A new month –

Slowly but surely we’re finally seeing more signs of Spring – tiny crocus blooms and green leaves sprouting up which will eventually become hyacinth or daffodils – I LOVE SPRING! More sunshine – hearing and seeing the BIRDS back! YES – my favorite season, for sure!

==========

Cake Mix Peanut Butter Bars

1 C. peanut butter

1/2 C. water

1 large egg

1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix

 

Frosting:

1 stick margarine (1/2 C.), softened

1/4 C. milk

1-2 tsp. vanilla

3 T. cocoa

2-3 C. powdered sugar

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with

nonstick cooking spray. In medium

bowl combine peanut butter, water &

egg – stir until smooth. Stir in dry

cake mix until well blended then

spread into prepared pan. Bake 20-25

minutes until puffed & light golden

brown. Cool completely.

Frosting:

Mix all frosting ingredients using

an elec. mixer, beat until smooth.

Add more powdered sugar or milk

until you reach desired consistency –

spread on top of cooled bars

then cut into 24 bars.

(recipe:  sixxistersstuff.com)

---

Simple Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

6-7 Russet potatoes (about 5 C.,
chopped into cubes)
4 T. butter
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 T. seasoned salt (poster uses Lawry’s)
salt/pepper
–
Heat a deep skillet over medium-high
heat. Add butter & melt. Add potatoes &
stir so all potatoes have some butter on
them. Add paprika, seasoned salt, salt/
pepper – stir, making sure all seasonings
are evenly distributed. Cover pan & cook
potatoes about 15 minutes. (check them
several times to be sure they aren’t
burning – stir each time you check.)
When potatoes are soft on insides, remove
pan from heat & taste – add more salt/pepper
as needed. Serves 6-7

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
———————-

Chinese Cabbage Salad

2 to 2 1/2 lb. Nappa cabbage
5 green onions, sliced
3 pkgs. ramen noodles
1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. sliced almonds
1/4 C. sesame seeds
–
Dressing:

3/4 C. peanut oil (or 3 T. peanut
butter & canola to equal 3/4 C.)*
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. rice vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
–
Cup end off cabbage (discard). Thinly
slice cabbage & place in a large bowl;
add green onions to bowl. Place ramen
noodles (not flavor packet) to a gallon-
sized zip-lock bag – seal bag & pound
noodles into small pieces using a meat
tenderizer (or other heavy object). Heat
a large skillet over medium-high heat –
add butter & melt then add almonds,
sesame seeds & ramen pieces. Cook,
stirring frequently, until toasted brown –
set mixture aside to cool.

*Place 3 T. peanut butter in glass measuring
cup – pour canola oil in cup so that cup measures
3/4 C. Place cup in microwave & heat 30
seconds – stir until peanut butter dissolves.
–
In medium saucepan add sugar, peanut oil
(or substitute), soy sauce & rice vinegar – bring
to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Let it
boil hard for 1 minute then set aside to cool.
=
When you are ready to serve – toss cabbage &
green onions with crunchy ramen mixture &
pour dressing over top to coat – serve
immediately. Serves 15

NOTE: If you have extra dressing (or make
extra) it will thicken up when refrigerated.
Place dressing in a glass bowl & microwave
20 seconds – stir then use.

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

Chicken & Sour Cream Gravy

4 boneless/skinless chicken breast
halves (about 2 lb)
1/4 C. butter
2 C. chicken broth
1 C. sour cream (full fat)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 T. flour
salt/pepper, to taste
–
=
Cooked egg noodles to serve 4
=
Melt butter in large skillet over medium
heat. Add chicken & cook until very lightly
browned on both sides but not cooked
through. Add chicken broth to skillet &
reduce heat to Low – simmer about 10
minutes until chicken is cooked through –
remove from skillet & place on a plate.
Leaving chicken broth in skillet, add sour
cream, garlic powder, salt/pepper. Stir
until sour cream is melted & fully
incorporated. Remove about 1/2 C.
liquid & stir flour into it until smooth –
pour back into skillet & stir using a wire
whisk until gravy is thickened & smooth
again. Add chicken back to skillet & turn
to coat. Serve with cooked egg noodles.
Serves 4

(recipe: southernplate.com)
—————————

Crockpot French Onion Pork

3-4 pork chops
1 (10 3/4 oz) can French onion soup
1/4 C. water
1 tsp. dried parsley
–
Cooked egg noodles for 4-5 people
–
Place chops in crockpot; mix soup &
water & pour over chops. Sprinkle
parsley on top; cover & cook on Low
8 hours or High 4 hours. Just before
serving, cook egg noodles per directions
on pkg. Serve French Onion pork over
cooked noodles.

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————————- 
Sauteed Snap Peas with
Roasted Vegetables

1 1/2 lb. petite gold potatoes, halved
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, halved
2 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. each: salt, pepper, garlic powder
1 T. olive oil
8 oz. snap peas, tough strands removed
1/2 white onion, minced
1/3 C. chopped green onion
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with foil & spray with
nonstick cooking spray. Toss potatoes &
mushrooms with melted butter & spread
across prepared sheet. Season with
salt/pepper/garlic powder. Roast 45
minutes, turning every 15 minutes until
cooked through & tender.
NOTE: During last 10 minutes of roasting,
in large skillet, heat olive oil over medium
heat. Add snap peas & onion; cook, stirring
occasionally, 5-7 minutes. Combine
roasted & sauteed vegetables in large
bowl; stir in green onion. Serves 6
Refrigerate any leftovers

(recipe: mymagazine.us)
——————————-

 Banana Cream Cheesecake

(6 hour or overnight recipe)

20 ‘Nilla wafers

1/4 C. butter, melted

24 oz. cream cheese, softened

2/3 C. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

3 eggs

3/4 C. mashed bananas (about 2)

1/2 C. whipping cream

2 tsp. vanilla

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Place wafers in a blender or food

processor – blend/process until finely

crushed. Add melted butter & blend

well – press onto bottom of a 10″

pan & refrigerate.

=

In large bowl beat cream cheese using

elec. mixer on medium speed until

creamy. Add sugar & cornstarch – beat

until blended. Add eggs, one at a time,

beating well after each addition. Beat

in bananas, whipping cream & vanilla –

pour mixture into prepared crust. Place

pan on a cookie sheet & bake 15

minutes. Reduce oven temperature to

200 degrees F. and bake another 75

minutes. Cool completely on wire

rack. Refrigerate cheesecake, uncovered,

6 hours or overnight.

Allow cheesecake to stand at room

temperature 15 minutes before

serving.

(recipe: allfood.recipes.com)

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

It has been a nice, quiet week so far – I
don’t babysit until Friday, starting at 3 p.m.-
(I’m guessing) 7/8 p.m. but that’s not bad!
I’ve been able to go to both knit groups –
knitting & laughing, went grocery shopping
and shopping for new shoes – it’s been a
very relaxing week so far. Both knit groups
now have 35 more pairs of baby booties to
donate and we still have another 2 weeks
before the lady in my group who takes them
will be back; my ladies are so generous in
their gifting – makes me happy to know them.

Hope you are having a nice week, as well;

Hugs;

Pammie

 

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Happy Thursday!

it’s Thursday – over half-way through the week! Will be babysitting in a very short while (hopefully, it will be a short day but tomorrow is 10:30 – ??? which could be 6/6:30/7 – whatever).

Weather-wise, it’s typical Michigan Spring – sometimes rainy & gray, sometimes sunny! 30’s for most of week but also possibility of SNOW two days – oh well . . . at least we know SPRING IS ON THE WAY! We have Aconite flowers all over the backyard; they’re a bright yellow ground cover. Originally they were all on my neighbor’s side of the fence, but slowly, over the years, they have all crept under the fence and now are all over MY yard (and NONE on theirs! Strange!)

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

Homemade Chocolate Turtle Cake

1 C. chocolate chips
2 C. pecans
3/4 C. melted butter
1/2 C. evaporated milk
1 (14 oz) bag caramels, unwrapped
1 1/3 C. water
1/3 C. oil
3 eggs
1 (18 oz) box German Chocolate cake mix
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Prepare
cake mix accordg. to pkg. directions &
pour half of batter into prepared pan.
Bake 15 minutes. Remove & let cool.
In a double boiler, add unwrapped
caramels, milk & butter – stir constantly
until melted – pour over cooled cake.
Sprinkle top of cake with 1 C. pecans &
chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter
on top & bake 20 minutes.

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

Bundt Cake Breakfast

1 C. cooked, diced ham
1 C. Tater Tots – frozen
1 dozen eggs, whisked
1 can Pillsbury Grands biscuits (8),
diced – raw
2 C. cheese – your choice (poster used Cheddar)
1/4 C. milk
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick
cooking spray. Mix all ingredients
together in large bowl & pour into
prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes.
When done, turn onto a platter –
cut & serve.

NOTE: You can substitute any cooked
meat or veggies – the key is to not add
too much starch.

(recipe: skinnypoints.com)
————————–

Lemon Chicken Rice Skillet

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
halves (or boneless chicken thighs)
salt/pepper, to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
2 T. butter
1 C. uncooked white rice (poster used Jasmine)
2 1/4 C. chicken stock
1 tsp. lemon zest & 3 T. lemon juice, from
one lemon
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 whole lemon, cut into slices – (garnish)
–
Heat large skillet with lid over medium-
high heat. Season chicken with salt/pepper,
garlic powder & parsley. Add butter to skillet
& cook chicken in hot butter until browned,
but not cooked all the way through (about
2 minutes per side). Remove chicken from
skillet to a plate. Add rice, chicken stock, lemon
zest, lemon juice & parsley to skillet over medium
heat; using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits
from bottom of pan. Let rice come to a small boil,
then reduce heat to simmer. Place chicken on top
of rice mixture, cover with lid & cook 20-25 minutes
until rice is tender & liquid is absorbed. Garnish
chicken with lemon slices & extra parsley, if desired.
Serves 4

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

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Tortellini
Soup

1 C. diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 C. chicken broth
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2″
pieces
4 ribs celery, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts (frozen is OK)
1/2 C. flour
2 C. Half & Half
1 (19 oz) pkg. frozen cheese tortellini
1 1/2 C. grated/shredded Parmesan
cheese
5 large kale leaves, washed & coarsely
chopped (discard stems)
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Add onion, garlic, chicken broth, carrots,
celery, salt/pepper & chicken to crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours (6 hours
for thawed chicken/8 hours for frozen).
Remove lid & use tongs to place chicken
on a cutting board – cut into pieces or
shred – add back to crockpot. Turn
heat to High – warm the Half & Half*.
Whisk flour, 1 T. at a time, into Half &
Half until smooth – pour into crockpot.
Stir & let soup thicken about 10 minutes.
Add in tortellini, Parmesan & kale.
Tortellini will cook in about 5-10 minutes.
Adjust salt/pepper to taste.
Serves 8-10

* Poster warms in a microwaveable
cup or bowl for 1 minute

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

I thought this was a VERY INTERESTING idea!

Wafflemaker Hash Browns

1 (30 oz) bag frozen shredded hash
browns, thawed
4 T. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 C. grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 C. chopped ham
–
Preheat waffle maker on regular
setting & spray both heated elements
with nonstick cooking spray. Squeeze
out any excess moisture from potatoes &
place in a bowl. Pour melted butter over,
sprinkle with salt/pepper & stir. Scoop
a heaping 1/2 C. of mixture into each bottom
waffle section* – top with a generous 2 T.
Cheddar then a sprinkling of chopped
ham. Top cheese & ham in each section
with another 1/4 C. hash browns. Close
waffle iron & cook 15 minutes on
regular setting. Repeat with rest of
hash browns, cheese & ham, filling
one section of waffle iron. Makes 5

*you  might want to spread hash browns
around a bit to totally fill each section

(recipe: foodnetwork.com
———————————-

Tamale Pie

1 box corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
1 large egg
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 c. canned creamed corn
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
kosher salt/ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 C. red enchilada sauce
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Grease a large oven-safe skillet with
nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl
whisk corn muffin mix, egg, sour cream
& creamed corn – pour into prepared
skillet & bake 20 minutes until golden.
Let cool.
In large skillet over medium heat, heat
oil. Add onion, cumin & chili powder –
season with salt/pepper – cook 5 minutes
until soft. Add garlic & cook 1 minute until
fragrant. Add gr. beef & cook, breaking up
meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer
pink, about 6 minutes; drain. Poke entire
surface of cooked cornbread with a fork &
pour enchilada sauce over. Top with beef &
cheeses. Cover with foil & bake about 20
minutes until cheese is melted. Turn on
broiler, remove foil & broil about 5 minutes
until cheese turns golden. Serves 6

(recipe: delish.com)
—————————————

Knock Your Socks Off Chicken
& Sausage
(crockpot)

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
1 pkg Andoulle sausage (or you can
use smoked sausage, kielbasa)
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temp.
1 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. white wine (or beer or chicken
stock)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 T. grainy mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
(scallions – chopped – optional garnish)
=
Cooked white rice, noodles, quinoa or
pasta to serve 4
=
In medium bowl mix cream cheese with
chicken stock, salt, garlic, mustard & wine
until incorporated. Place chicken & sausage
in bottom of crockpot & place onions on top.
Pour cream cheese mixture over top. Cover
& cook on High 4 hours (or Low 5-6 hours)
checking occasionally to be sure it’s not
thickening too much – if it is, add a little
more chicken stock or wine.

When ready to serve, you can place the meal
in a baking dish & place under broiler a few
minutes (optional). Salt & pepper, to taste
& serve with suggested sides.

NOTE from poster: If your sauce seems thinner
you can always remove the lid from crockpot
the last hour of cooking time.

(recipe: bakednewengland.com)

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

Well, recipes were copying just fine until the last dessert
one – back to my sites old tricks so no last dessert recipe –
sorry.

On the knitting note; Tuesday I was able to deliver
50 pairs of baby booties – that makes 150 pairs since
we first took up the challenge – I’m so proud of my ladies!

Guess I’d better get off here and organize what I’m taking
for babysitting today besides my knitting (some sort of
lunch . . . ).

Have a GREAT day! SPRING IS COMING!!!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Gas prices are up to $2.69/9 (was lucky to use my Kroger gas points to get 20 cents off per gallon – yay!

 

Friday

Another rainy day in Michigan – it’s a ‘balmy’ 38 degrees F. and looks like it won’t get much higher for the coming days. Not bad, but if you live in colder climates you know that when it’s in the 30’s & raining, it ‘could’ turn to that dreaded ‘S’ word: snow. So far that doesn’t look like it’s in the offing – sure hope not!

Lots of great recipes coming in so thought it’s time to share with you:

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

(think I’m saving this one for Easter)

Layered Lemon Pie

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 C. sugar

1 (15 3/4 oz) can lemon pie filling, divided

1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust

–

In small bowl beat cream cheese & sugar

until smooth using elec. mixer. Beat in

half of pie filling then fold in Cool Whip –

spoon into pie crust. Spread remaining

pie filling over cream cheese layer &

refrigerate at least 15 minutes before

serving. Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

---

Crockpot Sugar Carrots w/Ginger

7 whole carrots sliced into 1/4″ slices
3 T. fresh ginger – peeled/finely minced*
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. orange juice
1/4 C. butter
–
Add carrots, ginger, brown sugar,
orange juice & butter to 4 qt. crockpot.
Cover & cook on High 1 hour. Remove
lid & stir to make sure there are no
lumps of brown sugar. Cover & turn
temp. to Low – cook 4-5 hours until
carrots reach your desired tenderness
level. Serves 4

*To easily peel fresh ginger use a spoon
to scrape off the skin.

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

Sausage/Bean Soup
(stove or crockpot method)

1 lb. pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 C. chopped celery
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can navy beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, drained/
rinsed
1 C. chopped fresh baby spinach-
(optional)
2 potatoes, peeled/cubed
2 C. water
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
–
In a skillet brown sausage, onion,
green pepper & celery; drain & add
to large pot. Add all other soup
ingredients to pot & simmer 1 hour
until potatoes are done.
Makes approx. 10 C. soup

Crockpot:
Follow directions, adding cooked
sausage, onion, green pepper & celery
to crockpot along with all other
ingredients. Cook on High 4 hours or
Low for 6 hours

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

5-Ingredient Dump & Bake
Reuben Casserole

2 lb. bag sauerkraut (about 3.75 C.)
drained/rinsed/squeezed very dry
using a dishtowel
1 large tomato, horizontally sliced
into 4 rounds
1/2 C. Russian or Thousand Island
salad dressing
12 oz. deli sliced corned beef, diced
(or use leftover cooked corned beef)
8 oz. grated Swiss cheese
–
optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 8 X 8″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Place
sauerkraut in bottom of dish;
top with tomato slices & drizzle
with salad dressing. Add diced
corned beef on top & sprinkle
with grated cheese. Bake,
uncovered, 20-25 minutes until
heated through. Garnish with
parsley, if desired. Serves 4

(recipe: theseasonedmom.com)
——————————

Potato/Pepper/Sausage Bake

5 large Yukon Gold potatoes,
peeled/cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large sweet orange pepper, sliced
1 large sweet red pepper, sliced
1 shallot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 (19 oz) pkg. Italian sausage links
minced fresh thyme, optional
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 15 X 10 X 1″ rimmed baking
sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Place potatoes, sweet peppers,
shallot & garlic in prepared pan.
Drizzle with oil & sprinkle with
seasonings – toss to coat. Spread
evenly over pan, leaving room for
the sausage – add sausage to pan*
Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes until
a thermometer inserted into sausage
reads 160 degrees F. & vegetables are
tender. If desired, sprinkle with fresh
thyme before serving. Serves 5

*arrange sausages directly onto
pan instead of on top of potatoes so
potatoes cook evenly.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————–

Pecan Pie Muffins

1 C. chopped pecans

1 C. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 C. flour

2 large eggs, well beaten

1/2 C. melted butter

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Line muffin cups with foil baking

cup liners. In large bowl combine

pecans, brown sugar & flour. Add

beaten eggs to butter then pour

over dry ingredients – mix to combine.

Spoon batter into muffin tins 2/3 rds

full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Transfer

to wire rack immediately after baking.

(recipe: americantimesfood.com)

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

Well, it appears my computer wants to be
‘goofy’ again & won’t ‘copy & paste’ nicely
so last recipe had to be hand typed. I had
more great recipes but with the computer
‘glitch’, am going to leave you with what’s
posted above & not ‘tempt fate’.

Today is another ‘free’ day so am planning
on catching up a bit on my baby afghans –
knitting the tiny baby booties goes much
faster, so have been doing a lot of that.
I/we are now up to 45 pairs so, hopefully,
next Tuesday the lady from my Panera group
who now wants to work at sewing the baby
gowns will come to Panera & I can give
them to her to hand-carry to the place = at
least ‘that’s the plan’!

Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Thought I had some Irish recipes saved – will have

to check further for you!

 

PPS: Just remembered: don’t know about you, but

we here at my house have both a ‘land line’

and several cell phones. Yesterday while at the

doctors for a routine check up my cell phone rang.

I’ve received MANY/DAILY ‘scam likely’ recordings

on both my cell & home phones BUT this one

tops them all: a recording all in CHINESE!!! (No,

I don’t speak Chinese, but I do know “Hello” in

Chinese – TOO FUNNY!)  It just kept repeating,

over & over like all the other ‘scam likely’ calls.

Now THAT’S different!!!

a day to RELAX and catch up!

Sometimes in life you just NEED a ‘down’ day to re-group/gain your strength and your wits – that would be today for me! It’s been a pretty busy week so far with babysitting, grocery shopping, knit group, special needs group, etc. SOOOoo glad to have a FREE/Down day finally! Started out the day finishing up another pair of baby booties (have 13 pairs done for next delivery). One of the ladies in my Panera knit group has now started volunteering at the location where they do all the sewing of the baby gowns; she got to meet the woman who started the project of making & clothing infants who have died. My friend said they were very grateful for our group’s baby booties – that’s always good to hear that something you’re doing makes a small difference somewhere. (She also said that she would be willing to deliver our booties when she goes to volunteer sew – that would save some $$$ on shipping! YAY – another blessing!).

===========

Hershey Bar Cake

1 box German Chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
3 large eggs
1/3 to 1/2 C. oil (depending on cake
mix brand)
1 1/4 C. water (depending on cake mix
brand)

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 scant C. granulated sugar
1 scant C. powdered sugar
1 (12 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 C. chopped pecans (or other nuts)
1 giant Hershey bar – grated (not regular
size)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray & flour two 8″ cake pans. In large
bowl combine dry cake mix, vanilla pudding
mix, eggs & oil/water according to cake mix
directions – beat until smooth & pour into
prepared pans. Bake 35 minutes – remove
& cool layers.

Frosting:
Using an electric mixer, in medium bowl
beat cream cheese & granulated sugar
20 minutes. Add powdered sugar & beat
just until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip, nuts
& grated Hershey bar. Frost cake.

(recipe: 77recipes.com)
——————————————

Crockpot Easy Corned Beef & Cabbage

1 large yellow onion, cut into large wedges
4 medium potatoes, peeled/cut into quarters
1 lb. baby carrots
3 C. water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole bay leaf
2 T. granulated sugar
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 lb. corned beef brisket
(with spice pkt) cut brisket in half to
fit crockpot, if needed
1 head fresh cabbage, cut into wedges (2-3 lb)
–
In 5-7 qt. crockpot place onion, potatoes &
carrots. In small bowl combine water, garlic,
bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper & contents of
spice packet – pour over vegetables in crockpot.
Place brisket on top, then cabbage. Cover &
cook on Low 8-9 hours until meat & vegetables
are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Serves 8

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)

---

(Copycat) Chicken Gnocchi Soup
(Olive Garden)

4 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 C. finely diced oion
1/2 C. finely diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. flour
1 quart Half & Half
28 oz. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
1 C. carrots, finely shredded
1 C. spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 C. cooked, diced chicken breast
1 (16 oz.) pkg. ready-to-use gnocchi
–
In large saucepan over medium heat
melt butter into oil. Add onion, celery &
garlic – cook, stirring occasionally, until
onion becomes translucent. Whisk in flour &
cook 1 minute. Whisk in Half & Half – simmer
until thickened. Whisk in chicken broth & simmer
until thickened again. Stir in salt, thyme, parsley
& nutmeg (if using), carrots, spinach, chicken &
gnocchi. Simmer until soup is heated through.
Before serving, season with additional salt,
if needed. Serves 8

(recipe: copykat.com)
——————————

Garlic Butter Meatballs

1 lb. ground chicken
5 cloves garlic, minced/divided
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese (more for
garnish)
2 T. fresh chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
2 T. olive oil
4 T. butter
juice of half lemon
1 lb. (spaghetti noodles) recipe
calls for 1 lb. “zoodles” – see *
–
In large bowl mix ground chicken, 2 garlic
cloves, egg, Parm. parsley & red pepper
flakes – season with salt/pepper then form
into Tablespoon-sized meatballs. In large
skillet over medium heat heat oil & cook
meatballs until golden on all sides & cooked
through, 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate &
wipe out skillet with a paper towel. Melt
butter in skillet & add remaining garlic –
cook 1 minute. Add ‘zoodles’ to skillet &
toss in garlic butter then squeeze in lemon
juice. Add meatballs back to skillet &
heat just until warmed through. Garnish
with Parmesan & serve. Serves 4

*Zoodles:  spiral cut zucchini to form
noodles.  (I am going out on a limb here
and saying you could probably substitute
cooked spaghetti noodles)

(recipe: delish.com)
————————–

Tuscan Portobellow Stew

2 large Portobellow mushrooms,
coarsely chopped
1  medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
1/2 C. white wine or vegetable
broth
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes,
undrained
2 C. chopped fresh kale
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 (15 oz, ea) cans cannellini beans,
drained, rinsed
–
In large skillet saute mushrooms,
onion & garlic in oil until tender.
Add wine (or broth) & bring to boil.
Cook until liquid is reduced by half;
stir in tomatoes, kale & seasonings.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat.
Cover & simmer 8-10 minutes. Add
beans & heat through. Discard bay
leaf & serve. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-

Cheeseburger Cauliflower

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
salt – to taste
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
–
In large skillet over medium heat
brown beef; drain. In separate
saucepan place cauliflower in pan
& cover with water; cook over medium
heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
If using frozen – prepare accordg. to
pkg. directions. Drain well & add to
beef along with seasonings & cheese.
Cook until heated through & cheese
is melted. Serves 4-6

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

Balsamic Brown sugar-glazed Carrots

1 (2 lb) pkg. baby carrots
1 T. olive oil
salt/pepper
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. brown sugar
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Lay out carrots evenly on a large
rimmed cookie sheet. Drizzle
1 T. olive oil over carrots & stir
so all are coated in oil. Sprinkle
with salt/pepper & stir. Cook
about 25 minutes until fork-tender.
In a small bowl mix 1 T. balsamic
vinegar with 1 T. brown sugar –
drizzle over top of hot carrots &
stir mixture into carrots. Place
pan back in oven 5 minutes. (The
vinegar mixture will turn glossy).
Taste & adjust seasoning (salt/pepper)
to your liking. Serves 6-8

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

Cheesecake Fluff

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/2 C. sugar*
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
–
In large bowl place cream cheese,
sugar & Cool Whip – using elec.
mixer, beat until fully blended &
creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add in
all pie filling & stir by hand until fully
blended. Place in a serving dish;
refrigerate, covered, until ready to
serve. Makes 5 Cups.

*recipe calls for 1/2 C. Splenda or granulated
sweetener of your choice

(recipe: southernplate.com)

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

Our weather has been pretty cold lately, but
mostly clear – few snow flurries but nothing
big (YAY!). I’ve heard a lot of people complaining
about how cold it’s been but my theory still goes:
You can ALWAYS drive/walk in cold: you don’t
get your car stuck in it, or slip & fall because of
it – so it’s tolerable! (in case you might be
wondering: ‘cold’ lately has been in the ‘teens’ –
right now it’s 19 degrees F. with a wind chill
making it feel like 8 degrees F. – that’s CHILLY!).
I don’t mind the cold so much unless it’s really
WINDY – then it’s a bit hard to deal with BUT
SPRING’S COMING SOON! (Here in Michigan
that’s usually a ‘false hope’ – looks like warm
weather but then we usually get one last BIG
snow storm – we’ll see . . .

Hope you are all in good health, warm &
enjoying this Thursday.

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Gas prices are staying at $2.49/9 lately – YAY!

and here we are at Thursday again!

Well, once again our ‘dear’ Michigan weather decided to surprise (or not) – yesterday the weather reported snow around 11 a.m. followed by freezing rain/drizzle/snow – crazy. I went to Library Knit 10-12 (nice, clear weather!); babysat 2 p.m. – around 4 (beginning to get a little drizzle). Lois decided to cancel the special needs group so I did all the calling for that (and was HAPPY to go home for the evening!). Dinner was Pierogies & sausages (family favorite) – not sure but I don’t think we really GOT the freezing rain thing! Today is nice & sunny AND CLEAR – roads/sidewalks, etc! YAY!

Today found my running around attempting to pick up birthday items for youngest grandson’s birthday party Sunday; went to Old Navy – now he has lots of t-shirts & shorts for summer (in a bigger size than he’s wearing now). Stopped in at Michael’s & picked up a pair of size 8 bamboo knitting needles for knitting bigger baby booties (I find it’s easier with the wood – yarn doesn’t slip as easily.

Speaking of booties: Tuesday was my knit group’s Yarn Swap and (once again) I scored with lots of baby sport-weight yarns. Ladies brought me more knit baby booties which means tomorrow I’m going to the Post Office to mail off FIFTY pairs of booties! WOW! I’m so happy my ladies are getting into this project – even crocheters are now asking for crochet patterns for booties!

===========

Easy Coconut Pie

1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust
1/4 C. toasted coconut

Filling:
2 (3.4 oz, ea) boxes instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 tsp. coconut extract
12 oz. cold evaporated milk –
straight from can – do not reconstitute
1 1/4 C. cold milk
1/2 C. shredded coconut
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
In large bowl using elec. mixer beat
pudding mixes, extract & milks on
Low speed 2 minutes. Fold in Cool
Whip & 1/2 C. shredded coconut –
pour into pie crust & spread evenly.
Top with toasted coconut & chill
at least 3 hours. (You can freeze it
also- then it’s like ice cream)
Serves 8-12

(recipe: bakemidnite.com)
——————————–

Spinach Dip Crescent Bites
(appetizers)

2 T. butter
1 C. chopped green onion
(about 1 bunch white & green parts)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. chopped red bell pepper (1 large)
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach,
thawed/well drained
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 C. mayonnaise
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 C. chopped water chestnuts
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Melt butter in a saute pan over medium
heat; add green onion, bell pepper &
garlic – saute 3-4 minutes. Add spinach
& cream cheese; stir & blend in cream
cheese until cheese is melted. Stir in
salt/pepper, paprika, crushed red pepper,
mayo, lemon juice, water chestnuts &
Parmesan. Remove from heat.
Unroll 1 tube crescent rolls & place on
a baking sheet. Using your fingers, gently
press seams to seal. Spread spinach
mixture evenly on rolls, leaving about
1/2 inch border along edges. Unroll
remaining tube of rolls & place on top
of spinach mixture. Press edges together
to seal – gently press seams together.
Bake 20-25 minutes until dough is golden
brown. Cut into small squares & serve
(NOTE: a pizza cutter works well for this).

(recipe: thekitchenismyplayground.com)
———————————

Crockpot Brown Sugar Meatloaf

3 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 1/4 C. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 C. milk
4 large eggs
2 pkts. dry onion soup mix
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
–
Topping:
2 C. ketchup
1 C. brown sugar (light or dark)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
–
Line crockpot with a crockpot liner or
spray insides with nonstick cooking spray.
Using your hands, in large bowl combine
ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs,
soup mix, salt/pepper & ginger. Place
mixture in bottom of crockpot & shape
into a loaf shape, keep it away from the
sides of the crockpot. Cover & cook on
Low 6-7 hours (until meat thermometer
inserted into center of loaf reads 160
degrees F.) About 1/2 hour before
end of cooking time  in small bowl
mix ketchup, brown sugar & Worc.
sauce – evenly spread over top of loaf;
finish cooking. Carefully remove loaf
from crockpot by either pulling the
liner with meatloaf inside or use
2 spatulas to lift loaf up & out of
crockpot. Place on a serving platter.
Serves 10

Freezer Instructions: Mix meatloaf
together & place in a 1 gallon ziplock
freezer bag (or foodsaver bag) – flatten
as much as possible inside bag. In 1 qt.
freezer bag mix topping ingredients. Seal
& freeze with meatloaf – Place smaller
bag inside bag with meatloaf & seal
larger bag closed by hand (or seal using
Foodsaver). Label bag with date prepared,
name of recipe, ingredients & cooking
instructions. Lay bag flat in freezer & allow
to freeze for several hours; then you can
stand the bag upright if needed. Contents
of meal must be allowed to thaw completely.
Remove from freezer, place in fridge until
completely thawed (about 24 hours). Remove
topping bag & set on a plate in fridge until
needed. Follow remaining directions in
recipe.

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

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Tortellini
Soup

1 C. diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 C. chicken broth
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2″
pieces
4 ribs celery, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts (frozen is OK)
1/2 C. flour
2 C. Half & Half
1 (19 oz) pkg. frozen cheese tortellini
1 1/2 C. grated/shredded Parmesan
cheese
5 large kale leaves, washed & coarsely
chopped (discard stems)
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Add onion, garlic, chicken broth, carrots,
celery, salt/pepper & chicken to crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours (6 hours
for thawed chicken/8 hours for frozen).
Remove lid & use tongs to place chicken
on a cutting board – cut into pieces or
shred – add back to crockpot. Turn
heat to High – warm the Half & Half*.
Whisk flour, 1 T. at a time, into Half &
Half until smooth – pour into crockpot.
Stir & let soup thicken about 10 minutes.
Add in tortellini, Parmesan & kale.
Tortellini will cook in about 5-10 minutes.
Adjust salt/pepper to taste.
Serves 8-10

* Poster warms in a microwaveable
cup or bowl for 1 minute

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

Nacho ‘Taters’ (appetizers)

4 russet potatoes, about 1 lb.
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 C. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 C. enchilada sauce or taco sauce
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/
rinsed
3 green onions, chopped
3 jalapeno peppers (pickled or fresh),
sliced

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Wash
potatoes well; dry. Coat each potato
in vegetable oil then prick skins a few
times with a fork. Place on prepared
baking sheet & bake 45 minutes to 1
hour until soft all the way through.
When potatoes are cooked, remove
from oven (leave OVEN on). Cut each
potato in half lengthwise down center
then once across – open potatoes &
mash insides slightly. Drizzle a few
tablespoons of enchilada sauce over each
potato then top with black beans, corn,
jalapenos & a handful of Cheddar cheese. Place
potatoes back in oven 3-5 minutes until
cheese melts. Remove from oven, drizzle
with more enchilada sauce & sprinkle
tops with sliced onions.
Serves 4

(recipe: budgetbytes.com)
——————————
Blackberry Cobbler

8 C. blackberries
3 T. sugar
3 T. flour
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
4 T. butter, cut into small pieces
2 C. flour
3 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. shortening (like Crisco)
1/4 C. ice water
4 T. brown butter*
2 T. turbinado sugar (large, crystal
crunchy sugar – garnish)
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray or butter a 9 X 13″ baking dish.
In large bowl mix fruit & sugar, flour &
nutmeg. Gently mix to coat the fruit
& pour into prepared dish. Dot top with
butter pieces.
Using a food processor, mix flour, sugar,
salt & shortening. Add ice water & pulse
to crumb texture – sprinkle over fruit.

*Brown Butter:
Melt remaining 1/4 C. butter until it is a
nutty brown color. Drizzle over pastry
chunks (make sure you get all the little
brown ‘crumbs” out of the pan). Sprinkle
top with 2 T. crunchy sugar.
Bake 40 minutes until pastry is golden
brown & crispy & fruit is bubbling.

(recipe: 77kitchen.com)
=======================

Our gas prices have ‘danced around’ a bit lately:
one day they were up to $2.49/9 but happily
they’re back down to $2.39/9.

Not much else new around here; finished the
next issue of the special needs group’s newsletter
& will be mailing that out tomorrow along with
all the baby booties.

Hope you have a GREAT SUNNY Day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Friday!

Today it’s a nice, clear (NO SNOW) day with sun – YAY! Temps in the High 20’s – for the rest of this AND next week. I realized today that I’ve been feeling like I’ve been put on hold – that feeling where something will happen. You don’t know when or what, but something’s coming. For me, that feeling is brought about by all the CRAZY Michigan weather! Snow/rain/freezing rain/drizzle, back to clear – CRAZY!

I babysat Tuesday and had to (karate) chop my car hood because it was covered in about an inch of snow which was then covered by a layer of ice – great fun. . . not. Oh well, that’s all melted now – roads are clear; walking is a bit of a challenge: some of the sidewalks are covered by a thin layer of ice from all the rain/melting ice, etc. Just gotta remember to walk “Like a Penguin” – have you seen those posts/suggestions stating that if we walk like a penguin (kind of hunched forward with feet pointed outwards and take small steps) we’re less likely to fall – looks goofy, but it works!

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

Chocolate Cobbler

1 C. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. sugar

2 T. plus 1/4 C. cocoa powder

1/2 C. milk

3 T. vegetable oil

1 C. packed brown sugar

1 3/4 C. hot water

–

Suggested ‘toppings’:

Ice cream and/or whipped cream

=

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In a bowl combine flour, salt, baking

powder, sugar & 2 T. cocoa. Stir in

milk & oil – pour into a 9-inch pie

dish, baking dish or round skillet.

Combine brown sugar & remaining

cocoa – sprinkle over batter. Pour

hot water over top (DO NOT STIR).

Bake 40-45 minutes. Let stand

20 minutes to set up. Top with

ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 4

(recipe: howsweeteats.com)

---

Crockpot Beef Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned/drained
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (.25 oz) pkt. taco seasoning mix
8 oz. tomato sauce
–
Garnish:
Shredded Cheese
Sour cream
–
Place all ingredients (except garnish)
in crockpot. Cover & cook on Low 6-8
hours. Serve with shredded cheese &
sour cream. Serves 4-6

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

Greek Chicken Tacos

1 to 1 1/2 lb. chicken tenderloins or
breasts, cut into 4 strips each
1/4 C. olive oil
1 lemon
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
6 (6″) flour tortillas
1 C. chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 C. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 to 1 C. crumbled feta cheese
–
In a bowl mix olive oil, juice & zest
of 1 lemon, garlic & salt – stir.
Place chicken in a ziplock bag & pour
mixture over chicken. Seal bag &
shake to coat chicken – refrigerate
at least 30 minutes (or up to 12 hours).
–
In large nonstick skillet place 1 T. oil
over medium-high heat. Add chicken &
cook, turning at least once, until
browned on both sides (10-15 minutes).
In small bowl mix chopped parsley &
tomatoes. Remove chicken to a plate
when done. Fill flour tortillas with 2
tenderloins each & top with tomato
mixture & feta cheese. Serve immediately.
Makes about 6 tacos. Recipe can be
doubled. (reheat chicken if using as
leftovers)

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

Alfredo Shrimp Scamp Dump Dinner

4 T. butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 (12 oz) pkg. rotini pasta
1 lb. frozen peeled/deveined
medium shrimp
2 C. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp. kosher salt
black pepper, to taste
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 C. loosely packed fresh parsley,
chopped
1/2 C. heavy cream, warmed
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Spread dry rotini in an
even layer in bottom of prepared dish.
Scatter shrimp over top & dot with butter.
Pour broth over top & sprinkle with red
pepper flakes, garlic, lemon zest, 2 tsp.
salt/black pepper, to taste. Cover with foil
& bake about 25 minutes until pasta is
al dente.
In small bowl toss Parm. with parsley –
when pasta is done, stir in warm cream &
top with cheese mixture. Serves 4

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

Baked Chicken in Crescent Rolls for 2

2 boneless chicken breasts
1 tube crescent rolls
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 C. milk
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place chicken in a saucepan in
enough water to cover; add salt/
pepper to water & cook for 15
minutes (poach). Remove from
water; cool & cut into 4 pieces.

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 8 X 8″ casserole dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Divide crescent rolls & roll up
chicken in 4 rolls (you will not use
4 of the rolls, so you will have 4 left
over to cook for your bread). Place
chicken in prepared dish seam-sides
down. In small saucepan heat soup,
milk & 1/2 C. cheese until cheese is
melted – pour over chicken bundles
& sprinkle the other 1/2 C. cheese
on top. Bake 20 minutes until rolls
are golden brown. Serves 2

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
————————————

Bubble Up Pizza

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 (15 oz) jar pizza sauce
1 (12 oz) tube refrigerated Pillsbury
Grands Jr. biscuits
2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
sliced pepperoni
–
additional toppings (if desired):
chopped onion, chopped green
pepper, sliced olives
=
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Brown &
crumble sausage – drain. Cut each
biscuit into eighths. In a bowl combine
pizza sauce with cut-up biscuits &
cooked sausage – stir to combine. Spread
mixture evenly in prepared dish. Top with
shredded cheese & sliced pepperoni.
Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes until
biscuits are cooked through.
Serves 9

(recipe: thecountrycook.net)
————————————–
Oven Denver Omelet

8 large eggs
1/2 C. Half & Half cream
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. finely chopped fully cooked ham
1/4 C. finely chopped green pepper
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 inch square baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl whisk eggs & cream.
Stir in cheese, ham, gr. pepper & onion –
pour into prepared pan. Bake 25
minutes until golden brown.
Serves 6

NOTE: Green pepper is typical in a
Denver omelet but red, yellow &
orange peppers are also good & add
lots of color.

This is an American-style omelet-
puffed & golden brown. If you prefer
yours more tender & less brown, bake
at a lower temperature (325) until a
thermometer reads 160 degrees F. &
eggs are set.

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

Crockpot Horseradish Cheese Spread

2 lb. box Velveeta cheese, cut into
cubes
1 C. mayonnaise
1 (4 oz) jar cream horseradish
2 (4 oz, ea) jars diced pimentos, drained
dash hot sauce
–
Crackers – for dipping
=
In 4 qt. or larger crockpot place Velveeta
cubes, mayo, horseradish, pimentos & hot
sauce – stir. Cover & cook on High about an
hour 45 minutes, stirring about every 30
minutes. (NOTE: you can also heat this
on the stovetop in a saucepan, stirring
often). Spoon sauce into serving containers
with lids & refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Serve with crackers. Serves 25

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

Creamy Custard Cake

4 eggs, separated
3/4 C. sugar
1 stick (1/2 C.) butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. flour
2 C. milk
———
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 8 inch square baking dish
with nonstick spray. In medium
bowl beat egg whites until stiff
peaks form. In large bowl combine
egg yolks & sugar – beat until
smooth. Add butter & vanilla, mix
well. Beat in flour then slowly add
milk until well combined. Slowly
fold in egg whites; do not over
mix – pour into dish. Bake 45-50
minutes until set in center & golden
brown on top. Let cool then sprinkle
top with powdered sugar. Serves 9

(recipe: mrfood.com)

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

Tonight is my special needs group’s Valentines
Dance and I’m sure they’re all super excited;
due to the crazy weather, we haven’t had a
regular Weds. night group meeting for 3
weeks now – I’m sure I’m in for LOTS of super-
excited students!

I’m really proud of both of my knit groups –
they have been working on the baby booties
I mentioned in an earlier post. I was able to
mail out 25 sets about 1 1/2 weeks ago and
now we’re almost to that amount – again!
They are ALL wonderful, caring people who
really ‘step up’ when a need is presented;
it’s really nice to know they help when I
ask.

This coming Tuesday is a big PERK
for our group: we’re having our first
YARN SWAP of the year. At this event we bring
in any unwanted yarns/needles/hooks/books/
patterns and lay them out on a table. If there
are any yarns, etc. we see that we want, we
take them. When I organized the first one
years ago I was trying to figure out how to
‘regulate’ this: If I bring in one skein of yarn,
can I take one skein? One of my friends said:
“People are bringing in stuff they DON’T
want – they can take as much as they want –
we want to GET RID of it!” Smart idea! If
there’s any leftover yarns, etc. I will take them
to my Library Knit group – if, after that, there
are any leftover yarns, we donate them to
the local Children’s Village where they teach
young people to knit/crochet – so nothing
gets wasted! It’s a fun event – I’m excited
to see what people bring in! (Actually, I don’t
really ‘need’ any yarn but it’s always nice to
look! )

Hope you’re having a great day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Friday

Hello! The weather here in Michigan continues to baffle us – yesterday it was foggy, dreary, rainy which melted any snow on the ground. Last night we had high winds – today it’s lightly snowing, temp 17 degrees F. with a wind chill of -1 degree F.   go figure! I spent yesterday babysitting my grandson – turned out to be a good day (meaning he didn’t ‘challenge’ me – smart child!). Got 2 pairs of baby booties knit and some work done on the current baby blanket (nothing special, variegated yarn – another blanket for Crisis Pregnancy Center’s Mobile unit.)

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

(the site is still doing the teeny/tiny print so I’m typing each recipe which makes for double spaced lines – sorry)

Grandma’s Honey Muffins

2 C. flour

1/2  C. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, room temp

1 C. 2% milk

1/4 C. butter, melted

1/4 C. honey

–

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cup tins with paper

liners or spray with nonstick cooking

spray. In large bowl combine flour,

sugar, baking powder & salt. In another

small bowl combine egg, milk, butter &

honey-stir into dry ingredients just until

moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4ths full.

Bake 15-18 minutes until a toothpick

inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes before removing

from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Makes 12

 

Freezer Option:

Freeze cooled muffins in freezer

containers. To use: thaw to room

temp or, if desired, microwave each

muffin on High until heated through,

20-30 seconds.

 

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

---

(YAY – site is working again!)

Crockpot Lemonade Chicken

6 whole boneless skinless
chicken breasts
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate,
thawed
1 T. apple cider vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
=
Cooked rice or noodles to
serve 6-8
=
Place chicken in bottom of crockpot.
In medium bowl combine remaining
ingredients & pour over chicken.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours (or
High 3-4 hours) until chicken is
cooked through. Serve over cooked
rice or noodles.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)
——————————–
Easy Sausage Quiche

1 (16 oz) pkg. pork sausage
4 green onions, sliced
1 C. (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
2 C. Half & Half (or milk)
1 C. Bisquick baking mix
–
Suggested toppings:
sour cream
chopped tomatoes
chopped fresh parsley
=
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place sausage in a lightly greased
2 qt. round casserole dish*; top
with onions & cheese. In a bowl
beat eggs, Half & Half & Bisquick
using a wire whisk until well blended –
pour over cheese. Bake 45-50
minutes until a knife inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool 5
minutes; cut into wedges.
Add toppings & serve. serves 4-6

NOTE: *you can substitute a 9 X 13″
baking dish for the 2 qt. round dish.
Bake 20-25 minutes.

(recipe: www.jimmydean.com)

---

Ground Beef Stuffed Pepper Skillet

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. diced green bell pepper
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced
tomatoes
3/4 C. uncooked long grain white
rice
2 C. beef broth
2 T. tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C. shredded Colby-Jack
cheese
1 T. fresh parsley – garnish
–
In large skillet over medium heat
brown ground beef, onion & garlic
until meat is fully cooked, crumbled
& no longer pink. Drain. Place skillet
back on heat & add bell peppers, diced
tomatoes, rice, beef broth, tomato
paste, Ital. seasoning, salt/pepper –
stir to combine & bring to boil.
Reduce heat to simmer – cover &
cook 18 minutes until rice is cooked
through. Fluff rice with a fork & top
with shredded cheese. Cover, &
let cheese melt over Low heat.
Garnish with parsley. Serves 4-6

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

Farmhouse Pork Chop & Stuffing
Casserole
(read ingredients first)

2-3 lb. 3/4″ pork chops
1 loaf bread, cubed/dried 12-24 hours
1 C. butter
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/4 C. chopped parsley
1 medium onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C. milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (soup can worth) milk
salt/pepper to taste
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray. Place a single layer of
2-3 lb. pork chops to dish. In large
skillet cook celery, onions & parsley
in butter; add bouillon cubes. Stir in
bread cubes. Add egg & 1/4 C. milk;
mix & spread over pork chops in dish.
In separate bowl mix both cans soup &
soup-can milk – pour evenly over top
of mixture. Bake 1 hour.
Pork chops should be a minimum of
145 degrees F. in center using a meat
thermometer when done cooking.
The soup & stuffing mixture should be
set when casserole is done cooking.

(recipe: plowingthroughlife.com)

---

Spicy Potato Soup

1 lb. ground beef
4 C. cubed/peeled potatoes
(1/2 inch cube)
1 small onion, chopped
3 (8 oz, ea) cans tomato sauce
4 C. water
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
–
In Dutch oven brown ground beef
over medium heat until no longer
pink; drain. Add potatoes, onion &
tomato sauce – stir in water, salt/
pepper & hot pepper sauce & bring
to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer 1 hour
until potatoes are tender & soup has
thickened. Serves 8 (2 qts)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————

 Crockpot Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper, to taste
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1 C. uncooked quinoa
2 (10 oz, ea) cans red enchilada sauce
(mild or medium)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/rinsed
2 (15 oz, ea) cans fire-roasted diced
tomatoes, undrained
1 C. corn kernels, frozen or canned
1 red bell pepper, cored/seeded/diced
1 green bell pepper, cored/seeded/diced
2 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 C. Cheddar-Jack cheese, shredded

Optional Toppings:
Cilantro
chopped tomatoes
chopped green onions
chopped black olives
chopped avocado
–
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat;
add ground beef, onion & garlic. Season
generously with salt/pepper & taco
seasoning -cook until beef is browned &
no longer pink & onions are translucent.
Spray a 3-4 qt. crockpot with nonstick
cooking spray; add skillet contents to
crockpot & all other ingredients except
cheese & toppings. Stir well. Cover &
cook on Low 5-6 hours (or High 3-4 hours).
When quinoa is soft & liquid has been
absorbed, stir well & top with cheese.
Cover & cook an additional 10-15 minutes
until cheese melts. Top with optional
toppings, if desired. Serves 8 generously

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

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms for 2

20 oz. white whole mushrooms
1/3 C. whipped cream cheese
1 T. Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. (frozen, chopped/thawed/pressed
dry) spinach
1 T. panko breadcrumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with
nonstick cooking spray.
Remove mushroom stems (reserve for
another use). Brush off any dirt from caps
using a damp paper towel. In a small bowl
mix cream cheese, Parm. cheese, salt &
spinach. Fill openings of mushroom caps
with mixture. Lightly sprinkle Panko bread-
crumbs on top & place caps on sheet. Bake
15 minutes (juices will begin to pool at bottom
of mushrooms & top will begin to lightly brown.)
Remove from oven & serve hot.
Serves 2  (serving size will vary based on size
of mushrooms – you can double or triple the
quanities for more servings.) Cream cheese
mixture can be made ahead.

(recipe: yummly.com)
———————————

Cranberry/Pecan/Oatmeal Cookies

1 C. butter (2 sticks) softened

1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 C. uncooked oats

1 C. fresh cranberries, chopped

into small pieces

1 C. pecans, chopped

1 C. white chocolate chips

–

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In large bowl beat butter & sugars

until creamy. Mix in egg & vanilla –

beat until well combined. In another

bowl whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon

& salt – add flour mixture to large bowl

& mix well. Stir in oatmeal then gently

stir in cranberries, pecans & choc. chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto

ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12

minutes until cookies start to brown

around edges. Remove to wire rack

to cool Makes 4 dozen.

(recipe: greatgrubdelicioustreats.com)

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

Hope you are having a good day; not much
planned for the day – sometimes it’s nice to
just have a relaxing/casual day where you
can just do what you want without obligations.
I’m thinking dinner will be Pierogies & Sausage –
easy, quick & a family favorite.

Lately I’ve been reading ‘out of my norm’ –
checked out 2 books that are both fact –
one is a kind of history of the Smithsonian
Institute:
“Dinosaurs in the Attic” : an excursion into
The American Museum of Natural History
====
and the other is
The Lost City of the Monkey God”
a book about a trek to Honduras in search
of a much talked about site: the
Lost City of the Monkey God.

Both books are written by one of my
favorite (fiction) writers: Douglas J. Preston
I kind of have to admit that both books are
rather ‘dry’, hence I find myself reading them
both – a little from one, then switch to the
other for awhile. I like reading factual books
as well as good fiction so we’ll see where
these go (and will I actually FINISH either
of them!???)

Stay warm (if you’re in a cold climate);

Hugs;

Pammie

Beginning to WARM UP! (Kinda)

Yesterday found me babysitting from 10:15 a.m – after 7 p.m. When I left my house it was -14 degrees F.! My poor car really struggled to get going in those temps. (Quick sidenote: Our new Governor of Michigan sent out texts to all cell phones asking that people drop their house heat to 68 degrees F. until Friday – I guess there was a fire at one of the gas plants which caused a loss of gas and, if people didn’t comply, there might be BROWN OUTS – scary stuff!). My son & his girlfriend complied – so that meant GRANDMA & GRANDSONS FROZE!!! I had on lots of layers but my ears, nose, fingers & toes were cold ALL DAY! We later learned that the gas drop was lifted – let me tell you BOY was I glad to get home last night! (My husband decided that the ‘text thing’ was all a bunch of malarkey so OUR house was warm.) Oh well – we survived!

Today was the first day this week I was actually able to GET OUT and do errands – YAY! Wednesday the news was telling people to stay inside because the temperatures were so cold AND the wind chills were really bad. (I wasn’t happy – didn’t go to Library Knit group OR special needs group). Tried to go to the library today but they were closed (probably due to temperatures – I didn’t get out of my car to read sign on the door – parking lot was totally empty).

Was happy to get ‘needed stuff’ at 2 drug stores, mailed 25 pairs of baby booties to the project I mentioned and grocery shopped. Dinner will be left over pork roast, carrots & potatoes which I threw in the crockpot yesterday before leaving to babysit. SO HAPPY I have a crockpot – it really helps sometimes!

LOTS of great soup & appetizer recipes coming in (for Super Bowl, I’m guessing). Some of the soup recipes I’m featuring today are for smaller amounts of people – found them on a nice site & thought NOT ALL of you feed 6-8 people, so maybe this was a good idea! ENJOY!

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

 Turtle Cheesecake Dip

30 (unwrapped) caramels
2 1/4 C. Cool Whip, thawed,
divided
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. chopped pecans, toasted
–
Suggested dippers:
graham crackers
vanilla cookies
shortbread cookies
pretzels
=
In medium microwaveable bowl:
microwave caramels & 1/2 C. Cool Whip
on High 1 min 40 seconds, stirring after
1 minute. Stir until caramels are completely
melted & sauce is well blended. Cool
10 minutes. In small microwaveable bowl
microwave chocolate & 3/4 C. Cool Whip
1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir
until chocolate is completely y melted &
sauce is well blended. In another medium
bowl beat cream cheese using elec. mixer
until creamy. Add 2/3 C. caramel sauce –
beat until blended. Gently stir in remaining
1 C. Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese mixture
onto a serving plate. Drizzle top with chocolate
sauce & remaining caramel sauce. Sprinkle
top with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Makes 24 (2 T. each) servings.

(recipe: Kraftrecipes.com)
—————————————

Classic 30-Minute Chili

1 T. olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 C. chopped yellow onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 T. chili powder
4 T. diced green chilies (from a can)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 C. fire-roasted diced or crushed tomatoes
30 oz. beans, drained (poster uses 1 can ea:
kidney & pinto, drained/rinsed)
=
Toppings:

corn chips
sour cream
shredded cheese
chopped green onions
cilantro
chopped jalapenos
–
In large pot over medium heat add 1 T.
olive oil & beef; saute, breaking up meat
into small pieces until it’s browned &
almost cooked through; drain. Add onions
& garlic – cook 5 minutes until onions have
softened. Add chili powder, green chilies,
tomato sauce, diced tomatoes & beans –
stir & bring to a simmer. Add 1-2 C. water
(depending on how thin you want it).
Simmer 10-15 minutes, partially covered.
Taste & add salt/pepper or more chili
powder, according to your taste preferences.
Serve hot with desired toppings.
Serves 4

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
—————————————
Chicken & Corn Soup

2 C. (one 16 oz. can) chicken stock
1 C. finely chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped onion
2 cans cream-style corn
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 T. flour
1 C. cooked chicken (or 1 can cooked
chicken, drained)
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In large stock pot combine stock, onion &
celery – bring to boil. Lower heat, cover &
simmer 15 minutes until vegetables are
tender. Stir in remaining ingredients &
season with salt/pepper; mix well. Simmer
10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves 6 (1 C. each)

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
——————————–
Broccoli Cheese Soup

4 T. butter
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 1/2 T. flour
2 C. whole milk
1 C. chicken/vegetable stock
1 large head broccoli, roughly
chopped
1 1/2 C. grated cheese
(additional milk & cheese may
be needed)
=
In large pot over medium heat melt
butter. Add onions & cook about
4 minutes. Stir in flour & cook 1-2
minutes. Pour in milk & broth; add
broccoli & season with a dash of salt/
pepper. Cover & reduce heat to Low.
Simmer on Low until broccoli is tender,
20-30 minutes. Puree soup in a blender,
in batches (or) use an immersion blender,
(or) use a potato masher. Stir in cheese &
allow to melt. Taste & adjust seasonings
if needed. Thin with additional milk to
desired consistency.  Makes 4-5 bowls.

NOTE: To make it a little heartier:
stir in some cooked, diced ham or
cooked, chopped chicken or turkey.
Serve with extra cheese & crackers

(recipe: aroundmyfamilytable.com)
————————————
15 Minute White Chicken Chili

3 C. pre-cooked/shredded chicken
1 (32 oz) can chicken stock
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained
2 tsp. cumin
1 (16 oz) jar salsa (your choice of
how hot)
8 oz. shredded Pepper-Jack cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper, to taste
1/2 C. tortilla chips (pieces)
–
Optional Toppings:
sour cream
grated/shredded cheese
chopped green onions
corn
sliced avocado
lime
–
Place first 8 ingredients in a large pot;
bring to boil over High heat. Reduce heat
to medium & simmer 10 minutes. Add
chips & let thicken to desired consistency.
Serve with optional toppings.

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

Baked Nachos (using crockpot)

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 can black beans, drained/rinsed
1 pkt. taco seasoning mix
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 jar of your favorite salsa (16 oz)
–
tortilla chips
=
Toppings:
shredded Cheddar cheese
sliced olives
peeled/diced avocado
salsa
sour cream
cilantro
guacamole
=
Brown meat, black beans & onion in
a skillet. Combine meat mixture & rest
of ingredients in a crockpot. Cover &
cook on Low 2-3 hours.
–
Turn oven broiler on
=
If you’re making this for a group:
use a baking sheet covered in parchment
paper – spray paper with a little nonstick
cooking spray. Place tortilla chips on sheet.
Using a slotted spoon, spoon meat mixture
over chips & add your choice of toppings.
Broil in oven until cheese is melted & bubbly.
Remove from oven & let stand 1 minute then
drizzle sour cream on top & guacamole, if
using.

(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
————————————–
Jalapeno Popper Egg Cups

12 strips bacon
8 large eggs
4 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
3 oz. cream cheese
4 medium jalapeno peppers: 3 chopped,
/seeded & 1 seeded/ sliced into rings)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In skillet par-cook bacon until semi crisp.
(save bacon grease in pan) In a bowl using
elec mixer, mix eggs, cream cheese, chopped
jalapeno, leftover bacon grease, garlic & onion
powders, salt/pepper. Spray wells of 12 muffin
cups with nonstick cooking spray then wrap bacon
slices inside each muffin tin (1 slice per cup)
Pour egg mixture into cups making sure you only
fill half-way to 2/3rds full (they will rise up a lot).
Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top of each cup then
top with a jalapeno slice. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Once baked, remove from oven & let cool.
Makes 12

(recipe: yummly.com)
———————————–

Banana Pudding Fluff

1 (3.4 oz) box INSTANT vanilla or
banana pudding mix
1 C. milk
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
3 C. mini marshmallows
3 C. Vanilla Wafers, broken into
pieces
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 mashed banana
–
In large bowl whisk dry pudding
mix & milk – let stand 3 minutes
to set. Stir in Cool Whip, then
marshmallows, cookies, sliced &
mashed bananas.

(recipe: facebook)

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

Since I mentioned in my last post that I’d
finished several knitting projects, thought
I’d add the photos: first one is a LOOM-
KNIT hat for my son’s friend. (It’s done
in black & a dark maroon – but the color
looks more magenta in the photo).
Second photo is the ‘shades of pinks’
baby blanket I knit to use up some
smaller bits of pink variegated yarns.

I think it’s funny how strange our weather
has been this past week (due to the Polar
Vortex, I’m told) from below zero with
SUPER COLD wind chills to a High of
49 degrees F. this coming Monday AND
rain! WEIRD!  Guess I can’t complain
too much – at least it isn’t TONS of SNOW!
The roads & our driveway are completely
clear-YAY!  (right now the National
Weather Service says my area is 12 degrees F.
with no wind chill so that’s OK – it didn’t seem
to stop many people from driving/shopping
when I was out earlier.

Stay warm, try to relax a little, maybe eat/drink
something you like (like a treat for you!) –
Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Hugs;

Pammie

and now it’s SUPER COLD!

(saw this on Facebook – thought it was pretty creative!)

  Today is the day everyone is freaking out about – temperatures BELOW zero and wind chills that are dangerous. Roads are clear, it’s almost sunny out – I’M GOING TO THE LIBRARY TO KNIT! Spent all day babysitting my baby grandson yesterday; finished the ‘pinks’ baby blanket & knit 2 1/2 pairs of baby booties (finished the other bootie this morning). Found another ‘new to me’ knit pattern so will be starting another blanket, probably today.

On our snow plowing conundrum – it turned out to be a very long story: Our ‘regular’ guy retired & didn’t tell us; next guy who was recommended very abruptly said: “I’m SWAMPED!”. I ended up calling back our old guy for another recommendation so now we have someone for the ‘next’ big snow. My oldest son who drove 12+hours home after being away for the weekend suddenly showed up in our driveway with a snowblower & did our drive! I was super surprised (didn’t expect him home for at least another 3-4 hours!). He said they decided to leave early knowing the driving conditions would be bad; he borrowed the snowblower from the other grandparents: did his driveway, their driveway then ours – what a guy! My special needs group is officially canceled for tonight & all my people are called (got that done last night!). I’m thinking pork roast, carrots & potatoes in the crockpot for dinner – easy-peasy!

===========

Orange Coffee Rolls

1/4 C. warm water
1 envelope active dry yeast
–
1 3/4 C. sugar, divided
2 eggs
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. butter melted/divided
1 tsp. salt
2 3/4 to 3 C. flour
1 C. flaked coconut, toasted/
divided
2 T. orange zest
1/2 C. sour cream
1/4 C. butter
2 tsp. orange juice
–
Grease a 9 X 13″ baking
dish with butter, or spray
with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine dry yeast into
warm water in a large bowl;
let stand 5 minutes. Add 1/4 C.
sugar, eggs, sour cream, 6 T.
melted butter & salt; beat
using elec. mixer on medium
speed until blended. Gradually
stir in enough flour to make a
soft dough. Turn dough out onto
a well-floured surface. Knead
dough until smooth & elastic,
about 5 minutes. Grease a
large bowl with butter; place
dough ball in bowl. Cover with
a towel & place in a warm place
(85 degrees), free from drafts,
1 1/2 hours or until dough doubles
in bulk. Punch dough down & divide
in half. Roll one portion dough into a
12-inch circle; brush with 1 T. melted
butter. In a small bowl combine 3/4 C.
sugar, 3/4 C. coconut & orange zest;
sprinkle half of mixture over dough.
Cut into 12 wedges; roll each wedge,
beginning at wide end & place in
prepared pan, point sides down –
repeat with remaining dough/butter/
coconut mixture. Cover & let rise in
a warm place, free from drafts, 45
minutes or until double in bulk.
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake rolls 25-30 *minutes until golden.
*Cover with foil after 15 minutes to
prevent excess browning. While rolls
are baking: in a small saucepan combine
3/4 C. sugar, sour cream, butter & orange
juice. Over medium heat bring to boil.
Boil, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Let
cool slightly then spoon warm glaze over
warm rolls & sprinkle with remaining
1/4 C. coconut. Makes 2 dozen.

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

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 lb. ground beef (or sausage)
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
4 C. water
1-2 lb. pkg. frozen pepper & onion
blend
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic
2 tsp. basil
–
4 C. riced, cooked – for serving
=
In large pot or Dutch oven, brown
beef over medium-high heat until
no longer pink. Drain. Add onion/
pepper blend & cook until peppers
are tender & onions are slightly
translucent. Stir in all other
ingredients (except rice) – bring to
boil over medium heat. Reduce
heat & simmer about 30 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Stir in rice to
each bowl (or in the whole pot, if
desired) just before serving.

NOTE: Poster said “If you’re not going
to eat all of the soup at that serving,
she suggests stirring rice into each
individual bowl of soup rather than
the entire pot.

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

Crockpot Cube Steak

2 lb. cube steak
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom
soup
–
Cooked rice or egg noodles to serve 6
=
Place cube steak in freezer for about
20 minutes to facilitate easier slicing.
Cut meat into 1-inch strips & place in
bottom of 5 qt or larger crockpot; pour
soup on top. Cover & cook on Low 4-6
hours. Serve over cooked white or brown
rice or cooked egg noodles.

NOTE: If you would like a thinner gravy,
add a little water to meat & soup (about
1/4 C.). Without adding water the meat
will release it’s own juices which will thin
out the gravy, also.

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

Amish Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. sliced bacon, diced
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 C. frozen, shredded hash
brown potatoes, thawed
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C. cottage cheese
1 1/4 C. shredded Swiss cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large skillet cook bacon & onion
over medium heat until bacon is
crisp; drain. In large bowl combine
remaining ingredients; stir in bacon
mixture & transfer to prepared pan.
Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes until
a knife inserted into center comes out
clean. Let stand 10 minutes before
cutting. Serves 12

NOTE: can be assembled a day ahead &
baked just before serving.

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

Honey/Lemon/Ginger Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
salt/pepper, to taste
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 C. honey
zest of 1 lemon
4 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 T. soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
=
Cooked rice to serve 6
=
Heat a large skillet over medium-
high heat; add 1 T. olive oil & heat.
Add chicken chunks & sprinkle with
salt/pepper. Cook until browned on
all sides & no longer pink on the
inside – about 10 minutes. In a
medium saucepan, heat over medium-
high heat & add 1 T. olive oil – heat oil.
Add ginger & garlic, cook 2-3 minutes
being careful not to burn, until fragrant &
slightly golden brown. In large glass
measuring cup whisk lemon zest, lemon
juice, vinegar, honey, soy sauce & cornstarch;
make sure all is well combined. Pour sauce
over garlic & ginger -stir to combine & allow
to come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once
at a boil, cook 2 minutes – sauce will thicken
& turn a bit darker. Pour sauce over cooked
chicken & stir, making sure all chicken is
coated in sauce. Serve immediately over
cooked rice. Serves 6

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

Tuscan Sausage & White Bean Soup

1/4 C. butter
1/2 C. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
1/4 C. flour
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1/2 lb. ground pork sausage, cooked/
drained
1 (15.5 oz) can undrained cannellini
beans
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In medium saucepan melt butter; add
onion & garlic, cook 1-2 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir
in flour – slowly add evap. milk & broth
while stirring constantly. Once mixture
comes to a complete boil, add sausage
& beans. Heat through, season with
salt/pepper. Serves 4

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

Reese’s Chocolate Butter Cake

1 (15.25 oz) box Devil’s Food cake mix
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 egg
12 peanut butter cups (full sized circle)
cut into sixths
4 snack-sized Butterfinger candy bars,
coarsely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. creamy peanut butter
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. butter, melted
4 C. powdered sugar

Glaze:
1 C. milk chocolate chips
2 tsp. vegetable oil
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Generously spray 9 X 13″ baking
pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl combine dry cake
mix, melted butter & egg – mix
until combined. Cover bottom of
greased pan evenly with cake
mixture. Spread peanut butter cups &
butterfinger pieces over cake mixture.
Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, eggs
& vanilla until well blended then add
butter. Mix in powdered sugar until well
blended & spread over candy bar layer.
Bake 55 minutes – it will puff up in the
center & will drop a little after you remove
it from oven. Let cool
Mix Glaze ingredients in a microwave-safe
bowl & microwave until chips are melted.
Spread over cooled cake. Serves 30

(recipe: sixsistersstuff.com)

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

Ok – right now (8:50 a.m.) the temp. is showing
-8 degrees F. with a wind chill of -31 degrees F.!
Now THAT’S cold! The really FUNNY thing is:
they’re predicting a high of near 45 degrees F.
for Sunday! WEIRD! (then rain & high near 48
for next Monday) Hey-I can take the cold – you
can walk & drive in it & not worry about falling
or getting your car stuck in it! Wonder how
many brave ladies will venture out today to
library Knit group!

Stay warm – our local newspaper’s headline
today is: “Stay warm – stay inside!”

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Here comes the S-N-O-W!

Here in Michigan we are awaiting a BIG snowstorm coming sometime today/night – 5 to 7 inches (YUCK). Yesterday found me attempting to contact our snowplow man to make sure we are still on his list of clients – to no avail; calls went to his answering machine which promptly told clients that the ‘box is full and not able to take any more messages.” UGH! Finally, out of frustration, I tried ONE MORE TIME this morning and got him right away. My ‘hunch’ was right – he’s retired! We are now going to try another man who was referred to us by a friend – sure hope this works out, don’t want to be snowed in. We live on a MAJOR highway (45 mph. in front of our house) and our driveway is sloped just enough to make it nigh onto impossible to get UP if there’s any snow on it! The county road crews come through plowing the road constantly which piles up HUGH amounts of snow/ice at the bottom of the drive – you would need a SHERMAN TANK to get over that once it freezes up, hence WHY we need the drive plowed! Husband & I (and the boys, at times) have shoveled that for many years but both husband & I are now of an age that we shouldn’t be doing that kind of work, so we called a plow guy. SURE HOPE this new guy comes through – I’m thinking I will probably be the one to babysit tomorrow morning. Son & his girlfriend went with other couples for a weekend together and are due back tonight (other grandparents babysat for 4 days so I’m pretty sure they won’t be babysitting tomorrow when our son & girlfriend have to go back to work). OH JOY – I get to ‘venture out’ – sure hope the drive gets cleared & the roads are good – we’ll see.

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Sour Cream Banana Bars

Bars:
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 C. mashed bananas
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 C. butter
3 3/4 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4-5 T. Half & Half
–
Optional: add 1/2 C. chopped nuts
to batter of bars, if desired
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease & flour a 10 X 15″ jelly roll pan.
In large bowl using elec. mixer, combine
sugar, sour cream, butter & eggs – mix on
Low speed, scraping bowl occasionally,
until combined. Add bananas & vanilla –
mix on Low about 30 seconds. Add flour,
salt & baking soda – mix on medium speed
about 1 minute, just until combined – pour
into prepared pan. Bake 18-22 minutes until
golden brown & a toothpick inserted into
center comes out clean. Cool until just
slightly warm & frost with Brown Butter
Frosting. Serves 12

Frosting:
In small saucepan brown butter over medium
heat until golden brown in color & golden-
brown flecks appear, swirling pan frequently.
(butter will become a little foamy). Remove
from heat & pour into a large bowl, cool
slightly. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and
Half & Half – mix using elec. mixer until
smooth & spreadable

(recipe: 5boysbaker.com)
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Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup

2 C. cooked/chopped roast beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (12 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth
1 (42 oz) can tomato juice
1 1/2 C. coarse-chopped cabbage
1 large potato, peeled/chopped
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place all ingredients in crockpot;
cover & cook on Low 8 hours or
until potatoes are tender.
Serves 10

(recipe: farmwifecooks.com)
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Tex-Mex Bean Bake w/Cornbread
Topping

1 T. olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled/
finely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 small green pepper, coarsely
chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, coarsely
chopped
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/
rinsed
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained/
rinsed
1 C. frozen corn
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 C. vegetable broth
3 oz. cream cheese, softened

Topping:
1 (8.5 oz) box corn bread/muffin mix
(Jiffy)
1 large egg
1/3 C. milk
1/3 C. solid-pack pumpkin
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.
In large skillet heat oil over
medium-high heat. Add sweet
potato, onion & peppers- cook &
stir 5-7 minutes until potato is
cooked halfway through. Stir in
beans, corn, chilies, salt & cumin;
heat through. Stir in broth & cream
cheese until blended – pour mixture
into prepared pan.
In large bowl combine corn bread mix,
egg, milk & pumpkin – spoon over
bean mixture in pan. Bake, uncovered,
25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted
into topping portion comes out clean.
Serves 8

NOTE: this recipe can be made ahead a
day in advance. Prepare as directed,
omitting topping. Cover & refrigerate
overnight. Remove from fridge 30 minutes
before baking. Prepare topping & bake
as directed

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
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Stir-fry Garlic/Beef & Broccoli

1 lb. round steak, very thinly sliced*
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. medium sherry (optional)
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/4 C. olive oil (or other oil)
3/4 lb. broccoli, cut into small
florettes
1/4 C. chicken stock
4 green onions, cut into 1″ lengths
1 1/2 C. small mushrooms, sliced
2 T. soy sauce (or more, if desired)
salt/pepper
=
Cooked rice or noodles to serve 6
=
Place sliced steak in a bowl with sherry
(if using), soy sauce, cornstarch & a little
salt – stir & let rest 20 minutes.
Place 2 T. oil in a skillet over medium-high
heat. Add garlic & stir-fry 1-2 minutes. Add
mushrooms & stir-fry 2 minutes; remove &
keep warm. Place 2 T. oil in skillet & stir-fry
beef until nicely browned; remove & keep
warm. Add 1 T. oil to skillet & stir-fry green
onions 1 minute-remove & keep warm. Pour
chicken stock in skillet & heat to bubbling;
add broccoli. Cover & steam 3-4 minutes.
Remove lid & place all ingredients in
skillet; heat through but do not over cook.
Serves 6

*Steak is sliced easily if it is half-frozen
when you slice it

(recipe: geniuskitchen.com)
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Scrambled Egg Muffins

12 eggs
1/2 C. milk
salt/pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 green onion, chopped
3-4 slices deli ham
4 fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 C. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking
spray. Crack eggs into large bowl; add
milk, salt/pepper/seasoned salt – whisk
vigorously with a fork. Sprinkle onion,
ham, mushrooms & cheese into muffin
tin bottoms & pour some of egg mixture
into each cup (just a little less than full=
helps if you use a large measuring cup)
Bake 30 minutes until they puffed up &
are a bit golden brown along the edges.
Allow to sit in pan about 5 minutes, then
serve. Makes 12

NOTE: They can be made ahead – cool
completely & store in ziplock bags in fridge.
Microwave to reheat.

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
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Country Chicken ‘n Rice

1 (3 to 3 1/2 lb) chicken, cut into 8
pieces
6 C. water
2 (15 oz, ea) cans tomato sauce
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1T. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 C. long or whole-grain rice,
rinsed
–
In large pot bring all ingredients
except rice to a boil over medium-
high heat. Cover & allow to boil
35 minutes. Add rice & cook 25-30
minutes until rice is tender, no pink
remains in chicken & chicken juices
run clear. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
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Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

1 box white cake mix
1 egg
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment
paper. In mixing bowl beat dry cake
mix, egg & melted butter until fully
combined. In small bowl mix cinnamon
& sugar. Scoop batter & shape into
1 inch balls & roll balls in cinnamon/sugar
mixture – place on cookie sheet – repeat
with remaining dough. Bake 10-12 minutes
until edges are light brown. Let cookies
set on cookie sheet 5 minutes before
removing – cool completely on wire rack.
Makes 36-40 cookies

(recipe: ourtableforseven.com)
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Am currently working on finishing the ‘various
pinks’ blanket (almost done), the continuing
baby booties project and then – the other night
I got a text from oldest son asking if I would
mind making a (Loom-knit) hat for his friend.
I told son I haven’t made those in years (the
process makes my hands hurt so I kind of stopped
doing that) BUT – this is my son’s close friend so
I caved. Told him I hoped his friend didn’t mind
the colors I chose (only large skeins of ‘regular’
yarn I had at the moment): maroon & black.
Friend sent me a text with a photo of him holding
a post-it note saying “I love you, Pam!” so – being
the ‘softy’ that I am, of course I’m making him a
hat! (I’ve known him since they were teens – he
works for my son as an under chef, he’s a great
guy!). To take my mind off the ‘process’ of making
the hat I’ve been watching the cooking channel &
looming – it helps. I also told my son ‘no more
volunteering my hat making skills, please’.

Hope you are having a GREAT day! It’s the
beginning of a new week – let’s hope it turns
out to be a good one!

Hugs;

Pammie