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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Lazy Sunday? I think not!

I was pretty busy today, although I always wish for a lazy Sunday which involves watching a favorite show or a movie and staying in my pajamas.

But today I was up early and managed to hang a load of laundry out on the line before the rain came.

In the collage above is a collection of what I accomplished in the kitchen. From left to right: Cheesy ground beef bake, frozen veggies and provolone cheese I chopped with my food processor, deviled eggs (my paprika kind of had a mind of its own), and lastly a simple white cake with vanilla icing.

I pretty much make the Cheesy Ground Beef Bake differently every time depending what I have on hand. I make a huge bake and then freeze most of it in individual containers. It is quick to grab and take to work for lunch. Recipe is posted below.

With regards to the frozen vegetables, I will take a day with my food processor and chop up some veggies that I know I can safely freeze, spread them out on cookie sheets with parchment paper, freeze them, and then store them in freezer bags. So quick and simple for future use in sauces, bakes, casseroles, etc. This comes in handy during harvesting season, and I have found I can freeze quite a few things: minced garlic(must be in oil), peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese, and tomatoes. I am sure there is so much more.

My deviled eggs got a thumbs down, too much relish was added and it became too watery. They were quite tangy and will remember my mistake next time.

The vanilla cake turned out well, it was a simple white cake recipe from here.

All in all it was a productive day, now I am off to do some pampering (face mask, hair mask, eyebrow waxing).


CHEESY GROUND BEEF BAKE
Ingredients:
3 cups of uncooked noodles (whatever type you prefer, elbow, curly noodles)
1 lb of ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1/2 cup of chopped green pepper
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 1/2 cups of provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese
Please note as I stated above I make this differently every time, measurements change, ingredients change and may not be exact to the above. Have fun mixing it up too your own taste :)

Instructions:
1) Heat oven to 350°.
1) Boil water and start frying hamburger.
2) As the hamburger browns add salt and pepper, garlic, chopped onions, green pepper, and mushrooms. Let that all cook together.
3) Add noodles when your water is boiled. Follow the instructions on your noodle package.
4) When hamburger and noodles are done strain both and place in a large bowl.
5) Add 1 can of diced tomato and 1 can of tomato paste.
6) Add 1 cup of the provolone and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese
7) Mix all ingredients together and scoop into oven safe bake ware.
8) Top off the bake with the rest of the cheese. Place in the oven for approx 10 minutes. Then use broiler until cheese is done to your liking.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Best Bread Machine Pretzels EVER!


This is the best recipe ever for making pretzel dough in your bread machine, of course you can also make by hand if you have a good understanding of dough making. I do not, so I get a lot of use out of my bread machine for just making dough.

The real true trick, that even my recipe book for my bread machine failed to point out is the use of simmering water mixed with baking soda. From now on I will only make my pretzels this way.

I just simple mixed 5 cups of water with 1/3 cup of baking soda, mixed it really well, brought it to a simmer and put the pretzels in for a few seconds on each side.

Pictured above are the pretzels I made, regular salted pretzels, some yummy garlic ones, and cinnamon sugar. I will admit the cinnamon sugar stick type pretzel did not have much taste.

They taste just like you got them at a pretzel stand!!

You have to try this recipe Soft Pretzels (For Bread Machines),

Sunday, June 21, 2015

I'm In Love

I'm in love........with my NAILS!!

Well I have FINALLY done it! I changed my nail shape for the first time. Typing and pressing buttons seems to be a tad difficult but nothing I can't manage. Honestly, I can't stop looking at them LOL.

You would never think a girl with nails like this, tends to vegetable gardens, flower gardens, feeding and cleaning laying hens, and mowing the lawn.

I feel like this shape may have less lifting, but time will tell, I will update about that when I get my next set.