Just got back from Houston last night after being there for 5 days. I went to see dear friends that I have known for 30 yrs. All of us have gone through so many trying times, illnesses, divorces, prodical children, job changes, house buying and selling, shopping for Christmas, new fad diets, having grandchildren, some of our parents dying and many other topics. We don’t see each other as often as we would like, but when we do, it is like we are together every day of our lives. It just never takes us long to feel the closeness or the loving friendship which always is such a blessing, especially to me. Cindy and Cathy are twins who have adopted me as their “sister” in more than just the name. They treat me like I am a part of their family. The laughter and the love which abounds is just something very special. Since I am an only child, it is wonderful to have these precious “sister’s” in my life. They love it when I come down and just automatically begin to arrange their furniture, in fact, they expect it. Cathy felt slighted when I didn’t walk in and begin to arrange. Before leaving yesterday, my eyes began to roam around the room and Cindy said, “oh no, she is getting in her arranging mood, I can just see it” and sure enough, whilel Randy began to carry suitcases to the car, I started moving counces, chairs and tables. I just couldn’t leave without changing something. Of couse, Cindy had to go get the Pledge and dust cloth so we began a “room makeover” before leaving. The 3 days before, we had sat and made 28 wreaths while munching on brownines and ice cream! Once, on the road to home, I began to think of them and all the memories we have had over the last 30 yrs. Each year becomes a little harder to make time, but each time we do see each other, also becomes a little more special. These are just precious friends who mean the world to me and who continue to open their hearts to not only me, but to our family. God has blessed me in so many ways, and I just want to thank Him for the blessing of their friendship……..they will never know what a blessing they are to me, thank you Cinday and Cathy for your love, your hearts and sharing your lives with me! Can’t wait till next time.
Country Mashed Potatoes
For the luncheon today I also served mashed potatoes which ended up being so delicious. The ladies ask what was different about them and here is what it was.
Instead of adding milk to the potatoes to mash, I used Pioneer Country Gravy Mix.
Follow directions on the small package of Pioneer Country Gravy Mix (this is a white gravy) When potatoes are cooked and ready to mash, add butter and this gravy before whipping. It adds so much flavor to them and makes them so creamy.
If you are cooking potatoes for 2, use just half of the gravy and safe the other half to pour over the whipped potatoes when serving.
Scalloped Corn
Had a luncheon today and served this corn dish. Several of the ladies requested me to put it on the blog. It is so easy.
2 12 oz bags of frozen corn (I used the steam in the bag)
1/2 cup butter
6 oz of softened cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste.
Combine all of the above ingredients and place in microwave and cook for about 5 minutes. Take out and stir. If needed, place back in microwave and cook for an additional 2 min. Since each oven is different, check after 2 min intervals but cook until corn is completely cooked and cream cheese and butter is melted. Stir and serve.
Christmas Lights in September!
This time of the year just gets me in the mood to stay in the kitchen. Even though the temp outside is still in the 90’s, in my mind, it is fall and the fall decor has already found it’s way into my house. The fall trees are up and the mums and croton’s have taken the place of the begonias outside. If you are like me, and just enjoy having a little more time with the extra lights around the house, let me encourage you to go ahead and get those little Christmas trees out of the attic and get them decorated with fall swags, leaves, pumpkins and fall flowers filling in between the branches. They sit right inside our front door and even the neighbors have told us that they enjoy driving by and seeing the lights up. I was just never satisfied with the 3 or 4 weeks of Christmas lights. So now I have them from Sept through Christmas, just changing out the decor around Thanksgiving.
Today, I am preparing lunch for some ladies tomorrow. I had promised them a real Southern meal of Paula Deen Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed potatoes, green beans and chocolate cream pie, so that is the menu tomorrow. Just finished the chocolate cream pie with whipped cream and since we are having a few more than expected, am headed off to bake a chocolate sheet cake, just in case.
Dr Visit
Just had to tell you about yesterday. I was scheduled for blood work and had been fasting overnight, which brings me to also mention that how many people really get up in the middle of the night to eat, but anyway, back to story, they of course want you to weigh in the minute they take you behind the “door”. So there I am slipping off anything that might add a pound or two to the scale, earrings, bracelets, shoes, glasses and I found myself sucking in my stomach the minute I stepped on to the scale. I started laughing and the nurse asked me what I was laughing about. I told her, “did you see me suck in my stomach, like that is going to take off a pound or two?” She started to laugh and told me that that was a first. She had never had anyone suck in their tummie hoping to weigh lighter. We were laughing going down the hall and she thanked me for making her day. I’m glad it did, it certainly didn’t mine. I was still remembering the number on the scale and what it said, knowing that I must have not sucked my tummy in far enough.
Spring (Let’s rename them Fall) Chicken Roll-Ups
Peggy, a friend of mine was over here for lunch yesterday and she told me about this recipe which she tried the other night and said that they were just delicious. She just sent me the recipe so thought I would share.
Spring Chicken Roll-Ups with Lemon Dijon Pan Sauce
(from Rachel Ray)
Ingredients
- 2 (6-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 thin slices provolone cheese
- 4 thin slices prosciutto cotto (I used thin deli smoked ham – much cheaper!)
- 12 thin spears asparagus, trimmed of tough stems and blanched in salted water 2 minutes, drained
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup chopped, flat-leaf parsley, a handful
Cook’s Note: Some markets sell “thin cut” chicken for a premium price. With a sharp knife, cutting the chicken breast yourself is easy. When chicken is on sale, stock up. Plastic storage bags can be stacked and frozen. Each portion will thaw in minutes and ready to use for dinner any night of the week. Plus, by halving and pounding out the breast meat, you’re stretching your dollar and the meat to provide twice as many portions.
Halve the chicken breasts horizontally separating each into 2 cutlets.
Place each halved cutlet in an individual freezer plastic storage bag (with slider tab). Add a tablespoon of water to each bag and pound into1/8-inch thick cutlets.
Arrange the 4 cutlets on work surface. Season cutlets with salt and pepper on the side facing up. Cover each piece of chicken with 1 slice cheese and 1 slice ham. Starting on 1 side of the breast, place a small bundle of 3 asparagus spears. Wrap and roll the chicken around the asparagus. Wash hands.
Heat about 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, using tongs, add the chicken roll-ups to skillet with seam side down. Season the roll-ups with salt and pepper. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and cook 4 to 5 minutes, turn roll-ups over and cook and other 4 to 5 minutes. Remove cooked roll ups to a serving plate. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons flour Stir in the chicken stock and Dijon mustard, scraping up any drippings from the bottom of the pan, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley and spoon over chicken.
This is easy, quick and delicious!!
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
This has got to be the BEST appitizer EVER! Our dear friend, Peggy is told by all of her friends that each time we get together for anything, she has got to bring this dish because we are so hooked on them. I could eat a dozen and usually do. We fight over who gets the last few. They are just so good. Here they are, very simple and very good.
Can of whole water chestnuts
Bacon
Take slices of bacon and cut in two. You will need a piece for each water chestnut. Wrap a piece of bacon around each chestnut and place on foil which you have sprayed with Pam and place in a preheated 350 oven for about 30 min. While they are in the oven, mix 1/2 cup chile sauce, 1/2 cup mayonaise and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Take this mixture and pour over the chestnuts and bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve with a toothpick in each one. Trust me, you will never know there is mayo in this sauce. It is just really outstanding and so easy to prepare…..
Blueberry-Coconut Muffins
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 teas lemon zest
2 large eggs
5 tables heavy whipping cream
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 muffin cups with Pam or use cupcake liners (On these, it is better to forgo the liners and just use the greased pans)
In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar and zest at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well, after each addition. Reduce mixer speed tolow and add cream. Beat in flour until just combined. Stir in coconut; gently fold in blueberries. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 min or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
*You can make the above mixture except for adding the blueberries the night before and keep in fridge until ready to bake. Carefully fold in blueberries right before you pour into prepared muffin pans and bake according to above directions. This is taken from a Paula Deen Magazine and they are a delicious breakfast or afternoon tea bread.
Baked Salmon
For all you salmon lovers out there, and apparently, there are many of you, this recipe is one which I received from a lady who cut my hair while staying in Carmel. She says that all her friends request it when they come to eat at her house. Enjoy and know that upon preparing this, you are preparing a dish that is very popular in California!
2 planks of salmon (poundage depending upon how many you are feeding)
1 box (any brand, but she used Uncle Bens) wild rice mix
1 large portobella mushroom (or if you do not like this type, buy a 8 oz package of white sliced mushrooms)
3 large lemons, fresh dill, seasoning salt and pepper
Place 1 of the salmon planks in a skillet. Sprinkle with seasonings and then place 1/2 of the prepared package of wild rice over plank.
Place 1/2 of the mushrooms over rice and then place the other plank over this. Sprinkle the rest of the mushrooms and seasonings over fish. Pour 1 stick of melted butter over fish and then repeat with more lemon and dill. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 30 min or until salmon tests done. (this depends on how large or small your amount of fish). *Reserve remaining rice for a soup or side dish the next day.
Back In The Saddle Again!
We are home, home to familiar sounds (washing machine and coffee pot), home to familiar faces (dry cleaning store, grocery store and precious family and friends), and our very own couch, wing back chair and bathroom. As wonderful as traveling to different places is, coming home to your own bed, couch, kitchen and bathroom, is well, there is just nothing quite like it. In younger years, coming home to those things was just a reminder of all the responsbilites that went with them, like cleaning, laundry, etc. But as the years go by, the familiar things seem to be the things that become so very speical to us. My pillow that I lean on on the couch when watching TV, or the tree that I see everytime I look out my bedroom window, the shower that yells to me to clean on a normal day, takes on a whole new look, when I step in it the first morning back home. Yes, we had a fabulous time and yes, the view of the San Fransisco skyline our our 11th floor room was absolutely gorgeous, but……nothing is as gorgeous as the view of kids, grandkids and friends walking up the front steps to welcome us home. That is the most fabulous view of all!
Chocolate Castles 