Monthly Archives: April 2011

House Of The Rising Bun

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The post for today was going to be Turkey Noodle Soup but considering that it really sucked because I accidentally put so much Spinach in it that it should have been named Spinach soup, time for a new game plan. So I’m going with the rolls that I made to go with the above mentioned sucky soup. Sucky Soup…hehe… maybe I can market that? Or…erhmmm… maybe not. Moving on. Honest; I’m fine. Really.

I asked on the Facebook page if anyone else had ever had days when they shouldn’t have been allowed to get out of bed, much let get near a stove. Well, today is obviously mine. When I started the oatmeal mixture for these rolls, I cooked it for too long and ended up with a gooey mess all over my microwave as well as a hardened clump of oatmeal in the bowl. Yes, yes, I can cook… not sure why you would think otherwise 😛

Getting to the rolls, which I have miraculously managed to finish with no casualties even though the firemen were waiting outside the house, hoses at the ready, these are quite easy as yeast breads go. If you are one of those with a fear of attempting to make anything yeast risen, this may be a good one for you to start with. They have never failed to rise well for me and always receive rave reviews. I will be using them in other recipes also. They make fantastic cinnamon rolls & herbed rolls as well as this simple dinner roll.

Oatmeal Rolls

  1. 2 cups water
  2. 1 cup quick cooking oats
  3. 3 tablespoons butter
  4. 1/2 cup warm water (110- 115 degrees)
  5. 2 envelopes active dry yeast
  6. 1 tablespoon sugar
  7. 4 cups all purpose flour
  8. 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  9. 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    • Bring the 2 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan; stir in the oats and butter. Boil, stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool until it is 110 degrees (toasty warm to the touch but not “OW! Crap! Why did I just stick my finger in that?!”
    • Alternately, bring water to a boil in the microwave, add the oats and butter and microwave for about 1 minute (paying close attention so you don’t end up with an oatmeal volcano).
    • Meanwhile, add the yeast and one tablespoon sugar to the 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand five minutes.
    • Beat oat mixture, yeast mixture, flour, salt and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, until smooth.
    • Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about five minutes. It shouldn’t be more than slightly tacky. Add more flour to your board if it is too sticky. By the same token, don’t add a ton of flour. Too much flour leads to a tough roll.
    • Place in a greased bowl turning the dough once to makes sure the top is greased too.
    • Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour.
    • Punch the dough down (that’s the fun part hehe) and divide in half. Shape each half into 16 balls. Put into a greased 13×9 pan or two 9 inch round cake pans.
    • Cover lightly (a clean towel or plastic wrap works fine) and let rise in a cool place until the rolls are doubled in bulk.
    • Bake at 375 about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

    A hot roll and Blackberry jam. One of life's simple pleasures.

     

    *A shout out to my dear friend Mark for the title of the post 🙂

     

     

     

    Tasty Doesn’t Have To Take Hours

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    Neither does it have to be expensive. Sure, it can be and some extremely tasty desserts can cost a bit to make but then are the times that you want something that tastes expensive but you don’t have the time to fuss. Or you have a two year old who wants you to hold his hands while he runs in circles around you… for an hour. Or maybe you forgot the time and the promise you made to make dessert. Not that I’ve ever done that… but I’m sure it’s happened to someone…somewhere *innocent look*

    When any of the above happen and your world is no longer spinning and the nausea has passed if the reason was of the two year old variety, this dessert is a great one to try. I had some Mascarpone cheese I had been wanting to use and after seeing a post made by one of my favorite bloggers-

    SweetsTiramisuFrenchToast

     

    she got me inspired to make up a quick dessert using the Mascarpone. She’s a good one for that. 🙂

    So here it is. I hope you enjoy.

    Mascarpone Mousse And Raspberry Parfait

    1. 8 ounce container mascarpone cheese, softened
    2. 8 ounce package cream cheese , softened
    3. 1/2 cup sour cream
    4. 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
    5. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    6. 1 teaspoon almond extract
    7. 2 cups heavy cream
    8. 2 20 ounce cans raspberry pie filling
    • In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream and 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is incorporated. You could do it on high speed but if you do, I want pictures because you will be covered in powdered sugar hehe. When the sugar is mixed in, turn the speed up to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside while you make the mousse.
    • In a large bowl, beat together the Mascarpone, cream cheese and sour cream. When thoroughly mixed, add 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar. On low speed, beat until sugar is incorporated, then turn the speed up to high and beat for 2 minutes.  Stir in a large spoonful (about 1/4 cup or so) of the whipped cream to lighten up the mousse mixture.
    • Fold in the rest of the whipped cream until there are no streaks of cream left.
    • Eat this by the spoonful and don’t save any for anyone else
    • Layer the mousse mixture in pretty glass bowls with the raspberry filling, ending with a dollop of the mousse on top.. Alternately, you could layer it in a huge glass bowl if you’re serving this to a large group.

    I guess they didn't like it. There are still a few smears left in the dish.

     

     

     

     

    The Great Cornbread Debate

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    14

    Go look up recipes for cornbread. You will find 75k variations but the biggest difference has been a matter of debate for many many years. I would imagine the first two women, back thousands of years ago, ended up in a life long feud over cornbread. The issue? Whether or not to add sugar.

    For some reason, with home cooks and chefs alike, that is one food that will never be agreed upon. Even in my own household, it’s up for debate. Well, my husband and kids think it is anyway but since I’m the one doing the cooking, there isn’t much debate. I make it the way I like it and that’s that hehe.

    And how is that you ask? Oh, you didn’t ask? Well, I’m telling you anyway because otherwise this would be a really short paragraph and ruin my reputation for being long winded. I make it with sugar. BUT……. very very very little. I do NOT like sweet cornbread. To me, that’s just a yellow cake made with cornmeal (yellow cornmeal versus white cornmeal is another debate but we won’t go there because if you use white cornmeal you’re just strange 😛 ). My husband and kids prefer sweet but again, there’s that “I’m the cook” thing. When I’m feeling kind (or I spent too much on Amazon and am sucking up) I’ll make sweet, but rarely.

    The cornbread here is neither of these. yes, there is a touch of sugar in it, but only as a foil for the bacon. Yes, more bacon. Expect it to be a recurring theme in my recipes :-D. This cornbread is a savory oh so tasty version made with bacon, green onions, cheddar-jack cheese and green chilies. Slather this bad boy with butter and have at it. You can of course serve it as a side dish but why bother? You can eat more of it if it’s all you’re having. Just sayin’ 😀

    Bacon, Cheddar and Chile Cornbread

    1. 1 1/2 cups cornmeal ( yellow cornmeal darn it! Yellow!)
    2. 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    3. 4 teaspoons baking powder
    4. 2 tablespoons sugar
    5. 2 1/2 cups milk
    6. 1/2 cup oil
    7. 2 large eggs
    8. 1 7 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
    9. 8 ounces cheddar- jack cheese (can use any sharp type of cheese you want really)
    10. 1 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled (try to make sure 3/4 of it actually ends up in the bread 😛 )
    11. 1/4 cup sliced green onion (about 2 large green onions)
    12. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
    13. 1/2 teaspoon salt (careful with this if the bacon is really salty)
    • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
    • Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes (if using) and baking powder in a large bowl.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until until they are well combined. Don’t over mix; that’s what leads to tough cornbread.
    • Put into a greased 13×9 inch pan and bake at 400 degrees until top is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Check after about 30 minutes because ovens heat differently.

    Mine after my son got a hold of it when my back was turned. Grrrr....grrr I say!

     

    Is there anything better than curry? Anything? Bueller? Anyone?

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    13

    I have a thing for curry. I need rehab. But I have no interest in being cured. If my kids wouldn’t tie me up and hang me by my toes from a clothesline, I would probably make every dinner something with Curry. Chicken curry for sure but why stop there? Curried hot dogs anyone? How about curried Twinkies? Ok, maybe not either one of those but still; curry is my life. Give me curry or give me death!!! I did NOT have sexual relations with that curry! When the going gets tough, the tough eat curry! And of course, from Red Dwarf, “But then I poured curry sauce all over it, and he just yummed it all up!” Ok, sorry. I’m done now. I got carried away on waves of curry. Champagne wishes and curried dreams! Ok, NOW I’m done. Maybe. But don’t gamble on it.

    Well, today was a rare day because I was in the mood for something curried. Never would have guessed that was coming huh? But I didn’t want anything heavy. The guys decided they wanted fast food and since I’m not much on that, it left me with the chance to play. I’m pretty pleased with what I came up with. This can be a side dish to any sort of Indian, Middle eastern or Thai meal or even, as I’m having it, as a meal on it’s own. It has a lovely curry flavor and a mild sweetness as well as a subtle hint of coconut, pineapple and other fruits.  My house smelled amazing while this was cooking. The way I made it it has a bit of a bite but that is easily changed by leaving out the red pepper flakes.

    FRUIT AND CURRY SPICED RICE

    1. 2 cups Basmati rice
    2. 1 13.66 ounce can coconut milk (I always use Thai Kitchen brand)
    3. 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks in their own juice, drained, juice reserved
    4. 1/2 cup dried Apricots, chopped
    5. 1/2 cup raisins
    6. 1 green onion, thinly sliced (and a little more for garnish)
    7. 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
    8. 1 2/3 cups water or chicken broth
    9. 2 tablespoons red curry paste
    10. 1 teaspoon mild curry powder (yes, both the paste & the powder. They add different levels of flavor)
    11. 1 teaspoon salt (add when done cooking if you’re using the broth in place of water because it may not need it)
    12. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    13. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    14. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
    • In a medium pot, put your rice, coconut milk, water (or broth) and the reserved liquid from the pineapple. Add the curry paste, curry powder, apricots, raisins,  green onion, salt if using, garlic powder, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Stir to mix well.
    • Put over medium heat and stir frequently until it comes to a simmer. Then put on a tight fitting lid, turn your heat down to medium low and let cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Check every five minutes or so and give this a quick thorough stir because it will stick because of the coconut milk. When almost done, add the pineapple chunks. Mix well.
    • When done, garnish with the toasted almonds and some green onions. Enjoy!
    • Note- To toast Almonds the easy way, take the slivered almonds, put on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for one minute. When the minute is up, stir them around, spread them back out and put back in the microwave for another 30 seconds (make sure to peek through the window to make sure they aren’t burning.) Do this as needed until they are a nice toasty brown. It took two and a half minutes in my microwave.

    All we are sayyyyyingggggg is give curry a chanceeeeee! Ok, NOW I'm done

     

     

    Barely Brie-thing

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    Hehehe… I crack me up.When I went in the fridge today, I noticed the small wheel of Brie I got a few days ago. It was in the reduced section then so I said cuss words to myself as I tried to figure out how to use it before it was… *said in a melodramatic tone of voice*… TOO LATE (images of green cheese and the Brie giving birth to alien life forms took place in my mind). I almost left it then because that idea was kind of cool but it DID cost five bucks so I pulled it out of the fridge. Sigh… maybe next time.

    I decided on a cheese dip cause any excuse to melt cheese is high on my list of good food. Especially when it’s something I can add bacon to… which I did. Lots of it. Because bacon is NOT liver thus I love it. So far it has been a hit if the half empty pan is any indication. I served it with Tostitos mini rounds but I think it would also be fantastic spread on baguette slices.

    HOT MELTY BRIE & BACON DIP

    1. 1 12.25 ounce round brie (I used Alouette brand baby brie)
    2. 8 ounces muenster cheese
    3. 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano mix ( the fresh shredded kind in the deli area not the dry grated kind in the pasta aisle)
    4. 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
    5. 8 ounces cream cheese
    6. 1/4 cup diced green and/or red peppers
    7. 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
    8. 1 lb. low sodium bacon, cooked until crisp, cooled and crumbled
    9. 1/2 cup sour cream
    10. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
    • Preheat your oven to 375. Put  the bacon in a foil lined pan (foil lined because I hate washing greasy pans) and cook until nice and crispy, about 20 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, cut your Brie and Muenster cheeses into 1/2 inch cubes.
    • Dice the green peppers into 1/4 inch (more or less; doesn’t have to be perfect, just be sure it’s small) pieces.  Put into a small bowl with about a teaspoon of the bacon grease (you heard me… bacon grease.) Stir together then put into the microwave for 2 minutes on high power.
    • Mix together the mozzarella, muenster, brie, cream cheese, Parmesan  and sour cream. Add in the bacon, red pepper flakes if using, green onions and the green peppers.
    • Put in a 2 quart casserole (or a deep souffle dish or any pretty baking dish) and put in the 400 degree oven until bubbly and the top is nicely browned.
    • Serve with chips, veggie sticks or baguette slices.
    • NOTE- This makes a LARGE pan of dip so if you’re not feeding a large family (or the county) you may want to cut this in half 😛

    Five minutes after setting it out. WAITAMINNIT! Where's MINE!?

     

     

     

    But I Don’t Even LIKE Peanut Butter!!

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    I’ve never been a big fan of peanut butter. Give me a PB&J about once a year & a Reeses peanut butter cup every once in a while and I’m happy. Even with the PB&J, there are strict guidelines that must be followed or I won’t eat it. It has to be Jif Peanut Butter (or Peanut Butter Company’s Cinnamon Raisin flavor), it has to be on smushy “I am so filled with preservatives it’s disgusting” store bought white bread and the ratio of peanut butter to jelly is simply this; there must be enough of each that they drip off of the bread onto my hands, onto my shirt, onto every surface within a five foot range.

    So why, when perusing the Easter candy aisle at Kroger the other day, did I drop a bag of Reeses Pieces into my cart? I have no idea. I have never liked them. But I think I have found a way that I can enjoy them… in massive quantities… with milk… and hidden away by myself so that nobody else can have any. Ever.

    I took my go to chocolate chip recipe (it’s one that I have played with over the years until I got that nice chewy yet crispy texture that I think a cookie should have) and added a bag of Easter (oooo, look at the pretty colors!) Reeses Pieces along with two small bags of the new Reese Peanut Butter Cup Minis (2.5 ounce bags you can find at the checkout aisle).

    If you like peanut butter, you’ll love these. If you like chocolate, you’ll like these. If you’re a fan of Reeses Pieces, you should be in heaven. Just remember…. massive quantities and all by yourself so nobody else can have any.

    REESE’S PIECES &PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES

    1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick)
    2. 1/2 cup solid shortening (I used the Crisco stick)
    3. 1 cup brown sugar (preferably dark)
    4. 3/4 cup white sugar
    5. 2.5 teaspoons Vanilla extract
    6. 2 large eggs
    7. 1 tsp salt
    8. 1 tsp baking soda
    9. 3 cups all purpose flour
    10. 12 ounce bag Reeses Pieces
    11. 2 2.5 ounce bags mini Reese peanut butter cups
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    • In large bowl, cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs until creamy.
    • In small bowl, mix together salt, baking soda and flour.
    • Mix flour mixture with wet ingredients until fully combined.
    • Add in the Reeses pieces and mini peanut butter cups.
    • Put by large spoonsful on an ungreased cookie sheet (mine were probably a bit less than 1/4 cup dough per cookie. They need to be large to be able to enclose the candy; otherwise it sticks out and will end up melting all the pan and sticking).
    • Bake until light golden brown. If there is a shiny wet spot in the middle of the cookie, leave for another minute or two and check again. They are big so you need to watch to make sure they cook thoroughly. Mine took 15 minutes.
    • Let cool on the sheet for a minute then put onto a rack to finish cooling
    • Get some cookies, a glass of milk or cup of coffee and go hide in the closet until you’re done.

    "Hmmmm, I wonder if I can grab the rest and hide in the closet before momma notices?"

     

     

    Chili Today Hot Tamale

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    I remember when I was a kid there was a huge joke that went around everywhere, popular with kids and adults alike (hey, it was a more innocent time then; or at least that’s what I tell myself to cover up for the fact that we were all way too easily amused back in the day). Someone would walk up to you and say something to the effect of “hey; have you heard the weather report?” When you said no, they would reply “It’s chili today and hot tamale!”. They would then proceed to laugh hysterically and wait for you to join in. Being the sophisticated intelligent delusional child that I was, I would of course stick my nose in the air and reply with something pithy like “that’s so funny, I forgot to laugh” or the oldie but goodie that proved what a humor god you were, “last time I heard that one, I laughed so hard I fell off my dinosaur.” (No really… we did; Stegosaurus I think.). I was so ahead of my time when it came to witty comebacks. Still am… or something.

    Bur regardless of my sparkling wit or lack thereof, I have been told I make one hell of a pot of chili. So that’s what you’re getting today; my chili recipe. I haven’t even given this to my grown kids yet. Well, I suppose I have now.  There goes their inheritance. I planned this yesterday when it was rainy, cold and windy. So what happens? It’s 67 degrees out now. Go figure.

    Four Bean Chili

    • This sounds like a lot of ingredients but it goes together quickly and makes one  huge pot of chili; about eight nice sized servings. It can be cut in half or doubled easily. This is a somewhat spicy chili though in its defense my kids eat it and haven’t started breathing fire yet. But if you are spice biased, feel free to omit the chopped jalapeno. Leave the Chipotle though; it adds flavor, not just heat.
    1. 3 pounds ground chuck
    2. 1 1/2 cups chopped onions (about 2 medium)
    3. 1/2 cup chopped celery
    4. 1 1/4 cups chopped mixed peppers (I use a combo of red, green, orange and yellow. You can use your favorites)
    5. 1 large jalapeno pepper, finely minced
    6. 1/4 cup minced garlic (I used the kind from a jar;  so shoot me.)
    7. 2 15.5 ounce cans kidney beans
    8. 2 15.25 ounce cans black beans
    9. 1 15.5 ounce can pinto beans
    10. 1 15.5 ounce can chili beans (I vary spice level depending on mood; today’s was “medium”)
    11. 1 14.5 ounce can chili style diced tomatoes (I use Del Monte or Hunts)
    12. 1 10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro or the kind with green chiles (if they don’t have that in your area, just use another can of any style diced tomatoes you like.)
    13. 1/3 to 1/2 cup chili powder (yes; half a cup)
    14. 1 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder (I use McCormicks brand)
    15. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    16. 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot hot sauce
    17. 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (you can sub 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder)
    18. 1/2 cup brown sugar
    19. 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    20. salt to taste ( I actually rarely use salt in it because the spices and canned products add enough salty flavor)

    Garnishes- cheddar or jack cheese, red or green onions, finely chopped cilantro, sour cream.

    • Chop up your celery, onions and all the various peppers. Mix them with the ground chuck in a large (preferably heavy bottomed) pot. Over medium high heat (on my electric stove, I have it at about 7)  cook until the beef is browned and the veggies have begun to soften, stirring frequently. Drain well and put back into the pot.
    • Add the rest of your ingredients except for the vinegar and the garnishes. Mix well and put your heat on medium. I start out at about 5  (stirring frequently) until it comes to a simmer then I turn it down to 3. You need to watch it carefully and stir often or it will stick to the bottom of your pot.
    • See how easy this was so far? Now just bring it up to to a simmer, turn your heat down to medium low and let it cook. It can be eaten in about an hour if you prefer your chili soupier but we like it thicker and more stew like so mine simmers for about 3 hours. About 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve it, add the vinegar, stir it thoroughly then give it a taste. If it needs more of something, add it now. Too tart? Add a touch more brown sugar. Too sweet? Add some salt and maybe some more chili powder. Too spicy? Send it to me.
    • Ladle into bowls and serve with tons of garnishes. My favorites are a lot of cheese, either green or red onions, some sour cream and a bit of cilantro. We serve this with either cornbread, tortillas or the yummy and typical saltine crackers.

    Herman the cow wanted to be in the picture. He loves chili... evil cannibal cow.

     

    My Kind Of Blackberry

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    Blackberry’s are all the rage right now along with iphones. I on the other hand am still in the stone age from what I’m told because I only have a phone from Cricket.  My daughter has an iphone with all the bells and whistles and was showing it to me the other day and bragging on it. I am pretty sure that that thing probably has an app on it that would find you a mail order bride. But hey, I’ve moved up in the world with my cricket. A mere three years ago, I still had a Tracfone…. with an antennae I had to pull up to be able use the phone. It was made from stone. I also have a car that requires me to stick my feet through a hole in the floor and make it go by foot power. Fred Flintstone is my hero. But I digress (you’ll get used to that with me.)
    Since I can’t have a blackberry that I can use to access the internet, I decided to make my own blackberry. It’s not in the shape of a phone though; sorry. You also can’t use it to get a mail order bride but I can guarantee mine tastes better. At least I hope it does. There’s no app to make your phone yummy is there?

    These cupcakes were fun to make. They were pretty fun to eat too if the purple stains on my shirt and the slight bloated feeling in my belly are any indication 😀 It uses a white cake mix that I doctored up (I told you; I like cake mixes. They’re easy & they taste pretty damn good; especially when you add all sorts of different things to them. This has a homemade blackberry/lemon butter cream frosting that is good enough to eat from the bowl with a spoon. I should know; I ate enough of it.

    BlackBerry Cupcakes with a Blackberry/Lemon Buttercream

    1. 1(18.25 ounce) package white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
    2. 1(3.4 ounce) package french vanilla instant pudding mix
    3. 1 cup sour cream
    4. 3/4 cup vegetable oil
    5. 4 large eggs
    6. 1/2 cup warm water
    7. 1 12 ounce container fresh blackberries
    8. 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    9. 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
    10. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
    11. 2 tablespoons blackberry jam
    12. zest from one lemon
    • Preheat your oven to 350 (175 Celsius) and line your cupcake pans with liners (you don’t have to do this, you could just spray them with a non stick spray like Pam but personally , anything that saves me from major dish washing is heaven.).
    • Gently wash the berries then pat them dry with a paper towel. Put all but 20 of  them into a blender or a food processor bowl with the 3 tablespoons sugar and process/blend into a puree. Set the 20 aside to use as garnish. You can then strain the puree through a sieve if the idea of the seeds bugs you, but I didn’t bother.
    • In a large bowl, mix together ingredients. 1-6. Beat on low until everything is thoroughly mixed then turn it up to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Don’t skimp on that; it makes your cupcakes lighter.
    • Fill your lined cups about half full with batter. Add a tablespoon of the blackberry puree on top of each cupcake then top that with another spoonful of batter. Don’t fill your cups over about 3/4 full or you’ll end up with cupcakes that spread onto the side of your pan and besides not looking as pretty, they are a pain to get out of the pan. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the jam and batter together, making sure to leave streaks.
    • Bake for 16 to 22 minutes (It will vary depending on your oven. Mine were done at 20 minutes) or until a toothpick stuck in the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.
    • Let them sit in the pan for about 1 minute then use a spoon to get under the liners & put them on a rack to finish coo0ling. Eat one of them before you frost the rest because you’re the cook and you can.
    • Mix together the 1 cup butter, the remaining blackberry puree (you should have about 1/2 a cup)  and the blackberry jam. Mix well for about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated then turn it up to high and beat until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. It should be thick enough to stand up on your spoon w/out flopping over. If not (you may need more depending on how juicy your berries were), add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at time until it is thick enough to spread. If too thick, add heavy cream (or milk) a few drops at time until it thins out to where you want it.
    • Pipe or spread your frosting on the cupcakes, then garnish with one of the reserved blackberries. Then eat one with frosting because again, you’re the cook.
    • This makes 20 cupcakes or at least it did for me. It might have made 21 but some of the batter jumped in my mouth. What!? Salmonella is our friend.

    I don't know what happened to this one. Someone *cough cough* must have gotten to it while I was turned away.

     

    Well, Here We Go!

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    39

    Hey there blogging world. Welcome to the first post of my new blog. Who am I? My name is Janet. I’m a half sane (ok, there are some who would say I’m exaggerating my sanity but we’ll ignore them) wife and mother in Kentucky. I have six kids ranging from 25 down to 2 and a half (I was six when I had my first; honest.) and five grand kids (will you believe me if I say I became a grandmother at oh, sayyyyy, 25? No huh?) and I have started this blog as a way to cook and share what I cook with anyone crazy enough to be interested.

    I have been told for years “Janet, you need to go to culinary school and become a chef” or “you need to open a bakery/restaurant/food store” or a number of other things (including many that have nothing to do with a food blog, weren’t very nice and I won’t repeat them 😛 ). I always said no because I didn’t want to work for someone else and make what they said I had to make. What can I say? I’m ornery rebellious that way. I like cooking what appeals to me on any given day or what people ask me (nicely and preferably with a pleading tone) to cook.

    So what will you find here in the future? I have to say it will be a little bit of everything. I can and do cook everything from homey country style foods to baked goods of all kinds to foods that are a bit pricier and a little more “high falutin'”. Having six kids (only three left at home but since 2 are teen boys, they eat enough for three times their number) I tend to cook in large amounts (Whadda you mean you don’t need twelve pounds of lasagna?!) but in here, I will try to either make sure the recipes are easily scaled down or are just so darn good you won’t mind eating them for a week or two day or two.

     

    What won’t you find? Liver. You will never find liver in my blog. If I had my way, it would be illegal to sell liver; maybe even to have one in your body though that may be a hard law to get passed.  Ok, beyond not finding liver, you will never find someone who minds your questions. I’ve helped a lot of people learn to cook everything from yeast breads to a lemony herbed roast chicken to cinnamon buns to cookies to a Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter/4th of July dinner to the basics like cooking rice to making crispy bacon to making oatmeal that isn’t the consistency of wallpaper paste with the flavor of a gym sock. You’d be surprised how many people want to cook better but are still scared to take on even the basics. But, you name it; I’ve probably cooked it. Ummm, except for liver. Did I mention that?

    Well, now that I’ve hopefully given you a little info about me (I did mention that I hate liver, right?) I’ll let you get on with your lives. I hope to see you back here soon. I don’t bite… I promise.