Update: Thanksgiving and Veterans Day

I updated my background to reflect the American holiday that I readily celebrate. Thanksgiving. My Posts this month will regard preparations for it and holiday baking.  I also wanted to point out my Image in my header. I am a Veteran of the United States Army. Veterans Day is celebrated the 11th of November to honor all veterans who have served whether long passed or still serving. I want to honor my brother and sister’s in arms who I had the opportunity to deploy with in 2007. This was the entire company of the 56th Military Police. We were stationed in Iraq.  Supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. We went in during the surge. I am proud to have worked with these individuals. Thank A Vet today! Whether you are from another country or not, I’m sure the veterans in your country would surely appreciate the sentiments.

The reason I had the opportunity to go to culinary school was because of the Army. The GI Bill afforded me the opportunity to make my dream come true with little expense to me.

Sorry for the lapse from Halloween. Been busy mama helping with some different groups on our post. Playing powder puff, organizing teen nights, FRG (Family Readiness Group ) business. I seem to be more busy than usual. No snow yet, but it is  cold. I am working on Roasting pumpkins today and a make ahead cranberry sauce. Recipe posted in a few minutes. Enjoy!

 

Spice Cupcakes and Halloween Prep

Been a busy week, Halloween in all. I remember when Halloween really wasn’t that special…

Before I had a kid.

It has been rather fun. Today, we attended Story Time at the library. They were having a little Halloween Party. Coloring, Stories, Games and Snacks. What more could a little one want?!

Don’t answer that.

I baked up some yummy spice cupcakes for the parents at Trunk or Treat tomorrow. Don’t they deserve a treat for dragging their beggar children around…

Yes, I am a nice lady. What can I say.

Here’s that preview, I am frosting them on the morrow. Plus making a batch of Rice Crispy Treats.

Let’s just hope I don’t run out of Candy

Recipe from : Atlanta Cooknotes by The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc

Title of Recipe: Grandmother’s Spice Cake

Will share a better view of the recipe tomorrow or friday.

 

. Happy Halloween Eve!

 

Lentil Vegetable Soup

As you can see I have tried to “decorate” my blog for upcoming Halloween. I never really was into Halloween, but now with a kid, it’s a must. I hope you enjoy the slight splash of color.

Lentil Soup! I haven’t really dealt with Lentils since Culinary School. If you don’t know what Lentils are:

Lentils are legumes along with other types of beans. They grow in pods that contain either one or two lentil seeds that are round, oval or heart-shaped disks and are oftentimes smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser. They may be sold whole or split into halves with the brown and green varieties being the best at retaining their shape after cooking. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=52

They are a very healthy bean, and a great substitute for things like potatoes in soups.

My recipe I used chicken broth, although this may be substituted for vegetable broth.

Ingredients:

2 Celery Stalks (Chopped)

2 Carrots (chopped)

1/2 Onion (Chopped)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

1 Cup uncooked Lentils

1 can of Chicken or Vegetable Broth

3 Cups Water

Salt/Pepper as needed

Olive Oil

Okay so chop your vegetables to your preference in size. Just remember that you have to cook them before adding liquid to make the soup, so they should relatively be the same size and be able to cook through easily, if not you may end up with a crunchy soup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add about 2tbsp.  of olive oil to a pot, heat on medium high, add veggies. Render til veggies become soft. Add garlic towards the end.

Add Broth and 3 Cups of water, Drop in lentils. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

The lentils will soak in some of the liquid. So there will be less. If you prefer more liquid, you can add more. Or add less Lentils.

Enjoy with the following post of Irish Soda Bread.

Very Quick and Easy Let me know how it works for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is cleanliness and then there is lets clean the floor and roll out cookie dough clean

I was reminded after reading this funny mom’s blogpost: How to be the coolest mom ever three days and counting  http://wessonblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/how-to-be-the-coolest-mom-ever-three-days-and-counting/#comment-19202

that my mom did some crazy creative things when I was little just to ensure her kitchen was not annihilated in our attempt to create some jimmie infested cookie, that probably didn’t taste good with 2 inches of sprinkles caked on top of it.

Those are Jimmies (The Shape)

My mom told me this, I don’t recall it much. She used to clean the kitchen floor REALLY SUPER BLEACH WATER, SOAPY WATER, clean. Then when she had everything ready, would roll out the cookie dough on the floor.  I know what you are thinking, yes this actually happened. And yes I am still alive today 🙂  I think my mom is the greatest, and definitely the most innovative. Now on with it… Then she would let us cut the cookies out with whatever stone-age cutter she had and then we would get to A) Put sprinkles on them before the baked B) Sneak some cookie dough in our mouths before she caught us C) Put them in the oven as is  D) Decorate when they came out with frosting, jimmies, sprinkles. (Usually the leftover sprinkles from a entirely different season.) So sometimes Christmas cookies had Halloween colors just because.

Now if I was my mom, or if I end up being just like her. I will probably take her prior job

I love, Love Peanut Butter, Can’t imagine anyone besides my husband who doesn’t

and do the same for my children. Heaven knows my children currently only one child at age of two will be hellions and very messy destructive. Well if they end up with my husbands genes I will have a peanut butter sandwich thrown at the back of my head when they are 6 or 7 years of age. *Known Fact: My husband is the only southern man in the USA to dislike Peanut Butter. My husband was involved in a Peanut Butter incident as the one described above.* My husband will probably laugh himself silly just like his dad did at his mom.

Note: I need to find me some good shampoo and conditioner for the future day where I will be washing scrubbing my head.