Melissa's Idea Garden

Overwhelmed With Joy is hosting Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style, 3rd Edition.

If you are wanting to try out some new recipes this year to wow your family, be sure to go check it out! And don't forget to share one of your tried and true recipes with everyone else!

Below, you will find a recipe that my mom passed down to me. Old-fashioned cooking at its yummiest!

Happy Cooking!

Mincemeat Stuffed Apples
Sheila Elaine Lemley Orndorff Galford, my mom

Ingredients:

6 baking apples, cored
6 tbsp mincemeat
6 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel upper ¼ of apples
3. Fill each with 1 tbsp mincemeat
4. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp brown sugar.
5. Pour ½ cup water into baking pan
6. Place apples in pan
7. Bake 45 minutes, baste frequently
8. Serve with whipped cream

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Have you ever heard someone say Guiness tastes like a chocolate shake? Or how about tabasco that tastes like donut glaze? Vinegar that resembles apple juice?

What, have I gone mad? Nope, but I have been reading about something called a Miracle Fruit that was discovered almost 300 years ago in Africa, but isn't very well known. This fruit has the ability to make sour things sweet (and to make sweet things almost unbearable to eat).

I am thinking this could be the diet secret of the century! I mean...eat lemons and have them taste sweet...don't you see? We could eat the berry, then eat a low calorie meal (like a salad) which would suddenly take on a new taste sensation. The berries tricks last for about up to an hour and each berry sells for about $2.00. I think it would be fun just to try out! Perhaps I will get to experience a Flavor tripping party, or maybe I will just order a couple of berries to see!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week as part of WFMW, I read a post about a gal who was taking the "no sugar plunge." Now when I read this, I understood just what she was going through. I eat way too much sugar! Way, way too much. Like sugar is one of the basic food groups, right?! And I know when I eat the sugar it affects my mood, makes me crave more junk, and is not good for my body. But it is so hard to walk away. It is even harder when you have children. I thought to myself...I really need to do this...truly, but tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Who wants to go on a no sugar plunge on Valentine's Day? So I thought I would wait. But I kept in touch with Laura. I read her other posts and yesterday I joined her and other gals on the 'no sugar plunge'.

I am proud to report that yesterday I met my goals which were to exercise, drink lots of water and ingest no sugar! I even took the kids to Golden Corral and I stayed away from the dessert bar! Can you believe it, people? All of those wonderful desserts: ice cream, cookies, banana pudding, pie, candies... And I didn't even blink!

And you want to know the even more cool part? I couldn't finish my second plate of food! I had a big salad, then I went back for rice and chicken and some fried fish. I couldn't eat it all! We ate early, about 4, and around 8 I got hungry, so I grabbed a piece of fruit.

So here I am on my second day. About 1/3 of the way through and refinded sugar free! I have been drinking my water and I plan to do my weight lifting exercises in a bit. I am just going to take it a day at a time. And I am just going to work on these three goals for a while.

I invite you to visit Laura's blog and read the posts so far. She is encouraging and she is really dedicated to making great posts every day and to keeping up with the people who are making the plunge with her. So read her posts and join us in making a huge change in your life!

Making Homemade Soft Pretzels

The No Sugar Plunge Part 2

The No Sugar Plunge Part 3

The No Sugar Plunge Part 4

Healthy Treat for Today: Peanut Butter Honey Bars (Gluten free!)

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Yep, Valentine's Day is fast approaching and love is in the air. And a favorite way to show love is with yummy sweet treats for the sweet people in our lives. So today, I am busy baking. I am making Heart-Shaped Sandwich Cookies (a recipe I got from Family Circle years ago and have made with rave reviews) and Chocolate Fudge Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache (recipe courtesy of Scribbit. My house smells so yummy!

Continue reading "Here's What's Cooking At My House: Heart-Shaped Sandwich Cookies and Chocolate Fudge Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It has been chilly this week and just the right weather for a big old pot of chili. So today, I got up and got pulled out my Fix It and Forget It Cookbook. I wanted to try a different recipe, because it is good to try new things. So I perused some yummy looking recipes and then chose Colleen's Favorite Chili by Colleen Heatwole of Burton, MI. And it smells so yummy!

Just in case you are feeling like chili, I thought I would share:

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 - 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced fine, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup finely diced green peppers
2 14 1/2 - oz cans diced tomatoes, or 1 quart home-canned tomatoes
30-32 oz beans-kindey, or pinto, or mixture of the two
8-oz can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp beaumonde spice, optional
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp or more, chili powder
1 tsp dried basil

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on low 8-12 hours, or High 5-6 minutes

Variations:

1. Add 1 Tbsp brown sugar to mixture before cooking.
2. Put in another 1 lb eans and then decrease ground beef to 1 lb.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Back, when BooMama was having her Christmas Tour of Homes, I found a yummy recipe for Christmas Quiche at Annie's Eyes

And I made that recipe for Christmas breakfast and it was very yummy. I love quiche, but it is one of those things I don't make very often, truly, I am not sure why.

Anyway, I had ham left from Christmas. I have eaten ham and cheese sandwiches until I though my nose was starting to look a bit like a snout...and don't get me started on my tail! So what to do with? Well, I could freeze it and use it in green beans, but I don't make southern style green beans very often. I could make ham salad, but I don't really care for that...thinking, thinking (smell the smoke?)

AH HA!

New Year's Quiche was born!

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped pepper (I happened to have some red on hand)
2 tbsp onion
1 cup cream
5 eggs
ham
1 deep shell pie crust

Prepare the pie crust.

Whisk the five eggs, then add in the cream, onion, and pepper in one bowl.

Using another bowl, put in the 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and a couple of cups of ham (more or less...I didn't actually measure it.) Mix the cheese and ham up, then put in the prepared pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over top (go slowly with this giving the egg mixture time to sink into the nooks and crannies or else it will run over the side of the crust).

Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. (I have to say that it took my quiche 1 hour and 5 minutes - not sure what the difference in time is).

This was very YUMMY!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Daniel and the children left about 3 hours ago to brave the holiday throng of last minute shoppers so they could purchase some gifts for their favorite person...ME!

So, you may be wondering what I have been doing with my solitude. Reading a good book? Watching a chick flick? Staring misty-eyed at the Christmas tree? HA! I wish!

I have been up since 7:30. I spent a couple of hours reading the news, catching up with some emails and doing some 'internal' work on my blog. Then after a yummy egg and tomato sandwich, I set to work on the cookies that I have been putting off doing...my grandma's molasses cookies! I love these cookies. They are one of my favorite Christmas cookies, but they take hours to make. The mixing alone can take an hour (for an old slow person like me) because you mix up the liquid ingredients and then you add up to five pounds of flour until the dough is the right consistency (not too sticky to work with, not too stiff so the cookies will e dry). Then there is the rolling and cutting out of the cookies...and with 5 pounds of flour, you know there are a lot of cookies to make! I started on the cookies about 9:30 and finished at 2. But they are soooo yummy!

Continue reading "Three More Days to Go...What Are You Doing?" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My husband sent me a link to an interesting cookie the other day. I enjoy trying new combinations of food. For example, I enjoy mustard on french fries and mashed potatoes. I enjoy bacon and peanut butter sandwiches. And I like dill pickle and peanut butter sandwiches (weird sounding I know, and yes, I have only tried them once, but they were suprisingly tasty!).

So, this idea of bacon and chocolate chip cookies has me intrigued. Go check out the recipe and see if it is something you would like to try.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It is cold and the soup is on! Join Boo Mama and other souper moms to get a yummy recipe that will warm your innards and thrill your taste buds!

Melissa’s Vegetable Soup
Melissa Orndorff Davis Markham, I created this

Ingredients:

Wyler’s Soup starter (vegetable or beef stew)
1 onion, chopped or diced depending on what you like
1 lb stew beef
1 bag (2 lb) frozen mixed vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
Garlic and other seasonings to taste
2-3 tbsp oil

Directions:

First I follow the directions on the soup starter which is to put 6 cups of water into a pot, mix with soup mix and bring to a boil. Then it has to cook for 20 minutes on low with a cover on the pot.

Meanwhile heat oil in a skillet, then add in onions and garlic (the garlic is optional, but I love it. I put in 1 tbsp). Once the onions are starting to soften, add stew meat and brown. Add stew meat, onions and juices into the pot with the soup starter. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and frozen veggies. If you like other seasonings/flavors, add them in.

Then let simmer for 3 hours for the flavor to go through.

I can't find the Wyler's mix anymore, so I just follow the other directions and add my own seasonings. DH loves my veggie soup.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This post is a sticky post and will be the second top post on my blog until December 7th. Please scroll down for newer posts

Tiany is hosting a Holiday Homeschool Open House 2007. If you haven't heard about it, no worries, there is plenty of time to join in! It beings December 3rd and runs until December 7th. This is a chance for you to share about Christmas - you choose what. Memories, crafts, special traditions, recipes, etc.

Christmas is a busy time in our home. We actually homeschool extra in the summer so we can take the month of December off for baking, visiting, decorating and having fun.

Baking cookies is something that I have done since I was a child. My mom is an excellent cook and she always made lots and lots of different kinds. The month of December, our home smelled good the whole month long. We ate cookies, we gave cookies away as gifts and one of my favorite childhood traditions was eating cookies for breakfast on Christmas morning. As I got older, I would get out all the cookies, start the coffee, pour the milk, turn on the Christmas music, and set the table. I am sure mom and dad were awake, but they slept quietly and let me get things ready. I decided that I would share our favorite cookie recipes here with you. (warning, we like a lot of cookies). Hopefully there will be a recipe you haven't run across before. Enjoy!

Continue reading "Holiday Homeschool Open House 2007 - Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

One thing so enjoyable about winter is the products that you have this time of year that you don't have other times of year. Anymore, they are available year around, but not many people are making cranberry salads or pumpkin pies in the summer time. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, I wanted to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Here are two Cranberry Salad Recipes. They are both very tasty and I hope you will enjoy them!

Cranberry Salad
Sheila Elaine Lemley Orndorff Galford, my mom

Ingredients:

2 pkg cherry jello
1 orange
1 lb whole cranberries
2 cups boiling water
1 cup chopped nuts
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

Directions:

Wash and sort cranberries, run through food processor or blender until well ground. Chop nuts and grind orange. Make jello with 2 cups hot water, then add all ingredients to jell0. Mix and put in mold to gel. Then serve.

Cranberry Salad 2
Melissa Dawn Orndorff Davis Markham, not sure where I got this

Ingredients:

1 can cranberries
1 can (15 ¼ oz) pineapple, crushed
½ cup pecans
8 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sugar
1 envelope dream whip

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, sugar. Set aside – mix – up dream whip. Add pineapple, cranberries, and pecans to dream whip and stir and then add in cream cheese, mayonnaise and sugar. Freeze

For other great Thanksgiving Recipes check these:

Pumpkin Pie

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I grew up eating my grandmother's pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving and I make my Grandma's Pumpkin Pie every Thanksgiving now, but not everyone wants to try it. I was astounded the first time I went to my husband's grandmother's house for Thanksgiving dinner...her pumpkin pie was ...well, let's say a pale orange. I didn't even recognize it...I thought maybe it was sweet potato pie or something else I had heard of but never seen. Instead it was pumpkin pie...unspiced pumpkin pie. There are plenty of people who like their pumpkin pie that way, but I am not one of them. In fact a few years ago, I took one of my pumpkin pies (a dark, rich orange), and no one at Nanny's would even try it. HMPH! So if you like your pumpkin pie to have a little kick, here's my Grandma's recipe. I guarantee it is yummy!

Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie
Sylvia Powell Lemley, my grandma

Ingredient:

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 cups cooked (cooled) pumpkin
2 tsp corn starch
3 eggs
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp clove
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp salt
Shake of pepper
1 tsp vanilla
1 large can evaporated

Makes 2 small or 1 large pie

Directions:

1. Beat corn starch into cashew or pumpkin, add eggs and beat. Add sugar, spices and milk. Beat well with a wire whip.
2. Bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Scribbit is having a Winter Bazaar to give us all a chance to chat about recipes, crafty ideas or other specific topic items. Each Wednesday she will be hosting the Winter bazaar at her website. For the month of November she is looking for posts related to Thanksgiving.

When I was growing up my mom often came to have Thanksgiving dinner with us. My grandfather was dead and my mom an only child. So if Grandma wasn't working (she worked shift work in a factory), she would come for the holidays. On Thanksgiving morning, it was all about the parades for me. I was busily devouring them from 9 - 12 while mom and grandma made delicious smells issue from the kitchen.

I loved the Macy's Day parade, And the Hawaiian parade with all of the beautiful floral floats.

My mom did most of the cooking, but she always had grandma make her famous candied sweet potatoes. So here is that yummy recipe for you to try this Thanksgiving!

Grandma’s Candied Sweet Potatoes
Sylvia Powell Lemley, my grandmother

Ingredients:

8 large sweet potatoes
½ box brown sugar
½ cup white sugar (granulated)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ stick margarine
1 heaping spoon Crisco shortening
Directions:

In electric skillet place shortening and margarine, let melt. Peel and slice potatoes, slice them thick. Place in skillet, salt and pepper then add both kinds of sugar. Next cover with water, then place lid on top and put on medium heat (320 degrees) leave there till starts cooking good then turn down to low heat. Just high enough so they continue to cook. Let cook like this for about an hour or until all water has cooked off and there is a nice syrup around the potatoes. Do not stir. If necessary while they are cooking move them around gently in the pan with a pointed fork. If you stir them, they will get mushy.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

My mom is a wonderful cook as were her mom and her grandmother. She always seems to add a little something extra and the things she cooks often look like the pictures you see in magazines or cookbooks...just perfect! And they taste even better!

At Christmas, Mom is most in her element. Cookies, cakes, candies...and the house always smells so good. I have many fond memories of baking cookies with Mom. There was one item she made every year that made our mouths water and got Dad involved too. Fresh Coconut cake. If you have never had fresh coconut cake, you can find the recipe below. It is out of this world. And let me tell you, bagged coconut doesn't begin to compare! Why did Dad get involved? Well he was the one breaking open the coconut.

He and I would go downstairs with the coconut and make a place on his work bench. With hammer and screwdriver, he would knock out the 'eyes' (that's what I call them) and drain out the coconut milk (you need that for the recipe). Then he would use the hammer to tap on the shell until he got it cracked open and got the coconut broken into chunks that Mom could use.

Continue reading "Christmas and Fresh Coconut Cake" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I recently got a trial issue of a magazine that I am definitely going to invest it: Taste of the South. This magazine is chock full of yummy recipes and great pictures.

Last night I wanted to cook something yummy and different. In our house, we mostly eat different things. My hubby is on a low-carb diet, I am on a low calorie diet, and my kids don't like either of those diets. But I was tired of eating my dinners out of the microwave.

So I chose the below recipe and it is fantastic! I added some hormel bacon bits that I had on hand for a little bacony flavor. Give it a whirl the next time you want a twist on your meatloaf!

Yo Mama’s Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy of Susan Graniero, in Taste of the South Magazine,
Fall 2007

Ingredients:

1 egg
¾ cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup quick-cooking oats
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup drained salsa
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 ½ tsp prepared mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet; set aside

In a large bowl, beat egg and milk together. Stir in cheese, oats, onion, and salt. Add ground beef and mi well. Shape mixture into a loaf. Place on baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine salsa, brown sugar, and mustard. Spoon over meatloaf.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Scribbit is having a Winter Bazaar to give us all a chance to chat about recipes, crafty ideas or other specific topic items. Each Wednesday she will be hosting the Winter bazaar at her website. For the month of October she is looking for posts related to Halloween.

For this week's bazaar, I will share some Halloween Recipes:

Continue reading "Winter Bazaar - Halloween Recipes" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Overwhelmed With Joy is Hosting the 2nd annual Holiday Cooking Blogger Style extravaganza!

You are not going to want to miss out on this! It is a great way to share your favorite holiday recipes and to learn some new ones! So post your favorite recipes, then fill out Mr. Linky at Overwhelmed With Joy's post. Then read other recipes there so you can add some new holiday cooking to your menu this year! Have fun!

Continue reading "Holiday Cooking Blogger Style" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a preview to what is going to be happening here at Yesterday's Hopes for the month of October. I have written three ebooks. The Komodo Dragon, The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, and The American Bison. For the month of October, i will be offering a chance at prizes and the opportunity to support Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans for anyone who buys one or more of my products. In addition to the three ebooks, I also have a recipe cd that contains over 460 recipes and a friend of mine has provided a website where you can learn all about selling on Ebay.

To help me get this started off, Laura at Laura Williams' Musings is hosting a contest where you can have a chance to win all three of my ebooks for free! And just so you don't have to take my word for it that these are great products, she has provided reviews! You can check them out here at the links below!

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Ebook

American Bison Ebook

Komodo Dragons Ebook

M.O.M.'s Recipes CD

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I have been working on losing weight (again). For the first time I have tried to go for the realistic goals. My goal is to lose one pound a week. If I lose more than that, I get to do the happy dance. I figured out how many calories I would need to eat to maintain my current weight, then I subtracted 500 calories a day to lose the 3500 calories a week that makes up a pound.

I can't exercise right now due to knee problems. It is possible as I lose weight that I will be able to walk more or use our elliptical machine, or maybe I will have to have surgery, but regardless, I have to focus on less intake, not more activity for right now.

I get hungry later in the day. I am not so hungry in the morning. I try to get (4) 350 calorie meals a day and that leaves a little extra if a meal goes over or I want a small bedtime snack. I have breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack and supper.

Continue reading "Diet Strategy and a Yummy Chocolate Shake!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Somedays it doesn't pay to read your RSS feeds. I got links today to two, count them TWO, yummy looking recipes that are designed to tempt my tongue and my mouth, and add more inches to my hips....

But just so I don't dive into these yummy recipes alone, I am going to share them here.

BooMama is sharing her Mom's Yummy Ice Cream Pie....caution...no questions of calories allowed!

And Boston Mamas has a Walnut Cake recipe up to tempt your senses...just in time for the cooler weather and walnut season!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Multi-tasking Moms Blog is having a recipe round-up contest. They are looking for recipes that take 30 minutes or less to prepare. So I am sharing a recipe from my Recipe CD (which is available for sale) in the hopes of winning the cute apron that is being given as a prize. This recipe was passed down from my great grandmother!

Continue reading "Recipe Round-Up: Potato Burgers" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

We are going to visit friends today for fun in the pool and then dinner. I made Black Bean and Corn Ranch Salad and Cherries and Chocolate Fudge. Both have turned out excellently even though I had to make a substitution for the fudge. It called for candied cherries, but I couldn't find any, so I used dried cherries (like raisins). Not only is the fudge awesome, it was sooooooo easy! These and other recipes can be found on my Recipe CD (see the link at the top right of my blog. For $10.00 you receive a CD in a sleeve with over 460 recipes on it. The $10.00 includes shipping charges. That is mere pennies per recipe! For a sample of the recipes included, be sure to check out my Recipes category on my blog.

Cherries and Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (12 oz) Hershey’s Semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup coarsely chopped almonds
½ cup chopped candied cherries (can also use dried cherries –like raisins)
1 tsp almond extract

Directions:

1. Line square pan, 8 x 8 x 2 inches, with foil.
2. In medium micro-proof bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips
3. Microwave on high 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in chopped almonds, cherries and almond extract
4. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
5. Cover, chill until firm.
6. Store covered in fridge.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For my 17th Christmas, the last one at home before I went to college, my mother gave me one of the best Christmas presents I have ever received. She gave me a recipe box full of recipes from when I was growing up. Many were recipes I had tasted, some were ones she thought I would like but she had not yet made. I have referred to that box often. I now have a 21 year old stepson who enjoys cooking. So I decided to type all of my mother's recipes and ones I have collected over the years and put them in my computer. There are 460 recipes so far! I then saved these to a disk so I could send it to Bruce and to some others on my list.

As I typed these recipes in, I started making some dishes I hadn't made or had in a while. And they were all so yummy. I have shared some of them here on this blog.

Continue reading "M.O.M.'s Recipes and a Contest!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

I made this yesterday and it is very yummy! My mom gave me the recipe. It is a pretty easy cake to make and it takes advantage of in season fruit! Enjoy!

Blackberry Pound Cake
Sheila Elaine Lemley Orndorff Galford, my mom

Ingredients:

8 oz of cream cheese
2 sticks margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
Blackberries (2 cups)
Directions:

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour if the bundt pan is not coated with Silverstone or some other non-stick product, if the pan is coated with one of those products, bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Mix the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl, set aside. Using an electric mixer cream margarine/butter and cream cheese, then add the sugar a little at a time, about 1/4 cup each time. Then alternate flour and eggs, mix until all is well blended. Add vanilla, mix well.

Take bundt pan grease and flour or use joy baking spray, then pour in half of batter, place a layer of blackberries on top of this layer, then place remainder of batter on top of berries, last cover this layer with berries (I used approximately 1 cup of berries on top of each layer).

I have also used blue berries in place of blackberries. This is a very moist cake and should be stored in the refrigerator to keep it from molding.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I found this yummy recipe at Cooks.com. So I thought I would share it here. If you haven't visite that website before, check it out! Lots of good stuff there!

Cold Pasta Salad
Cooks.com

Ingredients:

1 lb pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup Italian salad dressing or vinaigrette
1 tbsp Salad Supreme seasoning
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped
1 ½ red onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped

Directions:

Combine all above ingredients into a very large bowl and marinate overnight. Put a lid over your bowl. Serve cold.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Below you will find the recipe for tonight's dinner. A couple of years ago, my husband learned of Dreamfields Pasta. Which fits perfectly with the low carb diet plan since it only has a vew grams of digestible carbs per serving. This recipe was one of the award winners listed on the Dreamfields site. If you go get the stuff today and make it tonight or tomorrow, then you can serve it on Wednesday at your 4th of July cook-out. It is different and tasty! (and you can always use regular rotini)..

Sherri’s Summer Seafood Salad
From the Dreamfields Website

Ingredients:

8 oz Dreamfields Rotini
1 cup medium shrimp (tender cooked)
1/3 cup cooked scallops
½ cup cooked peas (optional)
¼ cup finely diced celery
¼ cup finely chopped red onion (optional)
½ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup (more or less) Hellman’s Lite Mayonnaise
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Fresh lemon juice squeezed (1/2 or whole)
1 tbsp dried parsley
paprika
Directions:

1. Cook Rotini according to package directions. Drain (do not blanch), chill
2. Put together remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Toss chilled pasta gently with all ingredients.
4. Place in a pretty serving casserole dish and top with sprinkled paprika
5. Refrigerate before serving

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I continue to make recipes from the file my mom gave me 20 years ago. It is nice to try dishes I remember from my childhood and some of them I didn't like as a child. This is one such example. I didn't really like cooked green peppers, but when we at this last night, I loved the flavorful and juicy explosion that came with each bite! Give them a try!

Continue reading "Stuffed Green Peppers" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

We tried two new dishes tonight. Both were yummy and easy.

Chicken Supreme Dijon and Oriental Green Beans.

Enjoy!

Continue reading "Tonight's Dinner" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

When I was growing up, my mom cooked every day. During the week we had staple meals like fried pork chops, hamburgers, tacos, fish sticks, things like that. Then on weekends it would be things like roast beef and mashed potatoes or spaghetti or lasagna...As she has grown older she has cooked a lot, both for herself and her husband and for church events and for work...she is a great cook. Me...well, I am a mediocre cook. I can generally follow a recipe, but I don't get too inventive with what I am doing.

Continue reading "Tonight's Dinner" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)