Lemon Cake

 

I tried a new Pinterest recipe today for a Lemon Blossom Cake.  Clay is having some work folks over for dinner tonight I needed to try out a cake to take to my job next Thursday so I baked this beauty.  I mixed 2 parts of the recipe by covering the bottom layer with the glaze and then icing the cake also.  I haven't gotten to try it yet, waiting on everyone to get here tonight, so I will have to update this post later.

 

I took this picture after I glazed the first layer.  The glaze was a little thin and too runny, I think I may have added too much lemon juice.

 

 

I brought in some gardenia blossoms and butterfly bush blossoms to bring some garden beauty inside.

 

We aren't really sure if the bees are going to be ok.  We did a hive inspection 3 days ago and didn't see any larvae or eggs.  There were plenty of bees and lots of honey and pollen, we also saw what looked to be a queen cell and lots of drone bees coming and going.  We are wondering if our queen has died and they have made another one, we will have to wait and see.  I looked at the outside of the hive today and there were lots of bees coming and going and there were bees in the super we added on top but they have not filled out any of the new frames.

 

Our magnolia tree grew a blossom this year, we have GOT to get this baby in the yard  in the fall.  

 

Turkish Borek and Coffee Meringues

 

I saw a recipe for Turkish Borek on the food network show, The Best Thing I Ever Made.  It looked delicious and I couldn't wait to make it.  I didn't have all the necessary ingredients so I ordered the nigella satvia (the seeds on top of the dish) and the aleppo pepper online.  

 

This recipe is similar to spanikopita but the filling is anaheim peppers and spices and ground beef.  It has a crispy, flaky, phyllo dough crust that comes out golden brown.

 

 

After I completed the borek I started on coffee meringues, a recipe that I had seen on pinterest and was very excited about making.  We dug my mixer out of the garage and I washed it up real quick before beginning the meringues. 

 

I gathered my ingredients and began mixing my egg whites into fluffy deliciousness.

 

 

 

Lily waited patiently to see how they turned out.

 

My first attempt at meringues....they look good but how do they taste?  OMG!!!  "Clay, try this and see.  What do they taste like to you?"  Clay said "Something familiar...." 

"Something familiar like soap???"

"OH! yeah that is what it is."

All the meringues went in the trash.  I apparently didn't rinse all the soap out of the mixing bowl when I washed it.  Bust!  Will have to try this again soon sans soap.     

Farmers Market

 

 I picked Sarah up after work today and went to the Mulberry Farmers Market downtown to pick up some groceries.  I had planned on cooking fried rice, stir fry (zucchini/mushrooms/steak) tonight but I needed to pick up some beef so this was perfect.  It was my first time getting to go to the market (one of the perks of now being on dayshift).  I also got some eggs, cabbage, onions, carrots, free-range hangar steak, sourdough bread, and a cranberry bar snack.  It is so nice to be able to plan dinners and come home and cook for us.  

The meat was frozen so I sliced it really thin, I heated pineapple juice and tidbits with Dale's seasoning and cooked the meat to medium well.  Super tasty!  We had finished off the eggs muffins and English muffins this morning so I need to prepare some more eggs tonight.  I also sliced the sourdough bread for our breakfast the next couple of days.   

I had a good day at work, things flowed a little better and are making more sense.  I started doing patient rounds today and it was enjoyable to be back at the bedside more!  I plan on learning peritoneal dialysis later this week and next so that will be exciting.  I am also adjusting to days much better than I thought I would. 

 

 

These eggs are beautiful!  Next week I will get some duck eggs, Clay wants to try them, I have no idea what to expect but we shall see. 

Food at Last!

 

We finally got some delicious Pork stew stuff going.  Smells and looks delicious.  Will post the recipes and the link to the original split log stove tomorrow when clay gives me his recipe and sends me the link.  

*UPDATE- Link to Split log Stove 

Recipe below 

Clay and Fire Friend's Pork Skillet Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 cans of biscuits

2.5 pound of pork cut into cubes

3Tbsp Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 TBSP white vingear

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic

3 cups of ham stock

1 large onion diced

4 stalks of celery chopped

1 pound of Idaho potatoes cubed into small pieces

1/2lb baby carrots

1 pint sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup beer of your choice      

Instructions: 

1. Combine steak seasoning, olive oil, vinegar, and beer and mix with pork.  Let marinate for 1 hour or more.

2. Place vegetable oil in dutch oven and fry the pork until brown then remove pork with tongs or strainer scoop and place to the side.

3. Put in all veggies and let fry for about 2 minutes.

4. Combine all ingredients back in the dutch oven including left over marinade, then top with canned biscuits.

5. Cover and cook for 20 minutes an high heat of Split Log Stove (not that there is any other temperature)

6.  Carefully remove from heat and ENJOY!

 

When this dog crashes she crashes HARD!

Log Stove and Tasty Pear Bread

 

Clay found this idea on his outdoor trader forum and decided to give it a try this weekend.  Eric came down to hang out and they got to work making it happen.

 

I was trying to stay out of the way I just was the waitress bringing things in and out of the kitchen.

 

  I love the way a house looks so cozy and welcoming at night with the lights on inside!

 

Initially it had a hard time getting going but after it started they were good to go.  

 Lily was in charge of supervising the menfolk while they worked.

 

I made 2 loaves today, the one on the left is banana, apple, cinnamon, pecan and the one on the right is banana, pear, cardamom, and almond.

 

I liked the pear one better.  The recipes are as follows and the baking/mixing instructions are the same for both and listed at the bottom:

Apple Cinnamon Bread

DRY

1.5 cups sifted all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1tbsp cinnamon  

1/4-1/2 cup pecans

 

WET

2.5 very ripe bananas smashed

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 eggs 

1 apple finely chopped

Pear Cardamom Bread

DRY

1.5 cups sifted all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1tbsp cardamom

1tsp cinnamon 

1/4-1/2 cup slivered almonds

WET

2.5 very ripe bananas smashed

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 eggs 

1 ripe pear finely chopped

Combine wet and dry ingredients separately in different bowls, add dry to wet ingredients slowly mixing in. Then pour into greased (or pam sprayed) 9 inch bread loaf pans.  Cook at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes until firm.

 

Cooking Bug

Made it back from ATL today and went directly into SPRING CLEANING mode around the house. After lots of laundry, organizing, bill paying, and dusting it was time for the gym. Worked out with the trainer today CHEST, TRICEPS, and SHOULDERS. I was a little surprised when he told me he wanted me to alternate 4 minutes of walking with 4 minutes of running (not jogging, running) repeated 4 times. I have not been running for more than a minute at a time and I didn't want to fail, but I think he has a better idea of what I can do than I realize myself. I am not going to lie, the first set was really hard but then it got easier. After my 4 sets I was at 2.7 miles and I decided I had to get to 3.2 miles so I did another set and completed my 3.2 miles in 42 minutes. I can't wait to keep seeing improvements like this!

I left the gym feeling great (sweaty=great). I am sure people at my neighborhood Ingles wondered why I would visit their store in such a condition. After being gone for 4 nights I needed some vegetable/fruit matter for the house. I picked up some asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, and CHIPOTLE sweet potato fries which I roasted together with a little olive oil and more chipotle flakes and celery salt.

I pulled out 2 frozen tilapia fillets and misted them with olive oil, sprinkled them with dill, and covered them with capers and lemon slices and baked until done. YUMMY and super easy!

I also threw together a broccoli and cauliflower casserole. I added navy beans for some protein, cream of celery, sharp cheddar, brown and wild rice, and 1 egg. In the crock-pot eggplant curry is cooking away. I try and cook ahead when I have a stretch of work coming up so I have items to take for lunch and stuff to eat when I come home in the morning so I am less likely to make poor choices.