Light Spicy Tomato Soup
Here’s the Spicy Tomato Soup to go with our sandwiches. It’s light but not in taste, and satiates. It has a bit of a Portuguese influence without garlic. If you enjoy garlic add a few garlic croutons. I love this!
Creamy Basil Spread
and What’s Coming Up Next!
Family is coming to visit and the arrival time will be influenced by traffic. it’s a four hour drive on a good day. So, no one is sure if dinner will be here or on the road. It’s hard to plan! But I have an idea. Family’s favorite Turkey Sandwich and a Spicy Tomato Soup for a late night dinner or snack.
In our little town there’s this family restaurant, Tazzaria, that makes these fabulous turkey sandwiches among other goodness, mostly Italian. Much of their produce is organic and local. We love the place! This Turkey Sandwich is inspired by Tazzaria’s. Focaccia is missing here … That recipe will have to wait for another day. Condiments bring this together, Dijon mustard and a basil spread. I have no idea what’s in their spread but I’ve whipped up one I find is more than a good substitute. It’s simply an equal part of my Milk Mayonnaise and an equal part of finely chopped (in a processor) fresh basil. In a pinch you can use your favorite mayonnaise and basil sold in a tube as a paste.
The turkey and cheese are hiding in this sandwich photo but you pretty much can see everything else! No recipe here but be looking for Spicy Tomato Soup, up next.
Oats, Apples, & Raisins Breakfast Bars
If you like oatmeal, apples and raisins for breakfast you will surely like this! Ah yes, it works as a lite dessert, too. This recipe makes 8 large bars with minimal sugar and a bit of butter for richness. No added sugar to the Granny Smith apples … even my sweet tooth finds it just sweet enough.
Tortilla Soup With Beef
What’s so different about this Tortilla Soup! It’s made with ground beef or turkey, can be cooked all day in a crockpot or made stovetop in no time. You can crisp your own tortilla strips for the garnish or use precooked tortillas, tostadas, crumbled over the top. I love these tortillas freshly cooked by Vallarta’s, a local supermarket that caters to the Latino population. We are lucky to have this impeccably clean packed with ethnic food choices supermarket chain throughout Southern California. Fresh sausages hang all along the meat section … a little chorizo would be a good addition to this soup but not this time.
Tortilla Soup Up Next
This little visitor has kept us busy over the last days. He loves all varieties of fruits, vegetables and meats & dairy. And he has been known to occasionally have a homemade cookie. But his very favorite treat is tortilla chips with from scratch medium heat salsa. Who knew! We give him his own little bowl of dip since he tends to double and triple dip. And after the dip he still has room for the entree. His healthy eating habits are every mother’s dream. But then he picked this up from his mama. His visit wasn’t long enough and I find myself missing his sweet face … And his words, a ov oo.
The weather, rain is on its way, and this little guy have me thinking Tortilla Soup. But how can you improve on a great Chicken Tortilla Soup! Well, I suppose you can’t. But if you grow tired of chicken like I do you might want to try my recipe. Up next!
Something Special with Bratwurst
Homemade Hot Mustard and Sautéed Apple Slices
You’ve heard, Not for Sissies! Something my mother would say periodically … Not necessarily about food. It just comes to mind when I eat this Hot Mustard. It dresses up this Bratwurst in the most tasty way. Add some homemade sauerkraut or sautéed Granny Smiths. It doesn’t get any better!
If you know anything about mustard making you realize you need some time. This condiment can’t be mixed and eaten immediately. It’s very bitter at this point and too hot. The longer it sets the milder it becomes. This particular recipe is a one day recipe which means it will be HOT but the bitterness will disappear. It takes less than 5 minutes to mix up … So start your morning by putting this together and by dinner it will be ready to eat. Eat with caution.
Banana Bread with Heart!
Recipe and How to
Just a fun thing to do! My daughter loves fresh flowers, me too, and while I baked this bread she put together flower arrangements to place around the home.
I used my Banana Bread Recipe but you can use just about any quick bread recipe to make this Bread with a Heart. It was so much fun and what smiles it brought when sliced … And eaten, of course. For the heart I made my Peanut Butter Cake and added a little chopped chocolate. You can use pound cake, make a single layer cake of your choosing, or use cake without frosting or filling from your favorite bakery.
Blondies and Brownies
Enjoying these is just minutes away. Make both without hassle. The recipes are almost exact. Yet they’re deliciously different. Can you imagine … Not everyone in our family likes brownies! Bake the dough in a lift out bottom pan, tart pan, to make it easy to use your heart shaped cookie cutter.
Valentine’s Day Maybe’s
What a great day to whip up a special treat! Here are some of my favorites or are they his favorites! Any one of these recipes will make Valentine’s Day special. From red wine sauce over ice cream to amazing waffles … it’s the perfect day to try out an incredibly simple delicious recipe. Hey, even if it’s just for you!
Bacon Pecan Maple Buttermilk Waffles
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! And especially to Steve and Marc or Ed, my fav’s!
Coconut Cake with Caramel Rum Sauce
Repost of this most delicious cake recipe!
How about this for Valentine’s Day! Or Easter? A single layer cake rich with sour cream and cream of coconut. A classy dessert for Mother’s Birthday too … coconut being a favorite! This rich little cake with decadent caramel rum sauce serves 10. You’ll be prepared when your Valentine asks for seconds.
Another recipe with no record of its origin. Yep, right out of Mother’s recipes. Delicious! Enjoy!