Enjoy!
Harvest Baked Beans
Cooking in Chaos
I love to cook and amid the chaos of our lives, I actually spend a lot of time in the kitchen making meals for my family and for when we are working cattle.
Apple Snicker Salad
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Homemade is Always Better
Many years ago I was on the search for the best lasagna. I found it and I have a blog post that is completely devoted to that. In finding that recipe I also found the absolute best sauce ever.
I will admit the idea of making my own red sauce for spaghetti or lasagna was never something I thought would be worth doing or easy. Turns out it is both. It takes a while for it to cook so that all the flavors really meld together. But otherwise it is very simple and definitely worth the time. Your will thank me, your family will thank me, and if your dog gets scraps, he will thank me.
It starts with browning the meats with garlic and onion. Then adding diced tomatoes that you have to crush by hand. I don’t know why but this is the way. I tried crushed and it didn’t turn out for me. I tried diced and I didn’t like that either. However open the diced and crush with your ands then add to the pot, perfect! Add spices and let that simmer for an hour!
After an hour of low simmering. You will have the most mouth watering smell floating through your home!
Then cook some pasta and there you go! Perfection on a plate. It’s good on a hunk of French bread. Not sure how I would know that, but I might have had to have a taste or two before serving.
I will be more than happy to share the recipe with you. Just message me your email and I will send it your way. Trust me make the time and try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed except with yourself for not trying homemade earlier.
Enjoy!
Family Pizza Night
We had the best time tonight creating our own little personal pizzas. A mixture of toppings made a great dinner idea become family memories.
Cookie #3, Can you say Gingerbread
This is one that really was a surprise. I love making Gingerbread. The smell of the dough, the smell throughout the house as it bakes both make it worth making. However most recipes it is just too spicy and crunchy.
This recipe is amazing. It turns out a fabulously soft and chewy cookie. Plus it has great flavor. It's not spicy at all. Recipe will post tomorrow.
Christmas Cookie Number Two!
I decided to try Eggnog Cookies tonight. Overall they are a very soft cookie and with the icing, they are just delectable!
Eggnog Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rum or rum extract
1/2 cup eggnog
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Combine butter and sugars in a bowl. Mix until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time. Then put in the vanilla, rum and eggnog.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add slowly mixing after each addition. 
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes of until lightly browned. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack. 
When cool spread frosting on the top and sprinkle with additional nutmeg. Enjoy!
Frosting
1/2 cup butter softened
1 tsp rum or rum extract
3 tbsp egg nog
2-3 cups powdered sugar
Mix together to desired consistency. 
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas cookie number one was this gorgeous and simple cookie. They were so easy to make and can be changed to whatever flavor you desire. Enjoy!
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
1 cup butter softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
Blend butter and sugar until fluffy. Add extract and mix until combined. Slowly add the flour. Mix just until combined.
Roll in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. It needs to be chilled completely so they don't crack.
Roll dough in one inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Use a finger to make an indentation. Using a small spoon place about 1/4-1/2 tsp of desired jam into the indention. 
Bake about 10-15 minutes. Remove when edges just begin to turn brown.
Remove to a cooling rack. Once cooled drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/4 tsp almond extract
2-4 tsp water
Mix until consistency is easy to drizzle. May need more or less water. Allow glaze to dry before stacking.
Christmas Baking 1.2.3. GO!
It's 11:30pm, I just finished putting the glaze on the last cookie. Tonight I made Thumprint cookies with jam.
I will share the recipe tomorrow. For now here are some pictures to tide you over.
Goodnight and as always Enjoy!
Perfect for Date Night.
I shared pictures of these mushrooms awhile back, then never posted the recipe. I made these last night and I still think they are amazing.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Gruyere
Ingredients
Portables mushrooms- medium size
Garlic and herb breadcrumbs
Diced garlic-1 tsp
Gruyere cheese
Chardonnay
Wash and remove stems from mushrooms. Place caps in a baking dish and dice stems. 
In a large pan, add a little oil. When hot add the diced stems and sauté until tender.
Add the garlic. Sauté a minute or so. 
At this point add about 1/2cup of Chardonnay. Add bread crumbs I add enough to absorb the Chardonnay and create enough stuffing for the caps. Sometimes more wine and bread crumbs is needed.
Place enough of the stuffing mixture in each cap to fill. 
Top with Gruyere cheese and pour about 1/4 cup of Chardonnay in the bottom of the pan. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, then turn to broil and cook until the cheese is slightly browned. 
Allow to rest for a few minutes. 
Enjoy!
