A very sweet online magazine (and it's Free!)

A Heart Of Grace And Joy

I guess our family got our first desktop computer and Internet about 1998 or so.  Soon after that,  I discovered YahooGroups and joined a small private group called Creative Home Life.  It was a close knit group of mostly homemakers.  We chatted and encouraged each other and shared tips and recipes.

One of the leaders of that group is Joanne and she is now publishing this new online magazine.  She writes some of the articles and some the original members of that sweet YahooGroups list contribute.

A new issue just came out and it is has recipes, patterns, gardening tips, just all kinds of good stuff - A Heart of Grace and Joy is a magazine that I really think will appeal to the same readers of my blog. 

You will have to enter your email to view the issue but that's all.

Some of this week's cooking

One morning I baked a batch of blueberry muffins from a Betty Crocker mix bought on sale for .99.

I used a Pinterest tip about how to increase the flavor by adding the blueberry juice from ththe can that is usually discarded as part of the water.  This made the batter quite purple but once it was baked,  the  muffins were almost normal color and they did have a stronger pleasant blueberry flavor.

Heidi in Holland says this a very common meal in the Netherlands.  It is potato cubes simmered until tender and then mixed with sautéed onion and sliced sausage with a can of drained green beans.  

I haven't made this in a while. It tasted very good and is a nice dish for the beginning of Autumn.

Heidi mostly blogs about stitching these days and has a very sweet blog

Stitched Memories in Time

This is French Bread Pizza inspired by a YouTube video by DivasCanCook.  

The loaf of bread is cut lengthwise from top to bottom, then opened and flattened.  Brush with a little garlic butter and bake for 10 minutes until it just starts to toast.  Then add the desired toppings and bake about 15 minutes more.  Her video is really good but just 3 minutes or so,  so if you want to try this pizza,  her instructions are quick and just right.

That's what's been cookin' in my kitchen.  

Homemade hybrid version of noodles -rolled dumplings

I made these a couple weeks ago and several of you requested my recipe.

My mom and grandmother made really good egg noodles and my mom also made big fluffy dumplings and smaller rolled dumplings.  

But the recipe I use most is from another Marine wife and I got it from her about 25 years ago.  It was her Texas grandmothers recipe.

My noodles are a little bigger and chunkier than other homemade noodles I've had and they are smaller than rolled dumplings so that is why I say they are a hybrid.  

That's my handwriting, can you decipher it?  I'll type it below with a few comments,

For the chicken part,  cook either a whole chicken or whatever chicken pieces you like, in a big pot.  Cover with water and season with any of these - pepper, thyme, celery seed, carrot, onion, garlic, parsley, dill, poultry seasoning and chicken boullion.  (I have never used all those at once, I do like fresh celery, carrot and onion, salt and pepper and then I add boullion if needed). 

Simmer the chicken until very tender and then remove any bones and skin and strain the broth.

For the noodles or dumplings,  I start them early in the day and let them dry on the countertop all day.  This is not necessary, I just like them this way.  

2 cups of flour, 

1/2 t salt

1 t baking powder

Crisco shortening - size of an egg (that's about 1/4 of a cup, but old recipes were written that way) 

Cut the shortening into the flour and salt until it is like fine crumbs. 

Stir in 1/2 cup water.  

Now knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth.

Roll out thin and cut into small squares or noodles, however your family likes.

Now is when I move them onto clean towels and let dry.  

To cook, put the noodles into the simmering chicken and broth. Stir lightly, keep simmering and keep the pot covered,  they should be done in about 15 minutes.  

This recipe is a little backwards - I start the noodles to dry in the morning. Then when it is maybe 2 hours until meal time, I start the chicken and broth.  

To make it a 1 pot meal, I like to add carrots, peas, corn and some finely chopped potato.

Also, I usually increase the noodle part by 50% to 3 cups of flour, 3/4 t salt, 1 1/2 t baking powder, and 3/4 cup water, and Crisco the size of 1 and 1/2 eggs.

If you have a little helper, it will take longer and more flour will end up on the floor- but it will be more fun.