Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Posted on February 24, 2012 by okieranchwife

 Well I finally baked my birthday cake. And in the end it wasn’t my mom’s red velvet cake that I made but rather my husband’s favorite. I found this recipe on one of our local grocery stores’ websites (Save a lot).  It is super easy and I think that it will be a favorite at our pie and cake charity auctions!

  • 1 box of your favorite brand Devil Food Cake
  • 1  box Chocolate Instant Pudding mix
  • 1 package (8 0zs) Neuchâtel Cheese
  • 2 cups Milk, Whole, 2%, or Skim
  • 1 can (21 ozs) Cherry Pie Filling
  • 1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips or I use one cube of Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate, grated
  • 1/2 cup Maraschino Cherries
  • Whipped Topping

Prepare cake mix according to the directions on the box using a 10 x 14 baking dish. Remove from oven and let cool in the dish.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the softened Neuchâtel cheese and 1/2 cup of milk. When the cheese and milk are creamy add the remaining milk and the package of instant pudding. Beat for 2 minutes and allow to thicken and set.  After it is set spoon mix over the top of the cake. Top with pie filling. Sprinkle with maraschino cherries and the chocolate chips or grated baking chocolate. Chill for at least 2 hours. Top with whipped topping if desired when serving.

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Vegan goes back to being a meat-eater

Posted on February 22, 2012 by okieranchwife

I usually don’t post just a link to an article but this mentions the Weston A. Price foundation, that is one of my favorite websites. And there are several books on my book page explaining the Weston Price way of eating  I really do believe in back to basic eating and cooking.  I think people would be healthier.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2105132/Damn-low-fat-diet-How-reformed-vegan-John-Nicholson-gorges-foods-granny-enjoyed–felt-better.html

 

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Cock-a-leekie Soup

Posted on February 22, 2012 by okieranchwife

If my Rhode Island Red rooster doesn’t stop flogging me, he will be the star in this traditional Scottish soup!

  • 1 whole Chicken, about 3 to 4 pounds
  • 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 9 cups Water, or enough to cover chicken
  • 2 Sweet Onions, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • Dash Cayenne Pepper
  • Sea Salt and White Pepper to taste
  • 8 Leeks, cleaned and sliced, white parts only
  • 6 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced

In a large stock pot put the water, chicken, sea salt, onions, garlic, bay leaves and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 2 hours until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from the pot and skim any foam or fat off. Remove the skin and bones, discard or keep to make broth to freeze.

Dice the meat into bite size pieces. Add meat to pot. Add the leeks, potatoes and parsley. Simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste.

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Garlic Focaccia Bread

Posted on February 22, 2012 by okieranchwife

Happy belated Birthday to me! Happy belated Birthday to me! Yes, it was yesterday and my dear husband made me a great pasta dinner. I was supposed to make the focaccia bread and cake. I only made the bread. Cake will be done today! LOL!

I have tried several variations of this bread. Only all purpose flour, a mix of AP and wheat and a mix of AP with bread flour and the last, in my humble opinion comes out the best. It has a nice rise and is not so heavy as the rest.

  • 1 1/3 cups warm water
  • 1 pack (1/4 oz) of Active Dry Yeast
  • 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 2 cups unbleached All Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/3 cups Bread Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher or Sea Salt
  • 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • Non-stick Cooking Spray

Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons EVOO
  • Dash of Sea Salt
  • Powdered Garlic

Place the packet of yeast in a glass or ceramic bowl and add the warm water. Stir. I throw in a pinch of sugar to give the yeast a bit more “food”. Let sit for 10 minutes. The yeast should be bubbly and smell yeasty. If it doesn’t, start with a new packet. While the yeast is working, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. When the yeast is ready pour into the flour, add EVOO and garlic. Mix the dough until it comes together. If it is too stiff add a splash of water. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 6 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Spray a large bowl (I use glass) with the nonstick spray. Place the dough into the bowl. Cover with towel and place in warm area. I put my bread bowl into our guest bathroom where I can turn my portable heater way up. Let it sit for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. I use glass but metal will also work. Place the risen dough into the dish and gently push down to deflate. Gently stretch the dough to fill the baking dish. Push to into corners. Cover with a towel and place into a warm spot. Let it rise until dough is puffy and almost doubled in size. About 1 to 1 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven. If you are using a glass pan preheat to 400 F. If you are using a metal pan preheat to 425 F.

Just before baking, poke you 2 fingers into the dough to make peaks and valleys. Brush some EVOO on the top of bread and sprinkle with garlic powder. Those valley should collect some of that EVOO. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is crisp and brown. Serve with garlic butter for an even more intense garlic experience!

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Recipe of the Week

Posted on February 20, 2012 by okieranchwife

Over at one of my favorite blogs, www.survivalblog.com , there is a new category, “Recipe of the Week” that is published every Monday.  Today there are several recipes! Bonus!!  The recipes can be made from storage items in your pantry or during an emergency situation like a winter storm. While I love to use fresh ingredients, you can make filling, tasty and healthy meals from your pantry.

All of the older recipes are listed under “Categories”. They came be found on the left side of the blog if you scroll down. I have found many good tips and advice that has helped me during this time of limited family income and my husband’s serious illness. For the past six years when we moved to our current home, I have had a well-stocked pantry .  My step-daugther jokes that we are not in the middle of nowhere but it is about 2 miles down the road. And my step-son says that we have to bring daylight to us by packmule. Really it is not that bad, but our closest neighbor is one mile away. LOL!

I hope you check out the recipes over there. Happy browsing!

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Penne Pasta Bake

Posted on February 19, 2012 by okieranchwife

This is a nice and easy make ahead casserole. Make it the night before you want to use and when you come home from work, pop it in the oven. Goes wonderfully with garlic.

  • 1 box (16 ozs) Penne Pasta
  • 1 pound extra lean, ground beef, bison or venison
  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed or 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 26 ozs store-bought or homemade Pasta Sauce
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Preheat oven 350 F.

Cook the pasta according to box directions to an al dente. Don’t overcook. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet, add ground meat and brown with the Italian seasoning and garlic. Drain any oil from the skillet. Add cooked pasta and pasta sauce to the meat. Add 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Spoon mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Top with the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan Cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

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Crusty Tuscan Bread

Posted on February 18, 2012 by okieranchwife

Fresh sage is best in this recipe. If you have it growing in your garden, add a little of the sage flowers into the bread dough.

  • 1 cup Unbleached Flour
  • 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 cup Cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup fresh Sage, chopped or 2 tablespoons dried
  • 1/2 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 whole Egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup Full Fat Milk
  •  1/4 cup dry White Wine, such as Chardonnay

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a different bowl, mix EVOO, egg, milk and wine. Mix well. Combine the wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until blended but don’t overmix. Divide into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes then cool on a rack.

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Vidalia Onion Margarita Salsa Verde

Posted on February 18, 2012 by okieranchwife

I found this recipe on a summer foodie recipe thread over at one of my favorite websites. www.lucianne.com

  • 10 small Tomatillos, diced
  • 2 cups, Vidalia Onions, diced
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Tequila
  • 2 tablespoon Lime Juice, fresh or bottled
  • 2 tablespoons Sugar or Substitute (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients and season to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use. Goes great with fatty fish like salmon. Also great with pork or chicken. Use a dip also.

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Chipotle Mayonnaise

Posted on February 15, 2012 by okieranchwife

Just finished a dinner of hamburgers and my oven baked crispy french fries. I made a great chipotle mayo that pepper heads will love! Adjust the heat, more or less, as you like. This recipe as written has a nice tang up front and a warm burn at the back of your palate.

  • 1 cup Olive Oil Mayo
  • 1 can (4 ozs or more) Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce
  • Sea Salt to taste

Using a blender or a stick blender, puree the peppers and adobo sauce. Add the mayo and sea salt and mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes before using.

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Melon Salsa

Posted on February 15, 2012 by okieranchwife

I know I’m pushing the season a little. It’s a chilly damp day here in East Central Oklahoma, but I saw some small watermelons in the store the other day. I know that they will not taste as good as farm grown ones, but I’ll have this recipe ready this summer when I see farmers selling melons on the side of road!

  • 1 cup seedless Watermelon, chopped
  • 1 cup seeded Honeydew Melon, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Sweet Onion, finely diced
  • 1 small Jalapeno, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Cilantro, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt.

Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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