This and that

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party - January 18/13

Last week we had a wonderful party with a great turn out of recipes.
Thank you everyone for linking up.
This week, I know that we are going to have another great party and
I want to introduce you to our sponsor giveaway...
I just meet her last week and she graciously offered to sponsored our giveaway
Stacy from Origami Owl and you can follower here...
Head over to one of her sites and see the great designs that they have to offer.
Her giveaway includes:
1 person will win one chain with locket and 3 charms
2 people will win 2 loved based charms
USA shipped only


Make sure you fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win

Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for this week's Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

This week, the recipes will be rotated so they may fall anywhere in the group.

Hosts: 

Please stop by and check out all the hosts blogs...
Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com
Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com
Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/
Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com
Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com
Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com
Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com
R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com
Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com
Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 
Joanne at Winelady Cooks: http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com
Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com
Jutta at Hungry Little Girl: http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/
Erika at Chef Picky Kid: http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Rules:

Please take a minute to read the rules, we ask that everyone follows them.  Please also link back your recipe to foodie friends friday or the host blog that you link up with.  If you are linking up on my blog, I would love if you would let me know so that I can personally  thank you. 








Last week's Party winners: 

Sponsor Winners

Voted Top 3

Most Clicks

Host Favorite
Foodie Friends Friday
This week's host favorite goes to Cozycakes Cottages for her 
I love the story Madeline and this apple cake sounds delicious.  I was hoping to make it today,
but I have to go to work... So, hopefully I will be able to make it tomorrow so I can leave you my picture of 
Danielle's creation.
madelines paris cake
Picture credit:  Cozycakes cottage
Starting next Monday you will be able to find all the Foodie Friend Friday's host favorite over at the Daily Dish.  So head over there on Monday and find out if your recipe was picked.

Daily Dish with Foodie Friends Friday




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Monday, January 14, 2013

Breakfast Granola Scones.


 I love scones... they are something that can be eaten at anytime.  You can have them at breakfast, morning or afternoon coffee or tea, evening snack or you can grab one for that on-the-go pick me up.  The same goes for granola, so when I came across this recipe from Michael Ann of The Big Green Bowl for her granola scones, I just knew that I had to make some.
I had some granola samples from Gypsy Girl Granola that I had won before Christmas from Hun What's for Dinner 12 days of giveaway that I knew would just be perfect for these scones and they were.
 So, yesterday morning I was up bright and early that seems to happen quite frequently for me and I decided that this would be a great morning to make these.  Hubby can grab one on his way out the door as we head out for church.  He didn't but he did have one with his smoothie this morning and the only thing he said was that they needed more fruit.. So next time I make them, I will be adding double the amount of dried fruit.


Breakfast Granola Scones

 Breakfast Granola Scones

 adapted from The Big Green Bowl: Granola Scone 
1 2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 cup tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/3 cup unsalted butter -chilled
1/4 cup local honey
1/3 cup milk ( I used egg nog)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla 
1 cup granola ( I used Coco Cabana from Gypsy Girl Granola )
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (I used Welch's dried fruit and will be adding more next time I make these)

Preheat oven to 375 degree F.  Lightly butter a baking sheet, I used a baking mat so didn't butter.
 Mix flours, baking powder, nutmeg cloves and salt in a bowl. Add chilled butter that is grated as you add.  Stir frequently.  In separate bowl add honey, milk and eggs and mix.  Add to flour mixture.  Add granola and dried fruit and mix well using your hands or a spoon.
Pat mixture into an 8 inch, using a pizza cutter or knife cut into 8 wedges.  Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

So yummy and thanks Michael Ann for your wonderful recipe.  This is going to be a frequent breakfast food in our household.

Pat into an 8 inch circle and cut into 8 wedges before baking.

Enjoy


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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party January 11/13

It is that time again.... time for another party!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party!

Last week's party was great, there were some wonderful recipes.
 So are you ready for another great party.... were we have
 Great Recipes, Great Friends and Great Giveaways.
This weeks sponsor is Elizabeth Mindermann of Broken Treasures
She will be giving away 2 Stamp Sets.



Remember to fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Now onto the Party!

Hosts:
Please stop by and give each host some foodie love.
Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com
Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com
Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/
Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com
Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com
Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com
Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com
R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com
Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com
Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 
Joanne at Winelady Cooks: http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com
Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com
Jutta at Hungry Little Girl: http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/
Erika at Chef Picky Kid: http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Rules:

I will be featuring one recipe each week for my host favorite.
Please remember to put a link back to either Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with.
I will not use a recipe that doesn't have a link back.
If you do link up with my blog, would you please leave me a
message so I can personally thank you.
I do try to get to every link each week.







Last Week's Party




This week's Voted Top 3 and Most Clicks goes to one of our hosts
Jutta from Hungry Little Girl for her
White Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake
Bomboloni
Toffifay Squares

Host Favorite

Foodie Friends Friday
Please grab our button
This week's host favorite goes to Nosh My Way for her Hot Toddy Mocktail
I made this and it was so delicious... I did add some nutmeg also to mine.

Hot Toddy Mocktail... YUM!


Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Individual Tourtière Pie

                              You would think that being Canadian I would have tried Tourtière
but no not never. But then I am not French Canadian.
I have to tell you a little secret.... I didn't even know really what it was.
I had to look it up and after I did I thought that it was something that I would enjoy.
Here in Upper Michigan we have something similar called pasties but without all the spices.
I went to allrecipes.com for the basis of my recipe.
I wrote down a few combinations of spices from a few of the recipes and as I was making them I decided what I wanted in my Tourtière.
Although the real Tourtière, I don't think anyways, doesn't have potatoes or carrots, I had some that were cooked and that I needed to use up.   I also used leftover ground chuck roast and ground pork tenderloin tips.
So these are a combination of the pasties and Tourtière.


Tourtière made as individual pie.  

Individual Tourtière Pie

1 lb ground chuck roast (approx 2 cups)
1 lb ground  pork tenderloin tips (approx 2 cups)
1 1/2 cup diced carrots (cooked)
1 cup diced potatoes (cooked)
3/4 cup onions diced
1 cup mushrooms diced
1 1/2 cup water mixed with 2 maggi beef cubes
2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
pie crust - enough for one double crust pie (either homemade or bought) ~ I cheated and used bought this time
2 tsp whipping cream


Place all ingredients except pie crust and whipping cream in large pan.  Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens about 1 hour.
During this time you can prepare your pie crust, as if you make your own, it need time to chill before rolling out.  Here is a recipe for homemade pie crust.
Once the mixture is thickened, I set mine aside while I rolled out my pie crust.  Roll out pie crust and cut them into 6 inch diameter circles.  I place 6 circles into my large muffin tins and the left overs I made individual pies.
I rolled out my pie crust really thin, as I don't like lots of crust.  Place the crust in the muffin tins and fill with meat mixture.  I topped the meat mixture with a small piece of pie crust cut in the shape of a flower.  For the individual ones I cut my 6 inch diameter circles, place maybe a 1/4 cup of meat. to one side and flipped the other side over  top.  I used a fork to seal the edges.  Brush tops with whip cream.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until crust is brown.  If edges gets brown to fast, cover edges with tinfoil.

* the individual meat pies that I made in the muffin tins were very hard to come out, I am thinking that it was because the crust was too thin.  If you use a thicker crust it would be perfect.
* my husband loved the individual ones that were little pies as he could eat them anywhere
* I used one store bought pie crust that has 2 crust in the package to make 6 muffin pies and 3 small pies.  I would reroll the leftovers.
* you could make this into one big pie, but as there is only 2 of us, I thought that I could freeze the left overs... The individual mini pies would be easier to freeze.


pie crust in large muffin tins, filled with meat mixture


tops brushed with whip cream
and
ready to go into the oven

Tourtière made in muffin tin... Enjoy


  
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Thursday, January 3, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party January 3/12

.
It's is our first linky party of the New Year!
I hope you all had a good holiday season.
My Christmas and New Years were good ~ because I didn't have to work them :)
My goal with these parties is to feature one of the recipes from the last party again as Host Favorite .
I hope that I will also be able to make the recipe.
If you would like to be featured please link back your recipe to either FFF or my blog.
Without some kind of link back, I will be unable to feature you.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky 

This week we have a great party for you
and a great giveaway for you bloggers...
with a Blog Makeover.

4 Bloggers will get a Makeover from some great sponsors:
Thaleia from Something 2 offer will give a esty/facebook banner and guest post on her blog
Brooke from Get Outta My Head Please will give a custom blog header
Leslie from From A Daughter  will give blog button, custom about me side bar image and header image
Lauren from Tutus and Tea Party will give basic social media button and sidebar menu tab (images only)

Remember to fill out the Rafflecopter 
For your chance to win.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Host:

Please stop by and give each host some Foodie Love
Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com
Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/
Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com
Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com
Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com
R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com
Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com
Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 
Joanne at Winelady Cooks: http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com
Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com
Jutta at Hungry Little Girl: http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/
Erika at Chef Picky Kid: http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Rules:

I also would love if you would leave me a message if you linked up with my blog
so that I can personally give you a Thanks.
I do try to get to every link each with week. 








Last  Week's Party Winners:

Top 3 Voted
A'lil Country Sugar - Cookie Butter Buckeyes
Crumbs in my Mustachio - Bundt Gingerbread
Spatulas on Parade - Orange Crinkle Cookies
Most Clicked
Cindy's Writing and Recipes - Cheesy Chicken Bites
Cooking from a SAHM - Cheese and Ham Pockets
Milwaukee Kitchen - Savory Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Sponsored Giveaway


Host Favorite
This week I am featuring  Earl Grey Tea from All Things Yummy
I love tea and haven't had any Earl Grey for a long time,
I am going to have buy some on my next shopping trip and make this soon.
Foodie Friends Friday
Please grab our button
and place on your recipe or wall

All Things Yummy
Have you stopped by the Daily Dish lately?
There are articles for everyone... 
Daily Dish with Foodie Friends Friday
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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Years and Black-eyed Peas

Happy New Years!

Did you see the New Years in? 
I had a very hard time as I have been working nights 
and yesterday was my body's day to sleep.
So does sleeping on the couch until the strike of midnight comes,
opening ones eyes and saying Happy New Years to your loved one 
and promptly falling back to sleep count as seeing the New Year in?
Because that is what I did..

Did you know that Black-eyed Peas are eaten on New Years?

Black-eyed peas probably first started in West Africa but also grows in many countries in Asia.  It was first introduced to the United States in the 1700.  The Southerners feel that black-eyed peas show good luck and prosperity. During the Civil War it was considered a lucky dish.  Union Soldiers burnt all the crops except the peas as they thought they were only used for cattle feed near Vicksburg, VA. The people of Vicksburg, found the peas and adapted to diet to include them.

In our household we eat black-eyed peas often.  We use them when we make rice and beans  and I also make a vegetable dish with them and eat this dish with plantains and gari.  I think I will make this tonight with our New Years meal, although I don't have any plantains to go with it.


Vegetable Black-eyed Peas
I don't have any measurements for this recipes as I just throw things in.

cooked black-eyed peas - a cup or so
corn -either fresh or frozen - maybe about 1/2 cup
green beans - either fresh or frozen- also about 1/2 cup
onions to taste
2 tbsp on oil

In frying pan, add oil and then add cooked black-eyed peas, corn, beans and onions.  Cook until warm~ about 5 -8 minutes.  Serve with gari and plantains if you have. It also can be eaten as cooked, drizzled with a little oil.

* Gari is made from cassava tubers

So will you be eating Black-eyed Peas this year
 for good fortune and prosperity throughout the next year.




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Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 Best Recipes.

Today is the last day of 2012
and
Tomorrow we bring in the New Year!
This year has been a wonderful year for me....
I never envisioned that I would be able to keep anyone interested in what I blog about.
I want to thank you all for following me, commenting and giving me support.
It means a lot to me.
My hopes and wishes for the New Year is that 
I will be able to continue to bring you recipes that are tried and true.
As we leave 2012, I would like to let you know
the 12 recipes that have had the most views on my blog...
That means the ones that you have checked out the most
and for that I thank you!


Best Recipes of 2012




Nine months ago, I started this blog.. and I think I have come a long way.  I hope that you agree with me.  Along with this blog I have a second one that I dedicate just to photography.  That blog is called This and That Photography.
Shortly after I started this blog, I was invited to join a wonderful group called Foodie Friends Friday.  Each week we hold a Linky Party and have had a great turn out.  With each party we have sponsored giveaways.  This group is great and I have learnt so much from each and everyone of them.  I want to take this opportunity to say thank you and that I count each one of you as a special friend.  Within this group, eleven us under the direction of Tracy from Busy Vegetarian Mom  started Foodie Friends Friday Daily Dish.  Tracy has done a lot of work getting this e-magazine up and running and everyone in the group has participated and worked together to bring many different aspect of cooking to all of us.
When I started blogging, I had first thought of just doing it for myself.  To put on my recipes in one place and keep track of what I am making.  I never in a million years thought I would have followers and ones so dedicated as you all are.  I love hearing your comments, communicating with you.  I have learnt lots from all of you too.  Thank you for being here with me.  I also never envisioned that one of my recipes, Salted Caramel Mocha Latte  would be featured on Foodista Drink Blog of the Day.  It may only be a few words and my picture of my drink, but too me it is a big accomplishment.
My hopes, dreams and goals for 2013 is to learn more about blogging.  I am hoping that I will have time to figure out my blog so that it may be easier for you to navigate around and find what you need.  I also want to learn more about taking food pictures as I know for me that is what captures my attention... the pictures tempting me... making me want to taste the food.  I  hope that you will want to continue this journey with me.
Wishing you all a 
Wonderful and Blessed New Year
May 2013 be a Year of Happiness and Prosperity!
Thank you for being here with me



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