I promise

Posted on December 2, 2011 by okieranchwife

I promise that I will post more recipes and that market place page by tonight. Been busy.  Thank you all.!!! Keep checking back.

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Illness in our Family

Posted on November 29, 2011 by okieranchwife

I’m sorry that my recipe posting has been hit and miss lately. A little more than three months ago, my husband went for a pre-employment physical and they found something on his chest x-rays. We went for a doctor’s appointment and were sent to Oklahoma City for CT Scan and biopsy.

My husband has stage IV kidney cancer than has gone into both kidneys, lungs and a small spot in his liver.

My husband is scheduled to start chemo this week.  When he was hired on the condition that he pass the pre-employment physical, I was planning on easing into putting a market place page on this site. I planned to sell cooking related items and my own blended Fuzz’s Cajun Blend.    I am trying to work it out today and hopefully will have the page up early this evening.

Many people have already helped us so much. And a huge thank you goes out to all of them.

Linda “OkieRanchWife”.

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Turkey Pasta

Posted on November 26, 2011 by okieranchwife

Turkey leftovers. Here’s a nice recipe to use it up.

  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 10 ozs White Mushrooms, sliced
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 cup Milk or Half & Half
  • 1 tablespoon dry Sherry, optional
  • 1 1/2 cups Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 pound cooked al dente Pasta
  • 3 cups cooked Turkey diced
  • 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Melt butter in a large skillet and saute the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add milk and sherry and cook for about 2 minutes until it is slightly thick.  In a large bowl place the cooked pasta and combine with the mushroom mix. Add the cheese and peas. Toss well. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm with crusty bread.

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Cranberry Orange Relish

Posted on November 23, 2011 by okieranchwife

Making your own your cranberry sauce or relish is so easy that you may never want to go back to buying the canned stuff.

  • 1 large Orange
  • 1 bag (12 ozs) whole Cranberries
  • 1/3 cup Sugar or Sugar Substitute (add more to your taste)
  • dash of Sea Salt
  • Water

Grate off the zest of the orange, set aside and squeeze the orange juice into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make one cup of orange juice and water. Place into a medium pot. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and add cranberries and the orange zest. Reduce and boil gently for 10 minutes until the cranberries start to pop. Stir occasionally. Pour into a bowl or storage container. Cool to room temp and store in the fridge until your are ready to serve.

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Buttermilk Biscuits

Posted on November 19, 2011 by okieranchwife

An easy peasy biscuit recipe that I think you’ll like.

  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 2 1/2 cups Buttermilk Biscuit Mix (see the recipe in the bread category)

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Stir the milk into the biscuit mix. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 30 seconds, Don’t overwork the dough. Pat or roll out dough to a generous 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into biscuits. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes depending on your oven. About 10 biscuits.

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Buttermilk Biscuit Mix

Posted on November 19, 2011 by okieranchwife

This recipe is one that I found in an Old Southern Farmers cookbook from the 1970’s. I just made this mix this morning and then baked some Buttermilk biscuits for breakfast. They were a bit of a splurge for us for a weekend breakfast.  This makes a huge amount of biscuit mix. You can put this in a storage container and keep in the fridge or cut the amounts in half or a quarter for a smaller amount. A tasty buttermilk biscuit recipe is in the bread category. Take a look.

  • 8 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 4 tablespoons Baking Powder
  • 10 tablespoons of dry Buttermilk Powder
  • 4 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 cup Shortening

Combine flour, baking powder, buttermilk powder and salt. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles fine crumbles. Cover tightly and store until needed.

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Turkey Barley Soup

Posted on November 16, 2011 by okieranchwife

In a little more thana week, most of us will have turkey leftovers. I have done pot pies, sandwiches, warmed left over turkey breast, but most of all I like to make a soup. This is turkey comfort food at it’s best.

  • 56 ozs of Turkey broth or Chicken Stock
  • 4 cup diced cooked Turkey
  • 2 medium Carrots shredded
  • 1 large Potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 box (10 ozs) frozen Green Peas
  • 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 rib Celery, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1/3 cup Barley
  • 2 whole Bay Leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh Thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh Sage
  • 1 sprig fresh Rosemary
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes or until the barley is tender. Discard the bay, and the sprigs of herbs. Serve with crusty buttered bread. This soup does freeze well.

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Turkey Brine

Posted on November 15, 2011 by okieranchwife

Yes another Martha Stewart inspired recipe that is always present at my Thanksgiving table.

  • 3 quarts Water
  • 1/2 cup Salt
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon whole Pepper Corns (I use a mix of green, white, red & black)
  • 1 teaspoon whole Mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds (Adds a licorice taste)
  • 1 Turkey (take out the giblets and set aside) This brine can be used for a 10 pound bird
  • 1 bottle Chardonnay Wine (or more if you like)
  • 1 medium Onion sliced
  • 3 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 bouquet garni made of 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 sprigs fresh Rosemary and 2 sprigs fresh sage

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Reduce to simmer and add salt bay leaves and bouquet garni. Stir until salt is dissolved. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Use an ex- large stock pot and line with a large plastic bag if desired. Place the turkey or turkey breast in the bag and cover with the 1 quart salt water mix. Add remaining water, wine, garlic, and onion. Place the pot into the fridge and chill. Turn turkey at least once.  Most recipes says brine a bird for 24 hours, I have brined a turkey for 2 days and loved the final taste!

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Cheesy Pimiento Spread

Posted on November 15, 2011 by okieranchwife

This dish is a bit of a throwback to the 1960’s but my husband wanted me to try to make it since he loved it when he was a child. We enjoy it with pieces of celery so I make a large bowl of it. But you can easily cut the recipe in half.

  • 16 ozs softened Neufchatel Cheese
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 jar (4 ozs) Pimientos, drained
  • 6 ozs fine grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

In a large mixing bowl cream together the Neufchatel cheese and sour cream using a hand mixer.  Drain the pimientos and chop fine or puree with an immersion hand blender. Add the pimientos to the sour cream mix. Mix well. Add the seasonings and the grated cheese. Mix again. Chill for an hour before serving. This is great when served with carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower.

 

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Black Walnut Bar Cookies

Posted on November 15, 2011 by okieranchwife

The holidays are always a nice time for me to break out our own black walnuts. I didn’t think we’d have a good crop this year because of the drought but I was wrong. When they started falling out of the trees, it wasn’t good if you were under them. I’ll be cleaning and cracking all winter!

These cookie bars are a little rich and indulgent. A small cookie goes a long way! 

First Layer

  • 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 stick Butter

Second Layer

  • 1 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 whole Eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/2 cup Flaked Coconut
  • 1 cup Black Walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Sift the 1/2 cup brown sugar with the 1 cup flour. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Press into a lightly greased 10 x 10 pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the second layer, mix brown sugar with the eggs, salt, flour, vanilla, coconut and black walnuts. Stir well. Pour over the baked layer and return to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into small bars and enjoy!

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