One of Those Strange Days . . .

Have you ever had a ‘strange’ day – one that starts off weird then just keeps going? I woke up at 5 a.m. today and couldn’t get back to sleep. Conflict with youngest son over going to school/weather (raining & freezing, but according to local TV, school as usual). It’s now 12:35 p.m. and it’s still raining, rain freezing to bushes & trees, but not on cars & roads (go figure THAT one out!). Will have to go out around 3:20 to pick up son from school, not sure yet if we’re going to cancel special needs group tonight – awaiting decision from main leader.  More strange stuff: found 3 responses to emails I’d sent to various people – all responses were in the ‘spam’ folder – good thing I check that every once in awhile! Let’s just say, at this point in the day, it’s definitely NOT my average day so far (sure hope it turns out it’s back to a fairly normal day from here on out – we’ll see.)

Recipes? Have a LOT of them to share with you (let’s just hope that THEY post like I’d like them to: without huge spaces between lines, or all of the recipe jammed together in a sort of paragraph instead of the usual recipe posting list). Not much else new here: 33 degrees & light drizzle. Predicting cloudy tomorrow, thunder showers Friday high of 52, Saturday snow showers, windy – high of 34 – oh, goody-sigh)  SO FAR NO LUCK ON ‘COPY & PASTE’ WITH THE RECIPES – THEY KEEP COMING UP IN A GIANT LINE, NO SPACES.  Will keep working at it…

============

Tuscan Pork Stew

nonstick cooking spray

 1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut

into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/2 C. baby carrots, cut in

half

1 (26 oz) can Hunts Garlic &

Herb Pasta sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can Hunts Fire

Roasted Diced tomatoes,

undrained

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans;

 drained & rinsed

1 1/2 C. water

1 tsp. dried sage leaves

1 (14.5 oz) can cut green beans,

drained

Spray large saucepan or Dutch

oven with nonstick spray; heat

over medium- high heat. Add pork

and carrots; cook about 5 minutes

or until meat is cooked through;

stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining

ingredients, except green beans. Bring

mixture to boil, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium; cover and

simmer 15 minutes. Stir in green

beans just before serving. Serves 6

(recipe: ReadySetEat site)

———-

Saltine Toffee

35 saltine crackers

1/2 C. butter

1/2 C. firmly packed light brown sugar

8 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate,  chopped or

8 oz. chocolate chips

1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan 

with foil or parchment paper.

Place saltines in even rows on lined

baking pan.Melt butter & sugar in

saucepanover medium heat. Continue

cookingon medium-high heat until

butteris completely metled & mixture

is well-blended, stirring frequently.

Bring to boil; boil 3 minutes without

stirring. Spread evenlyover crackers

(NOTE: if using a full cup of butter,

it’s mucheasier to spread, poster said
“but I’ve stuck to 1/2 C.) Bake 7

minutes. Remove from oven& sprinkle

with chopped chocolateor chips; allow

to stand about 5minutes so chocolate

will melt.Spread melted chocolate

evenly over ingredients in pan;

sprinkle with nuts. Cool & break

 into pieces; store in refrigerator.

(keeps well in fridge/seems to taste

better after a few days- comment from

poster)

 Another poster mentioned:

“I lowered the temp to 350 degrees F

and shortened the cooking time to 5

minutes. Turned out great.”

(recipe:Candy-justapinch.com)

===============

Sorry for only 2 recipes, still can’t figure out why they don’t post

just like the font size I’m using right now! Still have the big

spaces between lines, too – oh, to be a computer expert and

know how to fix this!

Hugs;

Pammie

ps: I’ll keep working at this so that I can post

more than 2 recipes, and in better size/form,

too. (WEIRD! Just previewed this post-the

first recipe came out fine, the second came

out all in a paragraph! I individually

typed BOTH of them to this post –

usually I would ‘copy & paste’,

saving me time & effort, but THIS
TIME I did each one individually-

WEIRD! See the correct spacing

on the lines above? WEIRD!!!

MUST BE LEAP DAY CRAZIES!!!)

Make-Up Recipes (from Monday)

Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 C. bread crumbs
3 strips Mozzarella string
cheese
3 T. olive oil

In large bowl, combine meat,
bread crumbs & seasonings.
Cut string cheese into about
6 chunks, each. Make 1/2 ”
in diameter meatballs,
formed around string cheese
chunk. Over medium heat,
heat olive oil in large skillet.
Brown meatballs on all
sides; make sure oil is hot
or meatballs will stick.
Serve over spaghetti or
rice.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
——————–
Philly Cheese Casserole

1 pkg. Ore-Ida Country Style
hash browns-thawed
1/2 lb. steak (2 inch thick),
very thinly sliced into strips
2 medium yellow onions,
sliced into thin rounds &
separated
1 very large green pepper,
cored/seeded, thinly sliced
2 cans Cheddar cheese soup
1 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 7 x 11 glass baking pan
with nonstick spray. In a non-
stick skillet add meat; sprinkle
with garlic & saute over medium heat.

As meat begins to lose it’s
pinkness, add onions & peppers;
stir fry 2-3 minutes.
In a bowl, add thawed hashbrowns
& soup; thoroughly mix and place

half mixture in bottom of pan. Add
meat mixture evenly over top of
potatoes; cover with remaining
mix. Cover with foil; bake 40
minutes. Remove foil & continue
to bake 10 minutes to slightly
brown top of potatoes. Cool 5-8
minutes before serving.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
—————————-
Easy Lemon Bars

1 box angel food cake mix
1 can lemon pie filling
confectioners sugar (optional)

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-
stick spray. In a large bowl,
add cake mix & pie filling.
Stir well with spoon. Pour
into baking dish, bake
25 minutes. It will rise up
fluffy while baking, but
settles down as it cools.
Let cool, cut into bars,
dust with confectioners
sugar.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
—————————
Country Apples
(crockpot)

4-5 apples
2 T. flour
1/3 C. sugar
1/3 C. raisins
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 C. oatmeal
3 T. butter, melted
3/4 C. brown sugar

Put flour &  white sugar
in zip lock bag; peel &
slice apples – toss in bag
to coat. Toss in raisins,
cinnamon & oatmeal, toss
to mix. Pour 1 C. water
into crockpot. Add apple
mixture. Pour melted
butter over apples, then
brown sugar. Cook on
low 4-6 hours
(recipe: Sandy-Marys
Recipe Exchange)
—————————–
Kielbasa & Potatoes

1 kielbasa
5 potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 large onion, cut in half
then sliced
olive oil

Dressing:
1/4 C. white vinegar
2 T. water
3 T. white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat oven 4oo degrees
Line a baking pan with non-stick
foil. In large bowl, drizzle a little
olive oil over the potatoes &
onions; toss lightly to coat
evenly. Spread mixture out
on foil lined pan. Slice the
kielbasa, then cut slices in
half. Spread kielbasa over potatoes
& onion. (Make sure onions are
lying flat, otherwise they will
burn).
Bake 40  minutes or until
potatoes are light golden
brown. Mix together
dressing. When potatoes,
onions & kielbasa are out
of oven, remove them with
slotted spoon, to a large
bowl. Pour dressing over
and toss to evenly coat.
Serve warm or hot.
(recipe: Peg-Marys
Recipe Exchange)
—————————
Dessert Tacos

1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 (8 in.) flour tortillas
1 T. butter, melted
2 C. chocolate ice cream
2 kiwi fruit, peeled & cut
into strips
1 pint strawberries, cleaned
& sliced
1 C. Cool Whip, thawed

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Combine sugar & cinnamon.
Brush tortillas with melted
butter; sprinkle with sugar
mixture. Shape 4 sheets of
aluminum foil into 4 inch
balls on a baking sheet.
Drape tortillas, butter-side
down, over foil balls; press
to resemble taco shells.
Bake 10 minutes or until
crisp. Cool completely on
foil on baking sheet. Remove
tortillas; fill with ice cream,
kiwi fruit & strawberries.
Dollop tops with Cool Whip.
Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: DDJ 02/14/12)
==================

Since my server wasn’t acting correctly yesterday,

thought I’d give you what you missed (as you can

see, it’s still doing the double-spacing on each line-

sigh).

Beautiful day here today – sun shining, nice & clear

39 degrees – nice day for a walk.

Enjoy your day – I have a big pot of beef stew

simmering for dinner tonight.

Hugs;

Pammie

Monday Musings

Here it is almost 8 p.m. and it’s been a busy day. Have you checked the gas prices lately? Saturday evening I needed to fill my tank in preparation for the driving back & forth to church several times Sunday – at that time I was not too happy to be paying $3.69/9 per gallon when earlier in the week it was $3.49/9. Well, I got a big surprise today while out and about – noticed that it was up to $3.89/9 now! WOW! Not good, for sure!

Got an idea to research something for my grandson – accidentally discovered we still have our old Sega Dreamcast system and four games for it! Grandson has, lately, been wanting to play some of the games the boys play – to my estimation they are both (a) too old for him and (b) too violent/gorey, etc. so I’m really not ready to have him play them himself. The old Dreamcast games are things like Sonic the Hedgehog, a bike racing game, a car racing game and another drive & crash car/bus/truck game – just right for his abilities and age (almost 6). When I made this discovery I thought: wonder how much games would cost for this system now – that sent me on an adventure to Ebay. Well, my friends, even though this system is a good 12 or more years old, the games are still running ‘up there’ in price. Middle son suggested I check out a store called “The Toy Box” which sells used systems and games, which I did today. (I forgot to mention that our system didn’t have the power cord). Power cords on Ebay run about $2.99 plus shipping & handling; got one at that store for $5.99 + tax – better than waiting for it via mail. Now, when I mentioned to the salesman the kind & system of games I was looking for he took me to that area and pulled out an ‘oldie’: “Ecco the Dolphin” – an OK game for a young child but the price . . . $22.99 USED! That’s the original price back in the ’80’s! I was shocked! I’m thinking old system/old game USED probably $6-10.– boy was I wrong! Went on Ebay for a better idea on that – yes, some are cheaper BUT you’re almost at their mercy when it comes to finding the games you want – very few ‘little kids’ games out there now. I’m looking into “Centipede” and “Frogger”, but am waiting to see how my grandson reacts to the system BEFORE I put in bids on Ebay for these games – who knows? He might think they’re really silly and not even want to play them at all! (better out the $5.99 for the power cord than out lots more $$ for the games, eh?).

Oh! Forgot to mention the “Wild Game Dinner” Saturday! Had a fun time cutting pies – just for a small idea of what we did (there were three of us cutting) – we had over 100 slices of JUST APPLE, not counting all the other flavors available – chocolate, lemon meringue, cherry, berry, pecan, and other chocolate/chip combinations (plus 2 chocolate sugar free pies, for those who can’t eat ‘regular’). This year there was LOTS of food for the workers and lots of pie, too. I had a ‘smattering’ of all sorts of wild meats like salmon patties with dill sauce, mule deer pasties, pheasant al fredo (really yummy!!!), deer medallions (too gamey & salty – my estimation), wild boar, buffalo chili (REALLY yummy!), Swedish (deer) meatballs/Sweet & Sour (deer) meatballs, and more I can’t even remember right now. It was a fun, action-packed (and sweet/sticky) evening – came home after working & eating, after about 3 1/2 hours ready for a sit-down and rest!

Our weather was really nasty Friday night (our special needs group’s Gym Night); I spent a few hours on the phone calling everyone and cancelling – we were ‘supposed’ to be getting 4-7 inches of snow but it never came. We got ‘some’ snow (maybe 1 1/2 inches?) but the roads were slippery and it was melting some, then freezing – better to be safe than sorry – especially when we have kids in wheelchairs; plodding through slush/snow/ice pushing a wheelchair is not what we wanted for them or their caregivers.

Just finished dinner: breaded pork steaks, mashed potatoes & beets, now it’s time to ‘dish up’ some recipes for you!

====================

 Creamed Chicken

1/2 C. flour
2 1/4 C. milk, divided
1 C. frozen green peas, thawed
2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. butter 1 (10 oz) pkg. roasted

skinless boneless chicken breast, chopped
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Cooked rice, if desired

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring
cup and level. Combine flour and 1/2 C.

milk in large saucepan over medium heat,
stirring with whisk until mixture is smooth.
Stir in 1 3/4 C. milk. Cook for 4 min. or
until mixture is thick, stirring constantly
with whisk. Add peas, sage, butter and
chicken, stirring to combine. Cook 2
minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Remove from heat; stir in juice &
pepper. Serve over rice, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: RDJ 10/1711)

——————————

Confetti Upside Down Cake

4 T. (1/2 stick) butter,
melted
2/3 C. packed light brown
sugar
10 maraschino cherries, cut in
half
1 (15.25 oz)can fruit cocktail,
drained
1 (18.25 oz) pkg. yellow cake mix
1 C. water
1/3 C. vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 T. rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Coat 9 x 13 pan with cooking
spray. Add melted butter to
dish; sprinkle with brown
sugar. Arrange cherry halves
evenly over sugar & sprinkle
with fruit cocktail; set
aside. In a large bowl, beat
cake mix, water, oil & eggs
according to pkg. directions.
Stir in sprinkles & pour into
prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes
or until a toothpick inserted
in center of cake comes out
clean. Let cake stand 5
minutes; loosen gently with
a knife and invert onto
a serving platter.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
-----------------

Crockpot Tamale Pie

2 lb. ground beef, cooked &

drained

2 (28 0z ea) cans diced tomatoes,

drained

2 C. frozen whole kernel corn

1 (2 1/2 oz) can sliced black olives,

drained

1 medium onion, diced

1 (1.25 oz) pkg. taco seasoning

mix

1 (16 oz) pkg. cornbread mix (Jiffy)

1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded

 

In large bowl, combine beef, diced

tomatoes, corn, olives, onion & taco

seasoning mix. Mix well, pour into

6 quart crockpot. Prepare cornbread

mix according to pkg. directions;

spoon over beef mixture. Sprinkle

top with cheese. Cover & cook on

High 3 hours or Low 6 hours.

(recipe: Mr Food, via Victoria,

justapinch.com)

————————

Coconut Cream Layered Dessert

1 C. flour
1/2 C. softened butter
1 C. chopped walnuts
8 oz. cream cheese (not
softened)
1 C. confectioners sugar
1 C. Cool Whip (16 oz)
2 pkgs. coconut cream
instant pudding & pie
filling (3.4-3.9 oz boxes, ea)
3 C. cold milk
8 oz. Cool Whip (remainder
of tub)
1 C. toasted coconut

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
First Layer:
Mix flour, butter & nuts together;
press into 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake
20 minutes until lightly browned;
cool completely.

Second Layer:
Beat cream cheese, confectioners
sugar & 8 oz Cool Whip in a bowl;
spread onto cooled first layer.
Refrigerate until chilled.

Third Layer:

Beat milk & pudding mixes
together in bowl on low speed
until pudding thickens. Spread over
second layer; chill. Spread remaining
Cool Whip on top of third layer;
refrigerate.
Toasting coconut:
Spread 1 to 1 1/2 C. coconut onto a
baking sheet – brown in 350 degree
oven for approx. 10 minutes. Check
every 5 minutes; turning with a
spatula until browned. Cool
completely before topping Cool Whip
layer.
(recipe: Candy-justapinch.com)

===========

Sorry, friends but my server is

acting up again ( notice the huge

spacing between lines and the size

of the font?) Will have to try again,

on another blog entry to see if I can

get the recipes I had ‘planned’ on

giving you, to show up properly!

Hugs;

Pammie

Thoughts on a Thursday

Hello, all!

It’s been a tiring, but fruitful morning – went to Office Max for more printer cartridges for the special needs group newsletter. Did you know that Office Max will refund you $3.00 for each HP used cartridge you return to them? (I just returned 5 – helped pay for the new ones I just bought; $3.00 times 5 = $15.00! Stopped at Gordon Foods to get more ‘supplies’ – a big frozen tray of mac & cheese (for the special needs fundraiser next month), 3 boxes of frozen pre-shaped choc. chip cookies (120 per box), also for the fund raiser, plus a few things for the family. Then it was off to Krogers to finish up the grocery shopping. Kroger has a special this week: Buy 4  2 liter bottles of Pepsi products, get 2 bottles free! (works for me – my husband LOVES Mountain Dew). Today is one of two ‘Mid-Winter Break’ off days for youngest, so bought the 40-piece bag of Tostino’s pizza rolls; we ‘celebrated’- each person got 10. Stopped at Tim Horton’s for coffee – they’re having another “Roll-up the Rim to Win” contest – husband won a free donut with his (I haven’t finished drinking mine yet – I like to SAVOR it!)  Just finished it – I won a “Please Try Again” – sigh. In years past we’ve won free donuts and a nice amount of free coffees of your choice/size – it’s a little ‘something extra’ that’s always nice to get, especially when you frequent that restaurant, anyway!

Well, according to our local weather channel/report we’ve gone from the expected 4-8 inch snow storm expected this evening, to now it’s 3-5 inches. (Now you can see just WHY I decided to get my running done early). It’s really nice outside right now – clear and 40 degrees – sure hope that storm sort of passes us by! Dinner tonight is spaghetti with meatballs, tossed salad & garlic bread (grandson is coming and I try to make dinner something he likes – makes it much easier on all of us). He’s not really picky, but having a Dad who’s a chef makes my ‘competition’ a lot harder; he’s learning that when you eat at THIS grandma’s house, you eat what’s put in front of you AND you finish your meal. (His dad says he enforces that at his house, too).

After a brief rest up, it’s time to get back to working on the newsletter. Yesterday (for whatever reason I was in a clean up/fix up mood) I happened to start going over the special needs group attendence and address lists – both of which need correcting, as we’ve recently added more students to the group. Oh! Last night we had the largest group ever  (that I can recall, and I’ve been with the group since 1993) – we had 36 ‘students’ and at least another 12 caregivers – the room was PACKED! Just before Christmas we had a new lady join our group as a helper (she’s WONDERFUL!); the other leader & I were joking last night: “See? First the Lord adds another helper, then He sends us LOTS more students to make the work load even!” Whew! It was hectic in our room last night, but great to see where the Lord is leading us. Tomorrow night is another Gym Night – anxious to see how many of our ‘kids’ come for that (we typically get less coming to the Gym Night, as most of the group homes only take their charges to one activity per week). Our main leader (my compatriot), said we’re going to do spaghetti & meatballs this time (was originally going to be hot dogs) – we’ll see just where this SNOW STORM puts us as to whether we even HAVE the gym night or not. Really hoping it blows over, as Saturday is my church’s Wild Game Dinner and I’m working in the Pie Room again (yay!).

Well, enough talk about food – time to get down to the ‘nitty-gritty’ of RECIPES!

===================

Undone Stuffed Pepper Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 green peppers, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 C. cooked long-grain white rice
1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 C. Kraft shredded Italian Five
Cheese with a touch of Philadelphia,
divided

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Brown meat with peppers & garlic
in large skillet; drain. Stir in rice,
spaghetti sauce & 3/4 C. cheese.
Spoon into 2 quart casserole that
has been sprayed with nonstick
spray. Top with remaining cheese &
bake 25 minutes or until heated
through. Serves 7, 1 C. each
(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
—————————–
Tuscan Pork Stew

nonstick cooking spray
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2
inch pieces
1 1/2 C. baby carrots, cut in half
1 (26 oz) can Hunts Garlic & Herb
Pasta sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can Hunts Fire Roasted
Diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans;
drained & rinsed
1 1/2 C. water
1 tsp. dried sage leaves
1 (14.5 oz) can cut green beans, drained

Spray large saucepan or Dutch oven
with nonstick spray; heat over medium-
high heat. Add pork and carrots; cook about
5 minutes or until meat is cooked through;
stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining
ingredients, except green beans. Bring
mixture to boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium; cover and
simmer 15 minutes. Stir in green beans just
before serving. Serves 6
(recipe: ReadySetEat site)
————————————-
TACO PASTA CASSEROLE

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 or 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
pinch salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery
2 onions
1 green bell pepper
1/2 lb shell, ziti or elbow macaroni
3 pints water
1 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Season ground beef lightly with salt
& pepper. Wash & chop pepper and onion;
saute in a T. olive oil until translucent; add
crumbled ground beef and saute until browned.
Add garlic, celery and taco seasoning; saute
for 2 more minutes. Cook pasta according to
pkg. directions in boiling salted water
(but for a few minutes less time until almost
tender). Butter a casserole dish and place a
layer of pasta, a layer of meat, cheese, and
soup, ending with a layer of cheese. Bake
until cheese and soup melt through and
mixture is bubbly. Stir once or twice, then
serve hot. Makes 3 or 4 servings.

Variation: Omit taco seasoning and use
Italian seasoninginstead (oregano, basil, etc)
and use 1 can tomato instead of mushroom.
(recipe: lovestocook-Marys Recipe Exchange)
———————————
Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Cooking spray
1 1/4 lb.skinned, boned chicken
breast
1 1/2 C. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C. beer
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes,
drained
and chopped
1/2 C. thinly sliced green onions
1 (2 1/4-oz) can sliced ripe
olives, drained
2 (4.5-oz) cans chopped green
chiles, drained
5 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
2 C. 1% low-fat milk
2 large egg whites, lightly
beaten
or 6 T. egg substitute
3/4 C. (3 oz) shredded sharp
Cheddar cheese
3/4 C. (3 oz) shredded Monterey
Jack cheese
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in
half
1/2 C. fat-free sour cream
1/2 C. salsa

Preheat oven 350F. Coat a large
nonstick skillet with cooking spray;
place over medium heat until hot. Add
chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or
until done. Remove chicken from skillet;
let cool. Shred chicken with 2 forks; set
aside.Recoat skillet with cooking spray;
place over medium heat. Add onion and
garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender.
Add shredded chicken, beer, red pepper,
and tomatoes; cook 10 minutes or until
most of liquid evaporates. Remove from
heat. Reserve 1 T. green onions and 1 T.
olives for garnish. Stir remaining green
onions, remaining olives, and chiles into
chicken mixture; set aside.Combine flour,
salt, cumin, and coriander in a medium
saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring
with a whisk until blended. Place over
medium heat; cook 7 minutes or until thick,
stirring constantly. Gradually add hot milk
mixture to egg whites, stirring constantly
with whisk. Set aside.Place cheeses in a
bowl; toss well. Set aside.Spread 1/2 C.
white sauce in bottom of a 2 1/2-
quart round casserole or souffle dish
coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4
tortilla halves over sauce; top with 2
cups chicken mixture, 1/2 C. white sauce,
and 1/2 C. cheese mixture. Repeat layers
twice, ending with sauce. Set remaining
1/2 C. cheese mixture aside. Bake, uncovered
40 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/2 C. cheese mixture, reserved
green onions, and reserved olives; bake an
additional 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes
before serving. Serve with sour cream and
salsa. Makes 8 servings.
(recipe: RDJ 10/18/11)
—————————
Pecan Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

1/2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1/3 C. chopped pecans
1/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
2 tsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven 350F.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry
measuring cup;level with a knife.
Combine flour, baking soda,& salt
in a small bowl, stirring well with
a whisk. Set aside. Combine brown
sugar, vanilla, and egg whites in a
large bowl; beat with a mixer at
high speed 1 minute. Add flour
mixture, beating just until combined.
Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.
Spread batter into an 8-inch square
baking pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake 18 minutes or until golden and
crusty on top. Cool in pan 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes
16 servings.
(recipe: RDJ 12/29/11)
———————-
 Hearty Garlic Potato Soup

8 medium potatoes, peeled
& cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/4 C. flour
8 C. milk
2 tsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place potatoes, carrot & garlic in
Dutch oven; cover with water and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover
& simmer 15-20 minutes or until
tender; drain. Place 3 Cups potato
mixture in large bowl and mash.
Set aside mashed potatoes &
remaining potato mixture. In a
large skillet, cook sausage &
onion over medium heat until
meat is no longer pink; drain and
set aside. In a Dutch oven, melt
butter; stir in flour until smooth,
gradually adding the milk. Bring
to a boil, cook & stir 2 minutes or
until soup is thickened. Add parsley,
salt, bouillon, seasoned salt &
pepper; mix well. Add mashed
potato mixture, cook & stir until
heated through. Add reserved
potato & sausage mixtures; heat
through. Makes 12 servings.
(recipe: tigger-RDJ 12/30/11)
———————-
 Honey Sesame Bars

3/4 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 C. plus 1/2 C. honey
1 T. grated orange peel
1 C. flour
1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 C. toasted sesame seeds
3 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl using elec. mixer
on medium speed, beat oil,
sugar, eggs, 1/3 C. honey &
1 1/2 tsp. orange peel until
smooth & well blended. In
another bowl mix both flours,
baking powder, salt & sesame
seeds; stir or beat into oil
mixture until well blended.
Spread batter evenly in a
lightly oiled 9 x 13 baking
pan. Bake until center springs
back when lightly touched
and top is richly browned-
18-20 minutes. Meanwhile,
in a bowl, mix melted butter,
remaining 1/2 C. honey and
remaining 1 1/2 tsp. grated
orange peel until smooth.
With a wooden skewer, pierce
warm baked bar (still in pan)
at 1/2 inch spaces. Pour honey
mixture evenly over the top.
Let cool at least 10 minutes,
then cut into 24 bars. Let cool
completely.
(Recipe: DDJ 01/10/12)
===============

That’s what’s ‘new’ around here today – hope you

have a GREAT day/evening. Enjoy your time and

remember to do something YOU like – call it your

‘little treat’ (even if it’s only resting with your feet

up in a chair for 5 minutes).

Hugs;

Pammie

Monday Munchies!

It’s a sunny, bright 32 degrees outside and I’ve got a large batch of recipes just waiting to be shared with you. Upon closer inspection, I find there are quite a few SWEET recipes – enjoy!
=============
Cherry Salad Supreme

1 (3 oz) pkg raspberry Jell-O
1 C. boiling water
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 (3 oz) pkg. lemon Jell-O
1 C. boiling water
1 (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 C. mayonnaise or salad
dressing
1 (8 3/4 oz) can crushed
pineapple, undrained
1 C. frozen Cool Whip, thawed
1 C. miniature marshmallows

Dissolve raspberry Jello in 1
C. boiling water. Stir in
pie filling; pour into 9 x
9 x 2 inch dish; chill
partially. Dissolve lemon
jello in 1 C. boiling wtaer;
set aside. Beat together
cream cheese & mayonnaise (or
salad dressing). Gradually
add lemon jello. Stir in
undrained pineapple. Fold
in Cool Whip and marsh-
mallows. Spread over cherry
layer and chill.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys
Recipe Exchange)
—————-
Cranberry-Nut Muffins

1/4 C. margarine
1/2 C. honey
2 beaten eggs
1/2 C. orange juice
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. chopped cranberries
1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cream margarine & honey; add
eggs, orange juice & rind.
Mix in flour, baking powder &
salt. Add cranberries & walnuts.
Pour batter into greased muffin
tins. Bake 35 minutes.
(recipe: Susan-Marys
Recipe Exchange)
———————
Blueberry Crunch

2 sticks butter, softened
2 C. flour
1 C. chopped pecans
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 box confectioners sugar
1 can blueberry pie filling

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cream butter, flour & nuts; press
mixture into greased 9 x 13
baking pan. Bake until
golden brown; cool. Combine
cream cheese & confectioners
sugar; pour onto cooled crust.
Top with blueberry pie filling;
chill & serve.
(recipe: Susan-Mississippi
Daily Journal)
———————-
TACO PASTA CASSEROLE

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 or 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
pinch salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery
2 onions
1 green bell pepper
1/2 lb shell, ziti or elbow macaroni
3 pints water
1 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Season ground beef lightly with salt
& pepper. Wash & chop pepper and onion;
saute in a T. olive oil until translucent; add
crumbled ground beef and saute until browned.
Add garlic, celery and taco seasoning; saute
for 2 more minutes. Cook pasta according to
pkg. directions in boiling salted water
(but for a few minutes less time until almost
tender). Butter a casserole dish and place a
layer of pasta, a layer of meat, cheese, and
soup, ending with a layer of cheese. Bake
until cheese and soup melt through and
mixture is bubbly. Stir once or twice, then
serve hot. Makes 3 or 4 servings.

Variation: Omit taco seasoning and use
Italian seasoning instead (oregano, basil, etc)
and use 1 can tomato instead of mushroom.
(recipe: lovestocook-Marys Recipe Exchange)
————————————————
Pecan Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

1/2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1/3 C. chopped pecans
1/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
2 tsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven 350F.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry
measuring cup;level with a knife.
Combine flour, baking soda,& salt
in a small bowl, stirring well
with a whisk. Set aside.
Combine brown sugar, vanilla,
and egg whites in a large bowl;
beat with a mixer at high speed 1
minute. Add flour mixture, beating
just until combined. Stir in
pecans and chocolate chips.
Spread batter into an 8-inch
square baking pan coated with
cooking spray. Bake 18 minutes
or until golden and crusty on
top. Cool in pan 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Makes 16 servings.
(recipe: RDJ 12/29/11)
—————–
Confetti Upside Down Cake

4 T. (1/2 stick) butter,
melted
2/3 C. packed light brown
sugar
10 maraschino cherries, cut in
half
1 (15.25 oz)can fruit cocktail,
drained
1 (18.25 oz) pkg. yellow cake mix
1 C. water
1/3 C. vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 T. rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Coat 9 x 13 pan with cooking
spray. Add melted butter to
dish; sprinkle with brown
sugar. Arrange cherry halves
evenly over sugar & sprinkle
with fruit cocktail; set
aside. In a large bowl, beat
cake mix, water, oil & eggs
according to pkg. directions.
Stir in sprinkles & pour into
prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes
or until a toothpick inserted
in center of cake comes out
clean. Let cake stand 5
minutes; loosen gently with
a knife and invert onto
a serving platter.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
—————–

Baked Oatmeal

3 C. rolled oats (not Quick)
1 C. raisins
1/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. applesauce
1/2 C. vanilla or plain
yogurt
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. oil
2 eggs

Mix together oats, raisins,
sugar, baking powder, cinnamon
& salt. In a separate bowl,
whisk together applesauce,
yogurt, milk, oil & eggs. Stir
into oat mixture; pour into
greased 8 x 8 pan. Refrigerate
overnight. When ready to use:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake mixture 45-50 minutes.
(IF BAKING right after mixing:
bake 40 minutes)
Using an 11 X 7 inch pan makes
it more crunchy.
(NOTE from POSTER:
“I bake it, and then warm up
a portion each morning in the
microwave then pour on a
little milk.”
(recipe: RDJ 12/30/11)
———————–

Hearty Garlic Potato Soup

8 medium potatoes, peeled &
cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled &
chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/4 C. flour
8 C. milk
2 tsp. fresh parsley,
minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
granules
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place potatoes, carrot &
garlic in Dutch oven; cover
with water and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat; cover &
simmer 15-20 minutes or
until tender; drain. Place
3 Cups potato mixture in large
bowl and mash. Set aside
mashed potatoes & remaining
potato mixture. In a large
skillet, cook sausage &
onion over medium heat until
meat is no longer pink; drain
and set aside. In a Dutch
oven, melt butter; stir in
flour until smooth, gradually
adding the milk. Bring to a
boil, cook & stir 2 minutes
or until soup is thickened.
Add parsley, salt, bouillon,
seasoned salt & pepper; mix
well. Add mashed potato mixture,
cook & stir until heated through.
Add reserved potato & sausage
mixtures; heat through. Makes
12 servings.
(recipe: tigger-RDJ 12/30/11)
———————-
Savory Herb Chicken (crockpot)

2 1/2 – 3 lb. chicken, cut into
serving pieces
2 envelopes Lipton Recipe Secrets
Savory Herb w/Garlic soup mix
2 medium red bell peppers, cut
into 1 inch pieces
1 C. coarsely chopped onion
1/2 C. dry white wine or water

Combine all ingredients in
crockpot; cook, covered
on Low 8-10 hours or High
3-4 hours. (serve, if
desired, with hot cooked
rice)
(recipe: Lipton recipes,
Mary Free-
Marys Recipe Exchange)
——————-

Honey Sesame Bars

3/4 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 C. plus 1/2 C. honey
1 T. grated orange peel
1 C. flour
1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 C. toasted sesame seeds
3 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl using elec. mixer on
medium speed, beat oil, sugar,
eggs, 1/3 C. honey & 1 1/2 tsp.
orange peel until smooth &
well blended. In another bowl mix
both flours, baking powder, salt &
sesame seeds; stir or beat into
oil mixture until well blended.
Spread batter evenly in a lightly
oiled 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake until
center springs back when lightly
touched and top is richly browned-
18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl,
mix melted butter, remaining 1/2 C.
honey and remaining 1 1/2 tsp. grated
orange peel until smooth. With a
wooden skewer, pierce warm baked
bar (still in pan) at 1/2 inch
spaces. Pour honey mixture evenly
over the top. Let cool at least
10 minutes, then cut into 24
bars. Let cool completely.
(Recipe: DDJ 01/10/12)
=============================
Am having some trouble with my computer today – it’s displaying less
than my normal ‘stuff’ (if you notice the recipe titles are not in BOLD
or underlined – can’t find where those buttons went!) Also noted my
Facebook page is blank! Don’t know what all that means but hopefully
my husband can figure out what went wrong!
Nothing much new over the weekend, finished reading a ‘fluff’ book
“Fatally Flaky” (Dianna Mott Davidson) – she writes mystery-murder
novels interspersed with cooking & recipes – fun read if you just want
to have a ‘light read’.
Enjoy your day!
Hugs;
Pammie
(Great . . . sigh – just found out I can’t upload photos to this blog, either! What’s going on!!!)

Happy Sunshiny Friday!

“This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will REJOICE and

be GLAD in it!”

Psalm 118:24

=======================

Friday is here and it’s a beautiful, sunshiny 35 degree day (ignore the remnants of snow on the ground) – it’s SUNSHINY! YAY! There’s just something about a day that starts with sunshine that puts you in a good mood and makes you feel like it’s going to be a great day.

Nothing spectacular planned for the day – working on another chemo cap – this one is in shades of purple; I was at JoAnn’s yesterday and spotted a really pretty variegated purple sock yarn and decided to ‘give it a go’; we’ll see how it works out. My thoughts were: a regular 4 oz skein of yarn makes about 2 1/2 caps, so a 2-something skein of sock yarn ought to make 1 hat, right? We’ll see. Had fun with the yarn sales at JoAnn’s, the $5 skeins were $2.50, so think I bought 4? Took 5 more caps in to the cancer center yesterday (no pictures – they all pretty much look the same).

On the recipes front, haven’t posted in about a week so I have a ton to go through –

==============

Orange Meringue Puddings

2 T. unsalted butter
zest of 1 orange
2 C. fresh orange juice
1/3 C. plus 1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large egg yolks
3 egg whites

Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In medium saucepan over low
heat, melt butter, then whisk in
orange zest, orange juice, 1/3 C.
sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat;
cook, whisking constantly until
thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour into
4 ramekins or custard cups.
In a bowl, beat egg whites & 1/2 C. sugar
until sugar dissolves and stiff, glossy
peaks form. Spread meringue over the
puddings. Bake until meringue is browned,
about 10 minutes. Set puddings in a pan of
ice water to cool, then refrigerate 1 hour
or until cold. Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: DDJ 02/16/12)
———————————
Tilapia in Mustard Cream Sauce

4 (6 oz) tilapia fillets
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
cooking spray
3/4 C. chicken broth
1 oz. portobello mushrooms, thinly
sliced
2 T. whipping cream
2 T. Dijon mustard

Sprinkle fish with thyme, pepper &
salt. Heat a large nonstick skillet over
medium-high heat; coat pan with
cooking spray. Add fish; cook 1
minute on each side. Add broth and
bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and
simmer 5 minutes. Add mushrooms;
cook, uncovered, 1 minute or until
mushrooms are tender. Remove fish
from pan; keep warm.
Add cream & mustard to pan; stir with
a whisk until well combined. Cook 1
minute or until thoroughly heated.
Serve sauce over fish. Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: RDJ-02/16/12)
————————————
Spinach & Chicken Farfalla

8 oz. farfalla pasta (bowtie)
1 chicken breast or 2 C. white
meat chicken, chopped into bite-sized
pieces
3 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 C. mushrooms, sliced
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 C. chicken broth
6 oz. spinach (3 C.) fresh, washed &
drained
4 oz. Feta cheese
Parmesan cheese, grated, to taste

Cook farfalla according to box
directions to al dente stage; drain
& set aside. Saute chicken in oil
until cooked through and juices run
clear. Remove chicken from pan; if using
whole breast, cut into bite sized pieces
when cooked. Add garlic & mushrooms;
saute lightly being careful not to brown
garlic. Add small amount of oil, if necessary
to keep from sticking. When mushrooms are
soft and golden, add washed spinach, salt &
pepper. Return chicken & pasta to pan; add
chicken broth, cover & cook on medium heat
until spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
Pour any remaining olive oil over hot pasta;
add feta cheese over top, serve with
Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: Susan-Marys Recipe Exchange)
——————————-
Moist Banana Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting

3 small ripe bananas or 2 large ripe
4 large T. sour cream
1 white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 T. oil
1 1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:
 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temp
1 stick butter
1/3 C. chopped nuts (of your choice)
1 box powdered sugar (4 C.)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Blend bananas with mixer, adding sour
cream. When well blended, add cake mix,
egg whites, oil, milk, vanilla; mix well. Add
milk last to be able to judge consistency
of cake. Once well blended, pour mixture
into greased 9 x 13 pan, or 3 cake layer
pans. Bake 25 minutes or until cake is done.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.*

Mix cream cheese & butter together in a bowl.
Add powdered sugar & vanilla; add a little milk
to frosting while mixing to achieve creamy
stage. When well mixed, add nuts and stir
to incorporate. Frost each layer with
frosting.

TIP* Place waxed paper over cakes to
capture the moisture while cooling;
this adds to a really moist, delicious
cake.
(recipe: lovetocook_1948-
Marys Recipe Exchange)
——————————————
Leek & Potato Stew

2 slices bacon
3 C. chopped leeks (rinsed well
and cleaned of any grit)
4 1/2 C. chicken stock
4 C. Yukon Gold potatos, peeled
& cubed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley

Cook bacon in large saucepan over
medium-high heat until crisp. Add
chopped leeks; cover – reduce heat
to medium-low and cook 3 minutes.
Add stock, potato, salt & thyme; bring
to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15
minutes or until potato is tender.
Remove 1 C. potatoes with a slotted
spoon; place in blender. Add 1/2 C.
cooking liquid to blender, process
until smooth. Return pureed  mixture
to pan and mix in. Sprinkle top with
parsley. Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: RDJ – 02/14/12)
——————————————–
Colorful Corn Chowder

1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 C. onion, finely diced
1/4 C. red bell pepper, coarsely
diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C. potatoes, peeled & coarsely
diced
1 C. carrots, coarsely diced
3 C. chicken broth
4 C. sweet corn, reserving 1/4
C. corn for topping
3 C. milk
3 T. butter
salt & pepper, to taste

In medium skillet, fry diced bacon until
crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels;
crumble when cooled. Remove all
bacon drippings except 2 T.  Add onion,
bell pepper & garlic; cook 3 minutes over
medium heat, stirring continuously. Place
mixture in a large pot. Add potatoes, carrots,
chicken broth & corn. Cook 10 minutes over
medium-high heat or until vegetables are
tender. Add milk & butter; season with salt &
pepper, if desired. Reheat mixture until hot.
Serve in bowls, top with crumbled bacon &
reserved 1/4 C. corn kernels for garnish.
Serves 4-6
(recipe: Susan-Marys Recipe Exchange)
—————————————
Quick Creamy Tomato Soup

2 (15 oz) containers chicken or
vegetable broth
1 (28 oz) can concentrated crushed
tomatoes
1 C. heavy cream
coarse salt, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
20 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Combine broth & tomatoes in a medium
saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling,
stir in heavy cream; reduce heat to low. Season
with salt & pepper; simmer 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally. (If desired, mixture can
be poured into a blender and pureed). Serve
soup with basil slices.
(recipe: 30 minute meals w/Rachel Ray,
as posted by Susan-Marys REcipe
Exchange)
————————————
Fried Cabbage with Bacon

12 oz. egg noodles
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
6 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1/2 C. green pepper, chopped
2 T. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Cook noodles according to pkg.
directions; drain & set aside. Place
bacon in large, deep skillet over
medium heat; cook until crisp &
crumbly; drain off fat. Add butter,
garlic, mushrooms, onion & green
pepper to pan; stirring over medium
heat 5 minutes. Gently stir in chopped
cabbage, vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes &
black pepper. Cover pan & steam 15-20
minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Serve
warm cabbage mixture over cooked egg
noodles. Serves 6.
(recipe: Susan-Marys Recipe Exchange)
—————————————
Turkey & Cabbage Strata

1/2 C. rice, uncooked
1 C. water
1 T. butter
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 C. V-8 juice or other brand
3 C. cabbage, shredded
1 C. tomato sauce
1 C. Mozzarella, shredded
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bring rice, water & butter to boil;
cover & simmer over low heat 15
minutes or until tender. In medium
bowl, mix cooked rice, turkey & 1
tsp. Italian seasoning. In an 8 x 8
or 2 quart baking pan/dish layer
1/2 C. vegetable juice, 1 1/2 C.
cabbage/turkey-rice mixture,
tomato sauce, 1 1/2 C. cabbage,
1/2 C. vegetable juice, Mozzarella.
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
over top; cover with foil. Bake
45-60 minutes or until turkey is
no longer pink. Serves 4.
(recipe: Susan-Marys Recipe Exchange)
————————————
Cheese-Stuffed Green Peppers

4 small green peppers (1 lb.)
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 C. sliced mushrooms
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
3/4 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 C. cooked rice
1 C. lightly packed shredded Swiss or
Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cut slice from top of peppers;
remove seeds. Cut small slice
from bottom of peppers so
peppers will stand upright.
Place peppers in a strainer
over simmering water or
steamer basket; cook about
3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Rinse peppers with cold water;
drain thoroughly. Lightly spray
a large skillet with nonstick
cooking spray. Add onion & garlic,
cook over medium heat, stirring
occasionally 3-5 minutes or
until translucent. Add mushrooms,
cook 4 minutes. Stir occasionally
until tender. Stir in tomato sauce,
Tabasco, lemon peel & rice; remove
from heat. Stir in half the cheese.
Spoon rice mixture into green
peppers. Lightly spray a 9 x 13
baking pan with nonstick spray.
Place stuffed peppers in pan;
sprinkle tops with remaining
cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes or
until heated through. Serves 4.
(recipe: Susan-Marys Recipe Exchange)
————————————
Mayonnaise Rolls

1/2 C. milk
1 C. self-rising flour
1/2 C. mayonnaise

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients together;
place in well-greased muffin tins,
filling each 1/3 rd full. Bake approx.
15 minutes or until golden brown.
Top each with butter after removing
from oven.
(recipe: Susan-Marys Recipe Exchange)
————————–

Well, that ought to make up for the recipes I haven’t sent in awhile, yes? Hope

so! Have a great day – enjoy whatever you like doing and remember to

take a little time for yourself!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Don’t think I posted on Valentine’s Day – I received 2 new tires & front wiper blades for my car from my dear husband! (Yes, there’s a story behind it – had a flat tire Monday night, Tues. he took car in and got the above-mentioned items). See? Valentine’s aren’t always flowers & candy, but appreciated very much!

Whether I like it or not . . .

we have SNOW! It started out all fluffy and light early today and now, a little after 9 p.m. we have quite a bit of it on the roads, cars, walks, etc. I just returned from picking up youngest at school from his 6-9 p.m. practice and drove a very turtle-like 25 MPH. The roads ARE slippery and it’s still coming down – from what I can learn we’re supposed to get 1-2 inches but I’d say we’ve already exceeded that estimate. I was very happy to realize that I did a ‘good’ thing earlier when I was out grocery shopping and filled up my gas tank – would certainly NOT like to be pumping gas in this downpour! It’s a ‘balmy’ 25 degrees out and I’m told we’re supposed to be getting down to really small digits over the weekend (I think the lady at the bank said below 20 tonight? – oh, goody . . . ).

I did a GOOD thing, though – bought all the fixins to make chili and cornbread, so tomorrow’s dinner will keep our tummies warm, at least! It’s been a rather calm week here, just lots of driving the youngest back & forth to practices. His choir group is going to be singing tomorrow for a funeral; a choir director that was there before youngest started at this school died Weds. and his funeral is tomorrow. My son said that he really liked the gentleman, said he had a great sense of humor and was a really nice guy. (I would think it will be difficult to sing at the funeral, not sure.)  My volunteering duties are beginning to overlap – I didn’t realize that my special needs group’s Gym Night this month is on the same evening as my church’s Wild Game Dinner – I had already signed up to cut pies at the dinner, looks like I’ll have to take my name off that list. (there is a second night for the dinner, but I’m usually pretty tired after working a Gym Night, so perhaps this year, I’ll bow out of volunteering for it.)

Not much new on the knit parade (sorry, just couldn’t resist the ‘pun’); I do have another baby bib pattern but am not sure if I’ll actually try it or not (really don’t like working in cotton/dishcloth yarn). Have 3 more chemo caps done and started another one – think I’ll just stick with those for awhile.

Recipes, you say? SURE! Here’s a new batch!

====================

Slowcooker Salsa Swiss Steak & Noodles

1 boneless beef round steak (3#) cut into
12 serving pieces
1 (16 oz) jar Old El Paso Thick ‘n Chunky
salsa
1 env. brown gravy mix
1 (16 oz) bag egg noodles

In 3-4 qt. slowcooker, place beef. In small
bowl, mix salsa & gravy mix; pour over
beef. Cover, cook on LOW 8-10 hours.
About 15 minutes before serving, cook &
drain noodles as directed on pkg. Serve
beef & sauce over noodles.
(recipe:carolsrecipes77-1_Comfort_foods_)
—————————–
Frozen Almond Cream Dessert

3/4 C. ground almonds
1 T. butter, melted
1 env. unflavored gelatin
1/4 C. cold water
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 C. sugar
3/4 C. milk
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Peach Sauce:

3 C. sliced peeled peaches
2 T. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

In small bowl, combine almonds &
butter. Press mixture onto bottoms
of 12 paper or foil-lined muffin cups.
Cover & freeze 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan pour
cold water. Sprinkle gelatin over water;
let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat,
stirring until gelatin is completely
dissolved; set aside. In small mixing
bowl, beat cream cheese & sugar until
smooth. Gradually beat in milk &
extract. Stir in gelatin mixture & spoon
into muffin cups. Freeze until firm.
Remove desserts from freezer
10 minutes before serving. Place
sauce ingredients in a blender or
food processor; cover & process
until pureed. Spoon sauce onto
dessert plates; peel muffin liners
off desserts, invert desserts onto
peach sauce & serve. Makes 12
servings.
(recipe: lovetocook1948-
Marys Recipe Exchange)
--------------------------------

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

   

2 T. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C. milk
2 (8.5-oz.) boxes Jiffy cornbread 
mix
5 hot dogs, chopped
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese 

Heat oven to 400 F.
Place 3 mini muffin pans in oven 
to heat.Beat together brown sugar, 
eggs and milk. Add cornbread mix 
and stir until blended. Stir in 
chopped hot dogs. Spray the hot 
mini muffin pans with cooking spray, 
and pour in batter. Bake for 14-18 
minutes. Remove from oven and 
immediately top with shredded cheese. 
Makes 36 mini muffins. 
(recipe: Linda N-1_Comfort_Foods)
from Sept. 2011 issue of Today in 
Mississippi Cooks: Featured Cookbook
--------------------------------------

Chicken Licking Good Pork Chops

(crockpot)

8 lean pork chops, 1 inch thick
1 T. salt
1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 T. oil
1 can chicken and rice soup
Dredge chops in mixture of 
flour, salt, dry mustard
and garlic powder.

Brown in oil in large skillet. 
Place browned pork chops in crockpot. 
Add can of soup. Cover and cook
on Low 6 to 8 hours or High 
3 1/2 hours.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe Exchange)
--------------------------------------

French Onion Rolls

2 loaves (1 lb, ea) frozen bread dough, thawed**

1 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/2 C. butter or margarine, melted

Divide bread dough into 20 portions, shape each

into a ball. In a bowl, combine Parmesan cheese

& soup mix. Place butter in another bowl. Roll

each ball in butter, then in cheese mixture.

Arrange balls in greased 9 x 13 pan. Cover

and let rise in a warm place until doubled,

about 45 minutes. Preheat oven 350 degreesF.

  Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from pan to wire rack; serve warm.

**(You can also use the frozen rolls, to save time)

(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe exchange)

———————————-
Ranch Popcorn

3-4 T. uncooked popcorn

1-2 tsp. dry ranch dressing mix

1/4 C. butter

Pop your favorite popcorn. While popping,

add butter & dry ranch dressing mix to a

small pan & heat until melted & butter

mix is hot. Mix popcorn & ranch butter

with your hands in a bowl.

(recipe: Kim-justapinch.com)

--------------------------

Mashed Potato Souffle

2 C. homemade mashed potatoes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 T. flour

2 large eggs

1 T. onion powder

garlic powder, to taste

pinch salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 can. french fried onions

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Prepare 2 C. mashed potatoes; in

large bowl beat potatoes, cream

cheese & eggs. Add dry ingredients;

mix. Place in casserole dish and bake,

uncovered, 15 minutes. Sprinkle top

with fried onions and continue baking

another 15 minutes. Serves 4.

(recipe: Jodi-justapinch.com)

——————–

Monteray Artichoke Soup

2 C. sliced green onions

1/2 C. chopped onion

4 T. melted butter

4 T. flour

2 (14 1/2 oz) cans chicken broth

2 (14 oz) cans artichoke hearts,

undrained & chopped

1 small jar marinated artichoke

hearts, drained well

1/2 tsp. white pepper

4 T. minced fresh parsley

sea salt to taste

Saute onions in butter in large saucepan

until tender. Add flour & cook 1 minute;

stirring occasionally. Gradually stir in

chicken broth; cook until thickened,

stirring occasionally. Stir in artichoke

hearts with liquid, white pepper & salt.

Cook until thoroughly heated. Spoon

into serving bowls; sprinkle tops with

fresh parsley. Serves 6

(recipe: Kathie Carr- justapinch.com)

-----------------------------

Brownie Crackles
(cookies)

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix:

(13-in. x 9-inch pan size)

1 C. flour

1 egg

1/2 C. water

1/4 C. canola oil

1 C.(6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, beat brownie mix,

flour, egg, water and oil until well

blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow

dish. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls

into sugar; roll to coat. Place 2 in.

apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.

Remove from pans to wire racks

to cool. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen.

=======================
As you can see, for whatever reason, my

computer decided to change the format I was

using, making the last 3 recipes all goofy as

far as line spacing goes (well, you already

knew I’m no computer whiz, so guess I’ll just

have to go with what’s here.)

Have a great day/night – whatever you’re having!

Hugs;

Pammie

ps: Am currently reading Robert Ludlum’s “The Cassandra

Compact” (he’s the author of the Bourne books that they’ve

made a few movies from). I like his style – lots of action,

mystery and government covert spy-type stuff – keeps ya

turning pages, for sure!

Why not flip it?!

Sometimes when faced with a difficult knitting pattern I’m forced to try to re-think it in a different way. I saw this cute pattern for what looked like very easy baby booties – only problem? The pattern was in French! I’m NOT an advanced knitter, my skills are very basic – (read that: I do well with things that are square or rectangular, NOT with rounded corners). I had printed a copy of the pattern many months ago and while looking through my stash of printed patterns I came across the little booties pattern again. After looking it over and realizing I really don’t know how to ‘add on’ stitches at the beginning of a row, I got the idea: “What if I just flipped it over and knit it upside down?” Tried it – it worked! (see the little white booty above). Now, I will say – the knitting of the object wasn’t difficult at all – it was the SEWING TOGETHER that really twisted my mind! It looks very easy in the diagram, but when I sewed it together it just didn’t look right; had to rip out the sewing and try again – second time it worked fine. I’m re-thinking the actual finished product – will do it in a thicker yarn and larger needles (the ‘sample’ is tiny – might fit a premie). (If you read my last post and saw the rather pitiful attempt at knitting a cotton baby bib, I ‘frogged’ it (in knitter’s terms) – I trashed it).  My friend that I am knitting baby things for is recovering from her ‘incident’ and will not need surgery, just lots of rest. She writes that she should be able to return to her sewing by the time the grandson is born – she’s thrilled. I found another baby bib pattern which I ‘might’ attempt – this one has rounded corners, so we’ll see . . .

On the weather scene, it’s a grey day today and 34 degrees but still NO SNOW, so I’m not complaining! So far it’s looking like a rather easy-going day – just have to pick up youngest son at 3:15 from his friend’s house. Planning on making a whole chicken in the crockpot and having baked potatoes & some sort of vegetable for dinner, so it’s ‘easy-going’ even on the cooking front!

Recipes! I’ll admit I didn’t ‘follow-through’ on my original plan to send you the rest of the appetizer recipes I found – sorry. By the time I got home from evening choir practice & church, I totally forgot about emails/blog posts, etc. (and NO, I didn’t watch the Super Bowl – just sort of crashed.) Here are more recipes for your perusal:

===============

Hot Crab Dip
(Paula Dean)

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, free
of shells
1 C. grated pepper Jack cheese
3/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. grated Parmesan
1/4 C. green onions, minced
5-6 roasted garlic cloves or
2 cloves, minced
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. lemon or lime juice
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
salt & pepper

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients in a
casserole; gently stir until
mixed. Bake 40 minutes.
Serve hot with crackers or
toast points. Makes 4 C.
(foodnetwork.com)
———————————
Guacamole

3 Haas avocados, halved seeded &
peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded &
diced
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

In large bowl, place scooped
avocado pulp & lime juice; toss
to coat. Drain & reserve lime
juice after all avocados have
been coated. Using a potato
masher, add salt, cumin &
cayenne; mash. Fold in onions,
tomatoes, cilantro and garlic.
Add 1 T. reserved lime juice.
Let sit at room temperature
for 1 hour, then serve.
(recipe: Alton Brown
Foodnetwork.com)
———————————-
Swiss & Bacon Dip

8 slices center cut bacon, chopped
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 rounded teaspoons prepared
Dijon mustard
1 1/2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 C. smoked almonds, coarsly
chopped
—-
baby carrots, flat breads: cocktail-
sized or sliced whole grain baguettes
for dipping
———-
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Brown bacon in nonstick skillet over
medium high heat. Drain on paper
towels. In mixing bowl, combine
cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon,
Swiss & scallions with cooked
bacon. Transfer to a shallow
small casserole dish; bake until
golden & bubbly at edges, 15-18
minutes. Top with chopped smoked
almonds.
**Variation: stir in 2 rounded
teaspoons prepared horseradish
when combining cheese & bacon.
(recipe: Rachel Ray-Foodnetwork.com)
———————————–
Lucky 7-Layer Dip
(Rachel Ray)

1 (15 oz) can refried beans
2 T. hot sauce
olive oil, for drizzling
4 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (16-18 oz) jar green chili or
tomatillo sauce
2 T. chopped cilantro
1 (15 oz) can black beans
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 (16-18 oz) jar chipotle salsa
2 C. sour cream
1 lime, zested & juiced
2 ripe avocados
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 jalapeno, seeded & finely
chopped
salt
2 plum tomatoes, diced
Pimiento-stuffed jumbo
Spanish olives, chopped
tortilla chips

Heat refried beans in small non-
stick pan over medium heat &
season with hot sauce. Transfer
to a small, deep casserole dish.
Scrape pan clean with rubber
spatula and return pan to
heat. Add olive and raise heat
to high. When oil smokes, add
scallions, sear them 2-3 minutes.
Add green salsa; heat through.
Add cilantro, remove from
heat & layer on top of beans.
Return pan to stove, lower
heat to medium & add black
beans; heat through &
season with cumin; layer on
top of green salsa. Top beans
with a layer of chipotle salsa.
Mix sour cream, lime zest &
juice; spread on top of
chipotle salsa. Combine the
meat of 2 avocados with garlic,
lemon juice, jalapeno & salt
to form a chunky guacamole.
Top salsa with guacamole.
Garnish the dish with a final
layer of diced tomatoes & sliced
olives. Makes 6 servings.
(recipe: Foodnetwork.com)
—————————
Chocolate Crockpot Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 C. oil
1 C. water
1 pint sour cream
1 small box instant chocolate
pudding mix
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix first 6 items until incorporated,
then mix in chocolate chips. Spray
crockpot inside with non-stick
cooking spray. Cook on low 4-5
hours (DO NOT open lid!))
Serve with vanilla ice cream.
(optional)
(recipe: Cindy-justapinch.com)
—————————–
Beef & Cabbage Wraps

8  8 inch flour tortillas
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 C. frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 – 2/3 C. barbecue sauce
2 C. shredded cabbage with
carrots (coleslaw mix)

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Wrap tortillas tightly in foil;
place on baking sheet. Heat
in oven 10 minutes or until
heated through. In large skillet,
cook beef & onion until beef is
browned & onion is tender; drain.
Stir in corn & 1/3 C. barbecue
sauce. Cook, stir until heated
through. To serve: spread one
side of tortilla with some of
remaining barbecue sauce, spoon
about 1/2 C. filling per tortilla.
Add shredded cabbage mix; roll
into wraps. Makes 8 wraps.
(recipe: Peg-Marys Recipe Exchange)
———————————–
Easy Barley Beef Soup

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 celery rib, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp. flour
3 (14.5 oz ea) beef broth
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 large potato, peeled & cubed
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 C. medium pearl barley
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 C. frozen peas

In Dutch oven over medium heat,
cook & stir beef, celery & onion
until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in flour until blended; gradually
add broth. Stir in carrots, potato,
pepper & salt; bring to boil, stir
in barley. Reduce heat, cover &
simmer 45-50 minutes or until
barley is tender. Whisk in milk
& tomato paste. Add peas and
heat through. Makes 4 servings.
(recipe: Tamara-1_Comfort_Foods)
——————————–
Turkey Enchilada Casserole

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey breast
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 T. minced garlic
2 T. minced fresh oregano or
1 T. dried
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oil
1 (29 oz) can red enchilada sauce
salt
12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
2 C. shredded Monteray Jack cheese
chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In 5-6 qt. pan over high heat, stir
turkey, onion, garlic, oregano and
cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly
and no longer pink, about 4 min.
Stir in 1 C. enchilada sauce; add
salt to taste. Cut tortillas in
half. Arrange 1/4 of tortilla halves
evenly over bottom of a shallow
3 qt. casserole dish, overlapping
to fit. Sprinkle 1/4 of cheese evenly
over tortillas, then top with 1/4 of
turkey mixture and 1/4 of remaining
enchilada sauce, spreading each
level. Repeat to make two more
layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey
mixture and sauce; top with
another layer of tortillas and
sauce, then cheese. Bake 18-20
minutes, until cheese is melted and
casserole is hot in center. Sprinkle
with chopped cilantro before
serving. Makes 10 servings.
(recipe: RDJ 10/02/11)
———————————-

Hope you’re having a great day – try something you’ve been

putting off or avoiding – you never know – you just might be

able to figure it out today!

Hugs;

Pammie

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares

the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm

you, plans to give you HOPE and a future.”

Darn it! (and other things . . . )

Today is a balmy 39 degrees with gorgeous sunshine and NO SNOW on the ground! YAY! Our weather outlook for the next 5 days is more of the same – sun and nice temperatures – I’m ecstatic! It’s been several days of catching up on things I’d put to the side, one of which was darning 6 Argyle socks of my husbands, each with huge holes in the heels! That done I patched a pair of blue jeans and finished a small knitting project I’d been working on. This was a ‘new’ project – long story short: one of my friends in the knit group recently received news that she’s going to be a grandmother for the first time and it’s a boy – she’s very excited. The problem? She recently became very ill (bone spur pressing on her spinal cord – possible surgery imminent). She wanted to make baby ‘things’ for the upcoming grandchild but can’t, so a few of the knit group ladies are making things for her to give to the baby. I finished 2 prs. booties, a hat and a bib (first time I’ve attempted knitting a bib – this one is just ok – I’m not real thrilled with it). Not sure if I’m going to do any more to add to this, I’ll think about it. I took her over some White Bean Chicken soup, a large baguette, and chocolate chip muffins for dinner last night.

The bib is done in dishcloth cotton, the hat is a

cable pattern (which doesn’t show here)

Not much else going on around here, we still have our rabbit who lives in our blackberry bushes – we’ve been tossing carrots in there for him and he’s eating them. Love seeing little critters in the winter (but only if they’re OUTSIDE!)

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl and I have some recipes for you:

================

Touchdown Taco Dip

1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1/2 (4 oz) can chopped black olives,
drained
1 oz. pkg. taco seasoning mix

Mix all ingredients in large bowl;
serve.
(recipe: Mary Free-Marys REcipe
Exchange)
———————————-
Picante Glazed Chicken Wings

12 chicken wings
1 (16 oz) jar Pace Picante sauce
1/3 C. orange marmalade
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 T. sesame seed, toasted (optional)

Heat oven 425 degrees F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with
aluminum foil. Cut off chicken
wing tips, discard tips. Cut chicken
wings in half at joint. Heat 1 1/2
C. picante sauce, marmalade &
mustard in 2 qt. saucepan over
medium heat to a boil. Reduce
heat to medium-low; cook 40 minutes
or until mixture is reduced to 3/4 C.,
stirring occasionally. Place chicken
in a large bowl. Add remaining
picante sauce and toss to coat.
Place coated chicken on baking
sheet & bake 40 minutes or
until chicken is cooked through,
turning chicken over once halfway
through baking time. Baste chicken
with picante-mustard sauce during
last 10 minutes of baking time.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if
desired.
(recipe: Campbells Kitchen)
———————————
Orange Juice Cake

1 (3.5 oz) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (18.25 oz) pkg. yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 C. cold water
1/2 C. butter
3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. orange juice
(confectioners sugar)

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Grease a large bundt pan.
Combine cake mix, pudding mix,
water, oil & eggs together; mix
with elec. mixer on medium speed
2 minutes. Pour batter into bundt
pan. Bake 30 minutes or until knife
inserted into cake comes out clean.*
Combine butter, sugar & orange
juice in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes.
*While cake is still warm, poke
holes in top of cake with a
fork. Pour orange juice mixture
over cake; when cake is saturated,
place on a plate and dust top with
confectioners sugar.
(recipe: Mary Free-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
————————-
Buckeye Brownies

1 (19 1/2 oz.) pkg. brownie mix
2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. plus 6 T. butter, softened &
divided
1 (8 oz) jar creamy peanut butter
1 (6 oz) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate
chips

Preheat oven to temp. according to
brownie mix directions. Prepare and
bake brownies in greased 9 x 13 pan
according to pkg. directions. Let cool.
Mix powdered sugar, 1/2 C. butter &
peanut butter. Mix well & spread over
cooled brownies; chill 1 hour. Melt
together chocolate chips & remaining
butter in a saucepan over low heat,
stirring occasionally. Spread over
brownies, let cool. Cut into
squares; makes 2-3 dozen.
(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe Exchange)
——————————–
Crockpot Picante Chicken

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into strips
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives,
drained
1 (8 oz) jar picante sauce (your
choice on brand and heat level)
2 C. chicken broth
2 T. yellow mustard
—–
2 C. hot, cooked long grain
brown rice
—–
Place chicken, mushrooms, olives,
sauce, broth & mustard in crock,
stir to combine. Cook on high
3-4 hours, low: 6-8 hours.
Serve over rice. Makes 4
servings.
(recipe: Richard-Slowcooker
Digest)
—————————Championship Cheese Dip
crockpot

1 lb. ground beef, browned/drained
1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned
& drained
1 (16 oz) pkg. Velveeta, cubed
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz) jar salsa
1 1/4 oz pkg. taco seasoning mix
tortilla or corn chips

Combine beef & sausage in
crockpot, stir in remaining
ingredients (except chips).
Cover & cook on Low until
cheeses are melted, about
4 hours. Serve with chips.
Makes about 9 Cups.
(recipe: carolsrecipes 77-
slowcooker digest)
——————————–
Spinach Cheese Balls

1 (9 oz) box frozen spinach,
thawed, squeezed to drain
1 C. Bisquick mix
2 C. shredded  mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 C. tomato sauce, if
desired

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray cookie sheet with non-
stick spray. In large bowl, mix
all ingredients (except tomato
sauce). Shape mixture into
1 inch balls; place on cookie
sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes
or until golden brown. Remove
from pan & serve with tomato
sauce. Makes 30 balls.
(recipe: Peg-Marys Recipe
Exchange)
—————————
Fried Cheese Balls

8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. pepper jack cheese
3 T. mayonnaise
1 roasted pepper, diced
1 T. seasoning (Cajun Creole, or
whatever you use)
flour
buttermilk
panko bread crumbs
cooking oil for frying

Mix all ingredients together
in a large bowl except flour,
milk & bread crumbs until
smooth, then roll into
meatball sizes. Refrigerate
one hour. Using three bowls,
put flour in one, buttermilk
in another and panko crumbs
in the third. Take each ball;
roll them in contents of each
bowl: flour, buttermilk, crumbs;
set aside. Heat oil in fry pan. Fry
2-3 balls at a time for 1 minute,
until golden brown; drain on
paper towels. Serves 4-6
NOTE from poster:
suggests serving with
horseradish sauce
(recipe: Pam T – justapinch.com)
——————————-

Yes, I realize most of the above recipes are just

appetizers, but fear not – I’ll be posting more ‘regular’

recipes soon. Enjoy your day and weekend!

Hugs;

Pammie