​I am all for one dish easy to put together meals! I tried a new recipe from my Grand daughter, Samantha last week she’s a busy Mom so she likes easy too, I will definitely make this one again.  For just the two of us I changed the amounts to 2 chicken breasts and 5 potatoes, the other amounts I kept the same. Left overs worked well warmed up in the micro wave.
 
The Christmas cards are finally ready to mail and the goodies ready to package up to send to my four kids my goal for today, I hope your holiday preparations are going well, I’m sure for many of us it will be a very different holiday but there is always next year to think about, and there is hope with a vaccine on its way, a reason to celebrate!!
 
Chicken Potato and Ranch Hot dish
 
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
14 medium potatoes, cubed
3 chicken breasts, cubed
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
 
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line 9x13 inch baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine oil, salt, pepper and ranch dressing mix.
Add potatoes to the oil mixture and toss well. Spoon potatoes into a large baking dish, leave as much oil mixture behind as possible.
Roast potatoes until crispy, about and hour ( it took mine 45 minutes) stirring every 15 minutes.
Cut raw chicken into bite size pieces. Add to oil mixture and toss well.
In a separate bowl mix the cheese, bacon and onion.
When potatoes are crispy, remove from oven, Lower temperature to 400 degrees, top potatoes with the raw chicken and then the cheese mixture. Bake for another 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, serve with sour cream or ranch dressing, enjoy!
 
Have a great week and stay safe!

​Today Santa left the food section of the Minneapolis Tribune containing some prize winning Christmas cookie recipe’s on my front porch! Whoever left them thank you, I always like to try one or two new recipes during the holidays! I have decided that since we have cancelled our family Christmas get together I am going to send each family a package of goodies so this week I will be in my kitchen. I wasn’t going to put many decorations up this year but when I got started I was on a roll so even though it will be just the two of us it will look festive!
 
I have several variations of the good all American Chocolate chip cookie but a couple of weeks ago a long time friend sent me a new take, I would say that this Chocolate chip cookie rates to be a Holiday cookie try it and see what you think!
 
Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie
 
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish cream liquor
2 room temperature eggs
12 oz. chocolate chips
 
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and espresso powder, set aside.  Combine sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy about 2 minutes then add vanilla and bailey’s Irish cream liquor, mix then beat in eggs one at a time. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the dry ingredients, fold in chocolate chips. Chill dough for 2 hours or up to three days. Roll one Tablespoon of dough in a ball and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 min. Let cool for a couple of minutes before removing from pan.
 
Have a great week and stay safe!

​My Thanksgiving dinner was a sad tale! On Wednesday afternoon I had a dessert in the oven baking, when the timer went off, its wasn’t done so I gave it another 10 minutes, it still didn’t seem done on further investigation my oven didn’t seem very hot so I determined my oven was to put it bluntly dead. Luckily I have an electric roaster so I put my dessert in that to finish cooking, it did seem done but the consistency was off we each had a piece and I threw the rest out. I fixed our Thanksgiving ham in the roaster, that too wasn’t the same, I cooked the dressing in the crock pot which I have done before but it was dry. I even managed to over salt the green beans the only good part of our meal was the cranberry salad I had made. The good thing was we didn’t have that stuffed feeling we usually have after eating Thanksgiving dinner and of course a memory! I have decided I just wasn’t motivated this year my heart wasn’t in it!! The repairman is due to come today or tomorrow.
 
On to todays recipe, I am sharing a cozy taco soup, the recipe comes from Cindy Tonne, I like it better than chili, I hope that you will like it too.
 
Taco Soup
 
1 # hamburger, browned and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cans beans, any kind or a combination such as black beans, kidney beans or white beans, do not drain.
3 cans Ro-Tel diced tomatoes or 1 large can diced tomatoes and 1 can green chilies
1 can water
1 can Mexicorn, do not drain
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 pkg. dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
 
Combine all ingredients, simmer 20 minutes to 1 hour. Makes 12-14 cups, Freezes well. To serve may top with grated cheese, sour cream and Fritos.
 
Have a great week and stay safe!

​This will be the first Thanksgiving in my life that I haven’t shared it with extended family, just Pa Lloyd and myself! Hopefully next year will be different. Since Jerrald isn’t too fond of turkey we are going to have ham but I am going to make cranberry relish and stuffing and try to make it as festive as I can. I ordered a table top 3 foot Christmas tree yesterday, usually when our family is here for Thanksgiving we have help with getting our tree down from the store room and setting it up but that won’t happen this year, I will miss decorating it but I will be able to use some of the decorations on the smaller version. This year will be year of compromise in hopes that we will have future holidays together!
 
Today I am sharing my cranberry relish recipe with you, sometimes I do leave it as relish and sometimes I add it to a large pkg. of Raspberry Jelly prepared with half the amount of water, add some chopped celery and pecans and call it a salad. Its easier to grind the cranberries if they are frozen or partially thawed and I now use a food processor.
 
Cranberry Relish
 
1 pkg. cranberries ( 4 cups)
4 apples, peeled
2 oranges, peeled with as much as the white removed as you can
1 20 oz, can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 1/2 cups to 2 cups sugar
 
Grind cranberries, apples and oranges, stir in pineapple and sugar. Chill so flavors blend. This freezes great.
 
Have a great Holiday and stay safe!

​Yes I am exhausted, its been a rough year and now this election, the most stressful ever! On election night I didn’t go to bed until 2:00 a.m. which was dumb because there was no news for another 3 days. I am much too old for this business, besides that the covid virus numbers are soaring both in our country and our county. I hope all of you are being really careful and are staying home as much as possible. I’m getting almost reclusive, staying home is beginning to be the normal for me! Pa Lloyd did head north to go deer hunting for a few days with our son and his family, so far the deer he’s seen have been too far away but both the teenage Grandchildren have gotten theirs, Maggie ( our dear dog) and I stay home.
 
Every once in awhile we are hungry for just a plain old hamburger, I like to find a new slant on them once in awhile so since I love fried onions I like to make the following recipe:
 
Fried Onion-burgers
 
1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 # hamburger
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4-8 slices American cheese ( or the cheese of your choice)
Mayo, mustard and pickles, for serving
4 hamburger buns, toasted
 
Combine the onion slices and 1 tsp. salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer the onions to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Transfer onions to a clean dish towel, gather the edges together and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the onions. Divide the onions into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet. Form the beef into 4 lightly packed balls. Place the balls on top of the onion mounds and flatten the beef firmly ( use your palm) so the onion adheres to the beef. The patties should measure 4 inches in diameter. season beef with salt and pepper. Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Using a large spatula transfer the patties to the skillet, onion side down. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown and begin to crisp around the edges. Flip the burgers, then increase the heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side about 2 minutes. Add 1 or 2 slices of cheese to each burger and allow to melt. Add mayo, mustard and pickles to the top buns, then place each burger on the bottom buns. Serve immediately. 
 
Have a great week and stay safe!

​A treat for me when we eat out is having sea food, I usually order some sort of shrimp. Since we aren’t eating out these days I’ve had to come up with ways to prepare it myself at home. This is a easy, fast and good shrimp recipe I make when I feel like splurging!
 
Buttery oven Shrimp
 
1-2 # raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 stick butter
2 lemons, sliced, thin
1/2 envelope pkg. dry Italian salad dressing or old bay seasoning
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place one stick of butter in a glass 9x13 inch cake pan, place in oven until butter is melted. Take out of oven and place lemon slices in a single layer on top of melted butter, then in a single layer place raw shrimp on top of the lemon slices, sprinkle lightly with the dry Italian salad dressing mix or old bay seasoning. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. I usually serve with a rice side dish, and veggie. It does take a little time to shell the shrimp but the dish is well worth it and its easy to do!
 
Stay warm and safe!

​We have a new Great Grand daughter, Rose Elaine Phyllis born 10/14 weighing 5 # 11 oz., chubby cheeks she joins sisters Nora and Lydia. Nora is accepting, Lydia over the top excited. How I love new babies, they smell so divine and so cuddly, we are truly blessed!
 
It looks like our warm weather is behind us, Pa Lloyd picked the last of our tomatoes and pulled the dying plants, we enjoyed a bumper crop from just two plants this year. If I only had one kind of meat to have it would be good old hamburger, there are so many ways you can fix it. Today I am sharing a hamburger soup recipe that we have enjoyed over the years! It came from the Minnesota with love cook book.
 
Homestead Hamburger Soup
 
1 # ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup raw rice
1 cup shredded cabbage
3 cups water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
1 quart tomatoes, undrained
 
Brown ground beef and onion until meat is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat. Add remaining ingredients. Stir so tomatoes become slightly mashed. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
 
Have a great week and stay safe!

​This fall we don’t have to drive out of town to view beautiful fall colors, we have them right here in our own Fairmont! Our front yard’s ash tree has the most vibrant yellow leaves and we have two maple trees at neighbors who have vibrant red leaves! Tree colors are beautiful all over town, maybe at my age I am just more appreciative of what we have right here!
 
I still have fresh basil and tomatoes too so this is one of my favorite recipes to use both!
 
Basil Cream Chicken
 
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 # boneless skinless chicken breast: 4 halves
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 can ( 4 oz.) pimentos, optional
1 cup diced tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
1/2 cup parmesan grated cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
 
Heat skillet over medium high heat.
Place milk and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.
Dip chicken in milk, then coat in bread crumbs. Add chicken to skillet with 1/2 of the butter about 5 minutes. Add remaining butter flip chicken and cook another 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add broth to skillet to bring to boil over medium heat. Stir in cream, pimentos and tomatoes;boil and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat, add parmesan cheese, basil and pepper, cook and stir until heated through. Add chicken back into the sauce. Serve chicken , covered in sauce with rice or pasta.
 
Stay safe and have a great week!

​Today’s temperature is a real reminder that winter is just around the corner! Time for warm cozy meals! I love cooked cabbage so I am always on the look out for recipes calling for cabbage, my friend Mary Segar shared a fresh cabbage from her garden with me so I recently made this recipe using cabbage, I loved it, I hope you will enjoy it too.
 
Fried Cabbage
 
One large cabbage, chopped
1 # bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1 8 oz. pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms
 
Fry bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes, drain all but 3 Tablespoons grease. Remove bacon, crumble and drain on paper towels. Cook and stir cabbage, onion and mushrooms in reserved bacon grease until cabbage is tender about 20 minutes. Fold in bacon, salt and pepper to taste.
 
Stay safe and have a good week!

​One day last week I was lucky to be able to have my three year old Great Grand Daughter, Lydia for most of a day. I always like to have a little project planned to do when she comes, I don’t want her to be bored when she is here. So I decided that we would give my baby dolls  baths, I have eight of them. The day before I washed all of the doll clothes, I have never out grown my love for dolls. I keep them all piled in a doll wood crib which I realize could be considered an antique as it has to be at least 70 years old. Lydia isn’t a real doll girl but she does usually get them out of the crib when she is here and she lines them up. She lost interest in the bathing but I had a good time with the project, now they are all clean and dressed back in the crib waiting to be played with, they are reminders of my happy childhood of hours playing dolls with my sister! We always compromised I would play cowboy with her and she would play dolls with me!
 
Today I am sharing a favorite sandwich recipe to go with one of those cool weather soups we make in cool weather!
 
Grilled Roast Beef Sandwiches
 
1 ( 4 oz. ) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 T. mayonnaise
1 T. Dijon mustard
10 slices rye bread
5 slices Swiss cheese
10 thin slices deli roast beef
2 T. butter or margarine, softened
Salsa or picante sauce
 
Combine chilies, mayo and mustard. Spread about 1 T. on slice of bread. Top half of the bread with 1 slice of cheese and 2 slices beef. Cover with remaining bread. Butter the outsides of bread. Grill sandwiches on a griddle or large skillet over medium heat until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with salsa or picante sauce for dipping if desired. Yield 5 sandwiches.
 
Have a good week and stay safe!