eggnog shakes -- just like hogi yogi

this recipe was created out of necessity. i absolutely love the eggnog shakes hogi yogi makes around the holidays, but the location near me went out of business. plus they were kind of expensive, so this was what i came up with. only 2 ingredients! (and i'm sure this version is much more figure friendly.)

1 serving

1 cup eggnog
1+ cup ice

mix the eggnog and ice in a blender until smooth, adding additional ice cubes until desired thickness is reached. serve immediately.

cauliflower soup

i serve this spicy soup with bread sticks and a green salad for dinner during the winter months.

1 head of cauliflower cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese*
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese*
salt and pepper to taste

in a large saucepan, add the cauliflower, chicken stock, and water. cover and bring to a boil. turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until tender. remove from heat and allow to cool. ladle the cooked cauliflower into a blender and add some of the chicken stock. puree until smooth. (this can be done in two batches and you will probably use most, if not all of the chicken stock.) pour the puree into a bowl and set aside.

in the empty saucepan, melt the butter. stir in the garlic and flour. whisk in the milk gradually so no lumps form. over medium heat, bring the milk to a slow boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. continue to boil for 2 minutes more. turn the heat to low. add the cauliflower puree, shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese one handful at a time, stirring each addition until it melts into the soup. season with salt and pepper. serves 5-6.

*do not use pre-shredded cheese; it won't melt.

Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls

from America's Test Kitchen

To ensure the softest, most tender rolls, avoid flouring the work surface during hand kneading; if necessary, flour your hands instead. The flour that you use to dust the work surface during shaping stays on the surface of the dough and is meant to give the rolls a soft, delicate look. The dough is best made in a standing mixer; there is too large a quantity of soft dough for a food processor, and it is difficult to make by hand.

Makes about 2 dozen triangular rolls

1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 package rapid-rise yeast
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface and dusting rolls
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces and softened

1. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Once oven reaches 200 degrees, maintain oven temperature 10 minutes, then turn off oven heat.

2. Microwave milk and sugar in microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl at full power until warm (about 95 degrees). (Alternatively, heat milk and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until warm; remove from heat.) Whisk to dissolve sugar. Sprinkle yeast over surface of liquid, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 10 minutes to soften yeast. Whisk egg into milk mixture, dissolving yeast.

3. Combine flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on lowest speed to blend, about 15 seconds. With mixer running, add milk mixture in steady stream; mix on low speed until flour is just moistened, about 1 minute. With mixer running, add butter one piece at a time; increase speed to medium and beat until combined and dough is scrappy, about 2 minutes. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough until smooth but still sticky, about 4 minutes. Scrape dough out onto work surface. Knead by hand until very smooth and soft but no longer sticky, about 1 minute; do not add more flour. Transfer dough to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down dough, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rest 5 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and follow steps 1 through 8 (below) to shape and cut into triangles. Transfer rolls to baking sheets, then cover each with clean kitchen towels and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove towels and (without pressing on the rolls) wrap baking sheets tightly with greased plastic wrap. Freeze rolls until solid, about 6 hours; transfer to large zipper-lock bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

5. When ready to bake rolls, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees. Place frozen rolls on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets; let stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and switching positions from top to bottom halfway through baking time. Transfer rolls immediately to wire rack; cool 5 minutes and serve.

STEP BY STEP: Forming the Rolls

1. Lightly flour work surface, and pat dough into 9-inch square. Fold dough into thirds, folding upper 3 inches down and lower 3 inches up. Pinch together edges to seal.

2. Using the side of your outstretched hand, firmly press an indentation along the length of the dough.

3. Fold and roll upper sealed edge of dough toward center indentation, pressing firmly with your fingertips to seal.

4. Pull the upper edges of the dough down over the thick portion to meet the seam, pressing with your fingertips to seal. Repeat 5 or 6 times. The dough will lengthen and form a taut, narrow cylinder about 17 inches long.

5. Dust with flour, then roll the dough seam-side up and pinch firmly to seal.

6. Press an indentation into the length of the dough along the seam with the side of your open hand. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to form a long, taut cylinder.

7. Gently stretch and roll the dough cylinder until it measures 36 inches long and about 21⁄2 inches wide.

8. Holding the bench scraper at a 45-degree angle to the cylinder, lop off one end. Cut triangular-shaped rolls along dough, alternating the scraper 45-degrees to right and left. You should get 24 rolls.

street chicken tacos

from good things utah

okay, so the online directions are pretty bad. they don't give much detail, so i am going to explain what i do. if you used the giant chicken breasts (like from costco) the full recipe can serve up to 12 people.

4-6 boneless chicken breasts – trimmed
1 large can green enchilada sauce, bigger than the one in the picture
2 cans el pato (found at the grocery store by the enchilada sauce)
1⁄2 cup cilantro (or desired amount for garnish)
1 sweet onion – diced
1 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
corn or flour tortillas ( i like the 6 inch corn tortillas)
cheese
shredded lettuce, optional
sour cream, optional

simmer chicken for 30 min. (i actually put the chicken breasts in a crock pot, fill with water and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until it is cooked through and falls apart. drain the water.) shred the chicken. combine the green chili sauce, el pato, onion, and brown sugar in the crock pot and get it warming up. place shredded chicken in the sauce and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours.

rice *this makes a ton so you might want to cut it in half or fourths unless you are making it for a crowd*

2 cups white or wheat rice
4 cups water (i use chicken broth)
1⁄2 onion diced
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
season salt (i like to use 1 teaspoon ground cumin and a few shakes of the season salt)

combine rice, butter, onion and garlic and sauté on med heat till onions have softened. add the water (or broth) with the spices, and allow the rice to come to a boil. simmer on low until all liquid is absorbed. mix the black beans in with the rice.

how i assemble the tacos:

heat a nonstick skillet on medium high heat. put a few tortillas in the pan and heat for 30-60 seconds on each side to soften them. on the warmed tortillas, spoon some of the chicken, rice and beans, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. fold in half if using the 6", or do the burrito wrap if using a large tortilla.

peach bread

from allrecipes.com

3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups diced canned peaches, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
*i also add 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Blend in the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix just to combine. Stir in the peaches and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

ginger snaps

i love this recipe because it uses oil instead of butter and you can use whole wheat flour and no one will know. these are chewy, a little crispy on the edges, and have the perfect amount of spice.

ginger snaps
yields: 4 dozen

1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour (i use 1 c whole wheat and 1 c all-
purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (trust me on this)
1/3 cup white sugar for decoration

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

in a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cayenne pepper; stir into the molasses mixture. roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball. roll each ball in white sugar before placing 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. use a glass to smash the dough down to 1/4 inch in thickness.

bake for 7 1/2 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. do not over bake. let them sit on the cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. they will firm up as they cool.

bruschetta

serves 20












12 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon roasted garlic*
1 shallot, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 (1 pound) loaves Italian bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices

to roast the garlic, take 1 head of garlic and cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top so the individual cloves of garlic are exposed. rub some olive oil over the exposed area and wrap the head in foil. place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. set aside to cool.

in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the minced shallot in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. in a large bowl, mash about 4 cloves of roasted garlic (to equal 1 tablespoon) with a fork to form a paste. add the shallots, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and diced tomatoes. fold the ingredients together. add salt and pepper, to taste. cover and refrigerate for 2-6 hours.

slice the bread on a bias and place on a baking sheet. broil for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until lightly toasty brown.

chop the basil leaves and fold into the tomatoes. spoon the tomato mixture over the toasted bread slices and sprinkle with feta cheese. the tomatoes can get a little watery, so i would use a fork instead of a spoon to drain the excess liquid.

*this recipe only uses about 4 cloves of roasted garlic. the rest can be refrigerated up to 3 days and is great to spread on bread, crackers, or use in any recipe calling for garlic. some people even eat it plain....

creamy grape salad

i had this recipe at a friend's house a while ago and it was so amazing, i had to get the recipe. i think it tasted extra good because the grapes and pecans came from her yard. to be honest, i never really buy grapes that often because my family can't finish them off before they go bad. but now i have a tasty recipe to put them in so i buy grapes whenever they are on sale. i ended up making this twice in a week and have had many requests for the recipe.

creamy grape salad
from taste of home
yield: 21-24 servings

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 pounds seedless red grapes
2 pounds seedless green grapes
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

wash and dry the grapes. in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until blended. add grapes and toss to coat. transfer to a serving bowl. cover and refrigerate until serving. sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans just before serving.

baked ziti

i found this recipe in a family cookbook and on allrecipes.com. it looked so easy, i had to try it. of course i can't follow directions; i always end up adding a few extra ingredients. this ziti is so good, i think we all went back for seconds. and thirds...




baked ziti
serves 8-10

1 16 oz package ziti
2 (26.5 oz.) cans spaghetti sauce
6 oz. provolone cheese, sliced (i used shredded, and it turned out great)
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced (or shredded)
1 1/2 cup sour cream, (i used a combo of light sour cream and homemade yogurt)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

cook pasta according to the package directions except subtract 2-3 minutes from the cooking time. drain. brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. drain. add spaghetti sauce, garlic, and cayenne pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.

in a greased 9x13" baking dish layer the ingredients as follows: 1/2 of the cooked ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream (put it in a ziploc bag, snip the end and pipe it on), 1/2 spaghetti sauce, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining spaghetti sauce.

tightly cover the dish with foil. bake at 350 for 20 minutes, top with grated parmesan cheese and return to oven uncovered, until the cheese melts, about 5-10 minutes.

spinach phyllo triangles

this is a great appetizer i have served on many occasions. since they can be a bit time consuming to assemble, i make them up to 2 months before the party and keep them in the freezer. the directions i have say you can cook them frozen, but then the tips get too brown before they are done, so i like to thaw them out for 15-20 minutes before they go in the oven.

spinach phyllo triangles -- from better homes and gardens, (but i modified it by adding more ingredients)

10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled (6 oz)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 egg
12+ sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed completely*
1/2 cup butter, melted

in a medium hot skillet, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. sprinkle a little salt on the onions while cooking to speed the process. let cool. in a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, feta, oregano, cayenne and black pepper, nutmeg, yogurt, and egg. add the onions and garlic and mix well.

brush one sheet of phyllo with melted butter. layer another sheet on top and brush with butter. using a pizza cutter, cut phyllo into 2x14" strips. spoon a rounded teaspoon of filling onto the end of each strip. fold into triangles by bringing a corner over the filling so it lines up with the other side of the strip. continue folding the strip, keeping it in a triangle shape. (just like you are folding the american flag. <- click for instructions, start with step 4.) brush triangles with butter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until golden. let cool slightly. they can be served warm, or at room temperature.

if you are freezing them for a later date, place the unbaked triangles in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen through....(i don't know how long, i usually end up forgetting about them and finding them the next day.) put triangles in tupperware with sheets of wax paper between the layers and store in the freezer up to 2 months.

*working with phyllo can be a little intimidating at first. just make sure you thaw the dough all the way by putting it in the refrigerator overnight or leaving it out on the counter for 2 hours. otherwise, the dough will crack. also, keep a damp kitchen towel over the dough and folded triangles so they don't dry out.

chocolate marshmallow cookies

i think i found this recipe while surfing the net a while ago. i just made these amazing cookies for the first time and they are addicting. when you make them, be prepared to have a lot of people ask you for the recipe.

jumbo marshmallows (about 20)
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

make the icing first so you can frost the cookies when warm.

to make the cookies, cream sugar, butter and vanilla. then add the egg and mix well. mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. add the milk and dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternating wet and dry. mix until well combined. drop tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8 min.

while these are cooking cut your marshmallows in half so you have short round marshmallows.

pull cookies out and set 1/2 a marshmallow on top of each cookie, cut side down, and return to the oven for 1 min. i squish the marshmallow down so they sit into the cookie.

once you take the cookies and marshmallows out of the oven, let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire baking rack with wax paper underneath. the next step gets a little messy.

drizzle the icing on the warm cookies.

icing

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 dash salt
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

melt the butter with the milk in the microwave then add the vanilla and almond extract. sift dry ingredients together. mix the dry into the wet ingredients. i use a hand held mixer. you should be able to drizzle the icing on the cookies so you might have to add more milk. but i thought the consistency was perfect as is. let the icing set on the cookies a couple of hours before serving.

applesauce and apple pie filling

here's something else i don't need to buy for a while -- applesauce! i have started using applesauce to replace oil in some of my baking recipes. my wonderful parents have a golden delicious apple tree and a red delicious apple tree and were more than happy to share their abundance. nothing beats free apples when you want to make applesauce, and i didn't even need to add any sugar the apples were so sweet. i use the guidelines on this website PYO canning for making the applesauce. if you want to can anything, check out that site!

it is recommended to use two different types of apples for the best flavor.

to make the pie filling, i first peeled the apples and then used my handy apple corer slicer. the apple slices were still too big, so i cut them in half. then, simmer 4 cups of apple cider with 2 cups of sugar. simmer the cider and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. then add all your apple slices and simmer for 3-5 minutes. add the apples to sterilized jars, then fill with the cider/sugar syrup, but leave a 1/2 inch head space. add the lids and process according to the directions for your altitude.

whole wheat applesauce pancakes

my little boy can't get enough of these mini pancakes.







since i just canned a bunch of applesauce, i wondered what i was going to do with it all. then i found a recipe for applesauce pancakes that inspired me to create this recipe. the problem i have with making whole wheat pancakes is that they never get fluffy enough for me. they end up thin and have little flavor. make this recipe and you will never go back to white flour pancakes again. these pancakes taste awesome! plus, you can feel good about eating a healthful breakfast that will keep you going until lunchtime.

whole wheat applesauce pancakes
serves 8

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3+ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon butter

in a small skillet, melt the butter. add the diced apples and saute until soft, about 3-5 minutes. in a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. make a well in the center and add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice, and 2/3 cup milk, and vanilla. stir to combine. if the batter is too thick at this point, add more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency is reached. fold in the apples. cook on an oiled and heated skillet....i'm sure by now you know how to cook pancakes!

serve with maple syrup, or if you feel like a little taste of heaven, try this buttermilk syrup recipe and you will have caramel apple pancakes.

buttermilk syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla

add all ingredients but vanilla in a deep saucepan. bring to a boil. boil for five minutes. do not stir. remove from heat and add vanilla. great on pancakes, waffles, french toast, and ice cream.

couscous for breakfast

couscous is a small pasta that originates from morocco and northern algeria. it is used in a similar way our culture uses rice. i learned about couscous from some college roommates. i liked it, but never thought to buy it after i got married since mark isn't really into couscous. once my son was old enough to eat "people" food, i had an idea to give him couscous and surprisingly he liked it. this recipe is easy to make and doesn't take too much time.

i like the hodgson mill whole wheat couscous with milled flax seed & soy because it has 6g of fiber and 10g of protein per 1/3 cup serving. i've seen this brand at smiths.

breakfast couscous, serves 1 adult or 2 toddlers

1/2 cup water, juice, or milk*
1/3 cup couscous, plain
dash of cinnamon
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup blueberries, (i use frozen)
vanilla yogurt

1. in a small saucepan, bring the water, juice, or milk to a boil.
2. stir in the cinnamon, butter, and couscous.
3. remove the saucepan from heat, sprinkle on the frozen blueberries, and cover with a lid.
4. let sit for 5 minutes. serve with yogurt.

variations: add 1/4 cup diced dried fruit to the saucepan with the water, juice, or milk in step 1.

* never heat milk and juice together unless you want curdled milk.

do it yourself -- yogurt

my mom and dad used to make homemade yogurt when i was younger. i didn't really like it. it was tart, not sweet, and didn't taste like the "candy" varieties (ahem, yoplait) i was used to. i guess my taste buds have grown up because i am a plain yogurt lover. a year ago, i decided to make my own. i found some recipes on allrecipes.com (<-click here to see them) and had fun experimenting. back then i didn't have a yogurt maker so this is what i did instead: (you really need a cooking thermometer to make this.)

in a large glass bowl, heat 4 cups of milk to 180-185 degrees (i use the microwave). once the milk has reached desired temperature, let it cool to 115 degrees while covered with plastic wrap. mix some of the warm milk with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt containing active cultures. before adding the yogurt, stir 1/3 cup powdered milk into the warmed milk. then pour the thinned yogurt into the bowl, (you don't need to stir it again) re-cover the bowl with plastic wrap as well as a towel and put in a warm place where it will stay between 112-115 degrees. i used a hot pad, but a heating blanket will work too. let it "incubate" for 6-8 hours. the longer you leave it, the thicker and more tart it will get. then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

i've had to play around with the recipe a few times to get it right and once i got my yogurt maker, (thanks mom and dad!) i had to experiment some more to get the results i wanted. my batches always end up with a layer of clear liquid on the top. i never stir it in, just pour it out before i use it and it stays nice and thick. just remember this yogurt is "homemade". it doesn't have the gelatin, or other stabilizers to give it the same texture of store bought yogurt.

i came up with the following on my own because the recipes that came with my yogurt maker didn't give me the texture i wanted.

yogurt maker yogurt:

heat 2 cups milk until it reaches 180-185 degrees. meanwhile, pour 1 cup powdered milk in a pint measuring cup. fill the measuring cup with cold water until the level reaches 2 cups. stir in the powdered milk until well combined. mix 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the cold milk. then, mix the hot milk with the cold milk but do not add thinned yogurt yet. pour the hot/cold milk mixture into the yogurt maker jars. divide the thinned yogurt among the jars, but do not stir it in. place the jars in the yogurt maker, cover with the lid and turn the timer on for 6 to 7 hours. when the yogurt is done, put the lids on the jars and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours.

i love to eat yogurt with this granola recipe, (<-click link), substitute it for sour cream, and add it to smoothies.

learnin' to jam part II

using more of my father-in-law's nectarines, i decided to attempt more jam. i made two batches: nectarine-blueberry, and low sugar nectarine-pomegranate. i decided i LOVE the no/low sugar pectin. the jam sets up so well and it is nice and tart because you can control the amount of sugar you use. i just followed the recipes that came with the pectin and added the amounts of fruit and sugar i wanted. for the nectarine-pomegranate jam, i added a handful of pomegranate seeds to the jar just before filling and stirred the jam and seeds together. then i proceeded with the water bath canning. i am seriously never buying jam again, (well, unless it is raspberry jam, because raspberries are expensive!)

learnin' to jam

this is my first attempt making jam. these beautiful nectarines came from my father-in-law's orchard. i searched the internet to learn how to make nectarine jam and found this one that doesn't call for pectin and uses a lot less sugar than most recipes. i added 1/4 teaspoons each of cinnamon and ginger, and about a tablespoon of vanilla extract. yum!

nectarines don't break down as much as other types of fruit, even after boiling for 30 minutes. so they need to be finely diced. no need to peel them, though.

i probably should have used a bigger pot for this batch. let's just say my stove and counters were covered in sticky jam splatters.

ten nectarines gave me three pints. i'm still waiting for them to set up so the jam is more like chunky syrup right now. but it tastes great and would be awesome on pancakes or waffles. maybe i'll use a pectin recipe next.

you say tomato...i say salsa!

after seeing all the beautiful tomatoes this season, i HAD to make some salsa. this is something i've never done before, but i thought, 'how hard can it be?' after experimenting a little, i decided to use the recipe in my better homes and gardens cookbook. of course i rarely follow a recipe, i consider recipes more of a guideline, so i added some chipoltle tobasco sauce for a little smoky flavor, skipped the sugar and ground pepper, and used bell peppers instead of poblanos. i think the end result turned out pretty well for my first time, though the entire process took a lot longer than i was planning. i'm not an expert canner so i hope i don't give myself botulism or some other form of food poisoning. i did follow the canning directions, but i guess if i'm hospitalized in the next few weeks we'll know why. . . just kidding. now for some pictures!

my wonderful father-in-law got me these lovely tomatoes from a local farmer.

here's the big grand-daddy of them all. after seeing this monster, i had "attack of the killer tomatoes" stuck in my head. (don't ask me how i remember that show, i've never watched it, so i have no idea!)

hayden kept calling them apples and wanted to hold, but not eat one.
my nice clean jars are ready.
i'm so excited i don't have to buy salsa for a while!

just checking some templates

hi, welcome to my food blog. i'm not sure what i'll be posting on this site, but i though it would be fun to have a collection of my favorite recipes. we'll see how this goes.