Shame Sticks

 This recipe was created after we watched a "King Of Queens" episode, that had, Doug, eating shame sticks . The  "shame sticks" were a stick of butter rolled in sugar. Next we saw the same things on an episode of: "Everybody Loves Raymond." I did research and found that English Toffee was essentially a " Shame Stick." I have tweaked the recipe and made my own version of  "Shame Sticks." This is great at Christmas time!

TIP: Always read a recipe through before you make it. I read it twice.


English Butter Toffee. OR as we call them: "Shame Sticks."


3/4 Pound of Butter. REAL BUTTER. Not Margarine.
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup of Warm Water
1/2 tsp of Pure Vanilla At this point you do not have to add the next ingredients unless you want too.

Items that may be needed:
 A Large Pot
Cookie Sheet ( not the newer "air" sheets, but any old cookie sheet.)
Pam butter spray
High heat rubber spatula
Candy Thermometer

Variations:

One Bag Of Slivered Almonds
1 Bag Of Chocolate Chips. Can be semi-sweet, milk, white or dark chocolate






Spray cookie sheet with Pam butter Spray. Turn heat on high. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy pot. Cook to a light caramel color. Around 250-260 Degrees.  Use a candy thermometer.  Stir well, be careful not to burn.  Remove from heat. Add the vanilla. Spread onto the prepared cookie sheet. Spread thinly. Use the spatula, the one designed for high heat.

This part is the additional recipe:  add slivered almonds when you add the vanilla.   Spread onto the prepared cookie sheet. Spread thinly. Use a rubber spatula, the one designed for high heat. Sprinkle chocolate on top, while hot, wait for them to soften, then spread with the spatula. Spread them quite thin and evenly.

Chill in freezer and break into small pieces.

Note: I have made this both ways and with all variations of the chocolate. The favorites were dark chocolate and no chocolate or nuts.

Simple Shoyu Chicken

I lived in Hawaii for a time, and while I was there, I experienced some of the best foods, that  I have ever eaten. Philippine, Japanese, Hawaiian and Samoan foods.  This recipe is one that I learned from a Family of 18. I was their babysitter. They also introduced me to the Halloween series. The girls taught me to french braid.  Fun People!

This is, I have been told, is a Hawaiian Local Favorite. Each Family does it differently. It is very close to Adobe chicken.


 ** reminder, as with any recipe read over thoroughly before attempting**

Here is our version:

2 pounds of legs and thighs
2 cups of soy sauce
2 cups of water
Ginger. Ginger comes in many forms. Whenever possible I use ginger root. You can get this in the produce section at any Safeway. Peel and cut into one inch pieces. Score the root before use.  Extra ginger can be peeled and cut into one inch pieces then placed in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a year.  It stays in the fridge for about a month. Use a 2-4 inch piece of root.  You can also use ginger oil. Wonderful stuff!!  Harder to find. The very last thing I would use is ginger powder. Use 2-4 tablespoons of the powder. Add the first two, at the beginning then 1-2 more tablespoons as u go along. Bye taste. :)

Place first 4 ingredients in a large pot. Add more water if needed to cover the chicken.  Bring to a boil. Reduce to a hard simmer and cook for about 45 to 55 minutes. Until the skin falls off easily and meat pokes clear.

reserve about a 1.5 cups of the liquid.

u can boil the liquid down or serve as is.

Presentation:
Pineapple
Green Pepper( or any combination of colored peppers)
White Onion
White Rice ( cooked about 3 cups)

Cut pepper and onion into large chunks Fry the vegetables in olive oil for just a cpl of minutes. Toss in the  chunk pineapple, toss until the fruit is warmed through.

 Place rice on a platter, spoon vegetables/fruit over top, then place the chicken on top.  Spoon a cpl of spoonfuls of the liquid over everything. Can sprinkle with dried parsley and/or paprika, for a nice effect.



This is my own creation, pulled from my head :) Enjoy!

Orange Nut Bread (I won 3rd Place @ the Alaska State Fair)

Submitted by Patrick Mattice

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons melted shortening
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 to 4 mini loaf pans (5x3 inches each).
2. Zest and juice an orange; set 1 tablespoon zest aside. Pour orange juice into a one-cup measuring cup, add boiling water to fill to one cup measurement.
3. Pour juice mixture into a bowl and add the melted shortening, vanilla, egg, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, grated orange zest and chopped nuts. Stir well and pour batter into the prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and bread is nicely browned. 
5. Recipe found on Allrecipes.com

Apple and Wild Rice-Stuffed Chicken

 Submitted by Jeremy Olson.............Thank You Jeremy

1 (6-ounce) package long grain and wild rice mix
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
2 medium cooking apples (Granny Smith or Jonathan), cored and chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken
2 to 3 tablespoons apple jelly, melted
Apple wedges (optional)
For stuffing, cook rice according to package directions, except add mushrooms, apples, carrot, green onions, and pepper to rice before cooking.
Meanwhile, rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Spoon some of the stuffing loosely into neck cavity. Pull neck skin to back; fasten with a small skewer. Lightly spoon the remaining stuffing into body cavity. Tuck drumsticks under the band of skin that crosses the tail. If there is no band, tie drumsticks to tail. Twist the wing tips under the chicken.
Place stuffed chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of an inside thigh muscle. The bulb should not touch bone. Roast, uncovered, in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°F to 185°F (85°C). At this time, chicken is no longer pink and the drumsticks move easily on their sockets. When the bird is two-thirds done, cut the band of skin or string between drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. Brush chicken with melted jelly once or twice during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
Remove chicken from oven; cover with foil. Let stand for 10 to 20 minutes before carving. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Spoon some of the stuffing around the chicken and garnish with apple wedges, if desired.
Makes 10 servings.

Deep Fry Batter

EXTRA CRISPY BATTER FRY

This Recipe can be doubled easily or more! 

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1  tbsp oil( Vegetable is the best, but can use canola, or peanut oil...... olive oil wont work)
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 egg white stiffly beaten

Oil for frying. 2-4 cups. 

Vegetables for frying ( IE: mushrooms, zucchini)

Chicken, Pork, Shrimp,  and/or fish for frying

Dredge Coating: 1/2 cup flour, salt, garlic, paprika and pepper.
Items that may be needed: 
Rubber Spatula
Deep Frying Spatula ( best I ever found came in my Wok set.)
Large Pot or an Electric Deep Frying Pot. Like a Fry Daddy 
Wooden Spoon. For mixing.

Combine the first four ingredients. ( use the Wooden Spoon here. ) Let stand 30-60 minutes.

Meanwhile mix the dredge coating.  Set aside.
 

Fold in the egg white.  Use a big rubber spatula and add the egg white gently, so it wont "fall"

When ready, rinse and pat dry the meat or veggies u r going to coat.

Dredge ( means to coat very lightly)  the vegetables or meat you r frying, first in the seasoned flour. The dip in the batter, let excess drip off.

Fry until golden brown.  Dont over fry, otherwise will be chewy. 


NOTE: I use this for my beer battered halibut too. I use beer in place of the water. 


From my head. Enjoy!

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
from Betty Crocker
1 box Funfetti cake mix + all ingredients the box calls for
24 cake cones
1 can frosting, or frosting of your choice
sprinkles, for decoration

1. Heat oven to 350F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Fill each cup 2/3 full of batter (1 heaping tablespoon each). Place ice cream cone upside down on batter in each cup.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean (cones may tilt on batter). Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove paper baking cups. Generously frost cake with frosting, and decorate with sprinkles as desired. Store loosely covered.

This is Juls- Instead of the OIL that the box asks for, I replace with vanilla yogurt, or plain yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise. Id say about 1/2 cup. Trust me, works very very well.  For white cakes, I do not add egg yolks at all.  I make the batter extra thick.  No oil at all.  Makes for a nice cake or cupcake.

My name is actually Julianna. I go by Juls, mostly though. Been known to go by Grandma, Mom, Momma, and the occasional, HEY YOU! There's a few more names I could throw in, but lets keep it g rated :)

I have 6 kids. Married. I have been cooking since I was about 3 or 4. Toast, eggs and pancakes were my first culinary creations. My Mom is a great cook. My Brother is a cook in Homer. My Great Grandparents were both Chefs and owned a restaurant in Budapest in the 1920's. Cooking is in my blood.  I am NOT professional by any means. Just a busy mom that loves to cook!

I've  had a lot of  influences, in learning how to cook.  My parents had an out of work chef that  lived with my family, for a summer, when I was 10.  She showed me a lot of great techniques.  My Friend Berta's Husband is a chef and he has given me some wonderful  advice and tips. And Of course the best cook I've even known. My Mom. 

I get asked for my recipes a lot. But most of them are in my  head. I haven't written very many down. So this is a way to preserve and share them.

Like my ever sought after Salisbury Steak Recipe, My Hungarian Goulash, and the " Best Damn Banana Bread Ever.  I didn't name it that, my Husband did..........and it stuck.

I also cant wait to hear and learn about Busy Moms cooking influences, tips and tricks and secrets you might have. I look forward to, with great anticipation, reading about you. I look forward to, drooling over the recipes, you decide im worthy enough to share with.

So please feel free to leave comments and send me exiting recipes and ideas!

Busy Moms Menus

This blog was created for the many of us connected through a busy lifestyle and face-book :). Being a Mom in this time is very hectic, and we all have out own little shortcuts.  Here's a way that we have created to share these shortcuts and ideas.  My friends and I  have created this blog, for us to connect, on this basis.  When u sign in, be sure to tell us a little about yourself. Can keep it as anonymous as you'd like. Please, when sharing recipes, be sure they are your own original creation. Or that u give proper credit. Please be sure you do not paste anything on here that is copyrighted. Thank you and lets start sharing.