Chicken ‘n Dressing

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Chicken and Dressing

Chicken and Dressing

This is what I call a cheater meal.  It uses mainly packaged ingredients, which is why I call it a cheater.  One of those is condensed cream of mushroom soup, which I typically avoid using if possible.  But, this is quick to throw together and everyone likes it.   All you need to go with it is a salad or veggie.  I got this from a lady I have known since I got married, and have been making it almost that long (Oh, and hasn’t that been awhile!).  My kids love it and everyone I have ever served it to has asked for the recipe.

I have talked about how I sometimes change ingredients to try to make a dish a little more health friendly.  One of my favorite tricks is using greek yogurt in place of sour cream.  I have had much success with this.  I will tell you to be very careful doing this, as I have  a little story.

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Tomato Feta Bruschetta

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Tomato Feta Bruschetta

Tomato Feta Bruschetta

Okay, so we are reaching the end of tomato season in Michigan.  If you’re looking for a new way to serve fresh tomatoes, this is it!  This comes from Ina Garten, called Tomato Crostini with whipped feta.  I was craving it the minute I saw it.  It took me a couple of weeks to get to it, then a couple of weeks more to get where I could make it and get a decent picture to show you, but trust me, it is worth the wait.  The first time I made this was when I was staying with my son.  There were four of us, and I made it as an appetizer before dinner.  All four of us were blown away, saying “forget dinner, I could just eat this!”  (which is exactly what I did when I made this for myself the other night when I took the picture.  That was dinner, and it was enough for me).  Then I made it for a family picnic, about 20 people, and it was a huge hit there as well.

For this batch, I happened to find a pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes.  Boy, were they good!  Don’t forget, this could be easily adjusted to suit your own taste.  If you don’t like onion or shallots, leave them out.  Adjust the amount of garlic or vinegar or oils, whatever.  Just remember when you add extra of anything, you cant take it back out, so add things a little at a time.

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Quick Chocolate Raspberry turnovers

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Easy Chocolate Raspberry Turnover

Easy Chocolate Raspberry Turnover

Whoa..someone stop the ride and let me off for a day or two!  It has been one crazy week.  There has been SO much going on, I haven’t had a chance to get on here at all.  I’ve barely had time to even cook anything at all.  In fact, Friday night I actually picked up (horrors!) McDonalds for dinner and brought it home.  And I was okay with that.  I’m pathetic.   Fortunately, it should start to slow down a LITTLE this week, and gradually more after that.

But we did spend a wonderful day at the Renaissance Festival (in Holly, MI).  That’s been going on every year for a very long time, but this is the first time we went.  And we are very glad we did.

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No-Bake Peach Melba Cheese Cake/Pie

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No Bake Peach Melba Cheesecake/Pie

No Bake Peach Melba Cheesecake/Pie

Remember my last post, where we went to a cookout for Labor Day?  I believe I mentioned that there were a few milestones that were being celebrated during that time.  One of them was a wedding anniversary, to a couple who, after seven years and two adorable kids, still act like newlyweds.  I had planned on making some type of cheesecake to take.  Lordy, it’s peach season in Michigan, and it has been a year for delicious peaches!  It just happens that, when I planned this, I also got my hands on a pint of fresh red raspberries.  Double yum.  Put them together and you’ve got yourself a peach melba in the making.  Add cream cheese and how can you lose?  Oh, yeah –  you CAN’T.  See how beautifully ruby-colored those peaches look in that picture?  Just add raspberries…

No bake cheesecake is another of those things that have a number of versions floating around out there, and most of them are pretty good.  Of course, I usually have something to say about tweaking this or changing that.  One of the more popular ones is too heavy and sweet, the other is too fluffy and not sweet enough (that’s just my opinion).  Sooo, of course, I had to work with the two to make something in between.  This is super easy.  You do have to bake the graham crust for about 8 minutes, and you do have to cook the topping a little, but that only takes a minimal effort, for a finished dessert that is amazing.  And the bake time is short, which is perfect for summer.

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German Chocolate Cake

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German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake

Sooooo, we got invited to a cookout over Labor Day weekend, by some good friends.  Yay!  We have much in common with them, and always have a good time.  It was stated that there were many things to celebrate throughout their family; a birthday, an anniversary, a new job…  Everyone is bringing a dish to pass, so of course I volunteer my favorite – “I can bring dessert!”  Then I was reminded that the birthday was that of our host, Rocky.  Did I mention that these friends live across the street from my parents?  They have been wonderful neighbors, and Rocky is always ready to lend a hand when my parents  need it.  So, I got the opportunity to do a little something special.  It seems his favorite cake is German Chocolate.    My daughter (whose boyfriend is the son of said neighbors) says she will decorate it.  Done deal.

As you can see by the photo, our host is a Harley guy,  so my daughter starts working on her ideas for decorating, using some fondant, some frosting.  All I need to do is make the cake and the frosting.  Easy.

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Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

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Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

Paaassttaaaaa….to me, this is a comfort food.  And there are so many things you can do with it, the possibilities are endless.  This is one I made years ago, then kind of forgot about it.

This week, when I made my middle-of-the-week trip home, I had a few minutes to breath, as my husband was working late.  I walked out to the back yard and had a nice visit with all of my flowers, which are in full bloom.  Dinner plate sized hibiscus, phlox, Rose-of-Sharon, Dianthus…then I took a turn in the pool.  Refreshed.  I love home.  So then I felt like I could do something a little different for dinner.  I had some sun dried tomatoes and was thinking on those when I remembered this one.  And I still had time to make it.  In not much more time than it takes to cook the pasta, you will have this sauce ready.   The way it is, it’s vegetarian.  Want gluten free?  Serve it with spaghetti squash.   Like most simple dishes, you can play with it.  It didn’t originally have fresh basil, but it sure was delicious in there.   You could add other herbs if you want.  Throw in a spoonful of pesto…yum.  Feel free to add cooked meat – pepperoni, sausage, chicken, beef, whatever.   It is fairly intense in tomato flavor, with the sun dried tomatoes, and that also helps make it thicker with very little cook time.  And when my husband says “don’t change anything “, I know it’s good.  That’s what he said about this one.

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Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce

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Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce

Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce

Okay guys, hear me out here.  This is a slight curve in the road for me, and it may sound a little strange, but it is SOOOOO good.

I’ve mentioned my Florida sister before.  Well she just flew in for a short visit, and can usually be counted on for a new recipe or two to share.  I am not disappointed.  Yes, it sounded a little strange to me, at first, but the more she told me, the better it sounded.  My bigger concern was whether my husband would eat it/like it.  He likes most of the ingredients, but would he like them together?  AND it has Feta cheese, of which he is not really a fan.  I decided not to tell him it was in there.  OOOPS!   Well, he never realized it – it kind of melts into the corn.

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Naan Chicken White Pizza

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Naan Chicken White Pizza

Naan Chicken White Pizza

If you’ve never had Naan bread, you are in for a treat.  It’s bubbly, chewy delicious.  AND…it is a blank palette of food creation, limited only by your imagination.  You can make it fairly easily, but we bought it for quick weeknight pizza.

YUM.  And isn’t it pretty?  You can bake it longer and hotter to get a crispier crust…it is perfect for quick lunch or dinner…..or breakfast!

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