Italian Sub

Look at this ginormous Italian sub!  Last night M made this grinder with all Boarshead products including: roast beef, Genoa salami, hot capicola, mortadella, and provolone cheese on a soft, fresh French loaf.  He also added olive oil and balsamic vinegar, thinly sliced onions, leaf lettuce, and tomatoes lightly salt and peppered.  We had enough for dinner and lunch.  It was even better today because the flavors had more time to develop. 

Matryoshka Doll

M's Bapchi celebrated her 89th birthday this month!  Sto Lat! (May you live to be 100 years).  In honor of this milestone, I used the matryoshka ornament pattern and presented her with a handmade gift.  Doesn't this nesting doll look so content on the Ukrainian tea towel?

Banana Nut Muffins

Today I turned our overripe bananas and left-over coconut milk into healthy, wholesome banana nut muffins. 

For this recipe you'll need:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup ground flax seed meal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup coconut milk
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
Optional - about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar mixed with a tablespoon of melted butter 

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Add paper liners to muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, walnuts, ground flax seed meal, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

3. In a separate bowl, add mashed bananas, coconut milk, butter and egg.  Mix together.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix just until blended.

5. Evenly place the batter into the paper tins - filling about 2/3 of the way.

6. Bake for about 20-22 minutes. 

7.  (Optional) When the muffins come out of the oven, immediately top with cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture.

Kale and Potato Zuppa

Looking for a new kale dish?  This was a delicious and hearty soup. Last week,  I ate it for lunch everyday.  The potatoes absorbed most of the broth, so I might add more chicken broth next time.  Here's the recipe.

Cooking Notes: I added salt and pepper, which wasn't in the recipe and used russet potatoes, not Yukon Gold, because that's what we had in the pantry.  Also I didn't sprinkle any cheese on top and it was still tasty. 

Mushroom Cross Stitch for Memory Jar

As I was putting away Friday night's concert tickets in my movie and concert memory jar, I realized that I never shared this project.  I originally saw both ideas (the memory jar and mushroom cross stitch pattern) on Pinterest and decided to combine the two.

Putting concert, movie, and sporting event tickets in a mason jar is an easy and creative way to keep your ticket stubs together.  You could keep the lid as is, but I thought I would go that extra step and cross stitch something small - like a mushroom - for the top.  The free pattern is here.  I added some batting to make the lid puffy. 

Chicken Bacon Alfredo Pasta

For this dish you'll need:

1/4 box of pasta
olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 cup cream
1 and 1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cream cheese
Salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
1 can peas
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped 
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
handful of fresh chopped basil

Directions:

1. Boil your choice of pasta in salted water.  We used angel hair.  Drain and lightly toss is olive oil.

2. Saute 2 cups of sliced mushrooms and onions.  Set aside. 

2. In a separate sauce pan, melt a 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat.  Whisk in cream, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese.  Add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.  Add a can of peas, cooked chicken, mushrooms and onions. 

3. Add cooked noodles to the sauce pan and toss to coat.

4. Plate and add crispy, chopped bacon and basil. 

Cooking note - The Parmesan cheese was challenging to melt.  Next time we might use a cheese that melts easier, like Provolone, an Asiago blend, or Gruyere. 

Seven Layer Cookies

For Seven Layer Cookies you only need seven ingredients and the whole dessert is made in one 13x9 pan.  It couldn't be easier!

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup butterscotch flavored chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 and 1/3 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass dish).

2. In the 13x9 baking pan melt butter in the oven.

3. Sprinkle the crumbs over butter. With a fork, form the crumbs into a crust. 

4. Pour condensed milk evenly on top of crust.

4. Top with remaining ingredients in order listed; press down firmly with fork.

5. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

6. Cool or chill if desired.  Cut into bars.  Take your time cutting to make nice neat pieces.   Cover and  store at room temperature.

Makes 24-36 bars.

Cooking Note - These were a hit at work.  M suggested peanut butter chips; next time I think I will substitute the butterscotch ones for pb chips, or maybe even use dark chocolate chips.