~Coffee 101~

My, oh my, it has been almost a week since I last blogged and I have really missed ya'll. I have been trying to get used to my Jim Darling's new schedule but it hasn't been easy. For all of you sweet peeps that have emailed me or left sweet comments, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is so nice to have such good friends in blogland!! :)

Now, a few posts back I had asked if anyone wanted to know how to make coffee, since I used to be a Barista. So I've named this post.....~Coffee 101~ to give a few basic hints to make a favorite brew of mine with the home tools that I have and are easy to use.

First, I like to use a French Press (which can be purchased at most Walmarts or department stores) to make my coffee because it comes out with a smooth tasting flavor and I can control how long I want it to brew and the strength that I want my coffee. (You can simply brew your coffee in a coffee pot though.) Sometimes I like to use a gourmet coffee or beans that I grind "just before brewing" or I use a ground coffee from the grocery store, like Folgers. Follow the directions on your French Press to your taste.


This is how it looks after it has brewed and is ready to push the pump down. This keeps the grounds at the bottom while you pour out the top.



I use a smaller French Press for my milk and warm it in the microwave while the coffee is brewing. After it is warmed up to about 160 degrees, I pump it up and down until it is as frothy as I like it. This is poured on to the top of the coffee. (Skim milk froths better than whole milk)

If I want to make it a carmel flavor, I squirt a little bit of the syrup into the bottom of my milk and warm it at the same time. Then as I pump it, the flavor goes throughout the milk. (You can use any flavor or syrup that you enjoy)

I first pour in the coffee then add the milk and mix with a spoon. Then I pour the froth on the very top and squirt a little design of the carmel on top. This is about a $4.00 drink at my local coffee bar. But I can make this at home and it is just how I like it for much, much less. And yes, that is my favorite pink mug that I used in the last post of the ~5 Minute Cake~ I really like that mug. :)

Happy coffee making. You are now a graduate of Coffee 101....LOL ....and on your way to making your perfect cup of Joe. :)

Hugs & Blessings,

~Katherine~
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~5 Minute Cake~

Happy Monday!! :)
I thought I would start the week off right with a recipe that my Dad sent to me, the other day, called, "5 Minute Chocolate Cake." It's really easy and pretty good too.
I used my big coffee mug to make it in. Of course it is "pink." :)

You start with your dry ingredients.

4 Tbsp. Flour

4 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Cocoa

And mix them well with a fork.

Then add one egg and mix well.


Then mix in 3 Tbsp. of Milk & 3 Tbsp. of oil.
At this point, you can add 3 Tbsp. of chocolate chips and dash of vanilla if you want but it's optional.


Microwave for 3 minutes at 1,000 watts.
(It may rise over the top of a smaller mug.)

It pulls away from the sides of the mug a little bit and makes it easy to get out.

I turned it upside down on a plate to cool for a few minutes.

Then I added a little bit of frosting that I had stored in the frig.

It was yummy, but halfway through mixing it up I realized that I didn't have any chocolate chips to add to it. I think it would be even better with them added to it. :) This is so easy and I usually have these ingredients in my pantry to whip up a small dessert in a jiffy. If you try this recipe, please let me know how yours turned out okay. :) Just send me an email

At the end of the recipe it stated that "This is the most dangerous cake recipe in the world, because now we are all just 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time, day or night. LOL :)

Hope ya'll enjoy it!!

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Hugs & Blessings,

~Katherine~
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~Savin 'O' The Green~

I just found out about this steal of a deal and wanted to pass it along to ya'll. These are 17 Grocery Saving ebooks that I just purchased. They are normally priced for much more than this but all this week they are on sale for just $17.00

They are instantly purchased and easily downloaded so that you can start reading them immediately. I just love the convenience of the Internet. :) I am really enjoying mine and there are many good recipes and secrets to saving money. Just click on the picture if you want to read more about it. :)

Hugs & Blessings,

~Katherine~
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~Snowman Soup Bowls~

Thank you for all the sweet comments about my dentist appointment yesterday! I am feeling much better today. :)

It has turned really cold and windy here today and I am in need of some warmth. What a perfect day for soup and in my snowman bowls. These bowls are perfect for soup. My soon to be sister-in-law, Melissa, gave these bowls to me and I just love them. I like snowmen decorations and even building a snowman outside with the kids when there is a good snowfall. But today I'm having my "good for the soul" chicken & vegetable soup.

My recipe is pretty simple but very old fashioned. You know the kind that your Grandma gave you when you asked for her recipes. :)

I add a little water to my pot. (Enough to cover the bottom about 4 inches) Then I add some cooked chunks of chicken. (About two good hand fulls) Then I add about a hand full of sliced carrots and another handful of diced onions and chopped celery bits. I then add a cubed potato or two. A little sweet corn adds color, sweetness and protein. Then I just spice it up with salt, pepper, dill and chicken bouillon cubes and a little parsley to satisfy my taste. Serve with crackers, rolls or biscuits.

That's how my Grandma used to tell me her recipes. I would say, "but how much of this or that," and she would always say, "just about a handful, pinch or just eyball it." LOL Was this how your Grandma gave you recipes? :)

Enjoy your day wherever you live, whether it be warm or cold. Try this soup.....it really is "good for the soul."

****Tomorrow is the last day to enter the "Friday Giveaway"....even if you don't have a blog or can't post the pics just for entering you will receive a free gift****
~Katherine~
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~Lemon Bars~

These are so delicious and easy to make!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
Extra powdered sugar

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In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter until crumbly; pat into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice until frothy; pour over the hot crust. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into squares. Yield: 3-4 dozen.

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Enjoy with a hot cup of tea!!!

~Katherine~

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My Daughter's Cookie Recipe Won an Award

Rosemary and Lemon Balm Cookies

This is an old post that was from my other blog but I wanted to share it with ya'll on this blog. These cookies are very TASTY....trust me!!! ;)

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My oldest daughter, Alissa, was contacted that she was a winner in a recipe contest for the Kitchen Garden Seeds magazine. She was very blessed by the news. You can see her actual recipe, listed on the website, by clicking on the link below and then click on the Rosemary Lemon Balm Cookies.
http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/recipes/index.html
Or just read it here below.

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2007 Award-Winning Recipe!
Alissa Lane * From Missouri ---
“At sixteen years old, growing herbs is a hobby of mine and I also love to bake. When I found a recipe for Rosemary Cookies in a magazine one day, I decided to try them. However, the recipe called for lemon zest and since I didn’t have a lemon, I decided to try fresh lemon balm instead. The cookies turned out wonderfully and everyone said that they tasted like they were fresh from the bakery.” We think so too, Alissa. Thank you!

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Rosemary-Lemon Balm Cookies

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½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh lemon balm
½ teaspoon lemon extract
3 ½ cups unbleached white flour
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tarter
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 cup golden raisins

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Preheat oven to 400°F. Cream butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in rosemary, lemon balm and lemon extract. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in raisins. Roll into 1” balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy fresh or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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~Katherine~

Too Cold For Ice-Cream?

I know it has been really cold and not at all what you would call

"ice-cream weather," but my husband likes to have some sort of dessert

or snack every evening. So, last night I decided it had been so long

since we had made ice-cream that I would make that our dessert.

(It was also a way for me to use my new dessert glassware.) LOL

I make my ice-cream in my little Rival maker. I really like using it

except for two things. One, the canister has to be put in the freezer for

at least 8 hours prior to making it, which takes up a lot of room in the freezer

and means that you either have to plan ahead and put it in the freezer or leave it in there

all the time, like I do. And two, it only makes enough ice-cream for 4 small servings.

That would be fine IF we ate small servings and only had 4 people to serve it to. LOL

Last night we only needed 3 since one of the girls was out at the movies.

Can you see it spinning through the peep hole?

Voila! It is done in record time. Only 20 minutes.


Here's the recipe:

2 cups of chocolate milk
1/3 cup of sweetened, condensed milk
1/2 cup of whipped cream topping

Mix well before putting into the freezer. It only takes 20 minutes for soft serve ice-cream.
(If you like it harder, you can go up to 40 minutes.
My brother likes his after it has been put in the freezer and it makes it really hard.)



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Katherine

Dinner On My New Plate

We had Beef and Broccoli stir-fry for dinner tonight.

I wanted to try out my new dish. :)

There were three plates.

One for me, one for my husband and one for my daughter.

But my husband couldn't wait for me to take a pic of it. LOL

I think it looks prettier on my square plate.

Shanna had to add some parmesan cheese and ranch dressing on hers.

If you would like the recipe click here:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Beef-Broccoli-Stir-Fry

We call our evening meal supper usually, unless it is a big meal.

Do you call your evening meal dinner or supper?

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Katherine