random amusements

This is fun...

Sponsored by Sonic fast food restaurant, you can send your friends a virtual taunt with regards to their favorite sports team.

It features a tater tot dressed in a football helmet (which you can color coordinate to a specific team!) and the text box allows you to create a script for the sassy little tot to "read". It can be sent in an email, as a URL, or you can 'grab' it and post it to a blog or networking account.


Let's pick on the Chicago Bears, shall we?

http://tatertaunt.com/?mId=32288235.3
(NOTE: These are only saved for a short time, but here is the message I had used for this taunt:
"The Bears are awful. And Jay Cutler can't read. Why do you bother to hold on to any hope? It's over!")


Enjoy!!!!
http://www.tatertaunt.com/

Stuffed Mushrooms

These were actually our dinner one night last week. I had intended on making something else as a main course, but it just never happened, and the mushrooms were so good, we ate most of them. I think the leftovers were only in the fridge until breakfast the next day! LOL!

Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lb. fresh mushrooms (make sure they are fairly equal in size)
2 T. butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. cheddar, shredded
2 t. dried onion flakes (or 1 T. minced fresh onion)
1 can crab meat

Pull stems off of mushroom caps; set caps on a cookie sheet:


Chop or mince stem pieces...


Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, blend cheeses, crab meat and melted butter:

Add minced stems and onion flakes. Stir well.

Fill mushrooms caps generously, and bake at 350˚ for about 30 minutes.



Nom, nom, nom...





NOTE:
I made a second batch of these over the weekend, and I had intended on using that Louis Kemp imitation lobster stuff in the filling rather than the crab, but....I forgot! LOL! I had put all of the ingredients into the food processor, and I was thinking about all of the other things I had to do for our party, and I never got the lobster package out of the fridge. Also, I had realized that I ran out of cream cheese, so I substituted Parmesan, and they turned out great. I will post those photos when I get around to downloading them from the camera.

Breakfast Pot Pie

This was something I invented spur-of-the-moment because my husband and I had decided we wanted breakfast for dinner. Casey gave it the name.

Breakfast Pot Pie

1 can Roast Beef Hash
1/2 small onion, minced
2 T. butter
1 c. cheddar cheese, sliced
4 eggs
2 c. Bisquick
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
salt & pepper

1. Heat oven to 375˚.
   
2. Melt butter in an oven-proof pan on top of the stove (for example, you can use your cast-iron skillet, if you have one). Cook chopped onion until opaque, then add canned hash and break it up, stirring to mix.
3. Flatten a layer of the hash on the bottom of the pan; you're going to allow this to cook and brown a little over medium heat. Top with cheese; do NOT stir. Turn down heat to low.
4. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine the Bisquick, milk and sour cream to form a dough.
5. Drop biscuit dough on top.
   
6. NOTE: at this point, I had added the eggs into the pan, but I think they got too done, even though my husband liked them just fine. It's your call on when you want to add the eggs.
7. Bake at 375˚ for 10 minutes.
   
8. NOTE: this is when you'd add the eggs and bake for an additional 5 minutes, if you want your eggs with a slightly runny yolk. Be sure to season eggs with salt and pepper to taste.
   

It looked yummy and it made the house smell fantastic:


Here are tasty little crusty meat bits on the bottom of the pan:


On the plate:




what I used...
Roast Beef Hash:






P.S.
Yes, Bob, I know it does need some bacon in there somewhere, doesn't it?!! LOL!

Sally Lunn Bread

This is a type of early American bread that was popular in colonial times. It contains eggs, has a soft texture, and a little bit of sweetness.

Sally Lunn

2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 c. warm milk
1/4 c. warm water
1 pkt. quick active dry yeast
2 T. sugar
4 T. butter, softened (no substitutes)
4 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. salt

In bread machine:
Pour warm milk and water into bread pan.
Add yeast packet and slosh it around a little.
Next add the sugar and butter.
Add 2 cups of the flour, then the eggs and yolks, then the remainder of the flour.
Add the salt last.
Set machine to Basic/White cycle and press "start."

Mixing by hand:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the yeast packet and warm milk with 1 cup of flour, allow it to rest.
2. In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt and butter.
3. Measure out the other 3 1/2 cups of flour into another bowl (so you don't lose count).
4. Blend the egg mixture into the large mixing bowl with the yeast mixture, then slowly add the flour in to form a dough.
5. Gather dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
6. Allow it to rise, covered, in a warm place for about 60 minutes.
7. Punch down dough and shape in preferred loaf pan. Cover and let rise again for 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
8. Bake at 350˚ for 25-35 minutes, until crust reaches desired color.
   

NOTE:
I added a pinch of cardamom and a tiny fleck of nutmeg. My original intention was using this bread to make French toast, but…..it's gone! LOL!

random amusements

OMG! I want one!!!!

Isn't that a cute idea? Great for gift-giving this holiday season.

Found at the King Arthur Flour website:
Women's "bake" Tee Small — Blue

Mustard Focaccia

This is another recipe from my Betty Crocker's Best Bread Machine Cookbook. I had actually made it the same day as the Cheeseburger Soup, and they went together very well.

Mustard Focaccia

2/3 c. water
1 T. olive oil
2 T. spicy mustard (I used 1 T. yellow, and 1 T. Grey Poupon)
2 1/4 c. flour
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 pkt. quick active dry yeast
Topping: 3 T. olive oil, sprinkle of coarse salt

Add ingredients to your bread machine* in the order the manufacturer suggests. Set to "Dough" cycle, and let it do all the work! YAY!

Remove the dough from the pan, and knead 5 minutes on a floured surface. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Grease a large cookie sheet or baking pan of your choice, flop dough onto pan, and pat into a 12-inch circle. Cover with waxed paper and a kitchen towel, and allow to rise again for about 10-15 minutes.

Heat oven to 400˚.

Prick dough with a fork—or poke it with your fingertips to make little depressions—and brush with the 3 T of olive oil. This is important because I don't think I used enough oil on top.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until browned to your liking. Serve warm.



*NOTE: Alternatively, you could mix this by hand: In a large mixing bowl, mix the yeast and water with 1 c. of flour, allow it to set while you blend the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl; stir well. Add in the dry ingredients to form a dough. Allow it to rise, covered, in a warm place for about 45 minutes. Punch down and follow shaping and baking instructions.

Oysters Rockefeller Appetizer

Oysters Rockefeller Appetizer Bites

1 can (22 oz.) oysters, drained
1 egg, beaten
1 c. fresh spinach, chopped
1/3 c. Parmesan
2 T. feta cheese
1/4 c. bread crumbs
dash of garlic powder

Set oysters aside, mix all other ingredients well.

Spoon into wells of mini muffin pan.

Place an oyster on top of each filled muffin cup. (NOTE: there should be about 20-22 oysters in the can. If you run out of them before you run out of the spinach-cheese filling, you can cut some in half.)

Bake at 350˚ for 15 minutes.

random amusements

You will often see a cat snoozing in a sunbeam,
laying down by a heater, curled up on your lap,
or cuddling on your face when you're in bed -
especially when the ambient temperature is cool.
Face it, cats like heat. But why so much?

A: From the time they are born, kittens have a keen sense of temperature from receptors on their faces. This helps them find their mother before their eyes have opened. As they grow into adulthood, these temperature receptors become even more sensitive.



Thumper in the sunlight.



RESOURCES: Hills's Pet - Cat Care
Winter Tips For Your Cat
Positive Reinforcement For Your Cat
Separation Anxiety & Your Cat
Litterbox Issues



Top image credit: Drs. Foster & Smith catalog

Cappuccino Pie

Expecting company for dinner recently, I decided to put a new twist on my Mocha Custard Pie, and leave out the cocoa. This is basically a coffee custard pie. It was FANTASTIC!

Cappuccino Pie

2 pkgs. Jell-O Cook & Serve pudding (I use sugar free)
3 1/2 c. milk
2 t. instant coffee granules (I use Maxwell House)
1 t. vanilla
2 egg yolks, whisked
1 prepared graham cracker crust

1. In medium saucepan, combine milk with pudding mix, milk, coffee, vanilla, and egg yolks.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. As the pudding heats, it will eventually begin to thicken, so keep stirring it or else it'll stick to the pan and clump up or burn on the bottom.
3. Continue to cook until you actually see it boil. Stop stirring for a second or two and watch for bubbles. Once you see a "bloop" bubble up, that's enough. It will get fairly thick before this happens, but hang in there and don't shut the heat off too soon or else your pie will be soupy.
4. Immediately pour into pie crust. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack. Place in fridge to set completely—about 2 hours.
5. Serve topped with whipped cream.

Cheeseburger Soup

This recipe concept came from watching Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives". I didn't believe it when I saw the episode, so we set the TiVo to capture the action in a replay later in the week. I watched the episode once more and took notes. This is what resulted from my effort to recreate it. I think I'm pretty spot-on with the flavor. It honestly does taste just like a cheeseburger! Amazing!

Cheeseburger Soup

2 T. butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 to 1.5 lbs. ground beef
1 can (14.4 oz.) beef broth
1 c. half & half
slurry: 1/2 c. water + 3 T. flour; blended
10 to 12 oz. Velveeta +/-
1 c. lettuce, chopped
1 tomato, diced

1. Brown your meat. I used real ground beef, not ground turkey this time.


2. In a separate pot, cook your onions in the 2 T. butter:


Open your can of beef broth; pour it in with the meat...

...along with the cup of half & half, and the "slurry".

Let it simmer a little, then add the onions:


Chop up the cheese into chunks; there are four slabs there, and I ended up adding two more, so I think it was about 10-12 ounces of cheese.

Drop it in; stir well...


Make sure the cheese is all melted and incorporated, then add your 'maters:


Give it a good stir, then add the lettuce:


Mix well...I let it simmer for about 5 or 10 minutes, then I couldn't wait anymore!


At the table, I tried some garnishes of shredded cheddar and diced dill pickles:


Not pictured, but we both tried it with a blob of ketchup on a spoonful, but we decided it didn't need it.

I'll warn you: this is a VERY filling meal! It is fantastic "comfort food" though.




REFERNCES:
Guy's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on Food Network
(Dives Worth a Drive, Episode DV0710; recipe credit to: Grovers Bar & Grill, East Amherst, NY)

Pan-seared Salmon

The cole slaw on the plate was from Carriage Court. The driver had forgotten it when he delivered our order one night. A few days later, we were out running errands and stopped in because it was along our way home. They apologized, gave us a little styrofoam container, and we happily went home...where we opened the container to find pasta salad!!! We called, laughed, and the driver was actually sent out to our house to deliver TWO containers of cole slaw! How's that for customer service?!

Anyways, back to my...

Pan-seared Salmon

2 salmon fillets (about 4 oz. each)
2 T. Parmesan
1 t. parsley flakes
dash of: salt, pepper, paprika
1 T. butter
2 T. olive oil

1. Mix Parmesan, parsley, and seasonings in a shallow dish.
2. Pat salmon fillets dry. Dredge and press salmon into Parmesan mixture to coat each fillet.
3. NOTE: after coating each fillet, set it aside on a plate. You want to put all the fish into the pan at approximately the same time!!! This is important if you want them to be equally done cooking.
   
4. Heat a frying pan with olive oil and butter in it. Allow it to warm up pretty good. Test it by dripping a TINY drop of water in the pan; it should skitter across the surface like crazy.
5. CAREFULLY lay the fillets into the pan. (always lay away from yourself; meaning, if there is a splash of oil, you want it going opposite of where you are standing. make sense? yah? good!)
6. Do not scoot the fish around the pan. Just let it sear where it is at. Cook for 3 minutes, flip to other side, give it 2-3 minutes more.
   
7. Serve immediately!

p.s.
I don't think there's any parsley flakes on the salmon above, now that I'm looking at the photo more closely. But I did make dinner for some friends recently, and that was when I added the parsley flakes.

random amusements

How cute is THAT?!!!

Is NordicWare trying to bankrupt me or what?! LOL!

I just love cake pans. Ask anyone. Or, better yet, look in the cabinet above my fridge...maybe I should take a picture of it....hmmmm....(thinking to myself)

They really should be put to use more often. I think I'll make a resolution right now to make some different cakes for the holidays. Give the cakes away, if I have to. Just to make use of those pans.

I need to get Claire's pound cake recipe, too. She's an awesome little chef!


LINKY:
NordicWare Igloo Cake Pan

Cheese Scones

Another last minute improvisation of mine. I used a Jiffy brand pizza crust mix to make some cheesey scone-like biscuits. I think I put Italian seasoning or oregano in them...

Easy Cheesey Scones

1 pkg. Jiffy pizza crust mix
1/2 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. warm water
dash of Italian seasoning
flour for rolling out dough

Mix all ingredients together to form a dough. Allow to stand 5 minutes.
Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead it around a little.
Flatten dough ball into a circle, about 2 inches thick.
Using a long sharp knife, cut the dough into 6 wedges. (think of a pie, and how you'd slice it into pieces.)
Move the wedges to a buttered cookie sheet and bake at 400˚ for 15-18 minutes, or until they are nicely browned.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I made this spur of the moment, so I just kinda improvised as I went along, and didn't write anything down at the time. This is the best of my recollection as to how I made it! LOL!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Saute 1lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced & chopped. (I used both cuts to provide some variety.) Remove them from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

Then put about 2 or 3 tablespoons of butter in the pan, allow to melt.

Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour; cook a minute or two, stirring constantly.

Things moved fast from here, and I'm sorry I didn't get to the camera for the next steps, but you slowly pour in 3 cups of milk. Allow it to thicken before you continue adding more milk, or else it'll just be watery. Whisk it, if you start seeing clumps. Add the mushrooms back in. Season with salt, onion powder, and a dash of red wine if you have some handy (I didn't have any).

Let this simmer for about 15 minutes on VERY LOW heat; give it a stir once in a while to make sure it's not getting gooey on the bottom or burning. I said "very low heat" didn't I? Yeah, keep an eye on it, and taste it to see how the flavor is coming along.

The longer you allow it to blend with the milk, the richer your soup will be, but don't burn it! Oh, you can also add half & half for a portion of the milk, but not too much or else it will turn into gravy.

This was a fantastic soup that we had for lunch one day last week. Sorry I'm late in posting it, but we've been busy.

Enjoy!

Burnt Cheese Puddle

This is a favorite snack of ours. It's very simple. Maybe "burnt cheese puddle" does not sound appetizing to you, but that's basically what it is. :)

Burnt Cheese Puddle

Take a string cheese stick out of its package and tear it in half. (You can cut it, if you're that picky, but I don't care, so I just tear it.)

Put the pieces side-by-side in a small fry pan, and turn up the heat to medium or medium-high. Let the cheese brown on the bottom, then flip it over and brown the other side.

It's wonderful. It tastes like the crispy-gooey cheese edge of a pizza. Makes a perfect low-carb snack, too!