The Treasure of a Great Meal Right out of the Cabinet

Warm, spicy and full of flavor!

 Quick cooking from your cabinet’s contents doesn’t have to be boring and preservative laden. Here’s a 4-ingredient fix that will make you warm all over in less than 20 minutes from opening the cabinets to clean up.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

1 can Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 container broth

1 can coconut milk

Thai Basil for garnish

Mix pumpkin, broth and coconut milk in a pan and heat until bubbling slightly. Garnish with Thai basil leaves.

Paired with a veggie wrap with peanut dressing and a tangerine for a satisfying lunch or dinner!

The Treasure of a Walk in the Snow

This Florida girl made her first snowperson a couple of days ago and now I feel I am truly adapting to this Arctic chill. The snow doesn’t seem to be letting up so I decided that I was just going to have to venture into it and hope for the best.

Got my winter coat, gloves, boots and hat plus the mail and a library book to return and off I went to run errands on foot (well actually gingerly step and hope to not fall on the ice more than run).

It really is a treat to walk around our small town and see the sights from the quaint brick buildings with 200 years of history to the trees that were oh so green just a few months ago. Once in a while I even spy a bird or squirrel not ready to hibernate.

With snow so white covering the ground in a blanket of crunchy freeze, I enjoy the walk, but am so happy to get home and to a nice cup of hot cocoa.

My Homemade Hot Cocoa

12 oz hot milk (either heated in a pot or the microwave)

2 TBSP Naturally Unsweetened Hershey’s Cocoa

1-1/2 TBSP Sugar

½ tsp of instant coffee (it really makes the chocolate pop!)

Dash of salt

Mix all the ingredients and adjust to taste. Sip while warm, but don’t burn your tongue.

Optional:

* 1-2 TBSP Maraschino Cherry Juice (for a chocolate-covered cherry) with a shot of brandy or bourbon (for a chocolate-covered cherry cordial)

* Peppermint stick to stir the cocoa (for a chocolate mint cocoa)

* Melt a dollop of fudge (for a super chocolatey cocoa)

* Marshmallows, Whipped Cream (traditional)

* Crystalized ginger (for a ginger snap cocoa)

The list could be endless. Today I picked the candy cane for a hint of cool in my hot cocoa!

Bake and Share – 40 Days of Thankfulness

Bake and Share

 While my fingers tickle these keys, the snow is falling outside making our little town into a winter wonderland. We are expecting between 4 and 7 inches of snow today and I bet the kids across the street were hoping more would have fallen last night so school would be canceled and they could go sledding on the hill out back. But it seems to be an all day thing.

Which is great since I don’t have to go anywhere. Not having a job sucks, but not having to go to work on a day like today is wonderful. Instead of driving on ice through traffic to the corporate jungle, I get to stay home and watch movies with my hubbie, drink hot cocoa and bake muffins to give away on Sunday.

This Sunday marks our first anniversary (which I have to say, anniversaries are so much better than weddings – less fuss and muss and more fun!) and since it also coincides with Bake and Share Day, we thought we would share with the congregation and give them some mini muffins to thank them for making our first year of marriage amazing.

This just smells and tastes like the holidays - Cranberries and Oranges

I have four recipes planned, but I don’t want to go too overboard. First, my holiday favorite Orange, Cranberry and Nut muffins. This recipe is a classic from Ocean Spray and I usually make it as bread, but today I am going to try mini muffins. (We tried these for breakfast this morning and loved them!!!)

Chocolate for breakfast - yum

The recipe that triggered this whole thing was Triple Chocolate muffins from the Dec 2013 Cooking Light magazine, which may become Paul’s new favorite. Then a muffin party wouldn’t be complete without my famous Morning Glory muffins with dried fruit and nuts and bananas. Lastly are the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins which has no picture since they will be done tomorrow morning (ran out of eggs – oops).

Oh what a Glorious Morning with these muffins

 A warm kitchen is a blessing on such a cold day. Plus to bake something to warm the hearts of others is also a nice touch.

What could you bake and share this holiday season? 

What's Left - 40 Days of Thankfulness

It's good to be thankful for all the abundance we have especially at Thanksgiving. So many leftovers and only so many days to gorge, but by now you’re probably tired of the Thanksgiving motif of a meal. Here are some recipes to liven up your leftovers and make the season even brighter.

 Turkey Pot Pie from the Pioneer Woman

Mashed Potato Pancakes from All Recipes

Sweet Potato and Cornbread Hash from the kitchn

Cranberry Sauce Cocktails from Buzzfeed

Turkey Posole from Cooking Light

Please Pass The Friendship – 40 Days of Thankfulness

There is something about sharing a meal with friends that makes it soul nourishing. Paul and I have been invited to several meals with members of our congregation enabling us to not only learn about the local cuisines, but also the folks who asked for our company.

Tonight, we tagged along to another church’s Fall Festival to share a meal with Jean, Annabelle and Don, three of our favorite church family members. The host church was where Jean grew up more than 80 years ago walking each Sunday with her family to worship.

I always like spending time with this small group – Don a retired wheat farmer, Annabelle a retired rural postal carrier and Jean a retired educator. They make jokes and tell tales spanning their lifetimes in this small rural community. It’s such a blessing.

The meal was also something to be wildly thankful for – full of things we never eat at home and new explorations. The smorgasbord contained fried chicken, ham and ham balls (this is like a ham loaf but in a ball), a variety of casseroles, including broccoli and rice, potato and cheese, scalloped chicken, sweet potato, stuffing and hot German potato salad. My plate was getting full fast with all of these new things to try. Then came the cold stuff – pickled beets, pickled eggs, coleslaw, layered salad, Jello, applesauce, fruit, hardboiled eggs, and a couple things that I wasn’t too clear about.

The abundance was amazing and the choices overwhelming, but with a full try in hand, I made it to our table and devoured every last bite. I know some of my foodie friends may turn their noses up at some of these choices, but I believe I should at least try things before I am prejudice of them (also if I said I was in France trying different stuff you would probably applaud me for my bravery, not judge me for me open mindedness.)

A meal isn’t a meal without dessert. The choices had me wondering for quite a while, especially since I was more stuffed than I’d been since last Thanksgiving. I chose a slice of Dutch apple pie and coffee to round out this dining experience.

I am so thankful not only for the full belly, but for the full heart I had this evening and wish everyone in the world could experience it as I have.

For those curious and wanting to try something very Midwestern, here are two recipes from our church cookbook.

Scalloped Chicken

Betty Jo Black

3 cups cooked diced chicken

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can each – cream of chicken and cream of celery soup

1 stick butter or margarine

1 med. diced onion

2 eggs

1tsp salt

1 loaf of white bread

Pepper to taste

1.     Preheat oven to 350.

2.     Mix soups and broth in saucepan stirring constantly.

3.     Add butter and melt.

4.     Cube bread and put in a large bowl, adding chicken and onion.

5.     Pour liquid over bread and stir.

6.     Beat eggs and add to bread mixture.

7.     Pour into greased 10 x13 casserole and bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes.

Ham Loaf

Ruth Buck

Meat Loaf:

1lb ground smoked ham

1lb ground lean fresh pork

2 eggs

¾ cup soft bread crumbs

¾ cup milk

2 TBSP catsup

Mix and form into a loaf.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Baste with glaze after the first 30 minutes and every 20 minutes after.

Glaze:

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup pineapple juice

2TBSP prepared mustard

½ cup crushed pineapple

2TBSP vinegar

Mix ingredients over medium heat until they boil and thicken. 

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice – 40 Days of Thankfulness

Cinnamon Sticks ... courtesy of Wikimedia

Do you have certain scent triggers that make you feel happy, warm and loved? To me that’s cinnamon, especially when it’s cold out.

Growing up in Florida, fall means it’s not quite so hot and you get the occasional cold spell where one needs to put on a light jacket, while winter is for about 10 days (not necessarily consecutive) where you may need to turn the heat on to get the 50 degree chill out of your bones.

Even in those milder temperatures, cinnamon still has a way of bursting into my brain images of warm fires, brilliant candles and something sweet to eat.

Now thank I am experiencing real winter temperatures, the warmth of this spice has an even great effect on my body and psyche.

Thank you cinnamon for being so warming.

It may seem strange to be thankful for a spice, but like a lot of things it’s not the cinnamon that I am most thankful for, but how I feel when I smell it and taste it and how it makes others feel.

That’s why I made these Apple Tartlets to take to a function at church. I wanted to share the beauty of the season with locally grown apples (from an orchard right outside of town) smothered in a spiced glaze and resting in a pecan shortbread cup. I highly recommend these for one of your holiday soirees or you can make them ahead and freeze for a movie night or anytime you want a little cinnamon treat.

They call them two-bites, but it took me three to savor the levels of flavor.

Spiced Apple Two-Bite Tartlets

From Cooking Light’s November 2013 Issue – A must have in your holiday arsenal

    Crust:

            1/3 cup sugar

            1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

            2 tablespoons canola oil

            1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk

            1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

            1/4 teaspoon salt

            4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)

            1/3 cup very finely chopped toasted pecans

            Baking spray with flour

           

These little Pecan Shortbread Tarts are perfect for a variety of fillings. I'm going to try pumpkin pie next.

Filling:

            2 cups finely diced peeled Granny Smith apple

            2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

            2 tablespoons sugar

            1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

            1/4 teaspoon salt

            1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

            1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

            1 tablespoon unsalted butter

            1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

            1 tablespoon water

            1/4 cup crème fraîche

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare crust, place first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 1 minute or until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and nuts to butter mixture; beat until just combined. Divide dough evenly among 24 miniature muffin cups coated with baking spray. Press dough into bottom and up sides of muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

3. To prepare filling, place apple and juice in a bowl; toss to coat. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and the next 4 ingredients (through ginger); toss well.

4. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apple mixture; cover and cook 5 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring occasionally. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into apple mixture; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Place apple mixture in a bowl; cool to room temperature. Spoon about 2 teaspoons apple mixture into each tart shell. Top each tart with 1/2 teaspoon crème fraîche.