Leftovers Remixed

So, before we are stuffed to the gills with Thanksgiving delights as well as having an overflowing refrigerator, I thought I would share a few recipes to try to make a dent in all the leftover food. I will start with a great recipe that uses leftover mashed potatoes. I just used it tonight and it was awesome. My kids loved it and I think it would be easy to add other flavors, for those of us that are adventurous and like to make a recipe your own.

Crisp Mashed Tator Cakes

1/2 C. chopped green onions
2 C. mashed potatoes, chilled
2 Tbsp sharp cheddar cheese (I also added fresh grated parmesan)
1/8 tsp salt (I used garlic salt for xtra flavor)
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 center cut bacon slice cooked and crumbled (was out of bacon, but had real bacon bits in the fridge. I used a Tblsp of this)
3/4 C. panko bread crumbs (again, didn't have this so I crushed up ceasar flavored croutons)

• Preheat oven to 425
• heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions, and cook for 2 min. or until tender. Remove from heat.
• Place mashed potatoes in medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except for the bread crumbs. Divide potato mixture into 6-8 equal patties. Place panko into shallow dish and dredge potato cakes until coated on all sides.
• Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 12 min or until golden brown. Let sit for 2 min (to set) and serve immediatly.

I have also bypassed cooking the onions and just thrown everything together. Then, in a skillet on medium heat, add approx. 2 Tbsp olive oil and then fry the cakes until a golden brown. Excellent!

Back From Hiatus

Well, I had to take some time off. My boys are getting very active and so I have been running to and fro with them. I decided I needed to rethink my blog. I did alot of ranting about all the irritating stuff going on in my life, and while I am not promising that I will stay off the soap box, I decided I needed to stop focusing on the negative so much.

So, what can I write about, besides all the cute things my kids do? Well, I love to cook and bake and have started watercolor painting. So, I have decided I am going to revamp my blog so that it is more positive. It is becoming more known, that constantly discussing all the negative aspects of your life without actually looking for a solution just serves to further bring you down. So, look forward to creations from my kitchen and art room. To end, I want to give you my first recipe and glimpse at my artwork. I do want to protect myself from having my art taken, so I am only going to show a portion of it. Well, without further adou...

This is my favorite breakfast food. I make this almost every Sunday morning and if there are any leftover (rare!) it makes a nice afternoon or evening snack. My mother used to make this for my brother and I and I searched all over the internet and found it on D'Orangette who I have provided a link to in my favorite links list. Please visit this site and check out other recipes there. I do like to alter recipes, so it is slightly different from hers.

Dutch Babies

ingredients:

• 8 large eggs (room temp) 
• 1 C. whole milk (room temp) 
• 1 C. flour 
• 1 stick salted butter (divided with half melted, half cold) 
• 1 Tblsp vanilla 
• 1/2 tsp salt

optional toppings:

powdered sugar, golden syrup, maple syrup

In a large glass souffle or casserole dish, cut up 4 Tbsp cold butter and place in dish. Place dish into oven and turn on the oven to 400 degrees. In the time it takes you to assemble the other ingredients, the butter should just be beginning to bubble.

In large bowl, combine remaining butter (melted) and the rest of the ingredients (except for the optional toppings) and blend well until smooth. When butter in casserole dish is bubbling, working very carefully, set the dish on the stovetop and pour the batter in slowly. Then return to the oven. Bake 30-45 min. depending on heat of the oven. Dutch Babies are done when the edges are a dark golden brown and center is firm. I test it with a butter knife, inserted and removed, it should be clean. Serve hot. Dust with powdered sugar (my favorite), drizzle with golden syrup or maple syrup. Left overs can be reheated in microwave.

This is a very filling rich bread that is wonderful when a sweet breakfast is desired. With all the eggs, it is high in protein, but not exactly low fat with all the butter. It is very filling! You can opt to not add the vanilla and make it a savory dish to be eaten with eggs and a breakfast meat. I will share a photo of the finished dish as soon as I can.





Here is a portion of a watercolor called, "Raven I". One of my favorites.

Heartbroken and Unemployed

I lost my job Tuesday October 3, 2006. A job that was a dream. I loved what I was doing. I really liked and respected my boss who was teaching me a trade that I felt proud to learn. Something that I will never get another chance to work with.
Someone called her today and told her about my Myspace blog. In one I am talking about an incident that occurred in the store, but no names were mentioned and the store was never named. I was upset about how someone had treated me and vented. I don't know who the person was, but I feel like they were doing it knowing I would be crushed.

It would be, like if you were walking down the street talking to a friend and said, "I had a bad day at work. This customer was so rude and disrespectful to me. I wanted to slap her silly!" As you are telling your friend this, a sneaky snake overhears you and tells your boss which then decides that it is enough to fire you. Even though, 99% of the time I was always telling people how wonderful my boss was and enjoyed what I was doing. Even though I was a quick study and very cheerful at work. I went above and beyond by taking projects home and surprising my boss with great finished products. In a split second, I was unemployed.

I don't know what I will do now. It was a job that made me feel like I belonged for the first time. I don't want to live here anymore. I feel like a part of me has died and I will never get it back.

I haven't felt like leaving the house or bothering to attempt to get a job. This unknown assasin of my job, is out there, destroying me. I feel like, if I try to get a job here, they will be on my heels telling potential empoyers that I am not worthy of employment. And who am I? I don't come from big bucks or have a family name that goes back 200 years into the town's heritage. I am a nobody. Worse, I am the daughter of a law-enforcement officer. I mean, a convicted pedophile can be accepted and get a job in this town, and I am unforgivable for just venting (in generic terms) about a situation that happened months ago. I HATE THIS TOWN.

Been Gone

Well, I haven't been on here for a while. I hate to admit it... but I am a full blown MySpace addict. I was told by a school friend that he had pics of his son and to check it out. I couldn't look at them unless I became a myspace user and was on his "friend list"... that is how it started. That, and it is starting to pick up around town.

The weather is nicer and there are different events occurring. The last one was Mayfest. It is a celebration of norwegian heritage in our town. It is SO much fun! If you are planning on coming to Alaska, I suggest trying to hit southeast in May and making it to Petersburg, AK the third weekend of May. There is food, music, games, art, food, and it ends with the next weekend being the Salmon Derby. There are money and prizes to win for first fish, biggest fish and various weights. For more info on the event and Petersburg, go to the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and check out the Events page.