Chicken, Broccoli, Rice, Cheese Casserole - Broccolicious Good!

Nashville is experiencing beautiful weather that is giving me a really bad case of spring fever. It makes me want to redecorate my house, or maybe just give it a good cleaning.  I want to put away my winter clothes and break out my sandals.  Oh yes, I love sandals and I really hate closed shoes.  But, I know this is just nature's way of teasing us, making us think it is spring.  There is going to be more cold weather, you can bet on it.  I just hope the trees and shrubs don't freeze their little buds off.

We spent today running around doing errands, enjoying every moment of this glorious day.  Our daughter is due to give us another grandson around February 14, and we spent time buying some baby boy things today.  Even though she has a 23 month old son and he had lots of stuff, every baby deserves a few new things just for them don't  you think?  Besides, Grandma and Pawpaw like to shop for the grandsons.  It is so much fun.  You can get so wrapped up in looking at all the amazing things they have for babies these days.  There are so many wonderfully handy things that I wish had been available  when our children were little, but we survived.  Sure wish I had thought up a few of them though.

It was mid afternoon by the time we returned, and there were those inevitable chores to do. You know, the ones the elves never come and do.  They are always waiting for you when you get home.  When the sun shines so brightly in the windows, you can see how icky the kitchen floor is along with the windows and everything else.  Ugh.  I opened the refrigerator to check out what I could make for dinner and decided that it needed cleaning before I did another thing!  It was just one of those moments when one thing led to another.  I tossed out some things that were past their prime and said thank you for coming,then  wiped down all the shelves and drawers.  That felt good.  One thing accomplished.  Now the floor was demanding attention, so I mopped it.  Awesome.   Another accomplishment.  Whew.  Still, what to fix for dinner.

There were two whole chickens in the fridge that needed to either be cooked or frozen before they passed their prime.  I decided to cook them.  I got out the 12 quart stock pot, put the chickens in, filled it with water and let them cook until done.  Guess that meant something with chicken for dinner.  Don't you hate when it's always your decision what to fix for dinner?  Anyway, I decided some kind of casserole since I now had a huge bowl of chicken I had picked off the bones.  Broccoli sounded good.  Cheese always sounds good.  So, I fixed a really, really delicious chicken, broccoli, rice and cheese casserole that has a wonderful home made cheese sauce and is topped with crushed Ritz crackers that gives the casserole that "what is that" flavor.  Oh, and strawberry banana muffins.  Yeah, they are fantastic.  That will be tomorrow's post.  I love when I am ahead of that curve ball, because tomorrow is our volunteer day at a local non-profit organization we support.  We sure are busy for retired people.

Anyway, here is what you need for this fantastic casserole.

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh broccoli, cut into florets and steamed for 2 minutes.  (I also cut thin slices of the stems about half way down and used those too)
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup minute rice
1 8 oz block cheddar cheese, grated and divided in half

Sauce:

1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups milk
1/2 of the  grated cheddar cheese

Topping:

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (not too fine)
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:

Grease a 9x13 casserole or baking pan.  Place the steamed broccoli on the bottom of the casserole.  Cover with the chicken,  sprinkle the cup of dry rice over the casserole and cover it with 1/2 the grated cheese.

Make the sauce:

Melt 1/3 stick of butter (5 tbsp) in a heavy sauce pan.  Combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir until dissolved making a slurry.  Add the cornstarch slurry to the melted butter.  Add 1/3 cup chicken broth, seasonings and 2 cups milk.  Cook until sauce starts to thicken.  Turn heat to low and add the other half of the grated cheddar cheese.  Stir until completely melted.  Pour over the broccoli, chicken, rice and grated cheese in the casserole dish.

Topping:

Crush one sleeve of Ritz crackers in a large zip lock bag. I used my rolling pin.   Don't crush too fine, you want some bigger pieces.  Melt 1/2 stick of butter in the microwave and pour over the crumbs which you have placed in a bowl.  Sprinkle topping over casserole.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbly.  Remove from oven and serve.

The buttery Ritz cracker topping gives a wonderful crispy crunch to the goodness of the chicken, broccoli and rice in the casserole.  The home made cheese sauce is so much better than any canned soup you can use.  It is delicious and easy!  For us, it is "just right" as Goldilocks would say.  Feel free to add more cheese if you like things cheesier.  Also, you can add another sleeve of crushed Ritz crackers and another 1/2 stick of butter if you like really thick topping.  It's up to you.

This recipe reheats beautifully.  So, if you need something "make ahead" for any occasion,  this is the casserole for you.  You can add a salad, maybe some strawberry banana muffins and you are all set.  Dinner is served.

I am happy that I have plenty to reheat tomorrow night so I don't have to come home from a day of volunteering and cook.  Yippee!  Hope you give this casserole a try.  It is broccolicious good!

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  ~Mark Twain

Mmmmmm, Strawberry Cake

I know this is not the best picture ever, but this is one of the best cakes ever.  First of all, it's pink.  Second of all, it's delicious.  What's not to love about delicious pink cake?  It's so eye appealing and kids LOVE pink cake. (Adults do too)  Actually, it is a strawberry cake and the recipe has been around forever and a day.  My mother in love used to make this cake  when our kids were all little and the oldest is approaching the big 4-0. That gives you a little idea how long this recipe has been around.  My niece, Betsy, always wanted strawberry cake for her birthday and Mawmaw (as they all called my mother in love) lovingly baked her one every time she asked.  It was a family favorite.

We were having a family lunch yesterday and I decided to make pink cake for everyone - especially for the grandsons.  Grandma loves making things for the grandsons and I am never sure who does and doesn't like strawberries, or any other food item on any given day for that matter, so I called it pink cake.  All the boys devoured it and I am sure there is probably at least one who doesn't like strawberries.  Sometimes grandma has to be sneaky, if you know what I mean.

You can see in the picture that the icing is running down the cake.  The cake was still warm when I iced it because I was in a hurry.  I am not a lover of mounds of icing on a cake.  I hate when you buy a bakery cake or cupcake and there is as much or more icing than there is cake.  It's just not my favorite, so I usually make icings more like a glaze.  If you want a thicker icing, you will just add more powdered sugar to the recipe.   This recipe is a little different than the one Mawmaw usually made, but hers was always delicious, just like this one.  I have been using this recipe for years.


Here is what you need for this cake:

1 box white cake mix
1 small box strawberry jello
3 level Tbsp flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup frozen strawberries (sliced)
4 eggs


Strawberry glaze:

1 stick butter, room temperature
powdered sugar (I don't measure, sorry - but I will tell you "how")
4 or 5 whole frozen strawberries
any juice remaining in the bowl after microwaving
a tiny bit of milk

I put about a dozen whole frozen strawberries in a microwave safe bowl and defrost them.  Then, I slice enough to get 2/3 cup of berries.  Save the remainder of the berries and juice for the icing.

Mix the dry cake mix, jello and flour together.  Add the oil, water and 2/3 cup of strawberries.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.  Spray your pan with baking spray and coat with flour.  You can bake this recipe in three 9 inch cake pans (if you want a layer cake) for 25 to 30 minutes at 350.  I baked mine in a 9 x 13 pan and it takes about 35 to 40 minutes because it is a very thick cake.  Watch it closely after 30 minutes and it is done when the top stops wiggling when you move the pan and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Glaze:

Beat the stick of butter until fluffy.  Start adding small amounts of powdered sugar until the icing is at spreading consistency.  About a cup at first, and then add more as needed.  When your icing is the consistency you want, add  4/5 whole thawed strawberries plus any juice in the bowl and blend with the mixer.   (Suddenly your glaze/icing is a lovely shade of pink, no food coloring needed.)  This will make the icing thinner.   If you want thicker icing, keep adding powdered sugar until you have the consistency you want.  Spread over cake.

This would be such a pretty cake for Valentine's Day.  If you wanted a heart shaped cake, you can bake one square cake and one round cake.  Cut the round cake down the middle.  Place the square cake in a diamond shape and place 1/2 of each round cake on each top side of the diamond.  This will give you a heart shape.  Ice and decorate as you want.

Who would not love this beautiful cake as a token of your love and affection?  It is moist, has bits of strawberry throughout and is soooooo good with a big dollop of ice cream next to it.   Add a lovely cup of hot coffee for the adults and you have got a big dessert winner on your hands.

There are so many occasions for this cake, but Valentine's Day is the perfect time to enjoy this beautiful pink concoction.   Or, how about a Super Bowl party?  That's coming up next week.  Or, make one for yourself.  You deserve it.  Make one and share it with your friends and family.  Take one to the office.  Make one for your children or grandchildren and watch their little eyes light up. They will all love you for it!!  Don't forget, you can make pretty pink cupcakes too!  I'm already making plans for the big day.  How about you?

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Between the earth and sky above, nothing can match a grandmother's love."

Author: Unknown

Valentine's Garland Made From Felt

This felt heart garland is now hanging on our mantel.  The garland is for our grandsons.  We have 5 grandsons and another one due on Valentine's Day.  Wouldn't that be the most special Valentine gift? We can't wait to meet him!   Decorating the house for every holiday makes Granda and Pawpaw's house a place for the boys to enjoy.  They are 8, 5, 4, 23 months and 17 months.  The 8 and 5 year old really enjoy making crafts, so we work on them when they are here visiting - usually on the weekends.  

After Christmas, I had decorated the mantel in a winter theme, but we really haven't had much winter this year.  The temperature was 60 degrees today and I saw daffodils blooming in a yard.  It's January 26 and that's a bit early for daffodils, even in mid Tennessee (not that I'm complaining).  It just made me want to head on in to Valentine's day since the winter theme looked a bit out of place with all the unusually warm days we have been having.  I had some 9 x 12 felt pieces on hand that I wanted to utilize.  The mantel needed something, so I decided to make a garland. 

Here is what you will need for this project.

9x12 pieces of felt in colors of your choice.  (I used red, pink and white) You can get them at any craft or fabric store.

1 package of 16 mm pearls (mine came from JoAnn's)

A large darning needle

Heavy thread (you can use dental floss, buttonhole thread or this is what I used from JoAnn's)

This thread is in the section where the embroidery thread is and it has lots of colors in the package.  I have used it for many projects.  It is heavier than embroidery thread and is really good for crafting.  It worked great for the garland.

To start the project, take the pieces of felt you are going to use and fold each one in half the long way.  Place the folded side under your sewing machine needle and stitch a 1/4 inch seam the length of the piece.

Now, turn the seam to the inside by folding the open edges of the felt together the opposite way.  The seam will now be on the inside of the felt, instead of the outside.  It will look like this.

Now, stitch a 1/4 inch seam down the open edge of the felt.  

Take a piece of the thread you are going to use to sew the garland together and measure the length of where it is going to go.  I have a push pin in the middle of our mantel and one on each end.  I draped the thread from the left end to the middle and then to the right end allowing a bit if "drape" and about 4 inches extra on each end.  

Take your thread or floss and find the center by folding it in half and tie a knot to mark the center.

Next, you will cut strips from each of your sewn felt pieces that will become your hearts.  I cut 1 inch strips all the way down the felt.  Cut through the seam at the bottom all the way through the top seam.   This gave me 12 hearts of each color.    They will look like this after you shape them. 

Now, lay them out on a flat surface until you get the pattern of colors that you want.  I placed a pearl between each heart so I would have an idea how it would look.  Once you get your pattern established, it's time to stitch.  

This is how I did it, you may find a way you like better.   I laid out the entire length of the thread with the knot in the middle.  I began by threading the right end of the thread in the needle and started by placing a pearl on the needle and pulling it all the way down to the knot.  Then I folded a heart completely flat and pushed the needle all the way through the heart making sure to get the part of the heart that will hang down in the middle.  This will keep it from losing it's shape when it is hanging.  

 I repeated this procedure all the way down the right side of the thread following my color pattern leaving about 4 inches of thread open at the end so there is something to tie around the push pin.   On the right half of the garland, I had 16 hearts with a pearl in between each heart.

Next, I threaded my needle with the thread on the left side of the knot and reversed the pattern of heart colors that were on the right side so there was a mirror image.  I did NOT add a pearl on the left side so there is only one pearl in the center of the garland.  When I completed the left side, I laid the garland out on my kitchen table and shaped all the hearts on the thread and then tied a knot on each end so the first and last heart would not come off the thread.  All that was left to do was tie the garland on the mantel.  This is how it looks.

This is a really easy, fun and festive project that you can do in about an hour.  It certainly adds a nice punch of color to the living room and will take us right into Valentine's Day.  When the boys come over this weekend, we will make another garland for them to use on the mantel at their house.  I know they won't always want to do crafts with Grandma, but for right now we are making memories that will last a lifetime.  Being a grandma is the best thing ever!

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

"Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." --  The Wonder Years"

7 UP Biscuits - You Read That Right! BEST BISCUITS EVER! AND EASY!!

That, my friends, is a cast iron skillet full of the best biscuits we have ever eaten, hands down, bar none.  I have eaten lots of home made biscuits in my day and so has Dan.  We both had grandmothers who took great pride in their biscuits.  Dan's mother made biscuits just like she was taught and so have I for many, many years.  But let me tell you, there is a new biscuit on the horizon and it is EASY to make which is even better.  I would not lead you astray on this matter.  It has the same wonderful texture of those biscuits I have worked so hard to blend and is so delicious and flakey that there are no words to describe.  Have biscuits always make you a little tense?  Scared?  Never fear again, the best biscuit in town has arrived and they are a snap to make.

This biscuit will change your life as it has mine.  This will be my new biscuit of choice.  You can make these with ease and you won't have to resort to "whomp" or tube biscuits any more.  No more worry about over working the dough and making your biscuits tough.  This is the second time I have made these in the last few days and they are easy, easy, easy.  And, you will not believe the ingredients.

If you are not a Pinterest addict, you may not have seen these posted and reposted again and again.  They are called 7 Up biscuits.  That's right - 7 Up like the soda.  Being the skeptic that I am, I thought that it must be a joke of some kind, therefore they must be made immediately.  Well, the author of the blog Plain Chicken could not have been more correct.  BEST BISCUITS EVER!

Here is what you need.:

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7 UP

1/4 cup butter

Yep, that's the entire list of ingredients.  Wowza, who would have thought you could made anything so dang delicious from those three ingredients?

Here is all you have to do.  Place your Bisquick, sour cream and 7 Up in a bowl and blend with a fork.  If it's a little gooey, sprinkle in a little more Bisquick.  Lay out some wax paper on your counter top and sprinkle some Bisquick on the wax paper.  Place your dough in a mound on the wax paper, work it by folding it over a few times until smooth, and gently press it out with your hands to about an inch thick.  Use a round cutter  (I use my ever faithful Tom and Jerry glass) and cut out your biscuits.  Remove the ones you have cut out, rework the dough and cut out more biscuits.  DON'T WASTE ANY OF THIS DOUGH!

This is my ever faithful Tom and Jerry glass that I have had forever.  It is actually a Welch's jelly jar.  Anybody out there old enough to remember when you got decorative jelly jars that you could use as drinking glasses?  I used to have a lot of them, but this is the only one left that hasn't been broken and it has always been my biscuit cutter.  It is about 2.5 inches in diameter which makes biscuits just the right size!  You can use a round cookie cutter or any glass you have available that is not too big.  Remember:  the bigger the glass, the bigger the biscuit.

Next, you want to melt your 1/4 cup butter in a pan.  You can use a cake pan, but I always use a 10 inch cast iron skillet.  Put the butter in the pan and place the pan in a preheated 450 degree oven watching closely until the butter melts.  IMPORTANT:  THE PAN WILL BE HOT, USE A POT HOLDER TO REMOVE THE PAN!!!!  DON'T LET THE BUTTER BURN!!   When you remove the pan from the oven, place it on something heat proof and this is what you are going to do with your biscuits.  Take each biscuit and place it in the butter, then turn it over so the buttered side is up.  Do this to each biscuit.  ‎

You will have to squeeze them in the pan, but that's okay.  They won't be perfectly round like the kind that come in a tube, but imperfection totally works here!  They may even be a little lumpy like the ones in the picture from squeezing them in, but they taste just the same as the round ones!  As you can see, I got 10 biscuits from the recipe with not one scrap of dough wasted!

‎Bake them in the 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.  When tops are golden, remove biscuits from the oven.  REMEMBER - USE A POT HOLDER TO REMOVE THE PAN, IT IS SCREAMING HOT!

I served them right from the skillet because it kept them warm and crispy.  YUMMMMMMMM!

Dan, who is a connoisseur of all things biscuit related has declared these the best biscuits ever and I have to agree with him!  We had them with butter and sorghum and they were better than dessert!  Wow!  Here, I have spent all these years working to get everything just right, when it could have been this easy!  This makes me a very happy camper indeed.

Give this recipe a try.  You will impress guests with these!  Your family will love you for it, and you will be pleased with your new biscuit making skills.  There will be a request for these over and over and over.   Simple.  Easy.  Divine.  Enjoy!

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

 Whole worlds have been tamed by men who ate biscuits.   Bad Blake, Crazy Heart

Giada's Fried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Sauce

Did you think these were portabella mushrooms?  Guess again.  These are "fried smashed potatoes."

If you are a follower of this blog, you know that I have never met a potato that I didn't like.  Actually, I probably qualify as an addict.  Love, love, love potatoes fixed just about any way.  But, I am always on the lookout for new recipes and this one is fabulous.  

I like to watch the Food Network on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I wake up early - which is pretty much always.  Remember when you used to sleep in on the weekends?  Don't know what happened with that, but I know that the cooking shows start at  6 am.  

Giada De Laurentis is one of my favorite shows.  Her recipes are relatively easy and have always been really, really good.  She was preparing her "fried smashed potatoes" and I KNEW that recipe had my name all over it. I looked it up online so that I would get all the ingredients right.  It is fairly simple and really, really good.  The first time I made these potatoes and the yummy, nummy lemon sauce, Dan declared he could eat the sauce on just about anything.  He does not usually eat sauces or condiments - especially if they contain vinegar.  He is a no vinegar kind of guy.  But, this sauce is made with olive oil and fresh lemon juice and is, simply put, "heavenly."  The picture doesn't make you think heavenly, but if you could taste it you would think otherwise.

Here is what you need for this recipe:

Ingredients:

About 2 pounds of small, red potatoes like red bliss, or ruby bliss, or you can use fingerling potatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

3 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup olive oil

Wash the potatoes and place in a pan deep enough to cover with water.  Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain and let cool.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place the potatoes on a cutting board, and "smash" with the heel of your hand.

Heat 1/4 cup good olive oil over medium high heat.  I used my electric skillet, but you can also use a large saute pan.   Add the three cloves of peeled garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove the garlic.  This "perfumes" the oil and adds extra flavor to the potatoes.

Place your "smashed" potatoes in the olive oil and cook on each side until brown and crispy.  Turn and brown other side.

Remove browned and crispy potatoes from pan and place on a platter.  Make the lemon sauce.

Place 3 Tbsp good olive oil, 3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme in a bowl and mix vigorously with a fork or whisk.  Season to taste with some kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Place the bowl of lemon sauce on the table so that each person can place as much sauce as they want on their serving of potatoes.  The light, lemony sauce flavored with the fresh herbs is simply divine on the crispy, brown potatoes.  We had these with our fish on Friday night and they are terrific.  You might even want to try a little of the lemon sauce on the fish.  Yummmmmmy!

If you are a potato lover like me, or if you are looking for a new side dish to serve, give these wonderful "fried smashed potatoes" a try.  And, don't forget the lemon sauce!  It is worth the effort, believe me!  

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Only two things in this world are too serious to be jested on, potatoes and matrimony."Irish saying.

Not Your Mama's Banana Pudding!

Ooooooh, doesn't that look divine?  Well, it is!!  It's hard to tell from the picture exactly what it is, but it is a dessert that the recipe calls banana pudding squares.  It's relatively simple, but  (of course), after making it I have a couple of ideas that I would do next time to kick it up a notch.  This time I followed the recipe except for the strawberries and chocolate (my addition).  Believe me, it's quite okay this way.

Do you like banana pudding?  My dad was raised in Kentucky during the depression and they were quite poor, but they lived on a farm and grew most of their food which was a blessing.  He was never much of a dessert eater (mostly a meat, potatoes, greens and beans kind of guy), but one of his all time favorites, as far as desserts go, was banana pudding.  My mom didn't make a lot of desserts, but once in a while she would whip up a banana pudding for Sunday dinner.  That always made dad happy.

This recipe is not your typical banana pudding and there is the perpetual argument whether to use Vanilla Wafers or graham crackers.  Dad was a Vanilla Wafer guy, so Vanilla Wafers it was.  This recipe also uses Vanilla Wafers.  I'm not a purist, so I can go with either one.

Did you know there is a banana pudding festival?  There sure is!  It will be held October 6, 2012 in Centerville, Tennessee, and here are the directions to get there just in case you want to go:

LOCATIONS/DIRECTIONS

East from Memphis or west from Nashville. Take I 40 to exit 148.
Turn South toward Centerville on Hy 50. Go 15.5 miles to Lower Shipp Bend RD.
Turn Left. Go 1 mile.
From I 65, take exit 46(Columbia/Chapel Hill) and go toward Columbia on Hwy. 421 about 12 miles. Take Hwy. 50 toward Centerville about 25 miles. Turn left on Hwy. 50 West, go 2 miles to Lower Shipps Bend Rd. and Turn right. Go 1 mile.
  In case you weren't aware, banana pudding is a Southern staple - more than a staple, it is expected.  Church dinners, Sunday dinner, summertime treats, pot lucks, nighttime snack - it's banana pudding!  Well, there are a few others, but banana pudding is mandatory - it is a necessity to have at least one banana pudding on the table!

The recipe I am using here comes from Kraft, Inc., and it can be made low fat and reduced calorie by using low fat cream cheese, lite Cool Whip and sugar free instant vanilla pudding.  But, where's the fun in that?   I went for the gusto!  Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

35-40 Vanilla wafers, crushed
1/4 stick butter, melted
12 ounce container cool whip
1 8 oz block cream cheese, room temperature
3-5 bananas depending on size
2 boxes vanilla instant pudding
3 cups cold milk

I used fresh strawberries and some dark chocolate to decorate the top.

First:

Crush 35-40 Vanilla Wafers.  I put them in a zip lock bag and crushed them with my rolling pin by rolling it back and forth over the bag.  Melt the 1/4 stick of butter in the microwave and add it to the Vanilla Wafers that you have placed in a small bowl.  Mix them together and put them in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.  They are still kind of loose and crumbly, not like a baked crust.

Put the pan in the refrigerator until ready to add other ingredients.

Next, mix the 8 oz block of cream cheese and 1.5 cups of Cool Whip.  I used my hand mixer to make sure it was well mixed.  Place big "blobs" of this mixture over the Vanilla Wafers and smooth it out.  Using the back of a spoon makes it easier.  It will look like the next two pictures.

Now, slice your bananas and cover the entire surface of the cream cheese/cool whip mixture.  I used 4 bananas because mine weren't very big.  You can just play it by ear.  I cut one up at a time and placed them so I didn't peel and cut too many.

Now, make the instant pudding by placing both packages in a deep bowl and adding 3 cups of cold milk.  I mixed it with a hand mixer until it began to thicken.  Pour it over the bananas and spread evenly over the entire pan.

I put the pan in the refrigerator for about an hour until the pudding was completely set.  I removed it from the "fridge" and put a nice coating of Cool Whip over the pudding mixture.  You may have a little Cool Whip left or feel free to use it all!  It's up to you.

This is where I got decorative  - and where I would make a few changes next time I make it.  I sliced some strawberries and placed them on the top so that when I cut the pudding into squares, each piece would have a strawberry in the middle.  Next time, I would put a layer of sliced strawberries over the bananas before adding the pudding.  The strawberries are scrumptious with the pudding!  Then, I would add a few more on top for decoration.

We had some dark chocolate wafers that we had bought at World Market, the kind with krispy things in them.  (yum)   I used a paring knife and cut them into small crumbles and sprinkled them over the top.  They make the pudding super extra special, but I would add some more next time!  Chocolate and strawberries with bananas make you think of what?  Banana split?  Uh huh?  That's right!  Oh My Goodness!  Now we have a whole new level of dessert!  Yes indeed!!  This is how it looks "inside."

If you let it get good and cold, it serves up into nice "squares."  Hence, the name.

I am sitting here eating a small mound of this delectable dessert while I type this blog post.  Let me tell you, it is more than good!  Talk about childhood memories with a kick!!  Wowee!  It is super good with a lovely cup of hot coffee too!  Now, you are probably drooling and looking around to see if you have any bananas in the house.  If not, run out now and get some.  You have got to try this one!

Everyday Donna


Things to Remember:

One of Elvis's favorite things was banana pudding!  : )

"Old School" Crispy, Crunchy Fish A New Way

Look at that beautifully browned, crispy, crunchy fish in the picture.  Perhaps you have never learned to love fish, or even like it.  Many people don't like fish because it is "too fishy."  Our family has always loved fish and it makes such a nice alternative to meals of chicken, beef or pork.  It has been one of my favorites since childhood.  It was always very exciting when my Aunt Molly would call and invite us to her house for a fish fry.  My uncle Jim would catch lots of bass, bluegill, or catfish and they would have a big ol' fish fry.  My aunt would make potato salad and hushpuppies to go with the fish!  And for dessert, she would always make lemon meringue pie - one of my all time favorites!!!  Do you have fond memories like that from your childhood?  It's funny how food is attached to so many childhood memories.

When I was growing up,  members of the Catholic Church did not eat meat on Fridays as a day of sacrifice.  At school, we would have grilled cheese sandwiches, or fish for lunch since many of the students attended Catholic Church.  Lots of the kids did not like fish, but that was just fine with me because I loved it.  My mom would often make fried cod fillet sandwiches for dinner on the weekend.  Fried cod is so good.  And salmon patties are one of my favorites to this day!  I even liked tuna casserole.  Catfish, bass, crappie, grouper, roughy, shrimp, clams, lobster, crab - all good in my book.  Oysters on the other hand have never been one of my favorites.  Guess everybody has something they don't like right?

My best friend in the neighborhood where I grew up was from a Catholic family.  She would often ask me to spend the night on Friday night.  It always made me happy, because I knew there would be fish for dinner (even though she did not like fish).  She always complained, but I was a happy camper.   Another fond memory for me.

I had a bunch of tilapia in the freezer and I decided that was what we would have for dinner tonight.  It just sounded good to me.  Something different and oh so tasty!  I have fixed fish many different ways, but I am "old school" and love some crispy, crunchy fish.  You know, the kind rolled in corn meal. I am not a big fan of the doughy coating on fish that you get at a lot of restaurants.  I want crunch, so this is what I did.

First, I thawed the fish.  Then, I set up my breading station.  I have lots of Corning Ware that is 42 years old.  I have been using it ever since we got married.  We received it for wedding gifts and it's still going strong after all these years.  Its the kind with the blue cornflower on the side that you see in vintage stores now.  Yes, I guess it is vintage. Sigh   Oh, I am digressing again.  Here is what you need for your breading station.

These are one quart casseroles and in the first one I put one cup of flour.  In the second, one cup of yellow corn meal.  In the third casserole, I beat up 2 eggs with a fork.  Now, I will share the secret ingredient.  

It's Old Bay Seasoning.  Shhhhh, don't tell.  If you want some truly delicious, flavorful, crunchy fish, here is how you do it.

Add one tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning to the flour and to the corn meal.  Mix it in with a whisk or fork.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each dish and some fresh cracked black pepper.  Mix again.  Now, take a piece of the fish and place each side in the flour first.  The flour keeps the fish dry and helps hold the egg and cornmeal on the fish so that the fish will get nice and crisp.  Next, dip each side of the piece of fish in the egg and then each side in the cornmeal.  

Here is another secret to making the fish a little healthier by not using so much oil frying it.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Lay each piece you "bread" on the sheet.  Heat your oven to 350 degrees.  When you have finished all the fish pieces, place the baking sheet in the oven for at least 20 minutes or until the breading starts getting brown.  When the fish "flakes"when pierced with a fork, remove it from the oven.  You can serve it this way or you can add one more step.

This is where my "old school" ways come in.  I added a little vegetable oil to my electric skillet and let it heat up good and hot at 350 degrees.  I took all the fish pieces off the baking sheet and cooked them on each side for just a bit until the breading got really brown and crispy.  This helps eliminate using a lot of oil to fry the fish and still gives you that nice crispy, crunchy fish that is sooooooo good.

Serve with cocktail sauce or tarter sauce, or some nice lemon wedges and you have one delicious meal.  Because you cooked it in the oven, it is not greasy in any way which makes it a lot healthier.  This fish would also be excellent to use in fish tacos - another one of my favorites.  As a matter of fact, that is what I will do with the left overs tomorrow!  

I hope you will give this recipe a try the next time you are craving some nice crispy, crunchy fish.  It's quick and easy and is such a wonderful change up for dinner.  Let me know if you try this recipe.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"In the hands of an able cook, fish can become an inexhaustible source of perpetual delight."

Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

At Last - The Pickled Beet Recipe!

Guess what that is?  Yup, it's a brand new jar of pickled beets that I made today!  There is a post from back in the summer about a wonderful salad with pickled beets in it - actually, home made pickled beets.  I told you about the amazing nutritional value of beets and touted the glory of these wonderful spicy delicacies like my grandmother used to make.  I even said I would post the recipe, and somehow that never happened.  I am sorry for the delay, but here it is today!

Why have I waited so long?  Mainly because beets are a cool weather crop.  They are normally planted 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost in spring and 2  to 3 weeks before the first frost of autumn.  They can be grown throughout the winter in milder climates.  Beets are harvested at about 60 days growing time.  Therefore, when I went to the Farmer's Market last week, they had a beautiful crop of fresh, ruby red beets.  Can I tell you how excited I was?  More than!!! - That's how excited.  The jars of pickled beets from my last canning session were long gone.  Seems everyone (except Dan) fell in love with them and they were quickly consumed.  Dan hates all things with vinegar in them.  I did this project today while he was spending time with his recording engineer making music.  That way, I didn't have to listen to him gag and retch all afternoon from the smell of simmering vinegar.  hahaha  But, I was making my own kind of music, believe me!

There are references to beets as early as the 8th century BC.  Now that's a long, long time ago.  They grew in the Mediterranean regions and were cultivated in other countries from there. There are several varieties of beets, but the ones I am using are known as "beet root."

 One of my fondest memories is of my grandmother's pickled beets which always had a place of honor on the kitchen table along with her spiced peaches, spiced apples and assorted jellies and jams.  I can still remember how wonderful it was to have a spiced peach or some pickled beets with dinner.  They have been one of my favorites ever since.  Dan's mom also made pickled beets that I truly loved.  Here is the recipe I used today.

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds fresh beets
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
1 TBSP ground cinnamon

If you are using small beets, they can be pickled whole.  If using larger beets, they can be sliced in 1/4 inches slices, quartered or diced.  I quartered mine,  because they were all different sizes - too big to can whole.

To cook fresh beets:

Use tender, freshly picked beets.  Wash to remove all traces of garden soil.  Rinse and drain.  Cut off all leaves and stems, leaving about 1 inch of the root end.

Place beets in a large, heavy pan - preferably stainless or enamel.  Aluminum can stain.  Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium.  Cover and cook until fork tender, approximately 25-30 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain.

Let the beets cool until you can safely handle them.  Once cooled, you can peel the skin right off - like a hard boiled egg.  Beets will stain your hands, so wear gloves or use a paper towel to peel.  Leave beets whole if small, or cut them up as you prefer.

Look at the beautiful deep ruby red color.  Beets are so full of nutrition and good for you!  I know, you remember those awful Harvard beets they used to make at school in the cream sauce that had no taste.  I can't even think about those.  Ugh.  But roasted beets, or pickled beets are absolutely divine!


The Pickling Brine:

In a large stainless or enamel pan, mix apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, whole allspice, cloves and ground cinnamon.  Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar melts.  Reduce heat and let the brine simmer approximately 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Canning Process:

Have clean, sterilized jars ready.  You can wash them in the dishwasher if you have one (otherwise, wash and rinse by hand) and then place them in a cake pan.  Heat your oven to 200 degrees, place the pan with jars in the oven until you are ready to fill them.  Prepare 2 piece lids and rings according to directions.  ALWAYS use new lids.  Rings can be reused.

Pack peeled and trimmed beats into HOT canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch space from jar rim  Carefully pour hot pickling brine into each jar, covering beets and allow 1/4 inch head space.  (I used a big soup ladle and funnel to keep from spilling brine down the jars.)  Run a thin spatula through the jars to remove any air bubbles.  Wipe jar rims with a damp paper towel.  Add lids and rings.

You can use a water bath method to preserve the jars (follow instructions with water bath canner), or store the sealed beets in the refrigerator, which I what I do.  They don't last long enough to go through the whole water bath process.  There is nothing like the sound of the "POP" when the lid seals.  That means you are ready for some good eating in a few days!  I really can't wait.  This recipe made two quarts jars or 4 pint jars.  I will be going back to the Farmer's Market in search of more beets!

If you have access to fresh beets this time of year, give this recipe a try.  You will be so glad you did.  They are a wonderful addition to any meal with that lovely hint of cloves, allspice and cinnamon.
Deeeeee-licious!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“Beet ever so onion there snow peas legume.”
Margaret Thornley

Hey Gillian - Here's Your Vegetable Soup Recipe

So let's talk about vegetable soup and all the ways it can be made.  I had a request from my friend Gillian yesterday asking if I had a recipe for vegetable soup that I would be willing to share.  Why yes, Gillian.  I am more than happy to discuss the beauty of vegetable soup and tell you how I make it.  There are so many ways to make it actually and they are all good.  For me, it just depends on what I have available.
You can make vegetable soup vegetarian style with no meat, or you can use beef, chicken, Italian sausage, hamburger, turkey or kielbasa.  I have used all of the above.

The most important feature of vegetable soup is the stock you start with.  You can make it from scratch (which is a lot of work) by using beef bones, chicken bones, a ham bone, turkey bones - whatever you have available and then you simmer it in water with onions and spices to get a nice, rich broth.  Or, you can use "stock in a box" which is so much easier and available in so many flavors at really reasonable prices.  Trader Joe's has lot of different flavors and so does Whole Foods.  I get mine at Aldis.  Theirs is MSG and gluten free  and low sodium which is very important to me - especially no MSG!   I either use my 12 quart stock pot or my dutch oven, depending on how much soup I am making.  This vegetable soup I made in my stock pot.   I made it almost full to the top so I could share it with some "sickly" family.  That left enough for us to have here at home also.

Here is a sidetrack, which may happen several times during this post.  If you are making soup, make a lot!  You can put some in zip lock bags and freeze it for later without having to go to the trouble to make it all over again.  It keeps very well and is just as good when thawed and reheated as when you first made it.  Or, share it with a friend or family - even co workers.  Soup is a really budget friendly meal and everyone loves soup!

Okay, back to where I was.  If I am making chicken vegetable soup (like in the picture above) I put in two boxes of chicken stock and an equal amount of water.  So that is about 8-10 cups of stock and 8-10 cups of water.  I add 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts and cook them for about 30 minutes until done through.  Remove the chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces and add back to the soup at the end of cooking to heat through.

While the chicken is cooking, I peel and cut up potatoes (about 4-5), carrots (about 4-5 whole carrots), 2 medium sized onions, and 2 ribs of celery.  This is the "vegetable" base for my soup.  I also add a 32 oz can of whole tomatoes with juice and an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce.  (Right now, I am using the quart bags of frozen tomatoes I put up this summer.  Yum.)  I also like to add a couple of diced turnips or some cabbage that I have cut into bite sized wedges.  The turnips and/or cabbage give the soup a really delicious, delicate flavor that we love.   Cook all these vegetables first, since they take longer than the frozen vegetables and beans that you may add.

After you have removed the chicken breasts from the pot, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, and turnips or cabbage.  Let them cook until the potatoes and carrots are beginning to get soft.

Now, you can add any vegetables that you want or have on hand.  Be imaginative.  Use things you like. I added  frozen green peas, frozen corn, frozen green beans, a can of kidney beans, and some kale which I had chopped into bite sized pieces.  You can use cannellini beans (which are white kidney beans), great northern beans, black beans, butter beans, black eyed peas, or everybody's favorite - lime beans.  (not)  I also added some zucchini which we love.  At this point, it's your vegetable choice in any amounts you choose.  You may need to add a little more water as some of it evaporates during cooking.

Sometimes I add spinach toward the end because it cooks very quickly.  You can also use some turnip greens or collard greens cut into small pieces.  How about some asparagus cut in bite sized pieces?  There are so many vegetables to choose from.  Be inventive!

Now, here is my secret for really flavorful soup.  Add the end piece or "rind" from a parmesan cheese wedge.  Don't EVER throw those lovely pieces away.  Save them in a baggie in your fridge for special events like soup making!!  I learned this trick from my son in love Todd and it is well worth passing on.  The parmesan adds a lovely saltiness  and flavor without making the soup too salty and you won't really taste the parmesan!  The stock in a box is salty (I use low sodium) already so I rarely have to add much additional salt.   Salt to your preference.  Vegetables can soak up a lot of salt, but be careful and don't over salt.  If you do, add a whole potato for a bit and then remove.  It will soak up the extra salt.  Also, use lots of fresh cracked black pepper.

Now, my other secret.  I like to add macaroni or rice to the soup.  Usually, I use elbow macaroni. I throw in several hands full and let it cook until done.   If you like alphabet soup, use the cute little alphabet pasta you can buy in a box.  Your kids will love it!  The pasta takes on the wonderful tomato/vegetable flavors and is soooooo good.  It may be my favorite part of the soup.  If you eat gluten free, just use gluten free pasta.  If you want to use rice, add about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup depending on how much soup you are making.

Now, it's time to add your meat back into the soup.  I cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch bite sized pieces and put it back into the pot just to warm it up.  Ta dah! You are done.  Ladle into a serving bowl and eat. Oh my goodness good!

If you are using left over beef - say from a roast - now is the time to add it back in.  If you are using beef bones or beef ribs, use beef stock in place of chicken stock, add the bones or ribs to the stock and cook them until done like the chicken breasts.  Remove them from the soup when they are done, dice up the meat and add it back in at the end.  If using sausage like kielbasa, it is already cooked, so add it in about halfway through so it flavors the soup.  Italian sausage is uncooked.  Remove the casing and cut into 1 inch pieces, add it at the beginning with your "core" vegetables and let it cook all the way through.  Italian sausage makes a really tasty soup.

 This is what I have been trying to say through this whole post.   Vegetable soup is an individual thing.   Ours is a little different every time I make it, depending on what I have to throw in.  The base is always the same  - otherwise, who knows?  You can add vegetables in any quantity you want - make as little or as much as you want.  You always want enough for the second day. because soups always taste better the second day!

If it is as cold where  you are as it is here, it's a perfect day for vegetable soup!  Allow yourself a couple of hours for the whole process, but it is more than worth it.  The chopping and cooking is sort of Zen.  It's relaxing and who doesn't love the final outcome?  Delicious, nutritious, cost effective vegetable soup.  Yum.  Yum.  Yum.  You may want to add some hot, crusty bread, or a grilled cheese sandwich and you are good to go!  For me, the soup is all I need!

So Gillian, I don't know if this helps or answers your question, but I hope so.  If you make some soup, let me know how it goes and how much you like it!  Everyone else,  you let me know too.  Now, I am dreaming of soup.  Oh look, it's lunch time.  Yay!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Soup is soul satisfying in so many ways.  Make some and share it!  donna

Applesauce Muffins - Delicious

Remember in Little Red Riding Hood, when she was going to visit her sick grandmother?  Well, yesterday Grandma had to go visit her sick family.  It's that time of year when the flu bug begins to pass around.  One of our grandsons got sick Friday afternoon after we had enjoyed lunch with our daughters and their sons.  Our second daughter took her son home to nap and we spent some time with our oldest daughter and two of her sons driving around and showing her how to get to some places here in Nashville.  They just moved here from Dallas the week before Christmas and she is still trying to figure things out.  After we left her house and returned home, she called to inform us that Z had gotten sick after picking her oldest son up from school.  Uh oh.  The germ fest had begun.  Of course they had been drinking out of the same sippee cups and playing with all the same toys.  Here we go.  

Our second daughter, who is 36 weeks pregnant said she did not feel very good on Saturday and Sunday.  Her son who is 22 months old got sick on Sunday.  Things were not looking good at this point.  She took him to his pediatrician on Tuesday because he was not doing very well.  By Tuesday evening, her husband was in bed sick and she was up most of the night.   Yesterday, her nanny fell prey to the current bug and had to go home.

We had just come over with chicken and noodles, jello and muffins when K was leaving to go home.  We stayed to help.  Having raised 4 children, I know what it's like to be down for the count and no one to help care for the kids.  It is NOT a fun situation.   By evening, Annie and Todd were feeling somewhat better and they ate some chicken and noodles and a muffin.  Grandson G on the other hand fell in love with these muffins or "fuffins" as he calls them.

This is a really quick and easy recipe made with applesauce and has a nice cinnamon flavor.  The dough is very dense when you mix it, so don't be alarmed and think you forgot something.  That's just the way it is.  Here is what you need:

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1.5 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins optional

Directions:

Combine flour, cinnamon and baking soda in a bowl.  Set aside.  In another bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, applesauce and vanilla.   Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Add raisins if you are using them.  ( I didn't)  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups three fourths full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until muffins test done.  Yield - 1 dozen.

This recipe is easily doubled.  They are so good they won't last long.  You can see by the picture, we had already eaten some when I remember to take a picture.

Everyone is on the mend today, feeling a little better.  Grandma is making more soup and some blueberry muffins to take over for dinner tonight.  We are doing what we can to help out and are so very thankful that we are living close enough to do this for our family.

Be sure and give this muffin a try.  It's really nice for a breakfast or brunch and super good with a mild soup when tummies don't feel so good.  Grandson G sure loved them and Pawpaw loves 'em too.  He won't even eat applesauce.  hehe  Hope you keep the germs far away and us too!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“Well, I can't eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would parobably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.”  The Importance of being Ernest, 1895

A Recipe For Good Vision Health - Get An Eye Exam!

Today was my annual trip to the ophthalmologist to have my eye pressures tested and my optic nerves examined.  I have been doing this for 28 years because I have glaucoma in both eyes.  Next week I will have my visual field test and some nice computer pictures taken of my optic nerves.  ( Don't expect to see them on my Christmas card next year, however.)  The report today was excellent and my new ophthalmologist, Dr. Christ, was super nice.  While talking to me and showing me some results from today's tests she was looking at my records and said "Holy Cow, you do NOT look anywhere near your age.  Wow!"  Guess that made the whole trip worthwhile.  : )

I was fortunate.  While having a routine eye exam for new glasses when I was 35, the optometrist who was doing my exam asked if she could check my eye pressure after spending a very long time looking in my eyes.  I said sure, why not?  She took the pressures and then asked if she could test them again.  My answer - sure, why not?  After she finished my examination, she talked with me and said she had some concerns about my intra ocular eye pressure and asked if I could return the next morning for another pressure check. Since the office was in the mall where I worked, I told her it was no problem since I arrived at 8 am every morning.  Once again, she tested my eye pressures and said she would like to refer me to a specialist, an ophthalmologist.  She said my pressures were high and my optic nerves showed some signs of damage.  Of course I agreed, because who wants to lose their vision  - especially at age 35.

I made my trip to the ophthalmologist the next day.  He did a very thorough examination and some additional tests.  When he was finished he talked with me and told me that I had glaucoma in both of my eyes.  Glaucoma causes increased intra ocular pressures which then damages your optic nerves.  Fortunately, there are many medications that can help control these pressures and keep them in check.  He wrote a prescription for a medication called Timoptic and told me how to use it, one drop in each eye every morning and every evening.  I had to return several times the next month to test my pressures to see if the medication was doing it's job.  Fortunately, it was working very well.

For many years, that controlled my eye pressures and kept them in the teens which is considered very good.  After about 15 years, my pressures began to increase again and another medication was added.  After 28 years, I am now on optimum medications which is a total of 4 different kinds of drops.  The "up" side is, my optic nerve damage has not advanced nor have I lost any of my peripheral vision due to my strict regimen of using my medications and not taking other medications or doing things that can increase eye pressures.  Things like riding roller coasters and amusement park rides.  Who knew?

Glaucoma is a silent condition that really has no symptoms.  It is caused by a build up of intra ocular fluid that cannot drain from the natural pathways in the eyeball.  The increased fluid presses on the optic nerves and damages them.  The damage is irreversible.  There is not always an explanation of why.   Many times, people lose their vision without knowing they have glaucoma.  It takes several years of increased pressure to damage the optic nerve, but because there are no symptoms they do not know they even have glaucoma until the damage is done.  The damage is permanent and there is no reversal procedure.  This does not have to happen.

It is important to see your eye care professional annually for an examination after the age of 50.  By this time, many are wearing glasses to help see small print when reading.  I have been wearing glasses since I was 20 because of nearsightedness or myopia.  That meant that I regularly saw an eye care professional when I needed new glasses.  Had I not needed glasses, I probably would not have seen a professional and would have suffered irreparable damage.  This is one time to be thankful for wearing glasses.

Glaucoma in patients under 40 is very rare.  My doctor at the time said he had no explanation for it.  Absolutely no one in my family has had glaucoma, but it does tend to run in families.  If you know of relatives who have glaucoma, it is very important that you get frequent examinations, especially as you age.  If you do the math, you will know that I am 63 now and very grateful to a very observant optometrist 28 years ago.

The one symptom that someone with glaucoma may have is seeing halos around headlights of cars and streetlights.  Otherwise, there are none.  That is why a good eye examination is very important.

Of course, there are many other eye disorders and diseases that exist.  Glaucoma just happens to be a very silent one.  African Americans have a greater tendency for this eye disorder as well as people who have it in their families.  Also, diabetics are more prone to glaucoma.

There is a surgery available when eye pressures can no longer be controlled with medication, but it is considered a last response because of possible complications resulting in vision loss.

I don't know about you, but I value my eyesight and do not want to lose it.  Please, take the time to make an appointment for an eye examination if it has been a while or you have never had one.  It could be as important as saving your vision.  Don't wait.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“No one ever injured his eyesight by looking on the bright side of things”  unknown