Coffee time with Auntie E- Still trying

Well today I am drinking my coffee and think of all the things I need to get going on. I have a start baking the Holiday Cookies. That right so this weeks Holiday Flare Contest links will be Holiday Cookies. Remember to link yours up on Thursday.
It has been a rough start with the Hoilday Flare Contest. I really haven't had much entries. Looks like I need to look at some other means to grab folks attention...Any suggestions here?I would appreciate it. Maybe the Prizes aren't tantalizing to folks.. Or maybe there just isn't a lot of cookers on this Cyberspace.

Onto my favorite cookie.... I love Almond flavors doing the holidays. I have a great Almond Snap recipe. Southern Living published my recipe in one of their cookbooks ,( the 1992 annual cookbook and in the 1992 Southenliving December magazine). I will be posting it on Thursday for Holiday Flare.
Hope you will return to link up your favorite Holiday cookie recipe on Thursday. You can still link up those Breads, Side dishes and Dessert, just click on the color links above.

Orange Cranberry Relish

I have been busy cooking for our Thanksgiving Menu. Here is one of the recipes.
This is a very easy recipe. Created for Thanksgiving 2010 to be served at the Celebration dinner.

Orange Cranberry Relish
1 bag(12oz) of Whole Fresh Cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups of Water
Zest of one Large orange
Juice of one Large orange
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tablespoons or 1 small envelope of Knox Unflavored Gelatin)

Put fresh cranberries in medium sauce pan. Add Water and zest and orange juice.
Bring to a boil, covered. boil for 5minutes or until all the cranberries have popped. do not stir during this process.
Add sugar and cinnamon sticks. cook uncovered for 20minutes.
Remove cinnamon sticks
Add gelatin, by sprinkling it on the top and stirring in. Bring back to a boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, pour into a dish and bring to room temp. Cover and Refrigerate and serve cold.

copyright 2010 by"Auntie E CookBook/MDubrosky"

Coffee time with Auntie E- Chili Time Recipe

Well, I'm at my Dad's this week. We are having Thanksgiving at his home in Virginia Beach, Va. and I am cooking up a storm! Oh yes I am having my morning coffee here, with Peppermint cream in it. Getting in the Holiday spirit. We will not be having a Holiday Flare Thursday post this week, Enjoy a great Thanksgiving Meal and Day with your family and Friends. You can still link up a add those recipes by clicking on the color coded names above.
For today I will share with you a recipe I showed cased on Food Trip on Friday.

Turkey Maple Chili

Ingredients:

Meat :
1.5 Lb of Turkey Maple Sausage
½ cup diced Red onion
1½ tsp of Smoked Paprika
1 tsp cumin

*Group #2*
1 (14.5 oz) can Turkey Broth
⅓ cup diced roasted Red peppers
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp Smoke Paprika
¼ cup thick Ketchup
1.5 oz of Pure Maple Syrup.
1 can(14.5 oz) can Hunts diced Tomatoes with diced Green pepper,celery and onion

1.Meat prep:
In a skillet brown sausage and red onion. Add 1 ½ teaspoon of smoked Paprika and 1 teaspoon of cumin. Continue to cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently. Set aside.

2. Group#2
In a 2.5 litter of 11 cup stockpot add the *Group #2* ingredients. Stir well... Bring to the boil.

3. Add the meat to the stockpot. Return to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and simmer for 30 minute to 60 min. The longer the time the more intense the taste.

Copyright2010"Auntie E's CookBook/M Dubros"
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Weekend Kitchen Gadget-Need Space?

I am always looking for things that do not take up space in the kitchen. As a creative cook I love to buy special items that help make cooking more fun. In today stores there are a lot of compact items. Great for those small kitchen with limited space. After all we need room for those Pots and Pans and Seasonal Dishes.

Chef'n has a line of compact things. I purchase some time ago, the Measuring tools.

Cups and measuring spoons

These are so thin and can fit in a drawer.then when you pop it out...
you have your 1/4 cup.A set of measuring cup for Chef'n will cost about 15.00
They are available in many countries.
You can click Here to find them in your country
In the USA you can purchase these at:
Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and Williams Somona

Gift idea under 25.00:
In a basket put the measuring cups, a box of Pumpkin bread mix and a 4x8 bread pan.

Disclaimer: I have not received any perks or monetary compensation for this review, It is only my opinion of these products.

Friday Food Trip-Chili time.

Turkey Maple Chili

Recipe coming next week

Link for more: Friday Food Trip Photos

Thursday Holiday Flare- Main Meats

So here we are into our fourth week of this contest. Today's Entries are for Main Meats. Whatever you have over the holiday season. It might be Turkey, Ham, Pheasant, Lamb, Cornish Hens are maybe Roast beef. Trying something new will be fun.
We usually have Ham, Lamb, and Turkey during this time. We celebrate Four different holidays. This year, I will be Serving a Brine Turkey. Here is the recipe I will be using.

Apple Spice Turkey.

1.Purchase a good Brine spice in a jar, I am using Williams Sonoma Turkey Brine.

[Now if you prefer you can make your own brine, Just add Coarse kosher sea salt to water.The ratio is 1 cup salt to one gallon of liquid. Add some sage and dried apples,juniper berries, lemon peel, star anise, garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, dried onion flakes and a bay leaf. the amounts will vary according to amount of liquid.]

This is a mixture similar to the one in the jar that I will be using.

• 2 cup of Coarse sea salt...
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage,
• one 16oz package of dried apples chopped,
  
• 24 juniper berries.
  
• lemon peel from two lemon,
  
• 2 whole star anise.
  
• 2 clove garlic chopped.
• 2 teaspoon each of fresh rosemary, thyme, black pepper, dried onion flakes.
• Last 2 bay leaf

2. Now in a a large soup pot add 1 gallon of water and bring to a boil
Add 1 (517g) Jar of Brine spices (or the recipe brine recipe mixture, as listed above in blue.) Stirring until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat cool to room temp and place in refrigerator until well chilled.
3. Remove from refrigerator and add 1 gallon of water, 2 cups of ice and 6 cups of apple cider. It is important to let the brine come to room temp before pouring over the turkey.

4. Place your turkey, about a 15 -20 pound one, in a 5 gallon stock pot.Pour the brine over it, cover and refrigerate for 12 to 36 hours. Turn the turkey once, halfway through the brine process.

5. When the time comes to cook the turkey, Take turkey out of brine. Rinse well under running cold water. Dry the inside and outside of the turkey well. Roast as you would normally do. You really do not have to baste it with this brine turkey method. Just tent cover with aluminum foil in the beginning of cooking and in the last 45 minutes remove the foil for browning the skin. Check the turkey wrapper for the cooking time allotted per pound.

Well that's it. I will be doing this process for this Thanksgiving Turkey. Will let you know how it works out.
**One note, do not stuff a brine turkey. The Stuffing could turn out way too salty. It is said that the turkey does not have a salty taste its self.**

Now it is time for you to link up your favorite meat recipes. All Holiday Flare links will remain open until Dec 26th. Then the voting will begin, and remain open until Dec 31st. Be sure to try some of the contest recipe and make a note to come back to vote on them. There will be Three winners.

Next week we will take a break, Have a Happy Thanksgiving every one.

Coffee time with Auntie E- Holiday Dinner

I'm sitting here with my Coffee. Today's flavor is Vanilla Latte. Looking over my Thanksgiving Menu and making decisions. Daughter wants Ham, we want turkey. That's how it goes around my Kitchen table. Each person wants something different. Now I am looking for a great Ham recipe. Oh we will have both. With 15 people possibly being there for this meal, I think I will need both meats. I did purchase fresh Cranberries at the Amish market over the weekend.For that Cranberry relish recipes under side dishes.

For this weeks Thursday Holiday Flare we will link up our Favorite Meat Recipes. Over the holiday season we serve meats like Lamb,Goose,Turkey,Ham, Pheasant and all kinds of beef. I thought it would be nice to learn some new ways to cook these. So be sure to come back Thursday and link up your Meat dishes.

You can link up your Side dishes, Desserts and Bread now. Just click on the Appropriate name on the top, just under the Banner any time. The links are all color coded. Or if you prefer, you can click on the names in this post. Now don't forget Voting is opened to all visitors, You do not have to link a recipe to vote on them.

To recap the prizes, there are; First place 50 dollar visa gift card, Second place 25 dollar visa gift card and Third place a Winter fragrance candle in a reusable container. Just be sure to check out the Holiday Flare rules on the side bar. Link up your recipe and start cooking.

So what are you drinking today? Coffee or tea...What do you put in your Drink? Flavored cream or plain.

Weekend Kitchen Gadget-A Garnish tool

How do they do that.. a question we all ask at some point. Garnish is what makes a dish special.I have several tools I use for that. A couple weeks back I purchase some new one.

These peelers** came as a set.

Photo above courtesy of Williams Somona

What so special about these peelers? Well each one does a different cut.
A straight, julienne cut and serrated. The cutting effort was not hard, it cut like soft butter. One one thing I like about these are the time saving element. It takes so long to make Julienne strips. To get those ridges are very difficult with other tools I have. I can see me using those a lot. They all come together and are priced at 15.00.

The Straight-edge peeler removes skins from root vegetable and firm fruits.

I used a Raw sweet potato, to see how easy it would cut...
It was so easy.The peel cut was very thin. Great for those roses or curls.The next one is the Julienne peeler.
It creates fine strips of anything from carrots to firm cheese. The things you can do...

The Last one in the pack is the Serrated peeler.
Ideal for delicate produce like tomatoes, kiwis and mangoes. Look closely you can see the ridges form after cutting.
Ridges are good for holding on sauces and spreads.
They also have the look of bark. Great for making a Yule Log.

**This peeler set is available Here
Disclaimer: I have not received any perks, money or products from Williams Somonas. This Product was purchase by me and reviewed and tested by me. The post is my opinion only.

Friday's Question? Holiday Recipe Contest

Well I have to say I'm a little down today. For three weeks now, I have been trying to generate a little fun. However It looks like I am the only one have it. I thought Maybe I should ask the question before I go mad......

Is anyone interested in my Holiday flare Recipe contest?

You see I am having one as a write this. It is suppose to last for seven more weeks.
The prizes are:

First place: 50 dollar visa gift card.
Second place a 25 dollar visa gift card
Third place a winter soy fragrance candle in a beautiful reusable container.

I try to make the rules easy, so we can enjoy our holiday and not be so time consuming on the entry rules. I waited to list the prizes til now, Maybe I should have done that earlier.
The contest winners are decided on a voting system. Anyone can come and vote on their favorite dishes, they do not have to enter one. My entries will be voided, as I add mine just to have some links showing. Once cooks start adding their links, I will not be adding mine. I will just post my recipe for the week.

So the question comes down to......

Are you Interested in this Holiday Flare Recipe Contest?

for more Aloha Friday questions, visit An Island Life

Holiday Blueberry Scones- Bread Week!

Welcome to Thursday Holiday Flare,
This weeks category is Breads.

Oh those holiday breads,so many to choose from. This year I wanted to do a Breakfast Scone.
I love scones with a cup of coffee or tea. Scones are really easy to make. Do not have much prep time and the cooking time is about 30 minutes. Time to make and have in the oven before the folks are up. I guarantee that the smell will get everyone up and going.

Holiday Blueberry Scones.Photo scones shown with Cranberry cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tablespoons fine organic sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

• in a large bowl Mix the above ingredients together I use a whisk, to get it some air.

114gm Cold unsalted butter(about 1/2 cup)

• with a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture. just until incorporated well.

Mix together in a small container.
1 cup Fresh buttermilk
1 large Egg.

Beat well.

• make a well in the flour/butter mixture.
  
• Pour the buttermilk mixture in the well.
  
• With a wooden spoon start at the sides and fold in, continue until all the milk is incorporated in flour mixture. DO NOT OVER MIX.

Fold in 3/4 cup Frozen blueberries.

• Turn out unto of floured surface.
  
• Pat down to about 1 inch thickness.
• Cut into squares and then cut the squares in half diagonally.
  
• You will have 12 pieces.

Line a jelly roll pan with Parchment paper and transfer square using a flat spatula on to pan. leave as lest a inch around each one.

• Cook at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Now it's time for you to link up your Holiday Bread Recipes. Remember leave a photo and the recipe link. Voting will open tomorrow. Remember your can still link your holiday Desserts and Side dishes up, just click on the Holiday flare link under the blog title. That will bring up the other links.
Want to join in, grab the Holiday Flare button on top side bar, check the rules and enter your recipes on the appropriate links.

Any one can come back to vote on their favorite ones. You are allowed to vote up to five times on each category. Only one vote per recipe will be allowed. Be sure to check back on Monday for Coffee time and the next weeks category.

Recipe Printable View- no graphics.

What an Honor to Receive This....

I received this award from Shelia at Welcome To My Kitchen. In her kitchen she has a video clip on Pantry item with a great soup recipe. Shelia is hosting a Feature me Friday, where she will be featuring a cooking blogger each week. That sound like a great way to learn about the cooks on these cooking blogs. We will learn about how they started cooking and many more personal views about their love of cooking.

You know me I love to cook, update vintage recipes and create new recipes. I think this blogging about cooking and the things that go on in my kitchen, has given me a more cognitive awareness of the foods we eat. I'm learning by visiting other food blogs the different choices that are available. I love to collect cookbooks. Not only to try out the recipes but, also to get new food combination ideas. My daughter is just learning to cook. Lyd loves to cook from a cookbook as well as on line. She has really started to realize that the internet is a great cooking resource. The Best part of cooking to me is the aromas that infuse the kitchen and house.

Now that is a little about me, time to pass this award on. After all. the part about cooking is sharing. Good Food, Good Friends and a Great time!

For this Award I will choose these cooks.

1. A Chef Daughter- You will enjoy the foods on her blog.
2. Ask Ms Recipe- There you will find menus and products to make life easier in the kitchen.
3. All about Cakes- Wow, talk about cakes! Some amazing one are found here.
4. Deep south Dish- Now this is down home southern cooking at it's best.
5. Eat at Home- Great seasonal dishes.
6. Charming Vintage Recipes- Just like Mom or Granny use to make. A touch of the past.
7. Eclectic recipes- Giveaways and wonderful recipes to try.
8. Stop and Smell the Chocolates- A place for linking and satisfying that sweet tooth recipes!
9. Think Tasty- Recipes, Restaurant reviews,simply solutions and Regional best.
10. Stir, Laugh and Repeat- Martha author of a cookbook, Great easy recipes for today's busy cooks.
11. What's Cooking at My House-A place with food that makes the house a home!
12. Yummy As Can Be- Just like at states, Yummy dishes.
13. Mom Cooks - A family food blog with giveaways and Product reviews.
14. Mommy's Kitchen-Recipes that remind you of Home. Eye pleasing dishes.
15. Veggin'- For the Vegetarian in you. Lots of Veggie dishes.

So there you have it my 15 sites for you to visit. Each one a joy to view with something for every visitor. Drop by and give them a shout, learn something new and Happy Eats to all.

The rules for this Award if you accept:

1. Grab the Button.
2. Mention and link to the giver.
3. Share seven things about you.
4. Pass on the 15 different sites.
5. Be sure to give them a holler about the award.

Coffee time with Auntie E- What's in your Future?

Good morning y'all! Woke up this morning thinking of our Thanksgiving meal. What is going to be on the menu? We will have up to 15 people there. My daughter wants Ham and Turkey. I wondered why she think Ham should be at the table. For year we have had both. I am trying to just go back to Turkey for Thanksgiving. Even took her to a turkey Brimming class! So I guess I will have both again, due to I have in some way made it a Tradition in the household. Just wait til she has to cook both for her family thanksgiving. I think she will see how crazy it is. What kind of meat do you serve on Thanksgiving Day?

On the menu I think we will have, Mash potatoes with gravy, Sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, a leafy salad of sorts with Cranberry dressing and Home made rolls. Of course the desserts will be pies and dessert bars with plenty of homemade whipped cream.

So for this weeks Thursday Holiday Flare, link up your favorite Bread or Roll recipes. Remember you can still link up on the other ones. Just click on the Holiday Flare banner. Find your category and link them up. See you on Thursday for the Thursday-Holiday Flare recipe contest link.

Weekend Kitchen Gadget-Impress them!

Ever want to make those fancy pie crust?
I have a few gadget to help with that.

You can decorate around the pumpkin pie shell,
even a store bought one,

You can even make fancy lace crust tops.

these are Pie crust cutters.
You can get them at any kitchen store..
Priced under 20.00

You can also use these;
Canopy cutters.
Prices can range from a 1.00 to 20.00.
Will depend on if you buy one or a set.

They are small enough to do the job.

This is a great way to dress up those Holiday pies,
Store bought or Home made.

***A hint for you. Buy the already made pie crust and roll it out if need be, add a little flour on the top. Using the cutters cut several of the shape you are using. Using an beaten egg white brush the under side and add to the pies edges. After all are arranged, brush with egg white and sprinkle with Sugar crystals. Cook as according to pie recipe. Now you have an unique- simi-home made pie. It will wow all your guess. You can also bake the pie crust cut outs on a cookie sheet. bake at pie crust mix suggested temp. These you can use as decoration on all kinds of desserts. That is what is on the pie center in the first photo.**

These make wonderful holiday Hostess Gifts as well. Just purchase a cutter set and boxed crust mix. You might throw in Sugar crystals and a pastry brush as well. Now that would be a gift for under 25.00.

Happy holiday cooking. Please come back and link up your holiday recipes on Thursdays. My Holiday flare contest is underway. We are voting for the best recipes in different categories. Last week was Side Dishes, This week was Dessert. You can still link your recipes up now through Dec. 29th. Just click on the "Holiday Flare Contest Recipe" name under the blog title. Check out the rules on the side bar, grab the button and you are on your way.

Thursday Holiday Flare- Desserts

As I have mentioned I have been taking some cooking technique classes at William-Sonoma. This week she had a dessert that was adapted from another recipe. Their Food products are very good. This recipes uses their Cranberry relish. I found it not to be too sweet, yet had that holiday flare taste to it. My teen daughter went with me and she really liked this recipe. So, we came home and made it. I did add my Flare to it,however it is a basic dessert square bar recipe. Now I will share it with you, we think it will make that perfect ending to a Thanksgiving Meal.

Holiday Cranberry Dessert Bars

You will need:

1(18.25oz) package Yellow cake mix.(divided)
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 cup Sweet unsalted butter (Melted)
3 large eggs.(divided)

1 (18oz)Jar Williams Sonoma's Cranberry relish
2 Tablespoon 1%Milk
2 Tablespoon all purpose Flour
2 tablespoon sugar.
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature, however not too soft)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

First Layer.

• Mix yellow cake mix and pumpkin pie spices together, Set 1 cup aside for later(for the topping part);
• Combine the rest of the cake mixture with Melted butter and 1 egg in a bowl, Mix well and press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. {You do not need to grease the pan.However you can brush a little of the melted butter on the pan's bottom, if you want to make sure it won't stick. I used an insulated non stick pan}.
  

Second Layer

• In another bowl combine the jar of cranberry relish, 2 eggs and milk.
  
• Mix well and pour evenly over the Pressed cake layer in the pan.

Third layer(topping)

• Stir the remaining 1 cup of Cake mix with flour, sugar and softened butter. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter til crumbly.
  
• Sprinkle over the relish layer.

Bake in 350F preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Cool for about 10 minutes and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.
Makes about 48 pieces.
Printable view

Holiday Flare Contest-Join In the Fun.

I am starting a Holiday Flare recipe Link. It is on Thursday's for the next several weeks. Thursday November the 4th 2010, it will be Holiday Desserts. Last week was Thanksgiving Side Dishes, you can still link yours up (the link is in the side dish words).

How this works is each Thursday up until Dec the 23rd, we will have a theme dish link, you can go back and link up on any theme dish post until December the 25th. There will be a Link to all the Holiday Flare recipe posts on the top, just above the recent post, starting next Thursday. The link will take you to the correct place to link up your recipe, just in case you are not linking the one for the current week theme. This is great because you can come back and link more recipes later. There is no limit to how many recipes you can link. The only thing is, the recipe itself needs to be linked. All links should take the visitor to your site and the recipe mentioned. More traffic for you, as well as a long stay on your site!

Each Monday I will announce in my "Coffee time with Auntie E" the Next weeks Theme dish. Be sure to stop be to see what it is.

There will be voting on the best one during the time of the "Holiday Flare" recipes link. You can start voting on the 26th of December. You do not have to link up a recipe to vote on your favorites. If you try them and like it come back to vote on it. It's that easy! Then around January the 4th the winner will be revealed. The winner will receive a great gift. More on that in the coming weeks. So spread the word, meet me here on Thursdays and link up your Holiday recipes.

The Prizes:

• First place: 50 dollar visa gift card.
  
• Second place 25Dollars visa gift card.
  
• Third place a winter scent candle in a reusable container.

The Rules For the Contest:
On the side bar is the Holiday flare icon, you must place this on your blog for Thursday's Holiday Flare. Just copy the HTML in the box and paste it on your blogs side bar,(not on the bottom of your page). Next thing, you will need to link at least one Holiday recipe to be voted on. These are really the only rules for participating and being eligible for the prize at the end of the Holiday Flare contest.

That's it, Hope you will join in and share those Holiday recipes.

Have you heard of the Holiday Open house give away? Visit Mrs Marine and the tiny troops to find out more,click on the button on the right. Hurry the contest end in 7 days!