Since I moved to LA, I started making homemade pizza.  It’s delicious and EASY.  I found a quick, yeast-free recipe for the dough:

2cps flour/1tsp salt/2tsp baking powder/ 2/3cp water; mix and then spread onto greased pan; spread dough with olive oil to prevent sauce from soaking into pizza. Spread sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake at 425 for 25min.

It’s a great weekend meal.  Bon Appetit!

So Taiga is still sick.  In fact, I had to take her BACK to the vet yesterday and now she is on double the antibiotics!  Which is NOT fun because she is such a picky eater anyway, and now I am having to sneak 4 pills down her twice a day.  So, I have a created the little medicine meatball: a scoop of wet food with a pill hidden inside.  So far I think its working!

Sick Little Taiga!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen My previous book choice was a fat fail.  I am now redeeming myself with an epic classic that Jarod purchased for me on one of his business trips last year, and I have yet to read it.  Until now!  I always get this book and Sense and Sensibility mixed up, so I’m actually not sure if I’ve read this classic!  I started it last night and the book sounds familiar, but perhaps that is because I have watched the movie.  So, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice here I come.  And for those of you unfamiliar with the storyline, I have posted this cover with the book themes, it makes me laugh :)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

My previous book choice was a fat fail.  I am now redeeming myself with an epic classic that Jarod purchased for me on one of his business trips last year, and I have yet to read it.  Until now!  I always get this book and Sense and Sensibility mixed up, so I’m actually not sure if I’ve read this classic!  I started it last night and the book sounds familiar, but perhaps that is because I have watched the movie.  So, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice here I come.  And for those of you unfamiliar with the storyline, I have posted this cover with the book themes, it makes me laugh :)

I made these tonite and they are so tasty!  I haven’t drizzled the frosting on yet, but they are really so so good.  And I added some craisins in place of half the raisins.  Yum Yum!  5 stars from me and they are SUPER easy and make a lot!  (like 5-6 dozen)  Enjoy! Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients: 4 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 2 cups vegetable shortening 2 cups granulated sugar 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin 2 large eggs 4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 2 cups raisins 1 cup nuts, chopped 2/3 cup butter, softened 3 teaspoons to 4 rum extract 4 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup evaporated milk Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Beat shortening and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture into pumpkin mixture at low speed until combined. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Spread each cookie with frosting. Frosting: Beat butter, rum extract and remaining vanilla extract in medium mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and evaporated milk until smooth (frosting will be thin).

I made these tonite and they are so tasty!  I haven’t drizzled the frosting on yet, but they are really so so good.  And I added some craisins in place of half the raisins.  Yum Yum!  5 stars from me and they are SUPER easy and make a lot!  (like 5-6 dozen)  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 cups vegetable shortening
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 2 cups raisins
  • 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 3 teaspoons to 4 rum extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Beat shortening and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture into pumpkin mixture at low speed until combined. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Spread each cookie with frosting.

Frosting:

Beat butter, rum extract and remaining vanilla extract in medium mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and evaporated milk until smooth (frosting will be thin).

Kennel Cough

Poor Taiga is now on Day Three of this hacking and coughing business.  She sounds just like this dog in this video.  I’ve got her taking antibiotics and a cough suppressant a few times a day, but it doesn’t seem to be helping.  She has become my shadow.  And her droopy little eyes keep staring at me, like she’s begging me to make it stop. I’m sorry, girl!

My Thoughts on “The House of Sand and Fog”

I finished Andre Dubus’ novel, The House of Sand and Fog, Saturday evening.  First thought after turning the last page- “hmmm.”  The book was alright; maybe a 6 out of 10.  It had an overlapping and engaging story line/plot, semi-established character development and a fairly enticing writing style.  I appreciated the time he spent working the characters thoughts and ideas and feelings into their actions and behaviors, but I sort of just felt like everyone overreacted in general.  Things go from bad to worse in a few paragraphs.  And I really wonder if all the characters would truly have acted so severely drastic?  My attention was piqued at the opening chapter.  I love historical fiction, so I was drawn in by the main character’s middle eastern ethnicity.  However, that becomes background for the true setting, which was present day San Fran, and I could care less. Also, there were SEVERAL racy and dicey parts that turned a PG-13 book into well over a rated R book.  Not really a fan of reading sexual, highly implausible ventures.

On an additional note, Sunday night, Jarod and I rented the film based on this novel.  The movie was, in Jarod’s word, DEPRESSING.  Indeed, and surprisingly, the movie followed the book well.  The time line gets a bit jumbled and they rework the ending… but it was really quite similar.  It even used some of the same lines!

Overall, I give it a thumbs down.  I wouldn’t read it again (I could watch the movie if I really wanted) and I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

-b

Silver Dollar City Meal (aka Chicken and Corn Medley)

So I am procrastinating on cleaning up my kitchen after a delicious meal…   so while I’m letting my food settle, Jarod is gone climbing and the puppies are out asleep on the patio, I’ll share our thoroughly scrumptious dinner.  Imagine Silver Dollar City and those great, all-in-one meals in those monstrous skillets.  Well, that is what I made tonite, in a version for two (instead of 200).  I completed the meal with mashed potatoes (instead of rice or pasta) and white wine.  Superb.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each), thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
  • 2 cups seeded chopped tomatoes
  • 1 medium green pepper, julienned
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Hot cooked noodles or rice, optional

Directions

  • In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.
  • In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil until chicken juices run clear; remove and set aside. In the drippings, saute onion until tender.
  • Toss mushrooms with lemon juice. Add mushroom mixture and garlic to the skillet; cook and stir for 4 minutes or until tender. Add the broth, mustard, basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, remaining salt and pepper and chicken. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the corn, tomatoes and green pepper; simmer for 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with noodles or rice if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Chicken Soup with Stuffed Noodles

Soup

It’s a rather cool day today here in Southern California… it’s only 66, sunny, but breezy.  And I love it!  It’s almost like a real autumn day.  So I was inspired to cook some soup.  Jarod is a sucker for chicken noodle soup and I’ve never made him any.  Terrible wife!  So today was the day for his favorite soup for lunch.  [He’s in the middle of mid-terms and is need of some comfort food]  I added a new twist to the traditional recipe: stuffed, homemade noodles!  It turned out great!  Enjoy this recipe.

Chicken Soup with Stuffed Noodles

Soup:

1 1/2 lbs chicken, cut up

2 1/2 qts water

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 med carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, slices

1 med onion, diced

1 cp yellow squash, sliced

1 cp green beans, chopped

Noodles:

1 1/4 cp flour

1 tsp salt

1 egg

5 tbls water

1 tsp oil

Filling:

2 eggs

1 1/4 cp bread crumbs (add spices if unseasoned; I used garlic powder and oregano)

3 tbls butter, melted

_________________________________________________

1.  Place chicken, water, salt and pepper in a large soup kettle.  Cover and slowly bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink.

2.  Add vegetables; cook until tender (about 5-10 minutes).

3.  For the noodles, mix the flour and salt.  Make a well in the center.  Beat together the egg, water and oil; pour into the well.  Stir together, forming a dough.

4.  Turn dough onto a flour surface; knead 8-10 times.  Roll into a 16 in x 12 in rectangle.  Combine filling ingredients.  Spread over dough to within 1/2 in of edge; pat down.  Moisten edges with water.  Roll up jelly-roll style from long end; cut into 1/2 in slices.  Add noodles to gently boiling soup and cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender.

yields: 10 servings (2 1/2 qts)

These are simply the best festive cookies!  I dont usually make these til Christmastime, but my mother-in-law just mailed me a fabulous ‘fall box’, and inside were fall sprinkles and fall cookie stencils.  So I just HAD to make these favorites early!  Thank you, Judy, for the great box!  And thank you, Mom, for a GREAT handed-down recipe.  Enjoy! Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies1/2 cup shortening (part butter or margarine)1 cup sugar1 egg1 tsp. vanilla2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. soda1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp nutmeg1/2 cup sour creamHeat oven to 425 degrees(hot). Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla thoroughly.  Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.  Blend dry ingredients; add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream.  Divide dough; roll out to 1/4” thick on well-floured pastry cloth.  Cut with 2” cutter; place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Makes 4 to 5 dozen 2” cookies.

These are simply the best festive cookies!  I dont usually make these til Christmastime, but my mother-in-law just mailed me a fabulous ‘fall box’, and inside were fall sprinkles and fall cookie stencils.  So I just HAD to make these favorites early!  Thank you, Judy, for the great box!  And thank you, Mom, for a GREAT handed-down recipe.  Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
1/2 cup shortening (part butter or margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 425 degrees(hot). Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla thoroughly.  Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.  Blend dry ingredients; add to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream.  Divide dough; roll out to 1/4” thick on well-floured pastry cloth.  Cut with 2” cutter; place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Makes 4 to 5 dozen 2” cookies.