November 30, 2011

Kim's Homemade Egg Noodles





Friend's Week continues here on the Mrs - and with today's installment comes a treasured recipe from my friend Kim Karnes.  She was in the process of making her homemade egg noodles as part of her Thanksgiving tradition  handed down to her from her mother when I asked her to share it here.  

"Growing up, I remember sitting in the kitchen helping my mother make homemade egg noodles for Thanksgiving.  What I remember most about the holiday is spending time with my mom talking & baking.  Now as I am grown & living in another state, I can't help but smile knowing she is making her noodles & I am making mine - and we are both remembering those special times together." ~Kim Karnes








Kim's Homemade Egg Noodles

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1/4 cup water


Instructions:


In a large bowl combine the flour & the salt.  Make a hole in the flour, like the center of a volcano.  Crack the eggs into the hole.  Now use a fork to mash the eggs and flour together making a coarse and crumbly mixture.  Add water.  Mix again until you have a nice, stiff dough.  Knead the dough for a few minutes to get it nice & smooth.  You may need to dust it with flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.  When you are satisfied with your ball of noodle dough, cover it with a tea towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.  This is to relax the gluten in the dough, making it easier to roll out.

After the dough has rested, laying it on a pastry cloth or waxed paper.  Using a rolling pin, roll it out to thinner than a pie crust.  After getting the dough as thin as your patience and arm muscles suggest.  Let it rest again to let it dry slightly if you have the time.  It is easier to cut after letting it rest for about 2 hours, but I always cut it right away with a pizza cutter.  Use your best judgement in that regard.  However you do it, make squares or rectangles about 1/4 inch wide.  Remember they will swell up as they cook, so make them smaller than you think you should. 

To cook the noodles, drop them in boiling water or bouillon from cubes.  If some meat is in with the broth, so much the better.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the noodles are tender enough for eating.  If you want to make these ahead put in the freezer for about an hour (flash freeze) and then put them into a freezer bag back into the freezer until you're ready to use them.  I like to boil them in the broth and then make the broth into gravy & serve them that way.


MrsHappyHomemaker

Make sure you check out all the great blog parties that I link with!

November 29, 2011

Becky's Easy Peasy 2-Ingredient Cheese Ball





Friend week is continuing on, and today's recipe is brought to us all by my friend Becky Romines.  Becky is as sweet as they come - and when I asked her to volunteer a recipe, she was quick to the task with one of her most requested recipes, her cheese ball.  

"We all like something quick and easy we can whip up, especially during the holidays. You can't get much easier than this. I've been making this cheese ball for over 20 years and people always want the recipe. The funny thing is, people have called me and asked how to make it.  I'll tell them 'cream cheese, Italian dressing mix', and then they'll say, 'what else?'.....when I tell them that's it, I always get the same response...'That's it?....Really??' Like I said, can't get much easier!" ~Becky Romines







Becky's Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

  • 2 8oz. packs cream cheese
  • 2 packets Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix (Regular or Zesty)



Instructions:

Soften cream cheese just enough so that you can roll it and work with it.

Press the 2 blocks of cream cheese together, using 1 pack of the dressing mix, sprinkle a little at a time onto the cream cheese, then fold the cream cheese over and sprinkle some more, keep doing this until you've used 1 whole pack of the dressing mix and have mixed it all through the cream cheese.










Next, roll the cream cheese into a ball. Now sprinkle the other pack of dressing mix onto a plate or a piece of wax paper or foil, and roll the cheese ball all around in it to coat the outside of it.










Serve with Wheat Thins and Triscuits, or crackers of your choice.










MrsHappyHomemaker


Make sure you check out all the awesome blog parties that I link with!!!

November 28, 2011

Menu Plan Monday 11/28/2011




I totally meant to post the week's menu plan this morning - but sick babies ruled my day today.  Here's what my week's dinner menu is looking like.













Firecracker Chicken Legs, Pasta Salad, Avocado Cream Eggplant

Ham & Bean Soup (with leftover ham/hambone from Thanksgiving)

Best Ever Brunswick Stew (made with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!)







MrsHappyHomemaker

November 27, 2011

Makin' You Crave Monday




Welcome to another addition of Makin' You Crave Monday!  I hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving, and enjoyed those Thanksgiving leftovers too!  

Thank you all who linked up last week - everything looked so good!  Here are my favorites.  There is a featured button in the sidebar you can grab if you like.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes from Lady with the Red Rocker






Maple Cinnamon Butter from Crumbs & Chaos






I can't wait to see what you all have to bring to the party this week!  So, let's get it going!

The rules are simple:
  1.  Link up your actual blog post url, not your homepage.
  2. You must follow this blog on at least one network (i.e. Google,FacebookTwitter, etc)
  3. A link must be made back here from your blog post or you can grab the button to display on your page from the sidebar.
  4. Leave a comment after linking.
  5. You may link up as many recipes as you like
  6. Visit other links in the blog party & leave a comment.


MrsHappyHomemaker


Marty's Micro Baked Beans





It's another day in Friend's Week here on the Mrs!  Today's recipe is brought to us all by my good friend, Marty Babb with one of her most requested recipes - Micro Baked Beans. After taking a bite of them, no one would be able to guess that they were made in the microwave. 

So, let's hand it over to her now!






"An old friend gave me this recipe a long time ago.  Everyone loves it!  It is super easy, but it so SO good.  Enjoy!"  ~Marty Babb


Marty's Micro Baked Beans

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans of Van Camp pork and beans
  • 3 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions:

Microwave the bacon & onion for 4 minutes, then add the rest   of the ingredients & microwave for 10-13 more minutes - depending on how thick you want the sauce.  

*I usually double this recipe for the holidays








MrsHappyHomemaker

November 26, 2011

Regina's Strawberry Pie




Today begins what I am calling 'Friends Week' here on the Mrs.  I have asked several of my friends to provide one of their favorite recipes to share with all of you here.  These lovely friends of mine graciously accepted, and went to work preparing the recipes & doing a little food photography.  

Don't cha just love good friends?   

Today's recipe is from my friend Regina Coker.  This isn't Regina's first recipe here though.  Ya'll might remember her grandmother's wonderful recipe for fruit salad a while back.  She is a great cook, and a pie perfectionist!  So, what more fitting for her to share today than a pie recipe?

Take it away, Regina!




"Now you can have strawberry pie any time of year and not just when strawberries are in season!  This recipe is unique, because it uses frozen strawberries.  I got this recipe over twenty years ago from a lady at my church.  Over the years, I have modified it slightly making it the perfect recipe to make any occasion special." ~Regina Coker







Regina’s Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
  • 16 oz. bag frozen whole strawberries
  • 1 3-oz. strawberry gelatin
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 cups strawberry juice/water
  • 1 deep-dish baked pie shell
  • whipped cream

Instructions:


Cut strawberries in fourths while still frozen.  Thaw strawberries in a strainer over a bowl to capture the strawberry juice.  (There will only be a small amount of juice.) In a 3 qt. saucepan, mix gelatin, sugar, and cornstarch.  Put the juice from the strawberries into a 2-cup measuring cup and finish with water to equal two cups.  Gradually add the juice/water mixture to the saucepan, and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture is boiling and is clear and thick.  Set aside and let cool until mixture is at room temperature.  Add the thawed strawberries.  Pour into a baked pie shell.  Refrigerate 2-3 hours.  Top with whipped cream before serving.

*I buy a 32 oz. bag of frozen, whole strawberries and use half of it.




MrsHappyHomemaker

November 25, 2011

Black Friday Magazine Deals Starting at $2.99/year


Discount Mags has a ton of great deals on magazine subscriptions starting at just $2.99 for each one.  I snagged Everyday with Rachael Ray for just $3.99 myself.  Check out their selections - there is something for everyone!


MrsHappyHomemaker

November 23, 2011

Herb Butter





This herb butter is an excellent accompaniment to fresh bread & even more wonderful rubbed on a chicken or a turkey!  Matter of fact, it's my secret for obtaining a flavorful & moist turkey every year.  This recipe makes enough to thoroughly cover a 20 pound bird.  






Herb Butter

Ingredients:
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced 
  • 1 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper


Instructions:


Combine all ingredients, and mix well.  

If you are using on a turkey or a chicken - stuff about 3 tablespoons of the herb butter under the skin of each breast - and rub the rest all over the bird.  I like to do this 8-12 hours in advance to give it some time to absorb the flavors before roasting.




MrsHappyHomemaker

November 22, 2011

Cranberry Sauce




I really think that some people are intimidated by the thought of making cranberry sauce from scratch, and instead - they open up a can of it.  With only 4 ingredients, & 20 minutes of time - there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.








Even if you are a fan of the can, you should try this out. Who knows - it might just win you over.

You will need-




Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:


  • 12 ounces cranberries
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • chopped pecans to taste (optional)

Instructions:

Combine the sugars & orange juice in a saucepan & cook on medium until the sugar is dissolved.

Add in the cranberries, and cook 10-15 minutes on medium heat, stirring every so often - until the cranberries start popping. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Refrigerate until time to serve.  

This can be made 48 hours in advance.






MrsHappyHomemaker

November 21, 2011

Black Friday Deals Week on Amazon!




Today marks the start of Black Friday Deals Week on Amazon!  I went out for Black Friday last year & also shopped on Amazon, and I got WAY better deals on Amazon.  This year, I'm staying home & watching those lightening deals.  

Amazon is attempting to meet & beat all the competitor ads, so watching the Amazon Black Friday Deals this whole week will be extremely benefitial!  They will have great deals all week & then on the 'official start' of Black Friday, they will get even better.  

Sometimes they can go fast, so BOOKMARK THIS PAGE & check back often!



MrsHappyHomemaker

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