all that has happened since i was last on.........

sorry i havent been on in a while thanksgiving kind of kicked my butt.   we went to my in laws and had a great time but it was making a pumpkin cheesecake that i have only made once, a tiramisu that i have never made before, i gave up on making bread since it would take too much time and i have never made bread in my new oven.    all and all the day was fantastic-my father in law figured out the hum on the front end of my car and fixed said problem (no $200 trip to the mechanic! yippie!!!!)was a piece of plastic rubbing against the tire-so not as bad is it could have been.   i made a simple hummus and brought brie for appetizer.    made broccoli and a cheddar cheese sauce.   and the two desserts.   i think my mother in law licked the pan clean for the tiramisu (i am not complaining) and i am going to have to make it for every gathering from now on.  


my goal in the next few weeks and months are to learn how to bake bread (and not in my bread machine) since i have done it a few times with my older sister and i think i will be able to bake more now since my kitchen is not a black hole of freezing temperatures (no heat in the kitchen at the rental) and no places to rise a dough.    the second is i plan to start making my own cheese.   as a child i went to this goat weekend with my parents in the Catskill mountains and we learned how to make shev-and i miss fresh shev.   most people think goat cheese is skunky and sour tasting but shev when its still warm is amazing and i miss it.  

the bread and cheese will both start with a found/provided base recipe as i do not know the mechanics of making these off my head.   but as time goes by i will play with them and make modifications as i see fit.

i hope to get some new things up soon....and for christmas my husband wants a rack of lamb-he wants this every year and this one i just my try and make one!

i need to say thank you again to my wonderful in laws for inviting us over for a wonderful meal and a fun sleep deprived day!!!!!!!!!!!!

fasting apples (and the non fasting version is easy and only one ingredient is switched)

so as i mentioned yesterday we are fasting that means no meat, no eggs, and no dairy....i am cheating and using butter-if the church ladies can have cream in their coffee i can so have butter in my food.   our oldest son is big in to dessert(our kids dont have to fast since they are so young) and has been very upset that we dont have ice cream or pudding in the house so i came up with this on the fly while making dinner.


Fasting Apples
ingredients
4 gala apples (any good baking apple will do these are just my favorites and are almost always in the house)
1c granola
1/4c apple bits-left overs from coring/hollowing out the apples
1/4c raisins/craisins
1tsp almond extract
2-3Tbs honey
2Tbs butter flavored crisco (if you arent fasting use butter that is soft)
cinnamon to your taste i used about 1 tsp.

directions: preheat oven to 375
start by coring apples with a melon baller.   i use the big end to get the core out then switch to the smaller end to scrape the sides to make a hollow big enough to hold 1/4-1/2c of filling.

once you have your apples ready set them aside keeping some of the apple insides to put in the filling.   in a bowl add granola apple bits raisins extract crisco honey and cinnamon mix together.  blend this well so the crisco mixes all throughout.    once everything is blended scoop filling into apples and pack repeating with all apples until they are full. i put the leftover filling in the center of the pan.

sprinkle some extra cinnamon on the tops and bake for 25 minutes.   allow these to cool some before serving as they will be molten hot.  if you cant wait that long (very understandable) put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and enjoy.

this is a super simple and fast dessert made with mostly things that just happen to be in the house.   and like most things i make it all started with what do i have that can be sweet and gooey.   i hope you enjoy them. Kat

fish tacos!!!!!!!

i have always been daunted by silly things...laundry, half a sink of dirty dishes, and things that sound super complicated (like fish tacos) but are insanely easy.   i dont know why i have never tried to make fish tacos before now but it will be a family staple since my kids devoured them and even asked for seconds.


Fish Tacos:
ingredients
one package flour tortillas  (i used a soft taco box meal starter kit since i had no seasonings or tortillias and was in a hurry-it came with salsa as well)
1 1/4 tsp taco seasoning
4 fillets talapia thawed (mine come in individual packages that are frozen)
1/2c pan searing flour/seasoned flour
3Tbs canola oil
one ripe avocado
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4tsp chopped garlic
2 tomatoes
romaine lettuce
salsa from kit

Directions:
Guac-cut avocado in half depit (please be careful! i have been bitten by many an avocado pit...ok it was my knife but same difference!) and scoop avocado meat into a bowl with lime juice, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper to taste and mash. cover and set aside.   chop up the tomato and wash the lettuce place in containers.  open salsa pouch and put in a bowl.
FISH- in a wide pan heat oil over medium low.   mix taco seasoning with pan flour.   dredge each fillet in the searing mix and place in hot oil with no more than 2 fillets in the pan at once, cook 4-5 minutes on each side (mine was still slightly frozen at this cook time) watch the sides of the fish you will see the meat turn from opaque to white-when its white half way up the side flip the fish!  repeat with all fish.
Tortillas-warm these in the oven to package specifications (2-3 minutes usually).

to plate i spread the guac on one side of a tortilla place two lettuce leafs a small handful of tomatoes topped with 1/2 of a fish fillet-spoon a bit of the provided salsa on top (i added extra guac) fold and enjoy!

there is no sour cream or cheese as we are fasting right now-if you dont have to fast add these to your hearts content!

i have jammed.

ok so im not totally sure i can call this jam! it was a good college try at making jam but kind of came out as a very tasty mush.....my husband is loving it in peanut butter and jelly-so i guess thats a success.

persimmon jam(ish)

i started with 10-12 persimmons (i did this last week so im a bit hazy but the rest of the recipe is the same if it was 10 or 12)
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (or to your taste we are cinnamon lovers in this house)


directions:
peel de "core" (slice the center fibery part out) and chop.   and wait for it-throw all the pieces in the water sugar mix in a medium large pot. bring to a boil.   once the mixture is boiling drop to a simmer and let it go.   the persimmons are going to give off a lot of water so dont worry about the lack of liquid.   i let mine go for most of an nfl football game so about 3 hours for almost ripe fruit in bite sized chunks if you cut your fruit up smaller it will take less time.  
after all was said and done i let my mush cool and then i threw it in my mini food processor with the cinnamon and purred it to a mostly smooth consistency.  


i was given these crazy fruits by my wonderful neighbor Julie and this was my first use of them.   had i known they would keep for months-honestly i jammed them thinking they were about to go bad! i would have tried other uses before resorting to this-but since all worked out fine i cant complain.

made my first plain cheese cake EVER!!!

so not to say i do things back ward but i have made my first totally plain cheesecake in the history of ever-i have made cheesecake for years but always chocolate and chocolate crust.  like i said i do things backward.  needless to say it was a huge success at the church potluck and i was asked to make two for the next lunch!   i am on a cloud!!! mostly my friends have eaten my cheesecake so this was a first....ok on to the recipe!

plain cheesecake:   oven preheated to 500 degrees with a large pan (big enough to fit your cheesecake pan) with an inch to two of water in it IN the oven.


ingredients:
5   8oz bricks of cream cheese room temp(this MUST be softened or it wont mix very well)
5 whole eggs room temp (temp isnt essential i have used eggs straight from the fridge-no ill effect)
2 yolks
3/4c white granulated sugar
1/2c heavy cream
zest of 1/2 lemon
1tsp vanilla

crust:
1 1/2c crushed gram crackers
2T granulated sugar
2T melted butter

directions:
in a food processor pulverize gram crackers once they are smooth add sugar and butter blend together.   i like a solid cheesecake pan mine is a 10 inch with a three inch lip that way there is no chance for any water to get in.   cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of your pan and place it in the bottom cover with crust and pack flat and set aside. 

cheesecake:    place all 5 bricks of cream cheese in a large bowl blend with a hand mixer.  add each egg and yolks separately blend and scrape after each.  add 1/4c of sugar at a time blend and scrape after each addition.  add 1/2c heavy cream blend and scrape.  add lemon zest blend and vanilla and blend.
pour batter on crust smooth surface.
*carefully*  open oven and pull out rack with large pan with hot water in it  place pan of cheesecake in water make sure water comes half way up the side of the cheesecake pan
*carefully* put everything back in the oven and close the door.
cook on 500 for *15*minutes
  after 15 turn oven down to ***300 and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.***   once timer goes off turn off oven DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN leave the door shut dont open it. leave it shut until the oven is cold (i leave mine in for about 3 hours).  when it comes out of the oven  it will be cool to the touch-do not unpan right away let it sit for at least 10 hours. it is worth it. place plastic wrap on the surface of the cake and  refrigerate.

unpanning:   fill your large pan with hot water again and place cake in it.let sit for a few minutes.   using a thin knife slide between the cake and the pan and sweep all the way around the pan keeping the plastic on the cake.   place a cutting board on the top of the pan and flip it over-you should hear the cake fall on to the board if you dont tap the bottom until it falls-dont shake it.   once it falls lift the pan away peel off parchment paper if it stuck to the bottom of the cake.  put you favorite serving plate on the crust and holding BOTH the cutting board and the plate turn the cheesecake over.

take a deep breath you have just made a cheesecake.

mussels in butter sauce

1 bag mussels
3-4 tablespoons butter
3-4 tablespoons garlic diced (i use the caned garlic)
1/2 c white Zinfandel
1 box of pasta (i used angel hair)

directions:
make sure your water is about to boil before you start your mussel sauce.   in a large (3.5qt +) pan/dutch oven melt butter over a low heat and add garlic let it brown slightly keep an eye on it garlic burns easily. once your whole kitchen smells like garlic and slightly browned butter add the bag of mussels and white wine.   mussels at my grocery store arrive cleaned-if yours do not clean them well with a hard bristled brush and cool water.   turn the heat up medium under the mussels and cover for 10 minutes or until all the mussels are open. make sure to stir regularly to ensure even cooking.

once your pasta is cooked drain and plate in a wide bowl with a lip and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil scoop mussels over the top of the pasta and pour the white wine garlic butter mixture over the top and serve. 

Vitti-Vitti bad meatloaf

tonight i made meatloaf for dinner and while my family thought it was great my friends Dad would have been disgusted....i used bread crumbs-not panko not torn up bread soaked in milk regular off the shelf cheapo bread crumbs.

Meatloaf:    preheat oven to 450
one package of meatloaf mix meat (1.4 lbs)
one pound of ground beef
3 eggs
about 3/4 cup of bread crumbs (use more if your mixture is too moist)
one small onion chopped and sauteed
about a tablespoon of mustard (most any kind i used yellow tonight)
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1.5 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce
steak sauce

add the onion to a small sautee pan and sweat until translucent. add worchester sauce salt and pepper to season.   add bread crumbs to the pan and mix everything together.  remove onion mixture from heat and place on a potholder to cool before adding to meat. 
add meat to at least an 8x11 pan 10x13 is best but use what you have.  crack the 3 eggs into the center of the meat heap mustard and ketchup on top add cooled onion mixture to this pile and start lightly blending. make sure to thoroughly mix meat but dont mash it or your meatloaf will be a brick.   once everything is mixed form the meat into a loaf shape in the bottom of the pan away from the edges.   cover the top in about 1/2 a cup of steak sauce.

place pan in a 450 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the internal temp is at least 160 degrees.