In the Kitchen with Trisha Yearwood

I have forever been a big fan of Trisha Yearwood and if ever there was a singing voice I would love to have it would be hers. She has a really good show on the Food Network that airs on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. She usually has someone in the kitchen with her and it is like hanging out with her. She seems so down to earth and she makes "normal" food which I love. If you haven't checked her out, do so. If you don't get a chance, they share her recipes on the Food Network website. http://www.foodnetwork.com/trishas-southern-kitchen/index.html I have gotten a few tips from her already that I didn't know. The neatest one is that when you want to make deviled eggs, turn your eggs over the night before and you will get a perfect centered yolk after they are cooked. Perfect tip for deviled eggs. The other tip is that when you are making any gravy, the ratio is 4-4-2. That is 4 tablespoons of oil, 4 tablespoons of flour and then 2 cups of milk. I was always taught by mom that the ratio is 2-3-2, 2 tablespoons of oil, 3 tablespoons of flour and 2 cups of milk...that has always worked out perfectly for me but I'm gonna try Trisha's and see how that works too. Either one and I'm sure you will have a "no fail" gravy. I even taught my brother how to make gravy using mom's ratio. Go ahead...try it! Whenever the flour sizzles in the oil, then it is ready to be added.

Keep on keepin' on...

I have managed to keep up my pace lately getting several different ornaments painted. It is so time consuming painting up a new pattern I've created as I have no clue what colors I am going to use until I actually sit down to make one. I'm constantly changing them up. Once I get one finished it is alot easier to mass produce them. Teachers have forever been my best customers when I used to participate in craft shows so I have wanted to create an ornament for them. I also managed to take myself away from painting lightbulbs long enough to paint this simple santa on a clothespin. Was fun for a change. I will paint a santa on just about anything...look out! LOL

Been Playing...

Anytime I can find time to paint I call it playing as I love it so much. For the past month or so I've been painting on 3 new lightbulb ornament designs. I have forever wanted to make a Harley santa and then decided to just not make any one brand of motorcycle so he is a "generic" motorcycle ridin' santa. I have also wanted to paint a santa ornament with a long coat so I finally did that too. I always have to throw in a snowman ornament as there are alot of snowmen collectors out there. Funny how ornament ideas are always running through my head. I have so many I want to get painted up. I hope you enjoy these! I will get there one day although I doubt my ideas will ever stop from flowing...hope not anyway. I love designing as much as I do painting them.

Ground Beef Lo Mein

I also made this yummy dish to go with the sweet n' sour chicken & fried rice recipe...was trying to have a very small oriental buffet, can ya tell? This was quite tasty! LOL

Ground Beef Lo Mein
Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

Ingredients
• 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1/2 pound cooked ground beef
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetable blend, thawed
• 1 (12 ounce) jar homestyle beef gravy
• 1/4 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions
1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add the vegetables, gravy, soy sauce, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain spaghetti; stir into beef mixture.

Baked Sweet N' Sour Chicken & Fried Rice

This recipe is really delicious and I will be making it again. It is still not the oriental buffet sweet n' sour chicken recipe I am looking for though. I guess their chicken is more of a tempura batter. I'm still on a mad search for a clone recipe of their chicken...will certainly share it when I find it. These are very EZ recipes so as Martha Stewart would say "it's a good thing." Enjoy! One of these days I'm gonna add pictures...I know that makes it way more fun to look at. Sorry for now!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken and fried rice

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt + pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar
4 tbs ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.



Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white rice
3 tbs sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce


On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated! **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum!

Finished Okra Santa

Well, I'm still playing around with how to paint my okra santas but this is the first one I have completed. I'm getting there! I have three sculpted to finish. I forgot how much fun it is to sculpt. My next project is going to be making santa faces out of clay and add them to seashells. Can ya tell that I'm all about anything santa? Love him!

I could not have made this santa without the help of a wonderful tutorial posted by the following blog:

alittlefurinthepaint.blogspot.com

Anne, is such a sweet person and very talented! Her tutorial is perfect! Thank you Anne for getting me back into sculpting which I have loved for many years.

Current Project

Can ya guess what I'm working on with a dried out okra and Sculpey clay? The shape of the okra makes a perfect santa. I haven't sculpted in years and have been itching to try my hand at this...still a work in progress...these are my guinea pig ornaments. I managed to get three sculpted. I am now in the process of painting them. Stay tuned for the finished picture...soon I hope!