Stalker!!

Me: "Please carry the basket of clean clothes upstairs."
14 year old son: "Who will carry it when you get old?"
Me:"You."
Son:"What if I move away? To .....Alabama?"
Me: "I will move with you. Follow you"
Son: "That's called a Stalker."
Me: "That's called a Mom."

Recipe Re-invented-Or, Hot Pumpkin

        

             I have a pumpkin soup recipe that I have made since I taught preschool 15 years ago. I got the recipe out of a curriculum book that I copied the page from. (I bought the book. I just wanted a copy in my recipe mess (more about my recipe mess another time)). Tonight it occurred to me, I don't make the recipe that is on the paper. I make my own recipe entirely different from looking at it. My recipe comes out sweet and the other one is garlicky with ham in it. Hmmm. Not only that, I don't even eat mine. I drink it out of a mug. 
           I told my husband, "This isn't even a soup. It is a drink. Like Hot Chocolate. Or Hot Vanilla (love that!). I am going to actually write down this recipe and post it. Then I can throw away the other one, that I have never even used. 
So, I hope you enjoy it. Here it is;

Hot Pumpkin

3 cans (15 oz. ) of Pumpkin

6 cups milk

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 - 1 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients into a pan (or Crockpot) and warm until hot. Be careful not to burn or curdle the milk.
2. Drink. You can add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

I whipped the drink in the cups with my frother. 

If you heat it in a crockpot, you can leave it in there on warm for several hours. Stir occasionally. 

This serves many. 

Options: 

• You could use whipping cream for a richer flavor.
• You can add cocoa powder for a chocolate pumpkin (that is  yummy too.)
• You could use almond, or coconut milk or another alternative milk for  a more healthful drink. Since Pumpkin is full of vitamins.
• This is a good drink to put in a To Go cup and give to the neighbors.

Let me know how you like it. 

First Day of School and Chili

            So we had our first day of school yesterday. It was mostly like an orientation to the year and what to look forward to. We went through our notebooks, our subjects we will be doing, our weekly schedule, and then did a couple of worksheets.  I usually take a picture of everyone for their notebook but, I didn't get there. It is definitely different with the 2 Little's (4 and 2yos).  It was also cold and dreary. Not like our usual beautiful sky first day of school. Everyone was up but, not all ready for the day.

The view from our balcony on the first day of school. Dreary.

I did make an interesting dinner for them. They wanted Chile Cheese fries the other day (they saw it on a picture) and I told them I would make some. Well, I made the best chili I've ever made and then put them on top of tater tots and sprinkled cheese on top. They loved it. Me... not so much. The chili was good but, I'd rather eat it with chips or nothing. I'm not much of a tater tot fan. Here is a picture and the chili recipe I used.

Chile

2 lbs ground beef

2-15 oz. can Kidney beans

1-15 oz. can pinto beans

1- 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1-10 oz. can Rotel Original (we don't usually have that here

in So Cal but, I found it at Target)

1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1-small onion diced 

1- stock of celery diced

3/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 TBL chili powder (add more to you taste)

2/3 tsp cumin

1. Saute onions and celery in a little olive oil until clearish.
2. Brown ground beef, then drain off fat.
3. Dump all ingredients into the crock-pot. Stir to combine.

Cook on Low 7-8 hours or on High 3-4 hours. You really can cook it as long as you like. It just blends the flavors more. Also, my family got antsy so I dumped it in a pot and cooked it for 2-3 hours on the stove, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

          If you want to, dump it on oven baked fries or tater tots. You could then top with cheese and even a little sour cream. They loved it. 

Hope you enjoy it. 

Sweet Tea is My Daily Fuel. Is That a Problem?

My recipe for sweet tea is the same as everyone else's, I suppose. I have a couple of quirks that I like. but, would you really expect anything else from me? I always have my own way of doing things.

First the recipe. Plain and simple.

Sweet Tea
2 TBL loose leaf tea
3/4 Cup Sugar
about a 1/2 gallon of water (8 cups)
Lots of ice.

Boil the water in your tea kettle just to boiling. Don't let it whistle a long time. You will boil all of the air out of it. Then it will taste... flat.  Pour boiling water over the tea and let steep for 5 minutes. This  is key to getting the right flavor. After 5 minutes pour into your pitcher over the sugar so the hot water dissolves the sugar. Now I read a couple days ago that you should put in the cold water over the sugar first so that the hot water doesn't make the sugar bitter. I tried it this morning. Not sure if it makes a difference. I will have to try it and also get my dear husbands opinion before I let you know. The water will be warm enough still to make the sugar dissolve. Stir and let sit a minute or so to let all of the sugar dissolve or it will stay on the bottom of the pitcher. 

Fill the pitcher the rest of the way with cold water.   Done.

Now the quirks. Loose leaf tea is better because they use the leaf not the stems and twigs. The flavor is less bitter. There are lots of brands on the market. Here in California there are not many to choose from. In fact the Lipton that I use, I have to drive 30 minutes to the only Target that carries loose leaf tea.  I'm sure I could order a different brand but, I'm o.k. with this until they stop carrying this. There are fancy teas. Teavana is a store in our mall here. There is a wall of all different kinds of teas from all over the world. Just like coffee, that is fun for something different but, if you pay 12.00 and ounce are you really going to enjoy it regularly or just as a special something. I am not really excited to think about how I would react if the kids spill a little on the floor when they try to help in the kitchen. To me that kills the relaxation part of sipping a glass of tea.

I also like the organic sugar from Trader Joe's better then the regular white sugar. I don't really know why it tastes a little different but it is less likely to go bitter in the hot tea.  Really any sugar will do.
Some people like their coffee just a certain way. Others will drink any old black cup of joe. I am that way with my tea. I'm not crazy about it out. I really like it at home the best.

This is the o ld fashioned way to brew tea and a great way still. Just a little messy.  You would put the tea in the bottom of the bowl pour the water in (about 2 cups worth. Eyeball it.) Then use a strainer to pour it into the pitcher. You don't want to chew your tea. This works well. I always end up pouring in too much water and I need to get a potholder because the bowl gets hot. Why use a metal bowl. I can't remember. But, I think there is a reason. Something about the chemical reaction with the tea??? Maybe someone else knows.

Teavana brewer. 

This is my wonderful tea brewer. I love it and totally recommend using one. If you don't have a teavana, you can order it online .
Teavana Tea-diffuser
It is a little pricey. But, they do have sales and you can balance it out with the fact that your tea only costs a couple of bucks for weeks worth.
The diffuser keeps the tea in the top and you set the whole brewer on top of your pitcher and it pours out only the brewed hot tea. Leaving the wet leaves in the top. No straining. Even the kids can and do put it on the pitcher and I don't worry too much about burns this way.
Either way makes a great tea.

Here is the brewer on the pitcher. It fits nicely and then there is no worry about spilling, or getting leaves in the pitcher.

O.K. I make things more complicated sometimes. But, if there is a way to do something and it makes my life better or easier, I'm going to share it. I love this silly gadget. It makes my tea life easier. My boys can actually make tea. I watch them pour the boiling water into the brewer. That is it. Less mess. Less fuss.

This is the end result. Icey cold tea. The lemonade is for my husband. He loves Arnold Palmers. That is half lemonade and half tea. Sorry, he is born and raised in California. The cups I will tell about another day but, for now I think we are all tired of talking about making tea. Let's go drink one. Enjoy.

Slow-Cooker Beans - First Recipe

Part of the reason I wanted to do this blogging thing was to not only share my favorite recipes but, get them all in the same place so my family and I have them.  Right now my recipes are everywhere.  In the computer, in 3 ring binders, in my e-mail box, in a recipe box, even taped inside of the cabinets. I really have to think where I have to go to get a particular recipe. Obviously this is a sore spot for me. So, here is yet another place for my recipes. Hopefully, I can get them all down here so I will have record of them all.

         Today I was going to make a new Slow- Cooker Lasagna. But, my cell phone just died ( see I didn't thank God for that yesterday. See last post.), my oldest gets home from Jr. High church camp ( a whole other story), my little son threw up in said older sons  bed last night (not going to go over well when he gets home),  I was sick for a couple of days- the kind where you really don't want to get off of the couch. So the house is our of control. I won't be making the Lasagna. Takes too much for me to get it together today. So I will make a good stand by.

        Slow-Cooker Beans. I know sounds kinda boring and well, strange. We eat a lot of burritos in the house. I mean, we do live in the Old Mexico portion that was taken over by the U.S. At least, that was what I was taught in school. So we have all been raised on great Mexican food. With a pot of beans, I can make cornbread and veggies and go southern. Or, I can cook some meat and make burritos or tacos. Very versatile and not time consuming. They really can even sit over night and we can use them tomorrow.

Here is the recipe for Slow-Cooker Beans.

3 Cups Pinto beans (you can use really any kind. I have used all sorts.)
1/2 of an onion chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 TBL of oil ( I like olive or grape - Healthier)
Enough water  or broth (I really like Vegetable broth) to fill pot 2/3 full.


1) Wash and pick through the beans.
2) Put beans in the crock with water. More then cover them. I prefer filtered water.
3) Cook on high for one hour. Dump water and wash beans through a colindar .
( We call this the toot water. If you don't do this part you will be sorry with a stomach ache and very bad gas. Not pretty!!)
4) Put beans back in the pot with broth or water. Add  onion, garlic, and oil.
5) Cook on high for about 5-6 hours.
6) When beans are tender, add Salt and Pepper to taste. Salt should be added last as they will make the beans tough.

Refried Beans

Take about 2 cups of the beans you made (maybe the day before) and some of the juice. Put it in a small skillet with a little oil in the bottom. Heat and Mash as you go. I use an old potato masher. Continue With the heat and mashing until the liquid evaporates and you have the consistency that you want.

Hope you enjoy the recipe. I love my slow-cooker so there will be many recipes on here for it. I also love the blog A Year of Slow Cooking . She is the bomb when it comes to great recipes in the crock.

O.K. I get to change the yucky sheets now, and referee my "littles" .