Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

So my husband peeled a pot of potatoes for yesterdays dinner except someone else was doing the potatoes! So this morning I was faced with A LOT of potatoes to do something with. After cooking and mashing some to make a shepherds pie out of leftovers. I suddenly remembered Staci's.... Loaded Baked Potato Soup 1 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup chopped white onion 1 tbsp chopped garlic (from a jar is fine) 14 ounces chicken stock 1 cup plus 1/4 cup milk, cream, or some combination of the two (use cream! It makes it sooo yummy) salt and pepper to taste (go heavy on pepper, it makes it!) 2-3 large baking potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 8 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 3 green onions, diced 1/4 cup sour cream Directions; Melt butter in small saucepan. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until crisp but tender. Add broth, milk or cream, and about 2/3 of the chopped potatoes. Season with salt and pepper

So, I have some friends who have definite dietary issues, and its Christmas. Everyone should have some treats. Going by dough taste alone, this is going to be a yummy cookie! In a large bowl beat together well: 5 eggs 2 cups stevia (approx. $7) 1 cup unsalted butter 3 tbsp. vanilla Add: 4 tsp baking powder 4 cups 1 to 1 gluten free flour (approx. $7) Mix these items and divide into 3 smaller bowls. Lemon Batch 1) add 1/4 cup lemon juice      and some lemon zest if you have it      add yellow food colouring (optional)      to the 1st bowl of dough Peanut butter chocolate 2) add 3/4 cup peanut butter     and 20 dark chocolate merkins crushed to small pieces     to 2nd bowl of dough Cherry Chip 3) take a handful of cherries and dice finely      to 3rd bowl of dough Refrigerate dough in airtight bags or containers. Preheat oven to 350 Roll the dough into balls then roll dough balls in powdered sugar coating completely place on parchment lined cook

It took an entire afternoon. But here is the first draft of my spring and fall grocery list. I know there is items you may use that are missing, but they may not be used in our house. This an all encompassing list. BAKERY brown bread white bread french loaf mini crescent rolls dinner rolls hamburger buns hot dog buns wraps garlic bread croutons DELI german salami black forest ham bologna pepperonni polish sausage mozzarella cheese ball spiced gouda havarti slices fresh pizza premade macaronni salads premade potato salad premade coleslaw tzaiki dip parmesan cheese FRESH VEGETABLES potatoes onions carrots celery turnip green pepper zucchinni vegetable dip lettuce tomatoes cucumbers romainne Renee’s dressing coleslaw spinach TREATS pudding cups apple sauce ripple potato chips corn chips crunchy cheesies pretzels Doritos popcorn kernels salsa Sco

Bread makers got a bad rap. Unless you like super dense bread, They got used a few times And then stored or given away. Did you keep yours? I did and use it often -MY WAY- First though I needed the perfect recipe And I found it. Add the items in this order: 1 cup water 2 tbsp powdered milk 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp salt 3 1\4 cup flour 1 package of quick rise yeast stirred into 1\2 cup of water *** if your yeast is floating it is probably old And your dough possibly will not rise Select basic dough setting. This will set the machine to about 90 minutes But do not worry if you are not there When it ends! Just let it rise. Now grease your hands Or face the wrath of sticky fingers, And remove the dough in 2 sections Placing into parchment lined pans. Loaf pans Pizza pans Cake pans... Just depends on the shape you want. You can even stretch it out and braid it. Now... decide. Are you baking both right now? If one is for later go throw it in the freezer No cover!

Its funny. No one ever told me how to set up my kitchen. It just sort of happened. Not all at once, but evolved over time. Now be sure that no one expects you to instantly become a chef. But you can be chef-inspired. My pantry list requirements are pretty simple. Yours will grow according to YOU and your your families tastes. There are always options! For instance mustard! Comes in flavours, powder, regular and seed. If you panic when the recipe calls for mustard powder and you just have a bottle... relax. Recipe calls for penne noodles and all you have are spiral? Don't run to the store! It all works out on the end. I have no fear of trying anything once or changing the recipe to suit me and hope in time you will feel comfortable with your own substitutions. So, if you are inspired to start cooking and want to join us..... Its time to check your pantry supplies and the dates on your items. Be sure that resupplying your kitchen is not necessary right now. Grow into this.