​Soup is comforting when the weather turns cool. I prepared my first batch of chili of the season today! My flowers are 75% trimmed thanks to Pa Lloyd, the upstairs window box taken down, soon it will time to empty the flower pots too.  It doesn’t seem possible that its time for cool weather it really snuck up on me this year. I guess with staying home so much and limited visitors one day seems like the next, I wonder what the holidays will bring? Will we feel safe to gather with our families? I have a feeling not but I guess we just  take one day at a time and do the best we can! A new soup recipe for you today, one that calls for using the crock pot, my favorite kind!
 
Slow Cooker creamy Tortellini Soup
 
1 # Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tsp. beef bouillon powder, or chicken
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups beef or chicken broth
1/4 cup cornstarch mixed and dissolved in 1/4 cup water
36 ounces evaporated milk or half and half
12 ounce packet three cheese tortellini, dried
5 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup milk
 
Place the browned sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, beef bouillon powder, salt and broth in a 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.  Uncover and skim any fat that is sitting on the top of the soup with a spoon; discard. Stir in the cornstarch mixture with the evaporated milk or half and half. Add the tortellini and mix well. Cover again and cook on high setting for another 45 minutes until the soup has thickened and the tortellini is soft and cooked through. Add in the spinach, pressing the leaves down to completely submerse into the liquid. Cover for further 10 minutes until the leaves are wilted. Pour milk in 1/3 cup increments as needed to reach your desired thickness, taste and adjust salt  and pepper if needed. Serve with crusty warmed bread. Makes 10 servings.
 
Have a safe and good week!

​I am lucky I have friends who share their fresh garden produce and that we are fortunate to have the Farmer’s market! One of my favorite veggies is parsnips, not a vegetable that I grew up eating and not one I prepared for my family. It’s a veggie I have discovered in my mature years!! It’s a vegetable I prepare often when I have company for a meal, one of my Grand daughters, Alex actually requests that I serve it when she comes and my Grand daughter’s husband, Justin said one time “ I wasn’t too sure about eating parsnips when you served them now when we are invited for a meal I hope they will be served”. Here is my favorite way to prepare parsnips.
 
Fried Parsnips
 
6-8 parsnips ( 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper
3 Tablespoons butter
 
Peel parsnips, cut in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Put in a kettle with water to cover, add salt. Cool until tender; drain. Melt butter in skillet, add parsnips, brown on all sides, over medium heat, turn to keep from burning, add salt and pepper to taste. I usually use half carrots and half parsnips, it pleases everyone’s taste and is colorful too.
 
Stay safe and have a great week!

​Generally this time of year we are enjoying the treat of Colorado Peaches! We did buy good peaches at the beginning of the peach season but that was a short lived treat. We were told by the local grocery stores that they received a very limited supply of Colorado peaches this year because of weather conditions in Colorado, we tried another brand that were a dismal disappointment. Then to my surprise I discovered that peaches can actually be grown in Minnesota, probably not by just anyone, but my friends Mary and David Segar have a peach tree and harvested their first crop of peaches, Mary said they are delicious! Who would have guessed?!  We are too old to try to plant a peach tree, we probably wouldn’t live long enogth to see the first harvest but some of you could try!
 
Peach Muffins
 
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
1 cup chopped peaches, small pieces
1 cup chopped pecans ( optional )
 
Cream butter and sugar, add egg, beat well, add flour, baking powder, then beat in vanilla and yogurt. Lastly fold in peaches and pecans.  Divide between 12 greased muffin tins bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
 
Stay safe and have a good week!

​It doesn’t seem possible that August is half over and soon our fresh produce will be coming to an end! All the more reason to enjoy it as often as we can. In spite of our limited activity this summer is time has flown by, we will soon be into fall. Today I am sharing a recipe that I found on face book using cucumbers, they are so much better fresh from the garden.
 
Cucumber Salad with Herb & Garlic Dressing
 
Ingredients:
3 cucumbers, standard or 2 long English cucumbers
1/2 red onion, finely diced
 
Herb and Garlic Dressing
 
1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. mixed dried herbs, 1/4 tsp. each of basil or parsley, oregano, and thyme
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
 
Shake dressing in a jar. Trim ends of the cucumber then slice about 1/8 inch thick, place in bowl with red onion. Pour dressing over, toss gently and serve immediately.
 
Stay safe and have a good week!

​We haven’t seen our out of town children and Grandchildren since Christmas because of the pandemic. Last week our youngest son John and his family came for a much enjoyed 2 night visit, it motivated me to make home made cinnamon rolls and do some house cleaning! Our Grandson Hunter wanted to take his driver’s test but after calling for an appointment to take the test in their area our daughter in law discovered there was a 3 month wait and that you couldn’t even sign up more than 3 months ahead. So she tried Fairmont and was able to sign him up. So on Friday Hunter took his drivers test in Fairmont and passed his first try so it was a successful visit!
 
My favorite salad with tomatoes is the one I am sharing with you today, I think the secret is the tarragon vinegar so don’t substitute another kind!
 
Connecticut  Hill Salad
 
3 cucumbers, scored and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion cut in thin strips
3 medium tomatoes cut in 6 wedges
1 cup sugar
1 cup tarragon vinegar
1 cup sunflower oil
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
3/4 Tablespoon white pepper
1/2 cup freeze dried chives
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
 
Place cucumber, onion and tomatoes in a medium salad bowl. Combine the next 7 ingredients in a 1 quart bowl. Combine the 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and add enough of the oil/vinegar mixture to make a thin paste add to remaining oil and vinegar mixture and whip until slightly thickened, pour over vegetables, toss and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
 
Have a safe and good week!

​Hot weather means simpler meals, who wants to stand over a hot stove when its so warm outdoors? Not me! We are getting red ripe tomatoes from our very own plants and my Basil plants look like little bushes so I am all set for todays recipe! I hope you will enjoy it too.
 
Grilled Havarti, tomato & basil sandwiches
 
1/2 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
8 slices French bread or country loaf
8 slices Havarti cheese
1 large vine-ripened tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
leaves from 1 small bunch of basil, torn
 
Spread may on both sides of each slice of bread. On each of 4 slices bread, layer 1 slice of cheese, 2 tomato slices, a scattering of basil leaves, and another slice of cheese. Place the remaining bread slices on top of each.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot,. Toast the sandwiches until nicely browned on both sides and the cheese is melted, 4-6 minutes. Flipping the sandwiches about halfway through cooking. Reduce the heat to medium if the sandwiches are browning too quickly. slice each sandwich in half and serve immediately.
 
Makes 4 servings.
 
Have a safe and good week!

​I am beginning to feel like a recluse, many days I don’t leave our home, I am missing my friends! This week I am thinking of making a pitcher of todays recipe, whip up some veggie pizza and invite them over to my back yard for some distancing fellowship! I think its safer out doors and I know they have all been cautious too. I miss hugs, my kids and Grand kids as I am sure all of you do too.
Together by being diligent with safe practices this too will pass, eventually. There is hope with news of a possible vaccine so we can cling to that!
 
Tequila Mojitos
 
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup tequila
2 cups lemon lime soda ( like sprite)
 
Heat water and sugar, bring to boil until sugar dissolves, remove from heat, add mint and steep for 2 hours, strain, stir in remaining ingredients serve over ice.
 
Stay safe and have a good week!

​One of the best parts of summer is grilling and Vidalia onions!  So I am excited to share todays side dish recipe with you. I love onions in just about anything, have never been able to understand people who say they don’t like onions, my Dad was one of those people.  This recipe came from face book, I hope you enjoy it too. I am giving you the recipe the way it was printed but I didn’t use thick sliced bacon, I used what I had on hand and I par cooked the bacon a little just until some of the fat rendered out, it was still soft.
 
Bacon Wrapped French Vidalia Onion
 
4 Vidalia onions ( small-medium)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. Montreal seasoning
4 slices thick sliced bacon
4 oz. Gruyere, sliced or torn if you like
2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
 
Basting Sauce
 
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup white or red wine
1/4 tsp. chopped thyme
1/2 Tablespoon Montreal seasoning
 
Peel and  cut about 1/2 inch of the onion tops. Trim a small amount of the bottom of the onion so they stand upright.
 
With a spoon scoop out a few of the inner layers of the onion leaving the majority of the outer layers. Place each onion on a square of heavy duty tin foil or you could put them in a square tin foil baking pan.
 
Brush onions with the olive oil, sprinkle liberally seasoning over each onion, fill center of onion with cheese. Wrap bacon slices around each onion and secure with toothpick.
 
Combine basting sauce ingredients and put 2 Tablespoons of sauce in the center of each onion. Wrap foil around onions or cover foil pan with foil cook on a medium grill for 30-60 minutes, I like mine fall apart done, you can put them in the oven too.  Enjoy!
 
Stay safe and cool, Have a great week!

​It’s the time of year to try new salad recipe’s! I love just about anything called a salad but especially ones that have the fresh taste of summer. Today’s recipe comes from a Taste of Home cook book, unfortunately Pa Lloyd doesn’t think he likes avocados so I add come cubed cucumber, then take out a helping for him before adding the avocados for myself and guest. I admit I didn’t used to like avocado’s either but when I read they were rather high in calories I decided they must be good and little by little I leaned to like them. One of my favorite breakfasts is buttered wheat toast topped with thinly sliced avocado lightly salted, a friend Joanne Soma told me that was a snack she likes so I tried it and have been indulging ever since!
 
Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato salad
 
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cartons ( 8 oz. each) fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained, found in the deli cheese dept.
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed ( optional)
1/3 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 medium avocados chopped
 
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes and cucumber if using, cheese, basil, parsley and mint; set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, pour over tomato mixture,stir to coat. Cover and chill at least an hour. Just before serving , stir in the avocados, serve.
 
Have a good 4th and stay cool!

What a great rain we had, made our lawn nice and green again and gave my flowers a boost!
 
Today I’m sharing a easy chicken and mushroom quick meal, I love any recipe that calls for fresh mushrooms, I hope you will enjoy it too!
 
Mushroom Chicken Bites
 
2 Tablespoons oil, divided
1 # boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. each garlic powder and onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
3 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped, optional
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
 
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Mix well and sear chicken all over until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes, transfer cooked chicken to a plate; set aside and keep warm. Heat remaining oil in the same pan with 1 tablespoon of butter, add mushrooms and cook, while stirring, until just beginning to brown and soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining butter to the pan, let melt and saute’ onion and pepper until just soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes, add garlic and saute’ until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken back into the pan along with any juices released while resting. Mix through all of the ingredients to evenly coat in the pan juices. Continue cooking until all vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 1-2 minutes more. Taste test and season with salt and pepper if desired, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve warm.
 
Stay safe and have a great week!