A Good Day to Sit & Knit!

Earlier in the week it was ‘supposed” to be 80 degrees F. today – woke up to 40’s, cloudy and rainy – sigh. I worked more on the next baby blanket: this one will be using up various baby yarns in a “Feather & Fan” pattern divided by a white ridge between yarns (I’ve done it years ago and thought it would be good to use up more baby yarn that’s too small to make something BIG into).

We were also supposed to watch our 4 yr old grandson 2-4 p.m.; got a call from my son saying time has changed: 10 – 4! Oh well, Grandpa & grandson watched TV together then both fell asleep on the couch together (I read a book).

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

Buttermilk Cake w/Caramel Icing

Cake:
1 C. butter, softened
2 1/3 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 large eggs, room temp.
3 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Icing:
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/3 C. heavy whipping cream
1 C. powdered sugar
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease & flour a 10 inch fluted
tube pan (or Bundt pan).
In large bowl cream butter &
sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla
& 1 egg at-a-time, beating well
after each addition.
In another bowl whisk flour,
baking powder & baking soda –
add to creamed mixture alternately
with buttermilk (batter will be thick);
pour into prepared pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10 minutes before
removing to wire rack to cool
completely.

Icing:
In small saucepan combine butter,
brown sugar & cream – bring to a
boil over medium heat, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat;
cool 5-10 minutes. Gradually beat
in powdered sugar – spoon over cake.
Serves 16

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-

Cashew Chicken Casserole
(overnight recipe)
2 C. uncooked elbow macaroni
3 C. cooked, cubed chicken
1/2 C. Velveeta cheese, cubed (can
use shredded Cheddar)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped green pepper, seeded
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup,
undiluted (can use cream of celery)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup,
undiluted
1 1/3 C. whole milk
1/4 C. butter, melted
2/3 C. crushed saltine crackers (about 20)
3/4 C. cashew halves
=
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Layer in the
dish the first 7 ingredients in the order
listed. In a large bowl combine soups, milk,
& water chestnuts – stir & pour into dish.
Cover dish & refrigerate overnight.
============
Options: add green chili peppers and/or
a few chopped jalapenos for zip

Substitute crushed Cheez-it crackers
==================
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In a bowl toss cracker crumbs & melted
butter – sprinkle over top of casserole &
top with cashews.
Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes until
macaroni is tender. Serves 8

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

Crockpot Ham & Beans

1 (16 oz) pkg. dried Northern beans
1 C. cooked ham & ham bone (OR)
2 1/2 ham hocks
2 T. dried minced onion
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Rinse beans & be careful to remove any
pebbles.
Place beans in crockpot & add remaining
ingredients. Cover in water until water
reaches about 2 inches above the beans.
Cook on High 2 hours; turn temperature
to Low & cook 4 hours.
Remove meat from bones & discard bones.
Stir & crush some of the cooked beans
to make the dish creamier.
Serves 6

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

Smothered Green Beans

1 lb. fresh green beans
6 slices bacon
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, seeded/chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
–
Place beans in large pot of boiling water
(enough water to cover beans) 6-8
minutes until crisp-tender. Drain & place
in ice water to stop the cooking process.
In large skillet cook bacon until crisp;
remove bacon to paper towels & reserve
2 T. drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.
Cook celery, onion & red pepper in skillet
over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add
green beans & remaining ingredients.
Cook, stirring often, until heated through.
Sprinkle bacon on top & serve.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
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Warm Taco Bean Dip

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
to room temp.
1 C. sour cream
2 (16 oz, ea) cans refried beans
1/2 C. salsa
1 pkt. dry taco seasoning mix
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese,
divided
–
diced cilantro or parsley, topping
=
Dippers:
tortilla chips
(Fritos “Scoop” chips
===
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl
mix cream cheese & sour cream; mix
in refried beans until well combined.
Stir in salsa & taco seasoning. Stir in
1/2 C. of each cheese & spread mixture
evenly in bottom of prepared pan.
Sprinkle top with remaining cheeses.
Bake, uncovered, 25-30  minutes until
cheeses are melted & dip is warmed
through. Sprinkle top with cilantro or
parsley. Serve with dippers.
Makes 12 servings

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)
———————–

Pasta with “The Works”

1/2 C. thinly sliced pepperoni
1 medium green pepper cut into 2-inch
long strips (about 1 1/2 C.)
2 C. (Prego) Fresh mushroom Italian sauce
or traditional spaghetti sauce
1/3 C. pitted black olives, cut in half (optional)
3 C. rotini (sprial) pasta, cooked/drained
1 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz)
–
Optional: grated Parmesan cheese
–
In a 10″ skillet over medium heat cook pepperoni
& peppers until peppers are tender-crisp, stirring
often. Stir in sauce & olives (if using) & bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to Low; cover & cook 10 minutes.
Stir pasta & mozzarella cheese into skillet & serve
with grated Parmesan cheese (if desired).
Serves 4

(recipe: campbells.com)
————————————-

Crockpot Whole Chicken

5 lb. whole chicken (neck & giblets
removed)
1 T. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 T. smoked paprika
=
In small bowl mix brown sugar, salt/
pepper, garlic powder & paprika.
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Cut a long
piece of heavy-duty foil & roll into
a ring shape – place in crockpot as
a rack. Place chicken on top of foil &
rub spice mixture all over chicken.
Cover & cook on High 3-4 hours until a
thermometer inserted into thickest
part of chicken reads 165 degrees F.
Turn oven to Broil
Place chicken on a rimmed sheet pan
& broil 4-5 minutes until skin is brown &
crispy. Serves 6

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

Peanut Butter Bars

1/4 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. water
1/2 C. butter
1 C. granulated sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 C. cake flour
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
–
Icing:
3/4 C. butter
1/4 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
3 C. powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
In small saucepan bring peanut
butter, water & butter to a soft boil;
stir just until combined & remove
from heat – cool 5 minutes.
In large bowl mix flour, sugars & salt
using a whisk. Slowly add peanut
butter mixture & stir to mix. Add
eggs, buttermilk & vanilla – mix well
& pour into prepared pan.
Bake 20-30  minutes until set (it will
not rise much). Cool.

Icing:
In small saucepan add butter,
buttermilk, peanut butter & bring
to soft boil – remove from heat. Add
powdered sugar &vanilla – mix well.
Pour over cooled cake & allow to set.
If need: can refrigerate to speed up
cooling.
Cut into 12 bars

(recipe: thebutteredhome.com)

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

Tomorrow is my second Pfizer Covid vaccine shot – I’m really hoping there won’t be any side effects. I’ve heard various comments on other friends reactions (or no reaction) so I’m sincerely hoping I’m in the ‘just sore arm’ category.

Try to stay healthy!

Hugs;

Pammie

A BEAUTIFUL Sunday!

The sun is shining, it’s 49 degrees F. (supposed to get up to 80 Wednesday! I just finished the last baby blanket I was working on. Here are the last two

This one was crocheted using yarns from other baby blankets:

At this point I need to go through my patterns & choose something NEW to knit! I have LOTS of yarns, not a lot of one color, though. We’ll see where this gets me.

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

Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow
Middles

1/2 C. light brown sugar
1 C. granulated sugar*
2 sticks butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 C. flour
1 bag marshmallows (poster used
the size below Jumbo size)
=
*Place some granulated sugar
in a pie plate – you will use this
to roll the cookies in before baking
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Lightly spray baking sheet
with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl using elec. mixer
cream brown sugar, gran. sugar &
butter. Add both eggs & vanilla-
mix until well combined.

In another bowl sift together cocoa
powder, baking soda, salt & flour.
Slowly add dry ingredients into wet
& mix until well combined.

Scoop a large dollop of dough out &
flatten with your palm. Place 1 marsh-
mallow in middle & wrap dough around
marshmallow – roll into a large ball &
roll in gran. sugar – place on cookie
sheet – repeat with rest of dough.

Bake 8-10 minutes. Once a bit of the
marshmallow starts poking through
the top of the cookies, remove sheet &
let them cool on the sheet 5 minutes;
move them to parchment paper (rather
than a wire rack) to fully
cool. Serves 8

NOTE: Cookies will be delicate when first
removed from oven – they will hold up
better if first being allowed to cool
several minutes before moving.

A note from the poster:
Your first sheet – try cooking just 1 or 2 cookies
to test cooking time & process. Her  cookies did
best with 3-4 cookies on a sheet
at a time.

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

Crockpot Pepper Steak

1 1/2 lb. round steak, cut into
thin strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded/sliced
thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded/sliced
thick
1/2 onion, sliced thick
1 1/2 C. beef broth
3 T. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. brown sugar
=
Cooked rice to serve 6
=
Place beef, bell peppers & onion in
crockpot. Add seasonings, brown
sugar & soy sauce over top – stir
to combine.
Cover & cook on Low 5-6 hours,
or High 2 1/2 – 3 hours until steak
is cooked through.
Serve over cooked rice.
Serves 6

(recipe: eatingonadime.com)
—————————
Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground chicken
1 (16 oz) bag coleslaw mix with carrots*
(found in Veg. aisle with cut up salads)
1/4 C. soy sauce
1/2 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
====
sesame seeds – garnish
wonton strips – garnish**
====
In large skillet over medium heat
brown & crumble chicken until
cooked through. Add minced garlic &
stir to combine. Add in coleslaw mis &
sliced green onions. Add soy sauce,
brown sugar & pepper – stir until
combined & cook 8-12 minutes.
Once cabbage is slightly wilted, it’s ready
to serve. (You can skip wilting the cabbage
if you prefer a crisper texture).
Serve topped with green onion, sesame
seeds & crispy wonton strips. serves 4

*If you can’t find the coleslaw mix with
carrots, you can add some matchstick carrots

**You can find wonton strips in the salad
dressing section of grocery store

NOTE: If you want to spice this up a bit you
can add some red pepper flakes or sriracha
sauce.

Recipe can be doubled.

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

Chicken Florentine with Mushrooms

1/2 lb. linguine pasta, cooked/drained
1/2 T. olive oil
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning

Sauce:
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. flour
1 C. chopped onion
1 T. minced garlic
1 C. chicken broth
1 1/4 C. (or more) heavy cream or
whole milk
1 tsp. parsley
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1 1/2 C. sliced mushrooms
4 oz. Swiss/Gruyere/Provolone or
Gouda cheese, torn or shredded
4 C. fresh baby spinach, chopped/
divided
–
Brush chicken with oil & season
on both sides with salt/pepper &
Cajun seasoning. Grill or pan sear
until cooked through (internal temp.
reaches 165 degrees F) taking care
not to overcook. Cover loosely with
foil & set aside.

Sauce:
In a separate skillet melt butter; add
onion & garlic – cook & stir 4 minutes.
Stir in flour & cook, stirring 3 minutes.
Stir in broth & milk until incorporated;
add parsley & nutmeg. Stir in cheese
until melted. Remove & set aside
1/2 C. sauce.
Add mushrooms & cook 2 minutes. Add
half of the spinach to the skillet & cook
until wilted, then add remaining spinach
& wilt down. Add additional cream or
milk if needed to thin. Taste & adjust
seasonings. Add pasta to skillet & toss
until heated through.
Transfer pasta to a platter & top with
chicken – spoon reserved sauce over top.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: deepsouthdish.com)
—————————

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta

2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. dry white wine (or chicken broth)
3/4 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)
1/8 tps. crushed red pepper flakes (or
to taste)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 3/4 lb. large or extra-large shrimp,
cleaned/deveined
1/3 C. chopped parsley
fresh squeezed juice of half a lemon
–
cooked pasta or rice or zucchini noodles,
to serve 4
=
In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt
butter & olive oil. Add garlic – saute until
fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine/broth,
salt, red pepper flakes & black pepper – bring
to a simmer. Cook about 2 minutes (to reduce
wine by half).
Add shrimp – cook until they just turn pink 2-4
minutes, depending on size. Stir in parsley &
lemon juice.
Serve mixture with sauce over cooked pasta.
Serves 4

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

Freakin’ Fantastic Fried Rice


3 T. butter
4 C. cooked rice
1 onion, diced
12 oz. frozen peas & carrots
1/2 C. soy sauce
3 eggs, beaten
=
In large nonstick skillet melt butter
& saute onion until tender. Mix in
peas & carrots – heat until thawed
& tender. Move vegetables to one
side of skillet & scramble eggs on
other side of skillet. Once scrambled,
mix eggs & veggies together – stir
in soy sauce. Mix in rice gradually until
well combined.

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

Chocolate Guinness Cake

1 C. Guinness (dark beer)
1/2 C. butter, cubed
2 C. sugar
3/4 C. baking cocoa
2 large eggs, beaten, room temp.
2/3 C. sour cream
3 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Topping:

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
===
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 inch spring form pan
& line the bottom with parchment
paper.

In small saucepan heat beer & butter
until butter has melted. Remove from
heat; whisk in sugar & cocoa until
blended.
In a small bowl combine eggs, sour
cream & vanilla – whisk into beer
mixture.
In another small bowl combine flour
& baking soda – whisk into beer
mixture until smooth – pour batter
into prepared pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center of cake comes out
clean. Cool completely in pan on a
wire rack. Remove cake from pan & place
on a plate or cake stand.

Topping:
In large bowl beat cream cheese until
fluffy. Add powdered sugar & whipping
cream – beat until smooth (do not
over beat). Frost top of cake.
Refrigerate any leftovers

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

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

Hope you’re having a GREAT day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Thursday

We’re still VERY chilly – had to drive 1/2 hour to drop off husband’s Jeep at the dealership at 8:30 a.m. today – I wore a heavy sweatshirt, heavy jacket, gloves AND a hat (I don’t like hats). I kept warm but it’s still only 44 degrees F.; the reports are saying it’s supposed to get a little warmer closer to next week – I SURE hope so! The GOOD thing is: the snow melted!

The family is feeling a little better; husband & son are still coughing but not as much. I’m still stuffed up but am FINALLY able to form coherent sentences in my head and multi-task again! (That was crazy for a few days – couldn’t keep a single thought in my head – just too stuffed up!). Middle son is finishing off the chicken noodle soup (I told you I made a double batch!). Dinner tonight is hamburgers on big onion buns – YUM!

White Almond Cake
President Lincoln’s favorite cake

1 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
3 C. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. milk
1 C. blanched almonds, chopped
in a food processor until they
resemble coarse flour
1 tsp. vanilla
6 egg whites
1 (16 oz) container vanilla frosting
2 T. sliced almonds
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
spray a Bundt pan with nonstick
spray. In large bowl using elec. mixer,
beat butter & sugar until creamy. In
medium bowl combine flour, baking
powder & salt; add to butter mixture,
alternating with milk & beat until
well combined. Add almonds & vanilla;
mix well. In medium bowl beat egg
whites until stiff then fold into batter-
spoon evenly into prepared pan. Bake
55 -60 minutes until a toothpick inserted
near center comes out clean. Let cool
15 minutes then invert onto wire rack
to finish cooling. Place cake on a serving
platter or plate. Remove foil lid liner
from frosting container & microwave
20-30 seconds until pourable; drizzle
frosting over cake & sprinkle with sliced
almonds. Serves 12

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

(kid-friendly) Pizza Chicken Roll-ups

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
halves (4 oz ea)
12 slices pepperoni
8 slices mozzarella cheese
1 (15 oz) can pizza sauce
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.

Flatten chicken to 1/4 inch thickness.
Place 3 slices pepperoni & 1 slice
cheese on each; roll up tightly &
secure with toothpicks – place in
prepared baking dish. Spoon pizza
sauce over top.
Bake 35-40 minutes until chicken is
no longer pink. Uncover; top with
remaining cheese & bake 5 minutes
longer until cheese is melted. If
desired, broil 1-2 minutes to brown
cheese, if desired. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————-
Honey Glazed Salmon

4 salmon filets
5 T. honey, divided
2 T. olive oil
6 T. butter
1 T. minced garlic
lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
=
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-
high heat. Season salmon with salt/pepper.
Place salmon in skillet & drizzle about 1
T. honey on each fillet. Cook 3 minutes on
first side; flip & cook 2-3 minutes on other
side until fish is flaky. Remove from heat.

In a small saucepan melt butter over medium
heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter
begins to turn a golden brown (about 3 minutes).
Stir in garlic, 1 T. honey & fresh squeezed lime juice.
Remove salmon from heat & drizzle honey-butter
sauce over cooked salmon. Serve immediately.
Serves 4

NOTE: refrigerate any leftovers in an air tight
container for up to 3 days

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

Crockpot Country-style Pork Ribs

3 lb. country-style pork ribs
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 T. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 C. ketchup
1/2 C. apple cider vinegar
1/4 C. spicy brown mustard
1/4 C. Worcestershire sauce
=
Place ribs in crockpot.
In a small bowl combine all other
ingredients & pour over ribs.
Cover & cook on Low 8-10 hours.

Turn on oven broiler (or grill)
Remove ribs to a foil-lined cookie sheet.
Spoon sauce from crockpot over ribs.
Broil or grill 5-10 minutes until ribs
begin to brown. Serves 6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
————————
Crockpot Pepper Jack Potatoes

4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled/sliced/
divided
1/2 C. sour cream, divided
4 T. butter, sliced/divided
6 slices Pepper Jack cheese, divided
1/2 tsp. garlic salt, divided
1 C. milk
—
Spread half of sliced potatoes in bottom
of crockpot. Top with half the sour cream,
half sliced butter, half garlic salt & half cheese
slices (bread cheese into pieces so that most
of your potatoes are covered with cheese,
overlapping as little as possible – repeat layers.
Pour milk all around layers.
Cover & cook on Low 4-6 hours (or High 2-3 hours),
turning crockpot insert (if you have one) halfway
through cooking time if your unilt does not cook
evenly.
Gently stir potatoes & sauce until sauce is well
combined, before serving.
Serves 6

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

Sausage-stuffed Jalapenos
(appetizer)

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
22 large jalapeno peppers, halved
lengthwise & seeded
=
Ranch salad dressing – optional dipping sauce
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.

In large skillet cook sausage over medium
heat until no longer pink; drain. In small bowl
combine cream cheese & Parm. cheese – fold
in sausage. Get out two 9 X 13″ ungreased
baking dishes.
Spoon about 1 T. mixture into each jalapeno
halve & place in baking dishes.
Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes until filling
is lightly browned & bubbly. Serve with
Ranch dressing for dipping, if desired.
Makes 44

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————

Buckeye Brownies

1 (19.5 oz) pkg. brownie mix
2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. plus 6 T. butter, softened/
divided
1 C. creamy peanut butter
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate
chips
–
Prepare & bake brownies in greased
9 X 13″ pan accordg. to pkg. directions.
Let cool. Mix powdered sugar, 1/2 C.
butter & peanut butter – spread over
cooled brownies. Chill one hour.
Melt chocolate chips & remaining
butter in saucepan over Low heat,
stirring occasionally then spread over
brownies. Let cool; cut into squares.
Makes 2-3 dozen.

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)

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

Try to stay healthy & warm, if you can!

Hugs;

Pammie

Woke up to 1/2 inch of S-N-O-W!

We were ‘warned’ – the good thing is NOW (12:30 p.m.) it’s starting to fall off of the tree branches & melting off the grass – YAY! Our temperature is 31 degrees F. – forecast says we’re in a Freeze Warning through tonight into tomorrow. High 40 tomorrow but FROST coming overnight – oh, joy. Oh well – this will eventually all go away – right?

I’m feeling about the same as yesterday – no worse (which is good). I keep praying it won’t go into my lungs and so far, it’s not – just stuffy head and light cough. Husband & middle son are still coughing but both say they’re feeling a little better today, so that’s good.

Inside-out Carrot Cake Muffins

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt

Carrot Cake:
1 C. sugar
2/3 C. oil
2 large eggs, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 lb. carrots, grated (1 1/2 – 2 C.)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
In medium bowl add all cream cheese
filling ingredients – whisk until perfectly
smooth.

In large bowl whisk sugar, oil, eggs & vanilla
until completely blended – stir in carrots,
salt & cinnamon. Sift flour & baking soda
on top of wet ingredients & gently fold
until completely blended.

Add about 2 T. carrot cake batter in bottom
of each muffin tin. Drop 1 heaping tsp.
cream cheese filling directly into center of
batter ( you will not use all of the filling at
this point). Use remaining cake batter to
fill each muffin to with about 1/4″ from top
(enough to completely cover the filling).

Bake 18-20 minutes until sides of muffins
are firm to the touch. (filling might ooze
from top of muffins) Remove from oven &
cool on a wire rack about 10 minutes.

Once cooled, fill a pastry bag (or ziplock
bag with a corner cut, to use as a pastry
bag) with remaining cream cheese filling.
Pipe filling into the hole where the filling
broke through the top of the muffin.
(there should be a small hollow cavity
inside the muffin that you want to fill
with remaining frosting). Serve warm
or at room temperature. Makes 12 muffins

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

Skillet French Onion Chicken

2 large sweet onions, peeled/sliced
4 T. butter
2 C. beef broth
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 T. flour
4 slices Provolone cheese
4 slices Mozzarella cheese
–
fresh chopped parsley – garnish
=
Place a large oven-safe skillet* over
medium heat – add butter/melt.
Add onions & cook 15 minutes, stirring
often. Onions are ready when they turn
caramel colored & are soft. Place chicken
breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap &
pound the breasts to an even thickness.
Season with thyme, salt/pepper on both sides.
When onions are cooked, remove from skillet
& place in a bowl. Add olive oil to skillet – when
oil is hot, add seasoned chicken to pan – cook
5 minutes per side until cooked through – remove
chicken to a plate.
Add onions back to skillet; sprinkle flour over top.
Stir & cook 1-2 minutes. Add beet broth – stir to
remove any lumps – simmer until it thickens.

Turn oven to broil

Return chicken to skillet. Cover each chic. breast
with 1 slice each:  Provolone &  Mozz. cheese.
Place under broiler & broil until cheese melts &
is bubbling.
Remove from oven. Serve warm topped with
chopped parsley, if desired. (you can also spoon
some of the sauce from the skillet over the chicken.)
Serves 4

*If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet – Carefully
pour sauce into a large baking dish; add chicken &
cover with cheese before broiling.

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
——————————————
Green Beans Almondine

3 T. butter, divided
1/2 C. sliced almonds
1/3 C. shallots, minced
1 lb. green beans (try to find the
smaller French haricot vert green
beans, if you can)
salt/black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 T. chopped parsley
=
In a skillet over medium heat,
melt 1 T. butter. Add almonds,
cook 3-4 minutes until golden
brown, stirring occasionally.
Remove almonds from pan; wipe
pan clean with a paper towel.
Melt remaining 2 T. butter in pan;
add shallots & cook 3-4 minutes until
tender. Add green beans & 1 T. water
to pan; cook, stirring occasionally,
until green beans are tender, 4-5
minutes. Stir in lemon juice, salt/pepper.
Sprinkle reserved almonds over green
beans along with parsley. Serve
immediately. Serves 4

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

Crockpot Honey Mustard Pork Roast

Roast:
4-5 lb. pork loin roast
4 T. honey
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika

Honey Mustard Gravy:
4 T. cornstarch
1/4 C. cold water
1 T. honey
1 T. Dijon mustard
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Place roast in crockpot.
In small bowl whisk honey, vinegar,
brown sugar, Dijon & paprika – pour
half mixture over roast. Flip roast over
& pour remaining over the other half.
Cover & cook on High 3 1/2 – 4 hours (or)
Low 7-8 hours until it pulls apart using
2 forks. Serve with gravy. Serves 8

Gravy:
Remove roast from crockpot to a plate;
cover with foil to keep warm. Leave juices
in crockpot.
In a bowl whisk cornstarch with cold water;
pour into cooking liquids & stir. Cover & cook
on High 20-30 minutes until a gravy forms.
Add honey, Dijon, salt/pepper, to taste & pour
over roast (OR) return pork to pan & stir to
coat entirely.

NOTE: if you are short on time, skip gravy.
Shred pork & pour cooking liquids over top
before serving.

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

Crockpot Easy Mexican Party Dip

(suggested 3 qt. crockpot)
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. Mexican-style shredded Four Cheese (Kraft),
divided
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained/rinsed
1 (16 oz) jar thick & chunky salsa
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro
=
Tortilla chips for dipping
=
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl mix cream cheese, sour cream &
3/4 C. shredded cheese until blended. Spread
on bottom of crockpot. Top with beans, salsa.
Cover & cook on Low 3-4 hours. Top with
onions, cilantro & remaining cheese.
Once dip is cooked, turn heat to Warm.
Makes 40 servings

Optional heat: add 1 T. finely chopped fresh or
jarred jalapeno peppers to cream cheese
mixture before spreading on bottom of crockpot.

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

Almond Joy Cookies

1 (14 oz) bag sweetened coconut flakes
2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 C. chopped lightly salted almonds
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment
paper. In large bowl combine coconut,
choc. chips, almonds & sweetened
condensed milk; stir until combined. Scoop
out dough using a cookie scoop onto
prepared sheet. Moisten the tips of your
fingers with water & shape cookies into
discs – pat tops flat. Bake 12-14 minutes
until tips of coconut are just starting to
turn golden brown. Let cool on sheet.
Store leftovers in airtight container.
Makes 3 dozen cookies

(recipe: momontimeout.com)

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

Finished the blue/white Swedish Block baby blanket

Have a GREAT day!

Hugs;

Pammie

and here we are at Monday again!

Well, I’m guessing I have a COLD – stuffy head; antihistamine helped a LOT so I can breathe – I’ll survive. Husband has upper respiratory infection with cough; he’s doing good with hot tea. Middle son is doing a little better, no fever. I was very glad his boss gave him one more day off work to rest – he needs it (HE doesn’t think so, but I do!). Making a big pot of homemade chicken noodle soup (not my favorite); I was just glad I had all the ‘fixin’s’ to make it! Husband loves it and it’s supposed to be very good for ‘sickies’ so we’ll see.

Strawberry Bread

2 C. sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 C. butter, softened (1 stick/8 T)
3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C. sour cream
3/4 C. buttermilk*
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. pecan or walnut pieces
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 5″ loaf pan with
nonstick cooking spray.

Using an elec. mixer, in a large
bowl cream butter, sugar & eggs.

In another bowl whisk flour, salt,
baking powder & baking soda – add
to creamed mixture along with
sour cream, buttermilk & vanilla-
mix well. Fold in nut pieces &
sliced strawberries using a spoon.
Pour batter into prepared pan &
bake 60-65 minutes until center
tests done.
Makes 1 loaf

*If you don’t have buttermilk:
Add 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar to
a 1-cup measuring cup. Pour in
enough milk to reach the 3/4 C.
mark. Stir with a fork & let stand
5 minutes. Now you have ‘soured/
buttermilk’.

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)

————————————-

Garlic/Herb Spaghetti Squash

1 large spaghetti squash (or 2 medium)
butter
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
(optional) chopped fresh parsley
(optional) chopped fresh basil
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, pierce squash in
several random spots. Place in microwave
for 3 minutes. Carefully remove from
microwave (it will be hot, use hot pads or
a kitchen towel to handle). Using a very
sharp knife, cut off both ends of squash.
Slice squash horizontally in half & scoop
out seeds (discard seeds).

Line a large baking sheet with parchment
paper. Place squash halves, cut sides down
on paper & bake 30-40 minutes until squash
is soft when pierced with a fork.

Carefully remove pan from oven & turn each
half over (peel sides down). Bake an additional
15 minutes until insides are soft & easily
shredded with a fork. Remove pan from oven.
Using a fork, fluff insides of squash. Add a little
butter to each side & sprinkle with remaining
seasonings on top. Using fork, toss insides to
combine. Serves 6

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
——————————
Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins

1 C. cornmeal
1 C. flour
1/3 C. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 C. butter, melted/cooled
 1 C. milk
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded/
membranes removed/ chopped
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick
cooking spray (or line with paper liners)

In large bowl mix cornmeal, flour, sugar,
baking powder & salt. Add egg, butter &
milk; stir gently to combine.
Stir in Cheddar cheese & jalapeno – spoon
batter into muffin cups.
Bake 15-20 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center of a muffin comes
out clean.
Cool muffins in pan 5 minutes then
remove to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 12 muffins

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

Crockpot Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15.5 oz) can kidney/pinto/black or
Great Northern beans (rinse black beans)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, drained
1 (.25 oz) pkt. taco seasoning mix
1 tsp. freeze-dried garlic (optional)
(could add garlic powder at end of
cooking time)
–
Garnish:
crushed tortilla chips
shredded Cheddar cheese
sour cream
=
Brown gr. beef in skillet over
medium heat; drain & place in
crockpot. Add rest of ingredients &
stir. Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Serves 4-6
Serve with optional garnishes

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

Cannoli Poke Cake

1 (16.5 oz) box white cake mix –
prepare batter accordg. to pkg.
directions
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
milk, divided
1 (8 oz) container mascarpone cheese
1 C. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. mini chocolate chips
=
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray – pour in
prepared batter & bake accordg.
to pkg. directions. Cool cake.

Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke
holes about 1 inch apart all over top of
cooled cake. Reserve 2 T. sweetn’d conds.
milk in a small bowl. Pour remaining
conds. milk over top of cake & into holes.

In a large bowl using elec. mixer, beat
mascarpone, ricotta cheese & vanilla until
creamy. Beat in powdered sugar & reserved
sweetnd cond. milk until smooth. Spread
mixture on top of cake & sprinkle top with
mini choc. chips.

Refrigerate cake 2 hours or until ready to serve.
Serves 15

(recipe: mrfood.com)

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

Our ‘lovely’ weather report is now saying 1-2 inches of snow

between tonight & tomorrow – oh, joy . . .

Stay healthy (if you can);

Hugs;

Pammie

Sunday

This has been a rather unusual week for me: youngest son just got well enough to go back to work Friday. Middle son is now sick – which makes me the NURSE in the house. Last week I was running food/drink to youngest, starting last night I’m doing the same for middle son. Soup & hot green tea are the staples of the day plus lots of Kleenex, TV & rest/sleep. I talked him into calling in sick for today; he’s not one to get sick so he was still going to go to work. I told him: “Standing for 8 hours & running around for hotel guests is NOT conducive to getting better!” He listened to me. Husband says he has a scratchy throat/coughing so he’s guzzling hot cinnamon tea (his favorite) & drinking split pea with bacon soup (side note: am thinking of taking stock in Campbell’s Soup Company!) Oh, and yesterday we had to do a ‘last minute’ baby sitting for 4 yr old grandson who also WAS COUGHING A LOT! I’m trying my best to just stay healthy enough to be able to get my second vaccine end of the month! I’m also doing a lot of spraying LYSON & MICROBAN just to keep surfaces semi-germ free.

Yesterday found me outside knitting with my ladies 12-2 p.m. in overcast conditions at the park. It was only 50 degrees so I wore a heavy sweatshirt & my heavier jacket (with hood which I used) plus a blanket from my car. I just needed to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE for awhile AND breathe fresh air! So far, I’m feeling fine.

Ugly Duckling Cake

Cake:
1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1 (15 oz) can fruit cocktail, do not
drain
2 eggs

Swirl:
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 C. shredded coconut
1 C. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Topping:
1/2 C. evaporated milk
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 (8 T.) butter
1 1/2 C. shredded coconut
=
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Mix together all cake ingredients with a
spoon & spread in prepared pan.
Mix Swirl ingredients in another bowl
& spread evenly over top of cake.
Using a knife, cut swirl mixture into
cake until all ingredients are wet.
Bake 40-45 minutes

Topping:
Place evap. milk, sugar & butter in a
saucepan & bring to a rolling boil –
boil 1 minute, stirring often (as it will
boil over if not stirred). Remove pan
from stove & add coconut – mix well.
Spread over top of baked cake.
Serves 10-12

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

4-Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake

1 lb. pasta (any pasta or noodle
of your choice) boiled to al dente &
drained*
9 T. butter
4 1/2 T. flour
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1/2 C. Half & Half
1 C. + 2 T. grated Parmigiano-
Reggiano cheese
1 C. + 2 T. grated Gouda cheese
1 C. + 2 T. grated sharp white
Cheddar cheese
6 oz. mascarpone cheese
10 oz. cooked chicken breast,
sliced or cubed
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
for topping
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 9″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Melt
butter in saucepan over medium
heat. Stir in flour. Gradually
stir in broth; heat to boiling,
stirring constantly. Reduce
heat to Low; stir in mascarpone,
white Cheddar, Gouda, Parm and
Half & Half. Allow all cheeses
to melt & melt together while
constantly stirring. Once
completely mixed & cheeses
are melted, stir in chicken. Add
cooked/drained pasta to mixture;
toss gently to mix well then spoon
into prepared pan. Sprinkle top
with cheese & bake, uncovered,
15-25 minutes until hot in center.

*Poster used Fusilli Bucati Corti
pasta

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

Crockpot Meatball Tortellini Soup

1 (12 oz) bag Italian frozen meatballs,
thawed
1 (19 oz) bag frozen cheese tortellini,
thawed
2 (10.75, ea) cans cream of mushroom
soup
2 (32 oz, ea) containers chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt/pepper – to taste
–
garnish: grated Parmesan cheese
–
Place thawed meatballs & tortellini in
bottom of crockpot. In large bowl mix
remaining ingredients (except garnish) –
pour over meatballs & tortellini. Cover &
cook on High 2 hours. Serve with
grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 6

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

Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
room temp
1-2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 lb. fresh white cooked
crabmeat, flaked or diced
8-10 egg roll wrappers *
–
vegetable oil for frying
=
In food processor pulse cream
cheese, Worc. sauce, garlic powder,
onion powder & green onions several
times until mixed -stir in crab meat.
Lay one egg roll wrapper out with a
corner pointing towards you. Place
about 3 rounded tablespoons filling
in center of each wrapper, making
short horizontal lump. Bring corner that
is closest to you up & over – gently tuck
it in. Fold in sides & fold wrapper tightly.
Use a small amount of water to secure the
tip of the wrapper. (NOTE: if you don’t
know how to roll an egg roll, it usually
shows in pictures how to , on the pkg.)

Heat oil in a heavy stockpot or skillet
to 375 degrees F.
Place paper towels on a plate.
Fry rolls, 2-3 at a time (depending on
size of your pan) 1-2 minutes until lightly
browned. Place fried rolls on paper towel-
lined plate to cool.
Allow oil to heat up again between batches.
Serve warm.

(recipe: 07recipes.com)
———————————-

Pizza Burgers

1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. cooking oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
1/4 C. water
1 T. Italian seasoning
3 T. butter
1 T. garlic salt
32 slices pepperoni, chopped
2 C. shredded mozzarella
4 English muffins, sliced
=
In large skillet add oil & onions; heat
through. Add gr. beef – cook until no
longer pink; drain. Add chopped
pepperoni, tomato soup, water &
Ital. seasoning. Reduce heat to low &
simmer.
While meat sauce is simmering:
Preheat oven to BROIL
Spread butter evenly on each English
muffin half & sprinkle with garlic salt.
Place halves on a cookie sheet & broil
about 2 minutes (until they begin to
brown just on the edges).
Remove from oven & top each half
with about 1/4 C. meat/sauce mixture.
Top each with mozz. cheese & place
back under broiler 2-3 minutes until
cheese turns golden brown & bubbly.

(recipe: 07recipes.com)
—————————

Lemony Couscous w/Mint/Dill & Feta

2 C. water
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (10 oz) box couscous (whole
wheat or regular)
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes,
halved
1 1/2 C. diced English cucumber
1/3 C. chopped green onion
1/3 C. fresh lemon juice
2 T. chopped or fresh mint
1 T. chopped fresh dill
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
=
In medium saucepan combine
first 4 ingredients & bring to boil.
Gradually stir in coucous. Remove
from heat; cover & let stand 5
minutes. Fluff with fork & cool.
Combine couscous, tomatoes &
next 5 ingredients (thru dill) in
a large bowl; toss well. Add cheese
& serve. Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————-

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C. salted butter, softened to room temp.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar (light or dark)
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 C. flour
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl cream butter, cream cheese &
sugars until smooth. Add vanilla & mix well.
Mix in flour, salt & baking soda – mix until
all dry ingredients are just blended  – DO
NOT over mix.
Fold in chocolate chips until just blended.
Place heaping rounded tablespoons of dough
on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake 9-11 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove & place on rack to cool. Store cooled
cookies in airtight container.

(recipe: sweetlittlebluebird.com)

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

One ‘good’ thing about the current ‘sick house’ – at least I don’t have to try to figure out what’s for dinner – everyone’s eating/drinking SOUP! (There’s leftover Turkey Stroganoff or chili for chili dogs for me).

Stay healthy!

Hugs;

Pammie

Thursday

Today our weather is very much NOT Spring-like: there were a few snow flurries earlier (I didn’t see them but heard we got them). Right now it’s overcast, gloomy & 45 degrees F. (with rain in the near future). Yes, it’s a great day for knitting & making chili – both of which I will do when I’m done writing this blog post!

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cups

1 stick (1/2 C.) butter, softened/divided
1 (3 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. flour
3/4 C. seedless raspberry preserves
1/2 chocolate chips
=
In large bowl using elec. mixer, beat
butter & cream cheese until creamy.
Add flour, beat until well combined.
Cover & chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

Shape chilled dough into 30 1-inch balls.
Place each ball in ungreased mini muffin
cups. Using your thumb, press dough into
each cup, forming crusts. Spoon about
1 tsp. preserves into each muffin cup then
top with 4 choc. chips.
Bake 30-35 minutes until center is firm &
crust is golden. Cool slightly & remove to
a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 30 cups

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

Crockpot Beefy Pepper Jack Casserole

2 lb. ground beef, browned/drained
1 (1 oz) envelope Au Jus gravy mix
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, washed/sliced
(can use 4 oz. can, drained – or omit
them entirely)
1 (10.8 oz) pkg. whole frozen green beans
(can use frozen cut or canned/drained)
1 bell pepper, seeded/cut into bite-sized
pieces
salt/pepper, to taste
8 oz. Pepper Jack cheese slices
=
In a bowl combine browned gr. beef with
dry gravy mix (do not add water). Stir in
cream cheese until smooth; stir in
mushrooms.
Place frozen green beans in bottom of
crockpot – evenly cover with bell pepper;
lightly use salt & black pepper. Top with
ground beef mixture.
Cover & cook on High 2 hours (or Low 4 hours),
adding cheese slices evenly over top during
last 5-10 minutes of cooking (to melt it).
Serves 8

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

Easy Potato Bake

1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese
8 green onions, chopped
1 (32 oz) pkg. diced hash brown potatoes,
thawed
1 C. crushed corn flakes
2 T. butter (or marg), melted
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray
In a large bowl combine sour cream,
soup, cheese & onions – add potatoes
& mix lightly; spoon into prepared
dish & spread evenly.
Bake 45 minutes
In a bowl combine corn flakes & melted
butter – sprinkle over casserole.
Bake 15 minutes until top is lightly
browned & casserole is heated through.
Serves 16

For a variety:

Use Mexican-style shredded cheese,
adding 1 (4 oz) undrained can of chopped
green chiles, substitute crushed tortilla
chips for the corn flakes

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

Beet, Ginger & Red Cabbage Soup

2 T. unsalted butter
1 C. chopped red onion
1 C. peeled/chopped potato
1 T. peeled/chopped fresh ginger
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
kosher salt/ black pepper
3 1/2 C. chicken broth
1 1/2 C. peeled/diced red beets
1 1/2 C. shredded red cabbage
=
Optional garnishes:
sour cream
toasted, chopped walnuts
=
In medium saucepan heat butter over
medium heat. Add onion – cook, stirring,
until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add potato,
ginger, thyme, rosemary, 1/2 tsp. salt &
few grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring,
until potatoes are well coated, 2-3
minutes. Pour in broth & bring to a
simmer. Add beets & cabbage; simmer
about 20 minutes until vegs are tender,
adjusting heat as needed to maintain
a simmer. Remove from heat discard
herbs & let cool at least 5 minutes.
*Carefully puree until smooth using
a food processor or blender in 2-3
batches. (Do not fill blender more than
halfway full with each batch).

Reheat soup, if necessary & adjust
consistency with water, seasoning
with salt/pepper as needed.
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream
& toasted, chopped walnuts sprinkled
on top. Serves 4-6

*Note when processing hot liquids:
Let it cool 5 minutes then place in
blender/food processor filling only
halfway in blender. Place lid on, leaving
1 corner open. Cover lid with a kitchen
towel to catch any splatters – pulse/blend
until smooth.

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
——————————-

Ham & Spinach Pie

3 T. butter, divided
1 medium onion, halved/sliced
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped
spinach – thawed/squeezed dry
6 sheets phyllo dough (14 X 9″)*
2 C. finely chopped fully cooked ham
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
3 large eggs, beaten
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray a 11 X 7 baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large skillet heat 1 T. butter over
medium heat. Add onion – cook/stir
until tranparent, 6-8 minutes. Add
mushrooms & garlic; cook,stirring,
until mushrooms are browned, about
6 minutes. Add spinach & cook until
heated through.

Using a microwave, melt remaining
butter in a microwaveable bowl, stir
until smooth.

Place 1 sheet phyllo dough on a work
surface & brush with butter. Layer with
3 more sheets phyllo, brushing each
layer with butter. Place sheets in prepared
dish, letting ends extend up sides (keep
remaining phyllo dough covered with a
damp towel to prevent it from drying out).

Layer dish with ham, cheese & spinach
mixture. Pour eggs over filling. If desired,
sprinkle with salt/pepper. Top with remaining
phyllo dough. Fold dough ends over filling;
pinch edges to seal. Brush top with remaining
butter. Cut slits in top for steam.
Bake 40-45 minutes until browned.
Cool 20 minutes before cutting.
Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————

Mexican Mess Bean Dip

1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 C. salsa
4 oz. green chiles
1 C. shredded cheese (poster
uses Mexican or Taco blend)
=
Optional toppings:
extra cheese
chopped tomatoes
sliced black olives
sliced green onions
chopped green bell pepper
=
Chips/crackers/Scoops for dipping
==============
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a pie plate with
nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl mix all ingredients &
place in pie plate – spread top
evenly.
Bake 15 minutes until hot in center.
Add any optional toppings like: extra cheese
& anything else you might want on top
Serves 8

(recipe: food.com)
————————————-

Blueberry Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. flour
1 1/2 C. quick cook oats
3/4 C. fresh blueberries, rinsed/
dried – the smaller the better
1/2 C. shelled pistachios
=
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper.
In large bowl using elec. mixer, beat
butter until creamy. Beat in both sugars.
Add egg & vanilla; mix until combined.

In another large bowl combine flour,
oats, baking soda, salt & cinnamon.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture &
stir to combine. Stir in pistachios & fold
in blueberries.
Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out
dough onto sheet.
Bake 12-14 minutes until cookies are
light brown on top.
Let cookies rest 10 minutes on sheet
before removing to a wire rack to cool.
Store cookies in an airtight container for
up to 4 days. Serves 24

(recipe: momontimeout.com)

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

Enjoy your day & try to stay healthy!

Hugs;

Pammie

A chilly (50 degrees F) rainy, overcast day BUT we got out & did the grocery shopping so all is not lost. I finally went back to knitting on the green/white “Sweet Bon Bon” baby blanket. It’s an easy knit – just b-o-r-i-n-g! (I’ve knit it, probably 3-4 times before and it does look nice when finished – just not the most ‘inspiring’ knit).

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

Pineapple Coconut Loaf Cake

1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract (can use vanilla)
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 C. milk
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple,
drained (save 1/4 C. juice)
1 C. shredded or flaked coconut
–
Glaze:

2/3 C. powdered sugar
3 T. pineapple juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
–
Whisk together glaze ingredients
& drizzle over top of cake.
====
NOTE: you can also just top
cake with powdered sugar dusting (OR)
toast some coconut & sprinkle over top
(OR) add toasted nuts
————————————–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 5″ loaf pan with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl using elec. mixer
beat butter, sugar, eggs & almond
extract until smooth. Whisk
together flour & baking powder –
add to butter mixture along with
milk & drained pineapple. Fold
in coconut; pour batter into
prepared pan.
Bake 60-65 minutes until center
tests done (a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean)
Let cool 10 minutes in pan.
Remove from pan & pour glaze
over top.

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

Crockpot Asian Garlic Pork Chops

6 medium boneless pork chops
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained
2/3 C. catsup
1/2 C. light brown sugar, packed
1/3 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. water
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
–
Arrange chops in bottom of crockpot. Evenly
sprinkle diced oion & pineapple tidbits on
top.
In small bowl whisk ketchup, sugar, soy
sauce, water, garlic & gr. ginger until
combined – pour evenly over chops.
Cover & cook on Low 3-4 hours (until
chops are done & register 145 degrees F.
on an instant read meat thermometer.
Serves 6

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

Mom’s Ham Casserole

2 C. peeled/cubed potatoes
1 large carrot, sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 C. water
2 C. cooked, cubed ham
2 T. chopped green pepper
2 tsp. finely chopped onion
7 T. butter, divided
3 T. flour
1 1/2 C. 2% milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 C. soft bread crumbs*
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
In a saucepan place potatoes, carrot,
celery & water – bring to boil. Reduce
heat, cover & cook about 15 minutes
until tender; drain.

In large skillet saute ham, gr. pepper &
onion in 3 T. butter until tender. Add
potato mixture mix & transfer to
prepared baking dish.

In large saucepan melt remaining butter.
Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually
whisk in milk, salt/pepper & bring to
a boil. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes until
thickened. Reduce heat, add cheese &
stir until melted – pour over ham
mixture. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs.
Bake 25-30 minutes until heated through.
Serves 6

*you could substitute crushed Ritz crackers,
saltines, French-fried onions or sliced almonds.

Optional substitutes: add chopped green
chiles, substitute Pepper Jack cheese for the
Cheddar & top with crushed tortilla chips

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————–
Sweet & Savory Egg Rolls

10 fresh spinach leaves, julienned*
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 T. olive oil
1/2 lb. fully cooked ham, coarsely
ground (about 2 C.)
4 water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 C. crushed pineapple, undrained
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. soy sauce
7 egg roll wrappers**
–
canola oil – for frying
Sweet & Sour sauce, for dipping
==
In large saucepan saute spinach & ginger
in olive oil 1-2 minutes. In large bowl, combine
ham, water chestnuts, pineapple, gr. onion &
soy sauce – stir in spinach mixture.
Place 3 T. ham mixture in center of each egg
roll wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling,
fold sides over filling towards center. Moisten
remaining corner with water & roll up tightly
to seal.

In a skillet, heat 1 inch of canola oil to 375 degrees F.
Fry egg rolls until golden brown, about 2 minutes on
each side. Drain on paper towels & serve with Sweet &
sour sauce for dipping. Makes 7

*To julienne: place spinach leaves on top of each other
& gently sliced them into ‘slivers’

**You can locate egg roll wrappers in the cold section
of the fruit/vegetable aisle in the grocery store.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Dill & Onion Dip

2 C. mayonnaise
2 C. sour cream
3 T. chopped onion
2 T. fresh chopped dill weed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
=
In a large bowl mix all ingredients
until well blended. Chill at least
2 hours.

NOTE: Can be served in a hollowed-
out loaf of rye or pumpernickle bread.
Use the chunks of bread removed
from loaf as ‘dippers’. Serves 8

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

Roasted Root Vegetables

1 1/2 C. carrots, peeled/cut into
1″ pieces
1 1/2 C. sweet potatoes, peeled/
cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2″ wedges
1 C. parsnips, peeled, cut into
1″ pieces
1 1/2 C. beets, (red or yellow or a
combination), peeled/cut into 1″ pieces
1/4 C. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 T. chopped parsley
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil &
spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In small bowl mix olive oil, garlic,
salt/pepper. Spread vegetables on
sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle
oil mixture on top – use your hands to
toss vegs. to evenly coat. Roast 25-30
minutes until vegetables are tender &
starting to caramelize – sprinkle with
parsley & serve. Serves 6

NOTE: if you are using red beets & want
to keep them from staining the rest of
the vegetables, wrap them separately in
foil packet to contain the juices then place
the packet on the sheet pan with rest of
vegs.

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

Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells

1 (12 oz) pkg. uncooked jumbo pasta
shells
2 T. olive oil

Filling:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. pepper, divided
1 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
1/3 C. seasoned bread crumbs
3 C. ricotta cheese
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. chopped fresh Italian parsley
=
4 C. meatless pasta sauce
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly
sliced & halved
—-
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Cook shells accordg. to pkg. directions
for al dente; drain. Toss with oil & spread
in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Filling:
Toss chicken cubes with Italian seasoning,
1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. black pepper. In large
skillet heat oil over medium-high heat & saute
chicken just until lightly browned, 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium – stir in butter until
melted. Stir in bread crumbs & cook until crumbs
are slightly toasted, 2-3 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Cool slightly.
In large bowl mix cheeses, milk, parsley &
remaining salt/pepper – fold in chicken. Spread
2 C. pasta sauce in prepared 9 X 13″ pan. Fill
each shell with 2 1/2 T. ricotta mixture & place
over sauce in pan. Top with remaining sauce &
cheeses (dish will be full). Spray a sheet of foil
(to cover dish) with nonstick cooking spray &
cover dish with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover &
bake until heated through, 10-15 minutes longer.
Serves 12

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

Crockpot Italian Vegetarian Bean Soup

1 lb. Great Northern beans
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
1 T. fennel seeds
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
salt/black pepper, to taste
6 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese,
optional
=
In 3 qt crockpot combine beans, celery,
onion, carrots, fennel seeds, oregano,
garlic powder, red pepper flakes & 5
C. cold water. Cover & cook on high
5 hours until beans are tender.

NOTE: If desired, drain to remove bean
cooking liquid which sometimes causes
gas. Whether you drain the beans or not
you will need to add more liquid; between
2-4 Cups. Stir in salt/pepper, to taste.
Ladle into bowls & top with 1 T. Parm.
cheese.
Serves 6

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

Favorite Coffee Squares

1 C. raisins
2 C. water
1/2 C. shortening
1 large egg
1 C. sugar
2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
2 T. milk (approx)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place water & raisins in a
saucepan & boil until only
1 C. liquid remains. In a bowl,
add shortening, then pour in
hot liquid from raisins; set
aside to let cool. Beat eggs &
sugar together; stir in cooled
shortening mixture. Mix in
dry ingredients & fold in raisins.
Grease a 10 X 15 edged cookie
sheet; spread dough into pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Mix
together glaze ingredients & frost
bars with glaze while bars are
still warm. Cut into squares.
Makes approx. 24 bars

(recipe: Heidi – justapinch.com)

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

Hope you’re having a GOOD day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Thursday

Today is a overcast, chilly day (58) with wet ground – it rained last night and it’s supposed to do that again today. Looking at our forecast, seems rain will be in our future for the next few days.

Not much new around here, been crocheting the squares for the next blanket, worked on getting the blue/white blended afghan back on pattern – somehow I got distracted while knitting & had to rip out about 10 rows. The pattern is very simple BUT I still haven’t figured out what ROW I’m on each time – doing what knitters call: “reading” my knitting – that means looking at each stitch & figuring out exactly what’s in front of you.

Chocolate Chunk Magic Cookie Bars

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. butter (or margarine), melted
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (4 oz, ea) pkgs. Baker’s semi-sweet
baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/3 C. flake coconut
1 C. chopped pecans
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl combine graham crumbs &
butter – press into bottom of pan.
Pour condensed milk over crust; top
with layers of remaining ingredients.
Press nuts lightly into coconut layer.
Bake 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Immediately run a knife around edge
of pan to loosen dessert from sides of
pan. Cool completely before cutting
into bars.

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

Roasted Potatoes w/Bacon & Cheese

1 lb. new red potatoes
1/4 C. zesty Italian salad dressing
2 T. vinegar
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
4 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
2 oz. (1/4th of 8 oz. pkg) Cheddar cheese, cubed
2 oz. (1/4th of 8 oz pkg) Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place potatoes in a baking dish.
Mix dressing, vinegar & thyme in a small bowl –
pour half of dressing mixture over potatoes;
mix lightly. (refrigerate remaining dressing).

Bake 40-50 minutes until fork tender. Remove
from oven; cool completely.
In a medium bowl combine potatoes, bacon,
cheeses & remaining dressing & refrigerate
until ready to serve. Garnish with additional
fresh thyme before serving, if desired.
Serves 6

Grill option:
Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush potatoes
with half of the dressing mixture. Place
potatoes, cut-sides down, on grill. Grill
15-20 minutes until fork-tender, turning
once. Cool completely – continue with
recipe as directed.

(recipe: myfoodandfamily.com)
——————————
Chicken Fried Steak

4 cube steaks (about 1/3 lb each)
1 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
2 tsp. kosher salt (or sea salt), divided
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 C. buttermilk*
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce (or other hot
sauce – your choice)
2 eggs
1 C. vegetable oil
=
Gravy:
4 T. grease
4 T. flour
2-3 C. whole milk
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
salt/pepper, to taste
==
In a pie plate or shallow bowl whisk flour,
1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. salt, paprika,
onion & garlic powders, baking soda &
baking powder.

In another pie plate or shallow bowl whisk
buttermilk, Tabasco & eggs.

Pat cube steaks dry with a paper towel,
removing as much moisture as possible;
season with 1 tsp. salt & pepper – let stand
5 minutes – pat dry again with paper towel.

Dredge steaks in flour mixture, shaking off
excess then dredge in buttermilk mixture, letting
excess drip off, then once again in flour, shaking
off excess.

Place breaded cube steaks on a sheet pan & press
any remaining flour mixture into steaks making sure
that the entire steak is completely coated – let stand
10 minutes.

Preheat oven 225-250 degrees F.
In a large, heavy skillet or cast iron pan, heat
veg. oil over medium-high heat. (you want the oil
to be about 1/4 inch deep – just shallow frying,
not deep frying). Test the oil by dropping a bit of
breading into it – oil should sizzle & bubble around
breading. Looking for oil to be glistening, not smoking.

Place 2 steaks in the pan at a time & fry 3-4 minutes
on each side until golden brown. Do not flip more
than once or breading will fall off. Do not crowd the
pan with more than 2 steaks at a time.
Remove steaks from pan & drain on paper towels.
Place on a cookie sheet & place in preheated oven.

Gravy:
Turn skillet heat to medium.
Pour remaining grease into a heat-safe bowl or glass
measuring cup. Do NOT scrape skillet clean. Add 4 T.
grease back to skillet. Whisk in flour & continue
whisking 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Combine
cream & milk – slowly drizzle in about 2 1/2 C. into
skillet, whisking constantly. Continue whisking – bring
gravy to a simmer. Cook until gravy is smooth & creamy,
about 5-7 minutes. If gravy gets too thick, add a little
more milk – season with salt/pepper to taste.
Serve steak with gravy. Serves 4

*If you don’t have buttermilk:
To a 2-cup measuring cup add 1 T. lemon juice or
vinegar. Pour in enough milk to reach the 1 1/2 C.
measure – stir with a fork & let stand 5 minutes.
Now you have ‘soured/buttermilk’.

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

Crockpot Squash Au Gratin

1/4 C. butter melted
1 T. minced garlic
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 medium squash, sliced thin
salt/black pepper, to taste
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 C. pork rinds, crushed fine
=
Pour butter into crockpot; sprinkle
garlic evenly over butter.
In a bowl, mix mayo, sour cream, 1/2 C.
cheese, prok rinds, squash & zucchini –
pour over top of butter – spread out
evenly – top with remaining cheese.
Cover & cook on High 3-4 hours until
squash is tender & edges are golden.
Serves 6-8

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

Ham & Spinach Quiche

Crust:
1 3/4 C. flour (plus more for
dusting)
2 T. sugar
fine salt
12 T. ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted
butter, diced/chilled
4 tsp. cider or white vinegar
1/3 C. ice water, plus more, if
needed

Filling:
1/2 C. thinly sliced red onions
1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 C. cooked, chopped ham
1/2 C. chopped, thawed frozen
spinach, drained/squeezed dry

Custard:

1 1/4 C. Half & Half cream
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
3 large eggs
kosher salt/ground black pepper
==
In a food processor pulse flour,
sugar & 1/2 tsp. salt. Add about
1/3rd of chilled butter cubes &
process until butter is absorbed. Add
remaining butter & pulse until butter
is the size of peas (5-6 pulses).
Add vinegar. Pulsing quickly, a few
times, add ice water through the
processor tube. Squeeze some
dough between your fingers; it should
just hold it’s shape without feeling wet.
(If it is crumbly, add more ice water,
1 T. at a time). Pulse quickly, do not
over work or the dough will be tough.
Wrap dough loosely in a large piece
of plastic wrap, then firmly press &
flatten into a thin round. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll
dough into a 11- 12 inch round, about
1/8th inch thick. Center dough into a
9-inch pie plate with an even overhand
all around. Fold edges & flute or crimp.
Chill for at least 30  minutes.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Press a piece of foil over chilled crust.
Fill dough with pie weights, raw beans
or rice. Bake crust about 20 minutes.
Remove foil, weights/beans & bake
5-10 minutes more until crust is light
brown. Cool slightly before adding filling.

Adjust oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Filling:
Sprinkle onion evenly into crust. In a small
bowl combine cheese, ham & spinach – sprinkle
it evenly over onions.

Custard:
In a small bowl whisk Half & Half, parsley, eggs,
1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Pour custard
over filling & bake until quiche is set, 35-50 minutes.
Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving warm or
at room temperature. Serves 6-8

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

Pineapple Bundt CakeCake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 small box vanilla instant
pudding mix
4 eggs
1/3 C. oil
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple,
divided

Glaze:
1/4 C. butter
3/4 C. crushed pineapple
2 C. powdered sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a Bundt or Angel Food
Cake pan with nonstick spray
then dust with flour. Set aside
3/4 C. crushed pineapple for
glaze.
In large bowl combine cake mix,
dry pudding mix, eggs, oil &
remaining pineapple – mix on
medium speed 3 minutes – pour
into prepared pan. Bake 45-55
minutes until a toothpick inserted
near center comes out clean. Remove
from oven & allow to cool on wire rack.
Glaze:
In small saucepan melt butter,
3/4 C. crushed pineapple & powdered
sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved then
spoon glaze over cooled cake.

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

Have a GREAT day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Number One-done!

Today was me getting my first COVID vaccine shot – all went well. (I’m one of those they put in the “30 minute” wait chairs (severely allergic to penicillin) but all went well. Next shot last Friday in the month.

It’s another beautiful Spring day – sun shining, slight breeze, 63 degrees F. (high of 71), 30% chance of showers later. Yesterday some of my knit group ladies & I went to a park pavilion for some ‘together/outside’ time. It started to sprinkle so we moved under the covering – nice time, about 2 hours total. I started another baby blanket; this time it’s crochet. One of the ladies had mentioned that she was going to knit a “Easter colors” blanket – that got me to thinking so I went through my ‘yarn stash’ – started a white, pink, purple, green, yellow X-pattern blanket (total 30 squares). I’ve done this pattern before but it took a bit of looking it up/refreshing my memory to get it ‘kick-started’ – I’m good now!

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

Easy Cheese Danish

2 cans ready-to-use refrigerated crescent
rolls
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese, room temp.
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 egg white

Glaze:
1/2 C. powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Open 1
tube of crescent rolls & lay out
in prepared dish – pinch openings
together. In a small bowl beat
cream cheese, sugar, vanilla & egg
until smooth – spread mixture over
rolls evenly then cover with second
layer of crescent rolls. Brush with
egg white.
Bake 35-45 minutes until golden
brown.
In a bowl beat glaze ingredients
together. Spread glaze over
danish after cooling 20 minutes.

(recipe: 77delicious)
——————————

Cheesy Bacon & Egg Crescent Ring

4 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
4 eggs
1/3 C. milk
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tubes refrigerated crescent
rolls (8 oz, ea)
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl combine eggs, milk, pepper/salt –
whisk until combined.
In a skillet over medium heat, pour eggs
& scramble.
Unroll crescent dough & separate into
triangles. Arrange triangles on a 14-inch
ungreased pizza pan, with points towards
the outside of the pan & wide ends overlapping
at the center – leaving a 4 inch opening in the
center. Press overlapping dough to seal.

Spoon eggs over wide ends of rolls; sprinkle
cheese over eggs & top with crumbled bacon.
Fold pointed ends of triangles over filling, tucking
points under to form a ring. (the filling will be
visible).
Bake 12-15 minutes until crescents are golden brown.
Serves 8

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

Crockpot Spinach/Artichoke Chicken

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 (9 oz) pkg. frozen spinach, cooked/well
drained
1 (14.5 oz) jar artichoke hearts, chopped
1 T. garlic, minced
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
3 lb. boneless skinless hcicken (poster used
thighs)
salt/pepper, to taste
=
Place chicken in bottom of crockpot; salt &
pepper well.
In a bowl mix cream cheese, spinach, artichokes,
garlic & season with salt/pepper. Stir in
mozzarella cheese – pour over chicken.
Cover & cook on Low 4-5 hours.
Serves 8

NOTE: this recipe works well if cream cheese is
VERY soft – if it isn’t, place on a microwaveable
plate or bowl – microwave for 30 seconds to make
it creamy enough to mix in.

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

Tuscan Sausage & Bean Dip

3 T. olive oil, divided
1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed
2 C. diced sweet onion (about 1 onion)
1 1/2 T. minced fresh garlic (3-4 cloves)
3 C. Tuscan kale, stems removed, chopped/
rinsed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 C. white wine
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 (15.5 oz, ea) cans cannelloni beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (7 oz) jar roasted red peppers, diced into
half-pieces/drained
1 C. fresh grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded/divided
1 loaf French baguette, sliced on the bias
–
olive oil to brush on bread slices before grilling
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In very large skillet over medium heat, add 1 T.
olive oil. Once oil is hot, add all of the sausage,
breaking up into pieces. Drain; place meat on a
plate. Add remaining 2 T. oil to skillet. Once
shimmering, add onions -cook 3 minutes. Add
garlic – cook 1 minute. Add kale, salt/pepper – cook
to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add wine & cooked
sausage. Increase heat to medium-high; cook to
evaporate wine, about 3-4 minutes.
Lower heat back to medium – stir in cream cheese to
melt. Add in drained beans & drained roasted red
peppers – stir.
Stir in half Parm & half mozz. cheese – pour into
a 9 X 9″ baking dish. Cover with remaining
Parm. & Mozz. cheeses.
Bake 20 minutes until hot & bubbly.
Brush both sides of sliced baguette with olive
oil & grill on both sides in a ribbed grill pan
(or on a grill).
Once dip is hot & bubbly, place under broiler
for 1-2 minutes to brown.
Serve with grilled bread slices.
Serves 10

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

Stuffed Shells

1 (12 oz) box of jumbo shells
1 T. kosher salt
1 (30 oz) whipped cottage cheese
6 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh parsley, mined
3/4 C. fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
(about 8-10 leaves)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 (28 oz) jar marinara sauce
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
Spread half jar of marinara sauce on
bottom of dish.

Cook pasta shells accordg. to pkg.
directions – until 3 minutes shy of al dente.
Drain & rinse shells with cold water.

In large bowl combine whipped cottage
cheese, Parm., egg, garlic, parsley, basil,
salt/pepper. Spoon mixture into cooked/
cooled shells & place shells in prepared
dish, nestling them into the sauce.
Cover shells with remaining sauce &
sprinkle top with Mozz. cheese.
Bake 25 minutes until hot & bubbly.
Serve immediately. Serves 8

(recipe: momontimeout.com)
——————————

Asparagus & Feta Tartlet

12 medium asparagus (about 4 oz),
(woody ends snapped off), cut into
1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/3 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
6 T. Half & Half cream
1 large egg
1 T. chopped fresh dill
4 sheets phyllo dough (usually found
in freezer section with frozen pie
crusts)
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray 6 muffin cups with
nonstick cooking spray.

Spray small skillet with nonstick
cooking spray; over medium-high
heat add asparagus & garlic. Saute,
stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in lemon
juice & 1 T. water. Reduce heat to
Low; cover & cook 1 minute.
Remove asparagus to a plate using
a slotted spoon (reserve pan juices
& garlic).

Place 1 sheet phyllo dough on a clean
surface – lightly spray with nonstick
cooking spray & top with another sheet
of phyllo dough – repeat with 2 more
sheets & cooking spray.
Cut the phyllo stack into 4-inch squares –
fit 1 square into each prepared muffin cup.
Evenly distribute the asparagus & feta
among the cups. (reserve 8 asparagus tips
for later)

In a bowl whisk Half & Half, egg, dill &
reserved pan juices – evenly divide
among muffin cups (about 3 1/2 T. in each).
Place 2 asparagus tips on each cup.
Bake 30 minutes until custard is set &
phyllo is golden. Serves 4

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

Orange Streusel Coffee Cake

Cake:
2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. orange zest
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. orange juice
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. flour
2 T. cubed butter
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Grease & flour a 9-inch cake pan.
In large bowl whisk flour, sugar,
baking powder, salt & orange zest.
Add milk, orange juice, oil, egg &
vanilla – stir just until combined &
pour into prepared pan.

In small bowl combine topping
ingredients using a pastry blender
or 2 knives until mixture is consistency
of cornmeal. Evenly sprinkle over top
of cake batter.
Bake 40-45 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven & cool completely
in pan. Serves 6-8

(recipe: lovebakesgoodcakes.com)

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Hope you are all doing well & are in good health!

Hugs;

Pammie