Peanut Brittle

Needed:
1-cup sugar
1/3-cup corn syrup
1/3-cup water
1 T butter
1/2 t baking soda
1-cup raw peanuts
Candy thermometer

Boil sugar, syrup, and water together until it forms a hard ball in cold water or reaches 260' on your candy thermometer. Continue cooking, lower heat add peanuts and butter. Cook until peanuts crack and turn brown. Remove from heat add soda and stir until dissolved. Pour quickly into a buttered pan (I use my Silpat for this)and spread evenly. The thinner the better. When cooled crack into smaller pieces. This was my Granny West’s recipe. She made this every year with pecans, peanuts or big shavings of coconut. I am so glad I have her recipe

Homemade Marshmallows

OMG! Who would have thought making marshmallows at home was so easy. I could be honest and say I never knew you could make marshmallows at home. Okay, so I never knew it! Now that I do, I will never buy them! Hot cocoa will never be the same again! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/4 t salt
1 T vanilla and seeds from one vanilla bean
1 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Butter

In your Kitchen Aid Mixer place 1/2 cup of your water, now add the 3 packets of gelatin. Now in medium sauce pan combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Turn heat to medium high and cook but don't stir until your candy thermometer reaches 240'. Now turn your mixer on low and SLOWLY pour in the syrup. Once it is all poured in turn mixer on high and mix for 10 minutes. It will get very thick at this point add your vanilla and vanilla beans. Pour into a heavy buttered 9x13 pan that has been heavily dusted with powdered sugar. I buttered my hands to help smooth out the marshmallow. Once it is smoothed use a sifter and sift about 1 cup of powdered sugar on top. Let cool completely and then cut into any shape you like.

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Chicken Enchilada Soup-Stacey's Way

The weather has cooled down, finally! I know a lot of you may have an enchilada soup recipe but this one is just right for the entire family. My kiddos love things a little on the spicy side so you may need to adjust this recipe if your little ones don't like spicy. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
5 boneless skinless chicken breast-browned and cut into bite size pieces
1 can Hatch Medium enchilada sauce
1 can Hatch Mild enchilada sauce
1 yellow onion-chopped
2 cloves of garlic-minced
2 pounds American cheese-shredded
1 jalapeno-chopped
6 cups chicken broth
2 T chili powder
1 T cumin
Oil
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Corn Tortillas

Brown chicken breast whole in an oil lined soup pot until golden brown. They will will not be completely cooked. Now cut them into bite size pieces. In same pot saute onion, jalapeno, and garlic. I also add my cumin and chili powder at this time to brown it a little. I like the taste better when I "cook" it a little. Now add your chicken back in with the broth and enchilada sauce. Cook for 1 hour over medium heat. Now add in your shredded cheese and cook for 30 more minutes. Serve with sour cream, more cheese, cilantro and corn tortillas.

Italian Soup

Fall is finally in the air on Beaty's Creek and I am so glad it is. I love soup when it starts to cool off and this one is perfect on a crisp Fall evening. All enjoyed this soup and that is a big plus for a family of 5. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


Needed:

5 Italian sausage links- sliced and then browned
1 onion-chopped
6 garlic cloves-minced
2 quarts chicken broth
2 cans Italian tomatoes-undrained
1 package Barilla's cheese tortellini
2 bags Fresh Express baby spinach
3 T dried Italian Seasoning
3 t fresh basil-minced
1 T black pepper
1 T crushed red pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Brown sausage in a deep heavy bottom soup pot with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Once browned, pour in chicken broth, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and red pepper. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Now add add in tortellini and spinach. Cook for 20 more minutes over medium heat but not boiling. The last few minutes put in the basil. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and hot crusty bread.

The Moistest Carrot Cake You Will Ever Eat!!

This recipe is my dad's favorite because it is so moist. Apparently carrot cake is not always moist. This cake is so good the next day right out of the fridge. I love cold cake with a hot cup of tea. My kids love carrot cake because they feel like they are eating a vegetable disguised as dessert. Whatever, we do count this cake as a veggie. Am I a good moma or what?? Did I mention I serve this with liver??? Not really, quit making a face. Give this cake a try the next time you are craving carrot cake. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.






Needed:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 t salt
1 T baking soda
1 T cinnamon
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 large eggs-beaten, I use free range
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup of crushed pineapple

Icing
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
6 T butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powder sugar
1 t vanilla


Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in coconut, carrots and pineapple. Pour batter into pans. Set on the middle rack of oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until edges have pulled away from sides and a toothpick or sharp knife tip inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely.

To make icing, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and slowly sift in the confectioners sugar and beat until mixture is free of lumps. Stir in vanilla at the end. Ice as you would any two layer cake.

Pico de Gallo

I think this is the Mexican form of Bruschetta, except you serve this as a side or with chips and not bread. I like it on eggs, baked potatoes, chips, crackers, and can eat it with just about anything. Give this a try the next time you have some fresh from the garden tomatoes. This is What's (not) Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
5 vine ripe tomatoes-chopped
3 homegrown jalapenos-diced
1 white onion- chopped

Mix all of the ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips or tacos.

Homegrown Goodness--Tomatoes

The best thing out of a garden in my opinion are tomatoes. I have several varieties growing with some old and some new to me. My grandparents raised Jet Star tomatoes and I can still taste those tomatoes warm from the garden. My husband's grandparents raised Arkansas Travelers, this tomato will bear until frost. In addition to the old favorites I also have a few heirloom varieties. One of the heirloom varieties are Big Zebra, a green tomato with darker green stripes that is great tasting. My husband has to close his eyes when eating them though. He likes a tomato to be red and that is all there is to it. The other heirloom I have in this picture is the Old German and it is yellow with pink spots throughout and tastes similar to the Arkansas Travelers. I have some Cherokee Purple growing too but they are not pictured because they aren't quite ready for picking. No matter what variety of tomato you raise, plant a tomato plant and you will be so pleased with yourself and the best tomatoes in the world.


I like tomatoes semi-pure, meaning salt and pepper only. This is What's Cookin (not) on Beaty's Creek today.

Zucchini Bread

My husband does not care for zucchini too much but he does like this bread with cream cheese on it. This bread keeps well in the fridge and taste so good cold! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek on this beautiful morning!

Needed:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 T cinnamon
3 eggs-beaten
1 1/2 cups oil
3 cups sugar
1 T vanilla
2 cups finely grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat eggs and sugar together until creamy looking and now add oil and vanilla. Now is the time to add dry mixture a cup at a time until all is added. Add zucchini and nuts. I baked mine in loaf pans and this recipe will make 3 loaves. Bake at 325' for 1 hour. Let cool completely before removing from pans.

Broccoli Grape Salad

I can eat this salad everyday of the week. It all started when I was prego with baby number 3, Miss Raine, who just happens to be 10 going on 11 right now. I craved this salad so often that I knew that I needed a master recipe, instead of buying my deli out of it each week. The hardest part for me was the dressing but once I mastered that, it was smooth sailing. That is until I started craving Gala apples and Havarti cheese. Did I mention that Havarti cheese is not be found anywhere near Beaty's Creek??? That is another story for another day. Give this salad a try at your next potluck. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 head cauliflower-broke into small bite size florets
1 pound broccoli crowns-broke into small florets
1 pound red grapes-halved
1 pound bacon-cooked until crisp and drained on a paper towel
1 small red onion-diced
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 1/2 cups mayo
1 cup milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t black pepper


Mix mayo, sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and milk together until sugar dissolves and set aside. Now mix all of your veggies and grapes together. Pour in dressing and add bacon and stir very well. Place in fridge for 4 hours before serving. When serving I sprinkle sunflower seeds on top.

Poke Salad

Sounds odd but around here it says SPRING ALMOST SUMMER!! I have always wondered why "Poke Salad" is called "Poke Salad", one it is not a salad and two it is cooked. My dad said it is as close to a salad as the old timers got so who knows?? Poke is really the last of the “wild grown” edibles that we have around Beaty’s Creek until the fall and it is pretty much everywhere. My grandpa use to say Poke Salad was your spring tonic; it may not be tonic but is a spring favorite. We like our "poke salad" with eggs and of course crusty cornbread. My father likes his "poke salad" with vinegar on top and served like you would any cooked green. This is What's Cookin in my Beaty's Creek kitchen tonight. Hold your breath Sal.....

Needed:
1 paper grocery bag full of very young poke tips (I don’t like the stalks boiled, I have a recipe for those later on.)
Water
Salt
1/2 cup Oil
6 Eggs-beaten


Wash poke very good and place in a large pot, cover with water and boil for 3 minutes, now you will pour all of the water off of the poke. Why you may ask???? Well, poke will make you sick if you eat it after the first boiling. Boil again but this time boil it for only 1 minute and then pour off the water and add oil to poke. You will still have a little water in the bottom of the pot, this is fine, salt poke and sauté in oil for about 3 more minutes, now add your eggs. We don’t like ours real eggy but the amount of eggs is up to you. When you add your eggs you will need to stir and stir and stir again, this helps keep everything even and no big pieces of eggs. Cook until all the eggs are set.

Morel Mushrooms--Need I say more???

If you've never had a Morel mushroom you are missing out. Some people like them in cream sauces but here on Beaty’s Creek we like 'em floured and fried! My husband and son are good at finding Morels and really enjoy the “hunt”. If you grew up around Beaty’s Creek, I am sure you've spent part of your springtime hunting for these prized mushrooms. Here is a recipe for frying Morels Beaty’s Creek Style. If you are lucky enough to know what Morels are, you know that these mushrooms (when fresh) are so rich and delicious that words cannot describe. If you have never eaten Morel mushrooms, look online and get cha’ some. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek.


Needed:

25 or more morels-soaked in salt water over night in the fridge (This helps get out any buggies that maybe in the morel.)
2 cups all purpose flour
Salt
Oil
Cast Iron skillet

Drain morels really well and split in half, once split, place in bowl with flour and salt to taste, coat with flour and place in a heated skillet that is covered in 2 inches of oil. Cook until golden brown and drain on paper towels. ENJOY!!

March 14 2018

Still going strong.  I have lost 26 pounds so far, still have a lot to go.  Still having trouble drinking enough but I am improving.  I also started Elevate Coffee and I love it! I  really like Fathead Bread but not in the bread way.  To me, it tastes just like cheese bread from Pizza Hut.  I am working on some pictures so stay tuned.

Minestrone Soup

It's getting cool again on Beaty's Creek and I want me some soup. Nothing is better than a pot of soup on a cold day. Bake some bread and you are good to go. I am making a hard crusty bread to dip in olive oil tonight.

Needed:
1 pound Italian sausage-cut into chunks
1 large purple onion-chopped
4 large carrots-peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks-stripped and chopped
5 garlic cloves-minced
2 zucchini-sliced into 1/2 inch slices and then quartered
1/2 pound green beans-these can be fresh or frozen(I could not find fresh so I used frozen.)
3 quarts beef or chicken broth(Add this as you go, we like it soupy, so we add more.)
1 quart whole tomatoes-smashed(I used home canned)
3 T Italian seasoning(I use fresh in the summer but this time of year I use dry.)
1 T pepper
salt to taste
3 cups cabbage-shredded into 1/2 inch shreds
1 can cannelloni beans-drained
1 can garbanzo beans-drained
1 cup small shaped pasta(I always use different shapes to jazz it up.)
Fresh Parmesan cheese- shredded finely

Brown sausage with onions and garlic until the sausage is no longer pink. This is the time to add your broth, so you can get all the goodies off the bottom of your soup pot, now add the green beans, zucchini, carrots, celery, and both beans. Simmer for 20 minutes and add cabbage, tomatoes, pasta, and all of your seasoning. Cook for 30 minutes, you may need to add a little water if soup gets too thick after adding your pasta. We grate Parmesan cheese over soup in each bowl. This makes a lot of soup but it reheats very well. In fact I usually freeze some for lunch. Give it a try, I know you will like it! Well that is "what's cookin" tonight.

Spring Forward Strawberry Shortcake

I sit here at the computer waiting for my shortcake to cool off so I can dig in. I love strawberry shortcake. My favorite is with Stilwell Strawberries but we are a little early for them yet so I will make do with California strawberries. I think this recipe is the bomb! Try this and you will be a happy you did! That is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
2 cups all purpose flour
4 t baking powder(I use Rumford)
1/2 cup oil(I use canola)
1 cup sugar 1/2 cup sugar for top of cake
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 cup milk

Sift flour and baking powder together into a large bowl and make a bowl in the middle, this is where you will add your sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix as you would pancake batter. I few lumps are fine. Now pour into a 9x13 baking pan and sprinkle a 1/2 cup of sugar on top. Bake at 350' until golden brown, this happens in about 30 minutes in my oven. Cool and serve with with strawberries and whipped cream!

February 17

Well, I am going strong on this Keto adventure.  I have not had bread, pasta, rice or any sweets for over a month now.  I really don't miss anything.  I know that is weird but I really don't.  I have lost 16 pounds but I have a lot more to go....  I am having trouble with getting enough electrolytes.  Everyone must be on this diet in my small town because I cannot find Powerade Zero or electrolytes add-ins.  Other than that I am going strong!

Still Going Strong

January 26 2018
Weight 252


Well, I am down 6 pounds and going strong.   How do I feel you may ask?  Well, I feel pretty darn good.  Just have to get used to eating so much. I know that sounds weird coming from someone at my weight but I really am not a big eater, never have been.  The place I lose control of calories is when my blood sugar gets low and we are talking 30 and below.  At that blood sugar, I have never thought real rational.  I grab whatever and eat until I feel better.  Well with this keto diet I cannot do that.  Just can't but I also cannot die. LOL  So I bought glucose tablets,  not very tasty but they get the job done with just a few carbs.  I really think that is going to help me.  I have been in ketosis and out.  No clue why but I got to a moderate and now I am at a trace.  Something I am working on. 

Things I have made, fat head bread, mashed cauliflower, stuffed peppers, and last night I made pizza with almond flour.  All have been quite tasty.  I am a big vegetable eater and prefer my cauliflower roasted or steamed.  I have recipes I will get on this weekend.

Wish me luck! 

Keto?????

I have debated back and forth with myself for about a year now whether or not to get on the Keto band wagon.  See Ketones in the Type 1 diabetic world is a very bad thing. So me getting use to having "ketones" is a very scary thing.
 
Once I had gotten past that I was good to go.

I will tell you I am not a big eater, even tho I am a fatty.  So this eating breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and then a snack is very hard for me.  Also Fat Bombs???  What the heck, I am eating Fat Bombs to lose weight????  Another big one for me.  Also I don't really like meat...Why am I doing this again?  Yeah because I need to lose weight. I admit it I am not a big water drinker unless you count the water in Coke Zero.....Another big adjustment.  I love beans and those are a no-no too.  Not a big bread eater at all so that is not a problem.  Really not big on sweets either. 

So here I go, if you want to follow this journey saddle up.  I am going to publish my stats too and we will see how things go week by week.


January16-2018
Weight 258
Height 5'3

I will post recipes that I like and the family likes.  They are eating normal so I am still cooking everything I always have too.  Wish me luck!