POPCORN BALLS

Normally, I wouldn't post a recipe like this but I have had two friends recently talk about popcorn balls...which is a throwback for me. My mom use to make them when I was little...we would add different colors of food coloring into the marshmallow mixture and add different candies...like M&M's, Nibs and sprinkles (not the healthiest treat, I know but fun for the kids). Also instead of balls we would use a bundt cake pan to make a popcorn cake.

POPCORN BALLS
10 balls

4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag (10 ounce)  miniature marshmallows
12-14 cups popped popcorn
M&Ms (optional)

Note: Add more popcorn if you don't want them to be so sticky.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Add salt and 1 bag (10 ounces) mini marshmallows, microwave until melted (about 90 seconds), stirring every 30 seconds. In a large bowl, combine popped popcorn (from about 2/3 cup kernels), be careful not to mix in any un-popped kernels.

Pour melted marshmallows over popcorn mixture, and fold to combine. You will need to work quickly since the sugar in the marshmallows hardens as it cools. Rub a little butter into your hands to prevent sticking, and gently form 12 balls, each about 2 1/2 inches across; place on waxed paper. Let set until cool and firm, about 10 minutes. If you are using the bundt pan make sure you grease it well before putting the popcorn in so it doesn't stick.

We are still busy with our little Elf, Elfie this year. Here is what he has been up to this year...

Under the tree...

Found him in the car blasting Mele Kalikimaka...

Obstacle course down the hallway...



TP'ed the Christmas tree....

Wrapped the toilets with Christmas wrapping paper...

Finally caught him...

Praising baby Jesus...



Painted our nails red while we were sleeping...

Caught watching Christmas movies and eating popcorn with Buddy...

Suggesting it may be time to practice...

 Pig Popper war...

Drew mustaches on us while we were sleeping...

Decorated the dollhouse...

 Set up a domino course...

Stuck in the vacuum...

 Put our shoes all over by the front door...

 Pirates...

 King of the Mountain....

 Snow fort by the front door...

 Playing tooth fairy...

 HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

WATERMELON "CAKE"- CLEAN EATING

 

I was invited to my new friends' colony for a goose dinner. I have never had goose, so was excited to try it and especially excited to learn all about how their colony is so self sufficient. We started out the meal with a glass of strawberry wine, a short prayer in English (for our sake) followed by the German prayer. The soup was a goose stock with small pasta, followed by a cucumber salad, sauerkraut, new potatoes, fresh buns and of course the goose, which was really delicious. For dessert, "blizzards", homemade ice cream with crushed peanuts and chocolate. While we were finishing dessert and coffee my daughter went to go play outside with the other children. With an obvious language barrier it was fascinating to see how they were able to quickly communicate; a game of tag was easily understood and they were off. Now you need to realize that earlier in the day my daughter came running out of her room wearing shorts, sparkles, glitter, spaghetti straps...not exactly conservative, so I made her go back into her room and change into jeans, cowgirl boots, and a t-shirt. The entire morning she was begging for me to cut off her jeans into shorts, which I refused. On my second cup of coffee I peeked outside and saw a group of kids running crazy...Hutterite boys in black pants and buttoned up shirts and suspenders, girls in long floor length dresses with white blouses underneath and then I saw my daughter...who was still wearing her cowgirl boots, thank goodness, but had managed to yank her jeans up as high as she could into short shorts and tied her shirt way up, it was pretty cute.
Next we went on a tour...the school, church, kitchen, dining hall, food storing, canning, butchering room and laundry. She showed me how they use the lard to make soap. The best part was going into the basement of the kitchen and seeing all the canning. It was so beautiful...they opened the door and there on the shelves were 100's of masons jars filled with every color of the rainbow.
They loaded me up with new things to try like pickled watermelon and pickled vine peaches, strawberry wine and even two goose down filled pillows. I have never seen a plucker before and honestly would be ok if I never do again! They also sent me home with watermelons so we decided to make it into something fun...a cake!

 

 

Watermelon "Cake"- Clean Eating

Adapted from Martha Stewart

 

The watermelon...

Slice a section out of the middle of the melon...



 Slice into pieces...



Use a melon baller on the end sections of the watermelon...

  Add to the top of the "cake"

Time to get messy...

 We probably could have made two "cakes" with this watermelon....

  A perfect piece...

 

Buddy loves watermelon!

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH CAULIFLOWER PUREE- CLEAN EATING

This is as close to eating a steak as I get! ;)

Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Puree- CLEAN EATING

Adapted from Bon Appetit

1 1 1/2-pound head of cauliflower

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk - or regular organic milk

2 tablespoons olive plus additional for brushing

Preheat oven to 250°F. Using sharp heavy knife and starting at top center of cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch-thick slices of cauliflower, cutting through stem end. Set cauliflower steaks aside.

Cut enough florets from remaining cauliflower head to measure 3 cups. Combine florets, 1 1/2 cups water, and milk in medium saucepan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook until cauliflower florets are very tender, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Spread florets on large rimmed baking sheet, and bake 10 minutes until slightly dry. Transfer florets to blender. Add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Return puree to same saucepan and increase oven temperature to 350°F.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brush cauliflower steaks with additional oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cauliflower steaks to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake cauliflower steaks until tender, about 10 minutes.

Rewarm cauliflower puree over medium heat. Divide puree between 2 plates; top each with cauliflower steak.

I was sitting outside and enjoying a summer evening when a beautiful buck and doe appeared. I often see does and fawns but rarely a buck and especially with so many points.

Printable Recipe

BAKED CARAMELIZED ONIONS- CLEAN EATING

I decided it was time to dig deep into all the closets and have a massive rummage sale, consisting of 4 years of hording -no, -collecting -no,  storing- that sounds better! It is amazing how a family can accumulate so much in so little time. I have to say that as much as I hated going through all of our stuff it is the best feeling in the world to open my closets and cupboards and have everything organized and minimized!

Within 2 hours of the sale I decided it was going from a two-day sale to a one-day sale. I met a family from a Hutterite colony about an hour away from me and we struck up a deal. They could have everything left over and in return they would keep me well supplied with produce all year long...SOLD!

In the last week they have kindly dropped off honey, cucumbers, zucchini, corn, cauliflower, new potatoes and onions...by the bushels!!! I am taking up a full-time job of learning how to preserve everything as fast as I can! And I am thinking I need a cellar in the new house! 

This recipe is a perfect way to turn regular onions into something AMAZING!

Also, it is a great recipe because your not tied to the stovetop for 20-30 minutes stirring non-stop like traditional methods of caramelizing onions. This recipe calls for the onions to bake for 2 1/2 hours with a simple stir every 15 minutes, resulting in perfect caramelized onions...so delicious on top of  Portabella Burgers!

Baked Caramelized Onions- Clean Eating
Adapted from What's Cooking America
Makes 2 1/2 cups

5 pounds yellow (brown-skin) onions (about 5 to 6 large onions)*
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
Note: I used 18 small/medium onions

Note: You can use any large onion variety, but the yellow (brown-skin) onions actually work the best. Some onions caramelize more quickly than others, and the standard yellow onion (brown-skin) actually contains more sugars than "sweet" onions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the stem and root ends of the onions, then halve then lengthwise, and peel away the dried brown skin.

Cut the onions into 1/4-inch slices. It is important to have all the onion slices roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Place all the onion slices in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven (I like to grease the inside of my pot).

At this point, your pot will be full of sliced onions, but the onions will wilt and shrink dramatically during the cooking process. Toss the sliced onions with the  oil and salt to help draw out the moisture and to keep them from sticking to the pot. Cover the pot and place in the preheated oven.
Set your timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, open the oven, remove the lid, and the stir the onions well (scrape all sides of the pot and make sure you get all the bits and pieces - stir the onions well). Cover with lid and return to the oven. Repeat this 15 minutes process for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Watch the onions shrink and the color change to a reddish-brown.

After you reach the 2-hour point, your onions will have almost no water left and will have darkened and taste sweet. NOTE: If you feel you have too much water left in the pot, place the pot back in the oven with no lid for an additional 15 minutes - 30 minutes to evaporate the excess water.

To store the caramelized onions, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

BALSAMIC MACERATED STRAWBERRIES AND BASIL

The summer heat is here...and I say bring it on, I am still melting from winter! One of my favorite things about summertime is the wonderland of ripe fruits and fresh vegetables. Yesterday, I loaded up with blueberries, peaches, dark red cherries, and my favorite...strawberries.

This is an easy, elegant and delicious dessert that you can make with little effort.

BALSAMIC-MACERATED STRAWBERRIES AND BASIL
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Serves 6-8

2 lb. fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced (about 4 cups)
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
8 to 10 medium fresh basil leaves
optional: serve over vanilla ice cream

NOTE: I have found the easiest way to hull the strawberries is to insert a straw at the bottom if the strawberry and push all the way through so the stem pops out.

In a large bowl, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar and vinegar.

 Let sit at room temperature until the strawberries have released their juices but are not yet mushy, about 30 minutes. (Don’t let the berries sit for more than 90 minutes, or they’ll start to collapse.)

If you want to slice the basil thin, stack the leaves on a cutting board and roll them vertically into a loose cigar shape. Using a sharp chef’s knife, very thinly slice across the roll to make a fine chiffonade of basil.

Portion the strawberries and their juices among small dessert bowls and scatter with the basil to garnish, or choose one of the serving suggestions below.

I prefer mine plain as well as over vanilla ice cream.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the strawberries over grilled or toasted pound cake. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream.
• Serve over vanilla ice cream and garnish with basil.
• Put the berries on split biscuits for shortcakes; top with whipped cream and scatter with the basil.
• Layer the berries with ice cream or yogurt for a parfait. Garnish with the basil.
• Spoon the strawberries over a poached or roasted peach half.
• Use the berries as a filling for crêpes or a topping for waffles.

Summertime....

PRINTABLE RECIPE

BAKED OVEN FRIES

The other night when I made portabella mushroom burgers, I also made oven fries that were so good...crispy and salty! I love this recipe...probably one of the best recipes for oven fries that I have tried.

BAKED OVEN FRIES
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated: The Best New Recipe Book

6 medium russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges

4-5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided

¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 3-4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil. Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.

When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm and with a portabella mushroom burger; they are delicious!

 LOVING FLORIDA!!!

PRINTABLE RECIPE