Salsa & Shrimp

I also made homemade salsa this weekend, it was soooo yummy.  I'm not going to list the recipe, because I just threw it together.  I can tell you what's in it though. 
After I made the salsa, I took some cooked shrimp and added about 1/2 cup salsa and 2 tbsp ketchup to it, this is one of Matt's favorite dishes.

Ingredients in the salsa are;
tomatoes, onion, fresh garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, S&P, juice of a lime.

Kansas City Barbecued Ribs

We had a great weekend, cooked alot of good food and had alot of fun.  This was by far the best meal of the holiday weekend, top it off with a marshmellow roast and how could you go wrong??

We had Ribs, served with Jessica's Ranch Beans, grilled corn & cabbage cooked on the grill.
All recipes are listed.




Barbecued Ribs
2 - 5lb racks of pork spare ribs
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp chili powder
4 tbsp pepper
4 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp + 2 tsp salt
Your favorite BBQ sauce ( I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original)

Mix all dry ingredients together to make rub. 
Rub ribs on both sides with mixture making sure to cover entire area, then place on large cookie sheet covered with heavy duty foil.  Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Cook ribs in oven, heated to 325* for 2 to 2-1/2 hours on cookies sheets.
After 2 hours start basting with BBQ sauce.
If desired place on grill to finish and let "crust" build.
Rub recipe courtesy of Cook's Country Magazine.









Cabbage Cooked on the Grill
1/2 head of cabbage, cut in two
2 slices good bacon, cut in half
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Place cabbage on sheet of heavy duty foil, sprinkle lightly with olive oil and S&P to taste. Place bacon slices over cabbage.  Wrap in foil and place on grill.  Cook until desired doneness, about 10 minutes.

Grilled Corn on the Cob
Good Sweet Corn, husks removed and washed
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Lightly cover corn with olive oil and sprinkle with S&P to taste.  Grill 5 minutes turning constantly to get an even "char".  (I let the corn sit on top rack while cabbage cooked to stay warm).

Marshmallow Roast!!!

This is the first time the kids have roasted marshmallows, and they had such a good time.

Yum ... Smores .........

Easy Strawberry Pie

The hardest part to making this pie is waiting to eat it .... It took me all of 20 minutes to make this pie and it was soooo yummy.

You will need;
2 lbs strawberries, rinsed and quartered
1 tub of strawberry glaze
1 pre-made pie shell
1 can whipped topping

Bake pie shell according to package instructions.  Let cool. 
Set aside 3 tbsp glaze.
After rinsing berries, dry and quarter, mix with glaze.
When crust is cool, coat bottom with 3 tbsp of glaze, add berry mixture.
Add whipped topping as desired.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
ENJOY!!

Jessica's Ranch Beans

Sometimes when I'm putting a recipe together, I amaze myself.  And these beans are one of those times.  I was very happy with the way they turned out, and I have to say are some of the best beans I've every tasted. Oh, and to warn you, these can be spicy depending on how hot your pepper is.  If you don't want spicy beans, use a green pepper.

You will need;
1 - 15oz can Baked Bean
1 - 15oz can Great Northern Beans, drained & rinsed
1 - 15oz can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
2 tbsp BBQ rub (see Kansas City Rib recipe)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays Original)
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 small poblano pepper, seeded & finally chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Saute onion, pepper and garlic for 3-4 minutes.  Add beans and remaining ingredients.  Cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat.  Makes 4-6 servings.  Enjoy!!

Grilled Bratwurst w/ Caramelized Cabbage & Onions

This recipe will make 4 servings.
You will need;
4 bratwurst sausages
4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 tbs spoon butter
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1 vandalia onion, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 buns
mayo

In a large pan cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon pieces.  In same pan, melt butter in bacon fat, add cabbage and onion.  Cook on medium heat until caramelized.  When done, remove from heat and add in cooked bacon and scallions.
While cabbage and onion cooks, grill brats.
Dress buns with mayo if desired, add brat and top with cabbage mixture.  Enjoy!!

Juiciest Hamburgers Ever!!

These hamburgers are unbelievably juicy, and the trick is not over-cooking them and a little butter hidden in the middle.

For 4 burgers you will need .....
2 lb ground beef, 80/20
4 tbsp butter
your favorite spices

There are two ways to do this, you can either;
Mix beef with your favorite spices (fastest way)  -OR- 
Mix spices with softened butter, make into a log and let chill (longer method)
After you decide which method to use;
Divide beef into 8 equal size patties.  Take 4 of the patties and top with 1 tablespoon of butter each.  Top with another remaining patty, making sure to seal all the way around the edges. This will give you 4 butter stuffed patties.
Sear patties on a hot grill for about 2-4 minutes on each side.  Watch carefully not to burn the patties.  Once perfectly grilled on each side place on heavy duty foil  and let remain on grill with heat off for 10-15 minutes, depending on the wellness you desire.  If you are using a charcoal grill, remove from grill altogether and put on a plate to rest.
Add whatever condiments you desire and enjoy!!

Family Inspiration - 30 May

Whenever we build our lives on values and principles that contradict the time-honored wisdom of God's Word, we are laying a foundation on the sand.

The Lord's promise is sure. He speaks no careless word; all he says is purest truth, like silver seven times refined.
Psalm 12:6

May Book List

This was a busy month for us so I kept my reading light.

Where Mercy Is Shown, Mercy Is Given; Duane "Dog" Chapman.  I have to admit, I really like the show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" so when I saw this book in the store I thought "why not".  It's an interesting book about his life and the things that have happened to him in the last few years.  I have to say I respect the man and his family.  They are God fearing, God loving, honest and very family oriented. 

The Five People You Meet In Heaven; Mitch Albom.  This book explores the mystery only heaven can unfold. I really enjoyed the characters in this book, and he tells an interesting story.

Family Inspiration - 23 May

When properly applied, discipline works! It permits the tender affection made possible by mutual respect between a parent and child.  It allows the God of our fathers to be introduced to our beloved children.

Discipline your son and he will give you happiness and peace of mind.
Proverbs 29:17

Tomato Pie

This recipe is simply lovely .... one of the best things I've every made, and I'd guess by how fast it was gone Matt thought so too.  I'm making another one this week for a friend who can't wait to try it.

1 9" pie shell
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cups (3-4) tomatoes, chopped with all excess juice removed
1/4 cup sliced basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 lb crumbled bacon
2 cups grated cheese (I used cheddar, monterey jack and smoked gouda)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp (or more to taste)  Frank's Hot Sauce or like hot sauce
Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350*. Place pie shell in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or longer until lightly golden.  If you are starting with a frozen crust, you'll need to cook it a little longer.  If you are using a homemade crust, freeze the crust first, then line the crust with aluminum foil and pre-bake it for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the chopped tomatoes, using either paper towels, a clean dish towel or potato ricer.
Sprinkle the bottom of the pre-cooked pie shell with chopped onion.  Mix together tomatoes, basil, S&P to taste and bacon, then spread over onions.
Mix together cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce and a sprinkling of S&P.  The mixture should be the consistency of a gooey snow ball. Spread over tomatoes.
Bake until bubbly and browned, anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes.
 Best eaten warm.  Serves 6.

Notes:
I believe I baked mine for just about 40 minutes.
If you want to take it up a notch, caramelize the onions. (double the amount of onion)
You can make any combination of flavors with this pie by using any spice and cheese combination.  It's very versatile.

Birthday Cakes

This last Sunday, we celebrated Jacob & Madalynn's birthdays with Matt's family.  So of course I had to make each of them a cake.  Jacob's was Handy Manny and Madalynn's was a princess theme. 

I tried a new butter cake recipe, one that called itself an "icing friendly" cake recipe, and it was, but .... it didn't taste all that great.  I have to say I was disappointed.  This classic cake recipe is used to create tiered confections for wedding cakes, with multi layers and fillings.  And I think that is where I went wrong.  I did not cut layers into the cakes and it was just too much cake and not enough filling.  This is a dense cake that is meant to be used in thin layers.  Will I try this recipe again? Yes.  It stand up to lots of icing very well.

Butter Cake

1-1/2 cups butter, room temperature

2-1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

3/4 tsp Almond Flavoring (optional, you can use any flavoring you like)

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray or grease pans.

In mixer bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Mix in vanilla and almond flavorings.  Mix in flour with baking powder and salt.

Add flour mixture alternately with milk, starting with the flour.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick comes out clean. (approx 30-40 min.) Cool ten minutes in pan.  Loosen sides and remove.

Cool completely before decorating.

Makes 7-1/2 cups batter.

Notes:

In Madalynn's cake I added 1 cup chopped chocolate to make a chocolate chip batter. And filled it with chocolate butter cream between the two layers.

In Jacob's cake I filled the two layers with cream cheese and strawberries.

Both were iced with vanilla buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

16 ounces powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Add 1/4 cup cocoa to above ingredients

Blend ingredients until smooth.  If it becomes too thick add a bit  more milk.

Makes 2-1/2 cups

Childhood Doesn't Wait

Childhood Doesn't Wait

I was sitting on a bench
while in a nearby mall,
When I noticed a young mother
with two children who were small.

The youngest one was whining,
"Pick me up," I heard him beg
but the mother's face grew angry
as the child clung to her leg.

"Don't hang on to me," she shouted
as she pushed his hands away,
I wish I'd had the courage
to go up to her and say...

"The time will come too quickly
when those little arms that tug,
Won't ask for you to hold them
or won't freely give a hug.

"The day will sneak up subtly
just as it did with me,
When you can't recall the last time
that your child sat on your knee.

"Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
when we cherished time alone
Our babies grow and leave behind
those special times we've know.

"So when your child comes to you
with a book that you can share,
Or asks that you would tuck him in
and help him say his prayer...

"When he comes to sit and chat
or would like to take a walk,
Before you answer that you can't
'cause there's no time to talk

"Remember what all parents learn
so many times too late,
That years go by too quickly
and that childhood doesn't wait.

"Take every opportunity,
if one should slip away
Reach hard to get it back again,
don't wait another day."

I watched that mother walk away
her children followed near,
I hope she'll pick them up
before her chances disappear

by Kathie Davis

Smoky BBQ Pork Ribs

Let me first say ..... MMMmmmm MMM these were good ribs!!!
Now, I love BBQ ribs, they are probably one of my favorite anytime foods.  But they are one item I have rarely made.  So when I found this recipe, the ingredients intrigued me and I just had to try it.  And boy am I glad I did.

4 racks of trimmed baby back ribs ( I used a 5.5 lb. rack of spareribs)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup smoked paprika (very important that you use smoked!!)
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried ancho chile powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder (this is my addition to the recipe)
2 cups store bought BBQ sauce

Prepare rub by mixing all dry ingredients in a large bowl together well.  Make sure to break up any clumps.  Place ribs on sheet trays and dust all over with rub ensuring to get it in all the cracks.  Place ribs, meat side up, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to marinate for 3 hours or over night.

Remove ribs from fridge and discard plastic.  Place in oven set at 325*.  Cook for 2-1/2 hours until meat is very tender.  Finish under broiler or grill for 5 minutes to caramelize then remove and allow to cool slightly.

Serve with BBQ sauce.

Notes:
I hate the broiler and it was raining, so I did not put the ribs on the grill to finish.  I just basted with sauce and let sit in the oven for 20-30 minutes with heat off.
I used Kroger brand KC style hickory smoke sauce and I added some brown sugar to it, and it turned out really good.

Recipe courtesy of Kitchendaily

Family Inspiration - 16 May

I believe the most valuable contribution a parent can make to his child is to instill in him a genuine faith in God.

But the loving kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, to those who reverence him; his salvation is to children's children of those who are faithful to his covenant and remember to obey him!
Psalm 103:17, 18

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This cake if for the chocolate lover.  When this cake comes out of the oven it's going to look like a sunken-in brown mess, but once you taste it will be gone in seconds. 

7 oz really good (45-50% cocoa) semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar, divided
4 eggs, separated

1. Preheat oven to 300*. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler.  Stir together half the sugar and four yolks; add to melted chocolate concoction.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites; slowly add remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold mixture into chocolate.  Pour into greased 9" cake pan.
3. Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs on it.  Cool 30 minutes before removing from pan. Dust with powdered sugar.

We served with a scoop a vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Notes:
I suggest using a spring form pan and not a cake pan.
If this is too much work for you, honestly you can make a really good dark chocolate brownie in a spring form pan and it will taste almost the same and look prettier. 
(Matt's comment to this cake was that it tasted like my brownies.)

Recipe courtesy of Dashrecipes.com

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is a classic Russian dish that has proved its delicious worth time and time again. You can serve this dish over egg noodles (classic), rice or mashed potatoes.  This is one of my favorites and I've made it many times the "easy" way with cream-of-mushroom soup, but I wanted to make it true to the original recipe and completely homemade. You can use any type of beef from tenderloin to chuck roast, just remember the better the cut of beef the more tender when cooked.  ENJOY!! 

1 pound beef, cut into 2"x 1" x 1/4" strips
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 Tbsp canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced 1/2" thick (I used baby bella's)
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth (I used chicken broth)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped fresh dill for garnish if desired

1. Season beef generously with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Brown meat in two batches, about 1 minute per side; remove from skillet and set aside.
2. In same skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat.  Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add mushrooms; cover.  Cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add broth; simmer uncovered until liquid has thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Stir mustard into mushroom mixture in skillet.  Return beef to skillet; cook over medium-low heat until heated through. 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped dill.

Notes:
I minced two cloves of garlic and cooked with my meat for added flavor, I love garlic.
I also cooked my onions longer than suggested, more to a caramelized state, again for more flavor.

Recipe courtesy of Everyday Food.

Tray-Baked Chicken

I cooked three new recipes this weekend.  We enjoyed eating all three!!

In this chicken recipe the brine is key.  Subtly you can taste the honey and lemon in the chicken and it's so good.  I hope you enjoy!!

Brine
1 quart water
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves only
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

For the Bake
4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on  (I used boneless-skinless)
2 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped
3 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced (I peeled them)
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced (I used red potatoes)
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves shredded
Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
1-2/3 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
A few pats of butter

1. Mix brine in a large bowl, add chicken. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 8 hours. (I did 2 hours).
2. Remove chicken, let come to room temperature. Drain chicken, discarding brine, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Preheat oven to 350*, in a roasting pan, toss the bacon, veggies, garlic, and sage with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in broth.  Cook 30 minutes.
4. Remove veggie pan from oven; pour in cream and sprinkle with pepper and Parmesan.  Add chicken, dotting pats of butter on each piece.  Cook 35 minutes, or until chicken is golden.

Notes:
Yukon Gold potatoes would have been my choice to use in this dish, but I only had red potatoes.
I'm going to use this brine when making BBQ chicken, the combination of flavors would go so well.

Recipe courtesy of Jamie Oliver at Dashrecipes.com

Family Inspiration - 9 May

Children need to be taught self-discipline and responsible behavior. They should be equipped with the personal strength needed to meet the demands imposed on them by school, their peer group, and later, adult responsibilities.

Add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control.
2 Peter 1:5, 6