It’s coming!

Slowly but surely I’m claiming my life back! Last night was the first time I made dinner – all by myself, no help! We had salmon patties, wild rice and a tossed salad. I’ve been kind of pushing myself to work JUST with the cane (although I kept the walker in the kitchen if I needed it – turns out I didn’t!).

To start with, here’s the latest baby blanket; this one is done using self-patterning yarn. Not sure how the manufactures do this, but they (somehow) color the yarn in little bits so that, when knit up, it makes stripes with tiny flower patterns! I remember this yarn was very popular about 10 years ago and I used a lot of it then. Originally it was only produced by Bernat yarn co and it was called
Bernat Baby Jacquard yarn. Bernat stopped making it (I wrote them many letters attempting to persuade them to continue it, but they didn’t). Years ago I found one company that offered it and I bought a very big skein – found it a few weeks ago in my yarn stash & knit up the below blanket. In order to add some texture, I found a pattern for the little ‘raised rows’ in between the stripes.

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

Spiced Ooey-Gooey Cake

1 (16.5 oz) box spice cake mix*
2 eggs
12 T.  (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
—
Topping for Cake:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 egg
3 C. powdered sugar
cinnamon & sugar to sprinkle on top
=
NOTE: Do not make cake accordg. to
box directions!
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl mix cake mix, eggs,
melted butter, vanilla &
cinnamon by hand. Press mixture
into prepared pan (this is bottom
layer of cake).
In a large bowl using elec. mixer,
add cream cheese, egg &
powdered sugar – mix well & spread
over bottom cake layer. Sprinkle
top with cinnamon/sugar (use as
little or as much as you like).
Bake 40-45 minutes until top of cake
is golden brown. Cut into squares to
serve. Serves 8

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

Egg Roll in-a-Bowl

1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
(or 1 tsp. ground ginger)
1 lb. ground pork
1 T. sesame oil
4-5 C. shredded cabbage*
1 C. shredded carrots
1/4 C. soy sauce (low sodium)
2-3 tsp. Sriracha (optional)
=
For Serving:
cooked brown or white rice to serve 6
chopped green onions – garnish
sweet chili sauce, yum-yum sauce or
additional soy sauce (optional)
=
In large skillet or wok heat olive oil.
Add garlic & ginger – cook 1-2 minutes
until fragrant. Add pork; cook until no
pink remains. Push pork to one side of
pan. Add sesame oil, cabbage & carrots –
stir to combine with meat & cook until
tender-crisp. Add soy sauce & Sriracha
(if using). Cook & stir until cabbage is
tender, about 6-8 minutes. Serve
immediately with cooked rice & optional
garnishes. Serves 6
Store leftovers in fridge.

NOTE: you can substitute ground beef,
ground chicken or turkey in place of pork

*can substitute a 14-16 oz. bag of shredded
cabbage or coleslaw mix

-You can also scramble 1-2 eggs after
cabbage has been cooked by pushing it
to the side.

You can also top this off with fried
won-ton strips

(recipe: lovebakesgoodcakes.com)
———————————-
Stick of Butter Rice

1 C. uncooked long-grain white
rice (NOT instant)
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed
French Onion Soup
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed
Beef Consomme
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 C.)
sliced thinly
–
sliced green oions or
chopped fresh herbs for garnish,
optional
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In a 8 X 8″ baking dish add rice, soup
& broth – mix well. Cut butter into
slices & place on top of mixture. Cover
with foil & bake 30 minutes. Remove
foil & bake 30 minutes more. Before
serving, fluff with a fork. Garnish
with green onion or fresh herbs, if
desired. Serves 4-6

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

Copycat Autumn Squash Soup

2 lb. butternut squash, cut into
1/2″ cubes
1/2 C. chopped onion
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin
2 C. vegetable broth
1 1/2 C. apple cider
1 1/2 C. Half & Half
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. curry powder
=
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
In large bowl combine squash,
onion, oil, 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4
tsp. pepper; toss until evenly
coated. Place squash mixture on
a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake 20-25 minutes until tender.
Place mixture in a blender or food
processor – process until smooth.
In large saucepan over medium-low
heat, combine squash puree, pumpkin,
broth, apple cider, Half & Half, cinnamon,
curry, remaining 1 tsp. salt & remaining
1/4 tsp. pepper – mix well. Heat 10-12
minutes until heated through – do not
boil.  Serves 8

(recipe; mrfood.com)
——————————

Italian Layer Bake

1 (8 oz) tube refrigerated
crescent rolls
8 slices deli turkey (about 1/2 lb)
8 slices deli ham (about 1/2 lb)
12 slices deli hard salami (about
1/2 lb)
8 slices Swiss cheese (about 1/2 lb)
1 (12 oz) jar roasted peppers, drained
4 eggs, beaten
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Unroll crescent dough without
separating triangles. Spread dough
into 2 squares along center cut line.
Place 1 square of dough in an 8 X 8″
baking dish – using your fingers, press
dough to fit bottom. Layer with half
turkey, ham, salami, Swiss cheese &
roasted peppers. Pour half beaten eggs
over peppers & repeat layers with
remaining meats/cheeses/peppers.
Place remaining square of dough over
peppers. Pour remaining beaten eggs
over dough & cover lightly with foil.
Bake 20 minutes, remove foil & bake
an additional 20-22 minutes until golden
& heated through. Let cool 5 minutes
before cutting. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

Crockpot Olive Garden Zuppa
Toscana Soup (copycat)

1 lb. ground pork sausage
3/4 C. onion, diced
6 slices bacon, diced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
4 C. chicken broth
1 C. potatoes, cut into bite-sized
pieces
2 C. kale, thinly sliced
3/4 C. whipping cream
–
In large skillet  cook sausage
over medium heat; drain – remove
to a plate. Place onion & bacon in
skillet & saute over medium heat
until onions are translucent. Place
sausage, onions, bacon & garlic
in crockpot with broth & potatoes.
Cover & cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Add kale & whipping cream just
before serving – stir & serve.
Serves 4-6

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

Best Dip in the World

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 C. sour cream (poster used light)
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
1/2 C. sliced green onions
=
Dippers:
toasted bread or rye toast rounds
crackers
fresh veggies
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In a medium bowl using elec.
mixer, combine cream cheese, sour
cream, Chedd. cheese, bacon &
green onion – mix until smooth &
spread/spoon into a 1-quart
baking dish.
Bake 25-30 minutes until cheese is
bubbling & hot.

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

Crockpot Blackberry Cobbler

3-5 C. blackberries, rinsed/drained
1/4 C. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. salted butter, melted

Cobbler Layer:
1 1/4 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. salted butter, melted

Topping:
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
=
Place blackberries in crockpot; sprinkle
sugar, cornstarch & melted butter -stir
well. *
In medium bowl add dry ingredients for
Cobbler layer – stir. Add wet ingredients
(vanilla, milk, melted butter) & stir until
combined (some lumps are fine, do not
over mix). Evenly pour this over berries &
spread out with spatula, if needed.
In small bowl add topping ingredients;
mix & sprinkle over batter.
Cover & cook on High 2 hours 30 minutes.
Do NOT open lid during cooking time.
Serves 8
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream

*If you don’t want all whole berries in
cobbler, use a potato masher & squash
some of the berries at this step.

(recipe: themagicalslowcooker.com)
===================

Today is the first day of October and our weather is
turning into FALL – colder nights, crisp air, sunny with
a breeze and leaves slowly falling from the trees. We
haven’t had really cold days/nights yet but I’m pretty
sure they are coming quickly. Today our High is supposed
to be 58 but looking at Friday night the Low is 37 – that’s
really close to FREEZING – sigh.

I don’t remember if I mentioned our ‘Garage Project’
here before; very soon we will be starting this: we are
having our garage & connecting porch torn down and
a new one built. One of the electricians from the company
came yesterday to ‘scope out’ the wiring. With new code
rules about wiring, etc. we/they will be required to install
smoke detectors in the garage AND the house (they will
be inner-connected). Today a man is coming to cut/score
the existing cement around the garage before they will
begin removing it (and the garage/porch). Next week will
be very busy/hectic, I’m guessing. My husband & older
son built a new shed this week to house the riding &
electric lawn mowers and all other tools from the garage
while this is all being done. Lots coming up – glad I’m
finally feeling MUCH BETTER! I can’t exactly ‘help’ as
I’m still dependent on using something to support my
healing hip but I can put more bottled water in the fridge
for thirsty workers!

Hope you are enjoying a good/healthy week. I notified my
lovely knit group ladies that, starting next Tuesday, we will
be meeting ON LINE for Zoom knit meetings instead of in
the park. This Tuesday FOUR brave, freezing ladies met in
the park – it’s getting too cold to do that (and I still can’t
make the trek from the parking lot to the pavilion where
we met). Time to ‘move on’, so to speak!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Forgot to mention: Tuesday husband & I did my
first actual ‘after the surgery’ grocery shopping and
it worked out well! I brought the cane, put it in the
cart & used the cart to get around. Good exercise
AND we got groceries to boot!

and here we are!

Today is promising to be a lovely day – expected 75 degrees F. YES! Oldest son & husband will be working on finishing up building the base for a new shed in our yard. (we will need it shortly as we are having our garage & porch taken down and new ones built) – should be perfect weather for it! (the shed arrived 2 days ago in boxes so they will have the ‘fun’ of assembling that, too). Glad my only duties are keeping our 3-yr old grandson busy and making sandwiches.

Last night the leaders of my special needs group got together for a dinner/meeting – I had a GREAT time! The food was very tasty (brats & peppers, a great tossed salad, cheesy potatoes, etc). It was SO nice to see these ladies again and just enjoy their company. We collectively came to the conclusion that we might never meet again in our group – the way the Covid thing is going. Our ‘kids’ are not into staying 6 feet apart, let alone wearing masks. Yes, the church has agreed to kind of give us the entire wing to isolate us from the rest of the people attending on a Wednesday night (IF and when they go back) but the problem, for us, is deeper than that. For a ‘starter’ idea of when we ‘might’ go back we all said January – but we will just have to wait and see.

I’m doing better at getting around – still using the walker (I’m actually hating the sound of it when I push it) – pretty lame, eh? Still don’t feel strong enough to go to a cane but I’m going to continue to try. My surgeon said that I could be like some of his patients who go from a walker to JUST WALKING, skipping the can altogether! We’ll see . . .

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

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

1 (15 oz) can canned pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1 C. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl whisk pumpkin, evap
milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon & salt –
pour into prepared dish. Sprinkle
dry cake mix on top & top with
chopped nuts. Evenly pour melted
butter all over top. Bake 50-55
minutes. Serves 12

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

Broccoli Carrot Salad

1 1/2 lb. broccoli cut into bite-sized
florets* (poster also peeled & shredded
the stems)
1/2 C. thinly sliced red onion
1 C. shredded carrot (about 2 carrots)
1/2 C. dried cranberries
1/4 C. sundried tomatoes, chopped
(packed in oil)
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. spiced brown mustard
1 tsp. kosher salt

Candied Nuts:
1 1/2 C. walnut pieces
1/4 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
=
In large bowl toss broccoli, onion,
carrot, cranberries & sun-dried tomatoes.
In small bowl whisk mayo, vinegar, 2 T. maple
syrup, mustard & kosher salt. Pour wet
mixture over broccoli mixture & toss.
Cover & refrigerate one hour, tossing after
30 minutes.
=
Nut topping:
Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan place nuts, soy
sauce, syrup & paprika – heat & toss over
medium heat until pieces get sticky &
liquid evaporates, about 3-5 minutes.
Do not over-cook – or have the heat too
high or they will scorch. Pour nuts onto
parchment & let cool. Do not touch this
mixture with your fingers – nuts are very
hot.

To serve:
Toss salad one more time & portion into
bowls topped with candied nuts.
Serves 4

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

Fruity Chicken Salad

1 1/2 lb. chicken tenders
(32 oz) chicken stock
3/4 C. mayonnaise
2 T. finely minced celery
2 tsp. dry Ranch Salad dressing mix
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. red seedless grapes, cut in half
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/2 to 3/4 C. Fuji apple, seeded/chopped
=
(optional: washed lettuce leaves – as bed
for salad on a plate/bread to make
sandwiches with salad
=
In large pot place chicken tenders & stock.
Heat over medium 15-20 minutes until chicken
is fully cooked; shred chicken.
In medium bowl place celery, dry Ranch mix,
mayo, salt/pepper – blend well. Add shredded
chicken & mix thoroughly. Serve on a bed of
lettuce or in a sandwich. Serves 4
NOTE: Salad tastes better if prepared a few
hours ahead & refrigerated.

(recipe: copykat.com)
———————————

Crockpot Zucchini Bars

4 large eggs, beaten
2 C. zucchini, peeled/shredded
1 C. oil
2 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. chopped pecans
2 tsp. cinnamon
=
Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. butter, softened (1/2 stick)
1/4 C. chopped pecans
==
Lightly spray insides of crockpot
with nonstick cooking spray – dust
with flour.
In medium bowl mix together
all ingredients & pour into crockpot.
Place a couple paper towels tightly
under lid & close lid. Cook on High
2 hours (turning your insert halfway
through cooking time if your crockpot
does not cook evenly.) Remove insert
& place on a heat-safe surface to cool;
approx. 30 minutes before frosting bars.
Serves 12

Frosting:
In medium bowl mix all ingredients
(except nuts) – spread on top of cooled
bars. Sprinkle nuts on top.

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

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole

2 C. cooked, diced chicken
8 oz. cream cheese
1 (16 oz) box bow tie pasta
2 C. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 C. water
1 C. milk
1 fresh jalapeno – seeded/diced
1/2 C. bread crumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Boil pasta to al dente.
In a large saucepot melt cream
cheese with water & milk. Add
cheeses, stir to melt. Add cooked/
drained pasta & diced jalapenos
(save a few for topping). Mix in
chicken & pour into prepared dish.
Top with bread crumbs & jalapenos.
Cover with foil & bake 20 minutes.
Uncover & bake an additional 10
minutes. Serves 6

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

Grilled Parmesan Potatoes

1 sheet (about 18″ X 12″ of
heavy-duty aluminum foil –
spray with nonstick cooking spray
==========
1 lb. small red potatoes, cut
into 1/2″ cubes
1/4 C. chopped green onion
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 T. Parmesan cheese, grated
(poster adds a lot more – so,
to taste)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (or, to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper, (or
to taste)
=
Place potatoes in large bowl; add
onions & oil – toss to coat. Spoon
into center of foil. In a small bowl
combine Parm. cheese, oregano,
garlic salt & pepper – sprinkle over
potato mixture. Fold foil into a pouch
& seal tightly.
Place packet on grill over medium-hot
heat 20-30 minutes until potatoes
are tender. Open foil carefully to allow
steam to escape. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————

Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake
Overnight recipe
(requires springform pan)

Crust:
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 C. graham cracker crumbs
3/4 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. melted butter

Cheesecake:
16 oz. (2 pkgs) cream cheese,
softened
2 T. corn starch
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Apple Crisp Topping:
1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. rolled oats
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. coconut oil
2 medium to large apples, peeled/
thinly sliced

Caramel ice cream topping
—
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl combine crust
ingredients together & press
into bottom of a 9 or 10″ spring-
form pan. Bake 5 minutes – remove
from oven to cool.

Cheesecake:
In large bowl using elec. mixer blend
cream cheese, brown sugar, gran. sugar,
cinnamon, ginger, cornstarch & vanilla –
once well combined pour on top of crust.

Apple layer:
Arrange thinly sliced apples on top of
cheesecake in a single layer. Top with
Apple Crisp topping & bake 40-50
minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Refrigerate
overnight. Drizzle top with caramel.

(recipe: Land Cooking – FB)

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

Hope you are all well and in great spirits during
this ‘change to Fall’ weather. I’m still plodding
along knitting the same 2 baby blankets. (I could
kick myself: the last yarn buying trip before
surgery there was 1 thing I wanted to buy: a
skein of yellow sport-weight yarn to be used
in crocheting granny squares into a baby blanket.)
I use yellow for the centers of the squares then
the various baby yarns I’ve accumulated for the
rest of each square. Looking for that one YELLOW
yarn produced a very pale yellow skein I must have
got on sale – NOT what I wanted at all! (I guess you
could ‘excuse’ me because just before I went to
check out I spotted a small CLEARANCE section
of yarns and ended up buying about 7 various colored skeins, on sale…my mind totally went out the window on
that bright yellow sport-weight yarn I wanted –
sigh.) Oh well- life goes on, right?

Try to stay well and remember to find something
each day that makes you smile or remember a
good memory – life is very short – enjoy it while
you can.

Hugs;

Pammie

and now – the weekend!

It’s beautifully sunny today (not very warm 56 degrees F. with a High expected of 60). Not complaining – VERY glad to see the sun! Our leaves are beginning to fall – when I look out the window and see them, for a second my mind thinks: “Oh, Look! A butterfly!”

Health-wise it’s now 2 1/2 weeks since hip surgery; I’m ‘plugging along’; still using a walker. I really don’t feel confident enough yet to try a cane – it will come, I’m sure. I go back to the surgeon Tuesday for a check & (probably) stitch removal – we’ll see. On a good note: I’ve lost 9 pounds – totally not planned; I’m baffled – I eat regularly. Not complaining, just surprised.

Last night my husband & I TOGETHER made beef enchiladas. It was a ‘first’ for him but after, he agreed it wasn’t that difficult (AND we made enough for several nights dinners). He’s been very good to me; keeps a watch on how I’m doing and helps when I need it. It’s such a blessing to have a great husband – 44 years now!

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

Amish Apple Fritter Bread

1/3 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter,
softened
2/3 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. milk
1 1/2 C. diced apples (about 4 medium),
mixed with a little cinnamon & sugar to
coat

Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 T. butter, softened
2 T. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick
cooking spray.
In a bowl mix first 2 ingredients.
In large bowl beat sugar & butter
until smooth; beat in eggs & vanilla
until blended.
In a medium bowl stir flour, baking
powder: blend until smooth.. Pour
half the batter into prepared pan.
Add half chopped apples; pour rest
of batter on top of apples & top
with remaining apples – pat them
slightly into batter. Sprinkle top
with brown sugar & cinnamon
mixture you set aside.
Bake 60-70 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.

Glaze:
Blend powdered sugar & butter
together until smooth; mix in  milk &
vanilla until a smooth consistency.
Let the apple fritter loaf cool about 30
minutes before pouring glze on top.

(recipe: facebook)
———————————–

Oven-roasted Parmesan Zucchini

4 large zucchini or summer squash
sliced into 1/4″ rounds
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 C. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 T. olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Add sliced squash to a large bowl; add
olive oil, garlic powder, salt/pepper &
toss to coat. Arrange squash on a rimmed
baking sheet in a single layer; sprinkle
tops evenly with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 9-10 minutes until just tender.
Turn broiler on HIGH
Broil until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Serves 4-5

(recipe: 77delicious.com)
—————————–

Marinated Cucumber/Onion/Tomato Salad

1 C. water
1/2 C. distilled white vinegar
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1/4 C. sugar
1 T. black pepper (fresh coarsely ground)
3 cucumbers, peeled/sliced 1/4″ thick
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 onion, sliced, separated into rings
–
Add all chopped vegs. to a large bowl
& toss using a spoon.
To bowl of veggies add vinegar, olive oil,
vegetable oil, salt, sugar, black pepper &
water – toss & stir so all veggies are evenly
coated. Cover with foil & refrigerate until
well chilled.

NOTE: You can also add other things to
this salad like:
avocados – diced
cherry tomatoes
freshly chopped herbs such as dill,
basil, parsley or dried oregano
chopped fresh dill
dried Italian seasoning

(recipe: 77 delicious.com)
—————————————–

Grilled Cheesy Loaded Potatoes

8 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
kosher salt/ground black pepper
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
2 T. sour cream
3 scallions, sliced
=
Prepare grill for direct & indirect
heat:
Gas grills: (with 3 or more burners)
turn all burners to medium-high heat;
after 15 minutes, turn off 1 side of burners
& turn remaining burners to medium.
Charcoal grills:
bank 1 chimney starter full of lit &
ashed-over charcoal briquettes to
1 side of grill. Set up a drip pan on other
side to avoid flare-ups.
===
Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet to direct
heat & add bacon. Cook, stirring often, until
crispy (about 5 minutes). Remove bacon
using a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined
plate. Add potatoes to skillet & sprinkle
with salt/pepper – stir to coat with bacon
fat then more to indirect heat & cover the
grill. Cook, uncovering the grill & stirring
every 5 minutes until potatoes are tender,
about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese &
move back to direct heat. Cook, uncovered,
until potato bottoms are golden & cheese
is melted, about 10  minutes, depending
on heat of your grill. Let cool 10 minutes
then dot with sour cream & sprinkle top
with scallions & reserved bacon.
Serves 6

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

Ranch & Avocado Pasta Salad

1 oz. pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch
salad dressing mix
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3 C. dry pasta (farfalle works
nicely)
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 C. cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 C. cooked bacon, cut into
pieces
–
Mix ranch dressing mix with milk &
mayo – refrigerate to thicken.*
Cook pasta – run under cold water
to cool.
In a large bowl mix cooked pasta
with ranch dressing, avocado,
tomatoes, chicken & bacon –
stir to combine. Serves 4

*If you have time, prepare
Ranch dressing a few hours before
to allow flavors to blend.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————

Zucchini Fritters

4 C. shredded zucchini
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. oil
–
Place shredded zucchini in a large
bowl with 1/2 tsp. salt – toss well
then place in a colander over another
bowl or in the sink. Allow to drain for
10 minutes by pressing out as much
liquid as possible.
In large bowl combine eggs, 1/2 tsp. salt &
pepper until completely mixed. Stir in
zucchini then combine flour & Parmesan
into mixture.
In a large nonstick skillet pour oil to cover
bottom of skillet – heat over medium-high
heat. Drop batter by spoonful into hot oil
& flatten with back of a spoon. Fry 2 minutes
on each side. Place fried fritters on a plate
covered with paper towels. When serving,
garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4

(recipe: beyerbeware.net)
—————————–

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

2 bags Spring Mix lettuce, chopped
to bite-sized pieces
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped to
bite-sized pieces
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, drained/rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 red pepper, chopped
2 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lime
1 bag corn chips
4 chicken breasts
–
Dressing: *
1 1/2 C. ranch salad dressing
3/4 C. BBQ sauce
—-
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray. Place
chicken in pan & bake 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven & cool – chop
into 1-inch pieces.
Place lettuce greens, cilantro &
green onions in large bowl. Add corn,
beans & chopped red pepper. Add
cut chicken, chips, cheese & squirt
lime over all. Mix salad dressing &
serve on the side.**
Serves 15

*You can make a smaller amount of
dressing: measure 2 parts ranch to
1 part BBQ sauce.

**If you are taking this to a pot luck/
picnic: don’t add chicken, chips, cheese
or lime until just before serving. (otherwise
it will get all soggy).

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

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken/Cabbage Casserole

2 T. butter
2 T. dried minced onion
1 T. minced garlic
1 C. sliced mushrooms
4 C. thinly sliced cabbage
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
1/2 C. shredd Parmesan cheese
3 C. cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 C. chicken broth
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. poulstry seasoning
salt/pepper, to taste
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
–
garnish: chopped parsley
=
In skillet saute in butter mushrooms,
onions & garlic. Combine with cabbage,
1 1/2 C. Cheddar, 1/2 C. Parmesan, broth,
chicken, egg, poultry seasoning, salt/pepper;
mix well & place in 6 qt. crockpot. Top with
cream cheese & remaining Cheddar cheese.
Cover & cook on High 2-3 hours (or Low
4-5 hours) OR until cabbage is tender.
Serves 8

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

Minty Melon Salad

1 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
3 T. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. fresh mint, chopped
5 C. watermelon, cubed
3 C. cantaloupe, cubed
3 C. honeydew melon, cubed
2 C. nectarines, pitted/sliced
1 C. blueberries
–
Garnish: fresh mint sprigs
=
In a saucepan combine water,
sugar, juice & mint – bring to boil.
Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; cover & cool
completely.
In a large serving bowl combine
fruits. Pour cooled dressing over
fruit & stir until well coated. Cover
& chill at least 2 hours, stirring
occasionally. Drain liquid before
serving. Garnish with fresh mint
sprigs. Serves 8-10

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
======================

Our weather is so on-again/off-again with warm to cool/
colder – it makes posting recipes a bit different. Do I post
SUMMER recipes or FALL? Oh well, I try to cover both
bases if I can.

Hope you are all in good health & enjoying this
changing of the seasons. I LOVE spring & summer
but also like to see the changing of the leaves &
the crisp Fall air, the apples & cider – all the ‘fun’
things about Fall.

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Sunday!

Hello! It’s been awhile since I posted – went to post-op visit with surgeon on Tuesday. He says I’m doing above & beyond what’s expected at this time and I don’t have to do Physical Therapy! YAY! Still walking with a walker (makes me feel like a really old lady!) and slowly getting my strength back. I guess I’m a bit ‘hurry up and go’ – I want to get back to my much more active life but #1: I can’t drive #2: I can’t walk on any uneven surfaces (that cuts out going to my knit group in the park – sigh) so really trying to FORCE myself to use  more energy. My husband has been really excellent watching over me, helping me get dressed (you never know the ‘fun’ until you can’t BEND DOWN to pull up your underwear!), fixing me meals, etc. (He even got a little upset the other day b/c I decided to do something for myself; he said: “I could have done that FOR you!” (Ooops – gotta remember he WANTS do do things for me; so used to be independent!). Next surgeon visit is in 2 weeks; he said I can start with a cane whenever I feel ready . . . NOT YET! Actual hip/leg pain? Very little – the stitches ‘itch’, just have to remember to move the way I was told & not try any fancy ‘sideways’ bending – too painful plus it can pull my interior stitches. I’m getting there – SLOWLY!

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

Blackberry Crescent Roll Bars

2 (8 oz, ea) tubes refrigerated
crescent rolls
2 C. fresh or frozen blackberries
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits,
drained
2 T. milk
1 egg
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Unroll 1 tube rolls & place in
bottom of a 9 X 13″ baking dish,
pressing seams together to form
a solid dough. In a bowl combine
sugar, blackberries, vanilla, cinnamon,
milk & egg – mix with a spoon &
spread over dough. Sprinkle drained
pineapple over mixture. Cover dish
with other roll dough & press seams
to make top crust.
Bake about 30 minutes until brown on
top. Remove from oven & let cool
completely. (drizzle top with
optional glaze, if desired)
Serves about 8

Optional Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
3-4 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
–
Place sugar in bowl & whisk in
milk & vanilla until smooth.
(you can add less or more milk or
sugar to get consistency you want).
Makes 1 C. glaze

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

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

1 lb. medium shrimp, deveined/
tails removed
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. butter
olive oil
Italian seasoning, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
salt, to taste
ground black pepper
—
Boil pasta noodles accordg. to
pkg directions until tender – save
1 C. pasta water for later.*
Wash shrimp; drain pasta. In a
skillet over medium heat melt
butter; add shrimp & simmer
until shrimp are a little pink & start
to curl. Add garlic & cook 5-7
minutes. Add 2-3 drizzles of oil;
continue to stir until shrimp are
pink & curled. Add cooked, drained
pasta. Add seasonings & add in
just enough pasta water until mixture
isn’t swimming in liquid but not
dry either (start adding 1/4 C. to start).
Keep tossing all ingredients in skillet
until all are incorporated. Serve hot.

*poster said she adds some oil, salt &
fresh herbs to her boiling pasta

(recipe: 77delicious.com)
————————————–

Crockpot Campfire Potatoes

5 medium potatoes, sliced
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced (1 large clove)
1 C. white onion, sliced (1 small)
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl mix butter, Worc. sauce,
salt/pepper, oregano & garlic. Add
potatoes, cheeses & onion – mix until
potatoes are coated. Pour into prepared
crockpot, spread out in even layer.
Cover & cook on High 4 hours without
opening lid during cooking time.
Serves 6

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

Crockpot Cheeseburger Meatloaf

2 lb. ground beef
3/4 C. Italian bread crumbs
1/4 C. dried minced onions
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
=
Your favorite cheeseburger toppings
=
In large bowl mix all ingredients
except cheese & toppings. On a
sheet of lightly greased waxed paper
press out ground beef into a large
rectangle. Sprinkle cheese on top,
leaving a 3/4″ border all the way
around. Starting at short end, roll
up like a jelly roll & pinch each end
to seal. Place in crockpot & press
into a meatloaf shape. Cover & cook
on Low 4-6 hours (or High 2-3 hours).
Serve with desired cheeseburger
toppings. Serves 6

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

Grilled Chicken w/Mustard & Maple
Glaze

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt/black pepper, to taste
1/4 C. maple syrup
2 T. prepared yellow mustard
1 tsp. apple cider vinegr
1 tsp. soy sauce
–
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
NOTE: to make sure chicken cooks
quickly, it should be thin. If chicken
breasts are thick, butterfly them by
cutting them in half. Season both
sides of chicken with salt/pepper.
In a bowl combine maple syrup, mustard,
vinegar & soy sauce – divide into 2 bowls
(one for cooking, one for serving).
Cook chicken on one side about 6
minutes; flip & cook an additional 6
minutes. Baste chicken with glaze then
flip again & glaze – continue cooking until
chicken is done. (when a meat thermometer
inserted in chicken reads 165 degrees F. and
juices run clear).
Serve with remaining glaze.

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
————————————
Spaghetti Squash Tetrazzini

2 to 2 1/4 lb. spaghetti squash
1 C. water

Filling:
1 T. butter
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C. chopped onion
8 oz. chopped/cooked ham or cooked
turkey/chicken
2 T. dry white wine or sherry

Sauce:
1 1/2 C.  milk
1 C. Half & Half
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
salt/pepper, to taste

Finishing:
1 C. Parmesan cheese
2 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
salt/pepper, to taste
1 C. soft bread crumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise
& scoop out seeds. Place, flesh sides
down, in glass casserole dish & pour
water over it. Cover tightly with foil
& bake 40 minutes.

(while squash is baking: heat 1 T.
butter in large nonstick skillet – saute
onions until they begin to brown. Add
mushrooms & cook until soft; stir in
wine & chopped meat. Cook until meat
is fairly dry. Remove contents to a dish;
Melt 3 T. butter in empty skillet – whisk
flour into butter. Quickly add cold Half &
Half & cold milk – season to taste with
salt/pepper. Cook, stirring, over medium-
low heat until sauce thickens.
(squash)
Allow to cool enough to handle. Using a
fork, rake the cooked flesh inside, pulling
it into spaghetti-like strands – place them in
a bowl. Stir melted butter, Parm cheese,
nutmeg, cooked mushrooms/meat &
salt/pepper (if needed).
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spay. Stir sauce into squash mixture &
toss until squash is mixed in & coated – pour
into prepared dish. Sprinkle top with bread
crumbs.
Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes – until crumbs
are golden & casserole is bubbly.
Serves 6-8

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

Caramel Apple Oat Bars

1 1/2 C. quick oats
1 1/2 C. flour
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 C. butter, melted
30 caramel squares, unwrapped
1 T. milk
2 C. tart baking apples, peeled/
chopped
1/2 C. chopped pecans or walnuts,
optional
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
parchment paper or lightly spray
with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine oats,
flour, brown sugar, salt & baking
soda; stir in butter until crumbly.
Press a little more than half of
mixture into bottom of prepared
pan & bake 8 minutes.
In a microwave-safe container on
High, melt caramels & milk in 30-
second intervals, stirring in between.
Remove pan from oven & sprinkle top
with apples & nuts; drizzle caramel
mixture over top.
Crumble remaining oat mixture over top
of caramel & bake an additional 20-22
minutes until top is lightly browned.
Let cool completely before cutting
into bars.

(recipe: momontimeout.com)

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

Our weather has been in the 70’s with light
rains at night/sunny in the day. I’ve started
getting back to knitting again; finished off
the fancy blue baby blanket (gladly!). Still
have the pink ‘self-patterning’ blanket about
half done. Started another last night – simple
4 row pattern/multi green/yellow/white yarn.
(I pitched the crocheted blanket idea – the yarn
was donated to me – white/multi baby colors but
with a tiny silver ‘thread’ running through it –
that thread made the yarn VERY SCRATCHY! Am
planning on donating it to a thrift store – no wonder
it was ‘donated’ to me!)

I saw a really good free movie on Xfinity/Comcast:
(2012) “The Illusionist” with Ed Norton & Jessica
Biel. I’m not one for ‘magic’ but this one has a very
impelling plot, great effects, good acting – I REALLY
liked it! (trying to watch a little TV; sitting on a couch
is uncomfortable as it’s a little low for me to get up
from).

Hope you are all in good health and enjoying this
weather!

Hugs;

Pammie

and the countdown begins . . .

It’s been a rainy few days here; I’m not complaining, we really needed it. The grass is brown, flowers & gardens are suffering AND I’m glad to hear a nice, resounding thunderstorm every so often. We had a really good one last night – lasted about 20 minutes but the loud, booming thunder really made me jump every time!

Today starts my ‘countdown’ to surgery – have to start a regimen of antibiotic ointment in my nose for 5 days, 3 times a day. I’ve never heard of this before but I guess it makes sense – a little extra precaution against me getting sick. I will be very glad when the surgery (and accompanying pain) will be over; I’m ready to be ‘over’ trying to walk/sit without pain. Not complaining, just stating a fact. I find I have to ‘plan’ anything I do now – walking, driving, etc. and met out how much I think it will exhaust me before doing it – not a fun way to live so I’m very glad that (in our day and age) one can go through a surgery to correct it.

A few days ago I was asked out to lunch by four of my ‘church’ lady friends – it was very nice to actually SEE them again (a few I’ve kept in touch with via text, call or email). After lunch I visited Michael’s craft store and bought some yarn, knowing I will be probably knitting quite a bit during the ‘recovery’ time. I found several baby yarns ON SALE and two colors which were on sale for $2.99 each on an end cap but on the actual shelf they were marked $4.99 each! Had to have a ‘discussion’ with the clerk ringing me up as it didn’t show up on their computers (got them for $2.99 each – YAY!).

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

Zucchini Brownies

1 C. butter, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs, room temp.
1/2 C. plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. flour
1/4 C. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. shredded zucchini

Frosting:
2/3 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl
cream butter & sugar until light &
fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 egg at a
time, beating well after each. Beat
in yogurt & vanilla.
In another bowl combine flour, cocoa,
baking soda & salt; gradually add to
creamed mixture – stir in zucchini.
Pour mixture into prepared pan &
bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.

Frosting:
In small saucepan combine choc. chips &
peanut butter. Cook & stir over Low heat until
smooth. Spread over warm brownies. Cool
on a wire rack then cut into bars

(recipe: lordviral.com)
————————————–
Zucchini Potato Torte
(spring form pan)

4 C. shredded zucchini (about 1 3/4 lb
or 3 medium, before shredding) Shred
on large holes of box grater
6 T. olive oil, divided
2 T. butter
2 C. sweet onion, diced
4 C. peeled, shredded Russet potato
(about 1 3/4 lb or 2 potatoes NOTE:
wait to shred potatoes until you are
ready to saute – they will oxidize very
quickly.
2 tsp. finely minced garlic (about 2
medium cloves)
10 large eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
few grinds fresh nutmeg
2 C. freshly grated Parmesan
cheese, divided
1/2 C. plain bread crumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 10 X 3″ spring form pan with
nonstick cooking spray then wrap
the outside of the pan with 2 layers
of foil. Get another, larger pan which
is larger than spring form to use as a
water bath.
Place shredded zucchini in a dish towel &
squeeze out as much water as possible.
In very large skillet place 2 T. oil – heat
over medium-high heat. Once hot, add
onions & cook 3 minutes.
AS SOON AS YOU START THE ONIONS
peel/shred potatoes then squeeze out
as much water as possible using a dish
towel or paper towels. After cooking
onions, add 2 more T. oil & butter and
the potatoes – toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes
stirring often. After 2 minutes add remaining
2 T. oil, zucchini & garlic – toss & cook 2
minutes. Remove from heat & spread out
on a sheet tray to cool while you prepare
rest of filling.
–
In large bowl beat eggs with salt, pepper &
nutmeg; add 1 C. Parm. cheese & whisk.
Add cooled zucchini mixture & whisk to
combine – pour into prepared spring form
pan.
In small bowl mix remaining 1 C. Parm with
bread crumbs & spread over top of tart. Spray
the top with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the foil covered spring form pan into the
larger outer pan & pour hot water into outer pan
about halfway up the side without letting any
water get inside the foil. Place in oven & bake
50-55 minutes until center feels firm to touch.
Check water level after 30 minutes & add more
as needed. Remove spring form pan from water
bath & remove foil. Let stand 5 minutes then run
a knife tip along edge to loosen then release
spring form outer ring. Cut into 8 wedges & serve.

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

Grilled Shrimp Scampi in a Foil Packet

2 lb. thawed frozen/peeled & deveined
large shrimp, tails removed
6 T. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 T. dry white wine
4 cloves garlic, chopped
zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
kosher salt/ground black pepper,
to taste
1/2 C. fresh parsley leaves, chopped
–
Cooked pasta or rice to serve 4
and/or grilled bread, for serving
=
Prepare grill for high heat.
Layer two 18″ long pieces of heavy
foil on top of each other. Place shrimp,
butter, wine, garlic & lemon zest &
juice in center of foil. Sprinkle with
red pepper flakes, 3/4 tsp. salt & few
grinds black pepper. Bring long sides
of foil together in iddle & fold them
over each other to seal. Fold each of
the short sides up, making sure the
packet is completely sealed.
Place packet on grill & cook until
shrimp are fully cooked & sauce is
bubbling, about 9 minutes. Stir in
parsley & serve over cooked pasta,
rice and/or grilled bread.
Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
——————————–

Two-Tomato Gratin

2 large green tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 large firm red tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
6 slices whole wheat bread, very
thinly sliced & toasted
1/2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 lb. thinly sliced provolone cheese
1/4 C. shaved Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. fresh lemon basil leaves
salt/pepper, to taste
2 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. olive oil
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 8 X 8″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Alternate
layers of red & green tomatoes
with onion, garlic slices, basil &
toasted bread. Place shredded
Mozz. on top of first layer.
Drizzle each layer with olive oil &
balsamic vinegar – season to taste
with salt/pepper. Cover dish with
foil & bake 30 minutes. Uncover;
place Provolone & Parmesan cheese
on top. Return to oven & bake 25-30
minutes longer until cheese is golden.
Serves 4-5

(recipe: palatablepastime.com)
———————————

Dill Dip

1 C. sour cream
1 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 1/2 T. fresh dill, finely chopped
1 T. fresh parsley, finely chopped
–
Suggested dippers:
crackers, chips, cut fresh veggies
=
Combine all ingredients in a bowl &
mix until completely combined. Chill
at least 1 hour & serve with crackers,
chips or veggies for dipping.

NOTE: Ratio to using fresh herbs versus
dried is 1 to 3: Dried herbs pack more of
a punch than fresh. Example: when a
recipe calls for 3 tsp. fresh, use 1 tsp.
dried

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

Crockpot Old Fashioned
Chicken & Rice Soup

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken,
cubed
32 oz. chicken broth
4 C. water
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom
soup, undiluted
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup,
undiluted
4 ribs celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 lb. baby carrots
8 oz. sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 tsp. dried garlic
1 C. long grain, long-cooking rice
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place all ingredients in 6 qt. crockpot &
stir until well combined. Cover & cook
on Low 6-8 hours (or High 3-4 hours),
stirring occasionally. It’s done when the
rice is done & chicken has reached
safe internal temperature.
Serves 8

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

Bacon & Tomato Mac. Salad

Dressing:
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 T. vinegar
1/2 T. sugar
1 T. yellow mustard
1 T. sweet or dill pickle cubes or
relish, optional
1/8 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salad:
2 C. dry elbow pasta
6 slices bacon
2 C. large-cut chopped tomatoes,
juices reserved
1 C. chopped sweet or yellow onion
1 rib celery, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
=
In a bowl mix dressing ingredients.
Cook pasta until done; drain & rinse.
Cook bacon to crisp; drain on paper
towels – chop once cool enough
(reserve a bit for garnish)
Toss tomatoes with onion, celery &
salt – add to dressing & gently mix.
Add cooked/cooled macaroni &
bacon to salad. Gently toss, taste &
adjust seasonings. Transfer to serving
bowl & garnish with reserved bacon-
see note.  Serves 4

NOTE: If serving right away, garnish
with bacon. If serving later, reserve
bacon garnish until serving.

Serve immediately or refrigerate 1
hour to chill – garnish with bacon
just before serving.

ALSO: You can also add chopped sweet
bell peppers, blanched green beans,
chopped cucumber or cooked shrimp/
chicken, etc.

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

Watermelon Gazpacho

1 large tomato
1/2 Serrano chile
2 C. cubed fresh watermelon
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. minced red onion
1/2 cucumber, seeded/minced
2 T. minced fresh dill plus more
for garnish
kosher salt/ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 C. crumbled feta cheese
–
Using a blender, puree the tomato,
chile & 1/2 the watermelon. Add
red wine vinegar & oil – pulse. Add
onion, cucumber & dill – season with
salt/pepper – puree until smooth. Pour
into chilled bowls & sprinkle tops with
dill, feta & remaining watermelon.
Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
—————————–

Lemon Blueberry Bread

1/2 C. butter, softened
3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C. milk (or light cream)
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lemon, juiced & zested
1 1/4 C. blueberries, divided
1 T. flour
1/4 C. powdered sugar
=
Lemon Glaze:
3/4 C. powdered sugar
1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
—
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 5″ loaf pan with
nonstick cooking spray & dust
with flour
In large bowl cream butter & sugar;
add in eggs & milk -stir in ! T. lemon
juice.
In another bowl combine flour, baking
powder, salt & lemon zest – add to
butter mixture & stir just to combine –
do not over mix.
In another bowl toss blueberries with
flour (remove any excess flour). Fold
in 1 C. berries into batter & pour into
prepared pan. Top with remaining
blueberries.
Bake 50-60  minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.
Remove from pan & allow to cool on
a cooling rack.
In a small bowl combine powdered
sugar & lemon juice.
AT THIS POINT YOU CAN:
(a) drizzle over top of loaf (OR)
use a skewer/chop stick/pointed object
& poke holes all over top of loaf then
drizzle on top of loaf – your choice.
Cool completely
Makes 1 loaf

(recipe: spendwithpennies.com)

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

Hope you are all well and enjoying these
last few days of August. I have always loved
Spring and Summer best although the crisp
breezes of Fall and the changing colors are
nice to see & feel. I’ve also noticed in the
stores that they are already displaying
Halloween things (and, in some places
Christmas decorations!). I would much
rather keep each ‘season/holiday’ in it’s own
time frame; I’m sure you know what I mean –
seeing decorations for the next upcoming
holiday/even WAY before the actual time.
Oh well – I’m not in control of the retail
world so I guess I should just keep  my
opinions to myself, right?

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Sunday!

It’s a beautiful, quiet Sunday morning – temperature 78 degrees F., slight breeze (high of 89 today). Not very much planned for the day – this coming week is shaping up to be somewhat busy. Three of my church-lady friends want to go out to lunch before my surgery so we’re doing that Wednesday – should be lots of fun.

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

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

1 box yellow cake mix*
5 C. flour
2 (1/4 oz, ea) pkgs. active dry yeast
2 1/2 C. hot water
softened butter or margarine
cinnamon & sugar
1/2 C. butter, melted
1/4 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 C. light corn syrup
1 C. chopped nuts
=
Glaze:

1 C. powdered sugar
1-2 T. water
=
Grease two 9 X 13″ baking pans.
Combine dry cake mix, flour & yeast
in large bowl – stir until well blended.
Stir in hot water. Cover & let rise in
warm place 1 hour, or until doubled.
Divide dough in half. Roll half the
dough into a large rectangle on a
floured surface. Spread with a
generous amount of softened butter,
sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Roll
up, jelly-roll style & cut into 12 slices.
Place rolls in prepared pan & repeat
with remaining dough in other pan.
Cover both pans & let rise 30-40
minutes until doubled.
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a large liquid measuring cup
combine melted butter, brown sugar,
corn syrup & nuts – pour evenly
over rolls. Bake 25 minutes until
light golden brown. Mix together
Glaze ingredients & drizzle over rolls.
Serve warm or cool completely.
Makes 24 rolls.

*Poster used Duncan Hines moist
deluxe yellow cake mix

(recipe: recipelion.com)
————————–

Grill-Campfire Apple Pie Packets

Per Person:
1 apple, cored/sliced
1 T. butter
1 1/2 T. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. dried cranberries or raisins,
optional
1 T. chopped pecans, optional
=
Preheat grill to medium heat
Cut a 12 X 18″ sheet of nonstick
aluminum foil.
Place apple slices on foil with butter,
brown sugar & cinnamon (dried
cranberries/raisins, if using). Wrap
packed securely with double-fold
seals, allowing for a bit of room for
heat expansion. Place packet on grill;
cover & cook about 15 minutes over
medium heat. Be careful when
removing from grill – use caution
when opening packet (hot steam).
Gently stir apples before eating.
Serves 1

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

Greek Corn Salad
(grill)

2 ears corn, shucked
3 T. olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. chopped fresh oregano
and/or mint
1 tsp. honey
kosher salt/ground black pepper,
to taste
1 English cucumber, peeled/chopped
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 C. crumbled Feta cheese (about 4 oz)
1/3 C. pitted green olives, sliced
–
Preheat grill to High. In a bowl whisk
olive oil, vinegar, herbs, honey, 3/4 tsp.
salt & few grinds black pepper. Add
cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, Feta &
olives – toss to coat.
Grill corn, turning occasionally, until
charred in spots – about 8 minutes. Remove
to a cutting board. Cut off kernels & add
to salad. Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
——————————–
Zucchini Cornbread

3 C. shredded zucchini, drained/
squeezed dry
1/2 C. diced onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 C. whole kernel corn, drained/
rinsed
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray an 8 X 11″ casserole
dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl mix shredded zucchini,
onion, corn & eggs; season with salt/
pepper, oregano & garlic. Add cornbread
mix – mix well. Fold in 1 C. shredded cheese &
pour into prepared dish. Top with remaining
shredded cheese.
Bake 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted &
bread is slightly browned.

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

Crockpot Pepper Jack Chicken

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 medium bell peppers, seeded/
diced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled/
diced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C. unsalted butter, cut into
small pats
10 slices Pepper-Jack cheese
–
Place chicken in bottom of 6 qt or
larger crockpot – season with cumin,
onion & garlic powders. Layer peppers,
onion & mushrooms on top. Top top
of vegetables with small pats of butter.
Cover & cook on Low 4-6 hours until
chicken is fully cooked & easily
shredded. Shred chicken in crockpot
using 2 forks. Top chicken with cheese.
Cover & cook on High 10-15 minutes
to allow cheese to melt. Serves 4

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

Grilled Lemonade Chicken
(4 hr or up to 24 hr marinade)

8 small bone-in/skin-on chicken leg
quarters
4 C. store-bought lemonade (like
Minute Maid)
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
1/4 C. Dijon mustard
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried minced onion
2 tsp. cumin seed
kosher salt/ground black pepper,
to taste
canola or vegetable oil for grill
3 large lemons
=
Place chicken in a 9 X 13″ baking dish.
In a bowl whisk lemonade, garlic,
mustard, oregano, dried onion, cumin,
1 T. salt & a few grinds black pepper –
pour over chicken, making sure all
pieces are fully submerged. Wrap
tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate
at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
============
Prepare grill for medium heat; lightly
oil grill grates.
Remove chicken from marinade; reserve
2 Cups – discard the rest. Place chicken on
a paper towel-lined baking sheet & pat dry.
Sprinkle on both sides with salt/pepper.
Arrange pieces, skin sides down, on grill,
leaving some space between each. Cook
until skin is lightly charred & releases
easily from grill grates, about 2 minutes.
Rotate chicken pieces about 90 degrees
so skin won’t burn & cook another 2
minutes. Flip chicken skin-side up – Cover
the grill & cook until an instant-read
thermometer reads 165 degrees F.,
20-25 minutes more. If chicken pieces
are getting too dark in spots, move them
around the grill to cook evenly. Transfer
to a platter & let rest about 5 minutes
before serving.
Reserved Marinade:
Place reserved marinade in a small
saucepan & place on still-hot grill.
Bring to a boil then continue to cook
until thickened slightly & reduced by
half, about 20 minutes.
Finely grate zest from 1 lemon – sprinkle
over chicken. Squeeze juice from half of
the zested lemon (about 1 T.) into the
sauce & stir to combine. Transfer to a
small bowl for serving. Cut remaining
2 lemons in half crosswise.
Place lemon halves on the grill, flesh-
sides down & grill until lightly charred,
1-2 minutes. Serve along with chicken &
sauce. Serves 8

(recipe: foodnetwork.con)
——————————

Peanut Butter Chocolate Eclair Cake
(overnight recipe)

Cake:

1 box chocolate graham crackers
2 (3 1/4 oz, ea) pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
mix
1 C. creamy peanut butter
3 1/2 C. milk
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Frosting:

1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 T. melted butter
2 T. white corn syrup
1/2 C. powdered sugar
2-3 T. milk
=
Optional topping: peanut butter cups
=
Spray bottom of a 9 X 13″ baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray. Place one
layer of graham crackers on bottom, cutting
to completely cover bottom. In a bowl mix
pudding mix, peanut butter & milk using an
elec. mixer – mix 2 minutes then fold in Cool
Whip. Spread half pudding mix on top of
first layer of crackers. Place a second layer
of graham crackers on top. Spoon remaining
pudding mix on 2nd layer of crackers. Finish
with a third layer of graham crackers.

Frosting:
In small mixing bowl combine all ingredients &
beat until smooth.
Spread frosting on top of last layer all the way to the
edges. Refrigerate over night so that crackers
become soft & moist.
Slice & serve.
(Optional: garnish with peanut butter cups,
if desired)

(recipe: 77delicious)

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

Hope you’re having a very relaxing Sunday –
try to stay healthy & remember to take
a little time for yourself – take a nap, watch
a  movie, take a walk, read a book – something
YOU like to do!

To quote the old adage: “Life’s short-eat dessert first!”

Hugs;

Pammie

Hello, World!

This week has been busy and productive – spent most of Weds & Thurs. babysitting (and knitting). Even though I’m only sitting, I am VERY tired when I get home. It ‘could’ be because of listening to little kids shows all day/evening – we’re talking 1:30 – 10:30/11 p.m. Anyway, wanted to show you the end result of the knit mohair/silk charity shawl.

It’s very light weight and soft; I’m proud of it. Since then I started two more baby blanket projects – one really easy & one 10-row pattern. I have knit the 10-row many years ago but, at that time I deemed it too difficult to knit all at once so I converted it into panels then sewed the panels together. This time I’m doing it all at once.  I’m trying to coordinate the pick-up date for the Detroit Vet’s Hospital baby items. The lady who’s in charge of it will be driving from Detroit and since Covid we are now NOT at Panera Bread so it’s a little tricky but we’ll get the details worked out.

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

Blueberry Crunch Bars

1 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 C. quick cooking oats
3/4 C. cold, unsalted butter,
cubed
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
2 T. cornstarch
3 T. lemon juice
3/4 C. sugar
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
IN food processor place first
7 ingredients – process until
crumbly (not a ball). Reserve
2 cups for topping.
–
Press remaining crumbs into pan
for crust.
Place rest of ingredients in small
saucepan & bring to boil 2-3 minutes
until thick. (it will look like blueberry
jam) – spread over crust. Top with
reserved 2 C. topping. Bake 25-30
minutes until golden. Cool completely.

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

Southern Baked Mac & Cheese

1 (16 oz) box elbow macaroni
4 C. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 C. milk
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 stick butter
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into chunks
salt/ pepper to taste
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.  Prepare
macaroni accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain & return to pot. Add 3 C. cheese,
milk, eggs, butter & cream cheese –
mix well; add salt/pepper & mix well.
Pour into prepared dish & top with
remaining 1 C. cheese. Bake 30 minutes.

(recipe: chopsecrets.com)
—————————–

Easy Cucumber Salad

4 large cucumbers*
8 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese (
poster used Athenos with basil &
tomato)
1/3 C. Zesty Italian salad dressing
1/3 C. pitted Kalamata olives
1/4 C. chopped red onion
–
*Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1
cucumber into long thin ribbons.

Peel remaining cucumbers then cut
into 1-inch cubes.
Place cubed cucumbers & remaining
ingredients (except cucumber curls)
in large bowl & toss. Place cucumber
curls around sides of serving dish.
Serves 7

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

7-Layer Potato Salad

2 lb. red skinned potatoes, quartered
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 C. bacon bits
–
Place potatoes in large pot, adding
enough water to cover. Bring to boil
over high heat & cook 15-20 minutes
until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain &
let cool then place into a large bowl.

Dressing:
In small bowl combine mayo, sour cream,
garlic powder, salt/pepper – mix well. Add
half dressing to potatoes & toss gently.
Layer bowl with eggs, celery, cheese,
scallions & bacon bits. Pour remaining
salad dressing over salad & refrigerate
until ready to serve. Serves 10

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

Crockpot Bacon-wrapped
Chicken Bites

1 (12 oz) pkg. bacon, divided
2 chicken breasts
3/4 C. brown sugar, packed
–
Cut bacon slices in half.
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Wrap each chicken piece in one
(half slice) of bacon & place in
crockpot – repeat with rest of
chicken/bacon. Sprinkle sugar on
top evenly. Cover & cook on Low
2-3 hours*. When done – remove
to a foil-lined baking pan &
drizzle juices over all. Broil on
High 2-3 minutes to crisp up
bacon a bit. Serves 8

*Use a meat thermometer to
ensure chicken is cooked to
proper temp without overcooking.

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

Crockpot Chocolate Chip
Zucchini Banana Bread

2 C. shredded zucchini
1 c. mashed ripe banana (2
small or 1 large)
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
=
Spray a loaf pan (that will fit
inside your crockpot) with
nonstick cooking spray.
In medium bowl whisk shredded
zucchinin, mashed bnana, veg. oil
& egg. Stir in flour, gran & brown
sugars, baking soda, salt & baking
powder until combined, being
careful not to over mix. Fold in
choc. chips. Pour batter into
prepared loaf pan & place in
crockpot. Place a layer of paper
towels between lid & crockpot
(to prevent condensation from
dripping onto bread). Cover &
cook on High 3-6 hours until a
toothpick inserted into middle
of bread comes out clean or
with just a few crumbs.
Turn off crockpot & carefully
remove loaf pan. Allow to cool
10 minutes before removing
bread from pan. Serve bread
warm or at room temp. Serves 10

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

Easy Pasta Carbonara

1 (12 oz) pkg. spaghetti pasta
kosher salt/black pepper
3 large eggs
1 C. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
–
Optional garnishes:
Extra-virgin olive oil
flaky sea salt
freshly chopped parsley
=
In large pot boiling water cook
spaghetti accordg. to pkg. directions
until al dente. Drain spaghetti,
reserving 1 C. pasta water.
In medium bowl whisk eggs &
Parmesan until combined. In large
skillet over medium heat cook
bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes.
Reserve fat in skillet & transfer bacon
to paper towel-lined plate to drain. In
same skillet add garlic; cook 1 minute.
Add cooked spaghetti & toss until fully
coated in bacon fat. Remove skillet
from heat & stir in egg/Parm. mixture –
stir vigorously until creamy*. Add pasta
water, a couple tablespoons at a time,
to loosen sauce if necessary. Season
generously with salt/pepper – stir in
cooked bacon. Drizzle with olive oil &
garnish with optional garnishes, if
using. Serves 4

*Be careful NOT to scramble eggs –
make sure skillet is OFF the heat.

(recipe: delish.com)
————————–
Chicken Cashew Stir Fry

1 1/2 lb. chicken breast (about 2);
cut into small chunks
olive oil
salt/black pepper

Sauce:
1 C. cold water
3 T. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 T. canola oil
3 T. honey
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
1 T. hoisin sauce
=
1/2 C. cold water & 1 heaping
T. cornstarch
=
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
=
2 T. minced garlic
1 1/2 C. shredded carrots
1 (10 oz) pkg. snow peas
1 C. salted cashews
====
Cooked brown or white rice to
serve 6
=======
In hot skillet add 2 T. olive oil;
add chicken to pan & sprinkle
with salt/pepper. Stir occasionally
& allow to cook & get brown sear
on outside (about 10 minutes).
When cooked, remove to a plate.

While chicken is cooking assemble
sauce. Place all sauce ingredients
in a saucepan – bring to a simmer,
stirring occasionally.  Mix 1/2 C.
cold water & 1 heaping T. cornstarch
in a small bowl then pour into
simmering sauce – stir well. Allow
to come to a simmer & cook about
2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
It should thicken. Remove pan from
heat & add 1/2 tsp. sesame oil.

In same pan you cooked chicken, add
1 T. olive oil & 2 T. minced garlic; sprinkle
with salt/pepper. Add carrots & snow
peas. Cook veggies over medium-high
heat, stirring occasionally until crisp-
tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken to
pan & pour sauce in – stir to combine.
Add cashews; stir & serve immediately
over cooked rice. Serves 6

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

4 Ingredient Frozen Lemonade Pie

1 C. lemon sorbet
3/4 C. sweetened condensed milk
2/3 C. heavy cream
1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust
–
Place sorbet in a medium microwave-
safe bowl – heat until melted. Stir in
condensed milk – let cool.
Place cream in another medium bowl &
using elec. mixer, beat until thick & holds
a ribbony shape when you run the beaters
through it (do not let it form soft peaks) –
2-3 minutes. Gently stir thickened cream
into sorbet – pour into pie crust- smooth
into an even layer. Cover loosely with
plastic wrap & freeze until set, about
2 hours (or up to overnight)
Serves 6-8

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)

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

Hope you’ve had a good week and
are enjoying the Summer weather.
We’ve had a bit of rain and days are
now in the 70’s & 80’s – not bad!

Try to RELAX a bit & stay healthy!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: The hospital called this week &
my surgery has now been moved to
Sept. 2nd – a few more weeks away.
I’ll take that as a few more weeks of
knitting. (a friend of mine who just had
knee replacement surgery about 2 weeks
ago warned me: Don’t try to knit for the
first 2 days after surgery or you will
discover you’ve invented all kinds of new
& strange stitches! Hehehe)

A little late posting here . . . sorry

Been a bit busy with babysitting, knitting and FINALLY getting up the courage to schedule an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon to get my right hip replaced. I’ve had problems with my hips for many years but just recently it’s gotten MUCH worse to the point where I’m missing sleep. At the recommendation of a friend I saw the surgeon Tuesday. After x-rays he agreed surgery would be the best treatment. I’m now schedule for August 19th!!! YAY! A little scary but happy to finally get this done. (I’ll be getting the newer type hip surgery:  Anterior Approach which is much less invasive, less painful and quicker recovery – Win-Win!).

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

Apple Pie Bread

1 box yellow cake mix
1 C. self-rising flour
1 can apple pie filling, mashed
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 medium chopped apple
–
1 T. cinnamon
4 T. sugar
=
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 2 loaf pans with nonstick
cooking spray.
In large bowl whisk together all
dry ingredients; mix in wet
ingredients & fold in apples. Pour
batter into prepared pans & sprinkle
tops with sugar & cinnamon.
Bake 35-45 minutes. Makes 2 loaves

(recipe: 1strecipes.com)
———————————

Pimiento Cheese Mac Salad

1 (16 oz) box macaroni noodles
1 (12 oz) pkg. pimiento cheese
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 1/2 C. cooked/diced ham
1/2 C. diced green onion
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Cook macaroni accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain & rinse under
cold water. Drain well & pour into
a large bowl. Stir in pimiento
cheese, mayo, diced ham,
green onion, salt/pepper – mix well
taste & adjust seasonings to taste.
Chill 1 hour before serving.
Serves 8

(recipe: thecountrycook.net.)
——————————-
Gazpacho (cold summer soup)

1 long English cucumber (about 12 oz),
halved lengthwise & seeded, cut into
large dice (about 2 C.) don’t have to peel
2 red bell peppers, cored/seeded, cut
into large dice, about 3 C.
4 plum tomatoes, large dice, 2 C.
1 small red onion diced, (1 C.)
3 cloves garlic, minced fine (about 2 T.)
3 C. tomato juice
1/4 C. white wine vinegar
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
–
Sour cream – garnish
=
In food processor pulse cucumber
until coarsely chopped (do not
over-process – you want some
texture) Pour into a very large bowl.
Repeat for each vegetable, one veg
at a time – pour into bowl w/cucumber.
Add garlic, tomato juice, vinegar,
olive oil, salt/pepper to bowl – mix well.
Remove about 3 C. & pour into food
processor – process until pureed – pour
this bowl & mix again. *
Chill a few hours before serving.
When ready to serve, spoon into a soup
bowl & dollop sour cream on top (if
desired). Serves 6-8

*You can leave your gazpacho chunky
if you like.

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
—————————–

Greek Cucumber Salad

2 C. cherry or grape tomatoes,
sliced in half
3 cucumbers, peeled/chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/4 C. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt/black pepper, to taste
1 C. crumbed Feta cheese
=
In large bowl combine tomatoes,
cucumber & onion, Add oil, lemon
juice, oregano, salt/pepper – stir
well to combine. Cover & refrigerate
several hours for flavors to mingle.
Before serving, top with Feta.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————–

Deli-style Crab Salad

1 lb. imitation crab meat, flaked
1/2 C. celery, finely chopped
4 T. red onion, finely chopped
1 T. fresh dill, chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Optional garnish: chopped dill
=
In large bowl combine crab, celery,
onion, dill, paprika, salt/pepper – stir
to combine well. Add mayo & lemon
juice; stir to combine well. Cover &
refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.
Garnish with more chopped dill, if desired
Serves 4-5

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

Crockpot Cilantro/Lime Chicken

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts;
can use frozen
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 bunch cilantro torn apart
1 lime
1 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
garlic salt, or powder – to taste
salt/black pepper – to taste
=
Cooked rice to serve 6
=
Place chicken in crockpot; place
in seasonings including cilantro.
Squeeze juice from lime. Pour
tomato sauce on top. Cover &
cook on Low 6-8 hours (or) High
3-4 hours.*
Remove chicken & shred – return
to crockpot & stir into sauce.
Serve over cooked rice – top with
some fresh cilantro. Serves 6

*If you need to cook longer than 8
hours, add 1/2 soup can water

NOTE: This can be served in warm
corn tortillas

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

Bundt Pan Roast Chicken & Potatoes
(10-Cup nonstick Bundt pan)
–
READ recipe before preparing for
refrigerated times

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 – 4 lbs)
2 tsp. herbes de Provence
kosher salt/ground black pepper
5 T. unsalted butter (4 at room temp,
1 melted) plus more melted for pan
1 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into
1/2 inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, 3 smashed/1 finely grated
zest of 1 lemon/ juice of half
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 T. roughly chopped fresh Italian
flat-leaf parsley
=
Rub chicken all over, including
cavity, with 1 tsp. herbes de
Provence, 1 T. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours, up to
overnight. Bring chicken to room
temp 30 minutes before cooking.
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Arrange oven rack to lower third
of oven.
Butter sides & bottom of bundt
pan. Cover the tube hole in middle
of pan with 6″ piece of foil. Place
potatoes in bottom of pan with
3 smashed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp.
salt & few grinds pepper. Toss with
1 T. melted butter & roast 20 minutes.
–
In small bowl mix lemon zest, paprika,
remaining 4 T. butter, 1 tsp. herbes de
Provence & grated garlic. Pat chicken dry
& spread a little of butter mixture under
skin of breasts & thighs. Rub the rest all
over the chicken – sprinkle with a little more
salt/pepper. Place chicken over foil-covered
tube of bundt pan so that chicken is sitting
upright on top of potatoes.
Cook 50-55 minutes until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into thickest part of
chicken reads at least 165 degrees F.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board & let
rest 10 minutes before carving.
–
Transfer potatoes using a slotted spoon, to
a serving dish. Strain liquid in pan into a
small saucepan & heat until just warmed
through. Squeeze in lemon juice & stir in
parsley; pour liquid over carved chicken &
serve with potatoes on the side.
Serves 4

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
———————————

Orange Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1 C. unsalted butter, softened

Filling:
2 (8 oz ea) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (20 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained

Topping:
2 C. unsweetened, shredded coconut
2 T. butter, melted
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Combine all crust ingredients &
press into 9 X 13″ baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes until golden
brown – cool completely.

In large bowl using elec. mixer,
beat cream cheese until smooth.
Add sugar, eggs & vanilla – mix well.
Fold in mandarin oranges & spread
evenly over cooled crust.

In medium bowl combine coconut &
melted butter – sprinkle over top of
filling. Cover with foil & bake 20
minutes. Remove foil & bake another
20 minutes until top is brown. Cool
& slice. Serves 12

(recipe: thebutteredhome.com)

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

Knit-wise I’ve finished most of my projects;
working on crocheting a border on a simple
baby blanket. Almost done with the ‘charity’
fancy mohair/silk shawl – need to knit the bottom
border (will photo when done). Decided to start
another baby blanket yesterday (we’re talking
‘attempting’ on less than 4 hours sleep – while
babysitting . . . sigh). Was doing (I thought) very
well – had a good foot knit when the circular
cable separated from the needles (My fault –
I had said I would tighten them LATER then
forgot). That little ‘fun’ thing made a huge
mess I will have to correct later today – ripping
out a good 4-6 rows, at least – sigh. This one
will be a lime green/white – love the yarn!
It’s called Ice Cream Yarn – I knit another
baby blanket with it in a bright pink/white.

Weather-wise we’re in the 80’s most days &
sunny. We really NEED rain but have only had
a few light rains during the night – not enough
to help the grass/flowers/and peoples gardens!

Gas prices sitting at $2.09/9 = been that way for
about 2 weeks now – that’s OK. (as my husband
would say: “better than FOUR DOLLARS a gallon!”
He thinks I’m nuts constantly watching the gas
fluctuations).

Hope you’ve been staying healthy and are able
to enjoy part of this summer NO MATTER WHAT
we’re going through. My knit group has been meeting
in a local park every Tuesday evening and we’re all
happy with that. I told them if we have to, when the
weather turns cold, we could go to ZOOM meetings.
Can’t wait for this virus to be GONE!!!

Hugs;

Pammie

Another Saturday

Lovely summer day outside: 87 degrees F., slightly cloudy but still nice. Looks like the coming week will be more 80’s & 90’s but a few thunderstorms – we need the rain; the grass is a dull tan/brown.

I babysat Thursday from 1 – 10:30 p.m. which gave me lots of time to knit and finish projects.

This is donated mohair & wool yarns: hat & matching scarf

This is the mohair & sequins scarf (finished it Thursday)

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

Since I finished those projects and the heavy blue/green/white baby blanket that got me to thinking of “What next?” In the donated yarns there was a small bag with 2 balls of very fine black mohair & silk yarn that has a very tiny silver thread running through it. What to make with that? I have some blues/greys wool yarn that would go well with it, so I’m on my way to knitting a shawl.

The top of the shawl will be the black w/sparkles; the body of the shawl will be the blue toned yarn. This one will take me awhile but I’ve got until the end of the year to turn it in. (This is more of the donated charity yarn I mentioned in another post).

==========

The Best Zucchini Brownies

1 1/2 C. diced zucchini
1/4 C. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. flour
2/3 C. sugar
2/3 C. unsweetened cocoa
powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 C. mini chocolate chips
(optional: chocolate frosting)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a 9 X 9″ square baking dish
with parchment paper. Using a
food processor, add diced zucchini,
veg. oil, eggs & vanilla – blend until
smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, sugar,
cocoa, baking powder & salt. Add dry
ingredients to wet & mix just until
combined. Fold in choc. chips – pour
batter into prepared pan. Bake
25-30 minutes. Remove from oven &
allow to cool about 1 hour then top
with frosting, if desired. Serves 9

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

Crockpot Taco Pasta

1 lb. ground beef, cooked/crumbled
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 T. taco seasoning mix
1 1/4 C. water, divided
2 C. pasta shells (measured dry)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened to
room temp & cut into cubes
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 C. diced green bell pepper
1/2 C. diced onion
–
In 5-6 qt. crockpot combine cooked
beef, tomatoes, taco seasoning &
1 C. water; stir. Cover & cook on
High 1 hour.
Partially cook pasta shells in salted
boiling water about 6 minutes; drain.
To crockpot add:
cream cheese, partially cooked shells,
1 C. shredded cheese, onion, bell
pepper & 1/4 C. water. Stir, cover &
cook another 2 hours on High.
Serve with remaining 1 C. shredded
Cheddar cheese on top.
Serves 4

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

Shrimp & Pasta Toss

1 (12 oz) pkg. penne pasta, divided
2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp,
peeled/cleaned
1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped
1 (4 oz) pkg. crumbled feta cheese,
divided
–
Measure out half pkg. of pasta, reserving
rest for another recipe. Cook 1/2 pkg. per
pkg. directions/drain. In large heavy
skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add
onion; cook until tender; stir in tomatoes &
juices, red pepper flakes & oregano – cook
until boiling over high heat. Reduce heat
to medium; cook until slightly thickened,
stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp; cook
2-4 minutes until pink. Remove skillet
from heat; stir in parsley & 1/2 C. feta.
Add cooked pasta to skillet & toss to
coat. Use remaining cheese to top each
serving. Serves 4

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

Beer & Cheese Ranch Dip

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
softened
2 T. Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing/
seasoning mix
8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 C. beer *
–
Suggested dippers:
crackers, pretzel rods or fresh
veggies
=
In bowl of elec. mixer using paddle
attachment, mix cream cheese, ranch
mix & cheese on medium speed until
well combined, about 2 minutes. Add
a small amount of beer & mix on Low
until combined. Continue to add beer
until you’ve reached desired thickness
of dip. Serves 4-6

*Amber ale is recommended

(recipe: hiddenvalley.com)
——————–
Homemade Tartar Sauce

1 C. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
2-3 T. sweet pickle relish, drained
1-2 T. minced onion
1 T. lemon juice (optional – can
use fresh or bottled)
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/8 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
–
Mix all ingredients together &
refrigerate a few hours (or overnight
before serving. Makes 1 Cup

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

Vanilla Wafer Cake w/ Caramel
Sauce

2 sticks butter (or marg.)
1 3/4 C. sugar
6 eggs
1/2 C. evaporated milk (can use
regular milk)
11 oz. box Vanilla Wafers, crushed*
1 1/2 C. coconut
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 C. nuts of your choice
=
Caramel Sauce:

1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 C. brown sugar
4 T. butter or margarine
2 T. corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. milk
=
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick
cooking spray.
In large bowl using elec. mixer,
cream butter & sugar;
add eggs – mix well. Add milk, vanilla
waters & coconut – mix until well
blended – fold in nuts. Pour into
prepared pan & bake 1 hour to
1 hour 10 minutes until center is done.
Cool 15-20 minutes in pan before
removing.

Caramel Sauce:
Place all sauce ingredients in
a saucepan (except vanilla).
Bring to boil: boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat & add vanilla;
mix. Let cool to consistency you
like then drizzle over cooled cake.
(it will harden as it cools)
=
*Place cookies in ziplock bag,
seal & crush with a rolling pin (or
use a canned item)

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)

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

Hope you are all doing well and adjusting
to life with Covid: wearing masks, washing
hands, etc. So far my family has been
fortunate to stay clear of it – here’s hoping
you are doing the same.

Hugs;

Pammie

Crazy Shopping!

Today I went to our local Kroger for our weekly shopping trip. To start, they had closed all doors into/out of the store except one. That was unusual – I ended up shopping ‘backwards’ – started at the opposite end of store I normally would. As per usual, I had a written list of items including their weekly ‘sale’ items. Strange is putting it mildly – there was a TON of people in the store, very little ‘social distancing’, lots of EMPTY aisles – I was shocked! I had shopped there maybe two weeks ago. NO paper towels, No chicken on sale, no Miracle Whip on sale, just to name a few (good thing I didn’t really NEED those!) I got so flustered with it all I totally forgot to look down at the floor to see which direction I was ‘allowed’ to go! Came home with a huge headache – don’t think I’ll be going there again for awhile.

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

Pecan Pie Cake

First Layer:

1 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
2/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. canola oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. milk
1 C. chopped pecans

Second Layer:

1/4 C. butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. corn syrup
1 C. chopped pecans
=
Vanilla ice cream – for
serving
=
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray an 8 X 8″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray. In
a bowl whisk flour, baking powder &
salt (set aside 1/3 C. of mixture for
second Layer)
In another bowl whisk egg, sugar, oil &
vanilla – mix well. Add in flour mixture
& milk, alternately, scraping sides of
bowl as needed. Fold in 1 C. nuts –
pour batter into prepared pan &
bake 20 minutes.
=
In small bowl whisk reserved 1/3 C.
flour mixture, melted butter, egg,
milk, sugar, corn syrup & nuts – mix well.
Pour this mixture as evenly as possible
over cake just after it has baked. It
will sink to the bottom – that’s ok.
Bake, again, 45 minutes until center
of cake is set.
Serve warm cake with vanilla ice cream
and/or whipped cream. Serves 9

(recipe: thebestscakerecipes.com)
—————————-
Roasted Zucchini & Vegs in Oven

1 large zucchini, cut into chunks
3-4 medium red potatoes, cut into
chunks (poster doesn’t peel them)
2 large carrots, scraped, cut into pieces
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into pieces
1 onion, quartered (optional)
3 T. olive oil
2 T. butter, melted (optional)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 T. chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Place potatoes & carrots in microwaveable
bowl – microwave on High 5 minutes. In large
bowl whiskolive oil, melted butter, garlic powder,
basil, black pepper & salt. Add micro. potatoes/
carrots, zucchini, onion & smoked sausage to
olive oil mixture & toss to coat. Cover a
rimmed baking sheet with foil & spray with
nonstick cooking spray. Spread all vegetables
on sheet in even layer. Bake 25-30 minutes.
Serves 6-8

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

Fiesta Corn Chip Salad

2 (15 1/4 oz. ea) cans whole kernel
corn, drained
2 C. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 C. mayonnaise
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 (9 1/4 oz) pkg. chili-cheese flavored
corn chips, crushed (Fritos)
minced fresh cilantro, optional
–
In large bowl combine corn, cheese,
red pepper, mayo, salt/pepper. Chill
until ready to serve.
Just before serving: stir in corn chips.
If desired, sprinkle with cilantro.
Serves 10

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————
Sheet Pan Pineapple/Chicken
Fajitas

2 T. coconut oil, melted
3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 lb. chicken tenderloins,
halved lengthwise
1 large red or sweet onion,
halved, sliced (about 2 C.)
1 large sweet red pepper, cut
into 1/2 inch strips
1 large green pepper, cut into
1/2 inch strips
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 T. minced, seeded jalapeno pepper
2 T. honey
2 T. lime juice
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas, warmed
–
Optional toppings:
Pico de Gallo
sour cream
shredded Mexican cheese blend
sliced fresh avocado
lime wedges
=
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray two 15 X 10 X 1″ sheet
pans with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl mix first 5 ingredients.
Stir in chicken. Add onion, peppers,
pineapple, honey & lime juice – toss
to combine. Spread evenly into
prepared pans. Roast 10 minutes,
rotating pans halfway through cooking.
Remove pans from oven; preheat broiler.
=
Broil chicken mixture, 1 pan at a time,
3-4 inches from heat until vegetables
are lightly browned & chicken is no
longer pink 3-5 minutes.
Serve in warmed tortillas, with
toppings & lime wedges, as desired.
Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————–

Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken

2 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken,
(poster used thighs)
4 T. butter
1/2 C. chicken broth
3 cloves garlic minced
salt/pepper to taste
–
Place all ingredients in 4 qt crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 4-5 hours until
chicken shreds easily with a fork. Remove
chicken from crockpot & shred using 2
forks; return to juices to serve. Serves 6

NOTE: can be eaten ‘as is’, or in casseroles,
sandwiches, wraps, salads or tacos. Broth
from this makes great soup.

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

Grilled Vegetable Medley

2 bulbs garlic, peeled*
1 (8 oz) pkg. fresh mushrooms
1 red onion
2 small sweet red peppers
2 small sweet orange peppers
10 stalks asparagus
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
==========
Roughly chop all vegetables EXCEPT
garlic. Heat grill to medium-high heat
(temp. 350 degrees F. approx). Then,
turn temperature down to Low.
Line grill with long piece of heavy duty
foil, turning edges of foil up a bit to catch
juices. Drizzle foil with olive oil. Carefully
place all veggies on foil & drizzle them
with more olive oil; sprinkle salt/pepper
on top. Cover grill & cook about 10
minutes, stirring occasionally. When
veggies are cooked through (onions
should be translucent & garlic should
be golden brown) use a metal spatula
to remove them from foil – place in a
large bowl. Squeeze lemon juice on
veggies & sprinkle cheese on top –
toss to coat. Taste & adjust salt/pepper,
to taste. Serves 4-6

*grilled garlic becomes very mild in
flavor when roasted

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

Crockpot Salted Caramel
Apple Spoon Cake

2 (20 oz, ea) cans apple pie filling
1 (16.5 oz) box white cake mix
1 (12 oz) bag salted caramel bits*
1/4 C. butter, sliced
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. Pour pie
filling in bottom of crockpot &
spread out evenly. Sprinkle dry
cake mix on top & spread out.
Top with salted caramel bits &
dot edges with butter slices.
Place 6-8 paper towels over
opening of crockpot, cover with
lid & cook 2-3 hours on High.
Serves 8

*If you can’t find salted caramel bits,
regular caramels will work

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

Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake
(overnight recipe)

1 box lemon cake mix (plus ingredients
to prepare cake)*
1 small box strawberry Jell-O
1 C. prepared lemonade
1 tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
sliced strawberries for topping
(optional)
=
*Prepare cake accordg. to box,
baking in 9 X 13″ pan. Allow to
cool completely. Using a wooden
skewer, poke holes all over cake,
making sure to reach all the way
to the bottom of pan.
Prepare Jell-O: Use 1 C. water to
boil + 1 C. lemonade, still cold. Pour
mixture all over top of cake, allowing
it to seep into cake through holes.
Refrigerate overnight.
Frost with Cool Whip & top with
sliced strawberries.

(recipe: recipelion.com)

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

Our weather has been typical July: 80’s & 90’s,
sunny. Our knit group moved to a new location
as of yesterday and I’m happy to say we had 21
people show up! This is the same group that used
to meet at Panera Bread; long story, I’ve tried to
find a suitable location for us to meet OUTSIDE
where we could ‘social distance’ and still be able
to chat/knit/crochet together. The location we were
at is also the annual location of a farmer’s market
stand/tent. I contacted them and was notified they
would be coming July 20th, so I had to find another
great spot. We are now back at the location of our
‘former’ Log Cabin Day’s event which is a historical
park. I’m happy, the ladies are happy (one of the big
deciding factors was bathrooms – they didn’t want
port-a-potties). I’m still working on the gold scarf
with sequins – almost done. This was using donated
yarns – the ladies all think it looks great – I’ll just be
glad when it’s done.

Hope you are all in good health and able to enjoy
this Summer to the best of your abilities!

Hugs;

Pammie