A Day with a Friend

Hi Everyone,

Just checking in to share with all of you about my afternoon yesterday with a friend.  I made lunch for us and we were about to talk and have fellowship together.  Our families go to the same church.  We workin in the church nursery together.  It was such a wonderful day.  I am glad that she is my friend.

Below is the recipe for the salad that I made for us for lunch.

Pasta Salad with Fruit and Vegetables

1/2 box of bow tie pasta cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup of re grapes cut in half
1 medium MacIntosh Apple cored and cubed (leave skin on for color and vitamins)
1/3 cup of red pepper diced
1/3 cup of green pepper diced
 3/4 cup of Marzietta's Sweet Vidalia Onion Dressing


Mix all together, chill before serving. 

I served this salad with a orange cranberry bread that I made.  It was delicious and nutritious.

Give the recipe a try.

Hugs,
Janet

What To Do About Those Leftovers!!!

Hi Everyone,

Yes it has been a few days since I last posted anything on my blogs.  Hope all is doing well.  Yesterday we had steak that I cooked in a slow cooker, as well as mashed potatoes and peas.  As usual there were leftovers.  I don't despire when I have leftovers, because that means to me that I have an opportunity to make something special.  So here is what I did this morning with the leftover mashed potatoes.

Potato Pancakes

Combined the mashed mashed potatoes with the following:

1/2 of Italian Bread crumbs
1/2 cup of grated cheese
2 eggs slightly beaten

Heat oil in a skillet and drop a large spoonfull of the potato mixture, smash down slightly.  Fry on both sides.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and keep warm in the oven till all the pancakes are all done.

I served them with a large egg, sausage (also leftover) and cheese omelet, and warm biscuits.

Now what did I do with the leftover steak, gravy and peas.  I make stew and dumplings.

Cut up the meat in bite size pieces  Add to the gravy along with the peas.  Now that usually is not enough so I add the following:

Pared boiled small cubed potatoes.
1/2 bag of mixed frozen vegetables
Make extra gravy (I use the packaged dried gravy mix)

Cook over a low to medium heat. 

Stew is not properly done unless you serve them with dumplings.

Follow the dumpling recipe on the box of Bisquick.

With the rain and snow today this is a good, warm and heartiy meal that will warm you inside and outside.  It is also a special time for the family to gather around the family table and share food and fellowship.  Take this time to share things about God's word.  Enjoy being together with the family.  I do and I truly appreciate my family and our time together.

Hope all of you have a great day.  I also hope I have inspired you to use those leftovers.

Hugs,
Janet

The China Cupboard

Hi Everyone,

Today I cleaned out the china cupboard that use to be my mother-in-laws.  It is filled with her mother's china, her china and my collection of tea cups and saucers.  I love the cupboard, it is beautiful.  Jim's mom got it years and years ago from a furniture dealer here in Vandergrift.  He had ordered it and when it arrived it had a chip in the back.  Mom saw it and and he told her about the chip.  He said he was going to send it back to the company.  She asked him what he would sale it for with the chip.  It was to sell for about $200, but with the chip mom got it for $35.  So I guess you could consider it a family heirloom.    Do you have a family heirloom?    Share your story in the comment section, I would love to read about it.

Hugs,
Janet

Nana's Hamburgers

Hi Everyone,

Usually on friday's we have pizza.  Well after a while you need a change and with a change in the weather there is a change in our menu.  Today we are going to have Nana's Hamburgers along with Mini Mac, Tomato Mac and Cheese, and a tossed salad.  Below are some recipes you might like to try.

Nana's Hamburgers

1 lb. of ground meat (lean)
1 egg
1 pack of dryed onion soup
1/4 cup of worschestershire sauce or steak sauce
1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs

Mix all ingredients together.  Form into burger patties.  Grill.  Serve with desired condiments.


Sweet and Spicy Salsa

1 can of diced peaches (chop into smaller pieces)
1/3 cup of green and red peppers
1/3 cup of roasted sweet peppers (diced)
1 serrano pepper, cleaned and seeds removed, diced small
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
juice from the peaches
 

Mix together.   Chill.  Serve on burgers.

It is sweet and very spicy.


Tomato Mac and Cheese

1/2 box of elbow mac (cook according to package directions)
1 jar of cheese (melted)
1 can of small diced tomatoes (slightly drained)
3 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Mix the first 3 ingredients together.  Place in baking dish.  Top with cheese slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese on top is melted.  Serve and enjoy!!!

My New Kitchen blog

Hi Everyone,

I have decided to create a second blog to post all of my recipes on, that is why I am calling it nananovemberskitchen.  You all know that I love to be crafty, but I also love to cook and bake.  My other blog was getting very crowded so that is why I decided to do a separate blog for my recipes.  I will also try to put up pictures of what I cook and bake.  Please feel free to try these recipes, some are ones that I created myself and also will be from those who have taught me to cook and bake, my mom and mother-in-law.

Here is the first recipe.  This one was inspired by my mother-in-law.  She use to make her own ham salad.  This Easter I decided to take some of the leftover ham and make my own.

Ham and Garden Vegetable Salad Spread

2 cups of finely chopped ham (I pulsed the ham in a food processor)
1/3 cup of finely diced sweet pickles
1/3 cup of finely chopped red pepper
1/3 cup of finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup of sweet pickle juice
1/2 cup of Ranch Buttermillk Dressing

Mix together.  Chill.  Serve on sandwiches or crackers.
Makes a great lunch.

Enjoy!!!

Hugs,
Janet