For Dinner Tonight...

We are having one of my favorite meals... chicken sandwiches on a croissant and potato salad. The most difficult thing about potato salad is getting the dressing right. I use Hidden Valley, the original ranch dry packet with 1 c. of milk and 1 c. of salad dressing. I figure Hidden Valley has mastered putting the spices together so why should I spend time trying to improve it. All I put in is potatos, eggs, celery and Kosher baby dills.

The chicken sandwiches are crumbled up Quorn chik'n tenders, a small apple, red grapes cut in 4ths, chopped celery, and a pkg. of cashews.... I moisten it with some of the dressing I put on the potato salad. The croissants are from Costco. And there you have it... I have plenty of time to make gourmet meals but I still like to do what is fast and easy. Some days I spend more time cutting, slicing and dicing things I need for different meals during the week... and then on those days I spend a minimile of time just throwing everything together.

Rasberry Chicken Salad

This is a recipe I had at a luncheon at my cousin's baby shower. There's nothing like a good (& filling) fresh salad on a hot day.

1 bunch iceburg lettuce

1 bunch romaine lettuce

1 bunch spinach

1 sm. red onion, minced

1 cucumber sliced

Pkg. Quorn Chik n' tenders

2 c. fresh rasberries

2 c crushed peanut brittle (when I can't find this, I use honey roasted peanuts instead)

Dressing: Mix together

4 Tbsp. rasberry jam

4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2/3 C. oil

3 T. sugar

I have been busy this week trying to organize my quilt room.... get all my projects together and see what I need to get to complete them. (pictures forth coming) I'm going to carry on the Grandma Porter tradition and make a quilt for all of "the cousins" (my kids generation.... this includes you too, Dewey & Stacey) The only difference being that mine will be the lap size, snuggle up quilts. So if I post one that you like, send me a note and I'll put your name on it. This will be a project that will span a few years. I'm also trying to machine quilt one of my quilts for cancer. I'm starting with a meandering (stipple) stitch which is not as easy as it looks (pictures not forthcoming) I feel like a Kindergartner writing on my quilt. I have 2 more quilts to get done for the cancer project so it will be good practice. I hope everyone is having a good week.

One quilt and a recipe coming up...

Here is another easy, easy recipe. In fact you will probably say.... "I haven't thought of making that for a long time... I'm so glad Denise posted this...."

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce over Potatoes
I like to clean and wrap potatoes in tin foil to cook them. I spray them with a little pam. Steam a bunch of broccoli. Thin some cream of celery soup with a little milk and add some grated cheese and heat, to pour over the top of the potato and broccoli.... you can top with some vege bacon (I'm the only one who likes it that way) This meal just tastes so wholesome and nourishing. Make enough for two nights while you're at it. Ken did rebel on the third night of black bean & zucchini burritos last week.... however, his only recourse was to make his own dinner.

So, I am now officially Grandma Porters cutter outer of her quilts. I love the cutting out part, it is soothing to me and I love to use up every bit of the fabric. I have several quilts going that use 1" strips. When it's done, there will be over 9,000 pieces in it. Some people might think I have too much time on my hands.... and I do. Anyway, mom is amazing how she keeps on sewing with limited eyesight and turning out majestic quilts. She loves to show them off so I thought I'd keep you all posted on what she's making as well. Kim Peterson is now the official machine quilter, as you will notice by the beautiful quilting on it. Uncle Evan has spoken for this one.

Bonus Recipe

I made Val's recipe last night and it was so delicious.... I've added her link so you can view it. (you need to click on the picture to see the enlarged version... it looked like it was right out of Better Homes & Gardens) Very classy, Val. The things I did different....... I cut the corn off the cob first and simmered with onion, only adding a couple of Tablespoons of water to cook them. I added the other ingredients at the end and let them heat through for a few minutes. And instead of the salt, I added garlic salt and italian seasoning. (the two spices I think makes everything taste better) We had it over Quorn's Naked Cutlets and I steamed some cauliflower to go with it, as it is Ken's favorite.

Valpal & the Sea of Stories: Delicious Salmon Recipe

Recipe of the Week

Another easy does it recipe. Again I make double, and have enough for a few days & some for the freezer. I just can't seem to pare down my cooking to adjust from 6 to just the two of us. It seems like too much trouble if I only cook 2 portions.

Black Bean and Zucchini Burritos
Cut up one onion, cube a zucchini and yellow squash.
Season with garlic powder & italian seasonings (basil, oregano, parsley, if adding separately)
Cook until just getting tender. (you don't need to add any water... just spray with some pam)
Rinse a can of black beans and add to the mix. It is done when it's heated through.
Put on one of those big specialty burrito shells.... you know the ones with spinach or sun dried tomotoes in them, and the wheat ones are good too.
And there you have it. It is yummy with sour cream and salsa. Sometimes I add a tomato.

Make up a package of Spanish Rice as a side dish.

I owe a big thanks to my mom for instilling in me the importance of a nutritious dinner meal. Even if my day is a total bust, I still feel a sense of satisfaction if I have made us a healthy meal at the end of it.

Recipe of the Week

Ryan called me for this recipe last week and Tyler requests it every time he visits. It's an easy one (the kind I like best) and nutritious too, and you guessed it.... it freezes well. I always like to make more of things and then have a backup in the freezer for when I am too busy (ya, right) or I don't feel like cooking (more like it)...

Broccoli Chicken Casserole
Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Put a package of stuffing mix (Mrs. Cubbins herb mix is vege friendly) Sprinkle with 3/4 cup water, and mix thoroughly. You may need to add a little more water.... but you don't want it to get too soggy. Steam a pan of broccoli (I am generous with the amount) Layer on top of the stuffing mix. Then I use my favorite chicken substitute (Quorn Chik'n Tenders) and put on top of the broccoli. Thin a can of cream of celery soup with a bit of milk and pour over the mixture. Loosen the mixture with a fork so the soup kind of sinks down in.... sprinkle with cheese and there you have it. Cook at 350 for about 45 min.

(Attn: Stacey - did you see the recipe I posted for the fresh bean salsa?)

Recipe of the Week

So here you go. This is a recipe my neighbor, who is also vegetarian, made us when I had pneumonia last year. It is soooo yummy. You're supposed to eat it with chips..... but we will be doing without those while we're on the beginning stages of the South Beach Diet. I double the recipe and put some in the freezer (it freezes really well) or if you're like us we eat it for a couple of nights.

FRESH BEAN AND SALSA DIP
Rinse: 2 cans black beans
1 can small white beans
1 can black-eyed peas (I found these by the peas not the beans where you'd think they'd be)
Drain: 2 cans white shoepeg corn (I found these at Wal-Mart by Jolly Green Giant) - or not if you're Jana

Chop: green pepper
6 green onions (or 1 med. yellow or red onion)
4 large tomatoes
a bunch of cilantro

Mix together with a bottle of Italian salad dressing and refrigerate overnight (I then drain off the dressing) Makes a big pot full.

Our diet and exercise plan is rolling along smoothly since it is only day two. Andrea is not above wrestling me to the ground to retrieve a bagel I'm about to devour. Thanks, Annie, for covering my back....

Here's a few tips about healthy eating....
The first must is to plan menus for a week - we do ours from Sun. - Sat., and do the shopping on Sunday. The benefit to this is you won't be taking extra grocery trips during the week to be lured down the candy bar isle.... because you're hungry and you don't know what to make. It saves you money as well. (also that frenzied feeling you're going to get from having to drag the kids along)

Since you were good and made your list first, you know exactly what you're going to be eating that week. Now, I cut up all the vege's my recipes require (so Ken & Annie can help - remember it's Sunday.) This may take an hour or two, but it really saves time during the week, especially when you're hungry and tired at the end of the day.... and cutting up all those veges seems like too much effort. (I always have onions and green peppers cut up and in the freezer) When the kids were little I even put together what I could of their lunches. So much easier when you have everything out.... do you remember counting out the crackers in even little piles, Jana? That still makes me laugh when I think of it.... however, I still count out the tater tots to go with our burgers on Fri. nights.