Eating DNA

Today I made a replica of some good old deoxyribonucleic acid.

Mmm. More commonly known as DNA,  it is hidden in tiny, long structures called chromosomes. During cell division these chromosomes are duplicated in the process of DNA replication, providing each cell its own complete set of chromosomes. It grows something like this: One cell makes two, two makes four, four makes eight, etc. 

 I first chose a sequence, and then placed adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine in that order. Those are just four types of nucleobases (aka, bases).These four nucleobases, along the backbone, encode biological information, like your eye color or your hair color. Marshmallows were my base pairs, and a Twizzler was the backbone. The backbone is made up of a residue of chemical sugars.

Yum! Cytosine!

Labelling my base pairs. 

                            Adenine always pairs with thymine, and cytosine with guanine.

Twisting it into a double helix.

quick and easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4ingredients

• 1/2 cup  peanut butter
• 1/2 cup  butter, softened
• 1/2 cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon  salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon  vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups  all-purpose flour

directions

1.In a large mixing bowl beat peanut butter and butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

2.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough in 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies by making crisscross marks with fork tines, dipping fork in sugar between flattening each cookie. Bake about 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks. Cool. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

ENJOY! I've made these for my church banquet, my 4-H group, and my family-they're my specialty!

muy delicioso spicy Dr.Pepper pulled brisket//

This recipe for spicy pulled brisket is quite possibly the best food ever, paired with homemade tortillas and guacamole. Oh yeah. :)
-------------------

You will need:
1 brisket
1 small/ medium onion
2 cans of adobo peppers in chili sauce
2 cans of Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
--------------------

1. Place the brisket in a foil-lined 13 x 9 pan.

2.  Slice the onion and place all around the brisket.

3. Add the adobo peppers and the Dr. Pepper.

4. Sprinkle brown sugar on. Once everything's been evenly distributed, pop it in the oven @  300 degrees Fahrenheit.  

5. Cook for 6 hours. You can tell when it's done by the awesome smells and the way the meat falls apart. The same way you check brisket for doneness. 

Yummy. Seriously, try this recipe- you won't regret it.

EASY-but elegant- Key Lime Pie

Hello, dahlings! Would you like to hear the world's easiest and yummiest recipe ever? You know you would. :)

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks(you know, separate the yolks from the whites)
• 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (don't worry about the snazzy kind in the big shiny bottle. Great Value and Food Club brands are okay.)
• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust.

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine the yolks, sweet milk, and lime juice. Mix really, really well. Pour into the unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, and garnish with lime or whipped cream if desired.

Well? Wasn't that easy?

Charlotte's Web Cakes

Last week, Charlotte's Web ended, and for the final performance Mom made tons of pretty desserts to sell at the auction. Every year there's an auction to benefit the theater.

Piggy Cupcakes in Oreo crumbs "dirt"

Mississippi mud cake with pig figurines

Charlotte's webs

How to make the Webs:

1. Melt  a package of white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
2. While hot, transfer to pastry bags. Find a web template (google "web")
3. Place a sheet of wax paper over the template, and, using the pastry bag, trace over the webs.
4. Let them cool and harden, then peel off and place on a cupcake!

Best ever Gingersnaps

2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2  tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup sugar

 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine half the flour. Add the
brown sugar,shortening,molasses,egg,baking soda,ginger,cinnamon, and cloves. Beat with an electric mixer on high till thoroughly combined. shape dough into balls and roll into sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.Voila! You have 48 yummy gingersnaps!

Cooking Classes

Today I went to a cooking class led by Chef Jackson York of the Edom Bakery and Grill. I learned how to make 4 soups: Tomato-Basil, Chicken and Vegetable, Broccoli Cheese, and Cheeseburger soup, which Chef Jackson invented and had featured in Texas Monthly magazine. HE invented it because he used to work at a country club that always had leftover cheese. He experimented with different ideas and came up with cheeseburger soup! It's super yummy. You get a big sample of everything you learn how to make. The classes are held for 3 Mondays in July every year in the Moore Store,  Ben Wheeler, Texas. This is Chef Jackson's Tomato Basil Soup Recipe:

Tomato Basil Soup           Servings-6 2 oz oil or margarine melted 1 small diced onion Enough flour to pick up your onions 32 oz tomato juice 3 oz heavy cream 1 1/2 oz fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste -Sauté your diced onion in oil until clear -Add enough flour to pick up the onions -Add your tomato juice and bring to a boil -Add heavy cream plus fresh basil -Finish by checking for salt and pepper -If a little too thin then boil for about 5-7 min.  until desired consistency, Enjoy!   Chef Jackson York, Executive Chef

After we went to cooking classes, we went to Ben Wheeler Library, and guess what? You get to check out 5 books-and you get to keep them. For forever. Isn't that nice?!! I thought it was great! Ben Wheeler has it's own website: check it out here:   www.benwheelertx.com

Chocolate Chip Muffins!!

This is one of our favorite recipes. It's a yummy spin on blueberry muffins.

1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup choc. chips

In a bowl combine dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients. Stir well, then add chocolate chips. Pour into lightly greased muffin tin. Bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni And Cheese is the best food ever!
 Mom taught me how to make it using her special recipe:

1 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 cup diced onion
1 T butter
1T flour
dash of pepper
1 1/4 cups milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Cook mac according to package directions. For the cheese sauce, cook butter and onion till onion is tender (but not brown). Stir in the flour and pepper, and add all the milk at once. Cook until thick and bubbly. Then you can add the cheese. Drain the pasta, and mix the cheese with the pasta. YUMMERS! We usually serve these with chocolate chip muffins. The sweetness of the muffins balances the mac'n' cheese so yummily...

4-H County Food Show

On Saturday we went to the county Food Show. The 4-H Food Show is when 4-Her's from a certain county come together. Each person gets 2,5,or 7 minutes with a judge, depending on their age category. They have to answer 12 questions on their dish -how nutritious it is, how they help their community, how many calories are in it, etc. I made Shrimp Creole. My brother and I got 1st place in our categories, which means we go to district, which is a lot harder! My littlest brother did great,too, but he is a Clover Kid so he can't go to District. This is my third year in the Food Show and I love it! Every year I look forward to making a new dish.This year I made Shrimp Creole.....

Shrimp Creole

Roux:

5 tablespoons shortening

¼ cup flour

Cook over medium heat until caramel brown.

Creole:  

1 lb. peeled shrimp

1 onion

1 bunch green onions

¼ cup bell pepper

1 clove garlic

1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce

1 10 oz. can of Rotel® Tomatoes

1 tablespoon Worchester sauce

Melt shortening in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir till caramel brown. This is your roux. Next, mix the onion, green onions, bell pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, Rotel® Tomatoes and Worchester sauce together. Add shrimp and cook with roux. Serve over rice. A substitution you can make is using brown rice instead of white rice.

Enjoy!

Lasagna

I love this yummy and easy lasagna!

1 lb. ground beef
32 oz. thick spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. (15 oz. container) Ricotta or sm. curd cottage cheese
3 c. (12 oz.) shredded Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. lasagna, uncooked

Brown beef in 3 quart saucepan; drain off excess fat. Add sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients, except lasagna, for filling. Pour about 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Layer 3 pieces of uncooked lasagna over sauce; cover with about 1 1/2 cups sauce. Spread 1/2 of cheese filling over sauce. Repeat layers of lasagna, sauce, and cheese filling. Top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer. Allow to stand about 10 minutes before cutting for easier handling. 8 to 10 servings. Lasagna will expand to fill empty spaces.
*Make at least 12 lasagna noodles because some will break while cooking*

Christmas Cookies

I will be posting about Christmas-y  things until Christmas arrives. And it isn't the holidays without....CHRISTMAS COOKIES! In my family , we take cookie baking seriously-

   

                           See my brother's blog for gingerbread pics.  childressdvm.blogspot.com


Here is our gingerbread recipe:

Makes 2 dozen or 24 (1 cookie) servings.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Refrigerate Time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes per batch

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ginger,ground
1 teaspoon  Cinnamon,ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon  Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to

 wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Applesauce Oat Muffins

Applesauce Cinnamon Oat Muffins Recipe

 We found this really good recipe in Taste of Home and have made them twice in 2 days. They are REALLY good! We discovered that you can add a little extra applesauce to make it moister. Our family made them with Andrew's Clover Kid group and it was super fun! They're almost as yummy as cupcakes, AND they're healthy.Photo by: Taste of HomePrep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

• Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 egg white
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, oil and egg white. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray three-fourths full.
• Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400° for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 10 muffins.

Nutritional Analysis: One muffin equals 222 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 265 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat, 1/2 fruit.

Andrew's Cooking Show-The 6yr old Chef!

My littlest brother Andrew wants to be a chef, and he wants to have his own cooking show. So, today Mom videoed him and made a little show. We had to keep stopping so he could make sure he was doing everything right- it was so cute! It is filmed on location!:-) The show is called "Cookin' with Andrew" (how original)Or it could be called the "6 year old Chef". Anyway, Andrew is making chocolate cupcakes with frosting.You will have to watch all the videos to see the whole show-sorry about that! You can find the recipe on the back of  the Hershey's cocoa. The recipe is:

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
   
   
2. 2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F.
3.  Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.
   
   
4.  Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING.
   
   
   
   "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
   
   1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
   2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
   3 cups powdered sugar
   1/3 cup milk
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   
   Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
   Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Pecan Crescent Cookies

These are some of my favorite cookies. They are simple to make and use few ingredients, but are still REALLY yummy! :-)I made them with Andrew, my littlest brother. Here is the recipe- and some pictures!

It tastes REALLY good when it's at this stage!

He LOVES chopping the nuts.

Andrew and me cooking...

Smile for the camera!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour. Stir in pecans.
• Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 2-1/2-in. logs and shape into crescents. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 325° for 20-22 minutes or until set and bottoms are lightly browned. Let stand for 2-3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. Yield: 6 dozen.

Nutritional Analysis: 2 cookies equals 104 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 52 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

Banana Nut Bread

                                                        Go bananas for this yummy bread!       
                                                       Banana Nut Bread
                                                           1 cup sugar
                                                           1/3 cup butter
                                                           2 eggs
                                                           1 and 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
                                                           1/3 cup water
                                                           1 and 2/3 cup flour
                                                           1 tsp baking soda
                                                           1/2 tsp salt
                                                            /4 tsp baking powder
                                                          1/2 cup chopped nuts
                                                Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
                                               Grease bottom of a loaf pan.
                                                 Beat everything together except nuts.
                                                  Stir in nuts.
                                                    Bake for 55-60 minutes.
                                   120 calories per slice.

4-H bake sale

Buy a raffle ticket, please! ;-)

Our little helper(and eater!)


Today was our 4-H bake sale, and it went really well.It benefited MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.  Our really great club leader, Ms. Browning, is the co-chairman for the MADD walk this year. I sold all of my raffle tickets, which was great! We set up at Tractor Supply in Canton, because a LOT of people come to town  for the famous Canton Trade Days. As you can see in the picture, Christopher and I had a lot of help from Andrew (and Mom), who helped make LOADS of Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes, and brownies.Some nice parents volunteered to sell burgers and sausages on a stick, which were very good. We made banana nut, cran-orange, and pumpkin-spice bread, chocolate chip and blueberry muffins, and brownies, magic cookie bars, Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes, etc. I am all baked out!  Here is the recipe for Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Happy baking, and join 4-H!:-)

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 16 miniature peanut butter cups

Directions

• In a bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Press a peanut butter cup into the center of each until top edge is even with batter. Bake at 350° for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted on an angle toward the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 16 cupcakes. Enjoy!

Basic Lasagna Recipie

This recipe is one of my very favorites! It used to come on the back of a lasagna box, but it was.. sniff..removed,and, having searched far and wide(more like 5 minutes on Google!), I  have found the recipe and we are having it for supper!
1 lb. ground beef

32 oz. thick spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. (15 oz. container) Ricotta or sm. curd cottage cheese
3 c. (12 oz.) shredded Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. lasagna, uncooked

Brown beef in 3 quart saucepan; drain off excess fat. Add sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients, except lasagna, for filling. Pour about 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Layer 3 pieces of uncooked lasagna over sauce; cover with about 1 1/2 cups sauce. Spread 1/2 of cheese filling over sauce. Repeat layers of lasagna, sauce, and cheese filling. Top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer. Allow to stand about 10 minutes before cutting for easier handling. 8 to 10 servings. Lasagna will expand to fill empty spaces. Helpful hint added by me: Eat the noodles that broke when no one's looking!

Zodiac grill @ Nieman Marcus

We went to the Zodiac grill at Neiman Marcus. It was really fun and special since it was a (big!) splurge.They make delicious popovers and strawberry butter... AND, for YOU, my loyal viewers (giggle :-)  I have found the recipe!Or maybe I saw it in the Neiman Marcus Cookbook! To see more, view my brother's blog,http://childressdvm.blogspot.com/

 Neiman Marcus Popovers
Makes 12
3 ½ cups milk
4 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 large eggs, room temp
Place milk in bowl and microwave on High for 2 minutes, or until warm to the touch.
Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in large mixing bowl. Crack eggs into work bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk, and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until foamy and pale in color. Turn down mixer to low and add warm milk.
Gradually add flour mixture and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Turn machine off and let batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Spray popover tin generously with nonstick spray. Fill popover cups almost to the top with batter and place popover tin on cookie sheet. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down oven temperature to 375 F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, until popovers are deep golden brown outside and airy inside.
Turn out popovers and serve hot with strawberry butter, recipe below.
Strawberry Butter
Makes 2 ½ cups
1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
1 cup good-quality strawberry preserves
Place the butter in the work bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy. Add the preserves and beat until well combined. To serve, spoon or pipe the flavored butter into 2-tablespoon ramekins or onto side plates.picture from http://www.themarketingshop.com/images/images.jpg

Key Lime Pie

               
   I made this super yummy (and easy ) pie for the 4-H Project Show. We found the recipe online.Those of you who know me know that I NEVER use cake/cookie mixes or prepared foods, but it is really tricky to get the crust size right. Thanks to http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/easy-key-lime-pie-i/detail.aspx for the recipe.

         Key Lime Pie 

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Mix well. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices if desired. Yum!