A few days ago, I stumbled across a recipe for Watermelon and Feta salad. I didn't really look at the recipe, and I have no idea where I saw it. Magazine? Internet? Cookbook? Last night I figured I'd experiment. I googled Watermelon and Feta salad, I googled the ingredients, and in the end, I decided to just to play around with the flavors. I was expecting something that was OK, but when your 9 year old son is yelling about how good it is and asking for more, I knew I had something to share! It is sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy, with a little minty-ness going on. YUM!
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Watermelon and Feta Salad
2 cups chopped watermelon
1/3 c. diced feta cheese
2 T. diced red onion
1-1/2 T. dried mint (fresh mint would be fabulous in this dish...but all I had was dried.)
1-1/2 T. olive oil
1-1/2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. honey
pinch of salt
1/8 t. pepper
In a bowl, mix the watermelon, feta, red onion and mint together. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey and salt/pepper together. Pour over the watermelon mixture and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy~
I can't wait to make this again! This is not my picture, but it looks like what I made!
I love salads...green salads, pasta salads, potato salads...all kinds of salads! Especially in the summer time when it's hot. There's nothing like having a cold salad for dinner as a meal, or along with some sort of grilled meat. Yumm. Check out my other Couscous salad recipe! Couscous Salad
So last week, I wanted to make some couscous salad, however, I was out of feta cheese, which in my opinion, goes very well with couscous in a salad. Instead, I googled couscous salad recipes and found this one from Eat Better America. And of course, I changed up the recipe to fit my tastes. This salad is a define "make again." In fact, I can't wait to make it again this week!
Couscous Fruit Salad
1 (10 ounce) package plain uncooked couscous
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 T. olive oil
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. oregano
1 t. parsley
3 green onions, sliced (white and green part)
1/4 c. dried cranberries (Craisins)
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 c. green grapes, quartered
1 can Mandarin oranges, drained
2 T. sliced almonds
Cook the couscous according to the package directions. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Zest the orange and lemon into a small bowl. After zesting, juice the orange and lemon. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. Whisk the ingredients together.
Mix the green onions, dried cranberries, raisins, grapes and almonds together with the couscous. Add the dressing and mix together. Fold in the Mandarin oranges. Chill and serve. Enjoy~
The Miller Family has been on the road for the past 10 days. Jeff did an awesome job planning our trip. He did all of the research on places to stay and items of interest to see, which made our trip very smooth. On Day 1, we drove up to Iowa for Jeff's 25th High School Reunion pulling our RV.
Class of 1986 Dunlap High School
We stayed in Dunlap, Iowa for a few days and then loaded everything and everyone (including Jeff's parents) into the truck and headed to South Dakota still pulling the RV!
Corn Palace
The Badlands
JP and the Jackalope at Wall Drug
We traveled to Mitchell to see the Corn Palace, then to Wall to see Wall Drug, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site and the Badlands and then stayed 3 nights in Rapid City.
My best girlfriends at Flintstone Village!
From there we went to Sturgis, Deadwood, went in a gold mine and panned for gold, we went to Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Flintstone Village, Reptile Gardens and the Wind Cave.
Mount Rushmore
Dinosaur Park in Rapid City
Wind Cave
Day 8 took us back to Mitchell and then finally we headed back to Dunlap on Day 9. This morning we packed up the Miller family and drove home to Kansas. Whew... It was nice to finally pull into our driveway.
10 days, 2,000+ miles, 3 different campgrounds, lots of good times and laughs~
And, I also got to see my friend Beckie Graham from high school. She was visiting the Black Hills with her family. We got to eat lunch together...it was so great to see her! Hopefully we'll be able to get together a little more often than every 23 years! :)
Beckie and Jen
While on vacation, I like to buy local cookbooks. You know the ones...they are usually spiral bound cookbooks that are put together by some group trying to raise money. I LOVE these cookbooks. To me, they are "real" cooking. Don't get me wrong, I like the fancy cookbooks, too...the glossy pictures, the expensive ingredients, the directions that are pages long and it takes hours to actually cook the recipe. But the spiral bound ones...well... They are full of real recipes that real people make. They're family recipes, recipes that make it to family picnics or get-togethers. Recipes that remind people of good times. Good home cooking. I picked up one of these spiral bound cookbooks in South Dakota.
This cookbook, South Dakota Centennial Cookbook 1889-1989 is awesome! It has a ton of recipes (282 pages) and lots of interesting tidbits about South Dakota's history and heritage. It also has a yummy recipe. Rhubarb Cherry Crisp. I knew it would be perfect to make tonight, since I had raided my father-in-law's rhubarb patch this morning before we left Iowa. And it was perfect. No TLS (Tastes like S***) here. In fact, I got two thumbs up from my boys and was told it was a "make again."
Rhubarb Cherry Crisp (adapted from Faye (Mrs. Kent) Freichs)
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup melted butter
5 cups sliced rhubarb
1 can cherry pie filling
Combine the oatmeal, flours, sugar, brown sugar and salt. Pour the melted butter into the mixture and stir with a fork. The mixture will be crumbly. Spread half of the mixture into a greased 9x13 inch plan. Spread the rhubarb over the crumbs and spoon the cherry pie filling over the rhubarb. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs on top of the cherry pie filling. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
We are on Spring Break here in our part of the world. The local school districts schedule their spring break at the same time Kansas State has theirs, so it's a win-win situation in our house! Add block leave for Jeff, and you've got a family that's ready for a week off! To celebrate our time off, we planned a 5 star, luxury Bahama get away 3 day geocaching trip across Kansas. Read about our GeoTrip at my other blog, JJJ Geocaching Jaunts! Planning a 3 day trip takes a lot of work and time...Jeff did most of the cache and route planning. I was in charge of planning for the food: three lunches on the go and snacks. I knew I wanted to bring granola bars, but I hate all of the added "stuff" in prepackaged granola bars. So I scoured the Internet (allrecipes mostly) and found a recipe that I liked. I did make a few changes, and will make a few more when I make them again!
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1/4 cup dried cherries
3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks)
In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir in the oats, sunflower kernels, cherries, wheat germ and flax seed. Fold in chocolate chips.
Press into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until set and edges are browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
What did we think? We LOVED them! They were gobbled up!
What did I change? I used dried cherries instead of raisins (I didn't have any raisins on hand) and used chunky peanut butter instead of smooth. I also used ground flax seed instead of sesame seeds and chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips. I wrapped each bar in a small piece of plastic wrap and kept them in the cooler.
What would I do next time? I have a few changes! Next time, I'd double the recipe! I'd also use honey rather than the corn syrup and use 1/3 c. of brown sugar instead of 1/2 c. I can't believe I'm saying this, but the granola bars were a little too chocolaty! Next time, I'd use 1/3 c. mini chocolate chips instead of 1/2 c. of the chocolate chunks.
Last night was the Super Bowl...I'm sure most of you readers knew that...but for those who live under a rock, yes, last night was the Super Bowl. In the Miller household we usually watch the game and snack on...well, snackies. (That's what we like to call hors d'oeuvres. I know, we're just not the cultured family you thought us to be!) So for the past week, I've been trying to come up with some yummy snackies, and not just the usual things like smokies, smokies with bacon, veggies/dip, bean dip, etc. But something different. And I thought... and thought... and thought... and thought... and thought... You get the picture. And then I had a great idea! Fondue! Something different, something yummy, something fun! I mean, come one...fondue is FUN! My menu consisted of cheese fondue, homemade bread and meatballs, chocolate fondue and fresh fruit and then French onion dip and chips and assorted veggies. Yummy, right?
I don't know if I've mentioned this or not...Jeff is kind of...well...picky. The cat's out of the bag. Jeff is a picky eater! I knew I needed a fondue recipe that didn't include wine or beer, which most cheese fondues include. So I scoured allrecipes.com and found a few yummy looking cheese fondues that didn't include wine or beer as an ingredient. I combined some ideas and created my own cheese fondue. I thought it was good, so did JP. However, it earned a TLS rating from Jeff. It was thick, cheesy, but not stringy. Great flavor, I thought. But anywho... a TLS (Tastes Like Sh**) But that's not the point of this post. The point is, I made an awesome chocolate fondue!
Diane
A little over a year ago, a friend and I went over to a coworker's house for an evening of KState football and dinner. My coworker, Diane, made fondue and it was fabulous! And fun! The chocolate fondue was to die for! So I asked her for the recipe...which I followed, but then modified (there are very few things that I made that I follow the recipe exactly!) The chocolate fondue was FANTASTIC and it didn't earn a TLS rating. It was thick, creamy and chocolaty without being overly sweet.
Chocolate Fondue 2 cups Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 squares (2 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate 1/4 c. sugar 1 cup half and half 1/2 t. vanilla
Place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Over low heat, melt together. Stir often to combine. Keep warm and serve with fresh fruit, marshmallows, angel food cake, etc. (I just used fruit...fresh pineapple, oranges, apples, grapes and bananas. I didn't use fresh strawberries, although they would have been great had they not been half moldy and $3.99 for a small box! The pineapples and oranges were the best!) Enjoy~
And so it was a great evening (even if the cheese fondue flopped!) The Packers won and the Chocolate Fondue was a hit! :)
JP and I made applesauce today in the large crock pot. I love my crock pot. See the previous post on my love/hate relationship I have my my crock pots. It's an all day affair and Jacob loves it. There's an easy way to make it, and a hard way. The hard way isn't so hard, but of course, we had to do it the hard way, which is a little messier than the easy way. I'll give directions for both.
Crock Pot Applesauce (the Easy Way)
6 pounds of apples 1 T. cinnamon 1 T. vanilla
Core, peel and quarter the apples. Place in a large crock pot. Sprinkle the apples with vanilla and then sprinkle the cinnamon on top. Cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours. Every 1-2 hours, stir the apples. When the apples are tender after 6-8 hours, mash with a potato masher for a chunky applesauce. For a smooth applesauce, use a food mill.
This applesauce has no added sugar, so you may find it a little tart. You can add sugar or honey to taste, if needed. Store the applesauce in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the applesauce in small freezer containers and thaw when needed.
Crock Pot Applesauce (The hard way)
6 lbs. apples (I used Jonathan) 1 T. cinnamon 1 T. vanilla
Quarter the apples and place them in a large crock pot (seeds, skin and all!) Sprinkle the vanilla over the apples and top with cinnamon. Cook on high for 6-8 hours, stirring every 1-2 hours. When the apples are tender, spoon the cooked apples into a food mill and grind, scooping out the seeds and skin occasionally. After the apples have been run through the food mill, store in the refrigerator, or the freezer, depending on your needs.
JP and I traveled to Dunlap, Iowa to spend the Fourth of July with my in law family. We had lots of laughs, lots of great food and lots of fun. We even got to meet (and hold) the newest member of the family.
Dunlap is a small town that has a big Fourth of July. The Fourth kicks off with the Boy Scouts raising the flag and a Fun Run/Walk. There are two parades: a kiddie parade, a "regular" parade. The kiddie parade is always a big hit. Kids ride decorated bikes, trikes, scooters, or just about anything with wheels! Those not old enough to pedal on their own are pulled in wagons or strollers. The kiddie parade goes around the block with kids trying not to crash and parents walking (or running when they get going fast enough!) along with them. After the parades, there are activities in the park. There are food stands, Bingo, a hot dog eating contest, kiddie games, bouncy slides, a BBQ contest and of course, visiting with family and friends. Throughout the day, there are picnics, parties and fire cracker! It all ends with a spectacular fire works display. The volunteers who put this big event on every year deserve a round of applause. The volunteer fire department deserves a standing ovation for the fireworks they set off every year. This year was a little different, though.
RAIN.
Even though the kiddie parade, the regular parade and the park activities were canceled, we still had a great time! Grandma Ronk still had her annual picnic. We still laughed and visited with friends and family. Despite the rain, we had a terrific time. I love spending the Fourth of July in Dunlap!
My sister-in-law, Kelly, made grape salad for the picnic at Grandma Ronk's. I don't have her recipe, but my mum made a similar recipe when I was growing up. Enjoy~
Sour Grapes
4 c. seedless green grapes 1 c. sour cream 1/2 c. brown sugar
Wash and remove the stems from the grapes. Dry the grapes with a paper towel. Mix the sour cream and brown sugar together. In a medium bowl, mix the grapes and sour cream mixture together. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Enjoy~
Review: This is a refreshing dessert. The tart grapes blend well with the sweetness of the brown sugar. This recipe is easy to transport to picnics and is great on a hot day.
We love smoothies in my house. They are easy to make, and healthy, too!
Strawberry/Banana/Orange Smoothie
1-1/4 c. plain, fat-free yogurt
8 ounces frozen strawberries (I use VIP's whole frozen strawberries, no sugar added)
2 bananas
1 c. orange juice
Place all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. You may need to stop the blender and stir the ingredients so everything will get blended. I use the button "ice crush" or "liquefy" on my blender. And voila...you have a smoothie. Makes about 5 cups.
Substitutions: There is no added sugar in this smoothie recipe, so you may find it a little tart. You can add 2-3 T. honey or sugar if you find it too tart. You can use whatever frozen fruit or juice (or even milk!) you'd like...this is just the combination we like the best. Also, you can use low-fat vanilla yogurt instead of the fat-free.
Review: This is very refreshing on a hot day! It makes for a great breakfast drink, or snack during the day. You may want to add a little sugar/honey to sweeten the smoothie, but we like it without the added sugar. Enjoy~
I love cooking, reading cookbooks and experimenting with new recipes! So I thought I'd share my recipes, my adventures in the kitchen, and a little of my craziness called life. Enjoy the recipes and all that comes with it~
