Prep for Sister's Weekend

Every year the Nelson women who are over 21 years of age get together for one weekend to do whatever we want. It is mostly catching up on things, craftsy, relaxing, whatever so moves us. I haven't been able to participate in the last couple of years due to minor things-like work. This year I am so pleased that I will be par-taking in the festivities (like a mystery dinner).

My mother and I are assigned the "continental breakfast" for Saturday morning. As most of you know, I have been in this baking mood lately (probably due to the shinny new appliance) with whom I have named, BIG RED. She has been seen in a few of my past postings and let me tell you, she is a tough son of a gun. Also, as most of you know, I don't like to serve things that I myself have never made before and or taste tested before.

On my day off I can officially say I have attempted and succeeded at making not one but two different kinds of scones! Yes, you read right. No need to go back and re-read. I do have to admit that the blueberry scones were much easier to make, probably because I only made like six of them as apposed to the other that made like 16.

Therefore, without further adieu....

BLUEBERRY SCONES RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TABLESPOONS PACKED BROWN SUGAR

1 1/2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER

1/8 TEASPOON SALT

2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER, CHILLED

1/2 CUP FRESH BLUEBERRIES

1/4 CUP AND 2 TABLESPOONS HALF-AND-HALF CREAM

1/2 EGG (I JUST USED THE EGG WHITE)-WASN'T SURE HOW TO INTERPRET IT)

DIRECTIONS:

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES F

2. CUT BUTTER INTO MIXTURE OF FLOUR, SUGAR, BAKING POWDER, AND SALT. ADD BLUEBERRIES AND TOSS TO MIX.

 3. IN SEPARATE BOWL BEAT TOGETHER CREAM AND EGG. SLOWLY POUR INTO DRY INGREDIENTS-STIRRING WITH RUBBER SCRAPPER UNTIL DOUGH FORMS. KNEAD UNTIL IT COMES TOGETHER, 3 OR 4 TIMES. DON'T OVERHANDLE.

4. DIVIDED DOUGH IN HALF. ON LIGHTLY FLOURED BOARD, SHAPE EACH HALF INTO A 6 INCH ROUND. CUT INTO 6 WEDGES.

5. BAKE ON UNGREASED SHEET ABOUT 20 MINUTES AT 375 F. SERVE WARM

NUTRITION INFORMATION: 

AMOUNT PER SERVING: CALORIES: 160 TOTAL FAT: 6.2G CHOLESTEROL: 33 MG

**SIDE NOTE: ONE PERSON SUGGESTED INSTEAD OF CREAMER TO USE YOGURT INSTEAD-WHICH CUTS DOWN ON THE FAT.*

RECIPE FROM: ALLRECIPES.COM

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

FINISHED

CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES

INGREDIENTS:

4 CUPS PLUS 1/4 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1/4 CUP SUGAR, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR SPRINKLING

2 TABLESPOONS BAKING POWDER

2 TEASPOONS KOSHER SALT

1 TABLESPOON GRATED ORANGE ZEST

3/4 POUND COLD UNSALTED BUTTER, DICED

4 EXTRA-LARGE EGGS, LIGHTLY BEATEN

1 CUP COLD HEAVY CREAM (I USED HALF AND HALF)

1 CUP DRIED CRANBERRIES

1 EGG BEATEN WITH 2 TABLESPOONS WATER OR MILK, FOR EGG WASH

1/2 CUP CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR, PLUS 2 TABLESPOONS

4 TEASPOONS FRESHLY SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE

DIRECTIONS:

1) PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES F

2) IN BOWL OF AN ELECTRIC MIXER FITTED WITH A PADDLE ATTACHMENT, MIX 4 CUPS FLOUR, 1/4 CUP SUGAR, BAKING POWDER, SALT, AND ORANGE ZEST. 

3) ADD THE COLD BUTTER AND MIX AT THE LOWEST SPEED UNTIL THE BUTTER IS THE SIZE OF PEAS. 

4) COMBINE THE EGGS AND HEAVY CREAM AND, WITH THE MIXER ON LOW SPEED, SLOWLY POUR INTO THE FLOUR AND BUTTER MIXTURE. MIX UNTIL JUST BLENDED. THE DOUGH WILL LOOK LUMPY.

5) COMBINE THE DRIED CRANBERRIES AND 1/4 CUP FOUR, ADD TO THE DOUGH, AND MIX ON LOW SPEED UNTIL BLENDED.

6) DUMP THE DOUGH ONTO A WELL-FLOURED SURFACE AND KNEAD IT INTO A BALL. FLOUR YOUR HANDS AND A ROLLING PIN AND ROLL THE DOUGH 3/4 INCH THICK. YOU SHOULD SEE SMALL BITS OF BUTTER IN THE DOUGH. KEEP MOVING THE DOUGH ON THE FLOURED BOARD SO IT DOESN'T STICK. 

7) FLOUR A 3-INCH ROUND PLAIN OR FLUTED CUTTER AND CUT CIRCLES OF DOUGH. PLACE THE SCONES ON A BAKING PAN LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. COLLECT THE SCRAPS NEATLY, ROLL THEM OUT, AND CUT MORE CIRCLES.

8) BRUSH THE TOPS OF THE SCONE WITH EGG WASH, SPRINKLE WITH SUGAR, AND BAKE FOR 20 TO 25 MINUTES, UNTIL THE TOPS ARE BROWNED AND THE INSIDES ARE FULLY BAKED. THE SCONES WILL BE FIRM TO THE TOUCH.

9) ALLOW THE SCONES TO COOL FOR 15 MINUTES AND THEN WHISK TOGETHER THE CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR AND ORANGE JUICE, AND DRIZZLE OVER THE SCONES. 

**I DID NOT ADD SUGAR OR THE DRIZZLE TO THESE-WANTED TO KEEP THEM HEALTHIER*

RECIPE FROM: FOODNETWORK.COM

I Got Skills

Some of the girls at work have already heard me rant and rave about what a delightful weekend I had! As you can tell by this statement it wasn't really the weekend that I had in mind (outside of the working hours that it).

There has been a problem with a friends' duck boat that was recently purchased this year (as shown).

She and I are not good friends.

My husband decided he and I and our dog Cash would take it out on a local lake to test out the motor after doing some changes (not sure how he would have done this on his own). He had me drive across the lake and then he drove it back to the public landing. This is a very important statement made here because then he has me running the boat while he goes and gets the truck and trailer to land it again. I am not a mind reader and yes, I am a typical woman; I didn't know there wasn't reverse, and I didn't get a lesson on steering. I think Cash was a bit scared for his life seeing as we slowly and graciously landed in some trees and brush. We eventually got the boat landed, but I vowed never to help land this big lug again.

As if Friday was all I had hoped for and more, Saturday was even better. I really honed in on my skills last year by slicing pork, grinding the pork and venison and packaging it all by myself. It took me a few hours, and some cold hands but I got it done. Therefore, this is what my Saturday entailed...

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

WARNING:  This post has nothing to do with recycling pop cans, cardboard, plastics, newspaper, etc.

Have any of you had left overs and never knew what to do with them? Have you made one thing one day to only turn it into something different another night? What types of things have you tried that are a success?

My husband really likes meatloaf, and for two people meatloaf is a lot. So, we usually eat left overs for 1 day and after that it's just not that special. Therefore, I've turned it into part of the meat sauce in spaghetti sauce. The other day I made homemade sloppy joe's (made with gumbo soup, ketchup, and mustard). Sloppy joe's are one of those food items that don't necessarily get better with time (i.e. soup, spaghetti sauce, etc.). Therefore, today I am trying the sloppy joe's into spaghetti sauce experiment. Hope it tastes good! I am very limited on add-in's to the sauce due to my husband being picky. He's not much of a rabbit eater, so I can't add peppers. He doesn't like black olives or mushrooms but I cut them small enough (he has no choice but to swallow). Over the years, I've found the way to my husbands heart in some of my cooking-garlic. Seems I can never add too much.

Question: What types of foods have you tried that were a success when you've made one thing and used the left overs to make something different? 

Simmering for 1 hour +

Added sauce, crushed tomato, black olives, green onion, mushrooms, carrots, etc.

Sunny With a Slight Breeze

My husband arrived home safe and sound last night around 8 o'clock. Apparently he and Cash were extremely tired because they both conked out. Cash finally woke up around 8 this morning and pretty sure he felt like a million bucks.

I did some things around the house and got some groceries. For only having two people living in this house we sure do drink a lot of milk. I s'pose we could be drinking worse things, right? Now that I have most of my household chores done and it is gorgeous outside, I'll take Cash to the park. I knew there was a park on the river just west of town that I'd never been to-Bill Anderson Park. It would be a great place for a picnic but for the most part just nice to get out and enjoy the weather while we still can (with no snow on the ground).

Question for the day: What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?

Just a few pictures from our afternoon.

The Bridge.

The Prickly Cucumber-thing

Sumac

I think someone is mighty happy

Apparently someone felt the need to label that this was a tree; it wasn't obvious enough?

 I told him to find a stick; he grabs a log.

Second chance to find a stick-he finds a small tree!

Oh, Pumpkin'

I woke up today to my alarm at 6:50 AM and immediately wondered what kind of things should I bake today? Needless to say, I woke up in a baking kind of mood. I remember growing up and always having "different" things to eat. I say this in a way that doesn't mean different meaning gross, but different in terms of hot dishes, Italian dishes, farmer dishes, etc. And now I feel like I have hit a rut of what to cook and bake.

I know, I'm only 25! I've got a long ways to go. Therefore, I 'hit the books' in terms of the internet. Looked at a million and one different soups (though I am still trying to master cream of potato). As many friends and family know, me and cookies do not mix. I should say we mix but we don't bake well together. I tried to turn my own kitchen into a science lab and determine what variable needed to be changed to create the kind of cookie that (most) people want to consume. So far, my cookies have yet to turn out like Sweet Martha's.

As I am scrolling through various recipes online, I came across one, which title read: Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies. The light bulb went on and off I went to make sure I had all the ingredients. It said soft in the title-how could I possibly screw this up?

As I say this, I am thinking about my mixing skills and some of the reviews I read changed the recipe a bit. So, why did I not follow the recipe? One thing I have learned is that brown sugar does help soften things. Therefore, that was the only change I made to the recipe.

Since I thought perhaps if these cookies turn out that I would share them-I took pictures. If you are one of those people like me who can't just look at the recipe to determine if it "sounds" good and you need pictures-I am just the same way.

These cookies aren't all healthy but they have to be better than sugar, sugar, and more sugar-right?

Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
1 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON (I ALSO USED SOME PUMPKIN SPICE)
1/2 TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG
1/2 TEASPOON SALT
1 1/2 CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR-I USED 1 CUP SUGAR, 1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR
1/2 CUP BUTTER, SOFTENED
1 CUP PURE PUMPKIN
1 LARGE EGG
1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F. GREASE BAKING SHEETS.

COMBINE: FLOUR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, CINNAMON, NUTMEG, AND SALT IN MEDIUM BOWL. BEAT SUGAR AND BUTTER IN LARGE MIXER BOWL UNTIL WELL BLENDED. BEAT IN PUMPKIN, EGG AND VANILLA EXTRACT UNTIL SMOOTH. GRADUALLY BEAT IN FLOUR MIXTURE. DROP BY ROUNDED TABLESPOON ONTO PREPARED BAKING SHEETS.

BAKE FOR 15-18 MINUTES OR UNTIL EDGES ARE FIRM. COOL ON BAKING SHEETS FOR 2 MINUTES; REMOVE TO WIRE RACKS TO COOL COMPLETELY.

The Recipe also calls for a glaze on them, but I opted out to just do the simple (and more healthy). But, for those that have the sweet tooth-

GLAZE:


COMBINE 2 CUPS SIFTED POWDERED SUGAR, 3 TABLESPOONS MILK, 1 TABLESPOON MELTED BUTTER AND 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT IN SMALL BOWL UNTIL SMOOTH.

ESTIMATED TIMES:

PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES
COOKING: 18 MINUTES
COOLING TIME: 2 MINUTES
YIELDS: 36 COOKIES

A little organization goes a long way!

Just after mixing "wet" and "dry" ingredients.

Not perfectly round-but they'll eat...I hope.

Right out of the oven-cooling.

The finished product-half eaten.

Play Day

I saw a posting on Facebook this morning that inspired me to get creative with the camera again. Remember, I don't have much for a camera, but it does what I need it to do at this point. Sure, I'd love to get a new camera but I've already made my big purchase for the year...my Dyson vacuum.

I am still in that awe that I am a married woman. Does it take like a year for it finally to sink in? The other night Travis made a comment, using "girlfriend." I asked him what her name was, and he graciously replied, "Wife. It still seems weird to say." It made me chuckle a bit.

Here are some that I took today during my blurt of creativity. And no, the Scrabble game is  brand new; never been played yet. I've attempted to gave it played during game night but I was denied. Enjoy!

One of these days I will get back to cooking/baking something utterly special and share it. This week I have been pretty boring. If you need some quick ideas for dinner-here are two things that are very easy! Monday was my husbands birthday, so he and I celebrated the day before with one of his favorite dinners: Ribs in the crockpot. I'm not big into fall of the bone ribs (I always seem to get one ones with hardly any meat) on the bone. Therefore, I prefer buying country style ribs (no bones) which are "all meat." You've got to be careful though because they usually don't have a lot of fat, which is what helps in the flavor as well as to not dry them out. I marinated the ribs for 2 days in BBQ sauce with 4 small cloves of garlic (whole). We've always got scalloped potatoes and a veggie on hand so it was meat, potatoes and peas for dinner that night.

Last night I was in a Mexican mood. Enchiladas are quick and easy! A pound of hamburger (browned), two cans of red enchilada sauce (mild, medium, hot-your pick), 8 soft tortilla's, cheese! If you get the cans of sauce my bet is the recipe is on there. My husband isn't much of a rabbit eater so he just eats the enchiladas with taco rice. I spiced it up with a side salad-but the sky is the limit! It's your kitchen, your taste buds, your stomach!

Unfortunately, tonight is a road trip kind of night. We're off to Hastings to bring in a friends hunting boat to get "tuned up." Not sure what the boys did to it so, enough of trying to fix it on their own; let the professionals fix it.

Question for today: What skill or hobby gives you joy? Why?

Goin' off to the Press

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Bang, Bang...Shoot, No Room

The wife of a hunter always has to be on her toes not only in the kitchen but also in the storage department. For some this statement was very off the mark in terms of where the role of the wife should be. My husband is very good at cooking, thanks to his parents. Thanks to his father, he is also an avid hunter/fisherman.

Fall is upon us and that means hunting season is too. Duck opener was just the other weekend and that means lots of early rising to get to the hunting spot to set up. In our house ducks don't last too long to get eaten. If they are hunted around home-1-2 days tops. If hunted in another state, they don't even make it home-they are already consumed. Most of the time, if they don't make it home that is fine by me.

Now, deer hunting is coming up and are you prepared? For those that are doing the hunting, have you been carefully preparing for that early morning? If you have a permanent stand,  is it even still there? You might want to double check on that. Has it been over taken by grape vines-if so, now would be a time to get those cleared; just speaking from experience here.  If you use trail cameras; don't forget the check the batteries, is the chip in? Blah, blah blah...Again, speaking from experience.

Now, leading to one of the most important prep steps to the hunting season. We have a chest freezer in our garage. It was my duty today to clean that bugger out. Before my husband gets carried away with hunting and eventually ice fishing, (yes, the ice will eventually be here) I took the liberty to make sure there will be enough room to even store it. Have you?

We do a lot of our own ground venison ourselves instead of going somewhere for someone to do it. Other the years I've watched and helped whenever needed. Last year it just so happened that I had to hone in on my remembering skills and do it all myself. We'll see what this year brings.

On a side note, my husband found my big purchase while he was out in Colorado for his Elk hunt. We were cleaning downstairs last night (I love when he gets into his, "ditch it" mode! It's easier to let go of the things we don't need when he is around). He wanted to vacuum and he went to grab the "old" vacuum and I figured then would be the time. With my innocent face I asked, "How long will it take you to ask what my big purchase was while you were gone?" No worries, it was all up from there. He went to town and vacuumed the entire basement and had a marvelous time doing it.