~Freezing Green Pepper Strips~

Green Pepper Strips and Chunks
ready for the freezer

It was raining outside today, so it was perfect timing to prep the "buy local" Green Peppers for the freezer! They were purchased 3 days ago and just waiting in the fridge for me to get started. It's always great to take a small bag of previously washed/ cut pepper strips out of the larger freezer bag whenever I need them as an ingredient for prepping dinner.

It is also very easy to prep this fresh veggie. Click here for my instructions!  

They come in very handy in the cold winter months!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Top 3 Recipes of 2023

As the year 2023 comes to a close I was viewing the recipes that you, my readers, have continually returned to.  They are foods that are continually in my cooking rotation!  My family also put them in our list of "family favorites".  I have also learned that the recipes are sought after any season of the year!  Rather than list them all, the Top 3 are listed below.  

Click on the name of the recipe to view the directions. 

Top 3 Recipes of 2023

The Baked Seafood Casserole is an entree for a special occasion.  It is delicious!

The Best Ever Irish Soda Bread recipe is sought after especially during the month of March.  At that time so many of us will be baking an Irish Soda Bread or two or three.  Filled with raisins, a slice or half slice is enjoyed at breakfast. 
***Note- Irish heritage is not needed to bake nor enjoy this bread!

A slice of the CranOrange Coffee Cake is a great dessert.  I serve a slice with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.  So yummy!  

These are some of my favorite things!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

   

I wish you
a Happy
and a Healthy New Year!!!

Freezing Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash
(File Photo)

The bushel of Butternut Squash is in our garage w-a-i-t-i-n-g (similar to the bushel that was in our garage last year in October that is pictured above).  Waiting for what you may be thinking.  Waiting for me to get busy and begin prepping this delicious veggie for our freezer!  We always purchase a bushel.  Usually during the month of October, working with a few at a time the Butternut Squash are cleaned/ cut into chunks and steamed, so the chunks can be mashed.  The next step is to place the mashed squash into freezer bags.  After labeling/  dating each bag, into our freezer the bags go.  What a great veggie to enjoy not only now and at Thanksgiving but for months to come!

Butternut Squash ready for the freezer.
(File Photo)

I did say usually I am working on this during the month of October.  Well, I have not been as quick about it this year.  It is time to get busy!  

We enjoy mashed Butternut Squash served at dinner and I also substitute this veggie for pumpkin when baking in so many recipes.  Taking a bag out of the freezer and defrosting overnight in the fridge comes in handy!  If we are having this veggie as a side dish for dinner, I place the frozen veggie (taken out of the bag, first) in a microwave safe baking dish, venting the cover and defrost/ heat in my microwave.  I use my CorningWare.  No butter/ margarine nor sugar is added nor needed before placing the steaming veggie on the dinner table.   

Do you freeze Butternut Squash?  It is so delicious!   

Click here for my complete instructions that are included in this post that I wrote in 2014. 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

    

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

These days living our daily lives dealing with COVID- 19, grocery shopping has become a planned activity.  There's no more making a short list and popping in to your favorite grocery store.  It's much easier to purchase ingredients that will be used in meals that we can enjoy for 8- 10 days.  The pound of Haddock that's purchased is prepared and enjoyed that night, like usual.  However, there are no longer 3 items on our grocery list.  It has become a larger list!  So, a slightly larger amount of chicken can be purchased, then grilled or baked.  There are easy meals to prepare and to enjoy with those extra slices of chicken the next night.  I talking Chicken Enchiladas!  Packaged Tortillas and Salsa need to be added to your grocery list if you are planning on enjoying this dinner one night, soon!

It's easy to prepare because the chicken has already been cooked!  The extra slices are cut into small pieces and mixed with sour cream, shredded cheese and a few other ingredients.  A small amount is placed on each tortilla before wrapping and placing into a baking dish.  About 30 minutes later Chicken Enchiladas will be ready for dinner.

Yes, I have written complete directions for this recipe before and it can be found here.

Last night we enjoyed them.  It sure was a quick and easy dinner to prepare!  Add tortillas and salsa to your grocery list whenever you will be baking/ grilling chicken.  A few slices of the chicken is key to another delicious dinner!  Leftovers?  Oh, no!  Those extra slices are the main ingredient to a very delicious dinner.  

Enjoy!
Yummy!

  
        

Spice Facts

So often when I am baking the aromas of Cinnamon and of Nutmeg float from my kitchen to the other rooms in my home.  In desserts or in warm cereals when the weather is chilly, these are two of the spices that I often use.  Now, my Spice Rack contains mostly McCormick containers of savory fragrant useful baking ingredients.
 

History and facts are two fascinating areas for me.  This past weekend I stopped in and browsed through McCormick's website.  With a click here and a click there I learned more about the spices that I have been using for many years.  :)

On the back of my kitchen door hangs a double sided Durkee laminated chart that has always given me quick info about what herbs and spices would work well with various foods.
   

The printed charts are no longer mailed as incentives to cooks.  Mine is still used and is probably 30+ years young.  It's been a part of my kitchen for a loong time.  However, it's great to visit a website with the History & Facts!   

Now, I'd best get back to the K2, P2 ribbed hat that I've started knitting - for a gift.  Tomorrow the oven will be heated.  :)

         

Cooking Up A Storm

For me the expression “Cooking Up A Storm” does not always mean that my oven, my refrigerator or my herbs will be used. Yesterday afternoon a section of my dining room table was covered with colorful silk flowers along with a copper container and wire cutters. A day earlier my hubby had glued green foam into the bottom of the copper container. It would be the base for a silk flower arrangement gift that I was making for friends.

Making floral arrangements is a relaxing hobby. After sniping the stem of the first flower to the desired height, the stem is inserted into the center of the foam. Then, another floral stem is cut and put in place - sticking out of the end of the foam and side of the container. Another flower is placed on the other side. After that … desired colors and varieties of silk flowers are added. No green foam will be visible when the arrangement is completed. While listening to a Billy Joel CD, colorful sprigs were carefully cut and pushed into the foam. One here, another there… Before I knew it I was finished.

An advertised sale at Michael’s is as sweet as using coupons in the grocery store! Two weeks earlier I was able to purchase my silk flower supply for this project at a 50% discount.

This morning the finished product was sitting on my counter. Do you enjoy making silk flower arrangements? Other than using your oven, how do you enjoy “cooking up a storm”?