Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

BROWN SUGAR-WALNUT STREUSEL
Adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Put all the ingredients except the nuts in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms clumps and curds and holds together when pressed.  Scrape the topping into a bowl, stir in the nuts and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface.  Refrigerate until needed.  Covered well, the crumb mixture can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This is a little more than you need for the 7-x-11-inch breakfast cake … or not: my husband always says that there’s no such thing as too much streusel.

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Cheese Scones

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

2 c flour

2 T sugar

1 T baking powder

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp onion salt

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1/2 c sour cream

5 T vegetable oil

1/4 c milk

2 c cheddar cheese

Mix dry ingredients, mix wet including cheese. Combine and stir just until moist. Knead 7-8 times on floured surface.  Pat 1/2 dough into 1/2 inch thick on greased baking sheet.  Cut into 8 wedges. Repeat. You should have two rounds. Bake 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with Chili or Butternut Squash Soup.

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Rosemary Olive Scones

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

1/3 c half & half or milk

1/2 c finely chopped onions

1/4 c Kalmata Olives coarsely chopped

1 1/2 c flour

1 c uncooked oats

1 T sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp dry or 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary chopped

3/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c butter

Mix dry ingredients, then wet, then combine. Mix until just barely moist. Knead and spread into two rounds 8 inch circles.

Cut into 8 slices.

Bake on greased cookie sheet 450 degrees 18-20 minutes.

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Sauted Lobster and Spinach Salad

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

1 lobster split in half

1/8 cup sliced onions

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes halved

1/4 cup bacon crumbles

2 T butter

2 T  olive oil

4 T Poppyseed or Vadalia Onion Salad Dressing or garlic confit with garlic oil

1/4 cup cream

fresh bag of spinach

Heat the saute pan with olive oil, fry lobster in shell meat side down, saute onions and mushrooms and bacon bits at same time.

Cover and steam lobster, add butter, cream and dressing, tomatoes to skillet.  Pepper and Salt to taste.

Add spinach and toss, and remove from pan.  Distibute among plates, serving immediately.   

If you have all shrimp or scallops you can add those as well.

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Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

2 T peanut oil

2 pounds chicken thighs (boned and quartered)

2 oz butter or ghee

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp coriander

1 T chopped fresh ginger

1/4 tsp chili powder

6 cardamon pods bruised

1/2 tsp ground cinammon or 1 cinnamon stick

11 oz pureed tomatoes

1 T sugar

3/4 cup sour cream  OR 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup cream, and 1 T lemon juice

Brown thighs in oil in batches, set aside.

Combine butter and spices and stirfry for 1 minute. Add chicken to spices and stir to coat.

Add tomato, sugar and simmer for 15 minutes until sauce is thick.  Add yogurt, cream and lemon and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and poppedoms.

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Broccoli, Bacon and Onion Salad

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Broccoli, Bacon and Onion Salad

5 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 large bunch)

  • 8 slices bacon
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup toasted salted sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1/2 cup diced turkey or ham (optional)

Preparation

Cook broccoli in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon. Whisk oil and vinegar in medium bowl to blend. Mix in onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Broccoli, bacon and dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.)  If you are feeling in a hurry you can also use vadalia onion dressing or Champagne Vingarette.

Combine broccoli and bacon in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Garnish with sunflower seeds. Pass remaining dressing separately.

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Stuffed Mushrooms – Steak, Cheddar and Creamy Horseradish

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

4 Portabello Mushroom Caps (cleaned)
5 oz steak sliced thinly
Cheese- A mixture is always good: cheddar, parmesan, pepper jack
touch of creamy horseradish or Onion Marmalade – garnish tops with a bit of carmelized onions.

Baked stuffed mushrooms, are an easy dish to prepare an cook. It will take approximately 25 minutes to complete, depending on what You stuffed the mushrooms with, it may take a little longer. The best thing about mushrooms is they make a perfect little container for Your other favorite ingredients. There is an endless combination of what You can stuff a mushroom with. You can even stuff a mushroom with other mushrooms, there is so many options when using mushrooms, from taste to flavor, to that special texture mushrooms are are a dish to behold.

This recipe of baked stuffed mushrooms is My favorite, You can always substitute, for Your favorite ingredients an mushrooms to get that taste You enjoy. You can keep it plan with some cheese, or overdue it with egg, steak an cheese. A good combination, that plays on each ingredient taste, will create a to die for side dish.

Preheat Oven 400F. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, cook steak on skillet, until brown. As the steak is cooking add Your favorite cheese, I used American, Brie an Mozzarella Mix well. You will want to lightly clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth, Trim there stalks, Put the mushrooms into a bowl, add olive oil, salt, pepper, an paprika (or Your favorite spice). Toss lightly. Place mushrooms on a flat pan cap side down. Remove steak an cheese from skillet add to each mushroom top, Sprinkle grated Parmesan on each. Place in Oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until mushrooms are crisp. Serve

This recipe is very flexible, it is best to use Your favorites. Their is so many types of mushrooms an a flavor for everyone. You can stuff a mushroom with almost anything, it’s good to keep Your mind open to to the many options You have when making this mushroom dish.

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Making Easter Baskets

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Making Easter Baskets – Gardening – Spring Time

Bag of Flower Bulbs
Hand Shovel or Rake
Gardening Gloves
1 basket
Cellophane and Ribbon
A couple of handfuls of candy

Potted Blooming Flower

I included a jar of homemade jam to personalize my gift even more.
Write on the ribbon, the name of the person you are giving the basket to, and I usually write
e-bunny.

Wrap with cellophane and a ribbon. Depending upon the number of baskets you are making, it helps to break up the tasks into smaller, more achievable goals.
I will deliver my office baskets tomorrow.

Happy Crafting!

Easter Basket for the Gardener

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Rice Krispies Treats

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy
I think my husband grew up on these.  His mom continued to make them for my kids.  Always a hit.  You can kick them up by adding chocolate chips or
warming the chocolate and drizzling it over the top. 
 Kellogg’s® prints the recipe for Rice Krispies Treats® on every box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies®. The basic recipe for Rice Krispies Treats® has changed very little over the years. Oh, some of us now prefer to use butter, in place of margarine, and we may tinker a little with the ingredients, but its original flavor and texture are still there.  Some prefer to use miniature marshmallows, large ones are fine, or you can even use a 7 ounce jar of marshmallow creme. But it is important to use fresh marshmallows as they melt so nicely, and make sure to butter or spray, with a non stick vegetable spray, the baking pan, the saucepan, the bowl, and all utensils, as this mixture is very sticky. These treats are definitely at their best when freshly made, although they can be stored for a few days at room temperature.

Rice Krispies Treats®: Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking pan.

Place the Rice Krispies® in a large bowl that has been buttered.

Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a heavy medium sized saucepan. Melt the butter and salt in the saucepan over medium low heat. Add the marshmallows and constantly stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Add the vanilla extract and then pour the mixture over the Rice Krispies® cereal and stir until all the cereal has been coated.

Immediately pour the mixture into your prepared pan and lightly pat until even. Cool at room temperature until the Rice Krispies Treats® have set. Cut into squares. Can store at room temperature for a few days if well wrapped

Makes about 16 squares.

Sources:

Rice Krispies Treats, Rice Krispies and Kellogg’s are trademarks of Kellogg’s NA Co.

Rice Krispies Treats®:

6 cups (150 grams) Rice Krispies® cereal

3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter or soft natural buttery spread*

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 – 10 ounce (285 grams) package miniature marshmallows

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* I like to use either Smart Balance® or Earth Balance®

®Smart Balance and ®Earth Balance are registered trademarks of Smart Balance Inc.

To make these perfect for company, dip into dark and white chocolate half and half.
Pretty and tempting.

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Creamed Spinach

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Bag of washed spinach

1/4 Cup of Cream

Salt and Pepper

Hubby Dennis loves spinach.  The man is not a vegetable lover.  It was less than a month or so ago, I actually caught him hiding green peas under his mashed potatoes on his plate.  He was swirling his potatoes and I asked him, “What are you doing?”  I took my fork and lifted and there they were. His peas, hidden under the potatoes.  I chuckled and whispered in his ear, “You’re over 40, you don’t have to eat peas if you don’t like them.”  He said he didn’t want to hurt my feelings by not eating them.

My feelings are not hurt.  For goodness sake, do not eat what you do not like! 

I happen to love both peas and spinach, but Dennis loves creamed spinach.

If you have ever made spinach, you know that the big bunch of spinach will reduce down to a small amount, so use the whole bag of spinach.  Saute in olive oil for 3-5 minutes, add 1/4 cup cream, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

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