Flounder Stuffed with Crabmeat

 

Ingredients:

For the fish:

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp paprika

1.5 lb flounder fillets

1/4 cup melted butter

For the stuffing:

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 cup crabmeat (drained well, lump crabmeat preferred)

3 saltine crackers, crushed

1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg white

 Topping:

1 egg yolk

5 tbsp mayonnaise

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F .

Take the flounder fillets, rinse them under cold water, and pat them dry gently using paper towels. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish to prevent the fish from sticking.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the crabmeat, crushed saltines,  mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the egg white and 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise until smooth.

Add the egg and mayonnaise mixture to the crabmeat mixture and stir thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.

Dip each flounder fillet in melted butter and place them in the greased baking dish.

Spoon the prepared crabmeat mixture evenly over each of the fillets.

If you have any remaining melted butter, drizzle it over the crabmeat-topped fillets.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Stir in 5 tablespoons of mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth and uniform.

This topping will add a creamy layer to your dish.

After 15 minutes of baking, remove the flounder from the oven.

Carefully spread the egg yolk and mayonnaise mixture over the crabmeat stuffing on each fillet.

Sprinkle with parsley and paprika for added flavor and color.

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and return the dish to the oven.

Bake until the topping turns golden and bubbly, which should take about 5 to 6 minutes.

Once done, remove from the oven and serve the richly flavored flounder dish warm.

Made this for New Years Eve. VERY VERY GOOD! Easy to put together.

2025

 

Retro Cucumber Salad

 

Ingredients:

3 medium cucumbers- peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 red onion- thinly sliced

1 small tart apple- cut into matchstick pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the cucumbers, onion, apple, and salt in a small bowl. Place pickling weight on top and let sit for 10 minutes.

While it's pickling whisk together remaining ingredients. Drain cucumber mix and pat dry with napkin. Pour dressing onto cucumber mix and mix well. Let marinate at least 30 minutes before serving.

This is from Best Family Recipes on a Reddit board. OP said- My great-grandfather made this simple cucumber salad. I love it in the summer when our garden is over run with cucumbers."

We are spending Easter with  Mei and Richard. This is one of the things I'm bringing over.

Merry Christmas 2023

 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Pecans

 

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, or 2 small (4-5 cups cubed squash)

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 cup pecans

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a small bowl. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, pepper and cayenne if using.

Toss the squash cubes in 3/4 of the melted butter mixture. Spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the squash 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir the squash well.

In a bowl combine the pecans and cranberries with the remaining butter mixture. Add the pecans and cranberries to the baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast another 10 minutes, stirring half way through so the pecans do not over cook.

No-Bake Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Applesauce

1 ⅓-1/2 cup ground cinnamon

one squirt Elmers Glue ( you don't have to add it but I did)

Parchment paper

Drinking straw (or toothpick)

Ribbon or string (for hanging the ornament)

Directions:

Place applesauce, cinnamon and squirt of glue into a mixing bowl. Mix the applesauce, cinnamon and glue into a dough using a spoon.

Use the rolling pin to roll the dough out to ¼ inch thick. 

Use your Christmas cookie cutters to cut out your Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments. Fit as many as you can on the rolled-out dough.

Pull the extra dough away from the cut out ornaments and then lift them onto the cookie sheet with your fingers or a thin spatula.

Now is the time to make holes in the top of the ornaments so you can add a ribbon. I used the end of a drinking straw to make the holes in mine. 

You can let your ornaments air dry on the cookie sheet for about two days .

If you like the look of the plain ornament, go ahead, and tie a ribbon or string in the hole and you are done.

I made these for the ladies at recipe exchange and two of the cashiers at Walmart and Winn Dixie. The lady above is Sue, she's Christian's mom. Now I have both mother and daughter on the blog!

I let them dry in the extra bedroom and that room smells SO GOOD!

BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

This recipe was posted on another private forum I'm on by a wonderful lady named Joyce...I'm so glad she ran across this recipe.  It's going in my "keepers" file for sure.  I used fresh broccoli and cauliflower instead of frozen....Bob deemed this a winner...so did I...it's SO GOOD!-- This is Carol's review

BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE 

(Source: McCormick.com)

"This creamy casserole can be made a day ahead, refrigerated and then baked just before dinner. Using frozen vegetables makes this dish a cinch."

1/2 c. fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, divided

1 (16 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed (I used fresh)

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen cauliflower florets, thawed (I used fresh)*

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Large onion, chopped (1 c.)

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. garlic salt (I used garlic powder)

1/4 tsp. black pepper, coarse ground

1 1/4 c. milk

4 oz.  cream cheese, cut-up

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp.melted butter and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning in small bowl; set aside. Cut up any large broccoli florets or cauliflower into bite-size pieces.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, remaining 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese and remaining 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vegetables; toss gently to coat. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish (I sprayed the pan with cooking spray). Sprinkle top evenly with crumb mixture

Bake 40 minutes or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

Makes 10 servings.

This would be a great side dish for the holidays!

* since fresh veggies take longer to cook I place foil over the dish and baked for the 40 minutes. I removed foil after 40 and let the top brown.

Old Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies- From SUNY Cobleskill Professor

 

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup salted butter- room temp

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 large egg

1 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Line baking sheets with parchment paper

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Add vanilla and egg.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and if needed mix again

Add sour cream and mix until combined

Now add the flour mixture and mix until combined

Drop onto prepared cookie sheet about 3 inches apart

Bake 15 minutes or until they are light brown

Remove from the baking tray and place on cooling rack

Always nice to make a old recipe from New York. This is going to be packed up and sent to Mey's grandson for Valentines Day. I did some Valentine sprinkles this time ❤

Zannie’s Black-Eyed Pea Dip

 

Ingredients:

1 can (14-ounce) Can Black-eyed Peas

1/4 whole Onion, Chopped Fine ( used red onion)

1/4 c. Sour Cream

8 slices Jarred Jalapenos ( I used a few fresh jalapenos from my garden- needed to pick before the 4 day heavy frost)

1 c. Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

3 tbsp. Salsa 

Hot Sauce, to taste

Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.

Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

I always make black eye peas on new years eve.

Shrimp-Crab Au Gratin

 We are staying home this Christmas. Our trip to the beach was cancelled and I needed to come up with something special for dinner.

We were walking with our neighbor and I told her I bought shrimp. She told me she has a recipe ( the above) that is a family favorite.

Gabe said it sounded good thus it will be our holiday meal.

Will edit this post with a photo of the dish and our review on the taste. I may sub the cheese- not sure about that yet.😉

Extra Chewy Rice Krispie Treats

 Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

6 cups mini marshmallows

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Directions:

Melt butter and marshmallows over low heat while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Add Rice Krispies cereal and stir until well coated.

I added Christmas nonpareils

Press into a greased 9x13" pan and cool completely.

Source

Memorial Day

 

2022

 

Limoncello Sunrise

 

Ingredients:

3 ounces orange juice ( used fresh- Mey gave me oranges)

2 ounces limoncello ( made this )

Ice

Grenadine*

Orange slices and maraschino cherries for garnish

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice.

Add limoncello and orange juice.

Pour in grenadine, but DO NOT STIR- allow to settle to bottom of glass.

Garnish with orange and maraschino cherry.

 Serve

* I made my own grenadine

1 cups pomegranate juice store-bought 

1 cups granulated sugar

Directions:

Add pomegranate juice to a saucepan over medium low heat.

Add in sugar.

Stir constantly and cook until the surface just begins to bubble and the sugar is completely dissolved. (Don’t boil the mixture!)

Remove your syrup from the heat and allow it to cool before using it in your cocktails

Great way to ring in the new year!

Instant Pot Black-Eyed Pea, Pork and Collard Green Soup

⅓ cup sweet onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

64 ounces chicken stock or broth

1 ham bone or hock, (with meat still on bone)

1 cup cooked pork ( I had leftover pork tenderloin)

1/4 cup cooked bacon ( used the package bacon)

3 cups collard greens, chopped

¼ cup rice

1 pound dried back-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Sauté onion and garlic in IP on the sauté setting.

Pour in chicken stock, black-eyed peas, collard greens, rice,  salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir. Add in ham bone, chopped pork and bacon.  Lock lid and make sure valve is closed. Set to Manual High Pressure for 30 minutes.

When done let natural release for 10 minutes then manually release. Serve

All the foods that bring good luck in the New Year!

Memorial Day

 

Black-Eyed Peas and Greens for the Instant Pot

 

Ingredients:

Sauté ingredients:

1 tsp  oil 

1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup  diced red pepper

1 small jalapeño 

next add the 4 ingredients listed below to the IP along with the sauté ingredients

2 tsp  smoked paprika

1–2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained

1 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed

The tomatoes and greens are in the second pressure cook

 1  can fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles

2 cups  chopped greens (such as kale, collards )

Salt to taste

These go in the IP next

Directions:

For the sauté, use the sauté setting over normal, or medium heat, and heat the oil (if using). Add the onion and sauté until transparent, 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and peppers and sauté for a minute more.

For the first pressure cook, add the smoked paprika, chili powder and black-eyed peas and stir. Add water but do not stir. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure for 3 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.

For the second pressure cook, open the lid carefully. Add the tomatoes and greens. Return to high pressure for 1 more minute, then turn the valve to release manually. Add salt to taste.

To serve, you can add as much hot sauce as you want to the pot or pass it at the table so diners can add it themselves.

For the best chance of luck every day in the new year, eat 365 black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. * When served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip), black-eyed peas represent coins and greens represent paper money

The past year

"In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive".

Lee Iacocca

I think many will agree this 2020 had been a year of adversity but I am very thankful Gabe and I are healthy and staying busy.

Gabe decided when the springs were shut down he needed  something else to keep him busy. He started riding his bike in the neighborhood. After awhile it became boring. He searched the web for another bike, one he could do long distances. Bikes were impossible to purchase in our area so he turned to the web. The perfect bike was found and ordered BUT it was going to take months before it was delivered. He rode his neighborhood bike and waited patiently for the new one. Notification was sent that the new bike was on the way. Delivery was on a Saturday. He waited and didn't go anywhere expecting delivery. It never came. Fed Ex said it was delivered. It did go to someone, but not us. We believe it was stolen. 

The purchase was on Pay Pal and it wasn't a problem getting our money back.

Back to the drawing board for another bike. None in the area to purchase so back to the web. He couldn't order another bike that we believe was stolen, they didn't have any in stock. He found another and the order was placed.

It was another LONG wait but this one was delivered! Success.

He still rides the neighborhood in the mornings when he doesn't dive. Sundays he does around thirty miles total. He said he's still in training.

Max still goes in once a month for laser treatments for his hips. It's working. He's able to move around and seems not to have any pain. We gave him CBD for awhile but it didn't do much. He still limps but is happy and always looking for a treat.

He also had two horrible hot spots that would not go away. Vet gave us medication but it just wasn't cutting it. We remembered Flowers of Sulfur. We had a jar  Gabe purchased on amazon. It works great! Healed up the sores and hopefully that's it for hot spots this year!

Me. Well, in March I was an active person. I went to yoga, volunteered at Christian Services plus loved going to Planet Fitness. All that changed as I watched the news at the gym when WHO declared the pandemic.

Florida never closed down. It was like, what pandemic. I would shop extra early. Some stores had senior hours. That was the extent of my activity, grocery shopping.

Sewing has never been my forte but that didn't stop me from learning to make masks. You Tube is a great site! I made quite a few masks for people I know. 

Our yard got plenty of TLC. I weeded and planted. 

Baking has always been a great stress reliever. I'm lucky Mey's hubby loves my baking. Our oven wasn't working and needed to get an new one. The one I loved was on back order until February 2021. I picked one out that they had in stock and it was delivered in a week. Horrors not being able to bake! 

We did go to the beach. April we had to cancel, the beaches were closed to walk on so why go. October we went for a week and it was fantastic. LOVED it. I walked the beach from sunrise to sunset. The beach is my happy place. 

We are almost finished with 2020- I don't think there is anyone that will be sorry when it gone.

The pandemic has bought out the best and worse in people. Thank God for the helpers. Nurses and doctors. To me they are the persons of the year. Day after day seeing people die alone. It must be horrible to witness. 

You would think people would be kinder now. How hard is it to wear a mask? 

As I write this our friend Richard is still in the hospital. He has covid and exacerbated other issues. His wife Mey also caught it but not in the hospital. We were tested since we are with them everyday and very thankful both of us came back negative. Mey should of been admitted to the hospital. She's a tiny lady and lost 30 pounds as I write this. I think that brings her down to about 80 pounds. Wish she liked sweets, I would be baking up a storm.

A horrible storm hit our area on Christmas Eve. Power was out in many areas till Christmas day. Our neighborhood was out a few hours. Many trees came down and families that live in mobile homes had damage.

One thing I want to change in 2021 is make less baked goods. I'm going to try healthier recipes.

I hope 2021 will bring the world back to health .

“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.”

 – Doe Zantamata

Slowcooker Black Eye Pea & Collard Green Soup

 Ingredients:

2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
pinch red pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped
3 large carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, chopped
10 c water
15 oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes
6 oz. can no salt added tomato paste
2 Tbs lower  soy sauce
2 Tbs lime juice 
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp fresh garlic -minced
fresh black pepper to taste
1 16 ounce can black eyed peas- drained

6 c packed collard greens, stems removed -Note:If you don't like or can't find collards, feel free to substitute your favorite greens. Quicker-cooking greens such as spinach should be added right at the end of cooking. 

Directions:

Add all of the above to slowcooker. 

Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Great New Year Soup- greens and black eye pea for good luck.

HAPPY NEW YEAR- 2020