I SURVIVED IT!

Day 2 Log Cabin Days: The sun came out (still pretty windy), temps climbed a bit (about 65 degrees F.) which made for a MUCH nicer day. Crowds came, sellers sold, lots of food/fun/fellowship. All in all 6 of my ladies came (counting both days); several of my special needs group ‘kids’ and their families came, my good friend Mary (Momma) stopped by after driving a long way just to visit me! – it was a nice event. Today is the ‘clean up’ at my house: putting the various blankets & table cloths in the dryer to get the wood smoke smell out of them, washing my costume (same reason), getting the house tidied up (dirty dishes, etc.) after me being gone two days.

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

Strawberry Eclair Dessert

1 1/2 C. cold milk
1 (4 serving size) instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 1/2 C. sliced fresh strawberries
23 graham crackers
1 1/2 pg. (4 oz, ea) semi-sweet
chocolate broken into pieces
3 T. butter or margarine
–
Beat milk & pudding mix in large
bowl with whisk 2 minutes; stir
in Cool Whip. Layer 1/3 of grahams,
1/2 of whipped topping mixture &
1 C. berries in 9 X 13″ pan, breaking
grahams as necessary to fit. Repeat
layers & top with remaining grahams.
Microwave chocolate & butter in
microwaveable bowl on High 2 minutes,
stirring after 1 minute. Stir until
chocolate is completely melted; spread
over grahams. Refrigerate 3 hours.
Serves 24

(recipe: kraftrecipes)
————————————–

Lemon Pepper Grilled Zucchini

3 zucchini or yellow squash, cut into
sticks (cut off ends, then cut sticks
in two)
1/2 T. lemon pepper (or to taste)
kosher salt, to taste
1 T. olive oil
fresh lemon juice
Parmesan cheese (optional)
–
Heat grill to medium/medium-high.
Place zucchini sticks in large bowl;
sprinkle lemon pepper & kosher salt
then drizzle olive oil & fresh lemon
juice; toss to coat all pieces. Place
each stick in a single layer, cut sides
down, on grill. Grill 3-4 minutes until
you see grill marks (be careful not
to burn them). Turn & grill all sides;
cook until tender. Remove from grill
& place on serving plate. Sprinkle
with Parmesan cheese before
serving.

(recipe: Mommy’sKitchen.com)
—————————————

Sunken Chicken

2 pkgs. thin sliced chicken breast
3/4 of a bag fresh baby spinach
6-8 slices prosciutto
1 (8 oz) pkg. sliced mushrooms
1 heaping tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 C. white wine
1/4 C. olive oil
1 pkg. Lipton “Recipe Secrets”
savory herb & garlic (comes in a box)
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
spray. Place chicken in dish & top with
sliced prosciutto, spinach & mushrooms.
In small bowl mix wine, garlic, oil & herb/
garlic; mix well & pour over baking dish.
Cover very tightly with foil & bake 30
minutes. Remove from oven; bake until
cheese melts, 5-8 minutes.

(recipe: Courtney Luper-Facebook)
—————————-
Crockpot Saucy Party Wings

3 lb. chicken wings, split at joints,
tips removed
1 C. (Kraft) Sweet & Spicy BBQ
sauce
1/4 C. orange juice
2 T. honey
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place chicken on foil-covered
rimmed baking sheet sprayed
with nonstick spray. Bake 30
minutes; transfer chicken to
crockpot – discard foil with
any drippings. Mix remaining
ingredients until blended; pour
over chicken & stir to evenly
coat. Cover with lie & cook on
Low 5-6 hours or High 2 1/2 – 3
hours. Serves 12

(recipe: Kraft recipes)
———————————

Baked Stuffed Parmesan Tomatoes

4 medium to large tomatoes
1 C. Panko bread crumbs
3/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. freshly grated Romano cheese
1 t. finely minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. dry oregano
1 tsp. finely minced fresh mint *
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
–
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally and,
using a teaspoon, scoop out seed
pockets – discard seeds, leaving pulp
& core. Place tomatoes upside down on
paper towels to drain & dry. Line a small
pan with foil & spray with nonstick spray.
While tomatoes are drying, in medium
bowl place all other ingredients except
breadcrumbs; mix to combine. Invert
tomatoes & place on prepared pan.
Fill all crevices where you removed seeds
in tomato ‘shells’. Sprinkle bread crumbs
top of each, pressing down slightly just
to keep the crumbs in place. Place,
uncovered, in oven up to 20 minutes
or until golden brown & just slightly
soft on the outside of tomato.
If they start to get brown too quickly
finish baking with foil over tops.
Serves 4-8

*Mint is a key ingredient and should
not be omitted

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
——————————–

Baked Chicken Nachos

2 medium sweet red peppers, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
3 tsp. canola oil, divided
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed/
drained
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 1/4 C. shredded rotisserie chicken
4 1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
7 1/2 C. tortilla chips
8 oz. Pepper-Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 C. thickly sliced green onions
1/2 C. minced fresh cilantro
1 C. (8 oz) sour cream
2-3 tsp. diced pickled jalapeno
peppers (optional topping)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large skillet saute peppers in 1 1/2
tsp. oil 3 minutes until crisp-tender;
transfer to small bowl. In same skillet
saute beans, garlic, oregano & cumin
in remaining oil 3 minutes until heated
through. Combine chicken, lime juice
salt/pepper. In greased 9 X 13 pan
layer half tortilla chips, pepper mixture,
bean mixture, chicken, cheese, onions &
cilantro – repeat layers. Bake, uncovered,
15-20 minutes until heated through. Serve
with sour cream & pickled jalapenos on
side, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————————

Best Potato Salad

1 (32 oz) pkg. cubed frozen hash browns
4 eggs, hard boiled/chopped
1/2 C. diced onion
1/2 C. chopped sweet pickles
1 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. sweet pickle juice
1 heaping tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
–
Place hash browns in large pot; add
enough water to cover. Bring to boil
over medium-high heat. Once boiling,
allow to cook 10 minutes until tender.
Drain potatoes & place in large bowl.
Mash this up a bit with a potato
masher, but leave it somewhat lumpy.
Place chopped sweet pickles & chopped
onion in a blender & pulse a few times until
very fine, almost like a relish. Place
mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, minced
pickles & onions, salt/pepper in bowl
with potatoes. Stir until well blended. Stir
in chopped eggs. Cover & refrigerate
several hours until cold.

(recipe: southernplate.com)
———————————–

Stroganoff Casserole

1 (12 oz) pkg. wide egg noodles
1 lb. ground chuck
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C. beef broth
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 (8 oz) tub sour cream
1 (12 oz) tub small curd cottage
cheese
1 tsp. garlic poswer
1 tsp. salt
2 C. (8 oz) shredded mozzarella
cheese
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cook noodles accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain & keep warm. Cook
ground chuck in large skillet, stirring
until it crumbles, drain. Stir in onion,
bell pepper & mushrooms; cover &
cook over medium-high heat 10
minutes until vegetables are tender,
stirring occasionally. Stir in beef broth,
tomato paste & oregano; set aside.
Combine sour cream, cottage cheese,
garlic & salt; add noodles, tossing to
coat. Spread half of noodle mixture
in lightly greased 9 X 13″ baking dish.
Top with half of meat mixture, half of
mozzarella & Parm. cheeses; repeat
layers with remaining noodles & meat
mixture. Cover & bake 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheeses &
bake, uncovered, an additional
10 minutes. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
——————————

Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes

Prepare 6 hrs. before making
mix together; cover & refrigerate.
(This will make the syrup)

3 C. strawberries, quartered
1/4 C. sugar
–
Streusel:

1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. flour
3 T. butter, softened
(do not melt)

Pancakes:

2 2/3 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C. canola oil
2 eggs
2 1/2 C. milk
1 C. chopped strawberries (in
very small pieces)
–
Whipped cream (optional topping)
–
Preheat griddle 300-325 degrees F.
Spray griddle with nonstick spray
=
Streusel:
In small bowl mix flour & sugar; cut
softened butter into flour/sugar until
it creates coarse crumbs; set aside

Pancakes:
In large bowl mix flour, sugar,
baking powder & salt; add oil,
eggs & milk. Whisk until just
combined – do not overmix.
Gently fold in 1 C. chopped
strawberries.
Ladle pancake batter onto griddle
& let cook 1 minute. Sprinkle about
2 T. streusel on top of each pancake.
while cooking. When bubbles form
on top of pancake, flip it over & allow
it to cook 2 additional minutes or
until cooked through.
Remove pancakes to a plate & keep warm.
Serve with strawberry syrup mixture &
whipped cream, if desired.
Serves 20

(recipe: tastesoflizzyt.com)
=======================

Looking at the weather for the rest of the week
it’s looking like we’re going to have rain/thunder-
storms for the entire week – high temps maybe
75 degrees F.  ENOUGH with the rain & gloom,
already!

Not much else going on today; grandson is
asleep on the couch while his dad gets a few
things done at work – shouldn’t be here very
long.

Hope you have a nice, sunny DRY day today!

Hugs;

Pammie

Cold, Wet & Shivering!

Today was Day 1 of the Historical Society’s “Log Cabin Days” – it was raining, about 59 degrees F. and VERY windy! I had on my costume (which I didn’t get a picture of – yet); I brought an extra light-weight knit afghan in case I needed it – BOY, did I need it! Went over the bridge to get coffee and stopped at their White Elephant sale – found a brand new cream with pink roses fleece throw for $3.00 and bought it – it became my ALL DAY wear! The two spinners came and we had a nice time chatting; two of my knit group ladies came for awhile but it was NO day to spend outside! I felt bad for the event planners because I’d say about half of the regular exhibitors came. The steam-driven trains had their trestle up, but no trains or people running them (these are miniatures); no wood carver, tatters, surveyors, live entertainment – it was just NOT the day for this kind of event. When I got there even the people in charge of the food, coffee/donuts weren’t set up! If anyone needed hot coffee it was all of us spending the day there! As the day went on the rain stopped but the winds picked up – finally around 3:45 I called my husband and said: “I GIVE! Please come get me!” By the time he arrived I was wrapped in 2 blankets and shivering  (friends decided I needed it and wrapped me up) . I hated to admit it, but I was just too far gone – couldn’t seem to stay warm. The spinners & my one knitter friend all agreed and we all packed up and called it a day. Try again tomorrow – sure hope the weather is warmer AND DRY!  (On the other hand, I did get some knitting done on the newest baby blanket – when I wasn’t burying my hands in my pits to keep them warm!)

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

Crockpot Sausage/Egg Casserole

1 dozen beaten eggs
14 slices bread
2 1/4 C. milk
2 1/2 C. grated Cheddar or Monterrey
Jack cheese
1 lb. sausage, cooked/drained
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper (to taste)
2 tsp. mustard
–
Grease sides of crockpot with butter.
Spread mustard on one side of all slices
bread; cut bread into large squares. Layer
bottom with (a) a layer of bread (b) sausage
(c) cheese – repeat until you’ve used up those
ingredients.  Beat eggs, milk, salt/pepper &
pour over layers. Cover & cook on Low 8-12
hours. Serves 12

(recipe: Crockpot Moms)
———————————————–

Cream Cheese Peach Pie Delight

1 box yellow or white cake mix
1/3 C. butter, room temp
2 large eggs, divided
1 (29 oz) can peach slices or
fresh peaches, sliced
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ pan with nonstick
spray. In large bowl combine dry
cake mix, butter & 1 egg; mix until
crumbly; save 1 1/2 C. crumbs for
topping. Press remaining crumbs
into bottom of prepared pan & bake
10 minutes.
Cut peaches into 1 inch pieces (you
can use fresh or frozen – canned shortens
the baking time). Spoon peaches into
partially baked crust. In large bowl combine
cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg & vanilla; beat
using mixer until creamy; spoon over
peaches. Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs &
bake 30 minutes. Chill at least 30  minutes
before serving & refrigerate leftovers.

(recipe: Courtney Luper – Facebook)
———————————–

BLT Salad

2 C. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 1/4 C. mayonnaise
5 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. bacon, cooked/crumbled
–
Cook macaroni accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain & rinse in cold
water – transfer to large bowl.
Stir in tomato, celery & green
onions. In small bowl whisk
mayonnaise, vinegar, salt/pepper &
pour over macaroni; toss to coat.
Refrigerate, covered, at least
2 hours. Just before serving
stir in bacon. Makes 12 servings
(3/4 C. each)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————

Taco Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef
1/2 C. finely crushed corn chips
1 egg, beaten
3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 C. thick & chunky salsa
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 C. shredded Mexican cheese
blend

Topping:
1 C. refried beans
1/4 C. salsa
1 C. shredded Mexican cheese
blend
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In large bowl mix ground beef,
corn chips, egg, chili powder, cumin,
salsa, black pepper & 1/2 C. cheese;
mix well & form into an oval shape.
Place in lightly greased loaf pan.
In small bowl mix refried beans
with 1/4 C. salsa; spread mixture
over meatloaf. Bake 45 minutes
until meatloaf is fully cooked.
During last few minutes of baking
sprinkle 1 C. cheese blend over
meatloaf & return to oven.
Serves 4

(recipe: Courtney Luper – Facebook)
—————————-

Cucumber Herb Dip

2 C. finely peeled/seeded/
chopped cucumber
1/2 c. finely chopped seeded tomato
1/4 C. chopped red onion
greens of 2 green onions, chopped fine
1/4 – 1/2 C. fresh cilantro chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 – 1/2 C. sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
–
tortilla chips, for dipping,
pocket pita bread
–
Place chopped cucumber in a
colander & add 1/4 tsp. salt;
let set for 10 minutes to drain
juice. Use paper towels to get
excess moisture out. In small
bowl combine first 7 ingredients.
In another bowl combine sour
cream, lemon juice, lime juice,
cumin & remaining salt; pour
over cucumber mixture & gently
toss to coat. Serve immediately
or chill. Serve with chips, pocket
pita bread, on fish or chicken.

Tastes similar to Tzatziki sauce
(the Greek sauce used with gyros)

(recipe: Courtney Luper-Facebook)
————————————–

Hawaiian Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles (uncooked)
2 1/4 C. pizza sauce
1 1/2 C. pineapple chunks/tidbits or
fresh, chopped
1 1/2 C. chopped deli ham
2 C. shredded cheese (your choice)
(additional veggies, if desired)
–
Cook lasagna noodles accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain, cool under cold
water until you are able to handle them.
Spray 9 X 13″ pan with nonstick spray.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lay 3 noodles in bottom of pan; spread
about 3/4 C. pizza sauce over noodles &
top with about 1/2 C. pineapple (well
drained) & 1/2 C. ham. Sprinkle with
1/4 C. cheese; repeat layers twice
(3 layers total) using 1 full C. cheese
on top. Cover with foil & bake 35
minutes. Remove foil & bake another
20 minutes until heated through.
(Optional: place pan under broiler to
brown up cheese)
Serves 12

(recipe: julieseatsandtreats.com)
—————————————–

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Caramel:
1 (40 oz) bag caramels (about 50),
unwrapped
1 (14 oz ) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 C. unsalted butter

Squares:
1/4 C. unsalted butter
1 (10.5 oz) bag miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. sea salt
8 C. toasted rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
–
Prepare caramel:
Stir ingredients in medium saucepan over
medium-low heat until melted & smooth.
Remove from heat; line a 9 X 13″ baking
pan with foil, extending foil 2 inches beyond
the edges – spray foil with nonstick spray.
In a 6 qt. pot, melt butter over medium-low
heat; add marshmallows & stir using rubber
spatula until almost melted. Stir in vanilla,
1 tsp. sea salt & 1 C. caramel mixture. Continue
to stir until mixture is blended & smooth;
remove from heat. Stir in cereal until it’s
evenly coated with marshmallow mixture.
Press mixture into pan in an even layer &
cool completely. Spread remaining 1 C.
caramel mixture over top; sprinkle top
with remaining 2 tsp. sea salt. Remove
from pan & peel off foil; cut into 24
squares. Store any leftovers in airtight
container.

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
———————————-

John Wayne Casserole
(crockpot)

1 (32 oz) bag frozen tater tots
1 lb. ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (1.5 oz) pkg. taco seasoning mix
3/4 C. water (for taco mix)
1 C. sour cream
1 (8 oz) pkg shredded sharp Cheddar cheese,
divided (half in sour cream mixture &
half on top at end)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
diced tomatoes (about 2 small)
–
Spray 6 qt. crockpot with nonstick spray.
Add tater tots to bottom in single layer.
In large skillet over medium-high heat
brown hamburger, onions & bell pepper;
drain. Add taco seasoning packet & water;
stir & continue cooking/stirring until meat
& seasoning has thickened; pour over tater
tots. In medium bowl mix sour cream, salt/
pepper, onion powder & half of cheese;
spread over meat mixture. Cover & cook
on Low 4-5 hours (do not open lid during
cooking). After cooking time is done, add
remaining cheese evenly over top. Cover &
let cheese melt, 5-10 minutes. Serve topped
with chopped tomatoes. Serves 6

(recipe: themagicalslowcooker.com)
—————————————

No-Bake Choc/Pretzel Peanut
Butter Squares

1 1/2 sticks (12 T.) butter, melted
2 C. pretzel rods, crushed into crumbs
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. plus 1/4 C. smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 C. milk chocolate chips
–
In medium bowl add butter, pretzel
crumbs, powdered sugar & 1 C.
peanut butter; stir together until well
combined. Press mixture evenly into
ungreased 9 X 13″ baking dish. Combine
choc. chips & remaining peanut butter in
microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30
second intervals, stirring in between, until
mixture is melted & smooth. Spread
mixture over pretzel layer. Refrigerate
at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.
Makes 10-12 servings.

(recipe: Trisha Yearwood-Foodnetwork.com)
==========================

Well, friends, that’s the news for today; here
I sit nicely warm in my flannel PJs, sweater &
slippers sipping a nice, hot coffee – finally
I’m warm!

Hope you have a nice, WARM/DRY day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Thursday!

Birthday Present for my friend Lois

I have this same apron and wore it for our last special needs group’s Gym Night – Lois LOVED it! I thought: “Hmmmmm- her birthday’s coming up in July – PERFECT!” Just spent a wee bit of time going through PayPal (updating my account) and ordering said apron. Nothing like knowing you’ve chosen a gift they will like!

Spent some time earlier working on sewing together the purple & white crocheted squares for the second afghan (have 10 more squares to sew together). I’m going to take the sewn together afghan to Log Cabin Days to crochet the border. Just heard the weather for Saturday is supposed to be something like 70% chance of rain High 67 degrees F; Sunday 30% chance of rain, High 69 degrees F. – oh well . . . it ‘could’ change, right? SURE HOPE SO!

Lots of great summer recipes and some crockpot ones coming in – CROCKPOTS are GREAT for summer; you don’t heat up the kitchen and you can prepare some really tasty meals!

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

Greek Stuffed Chicken Breasts
(crockpot)

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips
2 pepperoncini peppers, cut into
thin strips
6 oz. fresh spinach
2 tsp. minced garlic
oregano
salt/pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. white wine (optional)
1/3 C. feta cheese
–
Cut a deep slit in middle of one side
of each chicken breast so that you
form a deep pocket. Generously
salt/pepper each side; set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat heat
olive oil; cook peppers & onion
1-2 minutes until no longer raw.
Add garlic & spinach; cook until
spinach is wilted; add oregano &
additional salt/pepper. Remove
from heat.
Stuff a heaping tsp. of feta into
pocket of chicken, making sure to
stuff it as far back as you can go.
Spoon equal amounts spinach/
pepper mixture into each breast.
Add stuffed breasts to crockpot.
Squeeze a small splash of lemon
juice over chicken; add chicken
stock & wine. Cover & cook on
Low 6-8 hours.

(recipe: Crockpot Moms)
————————————-

Hot Ham & Cheese Party Pinwheels

1 tube refrigerated Classic Pizza
crust
3/4 lb. deli ham, thinly sliced but
not shaved
12 slices Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Glaze:
1/2 C. (8 T.) butter
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. steak sauce
1 T. mustard
1 T. seeds: poppy & sesame, mixed
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with non-
stick spray. Unroll dough on cutting
board & press into a 13″ X 18″ rectangle.
Top with ham & cheese slices. Roll dough
lengthwise with ham & cheese then cut
into 12 slices, approx. 1 inch wide; arrange
in prepared dish.
Combine butter, brown sugar, steak sauce,
mustard & mixed seeds in a saucepan over
medium heat. Whisk until butter is melted &
glaze is smooth & combined. Pour evenly
over rolls.
Cover & refrigerate up to 24 hours OR
Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes until golden
brown.

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
—————————————–
Cheesy Baked Rice

3 C. cooked (white or brown) rice
1/2 C. shredded carrots
2 T. parsley, fresh or flaked
6 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 C. ham or turkey, diced
2 eggs
1/3 C. milk (or Half & Half)
salt/pepper
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In bowl combine rice, carrot,
parsley, ham/turkey, mozzarella;
mix well. In another bowl mix milk,
eggs, salt/pepper, Parmesan cheese.
Spray 9″ X 9″ baking dish with non-
stick cooking spray. Place rice
mixture in prepared pan; top with
egg mixture. Bake 30 minutes.

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
———————————–
Southwest Chopped Salad

Large head Romaine lettuce (15 oz),
finely chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed/drianed
1 large orange bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 C. fresh/frozen corn (thawed)
5 green onions, finely chopped
(optional: chopped avocado)
–
Dressing:
1 C. loosely packed cilantro, stems
removed/roughly chopped
1/2 avocado (or 1/2 C. Greek yogurt)
2 T. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime) or
more, to taste
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt
–
Dressing:
Puree all ingredients in food processor
or blender until smooth. Taste & adjust
seasonings, if necessary.
Place all chopped ingredients for salad
in large bowl & stir to combine. Toss with
desired amount of dressing.

(recipe: Oasis Advanced Wellness-Facebook)
————————————

 Tasty Fruit Dip

1 C. orange juice
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 C. plain Greek yogurt
8 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
fresh cut up fruit for dipping:
strawberries, bananas, pineapple,
grapes, mango spears, apple slices
–
Whisk together orange juice &
pudding mix approx. 30 seconds –
1 minute until it starts to thicken &
become smooth. Whisk in yogurt &
gently fold in Cool Whip. Refrigerate
until ready to serve. Makes 4 1/2 C.

(recipe:theseasonedmom.com)
—————————————-
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:

2 C. pretzel sticks, coarsely ground
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 C),
melted

Filling:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temp
1 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. powdered sugar
1 C. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Topping:
1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. heavy cream
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place pretzel sticks & brown sugar in
food processor & pulse until combined;
transfer to 9″ pie plate. Using your fingers,
press crust firmly into bottom & sides of
dish. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown;
cool completely before filling.
In large bowl or mixer, beat peanut butter &
cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, salt &
vanilla; beat to combine. In separate bowl
beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold
1/4 C. whipped cream into peanut butter
mixture, then gradually fold in remaining
whipped cream. Using a rubber spatula,
smooth whipped peanut butter mixture into
cooled pretzel crust. Cover with plastic wrap
& refrigerate. Place chocolate chips & heavy
cream in glass, microwaveable bowl. Micro-
wave 20 second intervals, stirring in between,
until chocolate is completely melted & mixture
is smooth. Let cool & spread over peanut
butter pie, then refrigerate at least 1/2 hour
before serving.

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
——————————————–
Jalapeno Popper Wontons

1 pkg. refrigerated square wonton
wrappers
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 jalapenos, seeds/ribs removed,
finely chopped
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
vegetable oil, for frying
coarse salt
–
In bowl combine cream cheese,
jalapenos & Cheddar cheese; arrange
wontons in single layer on a baking
sheet. Add 1 tsp. filling to center of
each wonton (don’t overfill). Dip your
fingers in a bowl of water & run wet
fingers around all edges of each wonton.
Fold wontons over the filling, pinching
edges together to make a triangle &
remove any air bubbles. Fry wontons
in batches in hot oil until browned &
crispy. Drain on paper towels & sprinkle
with coarse salt. Serve warm.

(recipe: Crockpot moms)
——————————————

Lemon-Basil Quinoa

3/4 C. quinoa, uncooked
1 1/2 C. water
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. Italian salad dressing
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
2 C. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded &
chopped
8 green onions, sliced
1/2 C. chopped fresh basil
–
Rinse quinoa in mesh strainer; drain.
Add to small saucepan with water,
bring to boil. Cover & simmer on Low
heat 15 minutes; remove from heat.
Let stand 5 minutes. Spoon into large
bowl & refrigerate 1 hour. Mix mayo,
dressing & lemon juice until blended.
Fluff quinoa with fork; add mayo
mixture & remaining ingredients,
mix lightly. Serves 12, 1/2 C. each

(recipe: kraft recipes)
————————————–

Chicken Tostada Pizza
(Grill)

1 T. olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
4 flour tortillas (about 8 inches)
1 1/2 C. finely shredded mozzarella
cheese
2 plum roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 C. sliced fresh basil
–
Heat up grill. In small bowl mix oil &
garlic together; brush chicken breasts
with 1 tsp. oil mixture & sprinkle with
seasoning salt. Place on grill over medium-
high heat & cover grill. Cook 12-18 minutes,
turning once, until juices are gone from
chicken; reduce heat to medium-low.
Place tortillas on ungreased cookie sheets.
Brush remaining oil mixture on tortillas.
Sprinkle each with 1/4 C. mozzarella cheese.
Cut chicken into strips & arrange on top of
the cheese. Add tomato slices, sprinkling
remaining cheese & add basil. Using a
spatula, carefully slide the pizzas onto grill
over medium-low heat. Cover grill & let
cook 3-5 minutes (rotate pizzas around to
avoid hot spots.) Once cheese is melted,
remove off grill & serve. Makes 4 pizzas

(recipe: food.com)
————————————

Cool Angel Cake

1 (already prepared) angel food cake
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 (21 oz, ea) cans pie filling (blueberry,
cherry or strawberry)
–
Cut cake into 1 inch cubes; set aside.
Mix together cream cheese & powdered
sugar using an elec. mixer. Use a large
spoon to gently mix in Cool Whip &
cake cubes; spread into a 9 X 13 pan.
Pour pie filling over top, smooth out,
cover & refrigerate 2 hours or until set.

(recipe: Mike Suddaby-Facebook)
=======================

The week is flying by – we were supposed to have
a general meeting this morning with our financial
advisor but he’s off sick, so that freed up my/our
day. Tonight is our grandson’s second tag football
game (we missed the first one) – his dad (our oldest
son) is the coach and has been heavily hinting that
we should come & cheer on the team – I ‘think’ I
talked my husband into going (it’s not really close);
we’ll see. Right now the weather is gloomy and 73
degrees F. with 40% chance of showers (30%
chance tonight). Maybe with it being overcast it
won’t be so hot sitting in the bleachers – maybe.

The good thing? Dinner is leftover lasagna – I made
a big pan yesterday which will (probably) carry us
(husband & I) through until Sunday (that is – if middle
son doesn’t visit & ‘pig out’).

=

Forgot to mention: last night’s special needs
group meeting ended up with me being the
leader (shudder) – we played Bible Tic-Tac-Toe.
We also had a surprise visit from one of our
missionaries who’s home for the weekend –
he now lives in Durban, S. Africa; so nice to
get to see him (his sister is in our group – in
fact their MOTHER started the group back
in 1990!). Our game consists of asking Bible-
related questions (Boys v/s Girls) – you’d be
surprised at just how difficult it is to come
up with questions that are not too difficult
for them to answer, and yet not confusing,
either (I tend to over-think the questions,
which usually confuses the room – sigh).
I even related to asking my friend the
missionary if he could come up with any
questions – he did! His first question was
“What country do I live in?” (He had already
spoke to them at the beginning of the
evening. Another question he came up
with was:”Who can guess how many
children I see/visit/inter-act with in a
week?” (Answer: OVER 1,000!) I’ve known
this man since he was probably about 12 –
he & his family (wife & 4 daughters) are
outstanding examples of what a Christian
should be. His ministry is to the children
of Durban, S. Africa – almost ALL of these
children are victims of their parents/
relatives dying of AIDS. He and his team
help them get together the required
official papers/purchase shoes, uniforms,
etc. to be able to allow these children
to attend school. Many of them live with
their grandmothers because their parents/
siblings have already died. It’s a HUGE
ministry – to many, many needy children.
He also brings them the HOPE of the Lord,
Jesus Christ – allowing them to see the Lord’s
love through him and his team. It’s a
wonderful ministry – check it out:

http://keyofhope.org

Have a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Gas prices still at $2.99/9 – oh well . . . .

BUSY Week!

We had a pretty big rain/thunder/lightening storm yesterday afternoon – and (I’m told by husband, I SLEPT through it) another one around 2 a.m. last night. It’s sunny today – 71 degrees F. Looking at the weather forecast for this week, we don’t get rain/thunderstorms again until maybe Thursday. (I’m REALLY hoping the weekend is nice/dry/cool).

Yesterday was the birthday party for our grandson who’s now 9. Oldest son had a really nice cookout at his house; grandson’s friends were buzzing around riding bikes, playing video games, playing catch, etc. I’d forgotten what having lots of pre-teen kids was like!

Managed to finish my special needs group’s next issue of the July/August newsletter; have to go to the Post Office in a few to mail them – Whew! Another task done! Our leader (& my close friend) just had a rather serious procedure to check a kidney blockage – was glad to hear she’s doing well, at home – no blockage! Another of our helpers and I will be doing the lesson tomorrow – we’re planning on Bible Tic-Tac-Toe. It’s been awhile since we’ve played that and the kids love it. (I’m glad I have HELP – I’m HORRIBLE at coming up with SIMPLE questions! I tend to over-think them and then my questions become confusing for our kids. For example: “What did God order Noah to build?” (I guess I should explain: In our group it’s mostly girls – maybe 6-7 guys. Of those guys, maybe 2 might be mentally able to answer that question. We do this game as a “Boys v/s Girls” thing – the girls ALWAYS win – thank heavens the guys never catch on to that.) So glad to learn that our leader/my friend: Lois made it through the procedure well – we need her leadership!

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

Strawberry Upside Down Cake

1 (18 oz) pkg. yellow cake mix
(+ ingredients to make cake)
2 C. crushed strawberries
1 (6 oz) pkg. strawberry Jello
3 C. miniature marshmallows
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spread crushed strawberries on bottom
of 9 X 13″ pan. Evenly sprinkle top with
dry Jello & top with miniature
marshmallows. Prepare cake mix
accordg. to pkg. directions & spread
over marshmallows in pan. Bake 40-50
minutes until toothpick inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool in pan
15 minutes. Run a knife around pan
edges to loosen sides; turn cake out
onto a serving tray. Serves 12

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
—————————————–

Chicken Stew
(crockpot)

1 whole chicken
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into
small chunks
2 white onions
3 carrots, sliced
1 sprig thyme
2 T. chopped parsley
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
12 peppercorns
1 1/4 C. white wine
–
cooked rice, for serving
–
Place chicken in salted water an
hour before placing in crockpot. Drain
& place in crockpot. Place all other
ingredients (except rice) in crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 8 hours; remove
thyme sprig & serve over cooked rice.

(recipe: Crockpot Moms)
—————————————

Moroccan Roasted Green Pepper Salad

1 green pepper
3 large diced tomatoes
6 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 C. diced cucumber (optional)
2 T. lemon juice
1/3 C. olive (or coconut) oil
salt/pepper, to taste
1 T. cumin
–
Cut green pepper in half, roast in oven
15-20 minutes – when it cools, remove
seeds & peel skin (don’t have to remove
all skin, a few little black spots add color &
flavor). Add all diced vegetables to large
bowl; add lemon juice, olive oil, cumin &
season to taste. Add cilantro; mix well &
serve.

Note: other posters suggested adding:

1 can black beans (rinsed/drained and/or
1 can whole kernel corn, drained

Also– scooping this mixture using corn chips!

(recipe: Courtney Luper- Facebook)
————————————

Tomatoes with Buttermilk

Vinaigrette

3/4 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. minced fresh tarragon
1/4 C. white wine vinegar
3 T. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 C. minced fresh chives
–
In small bowl whisk first 8
ingredients until blended.
Refrigerate, covered, until
serving. Just before serving,
arrange tomatoes on a platter;
drizzle with vinaigrette & sprinkle
top with chives. Serves 12

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————–

 

Wicked Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 box any shaped pasta
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 (4 oz) can green chiles
salt, pepper, garlic powder,
red pepper flakes, to taste
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cook & drain pasta accordg.
to pkg. directions. Salt, pepper
& garlic powder the chicken
to your liking. Brown chicken in
skillet 3 minutes on each side
until brown. Sprinkle with red
pepper flakes & place in a
casserole dish sprayed with
nonstick spray. Layer pasta
over chicken; pour Alfredo
sauce over & mix to combine.
Bake 30 minutes. Serves 4

(recipe:pandpkitchen.com)
———————————-
Pasta Garlic Shrimp

1/4 C. butter
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
linguini noodles (enough
for 2 people)
one pkg. raw Jumbo shrimp,
20 count or more
parsley
ground black pepper
salt (if desired)
fresh grated Parmigiano cheese
–
Cook noodles until al dente;drain.
In frying pan add butter & garlic;
cook on Low 3 minutes. Add shrimp,
continue cooking on medium-low
flipping shrimp at about 3-4 mintes.
Sprinkle with parsley, pepper & salt,
if desired. Once shrimp are cooked
add noodles to pan & cook a few
more minutes. Place on serving
plates & sprinkle with Parm cheese.
Serves 2

(recipe: Mike Suddaby-Facebook)
———————————

Blueberry Crumble Bars

1 C. white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3 C. flour
1 C. cold unsalted butter
(2 sticks/8 oz)
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
zest & juice of one lemon
4 C. fresh blueberries
1/2 C. white sugar
4 tsp. cornstarch
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Grease a 9 X 13″ pan. In medium
bowl stir 1 C. sugar, 3 C. flour &
baking powder; mix in salt &
lemon zest. Using a fork or pastry
cutter, blend in butter & egg; dough
will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into
prepared pan. In another bowl stir
sugar, cornstarch & lemon juice; gently
mix in blueberries. Sprinkle mixture
evenly over crust. Crumble remaining
dough over berry layer. Bake 45 minutes
until top is slightly brown (might take a
little longer than 45 minutes – keep an
eye on it). Cool completely before
cutting into bars. Cut bars into 36
small rectangles.

(recipe:allfood.recipes)
==================

Tonight is Knit/Crochet night, tomorrow is my
special needs group; Thursday is my grandson’s
touch football game 6 p.m., Friday is grandson
all day – and that’s just the next few days. Next
comes the 2-day Log Cabin Days event; for now
I’m pretty well organized, just have to make a
‘last minute list’ to remind me to take the table
sign, table cloths, little basket for business cards,
extra folding chairs (not everybody remembers
to bring something to sit on/in, in the group).
It’s a busy week – but (hopefully) fun, as well.

I’m working on a new baby afghan – this one’s a
simple pattern called Lion Brand Ripple Afghan
(http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kts-1206AD.
html) 
The multi-yarn was a on-sale/discontinued; the
little silver stitch markers at the top I just made
yesterday – found them for $1.49 for 10, they
were in the jewelry-making section at Meijers
and I thought they would make cute stitch
markers (I needed 9) – worked out well (they look
like little silver flowers). For Log Cabin Days I’ll be
knitting on rosewood needles (thought that would
add a more realistic touch to what the early 1900’s
ladies used (the needles were a gift from a friend;
they belonged to her Mother and friend doesn’t knit
but thought I would like them. She was thrilled to
hear I’ll be using them.)   I still have to assemble the
second purples/white/variegated crocheted Granny
Square afghan – might take the parts & sew it together
this weekend – we’ll see.

Well, friends – that’s my crazy/busy week so far. Am
‘planning’ (depends on how much time/energy I have
left later) to make lasagna for dinner (mind you, I have
to be out of here at 6 to go to spec’l needs group) –
we’ll see just how my ‘plan’ goes! Husband might be
eating a sandwich tonight – HAH!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Gas prices dropped 10 cents per gallon
over the weekend, now we have $2.99/9 –
not the best but a little better, right?

The Day After –

Yesterday was my 67th birthday and it was a nice, quiet one. Spent most of the day lounging around in my PJ’s (YES! I did!) Husband & I went out to dinner at Outback Steak House and enjoyed a very filling dinner. We both ordered Porterhouse steaks, I had broccoli with cheese (REALLY good), and Parmesan/garlic fries (not so much, ho-hum – husband ate them). We also ordered the Blooming Onion for the appetizer (LOVE those!). While we were waiting for the bill the waitress brought a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with some really yummy (homemade) whipped cream, a maraschino cherry & a tiny candle! That was a tasty surprise (shared with husband, of course). Lots of cards & get well wishes (on Facebook there were 91 Happy Birthday wishes – WOW! Didn’t know I HAD 91 friends – surprise!)

Today is my ‘catch up’ day – suddenly realized that the end of this month is quickly approaching and that means the next issue of my special needs group’s newsletter! This next week is pretty full of things to do so guess I’ll use today to get most of the newsletter set up/envelopes addressed-return labeled-stamped, etc. Also hit me that I’m up for bringing Sunday School snacks this Sunday – have NO CLUE for those; might just go to Gordon Foods & get the ready-made breakfast sweets – we’ll see.

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

Peanut Butter 7-Layer Bars

3/4 C. graham crackers
1/4 C. butter, melted
2/3 rds of a 14 oz can sweetened
condensed milk
1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. peanut butter chips
2 ROLO caramels, cut into 4’s
1 C. sweetened coconut, shredded
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place graham crackers in food
processor; grind into crumbs; add
melted butter & stir in with fork.
Line a 8 X 8″ pan with parchment
paper. Pour crumbs into pan &
press flat using your fingers. Sprinkle
on choc. chips, peanut butter chips,
Rolo candies & coconut. Pour sweetened
cond. milk over top as evenly as you can.
Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbly & edges
are golden brown. Remove from oven, cool
bars completely before cutting.

(recipe:kleinworthco.com)
—————————————-

Lasagna Soup

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled/grated
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, peeled/ thinly
sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) can/carton chicken stock
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 T. basil, minced
8 lasagna noodles
4 cooked Italian sausages, casings
removed
1 C. mozzarella cheese, grated
–
In large pot heat olive oil; add onion,
carrot, celery, zucchini & garlic; saute
until veggies are tender, approx. 5-7
minutes. Pour in chicken stock, tomatoes,
tomato sauce & basil; bring to boil. Once
boiling, break lasagna noodles into small
pieces & add to pot. Cook until noodles
are tender, approx. 12-15 minutes. Slice
cooked sausage in half lengthwise then
cut into small pieces; add to soup &
continue to boil another 5 minutes.
Equally divided soup into 4 bowls &
sprinkle 1/4 C. mozzarella cheese on top
of each bowl when serving. Serves 4

(recipe:allfood.recipes)
———————————-

Easy Zucchini Chips

1 large zucchini
nonstick cooking spray
salt/pepper
paprika
–
Preheat oven 225 degrees F
Slice zucchini thin (1/4 – 1/8″)
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
spray. Lay out all zucchini chips; spray
lightly with nonstick spray. Sprinkle
with salt/pepper/paprika.
Bake 45 minutes – 2 hours until they
get to right level of crispness for you.
Eat within 2-3 hours.

(recipe: paleoforever.com)
————————————-

Greek Tortellini Salad

1 (20 oz.) pkg. refrigerated cheese
tortellini
1 1/2 C. grape tomatoes, halved
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 C. kalamata olives, pit removed &
chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3/4 C. crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:
1/4 C. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Cook tortellini accordg to pkg.
directions; drain & rinse with cold
water then place in large bowl. Add
tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion &
feta cheese. In small bowl whisk
together olive oil, garlic, oregano,
salt/pepper – pour over salad & stir
until salad is well coated. Serve
immediately or refrigerate 1 hour,
your choice. This salad will keep
in fridge up to 3 days. Serves 8

(recipe: twopeasandtheirpod.com)
——————————

Rice Pilaf with Almonds

1 3/4 C. rice (long grain)
1/4 C. carrots, finely chopped
1/4 C. celery, finely chopped
4 T. butter
4 1/2 C. broth
salt/pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 C. sliced almonds
–
Place 2 T. butter into large hot skillet.
When butter has melted add vegetables
& rice to hot pan; stir together to combine.
Cook rice & veggies until some of rice
turns golden brown. Add broth, a little
salt/pepper & bring to a boil, then reduce
heat to medium. Cover pan & simmer about
15 minutes until all rice has cooked through.
Remove pan from heat & add 2 T. butter,
sliced almonds & parsley flakes; stir to
combine. Taste & adjust salt & pepper.
Serves 8

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
————————————-

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts, boneless/
skinless (or any cut of chicken you
prefer)
1 1/2 C. salsa
1 1/2 C. shredded cheese (Mexican Blend)
–
Optional sides:
fresh chopped cilantro
sour cream
–
Lightly spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
spray. Place chicken in crockpot; pour salsa
over & cook on High 2 hours.
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place chicken in lightly sprayed baking dish &
cover with salsa from crockpot, draining all
liquid. Top with cheese & bake 15 minutes.
(sauce & cheese will begin to bubble when done)
Serve with choice of sides.  Serves 6

(stockpilingmoms.com)
————————————–

Chicken Macaroni Salad

1 lb. dry elbow macaroni
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 C. chopped celery
2 C. mayonnaise
4 C. cooked chicken, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
–
In large pot of boiling water, cook
macaroni 7-9 minutes (just until
tender); drain/rinse & let cool.
In large bowl combine cooled
macaroni with remaining ingredients;
mix well. Cover & refrigerate at least
1 hour before serving. Serves 12

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

Butter Cake Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 stick (1/2 C.) butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 (1 lb) bag powdered sugar-
(about 3 3/4 C.)
1 tsp. vanilla
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
LIne a 8″ X 8″ baking dish with
parchment paper. In large bowl
mix cake mix, melted butter &
1 egg until a soft dough forms.
Press dough into prepared dish.
Using stand mixer, combine cream
cheese, 2 eggs, sugar & vanilla
until smooth; spread over cake
mix layer. Bake 45 minutes until
edges are golden brown & center
has set to a soft consistency. Cool
completely before slicing into
bars & serving.

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
=====================

How are your gas prices? I nearly went into
shock the other day when I saw it went up
another 10 cents a gallon – right now the
cheapest is sitting at $3.09/9. Yes, I realize
it was much higher last year, but I was
really hoping it would stay in the $2 something
range (a girl can hope, can’t she?). I
reluctantly bought $25 yesterday to
bring my tank up to half in the hopes
that it will drop soon and I can then
fill it up – we’ll see.

Tonight is my special needs group’s last
Gym Night until Fall and we’re having a
Sock Hop in the gym, complete with
vanilla milk shakes topped with
whipped cream & maraschino cherries;
I think the kids will love it – there’s a
live DJ playing 50’s music. Our kids love
to get together and dancing is one of
their favorites; even if they don’t dance,
it should be fun just enjoying the
atmosphere (believe me – I’ll be on the
sidelines just watching them have fun!).

We’ve been blessed these past few days
with very little rain – just a few sprinkles;
the ground is very wet, haven’t had to
water my herbs & hanging basket at
all for a good 4-5 days. Really hoping
the rains hold off for next weekend –
that’s my big fun time at the historical
society’s “Log Cabin Days” – two days
of outdoor fun sitting under a
pavillion knitting or crocheting (in costume).
Speaking of that – last night it occurred to
me that if I’m going to be in early 1900’s
costume I should try to be some-what
authentic – I had been given some really
beautiful rosewood knitting needles by
a friend who is moving to a motor home
and selling all their possessions. She
gifted me with her mother’s needles –
so I’ll be knitting with really nice rose-
wood needles. While thinking about that
it also occurred to me that I won’t be
carrying a purse for my wallet & cell
phone – sometime in the next few days
I’m going to throw together (read that
‘attempt to sew’) a plain cloth draw-
string bag to hang from my waist – I’m
NO seamstress but should be able to do
that without any trouble – we’ll see.

Guess I’d better get off here and get
started putting together the newsletter,
right? Hope you have a great (dry) day
and are able to enjoy the summer
weather a bit.

Hugs;

Pammie

It’s Monday Again!

Here we are at the beginning of another week; finally finished baby afghan #1 (still have one more to assemble – need to crochet 6 more white squares, then I can sew it all together/crochet the border & I’m done). When I first thought of creating this blanket I was planning on all ‘colored’ squares, but when I put laid out some in a row they just looked too ‘busy/cluttered’, so I reverted to using the white squares as offsets to the design. I also decided on using 35 squares for a complete blanket instead of the original 40 squares – this left me with 4 squares leftover. What to do with them? I didn’t want to waste them or throw them away, so I came up with an alternative – make them into two chilcdrens scarves for the homeless shelter project (see below)

First blanket done – I might vary the color of yarn for the border on the second one – we’ll see

–

As you can see, they are folded up – each are long enough for a child’s scarf

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

If you know me, you know I need stimulation/variety in my crafting – with one blanket done and the next one not due until September, I’m tempted to start another/different baby blanket. There are SO MANY patterns that call to me, but there is one in particular that I’ve been wanting to try. It’s for a Advanced knitter and uses what is called: “Short Rows”; I’ve never done that before so it’s always been a daunting project – I usually end up, in frustration, putting the pattern back in my folder. I belong to several knitting groups on Facebook and today a lady posted her recent knitting project: “The Ten Stitch Blanket” (the pattern I’d like to ‘try’). The one thing I didn’t think of before was to check YouTube for a video which might teach me how to do this! There IS a video – in fact there are about five! Not exactly sure if I’m going to ‘try/attempt’ this, but we’ll see. Here’s the photo of (one of) the afghan pattern:

This is not the best photo of the pattern – basically it’s a sort of square-sided Roman Spiral. I’ve seen it done in different yarns – this photo has some varied yarns, but mostly looks like it was done with variegated yarn. We’ll see where this goes – you KNOW I’m sort of fickle when it comes to deciding my next project – soooo many patterns, so little time!

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

 Mediterranean Pasta Toss

1 (9 oz) pkg. refrigerated cheese
ravioli
1 C. frozen cut green beans, thawed
1 C. cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 C. creamy Caesar salad dressing
3 T. shredded Parmesan cheese
–
Cook ravioli accordg. to pkg. directions,
adding green beans during last 3 minutes
of cooking; drain. In a large serving bowl
combine ravioli mixture, tomatoes &
pepper. Add dressing; toss to coat then
sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————–

S’Mores Muddy Buddies

6 C. Golden Graham cereal, divided
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips,
divided
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. marshmallow bits
–
Pour 5 C. cereal into a large ziploc bag.
Place 3/4 C. chocolate chips & peanut
butter into a microwaveable bowl; micro-
wave in 30 second intervals until completely
melted & stir to combine. Pour mixture
over cereal in bag, seal & shake until
cereal is evenly coated with mixture. Add
powdered sugar, seal & shake until cereal
is coated with sugar. Pour mixture into a
large mixing bowl. Add remaining 1 C.
cereal, 1/4 C. chocolate chips & marsh-
mallow bits; stir & serve.

(recipe: julieseastandtreats.com)
——————————————–

Crispy Crab Nuggets

Oil, for frying
1 lb. fresh crab meat
3 slices white bread, crust removed
(or packaged bread crumbs)
1 egg, beaten
1 T. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Old Bay seasoning
1 T. parsley, chopped
–
Place breadcrumbs in food
processor; pulse until they are
‘fine’. In large bowl mix egg,
mayonnaise, mustard, Worc. sauce,
parsley & Old Bay. Add bread
crumbs & crab meat; mix by hand
to avoid breaking up too many
lumps. (You may need to bread
up the very large lumps however,
so the crab balls will stay together).
Shape into 24 balls; fry in batches
in hot oil until golden brown, turning
once. Drain on paper towels & serve
with your favorite sauce.

(recipe:Facebook)
——————————-

2-ingredient Pancakes

1 banana, cut up
2 eggs
–
Place ingredients in bowl; mash well
until a frothy texture. Place a little oil
on hot skillet; pour onto skillet in
pancake form; flip once. Makes

enough for 1 -2 people.

(recipe: tiphero.com)
———————————

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

1 1/2 C. cubed, cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 C. picante sauce, divided
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
2/3 C. chopped green onion, divided
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1 T. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In small bowl combine chicken, 3/4
C. picante sauce, cheese, 1/4 C. onions,
cumin & oregano. Spoon 1/2 C. mixture
down center of each tortilla. Fold sides &
ends over filling & roll up. Place, seam-
side down, in 15 X 10 X 1 inch baking
dish sprayed with nonstick spray; brush
tops with butter. Bake, uncovered, 20-25
or until heated through. Top with
remaining picante sauce & onions.
Serves 6

(recipe: tasteof home.com)
—————————————-

Taco Corn Bread Squares

1 (8.5 oz) pkg. corn bread/muffin
mix (like Jiffy mix)
1 egg
1/3 C. milk
2 1/2 C. cooked Taco-seasoned meat*
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 (8 oz) C. sour cream
1 1/2 C. shredded Mexican cheese
blend, divided
1/4 C. chopped onion
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 C. shredded lettuce
1 (2 1/2 oz) can sliced black
olives, drained
–
* 1 pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
Cook hamburger; drain grease.
Mix dry taco seasoning mix with
3/4 C. water & pour onto meat-
mix & cook until liquid is absorbed.

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl combine corn bread
mix, egg & milk until blended; spread
into a greased 9″ square baking dish.
Bake 15 minutes. Combine taco meat &
beans; spread over corn bread. Combine
sour cream, 1 C. cheese & onion; spread
over meat mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes
until heated through & cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with tomato, lettuce, olives &
remaining cheese. Serves 4-6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————————–

Crockpot Fajitas

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
1 (15 oz) can black beans,
rinsed/drained
1 medium green pepper, cut into
strips
1 large onion, sliced
1 1/2 C. picante sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
2 C. (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
–
Optional toppings:
thinly sliced green onions
chopped tomatoes
sour cream
–
Place chicken in 4 qt crockpot; add
black beans, peppers & onion. In small
bowl mix picante sauce, garlic powder
& cumin; pour over top. Cover & cook
on Low 4-5 hours until chicken is tender.
Remove chicken & cool slightly. Shred
meat using 2 forks; return meat to
crockpot & heat through. Serve with
warm tortillas, cheese & your choice
of toppings. Makes 6 servings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————-

Lemon Red Potatoes
(crockpot)

1 1/2 lb. medium red potatoes
1/4 C. water
1/4 C. butter, melted
3 T. minced fresh parsley
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. minced chives
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Cut a strip of peel from around the
middle of each potato. Place
potatoes & water in 3 qt. crockpot;
cover & cook on High 2 1/2 – 3 hours
until tender (do not overcook); drain.
In small bowl combine butter, parsley,
lemon juice & chives; pour over potatoes
& toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper.
Makes 6 servings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————–

Easy Apple Cake

5-7 apples, peeled/cored/sliced thin
1 (9 oz) box yellow cake mix
2 T. sugar
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 stick butter
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ pan with nonstick spray.
Place apples in pan & sprinkle with
dry cake mix. Combine sugar & cinnamon;
sprinkle over cake mix. Melt butter &
drizzle over top. Bake 30 minutes or until
golden brown.
Can be served with ice cream, if desired

(recipe: Courtney Luper – Facebook)
===================

Gas prices around here have jumped again –
yesterday my ‘cheap’ station (Clark) had
regular gas at $2.96/9 – that’s a 20 cents-per-
gallon jump in a few days! Crazy stuff (I still
have about a quarter tank – sure am hoping
it will drop before I HAVE to get more.

Still working at losing that 7 pounds – just
trying less food/some exercise (walking). So
far, since last Wed. I’ve dropped 4.2 lb. I’m
WELL aware that, if I don’t keep at it, I can
gain those back QUICKLY! Just trying to see
how far I can go with this. At one time, about
8 years ago, I lost 50 lbs (but that was under
fear after being diagnosed Type 2 diabetic.)
I’m still diabetic, but still “No meds, just diet &
exercise”. Over the years I have let up on my
diet (read that: eating ice cream/chips/stuff
I shouldn’t eat) to where my A1C (the test
used to determine blood sugars) has slowly
crept up to the “start meds’ level. Let’s just
say “I’m a CHICKEN” when it comes to going
on diabetic meds; have done a lot of reading
and know that, usually, when you start those
you don’t come off them – ever. There could
be some that do, I just have not heard of it.
Because I’m pretty SURE that the next visit
with my GP will start ‘the conversation’ about
me going on meds, I’m attempting to do an
end-run on this. I do know that losing weight
CAN drop your A1C levels (did it before – when
I was MUCH younger) I’m hoping this will be
the case this time – we’ll see. Diabetic meds
are not bad – I just don’t want to get on the
‘slipper slope’ if I don’t HAVE to. Diabetes
is a scary disease – I have several good friends
that are going through some frightening
struggles right now: sores that don’t heal
being the main one (one is in the hospital
now -for the second time in a few months
because BOTH of his feet developed sores
that wouldn’t heal – really SCARY stuff!).
It’s a struggle – one part of me (the ‘little
kid’ side) says: “I’m an ADULT! I can eat
WHATEVER I want! Then there’s my
TRUE adult side who says: “Yes, but do YOU
want to be in the same boat as your
friends? In a hospital? For WEEKS?”
I’m a ‘foodie’ that LOVES food – I just have
to ‘put my big girl panties on’ and DEAL
with the fact that I CAN NOT eat whatever
I want – and adjust the AMOUNT of foods
I DO eat! Not a fun thing – but the alternative
is much worse, right?

Our weather has been WET/WET/WET! It’s
rained every day for a good 3-4 days now;
not all the time, sometimes in just a sprinkle
but it’s WET out there! I was going to take
the photo of the baby blanket on our
picnic table but it’s too darned wet! On the
other hand, my Mother’s Day planter is
going ‘great guns’ – the chives are really
tall! YAY! My bright red geraniums are really
flourishing – love that flower, makes me
happy just seeing the bright colors.

Well, friends, now that I’ve written an
Epic Novel instead of a post, I’ll close
for now.

Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Having fun –

Just enjoying looking at various knit/crochet sites on Pinterest.com – they have some of the cutest or most interesting things to look at! (I love the middle smiling owls – so cute!) Haven’t progressed much on the crocheted baby blanket (3 more squares created) – thankfully I have until the beginning of September!

The weather is really nice: 70’s, sunny with a slight breeze. So far, I don’t have anything planned for the day (but, of course, that could CHANGE!) Today is the day we ‘sort of’ talked about moving middle son back in – haven’t heard from him yet. It’s not that he has a LOT of things to move, it’s just the arranging, stuffing my van, the ‘back & forth’ of it; good thing our oldest lives about 6 minutes away! Knowing some of his things, it will be at least a 3-load trip. There’s his big, flat screen TV, a single bed mattress, bags of clothes, a small dresser – makes me tired just THINKING about it! (But then – this is the FOURTH time we’ve moved him, so I guess I kind of know what’s coming – right?)

No idea, yet, what’s for dinner. Lots of great recipes to share with you – now that it’s summer there are a LOT of great salad recipes!

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

Summer Salad

1/2 C. olive oil
2 T. minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
3/4 lb. angel hair pasta
1 1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
extra chopped basil & Parmesan
cheese for serving
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain, reserving some of the pasta
water. Heat 1/2 C. olive oil in large
saute pan; add garlic & cook over
medium heat 30 seconds. Add tomateos,
basil, parsley, thyme, 2 tsp. salt, pepper
& red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to
medium-low; cook 5-7 minutes, tossing
occasionally until tomatoes begin to
soften but don’t break up. Place cooked
pasta in a large serving bowl; add tomatoes
& Parmesan; toss well. Add some of pasta
water if pasta seems too dry. Serve with
extra basil sprinkled on top & extra
Parmesan on the side. Serves 6

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
—————————————-

Creamy Mushroom-Potato Casserole

2 T. unsalted butter
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled/
sliced thinly
1 lb. assorted fresh mushrooms,
scrubbed clean & roughly chopped
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom
soup
1 C. Gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 C. chicken stock
1/3 C. dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh sage leaves, chopped
kosher salt/fresh cracked black pepper,
to taste
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Lightly spray a 9 X 13″ baking pan with
nonstick spray. Heat butter & oil in large
skillet; saute mushrooms & shallots until
softened & tender, 3-5 minutes. Add
garlic, thyme & sage; season with salt/
pepper & cook another 1 minute until
fragrant. Pour in white wine; cook another
3 minutes until liquid has mostly evaporated.
Remove from heat, set aside. In small bowl
whisk chicken stock into cream of mushroom
soup. Arrange 1 layer of sliced potatoes on
bottom of prepared baking dish then add a
layer of sauteed mushrooms. Repeat with
remaining vegetable layers. Pour chicken
stock mixture over mushrooms & potatoes,
tapping the baking dish against the counter
to make sure the liquid gets in between the
vegetables. Sprinkle cheeses over top; cover
with foil & bake 40 minutes. Uncover & bake
another 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let
cool 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————————-

White Velvet Cake

1 (6 oz) pkg white chocolate baking
bars, broken up
2 T. milk
2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 C. sour cream
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray two 8″ round baking pans
with nonstick spray, then line
bottoms with waxed paper. In
medium saucepan combine baking
bars & milk over Low heat, stirring
constantly until bars are melted &
mixture is smooth; set aside. In
medium bowl combine flour, baking
soda, salt & baking powder; set aside.
In large bowl beat butter & sugar until
light & fluffy; blend in melted bars &
vanilla. Add eggs, one-at-a-time, beating
well after each addition. Add flour
mixture alternately with sour cream;
pour into prepared pans. Bake 30-35
minutes until a toothpick inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool 10-15
minutes then remove from pans &
remove waxed paper. Cool completely.
Serves 10

Frost with a butter cream frosting

(recipe:mrfood.com)
——————————–

Roasted Country Vegetables

1/3 C. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1″ chunks
1 onion, peeled & cut into 1″ chunks
3 carrots, peeled & cut into 1″ chunks
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray a rimmed baking sheet with
nonstick spray. In large bowl combine
oil, garlic powder, salt & black pepper;
mix well. Add vegetables to mixture,
toss to evenly coat then place on
prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes until
tender. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————–

Fruit & Feta Salad

1 (10 oz) pkg. torn mixed salad greens
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 C. thinly sliced red onion
1 C. coarsely chopped walnuts (toasted)
1 (4 oz) pkg. crumbled Feta cheese
3/4 C. (Kraft) Raspberry Vinaigrette
salad dressing
–
Toss greens with next 4 ingredients in
large bowl. Add dressing & mix lightly.
Serves 6

(recipe: Kraftrecipes.com)
———————————

Santa Fe Chicken

2 C. instant white rice, uncooked
1 (15 oz) can black beans,rinsed & drained
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
2 C. water
1/4 C. finely chopped cilantro
1/4 C. boneless, skinless chicken breast
halves
1/2 C. thick & chunky salsa
1 C. Mexican style finely shredded
Four cheese (Kraft)
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Combine rice, beans & peppers in 9 X 13
baking dish. Mix soup, water & cilantro;
pour over rice mixture. Top with chicken &
salsa; bake 45 minutes or until chicken
is done (165 degrees F.). Top with cheese
during last 10 minutes of baking.

Serves 4

(recipe: Kraft foods)
—————————————–

Crockpot Meatloaf

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 C. milk
3 slices bread, torn into small pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 C. ketchup, divided
2 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1 oz. pkg. Ranch salad dressing mix
–
Combine eggs, milk, bread crumbs,
salt/pepper in a large bowl; add 1/2 C.
ketchup and rest of ingredients; mix
gently. Place mixture in crockpot, shape
into a mound; top with rest of ketchup.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serves
6-8

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
————————————–

Crab Rangoon Dip
(crockpot)

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs cream cheese
2 (8 oz ea) pkgs imitation crab or
6 oz cans crabmeat, drained
1 can cream of shrimp soup
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
(optional: 2 T. sugar)
–
Place all ingredients in 3-4 qt. crockpot.
Cook on Low 2-3 hours. Serve with rice
crackers or your favorite crackers.
Makes 12 servings

(recipe: goodenessgracious.com)
——————————————

Lemonade Pie

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
milk
3/4 C. thawed lemonade concentrate
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
yellow food coloring (optional)
2 graham cracker pie crusts
–
In large bowl beat cream cheese &
cond. milk until smooth. Beat in
lemonade concentrate (if you are
going to add food coloring, do it
now). Fold in Cool Whip & divide
mixture into 2 crusts. Cover &
refrigerate until set.
Makes 16 servings (8 per pie)

(recipe: Courtney Luper- facebook)
=======================

Gas prices are staying the same: $2.79/9 for
unleaded regular.  Went to doctor for yearly
OB/GYN checkup yesterday – all’s well but he
did suggest that I try to lose 7 lbs to bring my
BMI  (Body Mass Index) down to within the
suggested numbers. Seven pounds isn’t a
bad goal – I remember him telling me last
year that sometime in the future the
government will be checking those numbers
with insurance companies and (maybe)
those people who’s BMI is higher than
normal MIGHT have their insurance
cancelled just because they’re
OVER-WEIGHT! (Yes, I hear you – it’s NOT
RIGHT – but . . . I know my doctor was
gently trying to tell me something
important so perhaps I WILL strive to
lost that extra poundage.) Not that I
don’t, already, try (a little) to keep my
weight in range – knowing FULL WELL that
I’m overweight for my height. I’ve been
really bad about NOT making an appointment
with my main doctor simply because
I’m pretty sure he’s going to tell me that he
wants me to start on diabetic medicines –
I’ve been fighting it for years, but now my
A1C is higher than it’s been – not good.
(A1C is a complete blood check to determine
blood sugars in your system)
What’s a lady to do? Simple answer: start
doing some walking & cut back on the foods
I KNOW I shouldn’t eat. I did that about
eight years ago when first diagnosed as a
being Type 2 diabetic – lost 50 lbs. – wasn’t
easy but then, over time, I sort of ‘allowed’
myself to start eating more/not the best
foods for me and put some of that back
on. We’ll see where this goes. I felt that
it was important to share the BMI
information with you JUST IN CASE it DOES
come to pass.

Well, that’s what’s going on around here
today – hope your day goes well & you’re
happily enjoying the summer!

Hugs;

Pammie

Getting things done!

It’s now Tuesday and that means I had to get myself together and get some shopping/errands done (you see, yesterday was when I had originally decided to do this, but just didn’t feel like it! Ever have that happen?) I woke up today at 6:25 a.m. crocheted two more white granny squares, repaired the front door, hauled some extra garbage out to the road then got moving. Drugstore, Library, Krogers & Gordon Foods – CHECK! DONE! It’s a nice day out, sunny & a slight breeze (right now it’s at 70 degrees F. but I’m sure it will warm up more later on.) Tonight is our Knit/Crochet night when I get to haul about 5 various sized bags of yarn & partially finished knit projects to the group for them to go through. Anything left over I’m taking to the senior center (yarn wise) and if the 3 embroidery kits don’t go, will take them to the White Elephant sale for Log Cabin Days – got a ‘plan’ for everything! I’m now officially finished crocheting enough squares for one baby blanket – will have to sew them together, crochet a border then on to the next project. Not sure, just yet, if I’ll plow into the second granny square blanket or not – that requires crocheting another 20 white squares – we’ll see. Think I’ll just take the white yarn & hook for tonight for something to ‘do’.

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

Applebee’s Hot Artichoke/Spinach dip
(copycat recipe)

1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach,
thawed
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts,
drained & roughly chopped
1 C. shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
10 oz. prepared alfredo sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
pepper (optional)
–
corn chips, bread pieces
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients thoroughly
in a bowl & spread mixture into a
8 X 8″ baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes
until cheeses are bubbling & melted.
Serve with chips or bread.

(recipe: Mike Suddaby-Facebook)
———————–

Mozzarella-stuffed Meatballs

2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 1/2 C. bread crumbs
1 T. Italian seasoning
3 eggs
3 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese cut
into cubes
–
olive oil
–
your favorite marinara sauce
–
In large bowl mix all ingredients
except cheese; form into balls.
Press one cube of cheese into
each meatball, making sure to
seal back up with meat. Heat
olive oil in large skillet; brown
meatballs. Add marinara sauce
& simmer about 30 minutes.

(recipe: Courtney Luper-Facebook)
—————————–

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

2 C. flour
2/3 C. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 large eggs
1 2/3 C. firmly packed light
brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 C. mayonnaise (do not use low-fat)
1 1/3 C. hot water
–
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (4 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (1 lb) pkg. powdered sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa
3 T. milk
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease & flour 9 X 13″ pan. Mix
flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt &
baking powder in medium bowl;
set aside. Beat eggs, sugar & vanilla
at medium-high speed about 3 minutes
until mixture is light & fluffy. Add
mayonnaise; beat at Low speed until
combined. Add flour mixture to egg
mixture alternately with hot Water,
beginning & ending with flour  mixture.
Beat at Low speed just until blended
after each addition. Pour batter into
prepared pan & bake 30-35 minutes
until a wooden toothpick inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool on wire
rack 1 hour.
–
Frosting:
Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed
with elec. mixer until creamy. Whisk
together powdered sugar & cocoa in medium
bowl; gradually add to butter mixture
alternately with milk. Beat at low speed
until blended after each addition. (If needed,
add up to 1 T. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, to
reach desired consistency). Increase speed
to medium, beat 1-2 minutes until light &
fluffy. Spread on cake.

(recipe: caramelpotatoes.com)
———————————–

Church Supper Bake

1 (8 oz) pkg. medium egg noodles
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom
soup, undiluted
1 C. sour cream
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese,
divided
2 C. chopped, cooked ham
1 C. peas
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. bread crumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain. Spray 3 qt. baking dish with
nonstick spray. In large bowl combine
soup, sour cream, 1 1/2 C. cheese, ham,
peas, onion powder, salt & pepper; mix
well. Stir in cooked noodles & pour into
prepared dish. Sprinkle top with bread
crumbs & bake 25 minutes. Remove from
oven; sprinkle top with remaining cheese
& bake 10 more minutes until heated
through & cheese is melted. Let stand
10 minutes before serving. Serves 4

(recipe: mrfood.com)
————————————–

Dilled Cucumber Salad

1/2 C. plain yogurt
1/4 C. Italian salad dressing
2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 large cucumbers, halved
lengthwise, sliced (2 large=
3 C.)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes,
drained
1/4 C. thinly sliced red onion
1/8 tsp. salt
–
Stir together yogurt, dressing &
dill in large bowl. Add all
remaining ingredients; stir gently
to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour
Serves 6

(recipe: readyseteat.com)
———————————–

Quick Garden Vegetable Soup

1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen pasta &
vegetable blend in garlic sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes,
undrained
2 (14 oz, ea) cans chicken broth
–
Combine pasta & vegetable blend,
undrained tomatoes & broth in
medium saucepan. Bring to boil
over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to Low; simmer until
hot, stirring occasionally. Serves 4

(recipe: readyseteat.com)
————————————–

2-Minutes to Make Hawaiian Pie

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
in syrup, undrained
1 (6 serving size) pkg. instant
vanilla pudding & pie filling
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (9 inch) prepared shortbread
pie crust
1 (8 oz) can sliced pineapple,
drained & halved
8 maraschino cherries, drained
2 T. sweetened flaked coconut
–
In large bowl combine crushed
pineapple (with syrup), dry pudding
mix & sour cream; mix until well
combined. Spoon into pie crust &
decorate top with pineapple slices
& cherries; sprinkle top with
coconut. Cover & chill at least 2
hours before serving. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
======================

The latest development around our
house is: middle son is moving back
home. We had a discussion last night
and he needs some time to get his
bills/life/job together so we said OK.
This will be the fourth time in the last
few years we’ve moved him either to
a friend’s house/apartment, or back
home (we’re getting to be experts in
this – sigh). We’ll see how it goes. Maybe
someday we’ll get to see what ’empty
nesters’ feel like – who knows.

Hope you’re having a good day – remember
to drink more liquids during the hot
weather (pretend I’m your Grandma and
just DO IT!).

Now I’ll step off my soapbox and go
crochet!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Friday!

LOVE THIS COLOR! Majenta – my favorite color!

Sitting here enjoying a nice, relaxing day while listening to Arlo Guthrie singing “Ukulele Lady” that my husband’s listening to in the next room – catchy tune, cute words –

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsiuQvkZBiw

Right now I’m taking a crochet break – worked on more variegated squares earlier, stopped to bake a loaf of banana bread, and then went back ‘at it’ – I have two more variegated squares to go and then 33 plain white ones. There is enough yarn for two afghans, so I’m GOING FOR IT! Each will be 40 squares – 5 squares wide X 8 squares long (and then a crocheted border. I’m just glad the ‘Yarn Swap’ yarn held out for me to be able to make enough squares!

I had a very nice surprise yesterday – sitting in my recliner reading the paper when I hear the back door – it’s my oldest son. We chat for a few minutes and then he motions for me to come with him – I get into the kitchen and he yells: “Happy Mother’s Day!” – there on the counter is a rather large planter – it’s been decorated (with markers) by my grandson and has The Best Grandma printed on it. In the planter are 2 kinds of chives: regular and garlic (didn’t know they made them), a really nice basil plant and a thyme plant. I don’t remember if I shared with you that I wanted to try to grow chives but my efforts were not going well (compared to the chive plants in this pot, mine are the size (in circumference) of a human hair – you’d have to chop them for WEEKS to get enough to fill a teaspoon! I had mentioned to oldest son that when he was next at our local county market would he pick up a container of chives for me and I’d pay him – guess he decided to ‘one -up’ me – I’m thrilled with the gift. We gave it a little water then promptly took it outside. He gave me pointers on how to use the basil & thyme (I’ve never cooked with either) and told me all but the basil will come back next year. Later on in the evening I texted him to let him know that I made Pierogies & Polish Sausage for dinner and chopped some of his chives to put on top of the sour cream on the pierogies – he thought that was great.

Wednesday found me driving middle son to the hospital for his (much awaited – almost 6 months later) Gastro-Esophageal scope for his throat/stomach & intestines. We were there for around 4 hours; when he was done he told me the doctor said there was NO SIGNS of scarring or cancer – PRAISE THE LORD! Doctor said it all looked great! (He will have to have this test done every year, for the rest of his life). SO GLAD to hear that – we went out to lunch afterwards and he said he’s thinking of moving back home – this time for good. Sigh . . . love my son but husband & I were getting used to being ‘almost’ empty nesters! (Youngest still lives here but with his work hours & hanging out with his friends, I hardly ever see him!). We’ll see how this goes . . .

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

Watermelon/Feta/Mint Salad

1 small seedless watermelon
(about 2-3 lb)
3/4 c. fresh mint leaves, divided
1 T. sugar
2 T. rice vinegar
1 T. fresh lime juice
3 T. olive oil
salt/fresh ground black pepper
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled into
small pieces
–
Cut watermelon flesh into 1 inch
cubes, removing any seeds; place
into individual serving bowls. In
small food processor, combine 1/2
C. mint leaves & sugar; process
until well blended & leaves are
chopped. Add vinegar, lime juice;
process again until  mixed. Add olive
oil & process until well blended. Pour
dressing into small pitcher & add a
pinch, each , of salt & pepper, to
taste, stirring with a spoon to combine.
Sprinkle feta cheese crumbles over
watermelon in bowls; lightly drizzle
dressing over each serving. Garnish
with remaining mint leaves. Serve
immediately. Serves 6-8

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
——————————–

Pineapple Pistachio Pie
(6 hour or overnight recipe)

1 (11.2 oz) pkg. shortbread cookies
3/4 C. chopped walnuts,divided
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
milk
1/4 C. lime juice
1 (4 serving size) pkg. instant pistachio
pudding & pie filling
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 C. (1/2 pint) heavy cream
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In food processor, combine cookies &
1/4 C. walnuts; process until finely
crushed. Stir in butter & press into bottom
& up sides of a 9″ deep-dish pie plate to
form a crust. Bake 10 minutes, remove
from oven & cool. In large bowl using
elec. mixer on medium speed, beat cream
cheese about1 minute until fluffy. Add
sweetened/cond. milk, lime juice &
pudding mix; continue beating 2-3
minutes until smooth. Stir in remaining
walnuts & pineapple with juice. In medium
bowl using elec. mixer on medium speed
beat heavy cream 5-6 minutes until stiff
peaks form. Fold whipped cream into
pudding mixture & pour into pie crust.
Smooth top, cover & chill at least 6
hours or overnight. Serves 8

(recipe: mrfood.com)
—————————————-

Crockpot Roasted Potatoes

6 potatoes
1/4 C. water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/4 C. butter
–
Peel potatoes & cut into wedges;
place in bottom of crockpot &
pour water over potatoes. Sprinkle
potatoes with all seasonings evenly
then stir to coat. Cut butter into
small pieces & place evenly over
potatoes. Cover & cook on Low
5-6 hours or High 2-3 hours.
Serves 5-6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
————————————–

Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits

2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 T. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. chopped parsley
2 C. Bisquick baking mix
3/4 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 C. cold water
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper or spray with nonstick spray.
Melt butter in small bowl in micro-
wave or over low heat in small pan.
Once butter is melted, add minced
garlic & saute 30 seconds-1 minute.
Remove butter & garlic from heat & add
parsley; set aside.
In medium bowl combine Bisquick, cheese,
garlic powder & Ital. seasoning. Add cold
water & mix just until mixed. Drop
batter by heaping tablespoons onto
prepared sheet. Bake 8 minutes Remove
& brush or drizzle garlic butter & parsley
onto biscuits. Bake 5-6 additional minutes
until biscuits are golden brown.

(recipe: Courtney Luper – Facebook)
———————————

Fresh Mango Salsa

1/2 C. chopped fresh mango
2 T. finely chopped red onion
1 T. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 T. finely chopped fresh cilantro

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Refrigerate
or serve immediately. Serves 4

(recipe: readyseteat.com)
————————————

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad

1 (3 oz) pkg. Ramen noodles
1 (14 oz) pkg. coleslaw blend
(cabbage slaw mix)
2 C. shredded or chopped cooked
chicken breasts
4 green onions, diagonally sliced
1/3 C. cocktail peanuts, chopped
1/2 C. (Kraft) Asian Toasted
Sesame salad dressing
1 T. creamy peanut butter
–
Break noodles into small pieces in
large bowl. Add coleslaw blend,
chicken, onions & nuts; mix lightly.
(Discard seasoning pkt. from noodles)
Beat dressing & peanut butter with
whisk until blended; add to salad &
toss to coat. Serves 4

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
———————————-

Baked Honey Nut Chicken

2 eggs
1/2 C. honey
1 C. finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1/8 tsp. salt & pepper, to taste
6 bone-in chicken breast halves
1/4 C. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, beat eggs & honey together until
thoroughly blended. In separate bowl, toss
together nuts, bread crumbs, salt & pepper.
Dip chicken pieces into egg/honey mixture,
then into nut mixture, coating thoroughly.
Arrange chicken in 9 X 13 baking dish. Drizzle
melted butter evenly over chicken. Bake 40
minutes or until chicken is no longer pink &
juices run clear. Serves 6

(recipe: Pilgrim.com)
———————————————–

Crockpot Chicken Potato Pie

1 lb. uncooked chicken, cubed
1 (26 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C. milk
1 can corn, drained
1 (16 oz) bag frozen peas & carrots
1 small onion, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 red potatoes, sliced thin
–
Place all ingredients except potatoes
into crockpot; mix well. Layer potato
slices on top of mixture. Cook on Low
6 hours.

(recipe: susanmallery.blogspot.com)
—————————–
Gas prices are staying the same: $2.79/9.
The weather is definitely Summer: in the 80’s,
sort of overcast (it sprinkled a little earlier) but
still nice weather.

Not much else going on right now – just finished
reading a pretty good novel: “The Book of Fate”
by Brad Meltzer – one of those deep-in-Washington,
D.C. politics & intrigue. I don’t think I’ve read any
of his other books before, so might check some
out (bought this one at the used book sale.)
Stopped at the Senior Center Rummage Sale
yesterday – it’s funny – for three years running
now I’ve run into a lady I & my husband used
to work with, at this sale; kind of nice to see
people you used to spend time with almost
every day, year in & year out. Only thing I
bought was a small sized Tupperware container
I’m going to put white rice in – leaving it in
the bags lately has not worked well (end up
getting these little brown moths – I’m guessing
they’re in the bag from shipment because
the last time I bought that particular brand
at that particular store I saw a LIVE moth
inside the sealed bag! Not good. #1: switching
brands #2: switching stores where I buy rice –
hope that works!

Hope you have a good and relaxing day!

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Finally – Here Comes the Sun!

After several days of cold, rainy days the sun’s out and it’s supposed to warm up a bit. Got home a little while ago from doing some quick shopping and it was 54 degrees F. – gas prices are still at $2.79/9 but managed to snag some Mountain Dew (2 liters) for $1.00 a bottle (limit 5) but anything over 5 and it was still only $1.25 a bottle (KMart) so I was happy. I laid out 26 crocheted squares for the baby blanket (just to see what it looks like) and decided that if I do all patterned squares it will look too ‘busy’, so I’m going to vary them with all white granny squares. Since I’ve already got 29 patterned squares, I’m planning on making TWO blankets (40 squares each); I have enough of the various colors to make that many and plain white worsted weight yarn is not that expensive so guess I’ve got my projects set up for awhile. Wednesday I take middle son to the hospital for an esophageal scope to see how his throat/esophagus, etc. is doing after his ‘situation’ in December. He’ll be knocked out for the test so I’m going to take the plain white yarn to begin crocheting plain granny squares (it beats me dragging 5 different skeins of yarn for the colored squares!).

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

Nutella No-Bake Oat Cookies

2 1/2 – 3 C. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 C. sugar
2/3 C. Nutella
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter,
softened
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
–
Line 2-3 baking sheets (depending
on size of cookies) with parchment
paper; set aside. In medium saucepan
over medium heat stir sugar, milk,
butter & cocoa until sugar is dissolved
&  mixture is combined & smooth. Raise
heat & bring to boil; stirring often, cook
for 1 more minute. Mix in Nutella until
smooth then add vanilla & salt. Working
quickly, remove pan from heat & stir in
oats, making sure oats are thoroughly
coated in Nutella mixture.*
Using a spoon, drop equal-sized cookies
onto prepared trays & transfer trays to
freezer to set. Refrigerator is fine, but they
chill faster in the freezer. Makes 3-4 dozen

*Quality of oats may vary depending on
how runny or thick mixture is. Amount is
‘to taste’

(recipe:12tomatoes.com)
——————————————

Make-ahead Mexican Salad

1 (16 oz) pkg. torn iceberg lettuce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed/drained
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 C. thick salsa
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. shredded Colby & Monterey
Jack cheeses
2 green onions, sliced
2 C. broken baked tortilla corn chips
–
In large 4 1/2 qt. serving bowl, layer
lettuce, beans & tomatoes. Mix salsa
& sour cream until blended; spread
over salad to seal. Sprinkle with
cheeses & onions. Refrigerate several
hours. Sprinkle top with chips just
before serving, toss lightly.
Serves 10

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
—————————

Lasagna-stuffed Spaghetti Squash

2 spaghetti squash (3 lb) halved/seeded
1 T. oil
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 C. ricotta cheese
1/4 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 C. shredded (Kraft) Italian 5 cheese
blend, divided
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Brush cut sides of squash evenly with
oil; place, cut sides down, on baking
sheet & bake 30 minutes until tender.
Cook sausage with onions & garlic
in large skillet on medium heat 10
minutes or until sausage is done,
stirring frequently. Stir in spaghetti
sauce; simmer 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Remove from heat;
combine ricotta, Parmesan & 1/2 C.
Italian cheese. Place squash halves
on baking sheet cut sides up. Fill
with layers of ricotta mixture, meat
sauce & remaining Italian cheese.
Bake 15-20 minutes until heated
through. Cut each squash in half
& serve. Serves 8

(recipe: Kraftrecipes.com)
————————-

Crockpot Bean Medley

1 1/2 C. ketchup
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. Italian salad dressing
2 bay leaves
1 T. cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can black-eyed peas,
drained/rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can great northern
beans, drained/rinsed
1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn,
drained
1 (15 1/4 oz) can lima beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/
rinsed
–
Combine first 12 ingredients in
crockpot; stir in remaining ingredients.
Cover & cook on Low 5-6 hours, or
until onion & peppers are tender.
Discard bay leaves. Makes 12
(3/4 C. each) servings

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————————-

Pizza Pasta Bake

1 lb. rotini pasta
24 oz/2 C. spaghetti sauce
4 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded/
divided
6 oz. sliced pepperoni, divided
1 medium onion, chopped/divided
2 bell peppers, chopped/divided
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain & return to pot. Add spaghetti
sauce, 2 C. mozzarella, 1 C. pepperoni,
half of chopped onion & half bell
pepper; stir to combine. Spray a 9 X 13″
baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour
pasta mixture into pan; spread into an
even layer. Spread 1 C. cheese on top;
layer pepperoni, onion & bell pepper on
top; top with remaining cheese. Bake
10-15 minutes until cheese is melted &
bubbly. Serves 8-10

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
—————————–

German Potato Salad
(Crockpot)

4 C. potatoes, peeled/cubed
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp/
crumbled (reserve 2 T. drippings)
3/4 C. onion, chopped
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/4 C. water
2 T. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
pepper, to taste
dried parsley, to taste
(garnish: fresh parsley, chopped)
–
Boil potatoes until tender; drain &
set aside. Saute onions in reserved
bacon drippings over medium-high
heat until tender. Mix soup, water,
vinegar, sugar & pepper together in
large bowl. Add bacon & onion;
combine well. Pour mixture into
potatoes; add parsley & mix well.
Place mixture into crockpot; cover
& cook on Low 4 hours. Garnish
with fresh parsley, if desired.
Serve warm. Serves 4

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
——————————–

Blueberry Bread

1 C. sugar
3 C. plus 2 tsp. flour, divided
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1 C. milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 C. blueberries
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Sift together sugar, 3 C. flour,
salt & baking powder in bowl.
Stir in egg, milk & butter; add
lemon juice. Toss blueberries
with 2 tsp. flour; fold into
mixture. Spread batter in
greased 9″ X 5″ loaf pan. Bake
1 hour. Serves 6-8

(recipe: Gooseberry Patch
website)
———————————

Bacon–BBQ Meatloaf
(crockpot)

3 large eggs
1 C. diced white onion
1/3 C. barbecue sauce
1/4 C. milk
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
25 saltine crackers, crushed
2 lb. ground beef
8 slices cooked/crumbled bacon
–
Topping:
1/2 C. barbecue sauce
8 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
–
In large bowl add eggs, onion, BBQ
sauce, milk, onion powder, salt/pepper
& crushed saltines; mix well using your
hands. Add ground beef & cooked bacon,
only mixing until it just comes together.
Spray a 6 qt. crockpot with nonstick spray;
shape meat into a loaf & place on bottom
of crockpot. Cover & cook on Low 5-6 hours.
Do not open lid during cooking time. Drain/
remove fat & discard. Spread BBQ sauce on
top & sprinkle with cooked bacon. Serves 6

(recipe: themagicalslowcooker.com)
———————————–

Shrimp Egg Drop Soup

4 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 C. water, divided
2 (14.5 oz, ea) cans chicken broth
1 1/2 C. frozen home-style egg
noodles
1 C. frozen broccoli florets, thawed/
coarsely chopped
1/2 C. julienned carrot
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 lb. cooked medium shrimp, peeled/
deveined
–
In small bowl combine cornstarch, soy
sauce, ginger & 1/2 C. cold water; set
aside. In large saucepan combine broth
& remaining water; bring to a simmer &
add noodles. Cook, uncovered, 15
minutes. Add broccoli & carrot, simmer
3-4 minutes longer or until noodles are
tender. Drizzle beaten egg into hot soup,
stirring constantly. Stir cornstarch mixture &
add to pan. Bring to a boil, cook & stir 2
minutes until slightly thickened. Add shrimp
& heat through. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
=======================

Tonight is Taco Salad (again) – I waited about 5 days
before deciding to make the second batch; my
husband LOVES the stuff (I do, too – but not
for extended days in a row!). Went to a local
grocery store here on Saturday and found a
(new to me) product – they were selling the
bags (in the freezer section) for $1.00
a 10 oz pkg – and that was more than enough
to feed 2 people – what am I talking about?
These were fingerling potatoes in rosemary &
garlic sauce. I didn’t even know I LIKED
Rosemary until I cooked these – they
were ‘gourmet quality’ – I was impressed.
I’ve never heard of the company before –
TJ’s Premium Gourmet – they were called
“Rosemary & Garlic Tri-Color Roasted
fingerling potatoes” ( Yellow Laratte, Red
Thumb & Purple Pelisse potatoes). I found
a marked down steak and we had these
potatoes & steak (not a normal meal for
us – but at marked down prices, it was
worth it!).  Also tried Johhsonville
Brats with Wisconsin cheese inside (dinner
Sunday night) – those were marked down
to .99 cents a pkg (5 in pkg) so that was
another great find. (Went back today to
the grocery and they still had the potatoes
– bought 4 more pkgs. but the brats were
now 2 for $5.00)

Well, friends, time to get off here and go
crochet a bit, finish up the laundry and
start chopping veggies for the Taco Salad.

Have a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie