Let's make some stuff!

One of my goals in the new year is to make some stuff. 

I have a lot of unfinished projects and ideas galore.  One of our favorite sayings is, "More ideas than time."

In an effort to make good on some of my promises to myself and the desire to make some stuff and tell people about it, I made vanilla.

I get a real kick out of trying something, just to see if it will work.  I had read about making vanilla and it seemed pretty straight forward.  My first batch was purely for our consumption - just in case it went terribly wrong.

Well, it didn't!

I read a few recipes and followed the instructions and it turned out pretty great!

Just before the holidays, I started four more jars.  You can see in the picture a jar that has had three months to process and a new jar on the right.  The small bottle in the foreground is the sample that I sent home with my mom.  The big jar of vodka in the back - the main ingredient that makes all of the magic happen.

One of the hints I discovered in my research was to order the vanilla beans in bulk - they can be expensive at the local grocery store. I ordered from Vanilla Products USA on Amazon.

I also read some conflicting advice about the vodka to use - some recipes recommended the cheapest possible and others recommended buying something more expensive.  I went for middle of the road.

Baked French Toast

Morning breakfasts at my husband's school are my favorite.  I don't actually get to attend and eat with everyone, but I do get to have fun making some of our favorite dishes to send with him.

We live really close to his building, and that means we can volunteer for hot dishes.  This prospect is much more exciting than some of the cold options.  My breakfast casserole borrowed from Emeril is a favorite.  Yesterday morning, we tried our baked french toast, too.

I found this recipe on a blog, gave it a try and have not been disappointed.






Baked French Toast

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

1 cup brown sugar

1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

 

Directions

Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar, stir until mixed
Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan, spread the mix to cover the bottom of the pan
Beat together eggs, milk, & vanilla
Place the Texas Toast in the bottom of the pan in a single layer
Pour half of the egg mixture on the first layer of bread
Add the second layer of Texas Toast
Pour the remaining egg mixture over the second layer of bread
Cover and place in the refridgerator overnight
In the morning, preheat the over to 350 degrees

Bake for 45 minutes, covered for the first 30 minutes
Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional)
Serve with warm maple syrup (optional)

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

This summer has been such an amazing time to try out some new recipes and I am so thankful for the time in the kitchen.  I find a tremendous amount of relaxation in cooking and know that experimenting with new recipes is an excellent creative outlet for me.

My most recent experiment was on Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes.  We love Philly Cheesesteaks in our house.  It was five years ago this summer that we had the best sandwich ever in Philadelphia at a little deli off the beaten path of the regular tourist stops.  We measure every Philly Cheesesteak anything to that sandwich.

Last week, I came across this recipe on Six Sisters' Stuff and thought it met the test for a weeknight meal - only a few ingredients and quick prep and cooking times.  It was a winner for us.  My husband even ate the mushrooms - that never happens.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. steak sauce
1 c. beef stock
1 green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. sliced mushrooms
Provolone cheese, cut into slices or pre-sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste
Buns/Rolls

In large skillet over medium-high heat brown the ground beef. Add the onion, green pepper and mushrooms and cook until they start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble.

Split open rolls, place one slice of cheese on one side.  You might want to toast the buns under broiler.

Place a scoopful of the meat on the bottom half of the bun, drizzle with additional steak sauce and place cheesy bun on top.

Pasta with tuna and tomato sauce

We found another recipe I can file as a keeper, even though my husband was initially a skeptic.  (This is a whole category in my cooking repertoire.)

Pasta with tuna and tomato sauce was a super easy and fast recipe that I threw together after post-work errands tonight.  I found the recipe on Punchfork or Pinterest or in a magazine sometime during the past month.  It sounded like a perfect option for the summer.

I did adjust the recipe in a couple of ways - the type of pasta and the amount of basil used.  We had some rigatoni on hand and it was the perfect pasta for this recipe.  My husband went to the garden to get the basil for me.  He's not a big fan of a lot basil, so he brought back just a few leaves.  It ended up being perfect for the amount of flavor - not too overpowering.  I also didn't bother to use the broiler.


In addition to being tasty, this recipe made a nice portion size that yielded some leftovers for lunches this week.

Pasta with tuna and tomato sauce

Ingredients
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 28-ounce can of tomatoes, whole or crushed
Salt
1 pound pasta shells
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 6-ounce can tuna packed in olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn
A generous 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions
Melt the butter in a medium pot on medium heat and add the can of tomatoes, including the juice. If you are using whole canned tomatoes (or fresh ones) crush them as you put them in the pot. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Once the sauce is cooking, heat a large pot of well salted water to a strong boil. Add the shell pasta to the boiling water and cook at a vigorous boil, uncovered, until al dente, cooked through but still a bit firm to the bite, which is usually whatever the time specified on the pasta package minus about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Pour off the excess oil from the tuna and stir the tuna into the tomato sauce. Add the ricotta cheese, and add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Mix the sauce with the pasta in a large bowl. Mix in the basil.


Pour the pasta into a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish and top with the parmesan cheese. Put under a hot broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Two super star side dishes

Side dishes tend to be an afterthought for me.  I am making a conscious effort to expand my recipe base by trying more side dishes as part of our regular meals.

I have enjoyed experimenting with quinoa before and thought the Two Peas and Their Pod Cilantro Lime Quinoa sounded great.  It was an easy and delicious addition to our supper, though it seemed like a better pairing for Tex-Mex or Mexican fare.  I made it with the Roasted Tomato Caprese Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Glaze I blogged about yesterday.  While the dishes weren't a perfect match, each had great flavor and I loved them on their own.

My next experiment was the Pioneer Woman's sister-in-law Missy's Marinated Tomatoes.  In retrospect, I should have started marinating the dish in the morning and served it that night.  I only gave the flavors an hour or so to blend while I made the roasted chicken and boiled some new potatoes.  Still, the flavors were great.  We dipped bread into the marinade and it was the best part of the meal.

Two winners!  I can't wait for fresh garden tomatoes to try the marinade again.  Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Quinoa

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring the 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in quinoa and cook until broth is evaporated and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Pour quinoa into a medium bowl and fluff with a fork.
2. Stir in garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.

Missy’s Marinated Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup  balsamic vinegar
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 whole green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
18 whole basil leaves (chiffonade)
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 pounds tomatoes, cut into quarters (if big) or halves (if small)
1 whole baguette, sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a large glass bowl. Whisk to combine, then add tomatoes. (You can up the quantity of tomatoes if need be.) Use regular red tomatoes, or a mixture of red, yellow, heirloom, etc. 
2. Allow to marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours, several hours if possible. Tomatoes will give off liquid as they marinate. 
3. Use leftover tomatoes to make bruschetta: slice baguette and brush slices with olive oil. Grill on a skillet or grill pan until golden. Rub slices with garlic cloves. Top with tomatoes, allowing juice to drip on the bread.

The countdown to tomato season

It feels like summer in Kansas.  And, summer in Kansas means garden fresh tomatoes...at least around or shortly after July 4th (as is the standard of gardening excellence in my family).

After the first ripe tomato turns into a steady supply, the canning begins.  In the really good years, even canning and eating tomatoes for at least two meals a day can't keep up with the production.  I can't wait!  We are especially excited because last year's tomato crop was a bust.

To get into the spirit of things, I wanted to make something with fresh tomatoes.  The tomato options at the grocery store are still a little off-season, but I could not resist this tasty looking sandwich.

I love this sandwich for many reasons - it was easy to make, it had great flavors, and the mix of ingredients made for a perfect early summer supper.


Source:  How Sweet It Is


Roasted Tomato Caprese Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Glaze
serves 2
6 tomatoes (vine or roma), sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3-4 ounces fresh mozzarella
12-15 basil leaves
4 slices seedy bread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place tomatoes on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 45-50 minutes. While tomatoes are roasting, add vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces by about half and is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat, pour vinegar in a bowl or glass to pour, and let sit.
Once tomatoes are finished, heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush the outsides of each slice of bread with olive oil, then place mozzarella on one slide, followed by tomatoes, basil (feel free to shred it if you’d like), more tomatoes and more mozzarella. Cook until cheese is melty and each side is golden, about 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately drizzle with balsamic.

Baked oatmeal

My mom and dad both love oatmeal.  I wasn't surprised when I grew into loving oatmeal, too.  I prefer to make it from scratch instead of from the prepackaged individual packets that you buy from the store.  But, those individual packets are so convenient!

I saw a recipe for individual baked oatmeal on Pinterest and wanted to try this version.  It seemed like a great make-ahead recipe that could last through the week.  The result was really tasty and super easy to take along on the drive to work.  I topped some with raisins, Craisins, and white chocolate chips, and stirred in frozen blueberries for four different varieties. The source was Sugar-Free Mom.

Individual baked oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and honey together in a bowl.
3. Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients.
4. Finally pour in milk and combine.
5. Spray a 12 and 6 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
   Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups.
6. If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter.
7. Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

 Note: the original recipe includes Stevia as an option for honey.

Easy Cake Batter Truffles

One of my new favorite social media tools (read time wasters) is Pinterest.  I love spending time looking for ideas and inspiration.

I also made a solemn vow that I was going to bake, sew, make, or at least try some of the ideas I pin on my boards. The recipes are really spectacular, so when I saw these truffles, I thought they sounded easy and delicious. With only a quick stop at the store for a couple of ingredients, we were ready to give these a try on Saturday.  And, they were a huge hit!

P.S.  The word truffle didn't really catch on with my husband. He spend all weekend telling everyone that we made Cake Balls.  That doesn't really sound that appetizing...


Easy Cake Batter Truffles
Recipe source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup yellow cake mix

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3-4 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Truffle Coating:

16 ounces (8 squares) almond bark (or white candy melts)

4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix

Sprinkles


Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.


While dough balls are chilling, melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir between intervals. Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely. Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake of excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl. Place truffle back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished.

Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. Makes around 24-30.

Cooking adventures: roast chicken

For several years, I have tried to successfully roast a chicken with little luck - the end result would be too dry or even underdone.  I was at the point of giving up trying to roast a chicken until I found the recipe titled "Prefect Roast Chicken."  The name alone gave me some hope.

The local grocery stores typically have great sales on whole chickens and it is easy to pick up several for the freezer.  The best thing about roasting a chicken for one meal is that there are usually leftovers for another meal - chicken noodle soup, chicken enchiladas, chicken tortilla soup, and on and on.

I have now tried the "Perfect Roast Chicken" recipe several times and it is fool-proof!


Perfect Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds, rinsed and patted dry
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Grind fresh pepper over all sides of the chicken. Next, salt the bird on all sides and in between the joints, where the wings and legs lie.
3. If you have time, set the chicken aside for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
4. Fit the bird snugly in a deep-sided baking pan and put in the hot oven. Leave it untouched for 30 minutes and without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and cook for another 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving. 

Bacon revisted

We love bacon in our house.  This is really no secret.  We even own a cookbook entirely devoted to bacon.

Yet, as much as we love bacon, preparing it on the stove top is a messy process.  The end product is never consistently crisp and the slices are usually curled on top of themselves.  After years of less than crispy bacon with grease splatters all over the stove, I just tried to skip making bacon - until I practiced baking bacon.  I'm sold!

A family member showed me how to prepare bacon in the oven and I was kind of convinced.  Becky Higgins is a blogger who I follow and she posted about this method.  Her post gave me some confidence to try it myself.

Here is my take on baking bacon.

1.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the bacon on the foil in a single layer.

 2.  Place the baking sheet in the cold oven.  Set the oven to 425 degrees and allow the bacon to cook while it heats.  When our oven reaches 425 degrees, I check the bacon and continue to check it every few minutes until it is the desired crispiness.

Lesson learned:  do not check the bacon when the oven reaches 425 degrees and then tell yourself that you are just going to scrapbook for a minute or two more.  I did this.  I forgot the bacon.  I created a lot of smoke and some extra crispy bacon.

This story will explain why the photo above have more pieces of bacon and they are closer together.  I had to do another batch to get the after picture.

3.  Use a spatula to remove the bacon from the baking sheet.  Place the bacon on a plate with paper towels and blot off any excess grease.  The bacon will crisp up just a bit more as it cools.

4.  Clean up is a snap.  Just remove the foil and dispose of the grease.  Wash your baking sheet and you are set.

This method is great for making crispy bacon you can crumble for other recipes.  We enjoyed bacon and tomato sandwiches for lunch today with bacon from the oven - a perfect summer lunch.