SWEDISH GREEN POTATOES ~ BLOG 365.227

SWEDISH GREEN POTATOES
3 pounds russet potatoes
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained WELL
3/4 cup evaporated milk (12 ounce can)
1 teaspoon sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped chives
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Wash, peel and boil potatoes 20 minutes or until fork tender.
  • Microwave spinach 2 minutes.
  • Drain potatoes, rustic mash and then add butter and seasonings, mixing until fluffy.
  • Fold in spinach and chives.
  • Spread mixture into baking dish,
  • Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.
  • Top with grated cheese during last 5 minutes and serve.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 33 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.226

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Forgive me, I know we’re ALL hot this summer. But, this is the Pacific north west. We’re not supposed to have these kinds of triple digit heat!

I’m COMPLETELY exhausted! Physically and mentally both. I’ll be finishing my commitments on the committees and projects I’m working on to rebuild the building and the September conference, but will then be taking a step back a bit to reassess the scope of my work with the Eagles.

I’m proud that I’ve mainly been able to maintain BLOG 365, but I do need to finish 6 or 7 posts to be caught up. I’m hoping to do those this week during the extreme heat. Also one of the reasons I need to take a step back from what’s going on in the Eagles life.

We’re a non-profit volunteer organization which I love. I’ve belonged and worked with MANY VFW’s, American Legions, FISH and such, but I’ve never encountered the kind of “in-fighting” that I have here in this small town. Much of it dates back to when these people were kids and has no place in what we are trying to do now or with the rest of us as a whole.

The split between the main body and the auxiliary is a bit unnerving and those “in charge” are acting as petulant teenagers. For me, I didn’t do high school IN high school so I’m not about to start now. I’m especially NOT going to let it pull me from doing the things I like now – things like blogging, cooking, quilting etc… by stealing my time to deal with their old petty nonsense. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities out there…

Getting an early start due to the heat, so just some coffee.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Took a day off Saturday and got caught up with all the laundry and cleaning.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I need to go shopping, but am waiting a few days until the weather clears a bit.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I have a table full to accomplish, but most will wait until next week when hopefully we’re done with most of the projects at the Eagles.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are made through August and I’m looking forward to planning some fall recipes in September.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX We watched a couple of movies – Brazen and Heart of Stone as well as started a couple new series – Pieces of Her and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
YOGURT and COFFEE
YOGURT and COFFEE
YOGURT and COFFEE
YOGURT & COFFEE
YOGURT & COFFEE
FARMERS BREAKFAST
PANCAKES & BACON
LUNCH
NELLIES
TACO TUESDAY
SOUP & SANDWICHES
LEFTOVERS
OUT
??
??
DINNER
SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD
YOYO You’re on YOUR own
RED BEANS and RICE CHICKEN
CHOPPED STEAKS & SWEDISH GREEN POTATOES
HAM STEAKS & SWISS POTATO BAKE
OUT for our ANNIVERSARY
ALMOND CHICKEN with CRANBERRY RICE
DESSERT
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
 

PIGEON RIVER CHICKEN ~ BLOG 365.222

This is a modified southern (North Carolina) recipe for fried chicken. The original recipe called for bone-in chicken, but I converted it to boneless. It’s still great warm OR cold, but you might want a knife and fork.

PIGEON RIVER CHICKEN
2 cups plain yogurt
2-3 tablespoons Frank’s original hot sauce
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or chicken tenders

  • In a large ziploc bag combine the yogurt and hot sauce.
  • Generously season the chicken pieces on both sides.
  • Add chicken pieces to the yogurt mixture, turning to coat all the pieces.
  • Marinate for at least 8 hours, but overnight is best.

COATING
2 cups flour
4 tablespoons QUALITY paprika
3-4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
Oil for frying

  • Drain chicken and discard marinade.
  • Whisk together the flour, paprika, cayenne, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Dredge chicken pieces, tossing to coat extremely well, shaking off excess.
  • Lay pieces on a baking tray and let stand 20 minutes.
  • In a deep skillet heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium heat.
  • Fry chicken pieces 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Serve warm or cold, with or without your favorite sauce or gravy!

CRUNCHY FRUIT CRISP ~ BLOG 365.220

This is one of those go to granny recipes that every southern lady has made for eons. Always reliable and works with any fruit or fruit combination.

CRUNCHY FRUIT CRISP
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
1 JUMBO egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups chopped or sliced FRESH fruit

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Grease 9 inch baking dish.
  • Whisk together the bisquick baking mix, sugar and cinnamon.
  • Add melted butter and egg, stirring JUST until incorporated.
  • Spread two-thirds of dough into baking dish.
  • Arrange fruit pieces over dough.

1/3 cup PACKED brown sugar

  • Add brown sugar to remaining dough until crumbly.
  • Crumble Over fruit.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until fruit is tender and top is crispy and golden.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 32 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.219

GOOD MORNING dear friends.This will be quick this morning 😀

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Today is supposed to be triple digits and I’ll be working indoors doing dirty work so I have on paint clothes and old POPs. Fortunately, the triple digits for us are supposed to be short lived. It really hasn’t been too bad here so I won’t complain.

Early morning meeting regarding the water main break so just some coffee.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING / GROCERIES & ERRANDS / PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS / RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I had cleared the week for all the work at the Eagles, but we may be at a standstill after today’s meeting so my girlfriend and I will be doing just a couple inventory items and a paint project and then will be making an unplanned trip out of town for some shopping.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • We watched a few movies this past week that were all pretty good – Hidden Strike, Thunder Force, NON-Stop, and a kind of weird one, but interesting concept called Paradise.

That said, who has had time or energy to read?
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LUNCH
SALAMI & CHEESE
GRILLED CHICKEN
SOUP & SANDWICHES
MAC & CHEESE
SALAD & FRUIT
PASTRAMI SANDWICHES
APPETIZER PLATES
DINNER
PANSEARED PORK CHOPS with PARMESAN BUTTER 
CROSS CHICKEN with MUSHROOM GRAVY
CHICKEN GUMBO and SALAD
YOYO or CORN You’re on YOUR own
KICKING MEATLOAF with PARMESAN POTATOES
BUNLESS BURGERS CRY BABY BURGERS
SEAFOOD SALAD with PARMESAN CRUSTED ROLLS
DESSERT
RUM RAISIN NOODLE BAKE
 SNICKER DOODLES

I can’t say these were favorites, but they were some of the only ones I took this week. They were all for insurance reasons. All the work we’ve been doing for the Eagles was almost for naught. Friday night there was a water main break in front of the building that came close to flooding the building. Instead it flooded the crawl space UNDER the building.

On Saturday morning we found that evidently when they turned the water back on late Friday night there was mud in the line and it clogged the new ice machine filter which blew out the line spewing water EVERYWHERE for hours. Once again we were lucky that it spewed towards a basically unfinished area of the storeroom draining into the crawl space.

Then on Sunday morning, it was the water line in the kitchen that blew. Turns out this old building had no water turn off to the building and the fire department had to come to our rescue turning off all the water. This morning we will be installing a new and separate internal water turn off in the kitchen area so that the fire department can come back and turn our water to the building back on.

While were going to be doing some upgrades with new cabinets and such, we now have a HUGE mess on our hands. The city and insurance are about to be involved and things just got crazy.

The building is over a hundred years old and had its issues, but the drawbacks are becoming more and more noticeable.

CARNITAS in HOT PINEAPPLE SAUCE BLOG 365.216

CARNITAS in HOT PINEAPPLE SAUCE

3 cups FRESH FINELY chopped pineapple (or 2 LARGE cans crushed pineapple)
2/3 cup Frank’s Original Hot Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Pampered Chef South West seasoning
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3 pound pork shoulder cut into large chunks
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, cut into wedges
2 jalapeños, stem, ribs and seeds removed and then diced
3-4 garlic cloves, FINELY minced
Tortillas
Garnishes: chopped onion, FRESH chopped cilantro, Lime wedges and cheese if desired

  • Spray the crock with non-stick spray.
  • Combine the granulated sugar, southwest seasoning, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Coat pork pieces with seasoning.
  • Arrange pork pieces along bottom of crock.
  • Combine pineapple pieces, brown sugar and hot sauce until well mixed.
  • Pour hot sauce mixture over pork pieces.
  • Cook on low 6-8 hours until meat is tender.
  • Stir combine.
  • Serve with tortillas and garnishes.