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My favorite memories have all centered around friends and family enjoying a meal together! It might have been a special holiday or a celebration, or it might have been dinner with friends at a great restaurant. I hope you will enjoy some of my favorite recipes and take time to fellowship with those seated at your table. You might make a memory to last forever!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

"Diet" Lemon Cake

Many of my friends were very skeptical when I shared with them the recipe to my Lemon Cake!  I couldn't believe that they would question my ability, so, of course, I had to prove it to them!  I went home and baked this yummy, delicious and moist cake so that they could see and taste for themselves!  You will surprise your friends with this one...it only has 2 ingredients!


"Diet" Lemon Cake

1 box Lemon Cake Mix
1 can of Diet Sierra Mist

Top with lemon glaze when cool.
Combine until smooth:  1 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbl. lemon juice
You may need more or less sugar or juice to get the right consistency.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Carefully combine ingredients until smooth; pour into greased tube-pan.  Bake for appx. 30 minutes.  Cake may not brown, so check for doneness with a pick.

Cheese Curds

Curds are small chunks of cheese solids which have been separated from the natural whey present in milk, but not yet pressed into molds to make cheese.  They have a mild flavor and a creamy texture.  I had never heard of Cheese Curds until I visited Western New York, it was love at first bite!  After returning home, I searched for a local cheese maker that made Cheese Curds.  It has been two years and I just now realized that Sweetwater Valley Farms, only miles from home, make and sell Cheese Curds.  I purchased some at a local farmer's market yesterday and came right home to have a snack.  I then decided to give a new recipe a try!  Skillet Browned Cheese Curds!


Fresh Cheese Curds
                                                      
Place curds in cold skillet and heat to medium high temperature.
When golden brown on the bottom, flip to brown the other side.
Remove carefully to a plate to cool slightly!

Warm and gooey on the inside with a nice
golden crunch on the outside!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Mom's Peach Cobbler



I decided late this evening that I wanted something sweet and fruity for dessert!  It's never too late for Peach Cobbler and I had everything I needed to make it!  This is a recipe that many Mom's have made over the years, it is so simple and quick to put together!  It is also a great dessert for those without a lot of experience in the kitchen.  It was the first cobbler I ever baked and I'm still using the same recipe today!  Of course, it is even better with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream!  Enjoy and share with a loved one!

Mom's Peach Cobbler

1 stick of butter
1 c. self-rising flour
1 c sugar
1 cup of milk
1 large can of peaches, drained

Preheat oven to 350.  Place butter in a shallow baking dish; put dish in the oven and allow butter to melt.

Mix together flour, sugar and milk until there are no more lumps in batter.  Very carefully pour batter over butter in baking dish.  Do not stir!  Place peaches evenly over batter.  Again, do not stir!  Bake in 350 degree, preheated oven, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  The batter will cook up and over fruit and become slightly browned and crispy around the edges.  Serve with vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream!

What to Cook~~Make Dinner a Little Easier!

I  love to cook on the weekends!  Some people would say I am crazy, that weekends are for eating out!  You might ask why, why do all that work in the kitchen on your day off?  First of all, this gives me the opportunity to prepare all those dishes that require lots of time and love!  Some of my favorites are Three Cheese Lasagna, made with a homemade meat sauce; or a Beef Roast seared and slow cooked in my Le Creuset Dutch Oven.  Weekends also allow me and my hubby to spend time together in the kitchen; sipping a glass of wine while preparing a delicious meal!  Today, however, I did what I often do on a weekend.  I shopped at the grocer early to get the best deals in the meat department!  Fun, I know!  I came home with ground beef, chicken breasts and Italian Sausage.  Later in the day, I browned the ground beef and sausage to be used later in the week for spaghetti, saving time and a bigger mess to clean up before bed!  I cooked the chicken and stuck it in the freezer for a later use in a casserole, enchiladas, chicken salad, etc.  When I find chicken or ground beef on sale, I buy a large amount, cook and place in freezer bags according to the portion I need and freeze until ready to use.  It's a good idea to write the date on the bag.  It is best to prepare dinner with this meat within a 4 to 6 weeks.  I hope you will give this a try!  I love knowing that I have a start on the weeks meals which will make dinner time a little easier! 

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Lunchbox Sandwiches

It's that time of year when we start thinking about packing school lunches!  If your child likes sandwiches, but is tired of eating plain, white, square bread, I have some great suggestions that will make your child smile at lunch time!

For those in early elementary, what could be better than a fish-shaped sandwich?  Sure to please, this bread will make the youngest to the oldest smile!




       For some of our sweet young ones, a petite sandwich is perfect! These sweet and buttery little rolls make delicious sandwiches! I especially like this sandwich with honey roasted ham and a sweet mustard!


One of the most fun lunch sandwiches is a wrap! You have so many types and flavors of flour tortillas to choose from...original, wheat, low-carb, spinach, sundried tomato and many more! Layer your favorite dressing on a flat tortilla, layer meats and cheeses (or salad) and top with your choice of healthy veggies! Roll and enjoy every bite!


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

First Day of School!

Well, I started school this week and boy, am I worn out! The problem is, the children haven't even started yet! Starting a week before the kids come back has it's advantages...one being, that maybe I can get back on a schedule and be ready for fun and active four year olds! As we are all gearing up for the first day of school, we begin to concentrate more on a regular mealtime with our family. Do you have weekly favorites or requests from your kids? I read an article on families having a special meal on the first day of school, sort of a celebration! I think that is a great idea, do you celebrate the new school year? Let's pray for our children and our schools during this upcoming new year, especially for guidence and safety!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Creamy Potato Salad

This recipe came from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I'm sure you have one; the one with the red and white checkered cover that every new bride gets at her shower! I have used this "tried and true" recipe for many years, and it is always a picnic favorite! Enjoy and share with others!



Creamy Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes (2 lbs.)cubed
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/3 c. chopped sweet pickles
1 1/4 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. vinegar
2 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 boiled eggs, chopped

Cook potatoes 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Drain and transfer to large bowl; cool completely. Stir together all remaining ingredients, except eggs. Add mayonnaise mixture to cooled potatoes; toss lightly to coat. Carefully fold in chopped eggs. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Everybody has too many tomatoes this time of year, but if you are like me and don't have a garden, stop by your local farmer's market! This tomato sauce is full of flavor and so quick to make! You will be in and out of the kitchen in less than 30 minutes, and that is what we all want this time of year!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

2½ pounds ripe tomatoes
1 cup onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 leaves fresh basil, minced

With the point of a paring knife cut out and discard the stem bases of the tomatoes, removing small cones about 1/4-inch deep, then lightly cut X-shapes on the tomatoes' opposite ends.

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, drop in the tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a colander, run cold water over them, and slip their skins off with your fingers.

In a saucepan, lightly sauté the onion in the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, crushing each directly over the pan as it is added. Add the reserved juice if the tomatoes have been seeded. Season to taste and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the basil before serving.

If you like your sauce very smooth (I don't), puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Serve over your favorite pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese!