Friday Fill Ins

FFI

 And…here we go!
1. Staying active makes a world of difference in feeling as young as the person you see in the mirror.
2. Looking in the backyard and seeing an Artesian well, that would be nice!
3. The very thought of more liquid diet is starting to bug me.
4. Sunrise and Sunset is so beautiful.
5. I grew up in the suburbs and had wonderful friends.
6. The half tuna melt I had yesterday was my most memorable meal (to date).
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to swimming and water aerobics, tomorrow my plans include cleaning and errands and Sunday, I want to watch the race!

CRUMBY BARS

I’ve been making these for years and hubby loves them.  They’re based on a combination of an old Miller & Paine crumb cookie recipe and an Eagle Brand recipe.
CRUMBY BARS
1 1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with PURE.
  • Combine the cracker crumbs and butter until well blended.
  • Press cookie crumbs into the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Pour sweetened condensed milk over top and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle raisins, walnuts, coconut and chocolate chips evenly over top.
  • Bake 25 minutes.
  • Cool 20 minutes and cut into squares.
  • Store in a covered container.

CRUMBY BARS

I’ve been making these for years and hubby loves them.  They’re based on a combination of an old Miller & Paine crumb cookie recipe and an Eagle Brand recipe.
CRUMBY BARS
1 1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with PURE.
  • Combine the cracker crumbs and butter until well blended.
  • Press cookie crumbs into the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Pour sweetened condensed milk over top and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle raisins, walnuts, coconut and chocolate chips evenly over top.
  • Bake 25 minutes.
  • Cool 20 minutes and cut into squares.
  • Store in a covered container.

FRIDAY FILL-INS

ffi

And…here we go!

1. For the first time in the past 4 years or so I feel human again!
2. Being able to swim is one of my best memories of the summer so far. 

3. My recipe for PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST & WILTED SPINACH with PARMESAN PASTA is one of my favorites because it’s tasty and healthy too.

4. I long for years to come.
5. It starts with a glance.
6. pumpkin pie or apple cinnamon is a fragrance I enjoy most in a candle.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to swimming and water aerobics, tomorrow my plans include cleaning and Sunday, I want to watch the race!

BEER AND CHEDDAR FONDUE

BEER AND CHEDDAR FONDUE 
 
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup minced yellow onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
fresh ground pepper to taste
3 cups grated Swiss cheese
2 cups grated extra sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Gruyere
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dry mustard (I omitted as I’m deathly allergic)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
1 12 ounce beer, preferably Budweiser (I used Dos Equis)
3 tablespoons Amontillado sherry 
Sea Salt
Dipping items – crusty bread, apples, sausages, etc…

  • Melt the butter in a fondue pot or heavy sauce pan.
  • Add onion and garlic, stirring until it carmelizes.
  • Add the caraway seeds and stir to brown them.  
  • Add the beer, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer to mellow the flavor, about 5 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl toss the cheeses with the cornstarch, mustard and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the cheese mixture, a handful at a time, stirring each batch until smooth and all cheese is incorporated.
  • Stir in sherry and adjust seasonings as necessary.
  • Keep warm over a low flame. 

AN email worth sharing…

I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it. A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away.

I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things.. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there would always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer’s night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away…never to return.. So… while we have it….. it’s best we love it…. and care for it… and fix it when it’s broken……… and heal it when it’s sick.

This is true for marriage……. and old cars….. and children with bad report cards….. and dogs with bad hips…. and aging parents….. and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.
Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special…….. and so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thinks I am a ‘keeper’, so I’ve sent it to the people I think of in the same way… Now it’s your turn to send this to those people that are “keepers” in your life. Good friends are like stars…. You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there. Keep them close!

Chimichurri Sauce, a spicy parsley sauce

Yep TWO parsley recipes in a row, I guess you could say I am a big fan of parsley. In my opinion, seriously undervalued. But maybe more recipes like this one and that could change…….

Parsley is one of those ingredients I have a fondness for. I even have a category/label for parsley. You can find a few recipes there, and now this one will be added.

Chimichurri sauce is delicious and more than a sauce for grilled meats, although it shines in that role. It is a condiment that knows only the boundaries of your own taste buds.

It is delicious over grilled meats, but it also is a colorful marinade before the grilling takes place.

For other uses beside grilling meats, you can stir some into sour cream for a delicious creamy sauce for fish, vegetables and to decorate a taco or two. It would make a zesty salad dressing, simply stir some into yogurt or mix it half and half with your favorite vinaigrette.

And now lets make Chimichurri.

Chimichurri
adapted from tasting spoons
make about 1 1/4 cups

3 cloves garlic
1/2 jalapano pepper – use a spoon to remove the ribs and seeds, not your hands…..
1 T chopped yellow onion or 1 green onion sliced
2 T red wine vinegar
1 bunch flat leaf parsley- remove and discard the bottom half of the stems
1 3/4 t dried oregano
1 lime, juiced
1/2 t salt
1/2 c olive oil

Combine the garlic, jalapeno and onion in a food processor, pulse about 6 times, scrapping the sides of the processor bowl once. Add remaining ingredients through salt and process until mixture is chopped. Add oil and continue processing until mixture is beginning to become smooth, but still has some texture.

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

For more great recipes and a story or two, come visit Moms Sunday Cafe!

Parsley Pesto with dried herbs, roasted garlic and toasted walnuts

I am a big fan of regular pesto, you know the one, with basil and pine nuts. But I am a big fan of parsley, with it’s vitamins C and A, and it is also loaded with frugal. I like that part too.

Parsley Pesto with dried herbs, roasted garlic and toasted walnuts
by the seat of my pants
makes about 2 cups

1 large bunch of parsley
large handful of walnuts, toast for added flavor
3-4 cloves garlic, roast until deep golden brown
1 t salt

1 – 1 1/2 t thyme leaves
1/2 – 3/4 t oregano leaves
1/2 – 3/4 t rosemary leaves
1/2 – 3/4 t marjoram leaves

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

1/2 – 1 c olive oil

Wash the parsley in cold water, lay out on toweling, roll the towel up gently and let the water drain into the toweling.

Crush the dried herbs with a pestle, until fine. Set aside. If you are a big fan of herbs, and want richer flavor use the larger amounts!

Remove leaves, leaving behind most of the stems, discard the stems.

the stems are ready for compost or the worm box.

Place parsley leaves in food processor, pulse until chopped. Add toasted walnuts, roasted garlic and dried herbs. Pulse to chop walnuts, do not over process.

Add cheese and some oil. Begin processing, adding oil as needed to produce pesto to your own personal liking.

Process only until the mixture comes together and has a fluid look to it. I prefer to keep my pesto in the freezer, so I use a glass jar for storage.

Tonight we had whole wheat pasta with pesto as a side dish. It is not necessarily pretty, but it is very tasty!

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

For more great recipes and a story or two, come visit Moms Sunday Cafe!

IT’S TIME TO GIT

The idea of a GIT Challenge is to play catch up with whatever we need to get done. Just leave a comment saying you’ll play along, minimize this post so you can easily come back to it throughout the day, stop what you are doing (meaning get off the computer and stop procrastinating!), take an hour right now to catch up on things you need to do and work as fast as you can!

Come back every hour or two and leave a comment with your progress. Check out what other participants have accomplished – all in the comment section, no blog hopping necessary. After updating, get back to work for another hour or so until you’re done for the day. We always accomplish so much during these challenges!

Jump in anytime, there’s no special time to start or finish. It’s fun working together – join us!

FRENCH ONION GRILLED CHEESE

FRENCH ONION GRILLED CHEESE
1 tablespoon each safflower oil and butter
2 slices of sourdough bread
1 tablespoon softened butter

Enough shredded gruyere cheese to generously cover both slices of bread*
about ½ cup wine-braised onions (see recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste

*I used a combination of Havarti and Muenster today as well as red onions and hubs loved it

  • Heat oil in frying pan over medium low heat. 
  • Add butter and allow to melt.
  • Spread each slice of bread with the softened butter. 
  • Add half the shredded cheese to one, pile braised onions on top, sprinkled salt and pepper, then add the rest of the cheese. “Close” the sandwich 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.

BRAISED ONIONS
about 1 small clove garlic per 2 onions

onions (cook about 3-5 at a time)
safflower oil
butter
salt and fresh cracked pepper

wine (favorite flavor)
beef stock (optional)

  • Cut the onions in half lengthwise, then slice thinly again lengthwise.
  • For every 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 ¼ cup wine, and allow to cook down with the onions, another 5-7 minutes. 
  • Add beef stock.
  • Remove from heat and set aside enough onions for grilled cheese sandwich. The rest, throw into a pot and make French Onion Soup.

TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK CARBONATED BEVERAGES

So, you may have noticed that I’ve been missing awhile. I’ve been recuperating from surgery again.  I barely had my energy back from the last one and here we went again.
For the last year and a half I have been in extreme pain from a Hiatal hernia that was discovered just before my cancer surgery.  But, for the last 6 years I have been having extreme heartburn issues and stomach pain.  The two things finally confirmed a GERD diagnosis.  As with most doctors they just kept trying different medications.  The last round of medications which included Reglan  threw me over the top as I was also having extreme side effects and as I read more and more about the other possible side effects I was bound and determined to get off of these medications.  The side effect that scared me the most was Tardive Dyskinesia like Parkinson disease patients have.  Many of you know I have an aunt that I recently helped care for who is in the final stages of Parkinson’s disease so I would do nothing to ever run that risk. 
Fortunately I was finally referred to the right doctor.  He took one look at my records and tests and said I needed surgery. He performed a Nissen Fundoplication to reconstruct the valve between the esophagus and the stomach (that had eroded away) essentially making the stomach smaller and in my case he also found 4 inches of shredded esophagus that had to be removed.  He has forbidden me to ever drink another carbonated beverage (soda or beer) or use a straw again (According to my doctor drinking from a straw puts air into your stomach that messes with the digestive process as well as drawing acid from the stomach occasionally into the esophagus).

I had a conversation recently about carbonated drinks with someone where I made the statement, “that there is no redeeming value in sodas.”  The person I was speaking with said that yes there was, “I like them (meaning him)”.  What I should have said is that there is no redeeming ‘nutritional’ value in sodas.  So I went on an internet search and here are the reasons I found to stay away from sodas and/or carbonation in general.
  • The added carbon dioxide creates the bubbles in your stomach disrupting normal digestion.
  • Some of the carbon dioxide in seltzer water is converted in carbonic acid, slightly increasing the acidity of the water.
  • Avoid carbonated beverages when you have stomach problems, such as gastric reflux, because they tend to aggravate the condition.
  • Carbonated drinks often contain added acid.
  • The carbon dioxide in beverages greatly increases stomach pressure.
  • Stomach acid levels increase because of additives in soft drinks such as acetic, fumaric, gluconic and phosphoric acids. The acid in carbonated drinks upsets the acid-alkaline balance of the gastrointestinal system and can erode the gastric lining over the long term.
  • Carbonated drinks can also cause bone loss. A rise in calcium deficiencies and bone fractures has been linked to soft drink consumption in girls and leaves them at risk for developing osteoporosis later in life. Phosphoric acid can link to calcium and magnesium,  depleting these vital minerals.
  • Many carbonated drinks are loaded with the preservative sodium benzoate. Sodium benzoate can produce benzene when it is combined with vitamin C, a compound that causes anemia, bleeding and bone cancer. Benzene depresses the immune system, reports Arizona Advanced Medicine, and damages cell’s DNA. Benzene disables the energy source of cell’s DNA, which may be at the root of many neurodegenerative diseases and the aging process.
  • Carbonated drinks can cause bloating or a feeling of fullness. This physiological effect dampens the body’s thirst signals and can result in inadequate hydration. Dehydration from soft drinks reduces digestive function.
  • Carbonation causes you to belch. Belching actually carries the acid from your stomach into your esophagus. As we should all know by now, this is what leads to heartburn and potential esophageal damage later on.
  • Carbonated drinks rob us of calcium and make our bones weak. Not to mention our teeth suffer severely as a consequence of calcium loss. Another alarming fact is that these beverages have become a favorite drink of kids these days and the parents tend to turn a deaf ear to the dangers publicized about these drinks.
  • In some cases, drinking soda regularly can irritate your stomach and esophagus. When this occurs, it is referred to as reflux or gastroesophageal reflux. This condition happens when your lower esophageal sphincter does not close or opens intermittently — causing acid to rise up your throat, creating a bitter taste in your mouth and a burning in your throat and chest. A main ingredient in many sodas is phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid can cause acid to rise in the stomach, resulting in acid reflux. Over time, drinking large amounts of soda containing phosphoric acid can damage your stomach and esophageal lining. Long-term damage to this tissue puts you at an increased risk for Barrett’s esophagus, strictures, damage to the stomach lining and esophagus and esophageal cancer.

CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY

According to Wikipedia: 
During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4.
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. 
Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.
HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY AND STAY SAFE!