A Full Belly...

It is winter, it is cold and it has even snowed here. On top of that, I am hungry. Hungry for a good hot and healthy breakfast. One that will stick to my ribs. Something that I can feed my family and know that they are leaving for the day with a full belly.

What's your favorite hot breakfast cereal? I have several. I am from the south so one of them is grits but that's not what I am fixing today. I fixed oatmeal. The slow cooking kind. Actually I put it in my crockpot so that it was ready when we got up. If you like real oatmeal, not the instant or quick kind, I would suggest you try this. So easy. This recipe calls for oat groats, the groats are the oat with just the hard outer shell removed. They are much less processed than the oats we normally use for oatmeal and have the nutritional value still intact.

So, all you need:

Crockpot

heat safe dish that fits securely into the bottom of your crockpot

oat groats

water

You will use the measurements of 1:4. My dish will hold 1 cup of groats and I add 4 cups of water. Set this dish into the crockpot and pour water around the outside of your dish up to the level of the water inside your oat groats dish. You will cook on low for 7 hours. Since this is a waterbath method, be very careful when lifting your dish out. It will be very hot and the water bath will be steaming.


You can then add in any type sweetener that you like. We use honey, brown sugar, turbinado or sucanant. My favorite is the turbinado because it has a milder flavor than the sucanant but still has alot of the nutritional value still. You may add butter if you like. My husband likes to add raisins. I like pecans and a cinnamon blend. At this point, the only thing holding you back is your imagination. These are really creamy but yet really chewy. Just right for my taste. Any leftovers will need to be refrigerated for another day. You can warm them up in the microwave without any problem. Unless your family has a really hearty appetite, you will have leftovers.

Well, now I am really hungry, so I think that I am going to go eat my oat groats. Remember that you can find these at most health food stores and some country markets. You can buy them in bulk and use them a number of ways. As a matter of fact, I grind them in my Whisper Mill grinder and put in breads, pancakes and baked goods. But that's another post...I have to go now, this bowl is calling my name. Can you see the raisins and almonds? Wish you were here to smell it, yummy! Do you use oat groats? Comment below and let me know how you incorporate this very healthy grain into your diet.
Until later, Blessings
Linda

It's a contest!

Yes, friend, we are having our first contest. I happened to be surfing some of my favorite foodie blogs and I ran into a most interesting post. Crystal Paine of "Money Saving Mom" introduced a challenge of sorts to her readers just the other day. Her idea is to eat out of her pantry for four weeks. Can you imagine not running to the grocers every other day for that one or two ingredients needed for a recipe that you want to make today? I live out in the country and while we do have local grocery stores, I would just as soon stay home. It's really cold out and wouldn't it be nice just to be able to stay in front of your fire those extra moments that you would otherwise dedicate to food shopping? If you don't have a fire place, then I invite you to just take that time and meet me here. We can have coffee, my beverage of choice. We can talk about events of the world or swap recipes or tips, anything to keep me out of a stalled checkout line. Crystal's friend, Kelly, wrote within the article a list of some nuggets that you will take away from this challenge in the form of "discoveries." Some of them are: creativity, thankfulness and purpose. Please go visit Crystal at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ and I assure you that you will find something to enjoy.

Now, please, do not get me wrong. I think this is an excellent idea! As a matter of fact, it has been presented to me on other occasions! My husband has actually suggested that I try to do this. Oh, and yes, our son too - though I have to admit, I think he was just mimicking his Dad. I don't think he realizes that to follow this course would mean that his preferred frozen pizza would not be purchased beforehand and wouldn't make it to the house during the challenge if it is not already in my freezer.

Now, anyone that knows me very well at all or has been to my home knows that we have a surplus of food. I think the saying goes: "enough for an army." Yes, I am embarrassed to admit it but they say that the first step to recovery is to admit that you have a problem.

Here goes - I know I have too much food in my house. I know, as well, that in spite of this, I still go to the grocery store. Going to the grocery store is not the actual problem, it's going and buying more food that doesn't necessarily complete or complement a meal that you already have planned.

Ok, so I have decided to join the challenge, kinda, sorta. Umm...I just found the post and am not prepared to sign my name to the dotted line. I do hope to follow as closely as possible Crystal's guidelines and see how I do. I also hope that the next time "Money Saving Mom" hosts this challenge, I will be up to it and make it official. In the meantime, I will do it quietly and behind the scenes, in case I mess up royally. I will let Crystal know that I am on board, kinda, sorta.

Ok, your part! The contest!
I have an item in my pantry that I really need to use. It's:

As a matter of fact, I have three crispy pizza crust mixes. They really need to be used up. My problem is that I don't want pizza! Why in the world would I buy a pizza crust mix, much less three of them, if I didn't want pizza? C'mon, I know you are asking that or, at least, thinking it. I know that I am. At any rate, I want you to come up with an original recipe using this product as an ingredient in the dish. The only other rule is that all other elements must be common ingredients that you would normally find in an average southeastern pantry. You see, I need to be able to make this dish without having to go to the grocery. Crystal does set up some guidelines for what shopping you are allowed to do: you can only go shopping a maximum of three times during the challenge period, you can only spend a maximum of $75 per visit and you can only purchase dairy and produce.

Before I go any further with the contest information, you should know that there are benefits to this exercise. The most important is that you save time and money. My extra time will be invested in more research for our blog. The money saved will be handled somewhat differently. Crystal makes the suggestion that all extra money saved be donated to a local food bank. My extra money during this time will be donated to The Bethesda Center in the form of nonperishables that may be put on their shelves until needed for filling food baskets for the needy. The Bethesda Center is a local organization that has a store with marked down products and provides food baskets in times of need. They also help with utilities should the need arise.

Ok, now back to the contest. How do you benefit? What is your prize? Well, I am a brand new blogger who has not yet had any followers to join. I have not had anyone approach me with a prize to give away either. So, should you decide to take part in this, your prize will be bragging rights! Ok, maybe not that! Kind of prideful, isn't it? So what I will do, is publish your recipe along with your name and photo. Still have to learn how to do that from an email; that's how new a blogger I am. I will also publish photos of the recipe in stages as I make it. Just make a comment below with a name, email address that I can get in touch with you and the category of food that your recipe would fall under: breakfast, main dish... I will contact you through email and you can respond with your recipe. I will choose the one that fulfills the guidelines the closest with what I have on hand. Can't tell you what I have because I have so much I do not know what it is and because this will give everyone an equal footing. The contest will start immediately and run through February 15th, 2010. I will determine which recipe I will make and it will be published here end of February. I will be taking part in the challenge in February, a month later than "Money Saving Mom" but I feel that I will get as much enjoyment and knowledge as if I had done it in January.

To take part in this challenge or just to read the original blog, please go to "Money Saving Mom" at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ and key in Eat from the pantry challenge. I am sure she would love for you to join her.

Until later, keep cooking. Blessings. Linda

That red checked cookbook...

Did you have a favorite cookbook while you were growing up? I sure did! It was actually the "Better Homes and Garden Cookbook" but we called it the red checked cookbook and all the ladies had one. It's obvious why that was the nickname, but, in hindsight, nicknames are ususally shorter than than the original name. Not in this case. I think that is terribly funny, don't you?

I was thinking of this book the other day when I was planning my menu. It's winter, it's cold, it's wet and it is windy!! What better meal to serve than a warm, hearty stew? My son is a picky eater and you may have one too. Recently I found out that he likes my Mom's beef stew. I called her and asked her for the recipe. Do you know what she told me? "You have it! It's in the red checked cookbook". Ha, I have two copies, compliments of my Mama.

So, tonight, after my husband comes home from a long day of work, really hard work, we are going to sit down to a big bowl of beef stew. Hmmm...maybe some cornbread to go with it. Yummy, I can already smell it cooking and am getting hungry. Guess I better get up and get to cooking. Come on into my kitchen with me. You can help cut the veggies!! This is all you need!

Brown Stew
2 lbs. beef chuck, cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes

2 tbsp fat

4 cups boiling water

1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh, frozen, or canned (optional)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic

1 medium onion, sliced

1 to 2 bay leaves

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Dash allspice or cloves

6 carrots, quartered

1 lb (18 to 24) small white onions.

Thoroughly brown meat on all sides in hot fat; add water, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, garlic, sliced onion, bay leaves, and seasonings. Cover, simmer 2 hours; stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Remove bay leaves and garlic.
Add carrots, onion. (Cubed potatoes may be added.) Cover; continue cooking 30 minutes or till vegetables are done. Remove vegetables and meat; thicken juices for gravy. 6-8 servings.

I, of course, changed the recipe to suit my family's tastes. First, I mixed some flour, black pepper and seasoned salt. I then rolled the meat in the flour mixture before I browned the meat. This ensured that I had flavorful meat as well as self made gravy like broth. I left out the "gravy making" step.



I had to put this picture in because it shows all that fragrant steam. Can you see it? Look really close. It smelled so good while I was browning it.

This is the step where you can go read for a bit. The meat has to cook to tenderness before you add any of the vegetables. And, boy, was that meat tender. You could cut it with just a fork!


Now doesn't that look worth the effort? As you can see, I decided on homemade biscuits. they were so delicious!
Just typing in this recipe is making my mouth water. Why don't you make this and let me know how you liked it and what you changed. If you are like me, a recipe is a suggestion, not a law. I always leave out the salt. I roll the beef pieces in seasoned flour before frying. When everything is simmering together, this will make it thicker. I like my stew thick so that I can slop up the broth with cornbread or a biscuit. Mmmmm...maybe biscuits!
Until we talk again, happy cooking,
Blessings
Linda

It's a snow day...hot choc...family night...

My son was so excited to have it announced before he went to bed last night that school would be cancelled due to inclement weather. Nothing had happened yet. Sounds curious, doesn't it? Here in the Southeast, alot of cities are not prepared for the icy/snowy season due to the road layout and the lack of these conditions for the most part. Our area is really beautiful but remote, to a point. Lots of curves, valleys, hills and trees are around and the road is not exposed to enough sun to keep the roads clear. This morning we were to have 1-3 inches. We had a little dusting. We were to get more during the day. We had a little more dusting. Areas close by got more, but we got dust...and ice. It was still pretty coming down though. Above are some pics so that you can see.
When I was growing up, I think that we got more snow than my child normally gets to see in a winter. There is one thing that I just had to make sure was the same. Hot Chocolate...homemade hot chocolate. My mother used to make this for my two sisters, brother and myself when we would come in from playing in the snow. Sure would warm you up...from the inside out. I wish you could have been here today to smell the chocolate as it warmed on the stove. Ahh....comforting on such a cold winter day. We also had grilled cheese sandwiches. Everything was absolutely yummy.

Homemade hot chocolate is so much better that the premixed envelopes that you buy at the grocery. Now, the packets are much more convenient and I do admit that I will still buy them but when possible, I am making mine. If you have never made it, following is a recipe.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

This is all you need. Isn't that easy? Like me, you probably already have this in your pantry. Just milk, sugar and cocoa.
5-6 Tbsp cocoa

5-6 Tbsp sugar

3 cups milk
In medium saucepan, mix sugar and cocoa, add milk. Stir over medium heat until warm to your liking.


I doubled this recipe so that I would have some for tonights family night. Just refrigerate left over portion for later.

This is the sugar and cocoa.

This is after I added the milk. So rich!

This was our lunch. So yummy! The hot chocolate was so creamy and rich and Josh said he just loved it. The grilled cheese sandwiches were good, hot and gooey. The only thing missing was the salsa. I was out. I love to dip mine in salsa. I also love thinly sliced tomatoes and onions on my grilled cheese before I cook them. Since I was splitting the sandwiches with my picky eater, I didn't do that. Maybe next time.

After hubby came home, we had a simple dinner of shrimp and broccoli and settled in for family night (and the remainder of the hot cocoa). We watched a movie that was really family friendly and enjoyable. I think that we may have to watch it again to catch the end. Not really sure if it ended in a way that we understood completely. This is a picture of the DVD case.
This is a cute movie about a family under financial stress living in a community filled with need. The father makes a wondrous discovery and attempts to use his compassion and common sense as to how to exercise his newfound knowledge and the "moss". You have to watch the movie to discover how it ends. You can find a copy through the production company Feature Film for the Family at www.familytv.com/
Sorry about the flash on the cover. I am still new at photography and blogging but am enjoying the process as I go. Any tips that you can give me, would be greatly appreciated.



I would also love to hear what you do on family nights? Is there a game or a movie that strikes you as being one to bring those sweet memories of your own childhood to mind? Would love to hear about those as well. What about your favorite winter family beverages? Do you have a special one that you make for your family to enjoy? Please comment below and share the recipes. You know that you can never have too many recipes. Until next time, spend time with your family; make memories for your little ones so that they can pass on a heritage to their own precious little ones.
Until we meet again. Blessings and seek the Lord in all that you do.
Linda