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Friday, June 29, 2012

Red, White & Blue Waffles

Here's a delicious breakfast treat for the 4th, or really for anytime.  We love fresh berries on top of our waffles.  Here's the basic recipe.

2 cups flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder                             
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups milk, as needed

Fresh strawberries, sliced
Fresh blueberries
Whipped cream
Syrup

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Stir with a wire whisk to distribute the ingredients.  Add the melted butter, eggs and about 1 1/2 cups milk.  Blend with a wire whisk until smooth and free from lumps.  Add more milk, as needed, to obtain a thick but pourable batter. 

Follow directions for your waffle maker.

Top waffles with sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and some whipped cream and syrup.

Waffles may be kept warm in a preheated 300 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, but their consistency may change. 

NOTE:  For leftover waffles, I like to let them cool and them put them on a cookie sheet .  When frozen, transfer the waffles to a freezer proof bag.  Re-heat in toaster or toaster oven.

I am sharing this with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Cowgirl Up
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Anniversary Baguettes with Dipping Oil

Happy Anniversary to Us!!

Today we are celebrating 42 years of marriage!! How can that be? We were both born in Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio and met our freshmen year in high school.  We were both still in college when we married  in Columbus, Ohio.  I taught Home Economics for several years and then our four children came along.  We lived in Michigan for a short period before moving to Texas and we've been here almost 26 years.   Lucky for us, we were high school sweethearts. I always tell my hubby that with  today's match.com we probably never would have met, as we're so different. He likes to hunt, loves sports,  vegetable garden and I like to read, bake, cook and sew. However, we've just always loved each other, had FuN together, had four great kids and now six wonderful grand kids. My hubby's the most loyal, hard-working, committed, dedicated person. He's had cancer for the past almost 7 years, been on chemo for nearly 2 years and you would never know it. He's MY HERO.  He's the one I,  and our family, can count on and who I LOVE. Happy Anniversary to us!!

Our oldest son's in-laws (and our friends!) share the same anniversary as us.  Isn't that a coincidence?

I made this basket when we lived in Michigan, before moving to Texas, dated 1985!

Elyse pattern wine goblets by Franciscan ($7.99 in 1970, $47.99 today!)
I made an easy meal for us...just summer sausage, grapes, strawberries, cheese, a trio of stuffed olives and French baguettes. The recipe for the crunchy baguettes is from www.kingarthurflour.com and can be found here.  I have another French bread recipe that I love, but it is a softer texture, and can be found  here.   This time I wanted something crunchy and these baguettes made us feel like we were eating at a bistro in Paris, even though we've never been!

These plates were a gift from a dear friend.


We love to dip our bread in an olive oil, which I tried to copy from a favorite Italian restaurant. Here's my rendition:

About 1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
About 1 t. Italian seasoning
About 1/4 t. Basil, dried
About 1/4 t. Oregano, dried
A sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and simmer for about a minute, just to get the raw garlic taste out. Add the rest of the herbs. Let cool. Enjoy as a dipping sauce for French bread.

Baguettes rising on parchment paper
My tip for Yvonne's  Tips, Tutorials and Tidbits party  over at stonegable.blogspot.com/, is when  baking breads, such as french baguettes, or pizzas, is to put the shaped dough on parchment paper and slide this onto a rimless cookie sheet. When you're  ready to bake, you can then slide the parchment paper onto the baking stone that's been heating in the oven. Who needs a pizza peel??!!

I am sharing with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Table Top Tuesday
The Bunny Hop
Let's Dish!
Tablescape Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Tips, Tutorials and Tidbits
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Monday, June 25, 2012

Red, White and Blue Pie


I saw a picture of this pie in our utililities co-op magazine.  There wasn't a recipe for it, but I thought it
was perfect for a 4th of July dessert.  Here's how I put it together for a quick, easy rendition:

                                                                                                                        
a single crust pie dough, either homemade or store bought
1 can cherry pie filling (I used a Fischer and Wieser product that I bought at Costco...a little expensive, but sooo good!)
1 can blueberrry pie filling (only part is used, refrigerate the rest for another use)

Roll out the pie crust bigger than normal.  Cut 4 strips and several stars from the edges.  I made a paper copy of a star, but if you have a tiny star cookie cutter, it would be so much easier!!  Make sure, with the remainder of the dough, that you have a nice, round shape to fit in your pie plate.

Fit the round pie crust into the pie pan. Turn the edges under and crimp.   With a piece of foil, fold the foil into a strip and make an "L" shape.  Fit this into the upper left corner (it will be a backword "L").  Pour the cherry pie filling in the larger portion and then the blueberry filling in the small quarter.  Carefully remove the foil.  Place your strips of dough on for the stripes on the cherry pie filling  and your stars on the blueberry filling.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, then turn down to 350 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes, until filling is hot and bubbly.

Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.   Happy 4th of July!!
Where I got the idea!
                                                                              
I am sharing this with:
Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Weekend Potluck Linky
My recipe was featured!
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Cowgirl Up
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday                                                                                       
Weekend Potluck
Pink Saturday
Sweets for Saturday
Seasonal Sundays

Friday, June 22, 2012

4th of July Fruit Pizza

Here's a fun idea for the 4th of July, or anytime for that matter.  I made the fruit into a star design after seeing this last year that Trisha from sweetology101.blogspot.com/ made.  Other times, I just make a decorative pattern with the fruit.  It's soooo good and it feeds a crowd!

1 pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 t. cinnnamon, optional
1 t. vanilla
Strawberries, blueberries. (other times, add mandarin oranges, grapes, kiwi, raspberries, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the sugar cookie dough into slices and place on a pizza pan or baking stone.  The slices should touch each other, but they will expand to fill in the spaces.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla together until blended.  Spread on the cooled sugar cookie .   Arrange fruit in a star pattern. 

I am sharing this with:
Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Cowgirl Up
The Bunny Hop
Tablescape Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Pink Saturday
Sweets for Saturday
Seasonal Sundays

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Teddy Bears at the Beach Cupcakes



A "To the Beach" tablescape is the theme of this month's Let's Dish! party.  I used our patio table for the setting,  with my runner that I machine quilted several years ago.  It has a shell border around the outside.  I thought my palm plant would be pretty as a centerpiece with some shells scattered around.  The votive candle  holders were  from Ross, at 2 for $2.99.  The pretty turquoise plates are from Homegoods, along with the matching mug, all at $2.99.  I made the napkin from a fat quarter.  I bought the pretty shells on the plate when we were first married, almost 42 years ago, and you can actually bake in them.
Fun to make and yummy to eat!

It's always fun to cook with the grandkids.  Three of the six were over to go swimming and I had baked up some cupcakes ahead of time.  After swimming we decorated the cupcakes for a special treat.

Cupcakes, from scratch or mix
Frosting of your choice
blue food coloring
Teddy Grahams
gummy lifesavers (for the inner-tubes)
fruit roll-ups (for the beach towels)
candy coated chocolate flavored candy (for the beach balls)
some finely-crushed up vanilla wafer or graham crackers (for the sand)
drink parasols, for the beach umbrellas (I found straws at the Dollar Tree and cut them)

Tint your frosting a pretty blue color and frost your baked cupcakes.  You can even make some "waves".

On one edge of the cupcake, sprinkle some crushed  crumbs for the sand.

Put a Teddy Graham into a gummy lifesaver.  Put this out in the "ocean".

Cut a tiny beach towel from the fruit roll-up and place on the "sand".

Stick the parasol into the sand and add a "beach ball".

Enjoy your fun creation!! 


I always enjoy a cup of tea with dessert!


Close-up of table runner



I let the kids decorate their own table.  We used a beach towel for the tablecloth and they carefully placed the shells around the flip-flop platter, which is from the Dollar Tree.  Didn't they do a cute job??!!

Here are the Teddy Bear at the Beach cupcake decorators eagerly waiting to eat their creations!!

I am sharing with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Your Cozy Home Party
Cowgirl Up!
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Table Top Tuesday
The Bunny Hop
Let's Dish!
Tablescape Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Monday, June 18, 2012

Jalapeno Garlic Chicken Breasts

This is a quick, tasty recipe, with a little heat,  for cooking on the grill this Summer.   There really aren't any measurements, as I just throw it together.  Here's the recipe:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
Italian dressing, maybe a 1/2 cup
jalapeno, diced
a couple of garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground pepper

Put the Italian dressing, diced jalapeno, garlic and pepper in a zip lock bag.  Add the chicken breasts and marinate for several hours.  Cook on hot grill.  I usually cook 2 minutes, rotate a quarter turn, flip and then repeat.  Check to make sure chicken is no longer pink in the center.  Let rest for several minutes and enjoy!

I am sharing this with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Your Cozy Home Party
Tasty Tuesday
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Sunday, June 17, 2012

The Sunshine Award


I've been awarded "The Sunshine Award" from Marsha at
thebetterbaker.blogspot.com/.   I feel very honored and excited to be recognized like this in our  BIG blogging world!! Great big XOXOXO's to Marsha!!
Marsha at thebetterbaker.blogspot.com/ shares some great home cooking  and also has her
own cookbook.  She co- hosts a linky  party with several other bloggers,  called :
Weekend Potluck!    Be sure to check out
this fun party. Stop by and tell  Marsha that I said "hello".

The Sunshine Award is given by bloggers to bloggers.
The recipients of the Sunshine Award are:
"Bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere."
The way the award works is this:
Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.
Answer 10 questions about yourself.
Select 10 of your favorite bloggers, link their blogs to your post and let them know they've been awarded the Sunshine Award!
Don't forget to copy and paste the award on your blog!
Here we go!
10 questions:
Favorite Color – My favorite color is Red, always has been!
Favorite Animal - I think penguins are so funny to watch.
Favorite Number - 8 - I guess it's the infinity thing about it! 

Favorite Drink – I love a pot of tea every morning and iced tea later in the day.  In the winter
I love hot tea all day.  Hmmm, do you think it's my Irish ancestry?!

Facebook or Twitter – Facebook, although I don't post much...just not that into it!!
Good Book or a Good Movie - I love a good book!  I also love reading cookbooks as if they're novels! 
My Passion - my family and cooking and baking.
Giving or Getting Presents - It's always such fun to GIVE and especially MAKE presents!  However, getting them is always appreciated.
Favorite Day of the Year – Thanksgiving because it's just a fun, family day of getting together,
enjoying each other's company, and of course, the great food!
Favorite Flowers –I have always loved daisies.  They're just so cheerful.
The 10 blogs that I am awarding the Sunshine Award to in alphabetical order are:

Anita at auntnubbyskitchen.blogspot.com/
Donna at conghailecottage.blogspot.com/
Dorothy at crazyforcrust.com/
Lisa at flourmewithlove.blogspot.com/
Lynn at happierthanapiginmud.blogspot.com/
Nann at atnannstable.blogspot.com/
Patsy at pattycakescooking.blogspot.com/
Poppy at withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/
Shannon at cozyhomescenes.blogspot.com/
Trisha at sweetology101.blogspot.com/

These special ladies inspire and motivate me with either their recipes,  creativity or kindness  and I'm happy to call them my friends!!




Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Ladybug Cupcakes



I wanted to make some ladybug cupcakes for a special summer treat. As you can see, the sunlight streaming in is making my ladybug glow!   I set my tray, from Homegoods,  with a red polka dot placemat and made a black polka dot napkin to coordinate with the black and white cupcake liner. I tied the napkin with some polka dot ribbon. The mug is from Homegoods, also.  The tea cozy was a gift from my friend, Pat, from pattycakescooking.blogspot.com/.

These cupcakes are fun to make.  I saw the idea for them on the internet and the site used Mallomar cookies for the ladybug.  I couldn't find these cookies any where!  I decided to use vanilla wafers, which I had, and sandwich two of them together with frosting, for the ladybugs body.  This worked great.  Here's how to make them:




Cupcakes from mix or from scratch
vanilla wafers
white frosting of your choice, either canned or homemade
  (you can use this recipe, found here)
chocolate frosting
food coloring in red, green (or blue and yellow to make green)
red and green colored sugars 
brown long sprinkles for the antenna

Bake the cupcakes and let cool.

Tint some frosting red for the body of the ladybug.  Tint some frosting green for frosting the cupcake top. (I mixed blue and yellow together and used the AmeriColor gels that can be found at Hobby Lobby).

Frost the top of the cupcake with green frosting.  Sprinkle with some green colored sugar.

Sandwich together two vanilla wafers with some of the red frosting.  Coat the outside with red frosting for the ladybug's body.  Sprinkle with the red colored sugar.

Put some chocolate frosting in a small zip lock bag.  Snip a tiny opening at one of the corners.  Pipe a stripe down the back of the ladybug and pipe a face on one end.  Add some ladybug spots.  Attach two chocolate long sprinkles for the antenna.

Place your ladybug on top of the cupcake.  If you want, you can pipe some leaves.  You could also flatten some green gumdrops and cut them out for the leaves.

Sit back and admire your work.  Share with someone special!


How about sharing some tea with me on the patio?

Isn't this sweet?

I am sharing with: 

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Your Cozy Home Party
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Table Top Tuesday
Cowgirl Up!
The Bunny Hop
Let's Dish!
Tablescape Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Sweets for a Saturday
Seasonal Sundays

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Creamy Baked Ziti

I won these beautiful Swedish embroidered towels  from Pam at http://virginiaretro.blogspot.com/.  Thanks so much Pam!!

If you need a casserole for a crowd, baked ziti is always popular.  Some recipes have sour cream, or ricotta added to the sauce.  I decided to try some light Alfredo sauce instead and we liked the results.  Here's the recipe:
Yummy, creamy, cheesy goodness!

I lb. ground sausage (I used hot Italian chicken sausage)
some chopped onion
a couple of cloves of garlic, minced
1 jar of Alfredo sauce(I used light)
1 jar Marina sauce
1 box of ziti, or penne pasta
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for about 6 minutes.  You want the pasta undercooked because it will continue to cook in the sauce while baking.  Drain the pasta and set aside.

Brown the sausage, adding the onion and garlic.  Drain, if necessary.

In the pot that you cooked the pasta, mix the pasta with the sausage mixture and the both jars of sauce.  Add 1 cup of the grated mozzarella and mix.  Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13" pan.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Spray a piece of foil that is big enough to cover the casserole.  Cover the casserole with the foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.  Buon appetito!! 

I am sharing this with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Your Cozy Home Party
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Rosemary Bread

This flavorful bread recipe comes from www.food.com and is supposedly like Macaroni Grill's Rosemary bread.  It's a very easy bread dough which is done in the food processor.  I  think next time I make this I will increase the Rosemary.  I was worried that it would be too strong, but actually I thought it needed more.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rosemary (I will use 3 T. next time)
2 tablespoons butter, divided


Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl  and allow mixture to become bubbly.
In food processor, pulse  1 T. butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary. Add the yeast/sugar/water mixture to the flour mixture in the food processor and mix.  
 
Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor for several minutes until smooth and elastic.

Add more flour if necessary. (I needed all the flour).
Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.

Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
Punch down dough and divide in half.

Let dough rest about 5 minutes.

Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray. (I use olive oil)

Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.

Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.

Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter .  You can sprinkle with sea salt or Parmesan cheese.

I am sharing with: 
Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Your Cozy Home Party
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday                                                                
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Texas Sheet Cake

Want to join me for a slice of cake and a cup of tea?
This recipe comes from a good friend that I worked with many years ago.  I've adapted the procedure a little and also added the cinnamon.  If you're a cinnamon and chocolate lover, you'll love this cake.  It's easy, moist and oh, SOOOO good!

Cake:
2 cups sugar                                     
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 stick butter
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla

Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Put the butter, oil, water, buttermilk into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the beaten eggs and the vanilla.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan, or a greased jelly roll pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  While cake is baking, make the icing.

Fudge Icing:

1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
6 T. milk or buttermilk
1 box powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1 t. vanilla
pinch of salt

Bring the butter, cocoa powder and milk to a boil.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt.  Mix well and pour over cake right when it comes out of the oven.

I am sharing with:
Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Your Cozy Home Party
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Link 'n Greet Party
Seasonal Sundays
Pink Saturday

Friday, June 1, 2012

Strawberry Ice Cream Fit for a Queen

Her Majesty (Moi!) loves this!!
In honor of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, I've made old fashioned strawberry ice cream to go with my friend, Pat's, from pattycakescooking.blogspot.com/,   chocolate biscuit cake, found here.  I think the queen will love this combination, don't you?  I know the Queen and King of this household sure do!!!  If you love STRAWBERRIES as much as I do, be sure to try this creamy, smooth , fabulous ice cream this Summer!!

Recipe is from The Donvier Ice Cream and Dessert Book    

1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups whole strawberries, fresh, or frozen and thawed
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 t. vanilla

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until hot.  In a small mixing bowl whisk together sugar and edds.  Whisking constantly, gradually add hot milk to egg.  Return mixture to saucepan over medium heat.  Stirring constantly, cook until slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes.  Cool.  (I put this saucepan into a bowl of ice water to cool quickly).

In a blender or food processor, puree fruit with cream.  Stir into cooled custard.  Add vanilla  Chill thoroughly.  Follow directions for your ice cream maker. 

Makes about 1 quart.

I'm sharing with:
Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Your Cozy Home Party
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
The Bunny Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Link 'n Greet Party
Seasonal Sundays
Pink Saturday