Cold Day=Warm Food

It's a nippy 30 degrees with a brisk wind which makes it feel like 17! BRRRR!  Yes, that's pretty nippy indeed.  Days like this are just made for warm comfort food.  Today's choice, chili.  Mmmmm chili. 

I'll admit, I don't make chili from scratch.  I cheat a little.  I use 2 pounds hamburger &/or ground turkey, 2 packages William's Chili Seasoning (we love the chipotle flavor), some extra cumin and a bit of sugar to it and let it simmer.   I also add beans to mine.  Easy and delicious.  I serve it with crackers and cheese the first time.  Second time, usually make chili mac out of it and if I have any left, we have chili dogs. 

Today, I added a nice little treat.  When it's cold, I like to crank up the oven and do a bit of baking.  Keeps the kitchen and dining area warmer and makes the house smell so good!  I looked in my pantry and came up with a can of cherries in heavy syrup that needed to be used.  I had read in my recent copy of Mother Earth News of a easy pie crust recipe I wanted to try, so I came up with Cherry Hand Pies. 

 

The recipe is pretty... how shall I say?..loose.  I didn't write down exact measurements for the pie filling but I'll do my best to give you something to follow.  I also forgot to take pictures of the process so I only have the finished results.  Don't let the components scare you. It's an easy recipe. 

 

Boarding House Pie Crust

(Mother Earth News Dec2012/Jan2013 issue)

Makes a 10' Pie crust

Mix 3 cups flour and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt.  Separately, thoroughly mix 3/4 cup oil and 3/8 cup milk.  Combine flour and liquid mix and stir.  Roll out between 2 pieces wax paper.

 

Cherry Pie Filling

1 can cherries in heavy syrup

1/4 cup Maraschino cherry juice

1/4 to 1/2 cup Sugar

3 tablespoons Butter

Salt

about 3 tablespoons Cornstarch

1 cup Water

1 tablespoon Almond flavor

1 tablespoon Vanilla

 

Pour cherries and syrup into a saucepan.  Add  Maraschino cherry juice, sugar, butter & salt and bring to a boil. 

Mix 1 cup of water with cornstarch and stir until mixed.  Add to boiling cherries.  Bring back to boil and then turn heat to simmer.  Stir occasionally until mixture is very thick.  Add Almond flavor and vanilla and let chill.

 

Vanilla Glaze

1 tablespoon Butter

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 tablespoon Milk

 

Melt butter.  Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar.  Add milk and stir until smooth.  Adjust milk to make glaze a bit thicker than honey.

 

Egg Wash

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Mix together.

 

To Make Cherry Hand Pies

 

Heat oven to 375.  Cover baking pan with aluminium foil or parchment paper.

Roll out dough and cut with a biscuit cutter.  Make two circles for every pie. One will be the bottom and one will be the top.  If you don't have a biscuit cutter, make squares the size you would like your pies to be.

Place about a tablespoon of cherry filling on top of one circle.  Make sure to leave space around the edges.  Place another circle of pie dough on top of this.  Using a fork, crimp around the entire edge of the pie, trying not to let the filling leak out.  Using a pastry brush or your fingers, lightly spread some egg wash on the top and to the edges of each pie.  Prick tops with fork. 

Bake until pies are golden brown.

While warm, spread with glaze.  It's easiest if you spoon a bit directly in the middle as the warm dough will melt the glaze.

Let cool then eat.

If you have a bit of leftover dough, glaze with egg wash then sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar and bake with the pies.  So sweet and delicious!

 



Cute and so good!

Something Sweet-Candy Cane Bark

Since Yuletide, I've had two boxes of beautiful blueberry & peppermint candy canes laying around.  I also had some leftover Hershey's Kisses, white chocolate chips, blue candy melts, and cookie sprinkles laying around in the pantry.   Hmmm...my brain started ticking.  Why not whip up a couple different chocolate barks.  Easy, tasty and economical.  Here is what I ended up with.

I am very pleased with the results. Not only is it tasty, but it's beautiful to look at too. Not bad for a bunch of leftover candy!

Milk Chocolate Peppermint Bark:

Many unwrapped Hershey's Kisses (probably 50)

6 or 7 peppermint candy canes, crushed

Various sprinkles (I used sparkle sugar and little red sugar berries)

Lay down a piece of aluminium foil.

Crush candy canes.  I leave a few bigger pieces just to make the finished bark pretty.

 

Melt Kisses for 30 second blasts in microwave until smooth.    

Make sure to stir often and don't overcook. Spread onto foil. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, then with sparkle sugar & red sugar berries. Let sit for a few minutes until set. 



I put mine in the fridge as it seems chocolate takes forever to set!





White Chocolate Blueberry Bark

1/2 bag White Chocolate chips

4 blueberry candy canes, crushed

Various sprinkles (I had snowflakes & sparkle sugar)

Blue Candy Melts

Lay down a piece of aluminium foil. Melt white chocolate chips for 30 second blasts in microwave until smooth. Make sure to stir often and don't overcook. Spread onto foil. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, then with snowflakes and sparkle sugar. Let sit for a few minutes until set.

Melt blue candy melts and drizzle over white chocolate. Sprinkle with more sparkle sugar.

Let set completely, then break into pieces and enjoy!

Isn't this lovely?

Get creative! I've got other chips (butterscotch, cherry, and dark chocolate) and many other tidbits in the pantry just waiting to be turned into customized candy bark (hmmm...cherry chocolate for Valentine's day?).

Updated: Homemade Miracle Whip

One of my New Year's resolutions is to not eat any fast food. Although I didn't make this resolution formally, I am going to try to make things from scratch as much as possible too.  Not too tough to do when you know how to and love to cook. 

Yesterday, I made pork schnitzel and honey oatmeal bread.  It was delicious and I had enough leftover to make a nice sandwich today.  I also have lettuce, onions, and bread & butter pickles.  But one key ingredient was missing:  Miracle Whip. 

Was SO good!

Yup, I'm a Miracle Whip kind of gal.  Mayo is OK and I eat it in a pinch, but I love the 'tangy zip'.    Maybe it's a Southern 'thang'.  No one in my family uses mayo. 

I remember a long time ago, my mother made some potato salad to take to a friend's pot luck.  I came in at the end of the process and decided I needed to do a taste test.  You know, just to make sure it was good enough to serve to her friends.  I got a bit ole spoonful, shoved it into my mouth and about gagged!  I was expecting sweet and creamy with a hint of sugary goodness from sweet pickles.  What I got was mayonnaise and dill!  NOT what I was expecting to say the least.  I told my mom that something was wrong with that batch of potato salad.  She just laughed and told me this is how her friend liked it.  To this day, I still cannot imagine why!

Anyway, since I had all the ingredients to make homemade Miracle Whip, I decided to go for it.  Why spend $4 or $5 for a jar when I could just make it at home.  I have made it in the past with somewhat dubious success.  It tasted right but was a bit thin and runny.  So I decided to try a different recipe.  I googled (still laughing that this is now a verb) and found a lot of recipes.  Here is the one I went with, adding a few modifications as I went along.

Miracle Whip
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
1-1/2 cups oil
1/2 cup boiling water
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons vinegar

1.  Blend egg yolks, salt, sugar, and 1 tablespoon vinegar/lemon juice until blended.

2.  Slowly drip 1 cup of oil, a few drops at a time, incorporating thoroughly before adding more.

3.  Add remaining 1/2 cup of oil a bit faster, making sure to incorporate before adding more.
4.  Add remaining lemon/vinegar and blend the set aside.
5.  Mix water, flour, dry mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and vinegar in a small saucepan.
6.  Bring to a boil and simmer until smooth and thickened. 

7.  Slowly add this hot mix to the mayo and blend well.

8.  Put into container and cool.

Notes: 
1. This will take some time.  Make sure to add oil very, very slowly and let mix completely.  If you don't, the mayo will 'break' and you won't be able to blend it together at all.  Be patient.
2.  I added a bit more vinegar, about a tablespoon, when I finished for more 'zip'.  Next time, I will use a combination of vinegar and lemon juice.  I was out of lemons but I think this will add a bit more flavor.
3.  I increased the powdered sugar and paprika from the original recipe.  I found it to be slightly bland until I did so.
4.  If you just want to make mayonnaise, just use the first 5 ingredients and call it a day.  I tasted it and it was pretty good. 

An Old-Fashioned Cookie Recipe

I meant to post this before the holidays but just didn't get around to it.  So you'll just have to wait until the next holiday to pull this one out.  Or not.  These are delicious anytime but trust me, just make them for special occasions.  You'll end up eating way too many if you don't share them.

This recipe has been in my family for countless generations.  It's an old-fashioned shortbread cookie made with simple ingredients.  Every single person I've shared this with wants the recipe and looks forward to them as much as my own family.  I hope they become a hit in your family too.

I'm fortunate in the fact that most of my family lives in pecan tree country.  Every fall, my mother sends me fresh pecans so all my holiday treats are extra good.  If you can get fresh pecans, use them but if not, store-bought work just fine. 

Pecan Balls
4 cups Flour
1 pound Butter
1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Sugar
2 cups Pecans
Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Chop pecans fine and set aside.

Cream sugar and softened butter. 

Add vanilla. 
Slowly add flour, one cup at a time.  Add nuts.

Make into 2-inch balls. 

Bake until light golden brown.  Let cool slightly. 

Roll in powdered sugar and devour!

One tip:  For extra flakiness, refrigerate the cookies after you make them into balls. 

You can make different flavors too.  Substitute almonds for the pecans and almond extract for the vanilla.  Bake as normal but don't roll in powdered sugar.  Let cookies cool then drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate, then drizzle with melted cherry flavored chips if you can find them.  Delicious.  Use walnuts and maple flavoring.  Substitute mini chocolate chips for some or all of the nuts.  I've also used toasted coconut and dipped them in white chocolate.  Use your imagination. 

Post-Holiday Life

Whew! We made it!  The holidays are over and life is settling back into its normal routine.  The decorations are almost put away and the leftovers are used up. 

Yuletide was amazing.  We had 15 guests, drank lots of mead, toasted the Gods and had a wonderful time.  We already made plans to gather for Ostara.  I can't wait!

New Year was somewhat sedate.  Just me and the Hubs hanging out and enjoying some quiet time together while he continuously checked the Internet to see if we were going to take a tumble down the ole fiscal cliff.  Oddly enough, we really didn't verbalize any resolutions.  I have a few in mind but nothing too exciting: lose some weight, eat healthier, same as every year. 

Except for one.  I am not going to eat any fast food this year.  None! Zip! Nada!  I don't like fast food for so many reasons.  It's unhealthy.  It is completely commercialized.  Many fast food establishments treat their employees like little more than slaves, and it utilized industrialized farming.  Why would I spend my hard-earned dollars to promote ideas I am absolutely against?  So, this year, no more.  It won't be easy because it's so darn convenient.  We don't eat out a lot but we do indulge in Taco Bueno on Friday evenings when my Stepson is here.  Fortunately, he expressed to his father that he is tired of bean burritos so I have an opportunity to change things here.  Maybe we'll switch our homemade pizza nights to Friday.  Not only will we be eating healthier, Stepson can assist me in making his own little pizza which means he'll be more likely to eat it.  Small steps lead to big changes.

I'm looking forward to 2013.  2012 was a difficult year for my family and my friends.  Several of us were unemployed, we lost a few close loved ones, and there were a couple of divorces.  Yeah, I can say I am glad to put 2012 behind me.  I am excited to see what this new year has to offer.

Yuletide, Oathing & 13 for 13

Yule is upon us yet again and it's time to start looking towards the new year.  Where did the time go? 

One aspect of our Yuletide festivities is Sumbel.  It's a sacred rite which involves making oaths for the next year.  One of my friends, Cat, posted on her blog about the 13 for 13 at Life Skills Challange 2013.  I figured I could make my oaths and then use the 13 for 13 website to update my progress as the year moves forward. 

You can check out my skills and also join yourself. 

Until then, I wish each and every one of you a blessed Holiday Season no matter what you're religious views or lack thereof.  Glad Yule!



The Yule Tomte and his Yule Buck. 

Making Liquid Laundry Detergent

If you've been buying laundry detergent lately, you know how expensive it is.  Even the cheap stuff is not cheap anymore. I come from a long line of die-hard Tide users.  It runs about $8 for 50 ounces of the stuff. Yikes!  Sure, you can get coupons &/or catch it on sale, but it's still crazy expensive.  A 5 gallon bucket of homemade detergent costs approximately $2.35 to make & lasts a long time!  It's quite a savings in the long term.

So last summer, I started making my own detergent. Yup, I make my own.  So does my mother (the Tide queen!), my best friend, an aunt, and several cousins.  It's so easy and so inexpensive I doubt if any of us will ever buy commercial detergent again.

So here the 'scoop'..ha ha..I'm SO funny!

Notice spoon and grater.

Here's what you'll need:
Approximately 4 gallons hot water
5 gallon bucket
1/2 cup Borax (20 Mule Team is what's usually available)
1 cup Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer is easy to find)
1 Bar of soap (Most recipes call for Fels Naptha. I've also used Zote and Colgate's Octagon).
Add Borax and Washing soda to bucket.

Fill bucket about 3/4 full of very hot water and stir until Borax and Soda are well mixed.

Heat 4 cups of water to boiling in a saucepan. 
While water is coming to boil, grate soap into a bowl.  I've read some people use a food processor but I do it the old fashioned way.

Once the water comes to a boil, slowly add soap flakes and stir until melted. Do it slowly.  Do not add all at once or you'll end up with a big ball of hot soap.

 

Keep adding soap until you have a nice pan of soap soup. By the way, you're house is going to smell extra clean while you do this so pick a scent you like!

When all soap is melted, pour into hot water and stir until mixed.

This is the 'hard' part.  Put the lid on the bucket and wait 24 hours.

When you open the bucket you can see a variety of things. 

EEEK! I've been slimed!

Sometimes, the detergent will look just like Jello.  Sometimes, it will look like 'real' liquid detergent and sometimes you'll end up with sorta slimy water with blobs floating in it.  It really doesn't matter.  It looks kinda gross but works just fine.  If you don't like it, take a hand-blender and mix it together.

We usually just use it straight out of the bucket.  If you don't want a bucket of slime hanging around your laundry room, you can decant it into used laundry bottles.  Make sure to shake before each use.

If you want to get fancy, you can add 10 to 15 drops of essential oil to the detergent.  I've used lavender.  It doesn't scent your laundry so for me, I just keep it simple.

To use, add about 1 cup per load.  It will not suds like store-bought detergent but your clothes will be nice and clean.