Salsa!

Good Morning my friends, I am up and feeling froggy today!  I look forward to all that the day holds around here... I have a lot to do and we have VBS tonight so I have to get moving... Have a GREAT one! God's blessings to each and all... (((hugs)))

I have had a few requests for my Hot and Spicy Salsa Recipe.  If you have visited my blog before then you know most of 'my' recipes are more of an approximation instead of exactness.  But I am happy to share and you can add, take away, whatever you like!

Ok, I had peppers, whatever kind, how many you like... cayenne, jalapeno, habanero, bell, cherry hot, Thai hot...
I took about 3 overflowing hand-fulls.  I cut off the stem, and tossed em into the food processor, yes seeds and all!

I took a HUGE onion and chopped it in the food processor as well.

Cilantro... SO good! Chop up several sprigs... this is a beautiful thing so be sure you use it.

Now as I take this out of the food processor I am putting it all into a big 8 quart stock pot. 

I now began adding tomatoes.  I would take my tomatoes and if there was any blemish I would cut that off and then quarter them and toss them in the food processor.  I really do not know how many I ended up using, I just kept processing until I had enough to fill my stock pot.  Sorry this is not more precise... but this doesn't have to be!  If I had to guess how many I would say it took about 20 tomatoes.  Remember that is a GUESS!!!

Ok, I have an almost full stock pot, I would say we are about 3 inches from the top!

Add about 1/3 cup vinegar, doesn't matter what kind.
Add about 1/4 cup sugar
Now this is a big guess because you just need to taste and see.... 4-5 Tbsp of Salt
SEVERAL-MANY grinds of freshly ground black pepper
1- 6 oz can of tomato paste
(I did not add these in previous batches and my salsa was a bit on the juicy side, these helped to add a bit more RED and to thicken things up a little!)

At this point taste... if it needs more salt, add it, if it is too sweet, add a little lemon juice, if it needs some more heat throw in some Texas Pete or maybe some horseradish... ooooooh that gives me a good idea!

I let that simmer for a good 30 min or a little longer if you need.  Get it good and hot, but not necessarily boiling.

Have your jars hot and clean and have your lids ready.

When you have it in your jars have your hot water bath ready... you want to process this for a good 15 min, in really hot water.  You  want to make sure you are getting a good seal.

07:59 - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - comments {4} - post comment

Lime Cordial

Cordial |ˈkôrjəl|
adjective
warm and friendly : the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.
a cordial welcome friendly, warm, genial, affable, amiable, pleasant, fond, affectionate, warmhearted, good-natured, gracious, hospitable, welcoming, hearty

I have taken my cue from my Aussie Friend Rhonda Jean and decided to call my concoction Lime Cordial instead of the lame Limeaid... I mean really... which one would you like a glass of???
Yeah,  Me too...
Sometimes cordials have liqueur, this one does not.
I just like the friendly, old fashioned ring that it has to it.  I like how it says, come and sit a spell with me while we sip on Lime Cordial...
It makes me think of Anne (Green Gables) throwing a ladies luncheon for Diana and being thrilled to no end about sharing Raspberry Cordial with her bosom friend.  So that is what I am doing... I am sharing my Lime Cordial with you, my bosom friends.  Just pretend when you are drinking it that we are sitting on the porch together... chatting and laughing like we have known each other for a lifetime.  And stick a pretty sprig of mint in there... just to be fancy.
This is my recipe for my Lime Cordial
3/4 cup agave nectar in a 2 cup measuring cup
Fill the cup up the rest of the way with warm water and stir to dissolve
Now you want 1 cup of lime juice
You can add 2 cups if you like, but these limes are VERY strong... so I only used 1 cup.  Also before you juice your limes, grate them finely (not too much you don't want the pith) and mix in the grated rind with the juice.
This is your cordial. What you will do now is freeze it in plastic bottles if you like or put it in a pitcher to drink right now. 
You will serve your cordial with ice water.  Drinking it as is, is much too strong a drink.  Depending on your taste you might want to fill a glass with ice and water half full or even less and then fill the rest of the way with cordial. 
This is quite tasty and is a lovely summer drink.  I am tickled to have some in the freezer so sometime this fall or winter I can pull some out and have a taste of summer in December sometime. :)
Don't forget the mint...
Enjoy!

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

08:27 - Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - comments {4} - post comment

Spinach Quiche

Good Morning! 
I know how busy we can be during summer, working in the garden, canning and preserving what is coming in, just general work... So last night I played around in the kitchen and came up with a delicious treat for a simple supper.
Spinach Quiche
8 eggs
1 medium onion chopped
1 can mushrooms
1 box of frozen spinach
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 Tbsp of parsley
1/2 cup sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
2 pie crusts

Chop all of your veggies and beat your eggs, mix together thoroughly.  Break your cream cheese and butter in bits and add, add sour cream and mix.
Pour into pie crusts and bake at 375* for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with a salad.
I hope you are having a great day... May you enjoy today and all of its beauty.
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

08:05 - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - comments {9} - post comment

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Focaccia Bread

Welcome and Good Morning!  I hope you are having a swell Thursday... 
I figured with it being my favorite day, I would share with you some Thursday love... and you will LOVE this recipe!
My dear friend Lindsey adapted it from a recipe for a savory focaccia bread from a magazine we both get through email, it is such a lovely magazine.  Beautiful pictures, great recipes and crafty ideas.  It is called Seasonal Delights... go check it out!
Anyhow back to the reason you came... the Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Focaccia Bread...  the name is a mouthful in itself. Ha
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Focaccia Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (I used a tablespoon)
2 1/2 cups flour (I used soft white wheat)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3-4 T sugar (I used sucanat)
4 T butter, melted, divided

1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon for topping

1/4 powdered sugar, milk, vanilla for icing

Stir together warm water and sugar in a small bowl.  Add the yeast slowly, stirring constantly to dissolve.  Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine the flour, additional sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of the butter.  Stir to combine thoroughly but try not to knead at this point.  I had to mix it together with my hands just a bit to make sure it was all mixed up.
Cover and rest for 30 minutes.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees after 15 minutes of the resting time.
Remove dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 30-60 seconds.  The dough should still be fairly soft but also smooth.  Roll out about 1/2 inch thick and place on a baking sheet or stone.  Push your fingertips down into the dough, making dimples, not holes, all over the dough.  Spread the remaining 2 T butter over the top.
Combine topping ingredients and spread all over the buttered dough.  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven.
Place powdered sugar in a bowl and add *maybe* 3 t milk, a little bit at a time, until the consistency of icing.  Add the tiniest splash of vanilla extract and stir.  Drizzle over warm bread (I like to cut into strips and then drizzle) and serve.

Oh yum, these were so good.  Thankfully Shannon and the kids finished them off so it freed me of the temptation.
I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday!  Love to each of you!
xoxo
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

**Oh! And YES this recipe is going in my binder, FOR SURE!**

07:34 - Thursday, June 26, 2008 - comments {7} - post comment

Moma Chas's Recipes

My Favorite Recipes, I have them everywhere... in my recipe box, in cookbooks that have been bookmarked and rabbit eared, on the computer... But there are times, they are not easily found.  My friend Lindsey shared with me a brilliant idea a long while back... since then my Book of Recipes has grown.  This is separate from my HomeKeeping Binder, which we can talk about in the future...
Of course the computer is a key element.  I have inputed most of my favorite recipes into a document file and saved so I can find them on here if I need to.
My folder is a LARGE 2" binder...
I have the printed recipes in my binder, organized in several different sections.  Main Dishes, Breads, Desserts, Party foods, and a catch-all section.
It could still use some more organization, maybe a list page that tells me what page I will find My Banana Friendship Cake or Scarecrow's Cinnamon Rolls.  But even without one, I still really enjoy using my recipe binder.  I know that my most loved recipes reside in these pages and I love just browsing through from time to time. 
I hope you enjoy this idea... It is one that I love and it helps me a lot in my homekeeping. 
Have a beautiful day dear ones!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:17 - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - comments {10} - post comment

Cucumbers and Onions

Good Morning! 
I hope this Friday finds you all well and good!
I made something last night to go along with supper and it was so yummy I wanted to share the recipe with you. 
Cucumbers are coming in rapidly around here... even with planting only a couple of plants this year.  But they are abundant and as the old saying goes Waste Not Want Not.
Take and slice 4 cucumbers, you can peel them too, but I didn't!
Put them in a bowl and toss them with 1 tsp salt to bring out the juice.
Let that mixture sit 15 minutes.
Now drain the juice.
Add 1 onion and several hot peppers
1 Tablespoon full of Vinegar
3 Tablespoons full of Sugar and mix everything well.
Very good... it is a little sweet and a little salty...

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:19 - Friday, June 20, 2008 - comments {6} - post comment

Tuesday's Recipes

Good Morning my friends... I have had a few requests for recipes over the past few weeks and maybe even longer
Sorry it took so long!

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
** Please note, this is just how I do it, there may be a better recipe out there... AND I use raw eggs, so if you have a problem with that, don't use this recipe, or you can adapt it to how you would like. **
 5 eggs
1-2 cups sugar
4 T vanilla
Put this in your blender and blend
Add milk, or if you have cream, but I don't usually have cream... I don't know how much milk either, you just add...
Sometimes I will add a bit of powdered milk if I am running low or whatnot. 
So I add till we get to about 3/4 full in the blender and blend, pour into the ice cream maker.  Fill with more milk till it gets close to the fill line... now taste it.  Is it REALLY sweet?  If so, then go ahead and get it going, if not, add a bit more sugar.  You want it almost too sweet, because it will mellow out as you make it.  You don't want it to taste like frozen milk. 
Now, if you know how your ice cream maker works, just pop on the lid.  Sit it in the tub.  Alternate rock salt and ice till you get to the top and turn her on!  Make sure you add more ice or rock salt as necessary till it stops turning and then your ice cream is READY if you like soft serve... if you want to harden it, you can pour it into a casserole dish or a tupperware container and freeze. 

07:57 - Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - comments {6} - post comment

Fall in Love with you Peanut Butter Cookies

Good Morning!!!
I hope you had a great weekend, we sure did.  Just great... We went to a graduation party, we went to a cookout, we played games, we went to church, we went to a 'heated' swimming pool party, visited with family... full and fun was the theme of the weekend! And you would know that it truly was by the quietness in my home right now... all my wee ones are sleeping from the oldest to the youngest are taking in a little extra rest this morning and I don't mind one bit, they deserve it.
I wanted to share a recipe with you this morning, I call them Fall in Love with you Peanut Butter Cookies because when my husband and I were courting, I made these for him.  And I feel that it contributed to his falling in love with me!   So feel free to give these a try, but single ladies, be wary of who you make them for! hahaha!!!

Fall in Love with you Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter       
1/2 cup peanut butter    
1/2 cup sugar       
1/2 cup brown sugar packed  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda    
1/2 teaspoon baking powder     
1 egg      
1/2 teaspoon vanilla    
1 1/4 cups flour all purpose

07:45 - Monday, May 5, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Hello!

Hello friends!!! I just thought I would share with you a recipe I came up with last year.  Right about now when the weather is warming and working outdoors is frequent, this is a refreshing, healthful treat and a GREAT alternative to the sugary Kool-Aid.

Sweet Tart Lemonade

4-5 lemons, juiced
3/4 cup honey
1 cup lemon concentrate
water

Take your lemons and juice them into a 2 liter pitcher.  Add honey and then 1 cup of hot water to dissolve honey.  Once dissolved add lemon concentrate and COLD water. 
Put in fridge or serve over ice immediately!
Enjoy!

08:39 - Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Whole Wheat Biscuits and We have a Winner!

Good Morning Friends.  I want to say thank you to the ones who visited yesterday and gave me encouraging words or lifted me up in prayer.  It will be alright, for I know... This too shall pass.  God can heal all wounds and hurts, I know He is able to deliver me from any problem I have. 
Aside from the fact that I may have gotten a total of 3 hours sleep last night, I feel much improved... I thank the Lord for that.  My baby Abram has the cough now and it is such a nasty one, I wanted him to be near me, and while  he was I didn't sleep well.
On a happy note, the winner to the giveaway is Renee' from Two Peas in a Pod. Congratulations to you Renee'!
A while back I posted pictures of our day and I had several remarks about my Whole Wheat Biscuits.
So here is my recipe and my method!

Whole Wheat Biscuits
3 cups Soft White Wheat flour
3 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1.5-2 cups buttermilk
Here is my method:
Measure out your dry ingredients into a large bowl.  Put the vinegar or lemon juice into your milk to let it curdle while you are getting everything else ready.
Whisk the dry ingredients together, or sift...either way is perfectly fine!
Once they are sifted then you want to add your butter.
Now take your pastry cutter or your fork and cut the butter into the flour mixture, cut, cut, cut. Cut it up until the butter is completely broken up into bits and your mixture looks almost like cornmeal.
Now you have that done, you will start adding your buttermilk into the center of the bowl.  I do it this way.. and then I mix outward, scraping a little more flour and adding a little more buttermilk until all the flour is wet, NOT SOPPING wet, just wet. Make sense?
Dump your wet dough onto the countertop, but first sprinkle a little flour.
Now this is where it varies... You are going to knead the dough.  Meaning, flour the top of the dough slightly and then press down, flip it, fold it in half, press. Do that only 20 times or so, until it is smooth.  You don't want it to look like the above picture you want a nice smooth dough something like this.
Take your rolling pin, dust it with flour and then start rolling.  Roll it until it is about 1/2 inch thick?!?! round about... I am not an exact person. And I either lost this picture or forgot to take one of the rolling out and cutting.
Another tip, use a metal round biscuit cutter or an old tuna can or something, don't use a glass, you need a nice sharp edge to cut the dough properly.
Now they are ready for a preheated 400* oven.  Bake until they poof and are browned on top.  It will be around 15-25 min... keep checking until your degree of doneness is achieved!
I got a little closer up picture this time of them, so you can see that they do puff, and they are slightly browner than white flour biscuits, but they are so tender and lovely.  I hope you enjoy.
Have a beautiful weekend my friends, and give these a try for your Saturday morning breakfast.  I think you will like them so much, white flour will be a thing of the past!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

09:09 - Friday, March 28, 2008 - comments {10} - post comment