Posts Tagged ‘Pioneer Woman’

2 days and a million things to do….

April 1, 2008

I have two days to get done a million things before heading to the East Coast for my older brothers wedding. My to-do list has exceeded the one page capacity and I’m running out of room. Help me, please!!

I know I’ll get it all done, well most of it, at least. And what I don’t get done, well,… I’ll survive.

Some of the immediate priorities are,…

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-Cutting, gluing, centering, knotting, and calligraphy-ing table cards, place cards, and programs for my brother and future sister-in-laws wedding… almost done!!

-Preparing dinner for a bunch of college students from our church that we’ll be having over tonight. I couldn’t figure out what to make for the longest time, but then decided on some of the tested and true recipes I’ve been using for a while. And, also a few new ones!

Here’s the menu,… I like to think of it as cozy, comfort food.

24.jpgPot Roast with Carrots and Onions (mixture of Better Homes and Gardens recipe, my moms, and my own personal touches).

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Mashed Red Potatoes (my mom’s recipe).

Corn Casserole (trying out Pioneer Woman’s Recipe).

Pillsbury Biscuits out of the can (thought I’d try PW’s recipe for simple rolls, but think I’m running out of time!!)

And for dessert,

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Apple Crisp (recipe take from Everyday Food) with Vanilla Bean Icecream.

I’ll let you know how they turn out and, if I can, I get some pictures of the final product!

Now, on with crossing things off my to-do list!!

Lime Meltaways!

March 25, 2008

At this point in my cooking life, I’ve noticed that I have two regular go-to’s when looking for a great recipe. Martha Stewart and Pioneer Woman.

Pioneer Woman, because her blog is so easy to maneuver through and find a delicious recipe for almost any occasion. Whatever I make from her site usually turns out amazing!

And, Martha Stewart,… cause hey! She’s Martha. What else do you need?! My specific favorite is her Everyday Food Magazine… easy, simple, and always good.

I feel like all my posts these days have to do with Pioneer Woman and Martha Stewart recipes, though. I’m starting to bug myself. I need to branch out. I read so many other food blogs,…I need to start trying their recipes instead of always going to whats most comfortable.

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However, all that to say, here’s a great recipe I found through Slashfood’s site!! And, guess what?! It’s a Martha Stewart recipe!! (But, is it ever delicious!!)

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Lime Meltaways (not to be confused with her Lemon Sandwich Cookies)! Filled with butter, powdered sugar, and lime, these cookies truly melt in your mouth. I don’t usually make this style of cookie, so it was a fun change to the regular chocolate chip cookie. Made with tons of butter, but no eggs, you mix together the dough, wrap it up into a log, refrigerate it for about an hour, then cut into 1/4 inch slices and bake. After it’s done baking, you toss the warmed cookie in powdered sugar and enjoy! YUM!

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Martha promoted her new book a couple weeks ago, Martha Stewart’s Cookies, on her show. I totally want to get it (Not that I really need another cookbook!). The cool thing is, I didn’t even realize this until after I made the cookies, but you can watch Martha make her Lime Meltaway’s on her website. So, if you’re thinking about making her cookies, check out her website and watch the video.

Lime Meltaways (taken from Slashfood.com via Martha Stewart.com)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add lime zest and juice and vanilla, and mix until fluffy.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined.

Divide dough in half. Place each half on an 8-by-12-inch sheet of parchment paper. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 ¼ inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove parchment from logs; cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

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Hope you enjoy it! Make sure to share with tons of friends!

A Pioneer Woman Evening

March 3, 2008

I love having people over. There’s something about making your house warm and cozy, having an excuse to make a bunch of really good food, and all the while, knowing your friends appreciate these things,…that makes having good friends over so enjoyable.

I know I’m always making Pioneer Woman’s Recipes, but I can’t resist! I’ve been wanting to try Pioneer Woman’s lasagna for some time now, so I tried it out last week when J and I had some friends over for dinner.

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It was good,…not stupendously, amazing like all her reader’s raved, but it was good. I am kind of picky with my lasagna though, so you should try it for yourself and decide!

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I honestly still prefer my Momma’s lasagna any day over Pioneer Woman’s, but I do have to give her credit for incorporating cottage cheese into the recipe and Bob Evan’s breakfast sausage. I had never heard of this and you couldn’t even tell it was in there. You would have just thought it was ricotta cheese or spicy sausage… nothing as simple as cottage cheese or Bob Evan’s sausage, that’s for sure!! So, props to PW for that,…very unique and original.

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I did, however, LOVE her Chocolate Pie.

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YUM!!!

It was crazy sweet (I may add less sugar the next time I make this) and it did have raw eggs (that did scare me a little bit, but hey! I’m still alive, right?), but overall, it was delicious!!

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I did cheat and refuse to make homemade pie crust,….who has time for that anyway?! Instead I used a store bought graham cracker crust…which I thought went very nicely with the chocolate mousse flavor, thank you very much!

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And, the best part, you ask?! Learning how EASY it is to make Chocolate Curls!!! Ohhhhhh,……so fun! So easy!!! Kind of messy,…but you’ve GOT to try it!!

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So, if you’re in the mood for homemade lasagna and chocolate pie, go check out Pioneer Woman’s Recipes!!

Dear Pioneer Woman,…

January 16, 2008

Dear Pioneer Woman,

I like your website. I like your cooking. I like to write about your website. And, I definitely like to tell all my friends about your website. I do believe you would benefit greatly from me. Maybe you should highlight my new website on your website and tell all your readers to check me out! Or, maybe you could just hire me to advertise for you,…I’m sure we could work something out.

I know I’m trying to get people to read my website regularly, but I just can’t help but tell everyone about your witty writing, gorgeous photography, and delicious recipes

Let me know when you’re ready to work out a deal.

Sincerely,

Lydia (from my cozy corner)

P.S.- Your Chocolate Sheet Cake is Divine.

A Dessert Night

January 15, 2008

The other night, J and I had a few friends over to help celebrate our recent birthdays. I love any excuse to have others over,   simply because its an excuse to make fun and delicious desserts.The boys had a great time playing Rock Band (J’s request, of course) and while the girls enjoyed eating many sweets. img_7138.jpg Madeleine Cookies (A post about these will be coming soon) img_7150.jpgBlackberry Pie.

I asked J, if he could choose from any dessert in the world, what would he want me to make for his birthday. He chose Olallieberry Pie. Olallieberries, you ask? Yes, I didn’t even know how to pronounce the word. Just so you now know, it is pronounced, “oh-la-leh-berry”. Was my littly hubby trying to be difficult? He he,… yes, I do believe so, but isn’t he so cute?! I mean, what man even knows that there are different types of berries within the blackberry family, besides just plain, old blackberries. After much teasing and prodding directed at J, from myself, he sent me this chart to prove his point. He he he…. After looking at this again, I do believe I’m still confused. Is an olallieberry from the blackberry family or the marionberry family? Or both? Or does the marionberry originate from the blackberry and raspberry family? *sigh*… can anyone help me out with this?

Needless to say, Olallieberries aren’t really in season, must less blackberries. But, the blackberries were somewhat still available. And I wanted to make my sweet husband happy. So, I made the pie, but it was a VERY expensive pie. And not olallieberry pie, but close to it. And, it was worth it. And, it was yummy. So, there…(A post about this will probably be coming soon, also!) img_7157.jpgAnd,….da-da-da-dum!!!  Pioneer Woman’s Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever!!

And, my oh my, was it delicious…and, it made a ton!!!img_7154.jpg Look at that chocolately goodness.

Everyone had a little doggy-dessert bag to take home with them that night… because, lets just say, it was NOT safe keeping this in our house.  img_7165.jpgIf you do plan on making this, eat it an enjoy! But, I’m just warning you, it’s even MORE delicious after it has sat in the fridge all night and is nice and cold!!

Don’t tell anyone, but I had it for breakfast the next morning!


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