HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 22 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.149

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

It’s been absolutely lovely since we’ve been back. We’re looking at lots of sunshine and perfect temperatures just under 80 for the next week and no rain in sight! I’ve finally packed away the flannels and brought out the flip flops.

I was super busy Saturday helping with lunch for the Cribbage tournament that descended on our Eagles lodge. By late afternoon I was exhausted. By yesterday morning I was even more exhausted and had a sore throat so spent the day lingering in bed and sleeping.

Theraflu in my hot water and a black cherry yogurt.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I only have one more load of laundry from out trip.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I need to sit and make my list for this week and will do the groceries when I go for my pedicure Tuesday.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’m trying desperately to get the family reunion set up for next year, but the resort is not cooperation – no return emails or phone calls so I’m getting a bit peeved, but will try again this morning and tomorrow and Wednesday… I also have to get the WORDPRESS and DREAMHOST compatibility issues resolved as soon as possible.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING We went antiquing on our way home and I scored 4 more antique recipe boxes! Menu is made until mid June and then I’ll get at it again.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • TUBI We found a British sitcom, DOC MARTIN, that we sat and watched multiple episodes of yesterday.
  • CABLE The DVR has so many things on it, but we’ll get to that later in the week.

I’m reading FORTUNE TELLER from the Miss Fortune series #25 by Jana Deleon. It’s one of her better stories.
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
?? OUT
 CHICKEN MARSALA with PARSLEY MASHED POTATOES & SALAD
 CHICKEN ENCHILADA BAKE & SALAD with SW FRENCH
 HAWAIIAN SPARE RIBS & ONION SLAW
 SUNDAY MEATBALLS (on Friday) with GOLD MEDAL POTATOES
 MARSALA PORK CHOPS with 3 CHEESE SOUFFLES
 YOYO (YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN)
DESSERT
 
 STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE
 

I just LOVE these wild irises at SIL’s house. And my niece brought my newest niece up to the family reunion to meet me. Tori is absolutely precious!

GOOD FENCES MAKE GREAT NEIGHBORS!

 

 

 

LEMON TIRAMISU ~ BLOG 365.146

NO COFFEE and NO RAW EGGS makes this rich, creamy, tangy, tart yet sweet dessert the PERFECT cake for your next Sunday dinner. But beware, the flavor is best when the cake has set for a day or so ahead. And the best feature – it’s a NO BAKE recipe. Also BEWARE that the alcohol is NOT baked off in this recipe.

I made them in these cute little parfait style cups for an Eagles function last week and they were a HUGE hit!

LEMON TIRAMISU serves 10-12
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pound marscapone (see notes)
⅓ cup extra fine sugar
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
28 ladyfingers (see notes)
½ cup Limoncello
1 cup lemon curd
Lemon curd (recipe below)
Candied lemon slices, garnish
 
They are super EASY to make! (recipe below)

  • In a medium bowl, beat the cream with a hand mixer to soft peak stage. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla together until it thickens up and it also reaches a soft peak stage.
  • Fold in the lemon zest with a spatula.
  • Fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture GENTLY so as not to knock out the air out.
  • Fold another ⅓ of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture GENTLY so as not to knock out the air out.
  • Fold the remaining ⅓ of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture GENTLY until all incorporated.
  • Quickly dip each cookie into the liqueur (DO NOT SOAK) and lay them side by side in a 9 inch square baking dish, pressing down lightly to make them all level and trim some if necessary.
  • Top the cookies with half the mascarpone cream mixture, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula.
  • Then spread ½ the lemon curd over the cream.
Add another layer of dipped cookies, then spread the remaining curd over the top.
  • Pipe or spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over the top of the curd.
  • Refrigerate AT LEAST 6 hours or PREFERABLY overnight before serving.
  • For nice neat slices, place in the freezer for 45-60 minutes before slicing. Make sure it’s not too firm inside when you serve though as this should be a nice soft set dessert.
  • Right before serving, add some candied lemon slices or zest to garnish.


NOTES:

  • You can substitute cream cheese for the marscapone, BUT please realize this will slightly affect your flavor. Marscapone is made with cream where as cream cheese is made with milk.
  • The number of ladyfingers required will depend on their size. Here in our small town they are difficult to find. Check for them on the cookie aisle. Sometimes they locate them on the international aisle. You can make your own ladyfingers or even substitute sponge cake, cut into fingers. Dry them uncovered overnight on a wire rack.

LEMON CURD

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons butter
3⁄4 cup sugar
4 LARGE egg yolks, beaten

  • In medium saucepan, mix together lemon zest, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth.
  • Add butter and sugar, bringing mixture to a SLOW boil over medium heat.
  • Boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
  • In small bowl, with a wire whisk, beat egg yolks until smooth.
  • Whisk in a small amount of the hot lemon mixture.
  • Pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan, whisking well until well blended.
  • Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thick DO NOT BOIL.
  • Pour mixture into medium bowl.
  • Cover with saran pressing so there is contact with the surface to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
  • Cool to room temperature.
  • Refrigerate 3 hours.

    CANDIED LEMON SLICES
    1 cup granulated sugar
    1 cup water
    
2 tablespoons FRESH lemon juice
    2-3 lemons sliced to 1/8-inch thickness
  • In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce to a simmer and add lemon slices in a single layer.
  • Simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes, gently flipping once or twice during the cooking process.
  • Transfer the lemon slices to a wire cooling rack or waxed paper and let cool.
  • Let the candied lemons sit at room temperature for up to 24 hours before storing in an air-tight container.

WING DINGS ~ BLOG 365.145

WING DINGS
1/4 cup FINELY chopped celery
1/4 cup FINELY chopped onion
1/4 cup FINELY chopped carrot
2 tablespoons ranch salad dressing mix
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
1 pound ground chicken
2 cups CRUSHED potato chips, divided
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup Frank’s buffalo wing sauce

  • In a large bowl combine celery, onion, carrots, dressing mix and egg until well blended.
  • Add chicken and half the potato chips, mixing well.
  • Roll into 18 or so meatballs.
  • Heat butter and avocado in large skillet over medium heat.
  • Roll meatballs in remaining potato chips.
  • Cook in small batches, not crowding the pan, until browned and cooked through.
  • Drain well on paper toweling.

8 ounces spreadable cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons WHOLE milk
2-3 garlic cloves, MINCED
2 tablespoons Frank’s buffalo wing sauce

  • Combine ingredients until well blended.
  • Use as a base or dipping sauce.

DEPRESSION BURGERS aka OKLAHOMA FRIED ONION BURGERS ~ BLOG 365.143

DURING the depression in El Reno, a small Oklahoma town along the Mother Road aka Route 66 at Hwy 81 when hamburger meat was really expensive Ross Davis, an inventive diner owner found a way to ration the meat with the inclusion of flavorful and cheap onions that stretched the meat and built the flavor too, hence why it was called the depression burger.

The recipe has been passed down through the generations and are still made the same way today. Several other diners followed suit and a burger star was born. The burger became a national treasure and is the ugly kissing cousin to the prettier version of how burgers are served today with the grilled onions on top.

I’ve added cheese and changed the onions to shallots which give it a bit of an extra bite. By adding the cheese we have onions between the meat and cheese as well as on top of the cheese.  The key to the flavor in my opinion is to ALMOST burning the onions.

DEPRESSION BURGERS aka OKLAHOMA FRIED ONION BURGERS
Adapted from Cook’s Country

3 shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4-8 slices cheddar cheese
Mayonnaise
Ketchup and Mustard
Pickles
4 hamburger buns, toasted

  • Combine the onion slices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl, tossing to combine.
  • Transfer the onions to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  • Transfer the onions to a clean dish towel, gather the edges together and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the onions. Be sure to do this over the sink since the onions will have quite a bit of liquid in them.
  • Divide the onions into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Form the beef into 4 lightly packed balls.
  • Place the beef balls on top of the onion mounds and flatten the beef firmly using your palm so the onion adheres to the beef. The patties should measure 4 inches in diameter.
  • Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
  • Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
  • Using a large spatula, transfer the patties to the skillet, onion side down. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown and begin to crisp around the edges.
  • Flip the burgers, then increase the heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes.
  • Add 1 or 2 slices of cheese to each burger and allow to melt.
  • Add mayo, mustard and pickles to the top buns, then place each burger on a bottom buns.
  • Serve immediately.

Originally posted July 12, 2018 / Updated May 23, 2023

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY week 21 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.122

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 dear friends. I’m still on vacation and seriously enjoying it 😀 I’m LOVING the highs in the 50’s during the day and lows in low 50’s at night. We’ve been having serious morning and night marine layers that keep the heat at bay.

I can’t believe another year has gone by and we have another successful family reunion in the books. We’ve dwindled in numbers (51 people this year/125 people at our largest a number of years ago) to about half with the attrition of several older members dying as well as another large arm (about 20 people) of one side of the family transplanting across the country several years back.

Hot water and black cherry yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • This is a week of honey dos at SIL’s house, the trip home and then preparing breakfast and lunch for the Cribbage tournament being held at the Eagles this upcoming weekend.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • Have been watching the Jeopardy masters with SIL, but not much else. We’ll see what’s on the DVR when we get home.

MONDAY 5/22
TUESDAY 5/23
WEDNESDAY 5/24
THURSDAY 5/25
 FRIDAY 5/26
SATURDAY 5/27
SUNDAY 5/28
DINNER
OOT
OOT
OOT
OOT
??
OUT after cooking breakfast & lunch at Eagles
 ??
DESSERT
 
 
 
CINNAMON RAISIN COFFEE CAKE

I literally have thousands of photos to edit! I also know I shouldn’t have favorites, BUT this little girl, my niece Z is truly amazing and takes the best pictures. She’s smart, ALWAYS smiling and oh so happy. She just bring s HUGE smile to my face each and every time I see her.

Here’s a group photo also for now.

I’m also happy to report that Lake Shasta is at the highest point I can remember in the recent decade or so! Last year when we passed by it the houseboats were dry docked. This year the house boats are in the water and the water is up to the treeline.

SWEET & SOUR BEANS ~ BLOG 365.139

This is a wonderful recipe that I found when my friend lent me her mom and grandma’s recipe boxes to go through. It has SOOOO MUCH flavor and has quickly become a favorite way to prepare beans. She thought it was her mom Maxine’s recipe, but when I showed her the recipe she said the writing was too neat, so we’ll never know.

SWEET & SOUR BEANS
1 tablespoon butter
2 cans great northern/Cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
2 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 LARGE shallot or SMALL onion, chopped small
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup homemade chicken broth
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained WELL

  • Melt butter in small skillet.
  • Add shallots/onions, sauteing until tender.
  • Add vinegar, brown sugar and chicken stock, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
  • Add beans and green chiles, stirring to coat well.
  • Simmer 10-15 minutes.
  • Fold in bacon JUST before serving.