Category: MISC

Coconut-Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise

Andrea of Andrea In The Kitchen decided on Coconut-Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise on pages 293-295. I attempted this, but with all the thunderstorms and humidity we’re having here along with NOT having air conditioning, it was a serious disaster that actually tasted okay, but was a serious CAKE WRECK! I’ll make this again in the winter when I can control the humidity better. I look forward to next week’s Perfect Party Cake on pages 250-252.

final blog signature. ♥

Menu Planning


Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE
 BREAKFAST
 LUNCH
 DINNER
MONDAY

6/22

 HONEY NUT CHEERIOS
 CHEESE & CRACKERS
 CHEESE & CHILE
QUESADILLAS
TUESDAY 6/23

 TOAST
 EGG SALAD
SANDWICHES		 STIR FRY PEAS with
SESAME SEEDS
WEDNESDAY 6/24
 YOGURT
 SOUP
BAKED BEETS
THURSDAY 6/25
 FRUIT
 CHEESE & FRUIT
 STUFFED TOMATOES
FRIDAY 6/26

 MAPLE BROWN SUGAR
RAISIN OATMEAL
 C.O.R.N.

POTATO SKINS
& PARSNIP PUREE
SATURDAY 6/27
 Buttermilk
Cinnamon Pancakes		 Tuna Melts TOO PASTA ALFREDO
SUNDAY 6/28
 Toasted French Toast Grilled Onion
Tomato Cheese 		ASPARAGUS with LEMON
& HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

final blog signature. ♥

Cheesy Pasta Mushroom Casserole ~ Simply Delicious Sunday

CHEESY PASTA MUSHROOM CASSEROLE
1 16 ounce package penne pasta **
1 cup boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Classico Sun-dried tomato pesto
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 ounces Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
PURE

  • Heat large saucepan of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package label indicates. Drain well and return to pan.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Heat the 1 cup water in microwave oven on high for 2 minutes in a medium bowl.
  • Stir in mushrooms; let stand 15 minutes.
  • Drain mushrooms (reserving the liquid) and rinse to remove any grit. Finely chop and set aside.
  • Strain reserved liquid through sieve lined with paper towel and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in mushrooms and thyme.
  • Sprinkle flour over onion mixture in saucepan; cook 1 minute, stirring.
  • Whisk in milk, mushroom liquid, sun-dried tomato pesto, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring frequently.
  • Add mushroom sauce to pasta in the saucepan.
  • Stir in the Fontina, ricotta, and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss until well blended.
  • Spoon pasta into a sprayed 3-quart ceramic baking dish; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until center is hot and top is golden.

**I used shells because I was out of penne, but really any pasta works.

Simply Delicious Sunday


If you’d like to play along, please add this button and link to this post on your post. Be sure to include your recipe in parenthesis following your name. Thanks and have fun. Don’t forget to leave a comment and visit everyone. I try not to complicate matters with too many rules, but I do ask that you please use a SDS badge or link back to 3 Sides of Crazy in some way. Thanks.


**Please include your link and recipe name in your comment and I will generate a list on each week’s post for everyone to link to in addition of using Mr. Linky. As it was explained to me this will genrate an immediate link to you via google instead of a link to mr. linky.

What is this all about? Go here for all the details.
final blog signature. ♥

Friday Fill-Ins

1. All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting absolutely everything these days.

2. Show me a good loser and I will show you an optimistic person that plans to win next time.

3. That overfull feeling from a big meal is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one time.

4. Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy trying to keep their lives together and stay afloat.

5. I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine driving and navigating without asking for directions.

6. It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without salad or dessert in it.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing some painting in the kitchen, tomorrow my plans include new front doors I hope and Sunday, I want to finish cleaning the studio!
♥final blog signature. ♥

Cute Food for Thought

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child. Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming word, would cut through the sky. Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child’s school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly and with each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile. When the mother’s car drove up beside the child, she lowered the window and called to her, “What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?” The child answered, “I am trying to look pretty, God keeps taking my picture” “Face the storms that come your way and don’t forget to SMILE!” ~author unknown

♥final blog signature. ♥

Spice and Seasoning Shelf Lives

http://www.thursday-13.com/
Thank you Janet and Megan for resurrecting it!

While looking something up for a friend, I ran across this Durkee spice site that I thought had some interesting information to pass along.
  1. Spices, Whole Seeds~3 years
  2. Spices, Whole Herbs~2 years
  3. Spices, Ground~2 years
  4. Dehydrated Garlic/Onion~2 years
  5. Chives~2 years
  6. Parsley~2 years
  7. Seasonings~2 years (if they’re a blend, maybe less depending on the individual spices)
  8. Sauce & Gravy dry mixes~18 months
  9. Pure & Imitation Extracts~3 years
  10. Food Colors~2 years
  11. Bouillon Cubes~2 years
  12. Baking Powder~1 year
  13. Baking Soda~3 years

final blog signature. ♥

Baked Onions with Brown Gravy


Joy of desserts hosts Vintage Recipe Thursday.

BAKED ONIONS with BROWN GRAVY
2 large onions (I used a Vidalia and a Red)
1 1/2 cups prepared brown rice
2 slices multi grain bread, staled and crumbed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic
1 JUMBO egg, beaten
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  • Spray baking dish with PURE.
  • Halve onions. Cut a flat spot on the bottom of each and remove all the insides except for the 2-3 thickest outer rings. Place onion cups in baking dish.
  • Chop onion insides into fine pieces.
  • Prepare brown rice and set aside.
  • In a large skillet melt butter.
  • Saute’ onion until tender.
  • Add garlic and saute’ until fragrant.
  • Add bread crumbs, prepared rice, cheese, beaten egg, salt and pepper taste.
  • When well blended and egg is cooked fill the onion shells and place remaining rice mixture around the sides.
  • Prepare gravy and pour all over the onions and rice mixture.
  • Bake 1 hour.

BROWN GRAVY
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Better than Beef Bouillon
salt and black pepper to taste

  • In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Whisk together the hot water and bouillon. Set aside
  • Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until the mixture is golden-brown and fragrant.
  • Add the garlic and cook a few seconds more.
  • Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring to a low boil.
  • Reduce the heat to a low simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until desired consistency.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
final blog signature. ♥