BAKED NACHO CASSEROLE

Today is Super Bowl Sunday and there will be many people

watching and cheering for either the Ravens or 49'ers.

My husband is not much of a sports fan.

On the other hand, I am a sports fan.

Even though the Indianapolis Colts did not make it,

I still am going to watch the game.

Super Bowl is not only about football, but it's also about food.

The recipe that I'm going to share is one that I found online.

Make it and enjoy it as you watch the game today.

INGREDIENTS

• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 pound lean ground beef (93% lean)
• 1 can (15 oz each) Ranch Style® Black Beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 ounces baked tortilla chips, crushed, divided (4 oz = about 4 cups)
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
• Chopped cilantro, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8x8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add pepper and onion, cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet; set aside. Add beef to skillet, cook until meat is brown and crumbly and no pink remains. Add vegetables, black beans, drained tomatoes, mayonnaise, corn and chili powder to skillet; stir until combined.
3. Place half of meat mixture in prepared dish; top with half of the tortilla chips. Place remaining meat mixture over chips. Cover with foil; bake 25 minutes. Remove foil; top with the remaining tortilla chips and cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with lettuce, sour cream and ripe olives. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

BUILD YOUR BEST LOG CABIN

I bet many of you thought from the title that 

you may be thinking of a home like Abe Lincoln's.

Well that's not what I'm talking about.

A Log Cabin is a quilt block that I have not made yet. 

That is on my bucket list.  

Believe me, I have enough fabric to make one.

Fons and Porter has a great FREE Build Your Best Log Cabin e-book with easy to follow instructions on how to make three very different styles of the Log Cabin block.  All of the  log cabin variations in this book can be made to be traditional or very modern, simply on the fabric color and style that is chosen.

Also included in the e-book are instructions on how to add piping to the binding and Liz shows a great way to have "lump less" binding when joining the last seam of the binding on your quilt.

If you want your own copy of this great FREE e-book, simply go the Fons and Porter's website and sign up.

Have a happy day!

FINDING BEAUTY IN THE WAY THINGS ARE

 There is beauty all around us.  I know that sometimes

I don't remember that in the busyness of life.

Nature provides that beauty if we just take time to see it.

 

 There is beauty in everything.  

Make the time to stop and see the beauty around you.

BROWNIE BISCOTTI

Today I had the baking "bug" attack me.

So I decided to make something that I've never made before. 

Thanks to Allrecipes.com for the recipe.

So here's the recipe.

1/3 cup butter softened

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chps

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease the baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended.  Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Divide dough into two equal parts.  Shape into 9x2x1 inch loaves.  Place onto baking sheet 4 inches apart.  Brush with mixture of water and yolk.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm.  Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1 inch slices.  Return the slices to the baking sheet, placing them on their sides.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until dry.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

The biscotti turned out better than I had expected.

It tastes delicious!  Now I need to hide

these from Jorge or they won't last very long!

CARING FOR YOUR QUILTS

Proper care of quilts is an important part of a quilt's history.  Some quilts are created as heirlooms, some just for fun.  Either way, a few simple steps can lengthen the life and beauty of your creations

If a quilt is more than 50 years old, it is considered an antique and should be handled with great care.  

Only the airing, vacuuming and storage instructions are recommended for antique quilts.  

It is not recommended laundering an antique!

Washing a quilt should be a last resort.  Often a quilt just needs a good airing and or maybe some quick spot cleaning rather than a full body wash.  Read the following information completely before washing a quilt.  There may be a gentler way to clean the quilt.

AIRING QUILTS

Often a quilt may just need a good airing with maybe a little spot cleaning here and there.

If you have a spare bed, lay the quilt out on the bed to air out.

No direct sunlight should be on a quilt when airing it outside.

Place a 100% cotton sheet on the ground.  Place the quilt on the sheet and allow to air out.  

Move the sheet and quilt as necessary to keep direct sunlight from hitting the quilt.

A clothesline can be used if the quilt is small and it is not a bright sunny day.

VACUUMING

Vacuuming  is the most non-invasive form of cleaning the quilt.  Lay the quilt on a cotton sheet.

Place the quilt on top of the sheet.  Place a piece of nylon/fiberglass screening,

the edges covered with twill tape, on top of the quilt.

Using a hand attachment and lowest suction setting vacuum the quilt.

If you do not have access to screening, place an old piece of pantyhose over the 

vacuum attachment and vacuum the quilt.

SPOT CLEANING

If you did not make the quilt and are uncertain as to the quality of the fabrics,

it is recommended you test each fabric for colorfastness before wet cleaning.

Dip a cotton swab in water and rub on an inconspicuous area (if possible) of the quilt.

If any of the dye comes off onto the swab do not wet clean.  If the fabric passes the water test move on to testing for cleaning solvent stability.  Dip a swab in the solvent you will be using to spot clean.

Test a dry section of the fabric.  Again, if the dye comes off onto the swab do not wet clean.  

If the fabrics pass the test.  Spot clean away!

LAUNDERING

Test the fabric for color fastness before washing.  Never use a top loading washer.

The agitation produced can pull at the fibers in the quilt and damage it.

Front loading machines do not agitate so they are best for this purpose.

Be sure the machine you will be using can handle the quilt when wet.

If not, you may need to go to a laundromat.  Be sure to run a cycle through the

machine in case the person before you used bleach or harsh detergent.

DRYING

Dry using the outdoor airing technique as described in the section on airing.

If placing small quilts on a clothesline,

be sure to cover the line with a cotton sheet first.

STORING QUILTS

AIR

Store in dark areas with good air circulation.

Never store quilts in damp places.  If storing on shelves make sure they are

 painted/finished to avoid damage from the wood.

CLOTH BAGS

Good circulation is necessary.  Cloth bags made from 100% cotton work best.

This will also protect the quilt from any bare wood including cedar in chests.

QUILT FOLDING

Place acid-free tissue paper between quilt layers.

Scrunch tissue paper and place at the folds to avoid pancake creases.

Refold stored quilts approximately every 6 months

so any stress on fibers is relieved and redistributed.

Created by Debbie Beaves for Connecting Threads

STRAWBERRY SWIRL CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
6 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup strawberry glaze

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese, beating until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

2. Gradually add flour to butter mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Stir in almond and vanilla extracts. Pour one-third of batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (14-cup) tube pan. Dollop 8 rounded teaspoonfuls strawberry glaze over batter, and swirl with a wooden skewer. Repeat procedure once, and top with remaining third of batter.

3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wrie rack and cool completed.

4. ENJOY!

 

 

GLUTEN FREE BAKED OATMEAL CASSEROLE

 Gluten-Free Baked Oatmeal Casserole
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup raspberries {any berries work}
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.  In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, half the walnuts, half the strawberries and half the chocolate. (Save the other half of strawberries, walnuts and chocolate for the top of the oatmeal).

In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract.  Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange the remaining strawberries, walnuts and chocolate on top. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set. For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar.