
I use the word artist loosely since I do not really have an artistic bone in my body. But I do like to be creative in an unartistic sort of way.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
My "Family Tree"

Saturday, December 4, 2010
Fedoras and Cigars

Saturday, November 27, 2010
Peaceful Happiness

Saturday, November 20, 2010
Nutter Butters & Milk

Saturday, November 13, 2010
"French" Pear Tart

So I tried it and it was yummy. I'd recommend it. It's an Everday Food recipe (though I used my own crust recipe), and you can get it here. The one I made is of course pictured above.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
"Greek" Pizza

Anyway, I thought I'd try to recreate it to the best of my ability. And this is what I came up with. Not the same as theirs but reminds me of it and is very yummy regardless. Hope you enjoy!
Makes 2 - 7 in. pizzas
Ingredients:
2 - 7 in. thin pizza crusts
3 oz low fat ground pork sausage
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
10 or so grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
Instructions:
Brown sausage and drain.
Meanwhile spray a non stick cooking pan with the cooking spray and saute the onion and garlic over medium heat.
Spray both crust with the olive oil spray and when the onions are cooked remove from heat and spread over the 2 crusts, dividing evenly. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the mozzarella and then 2 tablespoons of the feta cheese over each crust. Top each crust with the sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Bake at 425 for 7-10 minutes till cheese is melted and the crust is as crispy as you want it.
Calories: about 120 per for 1/4 pizza, 475 per whole pizza
Saturday, October 16, 2010
1939

This of course is the front of the card I made for them. I made it kind of sepia toned just to give it that long time feel. And I love this picture of them.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Pumpkin Patch
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Fried Potatoes with Turkey Kielbasa

Serves 4 (or 2 if you so desire)
Ingredients:
Canola oil cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
3-4 golden potatoes, cleaned and cut into bite sized pieces (peeling still on)
4 oz. turkey kielbasa (sliced about 1/4 in. thick and then each slice halved)
2-4 cups sliced mushrooms
Salt free all purpose seasoning, to taste
Salt free garlic and herb seasoning, to taste
Dash of kosher salt
Directions:
Heat a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray (you will also need to spray a few more times with cooking spray as you go when the pan gets dry). Add the remaining ingredients and saute for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender. Then serve.
Calories: About 200 calories each for 4 servings.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Labels

Friday, September 10, 2010
40 Years!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Pesto Pizza ala Ruth - adjusted

This recipe is actually for 2 mini pizzas (you know how I like to make things mini). But you can of course make a regular sized pizza, just increasing the amounts as makes sense.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
2-7 in Thin Pizza Crusts
1/4 cup prepared Knorr's Pesto Sauce (Prepared according to pkg directions)
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
4 ounces reduced fat sausage, browned and drained
1/2 cup of a red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into bite sized strips
1/2 cup red onion, sliced and cut into bite sized strips
Instructions:
Spread 1 tablespoon pesto sauce over each crust (so 2 tbsp. total), reserving the rest to drizzle over the top of each pizza later.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each crust reserving the rest to sprinkle on the tops of each pizza later.
Divide sausage over each pizza and then add mushrooms, onions and bell peppers. Sprinkle each with the remaining cheese and drizzle the remaining pesto on top.
Then bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes till crust is lightly brown and cheese is melted.
Calories per serving: about 525 per pizza, or about 262 for 1/2.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Nicknames

Saturday, August 14, 2010
Holding Ryleigh

Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy Independence Day!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
My Two Favorite Fathers
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Mushroom Lasagna

Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
6 lasagna noodles
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
8 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup white wine
Black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese
Directions:
Spray a 11x7 in. baking pan with cooking spray. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, mushrooms and white wine. Allow to cook until all but about 1/2 cup of the liquid is evaporated.
While the mushrooms are cooking, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the two tablespoons of flour until smooth. Add the cream and milk and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles (will take probably at least 7-8 minutes).
Once thickened, add to the mushrooms and stir. Cook for a few more seconds just till all is combined. Then remove from heat.
Layer the lasagna as follows:
1. 1/2 of the mushrooms
2. 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese
3. 1/2 of the lasagna noodles
4. 1/2 of the feta cheese
5. remaining noodles
6. remaining feta
7. remaining mushrooms
8. remaining Parmesan
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, allow to cool slightly and then cut into desired portions and serve.
Calories per serving: about 325 for 1/6, about 240 for 1/8
Saturday, June 5, 2010
I'm an Aunt!
I have a beautiful new niece! I've been dying to say so (she's a week and a half old already) but I had to wait to till her parents had opened this card to post this. I made this for them - and her, in thought anyway, because of course she can't read yet or understand what it says :). The picture on the front of the card is one of her nursery walls (isn't it pretty? ).
Monday, May 31, 2010
Summer Again

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day and a great summer too!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Funny Quotes Collage

I'd highly recommend any of the tv shows/movies cited here ... except Primeval (the movie about Gustave, which was reviewed in the no longer published magazine Premier). I have no desire ever to see it but I couldn't stop laughing when I read the referenced quote.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mother's Day!


I hope that any mother reading this has or has had a wonderful Mother's Day this year!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Serves 4 (or 2 if you eat large pasta servings)
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked pasta (make sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 1/2 - 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
Salt Free Garlic & Herb Seasoning, Black pepper to taste
2 cups fresh broccoli
1/2 cup white cooking wine
2 seasoned cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds (*see below for toasting instructions if needed)
2 heaping tablespoons shredded Parmesan
Directions:
Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray (will have to spray several times throughout as needed). Saute garlic, onions, mushrooms and seasonings together for about 5 minutes on med heat until tender.
Add broccoli and cooking wine and season again. Saute just a few minutes more until broccoli is crisp tender.
Then stir in the pasta, chicken and reserved pasta water and continue to saute just until the chicken is heated and the pasta water is absorbed.
Remove from heat, stir in toasted almonds. Top with the Parmesan cheese just before serving.
*To toast almonds simply saute them in a non stick pan over med heat until lightly browned. Watch closely because they will burn easily. And remove them before the get too dark. Once you start to smell them they are pretty much done.
Calories Per serving: About 400 (for 4 servings)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Yogurt Happiness

When she was here visiting me we discovered this awesome yogurt place (Yogaberry) with the most delicious flavor (Taro) and there aren't any in Atlanta where she's from. I mentioned the yogurt on Facebook and a friend told me ... well you can read the postcard (click on it to view a larger version). Anyway, if you can find the Taro flavor frozen yogurt anywhere I'm telling you it's worth a try. It tastes better than ice cream! Oh and by the way it's fat free!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Happy Cake

I liked the way "HAPPY" by itself looked so much I may just do that even for people who do want to acknowledge their birthdays :)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Fried Potatoes with Mushrooms

Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
Canola Oil cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2 golden potatoes, cleaned and diced (with peeling still on)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (cut the slices in half if they are large mushrooms)
4 tablespoons white cooking wine
Salt free all purpose seasoning, to taste
Salt free garlic and herb seasoning, to taste
Dash of kosher salt
Directions:
Heat a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray (you will also need to spray a few more times with cooking spray as you go when the pan gets dry). Add the remaining ingredients and saute for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender. As I said, yummy!
Calories per serving: about 160 ea for 2 servings, 80 ea for 4
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Spring Has Sprung

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A Nod to Crate & Barrell on St. Patrick's Day

Saturday, March 6, 2010
Vegetable Strata

Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
Black pepper
Crazy salt, to taste
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 1/2 golden potatoes
1 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Heat onion and garlic in the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini, squash and mushrooms. Season with black pepper, crazy salt and kosher salt. Saute until vegetables are tender but not too much so.
Meanwhile, peel and slice potatoes very thinly (as you would for scalloped potatoes).
Spray an 8x10 pan with cooking spray. Layer in about 1/3 of the sliced potatoes. Add a layer of 1/2 of the veggies. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the Swiss cheese. Repeat these layers and then top with the final 3rd of the potatoes. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper if desired.
Cut butter into thin slices and layer over the top. Combine the milk and cornstarch and pour over the whole dish.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Meanwhile combine the panko and Parmesan. When the 40 minutes is up, sprinkle with the panko/parmesan mixture and turn the heat up to 425. Continue to bake 10-20 minutes more till the topping is nicely browned and the vegetables are tender.
Calories per serving: about 210 (remember I don't really count the veggies, except for the potatoes).
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Coconut Cream Parfaits

Serves 4.
Ingredients:
Coconut Graham Cracker Crust (the crust in this recipe), crumbled
1 cup vanilla pudding (prepared with skim milk)
1 cup whipped cream (homemade or store-bought)
1/4 cup coconut
Instructions:
Combine pudding with whipped cream. Fold in coconut.
Layer as follows in each of 4 individual dishes:
1/4 cup pudding
1 tbsp. crust crumbles
1/4 cup pudding
1 tbsp. crust crumbles
If desired, top with more layers and/or more whipped cream. Just note that the calories are figured for the layers as I've listed above.
Calories per serving: about 271
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Happiness
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Sausage, Feta & Corn Nachos

Serves 1-4 (depending on you)
Ingredients:
Approx. 5.5 oz ground sausage, browned and drained
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/3 c. canned whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
1.5 oz. white cheddar (or whatever kind you like), shredded
Approx. 30 tortilla chips (I used blue corn chips because I like the way they taste, but use whatever kind you like)
Instructions:
Assemble however you like. I like to layer half of the chips and then half of everything else on top and then repeat. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes till cheese is melted as much as you want it to be. Serve immediately.
Calories: about 760 for the whole thing or 380 if 2 servings and so on.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Cheesy Fingerling Potatoes

Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumble with a tiny bit (or more if you don't care) of bacon grease reserved
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 lb. fingerling potatoes, cleaned and halved lengthwise
1/4 c. chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
A pinch of coarse salt
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. shredded swiss cheese
1/4 c. shredded white cheddar
Instructions:
Heat oil in a pan over med heat. Add the onions, garlic and potatoes and toss to coat with the oil. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
Continue to cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Remove the potatoes from the pan and place in a casserole dish and drizzle with a tiny bit of bacon grease.
Add the tomatoes to the pan you were cooking the potatoes in and saute for a few minutes until tomatoes are cooked.
Combine the tomatoes with the potatoes and add the crumbled bacon. Toss with the cheese and bake in the oven at 450 for just a few minutes till the cheese is melted to your liking.
Calories per serving: about 280 if 2 servings, 140 if 4 servings
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Unpleasantness

Saturday, January 16, 2010
Money Gifts
Saturday, January 9, 2010
My Favorite Family

Saturday, January 2, 2010
Cupcakes for Christmas

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