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I’m here to help create your own comfortable home.

Hi everyone:

This is a new addition to my present baking and cooking blog.

As a young girl I loved decorating and making my bedroom my space. From my  teenage years to  apartment's along the way.  Finally my ability to buy several homes.  In the beginning it would be very small additions like curtains and blinds and yes valances. I always liked antiques and used a few in my homes as I enjoy my family history.

I didn't have the luxury of spending wildly so I always was a wise shopper and today as well.

I learned basics work and through the years starting with basics colors always seemed to work in making my home comfortable and pleasing to the eye.

Whether it's your cupboards or closets it's so important to keep everything in an organized manner.  When you are organized you feel much better about yourself.  I speak from many years of experience.

There is no need to overthink this.  It's just a basic thought process that a little information can go a long way.

In this blog I will help you along the way.  The way I learned through experience.

No particular budget is needed.  You do it your way but make sure you have a plan and start small and grow.

Follow me and I 'll show you how to manage your decorating budget from day one and enjoy every minute doing it.

As always,

M.J..

Steak, cheese and onion Stromboli

I package refrigerated Aldi or and store bought pizza dough.  Follow directions.  This package I had frozen so you can freeze pizza dough.  Thaw in refrigerator overnight.

.

4 thin minute steak (frozen thin steaks like steak um)

1small onion sliced thin 

Mixture of grated mozzarella, American and cheddar and a a little ricotta cheese if desired.

Place about 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil in skillet.

Add sliced onion and slowly sauté onion until it is translucent.  Add broken pieces of steak. Salt and pepper. Cook until meat is browned and onion is almost soft.

When all is cooked.  Drain mixture on paper towel to remove some grease.

 Preheat oven to 375°.

I made 2 round size pieces out of dough and rolled them individually as flat as I could.  Topped with meat, onion and grated cheese and pinch sides to close. You can add cooked peppers too but also make sure you blot them well when adding. If mixture is too greasy you can have difficulty closing the stromboli. FYI 

 Bake according to directions on dough package.

Note:  Brush with olive oil salt, pepper before baking. Mine didn't brown well so I turned my oven broiler on and watched it until it browned.   It browns quickly!!!

Serve with marinara and side salad.

  

Please share If you are seeing this post

 

 

Hi everyone. Hope you are enjoying this lovely day

wherever you are visiting from.

I am struggling to keep this blog going.  I work on it almost everyday and have posted over 1500 posts.

If you enjoy seeing it please show me a comment of some kind to give me a feedback on what you enjoy about this blog.

I’d appreciate any kind response. 

I started this blog with a great passion for baking and cooking handed down from generations of time spent with my grandmother and mother in their kitchens.

Please share this post and encourage those you share with to take a look at what I have to give to young and old alike and allow yourself some relax time to also see my travels and experiences from 2011.

I also share family time which is and will always be the most rewarding and fulfilling time through the years.

Thank you .

Here I am below in my daughter's kitchen preparing our salad to go along with a great dish of pasta.

My son Mark in my kitchen at Christmas cooking the ravioli he made.

My granddaughters and I getting ready to make pepperoni rolls.

  

My daughter and I  are ready to serve Sunday dinner.

My daughter Susan's first cappelletti making experience.

Making gnocchi.

******Just a little reminder to say all it takes to make some delicious meatballs is good meat(Chuck(80% beef) pork and veal or meatloaf mix will work fine), eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, good Pecorino Romano cheese, minced garlic , a little milk to hold the ingredients together, salt and pepper.  Note: about 1 tsp. salt to 1 lb. of beef. Bake or fry the meatballs.  It's all going to be delicious.  Add the meatballs to your sauce.  My favorite sauce recipes are easy to find in the Label section of the blog.

 

                                                            

 

Pork tenderloin with my seasonings

A very enjoyable meal .  Pork tenderloins are a convenient meal for us.  They come in various sizes and I can always find one to suit our needs and a recipe that I can easily make to my meal collections.

I didn't have time time to decide what to make for dinner this evening(busy day but lazy day) but had taken from the freezer the night before a small pork tenderloin.  It was about a pound.

 In a large zip lock bag I Seasoned a pork tenderloin not by measure just with a guess lol salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and added sliced red onion and some extra virgin olive oil.  Enough of olive oil to make all seasonings stick to the tenderloin.  Got it!  Don't be afraid to be generous for yummy flavor.

I Added some par cooked small potatoes and a few cleaned carrots.  Note: par cooking is a great way to jump start a meal.  Especially raw vegetables.  It cuts on time and I know pork tenderloins cook rather quickly.  I baked it  uncovered 400° .   I’m figuring about 45 minutes. Do not overbake.

Since I don’t have any fruit handy I’ll be serving this with some diced canned peaches. #iliketobakeandcookblog

Turkey breast

Hi

This year was a very quiet dinner for two for Thanksgiving dinner.

3# boneless Butterball turkey breast.

Season with salt pepper and rubbed vegetable oil on it.

 Baked appropriately 1.5 hours uncovered 325° for 1.5 hours.

Note:  I used a meat tester and it tested at poultry.  During the baking time I rubbed about 2 tablespoon butter close to the end of baking time.

Remove turkey let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Drained fat from drippings and added some chicken broth.  Whisked with sifted flour while cold and thickened over medium heat until thickened to my desired consistency.

Check gravy for seasonings. It may need a little salt.

We both enjoyed this meal.

Mashed potatoes, corn and whole cranberries as sides.

From my kitchen to yours,