RECIPES: FRESH PEACH PIE + REAL Whipped Cream

I promised it and sometimes I keep promises.  So, here you go...

 

FRESH PEACH PIE

 

5 large peaches

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2/3 c. water

1 3 oz. package peach Jell-O

1/3 c. orange juice

1 9-inch pie crust

 

 

Make & bake regular pie crust (or just buy one in the freezer section and follow the directions like I do).  Cool completely.

 

While pie crust is baking, stir sugar and cornstarch together in a small or medium saucepan.  Add water and whisk together.  Cook over medium-high heat and while stirring/whisking constantly and bring to a boil.  Continue to whisk and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in Jell-O until dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

 

 

Peel, pit, and slice peaches (after peeling I cut mine into 8th's or 12th's) and put in a bowl with the orange juice, stirring occasionally to keep all peaches coated.

 

 

Once the Jell-O mixture has cooled to room temperature (don't let it sit or cool too long...it'll thicken too much), pour it over the peaches and orange juice and gently stir/mix well.  Spoon peaches into the pie shell and refrigerate at least a few hours prior to serving.

Top with whipped cream & enjoy!

 

 NOTES:

• The quality of your peaches will make or ruin your pie.  Great peaches make for great pie.  Sub-par peaches make for sub-par pie.  Buy the best, sweetest peaches you can get your hands on (I prefer Suncrest but I've been happy with Elbertas and Red Ladies as well).
• You don't have to, but when I prep my peaches, I like to cut out the outer-most part of the area around the pit.  I do leave a little red there but I get rid of the drier, stringier portion.
• I like my pies to be tall and mounded rather than even with the pie crust so I use more like 7-8 large peaches (or more).  The other day I made another one of these pies using about 12 small peaches and it just wasn't enough.  I haven't yet measured how many cups of peaches I use.  I just say when in doubt, add more.
• I've tried this with both regular and sugar-free Jell-O (which is what I usually use) and it does NOT turn out as well with the sugar-free.  The Jell-O didn't firm up as much and I was left with a semi-soggy bottom crust after it spent its time in the fridge.  Yuck.
• I don't like a lot of the Jell-O mixture in the pie so when I put the peaches in the crust, I use a good slotted spoon with wider slots so that a lot (if not most) of the Jell-O drops back into the mixing bowl.  Then, once I've transferred all the peaches and moved them around to my satisfaction, I drip a bit of the mixture in between some of the peaches.  On the last pie I made, I probably dumped over a cup of the stuff.  In the pie pictures in this post, you can see that I put too much Jell-O mixture on top at the end...it still tasted good but it was just too much for us.
• Yet another rule in my kitchen: Do NOT use canned/spray whipped cream (i.e. Reddi-Whip,or another such abomination).  It is fake and should be banned from existence.  I honestly can't think of the last time that I actually purchased the stuff...probably over 10 years ago.

That last note being said, I have to say that I have been seriously surprised over the years by how many of my friends (and a few extended family members) have never made their own whipped cream or have failed to have theirs turn out well.  Therefore, I feel the need to give you a "recipe" or instructions for that as well...

 

FRESH WHIPPED CREAM

 

heavy whipping cream

powdered/confectioner's sugar

hand-held mixer or stand mixer with wire whip

mixing bowl

 

Insert beaters into hand-held mixer or set up your stand mixer with the wire whip attachment.  Pour the cream into the mixing bowl.  Beat the cream on a low-ish speed for a few seconds and then let her rip...I turn mine all the way up to 7 (highest setting on my hand-held).  Beat it, beat it, and then beat it some more.  Once you reach your desired consistency, add powdered sugar, starting with about 1/4 cup to 1/2 pint whipping cream.  Mix well and then taste, adding more sugar as desired.  When you're done, you're done.  Pipe the whipped cream onto your pie using your frosting gear (I use a large round or large star) or if you're not feeling that creative, just spread it over the whole pie or plop a bit on top of each piece as you serve it.

 

 

NOTES:

• We like our whipped cream really thick...as you can see in the one picture, I make it so thick that absolutely nothing happens when I turn the bowl upside-down (I took several pictures while holding it that way and it never budged even a millimeter).  While you might not like it that thick, try not to leave it runny as that just makes for a mess on top of your pie.  Beating it to a soft-peak stage should be good enough.
• Do NOT use regular granulated sugar.  I once had someone complaining to me about how her homemade whipped cream never turned out well and asked what brand of granulated sugar I used.  It doesn't matter what brand you use...if you put granulated sugar in your whipped cream instead of powdered sugar, it won't end well.
• I use 1/2 pint of whipping cream for one pie and close to 1/2 cup of powdered sugar for that amount (hubby likes it really sweet...).

Here's one more picture of the prettiest pie I've made (perfect amount of Jell-O mixture, perfect peaches, etc.).  It's not perfect but it's my perfect and I'm sure proud of it:

 

 

Hope you enjoy your pie.  If not, don't blame me.  You're either a weirdy for not liking fresh peach pie or you did something wrong.  Sorry folks, this stuff is AWESOME.  And I take no claim to fame on this recipe...my family got it from a couple of ladies at our church when I was a teenager.

 

 

Canning & I Made A Pie

August was a busy month in my kitchen.  I am glad to say that it wasn't a continual thing as I would have died of heat stroke had I turned on my stove and/or oven on a regular basis.  Whoever invented the natural gas outdoor grill is this girl's best friend...my family wouldn't have eaten all summer if it weren't for the Weber sitting on our back patio.

 

Anywho...

 

Back at the beginning of August, a local grocery store was having a ridiculous sale on red bell peppers.  They were something like $0.69 or $0.79 each.  And to make the deal even better, these peppers were positively enormous - literally about double the size of a normal red bell pepper.  Whenever those puppies go on good sale, I immediately start thinking about the jalapeno red pepper jelly that I make to give away at Christmas every few years.  Well, guess what folks.  Thanks to that fabulous sale, this just so happens to be one of those years.  I made a total of 5 batches of the stuff (about 30 jars - some 1/2 pint, others are pints) and it's all waiting in my basement cold storage room for me to wrap it up and give it away at Christmas.  Feels good to have at least some of the holiday hustle and bustle already done before the summer is out!

A couple of weekends ago, my little brother and his wife went up to Brigham City one day and brought me back a full bushel of Suncrest peaches.  I'm literally salivating from typing that.  I absolutely love Suncrest peaches - perfect flavor, texture, etc.  I think they're my favorite (thus far...haven't tried all of them).  Now, in case you didn't know, a bushel is a whole lot of fruit.  I spent all of one evening/night and another full day heating up my stove and running around my kitchen to make all sorts of goodies.  From said bushel of peaches I was able to make:

• double batch of fresh fruit freezer mix (peaches, grapes, crushed pineapple & OJ)
• 4 quarts of canned peach quarters
• triple batch of peach freezer jam (6 half pints)
• double batch of cooked peach jam (6 pints + 6 half pints)
• one fresh peach pie
• a handful of leftover fruit eaten plain or on cereal for breakfast

Now I'm totally out of peaches and it makes me kind of sad.  We have a nice fruit stand at the bottom of the hill...I think I'm going to have to stop there one of these days and at least get enough peaches to make another pie and have some for breakfast for a few days.

 

Oh - and I'm so nice.  I'm going to share the recipe for the peach pie on this here blog in the next few days...

Late Night Craving...

A little bit ago we were breezing through the American Idol finale (love TiVo...and our favorite won!) when I suddenly felt super hungry.  I ignored the feeling.  Now I'm sitting at my computer getting a few things done and I'm having a harder time dismissing my stomach as it gurgles and begs me to feed it something.  It's usually not an issue for me but tonight the hunger is different...my tummy is begging for vegetables.  What the?!  Late night cravings usually hit me when watching cooking shows and are supposed to be reserved for things such as the following:

• Dove chocolate, Guittard milk chocolate maxi chips or PB M&M's
• bean and cheese burritos
• ice cream (perhaps vanilla layered with peanut butter...with Magic Shell on top?)
• freshly popped popcorn with melted butter and Lawry's Seasoning Salt
• a New York steak - grilled medium/medium rare - possibly with a nice caramelized onion & blue cheese sauce on the side (this is yet to be available at our house late at night...strange)
• salsa rice with sharp cheddar cheese melted on top - to be eaten with tortilla chips
• some sort of high calorie baked treat that I may or may not have hidden from my family in the freezer

 Apparently my insides didn't get the memo on these things.  Even as I typed the above list, it still whined for something green.  The thought of eating a different - aka normal - late night snack did precisely NOTHING for me.  I want an enormous mixed greens salad (with gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbled on top, sunflower seeds, sprouts, chopped hard boiled egg, cucumber slices, maybe some dried cherries or cranberries, chopped or sliced beets, shaved carrots, peas...).  Or maybe a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar.  Roasted brussel sprouts also sound really tasty as does a huge bowl of sauteed fresh vegetables like zucchini, carrots, red onion and grape tomatoes.  I'm actually salivating as I think about these options.  Now, I know that Team Veggies definitely beats Team Evil Food in terms of nutritional benefits and lack of weight gain.  But seriously.  Who craves healthy food late at night?  Something is wrong with me.

And no, I'm not pregnant.

Easy Spanish/Salsa Rice

We have Mexican food for dinner at least 3-4 times a month around here.  Whether I make fajitas, soft or hard tacos, or my girlfriend's blond enchiladas, I positively love having Spanish rice with said meals.  I once made a fairly time-consuming but super delicious recipe of the stuff from scratch (thanks for sharing, C!) but considering my usual dinner time constraints (i.e. I often don't decide what we're having until an hour before), I decided to try and find something simpler.  I know that a lot of people out there probably have this exact recipe or something very similar but I figured I'd share it anyway.  I found  it on one of my favorite recipe sites:

EASY SALSA RICE

3/4 c. water

3/4 c. salsa (preferrably chunky...not super watery/liquidy)

1 c. uncooked instant rice

Combine water and salsa in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat, stir in rice, and cover.  Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.  Stir and serve.

NOTES:

• I really love making this with medium (or hotter) salsa and then I get the kick I want without actually putting salsa in my fajita or taco.
• The ingredient amounts above are actually for a 1/2 recipe - perfect for 3-4 people.  If making a full batch, use 1 1/2 cups each water and salsa and 2 cups rice.

I seriously just LOVE this rice.  It's SO easy to make and can be thrown together in just a few minutes right before serving.  My favorite ways to eat it are in fajitas/tacos, on the side with enchiladas (some with each bite), and as a base with cheese, avocado, cilantro, tomato, etc. on top to each with tortilla chips.

Homemade Peach Jam

I just checked and in terms of posts per month, I'm still a few away from beating my record so far this year (a mind-boggling 8 posts).  That means that after this one, I still have 2 more to knock out in the next week and by golly, I am doing to do it...

Now back to business.

At the end of September and the beginning of this month, I decided to venture into unknown territory in my kitchen.  I made peach jam.  I've made strawberry freezer jam (and strawberry-raspberry...yum) and I've canned peaches and applesauce, too.  I just hadn't done cooked jam of any sort since Mrs. Cosgrove's cooking/home-ec class in high school.  And that was a while ago.

This year my awesome in-laws gave me more peaches than I could have asked for.  Bags upon bags of fresh peaches from their backyard tree.  I would normally can them all but for whatever reason, this year's crop was filled with cute little miniature fruit about the size of large plums - not exactly prime for regular canning.  And so, not wanting to waste all that glorious fruit...

I made a batch of freezer jam.  I searched for recipes on the websites of canning/pectin companies like Ball and Cert-O but could not find a recipe for peach freezer jam for the life of me.  So off I went to various recipe websites and found one that had good reviews.  I had no reason to think that it wouldn't turn out well.  Wrong.  I made an enormous mistake and followed the directions and - please don't scold me for breaking one of my own cardinal cooking/baking rules - I actually purchased (complete waste of money) and used (complete loss of brain power) bottled lemon juice.  I cringe just thinking about it...  The mixture smelled good enough and seemed just fine but a while after spooning it into the little jars, I noticed sugar settling at the bottom of each one.  I knew I had made it correctly.  I had allowed it to sit long enough and stirred the living daylights out of it.  Not cool.  So I furiously dumped every last drop of the stuff back into my ginormous mixing bowl to give it what-for.  In the process, I allowed myself a little taste of the jam.  What I tasted could not be fixed by freezing, by adding sugar, or by some jam-making master of the culinary arts.  There was barely even a hint of peach flavor...it was all sour bottled lemon nastiness in my mouth.  Cringing again.  Yuck.  I seriously just got the heebie jeebies thinking about it again.

Down the drain with that batch.

Next I grew back a few of the brain cells that were lost when I purchased the you-know-what and went back to the store and read every last word on the jars of powdered pectin and boxes of liquid pectin in the store.  Guess what I found in the process.  A recipe for peach freezer jam.  Right there on Ball's jar of powdered pectin.  WHY they couldn't have the same recipe on their website is beyond me but I was happy to find it, purchase the pectin, and get the heck out of there.

Attempt number two at freezer jam was approximately one billion times more successful and tasty than the first time around.  No explanation needed.  I followed these directions and used the fresh lemons that were sitting in my fridge the whole time and it turned out beautifully.  Wonderful taste and gorgeous color...much more like it.

In addition to the batch of freezer jam, I also made 4 separate batches of cooked peach jam.  These are my pride and joy (after my children, of course, but it's a close call).  I lovingly peeled the fruit and finely chopped it by hand before taking my beloved KitchenAid immersion blender and giving it a quick pulverizing.  I think that was my favorite part.  That and using a trick from my canning genius paternal grandma.  It's a trick which many of you probably already know (stainless steel knife in the cold jar absorbs the heat from the boiling jam and the glass doesn't shatter) but I find completely amazing nonetheless.  I also loved that every single jar of the stuff sealed within moments of my turning off and removing the lid from my steam canner.

Proof of my hours in the kitchen (and some time contributed by my awesome mom while she was here...thanks, Mom!) and proof that in spite of having made that unforgivable sin of purchasing bottled lemon juice, I can make real peach jam:

The jar with the white lid is freezer jam, the others are all cooked jam. 

My only problems with the cooked batches are as follows:

a) One batch of 10 or 11 jars didn't set up for whatever lame reason.  It's fairly runny and would probably be good on rolls or pancakes but just didn't turn out like I wanted it to.

b) They are so pretty that I hate to think of giving them all away at Christmas.  So I'm not...I've stockpiled a number of jars for us to use over the coming year.

c) It really tastes so very good.  This isn't really a problem but like my issue with it being pretty - and even though there is absolutely no way that I'd ever be able to eat all of that jam - I am selfish and once again hate to think of giving them all away at Christmas.  So I'm not...

Yes, I am giving away most of the jars.  My question is this: what do I do about the jars of runny jam?  I've already given away a couple of them to understanding friends that didn't mind partaking of my kitchen failure (still don't get why they didn't set...ugh!) but I don't know about the rest.  Do I give them away at Christmas and hope that people aren't offended?  Do I dump them down the drain?  Do you want one?  Help me!

Tillamook Everyday Macaroni & Cheese

Back when the weather was hotter and I didn't want anything to do with a stove or oven, I made homemade macaroni and cheese one day.  This involved both my stove and my oven.  Fabulous.  But heating up my kitchen was entirely worth it because this stuff was quite tasty!  Helping increase the tasty factor was the fact that the recipe was from Tillamook, almighty creator of amazing cheese and ice cream (and other stuff, too, but those are most important around here).  I found the recipe in my beloved Sunset magazine some time ago and having always been a fan of real mac n' cheese, I decided that it was a must-try.

THE EVERYDAY MACARONI AND CHEESE

8 oz. dry elbow macaroni

2 1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. Tillamook Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 c. whole milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 1/2 c. (about 10 oz.) Tillamook Medium Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided

In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.  Add 2 1/2 tsp. salt and macaroni.  Cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally.  Pasta is done when it is slightly chewy to the bite or al dente.  Drain pasta in a colander and set aside.

Prepare sauce while pasta is cooking.  In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter.  Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes, whisking constantly.  Gradually add milk and bring just to a boil, whisking constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer, whisking often (tired of that word yet?), until sauce slightly thickens, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add salt, pepper and 2 cups of cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and fold in pasta.  Pour into prepared baking dish then sprinkle top with remaining cheese.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes (they didn't give a temp so I did 350) or until cheese is bubbly and top begins to brown.  Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

• I used more like 12 oz. pasta and liked the consistency...not too creamy or overbearing.
• I used 2% milk instead of whole and it turned out swell.  I'm sure it'd be a bit richer/creamier with the whole milk but it really didn't seem to be a problem.
• If you like a good, strong cheese flavor, go with Tillamook's SHARP cheese instead. While we're normally sharp cheese eaters, all we had in the fridge that day was the medium that the recipe called for....it was a little on the mild side for me. I really wish I had made it with sharp and will definitely be doing so next time.
• Lastly - sit down for this one 'cause it's a real shocker - I shredded more cheese than the recipe called for.  1/2 cup of the good stuff just wasn't enough for the top.  If you like it cheesy, don't be shy!

This recipe was a definite hit for both me and my kiddies.  Both kids were apprehensive about trying homemade macaroni and cheese but both wolfed down what I gave them (and I think Hudson had seconds).  Nothing like the real thing!

P.S.  The  weather is now PERFECT for heating up your kitchen...great recipe for the fall and winter months.

My Birthday Cake (from back in August...)

At the end of August, I commented on FB how excited I was for the birthday cake I was making for myself.  I had a few people comment that one shouldn't have to bake his/her own birthday cake but I really was beyond fine with it.  I wanted to make this cake.

This cake just so happens to be one of my all-time favorites.  It's right up there with Princess Cake from Gayle's in Capitola and Banana Cake from Icing on the Cake in Los Gatos (both in my native California).  It's my Grandma B's recipe and it is the cake that I wanted for my birthday every year growing up.  It is also my dad's favorite and I do believe my other siblings requested it frequently as well.  Up unti my birthday this year, I hadn't had it since my Grandma's funeral back in 2004.  That's a long time to go without.

Now I'm not currently willing to give up the recipe...but I'm more than happy to tell you about it...

In preparing to make this cake, I called my mom.  Being sure that she had always made this deliciousness from scratch, I asked for her Angel Food Cake recipe.  She told me to go and buy whatever boxed mix was at the store.  Now I know her secret...bwa ha ha ha!  Now don't go thinking that this is just a receipe for basic Angel Food Cake.  This treat is all about the filling/frosting which -  if no Angel Food Cake is available - can easily be consumed by the spoonful.  It's a glorious combination of heavy whipping cream, crushed pineapple, gelatin, and a few other ingredients.  Did you think I was actually going to list everything needed?  I think not.

The cake itself wasn't a big deal to make.  I actually whipped it up the night before and made sure it cooled completely before I hit the sack.  In the morning I went to work on the filling.  It's not a difficult process...just a bit on the time-consuming side.  Once the filling is made, the cake is sliced in half horizontally and the filling is spread in between the layers and then over the whole thing.  Then, in order to keep it from getting melty or sliding around, it has to be kept in the fridge until serving (really should be chilled for a few hours or overnight).  I was especially thankful for my second fridge downstairs that day because between the cake pedestal and the dome, it took up a whole lotta space!

Now, before I stick the pictures in here, I must offer an apology to my friend Katie.  I had promised her a) a photo of this fabulous cake in all its glory and b) to post said picture right away.  Neither of these promises were kept.  We cut into the cake and had 2nds before thinking to take a picture and I'm just now sharing pictures of the half-eaten cake now that it's been well over a month since my birthday.  I'm really sorry, Katie...maybe next time I'll be able to keep my hand from shoveling something into my mouth before I can grab the camera.

This is a side view that almost looks like a complete cake without any damage or consumption having taken place.

What the cake really looked like once I decided to take a picture.  Those squiggly and swiped lines on the pedestal may or may not be spots where one or more people helped clean off any extra filling from where the rest of the cake once stood.

The cake was positively dee-lish-us and while the three weirdies that I live with don't love the cake as much as I do, I think I'll be making this puppy for my birthday just about every year from here on out.  Yum.  Oh - and speaking of yum, the leftovers are positively wonderful.  Every bit as good on days 2 and 3 as the original was on day 1.  Mmmmmmm.

LIST: The Magic 5

I promised that I'd share a recipe soon and I just spent a good chunk of time searching the recipes that I keep on my computer.  However, I couldn't find one that I wanted to share without a picture and others were recipes that are near and dear to the people that shared them with me and therefore, I don't dare share them.  I guess I could ask permission but that involves picking up the phone and with my low blood sugar right now, I just don't dare waste the energy.  I need it to type.  My last lame excuse is: I'm really hungry right now (tends to happen when I don't eat lunch...hence the low blood sugar) and I'm afraid that if I were to type up a recipe right now, I'd be likely to head upstairs once I was done, make said recipe, and then proceed to eat the entire thing in one sitting.

That being said, I'm going to provide you with a very short list of 5 most marvelous foods.  Five foods that make the world a better place and have the power of making other foods jealous and better than they are on their own...

The Magic 5

• Avocado:  Being a California girl, liking avocado more or less runs in my blood.  Make that LOVING avocado.  Because I do.  And that scary processed stuff at the market that they call guacamole doesn't count as avocado because it's not.  It's scary processed stuff.
• Ranch Dressing:  Ranch dressing is a staple in our fridge.  And I'm not referring to the bottled stuff...yuck.  We're talking about the dressing that is made using a Hidden Valley Ranch packet, mayonnaise, and either milk or buttermilk (depending on the packet being used - we prefer the latter).  I've recently had a couple of people tell me that my ranch is the best.  Well, it's not my ranch, people.  It's Hidden Valley's.  And you're right - it really is the best.  The only thing is I make it with a bit of extra mayonnaise and a bit less milk/buttermilk than it calls for so that it's thicker.  That's all.
• Chocolate: No explanation or description needed here.
• Bacon:  I'm not normally a huge bacon fan.  No, really!  It's way too salty and I've never been a huge salt lover.  However, a while back we discovered Kirkland's low sodium bacon.  Mmmmmm.  Even my salt loving hubby prefers it.  And I don't need to drink a gallon of water after each slice.
• Cheese:  Yes, I mean cheese in general.  Parmesan.  Cheddar.  Monterey Jack.  And so forth and so on.  Like chocolate, cheese falls into the category or not needing much of an explanation.  It's beautiful and that's that.

Now that you have the list of the 5 magic ingredients, this is what you do.  Name a food.  Any food.  Then look over the list and you're pretty much sure to find that at least one of the magic 5 will make that food even better.  Let's have a few examples, shall we?...

Apples.  I love apples, especially nice, cold crisp ones.  But even better than a plain old apple slice?  An apple slice with sharp cheddar cheese on top.  Mmmmmm!  More a fan of the sweet classic of caramel apples?  Fine...add chocolate.  Double mmmmmm!

Hamburgers.  I have a very deep and meaningful love for home grilled hamburgers.  But I have a hard time eating one without some nice fresh slices of avocado on top and a slice or two of cheddar.  Tasty, tasty, tasty.  Bacon and ranch wouldn't hurt either.

Strawberries.  Yummy...one of my favorite fruits.  Made even more delicious by my dear friend chocolate (any kind will do).

Finally, turkey.  It's super great all by itself.  But what if you eat it dipped in ranch?  Better.  In a salad with avocado and cheese?  Better still.  On a sandwich with bacon, cheese, and avocado, dipped in ranch?  Best of all!

Now, I have to share one last thing.  In the middle of doing this post, my lack of energy got to be a little too much and I ran upstairs to have a "snack".  I started with a healthy serving of chocolate chips and then moved onto carrots (with ranch!).  Then cheddar cheese.  With ranch.  I polished it off with sourdough toast with butter and honey and then a few more chocolate chips.  I feel much better now.  And did you notice how skillfully I worked 3 of the Magic 5 into my late lunch/snack?  Brilliant.  But that's beside the point...

Have you ever had good cheddar cheese (i.e. Tillamook sharp or cheddar) dipped in homemade Hidden Valley Ranch?  One word: GLORIOUS.  If you haven't tried it, give it a go.  You and your thighs can thank me later.

P.S.  Will be making homemade Macaroni & Cheese in the next couple of days.  After the weight-increasing taste test, I'll post the recipe (with pictures) if it's a winner.  Which I'm sure it will be...it's from Tillamook.

RECIPE: Italian Beef Sandwiches

I know you've all been checking my blog on an hourly basis waiting for this recipe. So here you go...

ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES

2 cans beef broth + water to make 3 cups total liquid

1 tsp. each:

• salt
• ground black pepper
• dried oregano
• dried basil
• onion salt or powder
• dried parsley
• garlic powder

1 bay leaf

1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian salad dressing mix

1 (5 lb.) chuck or rump roast

Combine beef broth, water, and all spices (including dressing mix) in a saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Place roast in slow cooker and boiling dressing mixture over the meat. Cover and cook on Low for 10-12 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. When finished, remove and discard bay leaf. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any large pieces or ribbons of fat. Serve on toasted french or sourdough rolls with juice from the meat on the side for dipping.

NOTES:

• Without exception, I ALWAYS use Campbell's Beef Broth. It's double-strength and there really is a difference in flavor.
• I use Good Seasons' Italian Dressing mix...you can find it near the ranch dressing packets at the store.
• To toast the rolls, I split them in half and toss them directly on the rack in a 350 degree oven for a good 5-10 minutes. This allows the whole roll to get toasted and crunchy on the outside rather than just the top (as would happen if you broiled it).
• My favorite way to dress up my sandwich: Put mayo on both sides. Pile the meat on one half and top with a slice or two of provolone cheese (my kids like it with cheddar). Throw back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Top with iceberg lettuce (and tomato if I'm in the mood). Yum.

I would have pictures to post on this one but every time I make it, I'm too preoccupied with eating to think about getting the camera out...

Hope you like it as much as we do!

Now THAT Is A Burger

If you're a pal of mine on Facebook, then you've probably read a time or two about how much we love Salt City Burger around here. It's a local joint with the most fabulous hand-formed char-grilled burgers. And the toppings are just as delicious as the meat. In addition to the normal tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, etc., there are different cheeses (including bleu...mmmmmm), fresh sliced avocado, bacon, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and numerous sauces and dressings. We used to be big fans of Five Guys Burgers & Fries but SCB is undoubtedly about 200 times better. Sorry, Five Guys...you've lost a few customers.

The other night, when we ordered takeout from SCB, Max surprised me when he said that he wanted to get the "Salt City Double", a hearty burger with two 1/3 lb. patties in between the already larger-than-normal buns that this place offers. I obliged and put the order in, not thinking anything other than that he probably wouldn't end up finishing the thing. I was proven right...

After opening his container, Max couldn't stop talking about how positively ginormous the burger was. I expected him to dig in but instead, he just sat at the table for a few minutes trying to figure out how to hold the thing, let alone fit an edge of it into his mouth for a taste. He finally took a single bite of it and then allowed Hudson to give it a shot (and held it up next to Claire's head as she was feeling left out).

After the fun of taking pictures and laughing about the situation, Max took one of the patties out of the burger and we put it on a bun that we had in our bread cupboard and fixed it up for Hudson. We're never going to be ordering that again but as Max said, "It's fun to be able to say that we did it."

RECIPE: Chewy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Time for me to grace you all with another recipe. Aside from my husband, everyone loves these tasty morsels (he's not a coconut fan...or an oatmeal fan, come to think of it). If it weren't for the fact that there are leftover Pumpkin Pie Squares calling my name from the fridge upstairs, I'd probably be in the kitchen making some for myself.

CHEWY COCONUT OATMEAL COOKIES

2 c. flour

1 tsp. each:

- baking powder

- baking soda

- salt

1 c. softened butter (or shortening)

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. water

2 tbsp. vanilla

3 c. dry quick oats

sweetened coconut - flaked or shredded

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the oats and coconut. Beat until smooth. Stir in oats. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in coconut. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 325 for 12-15 minutes.

NOTES:

• I never actually sift the dry ingredients together...just dump them in a large glass measuring cup and stir together. Much faster and easier.
• I often make my cookies bigger than the recipe calls for. Maybe inch and a half instead of just an inch in size.
• If you can get it where you are, the Mounds brand of coconut is really super fab. I put a bunch in a cereal bowl for rolling the dough in it and make sure to eat some along the way. Makes the baking experience that much more meaningful (or calorie-full...not sure which).
• The dough is also very tasty...be prepared to put on roughly 2 pounds the day you make these.
• I use Pam to grease my cookie sheets. Less mess and hassle than shortening.
• While you don't want them to come out doughy, these cookies are especially good if they're still soft and "bendy" when you eat them. So avoid baking them too long and having them turn golden or light brown (they'll be crunchy).

By the way, these cookies can be counted as a decent breakfast in a pinch. Eggs and oats? Sounds healthy to me!

RECIPE: Pumpkin Pie Squares

I shall now share with you one of my most prized possessions: the recipe for Pumpkin Pie Squares. It's not really mine, per say, but it's one of my favorite things to make (and eat)...the one that I mentioned in my 3rd Thankful List earlier this month. As stated in said list, I think this is even better than good old fashioned regular pumpkin pie and my pumpkin-pie-loving husband feels the same way. It'll be gracing our dessert table this Thursday...

LEILA RANDALL'S PUMPKIN PIE SQUARES

1 package yellow cake mix

1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened (1 cube)

4 eggs

1 large can plain pumpkin

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. each:

- allspice

- cloves

- ginger

- cinnamon

- nutmeg

- salt

1 cup brown sugar, divided into two 1/2 cup portions

Put dry cake mix in a bowl and cut in margarine or butter with 2 knives until pea-sized. Take out 1 cup of mix and set aside for topping. To remaining mix in bowl, add 1 egg. Stir until a pasty mixture. Press into a metal 9x13 pant. Bake at 350 until puffy (about 10 minutes).

In a separate bowl, beat pumpkin, 3 eggs, and spices until frothy. Add milk and 1/2 cup brown sugar and mix well. Pour over cooked cake layer.

Into reserved topping, cut or stir in remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over pumpkin layer. If desired, add chopped nuts (walnuts are great). Bake approximately 30 minutes at 350 or until knife stuck in the center comes out clean. Once cooled, refrigerate until chilled through. Serve with freshly whipped cream or Cool Whip (for you weirdies out there).

NOTES:

• I've made this both with butter and margarine. Even though they may not taste all that different, it is my very firm belief that butter is better.
• If you're having a hard time spreading the crust mixture into the pan, grease your hands with a bit of Crisco or spray a rubber spatula with Pam to make the job a little easier.
• I'm always surprised at how many people have never whipped their own cream. For great results, here's how you do it: pour heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl and beat on high speed until desired consistency is reached (I like it SUPER thick but that's just me and my amazing palate). Add powdered/confectioner's sugar by the tablespoonful - mixing well after each addition - until desired level of sweetness is reached.
• This glorious goodness really is best when it's served cold and can be made a day ahead.
• And yes, the metal pan really does make a difference.

Hope you all enjoy this one. If you decide to whip it up one of these days, I'd love to hear what you think! Oh - and by the way, her name is pronounced Lee-eye-luh.

I'M THANKFUL FOR... PART III

Over the past week, I found that it was impossible to sit here and think of things I'm grateful for without the names of various vittles going through my mind. I have to say that my "one word" list was especially hard in this regard. But this time around, I'm going to let my love for food show (as if my thighs aren't proof enough). And in the end, I'll probably be embarrassed. Because chances are, this list is going to be the longest.

I'M THANKFUL FOR...

(PART III)

• Chocolate...milk or dark. Don't care which it is. I'll even take white. Just give me some.
• Marzipan.
• My mom's applesauce whole wheat bread and whole wheat raisin bread. I would gladly eat a slice of either (or both) every day for the rest of my life.
• Artichokes.
• Steamed or cooked carrots. And it doesn't hurt if they're bathed in a mixture of butter, brown sugar, and fresh ground black pepper.
• Seafood. Too general? How's this:
• - calamari
• - salmon
• - shrimp
• - mussels
• - Ahi tuna
• - halibut
• - scallops
• - crab
• - mahi mahi/dorado
• - ono
• - swordfish
• - clams
• - prawns
• - onaga/red snapper
• Princess Cake from Gayle's Bakery in Capitola. Marzipan, raspberry filling, fresh whipped heavy ream, and white cake. I just might have mentioned this treat and its glorious goodness in a previous post or two. Just might.
• Gayle's garlic bread.
• Lamb with apple mint jelly. My favorites are lamb chops and grilled boneless leg of lamb.
• Cardamom bread.
• A home-grilled burger "my way": with Mom B's marinated red onions, fresh avocado, sharp cheddar, lettuce, Clausen kosher dill pickle slices, ketchup, and mayo. It's a bit too tall to eat in a dignified manner but so yummy!
• A good lasagna or spaghetti.
• Frosted pumpkin cookies (either my homemade ones or Harvest Moons from Icing on the Cake).
• My dad's made-from-scratch chocolate mousse.
• Bratwurst with sauerkraut.
• One word: BUTTER.
• Home canned fruit - especially peaches, cherries, and apricots.
• Chocolate Showers ice cream from Loard's.
• Lettuce for a salad...iceberg, Romaine, butter, red leaf, bibb, field greens, etc. You name it - I probably like it.
• Roasted turkey with cranberry sauce.
• Cheese. Lots of cheese. Sharp cheddar, blue cheese, fresh mozzarella, brie, Gorgonzola, fresh Parmesan (the powdered stuff is a culinary sin!), goat cheese, port salut... Cheese is one of those things that makes the world go 'round.
• Brophy Brothers clam chowder. If you're ever in Santa Barbara, it's an absolute MUST!
• Asparagus.
• Breakfast foods. I love thin pancakes, French toast, crepes, waffles, etc.
• Peiking duck complete with plum sauce, green onions, and those slightly sweet "pancakes".
• A good pastry. This statement envelopes approximately 12,294 individual items. Figured I spare you that list.
• Fresh fruit - melons, peaches, berries, apples, citrus, pineapple, and so on and so forth.
• Perfectly cooked or grilled steak (aka medium rare or medium).
• Potatoes...preferably baked or mashed.
• Anything from Normandie Cafe & Bakery in Holladay.
• My in-laws recipe for ham. There's no exact science to it but man, it is tays-tee!
• Chicken Supremes. Huh? It's a most fabulous french dish that we kids made my mom make on our birthdays almost every year. Why is it so great? Four words: lemon parsley butter sauce.
• Homemade lemon bars.
• Reduced fat peanut butter (Skippy or Jif).
• Celery or Fuji apples with said peanut butter.
• Leila Randall's Pumpkin Pie Squares. It's a recipe we had in my family when I was growing up (Leila was an older lady in our stake/church back home) and it's a favorite 'round here, too. Max is the world's #1 pumpkin pie fan and he likes this...better! Recipe will follow soon.
• Root beer. No better drink to match with pizza or a home-grilled burger.
• Real sourdough bread.
• Apricot filled shortbread. Such buttery awesomeness should be illegal!
• Homemade caramels.

Honestly, the list could very easily go on. But I'll let you get back to your life and spare myself from wanting to run upstairs and make everything on the list (or hop in the car or on a plane and go buy it).

P.S. Annie...am I forgetting anything? ;)

VACATION EXTENDED - AGAIN

Holy moly, moly holy! That's one of my personal fave "Hudsonisms" and I think it's rather fitting considering that I haven't posted in a week. And for once, I even feel like I have stuff to post about. And I have pictures.

As stated in my previous post, after the very difficult time we had relaxing in Tahoe and at my sisters, we decided that we should treat ourselves to another break and head to my parents' place instead of going home. We were originally going to leave Anne's place on Wendesday but ended up heading out a day early and left after lunch on Tuesday. Turned out being a good thing as that night, Max wasn't feeling so great and came down with a fever and nasty cough (much like what the kids and I had at Tahoe).

Just like at Tahoe and A & J's place, we had a very nice and relaxing time at my parents. Max was sick the entire time we were there with his fever lasting for a solid 3 or 4 days...I felt SO bad for him! But as rotten as he felt, he did get a trip to the park in on Tuesday evening before he got sick and even when he wasn't feeling well, he did go out shopping with the kids and I a couple of times, and joined us for a Saturday morning trip to the Farmers' Market. But really, for the most part, he was content to sit at the house while the kids and I had our fun out and about with my parents or just my mom and I. Not that we went out a ton. More than anything else, we just spent time at the house, enjoying one another's company, letting the kids play (and get wet in the wading pool and with the hose), checking out Grandpa's "pet" blue belly lizard, and basking in the perfect weather.

Claire and "Ba-Pa" in the greenhouse/deck.

Hudson and Grandpa with the pet lizard. It was either just after or just before this picture that Hudson was holding the lizard and it leapt off his hand and crawled up the side of his face and head. Quite the surprise but Hudson thought it was great!

Claire having some quality time with the hose water while Grandma gave her plants a drink.

We did get to the mall and took a fun day trip to the Boardwalk (always a debate as to who has more fun...the adults or the kids), complete with going out of our way on the drive home for a stop at Gayle's for a few goodies. These goodies purchased included, of course, a Princess Cake. NOTE: if you are not a fan of marzipan or you don't want to read about my obsession with food, just skip the rest of this paragraph. I could have eaten the entire cake by myself. In one sitting. After a huge dinner. With both hands tied behind my back. However, I put my needs aside and over the next few days, I shared it with my dad (who bought the thing - I guess he was entitled to a slice) and mom. Max thinks it has too much marzipan. I know, seriously! I wish I had a picture of a Princess Cake to share with you. And to frame and put next to my bed. But I couldn't find a good close-up online. If you would like to take a little peek at one, click here. There are a few of these delectible beauties in this shot...they're the cute little scrumptious pastel domes in plain green, pink, and purple with a rosebud powdered sugar on top of each. Holy moly, moly holy...tonight's dessert of vanilla ice cream with fresh peaches is no longer cutting it! But enough about one of the greatest bakery masterpieces of all time.

Our last full day there happened to be Father's Day. With much assistance from my parents in getting the last minute details taken care of, I officially surprised Max for what I think is the first time ever. Sure, I've baked him unexpected goodies or brought home something I knew he'd like in the past but never have I pulled off something like this. Back in May, I took the kids for a session with a super fab photographer outside of Park City. Hudson knew that it was a present for Father's Day and kept his lips totally zipped for a good month - I was so proud of him! Anyway, the gift that I actually gave him that day was these three pictures, all framed:

One of Hudson's solo shots.

A Claire solo shot.

The kids sitting together on a really neat covered wooden bridge...I can't recall what he was telling her but I just love how his arm is around her and she's so obviously listening to what he has to say.

Max was totally surprised and even though I know he loves the pictures, I think the homemade card from Hudson was every bit as special to him. There are more pictures of the kids but I since I just barely finalized by order, I haven't recevied my package with the disc and such yet. Therefore, I can't post any more right now...but I'll do so when I get the goods.

Now, I failed to mention in my post about going to Anne's that while at her place, we got "the call" from our genetecist's office telling us that the results on the kids' bloodwork had come in. Turns out that while Hudson is in the clear, Claire has my condition. It stinks but there's obviously nothing we can do about it. I'm honestly just grateful to know...knowledge is power and knowing is half the battle (G.I. Joe!). Now, we can move on and instead of worrying about the "what if's", we can focus on life as it is and treat her at a much earlier age than I was treated. Anyway, point is, It really was so nice to go and spend some one on one time with my parents, especially considering the news we had just gotten. As always, my parents were so accomodating, thoughtful, generous, etc. and I can't thank them enough for all they did while we were there.

We left my parents place the morning of Monday the 22nd and took the gloriously long and boring drive home. While Hudson kept asking "How much longer?" and "When are we going to get there?", Claire was a little gem and was content throughout the drive. Not that Hudson was bad - he's just at that age where energy is high and patience runs low. A couple of hours after dinner that night, we stepped inside our house for the first time in 18 days, 7 of which were planned, and all of which were a very welcome and fabulous break. After living in Vacation Land for so long, it took me a while to get back in the groove of normal life. But I think I'm finally back...

AN UNSATISFIED CRAVING

I really love me some fish. Any kind of seafood (except maybe raw oysters). I love shrimp, scallops, salmon, squid/calamari, mussels, swordfish, clams, Ahi tuna, halibut, and so on. Yum, yum, yum.

Mahi Mahi

Yesterday I was very close to a Rubio's Baja Grill where I could have easily grabbed myself some uber-tasty fish tacos for lunch. But I had Claire in tow and was picking up lunch for Max, his brother, and Hudson so I opted to just get a Pad Thai rice noodle bowl (with shrimp) at the restaurant where I was getting lunch for everyone else. Figured that I'd somehow feed my fish-craving at dinner.

Dinnertime came. We picked up hot dogs and pizza for Max and Hudson, respectively, at Costco. I wasn't super hungry and still had a hankering for a meal that revolved around some fabulous fine-finned friend (say that three times fast). So I waited until Claire was down and my tummy said it really wanted to eat. I then called down to our local Cafe Rio to make sure that they were running the usual Saturday special: Mahi Mahi fish tacos. Yes, indeedy, there were. So I hopped in the car and headed to Rio, making a quick stop at the market/pharmacy on the way.

I arrived at Cafe Rio, practically drooling at the thought of those tasty vittles. Two corn tortillas filled with Mahi Mahi and fresh cabbage. A slice or two of fresh lime on the side (an absolute MUST) and a little container full of their Creamy Tomatillo dressing/sauce. Don't care about the rice or anything else on the side. I just need that fish in those tacos. Mmmmmm. I'm drooling again.

I walked up to the counter and said, "Two mahi mahi tacos, please." I really did say "please" at the end. And you know what the lady's response was? "I'm all out of mahi mahi." I BEG YOUR PARDON?! I just waited to eat my dinner so I'd be really hungry and then drove all the way down the hill specifically to get these tacos. And you're "ALL OUT"? She's lucky I'd had some berry smoothie from Costco and that my stomach wasn't actually growling...because it just might have been angry enough to jump out and bite her on lip for such language.

I settled on a chicken tostada. Quite the tasty dish but not my precious fish tacos. As of this evening, I'm officially craving them about 82 times worse than I craved them yesterday. My mission this week? At least one meal of fish tacos. That means I either have to drive about 15 minutes to get some at Rubio's in the city or wait until Saturday for Rio to offer them on their special again. Guess which one it will be...