Sangria

I was in the mood for a cocktail last night.  Alcohol is not something I regularly consume, but I do like to have wine and occasionally vodka on hand for cooking. 
I had about 3/4 of a bottle of cheap Cabernet to that I added fresh pineapple, an orange, a peach about 2 cups of homemade lemonade and a half cup of sugar.  I had a glass last night and it was delicious.  I can only imagine what the flavor will be like after resting overnight.

Two New Creations....

Rustic and delicious...I hope I can recall them both

Italian Sausage Casserole
1 pound sausage
4 potatoes (cubed and boiled)
2 medium (ish) zucchini 
1 onion sliced long ways
2 large garlic cloves
seasonings
1 cup of extra sharp cheddar

Brown (cook well) sausage and remove from pan
Quick brown onions and garlic
Add sliced zucchini and potatoes until browned
put sausage back in pan
add cheese
bake at 350 till cheese melts
Cast iron skillet works great

Italian Sausage Soup
1 pound sausage, cooked
1 onion sliced length way
2 cloves garlic crushed and diced
1 can pinto bean, drained and rinsed
1 can diced stewed tomatoes
Cook all this in the same pan and allow to simmer while preparing vegetables

4 potatoes, 4 carrots pealed and chunky cut, boiled
1/2 frozen corn
salt and pepper
4 beef bouillon cubes 
When vegetables are tender add the cooked mixture and allow to simmer a bit.

Doug loved both of these dishes.  I should have tried to write the recipes sooner... I hope I got them right :/

Calzone

I needed a quick lunch so I threw together a calzone using Jiffy pizza crust mix, jarred pizza sauce, Italian season, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.  Baked for about 20 min it came out crispy and gooey.  I plan to make some fro Pri and Zion Friday while waiting at the church for Operation Christmas Child drop offs.

Zion, Pri, Sheron and Jesse

Cupcakes

white cakes with chocolate glaze, buttercream frost and Royal icing roses/ pansies.

Baking

Brazilian chocolate cake with cherry preserves and semi sweet chocolate filling, semi sweet chocolate glaze and hand made gum paste flowers

Every since I started cake decorating, my cooking has been a little less exciting.  I love expressing myself in the arts of decorating.  My family are still happy with their meals, but I have lost my zeal for trying to create new and exciting foods.  I find myself trying new cake recipes and techniques rather than experimenting on savory dishes.  Not that I want my fascination of desserts to go away, but I sure would like to make room for my love of cooking.

Wishing Well

Dark Chocolate cake with Chocolate Butter Cream frosting, Filled with Chocolate Butter Cream and semi sweet chocolate chips.  Top is Butter Cream with a dark chocolate, butter cream well covered in fondant with blue piping gel water and the arch is made of gum paste and accented with butter cream piping.

One of my closest friends (Heather) surprised me with a new mixer.  I made her this cake as a thank you....funny how my plans for a cake and the way my cakes turn out are different.  I can replicate one I see in a book but cannot seem to get one from thought to reality as seamlessly as I would like....

My Latest Cake

This is my first rolled fondant cake. I made my own fondant which killed (literally) my mixer. The worst part is I really didn't have to have a mixer to make it.  Another thing marked under lessons learned.

Two chocolate cakes.  Covered the bottom in fondant.  I used frosting to level the bottom layer because it was already too thin.  The top was a round cake leveled, shaped and torted. Filled with buttercream.

Really was sloppy job, but again it was my first try with fondant and my details hid a multitude of imperfections.

Added Scroll Work

Printed Birthday Wish

Added Pink Shell Border

Finished Cake for the Totally Spies! In Paris themed party

Hailey making her birthday wish

With every cake I make, with every new technique I apply I learn something different.  A short cut, how to fix mistakes, what I would change if I were to make it again.

Time

I have been spending a lot of time in my kitchen lately.  I chose to take a cake decorating class and all my time seems to be baking, making frosting or trying a technique from class or from the book.  I guess we invest in what we care about...I need to be good at something.

The Zucchini bread pudding turned out delicious.  Just a basic bread pudding recipe with zucchini bread in place of french.

Bread Pudding

I'm going to try and make a bread pudding with leftover zucchini bread.  If it is worth keeping (or sharing) I will post it here later.

Zucchini Carrot Bread

I tried something new today.  I wanted to change up my basic zucchini bread.  I added equal parts carrots and squash and homemade apple sauce to my recipe.  It was quite dense, colorful and supper yummy filled with walnuts.

Chicken Lasagna

Pictured is not my recipe, but looks pretty close

This is something I threw together today using the basic ingredients for traditional lasagna.  Chicken breast has been on sale at Big M all last week.  I like to take season and brown the meat and put it in a slow cooker.  I make a variety of main dishes from this technique.

I browned four small garlic cloves and 1 medium onion.  Added 1 medium zucchini halved and chopped. One can of Italian style diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, Italian spices, dried sweet basil and one 2lb 13 oz jar Old World Style Ragu pasta sauce flavored with meat. Once done, I shredded and chopped 4 large chicken breast and added it to the sauce.
Mixed 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese with equal parts cottage cheese and a little Italian season for taste and color. Put it together in layers as anyone would a lasagna. Using oven ready noodles,I baked it for 1/2 hour covered with foil and 15 minutes uncovered at 350 degrees. Served with Garlic Bread, it came out pretty good.  I went back for seconds.  I made two smaller pans to take one to my friend Kara, she has been sick this weekend and needed a rest.  To me that is what cooking is for, to share with people I care about. I could cook all day....just wish I had a cleaner behind me and a nanny to entertain Jesse.

**The more I learn new techniques the more I am moving away from store bought sauces....

Blessings

It has been non stop since I arrived home. Someone from church having babies, one by emergency c-section, Illness, two surgeries and two hospitalizations. I have cooked and delivered meals to four families the last weeks of July.  After my lumpectomy and Jesse's birth we were blessed with food offerings.  It really does help having one less thing to think about when recovering. Taking a meal says I care, you're important and loved.That is a lot of feelings in one little dinner. What a blessing, to have the ability to make someone feel special. My friend Wendy's daughter has requested a peach cobbler and I read on Facebook that my friend Kara is sick and I thought I might take her a meal to help her out.  Just not sure what to offer with her limitations.  She had gastric bypass several months ago, plus my limitations with the empty pantry. I think my creativity may be tested.

Chicken Ragu and Penne Pasta

Olive oil
3 lbs boneless Chicken Breast
Salt
Red pepper flakes
black pepper
Garlic powder
Seasoned the chicken with salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and garlic powder.  Browned first and cooked in seasoned water (steamed) until done. Cool and chop, reserve broth (very flavorful)

Sauce
Olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic crushed and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 can Petite cut tomatoes
1 can Italian Style stewed tomatoes
Salt
Red pepper flakes
black pepper 
Garlic powder
white pepper
dehydrated onion
1/2 cup Chardonnay

Brown garlic and onion add zucchini. When zucchini is partially done add reserved broth and chicken.
Prepare tomatoes and spices (all to taste) in blender and gently incorporate. Add tomatoes to the above.

Tasted too much like Doug's Chicken Cacciatore so I added some spices from an oil dipping packet and a touch of sugar...

Chicken Casserole

1 lb (?) cooked chicken- chopped or shredded
8 oz Orzo pasta
2 1/4 water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream soup
8 oz of cheese
about 1 cup of milk

boil the bouillon cubes in water, add pasta and cook about 10 minutes stirring often and adding a little water as needed.  Once tender add soup and cheese and add mixture to the chicken add milk to as needed to thin.
Served with tossed salad and fresh bread...not bad for dinner on the fly.

*Sour cream and/or cream cheese would have been a good addition (I had neither). Broccoli would had added flavor as well as color.

Uncooked Creation

Summer has finally graced us here in Central New York.  It is hot and beautiful! This week I made a new flower bed along with bird feeders.

Boston Cream Pie

One of Wyatt's favorite deserts is Boston Cream Pie, so I thought I would give it a try...totally simple.  I used yellow cake mix, instant vanilla pudding and canned frosting.  To be honest it was not as good as I can buy at Price Chopper bakery, but non the less enjoyable.

Double Crusted Pork Chops

Dipped first in egg, next flour, egg again and lastly Italian bread crumbs. I season all  the ingredients with the acceptation of the bread crumbs.  I oven fry at 400 degrees until the crust is browned and the pork is not pink.

Tonight I served with fried okra and a salad.

Tomorrow Cup a Cup a Cup a Stick Peach Cobbler.

Not So Creative

I have been off my feet for 3 days now. I don't sit well. I like to try to keep my house clean and make hearty meals and baked goods for my family. If I can just behave and rest my foot I should be back to rights in a couple days.

Easy Rice Pudding

Jesse was so proud of himself helping cook

I didn't make this one up, but  this is a recipe that my family loves and it does away with leftover rice. It can be easily divided for the amount of rice I have.

2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/4 raisins (not)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all together and pour into a prepared baking dish (I use my Pampered Chef Pie Stone) and bake for about 25 min at 350 or until set.
Recipe found at www.southernfood.about.com