Table d'hôte Tuesday

Angel Sugar Cookies

A great recipe from Ree's Cookbook and now on her blog...

go check them out!

Cooler Weather=More Pioneer Woman Recipes

Now that we are heading into Fall...I am set on getting the rest of the recipes in this cookbook made before the end of the year. Wish me lots of kudos or if you are the prayin' kind...go ahead and pray for me...I'll need all I can get.

The Pioneer Woman was featured over at The Secret's in the Sauce SITS...well deserved Ree!

I can tell you that she has lots of exposure -but I run into more people who have never heard of her than those who have...so I take it upon myself to enlighten them :) then I plug my own pitiful blog.


I plan on giving away another PW Cookbook for Christmas so watch for that post in the next couple of months...no...really. I'll keep you posted.

I love you like I love my favorite pair of sweats.

PW Beans and Cornbread

PW Beans and Cornbread

This was super easy. Bacon and pinto beans...the best cornbread in the world...Madley puts strawberry jelly on his and I like a bit-o-honey on mine. Happy campers.

The girls really like the beans...

Straight forward nothin' fancy...just filling and hot.

We started singing "Home, home on the range...where the deer and the antelope play..."

Very tasty and we will be having this little cowboy dinner over and over.

Lucky for you today...the recipes are on Ree's website.

Go for it!

PW Beans and Cornbread

Now where's my horse...I need to ride off into the sunset.

PW Cinnamon Rolls - Father's Day

Man Bait

I've decided that I am going to make PW Cinnamon Rolls every Father's Day for Madley. 

It's just the right thing to do.

It's only 56 degrees up here where I am in the Pacific Northwest today. 

It's June 20th.

My Arizona friends are enjoying a balmy 102 degrees today.

In AZ, cinnamon rolls don't sound too good right now, do they?

You are probably making homemade ice cream.

I licked the counter where the cinnamon/sugar/butter ooozed out of the roll where I cut it up.

I am wearing my sweats.

I had to turn on my oven for the dough to rise.

Madley requested Fish Tacos for his Father's Day Dinner from a Rachael Ray recipe. They were excellent.

My house has some interesting smells going on...but the fish wasn't fishy...at all.

Prior to baking.

Baked.

A little maple...a little vanilla. Oh yesssss.

The cinnamon rolls were decadent to say the least. Ree uses a maple icing which I love but no one else does. So I made it just for me and plain old vanilla for the rest of the family.

I am the Marilyn Munster of my family when it comes to some foods. I like to put a spoonful of peanut butter in my homemade fudge...my whole family hates when I do that.

I get more fudge than anyone else because I always conveniently forget to not put peanut butter in. oops.

PW Cinnamon Rolls Online

PW Macaroni and Cheese

I love mac and cheese from scratch. It's so easy I don't know why anyone ever makes the boxed kind...oh yeah...I do make the boxed kind once in a while. But I ask myself...Why?

I'll tell you why. My granddaughters don't like mac and cheese unless it comes from a box. Can you believe it? I do buy the Trader Joe's brand...I can't handle the other, more famous brand...yuck. IMHO.

I even used fusilli (we call them silly) noodles to try to entice the twins. Nope. It's 4 billion times better than the boxed kind! Nope. One little bite... and they shoved it across the table at me. "We want a quesadilla!" Fine. Go make it yourself. But you aren't allowed to use the stove and you can't reach the microwave.

But this is mac and cheese with BACON in it! Oh yes. It is truly a work of food art. 

Madley said it was the best mac and cheese I've ever made. What ever did I do before I met you, Ree? 

He's packing up and heading out to your house tonight. I keep telling him I can make more mac and cheese with bacon. He says he just wants to thank you personally. Make sure he has his teddy bear and his lucky pj's when he goes nite nite...and then send him home in the morning. He has to teach math to the twins tomorrow.

I also made a nice chopped salad to go along with the PW Mac and Cheese and it was a great meal for this cold day. Yes...here in the Pacific Northwest...it was only 59 degrees and rainy with thunder storms. I was in heaven.

Good night...I am going to drink my hot cocoa...in the middle of June baby!

Remind me when it's August and 100 degrees here for all of 3 days and I have no AC because it's never hot here... that I won't melt...and to put down the hot cocoa and grab some ice water. I get confused easily.

PW Pulled Pork

Oh the wonderful smells this pork dish created throughout my home today... It was maddening to have to smell it for hours and not be able to eat it yet. But eventually we did eat it and Madly, one of the twins and I loved it...a lot...but Little Indy and the other twin, not so much. In fact...not at all. But that's okay...they rarely like pork anyway.

It was sweet, yet a bit tangy...and a perfect blend of spices. It was very tender. I think I will try to use basically the same mixture, marinate it, then throw it in the smoker next time. Just to see how it works as a marinade.

This time I used my dutch oven, as called for in the recipe. I imagine you could also cook it in a crock pot since it is a liquid base.

I would say this is an easy recipe. I put it together fairly quickly when I got home from church at noon thirty and popped in in the oven and it was ready 4 1/2 hours later... I did use a smaller pork roast...so it cooked in less time than the larger one called for in the book.

I was going to make homemade flour tortillas to go along with it and when I went to my cupboard...I realized I had forgotten to buy more flour...a sad day. So I am running to the store in the morning to buy flour. I have my heart set on flour tortillas.

Fresh asparagus we purchased at the farmer's market yesterday...tossed in olive oil, salt and ground pepper ready to put under the broiler...can you say delectable?

I also barbecued peach halves...uh...I'm in love. They were so good!

This pulled pork was a winning recipe in my book!

PW Chicken Pot Pie

This was a pretty simple recipe...I don't make these very often at all... but it just sounded so good when I was flipping through the cookbook. We will be Barbecuing tomorrow so I made this for Sunday Supper today.

The "Perfect Pie Crust" is divine and as easy as any crust to make. Ree gives detailed instructions so anyone can make a good pie crust. No really. It's on her blog HERE. Try it. You may think you can't...but you can. Yes you can. Because I said so. *Don't make me get my flying monkeys!!!

What I changed in the pot pie recipe was the heavy cream used in the diced veggies and chicken mixture, I used half and half. Don't hate me Ree...I needed to save up some calories for dessert and I forgot to go work some cattle. I also used fresh thyme instead of the dried because I had some on hand.

This...was yummy for my tummy.

This recipe could easily be converted into a vegetarian dish with other veggies added... like zucchini and mushrooms and using veggie broth instead of chicken broth and would be very yummy still. Or lower fat...use canned Fat Free or Low Fat milk. Don't tell Ree.

Hmmm, now I want peach pie. I do have the other half of the crust so I think peach pie is in our very near future...like tomorrow. Yup.  
Note to self:  Tomorrow -go to store and buy vanilla ice cream to scoop onto peach pie and eat feverishly. Maybe you should also buy some peaches...and pantyhose.

OH! I almost forgot to tell you! Yesterday we were at Whole Foods and they were grilling samples and they grilled peach halves! They put them face down right on the grill! We could just eat those with ice cream! They were heavenly!!! I think this summer I will grill everything.


I love you like you were my own family...and some of you are.

Oh, and...I mailed you the jacket you forgot on your last visit. I cut the buttons off to save postage, you'll find them in the left hand pocket.

Lindyluhu





*a dear friend's favorite saying.

PW Homemade Pizza Crust

Pesto Tomato Pizza

I made Ree's pizza crust tonight. um...I am in love. The whole cookbook is worth this pizza crust... But you can find the crust recipe on her blog here in her favorite pizza post.

I made my own mild pesto sauce in the blender and added grated mozzarella, cheddar and monterey Jack cheeses thin sliced Roma tomatoes and grated garlic.

Madley asked me to marry him again right in the middle of a bite. "Mill oooh garry be?"

"I solemnly swear that this crust recipe will be used once a week in this house for as long as I live."

I also had yummy, ice cold Trader Joe's Natural Root Beer for him and that sealed the deal.

Lindy's Easy Peasy Mild Garlic Pesto

2 Cups fresh spinach leaves

1 Cup fresh basil leaves

1 large, peeled clove garlic, grated or chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

To a blender or food processor, add garlic, spinach and basil leaves. On a low setting, drizzle the olive oil in slowly. Add salt and blend on medium high for a minute or until blended well. You can always add more olive oil if needed.

Spread over pizza crust or add to spaghetti sauce.

PW Simple Perfect Enchiladas

mmmmm...cheesy goodness.

I was craving Mexican food as usual... but I was too tired to go to Taco Bell again- so I made these!

Some of the ingredients. None of these look like Taco Bell...now do they? (Not that there's anything wrong with Taco Bell, I puffyheart Taco Bell when I am not too tired to drive there).

Ready to go into the oven.

I have to say...I usually make chicken enchiladas, this recipe called for ground beef. um... Oh Yeah, as Lightning McQueen would say. I think chicken would work just fine too but since I am chronically anemic and can't donate blood...ever...no vampire has ever kept sucking away at my neck...no taste, no substance. Edward came after me first but turned me down for Bella. I swear! Really! 

I crave beef all the time. I use chicken because it's supposedly healthier. Healthy Schmealthy. I'll make chicken enchiladas next time...yeah...that's the ticket. No it's not. I want my beef and I want it NOW!

Who cares? I drained the oil off...I cooked it in my non stick pan. Yes I did. I was one happy anemic little human. Beef AND Extra sharp cheddar cheese? I can hang with that. 

 Finished and ready to get in my belly!

These were really. REALLY great...and easy. Definitely easy. Try them! Go out and get the book and try them. You won't be sorry...

 I also made my my newest recipe...Shrimp-Cucumber Salsa...recipe tomorrow...

 ...and Rachael Ray's Green-Garlic Sour Cream

Yummo! Avocados are evidence that God loves us.

PW Twice Baked Potatoes

I made these lovelies yesterday for dinner. Don't they look scrumptious??? 

Let me tell you...THEY WERE! Repeat after me: Crispy Bacon. 

I halved the recipe because only 4 of us were eating these last night. I also didn't put the green onions it called for into the mixture- but I did put chopped, fresh chives out for anyone who wanted them as a topping. 

Potatoes and chives should get married.

Madley is not a big fan of potatoes. This is one of his very few faults I don't understand. I am a potato freak. What's not to like?

He. LOVED. These. He said these were the best potatoes he'd ever eaten. Ever.

Bacon. The way to a potato despising mans' heart. Crispy, bacon makes even potatoes taste divine to my Madley. Who knew? I didn't tell him it was the bacon that made him love them so much. For him, I may put bacon in fried potatoes, potatoes au gratin, smashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes and potato soup.

Bacon. Crispy bacon...I'm not James Bond. But I can be sneaky.

PW Simple Perfect Chili

I started this chili Saturday before I was off to assist a friend shooting a wedding. It was a simple base with hamburger, tomato sauce and spices.  Ree had suggestions to add the the chili base, I added black beans. Easy Peasy for sure.

I really liked the fact that it was simple and used ingredients I always have on hand. I usually add bell peppers to my chili and I don't usually add meat...but I really liked this version too. It is simple...and delicious! Madley really, really liked it...he is a BIG chili fan. One of the twins liked it but the other one took one bite and said...ummm...can I have a pizza bagel? She got a quesadilla instead. Little Indy ate hers with corn chips..the only way she eats chili. I didn't get any until the next day because I had to leave for a wedding...we had it for leftovers Sunday with corn bread.

I barely got out of the door with my camera equipment and realized I hadn't washed my hands...so they smelled like spices. I washed them when I got there. Then I proceeded to do the thing I despise most in photography. A wedding. At least I wasn't the primary shooter :)

Definitely try this recipe. I give it my seal of approval!

 

PW Penne Alla Betsy

Recipe on PW Blog

I really need to make this one again...and again and again and again! I went a little wild with the half and half. The recipe calls for heavy cream but I was trying to go a bit lighter. I was talking (shock, huh?) and dumped more in than I meant too.

It surely didn't make this creamy, tomato based, shrimp, pasta dish any less delectable. But next time I want it to be thicker...like the recipe in the book. It's not supposed to be soup for goodness sake.

Madley and Little Indy really loved it. Madley almost always orders a dish like this when we go out to an Italian restaurant. It tasted as good if not better than any restaurant I've been to. Even though I thinned it out too much.

The girls ate homemade pizza bagels because shrimp isn't on their list of favorites...yet.

We even have leftovers for tonight so I won't have to cook today. Madley has been under the weather and was going to make me his famous Meatless Spaghetti today, but he can do that next week.

A big thumbs up to Betsy and her scrumptious recipe...thanks for letting Ree put it in her book!

So until we meet again...and I have so much more to cook and say...

Bon Appétit!

PW Recipe Review- Marloro Man's Favorite Sandwich

While I was thinking about making this sandwich, I realized I hadn't made cube steak of any sort for about...30 years at least. I am not a big fan. But it is what this recipe called for so I went out and bought some of the good stuff.  Angus. Oh yeah. The cows behind my house disappeared into the trees when the smell started wafting out of the windows.

Sauteed onions are one of my top favorite smells...my house smells so good right now...and this was a pretty durn good sandwich. I couldn't get Madley to put more pan drippings on it but that's alright. 

The whole combination was a dance of tastes on my tongue...so hearty and flavorful.

I used less butter than called for and I added a bit of olive oil since it is one of my favorite flavors. Not too much though! The meat was tender and the onions were to die for. I used rolls from Whole Foods and they were delicious!

We had this for "supper" which is at 5pm for us.

PW's Perfect Pot Roast! Perfection!!!

 

I go to church at 1pm on Sundays so I wanted to get the pot roast ready to go into the oven before I left. I got my camera and my tripod out and went for it. I would say this is a pretty straight forward, easy, old fashioned recipe...that is to drool for.

I made roasted potatoes to go with it instead of the mashed potatoes Ree suggests.

My family dug into this like like seagulls on a crab "Mine, Mine" name that movie...it was a sight for these hopelessly addicted cook's eyes to behold.

This was very simple and straight forward...the herbs (fresh) were a key ingredient...also browning the veggies and the meat make the flavor rich and roasted instead of that boiled flavor you get when you just dump everything into the crock pot. You could do this in a crock pot too, though I never will because I love my new pot so much and don't want to hurt it's feelings.

Now go out and buy this book! I highly recommend it!

I will post my roasted potatoes recipe soon...come back to check!

PW Cowboy Calzones

Cowboy Calzones

Dear Reader,

These were fun to make and pretty darn easy. They are scrumptious and filling. I had my granddaughter press the sides with a fork and she thought it was cool. This recipe calls for hamburger and mild Italian sausage, canned tomatoes with green chilies...cheese, cheese and cheese, and pizza dough. This is another recipe from the PW that I will make over and over again.

Just the name "Cowboy Calzones" sounds so masculine. My husband isn't a cowboy...he has ridden horses and shoveled manure with me and is VERY masculine...but I am a cowgirl at heart. ..not so masculine. I was raised on the back of a horse. I have worked cattle. I have shoveled manure. I have groomed my horse and loved on him so much until he finally just moved in and I had to give him his own bedroom... I have galloped my horse as fast as the wind, there is nothing in this world better than 'flying' on the back of a horse. The smell of horses wafts by my nose and I tingle. I don't have horses anymore and I miss the life. "Horses are a drug to me, my own personal brand of heroine." name that movie :) I don't do drugs, I do horse smell.

When I was growing up, I lived in a melting pot of a city. There were so many ethnic groups represented that I had experienced nearly every cuisine know to man by the time I was 18 years old. Greek, German, Italian, Soul Food, Filipino, Mexican, Indian...Thai...

I had friends from every group with which I frequented their homes. I ate their mother's food. I tried new things. I ate things I couldn't pronounce. I went to Italian gatherings, Greek Festivals, German Feasts, Mexican Fiestas, Filipino Parties, Backyard BBQ's, Indian Weddings...and I ate. I ate and ate. I love food. I had one friend whose mother was Italian and her father Filipino...parties included Spaghetti with a side of goat brains and flan for dessert. What a great memory. I loved her family.

The next town had an Italian restaurant that made the most delicious, mouth watering calzones. I always ordered one when we ate there. I don't live anywhere near where I grew up so I miss some of the restaurants there...and all of my friends.

I am really excited to try these cowboy calzones...I haven't ever had a good calzone recipe so I am keeping my fingers crossed that this one will be the ticket.

Pico de Gallo

In her book, Ree describes a lady who taught her how to properly make Pico de Gallo. I have always loved pico de gallo...I am a salsa freak. I judge a Mexican restaurant by it's salsa. Salsa's no good...I don't go again.

The ratio of tomatoes to jalapeños to cilantro to onion should be even Steven. Salt, pepper and lime juice and you are good to go.

I must say...I liked the ratio...made it much more...well...yummy. We ate it with blue tortilla chips. I sometimes add chopped avocado to pico de gallo...this would be divine with it. ...

PW's Lasagna

 

Well I did it! I went shopping yesterday for the ingredients at 3pm, came home and started preparing the lasagna and we ate by 5:45pm. Not bad! 

This recipe was : Easy

Yum Factor: 10

Madley LOVED it. I LOVED it. It was by far the best lasagna I've ever made or eaten for that matter. The fresh basil made the dish. It is a perfect combination of flavors. Though it is not authentic Italian...it is authentic American home kitchen. If you make this lasagna for your family...make an extra pan to give to someone else...like a neighbor or a friend. Take it to a church social. You will be hailed as the cook of the county! It was that good.

From the first bite I knew I had made the right choice in the first recipe. Thank you Pioneer Woman for putting this one in the book. It will be a favorite in our home for many moons to come.

I cut leftover individual pieces and put them in freezer storage containers and placed them in the freezer for future meals or quick lunches...and still have some left over for dinner tonight...YUM!

My First Recipe will be... Lasagna!

I am going to start with lasagna on Wednesday because it is calling to me.

This recipe calls for cottage cheese and fresh basil. I may faint.

I will be purchasing the ingredients and assembling them in my trusty pan...placing said pan in the oven...taking said pan out of the oven...and placing a HUGE piece on my plate. I am stoked. I can't wait. I will serve it with PW's salad wedges, homemade Ranch Dressing and some crusty bread. Check back for my report!