July 2014

Each month I have more fun looking up what the month is known for.  Some are just so funny they make you laugh.  July is known for National Share a Sunset with Your Lover Month, or National Scrabble Week is 19-24 and July 6^th is World Kiss Day, now that is one for you.   Most of you may know that July is National Blueberry month which is a great one and so is National Horseradish Month.  This time I’m going with National Hot Dog Month.  I have used this recipe many times for taking to people’s homes as an appetizer.  In fact just the other night we went to the Sanibel Causeway and enjoyed a sunset with friends, drinks with hot appetizers.  I brought this Hot Dog appetizer.  Hope you like it.

Little Hot Dogs in Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons mustard

3 Tablespoons flour

1 can chunked pineapples (drain and save the juice)

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 pound miniature hot dogs

     

Mix everything together in a pot except the pineapple and

     the hot dogs.

Bring to a boil for about 3-4 minutes, stir continually.

Add the hot dogs and pineapple.

Can be refrigerated until time to serve.  Then

    reheat and place in a fancy dish or bowl.

Serves 4-6

 

April is know most for it's first day, April Fools Day. April is  also Couples Appreciation Month
and Fresh Florida Tomatoes Month, as well as Jazz Appreciation Month.  It is also Brussels Sprouts Month.  Now don't turn your nose up.  You have to try them.  I think Brussels sprouts are my favorite vegetable, maybe this recipe will them your favorite also.  Roasting them makes them really delicious.
Here's a recipe you have to try.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts


1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and extra leaves removed
2 Tablespoons roasted garlic in a jar (or more if you are garlic nut)
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
Another 3 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons lime pepper or regular pepper
Salt to taste


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place Brussels sprouts, 3 Tablespoons oil, garlic and pepper in a re-sealable plastic bag.
Seal and shake to coat the Brussels sprouts thoroughly.
Coat baking sheet with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and place the Brussels spouts on sheet.
Roast for 5 minutes then turn and roast another 5 minutes.
The Brussels sprouts should be a dark brown roasted color.  You may need to roast them for
    another 5 minutes
Serve 6-8



©Connie Hope

February

 

February is the month of lovers; it’s Valentines Day on February 14.  What else is the month known for.  Wow there are lots of things.  February is Avocado and Banana Month, it is also National Condom Month and American Heart Month and National Mend a Broken Heart Month.  It is also Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month. So what can we use strawberries in.  Why not make your love something decedent that he/she will love.

 

How about a great dessert to enjoy and share.

 

Layered Strawberry Tiramisu

 

1 package(8 oz) cream cheese, softened

3 ½ cups cold milk

2 packages Jell-O Vanilla flavored instant pudding

2 packages (3 oz each) ladyfingers, split

1 tub Cool Whip Strawberry whipping topping, thawed

2 ½ cups sliced strawberries

2 squares Baker’s Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate, grated

 

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with electric mixer until creamy.

Gradually add milk.

Beat until well blended.

Add dry vanilla pudding mix

Beat on low speed for about 1 minute or until well blended.

Line bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan with half of the ladyfingers

Top with layers of half of the pudding mixture, the whipped topping and strawberries.

Repeat all layers.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Sprinkle with grated chocolate and sliced strawberries.

I'm a little late with this January recipe.  Time just slipped away. 


Each month I try and find funny things that the month is known for.  Sometimes it is hard to find. Or sometimes they are more serious than funny.

 January  has a few laughs in it.  January 20-26 is “Cleanout Your ‘In Box’ Week.  I don’t know about you, but mine is over crowded and may need a lot of help. January is National Stalking Awareness Month, and ‘Be Kind to Food Server Month’, but it is also National Soup Month.  Now that is a great kind of month, because soup is my all time favorite food.  In fact my second book is on Soups and Stews.  So here is a great soup recipe that is easy but will stick to your ribs in the cold weather in the North or in the Florida weather.

This has been a family favorite for many years.  I save leftover vegetables for a few weeks in a container in the freezer, to use to make the soup. Or you can use fresh vegetables, canned, or frozen.  It tastes good and warms up the tummies. 

Kitchen Sink Soup

1 pound lean chopped meat, cooked, and fat drained

1 cup each of any 4-5 of your favorite vegetables and any
      juice (such as carrots, green beans, peas, wax beans,
      zucchini, lima beans , or anything)
1 cup pasta, cooked (left over pasta is great)
4 cups beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of Tabasco sauce

Combine everything in a large soup pot.

Cook at medium heat until it starts to bubble.
Turn low and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
Serve with crusty bread or rolls. Serves 4-6

December is a very important month.  It is the holidays!  But what else is the month known for?

December is also known as National Write a Business Plan Month, and Gluten Free Baking Week of Dec 12-20 and National Cookie Day which is December 4^th.  But it is also Root Vegetable and Exotic Fruit Month.  What the heck is a root vegetable?

A ‘Root Vegetable’ is any underground part of a plant—the root.  This part is the starchy tuber or taproot of the plant.  If we let them be they would provide the plant with needed nourishment to thrive.  Instead, we pull them up and eat them.  What are a few examples of root vegetables?  Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, yams, and carrots to name just a few.  I know I discussed the rutabaga several months ago, so let’s take a closer look at the sweet potato and what we can do with that. 

This is one of my favorite stews.  The chicken and sweet potato blend well and really make the stew delicious.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

6 chicken thighs, skin removed and trim the fat

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in strips

½ cup mushrooms, sliced thin

6 large shallots, peeled and cut in half

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup white wine

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried

       rosemary)

2 Tablespoons wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients to a large soup pot with medium heat.

Stir occasionally for 5 minutes then lower heat.

Cook for 2 hours slowly or until chicken is cooked.

Serves 6

Here’s a second recipe that you can use as a snack or a dessert.

Sweet Potato Pecan Bread

This moist sweet potato bread is low in fat and easy to make. Besides the fact that it tastes really great.

1 ½ cups all purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mace

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup chopped dates or raisins

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup applesauce (makes it really moist)

4 Tablespoons milk

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

Grease bottom of a loaf pan approximately 9- x 5- x 3-inches.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and spices in mixing bowl

Stir in the sugar, pecans, and raisins or dates.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, milk, and mashed sweet potatoes

Stir to blend well.

Add wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a large spoon just until the mixture is moistened.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 325° for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.

 

 

November is the month for Thanksgiving.  But what else is November  known for.  I had to do some searching.  It is Manatee Awareness Month, and National Georgia Pecan Month, National Novel Writing Month, (that’s good for me as I am still writing my novel).  November is National Peanut Butter Lovers Month and it is also Plum, Pomegranate and Cranberry Month.  With the Cranberry in mind, I figured I do something for ‘ye ole’ turkey table ideas.   Here is a Cranberry mold and some variations that you can use for the big day.

 

Cranberry Mold

 

2    3 oz packages  raspberry gelatin (or if you can find

 cranberry gelatin, that is best)
1  16 oz can whole cranberries, broken apart
1  16 oz can pineapple, either crushed or chunked 
1 can mandarin oranges
2 cups hot water
1 cup reserved liquid or add water to make up the  one cup

 

Mix gelatin with hot water and stir.

Drain oranges, pineapple, and reserve liquid
Add remaining liquid—cold water and cold juices reserve.
Refrigerate until starting to gel.
Add fruit and fold in gently. (This way the fruit will not fall
to the bottom)
Break up whole cranberries with a fork if needed.
Put in mold and chill for at least 4 hours.

 

There are many variations to this recipe

Add ½ cup of your favorite nuts, I like pecans.   broken, but not chopped.

Add ½ cup chopped celery.

Or

Decrease the liquid by about ¼  cup and  add ½ cup  of

frozen whipped topping. This will change the look of
 he mold. The other mold is transparent. With the
addition of the whipped topping, it becomes opaque
and pink. It is a little sweeter than the others. 

Or

Add 1 cup seedless white or green grapes, cut in half.
You can eliminate the oranges and use the grapes or

eliminate the pineapple and use the grapes.

Or

Add 1 can of raspberries, fresh or frozen. Eliminate one of

the other fruits.

 You don’t want it too dense with fruit. 

September:

 

September for many is back to school month.  It is also known as “National Biscuit Month”, “National Chicken Month” and “National Piano Month.’  September 7 is National Acorn Squash Day,  I have given you a great recipe for Acorn Squash soup that is thick and creamy.  Give it a try!

 Acorn Squash Soup

4 strips of bacon, (either cook it or use the pre-cooked type you get at the market.)

1 medium onion, chopped
½ pound Kale, stems removed, and leaves finely chopped (about 8 cups)
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups or 2 packages frozen winter acorn squash, puree
3 Tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Cook bacon or use the pre-cooked type, set aside.
Add oil to frying pan and slowly cook the onions until soft.
Then add the chopped Kale and cook until soft.
Add the squash puree and 3 cups of chicken broth.
Add this a little at a time until you get the desired thickness.
You may not need to use all of the chicken  broth.
Cook almost to a boil.
Stirring to make sure it is creamy.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with bacon as a garnish.

Variation:  You can add ½ Tablespoon of basil or oregano to the soup