Happy Fall, Y’all!

Not that Fall is my favorite season, but it IS nice to see all the leaves change colors – I’ll give you that. Also love apples – apple anything! Just made a small apple crisp the other day because a friend gave me a small bag of apples (the crisp is almost gone!). I know lots of people live for the changing of the seasons especially for the ‘pumpkin-everything’ – pies, cookies, cakes, brownies, etc, not counting all the various coffee drinks!

I still have a few more Summer recipes to share so I’ll try to place them in this post before we get colder weather and all the summer recipes are put away until next year.

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

Cookies ‘n Cream Brownies

1 box brownie mix plus
ingredients to prepare (as listed
on box)
16 Oreo cookies
4 Hershey “Cookies ‘n Creme candy
bars
melted chocolate, for drizzling
(optional)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a 8 X 8″square baking pan
with parchment paper. Prepare
brownie batter per box instructions.
Pour batter into prepared pan then
lay down Oreo cookies on top in
an even layer, pressing cookies down
so the batter covers them almost
completely. Bake 35 minutes until a
toothpick inserted into center comes
out mostly clean. Let cool completely
in pan. Place unwrapped candy bars
in medium microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave on 50 per cent power
until they are melted – pour over
the brownies & smooth into even
layer using a spatula. Refrigerate
10 minutes then drizzle top with
melted chocolate, if using. Cut
into squares. Serves 16

(recipe: delish.com)
———————————–

3-Ingredient Zucchini Parmesan

1 C. sliced zucchini
1 T. shredded Parmesan cheese
10 squirts ‘butter spray’ (nonstick
butter-flavored cooking spray)
–
Line a cookie sheet with foil;
spray with nonstick cooking
spray. Place zucchini slices on
pan then spritz with butter spray.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top
& place under broiler for a few
minutes until cheese starts to
brown.
Makes 1 serving

(recipe: 77recipes.com)
—————————–

Salmon w/Zucchini & Spaghetti

1/2 lb. uncooked thin spaghetti
4 T. olive oil, divided
1 lb. salmon, skinned/cut into
2″ cubes
1 pint small cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 lb. onion, cut into thin strips
1/4 lb. sweet banana peppers, cut into
thin strips*
pinch red pepper flakes
1 T. garlic, minced
1/4 C. white wine
1 lb. zucchini, cut into thin strips
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. grated black pepper
1/4 C. fresh Italian flat-leaf
parsley, chopped
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/2 C. freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 C. fresh Italian basil, chopped
–
Cook spaghetti accordg. to pkg.
directions – a little less than al dente.
Remove to a bowl, leaving pasta
water in pot. In large skillet add half
of oil & heat to medium-high. Add
salmon cubes (not touching each
other) & cook a few minutes on
each side to brown & cook almost
through – remove to a bowl. Add
tomatoes to skillet & cook until just
starting to pop, 2-3 minutes – remove
to same bowl as fish. Add remaining
oil & onions – saute 2 minutes,
scraping up any browned bits from
bottom of pan. Add banana peppers &
cook 2-3 minutes to soften. Add pepper
flakes & garlic, cook 1 minute then add
wine – cook to evaporate, about 2 minutes.
Add zucchini & cook, stirring 2 minutes.
Add salt/pepper, parsley & cream – stir.
Add about 1 C. pasta water & stir. Add
Romano & basil – stir then add cooked
pasta. Stir then add cooked tomatoes &
salmon – gently toss to combine; remove
from heat.
To serve: top with additional fresh basil &
Romano cheese. Serves 4-6

NOTE: try to cut veggies into thin strips
similar in size to spaghetti.

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

Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan

1 1/2 C. marinara, divided
2 medium eggplants, halved
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. chopped tomatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella,
divided
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. Italian bread crumbs
1/4 C. basil, chopped fine
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spread about 1 C. marinara
sauce in bottom of medium
baking dish. Using a spoon,
hollow out the insides of the
eggplants leaving about a 1/2″
border around skin to create
a boat. Roughly chop the
scooped out eggplant. Place
‘boats’ in prepared dish
(scooped sides up). In large
skillet over medium heat
place olive oil; heat oil then
add onion & cook about
5 minutes until softened.
Stir in chopped eggplant &
season with oregano, salt/
pepper. Cook, stirring often,
until eggplant is golden &
tender, about 3 minutes. Stir
in garlic & cook until fragrant,
about 30 seconds – transfer
mixture to a large bowl. Add
chopped tomatoes, egg, 1 1/2
C. mozzarella & 1/2 C. marinara;
mix just until combined. Scoop
mixture into eggplant ‘boats’ &
top with more mozzarella,
Parmesan & bread crumbs.
Bake about 50 minutes until
boats are tender & cheese has
melted. Garnish with chopped
basil & serve. Serves 4

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————–
Zucchini Tots
(appetizer)

1 packed Cup grated zucchini
1 large egg
1/4 medium onion, minced
1/4 C. grated sharp Cheddar
cheese
1/3 C. seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray. Grate zucchini into a
clean dish towel until you have 1
packed cup. Wring all excess water
out of zucchini; there will be a LOT
of water. In medium bowl combine
all ingredients & season with
salt/pepper, to taste. Spoon 1 T.
mixture into your hand & roll into
small ovals – place on prepared
sheet & bake 16-18 minutes,
turning halfway through cooking
time until golden. Makes 16 tots.
Serves 3

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

Layered Apple/Pork Chop Bake

4-6 boneless pork chops
2-3 apples, peeled/sliced
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 to 1/3 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, divided
1/2 T. cornstarch (optional)
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place sliced apples in bottom of a
large baking dish & sprinkle with
1/2 tsp. cinnamon & 1/4 tsp.
nutmeg. Place chops on top of
apple slices & season generously
with salt/pepper. In medium saucepan
over medium-high heat, combine
butter & brown sugar, whisking until
melted & incorporated. Stir in
remaining cinnamon & nutmeg. Whisk
in cornstarch (if using) – makes for a
thicker glaze. Pour mixture over chops
& apple slices in pan then bake
35-40 minutes until chops are cooked
through. serves 4-6

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————————-

Crockpot Pecan Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust
3 eggs
1 C. sugar
2/3 C. dark corn syrup
1/3 C. melted butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. chopped pecans (or a combination
of chopped & whole)
–
vanilla ice cream – for serving
–
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
spray. Place pie crust in crockpot & mold
it to fir the shape of the crock. Stir
remaining ingredients together (except nuts),
until well mixed. Stir in nuts (you can reserve
some for sprinkling on top). Pour
filling into pie crust. Gently place reserved
nuts on top of filling. Cover & cook on
High 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Serve warm with
vanilla ice cream (if desired).  Serves 6

(recipe: spicysouthernkitchen.com)

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

Our weather is gorgeous today: sunny &
86 degrees F. I read that this Fall is going to
be un-seasonably warm for much longer
than usual – interesting…

I started a new baby afghan today – mint
green (sport weight yarn) in another knit
lace pattern. Not exactly sure where I
found this pattern; apparently I just copied
down the pattern without including the
site/place I found it – no name, either, but
it’s a rather easy pattern and works up
nicely. (Yes, I’m back to my old ‘several
projects on the needles’ at once.) Currently
there’s the 3/4ths finished knit baby afghan
in white & stripes of pink, green, blue & yellow;
a 3/4ths done scarf for the homeless, the new
mint green afghan and am also working on
making more baby headbands for Detroit
Vets baby shower NEXT year. (The lady in
charge said they were a big hit – this year
I only made 8 so I’m attempting to get more
done for next year.) Oh…and baby hats
whenever I feel ‘inspired’ to make them. I
have a ‘go’ bag which has the supplies to
make hats – I usually take that with me if
I’m going to an appointment or know I’m
going to sit for long periods of time; also
have the same thing in my car – I don’t
like wasting time just sitting; would much
rather be doing something constructive –
know what I mean?

Hope you are enjoying your FIRST DAY OF FALL –

Hugs;

Pammie

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SO HAPPY and PROUD!

Last night was the Pick Up date for all of the lovely knitted & crocheted baby items for the upcoming Detroit Veterans Hospital’s Annual Baby Shower. The lady who is the Women’s Coordinator for the event told us there will be 17 Moms attending the shower. This year our group donated 87 knit & crocheted items! 24 blankets, 42 hats, 11 sets of booties, 2 snuggle sacks and 8 baby headbands – I’d say we MORE THAN covered the moms this time! (I was going to post all of the photos, but there are 17 photos, so I decided not to). The ladies in my group continue to amaze me with their generosity – so happy they participated in showing love to these Vets Moms!

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

Caramel Apple Slab Pie

2 1/4 C. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 C. butter-flavored shortening
8 T. cold water
1/3 C. flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 1/2 lb. Granny Smith apples,
peeled/cored & cut into 1/4″
thick slices (10 cups)

Crumb Topping:
1 C. quick-cooking rolled oats
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. butter

Homemade Caramel:
1 C. brown sugar
4 T. butter
1/2 C. Half & Half
1 T. vanilla
pinch salt
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 15 X 10 X 1″ rimmed
sheet pan with nonstick spray.
Dough:
In large bowl combine flour &
salt; using pastry blender or
2 forks, cut in shortening until it
resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle
1 T. cold water over mixture & toss
with a fork. Repeat, using 1 T. water
at a time until it is  moistened, then
knead dough into a ball. On lightly
floured surface, roll dough into a
19X13″ rectangle. Wrap dough around
rolling pin & unroll dough into prepared
pan. Ease dough into pan & up sides,
being careful not to stretch it. Trim
dough to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pan.
Fold dough edge over & flute as desired.

In extra large bowl combine sugar,
1/3 C. flour, cinnamon & apples – toss
to coat. Spoon mixture onto dough &
spread evenly.

Crumb Topping:
In large stir oats, brown sugar & flour.
Using a pastry blender, cut in butter
until topping resembles coarse crumbs –
sprinkle on top of apples in pan. Bake
40-45 minutes until apples are tender. If
it is starting to brown too fast, cover top
with foil the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Cool slightly.

Homemade caramel:
Place all ingredients in medium saucepan
over medium-low  to medium heat. Cook,
while whisking gently, 5-7 minutes until
thicker. Turn off heat. Serve warm or
refrigerate until cold. Drizzle caramel on
top of apple slab pie then serve.
Serves 25

(recipe: therecipecritic.com)
——————————————

 

Cheesy Baked Zucchini

4 C. shredded zucchini
1 C. Bisquick baking mix
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. chopped scallion
2 T. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl combine all ingredients &
mix well – pour into prepared
dish. Bake 25 minutes until
golden brown. Cut into squares
& serve. Serves 15

(recipe: mrfood.com)
——————————–
Garlic/Parmesan/Asparagus

1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. butter, melted
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
–
In large skillet bring 1/2 inch
of water to a boil. Add asparagus &
garlic; cook, covered, until asparagus
is crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes; drain.
Toss asparagus with butter & cheese.
Serves 4

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

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

12 oz. elbow macaroni
1/2 C. grated carrot
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 C. mayonnaise
3 T. pineapple juice
2 T. apple cider vinegar
salt/pepper, as desired
–
Cook macaroni per pkg.
directions; drain/cool.
Add grated carrot & celery &
mix. Whisk mayo, pineapple
juice & vinegar then pour over
noodles – toss to combine. Add
salt/pepper, to taste. Chill until
ready to serve. Serves 6

(recipe: slowcookergourmet.com)
———————————

 Crockpot Pepper Steak

2 lb. beef sirloin cut into
2″ strips
garlic powder
3 T. vegetable oil
1 beef bouillon cube
1/3 C. hot water
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 C. chopped onion
2 large roughly chopped green
bell peppers
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
with juice
3 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
–
Heat oil in large skillet over medium
heat; season beef strips with garlic
powder then brown in oil. Once
browned, place strips in crockpot.
In large bowl mix bouillon cube with
hot water – dissolve then add cornstarch
& stir to dissolve; pour mixture over meat
in crockpot. Add onion, green peppers,
stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar &
salt – stir to combine. Cover & cook
3-4 hours on High or 6-8 on Low.

(recipe: 77easyrecipes.com)
———————————-       
Homade Pimento Cheese Spread

2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
4 oz. diced pimentos, drained
1/2 tsp. dried mustard
–
Using elec. mixer, in bowl mix
cheese & cream cheese together –
mix 2-3 minutes. Add mayo &
mix again. Add in seasonings –
stir everything together then
mix in pimentos. Refrigerate
at least 10-15 minutes before
using.

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

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake

8 oz. uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 T. olive oil
1 C. chopped onion
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen spinach,
thawed
3 C. cooked/cubed chicken breasts
1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced
tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz) container (Philadelphia)
chive & onion cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain. Spread oil on bottom of 9 X 13″
baking pan & add onion in single layer.
Bake 15 minutes just until tender.
Transfer onion to large bowl. Drain
chopped spinach well, pressing between
layers of paper toweling. Stir in cooked
rigatoni, spinach, chicken & next 4
ingredients – into onion in bowl. Spoon
mixture into prepared dish & sprinkle
evenly with shredded cheese. Bake,
covered, 30 minutes. Uncover & bake 15
minutes more until bubbly.

(recipe: facebook)
——————————

Crockpot Blueberry/Lemon Cobbler

Filling:

32 oz. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 C. sugar
3 T. lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
1 T. lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)
1/4 C. flour

Topping:

2 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
1 T. lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 C. butter (2 sticks, chilled/
cut into bits)
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
–
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream,
for topping cobbler, if desired
–
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
spray. Place blueberries in bottom of
crockpot; sprinkle lemon juice on top.
In medium bowl mix sugar & lemon
zest, working zest into sugar with your
fingers to release the lemon oils in the
zest. Add flour & stir with a fork to
evenly combine flour with sugar. Sprinkle
mixture evenly over berries & toss to
combine.

Topping:

In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, lemon
zest, baking powder, salt & nutmeg using
a fork until well combined. Using 2 butter
knives or a pastry cutter, cut in cold bits
of butter into flour mixture until it
resembles a coarse meal with small pea-
sized pieces of butter. In small bowl whisk
eggs & vanilla with a fork & gently toss
egg mixture into flour/butter mixture
until moistened & dough starts to hold
together & create clumps of dough.
Sprinkle cobbler topping evenly over
blueberries in crockpot. Cover opening
of crockpot with paper towels or a clean
kitchen towel; cover with lid. (toweling
will absorb any condensation that will
collect on lid while cooking, preventing
it from dripping onto cobbler.) Cook
on High 3-4 hours until you can see the
juices from the blueberries bubbling
around edges of crockpot. Check
cobbler at 3 hour mark & only cook
for additional time if needed. Turn
off crockpot & carefully remove lid
& toweling. Let cobbler cool slightly
before serving. Serve with vanilla
ice cream or whipped cream, if
desired. Serves 8

(recipe: crockpotladies.com)

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

I know that this week has been very trying
for SO many people in our country – prayers
sent out for all those that battled the storms &
fires – I can’t even imagine.

I noticed in our local paper that they are saying
the gas prices will rise due to the recent weather
situations; yesterday I observed our local station’s
prices are up to $2.59/9 (from $2.39/9) – it’s
understandable. I would imagine produce will
greatly increase in price as well as other items
that would normally be shipped by land; we’ll
see.

Our weather is in the low 70’s during the day,
sunny (supposed to rain tomorrow).

Hoping you are all in good healthy and safety;

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Hello, September (a little late)…

Hello! Been awhile since I’ve posted (or, it feels that way to me) – been playing ‘catch up’. Next Tuesday is the official “Pick Up” date for all the knit/crocheted baby items for the Detroit Veterans Hospital’s Baby shower so I’ve been trying to make sure all the details are covered; example: drove to meet a fellow group member to pick up EIGHT flannel baby blankets she’d made – she won’t be able to attend next week’s meeting. Also delivered 40 baby hats to the local hospital – after next Tuesday I’ll FINALLY be back to ‘Ground Zero’ – meaning I won’t have any more baby projects awaiting delivery – YAY! (You know, of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t be creating more…just means I don’t have any LEFT to give away!). Right now I’m working on the peach/white baby blanket for my friend who’s due in February (this blanket is for IF she has a girl, already have a blue one for the other choice); a white & muted baby colors striped blanket for Crisis Pregnancy Center and a dark plum colored scarf for the needy/homeless this winter (getting a head start!). Of course, I also am doing my ‘usual’ – perusing various knit stitch/pattern sites for new ideas for more blankets…I’m incorrigible on that one-grin! Love keeping busy and being able to give things away.

In my many travels yesterday (meeting lady to pick up flannel blankets/stop at JoAnn’s/stop at WalMart) I picked up a rather sad-looking skein of mint green baby yarn that had lost it’s tag/band information – it was one of those BIG skeins; got it for $4.00 at WalMart in the Clearance section just because it didn’t have a band – SCORE! Also picked up some blue/white/darker blues cotton skeins to knit up some spa cloths for oldest son’s girlfriend (baby’s Mom) for Christmas – it’s SO nice to see something you made for someone actually being USED! I’ve seen the ones I made her last year hanging WET on the shower bar – YAY!

(example of my ‘crazy knit stitches/patterns’ obsession: just found a really pretty knit sweater pattern (NO, I’m NOT a sweater/garment knitter) but am going to attempt the bottom pattern & see if I can make it into a baby blanket!

Speaking of BABY – he’s now crawling and popping another tooth – sigh. I’m almost in trepidation when getting the request to babysit now; went Tuesday and wasn’t sure just WHAT to expect. Arrived and there was no big blanket on the floor for him to play on, no Pack & Play (port-a-crib) up – nothing! I asked & was told: “Oh, he crawls everywhere now!” UGH! Where do you put him when you suddenly have to go to the bathroom? She mentioned putting him in the bouncer – LET ME TELL YA – that ‘item’ takes some time & patience to get BOTH little feet & legs in the holes WITHOUT jamming his feet or knees; can’t imagine trying to do that when you REALLY have to go potty! UGH! Fortunately he was in the bouncer for a good 45 minutes before fussing. Made him a bottle & he slept until his Dad got home about 50 minutes later! SCORE!

Fruit & Cream Pie

1 unbaked deep dish
pie crust
2 C. whipping cream
1/4 C. powdered sugar
3 C. fresh fruit, cut up
(strawberries, blueberries,
kiwi fruit, peaches, etc.)
–
Bake pie crust accordg. to
pkg. directions – cool 30
minutes. In large bowl
combine whipping cream &
powdered sugar – using elec.
mixer, beat until stiff peaks
form. Gently fold in fruit &
spoon into cooled crust.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour
before serving. Store
leftovers in fridge.

(recipe: americantimes.food.com)
——————————–
Tuna Zucchini Cakes

1 T. butter
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1 (6.4 oz) pouch light tuna in water
1 c. seasoned bread crumbs, divided
1 C. shredded zucchini
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 C. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 T. canola oil
–
In large saucepan over medium-
high heat heat butter; add onion.
Cook & stir until tender; remove
from heat. Add tuna, 1/2 C. bread
crumbs, zucchini, eggs, parsley, lemon
juice, salt/pepper – mix lightly but
thoroughly. Shape into 6 half-inch
thick patties & coat with remaining
bread crumbs. In large skillet heat
oil over medium heat. Add patties &
cook 3 minutes per side until golden
brown & heated through.
Serves 3

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

One-Pot Shrimp Linguine

1 box linguine pasta
1 lb. shrimp
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 C. fresh basil
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 C. spinach
1 C. feta cheese
2 C. water
2 tsp. salt
–
Place pasta, fresh & canned
tomatoes, basil, salt/pepper &
2 cloves garlic (whole/peeled)
in large skillet. Add 2 C. water & cook
over high heat – after 5 minutes add
shrimp & spinach. Cook until all
liquid is absorbed & shrimp is
fully cooked (pink). Top with feta
cheese & serve. Serves 6

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

Asparagus Bacon Salad (& dressing)

1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
salt/pepper
3-4 slices bacon, cooked, broken into
pieces
1 small onion, cut into rings
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 C. baby spinach, chopped
1/2 C. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1 C. raisins (optional)
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Trim asparagus spears & spread out on
baking sheet – spray with nonstick cooking
spray & sprinkle with salt & black pepper.
Bake 10 minutes until tender or to your
liking. Combine bacon pieces, onion rings,
tomato, spinach, nuts & raisins (if using)
in large bowl. Cut asparagus into pieces
& add – toss all ingredients together.
Adjust salt/pepper as needed.

Note: you can also add chopped boiled
eggs or cut up apples to this salad.

Dressing:
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (can use
fresh minced – about 1 clove)
1 tsp. spicy brown mustard or Dijon
1 tsp. dried basil (or fresh, chopped)
2 T. honey
1/8 tsp. black pepper
salt, to taste
–
Mix all dressing ingredients together &
serve with above salad. Makes about
1/2 Cup.

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

Short & Sweet Baked Beans
(crockpot)

4 slices bacon
1 C. frozen chopped onion
4 (15 oz, ea) cans pork & beans in
tomato sauce, drained
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. ketchup
1/2 C. molasses
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
–
Cook bacon in large skillet over
medium heat until done; drain,
reserving 1 tsp. drippings; crumble
bacon. Place bacon, reserved
drippings, onion & remaining
ingredients in 3-4 qt. crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 4 hours.
Serves 10

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————-

Chicken, Tomatoes & Corn
Foil Packets

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 C. grape tomatoes, halved
2 ears corn, shucked
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 C. olive oil, divided
2 T. butter
kosher salt
ground black pepper
fresh basil, for garnish
–
Heat grill to High. Cut 4 sheets
of foil about 12 inches long.
Top each piece of foil with
a chicken breast, tomatoes,
corn & garlic. Drizzle each with
1 T. olive oil & top with a pat
of butter – season with salt/pepper.
Fold foil packets crosswise over
chicken & veggies to completely
cover the food. Roll tops & bottom
edges to seal closed. Grill until
internal temperature of chicken
reads 170 degrees F. on an instant-
read thermometer & veggies are
tender. Garnish with basil & serve.
Serves 4

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————–

Spicy Watermelon Salsa

1/4 C. lime juice
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
3 C. seeded/chopped watermelon
1 medium cucumber, seeded/chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded/finely
chopped
1/4 C. finely chopped sweet yellow
pepper
1/4 C. minced fresh cilantro
–
In large bowl combine first 5
ingredients. Add remaining
ingredients – toss to combine.
Refrigerate, covered, until serving.
If necessary, drain before serving.
Serves 15 (1/3 C. each)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————-

Oven-Baked Cheeseburger
Sliders

2 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. ketchup
3 T. yellow mustard, divided
12 square dinner rolls
1 C. bread & butter pickles,
drained
8 slices Cheddar cheese
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. sesame seeds
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
skillet over medium-high heat,
cook ground beef & onion 5-7
minutes until browned; drain.
Add garlic powder, salt/pepper,
ketchup & 2 T. mustard – mix
well & heat 2 minutes. Place
bottoms of dinner rolls in bottom
of prepared dish. Top with beef
mixture, pickle chips & a slice
of cheese each. Place bun tops
over cheese. In small saucepan
on Low heat combine butter, brown
sugar, Worc. sauce, sesame seeds &
remaining 1 T. mustard; heat 3-5
minutes until sauce is smooth,
stirring occasionally. Pour sauce over
buns & cover with foil. Bake 15-20
minutes until heated through &
cheese is melted. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————-

Bacon/Green Beans/Cabbage
(crockpot)

1 head cabbage, chopped
1 (38 oz) can Italian-cut green beans,
undrained
4 C. chicken broth
1 stick butter, cubed
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp/
crumbled
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Place cabbage in 6 qt. crockpot &
pour green beans & broth on top.
Add (cooked) bacon, salt/pepper &
butter. Cover & cook on High 3-4
hours or Low 6-8 hours until cabbage
is tender. Serves about 16

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

Cream Cheese Lemonade Pie

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
room temp.
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) box instant lemon
pudding mix
3/4 C. frozen lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker pie crust
–
Optional: lemon zest or Whipped
cream
–
Combine evaporated milk & pudding
mix in medium bowl & beat on Low
speed of elec. mixer 2-3 minutes
until thick. In separate bowl or mixer
beat cream cheese until light & airy;
mix in lemonade concentrate. Once
fully incorporated, mix in pudding
mixture. Transfer filling to pie crust &
refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serves 8-10

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)

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

I’m going to attempt to post ALL the
Summer Recipes very soon so I don’t
forget any AND so you can enjoy them
before cold weather sets in. Speaking
of weather – it’s a little colder here in
Michigan (could be due to all the
hurricane influences, although we are
far from both hurricanes) – it’s been
getting into the low 70’s and almost a
little chilly when it gets to evenings.
I’ve also noticed gas prices went up-
possibly due to the hurricanes; used
to be $2.49/9 and now we’re at
$2.59/9 – not bad, just a little higher.

Hope you are ALL SAFE AND IN GOOD
HEALTH. Please remember to take
good care of YOURSELF! (You can’t help
others if YOU aren’t doing well – right?)

Hugs;

Pammie

Lots of ‘catching up’ to do –

Today finds me going in lots of different directions: In the next week I have to get all the information together to send the next 2-month newsletter for my special needs group (and it needs to get to them BEFORE the end of the month!). Still trying to coordinate dates with our leader on upcoming gym nights & our Harvest Party in October.

In three weeks the lady from Detroit Vets hospital will be visiting our group to collect all our donations – have been hand-printing tiny labels to go on all their items (the women receiving them like to know who made them). Finished my items & their tags – now on to more printing.

Yesterday found my husband and I doing something we rarely ever do: we took a day-trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan (an hour away). Frankenmuth is a very interesting, beautiful town that is like a mini-Bavaria/Germany: they feature ‘all things German’ – food, decorations, festivals, etc. They have two main restaurants in town that feature just about any German food/beer/desert you might like. We had the ‘most popular dinner’ – fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy & their stuffing. The town, itself, is really pretty – nice & clean. They have horse-drawn carriages if you’d like a tour, boat rides, cheese & sausage shops and . . . all things collectible. Almost every shop you go in has all sorts of things to buy: wall hangings, tiny statues, CHRISTMAS stuff, penny candies – something for everyone. Also, very close by is another world-renown company: Bronner’s “Everything Christmas” store. If you’re into Hummels, or just about anything imaginable having to do with Christmas & decorating (including life-sized Nativity scenes – the kind you might see at a large church for outdoor viewing) – they’ve got it. We skipped Bronners – don’t need more decorations; in fact, the only things we brought home were a Apple Kuchen pie and a tiny beeswax candle that looks like a bee hive with a tiny bee on top (for my friend who is a bee keeper). Ah, the monies we ‘could’ have spent there – great place to visit if you’re interested! (It’s been about 12 years since we’ve gone there – this was part of our 41 year anniversary celebration!)

===========

Presbyterian Punch

1 (2 liter) bottle 7-UP
1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice
1 (6 oz) can frozen limeade
1 (6 oz) can frozen orange juice
1/2 quart rainbow sherbet
–
In large punch bowl mix 7-UP,
pineapple juice, limeade & orange
juice. Using an ice cream scoop,
scoop out several servings of
sherbet & float on top of
punch before serving. (add more,
later, as needed) Serves 16

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

Crockpot German Roast Pork
& Sauerkraut

1 (3-4 lb) boneless pork roast
salt/pepper, to taste
1 T. shortening
1 (32 oz) pkg. sauerkraut*
2 apples, peeled/cored/quartered
1 C. apple juice or water
1 (14 oz) pkg. frozen pierogies
–
Sprinkle roast with salt/pepper. Heat
shortening in a skillet over medium-
high heat & brown roast on all sides
then place in crockpot. Add undrained
sauerkraut, apples & juice/water –
mix to blend. Gently add pierogies
so they are partially submerged in
sauerkraut (as roast cooks more liquid
will cover the pierogies). Cover & cook
on Low 8-9 hours. Serves 4-6

*PAM’S COMMENT: My husband is
German & comments that packaged
sauerkraut is VERY salty – his solution
is to rinse it in cold water first. Using
this recipe, I would probably drain
any liquid in package then rinse
sauerkraut & add, perhaps a 1/4 C.
more water (which would be the
substitute for the sauerkraut
‘juice’in the bag)

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
————————————-
Crockpot Apple Spice Dump Cake

2 (20 oz, ea) cans apple pie filling
3/4 C. brown sugar, packed
1 (15.25 oz) box spice cake mix
3/4 C. pecan pieces
1 stick butter sliced into pats
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick spray. Pour pie filling into
crockpot & spread evenly. Sprinkle
brown sugar on top, evenly. Top
with dry cake mix (evenly) & sprinkle
pecans on top (evenly). Place butter
pats all over the top. Place 6-8
(regular sized) paper towels on top
of crockpot opening then cover with
lid. Cook on High 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Serves 10

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

Mexican Zucchini Burrito Boats

4 large zucchini
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/
rinsed
1 C. cooked brown rice
1 C. salsa
1 red bell pepper, seeded/diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 C. corn kernels
1 jalapeno (or poblano) pepper,
seeded/diced
1 T. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 C. fresh cilantro, finely
chopped
salt, to taste
1 C. shredded Cheddar/Monterey
Jack cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ casserole dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Slice each
zucchini in half lengthwise – using
a spoon, hollow out the center of
each half. LIghtly brush tops with
1 tsp. oil then place, skin sides down,
in dish. Warm 1 T. olive oil in large
skillet over medium heat. Add onion
& pepper – cook 2-3 minutes. Add
rice, corn, beans, salsa, chili powder
& cumin. Stir & cook 5 minutes then
remove from heat. Add 1/4 C.
cilantro & salt to filling – taste to
adjust flavor. Spoon filling inside
each zucchini half until all are full.
Sprinkle each with cheese & arrange
in dish. Cover with foil & bake 25 minutes.
Turn on broiler.
Remove foil & place dish under broiler
5 minutes until cheese is bubbly &
golden brown. Allow to cool 5-10
minutes then top with fresh cilantro &
serve. Makes 8 boats.
NOTE: Leftovers can be stored in an
airtight container up to 3 days.

(recipe: makingthymeforhealth.com)
——————————

Minty Fresh Pea Salad

1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 C. finely chopped fresh
mint
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 (16 oz) bag frozen peas, thawed
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
–
In large bowl combine mayo, sour
cream, mint, mustard, salt/pepper –
mix well. Stir in peas & onion until
evenly coated. Cover & refrigerate
at least 1 hour before serving.
Serves 4

(recipe: mrfood.com)
——————————-

Pizza-stuffed Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
20 slices pepperoni
1/2 c. thinly sliced bell pepper
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, thinly
sliced/divided
2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or equal
parts garlic powder, dried oregano &
dried basil)
salt/pepper, to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
2 C. marinara sauce
1 T. chopped parsley
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Using a small sharp knife, cut a pocket
into one side of each chicken breast. Do
not cut all the way through to other
side. Place 5 slices pepperoni, 1-2 T.
sliced pepper & 1-2 slices mozzarella
cheese into each pocket. (you may
have to cut cheese in half to fit). Reserve
4 slices cheese to top chicken later on.
Use 3-4 toothpicks to close up pockets on
each breast. Heat olive oil in oven-safe
pan over medium-high heat; season
chicken with Italian seasoning, salt/
pepper. Place chicken in pan & cook on
both sides until golden brown, 4-5
minutes per side (you might need to
work in batches depending on size
of pan). Place all seared chicken
breasts in pan & pour marinara sauce
over top; top with 1 slice mozzarella
cheese per breast. Bake 20 minutes
until chicken is cooked through &
cheese is melted. Sprinkle tops
with parsley & serve. Serves 4

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

Breakfast Sausage Biscuit Casserole

2 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 lb. pork sausage
7 large eggs
1 C. grated cheese – your choice
salt/pepper
–
Spray a casserole dish with
nonstick spray. In bowl, mix
biscuits with eggs & milk –
whisk gently to coat & let
set 20-30 minutes.
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In a skillet cook & crumble
sausage then mix with biscuit
mixture & cheese. Pour
mixture into prepared dish &
bake 22 minutes.

(recipe: 77easyrecipes.com)
——————————-

Lemon Blueberry Bread

1/3 C. melted butter
1 C. sugar
3 T. lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C. milk
2 T. grated lemon zest
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
(optional)
1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries

Glaze:
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. melted butter
1 C. powdered sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick
spray. In small bowl combine
butter, 1 C. sugar, juice & eggs.
In large bowl combine flour,
baking powder & salt; stir into
egg mixture alternately with
milk. Fold in lemon zest, nuts,
& blueberries. Pour batter into
prepared loaf pan & bake 60-
70 minutes. Allow loaf to cool
on wire rack.
In small bowl combine glaze
ingredients & drizzle over cooled
loaf. Makes 1 loaf

(recipe: all-my-recipes.com)

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

Our weather has been great lately:
mid 70’s & sunny/breezy. Last week
I met up with the lady that coordinates
the Crisis Pregnancy Center Mobile Unit
and delivered more baby blankets. She
mentioned a blanket I made years ago that
she really liked: very simple knit pattern
using white background & various bright
colored stripes – that got me to thinking
so I started another blanket for them using
yarn I had been holding onto. Sometimes
I find myself not wanting to use particular
yarns, knowing you can’t get them any
more – this small ‘batch’ was given to me
years ago by a knitter friend who moved
to Florida. The yarn is a fine, sort of
chenille-like type in very pale pink/blue/
lime green & yellow (each skein is one of
those colors). I dragged out a simple pattern
and have begun the white background with
that particular white/stripes pattern in mind-
just for them. (that makes 2 baby blankets I’m
working on now – yep, you know me – over-
achiever…sigh).  Also want to drag out the
various yarns I’ve got stashed for scarves –
we’ll see where that goes! Between coordinating
the knit group & knitting, my special needs group,
church and babysitting my grandsons, I’ve had
a very full summer, I’d say!

Hope you are keeping up with YOUR summer
activities – remember to take a little time for
FUN for YOU! (I have to remind myself of
that very thing – often!)

Hugs;

Pammie

 

A little this & that . . .

(would you believe I just wrote this entire blog post then accidentally hit a key & wiped it all out!? UGH!)

Our weather has been all over the place lately: sunny/cloudy/rainy, in the 70’s to 80’s. Did I catch the eclipse? Yep, on TV – it was interesting.

Monday found me checking out a new store to our area: Hobby Lobby. Lots of friends have commented on how great the store/company is so I went to their Grand Opening. They had a Greeting Team and refreshment table – I politely side-stepped that & went to check out (you guessed it) the YARN DEPARTMENT! Was I impressed? Nope – although their prices for skeins was a little lower, so was the SIZE of their skeins! I was looking for BIG balls, NEW colors/combinations/variegated yarns – not impressed (and I thoroughly checked the entire department TWICE). Guess I’ll stick with JoAnn’s, Michaels, Meijers & WalMart for yarns. (There were tons of people there – even some men! All were Ooooooing & Ahing over the products – not for me).

On the knitting scene, finally finished the blue Tassel baby blanket – you’ve seen it ‘in progress’ – it’s a beautiful pattern to waaaay too fussy for me to ever knit it again. (Am holding it for a friend who’s expecting in February and doesn’t yet know the sex of her baby):

I also started another baby blanket for same person – in case she has a girl. This one is done using a variegated fuzzy yarn for the color strips – the yarn goes from light yellow to light peach to a darker peach to white (am going to have to cut out the white parts – they wouldn’t show against the white background. You know me – I’ll be able to use the fuzzy white for baby hats!)

Lastly I finished a ‘needy/homeless’ people scarf – the colors don’t come through in photographs – the yarn is very fuzzy and in all shades of Fall colors: reds, oranges, yellows, dark greens, dark browns.

(insert I’M MAD here – just realized all the recipes I had in the first try at this post will now be GONE – I copy them to this post then erase the original . . . ugh!)

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

Fresh Peach Cobbler

1/4 C. melted butter
1 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. milk
5-6 peaches, sliced
3/4 C. sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Pour melted butter into a
8 X 8″ baking pan. Whisk
flour, 3/4 C. sugar, baking
powder & milk together –
pour over melted butter in
pan; cover with sliced peaches.
Cover peaches with 3/4 C. sugar*.
Bake 20-30 minutes until batter
rises to top & forms a brown crust.

*Poster wrote: “I know this seems
like a lot of sugar, but use it all”.

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

Crockpot Parmesan Broccoli/Cauliflower

2 lb. frozen Broccoli Cauliflower mix
1 stick butter, sliced
1 T. minced garlic
2 T. dried, minced onion
salt/pepper, to taste
1/4 C. chopped parsley
1/2 – 1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
–
Place frozen Brocc/Cauli. in 6 qt.
crockpot; top with butter, garlic,
onion, parsley, salt/pepper &
toss to combine. Cover & cook on
High 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally
until veggies are desired tenderness.
Add Parm. cheese & stir before serving.
Serves 6-8

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

Broccoli-Shrimp Alfredo

8 oz. uncooked fettuccine
1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp,
peeled/deveined
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. butter, cubed
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese,
cubed
1 C. milk
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
4 C. frozen broccoli florets
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
–
Cook fettuccine accordg. to pkg.
directions. In large skillet saute
shrimp & garlic in butter until
shrimp turn pink; remove &
set aside. In same skillet combine
cream cheese, milk & Parm. cheese;
cook & stir until cheeses are melted
& mixture is smooth. Place 1 inch
of water in a saucepan; add broccoli.
Bring to boil; reduce heat – cover &
simmer 6-8 minutes until tender;
drain. Stir broccoli, shrimp, salt/
pepper into cheese sauce & heat
through. Drain fettuccine & top
with shrimp mixture. Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————
Cheesy Zucchini Quiche

singe 9 inch pie crust
3 T. butter
4 C. thinly sliced zucchini (about
3 medium)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large eggs
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp. prepared mustard
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
On lightly floured surface, roll
dough to 1/8 inch thick circle,
place to 9 inch pie plate. Trim
pastry to 1/2 inch beyond rim
of plate & flute edge. Refrigerate
while preparing filling.
Filling:
In large skillet heat butter over
medium heat. Add zucchini &
onion – cook & stir until tender.
Drain & cool slightly. Whisk eggs
& seasonings until blended – stir
in cheese & zucchini mixture.
Spread mustard over pastry
shell & add filling. Bake on lower
rack of oven until a knife inserted
into center comes out clean &
crust is golden brown, 35-40
minutes. If needed, cover crust edges
loosely with foil during last 15
minutes of cooking time to prevent
overbrowning. Remove from oven
& let stand 10 minutes before
cutting. Makes 8 servings.

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

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 pizza crust
3/4 C. BBQ sauce (use a little for
heating the chicken & rest as sauce)
1 1/2 C. cooked chicken, shredded or
chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 C. chopped cashews
2 T. jalapeno chilies, very finely
chopped
–
NOTE: Be ready with chopped
ingredients when you pre-heat
grill so that you can place toppings
on cooked dough quickly.
–
Preheat grill to about 500 degrees F.
In medium pan heat chicken, a little
BBQ sauce & crushed garlic. Brush
pizza dough with olive oil & place
on hot grill, oil side down – drizzle
more oil on top of dough. Close
lid of grill & cook about 2 minutes;
flip dough over & place BBQ sauce,
cooked chicken mixture, red onion,
cheese, nuts, cilantro & jalapeno
on top. Close lid of grill & cook,
checking occasionally until top is
bubbly but bottom is not burnt.
(If you need: lower temperature
or turn off one side of grill &
finish cooking on indirect heat).
Remove from grill to a sheet pan.
Serves 4

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

Lemon Garlic Rice

1 C. uncooked white rice
2 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 C. chicken broth
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
–
In large saucepan over high
heat, combine all ingredients
except parsley – bring to boil,
stirring once or twice. Reduce
heat to Low, cover tightly &
simmer 15 minutes until liquid
is absorbed. Serves 4

NOTE: can also add chopped green
bell pepper (or) use brown rice,
just cook 45 minutes once it comes
to a boil. If you want to use par-boiled
rice, cook about 20 minutes.

(recipe: mrfood.com)
—————————————

Crockpot Apple BBQ Chicken

3 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless
chicken breast
1 (18 oz) bottle BBQ sauce
2 C. apple butter
–
buns
–
Place chicken in crockpot; mix
BBQ sauce & apple butter in
bowl & pour over chicken. Cover
& cook on Low 4 hours. Shred
hot chicken using 2 forks or in
your mixer. Serve on buns.
Serves 8

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

Zucchini Gratin

4 T. butter
4 large zucchini, sliced
4 medium shallots, minced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 C. heavy cream
2/3 C. Cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp. oregano
salt/pepper, to taste
sliced green onions, garnish
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick spray.
Heat large, deep pan over medium
heat – add butter & melt. Saute
shallots & garlic until shallots are
translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add
zucchini, heavy cream, salt/pepper,
oregano & Parm. cheese – stir &
let mixture cook 8-10 minutes until
bubbly. Make sure to keep mixing
while cooking. Transfer to prepared
pan. Mix in most of cheeses, sprinkling
rest of Cheddar cheese on top. Bake
10-14 minutes until cheese is bubbly &
golden brown. Top with sliced green
onions, if desired. Serves 4

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
—————————–

1-Pot Bacon & Peas Pasta

6 slices bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1 C. mushrooms
2 C. chicken stock
1 C. milk
1 C. peas, frozen
1 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese, shredded
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In large pan fry bacon over medium-
high heat until crisp – remove bacon &
all but 2 T. bacon grease. Add mushrooms
& onion to pan- cook until they begin to
soften. Add garlic & cook 2 minutes. Add
chicken stock, milk & pasta to pan & bring
to boil – cook 7-10 minutes until pasta is
al dente. Add peas & gently stir until they
have defrosted. Remove pan from heat;
stir in cream cheese & sour cream. Add
bacon & gently fold into pasta. Salt &
pepper, to taste. Serve with shredded
Parmesan cheese on top. Serves 4

(recipe: homemadeinterest.com)
———————————

Crockpot Peach Applesauce

3 lb. sweet apples (poster used
Gala) peeled/cored & sliced
2 (16 oz, ea) bags frozen peaches,
thawed
1/4 C. apple juice concentrate,
thawed
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 to 1 C. brown sugar (optional)
–
Place apple slices & peaches in
crockpot; add remaining ingredients
& stir to mix well. Cover & cook on
High 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Place mixture in a bowl (or blender)
& mash using a potato masher,
mixer or blender (depending on
consistency you prefer). Serve.
Serves 6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)

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

It’s also time to give things away –
tomorrow I meet with the
coordinator of Crisis Pregnancy
Center’s Mobile Unit to hand off
four baby blankets. They give the
expectant moms a blanket if they
agree not to abort their babies.

Coming up in a few weeks is the
pick up date for all knit/crocheted
baby items for Detroit Veterans
Hospital’s Baby Shower. I love
seeing all the wonderful items
my ladies create and know that
the ladies receiving them will be
grateful to have something
hand-made, as well.

Guess I’d better wrap up this post,
eh? Hope you are all well and enjoying
the last vestiges of Summer.

Hugs;

Pammie

 

 

 

Nothin’ special goin’ on . . .

It’s a rather gloomy/rainy day – temps around 72 degrees F. (not bad, just overcast). Did a quick trip to get gas & go grocery shopping and am now home for the rest of the day. Dinner is easy – we had BLT’s last night and there’s enough for dinner tonight, also! Saturday is our Sunday school class picnic so NO COOKING DINNER then, either! Am planning on taking a 3-Bean cold salad and the Apple/Caramel dump cake I listed a few posts ago – pretty easy stuff. (Our teacher grills steaks & chicken plus roasts corn on the cob – his wife told me they’re making ice cream sandwiches using giant chocolate chip cookies – she baked them!) Pretty fancy eats!

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

Banana Bread Brownies

2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, softened
2 C. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
(optional)

Frosting:
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted
3 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. milk
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray or line
with parchment paper. In bowl
place mashed bananas; add
cinnamon & stir until well blended.
In another large bowl beat sugar,
butter, sour cream & eggs until
creamy. Add vanilla & mashed
banana mixture. In another separate
bowl combine flour, baking soda &
salt; slowly add dry ingredients to
wet in 3 small batches (fold in nuts
if using). Pour batter into prepared
dish, spreading evenly. Bake 20-25
minutes until a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean. Remove
from oven & cool slightly.

Frosting:
In large saucepan melt butter until just
golden brown in color. Whisk in
powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time,
followed by vanilla & milk. Once
mixture has come together & thickened,
pour warm frosting over top of banana
brownies, using a spatula to spread
evenly over top. Cool completely
before cutting into squares.
Makes 12-16 squares.

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
——————————————

Mama’s Cucumber Salad

8 C. thinly sliced cucumbers
(about 5)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 C. white vinegar
1/2 C. sugar
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or
1 1/2 tsp. bottled chopped garlic)
1 T. vegetable oil
4 tsp. salt
1 C. water
1/2 tsp. white pepper
3 T. chopped fresh dill (or
1-2 T. dried)
—
In large bowl combine cucumbers &
onion. Im large saucepan mix vinegar,
sugar, garlic, oil, salt/pepper & bring
to boil, stirring frequently. Pour
mixture over cucumbers & onions;
add pepper & dill – mix well.
Makes 8 Cups

(recipe: mrfood.com)
——————————
Zucchini Lasagna
(partial grill use)

1 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 T. chopped fresh basil
black pepper, to taste
3 medium (8 oz ea) zucchini,
sliced 1/8″ thick
1 1/2 C. ricotta cheese
1/4 C. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 large egg
16 oz. (4 C.) shredded mozzarella
cheese
–
In medium saucepan brown meat &
season with salt; drain & remove
meat to a pan/plate. Add olive oil
to pan & saute garlic & onions about
2 minutes. Return meat to pan; add
tomatoes, basil, salt/pepper & simmer
on Low at least 30-40 minutes, covered.
Do not add extra water; sauce should
be thick. Lightly salt sliced zucchini &
set aside 10 minutes (salting takes a
lot of water out of the zucchini). After
10 minutes blot off excess water using
a paper towel.
–
Preheat gas grill to Medium High
& grill zucchini 2-3 minutes per side,
until slightly browned. Place on
paper towels to soak up any excess
moisture.
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In medium bowl mix ricotta, Parmesan
cheeses & egg – stir well. Spray bottom
& sides of  9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick spray & spread 1/2 C. sauce
in bottom of pan. Layer zucchini to
cover bottom. Spread 1/2 C. cheese
mixture on top then top with 1 C.
mozzarella cheese – repeat process-
last layer top with remaining zucchini
& sauce. Cover with foil & bake 30
minutes. Uncover & bake 20 minutes
more (to dry up sauce). Place remaining
1 C. mozzarella on top & bake until
cheese melts, 10 minutes. Let stand
5-10 minutes before serving. Serves 8

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

Crockpot Crab Rangoon Dip

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sour cream
4 whole green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
12 oz. imitation crab meat, shredded
–
Crackers for dipping
–
Spray insides of crockpot; add all
ingredients to crockpot & stir to
combine. Cover & cook on Low
2 hours, stirring at least once
during cooking time. Serve with
crackers for dipping. Serves 4

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

Confetti Couscous Salad
(2 hour or overnight chill
time)

2 C. water or broth
1 (10 oz) pkg. couscous
1/4 C. olive oil
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 C. fresh basil, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 (4 oz) pkg. crumbled feta cheese
–
In medium saucepan bring water or
broth to boil over medium-high heat;
stir in couscous; cover & remove from
heat. Let stand 5 minutes. LIghtly
fluff couscous with a fork & place in
a large bowl to cool. Add remaining
ingredients (except feta); mix well.
Chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
Stir in feta just before serving.
Serves 12

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

Crockpot Salsa Lime Chicken
(from frozen)

Can be served ‘as is’ over
cooked rice or noodles OR
serve on burritoes, tacos,
enchiladas, salads or
quesadillas.
–
3 frozen boneless skinless
chicken breast halves (2 1/4 lb)
1/4 C. fresh lime juice
1 C. salsa or picante sauce
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 C. chopped cilantro
–
Place all ingredients (except
cilantro) into crockpot. Cover &
cook on Low 6-8 hours until
chicken is tender. Remove chicken
& shred; return to crockpot &
stir into juices. Add cilantro &
serve.

NOTE: If chicken is NOT frozen,
cook 4-6 hours instead of 6-8

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

Birthday Cake Popcorn

your favorite popcorn – popped
1/2 C. vanilla frosting
candy sprinkles
————-
Cover a baking sheet with waxed
paper & spread popped corn out
on sheet. (remove any unpopped
kernels). Microwave frosting on
full powder about 30 seconds;
drizzle warm frosting over popcorn
& toss sprinkles on – mix well & allow
frosting to cool.

(recipe: asthebunnyhops.com)
—————————————

Creamy Pineapple Show-off
Bars

2 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1 C. unsalted butter
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar PLUS 4 T.
1 egg
1 1/2 C. vanilla
1 pint whipping cream
1 C. crushed pineapple, drained
pinch salt
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Melt 1/2 C. butter & combine with
graham cracker crumbs in a large
bowl. Press mixture into a 8 X 11″
baking dish. Bake 15 minutes &
cool thoroughly.
Cream 1/2 C. butter & powdered
sugar using elec. mixer until fluffy.
Add egg & 1 tsp. vanilla -beat a
few more minutes & spread on
top of cooled crust. Chill until firm.
In large bowl whip cream & 4 T.
powdered sugar. Add pinch salt &
1/2 tsp. vanilla – whip until it holds
stiff peaks. Fold in pineapple &
pile over filling. Sprinkle top with
1/4 C. graham cracker crumbs.
Chill before serving.

(recipe: ninerecipes.com)

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

Still working on finishing blue “tassel”
baby blanket – I’ve decided that I’m
doing ONE more set of pattern, then
the top border & that one’s done.
Started another blanket a few days
ago (old pattern, 2-row repeat, very
easy); still have one more skein of
the fuzzy/chunky yarn to finish the
autumn-colors scarf. The other day
I decided to kind of look through
‘some’ of my yarns – found out I
have a LOT more yarn tagged for
scarves than I originally thought.
Oh well – looks like I’ll be busy
this fall/winter, eh?  The Detroit
Veteran’s Baby Shower is coming
up end of September; just wrote
my group letting them know they
have about 4 more weeks to finish
any projects – just waiting to hear
from the coordinator at VA as to
when she can join us to pick up
all our finished items. Still haven’t
heard from the lady in charge of
the baby blankets for the Crisis
Pregnancy mobile unit – I have
4 blankets for them. (I’ve been
dragging my feet on deliveries-
also have 40 baby hats for our
local hospital which I ‘should’
have delivered in the early
summer – they were done then,
I just didn’t get them over there.
(Good thing is: they don’t care
WHEN I bring them, so that’s
nice for me – they just like getting
them to give to the new parents.)

Hope your day is going along well –
stay healthy (if you can) and remember
to grab a little rest time for yourself.
YOU ARE IMPORTANT!

Hugs;

Pammie

I’ve got a HEAD ACHE!

Just spent a good hour talking/listening to women at AAA – UGH! Let me clarify: we received a form from our car insurance (AAA) asking us to fill it in concerning our medical coverage. Husband got a bit frustrated about it and called them 3 days ago (while I was out). It seems he came away with the impression that if we were in an auto accident we would NOT be covered for medical! WHAT? I encouraged him to call AAA again (with both of us on the line) and see what that’s all about. It seems they did not have our updated medical information AND, since we are now BOTH covered by Medicare, things have changed A LOT! For both of us, our medical coverage in accidents will be through AAA, not Medicare – goofy! Throw in LOTS of talking/adjusting money amounts, etc. and our bill will go UP considerably come our next payment due in November – UGH! (Yes, we know we could go through another auto insurance). At the end of said conversation she asks if we would be interested in a AAA Mastercard which would save us 3% on our bill? We decided “OK – whatever…” so she shifts us to another woman (who just happens to be in Florida!). I don’t know exactly how to put this gently – trying not to be POLITICALLY INCORRECT HERE but her accent DROVE ME NUTS! She spoke exceptionally fast and, after about 10 minutes, all I could hear was “Blah, blah, blah Mr. L” (insert our last name) over & over & over. It became a total blur – she asked if my husband wanted me included on the card and the next thing I know – I’M forced to talk with her! DOUBLE UGH! Crazy stuff – it got to the point where I said: “Whatever – I don’t care.” She replied: “Well, Mrs. L – I cannot fill in that portion myself, YOU have to give me your choice of answers.” (Let’s just say: if I were a swearing woman, BOY would she have received my CHOICE ANSWER!”) That being said, we now have a 3% AAA Mastercard coming in the mail. Husband reminded me that the crazy phone call will save us $90 every 3 months – I ‘guess’ it was worth it….sigh.

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

Blueberry Crumble Bars

1 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 C. quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 C. sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 C. cold butter
2 C. blueberries
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. lemon juice
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine flour, oats, 1 C. sugar,
cinnamon & baking soda in large
bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture
until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Reserve about 2 C. flour/butter
mixture (for topping). Press
remaining mixture into prepared
dish to form crust. In a medium
saucepan bring blueberries,
remaining 1/2 C. sugar, cornstarch
& lemon juice to boil, stirring
constantly, until mixture is
thickened, about 2 minutes.
Spread blueberry mixture over
crust & sprinkle with reserved
topping mixture. Bake 25 minutes
until topping is just browned.
Cool before cutting.

(recipe: allrecipes.com)
———————————

Grilled Corn Salad

6 ears freshly shucked corn
1 green pepper, diced
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1/4 C. diced red onion
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro,
chopped (or more, to taste)
2 tsp. olive oil (or to taste)
salt/ground black pepper, to taste
–
Preheat outdoor grill to medium
heat – lightly oil grill grate. Cook
corn on grill, turning occasionally,
until corn is tender & specks of
black appear, about 10 minutes.
Set aside until just cool enough to
handle. Slice kernels off cob &
place in a bowl. Combine warm
corn kernels with green pepper,
diced tomato/onion/cilantro &
olive oil. Season with salt/pepper
& toss until evenly mixed. Let
rest at least 30 minutes to allow
flavors to blend before serving.

(recipe: supercookingideas.com)
——————————
Parmesan Chicken & Garlic
Zucchini (pan fried)

4 thin chicken breasts, boneless
(under an inch in thickness)
8 T. butter, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C. Italian bread crumbs (or panko)
1 tsp. pepper
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. onion powder
2 medium zucchini, sliced semi-thin
3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
–
Breading:
Beat eggs in a shallow dish. In another
shallow dish combine bread crumbs,
Parm. cheese, pepper, onion powder &
flour – stir to fully combine. In large
hot skillet melt 4 T. butter. Dip each of
chicken pieces in egg mixture then coat
in bread crumb mixture – place in hot
skillet with melted butter. Cook on each
side about 4 minutes or until outside
is crispy & browned & chicken is cooked
completely throughout. Remove from
pan & set aside.
Add 4 T. butter to skillet & saute garlic
about 1-2 minutes; add sliced zucchini
& saute until completely tender –
sprinkle with salt/pepper. Add chicken
back to skillet; gently mix & heat about
30 seconds. Sprinkle with Parmesan
cheese & serve. Serves 4

(recipe: myincrediblerecipes.com)
————————————

Pork Chop & Potato Casserole

1 T. vegetable oil
6 boneless pork chops
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of
mushroom soup
1 C. milk
4 potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Heat oil in large skillet over
medium-high heat; place chops
in oil & sear on both sides. In
medium bowl combine soup &
milk. Arrange sliced potatoes &
onions in 9 X 13″ baking dish;
place browned chops on top then
pour soup mixture over all. Bake
30 minutes. Top with shredded
cheese & bake 30 minutes more.

(recipe: allrecipes.com)
——————————–
Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Bites

2 C. shredded/patted dry
zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 1/4 C. plain bread crumbs
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 large egg
1/2 C. finely chopped green onion
2 T. chopped dill
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
–
Ranch salad dressing, for dipping
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper. In large bowl mix bread
crumbs, Cheddar cheese, egg,
green onion, dill & seasonings until
well combined. One Tablespoon at
a time, press zucchini mixture into
small balls & place on prepared
sheet – repeat, using up rest of
zucchini mixture. Bake about
30 minutes until browned & crisp,
turning over halfway through baking
time. Serve warm with Ranch salad
dressing for dipping, if desired.
Makes 30 bites

(recipe: hostthetoast.com)
——————————–
Crockpot Asiago Spinach Dip

(sorry, can’t make this display without underline!)

1 lb. neufchatel cheese (or
cream cheese) two 8 oz.
blocks, cut into chunks
1 lb. asiago cheese, shredded
6 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves,
roughly chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
–
In 3 qt. crockpot add all
ingredients – stir to combine.
Cover & cook on Low 2 hours,
stirring after 1 hour of cooking
time & once at end of 2 hours.
Set crockpot to Warm to keep
dip warm for serving. Serves 12

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

Quick Sauteed Zucchini &
Mushrooms

1 lb. zucchini, ends cut off &
sliced then cut into quarters
6 oz. white mushrooms, chopped
1 C. red onion, chopped
1/2 C. roasted garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt/black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Saute all ingredients (except cheese)
in large skillet until onions are tender.
Remove skillet from heat & sprinkle
top with cheese. Serves 4

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

Strawberry Cream Cheese
Icebox Cake

2 lb. strawberries
2 sleeves graham crackers
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese,
room temp.
1 (14 oz) can sweetened
condensed milk
2 (3.4 oz, ea) pkgs. instant
cheesecake-flavored pudding mix
3 C. milk
1 (12 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed/
divided
–
Wash, cut tops off & slice strawberries
1/4 in thick. Line bottom of 9 X 13″
baking dish with graham crackers (break
if necessary to fit). Combine cream
cheese & sweetn’d cond. milk in large
bowl & beat with elec. mixer until
smooth & creamy. Add pudding mixes
& milk; beat on Low 4-5 minutes until
mixture starts to thicken. Fold in 2 C.
Cool Whip until smooth. Pour half
of mixture over graham crackers in
dish. Arrange a single layer of sliced
strawberries over cream cheese
mixture. Top with another layer of
graham crackers then remaining
cream cheese mixture. Top with
another layer of sliced strawberries.
Cover & refrigerate 6-8 hours. When
serving, top with remaining Cool
Whip – crush remaining graham
crackers & sprinkle over top.

(recipe: leaderrecipes.com)

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

I finished the blue/mint green/white baby
blanket yesterday and am 3/4ths done
with the blue ‘tassels’ blanket. Started a
quick (thick/bumpy yarn) scarf – finished
one of 3 skeins of that yarn so it should be
finished in the next week or so.

Wednesday I had an enjoyable time at
lunch with three of my church ladies –
we went to Olive Garden (soup/salad/
breadsticks). After I stopped at JoAnn’s
and, of course, found another very pretty
thin baby yarn in shades of peach, yellow,
white – am currently trying to decide which
pattern to use to execute another (you
guessed it) baby blanket. Just can’t resist
my ‘go-to’ knitting – I almost feel incomplete
without having at least two patterns going
at once (I’ve read on a knitting site there
are people who feel that way and are doing
5 different projects! YIKES!).

Going to wrap this up and get on with my
day (hopefully with no more crazy phone
calls!).

Enjoy your day –

Hugs;

Pammie

and now it’s Saturday!

Today was supposed to be a trip to a family (husband’s side) reunion but, actually, neither he nor I really wanted to go so we opted to stay home. (This is the same side of the family we just saw a few weeks ago at a family funeral, so it’s not like we haven’t ‘touched base’ lately.) As we get older, both my husband & I are getting ‘set in our ways’ – we’re much happier in our little ‘cave/home’ and don’t like to venture out much (him, much more than me). I enjoy the random quick trips to the grocery/drug stores, library, WalMart, etc. but he would rather just stay home – I’m glad he goes to church on Sundays – gets him out of the house!

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

Crockpot Cream Soda Poke Cake
(using removable crock)

1 box white cake mix & ingredients
to prepare it – prepare cake batter*
1 (12 oz) bottle Cream Soda (or Big Red)
small pkg. strawberry Jell-O
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
–
Lightly spray insides of 6-qt. crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. *Pour prepared
cake batter into crockpot. Place 3-4 paper
towels under lid; cover & cook on High
1-2 hours. Test if done using a wooden
toothpick inserted in center – if it comes
out clean, cake is done. Remove crock from
base & let cake cool.
When cake has cooled, poke holes in cake
using a toothpick. Mix together cream soda
(or Big Red) with powdered strawberry
Jell-O – evenly pour over cake. In a different
bowl, mix Cool Whip & dry pudding mix –
spread over top of cake evenly.

NOTE: You can serve immediately (Poster
says she thinks it’s best chilled first).

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

Grilled Pork & Peach Kabobs

2 peaches, halved/pitted &
cut into 6 wedges
1 sweet onion cut into 6
wedges
1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, cut
into 18-20 cubes
6 skewers (if wood, soak in
water)
3/4 C. honey barbecue sauce
(optional: cooked brown rice)
–
Heat grill to medium heat.
Cut peach & onion wedges in
half crosswise. Thread peach,
onion & pork pieces alternately
onto soaked skewers, leaving
some space in between for
even grilling. Grill skewers
15 minutes, turning occasionally,
until pork juices run clear. Brush
with bbq sauce during last 5
minutes. Serve with cooked rice,
if desired. Serves 6

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

Shrimp & Pasta with a
Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

3 C. elbow macaroni
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled/
deveined
1 T. olive oil
kosher salt/black pepper,
to taste
–
Tomato Basil Cream Sauce:
1/4 C. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. flour
1 c. vegetable broth (or more,
as needed)
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 C. heavy cream (or more,
as needed)
1/3 C. julienned sun-dried
tomatoes in olive oil, drained
1/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
3 C. fresh baby spinach, roughly
chopped
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Lightly spray a baking sheet
with nonstick cooking spray.
In large pot boiling salted, water
cook pasta accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain well. Place
shrimp on prepared baking
sheet; add olive oil, salt/pepper
& gently toss to combine. Bake
just until pink & cooked through,
6-8 minutes.
Sauce:
Melt butter in large skillet
over medium heat; add garlic &
cook, stirring frequently, until
fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in flour until lightly
browned, about 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in vegetable
broth & basil; cook, whisking
constantly until incorporated
about 1-2 minutes. Stir in
heavy cream, tomatoes &
Parmesan until slightly thickened,
about 1-2 minutes. If mixture
is too thick, add more heavy
cream, as needed. Season
with salt/pepper. Stir in
spinach until it begins to wilt,
about 2 minutes. Stir in pasta &
shrimp – gently toss to combine.
Serve immediately.

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

Hillbilly Baked Beans
(Crockpot & Oven methods)

Crockpot:

1/2 lb. ground chuck
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 1/2 C. BBQ sauce
1/3 C. packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. water
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans,
drained/rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can butter beans,
drained/rinsed
1 (16 oz) can pork & beans,
not drained
1/2 C. cooked, crumbled bacon
–
In 5 qt. crockpot combine all
ingredients; stir well. Cover &
cook on High 4 hours or Low
6 hours. Serve immediately.
Serves 8

Oven:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Pour ingredients into 3 qt.
casserole dish. Cover & cook
1 1/2 hours or until hot &
bubbly.

(recipe: mrfood.com)
————————–

Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Chicken
Breast (one pan meal)

4 boneless skinless chicken
breasts
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. shredded sharp Cheddar
cheese
1/4 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T. finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt/pepper, to taste
8 slices bacon
1 lb. small new potatoes, halved
(can also use regular sized cut into
1 inch pieces)
2 medium zucchini, quartered
lengthwise & cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Optional garnish: chopped parsley
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with foil & spray
with nonstick cooking spray. Using
a small sharp knife, cut a slit lengthwise
across each breast to create a deep
pocket. In small bowl mix cream cheese,
Cheddar, mozzarella, parsley & garlic
powder – season with salt/pepper.
Spoon  mixture evenly into pockets;
use toothpicks to seal pockets shut.
Season tops of breasts with salt/pepper
then wrap 2 slices bacon around each
breast. Place on sheet pan; scatter
potatoes around chicken & spray potatoes
with nonstick spray – season with salt/
pepper. Bake 20 minutes Remove from
oven & add zucchini; season zucchini
with salt/pepper, to taste. Return to
oven & bake an additional 20 minutes;
place under broiler an additional 3-5
minutes until bacon is browned & crispy.
Serve immediately with chopped parsley,
if using. Serves 4

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

Stuffed Corn Bake

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 (6 oz) pkg. chicken-flavored
stuffing mix
1/2 C. butter, melted
1/2 C. water
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 2 qt. baking dish with
nonstick spray. Place all ingredients
in large bowl; mix well. Pour
mixture into prepared dish &
bake 30 minutes. Allow dish
to cool about 5 minutes before
serving.

(recipe: mostlyhomemademom.com)
————————————

Crockpot Chicken & Zucchini

3 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
2 T. minced garlic
2 small yellow onions, chopped
1 tsp. onion powder
2 whole zucchini, sliced
1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
2 T. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 C. Parmesan cheese, shredded
(can also use Swiss, Cheddar or
mozzarella – shredded)
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick cooking spray. In large
bowl mix all spices, spaghetti
sauce, onions, garlic & sliced
zucchini. Place chicken in
crockpot & pour veggies/sauce
over chicken. Spread chopped
green onions over mixture. Cover
& cook on Low 6-8 hours or High
5 hours. Once chicken is cooked,
cover with chosen cheese; cover
& let stand a few minutes to
allow cheese to melt. Serves 8

NOTE: can be served ‘as is’ or
over cooked pasta or noodles.

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

Homemade Tomatillo Salsa

8 oz. fresh tomatillos, stemmed/
husks removed
2 fresh serrano peppers
1 small onion, minced
6 sprigs cilantro, chopped
salt, to taste
1/4 C. water
–
Roast tomatillos & peppers until
blackened on both sides under
the broiler. Peel peppers & remove
stems/seeds/membranes (as desired)
Puree tomatillos & peppers in food
processor or blender. Stir mixture
with water, onion, cilantro & salt.
Serves 4-6

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

Brown Sugar Baked Peaches
(recipe serves 1 but can
easily be doubled, etc.)

1 fresh peach
1 tsp. unsalted butter, divided
2-4 tsp. brown sugar, divided
sprinkling of ground cinnamon,
to taste
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Halve peach(s) & remove pit;
place in a baking dish, skin
side down. Place 1/2 tsp.
butter in hollow of each peach,
top each with 1-2 tsp. brown
sugar & sprinkle top with
cinnamon. Bake until peachs
are tender, about 30 minutes.
Serve warm.

(recipe: thekitchenismy
playground.com)

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

Nice, quiet day so far; spent time yesterday
organizing my yarns (again) – my knit group
ladies & I were chatting about our yarn
‘stashes’ and I mentioned the size of mine –
the replies were: “Only THAT much?” I
said: “I have so much yarn that I will NEVER
be able to knit/crochet it all up before I die.”
They were not  the least surprised – most
described yarn stashes that were MUCH
larger than mine – oh well, to each their
own, right? It’s like Rockefeller(?) said
when asked how much money he needed
to feel like he had enough: “Just a little bit
more.” (I understand his thinking when it
comes to yarns!). I’ve started & ripped out
2 projects lately; have decided to just stick
to the two baby blankets I’m almost finished
with (one is due before September for Detroit
Vets and the other is ‘on hold’ – a friend is
expecting in February & I’m keeping this one
for if she has a boy – it’s blue.) Don’t know if
I mentioned that one of my knit group ladies
stopped by last Tuesday and brought a huge
laundry basket full of yarns – she’s moving &
thought we might like it (says she’ll bring more
before she moves up North). YES, it was
tempting – I took several skeins of thicker,
fuzzy yarns to make a scarf for this winter
for the homeless collection (they’re white
with flecks of light blue, pink – girlie colors).
When I’m faced with all that FREE yarn my
mind goes into OVER-DRIVE- I start thinking
I could make SCARVES out of some of this!
(Mind you, I don’t like knitting with thick
yarns but the temptation is there when you
see the free yarns!) I also grabbed a fall
colors thick, sorta twisted yarn (3 balls)
for another scarf. Am thinking of taking
a break from baby blankets after these
last 2 are done and doing scarves – they
go a little quicker – we’ll see.

Hope your day is going great so far!

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Just to clarify my latest health update-
ALL of my blood tests came back NORMAL!
I’m fine/healthy – nothing like a little scare
to change things up a bit, eh?

One of “THOSE” days-so far

Have you ever had one of “those” days where things just kind of go WEIRD? Example: stopped at bank drive-thru to deposit/get cash back on several checks. I sat there wondering what was taking SO long when the voice on the ‘box’ said: “Sorry for the long wait but we were checking your birth date with our records. When you can, will you stop into the bank and speak with one of the bank managers? It seems we have your birth date wrong on our records.” (mind you – they had my drivers license right there in front of them) WHAT? Ok . . . whatever. Next I go to the library to pick up two books that the library computer system emailed me reminders for/waiting for me in the “Hold” section – I check, no books. I asked the librarian and he says: “No, I’m sorry I don’t show any holds here for you currently.” Weird #2. Finally go to my local drug store to pick up 3 of MY prescription refills – turns out they only have one for my husband . . . WHAT? Weird #3! Yep, it’s one of “THOSE” days! Now I’m home safe & sound – hopefully it will only get better as the day goes on . . . hopefully!

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

Peach Pretzel Jello Salad

Crust:
2 C. pretzels, crushed
3/4 C. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted
butter, melted
2 T. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Filling:
2 cans peaches, drained, peaches
patted dry
2 C. boiling water
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room
temp.
1 (6 oz) pkg peach jello
1/2 C. sugar
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray. In medium
bowl combine pretzels, sugar,
cinnamon & nutmeg; stir in melted
butter & mix thoroughly. Transfer
mixture to prepared pan & gently
press in even layer. Bake 8-10
minutes; set aside to cool.
In large bowl cream together
cream cheese & sugar then gently
fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture
over cooled crust. Refrigerate
1 hour until set.
In large bowl combine jello with
boiling water & stir thoroughly
until completely dissolved; let
cool to room temperature. Top
cream cheese layer with peach
slices then gently pour gelatin
over cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate until set, 2-3 hours.
Serves 8-10

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
——————————-

Crockpot Bacon/Ranch Potatoes

6 slices bacon
3 lb. red potatoes, chopped
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
1 T. Ranch seasoning & salad
dressing mix
2 T. chopped chives
–
Preheat 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil;
spread bacon in single layer on
sheet. Bake until brown & crispy,
12-14 minutes. Cool then crumble.
Line crockpot insides with foil,
leaving enough overhang to wrap
potatoes on top & spray with
nonstick cooking spray. Play a layer of
potatoes evenly in crockpot, top
with cheese, Ranch seasoning &
bacon crumbles – repeat 2 more
times (reserve 1/2 C. cheese).
Cover potatoes with foil & cook on
Low 7-8 hours or High 3-4 hours.
Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C. cheese;
cover & cook until melted, 1-2
minutes. Serve immediately
garnished with chopped chives.

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

Easy-Cheesy Zuchinni Bake

4 medium zucchini (1 1/2 lb),
unpeeled/sliced into 1/2″ slices
2 T. chopped fresh herbs (basil,
oregano or thyme)
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 C. (no sugar added) marinara
sauce
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 8 X 8″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. In large bowl
combine sliced zucchini, fresh
herbs, garlic, marinara & Mozz.
cheese. Transfer to prepared
dish; sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes.
Carefully remove from oven &
evenly sprinkle top with Cheddar
& Parmesan cheese. Return to
oven 10 minutes until cheeses
are melted & lightly browned.
Allow to sit 10 minutes before
serving.

(NOTE: poster states: “Like most
casseroles, this zucchini bake
tastes better when warm or at
room temperature rather than
when hot.”

(recipe: ninerecipes.com)
——————————

Portobello Onion Tart
(appetizer)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry,
thawed
2 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 lb. sliced baby portobello
mushrooms
1 large onion, halved & thinly
sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 C. (4 oz) crumbled goat cheese
or Gorgonzola cheese
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary,
(optional)
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Unfold pastry onto a parchment
paper-lined baking sheet. Using a
sharp knife, score a 1/2″ border
along edges of pastry. Within
border, prick pastry with a fork
all over. Bake 8-10 minutes until
golden brown. Remove from oven;
if center has puffed, flatten gently
with a spatula. In large skillet heat
1 T. olive oil over medium-high
heat. Add mushrooms; cook & stir
4-5 minutes until lightly browned.
Remove from pan. To same pan
add remaining oil & onion; cook &
stir 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.
Return mushrooms to pan; stir in salt.
In small bowl whisk eggs until blended;
stir in cheese & pour into crust. Top evenly
with mushroom mixture. Bake 13-15
minutes until cheese mixture is set. If
desired, sprinkle with rosemary.
Serves 4

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————

Fried Green Tomatoes

1 unripe green tomato, cored/sliced
very thinly (1/8th inch)
1-2 large eggs, lightly beaten &
whisked with 1-2 T. water
1 C. seasoned flour (salt/pepper)
1 C. finely ground corn meal or
masa harina
1/2 C. buttermilk*
salt/pepper, to taste
cajun seasoning, to taste
hot sauce, to taste
–
Place each of the following
items, 1 per bowl:
(1) buttermilk,
(2) seasoned flour
(3) beaten egg
(4) corn meal

Heat 1-2 inches of oil in large skillet to
shallow-fry to tomatoes. Coat tomato
slices by first dipping in milk, then
into seasoned flour, then beaten egg,
& finally in corn meal. Fry coated tomato
slices 1-2 minutes per side until golden;
drain on paper towels. Serves 2-3

* if you don’t have buttermilk:
Place 1/2 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar
in a 1-cup measuring cup & fill to
1/2 C. measure with milk. Stir with
a fork & let stand 5 minutes – now
you have buttermilk.

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

Broccoli Cheese Salad

2 heads broccoli, cut into
small florets
1 C. cherry tomatoes, cut in
half
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2″
chunks
1 (6 oz) can whole black olives,
drained
1/2 lb. Monterrey Jack cheese, cut
into 1/2″ chunks
1/2 lb. sharp Cheddar cheese, cut
into 1/2″ chunks
1 C. plain Greek yogurt
1 C. mayonnaise
3 T. honey
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C. cooked, crumbled bacon
(optional)
–
In large bowl combine broccoli,
tomatoes, onion, olives, & both
cheeses (chunks). In medium
bowl whisk yogurt, mayonnaise,
honey, garlic powder, salt/pepper &
pour over vegetables – toss until
evenly coated. Cover & chill until
ready to serve. Sprinkle top with
bacon before serving (if using bacon).
Serves 12

(recipe: mrfood.com)
—————————-

Ritzy Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Chicken:
4 large chicken breasts, each cut
into 3 large chunks
2 sleeves Ritz (or other butter) crackers
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. milk
3 C. grated Cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley

Sauce:
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
2 T. sour cream
2 T. butter
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place crackers in a food processor or
blender & grind up. Pour milk, cheese &
cracker crumbs into 3 separate pans. Toss
salt & pepper into cracker crumbs & mix
to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into
milk, then cheese. Press cheese into chicken
using your fingers (some will fall off when you
add to cracker crumbs – it’s ok) Press cheesy
chicken into cracker crumbs & press it on.*
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
spray. Lay chicken in pan. Sprinkle dried
parsley on top. Cover with foil & bake
35 minutes. Remove foil; bake an additional
10 minutes until edges of chicken are
golden brown & crispy.
In medium sauce pan combine soup, sour
cream & butter using a whisk. Stir over
medium-high heat until sauce is hot –
serve over chicken. Serves 7

*Once cheese melts in oven it will adhere
to crumbs & crackers

NOTE: This recipe can be frozen. Assemble
chicken accordg. to directions. Cover pan
tightly with foil & freeze. When ready to use,
thaw it out completely, then bake 400 degrees F.
35 minutes. It is best to make the sauce fresh
when you are ready to eat.

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

No-bake Chocolate/Pretzel/
Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 C. pretzel sticks, crushed into
crumbs
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. plus 1/4 C. smooth peanut
butter
1 1/2 C. milk chocolate chips
–
In medium bowl stir melted butter,
pretzel crumbs, powdered sugar &
1 C. peanut butter until well
combined. Press mixture into bottom
of ungreased 9 X 13″ baking dish.
Combine chocolate chips & 1/4 C.
peanut butter in a microwave-safe
bowl or measuring cup – microwave
in 30-second intervals, stirring
between, until melted & smooth.
Mix well then spread over layer in
dish. Refrigerate at least 1 hour
before cutting into squares.

(recipe: shared.com)

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

Our weather is STILL gorgeous – in the mid
80’s, sunny with a slight breeze – can’t complain!

Sat down, yesterday, with my two knitting baby
blankets just to check & make sure I didn’t make
any mistakes while talking (lots) at the Ice Cream
Social – all’s good. Tomorrow is all-day baby/kid
sitting; tonight is the last of the Jet’s ceep-dish
vegetarian pizza – YAY! (I’ve learned over the
years that I like this one best – can do without
pepperoni, ham, hamburger, sausage, etc. on
my pizzas – just like the flavors of the veggies
& cheese!).

Hope your day is turning out JUST GREAT!

Enjoy;

Pammie

Another gorgeous (but hot) Summer day!

Today found me doing what I do, lately – watching the grandsons. This was ‘supposed’ to be 9:30 – noon-ish; turned out to be 9:30 – 3 something, sigh. Oh well, the day went well – oldest grandson went to his friend’s house for the day to go swimming which left just myself & the baby. The baby had 2 immunization shots yesterday and, hence, spent almost the entire day SLEEPING! (I read half of a book, so didn’t waste the time.)

Remember my mentioning the off-yellow & white baby blanket I was going to knit? After knitting a good 6 inches & playing with the stitch changes/color changes I decided to kill it – it went out with the trash today. (Yes, I ‘could’ have unraveled all that yarn, but with the color changes, it just wasn’t worth it.) I feel MUCH free-er! Sometimes ya just gotta make those choices – do I REALLY want to keep doing this pattern for the rest of an entire blanket? NO! I’m sure there will DEFINITELY be more interesting patterns I’ll feel like tackling in the near future.

Lots & LOTS of very interesting Summer recipes – having a hard time keeping up with them all!

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

Lemon Zucchini Cake

1 3/4 C. sugar
6 T. olive oil
2 eggs, room temp.
1/3 C. milk
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla (or almond extract)
2 C. cake flour*
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 C. shredded zucchini, drained/
squeezed dry
2 T. lemon zest

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
1-2 T. lemon juice
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick
spray & line with parchment paper.
In large bowl combine flour, baking
powder & salt – whisk together. In
large bowl combine sugar, olive oil;
whisk to combine; add eggs & milk
& whisk to combine. Add lemon
juice & vanilla – stir to combine. Add
flour mixture & stir just until
incorporated. Fold in zucchini & lemon
zest. Pour batter into prepared pan;
bake 45-55 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center comes out with
moist crumbs. Top of cake should look
dry. Place pan on cooling rack & cool
15 minutes. Using parchment paper,
carefully lift cake from pan. Let cool
completely on rack. Serves 10 (1 loaf)

Glaze:
In small bowl combine powdered sugar
& lemon juice; whisk until smooth.
Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

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

Herb-butter Salmon & Asparagus
Foil Packets
(oven & grill methods)

4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets
salt/pepper, to taste
1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
1 lemon, thinly sliced (+added wedges
for garnish, if desired)
1/2 C. butter, room temp
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 tsp. minced garlic
fresh thyme or parsley, optional garnish
–
Season salmon generously with salt/pepper
on both sides. Tear off four 12 X 12″ foil
squares & spray with nonstick spray. Arrange
1 fillet & 1/4 th of the asparagus in center of
each square. Slide lemon slices under salmon.
In small bowl mix butter, Italian seasoning &
garlic; drop large dollops of mixture on top
of salmon. Fold foil tightly around salmon &
asparagus, being sure to seal ends together
tightly so juices & butter don’t run out while
cooking.

OVEN method:
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place packets in oven & bake 20 minutes
until asparagus is tender & salmon is flaky

GRILL method:
Place packets on grill & grill over medium-
high heat 6-8 minutes on each side.

Open packets (being careful to avoid steam)
& drizzle fresh lemon juice over top of salmon;
serve immediately. Serves 4

(recipe: lecremedelacrumb.com)
————————————–
5-Ingredient Summer Salad

1-2 cucumbers, sliced
1 chopped tomato
3 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled
1-2 T. mayonnaise
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
salt/black pepper, to taste
–
Mix mayonnaise & spices
together in small bowl. In large
bowl combine cucumbers,
tomato & bacon – stir in mayo
mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour.

(recipe: reciperoost.com)
—————————-

Crockpot German Potato Salad

4 C. potatoes, peeled/ cubed
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp/crumbled
PLUS 2 T. drippings reserved
3/4 C. chopped onion
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/4 C. water
2 T. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
pepper, to taste
dried parsley, to taste
fresh parsley, chopped (optional
garnish)
–
In saucepan over medium heat
boil potatoes until tender; drain &
allow to cool. Saute onions in
reserved bacon drippings over
medium-high heat until tender. In
large bowl mix soup, water, vinegar,
sugar & pepper; mix in bacon &
onion – mix to combine. Pour in
cooked potatoes & parsley – mix
all together & place in crockpot.
Cover & cook on Low 4 hours.
Garnish with fresh chopped
parsley, if desired. Serve warm.
Serves 4

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

5 Ingredient Neiman Marcus Dip

1 C. Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. slivered almonds
1/4 C. finely chopped green onions
1 pkg. real bacon bits (or 6 slices
bacon cooked/crumbled)
–
Ritz crackers or corn chips for dipping
–
In large bowl combine all dip
ingredients; mix well & refrigerate
at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serve with Ritz crackers or corn
chips for dipping.

(recipe: all-my-recipes.com)
——————————–
Spinach-Parmesan Casserole

2 lb. fresh baby spinach
5 T. butter
3 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. salt
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place 5 C. water in a stockpot &
bring to boil. Add spinach & cook,
covered, 1 minute just until
wilted; drain well. In small skillet,
heat butter & oil over medium-low
heat. Add garlic, Ital. seasoning &
salt; cook & stir until garlic is tender,
1-2 minutes. Spray a 8 X 8″ or 1 1/2
qt. casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Spread spinach in dish & drizzle with
butter mixture then sprinkle with
cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10-15
minutes until cheese is lightly browned.
Serves 6

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————

Pineapple/Ham & Dijon Sandwiches
(crockpot)

2 lb. fully cooked ham, cut into
1/2″ cubes
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple,
undrained
1 medium green pepper, finely
chopped
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. finely chopped onion
1/4 C. Dijon mustard
1 T. dried minced onion
10 hamburger buns, split
10 slices Swiss cheese
(additional Dijon mustard,
optional)
–
Spray insides of a 4-qt crockpot
with nonstick spray. Combine first
7 ingredients in crockpot. Cover &
cook on Low 3-4 hours until
heated through.
–
Preheat broiler
Place bun bottoms & tops on
baking sheets, cut sides up. Using
a slotted spoon, place ham mixture
on bun bottoms & top with cheese.
Broil 3-4 inches from heat 1-2 minutes
until cheese is melted & tops are
toasted. Place tops on & serve with
additional mustard, if using.
Makes 10 servings

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————-

No-churn Raspberry Ripple
Ice Cream

2 C. frozen raspberries (or fresh)
1/4 C. sugar
2 C. heavy cream
1 (14 oz) can sweetened,
condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
–
Place raspberries & sugar in saucepan
over medium heat; bring to boil. Simmer
5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until
raspberries have broken down & mixture
has thickened. Push mixture through a
sieve into a small bowl & discard seeds/
pulp. Allow to cool completely.
Using an elec. mixer, whip heavy cream
to stiff peaks.
In separate bowl, whisk condensed milk &
vanilla; gently fold into whipped cream.
Pour half of mixture into a 9 X 5″ loaf
pan & dollop spoonfuls of raspberry sauce
on top. Swirl sauce through with a toothpick
or knife. Pour rest of ice cream mixture on
top & swirl in more raspberry sauce. Use as
much or as little of the sauce as you like,
or save some for another batch of ice
cream.
Cover loaf pan tightly with foil & freeze
at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

NOTE: ice cream can be stored in freezer
up to 1 month. Raspberry sauce can be
stored in fridge up to 1 week.

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

Pizza Pasta Salad

3 C. penne pasta, cooked/rinsed
4 tomatoes, chopped
12 slices hard salami, chopped
1 C. (Kraft) finely shredded Italian
Five Cheese blend
1/2 C. sliced fresh basil
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. (Kraft) Tuscan House
Italian salad dressing
–
Combine all ingredients in large
bowl & refrigerate 1 hour before
serving. Serves 10, 1 C. each

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
———————

Frozen Strawberry/Lemonade
Dessert

1 quart (approx 4 C.) strawberries,
hulled
1/2 gallon (approx 8 C) vanilla ice
cream
1 (12 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate,
thawed
–
Optional topping:
Whipped cream or Cool Whip (thawed)
–
Blend strawberries in food processor or
blender until pureed. In large bowl mix
strawberries, ice cream & lemonade –
mix until well blended. Pour into a
freezer-safe container with lid.
Cover & freeze at least 2 hours before
serving. If desired, top with whipped cream
or Cool Whip. Serves 6

(recipe: ourtableforseven.com)

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

Hope all is going well for all of you;
this is one of those ‘busy’ weeks, with
extra events: tomorrow is the funeral
of my husband’s cousin Nick – Sunday
is the funeral of another cousin, JoAnn.
Both were in early 70’s range, both had
cancer – lovely people but sometimes
we just have to accept the fact that
we’re all getting older and these things
are a part of life; they will be missed
but they both got to live long, fulfilling
lives & got to see their children grow up
AND the blessings of seeing & knowing
their grandchildren. Such is life.

Hugs;

Pammie