buttermilk pancakes with boozy fruit syrup and maple syrup

buttermilk pancakes and boozy fruit syrup and maple syrup, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Buttermilk pancakes, cooked perfectly on a cast iron griddle and topped with boozy fruit syrup, and real maple syrup (from my cousin in PA)

Boozy Fruit Syrup:

chop 1 cup boozy fruit in small food processor
add 1/4 cup water with a tbsp of cornstarch
heat until thickens

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk (or pour 1 tbsp lemon juice in a cup measure and fill to the 1 cup line with milk)

New Kitchen Look

DSC_0092 pp, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

I have spent the last week painting trim and covering the forest green paint on the walls. I love it now!

Chicken Pot Pie

Homemade chicken pot pie! (well, homemade except for the crust. I can't deal with crusts or cookies. I'm resigned.)


Yes, those are flowers. Can you tell our office was closed today?

Mmm.

Irish car bomb cupcakes from smittenkitchen.com...

... and the sky over our landlords' house tonight.

Chicken Tetrazzini in my new Dutch Oven

Chicken Tetrazzini in my new dutch oven (recipe), originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Chicken Tetrazzini

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 cups chicken
1/2 lb. mushrooms chopped
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 lb. pasta or noodles
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
(maybe some Italian herb mix instead)

cheese, for topping

Melt butter in a heavy pan which can be used on the stove or in the oven. Add onions, garlic, chicken and mushrooms. sauté over high heat. Reduce heat Sauté for 2 minutes. Sprinkle mixture with flour; slowly stir in broth, whisking quickly to avoid lumps.
Add milk to the chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; put pasta or noodles into boiling water and cook for only half the amount of time specified in the package directions.
Transfer the half-cooked pasta or noodles, while still hot, to the pan with the chicken and broth. Combine well and top with any kind of cheese. Mozzarella, provolone, Swiss, Parmesan, Monterey Jack cheese all work well for different variations.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes. Cover with foil and reduce heat if top begins to brown too quickly.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1839,143160-238207,00.html (edited)

Next time I'll add some frozen peas

Ice on the pond by our house. If we don't get some snow, I'm boycotting everything.

The ugliest eggplant in the world, turned into eggplant napoleons (lazy chick eggplant parmigiana).

My grandma used to combine the leftover breading (Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, fresh black pepper) and egg wash (one egg, 2-3 tbsp. water), form the mixture into little patties, and fry them in the leftover olive oil in the bottom of the pan, where so much flavor had already concentrated.

It might be an acquired taste, but I LOVE THEM dipped in warm marinara. She would do the same thing with leftover mashed potatoes - a little seasoned bread crumb, an egg, some Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, and fry those little suckers in olive oil. You don't have to measure it; just play with it. Sometimes I dredge the little suckers in flour before frying, so they're crispy.