On My Hearth: Comfort Food

As often happens, today I'm turning toward the kitchen to lift my lagging spirit. Since it's the end of the month and the food budget tight, I'm scouring my pantry and freezer, using up bits of this 'n that to make complete meals. They won't be gourmet or always super-healthy, but it'll fill our tummies and stretch our dollars just a bit further until payday. Also, we have Beren's girls with us this whole week and, well, let's just say they are not as adventurous eaters as the rest of us so I plan accordingly.

We stocked up on Velveeta when it was BOGO a while back so we'll be having mac & cheese as a side dish to turkey meatloaf (my own recipe I throw together), and green bean casserole using leftovers. I also found 3 lone cupcakes in the freezer and a couple scoops of frosting in the fridge, will let the kids fight over them. *grin*

Here's the super-easy M & C recipe; I told you it wasn't healthy but sooo yummy!

Velveeta Mac 'n' Cheese

* 2 tbsp. butter
* 1 lb. Velveeta pasteurized process cheese spread, cubed
* 1/2 c. milk
* 2 c. (7 oz.) elbow macaroni, cooked, drained

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter & milk together, add Velveeta cheese spread and stir until Velveeta is melted. Stir in macaroni; spoon into 2-quart casserole. Bake 15 minutes. Garnish as desired (I like to top mine with bread crumbs). Makes 6 servings. Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes.

The Hardest Part

photo courtesy of Kimagery

I woke up in the middle of the night to a txt message from Lily, "I miss her so much..I dreamed about her..." Me, too, sweetie, me too..

Six weeks after her death, I still cry nearly every day, still pick up the phone to call her...it's still so raw. The hardest part for me right now is selfish - I am missing her taking care of me, of things, of problems, in the only way a Mom can. I feel as if I'm walking a tightrope, precariously perched, with no safety net below me. She was always there with open arms to catch me if I fell. No matter how much I was hurt, she made it better, one way or another.

Who's going to catch me now?

On My Hearth: Spinach (or Broccoli) Quiche

Spinach (or Broccoli) Quiche

* 1 9-in pie crust, unbaked
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 8 oz pkg of Swiss cheese slices
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 tbsp flour
* dash pepper
* 1 c milk
* dash nutmeg
* 1 small onion, sliced and sauted lightly
* 10 oz pkg frozen spinach (chopped) or broccoli, cooked and drained

Cut cheese in strips. Toss with flour. In pie crust, alternate layers of onion, spinach (or broccoli) and cheese, ending with cheese layer. Mix milk, eggs, and spices. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Ostara Blessings

Ostara (Eostre) is an especially meaningful sabbat for me, the day that I honor several significant beginnings and endings in my life. It is the day in which I filed for divorce from my first husband and coincidentally married my second one short year later. Unbelievably, it is also the day on which I ended my second marriage, 16 years after making those vows to each other.

So today I will reflect on those two relationships, the joy as well as the sorrow that they brought into my life, and then I will turn away from the cold dark memories to face the bright new day which is now and the beauty that awaits me in the future.

Happy Birthday, Kevin!

'Happy Birthday', originally uploaded by letslookupandsmile.

Happy 25th Birthday to my amazing son-in-law! Hope you have a wonderful day!

I am so flattered! My dear blogging friend Deb at Nourish the Soul has given me a delicious award which I must share with you! I hope Deb will forgive me but at the moment I simply can't choose 10 blogs to bequeath the honor to right now! I love you all, and I visit your blogs frequently, you all contribute so much to my life.. I hope you'll understand if I simply pour a cool glass of lemonade for all of you on my blog roll, perhaps a Lemon Drop shot for those who imbide, and toast to Life - the sweet, the sour, and everything in between!

Thank you, Deb.

On My Hearth: Turkish Vegetable Stew with Israeli Couscous

We visited Josh's Organic Market again this past Sunday, gathered up a bunch of tasty veggies which will go into this tasty stew!

Turkish Vegetable Stew with Israeli Couscous

POINTS® Value: 8
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This exotic, meatless main dish is sure to become a favorite. It’s served over Israeli couscous, a pea-sized form of pasta.

Ingredients
1 cup(s) uncooked couscous, Israeli or toasted variety
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium raw eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
1 medium yellow pepper(s), cut in 1-inch chunks
15 oz canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
14 1/2 oz canned tomatoes, diced, with roasted garlic
1/2 cup(s) water
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), sliced
1/3 cup(s) dill, fresh, chopped
1/2 cup(s) pot cheese, or crumbled fat-free feta cheese
Instructions

* To make couscous, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add couscous. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of oil.

* While couscous cooks, make stew. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow pepper; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

* Stir in garbanzo beans, tomatoes, water, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallions and dill.

* To serve, spoon a scant 3/4 cup of couscous onto each of 4 serving plates or bowls and top each with 1 1/2 cups of stew. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of cheese and serve.

On My Hearth: White Bean and Tomato Salad

Beren and I are going to pack a little picnic lunch, it's much too beautiful to be indoors today! He'll likely be eating fried chicken (groan) but my contribution will be considerably healthier!

I'll pair this salad with some fresh fruit, bit of cheese and crackers and an indulgent glass of chardonnay. It's a day for celebrating, after all!

White Bean and Tomato Salad

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 12 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

To store fresh sage, wrap it in a paper towel, seal in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to four days.

Ingredients
15 3/4 oz canned great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 cup(s) tomato(es), seeded and chopped
3 tbsp celery, chopped
2 tbsp scallion(s), sliced
1 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

* Combine all ingredients in a bowl; toss gently. Garnish with sage, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

Happy Anniversary, Beren!

It's been 5 (officially) wild & wonderful years, not counting the one we spent together back in the day, or the 22 we were apart. Before you came along, I asked the Universe for Romance and Passion and damned if I didn't get it!

Here's to many more years of the same..I love you.

On My Hearth: Spicy Cowgirl Soup

It's tax season again, and that means longer hours for me at work and less energy to prepare meals. So, I'm dragging out my slowcooker once again and throwing together this easy, tasty bean soup. It's supposed to get chilly here again tonight so this recipe will be perfect!

I'm adding some veggie crumbles for more protein, serving the chiles on the side because my family doesn't enjoy quite as much spice as I do, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese will also cool it off a bit!

Since this recipe consists of mostly canned items, I'll serve a big fresh salad on the side and maybe some corn bread to round out the meal.

Spicy Cowgirl Soup

1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, or diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of shredded cheddar if desired.