Bippity Boppity BUTTER!

Apologies for the lack of posts the last few weeks!  We've been battling diarrhea and RSV in our house.  Fun.  I've started like five different projects, but haven't finished them.  Obviously I can't post an unfinished project. LOL.

But anyway.  Today I made butter.

Yes, butter.

And no, I don't have a churn.  But I do have a KitchenAid mixer!

I got the idea from my brother-in-law who made some over Easter week.  When he told me how easy it was, I knew I just had to try it.  It's not cheaper than buying butter from the store, but it's more about the fun of making it, I think. ;)

All you need is heavy whipping cream... and salt, if desired (I didn't use any).

Pour the cream into the mixer and let it go on 'whipping' speed.  It'll make whipped cream pretty quickly, but let it keep going.  

Pretty soon (maybe like 8-10 minutes in), you'll hear the mixture start sloshing around and you'll see the has butter separated from the buttermilk.  And here is where I failed with the picture-taking. :|

Drain off the buttermilk.  You can save it, but I didn't.  I should have, but I just didn't.  Another fail, I guess.  Knead the butter to get rid of the rest of the buttermilk.  Then I rinsed the butter, kneaded some more, and repeated a few times.

See how pretty and yellow it is?  After it was finished being kneaded to death, I stuck it in the fridge.  And washed my hands.  So greasy!

-sigh- I wish I had some fresh homemade bread to slather it on... but I don't. :/ Guess I'll have to settle for the store-bought type.

(Post title is an inside joke in my hubby's family, adapted from Jim Gaffigan.)

Cranberry Muffins

I posted on Facebook a while ago about making cranberry muffins.  I got requests for the recipe and fully intended to post it before Christmas (because cranberries are kind of Christmas-y), but then Hallie Lou made her appearance and I... kind of fell off the blogosphere.

SO... I decided to share them again for Valentine's Day, since they're, you know... red and all. ;) I even baked them in heart-shaped muffin tins.  How cute and Valentine-y!

You can use fresh or frozen cranberries but, since fresh ones aren't in season, I'd recommend the frozen ones.  I found my frozen berries at Central Market; my local grocery didn't have them.  Seriously couldn't tell the difference!

(Actually, the recipe calls for partridgeberries [lingonberries], so if you're lucky and live in Canada, you should definitely use them rather than cranberries if you can find them!)

Start by creaming the butter and sugar.  This is my favorite part of baking. I always like to sample... yum!

Add egg, vanilla, milk, baking powder, and salt to your buttery-sugary blend.

With flour mixed in.

Then, mix in the flour.  My mom always did two parts white flour and one part whole wheat, but you can use all white (or all wheat) if you like.

Pour in the berries and fold until incorporated.

Mmm!

And the finished product.  Look how cute they are!  And yummy, too.  I am not ashamed to say that I could eat a whole batch of these babies in a few days.

Hey, cranberries are healthy... and they're made with a little wheat flour, right? ;)

Click here to see where I link up!

Cranberry Muffins Recipe

1/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups white flour

3/4 cup wheat flour

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar.

2. Mix in egg vanilla, milk, baking powder, and salt.

3. Stir in flour until blended.

4. Fold in berries until incorporated.

5. Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Tip:  reserve some berries to add in once you start getting to the bottom of the bowl.  If you don't, you might end up with some berry-less muffins!

Favorite Cool Weather Dish

I stepped outside today to head to my prenatal appointment and actually shivered!  Little Man and I were both wearing shorts and t-shirts.  A glance at my weather app confirmed that it was 55 degrees!  Woohoo!  I quickly went back inside to get Gabriel a jacket and change into some jeans.

In honor of this special day--the coldest we've had yet here--I've decided to share one of my family's favorite slow cooker recipes:  Beef Stroganoff.  Besides roast beef, this is probably the meal that Drew requests the most.  It's just perfect for a cold (or cool) day, although I shamelessly make this even in the hot summer months because it's just that good. ;)

Start with some basic beef stroganoff ingredients:  beef, mushrooms, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, flour, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and sour cream.

My recipe calls for actual steak, but I've found that stewing meat works just as well.  It's cheap and you don't have to spend time cutting it up.  Just dump it in the slow cooker and there you go!

Mix the flour, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl then dump it over the meat in the crock pot.

Now here's the fun part:  coating the meat in the flour mixture!  I'm probably the only one who actually enjoys handling raw beef or chicken (but don't get me started on pork--that's enough to make me want to turn vegetarian).  I just use my fingers to toss everything, but feel free to use some sort of utensil. ;)

All done!  Now wash your hands, regardless of whether you used them or a utensil. :)

Next, combine the onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and some water in a bowl.  I usually just use the same one; I'm all about cutting down on dishes!

Pour it over the beef and add the mushrooms, stirring to combine.  I don't use my hands here!

Set your crockpot timer (or kitchen timer) for 3.5 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.  Then sit back, relax, and wait!  I always cook it on high, because I usually make it while Gabriel's sleeping.

About 15 minutes before the stroganoff is done, add the sour cream.  It'll turn into this creamy beefy color.  Yum!  (I always like to sample it a little here, too... just to make sure it turned out!)

Serve it over rice with a side of asparagus and you can't go wrong!  Just look at it!  (You're welcome to serve it over the egg noodles, which I did the very first time I made it.  My recipe calls for rice, however, so I tried it that way the second time and have never gone back.  So yummy!)

Hope you all enjoy!  And here's to hoping I can put my shorts away for good!

Click here to see where I link up!

Beef Stroganoff Recipe

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 3/4 pounds boneless beef steak (or stew meat)

10 3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 package of mushrooms, washed

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (optional)

1.  Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in a small bowl.

2.  Cut meat into strips (or use stew meat).  Place in slow cooker and toss in flour mixture.

3.  Combine mushroom soup, water, and onion soup mix in a small bowl.  Stir until well blended.  Pour over meat.

4.  Add mushrooms and toss until mixed.

5.  Cover and cook on High 3-3.5 hours or Low 6-7 hours.

6.  Stir in sour cream and parsley.  Cook on high 10-15 minutes.

7.  Serve over rice.

Homemade Bread

My husband's favorite food is bread.  No, seriously.  A few years ago, he told me that his favorite part about Thanksgiving dinner is the rolls.  Rolls!  At Thanksgiving!  I promptly told him he was crazy.  I mean, I like bread and all, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's my favorite part of any meal, much less Thanksgiving.

Anyway.  Like I said a few posts ago, I've been starting to try more new things in the kitchen and I started with desserts.  Well.  Drew and I do not have the same tastes in desserts.  My first few attempts at surprising him when he got home from work were less than satisfactory.  Knowing that his favorite Christmas candy is his mom's toffee, I tried my hand at this recipe (which turned out amazing, by the way).

After eating a piece, he said:  "You know, I don't think I actually really like toffee.  I think it's more the idea that I only get it at Christmas that appeals to me."

Well, excuse me.  (Not that I minded so much.  I have proceeded to eat almost the whole batch myself.  He has only had one piece and that is fine with me.)

So desserts are pretty much out.  If I can't make something that both of us like, I might as well not make a lot.  I certainly don't need the extra sugar and I am not going to labor in the kitchen for sweets that I don't like!  If I wasn't almost nine months pregnant, I might consider it; right now, being on my feet long enough to make and clean up dinner is rough enough.

But enough of the backstory.  Last week, I got a craving for fresh homemade bread after seeing seeing this recipe on Pinterest.  I knew I had to make it.  It looked so easy and my poor KitchenAid mixer has been somewhat neglected in the last three years.  Yesterday, while my teething tyke was sleeping, I threw everything together in the mixer and happily watched it go.

The recipe says to mix for 7 minutes, but that was way too long.
Mine was done after only 4 and I think I over mixed it.

After letting it rise for an hour, I separated it and let it rise again.

Then, I brushed it with an egg mixture and sprinkled it with oats before baking it.  At this point, Gabriel woke up.  He was not amused that the bread was baking and not ready to eat.  He stood at the oven for about five minutes saying "Mmmm?  Mmmm!"

Meanwhile, the smell of fresh bread permeated my house and possibly the building.

It.  Was.  Heavenly.

After baking for about thirty minutes, I pulled the bread out of the oven and turned the loaves onto a wire rack for cooling.

Totally scrumptious-looking (and -smelling)!

I promptly texted my husband:  "You are in for a treat tonight!!!"

When he came home, he was ecstatic that I'd made him homemade bread.  He couldn't say enough about it.  Between the three of us, we polished off over half a loaf.  Drew and I both ruined our dinner... but we couldn't help ourselves!  The bread was so yummy that it was worth it!

And you know what?  The bread was my favorite part of the meal. :)

Gabriel and I had some for breakfast this morning.  I toasted it in the toaster and then spread butter and strawberry jelly on it.  It was insane.

I use paper plates for breakfast.  Don't judge.

This bread is probably going to become a weekly staple for me.  I'm definitely going to have to bake a few loaves to freeze so that I can enjoy it after Baby Girl gets here!

Melon Adventure

I love Wal-Mart.  A lot.

Growing up as one of nine kids, Wal-Mart was almost exclusively where my parents shopped.  I hate going into Tom Thumb and HEB to buy things that I know are cheaper elsewhere.  And let's face it, Wal-Mart is cheaper.

But one thing I have learned about shopping at Wal-Mart on my own the last three years:  they do not have great produce, especially fruit.  Produce is one of the few things that I sometimes purchase at smaller stores.

However, a few weeks ago, I was shopping and got a sudden craving for cantaloupe.  Little-known fact about me:  I could probably eat a whole cantaloupe in one sitting.  Just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and I'll eat it with a spoon, using the rind as a bowl.  LOVE.  (Another little-known fact about me:  I'm actually allergic to melons.  My throat gets all itchy when I eat them, but I love them so much that I don't care.  Ha.)

Anyway, Wal-Mart happened to have cantaloupes on special, so I went ahead and bought one.

Best.  Decision.  Ever.

It was seriously the ripest, sweetest cantaloupe that I have ever tasted.  So, last week when doing my weekly shopping, I decided to try again.  Who knew?  Maybe I'd get lucky twice!

When I cut into it, I was ecstatic.

Look how ripe that is!

It's practically begging me to gobble it up!  Unfortunately (fortunately?), I have a little guy who loves melon as much as I do, so I had to share.

And really, who could resist that face?  (Don't let the shirt fool you... he's a fruit monster.)

Needless to say... I'll be buying cantaloupes at Wal-Mart more often!  Next time, however, I'll be taking Gabriel's shirt off before he eats.  Melon apparently stains.  Any suggestions for getting it out??

Lemon Chicken

Last night, I adventured in the kitchen.  This isn't really something I have done often in the past.  I am definitely the kind of person who gets stuck in a rut, preparing the same things over and over again... probably because I like eating the same stuff over and over again.

Seriously, I could eat a turkey sandwich every day for lunch.  Once, I even ate it for lunch and dinner.  Sad.

Anyway, my poor husband has suffered patiently the past three-and-a-half years.  (Although don't let him fool you that it's all my fault.  Our first year of marriage, he was hesitant to try anything new, which I think is part of the problem!)

No longer!  I've been collecting new recipes and trying them out (starting with desserts), thanks to my newfound love, Pinterest. :)

Last night, I tried this recipe for lemon chicken.  I knew it would be good, as Jeanene claimed it's one of her "most requested recipes," but I was completely unprepared for just how scrumptious it was!

Look at this insane goodness... just waiting for me to get my fork in there and shred it!  After tasting the first bite, I said aloud:  "Oh. My. Goodness."  Pretty sure that Gabriel looked at me funny, talking to myself.

But seriously... SO GOOD!  The chicken was so buttery, but not too heavy, thanks to the light lemony flavor.  Plus, it literally melted in your mouth!  Ahhhh...

I paired it with brown rice and green beans.  I think it would have gone better with some toasty French bread, but alas, I didn't have any.

Best part?  Both of my boys loved it.  Gabriel practically inhaled half a chicken breast... without ketchup! And I have leftovers! (Although I had to keep Drew's fingers out of the tupperware I put it in... ha!)

And after dinner, Drew said:  "I think that's one of the best meals you've ever made."

Yeah.  I was happy. :) Needless to say, there will be plenty more kitchen adventures coming up on this blog!

Cordon Bleu

I don't often post what we're having for dinner on Facebook.  Who really cares what Drew and I eat?  The only time I do is when I'm extra proud of something I've made.

Monday was one of those days.

I recently made the happy discovery that one of the blogs I admire has a recipe sub-blog (cue the Hallelujah Chorus).  I'm always looking for new recipes to try and I have trouble with the ones in books that don't include pictures.  Not sure why.

Anyway, I am a huge fan of chicken cordon bleu.  I made it so much the first year of my marriage that Drew had to ask me to stop.  Later he admitted that it wasn't one of his favorites... so I literally haven't made it in over a year.  I started craving it a few weeks ago and made up my mind to make it, no matter what Drew said.

Fortunately, I came across a downright scrumptious-looking recipe for it at Kevin & Amanda.  I was so excited to try it... and I'm ecstatic to say that it turned out very well.  I mean, just look at this picture!  (Mine was a little more browned, but still tasted yummy!)

kevinandamanda.com

I paired it with mashed potatoes--another amazing recipe I found via Amanda, although it's from The Pioneer Woman (I halved it and still have half the recipe in the fridge).  They, also, turned out perfectly.  I had been planning on baking some asparagus with it, but when I pulled them out of the fridge, they had a little mold on them.  -tears-  Oh, well.  It was filling enough.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that this dinner was one of my bests.  Drew loved it.  It was the first time he spoke so highly of chicken cordon bleu, haha.

Easy Roast Beef

Last night, I made Drew’s favorite meal:  roast beef with mashed potatoes and baked asparagus.  It was pretty bangin’, if I do say so myself. ;) Anyway, the roast turned out so well that I thought I’d share my “secret family recipe.”  It’s apparently not as secret as my chocolate chip cookies.

In any case, this roast was originally perfected by Drew’s grandmother, who passed it down to her daughter-in-law (Drew’s mom, in case you weren’t following), who passed it down to me.  It’s incredibly simple and almost impossible to overcook; although admittedly, it does taste better when it’s tender (I would know—I left it in too long the first few times).

Start out with a good cut of round rump roast.  You will know it’s a good cut if there is a thick layer of fat on one side—the thicker the better!  (Mine is only mediocre in fat thickness, but meh.)  In order to prepare it for the oven, all you have to do is put salt and pepper on each side of the roast.  It helps to pat it into the meat.  It's kind of impossible to put too much pepper.  I always pepper conservatively because I don't like it, but Drew's mom puts a TON, and it always tastes amazing. :)

After you're done salting and peppering, stick the roast in a 9x13 and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour per pound.  This roast was two pounds, so I cooked it for a little under two hours.  Just so you know, a two pound roast for two people will result in LOTS of leftovers.  I would recommend getting a one to one-and-a-half pounder.  Honestly, I asked for one of those at Tom Thumb, but they gave me a two-pound rump.  Oh, well.  We like leftovers.

After it's done cooking, the roast needs to sit and "rest" for about twenty-thirty minutes, so I don't usually start making the side items until it's already out.  After it has rested, carve away and enjoy!

(As you can see from the picture, my roast flopped over and refused to cook fat-side up.  If this happens, don't panic.  I just flipped it to the other side half-way through cooking and everything turned out fine.)