Cooking in Chaos

Well What Else to Do

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We ended up not going in to town today. Therefore no grocery shopping for me. I am currently completely out of milk, bread, juice, and a couple other essentials.

Needless to say my son takes his lunch everyday and it is always the same. So what else am I to do, but bake bread. It turned out wonderful.

It just came out of the oven at 9pm and along with it brought my son out of bed for just a taste. Well several slices later and teeth are brushed again and hopefully sleep will find him soon.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/6788/amish-white-bread/

 


Oh It’s Been Awhile!!!!

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Many many years ago, I began making a stuffed mushroom. I had been to a restaurant and ordered them off the appetizer menu. I fell in love and decided I had to make these when I get
home.
These mushrooms are filled with a stuffing like mixture, and covered with melted Gruyere cheese. They are baked in the oven with a little Chardonnay in the bottom of the pan. If you love mushrooms these are to die for!

I will try to post the recipe later today. It has been a while so I’m gonna have to try to remember how to do it. For now, enjoy these pictures!

  

Conquering Cheesecake 

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Cheesecake is one of those oh no items that many of us fear to make. I can say with all honesty I use to feel that way. Then in 2012, I decided to tackle it head on.

I attempted several recipes before I found one that I felt was good.  Then I read pages of tips to baking it correctly. After several attempts I finally got it down.

Amazingly it turns out almost every time. I think it has cracked twice. But both times I overfilled the pan.

So here is to conquering the scary cheesecake.

Almost Ready!

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Next week I travel to become certified in acidified food processing. My recipe will be tested and I will be approved to selly jalapeños. 

I am so excited for this venture to begin. I am looking forward to traveling to farmer’s markets all over Wyoming to peddle my wares! Lol

My labels arrived and my sample jars are ready. I have had a few testers give me their feedback and so far so good. They are sweet with a perfect amount of kick. Just enough to know its a jalapeño, but not enough to hurt. 

It is also funny that my labels are chalkboard inspired. When I taught I had so many chalkboards. Why teach if you don’t get to use chalk? So my labels are perfect. 

  

 

New Venture Coming Soon!

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I started canning jalapeños for myself and family a couple of years ago. With pushing from my family I am on my way to being able to sell them. I know, I need another venture right?

Well they are the best jalapeños ever! I swear! They are sweet with a little kick. They are so addicting. I have made a few runs in the past few months and have perfected the recipe. So I hopefully am ready. They love are amazing on Nachos!

  

In case your wondering, those are not my nachos. I hate guacamole. My husband however would inhale it. 

I am heading to an acidified processing class in Jackson Hole in a couple of weeks. (I know it was either Jackson or Powell and I went with Jackson. Wouldn’t you?). Then they will send in my jalapeños with my instructions and testing results and hopefully I will be approved. 

I made up some sample jars for selling. These will be my first ones. I can’t wait. 

  

I finally settled on some labels and a name. I think it will work.  

 

Well that Backfired!

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Yesterday I had this crazy idea that I knew would be so funny. I put lots of green dye in the milk. I know funny right!

You should have seen my son’s face when he went to pour a cup! Priceless!!

Well a few hours later it was not so priceless. I fixed dinner of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. Yep, I realized my error when it came time to make the gravy! What was I thinking!!

Sometimes I really need to think things through a little better.

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It’s what I dreamed about!

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I woke up the other day with a craving for this soup inside a delicious bread bowl. Luckily for me the local grocery store carries fresh made bread bowls, and I found a recipe for the soup.  Within minutes, yes minutes I had mouth watering soup steaming inside a delicious bread bowl.

My picky eater son would not touch the soup. However he would dip the bread into my soup and eat that.  Weird!!

This was perfect on a snowy blowy morning.  I think it will freeze well to be enjoyed many times through the winter.

 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

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1/2 cup butter

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1-2 pkgs (16 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli

7 cups of hot water mixed with Watkins Chicken soup base or 4 cans of chicken broth

1 pound (1 box) of processed cheese, cubed. (I used 1.5 boxes)

1-2 cups heavy cream

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Melt butter in a large soup pan. Toss in onions and sauté until tender.  Stir in the broccoli (depending on how much broccoli you want add 1 or 2 bags)  and cover with the chicken broth.  Simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes.

2.  Reduce heat, and stir in the cubed cheese. Stir until completely melted. Paying careful attention that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3.  Add the cream. Stir to combine.  Next mix the cornstarch and the water. Add to the soup mixture.  Stir to incorporate. Stir often until thickened to your liking.  Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

4. Pour into bread bowls.  Enjoy

 

 

 

 

Coconut Heaven

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My daughter asked for a coconut cake for her birthday. I was so dreading making the traditional two layer cake topped with mounds of coconut. It is just such a heavy cake.

Although it is delicious and one of my favorites, it is a big cake. To be honest, it just doesn’t get eaten. My family will take a slice maybe two, then that is it. It will lay to rot away.

So I went searching for something new. I found this glorious little cake. It is so rich and wonderful. I waited for it to be nice and cold the next morning. However my family dove in as soon as it was cool enough for me to frost.

It is basically a poke cake, but it is turned up a notch. If you love coconut, this is the cake for you!

Note: You will notice a little yellow spot on the picture of the cake. That is from a dripping birthday candle.

Coconut Dream Cake

1 box white cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can cream of coconut
1 large tub of Cool-whip topping
Sweetened flaked coconut

1. Bake cake in a 9×13 pan according to pkg directions.

2. In a small saucepan combine sweetened condensed milk and the cream of coconut. Don’t boil, just warm throughly and stir until combined.

3. Take cake out of the oven when a toothpick comes out clean. Poke holes over the cake. Pour the coconut mixture over the warm cake slowly. Sprinkle with a little bit of coconut.

4. Let cook completely. Too with cool whip and sprinkle with additional coconut. Place in the fridge to chill.

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The Perfect Anytime Ham!

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My Aunt Jo makes the most amazing ham. We have had the privilege of eating her delicacy since we were little. At every major holiday she would make this monster of a ham. When she would arrive with that ham, we would all peak into the kitchen to see if we could get a little bite.  Her ham on my mom’s rolls! Oh it takes my breath away!! The rolls melt in your mouth and then that warm, sweet ham. Oh my goodness, you are truly missing out.

It is amazing. I absolutely love it.  It is wonderful the first day, amazing the 2nd on leftover rolls, and positively decadent in ham and potato soup.  However you decide to use up the few leftovers you will have, you first must make it.  You will not be disappointed.

We happend to be at the grocery store yesterday and picked up a nice spiral sliced ham. I cooked it with Aunt Jo’s recipe today for lunch.  We were not disappointed. It is mouthwatering!!

Christmas Cranberry and Pineapple Ham

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  • 12 lb. ham, uncooked
  • whole cloves
  • 2 ½ cups brown sugar, packed and divided
  • 1 ⅓ cups cranberry juice cocktail
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 2 ½ tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
  • 3 tbsp. prepared mustard
  • 1 can pineapple slices
  • maraschino cherry, halved
1.Remove the skin from the ham; place fat side up. Score fat in a diamond design and stud with cloves. Place ham fat side up on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer, making certain end of the thermometer does not touch fat or bone. Bake at 350 degrees for 3.5 – 4 hours
2.Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, cranberry juice, honey, cider vinegar, flour, and mustard in a saucepan Mix well. Bring to a boil and com one minute. Coat exposed portions of ham with remaining brown sugar. Place pineapple rings on ham securing with toothpicks. Leave tip exposed for cherry halves. Pour hot cranberry sauce over the ham, bake an additional 30 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160 degrees. Let rest before slicing.

Another Morning of Candy Making

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I finished up the peanut butter balls. I love peanut butter balls with rice krispies in them.  I just do.  My family not so much.  Which left more than plenty for me to eat.

I will tell you that for the dipping chocolate I used the leftover chocolate from the coconut balls. I made so much that I had more than plenty do handle both the coconut balls and the PB balls and still have to throw out a little.

Enjoy!!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

  • Servings: 20-40 depending on size
  • Print

  • 2 cups creamy peanut butter

  • 1/2 cup butter

  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

  • 3 cups crisp rice cereal
  • favorite chocolate dipping recipe
  1. Melt peanut butter and butter in saucepan, over low heat. In large bowl, mix crispy rice cereal and confectioners’ sugar well. Pour melted peanut butter and butter over cereal and sugar and blend together thoroughly.
  2. Put into the fridge overnight.
  3. Scoop with a small cookie scoop and roll into balls. Using a toothpick dip them into your favorite chocolate dipping recipe.
  4. Place in mini muffin wrappers and top with sprinkles to hide the hole the toothpick leaves.
  5. These can be frozen.

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Peanut Butter Balls These turned out so good. I can’t wait to make them again.

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