11 YRS OLD EXPOSES MONSANTO AND TELLS MONSANTO WHERE THEY CAN SHOVE IT ....

My Potato Project; The Importance of "Organic"

Break A Few Eggs For Great Breakfast Anytime Anywhere

Even if you don't cook much, it's not hard to fry an egg, right? Yes and no. It's the simple things that get us pretty heated about the best technique. I'm a fried-egg-over-easy guy, and here a a few tips that will help you in your quest for perfection:

1. Get your toast or whatever the egg's going on ready. Fried eggs don't wait.

2. Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, and heat it first before adding a mix of olive oil and butter. (If using a nonstick, heat the pan with the fat in it). The pan should get hot enough so that the butter foams up and then subsides, but not so hot that it burns.

3. Crack the egg on a flat surface, not an edge-your chances for a clean break are better that way-then slide it gently from the shell into the pan.

4. Turn the heat down to medium and cover the skillet. Cook the egg undisturbed until the film of egg white barely covering the yolk just turns a milky white, 1 to 11/2 minutes. This makes the yolk sturdy enough to handle the flip.

5. Using your thinnest metal pancake turner, slide it gently but confidently under the egg and turn it over. Don't be timid. Turn off the heat and let the egg cook in the still-hot skillet, uncovered, for 10 to 20 seconds, or until the yolk still jiggles when touched for a runny yolk. Longer for a firmer one. Now land it where it belongs.

Yes you can freeze your bananas

What to do if your most recent purchase of bananas turns ripe all at the same time.  It would be a shame to just throw them away and the chances are good that you probably don't have time to quickly whip up a banana cream pie right now, right?
Okay, there is hope.  Here's what you can do.  I know that most people say you can't freeze bananas but they, quite simply, are wrong.  You can freeze them and enjoy them up to six months later.  Here's what to do:
Peel all of your over ripe bananas and mash them up.  Combine the juice of 1 lemon for every 6 bananas or if you don't have a lemon simply use the fake citrus acid stuff you can buy at the store.  Mix the bananas with the juice and put it in a airtight container or in freezer wrap.  Then send off a quick note to Chiquita telling them what you've done and that you have some great recipes for mashed and frozen bananas...like banana bread, banana cake, banana pudding etc.  Of course you'll have to thaw them before you can use them but hey, a few hours on the counter will take care of that.
Now, go eat something.  You look hungry.  I would suggest some banana pancakes with whipped topping.  Yummy!

Burned Biscuits

When I was a little boy, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach ...for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!  When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. 

And I'll never forget what he said: "Baby, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired.. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things...... and imperfect people

I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

-- Author Unknown

Taco Dip

A few nights back one of the employees with whom I work brought in this wonderful Taco Dip and shared it with everyone.  This is a must-try recipe if you love Mexican food.  It was so good that I didn't even bother to dip any chips in it.  I just piled some up on my plate and dug in.  Yes, this Taco Dip is really that good.

INGREDIENTS:
Refried beans
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of mayonase
1 package of taco seasoning
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
Assorted toppings such as tomatoes, green onions or whatever else you love to put on your tacos.


PREPARATION:
Layer the refried beans in a 9X13 dish.
Mix the sour cream, Mayonase and Taco seasoning together.
Layer this on top of the refried beans
Layer on the shredded cheese and then add whatever else you've decided you love on your tacos.

You can serve this warmed or put it in the refrigerator to serve later.  Either way it is delicious.

An Apple A Day Does NOT Keep The Doctor Away

An Apple A Day No Longer Keeps The Doctor Away:

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. It's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,". And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples.

Budget tip: If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise. "I would rather see the trade-off being that I don't buy that expensive electronic gadget," he says. "Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet for a family."

Lettuce: The Sedative Of Life

Did You Know? Lettuce is a natural sedative. That's why when you go out to lunch and only have a salad (trying to lose weight) when you return to your office it suddenly becomes almost impossible to stay awake. Many people avoid sugar during their lunch break thinking that it will "drop them like a hot rock" in just a few minutes and induce sleep mode. In truth it was/is the lettuce. Sometimes you just can't win!

Easy No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Bread with a Difference, Dutch Oven Style:

Home-made bread: there really is nothing quite like it. The smell of it wafting out the kitchen can make even the dullest rented flat feel like home. There is something earthy about baking bread, something that appeals to the simplest of instincts: those of home, family and food. Many home bakers constantly experiment in search of the perfect bread recipe, experimenting with different grains, seeds and flours, often with impressive results. Unfortunately, the cooking stage can sometimes let down the perfect bread recipe. Modern domestic ovens just aren’t made for bread-baking, as moisture is vented out of them, producing a dry heat which tends to lead to dry bread. A wetter, steamier oven will produce moist, soft loaves with deliciously crusty outsides: the holy grail of bread-making.

Traditionally, bread was baked in wood-fired ovens very similar to the pizza ovens seen in most modern Italian restaurants. However, it’s not easy to build this kind of oven in the average domestic kitchen! The solution is to use a Dutch oven: a large cast iron cooking pot. Dutch ovens retain moisture, so the steam stays in the pot while the bread is cooking. A Dutch oven is a cheap, easy way to transform your bread baking.

Dutch ovens cook bread in a very similar way to professional baking ovens used by commercial bakers. Those ovens use steam injection to keep the bread moist as it cooks. A Dutch oven does the same thing, without the need for expensive equipment. It gets and stays very hot: cast iron is a great heat absorber. The tight-fitting lid keeps steam in the pot, preventing drying, with fantastic results.

Making bread in a Dutch oven is very easy, not just because of the cooking method, but the recipe needed. Dough for bread that is to be cooked in a Dutch oven doesn’t need to be kneaded. It can simply be left to rise, shaped, and cooked. This makes Dutch oven baking perfect for beginner bakers: if you’ve been scared off in the past by the seemingly complicated bread-making process, use a Dutch oven.

Cooking bread in a Dutch oven seems to bring bread-making back to its origins. Many of us are reluctant to try making bread, believing it to be a complicated process, almost akin to alchemy. It really isn’t, but it’s not hard to see why so many have that view. Look at a bread recipe, and it will often appear long and difficult. However, people have been baking bread all over the world for thousands of years. It is a fundamental part of our culture, referenced in religion and common phraseology. The concept of ‘breaking bread’ is a highly powerful one. The breaking of the loaf and sharing of it at the table is a representation of community and family. ‘Bread’ in slang can mean, simply, ‘food’. The loaf of bread in the kitchen is almost part of the furniture, central to how and what we eat.

When you think of bread in these kinds of terms, what do you think of? It’s probably not a sliced supermarket loaf. It’s more likely to be exactly the kind of bread you can make in a Dutch oven, with very little effort. Dutch oven loaves both look and taste wonderful. The inside (or ‘crumb’) is soft, melting in the mouth. The crust is thick, crispy and full of flavour. Think about that dipped in some warming soup, matched with tangy cheese, or simply slathered in creamy butter. These are simple pleasures indeed; but very tasty ones. This is the kind of food that we dream of when we dream of home.

Perhaps you’ve struggled for months trying to make the perfect loaf, or perhaps you’ve thought it wasn’t worth trying. Dutch oven baking is the answer. It does not have to stop at basic bread either. You could try flavoring with herbs and seeds, for example, or making rolls rather than loaves. You can also try other kinds of baking in a Dutch oven, including biscuits and pastries. The Dutch oven is one of those most rare and useful kitchen utensils: something that is both highly versatile and very easy to use. So what are you waiting for? Get baking! 

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 
1 1/2 cups warm water 
3 cups all-purpose flour , plus more for dusting, white, whole wheat,
a combination of the two  can be used also 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
cornmeal or wheat bran , for dusting

PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended.
The dough will be shaggy and sticky.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably
12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.

Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

 Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your
fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour,
wheat bran or cornmeal.
Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or
cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours.

When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back
when poked with a finger.

At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees.
Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven
as it heats.

When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid.
Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up.

The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake
or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will
straighten out as it bakes.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned.
Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least
1 hour before slicing.

Granny's Old Fashion Chili Sauce

May thanks to our friend Carol Feltman for this wonderful old-home recipe.  We tried it and it was one of the best we've ever had.

Carol Says:

This is the best! My Granny made this and I have been in love with it ever since. It is good on so many meats, and whatever else you may find to put it on. Enjoy :)

Old Fashion Chili Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

12 large tomatoes (peeled)
3 large sweet bell peppers
3 large onions- use Vidalia, if possible (sweet onions)
6 small hot peppers --can use less---adjust for your taste
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
some salt -- guesstimate! about 1/8 tsp. ,up to you
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon allspice

PREPARATION:

Boil tomatoes awhile -- add peppers and onions chopped fine -- add vinegar and sugar -- cook slowly -- add spices and simmer till thick (4-5 hours)

Cranberry Chicken

Easy and Delicious
Only 4 ingredients

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces Catalina Salad Dressing
1 package Dry onion soup mix
1 lb Whole berry cranberry sauce
4 Chicken breasts boneless and skinless



PREPARATION:
:
Mix together the dressing, onion soup mix, and cranberry sauce. 

Place chicken in a greased baking dish and pour the dressing mixture over the chicken.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is done.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Taco Soup

A quick easy and filling dinner option.  Great as leftovers as well.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground beef
1 can corn
1 can tomatoes diced
1 can black beans
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 cup Water

PREPARATION:

In a large pot, brown the ground beef.  Add corn, tomatoes, black bean, taco seasoning mix, ranch dressing mix, and water.  Add additional water for soupier consistency. 

Top with cheese, sour cream, and Doritos

Corn Casserole

This quick and simple recipe will have guests wanting more and then begging for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 box corn muffin mix
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn (with water)
4 oz sour cream (1/2 cup)
0.75 stick butter (softened)





PREPARATION:

-Grease your pan
-Mix together all ingredients until it is smooth in texture
- Bake ~~at; 350 for approximately 45 minutes

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

INGREDIENTS:

1 c Butter or margarine
1 1/4 c Peanut butter (smooth)
1 lb Powdered sugar
3 1/2 c Rice Krispies
6 oz Chocolate chips
1/2 lg Hershey Bar broken up
2 1/2 parafin shaved



PREPARATION:

Melt butter in a heavy 2 qt. saucepan over low heat. Add peanut butter,  stir until well blended. Remove from heat. Combine sugar and Rice Krispies  in a large bowl. Pour hot peanut butter mixture over all. Mix thoroughly  using hands ( be very careful, mixture will be hot). Shape into 1 inch  balls. Place on wax paper lined cookie sheets. Cover and refrigerate 1  hour.    Combine chocolate chips, Hershey Bar, and parafin in top of double boiler.  Place over hot water until melted. Dip chilled peanut butter balls in  chocolate mixture to coat. Place on wax paper lined sheets to set  chocolate.When dry, store in refrigerator.

3 Envelope Roast

This was really good and easy.

INGREDIENTS:

3 pound roast (beef or pork) such as chuck roast
1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
1 envelope dry ranch dressing mix
1 envelope dry brown gravy mix
Water - for a pressure cooker 1 cup water


PREPARATION:

(Please note in a SLOW COOKER you CAN cut in half the dry ingredients if you find it overpowering.)

In the pressure cooker use the whole envelopes. I prefer the whole envelopes in either method of cooking.

Put the water in a measuring cup that is larger then the amount of water you are using. Now add and mix all three envelopes of dry salad dressings to the water. Mix until blended completely.

Brown the roast (if desired) I love mine browned. 
Add the meat to your cooker
Pour the water, salad dressing mixture over the roast
Now cook as usual. In the CE Pressure Cooker, I cooked it for 70 minutes and used quick release method can and probably should use natural but I am always in a hurry when making this as it smells so good! In the slow cooker cook it on high for about 4 hours on low about 8 hours.

You can use the liquid for gravy or broth!

Make a Gingerbread House!

Every time I try to make a gingerbread house I think to myself "this is going to be great and will look like the house on little house on the prairie." And it does... but with one exception; my house doesn't look like "little house on the prairie it looks more like "little shack in the field."
It doesn't matter though, it's the thought that counts and I certainly have fun trying. Maybe you can get it right. If you do how about sending us some pictures of your special creation. We'll even post the pictures here for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks,
Steve & Kim

How To Make Christmas Cookies

Christmas cooking can be frustrating but it doesn't have to be. Nope, it can be fun especially if you share the experience with your friends and family. Give this a try and have a very Merry Christmas to everyone.
Here's a LINK that will give you some awesome Christmas Time Recipes.
 

How To Decorate A Cake

       
Quick, simple and fun to do.  Try this and see just what you can do.
** Hey, we made a rhyme**...

Deviled Chicken Cutlets

This recipe is just plain awesome.  We thought you'd enjoy it so we're sharing it with you just in time for the holiday meal season.
Merry  Christmas from Steve and Kim

INGREDIENTS:

4 Chicken cutlets
3 tb Mayonnaise
3 tb Dijon mustard
1 ts Garlic chopped
1/2 ts Ground sage
1/2 ts Hot pepper sauce
1/4 c Dried bread crumbs
1/4 ts Salt

PREPARATION:
Place oven rack in upper third of oven. Heat oven to 450?. Line baking  sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.  Place chicken pieces on the foil.    Stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, sage and pepper sauce in a  small bowl until well blended. Brush evenly over top of chicken cutlets.  Mix together the crumbs and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of the  crumbs evenly on top of the chicken cutlets. Turn chicken over; repeat  brushing with mayonnaise mixture and sprinkling with the remaining crumbs.    Bake in the upper third of the 450? oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is  no longer pink in center and crumbs are golden.

Sweet And Sour Meatloaf

Jennifer White is a friend of ours on FaceBook.  She shared this great recipe with us and said it was okay to share it with everyone else.  Thanks Jennifer.

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf....
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef,
1 cup dry bread crumbs,
1 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs,
1 teaspoon dried minced onion,
1(15ounce) can of tomato sauce
,2 tablespoons brown sugar,
2 tablespoons cider vinegar,
1/2 cup white sugar,
2 teaspoons prepared mustard......

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350.. In large bowl combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, salt, ground black pepper, eggs, onion flakes and 1/2 the can of tomato sauce. Mix together well and place into a 5x9 inch loaf pan..... Push meatloaf down into the pan forming a well for the sauce around all the edges... Bake at 350 for 40 minutes... Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, white sugar and mustard. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.... After meatloaf has cooked for 40 minutes, remove from oven and pour sauce over the top of the meatloaf..... Return to oven and bake at 350 for 20 more minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing from pan... ENJOY