Fighting the Good Fight

I've become a bit fanatical.

After learning more about what goes on inside your body, I'm doing my best to help out the good guys in my cells. I am just amazed at all the stuff that is going on in there all the time. You know with the enzymes and the organelles... the cleansing and detoxifying.

JB knows. Everytime I come to him excited about some new concept, he rolls him eyes and endures my mini lecture. We are both learning so much--about biology and each other.

Right now, I should be building a web page for my Internet class. That's why I signed up for the class. I needed to be forced to learn HTML and quit "winging it." There's nothing that difficult about HTML. It's just tedious...

So is making apple butter.

And this year JB thinks we should do 2 kettles.

Last year efforts produced 109 quarts and now he thinks we should do TWO kettles.
I've decided to pull a Scarlet O'Hara thing and just not think about that right now.

The coffee's done, so I better start that homework. But first I have to share a wonderful dip I did last night for our Friday Get-together.

1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp Lemon Pepper
1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup diced walnuts

Mix well. (ha!) I threw it all into my food processor and "pulsed" until mixed.
I served with Ritz Vegetable Crackers and the Honey Butter Ritz. Delish!

I made meatloaf subs, too.

Broccoli and Cheddar Mini Quiche

I experimented a bit with this recipe, using canned biscuit dough rather than the pie pastry, because that's what I happened to have on hand. I find that plain old canned biscuits can be the start of great appetizers. I was really pleased with the results.

Feel free to use green onions in place of the cooked chopped broccoli in this recipe.


Pie pastry for 2 crust pie
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
1 cup half-and-half, or heavy cream and half milk


Grease and flour mini muffin pans and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll pie crust (or biscuit dough) out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 inch rounds; fit into muffin cups. Brush pastry with butter.

Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of chopped broccoli into each cup; top with small amount of shredded cheese.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients; spoon 1 scant tablespoon into each cup, just short of the top of the pastry. Sprinkle each with a little more broccoli.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until set. Makes about 36 mini quiches.

Soft Cheddar Pretzels

Faced with coming up with something quick--with little to chose from in the cupboards-- for our Friday night get-together, I settled on this quick soft pretzel recipe.



1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar Cheese
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt



Combine flour and sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheese and milk, stirring until dry ingredients are just moistened. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead about 12 times.


Divide dough in half and roll each half into 12X18 inch rectangle.

Cut dough lengthwise into eight 1-inch strips. Twist each into pretzel shape; brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place on lightly greased baking sheets and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool pretzels for a few minutes on wire racks; serve warm. Makes about 16 soft pretzels.

Bacon Cheddar Layered Dip

I did this for our Friday Night Get-Together and it was a hit! My shallow serving bowl was almost empty. I have less than a cup of this stuff leftover!


1 pkg cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
5 green onions
1 medium green pepper
4 medium tomatoes
16 ounces taco sauce or chunky salsa
7 ounces cheddar cheese
1 pound Turkey bacon

Blend cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Spread into ungreased 12 inch or larger dish. Top with diced onions, tomatoes and green peppers. Pour taco sauce over top evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Chill.

Cook bacon and crumble over top prior to serving. I use turkey bacon because the flavor is the same and it is much healthier. Serve with tortilla chips.

Quick N' Easy Cucumber Dip

If you're a lover of cucumbers and onions, this will do the trick. I throw one 8 ounce package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 1 large cumber, and an onion or two into the food processor. Blend, then chill till it sets up a bit. Spread on garlic crackers or melba toast.

Marvelously cool and refreshing... especially after a day of visiting or working in the yard. (Please note I have added an updated photo of Dark Hollow at bottom. JB has become just a tad anal with the mowing of our 6? 8? acre yard.)

Bacon Wrapped Kabobs

 

I know the photo doesn't look like much, but I assure you, these little appetizers are marvelous.

The larger ones are actually bacon wrapped baby portabellas, generously slathered with Stubbs spicy barbeque sauce.

The slightly rectangular-in-shape ones are bacon-wrapped pineapple chunks.. also slathered in BBQ sauce.

Of course, what's in the middle is just jumbo grilled shrimp. I marinated it in Italian dressing for a couple of hours before slipping in on the skewers.

The bacon I use is Louis Rich Turkey bacon. Full slices for the shrooms and half slices for the pineapple chunks. I use Turkey bacon because it is healthier without sacrificing flavor and also because it doesn't have the fat that regular bacon has, so you don't get flame ups (fire!) while grilling.

Good stuff, I promise and very quick to throw together. One guest who normally doesn't eat mushrooms, put away 4 or baby bellas!

Sweet N' Sour Ham Balls

I made these ham balls, week before last, when hunting for something different for my Friday night get-together. Wish I had had the good sense to photograph the finished product! I always try to find something quick and easy to make with existing ingredients. I managed to make good use of ham left from Christmas that I had cubed and frozen. I substituted Jimmy Dean Maple flavored breakfast sausage for the ground pork.

Pineapple, brown sugar and spicy brown mustard combine to create a tangy sauce for these savory ham and pork appetizers.

4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 cup Pepperidge Farms bread crumbs
2 pounds ground ham
1 pound ground pork (or sausage)
2 cans (8 ounces each) crushed pineapple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup French's Spicy Brown Mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

In a bowl, combine the eggs, onions and bread crumbs. Crumble the meat over this mixture and mix well. Shape into 1/2 inch balls. Place in two greased 13X9X2 inch baking dishes.

In a blender or food processor, combine the pineapple, brown sugar, mustard and vinegar; cover and process until smooth. Pour over ham balls. (May freeze for up to 2 months! Or) Bake, uncovered at 350 for 45-50 minutes, basting occasionally with sauce.

To bake frozen ham balls: Completely thaw in frig. Bake as directed.

Yield: 2 batches of about 30 ham balls each.

Feta Bruschetta

Here's my latest find for my Friday evening get-togethers. Quick, easy and very few ingredients.

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
10 slices French bread ( 1 inch thick)
1 pkg (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon basil
1 large tomato, diced

In a bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush onto both sides of bread. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine feta cheese, garlic and basil. Sprinkle over toast. Top with tomato. Bake 8-10 minutes or longer, until heated thoroughly. Serve warm.