Three Sisters cooking and design

Ocean Grove – “Giant Flea Market”

judyball11 — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:30:18 +0000

Each year on the Saturday after Memorial Day and the Saturday after Labor Day, Ocean Grove, N.J. holds a “Giant Flea Market”, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. The next scheduled one is September 11, 2010 and is located in the three block area between the Great Auditorium and Ocean Avenue. There is quite a variety of old and new items such as furniture, clothing, glassware, household items, linens, trash and treasure. You have to come prepared to spend the whole day, there is that much to see. There are also food vendors and the restaurants in town are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many visitors spend the weekend. You can also find many private yard sales throughout Ocean Grove itself.

The “Three Sisters” look forward to this twice a year and we can usually find a treasure or two. Although it is a little too far away for our Block Island sister, sometimes our brother comes from North Jersey to look for that certain something he cannot live without.

You can click on our Ocean Grove Chamber of Commerce link for more information. Judy

Tomato Salads – Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad

judyball11 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:19:05 +0000

You don’t have to feel guilty about the bacon in this BLT.

DRESSING

Whisk together:

2 T mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T parmesean cheese, grated

S&P to taste

SALAD

1 lb. tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks

1 ripe but firm avocado

8 slices bacon, cook until crisp and crumbled

1 head Bibb lettuce or Romaine leaves separated but left whole

Place in tomatoes, avocado and bacon in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss evenly

Line serving bowl with lettuce leaves and fill with salad.

Judy

Recipes with Herbs from you Garden (Tarragon)

judyball11 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:24:21 +0000

Tarragon

Tarragon,”King of Herbs”, is one of four fine herbs of French cooking along with parsley, chives and chervil, particularly used in chicken, fish and egg dishes and the basis for many salad dressings. It is one of the main ingredients in Bearnaise sauce. When using tarragon in cooking, it is best to add at the end to retain it’s fresh flavor. It not only loses some it’s flavor when heated but unlike most herbs, it loses some of it’s flavor when dried. The flavor can be preserved in vinegar, creating a condiment that can be used in dressings and mayonnaise.

The scent and taste of tarragon is disliked by many garden pests, making it a useful companion plant in the garden.

Deviled Eggs with Tarragon and Capers

6 appetizer servings

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, halved lenghtwise
1 t. minced fresh tarragon
3 T. sour cream
2 T. mayonnaise
2 t. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. dry mustard
2 T. minced green onions
4 t. drained capers

Spoon yolks into small bowl and mash to a paste. Add sour cream, mayo, lemon juice and mustard and blend well. Mix in onion, capers and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture back into whites mounding in center. Cover and refrigerate. Can be made 8 hours ahead.

Classic Bearnaise Sauce

2 sticks unsalted butter
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 T. fresh tarragon leaves
4 white peppercorns, crushed ( I am sure if you cannot find white peppercorns, you may use ground pepper)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/3 c. dry white wine ( not cooking wine from the Supermarket!)
4 large egg yolks ( you can put whites in zip lock bag and freeze for macaroons, etc. Just make sure you mark bag with number of whites and date)
1/4 t. salt
pinch of cayenne

Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat just to melt. Boil shallots, tarragon and peppercorns in vinegar and wine in a nonreactive (stainless) medium sized saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Strain into the top of a double boiler . Whisk in egg yolks. Place the top over the bottom of the double boiler containing simmering water. Make sure that the top of the water is below the bottom of the upper part of the double boiler. Whisk constantly. The second that the yolk mixture begins to thicken slightly, remove the top of the double boiler to cool the hot water a little. Put the pan of yolks back over the hot water. Whisk the melted butter, drizzling in very slowly. If at any time the sauce lookes like it is about to break or separate, remove the top and continue whisking to cool it down or whisk in 1 teaspoon cold water. With constant whisking, whisk in the salt and cayenne. When the butter is incorporated, taste and add more salt or cayenne if needed.

Recipes with Herbs from your garden (Sage)

judyball11 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:50:31 +0000

I grow my herbs in pots outside of my back door, by my kitchen.

Judy

Sage

Although there are about 100 species of sage commercially available in the united States, the one that makes it into the kitchen is probably Salvia Officinalis, a shrubby plant native to the Mediterranean. Growing to almost 2 feet high, it has gray-green leaves. Whereas Sage in not used in French cooking much except in Province, Italy seems to use it more, especially in sauces with pancetta or prosciutto.

England may have embraced sage most of all, as in sage Derby cheese. Sage is an aquired taste, but both cultures know about stuffing. We celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday with sage stuffing filled turkey, the Brits celebrate Christmas with a goose filled with sage stuffing.

Polenta with Bacon and Sage

4 to 6 servings

1 cup coarsely chopped bacon (about 7 slices)
1 T. chopped fresh sage
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen corn, thawed
5 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
1 cup polenta ( cornmeal, fine or coarse)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain. Pour off all but 1 1/2 t. fat. Add sage and saute 1 min. Add the water or broth and increase heat heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook until it begins to thicken, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes. Stir in cream, cheese and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately.

Potato Gratin with Sage and Onions

8 servings

1 T. unsalted butter
2 red onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. chopped fresh sage
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced (about 7 cups)
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Melt butter in large ovenproof skillet over med. high heat. Add onions, garlic and 2 T. sage and saute for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and 1 1/2 c. water and bring to a boil. Boil until water is completely absorbed, about 8 minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T. sage. Serve immediately

Fried Sage (garnish)

sage leaves
2 T. butter
1 T. brown sugar

Melt butter in skillet and brown sugar and cook over medium-high heat until bubbly. Add sage and cook until crisp. Can be used as a garnish with chicken and fish. Deliciously sweet and savory.

Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Honey Mustard

priscilla — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:28:24 +0000

This recipe is easy and tasty. I make this whenever I have pork chops and everyone loves it.

8 pork chops (thinly sliced and trimmed well)

1/2 cup wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

1 teaspoon honey mustard

seaasoned salt

Canola oil

Heat fry pan and add enough oil to lightly cover bottom. Add pork chops which have been sprinkled with seasoned salt and dried tarragon leaves, and brown quickly on both sides (until juice no longer runs pink). Add honey mustard to small amount of vinegar to blend well, and then add to remaining vinegar. Pour over pork chops and simmer until done (only a few minutes). ENJOY! Priscilla

Painting a Floor

priscilla — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:58:14 +0000

There are many samples of painted floors throughout the ages with many interesting patterns and looks that have decorated the simplest to the most elegant of homes. Painting or staining your floor at home can be a daunting DIY project, but if you take the time to plan and design it well, you will have an interesting and different look, especially if you have to refinish the floors anyway. You also have the option of hiring a professional decorative painter to do this for you. Painting an old floor can also hide some of it’s imperfections.

The most important part of the project is to prepare the floor the right way. A professional floor re-finisher will be your best friend throughout the project. He will know how to prepare the floor correctly. It is very important to sand the old floor down to remove every bit of the existing floor finish. If any remaining finish is left, your paint or stain will not adhere to the new floor. Your floor finisher will then come back and apply a sealer to the floor so it is not as porous, otherwise your colors will run.

Go ahead and lay out the floor in a pattern . A checkerboard pattern is the usual choice. Think about adding a border, that seems to pull the design together and add another dimension. You can lay out the design in chalk or pencil. Use a straight edge and a chalkline to make sure your pattern will be straight. Trace over your chalk lines in pencil and then wipe of with a cloth, (tape will not stick to chalk). Then use painters tape to border the edges of each square design. You will have to alternate each square to tape, and when they are dry you can tape next alternate rows.

You will need, tape, pencil or chalk, tape measure, a square, paint or stain, brushes, straight edge and chalkline for straight long lines.

This floor was painted using Benjamin Moore colors in a eggshell finish in a home in New Jersey. When everything is painted, wait 24 hours and have a protective coat applied.

Priscilla

Guests in your home

priscilla — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:29:31 +0000

You can create a comfortable space in almost any room in your home to accommodate guests.

Just ask yourself what you would like if you were on vacation, and try to create that feeling of comfort for your guests.

Take some clues from hotel and bed and breakfast proprietors and think about the accommodations that they provide for their clients.

1. Try to find the most comfortable and luxurious sheets.

2. If you don’t have an extra bed, you can purchase an inflatable mattress, that can be stored when not in use. I bought one from Coleman, the camping suppliers and it comes in handy in an emergency.

3. Provide a place to stow or lay down luggage, and if possible designate a separate drawer for their things.

4. Supply a variety of pillows.

5. If there is not extra room in you closet, affix a hanger rack on the back of a door.

6 . Extras like, reading materials, robes, night light, and bottled water are always appreciated.

Paying attention to details like these can make your guests feel special. And don’t forget to set the coffee maker up the night before, so the morning coffee will be ready.

Priscilla

Patio Tomatoes

judyball11 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 19:21:37 +0000

Living in Ocean Grove, our property is very small and garden space is minimal, but every year for the past 10 years we have planted large pots with tomato plants and put them on our second floor porch. The plants get a lot of sun there, but we have to be careful not to plant them on the porch too early because it can be quite windy in the Spring. We buy the plants from the Ocean Grove Florist in our town and they are already flowering and it seems like in no time we have little green tomatoes showing. We love it because we can just go up to the porch and pick what we need.

Note: Do not store your tomatoes in the refrigerator. They should be kept under 55F or they lose the enzyme that makes the flavor. Tomatoes should also be stored stem side up.

Check out our Tomato recipes

We also grow herbs, but we grow them in pots outside our kitchen door, so they are easily accessible for cooking.

Judy Ball

Support your local farm market

priscilla — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:15:41 +0000

These are the local markets in my area, Hackettstown N.J.

Shop for produce at your local farm market for fresh and healthy foods for you and your family. Now is a good time of year for peaches, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant.

Alstede Farms Rt. 24 Chester N.J. are featuring peaches now through September. www.alstedefarms.com
They are featuring a Customer Appreciation Weekend Aug.7th and 8th.
Donaldson Farms 345 Allen Rd. Mansfield, N.J. www.donaldsonfarms.net
Stone Hedge Farm Hackettstown N.J. www.stonehedgefarmandgardencenter.com
A local grower of tomatoes and corn on 110 acres.

Priscilla

Potato Salad with a twist.

judyball11 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:44:51 +0000

1-2 lbs red skinned potatoes cut into cubes (try to make them about the same size)

4-5 hard boiled eggs

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 Tabls. chopped parsley

6 strips bacon, cooked, cooled and chopped into small pieces

2 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed from cobs

about 1/2 to 3/4 cup Mayonnaise (more if necessary)

salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes for about 12-15 minutes in salted water. Test during cooking time to see if cooked but firm. You don’t want mashed potato salad, although I did that once and it was actually pretty good. Drain potatoes in a colander, let them cool and dry out a little.

Meanwhile chop eggs and put into a bowl. Add chopped onion, parsley, bacon, corn kernels and salt and pepper. Mix well. Add potatoes and mix gently. Add mayonnaise and fold into mixture. Garnish with parsley.

My daughter said to me that she likes my potato salad the way I always made it, without the corn, but my husband loves it with the corn. So either way, whatever your preference.

Easy Cheese Quesadillas

judyball11 — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:08:18 +0000

Makes 36 wedges for a starter

16 oz. Monteray Jack cheese, grated

12 6 inch flour tortillas

Canola oil

Use a non-stick saute pan. Heat 1/2 tsp. oil in pan on medium heat and place 1 tortilla in pan topped with a coating of grated cheese. Place another tortilla on top of cheese. Cook until tortilla starts to brown and cheese starts to melt, turn over with a spatula and brown other side.

Continue with the rest of the tortillas using oil as needed. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

Add cooked chicken, jalapenos, tomatoes or anything you like.

Earth Friendly Home Remodeling

judyball11 — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:24:21 +0000

Think of remodeling your home as if you had no power or water and no food that could be purchased at a nearby store.

Decide where to put your garden
In summer to keep your house cool – prevent sunlight from hitting the house directly, plant -trees, trellises, plants, bushes. This measure is 7 times more effective than any measure you take on the inside of the house. It is important that your windows on the east and west, in particular, are shaded.
If you are re-roofing consider using an unpainted metal roof, clay or concrete tiles. These materials allow rain water to be collected without the contaminates that come from the runoff of the asphalt shingles. if a solar system is installed these roofing materials will last as long as the solar system.

Pool pumps alone can use more electricity than all other household features and appliances combined. Consider solar water heaters that can double your swimming season and pay for themselves in three to five years.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) launched its online GreenHomeGuide, which connects homeowner with green home improvement information, products and people.

” what we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”

gandhi

Breast Cancer

judyball11 — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:42:01 +0000

Today early detection and modern treatment methods may be effective in treating breast cancer.

Mammograms

Regular mammogram screenings can assist in early detection of breast cancer. Often small cancers cannot be detected by a breast exam.

Who Should Get a mammogram ?

Women 20 and older should perform breast self-examinations once a month.
Women 20 to 39 should have a physical breast exam every three years.
Women 40 and older should have a breast exam and a mammogram every year. Women at rist may need to have additional mammograms each year.

There are many treatment options available for breast cancer and many more are discovered each day.

Comfort Food – Meatloaf

judyball11 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:00:30 +0000

Meatloaf

I have been trying to make meatloaf that doesn’t taste like a giant meatball and I think I have with this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350F

1 lb. chopped beef

1/2 lb. chopped veal

1/2 lb. chopped pork

1 large onion, chopped

1 c. Panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 egg, beaten

dash (or two) of worchestershire sauce

small jar of green relish

5 slices bacon

1 can tomato soup

Mix the three meats together well. Add onion, bread crums salt, pepper and mix well. Mix in egg, worchestershire sauce, and relish. Turn into a 9×13 roasting pan. Shape into a loaf. Pour the can of tomato soup over the top. Then criss-cross the strips of bacon on top. Add about 3/4 cup of water to pan. Loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 1 1/2 hr. Remove foil and cook for another 20 min. or until your quick read thermometer reads 180F.

Comfort Foods – Macaroni and Cheese

judyball11 — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:44:56 +0000

Macaroni and Cheese

What can be more comforting than that?

1 lb. box of macaroni, ziti, elbows, penne, etc.

16oz. sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese (yellow or white), grated

1/4 c. of flour

1 stick of unsalted butter plus 2 tbsps.

3/4 to 1 c. of milk

salt and pepper

pinch of nutmeg (optional)

1 c. Bread crumbs (panko, homemade or any other kind of crumbs)

1 tomato, sliced

Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the box.

Melt the stick of butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Add the flour a tablespoon at a time until you get a paste. Cook on medium heat until it bubbles, stirring constantly, creating a roue. Whisk in the milk and cook until mixture is thickened, constantly whisking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add nutmeg if desired.

Slowly add the cheese to the milk mixture a handful at a time and stir until melted. Drain the macaroni and return to the sauce pan. Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir until well mixed .

Pour the mac and cheese into an oven proof casserole dish.

Meanwhile, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan and add bread crumbs

Crumble the bread crumbs over the top and add slices of tomato. Bake in a 350F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the top becomes a golden brown.

Serve with a mixed greens salad with a light vinagerette dressing.

Creating a Perfect Cheese Plate

judyball11 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:03:12 +0000

Vary your cheeses, from creamy soft to hard and from cow to goat to sheep’s milk.

Arrange from 3 to 5 cheeses on a pretty plate and plan on 4 to 6 ounces per person.

Set out and arrange cheese 1 hour or more before serving. The Brie should be weeping, your Blue smelly and your Parmigiano-Reggiano glistening with a wisp of oil.

Compliment your cheese with fresh fruit and nuts.

Honey drizzled on pungent cheese such as Blue or Gorganzola gives a dash of sweetness and a few drops of Balsamic vinegar on your Reggiano enhances the flavor.

Also you might want to have a mild cracker or bread to serve.

When you are serving wine with your cheese, choose red, white and rose wines from the same regions of the countries as your cheeses. Lighter wines with milder cheese and bolder wines such as reds with hardier cheese.

Beer, cider and some liqueurs also compliment different cheeses.

.

Some Suggestion:

Soft goat cheese

Camembert

Gorgonzola, Stilton or Blue

Gruyere

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Triple cream Brie

A young fresh goat cheese goes well with Fume Blanc or Pinot Grigio, where as a Chardonnay is a good accompaniment with a well aged Brie or Camembert.

For Reggiano and Blue cheese, choose a Sirah or red Zinfandel.

(A great contrast for a Reggiano is a crisp, fruity sparkling wine!)

Kitchen Cabinetry

judyball11 — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:20:46 +0000

There are some things you should know when choosing kitchen cabinets for your home , whether you are remodeling our starting from scratch.

Kitchen cabinets are available in 3 configurations: stock , semi custom, and custom.

Stock cabinetry is referred to as “off the rack”, these cabinets are mass produced and pre-assembled. The advantages of stock cabinetry are low cost and short lead time. Stock cabinetry however has a limited number of styles and designs.

Semi-custom cabinets are manufacture-built to fit your kitchens specifications. You have more options than stock cabinetry and have the availability of choosing finishes and door styles.

Custom cabinets are built to your exact specifications and you are able to oversee all details. The greatest quality of custom cabinets, because they are handmade, they allow maximum storage space and every square inch of your kitchen is utilized. You can choose your style; traditional , contemporary, country or transitional.

Work with a professional kitchen designer, they will take care of all the details.

Priscilla

Split Pea Soup

judyball11 — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:52:19 +0000

I want to start by saying that I never liked pea soup before I made this one. I think the difference is a bottle of beer added at the begining of the recipe (even though I don’t like beer) and a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar added at the end.

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. butter

1 medium potato (about 1/2 lb.) diced

1 Lg. smoked ham hock (used a bone from a holiday ham)

1 pkg. (12 oz: about 1 2/3 cups) green split peas, rinsed and drained

1 can or bottle of beer (12 oz.)

6 cups water

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 tsp. whole mustard seeds, crushed

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

salt, check before you put in extra. The ham is already most likely salty.

Cook onions, carrots and celery in heated butter in a 5 1/2 to 6 quart pot over med. heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft but not browned. Add potato, ham hock, split peas, beer, water, thyme, mustard seed and cloves. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until ham and peas are very tender (2 to 2 1/2 hours), stirring occasionally.

Remove ham hock. When it is cool enough to handle, remove and disgard bones, skin and fatty pieces. Return meat to to soup in large chunks. Blend in vinegar. Taste and add salt if needed.

Homemade croutons optional.

Color Trends

judyball11 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:07:22 +0000

Decorating Color Trends: Colors are going Grayer!

At the recent Color Marketing Group (CMG) conference. Their forecasting and steering committee workshops put together the new palette for consumer colors. The big news is the graying of colors-even orange,yellow,green and teal, will be slightly muted in products coming to market next year.They complement the bevy of gray shades that are taking over on the neutral front, but are much more appealing than corporate gray colors that seem a little cold or commercial.

priscilla

www.calicocorners.com

ASID Green Interior Design

judyball11 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:22:35 +0000

The American Society of Interior Designers has come up with 10 re-green, guidelines for the home.

In conjunction with the US Green Building Council, it has issued it’s REGREEN Guidelines , organized into 10 m0st common remodeling projects and designed to provide professionals and homeowners with resources and tools to green their home remodeling projects. The guidelines can be applied to a variety of projects, from remodeling a kitchen to executing a full-scale renovation.

“Green homes are fundamental to leading healthier more sustainable lives” says Victoria Schomer, ASID ,LEED AP, interior designer and principal of Green Built Environments. ” in America, we spend 90% of our time indoors and the interior design professional has a central role in making homes healthier and green”.

resources: www.asid.org www/regreen program.org

Priscilla ASID Industry Partner American Society of Interior Designers

we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors.

we borrow it from our children.

native american proverb

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

judyball11 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:11:15 +0000

I know, I know, everyone says they have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe but I truly do. I made these jumbo size for sale at my son’s cafe a couple of years ago and they were a hit. He no longer has the cafe, but I am still making the cookies, regular size.

Preheat oven to 375 F

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 cups unsalted butter

3 cups light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars together. On medium speed, add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift together, flour, baking soda and salt and add on low speed. Mix until all flour is well blended into the butter,sugar mixture.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put into refrigerator for about 1/2 hour to 3/4 of an hour.

Drop by teaspoon full onto baking sheet and bake for approximately 7 to 8 minutes, depending on your oven.

Home decorating with an Interior Design Professional

judyball11 — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:44:56 +0000

A do-it-yourself approach to interior decorating can be a rewarding experience or it can become a frustrating, costly and time consuming project for a homeowner.

Before attempting a decorating project access your objectives. You may realize that your time and money may be spent somewhere else.

Having a professional interior designer can help you develop a cohesive plan and keep you from making costly mistakes. A professional designer can help you get it right the first time.

Sometimes the homeowner is overwhelmed when designing their own home, they think they know what they want, but they can’t translate their thoughts into action. A designer can guide a homeowner to appropriate selections or help them define their wants and their tastes.

Hiring a professional designer doesn’t have to be a scary commitment, most designers will give you an option to hire them for an hourly rate or will charge a fee for a consultation.

Most of the designers I know are not too scary! Priscilla

French Toast for Dinner ?

judyball11 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:07:19 +0000

What about French Toast for dinner? Tonight I made a savory french toast for my husband and myself and boy was it not only good but it took only minutes.

I had just bought Monk’s bread ( has a crust on the outside but soft on the inside) yesterday at Wegman’s but you could use any bread that you slice yourself. Challah would work also. You can also use Italian bread, just soak in egg mixture a little longer. Monk’s bread is round so I cut two thick slices and cut each one of those in half. I whisked two large or xtra large eggs in a pie plate, added about 1/4 cup of milk and whisked that until they were incorporated. To that I added 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 1 1/2 tsp. dried oragano, a pinch of salt. You can use any combination of dried herbs you like. Whisk those in. Then take your sliced bread and one at a time put them in the egg mixture, leave for about 15 to 20 seconds, turn it over and let it soak for another 15 to 20 seconds. Meanwhile have a hot skillet with Canola oil at the ready. Put your slices in the hot skillet, turn the heat down to medium, and cook until golden brown.Then flip them over and cook on the other side until golden. I had some shredded Mexican cheese, the kind you get in the dairy section of your grocery store, and put some of that on the bread, turned the heat off and put a lid on the pan or cover with foil. Let stand for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts.

There you have it. Serve with tomatoes cut in chunks or halved cherry tomatoes tossed in a little olive oil and lemon juice. I had an avacado so I cut that into cubes and tossed with the tomatoes also.

It was quick and easy and tasted great.

Tablescapes

judyball11 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:14:00 +0000

These tablescapes were designed for holiday entertaining. We basically used things that we had around the house. The red and white quilt on the table was bought at a flea market for $10.00. It is a twin bed quilt and I have the mate for another twin bed. It was in beautiful shape. The blue glasses are over 40 years old. The table runner was a hand made, a gift from Hungary. The napkins on that table are tied with raffia around pine cones. All the greenery in the vases were picked from bushes and branches from the trees around Priscilla’s home . Judy

I Live in Ocean Grove on the Jersey Shore

judyball11 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:31:23 +0000

Ocean Grove is one the finest year-round family seashore resorts, with a square mile of natural beauty and has welcomed vacationers, including US Presidents, for over a century. In 1869 a group of spiritual lay leaders assembled as The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association to form and incorporate the town of Ocean Grove. On tree-lined streets is the largest assemblage of authentic Victorian architecture in the nation and in 1976, the town was honored with being entered in the National Register of Historic Places and in 1977, the New Jersey State Register of Historic Places.

There are so many things to do in Ocean Grove. We have the beach and boardwalk, arts and craft shows, annual Giant Flea Markets in June and September. There are auctions and Antique shows, Memorial Day and 4th of July parades, fireworks and concerts in the Great Auditorium including Destination: Opera Festival of New Jersey State Opera Company and much more and that’s just the summer.

Personally, even though we enjoy the summer activities, the off-season is beautiful here and we find the quiet very relaxing. Living here for 36 years, we have seen alot of changes from “Ocean Grave” to the beautiful town it is today.

In 1973, we bought the “Melita” and ran it as a guest house for 7 years. It was stuck in the 1930’s (including the wallpaper) and needed so much work when we bought it in June to be ready to open for July, we literally ran our selves ragged. With a lot of help from Priscilla ( Deb was too young and having fun) over 4 weekends non-stop we were ready to rent the second floor, the third floor not quite finished. There are many stories to tell, too numerous to list here. One story that I will always remember was when I was pregnant with my second child, my daughter Ivy. Bill took me in the night of July 17th to the hospital after walking the boardwalk with contractions and asked one of our guests to watch the house. That was Mrs. Herr. She kept watched until Bill came home the next day, July 18th, when Ivy was born. There were so many nice people that stayed with us and when we came home from the hospital on that particularly hot day in July, they were all so helpful. We have many stories to tell, good and bad, maybe someday we should write a book.

Judy

(Just in case someone out there does not think we get much snow 1/2 block from the ocean)

Quick Chicken Pot Pie

judyball11 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:56:21 +0000

Tonight I came home from work and my husband and I went for a walk around our town. By the time we got home, it was 7 pm and I didn’t know what we were going to have for dinner. We had a roasted chicken and gravy a couple of days ago and we had leftovers. There was about 1/2 of the chicken left, maybe a little more. I had Bisquick, frozen pearl onions (in the freezer since last Christmas), a can of peas (you can use any vegetable you have leftover, canned or frozen) and a can of whole peeled potatoes, which I cut into quarters. I cut the chicken from the bones and picked it clean and cut it up into bite sized pieces. I put the chicken into a casserole dish along with the peas, 3/4 of the bag of onions, potatoes and 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and a tsp. of dried thyme(optional) and 1 tsp. of poultry seasoning. If you don’t have the poultry seasoning, that is okay. It just gives it a little extra flavor. I heated up the leftover gravy and added chicken broth. I melted 2 Tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan, stirred in 2 heaping Tbsp. of flour and cooked it over medium heat for a couple of minutes stirring constantly.
I then added it to the broth/gravy mixture and stirred until thickened. If it is not thick enough, add some flour to a small amount of water, mix and add to the gravy mixture. I poured the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
I then made the recipe for dumplings from the side of the Bisquick box, it took about 2 minutes, and put spoonfuls of dough on top of the casserole ingredients.
I put it into a preheated 425F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes

This literally took 40 minutes including cooking time.

Quick Tip: When there is a sale on canned vegetables, I always stock up on potatoes and vegetables. Also, if you have chicken and beef broth, vegetable broth if you are a vegetarian, one or more, Basmati, wild or arborio rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, jarred sauce, shredded cheese, tortillas, canned beans such as small white, garbanzo and black beans, dried oragano, basil and thyme, onions and garlic on hand, you can make or enhance a quick meal and even a quick appetizer.

If you have to feed your kids……and we all do

judyball11 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:02:57 +0000

We have all been through this,”MOM, I DON”T LIKE THIS, I DON”T WANT TO E-E-E-AT”!!

Well here is a recipe that literally takes minutes and the kids will love it. You will need 2, 12 inch flour tortillas, a favorite low fat, or not, cheese, shredded mozzerella, cheddar, Monteray jack, (or if your kids are real sophisticated, Feta), chopped tomatoes, maybe some spinach leaves shredded. (you can sneak them on and they won’t notice). Or my favorite, Monteray Jack and canned black beans, drained, with a little cumin and oregano. Put as much or as little of the ingredients as you want.

Assemble all of your ingredients. Put a little Canola oil, about 2 teaspoons in a hot, no-stick frying pan. Place the tortilla in the pan. Put the cheese, tomatoes, spinach on the tortilla. Then put the second tortilla on top. When the cheese starts to melt and when you lift the corner of the bottom tortilla and it is a little brown, turn it over with a spatula. A minute or two more is all you need. Actually you can put anything with the cheese. These are also great for appetizers, just cut them in small wedges and they can be served with sour cream and salsa.

You can also make them with fruit and cream cheese, served with a dollop of jam.

The idea is use what you have in the house for the filling, maybe something new for the kids to try.

By the way, I don’t know these people. I tried to find some little kids to help but had no luck.

Green Bean Casserole

judyball11 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:44:12 +0000

In case you are one of a few people who don’t know about this easy recipe…. Our family makes this vegetable casserole dish every Thanksgiving without fail.

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
18 tsp. black pepper
11/3 cups French’s French Fried Onions
2 (14 1/2 oz.)cans green beans drained or 2 (9oz.) pkgs.
frozen cut green beans

Mix soup and milk, then add pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 min. or until hot. Stir & top with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

judyball11 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:41:38 +0000

We were at a pasta dinner at our church last night, cooked by the “younger women” of our congregation (as opposed to us “old women”). They worked all day and did such a fantastic job. The tables were decorated beautifully and there were a variety of sauces for the pasta, some store bought and others homemade. I was asked to bring linguini with white clam sauce which happens to be s-o-o easy and quick and it was a big hit. The only trouble I had was figuring out how to make enough sauce and pasta for 25 people. If you ever need that recipe, let me know.

For 4 servings you will need:

1 lb. box of linguini

3 6.5oz.cans of chopped clams

2 Tblsp. butter

2 Tblsp. olive oil

1/2 med. onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic sliced

1 8oz. jar of clam juice

1 cup of dry white wine

1/2 c. finely chopped parsley

salt and pepper

juice from 1/2 lemon optional

a pinch of red pepper flakes, also optional

Start the pasta. Follow the cooking direction on the box.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet and add the olive oil.

Saute the onion and garlic on low. Add a pinch of salt. Continue cooking until the garlic and onion are translucent.

Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Boil for about 2 minutes or until the alcohol burns off.

Add the clam juice, clams, about 1/2 tsp. pepper, parsley.

Add the lemon juice and/or red pepper flakes if desired.

Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes and you are done.

The pasta should be ready, add to clam sauce, toss and serve. It is as easy as that.

When you are at my sister Debbie’s house on Block Island, she goes clamming and brings those fresh clams home for clams casino and clam sauce. We had those clams in clams casino, made by her husband, the last time we were there.

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Quick Chicken Pot Pie

If you have to feed your kids……and we all do

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Linguini with White Clam Sauce