Behold! The power of cheeeeeeeeeeeez....

It's sunny and cold.  I've got the front door open and the fresh air drifting in.  The fresh 35 degree air.  Did I mention that it's cold?  I'm starting my spring 'prep'; that time of year when I make sure that every surface in my house gets wiped, scrubbed, vacuumed and disinfected once a week.  A little compulsive, maybe?  Do we get sick a lot in my house?  No.  (Not to mention that I'm almost always prepared for company!)  But what do I do with the rest of my time?  Seeing as how I've yet to meet a carbohydrate that I didn't like, I bake.  Breads, cookies, cakes, muffins, cookies, breads....  it's amazing. 

So now that I plan on baking all day, (and night for the next week) what am I going to make for dinner?  Cheese.  It's simple, abundant, and full of goodness.

Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

You can go about this one of two main ways:

You can open two cans of condensed cheese soup, add milk and cauliflower or.....

Make cheese sauce.  Shred a cup (or two) of cheddar cheese, and melt in milk with just a little butter.  Once the cheese is melted and the two are well combined, stir in your cauliflower.  A whole head is best.  Once the cauliflower is the tenderness you prefer, stir in some cornstarch to thicken your masterpiece into soup.  Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with extra cheddar.

Other cheese masterpieces??? 

Herb and Cheese French Bread



The wonders of yeast.....



5 tsp fast acting yeast

6 cups bread flour

3 cups warm (120 deg) water

2 tbs butter, melted in said water

1 tbs salt

1 tbs sugar

Italian herbs of choice, together, about a heaping palm full

shredded cheese

Let your yeast stand alone a bowl until it reaches room temperature.  Stir with flour.  Add salt, sugar, herbs and some cheese, stir again.  Stir in water/butter mixture.   When well mixed, roll out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes.  Place in greased bowl and cover.  Let rise until at least doubled. 

Wait patiently, my friend.

Re-knead your dough, then form into your loaves, boules, or pans, cut across tops and sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and let rise again. 

When it has about doubled again, bake at about 400 until they sound hollow when tapped on.

~ She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:27 ~

Color me orange....

Orange is my favorite color.  There are songs about pink, and yellow, and blue, and black....  and probably others....  but I'm a fan of orange.  Something about the vibrancy of it.  It makes me happy.  It makes my insides 'feel' warm.  It's just great.  With a little help from a great friend, I bring you my latest orange experiment.  It's just fantastic.  :)

Honey Citrus Chicken

1 mandarin orange

1/2 lemon

1/2 tbs olive oil (ish)

1 tbs honey

palm full each of marjoram and oregano

2 chicken breasts

Obliterate the orange and the lemon half.  You want all the juices in a bowl.  Warm the honey until pourable, and add the orange and lemon juice to it.  Add your olive oil and spices, stir and add your chicken.

Marinate for about 2 hours.  Grill over medium coals until done. 

And what would a citrusy chicken dish be without a colorful complementary side???

 Quick Broccoli Salad

Dressing:  1/2 C Mayonnaise (I buy the olive oil stuff)

                about 1 1/2 tbs vinegar

                about 1 tbs sugar

Whisk together in a bowl.  You want your dressing to be sweet and tangy, but more tangy.  The other ingredients are sweet!  Adjust the amounts to suit your taste.

In another bowl, combine broccoli florets (about 2 'heads' worth) a generous handful of craisins (or raisins if you have them on hand) and about half as many sunflower seeds (or almonds) and about 1/4 cup chopped onion.  Toss with dressing.  Serve chilled.

~  'Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.'  John 8:36 ~

It never ceases to amaze me...  fog.  Yes, fog.  I read somewhere that in a square mile of fog, there is only one gallon of water.  After I finished being amazed, I wanted to know how that was measured...  of course, but decided to just let it be.  Sometimes the willing suspension of disbelief for just a few minutes lets you relive part of your childhood.  When what you didn't know, you didn't know.  It was, essentially fog.  You just didn't see it.  :)  But it shielded you from the things hidden in it, and beyond it.  How fantastic.  It's like A Midsummer's Night's Dream all over again.

In the spirit of all foggy winter days, I have prepared a tortelloni soup, how great it is.

Tomato Tortelloni
1 can tomato sauce, rinsed, and 3 cans water
3 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 lg onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
a palm full of each: basil, marjoram, oregano, parsley, brown sugar
1/2 palm full of each: rosemary, thyme, fennel
dash of cumin
salt, pepper, and Parmesan to taste

Place all ingredients in a large sauce pot, or your slow cooker, and let simmer until veggies are cooked.  Meanwhile, make tortelloni.

Tortelloni
Pasta Dough:
2 3/4 C flour
3 eggs (or comprable egg substitute)
1 tsp salt

Mound the flour on a clean, crack free surface.  Dig a well in the center of the mound, and crack your eggs into it.  Scramble the eggs with your fingers, slowly pulling the flour into the middle with them.    As dough forms, add water, a couple of drops at a time, if it is too dry.  If it's too moist, add flour.  Knead dough like you would bread for 10 to 15 minutes.  Wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 15 (but no more than 20) minutes before rolling out. 

When you roll out your dough, only use 1/2 at a time, keeping the other portion covered.  Using a rolling pin, roll away from you, turn, and repeat, on a floured surface until desired thickness.

Using a circular cookie cutter, or a glass cup, cut out circles.  Place filling inside, fold in half.  bring the edges (the points) together in the middle, wrapping like a fortune cookie.  Let dry for about 20 minutes before cooking.

Filling:
     I prefer cheese filling for this soup.
2 parts riccota 
1 part shredded mozzerella
1 part parmesan

stir together in a bowl.

Once your soup base is ready, and you're ready to eat, cook your tortelloni in a pot of water until they float.  Then spoon into soup.  Let stand in soup for about 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with parmesan.


If you don't feel like making your own tortelloni, you can purchase the frozen ones, or buy the tortellini in the dry pasta section of the grocery store.

~ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7 ~

It's pita, I mean, pizza.... it's... it is.

We all have those days.  We say, "I'm having one of those days," but we mean that we're having a normal day, because those days happen more often than not.  Yesterday was one of those.  No, not those, but the days we all wish to have more often.  The kids were well behaved, even napped while company was at the house.  The house that was actually clean.  The dogs got along well with their company (yes, my dogs had company as well) and a wonderful evening of fellowship was attained.    Yet this morning hasn't been so easy.  The kids are everywhere, into everything, and loud.  I haven't managed to get anything done that I want to, and I'm stuck pondering a question I was asked last night.  "How do you instill Christian values into your children when they don't communicate well enough to understand?"  Yikes.  Wow.  With that running thru my brain, it's been a pita, I mean pizza, I mean.....  day.  Voila Pita Pizza.  Made fresh with your leftovers.  :)

Pita Pizzas
1 pita (non pocketed) per person
marinara or other sauce
your favorite leftovers

Build a pizza atop you pita.  Warm in oven until cheese is melted.  Slice and enjoy.

I think I'll take my cue from what Paul wrote in Romans 13:14; Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.