and now we have PHLOX!

Every year at this time our backyard fills with LOTS of blooming Phlox – white, pink, purple – probably planted by the people who lived hear many years ago (we’ve been here since 1979). I love to watch the various flowers come to life from Spring to Summer; I’m NOT a gardener/planter, etc. – actually, if it be known, I’m pretty much a flower/plant KILLER! I have four nice succulents in my house; I’ve learned that they are about the only thing I really haven’t killed. One is a clay bowl of Bird’s Nest Sansevieria:

Two are Christmas Cactus (cacti?) which are barely holding on – haven’t bloomed since I bought them and one is some sort of outdoor succulent I bought last year and have no idea it’s name – it seems to really like being in a sunny window as it continues to grow larger – that’s the extent of my gardening ‘skills’.

I wrote last that I was going to attempt a fancy knit baby bootie pattern; after working on the BEGINNING of it for a good hour I realized these were going to be REALLY BIG booties – so, like I’m prone to do – I ripped them out & ditched the pattern. I seem to do best with my old ‘tried & true’ patterns. Worked on the current baby blanket for awhile and thought maybe I’d like to start another one. Went through all my yarns and really couldn’t come up with a good color ‘mix’ – yep – back they went until I feel ‘inspired’ again. (I’m kinda flaky that way – hehehe).

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

Butterscotch Coffee Cake
(sometimes called Monkey Bread)

1 C. walnut pieces
2 (7.5 oz, ea) cans Pillsbury Country-style
biscuits
1/2 C. butter (or marg). melted
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. butterscotch chips
1/3 C. evaporated milk
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 inch round cake (or Bundt)
pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread
walnuts on bottom. Mix cinnamon &
sugar in a shallow plate.  Place melted butter
in a shallow pie plate and dip each biscuit in
melted butter then roll in cinn/sugar mixture
& place in baking pan. Lap biscuits over each
other in the pan. (If any butter or cinn. mixture
is left over, sprinkle our pour over top of last
biscuits in pan). Bake 25-30 minutes.
While biscuits are baking, melt butterscotch
chips & milk together in a saucepan over Low
heat, stirring constantly. When biscuits are
done baking, remove from oven & pour
butterscotch mixture over top & let stand
about 5 minutes. Remove from baking pan
to a plate & serve.

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

Crockpot Full Chicken Dinner

cooking oil
4 bone-in chicken thighs
1 1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 lb. fresh green beans, ends snipped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce (not paste)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
–
In large skillet over medium-high heat,
heat oil (enough to coat bottom of pan).
When oil is hot, brown chicken on both
sides (does not need to be cooked through
fully). Add potatoes & green beans to crockpot;
mix to combine. Add chicken on top of potatoes;
add garlic & drizzle tomato sauce over top.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme & rosemary –
using a spatula, smear around sauce to combine
seasonings with sauce. Cover & cook on High
4 1/2 hours. DO NOT open lid during cooking
time (or potatoes will not get tender).
Serves 4

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

Chicken & Asparagus Quiche

2 9-inch pie crusts
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed/cut
into 1 inch pieces
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
diced
3 eggs, beaten
1 C. Half & Half
1 tsp. dry mustard
salt/pepper, to taste
2 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese,
divided
–
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Place pie crusts into two 9″ pie plates
& bake 10-12 minutes until lightly
golden.

Turn oven heat to 375 degrees F.
In large skillet melt butter &
olive oil over medium heat. Saute
garlic, onion & asparagus 5-7 minutes
until asparagus is crisp-tender. Using
a slotted spoon, remove vegetables
from skillet, leaving as much butter
mixture as possible. Add chicken to
skillet, saute 7-8 minutes until
fully cooked. Remove skillet from
heat. In a bowl whisk remaining
ingredients (except cheeses). Sprinkle
1/2 C. cheese in each pie crust. Layer
half chicken in each crust, followed by
half veggies & half egg mixture. Top
with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered,
30-35 minutes. Makes 2 quiche, each
serving 4-6

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

Chili Cornbread Salad

1 (8 1/2 oz) pkg. cornbread/muffin  mix
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, undrained
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
pinch rubbed sage
1 C. mayonnaise
1 C. sour cream
1 envelope dry Ranch salad dressing mix
2 (15 oz, ea) cans pinto beans, drained/
rinsed
2 (15 1/4oz ea) cans whole kernel corn,
drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 C. chopped green pepper
1 C. chopped green onions
10 strips bacon, cooked/crumbled
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 8 inch square baking pan with
nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare cornbread batter accordg. to
pkg. directions. Stir in chilies, cumin,
oregano & sage – spread into prepared
pan & smooth evenly. Bake 20-25
minutes until a toothpick inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool
–
In small bowl combine mayo., sour cream &
dry dressing mix. In a 9 X 13″ baking dish
crumble half of cooled cornbread. Layer with
half of beans, mayo, corn, tomatoes, green
pepper, onions, bacon & cheese. Repeat
layers (dish will be very full). Cover & refrigerate
2 hours. Serves 15

NOTE: You can use prepared cornbread; just
stir chilies, cumin, oregano & sage into mayo
mixture.
– You can also add a diced jalapeno pepper (or
2) to the batter, if desired.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————–

(overnight) Bagel & Egg Casserole

5 (3 inch, ea) plain, split bagels
cut into 1-inch pieces
8 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
1 (8 oz) pkg (Kraft) Cheddar & Swiss
cheese, divided
8 eggs
2 1/2 C. milk
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. (Kraft) Philadelphia Chive & Onion
cream cheese
–
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray & spread bagel pieces on
bottom – top with bacon & 1 C. shredded
cheese. In a bowl whisk eggs, milk & pepper
until blended & pour over items in baking
dish. (If necessary, use the back of a spoon
to gently press tops of bagel pieces into egg
mixture so all pieces are evenly moistened).
Top with small spoonfuls of cream cheese;
sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top.
Cover with foil & refrigerate overnight.
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake (covered) casserole 50 minutes until a
knife inserted into center comes out clean.
NOTE: uncover casserole after 40 minutes of
baking time.  Serves 8

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

7-Layer Green Salad
(overnight recipe)

1 small head lettuce, chopped into
bite-sized pieces
1 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. green onions, chopped &
tossed with celery to make 1 layer
2 C. frozen green peas (do not cook)
6 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 lb. bacon, fried/crumbled
2 C. grated Cheddar cheese

Dressing:
2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. seasoning salt (poster
used Lawry’s)
–
In a medium bowl mix together
all dressing ingredients.
In a 9 X 13″ baking pan Layer:
Lettuce
Celery & green onion
Frozen peas
Hard boiled eggs
bacon
dressing
cheese
–
Make sure dressing is spread over the
salad so that it completely covers it
& seals the edges. Sprinkle grated cheese
on top & cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight. Serves 12

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

Weight Watchers Orange Fluff

1 (16 oz) tub small curd cottage cheese
1 (3 oz) box orange Jell-O
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 C. miniature marshmallows
1/2 C. chopped pecans (optional)
–
Combine cottage cheese with dry
Jell-O – stir until well mixed. Add
oranges & Cool Whip – stir to combine.
Stir in marshmallows & nuts (if using).
Refrigerate to get cool – 1-2 hours
(if you were to eat it right away it
would taste grainy from the Jell-O).
Serves 10

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)
——————————
Cool ‘n Easy Strawberry Pie

1 (6 oz) ready-to-use graham
cracker crumb pie crust
2 C. fresh strawberries, cleaned/
divided
2/3 C. boiling water
1 (3 oz) pkg. strawberry Jell-O
ice cubes
1/2 C. cold water
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
Slice 1 C. strawberries & refrigerate.
Chop remaining strawberries & set
aside. In a large bowl add boiling water
to Jell-O mix – stir 2 minutes until
completely dissolved. Add enough
ice cubes to cold water to measure
1 C. – add to gelatin; stir until slightly
thickened (remove any unmelted ice).
Whisk in Cool Whip & stir in chopped
strawberries. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes
until mixture is very thick & will mound.
Spoon into crust & refrigerate 6 hours
until firm. Top with sliced berries just
before serving. Serves 8

(recipe: myfoodandfamily.com)

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

Have a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie

a little this & that . . .

It’s a slow day – not complaining, just stating facts. It’s colder (62 degrees F. with light showers & cloudy out) so it’s a good ‘stay-at-home’ day. I hadn’t heard from my son about babysitting this week so finally I texted asking if they needed me – turns out they are (as they put it) slammed at work – would I be able to do Saturday at 1 p.m.? (I usually don’t do weekends) – I thought “IF they’re really slammed, that means they need me” so . . . OK. Have NO idea how long that ‘session’ will be (hoping it will be kinda short), but we’ll see . . .

An rather BIG event in our family – the baby’s parents (My oldest & his girlfriend) finally decided on a haircut – youngest grandson turned 2 in February and his hair was REALLY long & curly – very cute but . . .

                                                         Before

 After (with my other 12 yr old grandson – his brother – that’s a sucker stick in older’s mouth)

They grow up!

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

Flourless Toffee Peanut Butter Cookies

1 C. crunchy peanut butter
1 C. granulated sugar (plus more
for rolling)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. Heath toffee bits
(extra sugar for rolling dough)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a large cookie sheet with
parchment paper. In medium
bowl combine peanut butter,
sugar, egg & vanilla; fold in
toffee bits until combined.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop
out dough to form 1 inch balls.
Place some sugar in a small
bowl & roll balls in sugar until
all sides are coated – place on
prepared cookie sheet. Gently
press tines of a fork on top
of cookie & repeat with tines
facing the opposite direction to
make a criss-cross pattern (OR
just use the palm of your hand
to flatten cookies slightly).
Bake 8-10 minutes until cookies
are lightly golden brown.
Makes 24 cookies
Store cookies in an air-tight
container.

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
—————————

Italian Pasta Salad

1 (12 oz) box tri-color rotini pasta
3/4 lb. Italian salami, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 C. Italian salad dressing
1 (6 oz0 can sliced black olives
8 oz. small fresh mozzarella balls
3 (.7 oz, ea) pkgs. dry Italian-style
salad dressing mix (or to taste)
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
to al dente (about 8 minutes); drain &
rinse with cold water until cool. Combine
pasta, salami, bell peppers, onion, salad
dressing, olives & mozzarella in large bowl.
Mix dry salad dressing into pasta & sprinkle
with Parmesan cheese. Serves 12

(recipe: allrecipes.com)
——————————-

Cashew Chicken w/Snow  Peas &
Mushrooms

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts,
cut into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 C. cornstarch
1/2 + 2 T. oil, divided
2 C. snow peas
8 oz. button mushrooms
1/2 C. cashews
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 slice fresh ginger (about 1 inch
in diameter)

Marinade:
4 T. soy sauce
2 T. dry sherry (OR) dry white wine
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. dark sesame oil

Stir-fry sauce:

2 C. chicken stock
3 tsp. dry sherry or dry white wine
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 T. cornstarch
=
Cooked rice for 4-6
=
Mix marinade ingredients in small bowl;
add chicken & toss. Let stand at room
temp. 1 hour. Drain, then place on
paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat 1/2 C. oil over medium-high heat
in a deep skillet or wok. (Oil will shimmer
when correct temperature is reached).
Place 1/2 C. cornstarch in a plastic bag;
add chicken & toss to coat. Add chicken
to hot oil (do not crowd pan – you might
have to cook chicken in batches). Fry
2 minutes on each side; remove &
place on a plate on a paper towel. Discard
oil used for frying & wipe out pan. Add
remaining 2 T. oil to skillet/wok over
medium-high heat. Add garlic & ginger;
stirring constantly until garlic begins to
brown. Discard garlic & ginger. Place
mushrooms in hot skillet/wok – stir fry
until they begin to sear. Add chicken &
snow peas to pan -stir fry until snow peas
are bright green then add cashews. Stir
sauce again to dissolve cornstarch – add
to pan & stir constantly until sauce thickens.
Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Serves 4-6

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

Crockpot No Boil Mashed Potatoes

5 lb. small red or Yukon Gold
potatoes: peeled/quartered
(the smaller the better)*
3/4 C. chicken broth
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 C. sour cream
salt/pepper, to taste
——–
Poster used a 6 qt. crockpot, can
use 5-6 qt. size.
Place potatoes & chicken broth
in crockpot. Cover & cook on High
2-4 (or  Low 6-8 hrs). (they are
ready when they are fork-tender)
Uncover & add butter, cream
cheese, sour cream, minced garlic
salt/pepper. Mash ingredients together;
taste & adjust salt/pepper. (Can use
an elec. mixer IF your crockpot has
ceramic insides.

*If you’re leaving skins on, cut them a
little smaller

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

Sausage/Pepperoni Pizza/Pasta Casserole

1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 lb. dry pasta like: rotini, jumbo elbows,
rigatoni, penne
1 (24 oz) jar pasta (or marinara) sauce
(can also use pizza sauce, if desired)
1 T. butter
1 1/2 C. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 lb. minced andouille smoked
sausage, spicy or regular*
4 oz. sliced pepperoni
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Prepare
pasta accordg. to pkg. directions
for al dente – drain & toss with
1 C. pasta sauce. In skillet saute
onion in butter until softened; add
garlic & cook 1 minute. Add sausage;
cook until lightly browned; season
with Italian seasoning. Add half of
noodles to casserole dish; layer first
layer with half sauce, half onion/
sausage mixture & half of cheese.
Finish last layer with remaining pasta,
sauce, smoked sausage, cheese & top
with pepperoni. Bake, uncovered,
25-30 minutes until heated through.
Serves 4-6

*can substitute mild smoked sausage,
ground beef or turkey (if you use
turkey, add additional seasonings:
seasoning salt, poultry seasoning &
black pepper.

NOTE: You can also use your favorite
pizza toppings such as grilled chicken,
cooked bacon, sliced roma tomatoes,
chopped bell pepper, sliced jalapeno
peppers, mushrooms, sliced black
olives, extra onions/cheese.

(recipe: deepsouthdish.com)
————————–

Hummingbird Dump Cake

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple in
juice, undrained
2 bananas, divided
1 (2 – layer size) spice cake mix
2/3 C. pecan halves, chopped
1 C. milk
4 oz ( half of a 8 oz pkg) cream cheese,
softened
3 T. powdered sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Drain pineapple reserving juice.
Remove 2 t. juice (reserve for later).
Pour remaining juice into sprayed
pan – add drained pineapple & mix well.
Reserve 1/2 banana for later use. Chop
remaining bananas & place over pineapple
in dish – sprinkle top with dry cake mix
then nuts – drizzle all with milk. Bake
30-35 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool 10  minutes.
Using elec. mixer in medium bowl beat
cream cheese, sugar & reserved pineapple
juice until blended. Cut reserved banana
half into 12 slices. Cut cake into 12 pieces.
Serve cake pieces topped with cream cheese
mixture & banana slices, adding about 1 1/2 T.
cream cheese mixture & 1 banana slice to
each piece of cake. Serves 12

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)

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

I’ve learned that sometimes in life you have to
challenge yourself to try/do new things. Since I
have (almost) 2 days before babysitting on Saturday
I decided to ‘attempt’ knitting a kind of fancy pair
of baby booties. These WON’T be used for a charity
(if they come out nice) – will probably use them for
a baby shower gift. The pattern isn’t difficult, but it
IS a bit ‘fussy’, meaning I really have to pay attention
to each stitch/row/count – we’ll see how this goes.
(If they turn out OK I’ll post a photo).

Not much else new for now; we had a quiet
Memorial Day – I made crockpot BBQ spare ribs,
macaroni & cheese, baked beans & homemade
strawberry shortcake. The guys liked the meal;
middle son commented that the ribs were like
‘candy’ – YAY!

Have a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Memorial Day

 

Today is Memorial Day – a day where we remember all those who died in the service of our country.

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

Crockpot “Better than Sex” Cake
(needs a crockpot with removable
insert)

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 C. water
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk,
divided
3/4 C. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 T. vanilla
2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) container caramel ice
cream topping
1/2 C. toffee bits
13 oz. whipping cream (canned
or whip yourself)
–
In large bowl combine dry cake mix,
water, half of sweetn’d cond. milk,
oil, eggs & vanilla – mix well. Spray
insides of crockpot with nonstick
cooking spray & pour cake batter
into crockpot. Sprinkle choc. chips
on top of batter. Cover & cook on
High 2-3 hours until center of cake
is done & a toothpick inserted into
middle comes out clean. Using handle
of a wooden or plastic spoon, poke
holes all over surface of cake. In small
bowl combine remaining sweetn’d
cond’ milk & 3/4 of caramel ice cream
topping – pour evenly over cake,
allowing sauce to fill the holes.
Refrigerate until chilled. Cut cake
into 12 servings & top each slice
with whipped cream, reserved
caramel ice cream topping &
toffee bits. Serves 12

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

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

8 oz. rotini or bow tie pasta
1 (14 oz) can pineapple tidbits,
juice reserved
1 red pepper, diced
2 C. cooked/diced ham
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Dressing:
1/2 C. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 C. sour cream
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/3 C. pineapple juice
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
black pepper, to taste
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain & run under
cold water. In a bowl whisk
all salad dressing ingredients
together until smooth. Combine
all ingredients in large bowl &
gently toss with dressing.
Refrigerate 2 hours before
serving. Serves 8
Store any leftovers in fridge
up to 5 days.

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

Shrimp/Cucumber Rounds
(appetizers)

1/2 lb. cooked shrimp, peeled/
deveined & finely chopped
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 tsp. dill pickle relish
dash cayenne pepper
1 medium English cucumber,
cut into 1/4 inch slices
–
In small bowl combine first 6
ingredients – spoon onto cucumber
slices & serve immediately.
Makes 3 dozen

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————–

Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad
–
2 (11 oz) cans mandarin oranges with juice
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks with juice
1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced
2 bunches seedless grapes, halved

In large bowl, combine oranges with juice,
pineapple with juice, & vanilla pudding
until well mixed. Stir in strawberries &
grape halves. Chill 1 hour before serving.

(recipe: Sandy-Marys Recipe Exchange)
————————-

Cheesy Mac ‘n Cheese

1 1/2 C. uncooked elbow
macaroni= cook accordg. to
pkg. directions
2/3 C. evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
1/3 C. sour cream
4 T. butter or marg, softened
2 C. sharp Cheddar cheese,
shredded (see note below)
1 C. Velveeta cheese (8 oz) cut
into pieces (SEE NOTE BELOW)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a casserole dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Drain cooked macaroni; add butter
& cheeses & mix well. Beat egg,
milk, sour cream, pepper & salt
with a wire whisk – add to mac &
cheese. Place mixture into
prepared dish & cover with foil.
Bake 50-60 minutes. Makes
about 6 servings. (You might want
to remove foil & brown top under
the broiler) Recipe can be doubled.
(If you double – use a 9 X 13″ pan)

* If you don’t like Velveeta,
add 3 C. shredded Cheddar instead
of 2 C.

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

Crockpot BBQ Pinto Beans
(overnight recipe)

1 lb. dried pinto beans
3 C. water
1 onion, chopped
1 (18 oz) bottle BBQ sauce
1/4 C. molasses or honey
1/4 tsp. black pepper
–
Sort beans, rinse & drain. Cover with
water & let stand, covered, overnight.
Next day: drain beans & rinse again.
Combine beans, 3 C. water, onion,
BBQ sauce, molasses & pepper in
4 qt. crockpot. Cover & cook on Low
8-9 hours until beans are tender.
Serves 6-8

NOTE: if you have a newer crockpot
that cooks hotter, check at 7 hours &
stir beans at halfway cooking time.

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

Best Ever Potato Salad

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes,
(about 6 medium)
1 1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 T. white vinegar
1 T. yellow mustard
3-4 T. chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 C. chopped onion
4 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
–
Peel & dice potatoes into cubes – place
in large pot of water & boil about 20
minutes until fork-tender. (be careful
not to over-cook the potatoes; they
could turn out mushy). In large bowl
mix mayo, vinegar, mustard, chicken broth,
salt/pepper. Add potatoes, celery, onion &
gently stir – stir in eggs. Cover & refrigerate
at least 4 hours to blend flavors.
Serves 8

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

Best Gas-Grilled Ribs

1 rack pork ribs
1/2 C. pork seasoning rub*
1 C. unsweetened apple juice
1/2 C. orange marmalade (or
peach or apricot preserves)
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1 large disposable aluminum tray
aluminum foil
–
Remove ribs from packaging & pat
dry using paper towels. Remove
silver skin from back of ribs. Spray alum.
pan with nonstick cooking spray (or
rub with oil) – place ribs in pan. Sprinkle
some of rub on backs of ribs-press/rub
on meat. NOTE: you can cut ribs in half
to make it easier to handle on the grill).
Flip ribs over & season other side. Pour
apple juice into bottom of pan & cover
pan with foil – refrigerate until grill is
ready.
–
Preheat grill 300 degrees F.
Clean grill grates & carefully wipe them
down with oil. Place ribs in pan on grill –
cover grill & cook about 1 hour. Ribs are
done when you insert a meat thermometer
into thickest part of meat (away from bone)
& temp. reaches 145 degrees F. Carefully
remove ribs from pan & place directly on
grill. In a small pot over medium heat whisk
marmalade & vinegar – whisk until well combined.
Remove pot off heat & baste cooked ribs with
sauce – make sure to coat well. Cover grill &
cook an additional 5 minutes – repeat process
one more time. Carefully remove ribs from grill
& place on large cutting board – allow meat to
rest & cool a few minutes. Using a sharp knife,
carefully cut ribs between bones & serve.
Serves 6

*Homemade Pork Seasoning Rub

1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. smoked paprika
1 T. coarse ground black pepper
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. chili powder
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne

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

Crockpot Strawberry Cream Dump Cake

4 C. strawberries, cut into quarters
(can use frozen)
1/4 C. flour
1 1/4 C. sugar, divided
1 box white cake mix
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter, sliced
–
In large bowl mix strawberries, flour &
1 C. sugar. Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray & pour mixture
into crockpot. Mix cream cheese & remaining
sugar together & spoon on top of berries.
Sprinkle dry cake mix on top & top with
pats of butter. Place a few paper towels over
opening of crockpot & cover with lid.
Cook on High 2-3 hours. Serves 8

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
=======================

Have a lovely holiday.

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Sunday

    It’s a quiet day here; got home from church after topping at Checkers/Rally’s for burgers & fries (YUM!). We have choir practice tonight – will be interesting to see how many people show up being it’s a holiday weekend. The choir almost didn’t sing this morning because we didn’t have any Alto section BUT two of our more experienced sopranos volunteered to sing Alto, so we were good (small but mighty).

Weather has been WET (but sunny/warm on Thursday – got up to 82 degrees!) Nothing special planned for the next few days – I did buy spare ribs & will cook them in the crockpot for Monday along with baked beans – it’s only three of us eating here, so don’t have to go ‘all out’.

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

Chocolate-Pecan Pie Bars

1 C. butter or margarine, softened
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. light corn syrup
2 (4 oz, ea) pkgs. semi-sweet baking
chocolate, divided
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. chopped pecans
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 15 X 10 X 1″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl using elec. mixer,
beat butter, flour, 1/2 C. sugar &
salt until mixture resembles coarse
crumbs. Press mixture onto bottom
of prepared pan & bake 20 minutes
until lightly browned. In large
microwaveable bowl microwave
corn syrup & 6 oz. chocolate on High
2 1/2 minutes until chocolate is almost
melted, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes.
Stir until chocolate is completely melted
& mixture is well blended. Add eggs,
vanilla & remaining sugar – mix well then
stir in nuts. Pour mixture over warm
crust & spread evenly to cover crust.
Bake 35 minutes until filling is firm
around edges but still slightly soft in
center – cool completely.
Melt remaining chocolate as directed
on package – drizzle over bars. Let
stand until chocolate is firm then cut
into bars. Makes 48

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
————————-

Broccoli & Bacon Salad

1 larger or 2 small heads broccoli
1 tsp. salt
12 slices bacon (3/4 of 1-lb pkg)
1/2 C. red onion sliced into thin,
small pieces
1/2 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 C. sour cream
1/2 C. mayonnaise (poster recommends
using Hellman’s)
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 C. sugar
–
(Lay out a large sheet of paper towels
on counter)
Cut off thickest part of broccoli stem &
discard. Cut remaining head into small
florets. Heat a medium pot of water &
bring to boil – add salt. Fill a medium to
large bowl with ice water. Once water is
boiling, drop broccoli florets in & count
30 seconds. Immediately drain off water &
plunge broccoli into ice bath. Drain & lay
out on paper towels. Roll towels up like
a jelly roll then squeeze out water. Repeat
a second time until broccoli is completely
dry & drained of all water. Place broccoli
in large bowl & refrigerate until after bacon
is cooked. Cook bacon crispy then crumble.
Remove broccoli from fridge; in large bowl
add broccoli,bacon, red onion & Cheddar
cheese. In small bowl mix sour cream,
mayo, vinegar & sugar – combine mixture
with broccoli mixture & combine well.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
—————————
Sweet Tea BBQ Chicken
(oven AND Grill)

1 C. unsweetened apple juice
1 C. water
2 tsp. seafood seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 (4-5 lb) chicken, cut up
1 C. BBQ sauce
1/2 C. sweet tea
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Pour apple juice & water into a
large, shallow roasting pan. Mix
seafood seasoning, paprika, garlic
powder & pepper & rub over chicken;
place in roasting pan. Cover with foil
& bake 50-60 minutes until juices
run clear. Transfer chicken to a foil-
lined 15 X 10 X 1″ baking pan. Whisk
BBQ sauce & sweet tea together – brush
some of mixture over chicken. Grease
grill rack & place chicken on rack over
medium heat. Grill 3-4 minutes per side,
brushing occasionally with remaining
sauce. Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————

Pizza Pasta Salad

8 oz. pasta
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 1/2 C. red cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 C. mozzarella cheese, diced
1/2 C. red onion, chopped
1/2 C. black olives, sliced
1 1/4 C. mini pepperoni
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
2 T. fresh basil
–
Dressing:
1 C. Italian dressing (OR)

1/2 C. olive oil
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Cook pasta according to pkg.
directions for al dente – rinse
under cold water. Combine
pasta, peppers, tomatoes,
cheese, onion, olives & pepperoni
in large bowl. (If making salad
dressing – whisk together ingredients)
toss with salad mixture. Top with
fresh basil & Parmesan cheese.
Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
Serves 8

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

Lemon Butter Baked Shrimp

1 lb. raw shrimp, cleaned/peeled/
deveined
8 T. butter (1 stick) melted
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet Good Seasons Italian
all natural seasoning salad dressing mix
1 1/2 lemons, sliced into circles
1 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. black pepper
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In small bowl mix melted butter, garlic;
pour into a 9 X 13″ baking dish, spreading
all over bottom of dish. Arrange lemon
slices on top of butter in a single layer.
Arrange shrimp on top of lemon slices &
sprinkle dry Italian Seasoning over shrimp.
Sprinkle parsley & pepper on top.
Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes.
Serves 4

(recipe: yummly.com)
———————————

Roasted Lemon/Parm/Garlic Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus (woody ends trimmed)
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. Parmesan cheese
juice of 1 lemon
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
On a baking sheet arrange asparagus
in a single layer – toss with olive oil &
sprinkle with salt/pepper. Roast 8-10
minutes until asparagus is crisp on the
outside & tender in the center. Toss
in garlic/Parmesan & lemon juice (add
more, if desired). Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6

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

Crockpot Bacon Baked Beans

1 (32 oz) can pork and beans
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp/crumbled
1/2 C. brown sugar (packed)
1/2 C. diced onion
2 T. bacon grease
–
Combine all ingredients in crockpot
(2 1/2 qt) & stir. Cover & cook on Low
6-8 hours (or High 3-4 hours)
Serves 6

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

Strawberry Cream Cake

1 box white (or French vanilla) cake
mix plus ingredients to prepare
4 eggs (box mix calls for 3, add 1 more)
1 C. milk (substituted for water in cake)
1/3 C. oil
1 (3 oz) pkg. strawberry Jell-O mix
1 1/2 C. boiling water
–
Cream filling:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
Strawberry Topping:
1 (16 oz) pkg. fresh strawberries, hulled/sliced
1 (14 oz) pkg. prepared strawberry glaze,
usually sold in jars by strawberries in grocery
stores
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease & flour 9 X 13″ baking dish. Prepare
cake mix accordg. to pkg. directions, substituting
milk for water; add oil or butter as directed & add
1 more egg – mix to combine & pour into prepared
pan. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted
into center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake on
a wire rack 3-5 minutes. Poke holes in cake using a
large fork or wooden skewer. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling
water, stir until dissolved & gradually pour over cake.
Cool 15 minutes. Cover & refrigerate cake 30 minutes.

In medium bowl combine strawberry glaze & sliced
strawberries – mix & set aside. In large bowl using
elec. mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Fold in
Cool Whip & carefully spread over cake. Top with
strawberry mixture & spread evenly over frosting.
Cover & refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

(recipe: mommyskitchen.net)

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

Hope you have a GREAT weekend; enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Logistics Coordinator

lo·gis·tics

the detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies.

One of our leaders in my special needs group uses the above term to describe my multiple ‘jobs’. That title just came to mind while trying to coordinate multiple dates for June & July for both Knit groups. We have several events coming up so I make up flyers for the groups to let them know the details of said events. It’s funny but I find that enjoyable! I LIKE to try to coordinate various times/dates/places/people and make them all come out right.

June has two events: Saturday, June 8th is National Knit in Public Day and my ladies & I meet at our ‘usual’ location: Panera Bread to knit on their lovely patio. It’s one of those ‘come when you want, stay as little or long as you want’ things – some come, some don’t be those of us who do have a great time (I will take photos). End of June is the Waterford Historical Society’s LOG CABIN DAY. We, as a group, have been participating in this event for a good 8+ years now. It used to be a 2-day affair but the society was not able to get enough volunteers to man the event for both days so now they’ve cut one day & shorten the time from 10-5 to 12-5 . . . oh well, I’m not in charge so I just participate when I can.

End of July will be the Oakland County Historical Society’s Ice Cream Social. It’s a one day affair and my knit ladies have been participating in this event for (I think) going on 4 years now.

All of the above events are fun for us: we get to gather, do what we love doing (knit/crochet), chat (a lot!), enjoy the atmosphere and see the sites/meet the people – it’s a WIN/WIN all around!

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

Strawberry Cobbler

4 C. fresh strawberries-washed/
hulled *
3 T. lemon juice
3 T. water
1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1-2 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 c. flour
1 T. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 T. (or 1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/2 C. milk
=
Optional toppings:
Whipped cream
ice cream
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In a saucepan combine lemon juice,
water, 1/2 C. sugar & cornstarch –
cook over medium heat until thickened,
like a sauce. Remove from heat, stir in
food coloring (if using) & pour over
strawberries – stir to coat berries. Spray
a 2 qt. casserole dish with nonstick cooking
spray & pour in berries & sauce. In a small
bowl combine flour, 1 T. sugar, baking
powder & salt – mix using wire whisk.
Pour in melted butter & milk – mix using
a spoon & drop by tablespoons on top
of berries in dish. Bake 25-30 minutes
until topping is cooked. (you can put
it under the broiler 1-2 minutes to brown
the top). Top with whipped cream or
ice cream before serving. Serves 6

*can use strawberry pie filling or make
it using other fresh fruits

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

Crockpot Bacon Baked Beans

1 (32 oz) can pork and beans
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp/crumbled
1/2 C. brown sugar (packed)
1/2 C. diced onion
2 T. bacon grease
–
Combine all ingredients in crockpot
(2 1/2 qt) & stir. Cover & cook on Low
6-8 hours (or High 3-4 hours)
Serves 6

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

Orange Chicken Pasta Salad

1 (16 oz) box rotini pasta
2 C. cooked chicken breast, diced
into chunks
3 C. diced romaine lettuce (or baby
spinach) roughly chopped
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, well
drained
1 C. roughly chopped pecans
1 (12 oz) bottle Orange Poppyseed
salad dressing*
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain well then refrigerate. In large
bowl combine cooled pasta, diced
chicken, chopped lettuce, mandarin
oranges & chopped pecans. Pour
dressing over top of salad & stir gently
to combine well. (NOTE: can be served
immediately or covered with plastic
wrap & refrigerated a few hours)
Stir again before serving. Serves 10

*Poster found this dressing at Kroger
but if you can’t find it, use a regular
poppyseed dressing

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

Crockpot BBQ Pinto Beans
(overnight recipe)

1 lb. dried pinto beans
3 C. water
1 onion, chopped
1 (18 oz) bottle BBQ sauce
1/4 C. molasses or honey
1/4 tsp. black pepper
–
Sort beans, rinse & drain. Cover with
water & let stand, covered, overnight.
Next day: drain beans & rinse again.
Combine beans, 3 C. water, onion,
BBQ sauce, molasses & pepper in
4 qt. crockpot. Cover & cook on Low
8-9 hours until beans are tender.
Serves 6-8

NOTE: if you have a newer crockpot
that cooks hotter, check at 7 hours &
stir beans at halfway cooking time.

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

Chick-fil-A Cole Slaw

4 tsp. vinegar
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. mayonnaise
2 (10 oz, ea) bags fine shredded
cabbage -chopped to 1/8th inch
1/4 C. finely chopped carrots
–
In a large bowl whisk vinegar, sugar,
mustard & salt until sugar is dissolved.
Add mayo & whisk to mix. Add cabbage
& carrots – mix to combine. Refrigerate
2 hours. Serves 6-8

(recipe: Facebook)
———————————

Cheesy Chicken Tacos

1 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 T. ground cumin
kosher salt/ground black pepper
2 C. shredded chicken
1 can green chilis
1 C. your favorite salsa
1 can refried beans
9 hard taco shells
1 1/2 C. shredded Pepperjack cheese
–
chopped fresh cilantro – garnish
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large skillet over medium heat, heat oil.
Add onion & cook 6 minutes until tender.
Add cumin & season with salt/pepper – stir
until combined. Add chicken, green chilies
& salsa – stir until combined & heated through.
In a baking dish spread a thin layer of refried
beans ( to help taco shells stand up). Spoon
remaining refried beans into bottom of each
taco shell & top with chicken mixture – place
in baking dish tightly standing up the taco
shells in the dish. Top all with cheese & bake
10 minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish
with cilantro & serve. Makes 9

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————–

Easy Crispy Baked Chicken

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
(can use bone-in chicken pieces)
1/3 C. flour
1/3 C. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. butter (or 4 T.)  melted
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt/pepper,
chili powder & dried basil in a bowl.
Place milk in another bowl – dip chicken
in milk then into flour/cornmeal mixture;
place on a baking sheet & drizzle melted
butter over top of chicken. Bake 1 hour
or until chicken is done in center & no
longer pink. Turn chicken about every
15 minutes before they have finished
cooking. Serves 3-4

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

Crockpot “Better than Sex” Cake
(needs a crockpot with removable
insert)

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 C. water
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk,
divided
3/4 C. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 T. vanilla
2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) container caramel ice
cream topping
1/2 C. toffee bits
13 oz. whipping cream (canned
or whip yourself)
–
In large bowl combine dry cake mix,
water, half of sweetn’d cond. milk,
oil, eggs & vanilla – mix well. Spray
insides of crockpot with nonstick
cooking spray & pour cake batter
into crockpot. Sprinkle choc. chips
on top of batter. Cover & cook on
High 2-3 hours until center of cake
is done & a toothpick inserted into
middle comes out clean. Using handle
of a wooden or plastic spoon, poke
holes all over surface of cake. In small
bowl combine remaining sweetn’d
cond’ milk & 3/4 of caramel ice cream
topping – pour evenly over cake,
allowing sauce to fill the holes.
Refrigerate until chilled. Cut cake
into 12 servings & top each slice
with whipped cream, reserved
caramel ice cream topping &
toffee bits. Serves 12

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)

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

Knowing this is a holiday weekend
I tried including some ‘summer/picnic’
recipes. We don’t have any special plans
for the holiday but I will try to post more
recipes for you before Monday.

Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Sometimes it’s all in one’s PERSPECTIVE!

Yesterday I was offered a bunch of yarn ‘to purchase’; this consisted of three medium-sized bags of various yarns. The friend who presented the ‘offer’ was just a go-between person who really didn’t know anything about yarn. She mentioned it came from her daughter-in-laws garage sale; I guess daughter-in-law thought there was some really good/valuable yarn there. Not calling myself a yarn ‘expert’ but I’ve been working with yarns now for a good thirteen-plus years (with various charity projects, etc.) and I’ve come to KNOW good yarn v/s really old/no longer produced yarns. In these bags were yarn I would not even pass on to my knit group ladies! Now comes the ‘fun’ part – how do I ‘tactfully’ tell my friend that? (I did, but it was a bit awkward). Like I said: It’s all in ones PERSPECTIVE, I guess!

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

(this sounds SOoooooo good)

Butter Pecan Choc. Chip Cake
with Nutmeg Frosting

1 box Super Moist Butter Pecan
cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. vanilla instant
pudding & pie filling
2 large eggs
1 stick butter or marg., melted
2/3 C. water
2/3 C. chocolate chips
2/3 C. chopped nuts (poster used walnuts)
2/3 C. butterscotch chips
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl mix dry cake mix, pudding
mix, eggs, butter & water. Fold in choc.
chips & nuts & spread in prepared dish.
Sprinkle butterscotch chips on top.
Bake 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven
& allow to cool.

Nutmeg Frosting:
1 can rich & creamy prepared
vanilla frosting
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
–
Place frosting in a glass bowl/
container. Add vanilla & nutmeg –
microwave on High 30 seconds.
Mix well & pour over cooled cake.
Top cake with more nuts, if desired.

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

Pepperoni Pizza Biscuit Bites
(appetizer)

1 (12 oz) tube biscuits (with 12
biscuits)
24 slices pepperoni
shredded mozzarella (or)
cheese sticks cut into small
pieces
about 1/4 C. pizza or tomato sauce
1/4 c. chopped green onions (can
use regular onions)
1 tsp. drie oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a large baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray (poster used 10″ pie plate)
Cut each biscuit in half (you will have 24
halves) Roll each half as big as you can
get it using a rolling pin (or a glass). Spread
each half with pizza sauce, 1 slice pepperoni,
pinch shredded cheese & chopped onion.
Roll biscuit half up, tuck in ends & place in
prepared baking dish – repeat with rest
of biscuit halves & ingredients. Sprinkle
top with oregano & garlic powder. Spread
some pizza sauce on top & top with about
1/2 C. shredded cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes
until biscuits are cooked. Pull off pieces or
slice. Makes about 6 servings.

(recipe: thesoutherladycooks.com)
———————————

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

8 bone-in chicken thighs
1/4 tsp. onion salt
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. chili pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil &
spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Add all spices to a small container
with a lid & shake until thoroughly
mixed – sprinkle mixture over
chicken. Place thighs on baking
sheet & bake 1 hour – until crispy.
(fully cooked, they should read
165 degrees F. on a food thermometer).
Serves 4 (2 thighs each)

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
——————————
Greek-style Potatoes

6 large russet potatoes
1 T. semolina flour

Seasoning Sauce:
3/4 C. olive oil
3/4 C. water
1 T. oregano
juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray large roasting or baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray. Peel
potatoes & cut into wedges about
1/4″ thick – lay potatoes in a single
layer on pan. Mix all sauce ingredients
in small bowl – pour evenly over potatoes
in pan & toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with
half of semolina flour –
Bake 40 minutes until potatoes begin to
golden & are crunchy on top. Carefully
turn potato wedges & sprinkle with
remaining semolina. Bake 20-30 minutes
longer or until golden & crunchy on top
side. Serves 6

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

Crockpot Taco Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef
1 oz. pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
8 burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened/
divided
2-3 C. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce, divided
(optional: favorite taco toppings like
grated/shredded Cheddar cheese)
–
In large skillet over medium-high heat
cook ground beef; drain. Add taco seasoning
& water – according to pkg. directions.
Lightly spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 tortillas in
crockpot so they cover the bottom & come
up sides some. Spread 1/4 of cream cheese
over tortillas; top with 1/4th of meat, cheese
& tomato sauce. Repeat layers 3 more times.
Cover & cook on Low 3-5 hours. Serve with
your favorite taco toppings & cheese.
Serves 8-10

NOTE: make sure cream cheese is softened

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

3-Bean Baked Beans

1/2 lb. ground beef
5 strips bacon, diced
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
1/4 C. BBQ sauce
2 T. molasses
2 T. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 (16 oz, ea) cans pork & beans,
undrained
1 (16 oz) can butter beans, rinsed/
drained
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed/drained
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 2 1/2 qt. baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large skillet cook & crumble beef with
bacon & onion over medium heat until
beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in sugars,
ketchup, BBQ sauce, molasses, mustard,
chili powder & salt – stir to combine. Stir
in beans & transfer to prepared dish.
Bake, covered, until beans reach desired
thickness, about 1 hour. Serves 12

Freezer option:
Freeze cooled bean mixture in freezer
containers. To use: partially thaw in
fridge overnight. Heat through in a
saucepan, stirring occasionally &
adding a little water, if necessary.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-

Cheesy Garlic Cauliflower Casserole

1 large head cauliflower, chopped into
bite sized pieces
1 C. shredded Parmesan/Asiago/Romano
cheese (it comes in one container)
1 C. light sour cream
3 T. butter
1 T. minced onion
2 T. garlic powder
1 C. Garlic & Herb bread crumbs
(Cheddar cheese, shredded, optional
topping)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a casserole dish with nonstick
cooking spray.
Bring large pot of water to boil & add
cauliflower – boil until tender, about
10 minutes; drain. Add sour cream,
cheese, butter, garlic powder & minced
onion – stir until cauliflower is covered &
butter is melted – pour into prepared
casserole dish & add bread crumbs on top.
(poster added a little bit of shredded
Cheddar cheese before baking).
Bake 30-35 minutes. Once baked, stir
well to mix in the crunch of the bread
crumbs.

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

Cookie Cups

1 (18-20 oz) pkg. refrigerated
cookie dough, any flavor
assorted fillings (prepared
pudding or pie fillings)
or fresh cut fruit
whipped cream or Cool Whip
(thawed) for topping
–
Freeze packaged dough 1 hour
until firm.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Turn a regular sized muffin tin
UPSIDE DOWN & spray bottoms
with nonstick spray. Slice firm
dough into 1/2 inch slices & place
a slice evenly onto each muffin cup
bottom. Bake 11-13 minutes until
dough has baked around cups &
turned golden brown. Cool cups
5-10 minutes before carefully
removing from pans.

NOTE: Cups are VERY delicate,so
remove them gently. If any break,
just eat them as plain cookies.
Fill cups with pie filling or fresh-
cut fruit & whipped cream.

(recipe: mrfood.com)

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

Turns out yesterday we DIDN’T get the
really bad thunderstorms – YAY! As far
as I know it was just rain! Just got an
email from our power company letting
us know their crews are on stand-by in
case of severe thunderstorms for THIS
afternoon – oh, great . . . sigh. Oh well,
I didn’t have anything special planned
for today/tonight, anyway!

Not much ‘exciting’ going on – babysitting,
special needs group, library knit group –
my ‘usual’.  The lady in my Panera group
that delivers the baby booties for us will
be gone until mid-June so we just keep on
knitting them. I counted today: 54 pairs.
You KNOW there will be lots more before
she’s back! I like knitting them – they knit
up fast (1 hr per pair – at least when I knit
them); they don’t use a lot of yarn (and I
still have a BUNCH of donated baby yarn
for them) and because they’re small, I can
knit them in the car while riding to & from
church Sundays while husband drives! Score!
(Keeps me busy & out of trouble – at least
that’s what my guys here say!)

Hope you’re having a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Rainy Spring

The weather report today is for severe thunderstorms, temps up to 78 degrees and wind gusts up to 26 MPH – glad I’m staying home this evening!

Yesterday (early) found husband & I sitting in folding chairs (me totally bundled up in blankets & a hoodie) watching oldest grandson play baseball. It was the first game we’ve been to of his all season – really chilly (46 degrees & overcast) – they ‘almost’ won but my son said it’s the best game our grandson played all season, so glad we got to watch!. Afterwards we all went out for lunch – another ‘plus’!

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

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

2 C. old fashioned oats
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. milk (poster used skim)
1/2 C. applesauce
1 T. melted butter
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large apple, peeled/diced
–
Additional toppings:
nuts
dried cranberries
extra cinnamon or sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8 X 8″ or 9 X 9″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl whisk milk, apple sauce, butter,
egg white & vanilla. Whisk in cinnamon,
salt & baking powder. Whisk in brown
sugar & oats – gently stir in diced apples
& pour mixture into prepared pan – smooth
out & bake 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven & serve hot with desired
toppings (OR)
refrigerate & heat up leftovers (with additional
milk, if desired). Makes 6 servings

(recipe: books-n-cooks.com)
———————————–

Fudge Ripple Pecan Brownies

1 (18 oz) box fudge brownie mix
plus ingredients to prepare
1 C. chopped pecans, toasted/
divided
3/4 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips,
divided
20 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
1 T. milk
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a 8 X 8″ baking pan with foil so
that it goes up over the sides of the
pan. Lightly spray with nonstick
spray. Combine ingredients for
brownies in medium bowl; stir until
smooth. Add 1/2 C. pecans & 1/2 C.
choc. chips; stir & pour into prepared
pan; spread out evenly. Bake 35-40
minutes until a toothpick inserted
into center comes out mostly clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack. Combine
caramels & milk in a glass or metal
bowl large enough to rest on top of
a small saucepan filled with 1 inch
of water. Bring water to a boil & place
bowl on top; stir until caramels are
smooth. Pour over brownies & sprinkle
with remaining pecans. Place remaining
choc. chips in a clean bowl & place over
simmering water; stir until smooth then
drizzle over caramel brownies. Let stand
2 hours before serving. Serves 16

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

Crockpot Brown Sugar/Garlic Chicken

6 whole skinless chicken breasts
1 C. light brown sugar
2/3 C. rice wine vinegar
1/4 C. apple juice
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
2 T. cornstarch
3 T. cold water
–
Place chicken in crockpot. In small
bowl whisk brown sugar, vinegar, apple
juice, garlic, soy sauce & pepper – pour
over chicken. Cover & cook on Low
6-8 hours (or High 3-4 hours). Remove
chicken from crockpot & set aside.
Carefully pour liquid from crockpot into
a medium saucepan – bring to simmer on
stove. (in small cup or bowl combine
water & cornstarch to create a slurry).
When liquid comes to a simmer, slowly
pour slurry into sauce – simmer, while
stirring, until mixture begins to thicken,
& forms a glaze, 2-3 minutes. Serve
chicken with glaze/sauce over top.
Serves 6

NOTE: for easier cleanup you might
want to spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray or use a crockpot
liner

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

Grilled Chicken/Avocado/Mango Salad

12 oz. grilled chicken breast (from 1 lb,
raw)
1 C. diced avocado
1  C. diced mango (from 1 1/2 mangos)
2 T. diced red onion
6 C. baby red butter lettuce

Vinaigrette:

2 T. olive oil
2 T. white balsamic vinegar
salt/fresh cracked black pepper,
to taste
–
Whisk vinaigrette ingredients in a
bowl. In another large bowl toss
avocado, mango, chicken & red
onion. Fill a large salad platter
(or divide on 4 salad plates)
with baby greens. Top with
chicken/avocado mixture & drizzle
half of dressing on top. Serve
with remaining dressing on side.
Serves 4

(recipe: skinnytaste.com)
—————————–
Sweet Macaroni Salad
(overnight recipe)

16 oz. elbow macaroni
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 C. mayonnaise
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
milk
1 C. cider vinegar
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
–
Cook macaroni accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain & rinse under cold water – drain well.
In large bowl combine cooked macaroni &
vegetables. Whisk remaining ingredients
together until smooth & sugar is dissolved –
stir into macaroni mixture. Refrigerate,
covered, overnight. Serves 16

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————–

1950’s Salisbury Steak
(with onion gravy)

1 egg
1 (10 1/2 oz) can French onion
soup, undiluted/divided
1/2 C. dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch black pepper
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 T. flour
1/4 C. water
1/4 C. ketchup
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
———
6 C. cooked egg noodles
chopped fresh parsley (optional
garnish)
========
In large bowl beat egg. Stir in 1/3 C.
soup, bread crumbs, salt/pepper. Add
beef – mix gently. Shape in to 6 oval
patties & brown in a skillet over
medium heat 3-4 minutes on each side.
Remove & set aside (discard drippings).
In skillet combine flour & water until
smooth; add ketchup, Worc. sauce,
mustard & remaining soup – bring to
a boil. Cook & stir 2 minutes. Return
patties to skillet; cover & simmer 15
minutes until meat is no longer pink.
Serve with gravy over hot cooked
noodles. (garnish w/parsley, if desired)
Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Crockpot Blueberry/Lemon Cobbler

Filling:

32 oz. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 C. sugar
3 T. lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
1 T. lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)
1/4 C. flour

Topping:

2 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
1 T. lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 C. butter (2 sticks, chilled/
cut into bits)
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
–
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream,
for topping cobbler, if desired
–
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
spray. Place blueberries in bottom of
crockpot; sprinkle lemon juice on top.
In medium bowl mix sugar & lemon
zest, working zest into sugar with your
fingers to release the lemon oils in the
zest. Add flour & stir with a fork to
evenly combine flour with sugar. Sprinkle
mixture evenly over berries & toss to
combine.

Topping:

In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, lemon
zest, baking powder, salt & nutmeg using
a fork until well combined. Using 2 butter
knives or a pastry cutter, cut in cold bits
of butter into flour mixture until it
resembles a coarse meal with small pea-
sized pieces of butter. In small bowl whisk
eggs & vanilla with a fork & gently toss
egg mixture into flour/butter mixture
until moistened & dough starts to hold
together & create clumps of dough.
Sprinkle cobbler topping evenly over
blueberries in crockpot. Cover opening
of crockpot with paper towels or a clean
kitchen towel; cover with lid. (toweling
will absorb any condensation that will
collect on lid while cooking, preventing
it from dripping onto cobbler.) Cook
on High 3-4 hours until you can see the
juices from the blueberries bubbling
around edges of crockpot. Check
cobbler at 3 hour mark & only cook
for additional time if needed. Turn
off crockpot & carefully remove lid
& toweling. Let cobbler cool slightly
before serving. Serve with vanilla
ice cream or whipped cream, if
desired. Serves 8

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)

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

Sounds like it’s started to rain and,
by the sounds of the rain hitting the
windows, it’s pretty intense.

Hope you have a nice relaxing day;
I got home from church and put a
whole chicken in the crockpot for
dinner (will have that along with
baked potatoes & a salad). I LOVE
the ‘freedom’ of using the crockpot!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Thursday!

It’s another BEAUTIFUL Spring day here in Michigan – temps are supposed to get to High of 74 degrees F. WOW! It’s sunny, slight breeze and lovely robin’s egg blue skies – LOVE THIS WEATHER!

Today is an unusual babysitting day – had to be there by 7:30 a.m. and was supposed to sit until around 10:30. After about an hour Momma came home – turns out no one told her that there was no managers meeting this morning! Oh well, at least she has some extra time at home (I have to go back at 2 p.m. until my son gets home- anywhere from 4:30 – 7 p.m.) Just glad I got extra time off! (Grandson was very good but listening to kid’s TV for hours is really mind numbing!). Started a new baby blanket using a pattern I’d done years ago – simple 2- row pattern, easy to knit while chatting at both knit groups.

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

Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8 X 8″ baking pan with
nonstick cooking spray.

Crust:

1 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. rolled oats (can use quick-cooking)
1/2 C. chopped walnuts or nuts of your
choice
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter or marg. (8 T.), melted
–
Combine all crust ingredients & press
into prepared pan. Bake 10-12 minutes;
allow to cool.
=
Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
milk (not evaporated)
1/3 C. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
–
Combine filling ingredients in a large
bowl & mix (using elec. mixer on High
speed) 3-4 minutes. Pour over cooled
crust. Refrigerate 3 hours.
=
Fresh Blueberry Topping:

2 C. fresh blueberries (could use frozen)
(NOTE: can use any fruit)
1/2 C. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C. water
1 T. lemon juice
–
Combine all blueberry topping ingredients
(except lemon juice) in a saucepan & bring
to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes
to thicken; remove from heat, stir in lemon
juice & allow to cool. Pour over cheesecake
after it has been refrigerated 3 hours.
Serves 10-12
Keep refrigerated.

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

Lazy Day Lasagna

1/2 (25 oz) bag frozen cheese ravioli
1/2 lb. ground beef, browned/drained
2 (14 or 15 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 T. Italian seasoning
1/2 T. garlic salt
2 C. mozzarella cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese (optional)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 9″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. After cooking/draining
beef, stir in tomatoes & seasonings.
Place a layer of ravioli on bottom of
prepared pan & spoon half of sauce
over top. Layer half mozz. cheese &
repeat: ravioli/sauce/cheese. End
topping with Parm. cheese. Bake
35-45 minutes until bubbly.
Remove from oven & let stand 10-15
minutes before serving. Cut & serve.
Serves 3-4

NOTE: recipe can easily be doubled –
bake in 9 X 13″ pan.

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

Cheesy Garlic/Ham Biscuits

2 C. flour
2 T. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 stick butter or marg., cut into
pieces
1 1/2 C. cooked, chopped ham
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese (or
any cheese of your choice)
1 1/4 C. evaporated milk (can also
use buttermilk instead)
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick
cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix flour, baking
powder, salt, garlic powder using a
whisk. Cut butter pieces into flour
mixture until it resembles coarse
crumbs. Add ham, cheese & milk –
mix with a spoon & turn out onto
a floured board. NOTE: Poster does
NOT roll this out – just pats the dough
using her hands to the desired
thickness. She uses a small cookie
cutter instead of a regular biscuit
cutter. Bake 15-20 minutes until
brown on top.

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

Crockpot Garlic Rice & Chicken

4 T. butter
1 C. diced onion
1 T. minced garlic
2 C. uncooked brown rice
3 C. chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
1/2 C. shredded or grated Parmesan
cheese
1 large bunch asparagus; washed/cut
into 1″ pieces*
==============
Heat a pan over medium heat on stove;
add butter & melt. Add onion – saute
4-5 minutes. Add garlic & saute 20-30
seconds. Add rice & stir to coat rice in
butter & onions – place in crockpot.
Stir chicken broth, basil, garlic powder,
salt/pepper into crockpot. Nestle chicken
in crockpot. Cover & cook on High 2-3 hours
until rice is tender. Remove chicken & cut
into bite-sized pieces – stir back into crockpot.
Stir in cheese & asparagus – cover & cook
on High 10 minutes until asparagus is cooked.
When asparagus is to your softness, serve.
Serves 6

*Can substitute broccoli florets- cut into small
florets so they can cook quickly. (can also use
frozen broccoli – run hot water over it before
adding to crockpot.

(recipe: 365daysofcrockpot.com)
———————————

Crockpot Lasagna Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29 oz) can crushed tomatoes,
undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can tomato juice (or
V8)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tap. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1 whole bay leaf
2 T. brown sugar
2 C. chicken stock
10 oz. lasagna noodles, broken
up into bite-sized pieces
2 C. Ricotta cheese
1/2 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
–
In large skillet cook & crumble sausage,
onion & garlic until sausage is no longer
pink & onions start to become translucent,
drain. Add sausage mixture, spices, canned
tomatoes, tomato juice & chicken broth
to 5 qt. or larger crockpot. Cover & cook
on Low 5 hours. Remove bay leaf & discard.
Add broken lasagna noodles & cook an
additional 1 hour until noodles are al dente.
In mixing bowl combine Ricotta, mozzarella &
Parmesan cheeses. Top servings of soup with
1 spoonful of cheese mixture before serving.
Serves 8

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

Pork Chop Marinade
(stove or grill recipe)

4 bone-in pork chops
–
1/3 C. soy sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 C. black pepper
–
Mix all ingredients in a dish. Place
chops in a large zip-lock bag – pour
in about 3/4ths of marinade (save
rest for basting). Squeeze out excess
air in bag & refrigerate at least 1 hour
(or up to 8 hours).
=
Cook chops on a grill or in a pan on
medium-high heat about 4-5 minutes
per side, until internal temp. of chops
is 145 degrees F. Baste after flipping
chops & after removing from grill.
When chops are done, place on a plae
& tent with foil. Let rest 3-5 minutes
then serve. Serves 4

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
——————————
Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

Cake:

1 box white cake mix PLUS ingredients
to prepare cake
–
Filling:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 T. melted butter
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch kosher salt
–
Frosting:

1/2 C. heavy cream
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 T. butter, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch kosher salt
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Prepare
cake accordg. to pkg. directions.
Pour batter into prepared pan &
bake 20 minutes, until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool.
–
Filling:
In medium bowl whisk sweetn’d cond’
milk, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon &
salt.

Frosting:
In large bowl using elec. mixer, beat
heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
In another large bowl beat cream cheese &
butter together until no lumps remain. Add
powdered sugar & beat until smooth. Add
in vanilla & pinch salt – fold in whipped
cream until just combined. Using bottom of
a wooden spoon, poke holes all over cake.
Pour filling over & use a rubber spatula
to push into holes. Frost with cream cheese
frosting.
Refrigerate 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 12

(recipe: delish.com)

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

Hope you had a great Mother’s Day –
we went out to dinner – food was
very tasty (I was stuffed!) and it was
really nice to just sit around with family
and enjoy their company. The baby was
GREAT – for 2+ years old he sat for over
2 hours in a high chair; all the servers &
managers kept coming over to ‘chat’ with
him so he was having a great time ‘holding
court’. The restaurant even gave all
mothers a long stemmed red rose! Very
nice!

Hoping you have a very nice day –
remember to take a little time for
yourself!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Saturday!

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day so I found some REALLY YUMMY-sounding recipes to share (got me almost drooling!). Yesterday I babysat my 2 yr old grandson & when his Daddy came home, oldest son asked me what I’m doing Sunday. (Other than going to church – nothing really). So – now we’re all going to his girlfriend’s restaurant (J. Alexanders – pretty fancy – GREAT food! She’s one of the managers). Ought to be a fun time!

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

Graham Cracker ‘Eclair’ Cake

1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/2 C. cold milk
15 graham crackers, broken crosswise in
half (30 squares), divided
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 C. chocolate frosting (can use
ready-to-spread (or)* See recipe BELOW
=
In a bowl using elec. mixer, beat dry
pudding mix & milk 2 minutes. Let
stand 5 minutes. Cover bottom of a
8 inch square baking pan with
graham cracker squares, overlapping
as needed, to form an even layer. Stir
Cool Whip into pudding; spread half
over graham crackers in pan. Cover with
10 of remaining cracker squares – repeat
layers of pudding mixture & squares.
Refrigerate 3 hours. Spread top with
chocolate frosting. Serves 9

——————————

Shrimp Scampi

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled/
deveined
3/4 C. white wine
1/4 C. olive oil
1/2 C. unsalted butter
2 T. margarine
3 T. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 T. parsley flakes
–
grated Parmesan cheese – garnish
–
Heat wine, olive oil, butter, margarine
& garlic in large skillet over medium heat
just until it starts to boil. Add paprika &
parsley flakes – stir & immediately add
shrimp. Cook 4-5 minutes until shrimp
turn pink. (don’t over cook). Spoon
shrimp onto a plate with some of cooking
sauce & top liberally with Parmesan cheese.
Serves 2

Suggestion: serve over cooked thin spaghetti
noodles

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
———————————
Spinach, Strawberry, Mandarin
Salad w/poppy seed dressing
(prepare ahead to allow flavors
to blend)

1 bunch fresh spinach
2 pints sliced fresh strawberries,
cut into thirds
1 (4 oz) can mandarin orange sections,
drained, reserve 2 tsp. juice for dressing
1 fresh kiwi – peeled/sliced into quarters

Dressing:
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. oil
1/4 C. white vinegar
2 T. sesame seeds
3 T. poppy seeds
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. minced onion
=
Combine all dressing ingredients – mix
well & refrigerate
=
(taste dressing & adjust sugar/vinegar
for your sweet/tart preferences)
–
Tear fresh spinach into bite-sized pieces;
wash & pat dry. Wash strawberries, drain,
pat dry & cut into thirds. Shake dressing
container well & toss with spinach, straw-
berries, kiwi & mandarin orange sections
just before serving (otherwise spinach will
wilt). Serves 6-8

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
————————
Scallops & Pasta Florentine

1 lb. sea scallops, patted dry
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large shallot – minced
1/4 C. white wine
7 tsp. oil
1/2 C. chicken broth
3 T. butter, softened
1 (6 oz) pkg. fresh baby spinach
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/4 tsp. lemon zest (grated)
8 oz. spaghetti or linguine, cooked
=
Sprinkle scallops with salt/pepper. Heat
2 T. oil in a skillet; add scallops & cook
about 2 minutes each side, until browned.
Remove from skillet & keep warm. In same
skillet heat remaining oil & add shallot – cook
until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in wine &
cook until reduced by half, about 30 seconds.
Add broth & simmer. Stir in butter & pasta –
toss until heated through. Add spinach, cherry
tomatoes, parsley & lemon zest – toss until
spinach wilts. Add scallops & serve.
Serves 4

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
————————————
Chicken Pasta Milano

1 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. sun-dried tomato, chopped
1 C. chicken broth, divided
1 C. heavy cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 T. olive oil
2 T. basil
–
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked/
drained
=
In large saucepan melt butter over
Low heat. Add garlic & cook 1 minute.
Add tomatoes & 3/4 C. broth. Increase
heat to medium & bring to boil. Reduce
heat & simmer, uncovered, about 10
minutes. Add cream & bring to boil again,
stirring frequently. Simmer over medium
heat until sauce is thick. Sprinkle salt/pepper
over both sides of chicken. Heat oil in a skillet;
add chicken & saute until chicken is no longer
pink inside (about 4 minutes each side). Remove
chicken from skillet & drain fat. In same skillet
stir 1/4 C. broth with pan juices & bring to a
boil. Reduce slightly & add to cream sauce –
stir in basil. Serve chicken atop the cooked
pasta & coat with cream sauce. Serves 4

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
——————————–
Stuffed Chicken Breasts (with
Feta cheese & sun-dried tomatoes)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts,
pounded thin
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded/
diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 large sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. thyme
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled finely
1/2 C. breadcrumbs (poster uses
Italian)
olive oil
salt/pepper
toothpicks
chopped green onion – garnish
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray.
Saute in a skillet garlic & bell pepper in oil 3
minutes to combine flavors – set aside to cool.
In a bowl combine feta, breadcrumbs, thyme,
tomatoes & garlic/red pepper mixture – toss
until well mixed (this is stuffing).
Lay a flattened piece of chicken on a cutting
board or counter. Place 1/4 of stuffing onto
chicken (like a burrito – down the center) &
roll as tight as you can get it – secure with a
toothpick & place on baking sheet. Brush
tops of chicken with olive oil (to give a golden
brown texture) – season with salt/pepper.
Cook breasts about 35 minutes until internal
temperature reaches 180 degrees F. on a
cooking thermometer.
Garnish with chopped green onion & serve.
Serves 4

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
————————-

S’Mores Dump Cake

2 (4 oz, ea) pkgs. (Bakers) semi-sweet chocolate,
chopped
2 C. milk, divided
1 C. sugar
3 eggs
4 C. miniature marshmallows, divided
1 C. dry chocolate cake mix (from 2 layer
cake pkg) *
1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Microwave chopped chocolate & 1 C.
milk in medium microwaveable bowl
on High 2 1/2 minutes; stir until
chocolate is completely melted &
mixture is well blended. Add sugar,
eggs & remaining milk; mix well;
pour batter into prepared pan.
Cover with 3 C. marshmallows &
sprinkle top with dry cake mix &
graham crumbs – drizzle top with
melted butter. Bake 35-40 minutes
until center is almost set. Immediately
top with remaining marshmallows.
Cool completely before cutting.
Serves 16

*How to use leftover cake mix:
Store leftover dry cake mix in airtight
container at room temperature. Use it
to make cupcakes. Beat remaining cake
mix with 2/3 C. water, 2 eggs & 3 T. oil
using elec. mixer until blended. Spoon
into prepared muffin cups. Bake as
directed on pkg. for cupcakes

(recipe: myfoodandfamily.com)
======================

Finally finished the yellow baby blanket –
I like the way the pattern looks but it got
really boring knitting it (I know – don’t
complain!).

 

Hope you have a GREAT day and remember
to do something for yourself (even if it’s only
a 5-minute nap!).

Hugs;

Pammie

Friday

It’s been a rather quiet week – only babysitting today for a few hours (or so I thought . . . ). I’m due at 2 today (until around 6) but got a text asking if I can do it again tomorrow from around 10:30 – 3/4/6? Oldest son (the chef) is in the middle of launching another Hilton restaurant in Lansing so he’s drawn to working lots of extra hours (it’s a 1 1/2 hr. drive from his house to Lansing). Looks like I’ll be taking a LOT of knitting with me both days . . . sigh. Am nearing the end of the yellow baby blanket and am STILL vacillating over my next blanket/project. I have lots of different colors of baby yarns – one minute I want to do a various granny squares blanket, the next something different – who knows? (Not even ME at this point!)

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

No-Bake Choc. Chip Cannoli Cheesecake

1 (4 oz) pkg. cannoli shells
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 C. butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
softened
1 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 C. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/2 C. miniature semisweet chocolate
chips (can use regular chips, coarsely
chopped)
chopped pistachios, optional
–
Spray a 9 inch pie plate with
nonstick cooking spray.
Place cannoli shells in food processor &
pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add sugar,
cracker crumbs & melted butter – pulse
just until combined. Press mixture onto
bottom & sides of prepared plate –
refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
–
Filling:

Beat first 4 ingredients in a bowl until
blended. Beat in ricotta cheese & extracts.
Stir in chocolate chips & spread into crust.
Refrigerate, covered, until set – about 4
hours. (if desired, top with chopped
pistachios). Serves 8

NOTE: Pistachios are classic in cannoli but
if you don’t have them you can still top
pie with additional crumbled cannoli
shells or chocolate shavings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————-

Orzo w/Spinach, Mushrooms &
Peppers

1 C. uncooked orzo pasta (about
8 oz)
1 T. olive oil
1 medium sweet orange pepper,
seeded/chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper,
seeded/chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper,
seeded/chopped
1 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 C. fresh baby spinach
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Cook orzo accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain. In large
skillet, heat oil over medium-high
heat. Saute peppers & mushrooms
until tender. Add garlic & seasonings;
cook & stir 1 minute. Stir in spinach
until wilted. Stir in cooked orzo &
cheese; heat through. Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————

Backwoods Pork Chops & River Gravy

1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 (4 oz) boneless center-cut pork chops
1/2 C. flour
1/4 C. buttermilk
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 T. vegetable oil
3/4 C. milk
–
In small bowl combine garlic & onion
powders, 1/2 tsp. salt & pepper. Rub
seasoning mixture evenly on both
sides of chops. Reserve 1 T. flour &
set aside. Place remaining flour in a
shallow dish. In another shallow dish
combine buttermilk & cayenne pepper.
Dip chops in buttermilk then coat
both sides in flour. In large skillet over
medium heat, heat oil. Add chops &
cook 5 minutes on each side until
golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk
reserved flour into milk; add remaining
salt & cook in skillet until thickened &
bubbly, stirring constantly. Serve
immediately with chops. Serves 4

(recipe: mrfood.com)
————————————–

Chicken & Swiss Casserole

5 1/2 C. uncooked egg noodles
(about 1/2 lb)
3 T. olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1/3 C. flour
2 C. chicken broth
3/4 C. milk
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
5 C. cooked,cubed rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 C. frozen peas
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 C. dry bread crumbs
2 T. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Cook noodles accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain. In large skillet
heat oil over medium heat. Cook
shallots & garlic, stirring, 45 seconds.
Stir in flour – cook & stir 1 minute.
Add broth, milk, thyme, lemon zest,
salt, nutmeg & pepper. Stir in chicken
& peas -heat through. Stir in noodles &
cheese. Transfer mixture to prepared
dish. In small bowl mix bread crumbs &
butter; sprinkle over top & bake 8-10
minutes until top is browned. Serves 8

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

Crockpot Sweet & Sour Shrimp

1 (6 oz) pkg. frozen Chinese pea pods
1 (14 oz) can pineapple tidbits or chunks*
2 T. cornstarch
3 T. sugar
1 C. chicken stock
*1/2 C. reserved pineapple juice
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 (16 oz) bag frozen cooked shrimp
(medium or large)
2 T. cider vinegar or rice vinegar
=
1 C. cooked rice, for serving
=
Place pea pods in a colander & run cold
water over them until thawed enough
to easily separate. Drain pineapple juice
& reserve 1/2 C. of juice. Place pea pods
& drained pineapple into crockpot. In a
small saucepan combine cornstarch &
sugar-stir to blend. Add chicken stock,
reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce &
ginger – bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly;
sauce should be thick & clear. Pour sauce
over pea pods & pineapple – stir gently
to blend. Cover & cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Add thawed, cooked shrimp & cook 15-20
minutes longer until hot. Add vinegar &
stir gently. Serve with hot cooked rice.
Serves 3-4

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

Crockpot Crustless Pizza

2 lb. ground beef
garlic salt – to taste
black pepper – to taste
dried minced onion – to taste
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (14 oz) jar pizza sauce
2 C. shredded pizza-blend cheese
–
your favorite pizza toppings
–
In a skillet brown beef & seasonings
over medium-high heat; drain. Place
cooked meat & mozzarella in a bowl &
mix well. Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Evenly spread
meat mixture in crockpot & pour pizza
sauce over top – spread evenly. Top with
pizza-blend cheese & any toppings you
may want. Cover & cook on Low 4 hours.
Serves 10

(adapted from Gooseberrypatch recipe)

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

Blueberry Breakfast Bundt Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
3/4 C. vegetable oil
3/4 C. sour cream
1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a bundt pan liberally with
nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl
mix all ingredients except berries –
add berries last, fold in gently.
Pour batter into prepared pan &
spread to even top. Bake 55
minutes or until center is firm.
Let cool 10 minutes then turn
onto a platter. Glaze if desired.

Glaze:
2 T. melted butter
1 C. powdered sugar
1 T. orange juice

Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl &
drizzle glaze across top of cake.

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

You can tell we FINALLY have Spring in Michigan-
they are selling flowers for planting! I bought a
really nice, big hanging basket geranium today
at Krogers – it’s a multi-color: bright pink with
a darker pink center – very nice. It’s in the 50’s
today & overcast/sprinkling – looking at the
upcoming week – highest temp. is 62 degrees F.
Oh well . . . and mostly raining.

Mother’s Day is Sunday so hope you have something
planned. I never know, year to year, what’s up. Usually
my oldest son decides to take me (and his girlfriend/
mother of our youngest grandson) out to lunch so
I have that to look forward to sometime soon.

Hope you are in good health and able to see
some SUNSHINE to cheer you up!

Hugs;

Pammie

 

PS: Gas prices jumping back & forth from $2.69/9 & $2.79/9 lately