Monday, November 28, 2011

(Leftover Mashed) Potato Soup



Yay!  I'm actually down to the last few little containers of Turkey Day leftovers!  Seriously, we had so much food that I was sure we'd be eating turkey and all of the trimmings for the remainder of 2011. Thankfully, we had a bunch of hungry guys who had seconds and in some cases, thirds!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!



Both of my folks are gone now and I do miss them terribly, but Thanksgiving is the one holiday that most represents the legacy of love and family that they left to all of us. As of last count this morning, we're expecting a record breaking 37 family members at our Thanksgiving "table" this year and although I'm admittedly a tiny bit stressed as I write this, I know in my heart that seeing everyone here together on Thursday will erase any anxiety that I'm having right now! (this is just my side of the family!)

Saturday, November 19, 2011

When I Was Thirteen...

It's That Time Again... Time for Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!

Do you remember the first time you fell in love?  I was thirteen years old when I felt the very first pangs of young love. I'd like to be able to say that my first love was my current and forever love, but that wouldn't be the truth. (My one true love became apparent to me a little later...)

courtesy of google images

Friday, November 18, 2011

Quick Rigatoni Bolognese



Yesterday, I just happened to be watching a recorded episode of a favorite Food Network show and one of the featured dishes was Rigatoni Bolognese. That's all it took.  The next thing I knew, I was headed out to the freezer to retrieve a quart of homemade "Sunday Gravy" and a pound of ground beef.  Now, Hubby's family is not Italian and I'm about as Irish as it gets, but my mother-in-law grew up in an all Italian neighborhood in Central NY and she learned a great deal about the food  and the culture of Italian America. This sauce was one of the first recipes that I asked for back when Hubbs and I were dating. It is the best red sauce I've ever eaten and we make it in huge batches, two or three times a year and freeze it in several different sized containers.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Not Just An Omelette - Ham, Bell Pepper & Mushroom Frittata

You say Frittata, she says Tortilla, someone else says Omelette...  No matter what you may call it, this eggy, sometimes meaty, usually cheesy slice of Heaven is delicious!  It's also much easier to master than most people think.


People tend to fear Omelettes.  I get it.  The classic French Omelette can seem pretty daunting if you want it to be parfaite.  It can't be too brown. It should slide out of the pan and fold over in the perfect shape when it's turned out onto the plate. You need a special omelette pan... Well,

I say "Non! Ce n'est pas vrai!"  It's not true... A myth perpetrated by snooty chefs of yesteryear who didn't want us to make our own omelettes at home!


My preferred method of preparation when I'm in the mood for a quick, easy supper or a leisurely breakfast on a Saturday morning, is the Spanish or Italian way. A Tortilla or Frittata.  The true beauty of a dish like this is that you almost always have the ingredients on hand to whip one up on the fly.  It can be as simple as three basic ingredients... Eggs, Butter and Seasoning (Salt & Pepper, etc.)

You can add a myriad of veggies, meats, cheeses and fresh or dried herbs to yours, or you can go basic and use just the ingredients I've already mentioned. It's really about personal taste and on-hand ingredients. I just happened to have a hodge-podge of veggies, cheese and meat in my fridge last night that were just waiting to be used up in a yummy way, so this is what I prepared for a late supper last night...



Ham, Bell Pepper & Mushroom Frittata
(Tortilla/Omelette)
  • 6-8 Lg Eggs
  • 2 Tbls Butter, plus a little olive oil
  • 2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 C Swiss Cheese
  • 1/3 C Ham, diced or coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1/2 Small Red Onion, diced
  • 1/4 C Sauteed Portabella Mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 Tsp Dried Thyme
  • Salt & Pepper
Pre-heat oven to "low broil" setting and set your rack to the middle of the oven.

Whisk Eggs in medium bowl with Dijon, Thyme, Salt & Pepper.

I like my veggies and meat softened a bit, so I sauteed off the Ham, Bell Pepper, Onion and Mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil til the veggies were just tender and the Ham was just beginning to turn golden brown. I removed them from the pan to a plate to cool for a few minutes.  If you want a little crunchier texture to yours, you can skip this step.

Heat a 10-12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the Butter and Olive Oil.  Add all of your ingredients (except the cheese) to the whisked Eggs and stir well to combine.  When the butter/oil is melted and beginning to sizzle/foam just a bit, pour the Egg mixture into the pan and using a spoon or rubber spatula, stir the mixture a little to distribute the meat and veggies evenly. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.

Place the skillet into the oven and broil for 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed up a bit.  Remove (carefully, the handle will be hot!) skillet from the oven and either slide the Frittata onto a large serving plate, or cut into 6 wedges right in the pan. Serve immediately.  Enjoy!!

Enjoy!

Mary


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Monday, November 14, 2011

Ms Paula's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake


Well folks... It's that time of year again.  Thanksgiving is next week!  I'm having a bit of a panic attack because I'll be having one of the largest crowds yet, at my house on Turkey Day this year... Thirty-five. Yep! err... um, Nope! That's not a typo.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday



Seeing as how we have an older model car that isn't equipped with Satellite Radio, Hubby and I have a boatload of CD's in the car and we go through a stack of them whenever we're traveling. As is obvious by my music page here on my blog I love all genres of music, but Classic Rock is probably the nearest and dearest to my heart.  I'm sure the other cars that we pass (or that pass us if hubby is driving LOL) must think we're a little bonkers when certain tracks come up.

Hubby's all-time-extra-favorite-band is The Who.  He loved them in the 70's and the love is still alive and kicking. The first two songs are just a sampling of the iconic Who tunes that catapult him into frenzied fits of air guitar, air drums and his best Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend immitations. (No... Not while he's driving) Truth is, I secretly love these moments.  I watch his face and hear his voice, and my mind's eye travels back to a time where I'm sitting in the passenger seat of that old '74 Subaru wagon with a wickedly sticky clutch and more rust than paint, next to that 19 year old guy that I first fell head over heels in love with...  I'm still that girl, by the way.






These next two three songs are just a small sample of my favorites. Sometimes, in my dreams of long ago and far away, I still want to be Ann Wilson of Heart.  How cool was this 70's queen of rock, belting out hit after hit with her sister-queen Nancy, who's wild blonde hair and killer guitar licks were equally as awe inspiring? Heck, they're still about as cool as it gets in the world of music... and dreams.



Speaking of dreams......




Oh, what the hey... Just one more?





I'm linking up today with:

click here to join in


And:


As well as...
click here

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Pasta With Prosciutto and Vodka Sauce



I created this recipe several years ago out of sheer desperation. It's adapted from a dish that I loved and ordered frequently at a fantastic family owned Italian restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY called The Elms. I was crushed when they closed and I had no other choice but to try to replicate it at home. Their dish was simply called Fusilli with Vodka Sauce, and that was well before Vodka Sauce started appearing on every menu in America.  It also wasn't anything like the versions I've been served anywhere else.  It wasn't a "pink" sauce.

Old Fashioned Cottage Pudding

photo credit: moderndayozzieandharriet.blogspot.com
This is one of the easiest "comfort desserts" that I make. My mother made it often when we were growing up (as did her mother before her) and I used to make it when our daughter was younger.  It might sound a little boring, but there's just something about that soft yellow cake and the warm, sweet, buttery sauce that makes me feel like I'm being taken care of.  It's been a long time since I've made it, but with the colder weather creeping in, I'm feeling the need for a little comforting.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Don't Forget To Vote!


Let Your Voice Be Heard

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday

photo courtesy of google images


Today, I'm linking up with a new hop (to me anyway) called "Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday" hosted by Because I'm The Mommy and (Not) Just Another Mom of Twins.

If you've ever checked out my "Music" page I'm sure you've figured out that I have pretty eclectic taste in music.  I love it all.  Well, practically all of it.  So, naturally when I logged in tomy dashboard tonight and saw that Beth over at Far From Camelot had linked up,  my curiosity got the better of me and I had to check it out.

The idea seems pretty simple.  Make a post stating what song or songs make you want to sing along and include a video if you want to.  Well, that's simple enough for even a middle aged old broad like me to follow, so here ya go...

Cat Stevens - Father and Son  (Then)





Yusuf Islam - Father and Son  (Now)




Here's the link to "Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday".  Give it a click and join in!  C'mon, ya know ya want to...


click here



:~)  Mrs B

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Wordless Wednesday It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn


They say that it's always darkest before the dawn.  Spend an early morning standing on the shores of the Atlantic Coast and you'll see where the expression comes from.

This photo (below) was taken just before the sun peeked out above the horizon.



Here are the places I'm linking up with today....



Clich here for a link to the hop!

AND

HERE to link up to the Wordless Wednesday Blog

~Mary
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