SAUSAGE GRAVY OVER EASY BUTTERMILK DROP BISCUITS

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One of my favorite breakfast treats is a warm homemade biscuit smothered in sausage gravy. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t fix this very often. (I did say “treat” above and that’s exactly what I meant.) Because as much as I might desire this combination more often than I prepare and serve it, I know it’s not the healthiest way to begin my day. But OMG, if calories didn’t count, and I had the metabolism of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, I would gobble up this delicious combination every 3 or 4 days. It is just such a delightfully savory, creamy, tasty, and soul satisfying bundle of joy, that there would be no hesitation on my part. But then reality enters the picture. Bottom line: this is not what I should eat routinely, but only periodically as a special treat. So, ladies and gentlemen, that’s exactly what happens here at Chez Carr. Maybe once every 4 months and then usually for a trailer trip.

I make the biscuits and gravy and neatly pack them in small containers that fit perfectly in our trailer’s freezer. Then while on the road, I simply nuke the biscuits, and warm up the gravy on my lovely three burner propane stove. Breakfast ready.

So, if you too love biscuits and sausage gravy, this is the quickest and easiest recipe for this delicious breakfast treat.

BTW – my next post is for all of you out there who spend time in your trailers or boats. I’m going to share my list of prepared foods I make ahead of time to free up my time while on the road. Plus, the exact list of foods I plan to prepare for our upcoming trailer trip with dear friends Margo and Jim and Phyllis and Tim.  

Well, that’s it for now. My plan for today is to prepare the trailer food list, make Creamy Roquefort Dressing (see recipe below) for the green salad I plan to serve with Hamburger Dip Sandwiches with Onion and Dry Sherry Au Jus (recipe on site) this evening, and start the 5th book in the Louise Penny series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec. (And yes, I have already read the series, but I am enjoying each book just as much the second time around.)

So, may you too continue to plan and prepare new and not so new dishes for your family and friends. Spend quality time with the books you love and consider old friends but be open to new and exciting adventures. And always remember to count your blessings. We all have blessings just waiting to be acknowledged. A beautiful sunrise, a bit of rain on a summer day, a smile from a stranger, an unexpected call from a friend (thank you Ann B.) who was just thinking of you, etc. etc. These are the real things that matter.

Peace and love to all.

And if you are into cats, the latest picture of Miles, sleeping in a place only this magical guy could find for himself.   

For the drop biscuits:

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed 

1 T. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

6 T. (¾ stick) grated cold unsalted butter

1 c. cold buttermilk

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.   

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.

Add the grated cold butter to the mixing bowl. Work the butter evenly into the flour mixture using a regular table knife.  

Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with that same table knife just until combined. (This will be a slightly wet and very sticky dough.) (BTW, a plain old table knife is one of my favorite implements for mixing thick or heavy dough. Cuts (sorry) right into the ingredients and blends the dough much better than any spoon or spatula can accomplish.)  

Using a large ice cream scoop (about a quarter cup), plop balls of dough onto your prepared baking sheet about 2-inches apart.  

Bake in a pre-heated 450-degree oven for about 10-13 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet.

Serve immediately (while still hot) or cool completely before storing in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer.

For the sausage gravy:

2 T. unsalted butter, divided

1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage

3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ c. whole milk, plus more if needed  

1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper (not too much)

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium sized pan. Add sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Fry until the meat is a nice dark brown and there are tasty meat bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add the remaining butter to the pan and whisk in the flour lifting the browned bits off the bottom as you stir the mixture. Let the whole mess burble for a couple of minutes.

Slowly whisk in milk, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, seasoned salt, and pepper.

Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (The sauce will thicken nicely during this time.) Taste and adjust seasoning. Add additional milk or water if the consistency is too thick.

CREAMY ROQUEFORT DRESSING

¾ c. crumbled roquefort cheese, or more to taste

½ c. buttermilk

¼ c. sour cream

3T. mayonnaise

2 tsp. white wine vinegar

¼ tsp. granulated sugar

1small garlic clove

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. That’s it!

Notice where Miles is and where the striped pillow is. Now look at the next picture (after I put the whole “pillow thing” back where it belonged) and tell me how this kitty moved the striped pillow out of the way without disturbing the one just in front of him. Which BTW is the backside of the pillow as you will see in the next picture. If this isn’t magic, I don’t know what else it could be!

The way the pillows are normally arranged on our guest bed.

ROSEMARY OVEN ROASTED POTATOES

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OK, I know. Everyone loves oven roasted potatoes. And because I am a potato lover and Mr. C. not so much, I have to “jazz” things up a bit before he deigns to even give this lowly starchy tuberous vegetable a try. But to be fair, Mr. C. does love French fries, Twice Baked Potatoes (recipe on site) and an occasional baked potato if there is plenty of butter, sour cream, bacon, and chopped green onion to cover the fact that what he is eating is first and foremost a potato. Other veggies are OK with him, but he is never going to be the veggie lover I am. And never ever will he peruse a menu like I do to find the entrée that accompanies the potato preparation that best fits my fancy. And I know. I’ve got the whole selection process backwards. First, I should choose the protein and then look at what comes with it. But I’ve been looking at menus for a very long time. And the chances of me changing my ways at this juncture are unimaginable. Most people my age have hard and fast rules set in stone for ourselves. Even if the rules make no bloody sense to anyone else and often don’t even make sense to us. It’s called being “set in our ways”. Which BTW, I am a prime example. But enough about my foibles and more about this recipe.

I made this recipe when Andy’s sister Katie and brother-in-law Rick stayed with us for a couple of nights. Karie is a wonderful cook, and she felt the potatoes were a bit too greasy, so I made them again last evening and used far less olive oil. They were perfect.

So, I hope you enjoy this quick and easy to prepare roasted potato recipe. Every bite was just delicious.

And on that happy, savory, note, peace and love from our home to yours.  

scant T. extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more as needed

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. granulated garlic

1 lb. red, gold, or purple thin-skinned potatoes, (or a mixture) scrubbed clean

1 T. finely minced fresh rosemary leaves, or more to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or thinly coat with cooking spray.  

Halve the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces, leaving the skin on. Whisk the olive oil, kosher salt, seasoned salt, pepper, and granulated garlic together in a small bowl. Dry the pieces of potato completely before adding to the olive oil mixture. Stir the potatoes until they are evenly coated with oil.

Spread the potatoes out on the baking sheet. (Don’t wash the bowl.)

Bake for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are deeply golden brown and soft inside. While the potatoes are baking add the fresh rosemary to the mixing bowl. Stir until every bit of the rosemary is lightly coated with the residual oil. Set aside.

After the first 35 minutes bake, remove the baking pan from the oven and scoop the potatoes into the mixing bowl. Stir until every piece is coated with rosemary. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve piping hot.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, VEGGIES, AND CANNELLINI BEAN STEW

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OK, I know. It’s August and this is my third post in a row (2 soups*) and now a recipe for stew*. And for many of you, this might bring into question my ability to understand how to take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables. But rest assured, I really do know that this is the time of year to buy ripe peaches, corn on the cob, fresh berries, etc. etc. But for this recipe for stew, there were extenuating circumstances. Or, should I say, the back story.

For my 81st birthday, our dear friends Jim and Margo gave me a beautiful new knife. And not just any kind of knife, but a professional series MTH-80 MAC Chef’s 8”-Dimpled, Subzero – made in Japan. They also gifted me with a Zwilling knife sharpener so I could keep my new treasure sharp.

Now I have been cutting up veggies, meat, cheese, bread, etc. for 61 years. And apparently, I have been holding my knives incorrectly all that time. So, yesterday, Jim and Margo came prepared with groceries (meat and various veggies) for me to learn how to use my new knife correctly. It took a few times to pick up the knife the correct way and let it do the hard work for me before it became instinctive.

To hold any knife properly, your thumb should be by the top edge of the knife blade right next to the handle, the finger next to your thumb should rest behind your thumb, while your other three fingers are wrapped around the handle. It feels awkward at first. But it makes all the difference in letting the knife do the hard work.

So, after cutting up several veggies, I had not only a wonderful new kitchen tool, but I also now had a mound of cut fresh veggies.

I knew we would be using the cut veggies to prepare some kind of main dish for dinner, but I had no idea what Jim had in mind. I had already prepared appetizers (Tapenade, Marinated Goat Cheese, and Guacamole), Garlic Bread from Scratch, and Easy Peach and Blueberry Crisp (recipe to be posted soon) served with vanilla ice cream for dessert. But the main dish that would contain the newly cut veggies had yet to be determined. But together, we decided a savory stew would fit the rest of the meal perfectly.

So, the result of our combined efforts is the recipe you find below.  

Well, that’s it for today. But before I let you go, I want to once again thank Margo and Jim for not only giving me such a nice knife but also for our years of friendship. For Jim to take the time to show me how to use the knife correctly made this gift even more special.

May you too have friends that go that extra mile for you. And may you be that family member or friend who makes someone else’s day better by giving of your time and expertise.

And as always, peace and love to all.    

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, opt.

1 – 1½ lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage

½ lg. white or yellow onion, diced

1 c. diced celery, leaves included

2 med. carrots, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

⅓ c. dry white wine

1 28-oz. can diced or whole tomatoes (preferably Italian)

2 cans cannellini beans (Cento brand is best)

1 tsp. fennel seeds, partially ground

1 T. dried thyme leaves

1 T. dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt (I use Morton’s kosher salt)

freshly ground black pepper

2 c. diced zucchini or yellow squash (or combination)

2 c. roughly chopped fresh spinach or kale

If using, heat the olive oil in a large, covered Dutch oven or pan. Add the Italian sausage and break it up as it browns (Maillard reaction. Look it up!). (I use oil when the sausage is quite lean. If there is a lot of fat, I fry the meat as is. No oil needed.)

After the meat has browned, take half out of the pan and place it in a bowl. Set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté until they are beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Pour in the dry white wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated.

Add canned tomatoes and cannellini beans. Break the tomatoes up if they are whole or in large chunks.) Rinse each can with a bit of water and add the water to the pot.

Stir in the ground fennel seeds, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring periodically.

Just before serving, remove and discard the bay leaves, add the remaining cooked meat, squash, and spinach. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, then serve the stew piping hot.

Great with garlic bread on the side.

*The key difference between soup and stew lies in the proportion of liquid to solids and the cooking method. Stews typically have a higher proportion of solid ingredients (like meat and vegetables) to liquid, with the liquid often thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Soups, on the other hand, tend to have a greater amount of broth or liquid and can often be served cold. Soups can also be used as a first course, while stews are usually considered the main dish.

CREAMY ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND CHEESE TORTELLINI SOUP  

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Yesterday I posted a soup recipe (Savory Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup) and in the preface, I defended my right to serve soup year-round. In retrospect, I should have stated more adamantly why soup is perfect any time of year. First of all, it’s so versatile and adaptable. In the winter when served piping hot, soup provides both warmth and comfort. In the summer, it can be very refreshing when served cold. (Not that I would recommend serving this soup chilled. That would just be wrong on so many levels.) But my Tomato Soup with Lemon Cream, Cold Tomato Basil Soup, Cold Tomatillo and Avocado Soup, or yesterday’s Savory Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup would be perfect for a scorching evening repast.

So, why did I decide to make this soup last evening? Well, for several reasons. The soup was easy to prepare. I had all the ingredients. And I was still feeling the effects of sitting on the world’s most uncomfortable chairs while listening to live jazz at the Anacortes Arts Festival. Even though theoretically I don’t have a bad back, those damn chairs did me in! So, an easy to build dinner was just what the doctor ordered.

And boy oh boy the soup was soooo delicious. I found the recipe on the pinchofyum.com site but made a couple of minor changes along the way.

So, if you too need a new soup recipe, I definitely recommend you give this soup a try. It is simply a perfect mix of ingredients.

Well, that’s it for today. I’m going to read for a while. Then hang the picture I bought at the Arts festival and generally putter my day away until it’s time to gussy up a bit for Mr. C’s gig at the Rockfish Grill in Anacortes with Joan Penney. I am such a lucky lady.

Peace and love to all.    

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. ground mild/sweet Italian sausage

¾ c. diced yellow onion

1 celery stalk, diced

1 lg. carrot, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. fennel seed, crushed

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes, opt.

2-3 T. tomato paste

¼ c. dry white wine

3 c. water

1 T. chicken bouillon

7-10 oz. cheese tortellini

1 c. whole milk

2 c. roughly chopped fresh spinach

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano  

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy stockpot. Add the sausage and cook until nicely browned, breaking up the sausage into small pieces. Remove half of the sausage and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for a few minutes until the veggies are soft.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the flour and let cook for about a minute. Then add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, fennel seed, crushed red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and dry white wine. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring all the while.

Gradually add the water and bouillon and bring the soup to a simmer, reduce the heat, and let burble for about 15 minutes.

Add the milk and bring to a low simmer. Add the remaining cooked sausage, tortellini, and spinach. Cook until the tortellini are al dente.

Pass the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at table. (Garlic bread too!)

SAVORY CREAM OF PORTABELLA MUSHROOM SOUP

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Not exciting to look at but wait till you taste this soup. Heaven in a bowl.

OK, you should all know by now (if you know me at all) that I love soup. So, I serve soup year-round. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s hot outside, or if it’s snowing up a blizzard. I’m going to build a batch of soup and if you happen to be around, that’s what you’re going to get too. Luckily Mr. C. loves soup as much as I do. But even if he didn’t, tough noogies! (It’s really just all about me. Right?) (Not!) Anyway, not only is soup delicious, usually easy to prepare, often healthy, and a ONE POT WONDER; it is undeniably comfort food to the max. Add a biscuit, garlic bread, maybe a salad if you are feeling energetic, and you, as the cook, are home free.

So, now that I’ve provided, ad nauseum, my justification for serving soup in August, I can tell you more about this very simple to prepare, vegetarian soup.

It’s fantastically delicious. I mean, over the top good. I found the recipe on food.com but made several changes that resulted in the final product being less caloric, used celery rather than 2 leeks, added a garlic clove, did not add sugar, used veggie stock rather than chicken stock which made the soup vegetarian, and less dried thyme than originally written.

So, if you too happen to bring home a four pack of portabella mushrooms from Costco like I did recently, then do not wait for cold weather to make this soup. Make it immediately and serve it as a first course or the main dish. It is going to rock your world.

Well, that’s it for now. I am way behind posting recipes because I had other things to occupy my time that took precedence. Like attending concerts at the “jazz” stage at the Anacortes Arts Festival this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Mr. C. was in two bands on Friday, one on Saturday, and one on Sunday. So, of course I had to be there to listen to and enjoy the music with friends. Then of course I had to go check out all the booths to make sure I didn’t miss any piece of art that really belonged in our home. (I can be quite diligent when necessary.)

Anyway, it was a wonderful weekend. Listening to live music is always such a treat. Being with good friends while doing so is like frosting on a cake. Sweet! And we truly do have the best friends any couple could ask for. We are well and truly blessed.

May you too have live music in your life and great friends to share it with.

Peace and love to all.    

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 lg. onion, chopped

¾ c. chopped celery (plus leaves)

1 lg. garlic clove, roughly chopped

4 portabella mushrooms, dark gills removed and cut into small pieces 

3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour  

½ tsp. dried thyme leaves  

1 bay leaf

4 c. veggie broth

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. whole milk

½ c. heavy cream (or more whole milk)

¼ c. dry sherry

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

croutons, opt. (see my recipe for homemade croutons below)

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion and celery are tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, and cook for about 10 minutes longer, covered, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the flour, and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the thyme, bay leaf, broth, salt, and pepper.

Simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool the soup slightly.

Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup using an immersion blender or food processor.

Return the pureed soup to the pan and add the whole milk, heavy cream, and sherry.

Cook over low heat until just heated through, but do not boil.

Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary, and serve warm or cold garnished with parsley. Offer croutons at table.

EASY BAKED GARLIC CROUTONS

3 T. extra virgin olive oil 

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

freshly ground black pepper

about 6 c. cubed crusty bread (crusts and all)

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pre-heat your oven to 400-degrees.

Whisk the olive oil, seasoned salt, granulated garlic, and black pepper together in a mixing bowl.

Add the cubed bread and gently toss until each cube of bread is coated with oil.

Place the coated bread on the prepared baking sheet.  

Bake, tossing every 5 minutes, for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the croutons are turning golden brown but still offer a bit of chew in the center. 

Remove the croutons from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan. Once cool, taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

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These are roughly the equivalent of a 9×13-inch pan. I used 2 8-inch square pans because I wanted one to take to our good friends Marsha and Craig to help celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. And the other for my dear husband who is blessed with not only one sweet tooth, but a whole mouth full!

Well, I’m not going to take much time on this post because if you too are a buttercream frosting fan and love the combination of chocolate and coffee, I don’t want you to spend a lot of time reading a long introduction when you could be in your kitchen whipping up this frosting. I mean truly, do not read any more of my stream of consciousness rhetoric and get thee to the kitchen post haste.

Because I don’t care if you slather this frosting on brownies, blondies, cupcakes, chocolate cake, yellow cake, vanilla cake, your favorite sugar cookies, etc., you are in for a treat.

I found this amazing recipe on the sugarandsparrow.com site. I did change the powdered sugar amount by a tad bit, but then I can hardly ever leave a recipe alone.

But we all have Whitney to thank for sharing this easy to make, fuss free, delicious mocha recipe with us.

So, my work here is done. You now have the power to become the mocha frosting queen or king of your neighborhood or possibly your entire state or country. This frosting is just that good! (And BTW, it’s OK to be a queen or king if we are talking frosting. Head of our nation, not so much!)

And as always, peace and love to all.  

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli Premium Cocoa Powder)  

¾ tsp. espresso powder (I use Medaglia D’Oro Espresso Instant Coffee)

pinch of fine sea salt

1 T. whole milk, or more as needed

½ tsp. vanilla extract

In the bowl of your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter on med-high until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Scrape down the bowl and paddle when necessary.

Add the powdered sugar a bit at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle when needed.

Push the cocoa powder and espresso powder through a fine mesh sieve to make sure there are no lumps, then mix them, along with the salt, into the butter mixture.

With the mixer on low speed, add the whole milk and vanilla. Mix on low until fully incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. If you want softer frosting, add a bit more milk.

Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

BTW, this is the perfect amount of frosting for a 9×13-inch pan of brownies, chocolate cake, or whatever your creative mind can envision. Happy days are here again.  

BLONDIES WITH MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND PECANS OR WALNUTS

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There is just something special about bar cookies. First of all, they are less work than refrigerator (icebox), rolled (cut out), drop (even if you use an ice cream scoop), or molded (pressed into a mold, thus creating cookies with intricate patterns and shapes difficult to achieve by hand) cookies. So, when push comes to shove, and I want quick and easy, it’s bar cookies every time. Plus, you can cut bar cookies into good sized pieces, or bite sized. Your choice. And for this bar cookie, you don’t even need a mixer. How great is that!

So, when I offered to bring cookies for our dear friend Vicki’s birthday celebration, I decided at least one of the offerings would be a bar cookie. And this is what I came up with.

Now, the one drawback to bar cookies is that they are best when served the same day. Or at least within a couple of days because they can become kind of dried out if they are not eaten within a day or two. Which, frankly, hardly ever happens in most homes. Especially if they are as chocolatey, caramelly, and nutty as these bars. But it is certainly something to consider when other types of cookies provide a bit more longevity.  

So, along with these bar cookies, I baked – Candied Ginger Shortbread, Speculaas (Danish ginger cookies), and White Chocolate Dipped Coffee Bean Shortbread, which were perfect because I could make them ahead of time. Vicki and her sister Sam made chocolate shortbread, walnut bar cookies, macaroons (GF), a delicious GF cookie which included pineapple, and a lovely fresh fruit platter. So, as you can imagine, the dessert table was very popular.

The entire event was a wonderful celebration which included family, old friends, new friends, band mates, bridge players, artists, various and sundry other acquaintances, and a lone party crasher. (We think the young lady was drawn to the music. The Fat Fridays, a fantastic dance band, led by Vicki’s husband Mark was playing, and who could blame this young woman for wanting to dance with the rest of us!)

Anyway, it was a great day. And a great reason to get together. And frankly, all of us need to celebrate with each other. Especially now. The political scene all over the world is scary. Our planet seems to be either flooding or burning. Essential American governmental departments and agencies that are for the betterment of all, are being decimated right before our eyes. So, we need to spend time with each other, celebrate with each other, and share our resources as best we can with each other. Even a smile, or a kind word, or a simple thank-you can make someone’s day better.

And I know, being a cook, you already make your family, and your friends’ lives better just by providing them with healthy and delicious food. All I can say is – keep up the good work.   

Peace and love to all.  

And just because I was feeling benevolent, I provided the recipe for both a large and a really large pan of these blondies. (My good deed for the day!)  

For a 9×13-inch pan:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 c. brown sugar, packed

2 lg. eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1½ c. milk chocolate chips

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts  

Stir the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together using a whisk. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread the dough out evenly in a lightly buttered 9×13-inch pan (glass is best). Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven (350-degree if you are using a metal pan) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few fudgy crumbs and the top looks set. Resist overbaking.   

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into whatever size pieces you want. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.

For a 10×16-inch pan:

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

3 c. brown sugar, packed

3 lg. eggs

1 T. vanilla extract

1 T. baking powder

1½ tsp. kosher salt

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

2¼ c. milk chocolate chips

1½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts 

Stir the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together using a whisk. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread the dough out evenly in a lightly buttered 10×16-inch pan (glass is best). Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven (350-degree if you are using a metal pan) for 34-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few fudgy crumbs and the top looks set. Resist overbaking.   

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into whatever size pieces you want. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.

WHIPPED FETA DIP OR SPREAD

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OK, when I initially made this dip/spread, I combined several recipes I found, and the result was “yikes, too bitter”. The lemon zest (originally 1 teaspoon recommended in one of the recipes I perused) was just too powerful. We ate it, but everyone who tasted it agreed that the lemon flavor was just too, too much. So, I tried again and found that fresh lemon juice, when used in moderation, is perfect.

I did up the amount listed below to about 1 teaspoon, but every lemon is different. Some lemons seem to come into this world angry and bound and determined to become the prominent taste whether that was the intended outcome or not. So, my new philosophy with regards to lemon juice and lemon zest is to start small and add more if necessary. (It took me 61 years of cooking to figure out that you can always add more lemon juice or zest, but taking it out is damn near impossible?) (Sometimes I wonder if my brain ever worked correctly. And some days I know that it must have also atrophied somewhere along the line. But luckily, not to the extent that it doesn’t recognize that a certain politician with multiple felonies to his discredit, is well and truly rotten to the core!) But I digress…..

Anyway, if you too would like a recipe for a quick and easy to prepare spread that is perfect with veggies, pita bread, or pita chips, and best when made ahead, this is the recipe for you.

Well, that’s it for today. But before I leave you to perform more important tasks than reading my diatribe about lemons, I’d like to tell you about one of the latest books I’ve read. Alias Emma by Ava Glass. And oh my, what a great book. As Jonathan Kellerman put it – “Turbocharged pacing, vivid sense of place, and unforgettable characters add up to Thriller with a capital T.” So, if you too love a good read, I highly recommend any book written by this “new to me” author.

And not just because I love to read, but because of everything I have read from numerous qualified sources, there are many known health benefits associated with reading books.

  1. Readers live longer.
  2. Regular readers can maintain their cognitive abilities better as they age than those who do not read.
  3. Reading can be a healthy way to unplug and escape from the stressors of daily life. Reading fiction, in particular, can improve your mental health and overall well-being. 
  4. Reading before bed can offer great sleep benefits. It is a low-energy activity that can help you relax before you go to sleep.
  5. People who read often are more comfortable reading about and understanding health information. 
  6. Reading can boost your intelligence. The more you read, the more information you ingest. Reading is like exercise for the brain, and the more you use your brain, the better it functions. 
  7. Reading can enhance your social skills because it gives you examples of social interaction to learn from. Research shows that people who read often have stronger social and behavioral skills compared to nonreaders.

So, on that happy, healthy note, as always, peace and love to all.

1 c. crumbled (from a brined block) feta cheese

¼ c. full-fat plain Greek yogurt

½ of an 8-oz. block of cream cheese

½ tsp. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

tiny pinch black pepper

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzle

Place the feta cheese, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, lemon juice, and black pepper in a small food processor and whirl until smooth.

Drizzle in the olive oil and blend until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until needed.

When ready to serve, scoop the mixture onto a plate and drizzle with olive oil.   

Great served with warm pita wedges and crudité.

EASY BAKED PITA BREAD

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We recently invited our dear friends Mark and Vicki and Vicki’s sister Sam to an 80th birthday celebration dinner for Vicki at our home. But then, what to serve? Since it’s summer I wanted to BBQ because we would be eating outside. And I didn’t want to serve the standard dishes usually associated with a BBQ dinner, because what fun is that? So, this is the menu I came up with.

(All recipes for the dishes in bold print can be found on this site.)

APPETIZER:

Whipped Feta Dip or Spread (recipe soon to be published)

Crudité (to be served with the main dish too)

Hummus (to be served with the main dish too)

Tzatziki (to be served with the main dish too)

Easy Baked Pita Bread cut into wedges (for sopping up the dip)

MAIN:

Ćevapčići (grilled by Mr. C.)

Easy Baked Pita Bread (cut in half to be stuffed with a Ćevapčići pattie, hummus, tzatziki, and any of the crudité veggies)

SALAD:

Mediterranean Quinoa, Fresh Vegetable, and Feta Cheese Salad

DESSERT:

Lemon Blondies (recipe soon to be published)

Now one of the best things about this particular menu was that I could (and should) make several of the dishes ahead of time. (Like, the day before!)

So, on Monday I prepared the feta dip, hummus, tzatziki, and the salad. On Tuesday, the day of the grand event, I mixed, formed, and refrigerated the Ćevapčići patties and made the pita bread and lemon blondies.

And frankly, the pita bread had been so easy to make. Not a lot of effort was involved.   

So, if you too are thinking of hosting a summer dinner, please feel free to prepare the same dishes I did. I must say, all the dishes seemed to complement each other. And that’s really the main objective in planning a meal. You always want to serve dishes that go together.

Another thing I want to stress that, I am sure, most of you already practice, which makes cooking easier and almost guarantees success in the kitchen is mise en place. Mise en place, a French culinary term, means “everything in its place”. It refers to the practice of preparing and organizing all ingredients and equipment before cooking, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow in the kitchen. This includes tasks like chopping vegetables, measuring spices, and having all necessary tools readily available.

And for me, since I am rapidly approaching my “golden” years (right Patti), I absolutely must make a list of the dishes I plan to serve when I am preparing to entertain guests. And then check my recipes to make sure I have all the ingredients and mentally prepare myself for how much time the preparation of each dish is going to require. And truthfully, as I’ve gotten older, I pretty much double the time it used to take me to prepare a dish just a few short years ago. Really! Because now I need to take breaks, sit for a few minutes here and there, and even take a short afternoon nap if time allows. In other words, I have learned to cut myself some slack and not expect to perform like the energizer bunny I once was. If I stop and think, and accept the fact that I am slowing down, and plan my time accordingly, I can still get things done, but with realistic expectations. And not end up belittling myself or hating my kitchen.

May you too take the time to understand your limitations and be OK with them. And do what you can, when you can. And always have fun in your kitchen. Even if it takes you longer to prepare dinner than when you were younger, so what! Anyone complaining, hand them your apron! Tag, you’re it!

And as always, peace and love to all.

¾ c. warm water

1 pkg. or 2¼ tsp. instant yeast

4 tsp. granulated sugar

3 c. bread flour, plus more if needed and for dusting

1½ tsp. fine sea salt

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

¾ c. whole-milk Greek yogurt

In a bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, sugar, 3 cups flour, salt, olive oil, and yogurt. Knead the dough at medium speed, adding more flour if needed, until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, 7 to 10 minutes.

Pour a bit of olive oil over the dough, and using your hands and a stiff spatula, roll the dough into an olive oil coated ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until double in size, about 2 hours.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface lightly coated with flour. Divide the dough into 12 equal sized balls. Cover and let rise an additional 20 minutes.

Roll the balls out into circles that are roughly ¼-inch thick. Place them onto prepared baking sheets an inch apart, then bake one sheet at a time for about 5-7 minutes or until each pita bread is puffy and lightly browned on top in a pre-heated 500-degree oven. (Begin checking at 5 minutes.)

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Serve with any of your favorite Mediterranean dishes.

OVEN BAKED ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

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Last evening I fixed one of our favorite dishes – Braised Lamb Shanks in a Thick Red-Wine Sauce (recipe on site) mainly because I had left-over Cheesy Grits (recipe also on site) and steamed rice from meals earlier this week. I try very diligently to use leftovers whenever possible. And both rice and grits are a great base for the braised lamb sauce. (You really must try the lamb shank recipe if you are a lamb lover. Easy to prepare and absolutely delicious.)

Along with the grits and rice, I also had a couple of zucchinis that were yelling at me to please put them to good use. (And yes, vegetables often let me know when they are feeling neglected. Not by their actions, of course, but rather by the way they just lay in the veggie bin looking forlorn.)

Anyway, I decided to try a new recipe starring zucchini that I found on the iheartrecipes.com site. And oh my, what a great recipe. Not only was the sauce perfect using zucchini, I think it might be the base for a new and improved green bean casserole. (I’ll let you know because I intend to try it out come Thanksgiving.)

So, while zucchini is close to becoming the veggie that magically appears on your front porch, give this recipe a try. I mean really, look at the ingredients! There is nothing there that doesn’t smack of delicious.

 Well, that’s it for today – July 4th, 2025 – Independence Day. The 4th of July, or Independence Day, is celebrated because it marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in 1776, declaring the thirteen American colonies free from British rule. This day signifies the birth of the United States as an independent nation.

And yet, because of a few rich and greedy politicians, our country is at risk. But I for one, do not intend to let them win. They are not going to make me complacent. They are not going to ruin my day. They are not going to turn me into a bitter person. They are not going to kill the kindness I feel and show to every person I meet, be they black, Jewish, trans, gay, etc., or in any way different from me. They are, however, going to cause me to fight with my words and actions any person who declares themselves better than anyone else because of the color of their skin or because of their Christian values. Jesus did not preach hate. And when I read that some smooth-talking idiot claims he or she is doing this or that in the name of Jesus, I call fowl! If they are just professing love, kindness, empathy, understanding, and acceptance, but are going in the absolute other direction, they are as far from being a true Christian as a person can be. And to my thinking, no one must be a “Christian” to be a truly empathetic and caring person. It’s not about who you worship. I truly believe you don’t have to have any affiliation to be grounded in humanity. It’s about being a decent human being and demonstrating your goodness by the life you lead that sets you apart.

May you be that person that smiles at strangers, says hello to the person in line behind you at the grocery store, who opens a door for someone, and sympathizes with a harried mother when she is doing her best to keep it together with a child who is obviously tired and cranky. We need positivity. We need assurance. We need kindness. And together, we can make a difference.

Peace and love to all.    

2 T. unsalted butter

2 med. sized zucchini, thinly sliced

⅓ c. finely diced onion

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. sour cream

¼ c. grated Parmesan

½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

¾ c. French’s Crispy Fried Onions, crushed

Lightly butter a 9-inch (or equivalent sized) baking dish. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the zucchini and onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent.

Fold in salt, pepper, sour cream, Parmesan, and cheddar cheese and mix until well combined.

Scoop the mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle the crushed fried onions on top.

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes.