Adding a New Room

I've decided to add on to the house again. I'm making a TV room and this will also be the new entrance into my part of the house. Here are some of the starting pictures. I'll post a couple a week so you can see the progress.

That large opening will be the patio doors leading out to the yard. The opposite side of the room will have the entry door. They are much further along and so I will post new pictures in a day or so.

thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to do ALL the things YOU love.
Donna

Sausage Calzone

I made these the other night for dinner. They sure were tasty. The dough is my favorite pizza dough...best I've tasted. It is best if you make the dough the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight and then about 2 hrs before you make your calzones take it out and let it rest covered on the counter. You can find the recipe for the dough here.

Ingredients:
5 links of sweet Italian sausage (taken out of casing)
1 green roasted pepper (cut into strips)
1 red roasted pepper (cut into strips)
1 Sweet onion (cut into strips)
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 TBL olive oil
2 TLB fresh basil
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
2 TBL fresh parsley
1 egg
fresh homemade sauce ( recipe found here )

In a large skillet saute the onion and garlic, add the meat and brown, add salt and pepper in some olive oil. Set aside. Roast your peppers in the oven on broil. When charred place in plastic bag and let steam help remove the skins. When done remove the skin and slice.
In a bowl mix ricotta , 1 egg and 2 TBL fresh parsley.
Take golf size balls of dough and roll out into a circle. Place sausage, peppers, onions, a couple of TLB of ricotta and a couple of slices of mozzarella. Fold over and pinch dough so it seals. Brush with olive oil and bake in 500 degree oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with sauce and enjoy.



Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week, and those mom's that have kids going back to school, Take a breath and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things YOU love.
Donna

Award

I was given this award the other day, how sweet is that. Thank you so much. I also want to thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a nice comment. Here is a link to Ai's blog. Take the time to visit she has some great looking food.


Donna

Stuffed Chicken Breast (bone in)

Our local HY Vee store had bone in chicken breast on sale so I thought I would experiment with a new recipe. I've been trying VERY hard to eat a bit healthier these days and so I think this would fit as a healthy meal.





Ingredients:
Bone in chicken breasts
par cooked broccoli about 1 small cluster
1 slice of provolone cheese
1/2 slice of American cheese
4 or 5 small leek rings
1/4 cup of cook risotto

Directions:
I only made one of these this time but I will do 4 or 5 next time and have company for dinner. When I cook my broccoli I usually cook it with 1 bullion chicken cube, to me it gives it extra flavor. I try to get the low sodium type because to me the other is just toooooooooooooo salty.
With a very sharp knife open the breast starting at the thickest part and just butterfly it. Then place it between some clear wrap or wax paper and pound it until it thins out a bit. Don't go overboard or you'll have a thin mess on your hands. Place the risotto first, then the broccoli, add the leeks, and cheeses. Roll the chicken up and tie it with string. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes, until juices run clear. Serve with broccoli and a nice salad. As you can see above I had mine with sliced tomato from our garden and broccoli.

Hope you try this, it's a quick easy week day dish. Also you can substitute any veggie you like, cheese, and of course rice of your choice.

I made the risotto the other day after watch an episode of Rachel Ray and also this was my very first time using leeks. I must say I really like them because they are so mild. I do not normally like onions but these I can deal with. Also the next time I make this I may use a cheese type sauce for the top because the cheese seemed to all melt away.....guess that could be a gone things. :)
Thanks for stopping by, hope you give this recipe a try. Have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do all the things YOU love.
Donna

Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

I started out wanting to make an Orange Poppy Cake, but made these instead. I will make the cake one day next week and share then. I am going to my friends Patsy's and I always try to bring a snack of sorts.
Printable
Ingredients:
1 orange quarter (peel and all)
1/2 cup orange juice (I used 1 tsp orange concentrate and water)
1/2 cup butter (soft) (i only use unsalted butter)
1 large egg
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup AP flour (sift the white and wheat together...makes them lighter)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

In blender or food processor blend orange segments, peel and all and orange juice until pureed. Add the egg and butter and puree again. In another bowl mix all dry ingredients except for the poppy seeds. Add orange mixture to dry ingredients all at once. Stir with wooden spoon until well mixed (don't over mix) add poppy seeds, mix. Pour into muffin tins fill 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes until tester comes out clean. Leave in pan to cool for 5 minutes then remove. Enjoy.





Hope you try these they are quick to make and delicious.
Have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by. Remember to Find the Time to do All the things you love.
Donna

Pecan Raisin Spice Banana Cake

My friends Patsy and Michael came over the other day for lunch, well actually I was suppose to go to their house and I was going to make pizza. I packed everything up arrived there and forgot the dang pizza dough. :( I had made a list of all the things I needed to take, like pizza stone, peel etc but didn't put the dough on the list because I THOUGHT I wouldn't forget it. Wrong. Well anyway I had also made this for our dessert. This cake is just wonderful and would be delish for breakfast. It has just enough spice and the nuts and raisins go so well with the banana.
I found this recipe here.
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3 large ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 cups) *I used 4*
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and butter, creaming until light and fluffy. Add oil.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.

Combine mashed banana and milk; add to creamed mixture alternately with flour mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in nuts and raisins.

Turn batter into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted tube or Bundt pan.

Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for one hour and 10 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Invert onto a wire rack to cool. Dust powdered sugar lightly over cooled cake or frost with confectioners icing.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a wonderful week and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things You Love.

Donna