Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c cream peanut butter

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 c sifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 bag chocolate kisses

Set 1/4 cup sugar aside to roll dough in. Cream shortening, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking soda and salt. When dough is fully combined, shape dough into small  1" balls, roll in sugar that you set aside and place on cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes, set kiss into center of cookie and bake 3 more minutes. Remove from cookie when cool.

Enjoy,

Sheila

aka, Meema

English Toffee aka Almond Roca

Every year without fail, Bryan's (my hunk of a man) mom brings me homemade English toffee that a friend of hers makes. This has to be one of my all time favorite candies, though my hips and well let's just say rear-end should not eat more than once a year!

Making candy has never been one of those things that makes me happy in the kitchen, it seems laborious, tedious and time consuming. That is not so and the following recipe is proof, it is basic and pretty simple to follow, but shhhh, don't tell Bryan's mom, I love the yearly gift of buttery goodness regardless of what my hips and ass, I mean rear- end have to say about it!

(Note: you will need a candy thermometer for best results)

Enjoy

Sheila

(Meema)

English Toffee

4 sticks of butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2 tbsp corn syrup

6 tbsp water

1 cup chopped almonds, divided in half

1 (11 oz) bag chocolate chips

In a large pan over medium heat melt butter. Once butter is melted add the corn syrup, sugar and water, using a wooden spoon and stirring constantly, cook until mixture reaches 290 degrees and or until the mixture is a nice caramel brown color. This takes about 15- 20 minutes. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and stir 1/2 cup chopped almonds, saving the other half for the topping. Pour mixture onto buttered 13 x 9 cookie sheet. While this is cooling, melt the chocolate chips over low heat, (double boiler or bowl placed over hot water) until chocolate is smooth. Pour over your cooled toffee spread with spatula until toffee is covered. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Allow to cool completely. I was told that refrigerating before breaking into bars had the best results, so that is what I did. 

Pack candy up in containers and get this toffee out of the house as soon as possible. Your hips and, well you know will thank you and your friends will be thrilled to have such yumminess.

Santa Fe Chili

    Prepared chili mix helps speed up the prep time when making this dish. It's fast, easy and any variation of favorite ingredients can be added to make this chili your own.

1 pound ground round
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 small can diced green chili's
1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes (tear tomatoes into small pieces as you drop into pan)
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 prepared chili mix or your choice
1 16 oz can white kidney beans
1 16 oz red kidney beans
2 cups water
(green onion for garnish)

In large stockpot saute diced onion in butter. When onions are almost translucent add ground round until browned,  (ground round puts off little fat, no need to drain). Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer until the chili has thickened and you are ready to serve.

If you have the time and can make this a day ahead the flavors will come together nicely and will have a deeper flavor if allowed to do so, then just reheat and serve. Top with sour cream and green onions.

Enjoy,
Sheila

Turkey and Dumplings

     Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was not pleased with the Congress when they chose the Bald Eagle  as our country's centerpiece for the United States? Did you also know that he suggested to his daughter that based on the original drawing submitted that the turkey would make for a more humble symbol? Look up the history sometime it is very interesting. Well, I don't know about you, but I have come to love the two birds and what they represent apart from each other. 

     Now that Thanksgiving has been served and we are left in some cases with more than our fair share of leftovers, I am putting to use the rest of the turkey in a turkey and dumplings soup. I don't want any part of this bird to go waste so here is what I did with them. This of course can be made the traditional way as well when made with chicken. It's just deliciousness anyway you serve it. This is my quick and easy version but if you chose to make your stock from scratch the results will be great too..

Turkey and Dumplings

Ingredients for the stock:

2 tbsp butter and oil

8 cups organic chicken stock ( 2 boxes work well)

1 whole onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 bay leaf

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag frozen petite peas

Shredded turkey, amount can be based on leftovers or desired amount for soup

Salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings:

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt 2 slightly beaten eggs

1 cup buttermilk

In a dutch oven or large stock pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, celery, carrots just until onions are translucent. Add shredded turkey and peas. Simmer until carrots are tender on low heat. 10 to 15 minutes before you are ready to serve your turkey and dumpling soup, with two spoons gently drop in dumpling batter in spoonfuls. The dumplings should not touch and have plenty of room to float on top as they poach. Fill the top of the soup with the dumpling mixture. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until dumplings are light and fluffy. Discard the bay leaf before serving and sprinkle with parsley for garnish.

Enjoy, 

Sheila aka Meema

So Thankful

I had the most amazing day with family today though my daughter and son in law could not be a part of our festivities. The weather held back any threat of rain and gave us a day of sunshine and warmth. I hope all of you had a wonderful day and I look forward to sharing future Christmas goodies and recipes with you!

Sheila

Apple Crisp

     Isn't it great? This is an orchard that went on and on with rows of citrus trees. The air was crisp and walking through bundled in my jacket and scarf rejuvenated my inner being as I could smell the dampness of the soil and the remains of fruit that had been missed in the last harvest. Feeling inspired by the fortune of many available foods we have at our fingretips, I raced back to the kitchen to make my apple crisp. Fall is all about cinnamon and apple smells filling the house. I hope you find the time to slow down and enjoy this wonderful time of year before it slips by without your appreciation of simpler things.

Apple Crisp



5 granny smith apples
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 tcsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Peel apples and cut into thin slices,in a bowl toss with lemon juice, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Place in a 9 in square buttered pan.

In another large bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, salt, 2 tbsp granualted sugar and oats. Cut these ingredients together into small crumbs using a fork or pastry blender, your hands will melt the butter so resist the temptation. Sprinkle this topping onto the apples and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.



Cool for 10 minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy,

Sheila

Orange Pecan Sticky Buns

2 cups Orange Juice

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 box frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup

In a saucepan over high heat, bring orange juice to a boil, reduce to medium high heat and cook for about 25 minutes until reduced to 1 cup.

Combine pecans with 1/2 cup reduced orange juice, set aside. Add cinnamon to melted butter. Remove 1 thawed puff pastry sheet, there are two per box. Brush with butter cinnamon mixture, loosely roll up and wrap with wax paper. Repeat with second puff pastry sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375. Spray muffin pan with spray or butter. Drain any excess orange juice from pecans and divide pecans and place in bottom of muffin pan. Top pecans with evenly divided brown sugar, (you can eyeball this), drizzle 1 tbsp corn syrup over brown sugar in muffin pan.

Cut each dough log into 6 pieces and place in muffin tin, Press into pan lightly.

Place muffin tin on a cookie sheet to catch drippings. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove form oven and brush with orange juice reduction. Turn muffins onto buttered cookie sheet while still hot. Allow to cool slightly and before serving.

Enjoy!

Sheila

Chicken Broccoli Noodle Soup

    The weather seems to have quickly changed as it usually does this time of year. For most of us it is a welcome change from the summer heat. I don't know about you, but I love this time of year! I love the smells that fill my house as I crank up the oven and begin my seasonal baking. One other given is the big pot of soup that is slowly simmering on the back burner

     This recipe was given to me years ago by a friend, who got it from a friend, who got it from a friend, you know, that kind of recipe. It has been changed, modified, adapted to suit the needs and tastes of each cook as time has gone by, but one thing remains the same; it is simple, hearty and downright tasty.

This recipe is so quick and easy that on cold blustery days I would have this ready for the kids when they came home from school. They are now grown and out of the house but have shared with me that those are some of their best memories!

Chicken Broccoli Noodle Soup

Ingredients

4-6 Chicken Breasts

1 - 12 oz bag wide egg noodles

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp celery seeds

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 large onion, diced

4-6 carrots, sliced

4 broccoli crowns, cut to bite size

In a large stock pot boil chicken in salted water just until tender, (do not overcook) or it will get tough. Remove chicken from broth to cool saving the chicken stock. Skim off any foam from the broth. You want your broth to be clear. Add cut vegetables and spices to chicken broth, add more salt or spices to personal taste. Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add wide egg noodles and simmer until done. Enjoy!

Southern Cornbread

Good ol' beans and cornbread was a staple at family suppers. As a matter of fact I'm not sure that there was ever a time that Gramma didn't have cornbread muffins at every meal, along with what we called brown beans. Though later I found out those were just pinto beans. She cooked on a wood-burning stove, until the day she could no longer live at home on her own. I am sure to this day she misses that stove and being able to cook up her favorite meals.

We Yankee's tend to like our cornbread sweet, but in the South it tends to be, well,,,,,not sweet. It is hearty and of sustenance, and the way Gramma made it, it had it's fair share of bacon grease baked in. It was so savory, I might add that they were hot right out of the oven, every meal! I couldn't wait to slather butter all over it. So in loving memory to the recipes that came off of that wood-burner and to Gramma, here's to you.
Thank you for the memories I now treasure.

Southern Cornbread

2 eggs

2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups white cornmeal 

1 tsp salt

Heat oven to 450. Grease muffin pan with a spoonful of bacon drippings. You can drop cold drippings in and then place pan in oven while mixing batter. Beat eggs and then add buttermilk. Mix dry ingredients and then add add mixture, mix until moist and smooth. Pour into heated muffin pan. Carefully pour batter into heated muffin pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set. Slather in butter and enjoy!

 You can always make a big pot of beans (with a ham-hock of course), and when they are done make your cornbread, then serve with your beans. I cook mine in the pressure cooker to save time. The flavor is exceptional. Cook longer and make refried beans for homemade burrito's. Hmmm, another blog post idea!

Sheila

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

 

    Have you ever wondered why your hard boiled eggs stick to the shell? Fall apart when you peel them? Have that funky, even creepy green-gray tinted ring around the yolk? I have been asked this question by more than a couple of friends lately; so I thought with the holidays approaching and deviled eggs close to being served, I wanted everyone to serve the most lovely eggs imaginable.

     Seems crazy doesn't it? How hard can boiling an egg be? Apparently it is one of the most asked questions by cooks of all experience levels, (Google it sometime). There are countless opinions on how to achieve the perfect egg, so I will share with you what works for me.

     Place eggs in a saucepan that will accommodate each egg at the bottom of the pan. Do not layer eggs on top of each other. Cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. As soon as your eggs come to a boil immediately remove them from the heat. Leave in pan with hot water and cover. Let stand 12 minutes. (Set a timer if you have to). Run eggs under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain the eggs and begin peeling or save for later. That's it!

Helpful Egg tidbits you might not know:

A fresh egg will lie on the bottom of a pan when submerged in water.

An egg that is a week or so old will lie on the bottom but will bob slightly.

Eggs that are 3 weeks or so old will balance on its small end with the big end bobbing towards the top.

Eggs that are completely rotten will completely float. Those are the ones you toss out or feed to the pigs. They can eat them! (My next blog post).

Fresh eggs are harder to peel, but since most do not walk out to the chicken coop, no worries there.

Those are the ones you toss out or feed to the pigs. They can eat them! (My next blog post).

I hope this helps and your next egg boil is a success!

Sheila

Refrigerator Pickles

      This was my first attempt at making pickles and honestly I could not believe how easy it was. I didn't want to go through the canning process this time so I decided to try my hand at refrigerator pickles. They stay crispy with this method and taste really good! I have to say I may never buy store bought again.

Pickling cucumbers season is quickly coming to an end, but you should still be able to find them at farmers markets This is a super easy recipe and a great way to feel a sense of accomplishment. Give 'em a try.

A few things I found out through my research that may help you on your way to success:

Soft or slippery pickles are spoiled due to inaccurate measurements or improper storage.

Shriveling comes from using too much vinegar, salt.

Darkening is caused by the minerals in hard water or by using ground spices instead of whole.

Do not cook pickles in copper or iron pot, this causes change in color.

You will need:

Fresh pickling cucumbers 2-3 pounds, sliced to your preference

8 cups water

2 cups vinegar

1 cup pickling salt (can be found on the baking isle or canning isle)

6 Tbsp pickling spices

2 heads of fresh dill or 1 Tbsp dried dill seeds

Boil water with vinegar, pickling salt and spices and dill to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Let liquid cool , place cucumbers in a container large enough to hold spears and liquid, pour liquid over the top and cover pickles completely. Refrigerate for 3 days before eating. The brine will infuse the cucumbers while in the refrigerator and taste wonderful. Place pickles in glass mason jars with brine if desired. Stores in refrigerator for 3 months.

Sheila

I Absolutely Love Fall

 
     Fall has to be, hands down, my favorite time of the year. I love roaming pumpkin patches looking for the perfect "Cinderella" pumpkin. I will be saving the seeds in an attempt to plant my own pumpkin patch next year, stay tuned for that..........could be interesting.

      I also love the colors that begin to show in the leaves and the crispness in the air. Better yet, I love the smells that will soon be wafting from my small kitchen as I begin to bake and share some of those recipes with you, stay tuned........

Until then enjoy!