Iced Coffee Nog

The weather is finally getting warm, finally.  We had a tease of an 80 degree day the beginning of May, then it snowed.  It's warming up again, hopefully to stay this time.  It's not really too hot for hot coffee yet, but I can hope, can't I?

Ingredients per serving:
1 egg
1-2 TBS cane sugar
1/2 cup cold, strong coffee
1/2 cup whole milk 
or half and half
pinch of salt


Mix all the ingredients in a blender and serve over ice.  You can blend the ice in, but will need to make the coffee stronger to compensate for the extra water. Tastes like Haagen Daz lite.

Hearth and Soul Hop

Cowboy Cookies - GF

I hate oatmeal.  It's ok going down loaded with butter and sugar, but it never satisfies me.  I am still hungry after eating oatmeal, so I haven't eaten it in years....not kept any in the house either.  I don't even go down the cereal aisle.

Picture me in the fall, with some friends, picnicking on a pontoon boat on the lake on a GORGEOUS "just the right temperature" day.  Picture me being offered a cookie made by someone else introduced as a coconut oil cookie. Picture me trying not to have an "Ewww" face. (I'm not really a cookie person, ice cream is my "go to", and not all women are good bakers and coconut oil is NOT always baking friendly. The cookies I tried to make with coconut oil a while back were horrible.) Picture my eyes popping out of my head at the surprise at how much I like this cookie. An oatmeal cookie that's relatively healthy and not a hockey puck.

Cowboy Cookies

All bagged up to save for later......

Blend:
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl whisk together or sift:
2 cups white rice flour
2-3 TBS unflavored gelatin
1/2-1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2-1 tsp cream of tartar

Blend flour mix into wet mix.

Add:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semi or dark chocolate chips (approx 5 oz)

Dough will be crumbly.  Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet (actually, I didn't grease).  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

These bad boys will SPREAD, so give them room to grow.  I used an ice cream scoop to keep them an even size, made hand sized cookies.  The first batch I made I used less gelatin and less cream of tartar, made for a crispier cookie...like a granola bar on the edges.  The second batch I used the larger amounts and it made for chewier cookies.  I also made a double batch and used the Bosch.  We had votes for both variations in our household.  Extras can be frozen and make for convenient snacks and travel food....just add milk.

Would work well for making ice cream sandwiches....just sayin'.

Edited 032013: Not to shock you or anything, but this is NOT a weight loss friendly food....just sayin'. ;)

See ya in the Gumbo 
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday 
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Melt in your Mouth Monday

Milk and Honey AKA Perfection in a Glass

One of my favorite snacks growing up was a tall, cold glass of milk and a spoonful of honey.  We are currently experiencing a glut of fresh, CREAMY milk, so I'd thought I'd share how I am resolving such a serious problem.

The milk MUST be cold.  The whole point is to be able to drink the milk from the spoon while tasting small amounts of honey with each sip.

Yes, you are mostly eating straight honey in the beginning.  It's like a honey lolly pop.  The honey eventually fades (or drips to the bottom of the cup) and each sip has more and more milk.

In the end, if you have enough honey for those last few sips, but not too much, and the milk isn't too sweet from dissolved honey, you have successfully accomplished the art of Milk and Honey.


See Ya In The Gumbo 
Barn Hop 
Fat Tuesday 
Hearth and Soul Hop

Volcano 2013

My special designated Volcano Glass

I thought I would share my current recipe for the "Volcano" the anti viral concoction that actually works.  The current recipe maintains the 1 part ACV to 1 part "flavor covering" liquid with baking soda.  However, sometimes I just do approximately 1 TBS each vs 2 TBS each.  Baking soda stays at 1/2 tsp for my needs.  This change is due to some personal experiences with it reacting so fast, I couldn't swallow any of it. WASTED.  I hate waste.

1 tsp pomegranate concentrate
(found in the back of the cupboard, must have gotten it on sale at some point.)
1 TBS aloe vera juice
1 TBS ACV

1/2 tsp baking soda

Mix liquids first. 

Brace yourself and add 1/2 tsp baking soda, plopped on top and try to shoot it before it reacts.  The first time or even first few times you will FEEL it in your stomach.  Make sure to take it away from meals.  I usually wait a half hour or so.  Make sure it can exit in a timely manner after it's done it's job too.  Not going to go into any details there. ;)

I will be taking this at least every day during flu season....more if needed.

New Pigs on the Block and other Pics

 

Apparently, pigs have a similar sleep schedule to teenage boys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chicken saw me and assumed I was bringing milk.  Sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wilbur decided to see what the hubbub was about.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sooty wasn't leaving the nest.

French Toast - GF

Contrary to popular belief,  french toast is not a way to use up stale bread.  It is also not a way to use up an over abundance of eggs.  It is simply the ultimate vehicle for highlighting the exquisite taste of maple syrup....and butter, lots and lots of butter!  At least in our house. ;)

Ingredients
bread, sliced
eggs
cinnamon (optional)
nutmeg (optional)
vanilla (optional)
cane sugar (optional)
sea salt (optional)

butter
maple syrup

Preheat greased pan to a medium low heat.  Beat the eggs in a wide bottomed bowl....as close to the size of the slice as you can manage.  I use about 2 slices of bread per egg. This is an estimate only.  The size of the slice and the size of the egg can vary.  Any one of the optional ingredients can be added,  if desired.  I don't know that I would add all of them at the same time.  Soak the bread in the egg, coating each side completely, and carefully place in hot pan.  Cook for a few minutes on each side.  Keep warm in a low oven if doing a large batch.  Layer butter between each piece on individual plates.  When butter is melted, drizzle with maple syrup.

Lick plate when done.

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday 
Gluten Free Wednesday

Irish Soda Bread - GF

Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
1-2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cane sugar (optional)

1 egg
2 cups milk#

1/4 cup melted coconut oil, butter or lard

• Preheat oven to 325* (I skip this step for my toaster oven.)

• Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  (Sugar is optional, simply because I forgot to add it the second time I made this and didn't notice.  Ketchup boy noticed.) 

• Set aside.  

• Beat egg and add milk in a separate bowl.  

• Mix egg/milk into dry ingredients and blend.  

• Add melted coconut oil or fat of choice. 

• Blend.  

• Pour ( or plop) bread mix into a greased bread pan.  It rises, but doesn't spread much, so you will need to add it evenly, if you want an even loaf.

• Bake for 65-70 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.  

• Let cool completely on wire rack before cutting.  I made this in the toaster oven in the evening,  let it cool over night and sliced in the morning.

#The original recipe called for buttermilk.  You can sour milk quickly by adding a little ACV, if desired.


Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Goodbye Hero

Hero was an endearing, crotchety old man who had retired from pasture protector to back porch warmer in recent years.  He couldn't see/hear well enough  to steal other critter's food anymore, so he stuck close and used his nose.

It is common for LGD to allow kids to climb all over them, Hero tolerated chickens...and apparently the cat too.  I think it was a win-win as both critters seemed to appreciate the extra body heat.

I shall miss him clunking down for his nap.

Sweet Potato Cranberry Cheese Melt

I intended to contribute some sweet potato pie for a Thanksgiving Get Together in addition to the cranberry sauce. So much for intentions....

I had a lot of precooked sweet potatoes that desperately needed eating.  I had a lot of cranberry sauce leftover too.  (I made enough, we could of eaten it as the main course.)

I was worn out from eating and visiting the day before. Necessity is the mother of invention, so......


Sweet Potato Cranberry Cheese Melt

1. Mash cool to touch sweet potato in bottom of baking dish.  
2. Layer spoonfuls of cranberry sauce on top.
3. Dot with butter chunks.
4. Salt generously.
5. Layer white cheese of choice.  I used mozzarella, but a nice Jack or Havarti would work too.
6. Bake @ 300* for 20-30 minutes.

This taste ok cool and I ended up making some again for lunch to go the next day too.

Later incarnations involved coconut oil fried, white corn tortillas...even better!

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Heart and Soul Hop 
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday 
Simple Lives Thursday

Baked Sweet Potato

1. Poke the potato generously
2. Bake at 300-325*
3. When it oozes and smells the house up with a decadent burnt sugar smell, it's done....approximately 1.5-2 hours.
4. Split open to receive butter, salt and optional brown sugar

OR use as a base for further recipes.

'Nough said.