Petunia Bloom

Blarney Stones – A little late… March 22, 2010

It is March, and therefore, it is time for Blarney Stones.  Let me warn you, they are not for the faint of heart or those on a diet.  They are comprised of butter, sugar, butter, sugar, and peanuts – salted ones.  Basically, a Blarney Stone is a piece of sponge cake wrapped in butter and sugar (did I already say that?) and then rolled in salted peanuts (they must be salted).  I am not sure why these are served at St. Patrick’s Day and called Blarney Stones.  My guess would be that they are made to resemble stones which is representative of The Blarney Stone in Ireland.  The process of making the stone is time-consuming and often times I just make a Blarney Stone cake.  Let’s get started:

Recipe

Cake
1 C Sugar
1 C Boiling Water
4 Eggs
2 C Flour
3 t Baking Powder
1 t Vanilla
For frosting – butter and powdered sugar
Will also need ground salted peanuts

1. Separate eggs
2. Stiffly beat egg whites in a separate bowl
3. Cream sugar and egg yolks
4. Add boiling water to sugar and egg yolk mixture and mix well
5. Sift flour & baking powder 3 times (I don’t do that….)
6. Add flour and baking powder to first mixture (egg yolks, sugar and water)
7. Add vanilla
8. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites
9. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased sheet-cake pan for 18 mins
10. Cool and cut into squares and place squares in the freezer.

Frosting
Cream together:  3/4 lbs butter & 3/4 lbs powder sugar
Note:  To make it easier to frost the squares, freeze them before you begin.

Frost individual squares of cake then roll in salted peanuts.

I store these in the freezer and eat right out of the freezer.  They need to be stored in the refrigerator if you do not put them in the freezer.

According to Wikipedia, the Blarney Stone is in Ireland in the Blarney Castle.  The ledgend is that if you lean upside down and kiss the stone, you will have the gift of gab.  If I ever go to the Blarney Castle in Ireland I doubt I would kiss a stone that more than 500,000 people have kissed….I would make someone else (whose name starts with R) do it…. 

Christmas Present January 3, 2010

I received a Vita Mix Blender for Christmas from my mom and I LOVE IT!!

Here is the Strawberry and Green Smoothie Recipe I have been making for breakfast.

Green Smoothie:
1/2 c water
1/2 c milk or mocha milk
1 handfull of spinach (handful)
1/2 c frozen strawberries
1 banana (frozen or fresh)

Blend and enjoy!

Can also add blueberries or any other fruit

Cauliflower Soup January 2, 2010

Pioneer Woman’s Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Modified by Me

½ Stick of Butter (Give or Take)
¼ Onion, finely diced OR couple of shakes of minced onion
3 Carrots, (chopped fine in food processor)
2-3 Celery Stacks, finely diced
1 Head of Cauliflower
- I take cauliflower and cut it into 3-4 sections and wash each section.
- Then I finely dice one of those sections in the food processor (sometimes two of the sections; depending on time).
- The other sections I cut into small put recognizable pieces.
2T dried parsley
1 Quart of Chicken Broth
2 Cups of Whole Milk (or whatever you have)
3 T Flour
Salt and Pepper to Taste (I use no salt and lots of pepper)

Garnish (CRUCIAL TO RECIPE):  Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese (Cheddar)

In large pot, melt 2T of butter.  Add onion (if using fresh) and cook.  Add carrots and celery and sauté.    Add cauliflower, parsley, and splash of chicken broth.  Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes until cauliflower is steamed and soft.  Pour in rest of chicken broth, bring to a boil, and allow it to simmer.

In medium saucepan (not on heat), whisk together 1 cup of milk and 3 T of flour.  Add 2 T of butter, put on heat and whisk until thick.  Take off heat and stir in another cup of milk.  Add mixture to simmering soup.  Allow to simmer another 15 to 20 minutes.  Season

Garnish and serve.

Original Recipe

Cowboy Soup November 30, 2009

1 Large Can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatos
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Diced Tomatos (optional)
1 Can Green-beans, drained and rinsed
1 Cup Frozen Corn (optional)
1.5 lbs Browned hamburger (browned with 1 small diced onion)
1 Can Ranch Style Beans
1 Can Black beans, drained and rinsed
Pepper to Taste
Several Cans of Water – fill to cover everything
1-2 Hunks of Velveta

Put everything together, except velveta, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer for 30-40mins, add velveta.  Serve with chips.

I’m a Barista! September 15, 2009

With the purchase of our new Espresso machine, we have acquired a smattering of coffee essentials.

In addition to coffee drinks, I have also been making Italian Sodas.  Here is how I make them:

• Fill a glass tumbler with ice
• Squirt in 1-2 T of strawberry syrup in (amount depends on preference)
• Fill with sparkling mineral water (Perrier) until almost full
• Top with milk (Coffee shops use half & half but any milk is fine)

This drink is typically served not mixed, but if you are making it at home mix it up.  Serve with a straw and enjoy!  It is so easy to make.

Fresh Berry Rut April 1, 2009

I am in a Fresh Berry rut again!!  They were so rude that I didn’t go for several months, but my mom got me going again.  She always likes to go there when she is in Tulsa and remind me how wonderful it is.  In this post that I wrote, I complained that the toppings weren’t fresh.  Since going back, I haven’t had that problem again.

I have tried making it a home several more times, but I just couldn’t get it to taste exactly like Fresh Berry’s Tart flavor.  My mom told me to try Sour Cream — that it could be their secret ingredient.  Sounds weird — I know!!  BUT–I made it with Sour Cream and it tasted exactly like Fresh Berry’s Tart.  It makes sense in a way – Sour cream is white so it would not change the color, it is tart….

Here is the recipe:

1.5 cartons (48 ounces) Lowfat Plain Yogurt
1/8 – 1/4 C. Sugar (to your taste)
2-3 heaping spoonfuls of Sour Cream

Blend ingredients very well until the mixture is very smooth.  You should not be able to feel any sugar granules.  I usually blend it in my blender.
Pour mixture into yogurt maker/ice cream maker – whatever you have.  I leave it in there until it looks like soft-serve consistency.  It is probably 10-15mins.
Serve with your favorite toppings.

Born to be an aerobics instructor! December 17, 2008

My mom and me 22 years ago…

The outfits have kind of changed since then!

Pecan Tea Balls December 16, 2008

My husband wanted to take small gifts to work for Christmas, so he ordered to me to make cookies and chocolate dipped pretzels.  I told him I would make cookies, but we could buy the chocolate dipped pretzels at Target.

My grandma always makes Pecan Tea Balls at Christmas time, so that is what I made using the recipe she always uses.

1c. Butter
1c. Chopped Pecans
2c. Flour
1/4c. Sugar
2t vanilla
1/2 bag Powdered Sugar

Mix together all the ingredients.  Roll into balls the size of a marble.  Bake 350 degrees for 20 mins.  While hot, roll in powder sugar.  Roll in powder sugar again when cooled.  This will make around 27 cookies.  Mine were bigger than marbles, so you could probably get more than 27 out of a batch.  I almost always double the recipe, because these keep very well.

I used the wax paper for easy clean-up, but it is definitely not needed.

These cooled very quickly by my drafty window which was good since I wanted to bag them right away.

Here they are bagged with one chocolate-dipped pretzel each (that I didn’t have to make!).  I was pleased with how they turned out, and they should be well-received.  If not, I will never know.

Vegetable Soup with Lentils December 7, 2008

It seems that I have read several articles/books lately that have praised the nutritional value of lentils, so I bought a small bag of green ones.  After looking online, I decided I would make vegetable soup and add lentils to it.  To be honest, I didn’t think I would like lentils one bit but wanted to try them just in case.  They are VERY cheap and VERY healthy.  I couldn’t find a recipe online that fit my fancy so this is who I made it:

2 T Olive Oil (I don’t like olive oil so I always use grapeseed oil in its place…yes, I am weird)
1 small onion chopped
7-8 carrots, peeled and sliced
1.5 green pepper chopped
6-8 cups of water
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 can garbanzo beans
1 bag green lentils
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
2 bay leaves
1 t Italian seasoning (mine has marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil in it)
1 T dried parsley flakes
Pepper and Salt to Taste (I don’t ever add salt but you could.  I love pepper so I added a lot of pepper.)

Use a large stock pot.  Saute onion, carrots, and green pepper until soft.  Add the the other ingredients except the spinach and stir.  Put the lid on and bring to a medium boil.  Let simmer for 30-40 mins until your lentils float to the top.  Turn the heat off, put the spinach on top, put the lid back on for five mins or until the spinach has wilted.  Then stir in the spinach.

This was so good!  It makes a lot.  I would say it makes 12 individual servings.  It freezes very well, so I like to freeze it individually for nice easy meals to pull out of the freezer at anytime.  I had never bought Italian seasoning before, but it was also very good.

You could use any vegetables that you like in place of what I used.

One of my Crockpot Go-To Recipes November 21, 2008

I shared this in Jazzercise tonight, so I thought I would blog about it!  This is the most simple crockpot recipe and it has turned out great time and time again.  Also, it is very healthy.

Place frozen chicken breats in the bottom of a crockpot.  Pour Salsa (diced tomatos for less spicy) over the top, pour a can of rinsed black beans on top and cook on low all day.  Serve with a dollop of sour creme.  Enjoy!