Today is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day!  One of Hope’s favorite dishes is spaghetti alfredo.  She orders this often if we dine out.  I absolutely love alfredo sauce, but indulge only occasionally since it is pretty rich.  This is THE BEST recipe I’ve found so far. And it is NO surprise that my friend Karen gets credit for this one.  Not only is it delicious, but it is also quick and easy.  Thanks for sharing Karen!

Stock up on some butter and cream and parmesan cheese.  You are going to need this sauce for the upcoming chicken lasagna and our Friday night pizza party.  Of course you can always serve this over your favorite noodles for a quick, filling dinner.  It is very, very important to know how to make alfredo sauce.   : )

(I like to use organic dairy whenever I can afford the products.  But you could certainly use conventional dairy products as well.)

• 1 16 oz carton of organic heavy cream
• 1 stick or organic butter
• 2 Tablespoons organic cream cheese
• ½ – ¾ cup Parmesan or Parmesan Romano cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

In a saucepan, combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese.  Wisk and simmer until these ingredients are melted and mixed well.

Add the Parmesan cheese and the garlic powder.  Simmer for 15-20 on low.  Add salt and/or pepper to suit your taste buds.

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Tags: alfredo sauce, national fettuccine alfredo day, organic

This gluten free cooking is new to me for 2012.  I am having to recreate some of Micah’s favorite recipes, making them gluten free. Judging how fast my first batch of gluten free brownies disappeared, I’d say there were a real hit here.  They were EASY to whip up which is another plus.  I apologize for the lack of a photo of an ooey gooey brownie to show you.  But you will just have to use your imagination!

This recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9×13 pan to feed a crowd, but here’s my creation for a 9×9 pan:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup Bob’s Gluten Free Baking Mix
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick nearly melted butter
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 2 eggs -beaten
• 1 teapsoon vanilla
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

In a medium sized bowl, mix the Bob’s Gluten Free Baking Mix with the salt and baking powder. Set aside. In a large bowl mix the melted butter, sugar, cocoa and vanilla together. Then add the beaten eggs and mix well. Then add the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Stir in the milk chocolate chips and nuts if desired.  Pour into a greased 9×9 glass dish.  Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes, more for cake like brownies, a little less time for very gooey brownies. Remove from oven when done and allow to cool before cutting into squares. Yield 9 3″ brownies in a 9×9 pan.

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I love my cast iron cookware.  I have 4 skillets ranging in diameter from 4″ to 14″  I like to use the largest on to bake casseroles, dressing, or deep dish pizza.  Cast iron cookware is a must for cooking cornbread.  I love to bake biscuits on my 10″ baker which was handed down to me from my MIL.  And I also have a cast iron griddle/grill to use indoors our over the campfire.  I have a Dutch oven that I allowed to rust (shame on me) and came across the following tips from the Lodge cookware website for the proper care and use of cast iron. I thought you might find it interesting!

The following is use and care for Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Cookware. By Following these instructions, your Lodge Cast Iron can last you more than a lifetime.

Using Your Lodge Cast Iron

Rinse with hot water (do not use soap), and dry thoroughly.

Before cooking, apply vegetable oil to the cooking surface of your pan and pre-heat the pan slowly (always start on low heat, increasing the temperature slowly).

Once the utensil is properly pre-heated, you are ready to cook.

TIP: Avoid cooking very cold food in the pan, as this can promote sticking.

PLEASE REMEMBER: Handles will become very hot in the oven, and on the stovetop. Always use an oven mitt to prevent burns when removing pans from oven or stovetop.

Cleaning your Lodge Cast Iron

After cooking, clean utensil with a stiff nylon brush and hot water. Using soap is not recommended, and harsh detergents should never be used. (Avoid putting a hot utensil into cold water. Thermal shock can occur causing the metal to warp or crack).

TIP: If you are having trouble removing stuck-on food, boil some water in your pan for a few minutes to loosen residue, making it easier to remove.

Towel dry immediately and apply a light coating of oil to the utensil while it is still warm.

TIP: Do not let your cast iron air dry, as this can promote rust.

Store in a cool, dry place. If you have a cover, or lid, for your utensil, place a folded paper towel in between lid and utensil allowing air to circulate. This prevents moisture from collecting inside the utensil, which can cause rust.

TIP: The oven is a great place to store your cast iron; just remember to remove it before turning on the oven.

NEVER wash in dishwasher.

If for some reason your utensil develops a metallic smell or taste, or perhaps rust spots (maybe a well-meaning relative washed your utensil in the dishwasher or with soap thinking they were being helpful), never fear. Simply scour off the rust using a very fine grade of sandpaper or steel wool and refer to our section Re-seasoning Your Lodge Cookware.

IMPORTANT PRODUCT NOTE: If you have a Lodge Grid Iron or Pro Grid Iron Griddle, make sure to place it over two burners, allowing the griddle to heat evenly and avoid a stress break or warping. It is also a good to preheat the griddle in the oven before placing over burners on top of stove.

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Tags: care of cast iron cookware, cast iron, cleaning, rust

I cannot believe I’ve been posting recipes and blogging about food for since late November 2008. That seems like a long time ago.  I think the photos of the food that my hubby and son take have improved quite a bit since we started.  As holidays come and go, and as seasons change, and as I visit other blogs, I am always on the look out for recipes to post here.

So I would like to take this chance to get your input. Are you a regular visitor here? What are some of your favorite recipes that I have ever posted?  Do you like the southern traditional recipes?  Would you like to see more healthy recipes?  What about gluten free dishes?   More crock pot recipes?  Now is your chance to weigh in with comments or suggestions.  Let me know what you think!

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As if we don’t have enough to worry about what we are putting in and on our bodies, we now hear that some imported OJ concentrates are being rejected at ports after Coca Cola alerted the FDA that the company found that some imported OJ concentrates it tested contained a fungicide that was banned here in the US nearly 5 years ago.  Although the chemical was banned for use in the US, Canada and Brazil continue to spray their orange crops with the fungicide.  When the oranges get mechanically squeezed, the chemical can be forced into the juice.

The U.S. Juice Products Association and Brazil’s CitrusBR urged the FDA to raise the amount of the fungicide, carbendazim, it will allow into the country by raising the legal limit for frozen concentrated juice.  Now that’s a comforting thought.  If the USJPA and BCBR can twist the FDA’s arm to get the limit raised, THEN we will all feel so much safer drinking tainted OJ.

How about avoiding OJ concentrates and OJ that was imported?  I’ve been purchasing Florida Not From Concentrate juice for a long time and will continue to do so.  Not only does it support farmers here in the US, the oranges were grown without fungicide.  Another option is to buy organic not from concentrate OJ or squeeze your own fresh OJ from organically grown oranges. Or maybe we should give up OJ all together and just eat a fresh orange for breakfast?

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What is MSG?  It is an acronym for mono-sodium glutamate and chemical touted as a poison by many health practitioners around the country.  I really do not need anyone to tell me how unhealthy it is.  All I have to do is eat something that contains MSG and my heart begins to pound or skip beats or go into an episode of AFIB .  So I avoid this food additive and therefore must be careful when dining out.  And it can be disguised as by other names on food labels.  So one reason I try to cook so much from scratch is to avoid chemicals and MSG in the food I eat and serve my family.  Below is part of an article from Mercola.com on MSG just in case you need more reasons to eliminate it from your diet.

MSG is used in countless foods in your supermarket, local restaurants, school cafeterias, and more. Everything from soup to crackers to meats may contain it because MSG, as dangerous as it is, makes food taste good and it is dirt cheap, just like sugar.

Eliminating MSG from your diet is a wise choice for everyone, including pregnant women. To do so, stick to natural, unprocessed foods. And, if you do eat processed foods, be on the lookout for the many hidden names for MSG on food labels. They include (but are far from limited to):

• Gelatin
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
• Yeast Extract
• Malted Barley
• Rice Syrup or Brown Rice Syrup

The dangers surrounding MSG are, perhaps, most concerning for new moms who are unable to breastfeed, and are looking for an alternative to the MSG-laden infant formulas on the market. Fortunately, women who are unable to breastfeed can make an extremely nutritious, MSG-free infant formula for their baby using raw milk.

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I am convinced that organic foods are more nutritious, better tasting, and healthier for us than conventional foods. Organic fruits and vegetables are pretty comparable in price these days to their mass produced relatives. However, they far surpass conventionally grown foods in taste and nutrition.

I always buy organic milk, organic orange juice, and organic butter and pay a little more for these items. I make up for the extra cost by using coupons and avoiding most processed food items. By the time I make it to the check-out, my cart is full of produce, frozen fruits and veggies, nuts, organic beef, fresh chicken raised without hormones and antibiotics, organic flours and sugar, eggs, cheese, and bonus ingredients for home baked desserts. Then I’m all set for a week of “from scratch” cooking and baking – and best of all, eating!

Here’s what Dr. Mercola has to say about butter. http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/intermediate_proteins.htm

Ideally you should be consuming as many USDA organic food products as possible, however, if you only get one organic food it should be butter. This is because it is a highly concentrated form of milk. It is not uncommon for non organic butter to have up to 20 times the level of pesticides of non organic fruits and vegetables.

Most of us are visual learners, including myself. Here’s a photo of 2 sticks of butter.  One is organic, the other non organic. Care to take a guess which one is the organic stick?

It’s the one on the right. That stick has far more nutrients than the stick on the left and it has no colors or artificial ingredients added and is free from toxins and pesticides. It’s just pure, delicious butter.

Organic butter is one of my best kept secrets to fantastic tasting dishes. Guess it isn’t a secret anymore!

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Organic Buttermilk Waffle/Pancake Mix

I love this recipe because it is so economical, versatile, healthy, and tasty. Keep the mix on hand and make Saturday breakfast a little extra special. Put some mix in a jar for a great gift idea along with a bottle of Maple Syrup. Also, the toppings you can add to waffles and pancakes are countless.

Mix together in large bowl:

• 3 cups organic oat flour
• 3 cups organic whole wheat flour
• 3 cups organic spelt flour
• 1 cup ground organic flax seed (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 9 Tablespoons organic sugar

Place mix in large zip lock bag(s) and store in freezer until ready to use.

Waffle/Pancake batter

In medium bowl mix together (batter may be lumpy, but that’s OK)

• 1 cup waffle/pancake mix
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 stick organic melted butter
• 1 egg

For pancakes, heat and grease griddle. Pour ¼ cup batter at a time to make pancakes. Turn only once, careful not to burn them. Serve right away with hot maple syrup.

For waffles, heat waffle iron. My waffle iron takes ½ cup batter to make 1 6” waffle. Serve right away with hot maple syrup.

I sprinkle a variety of ingredients on top of the batter before I close the waffle lid. The kids usually request chocolate chip waffles, so I use 2 Tablespoons of mini chocolate chips sprinkled over the batter before closing waffle iron lid.. Blueberries can be placed on top of the batter too. I usually add 2 Tablespoons of pecans to hubby’s waffle before I close the lid to the waffle maker.

When the kids were younger, we would make waffle people using Redi Whipp for hair, chocolate chips for eyes, banana slices for a smile, strawberries for ears and noses.

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Here’s the perfect appetizer for the Super Bowl Game – or anytime the men in your life need some “cave” time. These things are incredible. You won’t believe how good they taste until you try one. But I didn’t make up this recipe. I have to give Pioneer Woman credit for it. Did I mention it’s QUICK and EASY?

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thin sliced bacon
• 15-20 Jalapeño peppers 2-3 inches long
• 1 8oz package cream cheese – softened
• Toothpicks

Remove bacon from package and cut the whole pound of bacon strips into thirds.

Halve the jalapeños lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the lighter flesh which has the seeds attached. My firstborn told me to leave some seeds next time, but he loves HEAT. The heat is in the seeds.

Next begin spooning the cream cheese into the pepper halves. I used about a Tablespoon per pepper half. Then take one of the bacon cuts (1/3 strip) and wrap it around the pepper. Secure with a toothpick. Continue filling and wrapping the peppers. I had a small amount of cream cheese and about half a pound of the bacon left over. I’ll be getting more peppers on my next grocery run!

It works best to bake these babies on a broiler pan or some type of baking sheet which has an elevated rack. That way, the bacon grease can drain away from the peppers while cooking.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. If you prefer your bacon extra crisp, place the pan under the broiler unit for a minute or two after baking. Remove when the bacon is cooked to your preference.

These can be made in advance, and frozen in zip lock bags, then baked when needed.

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I have begun to experiment with gluten free baking.  Our middle child decided to eliminate gluten at the start of the new year.  He is certain he sleeps better, feels better, and his complexion is even better.  Since I am not cooking as much with wheat flour, the whole family has been missing some of those southern desserts like Apple Crumb Pie.  So this week I tried to create a healthier version that was gluten free.  Here’s the recipe I created for Gluten Free Skillet Apple Crisp:

Butter 12″ iron skillet with 1-2 Tablespoons soft butter

• 4-5 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick soft butter
• 1 cup Bob’s gluten free oat flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Place the diced apples in the buttered iron skillet.  In a large bowl, mix the sugars and the oat flour together.  Then using a pastry tool, cut the soft butter into the flour/sugars mixture.  I do not have one of these tools, so I just use my hands.  The mixture should have a crumbly texture or resemble small peas.  Add the chopped pecans to the mixture, then spread the entire mixture over the apples.  I had to press down a little on the crumb topping.  Place the skillet in a preheated 400 degree oven.  Cook for 40-50 minutes, or until top is golden brown, and the apples underneath have bubbled through the topping a little.  Serve while warm with vanilla ice cream.  Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat before reserving.

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Tags: apple crisp, Gluten Free