I tried the Pioneer Woman's blackberry cobbler #1 yesterday. It called for self-rising flour, which I didn't have and could only buy in 5 lb. bags. After searching the internet for a self-rising flour substitute, I found that for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour you add 1 1/4 tsp. of baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Now we are in business...
Blackberry Cobbler #1 - Pioneer Woman style!
Prep Time 10 mins., Preheat oven 350, Cook time 1 hr. Servings 8
Ingredients
1 stick butter
1 1/4 c. sugar (separated)
1 c. self-rising flour (1 c. all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 t. b. powder, and 1/4 t. salt)
1 c. milk
2 cups blackberries (frozen or fresh)
Directions
Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 c. of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter or spray a baking dish.
Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 c. sugar over the top. Back in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 mins. before it's done.
Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Life is sweet in Michigan...but if you make this it will be "sweet" anywhere you are!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Here's a recipe that I tore out of Family Circle in August 2010. I adapted it for my own taste and it's a quick meal for a hot summer day. But my warning is that you need to REALLY salt your pasta water and it makes much more than 6 servings...more like 8-10! I hope you try it and enjoy it!
Caprese Pasta
Makes 6 servings Prep 10 mins. Cook 9 mins.
1 lb. cavatappi pasta (I used what I had in the pantry)
2 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. pitted black olives, chopped (we used closer to 1/2 c.)
2 Tbs. capers
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
1 c. fresh basil, torn
2 c. cooked, cubed chicken (optional)
Directions:
1) Cook pasta following package directions, about 9 minutes, drain
2) If using chicken, grill or pan sear
3) In a large bowl, stir together the tomatoes, olive oil, olives, capers and balsamic vinegar.
Add pasta and chicken to the bowl and stir to combine. Fold in mozzarella and basil.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Caprese Pasta
Makes 6 servings Prep 10 mins. Cook 9 mins.
1 lb. cavatappi pasta (I used what I had in the pantry)
2 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. pitted black olives, chopped (we used closer to 1/2 c.)
2 Tbs. capers
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
1 c. fresh basil, torn
2 c. cooked, cubed chicken (optional)
Directions:
1) Cook pasta following package directions, about 9 minutes, drain
2) If using chicken, grill or pan sear
3) In a large bowl, stir together the tomatoes, olive oil, olives, capers and balsamic vinegar.
Add pasta and chicken to the bowl and stir to combine. Fold in mozzarella and basil.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Today, I have a great dinner idea that is not only easy, but also cheap! Today was one of those days when everyone in my family had to eat at different times. Even though it was a rather warm day, it was a slow cooker day. I often do this during the summer because I don't want to heat the house up, and pork loin roasts were buy one, get one free this week...slow cooker it is!I braised the roast on all sides in some olive oil in a large skillet with salt, pepper and onion powder.
In the slow cooker I put a liner, 2 garlic cloves, half of a softball-sized onion, one peeled and sliced red pear, and 6 new carrots (peeled). Next, put the braised roast in the slow cooker and cover with 1 1/2 cups of apple juice. Deglaze the pan with apple juice and pour into the cooker. Cover the cooker and cook on high for 4 hours.
Pull the pork roast apart with two forks and serve with the vegetables. If you would like to pour some juice over the meat, it tastes great, but you could thicken the juice and make a gravy.
It was yummy and there are leftovers!
Life is Sweet in Michigan!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
May 16, 2012
Hi! I'm sure you thought that I was never posting on this blog again! Life has been a bit topsy turvy in my little corner of Michigan lately! However, today I wanted to make sure that I directed you to the Piggy Bank Parties blog for Monday and today, Tuesday. You will see one of the many things that I have been busy with. Stay tuned to PBP, because you will see a tutorial on the musical instruments that were created for the Sassy Spring Chickens "Old MacDonald's Farm Band" party.
Stay tuned for some new recipes coming in the next few days...life is still so sweet in Michigan.
Hi! I'm sure you thought that I was never posting on this blog again! Life has been a bit topsy turvy in my little corner of Michigan lately! However, today I wanted to make sure that I directed you to the Piggy Bank Parties blog for Monday and today, Tuesday. You will see one of the many things that I have been busy with. Stay tuned to PBP, because you will see a tutorial on the musical instruments that were created for the Sassy Spring Chickens "Old MacDonald's Farm Band" party.
Stay tuned for some new recipes coming in the next few days...life is still so sweet in Michigan.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Soup's On!
January in Michigan is usually colder than we are experiencing this year, however we still love to make those yummy soups. I made one last week that came from The Pampered Chef website and tweeked it a bit. It's called "Smoky Yukon Gold Potato Chowder" Here's the recipe the way I made it.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. salted butter
1 onion, chopped
2 tsps. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
2 lbs. (about 6 medium) Yukon gold Potatoes, peeled and diced
4 c. low sodum chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz.) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. milk ( used 1/2%) or Fat Free half and half
3 oz. sharp cheddar shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 Tbsp. reduced fat sour cream (optional)
1 cup cubed ham ( small dice) This is my addition.
Directions:
1. Melt butter over medium heat in soup pot. Add onion, garlic powder and paprika and cook, uncovered 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock, cook, covered 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Remove pot from heat, cool 5 minutes.
2. Carefully ladle on-third of the potato mixtue into blender container. Cover and blend until smooth and remove to a large bowl. Repeat with batches of soup mixture until all is blended. **I used an emersible blender and didn't blend it all until it was smooth. I wanted a few pieces of beans and potatoes.
3. If you have used a blender in batches, return the soup to the pot, stir in milk. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until simmering. Stir in cheese, ham, salt, and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Optional garnish of sour cream on each serving.
Serves 6
Nutrients per serving: Calories 320, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 35 mg. Sodium 460mg. Carbohydrates 45 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 15 g Weight Watchers calculator puts this at 9 points!
I hope you try this hearty soup and know that it makes life a lot sweeter in Michigan!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. salted butter
1 onion, chopped
2 tsps. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
2 lbs. (about 6 medium) Yukon gold Potatoes, peeled and diced
4 c. low sodum chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz.) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. milk ( used 1/2%) or Fat Free half and half
3 oz. sharp cheddar shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 Tbsp. reduced fat sour cream (optional)
1 cup cubed ham ( small dice) This is my addition.
Directions:
1. Melt butter over medium heat in soup pot. Add onion, garlic powder and paprika and cook, uncovered 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock, cook, covered 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Remove pot from heat, cool 5 minutes.
2. Carefully ladle on-third of the potato mixtue into blender container. Cover and blend until smooth and remove to a large bowl. Repeat with batches of soup mixture until all is blended. **I used an emersible blender and didn't blend it all until it was smooth. I wanted a few pieces of beans and potatoes.
3. If you have used a blender in batches, return the soup to the pot, stir in milk. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until simmering. Stir in cheese, ham, salt, and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Optional garnish of sour cream on each serving.
Serves 6
Nutrients per serving: Calories 320, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 35 mg. Sodium 460mg. Carbohydrates 45 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 15 g Weight Watchers calculator puts this at 9 points!
I hope you try this hearty soup and know that it makes life a lot sweeter in Michigan!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Julie and Julia
It has been so LONG since I have blogged...life happened! For months a good friend and I have been planning to follow through on a standing joke....ala "Julie and Julia", the movie! Last Monday we finally scheduled the time to cook Julia Child's recipe for Beef Bourgenion. We shopped we read, we read, we explained our thoughts as we made our way through the very layered recipe step by step. It takes a good hour to prep all the parts and it is cooked in layers of flavor. You need to have a pot that can go from stovetop to oven and back again.
We found some problems in interpreting the types of ingredients that Julia used in 1961 compared to 2012, but overall we stayed as true to the recipe as possible. It took about 3 hours in the oven, but we had a lot of fun and laughed (mostly at ourselves) alot. We asked ourselves if we would do it again...my friend would ( I think), but I'm not sure I would. I would definately take some shortcuts, but that is the type of cook that I am!
I have included a couple to photos to our delicious adventure. If you haven't seen or rented the film, Julie and Julia with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, its well worth the time and rental. In keeping with the spirit of the movie, I just had to blog about it!
Life was sweet in Michigan, last Monday!
We found some problems in interpreting the types of ingredients that Julia used in 1961 compared to 2012, but overall we stayed as true to the recipe as possible. It took about 3 hours in the oven, but we had a lot of fun and laughed (mostly at ourselves) alot. We asked ourselves if we would do it again...my friend would ( I think), but I'm not sure I would. I would definately take some shortcuts, but that is the type of cook that I am!
I have included a couple to photos to our delicious adventure. If you haven't seen or rented the film, Julie and Julia with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, its well worth the time and rental. In keeping with the spirit of the movie, I just had to blog about it!
Life was sweet in Michigan, last Monday!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Sweet Vacation Part 6
Have you ever been called a "fudgie"? If you have, then I know that you visited Mackinac Island and sampled several pieces of the world famous fudge! There are really about 5 companies on the island that all do a wonderful job and they ship fudge and other goodies all over the world. Some companies also feature salt water taffy, (interesting in a fresh water state) or carmel corn, but I have two favorite companies. Murdock's Fudge has my favorite dark chocolate pecan. JoAnn's Fudge has the sweet and salty, butter pecan; and dark chocolate Traverse City cherry. You can stand and watch these confections either inside or outside of each shop being made in deep copper kettles and then cooled and shaped on cold marble slabs. Even on the hottest summer day, the candy makers toil over their copper pots and marble slabs.
After a delightful lunch at the Pink Pony, the restaurant inside the Chippewa Hotel, our family was warmed and dry enough to head for Fort Mackinac. This stone fort was constructed by the British during the Revolutionary War, as they were fearing that the Americans would take over Fort Michilimackinac. The fort on the mainland was dismantled and parts were taken across the straits to the island. Lumber was also cut and shipped from a sawmill on the mainland that was started by Robert Campbell at the state park site of Historic Mill Creek. It was a three year construction that was followed by the British burning Fort Michilimackinac to the ground.
Of course the fort was surrendered to the Americans following the Revolutionary War. However, neither the Americans nor the British were in a huge hurry to change the occupancy, because the British remained in the fort on the island until 1796! Of course, since the British knew the island so well, they could easily find a path to haul a few cannon and troops up the backside of the fort; which is exactly what they did during the War of 1812.
Mom and I took taxi up to the fort from downtown while the rest of the family hiked up the front walkway...a great hike, if you're in shape! Now, when I say taxi...it's not your typical yellow cab. There are no motor vehicles on the island, except for an ambulance and a couple of MDoT trucks that I saw sneaking around at the top of the island. Our cab was yellow with red spokes on the wheels and fringe around the edges. It was pulled by two gentle chestnut colored horses. For $5.75 we had the best tour and view of the island. We went up the West Bluff of the island, past many beautiful painted ladies that were being winterized and the Governor's Mansion! The Governor's Mansion is a summer vacation home for the governor of Michigan. It is used a few weeks each summer by most of our governors.
After touring the fort, be ALL piled into a taxi to head over to Grand Hotel, another world famous gem on the Mackinac Island. For $10.00 you can tour the entire hotel, with the exception of the guest rooms! It was well worth the money. The hotel is beautifully appointed and has some small shops, a gallery of famous people that have stayed there and many artifacts from the making of the movie with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour, "Somewhere in Time". The 1980's film was made on the island, one of the few times that a motorized vehicle was driven. I had always wanted to tour the hotel, so it was a dream come true.
It was a fabulous ending to a "sweet" vacation!
 |
| The Americans being fired upon by the British during the War of 1812 |
 |
| Inside Fort Mackinac |
 |
| Do, Mom, Nora and J on the Grand Hotel porch |
 |
| The Grand Hotel coach dropping off guests |
 |
| Inside the entrance of the Grand Hotel |
After a delightful lunch at the Pink Pony, the restaurant inside the Chippewa Hotel, our family was warmed and dry enough to head for Fort Mackinac. This stone fort was constructed by the British during the Revolutionary War, as they were fearing that the Americans would take over Fort Michilimackinac. The fort on the mainland was dismantled and parts were taken across the straits to the island. Lumber was also cut and shipped from a sawmill on the mainland that was started by Robert Campbell at the state park site of Historic Mill Creek. It was a three year construction that was followed by the British burning Fort Michilimackinac to the ground.
Of course the fort was surrendered to the Americans following the Revolutionary War. However, neither the Americans nor the British were in a huge hurry to change the occupancy, because the British remained in the fort on the island until 1796! Of course, since the British knew the island so well, they could easily find a path to haul a few cannon and troops up the backside of the fort; which is exactly what they did during the War of 1812.
Mom and I took taxi up to the fort from downtown while the rest of the family hiked up the front walkway...a great hike, if you're in shape! Now, when I say taxi...it's not your typical yellow cab. There are no motor vehicles on the island, except for an ambulance and a couple of MDoT trucks that I saw sneaking around at the top of the island. Our cab was yellow with red spokes on the wheels and fringe around the edges. It was pulled by two gentle chestnut colored horses. For $5.75 we had the best tour and view of the island. We went up the West Bluff of the island, past many beautiful painted ladies that were being winterized and the Governor's Mansion! The Governor's Mansion is a summer vacation home for the governor of Michigan. It is used a few weeks each summer by most of our governors.
After touring the fort, be ALL piled into a taxi to head over to Grand Hotel, another world famous gem on the Mackinac Island. For $10.00 you can tour the entire hotel, with the exception of the guest rooms! It was well worth the money. The hotel is beautifully appointed and has some small shops, a gallery of famous people that have stayed there and many artifacts from the making of the movie with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour, "Somewhere in Time". The 1980's film was made on the island, one of the few times that a motorized vehicle was driven. I had always wanted to tour the hotel, so it was a dream come true.
It was a fabulous ending to a "sweet" vacation!
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