Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Back in Louisiana
I am now back in Louisiana. I have been away from home for quite some time now. I must say it feels good to be back. I have my own home & the love of my family & Michael. I can't thank everyone enough for all their hospitality & generosity. It has been overwhelming!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sun Dried Tomato Dip
Ingredients
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
hot pepper sauce to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil
Directions
In a food processor, mix the sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Process until well-blended. Add basil, and continue processing until smooth. Chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
hot pepper sauce to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil
Directions
In a food processor, mix the sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Process until well-blended. Add basil, and continue processing until smooth. Chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Relationship Patterns
Ever heard of a relationship pattern? A relationship pattern is a set of negative events that repeats in your relationship(s) on a regular basis.
For example, if you are single woman, you may have a pattern of attracting unavailable men. These men may not seem unavailable when you meet them, may in fact seem to be people who are very much interested in a relationship, but yet within a short time turn out to be unavailable. You don’t go into a new dating situation intending to attract an unavailable man; in fact, you intend to attract only available once. Yet that is what happens repeatedly and you are seemingly helpless to stop it.
If you are coupled, perhaps you have a pattern of interacting in a certain way with your partner that creates distance or withdrawal either on your or his part. You most certainly don’t go into the interaction intending to create this pattern, and yet that is what happens and you are seemingly helpless to stop it.
Everyone has a relationship patterns, but did you know how these patterns are developed? They are developed in childhood and are based on your parents’ interaction with you. This is how your past still runs your love life.
The pattern of whom you attract or partner with is influenced by how you perceived the parent of the opposite sex parented you. The worst the parenting felt to you, the worst your partner choices as an adult.
The pattern of how you interact in a relationship is influenced and modeled on your observations of your parents interaction with each other. Specifically, you will tend to model your relationship behavior on your same sex parent’s behavior. The more stress you observed or sensed in your parents relationship, the worst your own relationships will be.
Alternatively, if your parents relationship with each other had no stress, you will tend to have a Pollyanna type view of relationships, expecting the relationship to flow smoothly and ignoring relationship stress until it’s too late.
For example, if you are single woman, you may have a pattern of attracting unavailable men. These men may not seem unavailable when you meet them, may in fact seem to be people who are very much interested in a relationship, but yet within a short time turn out to be unavailable. You don’t go into a new dating situation intending to attract an unavailable man; in fact, you intend to attract only available once. Yet that is what happens repeatedly and you are seemingly helpless to stop it.
If you are coupled, perhaps you have a pattern of interacting in a certain way with your partner that creates distance or withdrawal either on your or his part. You most certainly don’t go into the interaction intending to create this pattern, and yet that is what happens and you are seemingly helpless to stop it.
Everyone has a relationship patterns, but did you know how these patterns are developed? They are developed in childhood and are based on your parents’ interaction with you. This is how your past still runs your love life.
The pattern of whom you attract or partner with is influenced by how you perceived the parent of the opposite sex parented you. The worst the parenting felt to you, the worst your partner choices as an adult.
The pattern of how you interact in a relationship is influenced and modeled on your observations of your parents interaction with each other. Specifically, you will tend to model your relationship behavior on your same sex parent’s behavior. The more stress you observed or sensed in your parents relationship, the worst your own relationships will be.
Alternatively, if your parents relationship with each other had no stress, you will tend to have a Pollyanna type view of relationships, expecting the relationship to flow smoothly and ignoring relationship stress until it’s too late.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Fire Roasted Bananas
INGREDIENTS:
4 bananas, cut in half
Cinnamon sugar ( 4 Tbl sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon)
Melted butter
1 oz Dark rum
Cut bananas in half so that both halves have all the skin on. Cut the halves lengthwise (so the bananas are
shaped like boats) and LEAVE THE SKIN ON. Put the rum into the melted butter. Brush bananas (cut side) lightly with the melted butter and rum mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Place bananas cut side down for 1 to 3 minutes or until bananas have grill marks. Turn over and continue
cooking until warmed through. When the banana skin starts to pull away from the fruit, they're done.
Eat right out of the skin while still warm or serve on top of vanilla ice cream
4 bananas, cut in half
Cinnamon sugar ( 4 Tbl sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon)
Melted butter
1 oz Dark rum
Cut bananas in half so that both halves have all the skin on. Cut the halves lengthwise (so the bananas are
shaped like boats) and LEAVE THE SKIN ON. Put the rum into the melted butter. Brush bananas (cut side) lightly with the melted butter and rum mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Place bananas cut side down for 1 to 3 minutes or until bananas have grill marks. Turn over and continue
cooking until warmed through. When the banana skin starts to pull away from the fruit, they're done.
Eat right out of the skin while still warm or serve on top of vanilla ice cream
Banana-Peanut Butter Pie
INGREDIENTS:
1 baked 9-inch graham cracker shell
PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:
8 ounces Mascarpone, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chunky Jif® peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
4 cups heavy cream, whipped with a little sugar to sweeten, in all
BANANA LAYER:
2 large bananas cut in 1/4 inch round slices
2 Tbls. butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. Brandy
GARNISH:
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Chocolate shavings
1 cup chocolate sauce in squeeze bottle
Powdered sugar in shaker
Fresh Nasturtium blossoms or mint sprigs
PREPARATION:
PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the peanut butter, milk and peanuts. Beat the mixture until smooth. Fold half of the whipped cream into the peanut butter/cheese mixture. Spoon the filling into the tart shell and place tart into the refrigerator for one hour to firm. Set aside the remaining whipped cream in the refrigerator.
BANANA LAYER:
In a teflon skillet, heat the butter and sugar and brandy together until the ingredients have formed a carmelized glace'. Add the banana rounds and gently coat all surfaces of the bananas with the glace'. Let cool to room temperature and arrange the banana slices onto the top of the firmed up Peanut Butter layer.
SERVING AND GARNISH:
Place a piece of the tart in the center of a plate. Garnish the tart with whipped cream, chopped peanuts, shaved chocolate, chocolate sauce, powdered sugar, Nasturtium blossoms and mint sprigs.
1 baked 9-inch graham cracker shell
PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:
8 ounces Mascarpone, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chunky Jif® peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
4 cups heavy cream, whipped with a little sugar to sweeten, in all
BANANA LAYER:
2 large bananas cut in 1/4 inch round slices
2 Tbls. butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. Brandy
GARNISH:
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Chocolate shavings
1 cup chocolate sauce in squeeze bottle
Powdered sugar in shaker
Fresh Nasturtium blossoms or mint sprigs
PREPARATION:
PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the peanut butter, milk and peanuts. Beat the mixture until smooth. Fold half of the whipped cream into the peanut butter/cheese mixture. Spoon the filling into the tart shell and place tart into the refrigerator for one hour to firm. Set aside the remaining whipped cream in the refrigerator.
BANANA LAYER:
In a teflon skillet, heat the butter and sugar and brandy together until the ingredients have formed a carmelized glace'. Add the banana rounds and gently coat all surfaces of the bananas with the glace'. Let cool to room temperature and arrange the banana slices onto the top of the firmed up Peanut Butter layer.
SERVING AND GARNISH:
Place a piece of the tart in the center of a plate. Garnish the tart with whipped cream, chopped peanuts, shaved chocolate, chocolate sauce, powdered sugar, Nasturtium blossoms and mint sprigs.
Easy Mini Muffulettas
Ingredients
1 (32-oz.) jar Italian olive salad
12 small deli rolls, cut in half
12 thin Swiss cheese slices
12 thin deli ham slices
12 thin provolone cheese slices
12 Genoa salami slices
Preparation
1. Spread 1 Tbsp. olive salad evenly over each cut side of roll bottoms. Top each with 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1 ham slice, 1 Tbsp. olive salad, 1 provolone cheese slice, 1 salami slice, and 1 Tbsp. olive salad. Cover with roll tops, and wrap sandwiches together in a large piece of aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° for 14 to 16 minutes or until cheeses are melted.
1 (32-oz.) jar Italian olive salad
12 small deli rolls, cut in half
12 thin Swiss cheese slices
12 thin deli ham slices
12 thin provolone cheese slices
12 Genoa salami slices
Preparation
1. Spread 1 Tbsp. olive salad evenly over each cut side of roll bottoms. Top each with 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1 ham slice, 1 Tbsp. olive salad, 1 provolone cheese slice, 1 salami slice, and 1 Tbsp. olive salad. Cover with roll tops, and wrap sandwiches together in a large piece of aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° for 14 to 16 minutes or until cheeses are melted.
Okra Creole
Ingredients
3 bacon slices
1 (16-ounce) package frozen sliced okra
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 cup frozen onion seasoning blend
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Hot cooked rice (optional)
Preparation
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
Cook okra and next 6 ingredients in hot drippings in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Top with crumbled bacon. Serve over rice, if desired.
3 bacon slices
1 (16-ounce) package frozen sliced okra
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 cup frozen onion seasoning blend
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Hot cooked rice (optional)
Preparation
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
Cook okra and next 6 ingredients in hot drippings in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Top with crumbled bacon. Serve over rice, if desired.
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