Baked Cranberry Oatmeal

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This is a warm crumbly oatmeal that's good to serve on a cold morning.  In South Florida that's anything below 60F! Flavored with brown sugar, cinnamon and fresh cranberries. Combine the dry ingredients. Melt the butter in the baking dish to grease the pan,then pour into the wet ingredients. Whisk in the vanilla. Combine with the dry ingredients and stir in the cranberries. I made half the recipe and used an 8" square pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cut unto squares and serve. Top with warm cream if desired.If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in themicrowave during the week.
Baked Cranberry Oatmeal9X13 pan has 6-8 servings3 C oatmeal1 C brown sugar2 t cinnamon2 t baking powderpinch saltcombine in a large bowlin another bowl combine:2 eggs1 C milk1 stick butter, melted2 t vanillawhisk together and combine with thedry ingredients. Stir in1 C fresh cranberriesPour into the buttered 9X13 panand bake @350 for 30-40 minutesCut into large squares and serve withwarm cream if desired.Enjoy!

Walkabout Soup

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This is a creamy onion soup that's like the
Walkabout soup served at the Outback.
Perfect soup for a winter day.It's very easy to prepare. You'll need:beef bouillon cubes, onions, flour, salt, pepper, cream, and shredded cheese. It's been in my recipe basket for over 15 years. If you can boil waterand slice an onion, you can make this soup.Bring 8 cups of water and 8 bouillon cubes to a boil. Add the onions salt and pepper.
Simmer covered for 1 hour.
 Then gradually whisk in the flour.
The lumps will dissolve with an additional
 30 minutes of cooking.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the cream.
 Whisk to blend
 Stir in the cheese.
Let simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Serve!
My grandchildren loved this soup.
 Just remember to call itWalkabout Soup and don't mention the onions.
Walkabout Soup8 C water8 beef bouillon cubes3 onions, cut in half and thinly sliced1 t salt1 t pepper3/4 C flour1 C heavy cream1 C shredded cheddar cheeseBring the water and bouillon cubes to a boil.
Stir until dissolved. Add onions, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. While stirring, slowly whisk in the flour.
Simmer covered for another 30 minutes,
whisking occasionally. Lumps will dissolve after
 additional  cooking Stir in the cream  then add
the cheese. Simmer another 5-10 minutes. Serve with a little cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.8 servings/200caloriesEnjoy!
Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Designs By Gollum

Bacon, Avocado,Tomato Pasta

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What's for lunch?Sometimes I just look in the refrigerator to see what I can pull together for lunch. Today I found 1/2 of a tomato, 1/2 of an avocado, a few pieces of bacon, and a little leftover grated cheese.  All I needed to do was cook a little pasta, and Chop those few ingredients.The rest of the ingredients I usually have on hand are: fresh basil from my garden, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and s&p. Toss it all together.
Lunch is being served on the patio!
You don't need to follow the recipe exactly. It's just a guide. Use what you have. Just add your ingredients and toss.

B-A-T Pasta2 C uncooked pasta, bow ties4 slices bacon, cooked crisp1/2 avocado, cubed1/2 tomato, cubed1/2 C shredded Italian cheese,(Parmesan, Romano, Asiago or a combo)1-2 cloves of garlic, minced1/4-1/2 C fresh basil leaves, chopped2 T lemon juiceGenerous amount of salt and pepper to tasteCook and drain the pasta. Rinse under cold water.Put into a medium bowl, add other ingredients.Toss to combine. Two large servings.Enjoy!

"Ask not what you can do for your country. 
Ask what's for lunch." ... Orson Welles

This is similar to my Spinach Pasta Salad with Asiago Cheese
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Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries

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Looking for something fun to make for your Fourth Of July celebration? These cute Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries might be just the thing. Especially with a nice blueberry on top. Kind of fits with a red, white and blue theme, wouldn't you say? If you are looking for some great main course dishes, sides or desserts for your holiday celebration check out my post of 50 Summer BBQ Recipes.  


Ok then, let's fancy up some berries...you and me, baby. 

Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries
Time: 20 minutes
Yield: About 30 strawberries
Recipe adapted from The Sisters Cafe
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PRINT RECIPE WITH PICTURE


2 (1 pound) containers strawberries
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
6 T powdered sugar
2 T orange juice (fresh, or from a bottle)
1 C cool whip
1 t vanilla
dash salt




1. Wash your beautiful berries and pat them dry. 




2. In your stand mixer, or large mixing bowl, beat 2 packages of softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 cup cool whip, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of salt. Beat until well combined and smooth. 




3. Set the strawberries up on their green stems. With a sharp knife cut a slit through the top of each strawberry, making sure you don't cut all the way through to the stem. 




4. Cut another slit along the top, forming an x pattern. 




5. Place a large open star tip in a pastry bag and fill the bag with the cream cheese mixture. If you don't have a large star tip, or a pastry bag, you could just use a large ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the end. 






6. Pipe the cream cheese filling into the cut end of each strawberry. 




7. Place a blueberry on the top and set them on a pretty platter. Refrigerate until serving. 

July Menu Plan 2012

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Red White and Blue Cookies, Creamy Chipotle Black Bean Chicken,Sloppy Joes, Crispy Cheddar Chicken, Grilled Turkey and Swiss, Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Bowl, Raspberry Cream Cheese Pretzel Salad, Asian Grilled Chicken


Good gravy, it's July! One month of summer fun already under the bridge and sealed up in your life history book, never to be lived again.
Amazing how that happens, isn't it. 
I started this summer full of wonderful intentions. My kids were going to read 20 minutes every day, practice a musical instrument 20 minutes a day and have fun for at least 20,000 minutes every day. This seems like a very fair, reasonable and fabulous plan, would you not agree? 
Kids need a little bit of structured time, even in the summer...is what I told them. 
One morning early in June all of my kids (excepting the 14 year old who gets a real kick out of sleeping in) were busily engaged practicing their varius musical instruments. I was feeling oh-so-productive and proud of us for sticking with our plan and meeting our goals. (It was the second day of summer.) 


My house was one rockin' place. I can tell you that. One very loud indian drum song was being pounded out on the living room piano, one small boy was screeeeeeeching out some painfully beautiful notes (if you could only hear just how painfully beautiful they were....) on his little violin, my oldest daughter was in the basement practicing The Entertainer at full volume, twice as fast as she should and my other small boy had his electric keyboard up full blast and was jamming it out, man.

Um. 


It was...really, really breathtaking...best described by my 14 year old son who stumbled up the stairs in a sleepy stupor, found me doing the breakfast dishes and whispered in my ear...


"I think this is what hell sounds like."


I could have reprimanded him for saying hell, but what can an old girl do when the truth is spoken so plainly. So I simply said,


"It sure does, now go and find your guitar and get busy with your 20 minutes of practice."


Then I put the cotton balls back in my ears...


and finished up the dishes. 

Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls
I have my monthly menu plan for you today. As usual, colored titles are previously posted recipes. Black titles are recipes I'm working on and hoping to post in the future. Hope you find something to love. Have a great and safe Fourth Of July, everyone. Hope to see you back here soon, more new recipes lay in wait just for you and your screechy violin. :)

MONTHLY MENU PLANPRINT THE PLAN
PREVIOUSLY POSTED RECIPESDINNERCreamy Chipotle Black Bean Chicken, Tortillas, Lettuce, TomatoesSloppy Joes, Green Salad and WatermelonCrispy Cheddar Chicken,  Rice Pilaf and PeasGrilled Turkey and Swiss, Chips and Fresh FruitTeriyaki Chicken and Noodle BowlAsian Grilled Chicken and Sesame NoodlesChicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls, Rice and Roasted AsparagusAsian Lettuce Wraps and Ham Fried RiceBBQ Ranch Chicken Salad and Watermelon
DESSERTS AND OTHERRed White and Blue CookiesRaspberry Cream Cheese Pretzel SaladCreamy Ranch, Bacon and Tomato Pasta SaladEasy Caramel Smore BarsEasy Cream Cheese DanishAlmond Butter Sheet CakePepperoni Pasta SaladFluffy Strawberry Salad
Easy Cream Cheese Danish
RECIPES I'M WORKING ONDINNER:Smokey Honey BBQ Grilled Pork Ribs and Baked PotatoesGrilled Parmesan Shrimp with Grilled Vegetable Medley and RiceGrilled Chicken Salad with Berries and Raspberry VinaigretteCreamy Pesto Pasta, Grilled Garlic Bread and OG SaladSimple Southwest Chicken QuesadillasCilantro Lime Chicken (Crock Pot)Buffalo Chicken EnchiladasGinger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia
DESSERT AND OTHER:Rocky Road BrowniesPink Lemonade CupcakesBreakfast Cinnamon Sticks with Cream Cheese GlazeGrilled Pineapple with Ice Cream and Caramel SauceOld Fashioned Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut FrostingFrozen Raspberry LemonadeFresh Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli SaladHomemade Yeast Scones and Cinnamon Maple Honey Butter
 Almond Butter Sheet Cake