Creamy Spinach and Spaghetti!!!
Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese
9 oz. package frozen creamed spinach
½ cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
5 cloves garlic
2 oz. can anchovies in olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup wine
Red pepper flakes
Olive oil
1 lb. of your favorite spaghetti
Thaw the creamed spinach.
In a food processor place the spinach, milk, garlic cloves and cream cheese. Process this until smooth and creamy.
Place a drizzle of olive oil in a semi deep pan and gently heat.
Next place the anchovies with the oil and lemon juice in the food processor and process until smooth. Add this mixture to the pan and continue to heat gently.
Add the chicken broth, wine and red pepper flakes; continue to gently heat on low.
Prepare the spaghetti as directed.
Place the spaghetti in a serving platter and top with a drizzle of olive oil and more red pepper flakes. Add the creamy spinach sauce and gently toss.
This is a gourmet taste without the gourmet price!!
With Love,
Catherine
xo
Birthday Dinner!!
Fried Boneless Chicken Thighs!!
12 boneless chicken thighs
Vegetable oil for frying
Coating:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs beaten – with a splash of water
½ cup corn meal
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup crushed Special K Cereal
Seasonings to Taste:
¼ tsp. Paprika
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. ground cumin
Set up three shallow bowls; one for the all-purpose flour, one for the beaten eggs and one for the combination of the flour, corn-meal and crushed Special K Cereal.
Add the seasonings to the bowl with the combination of the flour, corn-meal and Special K cereal.
Dip the chicken first in the flour, then the egg wash and finally in the bowl with the mixture of flour, cornmeal and Special K.
Heat a large frying pan with about ¾ inch of vegetable oil and carefully add the prepared chicken thighs to the hot oil. Do Not over-crowd the pan. When the thighs are crispy on one side carefully turn over to finish cooking.
Set cooked thighs on a plate with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
This chicken dinner will please the crowd.
With Love,
Catherine
xo
Birthday Potatoes!!
Ingredients:
5 lb. bag of potatoes – peeled and sliced
Vegetable oil – for drizzling
Olive oil – for drizzling
Seasonings:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Paprika
Preheat Oven 350 degrees:
Slice the potatoes and pat dry with a paper towel.
Place potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with a little vegetable oil and a little olive oil.
Sprinkle with the suggested seasonings to taste.
Bake 40-45 minutes until nice and crispy.
These potatoes make any meal a party~
With Love,
Catherine
xo
Birthday Dip!!
Birthday Dip!!
Mango, Basil and Yogurt Dip!
Ingredients:
2 mangos
4 cloves of garlic
Healthy handful of fresh basil
6 oz. vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt
1 tablespoon of vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
Place the peeled mangos, garlic, basil, vinegar, salt and yogurt in a food processor and process until desired consistency.
This is a terrific dip for oven fried potatoes, fried chicken or chips.
With Love,
Catherine
xo
Fried Boneless Chicken Thighs!!CookEatShare:
Oven Fries!!!
Mango, Basil and Yogurt Dip!
A Strawberry Tart for my mother
It may not yet be official on the calendars, but in our home, the word is out- Spring is finally upon us.
Overnight spring had sprung, with bouquets of wildflowers and tea roses adorning the home, each room, more abundant than the next. Spring had a reason for coming early. A little birdie whispered sweetly in Mother Nature’s ear that a very special someone had a very special birthday! ;) And as if Mother Nature was sending her own birthday surprise, brilliant sunlight poured down from the beautiful clear skies above. It was a perfect morning, a perfect afternoon, and subsequently, an absolutely stellar evening.
It seemed like the day only got better as the hours passed by, as it should be. Paper lanterns and twinkling lights hung everywhere. The family gathered in the kitchen where we took part in preparing a delicious birthday feast to classics like Alberta Hunter, Louis Armstrong and Scott Joplin. It was a night of utter perfection that I only wish had lasted longer than it did.
Beautiful memories were made that shall be carried in our hearts for years to come. I will always cherish the evenings spent with my family, laughing together on end, sipping coffee late at night, and sharing slices of this Strawberry Tart.
All that is left to say is, Happy Birthday Mom! I love you more than words could ever properly express, and cherish every day I am blessed to spend with you.
Now, shall we bake?!!
Strawberry Tart
(Adapted from Reader’s Digest: Creative Cooking)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
For tart you will need:
1 cup AP flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon water
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 cup cherry preserves
2 pints fresh strawberries
1 cup whipping cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift flour onto a board or into a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the butter, water, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest. Work the ingredients in the center, drawing in the flour until the dough is smooth.
Pat out the dough onto the bottom and sides of a pie plate. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork. Bake got 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is light golden. Cool.
To make the glaze, put the cherry preserves in a small saucepan and melt it slowly over low heat. Cool slightly and brush over the bottom of the pastry.
Wash, hull and slice the strawberries. Fill the pie plate with the strawberries and top with remaining cherry glaze.
Whip cream with 1 tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar until light and fluffy and serve with a slice of strawberry tart! Enjoy!
xoxo,
Tammy♥
Thank You for All Your Birthday Wishes!
To All My Dear Friends,
Thank you for your good wishes and for kind words.
I am very grateful for the gift of getting to know you all.
Here is a quote that my daughter shared with me last night. I love it and would like to share it with all of you.
I believe everything happens for a reason!
People change so you can learn to let go,
Things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they're right.
You believe lies so that you will eventually trust no one but yourself, and sometimes, good things fall apart
so better things can fall together.
~Marilyn Monroe~
With Love and thanks for all of your good wishes,
Catherine
xoxo
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
Happy Birthday to Me,
Happy Birthday to Me,
Happy Birthday dear Me,
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?"
~Satchel Paige
(Image courtesy Pinterest.com)
Quick and Zesty Black Bean Chili!!!
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of ground beef
29 oz. can of black beans – rinsed and drained
1 Spanish onion – diced
5 cloves of garlic – chopped
1 large jalapeño – chopped
½ red onion – chopped
1 scallion – chopped
16 oz. of salsa
1 tablespoon – vinegar
Olive oil – for drizzling
Seasonings to taste:
Dried cumin
Black pepper
Hot curry powder
Paprika
Salt
Garlic powder
Dried oregano
Cook the ground beef in a large frying pan. Drain all the drippings from the meat and set the meat aside.
Heat a large frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and add the garlic, Spanish onion and jalapeño and sauté until the onion is tender and slightly clear.
Add the salsa and toss.
Add the cooked and drained ground beef and drained beans and toss.
Add the seasonings, scallions, diced red onion and vinegar and toss.
This can be served over rice on a bun or over you favorite macaroni.
One of your favorite meals is just so easy!!
With Love,
Catherine
xo
Banana Coffee Cake!!!
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour – sifted
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons of butter
2 eggs
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
4 ripe bananas
½ cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp. vanilla
Topping:
½ cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
Preheat Oven 350 degrees:
Sift together the flour and baking powder.
In a mixer blend the bananas. Add the butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs and lemon zest.
Add the sifted ingredients slowly.
Place the batter in buttered 8 x 8 baking pans.
Combine the coconut and brown sugar and sprinkle on top of the cakes.
Bake about 30-35 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean.
This is a nice way to use up those old bananas and a delicious addition to a good cup of coffee.
With Love,
Catherine
xo
Dynamic Duo: Cherry Scones
Cherry Scones
(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
For scones you will need:
2 cups AP flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped
¾ cups whipping cream
¼ cup milk
1/3 cup cherry preserves
For glaze you will need:
Juice of ½ lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In food processor combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Transfer to a medium bowl, and gradually stir in cream and milk until a soft dough forms. Roll out dough on a well floured surface, about ½-inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out the dough and place on prepared baking sheets. Next, using your index finger or a small, round spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry. Fill with about ½ teaspoon of cherry preserves, and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Transfer onto a cooling rack.
For the glaze, combine lemon juice, powdered sugar and water in a small bowl. Using a teaspoon, drizzle glaze over each scone and let the glazed set, about 30 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy!!
With Love,
Catherine & Tammy♥