Spring Skillet Dinner

Want a tasty recipe that uses simple ingredients you're sure to have on hand? Here it is folks, Spring Skillet Dinner! A recipe from my Grandma's kitchen. She's superb at creating delicious meals at minimal cost. I appreciate this meal because of its simplicity, texture and taste.

Spring Skillet Dinner is one of my fallback recipes. What's that? It's a recipe that saves my butt when I've realized I failed to have a plan and supper is looming. My cupboards are barren because I desperately need to refresh my stock (free me-fact: I hate to grocery shop). My head is throbbing at even the mention of supper because I'm clueless. What will I DO? Oh wait... there's that great recipe I actually have the ingredients for and it takes less than an hour to make. Whew!

Start by browning your hamburger, diced onions and crushed garlic.

Add water and the uncooked rice. Boil uncovered for 40 minutes. Then add your diced carrots and potatoes and simmer until they're tender. Finally, season with soy sauce, salt and pepper and wah-lah! Enjoy your meal!

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24

Spring Skillet Dinner

Prep and cook time: 1 hour

Yields: About 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 lb. hamburger
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup carrots, finely diced
• 1 cup potatoes, finely diced
• 1-2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Brown the garlic, onion and hamburger in skillet. Drain grease from pan.
2. Add water and uncooked rice. Once this comes to a boil, simmer uncovered over low heat for 40 minutes.
3. Add diced carrots and diced potatoes. Continue to simmer until tender.
4. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Serve hot and put soy sauce on table to season to liking.

Super Rich Chocolate Cake

Well, hello there! We know, we know, it's been awhile. Months. We apologize. Spring and I took a little holiday break, but want to get back to bringing you delicious recipes. And I decided to start with one of my favorite recipes in the world.

When I was younger, I used to cook with my grandma. She taught me how to make old fashioned candy, the most divine peanut candy I have ever tasted (I'm hoping the recipe will make it to Thyme for Grace). And she makes the best cheese soup, which was a special treat she made on the night my family got into town for a visit (we always lived hours away and only visited twice a year).

Now I am blessed to be only ten minutes from my grandma. She makes this amazing chocolate cake and a few days ago I went to her house so she could teach me how to make it. We had a blast. She is from Southern Georgia, and she knows how to cook. I'm so glad I get the chance to bake with her, and share it with you!

So, the cake. Let me describe. It's moist, chocolaty and super fluffy. The frosting on the top is seriously out of this world. I'm not a huge frosting fan, I tend to rake it off and just eat the cake part, but I don't do that with this icing. I eat every bite, so good. Once, when I was in college, I ate 4 pieces of this cake at once. This is quiet unusual because I am more of a savory lover, as opposed to a sweets lover. Are you sold yet? I hope so. Enjoy this yummy chocolate cake!

"She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

- Proverbs 31:25-26 (NIV)

AMAZING CHOCOLATE CAKE

Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 sticks Parkay margarine
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 stick Parkay margarine
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp. milk
• 1 box (16 oz) confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Cooking Directions

1. Mix flour, sugar and salt in bowl.
2. In saucepan, mix margarine, water and cocoa.
3. Bring to boil and pour slowly into flour mixture.
4. In another bowl, combine eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla.
5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir well.
6. Bake at 350 in a greased shallow pan (we used a 15.25 x 10.5 x 1.25 sized pan) for 25-30 minutes.
7. For the frosting, mix margarine, cocoa and milk in a saucepan over a low flame. Do not allow it to boil.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Add sugar, chopped pecans (optional) and vanilla, mix well.
10. Frost cake as soon as it is removed from the oven.
11. Allow cake to cool, cut into squares.
12. Enjoy!

Best of Bridge Cookbook Review: Fudge Drops

Today I am excited to be reviewing another cookbook for you guys. This one is called Best of Bridge: Home Cooking. I am also excited to share a tasty recipe from the cookbook for fudge drops. These fudge drops are a super yummy dessert that are small but filled with flavor!

Here are the cookbook review questions:

1. How easy are the recipes to follow? Yes, I didn't care for the font of the recipes (is that a weird complaint?) but besides that the recipes were easy to understand.
2. Is the cookbook worth the investment? You get 250 recipes for $29.95, which I think is a pretty good deal.
3. Are the pictures amazing? They are good! Just take a look at those fudge drops.
4. Would I recommend it? Yes! If you are looking for recipes that are easy and traditional, this is the book for you.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

- Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

FUDGE DROPS
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 large egg whites
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites, salt, vinegar and vanilla until frothy.
6. Gradually add sugar, 2 tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff, shiny peaks form.
7. With a spatula, fold in coconut and nuts gently but thoroughly.
8. Fold in melted chocolate just until mixture is lightly marbled.
9. Drop mixture by tbsp. about two inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
10. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until dry on top.
11. Let completely cool on sheet.

A Brilliant Christmas Gift!

For a long time a kitchen scale was a line on my Christmas wish list. And the day finally came when my little dream came true!

A kitchen scale was one of those random things I'd find myself coveting here and there. Ya know, a recipe calls for 8 ounces of noodles and all you have is a 32 ounce box - you take a wild and wrong guess and your dish is potentially ka-poosh. Or you have a 5 lb. bag of potatoes, but your recipe only calls for 2, argghh! Maybe you buy large quantities of meat and want to divide it into 1 lb. freezer bags... help! There were so many random situations I'd find myself in, just wishing I owned a blasted kitchen scale!

My dream came true in the form of the EatSmart Precision Elite Digital Kitchen Scale. Whew, that's an exhaustingly long name! But despite the laborious name, the thing is awesome!

In case you're wondering why, let me quickly divulge:

• it looks slick.
• It's durable - stainless steel durable!
• It stores ever so nicely.
• It measures in grams / ounces / kilograms / pounds
• You can easily subtract the weight of your bowl, dish or pan from the food you're weighing. The best feature ever!
• It weighs up to 15 lbs. You can even weigh packages!
• It's got an "easy to read" backlit LCD display.

Take my word, if you're looking for that perfect Christmas gift for your crazy family member or dear friend who just loves to cook, look no further. A kitchen scale was on my list for several years before I received it. But this scale was well worth the wait! You can purchase it through Amazon and, while you're there, make sure you notice it's 5 star rating!

The Best Chili Ever

Chili is one of the most fantastic foods I have ever eaten. I know that sounds over the top, but you have to admit that Chili is the perfect fall food. When you are sitting by the fire and need to warm up, what sounds good? Chili. When you come home from a long day at work and are hungry, what fills you up? Chili. When you visit your parents and they make you a delicious meal, what is on the stove? Chili. When it's a rainy and cold fall day on Friday, what do they sell at the football game? Chili. When the Vikings score a touchdown and you do your touchdown dance, what do you eat when you sit back down? Chili.

Okay, that was a bit excessive. But I think you get my point. Chili really is the BEST in the fall and winter. I recently learned how to make a yummy slow cooker chili (easy if you need to be gone all day) and I have jazzed up the recipe, so I am ready and excited to share it with all of you!

Our family serves the chili over rice with sour cream and cheese. I never knew people didn't eat chili over rice until college, and I am AMAZED that people don't! It's so good, trust me.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
 - John 3:16 (NIV)

THE BEST CHILI EVER

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours
Total time: 8.5 hours
Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 onion
• 2 green peppers
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can kidney beans

Cooking Directions

1. Fully cook ground beef in skillet over stove
2. Finely chop green pepper and onion
3. With the exception of the kidney beans, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
4. Set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.
5. For the final 20 minutes, put kidney beans in slow cooker and cook on high.
6. Serve over rice and enjoy (add grated cheese or sour cream if you would like)!

Flavoricious Stir Fry Sauce

My childhood was deprived of oriental foods. But the minute I bit into a forkful of stir-fry in college, I was hooked, line and sinker! Hu Hot Mongolian Grill is one of our happy places. The ability to have nearly unlimited options of meat, veggies and sauces to fabricate your own delightful, zippy dish is just plain exhilarating!

I started making stir-fry early on in our marriage. And let's just say it's rapidly evolved over our 7 years of life together! I began my stir-fry journey using only soy for the sauce (ha!). Then I began tossing teriyaki into that mix. I soon realized there are innumerable magnificent flavors that can join the zesty-fun! I'm seriously entertained by playing around with each stir-fry we make, but overall I've landed on this sauce recipe as our go-to. I hope you love it too!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" Mathew 6:25 NIV

FLAVORICIOUS STIR FRY SAUCE

Prep time: 5 -10 min.

Yield: About 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch

Cooking Directions

1. Combine all ingredients (except cornstarch) in a 2 or 4 liquid measuring cup and whisk well. You can store this in the refrigerator if it's easiest to prepare in advance.
2. Just before adding the sauce to your stir-fry, add and whisk in the cornstarch.
3. Pour the sauce into your stir-fry and cook until heated. Enjoy!

Hot Apple Cranberry Cider

Okay, I am going to take a quick second and complain. My husband and I just bought our first house. We love it. Both our daughters have their own rooms, we have a big driveway to fill with chalk drawings and we have giant glorious trees.

What's that you say? Having big giant trees comes with a price? You mean all those wonderful leaves that provided shade in August are going to fall down? And I have to rake them ALL? I spent two hours last week raking leaves in the backyard, while my girls jumped in them. Then my husband and I spent another two hours last weekend raking AND then I spent another hour raking and bagging the leaves yesterday. And guess what? It still looks like there are a million leaves in my backyard. :( I'm not complaining about our awesome house, we are so fortunate to have such a beautiful place and I'm not complaining about the trees, they provide tons of shade in the summer. But I've always heard people rave about the beautiful fall colors, nobody bothered to mention the tedious task of raking all the leaves.

But we did it, we managed to rake most of the leaves in our backyard. And after a long afternoon raking the leaves we came inside and I made this delicious warm drink. This cider is perfect for a fall afternoon, halloween party or a chilly morning on the porch. I made this cider a few times to perfect the recipe, hopefully you enjoy it as much as my family does!

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

- Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

HOT APPLE CRANBERRY CIDER

Cook time: 15 mins
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients

• 3 cups apple cider
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1/3 cup red hots (cinnamon candies)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• dash cinnamon
• 1 cinnamon stick

Cooking Directions

1. Combine ingredients in pot over stove.
2. Warm up over medium heat, stir continuously so cinnamon candies do not melt to the bottom of the pan.
3. Serve and enjoy!