Chili Teaser

No recipe (it's a secret!)

but trust me, it is the best chili in the universe!

Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Soup

The breads, the soups, the naughty treats, are all coming out from hiding because Fall is here!!!
This soup is kind of like a mix between a chowder and a baked potato smothered with broccoli and cheese!

YOWSA, YUMMY!!!!

Another one of moms recipes, I take no credit...
...except for taking the picture 
{because y'all know what a great photographer I am}
and nudging her to add in the recipe 
{ya, ya! and I am pushy - get over it!}

{insert recipe here}

Conference Popcorn

Moms caramel recipe + air popped popcorn (1 cup unpoped) + a much too small bowl

= nostalgic conference viewing bliss

My kids favorite Tomato Soup

This easy recipe calls for a jar of Mom's famous salsa, a baggie of frozen corn from Grandma, and a can of black beans. Heat them up and if your lucky your mom will decorate it with sour cream and chives. YUMMO!

Caramels

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup of naughty light corn syrup
1 cube of butter
1 can (15 0z) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

in large sauce pan, melt butter add corn syrup and bring to a boil. add brown sugar stir well and bring up to a boil again. add sweetened condensed milk simmer and stir until it reaches 228° for popcorn or 229° for apple dunking or 230° for caramels take off the heat and stir in vanilla (don't forget nuts for the bottom of the pan) It thickens as it cools.

German Pancakes

Alright...since my sister STOLE my whole wheat bread post (which I totally deserved because I wasn't on the ball and it needed to be blogged about...

and she did a way better job on the post that I could have...
and her first attempt at bread looked a whole lot better than mine did...
sigh

I let mine raise too much and it fell a bit in the oven...
but aren't those hamburger buns just so cute!!)

I decided to get with it and post our new favorite ALTON BROWN recipe...
German Pancakes.

Ooh, doesn't that look good!!! It was. I had it for breakfast. My cute hubby made it. Jealous???

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
• Confectioners' sugar
• Marinated Berries or Glazed Apples and Pears, recipes follow
• Serving suggestion: Maple syrup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter. Set aside.

Heat a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and brush the inside with the shortening. Pour in the batter and bake for 15 minutes.

Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 13 to 15 minutes more. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet. We love the food network because even in a small kitchen...
You can make something like this... YUM

Top it with butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Or for a healthier side, top with berries, or applesauce.
Even the kiddies will love it.

Going



Going



Gone!



It think there's one piece left. Anyone want to come over. Better hurry!!

Food Storage Bread

If you've got this...

...And want this

Make sure you got a lot of this... 

Okay it isn't really that bad!

I made my first, totally from scratch whole wheat bread today and it was fun!

I need to learn some great recipes to learn how to use my food storage wheat and my sister makes yummo wheat bread so this is her recipe :)

It would have been even GREATER if she would have written this post but WHATEVA!

First step: take a couple of hours and find your cell phone so you can get the recipe from your sister...

Second Step: proof your yeast to see if "IT'S ALIVE" ahhh!

I just put it in 1/4 cup warm water and a pinch of sugar and...

...um yeah - it's definitely alive! it like octopled in size :)

Third Step: convince hubby to help you grind the wheat...

My KSL beauty

 

I have never even watched someone do this - I don't know why, my parents have always had a wheat grinder and both of sisters have one, but I have been ignorantly blissful... Until today, dundundun.

Hubby helped a ton, after a grumble about it being used (grumblegrumblecheapskatewife) he fiddled with the switches and gadgets and buttons and got the baby going!!!

The wheat kernels went in the top and the flour came out the bottom... easy-peasy!

It was really exciting, and I KNOW hubby would deny it, but I think he had fun too!

Bonding and breadmaking!

Final Step: The rest is gravy baby - just follow the recipe!

and steps 1-3 are optional!

4 1/2 cups Hard Wheat (freshly ground)

1 1/2 Tbs Yeast

mix together

3 cups warm water

mix in kitchen aid

Cover and let rise 15 minutes

Add

1 Tbs Salt

1/3 cup honey

1 1/4 Tbs Dough Enhancer

1/4 cup oil (or applesauce)

1 Tbs Gluten

Mix together

2 - 3 cups wheat flour

added 1 cup at a time until desired consistency

mix for 5 minutes

put in bread pans and let rise for 20 minutes in a cool oven with boiling water steam bath

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

I got my gluten and dough enhancer at Kitchen Kneads and I had the yeast from forever ago in a little packet and it was still good - so I am thinking individual packets are great for long term storage of yeast???

I don't really know.

I tried to be all prepared but I actually didn't have bread pans so I sort of shaped them into loaves and set them side by side in a cake pan (that is why they are on the squatty side!)  They may not be the prettiest loaves but I am bursting with pride for them!

oh why not - lets see that picture of them again:

Oh cute!