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

An Easy Day –

Spent a few hours watching the grandsons – pretty easy day (baby was in a good mood, older grandson had 4 other neighborhood kids to play with . . . in the house). It’s a sunny, somewhat muggy day (temp 79 degrees F.); after the rains of a few days ago it’s been warm & muggy. (I’m fine – I spend most of my time in the house, anyway . . . with air conditioning, when needed – grin).

Yesterday found me perusing a few lace/knitting sites just for fun. You KNOW you’re a rather ‘basic’ knitter when you come across patterns like these:

Mind you, I’m happy where I’m at with my knitting ‘skills’ but just like looking at patterns to see if there might be something I could try to conquer. (read that: NOT the Pineapple Purse, above!) WHEW! We can all dream, right? (I’ll stick to baby blankets & hats, thank you).

===========

Blueberry Pie Bars

Crust & Crumble Topping:
1/2 C. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 C. flour
pinch salt (optional)

Filling:
1 large egg
heaping 1/2 C. plain or vanilla Greek
yogurt (or sour cream)
1/3 C. granulated sugar
2 Tsp. vanilla
1 T. flour

Blueberry Layer:
2 C. (12 oz) blueberries, fresh or frozen*
1/3 C. granulated sugar (or 1/2 C. if
berries are sour)
2 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a 8 X 8″ pan with foil & spray
with nonstick cooking spray.

Crust & Crumble Topping:
In large microwaveable bowl melt
butter, about 1 minute on High. Add
sugars & whisk to combine. Add
flour, (optional salt) stir to combine.
Mixture will be very dry & sandy with
some larger, well-formed crumble
pieces. Reserve a heaping 3/4 C.
mixture.
Transfer remaining mixture to prepared
pan; using a spatula or your fingers, hard-
pack the mixture to create an even, smooth
flat crust.

Filling:
In medium bowl add egg, Greek yogurt,
sugar, vanilla – whisk to combine. Add
flour & whisk to combine. Evenly pour
filling over crust & jiggle pan to help
distribute filling (or smooth with a spatula).

Blueberry Layer:
In separate medium bowl add all filling
ingredients & toss to combine. If sugar
hasn’t dissolved fully or still has crystals
it’s OK – it will liquify while baking. Evenly
distribute berry mixture over filling. Evenly
sprinkle with reserved heaping 3/4 C. crust
mixture. (Poster notes: Before sprinkling,
I squeeze the mixture in my palm to
encourage bigger crumble pieces to form)

Bake 60 minutes until edges are bubbling
quite vigorously & there’s some bubbling
in center. Crumble topping should appear
set & very pale golden. Place pan on wire
rack & allow bars to cool at least 1-2 hours
(or overnight) before cutting. If you try
cutting them before they are fully cooled
they will be extremely messy & could fall
apart.

*Poster used frozen berries & did not thaw them;
said the pan was very cold when going into the
oven.
If using fresh berries: baking time will be
reduced by about 10-15 minutes, maybe
less.

Bars will keep at room temp. for up
to 1 week; in fridge up to 10 days (they are
good chilled or in the freezer up to 6 months

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

Crunchy Thai Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, chopped or
sliced
3 green onions, sliced
2 T. chopped roasted peanuts

Dressing:
4 T. Thai sweet chili sauce (found in
Asian aisle in grocery store)
1 T. rice vinegar
2 T. sugar
dash sesame oil
1/2 tsp. salt
–
Combine cucumber & green onions in
a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients
in small bowl & whisk to combine. Toss
dress with cucumbers & onions then
sprinkle with roasted peanuts. Keep
chilled – serve within 2 hours.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
—————————

Cornbread Cowboy Trifle

1 (Jiffy Mix) box cornbread mix,
prepared with ingredients listed
on box
2 medium jalapeno peppers,
seeded/minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded/chopped
1 lb. thick-sliced bacon, cooked/
chopped into bits
1 1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 C. ranch salad dressing
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes,
drain juices
2 (16 oz, ea) cans beans (pinto,
kidney or black) drained/rinsed
2 (16 oz) cans whole kernel
corn, drained
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 small bunch green onions,
thinly sliced
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Cut prepared cornbread into 1-inch
chunks. In a LARGE bowl combine
tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, beans,
jalapenos & corn-making a salsa.
Combine mayonnaise & ranch
dressing in another bowl – add
salt/pepper, to taste.
Build Trifle:
In large serving bowl place a
layer of cornbread, layer of salsa,
add shredded cheese, layer of
mayonnaise mixture & layer of
diced bacon – repeat until layers
reach top of bowl. Garnish top
with green onions & any
remaining cheese & bacon.
Refrigerate 1 hour before
serving. Serves 8-10

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————————–

Cheddar/Bacon/Horseradish Dip

10 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz (2 C.) shredded Cheddar
cheese, divided
1/4 C. prepared horseradish
1 1/4 C. sour cream
–
In large skillet cook bacon until
crisp; using a slotted spoon, transfer
bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
When cool, crumble any large pieces.
Discard all but 2 T. bacon fat in skillet;
heat at medium heat – cook chopped
onions a few minutes – until soft, sweet &
lightly browned, about 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Transfer onions
to a blender or food processor. Add half
bacon, 1 1/2 C. cheese & all horseradish
& sour cream. Process until well combine.
Stir in remaining bacon & cheese,
reserving a bit for topping. Transfer
mixture to a serving bowl & sprinkle
remaining bacon & cheese on top.
Serve at room temperature.
Serves 6

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

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups

3 T. butter
3 T. flour
2 1/4 C. milk
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. cream cheese, softened
2 C. shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 C. finely grated Parmesan cheese
8 cooked lasagna noodles
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray large casserole dish with
nonstick cooking spray. Melt
butter in large skillet over medium
heat; add garlic & saute until garlic
is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk
flour into butter & garlic; cook until
mixture is bubbling & golden, 1
minute more. Gradually pour in milk,
whisking constantly. Bring mixture
to a simmer, stir in cream cheese &
Parmesan. Let simmer until sauce
thickens, 2-3 minutes. Add lemon
juice & about 1 tsp. parsley; season
to taste with salt/pepper. Stir in
shredded chicken. Spoon a thin
layer of sauce on bottom of prepared
dish. Lay cooked noodles in single
layer on a cutting board or baking
sheet. Spread chicken mixture on each
noodle then roll up; lay in dish seam-
sides down. Spoon more sauce on
top of roll-ups. Bake 15-20 minutes
until sauce is bubbly & begins to
brown. Garnish with more parsley
& serve warm. Serves 4

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————-

Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

4 boneless pork chops
1 (1 oz) pkt. ranch salad dressing
mix (dry)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken
soup
–
Place chops in bottom of crockpot;
Sprinkle dry ranch mix on chops;
top with soup – mix to combine.
Cover & cook on Low 6-8 hours
or High 3-4 hours. Serves 4

(note; poster serves this over a
bed of cooked rice)

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

Lemon Mascarpone Cream Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
2 T. sugar
7 T. butter, melted

Lemon Filling:
3/4 C. sweetened condensed milk
1/4 C. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 T. lemon zest
1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
1 C. powdered sugar
12 oz. mascarpone cheese
(yellow food coloring, if desired)

Lemon Whipped Cream:
3/4 C. heavy whipping cream
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon zest
–
Optional garnishes:
lemon slices
mint sprigs
—
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 8 or 9″ pie pan. Combine
cracker crumbs, sugar & melted
butter in medium bowl; mix well.
Press mixture evenly into bottom
& up sides of pie pan. Bake
8-10 minutes – cool completely.
–
In medium bowl combine sweetnd’
cond. milk, lemon juice & lemon
zest. In another large bowl add
heavy whipping cream & powdered
sugar – whip on High speed using
elec. mixer until very stiff peaks form.
Add mascarpone cheese to mixture
& whip on medium speed just until
combined, then continue gently
folding together until well combined.
Add about 1/3 of lemon mixture to
whipped cream & gently fold to combine.
Add remaining lemon mixture & fold to
combine. Add a little yellow food coloring
(if desired). Add filling mixture to cooled
crust & refrigerate until firm, 4-5 hours.
–
To make Lemon Whipped Cream:
Add ingredients to elec. mixer bowl &
whip until stiff peaks form. Top pie
with cream & refrigerate until ready to
serve. (You can pipe cream onto edges
of pie crust & fill middle with lemon
slices & mint sprigs, if desired.)

(recipe: lifeloveandsugar.com)

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

Hope you’re having a great day –
enjoy the sunshine!

Hugs;

Pammie

Another beautiful Summer Day

It’s a gorgeous, sunny/breezy summer day – windows are open (don’t need air conditioning at the moment – 70 degrees F).  It’s been a very relaxing week AND I’M GRATEFUL! Due to my inability to be content with just knitting 2 different baby blankets, I’m now trying a new one: white & medium yellow stripes. (since I’m using donated yarn, mine is different: the blue stripes in the photo are white on mine & the white stripes/areas are medium yellow). We’ll see how this goes – I’m pretty sure I won’t be done with this in time for the Detroit Vet’s baby shower in September, but that’s OK – I also have the Crisis Pregnancy group to donate blankets to.

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

Arizona Sunshine Lemon Pie

Pie:
1 large lemon
4 large eggs
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 (9 inch) piecrust, unbaked
(poster used frozen deep dish)

Topping:
1 C. whipping cream
2 T. sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Wash lemon, cut up & remove
all seeds (do not peel); place
lemon in a food processor or
blender; add eggs, butter,
vanilla & sugar – blend until
smooth. Pour mixture into crust &
bake about 40 minutes until set.
Let pie cool then chill.

Topping:
Place mixing bowl & elec. mixer
beaters in freezer for about 20
minutes. Add whipping cream &
to cold bowl & whip until peaks
form. Slice pie & serve with a
dollop of whipped cream on top.

NOTE: Pie can be served warm
(it just won’t be as firm) or at
room temperature, if desired.

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

Sausage/Cream Cheese Crescents

1 (16 oz) pkg. bulk pork sausage,
cooked/crumbled (any flavor)
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
(or any cheese of your choice)
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In bowl combine sausage, cream
cheese & shredded cheese. Separate
crescent rolls into triangles; cut each
triangle in half lengthwise. Scoop a
heaping tablespoon of meat filling
onto each roll & roll up. Place rolls
on a baking sheet & bake 15 minutes
until golden brown.

(recipe: all-my-recipes.com)
——————————–
Strawberry/Avocado/Spinach
Salad w/ Greek Yogurt/Poppy
Seed Dressing

Dressing:
2/3 C. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 C. cider vinegar
3 T. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. olive oil
1 T. poppy seeds
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Salad:
12 oz. fresh baby spinach,
rinsed/dried
1 pint strawberries, cut into
thin slices
1-2 ripe avocados, cut into
thin slices
1/2 C. toasted pecans
4 oz. goat cheese
–
Combine all dressing ingredients
in a jar with a lid; secure lid &
shake vigorously to combine. (OR
whisk until completely blended).
Refrigerate until ready to use. (up
to 5 days)

In large bowl gently toss all salad
ingredients together & drizzle
with dressing. Serves 8

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

Spaghetti Squash Tetrazzini

2 – 2 1/4 lb. spaghetti squash
1 C. water
–
Filling:
1 T. butter
8 oz. creminimushrooms, sliced
1/4 C. chopped onion
8 oz. chopped, cooked ham/turkey
or chicken
2 T. dry white wine or sherry
–
Sauce:
1 1/2 C. milk
1 C. Half & Half
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Topping:
1 C. Parmesan cheese
2 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
salt/pepper, to taste
1 C. soft bread crumbs
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Carefully cut squash in half
lengthwise & scoop out seeds.
Place, flesh side down, in a
glass casserole dish & pour water
over it. Cover tightly with foil &
bake 40 minutes – cool enough to
handle.
While squash is baking, heat 1 T.
butter in large nonstick skillet &
saute onions until they begin to
brown. Add mushrooms & cook
until soft; stir in wine & cooked
(meat of your choice) – continue
to saute until mixture is fairly dry.
Melt 3 T. butter in empty skillet
& whisk in flour; quickly add cold
Half & Half & cold milk – season
with salt/pepper. Cook, stirring
over medium-low heat until sauce
thickens.
When squash is cooked & cooled
using a fork, rake cooked flesh inside,
pulling it into spaghetti-like strands –
place strands in a bowl. Stir in melted
butter, Parm. cheese, nutmeg, cooked
mushroom/ham & more salt/pepper,
if needed. Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick spray. Stir sauce into
squash mixture & toss until squash is
mixed & coated – pour into prepared
dish. Sprinkle top of casserole with
bread crumbs. In oven at 350 degrees F.
bake casserole, uncovered, 30 minutes
until crumbs are golden & casserole is
bubbly. Serves 6-8

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

Marinated Baked Pork Chops

Marinade:
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. ketchup
–
6 pork chops, trimmed of fat
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In small bowl blend all marinade
ingredients. Place chops in medium
baking dish & spread with half the
sauce. Bake chops 30 minutes; turn
& pour rest of sauce on chops. Bake
30 minutes longer until internal
temperature of chops reaches 145
degrees F.

(recipe: 77recipes.com)
————————————-

Fresh Corn/Hash Brown &
Zucchini casserole

1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded sharp
Cheddar cheese, divided
8 slices cooked bacon/crumbled &
divided
1 (30 oz) pkg. shredded hash
brown potatoes, thawed
1 C. ranch salad dressing
4 C. fresh corn kernels
2 zucchini, shredded
1 (8 oz) tub sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. ground black pepper
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick spray.
–
Reserve 1/2 C. cheese & 1/4 C.
bacon for topping
–
Combine remaining cheese & bacon
with remaining ingredients; spoon
into prepared pan. Top with
reserved cheese & bacon. Bake
40-45 minutes until heated through.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 18 (1/2 C. each)

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
———————————

Honey-Garlic Shrimp

3 T. honey
1 T. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. crushed chili flakes
(optional)
1 tsp. fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
(about 1 T.)
3/4 lb. medium uncooked
shrimp, peeled/deveined
1 T. olive oil
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
2 T. sliced green onion, garnish
–
cooked brown rice for 2
cooked broccoli or other veggies
for 2 – to serve with shrimp
–
Whisk honey, soy sauce, chili flakes
(if using), ginger & garlic in medium
bowl. In another medium bowl add
shrimp & oil – season with salt/pepper,
toss to coat. Heat a pan over medium-
high heat. Place shrimp in pan in an
even layer & cook on one side until
nicely seared, about 1-2 minutes. Flip
over & cook 1 more minute (so they’re
just cooked but stilla little translucent
in center). Pour honey/garlic marinade in
pan & cook until shrimp is cooked through,
about 1 minute. (If desired, remove shrimp
from pan so they don’t over cook) reduce
sauce a little to thicken it – watch it, as
sauce can easily burn.) Serve shrimp with
sauce over brown rice & cooked veggies.
Garnish with green onion. Serves 2

(recipe: tiphero.com)
———————————

Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken
(crockpot)

4 chicken thighs (bone-in/skin on)
2 C. pineapple cut into 1″ chunks
1 yellow onion, cut into 1″ chunks
3 T. honey
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 C. dark brown sugar
1 T. grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)
1 T. cornstarch
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1″
chunks
chopped parsley – garnish
–
cooked rice for 4
–
In a skillet brown chicken thighs
on both sides 3-5 minutes over
high heat. Place pineapple &
onion in bottom of crockpot.
Mix honey, soy sauce, brown
sugar, grated ginger & garlic &
place in crockpot. Carefully
add chicken. Cover & cook
on Low 5 hours or High 3
hours. Mix cornstarch & water
in small bowl then stir into
crockpot along with bell
peppers. Cover & cook an
additional 30 minutes.
Serve over cooked rice & garnish
with chopped parsley.

(recipe: ninerecipes.com)
——————————-

Frozen Lemonade Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 C. graham cracker
crumbs (about 10 full-sheet
crackers)
7 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 C. light brown sugar

Filling:
1 C. cold heavy whipping
cream*
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese,
room temp.
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla
1 (14 oz) can sweetened
condensed milk
1 T. fresh lemon zest
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 C. thawed lemonade
concentrate
–
Crust:
In large bowl mix graham cracker
crumbs, melted butter & brown
sugar until combined; pour into
a 9 inch pie plate or springform
pan, packing it firmly into bottom
& up sides of pan. Cover crust
with plastic wrap & refrigerate
1 hour.

Filling:
In bowl of stand mixer beat heavy
whipping cream, vanilla & sugar on
medium-high speed until stiff peaks
form (see * below)
In bowl of stand mixer beat
cream cheese & sweetnd cond. milk
until smooth. Beat in lemonade
concentrate, lemon juice & lemon
zest until combined then fold in
whipped cream mixture. Pour into
pie crust, cover with plastic wrap &
freeze a minimum of 6 hours or
until firm.
When ready to serve remove from
freezer & cut into slices.

*Can substitute 1 (8 oz) tub Cool
Whip, thawed

(recipe: yummly.co)

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

Hope you’re having a nice, relaxing day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Saturday

It’s a quiet day (so far) with nothing in particular planned – how’s YOUR day going? Our weather has dropped in temperature due to rain/thunder storms intermittently; right now it’s overcast & cloudy (the weather channel says it’s 70 degrees out – sure doesn’t FEEL like 70!) Supposed to get up to 80 with more chance of thunderstorms. Looking at the coming week, it’s supposed to be in the 70-80 degrees F. range – interesting!

Do you have plans for the Fourth of July/Independence day? It falls on a Tuesday and (due to my not planning well) is also scheduled as a Knit/Crochet Night…hmmmmmm.  I’m pretty sure MOST of my ladies will NOT show up; my problem is: at Log Cabin Day a lady & her husband came and were VERY excited/interested in the group – they just moved to the area. I’m wondering if SHE might show? Just in case, I’m going to Panera & knit about an hour (with my little group sign on the table) – we’ll see what happens. (Don’t want to lose a new member before actually GETTING one, right?).

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

Easiest Strawberry Cake

1 (store bought) Angel Food cake
1 large pkg. strawberry Jell-O
2 C. boiling water
1 small tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 large pkg. frozen strawberries,
with juice (not whole frozen)
–
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with  nonstick spray.
Break half of cake into chunks &
place in bottom of pan. Mix
Jell-O in a bowl with 2 C. boiling
water until dissolved. Add straw-
berries & stir. Stir in spoonfuls
of Cool Whip until well mixed.
Spoon half of mixture over cake
in pan; repeat layers & refrigerate
several hours until ready to serve.
Cut into squares & serve.

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

Sausage/Cream Cheese Crescents

(appetizers)

16 oz. bulk sausage, cooked/crumbled/
cooled
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick spray.
In large bowl combine cooked/cooled
sausage, cream cheese & shredded
cheese. Separate rolls into triangles.
Cut each triangle in half lengthwise;
scoop a heaping tablespoon filling
on each & roll up. Place rolls in
prepared pan & bake 15 minutes
until golden brown.

(recipe: all-my-recipes.com)
—————————-

Jack’s Potato Salad

5 lb. new red potatoes, skins
left on
1 T. salt
6 room-temp uncooked eggs
3 T. white vinegar, divided
1 1/2 T. cider vinegar
1 C. finely minced sweet onion
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. olive oil
1/3 C. canola oil
–
Wash unpeeled potatoes & place in
a large pot of water; cover potatoes
about 6 inches above potatoes. Add
1 T. salt & bring to boil – reduce heat
to medium boil & cook 30-40 minutes
(depending on size of potatoes) prick
with a fork to test if they’re done.
Bring medium pot of water to boil;
add 1 1/2 T. white vinegar & gently add
whole eggs using a slotted spoon, being
careful not to crack the shells. Boil
rapidly 5 minutes; turn off heat & let
eggs sit in hot water 15 minutes. Drain
eggs & shake the pan back & forth to
crack the shells (Makes peeling much
easier!). Under running water, remove
shells. Roughly chop the eggs in large
pieces. In medium bowl mix 1 1/2 T.
white vinegar, cider vinegar, onions,
celery salt, pepper, poppy seeds, sugar,
mustard & mayonnaise – refrigerate.
Mix both oils in a measuring cup or
other small container. Once potatoes
are cooked, leave them in hot water &
remove, one-at-a-time, using a slotted
spoon, to your cutting board. Cut
potatoes into chunks & place in large
bowl. (once you are about 1/4th way
through cutting the hot potatoes, pour
one quarter of mixed oils over cut
potatoes & combine gently.) Continue
with cutting & oiling until all of oil &
potatoes are in large bowl. Add
mayonnaise mixture to hot potatoes &
gently mix; add cooked eggs & gently
mix. Pour entire contents out onto a
sheet pan, spreading evenly. Cover with
plastic wrap & refrigerate until chilled to
below 40 degrees F. Once cool enough,
remove to serving container & serve.
Serves 15-18

NOTE: If serving this outside, try to keep
shaded – as an extra precaution, place
a large bowl of ice (larger than serving
bowl) UNDER the serving bowl to keep it
chilled while serving. Refrigerate leftovers
as soon as you have finished serving.

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

Simple Garlic Shrimp

1 1/2 T. olive oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled/
deveined
salt, to taste
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. cold butter
1/3 C. chopped Italian flat
leaf parsley, divided
1 1/2 T. cold butter
water, as needed
–
Heat oil in heavy skillet over
high heat until it just begins to
smoke. Place shrimp in an even
layer on bottom of pan & cook
1 minute without stirring. Season
shrimp with salt; cook & stir until
shrimp begin to turn pink, about
1 minute. Stir in garlic & red pepper
flakes; cook & stir 1 minute. Stir in
lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp. cold butter &
half parsley. Cook until butter has
melted, about 1 minute, then turn
heat to Low & stir in  1 1/2 T. cold
butter. Cook & stir until all butter has
melted to form a thick sauce & shrimp
are pink & opaque, 2-3 minutes.
Remove shrimp using a slotted spoon
& transfer to a bowl; continue to cook
butter sauce, adding water 1 tsp. at a
time, if too thick, about 2 minutes;
season with salt, to taste. Serve
shrimp topped with pan sauce. Garnish
with remaining parsley.

(recipe: allrecipes.com)
——————————–

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon
Dressing

6 uncooked eggs, room temp
1 T. white vinegar
1 lb. maple-flavored bacon
10 oz. fresh baby spinach
1 (8 oz) pkg. button mushrooms,
sliced very thin
1 small red onion (half chopped &
half thinly sliced, divided)
1/2 C. white balsamic vinegar
1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 C. water
–
In medium or large saucepan fill 3/4 th
full with water – add 1 T. white vinegar.
Bring to boil & gently spoon the eggs
IN SHELLS into water, being careful not
to break the shells. When water comes
back to boil, time 5 minutes then shut
off burner. Leave eggs in hot water
15 more minutes. Pour off water, shake
pan to crack shells (makes it much easier
to remove shells) & peel shells under
running water. Slice cooled eggs into about
4-5 slices per egg. In large skillet cook bacon
until crisp; remove to paper towels & crumble
or rough chop. Reserve 2 T. bacon fat (discard
rest). Heat bacon fat over medium heat & saute
chopped red onion about 5 minutes. Add white
balsamic vinegar & scrape down pan of any
browned bits. Add sugar mustard & water –
stir to combine. Remove from heat until
ready to serve.
In one large bowl layer all ingredients (or
in 6 individual bowls dividing ingredients
between bowls). (Spinach, sliced red onion,
sliced mushrooms, sliced cooked eggs &
bacon).
To serve: heat dressing to hot & serve over
salad or on the side. Serves 6

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

Simple Smothered Chicken
(crockpot)

1-2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
2 packets dry chicken gravy mix (.87
oz. ea)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 3/4 C. water
1/8 tsp. black pepper
–
Place gravy mix, soup, water & pepper
in crockpot – whisk until smooth as you
can get it. Add chicken; cover & cook
8-10 hours. Serves 4

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

Chicken & Summer Squash
(crockpot)

3 lb. boneless skinless chicken
breasts
2 (10.5 oz, ea) cans cream of
chicken soup
4 small summer squash, sliced
(poster used yellow squash)
16 oz. sour cream
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 T. butter, room temp.
1 C. bread crumbs
dried parsley, optional garnish
paprika, optional garnish
–
hot cooked rice or pasta to
serve 8
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick spray. Place chicken
breasts in bottom of crockpot. In
large bowl mix soup, sour cream,
onion, cheese, garlic salt, pepper
& butter. Fold in sliced squash &
mix well to coat – pour over
chicken. Sprinkle bread crumbs on
top. Cover & cook on Low 8 hours
or High 4-5 hours. (chicken should
be fully cooked when it reaches
165 degrees F. using a thermometer).
Serve over hot cooked rice or pasta
& garnish with dried parsley and/or
paprika. Serves 8

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

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)
=====================

Since it’s such a ‘blah’ day, I’m planning on catching
up on my knitting – still have about one-fourth knit on
the blue/green/white baby blanket and maybe half
done on the ‘tassel stitch’ blanket. I find that my
‘lack of attention’ kicks in a LOT when I’m knitting
a pattern I really don’t care for. Let me explain: I
really wanted to learn/conquer the ‘tassel stitch’
pattern – it looks fancy and thought it would make
a nice baby boy blanket (when knit in medium
blue) – Yes, lots of people have commented on
it BUT, although I conquered it, I’m not fond of
knitting it! (Strange, right?) I find myself hoping
I’m almost done so I can go on to another NEW/
INTERESTING pattern – it’s the old saying: “The
grass (in this case, pattern) is always greener in
the other pasture!” With both patterns I find that
I can only knit about 1 full round of pattern – in
both blankets that would be about 6-7 rows of
120+ stitches each row, before I’m too bored to
go on – pretty bad, eh? Both blankets WILL get
done – remember I still have July 29th Oakland
County Ice Cream Social to knit at from 11 a.m. –
5 p.m. so knitting WILL be done (grin).

Hope YOU are having a GREAT day!

Hugs;

Pammie

I survived Log Cabin Day – another year!

One of our members, Tracy, is also a spinner – here she’s demonstrating her craft to a young boy

My friend, Marty – all bundled up but smiling!

Our youngest member, Katie – (she has a green dragon painted on her face)

My friend, Lane (we’ve been friends since high school-used to ride the bus together)

Sally, brave soul who walked to Log Cabin Days – she’s there every year

It was a cold, windy and, at times, rainy day – not exactly the kind of day you’d like to spend outside knitting/crocheting/spinning in. As you can see from some of the photos, the ladies had to bundle up to keep warm. We braved the elements – I brought out my ‘fingerless’ gloves to wear while knitting as my hands kept getting very cold. This year the Waterford Hisorical Society chose to down-size our event from 2 days to 1, and then cut the time from 9 – 5, to 10 – 4. When asked, those in charge said that they just weren’t getting the help needed to run the event two days (and their members were getting older, hence less who volunteer). It was ‘nice’ but I found myself longing for the days past where there were Civil War reenactors & their tents, miniature steam locamotives, wood carvers, live alpacas, our ‘resident’ American Indian – alot was missing; I’m guessing simply because only doing this event one day and for only 6 hours was simply not worth all the efforts involved in set up and tear down. In years past the ‘tent people’ (reenactors) would come in Friday, set up their tents and live on the grounds until Sunday night – cooking/eating/sleeping in their environment – this year their area was bare. There are two parts to the grounds – the main area where the entertainment/food/and all the old buildings are – then there’s ‘over the bridge’ where my group (and the tents) are. The only other group in our area was a husband & wife who bring in surveying maps & equipment from the early beginnings of my state: Michigan. They set up their tent and dress in period costumes while informing people of the history of surveying – very interesting.  It was a good day but sad for me, as well – I miss the energy and excitement of Log Cabin Days past.

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

Raspberry Mandarin Whip

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese,
room temp.
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 (12 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 bananas, sliced
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges,
drained
1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen raspberries
–
In medium bowl mix cream cheese &
sugar until smooth & fluffy. Stir in Cool
Whip; fold in bananas, mandarin
oranges & raspberries. Transfer to a
9 X 13″ baking dish. Cover & freeze at
least 4 hours. Remove from freezer
half hour before serving.

(recipe: simplerecipes – Facebook)
———————————-

Wedge Salad Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. sour cream
1 packet Ranch salad Dressing mix
1 1/2 C. chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 C. chopped tomatoes
1/2 C. chopped, cooked bacon
2-4 oz. crumbled blue cheese, to taste
1 T. chopped fresh chives
–
crackers or tortilla chips, for dipping
–
Combine cream cheese, sour cream &
ranch dip mix – mix until smooth. Spread
into bottom of 9 inch pie plate. Top with
lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese &
chives. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips

(recipe: lemontreedwelling.com)
—————————
Crispy/Spicy Zucchini Fries

3-4 large zucchini, ends removed/
cut into thin wedges
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 C. panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder, (optional)
1/4 tsp. paprika
–
vegetable oil, for frying
–
Fill a deep skillet or Dutch oven with
2 inches of vegetable oil-heat over
medium heat until oil reaches 350
degrees F. on deep-fry thermometer.
Line a large plate with paper towels
(to drain cooked wedges)
In shallow bowl or dish with a lip,
mix flour, salt & pepper together.
Place beaten egg in a second bowl.
In third bowl combine Parmesan
cheese, panko breadcrumbs, chili
powder & paprika – mix well.
In batches, dredge zucchini wedges
in flour mixture. Shake off excess &
dip in eggs, making sure all sides
are coated. Let remaining egg drip
off then dredge in panko/parm.
mixture, pressing firmly so that it
adheres to wedges. Carefully lower
wedges into frying oil & cook,
turning over in middle of cooking,
3-4 minutes until wedges are a
reddish golden color. Remove
using a slotted spoon, to a paper-
towel lined plate to drain. Serve
immediately. Serves 4

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————————-

Baked Orange Chicken

Chicken:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken
breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
salt/pepper, to taste
1 1/2 C. cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 C. canola oil

Sauce:
2/3 C. brown sugar
2/3 C. orange juice
1/4 C. soy sauce
2 tsp. sriracha sauce
3 T. white vinegar
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. cornstarch
–
Cooked rice for 4-6 people
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt/pepper. In
separate bowls place cornstarch &
beaten eggs. Dip chicken pieces into
cornstarch, then egg mixture. Heat
canola oil in large skillet over medium-
high heat & cook until lightly browned.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
spray & place coated chicken in pan.
In medium bowl whisk brown sugar,
orange juice, sriracha, both vinegars,
soy sauce, garlic salt & cornstarch;
pour over chicken & bake 1 hour.
Serve over rice, if desired.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: sixsistersstuff.com)
——————————
Fire & Ice Salsa

3 C. watermelon, diced
1 C. cucumber, seeded/
diced
1 T. chopped green onion
1/2 C. bell peppers, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded/
diced (optional)
2 T. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 T. fresh lime juice
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
–
In large bowl combine all ingredients.
Mix well & serve.

(recipe: allrecipes.com)
—————————–
Parmesan-crusted Pork Chops

4 boneless pork chops
1/3 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 T. Italian bread crumbs
3 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 pinch paprika
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. pepper
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray glass baking dish with
nonstick spray. Drizzle pork
chops with olive oil on both
sides. In shallow bowl combine
Parm. cheese, bread crumbs,
garlic powder, paprika, parsley
& pepper – dredge chops in
mixture until completely coated.
Heat 1 T. oil in a skillet & saute
chops, 5 minutes each side.
Place in baking dish & cook
25-30 minutes (longer if using
thicker chops)
Serves 4

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————————
Chinese Chicken/Noodle Salad

Salad:
1 (16 oz) box linguine
2-3 C. rotisserie chicken, chopped
2 C. frozen peas, thawed
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 C. carrots, grated
4 green onions, chopped on a
diagonal
4 T. toasted sesame seeds

Noodles:
1/2 C. soy sauce
2 T. sesame oil
2 T. brown sugar
1/4 C. canola or vegetable oil
1 T. fresh garlic, minced
1 T. fresh garlic, grated
1/4 C. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions.
Place all salad ingredients in large bowl.
Place all dressing ingredients in large glass
measuring cup – stir to combine – pour
dressing over salad & toss to combine.
Cover & refrigerate 2-3 hours before
serving. When ready to serve: taste &
adjust salt/pepper. Serves 12

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

Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie

Crust:

1 box (2 crusts) refrigerated pie
crust
1 1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. cocoa powder
2 T. sugar
1/4 C. butter, softened

Filling:

4 eggs
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. light corn syrup
3 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
4 oz. dark chocolate baking
bar, chopped
coarse sea salt
2 C. pecan halves
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Toast pecan halves in a baking
dish 5 minutes until lightly
browned.
Open pie crust box – allow
crusts to sit at room temp.
about 10 minutes then unroll
both crusts. Press both into
a 15 X 10″ flat rimmed baking
sheet; cover entire bottom &
sides of sheet & overlap crusts
in  middle. Be sure seams are
firmly sealed. In a large bowl
whisk flour, cocoa powder &
sugar. Add 1/4 C. butter & cut
mixture using 2 knives or pastry
cutter. Press mixture on top of
unbaked crust. Bake 15 minutes
until chocolate puffs a bit; remove
from oven. In large bowl beat eggs,
sugar, corn syrup, butter & vanilla;
mix until fully combined & smooth.
Pour on top of chocolate crust &
spread evenly; sprinkle chopped
chocolate & toasted pecans on
top. Bake 20 minutes until filling
is set; cool completely before
cutting. Serves 15-16

NOTE:  When cutting: spray a sharp
knife with nonstick spray before
cutting-makes cutting easier & a little
less gooey.

(recipe: ourtableforseven.com)

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

Last night when I got home I told my husband I
wanted two things: a hot cup of tea and a warm
shower – I was really chilled. The next knitting
event for our group comes up at the end of July:
the Oakland County Historical Society’s Ice Cream
Social which takes place on the grounds of our
first Governor’s house (mansion). Our group
took part last year but it poured rain the entire
day (we were located in the Carriage House
so we were dry), making it a day when few
people chose to come out for such an event.
This year the lady organizing this approached
me yesterday, making sure our group would be
there this year. IF the weather permits, we will
be located under a very large sycamore tree
which, I’m told, is right in the middle of the
event. Really hoping the weather permits
and is DRY and not too hot. You really begin
to test your ‘meddle’ when faced with doing
your craft outside/all day. It’s worth it – we did
have one young couple stop by who had just
moved to the area. The wife seemed very
excited to discover our group in her area –
hopefully she will join us soon!

Hoping your weekend was pleasant;

Hugs;

Pammie

Help! I’m Lost on “PINTEREST”!

If you’ve read my blog for very long you know I LOVE knitting – especially if it’s challenging (Why? I’m not sure!). There is a wonderful site on line that’s free; it’s called PINTEREST and it has all kinds of ideas for almost anything you can think of: crafts, cooking, fitness, home improvement, fashion, building, inspirational sayings, tips on how to raise foods/yard plants, etc. – if you think it – it’s probably on that site!

http://pinterest.com

They have a HUGE area for all things knitting and, in particular: Lace Knitting. I have recently learned that I love the challenge of lace knitting. It doesn’t have to be a doily (which most of you are probably thinking of when you hear lace knitting) – almost all of the baby blankets I have knit lately have been lace patterns. For example, the picture above is a lace knitting pattern (one I’ve bookmarked for a future baby blanket). There is really only ONE problem with Pinterest: once you start looking you get MESMERIZED! You can lose entire hours just looking at all the various things there! Sometimes you end up seeing a lot of the same thing; for example, I was looking at a particular site that just dealt with lace knitting – there were probably at least 12 patterns with the same photos repeated over & over & over! Why? Not really sure – you just learn to kind of skip/skim over them. If you have some extra time give Pinterest a try – I’m sure there’s something on there you would find interesting! (even recipes!)

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

Hotel Rice Pudding

1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 C. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pint sour cream
1 C. raisins
1/3 C. chopped maraschino
cherries
3 C. cooked long or whole-
grain rice (not instant)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole
dish with nonstick spray. In
large bowl cream butter &
sugar. Using elec. mixer, beat
in eggs, one-at-a-time. Add
remaining ingredients & mix
well. Pour mixture into
prepared dish & bake 45-50
minutes until center is set.
Serves 8

(recipe: mrfood.com)
——————————-

Bacon & Egg Macaroni Salad

1 lb. elbow macaroni
8 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked/crumbled
1 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. finely chopped red onion
2 C. mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
–
Cook macaroni accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain/rinse & let cool.
Place cooled macaroni in large
bowl; add remaining ingredients &
mix well. Cover & refrigerate at
least 1 hour before serving.
Serves 10

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————–

Crockpot Chicken & Mushrooms

1 1/2 lb. chicken
2 T. oil
1 (16 oz) pkg. crimini mushrooms,
sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper, to taste
1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 C. chicken broth
2 T. cornstarch
–
Cooked rice or pasta
–
In medium skillet add oil & chicken; cook
on medium-high heat & sear until brown;
flip & brown on other side. Place in crockpot.
In same skillet add onion & saute until
tender; put in crockpot. Place mushrooms,
garlic, & parsley in an even layer over chicken;
pour in broth & add salt/pepper. Cover &
cook on Low 4 hours. Remove chicken &
add cornstarch to juices & mushrooms in
crockpot. Whisk until smooth then return
chicken to crockpot. Cover & cook until
gravy is thick, about 20 minutes. Serve
over cooked rice or pasta.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————–

Crockpot Garlic/Lemon/Butter
Artichokes

6 qt. or larger crockpot
–
3 medium artichokes (or 2 large)
salt
pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lemon
1/4 C. butter
1 C. water
–
Cut bottoms off artichokes so they
sit flat; cut very tops off (about
half inch). If you have trouble
getting the chokes to fit, peel off
a few of the outer leaves; place
them in crockpot. Sprinkle salt/pepper
then add garlic. Squeeze lemon
juice over them. Cut butter into
slices & place on top. Add water
to bottom of crockpot. Cover &
cook on High 3 1/2 hours without
opening lid during cooking time.
Serve with melted butter (or
mayonnaise, if that’s your thing)
Serves 8

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

BLT Panzanella (Bread) Salad

1 lb. bacon
1 T. olive oil
1/2 loaf French or Italian bread,
cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
4 C. chopped romaine lettuce
4 C. chopped iceberg lettuce
1 C. fresh basil leaves
2 large tomatoes, cored/cut ito
bite-sized pieces
–
Dressing:
2 T. fresh lemon juice
zest from 1/4 lemon
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
1 T. mayonnaise
1 T. sour cream (or creme fraiche)
1/2 tsp. honey
few drops sriracha or other hot sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
few grinds fresh ground black pepper
2 T. bacon fat
3 T. olive oil
1 T. basil, finely chopped
–
Cut bacon into 4 pieces each;
cook until crisp in large skillet.
Drain on paper towels & reserve
1 T. in pan & 2 more for dressing –
total of 3 T. reserved.
Add oil to 1 T. bacon fat in skillet &
heat to medium high. Add bread,
salt & pepper – toss continuously
until toasted on all sides, about
10 minutes.
Cut romaine & iceberg lettuces into
bite-sized pieces – place in large bowl.
Add whole basil leaves, tomatoes,
cooked bacon & toasted bread – toss.

Dressing:
Place all dressing ingredients (except
bacon fat, oil & basil) into a blender –
blend & slowly add bacon fat & olive
oil. Toss in basil & pulse a few times
to combine. Serve dressing drizzled over
salad & tossed to coat – or on side, if
desired.
Serves 4-6

(recipe: afamilyfeast.com)
—————————–

Cantonese Orange Ribs
(oven & crockpot methods)

1 slab meaty pork baby back
ribs, cut into serving pieces

Glaze: (for both methods)
1 C. orange marmalade
3/4 C. water
1/3 C. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
–
OVEN directions:
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Place ribs, meaty side down, in
a shallow roasting pan. Roast
30 minutes; drain fat. Turn
ribs meaty-sides up, reduce
oven temp. to 350 degrees &
continue roasting (uncovered)
60 minutes longer.
=========
CROCKPOT directions:
Place ribs in a 5-7 qt. crockpot.
Add 1 C. water & 1 T. soy sauce.
Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

Glaze:
 Place all glaze ingredients in a
small saucepan; bring to boil
over high heat. Reduce heat
to medium-low & reduce by
50% (should be like thick syrup).
Heat a gas grill OR broiler on
High heat. Generously glaze ribs
with glaze. Grill each side
approximately 5 minutes –
watch them carefully so they
don’t burn – just get bubbly
on the surface & slightly crisp.
Serves 4

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

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
1 1/4 C. (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted
butter, room temp.
6 T. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 C. flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
–
Topping:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 C. light corn syrup
1 1/2 C. light brown sugar, packed
2 T. heavy cream
1 lb. pecans, chopped
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Crust:

Beat butter & gran. sugar in bowl
of elec. mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment until light, about 3
minutes. Add eggs & vanilla; mix
well. Sift together flour, baking
powder & salt. Mix dry ingredients
into batter with mixer on Low
speed just until combined. Press
dough evenly into ungreased
9 X 13 inch baking sheet,
making an edge around edge like
you would a pie crust. (It will be
very sticky; sprinkle dough &
your hands lightly with flour)
Bake 15 minutes until crust is
set but not browned; let cool.

Topping:

Combine butter, corn syrup &
brown sugar in large, heavy-
bottomed saucepan. Cook over
Low heat until butter is melted,
using a wooden spoon to stir.
Raise heat & boil 3 minutes;
remove from heat. Stir in heavy
cream & nuts; pour over crust,
trying not to get the filling
between the crust & pan. Bake
25-30 minutes until filling is set.
Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate
until cold. Cut into bars & serve.
Serves 18

(recipe: theslowroastedItalian.com)

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

Today is another busy day so I’m taking
a little time to relax here on my computer
as well as knitting a few rows on both
baby blankets. Among my purchases at
WalMart yesterday were two very large
balls of yarn: one a bright, cheery
yellow and a bright blue – sometimes
it’s hard for me to CURB my desire to
start another project when I see a really
cute pattern or nice baby yarn. Ah, the
‘fun’ of being a bit ADHD (Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) – No,
I don’t actually have ADHD (my middle
son does) – basically you get easily
distracted by almost anything! I’m not
that bad, but when it comes to yarns,
knitting & new patterns – I’m there!

Hope you’re having a GREAT day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Out ‘Shoppin’! (or – subtitle: I LOVE A GOOD BARGAIN!)

Today found me out & about – first trip was to the Salvation Army looking for a chest of drawers for middle son. Didn’t find one BUT found two very nice long ‘church’ skirts ( 99 cents each!), some yarn (of course) and three very lovely hand knit baby blankets (each around $3.99). I have learned to search for these (if they’re a good price and in almost new condition) – they get added to the many blankets & items we donate to the Detroit Veteran’s Baby Shower in September. For $3.99 I couldn’t MAKE one so these were a really good find. Next was WalMart (no, I don’t shop there often but when I do…look out!). Best deal? a VERY large black forest ham/Swiss cheese/lettuce sub sandwich for $3.29! Why so low a price? It was made yesterday – normal price: $4.99! It was large enough for me to have a quarter of it and husband had the rest – VERY big lunch and very reasonable, too!

Tomorrow night is my special needs group’s last Gym Night until Fall – we’re doing Bingo. Our kids love this as we have small prizes for winning (and, of course, enough for everyone to win at least one thing). Some of the other leaders have already found some nice small items so it was my turn. Let me tell ya – trying to find something small & reasonably price for a GUY is not easy! I ended up buying four key chains that have foam ‘floats’ on them (in case you drop them in the water when boating or swimming) – weird, I know – but I was desperate! Bought 2 big boxes of the ‘theater candy’ (99 cents each) – I kind of gave up. I’m pretty sure there will also be individual bags of chips as prizes, so we’ll be ‘good’.

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

Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/3 C. milk
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted
2 C. chocolate chips
1 C. caramel sauce
1/2 C. (from a can of vanilla
prepared frosting)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. In bowl beat dry
cake mix, milk, eggs & melted
butter until fully combined & smooth;
pour batter into prepared dish.
Sprinkle top of batter with chocolate
chips & press them down slightly.
Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into cake comes out clean.
Let cake cool 30 minutes.
Spray  long fork tines with nonstick
spray: using fork, poke holes all over
top of cake. Pour caramel sauce on
top. Let cake stand 1 hour to allow
caramel to soak into cake. Microwave
prepared frosting about 15-30 seconds
until it is thinned out & easy to drizzle.
Drizzle frosting on top of cake before
serving. Serves 12-15
Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator

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

Bacon/Cheeseburger Casserole

1 uncooked pie crust
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
5 slices bacon, chopped
1/3 C. panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. yellow mustard
3 T. BBQ sauce
1 T. ketchup
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg
1/4 C. milk
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Brown ground beef, onion & bacon
until no pink remains; drain well.
Remove from heat & stir in bread
crumbs, mustard, BBQ sauce, ketchup,
Worc. sauce & pepper – place mixture
into pie crust. In small bowl combine
cheese, milk & egg – spread over
meat mixture. Cover edges of pie
crust with foil (or a pie shield) to
prevent over browning of crust edges.
Bake 15 minutes, remove foil & bake
an additional 15 minutes.

NOTE: you can also add diced pickles
to the dish, omit them or serve them
on the side.

(recipe: tasteerecipe.com)
———————————

Greek Pasta Salad

1 (12 – 16 oz) box curly pasta
(radiatore or ruffles)
1 (10 oz) bag fresh spinach,
rinsed/drained/coarsely chopped
1/2 lb. (8 oz) feta cheese, crumbled
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 C. pitted Kalamata olives, drained
1 C. bottled Greek salad dressing
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions;
drain, rinse & drain again. In large bowl
combine remaining ingredients; add
pasta & toss gently until evenly coated.
Serve or refrigerate until ready to
serve. Serves 8

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————
Hawaiian Party Salad

8 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked/
rinsed in cold water
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks,
drained (reserve 1/4 C. juice)
2 C. cooked/cubed ham
1/2 C. shredded carrot
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. sour cream
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
–
In large bowl combine cooked
macaroni, pineapple chunks, ham,
carrots & onions. In small bowl
whisk reserved juice, mayonnaise,
sour cream, vinegar, sugar & salt –
pour over pasta mixture & mix
until evenly coated. Serve or chill
until ready to serve. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
————————————

Crockpot Green Beans

4 (14.5 oz, ea) cans green beans,
rinsed/drained
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked/
crumbled (reserve 2 T. drippings)
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 C. ketchup
1/3 C. brown sugar, packed
1/3 C. BBQ sauce
1/4 C. honey
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
–
In large bowl combine ketchup, brown
sugar, BBQ sauce, honey. Wors. sauce &
cayenne until combined – season with
salt/pepper. Heat 2 T. reserved
bacon drippings in large pan or skillet
over medium-high heat. Saute onions
until softened & translucent – season
with salt/pepper & red pepper flakes –
remove from heat. Spray crockpot
insides with nonstick spray; place green beans
& onions (including remaining bacon
grease) in crockpot. Pour BBQ/ketchup
mixture over beans. Mix together then
top with crumbled bacon. Cover & cook
on High 2-3 hours or Low 4-5 hours.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
———————

Sweet Honey-Mustard Chicken
(crockpot & freezer meal)

4 chicken breasts (or 10-12 thighs)
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 C. honey
1/4 C. (4 T.) butter
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Crockpot:
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
spray. Place all ingredients in crockpot.
Cover & cook on High 3-4 hours or
5-6 on Low. Remove rosemary sprigs
(discard) & shred chicken. Place chicken
back in crockpot – stir.
Serve over buttered rice, mashed
potatoes or noodles.

Freezer Meal:
Combine all ingredients & place in
freezer ziplock bag; label & freeze flat.
The day before you plan to cook, place
in fridge to thaw overnight. Next day
follow above directions for crockpot
cooking.

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

Simple Caesar Salad for a Crowd

2 bags romaine lettuce
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 bottle (good quality) Caesar
salad dressing
(toasted croutons, if desired)
–
Place both bags lettuce in large
salad bowl. Scatter sliced green
onions on top & sprinkle Parm.
cheese on top – toss well.
Drizzle salad dressing, a little
at a time, over mixture & toss
well as you add dressing.
Sprinkle a little more Parm.
cheese on top (& add croutons,
if using).

(recipe: lifeinmyemptynest.blogspot)
—————————-

Triple Chocolate Punch Bowl Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 C. hot brewed coffee
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
(finely chopped – or use chips)
3 large eggs
3/4 C. vegetable oil
1 1/2 C. buttermilk*
3/4 tsp. vanilla
3 c. granulated sugar
2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 C. cocoa powder (regular,
not Dutch)
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
–
Pudding:
2 (3.4 oz, ea) boxes instant
chocolate pudding mix
3 C. milk
1 C. cream
–
Whipped Cream topping:
2 C. heavy whipping cream
6-8 T. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
(fresh berries – optional)
–
CAKE:
Preheat oven 300 degrees F.
Place chocolate in heat-proof bowl;
pour hot coffee over chocolate & let
stand, stirring occasionally, until
chocolate is melted. Beat eggs (using
elec. mixer) until thick & lemon-colored.
Slowly add oil to eggs, then slowly add
buttermilk – then vanilla. Add chocolate
mixture slowly & beat until well combined.
In another bowl, sift sugar, flour, cocoa, soda,
powder & salt – add gradually to liquids &
beat on medium speed just until combined.
Spray 8 or 9″ baking pans with nonstick spray.
Pour batter into pans & bake 40-60 minutes
(until center is set – do not overbake).

PUDDING:
Place pudding mix, milk & cream in large bowl
& whisk until mix is totally dissolved, 2-3
minutes. Chill until ready to assemble cake.

WHIPPED CREAM:
Place all ingredients in stand mixer with
attachment & beat until firm peaks form.
(NOTE: the amount of powdered sugar just
depends on personal preference)
——————-
TO ASSEMBLE:
Break up baked cake into bite-sized pieces.
Place about 1/3 of cake in bottom of large
punch bowl or trifle bowl. Add 1/3 of pudding
(in even layer) then 1/3 of whipped cream (evenly).
Repeat these steps 2 times, ending with whipped
cream. Top with fresh berries, if desired.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 16

*If you don’t have buttermilk:
Pour 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar into
a 2-Cup measuring cup. Pour in enough
milk to read 1 1/2 Cups. Stir then let
set 5 minutes – now you have 1 1/2 C.
buttermilk!

(recipe: neighborfoodblog.com)

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

My ‘car saga’ yesterday worked out, finally –
they were able to finish all the work by 4:45 p.m.;
by then my husband was home & could drive me
back to the dealership. I was able to leave there &
make it to my special needs group a little early.

Thanks for your suggestions/ideas on
how to fix my car! You know me & my
ability to ‘pick up people’? While sitting
in the dealership waiting room a lady
came over & asked what I was knitting
so I explained about the charity baby
blankets. She mentioned she belongs
to a group in a nearby city that provides
clothing for needy families; the one thing
they don’t seem to be able to get is:
BABY HATS … you guessed it, she asked
for my business card and was interested
in whether I would be able to knit some
for their group. (You know me & a good
cause – guess I’ll be switching ‘gears’ for
awhile & knitting baby hats for them.
I think I’m not the only one knitting baby
hats for our local hospital so they can
be put on hold for awhile. Hey – IF I can
fill a need for a good cause – I’m there.

I’m truly grateful for air conditioning as the weather
has turned really hot (in the high 80’s/90’s).

Gas prices are now down to $2.26/9 – dropped
another 3 cents – YAY!

I’m sitting here enjoying my ‘off day’ from
babysitting & other appointments; feels
nice to know that I don’t have to GO anywhere
later on. Dinner is Enchiladas – easy & lasts
more than one meal – YAY!

Have a GREAT Day!

Hugs;

Pammie

Time to ENJOY LIFE!

It’s looking like another beautiful day here – in the mid 70’s & sunny! So far this week my babysitting has been rather easy (I say that quietly – I’m happy with seeing the little guy but rather enjoy a LITTLE sitting rather than 8+ hour days, back to back). The other grandfather is currently in the hospital as of Saturday – they think he had another stroke but can find no signs of it so they’re running tests. I feel really bad for the grandmother & daughter (my oldest son’s girlfriend & Mom to the baby) – they have enough stress in their lives so this just added more. Grandfather has had a history of strokes and has been losing weight (15 lb. in a little over a month) so they think he also has a slow bleed somewhere, hence why they’re keeping him at the hospital for testing. I only babysat Tuesday 2:30 – 5, so that was easy and the baby was in a great mood. Tuesday was Knit/Crochet Night, last night was special needs group. THIS SATURDAY the knit group talked me into arranging something new for us; this Saturday is NATIONAL KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY! We’re going to meet on Panera Bread’s patio at 10 a.m. and just do what we all love – KNIT (and I included our crocheters, too). Not sure just how many we’ll have (I’m guessing maybe 3?) and I’m not planning on staying long (maybe an hour?) but it’s all open-ended, so we’ll see. Currently still plodding ahead with the blue ‘Tassel stitch’ baby blanket and started another multi-color blue/white/lime green blanket in the stitch I did last (It’s from the Linus Project – another charity that collects blankets and, NO-I only borrowed their pattern, not joining another charity project group – that would be a little too much for me). I’m ‘trying’ to get my knit items delivered – need to take 40 baby hats to local hospital and about 5-6 blankets to Crisis Pregnancy Center’s mobile unit (they are a little hard to coordinate delivery times for – they are a mobile unit that travels all over; we’re looking at next week some time).

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

Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad

8 oz. cream cheese
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant cheesecake
pudding mix (unprepared)
1 C. International Delight French
Vanilla (coffee) Creamer
1 lb. strawberries, hulled/sliced
4 mandarin oranges, peeled/
sectioned
1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits,
drained
3 kiwi, peeled/cut into half moons
2 mangoes, cut into bite-sized
chunks
1 banana, cut into circles
juice of 1/2 lemon
–
In medium (tall) bowl-poster
uses 8 C measuring cup) using
elec. mixer, whip cream cheese
until smooth. Add dry pudding
mix – beat until well combined.
With mixer on Low, slowly add
creamer to cream cheese mix –
about a tablespoon at a time –
mix until it becomes smooth &
all of creamer has been combined
into cream cheese – repeat until
all creamer has been used – whip
until smooth. In large bowl,
combine strawberries, oranges, pine-
apple, kiwi & mango. Add cheese-
cake mixture to fruit & gently
fold together. In small bowl combine
banana & lemon juice – toss until
well coated, draining any excell
lemon juice. Gently fold banana
into cheesecake salad. Chill until
ready to serve or serve immediately.
Serves 16

NOTE: Do not pour all of creamer into
cream cheese mixture at once – it will
get clumpy & no matter how long you
beat it, it will stay that way.

Recipe can be made ahead: Prepare
cheesecake mixture & refrigerate in
bowl. Mix all of fruit in large bowl &
refrigerate. Before serving, drain any
excess liquid from fruit then fold into
cheesecake mixture.

(recipe: theslowroasteditalian.com)
———————————

Asiago Chicken Pasta w/Sun-dried
Tomatoes & Spinach

1/3 C. sun-dried tomatoes (with oil)
2 T.) (comes in a jar)
1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced in half &
chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
paprika
1 C. Half & Half
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. asiago cheese, grated
8 oz. box penne pasta
2 C. fresh spinach leaves
–
If sun-dried tomatoes are too big,
chop into smaller bites. Heat 2 T.
olive oil with tomatoes & garlic in
skillet over medium heat. Add
chopped chicken – generously
season chicken in skillet with salt &
paprika – cook until chicken is cooked
through completely. To skillet add 1 C.
Half & Half & 1/4 tsp. salt – bring to boil.
Add grated Asiago cheese & stir about
30 seconds to melt cheese. Reduce heat
to simmer & continue stirring to make
sure all cheese melts. If sauce is too thick,
add another 1/3 C. Half & Half & stir.
Taste sauce – add more salt, if needed. Cook
pasta accordg. to pkg. directions – drain/
rinse. Add past to sauce. Add spinach & mix
well. On Low simmer, cover with lid & let
pasta sit to allow spinach to wilt. After
spinach has wilted, stir everything together
to combine – taste & adjust seasonings if
needed. Serves 4

(recipe: yummly.co)
—————————————-

Taco-stuffed Zucchini Boats

4 medium zucchini, cut in half
lengthwise
1/2 C. mild salsa
1 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt, to taste
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 T. bell pepper, minced
1 (4 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 C. water
1/2 C. Mexican-blend shredded
cheese
1/4 C. chopped scallions or cilantro,
for topping
–
Bring large pot of salted water to
boil.
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place 1/4 C. salsa in bottom of
large baking dish. Using a small
spoon or melon baller, hollow out
centers of zucchini halves, leaving
1/4 inch thick shell on each. Chop
scooped out flesh into small pieces
& set aside 3/4 C.  to add to taco
filling (squeeze excess water out
using a paper towel) – discard
rest of flesh or using in another
recipe. Drop zuccini halves in
boiling water & cook 1 minute –
remove from water. Brown turkey
in large skillet, breaking up pieces
while cooking; when meat is no
longer pink, add spices & stir well.
Add onion, bell pepper, reserved
zucchini flesh, tomato sauce & water-
stir then cover & simmer on Low
20  minutes. Using a spoon, fill
hollowed zucchini ‘boats’, dividing
filling equally, about 1/3 C. per
half, pressing mixture into boats
firmly. Top each with 1 T. shredded
cheese. Cover with foil & bake 35
minutes until cheese melts &
zucchinis are cooked through. Top
with scallions & serve with salsa
on the side. Serves 4

(recipe: skinnytaste.com)
——————————
Garlicky Shrimp Alfredo Bake

10 oz. penne pasta
3 T. butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. medium or large shrimp,
peeled/deveined
3 T. chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 T. flour
3/4 C. milk
1/4 C. chicken broth
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese,
divided
1/4 C. plus 2 T. freshly grated
Parmesan cheese, divided
fresh ground black pepper
2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 1 C.)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large pot salted water cook pasta
accordg. to pkg. directions for al dente;
drain & return to pot. In large oven-
proof skillet over medium heat, melt
1 T. butter; add garlic, shrimp & 2 T.
parsley – season with salt. Cook until
shrimp is pink & no longer opaque,
2 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp
to a plate (keep juices in skillet)
Add remaining 2 T. butter to skillet
& let melt; add flour & whisk until
golden, 1-2 minutes. Add milk &
chicken broth – bring to simmer.
Stir in 3/4 C. mozzarella & 1/4 C.
Parmesan cheese until creamy –
season with salt/pepper. Return
shrimp to skillet; add tomatoes &
cooked pasta – toss until combined.
(add more milk if mixture is too
thick). Sprinkle with remaining
1/4 C. mozzarella & 2 T. Parmesan
& bake until melty, 5-7 minutes.
Place under broiler 2-3 minutes
until top is golden (watch carefully
so it doesn’t burn). Garnish with
remaining T. parsley & serve.
Serves 4

(recipe: delish.com)
——————————-

Farmers Market Summer Crockpot Stew

1 (2 lb.) beef chuck roast, cut into
1/2 inch cubes
1/3 C. flour
3 T. olive oil
2 C. sliced carrots
3 ribs celery, diced
3 C. russet potatoes, diced into 1/2
inch pieces
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 C. water
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 T. minced fresh parsley
salt/pepper, to taste
–
In large bowl combine beef cubes & flour,
mixing well to coat. In medium saucepan
over medium-high heat, saute beef in oil,
stirring occasionally until beef is slightly
browned, 5-10 minutes (beef will not be
entirely cooked). Place beef in crockpot;
add carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, garlic,
tomatoes, water, vinegar & seasonings –
stir to combine. Cover & cook on Low
5-6 hours. Season with salt/pepper before
serving. Serves 8-10

NOTE: Stew will keep, refrigerated, up
to 4 days

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

Loaded Macaroni Salad

8 oz. shell macaroni
4 eggs, hard-boiled/chopped
4 sweet pickles, chopped
2 oz. pimento, diced
6 oz. black olives, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 C. mayonnaise
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
–
Cook macaroni accordg. to pkg.
directions; drain & rinse under
cold water. Place cooked macaroni
in large bowl with eggs, pickles,
olives, pimentos & onion. In small
bowl mix vinegar, mayonnaise, salt/
pepper, paprika & mustard – pour
over macaroni mixture & mix
thoroughly. Chill at least 1 hour
before serving.

(recipe: recipelion.com)
———————————-

Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups

9 lasagna noodles
1 (14.5 oz) jar Garlic Alfredo
sauce
1 lb. cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray an 8 X 8″ baking pan with
nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 C. Alfredo
sauce on bottom of pan & spread
out. Cook lasagna noodles until
al dente (do not over cook them
as they will be baked, also). Drain
& rinse noodles with cold water.
While they are cooking mix 1 C.
Alfredo sauce, 1 C. Mozz. cheese,
chicken, garlic salt & oregano in
a bowl. Lay out cooked noodles &
blot water off with paper towel.
Spread 1/9 of chicken mixture on
a noodle – roll up  & place, seam
sides down in pan – repeat with
remaining noodles & sauce. Pour
rest of Alfredo sauce on top &
top with remaining cheese. Bake
30 minutes. Serves 4-5

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

Mini Muffin Tin Lasagnas
(appetizer)

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (15 oz) carton ricotta cheese
2 C. shredded Italian cheese blend,
divided
1 T. olive oil
24 wonton wrappers*
1 (24 oz) jar garden-style pasta
sauce
minced fresh parsley (optional)
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In bowl mix egg, ricotta cheese &
1 1/4 C. Italian cheese blend.
Generously grease 12 muffin cups
with oil; line each with a wonton
wrapper. Fill each with 1 T. ricotta
mixture & 1 1/2 T. pasta sauce. Top
each with a second wrapper, rotating
corners & pressing down centers.
Repeat ricotta & sauce layers. Sprinkle
tops with remaining cheese blend. Bake
20-25 minutes until cheese has melted.
If desired, sprinkle tops with parsley.
Makes 6 servings.

*You can find wonton wrappers in most
grocery stores in the refrigerated section
of the vegetable/fruit aisle

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Pineapple Sunshine Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 C. oil (poster used vegetable)

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with
juice
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking pan with
nonstick spray. In large bowl
combine cake mix, eggs, oil &
crushed pineapple with juice;
mix well & pour into prepared
pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until
a toothpick inserted into center
of cake comes out clean. Allow
to cool completely on wire rack.
In medium bowl fold Cool Whip,
pudding mix & crushed pineapple;
spread over top of cooled cake.

NOTE: Poster reserves a small
amount of pineapple to sprinkle
on top of frosting at the end

(recipe: belleofthekitchen.com)

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

Not much else new around here, gas
prices are staying the same ($2.49/9).

Hope you are enjoying a lovely day –

Hugs;

Pammie

Another NEW Month!

Have been kinda busy lately, sorry for lack of posting. Middle son finally moved out Friday – well, let’s just say KINDA moved out. His new place is an entire basement – one problem: no closet! His solution: leave his work suits at our house, drop by about an hour before work, shower & change into suit, grab a bite to eat then go to work (repeat after work). We got together & ordered a clothes rack for him, but won’t be here for 2-4 weeks! Oh well, at least we get to SEE him each day, check on how things are going, etc. I see, on Facebook, he’s asked his friends for any furniture they might want to donate to his cause. As he puts it: I own very little: a bed, large screen TV and one small 4 drawer dresser – he’s right; his older brother said he’s going to have to eventually section off that basement into seating areas, etc. Oh well, the ‘fun’ for him, begins!

===========

Cake Mix Peanut Butter Bars

Crust:
1 box white cake mix
1 egg
3/4 C. peanut butter
1/4 C. canola oil

Filling:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened
condensed milk
1/2 C. peanut butter chips
3/4 C. chopped peanuts
1 C. chopped Reese’s peanut
butter cups (poster used mini’s)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Mix cake mix, egg, canola oil &
peanut butter in large bowl (mix
using hands or a large spoon until
it makes a crumbly dough. Spray
9 X 13 pan with nonstick spray &
press 3/4 ths of mixture onto
bottom of pan; reserve 1/4
dough mixture. Pour entire can
of sweetened cond. milk over
pressed dough; sprinkle top with
nuts, peanut butter chips &
chopped Reese’s. Sprinkle reserved
dough over toppings (most of layer
should be covered.
Bake 20-25 minutes until edges
are golden brown. Cool at least
45 minutes before serving.
Serves 12

(recipe: sixsistersstuff.com)
———————————

Spinach Salad

1 (10 oz) bag spinach
3/4 C. craisins (dried cranberries)
3/4 C. sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. dried minced onion
3/4 tsp. poppy seeds
1/8 tsp. paprika
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 C. vegetable oil
–
Place spinach, craisins & almonds
in large bowl. Mix together dressing
ingredients & pour over salad –
toss well & serve

(had this at a party Sunday at church)
——————————–

Roasted Turkey Taco Spaghetti
Squash Boats

3 small spaghetti squash (24 oz, ea)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 T. bell pepper, minced
1/2 C. water
1 (4 oz) can tomato sauce
3/4 C. shredded Mexican blend
cheese

Pico de Gallo:
1 C. chopped tomato
1/4 C. chopped scallion
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
LIne a baking sheet with parchment
paper (or two sheets if they won’t
all fit on one). Cut squash in half
lengthwise & use a spoon to
scrape out seeds & soft yellow
strands (discard seeds & strands).
Spray inside of squash halves
with nonstick spray & lightly
sprinkle with salt/pepper. Place
squash face-down on prepared
sheets & bake 50 minutes until
flesh easily pierces with a fork.
Brown turkey in large skillet,
breaking it into smaller pieces
as it cooks. When no longer
pink, add dry seasoning & mix
well. Add onion, pepper, water &
tomato sauce. Cover & simmer on
Low 20 minutes. Combine ingredients
for Pico de Gallo in medium bowl;
refrigerate until ready to eat.
Once squash is cooked & cool enough
to handle, use a fork to scrape insides
so that squash ‘strands/spaghetti’
appear. Spoon a scant 1/2 C. meat into
each half & top with 2 T. cheese. Place
in oven & bake 5 minutes until cheese
melts. Remove, top with Pico de Gallo
& serve immediately. Serves 6

(recipe: skinnytaste.com)
——————————

Cola Burgers
(grill)

1 egg
1/2 C. cola, divided
1/2 C. crushed saltine crackers
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lb. hamburger
6 T. French salad dressing,
divided
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
–
(6 hamburger buns)
–
In a bowl mix egg, 1/4 C. cola,
cracker crumbs, 2 T. salad
dressing, cheese & salt – mix
until well combined then stir
in beef. Shape into 6 patties. Mix
together 1/4 C. cola & 4 T. salad
dressing. Grill burgers 3 minutes
per side then brush with cola
mixture. Grill 8-10 minutes longer
then serve. Makes 6

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

Mama’s Chicken Rollups

2 large chicken breasts
1 can crescent rolls
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken
soup
1/2 (soup can) of chicken broth
from cooking chicken*
1/2 (soup can) milk
1 T. flour
6 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
pinch salt & pepper
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Place chicken breasts in large
pot & cover with water; bring to
boil & cook on Medium heat
until no longer pink inside. Remove
chicken from pot & let cool enough
to handle – shred chicken. Add soup,
milk, flour, salt/pepper to broth* &
stir to combine. Spray 9 X 13″ baking
dish with nonstick spray.
Unroll crescent rolls & separate into
triangles. Put a little cheese on dough
& a good heaping of chicken at large
end of triangle. Roll up & place in
prepared pan – continue with rest
of dough & filling. Pour broth
mixture around & on top of each
roll. Bake 25 minutes then top
with cheese – bake 5 minutes more.
Let stand a few minutes before
serving with soup mixture.

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

Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno Poppers

6 jalapeno peppers
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. shredded Cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon, halved width-
wise
1/4 C. brown sugar, packed
1 T. chili seasoning mix
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a 15 X 10 X1″ baking
sheet with nonstick spray.
Using disposable or kitchen
rubber gloves when handling
cut peppers & seeds, the oils
can burn the skin. Avoid
touching your face.
Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise
& remove seeds. In small bowl
beat cheeses until blended & spoon
into pepper halves. Combine brown
sugar & chili seasoning; coat peppers
with mixture & place on sheet. Bake
18-20 minutes until bacon is firm.
Makes 12

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————-

Baked Chicken Nuggets

2 large (16 oz) skinless boneless
chicken breasts, cut into even
bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
6 T. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 T. Panko bread crumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick
spray. Place oil in one bowl, bread-
crumbs/Panko/Parm. cheese in a
pie plate. Season chicken with salt/
pepper; place in bowl with oil & mix
well so oil evenly coats all chicken.
Put a few chunks of chicken at a
time in breadcrumb mixture to coat,
then onto baking sheet. Lightly spray
tops of chicken pieces with nonstick
spray. Bake 8-10 minutes; turn pieces
over & bake another 4-5 minutes until
cooked through. Serves 4

(recipe: yummly.com)
—————————————

Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

3 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted

Topping:
1/4 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. butter
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 12-count muffin pan with
nonstick spray or line with paper
liners. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking
powder & salt. In another bowl beat
sugar & cream cheese until combined;
add eggs, vanilla, milk & melted butter,
mix just until combined. Gradually add
flour mixture & beat just until combined.
(do not overmix) Scoop batter evenly
into prepared muffin pan.

Topping:
Mix topping ingredients until crumbly;
sprinkle evenly over top of muffin batter
in cups. Bake 20 minutes until a toothpick
inserted into center of muffin comes out
clean. Makes 12 muffins

(recipe: TableforSeven)

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

Our weather is typical Michigan Spring:
cold in mornings (40’s) followed by rain
and/or shine. This morning I had to go
out early and it was in the 40’s with
intermittent rain – now it’s clear and
74 degrees! Go figure! I’m not complaining-
gotta have the rain for the flowers.
Speaking of flowers there are lots of
tulips, lilacs and Lilly of the Valley in
bloom in my yard – I LOVE SPRING!

Am anxious that FINALLY we’re back to
garage sale weather! There is a rather
large church really near me that holds
an annual 3-day rummage sale – I go
every year. This year I’ll be specifically
looking for things for middle son AND
a high chair and baby walker for new
grandson. I’m glad that my back
problems are decreasing – will be
babysitting for a few hours Friday.
When I saw my doctor I mentioned
that I really wanted to get this back
problem under control since I will
be doing a lot of babysitting in the
very near future. We’ll see how it
goes.

Gas prices in our area: had to fill
up today and it was $2.39/9 – not
bad ($40.00 to totally fill up
my van – was on almost empty)

Almost forgot to post the
recent knitted blankets:
First up: the baby girl blanket
for Youth Pastor’s wife’s shower
(May 20th)

I really like this pattern: works up quickly and really looks fancy!

Next up: baby boy blanket (for no one in particular); this one looks good; it’s 7 rows – all is easy UNTIL row 6 when I have to use a very tiny crochet hook to get the reverse Knit 4 together done (this row/stitch is done using both MY way of knitting: Continental Combined AND the traditional English way of knitting for the reverse Knit 4 together (pattern requires knit 4 together through the back loops followed by knit 4 together through the front loops – English style). Believe me, I’ve contemplated ditching/ripping this one out but then thought: it’s ONLY one row, so just deal with it! Don’t know if I’ll do this pattern ever again, thought . . . sigh)

It’s supposed to look like Tassels: from the Barbara Walker patterns, called Lucina Shell pattern

Hope all is going well for you and
you are in good health.

Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

and a Happy Tuesday to you, too!

Sorry I’ve been absent & not posted – no good reason other than being busy! Babysat youngest grandson yesterday for 5 1/2 hours; for the most part it was easy – got some knitting done. I’ve started a new (to me) pattern called Tassel stitch; it’s 8 rows for one pattern and I’ve decided it will make a good baby boy blanket, doing it in medium blue yarn. Am also babysitting for a few hours tomorrow – I’ll be pretty good at this by the time I’m done, right?

He’s officially 2 months old now!

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

Lemon Lush

Bottom Pecan Layer:
2 C. flour
1 C. butter, melted/cooled
1/2 C. finely chopped pecans*
1/4 C. granulated sugar

Lemon Cream Cheese Layer:
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
softened to room temp.
1 C. granulated sugar
1-2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Lemon Pudding Layer:
2 (3.4 oz, ea) pkgs. instant lemon
pudding mix
1 1/2 C. milk

Topping:
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
(or you can use the same amount
of whipped cream)
zest of 1/2 lemon
(optional: sprinkle finely chopped
pecans on top OR thinly sliced
lemon quarters arranged on top)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl combine flour, melted/
cooled butter, ground pecans & 1/4
C. sugar – press into bottom of 9 X 13″
baking pan & bake 20-25 minutes until
golden brown. Allow to cool completely
before adding any layers.
Using an elec. mixer, combine cream
cheese, 1 C. sugar, 1-2 T. fresh lemon
juice – mixture should be even & smooth;
spread evenly on top of baked/cooled
bottom crust.
In large bowl whisk milk & instant pudding
mix until set (4-5 minutes); spread evenly
on top of cream cheese layer.
Spread thawed Cool Whip on top of
pudding layer & add lemon zest and/or
finely chopped pecans. Refrigerate 1 hour
to set before serving. Serves 6-8

NOTE: You can freeze it overnight for more
defined slices. Do NOT freeze if you substitute
whipped cream – it might not hold up like
Cool Whip. Make sure you use a sharp knife
when cutting if it’s frozen.

*you can put them in a food processor to
pulse, also

(recipe: amandascookin.com)
———————–

Crockpot Ham & Bean Soup
(overnight recipe)

1 lb. mixed dried beans
ham bone
1 1/2 C. cooked, cubed ham
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 C. chopped celery
3/4 C. carrots, sliced or chopped
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
6 C. water
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
juice of 1 lemon (2-4 T)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 C. tomato juice
–
Place beans in large bowl & cover
with 6 C. water – soak overnight/
drain liquid. Add beans, ham bone,
ham, onion, celery, carrots, parsley,
water, Worc. sauce, bay leaf, ground
mustard, chili powder, salt/pepper to
crockpot. Cover & cook on Low 8-10
hours or High 5-6 hours. Combine
lemon juice, tomatoes & tomato
juice – stir into soup. Remove bay
leaf & ham bone before serving.
Serves 10

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

Ham & Cheese Puff
(brunch, lunch or dinner)
OVERNIGHT recipe

2 (1 lb, each) loaves Italian
bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 C. cubed, fully cooked ham
1 1/2 lb. Monterey Jack or
Muenster cheese, cuted
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 C. butter
16 large eggs
7 C. milk
1/2 C. prepared mustard
–
Toss bread, ham & cheese in a
LARGE bowl then divide between
2 greased 9 X 13″ baking dishes.
In a skillet saute onion in butter
until tender; transfer to a bowl.
Add eggs, milk & mustard; mix
well then pour over bread
mixture. Cover & refrigerate
overnight
–
Remove from fridge 30 minutes
before baking.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake, uncovered, 55-65 minutes
until a knife inserted near center
comes out clean. Serve immediately.
Makes 24-30 servings

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Nanny’s Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

5 lb. potatoes, peeled/cut into
1″ pieces
3/4 C. butter, softened
3/4 C. sour cream
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 – 1 C. milk, warmed
2 T. minced fresh parsley
–
Place potatoes in a 6-qt. stockpot;
add water to cover & bring to boil.
Reduce heat; cook, uncovered,
10-15 minutes until tender. Drain;
return potatoes to pot & stir over
Low heat 1 minute to dry. Coarsely
mash potatoes, gradually adding
butter, sour cream, cheese, seasonings
& enough milk to reach desired
consistency. Stir in parsley.
Serves 12 (3/4 C. each)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————-
Granny’s Vegetable Salad
(overnight recipe)

3/4 C. white vinegar
1/2 C. vegetable or olive oil
1 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 (15 oz) can small green peas,
drained
1 (14.5 oz) can French-style
green beans, drained
2 (11 oz, ea) cans sweet or
shoepeg corn, drained
1 C. diced celery
1 C. diced bell pepper
1 C. diced onion
1 (2 oz) jar diced pimientos,
drained
–
Combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt
& pepper in small saucepan;
bring just to a boil over medium-
high heat, stirring constantly
until sugar dissolves. Remove
from heat & allow to cool.
Combined remaining ingredients
in large bowl & pour vinegar
mixture over all, stirring to coat.
Cover & chill 8 hours until
thoroughly chilled. Serve with a
slotted spoon.

(recipe: southernplate.com)
———————————
Sweet & Sour Green Beans

6-7 slices bacon
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (32 oz) pkg. frozen French-style
green beans (or other green beans)
2 T. vinegar
2 T. granulated sugar
salt/pepper, to taste
–
Cut bacon into 1-inch segments;
place in skillet with onion & cook
over medium heat until browned;
stirring often; remove to a plate.
Add beans to skillet & continue
cooking over medium heat until
they are desired tenderness;
add vinegar & sugar – stir. Add
bacon & onions to skillet & let
simmer a few minutes, stirring
often. Add salt/pepper, to taste
& serve warm.

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

(Lower fat) Buttermilk Oven-
Fried Chicken

8 bone-in chicken pieces (thighs,
drumsticks, breasts or a mix)-skin
can be removed before preparation,
if desired
1 T. oil*

Buttermilk Dip:
1 C. buttermilk**
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)

Coating:
2 C. flour
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. paprika (smoked is best)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sugar
—
*Oils: canola, peanut or vegetable –
avoid olive oil due to it’s smoking
point

Place oil in large baking sheet (15 X 10
jelly roll pan works well) or large baking
pan (metal roasting works well, too).
Place pan in oven & heat to 350 degrees F.
–
Whisk all buttermilk dip ingredients in large
bowl; mix all coating ingredients in another
large bowl. Dip chicken into buttermilk then
into coating mixture – again, dip piece in
buttermilk & coating mixture – place chicken,
skin sides down on hot baking sheet. Bake
25 minutes. Turn chicken over & bake another
20 minutes. Serves 4-8

** If you do not have Buttermilk:
In a 2-cup measuring cup pour 1 T.
lemon juice or vinegar – pour milk
into cup to the 1-cup mark & stir
with a fork. Let stand 5 minutes &
you now have 1 cup buttermilk

NOTE: To prevent flour from getting gloppy
from the dipping, only add enough to coat
a few pieces then add more for next batch.
Poster also adds: she uses an oblong pan for
flour dip because it gives you space to roll
the chicken in the coating

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

Quick (Ravioli) Lasagna

1 (20 oz) bag frozen ravioli, any flavor
1 1/4 C. spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Spray an 8 X 8″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. Spoon about 1/4 C.
spaghetti sauce on bottom of dish;
add a layer of ravioli on top &
sprinkle with half mozzarella cheese.
Repeat layers, finishing with mozzarella
on top. Sprinkle top with Parmesan
cheese. Cover & bake 30 minutes.
Uncover & bake an additional 10
minutes until cheese is bubbling.
Let stand 10 minute before cutting.
Serves 4-6

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

Apple Brownies

3 large sweet apples, peeled/
cored & chopped (2 1/2 – 3 cups)
1 1/4 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1/4 C. orange juice
12 T. unsalted butter, room
temp.
1 large egg
1 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
–
Place chopped apples in large bowl
& pour lemon juice over – toss to
coat fully.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray 8 X 11″ baking dish
using nonstick spray (or butter).
In medium bowl whisk flour,
cinnamon, baking powder, salt &
nutmeg. In another large bowl or
mixer cream butter & sugar until
fluffy & lightened in color. Mix
in egg & vanilla until incorporated;
mix in orange juice – gradually add
dry ingredients. Stir until just
combined then fold in chopped
apples. Pour mixture into prepared
dish. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden
brown. Remove from oven & let cool,
then slice into squares. Makes 1 dozen
squares.

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)

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

Hope things are going good for you;

Hugs;

Pammie