We made a batch of crepes and had a choice of strawberries, blueberries, nutella or cinnamon sugar with fresh made REAL whipped cream. They were amazing! I will post more pictures of the process later. It was remarkably easy. I finally got the hang of it about two crepes from the end of the batch! Isnt this one a beauty!?
Here they are stacked and ready to be filled…
I baked a ham night before last and of course there were leftovers. So I took out my new LOVELY crepe maker and whipped up some crepes for lunch. Ham, provolone and crepe — didnt have my camera out but I am making some more for supper tonight to go with a salad so I will pop some pictures on here then! I just was so proud of myself because really they were very easy to make! Simple et délicieux !
Why, yes I am! Sprouts and sourdough starter. I have been wanting to do both for a while. I use to keep sprouts on hand. Great for snacking, adding to a sandwich and adding to stir fry. And then sourdough - been meaning to give that a whirl as well. So we will see how it turns out. Oh and Husband planted pumpkins yesterday! So excited about that!
And I have to tell you about this blog I found. The Daily Coyote. Just about anyone who knows me knows I am a cat person, not a dog person. I like dogs fine. I just don’t want to own one. And I have my reasons. In years past I was raising a large family and many times alone with the way Husband’s work took him away and the very last thing I needed was something that needed me. And dogs need people. They are very dependent creatures. Not that they don’t give back, they certainly do. But, I didn’t have the time nor the energy to give a dog the proper home, so we never had one. And yes, I know coyotes and dogs are VERY different but most of the time I am drawn to cats, big and small (yes even tigers, Michelle!–or are they drawn to me!?). But when I bounced into this blog one morning I was instantly smitten. I am not even kidding you ~ if I baby coyote found its way into my yard, I might just have to love on it whether it liked it or not! This is Charlie and his “siblings”:
I don’t want to ruin Charlie’s beautiful story by trying to retell it~please go over and read for yourself. You will not be sorry for the time spent and please look at the photos. Amazing.
That’s it for this morning. Not even a recipe. No time. Husband and I are off to the city for doctor appointments. His arm/hand ~going to try to schedule his surgery. And my yearly check up.
Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
Fresh corn with the husks still attached. Pull the green husks back but dont detach. Chop off about an inch of the very tip of each ear of corn. Be sure you have all the ummmm….errrrr…..corn…ummmm…well just be sure all the silks and anything else is removed.
Mix all together well and brush on one ear at a time, pulling the husks back up and closing them with a piece of bakers twine. Grill 10-12 minutes turning often. You may brush the corn again once it is grilled. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Husband made this originally for lamb chops (my favorite) but lamb chops are impossible to find here. So we use it for pork chops.
In a dry skillet, toast the following until aromatic:
Let cool and grind with 1 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper in a spice mill. We actually bought a coffee grinder specifically for griding spices.
Pour into a bowl and mix will with 2 TBSP minced fresh ginger and 4 garlic gloves, minced.
Rub mixture all over chops and refrigerate 3 hours before grilling as you usually do.
For crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For filling
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz envelope, about half of envelope)
1/4 cup milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup dulce de leche (recipe below
How to make Dulce de Leche
Pour 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk into top of double-boiler pan; cover. Place over boiling water. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 50 minutes, or until thick and light caramel-colored.
Remove from heat. Whisk until smooth. Set aside until needed.
For glaze
3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
Make crust: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan foil or parchment leaving an overhang to lift the bars out for cutting.
Finely grind crackers with sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. With motor running, add butter, blending until combined. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of baking pan. Bake 10 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes.
Make filling: Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a small bowl and let stand 2 minutes to soften. Beat together cream cheese, eggs, salt, and gelatin mixture in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, then stir in dulce de leche gently but thoroughly. Pour filling over crust, smoothing top, then bake in a hot water bath (we used a 9×13-inch cake pan) in oven until center is just set, about 45 minutes. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 2 hours. Chill, covered, at least 6 hours and up to 3 days in advance of glazing. This makes them a great make ahead if you need.
Glaze within 2 hours of serving: Heat all glaze ingredients in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then pour over cheesecake, tilting baking pan to coat top evenly. Chill, uncovered, 30 minutes.
Lift this lovely concoctin from pan using the overhang and cut into 1-inch squares with a thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut. You really want to clean your knife so your squares will be neat and pretty. And do not cut into bigger pieces - it is really impossible to eat much of these very rich squares at a sitting.
We had quite the weekeend around here. Saturday, as I told you, we had all the family here for a huge cookout. Barbeque Ribs, Tandoria Rub Pork Chops, Fresh Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter, Baked Beans, Baked Potatoes and LOTS of noise!!!! We had a great time. And I have to tell you, Husband and I are one efficient team in the kitchen. We whipped up everything ahead of time and it seems we communicate almost telepathically when doing kitchen work. Oh, I also made a Banana Pudding and Rachel made a pan of Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares (recipe later). Then yesterday, Husband and I absolutely didnt do anything but watch Hamish McBeth DVDs, Law and Order reruns and eat leftovers. And we only left our room to go to the kitchen to get food and drink. And I have to recommend Hamish McBeth if you love quirky(and we do), bagpipes (and we do) and seeing Scottish countrysides(and we do). Robert Carlyle whom you might know from Trainspotting and The Full Monty, is adorable as the constable. And his friend TV John - equally lovable. You know how we love the BBC! Another great series from them. It was also nice to have Husband here to help me with some of the language! Next in our queue at Netflix are Ballykissangel, Monarch of the Glen. Lovejoy and Midsomer Murders.
We have a very busy day planned. I have to regain control of the house and Husband is tilling the pumpkin patch. Yep it is about time to plant pumpkins!
Be back later witht he recipe I promised! Now your picture of the day:
This is the public library in Montrose, Scotland
I picked Husband up at 9:11 last night and he was very glad to be home again. And I was very happy to have him home. Here is one of my favorite pictures he took…the Post Office of course…I LOVE MAIL!!More pics later.
We went to the grocery this morning and got thing for a feast. This the first time in a long time all 8 of us and spouses were together. Great time…great food! More later but just wanted to let you all know he made it home safe and sound.
Rachel made a quick pic for me to let you see the goodies for the Green Giveaway. Viola!
Being Green. Becoming Green. Going Green. Living Green. What does that mean? Something different to everyone. Many times, I feel judged/accepted or ostracized based on how GREEN I am/live. Admittedly, I am not even on the scale according to most. And I really, really dont want to stir up a hornet’s nest about it. I have found people I know fall into three categories: Very passionate and living the greenest life they possible can, those who will never believe it would make a difference at this point, and the rest of us…the HUH??? group. The HUH group hears, sees but doesnt know what exactly is the right way to approach every aspect of green living. And if they did know, could they comply? I am just not at a place where I feel I know what my role in the “movement” really is. But I am not going to get on a soapbox or get too deep into it, because then I will just show you all how ignorant about it I am and I prefer for you all to think I know MUCH more about everything than I actually do! I am joking, I hope you all realize! But there are things I know-cooking, sewing, tending to a family, running a household with a big family, making soap, and things I don’t know and I am not about to try and list them all. But “ecology” falls in there somewhere. Quite frankly, when all my children were at home and Husband was working 14 days at a time away from home, I was trying very hard to keep my head above water and keep down the possiblity of a mutany so recycling fell well below what I was REALLY worried about. I already had a huge, somewhat organic garden and made as few trips as possible in a vehicle because who in their right mind would take six kids anywhere they didnt have to???!!!! AND those of you who know me in real life, know how I feel about hypocrisy and for me to be very vocal would be way up there on that scale because the oil industry has put a roof over our heads and food on our table for 30 years. AND I know second hand thru Husband just how far the oil industry has come concerning ecology, clean energy and environmental concerns. So I tend to have a little different perspective/opinion than some. Plus, I am not much of a joiner. I don’t “do” bandwagons, in fact I tend to steer clear of them when at all possible. I simply try to live a life with a clear conscience where all things are concerned and treading lightly on the Earth is a process for me. A learning experience. Something I am growing into, not something I can jump on with both feet.
We watched a program yesterday about Greensburg, Kansas and the horrible way it was obliderated by a F5 tornado on May 4, 2007. I was much more fascinated with the weather those people endured than the actual green gist of the program. Amazing character the citizens of Greenburg possess. And the hope they show for rebuilding their lives and their community was amazing. They will be, with success, the first city in America to be built or rebuilt from the ground up “green“.
I hope all of that will be taken in the spirit it was written. I am just trying to be honest about where I am with this subject and not profess to be more than I am, know more than I do or lead someone to believe I am greener than I am.
But now the real reason I started this post: I want to recycle some green things by having a giveaway! I have been hard at this kitchen mess for three days! And in all this cleaning and rearranging, I found the prettiest little teapot in my cupboard that needs a new home. It is ADORABLE and green! But since it wasnt a gift and I bought it for myself, I think I should make it a gift to someone else - you know RECYCLE…and make a little more room in my cupboard. AND I ran across a vintage apron that I want to add to the gift box. Its white, green and orange…too cute! And no telling how many owners it has had, so it definitely qualifies for a green giveaway! PLUS a book I have two copies of ~ Living Organic. The drawing will be July 1st at noon CST.
But wait there is more! That day will be very special here at NQJC~ so do check back. There will be something very special posted that day…not only will there be this terrific giveaway with a surprise (oh, you are going to love this) for the winner and there will be a real treat for EVERYONE!
So how do you enter? Leave me a comment on this post. Tell me something GREEN. Share something you or your community is doing or plan on doing to live a greener life. Make me a greener by inspiring me and giving me ideas! Let’s fill my trusty ol’ mason jar!
Pictures soon of the goodies!
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