My How Time Flies!

When you're a nursing student! I did not post at all in 2010! So sorry but I have a few recipes for you and a few family updates.

This first recipe I can't take credit for but it is well worth sharing. This is my MIL's pulled pork recipe and it is fantastic. It is perfect for making a big batch and freezing some for a later time.

Pulled Pork So Good it Will Make you Want to Slap Your Mother-In-Law
Recipe by Janis Stevenson

About 8 Country Style (bone in) pork ribs
1 onion cut into strips
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
Smoked Paprika
Season salt
Lysanders Mesquite Rub from Western Meat
Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ sauce
Hamburger buns

Sprinkle all sides of ribs with the seasonings. Put ribs, onions, and water in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Remove ribs and onions from slow cooker and pull meat off of the bone into a bowl transferring as little liquid as possible. Separate meat from bones and shred with tongs or a fork.

Add about 1/2 the bottle of the bbq sauce and mix well. Serve with fresh cut white onion and a drizzle of additional bbq sauce on your buns. Enjoy!

We never have any left! My 8 year old daughter loves this meal.


Molasses and Raisin Bran Muffins
I found this one in a magazine but modified it some for my family. I will give the original and the changes I made.

1 cup raisins
1 cup water
1/2 cup canola
1/2 cup sugar (1/2 cup Splenda or 1/3 cup Agave Nectar)
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups wheat or oat bran

You could add 1 cup shredded carrot or mashed bananas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with paper liners. Spray liners with non-stick spray.

In a small saucepan over med-high cook raisins until they are plump and soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer raisins to prep bowl of food processor and process until mixture becomes a rough puree. With motor running stream in oil, sugar, molasses, and egg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then stir in the bran. Add raisin mixture all at once to the dry mixture and stir just until all the dry ingredients are wet. Do not overmix.

Fill muffin cups to 2/3 full and bake about 20 minutes until muffins are browned and tops are springy. Cool muffins on a rack.

This is not a real sweet muffin but it makes a healthy and hearty breakfast bread. Serve warm with a glass of milk or cup of coffee!

April Already!

I don't even know where the days have gone! Oh yeah I do! My nose stuck in books studying! That is my life now that school is in full swing. I am on Spring Break right now, that is the only reason I have a moment to update my blog.

I have 3 more prereqs to finish then I start the nursing program in Sept, yeah. I am doing very good health wise. I have lost 35 pounds and am just about off of insulin. This is a huge accomplishment as I was taking alot of insulin. If I'm not studying you can usually find me at the gym, my new favorite hangout.

I haven't been doing so much cooking as school has demanded alot of my time. I will recommend everyone check out the magazine "Clean Eating". We have started picking this one up and trying recipes from it. It has healthy whole food meals that are very tastey that even Olivia likes.

I'm not sure when I'll get back. I hope everyone is doing well and eating right!

Valentine's Awe!

I know! I know! Where's the love? Sorry I haven't posted in like forever. School started again, and there's goes my life. Well I had to share about my Valentine's gift. A few weeks ago Gordon and I watched this movie called "Fireproof". It was a very good movie for ALL married couples to watch. It is about a couple having some major issues and on the brink of divorce. The man's father gives him a challenge called the 40 Day Love Dare to see if it will save his marriage. It has Christian basis to it but even if you aren't Christian this movie will serve your marriage well to see.

Anyways, unbeknownst to me Gordon went out the next day to Family Christian Bookstore and bought the Love Dare journal for each of us. I was floored that he thought of that. We are not in marrital crisis or anything but it is something that would benefit marriages in all stages and phases. I was just so proud of him I had to share!

Now I challenge ALL my married friends to rent "Fireproof". It will change the way you see and think about your partner.

Chile Colorado, Oh Yeah!

I tried a recipe yesterday from a friend of mine. I miss you, Heather! She moved away never to be seen again! Well, maybe. Anyways, she calls it Chile Colorado. It is a labor of love but well worth it, let me tell you.

First off I had a challenge finding the pasilla peppers and Mexican oregano. But did find them at Fred Meyer in Tumwater, for you Olympia locals. Those of you in the south may not have a problem finding these items. I used a rump roast, she calls it Boston butt. Not sure if it's the same but it turned out good.

I started this at 8am on a Thurs, new year's day. So it was a holiday. I had plenty of time to dawdle in the kitchen on this particular morning. Those of you working folk may want to save this one for a Saturday. I have to tell you the wonderful smells that permeated my house made every family member congregate in my kitchen, including the dogs! I was just browning the meat at this point. Olivia wanted to eat it right out of the pan and it had still had 8 hours to cook in the crock pot.

Anyways I am going to refer you to her blog so I don't have to remake the wheel so to speak. It's the first post I believe, unless she's updated since yesterday. The recipe is Chile Colorado Farmgirl Style. The post is "Change is Going to Come", I think. Enjoy, and happy eating and cooking.

farmgirlgourmet.blogspot.com

It's my Party!

So yesterday was my birthday, 35, I know I don't look a day over 34! Gordon had a little get together for me with friends and family. He prepared his famous meatball subs that I LOVE. As promised I am going to post his recipe. As well as the recipe for the cake he and Olivia made for me. The cake is not a family recipe. They made it from my Taste of Home recipe collection. That is one of my favorite cooking magazines to subscribe to. I forgot to take pictures of the meatballs but did get some shots of the cake before it was devoured!

Gordon's Grubbing Meatball Subs

2 lbs leanest ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 green bell pepper chopped fine
1 tbsp minced garlic or to your taste(we like alot)
2 eggs
Italian seasoned bread crumbs (enough to help meat mixture stick together)
French Bread Sandwich rolls (enough to feed your guests)
Provolone Cheese (enough for 1 slice ea sandwich roll)
Jar Plain Marinara sauce (we use Newman's Own)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first six ingredients together well. Place in skillet coated with olive oil to brown on all sides. The best method is to steam the meatballs for about 20 minutes. If you don't have a way to steam you can bake them as well, this may dry them out unless you cover them with foil while baking.

While the meatballs are cooking slice the sandwich rolls if they aren't presliced and heat the marinara in a sauce pan on medium low heat.

Once the meatballs are done, place 2-3 in a sandwich roll, top with desired amount marinara then 1 slice provolone folded in two.

Place in oven and heat until cheese is melted and bubbly. This is a knife and fork sandwich for sure! Enjoy!


Cookies-and-Cream Cake

1 package (18-1/4 oz) white cake mix
1-1/4 cups water
1/3 cup veg oil
3 egg whites
1 cup coarsely crushed Oreo Cookies (about 8)

Frosting
4-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 milk
1 tsp vanilla
Additioanl Oreas halved for toppping and crushed for sides (Gordon didn't do this step)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, water, oil, & egg whites. Beat on low until moist; beat on high for 2 minutes. Gently fold in crushed cookies.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 in round baking pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting, beat the sugar, shortening, milk, & vanilla in another large bowl until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, decorate top with cookie halves and sides with crushed cookies.

Getting Organized!

My cookbooks and cooking magazins are every where. I can never find the recipe I want when I want it. So Olivia and went to Office Depot today to get some organizational tools for my cookbook collections. You know, that new year's resolution thing. I am excited at the prospect of being able to find what I need at my finger tips instead of searching in frustration every time I want to pass on a recipe, as is often requested of me.

Please check back for the photo of my finished project in a day or two!

Tomorrow is my birthday and Gordon is having a little get together for me. He is actually cooking this meal! My favorite that he does is meatball subs. He doesn't really have a recipe but I will do my best to write it down tomorrow night as he cooks then post it.

Some Family Favorites

I can't even remember where I got this recipe but I've made it so much now that I know it by heart. I have many requests for it from friends and family.

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

*4 cups chicken broth
*2 cups water
*2-8 oz bricks cream cheese
*1/2 medium white onion chopped
*Enough green onions to use for topping for the whole pot-about 12-16-chopped
*1/4 tsp black pepper
*1/2 tsp dill (McCormick's w/the red top is the best)
*Cubed ham to your liking (My husband likes a lot so when I make it for us I put in more than when I make it for other people)
*Shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping
*30 oz bag frozen cubed hash brown potatoes

In large stock pot heat broth and water to boil. While liquid is heating up cube cream cheese. Once liquid is to almost a rolling boil add black pepper, dill, and cream cheese. Stirring often heat until cream cheese is completely melted. Add onion, ham, and hash browns. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with warm french bread and topped with shredded cheese and green onions.


Swiss Steak
This was handed down to me from my mom. She would make this on Sundays because she could pop it in the crock pot before church and it would be ready when we got home.

1 package round steak or enough to feed your family cut into serving sizes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion sliced lengthwise
1 package sliced baby portabello mushrooms
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper

Turn crock pot on high while preparing food. Mix all ingredients together except meat. It will be chunky but will thin as it cooks. Layer meat and sauce until all are added to crock. Turn crock to low and cook for 6-8 hours depending on the quantity of meat in crock. If your family likes a lot of sauce you can add another can of cream of mushroom and tomatoes.

Serve with Yukon gold mashed potatoes.


Painted Pork Chops

Funny Story! When my brother was just a toddler my step mom was making these pork chops that you brush mustard onto. My little brother happens into the kitchen and says, "Painted Pork Chops!" So the name stuck, he is now 21. We still make Painted Pork Chops and love to tell the story.

*Enough pork chops to serve your family, you can use boneless or bone in, I use medium thickness boneless
*Mix regular yellow mustard and dijon mustard half and half to fill to 1/4 cup
*Bread crumbs with seasoning or corn flake crumbs to coat pork chops

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the two mustards well then coat the chops, don't overcoat however. Coat with crumbs. Bake at least 30 minutes or until coating is crispy and pork is done in center.


Well, that's all for tonight. I'm tired. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have.