Expect the Best

“Expect the best,

plan for the worst,

and prepare to be surprised.”

Denis Waitley

Scalloped Potatoes with Mushrooms and Vegetable

This recipe is a wonderful main dish if you use soy milk for the protein.  I serve it with a side green or red vegetable or salad.  It makes a wonderful comfort food on a cold winter day.  Of course it may also be a lovely side dish.  It is really popular for pot luck IF folks know what is in it.  It makes a lovely presentation in a glass casserole if you have a large one.  This needs a lot of top room when baking or it will boil over.  Cracking the lid a bit prevents this.  Also if the chosen dish doesn't have a lid, make a tin foil tent with vents.

Scalloped Potato Casserole with Pickled Beets

I used broccoli as my vegetable.  Pickled beets were a GREAT compliment.

Scalloped Potatoes with Mushrooms and Vegetable
16 cup casserole or larger with a cover
oven 375 degrees

PREPARE ingredients then place in casserole
6 cups .....sliced potatoes* [divide in 4 parts]
12 ounces .....sliced mushrooms [divide in 2 parts]
3 cups .....sliced carrots, squash, or other vegetables
2 cups .....sliced onions [divide in 3 parts]
to taste .....no salt seasoning [use to your taste on each potato layer]

The order of ingredient placing in casserole [start at the bottom]
TOP = brush with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with no salt seasoning
Potatoes [1\4 of total]

Mushrooms [1\2 of total]

no salt seasoning [to taste]
Onions [1\3 of total]
Potatoes [1\4 of total]
Carrots, squash or other vegetable [all 3 cups]

no salt seasoning
Onions [1\3 of total]
Potatoes [1\4 of total]

Mushrooms

no salt seasoning
Onions [1\3 of total]
Potatoes [1\4 of total]
BOTTOM

Sauce
BEAT until fluffy
12 ounces .....low fat cream cheese

ADD a little at a time while continuing to BEAT
3 cups .....soy milk, rice milk or cow's milk

POUR over the layered ingredients in the casserole

BAKE at 375 degrees for 1 hour with top on;
Remove top and BAKE for another 1\2 hour.

*[put in cold water after slicing to prevent browning and remove starch]

ENJOY!

Robert Kennedy thought to end the year

“You're happiest
while you're making the greatest contribution.”

Robert Kennedy

Civility

“The real index of civilization is
when people are kinder than they need to be.”

Louis de Berniere, novelist (b. 1954)

The Artists' Role

“The artists' role is to do what is honest for them. So if you're in New York and everyone is looking at the floor, you can look up. It's not your role to follow the others. It's your role to go to your center and then reflect that, not just to be a mirror to what's happening.”

James Hubbell

Mince Meatless Pie with Cheese Cake Topping

I just made this for Christmas. I think it would also be GREAT for a New Years Eve or New Years Day buffet.  The parts can be put together easily.  Also, make it the day before to ease the entertainment schedule.  For me, having the food ready the day before is a stress reliever.

Meatless Mince Pie with Cheese Cake Topping

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees

REDUCE to 325 degrees when you put the pie in to bake.

CRUST for a 1 crust pie

Your favorite deep dish pie crust or purchased crust with the outer rim pushed up so that is becomes a deep dish.

GREEN TOMATO MINCE MEAT

If it is really runny, drain to get rid of excess liquid.

2 or 3 cups .....Your favorite mincemeat recipe or purchased.

CHEESE CAKE TOPPING
BEAT together until creamy
1 cup ..... *vanilla yogurt cheese
1\2 cup ..... *cream cheese
dash .....salt
1 tablespoon .....corn starch, sifted

ADD; continue beating until will mixed.
1 large .....egg

ASSEMBLE
SPREAD meatless mince on the bottom of pie crust
Gently SPREAD Cheese Cake topping over.

COVER with a tin foil tent to protect the cheesecake from oven burn.

BAKE in oven preheated to 400 degrees
REDUCE to 325 degrees when you put the pie in to bake.
The high heat will hit the crust before it can become soggy.
The foil tent will protect the cheesecake.
*You will need a total of 1 1\2 cups of either or both. If you want to use all cream cheese ADD
1\2 teaspoon .....vanilla extract
1\4 cup .....sugar

ENJOY!

Invest in Goodness

“Goodness

is the only investment that never fails.”

Henry David Thoreau

Give What You Have

“Getting what you want

is not nearly as important

as giving what you have.”

Tom Krause

Giving Joy

"Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others,

you should put a good deal of thought

into the happiness that you are able to give."

Eleanor Roosevelt

strip pieced pillow

This was from Spring of 2008.  I do not know how to change the dates.  I am not sure how it ended up here.  I only changed the label.

I made the strip sets last fall. I put them aside while I was working on the quilt for my Mom; then I was involved in the black and white quilt. Now I decided I needed to finish the pillow before I moved on. Of course during the hiatus, I forgot what I was going to do with the strip sets. LOL. They are from the book, "Strips that Sizzle" or something by that name. The book was a loner that I also returned last fall, so I just winged it. It is my second favorite pillow so far. Comments appreciated.