Late Christmas Shortbreads

Any simple shortbread recipe + Kids = memories
We did ours late this year, due to baking orders for Bailey's field trip fundraiser.
And an attempt to make a little more cash doing something we're good at.

Check out our efforts on facebook

Fig Fritters - 7-29-2016

Whoa hay y'all
Fig Fritters

1 c bisquick
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 c water
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tap lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sliced fresh figs(blushing not dead ripe)

Combine all ingredients except figs
Add figs and gently fold in

Heat some oil in a skillet
Add about a heaping big soup spoon of batter
Cook until golden.

We drizzled with raw local wildflower honey


We have quite the harvest of figs
From 2 trees. Were making up lots of new ideas
To utilize our harvests.
Watch for more😁

French Fried Vegetables By Grandma Rose

I have an issue with my batter sliding off my veggies
when I try to batter fry them. I think this recipe has just
the little tweak that keeps it on. Whipped Egg Whites.
It is a basic recipe with a great flavor that will complement
all veggies and dipping sauces.

For those of you that know me I will tweak it and make it my own.
This recipe came from a 1978 cook book given to me at an estate sale
of one of my neighbors last week.
it is called:
Grandma Rose's Book of
Sinfully Delicious
Snacks, Nibbles, Noshes, & other Delights
by Rose Naftalin

ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. dill weed
3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup beer
2 Tbsp. water

Directions:
In a bowl combine flour, salt, sugar & dill weed.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Add the yolks & liquids, blend well.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into batter.

I fried up Thick slices of Ichiban Eggplant
Green Tomatoes, & a green bell pepper.

The batter worked equally well on all items and was
delicious with Catsup and a Greek cucumber sauce

Shoo Fly Strudel Muffins

Shoo Fly Strudel Muffins
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F



1/2 sick butter (soft)
3/4 c sugar (granulated)
Mix together well, until light and fluffy
2 eggs (large)
Mix in 1 at a time just blending into batter.
Then mix for about 1 min. until light and fluffy again.
1/2 c Sorghum or Molasses
Mix Well
1 1/2 c flour (All Purpose)
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix in until blended & thick
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c milk
Mix util smooth

Fill greased muffin cups 1/2 full

for Streusel topping
mix together 1/4 c flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar (Granulated)
1/4 c fine chopped pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Sprinkle this on top of muffins BEFORE placing into oven

Bake for 10 minutes and check 1rst time
add time if needed, add no more time than 18 minutes total.
Makes 12 muffins

Marshmallow Fondant

I may never frost a cake again



Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients
16 oz mini marshmallows
2 lb powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. Water
Shortening for greasing bowl & hook (Hands)


Directions
1.) Microwave marshmallows & water on high 1 min
2.) Grease dough hook & Bowl with shortening
3.) Put 3/4 of the sugar into mixer & add marshmallow
4.) Mix on low speed the check consistency (It will still be a little sticky at this point. If it is real sticky add some of the remaining sugar & mix a minute or so. #Repeat until fondant is firm & neither dry or sticky)
5.) turn out onto a clean & firm work surface. Knead by hand just a minutes until there are no flecks of dry powdered sugar remaining, Wrap in cling wrap or waxed paper & let fondant set for about 30 minutes.

to add color, add to marshmallows before mixing with sugar
to make it chocolate, add about 1/2 c cocoa powder be sure to sift it first.

This recipe makes 3 lbs. of Fondant


Compare the cost of $9 + per box from the store to just $3.77 homemade.

Adventures in Baking

This week we have had some Baking Adventure.
I wanted to make sure Bailey's cakes were AwesomeSauce.
Also this would be a trial run for my oldest daughter's
birthday in September.

We found an excellent pound cake recipe
It came from a lady's recipe box from
her mother's mother from England.
works great in a layer cake, & in cuppys.



This recipe makes 2 8" - 9" rounds
or 24 cupcakes.

6 oz Butter (soft)
13 oz Sugar (granulated)
Beat together for 5 minutes (Medium speed)
4 eggs (Lg.) room temp add 1 at a time
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Beat on Low speed 3 minutes (scrape bowl 3 times)
9 oz flour (All Purpose, Sifted)
3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Sift flour into bowl & wisk in B.P. & Salt
1/2 C. Sour Cream
1/2 C. Whole Milk
Add flour alternately with milk & Sour Cream (Low Speed)
1/3 flour, milk, 1/3 flour, sour cream, 1/3 flour

Mix on med for 2 minutes
Bake at 350 degrees F until done
Start checking at 15 minutes until, no crumbs come out on toothpick
& top in light golden brown.

For cupcakes we filled 3/4 full and had to remove tops.
(for uniform tops for decorating, we simply laid a bread knife on the pan edge &
sliced thru & across. Common practice when cuppy grow too far out of tin cups.)
We also will only fill 1/2 full next time to see results.



We started checking cakes at 12 minutes &
added time in 5 min intervals till done.
Different ovens cook differently.

We removed from pans & cooled completely before
decorating.

I must add that I mix all my cakes with a paddle attachment in the
Large capacity Ninja Food System Blender, it works great

TIP:
all ingredients should be room temperature
for best results. (Old Tyme Baking Tip from my Nanny)

Finished Cupcakes


Finished Cake


Marshmallow Fondant coming up next.
I will share the decorating products used in this
particular cake.

Have a great day
If you try this recipe please share in the comments
your experience, or maybe a photo at our twitter.com/HerbGir1972
~V

Biscuit Pizza

We needed a quick, satisfying, fun dinner last night
so the little one & I came up with this.
It was a suprizing winner with the whole family.
We also used up some leftovers.

Here's our Leftover Fried Chicken Biscuit Pizza



What you need
Cutting board
Knife
18-inch Pizza Pan
Oven or grill

Ingredients:
Crust: 1 roll butter flavored Grands Biscuits

Pizza toppings:
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
2 pieces of leftover chicken, we used one breast & one thigh fried, thinly sliced
about 2 ox cheddar cheese, grated
about 1 oz asiago cheese shaved thinly
1/4 cup small diced onions (Vidalia)
salt
pepper
garlic, granulated
oregano
spice to taste
about 3 large basil leaves, rough chop
about 3 stems of cilantro rough chop for garnish

Assemble:
preheat oven to 400 degreesF
open and separate biscuits (this is fun for the kids) smash or roll them flatter
and spray pan with butter flavor spray lightly, place flattened biscuits onto pan
and close what holes you can, it will cook together.
Start with placing the tomatoes on the biscuits we worked in a circular fashion.
Then sprinkle on just a little cheddar cheese.
Add onions Let the young ones help & they'll eat the onions.
Add thin sliced, chicken pieces, make sure each piece will get a little chicken.
Now sprinkle your spices on as desired.
Top with cheddar cheese then the slices of asiago, arrange so each slice gets an
even amount.
Bake in oven for 21 minutes or until edges look golden brown and top is bubbly.



Sprinkle with chopped herbs as desired, we gave the option of yea or nay, as folks
like them. the herbs give it a fresh taste and just adds that finishing touch.

I hope you try this recipe and let us know what you think in the comments
Have a Blessed Day
~V

I apologize for the lesser number of postings, we've been quite busy with the chickens,
working, end of school, as well as trying to make a go at the food gardening with back
and forth weather patterns. Oh and we've rescued a baby mallard duckling this week.
Also our computer has been on the fritz
So we've been in the weeds pretty deep.
We'll try to do better

Spanakopita

Spanakopita

I've been promising this recipe for a little while
I hope you like it. It's the basic. Be sure to read
more at the link at the bottom, & try some of the other recipes
suggested. Please comment if you use this recipe as is
or tweak it.

preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:
1lb mozzarella cheese, shredded/grated
3 10 oz boxes frozen spinach
1 12 oz container of Feta cheese pieces
4 eggs
salt
pepper
nutmeg
1 1lb box of phyllo sheets


Directions:
add cheeses to a large bowl and mix together

thaw and squeeze all excess water(very important step) from spinach and chop finely

add to cheese and mix thoroughly break up any small parts to have an even blend.

in another bowl crack and whip your eggs, add about 1 tsp. salt and1 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

pour into spinach & cheese mixture and mix together.



open your phyllo and flatten on working surface.
(scoop out a heaping tablespoon for hor d'vours. or for entree about 1/3 cup onto one corner of dough.)



for appetizer fold 1 sheet over top & proceed to roll in a triangular fashion over spinach mix to end. The same folding method is used for larger portions use about 3 sheet for entree. (see photos for folding technique like paper footballs)







traditionally oil or an egg wash is brushed onto the dough to give it a nice color, I spray with a light layer of nonstick spray



for appetizers cook 11 minutes. then flip & cook an additional 6 minutes.
for entrees double these times.


These are the appetizer sized portions I made for my daughter's class this morning)


I always serve with a small amount of salad and another vegetable as a meal (as first pictured).

I do not get creative with more herb or onions in this recipe it is the basic.
Please feel free to tweak to your tastes.

this recipe made 4 full sized + 36 appetizer sized portions (you can pre-make this and freeze your triangles in wax paper) although phyllo is a fickle bird. if left out it gets brittle, if wet it get super sticky.

It is mostly eaten as a snack in Greece
In rural Greece, smaller amounts of spinach are used, with the missing part substituted with leeks, chard, and sorrel
The pastry is similar to torta pasqualina, a traditional dish from Italy's Liguria region, that is very common in Argentina and Uruguay.

It can also be made with puff pastry

Read More about Börek style pastries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burek

Have a Nice Day
~V
Keep It Green

Victoria's Healthier Cookie

Well this recipe was born because
Dates was the new taste of the week for the little
one, & I wanted something different under my
Strawberry Shortcake.

I also had a small amount of green smoothie that I didn't want to waste

So here are
My Cookies



Ingredients:
2 slight c flour
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c chopped dates
1 c rolled oats
1c chopped pecan

1/4 c raisins
1/2 c leftover green smoothie (ours was almond milk, chard, strawberries, & apple)
1/2 c coconut oil soft not liquid (can use margarine if you must = 1 stick)
1 med banana smashed

Preheat oven to 350

Put dry ingredients in bowl & mix well
(tip: coating the raisins, dates, & nuts in flour help keep them from sinking in cookies. Perfect disrtbution in cooked cookie top to bottom)
Add wet ingredients.
Mix together & spoon 1 tablespoon full mounds onto greased cookie sheet
cook for 10 minutes, then flip pan (around not over) & cook for 12 more mins
(Tip always rotate cookie pans for even cooking.)
(Tip: Always watch new recipies your oven temps my vary from original)

These get a crispy edge on the bottom & golden on the top.
They're cakey, chewy, & crisp all at the same time.
Plus the fresh ingredients, look at the healthy you're getting.

I made these up to replace the cake part of strawberry shortcakes one night.
Great breakfast cookie, quite healthy.

I think this batter would make a good mini muffin too.

I plan on leaving mine out tonight so I can crumble it into my Greek Yogurt in the morning.



Please let me know if you try this and love it.
Watch for flavor tweaks.
Keep it Green
http://gofundme.com/keepteamessfree
~V

Incorporate Edibles ~ Harvest Health

Incorporating edibles into your existing plantings is not
Rocket Science.
You can easily find something that will work with what
you annually plant.

I harvested this from a commercial planting bed
where it was my intentions for the employees to
take part and enjoy the benefits of having fresh
Swiss Chard at their disposal.

I believe a little leaf harvesting would have encouraged
more top growth and there in a larger show in the beds.
Alas they didn't take to the idea.

Thanks for the Chard, My family loved it, cooked the first night
and the rest will be in my vitamin packed Green Smoothies
& Saladworks.

This is Rhubarb Swiss Chard
(Harvested)


Cooking Chard is as easy at any other Greens

I washed the chard 3X to remove any grit, creatures, etc.
then put it straight from the wash water into the cooking pot, don't shake the excess.
add about 2 teaspoons oil of choice (I use Olive, you can use Bacon Grease)
1 tablespoon sweetener of choice
Then let set for starting 20 mins on med high heat covered.
Flip the greens in the pot after the first time is up. Set for another 20 mins. covered.
then taste, everyone has a different preference to how done they like their greens,
just test a little along, cooking in 20 minute intervals until done to your liking.

Serve as a side to most any dish.

I also let about half drain in a colander flipping a few times until mostly dry.
Then I put into a plastic zip bag for storage for raw use.
(Tip: exhale a small breath into the bag before closing for greens to stay fresh longer)


Lettuce 'Valerie' in containers
(25 Gal)


Jerusalem Artichokes/Sunchokes in containers
(25 gal, very invasive in ground)


Herbs work excellently in containers
Here's our Sweet Basil getting started last month
we've used off it 3 times already


We're featuring #Cilantro this week on our #TwitterFeed so check it out
@HerbGir1972


Have a Great day
~V

Guacamole~So Ez ~So Good Don't forget the Cilantro

Guacamole seems like quite an exotic thing when I was younger
But now that I am older and appreciate the flavor of each ingredient as well as it's origin
I have to have it & the more Cilantro the better for me at least.
It is so easy to make I do not understand why they sell an enveloped mix

Please try and tweak to your fave flavors
there are a couple substitutions here as we do like the SOur Cream version the best.

It's healthy for you eat it on everything in moderation as is with everything in life.

I hope you enjoy.

First get your ingredients together

Ingredients:
2 Avocados, ripe
Sour cream
Minced Garlic
Cilantro fresh is best
Lime Juice
salt
pepper
1 Jalapeno Minced (with seeds for spicier flavor remove and devein for milder)
Equiptment:
a bowl for mixing & a fork for mashing



You can see I'm using pantry items that a lot of folks
already have on hand

Directions:

Start by peeling your 2 Avocados, you end up using about 3 teaspoons of lime juice I simply
sprinkle on the avocados whilst I am peeling to prevent browning. Mash with a fork, it does not have to be super creamed it is better to me with small chucks on Avocado. But it is to your own taste if you want it creamy you can even blend it.





I then add 1 tablespoon of Garlic minced



2 Tablespoons of Sour Cream you can use Low fat or full fat (we've even used mayo, and greek yogurt)





Chop a bit of fresh cilantro
Curl fingers under to get a good mince and not cut your fingers







Find yourself aProfessional salt & Pepper shaker and stirring expert



And you're done



Thanks for taking a moment with my blog
You are appreciated
~v

Island Rice ~Version #1

Island Rice (Bog)

Ingredients:
1 can Coconut Milk, 13.5oz
1 can pineapple tidbits, 8oz, drained reserve juice
1 can Black Beans, 15oz, drained & rinsed
water
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. whole fennel seeds
1/2 red pepper, small diced
1 carrot, small diced
1/2 sweet white onion, small diced
1 cup whole kernel yellow corn
1 cup white rice
3/4 lb. meat, ground turkey/chicken/pork sausage
salt & pepper to taste
1 small/medium tomato, small diced

Directions:
1.) Prepare vegetables. Having everything ready makes this dish take no time.

2.)Cook Rice: (You are using a basic rice recipe just using a different cooking liquid, it does make a difference in a dish)
Measure out 1 cup white rice, set aside
Measure coconut milk you have to add water enough to make 2 cups.
Cook in small pot in medium/high heat until the coconut/water mix just boils. Add nutmeg & about 1 tsp salt.
Add rice and stir gently, bring back to a boil and cook for approximately 10 minutes. (You MUST watch the rice since you are using a milk mixture, Watch it or you will Scorch/Burn it).
Check after 10 minutes stir gently just to check the rice on the bottom is not sticking too much, a little resistance in expected.
turn the rice onto a low/medium heat and cook for about 5 more minutes covered, then turn off and let set until you are finished with the rest of the dish.

3.) In a larger frying type pan heat on almost high heat. Heating your oil(s). toss in a pinch of onion when it starts to sizzle, throw in the Peppers, Carrots, & Onions. Salt to facilitate the softening process, draw out the flavors and marry them in the oils. Add your Fennel Seeds
Get a good sautee going it take about 5 mins for small diced items. Add your meat in pinches to the top of your vegetables, Stir fry until the meat is just done.
Add Beans & Corn and stir. Turn down your heat to Medium. Add Pineapple and 2 Tbsp of the juice. Stir just to mix.
Add rice, it may look sticky on the top but it will be fine inside. Even add the few lightly brown pieces in the bottom.Gently, Fold the vegetables into the rice until just mixed, add tomatoes on top let set just 1 min more, remove from heat and serve.

I plan to experiment with this and a habanero pepper added to the rice cooking.
Serve with Sweet Potato Chips and hot sauce. This could be made Meatless as well to suit your diet.