Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This is my second favorite holiday for cooking. What is your second favorite holiday you may be asking. Christmas!!! It is because we have an international Christmas (we pick a country like Italy and celebrate Christmas the way they do it) and a regular American Christmas. Anyway I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, take a little time to stop today between all the cooking and stuff and just praise God for all the wonderful things he has given us. My dad is making the Turkey (which just came out of the oven and looks and smells wonderful. Good job Dad!) Oh I got to go I will give you all full details after diner.

Herbs and spices

Ok so I think I am going to start exploring the different types of herbs and spices from cultures all over the world and tell you about them. I will probably (for the more common herbs and spices) post recipes. This is going to take me a long time because I found a list of spices from India that is like maybe fifty spices and that is just India. I will try to post a recipe for each spice and I will try to make them so I can tell you how they taste.

Doughnut Heaven

Here is a place I have longed to tell you about, where the doughnuts are better than any I've ever tasted. Where some of the doughnut are the size of dinner plates and where the flavors range from Chocolate with coconut to delicious Glazed. This doughnut heaven goes by the name of Sunny's Donuts, which is located in Pueblo Colorado. This restaurant...nay piece of heaven deserves 6 stars.....ok maybe I am over exaggerating just a little but the donuts are really good and it deserves 5 stars. They are the best store made doughnut I have ever tasted...yes for all you Crispy Cream fans these doughnut are better. There staff is very friendly and always ready to help. They have long johns of every flavor and Cinnamon twist (my personal favorite) and their doughnut holes are to die for. Well I must go so I can go on a hike with the fam, before I go here is the address just in case you belive me and decide to go.

3606 Morris Ave Ste C
Pueblo, CO 81008

Turkey Burger Recipe (Finnaly)

So here it is. This is for one burger but you can cook multiple burgers at a time than add all the toppings! If you remember when I blogged about making this I said it was a diet...hmm I don't like the word diet so lets use healthy....recipe that tasted really good. You do not have to use light hamburger buns or just 1 slice of anything. I added a few more optional toppings than the book (Hungrey Girl 1-2-3 By Lisa Lillien) did so I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 small light hamburger bun
2 lettuce leaves
2 tomato slices
1 raw Turkey burger
1 Slice of Swiss Cheese
1/2 cup sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms(Yum!)
Optional Toppings:Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise(or if watching you heath(or weight) Veganise is very yummy), pickles,onions, bell peppers etc.

Directions:

Split hamburger bun in half and toast lightly (or not) then add all the toppings except the mushrooms and cheese to the bottom half of the bun. Spry skillet/grill then cook turkey burger and when they are done place it on top of the toppings fallowed immediately by the cheese. Respray skillet/grill and place mushrooms in the pan. Cook on medium until tender then place on top of cheese. Enjoy! (I think that it would be very good it you caramelized some onions and bell peppers than add them with the mushrooms. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!)


P.S If anyone has any other ideas than leave a comment. I would really really like to hear them.

Cakecup Catastrophe!

Ok so, I am making 8 dozen cupcakes for my Birthday party tomarrow and as I scooped the first batch into the pan i relized it was really thick. Than my mom noticing the samething looked at the directions an asked me if I put eggs in the batter. I stood hourror struk as I relized I had forgotten the eggs:). That means a complete do over! Well I better start doing the rest. No cupcakes down 8 dozen to go.

Pictures of Pfunky

Pyummy

We are in Tennessee and when Grandmother and Grampa picked us up from the airport we went to this restaurant called the Pfunnky Griddle where you make your own pancakes! When you walk in there is like a waiting area to the right (because unless your whole party is there you have to wait). You go up the ramp and on the wall is newspaper articles, tee shirts, and other things. When you sat down your waiter turned on your griddle and you ordered you pancakes*. It is all you can eat pancakes but you only get one little cup of toppings (you really do not need more than they give you). The toppings are anything from blueberries to M&Ms, they also had powder sugar and sweet spreads such as Peach preserves . There are two types of pancakes regular and than a more health alternative organic 5 grain. My Grandfather made a smiley face using both the batters (picture above, sorry it is upside down) and my cousin was making mini-cakes. We had 7 people and we had our waiter running back and forth, he was always speedy in filling our orders making sure we had drinks and batter. I can only think of 2 things that were bad, 1) the power went out at least once 2) My pancakes would not cook, but I think that was because of the fruit I put in it. I think this restaurant deserves 5 stars. If you are ever in Nashville then I recommend the Pfunky Griddle.


*Don't like pancakes well there is also French Toast, eggs, BLTs, Granola with fresh fruit, and more. Here is the link to the wed site where you can get a full menu. http://www.thepfunkygriddle.com/

The Coffeehouse and Cafe

I have decided that I am going to start reviewing the restaurants I visit.I am in the middle of the mountains, and the two closest towns are South Fork and Creed. Both are very small and do not have many restaurants. Most of the restaurants and locally owned. No Wendy's, Burger King, On the Border, etc for at least 30 minutes not that I'm complaining because the restaurants here are just as good if not better. Anyway we went to this restaurant called The Coffeehouse and Cafe hence the title. When you first walk into the Coffeehouse and Cafe you walk into a small room that has a bulletin board with local announcements and upcoming events. Then you go through another door onto the Cafe. On each table they have cute salt and pepper shakers no two were the same there was corn cobs, watermelon, chefs, ants, and more.They also had a shelf full of books that you could barrow.:) The people were very friendly and made sure you had everything you needed. As for the food it was good. I had a BLT, mom and Em had chicken sandwiches and Jack had a PB and J. If I do say so myself the Tea was amazing. Over all I give them 4 1/2 stars.

Apple Fritter Disaster

Sorry I forgot to post again. Ok so on Sunday I was going to make Apple Fritters and Chocolate Pie. As you can probably tell by the title it did not go so well the first time. Mom cut the apples (because as I told you in earlier posts I need to work on my cooking skills, and it takes me about an hour to cut all three of them) and I did the rest. Well when I finished the batter was a lot darker than it normally is I started to cook them and they would just not corporate and cook correctly so I did it again. As I started to mix the dry ingredients I realized that I had used Baking Soda instead of Baking Powder but I finally got it right and they were sooo good. This is not the last time I will make a mistake. As for the Pie well I was not able to make it by the time it would of been done Dad would have to go back home and he would not be able to eat it which was the whole point so I will make it on Saturday.

Happy Fathers Day

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all those wonderful fathers out there.I hope you enjoy the day devoted to you. I am spoiling my Dad with apple fritters for breakfast and Chocolate Pie for dessert. I have made apple fritters only twice before but they are soooo good. The Pioneer Woman is behind this delicious treat. I have also made donuts from her recipe. I have not tried one thing on her web site I did not like. Here is the link to her web site and apple fritters. I strongly recommend her cooking tips and recipes. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/apple-fritters/ . I do not think this will show up as a link so just copy and past it. The Chocolate Pie is a Hersey's recipe and I use the Pioneer woman's recipes for chocolate curls. I have never made either of those before so cross you fingers.

French Fries Complete

So I just had our (meaning mine and moms) French Fries. THEY WERE SOOOO GOOD. This is how you make them. First you peel and cut the potatoes into french fry shape. Then as I said in the last soak the French Fries for at least 30 minutes or more. Then you fry the French Fries in oil not once but twice and salt them in between frying. Mom said it was an Emerald recipe. So you could look it up on line. You have to try them, they were amazing.

French Fries in Progress

Today we are making French Fries. I just finished cutting the potatoes in to fries. I am not going to lie but they were horrible. I really need to work on my cutting skills. After you peel and cut the potatoes, you let them soak in water, I guess to get some of the starch out. (This is were I am.) Then you fry the French Fries. French Fries aside, tomorrow is Fathers Day and I have two dishes to make for Dad. Apple Fritters (from scratch of course) and a Chocolate Pie with homemade chocolate curls (Dad loves chocolate).I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. I just got my own copy of Hungry Girl so I will be posting recipes shortly. Now while the French Fries soak I will go work on the fort with my siblings, and then go fishing (the French Fries have to soak a long time).

Friday and Saturday

Sorry I have not posted but I keep forgetting. So let's catch up over the last couple of days. Friday morning I made another Hungry Girl recipe. It was a French Toast Casserole with apples. Granny and Papo LOVED it, Jack and Emily hated it and I well I thought it was OK.Mom and Dad arrived Friday afternoon and we had burgers and hot dogs. Then after dinner we went up to the pavilion and roasted marshmallows. YUM! Then on Saturday morning I made yet another Hungry Girl recipe. This time it was a Frittata, and if I do say so myself IT WAS DELICIOUS. It had bacon, 3 different types of cheeses, and you'll never guess apples. It was soooo good. I would post the recipes but Granny took the cookbook with her. Oh well I will get another copy and then post the recipes. Well lunch is waiting, Tuna YUM!

Turkey Burgers, Chicken, and Root Beer Floats

It was to late yesterday to blog about what I cooked so I will do that now. We are at the cabin and mom is not here therefore I am the hostess, I cook (with some help from Granny) and clean (I have help with that too). Yesterday I made Turkey Burgers with lettus, Swiss cheese, tomato, mayo and/or mustard and ketchup,onion and mushrooms. I was surprised hoe much the turkey burgers tasted like an actual burger. Of coarse there was a difference the turkey burgers tasted less greasy and they tasted like well like turkey. This was a Hungry Girl Recipe in other words diet food, but you would NEVER know it was so good. Then for dinner I made a Chicken with tomatoes on a bed of rice. Another Hungry Girl recipe and again delicious. The tomatoes were just full of flavor and the chicken was tender and the garlic and onion gave the chicken just the right taste. Then we mixed the chicken with rice. It would of been better with pasta, but everyone loved it the way it was. Then after a couple games of Jenga we made Root Beer Floats we used IBC Root Beer which is the best kind. I will post recipes shortly.

The Road

Becoming a pastry chief and opening my own business will be tough and not everything will go exactly as planned but with Gods help, and of coarse the support of my friends and family I am going to get through it. If I can do it than anyone can. Now I know what you are thinking pastry school is not like for 5 years but for now I will just post stuff I make, recipes and any adjustments I would make to the recipes.