Coffee Custard

I was at the end of a long week on the road. It was Friday and I was headed to the airport to fly to Seattle and spend the weekend with Gman and his people.  I left the job fair, opened the trunk of the rental, put the squishy ball I got for Gman into my suitcase and slammed the trunk shut.  With the keys in the trunk. And the doors to the car locked.

I knew the second I let go of the trunk as I was slamming it shut.  I was so upset.  I knew I was going to miss my airplane and then I wouldn't have my time with Gman if I had to reschedule my flight.  I only had a day and a half with him as it was.  I called the car rental office and told them what I did.  They called AAA and had someone come and unlock my car for me.  (It was a little scary how fast it can be done!).  I was on my way and made my flight with time to spare.

So, I chalk it up to one more travel experience I had, and don't have to have again.  And, I didn't cry so I deserve a treat.

I love pudding and custard.  This is an easy dessert when you don't want to bother with much.  You stir everything together, pour into cups or small ramekins and cook them in your crock-pot.  If you like your custard warm, you can put it in right before dinner and this will be ready once the dinner dishes are done.  If you like your custard cold, make them the night before, cover, and refrigerate.  Flavors are easy, once you get the ratio down.  Just remember you want 1 1/4 cup coconut milk, one egg, and two egg yolks.  Then, by adding flavorings, chocolate chips, or coconut flakes you have lots of options.  I love this for breakfast too, so by adding coffee I'm getting my eggs and coffee in one bite!

I like to top mine with a little heavy cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Coffee Custard
1 1/4 cup coconut milk
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sweetener ( I use Swerve)
1 tsp. espresso powder*
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together, pour into 4 small coffee cups or ramekins, place in slow cooker.  Add hot water to slow cooker about 1/2 way up cups.  Place a towel over the top and  cover with lid, the towel helps to prevent water dropping off the lid into the custard cups.  Cook on low for 2 hours or until knife inserted in custard comes out clean.  Remove custard from slow cooker, remove any water that has accumulated on top of custard cups.

*in place of espresso powder add 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa, or 1/4 cup flaked unsweetened coconut and 1/2 tsp. coconut extract, or chocolate chips, or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. maple extract...

4 years ago: Feeling Sorry for Myself and Dried Cherry Muffins
5 years ago: Stacking Wood and Pork Chili
6 years ago: Pumpkin Monkey Bread and the Computer Crash

October 30, 2018  Sunrise 9:32 am  Sunset 5:35 pm  Temp. H 22/ L 10°F

Broccoli Cheese Crock Pot Soup

My dogs are assholes.  Yes, all of them.

Dave is gone for a hunting trip with my brother.  Hershey barks non-stop.  I think he thinks he has to guard the house while Dave is gone, and when Hershey barks, Riley barks, then Tek and Mooree get in on the fun.  The big dogs bark a couple times, but Hershey does.  not.  stop.  So, I got a squirt bottle and filled it with water, when he barks I tell him to stop, and when he doesn't stop, I squirt him.  He is starting to get the message.

Mooree is still an energetic puppy and while I can put up with that, I can't put up with the digging.  Our back yard is all pavers, gravel, wood deck and grass, and there is a gate to the grass the dogs can't get to unless I open the gate to let them run.  We have pulled all the flowers for winter so around the edge of the deck are empty flower boxes.  Mooree has decided he needs to dig in them, get dirt all over the place and then roll in it.  Plus, it has been raining so the dirt is now mud and all the dogs walk through it and into to the house, so my house is a mud pit. I was out in the pouring rain on Saturday sweeping the mud off the deck. And he eats my shoes.

Tek is mean and I got woken up at 4:30 with a jolt because someone (Lily or Mooree) yelped as Tek was getting pissy with them and I had to go running down the stairs into the garage where the big dog kennel is to be sure no one was bleeding. As it is, the little dogs have to kennel separate from the big dogs because Tek made Hershey bleed once.

And Tek is just not my favorite dog.

Riley is refusing to eat.  I actually sit on the floor and spoon feed that damn dog the stewed chicken I make him because he won't eat dog food and he is so underweight the vet said to do anything to get him to eat. Chicken must taste better on a spoon.

Then, while Dave is gone, I worked on cleaning out the dish/exercise room and getting it ready for me to exercise in during the winter.  I purchased some giant foam squares to put on the concrete floor in that room.  I vacuumed and mopped the floor, then laid out the foam squares and put a gate on the door so the dogs can't come in and get it muddy.  Dave is gone and Riley HATES Mooree so I brought Riley into the room this morning, put him on a soft little blanket and started an exercise tape.  Mooree and Tek got into something so I ran to make sure all was well with the house.  When I came back into the room to resume exercising, Riley had pooped right in the middle of the floor on my new foam squares.  So I spent about 15 minutes cleaning up the mess and rearranging the foam squares so I didn't lay down on the pooped one to do my push-ups or sit-ups.  Yes, I did disinfect the area but still, yech.

Lily is the only good dog we have.

After all this energy to take care of my asshole dogs, I am tired.  To help save myself some time with making dinner, I made this dump soup.  You just dump everything in the crock pot and a few hours later (or when you get home from work) you blend it with your emersion blender and dinner is ready.  I always have all the ingredients in my house so I can make this whenever I'm struggling for dinner or lunch.  I made this and had it all week while Dave was gone because 1) it is delicious and 2) Dave doesn't think soup is dinner.  He doesn't know what he is missing.

Broccoli and Cheese Crockpot Soup

1 lb. frozen broccoli
4 cups chicken stock
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup fresh baby spinach

Put broccoli, chicken stock, cream cheese, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in crock pot.  Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours.

Add cheddar cheese and spinach, blend with immersion blender or carefully transfer to blender and puree until smooth.

Top with a little heavy cream (pour some onto a spoon and drizzle onto top of soup) and cheddar cheese.  Enjoy

Makes 6 servings

2 years ago:  Yard Clean Up and Quick Jambalaya

3 years ago:  Carrot Soup and Ducks in the Yard

5 years ago:  Cranberry Shortbread

October 8, 2018   Sunrise 8:22 am  Sunset 6:52 pm  Temp. H 43/ L 29˚F

Shredded Beef

We have had a very warm winter so far.  Only a couple of weeks of -20.  While that is wonderful for the fuel bill, it's not so wonderful for moving snow.  Usually, we don't get much snow in December and January because it is too cold to snow.  This last week it was so warm it rained a bit, then snowed.  And now we have a lot of snow and the temperatures are going to drop.  So, Dave spent a lot of time outside getting all the snow moved.

A cap of snow on the fence.  That all fell in one afternoon and night.
Dave measured 8 inches in one night.

Getting the snow off the pavers, after getting it off the deck.

Shredded beef with onions and peppers.  The perfect stuffing
for tortillas.

After all the cold work, he needed a warm, filling dinner.  I had this shredded beef cooking in the crock pot  for the afternoon and the house smelled warm, spicy and inviting!  It was a delicious way to warm up.

Coconut flour tortillas and ropa vieja.

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

Adapted from The 30 Day Ketogenic Cleanse, Maria Emmerich

1/2 cup beef bone broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. mined garlic

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. Ancho chili powder

1 (2oz.) can anchovies, chopped

1 large tomato, diced

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced onions

2 lbs. beef brisket, cut across the grain into 2-inch-long strips

1 tsp. fine sea salt

Spray slow cooker insert with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray.  Add beef bone broth, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, ancho chili powder and chopped anchovies.  Top with diced tomato, red and yellow bell peppers, and onions.  Place sliced brisket on top of onions with the fat cap on top.  Sprinkle with salt.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the brisket is ffalling apart and shreds easily.  Shred the brisket with two forks, discarding any of the thick fat attached to the meat.  Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with cilantro, green olives, and lime wedges. Serve with salsa, avocado, cheese, and sour cream, if desired.

3 years ago:  Nutella Palmers and the New Dental Hygienist
5 years ago:  Coq-au-vin

January 25, 2018  Sunrise 9:57 am  Sunset 4:09 pm  Temp. H -24/ L -26

Pork Tinga

I love pulled pork.  I love the saucy sweet/spicy flavor.  I always order it when we go to a couple of our favorite restaurants, I never try anything else because I'll be disappointed if the dish isn't as good as the pulled pork.

I make pulled pork at home, but it isn't my husband's favorite.  I don't know what is wrong with him. But, whenever I pull out a pork butt and the crock pot he starts looking for excuses not to eat dinner or to go out!  This time I surprised him.  This isn't pulled pork, it's pork Tinga and it is completely different.

The nice thing is it is a crock pot (mostly) throw and go, so easy for me and oh so tasty!  

At the end of the crock pot cooking time, it is very soupy.  All that is flavor.

Remove the meat with a slotted spoon, I put the meat in my Kitchenaide and let it do the work.  Shredding the pork took about 30 seconds.

The sauce is poured into a pan over medium-high heat and the shredded pork is added to it and cooked until the liquid is evaporated.

Cook until the sauce is gone and the pork begins to caramelize and get crunchy bits.  

This is what you get when I let my husband take a picture.

Dave ate his Tinga on flour tortillas with Queso, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes and a squeeze of lime.  He declared them delicious! Notice, he also snuck some of my pork rind tortilla chips for some crunch under the Tinga.  We had dinner, lunch for Dave the next day, and a container in the freezer for dinner one day when I'm not feeling like cooking.  A total win.

Pork Tinga

Cooks' Country Magazine December 2017

2 lb. boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 (15 oz) can tomato suace

1 onion, chopped fine

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder

salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

For serving:

corn or flour tortillas, or these chips

crumbled queso fresco

fresh cilantro leaves

sour cream

diced avocado

lime wedges

Combine pork, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, chile powder, 1 tsp. slat, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves in slow cooker.  Cook until pork is tender, 5-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.  Discard bay leaves.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork from the crock pot.  Using two forks, or your mixer, shred the pork.  Transfer contents of slow cooker to a 12 inch nonstick skillet.  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and mixture begins to brown in spots, 10-12 minutes.  Season with salt to taste.  Spoon pork onto tortillas or chips.  Top with your choice of toppings.  Enjoy.  

Serves 4-6

3 years ago:   Drink of the Week - Salty Dog

5 years ago:   New Cookbooks

January 9, 2018  Sunrise 10:40  Sunset 3:16   Temp. H -9/ L -20˚F

Crock Pot Chocolate Lava Cake

It is snowing, and snowing, and snowing!  The DIL is loving it.  She threw snowballs for the dogs to chase, built a snowman, and made a snow angel.  The weather is unusually warm and it is wonderful!

Tucker loving his snowballs!

I made this easy crockpot lava cake, so after the playing in the snow she could come in, have a hot cup of tea and a warm treat.  It was heaven on earth!

Crock Pot Chocolate Lava Cake

A Taste of Home online

1 chocolate cake mix, regular size

1-2/3 cups water

3 large eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

2 cups cold milk

1 pkg. (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, eggs, and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds.  Beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Transfer to a greased 4 qt. slow cooker (I used a crock pot liner instead.  Clean up was so much easier!)

In another bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes.  Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft set.  Spoon over cake batter sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until toothpick inserted in cake portion comes out with moist crumbs.  Serve warm.  12 servings

1 year ago:    Hot Spiced Rum Apple Cider

2 years ago:  Leah

3 years ago:  Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi and the Morning Scare

4 years ago:  Carrot, Apple, and Mint Salad for Soup Lunch

November 25, 2015   Sunrise 10:00 am  Sunset 3:15 pm  Temp. H 28/ L 27°F

Hot Spiced Rum Apple Cider

My niece posted a link for a hot spiced rum apple cider drink.  We needed to try it, just to make sure it was good enough for all of you!  We sacrificed ourselves as guinea pigs and made this.

It is the perfect drink for a holiday house-full.  I made it in my crockpot but left out the rum.  Then kids can have the hot apple cider and adults can add the spiced rum, in their preferred amount.  The aroma of the hot apple cider is delicious and adds to the warm, cozy feeling of home.  You could serve each mug with a cinnamon stick or a quartered slice of orange with a whole clove in it.  Not me, I'm just about the rum in the hot apple cider.  I don't want anything getting in the way of my nice hot sip.

I used a toothpick to start the holes for the cloves, then sliced the orange. 

Oranges and cinnamon sticks in the crock pot.

A warm drink, with or without, for a cold afternoon.  Perfect!

Hot Spiced Rum Apple Cider

1 gallon apple cider

1 orange, studded with whole cloves and sliced

2 cinnamon sticks

Spiced rum

Place clove studded orange slices and cinnamon sticks in crock pot.  Add apple cider.  Cook on high for at least one hour, turn down to low or warm.  

Pour one shot of spiced rum in a heat proof mug, top with apple cider.  Enjoy

1 year ago:   Leah
2 years ago:  Brown Sugar Walnut Buttons and Grandma's Button Box
3 years ago:  Whole Wheat, Millet and Dried Fruit Bread

November 20, 2014   Sunrise 9:44 am  Sunset 3:28 pm  Tem. H 19/ L 12°F

Blackberry Cobbler and Sand Art

We had a sunny, beautiful weekend in Fairbanks.  One of the few lovely weekends this summer. I took full advantage of it by working in my pitiful garden, sitting on the deck for my morning coffee and meeting Donna at the first China and USA Sand Sculpture competition.

It is amazing how detailed artists can be with sand!  I was fascinated, and the warm sun just made it a better experience.  If you live in or around Fairbanks, and you haven't gone yet, you need to go.  It is worth the trip.

Because I was busy outside, I didn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen so I planned grilled chicken (gotta get Dave's quota of chicken in), salad and a nice fruit dessert, made in the crock pot.  It was a first try, I'll tweak it for next time.  It tasted good, just wasn't the prettiest looking thing, but a little ice cream on top and everything looks good, don't you agree?

Not the prettiest looking dessert, but wait until you serve it!

Delicious berries,  sauce, and a little biscuit.

Even better with some ice cream!

Blackberry Cobbler in the Crock Pot

2 lbs. blackberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp. tapioca
1 1/2 cup Bisquick
1 can cream soda

Mix blackberries, sugar, and tapioca together.  Spray crock pot with cooking spray.  Pour berry mixture in.  Sprinkle Bisquick over top in an even layer, pour cream soda over the top.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

1 year ago:   Happy Homemaker - Drink of the Week
2 years ago:  Cabbage Salad

August 11, 2014   Sunrise 5:25 am Sunset 10:25 pm   Temp H 77/ L 54°F

Crock Pot Maple Bacon Wrapped Chicken

I have never been accused of having good timing...I am always the one who is one beat late, hesitate too long for a joke's punchline, don't get the sarcastic remark...you get the picture.  But just after I posted about not being a good crock pot cook, I read this blog post  by Stacy Makes Cents, now she has good timing.  She posts crock pot recipes once a week and this one just spoke to me. Bacon.  I had to try it.

I made it on Sunday, so Dave would smell the bacon cooking and maybe begin to change his mind about crock pot dinners.  I know I should have done it on a work night to save myself a late dinner again, but this was all part of my "Change Dave's mind about crock pot meals" plan.  It smelled delicious!

 Oh course, mine didn't turn out like the pictures in Stacy's blog, I think I had too much chicken in my crockpot and the bacon just kind of boiled, so when I removed the chicken, I put the bacon in a frying pan and fried it until it was crisp.  The maple syrup caramelized and make these crunchy, sweet bits and the bacon was sweet with just a little heat from the cayenne pepper.  I sprinkled the bacon bits over the chicken and served with warm BBQ sauce.   Everyone enjoyed it.  I'll try it again and see if I can't get it to look like the one on Stacy's blog.

What are some of your favorite crock pot recipes?  I need all the help I can get.

Crock Pot Maple Bacon Wrapped Chicken

adapted from Stacy Makes Cents,click here to see her blog

• 1 ½ pounds chicken breast (about 4 breasts), cut in half
• 2 chicken thighs (Dave doesn't like white meat)
• 12 slices bacon
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• BBQ sauce for serving, if desired

1. Wrap each piece of chicken with a piece of bacon.
2. Place chicken in bottom of 5 quart crock.
3. Combine cayenne pepper and maple syrup.
4. Pour mixture over chicken.
5. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.
6. Remove with slotted spoon.

Yield: 6 servings

1 year ago:   Fried Dill Pickles
2 years ago:  Apple, Onion, and Bacon stuffed Pork Chops

February 10, 2014   Daylight 7 hrs. 59 mins. 20 sec.  Temp. H -11/ L/-29°F

Tattoos and Crock Pot Chocolate Nuts

So, with the Baby boy and his chick home for the holidays, we have been re-living a lot of family stories.  This must be "pick on the Bboy week" since he did eat the bath ball from his stocking.  So we were telling stories about him.

One of the stories is about when he was a senior in high school.  He gave me a call one day before Christmas and asked if he could come see me at work.  I told him yes, expecting him to ask for money for presents.

I was a principal at the time and he showed up at my school.  He came into my office and was obviously nervous about something.  So, thinking he was going to ask for money, I said, "Just spit it out Mason, what is up?"

And then he shut my door.

I never shut my office door.  I worked with lots of kids, and the door always stayed open, I even had a basket of rocks in front of it to keep it open.  But he moved the basket and shut the door.  I knew it was serious.

The thing that flashed through my head was: "Oh my, he got his girlfriend pregnant.  Don't be upset, what is done is done, we have to come up with a plan now, why did I spend all that time talking about birth-control and abstinence, don't be mad, you can't change anything and he needs to be able to work with you and not get defensive."  I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible and said, in my calmest voice, "So, what is going on?"

"Mom," he starts, "Don't be mad......(big breath)..... I got a tattoo."

"A tattoo?  Is that all?"

"You aren't mad?" he asks.

"NO.  Oh thank God, no one is pregnant."

He starts to laugh, and I do too because I am so relieved that no one is pregnant!

So, the tattoo takes up the whole left side of his chest.  It is the outline of Alaska with the words "Go Big" in the middle.  I don't care.  It is covered by his shirt for a job interview, it is not profane or have naked girls on it, AND no one is pregnant.  A total win as far as I am concerned.

"Mom," he askes, "Will you help me tell my dad?"

"Nope, you are old enough to get a tattoo on your own, you are old enough to tell your dad on your own." (He waited for his big brother to get home from college and had him around when he told his dad!)

So these crock pot chocolate nuts are delicious.  They make a big batch (Go Big) if you need to take them someplace or make goodie bags for something.  They really don't take any work for something so good.  I got this from my friend Michelle's Facebook post and adapted it for what I had at home.

Crock Pot Chocolate Nuts
adapted from Just a pinch and thanks to Michelle for posting on Facebook

16 oz. unsalted mixed nuts
16 oz. salted mixed nuts
1 12oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12oz. bag milk chocolate chips
1 10oz. bags peanut butter chips
2 16 oz. bags vanilla candy coating

Layer all ingredients into large crock pot, starting with nuts.  Turn on low and cover.  Stir after 11/2 hours.  When completely melted, about 2 hours, mix well and spoon mixture onto parchment covered cookie sheets.  Let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
I made 96 candies with this amount.

1 year ago:   Dog Sledding
2 years ago:  Birthday Resolutions and Carrot Martinis

January 3, 2014   Daylight 4 hrs, 9 min, 10 sec.   Temp: H /L °F

Frost and Soup

Well, there is no denying it now, winter is on the way.  It frosted twice last week and my plants are worse for it.  Time to pull the zucchini, the last of the (now slimy) flowers and the tomatoes.  I'll put all the green ones in a box with a  banana so they will ripen.  I'll dig the potatoes, pull the carrots and leeks and clean up the last of the plant litter in the garden until next spring.  It is a very sad thing and sort of depresses me.

Oh, my poor zucchini plants, lost in the first frost.

Dave is in moose camp (no moose so far) and this is my chance to cook things I like and he won't eat.  One of those things is ham and bean soup.  I love the smell of the soup as it simmers away, the warm smell it fills the house with.  I love a warm bowl of soup for dinner after a long day.  Dave doesn't agree with the idea of "soup can be dinner" attitude, he wants something with it.  So while he is gone, I'll have soup a couple of times, then freeze the rest in serving size containers for my lunch.

I love it when Dave is in moose camp.

***Post Script
I put this soup together in the morning before work, turned on the crock pot and knew I was in for a treat, all my own, for tonight.  About  2:00 Dave called and said he was on his way to town with meat for the butcher (they got a moose, so disregard the "no moose so far" comment above).  I started to laugh and said, "Guess what's for dinner."  Dave answered, "I don't care as long as it isn't bean soup."
Can you believe it.  He can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I'm having soup.

One pound of cranberry beans before soaking.

One pound of cranberry beans after soaking in water overnight.

Ham and Bean Soup
adapted from how my mom made it

1lb. dry beans, I used cranberry beans this time, use what you like
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion
2-4 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 clove garlic
8 cups chicken broth
2-4 cups of diced ham, use what you have left-over or in the freezer

Rinse and check beans for stones, place in large bowl and cover with water leaving about 2-3 inches of water over the top of the beans.  Soak overnight.
In the morning, rinse beans.  Bring 8 cups chicken stock and beans to boil, boil 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, chop onion, celery, and carrots.  Heat pan and add olive oil, saute onion, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften, add garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Add vegetable mixture to crock pot.
After beans have boiled for 5 minutes, add to crock pot with vegetable mixture, add diced ham.  Cover and cook 6-8 hours on high until beans are tender.

Tips:
Use what ever beans you like, navy kidney, cranberry, or a mixture.
Sometimes I buy the mixed bag of bean soup, but throw away the "flavor packet" that tastes gross
I had the butt of a small ham Dave used for sandwiches that I chopped and added, and I had about 1.5 cups of shredded pork in the freezer I also used.

September 13, 2012     Daylight 13 hours, 13 minutes, 17 seconds     Temp. 49ºF