Recipe Swap Thursday #13

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! And Happy Thanksgiving to my US friends.

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Peanut Butter Fluff Bars @ I Blame My Mother. This is my kind of recipe! Be sure to visit her blog and all the other recipes!

This week I've posted TWO new recipes that go hand in hand - my Sweet & Sour Sauce and Baked Meatballs.

How to swap:

1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.

2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

Thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Sweet & Sour Sauce

This sweet & sour sauce is perfect on my Baked Meatballs...or chicken wings, ribs, Chinese food, egg rolls or as a dipping sauce for fondue!

1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon paprika

- Mix together brown sugar and cornstarch.
- Add to all other ingredients in sauce pan.
- Bring to boil stirring constantly, then simmer until sauce thickens.

Baked Meatballs

My meatballs are basic and simple. I don't like to add a bunch of extra stuff to them, which makes them perfect for any sauce - Mushroom, Tomato, or my Sweet & Sour Sauce!

2 lbs ground beef
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, or cracker crumbs
1 egg

- Combine all ingredients together.
- Form into balls and place on aluminium lined bake sheet. I use my Kitchen Scoop to make them quickly and the same size.
- Bake @ 350° for 40 minutes.
- Once cooled enough to handle, removed from bake sheet and place meatballs in baking dish so you can easily add your favorite sauce and warm in oven when you are ready to serve.

You've Got Style

Thank you Ava from Retro Housewife for awarding me the Stylish Blogger Award. I appreciate it very much and enjoy visiting your blog! I also welcome the opportunity to pass this award on to other stylish blogs.

In order to accept this award, please:
- Thank and link back to the person who awarded this to you.
- Share 7 things about yourself.
- Pay it forward to 15 bloggers whom you feel are deserving.
- Contact those bloggers and let them know about their award.

7 Things About ME...
1. I'm a homebody.
2. But I really used to love to travel.
3. I would describe myself as paradoxical.
4. I sleep with one foot outside the covers.
5. I have a Bachelor in Fine Arts.
6. I will miss Oprah after her farewell season.
7. I adore my kids.

And here are the blogs I am passing the award to. Congratulations:

A Southern Fairytale

Brenda's Canadian Kitchen

Christina's Taste Test Project

Cocina Diary

Fresh From The Farm

Home Sweet Farm

Inside BruCrew Life

Louanne's Kitchen

Make Ahead Meals

Mommy's Kitchen

Newlyweds

Refresh

Simply Sweet Home

Susannah's Kitchen

This Mommy Cooks

Recipe Swap Thursday #12

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! As we head into the holiday season full throttle, I'm sure you have many recipes that have been in your family for generations. These recipes hold history, tradition, and love and I so enjoy that you may share some of them here!

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak @ Christina's Taste Test Project. Mmmm... be sure to visit her blog and all the other recipes!

This week I've posted a new recipe - my Great Grandma Sophie Pitura's Apple Sauce Cake. I find this dense, spice cake stays yummy for days and is perfect for coffee breaks.

How to swap:

1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

Thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Apple Sauce Cake

I am beyond excited to be sharing this recipe as it comes from my Great Grandma Sophie Pitura's recipe box. She emigrated from Poland in the early 1900s and married my Great Grandfather, who actually is the one who wrote most of these recipes on the cards. My Great Grandma passed away the year I was born, so I never knew her, however, I am feeling a little more connected as I make some of her 100+ year old recipes!

1 1/2 cups apple sauce (Slow Cooker Apple Sauce)
1 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup maraschino cherries, halved
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted margarine

- Combine apple sauce, sugar, raisins, nuts and cherries together and set aside.
- Sift together dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry together, and add in melted butter margarine while stirring.
- Place batter in a greased 9x9 pan. Bake @ 350° for 60 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.
- Enjoy with a cup of coffee!

Wash & Dry

One of my favorite rooms in my house is my little laundry room. It's actually multipurpose being the mudroom off our garage as well. Needless to say it gets a lot of use. Fortunately, I have some decent storage to keep things accessible, yet out of the way with the cabinets above the washer and dryer.

I use every shelf and square inch of space. I also use the top surface of the washer to hold a small laundry basket to collect kitchen cloths and miscellaneous items that need washing. I usually have my purse or diaper bag on the dryer, packed and ready to go!

Washer Cabinet: Top Shelf - Ziploc bags store household items such as felts for furniture legs, child proofing stuff, etc. I also keep shoe polish and leather protectors up top because we use them, but not frequently enough to warrant being on a lower shelf.
Middle Shelf - Sewing kit, a mason jar to store buttons, and GladWare holding the abundant of batteries that we seemingly need to have on hand to operate gadgets and kid's toys.
Bottom Shelf - All the detergents, stain removers, fabric softeners and bleach for the washing machine!

Dryer Cabinet: Top Shelf - Lights bulbs, light bulbs, and light bulbs. Again, we use them, but not frequently enough to warrant being on a lower shelf.
Middle Shelf - Miscellaneous cleaning and dusting supplies.
Bottom Shelf - Dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, sunblock and bug spray.

Now back to doing laundry!

Perishke

Perishke, Pyrizhky, Piroshki, or Pirozhki are Ukrainian (or Russian) buns filled with something yummy, then baked or fried. Fillings can be anything from sweet-based goodies such as apples, cherries, apricots, jam, to cottage cheese, potato, cabbage or my favorite, meat. Many simply know these as meat buns.

The Perishke that I like the best have a ground beef, onion and mushroom filling and are baked. The combination of the sweet dough with the savory filling is so good. Total comfort food for me. Growing up, I remember these being smaller and more oblong, but over the years mine have become larger and rounder.

2 batches Sweet Dough
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, finely diced
10 medium mushrooms, finely diced
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon sour cream

- To make filling, brown ground beef in fry pan and drain excess fat. Be sure that the ground beef is in small crumbles. Add in the rest of the ingredients (except for sour cream) and simmer until onions and mushrooms are cooked and soft. Cool to room temperature and mix in sour cream. The sour cream helps to bind the meat filling slightly.
- Prepare Sweet Dough. Turn out dough on floured surface and form into a log.
- 1 batch of dough will cut into 12 pieces. Flatten each cut peice of dough into a small square shape, with cut/sticky side up. Fill with approximately 1 tablespoon of meat filling. Pinch closed and form into round bun.

- Place into greased, 9x13 baking dish. Let rise for at least 10 minutes. pieces.
- Bake @ 350° for 25-30 minutes
- Note: 1 batch of Sweet Dough will make 12 buns, but this filling will make more than enough to make 24 buns (so just make2 batches of Sweet Dough!)

Recipe Swap Thursday #11

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! Thank you for making this one of the BEST recipe swaps in blog-land!

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Pumpkin Amish Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Icing @ Debbie Does Dinner. Be sure to visit her blog and all the other recipes!

To kick things off this week I've posted a new recipe - my Sesame Soy Chicken. This chicken is moist and full of flavor!

How to swap:

1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

Thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Sesame Soy Chicken

This is one of my favorite ways to do chicken, and it came from my resident GrillMaster, my husband, who does all our BBQing. The chicken is so moist and tasty, and if you have leftovers it is perfect to slice and add to a salad the next day!

4-6 chicken breasts
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar

- Soak cedar planks in water for 1-2 hours. You soak them to help them not catch on fire in the BBQ, and as well to create some steam when grilling. If you soak them more than 2 hours the cedar flavoring lessens.

- Combine all ingredients to make marinade and pour over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least one hour.

- Fire up BBQ. Brush your cedar plank with olive oil. This helps the chicken not to stick to the board.

- Place chicken on cedar plank, and then plank in middle of BBQ on medium heat. Close lid and try to keep it closed for the entire 25-30 minutes of cooking. Of course, open the lid if you think the plank might be on fire!

& The GrillMaster

Grandma Sue's Pancakes

Growing up, it was a treat to have our mom make these pancakes. Now that we have our own kids, it seems as though we are making pancakes every weekend. We've tried all the pancakes mixes (Aunt Jemima, Coyote, Bisquick, etc), but this easy, homemade recipe is still the best!

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk

- Blend dry ingredients, then cut in Crisco.
- Add in wet to bake batter.
- Scoop by the ladle full into fry pan or griddle and cook on medium low until bubbles and burst on top, then flip to cook other side.
- Add more milk to batter for thinner pancakes or if batter gets too thick.
- Serve with syrup and fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries or peaches.
- Makes about 6 pancakes. Double or triple recipe to make more!

Recipe Swap Thursday #10

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! This past week has just flown by... it feels like I blinked and it's Thursday again (my favorite day of the week).

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole @ Brenda's Canadian Kitchen. I'll be making this recipe ASAP! Be sure to check all the other recipes too!

To kick things off this week I've posted a new recipe - my Hot & Sour Cabbage Soup. This soup definitely has some kick to it!

How to swap:

1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

Thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Hot & Sour Cabbage Soup

It's the time of year where it seems like every one around has a cold. And if you're one of those people... this soup will fix you up!

Don't be intimidated by this ingredient list because it is a little longer than normal for my recipes. I assure you, it's still easy and fail proof.

1/2 package bacon, fried and chopped

1 small head cabbage, shredded

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup szechuan sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth
approx 8 cups water
cooked peas or sugar snap peas
cooked shrimp (optional)

- Add all ingredients to large soup pot.
- Simmer 1 hour, then taste. Adjust accordingly: to increase heat = add more cayenne; like it a bit more sour = add more vinegar; need more salt = add more soy sauce.
- Add cooked shrimp (optional) and peas right before you serve. It brings some nice color to this soup.

Days Of Our Lives

"Like sands through the hourglass...so are the Days Of Our Lives." Although Days has aired since 1965, I only started watching it in the late 1980s early 1990s, when I was in high school. My friends and I would tape it on our VCRs, but I remember watching it the most everyday during summer break. It was a teenage thing.

Of course, as life got busy with university and career, I had to stop watching the cast of crazies.

So fast forward to summer 2008, and I just had my first baby and was on maternity leave. And looky, looky who I found lurking around on my TV. Is that YOU Sammy Brady? And how many kids do you have now? Seriously. And just like that, I was hooked again.

It was like coming home, and catching up with everyone. Bo and Hope. Victor Kiriakis. The DiMeras and of course the evil Stefano. Sadly, the Horton's have always bored me even though they are the core family. There have been some recent appearances of some "old" characters, Jennifer, Kerri, Kayla, Adrienne, Justin and Carly. Haven't seen or heard anything about John/Roman and Marlena. And some days, I simply tune in to catch of glimpse of Brady Black... a little TV eye candy.

Maybe I'll visit Salem, but until then I guess I'll keep watching (now I PVR rather than VCR), and follow some of the cast on Twitter. #DOOL.

Days Of Our Lives is my favorite soap opera. What is yours?