Like a Duck

I am like a duck. I'll explain that in a moment.

This is what I accomplished last Tuesday:

That's a nectarine cobbler, a plum cobbler, four quarts of nectarine pie filling, and six pints of plum jam. It took most of the morning. What you DON'T see is the enormous pile of dirty dishes doing this generated. Several large bowls for holding fruit in various stages of being peeled, chopped, sliced, mixed, and processed. A giant pot that got rinsed out and reused several times. Big spoons. Knives. Measuring cups. Cutting boards. My canning funnel. Lots of dishes.

Looking at the picture, it doesn't seem like it should have taken that much time to produce so little. How much time and effort should it take to make a pint of jam? Honestly, how much do you think?

Those who have made jams and jellies and canned fruit and made cobblers from fresh fruit know how much effort it takes to process fruit. This was just two big bowls, one of nectarines and one of plums. That's 3-4 hours worth of work on the counter. It won't take nearly that long to eat it. All of it.

Writing is very similar. Hours and hours and hours of work goes into something you can read in an afternoon.

And now to explain the title of this post. Watch a duck on the water sometime. They look so serene as they glide along. But if you could dive underneath and watch them from that angle, their little feet and legs are going like crazy. It takes a lot of work to look that calm.

Watch the babies in this video to see what I mean:

Sometimes, we're the momma ducks, who just need to kick water a little to glide across the pond. Sometimes, we're the baby ducks, paddling for all we're worth just to stay in position.

And sometimes we're just really really grateful we have children who will wash that mound of dirty dishes we just created.

How the Internet Changed the Way I Cook

I thought about making that a click-bait headline, but I resisted.

I have a large collection of cookbooks, several dozen at least, some from before 1950, most from the 1980s. But they mostly just collect dust these days. If I need a recipe for something, I just turn to my trusty friend Google. The biggest drawback to cooking with Google, though, is that I'm real comfortable having my laptop on the kitchen counter next to things that could potential kill it, like eggs or milk or hot stoves. So I can either keep it on a table away from the food, which means running back and forth to check the recipe, or I can kill a tree and print it out. And then end up with a giant stack of papers for recipes that I may never make again because next time I have the urge to cook that thing, I go to Google, not the messy stack of printouts in my recipe bin.

Every once in a while, I will pull out the cookbooks and just browse through them. The pictures are gorgeous, except that one 70s cookbook where everything is just kind of creepy and weird, even the food. I'm not looking for a particular recipe, I'm looking for inspiration for something new, something different than my usual recipes.

That's the trouble with Google—most of the time you have to know what you are looking for. Recipes can be an exception. I'll decide I feel like making an Indian dish and end up in an ethnic recipe rabbit hole for several hours. It's a fun trip and I usually end up with a pile of new ideas to try. Usually, though, it's just too much. Too many different directions, too many choices.

So, this boils down to a question for you, my readers. Should I take my recipes I publish here every week and turn them into a cookbook? Should that cookbook be paper or ebook? Long or short? Should I do multiple cookbooks that each focus on one thing, like cookies or hamburger dishes? What would you be willing to pay for such a book? If there is enough interest, I'll do it.

Last question, mostly for fun—What's your favorite go-to recipe collection (website or book)? Mine is my old trust 1970s Betty Crocker Cookbook.

The Allure of Spices

Close your eyes. Now think about Christmas. Odds are, you're thinking about cinnamon and ginger along with Santa and twinkly lights. Smells have power. A single whiff can evoke a whole torrent of memories.

I love cooking partly because of the smells. Fresh baked bread. Cinnamon rolls. A pot of chili simmering away. A freshly peeled orange. Good cooking generates good smells.

I have a whole cupboard of spices and herbs. I grow herbs as ground covers and plants in my flower beds. They're beautiful as well as fragrant. Plus, they're very handy for cooking.

Spices and herbs carry so much flavor into food. If you limit yourself to salt and pepper, maybe a few commercial blends, you're missing out on a whole rich palette of flavors.

So take a risk, experiment. Familiarize yourself with some new herbs and spices. Try out a few. They aren't that expensive at the grocery store. I know Alton Brown might suffer a coronary, but go ahead and get the little bottle of pre-ground spices. The premium spices can be costly, but you can start small and cheap. Try growing a few while you're at it. We're planting our new yard with lavender, different mints, chives, oregano, and Russian sage. I can't wait to harvest my own fresh herbs this summer.

My son can't wait to harvest his own catnip. We'll see if it survives the neighborhood cats.

What herbs and spices do you like to cook with? If you have a recipe you want to share, I'd be happy to feature it on a Thursday. And feature a little about you if you want to share.

Thursday Recipe - Hmm, Oatmeal?

Next week I'll post Thanksgiving leftover recipes, promise. Today, though, due to another stomach virus and other ickiness, I'm sticking with something basic.

Oatmeal is one of those foods that's good for you, so most people hate it. If it isn't cooked right, it is nasty and bland. Add the right stuff to it, and it becomes a wonderful breakfast full of goodness and deliciousness.

Try this recipe if you want to really experience oatmeal.

Oatmeal Supreme

4 c. hot water
1/2 c. raisins
1 small apple, cored and chopped
1/3 c. brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 c. plain instant oatmeal
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger, optional but tasty

Bring water to a boil. Add raisins, apples, sugar, and salt. Bring back to a boil. Stir in oats. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add cinnamon and stir well.

If it is too thick, add milk or water to thin. If too thin, cook a few minutes longer.

Optional toppings:
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. dried fruit - blueberries, currants, cherries, dates, mango, pineapple, whatever you want to try
1/2 c. ripe pear, cored and chopped
1/4 c. maple syrup
Extra spices - try just a pinch or up to 1/2 t. of nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, or allspice.
1 t. vanilla
1/2 - 1 t. rum flavoring
1/2 - 1 t. almond extract

The whole idea behind cooking is to experiment so don't be afraid to play around with spices. The worst that will happen is you'll make something inedible.

Thursday Recipe - Green Tomato Mincemeat Cookies

It's that time of year, when mother nature bites the garden with frost. It never fails. My tomato plants are just starting to really produce, then, WHAM! Frost and snow. What to do with all those green tomatoes hanging onto those forlorn vines? Make this recipe, of course.

The mincemeat can be made ahead, it's actually better if you let it sit for a day or two before making the cookies. If you're into canning, it can be bottled and processed. Follow the guidelines for your area if you decide to seal the bottles for storage.

Either way, 'tis the season for these flavors. Enjoy!

Green Tomato Mincemeat

9 c. finely chopped very green tomatoes
1 tart apple, like granny smith, peeled, cored, & chopped
1 c. raisins
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. minced orange zest, the orange part of the peel
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer about 1 1/2 hours until mixture is thick and goopy. Stir every ten minutes or so. Remove from heat and bottle, if desired. Otherwise, cool and refrigerate in covered containers. Makes about 5 pints. (You can cut the recipe in half if needed.)

Mincemeat cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until very fluffy. Add in egg, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in flour just until mixed. Form dough into two rolls about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 12 hours, or up to 2 months.

To make cookies:
Heat oven to 375°. Let dough defrost for about 15-20 minutes. Slice dough into 1/4 inch slices. Place on greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with 1 T. mincemeat. Top with another cookie slice. Seal edges using a fork. Cut two or three slits in top crust. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until lightly browned on edges. Let cool before eating.

One cookie recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies and uses about 1 pint of green tomato mincemeat.

Thursday Recipe - Zucchini Bread & Butter Pickles with Pictures!

My kids love these pickles. I ran out of pints one summer and used quart jars. They still ate the entire jar at one meal. These go great with sandwiches, hot dogs, potato salad, ham, just about anything that goes with sweet pickles. It's also a great way to use those monster zucchini you always find in the garden.

Easy and fast, these take only an afternoon, and most of that is letting the vegetables sit in ice.

Zucchini Bread & Butter Pickles (makes about 6 pints)

4 quarts sliced zucchini - don't bother peeling it, just cut it into three or four sections, then slice it lengthwise and remove the seeds, and slice into thin pickle slices.

1 large onion, or 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 - 3 bell peppers, red is pretty but not necessary, sliced into small strips

1/2 c. pickling salt, use noniodized salt, not regular table salt. The iodine in regular salt makes the pickles turn dark brown.
1 c. water

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. white vinegar
2 T. mustard seed
1 t. celery seed
1 t. ground turmeric

Mix zucchini slices, onion slices, and pepper strips in a large bowl. Mix salt and water, pour over vegetables, scraping out any extra salt. Cover the veggies with a layer of ice cubes. Place a heavy pot lid over the veggies, this is to hold them under the ice/salt water, and let the whole thing just sit for at least 3 hours.

Drain the veggies, squeezing out any extra water.
Mix sugar, vinegar, and spices in a big cooking pot. Bring to a boil, then add veggies. Bring the whole mess to a boil. Pack into jars and process. I usually do pints and 1/2 pints and process for 20 minutes, but I'm also at a high altitude. Larger jars require more processing time. Contact me if you have questions.

Picture version-

 Slicing zucchini...

 Slicing peppers...

 Slicing onions...

 Mixing the salt and water to pour over the veggies...

 Covering the veggies with ice...

I

 Using the other monster zucchini to weight it down...

The finished pickles, with a jar of pepper relish on the right. Aren't they pretty?

Cooking and Writing and BONUS RECIPE!

I've noticed I get more hits on my recipe posts than my writing posts. I wonder why. Do more people cook than write? Are writing posts pretty much all saying the same thing so it doesn't matter where you read it? Are my recipes better than my writing? Food for thought.

Writing is a lot like creating a recipe. It takes a lot longer to cook a good novel than a good cake, but the two processes have a lot in common.

Ingredients - Cakes require a certain balance between ingredients. Liquids to give it the right texture, leavening to give it lift, starches to hold it together, fats to provide tenderness, flavorings to make it taste better, etc. Try changing up the proportions in your favorite recipe and see what happens. Half a cup of baking powder? It will rise quite nicely, right over the edge of the pans and into the bottom of your oven. Plus it will taste horrible. Trust me, I did it when I was nine and just learning to cook.

Writing a novel requires a balance, too. Character, setting, action, dialogue - all the tools of a writer, each needs to be in balance to produce the book you want to write. Are all books the same? Would one formula work for every book? Are all cakes the same? What if you want a savory dinner bread instead? You, the writer or the chef, have to decide what you want to create. That will give you a general guideline for proportion. Writing a romance? Then you need a certain set of characters and plenty of spicy dialogue. Writing a space opera? You need spaceships, aliens, and lots of action. Baking a chocolate cake? Bring on the chocolate!

With my recipes, most of them are originals based off other recipes. Think about it. Basic cooking techniques really haven't changed all that much for thousands of years. You apply heat to cook food. How you apply it gives different results. With the invention of electric ovens, slow cookers, mixers, and other tools, the process has changed. We get more reliable outcomes. With the invention of baking mixes and other processed mixes, we get more consistent results. How can I claim to write an original recipe? It's my twist, concocted by trial and error over a period of months or years. I may have started with the same recipe, but I certainly didn't end up with the same product.

Writing has also changed, but it hasn't. Computers and technology have made writing more accessible to everyone. Data can be transferred instantaneously around the world. How people read has definitely shifted. But the basics are still the same - writing produces stories that entertain and enrich lives.

People will always need to eat. To do that, they need to cook. The appliances have changed dramatically, but the end result is still the same. Food.

People crave entertainment and stories. How we tell the stories has changed, but we still need storytellers. We always will.

So for those predicting the end of publishing, I say the method will change, but the need will not. Stories will still exist, just as food will still exist no matter how we process or prepare it.

Want a recipe now? Put 1/2 c. peanut butter and 1/2 c. chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. Heat for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. (Heat for another 15 - 30 seconds if needed to melt completely.) Serve as a dip for cookies, bananas, cake, crackers, etc, or pour over ice cream for a peanutty fudge sundae.

Thursday Recipe - Monster Cookies

My youngest is allergic to wheat, dairy, and soy. Finding treats she can enjoy is a real challenge. Gluten-free snacks don't contain wheat, but many use dairy or soy to compensate. Besides, they're expensive. So when I found a cookie recipe that my daughter can eat, that everyone else enjoys, that doesn't cost a fortune, you can bet it became one of our family favorites. These cookies also contain protein and fiber, much like a granola bar, without the dry cardboard taste or weird bits of woody things and unidentifiable fibrous masses.

We've made these as small cookies, giant cookies, and bars. They freeze well. The recipe is easy to change around, too. If you don't like the butterscotch chips, substitute in a different flavor, just not mint. That's nasty. If you don't like coconut, replace it with oatmeal. If you don't have M&M's on hand, just add more chocolate chips. My friend can't eat chocolate, so we make these with butterscotch and white chips when she's around.

Be aware these are NOT gluten-free; oats do contain traces of gluten.

The name comes from the original recipe, which made a monstrously huge batch of cookies. Anything that takes 18 cups of oatmeal, 12 eggs, and 6 c. of peanut butter is a huge batch. I've reduced it to a manageable size. It still makes a lot of cookies, around 8 dozen regular size cookies, 3 dozen giant cookies, and 2 cookie sheets of bar cookies.

Monster Cookies

1/2 c. butter
2 c. peanut butter, creamy or chunky, your choice
1 1/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar (or just use 2 c. brown sugar and forget the white)
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 t. soda
6 c. oatmeal, regular or quick, doesn't really matter, just don't use steel-cut
1 1/3 c. coconut (or use 1 c. oats and leave it out)
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
2 c. M&M's

Heat oven 325° for bar cookies and giant cookies, 350° for regular size cookies. Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, and soda. Beat smooth. Add oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, other chips, and M&M's. Stir just until mixed. Scoop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake regular cookies 9 - 11 minutes at 350°. For giant cookies, use ice cream scoop or about 1/4 c. dough. Bake 12 - 15 minutes at 325°. For bar cookies, spread dough on two greased cookie sheets. Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 325°. FOR ALL COOKIES - Let cool on sheet at least 10 minutes. Cookies won't look browned when you take them out, but if you cook them long enough to brown, they will be burnt.

To freeze - Let the cookies cool completely, then package 2 or 3 cookies per snack size ziploc. Chuck into the freezer. They never last more than a week at my house, so freezer burn isn't an issue. If it is at your house, then package the snack baggies into a larger plastic container or freezer bag.

Thursday Recipe - Rhubarb Pie

I blame my friend who posted a rhubarb recipe and got me drooling. My rhubarb isn't quite big enough yet. I'm going to have to be patient.

For those of you who have never experienced rhubarb, it's a great perennial plant. It grows long stalks with huge leaves, very pretty in a shady, damp spot of your yard. Rhubarb loves to be cool and damp.

The edible portion of the plant is the stalk. Don't eat the leaves! It tends to be bitter when raw. Much better cooked.

Rhubarb Cobbler Pie (the easy version)

4 c. rhubarb stalks, sliced into thin pieces like celery
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 t. allspice or nutmeg
1 9" pie crust (homemade is best, but refrigerated also works)

Mix rhubarb, sugar, flour, and spices. Mound in pie pan. Cover top with single crust, crimping to edges. Cut slits in the crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400° for 45 - 55 minutes, until pie is bubbling and crust is golden. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before devouring.

Thursday Recipe - Oregano

Instead of just giving a recipe today, I thought I'd share one of my favorite herbs. I love oregano. It makes a great groundcover. The plants spread quickly (be warned!), grow easily in just about any soil, and are very attractive. I'm trying to encourage mine to choke out the grass. They grow about six inches and have tiny purple flowers when they bloom. When the oregano starts looking scruffy, we just mow it. Within a week, it's looking great again. So think about it for a moment - if I replace my lawn with oregano, it only needs mowed about three times a summer, it's very attractive (dark green with purple flowers, what's not to like?), smells heavenly, needs a lot less water, thrives well enough to choke out just about any weed, and I can cook with it. I'm all for an oregano lawn. It just isn't very kind to bare feet.


To prepare fresh oregano, simply pluck a few stems, rinse with water, then strip off the leaves to use. Discard the stems. If they are too tough, use a pair of scissors and snip them off. For some recipes, you can just wash the whole stem and use it. Discard before serving.

Oregano rice is one of my favorites. The flavor is subtle but so good with roast pork or chicken.

2 c. rice (long grain, short grain, brown, white, whatever you like, EXCEPT for instant. Follow the directions on the box if you are using that kind.)
4 c. hot water
1 t. salt
1 T. butter
3 stalks fresh oregano (for stronger flavor, pick stems that are blooming, leave the flowers on the stem)

Place everything in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-23 minutes for white rice, 40 - 50 minutes for brown. Don't lift the lid to check doneness until the time is just about up. Tip: when the water is mostly absorbed, test the rice by tasting a few grains. If they are still hard in the middle, cover and let them cook for 3 - 5 more minutes longer. When done, remove from heat. Tilt the lid to one side to let steam escape. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove oregano and serve.

Try using fresh oregano in tomato sauces or Italian dishes.

Fried Noodles (great for leftover noodles)

4 c. cooked macaroni, spaghetti, bowties, whatever you've got
1 T. butter
2 T. fresh oregano leaves
2 T. grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: chopped onion, green pepper, mushrooms

Melt butter in large skillet. Add noodles. Fry over high heat until noodles are crackling and just starting to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes. Toss with oregano and parmesan. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot. If adding vegetables, stir in with the noodles. You can also add cooked sausage, pepperoni, scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes, pretty much anything you'd order on a pizza.

Have fun with oregano!

Thursday Recipe - Butter Toffee

I said I would, so here it is - butter toffee. Crunchy and sweet with just a hint of salt, you decide what you want on top. I prefer mine with semisweet chocolate and no nuts. This is a candy so it cooks very hot. Not a recipe suitable for children to help. It can be a bit tricky to get it right, but the result is well worth the effort. Candy is surprisingly easy to make. A good candy thermometer can really help until you get a feel for the different stages of boiling sugar mixes.

Butter Toffee

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 T. water
1 t. vanilla
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts, optional

Butter or spray a large baking pan. I just use a heavy cookie sheet. Melt butter over low heat in 2 qt heavy-bottom saucepan. Add sugar and water, bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often. Cook and stir to soft crack stage, about 300 degrees. (Drop a tiny amount into a bowl of ice water. It should form brittle strands when it hits the water. If it's still chewy, not hard and cracking, cook it longer.) This will take about 15 minutes, keep stirring the whole time. The mixture will turn medium brown. This is the critical point. It will burn very quickly so watch it closely. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet. Tilt it back and forth to get the toffee to spread if you want it thinner. Let it cool for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Wait another five minutes. Spread chocolate to cover top of toffee. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired. Set the whole pan aside until candy is cool and chocolate is set. Pry candy off sheet; if you buttered it enough, it won't stick but you will have to break a little bit of suction. Break candy into bite-size pieces. Store in a loosely covered container, if you have any left over. Makes about 1 pound of toffee.

Homemade Chili

As another cold spring storm rolls in, tonight's dinner fits the bill of hot and filling and easy - chili, made fresh. Since I'm allergic to cilantro and can't stand most canned chili, here's my take on it. Though it does take some time to simmer, it's fast to throw together, even using dried beans. The house smells so good as it cooks. After the beans are soft, you can throw the rest into a crockpot to cook if you like, it takes about 6 hours on low or 4 on high. Make it hotter by adding more cayenne powder or chopped jalapenos.

Chili

2 c. dried beans, any variety (pinto, black, kidney, navy, etc.)
5 c. warm water
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 quart canned tomatoes or 2 18 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 t. chili powder
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. dried oregano
2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
OPTIONAL:
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cayenne powder

Put beans in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Cover, and let sit for one hour. Drain beans. Add 5 c. water. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until beans are soft. Add water if needed as they cook. They should always just be covered.

Brown hamburger, drain grease. Add browned burger, onion, tomatoes, green chilies, and spices to beans. Cover and cook for 3 - 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Salt to taste and serve with corn chips, sour cream, green onions, cheddar cheese, salsa, etc.

Dark and Dangerously Decadent. Cookies, That Is.

One conversation lately turned to dark and dangerous heroes and sexy villains. Why are we so attracted to those things that will hurt us? Watch people around a fire. It's hot. It will burn you. But it's so pretty. Same thing with our stories. Why do we create such dark and dangerous men for our heroes? Because we like to play with fire, no matter how much we might get burnt.

Frances Pauli, an author friend, said about a character in my novel Nexus Point, "Tayvis is definitely dark and dangerous AND sexy as all hell." I should return the favor for her book Roarke. The title character is definitely dangerous and sexy. Maybe being a closet romance writer isn't a bad thing when it comes to speculative fiction. Dangerous? Definitely, but the kind of burn that feels so good. Most definitely a guilty pleasure.

Much like these cookies. My kids dubbed them Death by Chocolate Overload. Eat them warm, if you dare.

Decadent Chocolate Chunks

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 T. vanilla
2/3 c. cocoa
1/2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 bag semisweet choc. chips
1 bag M&M minis

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt. Beat well. Add flour, chips, and M&M’s. Drop by Tablespoon onto cookie sheet, bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes. makes about 6 dozen.

Kitty's favorite Roast Turkey with Gravy

One of our two cats died last night. Considering she was 16, it wasn't unexpected. She lived a very long life full of cuddles, brushings, naps, catnip, all the good things cats love. One of her favorite treats was roast turkey. She would park in front of the oven the entire time it roasted, begging for tastes. We chased her off the counter and out of the garbage more than once as she rummaged for turkey bits. So for my recipe today, even though it isn't even close to the usual turkey roasting season, I offer Roast Turkey with Gravy.

1 16 - 20 lb turkey (on the small side at my house, we try to find the 25 - 30 pounders when we can)
2 large oranges, cut into quarters, don't peel
2 large onions, peeled and cut into quarters
1 T. dried rosemary

Thaw turkey completely. The fastest way to do this is to put it in the sink, with the stopper in place, and let cold water dribble over it for about 6-10 hours. It takes 3 - 5 days to thaw in the fridge. Plan ahead.

Unwrap turkey and place in large roasting pan. I use a black ceramic coated one, make sure yours has a good fitting lid. Stuff body cavity and neck cavity with oranges and onions. Working from the tail end, gently slide your hand between the skin and the breast meat. Spread rosemary under skin. Put the lid on the roaster. This traps moisture so you get plenty for gravy and the meat stays moist. It also cooks faster. Roast in a 350° oven for 3.5 - 4.5 hours, until meat is at least 170° or until the legs pull off easily.

Remove all drippings and place in large saucepan. You should get at least 4 cups. Replace the lid on the roaster and set the turkey aside to stay warm.

For gravy, bring drippings to a boil. Mix 1/4 c. cornstarch in 1 c. cold water until no lumps remain. Stir into drippings. Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Salt to taste. Add 1 t. rosemary to gravy if desired.

Serve gravy and turkey with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing - you know what makes a turkey dinner. And make sure to share a few tasty bits with your cats.

Butternut Custard

In honor of the March snowstorm now blowing through my yard, I'm posting this recipe. Part pumpkin pie, part baked pudding, it's all delicious. So bake some this week and curl up with a bowl. And don't feel guilty - it's low fat, low sugar, high fiber, just good for you and good to eat.

Enjoy!

Butternut Custard

1 medium butternut squash - about 2-3 pounds
3/4 c. milk
4 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. salt

Split squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Place squash in 9x13 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 until very tender, about one hour. Let cool. Scoop out flesh. Place 2 c. butternut squash in blender. Add milk and eggs. Puree until smooth, about one minute, it will be very thick. Pour into bowl. Add sugar and spices. Beat with whisk until smooth. Pour into well-greased 9x13 pan, spread evenly. Bake at 400° F for twenty minutes, turn heat down to 325° about 45 minutes, until filling is set and toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped topping.

Food for the Soul - Chicken soup my way

Ever have one of those family recipes that is more than just food? Comfort food for me feeds the soul and heart. This recipe is one of those my family requests, especially in those dreary days before spring decides to actually arrive. Enjoy it with fresh bread, crackers, or our favorite, garlic croutons. I love it because it's quick, easy, and fairly light on the waistline while being very satisfying.

Chicken Soup

1 lb chicken, boneless skinless breasts preferred, cut in small chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 T. butter
4 c. carrot slices
2 c. celery slices
2 T. candied ginger, minced fine
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. dried parsley (or 1 T. fresh, chopped fine)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 c. chicken soup base (I like the vegetarian version Blue Chip Baker makes) OR 6 chicken bouillon cubes
8 c. hot water
2 c. egg noodles

Melt butter in large pot. Add chicken and onion. Saute until meat is almost cooked and onion is soft. Add everything else except noodles. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until carrots are soft. Adjust seasonings, adding salt to taste. Add noodles, cook 3 - 4 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Chicken with Rice: Substitute 1 c. uncooked rice for the noodles. Add with the carrots. Cover and simmer soup for 45 minutes. Season to taste and serve.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

This recipe is sure to get your creative juices flowing. Digestive juices for certain. How about picking up a copy of my book to read while you wait for it to cook? Several times over, since my novel will take more than 30 minutes to read? http://www.nexuspoint.info

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

1 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
2 1/2 c. really hot tap water

Heat oven to 350. Mix flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl. Add milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread in 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cocoa over the top. Pour water over everything. DO NOT MIX IN. It looks weird, but it will turn out. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Serve hot. Cake will be on top with hot fudge sauce underneath.

Really yummy with peppermint or strawberry ice cream.

Butter Rum Popcorn

Here's another recipe to brighten your day. I'd write about writing or marketing or something else, but life is so crazy right now, recipes are about my speed.

1 c. real butter
1/2 c. corn syrup
2 c. sugar
1 t. rum flavoring
8 qts air-popped popcorn

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add corn syrup and sugar. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and reaches firm ball stage. (Drop a tiny bit in very cold water. It should form a firm ball that is just a bit crunchy around the edges. This takes about 7 minutes.) Remove from heat. Stir in flavoring. Pour over popcorn. (Yes, it's 2 gallons of popcorn, use a really BIG bowl.) Stir carefully until popcorn is coated. Dump onto large piece of waxed paper. Spread and let cool for 30 minutes. Break into chunks. Store in loosely covered container.

Dinner? Navy Bean Soup

I was inspired by a friend to start posting recipes on my blog. So tonight's dinner is Navy Bean Soup, an old-fashioned recipe that is so satisfying, especially in winter. Easy and inexpensive, too.

1 lb dried navy beans
1 small onion, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 t. garlic powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. paprika
2 t. celery salt
2 c. cubed cooked ham
ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Soak beans in cold water overnight. Drain. Place in 4 qt crockpot. Add about 6 c. hot water. Cook on high for 2 - 3 hours. Add onion, carrots, and spices. Cook on low 4 hours, until vegetables are done and beans are soft. Add ham. Cook another hour. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with sourdough bread or crackers.