Kitchen Bug Bit Me 5-19-2019

Thoughts and Quotes: Always find time for the things which make you happy. Me

This week cooking made me happy. I've been going through cookbooks, dreaming of all the wonderful things I'm going to make (which is more fun than actually making them); promising myself that I'll get rid of some of the hundreds of cookbooks, but finding it impossible to part with them.

Tasting: Some of the dreams became reality this week; some keepers, some discards. Here are some discards.

Orange-Cheese Molded Salad

Cherry-Pecan Bread (dry)

I see recipes for Overnight French Toast all the time, and think, "Someday I need to try that". I did. Ugh! It was Blueberry Stuffed French Toast and sounded wonderful with all that cream cheese and blueberries. Not so much - too eggy. Trying to think of a way to salvage it. I was supposed to make a blueberry sauce to serve over it, but just used butter and maple syrup to try it. Glad I didn't waste more of these lovely blueberries.

I also made a chicken casserole even the cats wouldn't eat until I washed off the cheese, sauce, and stuffing.

And some keepers:

BLUEBERRY COBBLER

Filling:

1 stick butter, melted

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

2 Tbs lemon juice

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup water

Crust:

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar (optional for topping)

Heat oven to 350°.

Combine filling ingredients and spread in a 9” X 13” baking dish.

Mix crust ingredients and pour over. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

Bake 45-50 minutes.

LIBRARY SOUP’S COUSIN

1 lb lean hamburger

1 medium onion, chopped

1 15 oz can pinto beans, do not drain

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 15 oz cans white hominy, drained

1 15 oz can corn, drained

2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes, do not drain

1 can tomato soup

1 soup can water

1 pkg taco seasoning mix

1 pkg ranch dressing mix

1-2 tsps ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the hamburger and onion in a Dutch oven.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes.

Good with tortilla chips or corn chips. Can top with grated cheese or sour cream.

Makes a lot, but freezes well.

FROZEN INSTANT PIE

1 chocolate crumb pie crust

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk (divided)

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 8-oz carton Cool Whip, thawed

Whipping cream, shaved chocolate, nuts, maraschino cherries for garnish

Melt chocolate chips with 1/4 cup milk in double boiler or microwave, stirring until smooth.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with the other 1/4 cup milk.

Gradually beat the chocolate mix into the cream cheese mix.

Fold in Cool Whip.

Pour into crust. Freeze 4-6 hours minimum. Can freeze up to 3 months.

Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish as desired.

Note: Try it also with a graham cracker crust and butterscotch chips; chocolate crust and mint chips; or chocolate crust and caramel chips.

I'd never used one of these chocolate crusts before. They seemed too little, but with this pie, you want only a small slice. They come with a clear plastic to protect the crust. I used one made by Oreo.

After you make the pie, you can flip the plastic over and it's a lid. A perfect dessert to have on hand for unexpected guests, assuming you can refrain from eating it yourself. I've already cheated. This is good. 

SUMMER CORN SALAD 2

2 15-oz cans whole kernel corn, drained

3/4 cup diced cucumber, don’t peel (English is best)

1/4 cup diced onion

10 grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp prepared mustard

1 tsp salt

Combine corn and vegetables in medium mixing bowl.

Mix balance of ingredients and add, mixing well.

Chill thoroughly.

Serve on lettuce leaf.

Then I realized that I've never posted Summer Corn Salad 1. They're both good.

SUMMER CORN SALAD 1

1 15-oz can whole kernel white corn, drained

1 15-oz can whole kernel yellow corn, drained

8 oz shredded Cheddar cheese

6 green onions, thinly sliced

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 9-oz package chili-cheese corn chips

Mix everything but the chips together in a big bowl.

Chill thoroughly.

Just before serving, crush the corn chips slightly and stir into the salad OR, serve separately as topping.

I made Cantaloupe Soup this week, which is not a new recipe; however, I realized that I'd never posted it, and this is so yummy for summer. It's like drinking your dessert. It's a sweet soup, like Strawberry Soup. 

CANTALOUPE SOUP

1 medium cantaloupe

1 6 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate

2 juice cans water (1-1/2 cups)

1 Tbs fresh lime juice (don’t cheat and use the plastic squeeze thing)

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream

Cut cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds.

Scoop flesh into blender and add all but the cream.

Pulse at first and then puree.  Blender will be full, so easy does it.

Add cream and blend on high, working up from pulse.

Serve chilled.

Cantaloupes vary, so taste your soup; you might want to add additional sugar and/or cream. 

Tasting: Linda and I went to the Senior Center for Parmesan Crusted Baked Fish. We both liked it, were puzzled by the tartar sauce (sort of a combination tartar sauce and Thousand Island dressing), thought the mac and cheese and Cole slaw were okay, but the dessert - not so much.

I saw what I thought was an unusual wall hanging in the kitchen, which turned out to be a magnet mounted on the wall for knife storage.

I liked my visit. We said the pledge to the flag and had a blessing before lunch, which is a rare experience these days. And seniors are just nice people; friendly and welcoming. 

Then today, Brother Bill and I had a real pig-out day. Pork Steak for lunch with those good homemade rolls at Cedars.

We shoppped all day and had Mexican food for dinner at Cielito Lindo.

And some days you just need a blueberry muffin or two for breakfast. Besides I needed to use the rest of the mix from one of my care packages from My Special Girls Up North.

Things that Grow: My peonies are later than some, but finally started blooming this week. My very first one; I just had to bring it in the house so I could admire it. Peonies and bulb flowers are always so perfect. 

Saturday it looked like this. I moved it and the white one last year because they were blocking the sprinklers, and I think I stunted their growth.

Not this one, though. Not a very good photo because I took it through the window screen.

Don't you just love peonies?

The peach rose (is this an oxymoron?) outside my peach bedroom window is blooming, photo bombed by Flower.

I think he wanted me to take his photo, because he posed for me.

Of course, Stormy always hams it up for the camera.

 And here she is, talking to the birds who are eating the cat food on the outdoor patio.

A new member of the janitorial staff.

Things That Grow in the Garden: I have icicle radishes

Lettuce

Corn Salad

And Baby Caesar

Tidbits: I went out front on Friday and it was early dusk; solar lights weren't on yet. I was surprised to see a daytime moon this bright - maybe because it was overcast?

And we've been having unbelievable sunsets.

And the aliens are leaving coded messages on my fence again.

Tidying: Joey and I are going to try the discard an item each day method of decluttering starting tomorrow. My goal is to work in the yard and deep clean the kitchen. The daffodils are almost ready to be cut back. Maybe finally get to the Cinco de Mayo dinner. And from now on, trying new recipes will be DIET recipes. Anything sweet must go immediately into the freezer. The one in the garage. And no cheating. I can't quit altogether because that pie is so good, I want to try it with mint chocolate chips in chocolate crust; peanut butter chips in chocolate crust; and butterscotch chips in a graham cracker crust. And I have bananas which are ready to use or pitch. 

So that's my week. We'll talk again later.

SPLURGE ON A NEW FLOWERING BUSH

OR A NEW BLUE TOP (I GOT ONE TODAY AND WILL SHOW YOU NEXT WEEK)

KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEEDS-THEY TAKE OVER IN A HURRY

ENJOY THE SUNSHINE

TIME FOR ICED TEA OR COFFEE

GET OUT YOUR WHITE PANTS

BUY A NEW BATHING SUIT

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE