Creamy Dill Cucumbers

We have a plethora of cucumbers ready in our garden! Daily, we've eaten them washed, sliced and with a healthy sprinkle of sea salt. As much as we love cucumbers straight from the garden, we look for new ways to serve them...after all, variety is the spice of life!

Here is a simple, delicious recipe in a fun Smilebox format, complete with music. Take a bowl of Creamy Dill Cucumbers to your next cookout, picnic or church social!

Customize your own free recipe card design

Boys Love Cookies & Remembering Patrick

Today is a day filled with memories, deep longing and sadness for me and my family. Six years ago, today, our beautiful son passed away. He was 26 years old and had battled a "mysterious" illness from his Junior year in high school. Finally, years later, he would be diagnosed with the same illness that took my mother's life and that I battle daily...a misunderstood, multi-symptom intruder called "lupus." It has been an unwelcome visitor to my family for many, many years and has robbed me and my family of so much...my son, my mother and my health. There are different kinds of lupus, but my son, mother and I were diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, its organs and systems, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. For more information on lupus, go to the website of an organization of which I am a Member and Advocate: The Lupus Foundation of America. The LFA estimates that 1.5 million Americans, and at least 5 million people worldwide, have a form of lupus, with those numbers climbing daily. Please find out more about this disease and what you can do to help by visiting the LFA.

Remembering Patrick...A Beautiful Soul

"Tears in Heaven"

Eric Clapton

(Who lost his own son.)

Boys loves cookies...my little boy did, even when he wasn't so little anymore. He loved oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies the best. So, in tribute to my son, here is a great cookie recipe that combines both. I would give anything to have him sit down at my kitchen table with a plate of my fresh-from-the-oven cookies again. I love and miss you, son, so very much...and I always will. If there are cookies in Heaven, I know they are even better than mine.

Oatmeal Raisinets® Cookie Tower

Can't Eat Just One!

Oatmeal Raisinets® Cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. rolled oats
• 3/4 c. chocolate covered raisins (Raisinets®...I love the DARK chocolate, but you can use your choice of dark or milk chocolate)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 

Take Your Pick...

I Chose Dark Chocolate

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture.

Cream Butter, Brown Sugar,

Egg and Vanilla

Creamy, Yummy Batter

Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the Raisinets® and Walnuts



Stir in the oats, Raisinets® and walnuts.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Place baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Okay, confession time...I was in such a hurry to make these beauties, I didn't refrigerate the batter at all! They turned out fine.)

Into the Oven They Go!

Bake cookies in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops look a little undercooked (I usually go a full minute under the least amount of time recommended when baking cookies...that's why I have a reputation for such good cookies that are never hard!) Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Yes...yes these ARE that GOOD! Mmmm.

Now, all you need is a glass of cold MILK!

Zucchini Bread & Growing Where Planted

When we relocated back to my hometown in January, much had to be done to reacclimate ourselves. This time around, I was bringing back a father who was recovering from a stroke and the loss of my mother. At first, it was difficult...there were so many memories in every nook and cranny, in familiar faces and in the geography, itself. Sometimes it's difficult to go "home," especially when home has changed so much and precious people who were a part of home are gone. But, I believe that we were led here, not by accident or chance, but for a purpose and a plan. Each day, we see a little bit more of that plan unfolding and sometimes we have to exercise patience as we wait for the next part of the plan to be revealed. So, first things first...we set about getting my father settled again and taking care of business. As the cold weather turned warm, my father started talking about a garden. That was exciting news because my husband and I had already been talking of trying our hands at growing some things we hadn't grown before, so it was on! After much hard work, blood (yeah, we hurt ourselves a couple of times), sweat and tears (okay, mine, not my husband's), some crazy weather (unseasonably cold and hot spells, rain similar to monsoon season in the tropics and a tornado or three or four) we started seeing the fruits of our labors. My husband is like a proud new father to a whole brood of vegetables, with new ones joining the family each day. We have gorged ourselves on tomatoes and cucumbers...oh, how will we ever go back to store-bought when these taste straight from Heaven? The yellow squash and zucchini are coming in, so we've been making quiches, casseroles and breads. The spaghetti squash are getting plump, but aren't quite mature yet, but we check their progress daily. It's wonderful when you have so many goodies to enjoy and many more to share with family and friends.

All of this planting and working and growing got me to really thinking about God's goodness, as well as His purpose for us. I am reminded daily that nothing in life is guaranteed except His love, goodness and grace, He is there through every kind of weather, He asks us to sow seeds, nurture important living things, keep our soil fertile, to not grow weary and leave the rest of it to Him. If we are prepared and willing to do a little work, we can grow wherever He chooses to plant us...and He brings the sunshine just in time.

"Kiss of the sun for pardon.

Song of the birds for mirth.

You're closer to God's heart in a garden

than any place else on earth." 

~~  Dorothy Frances Gurney

Zucchini Bread

Stir Together:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Add:

• 2 c. unpeeled, grated zucchini, well-drained (I squeeze all the liquid out that I can and blot with paper towels)
• 1 c. finely chopped walnuts
• 1 c. golden raisins or currants
• 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, well-drained (I squeeze all the liquid out of this, too.)

As you can see, I opted to use currants.

Beat Together:

• 3 eggs
• 1 c. cooking oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Add zucchini mixture to dry ingredients, mixing just until well-blended.

Pour egg mixture into zucchini/dry mixture and stir just until moistened - do NOT over-mix.

Grease and flour two loaf pans; put parchment paper in the bottom of the pans, if desired. Evenly distribute mixture between the two loaf pans.

Place in oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a toothpick inserted into middle of loaves comes out clean. Cool for five minutes, run a knife around edges of each loaf and turn out on wire racks to continue cooling.

You can completely cool the bread or serve it warm. This bread may have a little more spice than you are used to, but we like it that way around our house. The recipe makes two loaves, so you can keep one and give one to a friend, freeze the second one or eat them both. The bread is especially good the next day, after all the wonderful flavors meld...if it lasts that long!

Psst...the fresh mint garnish 

came from my herb garden!

"So neither the one who plants

nor the one who waters is anything,

but only God, who makes things grow."

~~ 1 Corinthians 3:7

Posole & Mexican Cornbread

Posole is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico. It is as rich in flavor as it is in history. Nixtamal, corn kernels treated in an alkaline process (aka hominy), is the base of the dish, which is combined with chili peppers, various spices and meat...traditionally pork, but turkey or chicken was sometimes used. Vegan Posole is made by simply omitting the meat. Corn was considered sacred by the Aztecs, so Posole, despite its simplicity, was a "special occasion" food. It was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion.

We love spicy food around our house, but I don't usually like it as spicy as other members of my family. Typically, I will make my dishes mild, but provide  "hot" additions to spice things up a bit for those in my family with cast iron stomachs and Teflon taste buds. This Posole recipe is a somewhat "Americanized" version. You can spice it up to your liking...but I'm going to let my taste buds and stomach live to eat another day!

Mild Posole

Ingredients
1 dried ancho chili
1 dried guajillo chili
1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 small red onion, diced (or 1 tsp. onion powder)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes - do NOT drain!
1 4-oz. can green chili peppers, diced
1/2 tsp. cumin, or more to taste
1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano
1 tsp. salt
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
5 cups vegetable broth or vegetarian stock (try 5 cups water + 4 tsp. vegetable base + 2 tsp. commercial black, red or green mole)
2 15-oz, cans hominy, rinsed and drained
Juice of 2 limes

For a "with meat" version, add browned lean ground beef, pork shoulder or roast that has been simmered in water for 2 or more hours, or until tender, stewed boneless, skinless chicken or leftover Thanksgiving turkey that has been boned and skinned.

Garnish Suggestions
Cilantro, chopped
Onion, finely diced
Radishes, thinly sliced
Limes, cut into wedges
Avocado, diced
Lettuce, chopped
Tomato, chopped
Red Sweet Peppers, finely diced

Preparation
Soak chilies in hot water for 20 minutes. Discard any stems and as many seeds as you choose to adjust the "fire" factor. Puree in a blender. Heat oil in a medium-size pot and saute garlic and onion (if using onion powder, don't add yet!) on low for 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes (with juice), chili puree (add a small amount and adjust at the end of cooking), green chilies, salt and spices (and onion powder if using in place of onion). Simmer the soup/stew for 10 minutes. Add hominy and pinto beans, return to boil and simmer for additional 15 to 20 minutes. Add lime juice. Taste and, if necessary, add more salt, lime juice or chili puree. Ladle into individual serving bowls and set out garnishes from which your guests can choose to make it their own! Serve with Mexican cornbread.

Mexican Cornbread

Ingredients
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 15-oz. can cream-style corn
1 4-oz. can green chilies, well-drained
1 2-oz. jar pimientos, well-drained
Sliced jalapenos, if desired (add fresh or canned...you can make it as hot as you like!)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup Mexican blend cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white cornmeal
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. cooking oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Coat the bottom of a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with oil and place in the oven. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chilies, jalapeno (if using), pimiento, spices and cheese.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour/cornmeal mixture to cream corn mixture and stir until well-blended. Pour batter into hot pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cornbread comes out clean. Serve with Posole.

Note: I usually do not like ANY sugar in my cornbread. In this recipe, however, I put a little sugar in it, as the cream corn already imparts some sweetness. If you desire a more savory cornbread, omit the sugar!

Clafouti Aux Cerises

Clafouti Aux Cerises

(Cherry Clafouti - Pronounced klah-foo-TEE)

Clafouti Aux Cerises aka Cherry Clafouti is a rustic custard-like French country dessert originating from the Limousin Region of France. Traditionally, it was made with unpitted sweet cherries. When baked, the pits in the cherries impart a distinct delicate almond-like flavor to the dish that pitted cherries simply do not. However, most people in the United States, where this dessert has become immensely popular, use pitted cherries for reasons of dental safety and ease in eating. If you choose to make it the traditional way with unpitted cherries, PLEASE warn your guests about the pits!

You could classify Cherry Clafoutis as a pudding, of sorts, with the sweet cherries covered by a thin, almost pancake-like, batter. It is baked until the batter sets, it is nicely browned and it puffs slightly around the edges. A dusting of confectioners' sugar, with a dollop of crème fraiche, plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or whipped cream on top, completes the presentation. If you are not a cherry lover, use fresh blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, plums, peaches, nectarines or pears. You will have to adjust the amount of sugar added to the recipe depending on the sweetness of the fruit.

When choosing cherries for this dish, choose sweet cherries (like Bings) that have their stems still attached, have no shriveled stems, are plump, firm and shiny, have no brown spots or cuts, are not soft and mushy and are not sticky. If you choose to use pitted cherries, the easiest way to pit them (if you do not have a cherry pitter) is to make a small cut, with the point of a small, sharp knife, at the top dimple where the stem has been removed. Remove the pit with the tip of your knife, or with your thumbnail, if you prefer. Since this process is a messy one, it's best to remove the pits over a bowl so the juices can be caught and kept from staining your countertop or floor. Plan to use the cherries as soon as possible, once the pits are removed, for optimum flavor and texture. Leaving the pits in the cherries infuses a wonderful almond-like flavor that won't be there if the pits are removed, but the danger of the pits and the messiness of removing each one at the table is not worth it to many people, so choose which method works best for you. This dish is wonderful and, although traditionally rustic, will bring an air of French sophistication to your table.

Clafouti Aux Cerises

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. whole or evaporated milk
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/3 c. white sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. (4 c.) sweet cherries
• Confectioners' sugar
• Crème fraiche, plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or whipped cream (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using the softened butter, grease a 9-inch round deep baking dish, deep-dish pie plate or 9"x 9" square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt until well-blended. Add flour, a little at a time, whisking with each addition, until batter is smooth.
3. Spread 3/4 c. of the batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 2 - 4 minutes, watching carefully, so that it bakes only until batter is set and not until it cooks completely. Batter should just be starting to thicken and only slightly set. Remove from oven.
4. Place the hot dish on a heatproof surface. Arrange the cherries, dimple side down, in the partially-baked hot batter. Carefully pour the remaining batter over the top of the cherries. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven when done, dust the top with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately with a dollop of crème fraiche, plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or whipped cream on top of each serving! Makes eight beautiful and delicious servings!

I made this Clafouti Aux Cerises in the traditional French rustic manner...

I left the pits in when I baked it.

Easy Crock Pot Coconut Rice Pudding

I love coconut. I love it so much, I cook with it and eat it any way I can...flaked coconut, coconut milk, cream of coconut, coconut butter, Seven Keys Coconut Toast Spread (if you haven't had this, you have no idea what you are missing!) I love adding coconut to my rice pudding. There is something so satisfying about adding coconut to this Old South tradition. Maybe I should have called this post "I Love Coconut!"

Easy Crock Pot Coconut Rice Pudding

• 2 3/4 cups water
• 3/4 cups Jasmine or long-grain rice (I prefer Jasmine rice)
• 1 15-ounce can cream of coconut (NOT coconut milk...think Coco Goya, which is what I use!)
• 12 ounces evaporated milk, coconut milk (not cream) or soy milk, if you want to make this vegan
• 1 Tablespoon dark run or 2 - 3 teaspoons rum extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend
• Couple of healthy dashes nutmeg
• Dash of sea salt
• 2/3 cup sweetened, flaked coconut (optional)

In a 4 1/2-quart to 6-quart crock pot, stir together water, rice, cream of coconut, milk (your choice...evaporated is best for non-vegans and coconut milk is best for vegans, in my opinion), rum or rum extract, vanilla extract, golden raisins, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg and sea salt. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours.

While pudding cooks, toast coconut. Heat a small skillet or saute pan over Medium heat until hot. Add coconut and toast, stirring constantly, until deep golden (don't overbrown or scorch). Transfer to plate.

When pudding is ready, remove inner crock from crock pot base and allow to stand 10 minutes. To serve, spoon pudding into serving bowls and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using. If not serving pudding right away, press plastic wrap against top of pudding in bowl (literally press the plastic against the pudding). This step avoids a skim forming on top of the pudding. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to two days. Simply pull off plastic wrap and top of pudding will be skim-free! Place in serving bowls and sprinkle on toasted coconut that has been kept in a plastic storage bag. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe can be vegetarian or, if you choose to use soy milk, vegan.

Wheat Meat or Chicken Jalfrezi & Broaden Your Palate!

Westsoy Seitan...Wheat Protein Strips

What is "Wheat Meat?" you might ask. When I first started down the vegetarian/vegan road to better health, I had to find good alternatives to meat and I tried many. Wheat Meat is also known as seitan and its texture and taste are very satisfying...and it provides a great source of protein in your diet. I love Westsoy Seitan Strips, but it also comes diced and in crumbles.This recipe is easily adaptable whether you want to keep it vegan or add poultry. I have made it both ways but, when using chicken, I buy only free-range, certified 100% organic chicken. Eating clean and healthy protein is absolutely crucial if you want to prevent disease and premature aging, increase your daily energy and live longer. I have included the vegetarian choices for protein that I've used in the past and that is the way I've made it most of the times I've prepared this dish. Believe me, if you use seitan, you won't miss traditional meat! Jalfrezi  is a type of curry in which marinated pieces of meat or vegetables are fried in oil and spices to produce a dry, thick sauce. Instead of traditional soy sauce (which is a mixture of wheat and soy), we use tamari, an organic, gluten-free (all soy) soy sauce whose flavor goes way beyond it's saltiness...our favorite brand is San-J Organic Tamari. We have discovered the wonderful spice blend called Garam Masala. We use it in SO many of our dishes and it gives our Jalfrezi some of its wonderful flavor. Order it in bulk (we get our bulk spices from Spices, Inc.) or make your own. If you choose to make this dish with all the suggested non-meat options, it is 100% vegan!

"Chicken" Jalfrezi

“Chicken" Jalfrezi

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (I have an onion sensitivity, but can use onion powder without a reaction, so I use 1 tsp. onion powder instead.)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cans Rotel tomatoes (with chilies or jalapenos)
• 1 cup organic vegetable broth (or chicken broth, if desired)
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded, pith removed and chopped
• 1 8-oz. package Westsoy Seitan Strips*
• 1 15-oz. can organic chickpeas* (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 Tbsp. tamari
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 sprigs fresh cilantro, for garnish

*If you choose to use poultry, use 1 pound chopped cooked organic chicken

Directions

1.    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion and garlic until tender. Mix in the tomato paste, tomatoes and vinegar. Season with turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, (onion powder, if using) and garam masala. Continue to cook and stir until blended and heated through, about 10 minutes.

2.   Mix the red bell pepper, seitan and chickpeas (or cooked chicken, if using) into the skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, until chicken is heated through. Add tamari. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, to taste.** If you like your Jalfrezi with a little thinner sauce, just dilute with additional vegetable broth or water. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve over rice.

**If you put this dish on Low in a slow cooker for 3 hours, the flavors "marry" well, plus you can make it ahead a bit; put cilantro on after cooking.