Sunday, November 28, 2010

Its not here its Kheer

This time of year our tables are loaded with heavy sugary delicious desserts don't get me wrong I LOVE these desserts. I can't get enough of these! Well okay I can. While these things are fantastic they can get to be a little much. So after dinner tonight I decided that we wanted dessert. What is Sunday dinner without a little dessert? Are you counting how many times I say dessert in this post? Sorry I digress :). I wanted something light and easy. So here it is Kheer. We first tried/made Kheer last October when our friend Kumaravel was here. It is an Indian dessert. It is low fat and has very little sugar but just the right amount of sweet to kill the cravings. So without further ado....

Kheer

4 cups milk (whole milk will make it creamier but will add some fat)
1/2 cup rice basmati is recommended but you can use any med/long grain
3tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
dash of salt
small squirt of vanilla
1/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds (one recipe suggested pistachios YUMMY)
1/4 raisins

Pour milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg,and salt in a medium sauce pan. Over medium heat stirring frequently till just below boiling. Reduce the heat and add rice. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes until rice is tender and the milk will thicken a little. Add chopped nuts and raisins, and cook for 3-5 more minutes. Ladle them into bowls and serve. You can also refrigerate it and serve it cold.
A simple easy flavorful dessert. My kids really like it and so do I. It is a dessert I don't feel guilty about having seconds and thirds :)

Sorry there are no pictures. One I for got to take a picture before my family inhaled it and second I still cant find the usp chord to the camera :(

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

A Craft Swap

So I am thinking it would be really fun to do craft swap. There are the crafts that I like to do but many of my family and friends I give too, have already received the stuff I do. So participate and get your self something new and fun or a great gift for someone you love :)
Here are the rules:
1. $10 max spent on craft
2. Must be mailable
3. Must be completed by December 10 (So if someone wants to give it as a gift for Christmas).

Here are some links to some websites to give you some ideas.

http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/

http://www.oneprettything.com/

If you want to participate in this swap please leave a comment. Depending on how many participate I think what we are doing should be kept a secret and then we will draw names.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

(this is not my picture)
I used to get the Kraft Food and Family Magazine, and in it one time was a recipe for Loaded Baked Potato Soup. It was done as a 1-2 servings in the microwave. I thought who makes potato soup in the microwave? So I adapted the recipe. I made it for dinner last night and my very picky 6 year old said "Mom I love this we need to have this more often!" So here is the recipe :)
3-5 medium potatoes cooked ( I just end up boiling them)
2 cups chicken broth or bullion
1-2 cups milk
1/2 diced medium onion
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste.
1 lb bacon
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese divided
3 tbsp corn starch

Cook Bacon until crispy enough to crumble. I really like to lay it on a baking sheet and bake it at 425 for 12 minutes. Then I dont have to babysit it and there is less getting popped with hot grease.

Peel and boil potatoes (or you could used left over baked potatoes). Drain potatoes and mashed them up some, you dont want them totally mashed but smaller chunks. Pour chicken broth and milk into pot with potatoes and add onion. Season with salt, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil and mix cornstarch in about 1/3 cup cold water, mix into soup to thicken. When thickened add 1 cup of cheese and about 1/3-1/2 of your bacon. I dont like to put a whole lot in because I like to sprinkle it on top so it doesnt get soggy. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Stir in and serve topped with bacon, sour cream, cheese and chopped green onions if you have them.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Sorry

Pictures of the hutch coming soon, the cord to upload the pictures off the camera is missing >:o(

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!


I recently ran out of the huge bottle of dish soap I bought at Costco, oh about 4 years ago (yes we wash our dishes but we have a water softener and a hubby that will go completely out of his to not have to wash dishes by hand). I had bought several bottles during a sale that was down stairs in the food storage. This was the first bottle brought up. I have to admit that while my Handsome hubby will try to avoid washing dishes by hand, if he is home he won't let me do them. I know I know eat you heart out girls! He is taken :). I have however in a short time come to love this stuff!! I was once told at a Pampered Chef party that dish soap doesn't disinfect it just cuts through the grease. Well this little bottle has bleach in it, so guess what? Yep that right it DISINFECTS!!! My readers a probably so smart that they already knew about this product. I just discovered it and it makes me happy to know that when I wash the dishes and counters with it they are getting sanitized :) YAY this makes me happy!!!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Turkey VS. Beef?



About 2 years ago I had to have my gall bladder out because it had gone wonky and started spitting stones out. From my diagnosis to my surgery I had to wait about 2 weeks. They told me to pretty much avoid all fat during that time period. So I made the switch to ground turkey. About 2 months later I mentioned to my husband that he was eating ground turkey instead of beef. He said he didn't like it as well. I told him that he had been eating it for 2 months and hadn't noticed a difference until I pointed it out. Any who... I like to watch the food network and sometimes I hear chefs complain about using ground turkey and how it is an inferior product. I think this is hogwash! It can be dry but with the right (and a little extra) seasonings and not over cooked it is great.
While I haven't shopped for ground beef in over 2 years (not that we havent eaten it I just havent bought it). Every once in a while I price compare it to the ground turkey at Sams Club. The ground turkey is always cheaper. But here is the ketcher (is that a real word?) Ground turkey is only lower in fat if you are buying ground turkey breast or ground white turkey. That is why I buy it at Sams Club, I get ground turkey breast for the same cost as regular ground turkey at the regular grocery store.

So now knowing all this, assuming you didn't know it before, what is your vote? Ground Turkey or Ground Beef? I think you can tell which way I lean.

Monday, November 1, 2010

New Hutch


I am so excited I just might pee my pants. Okay I am not going to pee my pants but... Ever since we moved into the house I have wanted a Hutch in my kitchen. I found one in a catalog it looked like what I wanted and the price was right so Lance bought it for me for Christmas. The photography in said catalog was fantastic!!! The hutch not so much. My friend Stacey just refinished a pie safe that belonged to her Great Grandma. I reignited my desire for a hutch. So I have been checking KSL classifieds for a week or 2, and found one that I liked. It is a 2 pieced mixed set, the base seems older and possibly antique the top is only 3 years old. I went and checked it out and it is what I want. I want to refinish it to match my decor and cover up some of the bumps a bruises it has. I have been gaining courage and reading about technique and materials on how to refinish it on allthingsthrifty. I need some help, I am not sure what color to do it! My kitchen is decorated in Americana theme. I have one red wall and the others are a Yellow(?) the paint colors name was fragrant coriander. I am thinking of doing it a dark blue or a cream? Leave me a comment and tell me what you think I should do.