The Perfect Baked Potato

So, I realized that I really didn't have anything to blog about. I've been a bit distracted from my regular crafty routine. Tuesday, we had a run in with what I *think* was a carpet beetle larvae. Massive cleaning ensued and I didn't find any signs of another so we hope we're in the clear. The house was cleaner for a day and I was really worn out. Yesterday, D decided to be sick. That means, that while there isn't a ton of extra load as far as child care is concerned (I mean, I take care of the all day anyway), it seems like there is a whole lot more because there is an absolutely useless adult laying around all day and not helping. Plus, I didn't get to shower. He looks like he's on the mend, so hopefully, life can resume as normal today.

Anyway, we're having baked potatoes tonight, so I thought I'd share a couple of excellent recipes. One for the perfect baked potato and another for the perfect baked potato topping: Potato Sauce.  I hope my family isn't offended that I'm sharing our potato sauce recipe. It's just that, you can't have "the perfect baked potato" without it.

Without further ado:

How to bake the perfect baked potato

Ingredients:
4 medium russet potatoes (7 to 8 oz. each), scrubbed
Olive Oil
Salt

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees with oven rack in the middle position.
With a paring knife, pierce each potato here and there on each side. Microwave potatoes on high power for 4 minutes (for fewer potatoes plan on 2 minutes total cooking time for each potato). Out of the microwave, use a basting brush to brush the potatoes on all sides with olive oil. Season each potato with salt.
Place potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for approx. 30 minutes or until a skewer glides easily through the flesh, turning potatoes half-way through cooking time. (I like to put a drip pan on a lower oven rack beneath the potatoes.)
Remove potatoes from oven and pierce them with a fork to create a dotted X on the top of each potato. Press in at the ends of each potato to push the flesh up and out. Note: To ensure that the flesh does not steam and become dense, it's imperative to open a baked potato as soon as it comes out of the oven. This will keep the potato fluffy and light.
Serve with Potato Sauce and other toppings of your choice.

So, above is how I like to top my baked potato (though sometimes I add bacon). Cheese (lots of it), broccoli and potato sauce (I'm obsessed with "the sauce").

Potato Sauce

Ingredients:
1 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Mayonaise
1/2 tsp. Onion Salt

Method:
Using a hand mixer, blend all ingredients until smooth.

I always halve the recipe. I've found that is the perfect amount for my family of 4 (two adults, two small children).

And there you have it. I can't wait for dinner tonight!

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

All-American Apple Pie & Crust Recipe

I hope your Thanksgiving celebrations were a success. My family enjoyed the day very much. Black Friday is a little too much for me, so I'll be staying firmly at home today.

As promised, I wanted to share my family's apple pie recipe. It's a personal triumph for me that I tackled this recipe. It is one of those recipes that is strongly associated with my family's Thanksgivings and I was so pleased that it turned out just as it should. We brought my pie to D's family for the celebration yesterday, but fortunately, they aren't as in to fruit pies (and some are wary of "foreign kitchens") So, I was able to get my wish of having apple pie for breakfast today. Hooray!

In my opinion, this is a perfect apple pie.  Others I have tried fail in two areas. First, the crust is a problem. Most crusts are too dense or leave a weird film on the roof of your mouth. Second, the apples. Many recipes don't demand a tart baking apple. The end result is just too sweet and often mushy. What could be worse than a pie that is too sweet, mushy and leaves a film on the roof of your mouth? I guess a lot of people like that...
This recipe fixes all of those issues. The end result is a pie that is totally balanced between sweet and tart, apples that have a good bite to them and a crust that is tender and flaky. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as my family.

All-American Apple Pie

6-7 tart baking apples (6 cups) We use Granny Smith exclusively.
1 cup sugar (slightly rounded)
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash Nutmeg
Dash Salt

**1 Recipe Pie Crust (double-crust)
2 Tablespoons butter

Pare apples & slice thin (about 1/4 inch). Combine sugar, flour, spices, & salt; mix with apples.
Line 9 -inch pie plate with pastry; fill with apple mixture & dot with butter. Try to arrange the apples so that as they bake down, there won't be any holes created. Adjust top crust. Use a small amount of water to help seal bottom crust to top crust. Flute the edge and sprinkle with sugar, "for sparkle." With a sharp knife, slice several venting holes in the top of crust. Gently fold a strip of foil or pie tape around rim of crust, covering fluted edge. (This keeps juices in pie, guards against boil-over in oven and protects edge from over-browning.) Adjust oven rack to lower middle. Bake in hot oven, 425 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until top (and bottom) is brown* and apples are done. Place a sheet of foil on a lower rack if possible to catch any boil-over about 30 mins into baking.

*Browning the bottom of the crust can be tricky and depend on your oven. Slight adjustment in temperature, and location of pie may be necessary. The above settings worked for my gas oven, but a temperature of 400 degrees may be sufficient for an electric (exposed element) oven.

**Here's our favorite crust recipe. This is possibly the best crust there is. It is light, flaky yet tender and complements most pies very well.
Best Pie Crust Recipe
(yields 4 crusts)

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups cold Crisco
   --Cut in crisco until pea sized
1/2-3/4 cups water (cold)
   --Sprinkle water into flour and fluff with fork until dough comes together into a damp ball (not wet). Press into a ball. Flour hands and divide into 4 small balls.

Roll out on a floured board to 1/8" thickness. Make sure to flour pin and board after each pass. Try not to over-work dough. Use crusts immediately or freeze with parchment in between crusts.

For ice-box pies bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 mins. Cool then fill.
For above apple pie, bake after filled.

If frozen: thaw well on counter before baking. (1 to 2 hours)

Enjoy and Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

Swedish Pancakes

My side of the family is very serious about tradition. This is something that D has yet to grasp accept the full extent of. Since starting a family of my own, I've thought a lot about the traditions I grew up with and what traditions I'd like to start with my children. Many of the traditions I'd like to keep are food based (specific foods for specific times/holidays).
One of my favorites is making Swedish Pancakes on LDS Conference weekend. Of course, we made swedish pancakes at other times of the year, but there is something particularly special about a nice breakfast before the bi-annual broadcast begins. Swedish pancakes and church in your pajamas, what is better than that?

So, since we just enjoyed the Conference broadcast, I thought I'd share my family's swedish pancake recipe with you. If you don't know what they are, picture crepes, but thicker, more flavor and just a whole lot more awesome. In short: delicious.

Swedish Pancakes

(makes about 8 pancakes)

Ingredients:

*6 Eggs
*2 C Flour
*1/4 C Sugar
*Dash of Cinnamon
*Dash of Salt
*3 C Milk

(To increase recipe to 14 pancakes change the following measurements: 9 Eggs, 3 C Flour, 1/3 C Sugar, and 4 1/2 C Milk. Cinnamon and Salt stay the same, or to taste.)

Method:

Pre-heat a large skillet (medium-high heat) on the stove or pre-heat an electric griddle. I prefer the griddle and heat mine to around 370 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Batter will be thin. I like to mix the batter in a plastic pitcher for easy pouring.
Spray skillet or griddle with vegetable oil or pour a bit of vegetable oil on the surface and swirl or spread it around. If using spray, you will probably want to use it between each pancake.
Pour the batter onto your cooking surface. The size of the pancake is up to your discretion or up to the size of your pan. I like to make them about the size of a dinner plate or a bit smaller. (They are easier to turn if you keep them smaller.) When the middle of the pancake loses its shine and the first side is golden, it is time to turn. Carefully, turn to the second side. Turning can take some practice; a wide spatula makes it a bit easier. When the second side is golden, move to a plate and cover with foil.  When I have a nice stack, I like to move them to the oven, on its lowest heat, just to keep warm.

For serving, top with anything you like. We like butter and syrup. Other family favorites: homemade strawberry jam, powdered sugar, or if you are like my Mom, butter and granulated sugar.
Once you've topped your pancake with the topping of your choice, roll it up and enjoy. I love having fresh strawberries on the side.

While, D is not a breakfast person, the kids and I enjoyed our pancakes immensely. Of course, Buddy and Jellybean refused to eat theirs rolled up (I must teach them to enjoy them the "correct" way).

Yum!

After breakfast, Jellybean decided it was time for a piano break. I heard her playing around and singing songs to herself, so I naturally had to snap a shot.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

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Farm Girl Friday

BLT Pasta

I decided to search my Pinterest recipe board for a new recipe to make with my fresh garden tomatoes. I found one that I thought would be fun to try: BLT Pasta. It sounded delicious and it turns out that it was delicious.

BLT Pasta
Adapted from Some The Wiser

Ingredients
5 strips bacon, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 San Marzano or other plum type tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup leeks, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine, or white grape juice
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
7 oz dry rotini pasta
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 teasppon dry thyme

For Garlic Toast Bread Crumbs:

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 cups French bread, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Whisk together minced garlic and olive oil.  In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil, and garlic.  Stir, making sure bread is thoroughly coated with oil.  Toast coated bread crumbs in a large skillet over medium heat until golden, stirring often.  Season with salt and set aside.

Saute the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook until crisp, then set aside on paper towel.   Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, and drain off remaining oil.

Caramelize the tomatoes and sugar in the bacon drippings in large skillet or sauce pan, over medium heat.  Cook until tomatoes begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the leeks and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until leeks soften and plum tomatoes begin to break down.

Deglaze with wine and allow sauce to simmer until the wine is nearly evaporated and sauce is thick.  Add the broth, vinegar, and pepper flakes.  Simmer until reduced by 1/3, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the spinach, thyme, and bacon to the sauce, then add the cooked pasta.  Toss lightly until pasta is well coated with sauce.  Season with salt as needed.  Top each serving with garlic toast bread crumbs.

Makes 4 servings.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

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Nap Time Treat: Sweet Cherry Ice Cream

I look forward to the summertime road-side fruit stands.  Usually, the fruit is outstanding and very fresh.   We visited a fruit stand this last week and picked up a bag of sweet cherries.  Unfortunately, on closer inspection at home, they weren't as pretty as I'd hoped for (major disappointment and annoyance). I was able to salvage enough for the kids to enjoy. After that, I still had maybe two cups left that were usable. What to do?
I have an on going love affair with my new ice cream maker.  So, I went searching for an sweet cherry ice-cream recipe. I found a few that I thought would work, so I made a mismash of them and put together a batch of delicious cherry ice-cream.

I decided to make myself and ice cream cone after the kids had gone down for their naps. Then I proceeded to devour it. It was lovely sitting on my back deck enjoying an ice cream cone in the shade. I'm so lucky that both of my children still nap at the same time.

Sweet Cherry Ice Cream:

-1 1/2 cups pitted ripe sweet cherries (from about 3/4 lb cherries)
-3/4 cup milk
-1 3/4 cups cream
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 pinch salt
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-1 Tbsp vanilla extract
-8 pieces Dove dark chocolate, chopped fine

METHOD

1 Put cherries, milk, one cup of the cream, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat until the mixture is steamy, then lower the heat to warm and just let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and carefully purée. (Careful because you are dealing with a hot liquid. Make sure you hold the cap down on the top of the blender while puréeing.)

2 Put mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of cream. Chill for several hours in the refrigerator until completely cold. (Can also place bowl over an ice bath, to speed up the cooling process.)

3 Before putting the mixture into your ice cream maker, stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

4 Once the ice cream has completed churning, the ice cream should be pretty soft. Gently fold in the finely chopped chocolate. Put in an airtight container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours.

Makes about one quart.

Just awesome.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

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Easy Recipe: Zucchini Casserole

There are a lot of people out there who turn up their noses at casseroles.  Apparently, they aren't an "in" food anymore.  I hear that they haven't really been in since the 60's.  I think this is a travesty.  I grew up with two different casseroles that I love to come back to for a simple, quick and delicious meal. 

I've decided to share my family's zucchini casserole recipe. It is one of those comfort meals from my childhood. There's nothing high brow about this recipe, but it is a great way to use up all of that extra zucchini you are undoubtedly growing this Summer. 

Zucchini Casserole

1 C shredded carrots
6 C cubed zucchini
1/4 C diced onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 6 oz package stove top dressing mix (pork)
1/2 C margarine or butter
1 C sour cream
1 C cubed fresh or canned turkey or chicken

Method:

Cook onion, carrots and zucchini in a large pan until tender.

Mix sour cream and soup into veggies.

Melt butter and stir into stuffing mix.

Place half stuffing in bottom of buttered casserole dish.

Pour veggies on top. Top with remaining stuffing.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

As simple as that.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

Stepping Out For Fro Yo

I remember my parents taking myself and my siblings to a frozen yogurt place called Yozen Frogurt.  I thought the name was terribly clever at the time.  Frozen yogurt seemed like a really special treat.  My favorite flavor then and now? Chocolate with gummy bears.

Am I crazy or is frozen yogurt majorly back in? I've seen frozen yogurt places popping up everywhere.  Because I love, love it, I made it a habit to treat my kids every once in a while.  When I discovered Red Mango, I started treating myself and my kids a little more often.  It's all natural, so I can justify eating it for lunch. It's delicious. I think I've become an addict.

I don't get chocolate with gummy bears, but I do get the mixed berry parfait.  My little ones like the original flavor with berries and mochi.  We have a good time of it as you can see.

I suggest stepping out and treating yourself (and your little ones) to your favorite fro yo.

Have A Happy Day!

~MJ


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Weeknight Meal: Easy Baked Ziti

One of our favorite weeknight meals is Baked Ziti.  My husband spent two years in Italy. He claims to know Italian food and has given it his stamp of approval. I'll take that.

Baked Ziti is a grand departure from the pasta meals of my childhood.  I recall a few different pasta dishes: Lasagna (good and basic, but no real spice), Spaghetti with a meat sauce (spices from a store bought mix), Mac and Cheese (of course) and my personal favorite "Spiddle Diddles."  One of my older brothers claims that this last dish was invented when my mother was on food stamps. I haven't verified this claim, but it does kind of make sense.  Spiddle Diddles has three ingredients: Tomato juice, cooked elbow macaroni and a little pepper.  D refuses to eat it.  I craved it during at least one of my pregnancies and required it almost every day.  It's a little weird, I guess, but what's wrong with a little simplicity?

Anyway, Baked Ziti is fairly simple, uses good straightforward ingredients and still manages to be leaps and bounds above my childhood fare.

I got this recipe straight from America's Test Kitchen and have altered it only slightly. Definitely enjoy it with a green salad and some good crusty bread.

Skillet Baked Ziti
From America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 ts. red pepper flakes
table salt and ground black pepper
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 oz. Ziti (3 3/4 cups, I prefer ziti rigate)
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C minced fresh basil leaves
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.

*Measure water & pasta before you begin cooking. Prep Parmesan & basil while pasta cooks.

1. Simmering the Ziti: Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes & 1/2 ts. salt in a 12-inch, oven safe skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Add crushed tomatoes, water, Ziti & 1/2 ts. salt. Cover and cook, stirring often & adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until Ziti is almost tender (15 to 18 minutes or to package directions).

2. At this point, transfer pasta to an oven safe casserole dish if you didn't have an oven safe skillet.  Stir in cream, Parmesan & Basil. Season w/salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly. Transfer skillet (or casserole dish) to oven. Bake until cheese has melted & browned (about 10 minutes). 

Enjoy!

On a side note: while I was cooking my Ziti this last week, I started to smell something burning.  I couldn't figure it out until I went to put the pasta in the oven. This is what I discovered:

 

My husband had left one slice of left over pizza in the oven the day before. I guess it was keeping warm in there and when he turned off the oven, he promptly forgot it was there. I managed to turn it to charcoal in my 475 degree oven. I was NOT happy when I discovered this.   Yuck.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ