Another keeper!

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

Albert Einstein

From the Garden to the Dinnner Table . . .

 
Since bell peppers can cost anywhere from a dollar to two dollars each, my husband's garden saved us a bit on this evening's dinner. The tomatoes and squash made an important appearance, too. I even had some frozen beef/pork meatballs and wild rice that I cooked down and used to stuff the pepper halves. The tomatoes provided the sauce. A little Provolone cheese on top of each stuffed pepper didn't hurt, either.

Just a note, the deep purple peppers cook up back to the familiar green pepper look. I guess if you want to enjoy the vibrant color of purple, you need to eat the pepper raw.

Profound way of saying 'look before you leap' . . .

Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied.

Pearl S. Buck

Bragging on behalf of my husband!

 

My husband happily harvested his first, large crop of tomatoes, squash, and peppers today. The purple bell peppers look so pretty but weird to taste 'green' bell pepper but 'see' purple! I thinking about making a vegetarian stuffed bell pepper for a side dish this evening using the peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and rice. The two children currently at home will hate it so it's got to be good, right?

Pumpkin Fudge?

One of my daughters likes most anything to do with pumpkin. She even asked for pumpkin pie for one birthday 'cake' when she was little. I ran across this recipe and figure I should try it out for her. It looks interesting and, possibly, tasty but know in my heart it will never replace a chunk of chocolate walnut fudge.

Pumpkin Fudge

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
½ cup pureed cooked pumpkin
½ cup evaporated milk
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
¼ teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:
1. Combine sugar, pumpkin, milk, and spice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water, or until reaches 236°F. Remove from heat

2. Add the nuts, butter, and vanilla; beat until mixture is creamy.

3. Pour into a buttered plate and allow to cool. Cut into small chunks and serve.

Strong words for a Monday!

“Strive to acquire the virtues you think your brothers lack, and then you will no longer see their defects, because you yourselves will not have them.”  ~St. Augustine

Isn't the second quote quite evident the last few years?

"But what is the difference between literature and journalism?/ ...Journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. That is all."
       -- Oscar Wilde

 

       "The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that's out always looks the best."
       -- Will Rogers

Beating the Budget with your own snacks . . .

My children like those boxed, cheese crackers that are more salt than cheese to me. I've found the best way to 'regulate' their eating habits is to let them have what they want . . . as long as I make them. Besides, most families would feel special if they got a better quality treat that Mom took the time to make for them. And, you control the sodium and the budget at the same time!

Cheese Crackers

4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small bits
4 tablespoons grated, sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (you can reduce this if you wish)
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons ice water

Combine everything except the egg and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix them with a fork or your fingers until the ingredients look lilke coarse meal. Combine the egg yolk and cold water in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix gently until it forms a dough. Form into a ball and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat the over to 400 degrees.

Roll out the dough on a large, floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Now, you can cut the dough into strips for cheese straws or using small cutters to form cracker shapes. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes but keep a close eye as you want them lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool. No, go forth and impress!

Ideas . . .
Brush tops of unbaked crackers with some beaten egg white and sprinkle with either sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse sea salt. Pepper flakes would make them extra spicy and hot.