In My World

How many of you made New Year's Eve Resolutions on January 1st?  Can I see a show of hands . . . LOL.

1-1/2 ounces of vodka Orange juice Pour vodka over cracked ice in a highball glass.  Add fresh orange juice to fill glass and stir briskly.

Today's Writing Prompt: New Year What are your hopes for 2025?

4 medium sweet potatoes 3 tart apples 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 tbsp butter 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg Preheat over to 350F.  Lightly coat a shallow 1-1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. In a medium saucepan, cover sweet potatoes with water and boil over medium-high heat for 20 minutes of until slightly tender.  Drain and let cool.  Remove and discard the sweet potato skins and cut into 1/2" thick slices. Peel and core the apples.  Cut crosswise into 1/2" thick rings.  Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent discolouring.  Arrange half of the sweet potato slices in a layer in the prepared baking dish.  Top with the apples and then the remaining sweet potatoes. In a small microwaveable bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Microwave on high power for 30 seconds or until melted.  Stir until smooth and blended.  Drizzle over the sweet potato mixture.  Cov...

1 250 g package soft cream cheese 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 9" unbaked pie shell 14 oz sweet potatoes cooked and mashed 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ginger 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk whipped cream (optional) Beat cream cheese until light and fluggy; blend in 1 of the eggs, vanilla and half of the sugar.  Spread cheese mixture on the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Beat remaining 2 eggs; blend in sweet potatoes, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, cinnamon, ginger and milk.  Pour mixture carefully over cream cheese to form a second layer. Bake in preheated 425F oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350F.  Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until set. Cool.  Garnish with whipped cream.

4 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes 1 Vidalia onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves 1/2 cup pecan halves 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 425F. In large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, garlic, oil and thyme.  Toss well to coat.  Pour into shallow roasting pan.  Bake, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft and golden brown. Add pecans.  Roast 10 minutes, watching carefully so nuts don't burn. Drizzle with vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4-6 side servings.

6 servings Preparation 15 minutes Cooking time 40 minutes Standing time 2 hours 190 calories per serving 3 large eggs 1/3 cup sugar 2 cups milk, partly skimmed, 2% 2 tsp vanilla extract salt, about one pinch 6 servings Microwaved Caramel (recipe below) Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the caramel. Divide it among the ramekins, then tilt and rotate each ramekin to thinly coat it. The caramel may not initially cover bottoms and sides completely, but it will spread and even out after the hot cream mixture is poured in. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Add sugar and 1 pinch of salt, then mix well. Warm up the milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling and pour it slowly into the egg mixture. Stir constantly but lightly, in order not to create too many air bubbles. Add the vanilla, then portion out into the caramel-covered ramekins. Put a towel or piece of cloth into a large baking-pan (either a rectangular cake-mould or a roasting pan). Place the ramekins on the cloth...

I picked up some okra at the Horton Market on the weekend. I've never tried okra before so I was curious. I found a stir-fried okra recipe on about.com and decided to give it a try. Here is the original recipe: 2 cups fresh okra, washed, trimmed, thinly sliced 1 large tomato, peeled and sliced into 8 thin wedges 1/4 cup green onions, sliced, white and green 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon leaf thyme, crushed 1 teaspoon salt dash pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons butter Prepare all vegetables as indicated and have ready for cooking. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a wok or large skillet. Add vegetables and seasoning mixture all at once. Toss and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Serves 4 Now here is what I did: I prepared the okra as directed. I didn't peel the tomato. I used diced red onion. I have all kinds of herbs and spices but couldn't find thyme anywhere. I have a funny feeling if I ...

2 pkg. (250 g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter 2 eggs 1 9 inch prepared graham pie crust 4 Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate squares, chopped 1 tsp oil 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts Preheat oven to 350F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter.  Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until centre of cake is firm, let cool thoroughly. Melt chocolate and oil over hot water or in microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes.  Stir until completely smooth.  Pour chocolate over cheesecake; spread evenly.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. I found this recipe on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website.  The filling is FABULOUS!!!  I think I would have put less chocolate on or used a different kind of chocolate because the chocolate topping was hard and difficult to break through.

Tomato and Endive Salad with Tuna http://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/tomato-endive-salad-tuna 2 servings Preparation 10 min Cooking 5 min 370 calories per serving Ingredients 1 3/4 cup curly endive, torn 70 g 1 tomatoes, cut into wedges or slices 120 g 2 tbsp olive oil 30 mL 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tbsp wine vinegar 8 mL 1 tsp Dijon mustard 5 mL 1 pinch salt [optional] 0.1 g ground pepper to taste 170 g tuna, canned 6 black olives 2 1/2 tbsp 60 g feta cheese, diced Method Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces and put them in a salad bowl. Cut the tomatoes into wedges or slices, then add them to the bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Mince the garlic and add it to the pan. Cook 1 min, with stirring, then pour in the vinegar and mustard. Warm through and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, then add the tuna, olives, and Feta cheese. Toss well and serve. I made a couple of changes to the recipe. I used roma...

Haddock with Almonds http://www.soscuisine.com/recipe/haddock-almonds 2 servings Preparation 10 min Cooking 10 min 270 calories per serving Ingredients 300 g haddock fillet, or sole 1/4 cup slivered almonds 18 g 2 tbsp white wine 30 mL 2 tbsp butter, unsalted 28 g 1/2 tbsp canola oil 8 mL 1 pinch salt [optional] 0.1 g ground pepper to taste Before you start  Keep the individual serving plates in the oven at the lowest setting so they are warm when you serve. Method Pat-dry the haddock fillet then set aside. Heat the oil and half of the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds and sauté until they are golden, paying attention not to let them burn. Take the almonds out of the pan and keep them warm on a plate in the oven. Add the remaining butter to the pan, then add the haddock and sauté over fairly high heat, 2-3 min on each side. Pour in the wine, then lower the heat, cover, and cook 7-10 min, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Check with a fork to...

About 1 pm I realized I was starving and opened the fridge to figure out something to eat.  I spotted the tin of salmon and little container of cream cheese and went hmmmmmmmmmm . . .  I wish now I had measured everything before I threw it in the pan because the result was soooooooo delicious.  I'll try to recreate the project as best I can . . .  I had some brown rice pasta which I threw in a pot of boiling water and cooked. In a frying pan I added a little olive oil, chopped celery, chopped shallot, chopped carrot and cooked until soft.  I then added garlic and some dill.  I then added a little container of spreadable cream cheese, the tin of salmon (drained), 1/2 a handful of sun dried tomatoes and a giant tbsp of sour cream to the mix.  When the cheese was melted, I tossed in the pasta and mixed.   I sprinkled a little Parmesan on top.  Oh my goodness, it was so rich and so good.  I have some leftover in the fridg...

4 servings 1 tsp canola oil 1-1/2 slices whole wheat bread, stale or day-old 2 cups My Mother's Tomato Sauce (below) 40 g mortadella sausage or ham, finely chopped 1 tbsp marjoram, fresh, finely chopped 1 large egg 400 g lean ground beef salt and pepper to taste 3 tbsp bread crumbs These meatballs can be either baked in the oven or fried. If using baking method preheat the oven to 400F and lightly oil a baking dish. If frying, preheat peanut oil to 350F in an electric fryer or large skillet. Put the bread slices in a small bowl then cover them with water. Let soak 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, make tomato sauce. Drain the bread well in a sieve, then squeeze it to remove most of the liquid. Finely chop the bread and add it to a bowl. Finely chop the mortadella and marjoram, then add them to the bowl. Add the egg and ground beef, followed by salt and pepper. Using your hands, blend the mixture together until it is just combined well. Form the mixture into small balls (about the size of g...

A fellow letterboxer brought a delicious pasta salad to our meet up in May 2016. I begged for the recipe and she sent it to me. Whole package of tricolor spiral pasta Whole cucumber, sliced up and cut in half Whole plastic container of grape tomatoes, tomatoes cut in half Whole jar of pitted kalamata olives (make sure to drain the brine well before using) Whole yellow or orange pepper, diced Whole red onion, diced Bunch of green onions, diced Whole package of Kraft crumbled feta cheese (I like the one with oregano) Whole small bottle of balsamic salad dressing (for the picnic, I used the real olive oil Kraft version with fig - I like the sweetness of it) Cook the noodles and then mix everything together. It's nice warm, too - but let it chill in the fridge if you like it cold. If you're making it the night before (like I did), it's better to leave out the salad dressing until the day of then mix it in - the noodles suck up the dressing like crazy and it dries out a bit...

2 servings Preparation 10 minutes Cooking 50 minutes 170 calories per serving 2 carrots, cut into 1 cm rounds 1 leek, cut into 2 cm pieces 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tbsp ginger root, grated 2 tbsp fresh mint salt and ground pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare the carrots and cut them into rounds about 1 cm thick.  Prepare the leeks, remove about 1/4 of the dark green part, and cut them into 2 cm pieces. Transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet or dish.  Add the oil, minced ginger, salt and pepper.  Mix well to coat thoroughly with oil, then put in the oven and bake about 35 minutes. Finely chop half of the mint leaves then add them to the dish, mix and continue baking for about 15 minutes more.  Garnish with the remaining mint leaves and serve. From  www.soscuisine.com

1 lb (454 g) firm tofu, drained 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tbsp hoisin sauce 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp sesame oil 1/4 Asian chili paste or hot pepper sauce 2 tsp vegetable oil 2 cups sliced shitake mushroom caps or cremini mushrooms 1 green onion, sliced 1 tbsp gingerroot, minced 4 baby bok choy 1 sweet red pepper, diced 1/2 cup vegetable stock 1 pinch salt 1 pinch pepper Place tofu on large plate. Cover with second plate and weigh down with 2 large, heavy cans. Let stand for 10 minutes; drain. Cut in half horizontally. Meanwhile, in shallow baking dish large enough to hold tofu in single layer, whisk together soy and hoisin sauces, garlic, sesame oil and chili paste. Add tofu; turn to coat. (This can be done up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to complete the meal.) Bake in 350F oven, turning once, until golden, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, brush large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil; heat over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms, green onion and ginger until...

A chicken stew with peppers, onions, and potatoes in a tomato-paprika sauce. 2 servings Preparation 20 min Cooking 1 h 390 calories per serving Ingredients 1 onions, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 tomatoes, deseeded and diced 1 yellow or red sweet peppers, cut into match-like strips 1 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 3 cm cubes 2 tsp butter, unsalted 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 cup chicken broth, or more 1 pinch salt [optional] ground pepper to taste 1 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 2 tsp sour cream [optional] Method Prepare the vegetables : thinly slice the onions, chop the garlic, deseed and dice the tomatoes, and cut the peppers into match-like strips. Cut the chicken into 3 cm cubes. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Sauté the meat until it is well browned on all sides, about 8-10 min, then transfer the cubes to a plate. Lower the heat to low, add the onions, and cook, stir...

I made this soscuisine.com recipe up the other night. It is supposed to make 4 servings but it actually seems to be enough to feed a small banquet. Hal didn't like it, but Hal doesn't like zucchini or eggplant. I loved it. The recipe won't freeze well and I didn't want it to go to waste, so I took the leftover ratatouille and some red quinoa to Ladies Day Out. All the ladies seemed to enjoy it. So, here goes . . .  2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1 cup green beans, cut into 2 cm pieces 2 zucchini, diced into 1.5 cm squares 1 eggplant, small, diced into 1.5 cm squares 1 yellow or red pepper, cut into 1.5 cm squares 1 carrot, cut into 1.5 cm squares salt and pepper to taste 300 g firm tofu, cubed 1-1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes 1 tsp Herbs aux Provence 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Saute the crushed garlic and chopped onion, taking care not to burn. Cook 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Boil o...

As you can see in the bottom corner of the photo, I borrowed this recipe from MarlaMeridith's blog .  And if you know me at all, you know it was changed to suit me.  The end result was delicious. Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes 4 Servings 1 spaghetti squash 2 cloves garlic, diced  I used Sunset Gourmet Oh! So Garlic 2 large eggs, whisked 1 Tbsp peanut or olive oil 3/4 cup sliced carrots I wanted more veggies so I slivered some celery and added a tin of water chestnuts and a handful of edamame 1/2 cup chopped green onion (reserve a bit to sprinkle on the finished dish) I didn't have any green onion! so I cut a cooking onion into wedges.   1 Tbsp fish sauce and 1 Tbsp of soy sauce sriracha sauce to taste I used Tabasco sauce Yes, I am a recipe rebel . . . LOL. Poke several holes in squash to release steam as it cooks.  Cook for about 15 minutes in the microwave until completely soft.  You could also bake in the oven at 375 F ...

2 servings Preparation 3 minutes Cooking 5 minutes 60 calories per serving 1 large egg 2 cups chicken broth 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1 pinch nutmeg 1 tsp Italian parsley, fresh ground pepper to taste In a bowl, lightly beat the egg and grated Parmesan cheese. Add the grated nutmeg and freshly ground pepper to taste. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat but keep the broth simmering for the next step. While stirring the broth slowly in one direction, gradually add the egg in a steady stream. The egg will cook and feather. Garnish each bowl with chopped parsley and serve. Comfort food that is so easy and quick to make.  

I first tasted this soup at a crop at Central United Church. I had to have the recipe!! 1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 chipotle or jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 2 carrots, diced 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 parsnips, peeled and diced 1 potato, peeled and diced 2 cups green lentils, rinsed well and picked over 8 cups homemade vegetable stock 1-1/2 cups niblet corn 2 tbsp lemon juice salt & pepper to taste Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add cumin and pepper and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add carrots, celery and potato and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in lentils and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until lentils are very tender. Add corn and lemon juice and cook for 3 minutes. Source: Heart Smart Cooking, Bonnie Stern

I have a stack of recipes I've been planning to post here . . . but this one is a real favourite. If I didn't fear I would eat the entire pudding, I would make some right now. 1/2 cup sifted enriched flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbsp cocoa 1/4 cup milk 1 tbsp melted shortening 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 tbsp cocoa 3/4 cup boiling water Sift flour with baking powder, salt, sugar and 1 tbsp cocoa into bowl. Add milk, shortening and vanilla; mix only until smooth. Add chopped nuts. Turn into a greased casserole or small baking dish. Mix brown sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa together and sprinkle over batter. Pour boiling water over top of batter. This forms a sauce in bottom of pan after pudding is baked. Bake in a moderate oven (350 F) for 30 to 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

4 tilapia fillets, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise 2 teaspoons honey Dijon mustard or Dijon mustard 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes Dash pepper 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Heat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a large shallow baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the mayonnaise and mustard; rub the mixture over the tilapia fillets. In a food processor, combine the panko and fine bread crumbs, paprika, parsley, pepper, onion powder, and salt. Pulse 4 to 6 times to combine. Pour bread crumb mixture into a wide, shallow bowl. Dip the coated fillets in the mixture, turning to coat both sides. Arrange the coated fillets in the prepared baking dish. Bake the fish fillets for 15 to 18 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. The time depends on thickness of the fillets. Fish will flake easily with a fork when done. Carefully remove the fillets to plates with ...

1 lb hamburg 1 chopped onion 5 cups water 5 tbsp Parmesan 1 can corn 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes 1 box lasagna Hamburger Helper 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup shredded cheese Brown hamburg and onions.  Add water, Parmesan, corn, diced tomatoes and seasoning from Hamburger Helper.  Bring to a boil for 10 minutes.  Add noodles and boil for 10 minutes.  Top with sour cream and cheese and serve.

4 servings Preparation 10 minutes Cooking 15 minutes 110 calories per serving 4 apples, peeled then cut into 5 mm slices 1 tbsp sugar 1-1/2 tbsp butter, unsalted 1 tsp ground cinnamon 4 scoops vanilla ice cream (optional) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the apples, remove and discard the cores, then cut them into 5 mm slices. Butter an oven-safe dish. Arrange the slices into the dish, then sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter in small pieces. Bake 12-15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 4 Prep Time 30 minutes 8 cups olive oil (I used 4 cups oil and just cooked the shrimp in 2 batches) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 large egg whites 2 cups coconut flakes 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined) Mix the flour, salt and cayenne pepper in one dish. Beat the egg whites until frothy in another dish. In a separate dish put the coconut flakes. Put the shrimp in the flour mixture than into the egg whites and then into the coconut flakes. Heat fryer to 380 degrees and put the shrimp into the hot oil for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown. Take them out and place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. I made these shrimp for a late lunch with a side salad. I am ashamed to say I ate 2 servings of shrimp. To make matters worse, I ate the remaining two servings cold for supper . . . yes, they were that good.

You may recall that Challenge #8 was organizing your paper cosmetics. I have a rather large collection although I am pretty sure there are lots of you with even more. But mine ARE organized. So I am more than ready for  Challenge #9  . . . Books and Magazines Inspiration for scrapbook pages is everywhere. But what is the best way to organize it so that it's actually USEFUL? First consider cutting up your magazines and idea books, and only saving the ideas that you really plan to use. Magazines and idea books that just sit on your shelves aren't really useful. It can take hours to go through your books to find the one layout you remember. Having your ideas in a condensed form, arranged in a way that makes sense to you is much more effective. If you are able to cut up your magazines, here are some ideas for arranging them: theme (holidays, birthday, babies, pets, travel etc) number of photos used in the layout journaling ideas colours quotes techniques Now ...

10 ounces pre-washed baby spinach 2 slices bacon, finely chopped 3 ounces Canadian bacon, finely chopped (I just used 2 more slices of bacon) 2 tsp olive oil 1/2 red onion, sliced (1 cup) 1 pound button mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1 cup apple cider 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard salt and pepper Place spinach into a large bowl.  Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until it is just crispy.  Add Canadian bacon to the skillet and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove meat from pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels.  Drain any remaining fat from the skillet.  Add olive oil and onions to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, or until onions soften slightly.  Add mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 more minutes.  Put onions and mushrooms on top of the spinach.  Add apple cider and vinegar to the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high...

2 servings Preparation 10 minutes 200 calories per serving 1/2 Boston lettuce, or curly leaf 2 cups baby spinach 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 Clementines 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed salt and pepper to taste 1/3 cup walnuts 2 dried figs, cut into small pieces Rinse and spin-dry the lettuce and spinach, then put them in a salad bowl. Squeeze the juice from one clementine into a small bowl. Peel the remaining clementines, separate into segments, then add them to the salad bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil to the clementine juice, pour in the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Whisk well using a fork until the dressing is emulsified. Pour over the salad. Add the walnuts and chopped figs. Toss well. Serve.

4 servings Preparation 10 minutes / Cooking 45 minutes 220 calories per serving 1-1/4 cup green-brown lentils (dried) 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1/2 carrot, finely chopped 1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed 1/4 dried chili pepers, minced 1/2 tbsp gingerroot, minced 1 tbsp olive oil 3/4 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 bay leaf 4-1/2 water 3 cups spinach, coarsely chopped salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup yogurt, plain, 2% Rinse and drain the lentils, then set aside. Prepare the vegetables. Finely chop the onions, carrots, and celery, mince or press the garlic. Mince the chili pepper and ginger. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, then saute 8-10 minutes until they are golden-coloured with occasional stirring. Stir in the curry powder, chili pepper, ginger, cumin and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute with stirring, then pour in the water and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medi...

2 servings Soaking 8 hours / Preparation 15 minutes / Cooking 45 minutes 410 calories per serving 1/4 cup chickpeas / Garbanzo beans (dried) 1/2 clove garlic 5 tsp Tahini paste 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp pine nuts 1/8 tsp paprika 1 pita bread 1 stalk celery 1 carrot 2 radishes 1/2 cucumber The chickpeas must be soaked in water overnight. Cook the chickpeas about 45 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and reserve some of the cooking water to dilute the hummus. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil until the hummus is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a few tbsp of the cooking water, if necessary, to thin the hummus to the desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with pine nuts and a pinch of paprika. Serve with pita bread and vegetables. Keep up to 3 days, covered, in the refrigerator, 3 months in the freezer. From http...

6 servings Preparation 30 minutes / Standing 8 hours 260 calories per serving vegetable oil spray, to grease the pan or the ramekins 2 eggs, size large 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 cup sugar 1 pinch salt 3/4 cup whipping cream 35% Cranberry Sauce (recipe below) Prepare the lemon mousse: Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a large spring form pan or of individual ramekins. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and put them in 2 separate bowls. Combine the egg yolks with the lemon juice and about 1/4 of the sugar. Set aside. In the other bowl, beat the egg whites using an electric mixer until foamy, then add the salt and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until the egg whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside. Pour the cream in a third bowl, then using the electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream and egg whites into the yolk mixture using a spatul...

Baked Chicken Superb 1/2 cup instant potato flakes 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup melter butter 1 frying chicken (3-1/2 lb), cut up On a piece of waxed paper, combine potato flakes and grated cheese. Melt butter in large shallow baking pan. Roll each piece of chicken in butter and then in potato flake-cheese mixture. Place chicken pieces in pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in 350F oven for about 1 hour. Serves 4 So I didn't want to buy instant potato flakes, mostly because I don't like them; we used breadcrumbs. And chickens were expensive, but chicken thighs were on sale at a good price. Needless to say we bought the chicken thighs. I skinned the chicken thighs when we got home because I'm not a big fan of chicken skin either. So, while I think we tried to stay true to the original recipe, we actually may have improved upon it. Taylor really enjoyed measuring and breading and chatting with me. I enjoyed it too.

1/4 cup olive oil 2 cups chopped onion 3/4 cup chopped carrot 3 chopped garlic 4 cups chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes) Put all these ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours.  Near the end of cooking time add: 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 jar Original Ragu sauce I think all the ladies at Ladies' Day Out enjoyed this sauce on penne with Parmesan.  I know Hal and I did.

How does it feel to know we are nearly done?  Your crafting space should be looking a lot better by now.  I bet you aren't opening 15 different storage containers while trying to find that one item you need anymore. Challenge #8      It is time to organize our "paper cosmetics": paints, inks, embossing powders, mists, and other products that add a little something special to our pages.  If you do mixed media or art journaling I bet your stock of paper cosmetics is pretty substantial.  Let's get started . . . SORT :   First go through each of these items and make sure your colours haven't expired.  Are ink pads still juicy?  Are lids still intact? Do paints still mix together when shaken? Are your chalks still intact enough to use?  Sort all of your paper cosmetics into TOSS, KEEP, SELL, DONATE PURGE :   Throw out the TOSS items.  Bag up and assign a price and your initials to the SELL pile, and put them immediately...