Peace☮Love♡Cook☺Play

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 01:52:00 +0000

Love this? I do! It reminds me ''HOME' in Nebraska, but it could be your home wherever that may have been. I'm offering this at At Home with Sherry during my Flash Sale this week. There are lots of beautiful Art with Words pieces to choose from. I know you'll love them.

Check out my website at http://sherryreiser.athome.com

OR visit my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AtHomeWithSherryReiser. While you're there, please 'LIKE' my page so you can know of my latest offers right away.

Peace and Love!

Sherry

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 01:37:00 +0000

What is your favorite summer dessert? Mine, hands down, is Strawberry Shortcake. Well, that and watermelon. But tonight I'm craving a decadent cake to layer with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, and boy, oh boy, did I find it. You might recognize this recipe. I think it's a pretty popular one from Southern Living.

Oh my, this is seriously amazing! Like 'out of this world' amazing!
I have found the pound cake that I will forever serve with yummy strawberries and creamy whipped cream.

My life is complete.

(Yes, I know that's a frozen raspberry in the picture. It spoke to me.)

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined.

Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy, my friends!

Love home décor? Love entertaining? Consider joining my team!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 15:38:00 +0000

It's Free! Work From Home! No fees - No Inventory - No Parties Required!

Check it out!

My website is http://sherryreiser.athome.com/join-at-home.html

Or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AtHomeWithSherryReiser

Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:27:00 +0000

In my quest to make healthier food choices, I've discovered black beans. OMG, I love these little bites of deliciousness! I love them in tacos, on salads...I love them plain! I was so excited to find this Black Bean Soup recipe on Pinterest (another one of my obsessions but that's another story), that I had to make it right away. It's now become a staple around here. Definitely use seasoned black beans. I've tried un-seasoned and the soup was a little more bland obviously. But maybe you like bland, then in that case, you'll love it. :-)
Either way, this is a keeper!

You'll need:

2 cans of seasoned black beans (drained, not rinsed)

1 can chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

White Rice

Optional for garnish: fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, green onion

In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add chili powder and cumin and stir. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 15 mins. Take an immersion blender right into the pot so that some beans are blended and some remain in tact. Place a cup of rice in a bowl and pour in soup, garnish with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese and/or green onion!

Enjoy!

Thanks to http://comfyinthekitchen.com/

Cafe Rio Chicken...possibly

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:52:00 +0000

I admit it, I've become a Pinterest addict. There are just so many cool things that people share, or 'repin' which is the correct Pinterest term. You can find anything from crafts to recipes to fashion to photography, and anything else you can possibly think of. You can 'pin' anything that interests to you to one of your own boards.

I found this recipe on Pinterest. I've been into crockpot cooking lately, and this sounded good and so easy so I gave it a shot. I'll be honest, I've never eaten at Cafe Rio so I really have no idea if this is even close to what they serve, but I do know that this makes a yummy chicken dish. (winner, winner, chicken dinner!) I served it as as chicken tacos with a dallop of sour cream and some cheese. Delicious! This will likely be my 'go-to' chicken taco recipe. Try it and see if you agree. :-)

You'll need:

2 lbs chicken breasts
1/2 a small bottle of zesty italian dressing (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 pkt ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours. Shred with fork and serve in salads, burritos, tacos…etc. You can also double or triple this to make extras for freezing. Then simply thaw and reheat for a lickity split meal.

Thank you, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms!

10 Reasons Why You Should Adopt A Pet

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:33:00 +0000

1. When you Adopt a pet, you are saving a life.

2. When you Adopt a pet, you will receive a lifetime of love from a pet so grateful to you that you will not believe it. They always know you saved them.

3. When you Adopt a pet, you make room for one more at the Shelter or Rescue, so you are actually saving 2 lives at the same time.

4. When you a pet, you are taking money away from puppy mills and pet stores making their business less profitable.

5. When You Adopt a pet, you are going to save money. You will just pay a small adoption fee, instead of an outrageous 'price' from a breeder or pet store.

6. When you Adopt a pet, they will usually come already fixed and up to date on their shots. All these things would often cost a lot if you had to pay for them yourself.

7. When you Adopt a pet, they will often be healthier than one that comes from a puppy mill, where in breeding is rampant and living conditions are often appalling.

8. When you Adopt a pet, you will get support from an entire community of pet lovers who appreciate what you did, and you will even get discounts from some amazing Vets!

9. When you Adopt a pet, you are setting a great example for others with your compassion.

10. When you Adopt a pet. you will be my hero.

by Chris Hoar, Pet Pardons

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Who doesn't LOVE FALL?! I am mezmerized by the changing colors and cooler weather. I get so excited the first time I'm able to wear a sweater and boots. There are several pumpkin patches in the area where, not only can you purchase a pumpkin, but you can spend the day taking hayrides and drinking cider. It's simply a perfect family outing. It's this time of year that inspired me to make these yummy pumpkin patch cupcakes. These are so good! I'm not sure which part is better...the fluffy pumpkin cake, or the cinnamon-cream cheese frosting, but combined, they're the perfect combination to welcome Fall. I hope you enjoy them!

You'll need:
1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with pudding
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and apple pie spice. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and oil. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

To make cream cheese frosting: Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes.

Thank you to Sinful Southern Sweets!

Wine Cork Cages!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:53:00 +0000

Wow, do I ever love these cork cages!! Get yours at Epic Style!!

And if you love wine and are ever in the Austin, Texas area, you have to go to Pilot Knob Vineyard. This is a family vineyard. Just ask for my brother-in-law, Craig, or sister, Beth. They'll take great care of you. :-)

Jewelry Stamping

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:58:00 +0000

I found this cool stamped jewelry project on the Hobby Lobby website. I can't wait to try this out! I'll post pics once I do. Send me yours, won't you?

Chocolate Sable Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:55:00 +0000

It's rare that Brittany is home on a Friday night. Indeed, she has a pretty busy social and work calendar. So tonight when she said she would be home, I was excited to take in a girly movie and maybe drink a glass of wine. Instead, she decided to bake. Britt is a fabulous baker. She always finds these amazing recipes that make your mouth water. She found these treats from the Miette cookbook. Miette is charming pastry shop in San Francisco with the most divine pastries you'll ever indulge in. These cookies just came out of the oven a few minutes ago. I wish you were here to smell their aroma. Better yet, I wish you could taste one fresh out of the oven like I just did. They're a perfect little piece of heaven!

Thanks Britt!!

Chocolate Sable Cookies

Makes about thirty-six 1-inch square cookies

Ingredients
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (1 ounce) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (4 1/2 ounces) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 ounces 70 percent cacao chocolate, grated

Directions:
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda into a bowl and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla until lightened, about 4 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and grated chocolate and mix just to combine.

3. If the dough is soft, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (The dough will keep, wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.) Otherwise, roll out the dough 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured work surface into a 6-by-7-inch rectangle. Using a ruler, square the edges as much as possible. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch squares. Place them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies until they are firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks.

White Chocolate-Raspberry Scones

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 01:56:00 +0000

There is a great little coffee shop in town that I visit frequently. They serve amazing pastries, one of which is a White Chocolate-Raspberry Scone. Needless to say, I've eaten my share of these yummy treats so I decided to try to find the magic recipe so I could create these anytime. These are the result! Would it be bold of me to say that these are better than the coffee shops? Well, I think they are! Try them for yourself and see if you don't agree. Perfect on a Sunday morning with a nice cup of coffee.

You'll need:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. firm unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 c. whipping cream
Additional whipping cream
Sugar
3/4 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries
2/3 cup white baking chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 F.
In a large bowl, mix flour, 3 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender until mixture looks like fine crumbs.
In a smaller bowl beat the eggs. Stir in whipping cream and almond extract.
Add raspberries and white chips to the dry ingredients.
Stir in wet ingredients to dry until mixed.
Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Roll or pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Brush with whipping cream and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 18-23 min. or until golden brown. Allow to cool for a short time. Carefully separate wedges and remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 03:20:00 +0000

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

...these cupcakes are magically delicious...!!!!

For the cupcakes, you'll need:
1 cup Guinness beer
2 sticks unsalted beer
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

For the frosting, you'll need:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.

Combine the butter and Guinness in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix together with a whisk. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs and sour cream. Beat just until combined. Add the beer mixture to the eggs and beat again, just until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean - about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting: Place the butter in a bowl and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar to the bowl and continue beating until completely incorporated. Add the Bailey's and mix until smooth, adding more if necessary to get the desired consistency for frosting. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Penne and Shrimp with Tomato Cream Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 15:17:00 +0000

Looking for something to cook that will WOW your guests? Look no more. This is our new favorite 'knock-their-socks-off' dinner. Pretty sure this would help you get that marriage proposal, or maybe a raise! :-)

You'll need:
3/4 lbs. penne pasta
1 lb. shrimp
3 T. butter
3 T. olive oil
1 whole onion (small)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. white wine
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 c. heavy cream
fresh parsley, to taste
fresh basil, to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Cook the penne pasta until al dente or tender-firm.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1-pound of large or extra-large shrimp. Heat about 1-tablespoon butter and 1-tablespoon olive oil in skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Put the cooked shrimp on a cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.

In a large skillet, heat 2-tablespoons of butter and 2-tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit, add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about 1/2 cup). Now add the can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined, then add 1-cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil.

Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Thank you, Pioneer Woman!

Memories of the School Cafeteria: Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 23:06:00 +0000

Most people probably don't have fond memories of the lunches at their school cafeteria, but then most people didn't have Mrs. Brewer cooking their school lunches. Most of the meals were great, but there was always one day when the cafeteria seemed busier than usual. It was a day when no one packed a PBJ and chips. Yes, my friends, that was the day that chili and cinnamon rolls were on the school lunch menu. Oh, so good! And apparently very popular here in Nebraska as one of the local fast-food stores now has a chili and cinnamon roll combo on the menu. I never saw this in Texas. Texans could learn something here.

So, here is my recreation of this delicious combo. It must be served together. That's not an option; it's an order. Just a couple of side notes...this is not a spicy chili but it is a great basic recipe. Feel free to doctor it up with jalapenos. I also will probably not add the cinnamon next time. Just my opinion. You might love it. Now the cinnamon rolls are divine; so caramely and yummy. No one will ever know you used frozen dough, I promise. Enjoy! :-)

Oh, and a shout-out to Mrs. Brewer and all of the other lunch ladies across America. Thanks for the memories!!

~Ranch Chili~
You'll need:
2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef
1 T. dry minced onion or 1/2 c. diced fresh onion
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1-2 tsp. salt
2 T. flour
1 T. sugar
1 46-oz. can tomato juice
1 c. water
2 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon or 1/2 cinnamon stick
2 cans dark red kidney beans, undrained

In soup pot, brown hamburger with onion, salt and pepper. Add flour and sugar; cook 2-3 minutes. Add tomato juice and water; stir. Add remainder of ingredients and bring to simmer. Remove cinnamon stick before serving. Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese and crackers.
(adapted from recipe in Nebraska Life magazine)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

~Caramel Cinnamon Rolls~
You'll need:
12 frozen unbaked cinnamon rolls
1/2 stick butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. real vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Butter or spray 9x13" cake pan. Melt butter; add sugar and cream in sauce-pan. When mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and add cinnamon and vanilla. Pour mixture in prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Place frozen cinnamon rolls in pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and set aside in warm place. Let dough rise according to package directions (3-4 hours).
Preheat oven and bake at 350 degrees on middle rack for 20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately flop rolls onto cookie sheet, scraping all of the caramel from bottom of pan.
Eat as soon as the rolls are cool enough to bite into.
(adapted from a recipe in Nebraska Life magazine)

Southern Living Christmas 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Well, here is the newest and most exciting addition to my cookbook collection. Did I mention I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with cookbooks? Oh well, there are worse things that I could obsess over, right? Anyway, I'm so excited to dive into some of these recipes. There are hundreds of divine recipes and crafts in the 2010 Christmas book. Where will I begin? Go get yours. You won't be disappointed.

Chicken Noodle Soup & Mom's Peanut Butter Cookies = LOVE

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 15:41:00 +0000

There is a beautiful chill in the air today. I love fall and am looking forward to enjoying a change of seasons this year. We went to the apple orchard today so I probably should be making an apple pie or something, but today, I'm craving something something warm and comforting. What screams comfort food more that a bowl of Chicken Noodle soup?! I've been making this Chicken Noodle Soup since my daughter was little. It was something that she would eat so we had it quite often. It makes a big pot so you can count on enjoying the leftovers for awhile.

Chicken Noodle Soup

You'll need:
1 1/2 lbs. chicken (I like dark meat so I use boneless, skinless thighs)
A large package of egg noodles (We like the Reames Homestyle, but I've used regular egg noodles before and it's just as tasty)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp parsley
1-2 tsp pepper
salt to taste
stick of butter

Place the chicken in a large pot. Add water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 20-30 minutes. Remove the chicken from pot. Don't worry if it's still a little pink, it will go back in the pot to cook longer. To the pot of water, add the can of chicken broth and the chopped veggies. Continue to cook over medium heat so the veggies cook. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, then return them to the pot. Add the bag of noodles. Add the parsley and pepper. Once the noodles are cooked, stir in the can of cream of chicken soup and the stick of butter. Add salt to taste. Continue to stir until the butter is melted and the soup is heated through.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

These are my favorite Peanut Butter Cookies EVER! These are the Peanut Butter Cookies I grew up on, and the ones that I will forever measure all other Peanut Butter Cookies by. Thanks Mom!!

Mom's Peanut Butter Cookies
You'll need:
1 c. shortening (like butter-flavored Crisco)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. peanut butter
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda

Cream sugars with shortening. Add remaining ingredients. Roll into 1-inch balls and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 11-13 minutes at 375 degrees.

Best when served with a glass of cold milk!

Happy Fall, Y'all!!

Football Fever!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:11:00 +0000

Well, it's that time!! The first Husker game is on Saturday! Literally, everyone I've talked to has mentioned it. This is a BIG deal here in Nebraska! My social calendar has exploded with football party invitations and I'm loving it! So of course, I set out to find the perfect football party food and decor ideas. I found this perfect idea board at the Birthday Girl blog. You can bet the I'll be using some, if not all, of these ideas. Now I'm off to find the perfect Husker outfit for the first big game.

As a side note to my Texas friends, I have not lost my love for the Aggies. I will also be sporting the maroon. But when in Rome...

Now let's get ready for kick-off!!!

Resources
Row 1: cupcakes, drinks via Apartment Therapy; mini hot dogs via Martha Stewart; chip dip
Row 2: wings via Martha Stewart; football cake via Kaboose: gathering via Real Simple; party supplies via Plum Party
Row 3: sliders via Martha Stewart; pillows via Land of Knod; football kids via kamarah; centerpiece via Stiletto Sports
Row 4: invite via Tiny Prints; trophy via Beau-Coup; vinage scene via Evite; barware via Pottery Barn

Shrimp Peel

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:12:00 +0000

Living in Texas, you tend to take some of the local flair for granted. Good TexMex food and fresh Gulf Coast shrimp are the first things that come to mind. So when the craving came for some good seafood in Nebraska, rather than run to Red Lobster to satisfy my taste buds, I reluctantly headed to the frozen food section for some frozen shrimp. Fortunately, this easy recipe did not disappoint. The flavor is a lot like a shrimp scampi.

Here's a shout out to my niece, Jill, who went to Peace Preschool in Cedar Park. The cookbook they did in 2008-2009 is one of my absolute favorites. I haven't made a recipe from it yet that wasn't fabulous, this one included. Kudos to the parents who submitted all of their best dishes.

Here is what you'll need:
3 to 4 lbs. frozen uncooked shrimp

Heat in sauce pan:
1 stick butter
16 oz. Italian Wishbone dressing
2 cloved garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 T. fresh ground pepper (may use more) or 1 oz. can pepper
2 lemons halved - squeeze the juice

Place shrimp in Pyrex 9x13" baking dish and pour mixture over shrimp. Place lemons on top of shrimp. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Stir after 15 minutes. Shrimp will turn pink when it's done. Serve with French bread for dipping in the sauce.

So easy, a caveman can do it. Enjoy!

We've come a long way, Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:13:00 +0000

As a lover of all things vintage, I couldn't resist sharing some of these vintage advertisements.

Here is a Campbell's Soup ad from 1945. I have to admit, I still open up a Campbell's Vegetable Soup for lunch from time to time. Some things really don't change.

Seriously? All I had to do was open up a can of Underwood Deviled Ham? Wonder if this will still work today?

This sugar ad just makes me smile. Definitely don't see ads talking about the benefits of sugar anymore. :-)

Yep, this will win him over. :-)
Although, I always loved it when my Mom served us TV dinners. It was such a rare event, it felt like we were given a treat.

You can check out more ads on Found in Mom's Basement. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies Made Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:54:00 +0000

Christmas is only 5 months away from today. Have you started your shopping yet? Just kidding. I'm a classic procrastinator. While I have the best of intentions, every year, I find myself standing in line on Christmas Eve for one more gift. You'd think I'd learn. Given that the Christmas rush is on (wink), it got me thinking about Christmas cookies today. I have a insatiable sweet-tooth so there aren't very many cookies that I've met that I didn't like. However, there is something about a frosted, sprinkled sugar cookie. Did I mention that I'm a procrastinator? I think I did. So by the time I set out to make them, I was running short on time. Can I tell you how happy I was to find these amazing Sugar Cookie Bars? Problem solved! It took no time at all to throw these together. Try them. You won't be disappointed. Happy Holidays! ;-)

Here's what you'll need for the cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Here's what you'll need for the frosting:

1/2 cup butter; at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)
3 Tbsp. milk
food coloring, if desired

Prepare bars: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Mix in vanilla.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt & baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased, rimmed baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). The dough will be just like cookie dough- heavy & sticky- so you might to spray your hands with a little nonstick spray and use them to help mold the dough into the pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Prepare frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla, almond flavoring and salt. Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Add a few drops of color, if desired. Spread over cooled cookie, then cut into bars.

Yield: 32 bars

Tips:
*Refrigerate the bars until firm… it will be easier to get nice, clean cuts.

Adapted from a Grin and Bake It recipe. I only changed the frosting, mainly because I didn't have enough powdered sugar. Still very yummy!

Super Veggie-Stuffed Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 02:20:00 +0000

I love trying new, healthy recipes. It took some coaxing for my Mom to finally give in and try anything that I cooked using soy, but now, she doesn't mind it at all. These peppers are delicious, and the soy crumbles really are a great replacement for the ground beef. And did I mention, it's healthy? Someday, I'm going to sneak some soy crumbles into a dish for my Grandpa or Dad. If they can't detect that 'something different', no one will. I'll be sure and keep you posted on how that goes. :-)

Here's what you'll need for one serving:

1 large red bell pepper

1 plum tomato (preferably Roma), deseeded and chopped

1/2 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles, thawed
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup canned tomato sauce

2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a medium pan to medium-high heat on the stove. Add mushrooms, onion and green bell pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are slightly softened. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 1 additional minute.

Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. To the bowl, add tomato, soy crumbles, tomato sauce, cheese and taco seasoning mix. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Slice off the top of the red pepper, and then slice it in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Spray a medium baking dish lightly with nonstick spray. Place pepper halves in the dish, cut side up, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove pepper halves from the oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Once pepper halves are cool enough to handle, use paper towels to soak up any excess moisture. Evenly spoon veggie mixture into pepper halves. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly then dig in!

Recipe adapted from Hungry Girl 200 Under 200.

Lemony Fresh

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:34:00 +0000

Mmmmm...Lemons! They just scream summer, don't they? I love pretty much anything with lemon in it so when I saw the recipe for Lemon Lemon Lemon Loaf that our friends at Like Mother Like Daughters posted, I had to give it a try. So I ran to the store to grab a a few lemons to recreate this masterpiece, and lo and behold, came home with a 2-lb bag of the little yellow beauties. While I would have been just as happy squeezing these into an ice cold glass of water, I decided to be a little more inspired so I made the ever so yummy English Lemon Shortbread Bars. Wish you could have been here this morning. Having zested and squeezed all of them, my home smelled like a lemon sanctuary. I could get used to this. Note to self...buy more lemons.

You've gotta try this one! We LOVE Nancy, Ellen and Robin! 5..6..7..8..! (They'll know what this means) :-)
'Lemon Lemon Lemon Loaf' from Like Mother Like Daughters

And now...the English Lemon Shortbread Strips.
These are now one of my new favorite desserts. I'll be making these often! They're soooo gooood!

Photo credit to Land O' Lakes
(We ate them all before I could get a picture...I'm not kidding)

Here what you'll need...

Shortbread Ingredients:
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Garnish Ingredients:
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all shortbread ingredients except flour in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour. Beat until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press dough evenly into lightly greased 15x10x1 jelly-roll pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely.

Combine all glaze ingredients in small bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Spread thin layer of glaze over cooled shortbread; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon lemon peel, if desired. Let stand 30 minutes to set. Cut into 2 1/2x1-inch strips.

Adapted from a Land O' Lakes recipe

The Green Glass Company

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:16:00 +0000

The Green Glass Company is one of my favorite new finds. They reclaim/recycle bottles and transform them into amazing glassware. Just one more way we can do our part for this beautiful Mother Earth. The glassware below is from the Mist Collection.

Family cookbooks

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:19:00 +0000

Good news! There are still copies of the ever popular "Stir Crazy" available. The price of $10 includes shipping so hurry and get 'em while you can.

Photo shoots

noreply@blogger.com (Sherry) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:46:00 +0000

Brittany is a talented photographer who just finished an internship with a top photographer in Austin. She is ready to put her unique style to work in Kearney. Here are some shots from some of her recent shoots. Look for her updated website to be up soon. In the meantime, if you need a photographer, let me know. :-)