Sol, is that Cat Cora's Chocolate Budino recipe? I've had this on my TODO list for a while now.

I enjoying watching Cat Cora when she's competing on Iron Chef and would like get buy her cookbooks sometime soon. She has such good recipes and so easy too.

Oh Sharon your mixed salad looks so good right about now. I guess I am looking forward to lighter meals now. One whiff of spring and I am ready!

Annie, love the looks of the Canberry Salsa which is also on my TODO list for next year.

Marigene, you are influencing me too much lately. I just bought a Madeleine Pan! I've wanted to make them for so long so at least now I have the right pan!

Ann, your tarts look so good as does Sharon's Lemon Curd!!

I made some more of the Almost NK Bread yesterday and this time added the beer. It was very good although I did not notice a difference in taste with or without the beer. But I get larger holes which is what I wanted. I do so love my chicken baking dish and am so glad I finally found something that works for me.

On tonight's menu is Chocolate Creme Pie!

Michelle

sol, I'm so happy to hear that your MIL is doing better, I'll pray a little harder for her. What a scare!

Michelle, beautiful bread, I'd love to bake some. Right now, though, I have the last bit of Lou's bread on my counter, half a loaf of honey wheat, a piece of pannetone and two of Ann T's cheese biscuits, along with 3 corn muffins.

Maybe I'll make sausage tonight instead.

Annie

Looks like you've got the new camera figured out, Ann-- that chicken sure looks good.

Ohiomom-- love your blog-- you've got lots of tasty looking recipes there !

Ah Sharon-- your photos always warm me this time of year- all that lovely sunshine, vivid colors & greenery ! Healing wishes to your fur baby.

Kathleen-- I love pork & apples-- that looks great!

Wow Lou-- your creativity knows no bounds !!

San-- your pastitsio recipe is one of my favorites, did you use lamb? Happy Birthday to Ted.
Sol-- can't decide which picture looks the tastiest . Hope your MIL does fine from now on .

Tried another recipe from The Essential Eating Well cookbook Erin sent me in a swap-- Picnic Oven Fried Chicken

Then Tuesday was a Clean Out The Refrig Soup---

Maybe I'll make sausage tonight instead.

Annie, didn't you recently make a significant amount of sausage? Don't tell me you've used it all already?

Michelle

Once again I am envious of the dishes made and the pictures. Everything looks and sounds just wonderful. I've said it in the past but I will say it again, you all inspire me. I wish I could contribute more. Keep up the good work ladies & gentlemen.

Chicken chili in the crock pot. It has chicken breasts (cubed), green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, onions, white beans (soaked overnight), a couple of cans of fire-roasted tomatoes (Hunt's) and spices: cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Hopefully it didn't drip all over the place - the pot was pretty full and the lid just sat on top of the raw ingredients, after I assembled it this AM.

I'll cook rice to go with it when I get home, and we'll have salad too.

Daria, Yumm..what time will it be ready..I'll do dishes!

Yes, Michelle, I made a LOT of italian sausage, about 25 pounds, but between Dad and Amanda and Ashley and her boyfriend and Elery took some home because his son and daughter loved it, and well, I only have a couple of packages left.

Besides, I think I'll make kielbasa this time, just bulk, and not stuff it, and maybe only about 5 pounds.

Annie

I'm in the market for anew camera, too. I was going to stay with Olympus but will look at the Panasonic now, too. Of course, if it was sprinkled with some of your talent that would be nice!

Sol, that is so crazy - the timing! Glad she will be okay!

Teri, your doing so well with the gluten free. Do you feel differently - ie more energy?

Linda, I always make Lidia's ala vodka sauce - was curious so I tried Rachael Ray's since you love it. It is good and quick! I think using San Marzano in a dish like this makes a huge difference.

Annie, the cranberry salsa is a beauty. What do you use it for?

Crafy, I would love your soup. I love the combo of spinach and parm in soup.

I have been making alot of bread lately - tis the season. I don't like the idea of the no knead - hey that is my therapy! But I would be happy to eat some - yours looks great, Michelle.

Still pretty low energy here so have been relying on the pantry and freezer and cooking on the fly.

Have been able to use up odds and ends from the holidays.

We have had calzones stuffed with ricotta, pepperoni, broccoli, and mozzarella. They sort of exploded but were really good! LOL

Teriyaki chicken thighs with rice.

Tonight was ziti with shrimp, peas, bacon, and ricotta at the last minute.

Tomorrow food shopping finally!

My goal for the new year is to treat vegetables with more respect - not as an oh yeah. The two big hits so far were broccoli in walnut sauce, braised green beans, and Am's popcorn cauliflower.

Kathleen, I got my apron and cookbook for Everyday Food. Thanks!

Sol, hope the MIL is doing OK, what a scare!

Diane, the soup sure sounds and looks good. I hate it when I just throw something together and just know I'll never be able to duplicate it but it beats the alternative.

Ann, I'm sure liking the pictures from that new camera. I am making sure Kim sees them and dropping direct hints...

Annie, kielbasa tonight? Sounds like a winner.

Michelle, I just about grabbed that bread off my monitor. It would have gone good with dinner tonight.

Maggie, I hear ya on the veggies. I need to try harder. Monday I went to a different grocery that is about an hour away. They always have an awesome selection so I stocked up.

I'm trying to get back into some cooking, I was more than a little burned out after the Holidays and a friends B-Day. Still have another B-Day dinner to fix on Friday.
Sunday was a pasta quickie with leftovers on Monday. Last night was a burger, not what I had planned but a friend I hadn't seen for awhile stopped by, late in the afternoon.
Tonight was finally had some good old comfort food.

Excuse the blurry pic...I knew I should have taken another, but I was hungry!

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Nancy

Sol, hope your MIL is doing ok! Scary!

Daria, that chili sounds good!

Diane, Clean out the frig soup looks good! LOL, that you can't duplicate it! I know what you mean!

Nancy, the swiss steak looks great! Perfect comfort food!

Annie, that chowder looks great!

Maggie, calzones sound good!

Linda, the alla vodka looks great!

Didn't do much cooking this week. Lots of leftovers from the freezer. and take out!

Maggie, yes much more energy and basically a lighter feel..lost a pant size so far too.

The Daddy was playing basketball tonight so dinner was pancakes, turkey sausage and eggs. Kids happy, mommy happy and when he got home I made him some homemade sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches when he got home..BTW, FOLKS~try some Northwoods Fire in your scrambled eggs...Hubby loves it.

High five, Terri! It can't be easy when making different meals for the family.

Nancy, what is swiss steak?

Everyone is making good looking food as always!
Sol your budinos remind me of Spanish puddings (budin), and that coconut caramelized one looks just perfect!

Ann you're doing very well with the new camera. Pics are nice and sharp and the food always sounds so good!

I'm dashing off early this morning so will quickly post my pics from yesterday. Thanks again for Bunny hugs and kind words.....she's dying to go outside but the antibiotics (still okay mixed into her food) are keeping her a bit sleepy so she dozing a lot indoors.

We went yesterday with some lady friends from Germany and our houseguest....all of whom are old friends...to one of our favourite restaurants.....the San Diego grill down in the banana plantations by the sea where most food is cooked over a eucalyptus wood-fired grill. There were five of us and we stuffed ourselves with salads, a liter of red wine , sparkling water, beer, pimientos de padrón and other favourite foods.

Photos: Our table and drinks, the big salad, table with bread, wine & ali oli, Wolf's favourite chicken soup, my salad plate, those wonderful pimientos de padrón crusted with sea salt, my dish of tuna croquettes with Russian salad (ensaladilla rusa), grilled chicken in creamy garlic sauce, two mojos for the potatoes (papas), chocos (squid) in green garlic sauce, papas arrugadas (wrinkled salt potatoes), veal steak with the papas & green mojo, and finally a homemade flan & caramel sauce ordered by one of the ladies.
Also took a pic of the fish cooler filled with mussels and local fish, and another pic of the cook beside his enormous wood-fired grill.
Yesterday and today as well, Blackie is not too happy with our "cold" weather. The sun has been popping in and out....we feel chilly but the holiday makers on the island are wearing shorts and sandals and look pretty happy! LOL.

Sol, is that Cat Cora's Chocolate Budino recipe?

Funny you should ask Michelle. Cora is one of the few chefs whose books I have no interest in. I like her personality fine; it's her cooking style and recipes I don't care for. I did check out her book once, and put it back down. All I found were the same recipes that are in every other famous chef's cookbook out here. Nothing creative or innovative. I have no doubt she must be good though, she is, after all, an Iron Chef, unfortunately, her cooking hasn't grabbed me...yet. I never say, never.

But I digress, the Chocolate Budino is my own recipe. Still, the Caramelized Coconut Budino is not. It comes from another female chef I do admire, Joanne Weir.

Diane, it's been a while since your last post. And those are some offerings you've brought to the table.

Mon ami Monique, I love seeing your posts. And I will always love being "Soleil."

Thank you guys again for your concern, your thoughts and prayers. And Annie, I'd still appreciate all the prayers you can direct my way, as other things have happened since. It seems life's problems come in threes. Thanks pal.

You know Annie, I often buy cranberries without a clue as to what to make with them. Cranberry Red is one of my most favorite colors, so I buy'em and just look at them for a week or so, then try to figure out a way to use them.
Your Cranberry Salsa definitely got my attention. I don't think I've seen that recipe here, but I'll look for it. I think it would make a cool Valentine's Day gift - one for them, two for me, one for them, three for me...and so on, and so forth...

Sol

Oops, forgot all about dinner. Last night I was tired, so dinner was nothing fancy, and for that matter, neither was the picture, but so what, it was still yummy. Corn Soup with Crab Cakes.

Sol

Haven't been posting to this thread much but just got a chance to read through and catch up. As always the food sounds and looks wonderful, too many to comment on just to say some darn fine cooks on this forum!

Sol my thoughts are also with you and your MIL, knockers up doll!

Sharon glad to here Bunny is on the mend , poor little thing. As always your pictures of paradise and it's food are outstanding. You need to go into the travel mag business!

Ann great pics with your new camera!

Rob33 , great looking onion soup. To make large croutons I simply cut a round that fits my bowl from a nice think slice of French or Italian bread and broil both sides under the broiler until golden. Works like a charm but you have to watch ....I've burned a few over the years.

Happy belated birthday Ted! San your table looks gorgeous!

Terri congrats on the diet! Great job.

My meals have not been very inspiring lately but they have been comforting, Lasagna, Chicken pot pie, Pasta Fagioli.

Got the January blahs I guess.

Tonight is Marilyn's Salmon Cakes with steamed asparagus and for some reason I have a hankering for Tattooed Potatoes!

Sol, here's the salsa recipe if you decide you want to make it. It's fast, it's easy, it's good and you wouldn't have to can it, just put it into containers and refrigerate. It's not hot enough for the boss, so I substitute some habaneros for the serranos, LOL, but it depends on your heat tolerance.

Spicy Cranberry Salsa

 6 cups chopped red onion
 4 finely chopped large Serrano peppers*
 1 1/2cups water
 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar (5%)
 1 tablespoon canning salt
 1 1/3 cups sugar
 6 tablespoons clover honey
 12 cups (2 3/4 pounds) rinsed, fresh whole cranberries

Yield: About 6 pint jars.

1. Wash and rinse 6 pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Combine all ingredients except cranberries in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat slightly and boil gently for 5 minutes.
3. Add cranberries, reduce heat slightly and simmer mixture for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
4. Fill the hot mixture into clean, hot pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Leave saucepot over low heat while filling jars. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.
5. Process in a boiling water canner 15 minutes for pints and half pints.

Annie

Copied that Annie, thanks!

SharonCB, Wolf's favorite soup looks like it could be mine too! And then your salad plate right after it...heaven!

Maggie, thanks..actually the guys are going more gluten free than they/we first thought..They fight over slices of the gluten free white bread I've been making. They now eat gluten free chocolate chip cookies. Hubby loves gluten free banana cake and bread. Oh and I brought out my secret stash of CocoRice Crisp bars..and well they disappeared!!! and it wasn't me!
It's not been a bad deal for anyone I don't think. And actually they are eating more "grains" than ever before. The baking mix I use for the cookies and pancakes has Almond Meal in it plus the other flours..so they are getting a bit more protein in their cookies and pancakes. Hence why we eat breakfast for dinner once a week now..my middle one who would rather not eat eggs or breakfast meat can now get away with just pancakes. I do MAKE him eat two bites of eggs and 2 small bites of turkey sausage. And it's a battle!
I am 25lbs lighter than I was a year and a half ago.(I've been making small simple changes over this time.) still some more to go though....
Sharon, thanks too!

Dinner tonight..not sure..
I've got beef steak slices or loin pork chops in the fridge..
So the toss up will be Beef Broccoli on rice or smothered chops on rice and broccoli.. LOL What am I in the mood for?

Some really good looking meals are being served; tenderloin, Swiss steak, crabcakes, chicken, soups, roast pork and by the way, Michelle that bread looks delicious. SharonCB, wish that we had the variety of restaurants you have access to; everything always looks so good.

I made Parmesan encrusted tilapia with mac and cheese last night. Had several cheeses left from NY's; San Simon, Derby with Sage, Bleu d'Auvergne, smoked gouda and gruyere.

Tonight I will be trying Sol's Eye of Round....wish me luck!

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Maggie, Swiss Steak is really simple. I make it the way my DM did and don't have a recipe.

I use round steak, remove the fat and cut in individual sized pieces. Place about 1/2 C of AP flour in a shallow container, I use a paper plate just to make cleanup easy.
Season both sides of meat with S+P. Place a piece of the meat in the flour and coat both sides. Place the meat on a cutting board and pound with a meat mallet, add more flour as necessary, pounding away until the meat piece is about half of the original thickness. Repeat for all the meat.
I usually brown the meat in a large frying pan using bacon grease but any oil is fine. After all the meat is browned, I sprinkle a little dried thyme over it and cover with the slices of a med. onion. Add about a cup of water (can use part red wine) and simmer, adding more liquid as necessary, until meat is very tender. About 1 hour.

Maggie, many recipes call for the addition of canned tomatoes. I tried some once, but I didn't like the addition....it just wasn't the right flavor or the way Mom made it... :))

Tonight's dinner is simmering on the stove, Sloppy Joe's. I had to run errands this afternoon so I didn't have much time. I had hoped to have leftover Swiss Steak but there wasn't enough left. Between Kim and Roxie there was only one piece of meat left.

Nancy

I have been missing a few days, trying to get everything put away. It takes me a long time to get in all in bins and carried to the basement...but I have been reading and enjoying all the posts and pics!

Sol, so glad your mil is doing better...unbelievable! And your soup and crab cakes look delicious! I love the cream soup bowls..

Maggie, glad you got the cookbook and apron, and I hope you will like the mag. I think it is perfect for a busy young mom like you! I gave my son and dil a crockpot as part of their gift, it would make life easier for her with 4 little ones if she starts to use it. She hasn't asked for ideas yet ):

Ann, delicious looking dinner, pic couldn't be clearer..And I too hope to make those delicious looking lemon tarts soon!

Nancy, I have never made swiss steak...I would like the brown gravy too, not fond of red with beef. I will have to try it.

Terri, good for you! I think you sent your 25 pounds here..lol

Marigene, hope your eye round comes out like you like it. Some of my relatives love it, so I always try to have it when they come. We had it once a week growing up..that and filet of sole every Fri night,,I poured ketchup all over it...still don't like fish!

Sharon, your posts are like beautiful pics in a magazine!

Tonight we has Mixed greens, red onions, feta, bacon, chicken strips and sugared pecans. Nothing special...I haven't been spending that much time in the kitchen lately!

Michelle, I think you should add these to your cookie list for Valentine's Day...cute! You too, ANNIE, FOR ELLERY!
I think these will make you all smile!

Here is a link that might be useful: Valentine Cookies, oh la la

Just stopping here for a minute.
Tonight I had Leftovers . Remember that Stuffed Standing Chicken Roast?
I unfroze it. It was just as good tonight.

Used the Prebaked Dough that I put in the previous Thread.
To make another Sicilian Calabrese Pizza, for the Woman's Prayer Group.
Used 4 cheeses,chopped and blended. Provolone, Mozzarella, Feta and Cheddar.
What a Blend !!!!!

I baked it tonight, to be sure it was OK.

No! I didn't sacrifice myself again. Wouldn't look good with a piece missing.

They meet tommorrow. I have it wrapped with Plastic, in the Fridge.
All I have to do is Mist it with water and Bake at 350 for about 10 Minutes.

It is a Plain Pizza with Extra cheese. Think they will like it ?????

LOU

If they don't love it Lou, you better pray FOR them, not with them.

Kathleen, I printed the Valentine's cookie pic to take to my baking class. One woman wants to decorate cookies (our 'ringer') and I bet she'd find them a hoot!
Great idea for a decorator. ;-) Maureen

Thanks, Nancy! Sounds like a great way to do steak in the winter.

Kathleen - lol. Those cookies are great!

Annie - could you make the salsa and not can and use it immediately or freeze? One of these days I will work up the courage to can.

Wow Sharon! What a photo spread. It looks so wonderful. I love your thumbnails. They're so good. Tell Blackie it'll only be cool for awhile, to go snuggle with Bunny (poor baby!) and make his eye better.

Sol, I'd eat corn soup and crab cakes any night, never thinking it was less than extraordinary. Looks pretty good too.

Thanks for the advice on the crouton Sharon! My problem is that my husband likes a nice big one to cover the whole soup. I seem to waste so much bread when I cut it to fit a big bowl. The guy is hoss, so it has to all be big. I guess I could make some yummy bread and butter pudding with caramel sauce, mmm, with the leftovers.

marigene, I'd kill to have that mac-n-cheese. Mine just never looks that good. Hubby grew up with that boxed stuff and so I can't try "different" recipes too often. We fight over it at J Alexander's, so I know if I found a extraordinary non-box one, I could have it more often.

Kathleen, your salad looks divine. Love sugared pecans and those chicken strips look mighty tasty.

Lou, if they don't like it, they're crazy!

Last night's dinner was a bust, ham and au gratin potatoes; but the potatoes ended up soupy, icky.

Lou, your pizza looks excellent! I am sure it was enjoyed..

Maggie, you could whip up a batch of those cookies in your spare time!

Rob, sorry about your potatoes. I hate that when I look fwd to trying something that doesn't turn out well...but it happens!

Maureen, I bet the sayings on those cookies could get pretty risque, an X rated baking class, LOL...

Lou, I'm sure that they loved, loved it. All your pizzas look delicious.

Nancy, I make a similar swiss steak using my salisbury steak recipe, but using round or sirloin steak instead. Just has to simmer a little longer. Looking at your dinner has given me a craving.

Kathleen, I'd like some of your chicken fingers, but I'll skip the salad. A side of fries would be nice though.

I had Moe pick me up some clams yesterday and made a quick dinner of Spaghetti and clams.

Kathleen, your chicken salad looks so good. I have everything on hand except the sugared pecans, have plain ones, so may copy you one day next week! Oh, and those cookies are so cute. I may have to try them for ValentineâÂÂs dayâ¦.they would make Howard laugh if nothing else!

Lou, your pizza looks wonderful, hope your friends enjoyed your labor of love.

Ann, I am about to drool all over myself looking at the clams and spaghetti. Clams are my favorite food, doesnâÂÂt matter how they are prepared.

I tried SolâÂÂs eye of the round oven roast last night. It came out pretty good, the only thing I would change is cutting about 5-6 minutes of the resting period as it was a little more done than I like it. It was nice and juicy like the recipe said. Husband and daughter loved it! I also tried AM's popcorn cauliflower but couldn't make myself add the sugar the recipe called for! It was so good...another keeper.

I had Trevor baking and decorating cut out cookies yesterday. He did pretty good for not being quite three years old.....until he decided to eat the decorations and then he didn't want to bake any longer!

Marigene, that's one cute little cookie baker you have there, and the roast looks yummy but I agree, I like it even more rare than that.

Kathleen, those cookies are hysterical, I'm remembering that. Elery doesn't eat sweets, he's hypoglycemic, but I'm brainstorming here, LOL.

sorry about the potatoes, Rob.

Maggie, you could easily make that salsa and just refrigerate it, it keeps for 2 or 3 weeks in the fridge, at least. You could even halve the recipe. It's great with pork roast.

Lou, that pizza looks like they sure OUGHT to love it. LOL Maureen.

So, what was for supper? I wanted waldorf salad, so I made some. Grapes are outrageously expensive, $3.99 a pound, so I used dried cranberries, MacIntosh apples, some walnuts and celery. As I was mixing the dressing I thought that some of the strawberry balsamic that Sherry gave me this summer would be really good, so I used that to thin the dressing. I didn't stop to think about the color, LOL, so the dressing is a dark caramel color. It tasted really, really good but looked pretty ugly, so no pictures.

Ann T, that new camera is doing a great job, your supper looks delicious.

I just had a bowl of oatmeal for lunch, I have no idea what supper will be after I shovel the driveway. Tomorrow, though, I'll be thinking of Ann T as Makayla and I spend the night together at my house, she wants to go to Burger King for supper, so it'll be Whoppers!

Annie

Thank you, Annie. I would like to try that.

Marigene, handsome little helper you got.

No food pics but I do have something yummy...Gracie goo napping in her car seat.
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Thanks, Maggie, even though the photographer cut off the top of her head - she's beautiful :)

Muchas gracias AB. I hope you're sitting down, because I'm going to finally try my hand at canning and I'll start with your Cranberry Salsa. And if I don't blow my house up in the process, I'll have a full report for you.

Thank you again Chase, Annie, Carol, Maggie (I hope I didn't miss anyone), for your thoughts. MIL is doing incredibly well. We've finally started breathing again.

Luigi, your house must smell like a pizzeria. Divine.

Tonight, I'll be making Chicken Cutlet with Country Gravy, and I'll be taking it over to my MIL's. She and Jim share the same tastes, great and simple foods.

For me, I'm suddenly in the mood for a salad, like Kathleen's.

There are cute children on the WFD. There's no way any dinner picture I post will ever look as delicious.

Sol

Maggie, that's one delicious little bundle, I'd love to just kiss those cheeks. Kiss her for me, will you?

Sol, I'm so happy to hear that your MIL is doing better. You love her and so, I do too. More hugs for her.

Supper? Oh yes, I got a box of oranges from Donna (lacksboys3)! So, I had an orange. I had to, it was a little soft on one end and it might have spoiled, so I had to eat it quickly. Yeah, that's it....

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I was still a little hungry, LOL, so I made some french toast with the last of the Christmas pannetone (how in the world did I spell that last time?), and a bit of my homemade polish sausage. I'm still experimenting with the recipe, so I didn't link it, I'm just eating it as is. It's still not "right", but it's darned good.

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Ashley had a bowl of last night's Waldorf Salad:

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And, because she wanted something sweet last night I made some strawberry ice cream in my new ice cream maker, and a BIG batch of Puppy Chow so Makayla and she can have a treat tomorrow night when Makayla spends the night.

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Annie

Oh dear...I am so far behind and the meals and treats look so good!!!

Kathleen, thanks so much for the cookie link. I LOVE THE PANTIE(s) COOKIES and I do have heart cookie cutters too! Since I missed out on my cut out Christmas Cookies and am planning a very heart-felt Valentine's Day, I just might make the Panties...LOL!! And your Chicken Salad looks scrumptious!!

Lou, I wanted to try your pizza this week, but just ran out of time. Hopefully I will be able to make it soon! Yours looks wonderful!!

Ann, the spaghetti and clams always looks so good!

Marigene, Love the looks of that beef dinner and cooked to perfection too! The mini baker is too cute!! Glad to see you have him starting early learning his way around a kitchen.

Maggie, OH MY...Grace is too cute! Oh how I wish I could sleep like that!

Annie, isn't sausage fun to make and so creative too. I just love it!! Waldort Salad is one of my favs and with tons of walnuts!! In fact Waldorf salad sounds good, I think I might put it on next weeks menu.

Not too much cooking here, I am so busy during the day, it is 8:00 pm before I know it. For instance Wednesday dinner for me was 2 pieces of Chocolate Cream Pie! It was good too!

Tonight I made Lori's Canneloni and it was very good. I think Lori posted this recipe before my time on the forum but I caught a repost from AnnT. First time I ever made crepes and it was so easy. And I used the griddle on my stovetop which worked out beautifully. I will for sure make crepes again!

I've decided I am going to start seriously experimenting with cupcakes. I've always enjoyed making muffins and cupcakes but never put too much thought into the frosting/topping. I think I should change my thought process 360 degrees! I bought a new muffin tin today and have an order in for some new confections with edible glitters and gold dust. It should be fun!!

Michelle

Oh Annie, it almost hurts me to look at anything sweet. Groan....

After all the baking, I really felt like something tangy and made Tuscan Tomato Soup from the W-S soup cookbook my ds gave me for Christmas. As I did not have 3 lb of fresh tomatoes, I used 3 cans of fire roasted ones, and darn good it was. Mostly it wasn't sweet! I used some of my baguette (toasted) but that bread is too fine, and didn't add a great deal as it could. Oh well, it filled the bill.

I think it will be salad until Dick gets home. But I could be tempted to cook...hehehe Maureen

Man !!!! Roast Beef, Chicken Fingers, Salads,fresh Oranges,
Tilapia, Crab Cakes, Roast Pork, Cranberry Salsa, Tucsan Bean soup, Strawberry Ice cream, Sol's dessert's, Puppy Chow.
What a Smorgasborg !!!!!
Lou

PS: ANN , I didn't forget your Clams and Spaghetti.
One of my favorites!!!!!!!!!

All I had was a bowl of Chicken Soup.
Of course I had to try my Pizza today, at the Prayer Group.
The mixture of the 4 Cheeses was great.

Here is my humble bowl of Chicken Soup.

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She's beautiful, Maggie, what a face :)

Trevor is adorable, Marigene! That's the best, baking with kids :)

Glad your MIL is doing fine, Sol!

What's in that puppy chow, Annie, it looks really good!

Lou, your soup looks great, would have been perfect here, looks hearty, we had rain and really heavy downpours all day! Soup would have been nice!

Nobody home but me tonight, I had a cup of Kraft microwave mac n cheese, probably even more taboo than the blue box. I liked it. A lot :)

Ahhh, Maggie, Grace is adorable!!

Marigene, you are very patient, and Trevor looks likes he is very serious about his rolling! The beef looks fine, a little more done for me, blow torch Betty here!

Maureen, I was in W-S today, sale on the cookbooks...DH doesn't want me to buy anymore, he is tired of putting heavier brackets on the book shelf and the dish (many, lol) shelves. Your soup looks delicious!

Carol, I wish you were closer, I would save you from that Kraft cwap...good old artery clogging mac and cheese!

Ok, Ann, so no carrots and no salad for you. No fish or rare meat for me, and carrots and snow peas, caulifl , red cabbage for me. No beans, peas, sprouts etc. No sugar for Ellery... Good thing one of us doesn't have to cook for all the others,,what a diverse menu! LOL

Annie, I am thinking pears instead of the cookie, but can he eat fruit?

Michelle, hope you do the cookies...can suggest some sayings for them?

Lou, how did they like the pizza. Nancy posted a virtual pizza party, you have to do it!

Sol, the nuns used to tell us simplicity was a form of beauty,,,so simple foods are a good thing...I like simple too!

Carol, we've called the stuff puppy chow for years, now they call it "Muddy Buddies". Whatever, it'll always be puppy chow to me, LOL.

Puppy Chow
Makes:18 servings (1/2 cup each)

9 cups Chex® cereal (I use the cheap store stuff)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, stir together chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

Kathleen, Elery does eat fruit, not a whole lot at a time, but some. Ashley, however, is laughing like crazy over your "panty cookies". LOL She did point out that we could make some of them "tops" with frosting, turning them into women's torsos with swimsuit tops, giving us both "tops" and "bottoms". Or, as my secretary indelicately put it "t*ts and a**es". LOL

I agree, Lou needs to participate in the virtual pizza party!

Annie

After a bacon burger from Good Times, picked up on the way home from a long day at my biz, everything looks fantastic here. And especially the delicious pictures of Trevor and Gracie. They are both adorable.

Oh Lou, I think I would just love your four cheese blend, for me, the feta would put it over the top.

Kathleen, your plate looks delish, our kind of dinner.

Marigene I've wanted to try oven roasting eye of round. I would also like it a little less cooked but it looks delish.

Hey Blow Torch Betty, do ya think you could just torch the outside, make a nice seared crust, and leave the inside cool and red, huh? Yum! The real skill with a roast to have some part done perfectly for everyone at the table - not so easy, my DMIL likes her meat at least medium well while Max and I like it rare, rare, rare.

Annie, I love French toast made with panettone and your sausage looks so good to.

Ann, I can't imagine a more perfect looking pasta than yours with the clams. I've been afraid to buy fresh clams at the market here even knowing that they constantly are selling them. This will be my month to be brave.

Maureen, your soup looks great to me. I hope you have more to share from your baking class. I've loved reading about it with you.

Lee

Kathleen, I just realized my comment sounded like a complaint. Trust me, that is not the case. I've talked about this before, and I completely agree, simple is good, and I embrace it.

Annie, I haven't seen Puppy Chow since H.S. where it became a popular offering at every party we went to ... among other things we won't discuss here[wink, wink, nudge, nudge]. The French Toast looks great too.

Tonight, or rather, last night, I cooked a few meals for my MIL, then Jim and I went out for Italian food, what else?

Luigi, I think Nancy's virtual pizza party has your name all over it. Sign up already. Capicce?

Sol

i can't believe how many wonderful things have cropped up here in the past week--nice going, guys! i wanted a big bowl of mussels for dinner the other night and the store was out! i do believe that pile of clams on ann's plate would do VERY nicely, though! but last night we made do with some bacon-wrapped scallops and a caesar salad :) pretty good stuff!

Just checking in after a busy week here. I laughed out loud at those cookies! How cute are those???

Puppy Chow....haven't seen that in years! A woman I worked with at the "phone factory" used to make it all the time!

Sol, glad to hear your mother in law is on the mend. Still, we'll keep the good thoughts coming.

Kathleen that roast looks amazing. I am one who doesn't like it too rare, just a little pink inside is fine. Somehow I missed the popcorn cauliflower recipe, tho. Will search for it later.

Yep, Lou....go sign up for the pizza party!

Ann, you amaze me. You can make even something I don't really care for (clams) look decadent!

Simple dinners here the past couple of days, and no photos.

Thursday night it was Cindy's Louisiana BBQ Shrimp over rice with steamed sugar snap peas. Last night Swedish Meatballs, buttered egg noodles and mixed veggies. I kind of combined Alton's and Ann's recipes, added a few of my own touches and I came really close to the perfect (in my opinion) Swedish Meatball! A few more "tweaks" and I'll have exactly what I want!

Going out for a friend's 40th birthday tonight. No clue what will be on the menu for Sunday. After a warm couple of weeks the temps are getting back to our normal frigid!

Linda

linda--i haven't yet gotten swedish meatballs "right". if you feel like sending an outline of what you're tinkering with, i'd love to give it a whirl!

Sol: I didn't know you were Italian ?????

Why are all these woman picking on me For the Pizza Party.

I was going to stay on the sidelines and watch !!!
Maybe I could be a Judge. I don't think that would work either.
I'm Romantic , remember??? With all the woman in here,
there could be a lot of " Swaying " going on .

Linda: Ann can do that. The only thing is I can't get her
to try my recipes.

The women in the Prayer group loved the Pizza.
Especially the blend of Cheeses.I didn't put any other toppings.
I don't want to be making Pizza's every week, forever.

Have to go now, going to my Daughter's for Sunday Pizza and
Stromboli Day.
They do this every year. They will bake about 30 Pizza's and Stromboli's.

I think it's an after the Holiday's "withdrawal " thing.
And I don't do any of the baking !!!!!!!!!!!!!

So you may not see me until Monday evening.
Maybe I'll look in from down there.

Lou

All the food pics are just amazing but I really like beautiful little Gracie and Trevor the best :) Trevor really looks like he knows what he's doing and looks so adorable.

We've had simple meals, as usual, and last night Ken grilled us some boneless pork chops with Wegman's lemon garlic marinade - one of my favs! Grey Poupon roasted potatoes went nicely and frozen peas, LOL, one of Ken's favs! Still had a little Donn's Delight blue cheese dressing left from New Year's Eve for our salad - thanks LindaC! Another night I made Alexa's white chicken chili, another favorite in our house.

Came here to get inspiration for tonight - I know that I'll be making Cindy's Tomatoes Rockefeller tonight - need to decide on the rest of the meal!

ok, what's Tomatoes Rockefeller, Woodie? recipe?

LOL, one of these days, Kathleen, I will be showing up on your doorstep!

Thanks for the puppy chow, Annie!

Nooo, Sol, it didn't sound like a complaint at all! I just sometimes feel that simple is good for the soul and body! And I try to remember that, as I tend to complicate things which then causes stress! I try to remember, but not always!!

Lou, your harem wants you to be in the pizza virtual, so you must comply, or the pizza police will come for you, LOL

Linda, I do not like raw clams, but I do like baked clams and New England Chowder,,,as long as they are chopped up small, they don't bother me!

And now someone with a fabulous pic can start the next thread!

I'm loving all the goodies here...but trying to be good! The only thing that really works for me is eating really lite. Soup for dinner or lunch and few carbs. Sigh...
That said, Sol, that chocolate budino looks sinful! I'm having guests for dinner later this month and that just might be on the menu! I'm not a coconut fan...
Maureen, I love Tomato Soup! If the recipe doesn't have milk or cream as an ingredient, I'd like to have it. Will you share?
Maggie, Trevor and Gracie are precious!