Pick a Pepper Pumpkin

 Let's enjoy some veggies and dip with a cup of tea, shall we?  My friend Pat, from Gypsy Heart and Soul shared this adorable Halloween idea, which you can see here.  I just had to try it out for myself.  My friend, Marsha, from The Better Baker  sent me this pretty towel which I'm using for my table covering.  Isn't it perfect with this teacup?  My mums are still looking good!  Yea!!

This Royal Albert Woodland Series teacup that my friend Rosie gave me from her late Mother's collection, looks right at home on the towel/table covering.

Author: Kitty, inspired from Gypsy Heart and Soulprint recipe

Pick A Pepper Pumpkin

A cute appetizer for a Halloween Party!

INGREDIENTS:

• A pepper(s) of your choice of color(s)
• An assortment of raw veggies
• Your choice of vegetable dip

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Carve a face into your pepper with a paring knife to resemble a jack-o-lantern.
2. Fill with an assortment of raw veggies.
3. Serve with dip and enjoy!

http://www.kittyskozykitchen.com/2016/10/pick-pepper-pumpkin.html
  

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Teacup Tuesday 

Cooking and Crafting with J & J  

Share Your Cup

Full Plate
Thoughts of Home on Thursday

Foodie Friday

Weekend Potluck
Tea in the Garden
Dishing It! & Digging It!

Monday Social

 

Tomato Tart

I cut this recipe out of a 2003 Southern Living magazine.  It is a recipe of Carolyn Lemley, who along with her husband, grow tomatoes in east Texas & sell them at the Dallas Farmers Market.  I love this recipe because it showcases tomatoes & not the mayonnaise, etc, that are often ingredients in other tomato pies.  It truly is delicious and one of my very favorite Summer recipes.   I hope you'll try it!

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 garlic bulb

1/2 t. olive oil

1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese

4 large tomatoes

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper. 

Press refrigerated pie crust on bottom & up sides of a tart pan.  Bake at 450 degrees for 9 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside.

Cut off pointed end of garlic bulb; place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil & drizzle with olive oil.  Fold foil to seal.

Bake garlic at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the garlic is tender.  Test it with a paring knife.  Squeeze pulp from garlic cloves into bottom of baked pie crust.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of fontina cheese over the garlic.

Slice tomatoes & place on folded paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper & let stand for 10 minutes. 

Arrange tomato slices over shredded cheese.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until lightly browned.  I like to add some minced fresh basil before serving.

NOTE:  In place of the garlic bulb, I often just sprinkle the crust with garlic powder.  Also, in place of the fontina, which can be pricey, I'll sub an Italian blend shredded cheese.

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday 

Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Quick Summer Stir Fry

 

With the summer heat upon us, I wanted a quick meal to throw together, while waiting for my Mom to fly into Texas from Ohio.  Because of storms, her flight was delayed!  My poor Mom, but she'll be here before you know it.  The point of this recipe is to use whatever fresh veggies you have on hand and throw in some leftover meat or chicken.  The measurements don't have to be exact.   Serve it over some rice and it's dinner!

A bunch of asparagus, tough ends trimmed and sliced into 1" pieces

Some fresh mushrooms

Some sliced onion

About 1 T. Olive oil

About 1 T. butter

A sprinkle of crushed red pepper

A clove or two of garlic, minced

One leftover cooked chicken breast, cut up

Several shakes of soy sauce

Cooked brown or white rice

Heat the olive oil and butter together in a non stick skillet. Add the mushrooms, asparagus and onion, crushed red pepper, and sauté for several minutes, until the asparagus is tender, around 7-8 minutes.   Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the cooked chicken and add several shakes of soy sauce and heat through.

Serve over the cooked rice and dinner is ready!  I'm saving a plate for my Mom! 

I'm sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday

Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Green Bean Bundles

 

This is a pretty dish to serve for a group of people.  I made it for our family and everyone seemed to enjoy it.  The pre-packaged green beans from Costco, in their produce area, are wonderful, as are the ones from Trader Joe's.  Here's the recipe:

1 lb. of green beans, washed and ends removed (the ones from Costco and Trader Joe's are ready to go)
6 strips of bacon, cut in half and partially cooked
1/2 t. Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's),  divided use
garlic salt
4 T. butter, melted
3 T. packed brown sugar

Put beans in a saucepan with 1/4 t. Creole seasoning and put water halfway up the sides.  Bring to a boil,  turn heat to medium and cook 3 minutes.  Drain beans and cool.

When beans are cool, wrap about 6-10 beans with the bacon.  Place bundles in a 9 x 13" baking dish.  Sprinkle bundles with the garlic salt and 1/4 t. Creole seasoning.  Pour melted butter over the bundles and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is done. 

NOTE:  To make ahead, complete all steps, leaving off the butter and sugar.  Refrigerate over night until ready to bake.  Before putting in oven, pour the melted butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar.

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday

Mix It Up Monday

On the Menu Monday
Tabletop Tuesday
HOME

Full Plate Thursday                                                                                   
Open House
Foodie Friday

The Charm of Home
Festive Friday Fiesta

Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

              Thank you for your visit!  xo

Gratin of Tomato

This delicious dish is for cherry tomato lovers!  I got this recipe from a dear friend who shared the gratin at a luncheon.  Since my dear hubby brings home lots of cherry tomatoes from our friend's garden, I knew I would be making it soon.  You can eat the tomatoes as is, but I think it would be fabulous served with pasta.  It makes some delicious juices which would also be wonderful to dip some crusty bread in, which we did for our youngest son's birthday.  YUM!

1 1/4 lbs. of cherry tomatoes (combo of yellow, red and pear)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (or I minced them)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash tomatoes and remove and discard any stems.  Place tomatoes in a bowl and mix in the remainder of the ingredients.  Transfer the mix to a 6-cup gratin dish.  Bake for 40 minutes. 

Can sprinkle with extra Parmesan on top when it comes out of the oven to give a good look to the dish.

Should serve 4-6.

I am sharing with:

Mix It Up Monday!
On the Menu Monday
You're Gonna Love It!
Cowgirl Up
The Bunny Hop
Favorites on the First
Full Plate Thursday
Potpourri Friday
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Onions on the Grill

YUM!

This recipe comes from Paula Deen's  The Lady and Sons, Too! cookbook.  Her title for the onions is "Saturday Night Vidalia Onions".  I've been making them for years and was telling a dear friend about them and how good they are.  I don't have any Vidalia onions, but I do have Texas Sweet ones.  This recipe is especially fun because the onions, once cooked, taste like a delicious onion soup!!  If you've never tried this recipe,  please do so this grilling season.  You'll be glad you did!

1 large sweet onion, per person
1 T. butter, per onion
1 beef bouillon cube, per onion

Prepare grill.  Trim a slice from the top of each onion and peel the onion without cutting off the root end.  Next, cut a small cone-shaped section from the center of  the onion.  Cut the onion into quarters from the top down, stopping within a half inch of the root end. 

Place a bouillon cube in the center , slip slivers of butter in between the sections and sprinkle with pepper.  Wrap each onion in a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.  Place the onions directly onto the hot grill for 45 minutes, turning every so often. 

These can also be baked in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Serve in individual bowls because they make a lot of broth, which tastes, surprisingly,  like french onion soup!!!
YUM!!

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

Asparagus Vinaigrette

Even though, it seems,  we can get asparagus year round,  I think of it as a Spring time vegetable.  I just can't seem to get enough of it.  This side dish or salad is especially good!

2 eggs
1 1/2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed
2 T. Tarragon vinegar (I used white wine vinegar and some tarragon)
1 T.  chopped shallot
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. pepper
1/4 t. salt                                                                         
1/3 cup olive oil

Hard-cook the eggs, according to directions found here.  Set aside.

Steam the asparagus until tender.  Sprinkle with 2 t. salt.  Whisk the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the asparagus.  Top with 2 finely chopped hard-cooked eggs.

I am sharing with:

On the Menu Monday
Mix It Up Monday!
Your Cozy Home Party
Rock 'n Share Party
Full Plate Thursday
Thriving on Thursdays
Foodie Friday
Food on Friday
Link & Greet Party
Seasonal Sundays

Almond Broccoli Casserole

When I moved to Texas over 25 years ago, my special friend who moved here six months before I did, bought me The Texas Experience  cookbook.  This recipe comes from that cookbook & always was & still is a favorite of our daughter.  I've adapted the preparation slightly & substituted some ingredients for ones that are no longer available.  I don't think I've ever been able to find a roll of Nippy sharp cheese.  Anyway, if you need a delicious side dish, with lots of good flavor, color & texture,  I hope  you try this.

1/2 stick butter
4 ounces fresh mushrooms                                                          
2 (10 ounces each) packages frozen,
 chopped broccoli, thawed 
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (3 ounce) package slivered almonds
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (5 ounce) jar Kraft Old English cheese spread

Melt butter in skillet & saute' mushrooms.  Add all other ingredients.  Pour into buttered 2 1/2 quart casserole & bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes.

Serves 6-8.
I am sharing with:

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday

Zucchini with tomato & mozzarella

When zucchini is plentiful in the garden, one always needs to be thinking of new ways to use it.  Here's an easy recipe to try:

2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2" thick

Italian seasoning
salt & pepper
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
mozzarella cheese, grated

Arrange the sliced zucchini on a baking tray.  Sprinkle with the seasonings.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Top with the tomato slices & the mozzarella.  Broil for around 3-4 minutes, watching that they don't over brown.