wedding shower....but the bride wasn't the one surprised, it was me. :>0!
My friend, the bride, proudly announced "I'M GETTING MARRIED IN 3 WEEKS!!! and you are giving me a shower in 2 weeks."


I allowed her to live,the shower and the wedding both went off without a hitch. Since time was of the essence..and I really was operating under duress..the menu was appetizers and dessert. There were 30 women at this shower and I got 30 requests for the recipe. I was evil and refused my friend's request for weeks. *evil smile*

Please see cook's notes at end of recipe.


Fruit Filled Cake AKA: TADA!


1 lg. can pie filling of your choice

2 sticks butter/margerine, melted and slightly cooled

4 med.lg eggs slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups of flour


Mix all ingredients in one large bowl. Pour 1/2 batter into UNgreased 13x9 pan; spoon pie filling into imaginary squares across pan..cover with remaining batter.


Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. til done.

You may leave this plain,sprinkle with confectionery sugar, drizzle a glaze and sprinkle with nuts..the choice is all yours.
Cut into squares and serve.
Cover LOOSELY as this cake is moist and will end up soggy if you cover too tightly.

````Cook's notes````

You will have to work quickly as this batter is thick and continues to thicken; do not panic if there are bare spots when you cover the pie filling with remaining batter as it will most likely bake over. ( this does not apply to gaping holes however lol )

Use most any fruit filling you desire. I have made nearly every kind on the market; for the shower I made cherry, strawberry, and blueberry. I topped each dish differently..and there were NO leftovers. There never are when I make this dessert. Except for the time my MIL was over..but that is another story for a different blog..trust me.

( I am most fond of the apple filling..I suck at making pies, I truly do..and this dessert, made with French apple filling, fills that void for me. I serve it with French Vanilla icecream..but prefer it w/Cinnamon icecream when I can find it. )

Fresh Apples, I got 'em..and peaches too!

Turns out a great friend of mine's dad has a tiny orchard in his back yard..and last night I got a wonderful surprise in the the gift of 2 bags of fresh fruit: one bag of peaches and one bag of apples. I am a happy girl! The 6 year old and I are going to make some slow cooker applesauce and Fresh Apple cookies. I will keep you informed of our success :)

It's getting cool enough to bake! YAY!

Today is officially the first day of Fall; that means apples, pumpkins, and baking..oh, my!

The 8 year old has taken a rabid interest in cooking and baking...so, last week we made this; it turned out beautifully. I had intended for her to show her masterpiece off at a family get-together, but that was not to be. Her creation wasn't out of the oven 10 minutes and she was pouring milk and cutting herself a piece. lol It is quick, easy, delicious...and best of all, it made her feel like a pastry chef :) I present to you...

BOO BOO'S AMAZING MONKEY BREAD!

GENEROUSLY GREASED 10 INCH FLUTED TUBE/BUNDT PAN

1/2-1 CUP CHOPPED PECANS OR WALNUTS
3/4 CUP SUGAR
4 TSP. OF CINNAMON
2 11 OZ PKGS. ( 12 EACH ) REFRIDGERATED BREADSTICKS
1/3 CUP BUTTER, melted
1/2 CUP CARAMEL ICE CREAM TOPPING
2 TBS. MAPLE SYRUP

Sprinkle 1/2 half the chopped nuts into the bottom of prepared pan, set aside. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

Separate each pkg. of breadstick dough on the perforated lines into 6 spiral pieces, making 12 pieces total. DO NOT UNROLL!!! Cut pieces in half crosswise. Dip each piece of dough into melted butter, roll in cinn/sugar mixture to coat. Arrange pieces in prepared pan.

Sprinkle with remaining nuts. In a measuring cup stir together caramel topping and maple syrup, then drizzle over dough pieces in pan.

Bale in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until dough is light brown, covering with foil the last 10 minutes to prevent over browning.

Cook's note:

LET STAND ONE (1) MINUTE ONLY!!!
If left to stand any longer, it will be difficult to remove from pan. Invert onto a serving platter. Spoon any remaining topping in the pan on to the rolls.
Enjoy :)

We have tinkered with this a bit since making the initial bread. Last time we layered half the bread, sprinkled nuts and mini chocolate chips, then finished per recipe.
Next time we are going to use butterscotch chips or a combo of cinnamon and mini chocolate chips. Yum!

You Say Tomato, I say Marinara!

Summer is over :( But tomatoes are in season, so that's a good thing. I watched my mother can tomatoes...I decided way back then, I would just buy the suckers. But this recipe is too easy..so easy, I actually make it.

NO COOK MARINARA SAUCE

10 cups tomatoes, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 med-lg. onions, finely chopped
2/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
2 TBS. dried basil ( or 2/3 cup fresh )

Blend tomatoes in food processor; pour into LARGE bowl. Add rest of ingredients, mix well. Freeze in container size of your choice.

Now, wasn't that easy?? :)

When ready to use :
Add 1 small can of tomato paste per quart to thicken.
Add oregano, brown sugar, salt, etc. to your taste

VIOLA'!!

easiest way to peel tomatoes is to dip them into boiling water for a few seconds; the skin will just slip off. DIP them, do not bathe them or try to bob for them. I have spoken. :p

What's Fresh in My Area Now?

Click the words above to see what Epicurious put up, what a great site, to see what crops are in season in your area. Have your latest Flash enabled, and cruise the stand!