First Tuesday dinner of 2016

Last evening Matthew came over for dinner. He is back on schedule for putting up risers for a church choir, so he drops in for dinner each week. He had 5 weeks off; at least, we didn't see him for that long as we were in Disneyland on one of the Tuesdays.

I made a roast beef dinner with roast potatoes and gravy, baked carrots with dill, Yorkshire pudding, and a whipped raspberry Jello salad. I call it the Feast of Epiphany whenever it's near Jan 6, although we don't really celebrate it as we are not Greek. Afterwards we watched "Meet me in St. Louis" with Judy Garland. I had forgotten that movie was so funny! I bought it with 3 others in a package for only $11.00 Cdn.

By Loretta Houben

The first baking of 2012!

My house smelled so delicious today!

I used two old bananas and two new ones to make yummy banana chocoloate chip muffins.

I'll add the recipe tomorrow as I'm in a rush at the moment.

I also made Fudgie Scotch bars, a decadent dessert, but Matthew is coming over for supper, so all is forgiven. I always share generously with him, plus I'm sending some over to my parents to taste.

At least it won't all go to my hip!

It was fun to bake again. I've missed it!

Another delicious meal...

Doesn't this look good? Matthew made the chick pea salad on the left.

I'd never tried chick peas; they are quite good. He added sliced purple onion, chopped yellow squash, and chopped orange pepper, plus a dash of olive oil. He made up the recipe.

 It was very refreshing along with my butter chicken, basmati rice, Naan bread, and corn on cob. Yummy!

We eat very well at the House of Houben.

Tasty Tuesday

Provencal Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

Now doesn't this look tasty?

It certainly was! I tried it for the first time today.

I love slow cooker recipes! This one was so easy to prepare, and the aroma that filled the kitchen while it was cooking was simply divine!

I found the recipe in the wonderful FREE cookbook magazine I get 4 times a year from Kraft Canada. If you'd like to try it out, please CLICK HERE for the recipe online.

Instead of sweet potato, I used new potatoes.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday

Dilled Salmon Pizza

Matthew made this for supper tonight, using ingredients from Dussa's Cheese Shop on Granville Island. He started with a thin crust pizza shell which the shop recently began selling. He spread cream cheese over the top, and added a sprinkling of fresh chopped dill.

Then he spread a layer of small pieces of Lox salmon on top (already cooked, from the salmon shop) and on top of that he added grated Friulano cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Yummy!

Mini Chips Cinnamon Crescents

These are so delicious and so easy to prepare!

1 can refrigerated quick crescent dinner rolls

Ground cinnamon

1/2 cup Hershey's mini chips semi-sweet chocolate

Confectioners' sugar

Heat oven to 375 F. On un-greased cookie sheet unroll dough to form 8 triangles. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon and 1 tbs mini chips on top of each. Gently press into dough to adhere. Starting at longest end of triangle, roll dough to opposite point. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar over top. Serve warm.

Tasty Tuesday

Every Tuesday evening, Matthew joins us for dinner.

I try to incorporate new recipes from time to time, as I believe this is the one day out of the whole week that Matthew gets a nutritional meal!

Last Tuesday we had a pork roast; we have that about once a year.

Matthew and Robert inhaled it.

The picture above shows salmon in a creamy cucumber sauce.

I haven't made this yet for Matthew, but I had taken a picture and I'll share the recipe with you so you too can enjoy nutritional meals!

20 Minute Skillet Salmon

2 tsp oil

4 salmon fillets (I used a medium size salmon chunk without bones)

3/4 cup skim milk

1/2 tub Philadelphia Herb & Garlic Light cream cheese

1/2 cup chopped cucumbers

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add salmon; cook 5 minutes on each side or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Add milk and PHILLY to skillet; cook and stir until PHILLY is melted and mixture is well blended. Stir in cucumbers and dill.

Return salmon to skillet. Cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve salmon topped with PHILLY sauce.

Simply yummy...

Doggie biscuit recipe

Well, we can't leave our canine friends out this season, can we?

Linda P's dogs, Molly, Max and Emily always exchange gifts each year with Kelsie.

Kelsie adores this time of year.

Really and truly!

The above gift is one I gave to Linda's doggies this year.

Here is the doggie biscuit recipe:

DOG BISCUIT RECIPE

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup non-fat dry milk-powder

1 tsp each, sugar & salt

6 tbsp margarine

1 egg

Mix ing. with about 1/2 cup of cold water. Knead for 3 minutes. Dough should form a ball.

Roll to 1/2 " thick and cut into shapes. (I use a dog bone shape)

Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 350 F.

INTERESTING VARIATIONS

Add 3 tbsp of liver powder or powdered chicken or beef bouillon or dried soup greens, or dried soup mix.

I assure you, your doggie will go crazy over these!