Yogurt Dressing

We eat a good number of salads in this house, and are always looking for fun ways to change them up.  Sometimes it's the dressing, but you know what I've noticed?  Something a bit disturbing...when I go to rinse the plates after dinner, some of the dressing refuses to rinse off.  And this gives me pause-is this what I'm ingesting?  A dressing so insoluble that hot water won't make it budge makes me think what it is doing to my body. 

Making my own dressings in the past has been fun, but I've never been able to replicate a very good creamy dressing.  So the idea of using yogurt intrigued me, and I went searching for recipes online at epicurious.com.  I combined six or so recipes and took notes from the reviewers, and ended up with this:

And here is how I made it:

1 C yogurt, plain (I used Dannon all natural)
1 medium garlic clove, pressed into a paste
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
2 t honey
2 T lemon juice
1 T dried basil

Combine, and stir well before each application.
I have to say it was pretty darn good, and I felt good eating it.  This makes about 1 cup of dressing, and the flavor really shone in combination with seasoned croutons.  Next, I think I'll experiment with yellow curry in the dressing for a salad with tuna!

Baby Praying Mantis

When is the last time you've seen a cute baby animal and perhaps went "Awwwh!?"  What about a baby bug?  Don't get me wrong, I'm not a bug person, most of them creep me out and send me looking for a large shoe with a good flat sole (if they are in the house), or a spray can of murder in the case of giant red wasps.  But this little guy easily wins my heart over...a tiny praying mantis.  He's so fast you have to be quick to see him and take his picture, and with all of these hungry anoles around it's no wonder.  But just take a look...

Awwwwe!

He's on a one inch band of a croquet mallet.  I wish him/her well!

M6699 Dress Pattern for My Top

FashionStar Easy, sizes 6-22, Fitted dress

I made this pattern into a top, using a 14” zipper and some fabric with odd measurements: 1 yard 8”, 36” wide, and it turned out to be plenty for the project I had in mind.  

I used size 8 for the bust pieces 1 & 2 and size 10 for the others and it came out well for someone (me) with a 34 bust.  

Looking at the instructions, it seemed like an easy put-together.  I omitted the lining and hook and eye (don’t care for those), didn’t mess with the pockets and didn’t use an invisible zipper.  For the length, I laid out with the skirt pieces, 7 & 8 on the fabric a few inches above the “lengthen or shorten” line, and I did end up shortening it a bit.  

I think the straps turned out a bit weird, like little wings, maybe with wear they will look a bit more right.  Overall, this is just the little gingham shirt I wanted to make!

Ham & Cheese Quick Quiche

I know, I know.  I've done a recipe on quick and easy quiche before.  But I just made this ham and cheddar cheese quiche over the weekend and loved it sooo much (we both did) that I had to share it with you.

It came out perfectly!!

Ingredients:
1 store bought pie crust, do not prebake

3 large eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 t ground black pepper
1 t Italian seasoning

1 C ham, cubed, about 1/4"
1/2 C spinach, carelessly chopped
1 C medium to sharp cheddar, grated (1/4 C more for sprinkling on the top)
1/3 C onion, chopped

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Place pie crust into 9" pie pan (I used a glass one)
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.
Add the milk and whisk until frothy.
Add black pepper and Italian seasoning, whisk to combine.
Stir in onion, spinach and ham cubes.
Add 1 C. grated cheddar.
Mix so that the onion, spinach, ham and cheese are all well coated with the egg/milk mixture.
Pour into pie crust.
When oven is ready, place on rack in the center of the oven and bake for 1 hour.

Ready for the oven

When the top is golden brown and the filling does not jiggle or appear loose or overly moist, the quiche is done.  Remove from oven and sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 C of shredded cheddar cheese.

Wait!  At least 5 minutes before slicing.  It is very hot.  And I fully believe that it won't cool anywhere so quickly, as it does on the place before me!

Serve with a cantaloupe and mango fruit salad for a perfect brunch.

Enjoy!

Moist Banana Bread

Good Morning!

Here is a recipe for a wonderful loaf of banana bread.  It has just the right combination of texture, moist bites, banana and a hint of cinnamon.  And with so many of my recipes, it is quick and easy!

Ingredients:
4 T margarine
2/3 C brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 C plain yogurt
2 very ripe bananas
1 t vanilla

2 C flour
3/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon

Optional: extra cinnamon and 1 T white sugar

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease a loaf pan
In a large bowl, cream margarine and sugar.
Add egg, beat.
Add yogurt, mix.
Add bananas and vanilla, beat with hand mixer.
Add baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, mix.
Add flour and mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan, shake to level.
Optional: dust top with a sprinkling of cinnamon and white sugar.
Bake for 1 hour, until toothpick (or wooden skewer) comes out clean.

Cool for 15 mins, then turn pan on side to finish cooling.
Enjoy!
What a nice thing to take to work and share with your co-workers on a Monday!

Farfale with Scallops, Capers and Feta

I love this dish.  WE love this dish.  I had something like it when I was in Baton Rouge, LA and had to make it for myself and the mister.  It is a very easy dish to make, but be warned, it is rich, so you might not want to make the mistake we made by serving ourselves each a heaping plateful for dinner.  It's a great spoil thy selves or date night dish!!  You can also sub the scallops with fresh shrimp, yes, get the uncooked ones, large in size (or extra large-better even) and then halve them before cooking---Magnificent!

Yes, I had a few stray shrimp that I threw in there too, but doesn't this look good?!!

Ingredients:
1 # bay scallops
1 T capers
1 medium sized bulb of garlic
5-6 oz. chunk feta*
1 1/3 C farfale (bowtie) noodles
1 stick (8 T) margarine--I used light b/c I was feeling guilty about 2 heavy meals in a row.
Fresh ground pepper to taste


*Do NOT get the pre-crumbled kind, you will be sorely disappointed, get the kind that is still solid with a bit of brine in it for moisture.


Method:
In a pot start the water to boil for the pasta, while waiting:
Slice medium-thin or chop coarsely all cloves of the bulb of garlic.
In a large skillet with 3 T. margarine, cook these on low heat.
Slice and cube the feta into about pea sized pieces.
By now you should add the pasta, cooking as directed by the package.
To the skillet, add 3 more T. margarine and the seafood to the garlic, cooking on med. heat until the scallops (or shrimp) turn opaque, approx. 3-4 mins. but depending on heat.
Add the capers and the feta, gently toss with black pepper, cover, and remove from heat.
Drain the pasta.
Add remaining 2 T margarine to the boiling pan (after drained), melt, and toss the pasta to coat.
Plating-pasta bed then scallops, use all of the sauce to drizzle.  Fin! 
Enjoy!


(Makes 2 heaping plates-quite big portions)

McCall's M6534 Two-toned dress (Easy)

I was sewing up a storm before our trip in February, and still haven't posted some things that were completed.  But this is a new addition, hot off the machine this morning.  A cute little summer/spring dress by McCall's, M6534.  Loose fitting dresses with elasticized neckline and sleeves, sizes 8-22.  I made a size 8 top and contoured a size 10 around the hips.

I'm pretty happy with it, it did turn out like the picture.  I hemmed the bottom up 3 1/2 inches and had to figure out the top back on my own (disappointed in the directions which ignored this entirely), but it was pretty much a no-brainer.  If I were to make this again, I'd use a patterned fabric for the bottom part and a solid for the top, I think, for variety, and would press the zipper portion of the back on the top before assembling it to the bottom.  Otherwise, it was an easy and enjoyable piece to make.  I really like the gathers and the pleats on the front and back-gives it some shape.

Do you like it?  (Please excuse my sloppy ironing job-not very good at it-and PALE self!)

Front

 

Back

Side, of course