A Little Something

It's just a little something I created for a friend and an idea I borrowed from a gift my friend Lois made for me a couple of years ago.

11 Recipes You Will Want to Eat Soon!

At my recipe clubs we sample the fun recipes from the kitchen's of members and then we scrap the recipes. These are the recipes from this month's club. While I haven't personally eaten every one of these dishes, I can vouch for the quality of women who serve them! The art is nice too. Enjoy!

Yum E - a really good 4 letter word!

Yum. That is pretty much all I can say to describe this recipe. My kids ate 4 helpings each. . . Yep, Yum E it is.

While I was cooking Mikensee was asking what I was making. . . I told her I didn't know yet, but that I promised it would be good. When, after all, is anything I cook not good? She pretty much agrees, but still presses me.

Mikensee says, "Have you ever made it before?"

"Nope." I say.

Mikensee again, "Well then, how do you know it's going to be good?"

"Just trust me." (me again.)

"I don't really like zucchini except in bread. Do you have a recipe for this?" she says.

"You'll love it" I say, " and I don't need a recipe."

Well, I have one now! This is what it looked like then:



This is what it looked like finished.


We are a big family (by today's standards) so I cook a lot. We also like left overs since we eat at home almost 3 meals a day, 7 days a week and cooking and cleaning seems to be all we ever do. . . You may want to adjust up or down, according to how much your family eats.

Recipe for YUM E

1 12 ounce Box Farfalle (Bow-Tie) Pasta - Cooked and Drained. (I boiled it while I cooked the "stuff")
Garlic - lots
Olive Oil - enough to coat the pan
Sea Salt and Coarse Ground Pepper - I like to grind my own
Grilled chicken breast (I used 2 pounds.)
3 large zucchini (the green prolific garden variety)
Grape Tomatoes - about 1 lb, sliced in halves
Leaf Spinach- Raw, fresh, 1 Salad Size Package
1/4 Cup Flour
2/3 - 1 Cup Half and Half
Parmesan Cheese - I like fresh, but only had Kraft. It worked fine!

Grill your chicken until close to done. Slice and place in large fry pan heated with olive oil. Add chopped zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper (generously) and add grape tomatoes. Toss until chicken is cooked through and zucchini is tender. Add spinach and wilt. Sprinkle with flour and stir in half and half. Pour drained pasta into the mix and enjoy! Sprinkle or douse in Parmesan cheese just before serving according to your personal preference!

P.S. Mike is still on his diet so I cooked a second pan and just stopped at the veggies. . . no noodles or cream for him, and he still loved it. I would call this YUM, not quite YUM E, but hey, it's all good! Go ahead and try it! You know you want too! Feel like sharing my recipe? Go ahead, but please link back or give credit here! Love ya!

Oh and the 10 or so recipe cards from my class will be posted in the next day or so, so don't forget to check back! (Art and Food! What a great combination!)

10 Paper Crafting Techniques You Can Try Today!

Stuck in a rut? Need some inspiration.

Here are 10 fast, clever and innovative ideas you may not have tried or tried and forgot to use again.

Go ahead, you know you want to play!

Playground

The QUICKEST EVER Fudge Frosting

Tonight I was making a recipe acquired at my most recent class (the recipe club class. . . what fun!) The recipe calls for a can of fudge frosting, but I have to tell you that I absolutely can not stand store bought frosting. That type of frosting along with a few other things just taste fake and not at all like food to me. I decided I could just make some so I did a quick online search for fudge frosting and low and behold there were several. . . mostly the same variety. I have a secret cake recipe for the Most Incredible, BEST EVER, Chocolate, Chocolate Overload Cake (just ask those I've made it for and they will quickly concur) and for that recipe I make the following Quickest Ever Fudge Frosting. I figured since I was looking, someone else out there might be too!

Here goes:

Chocolate Chips (I prefer Toll House Semi-Sweet or Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet)
Butter (no substitute)
Cream, half and half or Milk (whatever you have)

Melt butter in a saucepan. I stick should do a cake. Add chocolate chips. . . I just pour them in. . . probably about 3-4 cups, add a splash of cream (I usually have half and half on hand) and stir. . . That's it.

Now isn't that the easiest fudge frosting recipe you've ever heard of???!!??

If you watch carefully, my secret Chocolate Cake recipe may just appear on this blog sometime before April of next year when this year's recipe club is over!

P.S. I also found this. . . The Chocolate Blog! Wish I'd have thought of it!

Have a fudge filled day!