Author: QuiltLady

CALABRIAN CHILE TOMATO SAUCE

Every now and then we like to spice up a red sauce and just eat plain pasta with it. No veggies. No proteins. Just a good handmade pasta and full bodied spicy sauce! YUMMY! 😀

CALABRIAN CHILE TOMATO SAUCE
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, FINELY diced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 teaspoons Calabrian chile paste
1/4 cup water
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Marscarpone cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Prepared pasta of choice, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water

  • Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.
  • Add garlic and shallots, sauteing 2 minutes until softened.
  • Add tomato paste and chile, stirring to blend well for 2 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes and water.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper and cook 2-3 minutes until liquid is reduced by half.
  • Fold in prepared pasta and add as much of the pasta water as necessary to reach your desired consistency.
  • Turn off heat and add Marscarpone cheese, blending well.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 21 of 2022

Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

This will be super abbreviated today. We’re still traveling through tomorrow and getting an early start at parks, waterfall visits and hikes today. We stopped at a local store and picked up salami, cheese, crackers and fruit for a box lunch on the trail today.

It’s supposed to be gorgeous here today – mid 70’s and a light breeze. We were up at the 7,000 foot mark yesterday though and it was more breezy and quite chilly, so I’m layering in my comfiest Levi’s, a tank, a favorite lightweight flannel and hiking boots.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I did most of the laundry from the trip at SIL’s house, but will have a week’s worth from the trip home along with the sheets and towels from before we left.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a pedicure on Thursday and will put together a grocery and errand list before I go.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have a few things from before the trip that need to be handled this week.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Your guess is as good as mine 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX ?? We did start the new Lincoln Lawyer series in the hotel last night and think we will like it.
  • PRIME ??
  • DISNEY+ ??
  • DISCOVERY + ??
  • CABLE Everything from the last 3 weeks on the DVR

I finished the girl from Channel Islands finally and need to move on to something much lighter so I began Mystic Falls, A Coyote Wells Mystery by Vickie McKeehan

Here’s where we were yesterday 😀 after we left Lassen Volcanic National park – More pictures to come later 😀
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
OUT
OUT
??
??
??
??
??
DESSERT
*

LIMONCELLO

Make this when you have a recipe that needs the lemons, like a summer lemonade.

LIMONCELLO
8 LARGE lemons
2 LARGE oranges
1 (750ml) bottle of QUALITY vodka
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

  • With a sharp peeler remove the peel from the lemons and oranges.
  • Trim away any pith from the peels. Save the lemons for lemonade or another recipe.
  • Place the peels into a 2 quart pitcher.
  • Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap.
  • Steep the lemon peels for 4 days at room temperature.
  • In a large saucepan blend the water and sugar about 5 minutes over a medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.
  • COOL COMPLETELY.
  • Pour cooled sugar syrup over the vodka mixture.
  • Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.
  • Strain Limoncello through a mesh strainer.
  • Discard the peels.
  • Transfer Limoncello to bottles, sealing bottles and refrigerating 4 hours until chilled.

MEATBALL POTATO GRATIN

MEATBALL POTATO GRATIN
2 cans sliced potatoes, drained WELL
1 can NIBLETS corn, drained
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
1 can cream of potato soup
1/2 cup sour cream
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3/4 pound frozen cooked meatballs, thawed
1/2 cup shredded baby Swiss cheese
Chopped FRESH parsley for garnish

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Blend together the soup, sour cream, green onions, salt and pepper.
  • Add potatoes, gently tossing to coat.
  • Spread potato mixture into baking dish.
  • Nestle meatballs into the potato mixture.
  • Even sprinkle cheese.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

BLENDED 5 CHEESE PASTA

BLENDED 5 CHEESE PASTA adapted from Ree Drummond  serves 8

1 pound fusilli (or desired shape)
6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
2 teaspoons chopped FRESH thyme
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated white Cheddar
1/2 cup grated Romano
1/2 cup grated Gruyère
FRESH ground sea salt AND black pepper, to taste
1 cup mozzarella balls, quartered
3 green onions, sliced thin and separated (greens are for garnish)

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the pasta and cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions.
    Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
  • Cook the bacon in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • With a slotted spoon remove bacon pieces to paper toweling to drain and remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Add butter to melt.
  • Add the thyme, onions and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the cream and heat until bubbly, 30 seconds.
  • Gradually add the fontina, Cheddar, Romano and Gruyère in handfuls, letting each melt into the cream before adding the next cheese.
  • Add the pasta to the skillet along with a good pinch of salt and pepper and half the bacon pieces, tossing everything together, thinning with the reserved pasta water as needed.
  • Divide the pasta into 8-ounce individual gratin dishes or 1 baking dish.
  • Place casserole on a baking sheet.
  • Divide the mozzarella pearl pieces over the top of the pasta.
  • Position oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to broil.
  • Broil 3-4 minutes on the center rack until the mozzarella pearls are brown and the pasta is bubbling.
  • Remove and garnish with the remaining cooked bacon and sliced green onions.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY and MENU PLANS week 20 of 2022

Normally doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for the upcoming week, but this week will be abbreviated due to vacation time and enjoying the wonderful weather. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Here’s a little funny for you to think about while I finish my vacation:

Hot water and black cherry yogurt

I’m still reading (just been too tired to get very far at night) The Girl from Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat that is inspired by true events. It’s the story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the occupied island of Jersey during World War II. I love historical novels based on WWII so have high hopes for this book.

We were a small group (about half) this year, but I still literally have thousands of images to edit, but here are a couple of favorites.
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
SIL’S CHOICE
SIL’S CHOICE
SIL’S CHOICE
SIL’S CHOICE
?? ON THE ROAD
?? ON THE ROAD
?? ON THE ROAD
 

FIRECRACKER MEATBALLS

FIRECRACKER MEATBALLS
3/4 pound round
3 green onions, minced and sliced tops for garnish
2 teaspoons FRESH, FINELY minced ginger
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
FRESH ground sea salt and blac pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons QUALITY honey
2 tablespoons Ponzu sauce
2 tablespoons quality mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream (Mexican by Darigold adds a bit more flavor)
1-3 teaspoons Sirracha
Prepared rice or pasta
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, honey and ponzu sauce.
  • Add Sirracha to taste. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl combine ground round, minced green onions, minced ginger,
  • Panko bread crumbs, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Form into golf ball sized meatballs.
  • Place meatballs on baking sheet.
  • Bake 15 minutes until cooked through and tender.
  • Add meatballs to bowl of sauce, gently tossing to coat.
  • Serve over prepared pasta, drizzling with any remaining sauce.

BAKED FRENCH ONION RICE

BAKED FRENCH ONION RICE
1 cup long grained rice
10.5 ounce can French onion soup
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup butter, sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms cleaned and diced
1 shallot, minced

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat.
  • Add shallots, sauteing 2 minutes until beginning to soften.
  • Add mushrooms, cooking 5 minutes more until beginning to caramelize.
  • Add rice, stirring to coat.
  • In a bowl whisk together the beef broth and french onion soup.
  • Stir in the rice mixture.
  • Spread rice mixture into prepared casserole.
  • Dot with butter slices.
  • Cover.
  • Bake 50 minutes.

GARLIC BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN

GARLIC BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN Serves: 4
¼ cup of salt
4 cups warm water
4 medium sized chicken breasts, pounded to an even 3/4 inch thickness
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped parsley, for garnish

  • Combine the ¼ cup of salt and warm water in a shallow baking dish and stir it gently until the salt is dissolved.
  • Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Melt butter in a large baking dish.
  • Place the chicken breasts in a single layer, turning to coat.
  • In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until combined.
  • Rub 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture evenly over the each chicken breast, pressing gently.
  • Bake for 18 minutes, or until surface is golden and cooked through.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley.

CORN STUFFED PORK CHOPS

CORN STUFFED PORK CHOPS
3/4 cup FRESH bread crumbs
1 can Green Giant Mexican corn niblets
1 LARGE shallot, diced
2 mini red peppers, 1 diced, 1 sliced
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped Italian Leaf Parsley
4 thick pork chops (preferably bone in)
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup homemade chicken bone broth

  • In a mixing bowl blend together the bread crumbs, corn, onion, chopped red pepper and parsley.
  • Slice a 3 inch pocket into each pork chop.
  • Fill pork chops with corn mixture.
  • Rub pork chops well with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Melt butter and oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
  • Add pork chops, browning 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Add broth, cover and reduce heat to low, cooking 45 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Serve with chopped parsley and red pepper rings.

PINEAPPLE BACON BAKED BEANS

PINEAPPLE BACON BAKED BEANS
6 slices bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 – 15 ounce cans small northern cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup dried chopped apricots
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup pineapple preserves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Spray a 2 quart baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp.
  • Remove bacon pieces with a slotted to drain on paper toweling.
  • Add onions to bacon grease and saute’ 5 minutes until tender.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the ketchup, vinegar, preserves, Worcestershire sauce and paprika, stirring until well blended.
  • Fold in rinsed and drained beans, apricot pieces, half the bacon pieces and onions.
  • Bake uncovered 40-50 minutes until heated through.
  • Stir gently to mix well.
  • Top with remaining bacon and serve immediately.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY & MENU PLANS week 19 of 2022

Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. 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 was cold an rainy when we left home last Thursday, beautiful when we arrived here on Friday and not bad on Saturday. It turned SUPER windy and cold yesterday and is supposed to be in the 50’s and windy until we head down to the family reunion on Wednesday where it will be glorious!

Traveling is really hard for me and I have had a couple reactions, but ALL and ALL I’m doing pretty well, but keeping it simple with so much eating out. I’m also quite concerned about staying safe and well while traveling with COVID cases on the rise again. I’m quite worried that the current surge seems to have mutated making the vaccines less efficient.

HOT water and strawberry yogurt with some FRESH cherries we picked up at a roadside stand yesterday.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING – NONE I’m on vacation 😀
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS Wednesday we will arrive in town for the family reunion and will do all our shopping for the weekend.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS – NONE I’m on vacation 😀
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING – NONE I’m on vacation 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • whatever SIL decides 😀

I’m reading The Girl from Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat that is inspired by true events. It’s the story of a young Jewish woman trapped on the occupied island of Jersey during World War II. I love historical novels based on WWII so have high hopes for this book.

I’ll have to do a post later with pictures from our overall trip, but for now I’m enjoying being at SIL’s house enjoying the country 😀 Here are some of her frogs, frog pond, honey bees, garden, flowers

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
CHAMISAL tennis club with nephew and his wife
Leftovers from last night’s dinner at The Whaling Station on Cannery Row
somewhere in SOLVANG with a different nephew and his family
cafe at the resort
FAMILY STREET TACO NIGHT at FAMILY REUNION
FAMILY REUNION POTLUCK – we’re bringing a 7 salad platter and an antipasto platter
OUT on the way home
DESSERT
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES FOR THE TRIP