A Good Recipe Week

17 January - 24 January, 2010

"Every house where love abides
and friendship is a guest,
is surely home, and home sweet home
for there the heart can rest."
Henry Van Dyke

#1 I have my van back. Mark bought his own first car. I am happy. And I am sure Lindsay is so happy. She has driven me me most of the time since about October.
I went to the DMV last week and got Mark's car registered. (Not part of this top 10 comment - In January a new law went to effect stating that driver's licenses must now be renewed IN PERSON at the DMV. They can no longer be renewed by mail or on line. Therefore, the lines for licenses were very long. It was a cold and windy day and the whole entry way was filled with people in a wrapped around line. Because it was a school day off, there were many children. If it is near time to renew your license, plan a day. I wish I could get a part-time job standing in line for people.)

#2 Martin Luther King, Junior said, "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve."We had a great (part) family activity on Monday as part of a Martin Luther King, Jr. service day at Brigham Young University. Our motives were self-centered. This day of service was one of the approved "Give-A-Day-Get-A-Day" Disney promotion. We were impressed with BYU's day of service. We went down Sunday night and spent the night at a hotel. We got to the Y at about 8:30 for check-in. There were about 20 different places and ways to serve. There were several local stables that needed saddles washed, some groups went in vans to care centres and senior centres. There were animal shelters that wanted help drying dogs, Habitat for Humanity, schools... We had brought a friend in a wheel chair so we choose to to an on campus activity. We made tutus and other projects for Head Start Programs. Lincoln coloured and cut out file folder activities. Layne coloured lunch bags for lunches served at shelters. We had a great day and went to JDawgz after. We will go again next year. It was a great way to spend Martin Luther King Day, Jr., and a family friendly activity.

#3 "It's a little thing."
I found a really fun/easy bread recipe this week. I needed a cast iron pot to bake it. I don't have one, and Kate was in Hawaii. Then I remembered that I have a pink enameled iron dish w/ lid. Yea!
(Journal memory - (You can skip this part. There are recipes and give away info. lower.) This January is the 1 year anniversary of closing our booths at Treasures Antique Mall in Springville. Wendy Coltrin and I had up to 3 booths at the mall together. It was fun. For about 5 years we shopped estate sales, antique sales, yard and church (my favourite) sales and second hand stores. Wendy was MUCH better at it than me. I had to like (and think about) what I bought. At least twice a month we would head down to price and organize. We made some good friends and formed a lunch group. And , of course we would shop. It was a fun good experience, and I am so glad we got out. Thanks, Wendy.)
My pink pot was bought for $3.oo at the store. So happy I bought it.

#4 My 2010 theme, "More, Savior, Like Thee", is close to my heart. One of the things I read this week was the biography of Phillip Paul Bliss, the author and composer of "More Holiness Give Me". I was so touched by his story. Music moved his soul. He was a good man. He was a very prolific writer and composer. Who knows what he would have written had he lived longer. He died in 1876 at age 38. He was in a train when a bridge collapsed, dropping the train into the water (in Ohio). He made it out, but went back for his wife and they both perished. When his trunk was opened they found music/prose in various stages of completion. On the top was the last piece he had worked on. I think it is beautiful and humble.

"I know not what awaits me.
God kindly veils my eyes..." Phillip Paul Bliss

There are 2 other songs of his in "Hymns of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints". He wrote text and music for "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" (hymn 335). (I love this song. My kidults sang it in Sacrament meeting on the Sunday that Mark spoke before leaving on his mission to Detroit, MI.) He also composed the music for hymn #235, "Should You Feel Inclined To Censure". (It is very similar to "Brightly Beams...")

I am happy/thankful to have this as my theme this year.
One of the websites that I used to read about P.P. Bliss is www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biobliss.html

#5 Thank-you Leslie and Christy for including me in your temple trip this week.

#6 If you made the crock-pot pork this week, I will post another recipe that uses it on Tuesday. And we loved the pop corn recipe that I am posting on Thursday. ((Remember free Hogle Zoo day is Wednesday.)

I have really enjoyed trying new recipes this week. In the crock-pot, I made a chicken enchilada soup ( the one I have is better) and a blueberry crisp. That turned out as expected. Even cracking the lid a bit with a skewer, it did not make it crisp. It was o.k., but... I have 2 new recipes for next week. I hope they will be keepers.

I also made (for the 2nd time-I wanted to cut down on the fat and mess) Mongolian Beef. It is a hit. Mark's comments were the best. He said that If Panda Express had this on the menu, it would be his new favourite. I got the original recipe from http://www.mindikamoments.com/ on 9 December, 2009.

Mongolian Beef
from mindikasmoments with a very few adaptation by me

vegetable oil
1/2 tea. grated ginger
1 table. chopped garlic
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
1 lb. thinly sliced (flank) steak
cornstarch
1 cup course grated carrots
4-6 chopped green onions
(zucchini?, broccoli?)
cooked rice

In a medium saucepan, heat
2 tea. vegetable oil

add and stir briefly
1/2 tea. minced ginger
1 table. chopped garlic
Then quickly stir in
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 - 3/4 cups brown sugar
Raise heat to a boil and cook 2-3 mins. Set aside

Thin slice and cut into bite size pieces
about 1 lb. Flank steak
Saute in about 1 table. oil and 2 table. cornstarch
Stir fry about 2-3 mins. and remove any extra oil
Put sauce in with the meat and stir for about 2 mins. then add
1 cup course grated carrots
1 zucchini-chopped
Stir for about 1 min. (you could also add broccoli here)
then add 4-6 green onions (I cut mine in 1 " pieces so everyone that hates green onions can pick them out)
Cook for about 2 mins. and
Serve over hot rice or noodles
I have made this twice to rave reviews.

I made 2 other recipes this week that I will keep.

This next recipe is from Our Best Bites. (8 August, 2008) It is for a low fat Alfredo Sauce that does not taste it. Just like they said. It is also fast and easy. I started the sauce when I started the water boiling for the pasta.

Alfredo Sauce by Our Best Bites
2 cups 1% milk
3 oz. lower fat cream cheese (nuefchatel cheese)
2 table. flour
1 tea. salt
1 table. butter
3 garlic cloves
1cup parmesean cheese

In a blender, blend
2 cups 1% milk (not skim)
1/3 cup (3 oz.) lower fat cream cheese
2 table. flour
1 tea. salt

In a sauce pan, saute for about 30 sec.
1 table. butter
3 cloves of garlic
Then add milk mix to the pan.
Simmer and stir about 3-4 mins. or until thickened. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Cover quickly and let stand for 10 mins. (While you finish the pasta.)

Everyone really liked this lower fat Alfredo. The only problem was that I went to bed after our movie night and forgot to put the left-overs container in the fridge.

#7 I have been reading a fun book this week when I have had little bits of extra time. I had recorded a STUDIO 5 (local t.v. show) episode about an easy bread recipe. I watched that part of the tape this week. Lisa's recipe was easy. Very easy. If you follow my blog you know that bread is my new thing...so I hopped over to Lisa's blog http://clawsonlive.blogspot.com/ , found the recipe and... could not quit reading. So far I have 11 more recipes of hers to try and I am only back to 5-27-09. The bad thing is that I can not find a sticker on her blog to link her up to mine. (Yes, my kidults have told me-a lot-that they are buttons, not stickers. But I am a scrapbooker and I think they look like stickers.) On to the bread. I (we, but mainly me) LOVE it. Now you know why I was happy to remember my pot. (Which only works o.k.) This is a wonderful dense and airy (?) peasant bread. (The loaf of bread, a jug of juice and thine, kind.) AND SO EASY.

The Best Loaf of Bread Ever-from Clawson Live

#1 Mix
3 cups of flour
1/2 tea. yeast
1 3/4 tea. salt
1 1/2 cups water

Stir together well. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter (or table or stove) for 12-18 hours.

#2 Add a handful of flour to the bread in bowl and stir in. (You can use your hands.) You are not kneading the bread. Just kind of forming a ball. You can also add "things" in here. Some of the things that Lisa lists are craisins, raisins, lemon zest, cinnamon, garlic, cheese, herbs, spices... First I made asiago and rosemary bread. The kidults did not like picking out the rosemary. Next I made asiago with dried basil. It needed more basil, but it was so good. After mixing in your flavours, cover with plastic wrap again. Put your pot in the oven, set for 450* with the pot inside, and pre-heat for about 30 mins.

Slice an X in the top of your bread and (very carefully) set it in the very hot pan, and cover.

Cook bread for 30 mins., covered.

Remove hot cover and cook 20 mins. more, uncovered, still at 450*. Lisa says you do not need to grease the pan. My first one stuck. My next one I sprayed. It burned and I wiped it out. The bread did not stick, but the spray burned to the pot. I think it is just the 50s pot.

I want to make it every day, but I don't want to eat all that yummy bread (with melted cheese or cold butter).

#8 Because of the school holiday on Monday and Tuesday, no carpool :-)

#9 We had Hilary's birthday dinner today. She picked bbq and teriyaki chicken stips, grilled. (Thank-you Doug and Logan for grilling the meat. GREAT JOB.) Also cashew pilaf, green salad with vegis and homemade rolls. (Thank-you, Lindsay for making the rolls.) For dessert Hilary chose heavenly hash ice cream and rice krispie treats. (Thank-you, Emily for making the rice krispie treats. You make them the best and the fastest.)

#10 I taught Mark's Sunday school class for him today, so that he could attend temple preperation class with Ashley. (I will teach the next 2 weeks, too.) The group (14-15 year olds) were great. They listened, answered and were respectful. It was nice. I have a hard time sitting for 3 hours now that I am not in nursery.

As always, these are not in any particular order. If you have a question about a recipe, just ask. I have proof-read, but am not a good typist.

Thursday I will announce the winner of the 6 small Valentine's Day clippies (Thank-you, Hilary.). You can see them at the end of the 11 Jan. , 2010 post. You will be entered to win if you are signed up on my follower list by Thursday morning, 28 Jan., 2010. AND, next Monday I will have pictures of the next give-away. So cute. And handmade by Lindsay.

Thank-you, dear followers for humoring me as I seek the happy things in a less than positive time in the world, write my journal entries and record my cooking explorations. I am so thankful for the life I live. What an amazing time to be here.