Wow, December went by so quickly. I kept meaning to post, but just never found the time. So, I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We stayed home on Christmas this year because Todd had to work. It was nice, especially since the kids and I were sick and it gave us time to rest. Our plan is to have New Year's Eve at the river since we couldn't be there at Christmas. The kids are looking forward to that and keep asking when we can leave.
I am looking forward to the new year. 2009, I just can't believe it is here already. I am sure there are many adventure yet to be had. I wish you all a very prosperous and happy new year.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Gnocchi
Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi
8 oz. ricotta cheese (strained of water for about 30min.)
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup white flour (I've used wheat and it just isn't the same)
Mix all ingredients except flour until well blended. Then add flour to form a soft dough. Keep hands and working surface floured. If dough is sticky add a little more flour. Form into ropes about 1/2 inch cross-section and cut into bite sized pieces. Roll with a fork to create grooves. Place in boiling water for about 4 min. Serve with favorite sauce. Gnocchi can be kept in fridge for later or frozen.
Potato/Winter Squash Gnocchi
Gnocchi can be made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and baked winter squash instead of ricotta cheese. All are delicious.
8 oz. winter squash, sweet potato, potato
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
2 cups flour
Simple bake potato, sweet potato or squash. Prep and cooking method is same as above.
Dessert Gnocchi
Dessert Gnocchi can be made from apples, persimmons, pumpkin/winter squash, etc. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc. Follow general proportions as above two recipes. Cooking method is the same. Serve with honey or other sweet sauce.
8 oz. ricotta cheese (strained of water for about 30min.)
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup white flour (I've used wheat and it just isn't the same)
Mix all ingredients except flour until well blended. Then add flour to form a soft dough. Keep hands and working surface floured. If dough is sticky add a little more flour. Form into ropes about 1/2 inch cross-section and cut into bite sized pieces. Roll with a fork to create grooves. Place in boiling water for about 4 min. Serve with favorite sauce. Gnocchi can be kept in fridge for later or frozen.
Potato/Winter Squash Gnocchi
Gnocchi can be made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and baked winter squash instead of ricotta cheese. All are delicious.
8 oz. winter squash, sweet potato, potato
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
2 cups flour
Simple bake potato, sweet potato or squash. Prep and cooking method is same as above.
Dessert Gnocchi
Dessert Gnocchi can be made from apples, persimmons, pumpkin/winter squash, etc. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc. Follow general proportions as above two recipes. Cooking method is the same. Serve with honey or other sweet sauce.
Pumpkin Pie
1 sugar pumpkin (sweet meat squash or sunshine pumpkin)
1 9 in pie shell
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar (I used Lakanto w/ 1/2 TBS molasses)
1 TBS flour (or cornstarch or tapioca starch)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 (12 fl. oz) can evaporated milk
Bake squash/pumpkin whole until soft (350F for about an hour and a half). Remove and allow to cool enough to work with. Cut in half, scoop out and discard seeds, remove skin. Puree about 2 cups of pumpkin. Save rest for side dish, second pie, or add to baked goods like breads, muffins, pancakes, etc. In a bowl slightly beat eggs. Add sugar, flour, salt, and pumpkin puree, pie spice and evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour into pie shell. Place a strip of foil over the edge of the pie crust so it does not burn. Bake 10 min. at 450F, then reduce to 350F and cook for 40-50 min. until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove foil about 20min. before pie is done so crust is golden brown. Cool pie and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.
1 9 in pie shell
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar (I used Lakanto w/ 1/2 TBS molasses)
1 TBS flour (or cornstarch or tapioca starch)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 (12 fl. oz) can evaporated milk
Bake squash/pumpkin whole until soft (350F for about an hour and a half). Remove and allow to cool enough to work with. Cut in half, scoop out and discard seeds, remove skin. Puree about 2 cups of pumpkin. Save rest for side dish, second pie, or add to baked goods like breads, muffins, pancakes, etc. In a bowl slightly beat eggs. Add sugar, flour, salt, and pumpkin puree, pie spice and evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour into pie shell. Place a strip of foil over the edge of the pie crust so it does not burn. Bake 10 min. at 450F, then reduce to 350F and cook for 40-50 min. until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove foil about 20min. before pie is done so crust is golden brown. Cool pie and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.
Green Bean Casserole
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream
3 cans French style green beans (I used fresh/frozen green beans-enough to fill a 9X9 pan)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4-1/2 cup fresh chopped mushroom
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers (frozen onion rings or French's fried onions)
1 TBS butter, melted
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 350F. Melt 2 TBS butter in large skillet, stir in flour until smooth. Cook 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, sugar, onion, mushroom and sour cream and parmesan cheese. Set aside. Boil fresh or frozen green beans until done. Drain and add green beans to cream sauce, stir to coat. Transfer to 9X9 baking dish. Cover with shredded cheddar cheese. If you use crackers, crush and mix with remaining butter. Add them now and bake for 3o min. or until bubbly. If you use onion rings, place them on top of cheese and bake for 30min. If you use fried onions, bake cheese topped casserole for 25 min. and add them the last 5 min. to brown.
2 TBS flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream
3 cans French style green beans (I used fresh/frozen green beans-enough to fill a 9X9 pan)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4-1/2 cup fresh chopped mushroom
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers (frozen onion rings or French's fried onions)
1 TBS butter, melted
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 350F. Melt 2 TBS butter in large skillet, stir in flour until smooth. Cook 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, sugar, onion, mushroom and sour cream and parmesan cheese. Set aside. Boil fresh or frozen green beans until done. Drain and add green beans to cream sauce, stir to coat. Transfer to 9X9 baking dish. Cover with shredded cheddar cheese. If you use crackers, crush and mix with remaining butter. Add them now and bake for 3o min. or until bubbly. If you use onion rings, place them on top of cheese and bake for 30min. If you use fried onions, bake cheese topped casserole for 25 min. and add them the last 5 min. to brown.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash
6 TBS onion (chopped)
4 TBS butter
3 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (I used parsley and thyme)
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
8 oz. cream cheese
pepper to taste
Bake squash whole at 350F until soft (1 1/2 hours or so). Allow to cool so you can work with it. Sautee onions in butter until tender. Add squash, cream cheese, onions and butter, water, and all spices to a blender (You might have to do this in two batches). Puree. Place into a soup pan, heat (don't allow to boil) and serve. Great w/ sourdough bread or rolls.
6 TBS onion (chopped)
4 TBS butter
3 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (I used parsley and thyme)
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
8 oz. cream cheese
pepper to taste
Bake squash whole at 350F until soft (1 1/2 hours or so). Allow to cool so you can work with it. Sautee onions in butter until tender. Add squash, cream cheese, onions and butter, water, and all spices to a blender (You might have to do this in two batches). Puree. Place into a soup pan, heat (don't allow to boil) and serve. Great w/ sourdough bread or rolls.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you reading this blog. I hope your holiday is filled with joy, friends and family.
We are very blessed to be able to have Thanksgiving with my mother this year. If you have read my previous blogs she was in the hospital for about 4 1/2 months during spring and summer. We feared for her life on two occasions during that time. So it is great to be able to spend this day with her at home.
We will also be spending time with my dad and Suzi and are greatful for that. For those who we can't be with, we are thinking of you today as well.
In preparation for the holiday, the boys and I have been working on various crafts to liven up the house. We have a silly turkey bread basket, Thanksgiving tree, pinecone turkeys, turkey terra cotta pots and pilgrim and Indian hats. Of all the crafts the kids' favorite were and still are the pinecone turkeys. How can you go wrong with hand picked pinecones, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pompoms, construction paper and glue?
We are very blessed to be able to have Thanksgiving with my mother this year. If you have read my previous blogs she was in the hospital for about 4 1/2 months during spring and summer. We feared for her life on two occasions during that time. So it is great to be able to spend this day with her at home.
We will also be spending time with my dad and Suzi and are greatful for that. For those who we can't be with, we are thinking of you today as well.
In preparation for the holiday, the boys and I have been working on various crafts to liven up the house. We have a silly turkey bread basket, Thanksgiving tree, pinecone turkeys, turkey terra cotta pots and pilgrim and Indian hats. Of all the crafts the kids' favorite were and still are the pinecone turkeys. How can you go wrong with hand picked pinecones, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pompoms, construction paper and glue?
Friday, November 21, 2008
Fennel Risotto
This is my favorite risotto so far and it happens to be very simple.
2 fennel bulbs (cored and cut lengthwise in 1/4 inch slices)
1 medium onion (diced)
1-2 TBS butter or olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
3-4 TBS parmesian cheese (grated)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup white wine (optional, I used a sweet muscat)
1 carton chicken/vegetable broth
Salt and pepper (to taste)
In a heavy pan/pot, sautee fennel slices and onion in butter a few minutes to soften. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Add wine and stir until most of the liquid is gone. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until most of the liquid is gone. Continue this process of adding broth until rice is done. Add parmesian cheese, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly until risotto is nice and creamy (just a few minutes). Serve.
2 fennel bulbs (cored and cut lengthwise in 1/4 inch slices)
1 medium onion (diced)
1-2 TBS butter or olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
3-4 TBS parmesian cheese (grated)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup white wine (optional, I used a sweet muscat)
1 carton chicken/vegetable broth
Salt and pepper (to taste)
In a heavy pan/pot, sautee fennel slices and onion in butter a few minutes to soften. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Add wine and stir until most of the liquid is gone. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until most of the liquid is gone. Continue this process of adding broth until rice is done. Add parmesian cheese, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly until risotto is nice and creamy (just a few minutes). Serve.
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