Grilled Fruit Couscous Salad

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

I have been buying small little boxes of couscous at Aldi’s every few times that I go there to shop.

The funny thing is, is that I had never used any of it.

I think I must like buying it because of the cool name. Couscous Couscous…..

Or maybe it is the interesting shape of the tiny little pastas that have me intrigued.

Maybe, I just like buying groceries. Ha!

Needless to say, I was glad I had some in my pantry when I came across this recipe for Grilled Fruit Couscous Salad!

I love about anything grilled on a grill. I used my indoor grill to grill the fruit, and I am kinda glad I did because I did not have to worry about the fruit falling through the grates on my outdoor gas grill. I cut my fruit in fourths and grilled it, but if you were to do it outside you just grill the fruit that was cut in half. This would prevent the fruit from slipping. So really, indoor or outdoor, it does not matter which one. Just be careful no to let the fruit stick on the grill.

I also loved the ingredients in the salad dressing…olive oil, lime juice, spices and sweetened with honey. YUM!

Fresh cilantro and parsley too.

AND topped with those roasted and salted pumpkin seeds called pepitas. I love those things! They added that bit of tasty crunch to the salad.

I hope you will give this recipe a try!

Here is what you will need : )

Chicken broth, couscous, olive oil, pepper, salt, honey, lime, nectarines and plums (I forgot to put the plums in the picture), fresh cilantro and parsley and the pepitas. I found these in the health food section of my grocery store. I have also bought them in bulk at my local Amish store. (Also I did not add an green onion to the salad, even though I love onions, because Company does not like onions.)

First t hing I did was quarter my fruit.

I drizzled olive oil on the fruit to keep it from sticking to the grill.

Then I put them on my indoor grill (feel free to use your outdoor grill) and I grilled both sides of them.

This is what they looked like grill. I love grill marks!

Then in a medium sauce pan I poured in my chicken stock and brought it to a boil. The chicken stock seasons the couscous, so be sure and taste your stock and make sure you do not need to season it up a bit.

When the broth is boiling add in the couscous. Take the couscous off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.

Now, lets make the dressing. In a medium bowl pour in the olive oil.

Add in some pepper.

Add in some salt. I used sea salt.

Add in some fresh lime juice.

My favorite part….the honey.

Mix together. This can also be done in a small blender. Give your dressing a quick taste and add more honey or seasonings to suit your taste.

Cut your fresh parsley and cilantro, be sure and take out the stems of the cilantro.

Put the cooked couscous in a large serving bowl.

Add in your grilled fruit.

Top with your fresh herbs and if you are using a chopped green onion, now is the time to add that in too.

Drizzle with the dress and gently toss.

Top with the roasted pepitas (roasted and salted pumpkin seeds).

I decorated the salad with my squeezed lime and large parsley leaf.

Do you wish you had a fork??

I was glad I had a fork and a large bowl!

Enjoy!

Becky

Here is the recipe:

Adapted from Better Homes and Garden

Ingredients:

2 fresh plums, pitted and halved

2 fresh nectarines, pitted and halved

1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon to coat the fruit before grilling

1 1/2 cup chicken broth or you may use vegetable broth

1 cup couscous

2 scallions or green onions diced small

3 tablespoons lime juice (I used the juice from one lime)

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

Garnish with salad toppings or I used roasted salted pumpkin seeds called pepitas. I buy them in the bulk health food section.

Directions:

Brush the fruit with olive oil. I cut mine in quarters and then put olive oil on them. I used my indoor grill and grilled both sides of the fruit unit I got nice grill marks. If you are using an outdoor charcoal or gas grill leave the fruit in half then quarter. In a medium saucepan bring the broth to a boil. Add in the couscous and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Mix the dressing together in a small bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, put in the couscous and then the fruit. Drizzle with the dressing and then cilantro and parsley. Toss together.

Garnish the salad with your favorite salad topping or with roasted salted pumpkin seeds call pepitas.

Here are some other post you may enjoy! ; )

Freezing Fresh Corn Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

Not sure if I have ever told you that I do not like to eat eggs.

Yes, I have backyard chickens and love collecting, counting and sharing my little egg shell wrapped yumminess, but I really do not like scrambled eggs. I technically eat eggs in backed goods…but that is like a cake or a cookie. : ) Believe it or not, I have really gotten better about eating eggs over the last few years. I have started eating the occasional boiled and deviled egg. Progress!

So, why am I talking about eggs when I am posting a recipe about delicious and moist, fruit and white chocolate filled scones covered in a drizzle of vanilla bean glaze.

Well, it is because these are the things that I like to eat for breakfast.

For those of us who do not eat that traditional breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast, we are experts at finding other breakfast combinations.

Pancakes, biscuits and cereal (which is what I had for breakfast this morning).

Which by the way…does include bacon! Ha!

Let’s talk scones. I do not want a dry, tasteless, biscuit like scone that you need a ton of marmalade to make it taste good. That does not mean that I do not like a scone that is covered in marmalade…you should know me better than that. Let just forget the dry and tasteless part…ok?

This recipe for Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones is moist and every crumb taste gooooood! It is sweet but not too sweet and the raspberries add that bit of tartness that I love.

These scones lasted for about 5 minutes after they were glazed.

Yes, about 5 minutes….I barely got to take a picture of them!

It is cool this morning in Mid Missouri. So, make you some hot tea and some warm scones and warm up that tummy.

It will make you happy!

Here is what you will need for the scones, the ingredients for the glaze is a little further down:

You will need flour, salt (I forgot to put the salt in the picture), baking powder, sugar, whipping cream (I was out so I used half and half and it worked fine), butter, raspberries, white chocolate chips and a course sugar to top them with. I used turbinado raw can sugar, but you can use a course sanding sugar like this too.

This is from Wilton brand sanding sugar.

I used by little blender to mix my scones together, but you can definitely use a pastry blender to cut in your butter. First, measure out your flour and put it a bowl or your little blender.

Add in the salt.

Now the baking powder and mix together.

Stir in the sugar.

Add in the cold butter slices and cut in with a pastry blender or pulse a few times on your blender.

Your dough should start looking like crumbs with small pieces of butter.

I transferred my flour and butter mixture to a bowl. Now, pour in the whipping cream (I used half and half) and stir together, gently.

The dough will start to take shape.

Measure out your raspberries and white chocolate chips.

Add in to your dough and gentle knead in the dough. Be care not to break apart all the berries and be gentle during this process.

Form the dough into a nice circle.

Cut like a pizza into 8 wedges.

Place the scones on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

With a pastry brush, brush the tops of each scone with half and half.

Sprinkle with turbinado sugar or sanding sugar. I love the little sugar crunch on the top. YUM! Put the scones in the oven and start baking. While the scones are baking, make the glaze.

You will need some more half and half, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. If you do not have vanilla bean paste, just use vanilla.

Add the powdered sugar, half and half and the vanilla bean paste.

Stir together until smooth. I LOVE the little bits of vanilla beans.

When the scones are warm and just out of the oven, drizzle the glaze over each one.

There you go!

You might not even need bacon to go with them : ).

If you are looking for a special breakfast or an afternoon tea scone, I think you will love these!

Here is the recipe:

Adapted from Southern Living

Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup whipping cream (save 2 tablespoons to brush on top of scones)

2/3 cups of fresh raspberries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Sanding sugar

Ingredients for the glaze:

1/2 powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk to thin consistency ( I just went ahead and used my half and half)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla (I used vanilla paste)

Direction:

In a large bowl (I used my little blender) mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender until the mixture starts to look like crumbs. Pour in the half and half (save 2 tablespoons to brush on top of the scones) and gently stir to start forming a dough. Add in the raspberries and white chocolate chips. Gentle knead them in. Take the dough out of the bowl and form into a circle. Cut the dough like a pizza into 8 wedges. Brush each scone with the reserved whipping cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar or a sanding sugar. Place the scones into a 450 degree preheated oven and bake 13 to 15 minutes until light golden color.

While the scones are baking, stir together the milk, powdered sugar and vanilla paste.

When the scones come out of the oven, drizzle with the glaze.

Now, try not to eat all of them!

Enjoy!

Becky

Here are some other post that might interest you:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake Broccoli Rice Casserole

Tuscan Veggie Stew

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

If you have been reading and following along with me on my recipe and garden PLUS chicken journey, you already know by now that I love soup!

AND, what better time to have soup than in the spring and summer.

No, I am not teasing you…honestly I am not.

I mean you have heard of soup and salad or soup and sandwich meal combinations, right?

If that soup just happens to be made from a medley of veggie goodness and we grow veggies in the spring and summer….that makes this soup pretty perfect for making a big batch now that spring has sprung.

In the spring and summers I do not crave those creamy soups that I do in the winter when there is snow outside and a snow day from school.

I prefer a broth and veggie laded soup that has a great flavor.

This one just happens to have kale in it. MMM…I just happen to be growing kale in my raised garden beds.

Ok, so maybe you are not a kale fan…you can put spinach in this soup instead of the kale….and I just happen to be growing that too.

See…I told you this soup was perfect : ).

I spied this recipe in my Mom the Princess’s Good Housekeeping magazine a few months ago. I really wanted to make it because it had kale in it and Oldest daughter and I love kale. The broth and veggie combination sounded like it went perfect together too. So, I was anxious to make this soup. There was one little tiny thing I was hesitant about putting in the soup and that was the stale bread. Not because it might not taste good, but because I do not like soggy bread or crackers. I do like soggy bread so bad that I do not even dunk my cookies in milk.

Yes, I am weird.

I did follow the recipe and make it with the stale bread in it and it was fine, but next time I make it, I will be using gnocchi or a small pasta in the soup instead of the stale bread..

I forgot to mention that this soup also freezes well. I love to take soup I have made at home and froze to take to work for lunch.

MMMM soup in spring and summer….

Now, I just need a sandwich…preferable with bacon on it…lots of bacon, to go with my soup!

Hope you give this super simple delicious soup a try!

Here is what you need:

You will need some chicken broth, carrots, onion, kale, white beans, diced tomatoes, olive oil, parmesan cheese and some stale bread. Now…I did sneak in some roasted garlic flavoring in after I taste tested it. I love me some garlic!

First thing you do is chop up the carrots.

Now you dice up the onion.

Be sure and take the stalk out of the kale first. Then you cut or chop the kale into large chunks.

Heat up some olive oil on medium heat in a large sauce pan.

Saute the onions and the carrots.

They should start to get tender.

Pour in one can of diced tomatoes.

Add in two cans of white beans, drained and rinsed.

Now add in all that kale. Don’t worry it cooks down.

Add in your stale bread cut into chunks. (next time I am going to try potato gnocchi instead.)

Pour in you chicken stock.

Let simmer until the kale is tender, about 20 minutes.

Do a little taste test and add some seasonings if you want. I add in some roasted garlic seasoning cause I love garlic. It was about a teaspoonful.

Lastly, add in the parmesan cheese and give it a quick stir.

And, now it is ready to eat!

Adapted from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound of carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 quarts Vegetable or Chicken broth (I used Chicken)

1 bunch kale Tuscan or curly, stalk removed and chopped

4 ounce of stale bread turn into small pieces about 4 cups worth (you could substitute the bread for gnocchi, tortellini or even a small pasta, I would just use 1 to 1 1/2 cups worth though)

2 can white beans rinsed and drained

1 – 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1/3 cup parmesan cheese (additional amounts make be served as a garnish)

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat oil on medium and saute the carrots and onions. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are starting to get tender.

Add the broth, kale (after removing the stalks) bread, beans and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes or until Kale is tender. Stir in the parmesan cheese and serve.

You can garnish with parmesan cheese or olive oil if you want.

This recipe is so quick and simple to make and taste so good!

Enjoy!

Becky

Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

I am obsessed with this salad.

Just ask my good friend Jeanetta!

Jeanetta would bring this salad to school for teachers luncheons and I would practically follow her around to see where she sat her salad down at.

Then, I would politely (well sorta) position myself to be first in line to make sure I got some of her famous salad.

I don’t know if she finally felt sorry for me or was tired of me stalking her salad, that she finally gave me the recipe.

Yippe!

I just love how all these simple everyday ingredients come together to make this yummy summer (or anytime) salad.

It has all those things in a salad that I love!

Pasta….come on who does not love pasta???

Tomatoes…..ok…not every body loves tomatoes…but then the same ones that don’t eat tomatoes…eat ketchup…..mmmm you got to wonder about them. Yes, I am talking about my super hero son who does not eat tomatoes!

Fresh spinach….fine, not everyone loves spinach, not sure why….I must be kin to Popeye cause I love spinach; cooked or fresh!

A little bit of red onion…I have to sneak them in cause Company hates onions….what he does not taste does not kill him…hehe..

AND last but not least the dressing seasoned with oriental ramen noodle seasoning packets.

YUM!

Anywho, with summertime approaching and all the backyard BBQing starting, you might need a simple, party pleasing, great tasting, easy to make pasta salad!

Here is what you need!

For the dressing, sugar, vegetable oil, vinegar and 2 packets of oriental ramen nooodle seasoning packets. For the salad, bow tie pasta, tomatoes (I usually use cherry tomatoes cut in half) sweet red onion (I had to use yellow cause I was out of red) and fresh spinach.

Let’s make the dressing first. In a little blender or a big blender, pour in your oil.

Now, add in your vinegar.

Toss in your sugar.

Now add in the secret ingredient of two packets of oriental flavor ramen noodle seasoning packets.

Just sprinkle them in.

Using your blender, blend the dressing until it is smooth and thick. The oil and vinegar should totally be emulsified.

Now chop up your tomato, or if you are using cherry tomatoes, cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Also finely chop up a half of a red onion.

Start some salted water to boil and boil bow tie pasta following the directions on the box.

When finished cooking, run cold water over the pasta to cool.

Now it is time to assemble the salad.

In a large bowl put in the cooked and cooled pasta. Add in the tomatoes.

Add in the diced onions and the spinach.

Toss and the salad ingredients together.

Now drizzle on the amount of dressing that you like.

All you need now is a fork!

Here is the recipe:

Courtesy of my friend Jeanetta!

Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1- 16 ounce box bow tie pasta

2 to 3 cups of fresh baby spinach

2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1/2 sweet red onion diced

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 seasoning packets from oriental flavor ramen noodle packages.

Directions:

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Dice the red onion.

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and let cool.

In a blender, blend together the vegetable oil, vinegar and sugar. Add in the oriental flavoring packets. Blend until fully emulsified.

In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes and onions. Toss together .

Right before serving, add in 2 cups of spinach leaves. Toss.

Drizzle with dressing in the amount that you like. Toss and serve.

Enjoy!

Becky

Here is a couple of other post you may enjoy reading:

St. Louis Style Oven BBQ Ribs Grilled Steak Burgers

Old Fashion Red Velvet Cake

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

I love to bake layer cakes.

The taller the better.

Lots of layers of cake.

Not sure exactly why, but I am pretty sure it has to do with all the icing in between each layer.

It has to be the icing!

Icing makes me happy!

But cake makes me happy too.

Ok…so maybe it is cake and icing that makes me happy.

One thing I know for sure is that this cake makes my happy. : )

When my baby girl, who will be getting married in a few short months, was trying to pick out flavors of cake to taste test for her wedding cake, Red Velvet Cake was on the list. It is a classic flavor and the red color looks so delish with the white icing. When we got to taste of the cake and the flavor was somewhat lacking( and even the cake decorated said she was not a fan of her red velvet cake) All of her other cakes were great and we did choose this decorator for the her wedding cake, but it got me thinking about the Red Velvet Cakes I was used to eating years ago.

Moist, slightly chocolate flavored, icing not too sweet, four layers, deep red color…..these are some of the mandatory things I was looking for in a recipe.

I looked around in several of my cookbooks, my cut out newspaper recipes and finally found a couple of recipes that seems to most resemble the one I was looking for.

I ended up using two different recipes. One for the cake and another for the icing.

The icing has flour in it but not cooked in a paste like other cooked flour icings. I loved it! My son, liked the icing and loved the cake but would like a traditional cream cheese icing.

I love cream cheese icing too!

Anywho, pick your favorite type of icing, but make this cake.

It will make you (and me) happy!

Here is what you will need to make this perfect Red Velvet Cake.

You will need cake flour, sugar, buttermilk, salt, baking powder, eggs, cocoa powder, baking soda, vinegar, vanilla, red food coloring (I used some red velvet cake food coloring I found at a Amish store and vegetable shortening.

First thing you need to do is dissolve the baking soda in the vinegar.

It will look like a little volcano of bubbles for a bit.

Now on to the stand mixer. In a mixer cream together the sugar.

Here is a picture of me adding the sugar. Cream the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Now, add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one.

In a small bowl add in the cocoa powder.

Add in half the amount of red food coloring.

Mix the two together to remove all the lumps.

Add the cocoa mixture to the creamed sugar mixture.

Now add in the rest of the red food color and mix all together.

Alternately add in the flour, salt and baking powder with the buttermilk.

Here is a picture of me adding the buttermilk.

Now it is time to add in the vanilla.

Lastly, add in the baking soda and vinegar mixture and mix in.

Look at the beautiful red batter.

Pour the batter, in equals amount into prepared 8 inch cake pans. I ALWAYS line my cake pans with parchment paper before pouring in the batter. Place the cake pans in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes at 350 degrees. When done take the cakes out and cool for 10 minutes then put on a cooling rack. When cool, cut the cakes in half horizontally to make four layers.

Now, onto the icing!

For the icing you will need vegetable shortening, butter, flour, sugar and vanilla.

Measure out the butter, vegetable shortening and the sugar.

With a mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and vegetable shortening.

Cream until light and fluffy. Add in the flour, one tablespoon at a time.

Add in the milk. Keep mixing to incorporate the milk in. The icing will start to get real creamy.

Add in the vanilla.

There you go! Look how pretty the icing is!

Here is a picture of the cakes cut in half horizontally. I saved all the crumbs from cutting the cake to decorate the top of the cake.

Spread 1/4 of the icing on top of the bottom layer. Continue to add another layer of cake and ice the top of the layer until you get to the top.

Here is the finished cake topped with all the extra crumbs.

Are you ready to make cake???

Alrighty!

Here is the recipe:

Adapted from Iowa State Fair Prize Winning Cook Book

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 ounces red food coloring (I used red velvet food coloring I bought at the Amish store, it worked great)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

Directions:

Mix the vinegar and soda together in a small bowl. Let stand. Cream the shortening and sugar together till light and fluffy. Add in the eggs. Make a paste of the cocoa and a small amount of the red food coloring. Add the cocoa paste to the cramed mixture. Add the remainder of the food coloring. Alternately, add in the buttermilk, salt, baking powder and flour. Add in the vanilla and the vinegar/soda mixture.. Mix all ingredients together and pour into 2 – 8 inch pan. (I lined mine with parchment paper).

Bake for around 30 minutes at 350 degree.

Cool. Split layers in half, making 4 layers. Spread the frosting between layers and top of cake only.

Keep in the refrigerator.

Frosting Recipe:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup margarine (I used butter)

3/4 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons (room temperature)

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I have also used vanilla paste)

Directions:

Cream margarine, shortening and sugar together till light and fluffy. Add in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Add in the milk and vanilla. Beat the frosting well. On my stand mixer I let it mix for several minutes until the frosting got real creamy.

Here is just a little close up picture of all the yummy layers!

Enjoy!

Becky

Here is a few other post you may enjoy!

Strawberry Cake

Oven BBQ Brisket

Fry Bread Taco

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

How about a little Fry Bread Taco to celebrate Cinco De Mayo!

When my foods class was looking to make some southwestern dishes last year, I came across this recipe. I loved the look of it and how is was like a tostado. I had my students make it at school and they all loved the recipe. So much so, that this year we made it again just a couple of weeks ago.

I had never had fry bread before we made them at school. Now, I could make these every week for taco night. The fry bread does not take took long. I just fried mine in a skillet on the cook top of my range. I rolled them out to about 6 inches circle and then fried them up. They puff up when frying and I love the crispy edges.

You can add extra toppings to your liking too on top. Like avocado, black olives ect. The night I made these for my kiddos, I just had the basic ingredients and it was still super yummy.

Definitely, a family please-er dinner.

Anywho, here is what you need to make it!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Becky

You will need some oil for frying the fry bread. Some hamburger meat and taco seasoning for the meat. Some refried beans, pacante sauce or enchilado sauce, cheese, dice tomatoes (I was out of fresh tomatoes and decided to just use canned ones) and shredded lettuce; for the toppings. For the fry bread, some flour, salt, milk and baking powder.

First thing I did was fry up the hamburger.

I drained off the grease. Then I added some water and the taco seasoning.

I let it cook for about 5 minutes and then I set it aside.

Next, I started my fry bread. In a medium bowl add in the flour.

Now, add in the baking powder.

Then add the salt.

Stir the dry ingredients together. Now add in the milk until you form a soft dough.

Here is the dough. It is just a bit tacky and that is ok.

Put the dough on a floured surface and kneed a few times to form it into a ball.

I let my grand daughter do this part. Cut the dough into equal parts and roll the dough into about 6 in circles.

I did mine in a skillet on the cook top. I heated up some oil and fry the fry bread on both sides.

Take them out of the oil and drain on a paper towel.

Here is what they look like.

Now the fun begins. First spread some re fried beans on the top of the fry bread.

Add a little picate or enchilado sauce.

Now add some taco meat.

Top with some cheese.

Now some lettuce, tomatoes and another drizzle of picante or enchilada sauce.

You can keep adding toppings, like sour cream, avocado ect.

YUM!

Hope you enjoy them!

Here is the recipe!

Indian Fry Bread Taco

Adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients:

For the Fry Bread:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

Oil for frying the fry bread

For the taco meat:

1 pound hamburger

1 package of taco seasoning

1/2 cup water

Toppings:

1-15.5 can re fried beans

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Diced tomatoes

Shredded lettuce

Picante sauce (I used enchilada sauce and it worked just fine)

Optional:

sliced black olives

sour cream

sliced avocado

Directions:

For the meat: Fry the hamburger until brown. Drain the grease. Add in the taco seasoning and water and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.

For the fry bread: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, and mix until the dough comes together. Add more flour if necessary to be able to handle the dough. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, at least 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Cut dough into equal pieces and roll into circles. In a large frying pan heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry the fry bread till light tan and crispy, turn and repeat on the other side. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

Assembly:

Take a warm fry bread and spread it with a layer of refried beans. Top with some picante sauce. Next top with some taco meat. Now add on some cheese. Lastly some lettuce, diced tomatoes and more picante sauce. If you want add sliced black olives and sour cream

Enjoy!

Becky

Creamy Butterscotch Pie

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

How is everyone out there?

So sorry it has taken me a month to get back to my web page to post another recipe!

It has not been because I have not been cooking. I have about 10 new recipes to get together to post. Really good recipes too!!! You know, like the perfect Red Velvet Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie with a perfect Meringue that did not weep and last be not least, another soup recipe…haha…you know how I love soup and it is the perfect freezer left over I can take to eat for lunch at work. The soup I made was Tuscan Veggie Soup that had kale it in….yummmmy.

Anywho, I am sorry about not posting. I did think about you everyday and worry that you will forget about me!! ; ) Spring break got in the way, end of year activities at school, grand daughter activities and of course all this wedding planning for my Baby College Girl who is getting married in August.

Needless to say, I am back with my computer files full of yummy food pictures all for you. I even have some back yard chicken pictures and some random flower power pictures of flowers blooming in my yard. So, hang in there, I am never gone too long!!!

OK, lets get back to “The Best Butterscotch Pie.” This whole pie search started cause I made that fabulous Coconut Cream Pie a couple of months ago. WELLLLL Oldest Daughter does not like coconut and neither does Company….so I made a so-so butterscotch pie for them. It was good, but I was still not satisfied with it. Not because it did not get scarfed down in a couple of days, I just did not think the butterscotch flavor was as rich as I would have like it.

So….I did what crazy bakers do and found another recipe.

This is the ONE.

It has a rich butterscotch flavor, it cut like a dream and was not hard to make at long. It just took a little longer, but it was well worth it.

Oldest Daughter wants me to make another one.

After you make this recipe, you will want to make another.

This is what you will need:

For the filling you will need, butter, milk, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla (I used vanilla paste) salt, corn syrup, flour and corn starch. For the whipped topping you will need powdered sugar and whipping cream. (I think I forgot to put the brown sugar in the picture….my bad)

In a medium sauce pan put in the measured out the brown sugar and butter.

Add the water.

Add in the corn syrup.

Start cooking the syrup.

Cook the syrup until it reaches 245 to 250 on the candy thermometer or until it comes to a soft ball stage.

You will get this nice thick, caramel like syrup. Set the syrup aside to cool.

In a medium sauce pan, place the sugar, flour and the corn starch. Whisk together.

Add in the salt.

Add in the milk, and whisk together to remove all the lumps. Now, start cooking the custard until it bubbles and thickens.

In a bowl, place all the egg yolks and whisk until combines. Add a small amount of the hot custard to the eggs to temper them (bring up the temperature). When done add the eggs to the hot custard and whisking in as you pour the beaten eggs in and cook for two more minutes.

Add in the vanilla. (this in the one I made with clear vanilla, the second one I made I used vanilla paste)

Whisk the custard until bubbly, now pour in the cooled syrup you made earlier. Whisk all the syrup in until it is all combined.

Pour the pie filling into a pre-bake pie shell. This time I am using a graham cracker crust.

This recipe makes just enough filling for a small pre-made graham cracker crust. Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill for 4 hours.

For the topping, whip together the whipping cream and the powdered sugar. I used my little Wolf Gang Puck blender.

You can used a mixer too. This was just easier for me to make it in this.

Now, slice off a big piece of the pie! See, how nice it cuts into a slice?

Now, you can put a big dollop of whipped cream on top. If you like you can decorate the plate with a little powdered sugar.

Don’t forget your fork!!

Hope you give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Becky

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

It seems like every time I go out to eat and I am craving some good old fashion comfort food, I order Chicken and Dumplings.

I think it is the cream, soup like broth (and you all know how much I love soup) and the tender dumplings AND if it is loaded with tender white chicken meat, it screams out comfort food.

Over the course of a couple of years, I have played around making chicken and dumplings and I could not quite get my dumplings quite right. They would either break apart in the broth or get so big in the broth, there would not be any broth left, leaving me a big clump and dumplings. UGH.

Well, I think I finally settled on a recipe. I found it at Mom, The Princess’s house, in one of her Country Living magazines she had laying around. I adapted it slightly and totally fell in love with it.

Since I was using frozen chicken breast, I used my electric pressure cooker to cook the chicken to save time. Not to worry if you do not have one. Just bake your chicken. No worries.

I mixed the dumplings up in a little blender, but you could use a bowl and a pastry cutter to cut in you shortening.

It is amazing how easy and delicious this recipe is.

So, if you are craving some good ol’ fashion comfort food, give this recipe a try.

Here is what you need.

You will need some chicken breast, chicken broth, salt and pepper, garlic powder, butter, shortening, poultry seasoning, basil, self rising flour and milk.

First thing I did was cook my chicken. I used my electric pressure cooker cause I was in a hurry, but you can bake your chicken in a large casserole dish.

I put my chicken breast into the pressure cooker and poured in 4 cups of chicken broth.

Season with salt, pepper, garlic salt and some basil. You can use thyme if you want instead of basil.

I put the lid on my electric pressure cooker and just hit the chicken button and wanted for the cooker to do the rest. If you are using your oven and a casserole dish, just cover and bake your chicken at 375 degrees until the chicken is fork tender.

I took the chicken out and let it cool for 30 minutes and then I shredded the chicken.

I saved the chicken broth and skimmed off as much fat as I could. You will use this chicken broth and add enough to total 8 cups.

In a food processor or in a bowl with a pastry cutter, mix together the self rising flour and the poultry seasoning.

Add in the shortening.

Add in your pats of butter. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and the butter. If using a processor (I am using a small one) pulse until the shortening and butter is cut in and in small pieces.

Stir in the milk and stir until a dough forms. It will be a little bit tacky.

Sprinkle a small amount of flour on the counter and roll your dumpling dough out to 1/8 inch. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter.

In a large stock pot, bring the 8 cups of chicken broth to a simmer and add in the dumplings. Stir gently, so the dumplings do not stick together.

The dumplings will need to cook about 2o minutes at a slow simmer. The broth will thicken from the flour on the dumplings. Occasionally stir gently to keep the dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Lastly, stir in the shredded chicken. Simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Look, it is done already. I sprinkled some parsley on top of my dumplings to add a little color.

Can you see the big chunks of chicken and all those tender dumplings?

There you go!

A whole bowl of comfort…all ready for your fork!

Enjoy!

Becky

Here is the recipe:

Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients:

1 – 3 1/2 pound whole chicken or 3 large chicken breast (you would like to have a total of 5 cups of shredded cooked chicken.)

8 cups of chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Dumplings:

3 cups self rising flour

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/3 cup shortening

2 tablespoon butter

1 cup of milk

garnish with parsley

Directions:

Bring chicken, broth, salt, pepper, basil and garlic powder to a boil. Turn down and simmer for one hour. I did my chicken in my electric pressure cooker.

When done remove chicken and reserve the broth. Let the chicken cool for 30 minutes then skin, remove the bones and shred the chicken. Try to skim as much fat off as you can from the broth.

To make the dumplings, In a large bowl combine your self rising flour and poultry seasoning. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter. Stir in the milk to make a dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and roll dough out to 1/8 inch. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dumplings into 1 inch squares.

In a large stock pot, add the reserved chicken broth. Bring the broth to a simmer, and then add the dumplings. Stir gently to keep dumplings from sticking together. Cover and simmer dumplings for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir often so they do not stick.

When dumplings are done cooking and the sauce has thickened from the flour on the dumplings, add in your shredded chicken. Gently simmer until the chicken is heated through. Garnish with parsley is you so desire.

Here is a couple of other recipes you might want to give a try:

Blackberry/Blueberry Oat Cake Chocolate Brownie with Macaroon Strawberry Cake

St. Patty’s Day Cooking

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

Are you ready for St. Patrick’s Day?

I just back from the store after purchasing my point cut corn beef, a onion, red potatoes and some cabbage. I knew I would be running around after church tomorrow and most likely would not have time for a trip to the grocery store. First thing on Monday morning, I will put my corn beef in the crock pot so it will be all cooked and tender for dinner that night.

If you have never made a corn beef, do not be intimidated! I did not make my first one until a few years ago. Just follow the direction from this post Point Cut Corn Beef. I have the step by step pictures and directions all ready for you to follow.

If you feel like a little Irish Soda Bread, the recipe for one is here. Irish Soda Bread is dense and slightly sweeten. Perfect with a hardy soup.

How about a fun GREEN bread made for a cake mix swirled with cinnamon sugar. You can find the recipe here.

Hope everyone in Missouri and elsewhere is enjoying the nice warm weather. Our snow has melted off and the ground is a little soggy but my bulbs are popping out of the ground reminding me that another season is on its way and it’s name is Spring!.

Have a great weekend!

Becky

P.S. here is another GREEN recipe!

Here is the recipe.

Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Rebecca Baugh

Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping

My youngest grandgirl loves her bananas.

Bananas are her go to snack during that in between time from getting home from day care and before dinner.

“Nana Please,” and she is not talking about me…she wants a banana.

So, you can pretty much count on that I will have some bananas in the house…somewhere. (youngest grandgirl likes to hide food behind my big chair in the living room.)

There are times though, that we cannot eat all of those needed bananas and I have to do something drastic to use up those bananas…like make banana muffins. (you did not think I would throw them away did you? hehe)

Anywho, I took my favorite and very simple banana bread recipe and topped it with a melt in your mouth streusel topping.

My old kids, my grand kids and myself included, could not stay out of them.

Yum a yum yummy!

If you need a little comfort food and you are looking at some bananas, do something drastic too…make some Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping.

Here is what you need to make them.

I bet you have pretty much all of this in your kitchen right now. Flour, sugar, powdered sugar, oil, butter, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and a couple of eggs.

First thing I do is take a mixer to these bananas to smash them up.

Then I add my eggs. (these came from my backyard beauties)

With a mixer, mix in the eggs with the bananas, then mix in the oil. Add the sugar into the banana mixture…I forgot to get a picture of that…ooops.

In a separate bowl, add in the flour.

Add the baking powder and soda.

Add in the salt.

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture.

And now mix all up, without over mixing. (it causes tunnels in your muffins)

Fill the muffins tins up two-thirds with the batter.

Now, lets make the topping!

Cut off 5 tablespoons of butter.

You want to melt it. I just put mine in the microwave to melt.

Add in your flour.

Add in your powdered sugar.

Now cinnamon…yum!

A pinch of salt.

Mix it all together. The great thing about this topping is that you can put it on any kind of muffin or quick breads to add a little homemade goodness.

Drop small pieces of the topping onto the top of each muffin. I also gently pressed the topping into the batter.

Put the muffins in a preheated 350 degree oven to bake. They take about 20 minutes.

Here is the recipe:

Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of sugar

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping

5 tablespoons butter, melted (I have also used margarine)

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

Directions for the Banana Muffins

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs and the bananas.

Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Heat the oven to 35o degrees.

Grease or line a muffin tin with papers and fill each muffin cup 2/3 full of batter.

Now, make the topping.

Directions for the Streusel topping:

In a medium size bowl, stir together the melted butter, flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon and salt. It will be clumpy, but that is ok.

Back to the muffins:

Now that the streusel is ready, sprinkle streusel on the top of each muffin. I pressed the streusel down slightly into the batter so it will bake on and not fall off when you take them out of the oven.

Bake the muffins in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the muffin. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from muffin tin.

Makes about 15 muffins.

Enjoy!

Becky

Here are some other recipes you might enjoy.

Velvetta Cheese Soup Easter Bird Nest Pistachio Bread with Cinnamon Swirl

A Small Town Kitchen

Welcome to my kitchen and make yourself at home! | Recipes | Couponing | FACS | Crafts

Category Archives: Recipes

Grilled Fruit Couscous Salad

Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones

Tuscan Veggie Stew

Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Old Fashion Red Velvet Cake

Fry Bread Taco

Creamy Butterscotch Pie

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

St. Patty’s Day Cooking

Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping