Category: MISC

FRIDAY FILL-INS

 FFI

 I’M CHEATING SINCE TODAY IS MY FRIDAY AND IT’S A 3 DAY WEEKEND!

1. These three words describe my significant other (or dog, cat, baby, grandchild, best friend!): LOVING, TENDER, KIND!
2. FAMILY TIME is a delight!
3. Oh, how I adore WHISKEY (NO NOT THAT KIND, MY GOLD RETRIEVER).
4. OTHERS SMILE if one takes time to be friendly.
5. Inevitably, WE ALL SUCCUMB TO LETTING GO AND LIVING SIMPLY.
6. GRAMPS is someone who never ceased to encourage me.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to RELAXING AFTER COMPLETING MY LATEST PROJECT, tomorrow my plans include SOME GRILLIN’ AND CHILLIN’ TIME and Monday, I want to will be at the Memorial Day celebration for veterans!

FRENCH ONION GRILLED CHEESE

FRENCH ONION GRILLED CHEESE
1 tablespoon each safflower oil and butter, for frying

2 slices of french baguette or french bread
1 tablespoon softened butter
enough shredded
gruyere cheese to generously cover both slices of bread

½ cup wine-braised onions (see recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste

  • Heat oil in frying pan over medium low heat. Add butter and allow to melt.
  • Spread each slice of French bread with softened butter. 
  • Add half the shredded cheese to one slice of bread
  • Pile braised onions on top
  • Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, then add the rest of the cheese. 
  • Top with the other slice of bread, and gently press together.
  • Place the sandwich in the hot pan and cook until bread is toasted brown and cheese has started to melt. 
  • Carefully flip the sandwich over in the pan and cook until the other side is toasted brown and cheese has completely melted.
  • Remove the grilled sandwich from the pan and serve.

WINE BRAISED ONIONS
1 clove garlic per
2 onions
 (cook about 3-5 at a time, as you will find many uses for leftover caramelized onions)
butter
beef stock

  • Cut the onions in half lengthwise, then slice thinly again lengthwise.
  • For every 1 large onion, heat about 1 teaspoon safflower oil in a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add the same amount of butter, allow to melt, then add minced garlic. 
  • Allow the garlic to soften (but not color), then add the onions. 
  • Stir to coat the garlic and onions in oil+butter.
  • Turn down the heat to medium low (so onions don’t burn). Continue to cook the onions until they are soft and deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes (depending on how many onions you cook).
  • Add about 1/8 cup wine of choice and 1/8 cup beef stock, and allow to cook down with the onions, another 5-7 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat and set aside enough onions for grilled cheese sandwich.

POMMES MAXIM

POMMES MAXIM as seen on Ashley Brouwer adapted from the New York Times

Pommes maxim plate beautifully. Add a sprig of rosemary to the middle of each spiral, serve with a dollop of sour cream on top, or just eat them hot right out of the oven. 
POMMES MAXIM
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced paper thin
Sea salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
  • Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place butter in a saucepan over low heat. As the butter melts, skim the foam from the surface and discard. Slowly pour off the clear, golden, melted butter into a bowl, discarding any milky residue.
  • Toss the potato slices in a bowl with the clarified butter. Arrange the slices, overlapping, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Keller recommends using a nonstick baking sheet, but I don’t own one and was still able to easily remove the pommes maxim from the pan with a metal spatula.
  • Bake the potatoes 45 to 50 minutes or until crisp and golden.
  • They can be set aside at room temperature for 1-2 hours until you are ready to serve. To reheat, place them in a 325-degree oven for 10 minutes or until warm.
  • Makes approximately six servings, although this number may vary depending on how large your potatoes are and how many slices you use per circle.

CHICKEN SNAP PEA STIR FRY

CHICKEN SNAP PEA STIR FRY
1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into strips
3 1/2 tablespoons safflower oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
sea salt
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3/4 pound sugar snap peas, halved
soy sauce 
white rice
  • Toss  chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons safflower oil, cornstarch and baking soda.
  • Cover and marinate 1 hour.
  • Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.
  • Heat Wok or large frying pan over high heat.
  • Add remaining oil to pan.
  • When hot, add chicken and saute until golden.
  • Add salt.
  • Stir in oyster sauce.
  • Transfer to bowl and set aside.
  • Return  wok to high heat and add peas, stir frying 2-3 minutes until tender crisp.
  • Stir in chicken.
  • Serve over rice with soy sauce.

Roasted Almond and Maple Butter, soooo good!

I love maple, real maple syrup is delicious.

OK I also like maple flavored pancake syrup, but with the sugar, it does not agree with me. Before it is proper time to eat the next meal, my blood sugar has already plummeted.

On Mother’s Day in addition to a day of labor in my yard, I was served a delicious dinner that included real maple in many of the dishes. The chicken breast were marinaded in a maple and spice bath, and there was a maple and cream bread pudding for dessert. Good stuff!

If that was not enough, I also received a jar of this delicious almond butter.

(I should probably remove that little sticky note…)

Maple Almond Butter
made by the lovely Jess, and here is the note she sent me by email…..

** I switched out the oil for coconut oil, and I have to say, it took a lot more than two teaspoons to get it to that creamy consistency.. the first batch I did, I used oil that I had around the house and it still took much more than two teaspoons..** also, I added a bit more maple syrup in to the food processor when I was blending it, I wanted a stronger maple flavor.

Maple Almond Butter
1 1/2 cups of raw almonds
3 tablespoons maple syrup update: more for blending
pinch of sea salt
1-2 teaspoons walnut oil (or any other complimentary/neutral oil) update: start with 1 T coconut oil

Spread the almonds on a rimmed cookie sheet, preferably with a baking mat or sheet of parchment underneath them. Drizzle the maple syrup over the almonds and toss the nuts with your fingers so that they get evenly coated. Roast them at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, tossing at least once during the cooking process.

When the nuts are fully roasted, remove the pan from the oven and let cool for at least 10-15 minutes.
Pour the nuts into the food processor and pulse to begin breaking them up. Add a drizzle of your oil and run the processor 30-45 seconds. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides. Continue with this process/scrape/drizzle procedure until your nuts have broken down in butter. You may not need all the oil, it just depends on the moisture content of the almonds.

 Yes, we have been enjoying this almond butter, look at all those crumbs!

This is so good! 

As always, thank you for taking a moment to stop and say hello. I appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For additional recipes and more, come visit at Moms Sunday Cafe, we love having company!

STRAWBERRY LEMON POUND CAKE

STRAWBERRY LEMON POUND CAKE
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus 1/3 cup
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Juice from 3 lemons to equal 1/4 cup lemon juice, plus 1/3 cup
  • Preheat the oven to 350˚. 
  • Butter a 6-cup loaf pan and line it with parchment or waxed paper. 
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
  • Using a hand mixer,  cream the butter. 
  • Add 1 cup of the sugar and mix until well blended.
  • Add the eggs one at a time. 
  • Add the vanilla. 
  • Working in alternating batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice to the butter mixture. 
  • Mix until just smooth.
  • Pour into the prepared pan and bake until raised in the center and a tester inserted into the center comes out dry and almost clean (a few crumbs are OK), 65 to 75 minutes
    • Meanwhile, make the glaze:
    • In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice until the sugar is dissolved.
    When the cake is done, let cool in the pan 15 minutes (it will still be warm).
    • Run a knife around the sides of the pan.
    • Set a wire rack on a sheet pan with sides (to catch the glaze) and turn the cake out onto the rack. 
    • Peel off the waxed paper.
    • Using a turkey baster or pastry brush, spread glaze all over the top and sides of the cake and let soak in. Repeat until the entire glaze is used up, including any glaze that has dripped through onto the sheet pan. 
    • Let cool at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.
    1-2 large box(es) strawberries, washed and sliced
    1 cup sugar
    3 tablespoons cornstarch
    3/4 cup water 
  • Mash 1 cup strawberries; set aside.
  • In a saucepan, combine sugar & cornstarch; stir in water & mashed berries. 
  • Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in food coloring if desired. 
  • Cook and stir 3 minutes more. Cool for 10 minutes.  

    • HEALTHY EATING

    With my upcoming forced diet for Hiatal Hernia surgery and the wonderful weight loss that will be a happy by product, I will be adhering to strict portions in the future. I have also been informed that I MUST give up ALL carbonated drinks and straws as well as change to 5-6 smaller meals per day. The weight I had gained was a side effect of several medications that I’ve been on for SLE and Fibromyalgia as well as the hernia, so I’m happy it will be gone, but I’ve decided to adhere to a strict portion control anyway.  Here’s the Harvard School of Public Health’s guideline:
    I’m also going to buy a scale and follow the following portion sizes:
    DAIRY 2-3 servings
    1 cup milk or yogurt
    1 1/2 ounces cheese
    PROTEIN 2-3 servings
    2-3 ounces cooked meat
    1 egg or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count as 1 ounce of meat
    VEGETABLES 3-5 servings
    1 cup raw leafy vegetables
    1/2 cup other vegetables
    3/4 cup vegetable juice
    FRUITS 2-4 servings
    1 medium app, orange or banana
    1/2 cup other fruits
    3/4 cup fruit juice
    GRAINS 6-11 servings
    1 slice bread
    1 ounce cereal
    1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta
    Use oils sparingly
    Everyone has super sized for so long that we have become on own worst enemies when it comes to dieting.  I refuse to be one of those people and am not going to waste this chance to stay slim and healthy.  Here’s my new sample menu for when I can begin to eat “real” food again.

    		 DATE MEAL#1 MEAL#2 MEAL#3 MEAL#4 SNACK SNACK SNACK
    Monday 7/30 Activia Peach Yogurt
    1/2 TUNA SALAD SANDWICH and FRUIT
    		SALAD
     BLACK BEAN BURRITOS with SLICED KIWI
    		 APPLE
    GLASS OF MILK

    		HARD BOILED EGG
    Tuesday 7/31

    		 CHERRIOS with BANANAS
    1/2 EGG SALAD SANDWICH and FRUIT
    		SALAD
    VEGETABLE STIR FRY and RICE with SLICED KIWI
    		BANANA
    GLASS OF MILK
    		CHEESE STICK
    Wednesday 8/1

    		 Activia Peach Yogurt
    1/2 PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH and FRUIT
    		SALAD
    GRILLED CHICKEN and MASHED POTATOES with SLICED TOMATOES
    		ORANGE
    GLASS OF MILK
    		CARROT STICKS
    Thursday 8/2

    		 OATMEAL with RAISINS
    1/2 TURKEY SANDWICH and FRUIT
    		SALAD
    GRILLED FISH and MASHED POTATOES with STEAMED CARROTS
    		 APPLE
    GLASS OF MILK
    		CHEESE STICK
    Friday 8/3

    		 Activia Peach Yogurt
    1/2 EGG SALAD SANDWICH
    		SALAD
    TURKEY MEATLOAF, BAKED POTATOES and BROCCOLI
    		 BANANA
    GLASS OF MILK
    		BERRIES
    Saturday 8/4

    		 Activia Peach Yogurt
    1/2 PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH
    		SALAD
    TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE with SLICED CUCUMBERS
    		 ORANGE
    GLASS OF MILK
    		SNAP PEAS
    Sunday 8/5

    		 PANCAKES OUT SALAD
    BEEF STEW (LOTS OF VEGGIES) with SLICED TOMATOES

    		 APPLE
    GLASS OF MILK
    		CHEESE STICK 

     HAPPY HEALTHY EATING!

    SWEET and SPICY PORK RIBS

    Sweet, Spicy, Tender, Perfect…

    SWEET and SPICY PORK RIBS
    3 pounds spareribs,  cut into 4-5 rib sections, rinsed and patted dry
    1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
    3 tablespoons dry sherry
    3 tablespoons sesame oil
    3 tablespoons, minced fresh ginger
    1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    1 large clove garlic, minced
    1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

    • Generously salt and pepper ribs.
    • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the Hoisin sauce, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic and pepper flakes.
    • Place ribs in a LARGE ziploc bag and pour sauce over the ribs. Refrigerate overnight.
    • Heat gas grill to medium high or a charcoal grill to medium hot fire.
    • Spray grill with PURE.
    • Grill ribs over indirect heat for 30-45 minutes or until ribs are fork tender and easily separate, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade.
    • Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
    OR a sauce we LOVE
    1/2 cup Smucker’s Apricot Jam
    1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
    1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

    MONTE CRISTO CASSEROLE

    I got this recipe from my cousin Brandy who got it from food.com.  The woman who wrote it said she developed the recipe because of her son’s love for the Monte Cristo sandwich at Disneyland’s Blue Bayou.  Disneyland’s Blue Bayou is where I originally fell in love with this sandwich also, but in her recipe she changed the red raspberry jam that the Blue Bayou served to strawberries and added parsley.  I’m taking it back to as close to original as I can by deleting the parsley and reverting to red raspberry jam.
    MONTE CRISTO CASSEROLE
    1 cup 1% milk
    6 eggs
    2 packages frozen, French toast, thawed
    8 ounces deli ham, sliced
    8 ounces deli turkey, sliced
    4 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced thin
    1 tablespoon powdered sugar
    Smucker’s Red Raspberry jam
    • Preheat oven to 375˚.
    • Heat milk until hot, but not scalded.
    • Whisk eggs until well blended, add milk and whisk to incorporate.
    • Spray 13×9 baking dish with PURE.
    • Layer French toast on bottom.
    • Top with layers of ham, turkey and cheese.
    • Top with French toast.
    • Pour egg mixture over top and let set 10 minutes or so.  It can be refrigerated overnight, but be sure to let stand at room temperature before baking.
    • Bake 30 minutes or until set on bottom.
    • Cool 5 minutes.
    • Sprinkle powdered sugar over top.
    • Serve with Smucker’s red raspberry jam for dipping.

    CHICKEN MARSELLAISE

    Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food.  The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.  

    My partner this month is Carol from NO REASON NEEDED for our 4th pairing. I spent yet another lazy afternoon perusing her recipes again and was still intrigued by her unusual recipe titles like elephant ear cookies, zippy slow cooker chili, pizza stuffed pretzels and super easy strawberry and lime ice cream but opted for her Chicken Marsellaise. Carol’s recipe is here.

     

    I added some Parmesan cheese and hubs loved it!
    CHICKEN MARSELLAISE

    2 whole chickens, cut up (I used 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
    1.5 cups Catalina Fat Free Salad Dressing
    2 cans (16 oz.) tomatoes with juice
    2 large onions, sliced
    2 teaspoons salt
    1 teaspoon celery seed
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    3 tablespoons flour
    1 cup chicken broth or stock
    • Arrange chicken pieces in large skillet. 
    • Pour 1 cup Catalina dressing over chicken and cook over low heat. 
    • Turn chicken as needed in order to brown chicken on all sides. 
    • When chicken is browned, add remaining Catalina along with tomatoes, onion, salt, celery seed and pepper. Cover skillet and cook chicken over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken tests done. When chicken is done, remove from skillet and arrange on serving platter. 
    • Gradually add flour to chicken broth and stir until dissolved. 
    • Pour broth into skillet’s hot liquid and stir constantly, increasing the heat to medium-high. 
    • Cook until mixture forms a thick gravy sauce. 
    • Pour sauce over chicken and serve.