Artichoke….my favorite Veggie!

by Audrey Miller // March 2, 2013 // 1 Comment

Every time I buy Artichokes at the store the cashier has no idea what it is. They are missing out! At our home it is a special treat that would be chosen over desert any day (seriously it is my kids favorite). So I decided that you all needed to know just how to prepare an artichoke!

I first cut off the tip.

I then cut off the tips of each leaf. This isn’t necessary but some of the tips are prickly and since my kids are eating them I like to cut them off.

I like to wash the Artichoke, again this isn’t necessary but sometimes there is a little dirt in there that I like to get out.

Place in a pan and steam in salted water for 30-40 min. You will know they are done when you can pull off one of the top outside leaves easily.

While the artichoke is steaming mix together about 1/2 cup mayonnaise, juice from 1/2 a lemon, and salt to taste. (You can tweak this to your tastes).

When the artichokes are done take one leaf off at a time, dip into the mayonnaise/lemon sauce and scrap off the meat of the leaf with your bottom teeth. As you get deeper into the artichoke more and more of the leaf will be easily scrapped off.

Now this is the best part, the heart. Once you get to center scrape out the hair like leaves at the center (do not eat these). Once they are scraped out spread the sauce on the heart and enjoy!!!

Olive Garden’s Pasta E Fagioli Soup

by Audrey Miller // February 16, 2013 // No Comments

Olive Garden’s Pasta E Fagioli Soup

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com

2 lbs. ground beef*
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, shredded
1 c. celery, chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained*
1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
4 cups beef stock
3 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. pepper
5 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 (20 oz.) jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
8 oz. pasta
Brown meat. Drain fat. Combine all ingredients (other then pasta) in a large crock-pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Add cooked pasta just before serving.
*I usually make this without meat and it still tastes great!
*I have never had white kidney beans on hand when I have made this so I use another can of red kidney beans.

Source: www.favfamilyrecipes.com

Belgian Waffles

by Audrey Miller // January 19, 2013 // 1 Comment

These are my FAVORITE waffles! The whipped egg yolks make them light and fluffy and the cornstarch keeps them wonderfully soft.

Belgian Waffles
http://www.yammiesnoshery.com

Makes about 8 big waffles

3 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/3 cups flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

4 egg whites
A pinch of cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar

Mix together flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In separate bowl mix together egg yolks, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the two tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Mix together the dry ingredient and wet ingredients then fold egg whites in to the batter. Do not over mix Bake in a greased waffle iron.

Source: http://www.yammiesnoshery.com

Apple Crisp

by Audrey Miller // January 4, 2013 // 2 Comments

My cousin’s nanny made this Apple Crisp for us last conference weekend. It is truly the best Apple Crisp I have ever had!!!

Apple Crisp

*Thestewarttable.blogspot.com*

For the filling:

5 large apples, peeled and sliced thin

1 lemon, zested and juiced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup tightly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

For the topping:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats (I like quick-oats best, but old-fashioned rolled oats are fine too)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pea sized pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Pinch kosher salt

1 to 2 tablespoons cold water

Special equipment: 6 (6-ounce) ramekins OR large casserole dish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the filling:

Toss the peaches in a large bowl with the zest and lemon juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Divide the filling evenly between the ramekins.

For the topping:

Combine flour, oats, sugar, and brown sugar. Add butter; use your hands or a pastry blender to incorporate the butter. The mixture should be crumbly. Stir in pecans and salt. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture is clumpy but crumbly.

Top each ramekin with the topping. Be sure to loosely sprinkle the topping and not pack it down. The idea is to look very crumbly and craggy. Place the ramekins on a sheet tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the topping, brown and crispy.

Source: Jenny Stewart

Cranberry Orange Muffins

by Audrey Miller // December 21, 2012 // No Comments

These are some of our favorite Christmas eats! My sister-in-law Miriam Sellers passed the recipe onto me when I married into the family (she is a remarkable cook and can make healthy food taste sinful). Enjoy!

1 3/4 c. Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

3/4 c. Sugar (or sweetener of choice)

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/3 c. Butter (melted)

1/2 c. Milk

1 Egg slightly beaten

1 tsp. Orange peel

1/2 c. chopped Cranberries

1/2 c. grated Apple

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Make a hole in the dry ingredients, add wet ingredients into the hole. Mix until moistened, then add cranberries and apples. Do not over mix Place in lined or greased muffin tins. Bake for 13-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Lightly butter top and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Source: Miriam Sellers

Mom’s Rolls

by Audrey Miller // December 8, 2012 // 2 Comments

For my first recipe post I thought I would share one of my families favorite recipes. Growing up we had these almost every Sunday. They are light, buttery, and melt in your mouth. Enjoy!

½ cup Warm Water

2 ½ T. Yeast

Mix together and set aside.

1 can evaporated milk

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 T. salt

½ stick butter softened

Mix above ingredients with 4 cups flour. Add yeast mixture and 1 cup HOT water. When mixed well add 4-6 cups flour, if the dough is too sticky (I like mine to pull away from the sides of the mixer but still stick to my finger) add flour ¼ cup at a time. Knead for 2 min on medium speed. Let rise until double. Punch down and let rise until double again. Punch down then separate into 4 equal parts. Roll 1 part of the dough into a circle.

Spread about 2 T. of softened butter onto the dough.

Cut the dough into 12 wedges.

Roll each wedge from the outside towards the center to create a croissant shape (My kids love to help me with this). Repeat with remaining dough. Place 2 dozen rolls on a cookie sheet (this recipe will fill 2 sheets) cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 for 12-15 min, or until golden brown.

NOTE: This recipe works well for cinnamon and orange rolls. Instead of rolling into circles roll into rectangles and fill with either of the following:

Cinnamon: Orange:

1 stick melted butter 1 stick melted butter

1 c. brown sugar 1 c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon 1-2 t. orange zest

Top with cream cheese frosting Top with orange frosting.