These “melt in your mouth”. There is no other way to express it.
Russian Tea Cookies
1 C. butter
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup nuts, finely chopped
Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, flour, salt and nuts. Mix well. Form into small balls and flatten a bit. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 F 10-14 minutes. While still warm roll in powdered sugar. After cool, roll again in powdered sugar. Yields 3-4 dozen.
I’m joining BooMama and others in the bloggy world for Soup-Tacular. If you’d like to see more soup recipes click here and enjoy the carnival…
I found this wonderful recipe in the Better Home and Gardens Hometown Cooking February 2000 edition. I tweaked a couple things.
Mexican Corn Soup (prep: 15 min. Cooking: 10 min.)
1 – 16 ounce pkg. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 – Cup chicken broth (I used the whole can of chicken broth and just 1 cup of milk instead of two so I wouldn’t have a half a can of broth left.
2 – Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 – 4-1/2 ounce can diced green chili peppers
1 – clove garlic, minced
1 – Tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or l tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 – tsp. salt
1/4 – tsp. ground black pepper
2 – cups milk (I used one cup see chicken broth above)
1 – cup chopped, cooked chicken
1 – cup chopped tomatoes (I used a can of diced tomatoes w/jalapeno, med/hot)
1 – cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (4 oz.)
cilantro as garnish if you like it
[The soup is great with the full can of broth and tomatoes. I do not like half cans left over. ]
In a blender container combine half of the corn and the chicken broth. Cover; blend until nearly smooth.
In a large saucepan, combine corn puree, remaining corn, butter, chili peppers, garlic, dried oregano (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in milk, chicken, tomatoes, and fresh oregano (if using); heat through. remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired (this is where I substitute cilantro instead)
Enjoy
If you’d like my mother’s recipe for a great pot of Russian Borsch click here.
Here it is folks the easiest meal in the world that my kids have loved for years! They are adults now and they still like it. It’s pretty boring but you can spice it up a bit if you like by adding a little onion or garlic or more mushrooms. BUT we’re talking about what kids will eat (I think) and this is one they seem to eat without complaint.
Throw the noodles in salted water that is boiling. Cook them to al dente. In a bowl mix the tuna (I use one can of albacore and one can of the regular cheap tuna) and the cream of mushroom soup add garlic or onion powder if you want and add a little milk. When the noodles are ready drain the water then throw the tuna liquidy stuff in and heat through. That’s it. I don’t even throw it into the oven. When the kids were little we always had a can of Green Giant corn niblets with it!
So this is such a beige meal you might want to add a nice green salad or green beans to make it look healthier! 🙂
You can also make a tuna melt with bread, tuna, and cheese. Serve it with a can of tomato soup!
Now here’s something for the adults to have after the kids finish the tuna noodle.
A PUMPKIN PIE MARTINI
3 oz. vanilla vodka, 1 oz. pumpkin puree, 1 oz. half and half, 1 T. brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. McCormick pumpkin spice
Shake all ingredients until well combined. Strain into prepared glass. (wet rim of martini glass and dip it in brown sugar) pour combined liquid into glass.
Ok we tried this and it’s one stiff drink. I’d switch out the Vanilla Vodka for a Vanilla brandy and only use 1-1/2 oz. Tasty it is but very strong… A nice shot of whip cream would be great too….
To see more last minute meals head over to Shannon’s at Rocks in My Dryer.
Photobucket has blacked out all my photos I was storing on their site and they are holding them hostage. I am working on updating my more than 4000 posts.
This is what works for me after Turkey and Thanksgiving…
To get over the Turkey doldrums and to kick up the B vitamins and iron here’s a great meal idea for you.
Buy a flank steak. Marinate it with any marinade that sounds good to you at the store and is on sale. I used a sesame ginger with mandarin orange juice Kroger brand. I put the meat in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade in the bag over the meat and give it a good massage. After a few hours or overnight hand it to whoever BBQ’s in your house and let it cook about 5 minutes on each side. (Dear cooks it for 2 minutes on each side on High. Then he turns off two of the burners and leaves the third burner on high and moves the meat off the flame and lets it cook for 5 more minutes. Perfect! Slice the meat very thin on the bias, against the grain.
This steak is great with Mustard Roasted potatoes using the recipe I posted here.
This is one of my families favorite salads. Tomato, Hot house cucumber and sliced onions salted and peppered to your taste. Simple and good.
Enjoy and don’t be afraid to barbecue in the winter. If you can’t bbq, this steak is great broiled, too. You can sear it on both sides first then stick it in the broiler…
For more WFMW head over to Rocks In My Dryer…
Some images from our Thanksgiving Day in Washington…
Laura, Katie and Dear
Our son Josh and Laura
Our lovely daughter in law Laura
My sister Lana G. (who took some great photos of our day here) and Steve
Our daughter Katie
Jamie, Ben, and Katie
Our son Dan
The lovely Bridget
Finn who belongs to Bridget and Beau
Dear carving the turkey!
Our beautiful Thanksgiving setting overlooking the Puget Sound in Washington. 2nd row Jeremy L., The Mighty Finn, Josh and Beau (Finn’s daddy)
As of June 2017 Photobucket has blacked out all my photos that I had stored there and are holding them hostage. Hopefully I can update my photos on all the posts they have ruined, over 4000 of them.
Over the River and
Through the Woods
Over the river and thru the wood,
To grandfather’s house we go;
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh,
Thru the white and drifted snow, oh!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes,
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and thru the wood,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh, hear the bell ring,
“Ting-a-ling-ling!”
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day-ay!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Trot fast my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
To all my blogging friends in the U.S.A. a very Happy Thanksgiving Day to you. For those of you outside the U.S. blessings on the rest of your week! We are headed over the freeways and through the streeted woods to our dear friends for a large gathering of family, food, fun, and fellowship. We’ll be rolling home stuffed to the gills later this evening.
Appetizer
What was your first “real” job?
My real job with a regular paycheck was as an office assistant in my senior year of high school. It was at a company called Link-Belt. People still smoked in offices back then and that was tough being in a little area with a smoker. If I remember right I made about $1.35 an hour. Yep I’m old….
Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
I’m not an artist. I’m most creative in the kitchen so I would go to kitchen shops, buy good food magazines, and watch Food Network.
Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…
When I make a fool out of myself. Sometimes I’m embarrassed when I cry in public, too. I’m getting over that though since I seem to cry more and more during worship times at church.
Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
Honoring God and honoring your parents and your family was big growing up. One other huge thing we learned from my parents was to have people over, feed them, and love them with out expecting reciprocation.
Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
Oh boy, oh boy. Memory don’t fail me now! One thing in junior high was to wear suspenders. (1962-1964) Straight leg levis. The surfer image was huge in junior high, too. We used cocoa butter for tanning at the beach and long straight bleached blond hair was really in. (Now we’re all hoping we don’t get skin cancer!)
For more feasting click here.
Happy Birthday
Michelle made this great cake!
Ryan, Michelle and Jackson greeted all the guests…
Aunt Me-me and Jack
Vera, Letty, Tim, and Nick
Tim, Letty and Dear…
Jack delighting in the wonder of helium…
Taking time to savor each gift…
Watching Jack
Ducks Cars in a row…
Where are we going?
Great Grandma (Baba) and Alice
Steve and Lana G!
Pretty young girls… the 3 M’s
Lovely older girls… Sisters…
Jack and Deb, time for cake!
Great grandma and grandpa and Jack! [Baba and Deda].
We had a wonderful time being together. Catching up, encouraging, talking about Jesus. Our evening ended with Deda (Great Grandpa) praying a prayer of thanks to our God for the salvation that He extended to us through Jesus Christ His Son and praying a blessing on his great grandson Jack and praying for our son Josh as he heads to China today. What a wonderful blessing and heritage we have. Then we all sang How Great Thou Art together robustly! Amen!
Hebrews 10:24 ~ “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
As of June 2017 Photobucket has blacked out all my photos that I had stored there and are holding them hostage. Hopefully I can update my photos on all the posts they have ruined, over 4000 of them.
Overnight Mushroom Egg Casserole
Ingredients: 5 Tblsp. butter, divided, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1- 1/2 cups milk, 1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained, 10 eggs, 2/3 cup half & half cream, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, 10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled [I used ground breakfast sausage]
1. In a saucepan, melt 3 tblsp. butter. Stir in flour until smooth, gradually add milk. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the mushrooms; set aside.
[2.] Fully cook sausage and set aside. I used 2 large gourmet breakfast sausages.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat the remaining butter until hot. Add the egg mixture; cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are fully set. Transfer to a greased 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish; top with mushroom mixture. Sprinkle bacon or [sausage]. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 32-36 minutes or until heated through.
Tip: This recipe seems to be a little under seasoned. I’d add a little zing with some extra salt and pepper and throw in some scallions in the egg mixture if you want.
ht: all recipes.com
Breakfast Bread Pudding
Ingredients: 12 slices white bread, 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cubed, 12 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/4 tsp. salt
Remove and discard crusts from bread. [I didn’t have white bread so I used Challah Egg bread] Cut bread into cubes. Toss lightly with cream cheese cubes; place in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, syrup and salt; mix well. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
Again this recipe also seemed like it could have used more salt, I would use 1/2 tsp. instead of 1/4 tsp. When you serve it make sure to have a pitcher of maple syrup for people to add on the pudding if they’d like. My bread pudding shown above was half the recipe and so it’s in the smaller baking dish.
As of June 2017 Photobucket has blacked out all my photos that I had stored there and are holding them hostage. Hopefully I can update my photos on all the posts they have ruined, over 4000 of them.
Appetizer
Which snack do you like to get when you go to the movies?
I’m a real tight wad so I usually smuggle something in. If I buy anything it would probably be popcorn…
Soup
What year did you start using the internet?
Wow I’m a real dweeb, so probably the year 2000 was when I really started using it but 2007 is when I started blogging and have never used it as much as now! 🙂
Salad
What is your first name in Pig Latin? (Here’s how to speak it if you don’t already know!)
I think my name would be Ellenay in Pig Latin!
Main Course
Name something you are picky about.
Cleanliness. Clean places to eat are high on my list and clean places to sleep.
Dessert
Fill in the blanks: I ____ ____ yesterday and I ____ ____ today.
I payed bills yesterday and I felt relaxed today!
For more Friday Feasts click here.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 