A little of this, a little of that

I am not sure where to begin, I guess I will start with the biggest news. I am going back to school. I know what you are thinking......she's crazy, she's lost her mind, at her age? It is something I have always wanted to do but never had the courage to try. I am not getting any younger and the brain cells are just getting older. I am going to study Nutrition Science and hope to decide in a year what to do with it. I am thinking right now that I will settle on becoming a Nutritionist. Shig is a little worried, he keeps asking me if I am going to make him eat healthy.

Grandma J. had a small stroke, she is doing great for a feisty 90 year old, I can only hope to be doing as well as her at her age she spent about 2 weeks in the hospital and is home again with the help of a walker. Dad had a small setback with his cancer, he had to have some surgery on his cheek but he is also home again and we hope he can now regain his strength. He has decided to discontinue chemo, and has undergone two weeks of radiation. We are hopeful his eyesight will get better. Mom found out she has cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetes, she is feeling a little overwhelmed but all in all is her cheerful happy self. I will be heading home for a visit for around two weeks to help out and just to make myself feel better.

I am also starting a new blog, I love to cook and decided that I would start a blog full of my favorite recipe's. I almost have it ready to go so I hope you will all check it out when it is up and running.

I colored my hair and I am very excited to visit my sister-in-law so she can fix it. So Kristin's advice for the day, don't color your own hair unless you know what you are doing, because it can turn out copper.

A Diabetic Coma

I have seen several versions of this recipe and finally decided to give it the old college try. My husband loves bread pudding I only have ever liked the sauce that goes on top. My absolute dislike of raisins always being the deciding factor for me turning it down. I figured anything made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts had to be good.

I will warn you in advance should you attempt to make this it does get a little messy....

2 doz. Krispy Kreme doughnuts (glazed) torn into little chunks.

the crullers give it a more bread-like pudding, but go with your favorite. Put into a large bowl

3 eggs well beaten

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Vanilla flavoring to taste (I used 1 tsp.)

1/2 stick butter (melted)

Cinnamon to taste, 1-2 tsp depending on how much Cinnamon you like

Mix sweetened condensed milk, vanilla butter and cinnamon in a bowl together with beaten eggs and pour over doughnut chunks. It will be to dry, you can make a choice at this time you can add a can of fruit cocktail, (I am not a lover of fruit cocktail) this will cut down on the sweetness or you can start adding milk slowly until it has the consistency of very lumpy cake batter.

Add pecans about 1 cup if you would like and raisins if you must. Pour into a 13x9-inch pan and cook at 350 Fahrenheit, for 30 minutes.

Let it cool and then top with a Simple Sugar Glaze-

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons milk or water

Mix together, and beat until it becomes smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the bread pudding. Make more if this isn't enough.

Buttermilk Glaze (my favorite)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, remove from heat. Cool slightly, then stir in the vanilla. Pour over the pudding.

The Buttermilk glaze I could drink out of glass it is so good.

Thanks For The Music........

Have you ever known that one person that as soon as they walk in the room you can feel the energy change. If you are in a down mood they can instantly change it and you have never seen them without a smile on their face.

I was lucky when I married my husband, I had always wanted an older brother. I got 2 I don't know Shig's brother Kay very well he lives in a far away land called Germany. I have met him two or three times. (as well as his wonderful wife Gaby, the name fits the person). He also has 4 sister's all wonderful along with their husbands. Still I needed an ally, I married the baby of the family and I found one in Char. She married the oldest son, she became my closest friend, my confidant my defender.

I could tell her anything, we both were unable to have children, she understood how I felt when my sister called and told me she was pregnant. She played the piano, I also did. We came up with nick names for the in-laws together-- the Mi and the Myr. I always felt more comfortable just knowing she was around.

On November 29th at 12:10 in the morning the phone rang. We usually don't take the phone upstairs but for some reason that night my husband did. It was Dean (Char's husband) they where on their way home from spending Thanksgiving in Boise with their son and his family, something seemed to be wrong with the car so Dean felt more comfortable with Char driving his Truck and following him just in case something happened. A car sped up to pass her she hit a patch of black ice 5 miles from home and went off the side of the road. She did not survive. I still remember that phone call, the sound of Dean's voice saying over and over she's gone, she's gone. It has been over a year and I still think about her daily.

Tomorrow would have been her 60th birthday, she lived a full life in her few years. I can remember Dean saying she could have been a concert pianist and she chose to be a mother. I miss her music, I miss her.

I am grateful that I was able to know her for the time I did. I read somewhere that we do not remember days, we remember moments. I have had remarkable moment with Char. I am grateful for the gospel and the Plan of Salvation. I know I will be with Char again.

Happy Birthday......

Easter Dinner

Scalloped Potatoes with Creme Fraiche

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tblsp unsalted butter

3 waxy potatoes (such as Yukon gold or Yellow Finn) peeled

3 cups half and half

1/2 cup creme fraiche

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground mace

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the garlic all over the inside of a 3 quart baking dish, than mince it. Grease the dish with about 1/2 the butter.

Slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick. Combine in a large saucepan with the minced garlic, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, the half and half, creme fraiche, flour, thyme, mace, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook stirring until the mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chives and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, shaking it the distribute the potatoes evenly. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 1 hour and 5 minutes, occasionally spooning some of the liquid over the top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

This was amazing.

Chicken Scallopine with Sage and Fontina Cheese

6 (4 1/2 to 5 1/2 ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded thin

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 sage leaves

3 ounces grated fontina cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, halved

1/2 cup white wine, I used Martinelli's

1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

toothpicks

Place the chicken cutlets on a clean work surface, narrow end facing you. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place one sage leaf crosswise on each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle each of the pieces of chicken with 1/2 ounce about 2 tablespoons of fontina cheese. Roll up the chicken and seal with one or two toothpicks.

Warm the olive oil and halved garlic clove in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant about 2 minutes. Add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and remove and discard the chicken and garlic. Add the martinelli's and simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes and red pepper flakes in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the tomato mixture to the reduce wine in the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors marry.

Return to chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in the tomato sauce for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over and simmer until cooked through 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the chicken form the pan. Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper. spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates or a serving platter. Slice the chicken into 1 inch rounds. Remove the toothpicks. Place the chicken over the sauce and serve immediately.

This to is amazing.

Roasted Asparagus

2 bunches medium asparagus

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450

Trim the woody ends from the asparagus, usually about 1 1/2 inches. lightly peel the remaining stalks. Spread the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper and roll to coal thoroughly.

Roast the asparagus until light browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, giving the pan shake about halfway through to turn the asparagus. Arrange the roasted asparagus on a serving platter and top with some Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Dessert

Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

1 egg at room temperature

2/3 cup milk at room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Ganache frosting

Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees f. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour,cocoa, baking powder salt and set aside. Using mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the egg and stir until just combined. Gently add half the flour mixture and stir until until just incorporated. Mix in the milk. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 2 Tablespoon sugar, and vanilla. Still in the chocolate chips and the walnuts.

Fill prepared cupcake lines with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each, then top with remaining batter ( cream cheese should not be visible).

Bake at 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 and then remove and allow to cool completely on the rack. Dip each cupcake in to the ganache, forming an even layer of frosting. Place in the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes.

Ganache:

3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

Place a heat prove bowl over over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate, cream. Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

I have to admit the cupcakes were the winner at my house.

I wish I would have taken some pictures to show you how good every thing looked. I guess you will just have to come visit to see for yourself. Hope everyone had a great Easter. We love you all and miss you terribly.

March Madness

March has been a very busy month at the Bahr house. We are doing some deep Spring cleaning, and that means going through every drawer, cupboard nook and cranny in this house. Needless to say I sent my old dishes to Good Will and bought some new dishes and cups, which we were in bad need of. The Highlander was packed on its first trip over and that was only the kitchen and two bags of clothes from our closets. I am so excited to see what else I can find. I have found some interesting treasures while cleaning. I found a stuffed turkey and some Christmas dishes I didn't know I had.
Makaila turned 15! That means 1 more year till she can date guys that look like this. (Dennis is the one with long hair and glasses). She had a fun birthday party. We had some of her friends come over, we did Tokyo Joe's sauce and homemade toppings. It was really good. She got a bass guitar, amp, some new clothes and a new i-pod. This will be her third, we told her this one had better not go through the wash.

Makaila turning 15 also means drivers ed. We are on the fence about this. I have just found out I don't have good night vision (which means I don't have any). It would be nice to have another driver around, it is just hard to believe it will be my daughter. I am not so sure about all this growing up.

She also had her Spring orchestra recital. They did a great job, she is becoming a wonderful musician. She has the violin, guitar, bass guitar and she is trying out the piano. She is fun to have around.

March also means Buble.............................................................................................................................

Naturally 7 opened for him they were amazing and are now a favorite at our house. I loved every minute of this concert. We wish we would of taken Makaila with us when we were there. He put on a great show for us and I would love to be able to see him again. He isn't bad to look at either.

I am just hoping April isn't a let down with all the great things that happened in March. We are hoping for some company and are really loving Spring.