Tuesday, April 29, 2008

A recipe for Broccoli? How about just beautifully steamed!


Dexter's got a few recipes for broccoli - most are pretty simple. Normally Dexter likes to put the recipe right here, but he was so impressed by the way this tiny hamster enjoyed his meal of broccoli, he thought you might like to see this video too!
Don't forget to come back to grab a couple ideas after you get your 'recipe for fun' right now:

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Normally Dexter says: "Hey, nothing but animal pictures on my page, please". Today he relented....


I don't know if we always think of food as 'art', yet some of the earliest artists who painted 'still-life', used fruits for their subject-matter.

Today I was fixing a 'treat' - it's for people; probably Dexter and his buddies wouldn't like it all that much (but then again - who knows).

I realized that we have had to cut way back on
eating salmon because of the high cost. Today happened to be a day to
'treat' ourselves; simply poaching salmon - cutting up the melon we got at a
reasonable price; a big cluster of grapes also on sale, and two poached eggs
made for a delightful breakfast.


So, since Dexter rarely has to think about
'food prices' and budgets, if you want to make this meal for yourself, try to do
it when you find items that area seasonal; or possibly on
special.


I told Dexter I finally had to make an entry to also let his readers know that when things start getting a bit pricey and word of a possibly recession start circulating, we have to 'get smarter' about our expenses. If you'd like to read what Dexter's grandma has started about how she's handling the higher costs without a problem, visit: http://rollwiththerecession.blogspot.com.

Friday, April 18, 2008

When I want CHILI, I just want CHILI....


I thought I put that link right over there on the left..... I can't see it..... Okay, let me put it here: http://fivewaychili.blogspot.com There, now I can go back out and play - hoping for some left-over chili tonight if Lisa will make me some.....

Sunday, April 13, 2008

DO YOU GO 'BANANAS' WHEN YOU SEE PRICES LIKE THIS ON A RESTAURANT MENU?


toppings (each additional topping: $1.50)
sausage pepperoni green pepper pepperoncini giardiniera* fresh tomato
spinach red onion mushroom grilled zucchini artichoke grilled eggplant
elephant garlic kalamata olive green olive sun-dried tomato roasted red pepper basil Italian beef grilled chicken meatball ham salami bacon
provolone anchovy pesto (to substitute pesto for tomato sauce add $2.50)
Well solve it easily! Buy up those ready-made pizza rounds; make your own 'toppings' for oh so much less money!
Grab up one of those Boboli (now
my spelling might be wrong here) circles - low-cost tomato sauce mixed with a
bit of tomato paste; some basil - oregano; a bit of thyme, and garlic powder
'all mixed into that sauce'.
Pick your toppings - yes, you'll have more than you need for one pizza, but all of these items will freeze - prepare them; make a 'mixed bag of topping tricks' for each pizza you'll make in the future, and then it's just a quick-fix when you defrost one of the bags - put those toppings on that ready-made 'pizza round' you've selected, and there's no 'tip' for home-delivery either!

Friday, April 11, 2008

I LOVE LICKING SALT BLOCKS - THEN I CLEAN MY MOUTH WITH FUDGE!


Hey there, this is the most simple and most delicious fudge! My great grandmother used to make it (yes, some of us deer can cook as well as read - and eat......).
This doesn't require a lot of fussing with a candy
thermometer; doesn't take a lot of beating - you won't wear your arm out trying
to get it to the right 'stage'....
I'm going to drop this off right here - enjoy!
http://www.allchocolate.com/recipes/easy-elegant-almond-fudge.aspx

Sunday, April 6, 2008

HAVE YOU HEARD; DEXTER'S OUT CHASING US - BUT HE'S NICE; HE JUST 'BARKS' AND THEN RUNS THE OTHER WAY!

When you want to hurry out to play in the snow - skip breakfast...cooking, that is! Here's a great breakfast bar for you to take along with your hot coffee!

Heat up your oven to 350 - mix up 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup of brown sugar; beat it until it's super creamy!

Add 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon of vanila -
and beat it again until nice and smooth.

Stir in: 1 cup whole-wheat
flour; 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt - 1 teaspoon of
cinnamon - 1/2 cup of oatmeal - 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup of dried
cranberries!

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 15 MINUTES - USE A 13X9 INCH PAN. COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE CUTTING. MAKE THESE THE NIGHT BEFORE - THEN YOU'RE READY TO JOIN DEXTER FOR THE ROMP!


Wednesday, April 2, 2008

'EGGSACTLY', MY 'DEAR'......


TWO WAYS I LIKE MY POACHED EGGS:


Saute bread-rounds. Remove center portion. Spread cavity with pate de foi gras puree. Put a poached egg on top; a teeny weeny bit of sour cream on the top.


Saute bread rounds. Remove center portion. Fill cavity with sliced mushrooms; put a poached egg on top - a bit of sour cream and a sprinkling of parmesean cheese - a few pimentos to top it all off.


Here's one more my husband likes:

Cook and mash or rice: Two cups of potatoes (I
use red, and leave the skins on). Mix in some sour cream (about 1/4 cup). Add 2T of finely minced pimento. Pile this into a baking dish. Make four cavities. Slip a raw egg in each cavity and bake until set. Serve with tiny bits of fresh chives and fresh ground pepper and tiny slivers of green or red pepper.


I BAKED SOME ACORN SQUASH FOR EVERYONE; SERVED IT WITH A BIT OF FRESH ROSEMARY; FRESH BASIL - AND GOAT CHEESE - IT WAS GREAT.
Serve with a tossed salad; add some diced apple - some dried cranberries - red onion, and feta cheese on fresh spinach! I usually put a couple of diced, soft-boiled eggs on top for my 'protein'.

WHEN MAKING TWICE-BAKED POTATOES: Before you fill the skins with the potato mixture, mix in a bit of left-over ham or poultry (diced small). Stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream; make that little 'cavity' and put in an egg.


Put these back into the oven; 275 - until the egg is set. Easy; good for you - and served with a spinach salad made with red onion; feta cheese - diced apples, and a few dried cranberries - a terrific dinner or a brunch!


Save that lelft-over creamed spinach. Make up 6 soft-boiled eggs; cut and warm them together (or serve chilled). When serve chilled, I put this on a bed of romaine, and put red onion slices over it; I don't use a dressing, but probably a nice vinegar & oil would be nice.


LEFT-OVER RED POTATOES & ZUCCHINI: Make them into morning pancakes!
Mix in the zucchini (chop it finely first); now mash up the red potatoes.
Add 2 eggs ( I use all the egg; egg whites are fine too)
Add 1/4 cup of finely diced red onion
Check the seasoning - salt; pepper & a bit of sweet basil is great!


If you want them a bit 'thicker', stir in 1T. of flour - your choice; rye gives them a bit of a different flavor that we like.


Stir it all up - mix that egg in thoroughly.


Get your griddle ready; spray on the Pam - brown on both sides.
I serve them with unsweetened applesauce - we love them as a main meal also; a fruit/vegetable plate finishes it off nicely.