Thursday, April 28, 2011

Fried Flounder

Folks are always questioning
how to fix fish. Breaded and fried
fish is hard to beat.

Not all delicious recipes
have to have 12 fancy ingredients.
It's the part of knowing that
tasting the main ingredient is important.
Simple recipes are sometimes the best.

Flounder dipped in bread crumbs,
sprinkled with salt and pepper
and fried until crispy.
Topped with tarter sauce.


It's simple and delicious.

Fried Flounder

Flounder fillets
plain bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Coat fillets in bread crumbs and place in a half inch of hot oil.
Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
Be careful when flipping, fish is very fragile. Make the first
side pretty crispy before flipping, this helps hold things together.
Fry until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to help soak up some oil.
Mix a glob of mayo together with pickle relish for your tarter sauce.

Enjoy,
Hope

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Hot Dog Roast

Tonight we kicked off the hot dog roast
season with our family and a few friends.


Looks like we have a few ashes on the middle ones for texture.


Check out the cool seats my hubby came up with.


Austy waiting on his dinner.


French fries in some cool baskets I found at Big Lots.
I plan to use them a lot this summer for cookouts.


The wonderful dessert mom brought.
Layers of fresh pineapple and strawberries
with cream filling and angle food cake.


He waited patiently and now has his hot dog.




 Mischievous, little, ham my man Sawyer.


Finding treasures in their eggs after the big hunt.


It was a fun and relaxing evening to
enjoy the great outdoors.

Blessings,
Hope

Friday, April 22, 2011

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

I had the day off today-
and was excited about being home
with nothing I had to do.

I kept my sweet, little nephews,
baked a cake, and made peanut
butter Easter eggs for our neighbors.


 Form eggs and double coat in chocolate.


Set in freezer between layers, then trim access chocolate off the bottom.


Place on a new sheet of wax paper for drizzling.


Melt white chocolate and color with light, spring colors.


Cut an egg open to make sure it's okay for eating and...


... give it to your nephew to eat in one bite.


Place on plates and give to your neighbors, family or yourself.
Whatever you choose in the spirit of giving.


Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

3 1/2 cups 10x sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together with hands until blended. Set in fridge for 
10 -15 minutes to firm. Use a 1/3 cup measure to form
egg size. Place on waxed paper and set in freezer until firm.
Dip in melted chocolate, return to freezer until hardened
and dip again. Melt white chocolate and color to your liking.
Drizzle eggs. (I cut a small hole in the corner of a 
sturdy plastic bag and use it as a piping bag.
That way you can throw away the bag when
you are done drizzling.)

Makes 14 eggs.

Happy Easter,
Hope


"He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.
Come, see where his body was lying."
Matthew 28:6

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Banana Lime Smoothie

We just got back from a jog-
Josh jogs and I walk/jog
(a mix between a walk/waddle/jog).

I wanted to make something refreshing
to drink- something that after drinking
you don't feel like you ruined the
whole works of your jog.


 Banana Lime Smoothie

1 cup of milk
 2/3 cup of vanilla yogurt
5 scoops of vanilla ice cream
1 banana
1 Tbsp. honey
1 squeeze of lime juice

Throw in a blender and blend.
Makes two large shakes.
Top with whipped cream and garnish with lime wedge.

Sit on your porch swing and enjoy it with someone.

Blessings,
Hope

Monday, April 18, 2011

Grilled Everything

Dinner has been quick and easy lately,
more to do and less time to cook.
Grilling is quick and also leaves the mess
on your grill and not on your stove top.
I went a little extreme tonight
and grilled three things for dinner.

Grilled flounder, grilled sweet potatoes
and grilled corn. Are you surprised I 
didn't grill the salad?

Most of the recipes are sprinkle recipes-
so I will post some instructions under each dish.


 Grilled Flounder

Lay two layers of foil down and spray the top one with oil.
Place fish on foil and drizzle with lemon juice.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, dill weed and grated Parmesan cheese.
Place on grill and poke a few small holes in the foil to let
the juices out. Then brush with 1 Tbsp. of butter.
Grill for 8-10 minutes or until fish easily flakes with a fork.


Grilled Sweet Potatoes
 
Peel your sweet potatoes and slice in rings.
Lay down two layers of foil, greasing the top layer.
Coat potatoes in oil and sprinkle with a handful of brown sugar.
Then sprinkle with a good bit of salt and a little pepper.
Top with a few chunks of butter.

Enclose and set on the grill for at least 15 minutes.
Open and see if they are soft. If so, leave the cover open
to reduce the juices and caramelize the brown sugar.


The potatoes on the bottom are the best. Graciously serve
your family first and save the bottom for yourself.
They are soft on top and have a nice caramelized layer on the bottom


Grilled Corn

1 pint of corn
3 Tbsp. of mayo
  1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Stir ingredients together and lay down two layers of foil.
Grease the top layer and dump in the corn.
Fold foil edges up to keep corn from running out.
Grill until its heated through and starting to brown.

Hope you folks have a grill,
Hope

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Strawberries

I know the community has been
showered with some beautiful
strawberries from the south.
I have a gallon I cannot wait to use.

If you ever need a gift idea-
this one is hand made, from the heart,
and mostly costs your time.

My hubby has given me Sharis Berries
before for Valentine's Day. There is 
nothing like getting a box of huge,
chocolate covered strawberries.
You get the delight of pretty flowers
but also the enjoyment of eating them.
It's the best gift ever.

Well, I had saved the box from the last
time I gave Josh Sharis Berries hoping
to use it for a gift someday. 

I asked Joshua's mom what she wanted
for her birthday and she said strawberries
to eat with her family. The box came to
mind and my gift was planned.


I bought some strawberries and went to work.


Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and add a
little oil to make the chocolate smooth and silky. Then dip
 your strawberries in chocolate, and place them on a tray covered
with wax paper. You can cover some with coconut and pecan pieces
and leave a few plain ones to drizzle with chocolate. Set them in the
freezer until the chocolate is hardened and then drizzle the plain
ones with white chocolate. Just like that your gift is ready.


The unforgettable gift.





Just so you know what the inside looks like.

Enjoy Giving,

Hope

Monday, April 11, 2011

Deluxe Chef Salad

I had bought two luscious heads
of hydroponic lettuce from Costco.
This inspired me to make a chef salad for dinner.

Crispy lettuce topped with pan fried
chicken and mushrooms.
Along with some cheddar cheese,
tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions
drizzled with honey mustard dressing.


Pan fry chicken in butter.


 Batter mushrooms and...


...pan fry in chicken drippings and some more butter.


This is not exactly a diet salad.

The fried mushrooms are calling your name. Before and...

...after.


Deluxe Chef Salad

5 chicken thighs
8-10 mushrooms
4 Tbsp. butter, split
1 egg beaten with a slosh of milk
1 head of hydroponic lettuce
cherry tomatoes
cheddar cheese chunks
cucumber and onion slices

Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt and dredge in flour. Melt
2 Tbsp. of butter in frying pan and fry on both sides until golden
brown and the juices run clear. Remove from pan and set aside.

Half mushrooms, dip in beaten egg then dredge in flour.
Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in the pan drippings. Add mushrooms to 
frying pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry until crispy.
Remove from pan. Cut up your lettuce and add your toppings.

Enjoy,
Hope

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Quick Stromboli Sandwich

We were at the Home Show all day
with our toy store booth so dinner
was very quick tonight.

It was either reheated pizza or sandwiches.
Neither struck a chord with my taste buds.
I decided on this simple idea.

Flaky crescent rolls stuffed with
sweet Lebanon Bologna, Muenster cheese, and onions.
Spread with a hint of mayo and Dijon mustard.








 Better than reheated pizza, I promise.

Stromboli Sandwich

1 tube of crescent rolls
7-8 slices of lunch meat
3 slices of cheese
A few onion slices
mayo and Dijon mustard

Lay two rows of crescent rolls on a tray with the large end in.
Spread on some mayo and Dijon mustard.
Layer meat, cheese and onions.
Braid, spray with oil and sprinkle with parsley flakes.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Now that was easy.

Of course, you could do many things with this recipe.
Different cheeses, meats and vegetables.

Enjoy the quickness,
Hope
 
 

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

I wanted to create a new marinate for grilled chicken,
and honey mustard came to my mind.

Grilled, chicken thighs marinated
in a zesty, honey mustard sauce. 


Basting chicken while grilling is essential. It keeps it moist.


Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

8-10 chicken thighs
3 Tbsp. mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper

Poke holes in chicken with a fork. Brush marinate on 
both sides of chicken. Let set for 30 minutes. 
While grilling, baste with remaining marinate.
Grill until golden brown.

Enjoy,
Hope