Banana Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

I cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup butter

1 egg

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3)

1 3/4 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

 

Directions

In a bowl combine the first 6 ingredients; beat in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, bananas and oats; mix well . Stir in cranberries and walnuts.

Drop by generous teaspoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

 

I baked cookies for the first time in at least 25 years. These were definitely worth waiting for. They’re just as good after they are a couple days old as they are hot from the oven.

Of course they also freeze well if you have any left to freeze!

Simply Delicious Super Simple Dip For The Super Bowl

I received an email from my son this morning asking for this recipe.

It has been a hit every time I serve it and it is one my friends request I make.

Ingredients:

1 – 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach

1 – 10 ounce can Rotel ORIGINAL Tomatoes

1 – 16 ounce package Velveeta

One bag Scoops chips – to dip

Put unwrapped package of frozen spinach on a plate and microware 5 minutes to cook.

Unwrap and place in strainer. Squeeze out all the water. (I use my clean hands to do a good job of this)

Drain Rotel tomatoes.

Cut Velveeta in approximately 1 inch cubes.

Put these 3 ingredients in fondue pot (or other similar vessel) and cook until cheese melts.

Watch and stir so it doesn’t burn.

When cheese is melted it is ready to serve.

Decrease heat to a warm setting to keep it at serving temperature.

I find the easiest way to serve it is to put a spoon in the pot and let people take out as much as they want and put in on their plate.

Each person can then scoop up as much as they want from their plate with Scoops chips.

ENJOY!

You Too Can Make This Casserole!

 

I had many requests for this recipe so I am sharing it with you. I received the recipe from a friend.

I purchased an uncooked package of turkey breast which was so much easier than cooking a whole turkey which I did the first time I made this.

I cooked the turkey several hours before I put the casserole together and refrigerated it before I diced it.

TURKEY CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 1 (12 pack) King's Hawaiian Original Rolls (3 cups cubed)*
• 3 cups diced cooked turkey
• 8 oz. mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. Dijon or spicy mustard
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place bread, turkey and cheese in a large bowl and blend with a large spoon gently. In another bowl, whisk eggs, add flour and whisk, and then add mustard, melted butter, eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Whisk thoroughly.
2. Pour milk mixture over the bread, turkey and cheese; stir gently to blend (be careful not to over-stir as the bread can become overly moist and break apart).
3. Let stand for five to ten minutes for bread to absorb liquid.
4. Pour into a buttered 2-quart baking dish.
5. Preheat the oven to 350° F and bake for 50 minutes (should be lightly golden and puffed). Test with a knife inserted into center — it should come out clean with little liquid on the knife.
6. For a lighter dish, consider using low-fat mild cheddar cheese and low-fat milk.
7. *Any King's Hawaiian product, cubed, will be ideal for this recipe, including Snacker Rolls or Original Round Bread.

Makes 6 servings

It is easy to put together and everybody will love it.

It would also be a good recipe to file away to use when you have left over Thanksgiving turkey.

Christmas Brunch - Recipe and Menu

I know Christmas is long past, but this is the first chance I have had to edit my photos and write the recipe for our traditional family brunch recipe.
My grandson Blake wanted me to teach him how to make this. I had planned on letting him help me but he was in New York playing his trombone in the Pin Stripe Bowl.
I have had other requests for the recipe too so I hope those of you who wanted it will find this post!



For 7 hungry people you will need:
One pound Oscar Meyer regular sliced bacon
1 pound fresh mushrooms,sliced
4 Tablespoons butter
28 ounce package frozen OreIda Potatoes O'Brien
16 eggs
2 T water
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
Lawry's seasoned salt


1. Cut bacon into 1 inch segments and fry until crisp.


2. Remove from fry pan and set aside.


3. Fry mushrooms in the bacon grease that is left in the pan.
4. Brown mushrooms so they are cooked al dente. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. Add butter to the remaining grease in pan.


6. Put entire package of Potatoes O'Brien in the pan.


7. Cook until potatoes are crispy and brown on the outside and cooked on the inside.

8 Put bacon and mushrooms back in the frying pan.


9. Mix eggs and water until well combined.


10. Pour eggs over potato mixture.


11. Season with Lawry's seasoned salt.


12. Stir and turn mixture and let eggs cook until set and done.


13. Sprinkle cheese on top and stir into mixture.


14. Cook until cheese is melted.

15. Serve to your hungry guests. Complete the meal with the rest of the menu.


16. We make a fruit salad by starting with a can of some type of fruit cocktail. We cut up and add whatever fruit we have on hand. We always use this bowl to serve it.


17. We mix cranberry juice and orange juice half and half and serve it from this pitcher.


18. We always serve some sort of pastry - either home made or from the bakery. Since we now have a German bakery in town that makes Danish Kringle we chose Turtle and Cherry Kringle to complete the menu.

This year we also learned it can be refrigerated and reheated and is just as good. We took out a portion for Blake who arrived the next day and he said it was every bit as good as fresh.

This is also a great thing to serve anytime you have a group for brunch. It would make an excellent Easter brunch too.

Enjoy!

Oh What A Beautiful Day!

Blue skies smiling on me, nothing but blue skies do I see!

Today the temperature is in the mid 60's with a gentle breeze, a welcome change from the chilly weather most of the country has been experiencing.

When I realized this I threw on a jacket and went for a 40 minute walk. I started out with a buttoned up jacket and a scarf as you never know how strong the wind will be. Didn't take long to wrap the jacket around my waist and carry the scarf.

When I got back I took the photo you see. The grass is brown but that is what usually happens when it gets cold here. It has always come back to green eventually. I have never seen the palm trees look this brown. I have no idea if they will survive.

I got out the crock pot and added the ingredients for my daughter in law Julie's Italian beef.
I am going to make a second exception to not putting recipes on my blog and share this with all of you. It's just too good and easy not to.

ITALIAN BEEF

Chuck roast 2 1/2-3 lbs

12 oz beer

1/4 c soy sauce

1 pkg (envelope) Good Seasons Italian Dressing

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook for 6 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove from crock pot and discard bones and fat.

You can make this a day ahead and refrigerate before taking it off the bones. This makes it easier to remove the fat.

Serve on buns.

I usually make more than I think I'll need since it freezes well. Today I am making a double batch.

As I was about to go out and sit on the lanai and write this post the doorbell rang.
It was UPS with my book. I had a book printed with the photos and text from the first 4 months of my blog posts. Of course I had to open it right away. I'll tell you more about it later.

I've selected my Blue skies photo for the puzzle so you too can enjoy a beautiful day where ever you are!

Christmas 2009 Celebration with grandchildren - Part one

Sunday evening my local grandchildren came over to celebrate Christmas in a different way.
We started out having Pizza Fondue for supper. This was prompted by their father's fond recollections of enjoying it as a teenager. If the amount he ate was any indication his enjoyment hasn't diminished!

After dinner there were gifts to be opened. These were not the usual gifts you buy in a store for the most part. They were family treasures and memorabilia. Each child got one large bag filled with smaller boxes and objects. Each one also received a small notebook to write in. As they opened an item if there was a story to tell about that item I related it to them and they were able to write it down. They really seemed to enjoy the gifts and the stories.


Here is Heidi showing one of the gifts she received. It was a precious doll pin I used to wear when she was less than 2. She was so attracted to it as a child so now she has it as a memory.


Dana has loved monkeys including sock monkeys. She was the recipient of a sock bunny that used to be one of the toys I would put under one of our Christmas trees.


Jeff Jr. is writing the story of Grandpa Jerry's golf ornament.


Kierstin is reading the inscription I put on the bottom of one of the ornaments I passed on to her from my Christopher Radko ornament collection.


Cooper loves pandas. He is inspecting the Christoper Radko panda ornament. I had to hold my breath that he didn't crush it!


Jeff Sr. is showing how his father's ring that Jerry wore on his ring finger fits his thumb!


Always a favorite with this family is a Slinky. One of those toys that never goes out to style. Can you believe I NEVER had one as a child!

This is the first time I've included a recipe on this blog. Marcia asked about it and so did other friends. Hope you'll enjoy it. It is delicious. There was a tiny bit leftover and I am having it for lunch tomorrow.

PIZZA FONDUE
1 onion, chopped
½ lb. ground beef
2 T margarine or shortening
2 - 10 ½ oz cans pizza sauce
1 T cornstarch
1 ½ t fennel seed
1 ½ t oregano
¼ t. garlic powder
10 oz grated Cheddar cheese
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese

Brown onion and meat in shortening in Fondue pot at #9.
Mix cornstarch and seasoning into pizza sauce.
Reduce heat to #6 and sauce to mixture. Stir well.
When mixture thickens and bubbles, add cheeses by thirds, stirring well after each addition.
When all the cheese is melted, turn control to # 5 to keep warm.
Dunkers: Garlic bread cubes, toasted English muffin cubes, bread sticks

Serve over toasted English muffin for a luncheon treat.
Serves 4-6 as main dish
10-12 as appetizer