Steven's new Townhouse

Nikos and I drove out to see Steven's new townhouse today. Exactly 1 hour and 30 minutes. It was a nice drive.....didn't go on the expressway.Nikos and Steven
This was my Hope Chest......let's just say it's an antique.

The bedroom.

Master bath. Inside here is a walk-in closet.....to die for!

The office.

Powder room.

Kitchen with a wonderful island.

Eating area.

The balcony. Such a great view!

The Great room with a fireplace! It is wood burning.

Mom made this foot stool for me....years ago.

Steven.....the great host had Mimosa's waiting for us

Brothers.......Nikos and Steven.

Front entrance.

2 car garage.....Thanks Steven for a wonderful day. I can't believe you have only been here for one week. It looks great! We enjoyed spending time with you:)

Chorizo-Filled Dates Wrapped in Bacon

This is a recipe discovered by Mom. She has made it several times and everyone enjoys them. If you have leftovers just refrigerate and serve. They are great hot or cold. This has become one of my favorites!

Recipe:

6 ounces chorizo sausage, raw, casings removed

24 pitted dates

12 slices of bacon, halved crosswise

Using a scissors, cut on side of each date open and stuff with a scant teaspoon of chorizo. Wrap the stuffed date with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place the wrapped dates in a large skillet, seam sides down, and saute, turning, until the bacon is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot. ~or~ Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for about 15-18 minutes. Watch closely as the bottoms can burn easily due to the natural sugars in the dates.

This week I will be joining:

These Chicks Cook

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Fresh Food Friday

Double Pork Sausage

Another Hungry Girl recipe. Just love her cooking! Wrap the sausage with the bacon. Doesn't get much easier:)
Recipe:
8 pork breakfast sausages, (I used Bob Evans Maple Pork Sausage Links)
4 pieces of bacon, cut in half crosswise

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rack in upper third of oven. (I lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and had a piece for on top. I don't like to splatter my oven.) Place a small baking sheet in the oven to preheat for 2-3 minutes. Wrap bacon around middle of the sausages. Add wrapped sausages to heated baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. Drain on paper towel and serve.

~ Serves 4 ~

This week I will be joining:

These Chicks Cook

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Fresh Food Friday

Happy 4th of July:)

The Pickle Pot

I discovered this Pickle Pot over at Miz Helen's Country Cottage. I made it last Friday. It has to sit in the refrigerator for 2 weeks before eating. I am having a family picnic on July 3rd to introduce the newest member of our family. My sister Kendra is flying in from North Carolina with my niece Jill and her baby son Haden. The family is so excited to meet little Haden. The Pickle Pot will go great with my picnic.

Start with a bed of onion and sprinkle with salt.

Add a layer of cucumbers and sprinkle with salt.
Add the pickle spice.
Repeat the layers. Add onion with a sprinkle of salt.
Add cucumber with a sprinkle of salt.
Add vinegar and water. Cover containers and refrigerate. I made two containers. Wait two weeks, then enjoy:)

The Pickle Pot
1 quart glass container
1 yellow onion sliced, (I used vandilia)
3 cloves garlic
3 cups cucumber slices
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons pickling spice
white vinegar to cover onions and pickles
water to add to vinegar
In a clean glass container begin to layer with sliced onions, then sliced cucumbers. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 pod of garlic. repeat the layer and add 1 tablespoon of the pickling spice. Repeat the layer again ending with the last tablespoon of pickling spice and the remainder of the salt. Fill the container 3/4 of the way full with vinegar and 1/4 with water until the cucumbers and onions are completely covered. Seal the jar tightly and shake up and down to distribute the seasonings. Place in the refrigerator for 2 weeks before serving, (if you can wait that long). As the Pickle Pot empties just add more cucumbers and onions and your Pickle Pot is always full all summer long.

I can't wait to try them.....thanks Miz Helen for this great recipe. Stop over at Miz Helen's Country Cottage for "Full Plate Thursday".

I'll be joining Michael Lee West over at "Designs by Gollum", she is hosting this weeks Foodie Friday Event:)

Watermelon Frojito

I got this recipe from Hungry Girl. It's a good one:)

Place mint leaves, Splenda, and lime wedges in a glass. Muddle the mixture.

1 shot of rum.

3/4 cup watermelon

Add 1 cup crushed ice with the watermelon and rum to a blender.

Recipe:

3/4 cup watermelon chunks, seedless or seeds removed
1 shot rum
1 lime, cut into wedges
3-4 mint leaves
2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda or Truvia)
1 cup crushed ice or 5-7 ice cubes

Place the mint leaves, half the lime wedges, and the sweetener in a tall glass. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime wedges into the glass and discard those wedges. Crush and "muddle" the mixture until the juice has been released from the lime wedges, the mint leaves are thoroughly bruised, and the sweetener has dissolved. Set aside.

Place the watermelon, rum, and ice in a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into the glass with the lime-mint mixture and stir well.

Drink up and be refreshed:)


Stop over at "Designs by Gollum" for this weeks Foodie Friday Event

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Tomatoes with Pasta

six Roma tomatoes (two servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

2 garlic cloves, finely diced

salt and pepper

pasta, cooked

frozen Langostinos (mini Lobster tails), thawed

fresh basil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half. Place in a cast iron pan. Add everything except the Langostinos and basil, toss to coat. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and crush the tomatoes with a potato masher. Put back into oven for 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and toss with Langostinos and pasta. Add basil.

Roasted Tomato Frittata

4 Roma tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely diced

yellow and orange small peppers, sliced into rings

salt and pepper

pasta, cooked

6 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons each fresh basil, thyme, and rosemary, chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chihuahua cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half. Add garlic,oil, salt and pepper. Place in a cast iron pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and crush the tomatoes with a potato masher and add pepper rings. Put back into oven for 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and place on top of stove, toss with pasta. In a small bowl beat eggs and add cream. Pour on top of tomatoes and pasta. Cook on stove till set. Sprinkle both cheeses on top. Put back into oven for 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.



I would like to thank Happier than a Pig in Mud for sharing her Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic with Pasta recipe on last weeks Foodie Friday. I liked it so much I made the Frittata also:) Stop over at Designs by Gollum for this weeks Foodie Friday event.

Baked Garlic Shrimp

Recipe:

2 lbs colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined, leave tail on

1 stick butter

5 cloves fresh garlic, pressed

1/8 cup olive oil

1 lemon, juice of

fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan melt butter on medium heat. Add the garlic and lightly saute. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Whisk in the olive oil.

Put shrimp in a foil pan, pour butter over and sprinkle with parsley. Put foil on top and put in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. Ladle butter from pan into small dishes for dipping.

I'll be joining Michael Lee West over at "Designs by Gollum" for Foodie Friday. Hope you stop by for some good eats:)