Fun with Family at the Farm

A great time was had by all. Nikos went paint balling for the first time. We visited all the animals and enjoyed some great food.

Foodie Friday ~ Happy Thanksgiving

And here it is.........my 20 pound bird! Delish:)

Foodie Friday is presented by Gollum at

"Designs by Gollum"

visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~Italian Mellocello

Back in September I started this drink. Remember when I posted about it back in October. Well my drink is finally complete. Back in September this is what I did.....

Italian Mellocello

20 Lemons

2 (750 ml) bottles Everclear

5 vanilla beans

6 cups water

4 cups sugar

For this recipe you also need a 2-3 litre glass jar with a sealed lid. The jar should be washed and rinsed very well or sterilized in the dishwasher. You will also need the bottles you want to put the final brew in. I ordered my online with corks and sleeves.

Step 1

Wash and dry the lemons. Only use the ones without blemished peels or pare off any spots and the stems ends. Remove the peel from the lemons with a sharp peeler, carefully avoiding the bitter white pith. If any white pith remains on the back of a strip of peel, scrape it off. If you get any of the white part in the batch, the Mellocello will be bitter and you don't want that!

Put the peels in a glass jar and add the Everclear. Split and scrap the vanilla beans and add to the jar. Seal tightly. Leave the jar to steep in a cool, dark place until the peels lose their color, at least 2-3 months. Every week swirl the peels around in the jar to mix up the oils in the alcohol.

Step 2

Mix 4 cups sugar with 6 cups water in medium sauce pan. Bring to boil. Let cool, then add to step 1 mixture.

Strain out the lemon peels and vanilla through a coffee filter or cheesecloth and pour the Mellocello into another container. Press down to remove all the vodka and oils that you can from the peels before tossing them in the trash.

Stir the liquid with a clean plastic or wooden spoon.

Put the liqueur in clean bottles, seal tightly and leave the finished bottles for a least 1 week before using.

For best flavor and drinking it straight, store the Mellocello in the freezer. It won't freeze because of how much alcohol is in it and it's wonderful ice cold.

Wash and dry 20 lemons

Remove the peel with a sharp peeler. Be careful not to take any pith.


Split vanilla beans and scrape out seeds.

Two bottles of Everclear

Put all in a bottle. I put my bottle in my pantry. Once a week I gave it a shake.

Add sugar water.

Clean bottles are ready.

Place cheesecloth on the top and strain out the liquid into another jar.

Ready to bottle.

Here is my finished product. I made my own labels. Put the cork on and used a hair dryer to put the sleeve on. Place it in the freezer because you want to drink it ice cold. I am so glad it is ready to drink for Thanksgiving.

It's a good batch this year:)

Foodie Friday is presented by Gollum at
"Designs by Gollum"
visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Bacon & Egg Breakfast Pizza

I got this recipe from the Food Channel recipes. The original recipe was called "Applewood Smoked Bacon & Egg Breakfast Pizza". I changed it around and this is what I came up with. Hope you like it as much as we did:Make your dough.
Roll it out.
Get your pans ready with cornmeal.
Fit the dough into the individual pizza pans.
Add ingredients and bake.

Add the eggs.

Add the cheese.

Ready to eat and so much fun to make.

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:
Betty Crocker Pizza Crust Mix
Cornmeal for dusting
Olive oil, as needed
½ cup Fresh Tomatoes - chopped
1 cup Fresh Spinach – optional
9 Slices Bacon – crumbled (baked in a 350 degrees oven for 20-25 minutes)
3 Green onions – sliced
3 – Eggs
Cheddar Cheese
Pepper
½ cup Fresh Tomatoes – chopped
Directions:
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Make pizza dough per package. Divide dough into 3 pieces; roll or hand stretch each into a 7-inch crust. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal and arrange cornmeal side down, on individual pizza pans.
Combine butter and spinach in small nonstick skillet and sauté over medium heat for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until just wilted; reserve. (I didn’t have spinach at the time so I skipped)
Spread olive oil lightly on the dough. Sprinkle bacon, onions and tomatoes around outer edge of each pizza (leaving center open for egg). Bake for 4 minutes. Remove pizza from oven.
Gently pour cracked egg in center of each pizza. Cook until eggs are the way you want them. About 5 or 6 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Foodie Friday is presented by Gollum at

"Designs by Gollum"

visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Pulled Pork Barbecue ~ Baked Pumpkin ~ Pumpkin Pie Bites

This is what I made for Halloween Dinner. It was fabulous. I put the pork butt in the oven at 6:30 am Saturday morning. It made the whole house smell wonderful!

Pork Roast in the oven and then shredded.

I used the "Slider" buns from Pepperidge Farm. This is the first time I saw them. I have been looking for them for months. Very yummy and perfect for my sandwiches!

Pulled Pork Barbecue
Recipe courtesy ~ Tyler Florence
Dry Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt

1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup yellow or brown mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pan drippings from the pork

12 hamburger buns
1 recipe Cole Slaw, recipe follows

Mix the paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hours, or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it's falling apart.
White the pork is roasting make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you're ready for it. When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While it's resting, deglaze the pan over medium heat with 3/4 cup water, scrapping with a wooden spoon to pick up all of the browned bits. Reduce by about half. Pour that into the saucepan with the sauce and cook 5 minutes.
While the pork is still warm, you want to "pull" the meat: Grab 2 forks, Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir it all up well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.
To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun, and top with some slaw.

Cole Slaw:
1 head green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped
1 fresh red chile, sliced
1 1/1 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cups Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Several dashes hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the cabbage, carrots, red onion, green onions, and chile in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to mix. Season the cole slaw with the celery seed, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

I just loved my Halloween flowers. They had sparkles on the purple flowers. As you can see.......I also made homemade Carmel Corn. If you are interested my Carmel Corn recipe is from a past post.

This is the homemade slaw to go on top of the pulled pork.

Pie pumpkins cut in fourth. Add butter, brown sugar, nuts and pumpkin pie spice. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes.

These are "Pumpkin Pie Bites". I got the recipe from Bakerella.

Pumpkin Pie Bites

2 refrigerated ready-to-roll pie crusts

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use circle cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkins shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.

Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crust don't overlap each other.)

Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture into each pie crust.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.

Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

Then I added whipped cream on top.

Foodie Friday is presented by Gollum at
"Designs by Gollum"
visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Pumpkin Pancake with Brown Sugar Bacon

Halloween Morning Breakfast:)

Recipes:

Brown Sugar Bacon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 pound sliced bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large plastic zip-top bag, combine brown sugar and mustard. Add bacon and toss to coat.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. (I place parchment paper on the top also. Then it does splatter the oven-no mess) Place a cooling rack on the lined baking sheet. Put bacon on rack and roast in oven for 20-25 minutes. Let drain for a few minutes on the rack and serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pumpkin Pancake

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 cup pecan halves

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs, separated

2/3 cup buttermilk

1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (I didn't)

Maple syrup, for serving (I warmed it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small dish and set aside. reserve the skillet for the pancake.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. In a large bowl, add egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Gently spoon the batter into the reserved skillet. Sprinkle the top of the pancake mixture with the reserved pecan mixture. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.

Happy Halloween:)

Foodie Friday is presented by Gollum at

"Designs by Gollum"

visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Savory Chicken Pot Pie

Did you ever see Rodney Henry cook on the Paula Deen show? I happen to watch him a couple of weeks ago. He made this Savory Chicken Pie. It was amazingly good. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Place carrots and potatoes on sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast until caramelized.

Mix chicken juice from roasting pan with heavy cream and flour.

Add frozen corn and peas.

Pull the chicken meat off the bones and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Rodney's recipe has instructions for his homemade crust.......I used Pillsbury.

Adding the roasted carrots and potatoes into the filling.

Ready for the oven.

Like I said, it was amazing:)

Savory Chicken Pie

Ingredients:

3 whole carrots, peeler and chopped

2 Vidalia onions, quartered

1 (5-pound) whole chicken

1/4 cup salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 stick butter, softened

2 springs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh sage

Filling:

1 cup sliced carrots

4 red potatoes, sliced thin

3/4 cup corn

1/2 cup peas

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening

2 cups cold water

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

For the chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stuff onions and carrots into the cavity of the chicken. Rub salt, black pepper and butter into skin of chicken. Place rosemary sprigs under the skin and place into a roasting pan. Place sage on top of chicken and roast for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool.

For the filling:

Place carrots and potatoes on sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Place into the preheated oven and roast until caramelized.

When chicken has cooled, discard the onions, carrots, sage and rosemary. Pull the chicken meat off the bones and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place into a large bowl with chicken juice from roasting pan along with potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, heavy cream and flour. Mix together well. Set aside for crust. *Cook's Note: Filling will be thick.

For the crust:

Knead all ingredients together in a large bowl, slowly adding the water. Divide into 2 pieces and roll out on a lightly floured work surface. One will be the bottom crust, the other the top. Place 1 piece of dough into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish. Add filling and top with the other piece of dough. Crimp the edges together with a spoon or a fork. Brush the top crust with melted butter and bake in a 425 degree oven for 50 minutes.

I am thinking I could use this recipe for the left over turkey at Thanksgiving:)

Foodie Friday is presented by Gollum at
"Designs by Gollum"
visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)