tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54128547317532814382024-03-13T21:39:18.620-06:00Kelley's Kitchen RevivalKelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-28606932511799828902011-01-25T09:41:00.000-07:002011-01-25T09:41:57.738-07:00Sunday Dinner: {Rustic Roasted Chicken 'n Veggies}<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=7d830a2a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/7d830a2a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1FYHaBc9YAbvwnDT9wROwm6zdmH-Q7o4QRj5Mr7TJdXk">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></div><br />
I titled this post "Sunday Dinner," because this is one of those recipes that are rich, and hearty, and beautiful enough to be the centerpiece of your Sunday table. I'm not sure about you, but even though I like to make a nice meal every night of the week, I want Sunday dinner to be extra special. I want to break out the good china (well, if I had any...unfortunately, I got married at 20, an age where I found the idea of "nice china" to be ridiculous. Consequently, I have none!), and set the the table, serving food in beautiful dishes right there in the center of my table, rather than ladling food at the stove and carrying it over. I want to make a meal that looks like it could be on the cover of a magazine, and that is even more delicious, and comforting than it looks. This recipe fits the bill in all of those categories. The beautiful colors of all the vegetables, and the glaze on the chicken paint a homey, gorgeous picture worthy of any magazine cover. And, unlike many of those cover recipes, this one is easy peasy to whip up. <br />
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Don't let the title of this post box you in though, you don't have to reserve this deliciousness for Sunday night. You can make it early in the week to cure that pesky case of the Mondays, or mid-week to help you through hump day, or Friday night, for a date with your sweetheart (on a boat, in a train...). This is a great recipe for any night of the week. The prep time is probably about 20-30 minutes, between chopping the vegetables, making the glaze, and the broth, and then an hour of cooking time. So, any night you have an hour and a half to devote to dinner is a worthwhile night for this recipe!<br />
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I hope all of you facebook fans took my preparatory advice, and purchased the ingredients listed during your weekly grocery run. Because once you see the photos of this amazing chicken, you're going to want to make it right now. Even though it's only Tuesday! Be sure to follow the link at the bottom of this post to the original recipe, as well, because the photos on that site are MUCH more beautiful and inviting than mine! My kitchen suffers from TERRIBLE lighting, and my photography suffers from my lack of time to practice and learn. Kay's suffers from no such thing. Her photography is as great as her food!<br />
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A few notes about this recipe, first, the original recipe is slightly different than the one I've listed. I omitted several ingredients from the original that I didn't have, and added a couple that I love. For example, the original recipe called for 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and 1/2 cup of white wine. I didn't have any white wine on hand, and in Utah, that means driving 20 minutes to the liquor store, which isn't open on Sundays anyway. So, I used all chicken broth, and the result was still amazingly delicious. Next time I make it, I'll try it with the white wine, and then post an update to let you know the difference. Also, the recipe called for lots of fresh sage, which I couldn't find <i>anywhere. </i>Seriously, I checked 4 grocery stores for it, and came up empty handed. I think I added a little bit of dried sage to the glaze to make up for it, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way, sage is a really mild flavor, and you're not going to miss it if you don't have it. I also chose to use 2 bell peppers, because I really wanted the extra punch of color from the red and the yellow peppers in there. I have to admit, I was nervous that the bell peppers would overrun the other flavors in this recipe, especially because I don't love bell peppers. But, they really just provided a nice background, and deeper flavor than carrots and potatoes alone. I really loved it. I also chose to add rosemary to the glaze mixture because it is absolutely my favorite herb. I love the way thyme and rosemary taste together. <br />
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Take your vegetables, and adjust the measurements based on your own tastes. For example, I used less carrots, and more potatoes, because I really LOVE potatoes. A lot. I also used a lot more garlic than the original recipe calls for because The Husband and I are garlic fiends.<br />
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Really, I just can't impress upon you enough that you MUST make this chicken. It is THAT GOOD. Notice there's an " 'n " in there. Based on past recipes, you KNOW that means it's good.<br />
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<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Amazingly delicious, beautiful, vibrant, just plain PERFECT.<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>Chopping the veggies does take a few minutes, but it's totally worth it!</blockquote><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>{Rustic Roasted Chicken 'n Veggies}</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #684e35; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #684e35; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #684e35; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.14531938801519573" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cut-Up Fryer Chicken</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1-3 lbs of small potatoes</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carrots</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 big shallots</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5-8 garlic cloves</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1-2 bell peppers</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ lb bacon</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 cup chicken broth (or ½ cup chicken broth and ½ cup wine)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 tsp Paprika</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">¼- ½ tsp dried thyme</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">¼- ½ tsp dried rosemary</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ground pepper</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Begin by chopping your vegetables. I used red potatoes this time, but whatever you have on hand will work for this. Red and Yellow are my favorites for roasting, though, because they hold up better to long cooking times, and don’t waste away to nothing.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=d06ad1b5.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/d06ad1b5.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-If you can’t find Shallots anywhere, just chop an onion into large wedges. It will work the same way!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Place your chopped vegetables in the bottom of your roasting pan. In my case, I had to use two 13 x 9” pans, because my large roaster is destroyed and rusted. Time for a visit to Williams-Sonoma!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Place your chicken on top of your vegetables, and make your glaze.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-In a small bowl, mix olive oil, seasoned salt, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. It should be a deep red color in the bowl. If you have any other favorite spices, feel free to add them here. I think I may have added a tiny bit of dried sage when I made this, but I can’t be sure. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=f625f6c9.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/f625f6c9.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Place your chicken on top of your vegetables in the roasting pan.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Use a basting brush (or a spoon, or even your fingers if you don’t have one!), and paint the chicken pieces with the glaze. It will turn them this beautiful bright orange color.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=d8875567.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/d8875567.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Place your garlic cloves (still in the skins) all around the pan. Snuggle 'em there with all the other veggies. When everything's done cooking, you can squeeze them out of the skins, and spread them over the chicken, for an amazing roasted garlic flavor!</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Now, chop up your bacon into small pieces. Roughly the same size, or smaller as the pieces for the green beans ‘n bacon recipe.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Fry up your bacon until you get a nice crisp to it, and some brown deliciousness in the bottom of the pan.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Deglaze your bacon pan (WITHOUT throwing out the grease!) with the chicken broth, or a mixture of chicken broth and white wine. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Allow this broth/wine/bacon mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes, uncovered, reducing it down and getting a deep color out of it.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=ce921d32.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/ce921d32.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Pour the bacon/broth mixture around your roasting pan. Be sure to pour over the vegetables, not the chicken, or you’ll wash off all of that beautiful orange glaze.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=a24d4dec.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/a24d4dec.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=e9f9bc7d.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/e9f9bc7d.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Cover your pans with tin-foil, tenting it to prevent the skin of the chicken from touching the foil. If you miss this step, the skin will get stuck to the tin foil, and all that goodness will rip right off!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Bake for about 30 minutes, at 400*.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven, and baste the chicken and veggies with the juice in the bottom of the pan. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=07cecc56.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/07cecc56.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Replace tin foil, and bake for another 15 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Remove from the oven, and baste again. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-This time, place the chicken back in the oven UNCOVERED for 15 minutes, so that the skin on your chicken will get a little crispy.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=af5949ed.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/af5949ed.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Remove from the oven, and ENJOY!</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Original Recipe can be found at: <a href="http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/rustic-roasted-chicken">Kayotic Kitchen</a></span></div></span></b></span>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-69275829771400894212011-01-16T12:21:00.000-07:002011-01-16T12:21:51.235-07:00{Herb-Roasted Potato Wedges}<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=bf5a3375.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/bf5a3375.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1BpEm5tQq4TF_UZTS3baThM9a8SlDdg0kUcdBMkKfzdI">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Before I even start, let me just go ahead and apologize for the terrible photography. Ashlyn is teething right now, and is currently testing the limits of my multi-tasking abilities, as well as the strength of each and every muscle in my arms. Oh, and let's not forget my nerves! Anyway, it was a chaotic night, and the photography suffered. But, don't let the terrible photography keep you from trying this recipe. It's easy, delicious, and a much healthier alternative to french fries. I serve them with chicken, burgers, steak, and sometimes I serve them all by themselves! I'm giving you the recipe that I use when making these, but feel free to play around, and get creative. If you have a favorite herb, or seasoning mix, throw it on those babies!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is another recipe brought to me (and to you!) via my amazing little brother. He makes these with olive oil coating the bottom of the pan instead of melted butter. I'm sure this is a much healthier option than the 1-2 sticks of melted butter I prefer. But, I just prefer the flavor of melted butter to that of olive oil...and I've come to love the extra 'junk in my trunk,' because of it. So you decide what you prefer, and what you can live with, and go from there! These can be prepared either in a roasting pan, or a cookie tray with a 1/2-1" lip.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Easy, delicious, healthier than french fries<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Hellfires:</b>Although they are incredibly easy to make, they do take almost an hour to bake.</div></blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>{Herb-Roasted Potato Wedges</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.08362213266082108" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4-5 large baking potatoes</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1-2 sticks melted butter (or you could use olive oil to coat the bottom of your pan)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Your favorite herbs (I use S/P, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning, and Rosemary)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Preheat oven to 400*</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Clean your potatoes well, scrubbing the dirt off.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Cut them in half length-wise.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Cut each half into fourths, on an angle in order to get the wedge shape.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Pour your melted butter into your cookie tray or roasting pan.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br />
</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Place potatoes on pan, and sprinkle with the herbs</span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=28386b4c.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/28386b4c.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Flip wedges over, and sprinkle the other side with herbs</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Roast for 30 minutes.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Remove from oven and flip wedges over.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=57d588f1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/57d588f1.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">-Roast another 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender on the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; white-space: normal;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=bf5a3375.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/bf5a3375.jpg" /></a></div><div>-Serve!</div></span></div>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-77709584774419562492011-01-09T09:57:00.000-07:002011-01-09T09:57:45.015-07:00{Homemade Beef and Veggie Soup}<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=cbdd26dc.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/cbdd26dc.jpg" /></a><br />
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<center><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1olDGG2pQYwWdFkawKAoX0QVRM8U5uZBRsG7_p8xnDyY">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></center><br />
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Here is a rarity for me; a recipe that's as healthy as it is delicious! No frying, no oil, and hold onto your horses for this one...NO BUTTER! But, don't let what's missing fool you, because this recipe is even more delicious than it is healthy.<br />
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In the wintertime (actually anytime!), I could eat soup for every meal. In fact, if my husband loved soup as much as I do, I probably would eat it for every meal. But, he doesn't share my insane love for soup. Oh, he'll eat a bowl, and agree that it's tasty, but he won't go back for seconds, and he won't be requesting it again tomorrow. However, he LOVES this soup. The nice thing about this soup is that you can add whatever veggies you want to the recipe I'm giving you. You'll just decrease the amount of potatoes or meat to make room for your favorite veggies. Since I'm a bit of a veggie snob, I only use celery, carrots, and potatoes as my veggies, but my Mom often adds green beans and corn. Play around with it, add what you love!<br />
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There are two "surprise" ingredients in here. The first is the Mrs. Knorr's Veggie Dip Mix pictured below.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=bfa53bfe.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/bfa53bfe.jpg" /></a><br />
It is a really quick and easy way to add a lot of complementary flavors in one shot. Look for it at the grocery store. Sometmes it's in the aisle over by the bouillon cubes, and other times, it's by the other broths. The other "surprising" ingredient is the teriyaki sauce for browning your meat. Don't be freaked out by this. I promise your soup isn't going to taste like chinese food. It's just going to add a depth of flavor to your soup, that makes it much richer than any other broth-based soup you've had. Be careful with it though. It's VERY salty when it cooks down, and if you add too much of it, you're going to have a very salty soup. I usually add enough teriyaki sauce to my skillet to coat the bottom of the pan. As it's cooking, and the beef gives off it's own juices, this tends to multiply. Don't worry. Just let it cook, and then as the browning nears its end, skim off (I use a baster for this) most of the extra juice into a cup or bowl. Leave about 2-4 tablespoons in there, and then let it caramelize just a titch bit. Then, if you feel like you need a little bit more in the broth to add flavor, you can add it back in from what you reserved. This is a trial and error type thing. Don't be afraid of messing up. If you get to the end, and you've added too much and are left with a very salty soup, add some water. The next time you make it, you'll add less, and won't have to play with it! I also want to experiment with using red wine to brown the beef, and when I do, I'll let you know how it turns out!<br />
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The other important note here is about the potatoes. You can use any of your favorite potatoes in this soup. I almost always use the Yukon Gold potatoes in it, because they hold up really nicely to the boiling, and don't fall apart as they sit overnight. Because this soup tastes even BETTER the next day! But, plain old russet potatoes work too! The thing to remember, is to add MORE potatoes than you think you need. As they cook down, and especially as you reheat the soup, they are going to kind of shrink, and I almost always end up with too much broth, and not enough potatoes! If this happens, you can always boil some more potatoes in it the next day, but that's just too much work for me!<br />
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This is one of those "Low and Slow" recipes. You could cook this much faster, at a higher temperature, but it's just not going to taste as good. So, hold your horses, and be patient! I'm going to give you the ingredient measurements for the pot I made this week. It was HUGE. It could have easily fed 6 people 2 servings. If you don't want a pot that big, just adjust your measurements accordingly; less broth, less potatoes, less meat, etc.<br />
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<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, deep flavor, easy!<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>It does take a long time to cook</blockquote><br />
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<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.32391829532571137" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 boxes of Beef Broth</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 box of Beef Stock</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Celery (to taste, I used 3 stalks)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 bag of mini carrots</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 lbs beef stew meat</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(1) 5 lb bag of potatoes (I like Yukon Gold)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 bag Mrs. Knorr’s Vegetable Dip Mix</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teriyaki Sauce (2-4 tablespoons-ish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Montreal Steak Seasoning (this is optional, you could just do salt/pepper for your beef)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-First, get your broth into a large stock pot. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Add your Mrs. Knorr’s mix. I don’t use the whole packet. I use about ⅔ of it.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=017fe740.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/017fe740.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Chop and add your celery. I chop mine really large because while I love the flavor it imparts, I don’t want to bite into it. I want it to be easy to avoid!</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=5712ee14.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/5712ee14.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Add your carrots.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Turn your burner onto low/medium.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Now, add your stew meat to a frying pan. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Add enough teriyaki sauce to coat the bottom of the pan, and then add a sprinkle of Montreal Steak Seasoning, or Salt/Pepper if you prefer. BE CAREFUL with the salt/seasoning. Just a hint!</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=c097a62e.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/c097a62e.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=ecb6981a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/ecb6981a.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Begin browning your meat, covered, on medium.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-As the meat begins to cook, remove the lid, and remove any excess juices to a bowl. You want about 2-4 tablespoons in there.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Once the meat has caramelized a little bit, pour it all into your stock pot.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=0e02fe3b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/0e02fe3b.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-You’re going to have all kinds of delicious caramelized goodness in that frying pan. Do NOT throw it away! </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=84317c9e.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/84317c9e.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Add a ladle-full of your broth, stir it around, and dump it all back into the stock pot.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=c98ca9ac.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/c98ca9ac.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-If you think your broth needs a little more depth, go ahead and add some of the reserved meat juices, but be careful about adding too much or it will be too salty!</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=d251cb5f.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/d251cb5f.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Now, cover your pot, turn your burner down to low (about a 3 out of 10), and go relax. Read a magazine, take a bath, clean your house, paint your nails, just chill out for at least an hour and a half or two hours. You want this soup to be DELICIOUS!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-This is what your broth will look like after about 2 hours. See how much deeper it looks?</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=19d15574.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/19d15574.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Once your broth has gently simmered for an hour and a half or two hours, check your carrots. If they are just about tender, go ahead and begin peeling, and chopping your potatoes. Add them to the soup, and turn it up slightly, to about a 4 or 5 out of 10. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=cb605720.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/cb605720.jpg" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Simmer uncovered until your potatoes are fork tender.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Serve in a large bowl, with some delicious, crusty bread to dip into it. And then eat it again for lunch. And a snack. And dinner the next day!</span></div><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=cbdd26dc.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/cbdd26dc.jpg" /></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-63065831310864229282011-01-02T10:30:00.000-07:002011-01-02T10:30:21.006-07:00Clever Casserole: {Lemon Pepper Chicken & Rice}<center><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=56d7a4cb.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/56d7a4cb.jpg" /></a></center><br />
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<center><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=10mtf8qxgUVJuegXJ72Gub60aV8PVEVfUXphoJzXK2mc">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></center><br />
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<br />
Clever Casseroles: more alliteration! I know, the cheesiness abounds, but there's something I love about so many letters rolling off the tongue so easily. This is another UN-recipe; a recipe so simple and so delicious, I'm almost embarrassed to admit I didn't come up with it myself. This is another from the great mind of my sister-in-law, Sarah, who also brought us the delicious <a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/07/eat-out-at-home-chicken-alfredo-and.html">alfredo sauce</a> recipe.<br />
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This is one of the easiest weeknight meals you will ever cook. There are only 4 ingredients (5 if you count the water), and they all come together so quickly, and simply that you will be amazed. I'm not usually a lover of rice, but this rice cooks in the sauce, and it all comes together like a gravy. It's delicious. So, even if you're not a rice lover, give this a try anyway! You could probably try it with Orzo pasta, too. I haven't attempted it yet, but I will in the future, and I'll update you when I do!<br />
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<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Simple, Easy, Few Ingredient, Delicious<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>NONE!</blockquote><br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<i>4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 8-10 boneless skinless chicken breast tenders as I've used here)</i><br />
<i>2 cups of white rice</i><br />
<i>2 cans of cream of chicken soup</i><br />
<i>2 cans of water</i><br />
<i>Lemon Pepper Seasoning to sprinkle over the top</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
-Preheat oven to 400*<br />
-In a bowl, whisk together the two cans of cream of chicken soup, and two cans of water.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=ad797e2b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/ad797e2b.jpg" /></a><br />
-Add your rice to a roasting/brownie pan<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=c08b2a1b.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/c08b2a1b.jpg" /></a><br />
-Pour the soup and water mixture over the rice<br />
-Nestle your chicken amongst the rice and sauce<br />
-Grab your Lemon-Pepper Seasoning<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=19bc090c.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/19bc090c.jpg" /></a><br />
-Sprinkle the Lemon-Pepper seasoning evenly over the top of the dish<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=da4cb8b0.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/da4cb8b0.jpg" /></a><br />
-Cover with tin-foil<br />
-Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Then, remove the tin-foil and stir the chicken and rice.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=ade771c3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/ade771c3.jpg" /></a><br />
-Replace the tin-foil, and bake another 30 minutes or so, until the rice is fluffy, and soft.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=61e51bd8.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/61e51bd8.jpg" /></a><br />
-That's it! Now serve with some bread, and enjoy!!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=56d7a4cb.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/56d7a4cb.jpg" /></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-76003587052328064082010-12-28T14:55:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:55:45.844-07:00A Tip for Tuesday: {Menu Planning}In honor of my love for alliteration, and for my resolution to renew my love for menu planning, I'm sharing an incredible kitchen tip with you this Tuesday afternoon!<br />
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Is saving money on your list of resolutions for the New Year? I'm willing to bet that it's near the top for many of us this year. I'm also willing to be that I'm not the only one who would rather have a root canal than sit down and clip coupons, or type up a strict budget. All that extra thinking about money just makes me want to throw my hands up and QUIT! How about a money saving tip that won't have you running for the dentist's office, begging him to give you a root canal, sans novacaine?<br />
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The absolute easiest way I've found to save money (a significant amount of money, too, not just pennies) is by planning a weekly (or bi-weekly) menu. When we were first married, like most newlyweds, we were living on a shoestring budget. But, like most young, 20-somethings, we also liked food. A lot. I noticed that our grocery bills were eating up more of our monthly budget than any other item on the list. And yet, it didn't seem like we had that much food at all. In fact, we were spending almost as much on eating out as we were on groceries. <br />
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In an effort to control our ever-inflating costs, and to decrease the amount of take-out we were grabbing, I decided to make a list of all the meals I wanted to cook for 1 week straight. I thought that if I had the meals planned out, and ingredients purchased in advance, we'd be less likely to splurge on pizza or Chinese simply because we couldn't think of anything for dinner. What I found was that this 20 minutes of planning at the beginning of the week not only slowed down our consumption of take-out (and was no doubt singlehandedly responsible for profit losses at every fast food join in a 5 mile radius), but it decreased our grocery bills by almost <i>half. </i>Yes, half, as in 50%.<br />
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It turns out, that just randomly picking up items you think you'll need as you wander up and down the vast aisles (especially while hungry!) is not only inefficient, but EXPENSIVE! I was picking up tons of items I didn't need, and forgetting many that I did, which would lead to extra trips back to the store throughout the week. And, really, who goes into the store for one thing, and comes out with only that one item? Not me. I went in for eggs, and came out with $50 worth of stuff we <i>might</i> need, or that just plain looked good. I was buying items I already had, because I hadn't taken the time to inventory my cupboards, or the recipes I would be cooking. Cutting out these extra trips cut down our grocery bills, our take-out bills, and reduced the amount of food we were throwing away each week.<br />
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So, I'm going to walk you through the process, so that you, too, can see some extra money in the bank each week. Though, I take no responsibility for the failure of any nearby restaurants when you see how successful this method is!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Save Money by Planning Your Meals!</b></div><br />
First, go through your recipes, cookbooks, favorite food blogs, and any other source you might use to think of the recipes you'd like to make this week. I usually do this on a bi-weekly basis, so I only have to do this step once every 2 weeks.<br />
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Then, make a list of those recipes, and the ingredients that you need for each of them. <br />
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Go into your kitchen, and take stock of what you have, crossing out any ingredients you already have at home, so you won't buy them again at the store.<br />
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Add to your list any extras you might need: garbage bags, ziplocs, shampoo, specific snacks, etc. You want EVERYTHING on your list. Go through the rest of your house if you have to, the more accurate your list is, the less likely you are to need to make that dreaded second trip, where your one bottle of toothpaste will run you $50 in junk!<br />
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Head to the store, and STICK TO YOUR LIST. Avoid the temptation of picking up things that aren't on the list because you "might need them later." In my experience, this leads to pantries packed full of items that will never see the light of day.<br />
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Once you are home, post your list of dinners on the fridge, so you can refer to it when the terror-inducing "what am I going to cook tonight?" moment hits. Some people get fancy and list ahead of time exactly what night they are making which dinner. But, that's too scary for me. I need a little wiggle room. What if I don't want chicken on the 13th? What if I want beef? If I want beef, I'm going to have beef, dangit! I just post the list, with no dates, and make whatever sounds good to me that night. Having my choices narrowed down to 7 (or 14 if you do bi-weekly lists) makes all the difference in the world.<br />
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Now, do NOT go back to the store until your list of dinners is done. If you run out of something, put it on a whiteboard, and get it on your next trip. Unless it's something you absolutely HAVE to have. The only thing I will go back to the store for is milk, for the kids. Everything else waits until my next designated shopping day. This way, I avoid all those extra trips, and costly extra junk that finds its way into my cart during each trip.<br />
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It looks like a lot of work written down here like this, but it's really not! It also makes your trip to the store MUCH faster. Instead of wandering the aisles, like a lost puppy, thinking about what you might need to pick up, you can walk confidently, and briskly into each one, picking up only what's on your list. And if you choose to keep this little morsel to yourself, and take the extra time to hit Starbucks for a quiet cup of coffee or piece of coffee cake in peace, who am I to tell your husband on you?<br />
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In keeping honest with you guys, I do need to admit that I usually leave 1-2 nights per week open for leftovers, or dinners out. What? I said this saved me money, not that I'm perfect, or that I can resist the perfection that is someone waiting on ME for a change every once in a while.<br />
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So, to get you started on this Tuesday's Tip, here is my meal plan for this week. I'll post the recipes as I make them!<br />
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{Godbold Family Meal Plan for December 28-January 11}<br />
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<a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/08/chicken-n-dumplings-by-request-and-note.html">Chicken 'n Dumplins</a><br />
Ranch Pork Chops and <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/perfect-potatoes-au-gratin/">Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin</a><br />
<a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/06/balsamic-glazed-pork-chops-that-taste.html">Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops and Mashed Potatoes</a><br />
Rigatoni and Homemade Meatballs<br />
Homemade Beef and Vegetable Soup<br />
<a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/10/un-recipe-super-simple-chicken-soft.html">Super Simple Chicken Soft Tacos</a><br />
Sarah's Lemon Pepper Chicken and Rice<br />
Potato Cheddar Soup<br />
<a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/07/pioneer-woman-pot-roast.html">PW Pot Roast</a><br />
<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/09/cooking_with_my_punk-ass_little_sister_penne_a_la_betsy/">PW's Penne a la Betsy (with chicken instead of shrimp)</a><br />
Steak and Potato Wedges<br />
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So, there you have it! Feel free to take some of these recipes, and use them to create your own weekly meal plan. Then, sit back and watch your grocery bills shrink! Think of all the<strike> fun </strike>responsible things you can do with the money you save!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-68426597581586064822010-12-18T18:04:00.000-07:002010-12-18T18:04:34.549-07:00{Family Christmas Dinner}: MenuEach year I host our extended family's Christmas dinner at my house. It's a little bit of a tight squeeze to fit 30 people in our little home, but I really LOVE doing it. I get to show off my decorations, make a bunch of delicious food, and enjoy the company of the best family in the world! I really did luck out in the in-law department.<br />
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Here are a couple of photos from Christmas dinners over the past couple of years:<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC01834.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC01834.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC01849.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC01849.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC01853.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC01853.jpg" /></a><br />
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I thought I'd take a minute to share our menu for this year's feast with you guys! After the festivities are done, I promise to post the best recipes here for you all to use! Also, today was our sisters' pie day, which will have its own post this week, along with LOTS of great recipes to share! Kelley's Kitchen Revival is alive and well!!<br />
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<b></b><br />
<b><center>2010 Godbold Family Christmas Dinner Menu</center></b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Appetizers:</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Deviled Eggs</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Olives</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Salad</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Vegetable Tray</i></span></div></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Main Dishes:</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Roasted Turkey</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Smoked Brisket</i></span></div></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sides:</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sage Sausage Stuffing (or Dressing, if you prefer!)</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/08/green-beans-n-bacona-southern-staple.html">Green Beans 'n Bacon</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Parmesan Creamed Spinach</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Soul Sweet 'Taters</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Golden Corral Dinner Rolls</i></span></div></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Desserts:</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chocolate Pudding Pie</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Banana Cream Pie</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>French Silk Pie</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Peach Pie</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Pumpkin Pie</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Cranberry Pudding</i></span></div></i>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-68317055800830428972010-12-09T15:11:00.000-07:002010-12-09T15:11:40.685-07:00Cookie Craze Day 4: {Pecan Tarts}<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0209.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0209.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
Before I get to the good stuff, I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for your patience! I know I didn't get to post nearly as much as I wanted in November, but an interesting tidbit you might not know about me is that I am a serious procrastinator. I made the (poor) choice to leave my online classes for the end of the semester. Basically, I spent 2.5 weeks in Ohio, enjoying my family and friends, and doing absolutely NO schoolwork. So, I pretty much crammed an entire semester worth of work into 5 days...Needless to say, Shelby hasn't seen much action! But, now, it's all behind me, and I can get back to what I do best.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0172.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0172.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
Do you see those babies up there? Those are the Holy Grail of cooking in my world. They are my Mom's recipe books, and have been a part of my cooking life for as long as I can remember. In fact, the white one, with the linoleum cover is even older than I am! My Mom made it for a home economics project when she was in 7th grade!!! That would be 1970, my friends! It's lasted this long because there are some really great little diddies inside, including these fabulous pecan tarts I'm about to feature today. My nephew, Josh, who is currently spending 2 years in Guatemala serving a mission for the LDS church, absolutely LOVES these cookies, and tells me they taste like mini pecan pies! They are always a hit at all family parties, and I promise you won't be disappointed if you make them!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, A LOT less work than an actual pecan pie<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>They do make a nice mess of your kitchen!</blockquote><br />
<center><b>Pecan Tarts</b></center><br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
Dough/Crust:<br />
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)<br />
6 oz cream cheese<br />
1 1/4 cups flour<br />
<br />
Filling:<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/3 cups brown sugar<br />
2 tbs melted butter<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 cup chopped pecans<br />
</i><br />
<br />
-Combine butter and cream cheese until evenly incorporated, and fluffy.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0163.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0163.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Add flour and mix.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0165.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0165.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now the original recipe calls for this little number to be chilled for an hour before rolling, but I'm NEVER patient enough for that. To remedy it, I use COLD butter and cream cheese from the outset. If your dough is too sticky to roll, pop it in the freezer (covered) for 15 minutes and come back to it.<br />
-Roll the dough into 1/2-1 inch balls, and place into tart pan. My little man LOVES to roll dough of any sort!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0176.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0176.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0177.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0177.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Next, you're going to press the balls into crust shapes. At home, I have a pampered chef tart shaper that I use (it was like $2) and it makes this process go SUPER fast, but my Mom's house is LOW TECH, and she prefers her thumbs!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0193.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0193.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now, make the filling.<br />
-First, you're going to chop your nuts. These should not be as fine as the consistency for the Russian Teacakes posted a few weeks ago. You want them a little bit chunkier.<br />
-Again, at home, I'd use my magic bullet, but since my Mom prefers the LOW TECH route, we used this, which I'm pretty sure was manufactured in the 1940's!:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0186.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0186.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Here's a close up of the pecans, so you can get a feel for the consistency:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0189.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0189.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Combine brown sugar, melted butter eggs and vanilla. Then, add nuts. In following the low tech theme, do this by hand.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0191.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0191.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now, you're going to fill the tart crusts you made earlier, you want to fill them a little less than 2/3 full. If you over fill them, they will pop when you bake them.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0195.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0195.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350*. Remove when the crusts are just barely golden brown. <br />
-I know that's a large gap in terms of baking times, but it seems like it's different everytime I make them. So, keep an eye on them. Pull them out when the crusts are barely golden. <br />
-Here is a close up of the bottom of the crust so you can see it. It will still be soft, but will set as it cools.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0201.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0201.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0204.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0204.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Let them cool, and dust them with powdered sugar. If you overfilled, or if for some other mysterious reason the tops broke open, don't worry. Just top them with a pecan half or hershey's kiss, and add more powdered sugar. No one will ever be the wiser.<br />
-Also, if you happen to have extra crust dough, I like to let Landon roll them out, add brown sugar and cinnamon, along with some Christmas sprinkles, roll 'em up, slice 'em, and bake 'em. It makes him SUPER happy to help!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0208.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0208.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-88475228110296604622010-11-21T11:17:00.001-07:002010-11-21T11:19:09.469-07:00Cookie Craze Day 3: {Life Changing Peanut Butter Cookies}<center><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view&current=DSC05655.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC05655.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1boKoWgsZCkofQbpxqtXeeCGtj9_PNbe-cyfu78uIz2Y">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></center><br />
<br />
Okay, I know I'm cheating a little bit today, just linking to another recipe on the blog, but I spent last week flying cross-country by myself, with both kiddies, and have been recovering and visiting. My Mom and I will be in the kitchen all day tomorrow, baking up a storm, and conjuring up nostalgic recipes from my Christmases past, so I promise to have several new cookies up this week.<br />
<br />
For now, revisit <a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/06/peanut-butter-madness-part-deux.html">THIS POST</a> for those Life-Changing Peanut Butter Cookies. They really are that good!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-7117651692038207772010-11-14T12:41:00.000-07:002010-11-14T12:41:39.390-07:00Cookie Craze Day 2: {Russian Teacakes}<center><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0107.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0107.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1bnCzKoyOG45cDpCCifxZzS3w-nhJyvcCXLsbaLzdw_0">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></div>These cookies are known by many names. Russian Teacakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowballs, Italian Butter Nuts, and Swedish Teacakes, just to name a few. Apparently many nations want to claim these not-too-sweet delectable bites, and no one is sure just which nation made them first! My son has christened them "little white ball cookies," which is not only accurate, but quite politically correct. Maybe I've got a budding politician on my hands? At any rate, I've always called them Russian Teacakes. I'm not sure why that's the name that sticks with me the most, maybe because one of my closest friends from 5th grade on is Russian. Or maybe because that's what my Mom called them in her recipe book. Really, it doesn't matter what you call them, as long as you MAKE them!<br />
<br />
These cookies do have nuts, specifically pecans, as one of the main ingredients. This is important not only for those of you with allergies to nuts, but also to those who don't typically like nuts. Personally, I can't stand nuts. In fact, the only nut I will actually eat is a pistachio. But, I LOVE these cookies. I think it's because the nuts are so finely ground, they become almost a meal-like consistency, and are used sort of like a flour. You're going to get the best essence of the nuts, without the unpleasantness of actually biting into a nut. But, because you cannot tell by looking at them that they are full of nuts, you need to be particularly proactive if you have any family members or friends with nut allergies. Last Christmas, we had a close call with my nephew who is allergic to nuts, and didn't realize these cookies contained them until he was about 3 cookies in. Luckily, he has a very mild allergy, and was left with just a sore belly all night, instead of something more serious. But, it did open my eyes a little, so if you know someone with a nut allergy, be sure to advertise the ingredients of these babies!<br />
<br />
Also, I'm not sure if you remember <a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/08/green-beans-n-bacona-southern-staple.html">THIS POST</a> on the quintessential nature of snapping beans on the front porch, but take a second to review, and then think of the rolling of these cookies as the Christmas version of bean-snapping. Yes, it takes a little bit of time to do, but it's repetitive and relaxing motion ushers in the Christmas season much like snapping beans on the front porch ushers in the summer season. So, throw on some holiday music, and get rolling...literally! Embrace it, people!<br />
<br />
This dough is very thick, and starts out really crumbly. So, you're REALLY going to want to do this in a stand mixer, or in a <a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/06/two-more-introductions.html">BOSCH</a> if you have one. If you are <i>not </i>lucky enough to own a Bosch, now is a really great time to start lobbying <s>your husband </s>Santa to put one underneath your Christmas tree. <s>Sexual Favors</s>, batting my eyes always works for me, but feel free to use whichever devices you have at your disposal. I assure you, this baby is well worth it! So be VERY NICE this year...or maybe, be a little bit NAUGHTY! Whatever you do, get yourself on Santa's nice list this year!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>{Russian Teacakes}</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b></b><i>Ingredients:</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>1 cup butter</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus extra for dusting!)</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>1 tsp vanilla</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>2 1/4 cup self-rising flour</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>1/4 tsp salt</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>3/4 cup crushed pecans</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>-</i>First, you're going to need to grind up your nuts into a meal-like consistency. I purchase my pecans in already smashed up bits, because it's cheaper this way. But even those aren't smashed up enough. I still have to throw them in my Magic Bullet, and grind 'em up some more! So, feel free to use whatever kind of pecans you have on hand, whole, halves, or pieces, because you're going to grind them up really fine.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Important note here, you will measure the 3/4 cup AFTER you grind the nuts, not before! I use the Magic Bullet for this task, because one of the small cups full of pecan pieces yields <i>just the right</i> amount of ground up nuts for this recipe.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Place your nuts in your Magic Bullet, or Food Processor, or Chopper of any kind.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0082.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0082.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Pulse your nuts until they reach a meal-like, almost pasty consistency.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0084.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0084.jpg" /></a><br />
-The nuts will now pack down just like brown sugar. So, press them into your measuring cups just like brown sugar to get the proper amount.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0085.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0085.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Place all ingredients into your mixing bowl.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0090.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0090.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Mix until you've got a thick dough. At first, it will be very powdery, and you'll be convinced it's not going to come together. But, just as you begin to curse me for getting you into this mess, it will happen beautifully.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0091.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0091.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Now, you're supposed to chill the dough for 1 hr. This makes the dough easier to handle for rolling, but I'm almost NEVER patient enough for this step. Sometimes, I stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes, other times, I throw it in the fridge for anywhere from 10-60 minutes, and other times still, I roll it out immediately, as is.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-After letting the dough chill (or skipping this step if you were born with a missing patience gene, like I was!), you're going to pre-heat the oven to 400*.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Now start rolling your dough into 1/2" balls.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Don't break out the measuring tape or anything, the actual size of the balls is not nearly as important as making sure that all of them are the SAME size. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Place your balls on a large cookie sheet. These cookies don't really rise very much, so you can really cram 'em in there! <br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0092.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0092.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just set. You don't want them to get too dark on the bottom. <br />
-You can see that I made my cookies too large (about 1"), and they cracked during baking. But, don't worry, once they're coated in powdered sugar, you'll never see the cracks!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0102.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0102.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-While your cookies bake, get your dusting sugar ready. Place powdered sugar in a bowl large enough to roll cookies in. Just to be festive, I usually take my powdered sugar, and add a whole mess of red and green sugar to the bowl. <br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0097.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0097.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-I just stir it around with my hands, and then the cookies have a subtle hint of the season when all is said and done!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0098.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0098.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-You're going to roll the cookies in the powdered sugar <i>twice. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>-</i>You roll them the first time when they are about 3 minutes out of the oven. You want them to still be hot, but have a couple of minutes to set. It's important to note that during this first rolling, the cookies will be <b>Very Delicate. </b> You must roll them VERY carefully, or they will break. If one does break, just pop it in your mouth, and no one will be the wiser (except maybe your hips!).<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0106.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0106.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-After the first rolling, you will see that the cookies are still poking through the sugar. So, you're going to let them sit about 5 more minutes, and then roll 'em again baby! This time, the sugar will stick even more, and they'll get that beautiful bright white color you're looking for!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0107.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0107.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0108.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0108.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Now, you can either place them in the absolutely cutest cookie jar you can find....<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0115.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0115.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Or you can put them on the ugliest paper plate you can find, and give them away, so that you don't eat them all!</div><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0111.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0111.jpg" /></a><br />
-And you should DEFINITELY go sit down, have a couple of cookies, and pretend that your sink doesn't look like this:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0120.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0120.jpg" /></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-11076353499643714772010-11-09T11:01:00.001-07:002010-11-09T11:04:49.692-07:00Cookie Craze Day 1: {Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies}<center><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0164.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0164.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VRKYYQR4rNKnRKV8oHo5exQqr5p3KZGYUW61F8eGQHw">Printer-Friendly Version</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Welcome to a new series, here at Kelley's Kitchen Revival! Today kicks off the COOKIE CRAZE!<br />
<br />
I don't know about the traditions at your house, but in this house, Thanksgiving Day is when we debut our trays of beautiful Christmas cookies for the first time. It's exciting and fun, and above all, it's DELICIOUS! <br />
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I want to make sure that you are all prepared for the Cookie Craze on November 25th, and throughout the holiday season, so I will be baking (and posting!) up a storm for you! First up, is a classically fall, and amazingly delicious cookie that we affectionately refer to as the "Chunkin' Cookie" in our family. (A quick combo of CHocolate and pUNKIN, in case you haven't had your morning Coca-Cola, yet!).<br />
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Interestingly enough, although I absolutely adore pumpkin pie, and I'm obsessed with chocolate chip cookies, up until a few years ago, I had never even tasted a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. In fact, I didn't even know these beauties existed. Lucky for me, however, my incredibly smart brother-in-law, Granger, married a beautiful and AMAZING woman, named Anne, who has become more than my sister-in-law, but also my very best friend, and who is also the brains behind of these delectable delicacies. In fact, Anne has become so famous in The Family for these cookies, that she often wonders if we have forgotten that she knows how to cook other delicious food items (like O-Balls, and Green Bean Casserole), since these are her #1 request.<br />
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And for good reason. These cookies embody everything that a perfect cookie should be. For one, they are GINORMOUS (yes, it's a word...if you don't believe me, go watch Elf!). For two, they are fluffy, and soft, and perfectly textured. And they combine two of the very best flavors in the world, pumpkin and chocolate. Now, if you are my awesome sister-in-law, Anne, you will choose the decadent Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate chips, that are twice the size of the regular ones. But, if you're like me, and rotten to the core, you'll choose semi-sweet, normal-sized morsels, because you like the slight bitterness they impart. Or, if you can be an in-di-vi-du-al, and choose any other kind of chocolate chip you prefer. Regardless of what kind of chip you prefer, one thing is certain, you MUST bake these cookies. Join the cookie craze!<br />
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Oh, and you also MUST marvel at my beautiful, and photogenic Anners!<br />
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Anne and I at Thanksgiving Dinner, 2008<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC01692.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC01692.jpg" /></a><br />
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Perhaps what's MOST amazing is that she makes these amazing treats while chasing after two of the most beautiful baby boys you ever did see!<br />
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Okay, enough gushing from me, onto the part you came here for...The COOKIES!<br />
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One important note, Anne informed me that while you could theoretically use pumpkin pie spice, in place of the ones chosen here, this particular blend of spices produces a MUCH more delicious cookie. I can't attest to the pumpkin pie spice version, though, because I know better than to mess with perfection, or to question Anne when it comes to Chunkin' Cookies!<br />
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<center><b>Chunkin' Cookies</b></center><br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<i>2 1/4 cups of flour<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp nutmeg<br />
1 tsp allspice<br />
1tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 cup melted butter<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
16 oz pumpkin puree<br />
2 cups chocolate chips</i><br />
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-Preheat oven to 375*<br />
-Beat eggs, add sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and melted butter. At this point the batter will be very thin. Much like a boxed cake mix. It will probably also smell like baby food. Never fear, I promise it will be delicious, and not at all reminiscent of baby food in the end!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0152-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0152-1.jpg" /></a><br />
-In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, all spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Take a deep breath, and inhale the BEAUTIFUL scents filling the air.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0150-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0150-1.jpg" /></a><br />
-Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, one cup at a time.<br />
-Even after you add your flour, this will still be very thin, compared to most cookie doughs. Much like a from-scratch cake batter. Do not fear, you will still churn out beautiful, fluffy chunkin cookies when it's all said and done.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0154.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0154.jpg" /></a><br />
-Add chocolate chips<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0155.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0155.jpg" /></a><br />
-Use large cookie/ice cream scoop to place onto cookie sheets. It's important you make these cookies LARGE. I typically only fit about 6 of these on each cookie tray, instead of the usual 12.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0157.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0157.jpg" /></a><br />
-Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm, and just golden on the bottom.<br />
-Serve, and marvel at your delicious handiwork!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC_0160.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0160.jpg" /></a><br />
-Congratulations, you've officially joined the cookie craze!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-42703816421476161772010-11-08T09:03:00.007-07:002010-11-08T09:09:39.628-07:00Customer Service is NOT dead! {Shameless Product Plug}Okay, I know that this is a cooking blog (that has been severely lacking in the cooking, of late!), and not an infomercial, but I had such a GREAT experience with GE customer service the past two weeks, that I felt compelled to share. It is my hope that by generating some great publicity for a company providing superior customer service, other companies will be more inclined to follow suit, placing their customer satisfaction over their profits.<br />
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I haven't been shy about my love of Shelby (my GE Profile double oven range), from the day she showed up on my doorstep. But, ours has been a relationship of love and hate. I just LOVED what she was <i>supposed</i> to do for me, but I HATED the fact that she could rarely do it. First, the convection system wasn't working appropriately. No big deal, cute little repair guy came out and replaced the sensor on the spot. Problem solved. <br />
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But then, my cakes weren't cooking. 45 minutes later, they'd still be raw inside, but burnt on the outside. Then, when they finally did cook, they sunk in the middle. There is little in life more depressing than making the extra effort to make a cake from scratch, and seeing it fall as soon as you pull it out of the oven. So, the cute little repair man made another trek to my home. It seemed that Shelby was in need of a new control panel. The week before I was scheduled to make 2 pans of Halloween Treats for a party. But, no worries, he told me, it only takes 3 days to have the part shipped, and he could come back out, pronto. <br />
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Alas, it was not to be. When I called to check on the status, I was informed that the control panel, Shelby's heart and soul, was <b>backordered!</b> For two WEEKS! When I lamented to the agent on the phone about my troubles, she immediately transferred me to Julie, a fabulous customer service specialist, who searched and searched, trying to locate an extra part somewhere, anywhere, for my beloved Shelby. When she was unable to find a part, and I was beginning to think that all was lost, she uttered six words that shocked, surprised, and <i>delighted me.</i> <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">"Let's get you a new oven."</span></span></span><br />
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Yes, I will let that sink in for a moment. A giant corporation, an oven that was now 5 months old, and well past the 90 day return policy, <b>absolutely</b> <b><u>no</u></b> screaming or yelling from this feisty Southern gal, and still, a BRAND SPANKIN' NEW OVEN!<br />
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The entire process was wonderful from start to finish. It did take 7 days for the new oven to come in, and I did have to make my Halloween treats without the benefit of an accurate oven thermometer, but just like Julie promised, last week, I had a brand spankin' new oven delivered right to my doorstep. Not only that, but the wonderful delivery agents unhooked my old oven, took it out to the the truck, then completely unwrapped, set up, and installed the new one, making sure she worked like a charm (which she did).<br />
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I could not be happier with the customer service I received from GE, and I really felt that service so great deserved a glowing, public review. Thanks for bearing with me there! <br />
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Oh, and in case you were wondering, this glorious new oven is still going to be known as Shelby. They have the same heart, the same soul, and I think Shelby (the first) would have wanted it that way. Not to mention, I'm not creative enough to come up with another name that conveys such beauty, and marvelous engineering.Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-92123443158220201342010-10-18T14:46:00.001-06:002011-01-05T13:16:31.468-07:00Just a link! {Country Chicken Noodle Soup}<center><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=chickennoodlesoup-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/chickennoodlesoup-1.jpg" /></a></center><br />
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Okay, before you all get your panties (or boxers?) in a bunch, wondering why there are no witty descriptions, and step-by-step photos of this recipe, let me try to paint you a picture of what the last week has been like at my house. Baby wakes up, crying, and drenched in...well, something too unsavory to put in a food blog. Let's just say it's not water. Put her in a bath, listen to her scream, and cling to you for dear life for the rest of the day. Repeat every hour. Obviously, finding time to make dinner at all has been a major feat. Taking photos of said recipe, and coming up with fun, interesting info about them is not even on the radar.<br />
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However, I have made this recipe TWICE this week. And if I make a recipe twice in the same week, you KNOW it must be good. And this soup is THAT good. It's a rich, creamy soup, not at all brothy, and is honestly the best chicken soup I've ever had in my life. I'm confident that after you make it, you will be willing to forgive the brevity of this blog post!<br />
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So, head on over to <a href="http://www.projectsforyournest.blogspot.com/">A Feathered Nest</a> and learn how to make <a href="http://projectsforyournest.blogspot.com/2009/06/cooking-101-country-chicken-noodle-soup.html">THIS AMAZING SOUP,</a> along with a whole mess of really great crafts, and projects!<br />
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In case you missed it above, here is the link for the soup that will knock your socks off: <a href="http://projectsforyournest.blogspot.com/2009/06/cooking-101-country-chicken-noodle-soup.html">Country Chicken Noodle Soup</a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-2833144094538251632010-10-11T16:09:00.000-06:002010-10-11T16:09:18.777-06:00An Un-recipe: {Super Simple Chicken Soft Tacos}<center><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0152.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0152.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1ZajYyUT5EoCZk_67fe2EkN0-Ev0W0ziW_Vh-aSDC6CM">Text-Only Recipe</a></center><br />
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<br />
Some recipes are so simple that they almost can't even be called a recipe. Such is the case with this recipe for super simple chicken soft tacos. It's so simple, I'm dubbing it an UN-recipe.<br />
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Now, before you read the rest of this post, let me warn you, these tacos are simple, and they are unconventional. I know you are going to be scratching your heads, thinking, "gee Kelley, we really trust you and all, but how on Earth do teriyaki sauce, butter, and rotisserie chicken seasoning equal a chicken soft taco?!?!" Just have a little faith (go ahead, sing the song, I'll wait), and go with it. I promise these will be the richest, easiest chicken soft tacos you've ever made!<br />
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Oh, and as this is an original recipe (my Mom's to be exact!), there aren't really exact measurements, just instructions.<br />
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<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, Super Simple, Fast<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>None!</blockquote><br />
<center><b>Super Simple Chicken Soft Tacos</b></center><br />
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<i>Ingredients:<br />
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins<br />
Teriyaki Sauce (Several turns of the pan, you want to just coat the bottom)<br />
Butter (probably about 2 tablespoons, or so)<br />
Rotisserie Chicken Seasoining (McCormick)</i><br />
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-First, defrost your chicken tenderloins. If you want to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, they will work just fine, too. Just go ahead, and cut them into strips.<br />
-Get out a deep frying pan. Coat the bottom of the pan with teriyaki sauce. You want to have about 1/8-1/4 inch or so of teriyaki sauce in the bottom.<br />
-Turn the burner on med-low<br />
-Add your butter, and allow it to melt completely before placing chicken in the pan.<br />
-Add your chicken in the pan, and sprinkle each tenderloin with McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0125.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0125.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-I know, it looks really orange right now, and not like tacos at all. Just bear with me, I promise the end result will be worth it!<br />
-And, in case you've never heard of Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning, I took a picture of the bottle, so you know what to be on the lookout for when you go to the grocery store.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0129.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0129.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now you're going to let the chicken simmer, <i>uncovered</i> for about 10 minutes or so. You want to keep the heat on the low side of medium though, if you heat too quickly, the teriyaki sauce will caramelize, and get too salty. I alway know it's time to turn the chicken when the white of the cooked side comes a little more than halfway up the sides.<br />
-Now, flip your chicken to the other side, and sprinkle this side with the rotisserie chicken seasoning as well.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0138.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0138.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Cook another 5-10 minutes, until you think the chicken is cooked through. If you want to cut into one, and make sure the juices run clear, feel free!<br />
-Also, the sauce in the pan will gradually get a little bit thicker as you cook. This is okay, and just what we want. We just don't want it to boil, and caramelize the teriyaki sauce, burning it.<br />
-Before taking out the chicken, flip it again, and sort of stir it all around in the sauce, coating both sides evenly.<br />
-Now, remove the chicken to a cutting board, and cut into thin strips on the bias.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0147.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0147.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-After cutting, I sometimes pour some of the extra sauce over the top, and sometimes not, a lot depends on how juicy the chicken looks, and how well it soaked up the juices while cooking.<br />
-To serve, I take my soft tortillas, and butter them on both sides.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0141.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0141.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-I place them in small frying pan, heated to medium/high and sort of toast each side.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0149.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0149.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Then, just pile high with your favorite taco toppings! I like mine with just chicken, and cheese, but The Hubster likes them with sour cream, cheese, and tomatoes. No matter how you make it, it's going to be delicious when you eat it!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC_0150.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC_0150.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-66000737077542358732010-09-23T14:29:00.000-06:002010-09-23T14:29:07.048-06:00The BEST BBQ Chicken you will ever have! {Apricot BBQ Chicken}My love for this recipe is very surprising, even to me, because it contains an ingredient that I'm really not a fan of...apricots. Fruit is not something I typically like in my savory dishes...or at all, really. But, I saw this photo on Pioneer Woman's Cooking page, and I was drawn in immediately.<br />
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It looked so beautifully delicious that I didn't really care WHAT was in it, I knew I was going to make it. In fact, it looked SO good to me, that I went out that very minute, bought all the ingredients, and made it for dinner that night. And just like all of PW's recipes, it did not disappoint. In fact, I make this almost once a week, it's that good. This is actually not even one of Ree's own recipes, it comes from her recipe website, <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/">Tasty Kitchen</a>, which is one of my favorite resources for great recipes! <br />
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I did, however, make some changes in the original recipe. For one, I'm not really a dark meat lover. So, I typically make this with chicken breasts (for me), and thighs (for hubby), rather than drumsticks. Really, you can make this with any cut of chicken. Also, the original recipe calls for the chicken to be baked, but because I <strike>am lazy</strike> love BBQ'd food so much, we typically grill it. This means a lot more flavor for the chicken, and much less work for me, since The Husband does all the real work.<br />
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What makes this recipe really special to me is that you make your own BBQ sauce. From scratch. While this may sound intimidating, it really is just a "dump and mix" kind of recipe, but to me, homemade BBQ sauce is pretty high up on the list of impressive foods. The original title of this recipe is "Hot & Sweet Drumsticks," but since I never make it with drumsticks, and because I don't find them to be particularly spicy, I always just refer to it as Apricot BBQ chicken. Now, typically, I make the sauce in the morning, which takes about 15 minutes, and then marinate the chicken until The Husband comes home to get grillin'. It's probably not necessary to marinate the chicken all day, but I find that making the sauce early makes my evening MUCH easier. You can try whatever way works for your schedule. Also, as with a lot of other recipes, I typically double this one, and save the extra sauce for all kinds of great things like dipping, and even making the recipe again!<br />
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<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Impressive, Fast, Easy, Delicious<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>Can't come up with any!<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1hTa87wK9dhckGqO6px62CoNBsLBdZhGdRNurEeq_RnQ">Printer Friendly Recipe</a></blockquote><br />
<b>Apricot BBQ Chicken</b><br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
1 cup Apricot Preserves<br />
1/2 cup Ketchup<br />
1/4 cup soy sauce<br />
2 tsp minced garlic (I used about 3-4 cloves)<br />
2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot, or Louisiana brand)<br />
Chicken (whatever cut you like!)<br />
</i><br />
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-In a saucepan, place your apricot preserves.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07715.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07715.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Then, add the rest of your ingredients.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07717.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07717.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Stir all ingredients together with a whisk, and turn on the heat to medium. <br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07719.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07719.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-You can see in the above picture that the sauce starts out really thick, and gloppy from the apricot preserves. As you cook, and whisk, it will thin out a little, and get more incorporated. Also, it's really important to whisk this recipe a lot as it cooks, and to not get overzealous on the heat. Burnt apricots will NOT add a good flavor to your sauce.<br />
-The finished sauce:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07721.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07721.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Place your chicken, in a large bowl (or Ziploc bag), and then pour enough of the sauce over in order to marinate each piece.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07728.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07728.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Save your extra sauce in a tupperware container, for basting, if you're grilling, and for all kinds of great uses later in the week!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07736.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07736.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-After you've marinated your chicken, you can either grill it, or bake it in the oven at 350* for about 45 minutes!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/?action=view¤t=DSC07737.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/DSC07737.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Be sure to spend plenty of time bragging about how you made your own BBQ sauce!<br />
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Original Recipe can be found <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/hot-sweet-drumsticks/">HERE</a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-78486289661517111382010-09-12T15:38:00.001-06:002010-09-14T11:18:23.636-06:00{Mamal's Sausage Balls} and a new Printer-Friendly Recipe Feature!<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07514.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07514.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=11GNE_H5jfc_MDlkRazKuGR9cee470qt2fpkhkadezp8">Printer-Friendly Recipe</a></center><br />
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Exciting things have been happening in our house this month. And by exciting, I mean BUSY. My summer classes finally ended Aug 13, and then we left on the 18th for San Francisco for a week. I have PLENTY of San Francisco Treats to post here, and get you guys drooling! The day after we got back from San Francisco, my Mom flew into town, and the following day, Landon started pre-school. Then, on September 1st, my brother, his awesome girlfriend, and my cousin flew into town for a week's visit. On the 4th, we had my sweet girl, Ashlyn's, first birthday party (which was beautiful despite several mishaps, I'll share with you once I can think about them all without breaking down!), and on the 5th, all the grown-ups (minus my Mom who was a FABULOUS babysitter), went to Vegas and Zion National Park for three days. As you can see, I have a PLETHORA of excuses as to why I haven't been posting much the last month or so. But, I am staying home this semester, only taking online classes, and things should be calming down here, pretty soon, leaving me free to inundate you all with some fabulous recipes.<br />
<br />
One exciting feature I can't neglect to mention is a new printer-friendly link for the recipes. I figured out how to use Google Documents, and now, under the initial picture, you should see a link for a "printer-friendly version" making it easier for you to print out, and actually make all these fantastic dishes! Right now, I'm trying it out on this post, but if it works the way I hope it does, I'll go back and add it for all the previous recipes as well.<br />
<br />
Today, I'm sharing a quickie with you. Not THAT kind of quickie, you sickos. A quick blog post. Since I made these for my daughter's first birthday party, and I was drowning in tasks, and disasters, I didn't have time to take very many pictures. This is a very easy dish to make, and can be served as an appetizer, or a side dish. It's one of my most requested recipes. Oh, and don't be too disappointed in the terrible photos accompanying this blog post. I have talked The Husband into letting me get a new, DSLR camera, and my sweet niece into teaching me how to use it, so better pictures are on the horizon!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b> Simple, delicious, often requested<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b> It does take some time to roll all those little balls</blockquote><br />
<i><br />
For the Sausage Balls:<br />
2 lbs Mild Ground Sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)<br />
2 Beaten Eggs<br />
1 cup Bread Crumbs (I use the Italian ones, another way to inject even more flavor)<br />
2/3 cup of Milk<br />
1 tsp Sage</i><br />
<br />
-Preheat Oven to 350*<br />
-Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer, fitted with dough hook, or using the best tools that God gave ya (your hands)!<br />
-Shape into 1 inch balls<br />
-Place onto greased cookie sheet<br />
-Bake for 20-25 minutes, being careful not to burn the bottoms.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07502.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07502.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07503.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07503.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>For the Sauce:<br />
1 1/2 cups Water<br />
3/4 cups Ketchup<br />
8 tablespoons Brown Sugar<br />
3 tablespoons soy sauce<br />
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (keep reading for some details on what kind to choose)<br />
1/4 cup honey</i><br />
<br />
-Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.<br />
-When it comes to the BBQ sauce, you want to use a more red, tangy, ketchup-y type of BBQ sauce for this. I prefer the brand Open Pit, which I can't get in Utah, and have shipped to me from my awesome Mom in Ohio, or I pack my suitcase full of it each time I go home. Yes, I just admitted that I pack a suitcase full of BBQ sauce (and other "home foods") everytime I leave Ohio. Just love me the way that I am. If you use a deeper, sweeter BBQ sauce, the honey and brown sugar will leave this recipe almost TOO sweet.<br />
-Bring all ingredients to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07504.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07504.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Simmer 5 minutes<br />
-Add in the baked meatballs<br />
-Stir them around, and then simmer another 4-5 minutes.<br />
-Serve, and Enjoy!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07514.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07514.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-88882243007240514402010-08-29T09:09:00.001-06:002010-09-14T11:18:51.745-06:00Confession is good for the soul.<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07320.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07320.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
I thought Sunday morning was a fitting time for a little good old fashioned confession.<br />
<br />
My confession? I have a slight obsession. Or maybe a not so slight obsession. With dishware. Beautiful, vintage, non-matching, shabby-chic style dishware. And beautiful daisies (from my thoughtful husband) in a vintage-style pitcher.<br />
<br />
Check out the new additions to my obsession.<br />
<br />
The whole, new tablescape:<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07317.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07317.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
My beautiful, new, non-matching plates. And I like it that way!<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07319.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07319.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
My new 2-tiered, vintage cake stand, along with those <i>gorgeous</i> scalloped edge dishes I'm planning on using for a new cake-creation, to be soon featured right here.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07321.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07321.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
My beautiful daisies, with green centers, that my sweet husband brought home for me, in my favorite old-fashioned looking pitcher (that I already had).<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07322.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07322.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
So, now you know about my obsession. I hope you can still respect me, now that you know my secret. Also, if you happen to live in Utah, or near Rancho Cucamonga, California, head over to <a href="http://taipantrading.com/">Tai Pan Trading</a> today, they have some BEAUTIFUL things, for wholesale prices!<br />
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Now that I've shared my obsession, it's your turn. After all, sharing is caring. So, tell me, what is YOUR kitchen obsession?Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-80911830776765840532010-08-26T15:22:00.002-06:002010-08-26T15:28:23.898-06:00Eat out at home: {Homemade Pizza}Is there any meal so deliciously complete as pizza? You've got your carbs, your dairy, your meat, and your vegetables all in one deliciously delectable bite. It's been called the perfect food, and I'd say it is deserving of such high accolades. <br />
<br />
It's been said (by The Husband, and other crazies) that pizza is like sex...even when it's bad, it's good. But, I have to disagree. Homemade pizza is not often perfect. The crust is often very bready (and maybe even raw in the middle), the cheese is mediocre, and the sauce usually comes from a can. Because of these issues (and many others), I have previously not been much of a fan of homemade pizza. But, after doing some research, and several practice runs, I have finally found a homemade pizza recipe that tastes as good as the take-out variety. Dare I say, it actually tastes even <i>better</i> than some of those take-out versions. <br />
<br />
There is such a thing as bad pizza (as for the other...I'll leave that up to you, and your bedroom!), and it is usually due to some bad crust. The crust makes the whole pizza, and a terrible crust can ruin an otherwise perfect venture. I've said it before, and I'll say it again (because it's SO TRUE), the Pioneer Woman has <b>NEVER</b> let me down. Her recipes are always foolproof, and amazing, and her pizza crust is no different. We had tried many different crust recipes before this one, and they all came out too bready, or too crunchy, or too...something we couldn't put our finger on. This one struck the PERFECT balance between NY Style thin crust, and something you could really sink your teeth into, and chew. After one bite, The Husband declared that we need not try any other recipes. Ever. And boy, what a relief that declaration was. Pizza crust, being a bread is a fairly lengthy process, in which one must make the batter, and then leave it, to rise for hours. There are not many things so disappointing as investing 2-4 hours in a recipe, only to have the end result be less than perfect. <br />
<br />
The other "must-have," for amazing, at-home pizza, is a delicious sauce recipe. It can't be too sweet, or too acidic, and it must have a perfect balance of herbs, and spices. It's a critical part of the pizza process, and not easy to master. The sauce recipe I use is kind of a conglomeration of several recipes that I've kind of combined into my master recipe, which has received rave reviews from The Husband, and The Family, alike. So, to all of the almost-perfect pizza sauce recipes out there in internet-land, THANK YOU, for helping me to hone my own!<br />
<br />
A quick note about this recipe. It is a VERY lengthy process. The first time we made this, it was about 3-4 hours of on-our-feet, in-the-kitchen, WORK. I thought, well, it was just the first time, next time will go much faster. But, it was not meant to be. This time, it was another 4 hours of cook/prep time. But, the end results were more than worth it. I think this is a really great Friday Night Date-Night-In type of meal. Because it gets you, and your loved ones in the kitchen together, working on a common goal, and maybe even having a flour fight or two. It's a lot of work, but a whole lot of fun, and sometimes the biggest messes make the most fun! I also smartened up this time, and made a double batch of dough, and froze the leftovers. I also made a double batch of sauce, and froze the rest of it, as well. So two of the big jobs will already be done the next time we want to have pizza night. Obviously, you can use whatever toppings you prefer, this time, we made a couple of meat lover's pizzas, frying the bacon, and sausage ahead of time, and one caprese pizza with some basil, and tomatoes from our own garden. There are not many things more satisfying than eating food that you have grown with your own two (dirty) hands.<br />
<br />
Also, the one thing we HAVEN'T perfected is the method. These pizzas are meant to be grilled, at high heat in order to achieve that delicious wood-burned taste, and texture. We saw this method on an episode of "What would Brian Boitano Make?" on the Food Network. Of course, by "we," I mean, *I* saw this method, since The Husband wouldn't be caught dead watching Brian Boitano do ANYTHING. Basically you line your grill with red, clay bricks that you can find at the hardware store. Then, place a pizza stone on top, and close up the grill, cranking the heat way up, until the inside of your grill reaches 500*. However, each time we've made this recipe using this method, the bottom of the pizza crust cooks MUCH faster than the top, which means we have to be VERY careful not to let the bottoms burn. It also means, that if you aren't careful, your pizza stone (which is a must!) may turn black. You might want to set one aside specifically for pizzas, so you don't have a whole bunch of black stones, since I also use them for baking cookies. If anyone has any suggestions for improvement, we'd love to hear them, until then, I'll keep tinkering with it, and when I come up with the perfect method, I'll update you!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, Amazing, Fresh<br />
</blockquote><blockquote><b>Hellfires:</b>Time-Consuming, Messy</blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><b>Homemade Pizza Crust</b></center><br />
<center>a la my Hero, The Pioneer Woman</center><br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
1 tsp Active Dry Yeast<br />
1 1/2 cups warm water<br />
4 cups All-Purpose Flour<br />
1 tsp Kosher Salt<br />
1/3 cup Olive Oil<br />
</i><br />
<br />
-Note, this amount of dough will make 2-3 fairly large sized pizzas. But, I highly suggest doubling the recipe, and freezing the extras, after rising. This will save you a lot of time in the future.<br />
<br />
-Place warm water, and yeast in a bowl, and allow to proof until the mixture becomes frothy/bubbly. This should take about 5-7 minutes.<br />
-I just let this proof in the bowl of my Bosch, and then after it's proofed, I added all of the other ingredients, in any, haphazard order, and turned it on. It worked perfectly. But, PW has a list of more specific instructions, as to the order of ingredients, in case you want to be perfect about it. The link is provided at the end of this recipe.<br />
-Once you've added all your ingredients, turn on your mixer, and let it swirl! The important thing to note is that you do not need to knead this dough. You just mix it until it's well combined (only a couple of minutes), so this is much faster than traditional doughs.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06975.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06975.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Once the dough is mixed, place it into a well-oiled bowl, and cover with saran wrap. Place the bowl into a warm, dry place, and allow it to rise until it doubles in size. I think it took about an hour and a half for me.<br />
Before Rising:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06977.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06977.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
After Rising:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06991.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06991.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
<i>Original Recipe:</i> <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/cpks-bbq-chicken-pizza/">PW Basic Pizza Crust Recipe</a><br />
<br />
<b>Homemade Pizza Sauce:</b><br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
A few tablespoons of olive oil<br />
1 small onion, diced VERY finely<br />
4-6 garlic cloves<br />
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes<br />
1 tsp dried oregano<br />
1 can of crushed tomatoes (14 ounces)<br />
1 can of tomato puree (14 ounces)<br />
Handful of Sugar<br />
Salt and Pepper, to taste<br />
Fresh Basil, 10-12 leaves<br />
Fresh Rosemary, 1 sprig</i><br />
<br />
-First, drizzle the olive oil into a deep frying pan, and let it get hot.<br />
-Add your finely chopped onion, and saute until it gets a little bit translucent.<br />
-Interesting story here...I happen to HATE biting into large chunks of onions. So, I got the bright idea to place the onions, and garlic into my brand spankin' new food processor in order to have very finely chopped onions. Unfortunately, this did NOT work out. It turned them into an applesauce-like consistency that was watery, and disgusting. I had to scrap it all, and just chop the onion SUPER fine, the old-fashioned way.<br />
The Mess:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06983.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06983.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
The RIGHT way:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06984.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06984.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Add garlic (use your handy-dandy garlic press), red pepper flakes, and oregano, and saute for about 3 minutes more. The oregano turns your onions and oil a beautiful bright green color.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06985.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06985.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Add your crushed tomatoes, and pureed tomatoes, along with your basil and rosemary. I like to add a LOT of basil, and a much smaller amount of rosemary. <br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06987.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06987.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <br />
-The easiest way to cut fresh basil is to roll several leaves together, and slice along the short end. I like to then go back over, and dice a little bit finer after.<br />
-Add your salt and pepper, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.<br />
-Add a handful of sugar to cut some of the acidity of the tomatoes. Stir, and re-cover. <br />
-Continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.<br />
-Remove sauce to a bowl, to cool.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06989.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06989.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
-Note: I've provided the recipe for one batch of pizza sauce, but the best method is to make a double batch, and freeze the leftovers, making your next go-round MUCH simpler.<br />
-Also, the original recipes said to allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before spreading it onto the dough, but I'm NEVER patient enough for that, and I've not ever had an adverse outcome because of it.<br />
<br />
<b>Putting it All Together</b> <br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
A couple of tablespoons of olive oil<br />
Toppings of choice (I used sausage, pepperoni, and bacon for one, and fresh tomatoes, and basil for the other)<br />
FRESH mozzarella cheese<br />
Cornmeal for sprinkling</i><br />
<br />
<br />
-Roll Out your pizza dough, as thin as you like it. I prefer it to be really thin.<br />
-Place the rolled out dough on top of a cookie sheet covered in cornmeal (to allow it to slide off onto the grill. If you have a pizza paddle, this would be even better, but I don't own one, so I use large cookie sheets. Use a LOT of cornmeal, so your pizzas don't stick to the cookie sheet (or pizza paddle).<br />
-Place a tablespoon or so of olive oil on the dough, and then sprinkle on some garlic powder before adding your sauce.<br />
-Add a ladle-full of sauce and spread it around the pizza.<br />
-Slice your fresh mozzarella, and spread it around the pizza. It is REALLY important to use fresh mozzarella here. I bought mine from Wal-Mart, and it was only $3.22 for a pack, and it took 2 packs for 4 pizzas, so it's not as crazy expensive as you might be thinking.<br />
-Add your toppings to the pizzas.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06992.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06992.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Take them to the grill, and slide them onto the hot pizza stone (cover the pizza stone with cornmeal too, to make removal of the pizza easier). Close up the grill, and bake for about 5 minutes. They cook VERY fast because of the high heat. Just check them at 4 minutes, and if they don't seem done, close that baby up, and give it another 2-3 minutes. Just watch that the bottoms of your crusts don't burn. <br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-If it seems like the bottom of your pizzas are finished before the mozzarella is melted, you can always remove it from the grill, and put it in the oven, on broil to finish the top!<br />
-ENJOY!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07004.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07004.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07010.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07010.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
-In order to save your leftover dough for next time, you need to shape it into individual sized balls, and then wrap them up EXTREMELY well in saran wrap. You want ALL areas of that dough to be covered. Then place the wrapped balls in a freezer bag, double bag it, and place it in your deep freeze. I usually spray the saran wrap with Pam, or the generic version of it, first, in order to make sure that it doesn't stick.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06997.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06997.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
-For the sauce, I like to place mine into a mason jar (but leave room at the top for expansion), and then put the mason jar into a freezer bag. Place this deliciousness inside the freezer, and you're already ahead for the next time.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07018.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07018.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
Now, THIS is why it's so important to us <b>fresh</b> mozzarella cheese. It makes feet, and feet, of delicious, melty goodness for cute kiddos, like my nephew, Nathan, to get all tangled up in!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07006.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07006.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC07007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC07007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-2506566604611838782010-08-15T10:29:00.003-06:002010-09-14T11:19:26.371-06:00Southern Sunday Mornings {Biscuits 'n Gravy}This week, we're going to round out the 3 most sought after "'n recipes," by posting the recipe for true, Southern style biscuits 'n gravy, which are a Sunday morning staple in my house. Sunday mornings always mean a few things in my house, and have since I was a little girl. Southern Sunday mornings mean old-school country music on my iPod:<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06595.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06595.jpg" /></a><br />
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Southern Sunday mornings mean family time. Time for laughing, and playing, and taking walks, and just enjoying each other's company. And, Southern Sunday mornings mean light, fluffy biscuits covered in a delicious creamy sausage gravy. <br />
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What's funny, is that as a child, I wasn't the biggest fan of biscuits, and refused to even try the gravy. But, now, few things evoke the feelings of home, and family, inside of me like biscuits 'n gravy. And the only trouble I have with them is stopping myself from eating the whole pan. <br />
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A few notes about this recipe. First, these ain't no Pillsbury canned biscuits. They are a whole different breed of biscuit (and a much better one, at that!). They have a much lighter texture, which means no rolling them out, or using cookie cutters in the process. The consistency of the dough, is more like the consistency of a batter, and I've included two videos of the process in order to let you get a feel for the actual consistency of this dough. One of the best things about the biscuits is that you can get them on the table in 15 minutes, which is pretty amazing. If you don't have time to make the gravy, or simply aren't craving it, today, my favorite way to serve them (other than with gravy) is with some grape jelly, and butter.<br />
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The other thing you should know is that Southern biscuit recipes are sacred. They have been passed down from generation to generation, and as such, you should feel sublimely lucky that I've included them here. We're all family now, and I love sharing these recipes with you.<br />
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Also, before we start these biscuits, we need to have a little chat about a certain Southern staple. You may want to brace yourself here. Have a seat, take a deep breath, and remind yourself of our little chat about health (<a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/08/chicken-n-dumplings-by-request-and-note.html">HERE!</a>). Now, butter aside, this here ingredient may be the single most important tool in my kitchen, and is a staple in Southern-style kitchens across the United States. I can still remember the metal container that my Mom kept her bacon grease in, as I was growing up. Yes. I said bacon grease. In all it's fatty, delicious glory.<br />
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Every time you make a pound of bacon, just pour the remaining grease into your container of choice (I have been meaning to buy a prettier one, but haven't gotten around to it yet), seal it up, and save it! Now, bacon grease doesn't necessarily <i>have</i> to be refrigerated. I know this because my Mom's bacon grease lived (and still lives) in her spice cabinet. And in 26 years, I've never gotten sick from a recipe involving her bacon grease. However, as I did just finish a microbiology series, and I know about all those lovely little creatures that can grow in/on our food, I choose to keep mine in the refrigerator, where it seems a little safer. Where you decide to keep yours is between you, and your own level of OCD! I can't underestimate the flavor that this stuff brings to the table. It's pretty amazing, and I use it in a number of recipes, including the sausage gravy you'll see here today, fried potatoes, ham, eggs, all kinds of delicious things. <br />
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Now, I'm aware that this concept is foreign to many of you, and may take some time to fully digest. The Husband about passed out when he was helping me to pack up my apartment when we were engaged, and he came across my bacon grease. He was disgusted, and almost lost his hand when he tried to throw it out! But, as he would attest to you today, that jewel of deliciousness has never left our kitchen since, and is worth every ounce of controversy it creates. Just trust me on this one.<br />
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The biscuits are also a really FUN recipe to let the kids help out with. Something about smooshing that dough/batter around in their little fingers just gets them tickled pink! Though it's a little messy to clean up, faces like these make it all worth the mess:<br />
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Now, onto the recipes!<br />
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<center><b>Mamal's Southern Biscuits</b></center><br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Incredible, Fast, Easy, Delicious, BUTTERMILK!<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>Can't come up with a single one.</blockquote><br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
Self-Rising Flour<br />
Sugar<br />
Canola/Vegetable Oil<br />
Buttermilk<br />
Water</i><br />
<br />
-First, you're going to pre-heat your oven to 500*. Yes, 500.<br />
-While your oven pre-heats, begin making your biscuits, by pouring self-rising flour into your mixing bowl. Again, no measurements here, the only important thing is the consistency at the end. If I absolutely <i>had to</i> guess, I'd say there's probably about 4 cups of flour here.<br />
-Using self-rising flour is VERY important here. If you talk to most Southern cooks (all of my family included) they will insist that not only is self-rising flour a necessity, but a specific <i>brand</i> of self-rising flour (Hudson Cream, or Gold Medal). But, if I'm being 100% honest (which I always am), I have made these biscuits with just about every kind of self-rising flour out there, and have found no difference between the "good stuff," and old reliable Great Value brand flour. So, the thrifty chick in me reigns, and Great Value is what I had in the house today. As long as it says "Self-Rising" on the front of the bag, you should be A-OK.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06506.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06506.jpg" /></a><br />
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-Next, you're going to add some sugar. For the size of bowl I made this day, I added about 4 tablespoons (regular tablespoons you eat with, not measuring spoons) to my flour. Experiment with it, and don't stress, it won't make a huge difference. My uber healthy sister-in-law, Andrea, substitutes honey for the sugar, and even that works out fine!<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06508.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06508.jpg" /></a><br />
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-Next comes some oil. I use vegetable oil, and canola oil interchangeably. Again, whatever you have on hand. Another few tablespoons full (regular spoons, not measuring spoons). A good rule of thumb is to use about the same amount of oil, as sugar.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06511.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06511.jpg" /></a><br />
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-Now for the good part. The buttermilk. Ah, buttermilk, the greatest smell in the history of the earth, and one of my favorite ingredients. <br />
-For reasons that I do not understand, you are going to mix buttermilk, and water in equal parts. So, you're going to fill a cup (again, a regular drinking cup, not a measuring cup) halfway full with buttermilk, and then add enough water to fill it completely. Stir it up really good before adding it to your bowl.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06510.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06510.jpg" /></a><br />
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-Add it to the bowl, and stir well. Try not to overmix, and don't forget, you want a very different consistency than you're used to. Almost a very thick pancake batter:<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06513.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06513.jpg" /></a><br />
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-Next, you're going to spray your pans with cooking spray. There are two kinds of pans that work really well for this recipe. Glass pans, and Cast Iron pans. I occasionally use a metal brownie pan (as you'll see in the following photo), but the results aren't nearly as good as with the glass pan. The bottoms tend to brown faster than the tops. Sometimes, I even use a glass pie pan, when I have a small batch to do.<br />
-Now, add some more self rising flour onto a large plate.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06514.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06514.jpg" /></a><br />
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-Now, turn out a small portion of your dough, onto the floured plate.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06515.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06515.jpg" /></a><br />
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-The next steps are sort of difficult to explain, so I've included two videos to show you what to do. Basically you're just going to fold up the corners of your dough, from the bottom, pulling up some of that flour, and patting it into the dough. Then, you'll pinch off a biscuit sized corner, and place it in your pan. Watching the videos should also help you to see the consistency you're looking for here, but please, don't take note of my clashing apron, and PJ pants!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwOUU4_gl1YIcapvFAQRD40167EWL48CPxdQJIiWx0rkMHScDkeMQKKsQVYgubAicOVUNdm1TIjM7yXiwvKlA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>And, one more time:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwFVVCOM2lM4pMS8ERxn219vKlQWIxpDpu-hDiDPQIGPF8xU1qSMbW6eVvDs0t1KXkp4TR4I8fT9JiP2kBALw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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-Next, you're going to drizzle some more oil (veggie or canola), on the top of your biscuits, and kind of rub it in with the back of your spoon.<br />
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-Now, place the pans in your 500* oven, and set the timer for 10 minutes. They may take 2 minutes more, or even 2 minutes less, depending on your oven, just keep an eye on them. You want the tops, sides, and bottom to be a beautiful golden brown.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06545.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06545.jpg" /></a><br />
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-If the bottoms of the biscuits, and the insides seem to be cooking faster than the top, you can always turn on the broil function, and broil the tops for 5 minutes, too.<br />
-Turn them out onto a platter, let them cool for a couple of minutes, and enjoy with some butter, some jelly/jam, some gravy, or just plain!<br />
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<br />
<center><b>Southern Sausage Gravy</b></center><br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
1 lb of ground sausage (I like Jimmy Dean)<br />
1-3 tablespoons of bacon grease (optional)<br />
Several tablespoons of flour<br />
Milk<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste<br />
Onion Powder to taste</i><br />
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-First, you're going to brown off your sausage, breaking it up with your spatula as you go. I really like Jimmy Dean's regular sausage for this, but you can use whatever brand, and flavor you like best (italian, maple, etc).<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06538.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06538.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Once your sausage is browned, you're going to add your bacon grease. The reason for this is twofold. First, the sausage doesn't really make a whole lot of grease by itself, which makes it slightly difficult to get the right consistency, and amount of gravy. Second, the depth of flavor that the bacon grease adds is downright amazing!<br />
-Just drop a few tablespoons into the pan, and mix it around with your whisk, or spatula until it melts.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06543.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06543.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Can you see how much more grease we have to work with here?<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06547.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06547.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Next, you're going to sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour, in order to make a roux. The amount is going to vary, based on the amount of grease you've got, and the thickness of the roux. The important thing here, is to whisk almost constantly once you've added your flour.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06548.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06548.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06552.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06552.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Continue whisking your roux on medium heat until it turns a deep, golden brown color. You're going to want to whisk this for at least 7-10 minutes in order to cook out some of the flour flavor. Do not stress if it gets clumpy, just keep whisking, and stop worrying!<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06557.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06557.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Next, you're going to add your milk, and begin whisking right away. You're probably going to add the milk in several batches, unless you have perfect guesstimating skills (which I do not). The amount is going to vary based upon how thick you prefer your gravy.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06560.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06560.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Now, I can't stress enough that you do NOT need to flip out if your mixture gets all clumpy, like this:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06561.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06561.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Just take a deep breath, and add some more milk, whisking some more as it begins to come together. This is a VERY forgiving recipe.<br />
-After you've added your first batch of milk, you're going to add your seasonings, to taste. Salt, Pepper, and Onion Powder. You don't need a lot of onion powder. Start small, and taste as you go. Same for the salt, and pepper.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06556.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06556.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Keep adding your milk, and whisking until you've achieved the texture of gravy that you like. I tend to like a thicker gravy than my Mom, who prefers hers more runny. This is YOUR party, so you get to choose.<br />
-For me, I like the gravy to coat the back of the spoon, nice and thick, like so:<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06564.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06564.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Now, if you get to the end and your gravy still tastes a little bit flour-y, don't fret. Continue cooking over low/medium heat, and add a little bit more salt. The salt will cut the flour flavor, and the cooking will continue to cook it out.<br />
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-Next, you're going to pour this deliciousness over your fluffy biscuits, and DIG IN! There are a few methods to this. <br />
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-First, the method I prefer, which involves crumbling the biscuits into bite-sized pieces before pouring the gravy over top. This makes it easier to eat, in my opinion:<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06567.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06567.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06568.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06568.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Next, the method The Husband prefers. Leave your biscuits whole, and place them on the plate, pouring the gravy over top. This requires you to do some cutting with your fork, which is just too much work for me.<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06565.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06565.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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-Alternately, you can place the gravy in a little container, and dip the biscuits into it, if you're into that sort of thing.<br />
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-This recipe is popular with every member of our family, including the littlest one!<br />
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<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06575.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06575.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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I hope you have a GREAT Southern Sunday, or whatever day of the week you choose to make these!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><center><b>Plain Text Recipe</b></center></blockquote><br />
<b>Mamal's Southern Biscuits</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
Self-Rising Flour<br />
Sugar<br />
Canola/Vegetable Oil<br />
Buttermilk<br />
Water</i><br />
<br />
-First, you're going to pre-heat your oven to 500*. Yes, 500.<br />
-While your oven pre-heats, begin making your biscuits, by pouring self-rising flour into your mixing bowl. Again, no measurements here, the only important thing is the consistency at the end. If I absolutely <i>had to</i> guess, I'd say there's probably about 4 cups of flour here.<br />
-Using self-rising flour is VERY important here. If you talk to most Southern cooks (all of my family included) they will insist that not only is self-rising flour a necessity, but a specific <i>brand</i> of self-rising flour (Hudson Cream, or Gold Medal). But, if I'm being 100% honest (which I always am), I have made these biscuits with just about every kind of self-rising flour out there, and have found no difference between the "good stuff," and old reliable Great Value brand flour. So, the thrifty chick in me reigns, and Great Value is what I had in the house today. As long as it says "Self-Rising" on the front of the bag, you should be A-OK.<br />
-Next, you're going to add some sugar. For the size of bowl I made this day, I added about 4 tablespoons (regular tablespoons you eat with, not measuring spoons) to my flour. Experiment with it, and don't stress, it won't make a huge difference. My uber healthy sister-in-law, Andrea, substitutes honey for the sugar, and even that works out fine!<br />
-Next comes some oil. I use vegetable oil, and canola oil interchangeably. Again, whatever you have on hand. Another few tablespoons full (regular spoons, not measuring spoons). A good rule of thumb is to use about the same amount of oil, as sugar.<br />
-Now for the good part. The buttermilk. Ah, buttermilk, the greatest smell in the history of the earth, and one of my favorite ingredients. <br />
-For reasons that I do not understand, you are going to mix buttermilk, and water in equal parts. So, you're going to fill a cup (again, a regular drinking cup, not a measuring cup) halfway full with buttermilk, and then add enough water to fill it completely. Stir it up really good before adding it to your bowl.<br />
-Add it to the bowl, and stir well. Try not to overmix, and don't forget, you want a very different consistency than you're used to. Almost a very thick pancake batter.<br />
-Next, you're going to spray your pans with cooking spray. There are two kinds of pans that work really well for this recipe. Glass pans, and Cast Iron pans. I occasionally use a metal brownie pan (as you'll see in the following photo), but the results aren't nearly as good as with the glass pan. The bottoms tend to brown faster than the tops. Sometimes, I even use a glass pie pan, when I have a small batch to do.<br />
-Now, add some more self rising flour onto a large plate.<br />
-The next steps are sort of difficult to explain, so I've included two videos to show you what to do. Basically you're just going to fold up the corners of your dough, from the bottom, pulling up some of that flour, and patting it into the dough. Then, you'll pinch off a biscuit sized corner, and place it in your pan. Watching the videos should also help you to see the consistency you're looking for here, but please, don't take note of my clashing apron, and PJ pants!<br />
-Next, you're going to drizzle some more oil (veggie or canola), on the top of your biscuits, and kind of rub it in with the back of your spoon.<br />
-Now, place the pans in your 500* oven, and set the timer for 10 minutes. They may take 2 minutes more, or even 2 minutes less, depending on your oven, just keep an eye on them. You want the tops, sides, and bottom to be a beautiful golden brown.<br />
-If the bottoms of the biscuits, and the insides seem to be cooking faster than the top, you can always turn on the broil function, and broil the tops for 5 minutes, too.<br />
-Turn them out onto a platter, let them cool for a couple of minutes, and enjoy with some butter, some jelly/jam, some gravy, or just plain!<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote><center><b>Southern Sausage Gravy</b></center></blockquote><i>Ingredients:<br />
1 lb of ground sausage (I like Jimmy Dean)<br />
1-3 tablespoons of bacon grease (optional)<br />
Several tablespoons of flour<br />
Milk<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste<br />
Onion Powder to taste</i><br />
<br />
-First, you're going to brown off your sausage, breaking it up with your spatula as you go. I really like Jimmy Dean's regular sausage for this, but you can use whatever brand, and flavor you like best (italian, maple, etc).<br />
-Once your sausage is browned, you're going to add your bacon grease. The reason for this is twofold. First, the sausage doesn't really make a whole lot of grease by itself, which makes it slightly difficult to get the right consistency, and amount of gravy. Second, the depth of flavor that the bacon grease adds is downright amazing!<br />
-Just drop a few tablespoons into the pan, and mix it around with your whisk, or spatula until it melts.<br />
-Next, you're going to sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour, in order to make a roux. The amount is going to vary, based on the amount of grease you've got, and the thickness of the roux. The important thing here, is to whisk almost constantly once you've added your flour.<br />
-Continue whisking your roux on medium heat until it turns a deep, golden brown color. You're going to want to whisk this for at least 7-10 minutes in order to cook out some of the flour flavor. Do not stress if it gets clumpy, just keep whisking, and stop worrying!<br />
-Next, you're going to add your milk, and begin whisking right away. You're probably going to add the milk in several batches, unless you have perfect guesstimating skills (which I do not). The amount is going to vary based upon how thick you prefer your gravy.<br />
-Now, I can't stress enough that you do NOT need to flip out if your mixture gets all clumpy.<br />
-Just take a deep breath, and add some more milk, whisking some more as it begins to come together. This is a VERY forgiving recipe.<br />
-After you've added your first batch of milk, you're going to add your seasonings, to taste. Salt, Pepper, and Onion Powder. You don't need a lot of onion powder. Start small, and taste as you go. Same for the salt, and pepper.<br />
-Keep adding your milk, and whisking until you've achieved the texture of gravy that you like. I tend to like a thicker gravy than my Mom, who prefers hers more runny. This is YOUR party, so you get to choose.<br />
-For me, I like the gravy to coat the back of the spoon, nice and thick.<br />
-Now, if you get to the end and your gravy still tastes a little bit flour-y, don't fret. Continue cooking over low/medium heat, and add a little bit more salt. The salt will cut the flour flavor, and the cooking will continue to cook it out.<br />
-Next, you're going to pour this deliciousness over your fluffy biscuits, and DIG IN!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-57827824488739048392010-08-11T11:58:00.000-06:002010-08-11T11:58:49.619-06:00Tiramisu Cake with chocolate ganache filling!<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC05714-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC05714-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
This recipe is actually one of the very first recipes I made after beginning the blog, and accordingly, I didn't take very many photos, and the ones I did get are not nearly as high in quality as some of the later photos. But, I promise that the recipe is so delicious, it makes the lack of nice pictures a moot point. You will be way too busy eating your cake to worry about pictures. Or, maybe, you'll take some of your own, and post them to our facebook wall! Please do!<br />
<br />
A few quick notes. This is essentially a yellow cake. But, not just any yellow cake. This has become my go-to cake recipe, that I make ANYTIME I want a delicious cake, that's guaranteed to turn out perfectly, and taste amazing. Then, there is a chocolate ganache between the layers, that is reminiscent of the cocoa grated on top of tiramisu. The icing is a buttercream, flavored with instant coffee, and although it's a little bit "slippery" in terms of the texture for my liking, it really does evoke the creaminess of tiramisu. <br />
<br />
One of the BEST things about this cake is the fact that it includes one of my absolute FAVORITE ingredients. Buttermilk! I love buttermilk, the smell alone is enough to awaken feelings of nostalgia, and peace, and take me to my own, personal happy place. Unfortunately, prior to the discovery of from-scratch cake-baking, the only recipe in which I utilized this deliciousness was biscuits. Which meant that I often found myself throwing out left over buttermilk that I was unable to use before its expiration. This made for a very sad Kelley. Now, this recipe, along with several other cake recipes provides me another way to experience my love of buttermilk. <br />
<br />
Now, if you're <i>dying</i> to make this cake, and don't happen to have any buttermilk on hand, or you've been to Wal-Mart on a Sunday evening when they are out of virtually every item you need, you can mimic the action of buttermilk with this little tip. Take a 1 cup measuring cup, and place 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in it. Then add enough whole milk to fill to the 1 cup line. Mix well, let stand for 10-15 minutes, and voila. It's not going to smell as delicious, and homey as the real thing, but it can be used in a pinch! And now you can't say I never taught you anything useful!<br />
<br />
The first time I made this cake, The Husband, being the sweet man that he is brought me home a dozen roses, <i>just because</i>! I'm not sure there are any centerpieces that decorate a table more beautifully than a homemade three-layer cake, and a dozen red roses.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC05705.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC05705.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, Amazing, Versatile cake recipe you can combine with just about any icing/filling combination for a foolproof addition to your recipe binder. Really tastes like tiramisu. VERY impressive looking, being three layers!<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>As I stated in above information, the icing consistency is a little slippery, but it works in this recipe. I have not yet perfected the art of making frosting though, so if you have any tips, be sure to let me know!</blockquote><br />
<center><b>Tiramisu Cake with Chocolate Ganache Filling</b></center><br />
<br />
<i><br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
Cake:<br />
3 3/4 cups cake flour<br />
2 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 tablespoon plus 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1 1/4 cups plus 1/3 cup buttermilk<br />
5 whole eggs<br />
2 egg yolks<br />
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Buttercream: (halve this recipe if you will be covering the cake with fondant)<br />
6 large egg whites<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened<br />
2 tablespoons warm water<br />
1 tablespoon instant coffee<br />
<br />
Ganache:<br />
1/3 cup heavy cream<br />
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped</i><br />
<br />
For the cake:<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.<br />
<br />
Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and 1 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix on low speed briefly to blend; then raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC05688.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC05688.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and the remaining 1/3 cup buttermilk until well blended. Pour one-third of the egg mixture into the cake batter at a time, folding it in completely after each addition. There will be 9 cups of batter; our 3 cups batter into each pan.<br />
<br />
Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC05689.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC05689.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
Allow cakes to cool for about 20 minutes, and then wrap them in plastic wrap, COMPLETELY covering them. You're going to then place these in the freezer while you make your ganache, and buttercream. Placing them in the freezer is a really important step. It helps TREMENDOUSLY when you're icing your cakes. You can skip it if you're feeling really impatient, but it does make it much easier to work with when it comes time to ice them!<br />
<br />
To make buttercream, combine the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on high speed until mixture is completely cooled and stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, on low speed, mixing well after each addition. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.<br />
<br />
Stir instant coffee into warm water until dissolved. Add, 1 teaspoon at a time, to buttercream, mixing well after each addition, until you’re satisfied with the strength of the coffee flavor (I added about 2-3 tablespoons).<br />
<br />
To make ganche, place chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl. In a heavy saucepan set over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the stove and pour over chopped chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes and then stir until fully combined. Let cool until just firm enough to spread onto cake layers.<br />
<br />
After leveling cake layers as necessary, place one cake layer on a cake plate, flat side up. Spread the buttercream over the top, followed by the buttercream. Repeat with the second cake layer, Top the cake with the third layer. You can choose to place more ganache here, or not. I tend to think that you can <i>never</i> have enough ganache, but for some reason the day I made this, I chose not to add more ganache to the top layer. C'est la vie.<br />
<br />
To decorate the cake, I just chopped up some of the same semi-sweet chocolate I used for the ganache, and sprinkled it in a circular pattern around the edge of the cake. I even let Landon get in on some of the action, and he thought it was great.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC05695.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC05695.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
<b>Plain Text Recipe</b><br />
<b>Tiramisu Cake with Chocolate Ganache Filling</b><br />
<br />
<i><br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
Cake:<br />
3 3/4 cups cake flour<br />
2 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 tablespoon plus 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1 1/4 cups plus 1/3 cup buttermilk<br />
5 whole eggs<br />
2 egg yolks<br />
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Buttercream: (halve this recipe if you will be covering the cake with fondant)<br />
6 large egg whites<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened<br />
2 tablespoons warm water<br />
1 tablespoon instant coffee<br />
<br />
Ganache:<br />
1/3 cup heavy cream<br />
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped</i><br />
<br />
For the cake:<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.<br />
<br />
Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and 1 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix on low speed briefly to blend; then raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.<br />
<br />
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and the remaining 1/3 cup buttermilk until well blended. Pour one-third of the egg mixture into the cake batter at a time, folding it in completely after each addition. There will be 9 cups of batter; our 3 cups batter into each pan.<br />
<br />
Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.<br />
<br />
Allow cakes to cool for about 20 minutes, and then wrap them in plastic wrap, COMPLETELY covering them. You're going to then place these in the freezer while you make your ganache, and buttercream. Placing them in the freezer is a really important step. It helps TREMENDOUSLY when you're icing your cakes. You can skip it if you're feeling really impatient, but it does make it much easier to work with when it comes time to ice them!<br />
<br />
To make buttercream, combine the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on high speed until mixture is completely cooled and stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, on low speed, mixing well after each addition. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.<br />
<br />
Stir instant coffee into warm water until dissolved. Add, 1 teaspoon at a time, to buttercream, mixing well after each addition, until you’re satisfied with the strength of the coffee flavor (I added about 2-3 tablespoons).<br />
<br />
To make ganche, place chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl. In a heavy saucepan set over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the stove and pour over chopped chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes and then stir until fully combined. Let cool until just firm enough to spread onto cake layers.<br />
<br />
After leveling cake layers as necessary, place one cake layer on a cake plate, flat side up. Spread the buttercream over the top, followed by the buttercream. Repeat with the second cake layer, Top the cake with the third layer. You can choose to place more ganache here, or not. I tend to think that you can <i>never</i> have enough ganache, but for some reason the day I made this, I chose not to add more ganache to the top layer. C'est la vie.<br />
<br />
To decorate the cake, I just chopped up some of the same semi-sweet chocolate I used for the ganache, and sprinkled it in a circular pattern around the edge of the cake. I even let Landon get in on some of the action, and he thought it was great. <br />
<br />
Original Recipe can be found <a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2009/12/vanilla-cake-with-tiramisu-buttercream-and-ganache-filling.html">HERE</a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-7970299553990225962010-08-05T14:07:00.001-06:002010-09-14T11:20:08.986-06:00Chicken 'n Dumplings, by request, and a note about your health (sort of!)<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06497.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06497.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
So, this seems to be the week of the 'n recipes! Which means it's a week of truly <i>delicious</i> food. See the last post (<a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/08/green-beans-n-bacona-southern-staple.html">HERE</a>) for an explanation as to what makes the 'n so special! When I was trying to decide which recipes to post the other day, I posted a little poll on my personal facebook page (I will now do these on the Kelley's Kitchen Revival Facebook page, so be sure to click the 'like' button to the right of this entry!), and the recipe for green beans 'n bacon was the far and away winner. But, I had a special request for the Chicken 'n Dumpings recipe by an awesome girl, Ashley, and since she is a total foodie herself, and also has a great food blog (<a href="http://savingtaste.blogspot.com">Click here to see her handiwork!</a>) I am more than happy to oblige her!<br />
<br />
Now, before I dispense with the deliciousness that is Chicken 'n Dumplins, there are a few housekeeping notes I'd like to get out of the way right now. First, let's sit down, and have a little chat about your health. Go ahead, get comfortable. Ready? Okay. There were a LOT of comments on the amount of butter in the Green Beans 'n Bacon recipe I posted earlier this week. A lot. Many of you were concerned for my health, perhaps rightfully so. Because I'm about to post another recipe which involves a fair amount of butter, I thought this would be a good opportunity to illustrate an important point. Just because I am a pre-med student, hoping to be a great doctor one day does not mean that I am dispensing ANY health-related advice on this website, nor does it mean I take particular care with my own health when it comes to nutrition. This website is strictly about GOOD FOOD, and sometimes good food is good, because it's so bad for you! <br />
<br />
Plenty of Southern recipes fall into this category, including the one I'm about to share. If you're like me, and you like to live life on the edge, throw in that extra stick of butter and enjoy every last bite of deliciousness that results from its inclusion (and learn to love those extra pounds too, there's nothing wrong with a little extra cushion for the pushin'!). If you're like my uber healthy sister-in-law, Andrea, you'll learn my recipes, and then <strike>bastardize</strike> change them up, and make them healthier on your own. For example, when she makes my biscuits 'n gravy, she uses honey instead of sugar, and a heck of a lot less butter when she makes the chicken 'n dumplins. Whether you decide to live a little, and enjoy some great food, or healthy it up a little, and stay on the straight and narrow is between you, and your hips (or your heart), and your God! Amen!<br />
<br />
Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's introduce these beauties, known as chicken 'n dumplins, and talk about what they are, and more importantly what they are <i>NOT</i>. If you do a quick internet search for the words chicken 'n dumplins (or dumplings, for the grammatically correct folks) you will see a whole lot of recipes for a conglomeration of chicken soup with biscuits on top. Note, this is NOT (let me repeat that again, NOT) chicken 'n dumplins. It makes no matter whether the biscuits are from a can, or you slaved over the dough for hours, it is simply a flat out lie to call these monstrosities chicken 'n dumplins, and one of the seven deadly sins at this here revival. No. Chicken 'n dumplins are a beautiful marriage of shredded chicken, and fresh-made, hand-rolled dumplins, which combine with chicken broth to form a thick, delicious gravy. There's no pulling these bad-boys from a can, or in a boxed-dinner at your local Wally World. They are Southern home-cookin' at its finest, and take a little bit of time, and a little bit of work to master. But the end result is worth every minute of your precious time in the kitchen, trust me on this.<br />
<br />
My Mom taught me how to make this recipe, and I've been trying to perfect it since I was a child. I can remember standing in the kitchen with her trying to help, but being WAY too slow to roll the dough, cut it, and add the dumplins to the pan. So, I got to sprinkle the paprika, while I watched her work. I loved watching the dumplings disappear into the boiling froth, and then pop back up, glistening and puffy. It was almost mesmerizing. My Mom learned the skill from her Dad, my Papal, who died this past February, and was a truly awesome man. His specialties were chicken 'n dumplins, and pone bread. Don't worry, I don't really understand what pone bread is, either, all I know is he made it, and it was delicious. Maybe we'll get my Mom to do a guest post, and teach us all a thing or two about it.<br />
Papal:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=dadstrawhat.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/dadstrawhat.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
With my brother and I as kids:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=Pappal126.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/Pappal126.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
With us (and my Mom, and little Landon) as adults:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=IMG_0795_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/IMG_0795_2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
Okay, now onto the FOOD!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, Amazing, and completely nostaligc, really simple, common ingredients<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>They do take some time, and some practice, but come on, you can do it!</blockquote><br />
<center><b>Chicken 'n Dumplins</b></center><br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
2-4 Chicken Breasts (bone-in, skin-on)<br />
Water<br />
Chicken Bouillon Cubes<br />
Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning (optional)<br />
Paprika<br />
Chicken Stock/Chicken Broth <br />
3.5-5 cups Self-Rising Flour (ISH!)<br />
8 Eggs<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste</i><br />
<br />
-The first thing you're going to do is get your chicken going. Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of your stock pot. I like to use the same Paula Deen pot I featured in <a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/07/pioneer-woman-pot-roast.html">this post</a>.<br />
-You're going to use between 2-4 chicken breasts depending upon the size of the breasts (go ahead, giggle now), as well as how much of a chicken to dumplins ratio you would like. This time I used two breasts, and probably should have used 3.<br />
-Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and rotisserie chicken seasoning. Place about 4-5 chicken bouillon cubes in the bottom of the pot as well.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06479.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06479.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now, if you've never heard of rotisserie chicken seasoning, it's just a little red McCormick bottle you can find in the spice section of your local grocery store. It's got a great flavor, and I use it in several recipes. Here's a peek:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06477.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06477.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now, you're going to fill the pot with water, until the water is about 3 inches higher than the chicken.<br />
-Add 1 stick of butter (yes, 1 stick).<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06481.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06481.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Turn the burner on medium, about a 4. Leave pot uncovered.<br />
-Then, set it, and FORGET IT! Let the chicken simmer down for as long as you can stand it. At least 2 hours. You don't believe me now, but the longer you let it simmer in the water the better it will be. You really want that chicken flavor to seep into the water. Go do your nails, take a bubble bath, color with your kids, but whatever you do, DO NOT leave the house, and go to the thrift store for two hours while accidentally setting the stove at 10, instead of 4. You'll come home to fire trucks surrounding your apartment complex. Trust me on this one. Been there, done that, and my old apartment complex still has the burnt/blackened pot on display in the office to encourage students to NEVER leave food on the stove while going shopping. True Story.<br />
-You'll know the chicken is done when the water has evaporated down to about 1-1.5" in the bottom of the pan, and the chicken literally falls off the bones.<br />
-Remove the chicken to a colander, and let it cool before shredding.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06485.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06485.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Shred the chicken. How you do this is up to you. You can get down and dirty with it (like I do!), and use your God-given tools (your fingers!), or you can use two forks, or a fork and a knife. The method here is going to depend on the level of shredding you prefer. I happen to like mine <i>really</i> shredded, so my hands are the best tool for the job. If you prefer larger chunks of chicken, use two forks, and only shred until you're happy. Feel free to sneak a few tastes of the chicken along the way! Be sure that you have all of the bones out, even those sneaky little ones who try and stay put.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06486.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06486.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Add your chicken back to the stock pot, with the remaining liquid, and add your chicken stock. I usually do about 2 of the big, Swanson boxes of broth, and 1 of the small stock boxes. The amount is not critical, if you use more broth, you'll add more dumplins to get it thick. If you use less broth, you'll add less dumplins. This isn't calculus here, there are no definite equations, just a pinch here, or a pinch there.<br />
-Bring this pot up to a boil, at a little above medium heat, around 7.<br />
-Add 1/2-1 more stick of butter to the broth.<br />
-While your stock/chicken mixture comes up to a boil, begin your dumplins. You are going to be SHOCKED at how simple these are. There are only TWO ingredients!<br />
-Add your 8 eggs to the bowl of your stand mixture<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06488.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06488.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now, you're going to add the self-rising flour. It's very important that you use self-rising flour. I don't know why, I just know that it is. Go with me here.<br />
-Add your flour, gradually, about 1-1.5 cups at a time. Be sure you're using the dough hook on your mixer.<br />
-The amount of flour is going to vary a little, and I never measure it. I go by feel. I'm guessing about 4 cups of flour is going to be sufficient, but if it's too sticky, add some more. This is a recipe that's going to take a few batches of trial and error before you master it. In the end, you want the dough to be only <i>slightly</i> sticky, and you want it to basically slide off the dough hook (slowly) when you raise the mixer. Like this:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06489.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06489.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now comes the fun part. And by fun, I mean messy! You're going to need to clear off a large section of countertop. If you have a silpat mat you can use it, too. I have one, but usually I don't use it for this, it's just one more thing to clean up. Sprinkle your countertop with about 1/2 cup of additional flour.<br />
-You're going to do your dough in sections, now. So grab a section of dough, a little larger than your fist, and place it on your floured countertop. Roll it around in the flour, and begin to roll it out, using your marble rolling pin. The marble rolling pin is essential, it won't stick like wood, and the weight will make your job SO much easier. You're going to roll it out pretty thin. Maybe 1/8-1/4". Again, you're going to have to play around with trial, and error here, how you like your dumplins. I like mine a little on the thinner side, and my husband likes his a little on the thicker side, so just play with it. Be careful, though, if you roll them out <i>too</i> thick, they'll get "bread-y" on the inside, like biscuits, and that's not what we're going for (remember the rant about the biscuits?).<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06490.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06490.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Now, you're going to cut the dough into strips. I like to use my pizza cutter for this, because it's much faster than a knife, and it's plastic so it won't ruin my countertops.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06491.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06491.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Carry the strips of dough over to your simmering pot, and start ripping off little squares, and dropping them into the broth. You're going for about 1 inch squares here, but again, this isn't calculus, eyeball it, the irregularity makes it homey and old-fashioned, just like we love!<br />
-As the dumplins begin to bunch up on top, you'll need to stir them as you add more, just do this gently.<br />
-Occasionally, you're going to add a few sprinkles of paprika. I usually do a tiny bit of paprika at the end of each batch of dumplins. So, before you go back to roll out another batch, add a tiny bit of paprika. Don't go overboard here, though, this is really just a background flavor, not an in-your-face flavor.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06492.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06492.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Go back, and roll out another batch of dough, adding them to the broth, and going back for more. Do this until you're out of dough, or until you're achieved the thickness you want in your broth.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06494.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06494.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-Keep in mind that your broth is going to thicken as it stands, too, so don't worry too much if it's still watery, and not gravy-like, right away. The first several times I made these, my broth didn't thicken the first day, but it was PERFECT on days 2, and 3. That might be the BEST part of chicken 'n dumplins, they just get BETTER the longer they sit in your fridge.<br />
-Stir the dumplins as needed, as you go, just be gentle about it.<br />
-Once you've added all of your dough, stir one last time, and cover the pot, simmering on LOW (2-3) for about 10 minutes.<br />
-Voila! (See how the broth has turned into this thick, rich gravy?<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06497.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06497.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-And lest you think that I am a perfectly clean cook, I'll let you in on a little secret: I make a HUGE mess everytime I make these. But, it's totally worth it. See what Shelby looks like when I'm done?<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06495.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06495.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-The best way to serve this is over some hot, homemade mashed potatoes, and some bread or rolls to soak up all that delicious gravy!<br />
YUM!!!!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06498.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06498.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<br />
Now, go get to work, and don't forget (in the words of one of our favorite family friends, Laura), Perfect Practice makes Perfect!<br />
<br />
<b>Plain Text Recipe</b><br />
<b>Chicken 'n Dumplins</b><br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
2-4 Chicken Breasts (bone-in, skin-on)<br />
Water<br />
Chicken Bouillon Cubes<br />
Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning (optional)<br />
Paprika<br />
Chicken Stock/Chicken Broth <br />
3.5-5 cups Self-Rising Flour (ISH!)<br />
8 Eggs<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste</i><br />
<br />
<br />
-The first thing you're going to do is get your chicken going. Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of your stock pot. I like to use the same Paula Deen pot I featured in <a href="http://kelleyskitchenrevival.blogspot.com/2010/07/pioneer-woman-pot-roast.html">this post</a>.<br />
-You're going to use between 2-4 chicken breasts depending upon the size of the breasts (go ahead, giggle now), as well as how much of a chicken to dumplins ratio you would like. This time I used two breasts, and probably should have used 3.<br />
-Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and rotisserie chicken seasoning. Place about 4-5 chicken bouillon cubes in the bottom of the pot as well.<br />
-Now, you're going to fill the pot with water, until the water is about 3 inches higher than the chicken.<br />
-Add 1 stick of butter (yes, 1 stick).<br />
-Turn the burner on medium, about a 4. Leave pot uncovered.<br />
-Then, set it, and FORGET IT! Let the chicken simmer down for as long as you can stand it. At least 2 hours. You don't believe me now, but the longer you let it simmer in the water the better it will be. You really want that chicken flavor to seep into the water. Go do your nails, take a bubble bath, color with your kids, but whatever you do, DO NOT leave the house, and go to the thrift store for two hours while accidentally setting the stove at 10, instead of 4. You'll come home to fire trucks surrounding your apartment complex. Trust me on this one. Been there, done that, and my old apartment complex still has the burnt/blackened pot on display in the office to encourage students to NEVER leave food on the stove while going shopping. True Story.<br />
-You'll know the chicken is done when the water has evaporated down to about 1-1.5" in the bottom of the pan, and the chicken literally falls off the bones.<br />
-Remove the chicken to a colander, and let it cool before shredding.<br />
-Shred the chicken. How you do this is up to you. You can get down and dirty with it (like I do!), and use your God-given tools (your fingers!), or you can use two forks, or a fork and a knife. The method here is going to depend on the level of shredding you prefer. I happen to like mine <i>really</i> shredded, so my hands are the best tool for the job. If you prefer larger chunks of chicken, use two forks, and only shred until you're happy. Feel free to sneak a few tastes of the chicken along the way! Be sure that you have all of the bones out, even those sneaky little ones who try and stay put.<br />
-Add your chicken back to the stock pot, with the remaining liquid, and add your chicken stock. I usually do about 2 of the big, Swanson boxes of broth, and 1 of the small stock boxes. The amount is not critical, if you use more broth, you'll add more dumplins to get it thick. If you use less broth, you'll add less dumplins. This isn't calculus here, there are no definite equations, just a pinch here, or a pinch there.<br />
-Bring this pot up to a boil, at a little above medium heat, around 7.<br />
-Add 1/2-1 more stick of butter to the broth.<br />
-While your stock/chicken mixture comes up to a boil, begin your dumplins. You are going to be SHOCKED at how simple these are. There are only TWO ingredients!<br />
-Add your 8 eggs to the bowl of your stand mixture<br />
-Now, you're going to add the self-rising flour. It's very important that you use self-rising flour. I don't know why, I just know that it is. Go with me here.<br />
-Add your flour, gradually, about 1-1.5 cups at a time. Be sure you're using the dough hook on your mixer.<br />
-The amount of flour is going to vary a little, and I never measure it. I go by feel. I'm guessing about 4 cups of flour is going to be sufficient, but if it's too sticky, add some more. This is a recipe that's going to take a few batches of trial and error before you master it. In the end, you want the dough to be only <i>slightly</i> sticky, and you want it to basically slide off the dough hook (slowly) when you raise the mixer.<br />
--Now comes the fun part. And by fun, I mean messy! You're going to need to clear off a large section of countertop. If you have a silpat mat you can use it, too. I have one, but usually I don't use it for this, it's just one more thing to clean up. Sprinkle your countertop with about 1/2 cup of additional flour.<br />
-You're going to do your dough in sections, now. So grab a section of dough, a little larger than your fist, and place it on your floured countertop. Roll it around in the flour, and begin to roll it out, using your marble rolling pin. The marble rolling pin is essential, it won't stick like wood, and the weight will make your job SO much easier. You're going to roll it out pretty thin. Maybe 1/8-1/4". Again, you're going to have to play around with trial, and error here, how you like your dumplins. I like mine a little on the thinner side, and my husband likes his a little on the thicker side, so just play with it. Be careful, though, if you roll them out <i>too</i> thick, they'll get "bread-y" on the inside, like biscuits, and that's not what we're going for (remember the rant about the biscuits?).<br />
-Now, you're going to cut the dough into strips. I like to use my pizza cutter for this, because it's much faster than a knife, and it's plastic so it won't ruin my countertops.<br />
-Carry the strips of dough over to your simmering pot, and start ripping off little squares, and dropping them into the broth. You're going for about 1 inch squares here, but again, this isn't calculus, eyeball it, the irregularity makes it homey and old-fashioned, just like we love!<br />
-As the dumplins begin to bunch up on top, you'll need to stir them as you add more, just do this gently.<br />
-Occasionally, you're going to add a few sprinkles of paprika. I usually do a tiny bit of paprika at the end of each batch of dumplins. So, before you go back to roll out another batch, add a tiny bit of paprika. Don't go overboard here, though, this is really just a background flavor, not an in-your-face flavor.<br />
-Go back, and roll out another batch of dough, adding them to the broth, and going back for more. Do this until you're out of dough, or until you're achieved the thickness you want in your broth.<br />
-Keep in mind that your broth is going to thicken as it stands, too, so don't worry too much if it's still watery, and not gravy-like, right away. The first several times I made these, my broth didn't thicken the first day, but it was PERFECT on days 2, and 3. That might be the BEST part of chicken 'n dumplins, they just get BETTER the longer they sit in your fridge.<br />
-Stir the dumplins as needed, as you go, just be gentle about it.<br />
-Once you've added all of your dough, stir one last time, and cover the pot, simmering on LOW (2-3) for about 10 minutes.<br />
-Voila!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-13993198567586675782010-08-04T10:44:00.000-06:002010-08-04T10:44:57.971-06:00Exciting features, and a new facebook home!So, let me paint you a little picture. Yesterday, I come home from class about 10:30 pm. I'm tired, and hungry, and pop my little booty (okay maybe not-so-little, but just go with me, here, would ya?) on the couch, and relax with The Husband. Before going to bed, I open the laptop to check my e-mail, and I'm greeted by a bunch of really great, new comments on the blog, along with this great tidbit of information: The S'more's Cupcakes entry from this here little blog was featured on Betty Crocker's facebook page! Incredible, isn't it? I was, and am, SO excited about it! I even called my Mom, at 11:00 pm, which is 1:00 am her time!<br />
<br />
Since, we've got some great new faces around here, I thought it would be a good time to add another home-base for this here little blog, to give you guys a place to share your ideas, recipe requests, and photos of the food YOU make. So, we have a new home on facebook, and you can join by clicking "like" in the box on the right of the blog. Now, I've been having some facebook technical difficulties this morning, so if you have already clicked like earlier this morning (like before 10:45 am MST, which is 12:45 pm Eastern Time), please click it again, now that the correct page info is working!<br />
<br />
Thanks again for all the great comments, follows, and page views! This is very exciting for me, and I can't wait to see all of your insights on the facebook page! Later today, I will post the requested recipe for my Chicken 'n Dumplins, along with a nice little note!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-16850014632320066552010-08-02T15:22:00.002-06:002010-08-02T15:24:03.001-06:00Green Beans 'n Bacon...A Southern Staple.<div><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06463.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06463.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Green beans 'n bacon is a southern girl staple. There's nary a Southern cook who doesn't have a recipe for some of these bad boys in her arsenal. And for good reasons. Bacon just does magical things for vegetables. And meats. And pastas. And just about anything else. Seriously, bacon (and bacon grease) is like a magic wand. And then combine bacon with butter (THE most essential ingredient in my kitchen!), and you know good things are going to happen.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>We should probably introduce another important concept in Southern recipes, here, too. The 'n. The 'n is prominently featured in the BEST Southern Recipes. Green beans 'n bacon, chicken 'n dumplins, biscuits 'n gravy...If you see an 'n in a recipe, you can pretty much guarantee it's going to be delicious. Take my word for it. It's important to note that this cannot, I repeat, CANNOT, be replaced with the more formal (and grammatically correct) "and." It just can't be done. Because then it's formal, and not homey, and old-fashioned, and then it's not really Southern at all, is it?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Okay, now that we've got all the 'n's and nary's out of the way, it's time to move onto the actual food. These beans are delicious, but like a lot of really great foods, they are a little time consuming. But, don't be disheartened, it's not a lot of actual <i>work </i>just a lot of cooking. During which time you are free to paint your nails, read a magazine, twiddle your thumbs, play Candyland for the thousandth time (or is that just me?), take a nap, build a house, or do just about anything else that floats your boat. And besides, don't forget that in order to make these beans, you've already engaged in the most relaxing, quintessentially Southern Summer activity. Snapping beans. Seriously, there is nothing that makes me as nostalgic, relaxed, and peaceful as sitting on the porch, snapping beans. It's fantastic. Just you wait. Also, as is the case with many of my original recipes, there aren't a lot of real measurements here, it's just how I roll.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Freakin' Fantastic! The perfect side-dish, bacon, and butter, what's not to love?<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>Long cooking time, not <i>necessarily</i> figure friendly, but really, who's counting calories?<br />
<b>Variations:</b>Many times, these beans are also made with potatoes in them, as well. Usually small waxy potato I happened to grow up calling a "new potato," but many people simply call red potatoes. They do turn out delicious, and the only alteration you make in that case is to be sure you have enough broth to cover the potatoes, and you cook them until they are fork tender.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Green Beans 'n Bacon</span></b></center><br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
Fresh Green Beans<br />
2 sticks of butter<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste<br />
Chicken Stock<br />
Bacon</i><br />
<br />
-First, you're going to snap your beans. Basically, you're just going to snap off the ends of the beans, throw out the ends, and break the large middle piece in half. Put these halves in a colander. Don't look at this as a chore. Really enjoy the task. Go out on your porch, sit in a rocking chair, bring a glass of iced tea, or lemonade, and really take in your surroundings (Assuming your kids don't jolt you back to reality by spraying you with the hose...and if they do, just go with it and spray them back, you're bigger than they are afterall, and those beans need washed anyway!). Wash the beans thoroughly after snapping.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06460.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06460.jpg" /></a><br />
-I usually do this task earlier in the day, so I'm not stressed about it, and can truly enjoy the experience. But you can also do this while your bacon is frying, if you're into being efficient. Which I'm clearly not. At least not in the kitchen.<br />
-Fry up your bacon in a deep frying pan. The amount of bacon depends on the amount of green beans. I usually use about 1 lb. of bacon, but you can't go wrong with more. Bacon just makes everything better. I wouldn't use less, but that's just me. I happen to <i>like </i>the jiggle in my middle, or at least I don't hate it enough to avoid bacon fat.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06459.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06459.jpg" /></a><br />
-Once your bacon has been fried up, add your washed green beans to the pan. Do NOT (repeat after me, here, DO NOT!) drain your bacon fat. This is what's going to really elevate those beans to the next level. It's what puts the 'n in the green beans 'n bacon. You're going to kind of toss those beans around in the bacon and bacon fat for about 5 minutes, on medium heat. They are going to turn this gorgeous bright green color, usually only seen in Amazon rainforests. It's pretty amazing.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06465.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06465.jpg" /></a><br />
-Next you're going to add some salt and pepper, and 1 stick of butter. Yes. A whole stick. Just roll with me, here. Just kind of toss it around until the butter has melted.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06462.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06462.jpg" /></a><br />
-Add your chicken stock. You can use chicken broth, chicken stock, or even chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water. Again the amount is going to depend on how many beans you've cooked. The general rule of thumb that I go with, is enough broth to <i>just </i>cover the beans, but I've made do with less, and been just fine too. <br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06466.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06466.jpg" /></a><br />
-Once the chicken stock is in, cover your beans, and cook on LOW (think 2-3) for about 30 minutes.<br />
-After 30 minutes, add another stick of butter. I'll relent, and if you only want to add 1/2 stick, I won't tell.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06467.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06467.jpg" /></a><br />
-Re-cover, and cook for another 20 minutes or so.<br />
-After your beans have cooked, covered for about 50 minutes (30+20=50, right?), you're going to uncover them, and increase the heat to medium (5-6), and continue to cook them UNcovered, for another 20 minutes or so. The idea here is to really reduce that chicken stock to <i>at least half </i>(maybe even less than half, depending on how much of a hurry you're in!).<br />
-At this point, taste your beans. If they need more salt/pepper, add it now, and cook again for about 5 minutes.<br />
-I should note that I use a fair amount of pepper in these. Not just a pinch here, or there, so don't be afraid to really get that in there. Also, it's important to know that these aren't going to be "crispy," or "snappy" beans when they are done, they have a softer texture, so I wouldn't worry too very much about overcooking them. I've not burnt them yet!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06468.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06468.jpg" /></a><br />
-Serve them with a slotted spoon if you don't want them to have juices running all over the pate. But, I happen to love that, and most of the time, I eat them right from the pan!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Plain Text Recipe:</b></div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Green Beans 'n Bacon</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b><div style="display: inline !important; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i>Ingredients:</i></div></div></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b><div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i> Fresh Green Beans<br />
2 sticks of butter<br />
Salt/Pepper to taste<br />
Chicken Stock<br />
Bacon</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div></b><br />
-First, you're going to snap your beans. Basically, you're just going to snap off the ends of the beans, throw out the ends, and break the large middle piece in half. Put these halves in a colander. Don't look at this as a chore. Really enjoy the task. Go out on your porch, sit in a rocking chair, bring a glass of iced tea, or lemonade, and really take in your surroundings (Assuming your kids don't jolt you back to reality by spraying you with the hose...and if they do, just go with it and spray them back, you're bigger than they are afterall, and those beans need washed anyway!). Wash the beans thoroughly after snapping.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-I usually do this task earlier in the day, so I'm not stressed about it, and can truly enjoy the experience. But you can also do this while your bacon is frying, if you're into being efficient. Which I'm clearly not. At least not in the kitchen.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-Fry up your bacon in a deep frying pan. The amount of bacon depends on the amount of green beans. I usually use about 1 lb. of bacon, but you can't go wrong with more. Bacon just makes everything better. I wouldn't use less, but that's just me. I happen to <i>like </i>the jiggle in my middle, or at least I don't hate it enough to avoid bacon fat.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-Once your bacon has been fried up, add your washed green beans to the pan. Do NOT (repeat after me, here, DO NOT!) drain your bacon fat. This is what's going to really elevate those beans to the next level. It's what puts the 'n in the green beans 'n bacon. You're going kind of toss those beans around in the bacon and bacon fat for about 10 minutes, on medium heat. They are going to turn this gorgeous bright green color, usually only seen in Amazon rainforests. It's pretty amazing.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-Next you're going to add some salt and pepper, and 1 stick of butter. Yes. A whole stick. Just roll with me, here. Just kind of toss it around until the butter has melted.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-Add your chicken stock. You can use chicken broth, chicken stock, or even chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water. Again the amount is going to depend on how many beans you've cooked. The general rule of thumb that I go with, is enough broth to <i>just </i>cover the beans, but I've made do with less, and been just fine too. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-Once the chicken stock is in, cover your beans, and cook on LOW (think 2-3/10) for about 30 minutes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-After 30 minutes, add another stick of butter. I'll relent, and if you only want to add 1/2 stick, I won't tell.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-Re-cover, and cook for another 20 minutes or so.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-After your beans have cooked, covered for about 50 minutes (30+20=50, right?), you're going to uncover them, and increase the heat to medium (5-6/10), and continue to cook them UNcovered, for another 20 minutes or so. The idea here is to really reduce that chicken stock to <i>at least half </i>(maybe even less than half, depending on how much of a hurry you're in!). </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-At this point, taste your beans. If they need more salt/pepper, add it now, and cook again for about 5 minutes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> -I should note that I use a fair amount of pepper in these. Not just a pinch here, or there, so don't be afraid to really get that in there. Also, it's important to know that these aren't going to be "crispy," or "snappy" beans when they are done, they have a softer texture, so I wouldn't worry too very much about overcooking them. I've not burnt them yet!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-26006113473741828852010-07-31T14:12:00.000-06:002010-07-31T14:12:26.558-06:00Pioneer Woman Pot RoastThe Pioneer Woman has NEVER let me down. Seriously, I have never made a Pioneer Woman recipe and <i>not</i> been impressed. And this pot roast is no exception. It's delicious, moist, fresh, and amazing. I think the herbs really take it up a notch. Even if you don't normally like pot roast, you MUST try this pot roast. Tonight. And if you've never heard of The Pioneer Woman, <strike>crawl out from under your rock</strike> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.thepioneerwoman.com">CLICK HERE</a>, and be amazed! The photography, the cooking, the witty banter, it's all fantastic!<br />
<br />
This roast does take a little bit more prep than the typical pot roast that you just throw in a pan, but the work you do before putting it in the oven is really what elevates this roast to another level. Now, although it pains me to disagree with the pot roast aficionado herself (Pioneer Woman, of course!), I have found <i>one</i> serious flaw in her pot roast doctrine. She declares that she does not include potatoes in her pot roast, because she finds them to be mealy, and dumb. However, the potatoes, after soaking up all of the delicious juices from the meat, and other veggies are, in fact, <i>my favorite</i> part of a pot roast. So, of course, I included them in my rendition. Also, I happen to like my pot roast to be more juice than gravy, so I add a lot more beef broth than she does. Now, PW notes that you can use wine in the pot roast as well, and I think some red wine would be DIVINE here. However, I happen to live in a state which restricts the sale of wine (and any other alcoholic beverage <i>except</i> beer) to the state liquor store. And since I'm sure that taking my 4 year old son, and 10 month old daughter into the liquor store would win me Mother-of-the-Year, I stick with plain old beef broth here, and it's STILL delicious!<br />
<br />
Also, a quick little tip about a key kitchen tool for this pot roast, and dozens of other recipes. I, like many other home-cooks, am DYING for a Le Creuset French oven like this one:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=lecreuset1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/lecreuset1.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Unfortunately, my pocket book (and my husband!) is <i>not</i> dying to drop $270 on one pot. However, my husband is a pretty amazing man. You don't think he'd leave me wavering, without another tool to conquer the same job, do you? Of course he wouldn't! So, for Christmas last year, I found this beauty under the tree. She comes from my other culinary hero, Paula Deen.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06108.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06108.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
This bad boy can go from the stovetop, to the oven, and back again! It's great for browning veggies (as you'll see in a moment), and braising meat, and making soup, and just about all the things that the amazing Le Creuset brags about doing. All for a grand total of...<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">$29</span></b>! That's right, almost 1/10th the cost! So, if you're in need of oven safe cookware, and have not yet hit the lottery, put on your best dress, and head on down to Wal-Mart, and pick up one of these babies. You will NOT be disappointed! <br />
<br />
Now, onto the FOOD!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b>Delicious, beautiful, literally falls apart it's so tender, smells heavenly!<br />
<b>Hellfires:</b>A little bit more work than the average pot roast, you have to smell it for 3 hours before eating!</blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Pioneer Woman Pot Roast</span></b></center><br />
-Place a couple of tablespoons of oil in the bottom of your pan, and heat it up!<br />
-Add in 2-3 small onions, halved, and brown on two sides. This can happen fast, be careful not to burn them!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06109.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06109.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
-While your onions are browning, take a few carrots, and wash them, peel them, and cut them on the bias. Because it looks much more rustic, and homemade that way. <br />
-When the onions are done, take them out of the pan, and add in the carrots. You're going to sear these as well, getting a nice, rustic browning on them. For some reason I did not take a picture of this, but it looks BEAUTIFUL when done!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06110.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06110.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
-When the carrots are browning, salt and pepper your chuck roast. You want to be VERY generous with your salt and pepper here. Like my inspiration, the PW, I prefer Kosher Salt here, because it seems to "stick" well to the meat. Of course, all I had this day was sea salt, which worked just fine, too:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06112.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06112.jpg" /></a><br />
-Remove the carrots, and place in a bowl with the onions.<br />
-Sear your chuck roast on all sides. You want your pan HOT for this. You're going to want to get a nice, deep, brown sear on it. The more brown bits on the bottom of the pan, the better! It takes about 2-3 minutes per side to achieve this. PW says 1 minute, but she must be cooking with gas, because even with my amazing Shelby, it takes at LEAST twice this. Be patient, it's worth the wait.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06113.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06113.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
-Be sure to grab some tongs, and hold it up to sear the short sides of your meat, too.<br />
-The seared meat:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06117.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06117.jpg" /></a><br />
-Now, add about 1-2 cups of your beef broth (or wine, if you're into that kind of thing...which I would be if I could get it in my grocery store!), and whisk away, loosening up all of those delicious brown bits on the bottom of your pan.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06118.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06118.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
-Now, we're going to add our garlic. Have I mentioned our love of garlic in this house? It's almost unhealthy. Except that garlic is VERY healthy! So, although PW's recipe doesn't call for garlic, I add a healthy dose of it. At least 4 cloves. Incidentally, is my grocery store the only one who has started selling purple garlic recently?! Anyone know what the deal is here?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06119.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06119.jpg" /></a><br />
-Just throw it in that handy dandy garlic press we discussed a few posts back, and you're good to go! No peeling necessary.<br />
-Now, if you're feeling rebellious, like me, slice yourself some potatoes. However many you like. Nevermind PW's hatred for roasted potatoes, trust me, they are soft, and flavored and DELICIOUS. Totally worth it!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06120.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06120.jpg" /></a><br />
-Add your chuck roast back into the pan, then throw in the potatoes, carrots, and onions.<br />
-Add another box of beef stock. I prefer stock to broth. It's a richer flavor.<br />
-Now, for the best part! Add your herbs! I have made this with both fresh, and dried, herbs, and trust me, BOTH are delicious! I do about a palmful of rosemary, and a hair less thyme.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06121.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06121.jpg" /></a><br />
-Cover that baby up, and pop it in your oven for at least 3 hours at 275 degrees. Note, when I made this, my roast was much larger than 3 lbs, and I was in a hurry, so I did it at 350* for 3 hours, and it was just as tender, and delicious. In Microbiology they call these "equivalent treatments," meaning it's okay to cook it for less time at a higher temperature!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06122.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06122.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
-The hardest part of this recipe is leaving that beauty in the oven for 3 hours while you smell it's heavenly scent all day. But it is WELL worth the wait!<br />
-After 3 hours, the broth has cooked down <i>just enough</i> for the meat to poke its little head through at the top. See it there?<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06123.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06123.jpg" /></a><br />
-Stick your fork in there, pull yourself off a big hunk (no knives necessary here), and put it on your plate. Ladle on some vegetables and broth, and be ready to be in comfort food heaven!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06125.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06125.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<center><b>Plain Text Recipe</b></center><br />
<br />
<center><b>Pioneer Woman Pot Roast</b></center><br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:<br />
3-3.5 lb Chuck Roast<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
Carrots (however many you like, 3-5)<br />
2-3 small onions, peeled, and halved<br />
2 boxes beef stock (I use the small Swanson boxes because that's what Wally World carries)</i><br />
<i>2-4 garlic cloves<br />
Rosemary<br />
Thyme<br />
Olive Oil</i><br />
<br />
<br />
-Place a couple of tablespoons of oil in the bottom of your pan, and heat it up!<br />
-Add in 2-3 small onions, halved, and brown on two sides. This can happen fast, be careful not to burn them!<br />
-While your onions are browning, take a few carrots, and wash them, peel them, and cut them on the bias. Because it looks much more rustic, and homemade that way. <br />
-When the onions are done, take them out of the pan, and add in the carrots. You're going to sear these as well, getting a nice, rustic browning on them. For some reason I did not take a picture of this, but it looks BEAUTIFUL when done!<br />
-When the carrots are browning, salt and pepper your chuck roast. You want to be VERY generous with your salt and pepper here. Like my inspiration, the PW, I prefer Kosher Salt here, because it seems to "stick" well to the meat. Of course, all I had this day was sea salt, which worked just fine, too.<br />
-Remove the carrots, and place in a bowl with the onions.<br />
-Sear your chuck roast on all sides. You want your pan HOT for this. You're going to want to get a nice, deep, brown sear on it. The more brown bits on the bottom of the pan, the better! It takes about 2-3 minutes per side to achieve this. PW says 1 minute, but she must be cooking with gas, because even with my amazing Shelby, it takes at LEAST twice this. Be patient, it's worth the wait.<br />
-Be sure to grab some tongs, and hold it up to sear the short sides of your meat, too.<br />
-Now, add about 1-2 cups of your beef broth (or wine, if you're into that kind of thing...which I would be if I could get it in my grocery store!), and whisk away, loosening up all of those delicious brown bits on the bottom of your pan.<br />
-Now, we're going to add our garlic. Have I mentioned our love of garlic in this house? It's almost unhealthy. Except that garlic is VERY healthy! So, although PW's recipe doesn't call for garlic, I add a healthy dose of it. At least 4 cloves. Incidentally, is my grocery store the only one who has started selling purple garlic recently?! Anyone know what the deal is here?<br />
-Just throw it in that handy dandy garlic press we discussed a few posts back, and you're good to go! No peeling necessary.<br />
-Now, if you're feeling rebellious, like me, slice yourself some potatoes. However many you like. Nevermind PW's hatred for roasted potatoes, trust me, they are soft, and flavored and DELICIOUS. Totally worth it!<br />
-Add your chuck roast back into the pan, then throw in the potatoes, carrots, and onions.<br />
-Add another box of beef stock. I prefer stock to broth. It's a richer flavor.<br />
-Now, for the best part! Add your herbs! I have made this with both fresh, and dried, herbs, and trust me, BOTH are delicious! I do about a palmful of rosemary, and a hair less thyme.<br />
-Cover that baby up, and pop it in your oven for at least 3 hours at 275 degrees. Note, when I made this, my roast was much larger than 3 lbs, and I was in a hurry, so I did it at 350* for 3 hours, and it was just as tender, and delicious. In Microbiology they call these "equivalent treatments," meaning it's okay to cook it for less time at a higher temperature!<br />
-The hardest part of this recipe is leaving that beauty in the oven for 3 hours while you smell it's heavenly scent all day. But it is WELL worth the wait!<br />
<br />
Original recipe can be found at: <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/2008_the_year_of_the_pot_roast/">http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/2008_the_year_of_the_pot_roast/</a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-56855402749023358972010-07-28T13:14:00.001-06:002010-07-31T14:13:02.065-06:00Preview Post (I'm such a tease!)Okay, it's been 10 days since my last post...WAY too long! Unfortunately, I am on my way to class again right now, so I'm just going to post a couple of preview pictures of two recipes I am going to post in the next day or so! I am such a tease, but I promise it will be well worth the wait!<br />
<br />
1) Pioneer Woman Pot Roast (the BEST roast you've ever had!)<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06123.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06123.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
2) Tiramisu Cake (Does it get any better than the best dessert you've ever had, in cake form?)<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC05714.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC05714.jpg" /></a>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412854731753281438.post-7952136033463570692010-07-18T15:19:00.001-06:002010-07-18T15:21:17.860-06:00S'mores cupcakes, Four Ways!<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06175.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06175.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Is there anything more quintessentially American than sitting around a fire pit with some good friends, and making some delicious s'mores? Who would have thought that three things as simple as graham crackers, marshmallows, and Hershey bars, could combine to make something so amazing as a s'more?<br />
<br />
And combining a s'more with a cupcake? Genius. Really. Right up there with Einstein, and his theory of relativity. Now, there are several schools of thought on how to best turn a s'more into a cupcake. Chocolate cake, with marshmallow frosting, and crumbled graham crackers, graham cracker cake with chocolate frosting, and marshmallow filling, graham cracker cake with marshmallow frosting, and chocolate filling...The list goes on, and I decided to try them all!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06183.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06183.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Now, originally, I was planning on posting all of the recipes for the cupcakes here, in detail, but then I served the cupcakes to The Family, at Sunday dinner, and one version was such a far and away winner that it seemed almost silly (and LONG) to share the others. Want to know the funniest thing about it? The winner was the cupcake that I <i>didn't</i> make from scratch! The chocolate cupcake with marshmallow frosting, and crumbled graham crackers. At the end of the post, I'll provide a link to the from-scratch graham cracker cupcakes, and a few general tips, but mostly, I'll cover the winning version. I tried this version two ways, one with graham cracker crusts pressed into the bottom of each cupcake liner, and one without. The one <i>with</i> the graham cracker crust was definitely better!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Hallelujahs:</b> Amazing, Easy (a boxed mix, could it get any easier than that?), ADORABLE! <br />
<b>Hellfires:</b> Very sweet. The frosting is more sugar, and less marshmallow that I had expected, but regardless, it is DELICIOUS. However, you can definitely only eat one at a time. Unfortunately, it also requires a graham cracker crust. See Cheesecake post for my thoughts on those.</blockquote><br />
When something involves these ingredients, how can it NOT be good?<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06143.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06143.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
-Note: Okay, yes, I cheated, and used a boxed mix. But, when something tastes this good, who cares?! Also, give me a break, I was making 4 different kinds of cupcakes. I needed a little helping hand, and Betty is my right hand woman. She's always there when I need her. Betty Crocker, that is.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">S'More Cupcakes</span></b></div><br />
<b>Graham Cracker Crust</b><br />
<i>1 package of graham crackers, crushed (3 packages per box, only use one package)<br />
1 stick of butter, melted<br />
1/2 cup of sugar<br />
</i><br />
-Combine the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06145.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06145.jpg" /></a><br />
-Press about 1 tbs of the mixture into each cupcake liner<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06150.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06150.jpg" /></a><br />
-Place in oven at 350* for about 5 minutes, to pre-bake the crusts, and prevent them from getting soggy.<br />
-And if you hate making graham cracker crusts as much as I do, be smart about this. Put your two favorite men to work, and make them do it for you! (Aren't I a lucky woman?)<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06144.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06144.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Cupcakes</b><br />
<i>1 box of Chocolate Cake Mix, prepared as directed</i><br />
-I used a Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge Mix, which called for some oil, water, and 3 eggs.<br />
-Mix up your cupcake batter, and pour into pre-baked liners.<br />
-This is where we'll highlight another must-have tool we've talked about before. Remember way back in the peanut butter cookie post? We introduced the pampered chef scoop? Well, there are two sizes of that scoop. The larger size is PERFECT for cupcakes. 1 full scoop perfectly fills the cupcake tins 2/3 full. Seriously, I LOVE these things!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06149.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06149.jpg" /></a> <br />
-Once your cupcake liners are full, place in the oven, and bake, following the directions on your cake mix. <br />
-Tip: I <i>always</i> set the timer for my cupcakes <i>at least</i> 5 minutes earlier than the box tells me to. There's nothing more frustrating than dry, burnt cupcakes.<br />
-Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.<br />
<br />
<b>Marshmallow Creme Frosting</b><br />
<i>2 sticks of butter<br />
2 cups of powdered sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
14 oz of marshmallow cream</i><br />
-Mix all ingredients in your stand mixer<br />
-Place into Ziploc bag, cut off the tip, and pipe onto cupcakes. Or, if that's not your style, grab a knife, and ice them the old fashioned way.<br />
<br />
<b>Decoration</b><br />
-Once your cupcakes are frosted, dust with crushed graham crackers, and 1 rectangle of your Hershey Bars<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06176.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06176.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Recipe for Marshmallow Creme frosting can be found here: http://sewdarncute.typepad.com/sew_darn_cute/2007/04/smores_cupcakes.html<br />
<br />
Okay, if you decide you MUST try the other variations with the graham cracker cupcakes, instead of chocolate cupcakes, here are a few tips. <br />
1) I found the recipe for the graham cracker cupcakes from here: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1255031<br />
2) A note about from-scratch cake batters in general. They are MUCH thicker than boxed mix recipes. Don't be alarmed, it makes for a much denser, more delicious, cake. See how it sticks to the mixer paddle, here? MUCH thicker, and that's okay!<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06162.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06162.jpg" /></a><br />
3) For variations, I tried these 2 ways. For the first 12, I inserted a square of a Hershey's bar into the center of each before baking:<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06169.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06169.jpg" /></a><br />
They were iced with the Marshmallow creme frosting listed in the winning recipe, and then drizzled with chocolate ganache for artistic effect (you'll see why I'm a pre-med major, and not an art major).<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view&current=DSC06184.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06184.jpg" /></a><br />
-For the second option, I baked them with nothing in the center, and then when they were cooled, I cut out a section in the middle of each cupcake, and filled with plain, marshmallow creme (NOT the frosting). Then, I frosted them with chocolate ganache.<br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06177.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06177.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
<a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/?action=view¤t=DSC06185.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/DollBabyKG/Kitchen%20Revival/DSC06185.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
-And one more quick note about the ganache. Normally, I make my ganaches with semi-sweet chocolate because I love that deep, slightly bitter flavor to them. However, in this case, it just did not work with this recipe. I think next time I make this recipe, in order to stay true to the inspiration (the s'more) I will use Hershey's milk chocolate in order to make the ganache.<br />
<br />
Good Luck with your s'more cupcakes! I hope they turn out beautifully!<br />
<br />
<b>Plain Text Recipe</b><br />
<br />
<b>S'More Cupcakes</b><br />
<br />
<b>Graham Cracker Crust</b><br />
<i>1 package of graham crackers, crushed (3 packages per box, only use one package)<br />
1 stick of butter, melted<br />
1/2 cup of sugar<br />
</i><br />
<br />
-Combine the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter.<br />
-Press about 1 tbs of the mixture into each cupcake liner<br />
-Place in oven at 350* for about 5 minutes, to pre-bake the crusts, and prevent them from getting soggy.<br />
<br />
<b>Cupcakes</b><br />
<i>1 box of Chocolate Cake Mix, prepared as directed</i><br />
<br />
-I used a Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge Mix, which called for some oil, water, and 3 eggs.<br />
-Mix up your cupcake batter, and pour into pre-baked liners.<br />
-Once your cupcake liners are full, place in the oven, and bake, following the directions on your cake mix. <br />
-Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.<br />
<br />
<b>Marshmallow Creme Frosting</b><br />
<i>2 sticks of butter<br />
2 cups of powdered sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
14 oz of marshmallow cream</i><br />
<br />
-Mix all ingredients in your stand mixer<br />
-Place into Ziploc bag, cut off the tip, and pipe onto cupcakes. Or, if that's not your style, grab a knife, and ice them the old fashioned way.<br />
<br />
<b>Decoration</b><br />
-Once your cupcakes are frosted, dust with crushed graham crackers, and 1 rectangle of your Hershey BarsKelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13982533500486854087noreply@blogger.com11