Oatmeal Walnut Cookies

Here's the recipe for these oatmeal walnut cookies.  My friend's mom is 97 years old and has been on TV for years, and has her own cookbook called Blue Ribbon Baking.  I've mentioned her and her recipes before, and I'm doing it again because everything I've made from her book turns out to be the best tasting cookie or brownie ever!  This cookie is no exception.

This recipe makes a lot, and the cookies are thin, chewy, and full of flavor and crunch - it's impossible to eat just one or even two or even three...

So here's my cookie jar, full and running over...

Veggie Quesadillas

Super yummy veggie quesadillas -

You'll need

4 large flour tortillas
1 red pepper sliced thinly
1 white onion thinly sliced
1 bunch (tops only) broccolini
3 T chipoltle adobo sauce (puree one can)
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 vine tomato, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups grated smoked cheddar
1 1/2 cups grated pepper jack

Boil the broccolini tops in salted water about 3 min then shock in ice water and drain.

In a skillet, heat 2 T olive oil and add drained broccolini, pepper and onion - stir fry til crisp tender over high heat, then add in the adobo sauce, garlic and tomato...about another minute.  Set this mixture aside.

Wipe out the skillet, spray with oil and place back on fire.

Lay in one tortilla at a time, one minute till barely browned, then turn over.  Add cheese, veggies, and cheese, then fold over tortilla and press - cooking about 2 min on each side.

Slice and serve!

Corn Enchiladas

Corn is the star ingredient here, and these enchiladas are tasty!

You'll need:

corn off of two cobs
chopped onion (1/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
8 corn tortillas
2 cups pepper jack cheese
1 10-oz can enchilada sauce

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

in a skillet, add 1 T olive oil and heat over med-hi.  add the onion and garlic, stir for one minute.  add the corn and the milk, stirring and cooking until thickens (about 7 min).  season with salt.

in warm tortillas, place 1 heaping T each of corn and cheese.  roll up and place in oiled 7X11 dish, in a row.  pour the sauce over the top, and top with more cheese.

bake for about 20 minutes - enjoy!

A Notebook Backpack!

My sister got these cute pencil backpacks for her grandkids - these packs strap over their notebooks!  And at Target, there are lots of accessories that match the packs!  So cute. If I was in school, I'd want this!

iphone tripod!

Making videos is what it's all about these days, so I'm adding this to my Christmas list to make it easier and more inclusive and fun!

Chicken Parm and Walnut Bites

Chicken parmesan bites are crunchy and tasty, but I really like the walnuts and Ritz crackers in the batter - and they're baked and not fried!

heat oven to 400

line a sheet with foil and spray with oil

in a shallow bowl mix:

1 c crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup grated Parm
1/4 finely chopped walnuts
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp pepper

cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces.  dips into melted butter, then in mixture and pat to adhere.  place on prepared baking sheet and bake 25 minutes til golden and done.

serve with marinara!

Squash Nachos

Saw this recipe in a magazine and tried it - so easy - so tasty - and quick!

You'll need:

Panko bread crumbs
Sharp cheddar, grated
Scallions
S&P

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray.

Slice two yellow squash into 1/4 inch slices and place in a single layer on the prepared sheet.  Top with shredded cheddar and bread crumbs.

Broil 3-4 minutes til cheese/crumbs are browned.

Top with scallions, season with salt and pepper!

You've now got yourself some squash nachos!

Hummus Adobo Style

No, it's not a pie - it's hummus.  It's homemade hummus, with a kick stirred in - and boy is it good!

1 can drained chickpeas
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup tahini
2 T olive oil
S&P

Puree all of the above in a food processor.

Stir in 4 tsp of sauce from canned chipotles in adobo sauce.

Top with fresh minced red onion and chopped (seeds removed) jalapeno.

seriously, delicious!

Suede Sandals

I found these suede sandals on the shelves at Target today.  They're brown, they're comfy, and the suede is a great transition fabric from summer to fall!

Simple Supper

Tonight was a simple supper with what I had:

white rice
pinto beans
chopped scallions
chopped tomato
chopped (seeds removed) jalapeno
dash of hot sauce

I used boxed rice and a can of beans to make it super simple.  I added some butter, S&P to the rice, topped with the beans, then added the other toppings, including a dash of hot sauce in the middle.

It was SUPER tasty - served with corn on the cob!

Bullet Journaling

I haven't bought one yet, but I've heard this bullet journal is a great tool for organizing your days/weeks/months - it's something new.  I'm thinking of buying my own journal and trying it or buying the one here!  There's a video to watch on how to set it all up and use it...pretty interesting.

Dip to Transport

I needed to take  a snack tray to a party, and found this dip that was easy to make:

3 red peppers, 1 large zucchini and 1/2 large onion cut in one-inch pieces - roast in the oven at 425 for about 25 minutes, stirring often. (toss with olive oil and season with S&P)

Let it cool and then place in food processor along with 1 8-oz softened cream cheese and blend till smooth - season well.

To transport, I took a tin baking dish and lined it with a bandana, then placed the dippers and the dip inside!

Pretty for your Porch

Found this pretty lantern at Big Lots - they have some cute fall decor - and this one is so nice with the pine cones around the candle.  Great for your front porch!

Super Salad

Delicious summer salad - so fresh and tasty.  The recipe I read said to grill the veggies and chicken, but I made it all indoors...

1 lb chicken breast tenderloins, seasoned with S&P
2 med zucchini, diced
1 small red onion, diced
fresh corn off of 2 cobs
italian dressing
1 cucumber chopped
romaine lettuce, chopped

toss the chicken in a bowl with 4 T italian dressing, and toss the veggies in a separate bowl with 2 T of the dressing (except the cucumber) and S&P

in a skillet, heat 2 T olive oil and grill the veggies til charred and tender - set aside to cool.

in same skillet, cook the chicken all the way through.  cool and chop into bite sized pieces.

in a large bowl, place the chopped romaine, lettuce and the chopped cucumber.

top with the veggies and chicken.

I made some multi-grain croutons by just cubing bread and grilling stovetop in a bit of butter.

O'Brien Skillet Supper

This looked good with the ingredients listed, but the flavors that we tasted both amazed us - we loved it!  It was simple and easy to make, and the apples really added that extra bonus to the dish!


1 28 oz pkg frozen O'Brien potatoes
canola oil
14 oz pkg sausage thinly sliced
2 green apples, peeled and diced
1 med onion, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

cook the potatoes according to directions in 1/4 cup oil (be sure to let them brown before stirring around) season with S&P

in another skillet, in 2 tsp oil, cook the sausage, apples and onions until onions are tender, about 10 minutes. (i like my sausage browned, so you might want to cook it first, then add the apples and onion)

spoon the sausage mixture over the potatoes and top with the cheese, until melted

eat it and enjoy...

Two Fruit Crisp

I hadstrawberries and blueberries in my fridge -- and found this wonderful crisp recipe on line, that I tweaked a bit and made my own.  It turned out to be extremely delicious.

filling:

strawberries hulled and halved (1lb)
blueberries (12 oz)
juice of a lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 T cornstarch
pinch of salt

topping:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 T sugar
3 T packed brown sugar
zest of whole lemon
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup walnut pieces
honey to drizzle

preheat oven to 375.  line baking sheet with foil, set aside.  in a 9in pie plage, combine all of the filling ingredients, let stand 10 min.
in a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugars, lemon zest and melted butter.  mix with wooden spoon til crumbly.
add the topping over the fruit mixture, sprinkle the walnuts on top.  drizzle with honey.
place the pie plate on the baking sheet.
bake 40 - 45  min til golden and bubbly

serve with ice cream!

Pumpkin Centerpiece

An unusual cold front blew in and the high pressure system moved away from Central Texas where August heat is unbearable.  Today's high was 76 and it made me excited for the next season...

Here's a cute pumpkin centerpiece from Lakeside Collection.

German Pancakes

We recently made a fun breakfast to enjoy while watching the Olympics.  I'd never heard of these German Pancakes, but they were easy and different and delish - an easy family dish - served with fruit!  And...they're made in the oven!

Click here for the recipe.

On the Cuff

I was at H&M this week and saw these cuff bracelets at amazingly low prices.  They're super cute and I want several!

Sweet Potato Tacos

These tacos taste SO GOOD and fresh and healthy.

1 lg sweet potato
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 red onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
jalapeno, seeds out, chopped
Mexican seasonings, S &P

avocado - chopped and tossed with lime juice S&P
diced tomato, green onion, and chopped cilantro

corn tortillas - either heated or lightly crisped in hot oil and folded (season with kosher salt as soon as they come out of the oil).

Slice the sweet potato into 1/4 to 1/2 sticks, toss with olive oil, s&p and roast for 20 minutes or so at 375 or until almost tender.

In a skillet, add 1 T olive oil, heat and add the onions, then the garlic, and stir till translucent.  Add in the potatoes, beans and corn, jalapeno and seasonings. Heat and then...

Spread the avocado in the taco, then add in the veggie mixture, top with tomato, green onion and cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Cheese Perfection

Fry the prosciutto, and then the broccoli rabe seasoned with a little salt and lemon juice.

Grate the mozzarella and brush bread with olive oil.

On the non-oiled sides place the prosciutto, broccoli and cheese. Place other slice oil side up.

Grill in pan, covered, pressed down, til browned. Flip and grill again.

Serve alongside with blueberry lemonade!

Carrot Sandwich - Seriously Delicious

You'll need:

toasted sourdough bread
3 large carrots, coarsely grated
1 tsp cumin
S&P
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
hummus (I used the avocado hummus from yesterday's post!)
cilantro leaves

Heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet and add carrots, cumin, garlic and S&P - stir fry about four minutes until tender.  Let it cool and then S&P to taste.

On your toasted bread, spread hummus on both halves, then top with the carrot mixture and cilantro leaves. (makes two sandwiches)

My husband said it was the best sandwich (without meat) he'd ever eaten.  And I agree!

AVO Hummus

avocado hummus - pretty and green, doesn't turn brown, and tastes great with veggies and pita chips or wheat thins!

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, peeled
handful cilantro
2 T fresh lime juice
5 T water
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves

red pepper flakes

pulse it all together in the food processor - garnish with the red pepper flakes if desired.

notice there's no tahini - as there is usual hummus recipes - but still has great flavor!

Must-Have Top

Just bought one of these (the swan) at Wet Seal and I love it.  It's soft, comfy, (sort of like sweatshirt material) and will escort my wardrobe into fall very soon....

Easy Smoothie

I don't even care for smoothies usually, but this one was very good and super easy.

2 cups frozen strawberries
2 cups frozen pineapple
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

mix it all in the blender - you may have to stop and stir and blend - but once it combines - it's delish!

serve immediately.

Chicken Tacos w/ Pomegranate Seeds

Delicious, summery, fresh, and healthy - and tasty!  What more could you want?

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder, and kosher salt.  Rub over two chicken breasts and cook until browned, in 1 T olive oil, about 3 min per side.

Transfer the chicken to foil lined baking sheet and roast about 10 minutes til cooked through.

In a bowl mix:

4 med radishes, sliced
2 scallions, sliced
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 c pomegranate seeds (I used frozen)
1 T fresh lime juice

Gently toss together and add 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper.

Fold in 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro.

Slice the chicken into 1/4 inch pieces.  fill flour tortillas and top with the salsa.

Tabletop Corn Hole

It's the dog days of summer, and it's too darn hot to do anything outside - at least in Texas.  Uncommon Goods has unique and cool gifts, and this game got a high rating.  You can play your favorite outdoor game inside, on top of the table!

Get one and invite the neighbors!

Day and Night

Right now is the best time to buy yard decor, before it's all put away for the next season.  I found this cute solar bird to place in a potted plant, at Walgreens - on clearance.  I LOVE having something that lights up when I arrive home at night to greet me, and something that's pretty in the daytime too!

Garden or Party

Love these wooden garden stakes, but I'm going to also use them on the table to identify food at parties!  These are from Walgreens. $1.99 each!

Tuscan Chicken

Found this chicken recipe on line, made in one skillet, and the flavors and colors are so nice - and we both loved it!

Check out the recipe here.