New Fun Project -Making Dog Collars

I will soon be getting a new Golden Retrievers puppy and so developed a new interest in making dog collars.  My granddaughter, Sam, used to make and sell them, along with leashes that matched, but I like the retractable ones so won't be doing those.  My first one I tried, today, was for the pups mom..I plan on giving it to Dave, the breeder, when I go up later this week to pick out which female of the 6 available I want.  There were 11 puppies born, all healthy and adorable, so it will probably be a hard choice to make, but will be fun.  The mother dog's name is Peaches, so here is the collar I made! 

I made a second one today for a friend as a gift for referring me to Dave to begin with..she is getting a pup from him also..she picked out the pink leopard fabric for it..

One Pot Chicken Alfredo

I saw this recipe on Facebook, so decided to try it for dinner tonight.  I kind of tweaked it a little because I tried to cut down on a little fat and I still think it turned out good.  It would be great with a salad, but I was out of lettuce (need to make a store run) so I added some frozen baby peas to it for some vegetable and threw some pickles and fruit on the counter for sides.  I would definitely make it again though-like the idea of less dishes any time for a meal!

ONE POT CHICKEN ALFREDO:

In a large deep skillet or wok:  Add 1 Tbsp oil-I used vegetable oil

Add 2 chicken breasts that are cubed in smaller bite size pieces.  Add salt and pepper lightly.   Brown slightly.

Add 1 Tbsp minced garlic.

Add 6 Tbsp butter-next time I will add 4-I think that would be enough for my taste.

Add 1-1/2 cups heavy cream  (I actually used fat free half and half because that's what I had and it worked fine)

Add 2/3 cup water and 1 tsp chicken bouillon, or any substitute (I used 1 tsp of Better than Bouillon chicken flavor)

Add 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Add 1/2 lb of pasta-I used Penne, but you could use whatever you have or homemade fettucini etc.

simmer until your pasta is cooked, mine took about 30 minutes -covered.

once pasta is tender and liquid is reduced, add 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese and mix in well until melted.  OPTIONAL:  May sprinkle with  more parmesan and chopped parsley when serving.  May also add broccoli or frozen peas to the mix while it's cooking or serve a side salad, garlic bread, fruit etc.

Stuffed Peppers

It seems everywhere I look lately I am seeing TV shows and people making stuffed peppers, so decided I would try to make up a batch.  I have only made them a couple times in my life, decades ago, so asked around on how other people make the, researched online for recipes and ratings and came up with my version below.  Joe, my son, really liked them and I did too.  (I only eat the filling, not a pepper fan to be honest) and opened up a can of peaches to even out the taste on the plate.  Joe took the rest home for his lunch tomorrow even.  Here's what I came up with.

1)  Take 3 large bell peppers, orange, yellow and red.  slice in half the height wise..seeds and membranes removed and stem.  wash.  In a large kettle heat about 6 inches of water, bring to a boil, add prepared peppers and parboil for 5 minutes or so until almost tender.  Remove, drain on paper towels and lightly salt the cavity.  set aside.

2) Meanwhile: Prepare a box of white and wild rice mix with the seasoning packet that is included as directed on the box.  (I used a box from Aldi, but Uncle Ben's would work) Set aside.

In a large frypan: Brown 1 lb. of lean hamburger, add salt and pepper and 1/2 of a smaller sized onion that is finely chopped.  Add 1 Tablespoon Worchester sauce and 1/2 of a 10 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes that has been drained.  Add 1 cup of the white and wild rice mix, a little more black pepper, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.  (if you are a big bell pepper fan you can add some to this mix, finely chopped also-I did not).

Put your parboiled peppers in a cake pan and fill with the meat mixture, dividing it evenly among the 6 "cups".

In a bowl, dump in 1 can of tomato soup (Campbell's), a few splashes or Worchester sauce and enough water to make it "soup".  pour over stuffed peppers and into the bottom of the pan.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  uncover and sprinkle with a little more cheese and bake about 15 minutes more until cheese is melted (optional).

Strawberry Lemon Blondies

I had printed off this recipe from a Facebook post and it was laying on my counter for a few weeks.  I finally picked up the ingredients and went for it today!  It is kind of putzy to put together and you need fresh ingredients like the strawberries and lemons so didn't have all the things I needed at home, thus the on-hold status.  They are worth the effort, buttery, lemony (but not too much so) and taste like spring.  If you have a celebration/holiday or pot luck they would be a great item to have there.  you may have to copy and paste the link..

https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/strawberry-lemon-blondies-recipe/

Date Ball Cookies for Christmas

I remember having these every year for Christmas when I was in my 20's..many years ago.  My mother-in-law used to love date baked goods and she introduced me to them..Once she knew I loved them she'd always make some for me.  I decided to make them this year for our Christmas eve gathering and both my son, Joe, and my granddaughter, Alana, really liked them, so going forward it might be a new/old tradition once again.  They are easy to put together, kind of sticky to roll, but I just used a small cookie scoop and managed just fine to get them rolled into a ball before rolling them in more coconut.

Grandma's Date Ball Christmas Cookies: (no bake)

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 (8 ounce) package of chopped dates
1 egg. slightly beaten
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup coconut, plus some for rolling the balls in later
1 teaspoon good vanilla (real)

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter.

Stir in brown sugar and dates.

Cook until sugar is melted.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in the egg well.

Return to stove on medium heat.

Heat, stirring constantly until boiling.

Boil and stir for one minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Let cool off until easily handled.

Roll into balls, about 1 inch, then roll into some more coconut to coat.

Store airtight.

Christmas Gnomes make for a fun girls day

A friend of mine found these online somewhere and shared them with me..she actually made a lot of them-a couple different sizes for herself and had friends come and make them with her for themselves also.  Today Kim, Alana and myself made this little family of them that are getting split up and shared with others.  I made the big one for my front step.  Once you get all the supplies gathered up they go together super fast.  There are lots of online tutorials to follow..I kind of blended a few of them.  Mine looks so cute on the step and you can see him from the road.  It's an easy fun Holiday craft to put together and for us, we had the tomato cages already pulled out of a storage shed, the fleece for the hats was from Walmart-blankets that were $2.50 each, a couple packs of floral wire, some mittens from the dollar store and his nose was an old knee high nylon stuffed with stuffing I already had here. You can be creative and do whatever you want with them.  some people used real potatoes for the nose and tied yarn for the braided beard etc.  anything goes.

Margaret's Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

The kid's grandma, Margaret, always made this pumpkin pie every year for Thanksgiving, and no one since has ever made it quite as good as hers was.  It had to be the love she put into it, because even though I have the recipe written in her own hand, it just doesn't quite taste exactly the same.  Now, since she passed, someone, usually myself or eldest daughter Shellie, makes it so we have a little bit of her at Thanksgiving with us.  This year it's me!  I like making it because I think about her and her personality, the way her arthritic hands worked when she cooked or baked and how much she loved her family.  She would have fought off a grizzly bear if it threatened any of us!  LOL.  no, seriously, she would have..Anyway, I wanted to share the recipe that she wrote down, smeared up and aged so future relatives could see it and try it if they want with their families.  (it actually was the one on the Festival pumpkin can), but she never told us and I discovered it long after she was gone)..her secret is safe with us..LOL