Category: Food

Categories
Food

Cheese Straws

I alluded to these in my New Years/Christmas post.  But last night was the first time I’d made these on my own.  Admittedly, I called my Dad to find the ingredients from a cookbook, my mom to make sure I was mixing it correctly, then Nana to reassure me later that they’re ok! I halved the recipe from my aunt’s MIL’s (Jean Owens) cookbook.

Ingredients
1 3/4 c flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper
3/4 c butter, softened
1 c sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix the dry ingredients together.  Add the softened butter & use a hand mixer to blend together.  Add the cheese then continue to process until soft & leaves the sides of the bowl.  I found it worked better to just take off my rings and use my hands at this point.
I rolled the dough into three logs and wrapped them in plastic wrap and placed them in the frig for about an hour.  After that, I cut them very thin and placed them on thin cookie sheets topped with parchment paper.  I baked at 350 for 11-12 minutes.  I placed them in a 9×13 with paper towels in between the layers.
Can’t wait to enjoy them tonight with friends!

Categories
Food

Gigi’s Cupcakes

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Thought I’d share a little something sweet for all  my sweet blog friends!

I’ve been hearing about this cupcake place for a little while now, but haven’t had the chance to go until Sunday.  They’re usually closed Sundays, but luckily for us, they were open for pre-Valentine’s day specials!  How beautiful are those cupcakes!  By the way, Alethea & I walked Saturday & Sunday mornings anticipating the goodness.

I tried the Strawberry Shortcake {white cake mixed with fresh strawberries & buttercream icing with fresh strawberries} & Alethea had a Valentine’s Day special one with chocolate cake & strawberry icing.  Mine was probably my favorite cupcake EVER!!

We save $2 by getting a four-pack, so I have a Scarlet’s Red Velvet cupcake for myself for Valentine’s day & Alethea took home a White Midnight Magic.  That means there’s something sweet waiting for me when I get home {other than Moe & Jason of course}!

all photos taken with the “food” scene.  I love how clear they turn out.

Categories
Food

What I made already this week

I was busy Monday & Tuesday.  You already have seen the guest room redo.  I’ve also been busy in the kitchen. 

I was one of those crazy people who signed up for the “Pay It Forward in 2011” facebook thing.  I hope I’ve got something coming from the talented Pami; I owe 5 now 4 friends homemade goodies.  I made Eileen from work my “famous” oreo brownies Monday night.  They were supposed to be for her family, but after coworkers heard they were at her desk, I think she only went home with half the pan!  I also made a pan for us & half that pan {all those on the plate photo’d below} went to Jason’s work.  Oh, and since I was making 2 8×8 pans instead of a 9×13 I used the whole thing of Oreo {half inside & half crumbled on top}.

For Monday dinner, I tried another of the Mable’s Meals recipes.  This one called for four ingredients & said only took 20 minutes.  And y’all, it got a thumbs up from Jason.
Cream of Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 c sliced mushrooms
4 chicken breasts (I used three)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
salt/pepper to taste

Heat oil {I did medium high} in medium skillet.  Add chicken & saute covered for 4 minutes.  Flip over chicken & continue cooking covered for another 3 minutes.
Lower heat {I lowered to medium}, add mushrooms, & continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
Add can of soup & stir well. Keep covered & simmer on low for 10 minutes {or until chicken no longer pink}; stirring occasionally.
We served over brown rice {but were too hungry & forgot to photo it plated} & had enough for Jason lunch leftovers!

Random Crockpot White Bean Chicken was dinner Tuesday & my lunch today.
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts
sliced mushrooms
can white beans, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes

We left in the crockpot all day on low. I shredded my chicken breast & topped with a little mozzarella cheese & ate like it was soup.  Jason ate the chicken breast topped & sided with the soup.

Can’t help but end with a super cute Moe & hubby photo.  This is Moe’s favorite sleep spot now~on & with a paw over Jason’s new chill pants!

Categories
Food

Blueberry Muffins

Jason loves blueberry muffins.  He doesn’t like fru-fru ones with special crumb toppings or any of that jazz.  Like Martha White from the bag is cool with him.  I wanted to do a little better than that {although Martha Whites are good for a quick & easy muffin}.

I searched & found three blueberry muffin recipes Friday.  I decided I wanted to try the Paula Dean one. {1} its Paula Dean so it’s going to be good. {2} it had the least number of ingredients. {3} it made the least muffins {said 12 but I made15} & was considered “easy”. {4} doesn’t use stand mixer so easy clean up.  I decided to take advantage of the food scene on the D5000 & took 53 photos!  Thought I’d share my favorites.

Blueberry Muffin {2008 Paula Dean from the food network}
Ingredients
2 c all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 c sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 c milk {recipe said whole, I used skim}
1 1/2 c fresh blueberries
1/2 c brown or white sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tin {I used 6 cup non-stick & 12 cup silicone one}.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder & sugar.  In a smaller bowl, melt the butter, add egg then milk & stir together.  Pour the wet into the dry ingredients.  Stir using a spoonula until just combined {might be lumpy}.  Gently fold in the blueberries {be careful not to break them}.

Spoon the batter into the greased cups about 2/3 full.  Bake 10 mins then remove from oven.  Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with the 1/2 c sugar.  I thought 1/2 c was too much so I probably used more like 1/3 c.

Return the muffins to the oven & bake another 10-15 mins or until golden brown & they pass the toothpick test.  We don’t like them very brown, so after 12 mins, once a fork came out clean, I took them out.  Let cool 10 mins then enjoy!

Categories
Food

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies

*Written 12/20*
Knowing that I will be returning to Charlotte in the near future, I’ve spent this past weekend trying to make sure everything was done here at home. I really haven’t felt super cheery/social, so we stayed at home most of the time. I vacuumed and raced around the house Friday night. I didn’t have any Saturday plans so I was able to run to Old Navy to return a shirt & exchange a Christmas gift for Jason {me & everyone else in Raleigh!}. While I was there I found skinny jeans ($25) for me that are perfect for my brown boots & a super cute flannel shirt dress ($12). Between Saturday and Sunday, I did 7+ loads of laundry (lights, darks, red/pinks, delicate wash for sweaters, sheets & towels). I also talked & texted with my parents and stayed within arms reach of my phone at all times. **Update on Ma: she’s holding her own & been able to drink some thickened apple juice over the past few days and thus is not as critical! We plan to go to Richmond for Christmas then Charlotte next week.**

I’d planned to bake these cookies for my coworkers Thursday night, but since I’d been out of town that didn’t get done. I already had all the ingredients so I decided to make them Sunday so I could bring them to my coworkers and some for Jason’s work friends also. I doubled the original recipe so it ended up making around 75 cookies {posted how I did it}. I found this recipe from sparkpeople in an email. We both really like the cookies, but my favorite part is that they’re approximately 64 calories each & 1 g fat!


Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
1 can Libby pumpkin
2 c light brown sugar
4 eggs
3 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
6 c oatmeal
2 c dried cranberries {craisins}
1 c sliced {then I crunched} almonds

Directions
Heat oven to 350.
Beat together pumpkin & sugar in mixer.
Add eggs & vanilla, continue to beat well.
Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt; mix.
Lower mixture to stir and add oatmeal, craisins & almonds.
Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. I used my silicone mats on basic sheets & nothing on my non-stick sheet & they didn’t stick. Also the cookies do not spread out much, so ok to place them pretty close together.
Bake 10-12 minutes then let cool for one minute before transferring to cooling rack.
Enjoy!