May is, 'Make Your Favorite Dish' Madness! Hurry Join IN!

This is my cute adorable granddaughter, and this is the face you are going to get if you don't participate!

I don't know how many of you check the allbirdsbaking blog. You can click on the allbirdsbaking button on the right and it will take you there in a flash!

This blog is a recipe blog. Therefore it needs R E C I P I E ' S !

Actually it was Kaedell's idea. All my girls are suppose to post a recipe once a month. Well, you can see that hasn't been happening. Slackers!

Can I take a moment to chastise:  **#@~***.  Dang your hides!

So I'm begging for some help here. Anyone can participate! I hope Everyone will.

Take a minute and go on over to  the actual blog and have a look.

OK, Heaps of Blessings to all those who join in!!!

Best Fresh Peach Pie Ever

Peaches anyone? Check out the best fresh peach pie ever on All Birds Baking! YUM!!!
Also just for your information. This is probably the last time I'll double post. It just takes too long. You are going to have to click on the "All Birds Baking" button (over on the right) here on the blog to find any new recipes at the Crow's Nest from here on out.

Plum Jam--- Don't Miss Out On This Fabulous Recipe!

I have been waiting a year to post this recipe. My friend Val, who is really more like my daughter than my friend brought me over some jars of jam last year. Above are her two little girls getting ready to dig into some of that delicious jam. Check out the recipe and story on "All Birds Baking!"

Promised Recipe; Sloppy Jose

New Recipe on

All birds baking

folks!

Don't miss it!

You put it on a baked potato,

That tells you it has to be good!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Check out these little goodies on All Birds Baking! Yum, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Banana Pudding

Want to try a new Banana pudding recipe? Check out All Birds Baking! You won't be disappointed!

Just for you Mom! Summer Salsa!

Fresh Summer Salsa Recipe

7 or 8 diced Roma tomatoes (if small get 8)
1-2 diced cucumbers (depending on size)
2 cans shoepeg corn
1-2 Tablespoons dried onion
½ cup Olive Oil
¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 plus Tbsp Cholula sauce
1 plus Tbsp Green Tabasco suace
1 plus Tbsp dried Cilantro
1 tsp Salt
some pepper
(add or take away from the sauces according to spice preference; note: it gets hotter the longer it sits) For those that like it hot and spicey, throw in some red tobasco sauce too.
Mix together. Let sit long enough for the dried onions to hydrate. Enjoy with favorite tortilla chips! Yum!

This is the post after the post! Thanks Em for posting this on the blog in honor of my birthday!!! I've been literally bugging the tar out of Emilyn to give me this recipe. There for a while I was beginning to think she was holding out on me as a form of torture. This salsa has become my absolute favorite. Every time we have a party or a gathering and Em asks, "What can I bring?" I nod my head and request her salsa. Thanks Em, Love--- Love--- Love it!!! I'm so glad you are such a wonderful daughter and wonderfully goo cook too!

Prosciutto Chicken

It's been a long time since I posted a good recipe, and it just so happens, the other day a a coworker of mine gave me an award winning one.  I'd just like to stop right here in mid-thought and ask while it's at the fore front of my brain, where in the world are all the good recipe posts from all of the other girls in the family.  Am I the only one who cooks? Come on girls,  S-H-A-R-E!!!

This recipe is for Prosciutto Chicken. When my friend was telling me about it, I was wondering what in the heck "prosciutto" is? Listen, I was raised on a farm, I can tell you everything you want to know about hamburger and how to cook it every night, prosciutto is not made of beef or I would have been eating it on Sundays when I was a kid.

I decided to do a little reading and for those of you who are as lacking in knowledge as I, prosciutto means ham in Italian. It's made by salting and pressing the ham for about two months. After all the blood has been drained and pressed out, it's rinsed well and left in a cool dry place to age. This process can take up to 3 years depending on the patience and quality of the producer. This will explain why you are going to pay far more for this thin slice of pork than that plain old bacon you bought last week, but when you taste it, you won't be sorry and everyone will think you are an amazing cook.

Before you read any further though there is a spice you simply have to run out and buy! I'd tell you where I bought mine, but for the life of me, I can't remember. I'm just so happy though in some moment of sheer genius I was enlightened and made the purchase. This spice is a winner!

Blazin Blends has created the ultimate spice to go on fish or chicken. I never cook without. It gives chicken the best flavor ever. You'll want some for this recipe! You will want some for any chicken recipe!

Now for the Instruction:

Take a 9/13 pan and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil back and forth in the bottom of the pan and make sure it's fairly well coated. 

Now heap the spinach up high. Layer the baby spinach in the pan until it nearly fills it to the top. I used a little Chard on top of my spinach just because I had some and needed to use it up. But the baby spinach is what the recipe calls for. The spinach shrinks horribly when it's cooked so there is no such thing as too much spinach ---the more the better. Season it with a little Italian seasoning and salt and pepper as you layer. I also snuck in a little lemon juice. Ok, so I love lemon!

Now take about six or so Chicken breasts and pound them out flat. Place these on top of the spinach. I season the chicken with salt and pepper and my Blazin Blends spice. Yum! 

Now for the Prosciutto. This ingredient can be difficult to find at the store, so make sure you shop ahead for the day you are going to make this divine recipe. After searching at Lee's Market and not finding any, I went over to Smith's and got the last package. Lucky me! The Prosciutto is very fine and delicate. Carefully separate each thin piece and cover the chicken with it. 

Now for the Provolone cheese. Mozzarella tastes good on the recipe as well. I chose the Provolone. Layer it so that it covers the chicken generously.

Last but not least are the tomatoes. I personally think the tomatoes are what makes this recipe so delicious. Even family members who don't necessarily care for tomatoes loved them in this dish! Slice them thin and layer them on top of the cheese.

Now for the finishing touch. Take your olive oil and drizzle it back and forth all along the top of the tomatoes. Now season the entire dish again with salt and pepper, the blazin blends, and the recipe calls for Thyme but I used Italian seasoning and it was perfect. Be generous. 

Bake uncovered at 350 until chicken is well done, about 45 min or so. Serve with a nice brown rice or a yummy pasta covered with marinara, then prepare yourself for the rave reviews!

Everyone loved this recipe. 

I loved it because it looks elaborate, 

but was a piece of cake to make! 

That's my kind of recipe!

Des and Goose said it Rocked!

 And just to let you know, I highly doubt you are going to have left overs!

Good Old Fashioned Gorp

I've been researching foods that help with energy. I don't know about anyone else, but all this training makes me tired. The other day I stumbled onto a great recipe for gorp. At first glance I was like, "What in the heck is gorp? Are you wondering what gorp is? Gorp is a high energy blasting food designed to be portable. The fact is, gorp is just another word for trail mix. Some of you are not going to like this recipe. It's designed closer to the old fashioned kind of trail mix, the one with fewer fat and calories; the one "WITHOUT" chocolate. You can make your own energy-blasting gorp that's far healthier by combining the following.

1/2 cup Multi-Bran Chex with
2 tablespoons of dried cranberries and
a dozen almonds )about 1/2 ounce).
Makes 1 serving. Per serving: 229 cal, 5 g pro, 41 g carb, 8 g fat, 0.6 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 196 mg sodium.
 

Happy Easter Bunny Doughnuts

Kaedell stumbled onto these cute easter treats. 

I tried to find the site again. NO luck.

Maybe Kaedell remembers.

Cute idea!

Happy Easter Everyone!

The Perfect Spring Cookie!

Just in time for budding and blooming . . .

Jam Blossoms!

There is nothing better in life than a simple pleasure and this little Jam Blossom is definitely all that and more.
This recipe is probably not going to appeal to the chocolate lovers, but hey, I guess you could omit the jam and just stick a big old chocolate kiss on top. If however you love shortbread and want a cookie that's colorful, then you are going to love this little goody.

Use a variety of jams and preserves; you'll want to crack out all your favorites for a beautiful show of spring colors on the plate. (Val, this is where I'm going to need more of your perfect plum jam! PS people that recipe is coming soon and you won't want to miss it!)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease your baking sheet or line it with parchment.

Place the following in a bowl for mixing:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup room temp. butter
1/4 tsp salt (fine if you have it)
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Almond extract

Beat this until it's fine and smooth

add 1 cup flour

This is a really stiff dough, but continue beating it until it's nice and smooth again.

Now take a 1" tsp cookie scoop and scoop out your nice round dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave about an inch and a half between each ball.

Now get your cute cookie press out (or the bottom of a glass bottle works well too.) Years ago I acquired some really cute cookie dough stampers. I have Winnie the Pooh and a few other cute stamps and I haven't used them in years, that is until I found this charming recipe. The grandkids are going to love making these.

Now press the round balls down gently with your stamp or your glass jar, leaving the cookie about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake the cookies 10 min. until edges are just starting to brown.

Dollop with a generous teaspoon of your favorite jam and preserves.

PS If you don't have a cute stamp, you can take the cookies hot out of the oven, take something with a smaller circumference, (a lid of some type) and make a little indentation in the center of the cookie for where you want to place your jam.

Happy Spring!
(Can I make Jam Blossoms when I'm in training? Why not?)

Scones with Cherry and Lemon

I don't know who Melanie is, because she didn't leave her last name on this divine recipe but if I knew who she was I'd hug her. 

The other night Mr. "G" and I had to chaperone for Des's prom. We had to show up early to help decorate too and after our decorating duty was done we decided before all those unruly teenagers showed up in their fancy duds, we needed energy. 

We drove down to Jamba Juice and I got my usual Mango-a-go-go, with added energy of course. It was delish, but just before we turned to leave I decided to grab a sour cherry scone. Oh wow, big mistake! I should have never introduced my self to that divine simple pastry. It was heavenly. 

That's what sparked my interest when I spotted this little hummer of a recipe. Don't make it, then you will never know what you have been missing out on all this time! I warned ya!

Scones with Cherry and Lemon

2 c. all purpose flour

¼ c. granulated white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

½ c. dried cherries

Zest of 2 lemons

2/3 c. buttermilk

Egg mixture for brushing tops of scones:

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tb milk

Turbinado surgar, or white granulated sugar, for sprinkling the tops of the scones OR drizzle with glaze after baking.

GLAZE

Juice of one lemon and 1/2 - 1 cup of powdered sugar.  Depending on how much juice you get from the lemon.  You want it runny.

Preheat oven to 400° and place rack in middle of oven.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives.  The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.  Stir in the dried cherries and the lemon zest.  Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together.  Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 ½ inches thick.  Cut this circle in half, and then cut each half into 3-6 pie-shaped wedges.  Place the scones on the baking sheet.  Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture.  Sprinkle with raw sugar (if desired).

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 6-12 scones.

How To Peel A Potato

If you can tolerate watching this annoying video, it's well worth it!
 

Olive Garden Caprese Flatbread

Recently I posted a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough. I was so happy when Jason McKellar sent me Olive Garden's Caprese Flatbread recipe to go along with it. I haven't tried it yet but I'm going to. Thanks Jason!

Ingredients:

8 Roma tomatoes, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

10 medium fresh basil leaves, stemmed and chopped (about a 1/2 cup)

7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

11 oz container of refrigerated thin crust pizza dough

1 garlic clove

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1- Preheat oven to 350.

2- Dice tomatoes into small pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl.

3- Add garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 of the chopped basil (about 1/4 cup), and 4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

4- Set aside and allow the mixture to marinate for 10 minutes.

5- Flatten pizza dough into rectangle (make sure you take the dough to the edge of the pan)

6- Drizzle the dough with e.v. olive oil and brush it over the surface.

7- Bake the dough in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes on center rack.

8- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly (about 2 minutes).

9- Cut the garlic clove in half and rub, cut side down, on to the surface of the bread. The warmth of the       bread will help extract the garlic flavor.

10- Allow the bread to cool completely, about 10 more minutes.

11- Increase the oven temperature to 450.

12- Combine mayonnaise and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Evenly spread onto the surface of the  bread.

13- Top with shredded mozzarella to evenly cover the surface.

14- Drain the Caprese mixture, as the salt will have extracted water fro the tomatoes, and spread it evenly over the bread.

15- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

16- Return to the oven for 5-7 more minutes until golden, crisp and bubbly.

17- Garnish with the remaining chopped basil.

Enjoy

What Kind Of Yeast To Buy

Emy gets all the credit for leading me to this great find.
For those of you who were looking for a good yeast for Em's bread recipe, here it is. It comes tightly packed in this colorful bag. You'll find it sitting on the shelf in your local supermarket.
I keep it in the fridge in a sealed tupperware bowl after opening. It's a large quantity, so those of you who don't bake often might want to consider the small packets instead.
Happy Bread Making!

Nacho Cheese Sauce? Oh Yes It Is 'Yo' Cheese Sauce!

Anyone else out there a Nacho lover? I thought I'd try my hand at making it from scratch.
Here’s the ingredients:

1-1/2 Tb butter

1 Tb corn starch

½ cup evaporated milk

1 ounce cream cheese cubed

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/8 cup Monterey Jack shredded

½ Tb hot sauce

1 Tb paprika

(Note: keep the cheese in the fridge until you are ready to shred it.)

Prep everything on this recipe before you start cooking. That way you won’t scorch things on the bottom the way I do. This is a great recipe to make in your double broiler if you are smart enough to own one!

Instruction:

Melt butter in heavy sauce pan.

Stir in corn starch.

Add the milk.

Chop the cream cheese into little cubes so it will melt faster.

Stir cream cheese into butter and milk and stir until smooth.

Add cheddar and stir till smooth.

Add Jack and stir until smooth.

Add paprika (you can add chile pepper here too if you like, it’s not rocket science.)

Now add the hot sauce until it’s your favorite spiciness!

 

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Are you sick of soup yet, cause I'm not. I think in the winter I cook soup four nights out of five. Ok, ok, so I don't cook five nights in a row sometimes. Well, I do love soup.  I can't help it, it's so good, it's so quick to fix, it's soothing, and with this glummy weather, what's not to like? Soup to me is like a dose of the sun in my grandma Berret's big stainless steel pot! I'm a person who desperately needs the sun and when I can't get any outside, at least I can symbolically dish a bowl up on a freezing cold day! Here's the latest goody I tried. All I can say is . . . YUM!
Ingredients
1 lb. boneless chicken breast tenders
2 32 oz. cartons of chicken broth
2 cups water
1 large onion, peeled and left whole
1 clove of garlic, peeled and left whole
1 pkg. fresh spinach
3 or 4 carrots, shredded or sliced thin, your choice
1 pkg. (I used 19 oz.) frozen cheese tortellini

Instruction
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Season the chicken with your favorite seasoning. Check out Emeril's Original Essence. Just bought me some of this good stuff. It's an all purpose seasoning to use for just about anything. You're gonna luv, luv, luv it! Season the chicken liberally and brown it well on both sides. Remove to cool.
In a large soup pot, pour in the two cartons of chicken broth and water, add the whole onion and garlic clove, and the sliced or shredded carrots, cover, cook slowly and allow the onion and garlic to become soft. In the meantime, shred the cooled chicken into bite sized pieces.
When the onion and garlic are nice and soft, remove and discard them. The idea here is to flavor the broth but not have any pieces of onion or garlic floating around in your finished soup. (Seth is going to love this! He hates onions in anything. Finally a recipe made just for you Seth!) Add the shredded chicken, spinach and tortellini. Give it a gentle stir, cover and let it simmer through until the spinach is all wilted and the tortellini are nice and soft, just a few minutes. Some of the Emeril's Essence will come off the chicken and will flavor the soup so that you won't have to add any extra salt, pepper or any other seasonings. Serve in big bowls and offer a sprinkling of Parmesan if you like. How easy is that?

Low Fat Turkey Soup

Sorry everyone!!! I copied down the recipe incorrectly.  Thanks Robynn for catching my goof! I must have been trying to multitask! Hope someone hasn't tried to make it yet! Here is the corrected recipe. (corrected 2-4-2010)

Anyone tired of the weather yet? For these grungy winter days, you're going to love this soup recipe.
Lean Ground Turkey Soup

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 medium onions, chopped
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
2 large carrots, chopped
3 14oz cans of beef broth (I usually make my own)
1 26 oz jar of favorite spaghetti sauce (I use homemade)
1 16oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 1/2oz can great northern beans rinsed and drained
1 14 1/2oz can Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp pepper
1 cup uncooked small shell pasta (it doesn't really matter, I used whatever is around)
Brown turkey and onions, drain excess grease. Add zucchini and carrot, cook and stir one minute longer. Add remainder of ingredients, except noodles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 min. Cook pasta according to directions and add it at the end. Serve and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

It's a good idea to wait until about 20-25 min before the soup is done to add the zucchini. Then it is not mushy.
This recipe is complements of my cute friend Robynn Hill Spencer. Thanks Robynn, just keep sending me these yummy recipes. I luv', luv', luv' this one!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I'm on a Wheat kick if you hadn't noticed.  Well, what can I say, I have wheat storage galore and with a mill now to grind it, I'm trying every wheat recipe I can get my hands on. It's winter and the weather has been so dreary! A good time to bake. This recipe is a winner, simple and easy and it tastes good too.


Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 package active dry yeast/instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot tap water (120 - 125°F)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar

Description: NOTE: To obtain optimum health benefits, rising and baking times may be extended.

Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F To prepare pizza dough, stir whole wheat flour; lightly spoon into a measuring cup and level flour. In large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, yeast and salt. Blend in water, oil and honey or sugar. Stir by hand vigorously until all ingredients are well mixed; about 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise to desired size. Place dough in greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan or 12 to 14-inch pizza pan. Press dough to cover bottom of pan and up sides to form a rim. Add pizza sauce of your choice and your favorite pizza toppings; bake in oven 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and toppings are done.

Servings: Provides 8 servings

Calories/Serving: 146 calories/slice of crust only

Nutrition: One slice of crust only provides approximately: 146 calories, 5 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 2 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 37 mcg folate, 2 mg iron and 219 mg sodium.

Chicken Paillard & Ponzu Dressing

Many of you know Glade loves to cook. When ever he makes a nice chicken Breast dish he loves to pound the chicken thin. Today I found a great recipe and tried it myself.  It's a fast and delicious healthy dish! I loved it! Serve it with a light salad topped with a Ponzu dressing.  It makes for a nice light dinner if you overindulged your way through Christmas.

Here's the ingredients you'll need for the Chicken Paillard

4 Chicken Breasts pounded flat
coat with extra virgin Olive oil
4 sprigs of chopped thyme
2 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1 lemon zested and juiced
White grape juice to taste
Season with course salt and pepper to taste
1 Cup Chicken stock

Pound your Chicken breasts 1/4 inch flat. To avoid splattering pound between two thin sheets of Saran wrap. Coat with a tablespoon or so of extra virgin Olive oil. Take your kitchen tongs and gently place flattened breasts in a nice hot oiled skillet. Season with Parsley, Thyme, salt , pepper and any other seasonings your prefer. Zest with lemon. Cook about two to three minutes on each side, depending on how flat your Chicken is. Make sure the color is nice and white being fully cooked through. Brown on both sides. When thoroughly browned add your Chicken stock and grape juice, cover and simmer a 4-8 minutes. Serve on nice bed of salad greens.

Ingredients and instructions for the Ponzu Dressing that goes on your salad greens.

Combine

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 Cup extra virgin Olive oil
1 tsp fresh Ginger minced
1 clove Garlic minced
1 spring Onion or Scallion minced

Stir well and serve on nice bed of greens. I like to toss in a few slivered almonds on top of my salad.

Recipe by Marlon Alexander (Posted to allbirdsbaking.blogspot.com)