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Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts

Monday, October 23, 2023

Blueberry Crisp Easy Recipe - Low Carb

 

You can afford ice cream on top of this recipe!

Blueberry Crisp Easy Recipe - (Desserts) - Low Carb

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (unsweetened)
12 packages of sugar substitute
2 2/3 cups cold water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolve in 4 tablespoons water)
7 (3 ounces) large shredded wheat biscuits, crumbled
1/2 cup brown sugar substitute
4 tablespoons diet margarine, melted
4 tablespoons liquid butter flavoring
Sugar-free whipped topping, option (2 tablespoons free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, cook blueberries with sweetener, water, lemon juice, and salt. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Pour into the bottom of the 9x13 baking dish. Mix biscuit crumbs, brown sugar substitute, margarine, and liquid butter flavoring. Sprinkle evenly over the berry mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly. Serve plain or with sugar-free whipped topping.

Serves: 8 people

My Thoughts About Blueberry Crisp:

The days are getting cooler and I know you will agree with me, there is nothing quite as nice as some warm dessert with ice cream on top. This is a low-carb recipe and it won't hurt to add a dollop of topping of some kind. I may be a bad influence if you count carbohydrates, but ask yourself if you deserve it. I am willing to bet you do.

A recipe like this brings back memories for me. It is almost like what we call here in the Ozark's a "cobbler" and there is nothing that gets attention more at family reunions than a cobbler. My mother also would make cobbler. I would always enjoy smelling the dessert cooking in the oven. Sometimes I would get a taste of the filling before it baked. It was such a joy for me. So every time I see or taste this kind of dessert it is very nostalgic for me. The holidays are coming up and if you are looking for something to bring to family, this recipe may just be one that will get you a lot of "THANK YOU!" comments from the crowd.

Some Extra Information For You:

It was the Native Americans who Introduced blueberries to early settlers. The settlers loved it so much that it became a main dish and then moved on to the dessert table as a favorite. Blueberries are popular around the 4th of July because they are in peak season then. So like most people when hearing about blueberries you might associate blueberries with Independence Day. Did you know July is National Blueberry Month here in the United States? You can learn more about blueberries in America by visiting TasteAtlas.

A Question Or Two For You:

Have you ever been blueberry picking? I have and it is lots of fun. There is a local blueberry farm here in our area and every year it is open to the public. I took my daughters there and they loved picking blueberries. At the time it cost, from what I can remember, about four dollars a person. We were all given a small bucket and could pick until our bucket was full. We stored them in plastic bags and ate on them all through the winter. We would put them on our cereal and bake with them too.

Did you see my last recipe? This blueberry dessert would go well with it. My last recipe is called Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole. If you missed it, take a look and let me know if you think these two recipes would pair up nicely.

My Personal Thoughts For Today:

Recently I purchased a portable dishwasher from a friend. It is in very good shape and I got a good deal. I have always hand-washed dishes in the home I currently live in. I have owned it since 2001 and never installed a dishwasher. I owned a home in Springfield, Missouri for about two years and I enjoyed the dishwasher there. 

General Electric Portable Dishwasher with Countertop.


This dishwasher is a General Electric brand and it fits nicely next to my cook stove. I can load it as I use dishes and when it's full I simply roll it to the sick just a few feet away and hook it up for use. The hose in the back of the dishwasher connects to the sink. My faucet is not the right size for the connector so I have to modify it or get a new faucet. That is not an issue to get a different faucet. I was going to sell this house when we lived in Springfield but decided not to after my two oldest daughters moved out of the house in Springfield. I moved back to this smaller home and sold the larger one.

Kitchen faucet without faucet ring.

The connector hose would not fit on my faucet because the dishwasher hose connector is too small. My friend who sold me the dishwasher said she would give me an adaptor that would work for it. I am looking forward to trying this and hopefully, it works well. If you know me at all you know I try to add humor to any situation, although I truly am a very serious person. I am serious about humor. I was looking at the faucet ring and it looks just like a big finger ring. I slid it on and what do you know, it worked well!

My kitchen faucet ring. Not a biker ring!

I promptly went to my daughter's room and she was busy writing. After a minute she noticed it on my finger and asked me if I was turning into a biker person. She is so funny! I said, "No honey, I am not turning into a biker person." and we both laughed out loud. I explained to her I put the kitchen faucet ring on my finger and it just looks like a biker ring, but without the skull. It is little funny moments like this I try to create that have lasting memories for me. I love to laugh and be happy! I hope I made you smile a little reading this. Thanks for reading! Leave a comment because I would love to hear from you.

Friday, October 20, 2023

Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole Easy Recipe

 

Y'all are gonna love this one!


Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole Easy Recipe - (Main Dishes, Pork) Casserole

Ingredients:

2 pounds Tennessee Pride Sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounces) container French Onion Dip
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup each of Red & Green Peppers
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 (30-ounce) Package of Frozen hash brown shredded potatoes thawed.

Directions:

In a skillet cook sausage until browned. Drain well. Combine the cheese, chicken soup, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl. French Onion dip, chopped onion Bell peppers, salt & pepper. Fold in thawed hash browns. Mix well. Spread 1/2 of the mixture over the bottom of a 9x13-greased baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the browned sausage over hash browns. Repeat layering the second 1/2 of the hash brown mixture. Wait to add the rest of the sausage to the top until the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Spread the remaining sausage on top and bake for 10 minutes more. The casserole should be golden brown.

My Thoughts On Tennessee Pride Hash Brown Casserole:

In 1994 I moved to West Tennessee in the County of Dyer Tennessee. It is a beautiful part of the country. I was used to living in Southwest Missouri where we enjoy the Ozark Mountains and hills. West Tennessee is much different. In Missouri, there are plenty of cattle and hay fields. In West Tennessee, I found lots of land without a fence. It was adorned with cotton and soybean. More flat than hills, the cotton glowed with white buds at harvest time of the year. Such a beautiful place. The people there are even more friendly than I was accustomed to in my part of Missouri where everyone waves and says "Howdy!" upon greeting. Tennessee food is exciting. I experienced red-eye gravy and coleslaw on my barbeque sandwiches in Tennessee. Of course, there is Tennessee Pride Casserole. When you try this recipe you will be filled with pride as you receive compliments on its taste. Make plans to share this experience with your friends and family. They will thank you kindly for it!

Extra Information For You:

Hash browns are the best! I enjoy eating my hash browns with ketchup! I put salt and pepper on my hash browns as well. I like to eat hash browns for breakfast and dinner. Not in the same day of course. The hash brown was originally called "hashed brown potatoes" and the dish has a very interesting history. Maria Parloa shared the recipe in 1887. Even though this recipe is titled "Tennessee Pride" it is said that hash browns were first originated in Minnesota. You can read more about the history of hash browns by visiting the Tennesee State Library And Archives.

A Question Or Two I Must Ask You:

Would you please share a memory you have of hash browns? Maybe you remember your parents, relative, or friend cooking hash browns for you? I would love to hear your story. Let me know in this post. Also, I am wondering if you missed my last recipe? It is called Texas Hash Easy Recipe. It is not Tennessee hash browns but it is Texas Hash! This recipe has pork in it as you have read but hash browns alone are great!

My Personal Thoughts For Today:

I usually post or try to post more than once every week but I have been extremely busy this past week with life. I am sure you can relate. I work full-time as you might know, and I am in the middle of several projects. While working on my wood pellet stove installation, I am doing it for myself, and I am also spending time with my youngest daughter. No doubt homesteading is in my mind or at least the subject of homesteading. I would at least like to be more efficient in my living as far as saving money on heating my home.

Recently, I went through some of my quarters and found a Homestead quarter.

Homestead Quarter - Front Side - 2015

I have a one-gallon glass jug in which I keep my change in and I was pleasantly surprised to find this homestead quarter. Honestly, I didn't even know this type of quarter existed. I am not proud to admit that. I should stay more informed on things like this. Am I being too hard on myself? I'm not for sure. I assume most people already know about this quarter. I looked up the price on these quarters and they are worth more than their minted value. Collectors will pay a good amount for these and apparently, there are quarters with a mistake that are valued in the thousands of dollars.

Homestead Quarter - Back Side - 2015

Do you have any Homestead quarters? If you do, you might find it interesting to find the value of your quarters. If you are lucky, you might have one that is very valuable to a collector and if you wanted to sell it, you might have enough money to start your very own homestead.

You can learn more about the Homestead National Monument of America Quarter by visiting the United States Mint website.

I would like to finish up this post by sharing I am excited to know my oldest daughter and her family are moving back to my area. I am excited to see them and that means I will get to see my two granddaughters. I enjoy getting to see them when I can. They are so cute and remind me of when my own daughters were little. I still consider myself to be somewhat young but I am a fairly new grandparent. I am 50 years old so in reality, that is not too young. I try to stay young at heart and my grandchildren make me feel that way. What a joy!

Thanks for reading this recipe post!

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Texas Hash Easy Recipe

 


Texas Hash Easy Recipe - (Main Dishes, Beef)

Ingredients:

1 pound hamburger
1 large green pepper (chopped)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1-2 tablespoons chili powder
3 large onions (diced)
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, stir ground beef until it is light brown. Then drain off the fat. Add the onions, and green peppers, cook, and stir until the onions are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Heat thoroughly, and pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Cover & bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

My Thoughts On Texas Hash:

When I was a child I lived in East Texas. Longview, Texas to be exact. I lived there for about seven years. I loved it there but I am originally from Missouri. I picked up a little accent while living in East Texas, which was very noticeable when I moved back to Missouri. It is amazing how a person can adapt to a certain geographical area and pick up an accent. One thing that also was picked up was my love for Texan food. I love Texas Hash! If you have never tried this recipe I would encourage you to give it a whirl! There's some Texas talk for you!

Extra Information For You:

Texas Hash is really a Tex-Mex casserole but I logged it under Beef Dishes in this blog because of the love for beef in Texas and originality. This recipe is something that the whole family will love. The recipe originated in 1971 by the one and only Betty Crocker. I'm just kidding! She didn't invent it. She just published it then to share her version with the world. Betty Crocker isn't even a real person. She is a brand. Texas Hash is originally thought to come from the Great Depression era when families needed to conserve food and make ingredients stretch just to survive. You can learn more about its origin by visiting Apron Advisor.

A Question Or Two For Ya:

Do you remember the first time you tried Texas Hash? If you don't remember the first time then maybe you remember the last time. Did you cook it or did someone else? If you make this recipe would you mind sharing your experience with me here? Great! I knew you would. Also, did you see my last recipe? If you missed it, it is called Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake. Check it out and tell me what you think of it too.

Personal Thoughts For Today: (Wood Pellet Stove Installation Pictures)

It has been a busy week for me as usual and I have been working on my wood pellet stove, as you may know from reading my previous posts. I got the area wall cleaned up and ready to get this thing installed. The nights here have been colder and I appreciate the warmth of wood heat. I am really looking forward to it being warmer and cheaper to heat my home.

Where the propane wall heater hung.

I need to paint over the spots on the wall where the propane heater used to hang. I got the holes filled and then I moved on to the next step in the process. I had to find the flue exhaust pipe hole and drilled in the area where I thought it was until finally I found it. I began by cutting the hole all the way open until it was completely revealed. I think I removed so many bird nests from the flue I filled up a small trash can.

I put putty in the hanging holes. Next, I need to paint.

You can see in the picture above where I placed putty in the wall holes where the propane wall heater used to hang. You can also see the propane line coming in through the floor. I have a cut-off valve on there and was advised to cap it off with a flair cap to be safe. I didn't have to put it under the floor. I decided to keep it there if I wanted to use it in the future for a propane heater. I still have a central air system that has a propane furnace in it but the more options available for heat is the best in my opinion.

6-inch flue hole I gloriously cut out. 

How do you like the tiny drill holes above my flue exhaust hole? I tapped on the sheetrock that covers my flue and listened. I thought I found the hole but as you can tell, I had it wrong. I think it is funny. Well, that is just some more holes I will have to putty over and paint. I plan to run a 3-inch exhaust pipe up through the flue to use for the wood pellet stove instead of using the original flue itself. My home is an old home and I am sure the flue was built to resist heat but by using the exhaust pipe I am being safe.

Stove pipe for the flue I bought at Lowe's.

This weekend my daughter and I visited Lowe's and purchased three 60-inch stove exhaust pipes. I previously measured my flue that when down to the opening inside and it was about 12 feet. That gives me a little extra when I install the topper and cap on top of the house. I also purchased a 3-inch elbow to connect to the pipe on the inside of the flue. At the time of the purchase, these pipes were about $14 each. After-tax, my total was around $50 dollars. It is adding up for sure but it is an investment that will pay for itself in the long run. 

Hole for cold air intake hose.

Since the wood pellet stove has to have cold air from the outside I figured out a great way to get it. I decided to drill a 2 1/4-inch hole in the floor behind where the stove will sit. I can run the intake hose under the house over to a vent on the side of the house. It really worked out perfectly because the vent is in the exact place I need it. I bought a 2 1/4-inch Craftsman drill bit because that is the size of the intake hose that came with my wood pellet stove. I also purchased this drill bit at Lowe's. It was the cheapest option for me and worked great.

I hope you enjoyed my post for today about Texas Hash Easy Recipe and my wood pellet stove installation journey. Please feel free to share this post with a friend and if you have any tips or feedback about this recipe or my wood pellet stove I sure would love to hear from you. I am learning how to install this stove so if you can, please help me out. Thanks so much for reading!

Friday, October 6, 2023

Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake Easy Recipe

 


Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake Easy Recipe - (Cakes)

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup flour
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons oil or 3/4 cup

Directions:

Mix together ingredients. They will be runny. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Middle Layer: (Directions)

Cook until thick... 
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk stirring constantly
Cool - (keep covered)
After cooled add to the cream mixture

Cream Mixture:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Crisco

Spread the flour/cream mixture over the cake. Cool in the refrigerator while preparing icing.

Icing:

1/2 cup butter
Melt 3 ounces of square unsweetened chocolate

Add:
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 tablespoons hot water
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Icing will continue to be runny. Pour over the top of the cake. Then refrigerate. 

My Thoughts On Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake:

I love the Hostess Ho Ho's but this recipe takes the cake! Literally! It is an easy recipe with three steps but you will be glad when you cut yourself a piece of this chocolate lover's delight. If you like coffee it would go great with it too. You will be sure to win some people over with this recipe.

Extra Information For You:

Mr. McKee started selling 5-cent cakes in 1933. Then in 1935, he came out with the Oatmeal Creme Pie. Since then, the family has been selling great dessert cakes. Hostess has the Ho Ho's and The Little Debbie company has the Swiss Roll. They are comparable and both are tasty. You can learn more about Little Debbie and its history by visiting their site in this post.

Question For You:

What is your favorite snack cake? The Hostess Ho Ho or Little Debbie's Swiss Roll? I am sure after you try your hand at my Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake you will love it the best. Did you see my last recipe? It is also a dessert recipe and it's called Brown Edge Saucies Easy Recipe. It is an applesauce cookie recipe.

Personal Thoughts For Today:

It's starting to get cooler and you know what that means. It's time to make a fire outside in the firepit and enjoy the warmth with family or friends.

My backyard metal firepit with stars cut in the side.

My daughter asked me recently if we could make a fire. It is such a great thing to do and a great excuse to roast hotdogs and marshmallows over the fire.  I had to get some beef hotdogs because they are the best tasting in my opinion and some marshmallows. I found some graham crackers with cinnamon and sugar on them along with a Hershey's milk chocolate bar for making smores. I only had one but it was so good.

The Smore I made. You know the recipe.

I had some wood logs left over from last year that I purchased from the store. I don't live in the country so I am forced to buy wood for the firepit. I do live in town and have some trees that create small wood in the yard but I use that for getting the fire started. 

An Update On My Wood Pellet Stove:

I got the hole cut in my chimney to run my metal stovepipe through for the exhaust. I figured out how to get cool air from outside based on the location of my wood pellet stove. I am drilling a hole in the floor behind the wood stove and running my intake hose under the house using a plastic pipe. The pipe leads to the vent in the side of my house and is almost exactly where I need it. It will work out great and I am going to be posting more pictures as I get it installed.

Today I am going to the Lowe's store. I will be looking at more exhaust pipe to complete the job and a stove plate to sit the wood pellet stove on. The idea for the stove plate is to catch any ashes that might fall out of the stove and to help protect the floor under the stove as well.

It is 57 degrees today so it is a little cooler and I had to put on my pullover hoodie. I think it will be warmer tomorrow and will give me a chance to work on installing the cool air intake system I have designed. I was thinking about making a video to post on my YouTube channel so you can see it after I have it installed. Please subscribe so you won't miss my videos.

Beef hotdogs over my fire pit.

I hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you have a fire pit, it is a good thing to get out and use it this time of the year. It will give you a chance to unwind and forget about work or whatever you have been distracted by recently. If you don't have a fire pit, maybe you know someone who does. Thanks for reading and be sure to share my Choco-Holic Ho Ho Cake with a friend.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Brown Edge Saucies Easy Recipe - Cookie And Master Forge Wood Pellet Stove

 

One of the best applesauce cookies you will ever taste!


Brown Edge Saucies Easy Recipe - (Cookies)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned applesauce

Directions:

Step 1. Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into sifter. Save for step 4.

Step 2. Cream shortening until soft in a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar gradually creaming after each addition until well blended.

Step 3. Stir in egg and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Step 4. Sift and add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce blending well after each addition.

Step 5. Drop batter by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet keeping mounds 2 inches apart.

Step 6. Bake in a moderate oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Thoughts On Brown Edge Saucies:

The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves will pop in this cookie recipe so much you will think you are biting into Christmas morning! You can add a small amount of vanilla icing to the top of these cookies for an added flavor if you like.

Extra Information For You:

Here is some information about the history of applesauce. Applesauce came from Central Europe. It was originally found in an English cookbook. You can learn more details about this cookbook and the history of applesauce in the article called Apple Sauce by Tasteatlas.

A Question or Two For You:

Do you like applesauce or apple sauce cookies? Have you ever made these cookies? If you have had any experience with these cookies I would love to hear your story. Please share with me in the comments below. Also, did you miss my last easy recipe? If you did miss my last recipe, I would like to share it with you here. The recipe is called Italian Meatballs Easy Recipe. Take a peek at it!

Personal Thoughts For Today:

In previous posts I have shared I wanted to get a wood pellet stove. I finally got over to the Lowe's store and bought one. It is a Master Forge wood pellet stove.

I picked up my wood pellet stove with my truck.

I had to wait a few days before picking it up at the store. I heat with propane but I wanted to add a wood pellet stove to not only have more of an option for heating my home but it is also a beginning towards being more independent and self-sufficient. Eventually, it would be ideal to produce power as well with solar panels and wind turbines. 

In the middle of the house. It is the dining room area.

My stepdad owns ramps for his truck and brought them to me. We put the ramps on the tailgate and slid the stove down the ramp to the ground. Then we used a dolly to wheel it into the house. The picture above is basically where I want to place the stove in my home. The next step is to measure how much pipe I need for installation. I have to get on top of the roof and measure the amount of pipe I need to run down to the stove for exhaust. I have a chimney flu built into the home so I will run pip down the flu instead of using the flu itself.

I am thinking I would like to purchase a plate for the stove to sit on and possibly a plate to go on the wall behind the stove as well. If I don't use a plate for the wall I may use some kind of decorative wall board that looks like bricks. It is just an idea. I also would like to use black pipe for inside the house. The pipe going up the flu won't be seen so it will be the cheapest and probably just regular silver metal.

This stove heats 2,000-3,000 square feet and my house is not as much as that so this stove should heat the house very well. I can use the central air unit to circulate the warm air throughout the house. The intake for the central air is in the ceiling of the dining room where the heat from the stove will go to. I think it will work out well and I will keep you updated on the progress and experience.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Weights And Measures For Cooking Easy Recipes

 

some of my cooking tools



Weights And Measures For Cooking Easy Recipes

Standard Abbreviations
(I may not use these in my recipes but if I do this will serve as a useful guide)

t. --- teaspoon
T. --- tablespoon
c. --- cup
f.g. --- few grains
pt. --- pint
qt. --- quart
d.b. --- double boiler
B.P. --- baking powder
oz. --- ounce
lb. --- pound

Guide to Weights and Measures

1 teaspoon = 60 drops
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
16 tablespoons = 1 cup
1 pound = 16 ounces
1 cup = 1/2 pint
2 cups = 1 pint
4 cups = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
8 quarts = 1 peck
4 pecks = 1 bushel

Substitutions and Equivalents

2 tablespoons of fat = 1 ounce
1 cup of fat = 1/2 pound
1 pound of butter = 2 cups
1 cup of hydrogenated fat plus 1/2 t. salt = 1 cup butter
2 cups sugar = 1 pound
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar = 1 pound
1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar = 1 pound
3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar = 1 pound
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour = 1 pound
4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour = 1 pound
1 ounce bitter chocolate = 1 square
4 tablespoons cocoa plus 2 teaspoon butter = 1 ounce of bitter chocolate
1 cup egg whites = 8 to 10 whites
1 cup egg yolks = 12 to 14 yolks
16 marshmallows = 1/4 pound
1 tablespoon cornstarch = 2 tablespoons flour for thickening
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup milk = 1 cup sour milk
10 graham crackers = 1 cup fine crumbs
1 cup whipping cream = 2 cups whipped
1 cup evaporated milk = 3 cups whipped
1 lemon = 3 to 4 tablespoons juice
1 orange = 6 to 8 tablespoons juice
1 cup uncooked rice = 3 to 4 cups cooked rice

Thoughts On Weights And Measures For Cooking

It is essential that you do not confuse "weight" and "volume" when it comes to cooking. I want to share the Guide to Common Cooking Measurements by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Hopefully, this guide will be helpful to you. If you have any comments about these measurements please let me know at the end of this post.

Extra Information For You:

Maybe you have been cooking for a while and you have heard someone use the term "smidgen" or "dollop" when they provide instructions on a recipe. These terms among other cooking terms are very unique. It is almost like a cooking language. I would like to share a great article that explains these terms on these weights and measures. It is by Lapham's Quarterly, and is called How Much Is a Smidgen?

Quick Question To Think About:

Do you have a memory of being in the kitchen with a loved one and they used a cooking term concerning weights and measures? I remember my grandmother cooking and saying "dash" or "pinch" and sometimes she wouldn't use a measuring device except for her hands. This confused me because I am a very analytical person. To me, it made more sense to use a measuring spoon or cup. It seemed to work for her very well and all of us benefited from her tasty cooking. What words do you recall hearing in the kitchen while someone cooked your favorite meal?

Did you miss my last easy recipe? If you did, then you can read it now. It is called Beef Stroganoff Biscuit Casserole where I share a BONUS recipe for BEST CHILI that you just love. Check it out and let me know what you think!

My Personal Thoughts:

Me at Barnes & Noble Bookstore

It has been a very busy week and I intended to share more recipes but just haven't been able to. Friday night my daughter had her friend over to stay the night. I took them to eat Chinese food and then to a local thrift store. I found a couple good t-shirts and some books. I did find an old wood walking cane I plan to refinish and maybe sell. I will share pictures of that later when I get around to working on it.

The girls found a few items at the thrift store and then we went next door to the Aldi grocery store to get snacks for them. After the sacks we went to the Vintage Stock store so they could shop there. I sat in the car while they looked. The Vintage Stock store is a video game store that also sells posters and movies. I am not into video games that much so it didn't interest me.

Auto Problems:

Before we went into the thrift store I had problems with the side van door opening up. It is automatic and it didn't seem to want to work. No matter how hard I tried or what I did it just didn't work. I had filled up my gas tank at the station and I figured out my gas cap door was not all the way closed. This prevents the sliding door from opening. Once I clicked the gas cap door all the way closed, the sliding door began to work correctly. This happened before but it was so long ago I forgot all about it. The girls had a good time and I got a dad-win taking them out. One thing I learned was that when pumping gas it is very important to make sure the gas cap door is all the way closed before leaving the station.

Ok, I hope I haven't bored you with my dad journeys and making teenage girls have a fun time shopping. I'll finishing up this post and hopefully you find the information I shared here helpful. If you have a recipe you would like to share please send it to me. I will give you recipe share credit and link back to your page or social media. Until next time, thanks for reading!

Monday, September 18, 2023

Beef Stroganoff Biscuit Casserole Easy Recipe - Bonus Best Chili

 

See My Bonus Best Chili Recipe - Video Below


Beef Stroganoff Biscuit Casserole Easy Recipe - With Bonus Best Chili Recipe - (Beef)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound hamburger
1 cup chopped onion
1 (8 ounces) package of cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup catsup
1 tube biscuits

Directions:

Brown beef and onion. Combine cheese, soup, and milk. Add salt, catsup, beef, and onion. Pour into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Arrange biscuits on top and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

Thoughts On Beef Stroganoff Casserole:

Beef Stroganoff or Stroganov has a Russian food history and I absolutely love it! If you are reading this post then chances are you love it too. This is one of the easiest dishes to prepare and most everyone enjoys this food, even the picky eaters. When I was a kid my mom would make beef stroganoff for dinner and I always ran to the big skillet she cooked in to get me a big plate. Do you like to add anything on top of your beef stroganoff when you eat it. I like salt and pepper!

Extra Information:

Did you know Stroganov was a real person? His name was Alexander Stroganov. Of course there are other people linked to Beef Stroganoff and you can learn more about these people and the history of this recipe by visiting The Moscow Times.

Quick Question or Two:

How often do you eat Beef Stroganoff? Do you make it yourself or do you enjoy someone making it for you? Also, have you ever eaten leftover Stroganoff on bread like a sandwich? I do that sometimes myself. To me it makes a great cold sandwich. What dessert do you like after a big meal of Beef Stroganoff? If you are looking for a great dessert then you might like my last easy recipe. It is called Breakfast Milkshake Parfait. Let me know what you think of it. It is easy to prepare and tastes really good.

Persoanal Thoughts: (and bonus Best Chili Recipe)

I'm going to share my Best Chili Recipe but first I wanted to share how my weekend went.

I didn't get to work as much online as I wanted to because I had so much to do around the house so I am actually putting this post together Sunday night. I also have been working on an article for my homesteader website and I am behind on that for sure. I may have mentions doing and interview in Jasper, Missouri. It's about and hour and one half drive away from where I live. A man named Jimmy Carter, not the President, welcomed me to his incredible hand built home and we captured tons of video. I will be sharing a link to that article once I get it pubplished.

Cooler weather is coming on here in the Ozarks and I am installing a wood pellet stove. I had a propane wall heater hanging up but I removed it and will sell it on the Facebook Marketplace. I don't know how much I will get out of the stove but I know it will go to someone who will make good use of it. Ill share a picture here of the propane wall heater.

propane wall heater

I've had this propane wall heater hanging for many years. I haven't used it for several years now because I primarily heat with the propane central air furnace. It is a good backup if the power goes out but my new wood pellet stove I will get this week will do much better. I will be sharing more on that project as it comes along. I'm just trying to diversify and save money with the wood pellet stove project.

Another project I did was to go to my wife's apartment in my daugher's room and help put a school desk together for them. You know how those do-it-yourself projects go. The products are cheaply made and the instructions are sometimes difficult to understand. Getting the right screw in the right place with the right part takes a little patience. I'm glad it is together and my daughter seemed very happy.

Bonus Best Chili Recipe:

Yes that is a flour tortilla in my bowl!

I personally put this recipe together myself. I worked on it for quite a while and I just love the taste. Every chili tastes different in my opinion but mine is the best! I know this because I love chili so much and have tasted so many different chili recipes. It began when I tasted some chili my step-father cooked. I asked him for his recipe and he gave it to me. I had to work on it though because I was in a phase where I loved to fiddle with recipes and make them all my own. I made this recipe the way I wanted my chili to taste for me. Another reason I say this is the Best Chili recipe is because everyone who tries my chili says it's the BEST they ever tasted. So it is conformation for me I have done a great job. I don't mid sharing my chili recipe with you at all. I want you to make it for yourself and see what you think.

This chili recipe makes a big pot of chili so you will want a big pot to cook it in. Rather that write the recipe down here, and please forgive me, I thought I would share and actual video of me making this chili for you. It is on one of my old YouTube channels and at the time of this post the video is about seven years old. The video is only 3:52 minutes long. Here is my video Super Easy Chili Recipe. Let me know what you think in the comments here and in the video. I changed my mind on just sharing the video after looking at it but check it out anyway. You will see how it has changed. I will list the actual ingredients here.

Chili Ingredients: (I usually add everything in this order and let it cook on the stove for at least 30 minutes to get everything all cooked together.)

2 pounds meat
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can mushrooms (small)
3 chili season packets (McCormick regular)
1 can tomato sauce (or 2 small cans)
1 can Rotel (regular)
1 big jar of salson (medium spicy - On The Border) or two small jars
1 bell pepper (chopped)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cans sweet corn
3 cans chili beans (regular)
2 cans kidney beans
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves

*I like to place a flour tortilla in my bowl, top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chili cheese flavor fritos. Yes! I love to eat chili!

As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed my recipes and this blog post!

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Breakfast Milkshake - Parfait Easy Recipe

 


Breakfast Milkshake - Parfait Easy Recipe (Beverages)

Ingredients:

1 banana
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
8 ounces frozen sliced strawberries
1 (6 ounces) yogurt
6 ounces milk
6 ounces orange juice

Optional:
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
Granola

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. For added protein (and crunch). toss in sunflower seeds and puree.

Variation: Layer into a glass with granola to make a breakfast parfait.

Thoughts On Breakfast Milkshake - Parfait:

This is a great recipe to have in the morning before you start off your day. It is very easy to prepare for the day before because everything is already in the refrigerator or freezer. All you have to do is throw the ingredients in the blender and enjoy. In just a few minutes you will be loving this quick easy milkshake or parfait.

Extra Information:

The word "milkshake" was first coined in 1885. It was actually a whisky drink at first. That marketing was short-lived and soon became a drink that appealed to children without alcohol. Other ingredients could be added like chocolate. It became a family-friendly drink and its popularity soared. Today there is hardly anyone in the Western culture who doesn't know what a milkshake is. You can visit IcebergDriveInn to learn more about The Complete History of Milkshakes.

Quick Question:

What is your favorite milkshake or parfait? Do you prefer a milkshake or a parfait? My favorite is a chocolate flavor milkshake and for a parfait, I love strawberry and banana. This would also make a great dessert after a good steak meal. Did you see my last recipe made with steak? If you didn't I will share it with you here. It would go great with a milkshake or parfait. It is called Steak Rollatini's and is considered an Italian dish. You may think of eggplant when you hear about Rollatini but this one is made with steak instead. Let me know what you think of it.

My Thoughts:

Amish horse and buggy at my local gas station.

I stopped by the gas station on the way to work yesterday and this Amish horse and buggy was there. I got about twenty dollars worth of fuel and it cost around $3.75 cents per gallon. Do you remember when fuel was under $2 dollars a gallon? I sure miss those days and I wonder if we will ever get back to those prices.

My first thought when I saw this horse and buggy was how much the Amish save on fuel but then I thought about the pros and cons of not using an automobile. If I had a horse I would have to have hay, feed, and a place to keep my horse. It would take much longer to get to where I am going too. Think about how cold or hot it would be in a horse buggy during extreme weather. One good thing would be to use the horse manure for compost in the garden.

There is an Amish community not too far from where I live. Most of the Amish people in my area are situated along a certain two-lane highway you have to drive in order to get to the main highway. I always enjoy driving along that road. From the road, you can see about six different homes that Amish people live in. They have sheep, geese, horses, and other farm animals. They have long clotheslines where their laundry is on display. The colors are white, blue, black, and gray. I have even seen clothes out on the line in the middle of winter. You can always tell when there is an event among the Amish because you will see tons of horses and buggies in one place and all the young Amish children are outside playing.

Seeing an Amish community is like stepping back in time. I don't think I would like to permanently live that type of lifestyle but I would like to be more self-sufficient in living. Amish make great food and I always enjoy seeing the Amish. The only downside about driving through the Amish community besides the "country" smell their animals put in the air is driving behind their horse and buggy very slow. Sometimes you will see Amish children in the back of the buggy and they like to stare and wave at those in the cars behind them. I don't know if they are being friendly or making fun of us because we have to drive slowly. One thing is for sure, they didn't have to pay $3.75 a gallon for their car.

Monday, September 11, 2023

Steak Rollatini's Easy Recipe - Italian Food

 


Steak Rollatini's Easy Recipe - (Italian Food)

Ingredients:

1 pound top or bottom round of beef per person, sliced very thin
Garlic salt
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Parmesan cheese
Chopped parsley
Bay leaves

Directions:

Cut strips of meat 3 inches wide. Place a little bit of each ingredient on each slice. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Put bay leaves between rollatinis on toothpicks. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on charcoal or broiler. These freeze very well.

Thoughts On Steak Rollatini's:

You may notice when I listed the ingredients, I didn't give any measurements except for the amount of beef to use. There is a reason for this. This is a very intuitive recipe. When I wrote out the directions you may notice I said "Place a little bit of each ingredient" and that is to challenge you to feel your way while cooking the recipe. In doing this, hopefully, it will help you get in touch with your Italian side. 

Extra Information:

Rollatini is not a real Italian word. It just sounds very Italian and is a form of word invention for food branding. You can thank a smart marketer for that one. In Italy, the dish is called Involtini di melanzane. Rollatini actually means Italian Cooking. Rollatini is most commonly made with eggplant but it can be made with veal, chicken, or fish. For the recipe I shared, it is made with beef. You can decide what you would like to use. You can learn more about Rollatini by visiting Beef2Live.

Quick Question:

Have you ever tried cooking or eating Rollatini? If you have, would you care to share your experience with this food? Did you see my last easy recipe? See my Pumpkin Bread recipe if you missed it.

My Thoughts:

Frozen Deer Meat

In my previous posts, I shared about a young man who I used to work with. He is only 20 years old and quit working where I work to start his own fishing bait business. He has leased a shop in a downtown rural city right on the square. He makes plastic fishing lures as well as metal fishing lures. All handmade.

He doesn't have a website yet but he does have social media accounts. He is currently hiring someone to create his website for him so that he will be able to process orders through. I will share his Facebook business page link here with his business name. His Facebook business page is called Bubba Red's Bait Co.

His name is Cyris Helms. Cyris messaged me on Facebook today and wanted to know if I would like to come by his shop and take a look. He also wanted to share some frozen deer meat with me. He is trying to make room in his freezer for the next round of deer he kills for the bow hunting season. It starts this week and I thought to share some meat with me. I am glad to get it. I don't have much time for hunting but I do love to hunt and eat wild game.

I grew up eating deer meat and I just love the flavor of deer meat. Some people don't like it as much because it has a gamey taste to it. The gamey taste comes from the blood in the meat. You can get rid of the gamey taste by soaking the meat in cold water for a few days. You periodically replace the water and keep ice in the water too.

Have you ever tried deer meat? Here in the Ozarks, deer meat is very popular. Many people hunt for deer in this area. You can drive down rural roads and most likely you will see deer, turkey, or other wildlife. As a matter of fact, I was going home from Cyris's bait shop and had to slow down for a young deer on the side of the road. Thankfully I did not hit the deer with my car. People hitting deer happens so often around here.

Thank you so much for reading this recipe blog post. I hope you enjoyed it and I would love to hear from you what you think about this recipe or anything else I shared. Have a super day!

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