Gnocchi update

I went to a grocery store the other day and was walking down the pasta aisle.  They had hard, dried, thin pasta that was named gnocchi.  I think that if you were to do a baked gnocchi with that, it would be tasty.  If you find the soft, plump rounded gnocchi, find a different recipe.  So the gnocchi recipe is this:
  Cook the gnocchi in boiling chicken broth.  Follow the directions on the package.  Drain the gnocchi.  Place in baking pan and sprinkle mozzerella and parmesean cheese on top.  Broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with crusty bread and a nice salad.

Grandma's Pumpkin Pie

3 eggs
1 1/2 c pumpkin
2/3 c sugar
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c evaporated milk
1 pie crust


This recipe is for 1 9-inch pie.  Preheat oven to 425.  Beat the eggs together in a large mixing bowl (or electric mixer).  Add the pumpkin to the eggs. In small bowl combine the sugar and spices.  Add this mixture to the pumpkin.  Add the vanilla.  Slowly add the milk.  Line pie plate with crust (homemade or store bought) and add pie filling.  Cover pie crust with a pie guard or aluminum foil.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove pie guard from crust.  Turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake 45-50 minutes.

Company Potatoes

I've heard these potatoes called by a few names: Company Potatoes, Funeral Potatoes, Potato Casserole, Cheesy Potatoes.  Whatever you call them, they are good.

1 bag shredded hash browns (1 lb 4 oz or so bag)
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 c sour cream
1/4 c butter, melted
2 T onions, chopped
dash of pepper
Topping:
2 C crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 c margarine/butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 2 quart baking dish and place hash browns in bottom of dish.  Mix all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add mixture to the hash browns and stir until well mixed.  Combine the topping ingredients and put on top of casserole.  Bake 45 minutes.  Makes about 10 servings.

We had this meal served with ham and veggies.  I've never tried it, but I think that if you add ham to the casserole it would be a good complete meal.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Maybe I've been living in the South too long.  Before living here I would have said, "Sweet potatoes?  No thanks."  Then a few years ago a friend of mine made them and I thought they were really good.  So this year for Thanksgiving I decided to try.  I didn't do the casserole with the marshmallows though, I just mashed them.  It was simple and pretty good.

3 Sweet potatoes (or yams, I'm not sure how you can tell which is which)
3 T butter
2 T brown sugar

I washed the sweet potatoes (but not peeled) and put them in water to boil.  If they are the larger size you may have to cut them in half.  When they were soft I drained them and let them cool.  When they are cool to the touch take off the peel.  In the pan add butter and melt.  Add the potatoes and "smash" (intentionally leave some pieces not mashed) then add brown sugar.

Shepherd's Pie

I've made the basic recipe for this a few times.  I decided to use up some of the veggies I had in the refrigerator this time and just added what I had.  It ended up turning out really good.  So if you don't like my veggie choice, put whatever you want in.  I used to just use canned corn, but anything works.

1-2 lbs ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or broccoli, celery, potato)
1/4 can water
dash of pepper
3 shakes celery salt
6 shakes garlic powder
4 shakes onion powder
6 oz mushrooms, halved and sliced
handful of baby carrots, sliced
3 hadfuls of broccoli, small pieces
5 medium potatoes (i like yukon gold), mashed
Grated cheese (as much as you like.

Preheat oven to 350.  Brown the beef in a frying pan.  Drain most of grease. Add seasonings.  Add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes.  Add carrots and broccoli.  Add can of soup and water.  Mix well.  Pour contents into a 9x13 pan.  Top with mashed potatoes.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle cheese on top and bake additional 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Baked Gnocchi

A few years ago I found a book that I just love.  "Under the Tuscan Sun".  It is much different than the movie.  The way she writes makes me feel as if I am there with her.  Throughout her books (I think there are 3 on Tuscany) she has recipes that she learned while living in Italy.  One was gnocchi.  It is a dumpling made of potato.  The way she described it made it sound wonderful.  So I've been thinking about it for the past 5 years.  A few months ago I checked out quite a few childrens cookbooks and one had a recipe for Baked Gnocchi.  I was very excited and looked at 5 different grocery stores to find some.  The recipe was simple, boil the gnocchi in chicken broth for 5-8 minutes until they float.  Put in pan and cover with cheeses.  Place under broiler.  Unfortunately it didn't tast very good.  The gnocchi was very chewy (maybe they weren't done even though it said when they float they are done?) and I was so dissapointed.  So here's my cooking flop.  I don't know if maybe the brand I bought wasn't very good or if to have good gnocchi you have to make your own.  Either way, I'm not trying that recipe again.

Menu Planning

Lately when I've gone to the store I just pick up stuff that I think will be good with what I have at home, but no real plan on what to have and when.  I noticed that my grocery bill was getting higher than it should.  So last week I sat down and went through my cupboards and freezer to see what I had.  I checked my list of meals that I know how to make (about 50 different ones I know we like), and tried to figure out what meals I could make without having to buy many groceries.  I came up with 13 meals that I just needed a few things for.  So my shopping bill was only $50 last week!  That was great for me.  I decided that I would make a schedule for two weeks of meals.  That way I don't have to start thinking at 4:00 about what we will have for dinner.  Of course, if something comes up I can move the meals around, but it's nice to have a general plan.  Here's what my list looks like:  Baked Spaghetti, White Chicken Chili, Pot Roast with veggies, burritos, Chicken rice casserole, Homemade tomato soup, breakfast, meatloaf, Baked Gnocchi, Chicken Rice Soup, Crockpot pork chops, Shepherd's pie, fish sticks, Beef casserole.  I had all the meat for the meals, I just needed to buy salad makings and other veggies, and some bread to go with the meals.  The only thing I have to buy this week is snacks for the kids (apples, goldfish veggie crackers, yogurt).

Snowmen ...

A fun winter cake topper ... or can be done on individual cupcakes!

Cake or Brownie Mix
Whipped Topping
Large Marshmallows
Black icing
Assortment of sprinkles/candy to decorate.

Make cake/brownies. Cool. Spread on the whipped topping snow. Find the perfectest marshmallows and cut about 1/4" off the bottom of 1/2 of them. Squish these a bit to make them seem smaller. Stick to the uncut marshmallows. Decorate with icing, sprinkles, candy pieces. I just used things we had at home!! I borrowed this idea from one I found online. They used Jr. Mints as a beret for the snowman, which was very stylish! But.. I didn't want to make ANOTHER run to the grocery store, so we went for eclectic!! Very fun and easy!
Tip: Wet a toothpick and poke it into the place where you are going to poke in arms or the nose. It will make it much easier to get it in the snowman!! Happy Holidays!

Polar Bear Cupcakes

Cake Mix
White frosting
Coconut flakes
Chocolate Frosting
Blue food coloring
Live Saver Mints (halved)
Small black candy (optional)

Make and cool cupcakes. Frost with white frosting, sprinkle coconut (for fur). Mix blue food coloring into chocolate frosting and  put in a pastry bag with a fairly large tip. Pipe on a nose. Change to a small tip and pipe the mouth. Place the ears and the eyes. (I used little black bat sprinkles I had leftover from Halloween for the eyes, but any small black circular candy would work... or a bit of the piped frosting, too!) Super easy!

Kitty Cupcakes

Cake Mix
White frosting
Pink frosting (in tube or pastry bag)
Green M&Ms
Saltines (quartered)
Pink pastel mints (halved)
Pretzel sticks (halved)

Make and cool cupcakes. Frost with white frosting. Place M&Ms as eyes and pastel mints as a nose. Pipe the mouth on with the pink frosting.  Stick saltine quarters into the cupcake so that they make a pointy ear. Place pretzels in as whiskers. All done. Super easy... and lots of fun!

Chicken Rice Soup

49oz Chicken Broth
2 cans Hormel Chunk Chicken (or 1 lb shredded chicken)
26oz spaghetti sauce
2 T chopped parsley
3 cups cooked rice
Grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, combine first 4 ingredients.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Add rice; simmer 10 minutes.  Serve with cheese.

Kitchen Gadget

I used to sell Pampered Chef products so I have many of their items.  Surprisingly one of the things I use most often is their Bamboo Tongs.  They are for getting bread, bagles, and English muffins out of the toaster.  I think they sell for about $3.50.  Definitely worth the money if you have the chance to buy them.  I'm sure you can get a similar product at a kitchen store or Target.

Crockpot chunky applesauce

6 med granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into fourths
2/3 c sugar
¾ c apple juice
2 T margarine, melted
1 t ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 1/2 to 4 hours or until apples break apart. Stir well to break apart bigger pieces.

Award Winning White Chicken Chili

Every year at our church we have a chili cook off.  A few years ago I decided to enter...and I got the Grand Champion award.  What a surprise!  It is a really good chili recipe.  Not a hot chili (but that can be changed by ingredients you put in if you want it hotter), but very nice flavors.  Hope you enjoy it.

This recipe is set for using a slow cooker.  Can be modified for making on the stovetop.

3 cans white Great Northern bens, drained
2 c shredded cooked chicken
1 c finely chopped onion (or equivalent to onion powder-which is what I use)
1/4 t garlic powder
1 4oz can chopped green chiles
1 T ground cumin
1/2 t salt or 1 chicken flavored bouillon cube
2 cans chicken broth

1. Place all chili ingredients into a 4 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker.  Stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook until the ingredients have cooked down and the liquid has thickened (4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low).
3. Spoon the chili into bowls and garnish with your choice of toppings: sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges, monterey jack cheese.  You may serve with tortilla chips or cornbread.

The Best Banana Bread

No, I'm not being vain... that is really the name of the recipe! (but it is very yummy!)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
2-4 ripe bananas
2 eggs
3/4 c sour milk (buttermilk, or regular milk with lemon juice added) or sour cream

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and soda in a large bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat eggs and add to butter/sugar mix. Mash bananas; add and mix. Add milk; mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Bake 45 - 50 minutes in 2 greased loaf pans in the center of the oven.

Verde

I love green salsa. I really prefer it to red any day! This is such a simple recipe! I use this recipe to dip chips in, on tacos, as enchilada sauce. Its great! I grow them in my garden--easy to grow and super easy to preserve!!

Tomatillos (enough to fill one layer in a 9 X 13 pan), paper skins removed, rinsed
4 cloves garlic, peeled whole
1 med onion, peeled and quartered
1 small Jalapeno (remove seeds for a milder salsa, include seeds if you like it spicier!)
Handful of Cilantro, washed
1/2 teas Cumin
1 T Salt (or more to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 350. Place rinsed tomatillos in a 9 x 13 baking dish with the onion and garlic. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the tomatillos are soft and starting to shrivel. Let cool. When cool enough, puree tomatillos, garlic, and onion in the blender. Add cilantro and blend again.  Add cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Blend again. Chill in refrigerator. Serve

Pumpkin Seeds

I made these last night.  They are a very good snack.  I also have a granola recipe that calls for mixed types of nuts and seeds that I use the pumpkin seeds for.

2 c pumpkin seeds (the seeds from about 2 medium pumpkins)
1 1/2 T butter (melted)
1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Mix the seeds, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning salt in a bowl.  Spread the seeds on a large baking pan (I use a jelly roll pan).  Bake the seeds for 45-50 minutes or until golden bown.  Stir seeds ever 15 minutes.

Tomato Pie

 

4 large tomatoes or equivalent volume of smaller tomatoes (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups peeled and sliced)
1 sweet onion
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 c grated cheddar cheese (I used Colby/Monterey Jack cheese)
1 c grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 c grated sharp cheddar, or other strongly flavored cheese
1 c mayo
salt and pepper to taste
1 pre-baked 9inch pie crust (deep dish, if available)


1) If making the crust from scratch you can bake it while you do the following 3 steps. Be sure to apply a glaze to the crust so that it doesn't get soggy during the second baking. Otherwise, preheat a store-bought crust in a 350 degree oven for around 10 min just before adding the filling.

2) Peel and slice the tomatoes. Tomatoes can be easily peeled by scoring the ends with an "x" then plunging them into boiling water (eg, with a slotted spoon) for a few seconds. The skins should then come off easily by hand.

3)Slice the onions and quarter each slice so that there are chunks of onion no longer than a couple of inches (the fastest way to do this is to quarter the onion along the root axis and then slice across the quarter cuts)

4) Stir approximately 1/2 of the grated cheeses and all of the chopped basil into the mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.

5) Layer the filling in two levels: cover the bottom of the warm pie crust with tomato slices and sprinkle lightly with salt, then add half of the onions and half the remaining grated cheese. Spread half of the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the top. Repeat for the second layer. If desired, reserve a few of the best looking tomato slices to decorate the top.

6) Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 35 minutes or until the filling seems set and the top mayo/cheese layer is browning noticeably

Italian Meatloaf

Give it a chance! I generally don't like meatloaf, but I LOVE this one!!

2 lbs lean ground beef (or 1/2 ground beef/1/2 ground turkey)
1/3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb sausage
2 - 3 cups FRESH whole basil leaves
2 c. breadcrumbs
1 med onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 T dried oregano
1 teas ground black pepper
3 large eggs
2 cups of your favorite Marinara sauce, divided
Garnish:
Mozzarella slices
10 small basil leaves
Optional: 1 c. chopped, drained, rinsed oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Mash all meats and shredded cheese in large bowl. Saute the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil til the onions are translucent.  Add the remaining ingredients to the meat mixture-- mash between every few ingredient to get a thorough mix. Mix 3/4 cup of the Marinara into the meat mixture. Shape into a loaf.  Place into 3 loaf pans. Brush the tops of the loaves with remaining Marinara. Bake meatloaf until cooked through (about 160 - 170F). Check at 65 minutes.
Serve meatloaf hot, with a slice of mozzarella melted on its side. Garnish with a leaf of basil.

artichoke chicken

1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, dried and chopped
3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1 t lemon pepper
dash garlic powder
skinless chicken breasts
2 T parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. Place enough chicken to fill a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, and cover evenly with artichoke mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.

Note:  I made this for our anniversary dinner and served it with the tri-color rotini pasta.  I also made the caprese recipe available on this site with toasted french bread.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Whole Chicken

3 1/2 qts Water, or enough to cover chicken

1 Onion, peeled, quartered, and sliced

2 t. Italian seasoning

2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t. lemon pepper seasoning
3 bouillon cubes
salt and pepper to taste



Add all ingredients to a big pot. Cook until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool.

Remove and throw away onion. When chicken is cool, pick all chicken off the bones. Throw the bones away. Set chicken aside.

Next ingredients:

2 cups sliced carrots (about 4 regular carrots)
2 cups sliced celery with leafy tops (about 4 also)
3 cups uncooked egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste (if needed)

Bring stock back to a boil, add carrots and cook for 3 minutes.

Add celery and cook about 6 minutes.

Add egg noodles and cook according to package.

Add chicken and cook 2 more minutes.

Add salt and pepper if needed.

Note:  When I made this today, after adding the carrots and celery I added the chicken back in.  Then I took out half of the soup (about 8 cups) to cool so I can put it in jars and freeze it for future use.  When I make this soup we eat it for a few days, I give some away, and we still have a lot left over.  I've tried to freeze it with all of it put together, but the noodles don't unthaw well.  So this time I decided to freeze it before the noodle stage.  I can add those when I unthaw it later.

Creme Brulee ... Pear, too.

My all time favorite dessert...

1 vanilla bean
4 c. heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1/2 c. superfine sugar
3 T. almond extract
1/3 c. brown sugar (not shown in pictures)

Preheat the oven to 350. Place 6 (1/2 c.) ramekins in a roasting pan and set aside. With a small, sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the black seeds into a medium saucepan (put the remainder of the whole bean in as well). Add the cream and bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bean.
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, superfine sugar and liqueur, if using, until well blended. Whisk in the hot cream. Pour into the ramekins.
Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan (to make a water bath for the ramekins) to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until the custards are just set. Remove ramekins from the pan and let cool. Drain pan. Return to the dry roasting pan and chill.
Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of each of the brulees. Using a propane kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. (Careful not to burn yourself or the sugar!) Let sit for a few minutes to harden.

Options:
Don't run to the store option: Use 3T of vanilla extract. The better quality vanilla extract, the better it will taste.... Superfine sugar isn't a necessity--just make sure you whisk the egg/sugar mixture very, very well! Don't have a torch? Just preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the custard and broil for 30-60 seconds until the sugar melts and caramelizes. (Do not let the sugar burn or the custard curdle) Place in fridge to set the crust and chill completely.

Pear Brulee:
10 pieces of dried pear
Tear 7 of the pieces of pear into small pieces. Tear the remaining 3 pieces in half to get 6 halves. Set the halves in the bottom of the ramekins. Set aside. After bringing the creme to a boil, add these small pieces. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove vanilla bean, but leave the pieces of pear. Follow the above directions, but the almond extract is left out or reduced to 1 T. Pour the finished mixture over the pear halves and follow the rest of the above directions. Very yummy.

Slow cook: My recipe book calls for 300 degrees, but we have to cook it for about 50 minutes. We tried the 350 last time and it turned out great...

Kids snack mix

Around Christmas time, my aunt makes Chex Mix (with Crispex now though).  She does a regular flavor and a spicy flavor.  I always love it, but never make it for myself.  My daughter was looking through a cookbook we got from the library and she pointed to a recipe and said, "Can we have chex mix?"  It is a great recipe that doesn't involve the oven, so my 4 year old did the whole recipe by herself.

6 cups rice/corn cereal (we used the Walmart brand and it tasted just the same as the brand name)
3 cups pretzles
1 10 oz package oyster/soup crackers
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 package dry Ranch seasoning mix

When we made it, I halved the recipe thinking that it would be too much, but after putting it in our container it wasn't that much.  So next time I'm going to make the full amount.  Also, I added some of my dry Italian seasoning mix to it to give it extra flavor and it was tasty.  It'd been a hit all week.  The great part is that it's a basic recipe that you can change for your family.  I'm going to put some slivered almonds in next time because we like those.

Hawaiin Haystacks

This is a tasty dish that I learned during my college years.  We had a social get together on Friday called Friday Forum where we had a nice lunch  for $1 (very in a college student budget).  I thought it was a little weird the first time I heard about it, but it was tasted great.  I didn't have it again for years.  My husband loves it (just this week asked for it for his birthday lunch) and its good because you can adapt the toppings to fit different 'tastebuds'.  You can put basically whatever you like on top.  It's also a nice meal to make if you are having company because you can feed lots of people for not much money.

Recipe for 2 adults and 2 children.  You can double or triple the sauce and rice for more.

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
3 c water
6 chicken tenders, cooked then shredded or cubed.
1 can cream of chicken soup
chicken broth
pepper to taste

Cook the rice in water for amount of time on bag of rice.
For the sauce, mix the soup and half of a can of broth (or water when you are done with cooking chicken). Heat and add as much pepper as desired.  Add chicken.

Serve rice onto plate, top with sauce/chicken mixture.  Then add the toppings of your choice.

When I have all day, I will put the raw chicken into the crockpot and top with soup and broth. Cook on low for 4-6 hours (longer if you will be using breasts instead of tenders). The chicken is so tender it just falls apart when you go to shred it.


topping ideas:
pineapple tidbits
green onions, sliced
grated cheese
crunchy chow mein noodles
chopped tomatoes
chopped mushrooms
black olives, sliced
slivered almonds

Baked Spaghetti

I love to have spaghetti.  Sometimes it's nice to have it a different way though.  We had this last week and everyone seemed to like it.  It's a basic recipe.  Feel free to replace the ground beef, add vegetables to the sauce or different spices that your family like.

10 oz spaghetti
1/2 lb ground beef
dash italian spices
dash garlic powder
1 jar spaghetti sauce
mozzerella cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Cook the spaghetti according to box directions.
3. Brown the beef while pasta is cooking.  Add the spices to the beef and stir.  Add the jar of sauce.
4. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Add the pasta and sauce mixture and combine.  Make sure there is enough sauce to mix evenly with the pasta.  If there isn't, the pasta will get hard and not taste good.
5. Sprinkle as much cheese on top as you would like.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Eggs in a roll

We like scrambled eggs, but sometimes I like to add things to them.  This morning I decided to add tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese.  We had some rolls so I decided to make breakfast fun and put the eggs in them.  Just a different way to eat a yummy meal.  I was telling my daughter that she got a serving of all the food groups too, so that's a healty bonus.  You could add any vegetables that you like.  I had tomatoes and mushrooms on hand, so that's what I used.

1 roll per person

2 eggs per adult, 1 per child

few mushrooms

3 campari or roma tomatoes

cheddar cheese

splash of milk

salt and pepper to taste

1. 
   
   Cut tomatoes in half and take out the seeds, then dice into small pieces.  Slice the mushrooms into bite size pieces. Grate as much of the cheese as you would like.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Remove the tops of the rolls, then take out some of the filling.  For children, leave a bit of the inside of the roll because 1 egg won't fill a whole roll.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Saute the mushrooms, then add tomatoes.  Remove from pan.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Beat the eggs with milk, salt, and pepper.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Spray pan with Pam so the eggs won't stick.  Cook egg mixture until it just starts to get firm, then add tomato and mushroom mixture and the grated cheese.  Continue to cook until done.
   
   
   
6. 
   
   Serve eggs in the hollowed out roll.  Eat and enjoy!
   
   
   

Roasted Veggie Sandwich

1 - 2 c. mushrooms
1 small/med zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
1 Onion
1 head garlic
Olive oil
Seasoning salt or S & P, for taste
Hoagies/Outdoor rolls

Preheat oven to 350.  Wrap onion in tin foil.  Place in oven while heating. Prepare veggies as follows:  clean mushrooms; remove stem and seeds from pepper and cut into 4 flattish pieces, slice zucchini into for long slivered quarters. Place all in large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Mix around so oil covers most of the veggies and season with seasoning salt. Lay veggies on baking trays--mushrooms stem up, peppers & zucchini skin down.  Place garlic whole on tray.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until veggies are tender but cooked through.

Toast hoagie rolls. Spread with butter or mayonnaise. Slice off the tops of the garlic and squeeze out roasted garlic. Spread on top of the butter or mayo. Lay veggies on bread... and eat!

Optional: Add Insalata Caprese (bake & flip) to sandwich. Adds a few more flavors! Very yummy. (in photo)

Semi-homemade pizza

I've been checking out children's cookbooks from the library lately since Jen told me about some of the ones that she's read recently.  All of them listed mini pizzas as fun for kids to make and eat, so I decided that we would give it a try.  I bought the premade dough from Publix (a local grocery store).  I've tried to make dough, but kneading and I don't go well together so this was a good solution.  The great part about homemade pizza is that you can add whatever toppings you want, and as much as you want.

     My daughter doesn't like red sauce on her pizza, so she made the pizza with ricotta, mozzerella and parm cheeses.

    On my dough I put a light layer of Bertolli spaghetti sauce, then topped it with ricotta, calapari tomatoes, green pepper slices (from my garden!), pineapple, mozzerella, and parm cheese.  It was so good!

  My advice: when using fresh dough, brush it with olive oil and cook for about five minutes, then top with what you would like and bake until the cheese is melted and crust is done.  The time it took to get the crust to be done made the cheese a little browner than we like.  Also, for the white pizza, I would mix the ricotta with oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Just to add a little more flavor.  They were really good though.  My youngest daughter doesn't usually like pizza (or dinner in general) and she ate two pieces.

Sushi

No, I'm not a sushi chef.  But in the last month I have become a sushi eater.  About 11 years ago I tried it for the first time when my friend Sabrina made it while I was visiting for a college graduation.  It was good, but at the time there weren't lots of sushi places, so I forgot about it.  In the past two months, my husband would bring home the mini california rolls.  So after a while of my being a little skeptical about them, I decided to try them.  I figured...well, I love avacado, so I might as well try it.  Avacado-yum Cucumber-yum sticky rice-yum. green wrap-no taste so it's okay  fish-barely tasteful  So all around it was a good experience.  Now I stop by the local grocery store that has a nice man that makes sushi.  I always buy it and tell my husband that he can take it to work for dinner, then I have one before he leaves.  This week he didn't take it with him.  So I took out the package and had two rolls for dinner.  My 4 year old daughter asked what it was and I told her.  She asked if she could have a bite and I let her.  Then she wanted the whole thing.  She really liked it a lot.  I was proud of her for trying something new and liking it.  It's always hard for me to get my girls to try anything.  I guess it just had to look fun. =)

Herbed Tuna with Sesame Dressing

Our neighbor brought over about 3 lbs of Tuna that her husband had just caught. I had never made Tuna before so I found a few recipes online and melded them. I am quite happy with the way that this turned out. Even my husband with top shelf tastes, said, "Its actually really good!"  Whoo hoo!

2 lbs fresh tuna  (ie.. not from the can)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil
2 teas black pepper
1 teas coarse kosher salt
1/4 teas salt
Olive oil for searing
Basil and cilantro for garnish... (ooops, I forgot to do this with mine!)

1 T soy sauce
1 T honey
1 t. pure sesame oil (in Asian food aisle)

Rinse tuna steaks. Pat dry with paper towls. Cut tuna into long blocks (1X1X5"). Mix together the basil, cilantro, salt, and pepper; cover fish with the mixture. Let sit for 30 mins.

Using a heavy bottomed saute pan or cast-iron pan, warm olive oil. Heat pan to high. Place tuna in pan. Sear for 2 minutes, turn over carefully. Drop temp to med (pan will still be hotter than this) and sear other side for another 2 minutes. (Do not over cook tuna or it will become dry and flavorless. It will be med-rare) Remove from heat.

Prepare plates. Add tuna and garnish. When pan has cooled a bit, add soy sauce, honey and sesame oil.  Mix well. Drizzle over tuna.

Storing fruit

Have you ever bought too much fruit at the store?  Do you like to have fruit that tastes good in the fall and winter?  I've got a tip for you.  We love grapes, watermelon, honeydew, peaches, and nectarines a lot.  During the fall and winter though, the fruit is never ripe and doesn't taste as good as it does when you get it in season.  What I do is spray a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with cooking spray.  Then I slice up my fruit and put it in a single layer on the jelly roll pan.  I put the pan in my freezer.  When the fruit is frozen (in individual pieces) I put it in freezer Ziplock bags or in tupperware type storage boxes.  Then you can take a few pieces out and enjoy when you want them.  Grapes and bananas are really good as a snack.  The fruit is also good to use in smoothies too because it is already frozen and makes it a little thicker than when using fresh fruit.

Creamy Chicken Veggie Soup

This is a really easy recipe for a good soup.  I think it took me about 45 minutes to make this meal.

2 T butter/margarine

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 c skinny strips of onion

1/2 red pepper in strips

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/4 c chicken broth

1 1/2 c milk

2 chicken breasts or 6 tenders, cooked and cut up

pepper

garlic powder

parsley flakes

bit of nutmeg

half of a small bag of frozen broccoli

1. 
   
   
   In a large saucepan saute mushrooms, onions, and pepper in butter until the veggies are tender.  Stir frequently.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   
   In a bowl, combine soup and broth until smooth.  Add milk and stir until combined.  Add this to the saucepan.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   
   Stir in chicken.  Season with herbs as you like.  Add broccoli and heat until just boiling.  Reduce heat to low.  Cook until broccoli is tender-about 5 minutes.
   
   
   

We like to eat this with dinner rolls or crusty bread.  You could add as many vegetables as you want.

Insalata Caprese

We have these 3 or 4 nights a week when the garden is producing tomatoes and basil. Simple and yummy!

Italian Salad Dressing
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4" thick
2-3 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
20-30 basil leaves
Salt & Pepper to taste
Italian bread, thinly sliced

Slice cheese and 'marinate' in dressing. This struck me as strange the first time I made the recipe. I thought it would make the cheese all slimy and gross, but it didn't. Let sit for an hour or two. On a plate, lay a piece of cheese, then a basil leaf--slightly staggered, then a slice of tomato--slightly staggered. Repeat this pattern in a circle around the plate. Sprinkle on a bit of S & P if you want... Enjoy on top of a slice of Italian bread... or just eat as it is!

Variations:

Flip and Bake: Lay the tomato on a baking sheet, with a piece of basil directly on top, then a slice of cheese on top of that. Don't over lap these as they will all melt together.  Bake 350 for about 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Don't over bake as the cheese will run everywhere and the basil will crisp up or get too chewy.

Shredded cheese: My daughter likes these made with a shredded 4-cheese mix. Prepare like flip and bake, just sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the basil leaf and bake!

Baked Apples

A fun recipe for little helpers!

Small to Medium Apples
Raisins
Butter
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Salt


Preheat oven to 350. Core each apple. Place whole apples in a baking dish. Fill cored area with some raisins, a 1/2 T of butter, dash of cinnamon, sprinkle of salt and a T. of brown sugar. Cover with foil. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the apples are cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes. Serve in bowls and drizzle the cooking juices over the top of the apples.

Although these aren't beauties, the aroma while baking is worth the whole experience! My kid's think they are great to make and great to eat! Tip: If you pierce these with a fork before baking, they may not split like the ones in the picture. (let me know if you try it and it works!)

Measuring cups are worthwhile... every once in a while!

When I make soup, I make enough for an army. So, I haven't been cooking much, since we've been eating soup at least once a day! Anyway, I was thinking that since I don't have a recipe to post, I'll post another aha 'kitchen' moment. So, if you've read many of my posts, you know I don't follow recipes much. I've tried to create the recipes here from my head so that you can get a general idea of how to make the dish, but I like to improvise.  By being creative with your recipes and ideas, you can make a dish that will suit your tastes to a tee! BUT... I realized there is a time and a place for measuring!!  I am a stickler for measuring the ingredients when I make oatmeal and rice, etc. I always measure those! I've realized that texture is a big deal to me. I don't do well with clumpy food and its inevitable if I don't measure the rice or oatmeal,  that I end up with mushy clumps! So, be creative, but be wise!

Butterfly

I love to butterfly or thin cut my chicken breast. I love it. I'm almost adamant about it! Here's why. First, it cooks much more quickly (saves time for last minute planners, like me) and doesn't dry out before the center is cooked through. Also, the seasoning/marinade goes all the way through because the pieces are thinner. And... it saves money (not theoretically proven, but I'm working on it). My theory is that when you serve a breast of chicken, it will be eaten, regardless of its thickness. I've noticed that 1/2 thickness is usually filling enough not to need seconds. So, you are stretching out your chicken budget! Okay, so if you've never butterflied, here's the quick version: Take a chicken breast, remove fat, rinse in water, lay chicken on cutting board,  cut through the chicken (knife parallel to the cutting board) to halve its thickness....

Raincheck

Just another 'thrifty' reminder. Always get a raincheck if the store is out of a sale item that you wanted!  Its a great way to have your own personal sale... whenever you need it! I do this with roasts, chicken, Fishy crackers, etc--when the store is having an especially great deal. Sometimes they won't raincheck, but 90% they do!!

Tangy Crockpot Pork Chops

I got this recipe from a friend who had us over to dinner one time.  I thought this recipe was great!  It was the start of my using the crockpot.

4 pork chops                                                              
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
med onion, sliced in strips
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 green pepper, sliced in strips                                             
1 can stewed tomatoes (14.5oz)

Sauce:
1 beef bouillion cube (or 1 T granuals)
2 T cider vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 T Worchestershire sauce
1 t lemon juice
1/2 c ketchup


Thickener                                               
2 T cornstarch                                         
2 T water

1. Place pork chops in slow cooker, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add onions, celery, green pepper and tomatoes.
2. In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients.  Pour sauce over veggies and chops.
3. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours if chops are thawed.  8-10 hours on low if frozen.
4. Mix thickener until smooth.  Stir into liquid in slow cooker.  If you don't stir well enough, it just goes to the bottom of the crockpot.
5. Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes.
6. Serve with hot cooked rice.

Smoothie

Emma loves it when I make smoothies for breakfast.  It's a nice way to get fruit in the mornings.  The amounts depend on how big you want the smoothie to be.  My recipe makes about 36 oz (enough for my 4 year old, my husband, and myself).

16 oz orange juice
3 small scoops orange sherbet
8 frozen whole strawberries
handful of frozen peaches
half a sliced banana

Add the ingredients in that order to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  You may have to turn off blender periodically and shake blender to move the frozen items so they don't get stuck in the blender blades.

If you want a thicker smoothie, add a scoop of ice after the last of the fruit.  You can use any juice you would like paired with any fruit you like also.  For a creamier smoothie you may use frozen yogurt or ice cream instead of the sherbet.

Hide-the-Healthy Chicken Soup

Chicken cut-ups or Whole chicken, skinned
Veges of your choice
Herbs
Seasoning
S & P

Chicken Soup is a great way to get nutrients to your kids. Shhhhh.... I've learned that my kids will pick out certain foods they don't like, so I hide them! When making Chicken Soup, I cook the chicken cut-ups and remove the meat. Continue cooking the bones to make more broth. While I am doing this, I skillet-fry onions, garlic, celery until well cooked.  (Very important to cook well or the broth will taste like raw onions!) I transfer these ingredients (or any other that my children dislike at that moment in time) to the blender and puree away. The kids love the flavor of the broth, the just don't like the slime of the onions, celery, mushrooms...  All the nurtrient and flavor... just hidden!! Then I prepare the rest of the veges--thick chunks of broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, etc. (Thick chunk help prevent mushy (hence, slimy) veges. After removing the bones from the broth, I add the pureed mixture and season with rosemary, thyme, and sometimes basil. Then, toss in the rest of the veges and cook. Season to taste with salt and pepper... Add noodles or rice. My love it with the Fluffly Spanish Rice--tastes fabulous!

Trying new things...

Well, since I'm trying new things with this blog--new recipes and blogging for that matter... I thought I'd just go ahead and try my new mortar and pestle. Okay, its not new. I bought at IKEA about... uh, ... oh, ... a year ago. Anyway, it isn't that I haven't had a chance to use it, I just haven't. So, I'm making soup and ready to add the dried rosemary and the thought comes to me--I shouldn't put this in whole, he kids will complain about 'the sticks' and not eat their soup. Aha! The mortar and pestle. It worked great! Brings out more flavor than chop, chop, chopping!  Hmmm... hope I use it again before another year goes by.

Now its here, now its gone Cini Rolls

Very fun recipe for kids! Very yummy treat for everyone! When cooking with your children... help them see the magic of the disappearing marshmallow!

1 pkg Crescent Rolls
10-15 large marshmallows
3 Tbsp butter
Cinnamon
1/3 c. Sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Open pkg of cresent rolls and separate. Do not roll yet. Melt butter in a ramekin or small bowl. In another bowl, mix sugar with a bit of cinnamon. Dip/roll the marshmallow in butter, then roll in cinn-sugar mix. Next, place the covered marshmallow on the wide end of the crescent and roll up as usual. Repeat until you run out of the crescent dough. Place on a greased baking pan. Bake for 11 - 13 minutes or until the rolls are lightly brown. Let cool for a few minutes as the goo will be extremely hot and sticky. Remove from the sheet to a rack within 10-15 minutes!

Cool Cuc & Mint Slush

I thought this was a great recipe from a kids cookbook. Very simple, very quick and healthy! ... but my 6 year old wouldn't finish it  (or even close, for that matter)!!  A great recipe when your garden starts over producing cucumbers!  Let me know what you think!

2 medium cucumbers
3 Tbsp honey
sprinkle of salt
1 c. yogurt
15 mint leaves

Peel cucs. (Optional: Cut lengthwise and remove seeds. I didn't remove them and like the thicker texture) Cut cuc into chunks. Put in blender with the rest of the ingredients and puree! I think it taste better after chilling in the fridge for a couple of hours, but if your ingredients are cold to begin with, you can enjoy immediately!

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

2 packages crescent rolls
5 T butter, softened
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
1 T sugar
1 t cinnamon

Icing:
2/3 c powdered sugar
1-2 T milk
1/4 t vanilla


1. Heat oven to 375. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Open packages of crescent roll dough and divide each log of dough in half at the middle perforated seam. Unroll each of the 4 pieces of dough (the two halves from each package). Firmly press together the diagonal perforations within each of the 4 pieces of dough.

3. Place the butter, brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Spread mixture over the 4 rectangles of dough, dividing the mixture equally between the 4 pieces. Starting at one of the long ends, roll up each of the rectangles like a jelly roll. Pinch the long edge of each to seal it. Using a serrated knife, but each roll into 12 half inch slices. Arrange rolls in pans so that they are touching.

4. Cook the pans 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.

5. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add vanilla and stir. Add enough milk to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle over baked rolls.

Patty's Yummy Chicken Rice Casserole

I had a friend 4 years ago who made this for me shortly before she moved away and we lost contact.  Thankfully I asked her for the recipe...but forgot to ask for the name of it.  So I just made it up.  It's really tasty and easy to make.  I usually add green beans or steamed carrots as a side to add some color and a fresh garden salad also.

1 c uncooked rice

1 10oz can of chicken (do not drain)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c mayo

1/2 c evaporated milk

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz shredded cheese

1. Cook rice according to directions.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except cheese.  Pour into greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.
4. Bake 25 minutes.  Sprinkle cheese on top and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
5. NEW STEP: Turn the broiler on.  Broil casserole for 5-8 minutes, until golden brown on top.

My notes:  I never have evaporated milk, so I use regular milk.  The evaporated milk does make it quite a bit richer and sweeter.  Also, I don't use the canned chicken.  I boil 4 chicken tenders to use in the recipe and either shred the chicken or chop it.  I add 3 tablespoons of the water that I boil the chicken in to make up for the liquid from the canned chicken.  To add more taste to my rice I use the chicken water to make the rice also.

Beef on a dime!

I love getting a great deal! And this is the best deal I've come across!! If you buy your beef at a grocery store (Safeway, Albertsons, etc), they will custom slice meat. Watch the ads... and when you see a roast on sale (ours usually come thru on sale between $1.99 and $2.49/lb), head to the grocery store.  I love Carne Asade (usually about 5.99/lb, but never buy it at that price), so I have at least two large roasts sliced very thin for that. You can also have them slice it a bit thicker for fajita style meat! Usually at this sale price, the roast will be cheaper than ground beef.  They will grind it up for you, too. Make sure you find a roast that has as little fat as you can, if you are going to have it made into ground beef. Buy a bunch, take it home, freeze it in 1lb packs, and use it when needed! You'll probably have enough to last you until another great sale comes your way! And some stores will even throw in free seasoning when you get your meat sliced! Now that is what I call a deal!

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Tomato and Cucumber Salad 

(recipe from Lion House International Recipes cookbook)

3 med tomatoes, sliced in 1/8 inch slices

2 med cucumbers, peeled and sliced in 1/8 inch slices

1/2 small oncion, chopped

1/4 c red wine vinegar

1/4 c veg oil

2 t sugar

1/2 t salt

pepper to taste

1/2 t cilantro (optional)

In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.  In small bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Pour over vegetables and toss to mix well.  Let stand in refrigerator for one hour before serving.

    Personal notes:  I use canola oil when making this recipe.  I've also used many other vinegars to change the taste slightly and they have all worked for me.  Lemon juice can also be used to substitute vinegar if you want.  When I make this recipe I do not slice the vegetables as directed in the recipe (and in the picture).  I just chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into squares and have found that I like the flavor a lot the first day, and even better the second day for leftovers.

Starfruit

I first tried starfruit about 15 years ago.  I liked it then, but forgot about it until lately.  I was at the store with my 4 year old daughter when she saw a starfruit and wanted to try it.  So we got one.  It was a hit with both daughters.  We got another one this week.  I'm always glad when I can add a new fresh fruit to what the girls will eat.

As you can see, it is shaped like a star which you can see better when it is sliced up.  It has the consistency of a firm but ripe pear.  The taste is a mixture of a not-too-sweet pear and a sweeter-than-usual Granny Smith apple.  It is very juicy and refreshing.

Twice baked potatoes

A few years ago I went through a Rachael Ray phase.  Can you blame me?  30-minutes to make a whole meal?  I thought that was great.  I had a Barnes and Noble gift card, so I picked up Rachael Ray's Classic cookbook.  I've tried a few recipes and liked the ones that I've tried.  One was her twice baked potato.  If you get the big baking potatoes you can have one of these as your meal.  A smaller one could be a side to a meal.

Super Stuffed Potatoes with the Works

4 slices bacon, chopped

2 potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

2 scallions/green onions, chopped fine

1 cup shredded cheese of your choice

1)In a non-stick skillet brown bacon pieces, then drain on a paper towel.

2)Pierce potatoes with a fork.  Microwave on high for 12 minutes.  Let them cool for a few minutes before handling.

3)Preheat broiler.

4)Carefully split potatoes and scoop our flesh into a bowl.  Combine with sour cream, scallions, cheese, and browned bacon.  Scoop back into potatoe skins and place under broiler to lightly brown the tops.

My notes: I add 1 tablespoon of margarine to make it a bit more creamy.  It is also easy to make as a "light" dish.  Substitue turkey bacon, reduced fat sour cream, and low fat cheese.

Mint Majesty Brownie

A simple way to dress up a box of brownies!
Make as directed. Add about 1/2 - 1 tsp Mint extract to the batter. Mix well. Bake as directed. Cool for 10 minutes and then dollop a spoonful of chocolate frosting on the top and allow it to ooze/melt. Top with mint white chocolate chips. Yum!

Enchiladas Verde

1 or 2 lg cans green Enchilada sauce
1 can or cup of black beans
2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded, seasoned to taste
2 cups? cheese (Mexican 4 cheese mix or Cheddar, grated)
pinch of Cumin
pinch of Johnny's
Flour tortillas (12" or so)
Cilantro (optional)
Diced Jalapeno (optional if you like it hotter)
Diced Onion (optional)
Diced Tomato (optional)

Spray non-stick to a 9 x 13 or a casserole dish. Season the chicken with the cumin and johnnys or other seasoning salt. Cook tortillas, one by one in frying pan (cast iron, preferably). Add a bit of the following to one side of the tortilla: shredded chicken, cheese, beans, a spoonful of enchilada sauce and your choice of the optional items. Roll toward the other side. Place in dish. Repeat until dish is snugly full of enchiladas. Pour the remaining sauce over the top. Spread sauce around so that the tortillas are all covered by the sauce. Cover with lots of cheese. Top with foil. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Remove foil. Broil until cheese browns. Let cool a few minutes and enjoy!

Fluffy Spanish Rice

2 T. canola oil
1 c. white rice
1 med/lg tomato or 1 can diced tomatoes
2 tsp chicken bouillon
Pinch salt or Johnny's seasoning salt

Toast rice until it is almost burnt-looking. Watch closely or you might be doing this step 2 - 3 times. Boil 2 c. water, add bouillon, salt. Add hot toasted rice. Careful or it will splash/steam burn you. Add tomato. Cover. Set stovetop to med-low or low and wait about 20-30 min til rice is tender. EAT!!!

Chef Intro

Jen -- I love food, but it has to be good. My husband's cooking experience has turned me picky.  I prefer to create or improv in the kitchen than use a recipe. You'll see quicky--by my general directions rather than traditional recipes!  I love the flavors of Mexico and Italy! Maybe this blog will broaden my repertoire....

Aliza -- I like food that is easy to make.  Most of my recipes that I use are pretty basic with ingredients you can readily get.  I used to love watching the Food Network, but they would use ingredients that were either hard to find or just too expensive.  I'm the same way as Jen, I sometimes don't exactly measure...just a pinch of this or that.  I'm hoping to branch out what I eat.  I'm hoping that we can get people to comment and share their likes and dislikes also.

History of the Buds

A few years ago (let's not say how many so I dont feel so old okay?) in the wonderful city of Bellingham, Washington two girls were attending college. One girl was living at the famous (in small circles at least) G Street house. The other girl lived in nice little houses with friends. These girls became friends then roommates in Utah. While waiting for Jennifer to move from WA to UT, Aliza began her culinary expeditions. Peanut butter and jelly was about as far as she got to tell the truth. Things got better when Jennifer moved into the apartment. Top Ramen Chicken Salad, pasta with chicken, Mexican chicken (it seems like a lot of chicken was eaten, but I know there were other things too), and yummy brownies followed for the next year and a half. Then Aliza got married, Jenny moved back to Washington, Jenny got married, and so here we are a few years later. Aliza now lives in South Carolina and Jen lives in Washington. Both have families but have stayed in touch all these years.

We are buds, we like to cook, it's fun to share cooking adventures-good or bad-, and it's fun to see what other people are eating. I feel like I get in a rut of what to cook. Jenny had this great idea to do a blog about recipes we like, don't like, want to try, cookbooks to try, and anything doing with cooking. I think it's a great idea, so here I am. I hope that we can find some good things to share and have fun while we do it. So here we go....