Friday, October 16, 2009
Saveur Foodie Profile Quiz: 'Classic + Comforting'
Thursday, October 15, 2009
News Bites: Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License
CREAM OF POTATO SOUP WITH DUMPLINGS, CREAMY RANCH POTATOES, O’BRIEN POTATO CASSEROLE RECIPES!!!
CREAM OF POTATO SOUP WITH DUMPLINGSINGREDIENTS:
4 large Potatoes, any variety
2-3 Carrots, scrubbed & chopped
1 cup Chicken Stock
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium Onion, chopped fine
8 cups Milk
2 cups Heavy or Light Cream
1 tablespoons Salt
Pinch of Rosemary, Sage & Marjoram
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
DIRECTIONS:
Scrub potatoes well and knick out eyes and dark spots. Do not peel. Dice into cubes and place with carrots and 1 cup soup stock in heavy 3 quart saucepan. Cover and cook at medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook covered until potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 20-30 minutes.
Melt butter in Dutch oven until it sizzles. Sauté onions in butter until tender. Add milk, cream and seasonings. Cook mixture over medium heat until very hot. Do not boil. Add potato mixture to hot milk. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes to an hour. Before serving, add dumplings & garnish individual portions with chopped parsley and a pat of butter
The Dumplings:Combine the flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is consistency of coarse meal. Add the buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times -- no more.
For drop dumplings, pat the dough down to a 1/4-inch thickness, and pinch off 1-1/2-inch pieces.
For rolled dumplings, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into 3" x 1" strips.
Drop dumplings, one or two at a time, into the boiling broth (4 C Water & 2 C Chicken broth) then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir from time to time to make sure dumplings do not stick together. Cook dumplings 8 to 10 minutes then add to Creamy Potato Soup Mixture… Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Notes: Dumpling dough is very similar to biscuit dough and, like biscuit dough, the less it is handled, the lighter and more tender the result.
CREAMY RANCH POTATOESINGREDIENTS:
2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered or equal amounts of white potatoes, cut it small chunks
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 envelope buttermilk ranch dry salad dressing mix
1/4 cup bacon bits or crumbled bacon
1 can condensed cream of potato soup (or any cream soup0
DIRECTIONS;
Place potatoes in a 3 1/2 quart crock pot. In a small bowl combine cream cheese and Ranch mix. Stir in soup and pour over potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Stir to blend before serving
O’BRIEN POTATO CASSEROLEINGREDIENTS;
2 lbs. Ore-Ida Potatoes O'Brien (about 8 cups)
½ lbs bacon
2 cups sour cream
6 green onions, white and part of green, finely chopped
10 3/4 oz.-can condensed cream of potato soup
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 tbsp butter
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup Durkee French Fried Onions
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13-x-9 inch baking pan with canola cooking spray.
Rough cut bacon and cook. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to cool.
Thaw potatoes and combine with all ingredients except the Durkee French Fried Onions.
Spread into prepared pan and top with Durkee French Fried Onions. Bake for 30 minutes.
Pumpkin jam recipe for a tasty fall / autumn season
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PETS, THIS IS A TRUE STORY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PETS, THIS IS A TRUE STORY. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T, IT IS A TRUE STORY.
The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door.
Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however.. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.
The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.
Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:
TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:
(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture..
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.
Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
(1) eat less,
(2) don't ask for money all the time,
(3) are easier to train,
(4) normally come when called,
(5) never ask to drive the car,
(6) don't smoke or drink,
(7) don't want to wear your clothes,
(8) don't have to buy the latest fashions,
(9) don't need a gazillion dollars for college and
(10) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children ...