Microwave Popcorn..Chemical Free! Convenient Comfort Food

I do not buy microwave popcorn...we don't use our nuker very  much for health reasons.  My teenage sons went out and bought a box of microwave popcorn the other day and love it. Of course! Poison is delicious!  Right?  LOL  I complained and lectured and well, boys will be boys and they asked me to buy a bulk box of it at Sams Club....NO!

I told them, we have that awesome hot air popper, you guys love that!  "yeah, but mom, its too much work, and then I have to do dishes".  (Yeah, he is right...it does make a bit of a mess)...but I still think its the best.

Anyway..I decided to play around with it..last night hubby and I took a paper bag, a cup of popcorn and microwaved it.  Nothing else..just uncooked popcorn.  2:36 seconds (Nukers vary...I have mine down to a science so my boys don't have to think about anything). POP, BAM...its done!

Started off with a minute, then added thirty seconds on just before it beeped.  I can't believe it...it made popcorn!  No chemicals, no fake butter...just real popcorn..sure the nuker probably still isn't healthy, but if my boys are going to make it in the nuker, this is better than the commercial crap.

I added coconut oil  w a spoon..drilling it over it right in the bag, then salt and pepper...of course, parmesan cheese, hot sauce w coconut oil (or butter, but remember, you are making a mess if you are melting butter...I am trying to contain this in a bag so its a convenience thing.  What's your favorite popcorn topping? Garlic, rosemary?  I ♥ Popcorn!!

Pretzel Soup aka shdreisl suppe

This is a comfort food that will help you sleep and keep your belly full all night.It's a Pa Dutch thing that goes way back, and I remember eating this as a child.  Its a quick snack, hearty and cheap.  It is said that after a

I am going to keep this short and sweet. There are many variations, you can start w a roux, or just a basic bowl of warm milk and butter...This is how I remember it best.

Pretzel Soup aka shdreisl suppe

½ C hard pretzels broken into bite sized pieces
1 c milk (I use raw milk, its what they used)
1 tsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

I warm my milk and melt my butter first and then throw the pretzels in just before eating...I like my pretzels a bit crunch..some people like it all warmed together and eaten with the pretzels soft.

Try it out and play with it.  The easier you keep it, the better..as its a quick snack that should only take 2 minutes to prepare.

Herbal Simple Syrup Mint

Mint Simple Syrup

My herb garden has gone wild...I am working on some walnut basil pesto today and I decided to make some mint simple syrup for my tea.  I had a really good iced mint tea the past few days at the fair and I want to recreate it with my herbs.

Simple syrups are so easy to make, and the sugar is dissolved so that your drinks don't have sugars floating around in them.

Here is all it takes:

Equal parts sugar and water and a handful of herbs. The more herbs, the stronger the flavor.  

Bring all to a boil for a minute, and  let cool..muddle it and strain it.  Put it in the frige, it lasts about a week..if you don't use it up first.

Use it in your tea, cocktails, water, ice cream, or wherever you want sweet mint.



I decided to start keeping this in a grolsch bottle, since I saved a few of these back in the day. That way its easy to see in the fridge right away.

No Takeout Tonight Creamy Chesapeake Chicken and Campanelle Pasta (ready in 25 mins)

This recipe is fast and easy.  It'll be done before the pizza guy gets there. 

Creamy Chesapeake Chicken and Campanelle Pasta 

2 box campanelle pasta
1 stick butter
½ bag
frozen cooked chicken strips (these should be a staple in everyone's freezer, or freeze your own precooked chicken if you have time to kill)


Boil water and cook pasta according to package direction.  Melt butter on low and throw in half bag of cooked chicken strips and turn up the heat to med, cooking until heated, then turn back down to low.

In a bowl,  combine:

1 egg, beaten
1 16oz container of sour cream
½ c milk
3/4 c parmesan cheese
4 T dried minced garlic
2 T old bay seasoning
1 T italian seasoning (rosemary, basil, oregano, marjoram blend)
fresh cracked pepper

When chicken is heated through and and temp is turned back to low, pour in sauce over chicken/butter in pan.  Heat through and pour over pasta. Serve with asparagus or your fav green vegetable.


Variation: This is excellent with asparagus spears..chop them and steam them over the pasta and toss them in the finished product.
Feel free to substitute Chesapeake bay seasoning...or whatever you want to call your seafood seasoning.

Creamy Alfredo Smoked Salmon Pasta (super fast and easy)

I make this with spaghetti, linguini, and even raviolis (fresh or store bought fresh is best)
Today I used smoked salmon spinach ravioli
Creamy Alfredo Smoked Salmon Pasta
8 oz pasta
1/2 c butter
16 oz container sour cream
2 T garlic
1 egg slightly beaten
1 c parmesan cheese
2 T of the mafia seasoning mixture...rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram (i make this ahead of time and have it ready, premixed, so half T of each if you don't)
2 chopped tomatoes (about fist size, more or less to your liking)
4-6 oz smoked salmon
salt and pepper
sprig parsley to garnish and eat

While pasta cooks, melt butter on low in a med size saucepan.

In a bowl, beat egg, add sour cream, seasonings (garlic and mafia) and Parmesan cheese. Cook this on low with the melted butter until heated through. (yes, cook it on low)
Add tomatoes and salmon and cook 2 mins until heated through.
Pour over pasta
salt and pepper and add a sprig of parsley to each plate

Balsamic Honey Roast Beef French Dip Sandwiches ~Pressure Cooker Recipe

My kids love these so I created a recipe that I could throw in the pressure cooker and still have the whole day to get other things done. 

Balsamic Honey Roast Beef French Dip Sandwiches (Lazy pressure cooker recipe)
aka French Dipper Sammiches

4 C water
4 T honey
2 T balsamic Vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T soy sauce
4 T minced garlic, fresh or dried
1 T red pepper flakes
sprinkle of fennel seeds (optional, I am a fanatic)
3 lb chuck roast
1 onion sliced thing

Place all in pressure cooker and cook on meat setting for one hour.
Pull apart beef, and serve on a hard roll with some onions and pickles/pickled peppers on top and  the broth it cooked in, for dipping

pickles and or pickled peppers
hard rolls, cut in half for easier handling...

That was easy.

If you decide to make this in a crock pot..you will need to add beef broth and of course cook it much longer...but in the pressure cooker, water turns to broth with the beef under pressure.  No added sodium in the pressure cooker so its healthier to cook it in the pressure cooker.
Definitely invest in one. I have a few good brands of them in my amazon store.

Popsicles..homemade...my favorite recipe

It's gonna be hot. Get some of these in the freezer for the kids, or adults.  Great for an after mowing the lawn treat or for eating while jumping through the sprinkler.

These are simple and so delicious.  Not so healthy but definitely worth treating yourself.

Try to use the same flavor kool aid and jello. You can mix flavors but it could turn into an ugly color so think about that before mixing flavors.

Homemade Popsicle

1 package of Jello (3oz package)
1 envelope of Koolaid (unsweetened)
2 C cold water
1 C sugar
2 C boiling water

Mix together, first using the hot water  then add the cold water and freeze in popsicle trays.
makes 18 freeze pops