Recital and Crab Cakes

 Yes it is a red letter kind of day and a blog of few words, or many if you are the type to think a picture is worth a thousand words. I still need a lot of practice and work on taking pictures far away and moving but I did much better this year and have a few keepers among the clunkers. Madeline's cousin Mac was also in the recital and I got more then a few good ones of her. Much easier when they stay in on spot, not stand still as you will see but in one spot.

 Madeline danced to "I could have danced all night " from my fair lady. She is going to perform this dance one more time. I think at city hall but I am pretty vague on the details I just know she is dancing again. One proud grandmama here. Mac is so cute, she was the tiniest dancer in her group not to mention the happiest and liveliest. You just know her MomMom was proud too.

    " What Was Dinner "? I once again stepped out of my comfort zone and cooked seafood. 

I didn't eat it this time but I cooked it. Crab cake to be exact. once I had every thing mixed together I wasn't sure I would be able to touch the mixture to form the patties. It wasn't much different the ground beef to touch. I had always wanted to try making Crab Cakes to see how well I would do because I have seen experienced cooks make real messes while preparing and cooking these things. I have often seen kitchens filled with smoke or watched people politely tell the chef how good the burnt scrambled concoction on their plates was. A concoction that had no resemblance what so ever to a crab cake. So always loving a challenge I just had to give it a try. I found a recipe that looked interesting to me flavor wise and that had a step I had never seen done before and I thought yep this is the one and today is the day.
crab cakes
 Off to the kitchen I went and followed the recipe to the letter with great success everyone that ate a cake really enjoyed all the flavor and the texture. They looked like crab cakes smelled like crab cakes and I was told they tasted like crab cakes. Waiting until I found the recipe that sounded perfect to me payed off. That extra step adds 2 hours to the recipes time but I think it is how come the cakes came out as good as they did. 2 hours setting in the fridge after you make the patties,every thing else is done in under 30 minutes. I rated this recipe as high as I could rate it because it was beginner user friendly and good.

  Cheery Monday! Thank you for stopping by.  

Practice Practice Practice & Parfaits

  Today is Madeline's dance recital and I want to use my zoom lens and get some good close up shots. The problem being I don't do real well with that lens so I spent some time reading and studying a link a friend shared with me as well as just practicing using the lens. I learned I was trying to take pictures that I was too close to and that is why 9 out of 10 photos were coming out blurry. Another friend clued me into using the self timer to help stabilize the camera, and I did a little more reading about exposure and exactly how that works, then I practiced some more. I wanted moving subjects but the birds would not come out and play, so it was the dogs and my study of texture. 

 I am learning to not always trust what the camera is telling me but to trust my instinct and what I see instead. I took 4 photos of the far off well, not that far off horizon and the camera showed it as being to dark, I changed the setting for 2 of the 4 to the cameras liking. I like the darker setting just a tad better.

 I had a good giggle at the first few of my pictures 2 in particular. one I was not aiming simply working on my lighting and exposure the second I was taking aim and focusing or so I thought.

 I also learned I will not get clear pictures if I strain my arms to far forward and up all I get then is shaky shots.

 Domino is my easy photo practice subject he will sit all day for me, on this day he refused to smile and I absolutely love some of the photos I got of him.

 Getty on the other hand is my challenge, he will only sit for so long and then he is off to some thing else and when I do get him to sit he likes to turn his head just as the camera clicks. I usually end up with the side of his head, sometimes however I keep at it enough and I get stuff like this.

 My last lesson of the week was placement or composition. An important lesson to learn and practice and I still have more to learn lots more. My daffodils are a perfect example of that. I started snapping shots only worrying about focus and exposure and then I actually looked at the camera screen something I often forget to do being in such a hurry to take a picture.

 I am sure you can tell which one was quick hurry up and shoot and which one was actually thought out and composed to make a pretty picture. I think I am ready to tackle the big stage so to speak. Well it is a big stage she will be dancing on.
 " What Was Dinner"? I can't tell you but I can tell you what was for dessert. I received a box in the mail the other day from my cousin with Parfait glasses that were once my Grandma's. 

Right away I wanted to make a pretty Parfait like grandma use to make. Only just a few problems come to mind. 1) I have no idea how she made her parfaits all I know is they were always so pretty, and problem #2 the real biggie Mom and sugar a down right NO NO. Well there is sugar free jello right, and I did a triple dog dare a year or so ago with lime jello and avocados it turned out extremely creamy and very tasty. Mom really liked it so I started from there, did a little research and discovered making a parfait took time but was easier then easy. Off to the market I went got my jello's my choice of flavors based on what was available in sugar free. I wanted blue berry but had to settle for Strawberry, Lime, and Pineapple. Sounds  like a strange combination but it was very tasty.I used Greek yogurt with the strawberry and avocado with the lime letting the pineapple stay clear.

 Parfait

Bottom layer 6 or 7 graham crackers finely crushed mix with melted butter 5 to 6 TBS  a little at a time using your fingers. Form a crust on bottom and half way up one side of 6 glass and refrigerate. 

Next layer Lime sugar free jello, 1 cup boiling water

dissolve jello in boiling water and refrigerate until cold but not set. 1 mashed avocado, 6 oz Greek yogurt, 2 oz cream cheese place all ingredients in food processor including cold jello blend smooth. Divide between the glasses and place them in the fridge tilting them slightly with out spilling. Chill until completely set.  

layer #3 sugar free pineapple jello 1 1/4 cup boiling water dissolve jello in boiling water and place in the fridge until cold but not set. Divide between the glasses and return to the fridge tilted even less to prevent spilling. Let it harden up completely.

top layer sugar free strawberry or strawberry banana  jello 1 cup boiling water. Dissolve jello in boiling water and refrigerate until cold but not set. In food processor blend jello, 6 oz yogurt, 2 oz cream cheese. until smooth and creamy. Divide between the glasses. Add a small amount of fresh strawberry to each glass about  1/2 cup fresh strawberries ruff chopped total. Refrigerate standing straight up. Let set completely serve and enjoy.  

 Using both the avocado and yogurt as ingredients in this dessert  almost makes it guilt free, with all the sweet rich creamy flavor that was going on in the glass Mom thought she was getting a truly decadent and sinful treat. Tilting the glasses in the fridge gave my parfaits the fancy look I was looking for. Picture perfect!

 I think Grandma would approve.
  Hope you have a happy weekend. Thank you for stopping by.

Looking back at yesterday and fried chicken

  Last year at this time there wasn't any snow on the ground and signs of spring were slowly popping. The biggest sign of spring that popped this time last year was Madeline's first dance recital. Recitals are always held in the spring not sure why but it certainly seems that way to me. Maybe because all those pretty young ladies dancing around in brightly colored dance costumes make you think of flowers and sunshine. I remember being so excited to see her first recital and when she came out on stage with her fellow dancers I wasn't disappointed at all if anything I was even more excited for her and me. 

The song the instructor picked was perfect "Tiny Dancer" and that's what she was a tiny little dancer all pretty in pink. A perfectly beautiful little Prima Donna.

 As Grandmama I don't think I could be any prouder. After the recital was over Madeline got changed had a nap and then came home with me for some fun in the sun and a little play time. As always Domino is never far away watching carefully that nothing goes wrong.

     She won't admit it but she really does love Domino. When she thinks we aren't looking she pets him and hugs him and she never misses kissing him good bye when she goes home.
  " What Was Dinner "  Dinner wasn't exactly healthy on many levels but it was a memory for me. My favorite birthday dinner growing up and what I liked the most when we went to Sunday night dinner at Grandma's house. Fried Chicken. For the most part I bake my chicken now with a breading that comes out like fried chicken from a bucket, well all most. On the rare occasions that I do fry chicken I use only one method  and that is un-breaded and fried in bacon fat. I learned this according to my memory from my Grandma. My brothers say no she used bacon fat for sure but that she breaded her chicken pieces. I think I am right, really it doesn't matter the smell of the frying chicken always takes me right back to my Grandma's kitchen where I learned most of my cooking skills. Her kitchen was small compared to today's kitchens but there was always room for me. My Grandparents made the most of every square inch of that room and for what ever reason that room just felt like love. 

chicken, frying pieces 1lb per person
	salt and pepper to taste
3-4 slice	bacon fat or 3tbsp cooking oil
large	skillet that hold heat ( ie cast iron ) cook bacon in skillet or heat cooking oil. Oil will spit when you drop water in it when hot enough. (My Grandma only used bacon fat, that was her frying oil of choice, It does add to the flavor of the chicken.)Salt and pepper your chicken to taste. 2  When you oil is hot enough carefully place chicken in pan bottom side down.Cover and simmer on mediumish heat for 15 min 3  Using TONGS turn chicken recover and continue to cook for 15 min more 4  Check the meat if the meat has started to pull away from the leg bone raise the heat a little and cook uncovered, rearrange the meat according to the heat in your pan.If meat is not pulling away continue to cook covered on medium heat. 5  After you uncover and raise the heat,turn every 7 minutes or so,cooking til meat is cooked through and skin is golden brown and crispy. 6  Remove from pan and keep warm.Make you gravy using the pan drippings. 7  Serve warm or cold. This makes the best cold picnic chicken.

 

    This with instant mashed potatoes and corn use to be my favorite Birthday Dinner. It is what I asked for  every year. My taste buds grew up and I no longer eat instant anything and most certainly not potatoes.

 Have a wonderful Wednesday! Thank you for stopping by.

Dress Rehearsal and Salsa

    It was a Madeline weekend for me, and Dress Rehearsal for her. I sat on my hands all the way through rehearsal glad I hadn't brought my camera along, because with all the cuteness abounding resisting taking pictures was very hard. I left my phone in my purse and just enjoyed it all. Madeline was you just know the cutest of them all and the brightest shining star up there on the stage, well to me anyway and I am by no means prejudice. That is not to say I didn't get a few pictures after dress rehearsal while we were playing. She had to have a nap first, not by my orders but by her bodies. She didn't wait to get home of even to finish her lunch. It was so quiet in the car I had to pull over and check the back seat to see what was going on. This is what I saw.

  Sunday morning dawned cranky and whinny with a few I want to go home thrown in for good measure. Madeline had been sick earlier in the week and it was still taking its toll making my normally happy Granddaughter less then happy. Her Mom and Dad had been out the night before and needed to sleep in so we did what we could to distract and amuse but by 1 pm I was ready for Madeline to reunite with her parents. We decided to meet at a mall instead of our normal spot, only Mom came because Daddy seems to have caught a bug and was very sick. While he stayed home and rested we had a girls day at the mall. You would never know Madeline was having a cranky morning. She is all girl when it comes to shopping and as she told our friend Rich the night before when he teased her about her Hello Kitty jammies, She is ALL ABOUT Hello Kitty. The play area caught her attention and with Mom and Grandmama needing to sit for a minute we were happy to accommodate her.

 Look at that sweet face not a bit of cranky going on there. It was a nice weekend and ended on a note of fun and when it comes to Madeline that is what I am all about.
       " What Was Dinner "?  It was colorful and full of flavor. Ham steak with a Vernors  glaze, roasted red beets, white rice, and to brighten every thing up a little bit a Pineapple Salsa. Sad to say I didn't take pictures of my colorful table but everyone wanted to eat and well I wanted to live, so with camera safely tucked in its bag I sat down and enjoyed. I took a picture of the Ham, nope not going to show it. I share bad pictures often with you but the dinner was so tasty I don't want to ruin it with tasteless looking photos,I want you to walk away hungry. The salsa was an inspired idea. Inspired by a pineapple and 2 bell peppers dancing in my refrigerator when I opened the fridge door. Really I could almost see their little dancing legs and hear them singing  "chop us up and put us together you won't be sorry" over and over again to a salsa beat. I chopped them up put them together in a bowl with a few more ingredients and once again I am my husband's hero. Lunch the next day was almost too pretty to eat but he ate it and then texted me  "Pineapple Salsa"  I sent back " ??? " and he sent " I WANT MORE "  This salsa will pair well with chicken I think and this week I am going to find out.

        Pineapple Salsa
4 slices of fresh pineapple
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
2 green onions
2 cap full lemon juice
honey
pineapple juice

Fine chop the pineapple, bell peppers, and onion and put them in a bowl add the lemon juice, for the honey I get a spoon from the drawer and just dip it in my honey jar, I let it drip in the jar for a second then drizzled the rest on the spoon over the fruit mixture, the pineapple juice was less then a 1/4 cup it was what ever was at the bottom of the container the pineapple was in. I didn't want a real sweet salsa and I think I succeeded. One nice thing about salsa is you can adjust it to your taste and needs. Like if I could have heat in our food I think a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes would make an interesting addition to this little dish.

  A Cheery Monday everyone! Thank you for stopping by. 

Signs of Spring and Manly Meat loaf

 Welcome to the weekend. Friday was warm and sunny, simply a beautiful spring day so I took a walk around the yard to see what there was to see. There are very few signs of spring and warmer weather yet to be seen. I had to remind myself it is only March and there is yet another snow storm in the forecast for the beginning of next week. Spring is here just not firmly planted yet. Let me say I am ready for the warm weather to grow roots and stay a while.

 Daffodils have to be the toughest flower out there. They are budding and blooming now and will stand strong against the coming weather. Never fails every year they are the first to peek their pretty heads out and they get snowed on every time, and they still keep on standing. 

The Rhododendron will be blooming soon. April and May are the most beautiful months in New Jersey with all the flowering trees and Rhododendrons in bloom. I don't have a favorite season but the pink and white blooming trees are my favorite part of spring.

  " What Was Dinner"? Dinner was good. Yummy good.  I made this dish last year and did a blog about it then as well however this dish is worth repeating.
original recipe blog
 I reworked the recipe to make it more chachijoan friendly but I didn't change the idea of the recipe at all just used homemade ingredients rather then jarred and canned.

   Meat Loaf Men Love
1 1/2 lb mixed ground meat ( beef, pork, veal )
1 small onion grated
4 cloves garlic minced
1 egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups beef stock or broth
1/2 cup red wine
4 TBS flour
4 TBS butter
5 or 6 medium potatoes
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup or as needed milk
 In a large skillet melt the 4 TBS of butter add 4 TBS of flour whisking quickly whisk until you have a smooth creamy mixture in your pan whisk in the wine and then the broth. heat until thickened. Remove from heat and set a side. In a large bowl combine meat, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, and 1 cup of gravy. Mix it all together if mixture seems to wet add in more bread crumbs. Place the meat mixture in a large loaf pan preheat oven to 400 and bake until cooked completely through. About 35 minutes. While meat is cooking peel and dice potatoes and boil until fork tender. Drain and place them in a large bowl add the 2 TBS of butter and mash the potatoes with a masher. add the milk a little at a time until you get the texture and consistency you like. When the meat loaf is done remove from the oven and turn on the broiler. Using a paper towel carefully remove as much grease as you can. spread your potatoes all over the meat covering from end to end. Place under the broiler until the potatoes begin to brown. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 full minutes before serving. While meat is standing remember to reheat the rest of the gravy. Serve and enjoy.

 Happy Weekend to you! Thank you for stopping by.