Today's Tip: Plastic Knives are not just for Picnics

Really...now, maybe I am the only one who did not know this (actually it may be me and Kim Knapp) But if you want to cut brownies easily..use a plastic knife...really.

I DID know that if you cut a head of lettuce with a plastic knife, it will not turn brown because I spent 6 dollars to buy one.  It would have been cheaper to use one of my knives in the picnic basket.

"Almost Mrs. K's cookies"

We have a dear friend of the family..our girls call her "Mrs. K"  We lived down the street from her house for many years.  It was a very different house than ours..we have two girls (hair bows and My Little Pony's), they have three boys (Tonka trucks and dirt)  Mrs. K has not only survived in a house full of men, she is in control (shhhhhh....don't tell) She has always been able to do it all, works full time, quilts, makes time for family and friends and she cooks.  She makes  chocolate chip cookies that start with a yellow cake mix.  They are referred to, with proper reverence as "Mrs. K's cookies.  The amazing thing is NO matter when you drop in, she ALWAYS has cookies. 

That long introduction is to tell you that this recipe also starts with a yellow cake mix, the cookies are VERY good, VERY easy but they will never become a legend like "Mrs. K's cookies"

1/2 C butter, softened
1 box of yellow cake mix
2 large eggs
1 T water
1 pkg of Heath toffee bits
1/2 C pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350, Mix butter, add cake mix, eggs and water.  Mix well. Add toffee and pecans mix by hand. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Transfer to cooling rack

Sometimes there just isn't a recipe

I made Chicken Noodle Soup last night and I sorta feel like Michael's Grandmother.  I have her closely guarded Potato Salad "recipe"..it takes four 5 X 7 index cards, written in narrative form My soup turned out very good but there just isn't a recipe..so here goes.

I am so cheap that after I baked a whole chicken the other day, I decided to boil the carcass like I do with a turkey.  In 6 cups of water I added  some sea salt, course ground black papper, a chopped clove of garlic, 2 stalks of celery chopped and and 1/2 a large onion chopped.  I simmered it for about 30 minutes, let it cool, put it through a strainer and picked out all the meat and threw away the cooked onion/celery (Michael hates onions in his food, the celery was way too mushy). I refrigerated it overnight, skimmed off the small amount of fat, reheated it, added a 1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed veggies brought it to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then added about  1 1/2 cups of fine egg noodles and bioled for another 4 minutes.  It was quite tasty! Grandmother Esther would be proud!

So many recipes, so little time.

I may never get to all the recipes I have already cut out or marked in one of my cookbooks AND the internet just adds to the pile...AND I actually have TWO "apps" on my iphone. AND then there is the family recipe box with all its treasured, tattered index cards...sigh.

Nothing is Perfect!

I could not resist trying these new sauces...one-it is quick, two-who doesn't like Philly cream cheese? three-with  great coupons, they ended up costing 50 cents.

The recipe that came with this one was Chicken Bruschetta Pasta, another sauce's recipe was Easy Chicken Enchiladas.  They were both very good.  However, it isn't a dish that this house will be having often.  It contains 25% of your daily saturated fat.....SIGH.....other than that "little" detail it was going to be a keeper.

Who knew I was married to a hamburger purist?

I know the term purist usually refers to music or art..but I think it may also be appropriate for Michael's review of tonights new burger recipe.

Michael declared they were more like meatloaf...and I think he was right.  So  "NO recipe for you" (Think soup nazi) I will try it in a few weeks as a meatloaf. It has salsa, brown sugar, and bread crumbs....so it probably does have a  future as a meatloaf

My Dirty Little (Pizza) Secret

Growing up in South Jersey I had the good fortune to be surrounded by GOOD Italian cooks and GOOD Italian food.  However, I will resort to average take out when I have no inspiration to cook and many times it will be pizza.  I must be honest and say tonights take out wasn't bad!  And it was cheap.  We have tried two of the local Pizza joints and neither one of them will get a return visit.  They were average and NOT cheap. NO inspiration=Domino's Pizza.
So, even though I feel just a little guilty...I mean you can't really call Dominos Italian food if you are a Jersey girl.....but all in all it was quick, easy and NO mess to clean up.