Candleberry Cottage

Giving Thanks

2011-11-25T11:36:00.002-05:00

The weather was a perfect Autumn day, sun shining and a slight chill in the air. There was magick was in the air at our house too as I prepared the dishes for the evening Thanksgiving feast. Butternut Squash soup was a new addition this year based on a recipe from a co-worker with my own little tweaks of course. The sautéing of brussel sprouts with bacon and onion filled the kitchen as did the aroma of the cherry wood smoked turkey heating in the oven.

Through-out the day I kept reflecting on Thanksgivings past and present and thinking how excited I was to have my family all gathered together in one place. Our family is small but when we get together we can sure fill the entire house with love and laughter and that is just what we did. Taking time to be grateful for our loved ones, our homes and even the food on the table that takes much longer to prepare than it does to eat!

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

2 Tbl Butter
1 Onion, chopped fine
2 - 20 oz bags butternut squash (frozen)
5 cups chicken broth
½ tsp dried Thyme
Pinch nutmeg
1 cup fat free half and half
Salt & pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squash, broth, thyme, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the squash is tender, approx 10 minutes.
2. Puree the soup in batches if using a blender or food processor (let it cool first before doing this)
or use a hand blender right in the pot (I used my hand blender for this and worked great!)
3. Return the pureed soup to the pot. Stir in the cream. Bring to a brief simmer, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving. Sprinkle individual servings with more nutmeg or cracked pepper on top. Top with a few croutons if desired.

A Chill in the air…

2011-11-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

There is a chill in the air and it’s time to open up my collection of soup recipes once again. I love soup. Soup is one of those comforting meals that warms you from the inside out. It brings back fond childhood memories of chilly Autumn days, playing outside, kicking around the piles of dried crunchy brown and orange leaves or riding bicycles with the wind hitting your face. On those days my mom would make creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. On the table there would still be evidence of Halloween candy collected the week before and we’d start to decorate the windows for Thanksgiving with Pilgrims, turkeys and Indian corn cardboard cut-outs.

One of my favorite soups in recent years is Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup, a taste of Autumn in a bowl. Here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy it.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 large carrot, shredded

• 1 celery rib, chopped

• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 8 cups chicken broth

• 3 cups cooked wild rice (quick cooking wild rice works great)

• 1 1/2 cups cubed or shredded leftover cooked chicken or turkey

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1 cup evaporated milk

• 1/4 cup minced chives

Directions

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms in butter until tender.

Stir in flour until well blended and cook for a minute to take out the flour taste.

Gradually add in the chicken broth. Stir in the rice, chicken, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in milk and heat through.

Serve with a side of crusty sour-dough bread.

Serves 6-8 hearty appetites

Welcome October!

2011-10-02T11:11:00.001-04:00

Fall is officially here and so is the month of October. Apples and pumpkins everywhere, my favorite season. Friday a dear friend gave me two small loaves of bread from a restaurnt she frequents. I was thinking what I should do with them, there was already plenty of bread in the house. I could make bread crumb or croutons but that didn't interest me. So I decided to make bread pudding. A dessert my mother made while I was growing up and I have made from time to time over the years but it had been a while.

So here is official scoop on bread pudding...

"Food historians trace the history of bread pudding to the early 11th and 12th centuries, as frugal cooks looked for ways to use stale, leftover bread instead of letting it go to waste. While bread pudding is still a way to use up leftover bread, it has gained a reputation as a comfort food and is a featured dessert item in trendy establishments, having shed its humble roots...."

Bread Pudding

6-8 slices day-old bread

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

3/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Break bread into pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Note - The dish I made yesterday (photo) was 1 1/2 times the recipe to use up all the bread she gave me. Doubling the recipe would have been too much.

Autumn is Here!

2011-09-25T09:52:00.003-04:00

Welcome Autumn – Magickal Mabon

I know I didn’t post all summer. I wanted to but somehow just couldn’t make the time and also had a bit of writer’s block, just didn’t have much to say or share. Autumn is now here and I know as the cooler days come along I will be more inspired.

Mabon was magickal, by husband was blessed with finding a new job after over a year of being unemployed. It couldn’t have come at a better time.

Right now the days are somewhat cooler but very humid with on again off again rain just like a good part of the summer here on the east coast. I don’t handle muggy weather very well. So, I decided to kick off the season with a fall comfort food meal, Autumn Shepherd’s Pie. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Autumn Shepherd’s Pie

Meat Filling:

2 lbs lean ground beef or ground turkey

1 large onion finely chopped

1 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots & grean beans)

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup beef broth

1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning (Increase the amount if you are using chopped fresh herbs)

1 tsp dried parsley

Potato Topping:

5-6 large potatoes (or sweet potato if you prefer) peeled and cut into chunks

2 (or to taste) tablespoons butter

1/4 - 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half (more if potatoes are too thick)

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1-1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a large pot, boil the potatoes until tender. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place beef in a large skillet. Cook, stirring until meat has browned and is cooked though.

Add the onions, and garlic. Continue cooking about 10 minutes or until onions have softened.

Stir in flour, beef broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and herbs. Simmer about 25- 30 minutes until thickened.

Drain the potatoes, mash then add butter, milk, beaten egg, parsley salt and pepper. Continue mashing until potatoes are creamy and smooth, add more milk as necessary. Set aside.

When the meat mixture is done cooking, transfer to an oven safe 9 x 13 baking dish or lasagna size pan. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat mixture and spread the potatoes so that no meat mixture is visible. Top with shredded cheddar cheese (as much as you like, this is optional).

Place in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown.

Hooray, Spring finally arrived!!

2011-04-16T09:34:00.002-04:00

Spring has finally arrived after what seemed to be the longest winter ever. The snow started on December 26th and lasted all winter long. We never saw the ground again until the rain finally came and then still some more hints of snow but nothing unbearable. We aren't having too many Spring like days yet. Mother Nature is still teasing us with a warm day here and there and then more gray cloudy days and rain. But I was busy in the kitchen and busy with my needlework. So here is a peek of a few things and some recipes to share.

French Onion Soup

I can eat this soup any season of the year. Here is the recipe for the one I made.

French Onion Soup

4 large yellow or Vidalia onions, sliced

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

2 quarts beef broth

1/2 cup brandy (optional)

1 French baguette, sliced and toasted

Gruyere and Emmenthal cheese as desired

Instructions

Slice 4 large yellow onions, using a tight thin slice. In a large Dutch add enough olive oil to coat the pan and then add the onions. Cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, until they're tender and golden. Stir often.

Add the brandy if desired and let the alcohol burn off.

Add sugar and beef broth, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into a bowl. Place a slice of baguette on top. Cover with shredded Gruyere and place slices of Emmenthal over that.

Place the bowls on a baking pan and broil until the cheese is melted.

Beef Pasties

These wonderful pocket sandwiches were so yummy on a cold night.

Beef Potpie Pasties

This is a great dish to use up left over vegetables or sliced cooked potato.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 lb lean ground beef

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1/2 cup beef stock

• 1/2 cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables like peas & carrots

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• Salt and pepper

• 1 package (2 pieces) prepared piecrust

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Serve this dish with a green salad.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the beef stock, peas and Worcestershire sauce. Return the meat to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens and the peas heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat. Cool the meat.

3. Unroll the piecrusts and halve them. Divide the cooled meat among the 4 piecrust pieces, placing a mound on 1 side of each piece and leaving a small border. Brush the edges of each piecrust piece with some of the egg. Fold the pastry over to enclose the filling, pressing down on the edges; crimp with a fork. Brush the tops of the dough with more of the egg and transfer the pies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden-brown, about 10 minutes.

Irish Soda Bread

Finally found a recipe that is fantastic! Moist and delicious not dry and crumbly.

Wild Irish Rose’s Irish Soda Bread

•Prep Time: 20 mins

•Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

•Serves: 16, Yield: 1 9 inch bread

Ingredients

•3 1/2 cups flour

•1/2 cup sugar

•1/2 teaspoon baking soda

•2 teaspoons baking powder

•1 teaspoon salt

•1 pint sour cream

•2 eggs

•2 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional)

•3/4 cup raisins

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl beat eggs and stir in sour cream.

3. Add the egg and sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.

4. Batter will be very thick.

5. Add the raisins and caraway seeds and stir well with wooden spoon or knead in with your hands.

6. Place batter in a greased 9 inch spring form pan.

7. Dust the top with enough flour so that you can pat the batter like a bread dough evenly in the pan without it sticking to your hands.

8. With a knife make a shallow crisscross on the top.

9. Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350ºF oven.

Needlework

A peek at my knit and crochet projects over the past season and into the next. Some completed and given as gifts and a few still in the works.

Lip Balm holders

Mug Rugs

Spa cloths - one knitted with scented soap for a gift the other in crochet

Afghan project – work in progress

Fingerless glove wrist warmers, no photo

Crochet Town & Country Capelet – nearly finished, photo when it's done.

Knitted Shawl - in progress, it may take a while because I only work on it during my lunch break at work.

I am getting started making some charity pet blankets for the Snuggles Project. I my be slow but I’ll get a few done this Spring. Thank you Ravelry for having this information. If you want more information here is the website.

The Snuggles Project
Have a great Spring and I hope to getting back to posting again. I’ve paired down a lot of things in my life as best I could and trying to make better use of my time. I’ve taken on major decluttering at home. When you have lived in a house for over 25 years you accumulate more than you realize. It’s really a great feeling once an area is cleaned and the excess gotten rid of. I have a long way to go but made great progress in many spaces of piles and stacks.

Where has the year gone?

2011-01-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

Well, it’s been nearly a year since I posted to my blog, doesn’t seem that much time has passed. I blame most of it on my taking on more than I have hours in the day sometimes, but the past year has been one of giving far too many hours to my job as I am learning new things and creating a new career after 35 years. I’ve realized that yes even at my age learning is possible but just not nearly as easy as I could when I was younger.

But enough said on that and let’s see if I can re-cap some of the highlights of the past year. Brian found work only to have been cut back after several months. The job market has been slim. My over time has been very helpful in this department.

Both of our girls are happily married and making careers for themselves. Our son is still living home but I sometimes hear plans of him making plans with his girlfriend, but nothing definite yet.

My fur babies are doing well. Xena, Belle, Ming and Dodger are living the good life or so they thought until last August when we introduced a kitten back into the family. It had been several years since our last cat who lived I might add to a very ripe old age of about 21. So they were less than pleased seeing this little ball of fur getting attention and food and a litter pan and all the essentials that go with kitty ownership. Her name is Isis. Of course it had to be a magickal kind of name. Isis is a rescue kitty and mostly gray with a blend of orange in her coat. Well, needless to say once the dogs got over their curiousness they were OK with Isis and over the next several months Isis showed them that she would not be intimidated one bit by them and would challenge them at every turn. Then low and behold in October I heard about a Himalayan cat that was rescued and they were looking for a nice home for him. I wasn’t so sure I even wanted another cat but when I saw his picture and went to visit him I just knew not only that I had to take him home but I knew Brian would just love him as he had the kind of quietness and Zen like personality that Brian would love. So I brought him home with the help of my son and made provisions for two cats. It took several days to name him but we finally named him Maestro and it suits him very well. The dogs have adapted to their new feline “siblings” but every once in a while a chase around the house will begin but it usually ends quickly where Maestro will retreat to my bed or a chair where the dogs can’t get to him and Isis usually doesn’t back down until she is bored with the incident.

Nothing much on the magickal front other then I went to the L.I. Witch’s Festival in October. Found some wonderful oils from my favorite kitchen witch Dawn at Cucina Aurora. Also found a sweet little Anime style witch sitting on a crystal ball that was too cute to pass on. The holidays were rather quiet and spent them at our daughter’s house. Very nice to see us all together as we are all pulled in different directions these days.

So here I am January 2011, another birthday just a few months away and seeing changes happening to our family and friends. Sometimes is get rather quiet, almost too quiet. I need to see how I can breathe some new life into this sometimes rather dull/mundane existence of mine. Any suggestions?

Isis

Maestro

"An Old Fashioned Winter"

2010-02-28T11:47:00.004-05:00

That's what the weatherman had called it the other day. Yes, one of those winter's where you no sooner start to see the pavement and the lawn and you get another storm to cover it over again. I don't mind snow as long as I don't have to drive to work, but it isn't that often I get that lucky.
So where have I been over the last month or so? Just caught up in the everyday groove of life, work, eat and sleep. I was however pretty sick for two weeks with a cold and upper respiratory infection that kicked me down hard. I don't think I've ever felt so sick like I was this time. I even had "Pink Eye"! Yech! But I am feeling well again, and back in the swing of working extra hours and falling asleep at the computer at night from eye fatigue. OK enough of my whining. On a positive note, the Food Network is back on cable TV.

On to the more creative side of me. During the month of January I made a pull over hat with my new loom, had hoped to make the matching scarf when the "Pink Eye" hit. So being I didn't feel like learning anything new I started a crochet shawl in a seafoam green color with a cotton yarn I had. I'm about 3/4 completed. Hope to post it in the next few weeks.
As for cooking, I haven't made anything out of the ordinary. I'll add a few recipes I am using for today's dinner that are tried and true. Perfectly cooked roast beef and old fashioned scalloped potatoes. Those creamy bubbly potatoes that your mom or grandmom made, the recipe is that old.
Let me know what you think if you try either recipe.

Perfectly Cooked Roast Beef

I love my roast beef med-rare, and this is how I do it.

IMPORTANT: Take your roast out of the fridge, and let it set to get it to room temp!

If you like really rare bake for 13 mins. at 500. If you like your roast beef cooked medium, put in for 18 mins. at 500. If you like it well done, then just burn the darn thing LOL!! What's nice about this recipe is, if someone likes it done a little more, please keep in mind that the end pieces will be done a little more.

Keep in mind this cooking time is for a 4 lb. roast only, so adjust your time in the oven according to the size of your roast!

SERVES 4 -6

4 lbs roast beef, tenderloin, tip, eye round, bottom round, rump, any you like (you can use any size roast, just adjust the sitting time in the oven 15 mins. per lb.)

1 onion, cut into thin rings

garlic powder to taste

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Wait for a few minutes before you put your roast in, so it gets as hot as possible.

2. Put the roast in a shallow pan.

3. Cut onion into thin rings, and put all over the top and sides of the roast using toothpicks if necessary. I sit a few slices on the bottom of my roast too.

4. Sprinkle roast generously with garlic powder, or to your liking. DO NOT SALT roast, or you will dry it out.

5. Put roast in the oven on the middle rack.

6. Bake at 500 degrees for 15 minutes, then shut off oven, and let sit in the oven for 15 minutes per lb. (For this 4 lb. roast, 1 hr.). DO NOT under any circumstances open the oven door! VERY IMPORTANT!

7. After you bake your roast the 15 minutes per lb., take it out of the oven, and let sit for 15 minutes, to allow juices to distribute in the roast.

Scalloped Potatoes

The Fannie Farmer's Scalloped Potatoes recipe that your grandmother made that was so famous and delicious.

SERVES 4

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
2. Butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole.
3. Cover the bottom of the casserole with a single layer of potatoes.
4. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, flour and a few dots of butter.
5. Repeat until all of the potato slices are used.
6. Pour milk over the potato slices until the top is almost covered.
7. Dot with the remaining butter.
8. Bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft.

Sunday's are usually busy at my house so I'll end here and then just throw in a few photos.

Keep warm and dry and think Spring!

Happy New Year 2010!!

2010-01-02T09:42:00.004-05:00

WOW! - Another year and another decade has passed all to quickly. I wish everyone many blessings of abundunce and good health in the coming year.

If there is one thing that did not make the new year start off right was that Cablevision dropped the Food Network and HGTV in the New York area. My two favorite channels. I watch only a minimal amount of TV and those are where I do most of my viewing. How dissapointing that Cablevision does not see it fit to compensate Scripps Network fairly. I pay for dozens of channels that I never watch or care to watch and have no say in the matter. We are not allowed to choose our preferences ala carte for basic service, yet they just go and pull crap like this.

Well, I do have a say. Cablevision and my household will no longer be doing business in the future if this issue is not resolved in the next several days. Then, maybe even then I may switch over to another company anyway. Not that the other company would be any better but if they are offering what I enjoy I'm there. I want what I want and I have a voice no mattr how small it is.

So I have a nice long weekend to accomplish stuff as long as I don't spend hours on the computer. I have some clean up to do in my craft space as my new Knifty Knitter looms started to arrive, now I'm just waiting for the books to get here. Maybe today if I'm lucky.

So have a great day and I'll catch up with everyone soon.

Without obligation ...

2009-12-30T19:12:00.002-05:00

Click on the graphic to read this Blog post. It was written for those of us who just don't seem to be keeping up with the rest of the crowd whether it be knitting, crocheting, looming or just about anything we do for enjoyment.

Christmas Day 2009

2009-12-26T16:28:00.008-05:00

Merry Christmas! I was feeling much better on Christmas Day and I proceeded with my plans for dinner and an enjoyable evening. I was able to give my daughters each a homemade gift along with the usual presents. Michelle a boa like scarf that I knitted and Corey a pair of crochet wrist warmers. Hope they like them.

Everyone pitched in to cook this year so we had a very full menu. I made Party Roasted Shrimp, Toscano Soup (my version of the one from Olive Garden) for my soup and salad bar on the kitchen counter and Brian made his famous Cranberry Roast Pork. Michelle made Shepherd's Pie and a Crab Dip, Corey made her famous Chicken Divan. So we were pretty much covered with at least one dish someone could enjoy if they didn't like any of the others. We had a fun family gathering but it ended all too fast. Now to spend the rest of the weekend having some downtime with my hubby and puppies before getting on with another week.

Toscano Soup

This is a mild spicy soup that is perfect on a cold day. This is my take on the soup served at Olive Garden which I love. Instead of kale I use escarole or spinach as a preference for my family.
It’s so easy to make and makes a very large pot to feed a crowd. Cut the recipe in half if not so much soup is desired.

3 large 32 oz cartons of chicken broth
3 pounds Italian sausage browned and broken up
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes diced into cubes, not too large or too small.
2 bunches fresh escarole or spinach (about 8 cups), sliced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh garlic

Fry sausage in pan, set aside.
In a large pot, bring broth, cream, salt, pepper flakes and garlic to a boil.
Add sliced escarole and potatoes and add to the broth.
Simmer for hour. Adjust any seasoning if needed.

Cranberry Roast Pork

This dish is often called Cranberry Piggy at our house. We usually double the sauce ingredients because we like extra sauce for the table.

4 lbs pork roast
salt & pepper to taste
1 can (16 oz.) whole sweetened cranberries
1/4 cup peeled and chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and ginger

Rub the roast with salt and pepper, and place on a rack in a baking pan. Roast at 325 deg. for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until an inserted meat thermometer registers 175 deg.
In the mean time, combine all the remaining ingredients in a stainless-steel saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Halfway through the roasting process, begin basting the roast every 15 minutes with the cranberry mixture. The remaining sauce can be served on the side with the thinly sliced pork. Serve along with Wild Rice with mushrooms and onions for a wonderful meal.

2009-12-26T16:18:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve 2009 – Looking back over the year…

It takes lots of planning, cooking and cleaning until you get to the holiday season. First Samhain, then Thanksgiving and following quickly by Yule, Christmas and the New Year. Looking back over this past year it was filled with quite a few events. Our daughter Michelle was married in a destination wedding in Jamaica and Brian and I followed that with a fun vacation at Disney World. The only down side to that was it was brutally hot. By midsummer I changed positions at work doing something a bit more gratifying, only to have my husband lose his job a few weeks later.
But we pursued on in our usual manner celebrating the fall holidays and before you knew it was the Christmas season.
The best news is Brian was called back by his old company for an open tech position for a school district. After two interviews on Tuesday the 22nd he was awarded the job and will start on Jan 4th, 2010, a terrific present. We celebrated Wednesday with Asti and sushi.
This year Christmas Eve would be different for us, we would just be spending it with just the two of us, something we have never done before. With this ever changing world of jobs and extended family obligations the kids wouldn’t be home. We both have siblings we aren’t very close with and both our parents have passed on. So it’s just us and our kids and their significant others and they would be here for Christmas Day. Guess this is what happens as we grow older and our family changes. We planned a quiet fun evening but it had one down side. I wasn’t feeling too well, woke up with a sick sour stomach. Was it the sushi from the night before? We got it from our favorite place, never had bad sushi from there before. Mmmmm… guess I’ll never know.
So I pushed through the day stomach gurgling and all that went with it and luckily had planned an easy fix dinner.

Jumbo Baked Diver Scallops
Chicken Marsala
Rice Pilaf
Spinach

I prepared dinner and we had recorded A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart the night before so we would be watching that. Brian set up our snack trays and we had dinner in the living room and watched the movie. I ate very little and kept dosing off because of the uncomfortable feeling in my digestive tract. Yech!
A short while after the movie we headed to bed rather early, I used a bit of Reiki on myself and fell asleep. Next thing I knew it was Christmas morning and I was feeling a lot better, “the spirits had done it all in one night”!

Jumbo Baked Diver Scallops

Lightly breaded jumbo diver sea-scallops, baked in a terrific lemon garlic butter sauce.
Delicious served with a crisp green salad and pasta or French bread, -or- may be served as an appetizer.

35 min 15 min prep
SERVES 4

• 2 lbs jumbo deep sea scallops (diver's scallops)
• 1/2 cup fresh butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon white wine (optional)
• 3/4 cup fine plain breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 fresh lemon, quartered
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the butter and garlic (and the white wine, if using) into an oven proof baking dish (I use a pyrex pie plate).
3. Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until butter is melted (or, you may place the dish of butter into the hot oven for a few minutes, until butter melts).
4. Rinse scallops well under cold water. Arrange rinsed scallops (no need to dry them) in the dish of melted butter. Turn them so the butter coats both sides.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, parsley and lemon zest. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over scallops.
6. Squeeze the juice of one lemon quarter evenly over the scallops.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.
8. To Serve:.
9. Serve with additional fresh lemon wedges at the table.
10. A delicious meal served with a crisp green salad and pasta or French bread, plus a glass of white wine! Or, may be served as an appetizer.

Easiest Chicken Marsala (Make the Night Before)

1¼ hours 30 min prep
SERVES 8

• 8 chicken breasts, pounded thin
• Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 lb mushroom, sliced
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
• 14 ounces marsala wine (use broth can)
• 1 egg

1. Scramble egg in small bowl.
2. Dip chicken breasts into egg and dredge into bread crumbs on both sides.
3. Sauté breasts in a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan; set aside.
4. Sauté mushrooms and garlic in a small amount of olive oil.
5. Add broth and wine and bring to a boil.
6. Lay chicken breasts side by side in baking dish.
7. Pour mushrooms and wine sauce over chicken.
8. Marinate overnight in fridge.
9. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes uncovered until hot.
10. Serve with rice or noodles.
11. **The sauce absorbs into the chicken so you want alot of sauce to begin with.
12. Also realize the alcohol burns off during the cooking.
If you choose to have less sauce, broth and wine should be of equal proportions

A Relaxing Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-11-28T08:33:00.005-05:00

Hard to believe it's Saturday already. I've been off since Thursday. Finally catching up on much needed rest. We did lots of good cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. I gave a few new things a try. Sometimes you just need to break out of doing things the same old way. Mostly everything I made turned out delicious. Here is the run down of recipes.

Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus - Giada De Laurentis' recipe. The turkey was a beauty and delicious. The drippings in the pan made a wonderful flavorful gravy
Oven Roasted Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes - Simple and tasted good
Sausage and Bread Dressing - Usual family recipe, but served it as dressing this year instead of stuffing.
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmmsan Chese and Bread Crumbs - Giada De Laurentis' recipe - Brian saw these made on TV last week and had to have them. They were delicious and almost all gone, everyone liked them.
Orange Cranberry Sauce - Didn't turn out they way I had hoped, a bit to tart. From RecipeZaar.
90 Minute Batter Rolls - a nice recipe from 'Zaar but a bit sweet
Green Beans - Standard and yummy.
Creamed Onions - Tasted good but found some of the onions in the bag a bit large. Brian loves these with Thanksgiving dinner.
Dessert - Pumpkin Pie, along with goodies Michelle brought from the bakery and cookies Arianna brought filled with jelly.

It was nice sitting around the table talking and finally relaxing after all the cooking. The hot kitchen got me a bit cranky but I was fine afterwards once I cooled down.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday. Now onto planning Christmas. Sounds like we are planning a potluck dinner this year. No ideas yet but I'll be checking my recipes for some inspiriation.

I have some great recipes on RecipeZaar to try out. You can find me there too under the name Paintpuddles.

Easy Craft - The Love Stone

2009-11-21T09:37:00.003-05:00

I use to make and sell these years ago at craft shows. They make a nice little gift for someone special. Not sure where I got this from originally. I use to make prayer rocks the same way but have long lost the poem, hopefully one day I'll find it again.

Use pretty scrap fabric (use pinking shears around the edge) and get creative with making the card on the computer.

Love Stone

To make and pass on to a loved one for when you are
separated

The following is the poem which was printed out on pretty paper and
laminated:

Love Stone

The stone in this pouch
Bears a wonderful charm
To heal all your troubles
And to keep you safe from harm.
It is a special stone
That you can never see
The reason its so special,
Is its just for you, from me.
Whenever you are lonely
Or even feeling blue
You only have to hold it
And know I think of you.
You never should unwrap it
Please leave the bundle tied
Just hold the stone to your heart
And feel the LOVE inside.

Then you punch a hole in the top corner of the laminated paper and
put either a pretty ribbon or raffia, etc. through the hole and the
other end of the ribbon is tied around a pretty little piece of
fabric which you have wrapped around the stone of your choosing.

(Just lay the little square of fabric down and place the stone in the
middle and draw up the edges around it and twist, then tie the ribbon
around to hold secure)

Pretty Gifts to make - Sand Sachets

2009-11-21T09:27:00.002-05:00

Sand Sachets

1 cup clean sand
2 ounces paraffin wax
1 crayon - whatever color you'd like
1/2 teaspoon incense oil

Melt the wax in a double boiler or in a coffee can in a pot of water over medium/low heat until liquid. Add pieces of crayon until you get the color that you like. Add incense oil, then sand. Mix and pour into molds. Candy molds work great for these.

You can play with the ingredient amounts until you get the look that you like. Wrap in tulle and tie with a ribbon for drawer sachets. They make very nice gifts. This is another recipe that you can get creative with, adding herbs and botanicals to your hearts desire!

Homemade Gifts - Terry Rice Bags

2009-11-21T08:57:00.003-05:00

Time to think about any easy last minute gifts to make. This is one of my all time favorites.

Terry Cloth Rice Bags

These large terry cloth rice pads are just terrific for soothing all your aches and pains.
The bag measurements should be about 10 inches by 6.5 inches for maximum coverage
of your arms, neck, shoulders, knees or ankles.

Use it warm or use in the freezer for those times you need an ice bag, just chill for thirty minutes. A good idea is to make two and leave one in a plastic zip-lock bag in the freezer.

Yes, you can use it over and over again! Use with a drop of essential oil for aromatherapy.
If you give as a gift remember to add a small tag with the following instructions or something similkar.

Pop the rice pad into the microwave for a minute or two, no more than that or you will get burned.

The ones I made I mixed the rice with a bit of dried lavender. I made a over a dozen
of these for gifts during one holiday. The stories I heard after let me know
how much they were appreciated. My hubby is still using his.

Remember not to over fill with rice or the bag won’t be able to mold to your body
it will be too stiff.

There are so many ways to make the pouches but I found
stacks of terry cloth towels on sale in WalMart.
They were a nice heavy thickness and have held up wonderfully.
You don’t want to use too thin a towel.
I have a fancy sewing machine that embroiders lettering
and put each persons name on the one end to personalize.

Busy weeks and a few good meals

2009-11-21T07:53:00.003-05:00

Can't believe how the weeks are flying by and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The days at work have been full ones and learning a new job just seems to be taking forever. But in the evening once I'm home with my hubby and my fur babies I can relax and fill my evening with enjoyable things.
I'm finally working on my holiday planning and preparing my lists. As I prepare my Thanksgiving list I remind myself of how blessed I am to have a dinner to prepare and family to share it with. I won't over do the holidays this year as I sometimes often do because Brian is still out of work. The girls and I have agreed we all need to keep it simple and spending the time together to enjoy a meal and sharing time with each other is what we want most. Our busy lives seem to keep us apart more than we would like but I know we are always in each others thoughts.

I do have a few good recipes I made this week but sorry no photos :( Just way too tired and forgot.

The first recipe is one I received from a co-worker friend. I paired it up with a chicken dish and Brian and Matt loved both dishes. It was like a weeknight fiesta! Both dishes were easy to make and absolutely delicious. Matt called them amazing! If you decide to try these recipes I hope you you enjoy them!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving where ever you may be. I have some new recipes to try for Thanksgiving and hopefully I will get some photos posted soon. Keep in touch.

Creamy Spinach Enchiladas

1 pkg flour tortillas
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 TBLS butter or margarine (or PAM)
1 10 pckg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack (or 1 cup Monterrey jack, 1 cup pepper jack)
1 10oz can enchilada sauce

Remove tortillas from fridge
heat oven to 375F
In a medium sauce pan, saute onions in butter/margarine/Pam until crisp tender, add spinach. Cook until moisture is evaporated. Stirring occasionally, remove from heat. Stir in ricotta cheese, sour cream and 1 cup shredded cheese.
Warm tortillas as directed on package. Spoon approx. 1/4 cup filling down center or each tortilla, roll up. Place seam side down in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Pour sauce evenly over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly & heated through. Serve with sour cream and green onions.

Saucy Mexican Chicken

What You Need:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 small breasts or 8 boneless thighs)
1 jar (16 oz.) Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

COOK chicken in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 4 min. on each side or until browned on both sides.

ADD salsa and beans. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

TOP with cheese.
Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Suggestions: You can add onions and serve over rice. The possibilities are endless with this recipe. It's quick and easy and can be made in less than 30 min.

Blustry Day Clam Chowder

2009-11-08T13:06:00.002-05:00

Last blog for today. Just wanted to catch up with a favorite recipe I made this past week. I call this my Blustry Day Clam Chowder. Great for when those Autumn winds get kicking up. Here is my recipe.

Blustry Day Clam Chowder

This is a perfect recipe on those windy Autumn or Winter days where you want to get the chill out. It is a combination of several other recipes I found and a few tweaks here and there. I named it after one of my favorite stories, can you guess which one?

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 1/2 cups medium-diced celery
1 1/2 cups medium-diced carrots
1 1/2 cups medium-diced green pepper
4 cups peeled medium-diced boiling potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 quart (4 cups) clam juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
About 25 oz of drained canned chopped clams (the large can from Costco is perfect, just drain it) or about 3 cups chopped fresh chowder clams

Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the onions, celery, carrots, green pepper,a nd cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 more minutes.
Add the clam juice, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.
Add the milk and clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

You must try these waffles!

2009-11-08T10:34:00.004-05:00

Brian loves waffles. It had been quite a few years since our waffle iron had died, with the kids all grown we just never replaced it. So now it's Autumn and what do I find in my email one day are recipes for pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins and the like. One recipe was for pumpkin waffles, the reviews on the recipe weren't too good but OMG, that got me thinking I need a waffle iron. Not just to make those buttermilk kind but all those savory ones I've seen made on TV. I love pumpkin spice anything, to me it's the true taste of Autumn.

So Brian and I went on a hunt for a waffle iron the next weekend. We checked online and in the mall. We found you could get a waffle iron anywhere from $14 to $200. Yikes, no way could I justify spending $200 for the Cadilac of waffle irons. As for the cheep ones, well they were just that, cheap. We settled for a nice Belgium waffle iron for $50. The next morning we used the waffle recipe from the book and it made delicious waffles. They were kind of heavy and the Belgium waffles were a bit larger than we had been used to eating. We had been eating those toaster kind for far too long, but heck we liked them. The one thing I wanted was to make Pumpkin Waffles. I could almost see them, almost taste them, so I went on the great online hunt for the perfect recipe and I found it. As you can see from the photo (this was Brian's plate), these waffles were picture perfect. They were so delicious, fluffy and the recipe is a keeper. They were the perfect brunch to start off our Samhain morning.

Here is the site where you can find the recipe. I hope you make them for yourself to see how great they really are.

It is called "Ultimate Pumpkin Waffles" and the photos speak for themselves.

http://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/#comment-124

Hope you enjoy!

Where did October go?

2009-11-08T09:58:00.005-05:00

Did anyone see where October went?
Last I remember it was the beginning of Autumn and before I knew it it was Samhain! Oh gosh, the days turn into weeks much too quickly. My days at work are full and sometimes frustrating. I try to hold onto words from my wise mentors that I read to help me get through those days. Sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me. I do like my new position and it will still take some time to feel comfortable as I learn all the ins and outs of OTC labeling. Patience, a tough lesson.
One of the things I've been doing this month is some self evaluation, where I've been and where I want to be. I guess you get to thinking these kinds of things as the years pass by and the next thing you realize you are in the crone stage of life. So I hope to make some changes within myself in various areas of my life, both physically and creatively. Not that I haven't tried this before but at least I continue to try. I need to remind myself to get up, dust myself off and try again. One day it will click.
I just really need to accept who I am. I know there are those I come into contact with in my daily life that sometimes probably don't get me, but oh well. Who am I? I'm just a simple cottage witch trying to find my place where I'm most comfortable. Learn from my mistakes and just let everyone know anything I do really is from within my heart.

The Magic of Autumn

2009-09-19T09:17:00.004-04:00

Someone sent this to me a few years ago. I just love reading this and had to add it here as Autumn/Mabon is only a few days away. Not sure who the author is but thank you for your beautiful words.

The Magic of Autumn

Come with me to laugh and play while leaves of all colors dance and the wind sings of Autumn and magic."

Do you feel it, that crisp feeling in the air as the autumn winds reach out and lightly touch our senses? There's magic in the air as Mother Nature paints beautiful scenes of colors all around us.I would like to share just a few things about Autumn that I love so well.

Nights are cooler, so I pull out the blankets, hanging them out on the clothesline to freshen them in the cool breeze before placing them on each bed.

Pumpkins appear at farmers markets while baskets of apples are sold to merchants wanting to make apple butter and pies. Oh and don't forget caramel and candied apples and other treats too! Children of all ages get excited about Samhain.Halloween and All Saint's Day. so we can all pretend to be something magical and let our hearts guide us. having fun on a hay wagon, singing old tunes, laughing and telling ghostly stories. Smiling and snuggling closer to keep warm as my nose gets cold from the autumn night. Enjoying homemade popcorn balls, cookies and apple cider, mmmmmmm.

Vegetable soup and chili simmer on the stove top and the wood stove lit for the first time. I love the smell of seasoned wood burning and watching the flames dance and sparkle. it always takes me far away to another time and place where magic is afoot.

The last of the hummingbirds come and go to the feeder seemingly saying goodbye for another season. They will return in the spring when it's warmer, to bless us with their beauty and energy. The afternoon sun shines in my south window onto my crystals causing them to shine all around the room making little rainbows and dancing colors. The wind chimes sing in harmony.

I wash my favorite sweater, the one that makes me feel so comfortable, cozy and warm on the cool afternoons and chilly nights, even if it is old and worn. I sit up against a huge old oak tree and watch the leaves swirl and dance down to the ground as acorns drop on rooftops.

I can sense winters on its way, but just for now, I sit and stop everything to enjoy this moment. Soon there will be frost on the windows and you'll be able to see your breath as you walk through the trees and autumn pathways.

The mountains scream out with so many colors I feel my eyes will burst staring at them with their beauty. My breath is taken away once more. Sipping hot chocolate is sooo good in the morning, with cream on top, of course. while I watch the birds play and the deer slowly leave the garden area as they look for leftover morsels.

The crows gather there too looking like they're having a big morning meeting, discussing the days' events. Scarecrows oversee the pumpkin patch with vines going in all directions leading us to magical places. I love the feel of autumn magic and I'm happy to be reminded of the miracles of life as I watch the Seasons come and go.

I close my eyes and feel the cool air on my face and smell that special scent of Autumn and thank Spirit for sharing the magic of autumn with me once more. Whether it's Autumn or Spring in your area of the world, take time today to enjoy nature and the beauty that surrounds us. be thankful and never take anything for granted and remember we're all magical and the magic lives within us all year round.

Finished another knitting project

2009-09-19T09:05:00.002-04:00

After we had settled into the new vacation cottage last week I was able to spend some time finishing up a fun fur scarf knitting project. Now I'm hoping to move onto something else on my quest to continue to learn to knit. What should be next? Mmmm, maybe a hat. I'd love to start some socks but not sure I'm at that stage just yet. Think I'll get over to AC Moore this weekend.

Our Cottage in the Woods

2009-09-19T08:32:00.003-04:00

Life has been somewhat busy lately. Learning new things at my job since I moved over to the art department and the moving in of our new trailer on the property in Pa. It's hard to believe a week has past already since our vacation home was installed.

Moving day was rather interesting. After spending the previous night in the old trailer which was getting worse by the minute, (even the microwave gave a final pop and died when we tried to heat up dinner) we had hoped the new unit would have been delivered as promised by 9am, but they showed up four hours late - UGH!!!! We still hadn't showered (hot water tank busted in the old rig) and couldn't wait to move in. Well, the installation took all day. They told us to leave and get something to eat because they wouldn't be done until 5:00. So off to Perkins restaurant for some yummy burgers and K-Mart for essentials we needed for the new place. We got back around 4:30 and they were almost finished. They still hadn't hooked up the air conditioning yet and needed to come back this week to do that. They found a problem in our ground plumbing line and said we shouldn't use the water. What? No way! There is a small problem that will need to be addressed but we had been using the bathroom all morning in the old rig while waiting for them to arrive and I was not going to bed without a hot shower. So they left and Brian hooked up the plumbing himself, it works fine and yes we finally had a hot shower.

The new place is beautiful. The outside landscaping needs lots of TLC so we will try and take care of a bit of it before the cold weather sets in up there, then continue in the Spring.

As for cooking in the new place last weekend we had some basic meals but there is nothing as good as eggs and sausage on a cool late summer morning looking out at wild turkeys and ground critters skampering about.

Spending this weekend back home in NY but headed back up next weekend with Matt and his girlfriend. Highlight photos are posted on my facebook page.

Thirty Four years and still going strong...

2009-09-06T19:07:00.002-04:00

Today is our 34th wedding anniversary. Every year a happy one, full of love and fun. I couldn't be happier in my life.

The weather was perfect and the day was perfect. I made peach pancakes for breakfast. Brian surprised me with a funny card and a game for my DS - The new Prof. Layton and the Diabolical Box. Didn't think we were planning any gifts this year as we had just bought the new trailer home. I'll post more about the trailer next week. I didn't get him a gift but Brian did get a new hard drive for his computer earlier this week so he has lots of storage space for his games. I just want his computer to run perfect so he can be a happy camper and enjoy his games and stuff.

We went out mid afternoon figured we were going to have a late lunch at the Olive Garden but they only had a dinner menu so we ended up with dinner instead. The food was yummy as usual. I love the Zuppa Tuscana!

We then headed over to Walmart needed some things for the new trailer. The store is torn apart and they are rearranging the entire store. We were not so happy about the layout there, looks like they are trying to immitate Target. We had to walk the entire store to find the few items we needed. Didn't mind the walk after a large meal but just wanted to find what we needed. From there we took a peek in Game Stop and then Best Bargain Books, then on to home.

Think we will have a nice quiet evening at home. We have a nice get away planned to Pennsylvania next week when the trailer gets delivered and set on the property. Even the dogs are staying home next week. :)

Friday Night Fish Fry

2009-09-04T20:32:00.007-04:00

A beautiful summer evening, just Brian and I are home and to kick off the Labor Day Weekend we decided to do a homemade fried catfish sandwich with fries and cole slaw. I recently purchased a small home deep fryer for making the occasional fried dishes we enjoy from time to time. I've never owned a basket fryer before so this was exciting for us. We usually avoid fried or deep fried dishes for the obvious reasons but every so often that little voice whispers in our ears to do the "bad thing".

Brian made the cole slaw while I was at work so it was fresh and crispy and not limp and soggy like from the store. I hate store made salads these days. Then when it was time to make dinner we started to make the magick happen in the kitchen. Setting up the deep fryer, coating the catfish with a nice mix of seasonned cornmeal and flour and taking the plunge. First the fish, each piece came out perfectly golden, then we followed with the fries that were crispy and perfect.

Building the sandwiches was next. A dressing of Wasabi Mayo, fish, slice of Swiss and topped with the homemade slaw all on an artisan roll. Side of fries and presto an amazing meal was born!

Here are the recipes...

Easy Cole Slaw Recipe
10 min 10 min prep

SERVES 6

1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1.Combine all ingredients except cole slaw mix in a large bowl and combine well.

2.Add the cole slaw mix and toss to coat. 3.Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Classic Fried Catfish

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or Old Bay Seasonning (to taste)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

4 catfish fillets or whole catfish

vegetable oil

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Coat catfish with mixture, shaking off excess. Fill deep pot or 12 in. skillet half full with vegetable oil. Heat to 350°. Add catfish in single layer, and fry until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes, depending on size. Remove and drain on paper towels.

The Dish Cloth

2009-09-02T20:19:00.003-04:00

In my effort to complete projects and use up craft materials around the house, I finished a cotton dish cloth. Crocheted, very simple with some raised rows, not easy to make out in the photo though. Brian said he would rather use it as a hot mat than a dish cloth, doesn't have the heart to use it. Isn't he sweet.

Now onto some of the ideas I have for Christmas and Yule presents.

A perfect weather day...

2009-08-31T19:55:00.005-04:00

No heat, no humidity, about 72 degrees. Even the A/C at work was way too cold for me. The cold at work got me thinking of soups and casseroles and stews.

So even though it is a bit early for a comfort food kind of meal. Tonight I made up an easy chicken and bisquit casserole that is a long standing family favorite. Oh, it may not be fall yet but this meal did my heart good. Don't get me wrong, I love all of the wonderful light summer dishes I make but I think I am reaching my limit and needed an old fashioned meal to warm the tummies of my family. Surely they must have been a bit chilly today too.

Chicken and Biscuit Dumpling Casserole

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked chicken, bite size pcs

Saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, pepper until smooth. Add broth, bring to a boil, cook and stir one minute. Add chicken, pour into greased 13x9 casserole.

Biscuit Dumplings:

2 cups bisquick
2 tsp parsley
2/3 cup milk

1 large egg, beaten

Combine all, stir with fork until moistened. Drop by spoonfulls onto casserole (9-12 dumplings) Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 15 minutes more until biscuits are done. 6-8 servings.

From the weekend...

2009-08-31T19:14:00.003-04:00

Well, it was a relaxing weekend, did a bit of this and that, not much to write about.

Finally got around to getting my hair cut and colored. Played on the computer and finished the weekend by watching the second to the last episode of the second season of "True Blood".

One of the things I made on Saturday was a pot of marinara sauce from my "Carmine's Family Cookbook". Spent the money on San Marzano tomatoes and it sure was worth it. Just a plain spaghetti dish for a rainy Saturday. Here's a picture and the recipe.

CARMINE'S MARINARA SAUCE

"We use this versatile sauce in so many of our recipes that we always have it ready and waiting. You will want to, too."

3 cans (26 to 28 ounces each) Italian plum tomatoes (we use San Marzano)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic (from about 12 cloves garlic)

2 fresh basil leaves, sliced

2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Drain the tomatoes in a colander set in a large bowl for 5 minutes. Reserve the tomato liquid.In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook it, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until it is golden brown. If the garlic starts to cook too quickly, reduce the heat.Add the basil, parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook the mixture for 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, increase the heat to high, and cook them for about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon or long-handled fork to break them up, or until the tomatoes boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes break down.

Add the reserved tomato liquid. Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil it for about 12 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Stir it occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent the sauce from burning.

Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set it aside for about 1 hour or until it cools to room temperature. Transfer it to a tightly covered storage container and refrigerate it for up to 1 week or freeze it for up to 1 month.Makes about 5 cups

Thoughts on a rainy day...

2009-08-29T11:34:00.000-04:00

Starting a new blog - I have had one before and deleted it. I had a personal web site for over ten plus years and AOL deleted that - sigh :(
I've met many interesting people along this wonderful online journey of mine over the last fifteen or so years. My web site Candleberry Cottage was all about those travels, and learnings, both magickal and mundane. I loved sharing my cooking creations season by season, my crafts and homemade gifts and goodies. Photos of my life, my small herb garden and all my magikal treasures I discovered.
As life changes and as I grow older some things no longer interest me and other things have come to replace them. So here I am at age 55 thinking it is time to start a new chapter. The season will be changing very soon here in NY. Seems as the summer winds down I feel my creativity increases and reawakens and it also becomes a time of self awarenss for me.
So this blog will be my new Candlberry Cottage, where I will continue to share bits of me, who I am and what I love to do. It won't be the same as the old website but like I said, times change, people change and sometimes you can't recreate the same magick some things once had. I will add some of the old and a sprinkle of new whenever I can.