NIXA JOURNAL: Cooking and end of VECC

Why I love our president. He's probably one of the most likeable presidents in the history of the USA. Click Here

We'll finish off VECC in a minute, but I want to share some things with you. First is a new pie filling I bought at Walmart. I liked it so much, I went back and bought all they had on the shelf. You know how it is with new products - here today, then gone, never to return.

I used it on some of those mini-cheesecakes we had on 4th of July. It comes in slices, so I had to give it a good chop first. Also good on ice cream or cottage cheese.

I'm trying to eat more salads, and this is my latest.

KC CHICKEN MEAL SALAD

(4 servings)

10 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2-2/3 cups cubed grilled chicken (ready in the meat counter or DIY)
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-1/3 cups corn (cooked and cut from the cob, canned, or frozen and cooked)
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 green onions, sliced (or use red onion slivers)
1 cup Ranch dressing (I use Aldi’s)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I use KC Masterpiece Original)
Tortilla strips or chili-cheese Fritos (optional garnish)

Combine the Ranch dressing and barbecue sauce, dress and toss the salad, and garnish.

Salad for one: 2-1/2 cups Romaine, 2/3 cup chicken, 1/3 cup black beans, 1/3 cup corn, 5 cherry tomatoes, 1 green onion, 2 Tbs Ranch dressing, and 1 Tbs barbecue sauce.

Friend Linda sent me a wonderful plan for making quick meals; you might even be able to make one with what you already have on hand. My first attempt will be next week. I'll let you know. It's a 5-Step Plan, but easy steps.

FIVE-STEP CREATE YOUR OWN DESIGNER CUISINE

Step 1:

8 ounces sour cream
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Mix together and add one item from Group A.
Note: If using tomatoes, omit sour cream and milk.

Step 2:
Stir in one item from each of Groups B, C, D, and E.

Step 3:
Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13” x 9” baking dish.

Step 4: Sprinkle with one or two choices from Group F.

Step 5:
Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serves 6

Group A:
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can Cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
2 cans diced tomatoes, do NOT drain

Group B:
2 cans solid white tuna, drained and flaked
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups chopped cooked ham
2 cups chopped cooked pork
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained

Group C:
2 cups elbow macaroni, not cooked
3 cups medium pasta shells, not cooked
4 cups wide egg noodles, not cooked
1 cup rice, not cooked

Group D:
1 10-oz package chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 10-oz package frozen broccoli
1 10-oz package frozen Italian green beans
1 10-oz package frozen peas
1 10-oz package frozen sliced yellow squash
1 10-oz package frozen corn
1 10-oz package frozen asparagus
1 10-oz package frozen carrots
1 10-oz package frozen mixed vegetables
1 10-oz package frozen pepper and onion blend

Group E:
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 packet taco seasoning mix

Group F:
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup lightly crushed potato chips
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Doesn't this look like fun?

And I have this from Friend Fannie Mae:

Something I learned last evening or this morning that gave me a different perspective of our country. While I have struggled with many things that have happened in our country--many things even with leadership on both sides, and with so much wickedness, abortion, etc., I had not processed that America is an ideal to achieve, not a total reality.

But no other country in the world has such an ideal. Most of them are run by dictators of one sort or another. Our constitution values the individual, and has at it's core Judeo Christian values.

Thank God for America.

When I went to Sam's on the 4th of July, I bought three rotisserie chickens. I deboned them, cut up the meat and froze it in the portions I need for specific recipes. I froze the bones and skin, and added them to the carcass I had in the freezer, so I had four total. Then I made chicken broth. I ended with three quarts and one pint. It's so much better than the stuff in the cartons. Take a look.

HyVee's ad this week mentioned National Hot Dog Day. I've been thinking about those great hot dogs at Sam's every day since the 4th. That reminded me that we haven't looked at the national days for awhile, so here we go.

Monday - Macaroni and cheese day

Tuesday - Tapioca Pudding Day and also Give Something Away Day

Wednesday - Here it is! National Hot Dog Day AND Personal Chef Day

Thursday - Peach Ice Cream Day AND Lottery Day

Friday - Tropical Fruit Day

Saturday - Toss Away the Could Haves and Should Haves Day - Yay!!!

Sunday - Ice Cream Day

Let's finish cleaning up the VECC photos.

2018 - Bev

THE MENU

Chez Collette Salad

Garlic Chicken in Cream Sauce

Potato-Onion Casserole

Buttered Green Beans with Carrot Flowers

Sister Shubert Rolls

Muffin Tin Apple Pies

Iced Tea or Hot Tea

Mim

THE MENU

Chopped Salad
Poppy Seed Dressing

Swedish Meatballs

Noodles with Meatball Gravy

Asparagus-Squash Medley

Sister Shubert Rolls

Lemon-Orange Pound Cake
Vanilla Ice Cream

Iced Tea Coffee

Patsy - Dishes and basket gone

THE MENU

Bean and Corn Salad

Chicken Enchiladas

Hearty Spanish Rice

Chile Relleno Casserole

Pico de Gallo with Chips

Galopita and Fruit

Bev

THE MENU

Ham-Swiss-Pineapple in Rye Cups

Tuna-Macaroni Salad

Deviled Eggs

Olive and Gherkin Garnish

Almond Tarts

Almond, Chocolate, and Raspberry Mousse in Chocolate Cups

Mim - I was having camera issues, obviously

MENU

Fruit Cups

Tomato Quiche

Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

Ham and Cheese Croissants

Zucchini Bread

Blueberry Muffins

Patsy - dishes, soup tureen, and centerpiece gone.

MENU

Library Soup

with tortilla chips and shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Chef’s Salad

Whole-wheat French Bread

Pumpkin Mousse

Oatmeal Cookies

Hot or Iced Tea

Bev

MENU

Napa Cabbage Salad

Crispy Chicken Cutlets

Brown Rice Pilaf

Buttered Green Beans

Rhodes Artisan French Rolls

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Iced Tea

Mim

Menu

Tossed Salad

Pork Roast with Apples and Onions

Sweet Potato Casserole

Steamed Asparagus

Buttered Green Beans

Sister Shubert Rolls

Apple-Cranberry-Walnut Pie

Hot Tea

Bev decided that she had too many commitments and was dropping out of the club, so that was our last lunch. What a great way to finish. Everything was delicious.

DON'T FORGET TO EAT YOUR HOT DOG