Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 can cream of chicken soup (condensed)
1 cup milk
3 cups shredded chicken
1pkg frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, plus broccoli, cauliflower, etc)
1/2 tsp Thyme Leaves
Poultry Seasoning (to taste)
Ground Black Pepper

1 Can Refrigerator Biscuits
(If you're really feeling ambitious, mix up a batch of home-made buttermilk biscuits.)

Boil 2 chicken breasts for 20-25 minutes, then shred them. 
Stir-fry the frozen vegetables to make sure they are thawed and cooked before adding them to the pot pie.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the soup and milk in a large bowl. Stir in sauteed veggies and chicken.  Add the Thyme, Poultry Seasoning, and Ground black pepper.  Stir and pour into a baking dish.  Top with the refrigerator biscuits.   Bake for 45 minutes or until hot.

Yummy on a cold winter's day.

Blueberry Butter in a Crock Pot

 

Blueberry Butter in a Crock Pot

At the December Craft Sale, I bought a jar of home-made blueberry butter for my husband.  Unfortunately, when I got home, it was dark, and I didn't see it sitting on the back seat.  I unpacked some other things, and the nearly frozen jar hit the driveway pavement and broke.  ;-(    Sigh!
So I decided to make good on my gift, and make my own batch of blueberry butter.  It was easier than than I thought it would be.  The hardest part was committing to spend $11+ on 2.5 pounds of frozen blueberries.  I have to say : It was worth it!

The Recipe
2.5 pounds frozen blueberries
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 lemon, zested
Juice of 1 Lemon

Pour the frozen blueberries into a crock pot.  Let them cook for 6 hours.  Stir every hour or so.  After the first 2 hours, I propped open the lid so the steam could escape and it could reduce to a proper fruit butter. 

In the last hour of cooking, I used a stick blender to puree the mixture, and smooth out the lumps.  Then I added the sugar, and spices.  You may need to add more sugar--not all blueberries are created equal.  This batch seemed sweet enough.

SO GOOD!  It tastes like mulled blueberry cider--but spreadable.  Now if we only had some buttermilk biscuits fresh from the oven!

Welcome, Baby Challah!

Our friend, Samara made this lovely Challah bread.  She delivered it swaddled in cloth, like a baby.  It's about that size, too, but a lot less squirmy.

It's a wonderfully rich egg-y bread to start with.  What better treatment than to soak it in more eggs with cinnamon and milk to make French toast!  So delicious!  What a treat!  Thank you, Samara!

Apple Crisp - Autumn Tastes and Smells

  

 

THIS is the taste and smell of FALL!  The first batch of apple crisp of the season. Yummy!  We get the first apples of the season in August.

Apple Crisp Recipe *
Peel, slice and core 8-10 apples (We don't really measure anymore, we just fill the pan.)
       Cortlands and/or MacIntosh cook down nicely.
       We prefer the saucier apples for this.
       You want enough to fill the baking dish.  Heap it up, because the apples tend to cook down.
       Also-sprinkle some lemon juice on the apples to keep them from turning brown as you work. It also adds a pleasant tang. ;-)

Topping :
1 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cup butter (or 1 stick of butter)

Preheat oven to 375 degees F.
Put apples into a 13 in x 9 in glass baking dish.  You can also sprinkle some cinnamon and ginger on the apples.
For topping, combine all dry ingredients.  Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle over apples.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is golden. 

Enjoy!

*  This is another "old family recipe" from my Coop days.   It's adapted from Susan Hollingsworth's Rhubarb Crisp recipe from Summit Ave. Coop in Madison, WI.

Who Makes Your Heart Catch Like This?

Who makes your heart catch like this?
[Click on the link to watch the short video.  Sorry I couldn't imbed it here.]

Read the explanation in Patti Digh's blog post before you watch the video.  It will provide a context for what happens in the video :  3 minutes without a single word. 

A heart opens and blossoms in the presence of another.  What a gift to be able to witness it!  Life past, present and future(?) right there in 3 minutes.  Oh, how I hope they at least went out for dinner afterwards so they could talk. 

One commenter, Marion Williams-Bennett summed it up this way : "Everything happens in this three minutes - Love, passion, forgiveness, hope, connection, remembrance - while others look on. Then, he walks away and she finds herself and starts over. It's life in three minutes."

Yes, there are a few people who could make my heart catch like this.  And I think they know who they are ...  ;-)   Thank you to Patti D for asking the question. 

It also makes me think about the concept of presence.  Was the artist really there with other people who sat down with her at the table?  The ones she didn't have a past with?  I'm not sure ...  She was guarded, that's for sure.

Apple Sheet Cake

For years, this has been my favorite and preferred Birthday Cake.  My Gramma Pickles used to make it just right when I was a teenager.  But now she's older and doesn't cook anymore, it's been years since I had it.  The recipe has been long since lost -- until someone brought it to work one day, and I asked for the recipe.  Yum!  My sweet husband has since made this for me on birthdays the last few years.  It makes me look forward to getting another year older just to have apiece of this Apple Sheet Cake again!   

Here's the gadget that makes peeling all those apples quick and easy!

 

 In about 10 minutes, a whole bag of apples is reduced to the sum of its parts, including cores, flesh, and long strings of apple peels.

Apple Sheet Cake - "Happy Cake"

Use your favorite pie crust / pastry recipe.

We prefer a double batch of Rose Levy Beranbaum's basic crust (p.22 of the Pie & Pastry Bible).
Make 2 batches of the #3 size.  However, if you're short on time, try this one instead :

Pastry :
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk

Apple Filling :
3 pounds apples - peeled, cored, and sliced
        Cortlands and/or MacIntosh cook down nicely for this.
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 T. all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter

Icing :
1-3/4 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 T milk
2-1/2 T. butter, softened
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Directions :
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening to the consistency of course crumbs. Stir in 1 cup cold milk, slowly until completely blended.  Separate dough into two balls.  Roll out one ball of dough to fit a 15 x 10 inch pan with some dough extending over the edge of the pan.

2.  In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and 2 T. flour. Place filling in an even layer over prepared crust.  Thinly slice 1/2 cup butter and evenly distribute over the apples.  Roll out the remaining dough and place over the apple filling.  Seal edges and prick the top all over with a fork.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes before frosting.

4. To make the frosting : In a small bowl, combine ingredients for icing.  Beat until smooth and creamy. 

My Deer Friend ...

 

In 1990, at the age of 19, I took a trip to see Janna's mom, Jackie Kerska, and Tom Bettis in Oregon.   They had a cabin on the Rogue River--wilderness where deer like this one would come up and eat out of my hand.  I always remembered that encounter fondly -- being quiet enough for a Wild One to approach me like this.   Gentle Beauty!

The deer there are much smaller than we have in WI.  I think these are black-tailed deer, as opposed to our white-tails.    I know, so many people are at war with the deer eating their gardens--this is wilderness.  Even Jackie has stated that she would not encourage such behavior from either of us (woman nor beast) in town. 

This is a photo I thought was long-gone, given away a long time ago ...  
I am happy to have it back in digital form. ;-) 
What better way to celebrate it's return than with a poem?


two deer
came walking down the hill
and when they saw me
they said to each other, okay,
this one is okay,
let’s see who she is
and why she is sitting
on the ground like that,
so quiet, as if
asleep, or in a dream,
but, anyway, harmless;
and so they came
on their slender legs
and gazed upon me
not unlike the way
I go out to the dunes and look
and look and look
into the faces of the flowers;
and then one of them leaned forward
and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life
bring to me that could exceed
that brief moment?
- American poet Mary Oliver (from "The Place I Want to Get Back To")

Scenes from the Door County Renaissance Faire 2013

 Vicki says : We're here!

The Door County Ren Faire is only 4 years old, but steadily growing.

 Equestrian Arts included an act with horse tricks, including this magnificent black stallion.

  

Vladimir the Horseman

I love that mane behind him.

They also had a jousting competition, and other contests of precision and skill.  

We were this close to the action!

 Vicki M. enjoying the day.

 The Rat Catcher - Often seen at Bristol, too. 

He provides a valuable service, and I thanked him for his work.

 Vicki, The Rat Catcher, and Me

 The Evil Queen was at the Wishing Well selling bottled water. 
She accepted apples as payment, which Vicki happened to have in her bag.

 My straw hat needs a few small repairs.

 

Andrea the Gypsy Dancer performs The Sword Dance

 

 I love the swirling skirts!

 Vicki blowing bubbles.

 A Lady plays the hammer dulcimer.  

Her music added a lot of atmosphere to the Faire.

 Gypsies with dancing ribbons.

Vicki's walking stick.

 

Fare thee well, until next time!

Simple Goodness : Taste of Summer

 

Red, white, and blue.

Strawberries, angel-food cake, and blueberries : 

The perfect July dessert combination.

Here it is with a little bit pf Peachy Sun thrown into the mix. 

Simple Goodness.

Speaking of our New Kitchen ...

All I can say is : I love it!  And I can't believe we waited so long to do it.

That corner straight-ahead is where the Kitchen Aid lives.  [Wink!]
Black granite and natural cherry are match made in heaven.
Electrical Outlets and lights! Such a vast improvement!

Here's a slide show of the whole changeover, including the miserable hovel we lived with for the past 14 years :

Summer Goodness : Home-made Frozen Yogurt with Strawberries

 

We recently discovered the Kitchen Aid attachment for making ice cream, or in this case Frozen Yogurt.  (Special thanks to my friend Vicki Moen for sharing this!  You can get a pretty good deal on a used one at Amazon.)  This is the greatest invention since sliced bread.  I can finally retire the old 1960's vintage ice-cream maker I've had since I was a kid.   It's a hassle compared to this dream machine!  No ice and no salt to mess with--and no bathtubs to contain the mess!

 

So nice to know that our ingredients are all natural.  

 

CL has since made a delicious frozen yogurt with cardamom and a touch of almond essence.  Yum! Now that we've remodeled our kitchen, the Kitchen Aid has a place of honor there.  No longer relegated to the basement because it won't fit on the counter.   Life is good!

Here's e recipe :

Frozen Yogurt with Cardamom

32 oz. container of Danon plain full-fat yogurt

1 cup Fage 2% Greek Yogurt

1 cup honey

1 tsp. ground Cardamom

1/4 tsp Almond Extract

      A little Rose Water would also be tasty

Make according to the manufacturer's directions.

Enjoy!

July Peaches with ...

It's July with the bounty of summer fruits.  CL got 2 boxes of July peaches, so we've been eating these non-stop while we can.  I made a delicious flavor discovery this week :  The peaches above are drizzled with Slim and Nunne's (formerly Bite Your Butt Mustard) Sweet and Hot Mustard from Middleton's Mustard Museum.  This stuff is so good, we should be buying it in barrels!  It has a sweetness and a bite that is perfect for these peaches.

I dare you : Go ahead and try it!  It's a match made in heaven.  Mmmmh!

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread / Cake

 

This is the preferred birthday cake at our house.  We even had a lemon poppy seed cake at our wedding!  Yum!  It's a family favorite.  The paper on which the recipe is currently written is getting very tattered, torn, and tired.  I thought it was time to set this recipe down on Hidden Passages so we don't lose track of it.  

(Recipe makes 2 loaves)

3 cups flour
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/8 cups salad oil
3 T Poppy Seeds

Mix all ingredients together and beat about 2 minutes.  That's what the recipe says, but I just mix it until everything appears to be evenly combined.


Here's the batter.  This stage always reminds me of when Baba Yaga ordered Vasalisa to soirt through a pile of dirt and poppy seeds.  What a job!

Grease 2 loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Once the breads/cakes are in the oven, combine the ingredients for the topping.
The sugar needs time to dissolve in the lemon juice.

     3/4 cup sugar
     1/4 cup lemon juice
     Splash of Lemoncello

After removing from the oven and while still hot,  brush the lemon juice/sugar mixture on top.

Alternative Honey-Butter Topping :
     This is also delicious with honey and butter as a glaze.
     Melt equal parts honey and butter and pour on top.  Yum!

Thank you to Debbie Uerkwitz for giving us this recipe so many years ago.
I tend to categorize recipes according to who gave them to me.
This recipe lets me remember RDU with fondness.  :-)


                       CL at 42.

Remember the Quiet Evenings : Mid-Winter Edition

If on a Winter's Day ...

I am getting to know my new iPad, so during the snowstorm last week, I made a little video in the cafeteria at the Hospital where I work.  We have a lovely view over natural areas with 2 ponds.  Some of you live in sunny places and may have never seen a snowstorm before.  Here's a taste of what it's like:
Quiet.
Gentle.
White.


When I got home that night, my husband had a cheery fire going.  That's another enjoyable part of winter for us.   I spend many hours in winter watching the flames dance.  Here's your chance to see what I see -- if only for a few minutes.

Enjoy!

About the name of this post : Greg Taylor used to have a show on WORT (community supported radio in Madison, WI) called RTQE : Remember the Quiet Evenings.  I tuned in most Sunday nights to hear the show.  It looks like he's still doing it!  Cool!

Grappa Eddie's Furnace : aka The Octopus

With the winter season, I've been thinking about the huge old furnace Grappa Eddie Smitmajer had in his basement.  When I was a kid this furnace seemed GI-NORMOUS.  And all those ducts coming out the top made me think it was a metal octopus.  You never knew when one of those metal arms might reach down and grab a kid when she wasn't looking.  

This furnace was huge and inefficient.  Still, Grappa managed to get the temperature in the house up to 80 or 90 degrees on a regular basis in winter.   He liked it toasty and warm!

Here he is at the kitchen table.   His birthday would have been Feb 2.