Cold Days & Warm Hearts

When I woke up this morning, it was quite chilly, so on my way to work, I decided that I wanted to make this day a little warmer day...for me at least! I really thought about Christmas Shopping, but decided to wait a little bit longer! Oops...did I just say Christmas before Thanksgiving! Ha ha! I Love Christmas!

I finished work by noon and headed home...when I got there; I built me a little fire and then set to work on gathering ingredients for my treats that I wanted to cook up! (I Love My Food Storage!)

Greg loves pumpkin cookies...I don't think they’re too bad either...so they would be my first whip up for the afternoon, sure glad too, nothing better than a warm pumpkin cookie with melted chocolate chips to munch on while cooking more yummies!
 
I used these three ingredients to make quick and easy pumpkin cookies and wanted to show you how darn easy they really are...so I added some illustrations.

Pumpkin Cookies

2 boxes of cake mix (spice or yellow)
1 large can of pumpkin
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix together well
* Add spices to taste like pumpkin pie - allspice, cloves, ginger, nutmeg
Place on baking paper lined cookie sheet and bake @ 375 degrees for 10 - 12 mins.

I was on a roll and decided since I hadn't eaten lunch yet, that I would get dinner started before I sat down to eat a couple of left overs from last night for lunch.

I decided to make Taco Soup. This is so easy it's scary.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 lg. can tomato juice
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can tomatoes (not drained)
1 can black olives, sliced (I like to cut my olives up with my egg dicer)
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. ranch dip seasoning (optional)
Grated Cheese
Dorito chips or other salsa chips
You may like to add a little water to thin the soup...this is up to you!

Brown ground beef in large pot then drain, add other ingredients except cheese and chips and simmer.
I like to put mine in my Crock Pot and cook on low for 1-2 hours.
Serve with crumpled chips on bottom of bowl add soup and top with cheese.

So...Carla, my sister brought me this neat cornbread recipe last night...she knows that my family loves cornbread...so I decided to try it...and yep, it was so easy and very yummy!
I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients...but I did shoot the mix after I got it all mixed up.

Sweet Chili Cheese Cornbread

1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
1 can cream style corn
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

*To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in warm water for about 10 mins before cracking)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.  Add green chiles and corn and mix well. 
Add flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt.
Mix well
then add: cheese
Take a spoonfull of flour and toss with grated cheese (this helps prevent the cheese from sticking together in a big lump.) Mix well

Pour mixture into a pam sprayed 9x13 baking pan.  Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for 50- 60 mins. or until knife inserted in center of pan comes out with no goopy batter on it.  (Why yes, goopy IS an official culinary term.)

So yes, here is the final eats of this chilly rainy day...Greg and I truly enjoyed them and I sure wish that Carla would have been home to try the cornbread...it is yummy...I'll be adding it to some of my favorite recipes.

Well, this wraps up my baking and cooking on this chilly day! I managed to make this day more pleasant and I did indeed manage to warm two hearts... I hope I was able to warm some of your hearts by sharing these recipes with you and may you find them as yummy as much as I do! 

We are now enjoying a cozy warm fire, watching a BYU Men's Basketball Game, while waiting for the JAZZ Basketball Game at 8 p.m. tonight!  Pretty sure Greg will be having a glass of milk and a couple of pumpkin cookies before the night is over...for me...well, I will pop up some popcorn, make up some hot chocolate and really enjoy this chilly November 2012 night!

Good Eats, Warm Hearts and Good Night!

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God (D&C 101:16)

Garden 2012

Glazed Carrots/ Regular Carrots 2012 Garden

Whitney's Buck 2012

       
































My heart is tender today. I write this because I know that we will move forward in faith and endurance after this election. We can be thankful that we live here in this beautiful little valley that may be the poorest among all counties in the United States of America, but very rich in patriotism, and very rich with good people. I want you on my side when the hard times hit...I want to walk and stand with those of you who believe that we can stand together and make good from such bad!

As I say prayers of Thanks to a God who loves each of us, and holds us in the hollow of his hands in good times and bad, I am assured that all is good and the hard times ahead of us will teach each of us the true importance of why we live...life is but a blink of an eye...so move forward and enjoy what you have right here, right now!

I look out at my little garden spot and see the remains of evidence that God was good to us in bringing forth a productive and generous garden this summer that I have bottled and have sitting on my shelves and in my freezers, as well as being shared with family and friends. I look in my freezers and see the evidence that again God has been good to us in filling my freezer with Deer, Elk and Beef, and many other treats that come with homemaking!

We are extra spoiled because I look out my window and see the beautiful wood pile that could last up to 3-4 years, that my husband’s loving hands has stacked there for his family and I know in my heart that if my children, family or neighbors need any of it, he would gladly share it...because God has blessed us with good health!

Let's not forget that even though this election may set this country back and perhaps lead us into devastation, that we are a blessed people because of where we live and what we stand for...I am thankful to be in it with you, my friends, neighbors and fellow county citizens...thank you for your kindness and love!

Stand strong and straight...and know that I will still enjoy my friendships that I have with those that chose to vote differently than me, because in the end...it was never between us and them...it was always between us and God anyway! Have Faith! ♥

 Hi Readers,
 I came across this recipe and wanted to share with my family and friends...tomorrow or Saturday, whichever day gives me the most time...I am going to share another granola recipe...that doesn't take quite so much effort...but this one is great!

As far as the ingredients go...shop amazon.com I find this resource my favorite place to shop most times! Now some of you people live in the city...so go to your health food stores and buy, buy, buy...but hey I live in the country so ground delivery is about as good as I get!

PS: I use the oven method to cook mine too!

Good luck and let me know what you think...if you have allergies to nuts like I do...get creative with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and other yummy treats!

CINNABON GRANOLA

You know, the smell that has tortured people in shopping malls everywhere for years? I sure do. Well, now that smell can be found in your own house! A big, gooey cinnamon bun….in granola form.



GRANOLA
2 cups (215g) rolled oats
1/2 cup (95g) raw buckwheat groats
1/2 cup (65g) raw walnuts, chopped (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds...the list can go on)
1/2 cup (50g) unsweetened shredded coconut (chopped dried fruit or oat bran for nut allergies)
1/4 cup (40g) raisins
1 tbsp (15mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5mL) sea salt
1/4 tsp (1.25mL) fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (50g) Medjool dates, pitted (if  they don't have to be this brand, use what you're used to)
2 tbsp (30mL) melted coconut oil (melted butter if you have nut allergies)
2 tbsp (30mL) water
2 tsp (10mL) pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, buckwheat, walnuts, shredded coconut, raisins, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

2. Using a blender, blend the maple syrup, dates, coconut oil, water and vanilla extract into a smooth, thick sauce.

3. Pour the sauce into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are well coated.

DEHYDRATOR METHOD
4. Transfer the granola to a Teflex-lined dehydrator tray and spread into a thin (about 1/2 inch thick), even layer. Dehydrate for 8 to 10 hours at 115F.

OVEN METHOD
4. Preheat the oven to 300F. Transfer the mixture to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread into a thin, even layer. Bake for 25 minutes, gently stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Allow to cool completely before gently breaking into clusters. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or at room temperature.

Makes about 6 cups of granola.