"Dirty Snow" Cupcakes

I should have made these cupcakes back in February during Round 1 or Round 2 of the Oklahoma blizzard.  But I didn't...  First I didn't have the right ingredients.  Then I had the ingredients, but I didn't have the drive.  Now I have both - AND a day off from work.  So, without further ado, I give you "Dirty Snow" Cupcakes.  (Okay, it's really an Earl Grey Tea Cupcake with Earl Grey Tea Buttercream, but I'm taking a bit of creative license here.)  I found the recipe at a website, which will go unnamed because I didn't really like their recipe for the cupcakes or the frosting.  Since I modified their recipes so much, I am not posting those, either.

 First, brew your tea.  Drink some to make sure it's not too strong. 

Prepare your muffin tin.  I used a really cute flower-shaped one that my sister gave me for my last birthday. 

I used snowflake cupcake liners.  I forgot to take photos of the filled tins, so we will skip right to the frosting.

 Whip the frosting to a light consistency and add the contents of two Earl Gray tea bags.  The tea looks like pepper or vanilla bean seeds when it is mixed into the icing.  The frosting will change to cream-colored.

 

The frosting was a bit runny, but set up well after a few minutes in the refrigerator.

 

Sprinkle with some snowflake candies and they're done! (Someone said they should have been called "Biscuits & Gravy" cupcakes.  I might have to try that next time.  Sausage cupcakes, anyone?  Haha!)

The cakes were light and airy.  The cupcake and buttercream had a slight tea flavor, but it was more pronounced in the frosting.  The overall effect was a cupcake that was both sweet and a bit savory.  All in all, pretty darn good.

 

Homemade Pizza

I don't make homemade pizza very often, but here's what I do when I decide to forgo carry-out:

1.  Buy pre-made pizza crusts because they are inexpensive and pretty tasty and I am lazy they are so much easier than making my own.  I prefer Mama Mary's, which come two in a package.  This time I bought Traditional, but I understand they also make Thin Crust.  I'll try that next time if my grocery store has them.

 

2.  Buy one large can of Hunt's Tomato Puree (about 12 ounces), one large package of pepperoni (at least 100 slices), and one package of Kraft Shredded Italian Cheese (2 - 3 cups).  (I picked up the new 5-Cheese Blend with Philadelphia Cream Cheese added.)

3.  Gather the cooking spray, Olive Oil, and Kraft 100% Real Parmesan/Romano/Asiago Grated Cheese Blend.  I make a mix of spices using the following:  1/2 Tbl. Crushed Basil, 1 1/2 Tbl. Italian Seasoning Blend, and 1 Tbl. Dry Mustard.  If I'm out of Italian Seasoning, I use 1 Tbl. Crushed Oregano. 

4.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Spray a pizza screen with cooking spray.  If I use the pizza stone, I put it in the oven before turning on the heat, as the stone could crack otherwise.  I don't like using cookie sheets, as the crust gets a better texture from the screen or stone.  Today I used the screen.

5.  Lightly coat the interior of the pizza shell with Olive Oil.  Pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the Tomato Puree on the shell and spread around as evenly as possible.  It will be a little "patchy", but I never want too many empty spots, so I add more puree as needed.  

6.  I make sure the spice mix is well-blended and evenly, but lightly, sprinkle about 1/3 of it over the sauce.  I follow with a slightly heavier, but even, sprinkling of the Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese Blend.

7.  Add pepperoni in concentric circles starting at the edge of the crust and working inward to the center.  Spread half of the Shredded Italian Cheese over the top.  Add another layer of pepperoni making the same circle pattern.

8.  Turn the oven down to 425 degrees and bake for 10 - 14 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and starting to turn brown.  

9.  Remove the pizza from the oven using a pizza paddle or oven mitt and allow to rest on a cutting board or other safe surface for at least 3 minutes.  Cut using large kitchen shears.  I serve with Crushed Red Pepper and the Grated Cheese Blend or freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

Our pimply-faced Pac-Man Pizza.  (Sorry!  I couldn't resist.)  

Wacca, wacca, wacca, wacca...  

He's headed for the super-rare scissors bonus fruit!  (LOL)

Look out!  Here come the ghosts!!

Inky, Pinky, Blinky, and Clyde

(In case you were wondering, Blinky is red, Pinky is pink, Inky is blue, and Clyde is orange.  Just don't ask me why.) 

Oklahoma's Waiting Child Heart Gallery

http://www.heartgalleryofamerica.org/Galleries/OK_HeartGallery/gallery.asp

In the past month or so, four kiddos on my caseload have been adopted.  That makes me smile.  Two of them were featured on Oklahoma's Waiting Child Heart Gallery, a photo gallery of children available for adoption through the Department of Human Services.  That's where their new "forever family" found them.

The gallery is just a small sampling of the children in the permanent custody of DHS waiting for someone to give them the opportunity to be a part of their family. 

These kids didn't do anything wrong.  They don't have a lot of high expectations or a sense of entitlement about the families they are seeking.  They only want to feel safe and loved.  If you have a minute, check out the gallery or tell your friends about it. 

A hundred years from now 

No one will remember
How much money I had in the bank
What kind of car I drove
Or what kind of job I had.

But I will be remembered
As someone special
Because I made a difference
In the life of a child.

~ Author Unknown

Valentine's Day 2011

 

 For those of you who don't know my husband, 

this tiny box of chocolates means more to me 

than a huge box or a bouquet of flowers!  

Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

To be honest, the idea of making Boeuf Bourguignon in any form was a bit daunting, but after reading this recipe from the Martha Stewart Living December 2010 magazine, I decided to give it a try.  It was time-consuming, but well worth the effort.  It was marvelous!

• 4 bone-in short ribs (2 inches thick, 2 pounds total)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
• 3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 shallots, minced
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 strips bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Burgundy
• 8 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium beef stock
• 2 cups water

Directions

1. Season ribs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Coat with cornstarch. Heat oil in a large heavy pot (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium-high heat. Lightly brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add mushrooms to pot. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add cubed carrot.
3. Add shallots, celery, bacon, and chopped carrots to pot. Cook until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
4. Return ribs with plate juices to pot. Add thyme and bay leaf. Raise heat to high. Add wine. Cook, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
5. Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones; discard. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; return to pot. Add reserved mushroom-carrot mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until cubed carrots are tender. Season with salt. Ladle soup over bowls of egg noodles and serve with bread on the side.

Serves 6.

 

Talk about coincidences - I just realized this was my 50th post and I also gained my 50th "follower" today!  (I know it says I have 51 followers, but I am following myself, so there are really only 50.)   I thank you all!!

Green Country? What the Heck?

Okay, someone sent me a message yesterday and said they lived in "Snow Country", too.  Not that you can tell it from these photos, but I actually live in Green Country!  (It's true.  That is the official name for the section of Oklahoma where I live.  In case you are wondering, it is the northeast quadrant of the state.)

 We had a record 15" of snow on Tuesday, 02-01-11, followed by 6" of snow on 02-04-11.  We are supposed to get flurries tonight (Sunday, 02-06-11),  and another 6-12" this coming Tuesday, 02-08-11.  

Can someone please make it stop?!? 

This is the backdoor from my bedroom.  There is about a foot of snow covering the step.  Note the snow above the door handle and the deadbolt.  This is unreal!

 

This is the view just off my back porch off the bedroom.   That's about 3 1/2' of snow.  It's also very weird how the snow stopped in a perfectly straight edge. 

This is my neighbor's kitchen window.  That's about 4 1/2' of snow.

Thursday my husband convinced me to take a ride in the pickup with him.  That's 3 1/2' of snow on the right side of the road.  I thought we were only going in the neighborhood.  We had no phones, no IDs, no cash, etc.  It's a good thing we made it home in one piece!  It took us approximately half an hour to make a four-mile loop south of our house.  The roads were not in good shape.  Fortunately, my husband is an excellent driver, because the other people out driving were not.  I was gripping the armrest the whole way!

 Notice that my husband shoveled snow behind the pickup so he could get out, but did not shovel behind my car.  That's okay.  I wasn't taking that baby anywhere, anyway. Besides, he shoveled a path for the dogs in the back yard and another to the mailbox (not that we got any mail for 5 days).

This is the back yard.  That's about 5' deep.  Good thing I put that outdoor faucet cover on Monday night.

 

 Leiua loved the snow in small doses.  Tillie, on the other hand, didn't want any part of it.  (She's standing by the back door to the kitchen.)  Unfortunately, she got stranded in the snow three separate times and had to be rescued each time.  I don't blame her for not wanting to get back out in it.  

Leiua liked digging in the snow.  She found a bone, so at least it was productive.  (Plus, she looked so cute with snow on her muzzle.)

Thank goodness for young entrepreneurs!  Just as I was getting ready to head out and shovel that snow behind my car, these young businessmen offered to do the job for me in exchange for a nominal fee.  They did such a good job, I gave each of them a bonus.  I was thrilled that I didn't have to shovel the snow, although my husband thought I needed the exercise.  (I thought he was crazy to think I would do it myself.)

I missed four days of work last week.  I am grateful that the offices were closed most days and that I did not have to take leave for three of those days.  I am thankful that I have plenty of leave built up to cover the fourth day.  I am happy that the court moved their dockets to accommodate the snow days, even though that will jam up the dockets down the line.  I am grateful for a loving husband, as well as family and neighbors who checked on us regularly.  Even though the family was too far away to help, it was nice to hear from them.  I also thank the Lord that we didn't lose electricity or water.  We have a wood-burning stove insert in our fireplace, but we couldn't use it because our wood, although covered with a tarp, was inaccessible, as it was completely covered in snow.  

Now, I think I'll contact my travel agent.  I need some sun and some sand!!

(NOTE:  Late Tuesday/early Wednesday we got our third round of snow.  Another 6-8" dumped right on top of all the other.  Several snowfall records have been set with this storm system.)

Roger's New England Clam Chowder

2 dozen chowder clams (quahogs) - you can use frozen clams, if necessary, one box should be enough
3 cups white wine
1/2 pound salt pork or fat back, diced fine (bacon can be used, if necessary)
4 Tablespoons butter (not margarine)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 bay leaf
pinch of thyme
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream

your choice of crackers

Steam the clams in the wine until they just open.  Remove and strain the liquid.  Reserve.  When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from the shell and chop them.  Set aside. 

In a large skillet, cook the salt pork until crisp.  Drain and discard the fat. 







In a large pot, melt the butter with the oil and add onions, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and crisped pork.  Cook until vegetables are softened and translucent.  Add reserved clam juice and bring to a boil.  Add potatoes, milk, and cream.  Cook until potatoes are just cooked, about 7 to 8 minutes.  Add chopped clams and bring the chowder to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.

Serve with crackers.

Yield:  4-8 servings.