Well, I have traded my Texas horse for the plane ride back to California. Returned last night after being back in Texas for the past 10 days. It was absolutely wonderful to come back to 80 degree weather instead of the 100 degrees in Dallas. Because of the marvelous weather here, I am able to look the other way when I am in 6 lanes of slow traffic, or driving 45 min just to get to the WallMart, or go to the grocery store, assuming that I will just walk down the baking isle to pick up a bar of German Chocolate, only to find that they don’t carry it and I have no choice but to buy a Betty Crocker German Chocolate cake mix to make for Randy’s birthday….ok, now that I mention it, maybe the weather here isn’t so grand…….maybe I can put up with the hot dry Texas weather. I can always cool off in the Wallmart that was 10 min from my house and had German Chocolate always on the shelf and any flavor of Duncan Hines cake mixes I could ever want.
Californians, I have decided, are at their health and fitness clubs, which I might add are on every corner, because they don’t know what really great foods are out there. Because they just can’t go to the frozen food section and grab a bag of breaded fried okra, or scoot on over to the frozen bread isle and toss in pans of Sister Schubert rolls or drive to the nearest Babes for the worlds best chicken fried steak, or purchase any flavor at all of Blue Bell ice cream, why not spend their time working out? There is really nothing to keep them in the kitchen. When I feel my hostility going away at the lack of southern foods available and catch myself going to the other side (yes, I even joined my husband the other night in ordering sushi, although all mine were cooked, not raw)of eatting more organic, healthy foods, it is time to head back to Texas for another visit, where I feast on Luby’s turkey and dressing, and days on end of Tex Mex and chicken fried steak. On the plane ride back to California, I resolve to come back with a more positive attitude, telling myself that I don’t need all those awful foods that I have just gorged on while visiting my family. Then Randy picks me up at the airport and we begin to talk about all the great things I did while I was there and it alwas centererd around Southern foods…..now heading to the grocery store to pick up a few things to cook the next couple of days reminds me of where I am, and even though I wasn’t able to buy okra, or SS rolls, or Blue Bell ice cream, it is good to be home and to look forward to having a great salad with my sweet hubby tonight. Then I think we will walk to the corner fitness center. It would be nice to work off the Southern foods that I did bring with me.
Month: June 2011
Nutella Cheesecake Bars
I admit it, I have copied this recipe right off another person’s blog. But they are absolutely delicious and wanted to share this recipe with you. It comes from the Moonbakers Blog (I think that is the correct name) These are so simple and so tastefully delish that you will bake them over and over……
Nutella Cheesecake Layer Bars
– 8 Chocolate Graham Crackers
– ½ Stick Unsalted Butter, melted
– 16 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
– 2 eggs, at room temperature
– ½ C. Granulated Sugar
– ¼ + 1 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
– 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
– ¼ C. Nutella
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Butter an 8 x 8 baking pan and line with parchment paper, making sure that the parchment is well pressed in the corners. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse chocolate graham crackers until they become crumbs (like bread crumbs). Add in melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake crust in the center of the oven until set, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Clean out the food processor. Add cream cheese, eggs, sugar, ¼ C. heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Pulse until smooth. Put 2/3 of the cream cheese mixture in a bowl and set aside. Add Nutella and 1 Tbsp. of heavy cream to remaining 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture in the processor. Pulse until smooth.
To assemble, spread the vanilla cheesecake mixture over the cooled graham cracker base, being careful not to disturb the crust. Pour Nutella cheesecake layer on top of vanilla layer and spread evenly. Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, or until the center jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
When ready to serve, lift bars out of the pan by lifting up the parchment paper (it should release easily). Slice into 16 squares and serve.
Happy Fathers Day to All you Dads
We are celebrating Fathers Day without any kids this year. Since moving to California, we have experienced some loneliness, but also some sweet new adventures, since our weekends are pretty much free. Last night, we went to the Rose Bowl for the first of the summer concerts, led by Marvin Hamlisch. It was just so gorgeous to be sitting outside and not sweating. It was a gorgeous night, with us taking lawn chairs and a nice dinner, which we had prepared at home. The music was celebrating Pasadena’s 125th year birthday. We discovered that we love being outdoors with people who were strangers, at first, but we all left, saying that we would see each other at the next concert. Groups of people were sitting all around us, on blankets or chairs and you could see buckets of friend chicken, you saw shish kabobs, french bread, cheeses, pies, even a group celebrating a birthday with birthday cake and singing Happy Birthday and letting the birthday girl, (looked about 50) blow out her candles with everyone around clapping when she did. These evenings become such wonderful memories. As we drove home, we talked about how much we enjoyed our night. Our dinner ended with tiramasu and we were like two little kids who kept watching for the fireworks to begin. When they did, we sounded just like we had never seen fireworks before, just “oohing and ahhin’after each beautiful firework lit up the sky…Today we are finishing up our Fathers day celebration by thanking the Lord for our Christian Fathers, who showed us that sometimes the best memories are those which as spent with family…..which in turn makes us miss, not only our dads, but our kids, as well……we are so grateful for our families and for wonderful memories of our dads. Randy’s Fathers Day will be spent going to a car show this afternoon, his perfect idea of a great Fathers Day, In and Out Burger and a car show, how different from what a mom would plan for Mothers Day! But figure I will act excited about his plan, it might buy me a little trip to the ice cream store this afternoon. Happy Fathers Day, Randy, you are a great dad and grandfather and I am so blessed to be with you and walking right beside you at the car show. Life is made up of memories and thanks to you, we have many wonderful memories to remember.
Oven Baked Blueberry French Toast
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teas vanilla
1 teas cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
10 slices French bread, 3/4 in thick
2 cups fresh blueberries
Maple syrup for serving and powdered sugar if desired to sprinkle over top
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl, with mixer until well blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the mil, and mix well.
Arrange the bread in the prepared baking dish and spread the blueberries on top of bread. Pour the cream mixture over the bread. Let stand for at least 15 min before baking (or you can cover the pan and place in refrigerator overnight). Bake for 40 to 45 min until golden brown (take the cover off before baking if it has been covered overnight)
Serve with syrup and powdered sugar.
Beans & Cornbread
Last night was our last night to have Janet and Gary before they head back to Dallas. It has been a fun-filled week, with lots of touring and lots of new restaurants and constant going. One night as we were sitting around talking about our favorite foods, Gary and Randy both said that one of their favorite dinners was a pot of pinto beans, with cornbread and fried potatoes and onions. So that was what they requested on for dinner last night. This past week, we have eaten on the coast in Newport Beach, Italian on Rodeo Dr, In & Out burgers, Chinese food in Montrose, homemade roast and potatoes here the first night, but all of us agreed, last night’s beans and cornbread was our favorite meal. It just felt good. It was like coming home after being gone for an extended time. It was such a comfort food. We sat around the table for an hour afterword, sharing stories about our trip to Greece and the funny memories we share there. But when we got up to clean the table, we all thought about what a wonderful evening we had just spent. The dinner probably didn’t cost $10 to fix, was easy clean up and quick to cook, except the beans which had been cooking all day. We retired to the den, full and happy, and ready for a slice of homemade carrot cake. The pot of beans and fried potatoes just hit the spot. Filled us up and the scent make the house smell so “southern”. This menu will now become part of our “tradition” as to what we cook for company. It was just one of those meals that makes you feel like you are all family. So forget Olive Garden, go to the store and grab yourself a bag of pinto beans….you will be glad you did.
German Chocolate Cheesecake Style Cake
Oh My Gosh, I just read this and cannot wait to try it. It was on the Paula Deen Website and was sent in from one of the readers. It sounds just marvelous. Am going to bake it as soon as I can….
Servings: 16 servings
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients Add to grocery list
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) German Chocolate cake mix
Cream Cheese Filling:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Frosting:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed (not margarine)
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
1-1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Prepare cake batter according to package directions; set aside. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Gently pour cream cheese mixture over batter. Gently spoon remaining batter over top; spread to edge of pan. Bake at 325° for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. For frosting, in a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks .Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened and a thermometer reads 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla; fold in coconut and pecans. Cool until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cooled cake. Refrigerate leftovers.
Spinach Ravioli Lasagna
Took this out of an insert in a magazine and it is so simple, but worthy of company.
1 (6 oz) package fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed, if not prewashed.
1/2 cup refrigerated pesto sauce
1 (15 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup vegetable broth or (chicken or beef broth will do fine if you don’t have the veggie)
1 (25 oz) package frozen cheese-filled ravioli (do not thaw)
1 cup (8 oz) shredded italian six-cheese blend
Preheat oven to 375. Chop spinach and toss with the pesto sauce in a bowl.
Combine alfredo sauce and broth. Spoon 1/3 of alfreado sauce mixture (about 1/2 cup) into a lightly greased llx7 baking dish. Top with half of spinach mixture. Arrange half of ravioli in a single layer over spinach mixture. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining alfredo sauce.
Bake at 375 for 30 min. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake another 5-10 min or until hot and all cheese is melted and bubbling.
Italian Sausage Soup
When you are short on time and energy but you are in the mood for Italian, this soup is a spin off from the taco soup original. The other night, we had just flown in from Texas and I was just wanting to stay home and not have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so since I had some meatball mixture in the freezer, I decided to thaw it out and use it for the base for a soup. It was delicious and all I had to do was serve it with some slices of garlic bread and Randy and I chilled out in front of the TV and enjoyed our evening home, enjoying the feeling of already getting unpacked and settled in for a night of American Idol.
1/2 lb of mild italian sausage
1/2 cup each of the following: onion, bell pepper and celery (I had bought this frozen mixture, Stillwell brand in the freezer at the grocery, so just used it this time)
1 large can of Hunts Spaghetti sauce (any flavor you like, we use the garlic herb, cost is usually about $1.09 at Wallmart)
1 can of chopped tomatoes (16 oz)
1 envelope of Lawry’s or McCormick Spaghetti Seasoning packet (1.37.oz)
1 cup water
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup cooked pasta
Cook meat in large dutch oven until crumbly and done and looses it’s pink color. Combine remaining ingredients and cook for about 2 hours over low heat or in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours, or until veggies are done. You can add a can (15.8 oz) of white navy beans ( I use Bush’s Brand), drain before adding to soup mixture.
California Dreamin’
We are back home and after two weeks of being back in Texas and back with grandkids, family and friends, even though it was hard to say goodbye, the younger (sorry, but I refuse to say, “getting older”) we get, the better feeling it becomes to just get back to your own bed, your own bathroom and your routine. I remember my parents and inlaws always saying that they were always so glad to get back home after always being gone for vacations and I always wondered why. In my season of life back then, it was always just a dream to be able to travel and stay in hotels and eatting out and getting away from routine. But, I have found that, like them, I am now admitting that they knew what they were talking about. Because we stayed at our kids house, we were introduced to remembering what our households were like years ago, the cartoons always in the background, lunches of macaroni and cheese or frozen pizza, toys spread over the entire house, training potty’s, kids running in and out the doors with screams from parents saying, “shut the door behind you”. Yes, we were taken back to our days of what it used to be like, but we remembered it quite differently. Were our memories of how we ran our houses, really like we remembered them, or had our memories failed us? We remembered our houses as actually pretty quiet and that our children had been pretty perfect,always shutting the door without being reminded, with their perfect friends and that they had always said “yes mam and no mam” and that our kids had sat and talked with us about the meaning of life and that they enjoyed us telling them about our childhood each night at the dinner table. Were these memories of ours real, or fantasies?
As I boarded the plane to come home, humming to myself, “Sponge Bob Square Pants, Sponge Bob Square Pants”, noticing the man in front of me looking at me like I was crazy, I remembered that going home did have it’s rewards of quietness and normal routine, but there is nothing quite like having a grandchild come over and crawl up in your lap and share their fruit loop with you as you hear them scream, “turn up the tv, this is when Sponge Bob and Patrick work for all the crab patties they can eat….” Now there is a memory that will never fade. Think I will turn on cartoons this afternoon, just for old time sake.
Chicken and Broccoli Cobbler (or Zucchini if you don’t like broccoli)
This cobbler takes 15 min to prepare and is such a comfort food. I am not a huge fan of broccoli unless I eat it raw. But I substituted mushrooms and zuccchini makes this now a favorite of mine.
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups cubed sourdough bread (6 1/2 oz)
1/2 cup preshredded parmesan cheese
3 cups small broccoli florets (or equal amounts of zucchni and mushrooms to equal 3 cups total)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup drained chopped roasted red bell pepper
1 (10 oz) container refrigerated alfredo sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tables dry sherry (or you can use chicken broth or cream)
Preheat oven to 400. Drizzle butter over bread cubes in a large bowl; sprinkle with cheese and toss well.
Combine broccoli (or other veggies) and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon filling into a lightly greased 2 qt. rectangular or oval baking dish or individual baking dishes; top with bread cubes.
Bake uncovered at 400 for 30 min (20-25 min for individual cobblers) or until bubbly and top is toasted.
Chocolate Castles 