Cookbook Challeange # 3

Ahhh, the good old original Betty Crocker!

This is one that every household should own. A few years ago, they re-released this book, but it just doesn't compare to the real thing. This particular book is another one that my mother passed down to me and I can't thank her enough.

For this challenge I choose zucchini bread. Which I kind of feel is cheating in a way because I use this recipe many times year after year. So, I may end up cooking from this book again later on in the challenge just to be fair. The idea is to choose new things and "challenge" myself.

Cookbook Challenge #2

HAPPY FUNNEL CAKES!

Every year Tim and I look forward to the 4th of July so we can get funnel cakes. Well, this year it decided to rain and funnel cakes were canceled. We went on a hunt to find the tasty treat. No such luck.

But, it just so happens that my girls Cindy and Megan gave me one of the best cookbooks for my birthday. I am now the proud owner the King Arthur Flour Bakers Companion. This book has it all.Needless to say we found a funnel cake recipe and crossed our fingers. The ingredients were simple and seemed like it would be a piece of cake! Little did we know.

I'm not sure if the oil was too hot or what but this really didn't go as planned. The batter did not hold together, instead it made little funnel cake bites or crumbles and a few fritter looking lumps. Oh well, it was still delish and did the trick!

Farmer Faith 2009

So far this years mini farm is doing great! I'll let the pictuers tell the story. Enjoy! :)

The tomatoes are looking great so far. I have a feeling we are going to have a TON so we should have lots to share.

I am very excited about the zucchini and squash. Maybe I can grow a monster zucchini again this year. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

This is broccoli. It hasn't really done much more than this for awhile now. I'm not sure when the broc comes to play. I guess we'll just have to be patient.

And the show stopper if the CORN! I am amazed at how well this stuff is doing in our back yard. It looks like one is almost ready to eat. I think next year we are going to grow a lot more.

Cookbook Challenge #1

Watkins Cook Book 1936

I think this cookbook may mean the most to me. It belonged to my grandmother and for years I have begged my mom for this book but she would never part with it. That is until now. This year for my 30th birthday she finally passed it on. I am so proud to own this book and am very honored that my mother would give it to me. One thing I love most about this book is the hand written changes to the recipes. Or maybe the typed recipes folded and used as book marks. There is just so much to love about this book. So, I felt it fitting for this to be the first cookbook in my challenge.

For my first recipe I chose Pork Chops Southern Style.

I was a little nervous as I have never had chops prepared this way and the recipe really didn't give much instructions. I tweaked the recipe just a tad by using a cast iron dutch oven instead of a "buttered baking dish". I did not have "onion seasoning" so I used garlic powder instead. Also, instead of "rich cream sauce or tomato sauce" I used a little garlic basil and olive oil tomato sauce out of a jar and a splash of half and half.

It may not have looked fabulous but I have to say, it was DELISH! The meat was so tender and the flavor was delightful.
Not so bad for my first challenge. I wonder what's next.

Cookbook Challenge

I love cookbooks, new and old. I started collecting them not too long ago and to date I have about 47 books.

As much as I love cookbooks, I have to say, I don't use them very often. However, I would like that to change. I think it would be cool to say I have made something from each of my books. So, here is my challenge to myself. I will pick one recipe from each book and attempt to make it. Sounds easy enough. I will post pictures of each recipe and hopefully not embarrass myself in the process. :) I'm not the greatest cook in the world, but I do enjoy it. So here goes...

Happy Birthday to ME! take three.

My Tim is always so good to me and I feel like I may have underestimated him. He is the kind of person that can do anything he puts his mind to. He can figure out any problem and he is the greatest husband in the world.

That being said, there has been an on going conversation about how "easy" it would be to "build" a skirt or dress. Tim has always said things like "eh, there's nothing to it, you just wrap some fabric around and sew it up!" We have always laughed at him...until now.

While I was in Tulsa, Tim looked up a few how-to video's on Youtube about sewing. He purchased a few yards of fabric and yes friends, my husband made me a skirt for my birthday! And not just any ol plain skirt. A gathered skirt with a waist band and hem. A real skirt! Take a look for yourself. I know your jealous.

He also bought me a stick blender, dutch oven and mortar and pestle, but I think the skirt is the best part.

Happy Birthday to ME! take two.

As you may or may not know, I was in Tulsa for work on my birthday this year. To be honest I wasn't thrilled to be away for my birthday but I decided to make the most of it and try to have a good time.

Tuesday was our travel day so I met up with my friends Sandy and Brenda and they treated me to a fabulous spa pedicure. I had no idea they were going to pay for it. It was a great surprise and my feet look marvelous.

That evening we went to the Purple Glaze for our group activity. This part really doesn't have anything to do with my birthday but I'm really excited about what I painted. I think I picked out the largest thing available. It's a pie plate with a lid and it's huge. The colors will look totally different once the pieces are fired.

I hope it turns out okay. They are going to pick it up next week and ship it to me.

Anyway, Wednesday was my big 30! We had a meeting, lunch, ice cream cake, and more meeting. That evening we went to an Irish pub called Kilkenny's for dinner. The food was great! I ordered the fish and chips and a black velvet (Guinness and Champagne).

After the black velvet I tried the yellow jacket (Guinness and Blvd Wheat).

It was also my friend Janet's birthday so they brought out two very tasty chocolate cakes.

All in all it was a good birthday. I would have liked to have been home but I did have fun and it gave Tim plenty of time to work on my gifts.