Snow Day!

Imagine it's 70 degrees, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping.  A beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Yea right.  If you live in Oklahoma, this means that tomorrow you will wake up to the snowpocalypse.  People in Oklahoma are used to the weather changing in heartbeat.  Today 70, tomorrow 20.  You would think that since this is the norm around here, people wouldn't freak out.  Wrong again!  Grocery stores are packed with people, all the bottled water is out of stock, the news stations are exaggerating, the schools are cancelled.  It is madness.  For me, a snow day is welcomed.  My son loves playing in the snow, building snowmen, and making hot chocolate.  Me...I like to bake.  It is my favorite thing to do around the holidays.  What better gift then homemade candies and cookies.  When I worked at a bakery we made cake balls.  Leftover cake mixed with frosting scooped into balls and dipped in chocolate.  Heaven.  Last year at Christmas I made Hello Dollie bars.  Graham cracker crust topped with coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, then covered with sweetened condensed milk and baked.  My favorite!  So this year I decided to combine my two favorite things into one.  After a few tries....Success!!  So the next time you are having a snow day or want to surprise your friends with home made sweets, give these a try!

Hello Dollie Truffles

Makes 36 1 oz Truffles

2        14 oz Cans         Sweetened Condensed Milk

1        Cup                    Chopped Pecans

1        Cup                    Graham Cracker Crumbs

7        oz                       Pkg Coconut Flakes

12      oz                       Pkg of Chocolate Candy Melts (for testing purposes, I use Ghirardelli)

6        oz                       Pkg of White Chocolate Candy Melts (for testing purposes, I use Ghirardelli)

Assorted sprinkles or graham cracker crumbs for decoration

*You will also need parchment paper, a spoon, and a couple of tall sided tupperware containers

Make the filling:

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the sweetened milk for 12 minutes, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly.  Remove from the heat, stir in the pecans, coconut, and graham crumbs.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread out to cool for 1 hour.  Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls.  Wash your hands and dry them well, roll them in your hands to smooth them into perfect balls.  Lay out several sheets of parchment.  Put each chocolate in a tupperware with tall sides, microwave at 30 second increments until just melted, stir to smooth.  Using a spoon or toothpick, dip the truffles into the chocolate.  Scoot across the parchment so the chocolate doesn't pool at the bottom.  Using a spoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the top.  Sprinkle desired topping before the chocolate dries.

Once they are set, I line tins with Christmas tissue paper, fill them up and give them as gifts!  

Love as Always "Big K"

Hell-iday

Have you ever gone to the airport on the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend?  Well, DON'T!!  This Thanksgiving I booked a ticket to fly to Florida for a  holiday getaway with my boyfriend and his family.  I knew travelling with a 3 year old was going to be rough, but I didn't let it stand in my way.  With a bribery bag of gummy bears we set out on our way.  The flight to Florida went smoothly, and we only had one layover; so far, a great start to our trip.  The rest of our Thanksgiving was fantastic as well!  We had smoked a turkey on the "Big Green Egg", homemade stuffing,creamy mashed potatoes, and all the best comfort foods.  Everyone kept asking me how I got everything to taste so delicious.  My answer was simple....butter and cream.  In everything.  I got that "you-just-made-me-gain-5-pounds" look.  The next morning as I was making the breakfast casserole from my last blog, they walked in to see me pouring heavy cream into my egg mixture.  I tried to hide it, but failed.  Hey, what can I say...fat=flavor.
Our holiday ends up going by way to fast, and soon it is time to fly home. That's when the Hell-iday began.  My three-year-old and I boarded the first plane with no problems. He is behaving well and the little angel even takes a peaceful nap.  Unfortunately, I had to wake him up mid-coma; have you ever woken a sleeping monster?  Don't.  He begins to wail.  Everyone is staring at me. I'm "that mom."  Fantastic.  As I wrangle the little gremlin off the flight, I realize I have less than 30 mins to get from concourse B to concourse E. I have a half asleep 30 pound toddler and 3 carry on bags.  I start to run/hobble through the airport, knocking people out of the way. We barely make it as the plane is boarding.  Whew, all we have to do is make it through two more flights and we are home.  Well, so much for wishful thinking, because that's when the cranky toddler games begin.  He shrieks, kicks the guy's seat in front of him and is shouting, "I have to pee!" until the seat-belt sign came on.  This is my worst nightmare and I thought we would never land.  We finally do and it's the same song and dance, but this time I have even less time to run across the Chicago airport to make our final flight.  Some jerk pushes me on the escalator.  I breathed "asshole", and can't really blame Trenton as he starts shouting "ASSHOLE!" too.  Will this day ever end?  As we reach the gate the attendants are shutting the doors, and the Thanksgiving spirit must still be with them because they let us on, but not before taking my son's suitcase because the overhead bins are full.  We are on board, hungry, cranky, and just ready to land and be home.  Then, the dreaded beep from the captain.  There is a heavy fog of doom looming over Oklahoma City and we have to turn around and land in Wichita.  I want to cry.  Trenton has fallen asleep and when I look over I realize he has peed in his pants.  Are you KIDDING me!!  That's when I remember they gate checked his bag--the bag with dry clothes.  It can't get worse, right?  Wrong! The captain informs us we won't be able to get home until the next day.  As we de-plane I'm focused on finding our bags and getting Mr. Pee Pants in dry clothes, when I look up and see a huge line.  I wait, with my wet child, tears running down my face (and his).  Finally I get our bags, change my child, and wait.  I thought the next day would never get here, but we eventually make it home.  Hey, on the bright side, at least I ran around enough to burn off all that cream.  Of course, that was until I got home and ate my feelings in the form of chips, dip, and Reese's Peanut Butter Christmas bells.  So, in the spirit of comfort food here is the recipe for my cream filled mashed potatoes.  I once got a marriage proposal over these potatoes.  It's the cream....

Big K's Creamy Mashed Potatoes
2        Quarts        Cold Water
5        Each           Large Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into Chunks
1        Tbsp           Salt
4        Tbsp           Butter, Softened
1        Cup            Heavy Whipping Cream, Warmed
1 1/2  Tsp             Salt
1/4     Tsp             Fresh Ground Pepper

Put the water, tbsp salt, and potatoes in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil.  Boil for 10-15 minutes until potatoes break apart easily with a fork.  Do not over cook or your potatoes can become gummy.  Drain the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer break the potatoes up a little bit.  Add in the butter, salt, and pepper.  Mix again.  Slowly add in the cream while mixing until potatoes are nice and creamy.  If they don't need all the cream, don't add it.  You don't want potato soup.  If they are stiff add a little more.  Serve hot with turkey, smother with gravy, or whatever your cream filled heart desires.  Yum!!
Love as Always "Big K"

Breakfast Rebel

You know what I make for dinner at least once a week?  Breakfast.  Bacon and eggs and sometimes even pancakes.  Who made this rule that breakfast is over at 10:30?  McDonalds?  Totally not cool.  Even my beloved Panera has breakfast rules.  They make these amazing souffles, croissant squares filled with rich eggs and cheese and filled with various topping such as spinach, sausage, and bacon.  Delicious.  Saturday and Sunday, around brunch time,  my sister and I always like to order them.  The only downfall is I cannot get it together on the weekends.  I mean I get up by 8 and somehow no matter what it is I need to do or where I need to go, if it is a Saturday morning I am going to be late.  Does this sound familiar?  My son wants to dress himself, or organize his Legos (sorry for the OCD son), and I can't manage to get my hair to get out of that homeless chic look.  No matter what the reason, almost every time we make it to Panera, they are out of souffles.  When they're gone, they're GONE.  No creamy, cheesy, buttery, croissant and egg magical moment for you!  So, I get stuck eating a danish.  Those are pretty good as well, but when my heart is set.  It is set.  You all now how seriously I take my food experiences.  So, this weekend, I rebelled.  No More Rules!  I decided to make my own version of these magical eggs in the shape of a casserole.  The results: amazing!  Magical even.  So, I am sharing this recipe with you.  No more getting in the car and driving across town just to be told breakfast is over.  Breakfast is on...

Big K's Magical Egg Casserole with Sausage and Smoked Gouda
12       Each        Eggs
1         Pint          Heavy Cream
1         Pound      Sausage
4         Ounce      Block, Smoked Gouda Shredded
4         Large       Croissants
2         Tsp          Salt
1/2      Tsp          Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut Croissants into cubes.  Evenly coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Put the croissant cubes in the dish and bake for 10 minutes to toast. While croissants are toasting,  brown the sausage in a saute pan until cooked through, drain.  Sprinkle the sausage evenly over the croissants. In a medium size bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper for 2 minutes.  Pour this mixture on top of the sausage.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly on the top.  Place it back in the oven for 30 minutes.  Use the tooth pick test to make sure the eggs are cooked through.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, then cut it into 12 servings and enjoy!  Love as Always "Big K"

Sugar Addicts Anonymous

Usually, at 7:30 on a weeknight evening, I am at home getting my little man settled in for the night.  Except for the other night.  I was in the car, with my sister, taking an emergency trip to the grocery store to buy sweetened condensed milk.  For my mother.  Why is this odd?  Rewind back in time 2 weeks.  My mother has purchased her newest diet craze.  This one has miracle shakes, skinny vitamins, and you cut out sugar. You substitute sugar with Stevia and Agave Nectar.  She got rid of all her sugar based products and replaced them with bottles of Nectar and bags of Stevia.  I even bought some agave nectar for her at my house.  A 7 dollar bottle to be exact!!  She went on and on about sugar being bad for you and how it causes belly fat.  I am skeptical of this, not because my mother can't stick to a healthier habit, but because of her serious addiction to sugar.  She loves sweets, she even orders dessert instead of dinner when we go out to eat.  She has been known to pay/bribe her daughters to make late night trips to the frozen custard shop.  Double cherry with chocolate flakes.  Fast forward back to the sweetened condensed milk.  I go to pick up my son from my mom's house after work.  She has gone to the grocery store.  In her bags of groceries....sweets.  Chocolate bars, trail mix, chocolate covered raisins, and the makings of cherry cream pie!!  Really mom.  Really.  She didn't even make it 2 weeks!  So of course I am teasing her about it.  She ignores me (like only she can) changing the subject, she starts to make her cherry pie.  "Oh Damn!!"  she exclaims.  She has forgotten her sweetened condensed milk (aka: sugar milk).  So I ask her if she would like me to get her some.  She insists she doesn't want me to make the extra trip.  I know that look on her face.  It means go to the store so I can make my pie and get my 2 weeks with no sugar fix before I go into shock.  So, I got her milk and she got her pie.  Which she dug into before the "chill for 8 hours".  She probably finished off the rest for breakfast.  She is not usually a bacon and eggs kind of gal.  She is a waffle, french toast, cherry pie, chocolate croissant, blueberry muffin for breakfast kind of gal.  So, in her honor I am sharing her blueberry muffin recipe.  She has been making these since I was a little girl and they are amazing.  Full of blueberries, with a touch of cinnamon, and a sugar crusted top.  You gotta make these bad boys!

Oklolo's Blueberry Muffins
Makes a Dozen Muffins
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees
In a large bowl combine:
2        Cups       Flour
2/3     Cup        Sugar
1        Tbsp       Baking Powder
1/2     Tsp         Salt
1/2     Tsp         Cinnamon
1/2     Tsp         Nutmeg  (I'm not a nutmeg girl, so I omitted this)

In a small bowl combine:
3/4     Cup        Milk (I used skim and they did just fine)
1/2     Stick      Melted Butter
1        Large     Egg

12oz  Bag        Frozen Wild Blueberries or 1 1/2 Cup of Fresh Blueberries if available
1/8     Cup       Sugar for Dusting

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened.  Fold in blueberries gently.  Scoop into a lined muffin tin, filling 2/3 full.  Sprinkle tops evenly with sugar.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden and bounce back at the touch.  Serve warm with butter.  Enjoy!!  Love as Always, "Big K"

Mr. Rogers & The ADD Cereal

I am not a morning person.  Like, don't talk to me before a latte.  Which is funny because when I was little I was up before the sun.  I loved to watch Mr. Rogers and eat cereal.  I would wake up my mom, who was apparently not a morning person either.  So, she taught me how to turn on the television.  She would have the channel and volume set.  This was before crazy remotes and DVR of course.  She also put the cereal and a bowl out, and put the milk on the lowest shelf so I could reach it.  I would put my bowl on the floor, then  pour the cereal and milk in it.  I would turn on Mr. Rogers and be set to go.  Now my sister did not get up this early, but a few times she heard me and would quietly watch me.  She was five years older and always fascinated with me.  She was quiet, calm, and kept to herself.  My nickname was Hurricane Kelsey.  I was wild, loud, and bounced off the walls.  So, apparently she saw that along with the cereal I would pour about a cup of sugar in the bowl as well.  So, now when the stories are told of "Hurricane Kelsey" and how my grandparents thought I had ADD, my sister chuckles and says, "You didn't have ADD, you had a cup of sugar for breakfast everyday"!  I always get a kick of out of this.  I still am fairly hyper, you never want to see me on a Redbull!  I also still eat cereal almost everyday, but I hold the cup of sugar.  I actually started making my own cereal in the form of this delicious granola.  It is made with honey instead of sugar and packed with oats and nuts, so it is a good way to start the day.

Big K's Nut and Oat Granola
2        Cups        Old Fashioned Oats
1/2     Cup          Sliced Almonds
1/2     Cup          Chopped Pecans
1/2     Cup          Coconut Flakes
1/2     Cup          Dried Cherries
1/3     Cup          Honey
2        Tbsp         Melted Butter or Coconut Oil
1        Tsp           Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take a large zip top bag and place all ingredients inside.  Shake vigorously until ingredients all mixed up.  Take a baking sheet and line it with foil for easy cleaning.  Pour ingredients onto the baking sheet.  Spread into an even layer.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Take out and stir it around.  Bake another 10 minutes until nice and golden.  Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.  Let sit out and cool for at least an hour to dry it out a little.  Crumble it up.  Enjoy in milk or as a parfait.  I also sometimes add other dried fruits and mini M&M's to make it into a trail mix.  I can't get enough of this stuff!  Love as always, "Big K"

Cinnamon-Y

Spider-man, Buzz Light-year, and Jake the Pirate Oh My!!  These would be the three characters my son was for Halloween.  Costume addiction.  He hasn't gotten out of costume since Halloween.  He has also asked me nightly if we can go trick or treating.  Yes son, I am sure the neighbors would love that!  He thought it was the best thing EVER.  He marched up to each door, rang the door bell, and shouted TRICK OR TREAT as loud as his little lungs could muster.  He even sneered at the lady that passed out crackers.  I tried to apologize for his impoliteness, but in all honesty I was giggling too hard.  I'm a bad influence.  Candy or Bust.  When we returned he had a huge basket of candy and the biggest smile on his face.  Success.  Now, of course his fan club came with us.  My mom, sister, and brother in law.  They came over before for food of course.  I made a big pot of homemade chili and a batch of apple cider.  It was delicious.  The cider was perfect for the crisp weather.  Cinnamony, not a word according to spell check but I am going with it, aromatic and warm (spell check allows those...BORING).  Anyhow an easy and delicious way to warm up on Halloween, or on any cold night!

Big K's Cinnamony Cider
Filled 6 Mugs

64       Ounce       Jug of Organic Apple Juice
2         Large        Oranges, Cut into Rings
1/4      Cup          Brown Sugar
6         Each         Cinnamon Sticks
4         Each         Cloves
1         Tsp           Pumpkin Pie Spice

Put all Ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer on low for 3 hours.  Strain through a mesh colander and discard fruit and spices.  Serve in mugs hot.  Breathe in that cinnamony aroma!  Enjoy!  Love as Always, "Big K"

Ketchup Haters Unite!!

I love food.  I love to eat.  I love the way just hearing the name of a food makes you want to hop right into the kitchen and whip it up.  Foods like silky chocolate mousse, cinnamon roll pancakes, vanilla peach coffee cake.  Don't those all sound good enough to eat?  Then there is meatloaf.  Really, this is what they call it?  Loaf of meat.  Well that does not sound appetizing to me.  I don't know if that is why I have always had an aversion to eating it, or if it is because most people make it with ketchup.  My nemesis.  I will not eat it, I won't dip a fry in it, not in a box, not with a fox, and especially not on a loaf of meat.  Some people say they only like their mom's or their grandma's.  Nope.  Still not buying it.  Well somehow, my sister (the most annoyingly picky eater ever) loves meatloaf!!  So, when she suggested I make it for my blog, I cringed.  If you know me, I never turn down a challenge.  So I took the basic meatloaf my grandmother bakes and I added all of my favorite things to it.  Bacon and cheese of course.  Since I can't bear the thought of ketchup, I used BBQ sauce instead.

Big K's BBQ Bacon Meatloaf
Serves 8

2         Pounds        Lean Ground Beef, I used 93/7
2         Each            Eggs
1/2      Cup             Bread Crumbs, I used Panko Japanese Breadcrumbs
1         Each            Green Bell Pepper, Diced
1         Each            Small White Onion, Diced
4         Slices           Bacon, Cooked and Chopped
1         Cup             Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2      Cup             Cup BBQ Sauce plus 1/2 Cup for Brushing on Top
1         16 oz           Ranch Dressing Dry Mix Package
1         T                 Worcestershire Sauce
1         T                 Dijon Mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl mix all of the ingredients except beef and extra BBQ sauce.  Next stir in the beef with your hands.  Yes, your hands!  Next line a baking sheet with foil.  Spray it with baking spray.  Place mixture onto the pan and shape it firmly into the shape of a loaf, or you can use a loaf pan if you like.  I like doing on the baking sheet so I can make it a little longer and it makes 8 perfect slices.  Brush meatloaf with extra BBQ sauce.  Place meatloaf  in the oven for  50 minutes.  Take it out and let it rest 15 minutes.  Slice into 8 equal slices.  Serve it up with mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese and some steamed veggies.  If you must you can use ketchup.  I guess...  Love as Always, "Big K"

Cookies for Dinner??

If I had my way I would eat chocolate chip cookies for dinner every night.  Oh, or chocolate cake.  Or Oreos.  Okay, you get the gist.  Apparently, doing this isn't especially good for your figure.  I have mentioned before that I worked at a bakery for a little while after my son was born.  They had these fantastic cookies that were so soft they melted into my mouth and straight onto my thighs!  The combo of "broken cookies" that were fair game for employees to eat, and the "baby weight" had put a few extra pounds on me.  After realizing that this was not the best diet to have I started eating much healthier.  My sister and mom were still eating over a lot and I wanted to make healthy still be tasty.  My mom often tries these crazy diets where you have to drink shakes or cut out certain things.  This doesn't ever work for me.  Cut out sugar?  You can forget that!!  Cut out carbs?  Hand me a potato stuffed with bread.  I found that cutting the portion size down and choosing healthier options is what I could stick with.  If you have read any of my previous recipes, they are certainly not super healthy, so I will try to start putting some of my healthier creations in as well!

Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Serves 4

1        Pound        Large Shrimp, Peeled & Deveined, Leave the tails on
1        Tbsp          Salt
4        Cups          Water
1        Each           Bay Leaf
2        Each           Lemons, Cut in half
1        Large         Avocado
1        Pint            Grape Tomatoes
16      Each          Cilantro Leaves

For the Dressing:
1/2     Cup            Light Sour Cream
1/2     Cup            1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese
1/4     Cup            Green Onion, Chopped
1/2     Cup            Fresh Cilantro
2        Each           Limes, Juiced
1/2     Tsp             Salt
3        Each           Garlic Cloves

In a medium sized sauté pan with a lid, combine the water, bay leaf, and salt. Squeeze the lemon halves over the pot and then drop in the halves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, cover, and poach for 4 min. Turn off the heat and let the shrimp sit in the covered pan for another 2 min. Drain shrimp in a colander.  Toss a tray of ice cubes on top of the shrimp.  Toss the ice and shrimp every 2 minutes until they get cooled through.  Pull the shrimp out and lay on a paper towel to drain any excess ice/water.  Next slice the avocado in quarters lengthwise.  Peel off the skin.  Then slice each quarter into four slices.  Slice the tomatoes lengthwise.  For the dressing put all in the ingredients in the blender and .  It will look like ranch.  On four plates equally divide the avocado and shrimp and fan out. Sprinkle the tomatoes and cilantro on top and drizzle with the dressing.  Serve cold.  Goes great as a light dinner or served as a appetizer or salad.  Love as Always, "Big K"  

Fall Foodie Part 2

Zombies, Mummies, and Monsters, Oh My!!  I know that I have mentioned how much I love fall, but I love fall.  Especially October.  Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays to celebrate.  I already bought pumpkins to adorn my garden, my son picked out his Halloween costume (Spider-man of course), and we are taking him to a pumpkin patch this weekend!  I also can't wait to take him trick-or-treating!  My mom always took my sister and me every year, rain or shine.  One year I remember she was going to take us, but still wanted to hand out candy, so she put a huge bowl of candy on the porch with a sign that said "just take one".  As we were crossing the street, a truck with a bunch of teenagers in the back, jumped out grabbed the bowl and sped away with all the candy!  Now that I have a son of my own, my mom and sister always come with us and we laugh about that.  Before we go out into the streets to ask strangers for candy, I started the tradition of having a pot of apple cider and a loaf of pumpkin bread to snack on before we go.  I came up with my own version of pumpkin bread made with greek yogurt and swirled with some pumpkin cream cheese!  After a few tries it turned out fantastic.  Perfect for a fall treat and it makes my kitchen smell amazing. This puts the treat in trick or treat!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bread

1          Each         Stick of Butter
1          Cup          Brown Sugar, Packed
1/2       Cup          Granulated Sugar
2          Each         Eggs
1/2       Cup          Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1         15 oz         Can of Pumpkin
1         Tsp           Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
2 1/2   Cups          All Purpose Flour
2         Tsp           Baking Soda
1/2      Tsp           Salt
1         Tsp           Ground Cinnamon
1         Tsp           Pumpkin Pie Spice
1         8 oz          Container of Pumpkin Cream Cheese
2         Tbsp         Powdered Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a stand mixer with the paddle or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together sugars and butter for 3 minutes until fluffy.  Then mix in eggs, pumpkin, yogurt and vanilla until well incorprated.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  Slowly mix the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until it comes together.  Do not over mix, this can make your bread tough.  In a small bowl stir together cream cheese and sugar.  Next take a loaf pan and spray it with cooking spray and sprinkle with about a 1/4 cup of flour.  Shake the flour around evenly then tap off any extra flour.  This will help your bread slide out easily and not stick.  Pour the bread mixture in the loaf pan.  Take a spoon and dollop the cream mixture on top.  Using a toothpick swirl the cream cheese into the top of the bread.  Bake it in the oven for an hour.  Test it with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Let it cool for an hour before taking it out of the pan.  Let it cool completely before you slice it.  Love as always, "Big K"

Big K's Tips:

*   I also tried this in four mini loaves and it turned out great

*   I don't use vanilla greek yogurt very often so I used the individual serving cup that was 5.3 ounces and it worked just fine

*  If you can't find the pumpkin flavored cream cheese, you can substitute regular

Cheley Mac

If you watched the news much at all in September, you saw all the flooding that devastated many parts of Colorado.  One of the towns that was affected holds a special place in my heart.  Estes Park, Colorado.  It is the headquarters for the Rocky Mountain National Park, a popular summer resort, and the home of Cheley Summer Camps.   Cheley is a sleep away summer camp for both girls and boys.  There are two sessions, each lasting 27 days long.  I went three summers in a row and did one session each time.  As a teenager this seemed like a long time away from home, but was the most amazing adventure I could have asked for.  During this time there are daily activities including: hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, horse back riding, rock climbing, fishing, and riflery.  The camp was divided between boys and girls.  The girls camp was called Senior Chipeta.  This was a large campground filled with cabins, each housing about 12 girls.  I had the most amazing summers at this camp.  I challenged myself physically, made a ton of life long friends I still keep in touch with, and got to live in the mountains away from my parents learning how to take care of myself.  We had counselors who guided us and taught us how to do these activities and how to respect the wildlife and each other.  For meals, there was a large dining hall that we would all gather at for breakfast lunch and dinner if we were not out on the trails.  The food was actually fantastic though you wouldn't expect that from a cafeteria.  We had something different every day.  I do not remember every meal I had there, but I do remember a few.  One was the chicken tetrazinni.  They called it Chicken Ta-Ta for some reason (I never knew why) and it was a creamy concoction of chicken, spaghetti, mushrooms, and cheese.  The second was Chili Mac.  It was like chili and macaroni & cheese mixed together!  It was especially delicious on a cool night after hiking up and down mountains all day!  I have over the years come up with my own version to eat on a nice cool evening and think of all the wonderful memories I made at Cheley.

Cheley Mac

Serves 6

1       Pound            Ground Beef

1       Each              Small White Onion, Diced

1       Each              Green Bell Pepper, Diced

3       Each              Garlic Cloves, Minced

1       28 oz Can       Crushed Tomatoes

1       15 oz Can       Tomato Sauce

2       Cups              Water

2       Tbsp              Chili Powder

1       Tbsp              Garlic Powder

1       Tbsp              Paprika

1       Tsp                Dried Oregano

1       Tsp                Ground Cumin

2       Tsp                Salt

1       Pound             Velveeta Cheese, Cut into Cubes

2      Cups                Large Elbow Macaroni (It Must be LARGE!!  Because I said So!!)

In a dutch oven or large pot, brown the beef, let drain.  While draining add to the pot the onion, pepper, and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.  Add in the beef, tomatoes, water, and seasonings.  Bring this to a boil.  Let boil for 2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add in the noodles and cover pot.  Simmer on lowest heat for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat, add in cheese.  Let sit 15 more minutes.  Stir to mix in the cheese, then serve hot.  I top mine with cheddar, sour cream, and sliced green onion!  Love as Always, "Big K"

An AfFAIR of the Heart Attack

Deep Fried.  Bacon Wrapped.  Everything.  "Yes, Please"  Once a year it comes here.  To the great state of Oklahoma.  If you live here, you already know what I am talking about.  If not, you are missing out.  Ten days of people watching, craft shows, animal shows, rides, games, and miles of FOOD!  My family has been going every year since I was a kid.  My sister and I showed Morgan Horses and every year the State Fair had a show that was a qualifier for the National competition.  In between our classes, we would walk to our favorite food vendors to eat.  As we have grown through the years we go back and eat those same favorites.  The last few years, the fair has added some crazy new foods.  Such as deep fried butter, chocolate covered bacon, and deep fried coca cola.  This year we decided to branch out and try some of those new foods so we could compare them to our stand by favorites.

 
For the Experiment:

The Usual Suspects:

The Indian Taco:  A puffy indian fry bread topped with taco meat, beans, lettuce, onion, tomato, and cheese.  Big enough for two (and a toddler) to share.

Wisconsin Fried Cheese:  Mozzarella, Cheddar, or Jalapeno Cheddar dipped in a light fluffy batter and fried to perfection.  Served with ranch and marinara.  The ultimate cheese stick.

Giant Corn on the Cob:  Imagine the biggest corn on the cob of your life.  Grill it over a big open fire than dip it in the melted butter.  It is a buttery, smoky, delicious way to enjoy a veggie in a sea of bacon and cheese.

Root Beer Jug:  A pint sized milk jug filled with icy cold root beer.  Perfect to wash down all the awesome food.

The New Guys:

Chocolate Covered Bacon:  Definitely worth a try.  A little to rich for us.  We liked the idea of sweet and salty, but the ratio was off.  Needed more bacon, with a thinner coating of chocolate.

Fried Cheese Curds:  We tried the jalapeno.  Compared to the Wisconsin cheese it had a much thicker batter.  Not quite as gooey and cheesy.  We enjoyed them, but we still prefer the Wisconsin cheese.

Brisket Chimichanga Topped with Queso:
Out of all of the new foods we tried this was our favorite.  They had a 2 for 1 special, so it was a great bargain.  It was a tortilla filled with BBQ brisket and cheddar, deep fried and topped with queso.  Very good combination.

We had a great time searching out and trying new things. The next weekend, we did sneak back to get all of our old faithfuls.  We realized sometimes your old favorites are the way to go.

For my recipe I was a little fried out!  So I made a oven baked version of fried pickles.  I got the crispiness of being fried without all the fat.  So through out the year I can have my Fair favorites in a healthier way.  Enjoy!

Baked "Fried" Pickles
Serves 6

1      Each      24 oz Jar Whole Kosher Dill Pickles, sliced into desired thickness
2      Cups      Buttermilk
1      Cup       All Purpose Flour
2      Cups     Panko Japanese Style Bread Crumbs
1      Tsp       Salt
1/2   Tsp       Pepper
1      Tbsp     Cajun Seasoning
1/4    Cup      Olive Oil

Take 2 large zip-loc bags.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take a baking sheet and line it with foil.  Evenly pour the olive oil on the pan.  In one of the zip-loc bags pour in the buttermilk.  Put the sliced pickles in with the buttermilk.  Shake it up and let it sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes.  In the second bag pour in the remaining ingredients.  Take the pickles and drain the excess buttermilk.  Toss the pickles in the bag and shake until well coated.  Pop your prepared pan in the oven for 5 minutes to heat oil.  When you take it out evenly place the pickles carefully in the hot oil.  Then put the pickles in the oven for 10 minutes.  Take them out turn them over and place back on for 10 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Serve hot with ranch.  Love as Always, "Big K"

Fall Foodie!

If I had to pick a favorite season, it would be fall.  Perhaps because in Oklahoma spring means getting in your tornado shelter daily, summer means if you go outside you will get scorched, and winter means the if you go outside the wind will blow your face off.  All good reasons to like fall. Other reasons to like fall would include pumpkin lattes, apple cider, and the pumpkin spice m&ms I discovered the other day (where have those been all my life?), I could go on all day.

Halloween and Thanksgiving are my absolute favorite.  I get the bug to cook and bake all sorts of treats around this time.  I had a roommate in college, Michelina, and the girl could not brew a cup of coffee if a gun was to her head, but man she could bake.  During the holidays we would stay up all night making pumpkin rolls, Halloween cookies, and drinking pumpkin lattes.  Whoever put a Starbucks right outside our apartment complex must have known we lived there and could keep them in business.  Michelina would grab two lattes and all the sugar sprinkles she could find.  She would turn on fun dance music, start the cookies and I would whip us up dinner.  To stick with the fall theme I would often bake up some sweet potatoes.  I sometimes feel like the sweet potato gets overlooked as a side dish.  They are nutritious (good source of vitamins and potassium) and can be just as versatile as a white potato.  I like to roast them, make soup out of them, turn them into french fries, and in this recipe, I bake them and stuff them with a honey pecan butter.  They pair great with chicken or even with a grilled steak!  Try them and see for yourself!  Happy fall!  Love as Always, "Big K"

 

Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Honey Pecan Butter

Serves 4 Potatoes

4       Each      Large Sweet Potatoes

1       Tbs        Olive Oil

1       Tsp        Salt

For the Butter:

2       Sticks    Butter, Softened

1/2    Cup       Chopped Pecans

1/4    Cup       Honey

2       Tsp       Cinnamon

1/2    Tsp       Salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  While heating throw butter, pecans, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Stir together until well incorporated.  Set aside.  Drizzle your potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  When your oven is preheated, pop your potatoes in for about 45 minutes.  This depends on the size of your potato.  If they are fairly small, they will take less time.  If they are ginormous, they will take more time.  When they are tender to the poke of a fork, they are ready.  Let them cool for about five minutes.  Slice them open and fill them evenly with the butter.  This was a little more butter than I needed, so I just put the extra in the fridge for a later use.  Serve right away.  Love as Always, "Big K"

Big K's Tips:

*  I cut my sweet potato in a zig zag pattern.  Then gently press both ends of the potato to press it open .  It leaves extra space for more delicious butter!!

*  This butter is fantastic on pancakes, waffles, or toast also!  So if it makes more than you need save it for another use!

Stray Dogs...

Have you ever heard the saying "If you feed a stray dog once, it will keep coming back forever"? Well, I don't know about dogs, but this is entirely true as far as relatives go.  Chances are, if you stop by my house in the evening, something is being cooked, baked, or covered in sprinkles.  My mom and sister have long since figured this out.  So, several nights a week they show up.  On the porch.  Generally with tupperware waiting to be filled.  My son delights in this, because while I am slaving away in the kitchen, these two women goo and gah all over him.  He can even con them into building lego castles.  When the food is ready and my house is covered in legos, we all sit and have dinner and talk nonsense, and what is better than that?  I read somewhere that the act of feeding someone is the ultimate act of care and affection, sharing yourself with someone else through food. This is what I live for.  This is why I cook.  So I can feed all the strays and I get their company in return.

The recipe I am sharing is one that I threw together when the girls came over unexpectedly.  I didn't have dinner planned, but I generally have a few random things in the fridge and cabinets. This time I had some chicken and broccoli in the fridge and I generally have several different pastas in the cabinets.  I managed a pretty delicious dinner from what I had laying around.  I have learned at home and at work to adapt the ability to make a few random things into a cohesive dish.
My sister loved this one and requests it often.  Enjoy!

Seared Chicken & Broccoli Atop Angel Hair Pasta
Serves 4

For the Chicken:
8        Each        Thin Chicken Breasts 2 oz Each (see K's tips)
4        Cloves      Fresh Garlic, Minced Finely
1        Tsp          Paprika
1        Tsp          Chili Powder
1        Tsp          Salt
1/4     Cup          Olive Oil

Place chicken in a large ziploc bag.  Add in the olive oil, garlic, and spices.  Shake it all about.  We like the hokey pokey around here.  Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Before you put your chicken in, flick a few drops of water into the skillet. If they sizzle and pop, you know your pan is ready.  If not let it heat up a little more.  Then place 4 of the breasts in the pan and cook about 4 minutes on each side until cooked through.  Remove from the pan and place on a plate tented with foil.  Repeat with next four chicken breasts.  While chicken is resting do the pasta.  It only takes 10 minutes so my chicken stayed warm.

For the Pasta:
2        Tbsp        Olive Oil
4        Cloves      Fresh Garlic, Minced Finely
3        Cups        Chicken Broth
1        Each        Red Bell Pepper, Julienne (which means sliced into strips)
1        Cup         Broccoli Crowns, Chopped
1/2     Pound      Angel Pasta, Break in Half
1/2     Cup         Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2     Cup         Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1        Tsp         Salt
1/2     Tsp         Fresh Cracked Pepper
1/8     Cup         Fresh Basil, Chopped

Put a medium sauce pot over medium high heat.  Stir in the olive oil and garlic.  Saute for one minute.  Do not let garlic turn brown, this can make it taste bitter.  Add in the chicken broth and turn up the heat, let it come to a boil.  Add in the pasta, broccoli, bell pepper, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta has absorbed the chicken broth and become tender.  Turn heat to low and stir in the cream, cheese, and basil.  Stir until cheese is melted and sauce thickens, about 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat.  Portion into four bowls.  Top with two chicken breasts and more parmesan if desired.  Love as Always, "Big K"

Big K's Tips:

*   My grocery sells thin chicken breast.  If yours does not get four chicken breasts about 4 oz each and slice them length wise created 8 thin equal sized breasts.

*   Angel hair cooks quickly so be sure not to overcook it.

You, Me, and Five Dips

What does September mean for you?  For me, it means football time!!  I am of course an OU Sooner's fan!  I grew up in Norman, OK, fairly close to the campus and went to a lot of the games with my step dad and my uncle.  We are as die hard as it gets!

Today, instead of fighting the crowds and drunk people (wow how old did that sound!) my sister and I usually put the game on my flat screen and make some game food.  We invite a few people over and have a little party.  It is also an excuse to make (and eat) deep fried, wrapped in bacon, and dipped in ranch foods.  We also always have an abundance of dips.  We are the dip queens!  Every fall, we go the various festivals they have around our town and scour the booths for dip mixes.  Last fall, we were planning a little gathering for one of the games.  I planned some appetizers and a few dips.  I went to the store and bought all the ingredients.  When Saturday came around, I whipped up all the food, threw on my crimson and cream, and got the pregame on.  My sister always comes early to help with the food (and the dishes).  We sat down and waited.  No hungry fans came.  The game started and no one showed up.  We made a couple of calls and realized no one could make it.  I started to get bummed,  when my sister, the voice of reason said, "Hey Kels, don't be upset, it's you me and 5 dips!"  She was right, we had a blast and ate way too much.  Now, whenever we get together, we never worry if people show up or not.  We are perfectly content with you, me, and five dips.

I had a hard time picking a dip.  I love spinach dip, I am obsessed with hummus, and I could eat queso on just about anything.  So eeny meeny miny....QUESO!!!  I added beer and fresh cilantro to this one and it is delicious!  My sis took the leftovers from the test batch to work and it was a huge hit.  So, for your next football party or any potluck grab some chips and try this out!!

Spicy Sausage and Beer Queso
This Recipe Makes About 4 quarts of queso

1       Lb       Hot Pork Sausage
8       oz       Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
8       oz       Heavy Whipping Cream (I can usually find a small 8 oz carton in the dairy section)
16     oz       White American Processed Cheese, Cut Into Cubes
7       oz       Mexican Beer
1/4    Cup    Fresh Cilantro, Chopped Finely
1       Each   Fresh Jalapeno, Minced
1       Each   10 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles, Drained
1/2    Tsp     Ground Cumin

Grab a saute pan and brown the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat.  Drain in a colander.  Now for your crock pot, put the sausage in it.  Then put the rest of the ingredients in on top of the sausage.  Put the lid on the crock pot and turn it on to low. Cook it on low for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  Serve hot with tortilla chips.  Love as Always, "Big K"

Big K's Tips:

*    Be sure your crock pot is plugged in.  I say this because I have turned on a crock pot thinking I was so efficient to have dinner cooking all day when I was gone.  Got home and I had left it unplugged.  No easy dinner for me that night!

*    Don't judge me on the whole processed cheese thing:)  I'm from the land of tex-mex and that's just how we do it.  I do like the monterey jack to give it a little stretch.

Birthday Party Mayhem

Who is that girl?  Oh, you mean the girl sitting on the kitchen floor, pitifully crying?  Oh ya, that would be me.  Why, you ask?  If you have a child that has birthdays, then you will relate to this...if not, when you do, you will see.  Every year, right before Trenton's birthday, I plan all these DIY decoration projects, pick an elaborate cake to make, and orchestrate a five course menu.  He won't remember.  All he cares about is cake.  Yet, I do this every year.  Then two days before the party, no projects have been made.  No groceries have been bought.  I have turned into a crazy monster.  I thought this was just me.  Oh no it isn't!  My good friend Vickie has three boys, so I see her turn into a monster three times a year.  A week before Trenton's party, we went to his friend Eastyn's birthday party.  We got there a few minutes early, just in time to see her mom, Lesli's head spinning in circles like the exorcist.  The wind was blowing her decorations down, her tape wouldn't stick to her birthday banner, and the sun was melting her cake.

(Isn't Eastyn a doll!)

So, I figure this...when it is time for your toddler's birthday party you are no longer a rational human.  You are no longer a teacher, a nurse, a lawyer, or in this case, a chef.  You are crying on the floor because the cake that has turned out perfectly for you four hundred and eighty five times is a huge crumbled pile of mush.

I texted my sister, "I quit and I am just going cancel the party".  She texted me back, "put your big girl panties on and try again".  This snapped me out of it.  I stayed up until two in the morning strategically placing m&m's on a giant cake in the shape of a three I found on Pinterest.  Curse you Pinterest!

With the help of my sister, all the projects got completed, the food cooked, and the cake re-baked and decorated.  The party was a success and my sanity restored. One of my favorite quick and easy party recipes is this cheesecake fruit dip I make.  Fresh lime juice and vanilla bean fancy it up.  I actually just took it to a Labor Day party this last weekend.  I have learned to keep the food for my parties delicious, but easy.  Keep your SANITY!!  Enjoy  and party on!

Creamy Lime Fruit Dip with Fresh Fruit Skewers
This makes about 3 cups of dip

8       oz       Heavy Whipping Cream
8       oz       Cream Cheese
1       Cup     Powdered Sugar
1       Tsp     Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
1       Each    Lime, Juice and Zest Only
20     Each    6" Bamboo Skewers
60     Cubes  Assorted Fruit

In a mixing bowl whip the cream on high speed for 2 minutes until a stiff whipped cream is formed.  Put the cream cheese in and whip for 30 seconds.  Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula.  Add in the sugar, vanilla, lime juice, and zest.  Whip for about 30 more seconds until smooth.  Refrigerate about an hour before serving.  Next thread 3 pieces of fruit on each skewer and serve cold with dip.  Love as Always, "Big K"

Big K's Tips:

*   Let your cream cheese sit out for about an hour to get the chill off, otherwise it can get lumpy in the cream

*   For this recipe I use my Kitchen-aid stand mixer.  If you do not have one, you can use a medium mixing bowl and a handheld mixer.  If you do not have a hand mixer, get one!  They are affordable and perfect for whipping up cream, or cake batter, or even mashed potatoes.