Gourmet Book Club

04/28/2025

When it’s storming outside, it’s a good day to create something quick and yummy. Checked out my refrigerator and found butter steak, onions, red and green pepper and some pesto. Created a garlicky beef and veggie stir fry.

Ingredients

1-2 lbs. Butter Steak
1 Large Yellow or Vidalia Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
2 Tbls. Chopped Garlic
1/2 Stick of salted butter
2 Tbls. Avacado or olive oil
1 Tbls Paprika
2 Tbls Corn Starch
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tap. Onion powder
1 Tbls. Worchester Sauce
1/3 C Soy Sauce
1 Tbls. Mustard
1/2 C Pesto

Place corn starch and seasoning coated meat in pan with butter and oil. Lihjtly brown meat, anout 5 minutes.
Add
Worchester, Mustard, and Soy Sauce, stir to mix, sauce should be thickened.
Add
Sliced Onions and Peppers
Continue stir frying meat and veggies until veggies begin to soften.

Add Pesto, stir and serve with cooked rice. Any kind works well. My favorite is Basmati or Jasmine. Make according to package directions.

04/20/2025

Happy Easter Appetizer

Pesto Cheese Baguette Chickies

Slice baguette into small rounds
Brush each slice with melted garlic butter
Layout in toaster oven, air fryer or oven to toast lightly.

Allow to cool.

Brush each slice with basil pesto, I use store bought pesto. You can find pesto in the refridgerator section where you find mozzarella cheese. Also, you can find pesto in jars in the Italian, pasta and sauce section.

Cut and arrange yellow cheese as the chick and white cheese as the shell. I use yellow cheddar and provolone cheeses with cheese and vegetable cutting tools.

On each, use black sesame seeds for eyes and a tiny slice of orange pepper for the beek.

Enjoy! Tasty morsels!

04/06/2025

03/10/2025

Came up with a breakfast brunch or quick breakfast bite using Amylu Breakfast Bites - Chicken Sausage meatballs.

1. Scramble 5 eggs with a little milk. Salt and pepper. Feel free to add finely chopped onions and/or peppers or yet other veggies like mushrooms.
2. Heat meatballs according to package in Microwave.
3. Slice each meatball in half.
4. In my mini muffin plan, pour scrambled eggs into each muffin well, fill only half way to avoid over filling once meatballs and cheese are added.
4. Place half a meatball in each well flat sliced side down.
5. Sprinkle each with shredded parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until eggs are cooked. Yummy!

02/25/2025

Leftover pizza hack! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1E7bMhbirE/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/25/2025

Love awesome kitchen tricks! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DAoKNRcm5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

01/17/2025

Oh Yum! Fresh and lite crab salad for lunch or appetizer.

I had some red peppers, green onions, crab meat and cucumbers in my refrigerator and I combined to make delicious crab salad.

I pkg. imitation or 1 can/container of real crab meat or a mixture of both chopped
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped English mini cucumber
5-6 chopped green onions, whites and greens
3-4 crushed/chopped cloves of garlic
1/2 C Mayonnaise - I bet to make it even lighter, 1/2 C of Greek Yogurt would also work as an alternate to mayonnaise.
1 Tsp. Onion powder
1 Tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
2 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar
Pepper to taste
For a little spice…add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.

Several ways to serve:
For a lite lunch
1)Stuff mixture in a raw red pepper, serve on a lettuce leaf.
2)Spread on a croissant open or closed face, serve with cut up fruit
3)Scoop in a tossed lettuce salad with a sliced hardboiled egg, walnuts or pecans, crumbled blue or feta cheese, croutons, or other salad fixings desired.

Appetizer
1)Place mixture in a bowl, center on a plate and arrange crackers around the bowl on the plate and use as a dip
2)Scoop a small amount in Tostito Scoops and serve as bite size morsels
2)Add a 1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese and using refrigerator puffed pastry, rollout, cut into 1-2 inch squares. Spray a small muffin pan, lay each square in each muffin container, scoop a small amount of crab mixture in each, the pastry should be slightly large than each muffin container so it stands up above the mixture. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, just enough time for the cheese to melt.

01/11/2025

Getting creative again in the kitchen with ingredients I found in the refrigerator and cupboard.

Spinach, Artichoke, Sun Dried Tomato & Crab Soup

Ingredients & Directions:

In soup pot - On low to medium heat.
Add: 1 chopped Yellow Onion
1 C chopped Celery
2 T. Butter

Sauté until onion and celery are translucent.

Without turning stove off, continue to add the following ingredients, stirring until all combined as you add ingredients

Add: 4 Finely chopped Garlic Cloves

Add: 48 Oz. Chicken Broth
1 - 7oz Jar Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped
1 - 14.5oz Marinated Artichoke Hearts chopped
1 - 6oz Bag Fresh Baby Spinach
1 tsp Hot Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional: 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

Bring to a boil until spinach is wilted.

Add: 1 C shredded Gruyère Cheese

Stirring until cheese is melted and soup begins to thicken a bit more.

Stir in: 2 C Heavy Whipping Cream

Continue stirring soup. It will get a bit thicker.

Just before serving,

Mix in: 1 C Crab Meat (I used Imitation Crab)

Serve with 1/4 C Shredded Asiago Cheese sprinkled on top and add a slice of Crusty Bread.

Optional: Sprinkle a little chopped fresh Parsley for color and added flavor before serving if so desire.

12/31/2024

Happy New Year!

11/13/2024

Decided to share a few of my favorite things I’ve baked!

08/25/2024

Did your mother ever make sliced cucumbers and onions as a side dish in the summer when you were growing up? Mine did, and I remember how refreshing they were especially when the cucumbers were picked fresh from the garden. Many recipes call for white sugar and vinegar, well I make mine just a little differently and hopefully a little healthier…

Peel and slice 2 - 3 Cucumbers
Peel and slice a Vidalia Onion
Add 3-4 Tbls. Honey
1/4 C white vinegar - Apple cider vinegar also works
Sprinkle with 1 tsp. garlic salt
Sprinkle with 1 tsp. black pepper
Add 3-5 drops of Tabasco

It’s got a little kick but refreshing and honey gives it a little warmer flavor than with white sugar.

Delish!

08/16/2024

Love Vietnamese cooking especially when you read a compelling novel that lands you in the heart of Vietnam during the Vietnam war from US military nurses perspective, Kristin Hannah’s The Women. Our tasty morsels to enhance our Vietnam immersion…

Lemongrass Paradise Cocktail
Bánh mì Bite Appetizer
Gỏi Gá - Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Che Chuoi - Banana Tapioca Pudding

07/25/2024

When you’re looking for a quick easy sweet treat for the summer that won’t heat up your kitchen,

What’s better than a twist on Rice Krispie Treats.

Captain Crunch/Rice Krispy/Reese’s Treats

In a microwaveable bowl melt 3 Tbls. Butter about 30 sec.

To the butter, add:
1 - 10oz bag of Jet Puffed mini marshmallows
1 C. Peanut Butter
1 C. Butterscotch Chips

Heat in microwave until marshmallows and chips are melted about 1 min. Stir to blend all ingredients.

Add:
2.5 C. Captain Crunch cereal (Alternate - Peanut Butter Captain Crunch or Reese’s Puff’s) or a cup of each)
2.5 C. Rice Krispy’s cereal - If use a cup of each of previous cereals then just 2 C. Rice Krispy’s.

Carefully fold the cereal into melted ingredients so as not to breakup the cereal until fully coated.

Press mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.

In a microwavable bowl, for 30sec. - 1 min.,
Melt an 11.5 Oz. Bag of Hersey’s Milk Chocolate Chips and 1 Tbls. Butter (Alternate - Semi sweet chocolate chips)

Stir and pour over treats and spread to cover fully.

Unwrap about 20 Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and crumble over the top.

05/02/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/MfvHfDu6tmdi74ya/?mibextid=w8EBqM&startTimeMs=1000

04/26/2024

Want a yummy refreshing lite dessert? Try easy to make Lemon Mousse!

1 (11.5 Oz.) Jar Lemon Curd
2 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 C Powdered Sugar

Combine in a bowl and using an electric mixer, whip until peaks form and refrigerate for 5-24 hours. Serve with a berry like raspberry or blackberry and mint leaf or lemon slice.

04/04/2024

It’s left over concoction day. Found leftover roast beef, shredded cabbage, onion mushrooms and Asian noodles.

Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

Cooked Beef Roast cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbls. Worcheshire Sauce
1/2 Cabbage Shredded
1 Large Onion sliced
2 C Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 Stick of Butter
1/4 C Tomato Paste
1/2 C Black Bean Garlic Sauce
1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbls. Lemon Juice
2 Garlic Cloves chopped
2 Pkgs. Asian/Ramen Noodes - Optional if watching carbs.
Salt and Pepper to taste

Serve with crusty bread - Optional if watching carbs.

If on hand, Carrots and Bok Choy might be good additions.

Directions:
1)Melt 1/2 stick butter in pan or Dutch oven.
2)Add cabbage, onion, and mushrooms. Cook until soft on low heat.
3)Add beef, tomato paste and garlic to pan. Continue cooking.
4)Add black bean garlic sauce and balsamic vinegar. Blend.
5)Add lemon juice, blend.
5)Add Asian noodles and cook until noodles are soft.
6)Salt and pepper to your taste.

01/22/2024

Perfect breakfast or brunch item for a crowd. Sliders are all the rage and so easy to make. It's all about the assembly.

One of my favorites is my Meat Lovers Breakfast Slider!

Mary's Meat Lovers Breakfast Slider
12-24 Hawaiian Rolls - Sliced through all 12/24
1 lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage browned
4-6 Eggs scrambled
1/4 C Heavy Cream or Milk/Half and Half
2 Tbls. Butter for skillet
1/2 C. Butter Melted
1-2 Tbls. Maple Syrup
1-4 Deli Sliced Ham or Canadien Bacon
5-6 Slices of Bacon Cooked or use 1 2 .8 oz. pkg. Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon
4 Slices American Cheese or your choice.
1 - 8 oz. Pkg. of Shredded Cheese, your choice, I use 4 cheese blend.
Everything Bagel Seasoning - Montreal Steak is also good.

Prepare ahead:
1) 12 or 24 package of Hawaiian Rolls sliced through entire 12 to separate top and bottom but keep all 12 connected between each roll so you have 2 rectangles, one top and one bottom of 12.
2) In a skillet: Brown 1 lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
Once browned, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3) Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Reuse for your eggs.
4) Beat 4-6 eggs in a bowl with 1/4 C. Heavy Cream - You can use Milk or Half and Half beat to scramble consistency.
5) In skillet add 2 Tbls. Butter, pour egg mixture in and cook until fluffy scrambled eggs, not too runny, not too dry. Set aside.
6) Melt 1/2 C. Butter with 1-2 Tbls. Maple Syrup - Set aside.
7) You can fry 5-6 slices of bacon and either leave in strips or crumble as desired. I use Hormel, Real Bacon Crumbles. Very good and so easy to use when a recipe calls for bacon.
😎 Unwrap your sliced cheese and have shredded cheese set aside.
9) Have your package of deli ham available and set aside.

Assembly:
On a baking sheet, either lined with parchment or greased, lay bottom rectangle of the Hawaiian Rolls on pan. You can butter this bottom half but I do not think it is necessary.

1. Layer cheese slices, covering the base.
2. Layer deli ham.
3. Layer scrambled eggs.
4. L:ayer sausage and bacon.
5. Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese.
6. Place the top rectangle of rolls on top and push down to secure but not so hard that the ingredients spill out.
7. Brush the top of the rolls with your butter/maple syrup mixture.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cheese melts and tops of rolls just begin to lightly brown. Be careful to watch so you do not over cook because the Bagel Seasoning will begin to burn giving the rolls a bitter flavor.

01/20/2024

Spinach Lovers! I had left over Spanakopita filling from my Greek Thursday Night Gourmet Book Club and thought to myself, what could I do with the left overs. I thought, I could add 6 more eggs and make a crustless Greek Frittata for breakfast, in the microwave. It is delicious, easy to make and quick. I make it in my Tupperware Microwave Casserole Dish. Recipe below:

Spray dish with Pam Olive Oil

In greased casserole dish:

Combine:
2 Pkgs. Frozen Spinach Thawed, drained and squeezed dry of all moisture.
1 Bunch flat leaf parsley or Italian parsley. Trim off stems and chop leaves.
1 Large onion finely chopped
2 Cloves garlic minced
2 Tbls. Olive oil
4/10 Eggs (Spanikopita calls for 4 eggs but I added 6 more for a total of 10 for the frittata.
6 Oz. Package of crumbled feta cheese - I use Garlic & Herb Crumbled Feta Cheese.
1 Tbls. Fresh Dill chopped, stems removed - I have used dried dill or dill in a tube as well but fresh is always better.
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in the greased dish, ensuring eggs are thoroughly mixed into spinach/feta ingredients.

Cook in microwave on high for 12 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, cut and serve.

Can be a lunch meal or breakfast/brunch meal. The salad recipe below is awesome with this frittata for lunch or brunch.

🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

Greek Tomato Dill & Feta Salad Recipe:
In a salad serving bowl mix all ingredients below:
1 medium onion sliced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/3 C Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Red Bell Pepper cut in 1 inch pieces
4 baby English Cucumbers cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 C chopped basil
1/4 C chopped mint leaves
1/4 C chopped dill w**d
2 Cartons of cherry heirloom tomatoes cut in halves.
4 Oz. Crumbled feta cheese - I use garlic herb feta.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 C. Red wine vinegar but I omitted it and actually liked it better with just Olive oil.