Rice Pudding

Sometimes rice pudding just hits the spot!

1/2 cup rice

1 and 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, just until rice is tender, about 25 to 35 minutes.
Garnish with a dash of nutmeg

Lazy Girl Cheesecake

My parents brought me several bags of frozen cherries.  The other night, when I opened the freezer door, things began hitting the floor . . . In trying to get the bags back in, the avalanche began again, so, I closed the door and walked away for just a moment to gain perspective.  Clearly the freezer doesn't need to be so full, but I hit overload with deer, etc. and now that I've sent some meat home with my daughter and granddaughter it's time to rearrange again, but . . . I got an idea.

Since a bag of cherries had crashed to the floor as well as two packages of cream cheese, it was time for an experiment.  I used to make wonderful New York Style Cheesecake.  I didn't want a project so involved, so . . . Here is what I did.

I set out the cherries and cream cheese to thaw.  Already two problems solved.  The freezer door was closed and the products on the counter couldn't be worked with until morning.

The recipe is short.
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups cherries (not sweet, but not too tart)
1/3 cup sugar
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325°
In medium mixing bowl, blend together cream cheese, eggs, and 2/3 cup sugar, stir until creamy and set aside.

In a 9 X 9 baking pan sprinkle 1/2 cup crumbs.  Spread the cherries out on the crumbs and sprinkle the 1/3 cup sugar over the cherries.  Scatter the rest of the crumbs over the cherries and sugar.  Pour cream cheese mixture over that.  Bake @ 325° for 40 minutes.  Allow to cool, then refrigerate.

Cabbage Stew

                                          Contributed by Terrie Carpenter

BROWN:
*2 Pounds thinly sliced or ground turkey sausage with 

*1 Green pepper, diced large.
*1 Large onion
*Cloves of garlic to taste (I use 3)
*2 TBS Coconut oil.
Brown until sausage is done.


ADD:
*1 pound carrots, sliced like you like them
*Small head of cabbage, chopped in bite-sized pieces
*Handful of fresh parsley, torn small
*Cook about 20 more minutes, stirring frequently

ADD:
*4 cups diced tomato ( if using canned, also add juice)
*Beef stock to desired juiciness of broth

CONTINUE to cook until carrots don't crunch. On med-low, this takes about two hours. Add broth as desired or needed. Then...
ADD:
*6 medium potatoes, diced bite-sized
*Optional:
*2 cups corn
The longer this cooks, the better it tastes! I often transfer it to a crock-pot for an all-day cooking. It's wonderful served shredded cheddar on top and with a hot crusty bread on the side!

Potato Soup

This is the perfect time of year to enjoy those "one pot wonders" that bring an atmosphere of cozy warmth to the home while stretching the dollar at the store.
Potatoes and celery tend to be "on sale" through this season and potato soup is just warm comfort!

8-10 small to med. Potatoes                             1 Onion
3 Tbsp. Butter                                                   4 stalks Celery        
1 Qt. Milk                                                         Salt & Pepper

Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces.  Dice onion and chop celery. Place vegetables into Stainless steel kettle or Dutch oven and add just enough water to cover.  Add salt and cover. Cook until potatoes are tender.   Add Butter, Milk, and Salt & Pepper. Simmer until Butter is thoroughly melted.  Serve hot or cold.

     This is a wintertime favorite, so I prefer potato soup to be hot.
The best potato soup I have ever made has been through the ice storms. I am sitting here, fireside, writing this recipe by candle light. This is our second ice storm of 2007, the first being in January, and now here it is December. Through power outages, I have resorted to cooking on the grill and keeping the soup warm in front of the fire, and I‘m developing a method. With just a bit of ingenuity, it’s actually quite doable. When the electricity goes off and stays off for more than six hours; we, in this area, prepare for “the duration.” That usually entails something going in one of my steel kettles, since they are so versatile from grill to hearth, and easily preserved for reheating. With the absence of electricity, the next thing that must be considered is the refrigerator inventory. There is an “eating order.“ Canned goods, of course, will last, and the deep freeze will maintain for many days if the door is not opened, so emptying the refrigerator becomes the primary source of food supply. I wouldn’t dare think of opening a can if there is anything besides ketchup in the refrigerator. The first order of business is to consume the contents of the refrigerator that will not last a significantly lengthy power outage, and raw milk has the shortest life expectancy, so it's a matter of “use it or lose it.” After making potato soup with home grown potatoes, real butter, and fresh goat’s milk, I can honestly say, nothing compares.  Farm fresh ingredients are unsurpassed.

Although there is just something quite special about potato soup, fireside, by candle light, this recipe is quite delightful in a fully illuminated kitchen and simmered on the stove, as well.

Hot Fudge Pie

HOT FUDGE PIE
If you love chocolate, then this is for you. It is oh so gooey and delicious.... 
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c all purpose flour
Instructions;
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add cocoa powder, salt and flour and stir until well combined. Grease 8 inch pie pan with butter or cooking spray, pour mixture into pie pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until center is set.

Bagging a Turkey

Regardless of what you celebrate or don't celebrate, turkey is going to be a real bargain in the next couple of weeks.  I raise most of my food here, but turkeys was a one time attempt.  I can't afford to raise my own turkeys and they are work to get them to the table, so I watch for the sale ads and buy a couple of turkeys this time of year.

I don't like dealing with a roaster, not in storing one, or cleaning one, so I use the same glass bakeware that I use when I make lasagna.  Then I slide turkey and pan into a paper bag and staple it shut.  Bake @ 350° for the usual time according to weight.

Dill Pickle Soup

                             Posted by a Contributor:   Cathy

Oh my goodness. THIS. SOUP. I'm completely addicted. I just couldn't stop eating it. It's the perfect amount of sour and savory and the thickness is just right. I'm just in love with it. The kind of love where you want to eat it for dinner and breakfast. I know you get me.

I'm not really sure where my adoration of dill pickles hails from. I do know my Mom ate an entire jar one hot August night when she went into labor with me. And my Dad and I used to eat copious amounts of dill pickle and mayonnaise sandwiches just because we loved them so much. He would have adored this soup. Don't worry Dad I ate enough for both of us.

This is also a quick and easy meal, taking no longer than 30 minutes to make.

I chopped my carrots and pickles with the chopper from Pampered Chef...I know so many of you have one. But don't worry, you can chop with a knife too. The chopper is just faster. You do want the carrots and pickles made a little finer than a regular dice.

For example, if you slice your carrots into coins, chop each coin into 6 pieces instead of the usual four.

Print Recipe

Dill Pickle Soup

Recipe from: Created by Cathy Pollak for NoblePig.com | Serves: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 5-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1-3/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups chopped carrots (smaller dice)
• 1 cup chopped dill pickles (smaller dice ~ about 3 large whole dills)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups dill pickle juice*
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Garnish (optional)

• sliced dill pickles
• fresh dill
• black pepper

Directions

• In a large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots and butter. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add pickles and continue to simmer.
• In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sour cream and water, making a paste. Vigorously whisk sour cream mixture (2 Tablespoons at a time) into soup. (This will also break up some of your potatoes which is okay. You might see some initial little balls of flour form but between the whisking and boiling all will disappear. Don't panic.)
• Add pickle juice, Old Bay, salt (*see below), pepper and cayenne. Cook 5 more minutes and remove from heat. Serve immediately.
• *All pickle juice is not created equal. Some is saltier than others. Taste your soup after adding the pickle juice and final seasonings. It's possible you will not need any salt or would prefer more or less.