This is what my kitchen looked like at 8:00 AM this morning. And this is what my kitchen looked like at 3:00 this afternoon... and I couldn't be happier about it. This means that our long awaited kitchen remodel if finally underway!!! 😃 Yup, I'll just be over here doing my happy dance now! 😅 Obviously there'll be minimal cooking during the deconstruction phase of the remodel so we'll be relying on freezer meals ... AND the generosity of my neighbors who have graciously offered to let me borrow their ovens to warm our dinners. 😂 This chicken bacon ranch casserole is one of the meals that I had prepped and frozen in anticipation of demo day. I'm not normally a big casserole fan but this pasta and chicken creation with turkey bacon really peaked my interest. It was delicious and I think you're going to like it too. I recommend doubling the recipe - make one to savor now and one to tuck away in your freezer for another day. ✌🏻 Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole 4 slices bacon, diced (or turkey bacon) 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 Tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix 8 ounces rotini 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Sauce 2 Tablespoons butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Sprinkle bacon over casserole. Cover and freeze OR bake 20 minutes at 375. Tomorrow we're going to get even more space added to our kitchen with the addition of a new pantry. I feel like a kid at Christmas - I can hardly wait. Not to worry - I'll be taking all of you along for this remodel ride along with us. Look for another kitchen update soon.
Caio!
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The race is on. The race to demo day - that is. 🏃🏽♀️ For reasons that I cannot explain, our upcoming kitchen remodel has launched me into a baking mode like I've never experienced. This week I've already made Cinnamon Crunch Bread, Crumb Topped Chocolate Chip Cake, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, White Chocolate Coconut Biscotti, Brownies, Blackberry Cobbler and Apple Raspberry Pies. 😅Stocking up my freezer with all of these goodies makes it seem like I'm preparing for a zombie apocalypse. Nope - just getting ready for kitchen demo day. 😂 I can't explain why I've started feverishly working to create a stockpile of baked treats but for whatever reason, it's my way of mentally preparing for the demo to start. It makes me feel more prepared to know that I have extra blackberry cobbler in my freezer just in case we get a last minute dinner invite over the next few weeks. 🤷🏻♀️I mean - in the world of me - there's nothing worse than showing up to a friends house for dinner - empty handed. 🤣 Today, I kept going over the list in my head of all the possible engagements that I might need to have a dessert for, over the next 8 or 9 weeks. (I know, I know. I have a problem.) 😅 There will be Bible study pot lucks to plan for, foster parents that rely on my monthly support, new neighbors to welcome with sweets and dinner parties with friends. It would be impossible to be prepared for every foody event over the next two months but my small arsenal of desserts has me feeling empowered as we approach this new season of kitchenlessness. (Pretty sure, I just made that word up.) Cinnamon Crunch Bread 1/2 cup buttermilk, warm 1/3 cup warm water 2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast 1/4 cup sugar 5 Tablespoons butter, melted 1 large egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups bread flour Filling 3 Tablespoons butter, extra soft 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon Cinnamon Crunch Topping 2 Tablespoons butter, melted 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons flour
Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing. Just so you know - we're currently, and unashamedly, accepting dinner invitations for next month while our kitchen is rendered unusable.😉 Mostly because I invested so much time into loading up my freezer with desserts that there was no time left for meal prep.😬 But, this amazing cinnamon crunch bread is in my freezer so if you invite us for dinner - I just might show up with it my hand. 🤣 Ciao!
I really want to be a proficient gardener with a bountiful summer garden bursting with an abundance of fresh vegetables and summer fruit. 👩🏻🌾 The kind of girl who wears overalls and straw hats and fill baskets with fresh produce that I've grown myself. 💁🏻♀️ Year after year, I'd spend hours trying to create a garden oasis in my backyard but the truth is - I'm just not cut out for summer gardening. 😟 It's not for lack of enthusiasm or effort that my garden seems to fail every summer. At the first sign of warm weather I head to my favorite garden center, eagerly pick out plants, carefully tuck them into my garden and faithfully watered them every single day. It all seems to progress swimmingly for a while and then... my poor plants meet a terrible fate. I guess I should take it as a compliment that the animals and critters find my plants so irresistible that they take up residence in my garden. 🐛 The problem is, once the insects move in, it's really hard to evict them. 😂 And bugs are just one of the problems. Oppressive Georgia temperatures that wreak havoc on my young plants, summer vacations that force me to take a hiatus from my care-taking duties and a host of other obstacles have made it nearly impossible for my garden to thrive. This year I conceded the fight and planted giant sunflowers in the garden instead of vegetables. 🌻 The theory was that they would be easier to grow and less tempting to animals than vegetables. I put the seeds in the ground in March, waited for them to sprout and then watched them grow into beautiful, little, sturdy, 18 inch plants in about 6 weeks - then we went on vacation for a week. 😬 Did you know that you're supposed to stake those things up? 🤣 So long sunflowers. 😭 With yet another garden fail under my belt, I decided to give up on the summer garden and try my luck at Fall gardening. I pulled out all of the sunflowers that were beyond saving and planted pumpkin seeds. 🎃 I'm happy to report that so far the pumpkin plants are thriving. I even have couple of blossoms. I don't have the best track record so - I'll keep you posted on the pumpkin progress. Since I don't have a summer garden of my own right now, I'm relying on friends and the farmers market for all of my summer produce needs. I've got to say that I've gotten some amazing beans, watermelon, tomatoes and corn from the market this year. I've got to say that fresh corn on the cob has to be my favorite summer vegetable. 🌽I have a tendency to get overly excited and buy way too much when I find fresh sweet corn. Leftover corn on the cob is never a bad thing but when I end up with a surplus, it's always nice to have a new way to use it up. Sweet Corn Muffins are the perfect way to highlight fresh corn. I also have a bunch of these tucked away in my freezer for chili nights this Fall. Sweet Corn Muffins 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup whole milk 1/2 cup sour cream 8 Tablespoons butter, melted 2 eggs 2 cups fresh corn kernels
Bake 20-24 minutes at 400. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. My hats off to all of the farmers and home gardeners who have successful summer gardens. Send me all of your tips and tricks - goodness knows I need them. 🤣
Ciao! There was a time in my life when I had so much extra food in my freezer that it looked to an outsider that I was preparing for a zombie apocalypse. 😳 My intention was not to hoard food but to make efficient use of my time. I thought that preparing ridiculously oversized meals and freezing leftovers was a good idea but this practice quickly got out of hand. As you might imagine, it didn't take long before I had freezers that were absolutely stuffed to capacity and accessing anything behind the first layer of Tupperware containers, required the skills of a professional tetris player. 🤣 I've gotten out of the habit of freezing meals on a regular basis but there's no denying that there are times when a frozen meal saves the day. In anticipation of my kitchen remodel, I've started to tuck a few things away for the days when I don't have a working kitchen sink or countertops or even a floor to stand on. 😬 Knowing that I have a lasagna and a chicken casserole on hand, that I can just heat and eat during remodel months is easing some of the anxiety about this construction project. Before I start boxing things up in my own kitchen, I get to go to South Georgia and practice my packing skills in my son and daughter-in-law's kitchen. It's amazing how you don't realize just how many things are stored in a kitchen until you have to think about packing everything into boxes. 😅 I love to organize, I love puzzles and I love kitchen stuff so this whole kitchen packing day should be a breeze. #famouslastwords 😅 Once all of the dishes, pots, pans, bowls and utensils are carefully packed into boxes, food preparation is going to become much more difficult. Paper plates and plastic silverware is going to be my saving grace. AND the meals that I made in advance and put in my freezer. After all, a microwave can be operated in the garage and hands can be washed in the bathroom. 😂 🍽 These chicken parmesan meatballs are the start of my freezer full of "picnic construction meals". They're so crazy good though - Im not sure I'll be able to wait until the end of September to break into this deliciousness. Chicken Parmesan Meatballs 5 Tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes 15 ounce can tomato sauce 2 1/4 teaspoons oregano 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 22 Ritz crackers 2 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated 1 egg 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon pepper 2 pounds ground chicken 2 cups mozzarella, shredded 1 cup panko 1/4 cup fresh basil
Sprinkle 1/2 c. Parmesan and basil over meatballs before serving. I served these chicken parmesan meatballs with a side of crusty Italian bread and a salad. I wasn't taking a stand against pasta - just short on time for a weeknight dinner. 🤷🏻♀️ I suspect that these beef-free meatballs would be equally delicious alongside a bowl of tagliatelle or cavatelli. Enjoy friends.
Ciao! Wisdom for a happy life: Celebrate each day like a birthday. 🎉 Just like Christmas or Thanksgiving - birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate. To gather together. To eat dessert. To party. 🥳 But unlike holidays, birthdays are the one day a year that we can celebrate a someone's uniqueness. A day to reflect on what is it about them that makes them special. Celebrating the birthdays of the significant and impactful people in my life brings me so much joy and happiness. And today I'm extra happy to be celebrating the birthday of my husband. I met this human when we were just 10 years old. I went on my first date with him at the awkward age of fifteen and we've shared a last name now for almost 28 years! 👰🏻 I guess I kind of like this guy. 😂 And today, on his birthday, I get to celebrate everything that makes him unique and wonderful. How a person chooses to celebrate a birthday is very personal. Some prefer a quiet, introspective afternoon of solitary reflection while others want to be surrounded by family and friends at an over the top celebration with food and gifts. As for me, I like to spend birthdays, looking back on my accomplishments and setting goals for the future. I remind myself to live in the moment and be fully present - something that I forget to do, a lot. 😂 I also feel like everyone deserves to feel special and valued on their birthday. And the baker in me believes that everyone deserves a special treat on their birthday. (Even if that means that they treat themselves to something out of the ordinary.) It should come as no surprise to anyone that I bake to honor my favorite people on their birthdays. 💁🏻♀️(#foodismylovelanguage) And since my husband might be the only other person on the planet with a bigger sweet tooth than me - I'm starting off his special day with a cinnamon roll cupcake. I hope that his day is even sweeter than this vanilla frosted, sprinkle filled, pillowy soft cinnamon roll. 😅 Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast or 1 packet 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided 1 cup warm milk 2 large eggs room temperature 1/3 cup butter melted 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups bread flour Filling 1 cup rainbows sprinkles 1 cup brown sugar packed 2 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/3 cup butter softened Icing 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-2 Tablespoons milk
Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls. Add additional sprinkles. Birthday celebrations start early in this house. There will still be cake and ice cream after dinner but why wait for the evening to honor the birthday boy when we can start the day with cinnamon roll cupcakes?
Ciao! |
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