Merry Christmas

A new version of The Twelve Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser ...may be my new favorite.

A Christmas gift to you!

Tuna Potato Chip Casserole

I love cookbooks.  My favorite cookbooks are the school, church or family favorites bound with a spiral coil.  How can you go wrong, each cook and family proudly attach their family name in the little cookbooks...

 I grew up with a Mom that loved all the wacky family recipe cookbooks also.  After many years making this family recipe it no longer felt wacky and I embraced it whole heartily.  Allow me to introduce you to:

Tuna Potato Chip Casserole

1 can tuna fish (drained)

1 can of sweet peas(drained)

1 bag of potato chips crushed (regular or ripple)save some for topping

1 can of cream of mushroom

Mix all ingredients together and put in greased casserole dish.  Top with reserved crushed potato chips.  Bake @350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Embrace the wackiness, you will be glad you did.

I usually serve with a salad, my effort to add healthy side dish!



Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Today I am giving a "makeover" to the family favorite macaroni and cheese. Replacing elbow macaroni with fresh cauliflower is a delicious alternative!

Melt a 1/4 cup butter in sauce pan.  Add 1/4 cup flour to melted butter and whisk to blend.
Add 2 cups milk and continue to whisk as sauce simmers.
Add shredded cheddar and 2 ounces cream cheese.  Whisk until smooth and blended.  Remove from heat.
Add fresh cauliflower to sauce.  Put into greased casserole dish and add Ritz butter cracker crumbs to top of casserole.  Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes or until cauliflower is soft and tender.
Yummy!

Good Morning Fall

Good Morning Fall
Click and Print

Alfredo Linguine with Tomatoes and Spinach

Alfredo Linguine warms me from the inside out, on a days when the chill of fall and early winter make their appearance.  Toss some fresh cherry tomatoes and baby spinach in the mix, creamy heaven on a plate!  This recipe is soooo simple and one of the best alfredo linguine sauce's I have eaten!

 Start by dipping 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half and dipped in sugar.

Clean and dry a bunch of 1 cup baby spinach.

Saute the tomatoes, spinach and 2 teaspoons minced garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil.  Boil water for  linguine and place noodles in boiling water until tender.  Drain and rinse linguine.  Set tomato and spinach mix to the side.
In sauce pan combine over medium heat:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
Stir over medium heat until cheese is melted and blended together.  Sauce will thicken.  Add the tomato/spinach mixture to Alfredo sauce.  Stir in linguine.  Serves 3-4.

Warms me to my toes...

Season's Screamings!

'Tis the season for goblins, ghosts and screams...

Free printable.
Postcards can be printed when I size the printable to the size of a card or postcard for all the tricksters  on my snail mail list.  Kids love getting snail mail : )

Just click and print!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Mmm...Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is the perfect snack.   This "recipe" is quick and easy.  Don't judge my lack of fresh from the garden, stove top roasted peppers...the jar is a perfect solution when I need roasted peppers now : )

Into the bullet blender with a can of drained chic peas, roasted red peppers, one clove of fresh garlic and blend until smooth.  Dash of pepper and salt before serving.

Simply Delicious.

Carpe Noctem

It is almost time to Carpe Noctem.  I think this will be our house  t-shirt costume for Halloween this year.  I made it as a sign for my Halloween decor, but now I see t-shirts for the trick or treat night of fun.

Seize the Night-Carpe Noctem

The Moonlight Factory motto, Carpe Noctem, fits well with Halloween, don't you think?

Santa Claus finds it suited to his night of work also : )

Amazing Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread?  If this combo is wrong, I don't want to be right...a summer slice of heaven with a cold glass of milk.  This Amazing Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread is a huge hit with everyone!  It is a very moist bread and it does not dry out waiting to be devoured.  

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
In a large mixing bowl cream together: 
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
2-1/4 cup sugar
Add to the mixture:
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups zucchini (squeeze out water)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1small box of instant chocolate pudding
3 cups flour
Stir into mixture:
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pour batter in to 2 loaf pans that have been spray greased.  Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Mmmm....

Sunset over Lake Ontario

Ohhh No... sneaky Fall is showing her colors...

Hello Fall.  We weren't expecting you...

Oh my, sneaky Fall is showing her colors in my back yard already....

Fried Green Beans

Fried Green Beans.  Fresh from the garden, it almost sounds wrong to fry a fresh green bean, doesn't it?  The garden is in full production mode and I have green beans for miles.  Besides many sides of fresh green beans with dinner, freeze batches for winter months, it is time for some good ol' southern Fried Green Beans.

Start with clean, ends cut off and blanch green beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.  Stop cooking process with cold water bath and drain  Step up three breading plates..

 First plate is 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.  Mix all ingredients together.

Second bowl is 2 eggs with 1 cup heavy cream whipped together with a fork.

Last plate is seasoned bread crumbs.

Dredge green beans through flour mixture on plate one.

Dip floured green bean into egg wash in bowl two.

Dredge green beans through seasoned bread crumbs on plate three.

Fry in canola oil heated to 320 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels and serve.

If Fried Green Beans is wrong, I don't want to be right...

Blueberry Muffins

Summer sunshine combined with fresh from the oven blueberry muffins spread with butter and a cup of coffee started the day for us.  The early morning aroma of baking blueberry muffins is summer in a muffin tin!

Ingredients:

*preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

In mixing bowl sift together:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

In second mixing bowl mix together:

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup milk

add in 1/4 cup melted butter (cooled)

Add wet mix ingredients to dry mix ingredients and combine  all ingredients.  Do not oven mix.

Fold gently in 1 and 1/2 cups clean blueberries

drop a few blueberries in each cupcake liner and fill with batter 3/4 full.

Bake @ 400 degrees Fahrenheit 18-20 minutes until done.

I made 12 muffins and one small loaf.

A perfect size to share with a friend....



Happy Birthday USA!

Thanks for this heart felt rendition of Star Spangled Banner Carrie Underwood!

Caramelized Potatoes

Caramelized Potatoes are one of those sides that when served with the "right" entree will hit a home run every time with your guests!  Tonight's batch of Caramelized Potatoes accompanied thick cut pork chops from the grill.  Yum-a-licious!  This side dish has been around and adapted for many years for our family, happy to see it making a Pinterest showing : )

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked (do not peel), cooled and sliced potatoes.

2 -3 Tablespoons butter

1 Vidalia Onion  peeled and sliced thin

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter until translucent.  Add potatoes, brown sugar, rosemary, salt and pepper and continue to saute until potatoes are caramel coated and brown.

Serve warm.

*Sometimes I add to this base.  Bacon crumbles, chopped apple, sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled and sliced).

Welcome Home Brody and Bailey

A happy and tail wagging welcome home to our new fur family members, Brody and Bailey, our seven week old Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Manicotti Easy as 1, 2, 3 !

Manicotti made easy as 1,2,3!  I have been told by a few friends they avoid making Manicotti because it is somewhat tedious and messy to stuff the Manicotti shells. Let's see if we can make it easier...I start with my sauce simmering and ready to go.  My sauce is one large jar of my fresh canned tomatoes pureed, a combination of ground chuck and Italian sausage browned, spices.  Everyone has a favorite sauce, use yours.

You will need the following
Ingredients for Filling Manicotti pasta:

15 oz. Ricotta

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

4 oz. mozzarella cheese (you will need 8 oz. total)

4 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

garlic powder

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Other ingredients:

sauce 

1 package uncooked Manicotti pasta

fresh mushrooms

4 oz mozzarella cheese

a couple of leaves of basil or sprigs of parsley for top chopped finely

Mix all filling ingredients together.

Put ricotta mixture in zip lock back and snip corner of bag.

Put a layer of sauce down into your spray oiled baking dish.  Fill each uncooked manicotti shell with your filling in zip lock.  The pasta is much easier to fill if it is uncooked.

After filling my manicotti pasta and arranging in a layer into dish, I cover with fresh sliced mushrooms.

Cover with remaining meat sauce.

Top with 4 oz. mozzarella cheese and fresh basil or parsley.

Cover with foil and bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

Comfort food...

and Manicotti easy as 1,2,3 !

I think I may be back for seconds : )

Mmm... Biscuits

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 egg

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and butter until crumbly. Mix in milk, egg and water to make dough workable.  Roll the dough onto a floured surface to a thickness of about 1 1/2  to 2 inches thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter or a 2 inch round glass. Bake on a greased baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 12-15 biscuits

Place one (okay, two) on your plate, slather with honey and butter and enjoy : )