Cold tortellini and summer veggies salad

Hi everyone:

I had no intention of cooking today but I was hungry and although I usually do cook on Sunday today I didn't feel like any big meal.  Cold salad came to my mind and I did have refrigerated tortellini so I put together this wonderful summer salad.  Hubby and I had it for lunch.

1 lb. refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 carrot (half grated and half cut in slices)

1 stalk celery

3 green onions sliced

1 small zucchini cut in thick slices and cut in half or quarters

1 can chick peas rinsed (garbanzo beans) (optional)

several black olives (optional)

Your favorite Asian dressing or whatever you like

Cook tortellini for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside

Dice and grate carrot, chop celery and onion, wash and cut zucchini.  If you have other raw vegetables you can add them as well.

Toss with your favorite dressing and refrigerate at least an hour.  Serve on a bed of lettuce or gently tear a few pieces of lettuce and add to the bottom of salad before serving. Enjoy!

Since it's summer why not add a few chunky wedges of tomato too....Yummy!

Note:  I added the chick peas and olives to the salad I had left.  Tomorrow's lunch..................:)

From my kitchen to yours,

8/7/16

Crockpot sweet and spicy chicken

Summer is going so quickly.  Well that's how I feel anyway.  We took several road trips that were short drives that made no overnights necessary other than my monthly visit to mom. I considered it a really fun and relaxing time.

 A few movies, shopping excursions and dinner with friends too made it perfect.  It was really a hot one and I'm not one to complain so let's leave it at that.  My flowers were perfect!

I'm feeling the lazy days for sure.  I've been doing this blog for over five years and I'm getting a little frustrated with the amount of people who seem interested enough to visit my page.

I put loads of effort trying to please most everyone.  I do realize it's impossible to please all of the people all of the time lol but I sure try.

This week I started cleaning up my freezer and refrigerator and making meals with what I have.  Sometimes it's a real challenge to come up with something that is easy, delicious and that both hubby and I enjoy.

 I think you'll like this one.  We did. Only 4 ingredients makes it even better.  No salt, pepper or spices other than a little soy sauce and optional sesame seeds were needed because the sauce was plenty flavorful.   I used pineapple habanero sauce because I was feeling sweet and slightly spicy but not overly spicy so that's why I added the chicken broth to cool it down a bit. 

A perfect meal for those who enjoy crockpot eating.

2+ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large pieces

2 cups pineapple habanero sauce

1 can chicken broth 

1 tsp. Soy sauce 

Sesame seeds (optional)

 IN a medium bowl place sauce, broth and soy sauce. Stir to blend

Cut chicken in large pieces. Place in crockpot . Pour sauce over chicken and Cook on low 5 to 6 hours. Serve over rice.

Note: to thicken sauce mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a few tablespoons of sauce and stir or whisk well so all lumps are blended.  Add to remainder of sauce and chicken in the crockpot.




From my kitchen to yours,

8/11/16
9/30/16

Blueberry, pecan, sour cream coffee cake

This is one of the best cakes I have ever made using blueberries. It has the texture of a pound cake and the moistness that we all like in a cake.  I did cut back by one half cup the sugar in the recipe.  It was fine and I didn't think made any difference.  Enjoy this recipe and since fall is here I'm in a big time making mood.....:)

It's a coffee cake so that's even better in my book.  I always look for coffee cake type recipes for breakfast in our house.  I think you all know me by now(Yes it's over 5 years that I have been blogging) and my likes and dislikes I think come out enough for you to remember I am not an egg, bacon etc. breakfast person.  Never have been and I'm sure it's not going to change.

One thing has changed and that is I do eat breakfast everyday.  Yes every single day!  I didn't as a teenager or young adult but through the years have found out so many benefits to starting the day with something in your stomach.

As I have gotten older I have found that small or mini meals really help stabilizing your blood sugar which is so important. 

 My parents became diabetics in their fifties and I did not want to fall into that pattern so I started eating several mini meals a day and one evening regular portion meal. Here's what I do.  In the early morning I eat my small scone or breakfast food.  Around ten a.m I eat a piece of fruit or some protein. 

Lunch is usually pretty simple, salad, or 1/2 sandwich, soup and fruit or even a fruit cup.  It really varies by my hunger and what I have around our house.

Around 3 p.m. I have something small as in a few strawberries, some cottage cheese, veggie or some protein.
  
Dinner is whatever I make.  I don't make substitutions.  I eat whatever I want but I try to make dinner before 7 p.m.

I hadn't planned on this post giving a mini lesson on how to keep yourself healthy by a healthy lifestyle but I guess it must be important for me to add this along with this very delicious cake recipe.  So enjoy it and watch your portions.  I plan on eating a slice (moderate) for breakfast for a few days and will freeze the rest for later.  Wrap slices in clear wrap.  This cake freezes well as do most if not all of my recipes.



Note:  On to the recipe.  I did adapt it slightly as in cutting back on the white sugar.  Instead of 2 cups I used 1 1/2 cups as noted.  I cut back on pecans only using 1/4 cup as well because I should not eat many nuts for I have a challenged digestive system. I did not add salt as my butter was salted.  I also sprayed my pan with coconut oil and did dust with flour.
You can use the exact recipe if you like I just adapted it to our liking.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 5/8 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

• Prep
  20 m
• Cook
  1 h
• Ready In
  1 h 20 m

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Fold in blueberries.
3. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the batter in the pan. Spoon remaining batter over the top, and then sprinkle the remaining pecan mixture over. Use a knife or thin spatula to swirl the sugar layer into the cake.
4. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack. Invert onto a serving plate, and tap firmly to remove from the pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
5. Happy Baking from my kitchen to yours,
6. 
   
   
7. 
   
   
   

1. adapted from allrecipes.com

Tres Leches Cake

• CAKE
• Baking cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cup cake flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• TRES LECHES GLAZE
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup Promised Land Homogenized Milk
• TOPPING
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. CAKE
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Coat a 13 by 9-inch pan with baking spray and set aside.
4. Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
5. Place the butter into the bowl or stand mixer and beat on medium speed until fluffy
6. Gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. 
7. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to combine. 
8. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. 
9. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter in small batches until just until combined. 
10. Pour the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. 
11. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
12. Remove the cake pan and allow to cool. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork then prepare the glaze.
13. TRES LECHES GLAZE
14. Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and homogenized milk. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake 3-4 hours or overnight.
15. TOPPING
16. Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl and whip with a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a hand mixer. Mix until stiff peaks are formed. 
17. Spread the topping over the cake and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Baked Sausage and Peppers

If you are looking for a really good holiday recipe that involves your oven or your grill you have come to the right place.  I either make sausage in the oven or on the grill.  Since you can't predict the weather sometimes it's best to play it safe with some baked yummy sausage, peppers and onions....YUMMY!

A family favorite any time of the year is baked sausage and peppers.  I grew up eating either my mom's homemade sausage or Uncle John's.  Uncle John  had a fresh meat market when hubby and I were growing up.

I met Uncle John when hubby and I were first dating; a perky, feisty Italian who was a master of seasoning meat for sausage.  People came from all over for his sausage and I am totally serious.  They'd even bring coolers if they lived far away.

Unfortunately Uncle John passed away many years ago and so did his recipe.  Today I still buy the freshest and best quality sausage I can find and below is how I make it easily in the oven.  Enjoy!

Baked Sausage, peppers and onions.
1lb.+ mild or hot Italian sausage
1 large sweet onion, sliced thin
1 large red and green pepper, sliced thin

In a medium to large baking dish place several Tablespoons oil.   Place sausage (I remove casing) in dish along with onions and peppers. Add salt, pepper and slight amount of onion and garlic powder. Cover and place in 350 degree oven approx. 3/4 hour or more.

Remove cover toss and place in oven and bake until peppers and onions are soft but crispy about another ten minutes or so.

 Serve with fresh bread or rolls. YUM

7/27/14

2/24/16

11/12/14