Craving Kettle Corn?

Well, I was! Last night we made popcorn. We don't usually eat popcorn, as a matter of fact, we didn't have any in the house, so when I was at the grocery yesterday I picked up a bottle of kernals. I've always been the "old fashioned" type and like popping my corn in a pot on the stove.

I was thinking back to when we went to the Cracker Christmas Festival in December at Fort Christmas. It's such a fun event with people dressed in historical costume and doing all sorts of demonstrations. One of the most popular booths at the festival is by far the Kettle Corn booth. As a matter of fact, the line was so long that we didn't get any Kettle Corn that day. However, we did stand right next to the tent and watch them make it in those huge Kettles...it was so cool.

So, anyhoooo, last night I decided to make popcorn, and I thought...gee, why can't I make kettle corn? So,....I did. My version at least....and it was pretty good!

In the bottom of my large heavy stock pot I put a drizzle of Olive Oil, and 1-2 Tbsp. Butter, then I added about 1/8-1/4 C. of raw (turbinado style) sugar. NOTE: I'm just tellin' you what I used, but regular sugar would be fine, I didn't measure anything because I was totally wingin' it.

I started to heat that up over med-high heat, then added 1/2 C. popcorn kernals. I put on the lid and shook the pot around over the heat.

Let's peek inside...it's gettin' steamy in there!

I let it sit for a few seconds, then swirl it around, over and over until it starts to pop...keep doing this until it is almost completely done popping, shake it up good (hold on to your lid!).  When it's just poppin every few seconds, keep shaking it, but don't set on direct heat...turn it off and look inside!

Remove the lid, sprinkle with a little salt, and Voila! Kettle Corn! It was soooooooo gooooood!

Once Upon A Time...There was a Hungry Horse...

Well, there still is actually. Hungry Horse is a restaurant in Boerne, TX. Among other greats; food, service, atmosphere, prices, and sweet tea, they make a great Chicken Tortilla Soup. I was there last winter, and it was the first time I ever had a bowl of that soup. They served it with this fantastic bran muffin...yup, you heard me right, it went wonderfully with the soup too! I fell in love with this soup and went back again and again while I was in town.

If you want to try it though, you'd better travel during the winter months, because it is a seasonal item on their menu. No worries if you are there any other time of the year, you are SURE to find something yummy!

One night, while I was at my sister, Debbie's house, she made Chicken Tortilla Soup for dinner. Her version was sooooo close to the soup I had at The Hungry Horse, it was fantastic! She says that I MUST give credit for this soup to her son, Jake (he's a natural born chef ), as she learned how to make it from him. However, I forgot to get the recipe.!

~Debbie~

Fast forward....I was grocery shopping the other day, it was COLD outside, and I started thinking about that soup. I really began to NEED it, LOL. I quickly dialed my sister in TX and had her relay to me what I needed and how to put it together.

That night I ate this...

and I served it with Jalapeno and Cheddar Cheese Cornbread ~ perfect for soaking up the broth!

I also had it the next day for lunch and then again for dinner....MMMmmmmm!

Capt. Mike's opinon? Well, let's just say it's got some Texas heat that he isn't too keen on. He ate it, he even had some the second night, but he didn't enjoy the burn in the back of his throat....sorry sweet love! More for me!

For the recipe go here....do this if you'd like to try roasting chilis! It takes some time, but it is WELL worth the effort.

If you want a "quickie" version...go here! I haven't tried this one, but created it to mimic the original as closely as possible while making it much faster and easier.

Have a Spicy Day!
Kathy C.

Salmon Cakes...and I don't even like fish!

Ok, ya'll, it's confession time...I'm a Texan. Not one of those Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, grew up near the Gulf Coast, eating fresh caught fish at dinner kind of Texans. I'm an El Paso, Bordertown, Tex-Mex, Burger, and BBQ Beef eatin' kinda Texan. Let's just say, I did not grow up eating seafood,......well, come to think of it,...there was the popcorn shrimp at Long John Silvers..., and of course "fish sticks"...but what teenager doesn't eat fried stuff with ketchup???

Quite some time ago beef became a "sometimes" food in my house, we're mostly chicken eaters now. However, I married a man born and raised on the East Coast of Florida, a fish eating man... he loves the stuff! Much to his dismay, I have tried everything to avoid cooking fish for him. It's not that I don't want to please him, I just had my self convinced that "I don't like fish". I thought it smelled fishy (found out that if it does it's not fresh), thought it was slimy (don't have a clue why). Now as I've aged, I become quite a healthy, natural, whole grain, organic veggie, homemade pretty much everything kinda woman, I've also learned that eating fish, the right kinds, cooked the right way, is almost essential to good health, especially as we age.

Believe it or not, this fish "hating" gal has found a few recipes that she really likes...here is one I tried just last night.

I wanted to make Salmon Salad, but as this whole "fish" thing is relatively new to me, I had no clue what to put in it, so I turned to my dear friend Kim,...she had no idea either...BUT she did have a recipe for Salmon Cakes. Armed with her recipe, and another 2 I found online, I whipped up these Salmon Cakes with Creamy Dill Sauce - though I did have my share of difficulties during the process, they turned out really good!!! :)

Here's how it went down....

I grilled and shredded my Salmon, then chilled it. I then tossed a couple of slices of whole wheat bread in my food processor and mixed all the necessary goodies together...

Next I was supposed to form patties, but my mixture just didn't want to stick together, so I added a litte extra virgin olive oil...maybe it's because I used fresh grilled Salmon instead of the canned Salmon???

Anyhow, after adding the oil it was a LITTLE easier to make patties. I carefully put them on a pan covered in wax paper, which I had sprinkled well with flour. I then sprinkled more flour over them and gently patted it in, I prayed they would stay intact, and topped with another sheet of wax paper, popped it in the fridge for about an hour (only 20 minutes is needed, but I was in no hurry).

I heated the butter and olive oil over med-high heat, and began to fry the cakes. They still didn't want to hold together very well, so it was a little hard getting them into the pan. Turning them took 2 spatulas, and one of them lost it, and fell apart...after some counseling, he pulled it together. (See my sweet puppers down there, dreaming about Salmon Cakes).

I made this yummy Creamy Dill Sauce to top them with and they tasted fantastic!

Here's what you need to make the sauce.

Here's what I found out:

- You shouldn't cook them for the same amount of time on both sides, they cook faster after you turn them over, be careful not to burn the second side.

- If the mixture doesn't want to hold together, Ex. Virgin Olive Oil is a good helper.

Since it's just me and the Hubby, I had some cakes left over. I froze them on wax paper then transferred them to a freezer bag to use at another time.

Have a beautiful day!

In My Garden...

"And there He makes the hungry to dwell,
So that they may establish an inhabited city,
And sow fields and plant vineyards,
And gather a fruitful harvest."
Psalm 107:36-37


Gardening is one of my passions, I get so excited when I see something changing, growing, blooming, fruiting, blossoming, sprouting, etc....


I feel like a kid in a candy store and usually run to take my hubby away from some important task in order to show him a little baby plant or a tiny bell pepper, a rose that bloomed on seemingly dead wood, or to count the number of pineapples that are growing.To most visitors, this might look like a green jungle, out of control and wild...but to me this is... the sweet taste of honeysuckle nectar... the scent of heaven in confederate jasmine... the surprise of an orchid blooming on a "stick"... pineapples hiding among mounds of purple lantana, which in the glow of twilight are dancing with bumble-bee hummingbirds... the smell of suntan lotion in yellow plumeria... the happy sunshine laughter of golden cosmos... and the gentle sound of trickling water...

This year my garden is adorned with 7 pineapple fruits. As I watch them grow, I start imagining the taste of vine ripened pineapple, pineapple coffee cake, smoothies with fresh pineapple and watermelon, and yummy pineapple and chicken shisk-ka-bobs....mmmmm... the possibilities of what you can do with pineapple are endless!

Today I picked the second of my 7 pineapples...here I am showing off my "catch"...

(don't you just love the totally cute garden boots my sister gave me!)

I decided to post a week of pineapple recipes to showcase these tasty fruits. Starting Wednesday, July 16th, pop over to my cooking blog, The_Wooden_Spoon, to see what you can whip up with pineapple...

Now head outiside and find something to make you smile!

Menu Plan Monday

I don't really plan my menu's for the upcoming week, as I live my life on a "Cop's Schedule" and it can be everchanging. :) So, I will share a Menu Plan that incorporates things I made this past week, and some "ideas" for this coming weeks meals. Hope you enjoy!

Monday: Tonight we are having Homemade Pizza-Crust using leftover "Shaw" meat and salsa as a topping.

Tuesday: Chicken-Parmesan

Wednesday: Spiced-Blueberry-Muffins

Thursday: Who knows!!! :)

Friday: 4-Cheese-Stuffed-Shells

Saturday: 4-layer-pudding-dessert I will most likely make this for a get-together this weekend

Sunday: South-American-Tacos - Sunday we had Mexican food and game day at my best friend Kim's house. I brought this dish and surprised my friend who taught me how to make it (Stacy Shaw). :)

For more Menu Plans, visit ORGJUNKIE.COM

Have a blessed day!

Chocolate Fridays - Chocolate Krispy Kisses

These are a different take on the more traditional Rice Krispie Treat. They are fun for Valentines, because you shape them like giant Hershey's Kisses and you can put a slice of paper with a printed "message" sticking out of the top. :)

1- 6oz pkg. semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup light Karo Syrup

1 Tbsp. Butter

1/2 tsp Vanilla

6 cups Crisp Rice Cereal

You will also need:

Small to Medium Kitchen funnel, or different sizes

Aluminum Foil

Cooking Spray

Wax Paper

In a large pot, melt chocolate and butter with syrup. When melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Stir in cereal.

Spray a funnel lightly with cooking spray, press in cereal mixture, packing well, filling to top of funnel. Turn onto wax paper and release from mold. Continue with remaining cereal mixture. Cut a square of foil, and place a "Kiss" in the center of it. Wrap it up, twisting foil to resemble a Hershey's Kiss. If you have a "message" on a strip of paper, insert it before you tighten up the top. Voila! You have Chocolate Krispy Kisses.

Or you can just mash 'em into a pan and eat 'em! :)

Check out more Chocolate-Friday posts.

Have a blessed day!

Works for Me Wednesday - Chicken Stock

Today for WFMW, I have decided to do a photo tour of my process of making and freezing chicken stock. Click HERE for my 24 Hour Chicken Stock recipe. :)


Step One - Simmer all ingredients for 24 hours in Crockpot or on stove top if you wish...




Step Two - Using a slotted spoon, remove all big pieces to strainer set over a large bowl...



Step Three - Using a potato masher, press juices out of the large chunks, including bones and veggies...



Step Four - Discard the solids. Pour all the broth back into your pot and begin straining it through a FINE Sieve, back into your large bowl (wipe out the bowl first to remove any bits and pieces. Now you have a nice Stock, ready to put into jars.




Step Five - Using a large mouth funnel, scoop Stock into FREEZABLE canning jars (make sure it says they are freezer safe). Only fill to the designated line that says "Fill to here for freezing"...
Notice, Stock has a deeper, richer color than broth (also I used Balsamic Vinegar and this darkened it some what)




Step Six - Place lids and rings on jars and tighten just to finger tight. Since we removed the skin from the carcass, there is no need to chill and skim fats. There will be a minimal amount of fat on the top of your cooled jars that will be easy to scoop off or just leave in.

Step Seven - Stack these bad boys in the freezer (keep a couple in the fridge for immediate use). This recipe made just over 11 pints.

Enjoy! For more WFMW posts, visit RocksInMyDryer.

Have a blessed day!

Kathy's Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a basic recipe, so it can be varied according to your tastes. I am kind of a "throw this in the pot" kinda gal, so most of my recipes change each time I make them. This is what I did for dinner last night...

• Leftover BBQ chicken from Sonny's - LOL - Remove bones and skin and shred the chicken (you can use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery, or any other leftover roasted chicken you have)
• Cooked Noodles - I had Fettucine on hand, so I broke it into 2 inch lengths and boiled it.
• Chopped carrots, celery and onion (you choose the amount)
• Minced garlic (I like garlic so I use about 2-3 big cloves pushed through a garlic press)
• Herbs de Provence (this is one of my all around favorite herbs for cooking) -use 1 tsp
• Kosher or Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper (to your liking)
• White Wine (about 1/2 cup)
• Chicken and/or Vegetable Broth Homemade is BEST! :) (use a couple of cans plus enough water to give you some broth)
• Whole Wheat flour (ok, you can use regular flour, but I use WW) - about 2 Tbsp
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Get some water boiling, and cook your noodles, set them aside when they are done. In a large soup pot, heat some olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until soft, add carrot, celery, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper. Saute a few minutes. Add chicken broth (set aside about 1/4 cup broth in small bowl first), add wine, chicken and noodles. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. In the small bowl, mix with a whisk 1/4 chicken broth and 2 Tbsp flour until smooth. Whisk this into the soup. Uncover and simmer about 10 more minutes, stirring a few times. Serve with biscuits! Yum.

Bean and Rice Veggie Soup

We have been having a lot of rain lately, and there is nothing I like more for dinner when it's rainy (even if it is 85 and muggy, LOL), than a bowl of soup with a hunk of homemade bread.

Here is yet another recipe I made up one night when I needed to use up some cooked rice. While there are quite a few ingredients, I think you will find you have most of them in the pantry already (if you don't, you should, lol).

For the sake of space I won't type it into every line, but I use organic when I can, especially if it grows underground (carrots, onions, potatos, etc..)

Kathy's Delectable Vegetable Rice Soup

2 cups cooked brown basmati rice (use whatever rice you have, of course)
1 small onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
Just the stems from one head of broccoli, peeled and chopped
2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
32 oz organic vegetable broth (or 4 cups homemade, dilute 1/2 with water if yours is strong)
Bottled roasted red bell pepper (enough to equal roughly one pepper)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Herbs de province
1 can organic diced tomatos, drained
1 bay leaf
2-4 minced (or pressed) garlic cloves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground Pepper

In a food processor or blender, puree the beans, roasted bell pepper and enough veg broth to make it smooth, set aside.
In a soup pot, heat about 2 tsp. olive oil over med-high heat. Saute onion until soft. Add carrots and broccoli stems, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Saute 3 minutes. Ad remaining veg broth, bean puree, wine, vinegar, tomatoes, herbs de province and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes. Add rice and garlic. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes. Remove Bay Leaf before serving. Serve with fresh bread. Yum!

Beans and Rice

Let me start by saying that I was raised in a Texas border town, in a family of 8 with a "lower than average" income. In other words, beans and rice were a staple at our dinner table, lol. I have come to acquire a taste for the simple "quick" meals that are based on those two ingredients.
My husband works shift work, and we no longer have a child at home, so several nights a week, I am alone for dinner. Because of my husbands job, it isn't convenient for him to have "reheatable" leftovers for his dinner, so I make him salads and/or sandwichs/wraps, fresh each day.

While I really enjoy cooking, I have no intention of preparing a 3 course meal for just little ole me, so I opt for simple, quick throw together bites. One of the easiest things to throw together is "beans and rice" and they can easily be "tweaked" to change them up from Tex-Mex to Mediterranean, to just plain ole tasty. Easy for just one or two people as well as for a family of 8.

I'll try over the next couple of weeks to post a few of my favorite bean and rice dishes.
As a note, I always like to make a big batch of Organic Brown Basmati rice and keep it in the fridge for a few days. When hubby needs a snack, it's a great little thing to heat up. It's also good to toss into salads and have ready for side dishes, etc..

Tonight I decided on a basic Tex-Mex dish. These instructions are so basic, so you can alter the amounts and ingredients to fit your family.

Preheat oven to 375.

Drop into a baking dish the following:

Cooked Organic Brown Basmati Rice
Organic Refried Beans (try Amy's!)
A dollop or two of softened Cream Cheese (if you don't have that, try shredded cheese and a little sour cream)
Corn (defrost if frozen)
A couple of spoons of your favorite Salsa (I like Newman's Own)

Optional:
Want a meat? Add some precooked shredded chicken
Want some kick? Add some Texas Pete, Tabasco, or a little Adobo Sauce
More Veggies? Try some pressed garlic, chopped onion, minced jalapeno, diced bell pepper, chopped tomato

Stir it up real well and spread it into the pan evenly, check to see if you want to add more of anything. Cover and bake 20 minutes or until heated through (this will depend on if the ingredients were just cooked or came out of the fridge).

How to serve:
Wrap in warm flour tortillas for burritos, add shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc., as desired

Serve in small bowls and dip with tortilla chips - serve a simple salad on the side or cut veggies for dipping!

Put a dollop of this directly onto a salad - YUM!

There you have it, a quick, easy, simple meal that doesn't require a meat to achieve a protein. It's filling and fun to eat. Enjoy!

Check back later this week for another bean and rice recipe...

Have a blessed day,