Sassy Raisin Sauce

Two ingredients in Sassy Raisin Sauce
Raisins & Apple Juice

Are you serving Baked Ham this Sunday for dinner?  If you are, Sassy Raisin Sauce is a yummy topping for the tender slices of Ham!  Filled with Raisins, it's an easy sauce to prepare at the last minute.  You probably already have the ingredients:  Apple Juice, Raisins, Cornstarch & Butter/ Margarine. 

Think Sunday- you are almost ready to serve dinner.  It's at this time that a tasty topping that comes together so quickly is needed!  What a great added touch!  And- it tastes so good. 

I also like to serve this topping over Butternut Squash Ravioli!

Sassy Raisin Sauce
Yield: about 2 and 1/2 Cups

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
2 Cups Apple Juice
2 Tablespoons Butter/ Margarine
1 Cup Raisins

Method:

1. Place Cornstarch in small saucepan.
2. Slowly add in 1/2 Cup Apple Juice.
3. Stir, dissolving Cornstarch.
4. Then, add remaining Apple Juice to saucepan, stir.
5. Add 2 Tablespoons Butter/ Margarine.
6. Add Raisins.
7. Stir constantly while cooking over medium heat.
8. Sauce will thicken & boil.
9. Boil & stir for 1 Minute.
10. Serve hot.

If a smaller amount is desired use directions above & the ingredients below-  

     For 2 Servings:  
     1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
     2/3 Cup Apple Juice
     About 1 Tablespoon Butter/ Margarine
     1 Handful Raisins

This is always a great addition to a Baked Ham Dinner!  Or as a Butternut Squash Ravioli Topping!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Happy Easter!!!

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

Unsalted Butter
Fat Free/ Low Fat Buttermilk
Raisins

Those 3 ingredients need to be added to your grocery list if you do not already have them!  The other ingredients are in your pantry.  Why???  St. Patrick's Day is this Thursday & it's time to bake an Irish Soda Bread!  That yummy bread that's also called Spotted Dog.  Sure, you'll find them in bakeries & grocery stores, but why not bake your own?  Once you bake it the first time it will be a tradition for you as it is for me.

I'll always remember the year I was "googling" for an Irish Soda Bread recipe that used 1 Cup of Buttermilk.  That's all I had in the fridge.  There was the recipe on the blog Charli and Me written by Carol.  Carol shared that this great recipe originally came from the Will O'Glenn Irish Bed and Breakfast in Michigan with Mrs. Biddy Gahan sharing it.  I'm always so happy that all of these kind folks passed it along!  I use unsalted & fat free/ low fat ingredients & it's so good!  Every year I bake this Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day & also a couple of other times during the year. 

I've learned a couple hints to make this an even easier bread to bake:

• Melt & then cool the Butter before using.
  

• Before placing the sticky dough in the pie plate, rub a little Butter on the palms of your hands.  The dough will then be easier to work with.      

Sticky Dough  ready to be placed in my oven.

Irish Soda Bread
Oven: 400°F, then lowered to 375°F

Total baking time: 40- 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 Cups Raisins
1 Cup boiling Water 
********
1 stick Butter - I use unsalted.
2 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Buttermilk, can be low fat/fat free 

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.  Spray a 8" or 9 " Pyrex Pie Plate with PAM.
3.  In a small bowl combine Raisins and boiling Water.  Let sit while preparing dough.
4.  Melt Butter.  Cool.
5.  In larger bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Sugar.
6.  Add melted Butter to dry ingredients, stir in.
7.  Add Buttermilk, stir.
8.   Add drained Raisins, stir.
9.   Shape into a ball after placing dough into pie plate.  Dough will be sticky.
10.   Bake 15 Minutes at 400°F.
11.  Lower oven to 375°F.  Bake 25- 30 Minutes longer.
12.  Remove the bread from pie plate after using cake tester or toothpick to test for done and cool on rack.
13.  Cool. 
14. Wait at least 5 hours before cutting into slices and eating.

After cutting the bread into slices, I place it in two sealed Ziploc Bags.

This is a very tasty treat!  Heat a half slice or a slice in the microwave for a few seconds.  Yum!

An added treat is to open the freezer door 3 weeks later & find 2 slices in a freezer bag.  Yes, slices do freeze well.   Will you be adding Raisins, unsalted Butter & fat free Buttermilk to your grocery list?  If you do not have a chance to bake this in the next 2 days, it would be a great treat to bake this weekend!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

Baked Seafood Casserole

Baked Seafood Casserole
with Scallops, Shrimp & Haddock

Baked Seafood Casserole!  Oh, yum!  For many years whenever this entree was on the menu at a seafood restaurant I thought well, maybe, mmm, but not today.  I'd order the Broiled Seafood Platter.  Well, that changed a couple of years ago.  We were at the Rock Harbor Grill at the Cape (Cape Cod, MA).  The restaurant was totally packed with couples & families on a September weekday evening.  Everyone was chatting & enjoying their dinners.  Once again one choice on the menu was Seafood Casserole.  I took the plunge & decided to try it.  Let me tell you- it was so yummy!  From that day on I bake Seafood Casseroles at home!  No need to enjoy this delicious entree only at a restaurant.  Why did it take me so long to taste it???
   
The first time I was thinking about baking this, I realized that the much needed individual baking dishes were not in my cabinet!  It was time to get 4 pieces of colorful Fiestaware.  It's been on my wish list.  I needed individual casserole dishes, so the time had come to purchase some.  They sure work well when baking a Seafood Casserole!    

After looking at so many recipes for this yummy dish, I decided to include 3 types of seafood that are easily available to me.  Uncooked Shrimp is always in my freezer & only needed to be defrosted.  Scallops & a piece of Haddock can be purchased quickly.

A Baked Seafood Casserole is so easy to make!  The seafood is placed in the bottom of buttered individual serving/ baking dishes.  Add a little shredded Cheese.  Crush hint of salt Ritz Crackers & combine with Worcestershire Sauce, Garlic Powder & melted Butter to sprinkle on top.  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes & the yummy Seafood Casserole is ready.  How easy can this be?  Absolutely delicious, too!

Tender Baked Seafood
under the Bubbly Topping

Baked Seafood Casserole
     2 servings

Oven Temperature:  350°F            Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 small Scallops
8 medium uncooked Shrimp, peeled & deveined
about 2/3 lbs. Haddock fillet
3-4 ounces shredded Cheese (Mozzarella or Cheddar Combo)
15 with a hint of salt Ritz Crackers, crushed
3 Tablespoons melted Butter/ Margarine
1/3 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Method: 

1. Butter individual baking dishes.
2. Remove shells from Shrimp, devein.
3. Cut Haddock Fillet in half.
4. Rinse seafood under cool running water, drain.
5. Place Scallops & Shrimp in baking dishes.
6. Place Haddock on top, folding narrow ends under.
7. Cover with shredded Cheese.
8. In a small bowl combine crushed Ritz Crackers & Garlic Powder.
9. Add Worcestershire Sauce & melted Butter/ Margarine, combine all.
10. Spread half of Topping Mixture on seafood in each baking dish.
11. Bake at 350°F for 45 Minutes.

***I placed the individual baking dishes on a cookie pan before baking.  It prevented any possible spills when taking out of my oven.  :)

We enjoyed this Seafood Casserole at dinner, again tonight.  Working quickly, it took about 30 Minutes to prepare before baking.  This is one great entree!  Don't wait to order it at a restaurant!  It's that good!  Served with Rice & a veggie, yum! 

Have you baked a Seafood Casserole? 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

           

Lowering LDL Cholesterol!

Dinner Salad Platter
with Chunks of Avocados & Pears

For a very long time (years) I've been very conscious of eating more healthy foods.    Using Olive Oil while cooking & drizzling Balsamic Vinaigrette containing Olive Oil over veggie salads has been my thing.  Canisters of Oats are replaced often with newly filled canisters.  We like Oatmeal Cookies, Creamy Oatmeal at breakfast & also Apple Crisp with the oat topping.  Peanuts & Pecans are great snacks, here.  Fresh salads at dinner are enjoyed.  Seafood grilled or baked is so good!  Very rarely do I bake a dessert that contains more sugar than flour (or an equal amount) in the recipe.  These past few months I've learned about the benefits of adding Avocados & fresh Pears into our diets.  Both also help with lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Avocados are definitely not grown here in New England.  But hey, if eating Avocados helps in lowering the bad (LDL) Cholesterol, I'm definitely in.  They ripen quickly while sitting on the kitchen counter.  Pears can be ripened in a couple of days by placing in a closed brown paper lunch bag & also placing on the counter.

During the winter season the tomatoes purchased in the produce departments of grocery stores are not juicy & tasty as they are in the summer.  In the summer we have locally grown tomatoes to enjoy!  I've learned that Pears are a tasty substitute in a salad!  

So, there are 2 new additions to any dinner salad or dinner salad platter that we enjoy- chunks of Avocados & chunks of Pears.  This coming week promises to bring warm grilling weather, so chicken will be grilling one evening!  Any extra grilled chicken will add to a dinner salad platter with chunks Avocados & Pears the following night!  The dressing?  Oh, Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, of course!

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil for salads & marinades
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Dash Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Raspberry Jam or Jelly

***Salad Dressing Mixing/ Shaking Container

Method:  

1.  Place Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar in shaker container.
2.  Add dash of Black Pepper.
3.  Add 1 Tablespoon Raspberry Jam or Jelly.
4.  Place cover on container.
5.  Shake, shake, shake & shake again. 
6.  Drizzle over salad.

***After adding Raspberry Jam or Jelly, shake container until Jam or Jelly is dissolved.

After dinner this Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette is stored in my fridge.  About 1/2 hour before using again, I place the salad dressing container on my counter.  It will come to room temperature.  All it needs will be a few shakes & it will blend together to be enjoyed again.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

     

Dr. Seuss Day!

It's March 2!

Happy Birthday to You,

Dr. Seuss!!!

So many times I've walked past the large bronze statues of Dr. Seuss & his friends on the grounds of the Springfield Museums in Springfield, MA.  They are a beautiful sight in the middle of this complex of museums.  Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the whimsical world of Horton the Elephant, Thing 1 & Thing 2, along with Sam- I- Am whenever they visit!  The detailed bronze statues were designed by the sculptor Lark Grey Dimond- Cates
(Theodor Seuss Geisel's step- daughter).

Dr. Seuss Sculptures
at the Springfield Museums 

The creator of these childhood favorites, Theodor Seuss Geisel, was born in Springfield, MA on March 2, 1904.  Seuss was his mother's maiden name.  This author wrote so many wonderful stories for children (of all ages) using the name Dr. Seuss!

The inspiration for his stories came from the city where he grew up- Springfield!  Theodor grew up in the Forest Park area of the city.  His dad was the Superintendent of Parks in Springfield.  A zoo was located inside the beautiful city park known to all as Forest Park.  Today many people who live outside the Springfield, MA area also recognize the name, Forest Park.  The Festival of Lights are enjoyed here every winter.

Growing up Theodor often heard the phrase, "If I ran the zoo..."  That phrase was the inspiration for the book, If I Ran the Zoo.  He did not live on Mulberry Street in Springfield, but the street is located not far from the Springfield Museums.  The Smith Museum opened in 1896 and is a fave of mine.  There are so many more stories about this storyteller from my area.

My fave Dr. Seuss story is Green Eggs and Ham!

What is your fave?  :)

Enjoy!