Hi Friends! What's Cooking?

This past week most of the country has been in a deep freeze. Fortunately in my little corner of Missouri, we have been cold and snowy but we have been fortunate to keep electricity and water service during this winter storm. Our thoughts and prayers are with those in Texas who have not been that fortunate. 

What's better on a cold day than soup? I like to have all the ingredients on hand for a truly great soup anytime I have that need for something warm and comforting. Prairie Pearl can help you out by making sure you have just that at your fingertip. I have 2 varieties of soup mix, Pasta Faggioli and Love. Let's take a look at the Love Soup Mix. 

This soup is a mixture of split peas, lentils, rice, barley and tricolor pasta. Add a packet of delicious herbs and you have a soup that will wrap you in a warm hug, hence the name "Love Soup". All you add is water and simmer for about 45 min. If you have a half pound of ground beef or stew meat, you can add that if you desire. Have you tried either of Prairie Pearl's Soup mixes? If not, you are missing out! 

All of my products are available directly from me (417-544-0863 or by email prairiepearl1@gmail.com). I can ship anywhere for a nominal fee. If you are visiting the Branson Missouri area, stop by the Ozark Rag Craft Emporium in Branson West. I have a booth there with most products stocked. If I don't have what you want there, they will contact me for you. 

#soup #frommyhousetoyours #mixs 

 Hi Friends! What's cooking?

Actually not much is cooking this week. I have been busy replenishing Prairie Pearl stock. After an entire year of not doing any vendor events due to Covid, Prairie Pearl will be at a Paddle Party in Fair Grove, Missouri next Saturday, February 6th. 

Lets talk about Paddle Parties. I had never heard of such a thing until I moved to Southern Missouri. Paddle Parties are fundraisers. The group hosting the fundraiser invites craft and home sales vendors, the number of vendors is dependent on the amount of space you have. Each vendor donates 2 items to be "auctioned" off. People come to the fundraiser and pay a set amount for "paddles" which are usually paint sticks with a number assigned on the stick. Each stick (paddle) has a corresponding poker chip with the same number as printed on the paddle. You can buy as many paddles as you want. You get the paddle, the poker chip goes into a bucket. 

The auction begins with round 1. The vendors take turns introducing themselves and what their product is. The bidding begins with "Quarters in, Paddles up". Collectors will come around and you place 1 quarter in the bucket per paddle that you wish to hold up. Lets say you have 2 paddles so you put 2 quarters in the bucket. The organizer draws a poker chip out of the bucket and reads off the number. The person who holds that number on the paddle called wins that item! This continues until all vendors have gotten up and introduced their items. The first round of bidding goes back to the vendors to help defray their costs. The second round goes to the charity. 

I find these paddle parties fun. I don't usually make much of a profit, but I have gained friends and customers. Plus, I am helping out a well deserved fund raiser. The party next weekend is a benefit for the Fair Grove school district Music boosters. Last year was fun  Looking forward to another fun filled evening. 

Are you interested in holding a paddle party for a fundraiser, but have no idea how to start and need paddles? My good friend and neighbor can help you with your event. He has the paddles and he knows how to get your event off to a great start. You can contact him at jeffreydhenry69@gmail.com. 

Prairie Pearl 

From My House to Yours. 

#paddleparty #southernmissouri #prairiepearl #fairgrove #dips #frommyhousetoyours

 Hi Friends! What's Cooking?

Prairie Pearl now has 7, yes SEVEN, different dip mixes. But dip mixes are not just for dippin' anymore. Use some imagination, get creative! 

Prairie Pearl's Veggie Dip is good in so many ways. Try it to top your baked potato at dinner. Add a dollop to top off your morning omelet. Thin your dip out with a little milk or buttermilk and use as a salad dressing.  

Crostini Appetizer

Combine one individual packet (each dip mix contains 2 individual packets) with one 8 ounce container of spreadable cream cheese. Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour. Stir and spread on toasted thinly sliced French bread, melba toast or your favorite cracker. Top with halved cherry tomato. Garnish if desired with a small basil leaf or other herb. 

How much easier can an appetizer be? Let me know if you  have your favorite way to use Prairie Pearl Dips.

All of my products are available directly from me (417-544-0863 or by email prairiepearl1@gmail.com). If you are visiting the Branson Missouri area, stop by the Ozark Rag Craft Emporium in Branson West. I have a booth there with most products stocked. If I don't have what you want there, they will contact me for you. 

Prairie Pearl

From My House to Yours! 

#potato #dip #OzarkRagCraft #BransonWest  #veggi #appetizer #vegetable #Fromnyhousetoyours

#Prairiepearl

 Hi Friends! What's cooking?

Here in Southwest Missouri, it is cold, windy and snowing, and it is football playoff time. I really wish I had planned ahead and purchased some hamburger meat so I could make a delicious pot of Chili using @Prairie Pearl's Chili Seasoning. So What is your favorite Chili recipe? I bet it would be even better with my seasoning mix. 

My Chili Seasoning, as the case with all of my seasoning mixes, are all herbs and spices. They include absolutely no preservatives or fillers. Commercial mixes contain preservatives to extend shelf life and fillers to keep the mixes from clumping primarily. So you will find that my mixes may be sort of solid when you get them, but can be easily broken lose with a spoon or your fingers. 

Being a single person, I find that most items you buy commercially make 8 or more servings. For all you single people or empty nesters, I give you instructions on the back of the package for making chili using 1 pound of burger (like I do) or 2 pounds if you are preparing for a larger group. I am also a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy. I would call this mix somewhere between mild and medium. It is a bit spicy for me, but I just adjust down a bit of the mix or add more tomato sauce. If you want more heat, just add in a few dashes of hot sauce. Mix up a batch of  Cornbread and you are ready for the next football game! 

How can you get your hands on some of this seasoning? I have it in stock at the @Ozark Rag Craft Emporium if you are local to the Branson area. If not, you can call Prairie Pearl at 417-544-0863 or you can message me on Facebook @www.Facebook/PrairiePearl-FromMyHousetoYours. I can ship out to anywhere! 

#football

#chili

#seasoning

#prairiepearl

#frommyhousetoyours

                                    #Chiefs

                                    #Missouri

Hi Friends! What's cookin? 

I am pleased to announce some new items in the Prairie Pearl collection. I have four new Seasoning Blends; Autumn Blend (warm flavors you think about in the Fall; Rosemary, cumin, coriander, cinnamon... you get the picture.) This blend is great on Roasted vegetables, in stews and soups, even poached pears or baked apples. Smokey Spice Blend (paprika, garlic, cayenne) included those spicy notes (not hot) to season things, like stews, chili, roasted nuts, or a dry rub on meat and poultry. The All-purpose Blend is just great for everyday use for just about anything. It sits next to my stove for my everyday cooking.  

The fourth is the Mediterranean Herb blend, my personal favorite. Use on fish, chicken, pork, vegetables, pasta, bread, pizza... stop me! I used it at Christmas on my Bottom Tip Roast. I lightly brushed the roast with a bit of oil then rubbed the spice blend all over before Roasting. I didn't have a rack to place it on inside my favorite Pampered Chef Roaster, So, I made thick slices of onions and placed them on the bottom of the Roaster then placed the roast on top of the onion. The onions also gave great flavor to the pan drippings which was made into gravy. All of these season blends do contain salt, but a very small amount. 

Why Prairie Pearl? Because you get pure herbs and seasonings. Seasonings you buy retail in the grocery have other ingredients that mind do not. Ingredients like fillers, soy, preservatives and anti clumping ingredients. What is soy doing in there? Heck if I know! But why do you want them in there. Anticlumping (often in the form of cornstarch or soy products) is to keep the product easy to just shake on. So sometimes you will see that the seasoning mixes are clumpy. All you have to do is shake or stir and all is good to shake on! 

All of my products are available for shipping and at a nominal shipping fee. These Seasoning blends are $4 each  and also stocked in my booth at the Ozark Rag in Branson West. Did you know that every Tuesday night at 6pm, The Ozark Rag has an on-line sale/auction? Tune in next Tuesday. My seasonings blends will be offered as a set of 4 at a reduced rate! 

Happy New Year!

 I don't know about you, but I am so glad 2020 is over and done. That is no excuse for not posting more often than I do, but this is a new year, a new and hopeful year to come. Since I have not had any vendor events to prepare for since last February, I have been keeping my booth at the Ozark Rag stocked, and for awhile I had a few of my dips and other mixes out at Kimber's Cottage in Republic, Missouri. Unfortunately that business had to close this past fall, and so now I only stock at the Rag. I am still on the look out for another venue that I might be able to have a small booth. I even did some canning this summer and fall, and have some Sweet Summer Salsa, Cranberry Orange Jam, and Chocolate Covered Cherry jam. Yup, Chocolate Covered Cherry, try it on Peanut butter toast. Yum is all I can say. 

I also didn't waste my time just hanging around the house doing nothing! I have spent this time off developing new ideas, tasting new recipes and experimenting. As a result I have added several new options! I have 2 new dips, Chipotle Ranch Dip and Zorba the Greek Dip! Both are very tasty and I know you will love them. I also have 4 new seasoning mixes. These are seasonings you can use on meat and vegetables, soups, stews and just about anytime you want to spice up your life! The four new seasonings include All Purpose, Smokey Spice, Autumn, and Mediterranean Herb Blends. Beginning the first Wednesday in January, I will be highlighting an item every week with tips and tricks of how to use some of these items. I PROMISE you will hear from me every Wednesday, every week! 

Here is a list of all of my current Mixes available. (Note that I do not stock ALL of these at the Ozark Rag, and at Vendor Events and Craft Shows, but they are always available directly from me. 

Dips: Garlic French Onion, Spicy Cajun, Fiesta, Chipotle Ranch, Dilly, Zorba the Greek and Veggie

Dressings: Italian, Chipotle Ranch, Opa! Greek, Celery Seed

                                        Dips and Dressings are $3.50 or 2 for $6 (mix and match)

Soup: Love (Bean and Pasta) and Pasta Faggioli  $7

Hot Cocoa $4.50

Brownie and Cookie (mixes vary) $6

Taco Seasoning $3.50

Chili Seasoning $3.50

Seasoning Blends: $4 each; 2/$7, 3/$11 or 4/$15 Mix and match

Canned Items (Items vary; prices vary; call to see what I have in stock)

I am really looking for ward to 2021 and hope that by the time Craft and Vendor Events are back up and running, that I will be able to get back in the swing. I have REALLY missed these events and all the friendly faces and customers. I feel I should talk briefly about Covid. I have been very fortunate not to have been exposed unlike several of my friends. Trust me it is not fun. What has Prairie Pearl done to protect YOU? I have a specific area where I produce all of my mixes. I have vinegar wipes that I wipe down the surfaces before and after each batch. I also wear food safe gloves while making everything. While by Missouri Law, I have to make it known on all of my products that they are produced in a non-inspected kitchen, I take cleanliness serious. If I do any events, until Covid is under control, samples will be "served" by me (wearing gloves) rather than a help your self type set up. Lets Hope this year is brighter and we can get back to some form of "new normal".

Hoping you and your family continues to be happy and healthy and a Very Happy New Year to each and every one of you. 

2020?

Wow, It has been awhile since I have blogged as Prairie Pearl. I had a very busy and productive 2019. Craft shows, Paddle parties and even a Haunted Corn Maze. I have met many other crafters and it seems like we all gravitate to the same shows. I also quit selling products through Etsy. It was hard to keep both stocked along with my craft mall booth. Also, I was selling more at shows and at the Ozark Rag.... Etsy was no longer profitable. I also had a Facebook page, right before Christmas, some one hacked into it and was selling cameras or some nonsense. In the process of getting that person out, I somehow got myself locked out and could get no help to re-access it. SO, I will be launching a new facebook page "Prairie Pearl - Simply Delish" Because that is exactly what Prairie Pearl is all about. Simple ingredients, no additives like preservatives or fillers or anti clumping agents. You really don't want to eat that do you?

Currently I have:
Dips: Chipotle Ranch, Garlic French Onion, Dilly, Veggie, Cajun and Fiesta.
Salad Dressings: Greek, Italian, and Chipotle Ranch
Rice Mix: Spanish Rice and Herb Rice
Soup: Pasta Faggoli and Love
Cookies, Muffin, and Brownie Mix
Cocoa

Not all products are stocked at one time either at shows or at the Craft booth. Some are seasonal, but all are always available by request. You can request an item from the person at the register at the Ozark Rag Craft Emporium in Branson West, send me a message on Facebook, or call me. (a side note about calling. Be sure to leave a message. With the high volume of Robo calls, I don't always answer. But I WILL call you back). Feel free to comment here or request more information. I promise I will be keeping current on this page!

Tomorrow evening I will be at a Paddle Party fundraisers for the Music Department in Fair Grove, Missouri. The Doors open at 4 and the paddle party starts at 5pm. See you There!

Joan
Facebook: Prairie Pearl - Simply Delish
417-544-0863