Packing Is Not Fun

This is not fun. But the upside will be worth it. Had to check in and let everyone know things are going well, not great, but pretty good. There is the usual stuff that annoys me no end but seems to straighten out on its own.

Couldn't help myself, had to check in...hehehe...

I think the I'll turn the 'net off tomorrow or Friday and am going to try an aircard so I can post from whereever I am. I truly enjoy my blogs and miss not posting about my adventures.

Will be back!! Promise! :-)

Let The Moving Begin

Starting today, the move begins in earnest.

My new house, soon to be a home, has a neato kitchen AND a dish washer. I'll have plenty to report back as quickly as I can get into homemaker mode.

My allergies stood down for a bit and I almost got to thinking that maybe I could stay put but then the pollen/mold/whatever hit again and I shudder to think that this could go on indefinitely.

So, everyone, please bookmark my site and check back often. I'll be back as soon as I get the 'net going at the house. I appreciate my readers.

Take care, everyone. :-)

Sorry, Allergies Are Keeping Me Down

My allergies are getting to the point that we are having to move to a drier part of the state. Earlier this week, we took a trip and my allergies cleared right up. When we came back to this part of the state, allergies hit me like a ton of bricks.

I've taken every sort of meds and either they put me out like a light, even the non-drowsy kind, or when the meds wear off, I feel hung-over and ill.

Thinking it's the pollen and mold and since I'm from the driest part of the southwestern US, just can't deal with the stuff.

So, for the next week or so, we're in moving mode and I'll check in as I can. I don't know what the internet is like over there. But I'll be back with my adventures in the kitchen. Please bookmark my blog(s) and check back every so often. I feel badly about bailing but this is something that has to be done.

Enjoy cooking! :-)

My Crock Pot Adventure

So, I buy a big thing of stew meat. A nice big onion. Cute little carrots. Big thingy of celery. 10 lb. sack o' taters. (Yep, 10 lbs., 5 lbs was almost twice as expensive. Maybe someone can 'splain that to me someday)

I get them home and put them away. Hubby is flat dying for a stew on Sunday. Sounds yummy to me!

Then I find out, after checking my pantry, that yours truly forgot to buy the stew mix seasoning. No matter, at this point, I can pretty much make a mix for almost anything. I got my handy dandy cookbook down but this is the one thing that, so far, I can't quite grasp what the recipe means. (Happens a lot to me, hence, this blog)

I pop online to check my favorest recipe site and found a fairly easy recipe. But it's still not right. Then I did something totally unheard of for me...I winged it. Combined my cookbook recipe with the online one and came up with something that looked pretty good.

Got down to biz of cutting up the onion and celery. Had the stew meat in my old skillet (the cast iron is too honored for such a menial task) browning up nicely. Then layered the carrots, onion, celery and meat all the way up to the top. Turned the crockpot on and went to the barn to have some horse-face time.

All this time, something is niggling at me. Got home and laid down (my allergy meds kicked into high gear and turned me off) for a while. Pretty soon, my eyes popped open and I told my hubby that I had forgotten the potatoes!!

I ask you, what is a stew without potatoes?? That's like Lewis without Martin, Hall without Oates, Simon without Garfunkel...okay, so that was a bad one but you know what I mean.

Put a pot of cut up pot.s on the stove and got busy making my new recipe for bread (read other posts). Forgot all about the friggin' pot.s. Pretty soon, I looked over and saw froth and all sorts of stuff on the underside of the glass potlid. Great. Turned off the heat and looked inside. Pot.s were really, really soft....

I made mashed potatoes.

Only trouble was...I added a smidge too much milk and they were toooooo soft and swirly. Added a bit of cornstarch and then to help it along a bit more, added some flour. Now it's about the right consistency. Of course, there was the real butter and salt/pepper too.

What can I say, life handed me potatoes and I made...oh, never mind.

Pic of My Loaf of Bread

Sorry, something went wrong. I can't get it to load...please keep checking back while I work on this. It's a pretty good pic, I promise!

Welp, so far, no go...I'll work on it and get it posted somehow. I posted the pic of my skillet but can't remember exactly what I did. Oh, yay...

My Cornbread Experiment

The verdict is in! My hubby loves my cornbread! Woo-hoo!!

I've been buying the freakin' mixes at the store and now that I'm on a kick to save money, what if I made my own cornbread from scratch?? Hmmm??

So, I found a nice little recipe online that looked easy and set to work. I've worked really hard to have a well-stocked pantry and so had all the fixin's right handy. Pulled out the mixing bowls and cracked a few eggs (had to calculate the recipe down from 12 servings to 6), mixed up butter and milk and corn meal and I was in business.

My oven works a charm and when whatever recipe says to go for 27 minutes, that means go for about 23 or so. I've worked it out over the last few years. It's a humdinger oven.

Anyhoo, I mixed it up, poured it on top of some chili with beans, with shredded cheese in between, baked it up, pulled it out of the oven, let cool for a bit and plopped some on a plate for hubs. Also had some cut corn with green beans...hubs likes that too...hehe...

He said the cornbread was way superior to the box stuff. I never thought in all my born days that there could be that big a difference. So, I plopped some on a plate for myself and dug in. Yummy, is all I can say! So light and fluffy! Not coarse at all. Never thought there would be such a difference but it's like between night and day.

It didn't take hardly any time to drag out the ingredients and mix it up as to open the box and mix that up. Much better taste and texture.

I recommend making you cornbread from scratch. It'll be a winner!! Yay!!! :-)

My Baked Bread Met My Dogs

Yep, I have a gnawed on lump of hardened bread, thanks to my mini-doxies.

Last night, after I finished up yet another slice of my good bread, I wrapped it up in foil (didn't have anything else at hand) and unthinkingly, set it on the table. Then I went to bed sometime after that.

This morning I arose, just hankering for a slice of my bread with some real butter. I walked out into the living room, which was still dark. Turned the TV on and booted up the 'puter....

Then, I saw them...little tiny flakes of foil, all mooshed up. What could THAT be from, think I?? Then it hit me, that for-certain feeling, that my bread was somewhere close and probably on the floor. I looked around and sure enough, there was my precious lump of gnawed on goodness...that was hard as a rock. Dried out, it was.

Noticeably gone were my doggies, who are usually right under my feet. I could see them in the bedroom, looking out from beneath the comforter. Two sets of shiny eyes staring back at me. Oh, yeah, they KNEW they had done bad!!

Lovingly, I picked up the brick of bread, yep, it was that hard, and put it on the counter. At least I got a picture of it before it was destroyed. I was so proud of myself yesterday and still feel proud now but a little bitty dagger is in my heart.

Oh well...that recipe was way too hard for me and I found an easier one for newbies. It's an Amish one and I'll try it the next time... Nothing is gonna stop me now!!

Baked My First Loaf of Bread

Oh, yes I did!! I'm so proud of myself!

Usually I look online for a lot of my recipes but since I didn't have my 'puter booted up, I turned to my trusty cookbook.

I got all the ingredients together and mixed it all up, according to the recipe. But when it came to the yeast, I must have done something wrong. I put the yeast in a bowl and poured in the very warm water. Must not have had the water warm enough, not sure. But I did get it mixed and had a nice slurry going on.

So then everything went together slowly but surely and pretty soon, I had a nice mound of dough to pummel and knead! I set it off to the side in a bowl and covered the bowl with a towel. Waited about an hour. When I looked at it, it didn't look much bigger than when I put it in the bowl. So I punched and mashed it a few times anyway for good measure. Back in the bowl with the towel over the top.

After about 45 minutes, I took a lookie-loo. Not much bigger. Now, why, think I, is nothing happening?? Then it dawned on me that maybe that corner of the kitchen wasn't warm enough. So I got the floor heater out and propped it up on the counter, facing the bread-dough bowl. After about 30 minutes or so, I looked again. This time, it did look a bit larger.

So, I thought it's had enough time to do it's thing so I greased the loaf dish-thingy and put the dough in. Let it sit a bit longer. This time, some siziness was happening. It did get bigger this time. It got popped in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then the heat was lowered to 350 for another 30. I almost forgot to say that right before I popped it in the oven, I brushed the top of the dough with milk...hoping to make a nice brown top.

Then I pulled that puppy out of the oven a little bit early. The smell was absolutely delish but it started to smell a little burned. I rescued my little bready and set it out to cool. After a while, I could wait no longer and cut off a piece anyway. The crust was a little tough but I really liked it. Took some good ol' American chewing!! Very good though.

After it cooled, it cut a lot easier and was so yummy with real butter. Yep, the real deal, real butter. So I wrapped up the rest of the loaf and will save it.

I have pictures but need a time to sit down to upload them. I'm feeling a bit lazy today (the allergy med will do that to me) but I will get them posted.

Just so freakin' proud of myself!! :-)

Allergies...

I will be back with more postings but my allergies are really acting up. I'm having a tough time breathing, much less making more adventures in the kitchen. So, please hang in there with me, I'll be back. Please re-read my other posts and enjoy!

Update On The Cast-Iron Skillet

Love it, love it, love it!! Who knew it'd be so easy to use?? I kinda-sorta always had this idea that cast iron was a PITA (pain-in-the-ass, for future reference) but this big skillet is da bomb!

I have made spaghetti sauce and taco innards in it. To clean up is so easy. Just set it off to the side, let cool, clean with hot water and all the stuff inside falls out on its own! Wipe it down and add a smidge of veggie oil, swirl around and we're good to go on the next round. I was wondering if maybe Crisco might be better than the oil but the oil seems to be working fine.

The only thing I'm having a problem with is lifting the thing when it has meat in it that needs draining. Even with the handhold on the opposite side from the handle, it's still hot and bulky with really hot fat sloshing around. That's the down side so far. But it's really nice to have such a big skillet that I can move meat around or flip a pancake and have plenty of room to manuever.

So, all in all, I'm loving my cast iron and next need a dutch oven. I used to have one and got to where I could make things pretty easily. I mean, you can't burn food in a dutch oven and for me, that's a sweetheart deal!

Enjoy your cooking, everyone!!

Lookie What I Got!

(Please excuse the grammar up there but it seems appropriate...)

I'm attempting to post a pic, so here goes...

(M'okay...the pic is too big and I'm trying to re-size it so it shows the whole thing. Need to work on my picture posting skilz...but you get the gist, right?? I'll keep trying till I get it right!)

As an aside: This is about the 6th time I've reposted this silly pic, so if it doesn't make sense, rest assured, I'm frustrated....grrr....

No matter, I'm proud of my skillet. I've already made some yummy pancakes in it. It was great because I spilled some mix over the side, accidentally (sp? just doesn't look right) and when I washed the skillet, the mix came right off.

I read and reread the instructions that came with it so I'd have it down pat how to take care of it. I've had other cast iron things before but didn't take the great care I should have.

I wanted a big skillet or griddle to do up a mess of bacon and eggs. Also, from my adventure in making the tortillas the other day. Needed a bigger one for the bigger tortas.

Found out also, when I make bigger pancakes, I need a larger flipper. Hubby didn't think I was making the pancakes big enough so I poured a nice sized large one. It bubbled merrily and then needed to be flipped. So, I slides the flipper underneath, make a mental count in my head and do the flip. The pancake was so large and the flipper so small that the pancake broke in half! That's how I spilled some mix over the side! But I got the both pieces flipped and it turned out just fine after all.

Now, I'm going to post this and we'll see how my pic came out. If not, welp, there is always the 'edit' button... :-)

Lookie What I Found!!!

http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/substit.html

I found this because I needed to know if I could sub veggie oil for shortening. Answer: Nope, you shouldn't.

Check it out, it's the greatest!

Skillet Won't Come Clean

I made the tortillas the other day, remember?? Well, I got the skillet too hot without enough oil and now have a stained skillet. I've tried all sorts of stuff, even rubbing it with salt.

No matter...I need a new skillet anyway. A bigger one and heavier too. I'd like to get a cast iron one or a pancake griddle OR maybe even both! Now, wouldn't that be a treat??

I could make my tortillas as big as I want and do up some pancakes...yum...just thinking about that sends me into bliss!

So, I'm off tomorrow to scout out skillets. My husband is kind of suspicious that I can't 'clean' the one I have and need a new one. Wonder why he would think that?? Hmmmm??

No Pics yet...

I have tried several times and can't make the pics come out. No matter, this won't daunt me a bit. I'll keep trying. Keep checking back for further developments, okie dokie?? :-)

My Tortilla Adventure

My home stomping grounds is in the Southwest and I grew up eating the real deal mexican food. Never knew there was anything else except the flavorful, wonderful mexican food close to the southwestern border.

So, when as a teenager, my mom got a wild hair and moved us to the northern part of Texas, I never thought that the food would change that much. Oh, was I wrong. While the Texan mexican food was good, it wasn't the same. Down by the El Paso border, the food is good, even in Laredo, it's good but there is something about the southwestern part that just 'took' me.

Years later, I attempted tortillas and chips. Turned out pretty good. I had a wok, of all things, to fry them in and it went well. I like a wok in that you cook in the bottom and then can scoot things out of the way and let them drain. So, put the tortillas and a wok together and you've a winner in my book.

Fast forward two decades and my renewed interest in cooking...plus the internet. I found a recipe for plain old tortillas, without anything fancy. I've been buying them from the store for our tacos and burritos but there isn't anything that comes close to homemade.

Matter of fact, I felt a little bit like a fish out of water yesterday. Seemed to me I should 'know' innately how to fry up tortillas! Should be in my genes, how to fry them, shouldn't it?? Felt a little off kilter.

I assembled the flour, baking powder, salt and Crisco. Mixed them together, thinking something isn't right. Oh yeah....I should have mixed the first three together first and then cut in the Crisco. No matter, that doesn't stop me! Mixed it together anyway. FINALLY it start looking right. (Note to self: Next time, read the whole recipe and do it properly. Don't be a know-it-all)

Then I added the hot water a little at a time. You know how when you first add water and it doesn't look 'wet' enough and you think you need more water? That's what I thought too. But fortunately, I had the sense to let the water work its way through and started in on the kneading process.

Again, read all instructions and then maybe re-read for 'just in case'. I slapped the dough down, thinking it's dry enough, doesn't need any flour on the block. I know, you're mentally slapping me upside the head right now, aren't you?? I knead away, wondering if I'm ever going to get the dough to be elastic-y. Finally, this happens...thank God...

I took a little veggie oil and rubbed it all over and then set it back in the bowl, covered with my dish towel. (It was clean) 10 minutes later I pulled it back ut. Looked the same to me. Uh-oh?? Not sure but I'm committed.

Pulled off a little gold ball sized hunk and rolled it up. Now during this time, you would think I'd have the sense to warm up the skillet. I don't have a cast iron or really heavy one but I do have a very good quality (can't think of the name....grrrr!) one that has stood me in good stead for several years. Then it dawns on me to warm 'er up!

Get that done and go back to rolling out the dough. Then it dawns on me again that I forgot to buy a rolling pin from the last time I attempted biscuits....jeez.... It's a really good thing that the pomegranite juice people put out a nifty glass that is just perfect for rolling! Pull that out of the cupboard and away I go! Roll this way and then that and then repeat. Yeah, that's the ticket!

Get it rolled out nice and thin, albeit not in the round. Sort of ameoba shaped. Are you with me here?? But it's rolled out, what the hell do I care what shape it is??

Then it dawns on me, I don't have a big enough skillet to make the big tortillas. Have to settle for the smaller ones. No matter, not going to stop me!!

I popped that baby in the skillet, watched it for a minute, flipped it over, saw that nicely browned bubbly underside-flipped-up and my heart just sang! Scooped it up and plopped it on the plate, then covered it. Started the next one and repeated 5 times.

Hubby was watching this and truth be told, I think he was secretly amused. I sent him to the store to buy some because mine weren't big enough but I was able to feed him some real tortillas with all their good taste. He was a bit surprised at the difference.

It was almost like comfort food to me. I'm not ashamed to say that I scarfed the ones he didn't eat, they were small-ish anyway. Reminded me of the true southwest. Not the papery taste of store bought ones.

Pure bliss...*sigh*....

Pictures?? A Better Lookin' Blog??

As I've written, my blogs are a first for me. I've been reading others and mine are so plain jane! They need pictures, poor things! Something to spice things up, knowwhatImean? So, in the next few days, I'll experiment and try to make things better. Hang in there with me, my faithful readers, I know I can do it!

Makin' The Mixes...The Spice Thing

Welp, I'm trying to save money. That's one of the reasons I'm really trying to brush up what skills I have in the kitchen. It's a lot more work but, overall, it's very satisfying! Strangely so.

I went to the store the other day and bought all sorts of spices. Didja know that there is a brand that has almost every kind of spice for only 50 cents for each bottle?? Wow, I was in hog heaven!! Loaded up my cart, did I. I did have to go with the store brand on a couple of items but still lots cheaper than the name brand stuff.

Now I have oregano (ultra big bottle), chili powder, sage, parsley flakes, sweet red pepper flakes (whatever that is for, I don't know), plenty of garlic powder, the list goes on and on.

I bought boullion granules too. So, I'm in the aisle of the store looking at one bottle of cubed boullion and the other of granule. The granule one is about 40 cents more than the cubed, right? So, I'm thinking/wondering, why is this?? Don't you just take the cubes and crush them up and make granules? Then I got to thinking that that would be really messy and the cubes looked pretty freakin' hard so crushing might not work very well after all. I went with the granules. That extra 40 cents was hard to pay though!

Anyway, I have made a little cannister of spaghetti sauce mix. All I have to do is add the ground beef and tomato paste and we're good to go! Actually I had to tweak the mix a little bit to give it a little more oomph but it's very good now. I think I made the whole cannister for the cost of a couple of packets of ready made mix! Supposedly, this mix will last for a whole year in the fridge. At the rate we're going, we'll use it up way before then!

Next, I'm going to try taco mix. I'm a mexican food lover, coming from the deep southwest, so I know good mexican food! I'll try it this weekend and report back what I find and how it tasted.

Anyway, the point today is that I've discovered spices and learning to deal with them. Spices can be my friend. That's what I keep telling myself!!