Mashed Parsnips

My friend, Liz, is always giving me stuff from her garden.  She and her father grow an incredibly large garden all year long! Along with their sheep farm I also get plenty of lamb too!  I'm blessed to have such a wonderful friend who I truly appreciate. She is an angel!  Anyway, parsnips got dug up yesterday and I came up with an idea to use them like potatoes. Liz told me that they were delicious mashed up!

Here's me and Bud, Liz's dad, processing some lamb!

 And here is my wonderful friend, Liz. We made Apple Dumplings that were to die for!!  (I see her mama, Joann, in the background.  "Hi mom!")

OK back to the recipe for parsnips...by the way, these came out so tasty.  I love parsnips!

Mashed Parsnips

 Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs parsnips, peeled and quartered 

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 Tbs lemon juice

4 Tbs butter, melted

1/2 cup cream or you could use milk 

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs snipped fresh chives or chopped green onions

Directions 

Place the parsnips in a saucepan with water to cover.  Add the bouillon and lemon juice.

Simmer for 20 minutes or until very tender; drain

Mash, adding the butter and cream.  Stir in the chives/green onions.  Season with salt and pepper

Serve immediately or you will be eating it out of the bowl.  :)  

Rocky Road Brownies

Brownies are the best. I used to make about five trays of these treats for my son's football team on Friday afternoons before their games when he was in high school.  They disappeared pretty quick!  This recipe is just a jacked up version of my brownies.  You could serve it with ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream  to make a Rocky Road Brownie Sunday!  OMG that sounds sinfully good!!  :)  I think I know what we are having for dessert tonight!

Rocky Road Brownies

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

3/4 cup AP flour

Topping

1/2 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chips

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds hazelnuts, peanuts, or pistachios) whatever floats your boat!

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and place rack in center of oven.  Spray non-stick spray in a 8 in. square baking pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a large stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.  Remove from heat and stir in the sugar.  Next whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, betting well after each addition.  Finally stir in the flour.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the brownies with the chocolate chips, miniature marshmallows and chopped nuts.  return the brownies to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or just until the marshmallows start to melt.  Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

 

Bacon-Cheddar and Chive Drop Biscuits

Bacon-Cheddar and Chive Drop Biscuits

These little treasures are so good.  I would even serve them for breakfast!

 They also can be made in about 20 minutes (including bacon cooking time).

Yum!

Makes 12

8 oz bacon

2 cups AP flour

1 Tbs sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

8 Tbs (1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chives, minced

fresh black pepper

1 cup buttermilk (or use 1 cup milk with Tbs of white vinegar)

Preheat the oven to 425

 

 In a large pan fry up the bacon. Cook over medium heat turning often. When cooked drain on paper towel.  Then crumble the bacon.

 

In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.  Add the butter.

 

 Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or two forks.

 

Add the cheese, and toss with the dry ingredients.

 

Add the bacon and the chives and a little fresh cracked black pepper and toss.

Make a well in the center of the ingredients and add the milk.

Combine until the dough just comes together.

 Divide into 12 balls and just drop them onto a baking sheet.

Bake the biscuits 10-12 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Serve warm with butter!

 

 

 

Green Chili Chicken

This one pot dish is really easy to make and comes out delicious! One of my husbands favorites!  Little spice to it but not so much that Anna (can't handle pepper on her food) won't eat it!  I just don't tell her what's in it! I serve it with homemade tortillas and beans.  You could also add a salad!  I'll add the tortilla recipe to this too!  Enjoy!  Serves 4

Green Chili Chicken

 Ingredients:

 1 whole chicken  

 2 tsp chili powder                           

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 (4 oz) green chilies

1 can chicken broth

4 Tbs flour

4 Tbs water

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Rub outside of chicken with first 4 ingredients.  Heat oil in Dutch oven.  Brown chicken on all sides.  Add garlic, onion, chilies and chicken broth.  Cover simmer 45-50 min.  Remove chicken to platter, draining juices back in pan.  Blend together flour and water and stir into sauce.  Cook, stirring constantly until thickened  Stir in sour cream.  Pull all chicken meat from the bones and discard you bones.  Place chicken back in the sauce and stir.  Serve in bowls with tortillas!

Flour Tortilla recipe:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vegeable oil
•  3/4 cup luke warm milk (2% in fine)

Stir together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and vegetable oil to the lukewarm milk and whisk briefly to incorporate.  Gradually add the milk to the flour, and work the mixture into a dough.  It will be sticky.


Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for about 2 minutes (fold and press, fold and press).  The kneading will take care of the stickiness.  Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes.  (the dough will not rise, but it needs a rest.)


Divide your dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them, and let them rest again for about 20 minutes.  Avoid letting them touch, if you don't want them to stick together.


Dust your work surface with flour.  Working one at a time, remove each piece of dough and pat it into a 5-inch circle.  With a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla, working from the center out, until you have a 7-or 8-inch tortilla a little less than 1/4 inch thick.  Transfer the tortilla to a hot, fry skillet or griddle.  It will begin to blister.  Let it cook for 30 seconds, trun it, and let the other side cook for 30 seconds.  Remove the tortilla, place it in a tortilla warmer or between a clean towel.  Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter cookies!  I especially love the smell of them cooking!  

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

 Chocolate kiss candy (optional)

1. Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in a large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Place about 3 inches apart on undgreased cookie sheet.  Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar.
4. Bake 9 to 10 min. or until light golden brown.  If you want to add a Hershey Kiss to each cookie do this now when you take them out of the oven.  Place in the center of the cookie.  Cool 5 min; remove from cookie sheet.  Cool on wire rack.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Chicken and Dumplings

My Grandma Ginny used to make Chicken and Dumplings when I was growing up.  I always thought it must be the most complicated recipe!  When I was older and had children of my own I asked her to show me how to make it. It's comfort food for me now and I have very wonderful memories of my G.G. every time I make it. (secret: it's really easy)

Chicken and Dumplings

For the Stew:
1 whole chicken

1 onion, chopped

4 carrots (peeled and sliced)

4 stalks of celery, chopped

water

salt and pepper

garlic powder

For the dumplings:

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 Milk

 Put the chopped vegies and whole chicken in a dutch oven or large pot and add about 2 quarts of water.  Chicken does not have to be covered in water.  Bring to boil then turn down to a simmer, covered for about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove the chicken (very carefully, it will be HOT)  let cool and remove the chicken from the bones and discard the skin.  You may at this point skim off any fat from the broth.  Return the chicken meat to the pot  and simmer another 20 minutes, uncovered, to fully cook the vegetables to your liking. 

In a large bowl mix the bisquick with the milk.  Bring the stew to a boil again and add large spoonfuls of the dumpling dough the pot.  Makes about 6-8 dumplings.  Cook uncovered for 10 min at a low boil and then cover the pot and continue to cook another 10 minutes.  Stew will be hot so let it cool a bit before serving.  Enjoy!

Roasted Corn with Parmesan & Lime

ROASTED CORN WITH PARMESAN & LIME

Ingredients:

6 ears of sweet yellow corn, unhusked

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs unsalted butter 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 jalapeno, seeded, finely diced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced chives

2 tsp finely grated lime zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.  Roast unhusked corn on a baking sheet, turning occasionally, until heated through and crisp-tender, about 15 min.  Let cool.  Shuck corn and cut kernels from cobs. (use favorite technique, see below)

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add corn kernels and saute until heated through and light-golden in spots.  3-5 min.  Add butter:stir until melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Trasfer corn to a large wide bowl or deep platter; sprinkle jalapeno and crushed red pepper flakes over.  Squeeze lime wedges over; sprinkle with cheese, chives and lime zest.  

Corral your kernels

The next time you want to slice corn off the cob, try this technique to keep the kernels from scattering everywhere.  Arrange an ear of corn vertically so that the thicker end sits over the hole of a Bundt pan.  Using a small, sharp knife, slice the corn off the cob, turning the ear as you go.  Capture more of the corn's milky juices by scraping the cob with the knife.