I WANT MO' SKETTI

We had a sophisticated meal at the Moody house tonight: spaghetti tacos and fried corn fritters.

Rhonda!

Ok so, maybe not sophisticated... but it sure was tasty!

Malori

Marleigh

Yeah, just like iCarly.

And then there were fried corn fritters. SUUUUUPER delicious.

I made two different batches. One sweet and one spicy.

To make the batter, combine 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. Then beat in one egg, 1/2 cup milk and a couple tablespoons of melted butter. Now if you want to make two different kinds, split this batter in half. In the sweet one I added about 1/4 cup more sugar. In the spicy I added some shredded cheddar cheese, some chopped jalapenos, a little more salt, garlic powder, and whatever other kind of seasoning you want. Would also be good with bacon bits, but I didn't think about that until after the fact. Then split the can of corn between the two.


Put 3 cups of canola oil in a heavy pot and heat it up. I'm not sure the exact temperature it's supposed to be. 350 degrees maybe? I don't know. Mine got way too hot and my first fritter turned black in a millisecond and caused a massive smoke scene in Rhonda's house (sorry Rhonda). So I had to let it cool a little.

Anyway. just drop little bitty spoon fulls into the hot oil and take them out when they're a good dark golden brown.

The sweet ones are good dipped in honey or syrup. And the spicy ones (my favorite) were really good dipped in ranch.

No leftovers!!!!!!!

Fried Corn Fritters
1 cup flour
sugar
salt
baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsps melted butter
1 can corn
whatever other ingredients you want

Kale Chips

It's 2:30pm and my salty craving has rudely interrupted my day. I've been hearing about these kale chips for a while now and finally decided to try it. Best decision I've ever made! Seriously, these are a great alternative to potato chips. They're salty, filling, cheap, easy and extremely low-calorie.

Finished product!

Katie loves kale.

Preheat the oven to 350. Take a head of kale, wash the leaves, break the big stems off to discard, and tear the leaves into big bite-size pieces (they shrink when baked). It's very important to dry the leaves off really well. I let mine sit on the counter for a little while to air dry.

Transfer the leaves to a bowl and add 1 tbsp olive oil (or olive oil spray) and, with your hands, make sure all the leaves get coated. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spread the leaves on it. Shower them with a nice coating of salt and bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes! I take them out halfway through and stir. When they're done, let them cool for a few minutes so they can crisp up.

In the end, you'll have a nice bowl of crunchy, salty chips! I even dip mine in ketchup. Then they taste like crunchy french fries.


Kale Chips
1 head kale
1 tbsp olive oil
salt

Moroccan Meatballs over Couscous

So...

It's been months since I've posted on this thing! School has been kicking me in the face and it's hard to find time to cook AND blog about it. But hopefully I'll start doing this again more often.

Things that have happened since my last post:

I went to Israel for the 2nd time! This is my Dad and I at Beit Shean. 

My nephews grew!

My best friend got married!

Nose piercage.

I think that about covers it.

Back to food, my parents are leaving for Wales in the morning for a mission trip so I decided to cook a good sending off meal tonight. And it was one of the best things I've ever cooked!!!!

The basic idea: Moroccan style meatballs in a "North African sauce" served over couscous with dried dates. Spicy and sweet. OMG. Delish.

For the sauce, I sauteed half a small onion (chopped) with a couple tbsps of minced garlic and a couple tbsps of olive oil.This is pretty much the foundation of all my meals. 

Then I added 1/2 cup of chopped green olives and lemon zest (from 1 lemon) and let that cook a few minutes. After that I deglazed the pan with 1/2 cup of white wine and let it reduce for a couple minutes. Then I added a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup chicken broth, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes and a pinch of cinnamon. Let that simmer for 10 minutes and add salt & pepper.

Now for the meatballs. In a medium bowl, combine one egg with 2 tbsps of tomato paste until smooth. Add 3 tbsps of fresh chopped cilantro, 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp cumin and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir in 1 pound of ground beef or turkey (I used turkey, and it was wonderful!) and 1/3 cup fine bread crumbs. Add salt and pepper and gently combine the ingredients with your hands, but don't overmix. Then, using your hands, start rolling the meatballs! Mine made about 30.

Warning: The hot oil can cause severe pain when it pops in your eye.

In a large saucepan, heat up 3 tbsps of vegetable oil on medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches until golden dark on all sides. As they finish transfer them to the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Note to self: take the picture BEFORE you start eating it so it will look more appealing to others.

While that's a-cooking, pull out some couscous! I used a 5-minute box of garlic herb couscous. In a saucepan, bring to a boil 1 cup water, 1 cup chicken broth and 1 tbsp olive oil. Finely chop about 1/4-1/3 cup dried dates. When the water starts boiling, add the dates and the couscous, cover tightly, remove from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.

When it's finished, fluff it up with a fork and serve the meatballs/sauce on top of the couscous. The spicy/sweet combo is amazing. Truly. The prep time took a while with all the chopping and dicing but it was well worth it. My parents loved it and it was different from anything we've ever eaten!

North African sauce:
2 tbsps olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
2 gloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup pitting and chopped green olives
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
pinch ground cinnamon
salt & pepper

Moroccan meatballs:
1 egg
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp cumin
pinch cinnamon
1 pound ground been or turkey
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Couscous with dried dates:
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped dried dates
1 cup quick-cooking couscous
salt & pepper

WOOOO!!

While this post has no relevance to Silver Spoon, or any type of food for that matter, it does have a relevance that makes food seem like thumbtacks (or anything else with little to no importance).

Will you stop whatever you're doing right now and try to wrap your mind around God's love for you? Like, seriously? Let's think about God and His mightiness for just a second. God was here before time began (this is already hard to grasp). God created the world you are now living in by speaking it into existence. God literally breathes life because He is life. This entire universe and everything in it is His creation.
 

Do you realize that the birds you see in the sky are a result of God's creative imagination? One species of birds wasn't enough, so He created 10,000+ different kinds. And apples - there are 7,500+ types of apples to choose from. And why do we have onions AND shallots? Why do we have bananas AND plantains? You know, just because. 

God is sovereign over everything you see and can't see. Have you ever studied the complexity of pollination? God's idea. Or the intricacy of the human eye ball? God's idea. You know the soothing sound of music - major and minor sounds, sharps and flats, melody and harmony? God's idea.

God is the most creative, most powerful, most intelligent, most high God. Most of us have witnessed the beauty of mountains, oceans, waterfalls and sunsets. But do you know what God considers to be the pinnacle of his creation? It's you. You are more beautiful to Him than any other part of His awesome creation. You were created in His image. You were created by Him and for Him. You are His child. A child of the Most High God! 

You were created with a need that only He can fill. Since we live in a fallen world, we grasp for material things like money, fame and success. We strive for happiness. But God designed us in such a way that in order for us to fill that void, we must strive to seek His face above all else. 

God is the King of the universe. Did you read that? Like, seriously read it? He's the King of the universe! Our purpose in this life is not to have a good job after getting a good degree from a good college. It's not about finding your soul mate. It's not about marriage and family. While all those things are good, our purpose in life is to love and worship God. Our purpose is to glorify His name in everything we do. Then, and only then, will we find fulfillment on this side of eternity. There's no other way. Jesus fills our emptiness. No one else. 

I can hardly contain myself when I try to think about that. God, the King of the universe, the creator of everything, loves me with such a strong passion that He sent His only Son to pay the price for my sins. Jesus came down from His heavenly throne and became man. He was beaten, kicked, bruised, crucified and hung, paying a price so large you and I cannot even fathom it. Why did he do that? Because He loves you unconditionally. He wants to spend eternity with you. Can you fully understand that? I can't. I'm trying, but it's too much for me to handle.

Regardless of your circumstances, regardless of adversity, God is with you always. He is holding your hand as you walk through life, whispering gentle words of love and encouragement. He fully understands you and all your ways. He equips you to face everything that comes your way. He gives you wisdom and guidance during tough decisions. He loves you. You belong to Him. 

Doesn't God's unfathomable love make you want to.... I don't know.... SHOUT?!?!?! Jump? Sing? Dance? Run? Laugh? Do you realize that anything and everything you do, you can do it in the Presence of the Most High God who loves you more than anything? You can make your bed knowing that Jesus is with you and loving you and reading your thoughts and saturating you with grace. You can drive to work and have a conversation with the Creator of the universe, at the same time. You can cook dinner while contemplating the Lord's unchanging and unfailing love for you. He is with you always.

Go spend time with Him, get to know Him. Get to know the creator of all things visible. Hang out in His presence. Let Him shower you with unspeakable peace. Follow Him. He has better plans for you than you can dream of. Leave your old ways behind. Stop doing things that don't matter. Start embracing His everlasting love.

Let God invade every area of your life. He has plans that will blow your mind!



How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1).


But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies (Psalm 36:5).

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7).

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love (Psalm 48:9).

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever (Psalm 52:8).

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:26).

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends John 15:13).

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love (John 15:9).

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2).

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-5).

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9-10).

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

Minestrone & Monster Cookies!

Finally, my book has arrived!

It's very large!

The reasons I haven't written a new post in a week:

1) been waiting on the book. There are only so many SS recipes online
2) school started
3) my parents are great cooks, so it's tempting to go to their house every night for dinner
4) option 3 is cheaper

But I've really been missing these fun recipes! So I'm committing to cook more often.

Neither of these 2 recipes are from SS (didn't get the book until 5pm), but at least Minestrone is continuing in my Italian theme. Monster cookies are in a category of their own. We'll get to that later.

Minestrone is my very favorite soup, especially on a cold rainy night. But I was a little disappointed in the quality of my pictures tonight. It's challenging to take a decent picture of soup. But I promise it's sooooo good! And easy!

First I sauteed 1/4 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped carrots & 3/4 cups chopped onions and some olive oil in a large pot for almost 10 minutes.

Then I added about 8 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce, 2 peeled and diced potatoes, 1 can Italian stewed tomatoes (I blended them first), 1 can navy beans, 1 can Italian cut green beans, 3 handfuls of fresh spinach, 2 bay leaves, some basil, salt, pepper. I covered it and let it simmer for an hour. Then I added half a cup uncooked macaroni pasta and let it cook for another 30 minutes. Another really good thing to add if you have it is a fresh Parmesan rind. It really adds some great flavor.

Yum. This soup is delicious and comforting. I separated mine in a few quart sized zip lock bags to freeze and eat later!












MONSTER COOKIES!!

Katherine Sandifer introduced me to these years ago, and I am forever grateful! Seriously, these cookies transcend all others. Your life will change when you take your first bite.

First I mixed a stick of softened butter in my mixer, then gradually added 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup plus 2 tbsp of brown sugar. It's important to make sure the butter is softened just right before mixing. I know from experience that if the butter gets too melted, the texture of the cookies won't be the same. While the mixer was on medium speed, I added 3 eggs, 2 cups of peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt & 4 1/2 cups uncooked oats. Then I took the bowl out of my mixer and added almost a whole bag of M&Ms and almost a whole bag of chocolate chips. Mix it with a spoon. Here it is!

I baked them in a 350 degree preheated oven for 7 minutes. Let them cool a couple minutes when they get out. They should be undercooked and require a fork to eat! At least that's how I like them. I didn't get a picture of a cooked cookie because I scarfed them down too fast when they came out of the oven.

Sorry this isn't a great post. I need to go study! I will start my SS recipes again in a few days!

PS - does anyone know where to buy rabbit meat??