Christmas....

Story:  Christmas and baking just go together.  My mother used to do copious amounts of baking on Christmas Eve.  Mrs. Brinkley and Kizzie used to stop by sometime before Midnight...and we'd still be up baking and decorating.  This happened as far back as I can remember.  It used to take us ages to get all Mom's animated decorations down from the attic, let alone the Christmas tree, bulbs, lights and ornaments.  We'd start early...but never early enough!  Christmas for me smells like Doll's Poundcake, Mom's Red Velvet Cake and Black Bottom Cupcakes - Pine tree is not Christmas-y!  I've certainly carried on the baking tradition...maybe one year I'll get into decorating more than just a tree!


For Christmas, I like to bake lots of different things, assemble plates and give them to friends.  This year I did Red Velvet Cake, Lemon Bars, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies.  I will admit the brownies were from a box, but that was a last minute addition because SOMEONE ate some of the Choc Chip Cooks that were for friends....IRV!


Red Velvet cake is courtesy of Bakerella, as are the Lemon Bars.  The Chocolate Chip Cookies are a secret recipe of mine using raw caster sugar instead of white sugar, I swear it makes them taste better!  


http://www.bakerella.com/red-velvet-cake/


http://www.bakerella.com/lemon-bars-and-a-little-helper/


Maybe I'll think ahead for next year and get some nice Christmas plates for 2011. 


- MLM

Thanksgiving!!!!

Story:  Thanksgiving is a huge tradition in my family.  It has been since I was little and I have carried the tradition on since I've been married.  I remember the first Thanksgiving - we had a 3lb bird, blow up furniture and I used sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in the homemade macaroni and cheese!!!  Every year after that got bigger and better, as did my cooking.  


Another successful Thanksgiving is under my belt!  This year was maybe the best ever.  We had a ton of people over, and most importantly Auntie Brenda and Auntie Emma.  Not that the girls really noticed any of us adults, not with the other kids to entertain them.  


I did a lot of prep work the day before...which saved a ton of time on the day of.  However, I still was flat-out on T-Day!  I could not believe it!  I had great timing with the Turkey and subsequent sides needing to be cooked.  Everything was delicious...except the ham.  I just can't cook ham!!!  


I wish I had taken pics of the food when EVERYTHING was ready, because there was sooo much more.  Everyone brought a couple dishes and a couple bottles.  I even made punch!  Alcoholic of course :)  


Menu:
Turkey
Ham
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Roasted Carrots
Cole Slaw
Potato Salade
Candied Yams
Squash and Peas
Cheesy Polenta
Fresh Spinach and Walnut Salad
Rolls
Pecan Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Pavlova with Cream and Fruit
Dumplings with Cream and Fruit
and MORE.....


Here are the pics of the food I made....


- MLM

Tamales PT 2...

Story:  I didn't make them this time.....they were being sold for a fundraiser and I luckily snatched a dozen before they were sold out.  These tamales were Ecuadorian - so they had different ingredients and were wrapped in banana leaves.  Inside these pork tamales were potatoes, corn and meat.  I made some fresh veggie & cumin rice, along with some fresh salsa.  A couple tacos on the side and it was a very filling meal.  

As I'm eating, I'm thinking how much I prefer my tamales to these ones.  So of course I hopped online and ordered some supplies!!  I got a tamale kit that comes with the masa, the husks, a steamer, chilies, a spreader and something else.  Can't wait 'til it gets here!  I'm making a big batch this time.  The spreader will make it heaps easier than when I did it with a rice spoon.  The plan is to make beef and pork tamales.  

I think I might have a small dinner party to celebrate my hard work!!

- MLM

Breakfast...

Cooking....

Finished Product :)

Story:  We love some breakfast!!  Eggs, meat and 'taters.  Pancakes, waffles and fruit.  Juice. Coffee.  What's not to love?!  Swirv got me a fantastic new griddle plate to put on the stove.  Every electric one we have had has burnt out and died.  So, I'm sold on the stove top griddle.  Perfect pancakes and bacon...delicious eggs.  Love it!  


- MLM

Beef, It's what's for dinner PT 2...

Story:  Growing up, we always had a freezer full of Beef.  Steaks, hamburger meat, roasts and MORE.  Every year Mom or Dad (someone) would go to Mt Airy Meat Locker (I'm pretty sure that's the name) and would bring home huge boxes of frozen beef goods.  It was a process brining it in from the car, stocking the freezer - as you can imagine a whole or quarter side of beef would be!  Steaks on the grill, Mom's Hamburger Corn Casserole, roast....Meat Starch Vegg.  Thank goodness I married a Beef Eater!!


- MLM

Beef, It's what's for dinner...

Story:  We are a meat -n- potatoes family.  And nothing tops a delicious rib roast packed in a pot with fresh veggies.  There is a new-ish fresh veg store here that we get really fresh produce from.  One day I decided I wanted to cook something with pumpkin, so we went to Fresh in the Desert to see what they had.  I got butternut pumpkin, blue pumpkin and orange pumpkin.  They all had specific names, and none were like any pumpkin I had ever seen in the States.  They were ALL a pain to cut up, and none of them tasted so great that they were worth all that effort.  So needless to say, I won't be rushing to put pumpkin in any dishes in the near future.  The potatoes and parsnips were great, love love love parsnips now.  And can't go wrong with carrots.  


Recipe:
1 rib roast
1 carrot
2 potatoes
2 or 3 kinds of pumpkin 
4 parsnips
Garlic
Salt -n- Pepper


Cut up all your veggies.  Rub the roast with garlic, S & P.  Cut slits in the roast and smoosh in some garlic.  Put the roast in the pan first, then surround it with the veggies.  Drizzle a little oil and water, cover and put in the oven.  Cook at 325 for about an hour....I cheat and cook the veggies for a little bit in the microwave, and found that one 'cycle' of the 'potato' setting is just right.  


Sides:
None needed, this is a One Pot Meal


- MLM

Pesto Sauce...

Story:  Where did I fall in love with Pesto sauce?  That would have to be in California.  My grandparents used to take my sister and I out to California to visit our great Aunt and cousins, and we would eat some great food.  Great sites and great food...San Fransisco comes to mind.  I was definitely too young to appreciate The Stinkin' Rose, but whenever we make our way back to San Fran, we will LIVE at that restaurant!  I think on one trip out the Cali, I ordered Pesto something or other for every meal.  Maybe not 'every' meal, but A LOT of meals!  Funny the smells that make me remember those summer trips - Herbal Essence shampoo, Pest sauce, Apple body lotion....


Recipe:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
• 2 cups firmly-packed basil leaves
• 60g parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Dash of cream (optional)
• 
  
• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts. Cook for 3 minutes. Process pine nuts, garlic and sea salt in a food processor until well combined.  Add basil and remaining oil. Process to form a coarse paste. Season with pepper. Stir in parmesan and process again.

I flattened out some chicken breasts for this Pesto recipe.  Stuffed it with bocconcini cheese, slathered some pesto sauce and rolled it up.  Baked it for about 25 minutes.  

Sides:

Garlic bread

Fresh pasta

- MLM