There is a virus that went around the kids college. Jackson missed a few days of school and many students were absent because of it. Well, it hit Donny yesterday. It’s a really bad sore throat and cough. The kids were out all day with their friends doing a clean up at the college and then while I was grocery shopping Donny texted me to tell me that the kids were going out to get Chinese. Perfect because I wanted to make a big pot of vegetable soup.
Donny doesn’t really like soup where as I could eat it every meal. The one I made is so easy. You just use vegetables that you like, add some broth and let it simmer for about an hour.
I chopped up an onion, celery and garlic and sauteed that in some olive oil. Then I added about 4 carrots, a yellow squash, a calabaza squash and sliced mushrooms. I poured in a a whole box of vegetable broth. To season I added quite a bit of turmeric, some celtic sea salt and a generous amount of pepper. When it had simmered about 20 minutes, I threw in about 3 handfuls of spinach. That’s it.
I added a squeeze of lemon to mine and Donny added hot sauce to his. He loved it. It was so good and flavorful. I think I’ll just always keep soup in the fridge because for these colder days it’s perfect.
Today I made cream cheese from scratch. It was SO easy! There are only 3 ingredients: whole milk, lemon juice and salt. That’s it. Here’s how I made it.
Pour 4 cups of milk into a heavy pot. Heat over low heat and stir, stir, stir. You want it to get to 190 degrees.
Once it has reached 190, take it off of the burner and pour in 4 Tablespoons of lemon juice. It should start to form the curds. If it doesn’t add a little bit more juice.
Stir it around and then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to cool off a bit.
Next put a dish towel in a colander, set it in a bowl and pour the mixture into the cloth. Let it drain and then give it a good squeeze. I made the mistake of squeezing it dry. Leave a little of the whey water in it.
The above picture is before I squeezed it out. Once you have it squeezed, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. (you can also add anything else you like in your cream cheese) I used a little blender and blended it for a couple of minutes.
It was so good. I ate some on a skinny everything bagel. It just tastes so much fresher and not a chemical as the store bought cream cheese. The longest part is just getting the milk to 190 degrees.
Jackson and I had not really had a thrifting date in a while. When I picked him up from school on Wednesday he suggested that we hit 2 of our favorites. We didn’t find anything at the first one we went to. The second one I found 2 books that I really wanted to read. The hardbacks are only 50 cents so I didn’t feel bad about buying them. I also found 3 cute little mushrooms that I’ll use outside once the weather is better.
I also picked up a shower caddy. I have never bought one before because our shower head is above the shower insert and it’s not level all the way down. This caddy is the exact one I would have bought if I thought it would fit, but I didn’t want to pay 30 bucks for a brand new one only to find it wouldn’t work. I was surprised that it works really well and I only spend 4 dollars on it.
The snow and ice seems to have skirted us. It’s still very cold and rainy, but luckily nothing too bad. It’s days like this that I like some good old comfort food. Tonight I decided to make Chicken and Dumplings. It’s a good stick to your ribs kind of meal. I have the copycat version of Cracker Barrel’s pinned to my board on Pinterest. This is my favorite Chicken and Dumpling recipe.
No matter what, when I use flour, baking soda/baking powder, I ALWAYS sift it. Sometimes the soda or powder can get clumpy and if you get a bite with a clump it is SO bitter.
The dumplings call for 3 cups flour, 1 T baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 cup + 2 T milk. just mix that together, roll it out into a big rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and use a pizza cutter to cut it into squares.
Cook your chicken breasts (or whatever chicken you like) in 6 cups chicken broth. I only had 2 cups so I used to bouillon cubes. You would think just boiling the chicken in water would be enough, but you really want that chicken flavor. Add 1/2 onion and some celery. Cook it partially covered for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Remove everything but the broth. Bring it to a simmer and add the dumplings. Make sure you add quite a bit of flour to the dumplings when you roll them out. This makes the gravy. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and that’s it. I add a lot of pepper once it’s cooked, but I find I don’t need any extra salt.
It was so good.
The other night Jackson wanted shrimp Po boys again. I found this shrimp at Super 1. It’s breaded raw shrimp and I just pan fried it.
It was SO delicious! I only cooked half of the bag and there’s plenty left for the next meal. I think it was $17.49 for the box, but if you think about how much a shrimp dinner is at a restaurant, it’s a good deal.
Tonight I used the leftover pork from last night’s dinner to make a stromboli. I have a go to pizza dough recipe that I use for everything. Here it is:
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
3 T. olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 Cups flour
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. Give it a few minutes to foam up. Add the salt and olive oil. Use a bread hook attachment and mix it all up. Add the flour and mix until it’s not super sticky. Lightly flour a surface and knead the dough for a few minutes. Grease a bowl, put the dough in and cover it with a dish towel. Let it rise for about 45 minutes. Punch it down and use it for whatever you are making.
Tonight I rolled it into a rectangle and put BBQ sauce, pork and shredded mozzarella and Colby jack. Cut strips on the side and fold them over. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes.
The chickens are acting like the velociraptors in the first Jurrasic Park checking the fences for a weak spot. It’s always the same 3, but I am happy to say that they gave up after a while.
A friend brought by this sourdough starter for me. I am hoping I don’t kill it.
And lastly, I finally got Hannah’s little astronaut set up in her room. I love the way it changes colors. I think she’ll love it.
Last night there was no big party. In fact both Donny and I were sacked out by 9. I don’t feel like we really missed anything and we were both just exhausted. I did manage to make a really yummy, super easy dinner. It’s Kevin’s sheet pan enchiladas.
Cut up corn tortillas into triangles. Put them in a large bowl and add green enchilada sauce, corn, black beans, shredded cheese, and shredded chicken. Mix it all up real good. Spread it out on a baking sheet. Add more shredded cheese on top. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. We put the Mexican Crema on ours. Y’all it was so good!
I, of course, forgot to take a picture, but Donny put the leftovers in this container.
I don’t really do New Year Resolutions, but I am committed to reading these books every day. Streams in the Desert is my constant reader, but this year I decided to add the daily Bible readings. I grew up in church, but admittedly, have never really read the Bible except for verses, if that makes sense.
Now it’s almost time to go pick up Hannah and Jackson is coming with me because Hannah wants to go to the mall afterwards. I hope it’s not as busy as Walmart was last night. That was a madhouse.
I’m so ready for 2025! It’s going to be a great year
My daughter loves iced coffee. Her favorite place to get a cup is 7 Brew. We have always bought the mocha coffee that comes in the cartons as a fill in, but she can drink that really quickly and it isn’t cheap. I decided to try and make it. Here’s what I used.
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup Hershey cocoa
1 cup water
6 cups brewed coffee
whole milk
Put the sugar, cocoa and water in a small pan and heat it up. Whisk, whisk, whisk until it’s all dissolved. You do not want to burn it.
Next I put the mixture into my blender and blend it up. I then add the coffee a little at a time.
I pour all of the coffee, cocoa mixture into a glass container and top it off with milk.
This is actually the second batch i have made. My daughter said it better than 7 Brew and the carton coffee. I like it better because I know exactly what is in it and it’s much cheaper to make than when we buy it. So if anyone in your family likes mocha iced coffee, you should give it a try.
A little FYI: give it a little stir before you pour it. I use the handle of a wooden spoon.
If it’s too strong for you just add milk once you pour it.
If you have a TikTok account you must follow Kevin Ashton. He is a chef for a sorority house. He is the Bob Ross of cooking. You’ll know what I mean if you see his videos. His voice is so soothing and I just love to watch him make each magnificent dish. I saw a recent video of him making green Verde chicken enchiladas. Because he cooks for about 25 girls, you kind of have to guess the measurements, but it isn’t hard. I had leftover chicken in the fridge that I needed to use up so this is what I made.
shredded chicken
tomatillos
poblano peppers
jalepeno peppers
white onion
chicken broth
oregano
salt
cumin
cilantro
garlic cloves
shredded Monterey jack
shredded colby
tortillas
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the tomatillos, poblano peppers, onions and jalapenos. Just stir them around until they start getting soft.
Add the chicken broth and cook for about 30 minutes on a simmer.
After it has simmered add the oregano, cumin, salt and cilantro. I used a stick blender, but you can use a regular blender. Just blend it until smooth. Add a generous amount of sauce to your chicken. Next add a generous amount of Monterey Jack. Mix that all up.
Pour some sauce into your baking dish. Grab your tortilla and put the mixture in the middle and roll it up. After you’ve done all the tortillas, spoon the sauce over the enchiladas and add more Monterey jack and Colby. Pop it into a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Y’all, it was so good. I should have added more peppers, but they were so hot that I was afraid it would make the sauce too hot. As for the spices, just add as much as you like. I used 1/2 of a large onion, 4 large garlic cloves and 10 tomatillos.
Yesterday the wind picked up. Everything was blowing around. The cats didn’t want to be outside. The chickens stayed in their coop most of the day and even put themselves to bed early. All of the blustery weather was worth it because today was the perfect Fall day. It was a flannel shirt and boots kind of day.
Since I knew Donny was going to be off today and that we needed to get some errands run, I made tonight’s dinner yesterday. The recipe also said that it’s even better if you let it sit in the fridge overnight.
It’s called short rib ragu. Donny watches the Today show every morning and they had a chef on making it and it looked so good I just had to try it. It’s time consuming because you have to let it simmer for 3 1/2 hours, but I was in a cooking mood and had the time. I actually used a roast because it’s what we had in the freezer.
It calls for 1 1/2 pounds of short ribs or roast
3 T olive oil
3 large carrots, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of beef broth
1 3/4 cups of red wine
fresh thyme, rosemary and basil (however much you like)
freshly grated parmesan
Heat olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven. Salt and pepper the meat. Sear the meat on all sides until nice and brown. Remove meat.
Add the carrots, celery and onions. Saute until fragrant (about 7 minutes). Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the broth, wine and fresh herbs. Add meat and bring to a boil for about 5 mins. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 hours.
After it has cooked, remove and shred the meat. The recipe said to remove half of the sauce and put it in a blender until smooth. I just used my stick blender and it worked just fine. Add the meat back in. I let mine cool and then put it in the fridge. If you don’t have time to do that, boil your pasta. While it’s boiling, add 1 cup (or more) of the cheese to the sauce.
It was SO good. You can use any type of pasta you prefer. I forgot to take a picture when it was finished, but I took one after everyone had eaten.
It looks a mess in this picture, but I promise you, it is so flavorful, hearty and stick to you ribs kind of meal. I served it with garlic bread. Does anyone else use a peeler to shave off butter for toasted bread. I haven’t owned a toaster in forever because I like to make mine under the broiler.
I can’t believe that November is almost over. I was outside getting the Christmas decorations out when I saw Queso playing with something in the grass. The cats are always finding lizards or bugs to chase around. This time it was neither of those, but this cute little guy that Queso would pick up, let go, chase and then repeat the whole process over again.
He snuggled right up in my hand. I took him into the backyard and let him go into the tree line. While I was back at the shed, about 20 minutes later, I saw something running toward me with Queso chasing it. It was the little mouse running to me. I scooped him up and put him inside the chicken coop where he seemed very happy. Some chickens will eat mice, but mine don’t seem to care. They have very different personalities than most chickens as they don’t like worms, but love tortillas, Mac ‘n cheese and french fries. Plus the little guy will be safe in there away from the owl that seems to like to hang out in the trees behind our house. Maybe I’ll see little mouse again soon.
Some days I just don’t feel like cooking a big, made from scratch, meal. Last night I made one of the easiest dinners ever. Prep time took 5 minutes and everyone loved it.
You just take 8 frozen burritos. I get the bean and cheese in a bag from Aldi. 2 cans of enchilada sauce and a block of colby jack cheese. You can use whatever cheese you like, but i highly suggest grating it yourself because it just melts better.
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9×12 dish. Put the frozen burritos in the dish. Pour both cans of enchilada sauce on top and bake for 30 minutes. Put the grated cheese on top and bake for an additional 5 minutes. There you go, that’s it. I made cilantro lime rice to go with it. It’s even good heated up the next day if you happen to have leftovers.
I also picked this up from Aldi. I have a slice of sourdough toast every morning and this with it just hits the spot.
One thing I love about Fall is all of the spicy smells. I’m not a big pumpkin spice fan, but I love cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, etc. I found this Mrs. Meyers dish soap and had to give it a try. It smells so good. I normally use the lilac scent, but I love this for Fall.
Last night I made the best breakfast casserole that was so easy. The kids normally don’t like casseroles, but by the end of the night I only had two servings left. Here’s the recipe.
1 can of flaky jumbo biscuits
1 tube of breakfast sausage
5 eggs
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk + 1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9×13 dish
Brown sausage. After it’s browned add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups milk, pepper and salt. Stir until thickened.
Cut biscuits into fourths and place in bottom of pan.
Add sausage on top.
Whisk the eggs with 1/2 cup milk. Pour over sausage.
Bake for 30 minutes. I added grated Colby Jack the last 5 minutes.
I just served fruit on the side. It’s really good.
When I put out our nativity set, there was no Mary and one of the wise men was missing. We found them today shacking up on our shed. (I had accidentally dropped the box they were in and didn’t realize they were missing)
The group is back together, except for the Shepard that was lost years ago. I also don’t think it came with a cow. One of the kids took that out of the farm set and added it in many many years ago.
The Funky Frugalista 