New Years Noodles

I know what I'm having on New Year's Eve.  How about you?  Nope it's not Prime Rib, steak, shrimp, or anything of the sort.  It's going to be my favorite meal on the planet.  My Granny B's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup!  Now these noodles are truly tradition. The first gal I know who made them was my great granny on my moms side. Her name was Viola Telford, but we always just called her Grandma Great. My mom has an old photo of her and her sisters up somewhere near Morgan making these noodles al fresco (outside). It is a great pic. They're all in there dresses and aprons rolling and cutting noodles for another great family meal together. Grandma Great then passed this tradition onto my grandma Barker and what a treat that has been.

Grandma Barker wasn't the warm fuzzy kind of granny who would squeal and hug the guts out of you, but she loved you in her own way. She never gave big gifts for birthdays or Christmas, but she never forgot your birthday either. I think I was her favorite (OK so Hollie really was but that's ok) because every birthday she would call me and tell me to come over for a little something. At her house sitting on the counter would be big brown grocery bag filled with noodle especially for me!! I know it took her hours to make those noodles, but Grandma knew they were my favorite thing in the world. Just shows she really did love me best! I would take them home and my mom would fix a big pot of Chicken Noodle soup for me. I loved it. I loved Grandma Barker.

My kids now love this noodle soup as much as I do.   It was one of them that suggested this soup for New Years.  We're going to be with family, and trust me, my brothers are going to be in childhood heaven once they start slurping! Here's to a fantastic 2013!!

dough balls

rolled as thin as possible

cut as thin as possible

Grandmas Noodles

3 c. flour

7 eggs

2 t. salt

Mix all the ingredients together and form into 5 balls. Let the dough rest a few minutes. Roll each ball into a thin sheet. Let sit until almost dry.  This part takes awhile.  I usually set my convection oven to 150' F. and drape the noodle sheet over a rack until somewhat dry.  Otherwise you're going to be waiting hours for the sheets to dry.  You don't want them completely dry or they just crack and break when you cut them.  Still pliable, but dry enough that they don't stick together.  When dry cut into 2 1/2 in. strips and then cut into super thin noodles. Let dry. When ready to cook, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook 5 mins. Drain noodles and add to chicken broth. Serve with shredded chicken, green onions, and bug juice. (soy sauce) Serve with blueberry muffins.

Gingerbread

*It's my Emma's birthday today!!! Happy 16th to my beautiful daughter.  I love her guts!!  We're having Chocolate Cheesecake tonight for Em's birthday.  You'll see that soon:)

Tis the season!  I it upon us, and I have mixed feelings.  Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday ever.  It has all the festive feel of "The Holidays", but without the pressure of gifts, and such!  I think we should have Thanksgiving and then Thanksgiving again in Dec.  Who's with me on this?  Maybe we should write a letter to the President or the Prophet or something.  I don't need anything or want for anything.  I just want to be grateful for my Savior, and think about his birth and look at twinkly lights.  AND eat Gingerbread!

I love Gingerbread if you haven't noticed.  Gingerbread waffles, Gingersnap Fruit Pizza, Gingersnaps.  I could eat this stuff all the time.  This recipe is adapted from the Gingerbread served at the Lion House in Salt Lake City, but I've changed it a bit, and baked it in a Bundt pan.  I love Bundt cakes!  They're cute, they slice up perfectly, and they feed a crowd.  Notice from the picture above my trusty, scratched Bundt pan.  I stole it from my mom.  I'll bet it was a wedding gift she received 42 years ago.  But it's good!  It's ugly, green, and scratched, and one of my prized kitchen gadgets.  I'd probably grab it right after I grabbed Jane if my house was on fire:)  I've found others of these scratched Bundts for sis-in-laws a few times at the DI.  Love them! (Bundts and sis-inlaws.)

So enjoy a slice of the Holiday Season or Thanksgiving #2.  You're house will smell amazing, and it will put you in the holiday mood.

Lion House Gingerbread

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

2 eggs-well beaten

1 1/2 cups molasses

3/4 t. salt

3 3/4 cups sifted flour

2 1/4 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 1/2 t. ginger

1 1/2 cups hot water

Cream butter and sugar well, about 3-4 minutes in an electric mixer. Add eggs and molasses. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together in a separate and add to creamed mixture. Add hot water and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake 50-65 minutes minutes at 350. You can serve it with fresh whipped cream, sliced bananas, powdered sugar, or just plain.

I like it with whipped cream and Buttermilk Syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube butter

1/4 c. corn syrup

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Place in a big pot. This stuff foams out of control at first. Bring to a boil and then let boil until it turns a nice dark golden brown. About 8-10 mins. I usually 3 times the batch and it will make about a quart. I don't 3x's the butter though. Maybe only 1 1/2 cubes of butter to a 3 batch. 

Gingerbread Waffles

I have a huge apology to offer.  I am soooo sorry to leave the post of Chocolate Cake up for so long.  I had one of my friends tell me the other day that that picture was killing her.  She had gone to my blog to find the Marinara recipe and all her kids could say was, "Please make that Chocolate Cake!"  I'm afraid to admit I was out of town for a week and didn't look, but now that I'm back, it's haunting me.  The recipe today probably isn't much better, but at least it's not Chocolate Cake:)  Sorry friends!

Gingerbread Waffles are my favorite thing on the planet!  I've seen lots of pumpkin waffles, and pancakes, but not Gingy Waffles.  My mom started making these for us years ago, and it was always such a treat.  I've blogged about them before, but tis the season to start thinking about them again.  Actually I love them in Feb. and June, and just about any month.   They're perfect for Christmas morning, or the day after Thanksgiving brunch, or just any Saturday of the year.

My grandma B. used to make Gingerbread cake for my mom and she'd serve it with whipped cream with mashed bananas folded in.  This recipe is along those same lines, but I up the ante with Buttermilk syrup as well.  These really are good leftover as well.  They don't need anything on them later in the day or during church.  They're delicious on their own.  So as the weather gets a little chilly, and you're craving something festive give these a try.  Sat. is only a few days away.

Gingerbread Waffles

1/2 c. butter melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. molasses

2 eggs

 1 1/4 c. milk

2 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

 1/2 t. salt

Mix all together with a hand mixer and place on a hot greased waffle iron.  Serve with Buttermilk Syrup (here's a link to that recipe), sliced bananas, and whipped cream.  You may need to double the batch.  You'll want leftovers.

Buttermilk Syrup from Hollie with a twist from my friend Jill

1 cube butter

1/4 c. corn syrup

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Place in a big pot. This stuff foams out of control at first. Bring to a boil and then let boil until it turns a nice dark golden brown. About 8-10 mins. I usually 3 times the batch and it will make about a quart. I don't 3x's the butter though. Maybe only 1 1/2 cubes of butter to a 3 batch. 

New Year Traditions

What would New Years Day be without the 1.2 mile sledding hill?  I tell you what.  It would be dull.  I don't know what the rest of the world does on New Years Day, but your welcome to come next year to our outing.  Just make sure you bring your own Radio Flyer because we don't share!  This year there were two other groups who were sledding as well.  They weren't kids though.  I've never seen grown men fly down a hill faster except on the luge at the Olympics.  Luckily there weren't any casualties.  Next time though I think we're going to wear our ski helmets.  Safety you know!

This year we had my brother and his family, and even grandpa took a turn on a sled.  The traditional New Years food was wonderful as well, and we all waddled back to our own homes when the day was over.  Can I just tell you that I love the snacks.  Katie made a great cheese ball, veggie tray and my mother's chestnuts were delish!!  For New Years Eve I even made my granny's homemade Chicken Noodle Soup!  What a way to start the year.  It doesn't get any better than this!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

2-3 cans whole water chestnuts drained

1 1 lb. package of bacon

I usually place the bacon in the freezer for a few minutes to really get it firm. I then cut the slices into 3 pieces right through the plastic. You're going to need a lot of toothpicks. Wrap each little chestnut in a coat of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Place the chestnuts in a

9 x 13 inch pan. Once all of your chestnuts are wrapped top with BBQ sauce or make your own like we do.

BBQ Sauce

1-2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. brown sugar

squirt of mustard

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

vinegar splash

Stir all ingredients together and pour over the chestnuts. Bake in a 375 ' F. oven for 30-45 mins. or until the bacon is done. The tops of the toothpicks will turn brown so watch out for that. Enjoy every New Years Eve or Day for the rest of your life.

New Year

So what do you do on New Years? I love staying home with the kids, the same New Years dinner, cold shrimp, and roast beast, Speed (the card game, not the drugs), bacon wrapped water chestnuts, drinking nasty apple juice at midnight, kissing James and all my children at midnight, a cold winter walk in the morning after my long winter's nap, and finally taking pictures of everyone as they sled down the 1.1 mile hill. Traditions!

Really- the sled hill is 1.1 miles long and a blast. I don't sled. I'm a giant chicken, plus someone has to drive the truck down after them to pick up any blood and carnage and bring the happy sledders back up the hill. I took one for the team. I'm the best mom!

And finally the best New Years tradition.........Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts. I'm sure you've had them, and if not, you are a poor unfortunate soul. I'm sorry. You could always make them for Martin Luther King Day.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

2-3 cans whole water chestnuts drained

1 1 lb. package of bacon

I usually place the bacon in the freezer for a few minutes to really get it firm. I then cut the slices into 3 pieces right through the plastic. You're going to need a lot of toothpicks. Wrap each little chestnut in a coat of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Place the chestnuts in a

9 x 13 inch pan. Once all of your chestnuts are wrapped top with BBQ sauce or make your own like we do.

BBQ Sauce

1-2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. brown sugar

squirt of mustard

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

vinegar splash

Stir all ingredients together and pour over the chestnuts. Bake in a 375 ' F. oven for 30-45 mins. or until the bacon is done. The tops of the toothpicks will turn brown so watch out for that. Enjoy every New Years Eve or Day for the rest of your life.

Balls! Cheeseball's That Is

I am so sorry. I just couldn't help myself on that title. I just had to do it and I know you all got a little chuckle, no matter how dainty and refined you may act. Deep down inside we all like a little sassy talk. I think it's healthy. Maybe I'm just justifying my vulgar side, but if I died tomorrow you would miss that about me. I'm sure of it! (I have to tell J that all the time so he remembers I'm a one of a kind, kind of gal!)

I love the festive holiday season and all the old traditional recipes that get dusted off every Nov. and Dec. I mean how many of us make pumpkin pie, carrot pudding, or even sugar cookies very often. Only during the holidays do I make these wonderful recipes. There is something about bringing out the Christmas lights that sends me into a frenzy of cooking. I want to make it all. You should see the stack of recipes I've ripped out of every food mag I take. If all goes as planned, we Clawson's should gain about 32 lbs. each this month from all the food I want to make. Hopefully not, but today is going to be a good start. I made the season starter Cheese Ball.

I remember as a kid the week before Christmas was just so dang exciting. My mom would spend all day in the kitchen making the foods that made Christmas, Christmas at our home. I love wrapping licorice caramels, packing up ice cream buckets of Cracker Jack popcorn, and smelling the wonderful smell of Praline Pecans. One extra special treat my mom would make was a Velveeta Cheese Log. At my home as a kid Velveeta was a staple. I remember when J first saw this he whispered in my ear that he never knew anyone actually ate Velveeta. He said he thought is was only fish bait. Wrong-o buddy. We loved it! A Velveeta Cheese Log was wonderful. My mom would make a really big one and then cut it in half and give one to our favorite family friends and we'd get to eat the other one the week between Christmas and New Year. Velveeta Cheese Log took patience. You had to roll the cheese out thin, spread cream cheese, chili sauce, chopped olive, and green chili's on top and then roll it up cinnamon roll style. It was pretty to cut into. We slurped it up every year. My brother Marc still makes it every year. I need to, I'm just lazy sometimes.

I do love to make a good cheese ball though. J loves cheese and crackers and he loves having a few of these cheese balls in the fridge when he comes home from a loooongg day of Christmas baking himself. He'll open the fridge and take one look at it and sigh and then tell me I'm the best wife, and he loves my stinking guts. It doesn't take much to make him happy.

There's no real rhyme or reason to this cheese ball. Just add what you like. I love blue cheese so my cheese ball always has blue cheese in it. It always needs some kind of onion, and something sweet, but other than that, just think of the possibilities. I'll post the ingredients I use, but please improvise. I don't think I've ever made a cheese ball that wasn't loved. So here's to the kick off of the season. Enjoy it and the snow!

Cheese Ball Lisa Style

2- 8oz. packages cream cheese

1/2 -1 c. blue cheese crumbles

1 c. yellow shredded cheese

4 chopped green onions

1/2 c. crushed pineapple

Beat all the ingredients together until smooth and combined. Divide the mixture into 2 and roll each dollop of cheese mixture in chopped pecans or other favorite nuts. The cheese is kind of soft at this point, but it will set up a little stiffer as it rests in the fridge. Serve with your favorite crackers.

Some other options may be: green and red bell peppers chopped for Christmas color. Cherries instead of pineapple. Different cheeses or add some dill or basil. Use what you have, and you'll be supprised at what you make.