Another beautiful Sunday!

The sun is shining, there’s a slight breeze and it’s 79 degrees F. (with an expected of 85!). A gorgeous Sunday, for sure! Nothing lately on our agenda; oldest son & youngest grandson dropped by yesterday. Son spend many hours using a wood chipper to reduce the many branches he & other grandson cut down last week. Husband & I kept the 3 yr. old amused – he’s good, just feed him & make sure he has something to drink & he’s good!

Still working on several knitting projects & 1 crocheted baby blanket. Getting pretty close to finishing the ‘donated’ alpaca/mohair yarns – it will be a scarf when I’m done. Our local library hasn’t opened yet; you can bring back books you rented (OR – put books on hold & pick them up there, after calling to let them know you’re coming – all ‘library work’ is done in the parking lot for now). I’ve run out of books to read – I ‘could’ raid my stash upstairs; I did that last month – we’ll see.

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

Easy Fruit Pizza

Cookie Crust:
1 2/3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. sugar
10 T. butter, room temp.
1 large egg, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Fruit Topping:
2 C. strawberries, sliced
2 kiwi, peeled/sliced
1/3 C. blueberries
1/4 C. mandarin oranges, drained
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
LIghtly spray a 12″ pizza pan
(without holes on bottom) with
nonstick cooking spray.

Cookie Crust:
Whisk flour, baking powder, & salt
in small bowl. In another bowl using
elec. mixer, beat sugar & butter until light
& fluffy. Add in egg, vanilla & almond
extracts & beat until combined. Scrape
down sides of bowl as needed. Add in
dry ingredients & beat until soft cookie
dough forms. Press dough out into
prepared pan. Bake 11-13 minutes until
center is set. Let cool completely on
wire rack.

Frosting:
In a medium bowl using elec. mixer,
beat cream cheese, sugar & vanilla
until smooth & creamy. Spread evenly
over top of cooled crust.

Decorating:
Arrange fresh fruit over top of frosting
in a pattern you like.

(NOTE: if you like, you can mix 1 tsp.
honey with a little water to create a
nice glaze you can brush over fruits
so they look shiny)
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Serves 12

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
——————————–

Chunky Tomato-Avocado Salad

1 avocado, pitted/peeled & cubed
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 C. sweet onion, chopped
1 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2-3 T. lemon juice
–
In bowl gently stir ingredients together.
Cover & refrigerate overnight. Serves 4

Serve with corn chips or ‘Scoops’
for dippers

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

Crockpot Zesty Italian Beef Sandwiches

3 lb. beef chuck roast, quartered
1-2 T. oil
1 (2 oz) pkg. zesty Italian salad dressing mix
1 (12 oz) can beer
1 onion, chopped
6-7 pepperonicini peppers, chopped
–
6-8 sandwich buns, split
=
In a skillet over medium heat, brown roast
on all sides then place in crockpot. Sprinkle
dry dressing mix on top; pour beer over
roast. Add onions & peppers. Cover & cook
on High 5-6 hours until beef shreds easily
with a fork. Shred beef & serve on
sandwich buns. Makes 6-8 sandwiches.

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

Grilled Basil/Garlic Chicken Breasts
(4-12 hour marinade)

4 large boneless skinless chicken
breast halves (10-12 oz ea)
3 T. finely minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 C. chopped fresh basil
1/4 C. olive oil
–
olive oil, salt/ground black pepper for skin
=
In small bowl mix garlic, 1 tsp. salt, basil &
oil. (add additional oil if necessary) Mash
garlic to a paste (poster used a mortar & pestle).
Smear mixture on both sides of chicken breasts
being careful to leave skins intact.
Gently place breasts in a gallon ziplock bag &
marinate, refrigerated, 4 hours up to 12 hours.
=
When ready to grill:
Remove chicken from bag, wipe skin side
free of marinade*. Brush on olive oil &
sprinkle on salt/pepper. Over a medium fire
place chicken skin-side down to crisp skin,
about 8-10 minutes, turning 90 degrees half
way through to get cross hatch marks. Once
skin is crisp, flip each piece over & move to
a cool side of grill – cook 8-10 minutes with
cover closed. (try to maintain an internal
grill temperature of 425 degrees F. by adjusting
burners on or off to keep that temperature.)

Remove chicken when internal temperature
reaches 155 degrees F using a probe thermometer.
Cover loosely with foil & allow to rest 5 minutes
before serving. Serve either whole or sliced.
Serves 4

*Wiping the skin helps the skin to brown without
burned basil pieces

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

Panzanella Salad

4 C. rustic Italian-style bread
cut into 1″ cubes
2 T. olive oil
1 English cucumber, halved,
seeded & sliced
1/3 C. red onion, thinly sliced
3 C. tomato, cut into 1″ pieces
3/4 C. yellow bell pepper, cut
into 1/2″ pieces
2 T. capers
1/2 C. basil leaves, sliced

Dressing:

2 T. lemon juice
1 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 T. finely minced shallot
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 C. olive oil
salt/black pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place bread cubes in a bowl;
add 2 T. olive oil & toss to coat.
Place bread on a sheet pan &
bake 10-15 minutes until dry &
lightly browned then place in a
large bowl with cucumber, onion,
tomato, bell peppers & capers.
–
Dressing:

Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl
& whisk until smooth. Pour dressing over
bread/vegetables & toss to gently
combine. Cover & chill at least 30
minutes or up to 6 hours. Stir in basil
& serve. Serves 6

(recipe: dinnerathezoo.com)
—————————

Country Tomato/Bacon Pie

2-3 tomatoes, sliced
1 (9 inch) deep dish frozen pie crust,
baked accordg. to pkg. directions*
1/2 C. green onions, chopped
1/4 C. basil, chopped
1/2 C. cooked/crumbled bacon
ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 C. shredded cheese (poster used
Mozzarella/Cheddar)
=
*If using a frozen pie crust, defrost
on counter about 10 minutes. Prick
with a fork & bake accordg. to pkg.
directions. (usually 400 degrees F.
10-12 minutes) Cool crust slightly.
=
Turn oven temp down to 350 degrees F.
Layer slices of tomato in bottom of pie
crust – season with black pepper; top
with green onions, basil & crumbled
bacon.
In a bowl combine mayo & shredded
cheese – spread on top of pie.
Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
–
NOTE: If edges of pie crust are becoming
too brown while baking, place some strips
of foil around edges over crust during
baking time. Serves 6

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

Crockpot Glazed Coffee Cake

3 1/2 C. Bisquick baking mix,
divided
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. vanilla yogurt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. powdered sugar
3 T. milk
=
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Cut a
piece of parchment paper to fit
the bottom of crockpot – place
paper in crockpot & spray top
with nonstick spray. In a bowl
mix 3 C. baking mix, sugar, yogurt,
eggs & vanilla.
In another bowl mix remaining
Bisquick mix, cinnamon & brown
sugar. Spread half of batter in bottom
of crockpot  – cover with half brown
sugar mixture. Spoon rest of batter on
top of sugar mixture – end with
remaining brown sugar mixture.
Place 2 paper towels under lid of
crockpot; cover & cook  on High
1 1/2 to 2 hours until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes.
Use a spatula to run around edge of
cake to separate cake from crockpot.
Flip cake onto a serving plate &
remove parchment paper from cake.
In a bowl mix powdered sugar & enough
milk to make a drizzle – drizzle glaze
over cake. Serves 10-12

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)

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

Hope you are all in good health and able to enjoy

this lovely summer weather!

PS: Gas Prices are currently: $2.15/9

Hugs;

Pammie

Thoughts on a Thursday

The days are Summery – temps between 70’s & 80’s and sunny/breezy. Not much going on in my ‘new norm’: my every-other-week knit group at Panera Bread has morphed into every week. We used to meet 6:30 – 9 p.m. and the ‘new norm’ is now 4 – 6/7 p.m. at the park (or, during inclement weather) under a pavilion very close to the park. Wednesday Library Knit group has been doing Zoom meetings every Weds. morning 10-12 pm. and next week we, too, will be meeting in the park! Life’s little ups & downs – as long as they’re not HUGE, I can handle them.

Working on new project (don’t remember if I mentioned this one – it’s more of the free yarn/create & give back to be sold for a charity). This one is 2 strands of Alpaca/cotton/hemp knitted together to make a scarf; I’m about half-way done with it. Last bag I chose has very thin really soft, cream-colored yarn and another ‘crazy/strange’ yarn??? The second one is a very thin strand (almost like sewing thread) with a sequin sewn into it every inch – the other knit ladies suggested I knit them both together and make a cowl – going to be very strange knitting, for sure. I’m concerned there won’t be enough cream/sequin to make one but we’ll see (originally I was going to knit a scarf but there’s not enough sequin to equal cream, so we’ll see . . .)

===========

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

2 tubes refrigerated cinnamon
rolls
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 T. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 C. butter, softened
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 T. cinnamon
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In a deep skillet press cinnamon
rolls into bottom, creating a crust
on the bottom & up sides; make
sure all buns are connected & there
are no spaces between the dough.
Using elec. mixer, mix cream cheese,
eggs, sour cream, sugar & vanilla –
beat until smooth & creamy, about
3 minutes = pour into skillet over
bun dough.

Topping:
In a medium bowl stir butter, brown
sugar & cinnamon. Place mixture into
a ziplock bag, forcing mixture to one
corner of bag. Zip top & cut the tip
off one corner (making a piping bag).
Pipe a swirl of this mixture over top
of cheesecake batter.
Bake 50-55 minutes until cheesecake
is set. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Store leftovers in refrigerator.

(recipe: I heart recipes – FB)
————————

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

4 C. broccoli florets
3 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning*
salt/black pepper, to taste
3 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. lemon juice
=
Optional garnish: lemon wedges
=
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Spray a rimmed sheet pan with
nonstick cooking spray. Place broccoli
florets in gallon-sized ziplock bag; add
olive oil, Ital. seasoning, salt/pepper –
seal bag & shake to coat evenly. Pour
broccoli onto sheet pan in a single layer.
Bake 20 minutes, stirring halfway
through. Remove pan from oven; sprinkle
Parm. cheese & parsley over broccoli &
drizzle with lemon juice. Serve garnished
with lemon wedges, if desired. Serves 4

*Equal parts garlic powder, dried oregano
& dried basil

NOTE: If you want your broccoli to stay
bright green, try blanching it 2-3 minutes
before roasting.  Boil 2-3 minutes then
plunge into ice water bath.

(recipe: thekitchn.com)
——————————
Grilled Potato Salad w/Bacon Vinaigrette

Dressing:
1/2 lb. bacon (8 strips)
1 T. whole-grain mustard
1 T. light brown sugar
1 tsp. sherry vinegar
1/2 lemon
fresh ground black pepper

Potatoes:
1 lb. mini Yukon Gold potatoes,
halved
5 scallions
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 T. roughly chopped flat leaf
parsley
flaky sea salt
=

Dressing:
Place bacon in large nonstick skillet
over medium heat. Line a plate with
paper towels. Cook bacon, turning
ocasionally, until golden brown &
crispy, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to
plate. Place bacon fat in a small
mixing bowl. To bacon fat add
mustard, sugar & vinegar – squeeze
in juice from lemon half & whisk
to combine. Season with black
pepper. (set aside in a warm place)

Potatoes:
Preheat grill over medium heat.

Place potatoes in an even layer in a
microwave-safe baking dish. Pour in
1/4 C. water & cover tightly with
plastic wrap. Steam potatoes in
microwave on High about 3 minutes
until just slightly tender. Remove &
drain any water that remains.
Place potatoes in large mixing
bowl with whole scallions. Drizzle
with olive oil & sprinkle with
salt/pepper. Toss to evenly
coat in oil. Place potatoes on
grill, cut sides down. Grill 7 minutes
on each side, until tender & caramelized.

Place scallions on coolest area of
grill & cook, 1-2 minutes on each
side being careful to not char. Remove
scallions from grill & set aside. Remove
potatoes from grill & place in a large
mixing bowl. Cut grilled scallions
into 1-inch pieces & Place in bowl
with potatoes. Crumble cooked
bacon in bowl & add parsley, some
sea salt & drizzle generously with
warm bacon dressing – toss to coat.
Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
——————————–

Crockpot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened/cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) jar/can artichoke hearts, drained
& chopped
1 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. sour cream
1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
–
Place all ingredients in 2.5 to 3.5 qt. crockpot-
stir to combine. Cover & cook on Low 2-3
hours, stirring occasionally until dip is hot &
all cheeses have melted. Serve in a bowl or
from crockpot on Warm setting.
Serves 10

NOTE: This dip can easily be turned into a
pasta sauce by adding 2-3 C. milk, Half & Half
or cream after dip has cooked. Slowly stir in
milk until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Serve over any type of cooked pasta..

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)
————————————-
BBQ Chicken Tater Tot Skillet

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
3 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced into
1″ pieces
1/2 C. finely chopped onion (about
half a small one)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. diced red bell pepper (about
1 small)
1/2 C. diced poblano pepper (about
1 small)
1/4 C. chicken stock
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 T. flour
1 C. bottled BBQ sauce
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen tater tots
1 T. chopped fresh parsley (optional
garnish)
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place chicken breasts on a cutting
board, cover with plastic wrap &
pound (using a meat mallet) until
each pieces is of even thickness,
about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Season
both sides of chicken with salt/pepper.
USE AN OVEN-SAFE SKILLET
Cook bacon over medium heat until
crispy; remove, reserving fat in pan &
transfer bacon to a plate lined with
paper towels. Drain off some of fat,
leaving about 1 T. in pan. Add chicken
breasts & cook through, about 8-10
minutes. Remove to plate. Add onion,
garlic & peppers to pan; cook until
softened, about 5 minutes. Shred
cooked chicken. Add chicken stock to
pan with veggies & bring to boil.
Scrape all browned bits off bottom of
pan. Add oregano & salt/ stir. Sprinkle
flour over top of veggies & stir until mixture
thickens; add shredded chicken to pan &
stir to combine. Add BBQ sauce & stir.
Turn off heat & top with shredded cheese.
Top cheese with frozen tater tots &
sprinkle top with cooked bacon. Transfer
skillet to oven & bake 20-25 minutes until
dish is bubbling & tater tots are hot &
baked through. Garnish with chopped parsley,
if desired. Serves 4-6

(recipe: amandascookin.com)
—————————–
1-Pot Enchilada Rice

3 C. uncooked instant rice*
3 C. water
1/2 C. diced red & green bell peppers
1/2 C. frozen corn
1/2 C. salsa (or Rotel diced tomatoes
with green chilies)
2/3 C. enchilada sauce
1 C. shredded Mexican cheese, divided
diced cilantro for topping – garnish
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large oven-safe skillet combine uncooked
rice & water – cook as directed on pkg. Once
cooked, add bell pepper, corn, salsa, cheese &
enchilada sauce – mix thoroughly. Cover with
a layer of shredded cheese & bake 20-25
minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle on
cilantro & serve warm. Serves 6

*If you want to use a regular long-grain rice,
you will need to double the water used

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

Crockpot S’Mores Lava Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 C. water
1/3 C. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 (5.9 oz) bx instant chocolate
pudding mix
2 C. milk
1/2 C. miniature marshmallows
1/2 C. crushed graham crackers
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
–
Spray insides of 5 to 6 qt. crockpot
with nonstick cooking spray.
In medium bowl using elec. mixer
combine cake mix, water, veg. oil &
eggs until all dry cake mix is moistened &
combined -pour into crockpot – spread
evenly. In small bowl whisk choc. pudding
mix & milk until well combined. Sprinkle
miniature marshmallows evenly on top
of cake batter in crockpot. Spread prepared
pudding evenly on top. Cover & cook on
Low 2-3 hours until edges are cooked &
cake-like, but center is bubbly & moist.
Spoon into bowls & garnish with additional
mini marshmallows & graham cracker
crumbs, if desired. Serves 6

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)

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

Stepping on my soapbox here:

Sometimes we are reminded of just how short
our lives can be and how quickly we can miss
those we don’t see often. I was reminded of that
yesterday when I learned that one of my special
needs students passed away – the beginning of
APRIL! I have known him at least 12-15 years;
he was a little younger than me (69), lived
alone in a senior citizen apartment and loved
coming to our special needs group for ‘church’.
When Covid hit he was on my list for calling every
week just to ‘check up’. The first week we talked
a bit; the second he was upset with all the negative
news and didn’t want to talk. (He could be a grumpy
old man at times so I just let him go.) Weekly, from
mid March to now I’d try to call only to either get
no answer or a recording saying the subscriber was
not available at this time. Yesterday I remembered
I had a phone number for a friend of his so I called –
very gently the friend informed me that our friend died
first week in April from heart complications. That was
a shock, for sure. The friend had Power of Attorney
for my friend, as my friend had no family. This man
who called told me he, too, had wondered about
our mutual friend and was in Florida in April when
he got a phone call from the hospital doctor who
informed him of our friends death. Because of
Covid and all the paperwork it took this man weeks
before finally getting everything sorted out. (Our
friend did not have/or die from Covid). Before this
man could do anything, the hospital cremated our
friend and buried him in a group unmarked grave.

It is VERY SAD when you hear of someone’s passing –
it is even more so when you realize how quickly
we can lose contact. I know that our mutual friend
was a Christian and I truly believe he is in heaven
with “his Jesus”.

I write all this to remind you to KEEP IN TOUCH
WITH THOSE YOU CARE ABOUT. (I tried, but did
not succeed). Life is very short – keep close tabs
on those you love – LET THEM KNOW you care
about them!

Hugs;

Pammie

and Summer begins!

Our weather has been really nice 80’s & some 90’s, not humid so that really makes it much better!

Busy but not busy – some days I feel like I used to ‘before Covid’ – something going on every day . . . and then there are other days where all I do is knit, read, mess on Facebook a bit, cook dinner – the ‘new’ normal. Friday was a cookout/meeting of the leaders for my special needs group. It was SO nice to see AND HUG (YES, we HUGGED!) everyone. Great food, great fellowship, great re-connecting. We discussed what our possible opening in the Fall will be like. Our group leader for 30 years is stepping down and another lady who makes a great leader will take over. Things will be different – not sure just how many of our ‘kids’ will return but . . . in the words of our former leader: The future of the group is not up to us: our job is to keep our eyes on the Lord and HE will lead us. It’s HIS group, whether it continues or fails is not up to us – we just need to do our jobs. The other issue with all of this is: I will be leaving about 3 months after they start up again. It has been discussed with our kids & leaders; I’ve been with the group since October, 1993. My husband doesn’t like me driving at night, especially in the winter (I don’t see well in the dark) so he has asked that I retire. When all is said & done there will be four, possibly five leaders. Three have been with the group about 3 years, the other two for less time. We will see what this all brings.

At the party I brought a dessert I haven’t made in a long time. This is one of those GREAT tasting recipes, so I’ll feature it here. Also, one of the leaders brought Hot Artichoke Dip – it was WONDERFUL! Really flavorful – really tasty. (see below)

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

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MESS
(crockpot)

1 (18.5 oz) box chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz; 4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 pint sour cream
3/4 C. vegetable oil
1 C. water
4 eggs
1 C. chocolate chips (6 oz. – you can
use more)
(chocolate hot fudge sauce – drizzle)
=
Vanilla ice cream
=
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl mix all ingredients; mix until
smooth & pour into crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 4-5 hours
until set in center. Let cool 30
minutes. Serves 10

Best served with vanilla ice cream

---

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 C. mayonnaise
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a medium casserole dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix all dip ingredients together
& pour into prepared dish.
Bake 30-45 minutes.

Best served with chunks of
French bread
———————–

Grilled Squash with Herbs

3 large summer squash (yellow or green)
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried, minced rosemary
1 tsp. dried, minced basil
1 tsp. dried, minced parsley
=
Preheat grill to High
Cut squash lengthwise into thick
strips. Combine oil, salt/pepper &
herbs in a large bowl – toss squash
slices with mixture. Grill squash
about 3-4 minutes per side.
Serve immediately. Serves 4-6

(recipe: deepsouthdish.com)
———————–
Sheet Pan Panko Shrimp

1 1/2 lb. jumbo (10/15 count)
Wild American shrimp, preferably
Gulf Shrimp, peeled/deveined
zest of 1 lemon (reserve juice)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. paprika
2/3 C. Panko bread crumbs
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes (plus
more for garnish, if desired)
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with
foil & spray with nonstick cooking
spray or lightly brush with olive oil.
To remove excess water: pat shrimp
dry with paper towels & place in
large bowl. Toss with remaining
olive oil, salt/pepper, Cajun seasoning,
Old Bay, pepper flakes & paprika. Add
lemon zest & garlic, spread onto
prepared sheet in single layer.

In a separate bowl mix panko crumbs,
butter, cheese, black pepper & parsley.
Sprinkle half panko mixture over shrimp
& press lightly – repeat with remaining
crumbs. Bake 10-12 minutes (depending
on size of shrimp) until shrimp are
cooked through & crumbs lightly browned.
Squeeze lemon juice on top & sprinkle
with parsley before serving.
Serves 4

(recipe: deepsouthdish.com)
———————-
Yummy Summer Pea Salad

2 (6 oz, ea) pkgs. frozen peas, thawed
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
1 C. golden raisins
1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 C. sunflower seeds

Dressing:

1 C. mayonnaise
2 T. wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. sugar (or, to taste)
=
In large bowl combine peas, bacon,
raisins, Cheddar cheese, onion &
sunflower seeds. In small bowl stir in mayo,
vinegar & sugar – drizzle over salad & toss
to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap &
refrigerate 1 hour.

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

Crockpot 3-Bean Casserole Crunch
and OVEN recipe

1 lb. ground beef
6 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 T. white vinegar
1 T. mustard
1/2 C. ketchup
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (16 oz) can chili beans
1 (15 oz) can pork & beans
1 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 C. crushed Chili Cheese Fritos
=
In skillet brown ground beef with
bacon, onion & peppers – drain &
mix with remaining ingredients
(except cheese & Fritos).
Place mixture into crockpot; cover
& cook on Low 4-6 hours. Before
serving top each serving with
cheese & Fritos.* Serves 6

*If you want your cheese melty;
place on beans in crockpot for
10-15 minutes before serving.

OVEN method:
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 3 quart casserole dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook meat/peppers, etc. as
above in a skillet; mix in a
bowl with all ingredients
(except cheese & Fritos) then
pour into prepared dish.
Bake 45 minutes then top with
cheese & chips – bake until
top is bubbly.

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

Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese

16 oz (about 3 C.) elbow macaroni
3 T. butter or margarine
1 1/2 C. milk, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 lb (16 oz) cubed Velveeta
cheese (1/2 inch cubes)
8 oz. shredded mild Cheddar
cheese (about 2 C.) divided
8 oz. shredded Monterrey Jack
cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook macaroni according to pkg.
directions until tender but not
soft (about 10 minutes). Drain &
pour into a mixing bowl – stir.
Melt Velveeta until melted/stir
until it’s creamy. Pour melted
cheese over pasta & stir well. Add
butter, eggs, milk & 1 C. shredded
cheese, salt/pepper. Mix very well
& pour into prepared dish. Pour rest
of cheese on top. Bake about 20
minutes until brown & bubbling.
Serve hot or cool 5 minutes out of
oven.

(recipe: cookitonce.com)
————————–
Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets
Grill or oven recipe

heavy aluminum foil
4 cloves garlic; 2 grated, 2 thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 T. olive oil
40 jumbo peeled/deveined shrimp,
slightly over 1 lb.
1/4 C. dry white wine
1 T. fresh lemon juice
4 pinches red pepper flakes
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
3 T. chopped parsley
–
Optional – for serving:
whole wheat crusty bread
1 lemon, cut into wedges
=
In large bowl whisk grated garlic, salt
& oil. Add shrimp & toss to coat.
Chill, uncovered, at least 30  minutes –
up to 1 hour.
=
To Grill:

Tear off four 16″ foil sheets. Place
10 shrimp in center of each sheet; top
with remaining garlic slices, 1 T. wine,
lemon juice, pinch red pepper flakes,
1/2 T. melted butter on each.
Bring up long sides of foil so ends
meet over the food. Double fold the
ends, leaving room for heat to circulate
inside. Double fold the 2 short ends to
seal the packet.  Serves 4

Grill over High heat 8  minutes. Use
gloves or tongs to remove & carefully
open. Top with chopped parsley.
Serve with lemon wedges.
=========
OVEN method:
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Prepare packets as directed above.
Place packets in oven & bake about
10 minutes.

(recipe: www.skinnytaste.com)
———————————

No-churn Ripple Ice Cream

2 C. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C. cherry pie filling (from 21 oz can)*
1/2 C. blueberry pie filling (fro 21 oz can)*
–
In large bowl whip whipping cream until stiff
peaks form. Fold vanilla & sweetnd cond. milk
into whipped cream – Pour mixture into a
9 X 5″ loaf pan (or similar sized container).
Put cherry pie filling in food processor &
pulse until smooth – drizzle over top of whipped
cream mixture. (rinse & dry out food processor).
Process blueberry pie filling until smooth & drizzle
over whipped cream mixture. Use a knife to cut
through the pie filling & create swirls. Cover pan
tightly with plastic wrap & freeze 8 hours until
firm. Serves 10-12

*Reserve rest of pie filling for another use

(recipe: lovebakesgoodcakes.com)

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

Hope you’re having a GREAT DAY!

Hugs;

Pammie

My New ‘Normal’ is slowly coming together!

This past Saturday was National Knit in Public Day – above is me (bundled in a heavy sweatshirt jacket, using my knitting project to keep my knees warm!) It was a ‘balmy’ 63 degrees, sunny with a very strong wind. We had 18 ladies in attendance which made me happy! The general consensus was: we were having such a good time – why not do this regularly? I just finished officially scheduling our “Panera” knit group meeting for tomorrow 4-6/7 p.m. in the above park! (Panera is still at 50% capacity seating and 6′ distancing of people so it would not work for 18+ of us to try to cram in there at this time). I’m looking forward to scheduling events again! Slowly but surely my ‘new normal’ is coming into view. The ‘fun’ thing about this ‘new normal’ for my knit group is: we are now incorporating BOTH of my knit groups together!

One of the ladies in my groups began a new project for those who wanted to participate. It seems a friend gave her 2 very large garbage bags full of very expensive yarns with the stipulation that said yarns would be used to create items which could be sold to benefit CHARITIES. These are yarns I’m not familiar with – various strange textures, weights, etc. My friend divided the yarns up into projects, with a pattern (should you need one) for various items to knit/crochet. I was timid at first, choosing 2 bags. Saturday she brought the remainder of the yarns (altogether she created 44 project bags!). I now have 4 bags: one I’m working on in various shades of browns/tans/rust – it’s eventually going to be a cowl. I think the yarns are ugly but that’s just me: one is Alpaca – reminds me of knitting with dog hair! Another will be fingerless gloves – these are in a bright teal with white top & bottom; the other 2 bags are currently without an ‘idea of what to make out of them’. My friend has asked that we complete the projects by December so I’ve got time. (and I thought I was going a bit over my normal number of projects with 2 baby blankets & some baby booties! Now I’m at 2 baby blankets, knitting baby headbands for the Sept. Vet’s baby shower, baby booties and ‘the bags’!) Oh well – keeps me busy & out of trouble, right?

The ‘build a new garage’ project is still in the works; we’re awaiting a quote from another builder, not exactly sure when he’s coming over – that’s 2 builders/2 quotes – we’ll see where this goes.

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

(DISCLAIMER: the recipes I feature on this blog are not my recipes – see the recipe sites listed under each recipe)

Apple Pie w/ Peanut Butter Crumble

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell (poster
used Pillsbury frozen pie crust)
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. sugar, divided (3/4 & 1/4)
2 tsp. vanlla
4 C. apples, peeled/sliced (or chopped)
Poster used 5 small Red Delicious but
you can use any baking apple)
1 C. rolled oats (can use quick cooking oats)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. peanut butter ( poster used extra
crunchy – you can use regular if you like)
2 T. butter or margarine, softened
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl whisk sour cream, 1/4 C.
sugar, eggs, 1/4 C. flour & vanilla. fold
in apples – toss to coat then pour into
pie shell. In a bowl mix oats, 3/4 C. flour,
1/4 C. sugar & cinnamon.
Either in microwave or on stovetop,
melt peanut butter & butter together
until smooth. Add to oat mixture &
sprinkle over apples.
Bake 50-55 minutes until golden brown
& center is set. Serves 6

NOTE:  Leftover pie should be refrigerated

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

Crockpot BBQ Country-style
Pork Ribs

5 lb. country-style pork ribs
1 C. chopped celery
2 C. chopped onions
1/2 C. chopped green bell pepper
1 C. ketchup
1/2 C. yellow mustard
1 C. BBQ sauce
1 C. water
3 T. dark cider vinegar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
=
Suggested serving sides:
cooked white rice to serve 6
baked beans to serve 6
cole slaw
toasted garlic bread
=
Place ribs in large deep pot – cover
with water & boil 20-30  minutes to
decrease fat.

In a large bowl mix all other ingredients
& stir to mix well.
Place pork in crockpot, adding sauce as
you go, until you get about an inch from
top of crockpo. Use as much sauce as you
can (it will be needed later to put over rice)
Mix all well. Cover & cook on High about
5 hours. (You can keep it longer on Low
to keep it hot) Serves 6

(recipe: food.com)
———————————-

Tomato Salad

5 C. tomatoes, cut into 1″ pieces
1 C. bocconcini (mozzarella balls)
1/4 C. red onion thinly sliced
1/3 C. small basil leaves
1/4 C. olive oil
1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. fresh minced garlic
salt/black pepper, to taste
–
Place tomatoes, mozz. balls, red
onion & basil in large bowl. In a
small bowl whisk olive oil, red
wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, garlic,
salt/pepper (to taste). Pour dressing
over tomato mixture & gently toss
to coat evenly. Serve immediately
or cover & refrigerate up to 2 hours.
Serves 6

(recipe: dinneratthezoo.com)
————————

Bruschetta Chicken
(Grill recipe)

4 thin-cut boneless skinless
chicken breasts
1/4 C. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning*
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 slices mozzarella cheese
2 T. balsamic glaze
–
Topping:
1 1/2 C. tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp. garlic, finely minced
1 T. olive oil
1/4 C. thinly sliced basil leaves
salt/black pepper, to taste
2 T. red onion, minced
=
In large bowl or ziplock bag mix olive
oil, lemon juice, salt, Ital. seasoning &
black pepper. Place chicken in bag &
marinate at least 30 minutes or up to
4 hours.
====
Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high.
Remove chicken from bag (discard bag).
Place chicken on grill. Cook 4-5 minutes
on each side (or until fully cooked).
Place mozz. cheese slices on top of chicken;
cover grill & cook until cheese melts, 2-3
minutes.
(While chicken is cooking prepare topping)
Topping:
In medium bowl combine tomatoes, garlic,
olive oil, red onion, basil, salt/pepper – let
stand 10 minutes. Spoon bruschetta
mixture over chicken. Drizzle with balsamic
glaze & serve. Serves 4

*If you don’t have Italian seasoning:
Mix 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dried oregano,
& 1 tsp. dried basil

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

Lemon Garlic Smashed Potatoes

6 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or
Carisma)
3 T. melted butter (or 2 T. olive oil)
4 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 if you
like a milder flavor)
2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
salt/black pepper, to taste
(optional: 1/2 tsp. semolina –
for crispy potatoes)
=
Preheat oven to Broil (or grill
to medium-high (about 200 degrees F/
400 degrees F)
Place potatoes in large pot of salted
water; cook, covered 30-35 until
fork-tender; drain well. Lightly spray
a large baking sheet or tray with nonstick
cooking spray. Arrange potatoes on sheet &
use a potato masher to lightly flatten the
potatoes in one piece (don’t mash too hard).
In a small bowl mix butter, lemon juice &
garlic – pour over each potato. Sprinkle tops
with half of oregano, salt/pepper. Lightly
spray with cooking spray & sprinkle tops
with semolina, if using.
Broil or grill until golden & crispy, about
15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle
tops with remaining oregano.
To serve: season with a little extra salt &
pepper, serve immediately.
Serves 6

NOTE: For even crispier potatoes, remove
from oven half way through cooking;
spray with a little extra cooking spray &
continue broiling/grilling until golden
brown.

(recipe: cafedelites.com)
————————————

Southwest Chicken Coleslaw

2 C. cooked/chopped chicken
2 C. coleslaw mix
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. grape or cherry tomatoes,
quartered
1 1/2 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 C. buttermilk Ranch salad dressing
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
=
In large bowl add chicken, coleslaw,
cheese & tomatoes. In smaller bowl
mix lime juice, ranch dressing, chili
powder, cumin, pepper & sugar until
combined – pour over coleslaw mix &
stir to combine. Refrigerate at least
one hour prior to serving.
Serves 6-8

NOTE: Also great served on a
spinach or tomato tortilla as a wrap

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

Orange Meringue Pie

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 C. cornstarch
1 pinch salt
1 C. orange juice
1/2 C. lemon juice
1/4 C. water
4 eggs, separated
4 T. butter or margarine, cut into
pieces
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1/2 C. diced orange segments
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line unbaked pastry crust with
foil & a layer of pie weights or
dried beans. Bake in preheated
oven until edge of crust is golden,
about 10 minutes. Carefully
remove foil & weights; bake
about 5 minutes more.
In small saucepan stir 3/4 C. sugar,
1/3 C. cornstarch & salt. Mix in
orange & lemon juices & water.
Whisk in egg yolks. Cook over
medium heat, stirring frequently,
until thick & bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat & stir in butter
& orange zest. (If desired, stir in
orange segments) Pour into pie
crust; cover with plastic wrap & set
aside to cool.
==
(When pie has cooled to room temp)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Preparing Meringue:
In large glass or metal bowl
beat egg whites until foamy.
Gradually add 1/2 C. sugar &
cream of tartar, continuing to
beat until stiff peaks form. Lift
beater or whisk straight up – the
egg whites should form a sharp
peak that holds it’s shape. Spread
meringue over pie, making sure
it completely covers the filling &
meets the edges of the pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven until
meringue topping is golden
brown, about 15 minutes.

(recipe: Facebook)

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

Our weather has been kind of ‘iffy’ – one day sunny
& in the 60’s, next in the 70/80’s. Today it’s supposed
to have a High of 76 degrees F. tomorrow High of 86!
Thurs. high of 90, Friday high of 92! WOW!

Gas prices jumped a bit lately to $2.04/9; not a big
jump.

Hope you have a GREAT day – stay healthy!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: You can’t really see it very good – but the project on my lap is the White/Pink Chevron baby blanket – I’m very close to being done with it.

Another GLORIOUS Day!

Today is another gorgeous Summer day: sun shining, slight breeze, 64 degrees F. but supposed to get up to 71. I’m so happy our governor has lifted the stay-at-home order; managed to make a quick trip to the bank, get gas & stop at our mailbox. That might not sound like much but when we had the order, NONE of those would have been happening. I have learned to navigate the various grocery stores and their ‘stickers’ on the floors to keep you going the ‘right’ way down aisles or to keep you standing in line 6 ft. apart – I feel like an old ‘Pro’ now and IT FEELS GOOD JUST TO GET OUT!

Yesterday my oldest son & grandson tackled our yard; there were many over-grown trees, bushes, etc. I am amazed at the work they did – excellent work and they’re coming back next week to finish that project. Next in line: them cleaning out our garage. That might not sound like much but there is ‘stuff’ in there from 15-20 years ago! Lots of JUNK! We have made the decision that we will be having a new garage built so all of this work is in preparation for said project. I feel bad that I’m no longer able to do physical work like them but I’ve become a great ‘food & cold drinks’ runner!

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

Blackberry Cobbler

2 1/2 C. blackberries (washed)
1 C. sugar
1 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. milk
1/2 C. unsalted butter, melted
–
Place berries & sugar in large bowl;
mix together & let stand 30 minutes.
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl mix flour, baking powder,
salt & milk using a wooden spoon.
Stir in melted butter & hand mix
until ingredients are well incorporated
with a few clumps. Pour batter into a
medium baking dish & smooth out.
(you can line dish with parchment
paper, if desired, but don’t spray
with nonstick cooking spray).
Pour berries/sugar on top &
evenly distribute over batter.
Bake 45 minutes – 60 minutes,
depending on how golden you
prefer it to be. Let cool 5 minutes
before serving.

(recipe: Mike Suddaby – FB)
——————–

Easy Burrito Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pkt. taco seasoning mix
6 large flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
2-3 C. shredded taco or Cheddar
cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz. sour cream
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In skillet brown beef & onion; drain.
Add taco seasoning & stir in refried
beans. In a bowl mix soup & sour
cream. Spread 1/2 sour cream
mixture in bottom of prepared dish.
Tear up 3 tortillas & spread over
sour cream mixture, to cover. Place
half of meat mixture on top & add
a layer of cheese; repeat layers,
ending with cheese.
Bake, uncovered, 20-30 minutes

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

Sweet & Sour Chicken

4 chicken breasts cut into
1-inch cubes

Breading:
salt/pepper
1 C. cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
–
1/3 C. canola oil
=
Sauce:
3/4 C. sugar
4 T. ketchup
1/2 C. white distilled vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
===
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Heat oil in large skillet. Place
cornstarch in a shallow plate/pan
(like a pie plate); place beaten
eggs in another shallow pan.
Season chicken cubes with salt &
pepper then dip into cornstarch,
coat thoroughly then dip into
beaten eggs. Cook chicken in hot
oil in skillet until browned. Place
cooked chicken into a casserole dish.

In small bowl whisk together sauce
ingredients & pour evenly over chicken,
flipping chicken so sauce gets on both
sides. Bake 15 minutes; turn chicken over
& cook for another 15 minutes.

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

Crockpot Corn-on-the-Cob

7 ears fresh corn, shucked &
cleaned
1/4 C. water
1/4 C. butter, melted
1 T. lemon juice
3 T. fresh parsley, minced
1 T. fresh chives, minced
(poster used freeze-dried)
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place corn in crockpot; cover
with 1/4 C. water. Cover &
cook on High 2 1/2 – 3 hours;
drain. In small bowl mix all
ingredients except salt –
drizzle over corn – toss to
coat & sprinkle with salt.
Serves 6-7

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

Easy Taco Cups

1 lb. ground beef
 1/2 C. chopped onion
1 envelope dry taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
2 (8 oz, ea) tubes refrigerated
seamless crescent dough sheets
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
=
Optional toppings:
chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives,
shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole,
salsa
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In large skillet cook beef & onion over
medium heat 6-8 minutes until no
longer pink, breaking into crumbles;
drain. Stir in taco seasoning & refried
beans – heat through. Unroll each
tube of dough into a long rectangle;
cut each rectangle into 12 pieces.
Press dough rectangles lightly onto
bottoms & up sides of 24 ungreased
muffin cups. Fill each cup with a rounded
tablespoon of beef mixture; sprinkle each
with 1 T. cheese & bake 14-16 minutes
until dough is golden brown. Cool in pans
10  minutes before removing. Serve with
toppings, if desired. Makes 12

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————-

Crockpot Homestyle Pork Chops

1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
7 boneless pork chops
2 T. oil
1 (10.5 oz) can chicken broth
–
Spray insides of crockpot
with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl mix flour, mustard,
salt & garlic powder. Lightly
coat chops with mixture (set
aside remaining mixture).
In a skillet add oil – brown
chops over medium-high
heat. Mix broth with remaining
flour mixture & pour into
crockpot. Place browned chops
in crockpot; cover & cook on
High 2 1/2 hours.
Serves 6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
—————————–
Greek Cucumber/Avocado Salad

1 avocado, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 C. chopped onion
1 cucumber, peeled/cut into
bite-sized pieces
1 C. cherry tomatoes, halved
(or quartered, if desired)
1/2 C. black olives, halved
1/4 – 1/2 C. Feta cheese, to taste
1/8 C. olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In large bowl place avocado, cucumber,
onion, tomatoes & olives. Add Feta &
combine gently. In a small bowl combine
olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt/pepper &
pour over vegetables; combine gently.
Serve immediately or refrigerate to let
flavors combine. Stir before serving.
Serves 6

NOTE: Other ingredients you might
want to add:
chopped pepperoni
chopped red peppers
garbanzo beans/black beans (drained/
rinsed)
diced Cheddar cheese

If you like a lot more ingredients, add
more oil & vinegar.

(recipe: myproductivebackyard.com)
————————-
Red, White & Blue Potato Salad

5-6 slices thick-cut bacon (7-8 if
it’s not thick) cooked until crisp/
crumbled
5-6 medium or large red new potatoes,
cut into about 1″ cubes
1/4 – 13 C. blue cheese salad dressing
1 T. horseradish (to taste)
1/4 – 1/2 C. diced white onion
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
–
Optional: 2 oz. crumbled Blue cheese
—-
In large bowl whisk salad dressing, parsley,
horseradish & onion.

Place cut potatoes in large pot of salted
water – bring to boil & cook 10-12
minutes until tender but still firm. Drain &
add hot potatoes to bowl with salad
dressing mixture – toss to coat. Mix in
bacon & gently fold together with
crumbled blue cheese, if using. Mix
so all is well coated with dressing &
mixed completely. Serves 4-6
Good hot, room temp. or cold

(recipe: seasonalandholidayrecipeexchange.
weebly.com)
————————

Crockpot Peanut Butter ‘n Jelly
Casserole

2 (12 oz., ea) tubes biscuit dough,
cut into fourths*
3/4 C. creamy peanut butter
3/4 C. jelly
=
(Using 6 qt. crockpot)

Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
Place dough in crockpot &
spread out. In a saucepan
melt peanut butter over medium-
high heat, stirring constantly
until thin; drizzle over top of
dough. Melt jelly in a saucepan
(or microwave) drizzle over top
of peanut butter & biscuits.
Cover & cook on Low 90 minutes
to 3 hours, until center is set.
Serves 6-8

*If using a different sized biscuit
make sure you only use 24 oz. biscuit
dough. Too much dough will make it
difficult for center to set up.

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

Lemon Lava Cake

1 box lemon cake mix
plus ingredients needed to prepare
cake: eggs, oil, water
2 (3.4 oz, ea) boxes instant
lemon pudding mix
1/3 C. sugar (optional)
2 C. cold milk
1 1/4 C. water
–
powdered sugar – for dusting top
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Prepare
cake according to pkg. directions –
pour into prepared pan. In another
bowl combine dry pudding mix with
sugar,  milk & water – whisk briskly
2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
Spoon pudding mixture over cake
mix batter. (NOTE: once it’s on there
it’s hard to spread out – it will stick
to batter)
Place a large baking sheet under the
baking dish before placing in oven
(for overflows)
–
Bake 55 minutes – 1 hour.
To test doneness: insert a wooden
toothpick into center – if it only comes
out with pudding – you’re good. If you
still see gooey cake batter – bake a little
longer.
Remove from oven & cool about 20
minutes. (allows pudding layer to
thicken up a bit longer)
Serve sprinkled with a bit of powdered
sugar on top. Serves 12

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)

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

Tomorrow is National Knit in Public Day
so you know where I’ll be!

Hope you are all in good health and able
to enjoy this lovely SUMMER weather!

Hugs;

Pammie

Finding ME again!

Since the Covid 19 scare everyone has been under various types of hair/appearance situations. I have been able to purchase my hair coloring (been coloring my hair for many years) so that’s been OK. Not sure about the rest of you but I’ve noticed that a lot of things have changed concerning hair cuts/styling/make up, etc. – in Michigan our Governor is FINALLY lifting the restrictions on hair salons/barber shops/nail salons on June 15th. Over the past four months I’ve come to the conclusion that I no longer need to wear eye liner (been doing that since high school – mid 1960’s!). Our Governor finally let us out of quarantine this past Monday so yesterday I decided to LOOK FOR THE OLD ME again! I trimmed my hair (it’s about an inch from my waist), colored it and, today for the first time in 4 months – CURLED it! I put on make up, perfume and now I look very close to my OLD SELF! YAY! Sometimes you just need to do something to lift your spirits! (Side note: now that I’m able to ‘go out’ I made the observation that you don’t need to wear LIPSTICK when you’re wearing a mask! HA!)

The leaders of my Special Needs group have decided to have a picnic/meeting in two weeks; I’m bringing a very yummy/chocolaty dessert called: “Triple Chocolate Mess”. It’s one of those really rich desserts that you only need a little of – best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MESS
(crockpot)

1 (18.5 oz) box chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz; 4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 pint sour cream
3/4 C. vegetable oil
1 C. water
4 eggs
1 C. chocolate chips (6 oz. – you can
use more)
(chocolate hot fudge sauce – drizzle)
=
Vanilla ice cream
=
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl mix all ingredients; mix until
smooth & pour into crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 4-5 hours
until set in center. Let cool 30
minutes. Serves 10
Best served with vanilla ice cream

---

Crockpot Chicken & Spanish Rice

1 stick butter (8 T.)
3-4 chicken breasts
1 (32 oz) can chicken stock or broth
1 (16 oz) pkg. yellow Spanish rice
1 oz. pkt. Ranch seasoning mix
water – if needed
=
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
Place butter & chicken in
crockpot – sprinkle dry Ranch
seasoning on top. Pour stock/broth
over chicken. Cover & cook on Low
7 hours. Remove lid; shred chicken.
Add rice & make sure it’s covered
with liquid (add water if needed).
Cover & cook 30-45 minutes until
rice is done. Serves 8

(recipe: backtomysouthernroots.com)
——————————

Crockpot Chicken & Spanish Rice

1 stick butter (8 T.)
3-4 chicken breasts
1 (32 oz) can chicken stock or broth
1 (16 oz) pkg. yellow Spanish rice
1 oz. pkt. Ranch seasoning mix
water – if needed
=
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
Place butter & chicken in
crockpot – sprinkle dry Ranch
seasoning on top. Pour stock/broth
over chicken. Cover & cook on Low
7 hours. Remove lid; shred chicken.
Add rice & make sure it’s covered
with liquid (add water if needed).
Cover & cook 30-45 minutes until
rice is done. Serves 8

(recipe: backtomysouthernroots.com)
——————————

Homemade Egg Rolls

2 tsp. vegetable oil
3/4 lb. ground pork (or gr. chicken/turkey)
salt/pepper, to taste
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
3 C. coleslaw mix
1/4 C. sliced green onions
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
12 egg roll wrappers*
1 egg, beaten
oil for frying
=
In large pan over medium-high
heat, heat veg. oil. Add gr. pork &
season with salt/pepper. Cook,
breaking up pork until meat is
brown & cooked through. Add
garlic & ginger – cook 30 seconds.
Stir in coleslaw mix & green onions –
cook 3-4 minutes until cabbage is
wilted. Stir in soy sauce & sesame
oil – remove from heat.
Unwrap wonton wrappers.
Spoon about 2-3 T. of filling onto
each wrapper & fold according to
pkg. directions, using the beaten egg
to seal the edges of the wrappers as
you go.
=
Pour 2-3 inches of oil into a deep pot
& heat to 350 degrees F.
Fry wrappers, 3-4 at a time, turning
occasionally until browned, about
3-5 minutes. Place cooked egg rolls
on paper towels then serve with
dipping sauce of your choice.
Makes 12 egg rolls

*You can find wonton wrappers in
the fresh vegetable aisle, usually in
the chilled section.

NOTE: If you would like to BAKE
the egg rolls instead of frying:
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place them (after rolling) in a
baking pan/dish – spray them
with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake 15-20 minutes until browned
& crispy.

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

Sheet Pan Breakfast Fried Rice

1/2 lb. bacon, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
8 C. cooked jasmine rice
10 oz. frozen peas & carrots, thawed
1 C. chopped red bell pepper
4 scallions, (white parts only),
chopped & green sliced thin
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 1/2 C. shredded Colby-Monterey
Jack cheese
6 large eggs
(sriracha sauce – for topping)
=
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Place oven rack in center of oven.
Arrange bacon & garlic on a baking
sheet & bake 15-18 minutes until
bacon is crisp. Remove from oven,
stir in rice & bake 18-10 minutes
until rice is crisp & starting to turn
lightly golden. Remove from oven.
Stir in peas & carrots, bell pepper,
scallion whites, soy sauce & sesame
oil. Make 6 ‘wells/indentations’ in
mixture on sheet & crack eggs into
them. Sprinkle cheese over top of
rice & bake 13-15 minutes until
cheese is melted & eggs are set.
Remove from oven – sprinkle green
scallions on top & drizzle with sriracha
sauce (if desired). Serves 6

(recipe: food.com)
—————————-

Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Pizzas:
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
3/4 C. water
1 C. vegetable oil
8 (taco sized) flour tortillas
1 (15 oz) can refried beans
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
2 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend

Toppings;
diced tomatoes
sliced green onion
sliced olives

Optional:
sour cream
salsa
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In large skillet brown gr. beef;
crumble & drain. Add taco
seasoning & water; stir & bring
to boil. Reduce heat & simmer
until thickened. In large skillet
heat oil over medium heat. Add
tortillas, one-at-a-time, & cook
3-4 minutes, flipping frequently,
until crisp. Continue with rest of
tortillas; set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat
refried beans.
On each tortilla slather a generous
amount of refried beans; top with
meat. Place another tortilla on top;
slather about 2 T. enchilada sauce.
Add some shredded cheese on top
of sauce & continue assembling
rest of pizzas. Place assembled
pizzas on a large nonstick baking
sheet & bake 8-10 minutes until
cheese is melted. Serve with your
favorite toppings.
NOTE: Serves 4 (2 tortillas each pizza)

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

Sweet Pickle Deviled Eggs

12 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled,
sliced in half lengthwise.
1/2 C. mayonnaise (you can use a
little more if you want a creamier
mixture)
1 T. yellow mustard
1/3 – 1/2 tsp. salt
dash black pepper
dash paprika for egg mixture
plus more for garnish
=
optional: dash onion powder and/or
garlic powder
3 T. sweet pickle relish (or finely
chopped sweet pickle – drain/
squeeze out excess liquid)
==
Place egg yolks in a small bowl
(set egg white halves aside). Mash
yolks then add mayo, mustard, salt/
pepper & paprika – stir well (if using
onion/garlic powders, add now). Stir
in pickle relish blending well.
Spoon egg mixture into centers of
egg white halves (can be piped in,
if desired). Garnish with light sprinkling
of paprika on top. Refrigerate until
ready to serve. Makes 24 egg halves.

(recipe: nancy – c.com)
————————–

Banana Cream Cheesecake Bars
(8 hour or overnight recipe)

1 (11 oz) box Nilla Wafer cookie crumbs
(3 C. crumbs)
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 pint heavy whipping cream
3/4 C. sugar
3 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
softened
2 (3.4 oz, ea) pkgs instant Banana
Cream Pudding mix
=
Optional Garnish:
Cool Whip (thawed)
Banana slices
==
Crust:
In medium bowl combine wafer
crumbs & melted butter; press
mixture into bottom of an 8 X 8″
square baking pan (can use 9 X 9″)
lined with parchment paper with
extra paper hanging over edges
(to use as handles). Chill crust or
freeze while making filling.

Filling:
In large metal bowl* using elec.
mixer on medium speed, whip
heavy whipping cream & sugar
together until stiff peaks form.

In another large bowl using elec.
mixer on medium speed, beat
cream cheese until smooth. Add
dry pudding mixes, a little at a
time, beating well between each
addition. Add whipped cream &
mix until smooth.
Spread filling evenly over chilled
crust. Cover pan with plastic wrap
& refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Cut chilled cheesecake into 9 squares
& garnish with whipped topping &
banana slices, if desired. Serve
chilled. Serves 9

*Poster notes: she places the metal
bowl in freezer for 10 minutes so it’s
cold before using.

(recipe: kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com)
=====================

Hope you are all doing well and are healthy!

Hugs;

Pammie

 

 

I FINALLY DID IT!

I WENT SHOPPING!!! Our state is finally out from under the ‘stay at home’ order; we picked up my van at the dealership yesterday (needed a new Air Conditioning compressor – under warranty – yay!). Today I decided I would GO OUT! Stopped at Walgreens & picked up my instant coffee on sale (they offer it about every 3-4 months on sale) then stopped at CVS to pick up more things on sale (and to use my $10 off coupon that would expire soon). After that I drove to a nice little park where 12 of my knit ladies were meeting (6 feet apart) to knit/crochet for an hour outside! It was SO NICE to get out and really SEE people in person instead of on the Zoom meetings! One lady brought me a bag of white yarns; said “I thought you might be able to use these.” Turns out she was absolutely right! I really needed exactly that! (I use a lot of white yarn in the baby blankets). PERFECT! Without going into great detail, we’re going to do this again tomorrow (there’s a free yarn/knit project thing going on so the intent is for us to pick up the yarns, knit/crochet something with it then give it back to the lady who will give it to a charity for them to sell in their gift shop.

(a 80+ yr old woman died & she had a stash of VERY EXPENSIVE yarns – her daughter gave us the yarns with the intent that we would use them for charity only. (one of my ladies is keeping track of it all). I took 2 bags – we’ll see how this goes. Am planning on knitting either a cowl, fingerless gloves or a scarf with it – we’ll see – I promised I wouldn’t knit a baby blanket! HA!)

I’m going to try to go grocery shopping tomorrow – we’ll see how that goes (and if I have the courage to do so – today found me almost in a panic attack after leaving the first store – weird! I’ve been looking forward to this for 3 months!)

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

Cherry Coffee Cake

1 1/4 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
8 T. butter (1 stick/ 1/2 C.), melted
1/2 C. milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (20 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 tsp. lemon extract
==
Crumb Topping:
1/2 C. flour
2 T. butter, melted
—–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 9″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl whisk flour, sugar,
baking powder/baking soda.
Stir in melted butter, milk, egg &
vanilla – mix well & spread into
bottom of prepared pan. In a
medium bowl mix lemon extract
with pie filling & spread over
flour mixture.
In a small bowl mix together Crumb
Topping ingredients & sprinkle on
top of pie filling.
Bake 55-60  minutes until topping is
brown & bubbly. Serves 9

NOTE: If you would like a glaze on top,
combine 1/2 C. powdered sugar & a few
tablespoons milk – drizzle over cooled cake.

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

Chicken Tortilla Bake

3 C. cooked, shredded chicken
2 (4 oz, ea) cans chopped green chilies
1 C. chicken broth
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom
soup undiluted
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken
soup undiluted
1 small onion, finely chopped
12 corn tortillas, warmed
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
–
Optional toppings:
Sour cream
chopped green onions
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl combine chicken, chiles, broth,
soups & onion. Layer half of tortillas
in bottom of sprayed pan, cutting to
fit if desired. Top with half of chicken
mixture & half of cheese – repeat
layers.
Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes until
heated through. Serves 8

NOTE: Freezer option:
Cover & freeze unbaked casserole
To use: partially thaw in fridge overnight.
Remove from fridge 30 minutes before
baking. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake 30 minutes, increasing time as
necessary to heat through & a
thermometer inserted in center
reads 165º.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————-

Crunchy Taco Cups
(appetizer)

1 lb. ground beef, cooked/drained
1 envelope taco seasoning (3 T.)
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes &
green chilies, drained
1 1/2 C. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
(OR) Mexican blend cheese
24 wonton wrappers*
——————-
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Generously spray a 12 – cup muffin
tin with nonstick cooking spray. Combine
cooked meat, taco seasoning & Ro-Tel
in a bowl; stir to combine. Line each
muffin tin with a wonton wrapper; add
1 1/2 T. meat mixture & top with 1 T.
cheese – press down & add another layer
of wonton wrapper, meat mixture & a
final layer of cheese – repeat.
Bake 11-13 minutes until cups are heated
through & edges are brown. Makes 12

*You can find wonton wrappers in the
chilled fruits/veggies section of
grocery stores

(recipe: yummly.com)
—————————–
Deep-dish Ham & Asparagus Quiche

1 9 inch pie crust (refrigerated)
3 T. olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 T. water
12 oz. cooked ham, cubed
1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed/
cut into small pieces
6 oz. shredded Swiss or Monterey
Jack cheese
7 eggs
3 C. heavy cream
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Coat large skillet with olive oil; add
onions & water – cook over medium-low
heat, stirring occasionally about 30 minutes,
until caramelized. Add ham & cook,
stirring occasionally about 5 minutes. Add
asparagus; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat.
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In large bowl combine eggs, heavy cream, salt/
pepper – whisk to combine. Place about 2/3rds
ham mixture into crust – top with 2/3rds cheese.
Pour 2/3 egg mixture on top – repeat with remaining
ham/cheese/egg mixtures. Filling should be about
1/2″ from top of pie crust. (If you have extra
ingredients, save for scrambled eggs the next day).
Cover quiche loosely with foil. Bake about 90
minutes. Remove foil & bake another 20-30 minutes
until quiche is set but juggles just slightly.
Remove from oven, let cool on wire rack 30-45
minutes before serving. Can be served room
temp, cold or warm. Serves 12

NOTE: If making the day ahead, let cool to room
temp. on a cooling rack. Cover & refrigerate.
Remove from fridge about 45 minutes before
planning to serve.

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
————————–

Crockpot Creamy Nacho Chicken Dip

1 (16 oz) can refried beans
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (12 oz) can chicken, drained/shredded
1 (16 oz) jar chunky salsa
8 oz. shredded Mexican-blend cheese
–
tortilla chips or tortillas for dipping
=
Spray insides of 4 qt. crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl
mash/stir cream cheese until smooth.
Layer ingredients in crockpot:
refried beans
cream cheese
chicken
salsa
cheese
Cover & cook on High 1 hour (or Low 2 hrs)
Serve either on top of chips or use chips/
tortillas as dippers.  Serves 12

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

Fried Boneless/Skinless
Chicken Breasts
(overnight recipe)

2 lb. boneless/skinless chicken
breasts
2 C. buttermilk*
2 C. flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
3 whole eggs
3 T. whole milk
2 T. hot sauce (your choice)
Enough shortening (or lard) to
come 2 inches up side of a large
cast iron skillet
=
Place chicken breasts in a large zip
lock bag; cover with buttermilk &
let stand in refrigerator overnight
or at least 12 hours. When ready
to cook; drain chicken/discard
buttermilk.
=
In large bowl whisk flour, salt/pepper,
garlic powder & paprika. In a shallow
(pie) pan beat eggs, milk & hot sauce.
Place chicken, 2 pieces at a time, in
flour mixture, then egg, then back
into flour, pressing each time to coat.
Breading should be rough & shaggy:
the shaggy parts will crisp up as they fry
& give a nice crunchy crust. As you bread
each piece, place on a platter or plate.

Place a rack over a sheet tray (set aside).

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, melt
shortening & heat to 325 degrees – no
higher**. Add all chicken at once, piece by
piece. If they don’t comfortably fit all at
once, you will need to cook in 2 batches.
The temperature of the oil will drop below
300 degrees F. when you place the chicken
in; if oil is too hot, the outsides will get too
dark before the insides cook. Fry for a total
of about 15 minutes, carefully turning each
piece every few minutes for even browning.
(Insert a probe thermometer into one piece
& remove from fryer onto prepared rack when
internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F.
The chicken will continue to cook to a safe
165 degrees F.) Be careful when handling
the chicken so the cooked breading stays on.
Serve immediately. Serves 4

*If you don’t have buttermilk: In a 1-cup
measuring cup add 1 T. lemon juice or
vinegar. Pour enough milk in cup to reach
1-cup. Stir & let stand 5 minutes – now you
have ‘sour milk/buttermilk’.

**Poster used a candy thermometer to
reach temperature

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
———————————–
Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

1 bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 lb.)
cut into bite-sized florets
3 T. olive oil
1/2 C. fresh garlic cloves (more or
less, to taste)cut in half or thirds
if especially large
salt/black pepper, to taste
=
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Spray a rimmed baking sheet
lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl toss broccoli with
oil, garlic, salt & pepper – spread
in single layer on prepared sheet.
Roast about 20 minutes until
broccoli is bright green & edges are
starting to brown. (do not let garlic
get too brown or it will taste bitter)
Serve hot.  Serves 4

(recipe: kalynskitchen.com)
————————–

Brownie-bottom Cheesecake

1 box brownie mix
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
–
=
Chocolate ice cream topping
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9″ springform pan with
nonstick cooking spray.
Mix brownie mix accordg. to pkg;
spread in prepared pan.
Bake 8-10 minutes.
In large bowl mix cream cheese, eggs,
sugar & vanilla – beat until smooth &
spread on top of brownie.
Bake 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees F.
Bake another 15 minutes.
Cool completely before removing
from pan. Serve with chocolate
sauce drizzled on top, if desired.
Serves 8
(does not need to be refrigerated
before serving)

(recipe: simplystacie.net)

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

Since all of my ‘usual’ activities have been
put on hold b/c of the virus, I’ve been watching
TV in the evenings. Have been ‘binge watching’
NCIS Los Angeles lately, think I have 3-4 more
episodes before I’m done with the season (at
least all the ones that are ‘free’). I enjoy the
interaction between the characters; we also
love NCIS and NCIS New Orleans for the same
reasons.

I spoke to the other leaders of my special
needs group and we’ve come to the decision
that we plan on starting up in the Fall. Hopefully
by that time things will have settled down a bit
as to churches being open, larger groups of
people meeting together – we’ll see. My group
averages about 15-17 students and about 8
or so adults. It’s such a strange world when you
have to plan out how far apart each person will
be from another person!  With that said, at
least now I know that my summer will be free.
Not sure yet when oldest son will have me start
babysitting my 3 yr old grandson again. He’s
checked with his big boss about when the hotels
will plan on re-opening their restaurants; still
not getting a definite answer – that’s hard to
plan when you don’t really know!

Hope you are all well and coping OK with all
the changes.

Hugs;

Pammie

and, FINALLY, we’re done!

Yesterday the Governor of Michigan issued a end to her “Stay At Home” Order. Amazing – she originally had it scheduled for June 12th – not sure just why she changed it but there you go! My husband & I took my car to the dealership yesterday to get the air conditioning fixed so guess what!? The FIRST day I can actually GO OUT I don’t have my van! (Yes, I ‘could’ drive my husband’s Jeep, but that thing is like a TANK – very rough ride). Guess I’ll be ‘home’ for today and part of tomorrow (dealership said they should have it fixed by Weds. – let’s hope so!). Good thing is: it’s under warranty – YAY!

The weather is beautiful – sunny & breezy 73 degrees F. (supposed to get up to 84!). I decided yesterday, before hearing about the lifted order, that I really needed to knit something different (other than baby blankets) so I knit a pair of tiny baby booties; today I’m working on a baby/toddler headband for the baby shower in September. Sometimes you just need to change things up a bit!

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

Aunt Norma’s Rhubarb Muffins

2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. buttermilk*
1 1/2 C. diced rhubarb
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
1 T. melted butter
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 2 (12 C, ea) muffin tins
with nonstick cooking spray
or use paper liners.
In medium bowl mix flour,
baking soda, baking powder &
salt.
In a large bowl beat
brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla &
buttermilk using elec. mixer,
until smooth. Pour dry
ingredients into wet & mix
by hand just until blended.
Stir in rhubarb & nuts – spoon
into muffin cups, filling almost
to the top.
In a small bowl stir melted
butter, gran. sugar & cinnamon –
sprinkle about 1 tsp. on top of
each muffin.
Bake 25 minutes until tops spring
back when lightly pressed. Cool
in pans at least 10 minutes before
removing. Makes 24 muffins

*If you don’t have buttermilk:

Pour 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar
into a 1-cup measuring cup – pour
enough milk into cup to come to
the 1 cup mark. Stir & let stand
5 minutes – now you have ‘sour
milk’/buttermilk.

(recipe: allrecipes.com)
————————–

Spinach-stuffed Chicken

4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. mayonnaise
1 1/2 C. chopped fresh spinach
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Place chicken on cutting board and,
using a sharp knife, cut a pocket
into the side of each chicken breast.
In a small bowl mix paprika, 1/2 tsp.
salt, garlic & onion powders; sprinkle
evenly over both sides of the chicken.
In a small bowl mix cream cheese, Parm.
cheese, mayo, spinach, garlic, red pepper
& remaining 1/2 tsp. salt  – stir to combine.
Spoon  mixture into each chicken ‘pocket’
evenly. Spray a 9 X 13″ baking sheet with
nonstick cooking spray & place chicken
on sheet. Drizzle each breast with olive
oil. Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes
until chicken is cooked through.
Serves 4

(recipe: thatlowcarblife.com)
————————————

Loaded Red Potato Casserole

16 small red potatoes (about 1 3/4 lb)
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
1/2 C. cooked/crumbled bacon
1 C. sour cream
2 T. minced fresh chives
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 3 qt. baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Place potatoes in a 6 qt. stockpot &
cover potatoes with water – bring to
a boil. Reduce heat, cook, uncovere,
15-20 minutes until tender. Drain &
return to pot. Mash potatoes, gradually
adding milk, butter, pepper/salt – spread
into prepared dish. Sprinkle top with
1 C. cheese & bacon. Dollop top with
sour cream & sprinkle with chives
& remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered,
until heated through & cheese is melted,
20-25 minutes. Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————–

Garlic Butter Shrimp & Pasta

8 oz. pasta, cooked al dente*
3 T. butter, divided
1 lb. medium shrimp (31/40 count),
peeled/deveined/ patted dry
1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning,
(optional)
juice of 1/4 lemon (plus wedges for
serving, if desired)
1 C. chopped red bell pepper
1/2 C. sliced green onions
3 T. minced garlic
1/4 C. white wine
1 C. chicken stock or broth
1 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
–
*reserve 1 C. pasta water. Drain pasta.
In large skillet heat 2 T. butter over high
heat. Add shrimp; sprinkle with seasonings;
cook, stirring, 3-4 minutes until shrimp are
cooked. Use a slotted spoon to remove to
a bowl, leave drippings in skillet. Squeeze
lemon over shrimp. Add remaining butter
to skillet & cook bell pepper, green onion &
garlic, stirring occasionally until slightly
softened, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to
medium-high; add wine & chic. broth; bring
to boil – boil 5 minutes. Add pasta, shrimp,
parsley & red pepper flakes – toss until
warmed through, adding reserved pasta
water, a little at a time, to moisten, (ONLY
if needed). Taste & adjust seasonings.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Serves 4-6

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

Bacon/Cream Cheese Dip
(also known as Heaven on
a Cracker)

12 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
room temp.
2/3 C. mayonnaise
8 oz. Monterey Jack or Swiss
cheese, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
=
Dippers: tortilla chips, crackers or
corn chips
–
In a bowl blend cream cheese &
mayonnaise. Fold in shredded
cheese & onions – spread in a
microwave-safe dish. Combine
crumbled bacon & cracker
crumbs & sprinkle on top.
Microwave on High 2-3 minutes
depending on your microwave
wattage. Serve with tortilla chips,
crackers or corn chips, for dippers.
Makes about 6-8 servings.

(recipe: deepsouthdish.com)
———————–

Crockpot Taco Casserole

1 lb. ground beef, browned/
drained
1 envelope dry taco seasoning mix
1/2 C. water
1 (15 oz) can pork & beans (can
substitute chili beans)
1 (11 oz) can mexicorn, drained (can
substitute regular whole kernel corn)
1 (10.75 oz) can Cheddar cheese
soup, undiluted
1 C. milk
2 C. shredded cheese (poster
recommends mozzarella)
–
2 C. Chili Cheese Fritos, crushed
(can use crushed Doritos or even
a buttery cracker, crushed)
=
In small bowl mix water & dry
taco seasoning mix – pour over
cooked ground beef; pour into
crockpot. Top with pork & beans,
mexicorn, evenly. In a bowl mix
soup & milk – pour on top.
Cover & cook on Low 5-6 hours.
Top with cheese & turn on High
15 minutes. Top with crushed
chips & serve. Serves 8

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

Mexican Grilled Corn

6 ears fresh corn, shucked/fibers
removed
2 T. mayonnaise
3 T. sour cream
1/2 C. grated or shredded Parmesan
cheese (OR Mexican Cotija cheese)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 C. cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
–
Heat grill over medium heat – spray
rack with nonstick cooking spray.
Grill ears of corn, turning frequently
so they don’t burn, until corn is
slightly browned & heated through,
8-10 minutes.
In a small bowl combine mayo & sour
cream – whisk until smooth. In another
small bowl combine chili powder,
salt/pepper. Using a cooking brush,
slather hot grilled corn with mayo/
sour cream mixture then sprinkle
with chili powder mixture. Coat in
Parm. cheese & sprinkle with chopped
cilantro. Serve with a lime wedge (use
lime to squirt juice over corn).
Serves 6

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
—————————

Strawberry Short Cake

1 1/2 quarts fresh (or frozen) strawberries;
cleaned/sliced*

Shortcake:
2 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 stick butter or margarine (1/2 C/8 T.)
1 C. buttermilk**
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
=
Whipped cream for topping
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a round 9 inch cake pan (or
9 X 9″ square pan) with nonstick
cooking spray.
In large bowl whisk flour, sugar,
baking powder, salt & baking soda.
Cut in butter until it resembles
coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk,
eggs & vanilla – stir with a spoon
until all ingredients are wet. Pour
batter into prepared pan & bake
25-30 minutes, checking for
doneness. Let cool 10 minutes &
remove from pan to a plate. (you
could slice this in half & put
strawberries in the middle & on
top & add whipped cream to entire
dish (OR) slice individual pieces in
half & add strawberries/cream.
Serves 8-10

*You can make this with strawberries,
blueberries, blackberries, peaches or
any fruit.

**If you don’t have buttermilk:
In a 1-cup measure, pour 1 T. lemon
juice or vinegar. Add enough milk to
reach the 1-cup measure. Stir & let
stand 5 minutes – now you have
‘sour milk/buttermilk’

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)

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

The interesting thing about our Governor’s change of
order is that she’s opening up bars and restaurants!
So far, it will be 50% capacity, tables/chairs 6 feet
apart but also allowing outdoor/patio serving. I
texted my son (the chef) who’s out of state right now
& told him, asking if he’d heard anything from his boss.
Answer: no, not at this time. His boss originally had
planned on opening July 1st, bringing back employees
a week earlier to get set up. Ought to be interesting
to see where this goes. She opened pools (but not
in my area – guess that’s under a local ordinance
right now), gyms, exercise classes, etc. but still
NO HAIRCUTTING/BARBER/SALON/NAIL facilities!
(I don’t go to them but I know a LOT of people
are really upset about that)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you’re having a good week!

Hugs;

Pammie