Cookbook Countdown #84

 

 

 

I've never taken part in a Bloggiesta  Weekend, but I probably should.   I have so many posts to clean up in my drafts....as you can tell by this Fall colored fudge.  Yes, I made this back in October and it has sat in my drafts ever since.

I thought I was so smart in making 2 recipes from The Pioneer Woman's newest cookbook the moment I bought it.  And I made the two easiest recipes, so what took me so long to post?

I don't know.

 

BUT here it is now....  Cookbook Number 84!

It's been a while since I've recorded a cookbook for my cookbook countdown.

I'm up to 84 and I've made the decision to clean out and get rid of some.  Since I'm well over 300 cookbooks now, it's okay, but I do feel a little guilty --I feel it's cheating to toss them before cooking.

The Handyman says it's okay.  What do you think?

 

Cookbook 84!

 

 

 The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime is a beloved collection of all the scrumptious supper recipes that make their way through my kitchen in regular rotation, from main dish salads to satisfying soups to hearty casseroles to comfort food classics . . . and everything in between. I lay out all the different ways I tackle dinner in my house, from super-quick 16-Minute Meals to make-ahead Freezer Food to irresistible pastas and a bundle of brand-new favorites of my crew.

 

To be honest, I love Ree Drummond's cookbooks most of all.  I love her photographs and how each one is kind of a mini memoir or mini auto-biography.

Plus she makes real people food.

 

Real people food that the Handyman likes.

Altho, he would have loved this fudge plain better. I sprinkled candy corn M&M's on it.

I would have liked to add some chopped walnuts to it, but he doesn't like nuts.

(weirdo)

 

 

Quick Fudge

 

3 cups good-quality chocolate chips

1 16oz can sweetened condensed milk

cooking spray--like pam

 

 

Before  you begin, line a square 8x8 pan with foil and spray with Pam.  In a medium saucepan or double boiler, over medium heat, melt the chocolate chips.

And pour in the condensed milk.  Stir them as they melt, taking care to scrap the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking or burning.

Once you can no longer see bits of chocolate chip, remove them from the heat.

Immediately transfer to the prepared pan, pressing it into a single layer.

Cover the pan with foil or plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Once it's all set, pull the edges of the foil to remove the whole thing from the pan and peel off foil.

Cut into 2-inch squares.

 

*you can add a variety of crushed candies or nuts top off the fudge.  Just sprinkle and press them lightly into the fudge.

Suggested toppings:

M&M's

crushed peppermint candies

nuts

sprinkles

And then...

there is  "The Bread"

It's so stinky unbelievably easy that I can' believe she put a recipe for it in her cookbook.

Except that then I would never have made bread this way and now I do and it's

DELICIOUS!! 

The Bread

1 loaf of French or Italian Bread

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

 

Put an oven rack on the lower level on the oven and preheat to 325F.

Slice your loaf in half lengthwise and lay them cut side up on a baking sheet.

Smear I stick of butter on each half.  Yes she said 1 stick of butter per half.

Cover every inch.

Bake for 5-10 minutes until the butter melts and the bread has a chance to warm up.

Then crank up the broiler and return the oven to the pan and let it broil until the bread is a deep golden brown and almost starts to blacken.

Immediately cut The Bread into strips

and enjoy every bite!

 

Ree says there is no variation.  That this recipe is as good as it gets,

BUT,  you can add a bit of garlic to make it garlic bread and it's good too.

 

These are 2 of the easiest recipes in the book, but they are both great and something I'd make again and again.

 

 

I am going to link up with Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads!  YOU can too!

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

 

 

 

Winter Solstice--an opinion

From Goodreads:

Her captivating bestseller of loss and the healing power of love now re-issued with a stunning new jacket look. Elfrida Phipps loves her new life in the pretty Hampshire village. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog Horace and the friendship of the neighbouring Blundells - particularly Oscar - to ensure that her days include companionship as well as independence. But an unforeseen tragedy upsets Elfrida's tranquillity: Oscar's wife and daughter are killed in a terrible car crash and he finds himself homeless when his stepchildren claim their dead mother's inheritance. Oscar and Elfrida take refuge in a rambling house in Scotland which becomes a magnet for various waifs and strays who converge upon it, including an unhappy teenage girl. It could be a recipe for disaster. But somehow the Christmas season weaves its magical spell and for Elfrida and Oscar, in the evening of their lives, the winter solstice brings love and solace.

 

For the record-- I don't really  review books.  I don't feel qualified, BUT I do love to talk about them and like to feel part of the book blogging world and this is a good way for me to record my books.

From Me:

This was my 'first read' of the year.  The one I chose to be reading on New Year's day.   (I actually finished an audio first, but I had been in the middle of it in December, so I don't consider it my first).  I was so excited to read this one and it did not disappoint.

I'd never read Rosamunde Pilcher before

While not really a "Christmas" book, it turned out to be.  But not a cheesy one, if you know what I mean.

It was comforting and good and it will be on my shelf for a long time to come.

I'll probably pull it out every December.

 

I loved Pilcher's  writing style and will be seeking out some of her other books.

4 stars.

Saturday Snapshot

 

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by

West Metro Mommy Reads!

 

 

I suck at Selfies!

 

(the Handyman was not even ready! But it's actually my favorite one. )

I'm having a great time making myself laugh tho!

I was trying to get the  desert ghosts in the background. And the Handyman had no idea what I was trying to do---he looks confused.

After seeing these photos, my kids got me a selfie stick for Christmas.

 



 

 

 

That's all I got!

Travels With Charley

From Goodreads:

An intimate journey across and in search of America, as told by one of its most beloved writers, in a deluxe centennial edition

In September 1960, John Steinbeck embarked on a journey across America. He felt that he might have lost touch with the country, with its speech, the smell of its grass and trees, its color and quality of light, the pulse of its people. To reassure himself, he set out on a voyage of rediscovery of the American identity, accompanied by a distinguished French poodle named Charley; and riding in a three-quarter-ton pickup truck named Rocinante.

His course took him through almost forty states: northward from Long Island to Maine; through the Midwest to Chicago; onward by way of Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana (with which he fell in love), and Idaho to Seattle, south to San Francisco and his birthplace, Salinas; eastward through the Mojave, New Mexico, Arizona, to the vast hospitality of Texas, to New Orleans and a shocking drama of desegregation; finally, on the last leg, through Alabama, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to New York.

Travels with Charley in Search of America is an intimate look at one of America's most beloved writers in the later years of his life—a self-portrait of a man who never wrote an explicit autobiography. Written during a time of upheaval and racial tension in the South—which Steinbeck witnessed firsthand—Travels with Charley is a stunning evocation of America on the eve of a tumultuous decade.

For the record-- I don't really  review books.  I don't feel qualified, BUT I do love to talk about them and like to feel part of the book blogging world.

From Me:

I wish!  I wish!  I wish I  had kept a notebook and written down quotes as I listened to this audio version of Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley."

I love books of essays.  I love when people write about their 'searches' and this is what Steinbeck did.  He traveled the US in a big circle and wrote about the people and places he encountered.
I would LOVE to do that.
I want to be a traveler, NOT a tourist
I wish I had the words to describe how intimate (yes, I stole the word from Goodreads review) Steinbeck's writing is in this book.  He set out to find out what American's are like today... I'm not sure any of us could ever get a true answer to that, but his observations of different people and regions was very insightful.  I'm not sure if he was disappointed in what he saw/found or not.  Perhaps I'll have to re-read--but that would be okay... I loved the book!
I also loved how he made Charley a 'real' character in the stories.  He played a very important part in the book, in the travels, in Steinbeck's life.

I listened on audio and Gary Sinese did a great job of narration.

Outdoor Wednesday

On Wednesdays I'll sometimes join A Southern Daydreamer and her Outdoor Wednesday meme to share these pictures.

Stop by and check out other great photos of the outdoors!

This is my outdoor world!

To see other Nevada posts just click on 

Home Means Nevada in the sidebar.

You  know I do love a good Nevada  Boom Town!

Boomtowns are typically characterized as "overnight expansions" in both population and money, as people stream into the community for mining prospects, high-paying jobs, attractive amenities or climate, or other opportunities. Typically, newcomers are drawn by high salaries or the prospect of "striking it rich" in mining; meanwhile, numerous indirect businesses develop to cater to workers often eager to spend their large paychecks

And then....then.... it implodes.

Gold drys up.

And what were once thriving metropolises are now....

(seriously, they were thriving once) 

small little, struggling to survive old west enigmas.

No one can figure out how they manage to survive. How the people who live there can make a living.

This is Austin, NV.

I love Austin.

It's 284 miles from my home to Goldfield.

Most of rural driving in Nevada looks like this:

Just like the old Western movies!

except for the paved blacktop of course.

Carrying on to Goldfield

And you must remember that the Handyman slows down for no man.  Or woman.  Or even me, the love of his life. 

All pictures are taken from the passenger side of the moving car--thru the window usually.

The Handyman is a destination man.  

He wants to 'get there'.

a disclaimer:  He will stop if I insist, but there is  heavy sighing involved and rolling of the eyes, but he is not so unkind as to never stop.

( he just thinks I take the same photos over and over again---it's kind of  true, but there are only 5 things in this whole drive:  sagebrush, lonely roads, old boom town buildings,  semi-trucks and brothels.)

weird buildings in old boom-towns:

Wait just one minute!  A new building---the library.

As the Handyman zooms by.... 

Interesting that the sign says  Black Hills, as there are no black hills in the state of Nevada.  I wonder if this fine jeweler has imported from the Dakotas?

I think it would be fun to come for Goldfield Days!

They have food!  The sign says so.

And then once again---a brothel.

(see other brothels posts here)

I never think of them--living here.  Except---they are gross. Just sayin'.

YOU  TOO (really you can) can go have a drink at the Shady Lady Ranch!

Have a drink! A Cocktail! (is that a pun?)

and then head off to one of these lovely single wide mobile homes for a bit of hanky panky.

Yes, I could go into the whole plight of women in the industry, morals, sociology-economic issues, etc. but I just like to make fun of it instead.

And hopefully not offend anybody in the process.

 More unique buildings thru the car window.

Someday I'm stopping at the Dinky Diner.

 And that is MY frontier! 

Bout of Books Scavenger Hunt

 

Today's challenge for Bout of Books is hosted by Kate at The Book Monsters.

She says:

This challenge is only open to readathon participants, so make sure you’ve signed up!
So, I’ve become a bit obsessed with challenges on Instagram, so I thought it would be fun to host a book scavenger hunt. Add me on Instagram, I’ll follow back and like your bookish stuff! You do not have to use Instagram, you can post on your blog, twitter, tumblr, or goodreads.
You can take your own pictures or use images you find online. Up to you. You can post them separately or in one picture, up to you!
You can complete as many of the hunts as you like. The more you do the more chances you have to win!
If you like hashtags, use this one – #boutofbookshunt
Tag me @bookgoil too!
Simple, right?

Book Scavenger Hunt:

1. Book Shelves

2. A book you’re planning to read/currently reading for Bout of Books

3. A Book and a Beverage

4. Blue Books

5. Cozy Reading Spot

 

 

So here are my photos from my own personal scavenger hunt.

 

1.  A VERY messy book shelf.  Thank goodness it's in a spare bedroom upstairs, but GEEZ, I'll be straightening it tomorrow!

And maybe taking a trip to the thrift store.

I don't need all those books, so I?

(and you can't even see the other two shelves)

 

 

 

I'll sit down with this one tomorrow afternoon, killing two birds with one stone:

Bout of Books challenge

and

Library Book Club!

 

 

My book (almost done with my first read of the year---actually it will come in #2 as I finished an audio earlier in the week)  and coffee would be my 'go-to' book reading drink.  Unless its wine!

There are a couple of blue books in there, aren't there?

(hey---I'm late and in a hurry)

 



 

And this is where I read  90% of the time.

 

 

 

I ran around my house doing my scavenger hunt and I go it done in under 5 minutes!!

I'm such a procrastinator!

 

Friday Friend Recipe #90--Deep Dish Taco Pie

Friday Friend Recipe #90 -- Deep Dish Taco Pie

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook: I have about 50 of my closest friends and family on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends (from all over the county). At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 15 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions, exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts, had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday.

 

AND, we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

 

I was looking at the cookbook the other night and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."
The Handyman--who knows me better than I know myself (this happened to be a question on the Friday Friend forum once---does your spouse/partner know you better than you know yourself?)--said,  "you'll never, EVER do that."
WELL---maybe I'll show him!  Maybe I will.

 

Which brings me to this... recipe #90

 

Barb's

Deep Dish Taco Pie

On my Sunday Post, I said that coming up this week were a couple Friday Friend Cookbook Recipes, and here it is Friday and I haven't posted one yet.

So here goes.....

 

As you know, my friend Barb, typed up the recipes for this cook, while I bugged the hell out of everyone to send them in.  (it was a perfect partnership),  Barb has a lot of her own recipes in this cookbook.

Now, just let me say, I am a literal cook.  I do exactly what the recipe says.  I just do.

Barb, on the other hand, must not be.  She must be on who puts a little of this and a little of that into her recipes.  

 Previously she said  about another of her recipes that I had  made and posted,  "geez, put a little seasoning on it".

But...she didn't write any seasoning on the recipe, so how was I to know?

As she didn't for this one either, so I didn't add any.

 

I am literal AND anal I guess.

 

But anyway----this is just a good meat pie!  Put all the seasoning you want.

Or don't.

 

 

Deep Dish Taco Pie

By Barbara Brown of

Buckeye, AZ

 

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1 T. chopped onion

1 cup Bisquick

1/4 cup cold water

1-2 med. tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

 

Heat oven to 375. Grease 8x8 baking dish.

Brown ground beef.  Mix sour cream, mayo, cheese, and onion; reserve.

Mix Bisquick and water till soft dough forms. Pat into pan, pressing 1/2 inch up sides. Layer beef, tomatoes, and green pepper in pan.

Spoon sour cream mixture over top.   Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake till edges of dough are light brown. Approx. 25 to 30 minutes.



 

 

Now, for my Barb story.

Her husband Doug once wrote her a song. and sang it to her over the phone.

(they had a long distance relationship)

ahhhhhhhh!!

She thought it romantic then, but now if he did it?  I know she would laugh.

Why do we lose that sense of romance?

 

Years later, instead of writing her a love song, he just gets her drunk.

As shown here in her answers from the Friday Friend notebook of 2007 (see #5.):

 

 

 

OH MAN---when I first read it I though it said that Doug was making them drink to relax. But it really says he was making them A drink.

I like it better when Doug forces her to drink.

(you know he really doesn't, right?  Not that I know of anyway)

 

And then... Barb with Jake the Alligator Man. 

I feel she's always had an obsession with Jake the Alligator Man.

She's mentioned him on more than one occasion.

AND she goes to Long Beach, WA a couple times a year and stays for a month or so.  Why?   To see Jake?

 

That's my Barb story and recipe number NINETY!!