Appetite. What makes many of us motivated to do something? It can be an appetite for a good meal or a desire to accomplish something.

Since I enjoy food so much, I think mine would have to want a good meal. I am shocked at how many people “settle” for a lot of the fast food stuff with little flavor except grease and salt.

We were watching “Till Debt Do Us Part” last night on CNBC and I was proud of Gail when she told the parents that eating fast food isn’t good for their children because it wasn’t healthy. Although the family stayed on their food budget – her answer was to buy cheap fast food meals. Gail said that it might be cheap, but it costs in the long run. Amen, sister!
We have some friends who love to eat out, but always try to find a bargain. I’m thinking to myself as they order some very cheap, but not nutritious stuff that you might be eating cheaply today, but what will be the cost tomorrow and the next day? It’s not like this junk they are eating is a treat or a splurge – it is how they eat most of the time.

I think my parents did me a disservice by not having me eat different things as a kid. Yes, I had my share of vegetables and there are some I abhor – no doubt about it. But, because we rarely ate fish, I have trouble being courageous enough to eat different types of fish. I think if I had been exposed to fish as a child, I’d eat more of it.

I think our appetites and like change as we change. I remember thinking that those fast hamburgers were the greatest. We have a local fast food joint that everyone loves their greasy burgers. I used to until my stomach could no longer handle the grease.

My desire for foods has changed and I tend to like different things now than I did when I was younger. I really like a good salad. Fresh green beans are scrumptious. I don’t think I ate zucchini as a child, but as an adult, I love finding different recipes to sample.

So, what do you have to say about your appetite?

We did our weekly grocery run and I spent some time the last few evenings making my lists. Not sure if I checked them twice, but I am going to tell you who I think is naughty and nice!

Nice -- those companies who give you more than three weeks to redeem the coupon. I realize grocery shelf is a hot commodity, but there are times I don't need something before the coupon expires. I'm not asking for a year, but give me at least two months.

Nice -- those companies who realize that most of us don't have warehouses to store the products. There are two of us in this house and I'm the only one who eats cereal and having to buy three boxes to save a buck might be OK if I ate three boxes in a week, but I don't. I try to buy cereal when it is on sale and when I have a coupon as well as when I have storage. My pantry space is limited.

Naughty -- OK, the this is a repeat sort of, but less than four weeks of time to buy something? Come on! Some folks budget and if it isn't a necessity, they'll do without. I might be tempted to try your product if I had a little more time with the coupon, but if I already have something, I'm not throwing it out just so I can try your product.

Naughty -- buying multiples of something or the huge size of something with your coupon. I grant you that the warehouse stores have made regular stores try to compete, but I simply do not have a place to put 24 rolls of toilet paper and 10 paper towels. And many of us who buy name brand items, don't use two toothpastes in a month.

Naughty -- a coupon that you have to buy one item to get another free or marked down. I've bought a bag of potatoes and can save 50 cents if I buy something like a cheese spread. That would be great if I wanted the cheese spread, but if not, than I feel I was cheated out of saving 50 cents.


Naughty -- those chain stores who take you to a coupon site where you can print coupons, but then the local store doesn't accept Internet coupons. All or nothing, my friends. I'm not spending the time, ink, and paper only to be told that I can't use them. And I'm old enough that I don't care if the person behind me thinks I'm an old fuss budget and refuse to buy the item. In this economy, only the strong survive!

Dear coupon folks, please think about those of us who don't have a big family and we don't need multiples of things -- I really don't need three bags of party mix to save 50 cents. I have decided that if I can't save a few cents on one item, maybe I'll just do without!

It's Sunday so I usually bake some bread. I did -- I baked white bread and some banana bread.

Amazing stuff, this bread. It's not just a certain style, type, flavor, color, or size. It can be baked in pans, on stones, on trays, or even in pots. There are different things you can utilize to whip up a loaf -- all purpose flour, wheat flour, rye, rice flour, potato flour, well, you get the idea.

I blogged earlier that I went through 3 bread machines because my husband adores bread. But, he isn't alone. Panera, which used to be called St. Louis Bread company, is pretty famous for their bread. In our local Panera, there are paintings of bread.

For Christians, in the Lord's Prayer, there is, "Give us this day, our daily bread." So, bread has played an important part in every day life. Although we ask for more than bread, you get the picture -- we want to be well fed.

I remember baking bread at my former school and the teachers would come in and relive memories of who baked bread with or for them. The aroma aroused that memory.

Remember the ongoing line about if you go to jail you only get bread and water? I wonder what kind of bread? I always pictured that real soft white stuff of my childhood that you could squeeze together and make a ball. Some of the other breads might make it a good experience however. I like a hot, crusty bread. I'd prefer to eat it outside of the bars, but...

This will age me, but remember when people would ask if you had any bread and they didn't mean something to eat, but money? I guess as important is bread is to many, money is as important.

Being sort of frugal, I like baking my own bread because I can make different kinds with many of the same ingredients. It's far cheaper for me to make a loaf of bread than to buy it commercially. Plus, it's kind of fun experimenting with different breads and flours.

There are so many things you can do with bread. You can have it accompany a meal like a slice of bread with pasta. Or you can have a bread stick in olive oil. Yum, especially if it is hot and the olive oil has been flavored with garlic and rosemary. We make sandwiches with bread. And I have used bread to make egg stratas. Plus, we can have toast with our eggs or simply alone. I've used older bread to make bread crumbs for toppings. Or, I've toasted bread and cubed it for croutons for a salad. And, I've even taken some bread to feed the ducks down at the lake. I haven't even touched on the flat breads like cornbread! Not to mention sweet breads like banana and zucchini...yum!

I like different breads for different things. I enjoy the bread sticks if we are having pasta or a salad. I enjoy cornbread with ham. I like rye as well as whole wheat bread for sandwiches and toast. Pitas are delightful for gyros. French breads are great for brueschetta. Texas Toast thick stuff is delightful for French Toast. The bread world is amazing, isn't it?

Do you have a favorite bread?

Sweet potatoes have suddenly become a wonder food. If you've noticed in the news, the media is touting all the good stuff they have in them for one's health. I like them, but my husband claimed he didn't.

A couple of months ago he said he'd try one if I baked it. I did, he did, and he discovered he kind of liked it. We've had them baked a few times since and he comments that he missed out on something all these years.

I've been looking for a sweet potato casserole recipe that would be easy to make ahead and then bake off. The only problem I've encountered is so many of them have so much sugar in them. I like sweet stuff as much as the next person, but one recipe had a cup of brown sugar AND a cup of white sugar. Why even eat the potato -- just make candy and be done with it?

Anyway, I took a few recipes and came up with my own. I fixed it today and it isn't bad. I know most recipes either have pecans or coconut and we don't like either, so I left them off the top, but you like them, by all means, go for it.

Sweet potato casserole

5-6 small sweet potatoes or 2-3 large ones, peeled, cubed, and boiled until soft.
1 can of evaportated milk
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 T of nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
Coconut or pecans for topping -- optional


Drain the cooked sweet potatoes. Mash with the evaported milk and add the brown sugar and nutmeg. Once this mixture has cooled a bit, add the beaten eggs and mix thoroughly. Put in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes covered or until thoroughly cooked through. The time will depend on how deep your baking dish is -- less time if it is long and less deep, and more if it is deeper.

I like trying new things, but so many of the recipes anymore seem to have too much salt or too much sugar. I hope to eat stuff that is somewhat healthy for me.

There's just something aromatic about sauting garlic and onions and even celery in olive oil. So many good smells emit from the kitchen.

I sauted onions, celery, and mushrooms for the brisket and then added some garlic. My husband came into the kitchen and told me, "It sure smells good in here." I had to laugh. He doesn't care for fancy perfumes, but he sure likes the aromas of food cooking.

I know when I bake bread he likes it too. I remember last year when I baked bread at school people would open my classroom door to get a whiff and then smile. We humans like good smellin' stuff!

Somehow I don't think I'll be putting a little olive oil and garlic behind my ears, but I'm happy about making my hubby pleased. Think of the money I'm saving him in perfume by cooking and having that great smell? Am I being frugal????

So, what is your favorite aroma?

Yesterday, I happened to watch "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" on Food Network. I've not viewed it before and was taken in by Ann's easy breezy style. She showed making a brisket that made our mouths water. It looked juicy and delicious, so when we did our weekly run to the store, we picked up a small brisket.

I have tomorrow off for Presidents' Day so I plan on fixing it for supper tomorrow night. She served potato pancakes with it -- she used mashed potatoes to bind the potato pancakes instead of flour or bread crumbs.

Beef Brisket

Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 (5-pound) beef brisket
Kosher salt
1/4 pound slab bacon, skin removed and reserved, bacon cut into lardons
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced on the bias
4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and finely sliced
2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
4 bay leaves
1 fresh thyme bundle
1 bunch finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Directions
Coat a large roasting pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the brisket generously with salt. Add the brisket to the pan and brown well on both sides. Remove the brisket from the pan and reserve.


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.


Lower the heat to medium, ditch the excess oil, and add the bacon and reserved skin to the pan with a little more oil. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and has let out a lot of fat. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and cook until they are very soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and wilted. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce it by half. Taste it - it will be very vinegary, but that's ok, don't worry. Season with salt, if needed. Lay the brisket on top of the veggie mix and add the chicken stock to the pan until it just covers the brisket. Add the bay leaves and thyme.


Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven. Roast for 1 hour, check the brisket, and turn it over. Add more stock if the liquid level has reduced. Cover the pan again and return it to the oven for another hour. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes more.


Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.


Skim off any excess fat from the cooking liquid. If the vegetables are swimming in liquid, reduce the liquid on the stovetop over medium-high heat. You want the sauce to be soupy. Taste the liquid and re-season if needed. Slice the brisket against the grain on the bias. Serve topped with the onion-mushroom mixture and sprinkle with chopped chives.

I certainly hope it tastes as good as it looks!

I tried a new recipe today for bread. Like that's a big surprise, because I'm always on the look out for a new bread recipe. But, if someone had said a year ago that I'd think about trying a recipe for poppy seed bread, I'd say "Nah!" Banana bread or cinnamon bread or peach muffins yes, but poppy seeds????

Long story short, I grew up in a dysfunctional family. To be exact, my half brother and I didn't really see each other for over 40 some years. I mean, I knew he was around and vice versa, but because of problems with our mother, and the fact he was older and almost an adult when I came along, we just didn't get to know each other.

A few years ago when our mother died, I called and told him. He and his delightful wife attended the funeral. We talked a bit, but never really did too much together. Part of it is because I don't trust people very much. Again, an issue with my childhood and I certainly don't want pity. But, through the years we are getting to know each other and my brother realized I like to cook and bake. He shared that his grandmother (we had different dads) used to make poppy seed bread and how much he liked it.

Well, I decided if he likes it so much, I thought I should find a recipe. I've talked to my sister-in-law and I think I might have found one that is similar to what his grandmother used to make. Big brother will be eating his poppy seed bread tomorrow when I give it to him.


Poppy Seed Bread

Original Recipe Yield 2 loaves

Ingredients
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
Directions
Mix together the flour, 2 1/4 cups white sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and eggs. Mix in the vegetable oil, poppy seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond flavoring. Beat with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly grease 2 loaf pans or 6 small loaf pans. Bake 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

If you have a recipe for poppy seed bread you'd like to share, please do! Hopefully Big Brother will find this one to his liking!

Years ago eggs were advertised as the Incredible Edible Egg. Then came the harsh warnings that eggs were bad, bad, bad for you and that they will raise one's cholesterol to skyrocketing numbers.

Well, last week, a new finding is eggs aren't quite as wicked as they were once thought. Research says that since chickens are eating better feeds, the cholesterol isn't quite so high.

For all of you brinner (breakfast + dinner) fans, I bet I just heard a hoot and a holler.

Anyway, eggs are tasty not to mention cheap. Right now one grocery store is offering "Ten for ten" which is a buck a dozen of large eggs. That's less than a dime an egg!

I like a good casserole and one with eggs always seems to be a bonus at my house. My husband loves eggs.

I have been poring through cookbooks and think I found a new recipe that I'm going to try. Well, I've already made it and have it in the fridge to bake off later this week. It's from one of those church cook books, but no one's name is on it so I can't give credit to anyone.

Hash Brown Egg Bake
1 pgk shredded hash browns
1 1/2 c. diced ham
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 eggs, beaten
1 pt whipping cream
1/4 c green pepper chopped
1/8 tsp garlic salt
3 T butter

Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl. Add beaten eggs and stir. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Top with butter pieces. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes.

Sounds like a hearty meal for brinner to me!

I'm always on the look out for a new casserole dish, especially a chicken casserole.

A dear friend buys me a subscription to "Simple and Delicious" magazine and the newest one had this recipe. It actually makes up two batches, one to use now and one to freeze. I haven't tried it yet, but plan on making it this afternoon. My only change is I'm going to make my own cheese sauce instead of buying the cheese soup.

Chicken Club Casseroles

4 cups uncooked spiral pasta
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup mayonnaise
4 mediums tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Colby-Monteresy Jack cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, soup, bacon, milk, and mayonnaise. Stir in tomatoes and spinach.

Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. Transer to two greased 8 in square baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese.

Cool one casserole; cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Cover and bake remaining casserole at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until bubble and cheese is melted.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 375 for 60-70 minutes or until bubbly.

It sounds good for a winter day.

Last night I was looking at my grandmother's recipe box. It's an old wooden box and most of the recipes are typewritten on cards or papers that have yellowed with time.

I found 4 wine recipes. I've concluded that wine making must be an art because of the time it takes. I had heard my grandfather made his own wine and I assume these were some of the recipes. However, other than the basic ingredients, there were few instructions. Maybe they knew what to do and just needed a reminder of the measurements.

One recipe for a fruit salad said buy a 10 cent box of crackers...think that might be a hard one to follow!

There's my grandmother's peanut brittle recipe in there. I've made it a few times and I have great respect for my grandmother and her hands of asbestoes...she would stretch the hot peanut brittle after taking it out of the cooking pot because the thinner the better. For years my mom wouldn't give me the recipe. I found that odd because the one time my mom tried to make it, she burnt it. It isn't any great secret, that's for sure. Yet she didn't want to give it up.

I found 6 recipes for fruit cake. Yep, 6 different recipes for fruit cake. I guess I find that amusing because nowdays people have jokes about fruit cake.

But the funniest recipe of all has to be how to get rid of a tapeworm!

It was quite a suprise to learn we would have yet another snow day today. The temps are pretty cold, but we've had school with the temps this frigid before. I don't know the real reason, but I am surmising it was probably a problem with getting lots of parking lots plowed and busses ready to go.

We did get out and about some today. DH had cabin fever and wanted to go out. We went to a local market and bought some meat to put in our freezer. I like their beef and pork and they wrap it in sizes that are managable to use. Today was also senior day so we got 10% off since DH is past 62.

We often eat the same types of meat over and over. I guess I don't get too wild when it comes to different things. I don't know if it is because I don't want to fail or if it is I don't want to waste money.

Every so often I get brave and try something new, but it usually is the same type of meat I've tried before. I think I need to venture out and see if magic can be made with different cuts of meat. Would this make me brave or just plain silly?

Today is our second snow day for our school district. We don't get them often, so having two in a row is an indication of how grim the weather has been.

We received a layer of ice, then some snow, them some frozen something or other on top of that, to be complimented with yet another coating of snow. With cold temps and some high wind gusts, there is no doubt we are in winter. The most frightening part was the lights flickering on and off. Some parts of our city did lose power. We had an ice storm in 2006 and being without power even just two days made it tough. With the frigid temperatures predicted, it could be life threatening if we were to lose power.

The good thing about being home is we ate well. I fixed a big breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast and that make my hubby very happy. Lunch was a cheese spread on homemade bread. Supper was a pork loin roast, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and a fruit salad.

Today I used the leftover pork roast and made pulled pork sandwiches. Hubby was pleased about that. Tonight it is beef stew as long as we have power.

Our cul-d-sac is pretty deep. The city plows usually don't get to our subdivision until days after a major storm, so I'm not looking for them anytime soon as they struggle to dig out the city. I called a guy to plow our driveway and so far he hasn't shown which is frustrating because two of our neighbors had their driveways plowed and we could have asked their people to do it while they were here, but we hope our guy shows.

I hope all of you who are suffering from this storm are safe and warm!

We've been warned...Central Illinois is supposed to get freezing rain and snow in the next few days. The freezing rain scares me the most...we had the freezing rain/ice storm over 4 years ago and were without power over two days. Two cold, miserable days. I have new respect for those folks who heated with a fireplace -- I don't know how they did it.

The forecast is calling from anywhere between 10-20 inches from Monday evening to Wednesday. Then on Wednesday it is predicted we will have high wind gusts.

Thursday has equally good news...temperatures below zero and wind chills even lower.

A friend wrote as she talked about the weather..."if you were planning on doing your grocery shopping tomorrow night, you might want to do it today." Amen, sister!

I know a gal who rarely has anything in the house. She often says she has to go out to eat because she didn't have anything to bring for lunch. If she thinks of it, she'll stop at a convenience store to pick up a frozen dinner for lunch. (Can we say expensive?) Before Christmas we were supposed to have a bad storm and I suggested she hit the store before she went home and she said she didn't have time because some friends might stop by. I always wonder what she'll do if her car won't start. Snack on some tree bark? Eat a few weeds? OK, I digress....

We hit the store this weekend to pick up a few fresh things like milk and bread and a few items to replenish items I've used throughout the week. Granted, most of the stuff in my pantry would require some heating to make it taste the best, but as long as we have power, we could go quite a few days if need be.

I certainly hope the forecasters are wrong and we don't get that much snow. I am glad we have the convenience of modern heat and cooking. Those folks in log cabins and mud houses were made of stern stuff!

Ah...satisfaction! I told my husband that it was nice to open the fridge and it is full. There's something gratifying about knowing I'm ready for this week with some meals ready to heat and eat.

I did my usual put the chicken in the Crockpot thingy Friday night. Saturday morning I had a cooked chicken with rich broth. It's cold here and cold air bothers my asthma so other than a quick run to the grocery store for a few items, we were home and I spent most of the afternoon fixing things.

I baked bread with rice flour. I like having different breads when we have supper and I hate to spend gourmet prices for stuff you can make for a lot less. I heat it a few slices when we are ready to eat and it usually tastes pretty good.

I am trying a new recipe. I was looking through a Paula Deen cookbook and saw this recipe with rice.


Chicken and Rice Casserole


2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cups diced, cooked chicken
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans green beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (6-ounce) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
Pinch salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving

I'm going to admit that I didn't fix it exactly. The cookbook said to use a whole box of Uncle Ben's rice. I used the rice I had on hand.

I also used different vegetables. I roasted a big pan of celery, carrots, onions, zucchini and potatoes to put in a chicken pot pie so I used part of that. I like green beans, but I thought I'd use what I had. Why spend more than I need to? Hope Paula won't mind.

I also substituted the whole can of cream of celery soup with a half a can of cream of chicken (again, I used half of it for the chicken pot pie) and made up with it with plain yogurt. Sorry, Paula. I not only want to save some money, but cut out some of the fat.

I also shredded bits and pieces of a couple of cheeses that I had in the fridge. So, this is no longer a purebred recipe. Hope Paula understands!

I look forward to trying this recipe. As cold as it is, a nice hot casserole for supper will be yummy, and far more reasonable than going out! I just hope Paula Deen won't hate me forever!

I tried a new recipe the other day.

I got it from the cookbook, "What Would Jesus Eat" by Don Colbert and the cookbook said it was adapted from CookbooksOnline.com. The cookbook said it was an appetizer, but we don't eat courses, so I used it as a casserole.

Overall, it wasn't bad, but perhaps a bit bland. If I make it again, I think I might add some other herbs.

Zucchini Casserole

3 cups thinly sliced unpeeled zucchini
1 cup biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoran or oregano leaves
dash of pepper
1 finely chopped garlic clove
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the zucchini, baking mix, Parmesan cheese, onion, eggs, salt, parsley, marjoram, pepper, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl; mix well. Spread the zucchini mixture in a greased 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool slightly. For appetizers cut into 1x2 inch rectangles and serve. For a casserole, cut into squares.

On the bright side, it was filling and hot on a very cold day.

I enjoy trying new ways of doing things. I've seen and read recipes for making stew in the oven and I thought, I ought to try that. I've made it on top of the stove and I've also put it in one of my Crockpots. Although the Crockpot is adequate, I really like it on top of the stove...but, I have another way I like it.

My basic recipe for beef stew really doesn't have any measurements. I used a cast iron Dutch oven. I started with a pound of stew meat and if you can get it tenderized, so much the better. I did try something a little different and that is I dried the stew meat off before sauteing it in olive oil in the Dutch oven. It did brown better (thank you, Julia Child). I then chopped an onion and browned it with the meat. I chopped a long stalk of celery and put that in. While that was cooking, I added a little Worcestershire sauce. When everything was really going, I added 1/4 cup of grape juice. I know some folks use wine. I know very little about wine, but we drink grape juice with our dinner so I thought, why not add it? After that I added two or three chopped carrots and 4-5 peeled and cubed potatoes. I know most folks prefer less potatoes, but hubby hasn't met a potato he doesn't like.

Before taking it off the top of the stove, I put in a large can of tomato sauce. I mixed everything together, added some tumeric and pepper, and then put the lid on and put in a 325 oven for 3 1/2 hours.

Wow. It was yummy. The juices blended and everything was cooked and delicious. I took a tentative bite, declared it was good, and then let it cool a bit and put it in the fridge.

Tonight I heated it up on a low simmer and it was delicious. I certainly would do it again.

Since it was pretty cold today, it made for a hearty meal with some fruit and whole wheat bread.

If you've never read any of the Amelia Bedelia books, the next time you are at the library or in a book store, be sure and find a couple of these books and read them. They are basically kids books about a gal who is so literal. I remember she was working as a maid at a house and the lady of the house left her a list and it said to "dust" rooms. Amelia didn't know where to find dust, but in the bathroom she did find some "dusting powder" and she went around and "dusted" the room. It's a great story to talk about what we are trying to communication and what it says and what it really says.

Well, I dusted my kitchen today. I didn't plan on it and certainly wasn't thrilled with the cleanup, but it happened. I was talking to my brother and he was talking about how he often stops and gets some fresh bread at a small town near here because he loves the flavor and the freshness. My brother and I did not grow up together so in the past couple of years, we are working on building a relationship. I thought I'd be a good sister and bake him a loaf of bread. I don't believe he reads my blog so I think the surprise is safe!

Anyway, the recipes calls for 6-7 cups of flour, but you don't put them in all at once. (I shared this recipe previously.) You put in some and then keep adding until the dough isn't super sticky. I had about 6 cups in and went to add about another half of cup. I turned off the mixer so I wouldn't have it all over. However, I guess the dough was up far enough that when I turned the mixer back on, the flour was thrown out and as you know, flour travels.

Well, my kitchen has been dusted and Amelia Bedilia is no where to be found!

It's darn cold here. I mean, bone chilling, wind whipping frigid. I'm sure it is worse some places, but I hate going out when it hurts to breath and getting up in the morning seems to be an challenge in either endurance or ignorance...those wood floors are frosty and we keep our house pretty cool.

As I get ready to go to work, cold cereal isn't making my day. I was looking at some recipes for using the Crockpot to fix oatmeal so it's hot and ready when I get up. One recipe said to add all the ingredients and put it on low...the thing that worried me was it said add the half and half. I thought that might curdle it or something. I looked at two other recipes and it mentioned just adding the oatmeal and water and then adding the half and half right before you eat it. I don't have half and half so it would be good ole' milk, but I think I might try that.

I'm thinking this might be a good, warm, cheap breakfast. One one of the sites, the person wrote that they make extra and put the leftovers in the fridge in a loaf pan. When it sets up they slice it and put it in the microwave for another hot breakfast.

Just wondering if anyone else has tried this.

Here is it Sunday afternoon in January. It's been a busy weekend getting errands run and things done, including laundry. I put a whole chicken in the Crockpot Friday night and yesterday used it to make chicken and dressing casserole, chicken and rice casserole, and now I'm trying to figure out what to do with the rest. I can take the easy way out and have chicken and noodles with the chicken and broth, or make chicken stew with vegetables, or another chicken casserole. My hubby picked up the chicken at Aldi and I notice it was $4.71. Getting three meals for a chicken under $5 isn't bad! Plus it means the bulk of three suppers is basically taken care of -- I just need to either put the casseroles in the oven to bake or heat up the chicken and broth with noodles. I roasted a large pan of vegetables to add to the chicken and rice casserole so I can either heat them up as a side dish, or instead of the chicken and noodles, use the chicken, broth and vegetables and make chicken stew.

I made a loaf of Artisan bread this afternoon. My pastor has been experimenting with making Artisan bread so it reminded me of my No Knead Bread recipe so I pulled it out. I did put a little olive oil with some dried herbs on top of it while it baked. I'm pretty pleased with how nice it looks sitting on the cooling rack.

Other than a couple of things like writing a thank you note and filling out a deposit slip, the bulk of my work here is done...now I can relax and enjoy the comfort of my home on a cold winter day.

Here's an article right up my alley -- ten money saving kitchen gadgets. I'm proud to say I own 9 of them and use them.

http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/slideshows/10-kitchen-tools-that-will-save-you-money

I make use of my Crockpots -- yes, I know it is a brand name and mine are Rival Crockpots. I can't imagine trying to fix many of my meals without them. I make coffee in my coffee maker and brew my own tea as well because I am, well, cheap.

I grate my own cheese and I actually own two small cheese graters. One is better than the other, but I I've had one over 20 years so I think I've gotten my money out of it.

As much as I liked this url, I would say, unless folks actually use these kitchen gadgets or tools, they won't be saving anything. I made quiche again with some different ingredients this time and I grated my own cheese. I fixed coffee to go with it.

I know some folks just like to have the things, but not using them isn't saving money.

Can you think of any other kitchen tools that save you money? I would have to say my stand mixer saves us money. I've worn out three bread machines and finally gave up on buying another one, but I use it to mix my dough. I use it for other items as well so it's a multi-purpose tool.

We can certainly add to this list, can't we?

Happy first day of 2011!

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's Eve and that 2011 is a blessed year for all.

We had a delightful time with friends last night. Our pastor and his wife had an open house and we enjoyed good company and yummy snacks.

My pastor enjoys cooking and baking besides wine making. We were talking about bread. He is currently baking artisan bread. We discussed some ways to add herbs. I told him I had a fabulous recipe for white bread I had just tried last week and my husband loved it.

Last week I had time to look through cook books and I was looking at Ina Garten's cookbook, "Barefoot Contessa at Home." The recipe is simple, but delicious.

Honey White Bread
Makes 2 loaves
½ c warm water (110 degrees)
2 packages of dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cups warm milk (110 degrees)
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled (3/4 stick)
1 ½ tablespoons honey
2 extra large egg yolks
5 to 6 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 egg white, lightly beaten

Place water in bowl and add the yeast and sugar – allow to dissolve for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, and honey. Mix until blended. Add the egg yolks and 3 cups of flour and salt. Gradually add 2 more cups of flour. Add more flour if necessary. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for a minute until the dough is smooth and elastic. Grease a bowl with butter or oil and the put the dough in the bowl, then turn over so the top is lightly buttered or oiled. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise for 1 hour – it should double in volume.
Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans with butter. Divide the dough in half, roll each half into a loaf shape and place in a prepared pan. Cover again with a damp towel and allow to rise again for an hour until doubled in volume.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the tops with the egg white and bake the breads for 40-45 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped. Turn them out of the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

I could see adding some different things to zip it up like rosemary or oregano or even garlic. I checked on-line with some sites and discovered I can probably freeze the dough after the first rise and have loaves ready to be baked. Now, wouldn't that be cool?

I remember in the 70s when quiche was all the rage. There was that saying that "real men don't eat quiche." I found it humorous then and even funnier now considering most men's love affair with breakfast, especially eggs. Brinner anyone?

I'm not for sure, but I think American's love affair with quiche was squelched when it was thought that eating eggs was bad for you. Now eating eggs is OK.

So, I'm hoping to bring back quiche. We visited my husband's aunt and uncle yesterday and we normally go out for a big lunch. We usually have dessert and sit and visit and then make the over two hour drive home, the last thing I want to do is fix a big meal for two reasons: I'm tired and we aren't very hungry.

Since I'm on vacation from school, I have had time to peruse some recipes. I was going through and saw a recipe for quiche. That proverbial light bulb went on! Sometime I can fix ahead and put in the fridge and bake when we want it after we arrive home!

The original recipe calls for Cajun stuff. No offense to those of you who like Cajun cooking, but it is too spicy for us. But the basic recipe was simple and I just added what I had. I will admit I did not make my own crust. We had bought some frozen pie crusts made by the Amish and I pulled one of those out and thawed it and blind baked it for a few minutes.

Here's the simple recipe:

1/2 cup of shredded cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup of half and half

Pour into a pie shell.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes and let sit a few minutes out of the oven.

I added leftover ham. I had some Colby cheese that I shredded. I covered it with foil and slipped it in the fridge. When hubby decided he was hungry, I pulled the pie pan out of the fridge, put a little foil around the edges of the pie crust so it didn't burn, put it on a baking sheet, and baked it. I served it with a fruit salad.

It was yummy. I was thinking I could have added vegetables and other types of cheeses to change it out.

So, do you think quiche will become popular again?

For dessert on Christmas, I baked a cake. I'm always trying different cake recipes because I find good and bad things about each. This time I tried a recipe by Ian Garten. One bite and my husband informed me this was the best chocolate cake I've baked so far.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.


I'm including her recipe for the frosting, but I'm going to admit I didn't use it exactly. The raw egg yolk kind of worried me. I added a little milk instead.

Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.


Other than the buttermilk, I had everything else on hand. Since I was going to make cornbread, the buttermilk came in handy and since I'm baking another cake this week to take to my husband's aunt and uncle's for a belated birthday, I will use the buttermilk.

The cake is moist and yummy -- far better than a storebought cake. And, no preservatives either!

If you try it, let me know what you think.

Yesterday was a horrible day outside. We had blowing snow and frigid temperatures. After church, it was a blessing to get inside and be warm and safe.

It was also a good day to bake. I baked breads and cookies and some brownies. I've already shared my banana bread recipe a few months back, but here's a recipe for peanut butter bread and you are to serve it with jam. I saw Paula Deen make it a few years ago and had to try it. It's easy and fairly tasty.

Peanut Butter Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients. Add milk and peanut butter. Pour into a greased 8 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan. Bake for approximately 50 minutes. Serve with your favorite jam.


I actually had 3 smaller loaves because I wanted to put them with banana bread and cookies and dipped pretzels for some gift trays. Some of us are at a point that we don't need to give gifts of objects -- we appreciate the time and effort of something home made!

It's December and after above normal temps, we are getting our cold weather. We were supposed to get snow last night and felt fortunate that we didn't any. I guess a town 45 minutes north received 4 inches. Ick.

With winter comes the desire for hot food. We attended our church's bazaar and luncheon and boy, that cheesy vegetable soup hit the spot. Nothing like a good soup to warm someone up, eh?

I lucked into a chicken stew recipe a couple of years ago and after making it a few times, tweaked it with my own additions. It makes a good meal and with all the vegetables, it's probably very healthy as well:

Chicken Stew

2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 celery stalks, cut into bite-size pieces
3 medium size carrots, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 14 oz can of chicken broth (or more if you like the sauce thinner)
1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce
1 small can of tomato paste
2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut up
1 can of red beans
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
pasta rings (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 ½ quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Saute the vegetables until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken breast pieces and season with salt and pepper. When chicken is cooked, add chicken broth, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Add the basil and oregano and beans. Cook about 45 minutes or until vegetables are cooked the way you like them. Twenty minutes before you are ready to serve, add the pasta rings (add as few or as many as you want, depending on the amount of broth you added). Serve with bread.


If I don't have the red beans, I'll take some dry lentils, pour boiling water for them for a few minutes, pick out the not so good ones, drain, and cook with the stew. It makes it very hearty and rich and my husband who never would try a lentil, eat them.

I just hate it when I try a new recipe and it's awful. I mean, the ingredients were good, but the taste was...well, it left a lot to be desired.

I had a recipe I had found in a magazine for an onion bread casserole. Easy enough...saute 3 onions, tear up a loaf of French bread, add 2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese, 2 eggs, teaspoon of nutmeg, and 3 cups of milk. Mix together and put in fridge overnight. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. Sounds decent, right?

Wrong! It was soupy and I had put it in the fridge overnight to "soak" so the bread would have the egg and milk mixture throughout. The bread did rise like it was supposed to in the oven. But, it was soupy and pretty bland. I guess I'm used to more flavorful stuff. I was disappointed. We ate it, because it wasn't dreadful, but I doubt if I try it again as it is written.

Guess it's live and learn. I didn't buy anything I didn't already have. Just wonder what I could add to make it better. Any ideas?

My beautiful new stove arrived this afternoon. The front is stainless and it has a black smooth cook top. It's so clean and sleek that I could hardly wait to fire it up!

Last weekend I saw an ad for THE stove I wanted and it was marked down. They even threw in an above the stove microwave, something I never would have gotten otherwise. We went to the store and looked at the beauty, opened the door, measured, did anything and everything one would do including kick the proverbial tires! After saving for over a year, I wnated to make sure this was the one.

I guess lots of folks buy new appliances and want them delivered before Thanksgiving. I chose today because I am off from school. The sales lady seemed relieved that I didn't need it before Wednesday.

The microwave was delivered, but the installer called and wanted to wait until tomorrow to put it in. I returned his call and thought I was being kind in saying OK, although he was supposed to come today. He then wanted to move it to Monday. I let my husband call him back because I was afraid I would get emotional on the phone. I have been so excited all week anticipating this lovely new stove and microwave. Hopefully he will show tomorrow, but I have my doubts.

I have cookies baking in the convection oven. I've never had a convection oven before so it is pretty cool. The oven window is so clear it's like watching television as I keep an eye on the cookies baking.

So, for those of you who have cheered me on, thank you for your words of encouragement. I'm very happy with my new stove.

My husband says he's happy too. I think he's pretty elated because he got a cookie from the first batch. But I think he's also secretly relieved that I prefer a big shiny stove instead of a big shiny diamond because that boy likes to eat!

Today I am thankful for bread.

If you mention bread, what pictures pops up in your mind? Do you think of the soft white bread of your youth? Homemade bread with a great crush and rough texture? Soft rolls smothered in butter? The sweet flavor of banana bread?

A few years ago I had asked for donations of bread machines because our students thought bread came from the store. I know it does, but they didn't realize it was baked and that people often do bake it. It was a good exercise in measuring as well as some cooking. We ate our "homework" and the kids loved it.

Funny thing is the adults loved it too. Many would stop by my room and eat the crusts because the kids wouldn't eat the end pieces. They liked the aroma in the halls. A few would sit down at lunch and talk about what a wonderful experience they had because someone had baked bread with or for them. All of this because of something so simple as bread. Maybe it's not so simple after all.

I try to experiment with different breads and different flours. We found a small Amish store in a nearby town that sells flour in smaller packages so I can purchase enough for a couple of loaves and not worry about using 5 pounds or wasting 5 pounds if we don't like it.

There's something glorious about the smell of bread baking. And magical too. Putting together flour and yeast and liquid and then whatever else and seeing it rise is pretty cool too.

I found this recipe for biscuits I want to try. It sounded easy enough to do, but tasty enough to want:

Cheddar Sage Biscuits

2 cup(s) flours
1 tablespoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) salt
2 tablespoon(s) dried sage
4 tablespoon(s) cold unsalted butter
1 cup(s) (shredded) white Cheddar cheese
1 cup(s) buttermilk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 475ºF and grease 2 cookie sheets with butter. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sage and butter in food processor, and pulse until well combined; transfer to a large bowl. (Alternatively, cut butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two knives and use your fingers to combine.) Stir in cheese and buttermilk.
2.Place dough on a floured surface and knead a little (4 or 5 times). Roll out dough to 1?2-inch thickness and cut out 24 biscuits using a 2-inch round cutter. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheets an inch apart and bake until tops are browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Today I'm thankful for...drum roll please...leftovers!

I know some would think that was a weird thing, but first of all, if we have leftovers, it means we have more than enough to begin with.

Today we had another meal from that Crockpot ham we had earlier this week. Easy recipe for ham and mac and cheese:

Boil some elbow macaroni until done

Make a cheese sauce with a tablespoon of butter, tablepoon of flour heated through, then add cut up cheese and milk until desired consistency.

Cut up ham in small pieces.

Mix together and put in a greased pan and add bread crumbs to the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes covered for 25 minutes and take the cover off for the last five minutes! A hot, filling meal. Add a vegetable and a bread and a good Friday night meal. Easy, quick, and cheap!

I am grateful for Crockpots. I can't imagine not having the use of one. I put a ham in one for supper tonight and boy was it yummy. I made a glaze with Dr. Pepper and honey and some cinnamon and boy was it yummy!