Baked Seafood Casserole

Baked Seafood Casserole
(File Photo)

New Year's Eve is now in my thoughts!  Soon it will be 2020!  It also had me thinking- what will we be enjoying for dinner that night???  I've been paying attention to what you, my friends, have been reading on my foodie blog, lately.  I now have the answer!  Baked Seafood Casserole!  The delicious seafood dinner that is baked in individual casserole dishes.  That seafood dinner that is oh so easy to prepare and tastes so good!

Ready to enjoy!
(File Photo)

Just imagine- holding your fork and digging into the bubbling topping!  Reaching in for a small piece of seafood.  Maybe part of the baked Haddock.  Or maybe a baked Shrimp!  Or just maybe part of a baked Scallop!  It is definitely a great entree for a special evening.  If you have company and they enjoy seafood, they will certainly enjoy this.

It's a dinner that I bake during the colder months of the year, because it requires 45 minutes in the oven.  While it's baking I work on the Rice side dish and also a salad.

Click here for my recipe!  Place the ingredients on your grocery list!  Baked Seafood Casserole is delicious! 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

        

~Memories~

Memories are some of the sweet things in life!  Both of these ornaments on our Christmas tree bring back so many FuN memories!  Rudolph was always on my family's tree when I was a child.  The ceramic angel is a great addition from the ceramics class I took years ago.

I wish all of you who celebrate a- very 

Merry Christmas!!!

 
Enjoy!

Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!

It's a great time of year to bake Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!  Those yummy cookies that are in the shapes of stars, trees, bells and maybe reindeer.  For our family it would not be the Christmas season if I did not bake these cookies during the holidays!  There is a little nutmeg, here.  It has been my favorite sugar cookie recipe for- well, so many years.  The cookies are that good!

They are made in 2 steps!
On day 1 the dough is prepared using a mixer.  Then, it is wrapped in plastic wrap.  Then I wrap it in foil.  Into the fridge it goes overnight. 

The next day- day 2, the FuN begins.  The rolling pin, cookie cutters, colored sprinkles and cookie pans are set on the kitchen counters and table.  It's time to roll out the dough and use the selected cookie cutters.  I usually place about 12 cut out cookies in the cookie pan to bake.  Don't forget the sprinkles!  When the cookies are finished baking, the bottoms of the cookies will be a very light tan.  Then, they are removed from the cookie pan and cooled on a rack.  This is a great time to do a "taste test"!  An hour later, too.     

After the cookies are cool, they can be packaged and placed in the freezer until you are ready to share them!  That is an extra plus!  When the busy holiday arrives, defrost the cookies and they are ready.  Remember to save some to enjoy, now!

My Best Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are now in our freezer.  The end of last week was my opportunity to bake them.  Here is the recipe!

***You do not need to wait to bake them only at this time of year!  Packaged Heart and Bell shaped cookies were included in the "Welcome Bags" for out of town wedding guests when our younger son and daughter- in- law were married.  The sprinkles were the colors they selected for their wedding.  What a great surprise for so many of their guests!!

"Welcome Bag" Cookies
(File Photo)

Add sour cream to your grocery list.  I'm sure you already have the nutmeg.  You will be able to bake a batch of them to be enjoyed for the upcoming holiday!  They are that good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

    

Storrowton Village Museum

Gilbert House

This is a great time of year to visit the Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, MA!  Anytime I can step into a museum, it's a great day!  Sunday, we drove over the river (Connecticut River) to West Springfield.  The buildings were relocated to this location by Helen Storrow.

A Little History!

At this time of year visitors are able to visit during Yuletide.  The weekend event was open to the public, free of charge.  Visitors of all ages enjoyed walking around and into the old buildings.  It's always a treat to visit the schoolhouse.

Stopping in to the Schoolhouse

The School Master answered so many of our questions.  He also gave us a quiz!

Union Meetinghouse in the background

 

 

Strolling on the grounds is always great, but after our recent snowfall it looked even more beautiful!  It's always a treat to view how the area garden clubs have decorated the houses and also the Meetinghouse. 

On the steps
of the Meetinghouse

 

 

A basket of fruit
inside the Gilbert House

 

 

The clove studded oranges look festive along with the apples, lemons and the welcoming pineapple!

A beautiful tree
in front of Storrowton Tavern

 

 

It was definitely a great visit!  What a treat to go during Yuletide!

We enjoyed it!

    

Winter Has Arrived!

December 2019

Thanksgiving Day and the weekend were great!  We all knew that snow was in the weather forecast later in the weekend, so refrigerators were stocked with milk and for us, orange juice.  An extra loaf of bread was purchased, too.  The snowflakes did begin to fall.  The holiday vacation from schools was extended to Monday with a Snow Day.  Today is Tuesday and it's another Snow Day!  Winter has arrived!

About 17" of snow was the result of the long lasting snowstorm.  Snowblowers have been working in our neighborhood and the streets are plowed.  This afternoon it does look like suddenly the season changed.

December 2019

 It is New England and the seasons can change quickly!

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Saying Grace"
Norman Rockwell
1951
The Saturday Evening Post Thanksgiving Cover

information compliments
of the Norman Rockwell Museum

Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artists.  We are due to take a "road trip" back to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA.  With each visit we always refresh our memories and view more of his beautiful works of art.

"Saying Grace" is so interesting and it has so many details!  A grandmother and a boy are giving thanks before eating in a crowded restaurant.  The other customers are watching them with 2 others sharing their table.  Outside the restaurant we can see a train.  What a great painting to remember this Thanksgiving Day weekend! 

Happy Thanksgiving!!    

Enjoy!

~Butternut Squash Bread~

Butternut Squash Bread

Butternut Squash is a favorite vegetable with my family!!  Every year we purchase a carton (bushel) of this orange veggie.  The project in late October/ early November is to steam it and then package it up for the freezer.  So, it is not surprising that I substitute Butternut Squash for pumpkin in recipes all the time.  Butternut Squash Bread is definitely one of my family's favorite quick breads to enjoy during the Thanksgiving Day weekend.  It is a very easy recipe!

While prepping the bushel of squash last week, I had saved 2 Cups of the veggie to bake 2 breads.  You may be thinking - why do this all in one weekend?  Well, it seems that this autumn just zipped by on us.  The squash was in our garage and suddenly our overnight temperatures were frigid.  We did not want to lose the squash, so it became one very busy weekend!  Now, we can enjoy this veggie until we have no more.  It is mashed and ready to be defrosted/ reheated.

Since the Butternut Squash was fresh, I baked 2 breads.  One, we enjoyed in the next few days and the other is now in our freezer- for Thanksgiving Day.  That is another good thing about this recipe- it can be baked early and frozen.  It is easy to defrost it and the taste is just great!

This recipe uses Egg Whites and Olive Oil.  The result is a very light delicious bread.

The recipe is here!  You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry!  Steaming the Butternut Squash is also easy.

This is definitely a "try it, your family will like it" recipe!

Enjoy!
Yummy!