Comfort Food

Our luck finally ran out as we now have five inches of snow in my area of Michigan. I will have to say though that it is very pretty out with the tree branches loaded with snow. I knew our nice weather couldn't last forever, but I was hoping just the same! I found this recipe online and since the ingredients are so basic, and I had them all, I wanted to try it out and it was great! Another "keeper.

VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP

2 tbs. oil

2 onions, chopped

3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into one-half inch slices

2 ribs celery, cut in one-half inch slices

1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth

1 3/4 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice (one 15 oz. can)

1 tbs. tomato paste

1/2 lb. of potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 lb. green beans, cut in pcs.

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup of fine egg noodles

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in large pan. Add onions, carrots, and celery, and cook until vegetables start to soften. Stir in broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, potatoes, beans, and salt. Simmer partially covered until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in noodles and simmer until noodles are done. Add parsley.

You could also add some corn, peas, or some of the frozen mixed vegetables.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

And this little pumpkin says it all!!

Two Roads Diverged In A Yellow Woods...

And I took the one less traveled! :) A very pretty road and I watched turkeys, deer, and all kinds of birds and squirrels. Sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy nature!

Before too long this road will be snow-covered...brrrr, hate to think of that though!! :)

Got Milk?

Streusel-Topped Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup mashed bananas (3 small overripe)

2 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup (one half stick) butter, melted

Streusel

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 5 3/4 x 2 inch mini loaf pans. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in medium size bowl. Beat bananas, eggs, sugar and butter in large bowl until smooth. On low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared pans. For streusel, mix flour, sugar, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon in bowl with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove.

Today was such a rainy cool day and the aroma of chicken and squash baking seemed to make the day so much brighter!
For this chicken recipe use:

4 to 6 bonless, skinless, chicken breasts
16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
6 oz. can frozen orange juice, thawed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbs. prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x9 pan. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken. Bake for 1 hour, covered. Increase heat to 500 degrees and bake 10 minutes longer, uncovered.


I love squash cooked in so many ways, and with this, I just baked it with butter and maple syrup. I miss having a garden but the farmer's market has so much to offer...and much less work! lol!

Dilled Egg Salad Platter

Try this delicious platter in place of a conventional egg salad sandwich. This is another recipe from my 'Flat Belly Diet Cookbook'. So far, what recipes I have tried, have been very good. I had some veggie dip for the tomatoes and also had some baby carrots for dipping. 6 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled (discard 3 yolks)
3 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup peeled and chopped hothouse cucumber
3 radishes, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced, or 1/2 cup chopped sweet white onion
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
2 tbs. snipped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. grainy mustard
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
Leaf lettuce for serving
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
8 Wasa crisp breads

Coarsely chop the eggs and egg whites and place in medium bowl. Add the celery, cucumber, radishes, scallions, mayonnaise, dill, mustard, pepper, and salt and mix well. Arrange the lettuce on a platter or plate. Mound the salad on top and surround with the tomato wedges. Serve with crisp breads. I think I would rather have a nice roll, etc. instead of the crisp bread but thought I would try them.
Enjoy!

Mother Nature At Work

It has been so hot lately and cooking or baking just doesn't appeal to me so no new pictures of food, but last night the sky was so pretty that I just had to try and capture it. These pictures just don't do it justice though!

The sky was such a pretty pink! It looked like rain was coming, but no such luck, as we need it badly.

I do need to experiment more with the camera settings , so just picture the sky as 'twice' as picturesque as this! :)