Sometimes I’m glad . . .

                                          (the above is a joke)

we DON’T get the weather we were ‘supposed’ to get! Yesterday they were predicting 1-2 inches of SNOW – all we got was rain – YAY! Today it’s 49 degrees F. with beautiful sunny skies and NO HINT of any snow for the rest of the week.

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

 

 

Cake Mix Peanut Butter Chocolate

Nut Blondies

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 C. vegetable oil

1/2 C. creamy peanut butter

1 C. chocolate chips

1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Line a 9 X 9″ baking pan with parchment

paper. Using an elec. mixer, in large bowl

mix dry cake mix, eggs & oil. Stir in

chocolate chips & nuts – spread into

prepared pan. Bake about 15 minutes

until golden brown. Remove to wire

rack to cool completely before

cutting into squares. Serves 8-10

(recipe: letsdishrecipes.com)

---

Baking Powder Ham Biscuits

2 C. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. shortening
1 C. milk
1 C. chopped/cooked ham
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder &
salt until well mixed. Cut in shortening.
Add ham & milk – mix just to blend. Turn
onto a lightly floured surface – knead
gently 5-6 times; cut out using a biscuit
cutter & place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes. Makes 12-15 biscuits

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
—————————

Ham, Cheese & Pasta Casserole

2 1/2 C. bow tie pasta, cooked al dente
(accordg to pkg. directions) drained
1/2 C. chopped green onion
1 C. frozen peas
2 C. cooked, chopped ham
2 C. shredded Triple cheese, divided
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C. milk
splash hot sauce
20 Ritz (or other butter) crackers,
crushed
3 T. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a casserole dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl whisk sour cream,
mayo, mustard, black pepper/
salt, garlic powder, milk & hot
sauce. In a large bowl combine
cooked pasta, onions, pas, ham &
1 C. shredded cheese – pour mayo.
mixture over ham mixture & toss;
place mixture into prepared dish.
Sprinkle top with rest of shredded
cheese. In a bowl mix crushed
crackers with melted butter & sprinkle
on top of casserole. Bake 25-30
minutes. Serves 8

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

Potato, Ham & Broccoli Soup

6-7 medium potatoes, peeled, cut
into chunks
1/2 C. celery, diced
1 C. cooked ham, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 C. broccoli pieces ( poster used
frozen but you can use fresh)
2 medium carrots/ 1 C. chopped
1/3 C. zucchini, unpeeled/shredded
(optional)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 (14 oz0 can chicken broth
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 T. butter or margarine
5 C. water
2 c. milk (poster used 2%)
1/4 C. flour
–
shredded cheese – optional garnish
=
In large stock pot combine potatoes,
celery, ham, onion, broccoli, carrots,
zucchini (if using), garlic, salt/pepper,
broth, thyme & butter. Cover with 5
C. water & bring to boil. Reduce heat
to simmer & cook until potatoes are
tender. On stove or in microwave, heat
2 C. milk – add flour & beat, using a
whisk, until smooth – pour into soup.
Bring back to boil about 5 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Simmer about 10
minutes & garnish with shredded cheese
of your choice. Makes a little over 2 quarts.

NOTE: this can also be made in a CROCKPOT
6-7 hours on Low or 3-5 hours on High

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

Muffin Cup Chicken Tostada Cups

12 corn tortillas (6 inch), warmed
cooking spray
2 C. shredded rotisserie chicken (cooked
chicken)
1 C. salsa
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend
=
Optional toppings:
shredded lettuce, sour cream, sliced
ripe olives, sliced green olives, chopped
cilantro, sliced radishes, diced avocado,
additional salsa
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with
nonstick cooking spray &
press warm tortillas into cups.
Spritz tortillas with additional
cooking spray. Bake 5-7 minutes
until lightly browned. In a bowl
toss shredded chicken with salsa.
Layer each cup with beans, chicken
mixture & cheese. Bake 9-11 minutes
until heated through. Serve with
choice of toppings. Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————–

3-ingredient Pork Chops

1 box (Stove Top) stuffing
mix for pork
1 (19 oz) can apple pie filling
4 large, thin pork chops
(salt/pepper)
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Prepared stuffing mix accordg.
to pkg. directions. Spray 8 X 11″
baking dish with nonstick cooking
spray. Spread pie filling in prepared
dish. Salt & pepper chops & lay on
top of filling – top with stuffing.
Cover with foil & bake 40 minutes
until chops are cooked through.
Remove foil last 10 minutes of
baking time. Serves 4

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

Crockpot Ham & Cabbage

3 C. cooked ham, chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped into
bite-sized pieces
2 C. chicken broth
1 stick butter, sliced
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place cabbage in bottom of crockpot –
top evenly with ham. Pour broth over
top & season with salt/pepper, to taste.
Top with butter; cover & cook on Low
5-6 hours until cabbage is tender. Stir
& serve. Serves 6-8

NOTE: you can also add chopped potatoes
to crockpot along with other items. Depending
on how small you chop the potatoes, they
might increase cooking time.

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

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll-ups

1 loaf sliced bread, crusts removed

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg yolk

3/4 C. powdered sugar

1 C. granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 C. melted butter

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Flatten

individual bread slices using a rolling

pin. In large bowl mix cream cheese,

egg yolk & powdered sugar. In another

small flat bowl (like a pie pan) combine

gran. sugar & cinnamon. Spread 1 T. cream

cheese mixture on each slice of bread & roll up.

Dip each roll up in melted butter then into

cinn/sugar mixture. Place on ungreased

cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes until

golden. Makes 10-12 roll-ups.

 

(recipe: amish365.com)

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

For some reason my site is messing up-
AGAIN! UGH! When that happens I attempt
to ‘copy & paste’ a recipe from my drafts
folder to this blog – the recipe copies as
extremely tiny so then I have to hand
re-type the recipe – sometimes it works,
sometimes not. Ah, life…my blog domain
keeps sending me all kinds of ‘great’ offers
to upgrade my site (I’m currently operating
under their ‘FREE’ site!) so, NO, I don’t want
to spend money on something that’s currently
costing me nothing! (Sometimes wonder if
the ‘shrinking posts’ might be something
to make free posters decide to PAY to have
a better site).

Hope things are going well for you. Around
here all kinds of SPRING GROWTH is showing:
daffodils, narcissus, hyacinth popping up – birds
singing (LOVE to hear them!) – makes me happy
just thinking about all the NEWNESS!

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Mid-week

It’s AFTER EASTER recipes time!

We had our family celebration on Monday – as usual, lots of food. I made two of the recipes I featured in my last post: the Layered Lemon Pie (it was good, just a little too sweet for me) and the Strawberries & Cream dessert (they called it a salad). THAT was good – I ended up putting the fresh chopped strawberries into the salad (instead of stirring them in at the last moment) – it was fine. I will say: Mixing up gelled Jell-0 using a potato masher was a new experience! It’s sticky and tends to NOT want to be mashed – different (but it came out just fine).

Along with our celebration was taking my husband for oral surgery that morning for a tooth extraction – he did just fine. I made him a big bowl of mashed potatoes and he was happy. Ah, LIFE: it throws you curve balls and you just have to adjust, right?

===========

Crockpot Navy Bean Vegetable
Soup  (uses leftover ham)

4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 C. cubed fully cooked ham
1 1/2 C. dried navy beans
1 (Knorr) envelope vegetable
recipe mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 C. water
–
In crockpot combine first 9 ingredients.
Stir in water; cover & cook on Low
9-10 hours until beans are tender.
Discard bay leaf.
Serves 12 (makes 3 quarts)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————-

Crockpot Farmer’s Breakfast
Casserole

9 large eggs
3/4 C. ricotta cheese
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried dill
5 slices bacon, sliced/cooked
1 C. diced ham
16 oz. Colby-Jack cheese, divided*
2 tomatoes, sliced
–
*Divide cheese by cubing 2/3rds
of it & grating the rest (save grated
for end of cooking time).
In large bowl add eggs, ricotta, salt/
pepper, dill & thyme – whisk until
smooth (some chunks of ricotta are
fine). Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Add cubed
cheese, bacon & ham to crockpot.
Whisk egg mixture one more time
to get it combined again then pour
over ham/bacon/cheese in crockpot.
Cover & cook on High 2 1/2 hours. If
there is any liquid on top of casserole,
blot with a paper towel. Add remaining
cheese; cover & cook 5-10 minutes longer.
Serve with sliced tomatoes on top.
Serves 8

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

Chicken Cordon Bleu Skillet
(using leftover ham)

8 oz. uncooked medium
egg noodles (about 5 C.)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. butter
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken
soup, undiluted
1/2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 C. cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 C. water
minced fresh parsley
–
Cook noodles accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain. Sprinkle chicken
with pepper. In large cast-iron skillet
or other heavy skillet, heat butter
over medium-high heat. Saute chicken
just until browned, 3-5 minutes. Stir
in soup, cheese, ham & water – cook,
covered, over medium heat until cheese
is melted & chicken is no longer pink,
6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir
in noodles. Sprinkle top with parsley
& serve. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-
Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
(uses leftover ham)

2 lb. potatoes, peeled/thinly sliced
(about 6 C.)
1 large onion, halved & thinly sliced
1/4 C. water
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/3 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 C. milk
4 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
4 C. fresh small broccoli florets
3 C. cubed fully cooked ham
2 T. minced fresh chives
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray

Place potatoes, onion & water in a
microwave-safe bowl. Microwave,
covered, on High until potatoes are
almost tender 8-10 minutes; drain. In
small saucepan melt butter over medium
heat. Stir in flour & seasonings until
smooth – cook & stir until lightly
browned, 2-3 minutes. Gradually whisk
in milk & bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Cook & stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
Stir in 3 C. cheese until melted – remove
from heat. Layer potato mixture, broccoli &
ham in prepared dish. Pour sauce over top &
sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Cover &
bake 45 minutes. Uncover & bake until
potatoes are tender, 25-30 minutes longer.
Sprinkle top with chives & let stand 10
minutes before serving. Serves 12

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

Crescent Ham Rolls

1 (8 oz) tube Pillsbury crescent rolls
honey mustard or mayonnaise
horseradish spread
6 slices cooked ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 T. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray & open crescent rolls –
spread rolls out on sheet Spread some
honey mustard (or mayo) over rolls;
spread some horseradish sauce on top.
Add ham & cheese slices. Roll into a
large roll from smaller end. Cut into
segments & lay flat on prepared
baking sheet. In a bowl combine melted
butter & garlic powder: brush over tops
of rolls. Bake 12-15 minutes until rolls
are brown on top.

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

Ham, Apple, Cheese Quiche

1 (9 inch) pie shell, unbaked
1 1/2 C. chopped, cooked ham
1/4 C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped apples*
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
(or whatever cheese you like)
1/2 C. sour cream
1 tsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
2 tsp. flour
1/2 C. evaporated milk (or regular milk)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Combine ham, onion & chopped
apples – spread in pie crust. Sprinkle
top with cheese. In a bowl, mix
sour cream, mustard, flour, milk, eggs,
salt & pepper until smooth – pour over
ham mixture. Bake 50-55 minutes
(You can sprinkle on extra cheese during
the last 10 minutes of baking time if you
like.) Makes 1 (9 inch) quiche.

*Poster didn’t peel- used Red Delicious

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

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dump Cake

1 (3.9 oz) pkg. instant chocolate
pudding mix
1 3/4 C. milk
1 box chocolate or devils food
cake mix (regular size)
6 (1 1/2 oz, ea) pkgs. peanut butter
cups, chopped
3/4 C. peanut butter chips
3/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. chopped unsalted peanuts
–
vanilla ice cream or sweetened, whipped
cream, optional toppings
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl,
combine pudding mix & milk until
blended. Stir in cake mix (batter will
be thick). Fold in peanut butter cups,
peanut butter & chocolate chips –
spread into prepared pan & sprinkle
top with peanuts. Bake 20-25 minutes
until a toothpick inserted into center
comes out with moist crumbs. Cool
completely in pan on a wire rack.
Cut into bars & serve with optional
toppings. Serves 15

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

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

Our weather is FINALLY SPRING-like!
There are daffodils & narcissus blooming,
lots of birds singing and wonderful
blue skies with big, fluffy white clouds.
Today it’s 56 degrees F. with a high expected
of 63, so it’s a really nice (wear a light sweater
or jacket) kind of day. Later today is my older
grandson’s track meet AND baseball game.
Normally I would not be free on a Wednesday
evening but this week my special needs group
is taking off for Easter soooooo I might get to
go! Since my husband is (kind of) still recovering
from the oral surgery, we will (maybe) go to the
baseball game (husband doesn’t like track) – that’s
at 6 p.m. My son already informed me they will
be a little late getting to the game, as there’s
some distance from the track meet to the baseball
game – we’ll see how it goes.

Our gas prices keep jumping around lately;
Monday I stopped to get gas early (around 8:30 a.m.)
and was able to get regular for $2.69/9 – later on,
driving back home, it jumped to $2.79/9. Today
I noticed it’s up to $2.89/9! Glad I have a full tank!

Hope you’re having a great week so far and that
your Easter celebrations went very well.

Hugs;

Pammie

 

PS: Just found MORE recipes using leftover ham

so will be posting those soon.

HAPPY EASTER!

Last minute recipes –

We’re ‘down to the wire’ for Easter recipes but I still have LOTS to share, so here ya go:

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

Raspberry Marshmallow Fluff Salad

8 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 C. mini marshmallows
1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla
pudding mix
32 oz. tub vanilla yogurt
12 pks. frozen raspberries
–
In large bowl mix yogurt & pudding –
stir until completely mixed. Fold in
Cool Whip & raspberries (raspberries
will soften while salad sets). Add
marshmallows & stir together. Cover
& refrigerate 30 minutes. Fold salad
several times with a spoon after
removing from fridge – raspberry
juice will spread throughout salad.
Serves 12

(recipe: sugar-n-spicegals.com)
——————————–

Pina Colada Fluff

1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple,
do not drain
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 tsp. rum extract
2 C. miniature marshmallows
1 C. shredded sweet coconut
1/2 C. chopped nuts ( your choice)
–
In large bowl combine dry pudding
mix & can of crushed pineapple;
stir until completely combined. Fold
in Cool Whip, rum extract, marsh-
mallows, coconut & nuts. Chill until
ready to serve. Serves 8

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
———————————
Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1 (6 oz) box cornbread stuffing mix
1 1/2 C. water or chicken broth
1 (12 oz) bag frozen broccoli cuts (
poster uses florets), thawed
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom
soup
8 – 16 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
In microwaveable bowl mix together
stuffing mix with water or broth &
microwave 3 minutes – pour into
crockpot. Add remaining ingredients
& stir well. Cover & cook on Low
2-3 hours until cheese melts &
broccoli is tender. Serves 6-8

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

Twice-baked Potato Casserole

8 medium potatoes, scrubbed/dried
2 T. olive oil
1 T. kosher salt
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked/crumbled
2 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 C. mayonnaise
3/4 C. sour cream
5-6 green onions, sliced
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a deep 9 X 9″ baking dish
(OR) a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Rub potatoes with oil & salt –
place on a baking sheet. Bake
45-60 minutes (turn over half-
way through baking time) until
tender when pierced with a fork.
Cool 15 minutes.

Change oven temp. to 350 degrees F.
Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces &
place in a bowl. Stir in mayo & sour
cream. Set aside 1/3 C. cheese,
3 T. bacon, 2 T. sliced gr. onions for
topping. Stir in remaining ingredients
& spoon into prepared dish. Top with
reserved shredded cheese & bacon.
Cover with foil & bake 30 minutes.
Remove foil last 10 minutes. Top
with remaining sliced onions & serve.

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
————————————–
Oven-roasted Herb & Garlic
Parmesan Potatoes

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes,
halved or quartered
3 T. olive oil
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary &
thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Combine fresh herbs, salt, garlic
powder, & Parm. cheese in a
small bowl. Place potatoes in large
bowl & drizzle with olive oil – toss
to coat. Sprinkle with seasoning
mixture, tossing to coat. Spread
potatoes in a single layer on a
baking sheet – sprinkle on any
seasonings left in bowl. Bake
20-30 minutes until potatoes
are tender. Serve immediately.
Serves 6

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
—————————

5-Minute Rainbow Carrot/Pecan Salad

1 C. crushed pineapple (undrained)
1/4 C. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 C. raisins (poster used half
golden & half regular)
4 C. grated carrots
3/4 C. chopped, toasted pecans
–
In medium bowl combine pineapple,
yogurt & salt – stir until completely
combined. Add remaining
ingredients & stir well. Refrigerate
until ready to serve. Serves 6

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
——————————

Overnight Baked Eggs Bruschetta

1 (13.8 oz) tube refrigerated pizza
crust
1 T. cornmeal
3 T. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella
cheese, divided
3/4 lb. sliced baby portobello
mushrooms
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 C. pizza sauce
1 T. white vinegar
9 large eggs
2 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 C. French-fried onions
(fresh basil leaves)
——-
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Unroll pizza dough & press onto
bottom of greased 15 X 10 X 1″
baking pan that’s been sprinkled
with cornmeal. Brush dough with
1 T. oil & sprinkle with 3/4 C.
mozzarella cheese. Bake 8 minutes.
In large skillet heat remaining oil
over medium-high heat. Add
mushrooms; cook & stir until tender.
Stir in garlic powder, rosemary &
seasonings. Stir pizza sauce into
mushrooms & spread mixture over
crust. In large skillet with high sides
add vinegar & 2-3 inches of water &
bring to a boil. Reduce heat to make
a gentle simmer. Break cold eggs,
one-at-a-time, into a small bowl.
Holding bowl close to water surface,
slip eggs into simmering water. Cook,
uncovered, 3-5 minutes until whites
are completely set & yolks begin to
thicken but are not hard. Using a
slotted spoon, remove eggs & place
over mushrooms in baking pan. Sprinkle
goat cheese & remaining mozzarella
over top. Refrigerate, covered,
overnight.
=
Remove pan from fridge 30 minutes
before baking.
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Sprinkle onions on top & bake,
uncovered, 10-15 minutes until
golden brown & heated through.
Top with basil just before serving.
Serves 9

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-
Raisin Bread & Sausage
Morning Casserole

1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 (1 lb) loaf cinnamon-raisin
bread, cubed
6 large eggs
1 1/2 C. milk
1 1/2 C. Half & Half
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 T. maple syrup
=
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large skillet cook sausage over
medium heat 4-6 minutes until no
longer pink, breaking into crumbles –
drain. Combine sausage & bread
in baking dish. In large bowl whisk
eggs, milk, Half & Half, vanilla,
cinnamon & nutmeg until blended;
pour over bread. Refrigerate, covered,
several hours or overnight.
====
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Remove casserole from fridge while
oven heats. In small bowl beat
topping ingredients until blended –
drop by tablespoonfuls over top.
Bake, uncovered, 35-45 minutes
until golden brown and a knife
inserted into center comes out clean.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serves 12

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

Easy Greek Pasta Salad

16 oz. short pasta (rotini, bow ties,
penne)
3/4 ths of long English cucumber, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
1/2 C. sliced pitted olives
1/2 C. feta cheese, cubed
1/3 C. diced red onion
–
Dressing:
1 bottle Greek Vinaigrette dressing (OR):

1/4 C. red wine vinegar
1/3 C. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground oregano
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Cook pasta according to pkg. directions
for al dente – rinse under cold water.
Whisk all dressing ingredients together.
Combine all salad ingredients in large
bowl – add dressing & toss. Refrigerate
at least 2 hours before serving.
Serves 12

(recipe: spendwithpennies.com)
====================

Hope that helps some if you’re still searching
for that last dessert or side to make. I’m close
to having all the ingredients for our dinner
(which we’re doing on Monday) except
for buying fresh croissants & strawberries.
Husband’s oral surgery is at 10:30 a.m. Monday
so, hopefully, all will go well and I’ll have the
time needed to make above purchases &
get our portion of the dinner ‘fixin’s’ ready.

Hope your Easter plans are coming together
nicely.

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Yes – No – Maybe – Yes

When last I posted I was still not sure IF we were doing Easter dinner on Monday – after much deliberation, our oldest son said: “Mom – I ordered the ham – we’re doing this!” Ok . . . so today found me digging through recipes on line for desserts and then running to the grocery store to buy ingredients to make said things. Took 6 recipes with me, came up with 2 that will work: Layered Lemon Pie and Strawberries ‘n Cream Salad (recipes to follow below). Crazy – crazy;  husband is having oral surgery at 10:15 Monday but he assures me he WILL be feeling OK for the dinner . . . we’ll see. I pulled him out of making his annual/every holiday Garlic Mashed Potatoes and I’m making Cheesy Potatoes (also called Church potatoes/Funeral potatoes, etc.) – we like them but I never MAKE them so I figured that will be a bit of a ‘new’ thing for the dinner. Have no idea if son is doing any veggies (sometimes he grills fresh asparagus – we’ll see). One way or the other, we won’t go hungry!

Below is a mix up of recipes that might help you with YOUR Easter dinner.  (on the ones I took to grocery store I forgot to copy what SITE I got them from!)

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

Layered Lemon Pie

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sugar
1 (15 3/4 oz) can Lemon pie filling, divided
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust
–
Using elec. mixer, beat cream cheese &
sugar until smooth. Beat in half of pie
filling. Fold in Cool whip & spoon into
crust; spread rest of pie filling on top &
smooth out. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes
before serving
—————————-

Strawberries ‘n Cream Salad

16 oz. Strawberry Jell-o pkg.
2 (3 oz, ea) pkgs. cook & serve vanilla
pudding mix
4 C. hot water
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 1/2 C. fresh strawberries, diced
–
In large saucepan combine dry Jell-o,
pudding mix & hot water – bring to
boil, stirring frequently, until  mixture
turns clear. Pour into a serving dish
& refrigerate overnight.
Combine Cool Whip with pudding
mixture (use a potato masher – works
great for this). Add diced strawberries
immediately before serving – gently
stir to combine. Serves 10
——————————

Dreamsicle Salad
(4 hour or overnight)

16 oz. orange Jell-o mix
2 (3 oz, ea) pkgs. vanilla cook & serve
pudding mix
4 C. hot water
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
–
In large saucepan combine dry Jell-o,
vanilla pudding mix & water – bring to
a boil, stirring frequently until it turns
clear. Pour into large bowl & refrigerate
4 hours or overnight.
Combine Cool Whip & pudding mixture
(use a potato masher – works great for
this). Add mandarin oranges & stir
gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serves 8
——————————-

Fluffy Green Grape Salad

2 (8 oz, ea) cans crushed pineapple,
undrained
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant pistachio
pudding mix
1 (12 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 C. halved green grapes
–
In large bowl combine pineapple &
dry pudding mix – mix well. Cover
& refrigerate 10 minutes. Fold in
Cool Whip & grapes. Refrigerate
until ready to serve. Serves 12
———————–

Lemon Poke Cake

1 box lemon cake mix*
1 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 C. whipping cream
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
–
Prepare cake mix in 9 X 13″ pan &
bake accordg. to pkg. directions.
=
In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk
sugar & eggs until combined. Whisk
in lemon juice & melted butter then
microwave on High 1 minute,
stirring. For 2 minutes, (at 30-second
intervals)until it begins to boil. It
should thicken slightly.
=
When cake is baked, immediately
poke holes all over top of cake (can
use the handle of a wooden spoon)
then pour the warm lemon curd
over cake, letting it soak into holes.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Pour whipping cream into a bowl;
using elec. mixer, beat until stiff
peaks. Add sugar & beat well. Fold
in lemon zest & spread over cake top.
Serves 15

*can use yellow cake but it won’t

have a strong lemon flavor
—————————-

Cowboy Breakfast Skillet

1 lb. breakfast sausage
3 medium red potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 eggs
(optional garnishes: Sriracha,
chopped Italian parsley)
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In oven-safe skillet (preferably cast
iron) add sausage – cook until well
browned & crumbly. Once cooked,
remove using a slotted spoon &
place in a bowl. Add diced potatoes,
salt/pepper, garlic powder to sausage
grease & cook until crispy & tender,
8-10 minutes. Once tender, return
sausage to pan & stir, heating through.
Create 4 small ‘wells’ in the pan for each egg
then carefully crack one egg into each well.
Place skillet in oven & bake until eggs are
no longer runny & whites have set, 4-6
minutes. Garnish with optional garnishes.
Serves 4

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

Crockpot Creamy Ranch & Garlic Potatoes

2 lb. red potatoes, sliced
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of potato soup
1 (1.5 oz) pkt. ranch dressing mix, dry
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pinch black pepper
–
Spray bottom of a 4 to 6 qt crockpot
with nonstick cooking spray. In small
bowl beat cream cheese, soup, ranch
dressing mix, garlic & pepper until
well combined – stir in sliced potatoes &
pour into prepared crockpot. Cover &
cook on Low 6-8 hours or until potatoes
are fork-tender & done.
Serves 6

NOTE: For some variation add some cooked/
crumbled bacon

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)
====================

Well, that’s what’s going on here at
the moment – tonight is Good Friday
service (choir singing in service) then
choir practice for Sunday afterwards.
I will be leaving my home at around
5:45 p.m. & won’t be home until around
9:30 – glad I made lasagna for dinner
last night – it will cover us for a few days!

Hope your Easter preparations are going
well. With us having the dinner on Monday,
I have the advantage of doing any extra
grocery shopping AFTER husband’s surgery
and before dinner! (still need to get fresh
strawberries & croissants).

Hugs;

Pammie

 

The “Best Laid Plans . . . “

 (the YIPPEE above doesn’t exactly ‘fit’, but the

topsy-turvy part does!

Sometimes we plan things and then something comes up to change them – that was me . . . today. Went to my library knit group and had planned on making about 3 stops to various stores before coming home. Just got on the road after knitting when my husband called to ask me to come home. He has a tooth that’s been bothering him and, apparently, it got worse. He made an emergency appointment for our dentist and that’s what we did. He’s scheduled to have oral surgery this Monday (same day as our family Easter dinner). All things considered – it’s not a big deal – we can ‘adjust’ through it all. He’s resting and started antibiotics to get him through until Monday – I feel bad for him because this came up rather suddenly but I’m very grateful we have the dental coverage for him to get it fixed. I got a call that I’m also babysitting tomorrow (unplanned) so will present the situation to my son at that time. To quote the old saying: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”; (not the Scottish version, but you get the idea). We’re flexible – we’ll survive. (Actually I haven’t really felt ‘into’ the Easter preparations mood, so we’ll see where this goes. Still have to do grocery shopping – that will come tomorrow before babysitting!)

===========

Carrot Cake Bars

Cake:

Step one:
1 1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
(or oil)
2 C. sugar
3 eggs

Step two:
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Step three:
2 C. grated carrots
1 C. shredded sweetened coconut
1 C. chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. crushed pineapple in
juice, not syrup (not drained)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 C. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar
==
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray with nonstick
cooking spray  (or line with parchment
paper) a 10 X 15″ jelly roll pan.
–
In large bowl combine Step one
ingredients. Add Step 2 ingredients
& stir in Step 3 ingredients.
Pour batter into prepared pan &
bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into cake comes out clean.
Cool completely.
–
Frosting:
In large bowl using elec. mixer,
beat butter & cream cheese until
fluffy. Add vanilla & powdered
sugar ( a little at a time) – beat
until smooth. Spread on top of
cooled bars. Makes 36 bars

NOTE: store any leftovers in
an airtight container, refrigerated,
up to 3 days

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
————————–

Ranch Avocado Egg Salad

2 ripe avocados
1 T. fresh lemon juice
6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/2 tsp. ranch seasoning
1/4 C. mayonnaise or plain
Greek yogurt
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Dice avocados & place in medium
bowl; squeeze lemon juice on them
& gently stir (keeps them from
turning brown). Add chopped eggs,
diced shallot, ranch seasoning &
mayo – stir well. Taste for seasoning
& add salt/pepper to taste.
Serves 6

NOTE: for added crunch you can
add a few slices of cooked/crumbled
bacon.

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

Creamy Pea Salad

2 lb. frozen green peas,
thawed
1/2 C. plain greek yogurt
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. diced red onion
8 strips bacon, cooked/crumbled
1 C. cubed Colby-Jack cheese
–
In large bowl combine all ingredients
& stir to combine, making sure to
coat all ingredients well. Serves 10

NOTE: Store any leftovers in fridge
for up to 3 days

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
———————-

Cheesy Bacon/Egg Crescent Ring

4 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
4 eggs
1/3 C. milk
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (8 oz., ea) tube crescent rolls
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In bowl combine eggs, milk, pepper &
salt – whisk until combined. Pour eggs
into a skillet & scramble over medium
heat. Unroll crescent dough & separate
into triangles. Arrange triangles on a
14 inch ungreased pizza pan with points
towards outside of pan & wide ends
overlapping at center, leaving a 4-inch
wide opening in the center. Press
overlapping dough to seal. Spoon eggs
over wide ends of rolls & sprinkle cheese
over eggs – top with crumbled bacon.
Fold pointed ends of triangles over filling,
tucking points under to form a ring (filling
will be visible). Bake 12-15 minutes until
crescents are golden brown.
Serves 8

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

Reuben Brunch Bake
(overnight recipe)

8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (14.5 oz) can sauerkraut, rinsed/
well drained
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 C. chopped green onions
1/2 C. whole milk
1 (2 oz) pkg. thinly sliced deli
corned beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 slices rye bread, toasted &
coarsely chopped
1/4 C. butter, melted
–
Spray a 11 X 7″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine first 9 ingredients &
pour into prepared dish. Refrigerate,
covered, overnight.
=
Remove casserole from fridge 30
minutes before baking.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Toss rye bread crumbs & butter &
sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake,
uncovered, 40-45 minutes until a
knife inserted into center comes
out clean. Let stand 10 minutes
before serving. Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————–

Crockpot Mac & Cheese

1 lb. cavatappi pasta (or other
corkscrew shaped pasta)
1/4 C. butter, cut into cubes
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 C. Half & Half
4 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. block of American (Velveeta)
cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
Optional garnish: 2 tsp. chopped
parsley
=
Cook pasta in boiling water 2 minutes
less than pkg. directions call for- drain.
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick cooking
spray. Place cooked pasta in crockpot & add
butter – stir until noodles are coated with butter.
Add evap. milk, Half & Half, Cheddar & Velveeta
cheeses, salt/pepper, onion powder & paprika –
stir until combined. Cover & cook on Low
1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
At end of cooking time stir until a smooth
sauce coats the noodles. Serve topped with
parsley, if desired. Serves 8

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

Grape Salad

4 C. seedless grapes, halved
1 T. brown sugar
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. maple or vanilla extract
1 C. Cool Whip, thawed
1 C. chopped pecans
–
Combine cream cheese, brown sugar &
extract in a bowl until smooth & creamy.
Fold in Cool Whip & gently fold in grapes
& nuts – stir to combine. Refrigerate 1
hour (or serve room temp.) Serves 8

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

Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake

1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme
chocolate cake mix
2 (20 oz, ea) cans cherry pie filling
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 C.) melted
1 1/2 C. chocolate chips
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Dump
both cans of pie filling into dish &
level with a spoon. Dump dry cake
mix on top of pie filling & smooth
out. Drizzle melted butter over top
of cake & top with chocolate chips.
Bake 1 hour. Serves 9
–
Serve with vanilla ice cream or your
favorite whipping cream.

(recipe: centslessdeals.com)
=================

So that’s what’s going on around here lately;
while at the dentist I was able to finally finish
the multi-colored baby blanket – YAY! Not
sure what I’ll knit next – might start a crocheted
granny square baby blanket – we’ll see.

Hope things are going well for you;

Hugs;

Pammie

Thoughts on a Tuesday

Easter is fast approaching – are you ready with all your recipes? I’m certainly NOT! I know we’re having Easter dinner on MONDAY (2 family members will finally be able to join us the day AFTER Easter, so that’s what we’re doing). I know that in the next few days I’ll have to ‘get my act in gear’ and figure out what ‘sides’ we’re bringing – I’m one for trying new things/recipes/ideas – my husband . . . not so much. He’s not fond of my ‘changing’ things – would rather stick with the traditional (almost EVERY holiday) dinner sides: garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, etc . . . I, on the other hand, would LOVE to make the cheesy (or sometimes called Funeral) potatoes – LOVE them but never make them for a regular dinner meal. We’ll see . . .

Spent most of yesterday babysitting my (just turned 2) grandson. He loves watching kid/baby TV programs and was all worked up because children on a show couldn’t find the Rainbow EGG – came running up to me all upset: “GUMMA! GUMMA! RAINBOW EGG!” (me: It will be OK…) later ran up, jumping up & down with joy: “GUMMA! GUMMA! Rainbow EGG!” Ah, yes – he’s quite the boy – keeps me amused! (I love how, as he grows, I’ve gone from being called: “Mumna” to now Gumma – love it.

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

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Dough:
1 1/2 C. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 T. dry active yeast
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 – 4 C. flour
2 T. melted butter

Filling:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese,
softened
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
dash salt
1 C. raspberry/mixed berry or
strawberry jam

Glaze:
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 T. milk
1 T. butter
–
DOUGH:
In bottom of stand mixer or
large bowl mix water, sugar &
yeast – let stand 5 minutes until
bubbly. Add salt & flour (one cup
at a time) until dough scrapes the
edges of the bowl clean. When all
flour is added, mix on High 5 minutes.
Pour 2 T. butter into bottom of a large
jelly roll pan or cookie sheet w sides;
spread around to cover pan. Place
dough on buttered pan & let rest
5 minutes. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
Press dough out to corners of pan.
–
FILLING:
In small mixing bowl mix cream cheese,
sugar, vanilla, egg & salt – mix on High
2 minutes until all ingredients are smoothly
incorporated. Spoon cream cheese filling
onto dough & spread to cover dough, using
a knife.
Warm up jam in microwave about 30 seconds
(makes it easier to spread) spoon onto cream
cheese filling in little globs. Run a knife or spoon
through cream cheese filling to make a marble
effect.
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
=
Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 12 large
(5 inches or so) squares. Cut each square in
half diagonally to make 24 triangles. Let dough
rest & rise about 10 minutes (it doesn’t need
to rise much – only to be even with rim of pan.
Watch carefully) Before you bake, run pizza
cutter through cutting lines – it will be sticky –
clean off pizza wheel several times as you go.

Bake when it reaches rim.
Bake about 20 minutes until top & bottom both
get golden brown. When done remove from
oven & let cool 10 minutes.

GLAZE:
In small bowl whisk glaze ingredients until
smooth. Place in a ziplock bag & cut off
a very small bottom corner to use as a
piping bag. After danish is mostly cool
separate danishes from each other &
remove from pan. Pipe glaze onto each
danish & serve. Makes 24

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
——————————-
Strawberry/Cream Cheese-stuffed
French Toast
(overnight recipe)

1 loaf French bread
1/2 C. melted butter
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. corn syrup
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. strawberry jam
8 eggs
1 C. milk
cinnamon
–
Fresh strawberries (or
you can use frozen/defrosted)
powdered sugar
=
Slice bread into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl
mix butter, brown sugar & corn syrup-
pour mixture into prepared pan & smooth
it out so it covers bottom entirely. Place
bread slices on top*.
In a separate bowl combine cream cheese,
egg, sugar & strawberry jam – beat using
elec. mixer until smooth – pour over top
of bread slices. Layer more bread on top
of cream cheese layer. In another bowl
combine 8 eggs, 1 C. milk – whisk until
well combined & pour on top of bread
slices; sprinkle tops of bread with
cinnamon. Cover with foil & refrigerate
overnight.
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake pan, covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours **
removing foil last 15 minutes of cooking.
Serve with fresh strawberries & top
each serving with powdered sugar, if desired.

*Poster said she had to cut some of the
bread slices in half to fit – they can be
a bit crowded, just not overlapping

**Baking time depends on how quickly
your oven cooks & how cold your refrigerator
keeps food. It needs to soak up all the egg &
milk ‘juice’ and have time to caramelize on
bottom.

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

Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes

*1 (10 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 C. shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
salt/pepper, to taste
1 (32-40 oz) pkg. frozen hash brown
potatoes
–
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
cooking spray. Combine soup, sour cream,
cheese, marjoram, salt/pepper in medium
bowl & mix well using wire whisk until
well blended. Pour half of frozen potatoes
into crockpot & smooth top. Do not pack
the potatoes down since you want the
sour cream mixture to permeate the
potatoes. ** Top with half of sour cream
mixture then rest of potatoes, then
remaining sour cream mixture, spreading
evenly. Cover & cook on High 3 1/2 – 4 1/2
hours. If you have a newer, hotter crockpot
check at 3 hours to see if potatoes are
tender. NOTE: You can cook this recipe
on Low 7-9 hours until potatoes are tender
& bubbling. Serve immediately.
Serves 12

*You can use other soups like cream of
potato or alfredo sauce

**You can also add meatballs (frozen/fully
cooked – thawed first in microwave) or cooked
meat at this stage like cubed chicken, turkey
or ham.

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

Italian Vegetable Soup

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, sliced
1 1/2 C. water
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans/
chick peas – drained/rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes,
undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth
2 medium zucchini, cut into
1/4″ slices
1/2 tsp. dried basil
–
grated Parmesan cheese – garnish
=
In large saucepan, cook sausage &
onion over medium heat until meat
is no longer pink – drain. Stir in water,
beans, tomatoes, broth, zucchini & basil.
Bring to boil, reduce heat & simmer until
zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with cheese. Serves 8 (2 qts)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Baked Ham/Brown Sugar Glaze

5 lb. spiral-cut smoked ham
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. unsalted butter
1 C. dark brown sugar
1/4 C. maple syrup
2 T. hot English mustard
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oranges – juice & zest
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place ham in large roasting tin &
place in oven. Follow ham package
directions for cooking time (usually
20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes
at the end).

Glaze:

In a medium saucepan melt butter, sugar
& maple syrup. Once butter & sugars are
dissolved, add mustard, cinnamon, cloves
& garlic – bring to a simmer & add orange
juice & zest – whisk to combine & let
simmer 1 minutes.

During last 30 minutes of ham baking time:
baste the ham every 10 minutes, adding
any of the pan juices to glaze pan. Once
ham is cooked, place on a serving platter
& drizzle with extra glaze. Serves 18

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
————————————
Baked Nectarine Chicken Salad

1 1/3 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
4 C. cooked, cubed chicken
8 ribs celery, thinly sliced
4 medium nectarines, (peeled),
coarsely chopped
8 green onions, sliced
2 (3 oz, ea) cans crispy chow mein
noodles
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ dish with nonstick
cooking spray.
In small bowl mix first 5 ingredients.
In large bowl combine chicken, celery,
nectarines & onions – add mayo mixture
to chicken mixture – toss gently to coat
& pour into prepared dish, spreading
evenly. Sprinkle top with noodles & bake,
uncovered, 20-25 minutes until heated through.
Serves 8

NOTE: Can be made 1 day ahead; Prepare,
cover & refrigerate. Remove from fridge
30 minutes before baking. Sprinkle top
with noodles & bake as directed.

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

Cinnabon Cake w/Cream Cheese
Frosting

Cake:
3 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 C. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. butter, melted
–
Topping:
1 C. butter, melted
1 C. brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 T. cinnamon
–
Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C. softened butter
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
few tsp. milk
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ glass baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray. Using
elec. mixer, in large bowl, add flour,
salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs
& vanilla – combine well then slowly
stir in melted butter – pour into pan.
–
Topping:
In bowl mix butter, brown sugar,
flour & cinnamon until well combined –
drizzle evenly over batter & use a knife
tip to swirl topping through cake. Bake
35-40 minutes. Cake is done when a
toothpick inserted into center comes
out nearly clean. Allow cake to cool
completely before frosting.

Frosting:
Beat first 3 frosting ingredients in a
bowl until creamy. Add a drop of milk at
a time until still thick, yet spreadable;
spread evenly over cake. Cut into squares
& serve.

(recipe: hugsandcookiesxoxo.com)

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

Hope your dinner plans for Easter are
coming along well.

Looked out our window today and saw
a big, fat robin and a tiny chipmunk zipping
across the yard – love to see signs of Spring!

Hugs;

Pammi

 

Addendum

Today while browsing Facebook I ran across a post
from the site that I knit baby booties for. There was
a small article from a family with several photos
of the little girl before she died (I’m guessing she
might have been 3 months). Along with those
photos were others with a photo of the box
the family received with her burial clothes.
The very next photo brought me to tears –
it was a photo of baby booties and a tiny
pearl bracelet – I knit those booties. In each
package they are given many items – a tiny
pearl bracelet for the baby and one for the
Mother, a gown and other things. I wrote to
the friend who got me (and my knit groups)
started on this project:

“Just saw the latest post on Angels Above and it really hit home –
there’s photos of a baby girl that recently passed along with
a photo of the box they send THEN there’s a photo of a bracelet & booties – those are the booties I KNIT! (I know because I used a lace-weight yarn to tie them together, which is different than the yarn I used to knit them with). It’s one thing to knit booties and not exactly ‘think’ about what they will be used for but it’s another thing, totally, to see where they will be used.
I don’t know the family or the baby, but I’m crying – partly for
their loss and partly that I was able to help in a very small way.”

Each box for a family is different – (not all get 2 bears) each box is lovingly packed for the grieving family and, in a small way, blesses them.

Hugs;

Pammie

Friday

Ah, yes – Michigan in the Spring; it’s been another rollercoaster ride with our weather. It ‘was’ kinda warm a few days ago and then there was yesterday – waking up to a covering of snow – lovely . . . not. It eventually melted & today we have gloomy & rainy 53 degrees. Looking at our upcoming weather it’s ‘maybe’ going up to 63 today (I doubt it) then Sun/Mon. it’s rain and SNOW again. . . lovely. Oh well – EVENTUALLY we’ll have Spring!

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

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake:
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. sour cream
1 1/2 C. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 C. sliced almonds

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 T. milk
dash salt
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line two 8″ round cake pans with
parchment paper & spray with
nonstick cooking spray, generously.
In stand mixer or large bowl add
softened butter & brown sugar:
cream together until light & fluffy,
about 2 minutes. Add egg & beat
1 minute, scraping sides of bowl &
adding almond extract – mix until
just combined. In another bowl
mix flour, baking soda, baking
powder & salt. Pour half of dry
ingredients into creamed mixture &
mix just until combined. Add half of
sour cream & mix just until combined-
repeat with remaining dry ingred. &
sour cream – make sure to not over
mix. Gently fold in blueberries.
Spread batter into pans evenly &
sprinkle tops with almonds. Bake
20 minutes until a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean. Allow
pans to rest on counter 5 minutes then
invert onto a wire rack.
–
Whisk glaze ingredients together in
small bowl & drizzle over tops of warm
cakes. Serves 12

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

Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

14 eggs
2 T. milk
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
salt/black pepper
12 small croissant rolls, sliced in half
1 (6 oz) pkg. sharp Cheddar cheese slices
1 (9 oz) pkg. deli ham
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl crack eggs; add  milk,
seasoned salt & some salt/pepper –
whisk vigorously with a fork (you want
it kind of frothy). Pour eggs into prepared
pan & bake 15 minutes until eggs puff up
& are cooked through. Cool 5 minutes then
cut into 12 rectangles (same size as
croissants). Place one egg slice on each bottom
half & top with some ham & cheese.
=
Spray another 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray & arrange croissant
sandwiches in pan. Cover pan tightly with foil
& refrigerate until ready to serve.
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place covered pan in oven & bake 15 minutes
until sandwiches have heated through & cheese
is melted. Makes 12 sandwiches

NOTE: Poster split each cheese slice in half,
placing one half under ham & one over so
the cheese melted & secure the ham in place.
She said it helps speed up the process if you
cut the croissants, add all the egg, then all
the ham & cheese – instead of doing each one
individually.

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

15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb)
salt/pepper
1/4 C. flour
6 T. butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 C. honey
–
Filet each chicken breast into 2 equal halves –
sprinkle with salt/pepper. Pour flour into a
shallow dish (or pie plate) & dredge each
piece in flour, making sure both sides are
covered. Heat a large deep skillet over medium
high heat. Add 4 T. butter & melt. Place chicken
in skillet & brown on both sides (about 3
minutes per side). Move chicken to sides of pan &
add 2 T. butter in center – melt. Place garlic in
center of pan & stir to combine – cook 1-2 minutes.
Add apple cider vinegar, soy sauce & honey to
center of pan. Shake pan a bit, allowing sauce &
garlic to spread & combine. Cook until sauce
thickens & chicken is no longer pink in middle,
2-3 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 6

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

Strawberry Spinach Salad

5 oz. pkg. Spring Mix salad
1 pint strawberries, washed/
hulled, sliced
1 C. walnut halves
3 oz. creamy Gorgonzola cheese*
1/2 C. mint – chopped tiny

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

3/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
–
Place spring mix in large bowl &
top with strawberries & nuts. Sprinkle
Gorg. cheese & chopped mint on top

Dressing:
Combine all dressing ingredients in large
jar with lid; cover & shake vigorously
until dressing has emulsified (it should
look uniform in appearance). Serve
salad with dressing on the side or
drizzle over top of salad just before
serving.  Serves 4

*Look for Gorgonzola that doesn’t
crumble – you want the really creamy
kind

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

Crockpot Creamy Chicken/Fajita
Bowls

2 lb. boneless chicken
1 red bell pepper, seeded/sliced
1 green bell pepper seeded/sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded/sliced
1/2 to 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 (14-16 oz) can crushed tomatoes,
undrained
1 medium onion, sliced
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 packets dry Fajita seasoning
–
Optional: shredded Cheddar Cheese
slices lemon or lime
Cooked rice or mashed potatoes to serve
6
=
Add chicken, peppers & onions to
crockpot. In a bowl combine tomatoes
& fajita seasonings – pour over ingredients
in crockpot. Top with cream cheese cubes.
Cover & cook on Low around 6 hours,
stirring at about 5 hours. Serve over cooked
rice or mashed potatoes & sprinkle some
cheese on top. Squeeze some lemon or lime
on top.

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

Garlicy Shrimp Stir Fry

2 T. olive oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled/deveined
kosher salt/black pepper
1 T. sesame oil
1 small head broccoli, cut into
small florets
8 oz. sugar snap peas
1 red bell pepper, seeded/sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. minced fresh ginger
1/2 C. soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
juice of 1 lime
2 T. brown sugar
pinch of red pepper flakes
–
In large skillet over medium heat,
heat oil. Add shrimp & season with
salt/pepper. Cook until pink, 5 minutes,
then remove from skillet. Return
skillet to heat & heat sesame oil. Add
broccoli, peas & bell pepper – cook
until soft, 7 minutes. Add garlic &
ginger; cook 1 minute more. In small
bowl, whisk soy sauce, cornstarch, lime
juice, brown sugar & pinch red pepper
flakes; add to skillet & toss to coat. Add
shrimp & cook until heated through,
2 minutes. Serves 5

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————

Classic Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs
2 1/2 T. mayonnaise
1 1/2 T. sweet pickle relish
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/8 tsp. salt
dash black pepper
optional garnish: paprika
–
Place eggs in bottom of a saucepan &
add enough cold water to cover eggs.
Bring to a boil; cover & remove from heat.
Let stand 15 minutes. After 15 minutes
drain water then fill sauce pan with cold
water & ice – allow to stand 5 minutes.
Tap each egg firmly on counter until
cracks form all over shell – peel eggs
under cold running water. Slice eggs
in half lengthwise & carefully remove
yolks. Place yolks in a bowl & mash
using a fork. Add mayonnaise, relish,
mustard, salt/pepper & stir well.
Spoon mixture into egg white halves.
Sprinkle tops with a bit of paprika.
Makes 12

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

Fluffy Orange Jell-o Salad

1 C. hot water
2 (3 oz) pkgs. orange Jell-o
1 C. crushed ice
8 C. miniature marshmallows
2 (15 oz, ea) cans mandarin oranges,
drained
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (12 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
In a glass 2 cup measuring cup- pour in 1 C.
water & microwave 2-3 minutes until
boiling. Add both pkgs. orange Jell-o to
hot water & stir until completely dissolved.
Add 1 C. crushed ice & stir until all ice
has melted. Refrigerate 20-30  minutes
until it’s the consistency of thick pudding.
–
To a large bowl add marshmallows. Add
mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple to
bowl then sprinkle dry vanilla pudding mix
in bowl. Add Cool Whip & stir all in bowl
until combined. Remove orange Jell-o
from fridge & add to bowl – stir to combine.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour – or up to 12
hours. Serves 12

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
===================

This week it’s babysitting Thurs & Friday
but only for about 4 hours each, so that’s
not too bad. My 2 yr old grandson amazes
me in his mental growth – yesterday he ran
up to me & ‘threw’ at me a continuous
sentence consisting of “Green/Yellow/
Green/Yellow/Green/Yellow” in rapid
order then said “Bye! waved at me & ran
away . . . strange child! He keeps me laughing
for sure!  While babysitting I do manage to
get in a good amount of knitting. I have 5
more pairs of baby booties and we’ll be
able to donate another 50 pairs, making
our total donations 200 pairs since we
started about 2 1/2 months ago. Still
working on the 2 baby blankets – one
(a multi-colored) is almost finished; the
other (all yellow) still is only about 1/4th
finished. I now have 5 baby blankets done-
most of those will probably go to Crisis
Pregnancy Center Mobile Unit – I donate
blankets to them twice a year. The lady
that runs the mobile unit meets me in
the parking lot of a church that’s about
half-way between the two of us. As I’ve
mentioned before, they give baby blankets
to women who agree to not abort their
babies.

Not much else new around here – trying
to get together an Easter ‘sides’ menu –
haven’t really thought about it much
although it’s coming up pretty soon – how
are you doing with your Easter dinner plans?
I will attempt to post more Easter recipes
for you soon.

Hope you have a nice, relaxing day today!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS:
Gas Prices
Don’t know about your area, but
our gas prices keep jumping. They
were something like $2.69/9 and
now we’re up to $2.79/9 –
really hope they go down soon
for the holidays for all the people
who will be driving to relatives &
family.

Happy Sunday!

Not much new around here – our temperature today is 64 degrees F! (It’s overcast & gray, but HEY – I’m just glad we’re finally getting warmer weather!)

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

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake:
3 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. butter, melted

Cinnamon Filling:
1 C. butter, softened
1 C. brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 T. cinnamon

Glaze:
2 C. powdered sugar
5 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.

Cake:
In large bowl add flour, salt,
sugar, baking powder, eggs, vanilla
& milk – mix well. Slowly add melted
butter-mix just until combined. Spread
batter evenly in prepared pan.

Filling:

In a small bowl, using a wooden spoon,

combine softened butter, brown sugar,

flour & cinnamon. Drop filling by spoonfuls

onto cake batter. Using a butter knife, drag

filling through filling & batter layers, making

a marble effect. Bake 35-40 minutes until a

knit inserted into center comes out clean.

Glaze:

In small bowl whisk powdered sugar, milk &

vanilla – pour glaze over warm cake & serve

warm or at room temperature. Serves 12

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)

---

Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaves

3 large potatoes, peeled/cut into
1/2″ pieces
3 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. garlic salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. tomato juice
3/4 C. quick-cooking oats
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 C. ketchup
3 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed/
halved
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray a large sheet pan or large,
shallow roasting pan with nonstick
cooking spray.
In large bowl combine eggs, tomato
juice, oats, onion & salt. Add beef;
mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into
six 4″ X 2″ X 1/2″ loaves – place on
prepared pan. Combine ketchup, brown
sugar, mustard & nutmeg – brush over
loaves. Combine potatoes with 2 T. oil,
1/4 tsp. garlic salt & 1/8 tsp. pepper –
toss to coat – add to pan in a single layer.
Bake 25 minutes
–
Combine asparagus with remaining 1 T. oil,
1/4 tsp. garlic salt & 1/8 tsp. pepper – toss
to coat then add to pan. Bake about 15-20
minutes longer until a thermometer inserted
into meat loaves reads 160 degrees F. and
vegetables are tender. Let stand 5-10
minutes before cutting loaves & serving.
Serves 6

NOTE: if you are going to be busy – prepare
loaves ahead of time & refrigerate until
ready to bake.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————-

Delmonico Potatoes

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes,
skin on – diced large
4 T. unsalted butter
1/4 C. diced red bell pepper
1/4 C. diced green bell pepper
2 T. finely chopped leeks
1 small onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely diced
(or put through a garlic press)
4 T. flour
3 C. Half & Half
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
pinch black pepper
1 c. diced white American cheese,
divided
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Butter (or spray) a 2 quart baking dish
or gratin pan. Cook potatoes in water
until almost done (there should be a
slight firmness in center) – drain.
In large, deep skillet melt butter over
medium heat. Add peppers, onion &
garlic – cook 5 minutes until onion is
translucent. Add flour & stir until there
are no lumps. Cook 1 minute. Gradually
add Half & Half, whisking until no lumps.
Stir in cream, 2 T. Parm. cheese & about
three-fourths of diced Amer. cheese. Stir
until cheese is melted. Add salt, pepper &
nutmeg – stir, reduce heat to Low & simmer
5 minutes. Add potatoes & leeks – stir to
coat. Turn potato mixture into prepared
pan. Top with reserved Amer. cheese &
remaining Parm. cheese. Bake 20-25
minutes until top is nicely browned &
sauce is bubbling. Serves 4-6

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

Honey-glazed Crockpot Ham

2 T. unsalted butter, melted
3 T. hoeny
6 lb. bone-in spiral cut ham
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. paprika
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray & place
ham in bottom. In small bowl
stir butter & honey – pour over
ham. Cover crockpot & cook on
Low 4 hours. Remove ham & place
in a baking dish. In medium bowl
combine sugar, onion powder, cinnamon,
nutmeg, garlic powder, cloves, ginger &
paprika until well mixed – sprinkle half
over ham. Place ham in oven & BROIL
on high until caramelized (check to make
sure it doesn’t burn while glaze cooks).
Place other half of sugar mixture in a small
saucepan with 3 T. water – simmer over
medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove
ham from oven & pour glaze over ham.
Broil 1-2 minutes more, watching for
burning. Remove from oven & serve
warm or at room temperature.
Serves 12

NOTES: Cooking times will work for a
6-11 lb. ham. If ham is too big for
your crockpot you can cover with FOIL
& place lid on top of foil to seal in the
heat.

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
———————————–
(ANOTHER HONEY BAKED HAM)
Crockpot Honey Baked Ham

7-10 lb. spiral ham
2 T. brown Dijon mustard (can use spicy)
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 C. water
2 T. cornstarch
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray & place
ham in bottom. In a saucepan
combine mustard, sugar, honey,
nutmeg & cinnamon on medium
heat. Cook 2-5 minutes until
ingredients melt & combine – whisk
thoroughly & remove from heat. Pour
water in bottom of crockpot then
pour honey/brown sugar mixture
over ham. Cover* & cook on Low
6-8 hours. Baste ham with juices from
bottom of crockpot once every hour.
=
Once ham is done, remove from crockpot.
Pour juices into a medium saucepan. Mix
2 T. cornstarch with 1 T. water & pour into
saucepan. Cook on medium heat until it
starts to thicken. Use that as a glaze over
ham or even as gravy for potatoes.
Serves 14

NOTES: *If lid doesn’t fit over the ham, you
can make a foil tent – make sure to seal
well.

OVEN BAKING:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place ham in large dish/pot & follow
directions for pouring glaze/juices
on (same as above). Tent ham with foil
& bake 15-20 minutes per pound. Baste
ham once every 30 minutes.

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

Ham & Cheese Quiche

1 (9 inch deep dish) pastry crust*
4 eggs
2 C. Half & Half
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1 C. Cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 C. chopped green onion
3/4 C. diced (cooked) ham
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In large bowl crack eggs &
beat with a fork. Add Half & half,
salt, pepper & smoked paprika –
stir together well.

*If you are using a pre-made pie
crust – you should place crust &
tin inside a pie plate – that way, if
the filling comes over the edge a
bit, it won’t make a mess.

Place 1 C. shredded cheese in bottom of
unbaked crust; sprinkle green onions &
chopped ham on top. Pour egg/cream
mixture on top & carefully place in oven.
Bake 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees F. & cook
another 45 minutes. Let quiche stand
5 minutes before cutting. Serves 8

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

Green Goddess Bacon Salad

7 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled/sliced
7-12 slices bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
3 C. Rotisserie chicken, shredded (cooked)
6-8 C. fresh baby spinach
1 red pepper, chopped
(optional: 1 bunch green onions, sliced)
=

In large bowl mix all salad ingredients.

Green Goddess Salad dressing

2 C. mayonnaise
1 T. tarragon vinegar
2 tsp. fresh parsley, snipped
2 tsp. fresh chives, snipped
1 tsp. fresh tarragon, snipped
1 green onion, sliced
(optional: 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped)
Optional – milk
–

In blender or food processor mix all dressing
ingredients except milk; process until smooth.
If desired, thin with milk. Chill & keep refrigerated
until serving. Makes about 2 C. dressing
Salad serves 6

(recipe: goosberrypatch.typepad.com)
———————————

Dump & Bake Cheesy
Chicken & Rice

1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup*
1 C. uncooked long grain white rice
1 1/2 C. chicken broth*
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken
breasts (3-4)***
1 C. grated Cheddar cheese
salt/pepper, to taste
(optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley)
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 2 qt. baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Whisk cond. soup, uncooked
rice, broth & onion powder in sprayed
dish. Season chicken with salt/pepper on
both sides & place on top of rice mixture
in dish. Cover tightly with foil & bake,
covered, 1 hour until chicken reaches an
internal temp. of 165 degrees F. & rice is
tender. Stir rice, sprinkle cheese on top &
return to oven (uncovered) 3-5 minutes
more until cheese melts. Garnish with
parsley, if desired, just before serving.
Serves 6

*can substitute cream of mushroom or
cream of celery soup

**can substitute water

***Poster recommends very thick chicken
breasts because they will have a longer
cooking time & will be done at the same
time as the rice. (thin pieces of chicken cook
in about 30-40 minutes & will be dried out
by the time the rice is done at the 1-hour mark).

NOTES:  Poster often tops the baked
casserole with cooked, crumbled bacon &
sliced avocado (California Chicken casserole)

Also: you can stir in some frozen peas or
thawed mixed vegetables to rice at the same
time you add the cheese on top. Frozen peas
will heat through in the oven in just minutes
(no thawing necessary).

She does NOT recommend substituting instant
or brown rice because they cook at different
times & different liquid ratios.
(recipe: theseasonedmom.com)
==============

My ‘dear’ website/blogsite’ is acting up
again (making my cut & paste recipes
into extremely tiny words you can’t read)
so I’ll end this entry now.

Hope you have a great week and are able
to begin seeing & hearing signs of Spring!
Saw some crocus & robins in our yard and
heard a Red Wing Blackbird – it’s coming!
YAY!

Hugs;

Pammie