Zucchini And Cheddar Soup

If you grow zucchini I'm sure you are wondering what to do with all the excess by now. Why not use some to make this tasty soup! Pair it with some bread and you have a wonderful light meal.

Ingredients:
2 cups finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
12 small zucchini cut julienne
1 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
3 cups hot chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup light cream
2 cups grated sharp cheese
Fresh chives chopped for garnish

Saute the onions in butter until light golden brown. Add the zucchini and rosemary. Do not let zucchini get completely soft. Take 2/3 out and puree in blender. Add back to pan with the chicken stock, cheese, salt and sugar. Bring just to a boil, add cream. Do not allow to boil or it may curdle the cream.

Serve with chives on top.

Hearty Bean With Bacon Soup

Prepare a large pot of hearty soup for your family this week! A basket of oven warmed bread, and a few candles scented with pumpkin, clove, and orange, and you have the perfect dinner.
Ingredients:
6 slices lean bacon, diced (optional for vegetarians)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/8 tsp. crushed hot red pepper
2 cups diced tomatoes
2-1/2 cups canned white beans, drained
6 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup small pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a heavy soup pot, sauté the bacon until done. Leave the bacon drippings in the pan to sauté the other vegetables. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and red pepper to the pot. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, approx. 10 minutes on low heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 10 more minutes. Then, stir in the beans and broth. Break up the bacon into smaller pieces, and add to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil, then add the pasta and cook 15 minutes or so until the pasta is done.
OR
You can also do as I do most of the time and just heat up the crockpot, toss all of the ingredients in and let it simmer for 7-8 hours! What could be easier?

This soup is great topped off with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Time To Get Out The Slow Cooker...

With the weather starting to cool, it's time to get out your slow cooker for the soups, stews and hearty meals that you can simmer to perfection during the day while you are busy. This recipe is for a slow cooked "fake" Chicken Cordon Bleu and the cook time is approx 6-7 hours. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 bonelss skinless chicken breasts
6 pieces of swiss cheese, 1/2" x 3" (I buy reduced fat)
10 oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic (also reduced fat)
3 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. pepper
Preparation:
Flatten each chicken breast with wooden mallet or rolling pin. Place piece of cheese in the center of each. Fold up and secure with toothpicks. Place in slowcooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken bundles, making sure pieces are fully covered.
Cover crockpot. Cook on low 6-7 hours, until chicken is thoroughly cooked. 4-6 servings
NOTE:You can also place a piece of thin sliced ham on the cheese, or small amounts of chopped broccoli. Play with the recipe and have fun with your cooking! It's a good idea to keep the same amount of toothpicks per piece of chicken, this way your guests/family will know how many toothpicks to look for before they take a bite of the chicken.

Victorian Food Introductions

We have so many foods available to us today that it's hard to imagine them not being available to us. It's also surprising just how long some foods have been around. Some of the foods that were introduced to the Victorians between 1900 and 1909 are:

Instant coffee
Decaffeinated coffee
Hershey chocolate bars & kisses
Barnum Animal Crackers
Triscuits
Canned tunafish
Ice cream cone
Banana split
Puffed rice
Post Toasties
French's Cream Salad Mustard
Cliquot Club Ginger Ale
Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale
Ovaltine
The "Hot dog" was named
Bleached flour
Hydrogenation
Nutritious benefit of rice germ was discovered

Victorian Cheese Straw Recipe

This recipe is from the Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book, 1903. The recipe is by Emma P. Ewing. I can imagine her now...standing at her little cook area rolling out the pie dough and preparing these for her friends and family.

Instructions:
Roll pie crust dough the same thickness as for pies. Cut in strips from six to ten inches wide and cut the strips into straws or sticks a quarter of an inch in width. Lay upon baking sheets, leaving a space between the straws a third the width of the straws. Grate rich cheese, season to taste with salt and red pepper and scatter thickly over the straws and the spaces between them. Put in the oven where the greatest heat will be at the top and bake ten or fifteen minutes. Cut the cheese in the center of the spaces between the straws, remove from the baking sheet with a limber knife and pile tastily on a plate.

Homemade Gingerbread Cake

Dark, moist and delicious, this cake is easy to make and foolproof. It's good plain for snacking or lunch boxes; it can be dressed up with whipped topping or even a glaze or frosting. For those who avoid dairy products, you can substitute 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light flavored olive oil for the butter.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup molasses, light or dark
1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Preheat to 325 degrees when using a glass pan.) Spray an 8-by-8-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Mix melted and slightly cooled butter, sugar and egg and set aside. In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients. Combine molasses and hot water and stir to combine. Add flour mixture to butter-sugar mixture alternately with the molasses mixture and whisk to combine. Pour batter into pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan 5 minutes. Serve from the pan, or turn out onto a rack.

Cheesy Popcorn Bread

Yes, that's right! Popcorn bread! When you're in the mood to try something different with your chili and soups this fall, why not bake a loaf of this bread to top off your meal? I think you'll be happy you did.

4 cups popped popcorn
1 cup yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded jack or pepper jack cheese
1 (4 ounce) can mild, diced green chilies, drained, optional

Preheat oven to 400º F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Process the popcorn in a blender or food processor until finely ground. Pour ground popcorn into a large bowl and stir in corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt until blended.

Beat egg, milk and vegetable oil together in a small bowl and stir into popcorn mixture just until blended. Scatter cheese and chilies, if desired, over batter and stir just until evenly distributed. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned at edges and tester comes out clean. Cut into squares to serve.
Yield: 9 squares

Nutrition Information:
(Based on 1 serving, does not include optional ingredients)
Total Calories 210; Total Fat 12g; Saturated Fat 4g; Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 390mg; Carbohydrate 20g; Fiber 2g; Sugars 4g; Protein 6g

What Is Your Personality Color?

Did you know that the colors you love to wear speak of your personality? I will be posting some color profiles over the next few weeks and perhaps you will find something out about yourself and the color that you love to wear.

If you wear red, you are energetic and impulsive. You are competitive, ambitious and like to be the center of attention. Red is symbolic of leadership qualities and courage. You are focused on results and success. Take time to also learn to be a good listener and to be sensitive to the feelings of others.

Scent Your Cottage With The Aroma Of...

Apple Tartlets! Oh fall...I know I'm going on and on about it, but it is my favorite season. I love everything about it, the sights, the crisp air, and especially the baking. The warm and cozy aromas wafting from the oven, is there anything better?

Apple butter makes a wonderful tart filling, and one you and your guests will surely enjoy.
Ingredients:
1/2 pint of Apple butter
2 sweet apples, such as Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced
Pastry dough for 4 tartlet pans (or 1 nine inch tart pan)
cinnamon sugar

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the tart dough and line 4 tartlet pans. Chill for 30 minutes. Cover the dough in pans with an unbleached basket- style coffee filter (or parchment paper) and fill the filter with pie weights or dried beans. Place the tartlet pans on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove a liner and check for doneness on the bottom (lightly browned).

Cool the tart shells. Fill with apple butter and top with the apple slices in a decorative fan. Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in a 350 degree oven 10 minutes, until just warmed through.

If you'd like to make your own apple butter, you might enjoy this recipe:

FOR APPLE BUTTER:
4 cups fresh apple puree or unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1 lemon, juiced and grated rind

To make the apple butter, combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat for approximately 3 hours, until the mixture is thick and dark brown. Take care not to scorch the butter. Remove from the stove and let cool.

Money Saving Tips

One of my favorite television channels is the Food Network. One of my favorite shows is Sandra Lee...Semi Homemade. Her recipes using store bought items but "kicking them up a bit" with homemade, makes for wonderful quick meals and desserts. If you haven't seen her check her out at http://www.Foodtv.com and look under her name.

As I was printing out one of her recipes, I came across some of her money saving tips. I thought I'd pass them on to you since we can all use ideas on saving money these days!

$ Tip: Buy things in season when you can. If it's out of season, shop for it in the frozen section.
Fresh blueberries in season are $0.99 cents a pint; out of season they are $2.99. If you buy them frozen, blueberries are only $1.99.

$ Tip: Sometimes you don't pay for convenience.
Whole Mushrooms cost the same as pre-chopped or sliced mushrooms.
Boxed pound cake costs less than making from scratch (due to the amount of butter).
Eggs: Hard-boiled and peeled go on sale for same price as raw eggs on Tuesdays.

$ Tip: Shop for inexpensive cuts of meats that fit your budget.
Fish, such as tilapia, can cost $6.99/lb, Cod $10.99/lb, and Halibut $14.99/lb.
In comparison to ground meat, 80% lean ground beef costs $2.99/lb, 80%lean ground pork costs $2.49/lb, 90% ground veal or turkey costs about $2.99/lb.

$ Tip: Store Brand vs. Name Brand
We all love a good sale! Name brand products are on sale in the beginning of the month (when families have just been paid) and private label store brands go on sale at the end of the month (when families may have less in their budget).

$ Tip: Expiration date: There is a misconception that you have to throw food away.
Fact: The date is just a "for-sale by date." These items are good for five more days.

$ Tip: Invest in a slow cooker; running a slow cooker costs $0.02 per hour.

$ Tip: Know when to substitute expensive ingredients for less expensive ones.
For example, for my Slow Cooker Cheese Cake, I used ricotta costing me $1.67 vs. Cream Cheese at $3.75. I saved $2.08 or 55%.

$ Tip: Measuring ingredients accurately is an important aspect of saving money.

$ Tip: Buy staples in bulk to save money and stock your pantry smartly.
Buying items in bulk such as a 5 lb bag of onions will save you money. Buying a whole chicken and cutting it yourself will save you more than 50%. Buying meat in bulk is also a great way to save money; family packs of chicken or 3lb bags of ground meat.
Keeping a few key items on hand like seasonings, baking mix, condiments and lean protein will ensure that a tasty meal is just a mixing spoon away.

$ Tip: Choose double-duty foods and beverages.
Many food garnishes and juices can serve as flavor enhancers. Using fruit juice in place of water in mixes – white cranberry or white grape juice – adds flavor without changing the color.

Summer's End

"In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil.
And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November."
- Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden, 1905

It is my hope that you have all had a wonderful and relaxing summer season! I know summer is not quite over yet, but for me, August symbolizes the beginning of fall. Perhaps it is because as a child that is when your lazy summer days are over and the thoughts of the crisp fall air, beautiful changing leaves and early school classes begin. Cleaning up the garden, shorter days, cozy fires, the aromas of freshly baked treats from the oven...that is fall to me and I welcome it after the heat of the summer.

I will be getting back to my blogging on a more regular basis and will be back to visiting my favorite blogs as well. Wishing you a wonderful Autumn!

Homemade French Onion Soup For Crockpot

If you love French Onion Soup and would like to make some homemade without a lot of trouble, here is a great recipe.

Ingredients:
6 onions (white, Vidalia, your choice)
2 (10 ounce) cans beef consomme
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (1 ounce) package of dry french onion dip mix (use 2 if you like it REALLY oniony)
Directions:
Slice or chop onions, then mix all of the above in a crock pot and set it for 8 hours.
To Serve: Add one slice of dry crusty french bread into each bowl and pour soup over the bread into the bowl. Cover with Gruyere or Jarlsberg Cheese and put under the broiler for about 2 minutes until cheese bubbles and gets a little brown.

Lowfat Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

These low-fat pumpkin cookies are wonderful. Don't wait until fall to bake some for teatime, after school treats or to freeze and pull out for when those cravings for a sweet hits.

Ingredients:
1 c. pumpkin
2 egg whites, whipped
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
3 c. rolled oats
1 c. raisins
Directions:
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine pumpkin and egg whites. In a separate bowl combine sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, oats, and raisins. (Batter will be very dry at first.) Mix ingredients together just until moistened.

Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, 2" apart. You can leave the cookies in the shape of a ball (the baked cookie will still be a ball) or flatten them out with the bottom of a glass before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Old Fashioned Remedies For Gout

Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Most of the time, having too much uric acid is not harmful. Many people with high levels in their blood never get gout. When uric acid levels in the blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints.

Your chances of getting gout are higher if you are overweight, drink too much alcohol, or eat too much meat and fish that are high in chemicals called purines. Some medicines, such as water pills (diuretics), can also bring on gout. Below are some old fashioned remedies for gout that you may find helpful.

Black Cherry Juice...Black cherry juice or whole fresh black cherries seem to be a common favorite in treating gout. Cherries help reduce uric acid levels.

Strawberries...Fresh strawberries help neutralize uric acid, as do nuts, seeds, and grains, although to a lesser extent. The berries contain high concentrations of vitamin C as well as fruit acids and minerals, like potassium, magnesium zinc, manganese, calcium and iron.

Apple Cider Vinegar...ACV is touted as a universal home remedy for numerous ailments. For gout it reduces acid crystals thus reducing pain. Two tablespoons with a little water and organic honey is the normal dosage.

Reduce Purine...Purine rich foods produce excess amounts of uric acid which is the cause of crystal formation that creates the pain of gout. Animal protein is the main source of purine, particularly red meat and shell fish. Gout sufferers should completely eliminate this source during an attack. There are plenty of other healthy sources of protein.

Lots of Water...Drinking enough water helps flush acids from the system.

This information is not intended to replace the information from a Dr. Please seek the attention of your medical provider for treatments of your ailments.

Strike While The Iron's Hot

So many clothing items are permanent press these days, but if you find yourself with items to iron, here are some tips you should know.

To iron easily, be sure to have the iron hot enough. Try it on a folded cloth or paper, or touch it with a moistened finger. If you use the former method, the cloth or paper should not show scorch. If you use the latter method, the iron should sizzle if the temperature is right. (ouch!)

It is always well to keep a piece of beeswax or paraffin to rub on the iron to prevent it's sticking, but more stringent means may be necessary to keep the surface smooth. If so, you should find one of the following helpful:

Saturate a cloth with water, wring it partly dry, and rub soap thoroughly on it. Place it on several thicknesses of paper and pass the iron over it several times, pressing hard to remove starch and roughness. The result is surprising, as it makes the surface of the iron perfectly smooth and clean.

If an iron becomes rusty or rough on it's under surface, it may be cleaned and smoothed by sprinkling coarse salt on a board or tin and rubbing the hot iron over it repeatedly until the rust and the roughness have disappeared. Also, fine steel wool or fine sandpaper can be used with excellent results. To secure a more polished surface and to prevent starch from sticking, heat the iron, touch it to a block of paraffin, and rub it back and forth over clean paper, as in ironing, until its surface is smooth and polished.

Use rainwater or distilled water in your iron's water reservoir to give your clothes a nicer feel.

If you are going to wear a sweater, you can get away with only ironing the collar of your blouse or shirt.

Hang your shirts up promptly on a hanger after ironing to keep from wrinkling. Be sure to button the top and center buttons.

You can cut your ironing time in half if you choose to cover your board with aluminum foil. It reflects the heat the iron produces, helping to heat the fibers of the garment on both sides.

If you are working with a garment that is extra thick, iron the inside of the garment. Then work on the outside.

If you are ironing corduroy, steam the material first. It will help to work out the wrinkles.

Be sure to read the instruction labels on each article of clothing you plan to iron. Ignoring the warnings on the clothing label can be a disastrous experience.

Scent Your Cottage With Homemade Fall Butters

I wrote and posted this last October, and it's hard to believe it has almost been a year since I started blogging. Since my flowers are fast fading and I find myself in the mood for an early fall, I thought I'd get out some of my fall recipes. Nothing says autumn to me like fruity butters, warm scones and spicy scents. Enjoy!

Sweet, spicy and fruity autumn butters add country charm to company dinners or brunches. They are also the perfect hostess gift when presented with a loaf of fresh homemade bread. These butters are wonderful on your toast or afternoon scones. Add the following recipes to your list of autumn traditions!

Honey Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt -- optional
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large saucepan. Simmer uncovered on low heat about 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick. When thick enough ladle into jars and refrigerate. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Easy Autumn Butter
Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup softened butter
Beat the brown sugar, pumpkin-pie spice whipping into the softened butter. Keep refrigerated.

Ginger Apple Butter
Ingredients:
4 pounds McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1" chunks
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, minced
Bring the apples, cider, brown sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a saucepan, stirring. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until apples fall apart, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Purée in food processor or blender in batches with the minced ginger. Return to pan.

Partially cover apple butter and simmer over medium heat until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Makes 2 1/2 cups. Transfer to covered containers and store in refrigerator for up to one week for best freshness.

Pumpkin-Apple Butter
Ingredients:
1/2 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup apple juice or cider
2 cups pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup natural apple sauce
1/4 cup agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener such as maple syrup)
1/4 cup sugar (or other sweetener to taste)
pinch salt (optional)

Put the raisins in a medium-sized saucepan, and pour the apple juice over them. Heat on low until raisins plump up, adding water if they get dry. When they are plump, puree the raisins in the juice. (You may need to add a little water.) Blend in the pumpkin.

Return the pureed raisins to the pan and add all remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about an hour. Makes about 3 cups.