It's Christmas no matter what

After all the shopping, baking, standing at line at the post office, the mall, wrapping,taping, it's finally Christmas.


I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, joyous New Year.


Check in , and see what 2011 brings on the blog, got new ideas coming.


Patrice

Martha Stewart has some stiff competition, my door looks fabulous. Who would of thought some foam board, printed sheet music would look so great. Easy project, and inexpensive.

And I have a new recipe, a keeper of a holiday cookie.

Chewy Butterscotch cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
2 sticks unsalted butter,room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz bag butterscotch chips
powdered sugar


Mix the flour, spices, baking soda in bowl, set aside.Cream butter,sugar until creamy, beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture, and butterscotch chips.Chill dough for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly grease cookie sheets. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, roll in powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet three inches apart, bake 12-14 minutes until golden.

These are great cookies, my next batch I am going to add some finely chopped walnuts.


Happy holiday baking.

My x-ray room door

Is this a solution?

I have been following the local wet/dry discussions for several months, with great interest. I have read all the economic reasons that alcohol sales in my community will boost tax revenue, encourage business growth,new jobs. But in all my years of working in emergency medicine, I cannot reasonably think of any situation that there is a problem, that alcohol would be a solution.



Enough said about that.


Patrice

I finally finished the quilt

A year in the making, but I got this finished. I did not piece the quilt top, but a friend brought it to me,asked if I knew how to quilt. Well, sorta, kinda, maybe. So I got on the internet, youtube, went to quilt shops , I perservered, took me a year, but I got it done. Quilted, and bound. It feels good to start a project, and finish it. Now on to start Christmas.

Fall Is Here

Okay, not the best picture, but take my word for it, this stuff is the best bar cookie, dessert, whatever you want to label it, fantastic is the best description. A cross between a butter cookie, and a payday candy bar. Peanuts, marshmallow, peanut butter. it has it all.

Fall Candy Corn Bar

1 yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter, or margarine,softened
1 egg
3 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups rice crispy cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup fall candy corn

In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, butter, egg, stir well, Press in the bottom of 15x10 pan. Bake 10-15 minutes, until base is set. Sprinkle with marshmallows, bake 3-4 minutes more. Let cool, and preparetopping. In large saucepan, combine syrup, sugar, brown sugar, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add peanut butter, cereal, peanuts, vanilla, and candy corn. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallowa, spread to cover. Chill until. This makes a big pan.

Line the 15x10 pan with the Reynolds non stick foil. If you use a 13x9 pan, it makes a really thick bar, very difficult to cut. The next batch I am going to sprinkle with some fall M&M's.


Enjoy your fall baking

Patrice

New holiday recipe

And it is being well received at my clinic/ER.


SOUR CREAM CRANBERRY BARS

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup backed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups ap flour, plus 2 tbsp flour, divided
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten.
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix brown sugar, butter, beat until fluffly. Stir in the oatmeal, 1 1/2 cups flour.
Set aside 1 1/2 cups for topping. press the rest in the bottom of 9x 13 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, until light brown.
In a large bowl, mix the cranberries, sour cream, sugar, egg, lemon peel, vanilla, and
additional flour, spread evenly over crust.
Bake 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Refrigerate left overs.
Makes about 3 dozen.


I am going to add some chopped walnuts to the oatmeal mixture, this would work well
with orange peel also.

Calories ( for my WW friends) 157 cal, 7 g fat

I feel fall in the air.

It's wonderful, boys started school, temps are dropping, leaves starting to fall. It's my favorite time of the year. I will be looking for apple, and pumpkin recipes, get busy in the kitchen.


Go Cowboy's



Patrice

It's time for Regionals

These are my cards I am creating for the Stampin Up regionals swap. I want to take

at least 50 of these with me, so I need to get to get a assembly line going. So far, so good, and I think they look really nice, something I will be proud to swap.

Stick with me gang, more recipes coming, I promise

It's Pizza Nite

It's been another week, doing double work outs, along with the full time x-ray gig, and being without a washing machine for four solid days. Still catching up with the washing, I got a spiffy front loader by GE. Friday found me wanting to leave the ER really fast, and get home to my precious grandsons. I whipped up a family favorite, Crazy Crust Pizza, can get it in the oven in less time that it takes to go through the drive thru window.

Crazy Crust Pizza

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

t tsp Italian seasoning

1 lb ground beef

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 cups pizza sauce

2 cups mozzarella

Mix the flour,milk,eggs, and Italian seasoning together until a smooth batter.

Pour into a foil lined 9x13 pan. cook the ground beef until done, adding the onion, and garlic.

drain, and sprinkle on batter. bake 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then drizzle pizza sauce, and cheese on top, bake another 15 minutes until cheese and sauce is bubbly.

You can get creative, I add a little low fat turkey pepperoni to the ground beef, black olives.

Very versatile, and with a nice tossed salad, dinner is ready.

This recipe is going into the file under keep, it turned out fantastic. Even dh was impressed, the kitchen smelled heavenly. With a salad, crusty garlic bread, nothing else is needed. This gem came from Weight Watchers message boards.

Old Fashioned Swiss Steak

3/4 pound boneless beef top round steak
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp canola oil
1 mdium onion, chopped
1 can (5 oz) low sodium tomato juice
1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp worchestershire sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp prepared mustard

Cut steak into two pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a mallet, pound the
flour into the meat. Brown meat on both sides in oil in large skillet. Spray 1 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer meat to baking dish, brown onion in skillet. add juice,tomatoes, and
rest of ingredients . pour over meat. Cover, bake 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.

makes two servings 360 calories, 12 g fat, 20 carb, 3 g fiber.

I used the worcestershire black pepper from McCormick, and low sodium V8 juice. I also tucked in a couple of new potatoes halfway through the baking time.


Enjoy.



Patrice

Ho Hum, Routine

Been trying to think how to try something new in my every other Sunday routine. Pick grandsons up from every other weekend visitation, errands, then fix dinner for them , along with their dad (my son), and my husband. New recipe? New pictures for scrap layout? Go get school supplies , those backpacks are going fast. All possibilities.

There is a lot of comfort in routine.

Have a great week


Patrice

The boys made like bandits at the birthday party last week. Ryan, and Logan inseparable brothers, partners in crime. They are my life.

These brownies are the bomb, I mean fantastic. And of course I had to spice them up a little.
I didn't add the coconut, but with some dried cherries, and a sprinkle of coconut at the holidays would be a great presentation. I added a half teaspoon of Saigon Cinnamon , and a scant half teaspoon of a new spice from McCormick's, Cocoa Chile Blend to the crust. I can't wait to use this new blend in a soup, or chile.This will definitely satisify a chocolate craving. I got this recipe fromTasteofhome.com




Brownies on Steroids

3/4 cup cold butter, cut into 1 inch squares
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cocoa chile blend
1/2 tsp cinnamon
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1/3 cup toffee bits
1 cup chopped pecans, or walnuts

In a food processor, combine the butter pieces, powdered sugar,flour, spices,cocoa. Pulse just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press to the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. While crust is baking, over low heat, warm the sweetened condensed milk, add one cup of the chocolate chips, and vanilla. Stirring constantly, until chocolate chips are melted.Remove from heat. Remove crust from the oven, pour chocolate mixture over crust. Sprinkle nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, coconut. Bake for 20 minutes.


Be careful not to overbake, this will set up as it cools. I line my pan with the Reynolds release foil, makes any brownie easier to cut, and remove from the pan.

Enjoy


Patrice

My First Post

So excited to finally have the time to get this blog started. So many of my friends request recipes, this will be easier for everyone involved. Back to school will be here before you know it, so the worlds oldest homeroom mother nhas got to get busy.


Patrice