I Am Writing An Ebook Cookbook!!

Well, actually, while it will have recipes and things I've worked out in the kitchen, there are a lot of stories of my exploits, too!

Cooking isn't a natural state of affairs for me.  I have a lot of boo-boos and screw-ups, and, to my mind, they are funny after the fact.  Usually not THAT funny when it's going on, but, later on, hilarious.

Once, I get it published on Amazon, I'll post here and let everyone know.  YAHOO!!!

World’s Bestest Beef Barley Stew!!

It was a lot of work, but, ohhhh, soooo worth it!!  Hubby went nuts for it.  Made me feel pretty darn good!!  There are carrots, celery, pearl barley, bay leaf (don’t ever eat one), cabbage, beef broth, diced tomatoes and stew meat.  I have to say, I am very proud of myself.  I’ve never done anything like this.  I found the recipe on the ‘net, printed it out even though it looked like a lot of work (it was) and cooked that baby right up.  Yummmyyyy!!!! 

World’s Best ‘Tater Sallet!!

This is one yummy tater sallet, I can tell you that!  Hubby didn’t like my other recipe, so, I had to scout around and find a better recipe.  Trouble was/is, there are barely any tater sallet recipes that are plain jane.  Every thing had special this or special that.  What is wrong with plain??  Finally, I found this one and it’s a good ‘un! 

The greatest country in the world: Bacon milkshake now available « Hot Air

The greatest country in the world: Bacon milkshake now available « Hot Air

Just wrong, wrong, wrong... Sounds gross, doesn't it?? Ew!

Heavy snowstorm hits Colo. on its way east - CBS News

Heavy snowstorm hits Colo. on its way east - CBS News

Heads up, out there!! Drive safely!! Know how to put chains properly on your rig, or, park it till later in the day.

A Carrot With Legs…

Lookie what I found in the carrot bag!!  A carrot with two legs!!  No matter, it got its’ little self cut up and straight into the stew.  Will be yummy later this afternoon. 

I Don't Know What Happened To The Other Pictures!

I'll try again...

The original cake... 

The is the icing.....  Butter, sugar, evaporated milk with a little bit of vanilla!

The cake with the icing already poured on it.  For some reason, the cake got a really pitted look.  It was still warm when I poured the icing, as the recipe said.  Okay....  Anyway, I let it cool, all together and then cut a slice.  I'm telling you, it is yummy!!  Not good for your waistline, though!!  But the taste?  Melts in your mouth and gives you a good feeling all over!! 

These old recipes sure seem to know how to make us feel good, huh??  I'm loving trying them out! 

Fruit Cocktail Cake, Another Auld Recipe!

I’m trying another multi-picture post and it looks like it’s working!!  Yahoo!!  Well, I’m having trouble with paragraphs, at least the pics are viewable!

The above cake and icing are from the old book of recipes.  The icing is butter, sugar, evaporated milk and a smidge of vanilla!!  Sounds good, smells good, looks good!!  The cake has fruit cocktail in heavy syrup, sugar (what is with all the sugar in all the old recipes, anyway??), flour, baking soda, eggs, mixed up, poured in the glass pan and then sprinkled with brown sugar.  If you want to lose weight, this cake isn’t for you!!  But I’ll betcha it tastes absolutely fabuous!!  Eat well, my friends!! 

So, I Was Looking For The Celery...

THIS is what I found. 

Looks like hubby found it and decimated the innards.  At least I had enough for the stew!! 

I Love This Picture…

Fried Kale. Misunderstood "Baking" Directions

*This is my first multi-picture post!*

I was on FB and some internet friends were talking about kale.  Since I had a partial head left, I asked what I could do with it.  A friend said to cut the head up, mix a little olive oil over the cut up pieces and then lightly salt.  Bake it all up and you'll have some cripsy pieces!! 

Sounds easy, doesn't it??

Onliest, my eyes and brain read it backwards.  Swear to God, I thought it said to fry up the pieces!!  I fried them and couldn't for the life of me understand how they could be crispy!!  I mean, they were fried, you don't get crispy kale from frying!!

Went back to FB to ask what I did wrong.  Reread the post, because I felt stoopid even asking, and then saw 'baking'.  Oh, good honk.  Of all things!! 

I will say, even though they were slightly mushy, they did taste good.  A little too salty but good.  So, I made a stew for this evenings' supper and added those babies right in there!!  The whole thing is sitting on the stovetop simmering away! 

THIS kind of stuff is why I write this blog.  I see things backwards and my recipes have always had a certain...something about them.  When I read a recipe or hear of one, I see/hear one thing and it's usually quite a bit different from the actual recipe.

At least the whole thing turned out well and we'll be well fed this eve'nin'. 

Check Your Baking Powder "Use By" Date

I was wondering why my pancakes were turning out so...so....flat. 

Checked the bottom of the baking powder can.  Turns out, it was good till LAST October!!  The 26th, to be precise. 

*headdesk*

I thought I bought a new can recently, really, I did.  I can't find it either.  I don't know.  Must be the case of it growing legs and walking off. 

So, next time I go to town, I will buy a new can of baking powder.  It's on my list, right at the top!!

Old Tyme Potato Salad From Auld Recipe

This is another recipe from the old cookbook (plus/minus 100 years old) I found when rummaging through family stuff.  I know the picture isn't very sharp.  I worked on it and still can't get it to sharpen up.  Please pretend you can see everything, ok??

Turns out, it's a bit too runny than I or my hubby like.  Almost had to sieve the potatos, celery, onions to get them to the plate.  The recipe asked for a LOT of mayonnaise, mustard, even apple cider vinegar.  I chilled it in the fridge, hoping to firm it up, but, nope.  Still runny. 

However, it tastes DIVINE.  Ever so yummy!! 

I guess the upshot is, when you put this scrumptious salad on your plate, just know it's going to run all over the place, but, you will have a real palate pleaser!! 

Yummy Diced Apple Cake!!

Oh, and it tastes divine! 

The little whitish spots are pieces of diced apples.  I bought a bag of sliced apples and then diced those babies up!  However, after baking, I was digging in...and noticed the diced apple pieces skins.  I didn't even think to peel them.  Just up and diced away!  Never dawned on me to peel.  Next time, I know to peel.

Anyway, this is another old, old recipe, maybe not quite as old as the Granny Cake, but, old, nonetheless. 

It has lots of sugar, of which I only used about 2/3rds asked for in the recipe and, of course, the apple pieces.  Then there is a little flour, baking soda (need to use just a scoche less, because of taste), cinnamon, egg and vanilla.  Whip that right up, pop it in the the oven, the smell of the baking cake is sheer heaven. 

So, I'll have to notate on the recipe, PEEL the apples before dicing!!  Other than that, it is perfect! 

HA!! A Picture Of My Minestrone Soup!! HA!!

I did it, I did it!!  Doesn't it look great??  Tastes so good, too.  Some crackers (unsalted, of course) to dunk in the juices, a good garden salad and a spiffy Pepsi on ice.  What else could a person want?? 

This is perfect for a cold, wintry day.  Easy to make, too! 

The cool thing about cooking everything from scratch, you know what's going in your food plus it's a lot cheaper.  All these things together, can't be beat.

I'm plain proud I got the silly picture up.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, eh?? 

I'm Still Trying To Post A Picture Of My Minestrone Soup

Since I traded my smart phone (too smart for me!) for a regular cell phone, I have been forced to try all sorts of alternative picture posting.  Please bear with me, I'll get it figgered out!  I, for one, will be the most surprised as I'm usually surprised my posts even work!! 

Cabbage Stew. Giving It A Try!!

I thought this recipe sounded good.  It sure looks good!  It is an Amish recipe, out of book I bought somewhere in Minnesota. 

It has cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper to taste and, of course, browned stew meat.  I added one pint of water, let it boil and it's now simmering away!! 

While I'm thinking about it, the Amish recipe book is seen on the right hand side of the picture. 

Hubby isn't too enthused about eating it.  He doesn't like cabbage, but, I think he should expand his horizons.  I like cooked cabbage with butter, so, I'm thinking this can't be all bad!!

I'll let everyone know how it tastes!! 

My Granny Cake. Looks Good, Doesn't It??

Yep, I made this today for hubby.  It is his favorite cake.  The recipe is about 100 years old.  I found the recipe in an old family cookbook.  Fairly simple to bake, and, with the poured on topping, it is scrumptious!! 

The topping is made by boiling butter, sugar and evaporated milk, then pouring it over the hot cake.  The topping soaks through the cake and you get YUM!! 

This is my first picture to post where I've used the links at the top of the blog, so, I'm hoping this all turns out...  *fingers crossed* 

Minestrone Soup...When You Don't Have Enough Ingredients But Have Already Started...

I'm trying to be really, really together in my cooking.  I'm getting quite a pantry put together and am prepared for cooking/baking/nuking almost anything I take a fancy.

So, the other day, I didn't feel too well but hubby needed to go to town.  So, I gave him a list of things I needed. Simple, eh?

Well, trouble is, I didn't really read the recipe too closely and gave him the sizes of canned goods for eight people!!  There are only two of us, plus two Daschies, so we don't need a lot of food cooked/baked/nuked up. 

So, this AM, bright and early, I'm putting the ingredients together in my rather-smallish crockpot, then realizing it sure it getting FULL and I still have the finishing shells, beans and kale to go in at the end of the cooking cycle. 

I reread the recipe and immediately saw my boo-boo.  Thankfully, I have another smallish crockpot, I can put some in there and let it finish cooking.

Anywho, where the really funny part came in, I told hubby to get a can of chicken broth.  Didn't tell him to get the big size *because I didn't read what size the recipe needed*, just get a can of chicken broth.  So, he got the 15 oz can and was happy as a clam.

I'm putting all this together and realized I was supposed to have FOUR cups of chicken broth!!  What to do??  Had already put things in the crockpot and something in me just hated to throw it out, I hadn't even really gotten started!!

What did I do??  I rummaged around in my pantry, looking for ANYthing I could substitute.  Guess what I found!?  I found two chicken noodle cups, the kind you add water to to make the soup.  I whipped up those puppies and then used the liquid in my soup!!  I had JUST enough 'chicken broth' for my minestrone soup! 

I'm telling ya, necessity is the mother of invention in my kitchen!  We'll see how it turns out in another three hours or so. 

I am pretty proud of myself, oh, yes I am...  :-)

Ukrainian Chicken Kiev...Not So Much

First off, I've never really HEARD of UCK (figure is out...) until I found a recipe sitting in my email.  I suscribe to an email recipe thingy, usually I ignore them.  I don't know why I have them still coming, just do.  Seems like I've tried to unsuscribe, and, for some reason, couldn't do so.

Anywho, so I spied the UCK recipe and, truly, it sounded appealing.  Chicken breasts hammered to 1/8th inch, butter and garlic for a special sauce.  A coating of flour, dried dill, a dipping in egg and then on into the bread crumbs, rolled under and fried up nice. 

First off, I didn't have any toothpicks to hold them together.  I used some sewing thread to tie them up.  Yes, I did!!  Actually, that part worked out well.  I could have sworn I had toothpicks sitting around the house, but, when I looked, they had gotten shy and disappeared. 

For UCK, you need to make a special sauce of softened butter and garlic and something else, then, you put it in the freezer to harden.  After you take it out, you cut it into pieces and put on the already floured, egged and crumbed chicken breast.  Then you roll 'em up and either toothpick 'em or tie 'em up. 

Fire up the oil in a cast iron skillet and fry those babies!!  The only problem was with them being rolled up, the outside fried just fine but the inside didn't.  The butter sauce didn't even melt. 

So, I untied them and rubbed the sauce all over the chicken breast, letting it melt into the piece.  Then fried them.

The problem with that is the coating ended up getting too cooked and carbonized.  So, it ended up uneven.  I finally put everything in the micro and nuked the suckers. 

Actually, they didn't taste badly at all.  We pulled the blackened parts off and ate the rest.  Really, it wasn't bad at all but definitely not a keeper recipe. 

I threw the recipe away.  Probably, in some way I did it wrong but I did follow to the nth degree how to do them.  In the end, though, it was too much trouble for so little reward. 

Naw....  

Sending Hubby To The Store...Good Idea Or Bad??

As I keep writing, I have the ickies so don't feel I can toddle out in public, might give the bug to other people.  I mean, that's how I probably got this crud.  Someone else was sick and went to town and then I came into noseshot.

So, I wanted to cook, but, being icky, I sent hubby to town.  I gave him a list of things I needed.  Here's where it gets gooood!!

I asked for a can of diced, garlic/onion tomatoes, the smaller can.  I got plain tomatoes, sliced, in the big can.

I asked for two small cans of crushed pineapple.  I got one big can of (at least) crushed pineapple.

I asked for a certain brand of salsa.  I got the other brand of salsa. 

I asked for two tomatoes.  I got five tomatoes. 

I asked for a small sack of grapes.  I got two and one-half pounds of grapes.

I asked for pickle loaf.  I got olive loaf.

The upside to all of this is the man tried!  At least he tried!!  I made do with what he brought home.  He was proud of himself and I wasn't going to burst his bubble!! 

Cooking From Scratch Only

*I have a case of the ickies, so, please bear with me*

Anyway, back to the subject!  I have gotten so good at cooking, I really can't stand or eat the prepackaged meals. 

Buying all the ingredients and then whipping them together, makes a much better meal, in my opinion, than the 'just add water' things.

My cooking has gotten so much better, pretty proud of it now.  My Granny cake is the bomb.  My stew is first rate.  My tacos are buzzworthy.

Who'd a thunk??