In the Kitchen

It was a great pie.  Recipe here.

4th of July Baked Beans ( or any other summer holiday)

If you have been around here for a while you will know that cooking is not my passion.  Eating is another story, but cooking....not so much.  Mr. Golfer did  that role when we were raising children.

But, there are a few recipes in my repertoire that are exceptional.  Holidays are my forte!  Today I want to share with you my Baked Beans.  I cannot remember where I found this or maybe I just created it ( not likely).  But they are delicious and you can really change this up and make it your own which is what I have done over the years.

Now if you are one of those cooks who like exact amounts, step away right now.  This recipe is not about measurements.  It is throwing in a little of this and that.

Begin with 3 kinds of beans. These are what I use and I do recommend that you use a baked bean and a white bean.  The third is up to you.

Mix all the beans in a 13 x 9 deep baking dish.

I then add a 1/2 of a purple onion ( or what you have on hand) diced. You could use any onion, but I like the color.

Then add the following:  all are estimates!
about 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs yellow mustard
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 lengths of uncooked bacon sliced into 9 pieces.  Bacon bits don't give the taste so stay away.

Mix all the ingredients in except the bacon.  Lay it on top.

Cook at 400 degrees for an hour.  I can't show you mine finished because I won't cook it until later.  I like to prepare it and let the ingredients soak together prior to baking.  This is easily prepared a day or so ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Happy 4th to all and I hope this becomes part of your traditions!  Enjoy!!!!

What Happened to Chicken?

A little deviation from Tuesday because I am in sticker shock! With all the sewing I have been doing I have not spent much time in the grocery store.  This week is the time to do the big shopping.  Imagine my surprise yesterday when I went to purchase a package of chicken breasts and they were $13.75! That is for 4 breasts!  What happened?  There was no way I was doing that.  Next to the breasts were the packages of thighs and they were $4.97 for 9 thighs.  Why 9 and not 8?  Who knows!  But I have a great recipe for chicken thighs, so in the cart they went.  And with the prices of meat and poultry apparently out of control
(and I say meat because my normal roll of hamburger beef for $2.19 is now $3.95) I thought I would share this recipe that our family has loved for years. I am not a fancy cook, so simple is what I do!

Chicken Oregenata

Begin with a package of boneless, skinless, chicken thighs.

Combine the juice of a small lemon and 2 garlic cloves and coat chicken with it.

In another bowl combine in a 1:4 proportion:

4 parts

Italian Breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 tsp salt

1 part

Parmesan cheese

Dredge the coated chicken through the breadcrumb/cheese mixture.  Place in 9 x 13 greased dish.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and add diced tomatoes and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Tonight I served baked new potatoes and salad.  This is an easy meal and always well received.

I hope you enjoy!!

Our Favorite Winter Soup

We are still under several inches of ice.  They are now calling this thick, chunky ice...cobblestone ice.  It looks similar to rocks and is very uneven making it hard to drive on.  Unprecedented here in north Texas.

I was able to actually navigate a short drive to the store this afternoon.  In honor of being able to get out, I am making our favorite soup and I thought I would post the recipe here.

I eat low carb much of the time.  It seems to have a positive effect on my Fibromyalgia.  This soup has very little carbs in it and makes a nice leftover as well.

I don't have all the Southern Living Annual Books, but I wish I did.  This 2010 is one of my favorites, and this recipe for Creamy Chicken Divan Soup is always welcome at our table.  It is easy and quick plus is good as a leftover.

Creamy Chicken Divan Soup


Makes 12 cups
total cooking time 47 min

2 Tbsp butter
1 medium sweet onion chopped ( I often but the already chopped onion)
1 garlic clove chopped ( I use the jarred garlic in juice)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes ( be easy with this unless you like it spicy and hot) 
48 oz Chicken broth ( my choice below)
2 ( 12 oz) packages fresh broccoli florets
1 ( 8 oz) package cream cheese cut into  cubes
4 cups chopped cooked chicken ( a rotisserie chicken works well)
1 8 oz  package grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion and sauté 5-6 minutes or until tender.  Add garlic and red pepper and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook 10-15 min. until broccoli is tender.  Stir in cream cheese.

Process mixture with handheld mixer until smooth.  Add chicken and shredded cheese.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

If you don't have a hand held mixer, process in batches in a regular blender and return to Dutch oven.


Below is the chicken broth I use.  Of all the ones I have tried over the years, this has the most flavor.  I find it easily at most stores.

I hope you enjoy!

Week Ending Vol 31 - Cold Brrrrrrr!

~ capturing the weekend in pictures Friday through Monday

 

 

Our area is under a Winter Storm Warning for tonight.  There is an expectation of sleet and ice overnight.  It's cold here.  Right at the freezing mark at the moment and due to drop into the upper 20's tonight.  I may be one of the few that love these events.  Staying home with ice or snow on the ground just soothes me.  I love any reason to be quarantined in my snug home.

 

Our oldest daughter and her husband rarely have time out on their own from the children.  Their weekends are devoted to spending time with them because they both teach all week.  Yesterday they were invited out for a movie and dinner with friends, so we went and spent the day with the children.  Since I am caring for the little ones all week, Mr. Golfer doesn't see the grandchildren as often as he used to, so they were just drawn to him yesterday. It didn't matter if he was napping or not!

 

 



Even Milo wanted to be next to him.

And it gave me extra time to cuddle with Luke.

Tomorrow is my day to start the preparations for the Thanksgiving dressing.  My mother's cornbread dressing is a 4 day process.  I would normally begin this tomorrow, but since I will probably be with the children, I decided to go ahead and begin today.  The cornbread is cooked and crumbled with the sage added.  It will sit this way through tomorrow until step #2.

I used the quiet day to begin a sweater.  This is on the cover of the winter Knitscene. The Sylvia Cardigan is just enough plain knitting and cables to keep me interested.

 

 

I am using Queensland Leche in a mint green colorway.  The yarn is so soft and easy to knit with.

 



The cables are small with slip stitches on each side.  A fun little combination of stitches.



I hope your weekend is lovely!  Please consider linking up so we can see your weekend as well! To participate, click the "Add Your Link" button below!

Rules are as follows:

(1)  Pictures you post are up to you!

(2) Please put a link in that post back to this post

(3) Optional: grab the button at the top right corner and put it in your post.

Week Ending Vol 21... Continued Baby Watch!

capturing the weekend in pictures Friday through Monday

Baby Luke's due date is tomorrow and he is milking it for all it is worth! ( no pun intended)  My daughter is tired and hot and continuing to work.  I know God has a plan.  We just wish we had some idea!

I spent time yesterday just getting some things ready for this coming week in case I had to spend time at the hospital.  That is code word for " KNITTING"!  I am on sock 2 of the V Junkie pattern, but just in case I finish...

This is set aside for Array.  I was introduced to mosaic slip stitching last fall with the  Pucker socks.  They were so much fun to knit and I never bored of them.  This is 70% wool and 30 % silk and I think it shall feel very nice on the neck!

I also spent quite a bit of time trying to complete my bible study lesson due on Wednesday.

I completely take over one end of the dining room table during the school year.  It has great light and the bird feeder is in view.  I am already enjoying my group and look forward each week to class.  Studying Matthew leading up to Christmas will be very meaningful.

The idea of fall, certainly not the hint of it here in N. Texas as it is still in the upper 90's, has me looking all over Ravelry and Pinterest for knitting ideas.  Shawls, sweaters, mittens and socks.  I spent hours yesterday during the football games looking at page after page.  Now if I just had that much time to knit everything!

 

These are out on the counter to bake when baby Luke arrives.  I am going to try my hand at substituting the Almond Flour for part of the regular flour to cut down on the carbs.  Any suggestions?

I hope your weekend is lovely!  Please consider linking up so we can see your weekend as well!

To participate, click the "Add Your Link" button below!

Rules are as follows:

(1)  Pictures you post are up to you!

(2) Please put a link in that post back to this post

(3) Optional: grab the button at the top right corner and put it in your post.