Thanksgiving!

  I hope that you all had a happy Thanksgiving!  We had a blast.  Went to Memphis to visit some friends, eat turkey, and of course... cook!  I love cooking,  and there is nothing more fun than cooking with a friend.
  I made some homemade pecan pie using two local ingredients.  Local sugar cane syrup, and local pecans from my Best Friends backyard.  Super yummy!  I realized that I think the cane syrup may have been some form of molasses... I need to do some research on that.

This week I made three dishes from the "Vegetables Every Day" cookbook.  A sauteed beet recipe that was delicious!  A curried carrot soup that was horrible!  Seriously,  everytime this guy makes a blended veggie soup recipes,  it has leeks,  and I really do not like the taste of leeks.  
  Finally I made a brocolini and garlic recipe that I inhaled.  It was so good!







Linky Love!
1)   All about Brocolini.  I got mine at Target.  I so suggest that you run out right now, get some,  and cook it and eat it.  It is so worth it!
2)  The rolls I made.  They were so pretty,  but did not come out right.  So sad.  But now I feel inspired to make more things in those little jars...
3)  This one is for one of my dear friends of all ways comments on my blog posts!  My dear,  every time I see bacon... I think of you!

That's all for tonight folks! TTYL!

Friday Linky Love and more beets

So this week I decided to make some more beets.   I want to finish the chapter, in fact,  from now on I will be trying to complete chapters to finish the book sooner.  I made three recipes, one of which, I had to really change because I did not have any beet greens.  Which means,  I can share a recipe... but I cannot promise you will like it.

   The rough part of all the beets is,  I like them,  I need to still get used to them.  Beets roasted are so sweet,  not sweet like candy,  but sweet like a sweet potato.   I think it is all just a mental thing.  I grew up eating your standard veggies,  like carrots, celery, and potatoes.   Although, back in the day,  I think everyone liked beets.  Somehow when my generation came around,  beets seemed to take the backseat with brussel sprouts.




Linky Love!
1) A unique way to peel a beets.
2) Different ways to peel beets.
3) One Mama shares her experience on cooking beets.

Friday Linky Love and some Jicama

My little collection of homemade canned goods.

 Well, here's to another week.  I only made one dish out of the cookbook.  Now I really have to have a cooking marathon to make sure I get through this in a year!  Anyways.  First up,  my newest canning adventure.  We have some satsumas growing in our backyard.  I picked a whole bunch of them and made some satsuma marmalade.  My Beloved loves it! :D  I almost started crying after I made it because he loves orange marmalade,  and it just felt to good to harvest my own 'oranges' and then make (and can) by hand my own marmalade,  just for him!  Chef Turbo seems to love it too.

     I only made one dish out of Mr. Bishops book this week.  The star ingredient was a Jicama.  Very interesting,  and I can now proudly say I can use this vegetable if I were ever challenged to cook with it.   It tasted good,  but I wish that it did not have the scallions in it.  They seemed a little over powering.  Oh, BTW,  there were no oranges,  I just added that for extra decoration,  otherwise it would just look like a boring bowl of jicama and carrots.

Jicama and Carrot Salad pp. 183

   I also thought, for photography reasons,  that adding some sesame to it would look more interesting.  It did not add or subtract from the taste.   It just made it look more appealing.  

LINKY LOVE!

1) I read this article the same day I am going to cook a whole chicken!  What wonderful planning!

All about Brining
2) I love Alton Brown,  I also love to brine my turkeys.  Try it this year!  It's so good!
3)  I am going to try and use these this year with these bags I bought at the Williams Sonoma store.

More Plantains... and corn... and a link

So,  tonight I tried to count all the recipes I have made.  I think I got around 96.  Kinda depressing since there are 350 recipes left.  Sigh.  I need to really get cracking!

  This week I wanted to finish plantains (which I did) and I fell in love with that produce even more!  I also made one dish of corn.

  In the video, I start it off with rain.  Why? Because, it finally rained this week,  and we got tons of it.  I also got a new dishwasher.  The old one (which was possibly around 12 years old) was falling apart.  I love my new dishwasher!  I can fit so many more dishes and organize my silverware.  Yes,  I almost organize my dishes too.  It's to help put them away faster.



Linky Love.

I think I failed you all with love for linkys.  I did not do as much research this week.  But I have one link!
How to render chicken fat!  Almost for free!! :D
http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2010/10/rendering-chicken-fat.html#more

Marx Foods "Iron Foodie" Contest

                                   
(So sorry,  I am not sure why the badge is looking weird.)

These are some question I need to answer.  My dearest readers... let me just say... here is another side of me,  if you haven't caught this side yet...

Why do you want to compete in this challenge?
    I love to cook and I also love a good challenge for my culinary skills.  I love to cook so much,  that I have books in my cookbook shelf on the science of food and cooking.  Like Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking" and Russ Parsons "How to Read a French Fry".  I am just crazy about food and inventing new and fun things for my family to eat!

Limitations of time/space notwithstanding, whose kitchen would you like to spend the day in & why? 
     I would love to cook with Alton Brown.  Again,  this comes back to not just food,  but the science of food. Mr. Brown also brings history into it all... which makes the normal everyday recipe more fun!  He is really my inspiration on why I love the science behind cooking!

What morsel are you most likely to swipe from family & friends’ plates when they aren’t looking?
      Chocolate.  It's my Achilles Heal.  Ask my husband.  Got chocolate cake?  I'll eat the whole thing before anyone notices...

Sum your childhood up in one meal.
     Chicken Catcha Tori... or that is what we called it.  I think we had the right to change the name,  because with how picky my siblings and I were,  my mom had to change a few of the ingredients (like no onions... see below).  Most of us asked for this dish for our birthdays and other special events.  Another tid-bit into the made up name,  we have a sister we call 'Toria'.  She hates spaghetti to this day.

The one mainstream food you can’t stand?
     I cannot stand onions.  Never have.  In fact I have memories of my mom forcing me to eat a McDonald's hamburger with the little dehydrated onions.  I gagged the whole time.  But, this year I made a commitment to learn to embrace the food I despise so much.  I can handle shallots now,  if it is boiled for a long time.  That's progress... right?

Plaintains and LINKY LOVE!

This week, I decided that we were going to learn how to cook plantains.   I have had them before in Jamaica (and enjoyed them),  but I have never eaten them successfully here in the States.  Mr. Bishop had some great recipes.  First we made the "sauteed plantains".  The kids and I could not put them down.  Then I made the "Baked Plantains",  but I was the only one who enjoyed them.  I am ok with that!
I still have two more yuca recipes to complete,  and I made the "Yuca Soup".  I did not care for it.  I am not a big vegetable soup lover.
  Other things made?  I made a the "Buttermilk Pancakes" from this gals e-book and loved them!  I also made fruit leather from this other gal's e-book,  and the kids loved them and gave them a new name... 'fruit skin'.  I invented a new recipe using the dough from my "Joy of Cooking" croissant recipe.  I browned some ground beef with garlic,  shredded some cheese, and put them in the dough and squished them together.  Next time I will shape them in nice shapes and cover them in butter so they will not look so weird.  Ok... now for the pictures...





<3<3 LINKY LOVE <3<3
Sadly,  no one has told me if they wrote a blog post about their favorite kitchen tools.  So,  I only have a small number of links to share with you today.  If you are interested in doing this challenge... let me know in the comments below!

1) COMFORT FOOD!
2) I just bought some apples to make these...
3) In Love!  I want some.  :D  I think I am going to get some of the 'asparagus' and fill it with the grains I use and display them in my cabinets. 

Yummy Yuca and Linky Love!

 This week I was trying to cook through the Yuca chapter.  It only had 4 recipes.  But life this week caught up with me,  and I only made two recipes.   They were both really good.  Chef Turbo really like the fritters,  and he got to help make them too.  I was terrified to make the Yuca because I heard that it was poisonous.  I am still not sure how it is bad,  but I followed the directions to a tee and did not waver.  All I do know is,  peel your Yuca, take the core out, and cook it.
  This week I tried to make some pita bread and I failed.  It turned into flat bread.  So sad!  I'll try again some other time.
  I made some "cow shaped" pasta.  Only because I was tired of spaghetti and the cow was the only cookie cutter I could find.
The pictures of the food I made this week....



<3 Linky Love! <3

Whole Foods for the Holidays going on at Keeper of the Home.  I love reading her blog and I am looking forward to all the posts that her blogging friends will be doing!  Join in on the fun!




I bought a new e-book (which is on sale you know...) it's a great way to take baby steps on eat real food.  It will change your life!  I already read through the book (I'm trying my first recipe tomorrow) and it was encouraging and helpful as I am a newbie on eating real food.

Cooking with my Kid is one of my favorite blogs to read,  they posted this recipe and I cannot wait to try it!

I'm also loving putting "food on my face" thanks to Crunch Betty!  Looking forward to trying this next..

That's it for today my dearest readers.  I'm thinking next week I would like to do something fun... what is your favorite tool(s) in the kitchen?  Take a picture of it and write about it.  Be prepared to share your link!  Better yet, email me { kstone (at) stonecafecreations } your link before Friday,  and I will include it in my Linky Love!  We'll have a "Favorite Tools Friday Linky Love Special!"

Snow peas, butternut squash, and some linky love!

This week I made two recipes! I made a Sesame Stir Fried Snow Peas and a Oven Roasted Butternut Squash.  Both were really good.  I enjoyed them greatly!  Here is a picture of the snow peas,  one of the photos I loved the most this week...

Here is the video with some of the photos from this week.  Not thrilled with them all,  but I am kind of going through a little "mid year crisis" with my food photography right now.  I'll get back into the swing of things soon. Also,  I still have not perfected my recipe yet.  This week turned hectic,  but I will (or should) have some time this week... we shall see!!



But one thing that is not a crisis is
LINKY LOVE! 
 (I need a superhero song for that.... or you can imagine that in your head).

1) I <3 Mac and cheese.  I also love gnocchi!  What a great mix!! It speaks to the Italian side of me.

2) Dinner rolls in a jar,  awesome thanksgiving idea!

since it's fall,  I'm still on a pumpkin kick,  and so is everyone else, since I just keep running into great things to do with pumpkin!


PUMPKIN RECIPES
1) http://www.amanda.fakeginger.com/?p=1377

2) http://bakedbree.com/slow-cooker-pumpkin-butter

3) http://www.cookingwithmykid.com/recipes/pumpkin-spice-smoothie/

4) http://www.cookingwithmykid.com/recipes/baked-pumpkin-oatmeal/

100th Post... do I get a prize?

I'm not going to get a prize for 100 posts,  but some comments would be nice :D.  Leave a comment telling me who you are,  if you have a blog,  and what your favorite vegetable is. 

    You would think that since I was not blogging this week,  I had tons of extra time to make some of Mr. Bishop's wonderful recipes,  but I was a slacker.  I only made one.
"Steamed Cauliflower with Buttered Walnuts and Parsley" pp.90  It was supper yummy.

Here is a video sideshow of everything that I experimented with this week...  which will then lead me to...

LINKY LOVE!
Last week we talked about making dried orange zest… here is another use for orange peels…. candied!  Even… chocolate covered!  I wonder if it could be Nutella covered?? 

This blog might just be what I need… no wait… this is what I need to make it feel like fall!  Thanks City Sisters for writing this post!  Cider Donuts
**My friend and I got together today to make some of these,  since we did not have donuts pans,  they turned into Cider Muffins.  Still good!  Pictures are in the slide show**

Like humus?  Try this variant!


Looks too good not to eat... some oatmeal pudding!



The sugared grapes are an inspiration to me... I want to do that someday!

I tried some persimmons this week because they are in season and at our vegetable/fruit market.  Watch this video...

My exploration into Graham Crackers.  There is a reason.  BTW,  I made some this week,  and the picture is in the slide show... you may know that already.

1) Kitty eating graham cracker
2) Who invented the graham cracker
3)  Some awesome inspiration… graham crackers don't need to be square!
**I made this recipe this week.  I went all Whole Wheat!  But they turned into molasses cookies because I thought it should have only molasses in them.  Silly me,  there is a reason why Honey Grahams are called Honey Grahams!** (and then there is a post by the same gal,  who I have posted here before… on goldfish crackers!  )
4) I knew it was a good idea to brush the graham cracker crust with chocolate!  Woot!
5)  Definition of Graham Cracker

Arugula Salad and LINKY LOVE!

Arugula and Mango Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. PP.12

Welcome to another edition of
LINKY LOVE FRIDAY!

This is mostly a fall themed linky love!
1) Got orange rinds?  Make orange zest powder!  I still have to finish mine :D
2) Got plums? Spiced Plum Galette
3) Got pie craving?  Make a pie crust!
4) Want sour dough bread?  Make it yourself!
5) Got apples?  How about a crazy pumpkin pie? 
6) Still got apples?  Do it aussi style!

NEWS

So,  my life has changed.  That has to be expected since I have been doing this since April,  and change always happens... right?  If not,  your life might be boring.  Spice it up!  Anyways...
I need to slow down on the blogging front, so here is the plan,  I'm going to post on Wed and Fridays.  I'll still do wordless wed.  On Fridays there will be a video (without me talking unless I really have time to write a script) that will recap all the recipes I made that week and any other cooking adventure we have.  Two posts a week!  No worries though... Fridays we will still have our linky love!  Because I LOVE TO SHARE LINKS!  I love to share information, and I find tons of information throughout the week! Keep reading!  Let me know you are reading by leaving a comment below.  It will make my day.  Thanks! 

Tuesdays Video Blog on Thursday

I did not have commentary.  In fact,  I forgot to take the final image.  So sorry!  Also,  sorry about the other random images and dialogue.  

Wordless Wed.

Ravioli and Carrots

Ravioli and carrots??  Does this mean we get to eat ravioli stuffed with carrots??? Um...no. Sorry,  that does sound good,  hmmm.. now I am craving some squash stuffed ravioli, but that is beside the point.  The point is,  I made this dish last week with my friend.  Now before you get further disappointed,  I have run out of time tonight to make my video,  but I will make it Thursday.  Tonight you get a post that should have been posted last week,  but I took the week off from blogging.  Not cooking,  but blogging.  Which means,  I have an arsenal of photos, well, one photo from each meal,  but I should have story to go with that photo... so story away..................

    For the past few months, my friend and I have been trying to get together and make pasta.  She asked me to show her how,  and I was excited to teach.  I love to teach!  So last week we finally got together.  I realized later,  she wanted to learn how to make ravioli.   I had never made ravioli,  so I figured,  lets get to the dough part (which I knew how to make) and then we could figure out the rest. 

   I showed her how to make dough the way my great-grandmother from Italy would have made it,  with your hands on a surface! (I'll have pictures in the video on Thursday,  I did that very same process tonight).  
   Now, when I visit someones home on a weeknight,  I bring my cookbook Vegetables Every Day and the ingredients needed to their home.  That is what I did and made these wonderful carrots "Maple Glazed Carrots (pp. 83).    Nothing thrilling happened while making these except all of our children getting quite dirty (that is expected of children,  my boys seem to find dirt all the time).

  Some news: #1  This is my 96th post.  Next Monday is my 100th post... what should I do to celebrate?
#2 I now have a few blog posts in reserve!  But I guess if I were posting last week,  I would have crossed the 100th post by now.  Oh well!

The Carrots and you can see the ravioli to the left.

\

Mushrooms and Corn

    Thanks for bearing with me on my mini "not blogging" vacation.  I almost got one of my websites done.  The reason it did not get finished is because the company I was working with changed their system,  and we are still working out all the bugs.  Sigh.  Anyways...
  New blog post for a new week.  Mushrooms and Corn! 
   Last Saturday I purchased some Shitaki mushrooms from the farmers market.  I am really excited about the mushroom farmer there because I can buy this block thingy for $20 and grow my own shitaki mushrooms!  Anyways....

The boys enjoyed looking at the mushrooms.  I let them play and look at them for a few minuets.  You would have thought that would have helped them want to eat their mushrooms later, but alas, they are more fun to hold than to eat.  Oh well,  it was worth the try.

The final results of the dish were delicious.  I still have some left over and I am looking forward to eating them for lunch tomorrow.  Speaking of lunch,  I have to go run and get my oats and barley soaking!   Corn and Mushroom Saute pp. 120.

Missing Monday???

Yup,  actually,  I am going to not post for the rest of the week,  but I am going to cook and store up a whole bunch of posts.  I need to fix up some of my old sites and get my new business web site up and running.  Managing a few blogs and a website is fun to do! (Plus being a wife and mother on top of all that).  So, starting next Monday... more blogging!  More recipes! And, hopefully the kids helping out more... we'll see.

See ya next week!

Duxelle

I love mushrooms.  I really, really do.  I was craving some and I noticed that Mr. Bishop had a meal (not a side dish) made... with mushrooms.  Super coolness.  This one was called "Roasted Chicken Breasts with Duxelles (pp. 219)".

Yay for aluminum foil!

   Now what was really cool was,  I saw the final episode of Masterchef and David Miller was talking about making a Duxelle,  I was so excited because I was going to make some today! If a Masterchef is going to make some,  then I was going to truly make something advanced.
   Now, I had some problems with the dish.  I  did not have the right kind of chicken breasts. So I had to improvise. In came "aluminum foil".  I figured since I did not have any split chicken breasts,  that if I wrapped it tightly in aluminum foil it might produce the same results.  I pounded the chicken flat with a tenderizer,  then put some butter on the chicken and then the Duxelles.   I then wrapped the chicken up like sushi and then put the aluminum foil tightly around that.   The results were not as flavorful as I had expected.  I wonder if I cooked my mushrooms at too high of a temperature or something.  I lost some flavor along the way.  But the aromas were great.  I think I still have lots to learn about Duxelles as a flavor enhancer,  but I am so willing to try this again.

Now for FRIDAY LINKY LOVE!
1) I bought some Asian Pears at the farmers market.  I want to grow my own trees... it's easy!
2) Masterchef casting call!  I am not going to do it... but you might be interested!
3)  Duxelle video #1
4) Duxelle video #2


Have you ever made a Duxelle? Leave a comment and let me know what your experience was like!

Purple Hulled Peas

So last Saturday a farmer gave us (gave mind you) a grocery bag full of purple hulled peas.   I kind of sat there wondering... what in the world am I going to do with these?   Sadly,  Mr. Bishop had no recipes,  so I had to turn to the Internet.  Being a northern gal,  I was completely new to these legumes so this was a fun adventure.

The first step was to hull the beans.  Chef Turbo only helped with a few and then grew tired of the project.  That was alright with me.  I found it a bit relaxing to just stand there and hull peas.  Thankfully there were not too many.   I found this recipe,  I think a great starter recipe for someone like me.  I mostly followed it and the peas came out great.  I love the creamy texture they have.  They are also sweet!  I think I will invest in these beans/peas more often when they are in season.

So what things pair well with these beans (or peas, they look more like beans to me!)?  I tried looking online to find a resource to share with you all,  but alas,  you'll have to go look on Google.  It's kind of entertaining.  But one thing I see often,  bacon grease,  garlic, onion, and Tony's Seasoning.  These peas are a southern thing,  so think... southern cooking, a tough thing for a northern gal like me to do.  But I am getting there with my Cajun neighbors help.

Wordless Wednesday #9 Braised Radishes

First... the video blog I was to tired to work on last night (sorry about that!)



Second wordless wendsday... shhh no talking :D Wait I take that back,  leave a comment,  I cannot talk,  I'm supposed to be wordless.  I hope you all get my imagery here--->

A farmers market find.

So finally on Saturday, I found some arugula.  I've been waiting months for some and a farmer had it on his stand.  They were in bad shape, I guess he had them in the sun so long that they wilted.  I was still willing to purchase them because I have been searching for these for so long (although I keep forgetting to check out Whole Foods for them...).  You can tell they were organic because they had little worms on the leaves.  But that did not bother me,  I just did not put those leaves in my salad.
    Included in this salad was some 'fresh' aged goat cheese.  I thought that goat cheese came in one form,  but I have recently discovered a whole new world of goat cheese.  It's super good and exciting to fine.  But it is rather expensive.

  The flavors of this salad were good.  I wonder what they would have been like with really fresh arugula leaves?

Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts pp.11

For snack... carrot salad and some linky love!

I was supposed to roast some peppers on my grill today,  but it was so hot and stuff,  I just didn't feel like it.  So I grabbed a few carrots and made this dish,  Bistro Carrot Salad pp. __

     It was good,  but it did not sound as good as the recipes I was researching outside of Mr. Bishops cookbook.  They were all talking about adding Dijon Mustard.  Oh,  how I would have traded the mustard for the lemon,  it sounds so good!  Anyways.  The dish was still tasty,  I enjoyed it.

Now for some LINKY LOVE!

1) Speaking of carrots... I ran across this site.  It's about a carrot museum.   That's right,  a museum dedicated to carrots.

2) Two sites about being a Nutella Freak.  I am one,  I love Nutella!  I eat it by the spoonful,  well I did till I went on a "diet" last week. Site one and  Site Two.

3) This pizza sounds so good!  I cannot wait till my diet allows grains again so I can eat it!

4) Not only does she briefly cover what's bad in today's overly processed foods… she goes to my favorite shopping store, MEIJER!  I miss that store so much!  I knew it was Meijer by looking at the shelves (so weird) and then I confirmed it when I saw the sales stickers :D.  I'm such a Meijer geek.








Now to end your reading of this blog post with an Irish Proverb...

More Peas Please

 

So I am doing something new.  Instead of making these dishes for dinner,  I am making them for lunch so that I have better light to work with and my mind is not tired from a long day of being wife and mom.  

     Today's dish was Peas with Onions and Mushrooms (pp.247).  Yes,  there are onions,  and yes I did eat them.  Sad thing is, I burnt the onions a bit.  The other sad thing is,  the normal housewife would think they caramelized the onions,  but the truth is,  they were burnt.  Anything to get away from that onion flavor.   I love mushrooms,  so I knew that is would have to be a great dish.  With the mushrooms,  do you think it would become a wee bit like a 'pealaf'?  Haha!

Anyways.  The dish was similar in the sense it used the same herbs as the last pea dish.  Parsley, Basil, and Tarragon.  Funny thing is,  because of the burnt onions and mushrooms,  the "outdoors" flavors turned more earthy and melodious.  It was very smooth tasting and wow,  so good.  I ate the whole bowl.

Wordless Wednesday #7 Roasted Pepper Dip

Roasted  Red Pepper Spread with Goat Cheese and Herbs pp. 253

Tuesday-Video Blog Braised Celery

My first attempt at slow motion photography.  Please bear with me as I experiment at your expense. 
The dish was "Braised Celery with Butter, Shallots, and Parsley pp.94"

A Sad, sad post.

What could possibly make this post sad?  I lost my professional camera (The link is a dramatic song with a cute pug to make my story more emotional),  I now I am stuck with my pocket camera that takes horrible pictures.  So far, I think the last time I took pictures was on Thursday.   Not sure where I put it down.  I only have three spots in the house where I leave my camera,  so I has to be around there somewhere!!!

Anyways.

Tonight I made Grilled Eggplant with Garlic, Lemon, and Oregano.  They tasted like burnt marshmallows.  I could not stop eating them,  it make me think of burning marshmallows.  I wonder if they would work between two graham crackers with chocolate??  Eggplant smores anyone? 

Looks like I was by a foggy ocean... let's use our imagination...

So depressing.  I want my good camera back!

Linky Love Friday #8 and Trip pictures

Since I did not cook dinner (My Dad is still here and I am trying to show him some awesome places to eat around town...) I am just going to show you all a slide show of two places I ate at on my trip.  Nothing thrilling,  just something to keep you busy while you visit my site till I can get back to my normal schedule next Monday.




Now for LINKY LOVE FRIDAY!!

Now, I have been watching "Masterchef" and I love that show (except for all the crying that goes on,  that drive me crazy!).  I have been challenged in my abilities to cook just from watching this show.  After the chili episode,  I wanted to know... How do you make chili without chili pepper?!?  I grew up thinking that that is what made chili-- chili.  So I did some research.  Talk about history lesson peeps!  Chili originated in Texas, and they do not use chili powder in that recipe.  That is why they were so shocked that the lady (forgot her name already) made that mistake... enjoy this link and learn :D

http://www.texasescapes.com/CFEckhardt/National-Dish-of-Texas-Chili-Con-Carne-Recipe.htm

I was making cookies today and I did not have brown sugar.  Rushing online to find a subsutuew I thought it would be awesome to have a list inside my door so I do not have to always use the internet.  I have a few links that you all might find useful and maybe you will want to print one of these out and tape it in a place for reference.

1. http://www.recipetips.com/print-tips/t--200/food-substitutions.asp?ProcessPrint=true&Print/Category=knowledge&Print/Id=200&Print/ZoneId=0&Print/Template=http://www.recipetips.com/print-tips/t--200/food-substitutions.asp
2. http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/common-ingredient-substitutions/Detail.aspx
3. members.core.com/~mmj1123/cooks/substituteingredients.pdf  (takes you to a PDF)

"It tastes like the outdoors"

Herbs from my garden.

Well,  I am back.  I went to Louisville, KY to serve my sister who had a baby.  We had many other fun adventures,  including going to Beale St. in Memphis, TN to eat some ribs.  I will post some pictures of that tomorrow.  It's nice to have some time off, but I feel horrible when I up and leave you, my dearest readers.  I am hoping to find some guest bloggers to post when I need a break or some other circumstances.  Anyways....

Turbo helping

Frozen Peas

     I thought I would do an easy recipe to ease back into cooking through this book.  It was an herbed pea recipe.  I did not have any chives or mint,  but I put Basil, Tarragon, and Parsley in the mixture.  Turbo helped by dumping the butter and herbs into the pot.  Then with great excitement,  he stirred them.  A few peas were lost in the adventure,  but we still had a great dish in the end.



The dish was great!  My dad (who is visiting right now) said it tasted like the outdoors (I am pretty sure in a good way).  He inhaled the whole dish before I had a bite!  I really enjoyed it,  but I think mostly because I am in love with Tarragon right now.  I never knew that basil and tarragon could dance so well together!  Buttered Peas with Fresh Herbs -pp. 247:

Finished dish with Gumbo.

Tuesday-Video Blog #4 Boiled Carrots

Now I want to shred some more beets and make another beet salad, and also make another salad that is a carrot salad! :D  Anyways,  I will be posting on and off (or not at all) for the next week.  I will return to my normal schedule soon!

Boiled Carrots with North African Spices (but I went with the Asian variation)pp.82

Da Beets...

The stars!!

I was introduced today to The Beets!  No, not Nickelodeon's 'Doug' "The Beets",  but the root vegetable.  I never really thought about preparing this vegetable.  I mean,  oh the uses for it!  It's healthy for your body, it's red, and it makes a great food dye.  But I never thought about eating it before.

   Most people avoid eating it because their first experience to Beets were of the can/jar variety.  Although I did not roast any today,  Mr. Bishop says that they taste really good roasted.  Today's dish was made with raw beets.

beet fingers!

freshly peeled beet

Trust me,  it's beet juice.

They are not kidding when they say that beets make a dye.  My fingers were stained,  when the kids ate theirs, they rubbed their hands on their clothing (GRRR!).  Everything was coated in a nice shade of beet red.

The sauce!! So yummy.

Anyways.  Mr. Bishop had me make a dressing for this Beet Salad using Dijon mustard and olive oil and my choice of either Tarragon or Parsley.  Since I know I will not have my tarragon much longer,  I went with that herb,  and I do not regret it!  It was perfect, blended well with the taste of the beets.
Next time I might use just yellow mustard for the children's sakes.  They felt it was a little too spicy.


You should try this one!  Order the cookbook or find a recipe online for a beet salad and bring it to your next gathering.  Make it for your family and show your kids that if they dip their food in it,  their food turns red (my kids got a huge kick out of that). 

Grated Beet Salad pp. 32

Tomorrow is Video Blog!  CARROTS :D