Just a few changes here

I need an outlet for my chickens and I already had this mini cooking blog. Instead of making a third blog for chickens I am renaming this one and its now going to include my random cooking forays and chickens. How much fun is that!?

Stay tuned!

Crabby Patties and Asian Slaw

Myswell start this back up with a AWESOME recipe! This was a put together of stuff already at my house. Yes, as you read the ingredient list, these are items I pretty much always have on hand. (except crab and cabbage)The great part is the other half of the cabbage gets used tonight in pad thai! (might have to make another post tomm on my totally Americanized garbage version of it!)

Crabby Patties

1 12oz can crab meat (I used claw, do not buy the tiny unrefrigerated cans.. those will make for horrible crab cakes)
1/4 cup fine chopped onion
4 tabl mayo
2 teas soy sauce - lite
3/4-1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 good squirts siracha
Extra panko on a plate

Pick the crab over for shell pieces and then add everything else into the bowl. Stir well with hands. Form into 6 patties and press each side into the panko breadcrumbs on a plate. Place onto a cookie sheet that has been greased. These go in a 425F oven for 20-30 minutes.

Asian Slaw

1/2 head of red cabbage shredded fine
2 tabl seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teas sesame oil (or more to taste)
1 tabl mayo
1/2 teas soy sauce
1 teas sugar

In a bowl whisk all but the cabbage together till well mixed. Toss with the shredded cabbage and let sit for 20-30 minutes before serving.

To serve, just pop a pile of the slaw on a plate and top with the crab cakes. I served with banana sauce (found at Asian food stores) but you can do ketchup if you prefer.

The next day if there is any leftovers, this makes a mean crab sandwich topped with the slaw and lettuce, tomato, and maybe a little onion if you're feeling brave.

Pumpkin Muffins -better!

So I know I dabbled with pumpkin donuts muffins a little bit ago. They are delicious but you know, somewhere I just wasn't happy with them. So I went back to the drawing board and started again. This time around I started with a pumpkin quick bread recipe and modified it for muffins. Then I did some major substitutions to it to make it better than just sugar and flour for the most part. I'm extremely happy with the results and have made 4 batches now; all have come out completely perfect. There are two methods to the madness here, as you can have these be vegan or nonvegan. I'll post up both ways and you can decide. I've also done a total mix of the two on my last batch and they still turned out perfect. I don't think these can be messed up at all.

Pumpkin Muffins - Non Vegan

1 2/3 c flour
1 - 1.5 c pumpkin
1 tabl baking powder
1 c brown sugar
2/3 c milk (note I use almond milk but normal milk works)
2 teas pumpkin pie seasoning (or 1/2 teas each of cloves,nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom)
1/2 tea baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c ground flax seeds
1 stick of butter
1/2 c chocolate chips

Mix everything but the chocolate chips in a large bowl with a blender on med speed till well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins almost full and bake at 425F for 30-35 minutes. Makes 12

Pumpkin Muffins - Vegan

1 2/3 c flour
1 - 1.5 c pumpkin
1 tabl baking powder
1 c brown sugar
2/3 c milk substitute (I've used rice and almond milk in these, both work)
2 teas pumpkin pie seasoning (or 1/2 teas each of cloves,nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom)
1/2 tea baking soda
3 tabl ground flax
9 tabl water
1/2 c ground flax seeds
1/2 c coconut oil
1/2 c vegan chocolate chips OR 1/2 c cocoa powder (if you do this increase the sugar by another 1/4 c and you may have to add a little extra milk to make the batter good. You may not, its a play by ear taste to be sure)

Follow the exact same steps as the non vegan, but make sure you mix the 3 tabl flax and 9 tabl water 15 minutes before you blend to make sure you get the correct consistency for the egg replacement.

That's it! Simple and they are A. full of fiber B. pumpkin is really really good for you and C. these are about 220 calories each, two is the PERFECT breakfast!!

Macaroni and Cheese

I've been naughty. I let a small craving turn into something of a full blown GIVE IT TO ME NOW AND NOBODY GETS HURT yesterday. Phew. Ok. I'm better now that I was able to fulfill the urge yesterday.

Homemade macaroni and cheese is much different from the stuff you get in a box. It takes a few more minutes to make than just ripping open the orange cheese packet and dumping it on the noodles with some milk and butter. I'm also not talking about the cut up some processed cheese log into chunks and melt with some milk and noodles and call that macaroni and cheese. (lots of "ands" being thrown around today!)

My version of mac n cheese is a base roux with milk, shredded cheese, salt, pepper, and noodles. I tend to use a Mexican cheese blend of cheeses that are found in the bagged cheese aisle of your store. Feel free to use cheddar or really, any type of cheese that melts well.

Note: as in all my recipes I use real butter. I have no clue how a margarine would hold up.


Macaroni and Cheese

2 tabl butter
1/4 cup of flour
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups milk
1/2lb cooked noodles
salt, pepper


Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and whisk to a smooth paste. Cook for a minute or two over the heat. Whisking constantly with one hand, pour in the milk in a slow steady stream so that no lumps form. It will start to thicken pretty much immediately on the heat. If it gets really thick add more milk 1/4 cup at a time to thin it out a little. You want a nice thick mix. Think a little thinner than yogurt but not as thick as sour cream. Taste the sauce for seasoning. Turn off the heat and then stir in the cheese. Sitr well to melt.

Add in the noodles and you can either eat from here or if you choose to, bake at 425 till the tops is golden brown. Whatever way makes you happy.

Peppermint Mocha's

I bet ya'll thought I wasn't going to post today seeing as it's ohhhhh 8pm and everything. Oh what forgoing dishes in the sink, the mopping of the floors, and putting away the laundry that has been patiently waiting since yesterday night for sitting on the couch with the husband, a drink, and a cute sleeping baby will do to a person. Be lazy? What? Noooo not at all!

Anywho there are two ways to make these; the alcoholic way or the non alcoholic way. I suggest if you want to do it the alcoholic way you get a bottle of peppermint schnapps. If you want to go the non alcoholic way then I would buy a bottle of peppermint syrup. Which, ironically, can be easily found at Liquor Barn here in town. (ha!)

I can't give you recipe specifics as there are about 15 different size coffee mugs out there so I will tell you how to eyeball this.

1.) Brew some STRONG coffee. Like I'm talking 1.5 scoops to every cup. Don't use cheap coffee either, I mean you could if you wanted to.. but the end result is not going to be as delicious. I love Larry's Beans coffee, but I know it s a little pricey. Use what you want :)

2.) In a saucepan heat up some milk. This works with all but skim, skim doesn't have enough milk fat to foam correctly. With a whisk or a pair of beaters OR a whisk attachment for your beaters, beat the milk until it foams.

3.) In your coffee mug pour in enough chocolate syrup to coat the bottom of the cup.

4.) On top of this pour 1-1.5 oz of peppermint syrup of your choice

5.) Fill 3/4's of the way with coffee

6.) Pour in the milk

Now sip and enjoy this delicious treat.

Pumpkin Muffins

I have a goal to update this every day this week. Lofty and huge I know, but I will attempt and try to do my best.

I really wanted some pumpkin something for breakfast yesterday and started searching. I came across this recipe and decided that with all the good reviews it got that it might be worth a try. This recipe has been cross posted all over different blogs and here it is again on mine.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2012/09/07/pumpkin-doughnuts-baked-to-perfection/

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Just mix it all up in a bowl and then since I made these into muffins, they fit into a standard 12 cup muffin pan. Baked for 30 minutes at 350F.

Once done, I made a glaze to go over them, figured, hell, its a donut kinda right?

2 cups powdered sugar
1 tabl butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teas vanilla

Just mix it all up in a bowl and make sure its thick and then spoon over warm muffins. Will set in about 15 minutes or so. 

Enjoy!

Sandwich Bread

I *sometimes* buy bread at a standard grocery store bread and I will admit that while pregnant and after my pregnancy up until now, I've taken advantage of the pre-made bread. Mainly it was due to time and trying to figure out what to do with a baby that every 2-3 hours had wanted food, always wanting attention, and demanded that drop what I was doing to fix whatever was wrong with her. Thankfully, she crawls now so I have it a little easier as I have been able to set her on the floor and let her play leaving me the opportunity to actually do something in the kitchen.

That all being said, I've finally had a chance to get back into the grove of doing what I love which is actual cooking in the kitchen. Granted, I have a 8 month old kiddo that is holding onto my pant leg and standing up while beating on a cabinet.. but she graciously allows me to work. Kinda.

I love this bread for sandwiches and it is awesome for at least a week out on the counter. The recipe will make 2 loaves of bread and I normally freeze one loaf  to allow us to have bread for about a week and a half.


Standard loaf of bread runs about 1.50-4 bucks a loaf. Depending on what type of bread you are buying. Making ones own bread will run about .90 cents a loaf. My recipe makes two loaves.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread:


4.5 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
1 cup water
3 tabl coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tabl salt
1.5 tabl yeast
1 egg


In a medium microwave safe bowl pour the honey, milk, water, and coconut oil. Place in the microwave and cook at 50% power for 1.5 minutes. It should be warm and the coconut oil does not need to melt if it was solid upon placing in the microwave.

Place half of the flour, all of yeast, and all of the salt in a large mixing bowl. (or in the stand mixer bowl) Mix well and then pour in the liquids. Mix well with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or with a paddle attachment for 3 minutes with a stand mixer.

Add the rest of flour to make a stiff dough. If you are kneading by hand then turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 7 minutes or until the dough is pliable. Or! Put a dough hook on your mixer and let it go at a 2 or 3 power for 3-4 minutes adding flour if needed to make a soft dough that pulls away from the edges of the bowl and forms a solid mass that the hook kneads.

Either method cover with plastic wrap in the original bowl and allow to rise covered for 1-2 hours or until it has increased in size to double.

Punch down and then form into 2 loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise covered for another 1-2 hours or until doubled.

Place in a pre heated 420F oven for 35-45 minutes or until tapped sounds hollow.

Put them on cooling racks and you are done!