QuiltLady – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads Me

NOLAN RYAN MEATLOAF aka BASEBALL PITCHER RANCHER MEATLOAF

If you like baseball you’ve heard the name, but ANYONE from south Texas REALLY knows the name Nolan Ryan. What you may NOT know is that his first passion was raising QUALITY beef and he has some of the best beef around!

NOLAN RYAN MEATLOAF with LAVA MUSTARD BBQ SAUCE

MEATLOAF
2 pounds ground sirloin, NOLAN RYAN beef where possible
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup FINE bread crumbs
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 SMALL red pepper, FINELY diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cups shredded Jack cheese
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Frank’s original hot sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl use your hands to combine all the ingredients until well mixed.
Place mixture in a greased loaf pan.
Bake 45 minutes.
Increase oven to 425° and cook 10 minutes more.
Top with sauce and bake 5 minutes more.
Serve immediately.

LAVA MUSTARD BBQ SAUCE
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ cup Kentucky bourbon
1 cup barbecue sauce of your choice (I use Sweet Baby Rays)
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon QUALITY honey
1 tablespoon COLEMAN’S dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, but don’t allow the onion to turn brown.
Add the bourbon and cook off the alcohol, 1-2 minutes.
Add the barbecue sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, mustard and cayenne.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.

NOTE: I have to leave out the mustard due to allergies and find the sauce is still awesome!

WEEKNIGHT MOZZA CHICKEN

WEEKNIGHT MOZZARELLA CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Pour Italian dressing into a ziploc bag.
Add oregano and red pepper flakes to ziploc bag.
Pound chicken to less than 1/2 inch thickness and add to bag.
Shake to coat chicken breast well. Let marinade 2 hours in refrigerator.
Drain off dressing.
Place chicken on baking sheet and bake 15 minutes.
Remove chicken from oven and sprinkle with FRESH ground sea salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese until well coated.
Return to oven for 5minutes.
Serve immediately.

CINNAMON CRUMB STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

Years and years ago I made the Bisquick box recipe of Cinnamon Crumb Streusel Coffee Cake and it was always a BIG hit. But as I progressed to scratch cooking it was apparent that my favorite coffeecake recipe had to be revamped! But, it had to remain moist, full of cinnamon flavor, buttery and with a bit of crunch to the top.

CINNAMON CRUMB STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE
CAKE
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1 LARGE egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
3/4 cup WHOLE milk

Preheat the oven to 350.
Cream together the butter and sugar, scraping down the sides occasionally.
Add the vanilla and egg, mix in.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add one half of flour mixture to the mixer, and when mostly combined, add the milk.
Once the milk is mostly incorporated, add the rest of the flour. This will be a fairly thick batter.

FILLING
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon QUALITY cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup PACKED brown sugar

In a small bowl, using 2 forks or a pastry cutter combine everything until soft crumbs form.

TOPPING
5 tablespoon butter, softened
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup PACKED brown sugar
1 tablespoon QUALITY cinnamon

In a small bowl, using 2 forks or a pastry cutter combine everything until soft crumbs form.

ASSEMBLY

Grease a 9×9 baking pan.
“Pour” in ½ of cake batter, and spread evenly.
Sprinkle the filling over top.
“Pour” in remaining cake batter, and with an offset spatula spread carefully across the top of the filling.
Sprinkle the topping over the top and press lightly so it adheres.
If you prefer your streusel to be more distributed, use a knife to create a bit of a swirl throughout the layers.
Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool slightly on wire rack before serving.

NOTE: My dad always would add a pat of butter to the top and let it melt for a few seconds in the microwave when eating it as a leftover 😀

LEMON BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

LEMON BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
2 1/4 cups WHOLE milk
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
PURE maple syrup
1/2 cup small wild blueberries

Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice and milk. Let stand 5 minutes.
Whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla and milk mixture until blended.
Stir milk mixture into the flour mixture JUST until blended. Add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time if batter is too thick.
Coat griddle with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat.
Spoon 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto griddle.
Cook 2-3 minutes until bubbles appear along the edges and batter dries on top.
Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Keep warm in low heat oven between batches.
Serve with syrup and berries.

JEZEBEL SAUCE

I found this recipe in an old cookbook and it sounded ODD and I have NO idea where the name came from, but just awesome enough to try. It made just a couple changes, but it really makes an awesome appetizer. The recipe apparently has a convoluted history of unknown origin… Billie’s friend Nancy too the recipe to a garden club Christmas Party. She had gotten the recipe from her brother-in-law’s niece…

JEZEBEL SAUCE
18 ounce jar SMUCKER’S pineapple preserves
18 ounce jar SMUCKER’S apple butter or jelly
3.75 ounce jar Inglehoffer (German) horseradish
1 tablespoon Coleman’s dry mustard
1 teaspoon FRESH ground pepper
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 box wheat thins

In a medium size bowl stir together the pineapple preserves, apple butter or jelly, mustard, horseradish and pepper.
Chill at least 2 hours.
Place cream cheese on a platter and pour sauce over top.
Serve with crackers.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 14 of 2020

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

GOOD MORNING I hope you are all able to stay home and healthy. I also hope you’re not going too stir crazy. I know this WHOLE situation is weighing heavily on us as individuals AND as a society. I LOVE being home, but now that I’m TOLD to be there it bothers me and I’m itching to be able to go somewhere, anywhere JUST because I want to. Today is day 13 for us of non-essential businesses being closed and because of my compromised immunity I had already “put” myself in a semi-lockdown position when I originally had bronchitis on the first and the virus was still primarily in China for the most part, so I’m really itching with cabin fever now on day 30!

I cannot stress how much I feel that keeping a schedule even though at home is super important. So, no matter how much I DON’T have to do, I am still making my lists, getting up on schedule, showering and attacking my day with as much positive enthusiasm as I can!

Personally, I’m trying to stay as busy as I can so I worry less. I’ve begun some handmade Christmas projects and even a jigsaw puzzle as side activities between my normal daily routine! I do check the news in the morning and again in the evening, but in between we leave the TV off of the news to help reduce stress levels. The media is horrible and does nothing but raise anxiety levels for me.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING Gray, windy and rainy today. It’s supposed to be around 50 so I’m wearing Levis, a long sleeved V-necked tee and UGGs.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE Hot water, berry yogurt and a banana

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE, WEEKLY TO DO LIST, HOUSE & CRAFT PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY, LIVING AREAS & KITCHEN… I have been MEGA spring cleaning so there really isn’t much to do. I do have a load of laundry to do and will do a little vacuuming.
YARD… With the rain, nothing today
CHORE I’M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO… LOL 😀 they really are all done with all this time on my hands.
APPOINTMENTS & TO DO… nope, not this week – everything is on hold! We will be getting some groceries tomorrow afternoon.
BLOG… a few new recipes and updating the recipe index on both blogs.
TO RELAX THIS WEEK I’LL… to me is synonymous with CRAFTS & PROJECTS… I got the bindings cut for 3 small quilts and the quilts squared up and ready. I’m also about halfway through 2 mixed media projects.

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH/SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED We’re all caught up on the DVR besides the Hallmark Christmas movies I’ve been taping – they make great background during the day as I accomplish projects. Hubby and I did watch an old Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Aftermath of Netflix and Village of the Damned on Svengoolie. I also FINALLY saw Valentines Day from several years ago with a ton of big name stars – Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kucher, Hector Elizondo, Queen Latifah, Kathy Bates and …

I’M READING I’ve been so busy staying busy that I haven’t actually done as much reading as I thought I would during this isolation time. I’m still reading Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
BREAKFAST	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	ORANGE PANCAKES	SCRAMBLED EGGS & TOAST
LUNCH	TURKEY & CHEESE WRAPS	GRILLED CHICKEN & TOMATOES	MEAT & CHEESE WRAPS	C.O.R.N. clean out refrigerator night	SALAD & FRUIT	POTATO PANCAKES	??
DINNER	NOLAN RYAN MEATLOAF	JEZEBELS	SLOPPY JOE POT PIE	C.O.R.N. clean out refrigerator night	CHICKEN FRIED STEAKS with PEPPERED GRAVY	CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP & GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES	SALAD of some sort
DESSERT		??

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS NEXT WEEK OR SO

JEZEBELS
LEMON BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
CINNAMON CRUMB STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE
WEEKNIGHT MOZZA CHICKEN
NOLAN RYAN MEATLOAF

FEATURED PARTY LINKS FOR THIS WEEK

INSPIRATIONAL

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

POTATO SALAD with RED ONION VINAIGRETTE

POTATO SALAD with RED ONION VINAIGRETTE
2 pounds baby yellow potatoes
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper
1/2 medium red onion , FINELY chopped
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian Parsley

Place potatoes in medium pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil, add 2 teaspoons sea salt, reduce heat and simmer 12-15 minutes until tender.
Toss onion with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drain potatoes and run under cool water to cool.
Halve potatoes.
Whisk oil into vinegar mixture.
Add potatoes and toss to coat.
Fold in peas and Parsley.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE

BRAISED RED CABBAGE
2 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot halved and sliced thin
1 small head red cabbage, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 tablespoons PACKED brown sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
3 tablespoons FRESH minced Parsley

Brown bacon pieces and drain.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in Saute pan over medium heat.
Add onion and cook 5 or so minutes until golden.
Stir in cabbage pieces, wine, orange juice concentrate, vinegars, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes until tender.
Stir in apple and simmer uncovered until cabbage is tender and liquid is syrupy, 10 minutes more.
Remove from heat, stir in Parsley, bacon pieces and remaining butter.
Season to taste and serve immediately.

BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS

BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 pound chuck roast
2 1/4 cups enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can original ROTEL tomatoes, drained well
1 large russet potato, baked
8 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
FRESH ground salt and pepper to taste
Chopped black olives and onions, optional

Preheat oven to 350°.
Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Season chuck roast on all sides.
Heat avocado oil in dutch oven.
Sear chuck roast on all sides
Add onions to pan, top with 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, cover and bake 2 hours until meat is easily shredable. Shred meat into sauce.
Add black beans and rotel tomatoes to the meat mixture.
Wash and dry potato. Bake potato until tender along side the dutch oven.
Cool potato enough to e able to handle it. Peel off skin and coarsely chop.
Ladle 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.
Divide potato among the tortillas and top with a sprinkle of cheese.
Add about a 1/2 cup of the meat mixture.
Fold sides over the filling and roll up placing seam side down in baking dish. Repeat.
Top tortillas with remaining meat and sauce, brushing to cover the tops.
Bake covered for 20-25 minutes.
Uncover and top with remaining cheese.
Bake 5-10 minutes more until cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with cilantro and Serve.

NOTE: You can easily replace the potato with rice of choice for a change.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

During this isolation time, I’m returning to more and more scratch cooking – even more than I normally do 😀 I wanted to make some of my homemade COWBOY BROWNIES, but they called for sweetened condensed milk and I didn’t have any and was NOT going out to get any so decided to dig out the recipe to make my own.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK – Makes 1 1/4 cups.
This Homemade version of sweetened Condensed Milk recipe makes a super delicious, made from scratch version of sweetened condensed milk for baking. It also makes a GREAT coffee mate or protein drink additive 😀

2 cups WHOLE milk
3/4 cup sugar, honey, or maple syrup (depending on the flavor you’re looking for)
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract

Whisk together milk and sugar, honey or syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Whisking often, bring to a low simmer and whisking often, simmer until milk has reduced by half, about 30-45 minutes.
Once reduced, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
Allow to cool COMPLETELY!
Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

ROAST CHICKEN with BLACK BEAN SALSA

ROAST CHICKEN with BLACK BEAN SALSA
CHICKEN
2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs or chicken-leg quarters
1/2 cup sea salt
3 tablespoons sugar
5 cups cold water
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon FRESH minced thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper

Combine 1/2 cup salt, sugar and water in large bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Place the chicken pieces in a large casserole and cover with brine mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°.
Line a roasting pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place chicken pieces onto roasting pan in a single layer.
Whisk the melted butter, salt and pepper to combine.
Brush chicken with butter mixture.
Roast chicken for 25-30 minutes.
Brush again with butter mixture.
Increase oven temperature to 500°.
Roast another 10 minutes to crisp and brown chicken.
Serve with Black bean salsa.

SALSA
1 tablespoon FRESH minced parsley
1 can white niblet corn drained
1 can rotel tomatoes, mostly drained
1 can seasoned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
Juice of 1 LARGE lime

Toss together and chill.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 13 of 2020

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

These both came across my facebook memory feed over the weekend and it seems like the PERFECT time to share them as reminders that this too shall pass if we give it time and have patience!

GOOD MORNING sweet friends. I hope today finds you well. I know we’re all getting a little stir crazy. I’ve been staying busy with DEEP serious spring cleaning and garden prep while we had a few really nice days, but a new storm blew in over night, the temperature has dropped 20 degrees and it’s raining again. So , in some respects much is the same in my world.

I pray every day that we as a society stay calm, do what’s right to keep EVERYONE safe by being a little bored and staying home. There are just too many variables to take chances. I also PRAY that this “isolation” is something that actually brings us all closer together with a better understanding of community. So for a sense of normalcy let’s get onto Happy Homemaker today.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING The high for today is supposed to get to 45, but I have my doubts. It’s gray and rainy. I have on Levi’s, a soft favorite hoodie and UGG’s.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE Hot water, peach yogurt and a banana

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE, WEEKLY TO DO LIST, HOUSE & CRAFT PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY, LIVING AREAS & KITCHEN… still working on a deep clean, have a couple loads of laundry to do, dust mopping and vacuuming also need done. I did get a deep clean done on some lamps and shower tracks over the weekend.
YARD… Hubby finished working on the new garden boxes and weeded the soil before adding and turning the soil. He also finished screwing in the 3rd rail on the fence and updating the raindrip system for the garden boxes and flowers. Spring bulbs have started coming up, but our lows at night are back down into the high 20’s and low 30’s so I’m still hoping they won’t freeze.
CHORE I’M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO… There are still 2 “dust collector” large ledges in the living room that need everything taken down, dusted and put back up – just a lot of up and down on the ladder with furniture in the way.
APPOINTMENTS & TO DO… the appointments scheduled for this week have been cancelled and I’ll be staying in and working on some long procrastinated projects.
BLOG… I’ll also have some time this week to get caught up on long overdue recipes to write and photo editing.
TO RELAX THIS WEEK I’LL… to me is synonymous with CRAFTS & PROJECTS… I finished refinishing the drop leaf table and I FINALLY started the mixed media project that I hope to actually get finished this week since it’s a multi-stage project and if there is still time, a couple of small quilts that need borders.

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH/SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED Got caught up on the DVR, have been watching lots and lots of cooking shows and started a new Netflix series called Northern Rescue. We also watched several movies – JUMANJI the next level, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, 2012 and a documentary about Betty White on Netflix.

I’M READING Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA This is one of my favorite flowers from this weekend’s planting.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
BREAKFAST	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	YOGURT & HOT WATER	ORANGE PANCAKES	LEMON PANCAKES
LUNCH	TURKEY & CHEESE WRAPS	GRILLED CHICKEN & TOMATOES	MEAT & CHEESE WRAPS	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	SALAD & FRUIT	??	??
DINNER	HOMEMADE PASTA & ARTICHOKES	BEAN BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS	ROAST CHICKEN & BRAISED RED CABBAGE	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	RUEBEN ROLL UPS	BREAD SALAD with OVEN DRIED TOMATOES & CHEESES	SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN & BROCCOLI
DESSERT		COWBOY BROWNIES