Hearty Oat Loaf

My parents get to see a lot of pictures of our food. My mom does some proof reading for me. However, much to their disappointment, they don't get to do any taste testing.  They live close, but not that close.  Since they are always wanting to sample, when they call to say they are coming over, I try to make sure I have something on hand.

For their last trip over, I didn't have anything. Nothing. Zilch. Nada.  I don't think well under pressure, so a cookbook was useless. I needed photo's. Pinterest... Save me! Yup, good old Pinterest. I had this recipe pinned. It came together so quick, and it was a lovely moist quick bread. This bread is definitely best the day that you make it!

Hearty Oat Loaf  (Source: Delightful Country Cookin')

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp oats, divided
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/2  cup milk (I use 2%)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9 inch round baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine all-purpose flour, wheat flour, 1/2 cup oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine egg, milk, and oil.  Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.  Spread batter into baking pan.  Sprinkle batter with remaining 2 Tablespoons oats.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm.

For best quality, enjoy same day!

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Mom's Creme de Menthe Cake

This past weekend we invited a neighbor gentleman over for dinner, and I know how much he loves having a home cooked meal. Since it is such a treat for him, I try to make a full course meal, including dessert, whenever he joins us. 

This past week I knew I had cut my meal prep time to short and was going to need to find a short cut somewhere. I tried remembering some tried and true desserts that would be fast to prepare. Somewhere out of my memory bank, I remembered my mom's Creme de Menthe Cake. It has probably been twenty some years since Mom made this cake, so long in fact, she didn't even remember this recipe. Thankfully, my memory can be sharp as a tack on odd trivial pieces of info, so I knew the exact book where she had the recipe. Mom scanned it, emailed it, I went shopping, and the cake was a hit!

This is so simple. Perfect quick answer to an impressive cake. You know it's good when the neighbor gentleman, politely asked if he might be able to take a little bit of cake home with him!

Mom's Creme de Menthe Cake (Source: My Mom)

1 box white cake mix
4 Tbsp Creme de Menthe, divided
8 oz tub Cool Whip
6 oz Hershey's Fudge Topping
Green food coloring (optional)

Make cake following directions on box, adding two tablespoons of Creme de Menthe. Bake cake following directions for 9x13. Cool cake.
Once cake has cooled, warm 6 ounces of fudge topping. Warm it enough that you can pour and spread it on the cake (you don't want it so hot that it runs off the cake). Spread fudge topping, completely covering cake. Set cake in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, add remaining Creme de Menthe, and green food coloring to Cool Whip. I added three drops of food coloring to get the shade of green I was looking for. Spread over top of fudge layer.

Refrigerate until serving.  Enjoy!

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Adios Old Man Winter

I haven't shared much around the farm this winter, because well.... it was hard to share. It's typically dark by the time I get home from work. On the days I didn't work, it was often so cold it really hurt my face! So, I certainly wasn't very inclined to be out taking many pictures. Plus, I am not sure how good the extreme cold is on camera's. I always mean to research that, yet never get it done.

Finally, spring and warmer temperatures are starting to show us teaser's of what is to come. I am so excited! We could see our driveway for the first time in months this weekend! Funny how such a simple thing can bring so much joy.... and mud! But, the mud will soon dry.

Two of the ladies wondered out over the weekend and braved stepping in the snow.

It's been months since we have seen their fluffy butts wandering around!

 Snowdrifts melting, showing more and more of the drive.

 We had so much snow, this is how far above my bird feeder I am when filling it!

I was SO happy to be outdoors over the weekend, but really there wasn't anything to do. So mucky you couldn't walk much of anywhere. To much snow left to start any spring projects. What else to do but build a snowman! 

Happy Melting!

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Creme De Menthe Skillet Cookie

It's time to Fill the Cookie Jar! For March, the theme is Green or St. Patricks Day. I don't think I have a fraction of Irish in me, so this was the first time for me to really plan on baking anything with this theme. Since I had no preference, I let my cookie loving men pick what the cookie was to be. I gave them three choices. Lime. Mint. Or one with a beer reduction. They all vetoed the Lime option. Beer reduction was out because even besides Truckin' Man, all of my cookie connoisseur's have CDL's, and drive for a living. They don't take any risks, not even having booze baked into their daytime snacks. With all that, they picked mint. A tough one for me, since I do not care for mint. So, Truckin' Man brainstormed this creation up with me. In the end, this cookie was a collaboration of those around me!

The end review, this cookie was delicious, but quite the sugar rush! One small slice seemed to be enough for everyone. Even the guys with the sweetest of a sweet tooth said that it was quite a rush. So, my advice... Serve with a glass of milk to help balance it!

If you are interested in joining Fill The Cookie Jar group on facebook, fill out the form that can be found at Fill The Cookie Jar. Each month we bake a different theme for the cookie.
We bake, we share and we enjoy our cookies!

Creme De Menthe Skillet Cookie (Cookie source: Brown Eyed Baker)

Cookie

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup Andes Mint baking chips

Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1-3 Tbsp milk
1 1/2 Tbsp Creme de Menthe


Chocolate Top
1 cup milk chocolate chips
6 Tbsp butter

Melt butter, and cool to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In large bowl, beat the butter(melted and cooled) and sugars together on medium speed with electric mixer. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on low until combined. Add the milk chocolate chips and Andes baking chips.

Turn dough into skillet and press into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cookie is a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cookie has cooled, prepare frosting.  Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 1 tablespoon milk and creme de menthe, beating at low speed just until blended. Add more milk if needed to reach spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cookie. Set in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Remove cookie from refrigerator.  In small bowl add chocolate chips and butter. Microwave for 30 seconds; remove and stir. Microwave for an additional 20 seconds until completely melted. Spread over top of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Random 5 Friday

Bleeding Hearts - I hope to see them again soon.

I've been without our laptop for 6 days now. All because I didn't have an "I" key anymore. It's been a long 6 days, but it gets easier every day. Kind of like breaking an addiction

With the harsh winter, I have started filling our bird feeder. It seems like it gets emptied faster and faster each time. Not sure if they are getting hungrier or word is spreading on where the little birds can find food.

It was Truckin' Mans birthday on Thursday, so I baked him a cheesecake, that was his birthday wish. My first time ever baking one. As of my time writing this post, he isn't home yet, so the verdict isn't in yet on how well I did. I can say say that it sure looks yummy!

We lost our little bantam hen last week. All my fault for not realizing what this winter is doing to wild critters appetites. I left an opening for a critter, and he took it. Shame on me, but lesson learned, and that mistake won't happen again. RIP, Butterscotch.

With the whole laptop thing going on, I have been trying out Instagram on my phone. I am really liking it. Much better than some of the other social media's. So far anyway. Are you on Instagram?

Linking up with Nancy at A Rural Journal.

Authentic Mexican Rice

Do you pin? I love to pin, and I love Pinterest. Another thing I love is seeing what other people repin from me. I get the daily recap email, and I really like seeing what is getting everyone's attention. Usually it's something new, or something that is trending because of  holiday, football game, or who knows why.  The other reason I love these emails from Pinterest is sometimes it reminds me of a pin I had forgotten.

A while back, I pinned a recipe for Authentic Mexican Rice that was from O Taste and See. It really grabbed my attention since I love Mexican Rice and we have such a poor selection of options around here for Mexican, and as simple as it is, I love the rice served at Mexican restaurants.  And, almost everyday someone would repin that pin. Never a huge response, but steady. So it is always there in front of me, never letting me forget about it. Yup, it was destiny. I finally made it. Super simple, and ya know what? We loved it!

It was not spicy, so Truckin' Man loved it. Don't tell him, but next time I am going to add just a tiny bit of the jalapeno and see if he can't love it that way. If he doesn't like it, no worries, I'll take care of the whole recipe!

Authentic Mexican Rice (Source: O Taste and See)

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp salt
Cilantro, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse rice in mesh strainer under running water, until water runs clear. Let rice stand in strainer for excess water to drain. Meanwhile, add tomatoes and onions to blender and process until smooth. Pour out exactly two cups of the mixture, add chicken broth if needed to measure two cups.  Mix with 2 cups of chicken broth, stir to combine. Set aside. Remove seeds and ribs from jalapeno, dice and set aside.

Over medium high heat, heat oil in dutch oven; add rice. Cook rice in oil until it is starting to turn golden, stirring often.  Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and jalapeno.  Continue stirring while the jalapeno and garlic saute, for a couple minutes.  Add tomato mixture and salt to rice, and bring to boil.  Cover dutch oven with lid, and transfer to oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and stir.  Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. 

Remove from oven and let set for five minutes.  Serve with cilantro.

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Brazilian Black Bean Soup

For Christmas, my sister and her family sent me several cookbooks.  The cookbooks were different from any I would have ever bought for myself.  Different cooking methods and foods that I typically seek out.  That made these cookbooks fun for me as they are all new recipes!  I sometimes need that little push to break out of my comfort zone and try something new.

One of the new cookbooks is  Moosewood Cookbook.  Very healthy recipes, but don't be scared by that, they are amazing recipes! For my first test, I settled on Brazilian Black Bean soup, it had so much flavor packed in it, I had to try it!! I googled some comments on this recipe, and it was everywhere online, and the reviews all convinced me to make this ASAP!

We loved this soup! I love my winter "warm you up" and "feel good" soups.  As much as this one filled that need, I can tell you that this would also be a delicious soup in the summer.  The orange juice gives it such a bright flavor.  And, the cilantro adds so much to this soup.  The day I went to the store to pick up the cilantro for this soup, I was just amazed at how wonderful the store smelled! Even when I was by the flour picking up my baking supplies, there was such an amazing smell in the store.  I thought maybe I was just REALLY hungry since it was after work. Nope, not the case. The  amazing scent that followed me everywhere, was the cilantro in my shopping cart! I think this is a sign that this snow needs to go away so I can get my garden planted!

So, go on. Get your shopping list made, and make a pot of this soup.  Wait, one more thing.... add a loaf of crusty bread to your shopping list. It will go perfectly with a bowl!

Brazilian Black Bean Soup (Source: The New Moosewood Cookbook)

2 cups dried black beans
4 cups water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups onion, chopped
10 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp. cumin
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 carrot, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups orange juice
black pepper
cayenne pepper
Cilantro (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)

Pick through the dried beans and remove any stones or broken beans.  Rinse beans.  In large pot or bowl, cover beans with 3 inches of water.  Cover and let set overnight, or 10 hours.

Drain beans, and add them to dutch oven with four cups of water.  Over medium high heat, bring to a boil, and cover.  Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about one and a half hours.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet.  Add onion, 5 crushed garlic cloves, cumin, salt, and carrot.  Saute over medium heat until the carrot is tender.  Add remaining garlic, and the bell pepper.  Saute until all veggies are tender.  Add the veggies to the beans, after they are done cooking.

Stir in orange juice.  Add black pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste.  Remove from heat, and puree soup with immersion blender.  Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve with cilantro and sour cream.

Enjoy!!

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