On My Hearth: Spaghetti and Eyeballs

I try to make something fun for dinner Halloween night, but since Lily will be working then and Beren's girls happen to be with us tonight, I'm going to move the meal ahead a couple of days.

I was planning to make meatloaf mice but after what happened with Lily's rat..gulp..I didn't think that was such a good idea. So, courtesy of Family Fun magazine, Spaghetti and eyeballs it is! I'll be using lean ground turkey instead of the beef.

Halloween Spaghetti and Eyeballs

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 eggs
1 tbsp. fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1 7-oz. jar pimiento-stuffed olives
1 26-oz. jar prepared pasta sauce
1 lb. spaghetti
1 tbsp. olive oil

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2
Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, eggs and basil in a large bowl. Using the meat mixture, form about 30 small meatballs.

Step 3
To make the eyeballs, press an olive into each meatball, pimiento side out. Place the eyeballs in a baking dish, cover with the pasta sauce, and bake for 45 minutes.

Step 4
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water. Drain and rinse the spaghetti and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent strands from sticking together. Put it on a platter or in a large serving bowl.

Step 5
Spoon the eyeballs onto the spaghetti, irises up, and spoon the pasta sauce around them. Makes 10 servings.

Spooky Fun

Beren and I went out with friends last night, hit a couple of bars to see our favorite bands perform. We had such a great time but I guess that's the last time I'll be wearing my Bettie Devil costume for a while....or is it? *wink* *wink*

The Cruelty of Nature

We cat-owners are well-aware of the hunting prowess of our feline friends, have undoubtedly been gifted with bugs, lizards, birds, etc. that the precious creatures have hunted and killed for us. At that point we are supposed to praise the pet, stroke her head and quietly dispose of the victim. I accept that, I understand the reasoning, the fact that the primal need to hunt is still quite present even in those "domesticated." What I have a hard time with, what I'm sick over this morning, is coming home from a road trip to find that one of other other pets have been at the receiving end of such wildness. It appears that Jezebel, left to her own devices for a whole day, apparently discovered a way to "free" Lily's baby rat from his cage. We found the empty cage and of course expected the worse but somehow hoped for the best. So, with Beren sleeping soundly beside me, I lay in bed and waited, knowing that once the house became dark and quiet the little guy would reveal himself and then hopefully I could catch him before the cats did. No such luck. Within moments I heard scurrying on my floor, then Jezebel leapt on my bed meowing loudly. I jumped up to find a dead little rat on the floor, right in the front of my bed. Sobbing and gasping, I took care of the body while Jezzie watched, no doubt awaiting her kudos. Sorry, not this time. I understand nature, I respect and honor the circle of life, but having to wake Lily with the news this morning, watching her break down in sobs and curse the cat...I'm don't think that praise will be forthcoming anytime soon.

Update: Jezebel is forgiven and Lily has a new baby thanks to her mommy and Kevin who went to the pet store and adopted the deceased one's brother. He is a cutie, an albino with shiny pink eyes, perfect for Halloween! *wink*

Witchy Greetings!

This video is so awesome, just had to share! Eartha Kitt..sigh...adore her!

On My Hearth: Vegetarian Burrito Casserole

Since the girls enjoyed the broccoli casserole so much, I thought I'd try another one tonight. From Allrecipes, this sounds like a great way to use up some leftovers I have in the fridge! Again, thanks to my stocked pantry, I have everything on hand! I'll be using healthier brown rice and adding a bit of leftover corn. I'll be leaving out the jalapeno since they are not as fond of spicy food as their Mom.

Vegetarian Burrito Casserole

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings

"Soy burger-style crumbles, tomatoes, rice, vegetarian refried beans, cheese, and taco seasonings all layered on top of flour tortillas and baked. A tasty vegetarian treat that will send even the meat lovers running back for more!"

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup white rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 (12 ounce) package frozen soy burger-style crumbles
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
2 (10 inch) burrito-size flour tortillas
1 (14.25 ounce) can vegetarian refried beans, divided
2 fresh jalapeno peppers - seeded, sliced, and divided
1 1/2 cups salsa, divided
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3. Place soy crumbles, tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, chili powder, cumin, and taco seasoning in a medium frying pan over medium high heat. Cook and stir, breaking up tomatoes, for 10 minutes.

4. Lay 1 flour tortilla in a lightly greased 8x8 inch baking dish. Layer with one half of the beans, jalapeno slices, rice, salsa, soy mixture, and 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, beginning with the flour tortilla, and top with remaining 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Today's Inspiration: Your Horoscope Bird of Power

An interesting article, and funny that my kitchen contains two of my favorite treasures: peacock feathers acquired during my stay at the Amish bed & breakfast years ago, and the rooster coffee mug I grab every day!

Your Horoscope Bird of Power

Inspired by Earth Magic, by Claire Nahmad

Ever wish you could fly? Your sun sign is traditionally associated with different birds that can carry messages to the Great Spirit for you, offer spirit-support and healing, or sing a song for your soul. Find out which birds are your horoscope birds of power here.

Aries, March 21-April 19: vulture, magpie, robin.

Taurus, April 20-May 21: dove, sparrow, swan.

Gemini, May 22-June 20: parrot, linnet, eagle, finch.

Cancer, June 21-July 22: seagull, owl, white peacock.

Leo, July 23- Aug 22: peacock, rooster, eagle.

Virgo, Aug 23-Sept 22: rooster, magpie, parrot.

Libra, Sept 23-Oct 22: dove, swan, sparrow.

Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21: eagle, vulture.

Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21: eagle, peacock, bird of paradise.

Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19: owl, falcon.

Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18: cuckoo, albatross.

Pisces, Feb 19-March 20: swan, stork, sandpiper.

What Makes You Feel Secure?

Some time ago I saw this question posed, either in a blog, magazine, somewhere..and it made me think. The responses ranged from the obvious: money, happy relationship, etc. to the unusual: a linen closet filled with fluffy white towels. In my case, once I get past the necessities (enough cash in the bank to pay my bills and a loving family), it's got to be a fully-stocked pantry.

I'm not sure where this comes from as we were never so poor as to be concerned about food, but I'm not comfortable unless my freezer and pantry are filled. I need to know that no matter what happens, I can feed my family for a few days (weeks?) from what I have on hand. Beren teases me about it, shakes his head every time I say I need to go food shopping, can't understand what we could possibly need. Well, we don't need anything per se, but I like to stock up when things are on sale, am a fanatic for BOGO specials, combine them with coupons and I'm a happy gal! The kids know that if they ever run out of anything, a quick trip to the "Rapunzel store" should fulfill their needs.

I love being able to throw together a meal (such as last night's casserole) without having to leave the house, just using items I've already purchased at a good price. Sometimes I'll get creative and pick an item from the pantry or freezer, try to make a meal around that ingredient. I've come up with some interesting dishes, let me tell you!

Now, I must admit that my pantry looks nothing like the above pic..sigh...if only! Mine consists of a cabinet in my kitchen as well as several shelves in the laundry room. Someday, though, I'll have the pantry of my dreams...

On My Hearth: Broccoli-Noodle Casserole

I don't normally cook on Mondays, we usually just munch on leftovers or grab something prepared from the freezer. Today, however, I feel like making something filling for my girls; they've been living on leftover party fare since the weekend and have to be sick of it by now!

Broccoli-noodle Casserole Recipe

I like to use whole wheat, yolk-free noodles, low-fat soup, mayo and cheese in this dish to make it more healthy.

Ingredients

* * 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli
* * 8 ounces medium egg noodles
* * 2 eggs, beaten
* * 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
* * 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
* * 1 cup mayonnaise
* * 2 tablespoons minced onion
* * 1/2 cup milk
* * cracker crumbs


Directions

1. Cook the broccoli according to the package directions; drain. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions; drain. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, soup, cheese, mayonnaise, onion, and milk. Add the broccoli.
3. In a greased 2-1/2-quart casserole, make several alternating layers of broccoli, sauce, and noodles, beginning and ending with broccoli. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

On My Hearth: Cowboy Coleslaw

Beren has a craving for grilled corn on the cob so we'll be doing some outdoor cooking this afternoon. The entree will be Boca & Bubba burgers, leftover macaroni salad from our party Friday night. Since I feel the need for more veggies, I headed over to A Veggie Venture and let Alanna inspire me. Matchstick carrots were on sale last week so I scooped some up, this recipe for Cowboy Coleslaw looks perfect for an Autumn bbq in the tropics!

COWBOY COLESLAW
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Makes 3 cups

2 cups grated carrot (from 3 large carrots, I used a mandoline to grate because I like the perfect little slices but a hand-held grated worked fine too)
1 cup thin-sliced red cabbage (or radicchio)
1/4 cup chopped green onion (don't skip this)
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (these added crunch but also calories, I don't think they're necessary)

DRESSING
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (preferably white)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Gently combine the vegetables (hold off on the sunflower seeds if making in advance). Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with vegetables. Top with sesame seeds and serve. Can be made a few hours in advance.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Half Cup, with sunflower seeds: 62 Cal (50% from Fat, 8% from Protein, 42% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 4 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 7 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; NetCarb5; 26 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 141 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

Per Half Cup, without sunflower seeds: 46 Cal (43% from Fat, 6% from Protein, 51% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 6 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; NetCarb4; 26 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 141 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 0 points

Biketoberfest or Bust

Yesterday we went on what turned out to be a quick road trip up to Daytona for Biketoberfest, left before lunch and arrived in the late afternoon. We walked down main street, bought some shirts and other souvenirs, had snacks & margaritas at Adobe Gilas on the beach. We had planned on staying overnight, perhaps hit some of the biker bars in the evening, but plans changed when our lodging didn't work out as anticipated. No problem, we just headed South, stopped for a fabulous steak & shrimp dinner, rolled back into town around 1 am. A long day of driving for Beren but we managed to make it fun anyway. Oh, and on the way there, Beren's car hit an amazing milestone, who knew Maximas were such amazing cars?!