Saturday, February 18, 2012

Eggs, Manicotti, and my broken camera!


(these are past Easter eggs the kids and I dyed, but I wanted a picture for my post!)


It feels so good to cook with my own eggs!  I have patiently been waiting for my chickens to start laying and my patience is paying off.  I am far from getting a lot of eggs but at least one every day, and today for the first time I used my own eggs in the manicotti I made.  Our church is having a "lunch-in" tomorrow and our theme is Italian.  I was so excited because it gave me the opportunity to whip up my home made manicotti and I put together a nice antipasto salad and a quick and easy tiramisu.  I'm so bummed that I can't take photos of things right now, but I'm having to save for a new camera.  My camera must just be worn out, it sucks the batteries dry right after I put them in and I can't upload anything on my computer even if I do get a photo taken.  I feel so lost without my camera, it was like an additional appendage for me!  I thought since I can't share a photo or three then I would at least share my recipe for manicotti!  It takes some time to make the manicotti "shell/crepes" but it is oh so worth it and delicious!


Home Made Manicotti

8 Eggs
3 Cups Water
3 Cups all-purpose
1 ½ Teaspoons Salt,

Combine eggs, water, all-purpose flour and salt in your mixing container. I use my kitchen aid mixer, but a bowl and hand mixer works well too. Blend until mixture is smooth.

How to Make Manicotti Shells

Lightly spray pan with Pam and then heat the pan for about a minute over medium high heat. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the hot frying pan.

Quickly and carefully tilt the pan in a circular motion until the batter forms a round, thin layer in the pan. (Similar to a crepe or a very thin pancake.)

Cook about 1 or 2 minutes until the shell surface appears dry.

Carefully lift the manicotti shell out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cool stack with wax paper squares on top of each other.

Repeat process to make approximately 24 shells.


Lightly spray pan with Pam and then heat the pan for about a minute over medium high heat. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the hot frying pan.

Quickly and carefully tilt the pan in a circular motion until the batter forms a round, thin layer in the pan. (Similar to a crepe or a very thin pancake.)

Cook about 1 or 2 minutes until the shell surface appears dry.

Carefully lift the manicotti shell out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cool stack with wax paper squares on top of each other.

Repeat process to make approximately 24 shells.

The Filling

3 pounds Ricotta Cheese
3 Eggs
1 pound shredded Mozzarella Cheese
½ Cup finely chopped Parsley or a full 11g spice bottle of dry parsley
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons salt

Directions

Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir until well mixed.

Spoon about 2 or 3 Tablespoons into the center of a manicotti shell and roll. Fold the ends in over the filling and then roll the shell like a burrito.

Spoon your favorite tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan to cover.

Arrange manicotti in the pan and lightly cover with additional tomato sauce.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Pinterest

Oh dear, I think I have found a new toy!  If there is one thing about me, it is that I'm usually the last to get on the train of anything.  I still am reluctantly fighting the cell phone although beginning to give up my resolve as I find they can be convenient.  Of course, I'm the last one in the house without one!  I joined facebook and thought "what do I do now", slowly learning how useful it is to share photos of the kids to family all over the United States.  The new timeline? Well, lets just say I have it but I'm again thinking now what? But, what I have found that I am very excited about is this pinterest.  This is right up my alley, where I can put photos and set up boards with things that I like, and look at other peoples boards that like the same things.  I think I'm in love and this time I'm not fighting it, I'm getting on the train!

Spring is lurking!

Winter on the farm can look dreary for the most part, but there is something very nostalgic about this broken down fence line.  It draws me to look at it and wonder what people, what animals and what greener pastures were here before us.  Perhaps, my wonderment is why I haven't knocked it all down yet!

Taking long, winding, walks brings a new perspective to life when you are out among nature.  Just taking in the simple things that God has blessed us with and appreciating them can really lighten a winters heavy heart.

I am looking forward to spring and seeing some greenery and color, of course I'm not discounting the green pine trees we have everywhere.  But, blooming dog woods and strange unknown bushes and wild flowers do stimulate the senses and touch my heart.  I know that day will be here soon, if I can only hold out and not start trying to plant flowers that will freeze before their time!

Until spring arrives, I will take every glorious sunny day and hold it dear to my heart.  As I wait for those light breezes, bright mornings and cool evenings where the stars fill the black sky like twinkling Christmas lights, I will appreciate the glory of winter a few weeks more.  Rain to feed our soil, wind to blow the dust away and cold, crisp days that take your breath away are still upon us, but will be laid to rest as soon as the warmth of spring that is lurking, arrives.


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

They can make me laugh!

Dealing with teenagers should come with a free sample of Tylenol!  Don't get me wrong I love my children with every last breath, but they do know how to push our buttons.  I do love those moments when one of my kids really makes me laugh.  Even out of frustration you have to stop and laugh.  This morning our chihuahua, Ziggy, jumped up in my chair and over my shoulder and down my back to get warm.  Of course, scratching me down the back as well.  I grumbled at him, and my daughter looks at me and says "do you still lovvve him?" I looked at her still frustrated with Ziggy and the searing sting down my back from the scratch and replied, "I still love you when you make me mad!" She replies "Good to know!" Well, that just made me laugh!  Does that mean she is hatching some sinister plan now to test the theory? Teenagers today just make a parent go "huh?"

I have to commend that father that shot his daughter's laptop after her disrespectful rant on Facebook!  I think more teenagers need a reality check these days, to let them know they don't really know it ALL, nor do they have it so bad!  Of course, in their minds without them parents would sit drooling on themselves all day long.  It is hard to remember being a teenager and I know we probably said, thought and did the same things just in different formats.  Oh how we get paid back for what we dealt out when our parents were looking at us and saying "huh?"