Saturday, June 18, 2016

Saturday, June 18, 2016

What the Beck???

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Pizza Pockets

Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/pizza-pockets.html

I figured out that there are 348 calories in the mushroom version and 416 calories in the meat version, if 18 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

For this meat recipe I needed sausage, olive oil, marinara sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, Canadian bacon and an egg. I did not use the bacon or pepperoni because I made them specially for
Bryan and Molly and I asked what they would 
like the filling to be in the pockets. 

I browned the sausage in the olive oil.

 I totally cheated on this recipe and used 
premade pizza dough. That was a huge 
mistake. I should have made Ree's dough 
and it would have gone better.

Now on to building the pocket.
I first, spread a little sauce on the dough

Then, on went the sausage

 The mozzarella covered the sauce and sausage

 I placed a second piece of dough on top of the other

and crimped the edges with a fork

Now, on to the Mushroom version

 I began by heating the olive oil in a skillet

 I sauted the onion

and then added the garlic, thyme.

I then added in the mushrooms,  wine, and salt and pepper

The last step was to assemble with the sauce and cheese.

Ree recommended flash freezing them on cookie sheets,

 and then transferring them to labeled zip lock bags 

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Thursday, June 16, 2016

What the Beck???

Happy Pups!!!

Sweet Willow

Baby Sage

Bucket List Update

Academy Award Nominated Movies

1940     Rebecca

starring: Laurence Olivier, Jon Fontaine, George Sanders, Gladys                  Cooper, Nigel Bruce

plot –  The story of a man who remarries after his wife died. The                memory of the first wife affects many in the house.

I LOVE this movie. The characters have a lot of depth and the mystery was very suspenseful.  Of course, the film does have a great name!!

1941     Suspicion

starring: Joan Fontaine, Cary Grant, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce,           Dame May Whitty

plot – An Alfred Hitchcock winner filled with drama and suspense.            Fontaine begins to think her husband (Grant) is out to kill her.

This was a scary movie as only Hitchcock can create. I love the way Hitchcock creates the fear in the view, without the blood, guts, and gore of today’s movies.  The new filmmakers should rewatch these old movies and learn from them.

1928     The Racket

starring: Thomas Meighan, Louis Wolheim, Marie Prevost, Pat Collins

plot – A SILENT MOVIE (painful for me) A bootlegger and a policeman          become major rivals. Unfortunately the quality of the movie had        deteriorated a lot and the crackling and blurry picture didn’t            help.

I wish I could say it was good, but it was painful for all 90 minutes. If I were alive in 1928, I probably would have loved it. I did love the music that played throughout the entire thing, however.

1929      Alibi

starring: Chester Morris, Harry Stubbs, May Busch, Eleanor Griffith

plot – A cop is killed and a prohibition gangster ‘s alibi is a cop’s              daughter

This was much better than The Racket. The characters actually spoke,   and I thought the storyline was good.

1932     One Hour with you

starring: Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette McDonald, Genevieve Tobin,                Charles Ruggles, Roland Young

plot – A couple go through a difficult time when the wife’s best      friend comes on to her husband. A stab in the back type                  of friend!!!

This was a cute movie.  I really enjoyed it! Even though the topic is pretty heavy, the movie was pretty light and happy.

1939     Goodbye Mr. Chips

starring: Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kiburn, John Mills

plot – The story centers around Brookfield, a boys school. The story            shares the interactions between the headmaster, Mr. Chips, his          life, family, and the boys at the school.  Garson plays his                extremely supportive wife who loves life and supports                  and loves her husband.

This was a fabulous film!!  This is definitely a “teacher movie.”

The humor that was displayed by Mr. Chips related to my interactions with my students.  This is one to own.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

What the Beck???

New Purchases at Sur la Table

After making the fantastic cream cheese ice cream
in the Flavors of the South class, I had to make my  
own ice cream, so I purchased this fabulous ice cream maker.
Making ice cream is not hard to do at all.

I saw this starter kit and thought I would make this
as my first homemade ice cream.
Now, I just need to do it.

This is the shiny sugar that we sprinkled on
top of the egg wash on the strawberry-rhubarb pie.

I loved this thermometer!
We used it to tell the temperature of the lemon curd
in the Classic French Lemon Meringue Pie

I love this tool for removing the hulls
from strawberries quickly and cleanly.

After making the individual lemon meringue pies, 
I wanted to have the wonderful little pie 
plates. I also purchased a large one, too.

This was by far the most expensive thing I have 
purchased for cooking so far. This is the best 
pans available. It is called the Scanpan.
I think it came from Scandinavia.
  It is heavy, and nonstick without using
Teflon which is so bad for our health.
Who knew I could fall in love with a pan???

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Sunday, June 12, 2016

What the Beck???

Sur la Table “Perfect Pie from Scratch” 

Part B:  Classic French Lemon Meringue Pie

We used mini tartlet pans. Bummer - I would 
have loved to make a giant pie, but the pans 
are perfect for one person.

The crusts are pricked with a fork and a weight 
is placed on the crust to keep it in place.

We used the second pie crust that we 
made for the strawberry rhubarb pies.
We did fold the edges under and make a nice
decorative edge - oops I forgot that photo

For the lemon curd we needed lemon zest and juice, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, sea salt and unsalted butter.

We began by removing the zest of the lemon

We beat the eggs and yolks

We added in the lemon juice and zest

Next in was the salt

and sugar

We mixed it all together

We continuously whisked the mixture over a double boiler

Chef Dau showed us that the lemon curd is done 
when you swipe the spoon and the swiped area 
stays open and the rest doesn't run down
from the tops of the swipe. Hence, the stripe.

We then placed the curd in a wire sieve and used a 
spatula to push the curd through the mesh
to remove any lumps

We whisked in cold butter

and poured the curd in individual tart pans

Now, on to the meringue. The ingredients that we will need are egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla.
We began with the egg whites.

in went the sugar

and lastly the vanilla, but we were 
supposed to do it later in the process. OOPS!

The bowl was placed over a simmering pan 
of water and whisked constantly.

It took awhile for the meringue to thicken and 
read 140 degrees on the instant read thermometer

We transferred the meringue into the bowl of a stand mixer.

We added in the cream of tartar.
This is where we should have added in the vanilla.

We blended it until it looked like a big marshmallow.

The meringue is spooned onto the tart

The final step was to use a kitchen torch 
and brown the top of the tart.
OMG - this tasted so fabulous!!!

Friday, June 10, 2016

Friday, June 10, 2016

What the Beck???

J.K. Rowling Quote:

"We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better."

(Rowling Commencement speech at Harvard Univ. 
June 5, 2008, as retold by Real Simple Magazine June 2016)


Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Cap’n Crunch Chicken Strips

Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

I figured out that there are 331 calories, for a 3 piece serving.. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

I am embarrassed to admit that I had never tasted Cap’n Crunch cereal before making this recipe. I actually made this one for my niece, Maddie, who is a chicken strip freak. She said they were wonderful. We split one before she left, so that I could taste it.  I kept some of the cereal to make the other half of the recipe, but unfortunately, I ate every bit of the cereal without even using milk. Thank God, I sent the giant box home with Maddie. That is one dangerous box of cereal.

 All I needed for this recipe were chicken tenders, flour, 

eggs, salt and pepper, Cap'n Crunch cereal and vegetable 

oil.  You may want to add a dipping sauce like: ketchup, 

BBQ sauce, or my favorite - honey.

 All I did was dip the strip in the flour, then in the 

beaten egg, and then in the crushed cereal. I fried 

it up in vegetable oil, and then drained the strips on 

a paper towel. I did lightly salt the pieces when finished. I 

didn't crushed the cereal as much as I should have, 

but I'll do better next time!!!

My nieces: Molly, who just gave birth to my sweet, newest great nephew, Hudson, and Maddie on the 

right who is due with my first great niece, in July.

Maddie is the chicken strip freak!!!

(This photo was taken a month ago prior to Molly's delivery)