Oh Christmas Tree

This year I fell in love with some scrapbook paper that was not your traditional Christmas colors but brown, tan, blue and very glittery.  My son, Austin, and I decided to cover these metal stars with it -- and the rest is history.  We ended up decorating our entire tree with these colors.  

Pictured here are some of hte stars once they had the paper on them  ....

We also spray painted various sizes of grapevine balls with blue and added matching glitter.  They worked out perfectly ...

I found some ribbon and additional ornaments that tied it all together.

We used the extra paper and a wonderful little cutting tool I am sure was designed by Martha Stewart herself to add some more design and color.  The picture here isn't the best.  I wish Santa would bring me a new camera, but we love it.  Now it needs a matching Christmas tree skirt!


The end result ...

Rhonda

December Scrap quilt

This scrap quilt used some remaining "Figgy Pudding" scraps and measures about 20" square.  The strips of rectangles you see were one-inch pieces I had remaining and I pieced them in strips adding white sashing between the rows.  I added a small red stop border and then 2 1/2" squares four the outside border.  It was a good use of very small scraps and found a nice little spot on my desk at work.   

December Charm quilt

This charm quilt was made with the fabric line "Figgy Pudding" which has been hanging around in my stash for a while.  I used a Schnibbles pattern from Miss Rosie's quilts.  The pattern is amazing, but it didn't work with this fabric line.  You cannot  really pick them outbut there are three different blocks in this pattern -- 9 star blocks, the center of each being a pinwheel, on the outer edge of the star blocks a shoo fly block is trying to peek out.  I think the quilt (actually a table topper, it is under 40" square) needed more fabric that was a solid or very small print for the blocks to stand out better.  But, even though it isn't necessarily a favorite, I have gotten several compliments on it, as I have mentioned a few times, my camera isn't taking the best pictures these days.   

Rhonda

October Charm Quilt

Last month I used my scraps to make a Halloween Quilt using 2 1/2" strips.  Needless to say I had lots of fabric left over from my Halloween stash (that's what fabric hoarders do).  I am hooked on using a solid black background fabric and thus I decided to try another Halloween project using 5" squares (charms).  Halloween is almost here so I am cataloging these ideas for next year.  I love the double pinwheels that seem to flow throughout the quilt.

I used a pattern called "Xs and Os" by Olive Tree Textiles.  I modified it a bit by adding borders using 2 1/2" strips left over from my other project and more black and this is what I came up with.  I did a simple loop design for the quilting with purple thread.

The back of the quilt was from my stash of Halloween yardage that I try and purchase when the season is over for a wonderful discount.  This stripe and purple print with witches is just bewitching!

It's another favorite.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Rhonda

Peach Butter

The other day my mother travelled to the big city of Rexburg, Idaho, and ran across a gentleman at a road side stand selling fruit from Utah.  She phoned and asked asked if I wanted to bottle some peaches.  Of course I said yes because I love that sorta thing.  A while later she showed up with THREE boxes of beautiful peaches ripe and ready to go.  The next morning we washed jars, removed skins, made syrup and put the beauties into jars to process.  My son was home and started requesting homemade Apple Butter as that is one of his favorite things.  Well I didn't have apples, but I had peaches left and decided to try Peach Butter.  Never hurts to try, right? 

The recipe in the Ball Canning Book called for peaches and sugar, lots of both!  I readied the peaches, simmered them until they were soft, mashed them up in a food processor so they were a bit chunky and not too runny, and cooked them some more.  The kitchen smelled wonderful.  I cooked and stirred until the mixture thickened and carefully placed this delectable spread into half-pint jars and then into a boiling water bath.  Needless to say I have another favorite.  If you love toast you will love these spread over it.  My favorite bread for toast is the whole grain bread we purchase with our Bountiful Baskets.

I think this might be positively sinful (and as fast as Austin is going through it, will be gone before the end of the year).  Note to self --- make lots and lots next year -- or find apples to make him some Apple Butter.

Rhonda

Black Hat Society

I have always loved to stitch.  It is as relaxing to me as creating a quilt -- it keeps my hands and mind occupied.  Not too long ago I ran across a website called primitive-stitches.com.  Rhonda (another reason to like her) has some darling primitive stitchery patterns.  I just HAD to stitch this towel band.  I wanted to add a little more color so I added the green fabric with black dots, stitching both the fabric and towel band to the top of the tea towel with a raw edge so it will fray up a bit when washed (and look worn and loved). Simple and cute.

Make one -- or two -- for yourself!

Rhonda

An Homage to Our Mother

If you look in Wikipedia, the definition of a mother is A mother, mom, mum, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child.^[1][2][3][4] Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally acceptable definition for the term.

 But, it takes so much more to be a mother. Let us tell you about our mother. Some may know her by Janeale, some call her friend, others call her Darryl's wife, but to us, she is mom.
Growing up, there was no other mother that possessed the talents that she had. She taught us to cook, to sew (well some of us) to be a good friend, a good listener. She wiped our tears away when we cried, (she still does). Mom was always there for us, no matter what! We made mistakes and she forgave. We got in trouble and she helped us out of it. We needed a friend, and she was there. Patience came easy for our mother (especially after raising Julie) ha, ha... As an adult, we will never even come close to being the mother that our mother is to us.. Who makes homemade bread and cookies everyday after school? Our mom has a heart as big as the universe, so mom, this is for you... We love you so much!!!

New York Cheesecake

                                   Gotta love my cat in the background....LOL



If I were to publish a cookbook, I bet it would not be hard to guess what it would be filled with....yes, you are right..It would be filled with cakes, cookies, breads, and all sorts of desserts. I wished I could make vegetable dishes and healthy foods taste as good as my desserts. When it comes to making pies though, that is my sister's job. Every Thanksgiving in my home and at Christmas, you will find a New York Style Cheesecake...The real deal!! Here is how I make it:

• 1 package Graham Crackers crushed (I put them in a large Ziploc bag and crush them with the rolling pin.
• 4 Tablespoons butter melted
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add crushed Graham crackers to a small bowl. Pour melted butter, sugar and cinnamon over the Graham Crackers. Mix well then add to a Cheesecake Pan. Bake the crust at 350 F. for about 7 minutes. Remove crust from oven.
Filling:

• 5 packages softened Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream

In a mixer, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs (one at a time), flour and vanilla. When all of the ingredients are incorporated, turn mixer on low and gently stir in sour cream, just until blended.  Pour over Graham cracker crust and bake for 1 hour at 350 F. The center of the cheesecake will just begin to split when done. For best results let cool for several hours or overnight.

Last but not least, I love a nice Raspberry or Mixed Berry sauce on my Cheesecake, so I take a small bag of either Frozen Raspberries, or Mixed Fruit and put in a small saucepan. I add 1 Tablespoon water and 1/2 cup sugar. I cook the fruit on medium heat stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes, or until sauce thickens. I then pour sauce through a Sieve to remove seeds. Let cool completely before you serve with your cheesecake. Also, this sauce stores nicely in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Last but not least, sauce up your cheesecake anyway you would like, I also love a little fresh mint and whipped cream..

Julie

September Scrap Quilt

September's scrap quilt is more of a "stash" than scrap quilt.  With Halloween just a few weeks away I pulled out the Halloween stash.  Talk about scary -- I had more fabric than I thought.  It was so much fun opening that container, cutting 2 1/2" strips and sewing this project.  I used a pattern from Jaybird Quilts and a new little tool called a lazy angle ruler (it is like a grown up toy for quilters).  Tomorrow it is on its way to a new home and the quilting starts on the next one ... stay tuned. 

Rhonda

Baked Potato Soup

Today was a very cold day in Illinois, at least it felt cold to me.  I started out by trying to stay warm in the house with a comfy, cozy sweatshirt, jeans and slippers.  Later I had to add socks and I was still cold.  Turning on the heat was not an option on September 13th so I decided soup was a must for dinner.  It is potato time in my home state of Idaho, so I decided to try this soup recipe. I also went a step further and made my very own bread bowls.  You see out in the middle of nowhere where I live, Geraldine's bread bowls are no longer an option.

Baked Potato Soup

3 Tbs. butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. flour
4 1/2 c. milk (low fat works great)
1 14 oz. can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked
2 c. grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 c. sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
1/2 c. chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.  Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth.  (If you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid, save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender -- I had to do this step and it worked wonderfully).  Bring soup  to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up any large clumps.  Add 1 1/2 c. grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 c. sour cream, 1/4 c. green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle into bowls and top each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese and bacon.

(For the record, I didn't have any green onions so I didn't use any in this recipe.  Also, I was a little short on sour cream so I just used the 3/4 cup in the recipe and didn't add any additional sour cream when serving).

Bread Bowls

1 loaf Rhodes bread dough
1 egg white

Let dough thaw on a greased cookie sheet.  While the loaf is still in a cold state cut the loaf  into half, or thirds, depending on the size of bread bowl you desire.  Make a ball out of the dough, brush egg white over the entire ball and let rise until doubled on a greased cookie sheet (I make it easy on myself and just spray it with Pam to prevent sticking).  When the dough has risen to your satisfaction, bake the bread bowls at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool, cut off the top, scoop out the soft and scrumptious inside and eat some of it when no one is looking. 

This was a warm and delicious dinner.  I am sure those Idaho Russets would enhance the recipe all the more!  Fall is here, I am sewing and will have quilts to share soon!

Corn Flake Parmesean Chicken

If you love fried chicken, which most of us do, you will love this recipe! This chicken is a healthy version of fried chicken, and it is very moist and delicious. The nice thing about this recipe, is that it only takes a few minutes of prep time. So here is how I do it....
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cups buttermilk
2 cups crushed Corn Flakes
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag. Add buttermilk and seal bag tightly. Make sure all of the chicken is covered. Marinate chicken in buttermilk at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day. In a pie plate (they seem to work the best because it has sides) add your crushed corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and parsley. Mix well. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and place in the Corn Flake mixture. Coat both sides and then place chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes. or until juices run clear. This dish is so versatile, you can serve it with salad, rice, pasta, just about anything. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does..

Julie

Barbeque Pork Ribs

These ribs are so tender and delicious!! Make sure you have plenty of napkins at the table! These ribs are incredibly easy to make, they just have to cook for several hours. I make the barbecue sauce after the ribs are in the oven and then brush on the sauce after the ribs are already cooked. When I make these ribs, it is usually someones birthday or a family get together. The recipe is large, bur can easily be halved.

Ribs
4 racks of pork or beef ribs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

Wash ribs thoroughly, then pat dry with paper towel. Rub salt and pepper on both sides of ribs. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place in a large roaster (or a pan that is deep enough so the juices do not overflow into the oven). Bake at 275 F for 4-41/2 hours.

Barbecue Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon tobasco
1/4 cup brown sugar
Stir all ingredients together in a medium saucepan until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until thick.
Take cooked ribs out of oven and remove foil. Brush barbecue sauce liberally over both sides of the ribs. Cook on charcoal or gas grill just until the top of the ribs are carmelized. Just a little side note......once you make these, your family will beg for them on a regular basis. I try to buy these ribs when they go on sale and you can freeze them for up to six months in a deep freeze. Enjoy!!

Julie

Chocolate Paradise Cake

I have tried many chocolate cakes.. I have made many chocolate cakes.. BUT, I have never made a chocolate cake this good, until now. I stumbled upon this recipe and I instantly fell in love! This cake will make a birthday perfect or any special occasion. This cake is very easy to make and is one of the moistest cakes I have ever had.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting cake pans
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk (shake well)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (I am not a coffee drinker, so I just go to a local convenience store to get a cup)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour two 8 x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then dust with flour.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into electric mixer bowl. Mix dry ingredients on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer on low, add the coffee and just stir to combine, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula.  Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans, then turn them out onto a cooling rack, to ensure they are completely cool.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate (I use ghirardelli)
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon freshly brewed coffee

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water, stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled at room temperature. In mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and yellow 2-3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the sifted confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until the frosting is smooth and creamy. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix just until blended. Spread on the cooled cake. One last thing, hurry and cut a piece for yourself, because this cake will go fast...Enjoy

Julie

Pickled Beans

Summer is almost over, fall is approaching and it is time to do some canning!  I have done a little bit as a result of Bountiful Baskets, but now that option is no longer available to me (as I am living in the Midwest), I am finding out neighbors have been very helpful and there are several road side vegetable stands in the area.  They are also very trustworthy as they have a price chart and a coffee can with a slit in the lid for you to deposit money into as they are left unattended.  I wish the entire world could be so fortunate.  Anyway, I won't even get on that subject right now -- back to canning.

My husband did not plant a garden this year, but did plant sweet corn at the neighbors, along with a few hundred acres of field corn (so I won't hold not planting a garden against him, next year will be different).  The neighbors let us pick all the sweet corn we wanted and I put up 30 quart size bags. 

Robert and I picked wild berries from the woods a couple of evenings and I froze about 60 cups of berries.  I haven't gotten my pie crust recipe to work here yet, so need to experiment before trying to make any more pies. 

Another neighbor provided me with freshly picked green beans.  Yesterday morning I snapped them and bottled 12 pints of pickled beans.  Robert had not tried them before, but really likes them.  They are crisp, fresh and with the pickling make your lips pucker a bit. 

I love canning, I wish I had lots and lots of shelves to display beautiful jars on.  Here is the recipe for the beans should you desire to try it yourself some day. 

Green Beans
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper flakes or jalapenos
8 cloves garlic
4 lg. heads dill
2 c. 5% white vinegar
2 c. water
1/4 c. pickling salt

In each jar place beans, red pepper flakes (or jalapenos) and 2-3 cloves garlic.  Bring vinegar, water and salt to a boil.  Pour vinegar mixture over beans in jar leaving approximately 1/4" head space.  Process jars 5 minutes in a boiling water bath @ full boil.  (Just a note, this recipe will make approximately 3 pint jars of beans). 

A little slow.....

Hello friends....so, our blog has been a little slow lately. Rhonda got married and moved to Illinois, so she has been busy settling in to her new home. I (Julie) am having some computer issues:-( So, hopefully we will get some things resolved and we will have some new posts soon. Thanks for all of your support!!

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

 Fresh Squeezed Lemonade is a god send in the summer. It is so refreshing that I could drink it everyday. Since the weather here in Utah has been about 98 degrees, our family has been drinking this a lot lately. It only takes a couple of minutes to make, but trust me.....your family will thank you. So here is how I do it.

12 lemons
1 3/4 - 2 cups sugar
10-12 mint leaves
2 cups ice cubes
Water

 The first thing I do is strain the lemons through a sieve. Add the fresh lemon juice to a gallon size pitcher. Add your sugar, water, mint leaves and ice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. If your lemonade is too sweet, add a little more ice water. The fresh mint leaves make this drink. 
Makes 1 gallon

Julie

Until now ...

This quilt was started a few months ago but I haven't been in a rush to get it done ... until now.  Until now you ask?  Well, let me explain.  I have been dating a gentleman from Illinois for well ... a long time now.  When I was visiting in January for a couple of weeks, we redid his bedroom -- from stripping wallpaper to painting, to new windows, window coverings and carpet.  It was busy but fun.

I know I always say this is my favorite fabric or that is my favorite fabric, but I truly love the lines of fabric that Kansas Troubles designs.  So, I started a quilt for Robert's room that wouldn't be too feminine and not too masculine, not too light and not too dark, but will be beautiful in the room.  Here are some of the blocks.

And .... now that I have married this man .... the quilt needs to be finished!!  Yes you heard me right.  And that also explains the lack of unfinished projects lately because I have been finishing up at work, finishing little projects, packing, getting married and moving.  However, I will still be blogging with my sister and now that I am going to be doing some decorating I will get to share with you lots of my quilts and many more I plan to make.

Dresden Plate Applique

Another unfinished project ...

I had the opportunity to meet Kim Diehl in person and take a class from her (well like 6 months ago), wow how time flies.  I have this pile of partially sewn blocks and need to get busy with the applique portion.  I might be a little out of practice since finishing my mom's wall hanging at Christmas -- another one of Kim Diehl's patterns.  If you don't know who she is google her name.  She is a very talented lady who lives in Pocatello, Idaho, designs her own patterns and lines of fabric and is amazing.  I love civil war fabrics and these blocks have lots of them, I need to set a goal to finish this one .... maybe by October?? (that would make it about a year).  There are lots of vines and small berries left to do.  I have one sewn to the background and it even has the center on it (upper left hand corner) ... I think I need some encouragement.

Any ideas????  I probably shouldn't tell the whole world (my mother knows), but I have two other quilts that are partially done that are Kim's designs as well.  Do they have hospitals for people like me?

I haven't been lazy ...

Here are a few quilts that I have sewn and quilted this month.  They are finally quilted, but I have not bound them or I would display a picture of the entire finished project.  They will have the binding completed in another week or so and I will post pictures of the completed projects and a description.  My very dear friend, Marci, and I have worked on a couple of these projects together.  Hers are complete with bindings -- she's on the ball!  

Diaper cover

If you remember my black, white, pink and lime green quilt I posted a while back, I mentioned I was making something darling from the scraps.  This is a diaper cover I made for the baby.  I had enough left from the back of the quilt for the main part of the cover and strips I used for the ruffles on the back.

They are still a little big for the baby, but they will look so cute with a onesie for a hot summer day.

Mint Brownies

I have lots of brownie recipes I make for my family and this one is usually a big hit.  Because food coloring is added with the mint flavoring, it is a good dessert to make for holidays by adding different colors of food coloring.  I used the traditional green this time I made them.  They are fairly rich, I would recommend cutting them into small pieces.

Cake part of brownies:
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
4 eggs
16 oz. or 1 1/2 c. Hershey syrup
Mix the above ingredients together and bake in a 9 x 13 cake pan for 25-30 minutes.  The cake part  has a bit of a different texture and may not look done, but you don't want to overcook.  Cool completely.

Mint Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 Tbsp. water
3/4 t. mint extract
3 drops green food coloring (or color of your choice)
Mix the above ingredients together and spread over cooled cake.

6 Tbsp. butter
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Melt the butter and chocolate chips together, mix well and pour and spread over Mint frosting.

This cake is best when served cold.

Works in progress

I haven't finished my scrap quilt for this month, or my charm quilt -- and am not going to meet my self-made deadlines but I do have pictures of my finished blocks to share.  This was to be my June scrap quilt which is made using the fabric line Oasis by Moda which my girlfriend gave me from a quilt she made.  I have had to purchase a little bit of a yardage, so I have enough for binding and backing, but am going to get a quilt measuring approximately 80 x 80 out of it.  There are nine patches, star blocks and borders.  Here's a glimpse ...

Hopefully in the next month or so I will have the blocks put together and quilted and a completed project to show.

4th of July onesie

First of all, let me thank Julie for taking care of the blog lately, it seems like I don't have enough hours in a day.  I have been working on a few things, this little onesie I made for my granddaughter Reggie.  I found the white onesie at Old Navy, added some ruffled ric rac, a blue square of fabric and button for the star.  I love it and I hope she gets quite a bit of use out of it.  My thought is that with her daddy in Iraq she can use it for a while showing her patriotism too!

Garlic Bread

Really, can you go wrong with Garlic Bread? It goes with everything! Pasta, Chicken, Beef, Salads. We love it and I have tried many different kinds, but I think this recipe is definitely the best. Even our Chocolate Lab begs for this bread....well okay he begs for everything.

• 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Combine all ingredients and spread on French Bread. Broil for about 3 minutes.

Note: If you want to double this recipe, just store the unused portion in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Julie

Best Corn On The Cob!

Okay summer is here, finally!! One thing that I love about summer, is buying corn on the cob. It is such a great vegetable and my kids love it, so you cannot go wrong with that. A few years ago, my friend Stacy taught me this little trick for cooking corn on the cob and it is fantastic. It is so easy to prepare and it keeps all of the flavors and nutrients in. Have you ever been to a restaurant and they bring you out corn on the cob that has been sitting in boiling or hot water all day? Give this a try, you will be very surprised! It does not get soggy and still has a little crunch to it.

Parchment Paper
Corn on the Cob ( Cleaned )
Butter
Salt
Pepper

I use pre-cut parchment paper but you can also buy it in a roll at the grocery store. Put 2 small pats of butter on one side and then salt and pepper the corn. I place the corn down on the butter when I roll up the parchment paper. Twist both ends of the parchment paper and microwave about 3-4 minutes. Note: It may take longer depending on how many corn on the cobs you put in the microwave and how many watts it is. Just push down on the corn through the paper and if it feels soft, then it is done.
Unroll, and enjoy!

And the Winner Is?????

 

Recently we asked our followers what their favorite cookbooks were and why, here is a couple of comments that were posted.

This is what Kristi said...

Believe it or not, my favorite cookbook is Better Homes Cookbook. I remember my mother using her 3 ring copy when I was growing up. I still call her for recipes from it that aren't in the new paperback edition that I have. It's just an easy, home cookin', old fashioned recipe book.  Kristi

This is what Celia said:

I have to admit...I don't have a favorite cookbook...but, I LOVE Susan Branch...does that count?
Celia

So congratulations, you are both getting the Homemade recipe book by Susan Branch. Thanks for supporting our blog! But...here is the catch, you have to make a recipe from your favorite cookbook and send us pictures and a description because we will be posting it on our blog!! 

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

This is our favorite pizza! You can add so much or so little to it and it always comes out perfect. If I have time, I like to make my dough. But there are some really good pre-made pizza crusts. Albertsons has some in there bakery that are really good and so nice to have if you are in a hurry. This is how I make my dough.

31/2-4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling.

1 teaspoon sugar

1 envelope instant dry yeast

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

Combine the bread flour, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and beat until the dough forms in to a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour, if it is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with some plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out dough and decorate your pizza however you desire.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Barbecue Chicken:

1 cup barbecue sauce (use whatever you have at home)

4 cups shredded mozzarella

2 cups diced Parmesan chicken (recipe is on Parmesan Chicken Farfalle Recipe)

6 strips of bacon cooked and chopped

1 small red onion

2 Tablespoons Feta-cheese

1 small red or green bell pepper chopped into small pieces

Bake for 12-15 minutes. This pizza is also great for leftovers!    

Julie

Oh yes, before I forget, make sure you have some ice-cold root beer to go with this pizza, it really is essential!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza is a tradition at our home in the summer. My husband begs me to make this, so Troy this is for you. I try to get an array of different colors of fruit ranging from blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, grapes, really whatever you like, put it on. I make this pizza a couple of different ways. Sometimes I cheat and just buy Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough, as in the picture above. It is still really good in this. Other times, I make sugar cookie dough. I find it easy to pre-cut the slices and decorate each one individually. This makes it a lot easier to cut and serve. When fruit is really expensive, I just buy a bag of frozen mixed berries, it can save you lots of money if the berries are not on sale.

2 tubes Pillsbury refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough

Topping:
1 8 ounce Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
1 8 ounce tub of Cool Whip (thawed)
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

Fresh or Frozen fruit

For the glaze:
1 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (bottled is also okay)
1/2 cup water

On large baking sheet, or pizza pan, roll out cookie dough. (I use Pam to avoid cookie dough from sticking). Bake in oven at 350 F, just until cookie dough turns a light brown, usually about 12 minutes. Let cool completely. In a saucepan, combine all of the glaze ingredients and mix on medium heat just until mixture boils for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool.  Meanwhile, mix together cream cheese, cool whip and powdered sugar. When cookie is cool, spread evenly over entire surface. I pre-cut my pizza to make it easier to cut when serving. You can either decorate the entire pizza as one piece, or each piece individually. Once the glaze is cool, drizzle glaze over the pizza ensuring that all of the fruit is covered. I would tell you to refrigerate and cover, but I do not think you will have to worry about that. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!    Julie

Bowtie Parmesan Chicken

This is hands down one of my children's most requested dinners! The nice thing about this recipe is you can make it with or without chicken. My friend Stacy used to make this all of the time and I took the recipe and added Parmesan Chicken to it.

3-4 chicken breasts cooked and diced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 box Farfalle Pasta
2 cups Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook and drain pasta according to package. I always add a couple of teaspoons of salt to my boiling pasta water, this helps flavor the pasta.  Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. In a large pan, add butter. When it melts, add your chicken. When the chicken starts to brown on sides, add 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook until Parmesan cheese is incorporated, set aside. When pasta is finished cooking, drain pasta and return to the stove on medium heat. Add the heavy cream, salt and pepper and allow it to thicken in pasta (this takes about 3-4 minutes) add remaining 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, chicken, and peas.       Julie