Get your bookmarks ready, girls, because I do I have a site for you...

I've been a fan of The Pioneer Woman for a long time. Well, since I discovered her this spring. But it's been such a wonderful few months, I feel like we're BFFs.

Seriously, this woman is amazing. Not only does she homeschool her four kids on a million acres of a working ranch with her husband ("Marlboro Man"), she keeps five blogs at the same time. Well, it's one blog, but it's divided into five sections (Confessions, Cooking, Photography, Home and Garden, and Homeschooling) which are all updated regularly... pretty much daily. With humor. And detail. And gorgeous pictures to boot.

How does this woman have time to do laundry??

Today, she topped it all. She now has an additional website, Tasty Kitchen, that features recipes from her readers. It's a gorgeous site, and I've already found tons of recipes I want to try.

Click at your own risk.

http://thepioneerwoman.com

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen

You'll fall in love with Ree.

PS She also has incredible give-aways, so watch her site for chances to win Kitchen Aid mixers, Nikon cameras, Photoshop, Amazon gift certificates... Just be prepared to compete with her 10,000 other readers. (note: that is not an exaggeration of numbers!)

Blueberry Coffeecake Scones

I am a big scone lover. They were the first thing I baked from scratch after moving out of my parents house. (Isn't it funny how you remember things like that?)

I'm having some girlfriends coming to visit from home in a couple weeks, so I knew I wanted to make a batch of scones while they're here. Since I haven't made this version before, I wanted to do a test run - and they turned out great!

The 'dough' mixture is really a thick batter (very wet & sticky). The best way to describe it is a free form coffeecake cut into wedges. So it's probably not technically a 'scone' but still good.

Makes: 8 wedges
Source: Simply Scones

Ingredients
For the Scones:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed, drained frozen blueberries (I used fresh)

For the crumb topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Light butter an 11-inch diameter circle in the center of a baking sheet. (I used a baking stone)

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I was lazy and just put it in the kitchen aid mixer.)

2. In a small bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and lemon peel. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky. Gently stir in the blueberries.

3. With lightly floured hands and board, knead a couple times (I used almost 1/2 cup of flour when kneading) and pat the dough into a 9-inch diameter circle in the center of the prepared baking sheet.

4. To prepare the topping: in a small bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender, cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the dough to cover. Press crumb topping lightly into the dough.

5. Cut the circle into 8 wedges (but do not separate them). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the scone comes out clean.

6. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool. Re-cut into wedges, if necessary. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

I'm breaking the silence! :)

This recipe is super simple and you probably have most, if not all the ingredients in you pantry. It is a large amount of food to make for a side dish, so I froze half of it.


Ingredients
1 (2 lbs.) package of hash browns, thawed (I used fresh potatoes, shredded and drained)
1 stick of butter, melted
16 oz. sour cream
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
16 oz. (4 cups) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
Preheat oven at 300 degrees.

1. Mix all ingredients together except 2 cups of cheddar cheese.
2. Place the mixture in a 9 x 13 inch pan and bake for 50 minutes.
3. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake for 10 minutes.

Source: cooks.com

Next to my BBQ chicken

Silence

Well, our page appears to be dead lately. And sadly I have nothing to add to it at the moment.

Hey Kristi, where are you and what are you doing?! ;o)

I just got our mom all set up to start posting her delicious recipes, so hopefully she'll be joining us soon.

Shortcake Drop Biscuits!

I just made strawberry shortcake with our farmer's market strawberries. Does any dessert say summer like strawberry shortcake? Reminds me of summers as a kid when Mom would make the best strawberry shortcake ever, often with strawberries from our very own garden. Mom used the Bisquick recipe though, and I've long since stopped buy Bisquick. So I altered a regular biscuit recipe to come up with this!

Shortcake Drop Biscuits for Strawberry Shortcake

3 c flour

4 t baking powder

heaping 1/2 t salt

5-6 T sugar

3/4 c butter

1 c milk of your choice

Mix flour, powder, salt and sugar together. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Make a well in the flour mixture, add milk all at once. Stir with fork until just moistened. Drop by spoonfuls (or forkfuls) onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 10-12 biscuits. Top with sweetened strawberries and their syrup and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Sadly we had no whipped cream or ice cream tonight, but these were still delicious! And if you run out of strawberries just drizzle some honey on top. Sooooo good!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This recipe is from my cousin Elaine and it's always been a big hit so I thought I'd give it a shot for a reunion we have going on today.

For Salad:
1 lb fresh spinach (2-10 oz bags)
1 pint strawberries slice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (I like sliced almonds)

For Dressing:
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp poppy seed
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp powdered onion

To prepare:
Combine all dressing ingredients EXCEPT poppy in a blend until thickened slightly. Add poppy. Just before serving, pour dressing over the mixture of spinach, strawberries, and pecans.

***My [her] personal preference is to pour the dressing over the salad at least an hour before and let it soak in. This really doesn't serve too well the next day after sitting in the dressing and this is a very big recipe. Don't make more than you can eat the same day.***

Copy That! - Olive Garden Salad

This salad is so good!

I now live in a place where there are no Olive Gardens (I know, hard to believe), and my favorite part of going there was the salad. So I was very excited when I saw this recipe in the newest Food Network magazine (June/July 2009). My husband and I both really liked the homemade version, but he thought it tasted like the real deal, and I thought it was so close but something was missing. Either way, it's a great summer salad!

Serves 4.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Miracle Whip
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

For the salad:

• 1 10-ounce bag American salad blend (I actually just used Romaine)
  
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 small pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini (I used sliced,mild banana peppers, chopped)
  
• 1 small vine-ripened tomato, quartered
• 2 tablespoons sliced black olives (I used about 10 whole black olives, but I REALLY like black olives)
  
• 1/2 cup large croutons
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine all the dressing ingredients and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.

Place the salad blend in a large bowl and top with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing, and toss.

The Smart Shopper

If you've ever ran back and forth across the grocery store because your list isn't in any order (like I used to), then you NEED this. It's the smart shopper. I got this as a birthday gift from my husband, and loved it, so I figured I would share it with you. It may sound like a boring gift, but I asked for it for Christmas and didn't get it, so I was very excited when I opened it!

You speak into it what you want to add to your list. You can even change the amount, like 5 apples and 1/2 lb. ground beef. It categorizes your list and you print it off. You can even add items that aren't already programed into it, which it comes with 2500 items pre-programed. You can also put errands on your list as well, like going to the dentist, get gas, etc. You can mount it to your kitchen wall or it's magnetic, so just hang it on your refrigerator!

Here it is!

And Voila! You have your shopping list.

It really makes my grocery shopping experience a lot easier and faster.

Pretty Salsa

I like my salsa chucked full of goodies. It makes it look pretty too!

Ingredients:
3 small to medium tomatoes - chopped
1 can black beans - rinsed and drained
1/2 can corn - drained
1 jalapeno pepper - seeded and chopped
1 small red onion - chopped (I didn't have red so I used a sweet onion)
1 to 2 tsp Cumin
1/4 cup lime juice

Mix all together and enjoy.

Tiramisu

The Italians are geniuses! They figured out a way to have their dessert, coffee and nightcap all on one plate; and it's delicious! Most of you don't know me, but I am Italian, my last name is not, but my grandmothers maiden name is Galardi, okay..... :)

I love, love, love this recipe!! I only really make it a couple times a year, but I should make it more often. It's great for company or a crowd. I know most Tiramisu recipes have raw egg in it, but this one does not. It can also be halved very easily, I just never have. Enjoy!!


Servings: 12-15 servings
Source: adapted from "Young and Hungry" by David Lieberman

Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound (16 oz.) mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup superfine sugar
3-4 cups very strong brewed coffee, cooled
2 packages of ladyfingers (it's about 48 to 50 ladyfingers)
3-5 tablespoons white rum
cinnamon
unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Beat the heavy cream, mascarpone, vanilla extract, and sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until mixture holds soft peaks.
2. Dip ladyfingers in the coffee for a second or two, just enough to moisten them, but not enough to soak them. Line the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch pan with them.
3. Using a pastry brush, dab each ladyfinger with some rum.
4. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture on top of the ladyfingers and smooth out in a even layer.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and a generous layer of cocoa powder.
6. Make another layer of ladyfingers, dab them with rum. Spoon the rest of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and sprinkle with cinnamon and cocoa powder.
7. Make up to a day in advance (but at least 4 hours) and keep in the fridge.
8. Serve cold right from the pan.