bacon makes stuff taste goooood

We're still here. Sick kids for me. Also, getting ready for a craft fair. But here. I'm sort of nervous about the craft thing. It's like a REAL craft fair. It's at a swanky gallery in a nicer part of the East Bay. The only craft fairs I've done have been neighborhood ones where I'm set up next to the Avon lady and am pretty much the only one that's made anything by hand... wish me luck...

So I made this tonight for dinner and thought I'd share it with you. If anyone is still around. Otherwise, hey T, look what I made for dinner:

Potato and Asparagus Bisque

6 slices bacon (I used a whole package)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 diced celery
1 quart chicken broth (4 cups)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tbs thyme
2 cups peeled diced potatoes
1 10 oz. box frozen cut asparagus (I used fresh actually)
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Cook bacon until crisp in a 3 quart soup pot. Remove bacon reserving 2 tbs drippings. Crumble bacon. Cook onion and celery in drippings until tender. Add broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper, thyme, and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are soft. Once they are soft, mash the potatoes with a potato masher (loosely - not to a pulp). Add asparagus; simmer for 5 minutes. reduce heat to low, stir in cream and bacon. Simmer for 3 minutes (don't let boil).

So good my 5 year old will even eat it... at least the bacon part...

an apple a day...

I'm always amazed that you can actually make the treats that you see in the cute little sweet shops. Who doesn't love their apples smothered in caramel and chocolate??

While at Target I walked past a bag of Caramels. I figured I give the caramel apple a shot. I've made them with Tracy before. Ok. I watched while she made them the not-cheating way (involving a candy thermometer) and then I ate it. I was there more as moral support.

Anyway, I bought the bag of caramels thinking it would be a fun family activity. Well, it turns out - it's even fun when you're just making one. All you need is (for 1):

9 caramel squares
1/2 tbs water

melt in a small saucepan on low. Stir continuously.

Stick your Popsicle stick into the apple. Dip the apple in the caramel. You may have to roll it since you're not melting enough to technically "dip".

**don't refrigerate. It makes the caramel HARD.

Then. I melted chocolate chips in the microwave. Unless you know how to do this, Google it. It's not hard, but there is a way to make it smooth and dip-able.

Add nuts. Or candy. Or more chocolate. Or crushed pretzels. The possibilities are endless.

Wouldn't this be a fun gift for teachers? Neighbors? Co-workers? Cellophane, cute ribbon and tags? The holidays, they are a-comin'.
Now, if only I could talk him into EATING the apple and not just lick off the toppings...

canning: don't be scared

A lady at church gave me a ton of apples that she got from her sister who works for an orchard. Apparently these apples are considered "seconds" because they are not perfectly shaped and may have a bruise or two.Sweet.

100 apples.

But besides applesauce what can you do with apples??

How about APPLE PIE FILLING!!

Again, Sweet.

We are fans of apple pie, but I rarely make it because that whole apple part is a pain in the rear.

Now, I have 12 jars full of apple pie filling. Mmmmm.... The jar is just the right size to fill one pie, so now I just have to make the crust.

But, when you have 100 apples to peel, you MUST have one of these:It's an apple/corer/peeler. It's the coolest. I peeled 100 apples and was amazed every time. I even took it into my daughters Kindergarten class to show the kids since they are learning about apples right now. Amazement all around. (but mostly by me I think because I realize what a pain it is to do it the other way...)My BIL's (not) girlfriend took this picture. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm the biggest dork ever.

You should can apple pie filling. Really, it's easy. And what a fun teacher/neighbor/whoever gift. Fun fabric on top, a label with directions on how to make pie crust and there ya go. Gift.

Here's the recipe I used: (fills 7 Qt jars) -I think 5 apples per jar was what it ended up being.

*(approx) 20 cups of apples peeled, cored and sliced (about 5 apples makes 3 cups).
slice and leave in a bowl of lemon juice

combine in a large pan:
*4 cups sugar
*1 cup cornstarch
*3 tsp cinnamon
*1 tsp nutmeg
*1 tsp salt
*10 cups water

cook on medium until thick and darkish brown. Stir, but not constantly. When it's thick, add 3 tbs lemon juice.

Fill canning jars 1/3 full of sauce. Put drained apples into jars smooshing down into the sauce until the jar is full. Use the handle of a large spoon to clear out the bubbles and spaces. Cover with hot lids and process in boiling water for 20 minutes.

Here's some info on canning if you've never done it before.

the only way to make pizza

Toppings L-R: green onions, green peppers, tomatoes, chicken and pepperoni, mushrooms, homemade pesto (best part!).

My husband works really late every Tuesday night, so I make pizza for dinner. He hates pizza... I know! Who hates pizza?! That's why Tuesday night=pizza night.

I on the other hand *heart* pizza. I think I could eat it every day. Seriously. This is my favorite commercial. Every time I make pizza I totally admit to singing this song.



In my opinion - the ONLY way to make homemade pizza is on the GRILL. Oh it's so tasty! And so trial-and-error to get it right. But I've figured out what works for me. Tracy does it differently. I used to do it the way she does, but I am lazy.

Option 1: Tracy's way: she gets her grill REALLY hot and then puts the pizza dough directly on the grill. Then puts the toppings on. It's too hot for me. I don't like leaning over the grill that much when it's already 106 degrees outside. But, the flavor is a little different then the other options. Very tasty.

Option 2: use a pizza stone on your grill heated up to 500 degrees. I don't have a pizza stone. I think this is technically how it's "supposed" to be done. But whatevs.

Option 3: buy cheap pizza pans from the dollar store (since they'll get trashed by the grill). Make your pizza on the pans - toppings and all.

Remember to spray the pans w/ non-stick cooking spray.
Have your grill heating while doing all of this then turn it on LOW-MED (this is the trial-and-error part), put your pizza on, and check after 6-8 minutes. Possibly rotate if not ready yet.

Enjoy! I love to put fresh Parmesan cheese on it too!

I modified a recipe for the dough, so I'll share it with you.

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water

mix together and let stand until foamy
3 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tps salt
3 tsp olive oil

mix these ingredients and then add the yeast/water mixture.

cover and let rise. *this is KEY*

This makes enough for 2-3 pizza depending on how thick you make the crust.

*When I roll out my dough I like to brush olive oil on the surface before I put on my toppings* Don't forget to sing ;)

also - this is so easy to make the day ahead and refrigerate. Pull it out to warm up the dough and it's ready. I usually freeze my left over dough too. I almost think the defrosted dough is better than the fresh stuff.

The recipe is good in that Artisan Bread book too, but I like to make mine in my food processor, and the recipe in the book makes too much to fit.

seeing red

We were out of town for a week and had a bunch of tomatoes waiting for us when we returned. No one except for me likes tomatoes in my family, but they all love salsa. I like to make it and then freeze it in baggies. My recipe is not an exact science but more to taste... but I'll share the basic idea.

*A bunch of tomatoes. 8-ish I guess. Cut up and reserve a couple for the end so you can have chunky salsa.
*1 Jalapeno pepper
*1/2 red onion
*1/2 clove garlic
*salt and pepper
*cilantro (I don't add this, but I think most people would like it with some).

puree all together.

I do have a question for Tracy though - how do you thicken it? For example, when it's refrigerated the liquid separates from the rest. I just shake it up and it's fine again, but should I add something else to it?

trailer park donuts

Wow! Has it really been since June 8th that we last posted?? Sheesh!

Well, I've been at the beach all week long and before that have been doing lots of loan signings. Every where I go there is a bakery. Tracy wants to open a bakery one of these days so I tend to notice them more. I thought this cupcake shop in Mill Valley was really cute. I love the way she displayed her cupcakes. I did not try one though. I'm more of a pizza gal. If I could buy pizza every where I went I would. That should be my mission - to find the best pizza place in the Bay Area.

Anyway... my husband made these donuts the other day. I've named them "Trailer Park" donuts - not to say that if YOU live in a trailer you couldn't make the fancy kind of donuts. They are fast, easy, and cheap. And surprisingly delish!

Ingredients:

*Those biscuits that you buy in a tube

*Vegetable Oil

*toppings:
cinnamon/sugar mixture
powdered sugar
glaze or chocolate frosting



Smoosh the individual biscuit a little and tear a little hole in the center. This is usually my 5 year old's job. Then fry in oil until golden brown on each side. Transfer to a plate. If you use the cinnamon/sugar or the powdered sugar just put it in a gallon zip lock bag then it's easy to put one doughnut in and shake it up. The glaze is really yummy too. I must admit... we've had these more often than we probably should, but really - the biscuits are only $.59 a tube - maybe I should call them Recession Doughnuts. (that might be more P.C.)

home ec-y

We had ham for Easter dinner. While cutting the rest of the meat up to save for sandwiches the next day I discovered the bone. Now, this may seem obvious to you, but I decided I should make some kind of soup with it. It seemed very exciting and new. It also reminded me of that book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. At some point in the book the mom is making soup with the bone from a ham and she's used it to cook so many times there is hardly any taste left in it. At least that's what I remember. I could be thinking of something totally different. Anyway, the soup was divine. Tasty. I made the Challa bread from that book Tracy (and just about everyone I know) was talking about. I even braided it and put poppy seeds on it. Soup made from a left over ham bone and home made braided bread -- how's that for domestic! The house smelled so good all day long and when the bread was baking. . . mmmm. . . there was something comforting about it.

Here's the recipe to the soup I made. (Made in a crock pot)

-Ham bone left over from a yummy spiral ham dinner
-2 cups chopped potato
-2 cups chopped carrots
-1 chopped onion
-1/2 cup celery
-1 clove minced garlic
-1 can kidney beans
-1 can stewed (or diced) tomatoes
-4 cups water
-4-6 tsp (cubes) chicken bullion. It was a wee bit salty, but I'm not sure if cutting back here would make the difference.

I put it in the crock pot for 6 1/2 hours on medium heat. The bits of ham that was left on the bone was falling off. Wow! This soup was great!

... after dinner we took the bone to a neighbor's dog. Waste not want not, right!?

my turn

Hey Tracy - it's my Birthday today... not tomorrow. Ha! We've been best friends since we were 13 years old and neither one of us can remember WHICH DAY the other's Birthday is on. Actually, Tracy sent me some fun napkins that I will take a picture of (unless Tracy did and wants to post them herself). Oh yeah, the point. Pumpkin Cheesecake! Every year since I can remember my mom made pumpkin cheesecake for my Birthday. When I left for college she would send me the ingredients. The past couple of years my good friend has made it. Today, my husband made it. It was the first time he ever has and I thought it was very sweet of him.
Here's the recipe. It's easy. And involves Jello no-bake cheesecake, so it's sort of like cheating. OK - it is cheating, but there so much less guilt involved when finishing off a 9" pie full by myself because no one else in the house likes it...

1 pkg Jello Cheesecake (sold at Target for only $1.59!)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
3/4 c. pumpkin
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
cool whip

Crust: Prepare crust of cheesecake mix per instructions on box.

Filling: Combine all dry ingredients. Add pumpkin, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Pour mixture into crust. Chill for at least 1 hr. Put whip cream on top before serving.

Yum!