It’s been a busy/crazy week – husband & I are FINALLY feeling better (still a little cough, but nothing like before!). I babysat Thurs. from 6 a.m. – almost 6 p.m. (baby’s Mom is in training for a management position and THIS week they shifted her schedule – I ‘made it’-YAY! The weather has been nice, in the 70’s – today’s high is supposed to be 89! (glad I don’t have any plans to be outside!).
Finished two baby blankets (have posted the photos of them partially done before – blue & white one & a multi-colored one). Have begun another blanket using the remaining blue & white yarn along with a thicker white yarn – it’s a pattern I’ve done before – it’s a ‘corner to corner’ blanket, meaning you begin with 2 stitches & knit ‘corner to corner, increasing & decreasing stitches as you go.
In the one I’m doing the solid parts are white & the parts with ‘holes’ are the blue/white yarn – helps me use up yarns! Am thinking of beginning crocheting some Granny Squares using up some of the many baby yarns I have – you know: the bits that are not enough to actually make anything but a few baby hats (am REALLY tired of baby hats at the moment) so we’ll see where ‘that’ idea goes…
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Banana Pudding Fluff
1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla
or banana flavored pudding mix,
(can use sugar-free)
1 C. milk (can use nonfat)
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
(can use sugar free)
3 C. mini marshmallows
3 C. Vanilla Wafers, broken into
pieces
3 medium bananas, sliced
–
Whisk pudding mix & milk in large
bowl – let stand 3 minutes to set.
Stir in Cool Whip, then stir in
marshmallows, cookies & sliced
bananas. Serve the same day
it’s made – (bananas will turn
brown with age & cookies will
soften if left longer than one day).
Serves 10
(recipe: easygoodideas.com)
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Creamy Zucchini & Spinach Pasta
Bake
3 C. cavatappi pasta (or elbow macaroni)
1 onion, chopped
2 zucchini, cut lengthwise in half,
then sliced crosswise (making half moons)
1 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 (6 oz) pkg. baby spinach leaves
1 (24 oz) jar marinara (poster used
Classico marinara with plum tomatoes & olive
oil)
1 (15 oz) tub ricotta cheese
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
(poster used Kraft with a touch of Philadelphia)
—–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
cooking spray.
Cook pasta in large saucepan accordg. to pkg.
directions, omitting salt. Cook & stir onions
in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 3-4
minutes until zucchini is crisp-tender, stirring
frequently. Add half the spinach; cook 2-3
minutes just until wilted – repeat with
remaining spinach – remove from heat. Drain
pasta; add to vegetable mixture in skillet
along with pasta sauce, ricotta, Italian
seasoning & 1 C. mozzarella, mix lightly.
Spoon mixture into prepared pan – top
with remaining mozzarella. Bake 20-25
minutes until casserole is heated through
& mozzarella is melted.
Serves about 12, 1 C. each
(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
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Crockpot Ranch Potatoes
6 strips bacon, chopped
2 1/2 lb. small red potatoes, cubed
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of potato
soup, undiluted
1/4 C. milk (2%)
1 envelope dry Buttermilk Ranch
salad dressing mix
3 T. thinly sliced green onions
–
In large skillet cook bacon over medium
heat until crisp, stirring occasionally.
Remove with slotted spoon; drain on
paper towels. Drain drippings, reserving
1 T. Place potatoes in 3 qt crockpot. In
a bowl beat cream cheese, soup, milk,
dry dressing mix & reserve bacon drippings
until blended; stir into potatoes. Sprinkle
with crumbled bacon. Cover & cook on
Low 7-8 hours until potatoes are tender.
Top with green onions. Serves 10
(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
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Chicken Alfredo Dip
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. milk
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
2 C. cooked, chopped chicken breasts
(about 1 large)
–
Dippers:
cut up veggies, crackers and/or crusty
bread
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray medium (1 – 1.5 qt) baking
dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Alfredo sauce:
In medium skillet over medium heat,
melt butter – whisk in flour until smooth.
Add salt, parsley & garlic – cook 1 minute.
Add broth & milk – whisk until combined.
Cook over medium heat, whisking often,
until thickened & smooth. Stir in Parm.
cheese & 1/2 C. mozzarella until melted.
In medium bowl using elec. mixer, beat
cream cheese until smooth; add Alfredo
sauce & beat until combined; stir in
chicken & spread in prepared baking dish.
Top with remaining 1/2 C. mozzarella cheese.
Bake 15-20 minutes until bubbly & beginning
to brown. Makes 3 1/2 C.
(OR) Cover & refrigerate up to 2 days until
ready to bake.
(recipe: therecipecritic.com)
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Ambrosia Salad
3/4 C. heavy cream, chilled
1/4 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. sour cream
4 C. mini marshmallows (either
regular or fruit-flavored)
1 1/2 C. sweetened shredded coconut
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, well
drained
3/4 C. maraschino cherries, stems
removed
1 C. pineapple tidbits, well drained
–
In a medium bowl, combine heavy
cream, powdered sugar & vanilla. Using
an elec. mixer, beat mixture on high
speed until stiff peaks form. Add sour
cream & stir until well combined. In
another large bowl combine marsh-
mallows, coconut, oranges, cherries &
pineapple – stir to combine. Pour
whipped cream mixture over ingredients
& stir until evenly combined & all
ingredients are covered in cream
mixture. Cover & refrigerate at least
one hour before serving. Serves 12
NOTE: Be sure to thoroughly DRAIN
the fruit if you are making the salad
more than an hour ahead of time. You
can put all the fruit in a colander &
let it stand/drain about an hour –
this will keep the salad from becoming
soupy while it sets.
(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
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Baked Chicken with Peaches
(oven & crockpot)
1 pkg. chicken parts (poster used
thighs)
3 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 T. butter or margarine
1 (1 lb) can sliced or halved
peaches in juice
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In a bowl mix flour, salt/pepper,
cinnamon & nutmeg. Spray a
casserole dish with nonstick
cooking spray & place chicken
parts in dish – sprinkle flour
mixture over chicken. Cut butter
into pats & place on top of each
chicken piece. Bake 35-40
minutes. Remove from oven &
place peaches in dish with chicken;
pour peach juice over all & bake
another 20 minutes. Remove &
spoon juice over chicken – serve.
Crockpot:
Prepare as above, placing chicken
in crockpot & cooking on Low
7 hours or High 4 hours. Add
peaches the last half hour of cooking.
(recipe: thesouthernladycooks.com)
———————————–
Grilled Firecracker Potato Salad
GRILL recipe
3 lb. small red potatoes (about 30)
quartered
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Dressing:
1 1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1/4 C. Dijon mustard
2 T. sweet pickle relish
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salad:
6 hard boiled large eggs, chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
minced fresh chives, (optional)
=
Toss potatoes with oil, salt/pepper &
place in a grill wok* or basket. Grill,
covered, over medium heat 20-25
minutes until potatoes are tender,
stirring occasionally. Transfer
potatoes to a large bowl; cool slightly.
In small bowl mix dressing ingredients.
Add dressing, eggs & celery to potatoes;
toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered,
1-2 hours until cold. If desired, sprinkle
with chives.
Makes 16 servings (1 C. each)
*If you do not have a grill wok or
basket, use a large disposable foil
pan & poke holes in bottom of pan
(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
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Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
2 C. chopped rhubarb
2 c. quartered strawberries
1/2 C. sugar
1 T. cornstarch dissolved in
1 T. water
1/4 C. flour (optional thickener
for filling)
–
Topping:
1 C. flour
1 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. water
1 stick (8 T.) cold, salted butter,
cubed
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Butter a 10 – 12 inch oven-proof
skillet. Blend chopped rhubarb,
strawberries, 1/2 C. sugar, cornstarch
& 1/4 C. flour -pour into prepared skillet
& heat over medium heat 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally, until thickened.
In a large bowl add topping ingredients:
flour, rolled oats, sugar, cinnamon then cut
in butter using a pastry cutter or 2
forks until it makes a crumbly, slightly
moist texture. Sprinkle this mixture
on top of filling in skillet & bake 35-40
minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 6
(recipe: thecountrycook.net)
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I have Sunday School snack duty tomorrow
so I went to Gordon Food Service & bought
a bunch of ‘small’ treats – mini muffins, mini
brownies, mini cream cheese danishes; my
husband said: “Don’t worry about having
too many – I’ll always eat all the leftovers!”
Gas prices have finally dropped a bit to
$2.89/9 – was getting really close to $3.00
so glad it’s back down (for now).
Not much else new on the horizon – we
have our annual Sunday School class picnic
next Saturday at our teacher’s house –
that’s ALWAYS a great time! He loves grilling
so he does chicken, steak and (this year) he’s
decided to add shrimp! YUM! He also does
grilled corn on the cob & homemade ice
cream – WOW! NOT the place to go if you’re
trying to stay on a diet, for sure! We all bring
salads, side dishes or desserts so it’s a big
PIG OUT party! LOVE going every year – they
have a really nice home & grounds (complete
with a pond you can either row a row boat in
or paddle a little paddle boat! I just like to sit
in the shade & chat with all the people – really
nice time.
Hope you’re enjoying this Summer – it always
seems to go by SO FAST! (I even heard of some
schools starting school already! Not in my area,
but that’s CRAZY! I guess those kids get out
in May, but still – give me the old “School
Starts AFTER Labor DAY!
Hugs;
Pammie
