Just Because the Oven Is Hot!

I’ve got to quit cooking and baking!…

or do I…

I got up early as I usually do…

Waffles kept calling my name… and I hoped everyone else was in the same mode… because that is what I made…

Blueberry Waffle Mix with extra blueberries and my homemade blueberry jam…

Love lots of Blueberries…

I checked in the mirror to see if I had turned blue… but, no I was just fine… but, I did have a smile on my face!…

I then decided to make a Coconut Cake for my husband… No… he doesn’t need it… but, I treat him sometimes… Oh… get real… all of the time!…

Coconut Creme makes the cake so moist!

Then… that little pumpkin that I had bought was staring me in the face…

“What are you going to do with me?”, it seemed to ask…

I just decided to take all of the seeds out of it… and toast them in the oven… a little Cooking Spray… a little sprinkle of salt… and let bake until turn a light golden brown and crunchy…

I just love munching on them!…

Pulled out all of the seeds…

Rinsed seeds really well…

Laid seeds on a sprayed baking sheet to dry…

Baked in hot oven until golden brown and crispy!

My next thought went to dinner… and I love having things done a little ahead of schedule… so, while the oven is hot in go the three stuffed peppers I have…”the last of the last” as my Mom used to say… that my daughter-in-law’s Mother had made for me this summer… She made me 24 of them to put in the freezer… “I love you Pam!”… They were so delicious and we will enjoy the last of them later today!…

I just put a can of RO*TEL on them…

but…

I’m not finished!…

I was on a roll…

The oven was hot and I wasn’t going to waste the heat…

and actually felt good with temperatures being low and flurries in the air…

While the peppers were baking I put together a cabbage casserole recipe a lady at the YMCA told me about…

Remember… I’m a simple person… and this was a simple recipe…

Head of cabbage cut up… I like it in long pieces… and placed in a greased (Spray Pam) baking dish (8″ X 8″) … Pour a can of Cream of Chicken Soup mixed with 1/2 c. of water over the cabbage… top with bread crumbs and pats of butter…

We will see how it tastes later along with the Peppers… but, how could it be bad!…

I think my stomach is growling… from all of the wonderful smells wafting around in my kitchen… Husband says, “It smells like a delicatessen”, as he peeks into the oven…

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Shepherd’s Pie or Maybe “Humble”?

I’m not a great cook…

I’m a person who likes easy… simple recipes…

The quick foods that are out right now that you can prepare from the freezer… a box or a bag… “I just love them!”…

Meals in less than 30 minutes…

That’s my kind of cooking…

I might add a pinch of this or that…

Maybe a few veggies to perk it up…

a little more onion or green pepper …

Maybe a side dish or warm bread …

I’m a “short order” cook…

Quicker the better!…

My newest try today was…

Velveeta Cheesy Casserole Dinner… (from a box)…

This one is called “Shepherd’s Pie“…

Yes, I’ve made it before from scratch many moons ago…

But, basically it’s the same thing…

Everything is just in this bright yellow box except the ground beef …

You just brown the beef… drain… return to skillet… add seasoning/veggie packet and water… Cook for 1 minute…

I added some corn as one of their suggestions…

Put in bottom of casserole dish…

Made instant mashed potatoes that came in the box… adding milk and butter… Microwaved for 3 minutes…

 

Poured Velveeta Cheese on meat first that comes in a packet… Then placed potatoes on top…

Baked in pre-heated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes…

It gets all bubbly and the potatoes brown a little…

DONE!…

Add a salad …if you want…

Maybe a piece or two of warm bread…

I cooked!… just in a more simplified way…

and it taste just fine…

I might have to call this “Humble Pie”

instead of “Shepherd’s Pie”… because I humbly apologize to all who don’t use or like these quick meals…

But, I will continue to make them… because that’s the kind of girl I am!

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“You Might Like it!”

I know some of you are going to say, “YUCK!”…but, I get to craving “Tuna Casserole” …I will make it just for myself…and enjoy it until it’s gone…I then, do not make it for quite awhile…It’s made of tuna , green peas , noodles, mushroom soup , more mushrooms  if you want and usually a buttery cracker topping …I think I made it when my young family was just starting…cheap…I always had all the ingredients …Back then, even my husband tried it and my son’s ate it …Maybe I want it because it reminds me of those times…Who knows?… I don’t even know who showed me how to make it unless it was my Mom…but, sometimes I would look in her old cookbook with the black binding and try new things…Like I said…we usually had the ingredients already in the house…My Dad just loved it when we did that!… Actually he was like my husband…who always wants to know,”Why do you have to mess up such good food by putting it in a casserole?” … “Just leave it plain and cook it…then I know what it is!…So, I’ll enjoy my casserole alone…unless you want to try the recipe I found…Maybe you’ll like it!

http://starkist.com/recipe/classic-tuna-noodle-casserole

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“My Kids!”…

I know how people are so picky about their foods…no casseroles, no tomatoes , no onions , no greens and I understand it…but, our kids at school had some very different food choices…One little girl Anna, only ate orange Cheetos , orange Doritos , orange Cheese Nip Crackers …We thought maybe it was the “Orange” that appealed to her, but when she licked  all the flavoring off of them…we figured it must be the salt…the seasoning…the taste! …It was always distracting to me to see her lunch all arrayed on a tray …just chips and snacks…but, that is all she would eat…She was a beautiful little girl…pretty complexion, pretty teeth…just a perfect looking little girl with lovely dark hair and a sweet smile …And then there was Hope who ate macaroni and cheese  every day…but, she did try a few other things…like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups …That was nutritious!…with the peanut butter…Don’t you think? …There were others …and as I think of them “Cheese” might be a part of what they liked about these foods…I know what my husband would say, “At least it wasn’t a casserole!”…