Category: MISC

SANDWICH STACKERS

This recipe was originally from a book for cooking with cast iron pie irons. I changed it up for an easy week night recipe.  You can fill it whatever you’d like and or dip it in any sauce you like.  This is a fantastically versatile recipe.  Using thin sliced deli meats and cheeses works best.

SANDWICH STACKERS
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Pizza Dough
cooked bacon strips
baby swiss slices
aged white cheddar slices
hard salami slices
pastrami slices
oven roasted turkey slices
Apple slices
Egg Butter wash

  • Using two of the crescent triangles create a rectangle for each sandwich.
  • Layer desired ingredients within the rectangle.
  • Top with two more crescent triangles and seal edges.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes until pastry is golden and cheese is melted.
  • Brush with egg butter wash.
  • Bake another 3-5 minutes
  • Cool 2 minutes before cutting into squares and stacking.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

Last week got REALLY warm!!!! So, to beat the heat I stayed inside and thought about snow.  Yep, I’m thinking about winter and Christmas already.  I actually started my Christmas cards and am about 75% DONE.  It’s been a while since I made my own and I forgot how hard it is to cut out all the little pieces – boy, are my hands tired!

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday. 

WEATHER OUTSIDE
It is STILL HOT! And super muggy – might as well be in Texas or Florida!  We are setting new records all the time.

TO DO FOR THE WEEK

  • Finish Christmas cards
  • Paperwork
  • Appt.s
  • Phone Calls

CURRENTLY READING

TELEVISION / DVR

  • Astronaut Wives Club 
  • Complications
  • Proof
  • Dark Matter
  • The Last Ship
  • Under the Dome
  • Rookie Blue
BREAKFAST
DINNER
DESSERT
MONDAY
Cereal & Fruit
Y.O.Y.O. / C.O.R.N.
TUESDAY
Bagel & cream cheese
EXPERIMENT NIGHT
WEDNESDAY
Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
THURSDAY
Scrambled Eggs with cheese & Toast
Chicken Broccoli Casserole & Salad
FRIDAY
Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
Sweet & Sticky Pork Chops w/ Dirty Rice
SATURDAY
Steaks and baked potatoes with a side of fireworks
SUNDAY
Fruit Smoothies

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS  FROM LAST WEEK

FUTURE RECIPES TO TRY
My favorite neighbor ever surprised me yesterday with armfuls of cookbooks she wanted to get rid of.  I’m so in love with new recipes that I’m not sure where to start.  My nephew is coming for a week soon so I decided to start with kid friendly recipes – he’s young, but he’s a HUGE growing boy so I also needed easy, flavorful and stretching recipes.  Here are the ones I have found so far:

  • TexMex Tamale Skillet
  • Hamburger Strogaanoff
  • Ground Beef Reuben Melts
  • Pizza Calzone
  • Chili Rice con Queso
  • Fiesta Chicken Lasagna
  • Italian Lemon Semifreddo 

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS
With summer comes rough, flaky and dry skin.  Here’s a homemade exfoliating body wash that will make your skin silky smooth.

PINEAPPLE BODY WASH – makes 2 week’s worth.  I saved an old Herbal Essence bottle to keep this recipe in.

1 6-ounce can pineapple juice
2 cups castile liquid soap (Dr. Bronner’s or Kirk’s original at Walmart)

  • Blend together.
  • Shake to mix before using each day.
  • Pour a small amount on wash cloth, lather and wash.

“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles.” ― C. JoyBell C.

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

  • Air conditioning in triple digit temperatures
  • Fresh Flowers 
  • Laughing children playing outside

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA THIS WEEK
We’ve been watching these ‘environmental’ platforms for quite some time now.  There are 3 of them in this particular area and all have residents.   The fledglings have been taking test flights and appear to be close to ready to leave home.

The platforms don’t look huge until you take a picture from below and then you realize their actual size.

INSPIRATION

HONEY WALNUT LEMON CHICKEN

HONEY WALNUT LEMON CHICKEN
2 teaspoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 tablespoon honey
fresh ground salt, to taste

  • Slowly heat avocado oil in skillet.
  • When hot, add ginger and garlic cooking until fragrant.
  • Add walnuts and honey.
  • Cook 2-3 minutes until walnuts turn golden and honey bubbles.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • Transfer to apiece of foil to coil.

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
Wondra flour for dredging
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice from 2 lemons
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup white wine
green onions or parsley for garnish

  • Melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge through flour.
  • Add chicken pieces to hot butter browning until golden on both sides.
  • Plate chicken and keep warm.
  • Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of butter and let pan cool slightly.
  • Add ginger and garlic until fragrant.
  • Add lemon juice, wine and honey cooking until boils and slightly thickens.  Be sure to scrape loose bits from the pan.
  • Pour over chicken, sprinkle with walnuts and garnish with green onions or parsley.

CHARDONNAY/MOSCATO CHICKEN, BEET CHEDDAR APPLE TARTS & BEER BATTERED ZUCCHINI

CHARDONNAY/MOSCATO CHICKEN
1 chicken fillet per person
2 + 3 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons Wondra flour + flour for dusting
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup favorite wine (I alternate between white Moscato and chardonnay)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream
Angel Hair pasta
diced green onions
diced tomatoes
Parmesan Cheese

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
  • Generously salt and pepper chicken pieces.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in flour and add to melted butter.  Brown both sides evenly.
  • Plate Chicken over prepared angel hair.
  • In a small saucepan melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
  • Whisk in 2 1/2 tablespoons flour until well blended and golden.
  • Whisk in lemon juice and wine, bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Whisk in cream and serve immediately.
  • Pour over chicken pieces and top with green onions, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

BEET CHEDDAR APPLE TARTS (from an old recipe page – source unknown)
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed and cut into fourths and edges rounded
3/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1 apple peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 beet peeled and slice thin
4 green onions, sliced thin
Fresh ground salt and pepper medley

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place pastry circles on parchment paper.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Sprinkle half the cheese on the rounds.
  • Arrange apple slices and beet slices alternately on pastry circles.
  • Top with remaining cheese and green onions.
  • Sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
  • Bake 15 minutes until pastry is golden and slightly puffed.

BEER BATTERED ZUCCHINI 
2-3   zucchini, sliced (I used round – love them)
1 1/2 cup four
1 cup+ Angry Orchard Summer Ale
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Avocado oil
Wondra flour for dredging
fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
Coconut oil for frying
Jalapeno Ranch dressing

  • Whisk together flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl
  • In a smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and avocado oil.
  • Drizzle egg mixture over flour and mix together with a fork until you have a rough dough.
  • Add beer slowly while whisking until you have a smooth batter.
  • Cover with saran and chill at least 1 hour.
  • Bring coconut to frying temperature over medium high heat.
  • Slice zucchini.
  • Dredge in Wondra flour.
  • Drop into batter and coat both sides well.
  • Drop pieces in the oil making sure NOT to crowd.  Brown both sides. 
  • Drain. 
  • Repeat until all pieces are fried.
  • Serve with Jalapeno Ranch dressing.

PAYDAY BARS

This was one of the recipes from my cooking magazine finds!  It was a HUGE hit with a small addition.

PAYDAY BARS
2 cups chopped roasted, salted peanuts
1/2 cup Heath bar toffee bits
14 ounces KRAFT caramel bits
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon heavy cream

  • Prepare 8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper or foil.
  • Spray well with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Mix together the nuts and toffee bits.
  • Arrange half the nuts evenly in bottom of the pan.
  • Using a double boiler, melt caramels with heavy cream.
  • When caramel mixture is smooth add marshmallows and stir until smooth.
  • Immediately pour caramel mixture over nuts and top with remaining nut mixture.
  • Cool 2-3 hours until set before cutting.
  • Store in air tight container with wax paper between the layers.

LEMON PAPRIKA GRILL CHICKEN & BROCCOLI SLAW revisited

I have been making this broccoli salad for years – it’s perfect for summer dinners – especially grilled dinners! I added a new grill recipe that I developed and it turned out PERFECTLY!

LEMON PAPRIKA GRILL CHICKEN
4-6 skin on chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lemon
2 lemons, sliced
1/4-1/3 cup Savory Spice Shop Sweet & Spicy Paprika
1/8-1/4 cup fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt
1/8 cup fresh ground peppercorn medley

  • Prick chicken pieces with fork tines.
  • Pour 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice over each piece and chill 2 hours.
  • Prepare grill for indirect heat.  I use charcoal and HOT, but indirect heat. I also clean my grill and leave it off during the coals heating up process and then spray it with PAM grill non-stick spray just before adding the meat.
  • Remove chicken from lemon juice and drain.
  • Whisk together paprika, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Season each piece of chicken with spice mixture, patting to adhere the spices to the meat.
  • Grill chicken skin side up 8-10 minutes.  Adjust as necessary to avoid flame flare-ups.
  • Turn skin side down and grill another 8-10 minutes or until browned or cooked through – again adjusting as necessary for flame flare-ups.
  • Add lemon slices to grill after turning the chicken and grill both sides.
  • Serve chicken over lemon slices.
  • Garnish with parsley.

BROCCOLI SLAW
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 head shredded red cabbage (optional)*
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (shelled)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 pound bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar**

  • In a large mixing bowl toss the broccoli, red cabbage, onions, seeds, raisins and bacon together.
  • In a small mixing bowl or mini food processor, blend the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and vinegar together until smooth.
  • Pour over the vegetable mix.
  • Toss well and chill 24-48 hours before serving.

*add another 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets if omitting cabbage.
**can use pineapple juice instead

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CAKE

This cake is super rich, but a beautiful cake for a holiday or special occasion. I sure wish my DIL was here – tomorrow is her birthday and she loves chocolate and would love this cake.   Happy virtual birthday Dawn. I adapted this recipe from Shugary Sweets.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CAKE
CHEESECAKE
2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature
2/3 cup fine sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
pinch fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Add a cake pan half full of water to lower shelf in oven.
  • Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with non-stick spray. Wrap foil around the bottom and up the sides.  Cut a circle section of parchment paper to fit in the bottom and spray it also with non-stick spray.
  • Beat cream cheese with sugar until light and creamy.
  • Add salt and eggs one at a time, beating until creamy after each addition.
  • Beat in sour cream, heavy cream, lemon juice and vanilla.
  • Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated oven.  Immediately lower temperature to 325°.
  • Bake 45 minutes.
  • Turn oven off and leave cake in for 30 more minutes.
  • Remove from oven and cool on rack until completely cool.
  • When cool, wrap in saran and place in freezer for 2-3 hours.

CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 cup butter
4 cups sugar
4 JUMBO eggs
4 cups buttermilk
5 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

  • Grease and “flour” 2 9-inch pans.  I use cocoa instead of flour so the coloring matches.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
  • Add eggs and beat well.
  • Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.
  • Add alternately flour mixture, vanilla and buttermilk until well blended and smooth.
  • Pour into prepared pan(s).
  • Bake 30-50 minutes depending on pan until center springs back and toothpick comes out clean.

FROSTING
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caramel sauce (recipe below or jarred is okay)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
pinch fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

  • Beat butter until fluffy.
  • Add caramel sauce, milk, salt and powdered sugar gradually, beating until smooth and creamy between additions.

CARAMEL SAUCE

6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Stir in the sugar until well incorporated and cook over a moderately high heat, undisturbed until a deep amber caramel forms.
  • Turn off heat and carefully stir in butter with a long spoon.  Careful, it will spit.
  • Add the heavy cream in a thin stream, stirring constantly until smooth.
  • Add salt and blend well.
  • Transfer the caramel to a heatproof container and allow to cool.

GANACHE
4 ounces dark chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream

  • In a double boiler or microwave at 30 second intervals, melt chocolate with heavy cream. Cool.

ASSEMBLY
1/2 bag Heath Bar baking pieces
2 tablespoons caramel sauce (recipe above or jarred is okay)
pinch fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt

  • On a cake plate arrange 1 chocolate cake layer.
  • Top with the cheesecake layer.
  • Sprinkle half of the heath bar pieces on top of cheesecake and press down lightly.
  • Add 2nd chocolate cake to the later.  Gently press the layers together.
  • Frost cake.
  • Add ganache to the top (some will run down sides).
  • Sprinkle with salt and then add remaining Heath bar pieces.

PEACH BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE GALETTE

PEACH BLACKBERRY GALETTE
CRUST – do NOT over mix
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour + flour for rolling
1/4 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, chopped
3 tablespoons ice cold water

  • In food processor pulse flour, salt and sugar until combined.
  • Add butter pieces, pulsing until becomes coarse crumbs.
  • Sprinkle with ice water.
  • Pulse again JUST until dough is crumbly, but holds together when squeezed together. You can add 1-2 more tablespoons as necessary to get desired texture.
  • Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

FILLING
2 1/2 pounds white peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 bag frozen blackberries, thawed and drained well
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Wondra flour

  • Toss fruit together and then sprinkle with flour and brown sugar tossing again until well coated.

CRUMBLE
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup Wondra flour
1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, chopped

  • Combine flour, brown sugar and rolled oats.
  • Using your hands add butter and work into large crumbs.

ASSEMBLY

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Lightly flour rolling pin and work surface.
  • Roll out dough to 12 inches.
  • Place dough in a 9 inch pie pan or make free form galette on prepared cookie sheet.
  •  Add filling and top with crumble mixture.
  • Bake 1 hour until golden and bubbly.
  • Let cool on wire rack 1-2 hours before serving.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

Last week was not a real busy week, but it sure went by quickly. Haven’t had much energy to do anything special. We did head to the coast for a father’s day dinner and ran across a chainsaw competition/exhibition and I found a few favorites to get pictures of.

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.  

WEATHER OUTSIDE
Things are heating up here again this week to triple digits by the end of the week, so I am planning indoor projects.  We went to the local farm stand Friday and found some great finds so I made a fantastic fruit salad for dinner over the weekend and plan on making another one this weekend.

TO DO FOR THE WEEK

  • a few phone calls
  • a little filing
  • cleaning and laundry
  • Starting my Christmas cards (yep, you read that right) I’m going to actually make my own this year and NOT wait until last minute

CURRENTLY READING

  • What a Girl Wants by Kate Perry
  • Resurrection in Mudbug  by Jana DeLeon
  • Dead Wrong by Leighann Dobbs

TELEVISION / DVR

  • Astronaut Wives Club 
  • Complications
  • Proof
  • Dark Matter
  • The Last Ship

BREAKFAST
DINNER
DESSERT
MONDAY
Cereal & Fruit
Y.O.Y.O. / C.O.R.N.
TUESDAY
Bagel & cream cheese
EXPERIMENT NIGHT
WEDNESDAY
Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
Chardonnay Chicken
THURSDAY
Scrambled Eggs with cheese & Toast
Lemon Parsley Chicken
FRIDAY
Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
Sweet & Sticky Pork Chops w/ Dirty Rice
SATURDAY
Biscuits & Gravy
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake
SUNDAY
Ham & Cheese Omelets
Mahogany Chicken & Broccoli

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES  FROM LAST WEEK

RECIPE FINDS TO TRY LATER
A couple weekends ago we went down to the Local Relay for Life garage sale and it was a real bust, but I was in the mood for bargain so went a little further to a favorite antique mall and found a great garage sale along the way.  I ran across a real bargain on some recipe magazines and bought the whole lot.  Here are some of the recipes we’ll be trying:

  • French onion BACON soup
  • Fruit Jellies
  • Beet, Cheddar & Apple tarts
  • Spooky Rum Coolers
  • Caramel Popcorn Pretzel Bars
  • Slow Cooker Green Chili
  • Roasted Beef, mushroom & Barley Soup
  • Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake
  • Slow Cooker Bacon Jam
  • Chicken with Cornmeal Dumplings
  • Pepperoni Pasta Bake
  • Jamaican Spiced Upside Down Cake
  • Buttered Toast and Jam Pudding
  • Coconut Buttermilk pound cake
  • Blackberry Oat Bran Muffins
  • Backyard Jerk Chicken
  • Apricot Bourbon Glazed Ham
  • Bacon Pancakes
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Slab Pie
  • Lemon Herb Dressing
  • Cappuccino Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Chicken in Garlic Oil
  • Slow Cooker Brisket & Onions
  • Salmon with brown sugar mustard glaze
  • Rocky road fudge bars
  • Turnip Au Gratin
  • Sausage Cheddar Balls
  • Orange Cumin Pork Loin
  • Baked Bacon Tortellini
  • Sweet and sour sesame wings
  • Frozen honey cream
  • Blueberry Cream Cheese hand pies
  • Lemon Pudding
  • Peanut Butter stuffed French Toast
  • Sticky Orange Chicken
  • Chicken Gazpacho
  • Spiced Parsnip Cupcakes
  • Apple Raisin Cookies

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS
I’ve recently begun using doTerra essential oils and have been having great success with one combination in particular for easier breathing by clearing your sinuses.

Peppermint oil
Breathe
DigestZen

  • Put one drop of each oil on the palm of your hand.
  • Rub hands together.
  • Form a tent with your hands and breathe deep 2-3 times.

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP
Tips for better batters:

  • ALL your ingredients should be at room temperature (eggs, butter, milks, …
  • When you cream butter and sugar, DO IT SLOWLY.  This step in your recipe is meant to aerate your batter creating a lighter and fluffier cake.
  • Choose your ingredients carefully. For example, using cake flour instead of all purpose flour creates a softer, finer crumb to your cake.
  • Use the proper tools for measuring For example, measure wet ingredients in liquid measures and dry ingredients in dry measures. Don’t pack ingredients unless told to do so. Flour in particular should be lightly spooned in and leveled off with a knife.
  • Alternating wet and dry ingredients creates a smoother batter and prevents toughness. 
  • Cake batter cannot be made in advance, but cakes can as long as you don’t frost them, they will freeze well. for 3-4 weeks.  Be sure and let them cool completely before freezing. Conversely allow them to thaw completely before icing.

MAKE AHEAD SMOOTHIES – Perfect for busy weeks

  • Instead of making one serving of your favorite smoothie whip up a whole batch all at once.
  • Place one serving each in freezer bags.
  • Lay them flat and stack in the freezer.
  • Transfer one to the refrigerator the night before and they are perfect the next morning for a meal on the run.

    My favorite flavor combination is:
    Bolt House Farms Green Goddess
    Pomegranate juice
    a banana
    a handful of wild blueberries

    • The secret of life isn’t what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.  
    • Help other people cope with their problems and your own will be easier to cope with.
    • Never use the word “impossible” seriously again.
    • Self-trust is the first secret of success.  So believe in and trust yourself.
    • Stand up to obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.
    • Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself.  In giving it, you will accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible.
    • How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself, so always think positively.
    • Go at life with abandon, give it all you’ve got. And life will give all it has to you.
    ~Norman Vincent Peale “Positive Thinking Every Day”


    THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

    • A lazy summer afternoon napping on the patio
    • Marathon afternoons catching up with favorite shows
    • Freshly painted walls
    • A day at the beach

    FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

    Awesome moon on June 3rd.

    INSPIRATION

    ITALIAN CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

    ITALIAN CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS serves 6
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    1 bunch green onions, minced
    1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
    2 stalks celery, diced
    2 carrots, diced
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon thyme
    1/4 cup Wondra flour
    1 28 ounce box Passata (Italian tomatoes)
    Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste
    2 bottles ShockTop beer
    2 tablespoons balsamic

    • In a large pot melt butter over medium high heat.
    • Add chicken and season with salt and pepper sauteing until golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
    • Add remaining butter to pot and melt.
    • Add onions, red bell pepper, celery, carrots and garlic sauteing until tender.
    • Stir in thyme and flour, blending well.
    • Season with salt and pepper.
    • Stir in beer and vinegar.
    • Add tomatoes.
    • Bring to a rapid simmer, reduce heat and cook uncovered 30 minutes. 
    • Drop dumplings in top of stew.
    • Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until dumplings are cooked through. 

    Prepare dumplings while chicken mixture is simmering.

    DUMPLINGS
    2/3 cup Wondra flour
    1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
    1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
    1/2 cup buttermilk

    • Using your fingers work the butter pieces into dry ingredients until forms small crumbs.
    • Add buttermilk and work into a smooth dough.
    • Roll dough pieces into ping pong size balls.

    HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

    I can’t believe it is Monday already. Last week just whizzed by and I’m not done with everything I started!  

    Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.   

    WEATHER OUTSIDE
    So much better this week.  There has been a wonderful breeze and temperatures are down around 80 at the heat of the day and around 50 at night.

    TO DO FOR THE WEEK

    • Eye Doctor appointment
    • a few letters
    • several phone calls
    • filing
    • Oncology check up – 4 1/2 years – almost there!

    CURRENTLY READING
    I’m still reading Jana DeLeon.  I finished her Miss Fortune series and am awaiting the newest book in that series, but have begAn her Ghost-In-Law Series for a fun summer read and am on book 3.

    TELEVISION / DVR

    • When Calls the Heart season finale
    • Dark Matter (new)
    • Beauty and the Beast
    • Astronauts Wives Club (new)
    • Royal Pains
    • Melissa & Joey
    • Devious Maids
    • The Whispers (new)
    • Proof (new)
    • Rizzoli & Isles
    • Major Crimes
    • Wayward Pines – just not sure about this one yet

    MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
    BREAKFAST
    DINNER
    DESSERT
    MONDAY
    Cereal & Fruit
    CHARDONNAY CHICKEN
    TUESDAY
    Bagel & cream cheese
    EXPERIMENT NIGHT
    WEDNESDAY
    Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
    HERB ROASTED CHICKEN & VEGGIES
    THURSDAY
    Scrambled Eggs with cheese & Toast
    Y.O.Y.O. / C.O.R.N.
    FRIDAY
    Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
    TOMATO PORK CHILI
    SATURDAY
    BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN BAKE
    CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
    SUNDAY
    MAHOGANY CHICKEN & BROCCOLI

    SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

    RECIPE FINDS TO TRY LATER

    • Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
    • Black Forest Dump Cake
    • Mocha Madness Dump Cake
    • Apple Caramel Pecan Dump Cake
    • Chicken Caesar Burgers
    • Sicilian Burgers

    HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP
    When frying food add 2 teaspoons of natural cocoa powder (non-dutched anti-oxidant form).  You WON’T taste it, but it blocks the absorption of fats and carbohydrates.

    GIVE LAVISHLY! GIVE ABUNDANTLY!
    The more you give, the more you get –
    The more you laugh, the less you fret –
    The more you do unselfishly,
    The more you live abundantly…
    The more of everything you share, 
    The more you’ll always have to spare –
    The more you love, the more you’ll find
    That life is good and friends are kind…
    For only what we give away
    Enriches us from day to day.
    ~Source Unknown

    THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

    • Clean counter tops
    • Clean baseboards
    • Cool breezes
    • Smiles and hugs from my favorite neighbor kids

    FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

    INSPIRATION

    SALTED CARAMEL POTS DE CREME – BAKING PARTNERS

    Swathi asked me to select a recipe for this month and I’d been dying to try these, so guess what we’re baking? Yep, you guessed it, SALTED CARAMEL POTS DE CREME. I cannot tell you where I first got the recipe because all I have is a photocopied page.  The salt brings out the rich buttery flavor of these simple creamy custards.

    SALTED CARAMEL POTS DE CREME
    1 1/2 cups sugar
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
    1/2 cup whole milk
    6 egg yolks
    1 teaspoon flaked sea salt*

    *I used Himalayan Pink fresh ground salt

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    • Adjust racks as necessary so your baking dish will be centered evenly in your oven.
    • Place six 6 ounce ramekins in a large baking dish. As you can see I used a combination of what I had available at the time.
    • Add enough water to the baking dish to go half way up the sides of the ramekins.
    • In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.
    • Heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
    • Increase heat to medium high and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
    • Boil for 8 minutes without stirring until you reach a deep amber color.
    • Remove from heat.
    • Whisking constantly, whisk in whipping cream and milk in a steady stream. Mixture will steam and sugar will begin to harden.
    • Return to heat cooking and whisking about 2 minutes until sugar has dissolved.
    • In a large bowl whisk egg yolks until light and foamy.
    • Slowly whisk whipping cream mixture into beaten egg yolks.
    • Pour mixture through sieve into a 4 cup spouted measuring cup.
    • Carefully pour strained mixture into ramekins.
    • Bake 40 minutes or until edges are set and centers jiggle just slightly.
    • Transfer to wire racks to cool, cooling completely.
    • Cover with saran and chill 4-24 hours.
    • Before serving sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
    I have made something similar in the past if you want one not quite so rich. These Salted Caramel Cheesecakes were really good too.Every recipe we tried recently was excellent, but this dessert was melt-in-your-mouth decadently good!  It was also rich so I’m very glad I made it in these small ramekins for individual servings!
    SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE CUPS
    CHEESECAKE
    1/2 pound softened cream cheese
    1/2 cup sugar
    2 JUMBO eggs at room temperature
    1/2 cup sour cream
    CARAMEL
    6 tablespoons light corn syrup
    1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
    1/2 cup heavy cream
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • Preheat oven to 325°.
    • In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth.
    • Add eggs, beating until incorporated after each egg.
    • Beat in sour cream.
    • Pour into ramekins.
    • Set ramekins in a baking dish and add water to midway up the ramekins.
    • Place in the center of the oven and bake 15-20 minutes until the edges are set, but the centers are still jiggly.
    • Turn off oven and leave cheesecakes undisturbed for 1 hour.
    •  After 1 hour transfer ramekins to cooling rack and cool completely before covering.
    • Cover and chill cheesecakes in the refrigerator at least several hours, preferably overnight.
    • Meanwhile make the caramel.
    • In a heavy saucepan heat the corn syrup.
    • Stir in the sugar until well incorporated and cook over a moderately high heat, undisturbed until a deep amber caramel forms.
    • Turn off heat and carefully stir in butter with a long spoon.  Careful, it will spit.
    • Add the heavy cream in a thin stream, stirring constantly until smooth.
    • Add salt and blend well.
    • Transfer the caramel to a heatproof container and allow to cool.

    To serve:

    • Heat caramel in small increments until desired temperature.
    • Pour a spoonful over each cheesecake and serve.