Split Pea Soup

The first time I tried to make split pea soup, it was gritty and yucky... so I'm trying it again... can you say, hard headed... yeah that's me. This time I thought, how about I try it in the crock pot to see if I can make it in there. That way it cooks a long time, it's gotta work... right.... Well, here's hoping.

I have it going in the crock pot. I put it in around noon today. If figured, 6 hours on high... it's gotta cook. Right?! Here is what I did, and I'll let you know how it turned out when it's done. :)

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken broth (mine is homemade)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup diced onion

1 bag of dried split peas - sorted and rinsed

2-3 cups diced ham for garnish

I added the chicken broth to the crock pot. Next, I added the celery, carrots and onion. Finally, I added the split peas. They are all cooking in one harmonious pot of yumminess. I have ham to add to it once it's blended, creamy and smooth. I am letting it cook at least 5-6 hours on high. Then I will remove, add about 1/2 cup of half and half. and blend well. Served with diced ham and french onion straws.

Grandma Lancaster's Poprikash

This one is for you Laney :)

Poprikash
by Pauline Lancaster

3-5 lbs. chicken skinned
2 lrg onions finely chopped

Put chicken in large pot and boil with one tbsp salt.

Debone Chicken. Throw away the bones.

In another pan braise or boil onions until soft and change color.

Add 2-3 tbsp paprika to onions, after chicken is cooked, remove from pan, add onions and more water to pan (that the chicken was in). Add the chicken back in. Then bring to rolling boil. Add dumplings by spoonful of dough into the boiling soup water.

Dumplings,
4 eggs
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups water or more
add flour to make stiff dough

plop dough in boiling water by 1/2 tbsp til dumplings are done (floating at top).

paprika and salt to taste. Then enjoy :)

Verdict:

My grandmother used to make this for us on cold days. It really warms the soul. I have fond memories of her making this in her kitchen. The smells, the sounds, and the family time spent. I had a special request from a dear family member to add this to my blog. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. It's a simple dumpling and chicken recipe. Not too complicated. My kids favorite part are the dumplings. They are my favorite part too... but they are so flavorful and yummy in this it's hard to resist :) Even fun for making on as a halloween dish... My kids said they look like little floating brains :) what fun kids are! ;)

Eggs in a Nest

This morning, I was craving eggs and buttered toast, but also maple syrup... Doesn't that just sound delicious? I thought so this morning. So, I of course put my own spin on it... It was SOOO good... I had to share, and not only that but my middle son Braeden, reminded me to take a picture,.. he thought it was YUMMY! He said "Hey, mom, Take a picture.. this is homemade and yummy... even the bread... " I of course made this for him before I made mine, and his was all gone... So, I made myself this and Oh boy.... yummy!

Ingredients (makes two)

2 slices of bread (preferably homemade)

2 eggs

butter

salt and pepper to taste

toaster

skillet

Directions:

Place thick slices of bread in the toaster, in a skillet melt at least 2 tbsp butter. Once the toast is toasted in the toaster, place in melted butter in skillet. Turn over quickly to butter both sides with melted butter. Then cut a criss cross pattern on the inside of the bread between crusts, then crack one egg onto each piece of toast. and cook one side till brown, then flip and cook till browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Then remove and drizzle maple syrup on top... if you don't like runny eggs, cook longer over lower heat.. to cook till done to likeness. I however, LOVE runny eggs.

Verdict...

Heaven for breakfast... sweet, salty, eggy, buttery, toasty, mapley... what could be better, Not much. It's late and I'm getting hungry for some for a late night snack... mmmmm yummy

Cranberry Brisket - Slow Cooker

This one's for you Bonnie....

I read a couple brisket crock pot recipes from 365 Crockpot and one of them used cranberry sauce and another one used liquid smoke, A1 Steak sauce, I thought, I bet they would be good semi combined... so, I made up my own, cranberry brisket recipe.

Ingredients:

1 quarter brisket (approx. 1-3 lb.)

8-10 oz of jellied cranberries

3-4 sprinkles of liquid smoke

Steak seasoning - enough to cover all sides of brisket

6-7 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

A1 Steak sauce - enough to cover top side of brisket

foil

Directions:

Trim most of the fat off of the brisket. Leave some on for flavoring...Sprinkle Steak seasoning all over the brisket, all sides should be covered. Place in the crock pot

(I used my 6 quart) fat side up... sprinkle the Worchestershire sauce on the brisket, then the liquid smoke, Then pour the A1 Steak sauce on the brisket. Next add the jellied cranberries to the pot... spreak some on the brisket and around the brisket in the crock pot. Then any remaining room in the crock pot cover with foil to keep the smoke closer to the brisket. Set on low for 8-10 hrs, or high 3-4 hours. When finished, you can pull or slice.

Verdict..

No leftovers! I had two helpings myself. My pickiest eater... Mikey... He ate his first helping, then filled his whole plate with more... Then proceeded to eat the rest... He at at least 2 adult portions.. if not more. This was a really tasty dinner. My husband said it was nummy.... The other two boys ate theirs up with no complaints either. That's a win in my book. Easy and no fuss. Can't beat that... little to no clean up if you use the crock pot liners too... We served this with rice, corn and rolls. :)

And I'm sorry, once again, forgot to get pictures. I'll try to do better. :) Busy with finals this week, I'm all messed up... :)

Pasta Carbonara with peas

My favorite pasta sauce is carbonara... what's not to love, creamy white sauce with bacon (or bacon substitute) and cheesy goodness... I know dreaming of yummy sauciness right now! ah... ok little drooling over,... maybe. As I dream in cheesy, creamy bacon filled pasta sauce.... I decided to do a little semi-homemade from scratch dinner, quick and easy while still being full of yummy flavor. Such a simple easy recipe... it's fool proof... well practically. So, After a HUGE thanksgiving meal, I wanted something quick, easy and delicious. I wanted pasta...I checked the cupboard for what I had on hand... luckily for me... I almost always have on hand spaghetti sauce, pasta noodles, and some kind of additive to make it just a little more special... I looked through my stash of goodies... and found a hidden bottle of garlic parmesan cheese sauce... (white sauce to my kids). And then I had a genius moment.... I know rare for me... I haven't had carbonara sauce in a long time... I thought, it can't be that hard,... can it... especially since the pasta sauce is practically finished... I had cooked up bacon during lunch thinking it would be good for BLT's or added to a turkey sandwich (yes I'm still eating leftover turkey)... I bake my bacon in the oven for 400F for about 15-20 min, turning over about half way through. This keeps the shape of the bacon pretty well, and less splatter on me and my counters. It is a trick I learned on the FoodNetwork channel. So with the already cooked, drained bacon, a jar of pasta sauce... a pound of noodles and a can of sweet peas... Dinner was done :)

Ingredients

1 lb pasta of choice cooked al dente

1 jar of Ragu garlic parmesan cheese sauce

3/4 lb bacon - cooked, drained and chopped

1 bag of frozen sweet peas (thawed and drained) or 1 can sweet peas

In a small sauce pan, while the pasta is cooking in salted water, add the pasta sauce, bacon and peas. Simmer until the bacon becomes pliable again. (if your bacon was cooked to crunchy as my son calls it) The bacon will infuse the sauce with a bacon flavor... about 5-7 min... about that time the pasta should be done cooking. Once the pasta is drained, add the pasta sauce to the pasta and mix well, incorporating the bacon and peas throughout the pasta, then serve and sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese or dig right in... That quick and easy. leftovers are good the next day too... I had them for lunch and even shared with a friend, who said it was amazing! :)

Verdict... Delicious... but don't just take my word for it... try it and share what you think... I'll be making this again... Gotta love bacon, cheesy sauce and mmmm pasta... drooling again... not good.... I think I have a problem... Too yummy!*** sorry no pictures, this was eaten and made too fast for pictures. :)

Grandma Clark's Dinner Rolls

Bill's Grandma Clark (may she rest in peace) made these amazing dinner rolls, before she passed away, I had the honor of putting together a cookbook of her recipes for the family. It was an amazing experience. The family has this recipe, but it should be shared with the world. These are by far the BEST rolls ever made. Of course, my rolls using this recipe and my father-in-laws rolls using the same recipe come out differently. I don't know how or why... they just do. But the way I make them... They are HEAVENLY! So hopefully yours will turn out as heavenly as mine. :) Here is the recipe...

Ingredients:

2 pkg yeast

1/2 c luke warm water

1 1/2 cup luke warm milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

7-7 1/2 c flour

1/2 c soft butter

2 whole eggs

YEAST:

Combine the yeast and warm water with a sprinkling of sugar and let rise.

Separately:

Combine in a mixing bowl with dough hook, milk, sugar, salt, soft butter, and eggs. Then add the risen yeast mixture.

Begin mixing in flour - 1/2 c at a time (up to 7 1/2 cups if necessary) mix by hand

Place mixed dough into a buttered bowl, cover and let rise in warm area - 1 1/2 hours or double in size

Punch down, turn dough over in bowl and let rise another 1 1/2 hours or double in size.

Punch down, form into rolls, let rise on cookie sheet, brush with melted butter.

Bake in a 400F oven for 10-12 min or until brown.

Verdict...

HEAVENLY Rolls... I make these for all special occasions and when we want yummy rolls. I warm the milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan on the stove just until the butter starts to melt. To help the milk be the proper temperature for the yeast to keep growing. :)

I also, brush them with more melted butter once they have been removed from the oven for added yumminess!

Sausage, Bacon, Apple Stuffing

Since I was going all out this thanksgiving with 9 pies, turkey, homemade rolls, creamed peas with pearl onions, green been casserole, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows, mashed potatoes... That I would not just do a box mix stuffing, but a "fancy" stuffing. One with yumminess in it to make it over the top! I wanted to stuff my turkey with flavor. So here is the stuffing I used. It as good. :)

Ingredients:

1 - 16oz bag of cubed stuffing - white and wheat blend

1 box cornbread stuffing

3 cans chicken broth

2 granny smith apples - cored, peeled, and diced

1 lb bulk ground sausage

3/4 lb chopped bacon

1/2 onion diced

1 cup celery diced

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Brown and drain the sausage, set aside. Brown and remove the bacon - keeping the bacon grease. cook the chopped onion and celery til translucent in the bacon grease. In a large bowl, put the stuffing mixes in, the drained sausage, the browned bacon, mushrooms, apples, cumin, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the onions and celery and mix well. Add the cans of chicken broth one at a time, once the stuffing is as moist as you want, then stuff the turkey, or place in a 13X9 prepared baking dish. If using the baking dish, bake in a 350F oven for 30-35 min.

The turkey stuffed will help cook the stuffing further.

This is a delicious stuffing mix. My husband said he could tell the added flavor helped the turkey taste even better. With the aroma of bacon and sausage, and the sweetness from the apples. MMM so yummy. I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think of this stuffing mix. :)