by Sharon | Jun 24, 2015
Rachael Ray comes through with this great snack that makes a wonderful breakfast, too.
It serves four and has great ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of chunky style peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1 cup granola with nuts and raisins — I suppose you could substitute trail mix
- 2 large bananas
- you’ll also need sticks which could be popsicle sticks or lollipop sticks or wooden skewers or even chop sticks
They’re quick and easy to make:
- Heat the peanut butter in the microwave on high for about 20 seconds to loosen it
- Stir in the honey
- The granola is lightly crushed up in a food processor to get it all blended together — you may be able to use a blender
- Peel and cut each banana in half. Insert the stick into the cut end of each banana half’
- Since you have four banana halves, spread one side of each banana on a stick with 1/4 of the peanut butter and honey mixture. Coat with the granola, gently pressing it into the peanut butter
- Although you’ll be eating this treat on a stick, serve it on a plate to collect the crumbs
If you’re serving it for breakfast, you may want to add a hard boiled egg to the plate or make an omelette or one of those breakfast sammies in an English Muffin. They’re fine alone, too.
It’s nice to have healthy snacks the whole family will enjoy.
by Sharon | Jun 23, 2015
Amazon Echo
It’s exciting news when I can announce something so incredible as Amazon Echo. It’s designed around your voice. It’s hands-free, always on and has 7 microphones with beam-forming technology.
Echo can hear you from across the room even with music and family sounds in the background. You ask and Echo responds instantly — you can ask about the weather, sports scores, news and it will play music or read an audio book to you . . . it connects to Alexa, a cloud-based voice service.
You absolutely must click the image of Amazon Echo to learn more. It will definitely blow you away.
Amazon Echo won’t be available until July 14, 2015, but you can order it now. I have several people on my gift list who will absolutely flip over this! It’s a gift that will continue giving.
You may also like:
Voice Remote for Amazon Echo; Belkin WeMo Light Switch, WiFi Enabled, Compatible with Amazon Echo; Philips 452714 9W (60-Watt) A 19 Lux Connected Home LED Starter Kit
Thanks for stopping by!
by Sharon | Jun 22, 2015
We’re officially into the summer season. I don’t know whether to celebrate or cry . . . it’s not my favorite season because it lasts so very long . . . but I must be grateful for the seasons we do get in Southern California.
It’s been much cooler today . . . another reason for me to be grateful . . .
Little Miss Diva has become much more vocal lately . . . I’ll let her guest post on this website now, it’s a risk — I have no idea what’s on her mind . . .
I have my first birthday coming up in 7 days. I’ve been inspecting all the bags Mom brings in, but nothing interesting like toys and Diva Tr
eats. Well, there was that roast beef . . . maybe Mom will surprise me with some more of that.
I think Mom might have some packages in the car she hasn’t brought in yet. I’ve been so good lately . . . well, I do bark when Mom’s working on the computer and talking on the phone . . . but I did bark at the neighbor this morning when he was working in his yard. I’m a good watch dog. I didn’t chase the cat that ran out of the hedge. Mom’s telling me to stay away from cats with a white stripe down their back . . . she called it something else, but I’m remembering the important stuff . . . I just won’t chase cats of any color.
Wow! I have a whole 7 days to be good.
It won’t be that difficult . . . I’ll just act cute and Mom will laugh and tell me what a sweet beautiful little girl I am. Yep, I do have my Mom wrapped around my little paw. Mom and I are going to be taking some “selfies” for Yvette and Diane, Yvette was my first Mom, she took good care of me ever since I was born and Diane took my picture and put them up on her website so my new Mom would see them and fall in love with me. It worked!!!
All I can really say about my new Mom is that she loves me . . . even though she took me to the vet who is a nice lady, by the way, and I had an operation and my teeth were cleaned and I got a shot in my rump. I didn’t like that shot very much, but the vet did have some tasty treats she gave me.
Mom says I’m going to the groomer this week to get all spruced up for my birthday. I don’t know about someone strange messing with my pretty fur. I wouldn’t mind the bath and a little trim, but I don’t know what Mom has in mind or what this groomer person is going to do. It is summer . . . maybe a short cut wouldn’t be too awful, but I’ll have to see . . . and if it doesn’t look good, I’ll have to beg Mom for some clothes and a hat to wear while my pretty fur grows out . . . maybe a pair of sunglasses, too. And absolutely no pictures!!!
I’m going to go play now. I have some old toys to chew on and toss around . . . then maybe a little nap . . . this guest blogging is a lot of work.
I do thank Miss Diva for her contribution on this blog post . . . she’s all tuckered out . . .
Besides little Diva’s birthday, summer brings on the thought of the 4th of July. I do love boxes I can make up for my guests filled with goodies. I found a wonderful website called Wings of Whimsy. There was just the right free printable I was looking for . . . a vintage red, white and blue triangular box. This isn’t the finished picture of it, but these boxes are included in the free printable.
You just need to Click Here for the free template.
Thanks for stopping by!
by Sharon | Jun 21, 2015
It’s hot outside and I’m giving you a recipe to make a hot meal in the oven . . . but if you do this recipe right, then you’ll have a feast for several days to come.
Remember, recipes are only a suggestion . . . you can substitute ingredients or add some of your own . . . you can make an excellent lasagna that is made to order for your family!
Green Chili and Chicken Lasagna Recipe
This recipe makes one 8 x 12 inch pan of lasagna that serves 9 to 12. Prep time is about 20 minutes and actual cooking time is approximately 40 minutes, so this is a relatively quick recipe to prepare.
You’re going to need:
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken — some have used eggplant or zucchini to make a vegetarian lasagna
- 2 cups shredded jalapeno cheese of your choice
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 15 ozs of sour cream or plain yogurt maybe even heavy cream
- 10 oz can of fire roasted green chilies
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12-16 no-boil lasagna noodles or you can use flour and/or corn tortillas dipped in green sauce instead of the noodles or eggplant or zucchini to substitute for the noodles.
I’ve really messed with this recipe . . . I hope you’ve made variations of your own as well.
All right, time to get this lasagna put together:
- Preheat the oven to 375 (F)
- In a bowl you’re going to season the shredded chicken with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Then stir in the fire roasted green chilies, salsa verde and the cup of jalapeno cheese. Combine it all together nicely.
- In the bottom of the baking dish, spread a small amount of the chili chicken mixture.
- Top with a layer of noodles or whatever you decided to use either tortilla or vegetables. Spoon or pour your sour cream or plain yogurt or even a cream of mushroom soup (which I didn’t add in the ingredients). You want to make sure this mixture is spread even into the corner edges of the pan. Then top with the shredded cheeses — mozzarella and jalapeno.
- Continue building the casserole layers, alternating between lays of noodles, green chili chicken mixture and the creamed and shredded cheeses layer.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese on the top has melted and the entire casserole is bubbling hot.
- Allow the casserole to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
I know it may have gotten confusing with the substitutions and the layering, but I’m sure you figured it out with your ingredients.
Thanks for stopping by!
by Sharon | Jun 20, 2015
I absolutely love one skillet cooking — makes for easy clean-up. Yes, I am lazy . . . but I prefer to think of it as smart.
Italian Sausage Tortellini Recipe
This recipe makes 4 servings . . . so double the recipe for a larger group . . . or just play it by ear as I do . . .
You’re going to need:
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 cups of diced onions
- 1 lb of Italian sausage — I go for the mild, but you know your family’s taste preference
- 2 or 3 minced cloves of garlic
- 3/4 cup of chicken broth
- 1 14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup regular or heavy cream
- 9 ounces of fresh or frozen tortellini
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
Now, let’s put this recipe together in a 12-inch skillet — or larger if you’re making more or just like using a larger skillet.
- Begin by heating the olive oil in your skillet over medium heat. When it gets hot, add the diced onions.
- The problem with Italian sausage is removing the casing . . . so slice it and squeeze it out of the casing. You’re going to squeeze out your sausage right into the pan over the onions.
- Break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally until the sausage is browned.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and stir until the aroma makes you swoon — that’s about half a minute.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, cream and tortellini to the skillet. Stir to combine. Increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
- Cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the tortellini is tender and heated through.
- Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the fresh spinach and stir until softened and wilted.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Now, that wasn’t so difficult. And, now you have a delicious meal your whole family with love and you won’t be spending much time in the kitchen cleaning up.
You can use whatever pasta you like or use hamburger instead of the Italian sausage or whatever meat you want to use or no meat if you prefer . . . maybe add vegetables and you’ll have a great little feast your family will enjoy.
Thanks for stopping by!
