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I have not posted here in a couple of years, I have been undergoing a change.  I have been eating Clean and mostly Paleo in the last year.  I first began eating whole 30 in August 2015 and weighing in at 261 pounds.  Yikes how did I ever let that get so out of control and yes that is what I was out of control.  I was unfit and was not riding my horse anymore.  I am also a nurse and I was barely able to function in my job as A critical care nurse.  I knew I had to do something.  A friend told me about whole 30 .  I first flirted with doing Paleo and thought it was too strict and no way could I do that lifestyle but was so intriqued by the whole 30 and Cave man or woman culture way of eating.  I then researched and saw the results of the plan so on August 6 I started with thinking it was just another attempt and hoped if I lost 15 lbs it was better than nothing or weighing in at 260 lbs .  Guess what ?  I am still sticking to it.  I have lost over 70 lbs and currently around 190 lbs.  YES I STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO BUT I AM DOING IT!!!
So I am changing the blog to The red neck Cowgirls to a cleaner, more Paleo Kitchen and will be posting here at least weekly.  So stay tuned for recipes later this week.

peanut butter pie

This easter my daughter asked for a peanut butter cheese cake.  I came up with this instead, a bit easier but just as delicious.  It has a peanut butter graham cracker crust a bit more effort but better than the store bought pie shell.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

peanut butter Graham cracker  crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons butter softened room temperature

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a food processor mix together well.  Press in a 9 inch spring form pan. 

Bake about 9-11 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Set aside to cool.

Peanut butter creme

1 pound cream cheese

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup whole milk 

1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar

3 cups whipping cream

In a mixer combine softened  cream cheese, peanut butter,milk and confectioners sugar.  Mix til smooth.  In another mixitng bowl preferably metal chill bowl and whipping beater for 10 min in freezer.

Pour 3 cups cold heavy cream in the chilled bowl and whip with chilled beater til stiff peaks form.

Fold in whipped cream slowly just to combine with the cream cheese mixture.  Place in prepared cooled crust springform pan.

Chill about 4 hours or overnight.

Easter Lemon Bread

I love easter time!  The Birds are singing, the tulips are blooming and and its a time of rebirth.  I also love making easter bread for my family which I learned from my husbands grandma when we got married.  This is not typically an italian easter bread, it usually has eggs baked in the dough.  My easter bread has evolved over the years but here is the recipe so enjoy!  I usually serve it with fresh kielbasi or any kielbasi, of course colored eggs and fresh cream butter.  My recipe is for 6 braids so you can make less, but give some to a neighbor, friends they will disappear!

Lemon Easter Bread
7.5 cups all purpose white flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon  salt
3 packages (.25oz each) active dry yeast
2 cups milk
2 cups golden raisins(you may use black if unavailable)
1 cup slivered almonds(save some for top)
6 tablespoon butter softened room temp
6 large eggs at room temp

GLAZE
1 stick butter melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract or flavoring
1/2 cup milk
sprinkles
In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a microwave saft pyrex measuring cup; heat until milk is warm between 105-110 degrees 
Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add 6 eggs, lemon flavoring and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time,raisins and almonds stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.  You may have to add more flour.  The dough may be sticky but still pulls away 
Lightly oil 2 large bowls, place the dough in the bowls and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes.Cut into 3 pieces,  Roll each round into a  roll about 16 inches long and 1  inches thick. Braid the dough pinching at the ends.  Place on greased cookie sheet I use a bakers spray to prevent sticking.  Repeat remaining dough.


preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with  in an egg yolk wash.  Bake in preheated oven about 30-40 minutes til golden on top.  Let cool then glaze and place sprinkles on top if desired.

lemon cheese cake

I have not posted for awhile getting caught up in work and computer problems but thank goodness all is fixed.  I have been thinking about Spring!  Spring has hit western pa, almost to the point of summer, the tulips are breaking loose and makes me think about my spring garden and then thoughts to easter.  I love cheesecake for easter!   This cheesecake fits the bill for all the heavy chocolate we will be devouring, heavy meals with lamb or ham, nothing is better to top it off than a light tasting special  cheese cake.

What makes this cheesecake so special??  Well, for one thing, it tastes like cheesecake!  Not snickers or turtles or whopppers or any of the conglomerations that are being done to cheese cakes.  Even seeing some of those cakes, with the loads of chocolate or candy such as skittles or jelly beans make my teeth ache.  I really love the rich decadent cheese flavor combined with a touch of lemon and perhaps a few strawberries.  Simple you say, yes but beautiful and probally simply the best cheescake I ever had.  This cheese cake originally came from the dallas junior league cook book but one my aunt who was a founding member adored.  

Ingredients

• For the Crust:
• 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 25 single crackers, crushed)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• For the Filling:
• 3 8·ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 3 eggs
• 11/3 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• For the Sour Cream Topping
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• For the Glaze:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water (I substituted 1/2 cup Limoncello for the water but it’s optional. I also ended up adding just a touch of lemon paste color. )
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

Prepare the Crust:

1. Combine cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into bottom and up sides of an 11 to 12 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool before adding filling.

Make the Cheesecake:

1. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer at high speed until completely smooth.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
3. Continue to beat, gradually adding 11/3 cups sugar, then lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
4. Stir in lemon rind.
5. Pour into cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
6. Blend sour cream topping ingredients.
7. Remove cake from oven. Gently spread sour cream over top of cake. Return to oven and bake about 12 minutes.
8. Cool on rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until topping is cool but not completely chilled.
9. Make glaze by combining sugar and cornstarch, blending in water and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook 3 minutes. Chill until cool but not set.
10. Spread top of cheesecake with lemon glaze. Chill several hours or over­night. Can also be frozen.

Beef stew and Potato Rolls

We had another big snow storm here in pittsburgh and of course with snow we always crave comfort food.  Here in the east nothing says comfort food like Beef stew and fresh potato rolls.

Beef Stew
2 lbs beef stew meat cut in small pieces
1 tablespoon Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet Paprika
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dry parsley flakes
1/2 cup - 1 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cups of beef stock
3 large carrots peeled  cut into thick slices
3 stalks celery peeled and sliced with leafs
3 potatoes i like a red baby or  white idaho potato cut into mid sized chunks
1 medium sized white or yellow onion roughly chopped
white mushrooms sliced and roughly chopped

Cut meat into bite sized pieces set aside.
Mix next 5 ingredients and sprinkle on meat coating evenly.  Coat flour on meat mixing well into meat, the flour should just  dispappear into the meat.  Refrigerate meat for 30 minutes or more to marinate meat.
Heat vegetable oil til just hot and braise meat til meat slightly browns.  Slowly add stock, carrots,celery, potatoes,onion.  Let cook and simmer for an hour til carrots and potatoes are almost tender , then add mushrooms cook an additional 30 minutes.  Serve.  This makes a thick stew and you like a thinner stew add more broth.
Serve.
Potato rolls

1/2 cup warm water 105-115 degrees(I like it around 110 degrees)
.25 ounce envelope rapid rise yeast (I used the gluten free)
2.5 teaspoons of sugar
2/3 cup melted butter slightly warm
1/2 cup warm milk
1 cup slightly warm mashed potatoes(you may use prepared instant)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups of flour I use a combination of white whole wheat and white all purpose

Mix the 2 teaspoons sugar and envelope of yeast together and then sprinkle over warm water in a small bowl.    Let sit about 10 min covered with tea towel.  When it is foaming or bubbling it is activated.  See below

.Place yeast mixture in your mixing bowl, add your warm milk, whole eggs,remaining  sugar and butter and mix til just combined.  Slowly add your flour.  When your mixture becomes still sticky but starting to form into dough switch to your dough hook if you have one for your mixture.

I usually add around 4 cups to 4.5 cups til it is ready to removed from the bowl and then for about five minutes knead by hand til it becomes soft and feel elastic and smooth.  

Place in a well greased bowl and let rise for 90 min or til about doubled.  Punch down.  Roll into 24 balls around 2 ounces each and place on well greased baking sheet and rise about 90 min or doubled.  Brush with an egg wash mixture of 1 whole egg and a little milk just prior to baking.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes til slighlty browned on bottom and just browning on top.
Serve.
makes 24 large dinner rolls

How to make perfect mashed potatoes

Is there anything as perfect as mashed potatoes at a home cooked meal.  It is truely the ultimate comfort food.  It is perfection with a dab of butter and ultimate with your home made gravy.  It is probally one of the first foods we feed our babies when we try to convert them from jarred food to people food.  Mashed potatoes are so simple but everyones version of the mashed potato can be as different as their personality.  They are not hard to make but for years I struggled for the right combination.  After 27 years of trying,  my aunt caroline taught me the mystery of the perfect mashed potatoes.  Go ahead serve the gravy but with this recipe all you need for perfection is a plate and spoon.
I think the key is adding the hot cream mixture to the hot potatoes and it makes the difference.

Perfect mashed potatoes
4 pounds of golden yukon potoatoes(any will do but these make a creamier blend) peeled and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons of Salt
water
2 cups heavy cream or fresh whole milk
1 stick butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Put the potatoes in a large pot cover with cold water and add 2 tablespoon salt.  Let come to boil over medium high heat until potatoes are tender about 20 minutes.  Drain the water from the potatoes.  My aunt uses a food mill to mash the potatoes I just use an old fashioned masher and roughly mash the potato.  Cover to keep warm.  In the meantime While mashing the potato I use a small pot on a low heat melt the butter and add the heavy cream salt and pepper to taste.  When about ready to come to a boil when it just starts to simmer I slowly pour the hot cream mixture in the potatoes and them mix on high with a hand held mixer.  Add more salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Apricot-Pecan Sweet Potatoes

• The Sweet Potato is one of the most perfect foods.  It is packed full of vitamins and minerals as well as being an all natural anti-inflammatory super food.  You could substitute it in any potato recipe though at first may seem a little odd.  
• This is a recipe I originally got from my aunt Birdie.  She has been making this at every holiday I remember and been a part of our meals for over 10 years.  It's a bit different take on the sweet potato.

Apricot pecan sweet potato

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 5 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup apricot nectar
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Place the sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Mix together brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, apricot nectar, water, and orange peel in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. When the sauce is thick, stir in the butter and pecans. Place the sweet potato chunks into the prepared baking dish, and pour the sauce over to coat all the potatoes.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until tender and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.