Category: MISC

Menu Planning


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

DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
MONDAY

4/20

 CEREAL SANDWICHES Recipe Experiment Night
TUESDAY 4/21

 TOAST LEFTOVERS Sausage Lasagna
WEDNESDAY 4/22 YOGURT SOUP Tuna Noodle Bake
THURSDAY 4/23 FRUIT CHEESE & FRUIT Sloppy Joes
FRIDAY 4/24

 OATMEAL C.O.R.N.

Ortega Chile Bake
SATURDAY 4/25 S.O.S. or S*$# on a Shingle leftovers Stir fried Napa Cabbage with Shrimp from Sreisaat
SUNDAY 4/26
 Quiche Lorraine Tuna Salad Stuffed Shells

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Chocolate Pineapple Cream Cheese Pastries

Simply Delicious Sunday
If you like to play along, please add this button, link to this post with your recipe and sign Mr. Linky. 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.

CHOCOLATE PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES
1 package Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1-8 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons hot water

  • Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature until they’re easy to handle (about 45 minutes).
  • Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
  • Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar and pineapple.
  • Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 (5-inch) squares. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.
  • Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry square.
  • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips on top of cream cheese mixture.
  • Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg.
  • Fold each pastry in half over the cream cheese mixture and chocolate chips and press the edges to seal.
  • Place the filled pastries onto the baking sheets.
  • Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the pastries to a wire rack and let cool.
  • Place the remaining chocolate chips and the butter into a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until the chocolate is starting to melt. Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the water, adding additional water, if necessary, until the icing is the desired consistency.
  • Drizzle the icing over the pastries.

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Enough is enough already…

Enough is enough already. I signed on to check out this week’s weather and the bright flashing winter storm warning caught my eye. Needless to say, I am less than thrilled with reading this… THE LIGHT SNOW ON MONDAY MORNING WILL TRANSITION TO A HEAVY… WET SNOW MONDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. THE SNOW MAY BE MIXED WITH RAIN AT TIMES THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING… ESPECIALLY OVER THE LOWER TERRAIN. BY THE TIME THE SNOW ENDS TUESDAY AFTERNOON… LOOK FOR STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO AND AROUND A FOOT INTO TUESDAY AFTERNOON… THE HEAVY WET SNOW COULD DAMAGE TREES AND PRODUCE POWER OUTAGES.
I’m glad we still have indoor projects to do!
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Garlic butter

1 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon minced garlic, jar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika

  • Whip butter until soft.
  • Add garlic and seasonings. Blend well.
  • Fold in cheese.
  • Spread on sourdough and broil a couple of minutes.
  • Slice and serve.
  • Makes enough 1 large loaf.

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Favorite Things

I’m so excited! Mamarazzi is hosting her THIRD Favorite Things Swap over at Our Dandelion Wishes.

I didn’t get to participate in the first two, but really wanted to and am so excited that I’m in time for this one. It’s so fun to give and receive good fun mail.

I’ve put my thinking cap on and am coming up with some fun ideas. Go check it out and join the fun.

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Glazed Green Beans

In an effort to clean out magazines and cookbooklets, I’ve decided to join Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice. What I really like is that she isn’t strict about when you post so I can publish these yummy results as I find them.

GLAZED GREEN BEANS
2 pounds green beans, cleaned and trimmed
4 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • In a large pot bring salted water to a boil and add the beans. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
  • While the beans are cooking, brown the bacon in a large skillet, about 5 minutes. When the bacon is brown and almost crisp add the green onions and thyme and cook until the onions are tender, about 3 more minutes.
  • Stir in sugar and cook until golden.
  • Add the beans and toss well.
  • Add the vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Cook a few more minutes until the beans are glazed.

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The light at the end of the tunnel ~ time for another House Update

It’s been a rough couple of weeks around here. We’ve been busting our butts to get the projects finished around here so we can get this house on the market. We are just plum wore out as my grams would say.

We did take a couple of days off after finishing the floor since we were so tired and sore, but then we got right back into the swing of things. Over the past week we have been:

  • serious yard clean-up and major pruning
  • cleaning out the barn, organizing camping gear and boxing up TONS of stuff for the VFW rummage sale
  • stacking next year’s firewood
  • sealing 2 of the butcher block counter tops with the first coat of sealer.

  • painting wall paper ~ it was a cotton brocade with no flock, but was old and yellowing . It looks sooooooooooo good painted in BEHR Innocence White.

If you look close above the door you can see the color differentiation, In person it’s an awesome change!



  • installing ceiling tiles in 3 separate rooms, one of which has a fun pattern as you can see



  • installing external molding that the previous owner never bothered with
  • deciding for sure on house colors so we can paint this summer

all of which make my back sore and really tired, but we’re nearing the end so it makes so much easier to live with. We still have a ways to go and all the crown molding to do and tons more molding after that, but we are starting to see that light at the end of tunnel once again!

I’ve been trying to take better care of myself so I can feel less stressed. Now that I’ve had a long, long, hot shower I feel human again and seriously less stressed. It IS the little things!

I don’t know why I am always surprised when I fall so short of my own expectations, but I am. I continually do it over and over again, and yet I am always surprised over and over again when it happens. Life is soooooooooooooo messy, the unexpected happens all the time and we do all need grace, lots of it and many times from ourselves.

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Tropical Glazed Pork Tenderloin ~ Favorite Ingredients Friday

Last week I offered you our proposed Easter Menu for my favorite ingredients Friday entry hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy, but this week I offer you what we actually had after much discussion about it just being the two of us and not needing all that food.



TROPICAL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN
2-3 pound pork tenderloin
1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Whisk together brown sugar and pineapple juice.
  • Blend in preserves.
  • generously salt and pepper the pork loin.
  • Spread a small layer of the glaze on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Lay the pork loin on top and spread the remaining glaze on top and along the sides.
  • Baste as necessary
  • Bake 45-60 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

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COMMON COOKING TERMS DEFINED

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

  1. AU JUS = with natural gravy
  2. AU GRATIN = covered with cheese or crumbs (or both) and baked
  3. ASPIC = savory jelly made from stock or tomato juice with gelatin
  4. BASTE = to moisten food while baking with pan juices
  5. BISQUE = a white soup base
  6. CAFE AU LAIT = equal parts coffee and milk
  7. CREAM = to mix butter (or shortening) in a bowl until soft and light
  8. FRAPPE = partly frozen
  9. FRICASSEE = a dish of any boiled meat served in a rich milk sauce
  10. JULIENNE = cut into fine strips or strings
  11. PIQUANT = a sharp sauce
  12. PUREE = food boiled to a pulp and put through a sieve
  13. SCALD = to heat milk product until a ‘scum’ forms over top (196 degrees, but NOT boiling)

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SCALLOPED CARROTS CASSEROLE


Joy over at Joy of desserts hosts Vintage Recipe Thursday and Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday.

SCALLOPED CARROTS CASSEROLE
12 medium carrots, washed and sliced
1 small Vidalia onion, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 cups buttered bread crumbs
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Blanche carrots in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Drain well.
  • Melt butter in a skillet and cook onions until translucent.
  • Stir in flour, salt and milk. Cook until smooth and begins to thicken slightly.
  • In a buttered 2 quart casserole arrange layers of the carrots and cheese (ending in cheese) and then pour the sauce over top.
  • Top with the bread crumbs.
  • Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

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