Productive Baking with an Apron

It's been a busy week in my "test kitchen" and I've had a lot to show for it!  (Which always makes me happy, my hubby even happier and gives my readers something to enjoy too!)  Anyway today has been no exception because I just made a whole batch of Krautburgers. (Sorry, secret family recipe.  :)  I also made some rolls and cinnamon rolls.  Yum.  Here's one of the cinnamon rolls I made.  I frosted it with my Cream Cheese Frosting that I made yesterday and it turned out really well! 

 I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure that I bake better when there's music playing.  So, for the last couple of days I've been jammin' out to Speak Now -- Taylor Swift's new album.  I think it just makes everything run more smoothly, bake faster and taste better....Ok maybe not...but it sure doesn't hurt right?!?  :)

Of course don't forget there are only 3 more days to enter my Apron Giveaway!  It ends at 2pm EST on Monday 11/22/10.  

More butter . . .

So, I had a hankering for some homemade butter to go with the bread I made yesterday...so I whipped some up!  (Quite literally this time too!)  I had a quart of heavy whipping cream in my fridge, and instead of leaving it out to ripen (like I did last time I made butter) I just threw it, well poured it, into my Kitchenaid bowl and whipped it on high until it was butter!  It made pretty quick (and easy!) work of it too!  :)

Tip:  To prevent splattering your entire kitchen, place a moist tea towel over the entire mixer while running.

Once the butter has formed (like above pic) just pour out the milk that is left.  You can either save this milk (it's basically non-fat milk at this point) or you could toss it.  Then start rinsing out the butter. . .

Continue to rinse the butter with cold water until the water comes out clean.  (The above pic was almost there.)

Then form into whatever shapes you'd like!  I did half of this batch as a large stick of butter, and the rest as teaspoon scoops. (Courtesy of my cookie scooper.)

Enjoy!  You can either add salt, honey or just leave it as unsalted butter!  But whatever you do, please enjoy!  :)

Produce bags in use!

Hello!  Since I got to use my newly made produce bags this morning at the farmer's market, I thought I would post some pics!  Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!  :)

How to make your own reusable produce bags!

Sew, I've been eyeing reusable produce bags online and at stores...but can't seem to find any that are very reasonable.  Sew --  and yes I do think I'm clever using sew for so today (:  -- when I found this mesh laundry bag of mine (that I got free from someone handing them out at college my freshman year) I decided it would be perfect to use as the material for my bags.  (Sorry for the run on sentence.)

I'm planning on using these at the grocery store as well as farmers markets for fresh produce.  If you can think of other ways to use these send me those ideas too, I'm always interested!  :)  You could also easily do this with lightweight fabric that you have on hand, or mesh you can buy at the store.  I did want some that you could see through though, so you may want that as well.  :)

Anyway, here's how I did it, and you can too!   It's sew easy!  ;)

1.  Lay out your bag on a flat surface.

2.  Cut into 4 equal pieces.  (You could measure and be exact...or you could just wing it like I did today.)

3.  Sew up the rectangles so they are bag like shapes with one end open.  (Somehow I ended up with no pics of this step...but I did double stitch the mesh sides that I sewed up to ensure they would be secure!)

And since I cut up a bag, I didn't have to sew all the sides--just an fyi.

4.  Then get some string or yarn to use for the draw string.  Cut a piece that is long enough to go all the way around the bag at the top, and knot it together to make a loop.  Then place it at the top and fold over the mesh/fabric like so and sew it to make a loop for the string.  (Fold the bag inside out and fold over the fabric to sew for the loop, and be careful not to sew the string or else it won't work as a draw string.)

5.  Repeat with the rest of the bags, and the end product should look something like this at the top.  Then cut a small hole in the mesh/fabric and pull the string out where the knot is.  Now you have a functioning closure for your bag!! :)

Here's a better view of the drawstring closure working on one of my bags.  Cute huh?  And functional. :)

Viola!  Here are my four produce bags (with drawstring closures) that I made out of the unused laundry bag I had lying around!  Sure they aren't perfect.  Sure they aren't all uniform.  But, hey!  They didn't cost me a thing, AND I can use them instead of one time use produce bags at the store from now on!!  :)

Hope this made sense and is helpful.  If you have any questions feel free to ask a question or let me know!  :)

What every foodie needs.

Yesterday I got a package.  Now, this was not just any package, because it was from my Mom.  Aren't those always the best?!?!?!  I remember when I was in college and I couldn't wait to check my mail to see if there was anything....mostly I was just curious about if there was a package.  You know, packages are just the best.  Especially from Mom because they were always packed with goodies.  Whether it was Halloween, my Birthday or just to let me know she was thinking of me, I just loved those packages.

Anyway, I just got one of those yesterday!  It was a "thinking of you" package that contained some adorable stickers for scrap-booking, some things for baking and most importantly a homemade apron she made for me!  I'm not going to lie, this is the CUTEST apron I've ever seen too!  She used ME fabric and it's just the msot perfect apron I've ever, ever seen!!

{When my sisters and I were growing up our Mom would make us beautiful dresses, and I think we all took it for granted.  Do you notice that not that many people even sew anymore?!?!?  Anyway, my Mom is super talented--in a lot more ways than just sewing too!--and I'm so blessed to have her in my life!!}

In fact, I love this apron so much I would like to wear it all the time!  It's SO cute.  I wore it when I fixed dinner last night, and plan to wear it every time I make a meal for the rest of my life!  I love it!  Thanks Mom!!!    :)

Easybag Giveaway results!

Thank you to all who entered--I had over 70 entries!  It was great to see some my loyal readers participate as well as a lot of new people!  :)  I had such a great response, I'm already planning on doing another giveaway soon!  Thanks for reading!

I also want to thank reuseit.com again for their generous sponsorship of this giveaway.  Be sure to check out their site!  :)

I used random.com for the random number generater and counted all the entries from my blog as well as facebook.  Here are the results:  #13!!

So Rita who said, "Love the bag! TY for this great giveaway. Love the blog!" is the winner!  Congrats!!

Thanks again to everyone who entered!!  Have a great rest of your week!!  :)  And cook up something yummy...

Peppers in Blankets

Beef Enchilada Casserole

Caramel Apple Crisp

Reisenthel EasyBag Giveaway!

Because I love shopping.  And because I need to go shopping in order to make food.  And I love reusable bags.  (Who doesn't?!?)  And because I love ya!  And because reuseit.com is awesome and donated this item for me to giveaway.   I'm doing a giveaway! See below for details on how to enter!

I'm giving away the Reisenthel EasyBag (Baroque Sand Pattern) pictured above.  It is a reusable shopping bag that hooks onto your cart!  Then, after you've paid you just pick it up and secure the velcro closure, and you are good to go!  (See how they attach to a cart below.)

Another great thing about this bag is that is folds up and stores in a little bag, just as pictured below.  (The bag I am giving away has a match bag that it goes inside.)

Here are the rules of the giveaway:

1.  Must be a US resident, and living in the contiguous US.

2.  You may enter from today Thursday 9/23/10 until 12pm Eastern time Wednesday 9/29/10.

3.  A winner will be selected at random and announced on Wednesday afternoon.

4.  You may enter up to 3 times as detailed below.

a.  Leave a comment at the bottom of this post on wordpress.

b.  Leave a comment about this post on my "A Delicious Melody" Facebook page.

c.  Post a link to this giveaway on your blog or on your facebook page. (When you post a link please let me know by leaving an additional comment on either facebook or at the bottom of this post on wordpress.  Otherwise I won't know that you posted it!)

A special thanks to Reuseit.com for donating the Reisenthel EasyBag for me to giveaway!  Reuseit.com is the only retailer selling these bags in the US!  Be sure to check them out!  They have a great website full of reusable items like bags, baskets, lunch containers, water bottles, cloth diapers, etc...as well as a lot of useful tips for living a greener life!  :)

Healthy up!

Happy Weekend everyone! My husband and I have been busy today. We started the day out at the Farmer's Market--where we found lots of great finds, and then we went to another Arts Festival. We ate a late lunch at Chili's with a gift card (gotta love them!), and apparently I was really tired when we got home because I just woke up from a 2.5 hour nap. (And I never nap. Even when I'm sick and need to...so that was interesting to say the least.)

Anyway, while we were at the market I got sweet potatoes, sweet banana peppers, tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, a good-sized basil plant (had to leave ours in CO) and 2.5 lbs. of grass-fed beef.  We got the meat for a great price and 1 lb. is hamburger and 1.5 is stew meat--that I intend on using for stirfry, tacos and other things.  So, I'm excited we got away with what we did, and I'm more excited for our menu this week then!  :)

You know that I am getting healthier around here, partly because my hubby's cholesterol check a month ago and also just to be healthier.  Anyway, I don't think I mentioned this, but my hubby had another cholesterol check last week, and his numbers had already gone down significantly!  So, they could tell he had made healthy changes with his lifestyle!!  Isn't that great?!?!?!?  Also good motivation that everyday counts and helps!  :)

So, that's why I did a whole vegetarian week a couple of weeks ago.  That week we had things like:  tofu stirfry, eggplant parmesan, and vegetarian lasagna. My husband had never really had tofu before, so it was a good intro week to the wonderful world of their eating with different proteins!  Yummy!

This is also why, we've made a change in our lives and like to buy only locally grown/produced food.  Although not always possible, and I'm still learning, this is working out well!  We also are only going to buy grass-fed beef, because it's more sustainable, better for the animals and better for us.  In addition to that we're only buying chicken that is hormone/antibiotic free that's hopefully pastured as well.  (Chicken is a harder switch from store-bought to pastured because it's a huge price jump, but inevitably much healthier for everyone....so, it'll be more of a whole transition process....)

So, this is us, eating much more sustainably and also much more healthily while loving it!  Because, food. is. good.  :)

My question for you is:  Do you know what you're eating?  Like, do you know where it was grown?  How it was grown?  Food for thought...

The joys of baking at sea level! :)

So, this afternoon I realized that I hadn't yet baked a cake in NC!  I was rather shocked to realize this fact, because before we moved here, that was something I kept thikning was going to be so different.  Growing up in Colorado, you have to use the high altitiude instructions for everything. (Ok, everything baking....)

So, I did in fact make a cake today!  It turned out very well out of the oven!!  I also worked on my decorating skills too.  Although I used buttercream this time, and I realized that it is very hard to work with once it gets warm.  (Also on a hot day, in a warm room, inside a bag inside a warm hand.)  :)

I just did the cake from a box because I wanted the joy of not having to add any flour, etc. for the high altitude instructions.  Next time I will make it from scratch though.  No worries.  :)

Spread the word...

Hello!  Hope everyone is having a happy Thursday so far!  :)  I just wanted to post a little hint that I will be doing a giveaway in the near (probably very near) future.  So be on the lookout for that!  :)

Hope everyone has a great day!!!!!!!!!!!  Make something yummy. 

Back in the kitchen!

Hi there!  I'm back.  I hope that makes you as excited as I am!  :)  I've been rather sick since Friday and have missed my kitchen.  So today, I made some yummy (and therapeutic) soup to get back in the groove.  :)  I think it worked too.

Plus, I got a package yesterday from my MIL who sent me these cookbooks I've been wanting!  So, I even have more excuses to spent time in the kitchen making great food!  ;)

(Joy of Cooking--a super great all american cookbook!  and Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking!!!)

Never forgotten

Just where were you 9 years ago today?  I remember so vividly, as it was the beginning of my senior year in high school.  Living in Colorado, it happened before I had left for school.  My Mom came into my room to tell me about it and we sat and watched the news about it for a few moments.  We were both in utter shock.

I had to go to school, so I left and drove there.  Once I entered the doors of  the choir room I noticed the TVs were on.  (Something that never was the case in there especially.)  It was then that the twin towers went crashing down.  I had never before, and never have since seen a room of young people be so distraught at what had just happened.

Such a tragic day, that will never be forgotten.  A day that so many people lost their lives.  The everyday heroes--the men and women working in those buildings.  The extraordinary heroes--the emergency workers who risked everything to save people.  And the poor innocent passengers on the planes just trying to get from point A to point B.  (And those who have lost their lives fighting the war on terrorism as well.)

All I know is that it is interesting how something so terrible can still be used for good.  Americans united that day, and to this day there is still a stronger bond between us than ever before.  When awful things happen, we do need to stick together and use it for good.  Whether that is hugging our loved ones while they are still with us, saying hello to a neighbor, giving 110% at your job, or whatever it might be.  Let's be thankful and proud to live in the U.S.A.

Much more could be said, but in fact I've already said too  much.

Do you believe in Magic?

:) I just whipped these up for an after dinner/weekend snack! Yum!

Here's the recipe.  I know they are no big secret, but they really are a bit of magic!  ;)  And oh, so, yummy!

Easy Vegetarian Lasagna

This is something that I've been meaning to make for years...but just hadn't.  So, when I made pasta yesterday I thought this was a perfect time to do it!  :)

Vegetarian Lasagna:

Lasagna Noodles (Homemade or store bought)

3 cups veggies, I used 1 c. carrots, 1 c. zucchini and 1 c. eggplant

1 c. cheese (ricotta, cottage cheese, goat cheese or other)  (I used goat cheese this time, and we both loved it...so I will probably stick with that, feel free to experiment though!)

Sauce of your choice (Use what you like, homemade or store bought)

1.  Start by filling two rather large pots with water and heating them to a boil.  Once they are boiling cook the pasta in one and the veggies (Cut up)  in the other.  Times will vary, so check them both frequently.

2.  Once the pasta noodles and veggies are cooked and drained you can start assembling the lasagna! :)

3.  Alternate layers of veggies, pasta and cheese until everything is gone. (Obviously it doesn't have to look perfect...as you can tell from mine. :)  I had three layers in mine and used 1/4 c. of cheese on the frist two and then 1/2 c. on the top.

4.  Pour the sauce over the top making sure that all the pasta is covered.  (You could also top this all with shredded mozzarella.  I just didn't.)

5.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

6.  Enjoy!  :)

Peanut Butter (Clif - like) Energy Bars

Peanut Butter (Clif - like) Energy Bars

2 c.  quick oats

1/2 c. instant non-fat dry milk (powder)

2 T.  seeds (sesame, sunflower, flax....)

3/4 c. honey or agave nectar

1 c.  peanut butter

This makes 6  half cup bars.

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring the honey and peanut butter to a boil--stirring constantly.

2.  Mix together dry ingredients.

3.  Once the honey/peanut butter mixture boils immediately add it to the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and either use a mixer or large spoon to combine.

4.  I came up with this technique today when making these.  Just put plastic wrap over a 1/2 cup measuring cup and fill pressing it to ensure it sticks together.  Then wrap and viola, mega cookie looking energy bars!  :)

That taste just like clif bars!

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan.  I suppose it's something you either A. love or B. hate.  I am one that falls under A, and completely, utterly and absolutely LOVE it!  :)  But I don't really like that it's fried typically....so here's a healthier recipe for it!  :)  And it still tastes delicious!!

Eggplant Parmesan:

Eggplant, sliced (about 1/4 inch thick slices)

Breading:  (mix together)

3/4 c. bread crumbs (I prefer Italian style but you could definitely use plain)

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Egg wash:  (mix together)

1 egg white

2 T. water

1.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Start with your slices.  It's okay if they aren't all perfect.  As you can tell, mine weren't.  :)

2.  Take a slice of eggplant and coat each side with the egg wash.

3.  Once the eggplant has egg on it, coat it with the breading on each side.  (Above and below pics)

4.  Place the first eggplant Parmesan on a baking sheet that was prepped with baking spray.

Then repeat steps 2 and 3 for the other slices.

5.  Once your baking sheet is full (like so) bake for 10 minutes on each side.  (or until golden!)

Then you can serve along with spaghetti or just by itself!  They will be crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.  Enjoy!  :)

Homemade Sweet Potato Pasta

Well, I can now say that I have made homemade pasta!  I guess I already could say that though, because this time last year I made some gnocchi.  But, now I really, truly, and in every sense of the word, have made pasta!  I made lasagna noodles, spaghetti noodles and a few little curly ones.  :)

I used the Fannie Farmer cookbook for general instructions, but since I wanted to make sweet potato pasta I just made up my recipe.  I fell in love with sweet potato pasta last year at the farmers market in Fort Collins where we could buy it.  So, I wanted to make some, and hopefully be able to recreate that!  :)  Plus it's good experience for general cooking expertise, etc. (And fun!!)

So, I will put the recipe and then also a tutorial like normal.  :)

Sweet Potato Pasta

3 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cooked (boiled)

2 Eggs, separated (or equivalent egg substitute)

Pinch of salt

~2 c. Whole Wheat Flour

1.  Start whipping up the egg whites in your mixer.  They'll start out looking about like this...

2.  Keep whipping those egg whites until they expand and look something like this...

3.  Mash the sweet potatoes until most of the lumps are gone.

4.  Add the mashed sweet potatoes into the egg mixture by the spoonful.

5.  Keep adding the sweet potatoes, and also add the salt at this time until well combined.  (As well as adding egg yolks if you are using them.)

6.  Start adding flour to the mixture about a 1/2 cup at a time.  (I still was using my flat beater, but really should have switched to my dough hook.  So if you have a dough hook, I recommend using that for the flour stage!)  :)

7.  Keep adding flour and mixing until it pulls away from the sides and into a ball.  (About like this, but I actually added a little more flour after this pic was taken.)

8.  Then turn it out onto a floured surface and divide into 4 rather equal sections.

9.  Take one section and start rolling it out.  Roll it as thin and evenly as you can. (I started rolling on my floured pastry board, but then switched to using floured wax paper to be able to move it easier.)

10.  Let it rest for a few minutes, and roll out the other sections of dough while you are waiting.

11.  Cut into desired strips.  Half of the pasta I made today I made into lasagna noodles.  So here are some....

And here they are ready to dry on the cooling rack....

12.  Repeat 11 for the remaining dough.  Here's a way to cut spaghetti noodles that I learned from the Fannie Farmer cookbook.

That did work well but I couldn't get them very thing that way....so I just did my own thing.  And they turned out pretty well!  (Pictured below)  :)

Ooo, then I had some scraps left over and decided to just make some fun little curly noodles.  So, here they are...

And last but not least, here are some of my spaghetti noodles hanging out to dry.  (Okay, truth be told they weren't hanging "out" to dry...but they were hanging, and drying! :)

Now!  I just can't wait to cook these all up for dinner this week!  Be sure to be on the lookout for a new lasagna recipe to go along with these noodles too.  :)

I'm so glad I finally just made some homemade pasta!  It's something that's been on my list, and I guess I just hadn't done yet.  So, now I can check it off...and just may be making some more very soon.  :)  It was fun, pretty easy and I am SOOO excited to really see how they taste!