One Pot Cookin'. . .

One pot cookin'

is one of the best kinds of cookin' I know
On Crooked Creek!!!

















Upon arising this morning on the Prairie,
I found that the temperature
had gone from 58 degrees to 14 degrees!

Br ~r~r~r. . .
that definitely calls for one pot cookin'!











 I loaded the blue enamelware oven roaster
first with a "Manager's Special" Pork Loin.
Saving $2.50 off the suggested price is my
favorite cut of pork loin, dear ones!

Then I added a half of a head of cabbage,
cored and cut into quarters.
Two potatoes, peeled and cut in half.
Two carrots, peeled and cut in half.
Left ~ over zucchini, cut into half.

Then I added freshly ground salt and pepper,
topped the pork loin with roasted red peppers,
added 2 cups of Chicken Broth
and placed it all in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours. 

Placed on the platter, this one pot cookin'
is truly a feast for the eyes!

















"Mr. Ed" sliced the pork loin for our meal today
and when we finished, he shredded the rest to
save for B ~ B ~ Q Pork with twice baked potatoes
for tomorrows dinner.

As this frigid cold front remains on the Prairie,
one thing is for sure. . .
there will be more one pot cookin' in the oven
On Crooked Creek!
For indeed, I'll be keeping the home fire a burnin'!


Until next time. . .

www.stonegable.blogspot.com
 

 

On Crooked Creek will be joining
Yvonne @ StoneGable for
On The Menu Monday!
You can be assured that I'll be searching for recipes
baked in the oven for this week's menu!!!

Baked Ham and Bean Soup!

Our recent Winter Weather On Crooked Creek
calls for another 1 ~ 3 inches of SNOW!

Winter weather
combined with SNOW =
Baked Ham and Bean Soup!

* * Tip * *
Instead of making the Traditional Ham and Bean Soup,
my MoMa put them in a roasting pan and into the oven.

I've adapted the original recipe, somewhat,
to include a few fresh vegetables and a bit more flavor.
Simple, robust flavor and a time ~ saver for busy wives!


Step into my kitchen and I'll show how it's done. . .

In cold tap water,
soak 1/2 bag of dried Great Northern Beans overnight.

Add 1/2 medium onion, chopped
        1 ~ 2 pieces celery, chopped
        2 ~ 3 carrots, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste.
Saute in a skillet with 1 ~ 2 tablespoons butter
over medium~high heat about 5 minutes.

Place the partially cooked vegetables in a large roasting pan.

Drain the Great Northern Beans
and add to the pan with about 8 ~ 10 cups cold water.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and add 1 ~ 2 cups ham, chopped.
Return to oven and continue baking for 2 ~ 3 hours!

Simply delicious!
Makes 4 ~ 6 servings.

Serve with crackers.

. . .or if you're fortunate to have "Mr. Ed"
make his famous cornbread into cornbread muffins,

just add butter and enjoy!

On Crooked Creek
there's nothing more comforting than Baked Ham and Bean Soup
on a cold, SNOWY night!


Until next time. . .

www.stonegable.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek is joining
Yvonne @ StoneGable for On The Menu Monday!
Yvonne, I hearby declare January as Soup Month of 2013!!!
Be sure to visit and see what the other
Ladies in the Land of Blog are cookin' up!

FYI:

Dear Ones,
Unfortunately,
On Crooked Creek has been unable to
upload photos due to a problem within
Blogger and its Internet Explorer patrons.
Therefore,
I won't be able to do another post
until the issue has been solved!!!
Please be patient with me during this unfortunate mishap!!!

Thank you,
for your understanding!
Fondly,
Pat

Snowman Blend. . .

How silently came the SNOW to the Prairie
On Crooked Creek this past week. . .

 

 

it fell on the treetops, the rooftops

and painted most everything white!

 

 

 

Since "Mr. Ed" and I had no place to go ~

we sat at the patio window

and watched it SNOW, and SNOW, and SNOW!

 

 

I was in hopes

that we would receive enough accumulation

to make Snow angels.

 

 

1.5 inches isn't enough

to suffice a photo worthy Snow angel. . .

instead, I make a Snowman Blend!

 

 

 

 

I began with an ample sized SNOWman Mug.

 

 

 

 

To which I carefully added Cappuccino French Vanilla Mix.

 

Directions:

Add 3 tablespoons of mix per 1 cup (8oz.) of boiling water.

(Adjust amount to suit your taste)

I did a lot of adjusting, dear ones!

 

 

 

Next, I added some Coffee~mate Coffee Creamer.

Once again, a lot of adjusting!

Stir well.

 

* * Tip * *

I used a miniature wire whip

to incorporate more air into the Cappuccino!

 

 

 

 

 

Several dollops of whipped cream topping

make for a great finishing touch!

 

* * Tip * *

One could add cinnamon,

chocolate curls or other embellishments,

but for me this is the perfect SNOWMAN Blend!

 

 

For your viewing pleasure,

here are a few photos

taken On Crooked Creek

through the open patio door of our backyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As silently as the SNOW came to the Prairie, so it left.

But not before covering us with a blanket of white.

 

 

Pure enjoyment

describes the SNOW,

the SNOW scenes and

my SNOWMAN Blend !

 

 

Until next time. . .

 

 

www.stonegable.blogspot.com

 

On Crooked Creek is joining StoneGable

for Tutorials Tips and Tidbits

with our sweet hostess, Yvonne!

Be sure to visit and be inspired with amazing

step ~ by ~ step creative ideas for your own home!













Christmas Cakes. . .

It's the most magical, wonderful. . .
b u s i e s t  time of the year !

So~o~o. . .
I thought I'd share three amazing cakes for your
Christmas Celebration(s) ! ! !




Christmas 2010.

From  Christmas Past, a JOYful cake !

This amazing Red Velvet, two ~ tier cake
was ordered from the bakery department
at our local grocery store.

Joy, is the name of our Ladies Circle.

Creamy white frosted Sugar Cookies
were homemade by a local Cookie Lady.




A beautiful Christmas Tablescape,
done by our hostess of JOY Circle !

Earlier in the day of our Ladies JOY Circle meeting,
the hostess and I applied frosting to the backs of the sugar cookies
and attached them to the sides around the layers of the cake.



Mid ~ afternoon at the home of
our JOY Circle hostess!

An easy way
to make a one ~ of ~ a ~kind
Christmas Celebration cake !


The next two Christmas Cakes
can easy be made in your own kitchen.

The inspiration for this German Chocolate Cake
came from Paula Deen's Christmas 2009 ~ Special Issue.

** Tip:**
Instead of following Paula's lengthy recipe. . .
I made a store bought German Chocolate Cake Mix.
One can of German Chocolate Frosting,
one can of Milk Chocolate Frosting
and pecan halves for garnishing !
I followed her design, not her recipe !

Christmas Present !

A  Progressive Christmas Brunch Cake
for our Brunch Bunch is from the same publication.
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake
with Peanut Butter Frosting
received rave reviews from our ladies.

 

 

Again, I used a store bought Milk Chocolate Cake Mix.

But this time, I made Paula Deen's Peanut Butter Frosting.

 

 



Paula Deen's Peanut Butter Frosting:

1 1/4 cups Butter, softened
1        cup creamy Peanut Butter
  1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
5 cups Confectioners' Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions:

In a large bowl,
beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed
with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Add cream, beating until combined.

Gradually add confectioners' sugar,
beating until smooth.

Beat in vanilla.

Spread Peanut Butter Frosting evenly
in between layers and on the top and sides of cake.
Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

My wish is for you to have ample time
to enjoy your own Christmas Celebration(s)
with those you adore and love.

These three Christmas Cakes 
will allow you less time in the kitchen
and more time to savor the Season! 


Until next time. . .

www.stonegable.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek will be joining our sweet hostess,
Yvonne @ StoneGable for On The Menu Monday.
Be sure to visit for some of the best menu ideas
for your own family!

German Chocolate Cake. . .

Following Thanksgiving. . .

                                                 is "Mr. Ed's" Birthday ! ! !

"Mr. Ed's" favorite cake is . . .

German Chocolate Cake !

 

 

 

 

Baking a cake sounds simple enough, right ? ? ?

 



W R O N G ! ! !

You see, ladies,

Home Economics was my WORST subject in School!

 

 

 

 

I'm the P I E  B A K E R in our family ! ! !

Many years, I've baked "Mr. Ed" a Pecan Pie (his other favorite)

for his birthday. . .the last time I made him a

GermanChocolate Cake for his birthday. . .

it looked like it had a H U G E tumor on one side !

 

This year, I was determined to try, try again !

I found the idea for this double frosting

German Chocolate Cake

in a back issue of Paula Deen's Magazine.

 

 

Tip:

I used a boxed cake mix,

a container of milk chocolate frosting,

a container of German Chocolate Frosting

and Pecan halves !

 

Instead of following her reciepe. . .

I follwed her decorating of the German Chocolate Cake ! ! !

 

 

 

 

Tip:

First, I filled 6 cupcakes in a muffin pan !

Then I filled the cake pans !

*** The results. . .no tumor appearance

from over~filled cake pans ! ! ! ***

 

 

"Mr. Ed" giggled and smiled
when he saw these little individual cupcakes!

 

 

Each of these cupcakes

were individually iced, then sprinkled with pecans on top.

 

 

 

 

On Crooked Creek. . .

                                         that smile is  p r i c e l e s s  to me ! ! !

 

 

Until next time. . .



www.stonegable.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek is joining our creative and informative hostess,
Yvonne @ StoneGable for Tutorial Tips and Tidbits ! Be sure to visit for amazing ideas for your own home.

Fresh Corn Risotto!

I love to read!
Many early mornings On Crooked Creek are spent reading!

Recently, I checked out a cookbook titled,
Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two
by Award~winning Author Beth Hensperger.

Fresh Corn Risotto:

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 large Shallot, finely chopped
1 cup Long Grain Rice
3 cups Chicken Broth (or light Vegetable Broth)
2 ears Yellow or White Corn, shucked and kernels cut~off
2 Tablespoons Butter
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano~Reggiano or Aged Asiago Cheese
1 Plum tomato (optional), seeded and chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh Basil

Directions:
Saute shallot and rice in the olive oil over medium heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes,
until rice turns chalky and is coated in the olive oil!
Scrape into the slow cooker.
Add broth.

Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours!

Stir in corn and recover quickly.
Cook for another 30 minutes to 1 hour!

Add the butter and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in cheese, tomato, and basil.
Serve immediately.

Serves: 2
Setting and Cook Time: HIGH  for  2 to 2 1/2 hours;
                                         Corn added after 1 1/2 hours!

Fresh Corn Risotto combined with "Mr. Ed's" marinated,
grill chicken is an amazing dinner menu!

 

TIP:

I substituted
* 12 oz. bag of Frozen Corn for the Fresh Ear Corn.
* Dried Parsley for the minced fresh Basil

This amazingly, creamy Fresh Corn Risotto
made ample helpings for "Mr.Ed"  and I for dinner
and we will have another ample helping for another meal, as well.
(Hint: Serves: 4)

On Crooked Creek . . .
Morning reading results in fine evening dining!


Until next time. . .

www.stonegable.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek will be joining our sweet hostess, Yvonne  @ Stone Gable for On The Menu Monday! Be sure to visit for  inspiration for your own family's menus!