Sunday Funday Biscuits

 This morning I made fresh biscuits and served them with my homemade persimmon and datil pepper jam. They were amazing! So because I'm a huge fan of both, I'm going to share them with you! 

Datil Pepper Jam

    12 oz datil peppers (about 60) finely chopped

• 2 cups cider vinegar, divided

• 10 persimmons, peeled & pureed

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup honey

• 2 3-oz pouches of liquid pectin

• 5 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

• 
  

• DIRECTIONS:

• PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

• COMBINE purée with 1 cup cider vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add in remaining apple cider and chopped peppers. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

• ADD liquid pectin, immediately squeezing entire contents from pouches. Continue to boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

• LADLE hot datil & persimmon jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

• PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
  
• 
  

• Biscuits

• 4 C of all purpose flour
  2 T Baking powder
  2 T Sugar
  2 tsp Salt
  12 T unsalted butter
  1.5 C ice cold milk
  
  

• Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  Pour milk into flour mixture while stirring with a fork. Mix in milk until dough is soft, moist and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and toss with flour until no longer sticky. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick sheet and cut with a floured biscuit or cookie cutter. Press together unused dough and repeat rolling and cutting procedure.
  Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  
  
  
  There ya have it folks! Happy Sunday! 

A day in the life

A Day in The Life Of..

ME!

Wake up, feeling spunky!

Next it's either green tea with honey, or coffee.. YUM!

Then either a smoothie, or ^ chia seeds, with pecans, hemp seeds, organic maple syrup and coconut/almond milk.. Got your attn yet??

Next, mother nature viewing (so pretty)...

next is yoga.... and then maybe some gym time..

then some internet browsing..

and more browsing... Oh how I want this piercing(s)!!

and then some pictures for DH... (gotta love deployments, so many pictures)

ok.. then to doing boring tasks, such as laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping...

and then my friends, lovely friends, including my amazing SIL (sister-in-law)! Wouldn't trade any of them for anything in this world.. love them.. <3

and then my beautiful babies and I chat for a while..

after that, I'm ready for bed time!

Then it's time for bed, and this silly cat cuddles with me every night, right on top of me, and under the covers, haha!

Ok everyone, that's it for now!

Have a fantastic evening!!

~ME

(currently) Favorite Recipe!

November 5- Share your favorite recipe

Right now, my favorite recipe is from stupideasypaleo.com

This recipe is for a paleo version of chocolate mousse. Heck yes! Who doesn't love chocolate? Also, what's better than a chocolate recipe that fits your eating habits? Anyhow, if you haven't read my blog before, I love crafting and cooking. Lots and lots of cooking. Now on for the recipe! Are you ready? Ok, let's begin!




before




after

Of course, if you look at her photo, it looks way better, but it tastes like chocolate pudding to me, and it's fantastic! Hope you all enjoy it as much as me!!




Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

2-3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

~1/4 c. coconut milk

3-4 dates (I like medjool) (note: dates are notoriously hard to process down…you may also add honey or agave instead if your food pro is a little on the anemic side)

1 vanilla bean*

Directions:

1. Scoop out avocado and combine it with the cocoa powder, coconut milk and dates in a food pro.

2. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add to the food pro.

3. Blend!

4. For best results, refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 2 small servings or 1 large if you’re very hungry.

*You could add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract instead






Have a great day everyone! Enjoy!

~Me!

Crazy week!

Hello everyone!

  Sorry for the delay on posting! I've gotten back to work full time and I am trying to get everything back into balance. I cannot wait to start my volunteering! Also, school starts back relatively soon. I have many things getting ready to start soon, and I am only hoping for the best out of it all.
  I have been trying to get back into my artistic side of things, and hoping someone will soon approach me about custom things. I will be starting back on tutus, and hair accessories. I love doing these kind of things as they make me so happy and appreciate the little things.

A couple of pictures of things I've been working on:

Alright, well to finish off my post, I'm going to post a recipe. Today will be:

Grilled Chicken Skewers

(6 servings)

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 C of beer

2 T lemon juice

1 T olive oil

1 t paprika

1 t oregano

1 t sea salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Combine beer, lemon juice  oil, paprika, oregano, salt  and pepper in a zip lock baggie; add the chicken chunks. Seal the bag, shake lightly and coat chicken, let marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Soak wooden skewers in hot water for at least 30 minutes. 

Place marinade in a saucepan, and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Divide chicken on about 12 skewers. Grill or broil skewers until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, turn and brush with reduced marinade. cook until chicken is done, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately. Also, this tastes great with brown rice. 

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's day!

Today has been quiet the productive day. I only have two more cards to make and send out! I think they turned out pretty well, considering I don't particularly care for drawing. I need to get more craft supplies. I've been considering trying to sell my cards again, but am kind of scared about if it's worth the price to list them and everything. Open to thoughts. On another note, I made a card for my love. I'm hoping he enjoys it, although I did mess up a tad bit. Ok, a big mess up on it. Thankfully it was just his, and I know he will love it either way. If it were anyone else's, I would have fixed it. I drew on the wrong side, so it open wrong, haha. Other than that, I love it! Now if only he would get home to see it! I hope everyone is having a great day today!

These are a few of the cards that I made for the 2013 Valentine's day. Some of them were edited more after the pictures were taken.

I hope that everyone one of you gets to meat someone special to you as well. I am now with the person I am certain I was meant to be with my entire life. He is my one, my only. No words could ever describe the way I feel about him. He is my best friend, my go to, for everything in my life. The only person I have ever been able to be completely myself around. No lying about my feelings at all. We were friends before we got together, and I feel that has been the best foundation to our relationship. He knew me. Who I was. No secrets. I feel incredibly blessed. (Did I also mention, he can cook and clean??) Happy Valentine's day to you all, and I hope you find your lifetime Valentine.

Now to finish my post, let us find a recipe to post.. Hmm... How about a different take on Pork Pot Roast? Feeling like putting your fancy pants on?  Maybe you like full-bodied rose? Perfect!! Keep in mind, the pork needs to refrigerate overnight with the dry rub on it!

Ok, we will start with the dry rub. (I make extra and store it, it's delightful)

Pork Rub

(enough for 4 lbs of pork shoulder also called pork butt)

• 1/4 C Salt
• 1/4 C Brown sugar
• 1 t Crushed red pepper
• 1 t  ground Cumin
• 1 t ground Allspice

Pork Pot Roast with Clams & Chorizo

(serves about 6)

• 4 lbs Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
• 3 T Olive oil
• 1 Onion diced
• 2 Leeks (washed and diced)
• 2 regular sized Carrots
• 2 stalks of Celery
• 5 cloves of Garlic chopped
• 1/2 C golden Raisins
• 1 bottle (750mL) of dry Rose
• 1 C Vegetable broth
• 1 link of Chorizo, cut into small pieces (this is the dried chorizo, not the soft kind)
• 18 Littleneck clams, rinsed
• 2 t fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 t fresh Oregano
• 2 T flat leaf Parsley
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Alright, so to start, the night before, apply the dry rub to the pork, and refrigerate. 2 hours prior to cooking, pull the pork out. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Heat a large roasting pan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the Olive oil and heat for a minute. Add the pork and brown it on all sides. Turn often, should take about 4 minutes. Remove the prok, and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and stir for 3 minutes. Add the leeks, carrots, and celery. cook for aobut 3 minutes. Next, add the garlic and raisins, cook for a minute. Now add the broth, rose, and chorizo. Then add the pork back to the pan. Now cover and bake for 3 1/2 hours. After the time is up, put the pork on your serving platter to rest (essential because this finishes the cooking process, and let the juices settle). Now put the pan on medium heat (I know, but keep going, it's soooo worth it). Add the clams, rosemary, oregano, and 1 T of the parsley. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes (or until clams open). Taste it.. If it needs salt and pepper, add it. Now arrange the clams around your pork all pretty like. Ladle some broth over the pork and clams. Take the rest and add it to a gravy dish. Now serve and garnish how you like, and enjoy!! I like to have a nice glass of wine and some nice crusty bread with this!

Have a great evening, and I'll catch you on the flip side. Bye!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day!

So does anyone have any big plans for tomorrow? I am pretty sure we are waiting till Friday to do anything. I figure it would just be easier as it's the end of my love's work week. Very excited though! I can not come up with the perfect Valentine gift yet. I'm pretty sure I'll have to sneak out to get it. 

So what is trending right now? I'm seeing a lot of posts with #iHateHowPeople so I shall put this up right now.. This is my very own list for:

 #iHateHowPeople 
...don't shut shower curtains
...leave lights on
...judge me by hearing a story that is just that, a story
...knock something before trying it
...hate on my music choices
...have pictures with everyone else, but not with me :(
...say things that hurt you intentionally
...are spiteful
...do things without thinking
...think they are their mistakes
...give up on learning
...lose sight of their imagination
...choose to not learn to cook
...never find something to be passionate about
...are content without making a difference in the world
...can not see the good in people


Ok... That is it for now, as I am sure I could come up with a million. I'm going to end my post how I normally do, with a recipe. 

Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad

(serves 6)

• 1 Clove of Garlic 
• 1 T coarse Salt
• 1/2 t Cayenne (unless you want more kick)
• 1 t Paprika (smoked if you have it)
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 2 t Lemon Juice
• 2 Lbs. Peeled and deveined Large Shrimp
• 1 lb 50/50 Salad Blend (Spinach/Springmix blend)
• 1 T Butter
• 1 C dried Cranberries
• 3/4 C Slivered Almonds (blanched)
• 1 Avocado sliced
• Goat cheese to taste (optional)

Mix all ingredients from the Garlic to the Lemon juice together, mix and marinate shrimp. Place on a preheated grill and cook till opaque. About 2-3 minutes on each side.

Place almonds in a pan and cook with butter till lightly toasted. Place Salad blend in a large bowl, top with cranberries, almonds, avocado and grilled shrimp. I add goat cheese to mine, and usually make a red wine vinaigrette. I hope you enjoy!

**BONUS RECIPE**

Chocolate Souffles

(serves 6)

• 1 T Unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 C Granulated sugar, plus more for coating ramekins
• 4 Oz. Bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
• 1/2 C Cold water
• 1/3 C Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 Large egg whites, at room temp
• Confectioners sugar for dusting the tops

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 1 C ramekins and coat with granulated sugar (tap out the excess). Place ramekins on a good baking sheet. In a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the coarsely chopped chocolate. Remove from heat, whisk in the water and cocoa powder until smooth. In another bowl, use a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the 1/3 C of granulated sugar and beat at high speed until the whites are firm and glossy (about a minute). Fold 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mix, then fold in the rest until no streaks of the egg remain. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins and smooth the tops. **HINT: Run your thumb around the inner rim of the ramekins to clean the spills and help the souffles rise evenly.** Bake in the center of the oven for 16 minutes, or until very puffy and set around the edges. Dust the tops with the confectioners sugar and serve to your love :)


Hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day!!!



P.S.
Now, if you enjoyed that, you should check out this blog for some more great ideas! :) It's the katherinemartinelli blog! You can thank me later.

In the Clouds

Happy Tuesday!

It's another day for me. Trying to decide the best paths for me to take. I'm sure I will get there someday. My life has regained stability finally. I could not be happier!

Today I've been looking at paint sets so that I can get back into painting. There are some nice sets out there. I tend to buy a basic set and then buy specific colors from places like Hobby Lobby. I've been looking so much at things that I want to do. I have yet to send out my Valentines cards. I have just not had the time to send them. I should get to it today or tomorrow. I love making cards and sending them out to people. I will post pictures of some of them soon. What I am doing this Valentine's Day is sending a piece of origami to everyone. Want to see how I learned? Click here! That site that I just linked to, has tons of instructions  for many different pieces. Another thing I've been doing, cooking! Oh how I love cooking. I recently rediscovered my great grandmother's cook book, and have been considering throwing together a whole new one that has her traditional recipes, as well as my own. Of course, some of the recipes will be needing some updating, considering they are from the 1930's and up! (see below for a new recipe)

My life has changed a lot over the course of the last year or so. Many ups and downs. I swear it has been a roller coaster. I have learned, changed, and grown throughout it. Excited for the few changes that are still coming. Maybe not in the next few months or even year, but they will get here. People have tough times, and that is what makes us who we are. How we react to situations shows our character. People must remember as well that we are not our mistakes, yet they are a learning experience, a part of life. One tough lesson is to know who will truly be there by your side, through the thick and the thin. I've had my share of fair-weather friends. It hurts for people to not be a part of your life anymore, but never regret them. Some people have come into our lives to help us learn lessons, but they were not meant to stay a part of your life.I know who my friends are, and those are the ones I can count on. I am so incredibly lucky to have the friends and family that I have. Thank you to each and everyone of those people!



To end my post for the day, I'll be posting one of my family recipes. It is for Cloud Biscuits. These are incredible! Definitely the only homemade biscuit recipe I ever use.

Cloud Biscuits -Georgia Graham

• 2  C Flour
• 1 t Sugar
• 4 t Baking Powder
• 1/2 t Salt
• 1/2 C Shortening
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 2/3 C Milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift together all dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. Combine the egg and milk. Add to the the dry mixture all at once. Stir till dough follows fork around the bowl. Turn on floured surface. Knead gently with the heel of your hand. Around 20 strokes. Roll dough 3/4" think. Place on ungreased baking sheet. If desired, chill 1-3 hours.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-14 minutes.

Long time, No see

Just the right place to find a schadenfreude

Oh my! It has been an extremely long time since I have blogged. Well, this is my come back, and that was the end of my break. Life has changed so very much for me since the last time I was here. For a while it was extremely tough, but now is regaining sanity. I am in the midst of quiet a few new projects on my plate. 

As of right now, my big one, getting back online! I know, I know, I'm a tad bit rusty but I think I shall give it a go. I think I shall post one of my favorite recipes!

This recipe is not too terribly expensive to make, but mighty delicious.
Here it is, my version of Chicken Piccata! Now don't knock it till you try it, and any of the additions are optional. If you have you're own version, let me know!

Chicken Piccata

(serves about 4)

• 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered (optional)
• 1/4 cup drained capers
• 1 6 oz pkg of fresh spinach (optional)
• 1/2 a 10 oz pkg of mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 cup quick-cooking brown rice (follow directions on packaging)

Gather all your ingredients and have them readily accessible. You can tweak this recipe to suit your tastes FYI!

Take you chicken breasts, trim the fat, and then slice into little strips. Heat your pan to about a medium to a medium high heat, with the half the oil and butter. Toss in your chicken breasts, salt and pepper to taste, your paprika, and just enough lemon juice to add some flavor to your chicken. Cook till golden. Remove from pan and set aside.Start your brown rice. Add the rest of your olive oil and butter back to the pan you cooked the chicken in. Now toss in your garlic, artichoke hearts, crushed red peppers, and sliced mushrooms. cook until a caramelized color is on the garlic. Once this happens,  add the rest of your lemon juice, white white, and chicken broth. Let simmer until it reduces. Add your chicken back in, add the capers, and the spinach. Serve with or on the cooked brown rice. 


Hope you enjoy, and let me know how it turns out for you!

Friday. I forget it becomes the weekend for most.

Only downside of being a SAHM during a deployment. I forget what day it is. The date is only important when I need to go to the post office, or during appointments. Other than that, I could really care less about it. Ok, maybe bills too! Today I got a little bit of cleaning done, but have realized during a deployment, I can't stand cleaning. I'm considering getting someone to come clean my house, just once, to get it completely caught up. Does anyone else create a to do list for yourself, and it all just becomes a NEVER ending list?
Anyhow, today, the kids and I painted some Valentine's to send out to the grandparents and daddy. I have found that these little homemade things with the kids tend to mean a lot more than anything else you could give. Crazy! Also, we painted some chip board letters for the kids room. Keagan had a blast!
On the bright side, we got our taxes back! I'm a huge fan of Taxslayer. I've used them for a few years, and never had a problem! They also give military discounts, and no I am not being paid to say that! I've almost paid off all of our debt that we had. SOOO glad about that!


Does anyone know of a good double stroller that will fit into a small trunk? If so, LET ME KNOW! Thank you ahead of time! 


Well... It's Friday. Here is my Foodie Friday post. Yes, every Friday, I  shall post a new recipe, and ask y'all to post one as well, if you would like, or try one of mine out... Soo, let me flip through this family cookbook and share one!


Superbowl is coming up, so how about some Chili????

• 3 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tso ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chili pepper flakes
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (7 ounce) can salsa
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree
• 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 can rinsed black beans
• 1 can rinsed kidney beans
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• corn chips 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible. Mix in seasonings and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.
2. Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water.
3. While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.
4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the zucchini, corn and beans to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more. Letting stew for a few hours is more than welcome, to get flavors to blend well. Again, adjust the consistency with water as needed.
5. Ladle chili into serving bowls with corn chips lining the bottom. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.

Hope y'all enjoy!

Today, in a glance

Today was a good day. Rainy, but good. Started off the morning with some spiced pancakes! YUM!

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin pie spice
• OPTIONAL>3 Tablespoons Ground wheat germ with flax and cinnamon (I use some from www.hodgsonmill.com)
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract (I prefer mexican vanilla, yumm)

Mix all you dry ingredients together, then mix your wet ingredients together, create a well in the middle of your dry, and mix all together. then cook on an oiled, medium heat griddle, or pan. Be careful to cook all the way, they do come out a little bit darker because of the seasonings! I used about a 1/4 cup per pancake.

ENJOY!

Also, I FINALLY got my hubby's packages sent out. 5 boxes, carried inside... In the rain! Made me decide I really need an umbrella and rain boots! My son really loved the rain too! Jumping in the puddles and getting his clothes soaked! haha, got to love that amazing, joyful energy! Where does that go? I used to love playing in the rain. Maybe i need to take him out to do that, and see if I can reconnect with it too!

I also got the hubby his Under Armour socks he's been wanting! Thank you U.S. Cavalry! I guess they are great out on patrol when he is gone. Hopefully he'll enjoy!

My peanut butter fudge also got sent out. My husband is a HUGE Reese's fan, so I took leftover Reese's, and made fudge with them (great way to get rid of some leftover Halloween candy!). It actually turned out amazing! Yes, that is surprising, because it was a complete experiment. I've never made fudge before to be honest. It even passed the mother in law test. So that was good.

Got the commissary shopping done! I love the produce they have available. So much better than what's available at the largest competitor. I'm sure you all can guess without me saying it. The big W. I'll leave it at that.

Got home, took a nap with both my babies. I always enjoy that. We had dinner, and then went to my friends for a hot chocolate date. MMMM..

Here's my ADULT Mexican Hot Chocolate

 (take out the alcohol for the kid friendly version)

(for regular flavored hot chocolate, omit cinnamon and chili powder)

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups milk or milk substitute (I prefer a mix of vanilla hemp, with chocolate almond milk)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (mexican kind for me)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/8 C per mug of Vanilla or Coffee Flavored Kahlua
• Marshmallows or Whipped Cream optional

Mix all ingredients in sauce pan (except Kahlua, and preferred topping) and bring to boil.

Have mugs ready with Kahlua in bottom, then top with marshmallows and/or whipped cream!

Great for a chilly or rainy evening!

Well that was my day. I hope you had a great one as well!