Sugar-free isn't Sweet...

     Nutrition books and I are very good friends, I could spend hours in the library simply choosing which nutrition books to read next, I take my time when I pick them because it's always disappointing when I'm ready to read them and then I find out they aren't at all what I expected.
     A few weeks ago I picked up a new and intriguing nutrition book called Sugar Smart Express. I've read in other books that cutting sugar out of your diet will clear up your acne (sadly I'm a teen that's afflicted with acne) and now I've finally found a book that actually tells you how to do it, in my excitement I read the book in a few hours.
     It shared a plan on how to "detox" from sugar and I had big hopes of clear skin (and in all honesty I still do), but in order to do the whole plan you have to eat the meals and things that they give the recipes for. To me it seemed like no big deal. My Mum, sister, and I went shopping a few days ago and I picked up all the things that I need for my mission which has been lovingly dubbed. Adventures in Food: Episode Clear Skin.
    Today was day one of phase one. I cooked up my breakfast this morning, a pretty plate of savory pancakes topped with tomatoes.

      With my jar of lemon water beside me, I dug into the pancakes. Words can't describe the shock and confusion I experienced upon that first bite. Each pancake was like a sheet of gritty, slimy, and curdle-y mush. The taste? Unspeakably nasty. With my trusty diary beside me I documented the experience, "I wonder if stomachs can gag, I bet it was hurrying the full signal to my brain..."
  My expression was horrified and disgusted, you don't have to simply take my word for it, apparently my dear Mum sneaked an unsuspecting picture of me as I was trying to summon the courage to take another bite.
 

     It was such a horrible meal that I ended up throwing half of it into the bin (a.k.a trash...garbage...rubbish, whatever you wish to call it)
     I have decided (out of the goodness of my heart) that I shall share the recipe with you. I know the picture doesn't capture the terrible taste, in fact the breakfast looks almost good.

 Basil-Mozzarella Pancakes

1/3 cup rolled oats
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
4 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp + 1 tsp chopped fresh basil ( I didn't use basil, I don't like it)

 Blend the oats in a blender until you have fine crumbs (also known as oat flour), add the egg and milk, blend till smooth, stir in half of the cheese and basil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook as 2-3 pancakes. Top with the remaining basil and the tomatoes.

If you do try them, I would love to hear what you thought about them, though if you don't try them I won't blame you, in fact I'll call you wise.

R ~ Recipe Box

  I have done a fair few "Favorite Things" posts (like, maybe four) and even though this following post may classify as a favorite thing (which would have been better suited for an "F" post), I still think it makes a smashing post for today.

  I absolutely love baking, in fact it is my life, my heart, you get the picture I'm sure. And honestly I'm not a very tidy baker, or cook, or anything of the sort in the kitchen. In fact, every time Sean helps me create something out in our little kitchen, I always manage to spill something all over the counters and across the cupboards and floors. And every time I do that Sean waves his little mixing spoon, shakes his head and laughs as he tells me I'm very mischievous. I love his definition of mischievous!

  But anyways, my point is that I'm not tidy at all with anything related to creating things in the kitchen, and that knack for messiness spreads even to all the many recipes I have scattered all over our home. I always have a good handful of current recipes stacked randomly on my Mum's counters, others stuck all over my room, a heap of them scattered around our computer desk, and, because I really tried to be organized, a few of those recipes ended up in one of my several recipe boxes.

  With such devotion to my recipes, I thought it only fitting to make a post about them and to share a picture of one of my explosions with you.

C ~ Cookie Crisp Cereal

  A while back I had posted a picture of a certain kind of cereal I had made and though I had been planning on sharing the recipe a few days afterwards, I never got around to it and now that I'm sitting here at my computer facing the task of making my third A-Z post, I think it's as good a time as ever to share the recipe with you now.

  The reason I made this cereal in the first place is because one day after Diane was tired of always seeing me sitting down to the breakfast table with a bowl of my homemade cereal every morning she asked me if I would make homemade cereal for her too. I was only too happy to oblige since at that point in time I was really into spending hours in the kitchen making tedious foods that disappeared a hundred times faster than what they were made in.

  Anyway, to get back on track, here is the recipe I was left with after tweaking the original to meet my supplies and need for sanity (I was sane enough to dislike spending three hours rolling out tiny little balls of cereal so the following takes only about half an hour to an hour prep.)

Cookie Crisp Cereal

1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cup vanilla cake mix
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil (I used parchment.)
Whisk together the flour, cake mix, and soda. In another bowl cream the butter, add sugars and beat well. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, just a quick note, depending on the cake mix that you use you might have to add a splash or two of milk to the mix to get the dough to be smooth, homemade cake mix is drier which made it necessary for me to use a little milk. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon, scoop out little balls of dough and press lightly onto the baking sheet. The original recipe said to chill it in the fridge for an hour, but it was late already when I had started making the cereal so I skipped the step and it turned out fine.  Bake them for 10 minutes.

Cool and store in an airtight container. Serve as any normal cold breakfast cereal, or if you like you can grab a handful and eat them plain. Either option is delicious.

Tasty Tuesday ~ Molasses Crinkle Cookies

  Today was and still is spectacularly foggy, cold, and rainy, not to forget muddy and dreary, and it's exactly days like these that I love to bake something warm and oozing with delicious spices. I set out to the kitchen and about two hours later I am sitting back quite satisfied that not only did I discover one scrumptious cookie recipe, but also the gingerbread replacement for this Christmas since my Mum banned gingerbread cookies from ever being made again. (No one likes them, so it's not like anyone is suffering because of her decree.)

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ginger
white sanding sugar

In a large bowl beat together the butter and the brown sugar. Vigorously beat in the eggs and molasses till smooth. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Gradually add in the flour mix to the wet ingredients, mixing well till a smooth, soft dough forms. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to form round balls of the dough. This step was particularly fun for me since it was pretty much the adult activity of playing with play dough. Gently press the cookie balls into white sanding sugar till they have flattened to about half the size of the original cookie ball. Bake the cookies one inch apart on a parchment covered cookie sheet at a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let the cookies set for about a minute once you have pulled them from the oven so that the crinkles can set, then move them to a wire rack. These are delicious with a glass of cold milk, or a cup of hot cocoa depending on your mood.

Melt In Your Mouth Apple Crisp

  It is now officially Christmas season since all of the other major holidays are in the past for the year. I suppose when you think of Christmas season spent in the kitchen you might envision lots of cookie baking, various pies making, and the whole house smelling like ginger, cinnamon, and various other scents that are somehow labeled to Christmas season, but, no. To me, I see absolutely no reason why I can't still be making my favorite creations even though they are "labeled" in the Summer, Spring, or Fall categories. To me it's a bunch of nonsense labeling certain baked goods to certain holidays.

  Since I was having such fun feeling like a culinary rebel, instead of creating at least a dozen belly-sinking fruitcakes, I have instead used my baking time to create lighter and generally more pleasing desserts than those usually handed out in all of the Hallmark movies. As far as I know, most people in real life can't stomach Christmas cookies, and fruitcake even less so. On a mission, I swept into the kitchen and have been making season defying desserts ever since.

  One of these "rebel" desserts that was absolutely delicious and had enough cinnamon in it to warrant it a spot on a holiday list, was an absolutely delicious apple crisp recipe. I know, you might be thinking, oh, it's a fall recipe. But don't even let that thought cross your mind again, this is a superb recipe worthy of any and every season.

Melt In Your Mouth Apple Crisp

For the streusel topping:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon (you can add more if you want to channel your inner rebel)
1 pinch of salt
5 tbsp butter cut into small pieces

For the apple layer:

3 large apples, sliced thinly and peeled
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of salt


In a medium bowl mix everything together (it's easier if you use two forks) until you have a coarse crumb mixture. Pop it into the fridge and begin making the apple layer. In a small bowl mix together the flour and the melted butter. Add in the lemon juice, milk, and vanilla, making sure to mix well. Stir in the browns sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour this mixture over the prepared apples and toss to coat. Spread the apple layer evenly into an 8x8-inch pan. Distribute the crumb topping onto the apple layer making sure that everything has been covered in a blanket of the streusel topping. Bake at 350 degrees F, for about 30-35 minutes or until the the streusel is a lovely golden brown and bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving with ice cream, or if you let the pan cool to a pleasant temperature you can sit down with the whole pan and have a movie marathon. I didn't actually do that but I know it sounds like fun.

Blackberry Cheesecake Doughnuts

  I have always had a certain fascination with pretty desserts. Not just the sweets that grace high end patisseries but the simple little things that look delicious and pretty to boot. In fact I remember every Christmas time once the Christmas Swiss Colony catalogue came round, I would always flip through to where their cheesecakes were. I had such an obsession with cheesecake and honestly still do. I would just sit and stare at those rich and creamy desserts swirled with various fruits and want to eat nothing more than cheesecake.

  A few days ago I came across a recipe for cheesecake stuffed doughnuts and I knew I had to make them. I have made a few tweaks and added my own little spin on the original recipe and after sinking my teeth into one I just knew I had to share the recipe. Even though they taste delicious, it was the fact that they looked so pretty that made me like them so well.


Blackberry Cheesecake Doughnuts

For doughnuts:

1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 tsp yeast
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp softened butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

For cheesecake filling:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
a pinch of salt

For blackberry topping: (You can just use jam but I wanted to have a homemade topping.)

1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups blackberries (If frozen allow to thaw)


  Starting with the dough mix the warm water, zest, vanilla, yeast, eggs, and sugar till well combined. Add in the butter and the cream mixing it lightly. Add in the flour and salt, mixing gently. Knead the dough for a few minutes and then transfer to a lightly greased, covered bowl and allow to rise for one hour, or as needed till it has practically doubled in size.
  Once risen, transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll out to a half-inch thickness. Cut out rounds and allow to rise on a covered parchment tray for half an hour, or till puffy. Bake at 350 for ten minutes. While they are baking grab a bowl and combine half a cup of sugar and anywhere from one teaspoon of cinnamon to a tbsp depending on your personal preference. In a small saucepan melt five tablespoons of butter. Once the doughnuts have baked, dip them into the butter and then roll them in cinnamon sugar. (Please note that this step is completely optional but I found it to be a delicious addition.)
  For the filling beat everything together. (That was blunt!) Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a long circular tip. Poke a hole into the sides of the doughnuts and fill.
  To make the blackberry filling combine the water, sugar and cornstarch on medium heat. Add the butter and the blackberries. Bring it to a boil stirring gently. Boil the mixture, stirring constantly till thickened. You'll want the mixture to have thickened to the consistency of soft jam so that it does not run all over the place when you garnish your doughnuts.
  Allow the berry mixture to cool (it's a good idea to make this while your doughnuts are rising, that way you don't get impatient and eat all of your baked doughnuts while you are waiting for the mixture to cool.) Pipe a "nest" of cream cheese filling on the center of each doughnut and spoon a dollop of blackberry filling into each "nest." These doughnuts are the best served on the same day as they were made so feel free to serve them along with dinner, as an after dinner snack, and for a midnight snack if necessary.

C ~ Chocolate Chip Cookies

       If there is one recipe that my family is constantly remaking and loving just as much every time, it has to be the dear little recipe for chocolate chip cookies that I found in one of my Mom's Amish cookbooks.

     Absolutely nothing beats the smell of warm, baking cookies wafting throughout the house, I really don't think anything excites my brothers more being told there are cookies in the kitchen waiting to be devoured. Not that I make it a habit of telling my brothers that there is devour-able food around. (That just sounds weird.)

     Since I have sadly been lacking in the recipe department as of lately I shall share our recipe with you today. Besides, I really couldn't help but fall in love with these cookies when I discovered that they always turn out perfect every time.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 3/4 cups softened butter (you can use shortening too)
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
4 cups flour
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips (an average pack)

In a large bowl cream the sugar and and butter until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla making sure to mix well. Add the flour, soda, and salt and mix until well combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed. Using a spoon (or your hands) drop the cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet, I use parchment paper since the cleanup is easier that way, and no one like scrubbing more dishes than necessary, right? Right! Bake at 350 for ten minutes. They tend to look under-baked but trust me when I say that they turn out to be super chewy and delicious if you bake them for only 10 minutes. This makes a sizeable batch cookies but if you have starving brothers the cookies should be gone in no time. I find that it is wise to hide several if you want to eat any.

Sweet Hungarian Pork Chops

  Mm-m! The smell of dinner drifting through the house is definitely a very comforting thing indeed, and today's meal incorporates fresh veggies in a delightful sauce that covers a bed of noodles and spreads lazily over a luscious pork chop, one can easily imagine how incredible the aromas are!

  Sweet Hungarian Pork Chops

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) chicken broth, divided
2 tbsp sweet hungarian paprika
2 butterflied pork chops
3 tbsp flour
1/3 cup sour cream
6 cups cooked egg noodles ( 6 ounces uncooked )

  Heat the half of the oil in a non-stick skillet and add the onions and the garlic and cook while stirring for two minutes, then to your pan add the tomato, peppers, paprika, and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, cover and simmer on low for five minutes.

   Heat the rest of the olive oil in another non-stick skillet and fry the meat 1 minute on each side. Stuff with a few of the veggies. Bake at 350º for 5 minutes.

  In a small bowl mix together the chicken broth and flour. Bring veggies back to a simmer and stir in your broth/flour mixture. Spoon a little over pork chops and return back to oven for two more minutes.

  Add veggie sauce to noodles and serve with pork chops on top.

  I thought this was absolutely delicious and wouldn't change anything, but garnishing with a parsley sprig or two would elevate the dish's elegance.

Strawberry Cream Parfaits

Sometimes a certain smell, or hearing a certain song transports me back in time, but recently it was a certain flavor that did that.

We made a special pudding for dessert and with the first bite I was transported back to when I was a little girl, about four years old. Bare feet standing in our tiny kitchen in our little log house in the Ozarks as my Mom gave me a a Schwan's  Strawberry Sundae Crunch Bars from the freezer compartment of our ancient brown refrigerator. I can even see the bungee cord she used to use to keep the door shut.

Anyway the flavor of this pudding tasted just like I remember those wonderful bars to have tasted.

  Here is the recipe if you would like to try your hand at making this pudding.

  Strawberry Cream Parfaits

1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 package (3.9 oz.) instant strawberry pudding
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
12-14 golden oreos, crushed


In a small bowl beat your cream cheese, pudding mix, and milk until the mixture has thickened.

Then in parfait cups or large wineglasses layer a tablespoon or so of oreo crumbs,  pudding mixture, the whipped topping, another layer of pudding, more oreo crumbs, and then a dollop of whipped topping on top.

 Enjoy!

Patriotic Berry Brownies

  I have always thought that the perfect way to celebrate the "Fourth of July" is to bake a marvelous treat to enjoy with family and friends and so today in honor of the past holiday I made these Patriotic Berry Brownies to be enjoyed with my friends that are visiting today.

 
  Patriotic Berry Brownies

Brownies

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. salt
5 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream layer

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (room temperature)
1 container (8 oz.) cool whip

Patriotic Topping

Strawberry pie filling
Blueberry pie filling
1 container (8 oz.) cool whip

  For the brownies mix together all the dry ingredients, then mix in the wet ingredients and beat until smooth and the egg whites thoroughly incorporated.  Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely before adding the next layer.

  For the cream layer beat together the cream cheese and cool whip until creamy, spoon onto the brownie layer and using a butter knife the smoothing process is made much easier.

  And finally for the Patriotic topping. Using a tooth pick mark your cream layer into fourths, then spoon a little blueberry filling into the top left corner and fill it making sure not to spoon and into the other 3/4's of the pan, then take your strawberry filling and spread the other 3/4's of the cream with the strawberry filling. Finally take a Zip-Lock bag and spoon all the cool whip into it. Using a pair of scissors cut off one of the bottom corners.  Carefully pipe white rows of cool whip  horizontally across the red and then pipe little white dots across the blue corner. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

  And just a friendly warning for all of you. This is what your brownie bars will look like if you use "Reddi-Whip" or another untrustworthy spray whipped cream like I did today.

  

New Orleans Pork Gumbo

  This weeks new recipe is a hearty bowl of the South that can be brought to your very own house, I absolutely loved how this dish was bursting with robust, fresh, flavors and lots of juicy pork, and even though my list keeps growing, I just have to make this meal again!

 

  New Orleans Pork Gumbo

1 pound pork loin roast
1 tbsp margerine
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup water
1 can (16 oz.) stewed and drained tomatoes
1 package (10 oz.) frozen succotash
1 package (10 oz.) frozen cut okra
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf

Slice your pork into 1/2 inch cubes and then coat the inside of a large Dutch Oven, once heated over a stove add the pork and cook and stir for 4 minutes or until browned, remove the meat from the pot and then melt the margarine in the same dutch oven and stir in the flour. Cook while mixing until the roux (a fancy name for a flour and butter concoction) has browned, then mix in the water until very well incorporated, add the meat and the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, once you have brought it to a boil cover and cook for 15 minutes. Throw the bay leaf away. And the only other thing you have to do is feel proud of your marvelous cooking while enjoying your meal.

Spicy Pork Stir-Fry

  In my household every cook strives to make a dish for my Dad with just the right amount of spice, and so often the main issue is not enough heat (spice wise), so for this recipe I had my hopes high that it would have the perfect amount of spice.

  When I made this meal my Dad admitted that it had just the right spices to give it the heat he wanted, but beware, if your taste buds are weak and heat tolerance low, you just might faint when you eat the broccoli (that is where lots of the spice likes to cling).

  Spicy Pork Stir-Fry

1 can (about 14 oz.) chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp grated orange peel
1 pork tenderloin ( about 10 oz.)
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced carrots
1 tsp Szechuan seasoning
6 cups cooked rice

Mix together 1 1/2 cups of your chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and orange peel in a medium sized bowl, make sure it is smooth. Cut the pork lengthwise in half then crosswise into thin slices.

  In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp peanut oil, once heated add the pork, sesame seeds and garlic, fry and stir for three minutes or until the pork is just pink in the center, remove from the pan and heat the rest of the peanut oil in the same pan until hot, add the broccoli, carrots, Szechuan seasoning and the rest of the chicken broth. Cook while stirring for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, add the pork and chicken broth and stir well, cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened. Spoon onto the rice and serve.

  I thought this was delicious and will make it again someday. They say your heat tolerance grows stronger as you age, right?

Pork and Potato Frittata

  I have eaten many kinds of food in my life, sophisticated, expensive, cheap, comfort, and food from many different cultures have all made their way across my taste buds, but in the end I always find myself wanting comfort food. This week's meal was the absolute perfect balance of comfort, and sophistication for my taste. The absolute deliciousness of warm cheesy potatoes, combined with classic veggies, and the ever so delicious pork chops make this dish just perfect.

  Pork and Potato Frittata

12 ounces frozen shredded hash browns
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
4 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 ounces frozen stir fry vegetables
3/4 cup chopped cooked pork
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking pan with cooking spray, evenly place your potatoes onto the pan and sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning. Then bake it for 15 minutes and remove the potatoes from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

  In a medium sized bowl beat the egg whites, eggs, milk, mustard, and pepper, set aside and in a nonstick skillet place the frozen veggies, and 1/3 cup water, cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the veggies are slightly crisp in the center.

  Add the pork and potatoes to the veggies in the skillet, stir lightly and add the egg mixture and top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, then, uncovering your skillet place it into the oven and bake for 5 more minutes or until the eggs are set and the cheese is warm and gooey. Then the last thing you have to do is enjoy it.

  I had served this as a supper but it would be just as delicious served as a breakfast or lunch.

Fajita Salad

  This week's new recipe I made on my cooking through an entire recipe book challenge has been my favorite so far.

  I love the combination of flavors. For a salad this was very hearty and could be made as a meal in itself. I thought it was delicious paired with baked potatoes, but you of-course can pair it with anything you desire.

Fajita Salad

6 ounces beef top sirloin steak
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
2 medium red bell peppers
1 medium onion
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups mixed salad greens
1 tomato, cut in wedges
1 cup salsa

Slice your beef into strips that measure about 2x 1x1/4 inch and place into a bowl, then in another bowl mix together your lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and chili powder, poor over your beef and mix with your hands to coat the beef in the juices, cover the bowl and let it set for 10 minutes turning it once.

  Julienne the peppers, and cut the onions into thin strips, then in a large non-stick skillet add the olive oil, peppers, and onions, cook it for about 6 minutes or until crisp tender (make sure to stir them if you don't like burnt food) Remove them and cook your beef in the same pan and cook and stir for about 3 minute or until cooked thoroughly, then remove from heat and add your cooked veggies and the garbanzo beans and stir to coat with pan juices.

  Then arrange the lettuce onto your serving platter and top with the meat and veggies. Then all there is left to do is serve it with the salsa and enjoy.

Mediterranean Meatballs and Couscous

  I love cooking interesting new dishes every week and even though sometimes I wouldn't make them again, it is lots of fun trying new things in the kitchen.

  Now this week I took a big risk by making this extraordinarily spiced dish, if you love trying out new foods and flavors then this dish is for you. If you like to try this masterpiece of "different smells and flavors" then the recipe is listed below.

Mediterranean Meatballs and Couscous

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 1/2  cups water
1 1/2 cups precooked couscous (it will say so in the ingredient list)
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 chopped parsely
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tsp grated lemon peel
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 pound ground round beef
1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Pour chicken broth and your water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring it to a boil and remove from heat, add the couscous, raisins, parsley,2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon peel, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and add your turmeric and cumin. Cover your saucepan and let it stand for 5 minutes.

  Then in a large bowl combine your beef, crackers, milk, remaining 1 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon peel, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and oregano. Mix until well combined and shape into 24 meatballs. Bake at 350 for half an hour or until cooked through.

  Mix your couscous and spoon it into a serving bowl and arrange the meatballs onto the couscous.Serve immediately and enjoy!


Now I thought that the dish was delicious but next time I would omit the raisins because they added too much sweetness for my taste.

Spicy Beef and Onion Sandwiches

  I still remember my brother Eldon telling my Mom that she had made the best beef sandwich ever and that he would never forget it, fast forward a few years and with that image still in my mind I set out to make the BEST beef sandwich ever, so with cookbook in hand and determination in heart, I fried and cooked and plated until I heard the words I so longed to hear " Hey Sis, these are the best beef sandwiches ever" and with my beef sandwich cooking destiny fulfilled, I feel free to share the  recipe with you.

Spicy Beef and Onion Sandwiches

6 ounces beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 cup water
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
3 kaiser rolls
3 tbsp spicy brown mustard

Start off by melting a tablespoon of butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat until the pan is hot. Add your beef and partly cover your pan and cook 4 minutes on each side or until completely cooked, then remove the beef from the pan. Add the onions, water, and mustard seeds to the pan and cook on medium high heat, or until all the water has evaporated. Add your mushrooms, vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. Cook five minutes or until the onions have browned.Cut your rolls in half and spread the mustard onto them. Slice your meat thinly and place onto the sandwiches and top with the onion mixture. Serve and enjoy!

Roast Beef and Pasta Salad

The one thing that I have always wanted to do before I died and happens to be on my bucket list is making every single recipe in a cook book.So last week I started the challenge of making all the recipes in my favorite cookbook and made the very first dish in the book, which, by the way I will be sharing with you today.

Roast Beef and Pasta Salad

9 ounces uncooked radiatore pasta
6 ounces lean roast beef
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) whole baby corn, drained and rinsed
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 cup cherry tomato halves
2 TBSP minced fresh parsely
1 TBSP minced fresh oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives (optional)

Prepare the pasta like the package tells you to, omitting the salt; drain and rinse your pasta with cold water; and then drain again.

Slice your roast beef into narrow strips and then combine your pasta with the beef and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and if you want to be fancy garnish each serving with a sprig of fresh oregano.

This makes six servings and is best if served fresh. Enjoy!

Now I thought this was a delicious addition to our dinner and the only thing I would change is swapping the beef for ham the next time I make it, but then again that is just me being me.

Homemade Butter

  I have always thought making homemade butter would be fun. In the Little House series they churned butter, and my Mom used to churn butter, it would simply be marvelously vintage-like, (even romantic) to churn butter. My obsession with vintage things started a year ago and churning butter was a definite "need to try."

  A week or so ago some of our Amish neighbors were giving away free milk because the milkman had some kind of problem and couldn't pick up the milk from their farm. They of course had far too much for their own use, so when they offered it to us my Dad went and got us some and Mom skimmed the cream from it to make butter.

 I was excited! Finally I was getting my chance, but as it turns out we don't have a churn so Mom goes and pours the cream into a quart jars and instructed us to shake it. Well I shook my jar , Diane shook that jar, Eldon shook that jar, even Mom and Dad shook that jar, and finally we had butter. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious and all, and I guess worth the effort. But oh what a let down to my high vintage-y/romantic ideals.

  In case you want to give making butter a try, here are the instructions.

  Oh, and even though it was not at all old-fashioned and dreamy, it was a very good work out.


Home Made Butter

The ingredients you need are as listed:

Cream (approximately two and half cups)
salt, to taste


Pour all your cream into a quart jar leaving space to shake the cream.

  Once you have been shaking for a while your cream should have thickened and have become considerably harder to shake.

After a bit more of shaking your cream will have formed into butter.

Pour out the butter milk and put your lump of butter into a bowl and cover with really cold tap water, chill for five to ten minutes then drain the water and work the butter by using the back of a spoon to squeeze out all the extra buttermilk. Salt your butter by sprinkling the salt over the butter and mix.

When the salt has been mixed in well you can shape your butter any way you like and store in the fridge for an hour before using, though if chilled too long you might have to soften it before it is able to be spread.

We enjoyed it on fresh, warm, homemade bread.

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

 

I love trying out new recipes and today I had the opportunity to make these gorgeous little cheesecakes. They were exceptionally fun to make, a little time consuming, but all in all fun.

 In case you all want to try your hand at making these, here is the recipe,

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup cold butter
2 tbsp cold water

Filling:

2 packages (3 ounces each) of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg (I used medium)
1 can cherry pie filling

In a small bowl mix together your flour, sugar, and cocoa, once combined mix in your butter with a fork (It makes mixing easier) until it is all crumbly. Gradually pour your water onto the mixture and mix with your fork until the dough is moistened, then roll up your sleeves and mix the dough with your hands until it forms a ball. Put your ball of dough on a cutting board, using your hands, form your dough into a log, and cut in half, then to achieve 24 equal balls of dough, cut each of those halves into six pieces and finally cut all twelve pieces in half, which makes 24 balls of dough. Shape each of those little balls into a liberally greased mini muffin pan.

 In a large mixing bowl, beat your cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the milk, vanilla, and your egg, beat until creamy then spoon about a tbsp of filling into each cup. Bake at 325º for 15 to 18 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes then place a towel over the top and gently flip your pan over to release your mini cheesecakes, if they don't all fall from the pan I find gently twisting them helps. Then finally garnish each cheesecake with a cherry, and store in the refrigerator.  This recipe makes 24 Mini Cherry Cheesecakes. They are bite sized, but if you're feeling ladylike you can get two, maybe three tiny bites from each one.

Popcorn Balls

 This delicious snack has always held a special place in my heart, whether they are blue, pink, orange, or green, they are one of my all time favorite treats, and since my mother has just recently made a batch of the delightfully sticky and orange ( which happens to be my favorite flavor ) popcorn corn balls, I have decided to share the recipe with you.

Popcorn Balls

½ cup butter
80 marshmallows
½ cup of your favorite flavor jello
1 cup popcorn kernels


 Pop all your popcorn kernels and pour into a large, liberally greased bowl. 
In a big pot completely melt your butter, once your butter has melted add your marshmallows, stir until the marshmallows are almost all melted then add your jello and stir until well combined, pour your marshmallow mixture over your popcorn and stir until popcorn is coated.

 We like to have a bowl of cold water beside the gooey mixture to dip our hands in, and then form balls with our popcorn ( the cold water keeps the mixture from sticking to our hands ) after each popcorn ball is formed dip your hands into the water again, then place your popcorn balls onto sheets of wax or parchment paper.

Enjoy!