Sylvia's Scenario

You can see why Lent is hardly a sacrifice. Delicious! This recipe is from Whole Foods, who have the best recipes. I can't wait until they come to Boise. We've been deprived too long. I'm always looking for recipes that use spinach to boost nutrition because you really can't tell that it's been added to a recipe for all the benefits it provides. And with all the omega fats from the salmon, this recipe is bursting with nutrition. Your taste buds will burst with excitement, too. Serves 6 to 8 1 (2-pound) center-cut boneless, skinless salmon fillet 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup crumbled feta cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 cup packed baby spinach, divided Extra virgin olive oil Chopped dill Chopped oregano 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 2. Butterfly salmon fillet through the center so that it lays open flat in one large piece like a book. Turn salmon over so gray underside is facing up and arrange on a clean work surface.

It's Ash Wednesday so it's time to start the fish season once again.  Being catholic means you eat a lot of fish.  We all love fish in our family, so for me, Lent is just an excuse to eat more fish.  Yesterday, I ate an oyster poorboy sandwich in the cafeteria at work (I think it was for a Mardi Gras theme) but those oysters were so delicious.  I popped one of those fried oysters in my mouth and immediately tasted that burst of ocean.  I forget how much I miss that ocean-tasting sensation since I now live in a land-locked state.  Being from Seattle, I guess the salty, seafood air never really gets out of your system.   So, I'm starting this Lent season with a family favorite fish chowder.  It's super easy to make and full of flavor.   Makes 4 servings 2 yellow onions, diced 2 Tbsp. olive oil 3 large carrots, peeled and diced 2 potatoes, diced (I like Yukon gold or peeled Russets) 2 stalks celery, diced (some leaves included) 1 quart boiling water 1 can t

Do you want something that is not sweet for Valentine's Day to give to your special someone? Homemade pretzels are fun to make and if you didn't have time to make them for a snack during football, now is your chance. Instead of the usual pretzel shape as described here , shape into heart shapes as shown above. Makes 12 pretzels 1 package dry yeast (about 2-1/4 tsp.) 1-1/2 tsp. sugar 1 cup warm water (100 - 110 degrees) 3-1/4 cups flour, divided 1 tsp. salt cooking spray 2 Tbsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cornmeal 1 tsp. water 1 large egg 2 tsp. kosher salt 1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes 2. Sift together 3 cups flour and 1 tsp. salt. Add to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes). Add enough of the remaining flour, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly sticky).

I wish we were having warmer weather but it's still cold outside. And it's still hot chocolate weather, not quite Spring yet, and since we're all thinking "Valentine's Day", let's combine the two. Here is a very simple way to do just that. Homemade Hot Chocolate  Makes 4 one cup servings 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder dash of salt 1/3 cup of hot water 4 cups of milk 3/4 tsp. vanilla 1. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in saucepan. Stir in water. 2. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes. 3. Stir in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL. 4. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Marshmellow Hearts  1. Cut the marshmallows in half. 2. Cover the marshmallows in a sheet of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to roll the marshmallow halves flat. 3. Using a small heart cookie cutter, cut hearts out of each flattened half. Sometimes the simplest actions can really make your day and all you need to turn a day ar

Makes 6 servings 1/2 pound lean ground beef 3/4 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 2 cups frozen corn 1 can pinto, red, or kidney beans, drained 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce 1/4 cup slice black olives, drained 2-3 Tbsp. taco sauce or salsa 2 tsp. chili powder TOPPING 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2-1/2 cups water 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese 1. Preheat oven to 374 degree. 2. In nonstick skillet, brown ground beef with onions and garlic. Drain off fat. dd green peppers, corn, beans, tomato sauce, olives, taco sauce or salsa, and chili powder. Pour into 10-by 10 inch baking pan. 3. In saucepan, combine cornmeal, water, and salt. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil and continue cooking until it thickens slightly. Spoon over top of meat/vegetable mixture. 4. Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese on top. Return pan to oven and bake another 15 minutes.

Our Super Bowl Party is about to begin and my cookies are made.  Since our party is always a potluck, everyone brings plenty of food.  We are also cooking a ham which always feeds plenty of people and I  make my cheesey potatoes which is my own version of Potatoes Au Gratin which is a MUST with ham…then I include a few yummy mustard sauces such as the one with the Mustard Crust Beef Tenderloin -  Creamy Mustard Sauce .   I have fun making my Super Bowl Cookies using the recipe from those Halloween Cookies  back in October which is my favorite decorative cookie recipe.  I always have to print off photos of the teams so I get their colors and logos correct since I am NOT a football buff at all.  That's why we have a party…so I can have fun too without watching the game since I really haven't a clue…I do like to watch the commercials and the half-time, tho!  Anyway, back to the cookies…we have people bringing dessert, too, so my cookies aren't really a necessity, but