Tag: Recipes

A divine Winter Vegetable recipe and a Dog Days update

  An old friend gave me this recipe a while back, and I finally got around to trying it out last night.  Oh my Lord, it is good.  And Light!  A perfect addition to any fall meal, but in my opinion, especially Thanksgiving.

Ingredients: 

Peel and dice the following –

1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced parsnip
1 1/2 cups diced turnip
2 cups diced butternut squash
*Recipe calls for 2 cups diced celery root, ( this is not celery)
 I didn’t have any so I added more turnip. 
1 diced sweet potato
1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup brown sugar, or more or less to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Dice all vegetables and put in big stock pot.  Boil in water till tender – turnips take a while. When all are tender, drain water and but veggies in either a food blender to puree or back in the stock pot to mix with an electric beater – adding in the butter and heavy cream and brown sugar and salt and pepper. I used the beater, so it’s not totally smooth, which I actually liked.

I’ve been told to double the batch because it is so popular and keeps well as a leftover.   I loved it and I recommend you give it a try.

 Off to Dog Days this morning to welcome the Southern hounds who will be joining us.  Say a little prayer to the powers that be that we find these dogs a good home.  They are at least now rescued from Death row. – Amen.

A pic of most of our site crew team, who spent Wednesday night setting up kennels for
120 dogs.  Thank God for the selfless volunteers, or this wouldn’t be possible.
 
We’ll see these hopeful faces in Salem this weekend..
 

..and hopefully we’ll see the happy faces of their new families too. 
Hooray for the Underdog! 

Glorious Fall Weekend

 These are the days I love most.. when this little family finds time to slow down and relax and enjoy the simple things together!  OK… maybe for an hour here and an hour there we are all doing something together… or at least some of us are together most of the time.  Good enough.  
 
 The weather has been wonderful and we’ve been walking, talking, cooking, eating, watching movies or football, picking apples at a local orchard, blowing leaves (no rakes around here – blow ’em into the woods or chop ’em up with the lawn mower.)  sittin’ round a bonfire and taking a dog or two around the fields to explore. 
 
  Right now, the girl child is off riding her horse while the boyz are watching football.  I’ve baked an apple pie and the aroma is intoxicating…. recipe HERE.  Even if you hail from the Deep South  I hope you get to experience fall in all of it’s glory at least once in your life time. The air smells of woodsmoke here in the country…the  earth is littered with crunchy leaves and golden hues, the harvest fruits delicious.
 
Scotts Orchard, Deep River, CT
 

Have you ever seen so many apples??
 
 Hammocks ’round the fire pit up on the hill… 

 
 
 

 

William Cullen Bryant

Ruth’s Swiss-Bacon -Onion Dip

I’m definitely adding this to our Thanksgiving appetizer menu – 
I found it in the Gooseberry Patch Thanksgiving Recipe magazine currently out in stores. 
YUM! 
(image by Amanda Jane Brown )
 
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. green onions, chopped
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 c. round buttery crackers, crushed
Mix cheeses, mayonnaise and onion; spread in a
greased
8″x8″ baking pan. Top with bacon and cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at
350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve with Pita Chips or Crostini –  Makes about 4
cups

Here and there

  Did you get a look at that Harvest moon in recent days?… my camera does not do it justice in these pics. The soft lavender of the evening skies over This Old House cast a serene hue…

My sister and I got together to kayak on Friday….
Why haven’t we done this more often?!
 
 She handled Torch,  Mikes big touring kayak, very well. 
 
 On Saturday we arrived at the Guilford Fair to fawn over my little blue ribbon,
only to dive immediately into the totally sinful fair food. 
Ferris wheels are so photogenic, aren’t they? 
Yesterday the guy and I took a quick ride over to Devils Hopyard..
 Below is beautiful stone archway underneath the road that runs through
the park, right next to the falls.
There are two, built before the WW’s. 
Nowadays, the labor would be too expensive to do so. 
It’s a shame, some of what we’ve lost in architecture as the world has become
something different. 
Many lovers initials carved or written on this bench….
 
One of my favorite breakfasts on Sunday morning…
I should make these more often.  My version is Gluten free – they don’t
leave you feeling bloated and too full… it’s a beautiful thing. 
 
A shot of the Ferris wheel last night, still aglow one hour
 after the Fair had closed down for another year. 
I had to pick up my photo entry and the feel of the fairgrounds was so very different than when you are being pushed along the midway with the crowds. The booths and rides were still lit up, the attendants relieved and ready to pack up and go home. The ponies were untacked and loose in their pony ride corral and the food vendors dined together with jovial expressions and laughter you don’t see while their services are in high demand by the people.  
 Did I tell you about my sexy new crock pot?  I’m too lazy to look back over the posts…
Sweet and sour stew recipe HERE

Healthy Fall Recipes

Although the humidity outside would make you question it,
fall is truly on the way now that we’ve entered September.  
 
In the spirit of healthy and hearty eating,  I’m sharing a few recipes
others have shared with me…
 
Orange Velvet Pumpkin Layer Cake
 
 
 
http://dessertswithbenefits.com/orange-velvet-pumpkin-layer-cake-with-a-special-chocolate-frosting/
 
 
 
 
Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken
 
 
 
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/CROCK-POT-BALSAMIC-CHICKEN-52439591
 
 
 
Easy Carmel Apple slices
 
 
 Simply melt the carmel, slice apples in half, take out the core and center
with melon baller or spoon.. fill with melted carmel, let set, and slice!
YUM!  and sorta healthy.
 
 
 Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew
 
 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/
 
 
 
Zucchini Almond Cake
Hilary of Crazy as a Loom says this is the bomb.
 
 
http://playingwithflour.blogspot.com/2013/08/zucchini-almond-cake.html 
 
 
I was going to include a gluten free pie crust, because who doesn’t love pie, right?
But holy cow, every recipe I find seems kinda complicated and
I don’t know if it will be good.
Maybe buying a frozen gluten free crust at the health food store is best.
 
I’m also looking for a new slow cooker.
Any of you have one you absolutely love?
Do tell…
 
 
 

The garden that feeds

The garden is in full swing, and it’s a weird garden year,
let me tell ya. 
Tomatoes are still mostly green,
just a few wimpy reds so far,
and my new italian ice cherries. 
Cucumbers are ridiculously proliferous..
Green squash awesome, yellow squash iffy.
Plenty of beans, we’ve enjoyed those immensely.
yesterdays harvest
In an effort to eat healthier, the husband insisted I stop
displaying CRAP on the kitchen island.  Usually there is a pastry stand
with oreos or donuts or cupcakes or whatever…and a nut dish full of pistachios
or sometimes  *ahem*  M&M’s or candy corn.. or something.

My island now looks like this…
(chai tea yogurt raisins in the jar)
Just so I’m keeping it real here… I haven’t totally given up my wild ways…
Blue frosted chocolate cupcakes reside beside the veggies as we speak. 
It is what it is. 

The flowers in the vase are picked out in my hay field..
can you identify the species? There are three…
This is what REAL tomatoes look like…
it’s worth the effort to grow them, and all you really need is a pot on a patio. 
Last night’s dinner..
apple chicken sausage (YUM!)
yellow squash casserole (double yum!!)
and a slab of tomato doused in olive oil, red wine vinegar, S & P, oregano. 
It’s a beautiful thing.
Two nights ago we had this zucchini recipe below.. it is awesomeness!
I used gluten free baking mix instead of the bisquick in the recipe. 
Zucchini Pie Recipe

3 cups zucchini, diced
1 onion, chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup Bisquick
3-4 tsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. Oil the Small Covered Baker. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add all ingredients and mix well. Turn into prepared Baker. Bake (uncovered) 35-40 minutes until golden brown.


Enjoy! 

You know how I love a good cupcake

 Saw this on FB and had to share… 







Lemon Pie Cream Cupcakes
Lemon Filling
Recipe from Martha Stewart
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-6 Tbsp cornstarch
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup cold water
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-3 large egg yolks, well beaten
-2 Tbsp butter
-1 1/2 cups boiling water
-2 tsp grated lemon peel

In a medium saucepan* whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cold water and lemon juice. Place saucepan over medium-low heat, and whisk until smooth.

Add well-beaten egg yolks and 2 tablespoons butter, and combine well. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Continue stirring until mixture reaches desired thickness, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove mixture from heat, and stir in lemon peel. Move to a plastic container, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.
*Aluminum is best, but any metal pan will probably leave a bit of a metallic taste.
******

These cupcakes can also be made a day or so in advance, just be sure to cover them well so they don’t dry out.

For Cupcake Crusts:
-2 sleeves graham crackers (18 crackers)
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
-2 Tbsp sugar

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl and mix with butter and sugar until well combined. Put a Tbsp of crust mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner (already in cupcake tin) and press down well. I use the bottom of a squeeze bottle and it makes this SUPER quick.
Bake 3- 4 min. You will have extra.
*******

Lemon Cupcakes
-1 box Betty Crocker golden vanilla cake mix, and ingredients to make it
-1 tsp lemon extract
-zest of 2 lemons (make sure to grate off only the outer yellow skin, not the bitter white pith underneath!)

Mix together cake mix according to box directions (adding oil, water, and eggs). Stir in lemon extract and lemon zest and mix well. Pour batter into 24 cupcake papers, on top of crusts, and bake according the instructions on the back of the box.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely on cooling racks.
******
Whipped cream for frosting

******

To Assemble Cupcakes:
Cut a conical hole in the center of each cupcake and discard excess cupcake pieces. Fill holes with chilled lemon curd. Swirl tops of cupcakes with whipped cream frosting using a 1M tip.

Shared Summer Recipes

Recipes


Sent in by Chania –  “This was suprisingly not too sweet. Best cake of the year so far in my house. Watch for my note about the sugar.”

http://razmatazblog.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-best-4th-of-july-cakeever.html    

Healthy Exchange’s
Calico Cucumber Salad

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
2 ¾ cups unpeeled and thinly sliced cucumbers
½ cup fat free mayo
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon Splenda
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley

In a large bowl, combine corn, cucumber, and onion. In a small bowl, combine mayo, vinegar, Splenda, black pepper and parsley flakes. Add mayo mixture to vegetable mixture. Stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Gently stir again just before serving. 108 cal, 0 fat, 3 fiber
I believe this recipe is from Joanna Lund of Healthy Exchanges. My family loves this.

Kate of Chronicles of a Country Girl sent me these….

Watermelon, olive & feta salad:
http://chroniclesofacountrygirl.blogspot.com/2011/06/i-love-watermelon-and-my-sister.html
Sounds weird but tastes exceptionally good.

My favorite Guacamole:
http://katespictureaday.blogspot.com/2010/01/holy-moly-i-love-guacamole.html

 Diane sent this great grilling recipe along….

http://lavenderdreamstoo.blogspot.com/2012/06/break-out-grill-for-old-favorite.html

Nana Diana’s Key Lime Pie

4 large egg yolks, beaten
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Mix well. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices if desired.

Soooo good!

 Dee sent this Summer Salad in , a beloved family recipe…

http://theoldfathen.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/easy-summer-salad.html

Mark amazes me, he contributes to my requests often, even sent in  a book for our Little Free Library..and this guy’s job takes him away from home more often than not.  He’s on a boat right now.

Not much of a cook, and since I’m not home, can’t tap into my wife’s treasure trove of recipes, but here’s mine.

http://mark-marksrantsandraves.blogspot.com/2013/03/plenty-of-fire-wood.html

 Ha ha, Mark –

Connie of Hartwood Roses contributes the following:
My favorite summer keep-in-the-fridge or take-to-a-summer-potluck recipe is Southern Living’s Honey Chicken Salad

http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/easy-chicken-salad-recipes-00417000067757/page13.html

Most of the time I cheat and use a rotisserie chicken, so there’s no cooking at all.

(not my photo)

This one is from my own files.. I shared it here on the blog before, but it’s worth repeating 🙂

Dawn, this one’s from you.
http://thisoldhousetoo.blogspot.com/2010/07/watermelon-sangria.html

Sally of Whispering Hope is sharing this recipe..
“I’d almost forgotten how much we like macaroni & pea salad in the summertime. Oh, and also you can add tuna – I use  albacore, so much better to me.”

1 (15 ounce) can green peas
4 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 diced onion
1 -2 tablespoon dill relish
8 ounces cooked macaroni
3/4 cup salad dressing or 3/4 cup mayonnaise, to taste
salt and pepper to taste

..and here’s one from Maggy down in North Carolina, where she reports it is sweltering!

Cucumbers & Onions In Sour Cream Sauce .. Best Cucumber Recipe Ever!

1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 to 2 small onions, thinly sliced

OPTIONAL:
— Sweet green peas
— Diced celery
— Mayo? I seem to remember that I always added a hint of mayonnaise to this recipe (Duke’s Mayo, always)

Combine sour cream, sugar, vinegar and salt; add cucumber and onion slices and stir gently. Cover and chill 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Yields 4 servings.

PS – If you have very watery cucumbers, let them ‘sweat’ and release some (or most) of their juices before adding them to the other ingredients. Otherwise, you’ll have a very watered down sauce, and it will undermine the taste of the cucumbers and the other ingredients.

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

At 7:45 A.M. and 80 degrees already I have completed the outside barn and coop
chores and I might just give some of your recipes a whirl today.
Thank you so much for sharing…

The Cucumber dilemna and a request for your participation.

It’s hotter than hades in Southern New England..
all farm chores like mucking of stalls and raking out of henhouse
and tending the garden are done very early in the day. 
I’ve got a fan blowing in the horses stalls
and a small one at the hen house.
I also brought some watermelon to the girls just a few minutes ago.
Very important to consider your animals,
house pets included, when the heat rises.
As the garden is a-growing,
we’ve got a proliferation of cucumbers.
So many, I don’t know what the heck we’re gonna do with them.
Family and friends will get some, ofcourse,
and if we ever decide to put Buck the Wagon back in business
out front, they’ll have a place to go.
But for now…
out the ears, I’m telling ya.
I don’t mind spending some time in the kitchen on hot days like this,
thank you the- powers- that- be for the  invention of air conditioning.
I googled “simple easy quick pickles”… I kid you not..
and a recipe by Rachael Ray popped up. 
Just made ’em… and they are really easy, and really good.
No canning experience necessary…took about 15 minutes.
Just slice them, put together brine ingredients and cook in a pot,
pour hot brine  over the cucumber slices, let cool and then chill.
Recipe HERE.
Another great recipe I tried and loved has been going around on Facebook.
It’s a Cucumber Salsa, and oh, man is it refreshing and delicious.
(I left out the cilantro – bleh.)
I recommend eating it with tortilla chips or topping off a great burger.
YUM!
Recipe HERE.
Both recipes are great foods for a hot summer day.
Now I’m making a request. 
 Send me a link to one of your favorite summer recipes.
It can be a link to one of your own blog posts of a recipe.
Or a link like the ones I attached above, most can be found online…
Or, you can type out the recipe and send it that way.  
Let’s see what kind of summer recipe blog post we can put together.
If you have a photo to include… that’s even better.  
Send your entry to
karenthisoldhouse@hotmail.com
You don’t have to have a blog to participate, just an e-mail address   🙂

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers and a DD update

 We’ve had another successful Dog Days Adoption Event!  I did not take pictures during the weekend because I was too busy with the adoption interview process, that was my roll this weekend.  It’s not an easy job because sometimes I know the people and the dog they think they want are not a good match. I did turn two people away because they were unable to give any references, and we insist on those before we let the adoption go through.  I don’t like to disappoint or hurt people’s feelings, but our first priority it the well being of the dog. When they don’t understand that and get angry, they weren’t the right people to adopt anyway,  in my opinion.

  There was another photographer on site, I’ll post some of the adoption stories once she has posted her pics.  There were many tears of joy, for sure.

 For now I’ll share with you this great turkey burger recipe I got from Joey of The Fitness Connection a while back. Made it last night and it was delicious after eating crap all weekend on the fly.  The photographs are not mine, but show you the variation of how you can serve turkey burgers.

I don’t have a specific recipe, but it’s pretty easy to put together.
Use the amounts you would like according to your taste preferences.
I add in a generous amount of each ingredient because I like full flavor.
2 lbs ground lean turkey breast (or 1 lb. if you are just feeding one or two people)
Crumbled feta cheese
Pesto sauce
salt & pepper
bread crumbs
minced garlic
Chopped red onion, if desired (I don’t add it in)
Mix all ingredients together well and form patties, not too thick
Heat large pan and spray with cooking spray.
cook burgers until no longer pink.
I serve them with a yogurt or sour cream sauce..
my preference is sour cream but you can use plain Greek yogurt too..
In a bowl combine sour cream (about two cups),1 chopped cucumber, minced garlic to taste
salt & pepper.   I sliced a tomato thin.. placed the slices on top of the burgers
(no buns for us)..and added a big dollop of the sauce on top. 
Delicious!