Christmas Notebook

oatmeal raisin cookies

February 2, 2009 – 5:33 pm

I’ve been hankering for some homemade Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for some time. Today I made a batch using this recipe. I halved the recipe and added 2 T. of honey. Here’s the recipe, as I tweaked it.

Cream together:
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup butter [I used one stick of unsalted butter and one stick of Parkey margarine.]
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 Tablespoons honey
Add the dry ingredients and mix well:
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 cups flour
* 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (regular)
* 1 1/2 cups raisins
* 1 1/2 cups nuts [I omitted these.]

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. I used a small scoop to put the dough on the cookie sheet. Easy and quick.

Bake at 375* for 9 minutes. Check you own oven after 8 minutes. Temperatures will vary from oven to oven and the time should be adjusted accordingly. Don’t let the cookies over brown or they will be hard.

Let the cookies cool for a minute or two before removing them from the cookie sheet to the cooling rack. They will hold their round shape better, if allowed to cool slightly before moving.

This recipe made 7 dozen cookies.

DD thought the house smelled pretty good when she walked in after school. 🙂 ~~Rhonda

menu plan monday ~ february 2, 2009

February 1, 2009 – 10:16 pm

Another busy week ahead. DD turns 11, so there is a sleepover / birthday party planned. And a birthday cake to bake. She chose her favorite meal for Saturday evening.

Monday
salmon
accordion potatoes
corn pudding
coleslaw

Tuesday
Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs
rice

Wednesday
hamburgers
buns
chips / veggies / dip

Thursday
BBQ pork steaks
mashed potatoes
green beans
corn
spinach salad

Friday ~ DD’s birthday
quick supper of turkey sandwiches
with pizza later for the sleepover

Saturday
spaghetti / meatballs
rolls
peas
corn
Ceasar salad

Sunday
turkey in the crock pot
rice
carrots and peas
green salad

You can find more menu and recipe ideas at Menu Plan Monday.

~~Rhonda

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in menu | Tagged menu | Comments (3)

spring green

January 29, 2009 – 11:09 pm

Last Saturday, DH cut some branches from the yard for forcing. The forsythia will take 10-14 days to bud out. It’s beginning to show signs of life. See that green peeking out?

The purple lilac buds are plump and dark…

…while the white lilac are bright green and slender.

We like to force branches every January/February. They are a sweet reminder that spring is coming. In about a week, we should have forsythia blossoms brightening the kitchen table. Perhaps DH will brave the snow in the west yard and cut some quince in the next day or two. They bud beautifully, too.

You can try just about any shrub or tree. Some work better than others. Forsythia and quince flower well. Lilacs may make a small green bud of a flower, but won’t make a large blossom. Their bright green leaves are beautiful, though. The star magnolia makes a blossom, but it doesn’t have any scent, which is surprising considering how very heavy the scent is when the shrub blooms in the yard. You can try red bud trees, fruit trees, dogwood, honeysuckle, etc., anything that blooms in the spring.

Smash the ends of the branches, if you like, to make them take up water more easily, though it isn’t necessary. We never bother doing that. Keep the branches in a vase of fresh water and watch them bud. Even if you get only leaves, they will be a welcome splash of spring green, all the more lovely when it’s cold, snowy and dark outside!

~~Rhonda ::waiting for spring::

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in spring | Tagged forcing branches, spring | Comments (1)

snow ice cream

January 28, 2009 – 10:51 pm

With all that snow on the ground, we had to make snow ice cream, didn’t we?? Yes! I perused several recipes and decided to give this one a try ~ Snow Ice Cream.

DD measured one cup of heavy whipping cream.

We whipped it until it held soft peaks, adding two teaspoons of vanilla and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.

The blue bowl holds one gallon of snow, and we used all of it for this recipe (a lot more than the recipe called for). The snow was folded into the whipped cream, a large spoonful or two at a time.

Almost done…

Ice cream!

Now, doesn’t that look good?

And even better with chocolate…

Then I added coffee crystals to my bowl…instant frozen mocha latte (my favorite Dairy Queen treat)!

We don’t get enough snow at one time every winter to make snow ice cream, so seized our opportunity. It was fun to make and was a great end-of-the-snowy-day treat.

~~Rhonda 🙂

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in cooking, winter | Tagged recipe, snow ice cream | Comments (1)

baby baked potatoes

January 28, 2009 – 7:24 pm

Supper was yummy. Tilapia, baby baked potatoes, corn, stir-fried sugar snap peas with tomatoes, and cornbread.

DH loves these baby baked potatoes. To make them, you need:

small red potatoes
olive oil
fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the potatoes. Slice the top off each one. Place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Boil the potatoes until just tender (10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes). Drain.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil.

Pierce each potato with a fork, five or six times.

The next step is to squeeze the potatoes so the inside is pushed up. You can let them cool until they are comfortable to touch, but I usually bite the bullet and do it in a hurry because I’m wanting to get supper on the table. 🙂

Pour a little olive oil on each potato. Sprinkle with freshly grated sea salt and freshly grated black pepper.

Mince about a tablespoon of fresh rosemary and sprinkle over the potatoes. Yes, you can used dried rosemary, but it isn’t going to taste anything like fresh!

Bake the potatoes in a 375* oven until the tops are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Oh, so good! Give ’em a try. 🙂 ~~Rhonda

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in cooking | Tagged baby baked potatoes, supper | Comments (13)

all that white stuff

January 28, 2009 – 3:01 pm

We had four or five inches of snow over three or four inches of sleet. I don’t plan to go out and measure it myself, I’ll have you know. Inside is the place for me. But DD is having lots of fun out there.

This AM she went sledding with her dad. Then he pulled her behind his bike on her sled. And we have the obligatory snow angels around the yard, as well.

The cold temps are supposed to last for a few days, so this stuff isn’t going anywhere for a while.

But do you know what’s hiding under all that stuff? I promise…it’s there…waiting for late February or early March…

~~Rhonda ::trying to wait patiently::

A year ago today.

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in winter | Tagged snow, winter | Comments (0)

smokey potato cheese soup

January 27, 2009 – 9:56 pm

I made Smokey Potato Cheese Soup for supper tonight and it was a hit. Just thought I’d let you know. 🙂 Wish I’d taken some pictures! I guess the lazy, laid-back, no-school, DD-went-to-play-with-friends kind of day made me forget all about my camera. My, my…can’t imagine how that happened! ~~Rhonda

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged soup | Comments (2)

menu plan monday ~ january 26, 2009

January 25, 2009 – 11:48 pm

The meteorologists are predicting a winter storm beginning Monday night. DH offered to do the shopping early Monday morning to save me a trip out. Is he not sweet? So the menu is ready, taking into account cold weather, snow and sleet, DH’s meetings, and DD’s volleyball practice. A busy week!

Monday
chicken and noodles

Tuesday
Smoky Potato Cheese Soup
homemade rolls

Wednesday
baked honey dijon salmon
steamed red potatoes with fresh rosemary
stir fried snowpeas and cherry tomatoes

Thursday
beans and rice

Friday
marinated baked pork chops
coleslaw with apple and peanuts
biscuits
peas

Saturday
leftovers

Sunday ~ Church Dinner
chicken noodle soup (homemade noodles)
Triple Chocolate Mess
ice cream

You will find more menu ideas and recipes at Menu Plan Monday.

~~Rhonda

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in menu | Tagged menu | Comments (0)

a splash of red

January 24, 2009 – 11:19 am

This beautiful amaryllis bloomed while we were in Florida. Thankfully, the blooms last a long time and it is at its peak right now. So pretty!

Many stores have these bulbs on clearance right now, as they had been stocked for the holidays. Check them out. Open the box before you buy. If the stalk is long and curled, pass it up. It may not mature properly. Check the bulb. If it is mushy or smells rotten, pass it by. It’s fine if the stalk has started to push its way out of the bulb. And it may be white rather than green depending on how much light has been available. Don’t let that concern you. It will green up just fine once it is planted.

When we pot amaryllis, we discard the light-weight plastic pots most come with and replace it them with heavy ceramic ones. The stalk will grow quite tall and it can become top heavy when the flowers bloom. A heavier pot will keep the entire thing from falling over. Plant the bulb in the medium included with the bulb. Leave the top third of the bulb above the dirt. Water and wait. You will be well rewarded!

A year ago today…we were preparing for Melissa’s wedding.

~~Rhonda 🙂

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in winter | Tagged amaryllis | Comments (0)

home again, home again

January 22, 2009 – 10:28 pm

I’ve been gone for two weeks. We went to Florida for vacation, then up the east coast to visit our son’s family. I stayed there for a few extra days to babysit the grands while DH and DD came on home.

I flew home yesterday. I loved having some time with the twins and their big sister, but is SO good to be back!

So back to normal life, normal routines, etc. After a day or two of relaxing first! At suppertime, DD decided she wanted to bake something. She chose a cornbread recipe from her new cookbook. We didn’t have any buttermilk (the pantry and fridge are woefully empty!), but it was a good opportunity to teach DD how to substitute milk and vinegar for buttermilk.

Cheddar Corn Bread Wedges

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 c. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (DD omitted the cheese)

Preheat oven to 375*. Grease a pie plate. (DD used cooking spray.)

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well blended.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, and egg. Mix with a fork until well blended.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Gently stir until blended. Pour batter into the prepared pie dish. Bake until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and set on rack to cool.

Using a sharp knife, cut the corn bread into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From The Kid’s Cookbook, page 46.

The cornbread looked so pretty and was delicious!

While we ate supper, Niko sat on the rug and kept an eye on us. He looked quite relaxed, but I think he missed us while we were gone. He wanted to be with us.

It’s good to be home. ~~Rhonda

By ~~Rhonda | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cornbread, niko | Comments (0)