Unbaked #4 - Christy's Cake Plates

I visited my good friend, Christy, about two weeks ago, and she shared with me her enthusiasm for cake plates!  She said "you HAVE to post these on your blog!"  So I am :)

The one pictured above is a candy dish that I "made".  I bought a glass candlestick holder and a glass candy dish from the Dollar Tree, and a two-part epoxy (specific for fusing glass) per Christy's recommendation.  I found the epoxy for around $4.00 at Wally-World in the hardware section.  I also found a similar epoxy in the craft section, but the Contractor's Daughter inside of me prefers stuff from the hardware section!  Then, all I did was put a thin film of epoxy around the rim of the candlestick holder and pressed the candy dish on top as centered as possible!  I let it sit for 24 hours and I had an elegant looking candy dish!  I did a few plates on top of goblets, and filled plates & dishes with homemade fudge, almond roca, and muffins as Christmas gifts.

Christy, as you might tell from her amazing, handcrafted jewelry, is into the vintage look.  She suggested going to the swap meet, yard sales, and antique stores for more appealing glassware.  I can't wait to go shopping with her to find some deals for future attempts at creating new from used!

Must-Have Almond Candy AKA Almond Roca

I received this recipe for "Almond Roca" from my aunt many years ago.  I remember the first time we made it together.  I was 12 years old, and my mom had let me bring two friends to my aunt's house in Santa Barbara.  We made this delightful treat, and burned our fingers trying to eat it before it had cooled into crunchy candy!  It is a must-have treat during Christmas for me.  Sometimes it turns out, and sometimes it doesn't, but my husband and I have a great time attempting to make this every year.  This year the first batch was a flop, but the second turned out like it could be sold in stores!  Trust me, you'll want to give at least half of this stuff away because it makes so much.  I asked my aunt if I could share her recipe, and she gladly gave me permission.  Without further ado...

Auntie's Almond Smoka

2 C sugar

2 C butter (use 4 sticks, not one pound... it just doesn't work for some reason)

1/3 C Water

1 C almonds, chopped

1 (8 ounce) milk chocolate bar  (my aunt likes to use Trader Joe's chocolate bars)

1. Line a jelly roll pan with tin foil. (it's a good idea to place this on a heat resistant surface)
2. Scatter chopped almonds across tin foil, reserving some of the finer chopped bits for topping.
3. In a large saucepan, over high heat, stir sugar, butter & water constantly.
4. Stir until mixture is the same color as a brown paper bag.  (My mix isn't quite there in the picture below, but I have a piece of paper bag that I keep with my recipe at all times!)  The technical temperature on a candy thermometer is 276°F (or 285° at sea level), but the paper bag is tried and true!
5. Quickly (and very carefully) pour the boiling mixture over the almonds.  Smooth evenly over almonds with the wooden spoon.  Allow to cool slightly.
6. Break chocolate into pieces and scatter over the top of the almond candy.  As it melts, use a metal spoon or knife to spread it evenly.
7. Allow to cool completely, and then break into pieces to enjoy.

A Girl & Her Lemon Tree

When I got married and moved into my husband's house, I discovered that his previous "bachelor pad" was rich in surprises.  Yes, I may have found things in the kitchen cupboards that roommates had left behind a little longer ago than I would have thought possible, but I found some real treasures in the yard.  I learned that I was not only the joint owner of three pineapple guava trees (I'm still learning what to do with this weird fruit), but also a giant Meyer lemon tree that produces all year!

In the last couple years, we have made many variations of lemonade, lemon bars, french toast, scones, etc.  We even throw them down the garbage disposal to freshen it up from time to time.  I stumbled upon a lemon cookie recipe in the latest Taste of Home Holiday magazine that my mother-in-law gifted to me for Christmas!  My sister & I had a blast making these because they are much easier than they taste.  If you have a lemon tree, I highly recommend a citrus juicer to keep up with all the fruit.  We received one as a wedding gift, and we use it at least once a week!

My Secret "Burritolada" Ingredient Unveiled

I had a great roommate a few years back who got this secret ingredient from a friend of hers, and now I just can't not put it in my enchiladas.  It just sounded wrong when she first told me she put it in this Mexican dish, but it tastes so right.  It adds amazing flavor, and once they're cooked, you wouldn't even know it's in there...  Drum roll please? ...... Ranch Dressing!  Ta Da!  Can you believe it?  Here's my ingredient list for all to enjoy:

10 soft taco flour tortillas (we stock up at Costco)
1 can refried beans (I like the vegetarian kind... because... that's what my mom always used!)
2 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded (another cooking experience gifted by the same roommate)
Ranch dressing
2 C cheddar or colby jack (or both) cheese, shredded
1 large can green enchilada sauce
1 can olives, sliced in half long ways

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F
2. In a 9x13 pan pour about 1/4 of the can of sauce into the pan.  Spread the sauce around to form a thin layer.
3. Place your first tortilla in the sauce, and fill it with a spoonful of beans, a handful of chicken, a thin layer of ranch dressing, a sprinkle of cheese, and 4 olive halves.
4. Roll the tortilla so it gets nice & gooey with enchilada sauce.
5. Repeat steps 2&3 and pack those "burritoladas" into the pan.  If you find yourself running out of sauce pour a little more in.
6. Once you have all 10 tortillas used up, squish any leftover chicken in between your burritoladas.
7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the contents of the pan & make sure the ends of all the burritoladas are tucked in.
8. Sprinkle remaining cheese & olives over the top of the burritoladas.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

Here are some pics of my process in case the steps are confusing:

Unbaked #3 - Gifts in a Jar...

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was really excited to make "sand art style" food mixes as Christmas gifts.  Here is my practice run with a pumpkin muffin recipe.  I'm really excited about this one having read that article on using my muffin tin more often!

Since pouring all the ingredients into the jar wasn't as pretty as I hoped, I grabbed a butter knife & pushed the spices down the sides of the jar to drag them into a "drippy" pattern.  I stuffed cranberries into the top, printed out the directions on card stock, and used a piece of paper ribbon to tie it onto the mix.  I am going to place the can o' pumpkin in some tissue paper & stick the two items into a nice brown paper bag...  That wrapping project will probably also result in a blog entry.

I liked this project since it didn't take long.  I am already envisioning an assembly line in the kitchen & roping my husband into helping!

A Cup of Tea

I have been absent from the blog world for the past few days partially due to studying for finals for nursing school, and mostly due to a massive cold that has taken over my entire body.  I will not go into the details, because let's face it...  this blog is about eating & happy things, right?

Well, here is a special tea recipe that supposedly helps with colds (I say supposedly because I'm a skeptic, but I'll try anything when I feel this terrible).  I got it from friend in nursing school who got it from one of our instructors:

Butt Kicking Tea for Butt Kicking Colds
from:  Betho's Kitchen
1 teacup/mug/container of Boiling Water
1 teabag of your favorite herbal tea (my favorite is Calm by Tazo)
1 lemon wedge
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp minced ginger
1 dash cayenne pepper

I just dump all the ingredients into one of my favorite mugs (pictured above), and drink it down.  If you don't like things floating in your tea, wrap up the ginger & cayenne in some cheesecloth.  The cayenne pepper feels really good on a sore throat, and the warmth of everything really clears up the sinuses!

Check out this article about using a muffin tin for cutting energy costs and enforcing portion control!  I'm excited to get well & try a few recipes :)

Tuna & Noodles

My go-to recipe, when I have no time, is a lovely dish that my mom always called "Tuna Casserole".  Since I changed my mom's recipe enough that I can't even remember exactly how she makes it any more, I am calling mine "Tuna & Noodles".  I always have the ingredients on hand since my hubby and I do not usually have the time or moolah to eat out.  Here's my recipe:


Tuna & Noodles
from:  Betho's Kitchen
Serves 4
1/2 Tbs butter (or less, just enough to sautee the garlic)

2 cloves garlic, crushed (I used my handy Garlic Press)

1 can tuna, in water (size of can doesn't matter)

1 tsp fresh ground pepper (more or less, to taste)

1 can (15 ounce) cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C milk (more or less for consistency)

1/2 C shredded cheese (colby jack, cheddar, mozzarella, whatever you have on hand)

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

1/2 lb of your favorite pasta noodles

1 can (15 ounce) olives (or 2 cans if you're like me & crack one open to munch on while I'm cooking!)

Parmesan Cheese

1. In a large pot, heat water for pasta to boiling (according to package directions).
2. In a medium pot, over medium high heat, melt butter and add garlic.  Cook until light brown.
3. Empty water from tuna can, and add tuna to garlic mix and sprinkle with pepper, and stir until tuna is heated through.
4. Add cream of mushroom soup to tuna mix.  Pour milk into can and give it a good swirl to get any leftover soup out of the can, and then dump the milk into the pot.  Turn heat down to low.
5. Your water for the noodles should be boiling by now, so put the pasta in the water, give it a good stir, and set the timer for the noodles to cook.
6. Shred cheese for sauce (if you haven't already), and put into tuna sauce.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Add a dash of cayenne pepper.  We like ours spicy, so it's probably 1/4 tsp that we put in.
7. Stir the noodles one more time.
8. Get out your bowls or plates.
9. Drain the pasta when it's done and put it into your dishes.  Pour sauce over the top of the noodles, place what remaining olives you have on top, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese!

Voilà!  You have a quick, easy, tasty (probably unhealthy) meal!  Enjoy.

Still Searching for the Perfect Focaccia

I don't know why, but this image haunts me...  Not only am I fearful of my fabulous mixer, but the thought of making bread stops me dead in my tracks!  I decided to attempt to overcome both of my fears by making focaccia bread.  I only like to use yeast when I use my breadmaker (so there's still a part of my fear that I haven't quite decided to face), so I searched my favorite recipe site for a "no yeast" focaccia.  This is what I came up with:

I wasn't super impressed with the flavor, but my hubby liked it!

Unbaked #2 - Baby Shower

I am a firm believer that life, much like the calendar, progresses in seasons.  For me, I have apparently graduated from the season of the wedding to the season of the baby shower... for what seems like the 8th year in a row.  Like a friend of the family told my hubby & me tonight "at least it's not funerals!"  Thanks for the perspective :)

So, here's the picture of baby blanket #3 in the last month.  It is 20 granny squares  "sewn" together with a border to pretty up the edges.  My mom showed me how to make granny squares.  I used a Size P Boye crochet hook with Bernat Spring Breeze and only went to the 3rd round of a granny square.  The blanket is perfect to keep as a carseat blanket according to one of the moms-to-be, so that's what I'm calling these now "The Carseat Blanket."

Warm Squash Soup for a Rainy Day

We went to watch the local Christmas parade and pick out our Christmas tree today.  We began decorating the house for the upcoming holidays and I decided to reheat some leftover soup that was perfect for our rainy afternoon!  I broiled a sourdough baguette with butter, garlic and Parmesan cheese to have on the side.

This Butternut Squash Soup is a hit, and I make it often for company.

Here are my changes to the recipe:
Change 4 Tbs Margarine --> 1/2-1 Tbs Unsalted Butter
Change 2 (8 ounce) Packages Cream Cheese --> 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
Change 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper --> Cayenne Pepper to taste - We like it spicier!

Unbaked #1 - Magnet Letters & A Crocheted Hat

Magnet Letters include:

Vase Filler "Glass Gems"
Magnets
Hot Glue

Stickers 

While I love being in the kitchen, I also love making crafty things... hence the "unbaked" title.  I have seen the magnet letters given as shower gifts, and birthday presents.  Who really has too many magnets?  I mean, really?  These are so easy, and you can use just about any kind of paper or sticker.  I have yet to try it with a picture since I have a feeling the hot glue would melt the picture, but who knows until you try!  I found the bag of glass gems (A LOT for $4) and magnets (50 for $6-something) at Wal-Mart!  The stickers I used for the project above were on the $1 rack at Target.

TO  MAKE:

1. Heat up that glue gun
2. Center your sticker on your magnet & stick it down
3. Put a generous glob of hot glue on top of your sticker
4. Quickly press a glass gem over the top
5. DONE!  Now, wasn't that too easy?!

Crochet Hat includes:

Navy Blue yarn

Sky Blue yarn

Boye Size K Crochet Hook

Red Hot Hat Pattern

Patience...

I learned to crochet at the tender age of 7!  My great-grandma taught me how to use my finger as a crochet hook since I just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of using the actual hook.  After a while I got the hang of it and graduated to a real set of my very own multi-sized pack of hooks!  Even after many years of practice, I would by no means call myself an expert.  So, on that note, I will guide you to my favorite videos.  My mother-in-law shared the Lion Brand site with me when she was teaching me to knit, and it is now my go-to for help on anything yarn related!  My variation on this hat included a "Ch 80" to begin since 60 was too small, and on "Rnd 2" I only "Ch 3" instead of 4 to make my pattern complete.  The flower was a creation of my own based on a pattern a friend had, so here are some flowers that are similar.  Crochet is a time consuming, patience trying art, and I ripped my hat out about 8 times before actually completing it!

Crafty AND Edible?!

While trying to think of Christmas gifts that we can frugally make this year, my hubby & I saw some great gifty ideas for sale at Avila Valley Barn, and other local apple farm gift shops that got us to thinking "ooh, I can make that."  Muffin mixes!  I have leftover, unused jars from my failed attempt to make homemade guava jelly last year, and they are just begging to be filled with sand art style mixes.  One that I can't wait to try is this Cornbread Mix!  However, for dinner last night my hubby asked for tacos.  I realized, much to my dismay, that I was out of my favorite taco seasoning so I typed in "recipes in a jar for gifts" into that one search engine that everyone loves, and came up with this!  I added about a half teaspoon of salt to the cooked taco meat since the spices were a tad bland, but overall I give this recipe an B+.  (Yes, I know the picture isn't the most appetizing thing since it's just leftover taco meat.)

This week is also potluck week for our bible study group.  I offered to bring some holiday fudge as my dessert contribution.  My mom has been making this fudge for as long as I can remember, and it's so easy!  Fantasy Fudge has the smooth creamy richness that all fudge should have.  I use 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of squares because I usually have a giant bag (again from Costco) of them tucked away in my freezer.  This fudge will always cure any kind of chocolate craving as far as I'm concerned!

Hello, Sweet Christmas Flavored Bread!

I absolutely love this time of year!  Mine, so far, has been filled with home baked goodies involving CRANBERRIES!  I had a coupon for Costco's giant (and I mean ginormous) bag of Craisins, and they have been getting into just about everything from salads to breads to desserts!  As I scoured the pages of my trusty, tried & true Fannie Farmer Cookbook for a recipe that I had yet to try, I came upon this cranberry filled gem:  Cranberry Nut Bread.  It's very cakey and sweet with just enough orange zing.  It's perfect with coffee on a brisk morning, or a hot cup of mulled apple cider while sitting in front of the fireplace.  Don't leave out the walnuts (like I did this time), because they really tie it together!

Granola Girl Granola Bars

I'm not a "granola" girl by any means, but I love my healthy food almost as much as I love cookies! I have been making these "Playgroup Granola Bars" for a few months because my hubby LOVES them, and they're less expensive than buying them pre-made! Here are the tweaks I've made:

Change 3/4 C Brown Sugar ---> 3/4 C Strawberry Preserves

Change 3/4 C Raisins ---> 1 C Dried Cranberries

Change 1 C Flour ---> 1 C Rice Flour (supposedly it's better for you?)

Add 1/2 C Unsalted Whole Almonds

Remove Salt

Remove Oil

They have just enough sweetness with the added bonus of almonds (protein), cranberries (vitamin C) & wheat germ (folic acid). I have to say, they turned out pretty tasty!

Why? Because I Gotta

I've been toying with the idea of creating a blog for all my cooking/baking adventures, and I decided today to just do it!

My hesitancy stems from the fact that I am one of those people who sees someone else's idea & says "ooh, I can do that! I think it might work this way too..." I am not trying to take credit for other people's fabulous recipes, but instead to offer tweaks & my personal opinion of what works for me in the kitchen. I am a simple girl, married to an amazing man, living on the Central Coast of California. I like food, and I want to share my kitchen experiences.