She's Cooked Her Goose

It is easy to do.  One little slip of the tongue to a touchy person looking for a big pay out and Food Network TV runs like the devil is after them. Hamming it up on three TV shows making them millions was evidently not enough for Smithfield either and they ran.  No amount of 'I'm sorry' is ever enough now days. We build people up and tear them down even faster. It happens time after time.  Luckily she can go away and lick her wounds with plenty of money to live on for the rest of her life.  She over came one obstacle after another and worked as hard as she could and earned her money the hard way. Now allow me to say I could not watch her because the y'alls (or however it's said) and the over acting drove me crazy, but she could cook and she was a worker and she was a happy woman.  If the manager of her restaurant was unhappy, then, as Judge Judy says: MOVE, don't eat the steak and then say I didn't like it, so I'm not paying for it. This is not the first time Food Network TV has run and not backed its people. They are getting too big for their britches. Now that nearly every recipe can be found on the Internet, I think their time is limited any way.

Why is it these disgusting songs about women and what needs to be done to them to keep them in line isn't an issue?  Why can some say certain words and others (with money usually) can't? We have become so thin-skinned it's a wonder anyone gets on TV or gives an interview any more.  My advice to her is to take her money, keep her mouth shut, move, and enjoy the rest of her short life.  She's no spring chicken...oops, am I allowed to say that?

My many machines~

Hilton Head is a few days away and we are loading the car with many machines: the pie machine which Joe F. will hopefully man again, the ice cream machine which will be a new experience for the crew and the good old crock pot. I also have a whole ham (which cannot be bought in Hilton Head for some reason--they look as us like we are aliens when we ask for an entire ham...so we are taking our own.) Also, three rack of baby back ribs, ham and bean soup, and several rolls of zesty Bob Evans sausage. Joe and Glenda come on Thursday and we leave Friday.  The dogs are already hating the suitcases and walk around them growling. I am actually considering taking the quesadilla machine which makes fast and delicious starters...somebody stop me.

For twenty-eight years we have been trying to name this home.  It was important to get just the right name, not too ostentatious, not too common, not at all fussy. Nothing seemed quite right until this morning. I was reading Cook's Corner, which also has nothing to do with the name, when welcome to Many Branches popped into my mind and I thought, that's it! Where it came from is way beyond me, but there it was and now here it is.  We have many trees and many branches of family members living in this multi-generational home and it just seemed right. Now I am a happy woman.

Andy's favorite...Stromboli

The men in this family are wild about Stromboli and I am determined to conquer this simple dish that costs a lot of money from some of the Columbus restaurants. Today is Father's Day, so I am on the hunt for good Stromboli recipes and find that actually you can put anything in this roll of dough (even beans) and suddenly it becomes Stromboli.  My first attempt today was very good, but ugly.  I used thin crust pizza dough and now I am about to try it again with thick crust pizza dough--no need to make your own.  I use what comes in a tube. Simply spread the dough on parchment or what ever you use so it does not stick and slather on: sauce, a variety of meat, fresh herbs, mushrooms(not for Andy), loads of cheese, roll it up brush it with whipped egg, and stick it in the oven on high--400 or so degrees. It's really pizza in a roll. It's getting the roll to look professional that is the problem for me. Maybe I'll try individual ones.  Maybe I'll be less generous with the filling; mine was way too full.

Father's Day evening eight of us went to a speciality ice cream shop for a treat.  Poor Andy, the father, paid the bill. Have you been to one of those stingy shops? I tried not to look at the price, but I THINK my one tiny dip in a plain cone cost $4.50. I'll check, but I think we've been held up and fleeced. I didn't ask what the bill was, but I am pretty sure I could have served a nice dinner to all eight for the price he paid. The ice cream was delicious, what there was of it, but do you all remember the 5 cent a dip cones that slopped over the sides and had to be licked quickly to catch all of the goodness? Two dips sent one into a sugar coma due to its generous size. Well, those days are over, let me tell you.

I am going to break out my ice cream machine when we get back from Hilton Head.  I'll gather recipes on the Internet and we will have an ice cream social on the 4th of July.

I saw David Lebovitz's Carmel candy recipe from Paris. The salty sweet Carmels will be on my agenda too, as soon as I buy a candy thermometer.(This picture and the recipe belong to David Lebovitz)

Salted Butter Caramels
40-50 candies
Because many people are leery of corn syrup, you can use Golden or rice syrup in this recipe in its place. (For those into agave nectar, I haven’t tried it, but suspect it may not have the right sugar density for candy making.) If using one of these darker syrups, you’ll need to be a bit vigilant and stir it as it’s cooking, since it can cook quickly in certain spots of the pan. Your finished caramels will also be darker, too.
I use salted butter. Traditional wisdom was to only use unsalted butter in baking so you could control the amount of salt. But I like the slightly funky taste of salted butter, and if you can find one that’s cultured, the flavor is incomparable. If you only have unsalted butter, just add a few extra flecks of salt to the cream.

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, bean paste, or powder
• rounded 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, preferably fleur de sel
• 1/2 cup (160 g) light corn syrup, golden syrup (such as Lyle's) or rice syrup*
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 4 tablespoons (60 g), total, salted butter, cubed, at room temperature

1. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pan with foil and spray the inside with cooking spray.
2. Heat the cream with 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan with the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt until the mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm while you cook the syrup.
3. In a medium, heavy duty saucepan (4 quarts, 4l), fitted with a candy thermometer, heat the corn syrup, golden, or rice syrup with the sugar, and cook, stirring gently, to make sure the sugar melts smoothly. Once the mixture is melted together and the sugar is evenly moistened, only stir is as necessary to keep it from getting any hot spots.
4. Cook until the syrup reaches 310ºF (155ºC).
To get an accurate reading while the syrup is cooking, tilt the saucepan to make sure the bulb of the thermometer is fully submerged in the syrup, tilting the pan if necessary.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the warm cream mixture, until smooth.
5. Turn the heat back on and cook the mixture to 260F (127C).
6. Remove the pan from the heat, lift out the thermometer, and stir in the cubes of butter, until it’s melted and the mixture smooth.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and wait ten minutes, then sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt over the top. Set on a cool rack and let cool completely. Once cool, lift out the foil with the caramel, peel away the foil, and slice the bar of caramel with a long, sharp knife into squares or rectangles.
Storage: These caramels can be individually-wrapped in cellophane or waxed paper. Once cut, they may stick together if not wrapped. Store in an air-tight container, and they’ll keep for about one month.
*The rice syrup I use is from the Asian market I shop at, found in the Korean foods aisle. I don’t know how it compares to rice syrup sold in natural food’s stores, but if anyone knows, you are welcome to leave that information in the comments.

 

 

Baby Shower from the family~

Jimmy Lechler, Andy's brother, and his wife, Sally, put on a very nice family shower to honor BJ and Andrea who are expecting identical twins in a few months.  Jimmy will be grandfather to two sets of identical twins.  Andy and I drove down to Cincinnati early this morning and stayed all day visiting first with Joe and Glenda and then on to Jim's.  Sally had prepared lovely dishes for everyone to enjoy and I put down a fork often enough to get these pictures of the festivities.  Andrea and BJ leave for home, in California, tomorrow.  They looked fine and seemed very happy together.

I know the family will enjoy these shots seeing Andrea for the first time. (Other readers, please excuse us.)

The mother to be (of twins.)

Kathy and BJ

Joe, Andy and George.

BJ the father to be.

The proud grandfather.

Frozen Grapes

Victoria Beckham eats frozen grapes for a quick hunger fix.  I could not imagine frozen grapes until a son came home with a load of grapes and no idea what to do with that many.  I remember reading about the frozen fruit and plucked every grape from the many stems and placed them on a shallow baking sheet and frozen them.  Now it is a favorite thing.  Use them in drinks instead of ice cubes, pop them when you are on a diet, or just for a cool refreshing no trouble snack. Also, pop them in a glass of wine to keep the chill on.

                            

Dip the berry in yogurt and freeze for a lovely snack.

 

 

Frozen grapes, a delightful snack.

 

I freeze them in a single layer and then pop them in a plastic bag.  We love them.

 

 

                                                   

Miss Manners

I like Miss Manners, Judith Martin, very much.  I don't know her personally, but her wit and advice every Saturday (Columbus Dispatch) in papers across America is spot on. She'll cut you down to size so if you write to her for advice you had better be prepared.  I bought her book, Guide to Rearing Perfect Children, several years ago and even with her expert written advice I fell way short in that category.  She has put out at least ten other books, according to Amazon.  I'd like to buy them to entertain myself.  The sage wit that she instills in her writing is refreshing. (Living with it day to day might get a tad annoying, however.)

The new trend in real estate, at least for Columbus, is downtown (expensive) condos and multi-generational homes. Luckily we are in the latter category.  I think this is a wonderful new-old concept and it is really cost effective. There is always something going on,  there is privacy when it's desired, company when it's wanted, helpers to keep the place nice, family to help the aged, sage advice for the young (lol), and family stability in these trying times. We have been on the cutting edge of this concept for some time and we find it works.

We have forsaken the traditional taco shell for the bowl.  Tuesday's Kids got a taste of this concept this week and it was voted most delicious. Actually the Fritos impart much more flavor than the fragile shells and it is a treat to layer what ever suits you in this flavorful mix.  Today tree trimmers are all over the property like monkeys--yes, the same company that once drove into our septic tank with their cherry picker.  But, we are still friends and loyal to a great company, Davey Tree.  They have been back several times since the great event. Anyway, it is a good day for tacos and that is what we are having.

Monday (again)

This day is a perfect day for me.  There is a gentle, steady rain falling, yet the back door is open and the dogs are resting in the open area.  It is very quiet and it is a perfect day for the last beef stew of the season. I could enjoy beef stew (with lots of wine within) any day of any season, but other people don't feel the same way.  They will have to suffer through it today, however. (It is Andy's least favorite meal for some strange reason.) Speaking of Andy, he is retiring (or semi-retiring...again.)They are having a retirement party for him and want me to come. I have been to many retirement parties for Andy and  believe me he has had more than his share of send- offs to retirement oblivion. However, they keep luring him back and he keeps going back. This time he says he is going to sign up to go to classes at The Ohio State, taking what ever he wishes which costs seniors nothing, not a cent. He will still do some work for the Regents and that is how it starts. LOL

We have a couple of events to look forward to in a week and a half.  We are going to Hilton Head with the Cincinnati Lechlers to the beach house.  Joe and Glenda will come here and ride with us.  We take our time getting there and back with lots of stops along the way. No hurry, after all, every one is retired in that car or so they say. Hmmmm. Then, of course, there is July 4th just four days after we get back. Never a dull moment, unless you count today.  So far it has been coffee, Sudoku, feed the dogs, work on the next table puzzle, make beef stew, bake a honey bun cake, clean three shelves of the refrigerator and here it is only 9:30. Life is good.

Guest dog/cousin, Fergie and Winston.

Everything moved out to catch the gentle rain.

This is actually a fresh apple cake rather than a honey bun cake.

 

 

 

The Grill. The Grill.

Oh, sure, now we laugh. It's 90 degrees.
 

 These are easy grill or oven ideas for the heat wave that is coming our way.  This next one would be good for the guys to do at Hilton Head while the ladies DO NOTHING !

 

MUSHROOM SKEWER RECIPE

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon harissa (definition:Harissa is a Tunisian hot chilli sauce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, halved lengthwise

Directions:

Whisk the harissa, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano together in a medium bowl.
Add the halved mushrooms and toss well to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or Preheat the grill, if grilling.
Thread the mushrooms onto pre-soaked bamboo skewers. Roast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or grill them, 5 minutes per side.
                                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This could be marinating while we are on the beach and the guys are getting the coals ready. LOL

 

yield: Makes 6 servings

active time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour 50 minutes

 

Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tomato paste (from a 6-ounce can)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup minced onion (about 1 medium)
• 1/3 cup minced serrano or jalapeño chiles with seeds
• 1/4 cup minced garlic (about 9 large cloves)

Chicken:

• 6 large chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 6 large chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), trimmed of any excess fat and skin
• Lime wedges for serving

• Special equipment: Instant-read thermometer

                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My family loves tacos, but stuff falls out,  the shells crack and crumble, and not enough good stuff stays put.  I found this recipe for oven tacos and think this might solve a lot of problems. (My real answer to this is to use Fritos scoops or regular Fritos and make it all in individual bowls with all the trimmings...no mess and it is delicious.  Also I used Bob Evans zesty sausage and any left over steak or roasts cut up and added to the meat mixture.) This is what the Tuesday kids will be getting tomorrow, Lechler tacos.)

    

Oven Tacosadapted from Blog Chef

2 lbs ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
1 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 recipe for Homemade taco seasoning (below)
1 (8 ounce) can low sodium tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can fat free refried beans
2 cups shredded reduced fat Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells {if gluten free, be sure they are}

Optional Condiments-
Lettuce (shredded)
Tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Olives, sliced 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (OR check out The Taco Rack), standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix all together. Store in an airtight container.
I used all of this on 2 lbs of ground meat with a little water mixed in.Hi

Hilton Head ideas from Mennonite Girls Can Cook:

• 6 eggs, hard boiled and diced
• 1/4 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons pesto
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
• baby spinach leaves
• tomato slices
• 4 sandwich rolls (ciabatta, kaiser, or submarine rolls)

Combine eggs, dressing, pesto and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
Stir in avocado pieces gently.
Serve egg salad on sandwich rolls together with spinach leaves and tomato slices.

 

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus (good idea)

 

 

Stuffed Shells with Ham accents AND The Big Red Egg

                                            

      

 

Well, we survived another Memorial Day in good shape with delicious left overs and the Tuesday Kids are benefiting.  I stood, dazed, in front of the open frig in my night dress this morning, trying to consider what to fix for the inner city kids tonight and suddenly I saw the left over Ro-tel diced tomatoes and green chilies in cheese sauce (well face it, Velveeta) that we had as one of the appetizers yesterday. This spicy delight is so easy that it is embarrassing, however, that does not keep us from enjoying it. I next spied the left over spiral sliced ham--hmmmmm. In the pantry was a big box of jumbo shells-that's it, stuffed shells with ham accents. I barely cooked the shells because they will have to be re-heated for the children, and, I lined the crock-pot with the Reynold's plastic liner because this cheese is awful to try to pry off the dish once it is heated and reheated. So I broke down and used a liner even though I am not totally convinced about those things.  I placed a ham sliver in each of the jumbo shells and then put a teaspoon of Ro-tel cheese sauce in over the ham.  I layered a base of ham cubes in the bottom of the crock pot, then a layer of stuffed shells, then a layer of ham and etc. until the crock pot was full. It's the end of the month, so I think there will be about 18 kids there tonight, so this should fill them up in style.

                                            

 Combination results.

What a lovely day we had and our new BIG RED EGG was the star of the day. How the men gathered around it lovingly putting it together while discussing the right charcoal, the right heat temperature and which of the beef types should go on the grill first with its new temperature gauge.  How they caressed the egg as it cooked, because, after all, no heat escaped the ceramic lined structure.  The ladies had to touch it to make sure the men were not kidding about no heat on the outside of the egg.  It was a proud moment as each of the wives said, well , I now know what to get my husband for Father's Day.  So Menard's had better restock in Cincinnati, because it's on for June, if not before.



                                                Dan, George, and Tom.

 

 

 

 

As we were slicing up Beth's mother's ice cream cake Memorial Day, someone mentioned they had had an ice cream sandwich cake; well,the search was on and if this is not the most outrageous cake, I'd like to know how you would top it?


786

 

 

Snickers Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Author: Divas Can Cook

• About 14 ice cream sandwiches (8 x 10 dish)
• Fudge spread
• Caramel topping
• Cool Whip
• Peanuts (or any other kind of nuts, crushed candy or crushed cookies)
• Chocolate syrup

Instructions

1. Place a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of the dish.
2. Spread on a layer of fudge.
3. Sprinkle with peanuts and drizzle with caramel topping.
4. Add on another layer of ice cream sandwiches
5. Spread on a layer of fudge.
6. Top with cool whip
7. Sprinkle with peanuts
8. Drizzle on caramel and chocolate syrup.
9. Freeze for 3 hours.
10. Slice into squares and serve!
12. As we were slicing up Beth's mother's ice cream cake Memorial Day, someone mentioned they had had an ice cream sandwich cake; well,the search was on and if this is not the most outrageous cake, I'd like to know how you would top it?
    
    
     

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Starbucks has good sweets as well as expensive coffees.  I, for some reason, am baking up a storm.  I have made honey bun cake for the eleventh time, a lemon blueberry loaf that disappeared in one day and now I am off to the market for the fixings for Memorial Day week end. Some of my gang will be missing, but Cincinnati will be in full swing.  So off I go for the turrkey George is preparing on a grill, and the ingredients for Starbucks tasty squares...and more blueberries for that delicious loaf that went missing so quickly.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 1 (9x13) pan

A copycat recipe for Starbucks famed Cranberry Bliss Bars with cranberries, white chocolate, ginger and a cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 + 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries, rough chopped

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/3 cup candied ginger, minced

Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 + 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Drizzle:

3 tablespoons dried cranberries, rough chopped

1/3 cup white chocolate

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease and line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy; add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, ground ginger and salt and beat in until fully incorporated. Batter will be thick.
3. Fold in cranberries, chocolate and ginger. Spread the batter in the pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until light golden. Cool cake on wire rack and turn out.
Make frosting:
4. Beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy; beat in lemon zest, vanilla, and salt; add the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. Spread evenly over the cake and scatter cranberries over top.
5. To make the drizzle melt white chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave; once it is smooth, use a spoon and drizzle over top of the cake.
6. Cake is easier to cut when slightly chilled; cut into squares, then triangles.

Read more: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/cranberry-bliss-bars/#ixzz2UDid74RT

Here is a picture Kathy Lecher found of the Lechler siblings with their mother who was 80 at the time, she would now be well over one hundred years old. How time flies.

It's Andy, Joe, the mother Hilda, Mary Alice and Jimmy.

I guess all recipes are not on line.  I was looking for the cheese Danish available at nearly all London tube stations.  The crusty swirl of pastry with a pocket of delectable cheese filling with raisins was a wonderful sweet treat after a day of antiquing.  Too bad their recipe is not on the web that I could find. I did find a list of the wonderful English cheeses that rival any that can be found.  They are all scrumptious, if not famous.

A Week of Good-Bye~

                                                     

 

It has been quite a week so far.  Two deaths in the family.  Johnna, our daughter-in-law, lost her mother to cancer. The funeral was yesterday in Florida.  It certainly makes one stop and think about how quickly people we know and love are disappearing from our lives. Bless her heart, Sharon was such a good mother raising three fine children by herself.

 

Mike Florian also lost his battle with cancer and we attended that funeral last Saturday. He  was a good husband and father. He was also Andy's cousin. We give our best to Lisa and Sam in their time of need.

 

And now the tornadoes.... Time to draw the family close and give thanks for what we do have.

                                                        

 

So, Memorial Day week-end is upon us and food is flying.  Today is Crock pot Tuesday for the kids and a vat of fried rice with much enrichment is on schedule. (Andy's herbs and green onions from his garden.) I have also started marinating pork roasts and steaks for the company.  Joe and Glenda are coming from Cincinnati Sunday after church for an over - night; cards and cocktails, steaks and mustard potatoes are on the agenda. The rest of the gang will not be far behind.  Can't wait.

                                                 

You may have read my blog about the big green egg (grill). Well, we bought a big red egg and hopefully it arrives on Saturday to be put together by George and Tom for Monday's activities. Andy and I are lacking in the skill needed to put things together.   I always told our boys when they were little, if you want that toy you must put it together yourselves or wait for your father to come home from work.  They actually did learn to do that but Mike has confessed they didn't really read the directions they just flew by the seat of their pants and it usually worked.

Beth is making her mother's summer cake.  I don't think I've told you about it and I actually forgot about it completely until she was talking about what to bring for the party.  It involves angel food cake and speciality ice cream from a shop that makes their own ice cream which has luscious names and exotic enticements. I will try to get a picture for you as well as the exact recipe, which is very simple I understand.

 

 

 

• 1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces)
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, slightly softenedUse really really good ice cream. (That's silly instructions, why would you use bad ice cream?)
• 2 quarts fresh strawberries
• Sugar or sugar substitute to taste, optional

Directions

• Cut the cake in half; tear one half into small pieces and set aside. Cut the other half into 12-14 thin slices; arrange in the bottom of a waxed paper-lined 13-in. x 9-in. dish, overlapping as needed.
• Spread softened ice cream over cake, pressing down to smooth. Gently press the small cake pieces into ice cream. Cover and freeze. Just before serving, slice strawberries and sweeten to taste. Cut dessert into squares and top with strawberries. Yield: 15 servings.

Al fresco get-together

Of course the next big entertaining event is the 27th of May, Memorial Day, or, as some people still call it, Decoration Day.  I considered not doing it this year.  Everything is so uncertain and everyone is scattered and busy and...the excuses could go on and on. But, attending the funeral of a relative and fairly young father last Saturday made me take hold of my senses and blurt out 'let's have a potluck Memorial Day.' I think it is important to keep the relatives rounded up and close. I miss them and they miss family no matter if they are fourteen hours away or two hours away, there needs to be contact. The ones that can't come give plaintive calls during the festivities just to hear the voices of their family members. I miss the days when everyone was in attendance and thanks was given each time that we were all together once more. We knew then it would end and now it has and people are scattered, they are busy, and they have events with other branches of the ever growing family tree.

So, we are providing the place and the meat and everyone will bring two dishes to the two- meal day.  George will bring his carving knives and this year he is doing a turkey on the grill for the second meal of the day. Yes, it's an odd main for Memorial Day, but he has a new set of toys with which to work and we are all salivating waiting for the results. Thank you, George. He is now the official turkey wrestler for all events.

Menard's has this big red egg which seems to me to be like the big green egg only less expensive.  It is enough for us and is based on the same set of designs as the big green egg which is a Japanese design creation.  It is ceramic lined and multi-layered and cooks with charcoal which I have been missing. George and Tom will assemble it on the day of the party and we will first try a turkey--odd, but fun.

Now that warm weather has finally come to Columbus, I will be looking for recipes for cooler dishes to prepare for the Tuesday kids. Yesterday the crock pot was so heavy with a cheesy pasta dish that we were hoping they all turned out because there was so much available to eat. Now I am going to have to switch it up to cooler fare. I will go to Mennonite Girls Can Cook and Pinterest for these new recipes for cooking for a crowd.  I am tired of doing the same old thing, so here's hoping these sites don't let me down. As I find the scrumptious recipes that I know are waiting for me, I will then put them on this blog. Keep tuned in.

But before we go to recipes I have a current rant.  Sunday afternoon Beth and I went to TJ M.  Andy and I recently bought a sleep number bed with a headboard the size of a small condo.  It needs pillows and lots of them.  I saw several small throw pillows and picked up a pretty one, looked at the original price tag from Ralph Lauren to read $145.  Now who in their right mind pays $145. for a throw pillow?  I mean even if it is made from the Shroud of Turin it would still be too much! ( I bought it for less than $20.)
                                                                              

 

Maybe I can run one more cool weather dish by the Tuesday kids.  This looks delicious.I'll have to at least double it.

 

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1½ pounds ground beef
1½ cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 can (14.5-ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup sliced black olives (optional)*
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup shredded)
For the Cornbread Topping:
1½ cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Making the Filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil until hot. Add the onion, green pepper and jalapeños, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ground beef to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Once the meat is browned, add the onion mixture back to the pan. Stir in the corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir well to ensure that the spices and the tomato paste are evenly distributed. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand while preparing the cornbread topping.

4. Make the Cornbread Topping: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the cornmeal mixture and stir together until barely incorporated.

5. Assemble & Bake the Pie: Stir the olives and shredded cheese into the beef mixture and pour it into a 9x13-inch baking dish, smoothing the top. Pour the cornbread batter over the filling, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Ahhh, still another good hot dish idea.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

By Chef in TrainingJune 25, 2012

• Cook: 15 mins

• Cuisine: Italian
• Course: Entrée
• Skill Level: Easy

A fun twist on a classic recipe! This is a recipe the entire family will enjoy!

Ingredients

 

• 10-12 oz. penne or ziti pasta
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder more or less to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt more or less to taste
• 1 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese separated
• 2 chicken breasts cooked and cut into strips
• 3/4 cup bacon cooked and chopped
• 3/4 cup diced ham
• bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to its package's directions. Drain. I always add a little olive oil after I drain it and stir in around so the pasta noodles don't stick together or the pot.
2. Heat cream cheese on stove over medium low heat until melted. Stir in heavy cream. Stir until completely combined. Add onion powder and garlic salt until it tastes how you would like it to. Stir 1 cup of cheese until smooth consistency.
3. In a 9x13, layer noodles, chicken, bacon and ham. Pour sauce over top. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup cheese and bread crumbs.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Dill's garden center:

Coming soon.