Lime Chicken Tacos

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I love all tacos. Fish, pork, shrimp, beef, chicken...doesn't matter, I love them all.  I saw this recipe from Taste of Home on Pinterest and I knew I wanted to try it out.  Corn in tacos?  Sign me up!  I made a few changes, but overall stuck to the idea of the recipe.  Miss F added black beans to her tacos, which would also be an easy add to the crockpot when you add the corn.  Once again, the crockpot serves its purpose to create deliciously shredded meat.  This makes a lot of taco filling, which also freezes wonderfully, so you can have tacos anytime.

Crockpot Lime Chicken Tacos

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chunky salsa
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup frozen corn
8 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed

Place the chicken in a crockpot. Combine salsa, lime juice, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove the chicken and shred meat with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir in corn. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with cheese, guacamole, tomatoes and sour cream, if desired.

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Caramel Apple Pie

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I usually make a caramel apple tart for Thanksgiving, but when I saw a post for a Caramel Apple Pie on the Nifty Food, I left it for my dad to decide which I would make. He verdict, "whichever has more caramel." Smart man.  I sued my favorite apple pie recipe along with the caramel recipe from the salted caramel frosting I made recently for a dinner party.  The result: an ultimate success.  We may have a new Thanksgiving dessert on the roster.

Caramel Apple Pie

¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon corn syrup

3 pounds (about 8) Granny Smith apples
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

Bring sugar, cream, butter and corn syrup to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves. Boil until caramel thickens enough to coat spoon thickly, whisking often, about 8 minutes. Caramel sauce can be made 5 days ahead. Cover; chill. Whisk over low heat until warm before using.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out half the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface, fit it into a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate, and trim the edge, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Chill the shell and the remaining dough while making the filling. In a large bowl toss together the apples, each peeled, cored, and cut into eighths, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the salt, and the lemon juice until the mixture is combined well, transfer the filling to the shell, and dot it with the butter. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the apples. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve with the pie.

Roll out the remaining dough into a 13- by 14-inch round on a lightly floured surface, drape it over the filling, and trim it, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under the bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it, and crimp the edge decoratively. Brush the crust lightly with the milk, cut slits in it with a sharp knife, forming steam vents, and sprinkle the pie evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake the pie on a large baking sheet in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F., and bake the pie for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender.

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Meyer Lemon Bars

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I have a go to recipe for Junior League Lemon Squares, but I am always up for something new. And when I was gifted with a batch of Meyer lemons from my mom's tree, I knew this was what I wanted to make. I chose a recipe from Ina Garten because I know she likes thing tart, so that they would be tart enough even using the milder Meyer lemon.  We were planning a crab feast at the house and I brought these for dessert. My parents will learn to love Texas yet. Crab feasts in December? Fresh lemons growing in the backyard? Shorts while planning for Christmas? I love Texas, but it took awhile to get used to it. I hope they learn to love it too. They moved here a few months back from Georgia, but we are all originally from Maryland. It is great not to have to worry about cold and snow!

Meyer Lemon Bars

For the crust:
½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

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Recipe Swap: Gingerbread Pancakes

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I knew instantly what recipe I wanted to make for this week's Blogger's Choice Swap. I had already bookmarked The Redhead Baker's Gingerbread Pancakes to make over the holidays. Miss F is semi-obsessed with gingerbread and she was so excited to eat these pancakes. They are perfectly spiced and completely delicious. I did double the milk from the original recipe, which is more on par with the ratios I usually use in pancake recipes. Be sure to check out all the recipes my fello bloggers chose to re-create for this week's swap.

Gingerbread Pancakes

1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons molasses

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, all spice, cinnamon and cloves. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the egg, milk and molasses. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the griddle and cook until lightly browned. Flip with a spatula and cook until lightly browned. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

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2012: A Year in Review

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What a wonderful year 2012 has been. We have been lucky enough to travel to Bali, Vail, Anaheim (twice,) Singapore, the big Island of Hawaii, Jackson Hole, San Antonio (three times,) Maryland, Dallas and Paris, France. With all that travelling, there wasn't nearly as much home cooking as I would have liked, but I was also thrilled to eat my way through the world. I have been so lucky to share my love of food and travel with my husband and daughter. These are the top twelve posts from this year based on the number of hits they received. I love that spinach made the list three times and that two of the top three are seafood (take that C!)

Wishing you all an amazing 2013!

#1 Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas	#2 Crabcakes	#3 Summer Shrimp Salad
#4 Rich Chocolate Brownies	#5 Herbes de Provence Potatoes	#6 Chicken Pot Pie Soup
#7 Reeses Cheesecake Brownie Bars	#8 Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta	#9 Artichoke and Spinach Crusted Chicken
#10 Cheddar Sour Cream Biscuits	#11 Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza	#12 Mini Corn Dog Muffins

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Saturday's Spotlight

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photo here


This weekend my alma mater celebrates fifty years of existence.  As much as I wanted to be there to sing in the alumni choir before the football game last night, and to run a 5K through my old school stomping grounds today (seriously - the run is through the actual halls of the school!), I think the part I most wanted to be there for was to see a couple of teachers who really made a difference to me.

I could write separate posts for each of the 5 teachers who come to mind as the most influential in my high school years (and maybe I will) but right now I want to tell you about Ms. La Fleur, my Spanish teacher.

Yes, I took five years of honors Spanish.  You would never know it now for my lack of ability, but thanks to Ms. La Fleur I am still totally fluent in reciting the basic conversation we practiced daily, the pledge of allegiance and, my favorite, The Birthday Song.  Not your typical birthday song, but one that is called Las Mañanitas.  Man, did I love that woman.

I was first introduced to Ms. La Fleur as a gawky, shy 8th grader who was bussed over to the high school every morning for Spanish classes.  She immediately started calling everyone in the class Lovies and Dearhearts, but it wasn't strange.  Not to me.  I loved every ounce of exuberance and happiness that just seemed to radiate off of her.

She kept track of every student's birthday in every one of her classes and brought in a white bakery bag, folded over twice, if it was your special day.  Inside was a delicious cake donut with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles complete with a single candle poked into one side.  And with much fanfare, she would parade that bag over to your desk and announce to the class, "Dearhearts! Today is (Birthday Person)'s birthday!  Let us sing The Birthday Song!" as she lit the candle.  At first she sang a glorious solo,  loud and strong, while dancing around the desk with a huge smile on her face, skirt twirling.  As the year progressed and others picked up on the song, she would insist on everyone else joining in as well.

Many people hated their birthdays in Spanish class, or at least pretended to.  Not so with me!  I looked forward to it so much that I took Spanish for 5 years, even though I couldn't grasp the language.  You've got to love a teacher like Ms. La Fleur.  She really and truly cared, and we all knew it.

She understood the power of the phrase, "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."

Though young at heart, I would guess that Ms. La Fleur was probably in her 50's back in my high school days so I can only imagine her age now.  And as much as I would have loved to see her again this weekend, maybe it's best to remember her in a flowing skirt, dancing around my desk, making me feel like the most important Dearheart in the room.

It's Not About The Twinkies

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I've heard all sorts of remarks since Friday.  Most of them have something to do with the world being okay in the absence of Twinkies, welcome to a less obese America, less incidence of type-2 diabetes, things like that.  I can understand how people see Hostess as a company that makes Twinkies and other such treats and their thinking that the world will be just fine in the absence of unnecessary junk food.  It's a lot easier to think of Hostess in terms of Twinkies and Ding Dongs and not to think about the 18,000+ people who have lost their jobs.

I started shopping at the Wonder/Hostess Bakery Thriftshop in Provo over 20 years ago.  I loved being able to get inexpensive bread, bagels, tortillas and even a few treats.  (Remember my chocolate waxy donut obsession?  Yeah.)

Over the years I got to know some of the people who worked at the 'Bread Store' (as we call it in our family).  Most employees would come and go, but the one constant (minus a few years when she worked in another store location) was Peggy.

Peggy came to know what I would be looking for when I'd come in.  She'd let me know when they had something fresher in the back room.  She'd say things like, "Did you want wheat tortillas?  I think we've got some in back" or "We'll probably get in some more of that bread you like on Monday."  She'd ask how my pregnancies were going, how old my babies were getting to be and ask about my plans for the holidays.  I'd ask her what she had been up to and thank her for her help, care and concern.  Even though we never saw each other outside of the Bread Store, Peggy became a friend over the years - almost like family.

So the first thought I had last Friday after reading the news of Hostess closing its doors for good was what's going to happen to Peggy and everyone else at the Bread Store?  I worried that it may have already closed that morning.  I had to go and see her, see the store one more time.

I was amazed to see how many cars were there as I drove into the usually empty parking lot.  The line wrapped all along the back of the store and people's carts were loaded.  I walked to the back office and peeked in.  There was Peggy.  "Hi there!" she called to me in her usual friendly manner.  She walked over and I asked, "How are you doing?"  She told me that for now she was just staying busy.  It was still such a shock to her that the place where she had worked for 26 years would abruptly be closing its doors.  There were other regular customers there to say goodbye, so I wished her good luck and grabbed a couple loaves of bread and a box of chocolate Zingers (I bypassed the Twinkies and do not regret it) to purchase before leaving.

I could not stop thinking about my friends at the Bread Store for the rest of the day.  Saturday morning I had to go back.  I wasn't sure how to compensate for the loss I felt - it didn't seem rational to be so distraught over someone I only saw every couple of weeks when I'd go to buy bread.  But it makes sense, really - 20 years of seeing someone that often, someone who took the time to ask how I was doing, someone who watched my family grow, how could I not feel sad about losing that small connection?  I brought my camera.

Again, I walked to the back office and saw Peggy.  I asked her if I could take her picture.  She agreed, but only if I was in the photo with her.


"This is like losing members of my family," she said, giving me a hug.  And then, as if validating her words, there was a constant stream of others who came bearing well-wishes.  The people who knew Peggy like I did.  The ones who came to say goodbye.  The ones she knew well enough to say things like, "We've still got some fruitcake!  It's right over here".

 
Or, "You missed out on the Twinkies, they were gone by noon yesterday".   

I gave her another hug, wished her all the best, and walked to my car.  "I'd say see you later, but I guess I won't.  You take care!" she called after me.

That's why for me this is not about Twinkies.  It's about people who are suddenly looking for a new job.  It's about mothers and sisters and uncles and grandpas who find themselves in the unemployment line just in time for the holidays.  It's about losing people who, in a simple and kind of crazy way, became like family.

It's about 18,000+ real people with real lives.  Like Peggy.

Born To Be A Scout

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I got a phone call right in the middle of one of my rare meetings in Salt Lake City.  Since the kids are under strict instruction not to call unless there is something major needing my intervention or assistance, I stepped into the hall to answer it.

"Mom?" said Hubba's trembling voice.  "We got a phone call from mydenleadersandthey......" Followed by uncontrollable sobbing.

I didn't really understand what he said.  I only understood that he was upset and inconsolable.  "Hubba, is everything okay?  What happened?  You need to slow down and take a deep breath.  I can't understand you very well."

He barely gasped in a weak attempt at a deep breath, resumed crying and told me his sad, sad tale.

"Mom, one of my den leaders called and they are sick or something and so they (SOB! SOB!) CANCELLED SCOUTS TONIGHT!  So we don't have a den meeting and we don't have scouts and I have to miss out on scouts this week (SOB! SOB!) even though I put my bobcat patch on myself since you forgot to sew it on and I pinned it on instead (SOB! SOB!) with the pin they gave me with it that is supposed to be for you but it was still on the card and I used it because we're supposed to have our patches on the uniform!"

(This kid is seriously a genius. Why haven't I ever thought of doing this?)
I took advantage of his pause in the stream of words for a breath to tell him that it would be okay to miss a week of scouts.  Just one week.  His den leaders didn't get sick on purpose.  They probably needed to cancel so none of the boys would get sick, too.

"BUT MOOOOOOOOM!" he continued. "We are supposed to meet every week and pass off our requirements and I've had my uniform on since I got home from school, even my hat, even my neckerchief, and I didn't get them dirty at all (SOB! SOB!) and then they got sick and we don't have scouts tonight and..."

Long story short, I was able to talk one of his siblings into working on some requirements with him at home.  This appeased him, but barely. 

I walked back into my meeting with a smile on my face - because Hubba's phone call totally made my day.  When this kid does something, it is never done half way.  Every week at church he gets excited to see his Den Leader and remind her of the day and time they will be meeting that week, as if she would forget.  He sometimes wears his complete uniform on random days, down to the socks and belt, just because it makes him happy. 

It makes me happy to see how much my boy loves being a Cub Scout.

Scary Christmas

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I was Christmas shopping in Salt Lake City when I came across this.  You couldn't get me within 10 feet of that bin!  Because we all know that toys come to life when we're not looking, and I'm pretty sure that bear jumped in there when he thought the coast was clear.  But I caught you leering at me, Lotso.  I think it's clear that he's waiting for some poor, unsuspecting Christmas shopper to come along and reach into the bin for another 'favorite plush character' and he's going to show them who's boss.

Errors Around Town

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I don't know why it makes me so happy to find these, but it really does.  It's like I'm a part of some secret club or something.

I wonder how many people have noticed this at the Neurologist's office.  Maybe it's some sort of test?
More fodder from our local dollar store.  "Faith is inspiration for the uture".
One of my kids brought this home from school.  No pancakes for me, thanks.
 Only one YOUNG WOMAN can attend, so choose your favorite. 
Made in China?

And as proof that I am well-known for my odd pastime, a friend sent me this find from a lesson at church:
I appreciate her sacaficing her time to snap a secret picture for me.  (Hey!  I AM in some kind of secret club!)
And my oldest boy also sent me this picture from his mission in Texas with the following note:  "This is in the ads that come every week...So, this one's for you, Grammar Queen!"



Grammar Queen.  Hmmmm.  I could get used to that.

Crock Pot Christmas Morning Oatmeal

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This oatmeal gives you a great holiday taste.  You can dig right into it as soon as the last ribbon is ripped off the last Christmas morning package.  In my opinion, the nuts should not be optional.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 c. and 2 T. dried cranberries
1/4 c. and 2 T. butter, cut into peices
3 c. regular rolled oats
3 c. water
1 1/2 c. apple juice
1 1/2 c. cranberry juice
1/2 t. salt
1 c. and 2 T. candied walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1.  Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.

2. Add the apples and cranberries, tossing to coat evenly with the sugar mixture.

3.  Transfer into crock pot.  Top with butter pieces.

4.  Mix the oatmeal together with the water, apple juice, cranberry juice, and salt in a bowl, and pour over the apple mixture in the crock pot.  DO NOT STIR.

5.  Cover.  Cook on Low for 8 hours.

6.  Stir before serving.  Spoon into bowls and top with candied walnuts, if desired.

Source:  Crock Pot Girl

The Perfect French Bread

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More than a decade ago the ladies at my church had a monthly "homemaking" meeting and, although I do not remember what else we had to eat that night, I do remember the delicious, homemade French bread that my friend Irene Jarvis made.  She shared the recipe with me and when I have the time I like to make my own from her recipe.




Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
6 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
2 pkgs. dry yeast (2 tablespoons)

1.  Into a large warm mixing bowl, pour warm water, then stir in sugar , salt, oil and half of the flour, and the yeast.  Beat vigorously 2-3 minutes.  Stir in remaining flour until all dry ingredients are completely mixed in, leaving the spoon right in the heavy batter.

2.  Allow dough to rest 10 minutes, then stir down.  Allow dough to rest another 10 minutes, then stir down.  Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down five times.

3.  Turn dough onto floured board, kneading only enough to coat dough with flour so it can be handled easily.  Divide into two parts.  Roll each part of dough into rectangles about 9" x 12", and roll up like a jelly roll, starting from the long side.  Pinch edge of loaf to seal the dough.

4.  Arrange dough lengthwise on large cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves.  Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.





5.  With a very sharp knife, cut 3 gashes(oops, forgot to do that...) at an angle on top of the dough then brush entire surface with lightly beaten whole egg.  If desired, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

6.  Bake immediately at 400 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown (you will notice mine was a little more brown.  I wasn't downstairs at the time I should have taken it out!)  Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on racks.  2 LOAVES



Source:  Irene Jarvis, El Paso, Texas

Rugelach Cookies

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Rugelach Cookies
Makes 7 dozen cookies[printable recipe]
Ingredients:

• Dough:
• 8 ounces butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

• ¾ cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Powdered sugar

Directions:
In an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese.  Blend in flour and salt and mix until wellcombined. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and gather into aball. Divide into 14 equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of plasticwrap, roll into a small ball, flatten slightly into a disk, wrap andrefrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to make the cookies, make the filling bystirring together chopped nuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchmentpaper or silpats.
Lightly flour a work surface. Remove 1 disk of dough from therefrigerator. Gently pound each disk with a rolling pin until the dough softensslightly, and then roll into a 6-inch circle. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoonof filling.
Using a large knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 6 wedges.Starting at the wide outside edge, fold in the two corners of each wedge towardthe center, and then gently roll it up toward the point.
As each cookie is formed, place it at least 1 inch apart on one ofthe prepared baking sheets, bending the ends of the dough toward the center toform a crescent shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, flouringthe work surface as needed.
Bake the rugelach until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transferthe baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer therugelach to the racks to cool completely.
When cookies are cool, roll them in powdered sugar until coveredcompletely.
©BURP! Where Food Happens

Saturday's Spotlight

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photo here


This weekend my alma mater celebrates fifty years of existence.  As much as I wanted to be there to sing in the alumni choir before the football game last night, and to run a 5K through my old school stomping grounds today (seriously - the run is through the actual halls of the school!), I think the part I most wanted to be there for was to see a couple of teachers who really made a difference to me.

I could write separate posts for each of the 5 teachers who come to mind as the most influential in my high school years (and maybe I will) but right now I want to tell you about Ms. La Fleur, my Spanish teacher.

Yes, I took five years of honors Spanish.  You would never know it now for my lack of ability, but thanks to Ms. La Fleur I am still totally fluent in reciting the basic conversation we practiced daily, the pledge of allegiance and, my favorite, The Birthday Song.  Not your typical birthday song, but one that is called Las Mañanitas.  Man, did I love that woman.

I was first introduced to Ms. La Fleur as a gawky, shy 8th grader who was bussed over to the high school every morning for Spanish classes.  She immediately started calling everyone in the class Lovies and Dearhearts, but it wasn't strange.  Not to me.  I loved every ounce of exuberance and happiness that just seemed to radiate off of her.

She kept track of every student's birthday in every one of her classes and brought in a white bakery bag, folded over twice, if it was your special day.  Inside was a delicious cake donut with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles complete with a single candle poked into one side.  And with much fanfare, she would parade that bag over to your desk and announce to the class, "Dearhearts! Today is (Birthday Person)'s birthday!  Let us sing The Birthday Song!" as she lit the candle.  At first she sang a glorious solo,  loud and strong, while dancing around the desk with a huge smile on her face, skirt twirling.  As the year progressed and others picked up on the song, she would insist on everyone else joining in as well.

Many people hated their birthdays in Spanish class, or at least pretended to.  Not so with me!  I looked forward to it so much that I took Spanish for 5 years, even though I couldn't grasp the language.  You've got to love a teacher like Ms. La Fleur.  She really and truly cared, and we all knew it.

She understood the power of the phrase, "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."

Though young at heart, I would guess that Ms. La Fleur was probably in her 50's back in my high school days so I can only imagine her age now.  And as much as I would have loved to see her again this weekend, maybe it's best to remember her in a flowing skirt, dancing around my desk, making me feel like the most important Dearheart in the room.

It's Not About The Twinkies

To contact us Click HERE



I've heard all sorts of remarks since Friday.  Most of them have something to do with the world being okay in the absence of Twinkies, welcome to a less obese America, less incidence of type-2 diabetes, things like that.  I can understand how people see Hostess as a company that makes Twinkies and other such treats and their thinking that the world will be just fine in the absence of unnecessary junk food.  It's a lot easier to think of Hostess in terms of Twinkies and Ding Dongs and not to think about the 18,000+ people who have lost their jobs.

I started shopping at the Wonder/Hostess Bakery Thriftshop in Provo over 20 years ago.  I loved being able to get inexpensive bread, bagels, tortillas and even a few treats.  (Remember my chocolate waxy donut obsession?  Yeah.)

Over the years I got to know some of the people who worked at the 'Bread Store' (as we call it in our family).  Most employees would come and go, but the one constant (minus a few years when she worked in another store location) was Peggy.

Peggy came to know what I would be looking for when I'd come in.  She'd let me know when they had something fresher in the back room.  She'd say things like, "Did you want wheat tortillas?  I think we've got some in back" or "We'll probably get in some more of that bread you like on Monday."  She'd ask how my pregnancies were going, how old my babies were getting to be and ask about my plans for the holidays.  I'd ask her what she had been up to and thank her for her help, care and concern.  Even though we never saw each other outside of the Bread Store, Peggy became a friend over the years - almost like family.

So the first thought I had last Friday after reading the news of Hostess closing its doors for good was what's going to happen to Peggy and everyone else at the Bread Store?  I worried that it may have already closed that morning.  I had to go and see her, see the store one more time.

I was amazed to see how many cars were there as I drove into the usually empty parking lot.  The line wrapped all along the back of the store and people's carts were loaded.  I walked to the back office and peeked in.  There was Peggy.  "Hi there!" she called to me in her usual friendly manner.  She walked over and I asked, "How are you doing?"  She told me that for now she was just staying busy.  It was still such a shock to her that the place where she had worked for 26 years would abruptly be closing its doors.  There were other regular customers there to say goodbye, so I wished her good luck and grabbed a couple loaves of bread and a box of chocolate Zingers (I bypassed the Twinkies and do not regret it) to purchase before leaving.

I could not stop thinking about my friends at the Bread Store for the rest of the day.  Saturday morning I had to go back.  I wasn't sure how to compensate for the loss I felt - it didn't seem rational to be so distraught over someone I only saw every couple of weeks when I'd go to buy bread.  But it makes sense, really - 20 years of seeing someone that often, someone who took the time to ask how I was doing, someone who watched my family grow, how could I not feel sad about losing that small connection?  I brought my camera.

Again, I walked to the back office and saw Peggy.  I asked her if I could take her picture.  She agreed, but only if I was in the photo with her.


"This is like losing members of my family," she said, giving me a hug.  And then, as if validating her words, there was a constant stream of others who came bearing well-wishes.  The people who knew Peggy like I did.  The ones who came to say goodbye.  The ones she knew well enough to say things like, "We've still got some fruitcake!  It's right over here".

 
Or, "You missed out on the Twinkies, they were gone by noon yesterday".   

I gave her another hug, wished her all the best, and walked to my car.  "I'd say see you later, but I guess I won't.  You take care!" she called after me.

That's why for me this is not about Twinkies.  It's about people who are suddenly looking for a new job.  It's about mothers and sisters and uncles and grandpas who find themselves in the unemployment line just in time for the holidays.  It's about losing people who, in a simple and kind of crazy way, became like family.

It's about 18,000+ real people with real lives.  Like Peggy.

Apple Cider Waffles

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I always serve hot apple cider at Thanksgiving, but it always leaves me with a small amount leftover that I usually use in pancakes. This year C and Miss F requested waffles the morning after Thanksgiving, how they were hungry, I have no idea. I googled apple cider waffles and came upon this recipe from Stephanie Cooks, which had been adapted by my cider pancake recipe. Small world! These waffles are fantastic and I was thrilled not to have to use club soda or separate any eggs when I made them.

Apple Cider Waffles

1 ½ cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 cup apple cider

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well. Beat in the egg, oil, milk, and cider. Set aside and let stand 5 minutes while heating your waffle iron. Spray the waffle iron and cook according to waffle iron directions.

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Roast Pork Tenderloin with Acorn Squash

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Wow. This meal was amazingly simple. And amazingly delicious. This would be perfect for a dinner party because it cooks with no attention needed and presents beautifully. Though you would have to quintuple the recipe. C and I polished off nearly all of one pork tenderloin, it was so good.  Not surprisingly, this recipe for effortless entertaining comes from Martha Stewart.  Miss F was a fan of the pork, but not so much of the squash.  At least she tried it.  And she did eat a bucket full of peas, so not loving the squash was a-ok with me.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash (2 pounds), quartered, seeded, and sliced ½ inch thick, skin on
4 garlic cloves, peeled
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scatter squash and garlic in a large roasting pan. Mix rosemary, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; rub into pork. Place in pan with vegetables; drizzle with oil.
Roast 25 minutes. Brush pork with hoisin. Continue roasting, about 15 minutes, until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Let meat stand 5 minutes before slicing.

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Ultimate Reeses Pieces Cookies

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Once again it is time for the third annual cookie exchange. My friend Brandi hosts and we are each asked to bring six dozen cookies packaged in groups of three to swap with everyone. You come home with six dozen amazing cookies perfect for holiday entertaining. The past two years I made Chocolate Cayenne Cookies and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I was feeling something with peanut butter again this year, so I decided to adapt the recipe for Ultimate M&M Cookies peanut butter style.  These cookies are rich and buttery, it is impossible to eat just one!

Ultimate Reeses Pieces Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup Reeses Pieces
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter and sugar mixture. Stir in Reeses Pieces, chocolate and peanut butter chips. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute and place on wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

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Crockpot Country Chicken Stew

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I am not a huge fan of the crockpot, but this dish is insanely good. Probably the best thing I have ever made in my crockpot, even my former fav crockpot chicken tacos. This is a perfect one pot meal that can stew all day and be ready when you arrive home. I served it with sour cream cheddar biscuits (no thyme, so C and Miss F were happy!) The original recipe for this was from Lawry's. I don't own any Lawry's seasoning salt, but I loved the idea of a stew with chicken. I decided to omit the seasoning salt and add parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in place of it, which worked wonderfully.

Crockpot Country Chicken Stew

1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, cut into wedges
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
½ cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup milk

Place potatoes, carrots and onion in slow cooker. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Mix broth, , parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in small bowl until well blended. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Add the bay leaf. Cover. Cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Mix cornstarch and milk in small bowl until smooth. Stir into sauce in slow cooker. Cover. Cook 15 minutes longer on high or until sauce is thickened.

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Lemony Chicken Saltimbucca

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My friend Harmony raved about this recipe from Cooking Light. I believe she made it twice in one week. When my mom brought over three lemons from her tree, I knew I had to use them for this recipe.  I made Miss F's with just prosciutto (should have done the same for C) and she gobbled it right up.  The chicken was really easy to make and it looks so beautiful with the sage and prosciutto.   In fact, the whole dish came together in under 15 minutes.  The sauce was perfectly lemony and the sage flavored the chicken nicely.  Harmony was right to rave!

Lemony Chicken Saltimbucca

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon salt
12 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 8 thin strips
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Slice the chicken breasts in half crosswise. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Place 3 sage leaves on each cutlet; wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing sage leaves in place. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Combine broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve.

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Crock Pot Apple Butter

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 I recommend thinking outside the box when using apple butter.  Mix it into oatmeal.  Spread on top of a plain or spice doughnut.  Mix it into your meatloaf.  THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

Ingredients:

7 c. applesauce
2 c. cider
1 1/2 c. honey
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice

Applesauce:  Preferably homemade, unsweetened, but a good quality commercial is ok.

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients in crock pot.  Cover and cook on low heat 14-15 hours or until mixture is deep brown.

2.  Pack while hot into 4 hot pint jars.  Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Source:  cooks.com

Red Hot Apple Cider

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Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net/imagerymajestic

Oh my!  It's my day to post and I totally spaced it!  Husband is out of town on business and I have been cleaning and decorating and just playing, because I can be up late and not wake anyone up.  Looks like I could have remembered to blog a recipe, doesn't it?  So if you need a little warming up this afernoon/evening, then I have gotten this post up JUST FOR YOU!  We had dinner with some friends one night during the Christmas season and Trini served hot cider that was so yummy.  I asked her for the recipe and she just laughed.  When you see the ingredients you might laugh, as well, but once you taste it you will be like, oh my gosh.



Image by flickr.com/begautrea

Ingredients:
Apple Cider or Apple Juice
Red Hots candies

1.  Pour desired amount of apple cider or juice in a stove top teapot or in a saucepan.
2.  Pour desired amount of Red Hots into pot/pan, according to how spicy you want your cider.
3.  Heat to desired temperature.
4.  Pour into mug or cup and enjoy....you may want to put a cinnamon stick in for garnish.

Here's another fun hot drink tip:  Another friend, Adrianna, puts cinnamon sticks in her water when she is heating it for instant hot chocolate.  Kind of a quick way to sort of have Mexican Hot Chocolate.  Yummmm...also good when making instant oatmeal.

Source:  Trini Marquez, El Paso, Texas

Mom's Rolls

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For my first recipe post I thought I would share one of my families favorite recipes.  Growing up we had these almost every Sunday.  They are light, buttery, and melt in your mouth.  Enjoy!


½cup Warm Water2½ T. Yeast
Mixtogether and set aside.
1can evaporated milk2/3cup sugar2eggs1T. salt½stick butter softened
Mix above ingredients with 4 cups flour.  Add yeastmixture and 1 cup HOT water.  When mixedwell add 4-6 cups flour, if the dough is too sticky (I like mine to pull away from the sides of the mixer but still stick to my finger) add flour ¼ cup at a time.  Knead for 2 min on medium speed.  Let rise until double.  Punch down and let rise until double again.  Punch down then separate into 4 equal parts. Roll 1 part of the dough into a circle. 


Spread about 2 T. of  softened butter onto the dough.

Cut the dough into 12 wedges.

Roll each wedge from the outside towards thecenter to create a croissant shape (My kids love to help me with this). Repeat with remaining dough.  Place 2 dozen rolls on a cookie sheet (this recipe will fill 2 sheets) cover and let rise until double again.  Bake at350 for 12-15 min, or until golden brown.
NOTE: Thisrecipe works well for cinnamon and orange rolls.  Instead of rolling into circles roll intorectangles and fill with either of the following:
Cinnamon:                                                  Orange:1stick melted butter                                  1 stick meltedbutter1 c. brown sugar                                        1 c. sugar1t. cinnamon                                             1-2 t.orange zestTop with cream cheese frosting               Top with orange frosting.