The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch

Always in my heart

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:10:21 PST

Nine years ago today I lost a piece of my heart. It breaks my heart to not have Nanny with me and I still think about her every. single. day. She had such an impact on my life, who she was and how she was. I'll never forget how she went on to everyone who would listen to her about the first pie I ever made and how it was the "best rhubarb pie" she had ever eaten. I'm sure some of that was because I was her special little girl, her first grand baby. Not that I'm any more special than all those who came after me. I'm sure she had a special relationship with each and every one of her grandchildren.

Weekend mornings hopping in my car and driving around the corner to have breakfast with her, going shopping with her, making cookies and teddy bears, watching the Guiding Light and having dinner together when we were both alone. She had the most beautiful and kind heart and she didn't like to see anyone hurt. Nanny put up with a lot of "crap" from family issues - and I certainly gave her my own dose of it - but she took me into her heart and home and would have done anything for me because of her wonderful unconditional love.

I wish she were here today. She would know that Grumpy and I are now married as well as her first great-grandson, Justin. At least she knew that Justin and Kristina were together before she passed. Grumpy and I were preparing to tell people that we were engaged to get married and just a week before we were to announce our engagement, she passed away. She never knew that Grumpy was going to remain a permanent fixture in my life. We didn't get to tell her. She would be happy to know that Grumpy and I are still happily together after 12 years of being together and going on 8 of them married. My Nanny. I still have my memories but I sure wish I could cuddle up next to her again and smell the Avon Rich Moisture cream she wore every single day. I just want to be held by her and feel the comfort of her love. I miss her so much.

Baked Banana Donuts with Coconut/Almond Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:19:22 PST

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What better way to start the week than with another not so bad for you baked good? In my last post I shared with you my love for Peanut Butter and Julie's Quinoa cookie recipe. I've been addicted to her blog for a while and while I make her recipes often, I never really blogged them before this last week when I blogged the Apricot Cashew Quinoa Breakfast cookies. Yesterday I made her Heart-y Baked Banana Donuts with Coconut Glaze. Mine weren't shaped like hearts because I don't have a heart donut pan but I'm telling you these are amazing, heart shaped or round! I loved them and have proclaimed them the best baked donut I've made to present!

I basically followed Julie's recipe without major changes. The only things I did different were: no nuts in the batter, almond and coconut extract (basically because I only had a tiny bit of coconut extract left), and I used unsweetened coconut flakes instead of the sweetened. I think the unsweetened coconut flakes have a more coconut flavor than the sweetened ones and I like how much quicker it toasts than the sugared coconut.

While I normally will leave a you with the recipe at the end of my post - because I really didn't change it up in any big way, I'm going to send you to Julie's blog where you can get the recipe. I'm also linking you up to some other recipes of hers that I've tried recently and the next one want to try. One of the reasons I love her site so much is she puts a different twist on a lot of things, give you suggestions on how to change up your recipe, and uses ingredients that are healthier for you, not to mention she is Peanut Butter and Julie! if you can't tell...i love peanut butter.... and of course I love Julie!

Recent recipes I have made and thoroughly enjoyed!

Heart-y Baked Banana Bread Donuts with Coconut Glaze
Cherry-Almond Quiona Breakfast Cookies (my version the Apricot Cashew Quiona Breakfast Cookies)
Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Raspberry Muffins (I made these using marachino cherries instead of raspberries - pictured left)
Mixed Berry Scones with Meyer Lemon Glaze (I used fresh picked blueberries and raspberries that my mom and dad had given me)
My next recipe to try: Tri-Color Maple Cranberry Breakfast Quiona

If your a foodie, you most likely know who Julie is from her competition appearances - I'm totally in awe of her and especially her recent accomplishment! Congrats Julie and thank you for all your great recipes!

By invitation of The Recipe Lion - I did enter this into their blog hop to enter a giveaway. If you like this post you can vote for it by going to the blog hop and hitting like on my entry.

Apricot Cashew Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:19:40 PST

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A blog that I love to read and make recipes from is Peanut Butter and Julie. When I saw the recipe for Breakfast Cookies, I knew I would be making them. Healthy and delicious AND I could eat them for breakfast because well, they were breakfast cookies! :)

These were an awesome recipe and so versatile. I made changes to the recipe to fit what I had at home and it worked out wonderfully. Grumpy and I took these cookies to work with us every day the week I had made them. They were moist (because of the banana) and coco nutty (because of the extract in the cookie and icing!).

Julie's Cherry Almond version sounds yummy too and I will most likely go that way with them too because I love cherry/almond flavors Make sure you check her blog out and read her suggestions for other options with these cookies and try the recipe, you won't regret it and you'll have yummy cookies for breakfast :o)

Apricot Cashew Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
Adapted from Cherry Almond Quinoa Breakfast cookies as seen on Peanut Butter and Julie

printable recipe

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 large eggs
2 medium extra ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup ground flax meal
1 cup regular rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup roasted unsalted whole cashews, chopped

Icing:

1 square of white melting chocolate

1 tablespoon half and half

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:46:03 PST

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Last week I had the Lean Cuisine Thai Chicken and Noodles frozen meal for lunch a couple of days. I loved it so much that the second day, when I went to the store to get it for lunch, I didn't even care that it wasn't on sale. That is a sign of a good meal! I am so addicted to anything that has peanut sauce and pasta that I started thinking that I could make something similar and I could probably even make it better.

I will definitely make this again but next time I will leave the chicken off my plate. Grumpy can have it all. I'd rather have some crispy tofu coated with that yummy sauce. The frozen meal doesn't have cilantro or heat (at least if its in there I couldn't tell) but it is still really good. Maybe a little sweeter than this one though. In any case, its a great frozen meal to have on hand to take to work for lunch!

So now I have two versions of peanutty noodles that I can enjoy. The Lean Cuisine one - for those days I need my fix and don't have the time and my homemade version. Grumpy enjoyed the dish also. He pretty much is happy when I make anything with pasta. I've been using the Dreamfield pasta since we found out about his diabetes. I'm not really certain if it makes a difference but it certainly tastes great.

This is my submission to this week's Presto Pasta Nights. I missed it last week, and believe me, it was not on purpose. I just didn't have an inspirational night last week when it came to pasta. So, I am happy to be able to submit this week! If your interested in joining in this week, you still have time. You can get the information for submission on the Presto Pasta Night's webpage.

Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles

printable recipe

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1/2 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground fresh ginger
1 lbs chicken breast tenders, cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup julienned carrots
2 scallions, thinly sliced.
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon, packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes, or to taste
3/4 pound spaghetti
2 scallions including green tops, chopped

Chopped Cilantro (optional)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

In a medium shallow glass dish combine the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/2 tablespoon of oil, the garlic, and ginger. Add the chicken; turn to coat. Let marinate at least 10 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done following package instructions, drain and set aside until ready to assemble.

While pasta is cooking mix peanut sauce and cook chicken. Place peanut butter in a medium, microwave safe bowl and microwave for 60 seconds. Remove peanut butter from microwave and whisk in 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons lime juice, broth, sugar, salt, and red-pepper flakes. Set aside.

Heat a non-stick deep skillet over moderate heat. Stir-fry the chicken until browned and just done, 4 to 5 minutes. Add carrots and scallions and stir fry one minute more. Add the peanut sauce to the chicken and scallions and stir to coat. Add pasta and toss with tongs to coat with sauce. Top with the chopped peanuts and cilantro if desired.

Lordy, Lordy, Look who's FORTY!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:35:11 PST

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He gives me that sexy sneer all the time. That's his way of telling me "I love you" lol

Today I took the day off to especially be with the Grump. Someone needs to be there to console him. After all, he is starting a new decade. Don't worry Grumpy. 40's aren't that bad. At least now I'm not the only old buzzard in the house! :o)

Oh Grumpy, what a gorgeous Bundt you have!

We'll be renewing his license and I will probably treat him to lunch. We'll be getting haircuts and I'll probably bug him about going to the gym again (as I always do when we are off work at the same time) and today I'll have another tool to try to convince him. You aren't getting any younger Grumpy....time to hit the treadmill.

All dressed up for the party

I even made him a "good for you" treat for his lunch box this week. A low-fat yummy Blueberry Poundcake with Lime Glaze. His first words were "you ruined it by putting blueberries in it". That was Sunday night as it was cooling on the rack. His second words about the cake were last night and it was "that was pretty darn good considering there were blueberries in it". There's hope for him after all.

Happy Birthday Grumpy. I love you with all my heart and soul!

Now, let's eat cake!

Blueberry Poundcake with Lime Glaze

printable recipe

2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsallted butter, softened
4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract
Cooking spray
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lime juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extracts and mix. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Take 2 tablespoons flour from the 3 cups of flour and add to blueberries in a small bowl and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and pour cake batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lime juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake. Cut with a serrated knife.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf Sliders

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:04 PST

This month for the Secret Recipe Club I was assigned the blog I was Born to Cook - written by Melissa. I became familiar with Melissa's blog through the SRC, so its a fairly new blog to me. Melissa is of Italian Heritage while her husband's family is Greek. The best of both worlds in my opinion! Therefore, she has a lot of pasta on her blog - which of course I LOVE. But, wouldn't you know it, I went with something that had no pasta in it at all.

Grumpy would love Melissa's kitchen. She has a lot of beef on her table - much more than I put on ours! So, because he loves beef and he loves meatloaf with pickles in it, when I saw this recipe she had on her blog for Cheeseburger Meatloaf Muffins, I knew I would be using that recipe for my SRC post. Of course, my mind always takes recipes I see in different directions a lot of the time, just like it does many other foodies out there. I decided that I was going to make the meatloaf mixture without the cheese in it and turn it into slider patties topped with bacon and cheese.

Now that I've made this recipe I think next time I would put some of the cheese in the recipe along with pieces of crumbled up bacon and top it with more cheese and bacon. How yum would that be; not to mention perfect since they already have the ketchup, mustard (my addition) and pickles in the mixture? Sometimes I could kick myself for not thinking of something until after the fact. Guess it just means I'll just have to make them again!

Cheeseburger Meatloaf Sliders
adapted from I was Born to Cook

printable recipe

Cooking spray
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 cup Italian Flavored bread crumbs
1 egg
2 heaping tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
Cheese slices for topping (optional)
Cooked bacon slices for topping (optional)

In a skillet Heat oil in a skillet and saute onion until softened.

In a large bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, bread crumbs, egg and pickle relish. Mix in onion. Add beef and mix all together. I find that my ice cream scoop makes the perfect sized ball to shape into a slider. I have a slider frying pan where you drop the ball into the cup and put the lid on - no shaping required because the pan does the work. Both sides have grill marks on them but you don't have to flip the burgers! No worry though, you can cook these on your stove top right in the frying pan too. Just make sure to spray whatever pan you do use with cooking spray.

Toast slider buns and assemble burger topping with cheese and bacon. Grumpy likes to put mayo and ketchup on his burger too, me I am a ketchup only girl!

Thank you Melissa for writing such a great blog filled with all kinds of recipes!

To check out all the other SRC submissions for this month, check out the links below!

Crispy Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:33:10 PST

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I have been cooking. I have even been taking photos. Its having the time to write about them lately that I don't seem to have.

I'm at my very best in the early morning. On a daily (almost) basis I am up by 4 am and at the gym an hour later to work out for a good 50-70 minutes - depending on the day, how much time I have and what I need to accomplish before I leave for work in the morning. So, no wonder I'm in bed and sleeping by 8 pm, right? Seriously. That is my life. Sleep, work out, eat, work, sleep. Its a vicious, vicious cycle. I thought life was supposed to slow down after the kids were gone?

Well, when its not slow and you need something that will be tasty, quick, easy, and will satisfy the Grumpy with you, try this quick and easy crispy shrimp. I very very rarely "fry" food, but this was fried in as little oil as possible in my non-stick pan. It was also a little different as in the fact that we never eat breaded seafood of any type unless we eat out and then its usually Grumpy who gets it breaded. I just knew that the evening I made this I was in no mood to hear a complaint about eating the "same thing" again. It was also pretty easy to clean up! I made this long enough ago that I'm not even sure I remember what I made to go with this shrimp - especially since I didn't photograph anything but the shrimp! In any case, if you feel like something different and you don't want a messy clean up and you want it quick and tasty, here is your go to. Feel free to sauce it up anyway you want. We just dipped ours in cocktail sauce (that much I do remember) but you could buffalo it up, General Tso's it up, or even Sesame it up :) Enjoy!

Crispy Shrimp

printable recipe

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
small amount of oil for frying

Rinse and pat shrimp dry (it will still be "wet" enough for the coating to stick - promise). Place flour and desired amount of seasonings in ziploc gallon size bag. Seal and shake to mix seasonings. Add shrimp, seal bag, and toss to coat. Remove shrimp from bag and place on platter, shaking excess flour mixture from shrimp.

Heat saucepan over medium heat with a small amount of oil. When hot, place shrimp in pan. To test oil to see if it is hot, flick a little bit of flour into the oil. If it sizzles, it is ready. Cook about 3 minutes then turn shrimp over and cook another 3 minutes more, or until shrimp looks "pink". Serve with your favorite sauces.

Browned Butter M&M and Pecan Cookies with Grey Sea Salt

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:30:41 PST

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These cookies are so darn good that you can eat about 6 of them before you even say the name of them! :o)

Saturday morning I decided to play around a little and experiment with some Splenda baking. I also wanted to try making browned butter cookies because I am addicted to the taste/smell of brown butter. Several other bloggers have already gone this route so its not a new concept by any means - but I did use Splenda Brown Sugar for Baking in the recipe and I must say I am impressed with how well they turned out. My only complaint is that the day after they get crunchy and aren't soft anymore - fortunately this recipe didn't make too many cookies - so its a great cookie to make if you intend to eat them all in one day. ;o) (for the record, we didn't eat them all in one day which is how I know they are hard on the 2nd day!)

These were so easy and quick to throw together. The toughest part would be to make sure your butter doesn't burn while browning it. They scoop out so easy and don't take long to bake. A yummy treat to have around for once and a while!

Browned Butter Mini M&M and Pecan Cookies with Grey Sea Salt

Printable Recipe

1 stick unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
1/4 cup brown sugar splenda
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1//2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
grey sea salts - a generous pinch - crumbled
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup mini M&M's

Mix browned butter with sugars until combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and grey sea salts. Stir into butter/egg mixture. Stir in m&m's and chopped pecans. Scoop with small cookie scoop and flatten some after placing cookie on baking sheet. Sprinkle with more grey sea salt if desired. Bake 7-8 minutes or until cookie is set.

Beef & Broccoli with Black Bean Mushroom Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:41:20 PST

This is the result of an evening where dinner plans were supposed to be one thing that turned into something else because of the lack of an ingredient. I originally was going to make beef stroganoff. I had a couple of small steaks in the fridge that I had to cook and we were originally going to grill them! So, these steaks went from 1 recipe to another, then yet to another recipe. What I ended up with was a quick, easy, yummy meal full of flavor! It got a big old seal of approval from Grumpy!

I am submitting this post to Presto Pasta Nights being hosted this week by Emma of Souperior. There is still time to submit for this week so if you made a yummy pasta meal this that you want to share you can do so! The guidelines as well as the future hosts and link to the round ups can be found on the Presto Pasta Night's web page run by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. If your interested in hosting, you can find Ruth's contact information on the web page also! Hope to see you there!

Beef & Broccoli with Black Bean Mushroom Sauce

printable recipe

8 oz thin sliced steak pieces
4 oz sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1 broccoli crown, flowerts only
Olive oil
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Lee Kum Kee Mushroom flavored soy sauce (you can use a dark soy sauce instead if you can't find or don't have the Mushroom flavored soy)
1 heaping teaspoon Kum Kee Lee Black Bean Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch
8 oz dried linguini, cooked according to package directions (we use Dreamfield and love it!)

Slice steak into thin slices. Prep mushrooms and broccoli and set aside. Prep sauce by adding beef broth, soy sauce, black bean chili sauce, and sugar. Stir well and set aside. Start cooking pasta according to package directions.

Heat skillet on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, add steak slices and stir-fry about 4 minutes, until meat just loses its pink color. Don't cook much longer or the meat will become tough. Remove steak from skillet and cover to keep warm. Add a little more oil to pan if needed and then add mushroom. Turn heat down to medium and stir-fry mushrooms until browned. Place mushrooms in same bowl as beef and cover to keep warm. Add broccoli to hot skillet along with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Cover and steam until tender - about 3 minutes, remove lid and let water evaporate. Place broccoli in a separate bowl and cover.

At this time the pasta should be about ready to come off the stove (mine takes 9 minutes to cook). Drain pasta and set aside.

Pour sauce mixture into hot skillet that you cooked all the other ingredients in. Bring to a boil then add water mixed with cornstarch to sauce, stirring constantly. Once sauce starts to thicken turn off heat and add steak/mushroom mixture and coat with sauce. Next add broccoli, then pasta, tossing to coat well with sauce. This makes a good amount of sauce! Serve & enjoy!

Quick & Easy Bacon Cayenne Cinnamon Buns with Maple Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:40:36 PST

yeah, I kind went overboard on the sugar here.....

Ok, don't have a heart attack....I did not make these for Grumpy although I do believe he ate one of them. These will give you a sugar high. Seriously. Everyone once and a while I want quick, bread-y, sweet/heat and cinnamon-y somethin' somethin'. A lot of times when I want something like that I grab a can of Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls and just kill the craving. Yesterday morning I didn't have that can and I, like a bad girl, did not go to the gym that morning so I didn't have opportunity to go to the store next to the gym afterward. The weather deterred me - so don't judge me for skipping out of exercising yesterday - or all week for that matter. The weather has stunk this last week. I promise, tomorrow I'll be right back there. We are supposed to warm right up to 45 by tomorrow and getting out in rain is a little easier than getting out in ice and snow. Anywho.....

I was craving sweet heat and salt and I had just come across this recipe on Pinterest for Quick and Easy Cinnamon Buns. BTW, Have you joined my at Pinterest yet? If you haven't please do so I can follow you too!

I knew as soon as I saw it I would try it because guess what they have in them? Ricotta cheese! That was different and her rolls looked so good I couldn't resist. You have those moments too...I know you do! Anyway, I went ahead and made them. They were better than canned rolls but I have to admit, they were not better than a good old yeasty cinnamon roll. If I had a choice, I would choose a yeast roll over a quick one - but hey, these were still good and they hit the spot. I shared with my sweet neighbor Jill and her family so they wouldn't hang around my house all morning tempting me. Now that I've had my naughty treat for the week I promise to be good for a while. I've found a breakfast cookie recipe on Peanut Butter and Julie's site that I intend to try out this week - its a definite healthy cookie and hopefully it will counteract kill my bread-y sweet/heat desire that I caved into. I do like to think I'm cheating by eating cookies for breakfast but being sneaky about it because they are healthy!

just look at all that maple frosting yumminess and brown sugar goodness!

Quick & Easy Bacon Cinnamon Buns with Maple Glaze
adapted from Don't Forget Delicious - Fastest Cinnamon Rolls

Printable Recipe

Dough:

3/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 tsp lemon juice with enough Almond milk added to make 1/3 of liquid
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour, lightly spooned into measuring cup and then leveled off
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar (I would actually use 1/2 cup instead of 2/3- it seemed like way too much after it was baked)
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
couple dashes of cayenne pepper

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I use the pre-cooked bacon for this, microwave it for 30 seconds and its ready to use!)

Maple Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup- more if needed to make frosting of spreading consistancy (of you can use extract for flavor and milk to loosen the frosting up)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 8 or 9″ baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine the ricotta cheese, almond milk mixture, splenda, melted butter, and vanilla in food processor and process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together. The dough may look like biscuit crumbles, that's ok it will come right together when kneaded.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12 x 15" rectangle.

Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1/2' border unbuttered around the edges. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and cayenne. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered area of the dough and press gently into the surface. Sprinkle with cooked bacon pieces.

Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open.
With a sharp knife, cut the roll into equal pieces - I was able to get 9 rolls. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan, touching slightly.

Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

To make the glaze:
In a small bowl mix the melted, powdered sugar, and maple syrup to make a smooth glaze. Add more syrup as needed to achieve desired consistency. Spread onto warm rolls. These, like the canned biscuits are best served warm and eaten the same morning they are made. I had a couple left over at the end of the day and it reminded me a lot of the canned rolls that just dry out and aren't as good as they are when freshly baked. You could probably microwave a few seconds (like 15) and warm it up some and it would be fine.

Almond Date Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:43:21 PST

I have had the desire to bake more lately - not exactly sure why that is, but now that I want to bake, I have in the forefront of my mind that I have to make it as healthy as possible for Grumpy's sake. Its not fair to have treats around the house that he can't have too. The one thing I know is carbs have to be controlled for him and when he eats carbs, they should be the better for you ones! I've switched to white whole wheat flour and just bought some whole wheat pastry flour thanks to the praise of it by my friend Katrina. Now I'm going to want to experiment with that! ha! I have been cutting sugar by using half Splenda in place and in some instances, all Splenda.

I read that dates were a good food for diabetics to eat so decided to make these muffins, substitute some almond meal for flour, used brown sugar Splenda and added dates. I also made these low fat by not using a lot of butter and going with egg whites instead of a whole egg. These muffins were such a success that Grumpy "hoarded" them so he would have them for lunches throughout the week!

Almond Date Muffins
Makes 1 dozen muffins

Printable Recipe

1-1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups Almond milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar
2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flour and almond meal into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour mixture and the next 3 ingredients (flours through salt) in a medium bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine Almond milk (soured with the lemon juice), sugar, melted margarine, almond extract, and egg whites; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in date pieces.

Scoop the batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups using an ice cream scoop (this give the perfect portion for these muffins); Bake at 375° for 17-20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire rack.

Vegan Chipotle Chili with Cilantro Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:29:27 PST

Monday I had the day off. Grumpy went to work as normal and I got busy first thing and cleared out the spare room. Iit sure made me feel a whole lot better - and it was all done before 11 AM! That gave me the rest of the morning to run to the store for a couple of items and figure out what to feed my Aunt Ann and her friend Ron for lunch. When I started lunch I came across a bag of Morningstar Crumbles I had in the freezer and I thought about Chili for dinner. I decided to use the crumbles and pray that Grumpy wouldn't notice that it wasn't real meat. I cooked up some brown rice (jasmine) and stirred in a little butter and cilantro when it was done. Served the chili on top of the rice and it was delish! The only comment Grumpy made was "is this flavored rice?" I said "yup" and left it at that. He never knew....and last evening? He ate the remaining leftovers without a single comment - which in this house is a good thing. If Grumpy's making a comment it usually is because he's not sure he likes something and he certainly wouldn't eat it two nights in a row if he didn't like it! My chili passed the test! I'm so happy and I will definitely be using the Morningstar Crumbles again!

Vegan Chipotle Chili with Cilantro Brown Rice
Printable Recipe

1/2 large onion, diced
1 medium yellow pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 bag frozen meatless burger crumbles (MorningStar Farms)
1 - 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1-8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon earth balance margarine

Saute the onion and pepper in 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender. Add the frozen burger crumbles and cook 3-4 more minutes until crumbles are thawed. Stir in chili, cumin, and chipotle chili powder. Add 1 jar spaghetti sauce and 1 can tomato sauce. Place in crockpot on low temp for 2-3 hours, then turn to warm until ready to eat.

Bring 2 cups of water and salt to a boil and stir in rice. Simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Once rice is cooked stir in cilantro and margarine. Serve chili over rice and top with more cilantro if desired.

Cherry Coconut Banana Pecan Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:17:26 PST

Lazy weekends sometimes tend to inspire me. We definitely had a lazy weekend this last weekend. It was cold outside and who wants to go out in that? So, since I had a 3 day weekend and Grumpy was going to only be home with me 2 of those days, I decided to be that 4 letter word....that isn't so dirty after all. L-A-Z-Y. Grumpy was too....if not more so than me!

In between the tv, computer I would go into the kitchen. :o) I went out for a bowl of Heart to Heart Cereal and an orange, then later a rice pudding cup (yes, store bought). Later in the day Grumpy got up and went out to make himself a hot beef sandwich with the leftover roast and gravy. I followed him out there and took notice of the two bananas that were too ripe to eat as is. I started thinking about bread and coconut and maraschino cherries and pecans. I made my bread and agonized over the next hour while it baked and the aroma filled the house. I agonized for yet another half hour after I took it out and set it to cool on the counter. I was just dying to cut into that bread. Finally, after about 30 minutes I decided I could take it no longer. I sliced off two slices, put a little smart balance butter on top and headed back to my room where I continued to watch my sci-fi movie and got all cozy under covers and savored every bite of that bread.

Cherry Coconut Banana Pecan Bread
Printable Recipe

2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup Splenda
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups King Arthur While Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Mix together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped pecans.

In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas well. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk until mixed well. Add sugar and extract. Beat well. Stir in cherries.

Add flour mixture, and stir just to combine. Spoon into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes, and remove from pan. Cool.

Chicken with Broccoli and Noodle Stir-Fry

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:45:57 PST

Presto Pasta Nights started back up last week, but I wasn't feeling well enough to really post anything on my blog. I would get home from work and not even want to turn my computer on. I had this made before the deadline but I just didn't have it in me to post. So, this gets to be this weeks PPN submission :o)

I don't really know what's up with me, most likely allergies, but it affected my voice, a cough (non-stop it seems) and felt congested in my chest. Nothing makes me feel better than something good and hot - heat wise and spice wise - when I have that feeling in my throat.

I needed something quick, easy, hot and (for me) spicy. I had some chicken tenders and fresh broccoli in the fridge. Since we both love Asian flavored pasta dishes, I decided to go with a recipe and I had seen on Food Network and adapt it to our liking. One thing about heat factor is it can be adjusted per person! It wasn't hard with this dish - I just took my portion of chicken/sauce and separated it from Grumpy's and added more heat.

This week's Presto Pasta Nights will be hosted Alisha of Cook. Craft. Enjoy. Make sure to visit her blog next on Friday, January 20th for the round up. If your interested in participating you can send your submissions to her by Thursday, January 19th. Check out the PPN website for the guidelines for submission.

Chicken, Broccoli, and Noodle Stir-fry
adapted from Food Network

PRINTABLE RECIPE

1 lb chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced and divided
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and divided
1 tablespoon maggi sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon Splenda Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Mirin
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups broccoli flowerets
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 cups pasta, cooked according to package directions (I used lower carb pasta)

Mix 1/2 of the garlic and ginger with the Maggi sauce, Splenda Brown Sugar, Mirin, Sesame Oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Place chicken pieces in sauce and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes. Mix remaining cornstarch with 1/3 cup of water and set aside.

Heat large, non-stick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat oil, add broccoli and stir fry 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ginger and garlic and chili flakes and two tablespoons of water; stir-fry another 30 seconds or so. Transfer broccoli mixture to a plate and set aside.

Re-heat skillet and add another tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken mixture and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink. Add hoisin sauce and broccoli, toss to coat. Add remaining cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce thickens. Add hot noodles and toss to coat. Serve hot, sprinkle with more hot pepper flakes if desired.

Blog Anniversary Gift Card winner

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:54:36 PST

No food today - just a post to announce the winner of my 4 year blogging anniversary giveaway. The winner was Peggy. Peggy is another blogger who writes the blog Peggy's Pantry. Thanks for entering Peggy and please get in touch with me about which gift you would like!

Banana Cake with Browned Butter Maple Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:52:24 PST

I had bananas that were getting over ripe. If I had a dime for how many times I said that before stating "so I started to think about what I could do with them", I could probably be a rich girl. :o)

So, for the big news of the Grumpy home for the new year? Grumpy is being "forced" to change his eating lifestyle. Yes. I said forced, and not necessarily by me and not because of a new year's resolution. Just three days before we went on our cruise we found out that Grumpy is a diabetic. He has type 2 diabetes. He's actually doing quite well making healthier choices for the most part. This means I have a lot to learn when it comes to food and nutrients and what a diabetic should eat to maintain the optimal blood sugar levels. After all, I want my Grumpy to not only live but be healthy!

While I have baked with Splenda before, I tend to not want to because I never really have had a lot of luck with my baked goods turning out good. So, when I realized that "I had bananas that were getting over ripe", I decided that I would experiment just a little. From what I have read carbohydrates are what really count when you are watching your blood sugar. Sugar = carbs, as well as flour and potatoes - sorry Grumpy. I'm in the process of turning my kitchen into a healthier kitchen ingredient wise and switching to whole grains are in the works. This way, the carbs Grumpy does intake will be "healthy" carbs. I have read that beans are good for diabetics so I've been thinking of ways to incorporate more into our diet. I love them but Grumpy? Not so much. He totally surprised me recently by asking me to make my bean soup recipe so I will be doing that for him this week. Hmm, I wonder if he's been reading unbeknownst to me? ;o)

While cake isn't something he can eat a lot of on a daily basis a little bit once and a while doesn't hurt as long as we are keeping everything in moderation and basically eating healthy. Being in the learning stages, he is checking his blood sugar at different times of the day so we can get an idea of how he's doing. Along with monitoring his levels, we are hoping that diet and exercise change will make things much better for both of us in the long run.

This recipe actually turned out so good. So good that I won't be so afraid to work with sugar substitutes a little more. I was a bit nervous to go with all Splenda, so I went with half Splenda and half Sugar. That is my beginning. The browned butter frosting is to die for! I roasted some pecan halves in the oven and decorated the top of the cake with them after it was frosted. The cake had a great banana flavor along with a moist, tender texture. Absolutely perfect. :o)

Banana Cake with Browned Butter Maple Frosting

Printable Recipe

2 eggs, room temperature
2-1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup splenda
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

Browned Butter Maple Frosting

2 - 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter, browned
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2-1/2 - 3 tablespoons half and half

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda and salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl mash bananas, add melted butter, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Pour liquid over flour mixture and mix with hand mixer until well blended. Pour in a 9x13 glass baking dish and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool.

To make frosting, brown butter in heavy saucepan. Over medium high heat, melt butter. Watch butter carefully and let it bubble. It will begin to show brown bits in the bottom of the pan. You will start to smell the aroma of the nutty buttery goodness. Once it has browned, immediately remove from heat. Pour butter over 2 cups of confectioner's sugar. Add maple syrup and the lesser amount of half and half. Adjust with remaining sugar and half and half as needed to make frosting of a spreadable consistency. Frost cooled cake. Garnish with toasted whole pecans. Makes 20 servings.

Vegetarian Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich - Deconstructed

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:39:38 PST

My first post of the year and it involves eggs? lol Can you believe it? If your a regular reader here you know that eggs are not a huge part of my meal experience.....unless its baked in a cake, casserole, etc - where I can't literally "see" the egg. I can eat eggs, but not very often and it always has to be cooked thoroughly (no slime and no runny yolk) or it just turns my tummy. Hence, I can't handle making my own Caesar salad dressing and Carbonara is very hard for me too.

I'm off work today. We have today as our New Year holiday, so after sleeping the day away yesterday because I stayed up until 4 am on New Years, I am actually wide awake and bushy tailed, no I wasn't hungover, just tired :) oh, and HUNGRY. I wanted something savory but I didn't really want my normal bagel, veggie sausage and Weight Watcher's Jalapeno Cheese triangle spread sandwich. I wanted more substance and savoriness. Omlettes just don't do it for me. You know, the possibility of that uncooked egg factor hits me too hard with an omlette. So, I decided to deconstruct everything - what I would put in and omlette, what I would put in a sandwich, and make myself a scramble that had a lot more of "everything else" than it had egg - and guess what? It was yummy! Good enough to kill my desire for something other than cereal or pancakes and I got to have my yummy Morningstar Vegetarian Sausage Patty along with the Jalapeno Cheese! Try it, you'll like it :o)

Vegetarian Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Sandwich - Deconstructed
printable recipe

1 egg, beaten lightly
Cooking Spray
2 tablespoons diced red pepper
1 tablespoon diced onion
1 Weight Watcher's Jalapeno Pepper Wedge, diced
1 Morningstar Farms Vegetarian Sausage patty, thawed and diced
green onion & parsley flakes for garnish
1 mini wheat bagel, lightly toasted and buttered

Cook peppers, onions and vegetarian sausage in hot skillet 2-3 minutes until vegetables are tender and sausage is crisped. Remove from pan. Spray pan with more cooking spray if needed and add beaten egg and scramble until desired texture. Remove from heat and add veggie/sausage mixture along with diced jalepeno pepper cheese wedge. Toss together, salt & pepper to taste, and serve garnished with green onion and parsley flakes (I used dried parsley flakes that my mom dried herself - the color is super vibrant!). Add toasted bagel and enjoy!

Ringing in 2012 with some favorite appetizers!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:41:58 PST

Its no secret, I love appetizers. I love making a meal of small bites. I think my grandmother would have thought the same way! When we were at my Aunt Ann's for Christmas my cousin Ryan was asking what kind of pie should he have....and I told him "do what Nanny would have done....have a tiny piece of each!" Um, there were 3 pies and guess what? Most of us did just that! I decided that since I love appetizers so, I would share some from my past and maybe give you some last minute ideas for New Years Eve!

Buffalo and Blue Cheese Stuffed Button Mushrooms - this is my #1 favorite!

Brader's Artichoke Bruchetta - my #2!

Cheesy Garlic Bread - One of Grumpy's Favs!

Roasted Shrimp Tasting Spoons - oh so good!

Butternut Squash Bruschetta - a new fav!

And my newest appy treat I made for my 4 year blogging giveaway post - Brie Popover Bites with Seckel Pears. Check out the links on the post to my blogging friends who are helping me celebrate for their appetizer contribution and don't forget to enter if you haven't already!

Brie Popover Bites with Seckel Pears

Happy New Year!

Lets enjoy 2012 with lots of great fun and recipes!

Brie Popover Bites - a 4 year Blog Anniversary Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:54:19 PST

There are people and events in our life that we just will never forget. One person who meant the very world to me, my Grandmother aka "Nanny", Mae Iris Whitton, is one person that my heart still aches to see on a daily basis - and it is so hard to believe she has been physically gone from my life for so long already....like my Aunt Marlene said on facebook on Christmas morning, that "there is not much to one year. Not much to 20 years either now that I think about it." That is true, but when it comes to a lost loved one, it can feel like yesterday when you lost them and your heart still aches just as hard as it did when you lost them no matter how long it has been and that feeling never goes away.

Pies Nanny would have been proud of!

My grandmother is one reason that I go on with my life the way that I do. I strive to be like her - non judgmental, loving, and kind. I think about what she would think or what she would say about something I have accomplished or agonized over. I wish so much that she were here with me today. She loved to bake cookies, pies, and cakes and would love to see all the desserts I have made and posted about on my blog if she were with us still. The first dessert I ever made was a rhubarb pie and Nanny just raved and raved over the pie I had made. :o) Our last years together we enjoyed baking and decorating sugar cookies and making stuffed teddy bears for a special charity that I was very involved with. I haven't made a teddy bear since she's been gone and I can't bake sugar cookies ever without thinking of her.

Nanny & Me

When I started this blog 4 years ago, I started it with the thought that it would be a "live diary" for my children and future grandchildren to have to remember me by. My grandmother would write in a journal every day of her life. She wrote what the temperature was every morning when she got up and would write about what she did and who she saw that day in particular. I always loved to read through her journal when I would visit so I could see what she had been doing and who she had seen - and she gladly would let me. When Nanny passed away her story from her point of view had ended.

A few years later I decided that where her story had ended, I felt mine must begin. I wanted my children to be able to go back and always read what I had written. My happy stories, my sad stories, my thoughts, my memories and my recipes, but most of all, my love for them and how great it is. My blog title may be Grumpy's Honeybunch, but I am Justin & Christopher's mom first. They are my babies no matter how old they become and will always be in my heart and this story is for them.

I haven't celebrated my blog anniversary with a giveaway before, but tomorrow (December 27th), being the 4th anniversary of my blog I decided that I wanted to celebrate and involve several special people who have also become very special in my heart and if it weren't for blogging, we would have never met. Those who were able have joined me in this celebration and have contributed a party appetizer bite to celebrate on their blog. Please visit the link there to see their celebration post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway (details at the end of this post).

However, there is one person that I must tell you about first: Linda aka Grannyloohoo. Author of For Goodness Sake and Talking Stash. She is the first and foremost person in the world of food that I had contact with whom I had never met. We met through allrecipes.com and I became a member of a forum that she belonged to that were foodies and members of allrecipes.com. Granny quickly became someone special in my heart. There was something about her that drew me to her from the get go. Even Grumpy knows who I mean when I say "Grannyloohoo". She's the one he was talking about when he said I should make something "scrumpdillyumptious" like she did after I showed him a photo of peach pie she had made! Linda and I have exchanged emails several times and I have grown to feel like she is family to me. If I had the opportunity to meet one person from my foodie world and cook a meal AND dessert for - it would be Grannyloohoo. I would also wrap my arms around her and feel like she is my family. I only hope she knows just how dear she is to my heart and how happy I am that we met. She has been there every step of the way over the last 4 years...when Justin was married, when my sons lost their uncle in a tragic accident, when I had to have neck surgery, when Grumpy was laid off and went back to school, right up to today - she is there for me to turn to when I need to talk about something I can't talk to everyone about. She is caring and beautiful inside and out! I guess if I were to have a bucket list, meeting Grannyloohoo would be at the very top.

There are many other bloggers out there that I met in the beginning of days that I still keep in touch with and feel a special closeness to. However, if it weren't for Granny who started the whole ball rolling by introducing me to a world of online foodies, I would never have met any of the rest of them. Thank you to all of you who participated and to those who were unable to participate - I love you all and am so happy to have you as a special part of my foodie life!

Now for the giveaway! My favorite way to eat is appetizer/small plate style so I asked my friends if they would join in by creating an appetizer to post about and collect comments to help me with the giveaway celebration. There is a link collection at the end of this post that will take you to each blogger's post where you can see what appetizer they made for me and leave a comment for an entry in the giveaway.

Details and how to enter the giveaway - Good Luck!

Leave a comment on this blog post telling me who is your inspiration in life and what special part that person plays in your life.
Visit the blog links that will take you to my blogging buddies page where they have joined in the celebration party and leave a comment on their post. Each comment will count as 1 entry.
Giveaway will end on January 7th at 5 PM EST.
Winner will be announced on January 8th via blog post on The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch.
Winner will be chosen via random drawing - drawing to be done by Grumpy.
Value of giftdcard will be $50 and can be ONE of the choices listed below:

Sears
Kohls
Amazon
Target
Wal-mart
Chili's
Uno's
Marshalls/TJMax
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Macaroni Grill
Olive Garden
Starbucks
Barnes & Noble

Mini Popovers Brie Bites with Seckel Pears

printable recipe

Non-stick cooking spray

2 beaten eggs

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, use a wire whisk to beat eggs, milk, and oil until combined. Add flour and salt; beat until smooth.

Fill the prepared cups half full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, slit tops of popover and place a small chunk of brie cheese inside slit. Place back in the oven and bake 5 minutes more. Serve with pears (or fruit of your choice).

Makes 24 mini popovers or 12 regular (muffin sized) popovers.

Merry Christmas - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 03:54:40 PST

The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch wishes you

all a very Merry Christmas!

Italian Ricotta Cookies and a special giveaway announcement!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:08:40 PST

Oh my goodness, are these cookies ever the bomb! I'm probably late on the band wagon with these cookies, but honestly, the first time I ever ate one was almost a year ago. We were invited to our new neighbors house for their daughter's birthday. We met some more of our new neighbors, one of whom had made these awesome cookies that I didn't want to stop eating. They were the perfect cookie, soft and tender with an awesome lemon flavor in the cookie and the icing. I fell in love.

The next month I had a surprise birthday party for Grumpy. I thought it would be a good way to get to know our new neighbors more and an opportunity for me to feed people! Of course when Stacy, one of our new friends asked what she could bring, my first response was her Italian Ricotta Cookies!

I decided these would be a great cookie to make to wrap and give as gifts to a few special people this year so I asked Stacy if she would mind if I made her recipe and blogged about it. Of course the response was positive 'cause here I am!

This also is the "pre-announcement" of my 4 year blog anniversary giveaway! I have never really celebrated a blog anniversary and this year I felt it would be a great time to do so. I have made so many friends through blogging over the last 4 years and several of those friends will be joining me on December 27th to celebrate on their own blogs. Watch for the post coming up next week to see what the prize will be along with all the wonderful foodie items that my friends and I will be sharing with you! I have some very special people in the bloggy world that I will be talking about and showing my appreciation for - you don't want to miss any of it!

In the meantime, if you need to make some other treat that is quick, easy AND delicious, definitely make these cookies. They take very little time and you will become the star of the day by serving them to those you love. Thank you Stacy for sharing your recipe with me. Your awesome!

Italian Cookies (Ricotta)

Printable Recipe

1/2 lb butter (2 sticks), softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon extract (I used pure lemon juice and the zest of 1/2 lemon as I had no lemon extract)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 container Ricotta Cheese (15 oz)
4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon flavorings (you can also substitute Anise flavoring for the lemon). Stir in the ricotta cheese.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to batter and stir until combined.

Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool, frost, and decorate with sugar sprinkles or lemon zest (which I did with some!) If you love fresh lemon, you will LOVE these cookies. They are so soft and tender and lemony! Enjoy!

NOTE: I used two different cookie scoops - one large one and 1 small one and got 2 dozen large cookies and 1 dozen small

Lemon Icing

2-1/2 to 3 cups confectioners sugar
Juice of 1-1/2 lemon
zest of 1 lemon

Mix well going with the smallest amount of sugar first and adding more as needed for the consistency you want for your icing. You can go thick or thin....if you do a thin icing, you can just dip the cookie tops in the icing and sit them on a cooling rack to dry. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles and/or lemon zest. Let dry completely and store in airtight container.

I'm Coming Home

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:21:00 PST

I'm sure he misses me.

Even though he has probably slept most of his day away

However, I'm sure he is showing Chubby the affection he's not shown me all week long.

But I'm pretty positive he can't wait for me to get home.

although he may punish me for a little while and not want to crawl under the covers with me for a night or to...

or maybe not...since he does seem to be attached to me like GLUE

I can't help but think he must have felt like this all week. :*(

and I'm sure he has wished I was home so he could be right where he thinks he belongs...

snuggle bugging with his momma....

and while I can't wait to see my Rotten Little Rudy Rut-ton

(and of course Chubby and Kitty....but Rudy is my baby....)

I really can't wait to see these guys....in a couple of weeks.

The bestest and goofiest kids in the whole wide world

I'm coming home. :)

Prime Rib Roast with Pan Gravy - A guest post

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:47:00 PST

Today my guest is Jane of The Heritage Cook. I have been reading Jane's blog for quite some time now and I first came upon her by StumbleUpon. I love her themed posts - especially her Chocolate Monday's and Festive Friday's! Today she is sharing a meal fit for a king's family - and one that Grumpy would enjoy for certain! Thank's Jane for being my guest while Grumpy and I a relaxing in the Caribbean!

It is always an honor to write a guest post for another blogger that I admire and today is no exception. Shelby of Grumpy’s HoneyBunch is extremely talented, funny and generous. While she is basking in the Caribbean sun, I am happy to present you with one of my favorite holiday meals, Prime Rib!

When I think of serving a special occasion meal, in particular one during the holidays, Prime Rib is at the top of my list. It is elegant, easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of work or last minute preparations.

Every year my father-in-law roasts a large beef rib roast for the family Christmas dinner. When we walk in the house we are instantly enveloped with the mouth-watering aromas of roasting beef. Yum!

A standing rib roast may seem hard to make, but it is probably the easiest of all the party entrees to make. It can be as simple as seasoning the roast with salt and pepper or you can go all out and make a complicated rub and crust. I like something in between, with all the flavor but not all the work. The only equipment you need is a roasting pan and an instant-read thermometer. There is no need for a rack because you stand the beef on the ribs raising it off the pan and allowing the heat to reach all sides at the same time.

When you buy the roast, have your butcher cut the bones off and tie them back on. This is called “cradling.” This gives you the flavor of roasting the meat on the bone without the hassle when you go to carve it. Just don’t forget to remove the strings before you serve it!

The trick to perfectly cooked roasts is to cook them below your desired final temperature and let the residual or carry-over heat finish cooking it. While resting, the juices have a chance to be redistributed throughout the roast, keeping it juicy. Transfer it from the roasting pan to your cutting board and cover loosely with foil. And don’t worry about it cooling off – it will easily stay warm for the 15 to 30 minutes it will rest.

The classic English side dish is Yorkshire pudding. It is a cross between a baked roll and custard with a crunchy exterior and creamy interior. Cooked in the drippings from the roast, it is a savory pastry designed to absorb the juices from the plate, so place it next to the beef for maximum flavor. Often made in individual portions, I like Tyler Florence’s version cooked like a Dutch Baby (large pancake).

Horseradish sauce is one of the traditional accompaniments for roasted beef. The pungent, spicy flavor is addicting and helps cut some of the richness of the beef. Horseradish is a member of the mustard family and the version we are all accustomed to seeing is made from the thick, white root. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the milder it gets, so for the fullest flavor, buy a new jar before the holidays.

I have included two recipes for slightly different versions of a horseradish sauce. The first is made with whipping cream and the second with sour cream. Make the one that suits your personal tastes. If you like sour cream on your baked potatoes, try this version – it will wake up your taste buds!

And finally, Bearnaise sauce, a variation on Hollandaise that is artery-clogging but oh so good. It is hollandaise with shallots and tarragon. It was my father’s favorite sauce with beef and the one he always requested for his birthday. Today’s recipe utilizes a blender, which makes this a snap to make. Definitely worth the effort, this sauce is likely to become one of your favorites, just like my dad.

The holidays can be stressful, but if you plan ahead and do a little at a time, you can cruise through the season. I hope that today’s recipes help to make these holidays extra special!

Prime Rib Roast with Pan Gravy
Simply Recipes.com (with a few notes from me)
Yield: 2 servings per rib

printable recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 standing rib roast, 3 to 7 ribs (estimate serving 2 people per rib), bones cut away from the roast and tied back to the roast with kitchen string (ask your butcher to prepare the roast this way)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Simple Dry Rub, optional (recipe follows)

METHOD
Remove roast from the refrigerator, loosely wrapped, 3 hours before cooking. Roasts should always be brought close to room temperature first, before they go in the oven. (This helps them cook more evenly.)

Cookbooks often call for the excess fat to be removed. By "excess" fat they mean any fat more than an inch thick. The fat is what provides the flavor and what you are paying for with prime rib, so you want to leave it on. Your butcher should have removed any excess fat.

If your butcher hasn't already done so, cut the bones away from the roast and tie them back on to the roast with kitchen string. This will make it much easier to carve the roast, while still allowing you to stand the roast on the rib bones while cooking.

Preheat your oven to 500°F, or the highest it will go (our oven only goes up to 450°F). Generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over the roast. Alternately, you can replace the salt and pepper with a dry rub (such as the one below) of your choice.

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, making sure it doesn't touch a bone. (Some meat thermometers require that you poke a hole first with a skewer, and then insert the thermometer.) Place the roast, fat side up, rib side down in a roasting pan in the oven.

After 15 minutes on 500°F, reduce the heat to 325°F. To figure out the total cooking time, allow about 13 to 15 minutes per pound for rare and 15 to 17 minutes per pound for medium rare. The actual cooking time will depend on the shape of the roast and your particular oven. A flatter roast will cook more quickly than a thicker one. So make sure to use a meat thermometer. This is not a roast to "wing it". Err on the rare side.

Roast in oven until thermometer registers 115°F to 120°F for rare, or 125°F to 130°F for medium.

Check the temperature of the roast using a meat thermometer a half hour before you expect the roast to be done. For example, with a 10 pound roast, you would expect 2-1/2 hours of total cooking time (15 minutes at 500°F and 2-1/4 hours at 325°F). In this case, check after 2 hours of total cooking time, or 1-3/4 hours after you lowered the oven temp to 325°F.

Once the roast has reached the desired internal temperature, remove it from oven and let rest 20 minutes, covered with aluminum foil, before carving. The roast will continue to cook while it is resting.

With a knife or scissors, cut the strings, which attach the meat to the bones. Remove the bones (save for making stock for soup. Then, using a sharp carving knife, slice meat across the grain for serving, making the slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

Making Pan Gravy: To make the gravy, remove the roast from the pan. Place pan on stove over medium high heat. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings to a separate container. Into the 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pan stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir with a wire whisk until the flour has thickened and the roux is smooth. Continue to cook slowly and stir constantly. Slowly add back the previously removed drippings (remove some of the fat beforehand if there is a lot of fat). In addition add your choice of water, milk, stock, cream or beer to the gravy, enough to make 1 cup. Season the gravy with salt and pepper and herbs.

Simple Dry Rub
Jane Evans Bonacci - The Heritage Cook © 2008
Yield: about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sweet paprika
3 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
3 tbsp dry thyme leaves

METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.

Yorkshire Pudding
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup pan drippings from roast prime rib of beef

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Sift together the flour and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk until light and foamy. Stir in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.

Pour the drippings into a 9-inch pie pan, cast iron skillet, or square baking dish. Put the pan in oven and get the drippings smoking hot. Carefully take the pan out of the oven and pour in the batter. Put the pan back in oven and cook until puffed and dry, 15 to 20 minutes.

Horseradish Cream Sauce
From Whole Foods
Yield: about 1-1/4 cups

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tbsp prepared white horseradish
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly minced chives

METHOD
Beat the heavy cream until stiff. Slowly add the horseradish and lemon juice and continue to beat together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish top with chives. Serve with roasted beef.

Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce
From What’s Cooking America
Yield: about 2-1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS
1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared horseradish, or to your taste
2 cups sour cream
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt

METHOD
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Will hold in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Béarnaise Sauce
Recipe from “MEAT by the Lobels”
Yield: approximately 3/4 cup

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp shallots, minced
1 tbsp tarragon vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
5 egg yolks
1-1/2 tsp tarragon
3 peppercorns
Salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
3/4 cup butter, melted
Pinch cayenne pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

METHOD
Simmer the shallots in vinegar and white wine until liquid has been reduced by about two-thirds. Remove from heat and cool.

Place this mixture in blender and add egg yolks, tarragon, peppercorns, salt, and dry mustard. Blend at high speed for no more than 10 seconds.

Add the warm melted butter, cayenne, and a squeeze of lemon juice (optional). Quickly turn on blender again and let it rotate until sauce thickens. Should it become too thick, add a bit of hot water and blend again.

This sauce should be made at the last minute so that it will be warm when served (but it may be kept warm in a double boiler).

Butter Pecan Cookies - A guest post from Gonna Want Seconds

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:01:00 PST

Today my friend Kathleen of Gonna Want Seconds is sharing a yummy, buttery, pecan cookie. I met Kathleen when she emailed me to tell me she had been reading my blog and had started her own. I was impressed with Kathleen's blog and how great her photos were. I hope you will enjoy her cookie today, I know I will make this one when I get home! Thanks for your post today Kathleen!

Hello everyone! I'm Kathleen from Gonna Want Seconds and I'm excited to be guest posting for my wonderful blogging friend, Shelby. Shelby is one of the very first bloggers I started reading and following way back when when I discovered the amazing world of blogging. I was immediately drawn to her blog because of her friendly, warm and embracing style and her recipes always looked amazing to me. I couldn't wait to get in my kitchen and start making whatever she had posted! When I first started writing my own blog, Shelby was always there for me to answer questions and lend support. I honestly think she is the most generous person out there in the whole blogisphere!!!

Well today I wanted to share a wonderful cookie recipe that is perfect for your holiday baking. I absolutely adore this little gem! I had a similar Pecan Butter cookie at a restaurant once and have been searching for a recipe that duplicated its deliciousness! After try untold recipes, low and behold, I have found the winner and here it is! It is super rich, buttery and virtually melts in your mouth. Now that I found this baby you can bet it will be made often! I hope you give it a try :)

Butter Pecan Cookies

from Taste of Home

1-3/4 cups chopped pecans

1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter, softened, divided
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves

Place chopped pecans and 1 tablespoon butter in a baking pan. Bake at 325° for 5-7 minutes or until toasted and browned, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, cream brown sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking soda and salt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Roll into 1-in. balls, then roll in toasted pecans, pressing nuts into dough. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Beat egg white until foamy. Dip the bottom of pecan halves in egg white, then gently press one into each ball. (If you get the foamy egg white on the top of the pecan it with remain after baking and not be attractive)

Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

A Guest Post--Non-Alcoholic Pina Colada and Bunuelos and Churros

noreply@blogger.com (Katrina) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:02:34 PST

Hi! Katrina here from Baking and Boys! So fun to be guest posting here for Shelby while she’s away!

“Cuz’ I like Pina Colada….and getting caught in the rain……”

While Shelby is off on her long-awaited and much-deserved Mexican cruise with Grumpy, she asked if I would do a guest post for her—I jumped at the chance. Shelby is such a great gal with a wonderful blog and I’ve come to think of her as another “sista from another mista”. Always happy to help my “sistas” when I can. Besides the idea of Shelby playing around in Mexico gave me things to think about as a post for her and my family and I really enjoyed what I came up with!

I thought it would be fun to do some kind of drink, since I’m sure Shelby is enjoying one or two while they are sailing away. Simple enough, I settled on the ol’ Pina Colada. The boys and Kevin and I all really enjoyed this refreshing drink one night. I was just bummed that I didn’t have any cute little umbrellas to stick in the drink!

The recipe is so simple and I like that it has no added sugar (well, I think there is a little in the coconut cream). There are also only three ingredients and that’s if you count ice as one. I found the recipe at Drink Swap. We doubled it.

Virgin (Non Alcoholic) Pina Colada

14 ounces pineapple juice

4 ounces coconut cream (I used a brand called Coco Real brand)

2 cups crushed ice

Put all ingredients in a blender, with the ice first and blender for a minute or two until smooth. Serve in glasses with fun straws.

Well, that’s not fun enough for a guest post, so I made a couple other things to go along with the drink. Churros were next up! Perfectly Mexican treats that the kids loved! What is not to love about fried food with cinnamon and sugar?

We (especially Scott and Parker) were eating them so fast I had them run a bunch over the the neighbor girls next door to share!

Another simple recipe perfect if you don’t get the real pleasure of going to Mexico (like some lucky people!) for the real thing! ;)

I followed the recipe I found at Rockin Robin's Cooking Mexican Recipes exactly. Try them—they’re great!

That just wasn’t enough, because since I had oil out for frying the churros, we remembered how much we love Deep Fried Scones also known as Sopapillas, which are also a Mexican treat known as Bunuelos. The only difference is that sopapillas are a dough made with yeast and bunuelos have no yeast and are made with baking powder. We made the Churros on morning and the boys begged me to make “scones” (as we call them), so those were made that same day in the evening. I halved the recipe linked above for the bunuelos and they ate every single one of them! (We don’t fry food very often, so I decided to just let the kids eat what they wanted.) Fried food is best fresh!

The bunuelos are traditionally made with a cinnamon-sugar mixture on them, while scones/sopapillas have butter and honey drizzled over them.

The boys ended up having the cinnamon/sugar on them AND drizzling them with honey.

Can’t get away on a cruise to Mexico? Make your own goodies at home!