Cracker Toffee

So far I have made 2 batches of this recipe for cracker toffee and I seem to demolish it almost by myself.  I'll be making it again tomorrow.  I might even make a double batch and share!  This is so easy to make and it tastes sooooo good!  You've got to give it a try. 

Cracker Toffee

Here are pictures:

Layer of saltines, salt side down

Making a double batch so this is 2 butters and 2 c of dark brown sugar

I used milk chocolate chips.  Wait for them to change color and they will soften up.  Once softened...



Spread the chocolate.  Let it cool for a bit and set up in the fridge.  Then break and enjoy!



Steak au Poivre

I've made this before but this is the first time I used Alton's recipe.  His recipe calls for cognac to deglaze the pan.  All I had on hand was Applejack and it worked VERY well!  I didn't ignite it, though and it still worked.  I also used coarse ground pepper instead of grinding my own peppercorns.  This dish was definitely a hit!

Steak au Poivre

Baking for Christmas

I decided to bake for presents for 4th grader's teacher and my 7th grader's drum teacher and jazz band instructor.  It's definitely the least I can do for the drum teacher and jazz instructor.  They gave my son an opportunity to develop his drumming and to perform in front of a crowd and show how far he's come from a self taught left-handed drummer to a kid who can play right and left and sight read music pretty well.  He goes to school an hour early on Tuesdays and Thursdays just for jazz band and it has been so rewarding.  Ok, on to the baking!

So, Shop Rite had Ghirardelli stuff on sale yesterday.  I bought brownie mixes and baking chocolate to make some yummy chocolate crinkles.  I also got some Nestle Tollhouse peanut butter and milk chocolate chips mixed to make some Peanut Butter Maple Cookies.  Here are the fruits of my labor with those peanut butter cookies:

The chocolate crinkle batter is in the fridge setting at the moment so I'll post those later on.  Happy baking!

Fabulous Red Velvet Cake

I decided to try my hand at making red velvet cake last night.  I liked it.  My husband thought it tasted like "regular cake" whatever that is!  It's a rich cake but very good!  Here's the recipe and a pic of the finished product.  It lasted about 1 minute on my plate!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER!!

I don't have to cook like a maniac today so I decided to try my hand at Alton Brown's recipe for the soft chocolate chip cookies.  OMG!  This was my first attempt at making chocolate chips from scratch and they came out so great!  Best chocolate chips!  I don't have a Kitchen Aid mixer so I had to do it with my hand mixer.  It was difficult and probably took a lot longer than it should have.  I thought I was going to burn the motor out on the poor thing!  LOL 

You can find the recipe here,  Enjoy!!

Indian Pantry 101: Aarti's Spice Essentials

I have every one of these spices.  I wanted to share this link in case anyone is considering trying to cook some Indian food.  It's my favorite!  And so is Miss Aarti Sequeira!

Indian Pantry 101

Thank Goodness for Short Work Weeks!

This Thursday is Thanksgiving and that means a day that I don't have to cook!  It also means I only have to cook for a few days this week instead of a full week.  I'm going to make meatballs and marinara on Friday since I'm off.  One night this week will be spaghetti, one will be Confederate Pot Roast which is bubbling away on my cast iron dutch oven, and another night will be Bacon Chicken Pasta.  I'll have to blog that one later on.  My house smells so good.  Nothing beats sauteed onions and bacon!

Now I need to get back on the laundry.  Ugh!

Chicken Makhani aka Butter Chicken

As I've said before, I love Indian food.  This is actually the dish that did it.  Karuna sent some of this home for me one day and I fell in love.  I was afraid in the beginning because I knew there was yogurt in the sauce and I hate yogurt.  Let me tell you, it's so good!  I make this for lunches for myself fo work.  It's tastes so much better than my measly little picture lets on!

Chicken Makhani

Serve it over some basmati rice and with a little naan on the side and you're all set.  Mmmmm mmmm!

Cinnamon Honey Butter

This is the most incredible butter ever!!  I was home one day over the summer and was watching Food Network as usual.  Ina Garten made this butter and I just had to try it.  Let me tell you, it was the most delicious thing ever.  I spread it on everything I could!  Biscuits, bread, rolls, you name it.  See my lovely pic of it below.  I was sad when it was all gone.  I need to make it again soon.  It will keep in the fridge for a long time, too.  :-)

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Beautiful, isn't it??

Sloppy Bombay Joes

I love Indian food.  My friend Karuna sends dishes home with my hubby every once in a while so I can try them.  Her mom can make any everyday dish something with an Indian flair and hot as hell!  :-)  When I heard about this Indian girl named Aarti on The Next Food Network Star I started watching and pulling for her.  I was so happy when she won because her prize was her own show which she named Aarti Party.  She makes every day meals with an Indian flair just like Karuna's mom.  One of my favorite Aarti recipes is the Sloppy Bombay Joes.  We have garam masala on hand from a local Indian grocery store.  This recipe was a hit with my pickiest eaters, too!  Here it is:

Sloppy Bombay Joes

Trust me, it tastes better than it looks!

Hoe Cakes

Another shout out to my proud Southern roots.  Hillybilly Housewife is my new favorite website!  I haven't made these yet but it's a cross between a pancake and cornbread, 2 of my favorite things, so I can wait to make it!

Hillbilly Housewife's Hoe Cakes

Simply the Best Pork Loin Recipe Ever

I was looking online for something to do with plain old pork tenderloin in the oven.  I found this website and loved it!  I tried this recipe which the author's wife modified from another recipe based on what she had.  I have to agree with the name because it was simply the best pork loin recipe ever.  I might cut back a little more on the salt for my hubby but the dish was awesome!  Here's the link:

Simply the Best Pork Loin Recipe Ever

Pumpkin Bars

If you're anything like me you like love pumpkin at this time of year.  My family knows how much I LOVE pumpkin pie.  In fact LOVE is an understatement.  Add copious amounts of whipped cream and I am in heaven!  This is a real picture from last Thanksgiving and YES I ate that!  My aunt gets me my own can of Redi-whip!

I don't make pumpkin pies.  I leave that to my mom and my aunt.  I have found a great alternative for everyday portability that I absolutely love!  My handy dandy Better Homes & Gardens cookbook has a recipe for pumpkin bars that is just out of this world:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 beaten eggs
1 16-oz can pumpkin (I've only used 15oz because that's all I can find, and it works)
1 cup cooking oil

1.  In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon,  baking soda, salt, and cloves.  Stir in the eggs, pumpkin and oil till combined.  Spread batter into an ungreased 15x10x1 baking pan. (I have used 15x11 and 13x9)

2.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 2 hours on a wire rack.  Spread with cream cheese frosting if desired (I skip the frosting and add whipped cream whenever I have one).


This recipe can also be adapted into Applesauce Bars with the following changes:

Prepare as above except substitute one 16oz can of applesauce for the can of pumpkin.

Easy peasy!

Dutch Oven Confederate Pot Roast

I thought this recipe sounded kind of interesting.  The word Confederate got me.  My family is from Tennessee but my great-great-grandfather fought for the Union army.  Smart guy!  So anyway, I was looking for recipes for stuff to make in my dutch oven and stumbled upon this.  This pot roast turned out so good!  I'm sure it could be adapted for the crockpot but I really like how it turned out in my dutch oven.  Cast iron makes everything taste better.  There was no temperature listed in the recipe so I did a little research and found that 375 is about the average temp for slow cooking in the oven so I set the oven at 375 and just took it out each hour as directed to add what was needed.  This was a HIT with everyone which is really great!  I made this on Sunday when I had 2 crockpots going, so being able to slow cook something else in the oven makes my life easier.

Now if only it would clean up after itself I would be set!

Utensils to Keep in your Arsenal

A few handy dandy kitchen items you should definitely have and that I use all the time are:

13X9 baking dishes (I have 3, think that's enough?)
At least one 12 inch cast iron skillet (I use mine for frying anything with onions)
A dutch oven (I have a cast iron dutch oven from Lodge)
A crockpot
A large skillet or frying pan
Pizza pan
Tongs
Potato pealer
Multiple spatulas
Ice cream scooper (I use it for putting batter into cup cake tins)
A really good knife set
A big mixing bowl
Hand mixer
Blender
Splatter guard for your frying pan

I need to practice what I preach and get the splatter guard.  I make bacon in the pan a lot for different recipes and I'm scared to death when I do it.  The tongs come in handy for flipping the bacon but I need that splatter guard. 

If you don't already, you should really watch Alton Brown's show Good Eats on Food Network.  He's a geek after my own heart and he gives THE BEST tips on cooking and utensils.  I've gotten my cast iron items from Lodge based on his recommendations.  He's full of helpful hints and is pretty funny, too.  Even if I don't like what he's cooking I still watch him.

Did I mention I love cooking with cast iron??  These pans have a memory so they retain the flavors you cook in them.  If you don't have one, get one!  Seriously!

Things to Keep in Your Pantry

I put togather a list of items you should have in your pantry at all times.  Having all of this on hand has worked for me:

Flour
Sugar
Cornstarch
Corn Meal
Butter
Eggs (I only use Egg Beaters or store brand)
Seasoned salt
Oregano
Parsley
Garlic
Herbes de Provence (mixture of thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, sage, and lavendar)
Taco Mixes
Salt
Pepper
A few cans of spaghetti sauce
A few cans of diced tomatoes
Honey
A box of chicken broth
A box of beef broth
A can of cream of chicken soup
A jar of minced garlic
Balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Onions
Potaoes (I only use Yukon Gold)
Old Bay Seasoning

Keep some ground beef in your freezer, too.  It's so versatile and you can make anything from meatballs to meat loaf, to tacos with it.  If you have a Shop Rite near you, try to go around 5:30 or 6 and pick up your ground beef as they start to mark it down!

These are the most common ingredients that I use so I need to make sure I have it on hand at all times.  There are times when I'll need something different like turmeric but for the most part I use what is above.  Sometimes you can get spices in larger quantities cheaper at an ethnic market.  I can get packets of garam masala at the Indian grocery store for 99 cents.  Cardamom is extremely expensive in the grocery store sometimes costing as much as $8 for a few ounces.  The same amount is only about $5 in an Indian grocery store.

Chipotle BBQ Pork Chops

This meal is so stinking easy.  All you need is a crockpot, as many boneless pork chops as you think you and your family will eat, and a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce.  I love to use Olde Cape Cod Chipotle BBQ & Grilling Sauce.  It's the one sauce everyone can agree on.  If you're cooking more than 8 chops you should use 2 bottles. 

Also, make sure you use Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners.  Best invention ever!!  Nothing sticks to my crockpots anymore and clean up is so easy.

Indian Shepherd's Pie

My friend Karuna has turned me on to a number of different Indian dishes that she and her mom make.  One of them is something I call "heaven in a bowl."  Karuna's mom calls it "Indian Shepherd's Pie" but it's her own take on it and there's no meat involved.  She doesn't have a recipe written down for it so she gave me the ingredient list and I winged it.  It's really easy. 

Mashed potatoes
1 can of corn
1 onion
ground red pepper
cheese (whatever kind you like)

In a frying pan, sautee the corn and the onion.  Cut back on each if you're feeding less than 6.  I use 1 bag od Ore Ida Steam & Mash potatoes.  I cook them and the whip them into mashed potatoes.  You layer a cassarole dish or Corningware with a layer of mashed potatoes.  Cover the potatoes with the corn and onion mixture.  Sprinkle the red pepper to taste.  Add a layer of cheese, followed by another layer of mashed potatoes.  Cover the top of the mashed potatoes with cheese and continue the layering if you have more.  I usually put it into a 350 degree over until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.  It's sooooo good!!

Best. BBQ Sauce. Ever.

This is my go to BBQ sauce for EVERYTHING!  I make pulled pork, pork chops, and chicken with this stuff.  I love it!!

Tex-Mex Hash

Tonight we had a nice and easy dish that I threw together based off of another recipe.  Tex-Mex Hash is really simple and really good.  You can spice it up any way you want to.  I have 6 mouths to feed so all recipes will be for at least 6 servings.  Here's my recipe:

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 of a Spanish onion
2 envelopes of taco mix
1 1/3 cups of water
1 bag of Simply Potatoes Southwestern Hash Browns
1 bag of frozen corn
1 8 oz bag of 4 cheese Mexican blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown the ground beef and onions in a frying pan.  Once the meat is browned drain and return it to the frying pan.  Add the taco mix to the water and then pour it into the meat mixture.  Add in the potatoes and corn.  Heat through.  Dump everything into a 13x9 baking dish.  I line mine with aluminum foil.  Cover with the cheese and mix in if you like.  Bake it for 20 minutes, covered.  Remove cover and stir, then bake again for 15 minutes.  Then... taste the awesomeness!

In the beginning...

Well, I had to start somewhere!  :-)  Welcome to my blog!  I'm going to try to keep a little journal of the foods I make for my family so I have it all in one place.  Cooking is an adventure for me.  I like to try different recipes from different cultures and hopefully find something that my pickiest eaters will like.  I work 90 minutes from home so by the time I get home I have no time to cook.  So, I cook on the weekends.  Making my meal plan for the week can be very difficult.  I spend Saturday morning planning the meals, then food shop.  I'll spend Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday cooking.  I try to mix up the meals a bit and try something new every week so we don't get burned out on the same things.  With 4 kids and 2 of them being extremely picky it's very hard!

I will be blogging the recipes that I'm using and giving credit where it is due.  I like to use Rachel Ray's 30 minute recipes, some Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, some Church Suppers, among others.  I also use my crock pot... A LOT!!  I have an unnatural affection for it as Stephanie O'Dea would say.  I've also recently gotten 2 cast iron skillets and a cast iron dutch oven, all made by Lodge in Tennessee, and I am in love!  If you don't own a cast iron skillet get one!! 

Love, peace, and taco grease!