New Year Blessing Basket

This is a great last-minute gift for a person who is hard to shop for--or who has everything!  The items are taken from the classic movie, "It's a Wonderful Life".  Include the movie in a basket along with the other items and  attach this card.

NEW YEAR BLESSING BASKET

A symbolic gift and blessing  to you for

the New Year!  

Bread, so your house will never know hunger. 

Salt, so that life will always have flavor.  

Special drink, so there will always be joy. 

Sugar, that sweetness touches even your

worst of days. 

Candles, that you may always find your

way back home.

I pray that you may enjoy good health

and that all may go well with you, even

as your soul is getting along well.  3 John 2

Navy Bean and Ham Soup

Beans are a great source of fiber and protein.

1 pound dry navy beans

3 qt. water

2 c. celery, chopped

2 c. carrots, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

1 meaty ham bone

¼ tsp. pepper

salt to taste

Sort and wash beans.  Combine beans and water in a large Dutch oven.  Let stand overnight.  Add ham bone.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 1½ -2 hours.  (At this point, remove the ham bone from the pot, and cut the meat off the bone,  discard any fat; refrigerate the meat.   Place the bone back in the pot, and add the meat back to the pot when ready to serve.  This will preserve the flavor of the meat.)  Add veggies and cook another 1 ½ hour or until beans and veggies are tender.   Return meat to soup.  Salt to taste.  Garnish with parsley.  Serves 8

Left-over gourds

I didn't want to toss the gourds out!  So I painted them with Elmer's glue and glittered them.  Beautiful!

Apple Pizza

This is a fun recipe to do with children!

Pastry for single-crust pie—homemade or store bought

4-5 large baking apples, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

½ c. brown sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

2 T. cold butter cut into small pieces

Roll pastry to fit a greased 12-inch pizza pan, having dough go up on sides of pan.  Bake in a preheated 400º oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Arrange apples in a circular pattern to completely cover pastry.  Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle over apples.  Drop butter over top.  Bake 20-30 minutes or until apples are tender.  Cut into wedges; serve warm.

Dill Dip

After tasting many brands of mayonnaise, Hellmann’s Light is my favorite. 

1 c. sour cream

1 c. real mayo

2 T. dry minced onion

1 T. dried parsley flakes

2 T. or more fresh dill weed (or 1-2 T. dried)

1 ½ tsp. Lawry’s seasoned salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Serve with raw veggies.

Happy Harvest!

Dear friends shared their garden bounty in this lovely basket!  Beautiful and delicious!

A friend shared his bounty cucumber and kohlrabi crop with me--and his secret recipe!  Yum!

Ham and Cheese Casserole

This recipe can be cut in half and baked in a 8 x 8 pan. 

4 c. (about 3 crowns) fresh broccoli florets, steamed until tender

3 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

4 c. chopped cooked ham

1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained, optional

4 c. rotini, cooked and drained

1 c. mayonnaise

½ c. diced red pepper

½ c. milk

½ c. Italian bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. melted butter

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, 2 c. of cheese, ham, mushrooms, rotini, mayo, red pepper and milk.  Spoon into a greased 13 x 9 pan.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 c. cheese.  Combine butter and bread crumbs; sprinkle on top.  Bake in a preheated 350º oven, uncovered for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  8-10 servings.

COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA BARS

 These bars are super easy to make.  I like to wrap individually for picnics or lunches.  See the picture on the following videos.

3 c. quick cooking oats

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 c. coconut

1 c. sliced almonds or chopped pecans

1 c. mini chocolate chips

½ c. dried cranberries or raisins

Preheat oven to 350˚.  Grease a 13 x 9 pan.  In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until until well-blended.  (It may be helpful to use your hands)  Press into prepared pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want bars.  (Lightly browned just around the edges will yield a moist, chewy bar).  Let cool 5 minutes; cut into squares; cool completely before serving.

2nd segment

Enjoy!--

Cooking with Kids--with my granddaughters on Fox 6's Real Milwaukee show

Oven Roasted Asparagus

I love asparagus--'tis the season!
  
The bottom of asparagus can be tough and woody.  Bend each spear until it breaks.  It will break where the tough part starts.

Fresh asparagus, tough ends removed
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
kosher or sea salt

Preheat oven to 425.  Place asparagus in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with EVOO; sprinkle with salt.  Bake 425 for 12-15 minutes until desired tenderness.

Asparagus is a member of the Lily family, and has the highest amount of folic acid of all vegetables.  Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grown 10" in a 24-hour period.

Cod with Lemon Caper Sauce

Try this delicious recipe served over couscous.

 

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 pound cod fillets

1/2 c. white wine

1/2 c. water

1/2 tsp. "Better than Bouillon"

2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

butter

olive oil

flour

In a fry pan, saute mushrooms in a small amount of butter and oil.  Remove from pan.  In same fry pan, melt 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil; season fish with salt and pepper on both sides; cook fish until  done, turning once.  Remove fish to a platter.  Melt 1-2 Tbsp. butter in pan; stir in 2 Tbsp. flour.  Stir and cook for about 1/2 minute.  Slowly stir in wine and water.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir in bouillon, capers and lemon juice.  Return chicken and mushrooms to pan to heat through.  Add fresh parsley.

Happy Easter Basket!

Gather the items below and make a special Easter basket.  Attach card with the following:

The green grass reminds us of the palms that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem one day.

The purple egg reminds us that Jesus shared drink and bread with His disciples.

The red egg reminds us that Jesus died for me.

The brown chocolate bunny reminds us of the dark cave where Jesus’ body lay.

The white lamb reminds us of the angel who said, “He’s risen!”

The yellow chick reminds us of the bright sun and the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday.

“…if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  Romans 10:9-10

Radio Interview

I just did a 10 minute radio interview with Julaine Appling of Wisconsin Family Action.  You can listen here: http://bit.ly/X8AYed

HAM AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

This recipe can be cut in half and baked in a 8 x 8 pan. 

4 c. (about 3 crowns) fresh broccoli florets, steamed until tender

3 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

4 c. chopped cooked ham

1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained, optional

4 c. rotini, cooked and drained

1 c. mayonnaise

½ c. diced red pepper

½ c. milk

½ c. seasoned crouton crumbs

1 Tbsp. melted butter

Mix all ingredients except 1 c. of the cheese, croutons and butter.  Spoon into greased 13 x 9 pan.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 c. cheese.  Combine butter and crouton crumbs; sprinkle on top.  Bake in a preheated 350º oven, uncovered for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  8-10 servings.