T Stands for Cannoli Dip

 

Besides apple pie, I was thinking of making cannoli for Thanksgiving dessert. The trouble is, I don't have the metal forms to make the cannoli shells. Yeah, I could have gone to an Italian bakery to buy them. Buying them ahead of time would mean the shells would be soggy. Cannoli need to be filled just before they are eaten. What to do?

I made Cannoli Dip. Just the filling. I found Cannoli Chips, broken bits of cannoli shell at a discount store along with pizzelle, Italian waffle cookies to use as the dip vehicle. Simple. The only thing is I forgot to buy the heavy whipping cream. I substituted half the amount of the whipping cream with Half n Half and increased the powdered sugar. The dip was a little thinner than I would have liked, but still delicious. If you make this, don't forget the heavy whipping cream.

Oh, no! I forgot to include my tea with the cannoli dip. Well, if you look in the china hutch, you can see lots of teacups.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Monet and Me

 

are going to share my recipe for Chicken and Dumplings. 

I don't like fussy recipes that have lots of moving parts. I'm pretty much a half-assed cook. Since I have an ample sized ass, my half-assed is still pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.

You can go through the trouble of cooking chicken breasts or other parts. I find it easier to use either left-over rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken, or canned chicken.

I also use an electric skillet, but you can cook this on top of the stove.

I don't really measure ingredients but try to plan on making enough for 6 people so I'll have leftovers and won't have to cook the following day

Ingredients:

Leftover chicken (cut up or shredded), or canned chicken

2 cans of Cream of Whatever soup. I like to use Cream of Chicken and Cream of Celery

3 cups of water or chicken stock

1/2 a bag of frozen mixed vegetables

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon or so of Bell's Seasoning, or whatever herbs you like best

Optional:

Carrots, peeled and chopped (3 or 4)

Potatoes, peeled and chopped (2 or 3)

Celery stalk, chopped (2 or 3)

Bisquick or other baking mix to make the dumplings. Follow the directions on the box. Prepare the dumplings and set aside

Directions:

Add the water or chicken stock to the pan. Stir in the Cream of Whatever soup, salt, pepper, and Bell's seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium

(If using fresh vegetables, add them to the pan and cook until the potatoes and carrots can easily be pierced with a fork. About 20. minutes)

Add the frozen vegetables and chicken, Cook for another 5 or so minutes until the frozen veg are cooked.

Drop the dumplings by tablespoon onto the top of the soup mixture. You may have to adjust the temperature so the soup mixture doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan. Keep the temperature to a low boil.

Cover and cook the dumplings for 10 minutes (for lightness)

Remove the cover and cook the dumplings for 10 minutes (until done)

Serve in bowls with a salad

Quick and easy.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

The week started out devilishly cold in the studio

Snow flurries or maybe graupel on the windshield screen

A snowball in the window

Since snow is predicted for Tuesday, Martha wanted to get the outside decorating done.

I split open the gourds from Martha's Fall decorations as a treat for the birds and critters

Lanterns light the way

Martha decorated Ink's lantern with a red bow.

a Welcome flag

Martha was very busy

He put out little trees with lights

and decorated the planters with ribbons, lights, and faux pine

Solar Christmas bulbs on the rails

Martha said he wants the solar lighting to be seen from space.

Santa untangles the Christmas lights for the Advent tree. I think I heard a Horse's Patoot! Or two.

All lit up.

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

Sebastian Maniscalco - DOORBELL ('What's Wrong With People?')

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. I test drove the new electric skillet and made chicken and dumplings

2. When the Young One was little, she would chant "C'mon traffic light" when we were stopped at a red light and the light would change to green. We told her she had special powers. This past week Himself and I were on our way home and I wanted to get home quickly. As we approached red lights I began chanting, "C'mon traffic light" and the light would change to green. Now we know where the Young One got her powers from.

3. Items I had ordered arrived a day early.

4. Since Thursday was the Thanksgiving holiday, there was no play day with Teague. We chatted on the phone instead.

5. We took a trip to the cemetery to bring the Christmas wreath. I even remembered to leave some sunflower seeds so the Weebles would know I had visited. We got there and back before all the holiday traffic.

How was your week?

TBT Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

 In 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

June 01, 2007

All Around the Elderly Bush

Himself opened the door and headed to the bedroom.

"So, how are the Weebles?" I cheerfully called.

I heard a muffled groan sounding something like "argh".

"What happened? Do you need an aspirin?"

"No."

"Do you need to blog?"

A chuckle.

"What happened?"

"I went to the Weebles to mow the lawn. Your mother was still in her bathrobe. I didn't see your dad. Figured he was roaming around town. Went to get the lawnmower started and blue smoke poured out of it."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Anyway, I got the mower going and mowed the front. Got to the back and there's your dad standing on a ladder trimming the bushes!"

I shook my head.

"I told him, 'If you fall and kill yourself and Herself finds out I was here when it happened, she'll kill me'"

I laughed.

"He started singing he wished he was dead song. I made him get off the ladder, I finished the lawn and then trimmed the bushes. The bushes were too wide. I couldn't reach all the way to the back so I told him he would have to do the trimming from the inside. He started going on how he would have to climb on the desk under the window. Then he asked me to wash the stairs. "

"I thought you needed a special solution to take the masonry residue off the stairs?"

"Nah, I could use vinegar. So I found a steel brush in the garage, and he got the vinegar. Your mother came to the door as I was scrubbing. She said, 'Don't do that! I need you to take the old man to the bank and the post office'"

"The post office? I gave her a whole roll of stamps with the new postage! I told her that!"

"I know. Your dad was trying to count out pennies so he could buy the extra postage stamps. I told him that her letters didn't need extra postage. He didn't believe me so I sent him into the post office to ask the clerk, and of course, extra postage was not needed."

"What a surprise. Why did he have to go to the bank? Their checks don't come in until the first of the month. She doesn't have any money."

"Well, she had this check 'they' sent her for $4,000. She wanted him to deposit the check and if the bank wouldn't cash it, she wanted him to bring the check back. She's convinced the bank is cheating her."

I borrowed a phrase from Himself. "Help me, Lord. Did the bank cash the check?"

"He went in, but came right out. Said there was a long line, the girls were busy, and he didn't want to bother them. Y'know, one of those checks is going to be for a loan or something."

"I know," I sighed.

"I told your dad he should tear up the contest entries and throw them away. She'd never know. He said your mother would kill him. Actually, that might be a win situation for him. He'd be dead and get his wish. What's for lunch?"

Doodle for Stress Reduction

 

On Mondays via Zoom, I participate in a class where we spend  a half an hour doodling our stress away. 

The suggestion for this class was to draw circle birds with long legs. The facilitator had been inspired by some watercolor birds done in this fashion. I forgot to write down the name of the artist.