A Saturday of Cooking!

FINALLY, a weekend where I was not sick or busy! So, I loaded up my boys this past Saturday morning and hauled them off to WalMart to help me grocery shop. Normally, I only take Luke, as it is easier and cheaper. But, since I have not been to the grocery store in THREE weeks, I knew I needed a strong man to push the buggy.

Over two hours and a bunch of money later, we were on our way home. And I cooked and cooked and cooked!! Yay!

First up, corn chowder with chilies. I love making soups during the fall and winter and this was the first one of the season. The “with chilies” part is what got me! Yummy, yum, yum! 

SO easy to make!

Ingredients:

2 slices Bacon, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces (or Smaller)
2 Tablespoons Butter
1-½ whole Yellow Onion, Diced
5 ears Corn, Shucked (about 4 Cups)
2 whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce, Finely Diced (I was moved to add a couple more)
1 whole 4-ounce Can Diced Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1-½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
3 Tablespoons Corn Meal OR Masa
¼ cups Water


Preparation Instructions:
(Carefully) slice the corn kernels off the cob. Set aside.

Add bacon pieces to a pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for a couple of minutes. Throw in diced onion and stir, cooking the onion for 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add corn. Stir and cook for one minute. Add both kinds of chilies and stir.

Pour in chicken broth and cream. Add salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

Combine cornmeal (or masa) with water. Stir to combine, then pour into the chowder. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. If chowder needs more thickening, add another tablespoon of cornmeal mixed with water. Cook for another ten minutes.

Next up, cupcakes!!  Luke and I have really been slacking in our cupcake making, but we made some for Halloween on Saturday.  The icing is the best ever. 

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

¼ teaspoons Salt


4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa


2 sticks Butter


1 cup Boiling Water


½ cups Buttermilk


2 whole Beaten Eggs


1 teaspoon Baking Soda


1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.

Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.

Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

Because I love my husband and son, once I had the cupcakes in the oven I called Luke into the kitchen.  I gave him the mixing bowl and two spoons and told him to share with Daddy.  He took the bowl to Josh, but returned.  He said they would need marshmellows too....

okay....here are the cupcakes once they are done.

And now....the best part...the icing.  So good in fact, Luke said, "Momma, I do not need the cupcakes, just keep giving me that icing on a spoon!!"  Of course he did not need the cupcakes!  He had just wiped down the cake mix bowl with marshmellows!!!!
Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Butter
1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)


Preparation Instructions:


In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don’t want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Now...you just need some good 'ol sprinkles!!

Then you have got the best cupcakes ever on your hands.  So good in fact, you will need to pack some of them up and give to a friend so you do not sit in your kitchen and eat them all.  At least that is what I did!

 
 
 
And last, I made a lasagna.  I do not really even like lasagna, but this one was great!!
 
Ingredients:



12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (24-oz.) container 4% small-curd smooth-and-creamy cottage cheese
1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup refrigerated pesto
1 teaspoon salt 
2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
spinich leaves
2 (24-oz.) jars tomato-and-basil pasta sauce

Preparation


1. Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare noodles according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, stir together cottage cheese and next 4 ingredients. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

3. Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 6 to 7 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in pasta sauce.

4. Layer (bottom to top) beef, 3 noodles, cottage cheese mixture, 3 noodles, spinich, 3 noodles, cottage cheese mixture, 3 noodles, beef, 3 noodles, sprinkle with remaining cups mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake, covered, at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes or until cheese is browned. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

 We are eating good this week!!!