Mushroom, Leek, Chicken Sausage and Tortellini Soup

The Goods:
Ingredients


2 T olive oil
2 packs assorted mushrooms
2 large leeks, cleaned, and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups Vegetable Stock
4 chicken sausages, sliced in 1/3-inch rounds
1 (9 ounce) package cheese tortellini
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Cook It:
1.Place the olive oil in a skillet, and heat over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms and leeks; cook and stir until they soften, about 5 minutes. Set aside until needed.

2.Meanwhile, pour the chicken broth and vegi stock into a large pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, garlic, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the mushrooms and leeks. Cover, and simmer soup mixture for 30 minutes.

3.  Add tortellini and cook 4-5 min (or as directed on back of package)

Umm...Bailey's!

Need I say more?

Turkey Day Stuffin'

This year I am making the Turkey Day stuffing.  To me the stuffing is absolutely the most critical part of the feast.  A bad stuffing can ruin any Thanksgiving dinner!  Last year, for example, my stuffing was WAY to sweet and ruined the bird and the dinner.  This year I am determined to redeem myself.  I have searched far and wide to find a stuffing fit for the bird that sacrificed himself for my enjoyment.  I remembered a stuffing my step-mom made a few years back.  I was able to procure this recipe (and her modifications) and made a few modifications of my own on the fly at the store...which is no easy task while being trailed by a 2 and 1/2 year old with 2 purses who stops to play dress up in the middle of The Teeter.  Well I will post pics as I go...Wish me luck all you faithful followers out there....
Serves 12
Prep:30min, Stand:24hrs.  Bake:45min


8 tablespoons butter, plus more at room temperature for pan and aluminum foil
1 loaf Italian bread round torn into bite-size pieces
1 loaf Pumpernickle bread round torn into bite-size pieces
3 medium onions, chopped
(3 Celery Stalks if you desire...I can not stant that stuff so I cook without it.)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 Large Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and cut crosswise into thin slices
32 oz reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 oz Vegitable Stock
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage
12 oz
5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. Arrange bread in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake until dried, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions (and celery if desired) season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add apples; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; reserve saucepan.

2.In same saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Remove from heat; set aside.

To onion-apple mixture, add bread, sage, cranberries, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Add half the broth and toss to combine.

Continue adding broth and tossing just until stuffing is moistened but not wet.

3.Spoon stuffing into prepared baking dish; cover with buttered aluminum foil and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.

Place covered baking dish in oven (375), and bake until warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

*NOTE:  Add more liquid than you think.  My dressing tasted GREAT!  But was not a "dressing" consistency.  It was more like lots of fantastic pieces in a bowl, not lots of fantastic pieces all meshed perfectly together.

Elic's Tree

My son Elic was born 2 weeks ago.  My grandfather brought over a dogwood for us to plant for him.  I installed it where the existing pond it.  When I am done with the backyard redux, it will be the focal point of the bio-retention area.

FPF ~ Back Yard Redux

Ok...So as if I did not have enough things on my plate, I decided to go ahead and start work on the back yard design...I have some great ideas and jumped right to work this beautiful weekend!
First off, I am digging a 20x3x5 foot french drain at the edge of the garage.  We have had some drainage issues and this should take care of any water coming across the area.

There is obviously a lot of work to do here.  I need to dig the hole another foot or two deeper, add washed gravel and a perforated pipe with sock cover.  Then more washed gravel and then I can add the permeable pavers that i got from Belgard.

So I needed something to do with all the extra  dirt I had so I decided to start creating the area for my new perennial garden.   I then decided it was time to relocate the existing water feature.  The previous owner located the fountain in a low part of the yard where the back 40 drains into the pool. I plan on moving the pond to the high side of the yard and making the location of the old pond a bio-retention garden.  When It is all done, I plan on having a pond with large waterfall and a stream bed running through the perennial garden to a disappearing fountain.  Lots of work, but it will be worth it.

A veiw from the gate looking at the water fall. The black pot is where the disipearing fountain will go. 

Looking at the waterfall.  I need to build the back up about 5' to create the falls.  A stream will come from the right side and meander to the disipearing fountain.

Its about 4' deep with shelves at differnet heights to put the plants.  I dug it deep enough to be able to have Coy and Goldfish.

    

                   

Home Made Pepper Jelly

What you got to have:

1 C FRESH diced Jalapenos (Food Processor)

1 C Diced Green Bell Pepper (Food Processor)

2 C Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Pouches (3 oz each) liquid pectin

Sterilize:

1. Fill a water bath canner about half full; add the empty canning jars (6 half-pint size) and bring to a boil. Lower heat and leave jars in the hot water.

2. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add the lids; keep hot.

Cook:
1. In a large pot combine vinegar, chopped jalapeno peppers & Bell Peppers & sugar. Bring to a full boil stirring constantly.
2. Stir in the liquid pectin and return to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Ladle into the hot jars and seal.
4. Place the jars in the canner on a rack and add more boiling water to at least 1 inch above the jars.

Serve:
Spoon over Cream Cheese and eat with Ritz or Wheat Thins

Slap Yo Granny Chili

I have made a lot of good (and not so good) chili's.  I decided this year to combine some of my favorites and see what happened.  So what happened?  A chili so good it will make you want to slap your granny...not once...but twice!

What you need
Ingredients (6-8 servings)


1.5 pounds ground beef chuck
2 Spicy Italian sausages
1 (15 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) can chili beans in spicy sauce (1 drained)
2 (28 ounce) cans Whole tomatoes (Drain the juice from one)
    -  Pour in bowl and squish/tear with hands)
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
4 pieces of bacon (reserve drippings)
3 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 cup beer
1/4 C Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon white sugar

To Serve with
1 (10.5 ounce) bag corn chips such as Fritos®
1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese

Directions

1.Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.
2.  Cook Bacon and crumble
3. Saute onion, green pepper, jalapeno, garlic in the bacon drippings until tender
4.  Pour in the chili beans, spicy chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, green bell pepper, Chile peppers, bacon bits, bouillon, and beer.
5.  Add all seasoning
6.  Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
7.  After 2 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day.

4.To serve, ladle into bowls, and top with corn chips and shredded Cheddar cheese