I'm Moving to a new website!

Thank you all for visiting!  I've been here for quite some time but I realize it's time to upgrade a bit.  I'm in the process of moving all my recipes over to my new website.

 Please head on over to my new kitchen to see all your favorite recipes as well as new ones!

www.sarahbethskitchen.com

And if you need to get a hold of me with questions or concerns, please shoot me an email at:

sarahbethskitchen87@gmail.com

Much love!

~Sarah

Prepping for Bread

If any of you are like me, I like things to be quick and easy most days when it comes to the kitchen!  This is a post to help out those who like to make their own bread!  This is something that can be done in less than 10 mins and will keep you stocked for ease. :)

Prepping dry ingredients for Bread:

1. Choose your favorite recipe for bread.  These pictures are of my Onion Bread recipe.
2. Pull out all the dry ingredients minus the yeast.
3. You can pour ingredients directly into the bags if you'd like or do it like me.  I put them all in bowls and mix with a whisk before I put it in bags.

4. Label each bag with the name of the bread, how big of a loaf it makes and then the order in which things go into your bread machine (or in a bowl if you're doing it old school!).  *note: to make it more clear, you might want to put an extra line where you dump in the bag ingredients before the yeast*

5. Store on your shelf for a rainy day or whenever you'd like a quick loaf of bread! :)

Canning and Salsa Excitement!

Well as some of you know, I'm going to start canning and selling my salsas in the near future.  And let me tell you, I can hardly contain my excitement!  It's been nonstop research and buying necessities to make this happen.  I feel that the money dumped into this idea isn't going to be money wasted even if this salsa selling turns out to be a flop.  (which it won't!!!)

I just dropped the last chunk of money necessary to get started on a pressure cooker/canner!  I can't even explain how excited I am to have one in my possession!!!  My pressure cooker was given to me when my grandpa died.  It was well loved, and used a ton.  There was an unfortunate accident in my kitchen (NO ONE was harmed thank God) and it's now useless as a pressure cooker.  I just didn't want to drop the money on a replacement.  But NOW I have several reasons!!!

I just bought this beast of a cooker!

This is the All American 921 Pressure Cooker/Canner.  I went biiiiiiiiiig and got the 21 1/2 quart for just over $200.  This beast can process up to 19 pint size jars at a time and that's the size I'm going with for my salsas!  What a deal!!!

I honestly can't wait to get it on Wednesday to take it for a spin!!!
 

Remembering the Important Times

I was flipping through my old blog that I don't keep up with anymore and came across a post that marked close to the beginning of my culinary adventures.  This day was weirdly important and made me realize how much I love my kitchen and how much I love to cook.  If anyone needs a reason to keep a blog/journal/diary, this would be it.  A nice reminder of what happened to cause the HUGE turning point in your life.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Kitchen.

I went to cook dinner last night and discovered that my kitchen was being flooded..... sigh.   After trying to make phone calls, putting on flip flops and looking for someone to help, I was blown off by a new office employee because the office was closed.... Who in their right mind says, sorry, I hear you saying your apt is being flooded, but if I help you, I'd have to help everyone else in these situations.  WHO does that?!  After hours of water gushing up the sinks, and a VERY new on call repair guy unclogging the building and wet-vac'in my kitchen, everything seems to be doing well.  I did a lot of praying to get rid of my anger and frustration at the situation and ended up cooking a full blown meal right after the repair dude left.  (I'm still a tad upset at the whole situation) But not near as angry and panicky as I was when it was happening.

After a VERY long day at work today, I ended up cooking some awesome wraps to take to work (since I need to lay off the fast food) ((they took away our awesome discount at work, so eating at subway is almost as expensive for me as it is for normal people)).  I also fired up the crock pot with a roast that I (unfortunately) have to shred at 530 tomorrow morning, but I thank God every day for my love of cooking.  Rain or shine, it's just what I do.  (I might be too tired to have dinner tonight though.  I spent over 2 hours prepping the other two things.)  Frozen food for the win.

                                                                                                                                                                        

I don't usually  promote stuff like this, but even though it's irrelevant, it's an important reminder of the little things that change our lives.  At this point in my life, I'm looking at attending Culinary School after I get my bachelor's degree.  :)  Follow your dreams and never forget the past.

TURKEY and DISNEY

I went to Disneyland for Thanksgiving this year and didn't get my turkey dinner!  BUT I did come away with a HAUL of stuff for my kitchen.  Who can say no to Mickey??? I sure can't.

Yan Can Cook!

I must say, I chuckled when I was a kid and he cut off his finger (hopefully you know of him....).  I was in a rush to cut some potatoes for a late dinner and cut halfway through my middle finger.  This put a severe hindrance in my recipe posting!  So I'm back and I'm paying more attention than that night. :D  Don't be sloppy or fast!  It gets you nowhere.

Sneak Preview of Recipes to Come!

Well after months of talking, I finally decided to get over my fear of pot pies.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to make the crust, or just use store bought pie crust.  And I couldn't find a decent filling recipe.  I didn't want to complain forever because the other person in the house (who shall remain nameless) kept asking when I was going to make him one.  So I finally did it.  I jumped off the ledge and cooked for 2 and a half hours to get the most awesome first attempt ever.  I'm going to share recipes and more pictures next time I make them now that I have the process down.  But here's the finished picture of tonight's dinner!

The top didn't get as golden brown as I wanted for presentation, but man was it cooked perfect!

Shake Those Seasonings!

I must say, for one who cooks with practically nothing but salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder, I collect a lot of spices.  As any good cook should!  I happened to be out and about today running errands and picked up two new ones.  Got me a nice Cajun rub that I want to try on grilled chicken.  And, I got a bottle of nutmeg.  Why nutmeg you ask?  Well see, I've never in my life needed nutmeg before until now.  I've decided to try my hand at homemade tortellini and EVERY single recipe I've found calls for nutmeg.  I can't find any explanation why, but it is so. So I purchased a bottle.  I got home and was putting stuff away when I got immensely sad!

Now my spice drawer is completely full!!!

While this should be a good thing, due to my tiny TINY kitchen, I have no other room to put spices!  /facepalm  Guess I should use more stuff faster!

(Right after we moved in and let me tell you, that's the WHOLE kitchen.) And yes, I love magnets.

Just Bloggin'

Well it can't ALL be about food right?  Ok ok it really is but I had to share my excitement about the little things in my life.  :D  I went shopping the other day at our new grocery store Winco.  There are a TON of people against this store because they do not take credit cards, just debit and cash to keep the costs of food down.  So here is my haul of food!  I spent $71 on what should have cost me well over $125.

And not long after putting all this yummy food up, I rearranged my kitchen to make room for my new canisters I got from an aunt.  :D I've been waiting years to finally own a set!!!

They go great with my black and red dishes.  :)  So now my kitchen is more organized and I have more room to do all my cooking.