Casseroles and Welsh Cakes

I've been busy doing some baking and cooking. There's nothing like something warm on a cold snowy day. I find I cook a little differently in the winter.

It's been a while since I've shared any recipes so I thought I'd share a couple with you today. My husband thinks it's a little bizarre that I blog about my recipes but as I always love a good recipe and I know of one reader who tries out every recipe I post. Her family loves them. I don't share anything fancy...just recipes that my large family will eat.

Welsh Cakes




Welsh Cakes are sweet little cakes that are about 2.5" across. They are cooked on top of the stove, very much like a pancake but they are sweeter and pretty much the equivalent of a scone. Even my non-raisin-lovers like these. I actually ended up hiding the last three so that I could take a picture of them. Speaking of which...I picked up this gorgeous little oblong plate on sale at Pier 1 the other day. Isn't it purdy?

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Beat egg with fork. Add milk and egg to mixture. Stir in raisins. Roll out 1/4 inch thick onto floured surface. Cut into 2.5" rounds with cookie cutter or glass. Fry in frying pan over medium heat. Brown on both sides. Pan should allow drops of water to sizzle but not bounce around on pan. Remove to cooling rack.

Taco Rice Casserole



Everyone in the house will eat this and it's a great casserole to make ahead and then cook when you need it. This one is just ready to go in the oven. I serve it with tortilla chips and a salad and it's great for a potluck.

Taco Rice Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 package of taco seasoning mix or Taco Seasoning Blend below
1 1/2 cups water
8 ounces of tomato or spaghetti sauce
3 cups rice, cooked
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

taco chips

Brown ground beef, onion and green pepper. Drain excess fat. Add taco seasoning and water and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cooked rice and spoon into baking dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350°F until hot and bubbly. Immediately before serving, top with broken taco chips.

And because packaged Taco Mix doesn't agree with me, I found this recipe for some that tastes just the same but will cost much less. It takes only a minute or two to put together.

Taco Seasoning Mix

1 tbsp onion flakes
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp corn starch
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix together. Makes the equivalent of one package of taco seasoning mix.

Happy cooking!

love my honey and french silk pie

It's been a busy week. Back to school. Back to a schedule. Back to getting on track with design work. Back to being healthy for my hubby. The Strep Throat is now under control and he's back at work. Today he's getting back to the renovation too. I'm excited but poor man, it's his birthday and he's working as hard as ever. I'm treating him with some of his favorites today. Waffles for breakfast and meatballs for dinner. Instead of a cake, I've been busy baking up a couple pies.

Just so you know, it pays to live with your camera ready at all times. Look what I noticed in his orange juice glass this morning. Totally random and so sweet! How's that for a nice way to start your birthday? Can you see the heart? Just goes to show that he's such a sweetie even the orange juice knows it.



Since I haven't been able to work on anything around the house this week, I thought I'd share the recipe for what I've been baking for the birthday dinner instead of a cake. He loves French Silk pie and so I've whipped up a couple for tonight. It takes quite a while to beat it all up but it's a great time to practice your photography. ;) I guess I should have been doing the dishes but....whatever!





French Silk Pie

2/3 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate melted
1 tablespoons cocoa
3 eggs

1 baked pie shell

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix in melted chocolate and cocoa. Beat in eggs one at a time mixing 5 minutes after each addition. Pour into pie shell. Chill 4 hours or overnight.

Note: This pie contains raw eggs so be careful to keep well refrigerated.

OK so this isn't the best photo. I should have carried the pies over to some natural light but oh well. Trust me. They taste better than they look. I know, I licked the batter.

Have a beautiful Saturday!
Julia

home sweet home

Well you know...in this house, almost everything is grounds for blog fodder, especially when it's creative. lol Monday the kids had some fun making home sweet home...our first gingerbread house in years. While I wasn't part of the procedure, it was super fun, even if it didn't quite turn out like intended. I'm still lovin it! They had fun together and if the icing just did not set up that well...so what!


Here's what our lovely sweet gingerbread house looks like.


Now every house needs a little structural reinforcement. Ours is LUCKY enough to have a lovely blue bow.


Oh that every roof should be so sweet and yummy...



Every roof needs a little ventilation, right?


I guess that icing just didn't want to set up like it should. Note to self...the Costco Gingerbread House kit is fun and quick but next year....make the icing from scratch! This one just did not want to harden into mortar.


Have a sweet day!

Julia

Getting Cozy in the Kitchen... candle wraps & gingersnaps

Mmmmmm... it's starting to feel and smell like Christmas! I had a productive day getting some holiday crafting done, spending time with the little boys as they had a school day off and this evening we had a little baking fun. Gingersnaps. Yum!

Here's one of the super quick projects I made today. It's a sweater candle wrap. You may remember the sweater pillow I created here. Well, I kept the sleeves as I KNEW I could find a use for them. I love this fun little wrap. I simply cut the sleeve to size and slid it over the candle jar. Originally I was going to hem the edges but I'm loving the rustic look of the raw edges. I think it makes my candle look oh so warm and cozy.


And here's a few pictures of our fun tonight in the kitchen. Three of my five kids and a couple extras just having fun.

Gingersnaps - these melt in your mouth…one of my faves and a recipe I treasure as it came from my mom

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups margerine

3/4 cup lard

1/2 cup molasses

2 large eggs

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking soda

Cream and beat first four ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients. Roll into balls. Coat with sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on rack.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Julia

Comfort Food & Some Storage Details

I've been busy getting moved into my craft room and getting some paper crafting projects caught up. There's also been a myriad of Christmas details to take care of and the days just seem to be sliding by faster than I can imagine. I wish I could find the time to do everything!

You may have seen the quote in my sidebar. I came across weeks ago on the bulletin board at the massage therapists. I believe it was a clipping from a Canadian Living magazine... I forgive myself for all the things I don't have time to do. While this is important all the time, I can't imagine a time of year that is busier than the holiday season. There are SO many things I want to do and just not enough time. I'm learning to let go and just do what I can and forgive myself for the rest.

One thing I have been doing is cooking some comfort food for my family. As the days get colder and the nights longer, it seems to satisfy the hungry appetites of my large family. Chicken Bruschetta is one of our favorites so I thought I'd share with you. I double the recipe to get some lunches out of it as well. This recipe originally came from the Kraft.com website. I like to use the seasoned Petite cut tomatoes to add to the flavor.


Chicken Bruschetta

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1/2 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic together in bowl. Set aside.

Dice chicken and spread into 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with basil and cheese.

Top with stuffing mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.

Fast and easy and just enough time to cook some rice to go with it.

I've also had a few inquiries over my storage solutions in my new craft room. The inquiries were about the carousel storage I have. Actually two of the organizers spin so I thought I'd tell you about them both. The first is a tiered storage organizer called the Clip It Up. The tiers are sold separately, I have the Clip it Up and the Upper Tier together here. It is fabulous for keeping all my embellishments in easy access so I can find them. While it might not be the most decorative organizer on the planet, function is key in my mind and you can store a LOT of product on it. I actually have two of these that sit side by side. My other one holds unmounted stamp sets.


My other little carousel organizer is the Making Memories Desktop Carousel as seen below. I actually have two of these as well as I love it so much. A few months ago I wrote an article for Craft Critique on this product and if interested, you can check out the review here.


Have a beautiful day!


Julia

Some Holiday Eggnog recipes

While most of my family loves eggnog, I am not a fan. Except of course for baking. I love baking with eggnog and my main difficulty is keeping it in the house long to bake with.

Holiday Eggnog Bread

{this recipes makes a 2 pound loaf}

3/4 cup eggnog

1/3 cup water

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter or margarine cut up

4 cups bread flour (I just used all-purpose)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1/2 cup mixed candied fruits and peels

Add all ingredient to the machine according to manufacturer’s directions. Select basic white bread cycle. Drizzle Cooled loaf with Eggnog Glaze…as follows…

Eggnog Glaze: In a small mixing bowl mix together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and tnough eggnog to make a glaze….drizzling consistency.

Eggnog Cookies - Mrs. Fields recipe

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup margerine

1/2 cup egg nog

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 300°F. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mis well. In large bowl, cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer to form a grainy paste. Add eggnog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet one inch apart. Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Immediately transfer to cool.

Quick Tip: Use the leftover egg whites from the above recipe to make the meringues below…

Christmas Eggnog Fudge

And here's a yummy recipe for eggnog fudge. My teenagers made it last night and yumm! They made a few alterations using what we had on hand but it worked well. I'm amazed! lol

2.5 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup egg nog
1 jar marshmallow creme (they used 16 large marshmallows instead)
8 oz white chocolate (they used a bag of milk chocolate chips)
3/4 tsp rum extract (they omitted this)
3/4 cup chopped pecans (omitted this too)
3/4 cup chopped candied cherries (omitted this as well)

Combine sugar, butter and egg no in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows and chocolate and other additions if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Chill until set. Remove from pan. Cut into squares.

This post links up with the surprise recipe party. Check out all the other awesome recipe links as well at...



Hope this gets you into the holiday baking mood!

Julia

What's Cooking

Actually...I have a lot cooking. I just can't wait to show you what I'm working on! I'm almost done!

And in my oven...

Turkey Biscuit Casserole

I got this recipe from my MIL. It's a family favorite for using up turkey leftovers. Works great for cooked chicken too.

2 cups chopped turkey
1 can mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and pepper
2 cups chopped broccoli, boiled lightly
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons parsley

Mix turkey, onion, seasonings, broccoli, mushroom soup and sour cream in a large casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, vegetable oil and parsley together. Drop biscuits by spoonful onto top of casserole. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes at 400°F. Serve.

Anything special cooking at your house?

Julia

The Beautiful Pumpkin

Don't you love celebrating each season with the food of the season. One of my favorite things to do in the fall is visit a local Farmer's Market and buy all manner of wonderful produce. I went a few weeks ago and took along two of my teenagers for their strong backs and muscle. As they love to eat, I didn't hear too much complaining.



The very humble pumpkin makes some of the best fall baking. Pumpkins are everywhere as wonderful ways to decorate for fall and all the gorgeous ideas I've seen using them on-line are just stunning. As it's been a busy fall for us, I've kept things pretty simple with just a couple pumpkins for decoration but there hasn't been a lack of pumpkin in my kitchen. Yum!



I've been making this pumpkin spice bread recipe for years since I found it is the Family Fun Cookbook. It's wonderful, makes two loaves, smells awesome and even freezes well.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2 cups pumpkin, canned
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat oven to 350°F In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin sugar, water, oil and eggs. Beat well until mixed. Measure flour, blaking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves into separate bowl, stir until combined. Blowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth. Grease two 9x5" loaf pans and dust them with flour. Evenly divide the batter between them. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes then remove from pans. Slice and serve.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I found this recipe on the internet last winter. I'm pretty sure it's been around but it's yummy and fast and so it's worth writing again.

1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1 box yellow cake mix
2 sticks butter
1 c. pecans
Cool Whip

Beat together pumpkin, milk, sugar, and eggs. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Mix well. Pour into 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over top of pumpkin mixture. Melt 2 sticks butter and drizzle evely over all. Sprinkle on nuts. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour. Cool. Top with whipping cream or Cool Whip.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

If pumpkin pie is wonderful, then this pumpkin cheesecake is to die for. It's a Kraft.com recipe and on our holiday must bake list.

18 PEEK FREANS Ginger Crisps (1 sleeve), crushed (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 pkg. (250 g each) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Dash ground cloves

HEAT oven to 350°F.

COMBINE cookie crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Remove 1 cup plain batter. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter.

SPOON half the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half the plain batter. Repeat layers; swirl with knife.

BAKE 45 min. or until centre is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Have a beautiful Saturday!

Julia

Drool

Drool. I can feel my waistline expanding just from looking at some of the latest recipes that have landed in my inbox over the past few days. It's that time of the year for holiday entertaining. I always have big plans. I've always loved baking since I started as a young teenager. And really, who doesn't love a new recipe?!

The Kraft Canada mailing arrived in my inbox yesterday and then when I went to get the mail...there was a nice glossy magazine in my snail mail box from them as well! If you don't get this free newsletter and mailing, it's very easy to do right on the site. It is always a great source for yummy and very doable recipes.

Is this new Snowball Cake to die for or what?



Company's Coming is a Canadian recipe book series by Jean Pare. I've been a huge fan of this series since I was a teenager. As I mentioned, I loved baking and the cookbook 150 Delicious Squares was my first of the series and still one of my top faves today. It's about ready to fall apart but no matter. I still love it. You can sign up for the free newsletter here...

Anyone else love peanut butter and chocolate? I think we need to make these Peanut Butter Balls!


Five Minute Fudge...this sounds like something I could handle.



Do you think I just "might" have a thing for chocolate?

Taste of Home is just an incredible source for home-style recipes. I think I have every issue from their first ten years in my stash. When I get an urge to try something new, they are a great resource. Even better is something I discovered a couple weeks ago. You can get every recipe they've ever printed except for the past year (you can get those if you are a subscriber) free on their web-site. And that includes recipes from Quick Cooking, Light & Tasty and Country Woman. Just in case you think we eat nothing besides chocolate, I went looking for an apple recipe I had made about 11 years ago and actually found it. Applescotch Sundaes...


Do you love to bake in the fall too? Hope this inspires you to get started. There's nothing quite like home-made.

Have a beautiful day!
Julia

A Sweet Start

I had a busy weekend with not much time at home but I did manage to get the weekend off to a sweet start. I love finding time to bake, especially in the fall and pie is on the top of my family's favorites list. Simple desserts that remind me of weekends on the farm at Grandma's. While I can never hope to be as good as it as she was, I find joy in making them from scratch and creating those old rhubarb, pumpkin and strawberry favorites. I ended up baking five pies and we ate one while giving the others away to be enjoyed. There's beauty in making things for others.




I like using the Tenderflake Lard recipe that's on the box for my pastry. If you're going to mess up the kitchen, might as well roll out a lot. A lot of the time, I'll make a couple pies and freeze the other pie shells for a quick dessert. Last spring my daughter and I froze a lot of rhubarb from the garden to get us through the winter. It's so sweet that she's now an age that she can help and actually wants to. Here's my rhubarb pie recipe to share with you today...it originally came from a friend. A simple recipe but so good. I like that.

Rhubarb Pie

1 cup brown sugar
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cream
4 cups rhubarb

Place fresh or frozen rhubarb in a pie shell. Mix first four ingredients together and pour over rhubarb. Bake at 375°F for approximately 45 minutes or until done. Enjoy!

Have a beautiful day,
Julia