Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms

I love trying new recipes.  Easy and taste good... that's my motto.  The stuffed portobella mushrooms were so good, I've made them twice in a week and a half!

Veggie Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 loose c. baby spinach, chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic (3/8 tsp. minced)
1/2 med. onion (approx. 1/3 c.)
1/2 sweet red pepper (approx.. 1/3 c.)
3/4 c. part skim ricotta
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
4 large basil leaves, chopped  (1/2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
4 large portobella mushroom caps
1/2 c. marinara sauce
1/2 c. part skim shredded mozzarella
Salt and Pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  For easier clean up, cover sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil.  Gently remove the stems, scoop out the gills.  Brush the tops of mushrooms with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  The oil will soak into the mushrooms pretty fast.

Over medium heat, saute  onion, garlic and red pepper in oil and season with salt. Cook until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until wilted, about 1-4 minutes, stirring as it cooks.

In medium bowl, add the ricotta, parmesan cheese and egg.  Mix well. Add the cooked vegetables, basil, and oregano.  Mix together until well combined. Using a regular tablespoon, stuff the mushrooms with ricotta mixture.  Top each mushroom with 2 tbsp. marinara and 2 tbsp. mozzarella.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  Broil on high during last 1 1/2 minutes of baking.

NOTES:

•  I’ve used regular spinach unchopped and it works fine.  I imagine you could use frozen spinach (well drained) also.
•  Look for large caps with high walls with no cracks on the sides so your filling doesn't come out as it bakes.
•  I saved (froze) the gills and stem to put in other recipes such as soup, casserole, or stuffing.
•  Any sweet peppers will work (red, orange, yellow, etc).
•  Chop the pepper and onion pretty small – about the size of a pencil eraser.
•  I’ve substituted parmesan cheese with mozzarella (on accident!) and it is just as tasty.
•  It’s okay to mound the veggie/cheese mixture into the mushrooms.  I’ve not had it “boil” over as bakes.
•  The marinara and mozzarella toppings are approximations.  If using smaller mushrooms, use less; larger use more.

• Servings: 4. • Size: 1 mushroom cap • Calories: 236 • Fat: 13g • Carb: 13g • Fiber: 2.5g • Protein: 20g • Sugar: 4g • Sodium: 522mg  • Cholest: 83mg

Adapted from www.skinnytaste.com

Honey-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

HONEY BALSAMIC CHICKEN

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. olive oil

4 (4oz) boneless skinless chicken breast halves***

6 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp. honey

Combine first three ingredients*; sprinkle over both sides of chicken.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; cook 4-6 minutes on each side, or until chicken is done.  Do not overcook, otherwise chicken breast will be dry and not juicy.  Transfer chicken to platter; keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add vinegar and honey to pan**.  Simmer 1-3 minutes until glaze thickens; stir constantly.  Glaze will thicken more once cooled.  Add chicken to pan and stir to coat.

Excellent served over rice and drizzled with glaze.

*There is really no need to measure and combine spices.  Just sprinkle on both sides of chicken.  Alternatives:  Garlic powder, Italian spices.

**Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to glaze for a bit of a bite.

***I cut my chicken into one inch strips and then cooked them.

Crockpot Lasagna

I've had a few requests for the recipe I made last weekend, so here goes...

1 lb. Italian sausage or ground beef
48 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. lasagna noodles, uncooked
4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 oz. ricotta cheese

Spray inside of crockpot with cooking spray. Brown the sausage or ground beef frying pan. Add spaghetti sauce. Combine cheeses in bowl, setting 1 c. aside. Spread ¼ of meat mixture in bottom of crockpot. Layer 4-5 noodles on top (depending on how big your crockpot is), breaking into pieces to fit. It’s okay if they overlap a bit. Spread 1/3 of cheese mixture over noodles. Repeat layers twice more with the last layer being the meat mixture on top. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. In last 15 minutes of cooking time, sprinkle the top with 1 c. cheese. Let lasagna stand in crockpot with the lid off for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.

Variations:
• Add chopped onion and garlic to ground beef while browning
• Add ½ c. parmesan cheese to mixture
• Substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese
• Some recipes call for adding one egg to the cheese mixture. I didn't do that, but may try it in the future.

NOTES:
• I used an oval 7qt crockpot to make my lasagna, but I'm sure any size will be fine.
• I have a great turkey sausage recipe if you'd like to substitute ground turkey for the meat.
• I used Italian sausage and added onion to the meat while it was browning.
• I used an Italian blend shredded cheese and there was only 3 c. in the package. I added some parmesan cheese to it along with the ricotta. I set aside about 1 c. for the topping. It turned out yummy. Next time, I think I will use more shredded cheese in the mixture... more cheesy goodness, ya know!
• Don't forget to let the lasagna rest with the lid off. I missed that part and the lasagna was a bit runny. But, by the time I went for seconds it had set up like it was supposed to.
• I bet one could use those crockpot liners for easy clean up. I've never used them, but hey... who am I to judge. ;-)

Oreo BonBons

These are so easy to make!


OREO BONBONS

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Oreo Cookies
1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pkg. chocolate or vanilla bark/candy coating

Directions:
Crush the Oreo cookies. You can do this one of two ways: 1) Put a bunch in a ziploc bag. Close the bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into the smallest bits you can. The finer, the better. 2) Use a food processor or blender. I used a food processor and it takes no time at all to finely crush up an entire package of cookies. Oh, don't forget to eat a few while doing it... just to make sure they're OK. ;-)

Next, put the crushed oreos in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese and mix together really well. I recommend using your hands and smoosh it between your fingers. Maybe the kiddos would like to do this part?

Once it's all mixed together, it should look like a huge chocolate ball.




Take a small amount and roll into a ball. I used a tablespoon which ended up making large walnut sized balls. If you want to make smaller ones, you'll have more bonbons. Place the balls on a wax paper or aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet. Once you've rolled all the balls, place in the refrigerator.*

In a double-boiler, melt the candy coating (I used vanilla).** Stir every couple minutes.





After the bark is melted, use a small spoon and drop one ball in making sure it gets covered. Then scoop it out and place it back on the cookie sheet.*** Try to let some of the bark drip off in the pan otherwise you'll have a big mess on the cookie sheet. Repeat until all the balls are coated in bark.

Place back into the refrigerator until the coating is hard. Then place in a tightly covered bowl.

(Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product. I made these for birthday treat day at work and there were NONE left over.)



NOTES:
*I left the balls in the refrigerator overnight, but a few hours would be fine.

**If you don't have a double boiler, you could melt the bark in the microwave for a minute and then stir. Keep repeating until it's all melted. Or, I've filled a saucepan with water and placed a glass bowl on the rim as a makeshift double boiler.

***You can sprinkle color sugar, chocolate sprinkles, cocoa, etc on at this point if you wish. I forgot to do this part, but it didn't matter.

Fudge Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. flour
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line muffin tin with paper cups.

Melt butter in the microwave in a large microwave safe bowl. Mix in the sugar until smooth and microwave for about 1 minute. Stir the mixture until smooth again. Whisk in the vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, and flour. Slowly add to the wet ingredients* and stir until completely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full. Depending on how full you fill the muffin tins, you could get anywhere from 8-12 cupcakes. Bake in the prepared muffin tin for about 8-12 minutes (The less you bake them, the gooey-ier they are). Allow to cool completely before frosting and decorating with sprinkles.

Peanut Butter Frosting
(Makes enough to frost 10-12 cupcakes)

1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. powdered sugar
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. heavy cream

In large bowl, add the peanut butter, confectioners sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy and smooth. Slowly add the cream and beat on very high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Spread on cooled cupakes and top with sprinkles**.


NOTES:
*I added a bit, then stirred really well before adding a bit more. Continue until all is mixed together.
**Sprinkles are optional, but I used chocolate ones.
****You could easily use boxed brownie mix as a shortcut, but would need to adjust the frosting accordingly it only makes enough for 10-12 cupcakes.

Hot & Sour Soup

4 c. chicken stock or broth (or 4 c. water and 4 chicken bouillon cubes) = 2 (14.5oz) cans chicken broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. cooked shredded chicken or pork, or handful of large shrimp
1/2-1 tbsp. garlic chili sauce
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/2 c mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1/3 c. canned bamboo shoots, julienned
2 tsbp. cornstarch and 2 tbsp. cold water
1 egg, beaten
2 green onion stalks, sliced (including tops)
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
Carrots, thinly sliced (optional)
1/2 c. Fresh or Frozen Peas (optional)
Crush red pepper flakes (optional)

Bring chicken broth to simmer in 2qt saucepan. Add soy sauce, meat, and chili sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add white pepper, vinegar, bamboo shoots, carrots, cabbage, and peas. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sugar. Whisk together cornstarch with water in a cup until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and red pepper flakes to soup and stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes until soup is thickened. Beat egg in cup until yolk and white are combined. Pour beaten egg slowly in a fine stream into soup. Stir several times. Wait 30 seconds. Add green onion and sesame oil to soup. Stir well.


NOTES:
* I used 1/4 c. white vinegar and 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar and it tasted fine. (I have also used just white vinegar and it's fine, too.)
* I like having "stuff" in my soup, which is why I add the optional items.

Italian Casserole

2 cans (8oz ea) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (10.5 oz ea) cream of mushroom soup
2 c. shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
1 (16 oz) package of pasta -- any kind
1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cook pasta according to package directions in pot of boiling water.  At same time, add ground meat to large skillet.  Break into chunks and brown over medium heat.  Once the meat is cooked, drain fat from meat if there any.  Once pasta is cooked, drain water and place in 9x13 baking pan. To meat, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and cream soup.  You could add some shredded cheese to the mixture at this point.  Mix together and cook over medium-low heat until it begins to simmer then pour over the pasta.  Cover with shredded cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese on top is melted.  After removing from oven, let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.


NOTES:
•  I used ground turkey and made it into turkey sausage in the morning so the spices could work their way into the meat.  (3 tbsp. grated onion, 3 cloves finely chopped garlic, 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning, 1 tsp. fennel seeds, 1 tsp. crushed red pepper)

•  I didn't have 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup so I used 1 can cream of mushroom and 1 can cream of celery.  I also added some basil and oregano to the meat mixture.

•  I layered some meat sauce and cheese between two layers of pasta.  The top layer should be smothered in meat sauce and cheese.  I used about 3 c. of mozzarella cheese.

•  I baked this on my grill.  I have three burners -- I turned on one burner to the far side and it heated the grill to approximately 400 degrees.  I placed the casserole on the opposite end of the grill and grilled it for about 30 minutes until the cheese started to turn brown and bubbly.

Yummo!

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

½ c. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ c. dry bread crumbs
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ c. shredded Cheddar cheese
¼ tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin

Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and cook garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. In shallow dish, mix bread crumbs, cheeses, and seasonings. Dip each chicken breast in garlic butter to coat, then press into bread crumb mixture. Arrange chicken breasts in 9x13” baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

NOTES:
• I used margarine and minced garlic from a jar.
• I also used Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
• I only had ¼ c. Parmesan cheese so I used what I had.
• I also only baked 3 chicken breasts, but didn’t adjust the recipe. I forgot to pound them thin and they turned out just fine.
• The bread crumb mixture won’t stick to the chicken very well after dipping in butter so you’ll have to hold it on there until you put it in the baking dish.
• Since I only cooked 3 breasts, there was a lot of butter and bread crumb mix left over. I drizzled all the butter over the chicken and sprinkled with the bread crumbs. The bread crumbs will soak it all up.
• At the end of the baking time, I turned on the broiler for about 5 minutes (my baking dish was about 10” below the broiler) to give the chicken a nice golden color. The result is very moist chicken breasts with a tasty, crispy crust.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

½ lb. macaroni
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
1 stick of margarine or butter
1/3 pkg. Velveeta cheese
3 tbsp. dried parsley (optional)
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded Havarti cheese
½ c. milk or half and half
1 c. bread crumbs


Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare macaroni according to box directions. While macaroni is cooking, saute onion, garlic, and butter in a medium sauce pan until done. Add parsley, cheeses, and milk. Put half cooked macaroni in 9x13 baking dish. Add half the cheese mixture, then remaining macaroni. Pour remaining cheese mixture as top layer. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Soft Pretzels

4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/4 c. warm water (110F/45C)
5 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 c. baking soda
4 c. hot water
1/4 c. kosher salt, for topping

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7-8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours*.

Preheat oven to 400F (230C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12-16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope (at least 20-24" long – the dough will expand) and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in preheated oven (Use a higher rack to prevent burning the pretzel bottoms.) for 8 minutes, until browned.

Why is baking soda solution necessary? Old world Germans used to dip their brezels (pretzels) in a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) and water before baking. Lye is a very strong and caustic alkaline. Because most people aren't comfortable mixing lye and water to make pretzels, baking soda - a much weaker alkaline - is now used in most pretzel recipes. Once the pretzels begin baking, a 'Maillard reaction' occurs. This is a chemical reaction sort of like carmelization which allows the exterior crust to become a deep rich brown color. The reaction accelerates in an alkaline environment, which has been provided by the baking soda bath. The baking soda, and resulting reaction, is also responsible for the unique taste of a pretzel. Without the baking soda bath the pretzel exterior ends up pale/white, and taste more like bread. The baking soda step is paramount in making a pretzel a pretzel.

NOTES:
• Let dough rise in your oven, no heat, just turn on the oven light. This will provide a draft free, warm place for dough to double flawlessly. Also use a damp kitchen town instead of plastic wrap to cover bowl and you won't have a dry crust to your risen dough.

• When rolling out the dough, make them much thinner than you think (about the thickness of a finger, or a little less) because they puff up a lot.

• Bring the soda solution almost to a simmer and remove from heat. (I microwaved the mixture for about a minute and half) Soak the pretzels for about a minute, turning once. I did one pretzel at a time.

• Once baked, these freeze up really well. Just thaw and pop in the oven for a couple minutes for an awesome snack! Or, microwave fraozen pretzel for 30 seconds.

• These can be made using the dough hook on a mixer. Just add flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

• Brush with butter after they come out of the oven. It's what gives pretzels the shiny appearance and keeps them from becoming hard, like dough does after baking.

Chicken Enchiladas

I received several comments last week asking about the recipe for the Enchiladas I made. So, here ya go:

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (4oz.) can chopped mild chilies
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
1 (15oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
8 (10”) flour tortillas
1 (16oz) pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a sauce pan, poach chicken in chicken broth. Optional: Add seasonings of choice. Shred with two forks. Can be done ahead of time.

Saute onion and garlic with some olive oil. Add shredded chicken, sour cream, approximately 1 c. cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, 1 tbsp. chili powder, and green chilies.

Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Optional: Spread 1 tbsp. salsa over the mixture before rolling tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In medium bowl, mix enchilada sauce, tomato sauce 1 tbsp. chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Cover tortillas with sauce mix and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

***The rolled torillas can be rolled up and then frozen to be made at a different time. Just add enchilada mix and cheese, and bake. These are also very good re-heated as leftovers.

Creamy Potato Soup

I received several inquiries for the potato soup I made and showed in my last post. Rather than email it to everyone, I thought it'd be easier if I posted it here:

CREAMY POTATO SOUP

6 slices of bacon
1 c. chopped onion
6 c. potatoes, cubed
2 c. water
1 tsp. salt
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 soup cans of milk
2 tbsp. parsley

In saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Set bacon aside. Pour off all but 3 tbsp. bacon fat. Add onion and brown. Add potatoes and water. Cook covered 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Watch carefully so that water doesn't evaporate; add more water if necessary. Stir in salt, soup, and milk. Heat, but do not boil. Garnish with crumbled bacon and parsley. This is a hearty soup. For a thinner soup, add more milk or water. Serves 6.

NOTES: I use the above recipe as a guideline only. This last time, I didn't have bacon so I browned some ground turkey and used that instead. I also added a bay leaf, and more milk to make it the consistency I wanted (also to dilute the mushroom taste). I added garlic and pepper, too. Other times, I've used cream of celery soup or cream of chicken soup. You can also add fresh celery and carrots, but be sure to cook them with the potatoes before adding the other ingredients. I also tend to use more potatoes than what this recipe calls for. And I *always* sprinkle with shredded cheese. Yummy!

For those of you who'd like to try a crockpot version, I posted THIS recipe last year.

Marvelous Monday Update 10/20/08

Calling All Chocoholics!
Several weeks ago, Cynthia shared a recipe for chocolate cake in a mug. I tried the recipe as posted and it didn't take quite right to me, nor did it have the airy texture of cake. It was more like a heavier bread. So, I played around with the recipe until it was more to my liking. This is perfect for one, and could be a fun thing to do with kids.

CHOCOLATE CAKE IN A MUG

1 microwave-safe coffee mug
4 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
3 1/2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips (optional)

Add dry ingredients to mug; mix well with fork. Add egg; mix thoroughly. Add milk, oil, and vanilla; mix well. Optional: 3 Tbsp. of chocolate chips may be added at this point, but they sink to the bottom of the mug. Place mug in microwave and cook for 3 minutes on 1000 watts. Cake will rise above top of mug -- This is normal. Allow to cool a little; tip onto plate if desired. Enjoy!

NOTES:
• I tried it twice with chocolate chips and didn't like the results. The chips sink to the bottom of the cup and tasted like they were overcooked.
• I was thinking that some melted frosting drizzled over the top might be scrumptous, afterall... with all those calories, what's a few more?!

• Per Serving: 982 Calories (holy crap!); 62g Fat (53.5% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 106g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 218mg Cholesterol; 100mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 11 1/2 Fat; 5 Other Carbohydrates. 23.6 points on WW
• Cutting down to 1 T oil changes it to: 741 Calories; 34g Fat (39.1% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 106g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 218mg Cholesterol; 100mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat; 5 Other Carbohydrates. 16.45 points on WW.
• Substitutions 1/4 c. eggbeaters for egg; 1/4 c. applesauce for oil. Per Serving: 451 Calories; 7g Fat (13.8% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 93g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 113mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 4 Other Carbohydrates.


Dad Saves The Day!
A few weeks ago I had a "slight" problem measuring and cutting the doorsweep for my front door, resulting in major frustration on my part. Disgusted with myself, I left everything laying on the floor. My Dad came to visit me last weekend and being Mr. Fix-It/DIY (now you know where *I* get it from), he asked what I was "working on". I told him the whole sordid tale, upon which he said, "Well, will it fit the backdoor? They're usually smaller than the front door." Huh. We checked to see if the "too short" doorsweep would fit the backdoor. Sure enough, Dad was right. Dad's are SO smart, aren't they?

So this week, I put the sweeps against each door and drew lines with a black marker... rather than relying upon my measurement skills, as we all know how good I am at that... and drove to my parents' house to have Dad cut them with the proper tool, tin snips. It was a 2-minute job, but at least they don't look like the ends went through a shredder. Both sweeps are now installed and look pretty darn good!

I also bought and installed some of the white, inexpensive plastic/rubber doorsweeps for my French doors that lead to the four season room. Since the doors are white, they blend right in. Last winter, I noticed a lot of cold air came from that room. No trouble with those -- cut with scissors, peel and stick! Can't get much easier than that.


Worth The Investment
Seven years ago, I'd moved into an apartment where the landlords said they just had the carpets cleaned. Looking at the carpets, I didn't believe them and bought a Bissell ProHeat Steam Cleaner (II is on the market now). It did a marvelous job -- I had to go over the carpet at least 5 times before the water in the bucket was somewhat clean. To think the landlord *just* had the carpets cleaned. Uh huh.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I cleaned my living room carpet... the only area in my house that has carpet. Even though I cleaned it a year ago when I moved in, it (apparently) got quite dirty. I went over it 3 times with the deep cleaning solution, and then once with vinegar to deodorize. Since I had to carry it up from the basement, I figured I might as well clean my sofa too. I could definitely tell a difference after I was finished with both.

The Bissell ProHeat Steam Cleaner is one of the better carpet cleaning models on the market. Over the years, my parents and I have tried various consumer grade cleaners and they didn't do as good of a job and didn't hold up over time. One of the best features of this cleaner is this: It offers an onboard heater. The water stays hot and works to remove carpet soil. It's fairly easy to assemble, and not difficult to use. A 2-in-1 bladder/bucket is filled with water and a smaller container is filled with carpet cleaning solution -- this is also where I put white vinegar.

It's recommended that two or more passes will be needed to thoroughly remove all the soil and moisture. Dirty water is then collected in the bladder and when full must be dumped out. Thorough cleaning of very soiled carpets can greatly add to the anticipated time to clean a room, so be sure to set aside an hour or more to clean one moderately sized room.

The ProHeat also has an onboard attachment that can be used to clean stairs and upolstery. I haven't used it to clean stairs, but I have used it to clean my sofa several times. The attachment can also be used to apply Scotchguard to fabrics.

I used mine a couple times a year when I lived in my apartment where every room was carpeted. Since my current home only has one carpeted room, it doesn't take as long but I use it just as often. After having used it for 7 years, it still does a great job -- definitely a good investment.


Hangin' Up There
It's a good thing I decided to do this project because I found that the window behind my headboard was open about an inch. All of last winter, whenever the wind blew, I heard rattling outside my bedroom window. Unbeknownst to me at the time, it wasn't *outside* the house! I have double hung windows and the previous owner(s) had opened the top of the window about 3" and with the blinds pulled, I never knew it. So ALL winter, the window in my bedroom was open and the rattling I heard was actually the bottom of the blinds banging against the window sill. Since it was behind my headboard, I never saw it. No wonder it was so COLD in my room all the time! So *what* project am I referring to?

I spent several hours installing decorative rods and hanging drapes in my bedroom. For the past year, I've "lived" with the blue floral valances that came with the house. I unpacked the drapes and swags I had in my bedroom at the apartment -- since they've been in a box for a year, wrinkles galore permeated each and every piece. Out came the iron which made the job last even longer, but can't have wrinkled drapes, can we?

I debated about whether to expand the drapes behind the headboard to match the width of the headboard, or leave it centered over the window and wall (like it shows in the photo). Opinions?

I still need to paint the room to add a bit of color, but that's going to have to wait for another year.


Gardening
I finally took some time to pull out my vegetable garden. All that's left is an empty plot covered with mulched leaves. Next year, I am investing in a mini-cultivator rather than turning the soil with a shovel. My planters still look pretty good. I'm amazed at how HUGE they've gotten!

July 2008
October 2008


Stitchy Stuff
Not much stitching this past week. I have two ornies sitting on my diningroom table waiting to be finished into actual ornaments. One is for me, one is for an exchange.

Bacon Stuffed Tomatoes

Sharon in FL asked if I would share the recipe, so here goes:


BACON STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES

2 pints cherry tomatoes
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
16oz. pkg. bacon, crisply cooked, drained, and crumbled


Cut the top off each cherry tomato, and using a melon baller or a sharp knife, carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place each tomato upside down on paper towel to drain. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Stuff each cherry tomato with the bacon mixture. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours to blend flavors. To serve, I like to line the serving tray with parsley to keep the little tomatoes from rolling around. It's very pretty too. Serves 8

NOTES:
• I substituted Miracle Whip for mayonaise.
• I also substituted packaged shredded Parmesan/Asiano cheese for the freshly shredded. I crumbled it into smaller pieces with my hands.
• You'll want to use the larger cherry tomatoes and the smaller end of the melon baller. Trust me... I ruined a few tomatoes through trial and error. LOL

The photo is the one that came with the recipe. Mine looked neater than those. LOL The recipe really doesn't make a lot so if you're having a big crowd, you may want to double it. You could probably make these the night before. I made them about 5 hours ahead of time, and stacked them in tiers on a plate.

For a vegetarian version of this recipe, try substituting cashews or diced avocado for the bacon.

Pork Steak Dinner

This was a fly-by-the-seat of my pants dinner. Since Sherry asked for the recipe, I thought I’d share with everyone what I did.


Pork Steak
I’d rather cook my pork steaks on the grill than on the stove. But since weather has been iffy lately and I had a craving for pork steak, I did it in a pan.

All I did was put a little olive oil in a frying pan, seasoned the pork steak on both sides with seasoning. Each time, I grab something different. Time I used a combo made for chicken and pork. It has pepper, mustard seed, red & green bell pepper pieces, onion, sea salt & garlic in it. I cooked it on medium heat around 7-10 minutes on each side, turning once. I don’t like to cook it too long, otherwise it gets dry. (Yes, I know pork has to be cooked really well.) If it’s a little pink after that time, I’ll put it in the microwave for a minute or so. Through trial and error, I’ve found this way it doesn’t get dry and tough.


Basil Carrots
Peel, cut up and put in a glass bowl with a tiny bit of water. Sprinkle with basil. Sometimes, I add a couple of pats of butter/margarine (I was out this time). Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening for steam venting. Microwave about 5 minutes. I’m careful not to microwave my vegetables too long because I like don’t like them mushy and they tend to lose flavor if cooked too long. Sometimes, I’ll do the carrots in a frying pan on the stove with olive oil and/or butter, throwing in garlic and fresh spinach. Yum!


Carmelized Onions
I used the same pan I cooked the steak in (no need to wash it, first). I peeled and sliced up 3 small onions and sautéed them with a little olive oil until they were softened but not overcooked. This is my preference, some people like them really soft.

The entire meal didn’t take long and it was easy.

Upon closing this post, I'm going to show what my spice cabinet looks like:

Taco Skillet

Hungry?
I tried another new recipe tonight. Taco Skillet. It was really easy and really fast. What do you think?

Kinda looks like Hamburger Helper...LOL (but without all the preservatives) Sorry about the messy stove. What can I say... I'm a messy cook.

Taco Skillet
1 lb. ground beef, browned & drained
1 onion, chopped fine
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1/3 c. water
1 c. salsa
1 c. frozen corn, no need to thaw
6 flour tortillas, cut into 1" pieces
2 c. Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, divided

Reserve 1/2 cheese for topping. Mix everything else in your skillet. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir again and top with cheese. Cover and cook 2 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Easy Peasy! Rarely do I make anything that's "involved". Fast, easy, and tasty. That's my motto!

Now that I read over the recipe more carefully, I see I screwed up. LOL I didn't mix in half the cheese, I just put it all on top. And oops.. I forgot to add the water.

Here's what else I did: I used ground turkey instead of beef and added chorizo (because I had it on hand). I roughly chopped the onion. Kitchen shears work well for cutting up the tortillas. No need to be neat, you can't tell when it's all mixed together. I also added dried "green stuff" oO(What's the name of it?). Oh yes... Cilantro!

It makes a lot. I'll be eating Taco Skillet for the rest of the week. Anyone care to join me?

Mini Elephant Ears

It's county fair time, and what's one of the things you find at the fair? Huge as a paper plate, Elephant Ears!!

I have my own version in the miniature size...



MINI ELEPHANT EARS

White dinner roll dough (10 rolls)
Cooking oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. butter (melted)

Thaw dough at room temperature for 2 hours. Heat oil in electric skillet to 375°F. Combine sugar & cinnamon; set aside. Flatten each piece of dough into a very flat ear shape. Fry, a few at a time for approximately 1 minute per side until browned. Drain on paper towels. Brush each side with butter & sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar.

Enjoy!

Easy Peach Cobbler

EASY PEACH COBBLER

18.5 oz yellow cake mix with pudding
½ c. butter, melted
29 oz. can sliced peaches with juice
Cinnamon to taste

Empty cake mix into mixing bowl. Pour butter over mix and stir until texture is crumbly; set aside. Place peaches with juice in a greased 9x13” baking pan. Sprinkle with cake mixture, then with cinnamon. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly. Makes 10-12 servings.

Notes: I used 1½ cans of peaches, with one can of juice. One can of peaches just didn’t seem like enough to me. I also baked it for 40 minutes, the last 5-8 minutes under the broiler to make the top a bit more brown. Watch closely under the broiler.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Munchies

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MUNCHIES

1½ c. flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ c. butter, softened*
½ c. plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
½ c. packed brown sugar
¾ c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
¾ c. powdered sugar

In medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa, and baking soda; set aside. In large mixing bowl combine butter, ½ c. sugar, brown sugar, and ¼ c. peanut butter; beat with mixer until combined. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can with mixer. Using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.* Shape dough into 32 balls, each about 1¼” in diameter.* Set aside.

For filling, combine powdered sugar and remaining ½ c. peanut butter in bowl. With mixer, beat until smooth; knead by hand if necessary. Shape into 32 balls.

Preheat oven to 350F. On work surface, flatten a chocolate dough ball; top with peanut butter ball.* Shape flattened dough over peanut butter ball, completely covering peanut butter ball; reshape into ball. Repeat with remaining balls.

Place balls 2” apart on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in the 2 tbsp. of sugar.* Bake about 8 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Transfer to racks to cool. Makes 32 cookies.


*NOTES:
-- I used margarine instead of butter. This may explain why I didn’t need to use a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining flour mixture. The dough was quite soft and moist.
-- I made my chocolate balls 2” in diameter and ended up with about 18 balls, so I split the peanut butter filling into 18 balls.
-- Since the dough was soft and moist, I sprinkled a tiny bit of flour on the work surface and my hands to prevent the chocolate balls from sticking while I patted them gently to flatten. I flattened them to about ¼” thick.
-- It helps to lightly moisten the bottom of the glass before dipping it into the sugar the first time. I flattened the balls to about ½” thick.
-- I ended up baking the cookies for 11 minutes and cooling on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a rack for cooling. I tried 8 minutes/1 minute and the first cookie I tried to move to a rack fell apart. Longer baking helped.

Tuesday Update 4/24/07

Movie Monday
Missing in America
I thought this was an excellent movie with a sad ending. I actually got teary-eyed! Danny Glover plays a Vietnam veteran named Jake who lives in exile in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. His only contact with civilization is through the owner of a small store, who periodically supplies his provisions. He helps other lonely veterans that live in the forest giving them part of his supplies and receiving wood in return. He’s visited by a former private of his platoon who has lung cancer and is asked to raise his Vietnamese daughter. After Jake says no, the private leaves his daughter and vanishes. After spending time with the girl, his behavior and attitude changes for the better, until a tragedy happens.


School
I submitted my power point presentation for my meteorology class a week early so I could benefit from the instructors comments, and make changes before the actual due date. Students were given this opportunity only if they submitted it by the 15th. I should know in the next week or so what I got for a grade. I was THRILLED to find out that I got 100% on my quiz last week. My last quiz is next week. I’m holding steady at 91% for the class. *crossing my fingers* On Thursday, I go to pick up my cap and gown. Woo Hoo!


Stitching
I really haven’t done much stitching lately. I finished stitching the name tag for a retreat I’m going to in June. I still need to make it into a little purse. Dual purpose! I figure I can put my ID, room key and a little money in there, rather than carry around my purse.


Get Fit Celebration Dinner
As you may know, the Get Fit Challenge ended last week. Our team captain invited the entire team to her house for a celebration dinner. She proudly told us that we were the first dinner guests they’ve had other than family, since moving to their home 3 years ago, and was very excited to have us. Dinner was excellent!! I took S as my dinner guest, as well as his 2yr old son. Being from a large family and having lots of grandkids, my team captain was prepared for “little ones” with the entire basement made into a kid-friendly area complete with toys, videos, etc. For the celebration, we each brought a dish to pass. I made Taco Dip from a recipe I found online. It was very healthy and tasty!


TACO DIP

2 (16 oz) cans vegetarian refried beans
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning mix
¾ - 1 c. salsa
1/2 head iceberg lettuce - rinsed, dried, and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3/4 c. chopped black olives
8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese

Place the beans in the bottom of one 9x13 inch clear glass dish. In a medium bowl combine the sour cream with the taco seasoning. Spread mixture over the beans. Spread the salsa over the top of the sour cream. Top the sour cream with a layer of lettuce, tomatoes, onions and olives. Sprinkle cheese over the top and serve.

Notes: I did change the recipe some. I didn’t really measure out the salsa. I just used a tablespoon and dropped in over the sour cream mix. Then I evenly spread it out. I used only one large tomato, a small can (4 oz. I think) of sliced black olives, and maybe 4 oz. of cheese. I sprinkled it on til it looked good. LOL


Women of Excellence Dinner
Tonight, I’m attending a charity dinner that benefits the domestic violence program for my county. It’s the major fundraiser for the program. Each year, my firm purchases tickets for the women in my office who would like to attend. The evening is filled with entertainment, an awards ceremony that honors women who make a difference in our community, and a delicious meal. Before dinner, there’s also a social hour as well as a champagne sponsor reception. It should be an enjoyable evening!