Blog Archives

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread

4/29/2015

     This my granddaughter Samantha with her husband Justin Phyllis! The dust is settling at the Lloyd home. It’s been a wonderful weekend with family and friends but I must say Pa Lloyd and I are drooping today! Pa Lloyd wore a tux for the first time in his life. He had the honor of walking Samantha down the aisle.

     Every wedding should have a “memory.” This wedding the memorable happening was when our granddaughter, Aimee, was zipping up her bridesmaid dress at the church and the zipper broke! Not good! She was literally sewn into her dress. Such a good job was done that it withstood lots of dancing and it wasn’t very easy for grandma to cut the stitches so she could take off the dress at bedtime!

     Today I am sharing a recipe for a cheese spread I made to serve on crackers with the punch at the wedding reception. It's easy and tasty! Diane Watters brought it to our exercise group to serve with bagels for a birthday treat. She got the recipe from a cookbook by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread:

2 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fine, radishes
2 Tbsp chopped fine carrots
2 Tbsp chopped fine green onion
2 Tbsp chopped fine celery

     Place room temperature cream cheese in mixer bowl, beat until smooth, then beat in veggies. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Place in small bowl and chill until serving. I made this several days ahead and brought it to room temperature before serving. It will keep at least a week in the refrigerator!

     This week I am going to relax and work in my flower garden! Have a great week!

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Strawberry Bread

4/22/2015

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A busy week at the Lloyd home!

This week our oldest granddaughter Samantha marries Justin Phillis. A happy, busy time! We love Justin and couldn’t be happier for them and for us...it’s like having another grandchild! So yours truly is cooking and getting ready for overnight guests. There is nothing better than having lots of family and I love helping with wedding planning. One down, nine to go!

One of the breakfast items I’m going to make is strawberry bread. A friend, Lois Fransen, has brought this wonderful quick bread to several church functions. Everyone wanted the recipe so I promised I would share it here. Lois was nice enough to share her recipe. You will be glad you tried this one!

Strawberry Bread:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs beaten
2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed and cup up,
Lois mashes them, can also use fresh berries
1 1/4 cups chopped nuts (Lois uses pecans)

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda and salt in a large bowl. Add vegetable oil and eggs; mix well. Stir in strawberries and nuts. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr and 15 minutes. Cool for 8-10 minutes in pan, remove from pans and cool on racks.

Makes 2 loaves. The flavor improves if wrapped tightly and allowed to sit overnight. Good served with strawberry cream cheese on each slice. Enjoy!

Have a great week!

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Honey Almond Granola Cereal

4/15/2015

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Make your own Granola

I have been making my own granola for years! The kind you buy in the grocery store is so expensive. Making your own is easy and you know what’s in it!

Over the years I have tried many different recipes, but currently my favorite is one I received from my son, Jason. I like it because it doesn’t have much oil or as much honey as other recipes. It seems as if the recipe is loaded with oil, sugar and honey, it sort of defeats the purpose of trying to eat something healthy!

This is a good snack sprinkled over yogurt and fruit or used as a cereal with milk. I actually get very filled up on a rounded 1/2 cup eaten with milk and it sticks with you, too! I use dried cranberries instead of raisins and put in whatever nuts I have in the house, which is always almonds, but sometimes pecans and walnuts, too!

Honey Almond Granola Cereal:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds or flax seeds (I use flax)
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

In large bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut, almonds, seeds, sunflower seeds and wheat germ. Combine honey and oil; stir into oat mixture. Spread out in a 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree preheated oven until light golden brown, 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in raisins or dried cranberries. Remove to another pan to cool. Stir occasionally during cooling to prevent lumping. Store in tightly covered jars or plastic bags. Makes 6 1/2 cups. Serve with milk or yogurt.

Have a great week. It is so great to have it looking green outdoors!

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Crescent Taco Hot Dish

4/8/2015

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What a Beautiful Day!

Another Easter and another birthday has passed for me. I was born on Easter and this is the second time since then my birthday has fallen on Easter! My daughter Mary and her family came for dinner and my grown up north Grandson, Evan, came last night, spent the night and had Easter breakfast with us! Plus the sun was shining and it seemed like spring. What more could a birthday girl want?

Pa Lloyd suggested another recipe for me to share. I used to make this often when our children were home, it sort of reminds me of a deep dish taco pizza. This one also warms up well. Just put it on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

Crescent Taco Hot Dish:
1 tube crescent rolls
1 pound hamburger
1 small-med onion, chopped
1- 8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups Doritos (crushed and divided)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese
shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, black olives and taco sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; brown hamburger and onions, drain. Add tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Mix and simmer 10 minutes.

Separate tube of crescent rolls and press into bottom of greased 9x13 inch pan, sealing perforations. Sprinkle 1 cup crushed Doritos over crust, spoon meat mixture over chips. Top with sour cream, then sprinkle on shredded cheese then the remaining crushed Doritos on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares.

You may serve this with the lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and taco sauce if desired. A meal in itself. I hope you enjoy it!

Have a great week and hope for rain!

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Chocobake

4/1/2015

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Since submitting that last brownie recipe, I have discovered that chocobake is no longer available. Ruth told me that she had one package left when she made the brownies for our group. Since then she hasn’t been able to find it either. For a 9x13 recipe, Ruth used 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder mixed with the melted 1/2 cup butter. I used 1 square unsweetened baking chocolate, melted for an 8x8 inch pan. Both substitutes worked fine!

Let me know what worked for you!

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Orange Salad

4/1/2015

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A light refreshing salad!

I love orange sherbet, actually anything orange, so when I saw this different yet easy orange salad, I had to try it! I really liked it and best of all, it’s pretty low in calories, although I didn’t calculate them out.

Orange Salad:
1 - 3 oz. sugar free orange jello
1 - 3 oz. sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 - 10 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 - 8 oz. container of cool whip

Dissolve jello in 1 cup boiling water, add 1/2 cup cold water, let cool in refrigerator for 20 minutes. With mixer or whisk, add dry pudding mix and beat until smooth. Fold in oranges and cool whip by hand; refrigerate until set.

Have a great week and Happy Easter!!

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Author

I'm Kathy Lloyd. I grew up on a farm near Elmore, MN and have lived in Fairmont for over 44 years. I have always loved to cook, even when I was very young. I loved to stay with my Aunt Dorothy during my childhood. She was a great cook and used to give me freedom in the kitchen, teaching me along the way. She made recipes from our Norwegian heritage, along with pies, homemade doughnuts, yeast bread and cinnamon rolls.

Marrying a husband with a hearty appetite and raising 3 sons and 1 daughter gave me plenty of hungry appetites to satisfy! I worked as a nurse for 42 years and have been retired for 11 years. Even though I loved my work, I love having time to spend with my grandchildren, to experiment with new recipes and work with my flowers in the summer. Life has been very good to me, blessing me with my loving family and great friends!

I enjoy sharing my love of cooking and recipes with the readers of the Photo Press! (I have had my share of cooking failures over the years!)

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread

Strawberry Bread

Honey Almond Granola Cereal

Crescent Taco Hot Dish

Chocobake

Orange Salad

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