Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 5 Oct 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion, political humor and funny cartoons, recipes, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.





From Denny:  All this weekend - and early this week - I've had the usual case of "Fall Fever." Who really wants to stay inside after a dreadful summer of weirdly high heat and humidity? When Louisiana weather calms down to cooler temperatures at night and low humidity during the day it's, well, irresistible. And the blogging just had to wait this weekend.

It was also a case of cleaning up all the overgrown "everything" in the flower beds since it's been several months - when it was so hot and humid medical professionals were telling everyone it was too hard on your heart to be out in the heat doing hard workouts.

Anyway, my crazy plants thank you for your patience. They now have newly planted homes since there were so many of them multiplying they had to move out from their parents' homes and into new places in the yard. Purple irises love to spread the love.

Chocolate Mint has pink trumpet flowers Photo by Denny Lyon


The party down plants are the chocolate mint. They are indestructible - whether it's flooding rain waters or drought - these crazy plants just keep on thriving! I'm wondering if they are the comedians of the plant kingdom.

What's nice about chocolate mint is that hummingbirds love them as much as those fat bumblebees. When pollinating insects were rare the past couple of years, well, it must have been because they were all partying over in my yard.

Try crushing the leaves of the chocolate mint in your hands and you get this light chocolate scent wafting up into the breeze along with a faint mint companion. You can even cut back chocolate mint and treat it like a low growing shrub or let it go hog wild and it looks like a two foot tall grass. Definitely a cool plant.

I've come to the conclusion that all artists must be gardeners. It's just such an irresistible canvas to play with and shift and change at will. Of course, the mud factor is definitely appealing too. :)

Included here are links from the past couple of weeks and some popular posts too - especially recipes. Lots of humor to keep you de-stressed and laughing!  Make sure to check out the new convenient Google Blogger gadgets on the blogs that feature the most recent posts and the most popular posts.


Recent Post Roundups:

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 27 Sept 2010

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 19 Sept 2010

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 12 Sept 2010

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 22 Aug 2010

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 15 Aug 2010

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 8 Aug 2010



The Social Poets:


American and World Politics Cartoons - 2 Oct 2010

Friday Lite: Roundup of Late Night Jokes and Videos - 1 Oct 2010

Funny Video: Jon Stwart Announces Restore to Sanity Rally 

Funny Video: Colbert Announces Keep Fear Alive March 

Funny Video: Jon Stwart Lampoons Republican New Pledge As Tired Old Pledge 

Funny Video: Stewart Questions Character of Congress 

Funny Video: Colbert Ponders Tea Party Christines Next Crazy Outburst

Funny Video: Stewart Finds Obama Kryptonite 

Funny Video: Jon Stearrt Discusses Rally to Restore Sanity Advice From Larry Wilmore

Funny Video: Stewart Says Tea Party Won The Battle For The Soul Of The GOP 

Funny Video: Colbert Proposes Christine O'Donnell Witch Test 

Funny Video: March to Keep Fear Alive Media Coverage 

Democrats: 400 Groups Rally This Weekend 4 Jobs and Votes 

Creep Factor: Feds Turning X-Rays on Americans to Catch Terrorists? 

What Is Really Happening In This BP Claims Process? 

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 27 Sept 2010 

America and World Politics Cartoons - 25 Sept 2010 - Check out cartoonist opinion on American and world politics this week.

Presidential Memoirs: Who Bombed, Who Soared and Why - Check out some fun facts about presidential memoirs, how well they were paid and who really wrote some of them.

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 19 Sept 2010





Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


A Delightful Way Of Seeing Our Lives

How Do You Fit Into The Universe?

How Well Do You Handle Adversity?

President Theodore Roosevelt Quote About Courage

Do You Promote Others As Well As Yourself?

Meditative Moon Photos - The moon continues to fascinate humanity - and creative photographers.

7 Thoughtful Quotes About The Future - Enjoy these reflections upon how we think about our future.

A Healing Spiritual Poem: Waking The Day - Spiritual symbolism is all around us in our daily life, ready to help heal and balance.

Ancient Healing Oil: Sandalwood - Modern technology life can be stressful and counter productive to spiritual growth. Try this essential oil to bring balance into your life.






Dennys Funny Quotes:


Funny Tech and Situational Hunh?! Cartoons - 2 Oct 2010

AWwwww For Cat Lovers: Animated Cartoon, Simons Cat in the Box

Funny Video: Priest on a Skateboard

Funny Hunh?! Cartoons - 25 Sept 2010 - Check out this week's amusing observations about Life: relationships, pets and the tech world cartoons.

22 Funny Situational Hunh?! Cartoons - 18 Sept 2010 - Check out the funny twisted minds of cartoonists as they envision various life situations.

25 Ridiculously Funny Celebrity Duck Face Photos - Laugh at celebrities posing for the camera, mocking sexy.

Republican Tea Party of the Devil: Meet Satanist Christine ODonnell - Tea Party Delaware Senate nominee admits to practicing witchcraft and Satanism.

Funny Video: Bounty Mocks High School With Rap - Video: Bounty Brings It. Paper Towel Gang Keeps it Clean - great rap music video production for an ad.

Funny Work Cartoons - 23 Aug 2010 - Funny Work Cartoons - 23 Aug 2010





Dennys Food and Recipes:


Famous Restaurant P.F. Chang: Ground Spiced Chicken in Lettuce Wraps

Cake Tuesday: Chocolate Sin Cake From New Orleans - Rich cake from a hundred year old famous New Orleans restaurant: Café Sbisa.

Sesame-Ginger Truffles From Culinary Institute of America - A simple tasty recipe worth of gift giving during the holidays.

Red Lobster Restaurant: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

4 Casseroles 4 School Night Dinners: Chicken, Tex Mex, Tamale, Shepherds Pie - Check out some family favorites, easy and quick to cook - and nutritious.

Muffin Monday: 5 Yummy Breakfast Muffins - Skip the coffee shop muffin, make your own, save some money and save a whole lot of calories too.

5 Easy Game Day Recipes For A Barbecue - Simple crowd pleasing recipes, easy to make, for your successful tailgating on game day weekends.

Cake Tuesday: Lemon Cheese-Filled Cake - Check out what heavenly confection you can do with a simple cake mix.

Celebrate: Yummy Southern Gulf Coast Shrimp and Crab Boil - Find out how easy it is to do your own shrimp and crab boil to celebrate the great seafood of the summer!





Visual Insights:


American Economy Cartoons - 2 Oct 2010

Cartoons About Our American Economy - 25 Sept 2010 - Check out cartoonist opinions this week on the state of the American economy.

Dennys Photo Gallery: Our Mysterious Moon - The moon continues to fascinate humanity - and creative photographers.

Dennys Photo Gallery: Swinging Good Fun!

Arts: Fun Incredible Beach Art Photos

Raucous Tea Party Republicans Cartoons - 21 Aug 2010 - Check out what the cartoonists are lampooning about the Tea Party and the Republican idea of politics this time!

Dennys Photo Gallery: Beautiful Yummy Artichokes and 11 Recipes

Arts: Whimsical Fiber Artist Ed Bing Lee - This fiber artist has a sense of the whimsy while he explores new ways to use simple knotting techniques to develop his art.

Funny Photos: How Your Brain Can Be Fooled

Dennys Photo Gallery: Summer Heat Wave





Dennys People Watching:


Education Reformer Michelle Rhee Takes Hits For Bold Action - Take a look at town hall debate after viewing the education documentary film "Waiting For Superman" as NBC kicks off their reports on education in America.

Funny Outrageous Tea Party Politics - Check out cartoonist opinion this week as they draw the funny happenings from the Tea Party.

American Education Sec. Arne Duncan Talks Reform in Education




*** Coffee photo by Quoquo @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Famous Restaurant P.F. Chang: Ground Spiced Chicken in Lettuce Wraps

Check out P.F. Chang's popular chicken in lettuce wraps recipe recreated by a chef for ABC's Good Morning America show.

From Denny: Another favorite dish when we dine out for lunch. Usually, P.F. Chang's is terrible for high salt and oil levels but hey! once in a while just splurge, right? OK, so I like their lighter salmon dish but we often split this chicken lettuce wrap too because it's so tasty. What fun when I happened on Good Morning America's site today and found the recipe! Food hound hard at work... :)



P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

From Todd Wilbur: While working on the formula for P.F. Chang's Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps, I discovered that there were several ways I could improve the clone recipe for the Chicken Wraps. I've now perfected the flavor of the stir-fry with the addition of mirin (a sweetened sake syrup) and oyster sauce, both of which you can find in your market where the Asian foods are stocked. The "special sauce" that you spoon over your wraps has also been tweaked and perfected. And finally, after reducing the amount of chicken from two breasts filets to just one, I think this new and improved version of P.F. Chang's most popular dish is the absolute best clone it can be.

Ingredients:

Special sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/8 teaspoon chili oil
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Chinese hot mustard paste (see Tidbits)
1 to 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
Stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large skinless chicken breast filet
one 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and minced (about 1 cup)
one 6-ounce can diced straw mushrooms, drained and minced (about 2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 to 1 1/2 cups fried maifun rice sticks (see Tidbits)
4 to 5 iceberg lettuce cups

Directions:

Make the special sauce (for spooning over your lettuce wraps) by dissolving the sugar in the water in a small bowl.

Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil. Add the chopped green onion and set the sauce aside until you're ready to serve the lettuce wraps. Eventually you will add Chinese mustard and garlic chili sauce to this special sauce mixture to pour over each of your lettuce wraps. In the restaurant, waiters prepare the sauce at your table the same way based on your desired heat level. We'll get into the specifics of that in step #7.

Prepare the stir-fry sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

To prepare the filling for your lettuce wraps, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large saute pan or wok over

high heat. Saute the chicken breast for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan to cool. Wipe out the pan. As the chicken cools, chop your water chestnuts and mushrooms into pieces that are about the size of small peas. If you haven't fried the maifun rice sticks, this is a good time to do that.

When you can handle the chicken, hack it up with a sharp knife so that no piece is bigger than a dime. With the pan or wok back on high heat, add the 3 remaining tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the stir-fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple more minutes, then stir in the green onions and spoon everything out onto a bed of fried maifun rice noodles on a serving dish.

Serve the chicken with a side of lettuce cups. Make these lettuce cups by slicing the top off of a head of iceberg lettuce right through the middle of the head. Pull your lettuce cups off of the outside of this slice.

Prepare the special sauce at the table by adding your desired measurement of hot mustard and chili sauce to the special sauce blend: 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce for mild, ½ teaspoon of mustard paste plus 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce for medium, and 1 teaspoon of mustard paste and 3 teaspoons of chili garlic sauce for hot. Stir well.

Assemble each lettuce wrap by spooning the filling into a lettuce cup, adding special sauce over the top and eating it like a taco.

Tidbits: Follow the directions on the package for frying the maifun rice sticks - usually by pouring 2 inches of vegetable oil into a pan and heating it to around 400 degrees F. Add the maifun, and when it floats to the top remove it to a paper towel.



Photo by Donna Svennevik/ABC Food Styling by Karen Pickus



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 27 Sept 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion, political humor and funny cartoons, recipes, poetry, funny posts, photography, science news, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.





The Social Poets:

White House Staff Shakeup: Who Stays, Who Goes - Choices narrowing down as who leaves or who stays on the White House staff.

America and World Politics Cartoons - 25 Sept 2010 - Check out cartoonist opinion on American and world politics this week.

Is BP Fund Czar Feinberg in BPs Pocket? - The lies and promises unfulfilled keep coming from BP and Feinberg, the BP Fund Claims Czar.

King Abdullah II Talks Huge Middle East Gamble for Sept 30 - King Abdullah II talks strategy for successful Middle East Peace with Jon Stewart.

Wars Overseas, Wars in Congress, Wars in White House, New Book: Obamas Wars - Wars overseas, wars in Congress and wars in the White House are why our government is not working.

Presidential Memoirs: Who Bombed, Who Soared and Why - Check out some fun facts about presidential memoirs, how well they were paid and who really wrote some of them.

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 19 Sept 2010




The Soul Calendar:


Rare: Super Harvest Moon Occurs On Fall Solstice - Check out rare summer-autumn twilight glow that only happens about every 20 years.




Dennys Funny Quotes:


Funny Hunh?! Cartoons - 25 Sept 2010 - Check out this week's amusing observations about Life: relationships, pets and the tech world cartoons.

22 Funny Situational Hunh?! Cartoons - 18 Sept 2010 - Check out the funny twisted minds of cartoonists as they envision various life situations.

25 Ridiculously Funny Celebrity Duck Face Photos - Laugh at celebrities posing for the camera, mocking sexy.


Republican Tea Party of the Devil: Meet Satanist Christine ODonnell - Tea Party Delaware Senate nominee admits to practicing witchcraft and Satanism.




Visual Insights:


Cartoons About Our American Economy - 25 Sept 2010 - Check out cartoonist opinions this week on the state of the American economy.

Dennys Photo Gallery: Our Mysterious Moon - The moon continues to fascinate humanity - and creative photographers.

Dennys Photo Gallery: Swinging Good Fun!

Arts: Fun Incredible Beach Art Photos

Raucous Tea Party Republicans Cartoons - 21 Aug 2010 - Check out what the cartoonists are lampooning about the Tea Party and the Republican idea of politics this time!

Dennys Photo Gallery: Beautiful Yummy Artichokes and 11 Recipes

Arts: Whimsical Fiber Artist Ed Bing Lee - This fiber artist has a sense of the whimsy while he explores new ways to use simple knotting techniques to develop his art.

Funny Photos: How Your Brain Can Be Fooled

Dennys Photo Gallery: Summer Heat Wave

Dennys Photo Gallery: Beautiful Yummy Artichokes and 11 Recipes





Dennys People Watching:


Education Reformer Michelle Rhee Takes Hits For Bold Action - Take a look at town hall debate after viewing the education documentary film "Waiting For Superman" as NBC kicks off their reports on education in America.

Funny Outrageous Tea Party Politics - Check out cartoonist opinion this week as they draw the funny happenings from the Tea Party.

American Education Sec. Arne Duncan Talks Reform in Education





Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


President Theodore Roosevelt Quote About Courage

Do You Promote Others As Well As Yourself?

Meditative Moon Photos - The moon continues to fascinate humanity - and creative photographers.

7 Thoughtful Quotes About The Future - Enjoy these reflections upon how we think about our future.

A Healing Spiritual Poem: Waking The Day - Spiritual symbolism is all around us in our daily life, ready to help heal and balance.






Dennys Food and Recipes:

Sesame-Ginger Truffles From Culinary Institute of America - A simple tasty recipe worth of gift giving during the holidays.

Red Lobster Restaurant: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

4 Casseroles 4 School Night Dinners: Chicken, Tex Mex, Tamale, Shepherds Pie - Check out some family favorites, easy and quick to cook - and nutritious.

Muffin Monday: 5 Yummy Breakfast Muffins - Skip the coffee shop muffin, make your own, save some money and save a whole lot of calories too.



*** Coffee photo by Quoquo @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts - my own best as well as links to other spiritual posts from all viewpoints
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Sesame-Ginger Truffles From Culinary Institute of America

A simple tasty recipe worth of gift giving during the holidays.

From Denny: With the holiday season approaching, how about trying out a few new recipes to give as gifts or delight your guests when entertaining? I'm always up for a new recipe when it comes to chocolate delights! :) This gem of a recipe comes from the folks over at the Culinary Institute of America. Their cookbook is linked to Amazon Books where you can save on the retail price if you decide to purchase it.

I have a veritable library of wonderful cookbooks. Cookbooks are a fun way to get inside the head of a culture if you are exploring ethnic food. Cookbooks from professional organizations like this one are a great way to find out just how much you do know and fill in the blanks with valuable information.

Sesame-Ginger Truffles

From: Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

Makes: 48 pieces

Skill level: 2


The nontraditional combination of sesame and chocolate is brought to life with the addition of ginger. Fresh ginger gives the best results.


Ingredients:

4 oz (1/2 cup) Heavy cream
1½ oz (2 tbsp) Light corn syrup
1 oz (1/4 cup) Ginger, peeled and grated
1 oz (2 tbsp) Tahini
8 oz (1 1/3 cups) Dark chocolate, pistoles or chopped in ½-inch pieces
1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
1/2 oz (2 tbsp) Chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
12 oz (2 cups) Dark chocolate or dark compound coating, chopped in ½-inch pieces, for dipping
Toasted sesame seeds or finely chopped crystallized ginger, for garnish (optional), as needed

Directions:

1. Line a 9 × 13–inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Combine the cream, corn syrup, and grated ginger in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Remove from the heat. Add the tahini and chopped dark chocolate or pistoles to the cream and stir until smooth and homogeneous.

4. Stir in the sesame oil.

5. Strain the ganache through a fine-mesh strainer.

6. Stir the crystallized ginger into the ganache, if desired.

7. Pour the finished ganache into the baking pan to make a thin layer and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more until the ganache is firm.

8. Put the ganache in a mixer bowl and mix on medium speed using a paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Or stir vigorously in a mixing bowl by hand, using a spatula.

9. Allow the ganache to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

10. Using a #100 scoop or a teaspoon, scoop out balls of ganache and place on the sheet pan at room temperature.

11. When all of the ganache has been scooped, roll each portion by hand into a round ball.

12. Melt and temper the chocolate for dipping using the procedure on page 36. If using compound coating, follow the heating instructions on the package.

13. Dip the ganache centers in the tempered chocolate or compound coating using one of the techniques illustrated on pages 44 and 45.

14. After dipping, but before the chocolate sets fully, garnish with toasted sesame seeds or finely chopped crystallized ginger as desired.


Keys to Success:

• Make sure the ganache has enough time to firm in the refrigerator.
• An hour is a good guideline, but it is okay to leave it longer, even overnight if desired.
• Resting the ganache after mixing allows it to harden slightly, which makes scooping much easier.

Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Red Lobster Restaurant: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

A favorite recipe from a famous seafood restaurant chain.

From Denny: It's funny; I was just thinking about making some drop biscuits when the tasty ones from Red Lobster Restaurant came to mind. It's been years since I set foot in one of their stores but somehow the vision of fluffy hot biscuits remained uppermost in my mind, not dimmed by time. :) (This post is starting to sound like the beginnings of a food poem.)

What's also amusing is that as I was perusing the Amazon cookbook sections, looking for recipes within the book reviews, there it was: a book containing famous restaurant recipes. While Amazon didn't have the recipe, it sure didn't take but a few moments to run it down on the web.

Drop biscuits are an old Southern tradition. They are also so ridiculously easy to make because you don't have to roll them out. There are those cooks who have never mastered the light touch required for rolling out biscuits. Well, drop biscuits are the perfect answer to that dilemma. Drop biscuits are also a real crowd pleaser and can be made in no time, great when you are in a rush. The beauty of it is you still get a hot bread, all without too much effort.

Drop biscuits go well with breakfast eggs, soup at lunch, stew at night or for a snack with a little butter and jelly. If you prefer plain biscuits, just omit the garlic powder and Old Bay seasoning. For a different cheese taste, try Parmesan or Romano.


Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning


Directions:

Heat oven to 450. Combine Bisquick, milk, and cheddar cheese. Stir together.

Spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

In a small sauce pan combine butter, garlic powder and old bay seasoning. Heat until butter is melted. Spoon butter mixture over hot biscuits.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 19 Sept 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion, political humor and funny cartoons, recipes, poetry, funny posts, photography, science news, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.





From Denny: Am I'm busy playing "catch up" with all these posts in draft form - after 10 days off line, changing internet providers. :) Hope everyone had a great weekend!


The Social Poets:

Economy, World Politics, BP Oil Spill Cartoons - 18 Sept 2010 - Check out what the cartoonists think this week about the American economy, world and American politics and villainous BP's oil spill aftermath.

Waking The Day poem - Libations Friday 17 Sept 2010 - When the day - and I - awaken, present in the moment.

Obamas Popularity, Polls Roundup of American Opinion - 16 Sept 2010 - Check out this week's polling of Americans from the President's approval rating, tax cuts, anti-Muslim feelings to frustration with our politicians.

Good Move, Mr. Prez: Safeguarding The Gulf on Oil Production - Today the President took new measures to watch dog the oil and gas industry, increasing the safety of our environment.

Roundup of Late Night Funnies - 14 Sept 2010 - Catch up on the latest comedic musings and amusements from Colbert, Stewart and late night show jokes, funny video clips and newest cartoons before they post for the week at other sites.

Funny Video: Stewart Mocks Gov. Jan Brewer Fiasco, Wonders Why Dems Are Lame - One of the best political critics around, Jon Stewart wonders why the Democrats just can't seem to win against inept lying Republicans.

Funny Video: Colbert Mocks Beck On His Restore Honor Rally - Only Colbert has the truthful tongue to whiplash Glenn Beck's bizarre arrogance with just the right touch of comedic art and campy irreverence.

Funny Video: Letterman and Olbermann Laugh at Republican 2012 Contenders - and Beck - Letterman and Olbermann suggest unlikely crazy Republican possibilities for the 2012 Presidential season.

Funny Video: Letterman Teases Obama For Frequent Vacations - Irreverent comic Letterman chides both Tiger Woods and Prez Obama for their ideas of relaxation.

Funny Video: Jon Stewart Mocks Florida Pastor Behind Planned Koran Bonfire - Comic Jon Stewart wasted no time in analyzing the Burn a Koran Day incident that had the entire world in an uproar from every religious corner.

Who Will Be Prez Obamas Next Chief of Staff? - Check out the leading contenders who can make or break the Democratic agenda.

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 12 Sept 2010 - Check out news, political opinion, political humor and funny cartoons, recipes, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.







Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


7 Thoughtful Quotes About The Future - Enjoy these reflections upon how we think about our future.

A Healing Spiritual Poem: Waking The Day - Spiritual symbolism is all around us in our daily life, ready to help heal and balance.







Dennys Funny Quotes:


22 Funny Situational Hunh?! Cartoons - 18 Sept 2010 - Check out the funny twisted minds of cartoonists as they envision various life situations.

Republican Tea Party of the Devil: Meet Satanist Christine ODonnell - Tea Party Delaware Senate nominee admits to practicing witchcraft and Satanism.








Visual Insights:


Koran Book Burning, September 11th Cartoons - 18 Sept 2010 - Check out what the nation's cartoonists had to say about the Burn a Koran Day call from a Florida pastor who eventually backed down from his threat.

Dennys Photo Gallery: Our Mysterious Moon - The moon continues to fascinate humanity - and creative photographers.







Dennys Food and Recipes:


5 Easy Game Day Recipes For A Barbecue - Simple crowd pleasing recipes, easy to make, for your successful tailgating on game day weekends.

Cake Tuesday: Lemon Cheese-Filled Cake - Check out what heavenly confection you can do with a simple cake mix.







The Soul Calendar:


Mapping Our Complex Brains: Human Connectome Project - Fascinating new project mapping the complex circuitry of our brains.


*** Coffee photo by Quoquo @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

5 Easy Game Day Recipes For A Barbecue

Simple crowd pleasing recipes, easy to make, for your successful tailgating on game day weekends.

From Denny: Our local newspaper, 2TheAdvocate, runs a stellar food section. After all, Louisiana people love to eat and live to eat. I guess it's that leftover "joy of life" French culture that has never waned over the centuries. Good food, comfort food, innovative food and lots of sweets are all part of the Louisiana culture.

And like any sports fan knows, LSU's Death Valley Stadium is the place to be for a crazy night of watching football. LSU Tiger fans are the most rabid in the nation. ESPN commentators love to come here as there is always plenty of action from the fans who are not shy, willing to mug for the TV cameras.

You should see some of the cooking rigs people bring to the games. It's amazing. They look like well equipped professional chefs' food trucks! Check out this simple menu of recipes to try for your next tailgating fun. The pasta shapes are new from this local pasta company, in honor of the New Orleans Saints. You can substitute another pasta shape for your recipe if you located in another part of the country. Hmmm... I wonder if the Green Bay Packers have their own "Cheese Heads" pasta shape...? :)


Recipes Featured:

Lou’s Barbecue Sandwiches
Cajun Crackers
Fleur de lis Pasta Salad
Fresina’s New Orleans Black & Gold Pasta
Toffee Bars




Lou’s Barbecue Sandwiches

From: Lou Staples

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. stew meat, trimmed of fat
1-1/2 lbs. lean pork, cubed (she uses a tenderloin or loin), trimmed of fat
2 cups chopped onion
3 medium bell peppers, chopped
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1-1/2 to 2 tsps. salt or to taste
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup water
12-14 buns or rolls, sliced in half
Condiments optional:
Sliced red onions
Spicy mustard
Pickle slices


Directions:

Place all ingredients in heavy pot and cook, covered on medium heat for about 3 hours. Stir vigorously every now and then to partially shred meat. If mixture gets too thick or begins sticking, add more water

Serve on buns or rolls of your choice. You can offer sliced purple onions, pickle slices or mustard if desired.






Cajun Crackers

From: Dale Mouton

One box of saltines is about 160 crackers. Dale Mouton received this recipe from Dot Eleazar: “These are nice to serve if you’re having a glass of wine or beer.”

Ingredients:

1 (16-oz. box) premium saltine crackers
2 gallon size plastic zip lock bag OR 2 (1-gallon) size bags if necessary
1 (1.0-oz.) pkg. Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

Remove crackers from their sleeve and place in large (2-gallon size) plastic bag OR 2 (1 gallon size). Set aside.

In small bowl, combine the dry Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix, oil and cayenne pepper. Stir until well blended.

Drizzle over crackers, stopping to turn bag of crackers over a couple of times while pouring. After adding all the oil, carefully turn the bag over several times and then several times during the day. Allow to sit overnight.

Fleur de lis Pasta Salad

From: Linda Fresina

Serves 6 to 8. This is a cold pasta dish.

Ingredients:

1 (12-oz.) box Fresina’s Fleur de lis Pasta, cooked al dente and drained
1 lb. boneless grilled chicken strips (or 1 lb. boiled and peeled shrimp)
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 to 2/3 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1/3 jar spiced herb garlic cut in large pieces, found at Fresina’s
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped or julienned OR roasted yellow bell peppers to taste
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Yellow bell pepper ring, for garnish
Whole black pitted olives, for garnish
Yellow grape tomatoes, for garnish
Additional Romano cheese for garnish

Dressing:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 tbl. Dijon mustard.


Directions:

Place salad ingredients in large salad bowl.

Whisk dressing ingredients together and toss with pasta.

Garnish top of salad with yellow bell pepper rings with whole black olives in the center. If available, place yellow grape tomato halves around outside rim of serving bowl. Add additional Romano cheese on top.

Fresina’s New Orleans Black & Gold Pasta

From: Fresina’s Pasta Co.

Serves: 6 to 8. The pasta can be served warm or cold.

Ingredients:

1 (12-oz.) box Fresina’s Fleur de lis Pasta
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in 1/2-inch dice
2 yellow squash, very thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ozs. pitted black olives, sliced
1/3 to 1/2 jar Fresina’s White Bianco Pasta Dressing
Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated


Directions:

Boil pasta in salted water until al dente (firm to the tooth). Drain and set aside.

Cook sausage in skillet starting with 1/4-inch water in the skillet, over medium heat. When all the water in skillet has evaporated, add the 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and continue cooking until sausage is cooked through and browned. Remove sausage when done and cut into thin slices.

Add garlic, onion and yellow bell pepper to same skillet and continue sautéing until crisp-tender. If necessary add a little more olive oil.

Add the sliced squash and cook slightly.

Gently toss in the sausage, olives, and fleur de lis pasta. Carefully, mix in the White Pasta Dressing, adding more if desired.
You can add black pepper or crushed red pepper for a little more “kick” — no pun(t) intended. Taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed.

Top with Pecorino Romano Cheese and serve warm.

Note: If you have to reheat, do not cook for a long time. You want to have it warm but not bubbly. The dressing will separate if you cook for an extended time at high heat. Reheating in the microwave for a short time is fine.




Toffee Bars

From: Heather Schaefer, “Notably Nashville” published by Junior League of Nashville, Tenn.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

15 whole graham crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts (Schaefer uses pecans)
12 ozs. (2 cups) milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.

Melt the butter in small saucepan and add the brown sugar and nuts. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Pour the hot mixture evenly over the graham crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and let melt. Spread the soft chocolate over the toffee carefully.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Break into pieces.


*** All photos from 2theadvocate


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Cake Tuesday: Lemon Cheese-Filled Cake

Check out what heavenly confection you can do with a simple cake mix.

From Denny: We love lemon recipes at our house so when I came across this one you can imagine it caused quite a stir around here! There is something about the combination of cream cheese and lemon that is simply divine. Then add coconut to the mix and your taste buds are orbiting around the planet "formerly known as" Pluto.


Lemon Cheese-Filled Cake

From: Ellen Gilmore, published in 2theadvocate

Makes: 1 bundt cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

Yellow cake mix
3/4 cup apricot nectar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 capful almond extract

Filling:

2 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbls. lemon juice
1 cup flaked coconut

Glaze:

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 tbls. lemon juice
2 tbls. apricot nectar


Directions:

Mix cake ingredients. Beat as directed on cake package. Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan. Fill with cake batter.

Combine filling ingredients. Beat until smooth. Spoon filling onto top of batter in pan, being careful not to touch the sides of the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Finish cooling on a rack or plate.

Combine glaze ingredients. Drizzle over cooled cake.


*** Photo of bowl of lemons by Jill Clardy @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Cake Tuesday: Super Sweet Heavenly Hash Cake

An easy to make rich chocolate, marshmallow and nuts candy formed to look like a cake. Great for holidays and gift giving!





From Denny: A Southern staple for sweet tooths - or a dentist's delight!

Louisiana is truly the Land of Seafood and Sweets (my term), so much so we are now the fattest state in America, a dubious honor for sure. My husband and I move away from Louisiana from time to time just to shake those extra pounds that are so easy to gain in this culture of eating and cooking and eating again! Because of the heat and humidity Louisiana is often an indoor culture except for the hardiest souls who hunt, fish, boat and water ski when the weather is accommodating.

New Orleans has to be the worst part of the state when it comes to a love affair with sugar - though folks in Alabama and Mississippi are Siamese sugar twins. The New Orleans culture revolves around sugar so much they would experience withdrawal symptoms if, Heaven forbid, sugar became a rarity. Trust me; they would cultivate something else like beets - or even worms if they thought it would work for their sugar - as these folks would simply not do without their sweet vice!

Heavenly hash “cake” is quite popular with home cooks. It is basically a marshmallow cake mixed with nuts and some chocolate and then bathed again in a chocolate glaze to seal the marshmallow. If you love marshmallows you will love this “cake.” About the only thing healthy about this cake is that marshmallows are made from egg whites, and, OK, lots of sugar.

While it’s far too sweet for me with my preference for European style less sweet products, in its defense I can say this “cake” is long on presentation when placed in a Bundt pan and given a lovely shape. It is also quite popular throughout the South.

In the Bundt pan version when the marshmallows were added they sunk in and mixed to create this marbling effect of chocolate, nuts and marshmallow as they stirred it. Once it was cool enough to hold its shape they must have turned it out and then given its chocolate glaze.

I’ve received this Bundt version as a Christmas gift all wrapped up in pretty cellophane with a lovely bow and then boxed in a large round tin. It was a wonderfully showy presentation. You can now purchase in the New Orleans area these mostly marshmallow “cakes” to gift others.

This is for serious sugarholics! When asked as to how long it's been around - it has made it's way around the South, who knows who originated it? At least for the past decade to achieve this kind of popularity and spread in the region.

Pralines are the original sweet of New Orleans that goes back to the 1800's like rice cakes (calas) and beignets. This crazy cake is much newer! I've only paid attention to it for the past decade; it might be a bit older. My guess is its from the 1990's as Bundt cake recipes and candies were big back then in that decade.

This version is done simply in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan, though you can change to several small or one large bundt pans. I suggest the very small bundt pans as this is one rich "cake." OK, it's really more of a candy poured into a cake form. Enjoy and watch your kids squeal with delight - while the adults are around the corner furtively eating it too! :)



Heavenly Hash Cake


From: James “B” Didier

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten lightly

2 cups sugar

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons cocoa


Directions: Combine eggs, sugar, butter, flour, pecans, vanilla and cocoa in large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Pour into ungreased (9x13-inch) pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.



Icing glaze:

Ingredients:

1 bag miniature marshmallows

4 teaspoons cocoa

1 stick butter, melted

1 pound box powdered sugar

8 teaspoons evaporated milk


Directions: Place marshmallows on top of baked cake. Heat in oven until marshmallows are melted.

Mix cocoa, butter, powdered sugar and milk and heat until spreading consistency. Spread over marshmallows. Cut into squares to serve.


*** Photo by Flirty Kitty @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 22 Aug 2010

*** Check out news, political opinion, political humor and funny cartoons, recipes, science news, poetry, funny posts, photography, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.





From Denny: I tell ya, this summer heat index of 116 degrees Fahrenheit, along with the WikiLeaks nutjob child who thinks he's stalking me on this blog, you know it's a full moon out tonight. This poor kid has scrambled eggs for brains, taking a second and third run at me.

Guess it's time to go ahead and do another WikiLeaks post to explain to him and his silly little friends living in some gaming fantasy world in their heads that real life is not a computer game. It's much more serious because the people who are stalking them are out for a lot more than winning their props as a gamer.

As far as posts go I did manage to find some interesting health and science news and had some fun with some photo posts too. Take a look.



The Social Poets:


BP Screws Over Gulf Residents With New Claims Restrictions - BP continues to play the shell game of moving the pea with misdirection and sleight of hand, with the definition of "legitimate claims" an elusive target to hit for residents.

Economy, Afghan War, America, World Politics Cartoons - 21 Aug 2010 - This week's political opinion delivered through the national cartoonists.

Obama Family Photos and New Michelle Obama Portrait Unveiled - Enjoy the new First Lady portrait and a few other well done photographs of the First Family.

Scumbag WikiLeaks Founder Assange Charged With Rape in Sweden - Sweden charges WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, with rape and molestation.

Poetess Defies, Shocks Saudi Arabia - A brave woman in the Middle East dares to criticize her religion and her culture - through a live TV national poetry competition, the Arab world version of American Idol.

Funny Back to School Quotes and Cartoons - Cheeky Quote Day 18 Aug 2010 - Get a grin at some great cartoons and funny quotes about parents' favorite time of the year: when the kids go back to school.

Funny Video: Truth Is Bush Tax Cuts Are 30 Percent Of Our Deficit

Roundup of Late Night Funnies - 16 Aug 2010 - Check out this week's funny late night jokes and latest cartoons lampooning politics to American culture, with a funny side dish of funny video clips thrown in to keep you grinning.

Funny Video: Newt Gingrich Mocked by Colbert For Lack of Morals - Check out Colbert as he mocks the amoral Gingrich trying to make a political comeback for President.




The Healing Waters:


Lonely people: Under More Pressure Have Higher Blood Pressure - Be aware of how loneliness can impact your daily health.

How Can You Predict The Strength of Your Relationship? - Check out the latest study and new test devised to help you predict the strength of your relationship.





The Soul Calendar:


Check Out NASA Images of Devastating Pakistan Floods - These aerial view flood images of the entire country of Pakistan are mind-boggling in their scope of how the monsoon flooding is affecting the lives of millions.

New Tomb Uncovered in Egypt With Colorful Art - The fun side of archaeology is what you find in pristine condition after thousands of years.





Dennys Funny Quotes:

Funny Odd Hunh?! Cartoons - 21 Aug 2010 - Check out this week's grinners to soothe your work week stress.

25 Ridiculously Funny Celebrity Duck Face Photos - Laugh at celebrities posing for the camera, mocking sexy.





Dennys Food and Recipes:


4 Casseroles 4 School Night Dinners: Chicken, Tex Mex, Tamale, Shepherds Pie - Check out some family favorites, easy and quick to cook - and nutritious.

Muffin Monday: 5 Yummy Breakfast Muffins - Skip the coffee shop muffin, make your own, save some money and save a whole lot of calories too.





Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:

7 Quotes: Defining Joy in Our Lives - 7 quotes to consider about how we live our joy.





Visual Insights:


Raucous Tea Party Republicans Cartoons - 21 Aug 2010 - Check out what the cartoonists are lampooning about the Tea Party and the Republican idea of politics this time!

Dennys Photo Gallery: Beautiful Yummy Artichokes and 11 Recipes

Arts: Whimsical Fiber Artist Ed Bing Lee - This fiber artist has a sense of the whimsy while he explores new ways to use simple knotting techniques to develop his art.




*** Coffee cup from Brazil photo by Quoquo at flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

4 Casseroles 4 School Night Dinners: Chicken, Tex Mex, Tamale, Shepherds Pie

*** Check out some family favorites, easy and quick to cook - and nutritious.




From Denny: Casseroles often get a bad rap in the food world. Even at our house the groaners would appear and roll our eyes. We remembered from our childhoods the sorry and tired vegetables that were left over leftovers thrown in to make a meal that tasted like gooey paste. So, yeah, we weren't fans of leftovers either.

These days good cooks know to make casseroles with fresh ingredients and usually oozing with delicious cheese. While a casserole may not look like haute cuisine when it arrives on the plate it sure tastes good like comfort food should. Louisiana cooks are fans of casseroles and have perfected the art of the casserole to appeal to the family.

And, in these tough economic times, home cooks are looking for ways to stretch their food budget and still taste good. One pound of ground meat or one chicken can go a long way in casserole recipes. The family sized casserole that feeds eight to ten people is the perfect answer for getting the most out of your food dollar. And some casseroles, like lasagna, actually taste better the next day.

Delicious casseroles are also great for welcoming a new neighbor or an easy dish to take to a gathering or family reunion. It's also an easy dish for the flurry of busy that occurs when kids are going back to school or during the holiday season. Look at it this way, when you make a casserole there is only one dish to soak and clean up, saving time in the kitchen. These one-dish meals are also great to put in the freezer for future meals when you are in a hurry. Add a side salad and a slice of good quality bread and you have a meal in minutes.

These casseroles are based off the traditional recipes originating from the 1950's and 1960's but with more vegetables, fresh ones, and more dairy. To lighten the calories you could exchange lighter versions of mayonnaise and cream or cheese.


Recipes Featured:

Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Casserole
Lady Pat’s Shepherd’s Pie
Chicken Tamale Pie
Tex-Mex Casserole







Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Casserole

From: Shannon Poché

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 (10-oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
6 large chicken breast halves, deboned and skin removed
1 cup sherry, divided
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 tbls. butter
8 ozs. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 or 3 green onions, tops and bottoms, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
3/4 cup mayonnaise (Poché uses Hellmann’s with Olive Oil)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped OR a can of artichoke bottoms, coarsely chopped


Directions:

Thaw spinach and squeeze dry. Set aside.

In large skillet, add chicken, 1/2 cup sherry and the bay leaves. Heat to boiling, then cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken and discard bay leaves and sherry. Set chicken aside.

In skillet, melt butter and sauté mushrooms, green onions and garlic. Cook until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

In separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, sour cream and the remaining 1/2 cup of the sherry. Set aside.

Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick coating. Spread spinach on the bottom of the casserole. Top with the chicken breasts, artichokes and mushroom mixture.

Spoon mayonnaise mixture over top, then sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Place in preheated 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated through.





This photo of Bon Appetits' Greek version: Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd's Pie



Lady Pat’s Shepherd’s Pie

From: Lady Pat Sherman

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cooked using your favorite whipped (mashed) potatoes recipe
2-2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 or 2 tbls. olive oil or mix of olive oil and butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 or 3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbl. brown roux
1 tsp. dry beef or chicken bouillon granules OR 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon vegetarian base dissolved in 1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups frozen baby lima beans, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, cooked and drained OR 1 (11.3-oz.) can niblet corn, drained
Cooked carrots, if desired
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese for topping


Directions:

Prepare mashed potatoes according to your favorite recipe. Set aside.

Cook ground beef in large skillet until cooked through and no longer pink. Pour off all fat. Set aside.

In another skillet add olive oil or mix of olive oil and butter. Then sauté onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic until vegetables are tender. Add the sautéed vegetables to the cooked and drained ground beef.

Stir in the roux, the bouillon or Better Than Bouillon and water. Bring to boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes.

Place meat with gravy on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Add drained vegetables over the meat, then the reserved whipped potatoes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and potatoes are lightly browned. If potatoes get too brown before casserole is heated through, lay a piece of foil over the top.

Note: Instead of mixing the vegetables in with the meat as in most recipes, she layers the limas, corn, carrots, etc. over the meat. Then she spreads the whipped potatoes over the vegetables.





Photographer's tamale pie version made without meat but with beans and sweet potatoes



Chicken Tamale Pie

From: Recipe is from “Cajun Christmas” Food Focus

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients:


1 (28-oz.) can Italian-style plum tomatoes with their juices
1 (16-oz.) can cream-style corn
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbls. chili powder, or to taste
1 cup milk
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup pitted ripe olives
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives, optional
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken or more if you like
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese mixed with 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Olive oil for drizzling


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine tomatoes, corn, salt, onion, olive oil and chili powder in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, stir together milk, cornmeal and eggs; add to the tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the olives and chicken.

Pour mixture into a lightly greased shallow oven proof dish. Top with the cheese, drizzle with oil and bake until the pie is firm and cheese is crusty, 35-45 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Note: Like all tamale pie recipes, the base does have a mushy texture, so keep that in mind for anyone who is not a fan of this in your house - usually children.







Tex-Mex Casserole

From: Erin Enright

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup salsa
1 (4-oz.) can mild chopped green chilies
10 ozs. small shell pasta (if you have a 12-oz. pkg., don’t use all of it)
2 (8 1/2-oz.) pkgs. cornbread mix, prepared as directed on label
1 (16-oz.) container cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese


Directions:

In a large skillet, brown the ground meat and drain off fat. Add the water, onion, taco seasoning mix, salsa and green chilies. Let this mixture simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

While meat mixture is simmering, cook shell pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, prepare cornbread mixture according to package directions. Set it aside because it will be spooned over the top of the casserole.

In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer half the pasta, then half the meat mixture, half the cottage cheese and half the shredded cheese. Repeat another layer with remainder of pasta, meat, cottage cheese and shredded cheese.

Pour cornbread mixture over the top.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cornbread is nicely browned.



*** For more recipes, check out my photo blog:

Dennys Photo Gallery: Beautiful Yummy Artichokes and 11 Recipes



Photo Credits:

Shepherd's Pie photo by WordRidden @ flickr

Tamale Pie photo by greencolander @ flickr

Artichokes photo by joyosity @ flickr

Artichokes at the market photo by NoiseCollusion @ flickr

Beautiful peppers photo by Bisbi @ flickr



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor