The perfect fall drink—humor me…

Ever since I can remember, we have been drinking this at my Grandma’s house. Every now and then, I get a craving for it and have it at home, too. I just mixed up a mug full and thought I’d gross you out share.

What you need:
Dr. Pepper
Lemon
A stove and a pan
Mugs

Heat up the Dr. Pepper until just boiling. (It will look like it is before it REALLY is because of the carbonation).

We typically squeeze some lemon juice in it as it’s cooking too.
Slice the lemon and put a slice in each mug. Pour the hot Dr. Pepper over it. Let cool a bit and ENJOY!


I promise, it’s way better than it sounds.

((I also cheated… I had lemon concentrate and made mine in the microwave. Really, it’s not as good that way…That’s why my pic just looks like a cup of drink.))

When Dustin first started hanging around me, I made him try Marshmallows and Cheese* (something I still think is bizarrely good). But, after that, he was weary of the concoctions surrounding my family. However, he manned up and tried this and admits, it’s pretty darn good.

*What you need:
mini marshmallows
a slice of American cheese

Fold the cheese into squares… as small as you can get them.
Then, make a “sandwich” with two cheese squares and a mallow in the middle.  Pop in  your mouth and enjoy.

I admit, it’s weird. I was about 6 when I invinted it. And, yes, I still OCCASIONALLY have a snack of it :). Dustin said that it tastes exactly like it sounds and the two things just don’t mix well at all. He’s gone for the evening, so I may just have to have some hot Dr. Pepper and lemon with some marshmallows and cheese :).

Besides sipping my Hot Dr P and L, today I’m painting a pot, transplanting house plants, cutting off the tip of my finger (yeah, it’s fun to type now!), writing some essays to get ahead in my classes, and grading some essays to get ahead in some of my classes since I’m about to hit TWO WEEKS OF SUPER BUSY with work.

And, I may or may not have all my paint samples here on my desk to look through for bonus room colors…. a girl needs a break from all that work, you know.

Can you tell I’m home alone and hyped up on Dr Pepper?!?! :)

Canning Bee #3- SALSA!

warning: This salsa is so good that I have witnessed my husband (on more than one occasion) pick up the bowl when we're done/out of chips and DRINK what is left... and then look at me guiltily out of the corner of his eye to see if I saw. I always see... with a look of amazement each time.  (Sorry, Baby, the secret's out).

Without further ado...

The best salsa EVAH

*I chuckled after I wrote this because the woman we got the recipe's name is Eva.. 

**so much for that 'without further ado' promise

We begin with a 6-8 quart pan. You need enough tomatoes to fill half the pan and enough onions and bell peppers to fill the other half.

First, put the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or so. Take them out when the skins start to split open. Drop them in a sink full of cold water. This makes them MUCH easier to peel.

Peel them and slice them up. Just a little. You don't need to cut them up small, just quarter them or so. Also in this step, cut out the bad places. One bad place in a tomato can ruin a whole batch of yummy salsa goodness. (Dustin would probably eat it anyway... it's that good...)

We use a food processor to do the dirty work. Mom used to cut this all up by hand.
 No thank you; I'll take the easy way out, please.

Then she used a crank food processor/chopper.
 No thank you; still too much work.

Now, we both have these. I HIGHLY recommend getting one.

While Sarah peeled and cut tomatoes, I cut up the bell peppers and onions.

Everything goes through the food processor first.

Even the garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno...
(We used one jalapeno with the seeds removed for a mild batch and about 4 small cloves of garlic)

Then, it all goes (after being food processed) into the pan along with the spices.

1 1/2- 2 cups sugar

1 1/2- 2 cups vinegar

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon cilantro (We used fresh, so we ended up using more)

(add more or less of each according to taste)

*My mom doesn't measure.... so the batch you see here is a bit vinegary

Cook/slowly boil for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

After it's cooked, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a cup. Slowly stir it into the pot. Stir it up pretty good or it can clump up, she says from experience of eating globs of salsa flavored cornstarch. It is fairly runny before this step but this typically thickens it up enough.

Start to fill the jars (that have been washed beforehand). We use a mug because it is easy to scoop with.Even with the mug, funnel, and towel underneath, this is still a messy, hot step in the process.

Fill the jars and wipe around the rim to make sure none sloshed on the side. 

(Anything on the rim will keep it from sealing).

Then, they go in the canner for 35 minutes for pints or 45 minutes for quarts. These get processed in a water bath. Fill the pot with water to at least 1 inch over the top of the jars. Start the timer when you have a full rolling boil and put the lid on the top. When the time is up, remove from the water and wait for the lid to seal and "pop".

We do pints because we would eat an entire quart every time we opened a jar if they were in bigger jars. We roll like that.

Check out Canning Bee #1 for BEETS

Canning Bee #2 for GREEN BEANS

Up next: Canning Bee # 4: Chopped Tomatoes (to add to soup this winter, yummmmm)

In a (freezer) jam

Apparently my kitchen makes strawberries photograph yellow. Even if they are yellow... I am convinced that strawberries contain the nectar from the gods. 

This batch is particularly that way because they came from Mom's little strawberry patch that is only 2 or 3 years old.

I made freezer jam from them. I can sit and eat this with a spoon. I do. I'm not ashamed. This, and marshmallow cream. (I got busted last week though... Dustin walked in and I had a spoon in my mouth and too much marshmallow cream to just swallow and hide my guilt... he tried it later in secret and admitted I had found a little spoonful of heaven)

Like most of my kitchen projects- this is super easy. Buy some of this stuff... and follow the directions. 

I cut the tops and bad spots off the berries. I'm weird about this part. I'm the same way with meat. I'm very picky about what is "good" and what isn't. I'm sure that I throw away parts that are perfectly fine, parts that I've been eating my whole life, but still... I"m not a picky eater, but I'm picky about food that might be on its last leg or parts that "look" different than the rest. I'm judgmental with my food that way.

Then, mash them up. Mom uses a potato masher. I don't own one. So, I used a small glass. Yes, I licked the outside of the glass when I was done, thankyouverymuch. I promise... I'm a clean cook :)

Mix the packet with a cup and a half of sugar. (The recipe says Splenda or sugar.... come on, we eat marshmallow cream out of a jar.... we use sugar)

Then, add 4 cups of crushed strawberries, mix for 3 minutes, and ladle into a container. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then put in the freezer for later. You can freeze it for a year- it doesn't last that long here.

Not a good pic, but DEFINITELY worth the 15 minutes it takes to make!

Tomorrow, we will be landscaping outside. This isn't project ADD :). We are landscaping around a garden that was started last year when we lost our son. Tomorrow is his birthday anniversary. And, our wedding anniversary. We're spending the day in Lane's garden and mulching around our grapes. Then, we're heading out for a sky lantern release with our families to honor our little guy after the sun goes down.There is more about that at my other blog. Hopefully, I have some great pics to post on Friday of Lane's little flower garden and the sky lanterns.

The big 3-0 and a Whoopie Pie

My hubby added another year yesterday. He turned the big 3-0. I'm still a baby of 27 :).

Things have been slow around here. It's been rainy; it's been cold; we've been sleepy. I am having a "routine outpatient surgical procedure" tomorrow morning at 7:30, so we've also been going to doctor appointments and I've been having blood drawn. Today's draw left me requiring a 3 hour nap! oops...

But, we do have a fully operational kitchen again! It isn't finished, but we can cook!

(Please ignore my makeshift office in the oven's reflection:))

Yesterday, I did take some time out of my busy schedule of grading papers and trying to clean the house before tomorrow and made Dustin a birthday dessert. (for some reason, I feel like the house has to be spotless when we get home tomorrow... that's only gonna happen if all 90 followers show up soon and we all clean until we have to leave at 5am!)

Whoopie Pie Cookies

(I can't remember the real/full name for them...)

Cookie Ingredients:

2 c flour
2 tbs unsweetened coco
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c softened butter
1 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs red food coloring (I skipped this)
Oven at 375.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. I didn't have any so after a quick call to my mom, I used wax paper.

Mix first 4 ingredients and set aside. Beat butter 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk. Stir in coloring (if you use it). Spoon better in 1 or 2 inch rounds about 1/2 inch high. Bake 7-9 minutes for 1 inch cookies and 9-11 minutes for 2 inch cookies.
Cool on sheet and remove.  Take 2 cookies and put Whoopie Pie Filling between them.

Whoopie Pie Filling

Heat 1/4 c butter and half an 8 ounce pack of softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in one 7 ounce jar of marshmallow cream.

I didn't take any pics while I was making it. I wasn't sure it was going to turn out, so here's a blurry pic from today :)

These blurry little cookies are good. I'm not even a huge chocolate cake fan and they're good. We didn't pre-make the little sandwiches with them and their filling. Instead, we're making them as we eat them :) I melted the butter a BIT too much, so our filling was a little runny yesterday. It's in a container in the fridge. I must say.. it's hard to go wrong with butter, cream cheese, and marshmallow cream! I'm glad I bought too big of a jar so I can eat the rest of it :) I have such a bad sweet tooth!

Chilly outside-- tortilla soup inside

 

Yeah, yeah... my clothes pins are still on the line... :) oops

I don't really mind the snow... as long as

1) I don't have to leave the house
2) Dustin doesn't have to leave the house
3) We have plenty of catfood (have you even been with a cat, or two, when the last crunchy morsel is gone?) Catfood is a snow necessity.
4) We have plenty of food. (yes, the catfood goes before people food... they really are obnoxious when you run out)

This week, all of those conditions have been met.

On Sunday, I tested out a recipe for tortilla soup. I first met tortilla soup at the Hanover College cafeteria. Yes, I know it was out of a 55 gallon drum, but MMMmmmm, a love affair began. Every time we go out to eat (on a now $40 a month budget) I get tortilla soup if they have it. Some is good, some isn't so good. It never seems to compare to HC's version though. Perhaps my memory is glamorizing it in a Jay Gatsby kind of way.

 

I'm not sure it looks that great in pics, but I am happy with the results. And, it is spooned out in this pic, so you can't tell that it is actually soup. It was goooood. And, we ate it for about 4 days. I think it was about $1 per bowl.

Ingredients:

2 cans of stewed tomatoes 

2 cant tomatoes with chilis

2 cans corn

can black beans (I only used 1/2 the can)

3 cooked chicken breasts

chicken broth 

Then, we loaded it into our soup mugs with sour cream, cheese, and ate it with tortilla chips. When I took this picture, we were already snowed in and had eaten all the sharp cheddar cheese, so we used mozzarella. As long as it's cheese, I don't mind. 

 

Next time, I won't use stewed tomatoes. They were a bit big compared to the rest.   On the last 2 bowls, Dustin wanted to try it with some taco meat seasoning. So, we had chicken tacos one night and saved some of the seasoning. It was just as good without the seasoning as it was with it. I think he liked it better with though. 

I can't wait to make it with fresh corn and tomatoes from the garden this summer!! Until then, we'll look at the pretty view and dream of warmer weather.

 

Patiently waiting to go play in the snow.

 

It is getting deep around here ;)

Ellie's thoughts: "Can I PLEASE stop posing and eat snow?"

We have at least 7 inches of snow with more on the way and 30 mph winds tonight.

It's cold, windy, and deep. But, we have enough catfood, milk, cereal, and blankets to enjoy it though. For a few days anyway....