My confessions...

Okay, I admit it...I slipped a day.

My excuse: we were babysitting our granddaughters a little later than we expected and ended up eating dinner close to midnight even though I had everything prepared in advance. So if you're curious, I made the "Almost Gyros" and related recipes from Saturday's post since being reminded about them made me hungry for the combination. It also gave me an opportunity to take a picture of Harvey's plate to update the posting. Yum, indeed!

Tonight, I am archiving the recipe I have for Monkey Bread. I've had this one for about three decades and it's still memorable: not that long ago, I had to dig the recipe out for Meghan since she wanted to make one. This is clearly one of those 1980s throw-back recipes--during a time when we young enough that we didn't care about gaining weight and used stick margarine like it was butter. Ick. Oh, and you better dust off your old bundt pan--you'll need it.

Monkey Bread

✔ 3 cans of inexpensive buttermilk biscuits
✔ 1 cup chopped walnuts
✔ 1 stick butter (ok, use margarine if you want to be "authentic")
✔ 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
✔ 3 tablespoons milk
✔ 1/2 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon, mixed

Preheat oven to 350°. Place chopped nuts in the bottom of an ungreased bundt pan. In a sauce pan, heat and blend butter, brown sugar and milk until butter is melted; set aside. Cut biscuits into quarters and roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture; lightly place on top of nuts in bundt pan--do not pack them in. Pour melted mixture over all. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the bread over onto a serving plate while still hot from the oven and lift pan; cool about 10 minutes and serve warm.

Another admission: since I always wanted extra-gooey pieces, I also squirted a bit of pancake syrup on the top before popping it into the oven so it would drip down through the biscuit pieces. It's up to you--though in retrospect, it may have been overkill!

Ooo, I suddenly feel the need to find some reruns of Dynasty...

Buon appetito!

Lazy Sunday

It's been a wonderful, lazy Sunday--everyone I know is either nesting, staying in pajamas, visiting, watching TV, etc. Nothing productive seems to be happening today and we've been on that happy bandwagon.

So, I'm counting yesterday's salad as today's recipe.

Hey, it's my blog/my rules. As I jokingly told my Mom and Dad this week: "Ahm GROOWNNN, ahh kin do what ahh want!"

Enjoy your day...see you tomorrow! xo

Does this count for 3 days worth?

3 recipes/1 day...trying to make up for lost time.

Meghan and Kirk were trying low carb recipes and made these: "Almost Gyros with Cucumber Sauce" and "Addictive Salad." After trying them, we were immediately addicted. While I haven't made these two in tandem lately, I am now reminded and think we'll be having some this week. We made tiny adjustments in the prep of the gyros and, as always, I'm posting my changes along with these recipes.

Almost Gyros

Mix all:
✔ 1 lb. ground turkey (recipe calls for ground lamb)
✔ 2 oz. cream cheese
✔ 1 egg, beaten
✔ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
✔ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
✔ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
✔  salt and pepper to taste

The recipe says to broil or grill the above as patties. In our version, we brown the turkey in a skillet first, drain any liquid, and mix in the rest of the ingredients until heated all the way through, serving it with a large spoon over your choice of bread. The recipe says to serve the gyros on Atkins rolls; however, we really enjoy using flatbread instead--serving it open-face and topped with both the sauce and the salad in one big heaping pile! (NOTE: you may want to double this recipe if you are feeding four people and hope to have any leftovers--and definitely if you have big eaters!)

Cucumber Sauce

✔ 1 cup sour cream
✔ 1 cup diced+seeded cucumber
✔ 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
✔ 3/4 teaspoon salt
✔ 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Mix all as a topping for the gyros.

Addictive Salad

✔ 1/2 lemon
✔ 1/2 cup light olive oil
✔ 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
✔ 1/2 cup Feta cheese (recipe calls for blue cheese but I don't eat moldy stuff!)
✔ 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
✔ 1 bag of prepared Romaine lettuce (or 2 romaine stalks chopped into pieces)

Place minced garlic in olive oil. (The recipe says that you may strain out the garlic when you're ready to finish off the salad but really, why would you?) Add crumbled Feta cheese and half of the Parmesan to the olive oil mixture. Pour over lettuce, add fresh ground pepper to taste, remaining Parmesan, toss and enjoy with the gyros!

Buon appetito!

Home Sweet Home

After two tearful "see you soons" this morning with dad at the house and mom at the hospital, I drove through a shit-storm of those awful "lovebugs" (Plecia nearctica) from Okeechobee to Orlando in order to catch a flight home. In other news, today is Day 2 of treatment for conjunctivitis (huge thanks to Doc Bermea for calling in a prescription from Akron to Okeechobee!)--I probably picked up the virus at the hospital, despite my excessive use of Purell and lots of handwashing...go figure.

But I'm so tired and need to skip a night of recipe posting. Who knows, maybe I'll post two tomorrow. Or maybe not. It's just that Harvey and the pups are luring me to an early bedtime to which I'm not opposed.

G'night, all, wherever you are... Zzzzzzzzz

...so...tired...

My last day in Okeechobee for this visit. I'm exhausted--I want to go home yet I want to stay here. So this recipe (and message) is for my Dad: When your supply runs out, Dad, you may be able to check this posting and make your own. And I love you and Mom so very much.

Salad Crispies

✔ 1 pkg. ramen noodles (discard flavor packet!)
✔ 1 cup shelled pecan halves
✔ 2 tablespoons butter
✔ pinch of salt

Place pecans and dry noodles in a Ziplock gallon bag and break up with a rubber mallet (yes, Dad--you can use the aluminum meat tenderizer). Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the broken pecans and noodles, stirring to distribute butter. Keep stirring until the noodles begin to turn very light brown. You may add a little sprinkle of salt but it's not necessary. Watch to be sure that noodles and pecans don't burn--it can happen very quickly! Store in an airtight container and use *liberally* on top of your favorite salad!

(Thanks, Gayle, for sharing this recipe you received from Val...it's become my fave! xo)