Well, well, well…..it sure has been a while since a new post has happened from our world to yours.
Yes, we both have enjoyed good health during the scary last year plus of worldwide uncertainty
All is good on the home front
Jobs are intact
And we still enjoy time in the kitchen – and on the porch.
Stay safe and healthy and we’ll be in touch with more Kitchen Inventions soon.
That is exactly the way to describe these 3 Ingredient Pancakes (recipe here). Super simple. Tasty. Quick. Tasty. Versatile. Tasty. Fast to make.
Did I mention Tasty? Thought so.
Sorry about these pics, since Hubby and his trusty camera were not around. Therefore, my Friends, you get the talents of my use of the cell phone’s camera….just before these babies disappeared into the void known as My Tummy.
Make ’em. Eat ’em. Enjoy ’em. Nuff said.
Added Greek yogurt on top, with frozen blueberries, fresh raspberries, some chopped walnuts, and a drizzle of honey. Ready to hit the day running!
Even with our hot, humid Southern Summer nights, we (every now and then…) get a bit of relief and it’s a bit cooler. Perfect for a quick, easy, light pasta dinner on the patio.
Yes, it could involve a fan blowing on our legs to keep the mosquitoes away…but we don’t seem to mind that.
Here’s what we did – while the noodles cook, saute sliced mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, add some chopped garlic, fresh chopped tomatoes, a bit of tomato paste, fresh ground pepper, and pasta water at the end. Simmer a bit, and voila! Dinner! Pasta goes in bowl, grated Parmesan cheese on top, and a sprig of basil. BOOM – Dinner is served!
Yes, that is fresh basil from the garden.
Yes, you have to maintain the proper twirl!
And finally – YES, you must enjoy this with a nice glass of red wine. Surely, that helps with the mosquitoes, too?!?
Let’s get our corn cakes on, shall we? This it the perfect side dish on so many levels…..warms up the tummy, uses ingredients you probably have on hand, finishes up that leftover buttermilk, PLUS feels like you are being a little decadent by having a bit of breakfast for dinner.
Here’s the recipe, so let’s get to making these puppies.
Easy steps. Start by getting the corn mixture toasty (we added sun-dried tomatoes and dried jalapenos, but omitted the scallion and bell pepper). While that cooks, mix together the dry ingredients. Then mix together the wet ones. Add wet to dry. Fold in the warm corn mixture.
See, easy as pie pancakes!
BOOM! Ready for the griddle…
Don’t forget to flip!!
Ready for your dining enjoyment! Being all about “clean the fridge night”, we enjoyed these with leftover chicken and roasted veggies. So, excuse me while I LICK clean the plate…
Yes, I have to admit it…warm weather has slowed to a crawl, and cooler weather has me ready to hibernate until Spring. On these cool mornings, I sure don’t want to get out of bed and put my toes on the cold floor!! What I want to do is eat: warm fresh-from-the-oven food.
This morning’s hit: Nutty Banana Muffins, from Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Newsletter. Yes, I know you’ve seen these here before…they are just. that. good.
Since there was extra buttermilk in the ‘fridge, these just screamed “make me!!!”
So, I did.
Did someone ask if I modified the recipe a wee bit? Well, yes, indeedy! But in a good way. Used 1 c. buttermilk, 1/2 the oil, twice the applesauce, added mini chocolate chips (hey – they are good for you!), a handful of frozen blueberries, some Craisins, 1/2 the amount of nuts, and just 1 banana. Plus, added ground flaxseed to the mix. BTW – no grape juice concentrate in the house – which is why the extra buttermilk was sub’d.
Let’s get a good look at the inner workings of this particular specimen (before it gets devoured in the name of research…) Yep, that’s melted chocolate and blueberries…yumm!
This is for each of you – yes, I’ll take one for the team and eat this now…..you are welcome!!
Sometimes, the simplest of items help create the easiest, best dish. Take this for example…
Simple ingredients, allowed to do what they do best – that is: entice us to eat a small sampling to get our tummies ready for dinner! And this sure fit the bill, when our friends joined us to cook out on Labor Day.
Juicy, ripe pears sliced and wrapped with salty prosciutto then drizzled in honey….
See his little friend, the blue cheese? Yes, that’s just enough of a bite to really wake up your mouth with a jolt of flavor.
Did anyone notice the dried fig? Fresh ones are always our first choice, but since these were in the ‘fridge…well, you know…they did not want to be left out of the party!
A little puddle of balsamic glaze for good measure…..
Shall we dive in now, or just talk about it more??!!!?? Let’s eat!
Hubby and I were lucky enough to get “volunteered” by our dear friend, Bill, to assist the Atlanta Track Club at the Peachtree Road Race yesterday. What an absolutely awesome day (other than the getting up at 3:30 am part of the day…..)
Here’s the Press Truck that Hubby got to ride in. In spite of the rainy, soggy morning, everyone on hand had a huge smile for Hubby’s camera – even the Press.
I had the privilege of driving the pace car for the 36 Military runners. It was a “run away”, with one lone runner on the Army Team, David Seymour, leading the pack. This guy must be made of iron, as he never let up! Not even up “cardiac hill”, the be-dreaded hill in front of Piedmont Hospital that gets to the runners right about the time they begin to feel the pain. But no, David just chugged away, talking to the guys on the press motorcycle that rode beside him as he ran uphill….and I had to make sure to stay out of his 10-mile-per-hour way! (Sorry there’s no photos of this part, since I had to keep my eyes on the road.) Take a look at all of the Military Team Results.
What a thrill – once I got to the end of my duties, parked that pretty little Benz, and watched – just in time as the world-class runners RAN at high-speed toward the finish line – for a first ever photo finish – WOW! Those two runners looked like they had just started a race, instead of just about to finish one!! Incredible, and I for one, just don’t know how they do it.
From the Press Truck, Hubby got this great shot as 60,000+ runners took off – just after the elite runners had a record first of a photo finish. Another first? Rain delay…but the show must go on….What a day!!
Below is Alexi Pappas from Oregon, the winner of the Women’s race, crossing the finish line – check out her time! Did I say “Amazing” a time or two….indeed!
Peaches, anyone? Fresh, juicy, and flavorful…..the perfect flavors when combined with tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, spinach, fresh basil from the garden, drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar – then simply go outside to Get Your Dinner On!!!
Easy, fast, and healthy – perfect for Summer when it’s just too darn hot to eat anything heavy. Enjoy!!
Any excuse for a party is a great excuse, right? Well, how about a 28th Anniversary celebration for me and the Hubby? That was just the ticket this past Saturday night.
Welcoming us and our friends was this guy – you might know him as The World’s Most Interesting Man…..he knows us as regulars at El Azteca Mexican Restaurant.
Gathering the troops together to celebrate at El Azteca allowed us to kick back and relax – while Alfonso did all of the cooking! And he did not disappoint with his selection of goodies.
Starting with ceviche, and moving on to chicken with mole, we all dug in to enjoy the evening.
Fresh guacamole, chips & salsa, cheese dip….you know the drill…no counting calories until at least tomorrow….
Our dear friend, Rhonda, brought Carrot Cake cupcakes – freshly baked by her Mom, Linda. Here’s the story – Linda baked our wedding cake for us 28 years ago, and (yes) it was a carrot cake wedding cake! Tradition just has to be maintained, right? Especially when that is the Hubby’s favorite cake.
To keep the celebration going, we brought along a giant (is there any other kind?) Chocolate Cake from Costco, since three of our best buds had birthdays this past week. Terry, Jim, and David all got to don the festive hats and get embarrassed as the staff and friends sang “Happy Birthday” to them.
Since we were celebrating multiple events, the cake had to be appropriately titled, so it became the “Happy Birth-A-Versary” cake!
Until next year’s anniversary, Stay thirsty, My Friends…..
So glad you could join us! After a relaxing breakfast on our patio today, Hubby grabbed his camera to capture what’s happening in the garden….let’s take a walk, shall we?
The tomatoes are looking great! Each year, we anxiously await the ripening of our fresh produce…it’s hard to wait (yet well worth it) for “farm to table” goodness!
And with those fresh tomatoes, we’ll enjoy a bounty of both Basil Genovese and Purple Basil…beautiful in a cooling caprese salad for dinner.
Here’s what started it all today – we noticed that all of a sudden – here is the first bloom of the Day lily this year – what a color!
Check out the Butterfly Bush….even planted in a large pot, it’s happy to feed the bees. And they sure are happy it’s here!
See the hint of color on the hydrangea? Soon, this little beauty and it’s neighbor one pot over will be bursting with pink and blue blooms.
Hope you come back soon! The view changes each and every day.
Our Kitchen Inventions 