tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43359840029590028872024-03-13T10:19:49.611-07:00Gramma's RestaurantJazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-64689391432265340732012-08-11T11:29:00.002-07:002012-08-11T11:29:39.438-07:00Back in the Saddle again?Wow, I haven't posted anything for quite a long time...busy with school, church and recovery!! But I thought it would be nice to pick it back up again. I put a link on my FB page, so maybe people will check it out.
SO, STAY TUNED FOR SOME NEW RECIPES AND COOKING NEWS!!
Peace...and I'm outta' here!JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-57704732013760191852010-05-09T13:28:00.000-07:002010-05-09T13:41:36.472-07:00RICH AND CREAMY GUACAMOLE DIP FOR MOTHER'S DAY<div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">Well, Tashyra inspired me today to make some Guacamole Dip. We went to the store and found Haas Avocados on sale. I'd only made Guacamole once before and it was okay but nothing to rave about. We got home and I started checking out all the different recipes for Guacamole...and there are quite a few out there. Most are fairly simple -- just avocados, lime, onions and salt/pepper. But I wanted something more. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">Here is the recipe I came up with. I think the addition of sour cream gives it that little extra something, and I used mild chunky salsa instead of plain tomatoes to jazz it up...just enough to add that "south of the border" zing.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">Of course, both of the kiddos absolutely loved it!! I hope you do, too!!</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S-cbMTYrc1I/AAAAAAAAAGA/X2jsSMhnkng/s1600/Guacamole.jpg"><span style="color:#006600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469370170640921426" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S-cbMTYrc1I/AAAAAAAAAGA/X2jsSMhnkng/s400/Guacamole.jpg" /></span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> </span><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Rich and Creamy Guacamole Dip<br /></strong></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">3 Ripe Haas Avocados<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">3 tbsp sour cream<br /></span>2-3 tbsp finely minced red onion<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">1 teaspoon lime juice<br /></span>1 tbsp finely minced garlic<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">½ tsp lemon pepper</span><br />3 tbsp chunky salsa (mild to hot depending on your taste<br /><span style="color:#990000;">Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste<br /></span><br />Peel, seed and mash the Avocados leaving some small chunks.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"> <span style="color:#cc0000;"> Add all other ingredients and mix well.</span></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Serve chilled with chips, on burgers, tacos or sandwiches.</span></div><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Peace and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!</span></p><div align="center"><br /><br /></div></span><div align="center"></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-49845088135354993262010-03-30T12:09:00.000-07:002010-03-30T12:20:04.679-07:00WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILII have wanted to create something different and tasty using white Northern beans. After searching the internet for different white bean chili recipes, I created the following <strong>White Bean Chicken Chili</strong> for my family. I cooked a big roasting chicken in the crockpot the day before and used the leftover meat and gravy in the chili. I made mine in the crockpot on high for 1 hour and then down to low for the next 4 hours. I think cooked ground chicken would be nice to give it a more chili-like texture (similar to chili made with ground beef). I don't like my chili too spicy so I didn't use any jalepenos. If you like things hot and spicy throw those jalepenos in and possibly use a bit more chili powder. If you try this, I hope you like it as much as my whole family did!!<br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">White Bean Chicken Chili<br />Serves 6<br /><br />1 lb dry white Northern beans<br />1 pound of cooked chicken (cut up in bite-sized pieces or ground)<br />1 medium yellow or white onion –medium dice<br />2 stalks celery – medium dice<br />1 large carrot –medium dice<br />4 cloves (4 tbsp) minced/crushed garlic<br />4 to 6 cups of chicken stock (depending on how thick you want your chili)<br />1 to 1-1/2 cups chicken gravy (either leftover or canned/bottled)<br />1 yellow or orange bell pepper –medium dice<br />1 small can of diced chilis<br />(Optional if you like it spicier -1 small can of diced jalepeno peppers)<br />1-1/2 tbsp chili powder<br />1-1/2 tbs ground cumin<br />Salt and pepper to taste<br />2 tbsp Olive Oil<br /><br />Cover the dry beans with water (2 inches above beans) in a dutch oven and allow to soak overnight. Drain off water.<br /><br />In the Olive Oil, sauté the onion, celery, carrot and garlic until just tender. Add the beans, chicken stock and dry spices. Allow to come to a boil then cover and turn it down to simmer for about 3 hours or until the beans have become tender. Stir in the cooked chicken, chicken gravy, bell pepper and canned chilis. Simmer for an additional 20 mins. Salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />You can also make this in a crock pot – just remember to not add the chicken, gravy, bell pepper and canned chilis until the last ½ hour for best flavor.<br /><br />Serve in a bowl with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and green onions. Goes well with either cornbread or warm tortillas.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-92091731242746387712010-03-29T11:50:00.000-07:002010-03-29T12:03:43.468-07:00REALLY COOL, HELPFUL KITCHEN HINTSOne of my Red Hat sisters sent me a bunch of wonderful kitchen hints and I thought I'd share them with you. Some I've already tried and a few I've yet to try but will soon. These would be good to print up and laminate for young brides and/or college bound kids.<br /><ol><li> Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster. </li><li>Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold! </li><li>Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking. </li><li>Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking. </li><li>To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up. </li><li><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">ESPECIALLY GOOD -</span></strong>For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting. </li><li>Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic. </li><li>Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm! </li><li>ReHeat leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove: set heat to med-low, add a bit of Olive Oil (1/2 to 1 tsp) and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. This is also a wonderful way to prepare foccacia breads. </li><li>Easy Deviled Eggs Put the cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal and mash till they are all broken up. Add the rest of your recipe's ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip off the bag and using like a pastry bag, squeeze mixture into egg white halves. Just throw bag away when done... easy clean up. </li><li>Expanding Frosting: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving. </li></ol><p>Peace all...and I'm outta' here. </p>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-32052778495328332412010-03-22T10:23:00.000-07:002010-03-22T10:53:11.653-07:00FREE, FREE, FREE!!!<span style="color:#cc0000;">Next Sunday, March 28th, is my 53rd Birthday!!! But that's not really the subject of this post...Today's post is all about the free stuff you can receive from restaurants in your area to celebrate your birthday!</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Last year I read somewhere that restaurants would send you coupons for free meals on or around your birthday...all that is required is going to their official website and signing up to be a member of their "e-clubs". Now granted, once you do that you will receive fairly regular emails announcing special promotions and menu changes...but I think that is a small price to pay for a FREE BIRTHDAY MEAL!! </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Now not all of them give you a free meal with no strings attached, but many of them do and I thought I'd share with everyone, those restaurants that have sent me email coupons for TOTALLY FREE MEALS WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED - no requirement to buy one to get the one free or anything! These are the best birthday freebies I've found thus far:</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">SONIC - America's Drive-In (<a href="http://www.sonicdrivein.com/">www.sonicdrivein.com</a>) gave me a choice of one free regular creamslush or a free order of tater tots.</span></li><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">CLAIM JUMPER (<a href="http://www.claimjumper.com/">www.claimjumper.com</a>) sent me a coupon for a complimentary entree (value $18.00).</span></li><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">RED ROBIN (<a href="http://www.redrobin.com/">www.redrobin.com</a>) sent a coupon for a free Gourmet Burger of my choice.</span></li><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">RUBY TUESDAYS (<a href="http://www.rubytuesday.com/">www.rubytuesday.com</a>) sent a coupon for my choice of any Handcrafted Burger for free.</span></li><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">FUDDRUCKER'S WORLD GREATEST HAMBURGERS (<a href="http://www.fuddruckers.com/">www.fuddruckers.com</a>) sent a coupon for a free 1/3 LB BURGER or OTHER FUDDS ENTREE OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE.</span></li><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">DENNY'S (<a href="http://www.denny">www.Denny's.com</a>) sent a coupon for a free ORIGINAL GRAND SLAM.</span></li><li><span style="color:#cc0000;">COLDSTONE CREAMERY (<a href="http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/">www.coldstonecreamery.com</a>) sent a coupon for one free LIKE IT CREATE YOUR OWN CREATION (ice cream + one mix-in).</span></li></ul><span style="color:#cc0000;">Many other restaurants sent me BOGO free coupons, or coupons for free appetizers or desserts with the purchase of at least one entree. Unfortunately, I really can't afford the required purchase to get the freebie! BUT I MOST DEFINITELY CAN ENJOY A FREE MEAL WITH NO MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED!! (in most cases the tax/tip is not included, but that's really "nothing").</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Well, I hope some of you will check these out and enjoy your own free birthday gift! You may even want to check out some restaurants in your locale...you never know what you might receive.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-80567117943830260872010-03-21T20:09:00.000-07:002010-03-21T20:14:29.118-07:00FREE SAMPLE OF DUNKIN' DONUTS COFFEESo, if you've never tasted Dunkin Donuts Coffee, now is your opportunity!! Dunkin Donuts is giving away FREE samples so as many people as possible will give it a try. It is very good!!! I like it better than Starbucks ground coffee and much better than my everyday brand. It has a rich, comforting flavor == and the aroma is to die for as it brews.<br /><br />So check it out. Click below and fill out the form for your free sample. You won't be sorry you did!!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dunkinathome.com/?src=blogtag" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.dunkinathome.com/images/blog/blog_tag.jpg" width="252" height="190" border="0" alt="Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' keeps me blogging. Try Dunkin' Donuts Coffee For Free. Get a Sample" /></a>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-84228472892792463142010-03-16T10:06:00.000-07:002010-03-16T10:12:49.398-07:00<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=VQSIKUmgEiI&offerid=164496.10000010&type=4&subid=0"><IMG alt="Popcornopolis" border="0" src="http://www.popcornopolis.com/landingpages/2008/banners/fall_08/336x280_freeship.jpg"></a><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=VQSIKUmgEiI&bids=164496.10000010&type=4&subid=0"><br /><br />If you have never tasted the products from POPCORNOPOLIS, you don't know what you are missing. Last week at my local Sam's Club, there was a special booth sampling the various flavors of popcorn from POPCORNOPOLIS and I tried them all. They were AWESOME! My favorites were the Zebra and Cheese flavors.<br /><br />Order some today for personal enjoyment or gifts. You won't regret it!!<br /><br />Peace...and I'm outta' here.JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-80968944126581604642010-03-16T09:23:00.000-07:002010-03-16T09:55:03.282-07:00Another Good Natural No-Calorie Sweetener<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S5-w2Kl0YuI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/AwjfPhKUXBg/s1600-h/100_0744.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449268518743991010" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S5-w2Kl0YuI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/AwjfPhKUXBg/s400/100_0744.jpg" /></a> <span style="color:#006600;">After my previous blog entry about No-Calorie Sweetners, I received an email from a representative of PureVia, asking if I'd like to try it as well. I said "Of course" and received a box of it in the mail to try.</span><br /><p><span style="color:#006600;">Well, I've given PureVia a try using it on a daily basis. I like this NATURAL ZERO-CALORIE SWEETENER very much. It is "Made from pure sweet Stevia Extract" like Truvia and has no discernable aftertaste in my opinion. I've used it in my oatmeal, on my corn flakes, in iced tea and on fruit. I have not used it in any baking, but that's because it only comes in single use packets. I wish it could be purchased like regular sugar in 5 lb bags. I would like to try it in fresh squeezed lemonade, but I'm not too crazy about having to open that many little packets.</span></p><p><span style="color:#006600;">The only other negative in my opinion is the price. Unless it is on sale, all the Stevia based no-calorie sweeteners are a bit pricey. However, when one considers the health benefits of using NATURAL ZERO-CALORIE SWEETENERS vs. Artificial sweeteners or regular sugar, then the price becomes not as prohibitive. </span></p><p><span style="color:#006600;">I know this: Since discovering both PureVia and Truvia, I will never use regular sugar for cereal, drinks or sprinkling on fruit again. And if/when these products are available in bulk sizes, I'll not use regular sugar for anything.</span></p><p><span style="color:#006600;">If you want to restrict your intake of sugar for health/medical reasons but don't like the chemical taste of ARTIFICIAL sweetening products, give PureVia a try. It is well-worth the price in this bloggers opinion!!!</span></p><p><span style="color:#006600;">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</span></p>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-73422173477352293252010-02-14T13:05:00.001-08:002010-02-14T13:33:51.978-08:00My Special Spaghetti SauceYesterday I made spaghetti for a CROWD!!. It was an all-you-can-eat Spaghetti Feed and we served about 125 people (maybe a little more) . This is my third year doing this and it gets bigger every year. Perhaps it's because they love my sauce...at least that's what everyone says.<br /><br />I want to share my recipe with you, but it is a bit difficult because there are few actual measurements of ingredients. I have a tendency to make things up as I go along...you know "that looks about right" or "about a hand/palm full". But I can tell you the basics. I suggest that you use your own judgement on amounts. However, leaving the vegetables out is a NO-NO. That's what makes this sauce so goooood!!<br /><br /><div align="center">MY SPECIAL SPAGHETTI SAUCE</div><div align="center">--ONE batch serves about 50 people depending on the size of the portions--</div><div align="center">(This is ONE BATCH)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">8-1/2 pounds of hamburger (22% fat)</div><div align="center">2 pounds of mild Italian sausage</div><div align="center">2 or 3 cups of medium dice onions</div><div align="center">1 large red bell pepper (medium dice)</div><div align="center">1 large green bell pepper (medium dice)</div><div align="center">1 large yellow bell pepper (medium dice)</div><div align="center">1 large orange bell pepper (medium dice)</div><div align="center">1 bunch of celery (medium dice)</div><div align="center">5 or 6 carrots "pulverized" in a food processor into 1/8" to 1/4" bits</div><div align="center">6 tablespoons of minced garlic</div><div align="center">4 tablespoons dry Italian seasoning</div><div align="center">2 tablespoons salt</div><div align="center">1 or 2 tablespoons ground black pepper</div><div align="center">2 institutional size cans of crushed tomatoes</div><div align="center">2 institutional size cans of diced tomatoes</div><div align="center">1 - 8.5 pound bottle of Ragu Spaghetti Sauce</div><div align="center">1 cup of Kraft parmeasan cheese</div><div align="center">1/3 cup Olive oil</div><div align="left">Saute all the vegetables and garlic, salt and pepper in the Olive oil until they are soft/translucent. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a Dutch oven; drain well. Add the meat to the vegetables. Season with Italian seasoning. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and Ragu. Mix well and continue cooking on medium high until heated through - stirring frequently to prevent burning on the bottom. Add the parmeasan cheese; thoroughly incorporate. Reduce heat to simmer for another half-hour; again stirring frequently to prevent burning. Turn off heat and cover tightly. This will retain its heat during service without turning on a burner again for at least a couple of hours. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and wait for the oohs and aahs.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Some people balk at the fact that this sauce has carrots and celery in it, but I have to tell you, carrots and celery are essential to the success of this sauce. They serve to sweeten and thicken the sauce and simply add a layer of flavor that is heavenly.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">I use this same recipe -- only in much smaller amounts -- at home. SPECIAL note to Vegetarians/Vegans: This sauce is equally as good without any meat at all; however, eliminating the meat means it will not serve quite as many people.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Peace...and I'm outta' here. </div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-68554709118422884472010-02-08T16:48:00.000-08:002010-02-08T17:15:53.256-08:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S3C2NNDdzSI/AAAAAAAAAE4/tIGbMCa0Ovc/s1600-h/key+lime+bars"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 80px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 60px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436045088194940194" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S3C2NNDdzSI/AAAAAAAAAE4/tIGbMCa0Ovc/s400/key+lime+bars" /></a> <div><div>Okay - so you already know I love Lemon Squares...now I've found an absolutely awesome recipe for Luscious Lime Bars!!! And it is more simple to make than any other citrus squares recipe I've ever seen. And did I say, they were DELICIOUS?<br /></div><div align="center">LUSCIOUS LIME BARS</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">1 pkg vanilla or yellow cake mix</div><div align="center">1/2 cup (1 stick) butter - melted</div><div align="center">1 egg yolk</div><div align="center">4 eggs</div><div align="center">1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk</div><div align="center">2/3 cup lime juice</div><div align="center">1 tbsp lime zest</div><div align="center">powdered sugar for dusting the top</div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray a 9X13 pan with non-stick spray. Put aside 1 tbsp of the cake mix. Combine the remaining cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg yolk in a large bowl. Blend with electric mixer for 1-2 minutes or until well mixed and crumbly. Press the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">While the crust bakes, whisk together the 4 eggs, condensed milk, lime juice and the tablespoon of reserved cake mix until smooth. Stir in the lime zest. Pour the mixture onto the warm, baked crust. Return to the oven and bake another 20 minutes or until the topping is set. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate 60 minutes. Cut into squares and store covered in the refrigerator. Makes about 24 squares (1-1/2" X 1-1/2"). ENJOY!!!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Peace...and I'm outta' here. </div></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-1358753068726526172010-02-06T10:28:00.001-08:002010-02-07T11:04:17.376-08:00Tashyra's Breakfast Pie<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S225mJPhktI/AAAAAAAAAEo/9YtsSbPyzCo/s1600-h/100_0714.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435204390273258194" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S225mJPhktI/AAAAAAAAAEo/9YtsSbPyzCo/s200/100_0714.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">I created a new breakfast dish this morning and Tashyra told me to call it simply <em><strong>"Breakfast Pie</strong>"</em>. The next time I make this however, I will use a bit more salt and pepper and possibly incorporate some sourcream into the potatoes before putting them into the pan. Another good change would be to mix the cheese in the egg mixture before pouring it into the pan.</span><br /><div><div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;">TASHYRA'S BREAKFAST PIE</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;">2 parboiled potatoes<br />12 cooked sausage links<br />12 eggs<br />2 tbs heavy cream or milk<br />½ cup shredded cheddar cheese<br />Salt & Pepper to taste<br />¼ cup chopped green onion or parsley (optional)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S224b129bII/AAAAAAAAAEg/VdWum3Gcz5U/s1600-h/100_0719.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435203113759632514" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S224b129bII/AAAAAAAAAEg/VdWum3Gcz5U/s200/100_0719.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Preheat oven to 350*. Generously butter (or non-stick cooking spray) the bottom and sides of a 9” cake pan. Shred the potatoes (like for hash browns) and spread evenly in the bottom of the cake pan. Position the sausage links in a circle (fanned out with one end of each in the middle) on top of the potatoes. Wisk the eggs well with the cream/milk; salt & pepper (and green onion/parsley if desired). Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and sausage. Sprinkle cheese evenly over all. Bake for 15-20 min. or until the egg is well set (somewhat dry in appearance).Turn out onto a plate (like an upside down cake and then flip over once again onto another plate. Cut into wedges and serve. Try a dollop of sourcream and a spoon of salsa on top. Yum-Yum. Serves 6. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#3333ff;"></div></span><div align="left"><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#3333ff;">So that's the basic recipe...give it a try and tweek it to suit your family. Let me know how you like it.</span><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</span><br /></div></div></div></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-15025558811308170432010-02-03T09:18:00.000-08:002010-02-09T07:38:11.391-08:00Lemon Bars<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S2mwxgHtsOI/AAAAAAAAAD4/r6yqVvswQ_c/s1600-h/Lemon_Bars.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434068789881581794" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S2mwxgHtsOI/AAAAAAAAAD4/r6yqVvswQ_c/s200/Lemon_Bars.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#993300;">I love lemon bars. They are like little squares of sunshine in your mouth. They are always a hit at potlucks and bake sales. I found this recipe that is so simple, you'll never want to use a box mix again.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#993300;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993300;">LEMON BARS</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#993300;">1 cup butter, softened<br />2 cups flour + 2 Tablespoons flour (save for lemon "filling")<br />1 cup confectioners' sugar + 2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar (save for dusting)<br />4 eggs<br />2 cups granulated sugar<br />1/4 cup lemon juice<br />1 Tablespoon lemon zest</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#993300;">1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.<br />2. With an electric mixer beat together the butter, 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar until completely blended.<br />3. To form your crust, press the mixture into the bottom of your 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan, evenly covering the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes until light golden brown.<br />4. In a bowl combine eggs, 2 Tablespoons of flour, granulated sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk together.<br />5. Pour the mixture over crust and bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes, until set. (You will know it's ready to remove from the oven when the filling no longer jiggles.)<br />6. Place lemon bars on a wire rack and let them cool to room temperature.<br />7. Using a wire strainer, sprinkle the tops of the cooled lemon bars with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.<br />8. Cut the bars into 24 pieces and enjoy. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#993300;">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#cc6600;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-7026246466450167722010-01-25T10:27:00.000-08:002010-01-25T11:25:34.934-08:00Boxed Dinner Kit SURPRISE!!<span style="color:#993300;">As a general rule, I do not like nor use boxed dinner kits, i.e. Hamburger/chicken Helper. Overall, I think they all pretty much taste the same. When I do use one (generally to prepare a very quick skillet meal for my grandkids or at their specific request), I share the Semi-Homemade philosphy of Sandra Lee where the kit is simply the base of the dish, with many additions to make it palatable like fresh diced onions, celery, carrots, garlic and other spices. I NEVER make one just as it is --yuck!!<br /><br />However, of late I've noticed some different boxed dinner kits at the local grocery store --<strong><em>Wanchai</em></strong> <strong><em>Ferry</em></strong> and <em><strong>Romano's Macaroni Grill</strong></em>. I thought "Why not give them a try?" I purchased one of each a few months ago, but just haven't been motivated to use them...until last night. I had two healthy boneless, skinless chicken breasts thawed out in the fridge and wanted to do something different with them. </span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S13r4EfQKII/AAAAAAAAACg/4SGO_1QB9kQ/s1600-h/100_0693.jpg"></a><br /><span style="color:#990000;">I didn't want to have to pull out a cookbook or do a search on the internet to find a new/different recipe. I just wanted something <strong><em>different</em></strong> but quick and easy. Searching through the pantry I pulled out the Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Piccata dinner kit and figured I'd give it a try. Since this was the first time using one of these I wanted to prepare it exactly as instructed on the box -- no special additions or personal touches. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430760361307539874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S13vxnQCCaI/AAAAAAAAACo/4v6Qy5_51b4/s200/100_0693.jpg" /></span><span style="color:#990000;"><span style="color:#993300;">Well, let me tell you I was <strong>very pleasantly surprised</strong> with the results. Following the directions on the box - to the "T" --the resulting dish was VERY GOOD. Where most " -- Helper" dinners tend to taste pretty much the same with little variation and are basically designed to appeal to childish and unsophisticated palates, the Macaroni Grill Chicken Picata kit contains a cooking wine and sauce mix that resulted in an unexpectedly GROWN UP taste. I do not believe this was created with kids in mind, although my grandkids did love it (of course, they have a fairly well-developed palate - after all they are MY grandkids). The directions were well written and easy to follow. From start to plating - about 20 minutes! As prepared it is relatively low in calories - about 280 per 1 cup serving - and fat - 1g. Other nutritional data: 24g total Carbs, 510mg sodium, 4g Protein and 1g Dietary Fiber with 0g Cholesterol. And like I said - it was very good...lots of flavor...a wonderfully easy and tasty change of pace.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;">So I guess what I'm saying is this: If you want to try something EASY, DIFFERENT, WHOLESOME, SATISFYING AND TASTY, <strong><em>I highly recommend you try the Romano's Macaroni Grill CHICKEN PACATA boxed dinner kit.</em></strong> Do be aware that I don't think most kids will like it because of the wine flavor...but if your kids like more "grownup flavors" they just might like this too.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;">SPECIAL NOTE: I like my sauces just a tad bit thicker, so when I make this again, I believe I will be adding about 1/4 to 1/3 cup more water and a teaspoon of corn starch to thicken.</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">Peace all...and I'm outta' here.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-50943389607082617062010-01-20T10:13:00.000-08:002010-01-20T10:34:22.164-08:00The Best Darn Green Beans Ever!!!Sunday was my father's 75th birthday and I cooked him a big dinner. Of course everyone loved ALL the dishes, but my grandson, Trevell, especially loved the Green Beans and insisted that I post the recipe here. These fresh green beans go wonderful with just about anything and are even good all by themselves. <strong><em>And just for the record, you can omit the butter and/or bacon and they are still very, very good!!</em></strong> But as Julia Child always claimed - "Everything is better with butter" and Emeril says "PORK FAT - YES!!"<br /><br /><div align="center">THE BEST DARN GREEN BEANS EVER!!!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">1 to 1-1/2 pounds of fresh green beans</div><div align="center">1 to 2 tblsp on fresh minced garlic</div><div align="center">2 tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</div><div align="center">1 tblsp real butter (optional)</div><div align="center">1 or 2 slices of bacon, cut into 1" pieces (optional)</div><div align="center">1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning</div><div align="center">Salt and Black Pepper to taste</div><div align="center"> <br /></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Wash green beans and remove the stem ends leaving the rest of the bean whole. Parboil in salted water for about 10 minutes (until "crispy tender"). Drain. (If using the bacon, fry in a large skillet or heavy dutch oven until fat is rendered out) Add Olive Oil (and butter if desired) and minced garlic. Saute about 60 seconds or until garlic become quite fragrant. Add the drained green beans to the hot pan and toss (or stir) to coat with fats. Add Lemon Pepper and Salt/Black Pepper to taste. Continue to saute/toss over medium high heat for about 5-8 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and allow to sit/steam for another 10 minutes. Serves 4 (large servings) to 6 (small servings).</div><div align="left"><br /> </div><div align="left">Your family/guests are going to love these so much you may have to increase everything in order to serve 6.</div><div align="left"> <br /></div><div align="left">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-30936491689072026202010-01-15T12:53:00.000-08:002010-01-15T13:27:39.267-08:00NO CALORIE SWEETENERSToday I just wanted to comment on Sugar Substitutes. Since the doctor scared me last July with the threat of DIABETES, I've cut out sugary things: no more sodas (except for 0 calorie Pepsi Max), or koolaid or Sobes...no sugar in my iced tea or on my cereal. The thing is, I hate ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS; they all leave an after-taste in my mouth; and everything I've read about them leads me to believe that long-term use of them is harmful to our health - perhaps just as harmful as the real thing.<br /><br />So, after doing a bit of research into the matter, I thought I'd try some of the new NATURAL Sugar Substitutes on the market. I started with "Sun Crystals" which is actually a combination of Stevia plant extracts and cane sugar - it has 5 calories per serving. I liked it...it had no aftertaste and was sweet just like sugar.<br /><br />Now I'm using "Truvia". The package states that it is a natural calorie-free sweetener made with rebiana, the "best tasting part of the stevia leaf --sweetness from nature..." Although it is calorie free, one serving (1 packet) does have 3g of Total Carbohydrates. But let me tell you, it is good. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs to cut out sugar calories. Of course, I am not a doctor or anything, but if your doctor says it's okay, give it a try.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427079186945233330" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/S1DbxEHJUbI/AAAAAAAAACY/hgPbN6DIxCU/s200/100_0684.jpg" /><br />Anyway, that's my opinion, for whatever it's worth. Peace...and I'm outta' here.JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-69345048071438278072010-01-09T10:47:00.000-08:002010-01-09T11:03:24.254-08:00Dinner for a New Friend<div align="left">Tomorrow I am going to visit a new friend and I'm going to cook him a special dinner. He's buying all the ingredients and I'm putting it all together. The menu will be: Baby Butter Lettuce salad w/Italian Dressing, Loaded potato cassarole, fresh green beans sauteed with bacon and garlic and Pork Chops smothered with Garlic-Rosemary Cream. Dessert is his choice. I'm really looking forward to this dinner.<br /><br />Many people say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach...usually I find this to be true. I'll let you all know...(^;^)<br /><br />Anyway, here is the recipe for the Pork Chops.<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">PORK CHOPS SMOTHERED WITH GARLIC-ROSEMARY CREAM</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">2 tbs Olive oil</div><div align="center">1-1/2 tbs coursely chopped garlic</div><div align="center">1 tbs fresh rosemary leaves</div><div align="center">1/2 tsp pepper</div><div align="center">1/8 tsp plus 1/4 tsp salt</div><div align="center">1/4 cup sour cream</div><div align="center">4 bone-in pork loin chops (1" thick)</div><div align="center">1 cup low sodium chicken broth<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Place 1 tbs of olive oil and the garlic in a large ovenproof skillet; cook over medium heat 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant. Place garlic, rosemary, pepper and 1/8 tsp salt in a mini food processor; process until a thick paste forms. Combine this paste and the sour cream in a small bowl and set aside.<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Heat oven to 400*F. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Heat remaining 1 tbs of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook pork 3 minutes or until browned on bottom. Turn and remove from heat. Spread 1 tbs of the garlic cream onto the browned side of each porek chop; place skillet in the oven and bake 7 to 9 minutes or until pale pink in the center.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Place pork on a plate and cover loosely with foil. Add broth to the skillet and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce by half and thickened. Drizzle over pork chops and serve. Serves 4.</div><div align="left">Peace...and I'm outta' here.<br /></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-50439662609522829662010-01-07T20:35:00.000-08:002010-01-07T20:43:28.617-08:00Back on trackWell I must say I am pleased that I did not gain any weight during the holidays!!! But I know I did not eat properly either. Thank God I've learned how to eat a lot less when the food is "bad" - and by bad I mean Yummy!! All the cookies, buffets, homemade candy, etc -- if I hadn't already been learning how to practice portion control I would have gained 10 lbs. But I didn't. I actually lost 2 lbs over the holidays!! And now I am definitely back on track. <br /><br />It is very hard for a foodie/food lover like myself to learn how to consistently practice self-control. But I am amazing myself and I hope to inspire my daughter and overweight friends to learn to do the same. <br /><br />Anyway, no recipes yet...still kind of chilling. But I can feel a cooking episode coming on.....<br /><br />Peace...and I'm outta' here.<br /><br />P.S. I've been wondering if there is really anyone out there interested in anything I have to say or recipes I want to share. Oh well...if there is not, then I'm just doing this for the pleasure of writing for my daughter or grandkids. Maybe they will read this someday.JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-5809915751073548542010-01-04T10:28:00.000-08:002010-01-04T10:36:52.602-08:00New Year's Eve PartyWow - the New Year's Eve Speaker Meeting, Dance and Buffet was a huge success!! I made food enough for about 150 to 200 people. I put out a buffet of all the recipes I've posted here, except for the dessert items. Everyone loved the food. I couldn't put it out fast enough. All the days of shopping and preparation and it was all almost gone in an hour. The biggest hits were the bacon-wrapped chicken bites, cranberry meatballs and loaded potato cassarole. We (my committee members and I) also made homemade dips (french onion and spinach), meat/cheese & vegetable trays, salami wraps, salami/cheese/olive picks, chips, crackers, cheese balls/spreads, dinner rolls, 120 devilled eggs and salsa. At the end of the night, all that was left was vegggies and chips/crackers. Another great event!!!<br /><br />The next event I'm cooking for is the Valentine's Day Speaker Meeting, All-you-can-eat Spaghetti Feed and Dance. I'll share my personal recipe for the sauce as we get closer to the event.<br /><br />In the meantime, I'm taking a much needed rest and doing no more cooking other than for my own family. Check back later for some home cooking recipes.<br /><br />Peace all...Happy New Year...and I'm outta' here.JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-80721309229117882922009-12-21T22:15:00.000-08:002009-12-21T22:17:14.657-08:00Not enough time...Wow, I just realized that I have not posted anything for a few days...I've just been so busy getting ready for Christmas I don't seem to have enough time.<br /><br />I'll have something of interest in a day or so.<br /><br />Peace...and I'm outta' here.JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-50474533946729219442009-12-16T07:51:00.000-08:002009-12-16T08:22:50.207-08:00Cool Whip CookiesI found the recipe for these cookies on the side panel of a Lemon Cake Mix last year. They seemed so easy I just had to make them. Well, I used the lemon cake mix and the cookies were unbelievable. Everyone raved about them. I'm not sure which were my favorite: the cool whip cookies or my old fashioned Coconut Macaroons (see the recipe in my first post). Well, I decided to make the <strong><em>cool whip cookies</em></strong> a couple days ago. To my dismay, I couldn't find the lemon cake mix I thought I'd purchased. I REALLY wanted to make these and include them in my cookie gift bags and boxes, but all I had was French Vanilla and Pineapple cake mix. Which one do you think I used? Well -- pineapple of course!! Who do you know that makes Pineapple Cookies? I've never seen them anywhere...<br /><br />Well, my friends...the pineapple cookies came out great! So I learned that you can use ANY FLAVOR of cake mix for these <strong><em>Cool Whip Cookies</em></strong> although I think a fruit flavor (lemon, strawberry, pineapple) or chocolate would work best. I'm going to try a spice cake next. Or how about a white/yellow cake mix with extract flavors added? OOOOhh, maybe a boxed carrot cake?<br /><br />In any case, the cookies come out light, moist, sweet and pretty. They are a little bit sticky though so keep this in mind when packing them up as gifts. Also, I recommend that you keep them small.<br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>COOL WHIP COOKIES</strong></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">1-8oz container of frozen whipped topping</div><div align="center">2 eggs</div><div align="center">1 pkg of cake mix</div><div align="center">2/3 cup confectioner's powdered sugar<br /></div><br /><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease baking sheets (or use non-stick spray). Beat the whipped topping and eggs together. Add the cake mix and blend well. The "dough" will be thick and sticky. Drop by teaspoonfuls (only 2 or 3 at a time) into a bowl with the powdered sugar and roll them around to fully coat. Put the sugar-covered balls on the baking sheets 2" apart. Bake for about 8 minutes. Makes about 3 or 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.</div><div align="left"> <br /></div><div align="left">These cookies are soft, light, airy and sweet. As the cookie expands in the oven the powdered sugar gets separated giving them a pretty, lacy appearance. ENJOY!!</div><div align="left"> <br /></div><div align="left">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-55867275518979763962009-12-14T11:24:00.001-08:002009-12-14T12:02:17.664-08:00Sample Day at BelAir Market<span style="color:#006600;">Yesterday I went back to work as a food demonstrator for NCIM (If anyone anywhere is interested in doing demo work, leave me a message). I was preparing and sampling a delicious pasta dish using <strong><em>Johnsonville Four Cheese Italian Sausages. </em></strong>It was super simple to prepare. Even the kids that sampled it liked it. All in all it was a very good day, although I must say I was a bit out of the flow when I first got there...it's been over five months since I did a demo and stood on my feet in one spot all day. But I got through it!! I'm glad my demo involved preparing a "real" dish as opposed to just pouring juice into little cups or putting something on a little piece of bread. Whenever I have to prep and cook something, the day goes by much quicker and before I know it, it's time to go home.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">I have another demo next Friday, but I'm not as thrilled about it - all I'm doing is putting bleu cheese on crackers. I expect it may end up being a "slow" day... Anyway, the dish I prepared ended up being so popular I thought I'd share it here. Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished dish, but take my word for it - it may look a little plain, but it's packed with flavor. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>JOHNSONVILLE SAUSAGE AND PASTA IN GARLIC/BASIL SAUCE</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">1 pkg Johnsonville Four Cheese Italian Sausages (5 links)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">12 oz (dry) Farfalle (bowtie) pasta</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">1 medium onion (fine dice)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">1-1/2 to 2 tbsp minced garlic (do not use garlic salt--too salty)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">3 tbsp Olive Oil</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">3/4 cup frozen petite peas</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">1-1/2 tbsp cornstarch</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">16 oz low sodium Chicken Broth</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;">1/4 cup fresh basil (1/8" chop)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">Prepare the pasta according to pkg instructions; drain, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside. Score/remove/discard the casing on each sausage; cut each link into 1/2 inch rounds. Cook the sausage in a 12" skillet until brown. Add the onion, garlic and 2 tbsp olive oil. Saute until onion is translucent/tender. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and broth till smooth. Add to the meat/onion/garlic mixture. Stir well and frequently until boiling and sauce thickens. Add the frozen peas and reduce heat to simmer for 5 min. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat with sauce. Add the fresh basil and toss once more before serving. It should be noted here that this dish requires <em><strong>no other seasonings such as salt or pepper</strong></em>. All the seasoning needed is already in the sausages. Serves 6 to 8.<br /><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">NOTE: Although you could probably substitue any Italian style sausage, the Johnsonville Four Cheese Italian sausages have mozarella, romano, parmesean and cheddar cheese right in them and it melts out somewhat as you cook them. This adds richness to the garlic/basil sauce. I don't think the dish would be nearly as good with a substitution. <br /><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">Peace...and I'm outta' here.</span></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-3208839219911445642009-12-11T13:13:00.000-08:002009-12-11T13:31:09.045-08:00YUM, YUM - EAT 'EM UP!!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SyK5DDgSm6I/AAAAAAAAABs/VlHT60Fh3po/s1600-h/Bacon+wrapped+chicken+bites.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 362px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414093164184247202" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SyK5DDgSm6I/AAAAAAAAABs/VlHT60Fh3po/s200/Bacon+wrapped+chicken+bites.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#cc0000;">Okay, so I ate these things at a Chinese buffet in Yuba City, CA and they were scrumptious!! I thought, "I could make these...looks simple enough!" Sooo, I decided to try and recreate them for the Bling Bats Christmas party!! Voila! They came out great and are oh so easy to make...only two ingredients. So here's the recipie:</span> </div><div> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#cc0000;">BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN BITES</span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#cc0000;">12 oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#cc0000;">7 or 8 slices of regular bacon</span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Cut the chicken breast meat into bite-sized pieces (about 1" X 1"). Wrap a piece of bacon around each chicken "bite" - Each slice of bacon should be enough to wrap 3 or 4 bites. Arrange them on a foiled-lined baking sheet about 1" apart. Bake in a 400* oven for about 20-25 min. or until the chicken meat is white and the bacon is browned and crispy. Be careful not to over cook as the chicken will get tough. Allow to cool and enjoy them alone or with a dipping sauce (I liked dipping them in Ranch dressing).</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Peace all...and I'm outta' here.</span></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-2036172525102578222009-12-09T10:42:00.000-08:002009-12-11T13:13:23.796-08:00Holiday Spirit and Food for the Bling Bats<span style="color:#663333;"></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SyK0JmINxQI/AAAAAAAAABk/5H_U4wrx3c4/s1600-h/Potatoe+cassarole.jpg"></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/Sx_8XPnwbMI/AAAAAAAAABU/-EUuMOhCNNU/s1600-h/Christmas+tree+%26+grandkids.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413322753383099586" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/Sx_8XPnwbMI/AAAAAAAAABU/-EUuMOhCNNU/s200/Christmas+tree+%26+grandkids.jpg" /></a> <div><span style="color:#663333;">Busy, busy, busy!!! Cooking, cleaning and decorating! Trevell, Tashyra and I finally finished decorating the tree last night. I think it is beautiful...it sparkles and glitters! I am officially in the holiday spirit!! </span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#663333;">The holiday parties are here. And of course, holiday parties mean lots of great, albeit fattening and decadent food!!! Thank goodness Christmas only comes once a year. I've been so disciplined with my new eating habits and I don't want to gain any of the 51 lbs back...but I don't want to miss out on all the goodies either. So I've been busy online figuring out the caloric, carbohydrate and fat content of various holiday foods so I can enjoy at least a little bit of most everything I may encounter. </span></div><div><span style="color:#663333;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663333;">Since I am over 50 now, I am a member of a chapter of the Red Hat Society - the Bling Bats in Red Hats. Tonight is the annual Christmas Party. I volunteered to help our Queen (Batty N Charming) with the food and I am busy preparing and cooking three of my yummiest dishes. One, <strong><em>Nancy's Loaded Potato Cassarole</em></strong>, was passed down verbally to me by my mom before she was stricken with Altzheimer's. It is oh so good but very high in calories (235 per half cup) so use some self-control. I'll post the other recipes tomorrow and the next day. I hope you try today's recipe and leave me a note telling me how you like it.</span></div><span style="color:#663333;"><div><br /></div><div align="center"><strong>NANCY'S LOADED POTATO CASSAROLE</strong></div><div align="center">Makes 8 to 10 servings </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">9 medium russet potatoes<br />16 oz. sour cream<br />8 oz. cheddar cheese<br />1/2 cup diced red onion<br />1/3 cup chopped green onion tops<br />2 Tbsp. <strong><em>real</em></strong> crumbled bacon (not bacon bits)<br />8 Tbsp. salted butter (4 tbsp frozen and 4 tbsp melted)<br />1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Parboil potatoes and allow to cool in fridge overnight. Freeze 4 tbsp of butter (1/2 cube) - to be used in last step. Peel and shred potatoes (use large holes on grater so they look like hash browns). In a large bowl fold together the shredded potatoes, sour cream, red & green onion, crumbled bacon and 1-1/2 cups cheese (set aside 1/2 cup for the top). Stir in 4 tbsp of melted butter. Salt and pepper to taste (approx. 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper) . Spray a 13" X 9" pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread potato mixture evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and the 1/2 cup of bread crumbs over the top. Grate the frozen butter evenly on top of bread crumbs. Bake uncovered on upper rack in a 350º oven for 20-25 minutes until heated through and top is golden brown and crispy. Allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving. **This cassorole can be assembled and refrigerated a day ahead-- allow to come to room temperature before putting in the oven.</div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><span style="color:#663333;"></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SyK0JmINxQI/AAAAAAAAABk/5H_U4wrx3c4/s1600-h/Potatoe+cassarole.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414087778999584002" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SyK0JmINxQI/AAAAAAAAABk/5H_U4wrx3c4/s200/Potatoe+cassarole.jpg" /></a> Peace all...and I'm outta' here.<br /><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><br /><div align="left"></span></div></div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-55041310782547953602009-12-06T18:23:00.000-08:002009-12-06T18:45:35.160-08:00CORNY MORNING!!!Woke up this morning and thought I'd get "corny" with my family for breakfast!!! So here's my recipe for great <strong><em>CORNED BEEF HASH!!!</em></strong> Very simple yet delicious...especially when served with biscuits and made-to-order fried eggs!! YUM! Just ask Trevell and his Grandpa Great (my dad). <br /><br /><div align="center">GRAMMA'S CORNED BEEF HASH</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">4 or 5 medium Idaho potatoes</div><div align="center">1 medium onion</div><div align="center">2 tbsp canola oil</div><div align="center">1 - 12 oz can of corned beef</div><div align="center">salt and pepper to taste (heavier on the pepper)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="left">Wash the potatoes but leave them in their jackets (don't peel them!). Cut each in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half lengthwise again. Then slice them in the opposite direction (1/8" - 1/4" slices.) Rough dice the onion. This is a rustic, country style hash, so it doesn't have to be perfect or "pretty". Heat the oil in a heavy 12" skillet and add the potatoes first, then the onion. Salt and pepper - then cover for about 5 to 10 minutes on medium high. Meanwhile, open the can of beef, break/chop it up. Turn the potatos/onions with a spatula and add the corned beef. Cover again for another 10-15 minutes on medium heat. If the potatoes are tender, turn everything together with your spatula, making sure to scrape the brown "good stuff" off the bottom from time to time; keep your eye on it so that it cooks and gets "crispies" (that's what my grandson calls it) all throughout, but does not burn. Serve with fresh hot biscuits and "made-to-order" fried eggs on top or on the side. This recipe will feed about 6 people. It's also good with catsup on top.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Okay -- so I'm not a cookbook author...but all I can do is try to tell you how to make it like I do. I hope yours comes out as good as mine. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Peace all...and I'm outta' here.</div>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4335984002959002887.post-55650691956701545542009-12-05T14:53:00.000-08:002009-12-05T15:29:00.066-08:00CHRISTMAS DECORATING!!!<div align="center"><br />Well, I started my Christmas decorating today. So far I've got the tree up and put the lights on (6' tree, 500 lights), hung the wreath on the front door, hung the Christmas "pop-outs" in the windows, and started putting Santas and Snowmen on every available flat surface! So today, I'm posting some pictures and then at the end, you'll find a recipe for <strong></strong><em></em><strong><em>DESSERT KOLACHKY </em></strong>and a Sweet Cheese Filling to put inside. I'll post a picture of my tree when we are finished putting on the ornaments! Enjoy!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SxroCp1DgsI/AAAAAAAAAAs/1boBzwZMH1k/s1600-h/Santa+and+Bear.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411893034524836546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SxroCp1DgsI/AAAAAAAAAAs/1boBzwZMH1k/s200/Santa+and+Bear.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SxroQxWTLgI/AAAAAAAAAA0/0rg01jGwyCE/s1600-h/Snowman+and+Angel.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411893277061492226" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/SxroQxWTLgI/AAAAAAAAAA0/0rg01jGwyCE/s200/Snowman+and+Angel.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/Sxroc3_KUMI/AAAAAAAAAA8/1pbMnyQYask/s1600-h/Wreath+popout.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411893485001920706" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/Sxroc3_KUMI/AAAAAAAAAA8/1pbMnyQYask/s200/Wreath+popout.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/Sxrps1glqxI/AAAAAAAAABE/X99i0vtlv_k/s1600-h/Xmas+tree+popout.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411894858726353682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yswfI25uuSA/Sxrps1glqxI/AAAAAAAAABE/X99i0vtlv_k/s200/Xmas+tree+popout.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a>DESSERT KOLACHKY</p><p align="center">1/2 lb butter or margarine</p><p align="center">1-8oz pkg of softened cream cheese</p><p align="center">2 Tbsp sugar</p><p align="center">2 cups flour</p><p align="center">2 tsp baking powder</p><p align="center">1/2 tsp salt</p><p align="center">About 3/4 cup raspberry, apricot, grape preserves or cheese filling (see below)</p><p align="center">Confectioner's sugar</p><p align="left">Thoroughly blend butter, softened cream cheese and sugar. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mis well. Knead to form a stiff dough. Roll to 1/4" thickness on well floured board. Cut into 2-in. squares. Place 1/2 tsp of filling/preserves in center. Press opposite corners together. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 350* oven for 15-20 min or until lightly brown. Remove from pan and cool on rack. When cool, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Makes 5 dozen</p><p align="center">SWEET CHEESE FILLING</p><p align="center">1-8oz pkg cream cheese</p><p align="center">1/4 cup sugar</p><p align="center">3 tbsp flour</p><p align="center">1 egg yolk</p><p align="center">1/2 tsp grated lemon peel</p><p align="center">1 tsp lemon juice</p><p align="left">Soften cream cheese. Add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, egg yolk, lemon peel and lemon juice.</p><p align="center"><br /></p><p align="center"></p>JazzyGrammahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584599167912471646noreply@blogger.com0