Wine and Cheese Night

Friday night was Bradberg's First Annual Wine and Cheese night. Top is lefse, next it wine with teeth shaped ice, next is a giant birthday cupcake, followed by some olive oil bread. Simple to make, soak some herbs (rosemary, oregano, tyme, salt and pepper - the usual suspects) in enough water to get them wet, plenty of olive oil, and a squirt of lemon juice. Slice up some french bread or a baguette about a 1/4 inch thing, get your brush out and paint on the mixture and toast up in the oven.

Cars Gingerbread Kit

FYI, the one I made is on the left, the right is the box.

Crock Pot Meatballs

• 1 pound of 80/20 ground beef
• bread crumbs, about 2 slices of bread ran through the food processor
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Lawery's salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• mozzerella

Combine all ingredents, except meat and cheese. Use hands to combine meat to mixture. Form into balls, make about 10 or so. Then put a chunk of the mozzerella cheese in the center of the ball. Prepare the sauce:

• 1 can crushed tomatoes (I think its around 28 ounces)
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Put the sauce into a crock pot on low. I mix the sauce right in the crock pot. Gentle arrange the meatballs in the sauce. Cover and cook for like 7 hours. Like half way through or so, I gentle stirred it up. When you start to cook up the pasta, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Super yummy, super easy, house smells like an Italian restaurant, and no worries of onions sneaking into the sauce. Probably could serve 4 adults.

Sweet Potatoe Cakes

Connor is on such a pancake kick right now. I needed to make them healthier.

My newest creation. I had some left over sweet potatoes, so I cut them into cubes, and steamed them for a half hour. Tossed them into the food processor, added a bit of the steaming water to make them puree up nicely, with a touch of vanilla.

• 1 cup sweet potatoes
• 1 and 1/2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of pancake mix
• tablespoon or so of milled flax seed

Whisk together, and cook up like normal pancakes on a griddle or fry pan, or however you wanna do it. I made a double batch, froze some for later.

Bonus, they are a beautiful pale orange color.

Dried Cranberry Shortbread

I know, it's been forever. I needed a cookie break. But I am back. I made this up, out of order, last week for a PTA meeting. It was super simple, quick to make, and yummy! You are suppose to cut it up in heart shaped, but squares worked just fine. Only two sticks of butter in it.... Check it out here.

Giant Cupcake

Hooray! I finally got the Wilton Giant Cupcake Mold! I have wanted one forever, and it's just so darn cute. I made this one up for my friend's birthday last night. So pretty, so wonderful.

Granola Bars

• 2 and 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup dried fruit
  
• 2 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup corn syrup/honey
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large egg whites

Toast up the wheat germ. I put in under the broiler for a few minutes, keep a close eye on it! Microwave the oats for 5 minutes, one minute at a time. Stir those up inbetween minutes.

Mix together all the dry ingredients, then mix in the wet ones. Spray down a 9 x 13 jelly roll pan. Cover in foil, spray down the foil. Pack mix into the jelly roll. Bake at 325 for a half hour or so.

Allow to cool, then cut up. I tried using a pizza cutter, but found a big ol butcher's knife works best. Store in air tight container.

I made there, and they were gone. My friends, Bob and Eric ate them up on me while I was gone. When confronting them, this was the text responses I got:
"Not a chance u r blaming me, it was the bob. But they were very tasty" ~Eric
"Its not my fault you're better than betty crocker!" ~Bob

Walgreen's Trip

• 1 Gillette Fusion Razor, on sale for $8.99, used a $4 coupon (9/27 RP), and got a $6RR. $1 profit
• Herbal Essences conditioner, on sale for $2.99, used $1 coupon (9/13 RP or 8/23 RP), got a $2 RR. Free.
• Vaseline Lotion, $6.99, received $7 RR. Free
• Chapstick Effects, $2.99 received a $3 RR. Free
• Halls Refresh, on sale for $1, used 75 cent coupon (9/27 SS) received $1 RR.
• Oral B toothbrush, on sale for $3, used 75 coupon (9/27 PG), received a $3 RR. Profit 75 cents.

Of course there is sales tax on all of that

Derby Bites

I got this reicpe out of TV Guide. A Chef named Brian Boitano has a new show on Food network or something, and shared a recipe for fried chicken. It was super good. I would have added more spice, make it even hotter next time. Check it out.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

These made up for last week's chocolate pretzel disaster. I took them to school, and not many people took them, but those that did actually ate them this week. They must not be cookie eaters. Colorware folks LOVED them though. That makes me feel fuzzy inside. Check them out here.

Chocolate Pretzels

Utter disappointment. No flavor AT ALL. I brought a bunch to school, and I saw people actually throw them away! How embarrassing. Shame on you Martha. Looking at her site, others have posted the same in the comments section.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

First off....it's not pistachio. Rochester Fruit was out, so I subbed in almonds. AND I thought I had semi-sweet chocolate chips at home, which I didn't. So, I subbed in semi-sweet swirled with white chocolate chips. These were good. Bob said they'd be better with pistachios though, and he is probably right. I do love biscottis! check them out.

Chocolate Mint Sandwich

These took pretty much all afternoon to make, so it's a good thing I have a lot of spare time on my hands! While rolling out the cookies, I should have used more powdered sugar than I did, they became sticky. Even though my hands were ice cold. Also, I let the chocolate covering cool too much before pouring it over top, the chocolate kind of stuck to the stop of the cookie, instead of covering them. The taste is good, remind me of a chocolate thin mint, with some mass. Check it out, but make sure you have a few hours on your hands!

Blueberry Pie

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

The trick is to keep everything COLD. Using pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour/salt/sugar. Add tablespoon by tablespoon of freezing cold ice water into mixture. Up to maybe 8 or 9. Divide into two pieces, form to discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Cool it down for at least an hour. Roll out. I roll on floured surface, with plastic wrap between the crust and the roller. Blind bake it for a bit, like 375 for 20 minutes so.

I don't know what my recipe is for the filling.....but it's something like 6 cups of blueberries (de-thawed and drained), 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, ginger, and cinnamon. Just sprinkle, season and test. Adjust accordingly. Bake for 45 minutes or so.

Blueberry Pie

Chocolate Meringue

This was fun. I have made a meringue once before, but my first try at the Swiss style of making it. The cook time is long, 2 hours, but some meringues are overnight! The recipe is on her site. It takes simple ingredients, ones I had in the pantry. I don't have a set of pastry bags and tips (I WISH I did). So I did the old cut off a tip of a ziplock bag trick. Also, it says to use parchment paper, but I use Sipats, which I find to always be interchangeable.

Chocolate-Malt Sandwiches

Pretty good, a lot of work, makes way too much filling. Check her out here

Little People

An awesome $2 garage sale find.

Chocolate Ginger Brownies

They are SUPER easy. One pan needed, melt and mix all in the same sauce pan. I really liked the taste, ginger-chocolate not a normal combo. John didn't like it so much. On a side note, I did grind a nice chunk out of my finger while grinding my ginger! Try it out. It's on her site.

Chocolate Crinkles

This was good, very chocolately but good. I don't think it's on her site, I didn't look very well though. It made a lot, so I would recommend a half batch.

Chocolate Crinkles

This was good, very chocolately but good. I don't think it's on her site, I didn't look very well though. It made a lot, so I would recommend a half batch.

Quesadilla!

No recipe, just a picture of me with my left over taco meat quesadilla. I made it with whole-wheat tortillas, so it's like health food. I dip it in my salsa guacamole verde dip, as pictured in front of me. My chihuahua's would love some.

OMG. Salsa Guacamole Verde

So good. I made this two ways. Easy way: 1 avacado, 1/2 cup or so jarred salsa verde. Food processor for a few seconds, bingo.

Not quite as easy way: 1 avocado, 6 tomatillos, some Tastefully Simple Garlic-Garlic (or I guess you could use some cloves), dusting of sugar, salt, lime juice, cumin. Cook the tomatillos down with some olive oil, add everything except the avocado. Put EVERYTHING in the food processor, bingo-bango.

Chocolate Cookie Cutouts

Your basic cut out cookie, with cocoa and cinnamon. An odd combination, that does work. Nothing too special though. I did learn that they aren't "sprinkles" they are "non-perils". They are on her site, but she decorated her's with royal icing or something. They have non-perils in the book. PS, Martha buy some more bandwidth. Seriously.

Also, I know I've been gone for a month, but I was getting ready for vacation, on vacation, and then post vacation. But I'm back now!

Chocolate Charms

Kinda like a shortbread cookie with a chocolate twist. Suppose to be sprinkled with cocoa, but that would be messy, so I didn't do that. Used half margarine half butter, and turned out well. Would be better with all butter, but so would everything else in this world! I couldn't find it on her web-site, so another good reason to buy the book!

Cherry Chocolate Crumb Bars

Pretty good, a lot of work to make, and are way too thick. Recipe said put it in a 9x9 pan, I think a 9x13 would have been better. It's not on Martha's site, so another reason to buy the book!

Molasses Crinkle

Pretty close to the ones from last week, just no chocolate. I don't know if molasses is my thing or not. Easy enough to make, texture is good. Not on her website, sorry duders.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

These I thought would be a crowning moment in my Martha cookie making, since they are on the cover of the book. But alas, I was disappointed in the taste. The texture was nice, I just did not like the molasses flavor. I would reduce that and add more sugar. Or maybe use white instead of brown sugar. I used milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet, and I would not use semi-sweet in the future, as the milk gave it a sweeter taste. Of course they are on her site.

Cherry Tuile

Disaster. Some did turn out, but they aren't pretty, I didn't take pictures of them even. John likes them, but he's easily pleased. It was basically burnt runny carmel with cherry chunks in it. They can't all be winners. Check out Martha's.

Wells Fargo

I really really really hate this bank. Truly I do. The only reason why my checking account is there is because the company my husband works for uses Wells Fargo, and they do the direct depositting. And if his weekly paycheck is not deposited into a Wells Fargo account, we get a $1 fee per check. That would be $50 a year. I'm not sure if this is even legal. I think I am going to check into this forced using of Wells Fargo.

Anyway, today's over the top annoyance is I went to the one over on the far East side of town. I normally go to the Goodview one. The East side one teller got all snarky with me because I didn't have a deposit slip, nor know my account number to deposit a $8 garenteed funds check. After her informing me I couldn't deposit with out it, she sent me out this slip to fill out, including my full postal address. But no pen. Seriously, I have a two year old in the back, I don't have time for sending the tube back and forth 36 times. Why is it the Goodview one doesn't make me fill out slips, but this one does?

I know, it's small potatoes complaint, but EVERYTIME I go, it's something else. I LOVE how they then ask me if I would like to open a savings account and earn .5% interest on my account. Right. Like I would keep more money with them then I would have to. I know the small amount we keep there (less than $3500) isn't enough for them to care if we left, so I deal with it. But I am seriously considering getting a new account else where, and going to the bank every Tuesday to take the direct deposit out in cash and deposit it elsewhere. Goodness, it feels good pounding that out on the keyboard.

Cherry Almond Biscotti

This one is good! It is not on her web-site, so you are going to have to get the book. It called for 1/2 a stick of room temperature butter. I remembered this while at the grocery store. So I sent John a text to take some out of the freezer. When I got back there was a stick of margarine sitting out. He asked "what's the difference?" Ha. Goes FAB with coffee.

Cassis Crisps

These are alright. Nothing special. Cassis is a currant liquor, which I couldn't find, so I used what Martha suggested as a substitute, raspberry liquor. Which, is now my new favorite liquor, mixed with lemonade! Anyway, nothing special, but they are kind of a light pink color. So they are pretty. I used a pizza cutter to cut them into squares. Here is the recipe.

Walgreen's

Balsam hair dye: $5.99, on sale for $4.99, used $2 coupon, received $2 register reward, final price of 99 cents.

Bayer: $2.49, received $2.50 register reward, final price -1 cent.

Oral -B Toothbrush: $4.99, on clearance for $1.24, rang up as $1.12, used $1 coupon, final price 12 cents.

Savings Rates

1.65%

When did savings account interest rates get so low??? Sigh. No, don't send me links to better places and rates, cause I don't care about an extra quarter of a percent APY.

Cashew-Caramel Cookie

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy. Nothing to complain about here. I let the caramel topping cool a bit too much, so it was a little hard to drizzle, check out how pretty Martha's are.

Upsidedown Pizza

So, I got this idea from a magazine ad, but it was all different with spinach, beef, spaghetti sauce and broccoli. I thought, I can do better.

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• salt, pepper, Italian type spices, flour, sugar
• olive oil
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  
• about a cup of parm cheese
• a refrigerated pizza crust, the type that come in a biscuit tube thing

Oven roast the tomatoes in a 425 over. I put them into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Cover with some squirts of olive oil, salt and pepper. Grate, or finely chop the garlic, toss that in there too. Give it a little shake to make sure it's all covered. Roast them up for awhile. I did not time this, maybe 15 minutes? Once the tomatoes start to split open. Remove from oven, and squash them with a potato masher. They generate a lot of liquid. Now add a little flour to thicken the sauce up, maybe a tablespoon or two. Add the spices and sugar to taste. Make sure you mash up the tomatoes extra good, John hates it chunky. Cover with the mozzarella and most of the parm cheese. Unroll the pizza crust on top of the cheese. Take a brush, paint olive oil on top of it, sprinkle with the remaining parm cheese (like 2 or 3 tablespoons) and maybe some more Italian seasoning. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes or so.

Carrot Cake Cookie

These turned out a little squishy. Maybe a bit more flour would have made them firmer, easier to spread the frosting on. The recipe is on Martha's site, but the one in the book is different, frosting is 3x the volume and the cookie is 2x larger in the book. No melting in the book either. I did use currants, even though the book said raisins. I prefer the flavor of currants to rasins, and I think the smaller size or the currant works better in cookies.

Cappuccino Chocoate Bites

Okay, gripes. I hate cookies that I have to roll out. My rolling skills are less than desireable. And ones you need to roll out between two sheets of parchment paper and put in the freezer and cut with a 1 and 1/4 inch cookie cutter. Blah. Since the dough is 50 percent butter, it's sticky. So the roll out technique was not working, so I formed into tiny balls and squished into rounds. Also, recipe says will yield 30 cookies. I got 14 cookies. I think maybe Martha was counting each half of the cookie as one. But they were a pretty good deal of work for 14 measily cookies. I did not have esspresso beans, so I used coffee beans. Which were not ground fine enough, and were a little chunky in the cookie. They are tasty, very tasty. But make like a triple batch or something to make it worth your time! I couldn't find the recipe on Martha's site, so you'll have to buy the book if you wanna try it!

Physician's Formula Organic Wear

Talk about extreme bummer. Physician's Formula Organic Wear mascara is a disappointment for me. I loved PF's blushes, powders, concealers, bronzers.....but those weren't organic. This mascara was running and did not last. It gives an extremely natural look - read: doesn't do anything! There is no clumping, no dried out brittle lashes....but that's probably because it doesn't stay on your lashes. Depress. I have contacted the company, maybe I just had a bad batch, but this stuff was crap. Keep your $8 or whatever it cost.

Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies

I used all margarine instead of any butter in these, and you can tell. I am not into these very much, they are definitely "cakey", and that just isn't my style. I like them chewy. The recipe is on Martha's site, but there aren't even any pictures of it! So, maybe she wasn't impressed either.

Cheese and Bean Quesadilla

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes/green chilis mix
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed, drained, slightly mashed (use a potato masher)
• chili powder
• 8 ounces of shredded cheese (I used a jack/colby mix)
• cilantro
• 8 flour tortillas, I used whole wheat

Drain the tomatoes, extremely well. Warm them up in a pan for a few minutes, then put in the mashed black beans and a decent sprinkle of chili powder. Cook together for 3 minutes. Spray a skillet pan, put down on tortilla. Put 1/4 of the bean mixture on it, spread it out evenly. Cover it with cheese, then sprinkle on some cilantro, cover with another tortilla. Flip it over after it begins to brown, 2 minutes on medium heat. Cook the other side till the cheese melts. I cut them into six pieces, using a pizza cutter.

Buttery Pecan Rounds

I had not been baking lately. With the death of Reggie, I just have not been up to it. But I am back now. These were pretty tasty. The recipe said it would make 36, but made 20. I think my cookie scoop was bigger than the recommended size, so they spread out further and ended up all touching on the sheets. I need to get a smaller scoop, but waiting till the next Pamper Chef party I go to. I did 50/50 margarine/butter.

The recipe called for 2/3 cup toasted finely chopped pecans. I chopped them up in a mini-food processor then put them into a fry pan, and stirred them for about 10 minutes. On medium heat.

Check out the recipe on Martha's site.

Walgreen's Trip

Even after tax, I still made nine cents on all this, plus a coupon for more free toothpaste.
Toothpaste + Mouthwash: $4.29 (coupon for free paste from Nikki)
Bayer Meter: $14.99 (coupon for free, I give these to the hospital. This purchase caused a free toothpaste coupon to print)
Degree: $1.09 (coupon for 75 cents off, 3-1RP)
Chapstick: $1.99 ($2 register rewards print)
Scunci Hair ties: $2 ($2 register rewards print)
Toothbrush: $3.29 (coupon for 75 cents off, $3.50 register reward print)

Nice haul, just for popping in while returning a Redbox Movie!

Five Minute Chocolate Cake

3 tablespoons flour (used white, but I think whole wheat would be fine)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg white (original recipe called for whole egg)
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla (original recipe called for "splash")
1/4 teaspoon salt (original recipe called for none)
1/4 teaspoon instant coffee (original recipe called for none)
3 tablespoons chopped chocolate

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug,

This recipe was sent to me by my mother-in-law. I did my own twist on it, through a few trial and errors. No matter what I did, I could not get rid of the "spongy" feeling of the cake. I think that was a combo of a whole egg and the microwave. So reducing the egg to just the white made a small difference, but still remains spongy. Bonus of less cholesterol.

The recipe can be doubled, just use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, and cook for 3.5 minutes.

Nature's Source Scrubbing Bubbles

I love this stuff. I just bought it last week at Kmart, I got a pretty good deal on it, so I thought I would give it a try. Normally, I'm a bleach/lysol kind of girl. I like my harsh chemicals. So, I was skeptical, but this stuff works! I sprayed down the counter tops and sink, then scrubbed with a wash rag, and was thrilled. Two big thumbs up.

Kmart Purchase

2 Dove Deodorants, trial size, 99 cents, $1 off coupon, 1 cent profit
Jane Eyeliner, $3.99, $2 off coupon, doubled, free
Huggies Wipes (we needed another plastic wipe dispenser, one for Reggie, one for Connor) $2.99, 50 cent coupon, doubled, $1.99

With taxes, final price of $2.39. The Doves are for the food shelf, rest of the stuff for the Bradbergs.