Tag: BLOG 366
CHRISTMOSAS for CHRISTMAS IN JULY ~ BLOG 366.212
I made up this recipe last Christmas when a friend was visiting for dinner, but never got around to posting it so Christmas in July seemed like the best time. I made them “pitcher” style, but you could make them by the glass if you prefer.
CHRISTMOSAS
2 Granny Smith apples, chopped small
1 cup cranberries
1 cup halved green grapes
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup sparkling grape juice
3 cups champagne or Proseco
Sanding sugar, for rims
- Wash fruit and toss pieces in a bowl, cover and chill several hours before making drinks.
- Add chilled fruit to pitcher.
- Top with sparkling grape juice and champagne, stir and serve in sanding sugar rimmed glasses.
HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPES week 31 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.211
Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
WEEKEND RECAP
We were supposed to go to a going away party on Saturday, but skipped it because it was moved to a smaller venue and with me still having stitched incisions (stitches come out on August 7th) and a recent COVID outbreak in our area I just thought it would be a prudent move.
Hubby did take me out to lunch though at a favorite haunt where I tried a new menu item. I LOVED half of it (the salad), but have ruled out the other half (the burger) from ever ordering it again 😂 There was a several hour power outage at home while we gone when a turkey vulture somehow blew a transformer and put 3,500 people out of service.
Yesterday we did go visit a few friends for a bit, but other than those 2 outings, it’s been super boring being at home, but unable to do much.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
Today is going to be beautiful (81°) and then we jump back up toward triple digits (mid-high 90’s) and higher humidity for the next 9 days! At least the nights are getting down in temperature (high 50’s) making the days more tolerable. Glad I’m spending so much time indoors. The smoke has been pretty bad from a fire or two in the area.
Monday 🌞 81/56
Tuesday 🌞 86/58
Wednesday 🌞 95/63
Thursday 🌞 98/62
Friday 🌞 94/61
Saturday & Sunday 🌞 94/60
ON MY MIND
Can you believe August begins this week? It literally feels like this year is flying by!
I’m dealing with a level of inactivity I haven’t had to deal with in several years and it’s driving me stir crazy! I have only been out of commission for less than a week, but during that time the things that have happened at the Eagles has confirmed my decision to back off and find other avenues of volunteering. The first thing that happened was that out of desperation they actually contacted me 2 days after surgery to ask me to work the kitchen as a “short order cook” Saturday night even knowing I’m out of commission until the end of August! Not sure what they thought no lifting or bending means.
The stitches come out on August 7th and I will be readily working my way into a new daily routines sans Eagle’s duties though! See THOUGHT FOR THE DAY above!!
TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS
THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
|
|
DVR/TV TIME
WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
|
|
READING TIME
I just finished Fannie Flagg’s I STILL DREAM ABOUT YOU and began Heather Webber’s A CERTAIN KIND OF STARLIGHT. She’s one of my favorite authors. I did start listening to Philippa Nefri Clark’s THE COTTAGE AT WHISPER LAKE the first few days after surgery, but it keeps putting me to sleep when I close my eyes, so that’s not working.
FUNNIES
MENU PLANS
BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
I get to start cooking again today and resuming MOST normal activity so I wanted a fun menu. The first 3 recipes of the week are adapted from Mary Berg and have become favorites. The BBQ Chicken Legs are made with my ALOHA BBQ sauce, the DIANA Burgers are based on the cheeseburgers my friend makes us at her Bar & Grill and the Spicy Chicken Skewers are also adapted from the internet for summer recipes.
7/29 MONDAY
|
7/30 TUESDAY
|
7/31 WEDNESDAY
|
8/1 THURSDAY
|
8/2 FRIDAY
|
8/3 SATURDAY
|
8/4 SUNDAY
|
|
DINNER
|
STUFFED BANANA PEPPERS and SALAD
|
BRAISED LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS with ONIONS and POTATOES, CARROTS & LEEKS
|
CHICKEN and SNAP PEA PASTA with CREAMY GARLIC BASIL SAUCE
|
BBQ CHICKEN LEGS and MACARONI SALAD
|
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
|
DIANA BURGERS and MASHED POTATO SALAD
|
SPICY CHICKEN SKEWERS and CUCUMBER SALAD |
DESSERT
|
|
|
COCONUT CRANBERRY MACAROONS
|
|
FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA
I didn’t get out to take many pictures this past week, but did get out into the backyard yesterday and am amazed at how well my tomatoes, cucumbers and butternut squash are doing. I’ll be making some tomato sauce today for my dinner of stuffed banana peppers.
INSPIRATIONS
LIFE TIP
HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP
RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK
WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS
SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 366.210
SATURDAY CHAT TIME ~ BLOG 366.209
APPLE PIE PORK CHOPS ~ BLOG 366.208
APPLE PIE PORK CHOPS Yield 4-6 servings
4-6 1 inch THICK boneless pork chops
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
6 ounce package Stove Top Stuffing mix, prepared per package
21 ounce can Comstock apple pie filling
1-2 ounces avocado oil
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Season pork chops all over and add to oil, browning 3-4 minutes per side.
- Lightly grease 9×13 baking dish.
- Spread pie filling evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer pork chops over the pie filling.
- Layer the stuffing mix over the pork chops.
- Cover and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.
NOTE: Changing the fruit flavor can give you a new and more complex flavor profile. I really like these with cherry, apricot, peach or pineapple also.
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 366.206
HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENUS & RECIPES week 30 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.204
Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
WEEKEND RECAP
I spent the entire weekend volunteering for a Community event, the BBQ ThrowDown. We had a wonderful turn out and a GREAT time also. Besides that we helped a friend who got locked out of her house and another that needed some electronic wiring work straightened out.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
After the storm on Saturday night yesterday cooled off by almost 20 degrees and it’s supposed to remain that way throughout the entire week 😀 which makes me REALLY happy! I’m wearing a favorite pair of Levis, plaid blouse and birkenstock thongs.
TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS
THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
|
|
DVR/TV TIME
WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
|
|
READING TIME
I downloaded a few books (TRULY MADLY by HEATHER WEBBER, THE COTTAGE AT WHISPER LAKE by PHILLIPA NEFRI CLARK and WICKED APPETITE by JANET EVANOVICH) to audible for this week. I’m not allowed to do anything after the surgery so will wear my headphones and listen to books Wednesday through Friday at least.
FUNNIES
MENU PLANS
BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
MONDAY
|
TUESDAY
|
WEDNESDAY
|
THURSDAY
|
FRIDAY
|
SATURDAY
|
SUNDAY
|
|
DINNER
|
MANDARIN PORK and ARTICHOKE CAKES
|
surgery day so hubby’s choice the rest of the week 😀
|
|
|
|
|
|
DESSERT
|
|
|
|
FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA
The BBQ Throwdown (BAGS, BBQ & BREWS) was another HUGE success in our little town. Last year was the first year and there were 29 BBQ teams from around the country and one of the judges even flew in from Ireland!
This year we expanded to 40 BBQ teams and more Breweries and Wineries joined in too! We also have a HUGE Corn Hole tournament. I love the old trucks and trailers that were retrofitted into taps! There were several local vendors also including a young man who makes GORGEOUS hand made bowls of all types and his mother helping him get a start in business.
Thanks to Terry and his wife Lisa, local business owners who along with Dan and Nicole spearheaded this endeavor for ALL of their hard work doing everything and anything it took to make this event happen successfully. It supports scholarships for trade and tech schools. Not sure yet how much their doing this year, but last year they gave out $20,000 in scholarships. Not bad for the first year! I’ll update this after I find out what this year’s total is. There were also really unique and innovative awards handed out.
The food was plentiful and oh so yummy! Saturday was super hot (mid nineties and humid) and I came home that night with a little heat stroke and collapsed, but yesterday was absolutely gorgeous (mid seventies) after a thunderstorm roared in with a lightning storm and lots of rain. Tough on the BBQers that were manning smokers, but made for a gorgeous day Sunday. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend. And I couldn’t have done this again if I tried, but a guy set his beer on the table while he bought more chips from me. I dropped one of the chips and it bounced perfectly into his beer.
INSPIRATIONS
LIFE TIP
HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP
RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK
WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS
- BALSAMIC MOZZARELLA WATERMELON SALAD
- PINEAPPLE TERIYAKI CHICKEN MEATBALLS
- PEACH PINEAPPLE JALAPENO SALSA CHICKEN
SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 366.203
SATURDAY CHAT TIME ~ BLOG 366.202
PEACH PINEAPPLE JALAPENO CHICKEN ~ BLOG 366.201
I adapted this recipe for Strawberry-Jalapeño Chicken from DELISH
This one is for sweet-and-spicy lovers. When I found this recipe it was for a strawberry jalapeño chicken. It sounded intriguing to me, but everyone I cook for turned their noses up at the idea UNTIL I converted it to either peach, apricot or pineapple. Or better yet a combination of all three flavors.
Start well seasoned chicken breasts and pan sear them 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, smother them in your peach or pineapple or apricot chipotle sauce, and topped with FRESH SALSA made from the same flavors to create this scrumptious dish that will leave them begging for more. The sweetness of the fruit coupled with the spicy of the pepper and the smokey of the chiles are a match made in heaven.
PEACH PINEAPPLE JALAPENO CHICKEN Yield: 4 – 6 servings
SALSA
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsely, plus more for serving
1 cup+ chopped FRESH pineapple
3 peaches, chopped
1-3 jalapeños, seeded, chopped, divided (depending on the heat level you want)
2 shallots, FINELY chopped, divided
3-4 tablespoons pineapple balsamic vinegar (or a QUALITY balsamic)
2 tablespoons Frank’s Chile Lime sauce
2 tablespoon QUALITY honey
- In a small bowl, toss cilantro, peaches, pineapple, jalapeños, shallots, vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
- Spoon over chicken or eat with a spoon 🙂
- Top with cilantro.
1 + 1 tablespoon avocado oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil.
- Pat chicken dry and season both sides with pepper, garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons salt.
- Add chicken to skillet and cook 5-7 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Top with salsa and Enjoy!