Wow, when I think of soul foods I think of my friend Caroline and all the wonderful dishes she makes and those that she taught me. Then I thought that she cooks all around the globe being Filipino and African American and Californian. I am not going to list one of her recipes however because all I needed to do was look in my refrigerator.
Last night my husband and I were all alone!! No kids, Theo is off camping and the girls both spent the night at the neighbors house. What to do for dinner, I thought as I looked at the squash on the counter. Our garden is producing so much more than we can eat. Then it hit me, something the kids would complain about no doubt but something that my husband and I would love. Lasagna Primavera, it uses the squash, mushrooms, which I had, and carrots. It is an easy recipe, no cooking the pasta, just layer it with some sauce and ricotta and veges. To me this is good for my soul and body and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it, then shared some with another neighbor! Hope you enjoy it too. You can find the recipe in my Main Dishes under Favorite Recipes. Have a great Friday!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Chicken Potstickers or Egg Rolls
Baked Potstickers with Sweet Asian Dipping Sauce
1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
½ cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
¼ cup grated carrot
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh gingerroot
1 egg white, lightly beaten
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
24 square wonton wrappers
(for egg rolls instead of potstickers use the large squares)
Oil
Dipping Sauce
½ cup red jalapeno jelly
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1. Preheat oven to 425ยบ. For potstickers, in large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, green onions. Carrot, gingerroot, soy sauce, egg white, mayonnaise and garlic pressed. Mix well.
2. To assemble potstickers, place 12 wonton wrappers onto smooth surface. Lightly brush edges of each wonton with water. Using Small Scoop, place a mounded teaspoon of filling into center of each wonton. For each potsticker, fold one point over filling and overlap with the opposite point. Repeat with remaining two points, folding envelope style. Place the potstickers on Large Round Stone; lightly spray with oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Repeat with remaining wontons. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges of pot stickers are golden brown; remove from oven.
3. For dipping sauce, place jelly in small bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30-40 seconds or until warm; add vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk until well blended. Transfer potstickers to serving platter; serve with dipping sauce.
Yield: 24 pot stickers
For egg rolls instead of potstickers, I use the large square wontons and about a tablespoon of filling. Place on bottom of wrapper and make a log. Brush edges with water and fold in the 2 sides about ½ inch; roll up from bottom and seal to top edge. Place oil in frying pan to reach up side 1 inch and heat at medium high until shimmering. Carefully place egg rolls in pan, the amount depends on size of pan, don’t over crowd. Fry, turning occasionally until golden brown.
Nutrients per serving (2 potstickers and 1 tablespoon sauce) Calories 140. Total Fat 4 g. Saturated Fat .5 g. Cholesterol 10 mg. Carbohydrate 19 g. Protein 5 g. Sodium 360 mg.(with reduced sodium soy sauce) Fiber 1 g.
1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
½ cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
¼ cup grated carrot
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh gingerroot
1 egg white, lightly beaten
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
24 square wonton wrappers
(for egg rolls instead of potstickers use the large squares)
Oil
Dipping Sauce
½ cup red jalapeno jelly
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1. Preheat oven to 425ยบ. For potstickers, in large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, green onions. Carrot, gingerroot, soy sauce, egg white, mayonnaise and garlic pressed. Mix well.
2. To assemble potstickers, place 12 wonton wrappers onto smooth surface. Lightly brush edges of each wonton with water. Using Small Scoop, place a mounded teaspoon of filling into center of each wonton. For each potsticker, fold one point over filling and overlap with the opposite point. Repeat with remaining two points, folding envelope style. Place the potstickers on Large Round Stone; lightly spray with oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Repeat with remaining wontons. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges of pot stickers are golden brown; remove from oven.
3. For dipping sauce, place jelly in small bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30-40 seconds or until warm; add vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk until well blended. Transfer potstickers to serving platter; serve with dipping sauce.
Yield: 24 pot stickers
For egg rolls instead of potstickers, I use the large square wontons and about a tablespoon of filling. Place on bottom of wrapper and make a log. Brush edges with water and fold in the 2 sides about ½ inch; roll up from bottom and seal to top edge. Place oil in frying pan to reach up side 1 inch and heat at medium high until shimmering. Carefully place egg rolls in pan, the amount depends on size of pan, don’t over crowd. Fry, turning occasionally until golden brown.
Nutrients per serving (2 potstickers and 1 tablespoon sauce) Calories 140. Total Fat 4 g. Saturated Fat .5 g. Cholesterol 10 mg. Carbohydrate 19 g. Protein 5 g. Sodium 360 mg.(with reduced sodium soy sauce) Fiber 1 g.
A Family Favorite
After making a big deal about what to bring to the Friday Swim party, I decided to go with one of my favorites. These egg rolls are the best and so easy to make. The recipe, which I can't figure out how to link to, is called Baked Potstickers with Sweet Asian Dipping Sauce. I will try to include it at the bottom of this posting.
I want to say that even though it was my daughter Gennie's birthday on the 16th, I still wanted to go to Mara's Friday by the pool. After grocery shopping, baking her cake, making the potstickers, doing laundry, cleaning the house (okay I skipped the laundry and cleaning), I was overheated and tired. I still had the neighbors coming over for dinner and cake at 6:30 and the cake needed to be frosted and decorated. Maddie said she would make the frosting and I woke up Gennie from her power nap after my husband urged me to go have a couple of hours of fun. We drove for miles, ha ha!! and arrived at Mara's to ooohs and ahhhhs and a few of the nicest women around! They loved the potstickers which is the reason I am adding it to my blog.
Just so you can understand life in a small town if you don't have it, neighbors become friends, the moms at school become friends, the librarian from school is a friend, the play group from years ago are friends. I feel very blessed to live in a place where I was a stranger 10 years ago and now I can't imagine not living here. Sure I truly miss my friends from home, and I look forward to spending time with them and their families. But only in a small town, I think, can you find new friends all the time and feel like you belong. I want this for my kids, I want them to know that there are other people they can count on when family is not available. It is something I have learned by moving away from my hometown and I want them to know it too. These women at Mara's, I think there were about 6 or 7 of us, stopped when Gennie walked into the kitchen and sang Happy Birthday to her. It touched my heart and made me so glad that I took the time out of our busy day to go there and enjoy their company for a little while.
These are the women I want to see more of, spend more time with. We talk about everything, in pairs, threesomes or the whole group. It seems we know who we can talk to about certain things and who to skirt issues with. It is not the time to get into heavy discussions and that makes it all the more relaxing and fun. Some of our kids are the same age, some not but they too seem to have a good time together swimming and horsing around. These are the days that will stay in my memory and I treasure them. So to all you beautiful women, you know who you are, I want to say Thank you for being my friend and supporting me in my life and here in my blog.
I am going to do a separate post for the recipe! Thanks for reading and eating!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Mara's Delicious Olive Bruschetta
We haven't' figured out yet how to put the recipe name in my blog so everyone can just click on it so I thought I would post Mara's dish from yesterday here. I have that recipe book and I guess I need to take it out again and look it over. These were wonderful and I think we all enjoyed them, I know I did!!
Hi Bren,
Here is the recipe out of "Celebrate!" LOL!!
Warm Olive Bruschetta
24 slices French bread, cut 1/4" thick
3 T. Olive Oil
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped pitted ripe olives
1/2 C. chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 T. Italian Dressing
3/4 C. chive and onion cream cheese spread
Cherry Tomatoes, cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 375F. Place bread slices on Large Round Stone. Lightly brush tops of bread slices with olive oil. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove bread from oven and set aside.
Chop celery and olives using Food Chopper; place in Small batter bowl. Press garlic into batter bowl. Add dressing and mix well.
Spread cream cheese evenly over toast slices. Top with olive mixture using small scoop. Return to oven and bake 6-8 minutes or until warm. Garnish with cherry tomatoes if desired.
Yummy....I made it again yesterday!! :-D
Hi Bren,
Here is the recipe out of "Celebrate!" LOL!!
Warm Olive Bruschetta
24 slices French bread, cut 1/4" thick
3 T. Olive Oil
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped pitted ripe olives
1/2 C. chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 T. Italian Dressing
3/4 C. chive and onion cream cheese spread
Cherry Tomatoes, cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 375F. Place bread slices on Large Round Stone. Lightly brush tops of bread slices with olive oil. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove bread from oven and set aside.
Chop celery and olives using Food Chopper; place in Small batter bowl. Press garlic into batter bowl. Add dressing and mix well.
Spread cream cheese evenly over toast slices. Top with olive mixture using small scoop. Return to oven and bake 6-8 minutes or until warm. Garnish with cherry tomatoes if desired.
Yummy....I made it again yesterday!! :-D
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Didn't read the recipe Lemon Bars
My girls and I went to Mara's house for a swim party and decided to bring our most favorite recipe for lemon bars. But did I read the recipe, no I just figured I had made them enough times I could skim over it and get to work. I should mention that I was also playing skip-bo with my husband at the time,(I know just an excuse)and a little distracted by kicking his butt! Anyway as I poured the lemon mixture over the cookie crust I realized that I had forgotten the 1/3 cup of flour and I would probably have a runny mess on my hands. So what to do, swim party starts in 1 hour and I feel lazy, I know, bake them longer!! It seemed to work because I only got 1/2 of a regular size lemon bar and when I went back in the kitchen they were gone. So take heart, even when you aren't the perfect baker or cook, some mistakes can be overlooked. I am going to try and give you the whole recipe for the Lemon Bars here and hopefully Mara will send me her recipe for the Olive Bruschetta since I can't find it in my Pampered Chef recipe book. It was wonderful, I think I had four pieces.
At home, I was talking with Albert and telling him who all was at Mara's and how at least 3 women had read my blog and liked it and asked that I continue to post it to facebook so they can find it. It lifted my heart to see my friends interested and so we began talking about, of course, Reading. Liesa, who I have shared many books with seems to be interested in blogging and Mara as well! I can't wait to have a group of us to discuss reading and eating with! Admit it girls, eating is just as important and can be oh so fun when we get together and share our favorites. I think I am going to offer up a challenge to each of you.....Let's each bring something fabulous to Mara's next Friday to eat. I don't care if you go out and buy it just make sure it is your favorite and we can each share one of our favorite appetizers, desserts or whatever!
Well now I will try to post the recipe for Lemon Bars,
Buttery Lemon Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 cup butter softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
Mix butter and sugar together and add flour. Blend until cookie dough consistency then spread out in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 18 minutes at 350, should be a light golden brown. While this is baking continue with the following ingredients.
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup flour
Beat eggs and sugar together for 2 minutes. Add zest, juice, baking powder and flour and continue beating at a low speed until crust is done. Pull crust out of oven, lower oven temp to 300 degrees. Pour lemon mixture over hot crust and return to oven for 15-18 minutes or until almost set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot and allow to cool for 2 hours at least before slicing. I recommend slicing near the sink and rinsing off the knife every couple of slices as the lemon bars stick to the knife while cutting.
I don’t refrigerate these, they don’t usually last that long but I do cover them and leave them on the counter.
At home, I was talking with Albert and telling him who all was at Mara's and how at least 3 women had read my blog and liked it and asked that I continue to post it to facebook so they can find it. It lifted my heart to see my friends interested and so we began talking about, of course, Reading. Liesa, who I have shared many books with seems to be interested in blogging and Mara as well! I can't wait to have a group of us to discuss reading and eating with! Admit it girls, eating is just as important and can be oh so fun when we get together and share our favorites. I think I am going to offer up a challenge to each of you.....Let's each bring something fabulous to Mara's next Friday to eat. I don't care if you go out and buy it just make sure it is your favorite and we can each share one of our favorite appetizers, desserts or whatever!
Well now I will try to post the recipe for Lemon Bars,
Buttery Lemon Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 cup butter softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
Mix butter and sugar together and add flour. Blend until cookie dough consistency then spread out in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 18 minutes at 350, should be a light golden brown. While this is baking continue with the following ingredients.
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup flour
Beat eggs and sugar together for 2 minutes. Add zest, juice, baking powder and flour and continue beating at a low speed until crust is done. Pull crust out of oven, lower oven temp to 300 degrees. Pour lemon mixture over hot crust and return to oven for 15-18 minutes or until almost set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot and allow to cool for 2 hours at least before slicing. I recommend slicing near the sink and rinsing off the knife every couple of slices as the lemon bars stick to the knife while cutting.
I don’t refrigerate these, they don’t usually last that long but I do cover them and leave them on the counter.
Monday, July 5, 2010
My own little synchronicity
Yesterday, July 4th, at my good friends home, I was shown once again how closely things are connected in this huge but sometimes small world.
I was discussing books with a man my husband and I have only met twice previously and we are still finding all the things we have in common. I recalled a book that I read within two days and then passed on to Albert, my husband. I couldn't remember the exact titles or the author name. I read at least 3 books a week if not more and at this point I sometimes just choose books at random, which I did here. We both loved the book and after discussing it, I went back to the library with the name of the author and reserved other books and found that the book we loved had a second book continuing the story! We were so excited and I convinced Albert that I needed to read it first since it would take me no time at all. Anyway, after reading those two books I continued on and read others written by by the same author.
Not an hour later I noticed my friend Jim's sister Nancy sitting alone at the outside bar talking to Jim, who was behind the bar. I paused and thought, this is a brother and sister moment, maybe I should not intrude. I had not had the opportunity to talk to Nancy all day and she always has great things to tell me and I feel like I gain insight and wisdom just talking to her so I buried that concern and took the seat next to her. Nancy and I met about 9 years ago when her brother Jim was my next door neighbor, he warned me that we would have much in common, and we do and I wish I had more time to keep in contact with her.
You see as it turns out while talking books with Nancy, she actually knows the Author of those books I was just recommending. She explained to me how she met the author, TJ Mac Gregor, through her own blog and convinced me that I need to set one up myself. We signed on to her blog immediately and only had about 30 minutes of battery time so she walked me through how to start one and here I am.
The synchronicity of all this is obvious, I was able to tell Joe, the man we were talking to, the titles and author name that I so wanted to remember. I was introduced to Nancy's blog and blogging in general. Nancy showed me TJ Mac Gregor's site and blog and a new book to read on Synchronicity. My husband, who works with computers, is unemployed now for 3 months and has the time to help me out with this blog. Some other time I will tell you about the synchronicity of all that too!
In closing, I want to tell you a little more about myself. I am married to my best friend Albert for almost 16 years and we have 3 children, Genevieve will be 8 years old in 10 days, Madeline is 11 years and Theodore is 14. I have been a stay at home mom for 10 years now, although I did get an Instructional Aide job at the elementary school last year and will continue doing that this coming school year.
I mentioned how much I read, I started reading as soon as I could pick up a book. If I had to name a few favorite authors they would be Luanne Rice, Julia Quinn, Dean Koontz and Stephen King (since high school), James Patterson, Iris Johanson, TJ MacGregor, Stella Cameron, Debbie Macomber, Jodi Piccoult, Ken Follett and so many others. I could go on and on and in the future I plan to talk about some of my favorite books. I recently discovered Kate Jacobs and gave her name to Nancy.....Comfort food was the book I finished yesterday and I loved it.
I also love to cook, I am a Pampered Chef consultant for almost 4 years now and even though I am not doing shows every week I love doing it and hope to continue into the far future. I cook for my family just about every day, from breakfast to dinner. My kids are great eaters, so are mom and dad!! I believe in good food and trying everything at least once and then trying it again the next time because I have learned how much things change as we grow and develop. I am still hoping to convert at least one person in my family into a blue cheese lover like I am. I started decorating cakes again and baking cookies and joined Cake Central.com. I am a lover of recipe books and the food network although we haven't had cable tv for over a year now, I still miss that one and only channel.
I have a large extended family and don't get to see them often enough and at this point in my life things are a changing. Not only my body but my heart and soul too! I find that I don't think about things the same way and I hope this is a good thing. With help from friends like Nancy and Caroline and my sisters and mother (this includes Tracy, Tami and Pam) I hope to become a better person/friend/daughter/mother/wife/sister, you know all those things one woman becomes. So post any advice or ideas and I will keep posting as well.
I was discussing books with a man my husband and I have only met twice previously and we are still finding all the things we have in common. I recalled a book that I read within two days and then passed on to Albert, my husband. I couldn't remember the exact titles or the author name. I read at least 3 books a week if not more and at this point I sometimes just choose books at random, which I did here. We both loved the book and after discussing it, I went back to the library with the name of the author and reserved other books and found that the book we loved had a second book continuing the story! We were so excited and I convinced Albert that I needed to read it first since it would take me no time at all. Anyway, after reading those two books I continued on and read others written by by the same author.
Not an hour later I noticed my friend Jim's sister Nancy sitting alone at the outside bar talking to Jim, who was behind the bar. I paused and thought, this is a brother and sister moment, maybe I should not intrude. I had not had the opportunity to talk to Nancy all day and she always has great things to tell me and I feel like I gain insight and wisdom just talking to her so I buried that concern and took the seat next to her. Nancy and I met about 9 years ago when her brother Jim was my next door neighbor, he warned me that we would have much in common, and we do and I wish I had more time to keep in contact with her.
You see as it turns out while talking books with Nancy, she actually knows the Author of those books I was just recommending. She explained to me how she met the author, TJ Mac Gregor, through her own blog and convinced me that I need to set one up myself. We signed on to her blog immediately and only had about 30 minutes of battery time so she walked me through how to start one and here I am.
The synchronicity of all this is obvious, I was able to tell Joe, the man we were talking to, the titles and author name that I so wanted to remember. I was introduced to Nancy's blog and blogging in general. Nancy showed me TJ Mac Gregor's site and blog and a new book to read on Synchronicity. My husband, who works with computers, is unemployed now for 3 months and has the time to help me out with this blog. Some other time I will tell you about the synchronicity of all that too!
In closing, I want to tell you a little more about myself. I am married to my best friend Albert for almost 16 years and we have 3 children, Genevieve will be 8 years old in 10 days, Madeline is 11 years and Theodore is 14. I have been a stay at home mom for 10 years now, although I did get an Instructional Aide job at the elementary school last year and will continue doing that this coming school year.
I mentioned how much I read, I started reading as soon as I could pick up a book. If I had to name a few favorite authors they would be Luanne Rice, Julia Quinn, Dean Koontz and Stephen King (since high school), James Patterson, Iris Johanson, TJ MacGregor, Stella Cameron, Debbie Macomber, Jodi Piccoult, Ken Follett and so many others. I could go on and on and in the future I plan to talk about some of my favorite books. I recently discovered Kate Jacobs and gave her name to Nancy.....Comfort food was the book I finished yesterday and I loved it.
I also love to cook, I am a Pampered Chef consultant for almost 4 years now and even though I am not doing shows every week I love doing it and hope to continue into the far future. I cook for my family just about every day, from breakfast to dinner. My kids are great eaters, so are mom and dad!! I believe in good food and trying everything at least once and then trying it again the next time because I have learned how much things change as we grow and develop. I am still hoping to convert at least one person in my family into a blue cheese lover like I am. I started decorating cakes again and baking cookies and joined Cake Central.com. I am a lover of recipe books and the food network although we haven't had cable tv for over a year now, I still miss that one and only channel.
I have a large extended family and don't get to see them often enough and at this point in my life things are a changing. Not only my body but my heart and soul too! I find that I don't think about things the same way and I hope this is a good thing. With help from friends like Nancy and Caroline and my sisters and mother (this includes Tracy, Tami and Pam) I hope to become a better person/friend/daughter/mother/wife/sister, you know all those things one woman becomes. So post any advice or ideas and I will keep posting as well.
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