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Tasty Tuesday: Carrot Cups – A Biscuit w/ Carrots! Simple as ABC
I have a calendar that Pillsbury sent to me. It features a recipe a month. A few months ago, there was an idea of taking Grands or any large baking soda biscuit, flattening it and baking a mini-fruit pie in a muffin cup. (Oh my, they were good!)We are not always ‘allowed’, ‘encouraged’ or looking to have sugary desserts. Diabetes frowns upon that part of meal! Careful preparation of the menu does allow for it from time to time. However, this simple dish just invited me to play. Enter springtime. We love vegetables and their colorful display. When I added Boursin and a sharp New York cheddar to carrots, we…
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A Warm Kiss of Sweetness: Muffins
Summer is really getting to be a memory. Our leaves are still green, however yellows and reds are tipping some of the oaks and maples. I love this time of year, as the mosquitoes are just about gone. YEAH! AMEN and Hallelujah! Dale has picked the blackberry patch clean. He committed himself not to leave any there for the deer, raccoons or any other marauder. Our freezer is full and our oven is popping out warm kisses of sweetness. This muffin recipe can be revised to use any fruit. The trick, I think, is not to over mix the batter. Be ready to put UNSMOOTH (Is that a word?… Spell…
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What is in your Garden? – Military Family Life Question of the Week
There is stress relief for me found in getting down and getting my hands dirty. It starts in very early-Spring and extends through the beginning of Fall. I feel capable. I feel healthy. Wielding a shovel makes me even feel *a little* stronger as I work arm and leg muscles. I swear at the weeds and talk baby-talk to the very-capable vegetable plants. (I’m quite certain that’s why they ‘produce’ for us!) Summer time equals a small (yet growing every year) garden for us. This year we have: Cucumbers in abundance Peas, their season has passed, but blessed us with lots of early Spring munching Carrots that need to be…
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Hot Topic: What’s in your Garden? Lots of Green &Red! Baked Beets with Feta and Pesto
Folks want to know “What is growing in your garden?” If it was just up to the garden, and not the gardener… the answer would be weeds, weeds, weeds. However, with a quick check of my nail cuticles… you know that at our house it is a daily stretch out there, and the weeds get ‘bucketed’. I do not know a better looking vista, than a neatly planted, well maintained vegetable garden. And hooray, this year we have a frameable picture. Two new rows of lettuce are just popping out. 3 early plantings are so tall… that if I don’t use them quickly (and giving them to friends is tone…
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Mid Morning Healthy Fruit Snack
It is funny how I regard time. It is in sections. Sections of a lifetime: childhood, teenager, college student, newly wed, etc. Then there is the where we lived time: first year of marriage (3 installations), then Nevada (ISAFAF), Panama (Howard AFB) and so on. Smaller segments and daily time measurements can revolve around something good to eat! I do love a good snack. And since loosing a lot of weight, I recognize the importance of eating less… but more often. So, for Dale and I, the 10:00 snack and the 2:00 snack are gems of the day! We love fruit! It is the season for fresh items. Today we…
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Perfect Baby Shower
There are so many reasons to share some smiles, and great conversations. Besides getting together for coffees, squadron luncheons, spouse club meetings, there are babies… and the promise of more babies! With the announcement of a new family member – be that squadron family, battalion family or fleet family, somewhere on the calendar is the excitement of a baby shower. A great baby shower at that! And if you are in charge of this gala, make it sparkle! No need for this to be the ordinary, ho hum typical gathering with streamers and a bakery cake. Oh no! Girls just wanna have fun! So, let this star be born! Hang…
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New Year Fitness Goals
We all made it through the holidays and I believe the average weight gain for Americans is 5 pounds. Of course, all of us have started our new efforts or renewed efforts to lose weight or maybe the plan has already been abandoned? It’s real hard to keep up a workout or weight loss goals without a plan and changes to your lifestyle. The biggest change ever for me was planning as a couple. We found a way to change the way we thought about food, exercise and lifestyle. We now exercise together at least three times a week and many of our spring through fall activities are outdoor in…
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Another Waffle Winner – Served After Dinner!
Waffles for dinner are heart warming, they are a tummy treat… just good food! As you get over the idea for breakfast for dinner, go a bit further and have waffles for dessert! Gingerbread waffles taste wonderful; smell fantastic and are topped with ice cream or cool whip. Serve with bowls of sliced bananas, shredded coconut, or fresh or thawed strawberries. It is a party waiting to happen! Gingerbread Waffles1/4 c. butter1/2 c. brown sugar or 1/4 cup packed Splenda brown sugar1/2 c. light molasses2 eggs separated1 c. milk2 c. flour1 1/2 t. baking powder1 t cinnamon1 t. ginger1/4 t. allspice3/4 t. salt In mixing bowl, beat egg whites until…
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Russian Blintzes: Birthday Traditional Favorite
As the children grew, so did their tastes and desires. Birthdays celebrate that growth and add a personal touch to the day. One birthday tradition was the ability to pick the dinner of their choice. Our son Dan was our breakfast boy… that was his favorite meal of the day. For him, the joy of his birthday started the first thing of the day with energy which fueled him. So, bring on the Russians… blintzes that is and let the celebration start. Russian Blinchiky with Cream Cheese1 c flour3 T sugar divided1/2 t salt2 eggs, slightly beaten1 c milk1 (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature1/4 c sour cream1/8 t cinnamon1…
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Fruit Basket Upset
Childhood games were the best: interaction, laughter and goofiness reigned in my ‘organized fun time’. Fruit Basket Upset required at least 10 friends, names of fruits: each child picked a fruit type. Then, with one less chair we waited for the ‘it’ to call out two or three fruits – at that time up we would jump and change chairs before ‘it’ could take our spot. Perfect name and game for this time of year. Soon the Thanksgiving fruit bowl will be assembled: pineapple, pears, apples, grapes, bananas, oranges and tangerines. The table will be arranged… and usually there is one less ‘good’ chair than I would like. (NEVER too…
