Sylvia's Scenario

We are still having soup weather around here as we just got a couple more inches of snow last night.  Winter is not over.  We feel fortunate our weather is not as bad as some parts of the country but we are still getting antsy for spring to arrive.  But not quite yet, I'm afraid.  I made this soup a couple of weeks ago and put some in the freezer to save for a day like today when we just feel like staying home all hunkered down waiting for the snow to melt.  It's no fun trying to drive around here with all our hills.  This soup warms you up real fast because it's a Mexican soup with just the right amount of spices and the best broth I think I've ever made.  After I made it, I gave some to a couple of friends and I got the seal of approval.  It's a recipe from a local chef named Charlie Midencey who works at Ovelake Golf and Country Club and this is his grandmother's recipe.  He was featured in the Sunday paper and I thought the recipe looked ...

Friday night is pizza night, right?  I hear this with many families so last night we decided to have "pizza night" via   The Freese Method .  The Freese Method is a diet where you avoid sugar, dirty oils and processed, refined carbs to fix your broken metabolism.  I've been doing it since September and it has gotten easier and easier.  Now, I look forward to finding new ways to incorporate the recipes into my daily life.  Pizza, anybody?  Bruce and I both loved this recipe.  I halved the recipe since there were only two of us but I wouldn't do that again because these were so good, we could have eaten more.  (There are no portion restrictions with this diet plan.)  I was wondering if the grandkids would like these but I think they really like their breads.  This recipe is a lot like my  Tuna Boats  that are a very kid-friendly dish that Nick and Lauren always ate growing up.  Nick wanted me to make them for his kids r...

I must be a true Seattlite now because I was thrilled when it rained today.  The weather has taken a turn toward cooler weather after less than a week ago the air conditioner was blasting away!  What a difference a few days makes.  I'm thrilled because now I can make meals that are more hardy and fall-ish like this skillet lasagna I made tonight.  It was a recipe from our local  Puget Consumers Coop  fall publication that I got in the mail yesterday and it was just what I felt like.  This version has lots of good veggies in it along with the usual lasagna ingredients and Lauren and Bruce loved it - it other words, it passed the taste test.  Yesterday, I made  split pea soup  for dinner so you can see how we are all eager to start eating fall food again.  On Sunday, we barbecued a chuck roast (pot roast) which was always a favorite of mine growing up and I've never made this before so I wanted to try it. My da...

This recipe caught my eye because of the zucchini, another plentiful vegetable around here this time of year.  This recipe is like stuffed zucchini but a lot easier to make so I'd recommend it.  I got it from   Crepes of Wrath food blog  but made some alterations because it was too hot and spicy when I made it as is.  I do like Tabasco sauce, I just toned it down a bit.  I like my version better.  Sorry, I'm a wimp, I guess.  This was perfect for dinner tonight because of cooler weather we've been having. (It's suppose to get nice again for Labor Day...I hope)  I always love a good baked casserole to warm up the house.  Serves 6 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 chicken breasts (approx. 1 pound), cubed 2 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce 2 zucchini, thinly sliced 1½ tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1½ cups brown rice 2½ cups water 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2.  In a heav...

It's zucchini season and we are getting plenty of it from the garden so I decided to make this lemon zucchini bread that I got from   Lil' Luna blog .  It has an absolutely delicious glaze drizzled over the top that really seals the deal.  Makes 1 loaf 1 cup grated zucchini 2 cups cake flour 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder 2 eggs 1/2 cup canola oil 1-1/3 cups sugar 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 cup buttermilk zest of 1 lemon Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 Tbsp. cream Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan; set aside. 1.  Grate zucchini with peel on and set aside on paper towel to absorb some of the moisture while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 2. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. 3.  In a large bowl, beat eggs. 4.  Then add oil and sugar until well blended.  Add lemon juice, buttermilk, lemon zest to this mixture and blend...

Here's a nice variation of zucchini bread giving it a wholesome twist that I adapted from one of my favorite food blogs  The Vintage Mixer .    When we were in Vegas, Lauren was telling me how she loves hazelnuts and anything hazelnut-flavored so that gave me this idea.  It made me remember Family Day at George Fox University when Nick was a freshman and we stayed at a hazelnut farm bed & breakfast.   Lauren loved going out and collecting hazelnuts in their orchard which was a welcomed activity by our hosts - the perks of staying at a bed & breakfast.  We love B & Bs!   You could always buy hazelnuts at little stands on the side of the road this time of year and we'd always bring some home.  The Willamette Valley is such a neat area and a great place to go to college since parents always have wonderful places to stay and lots of beautiful sights everywhere you look.  (Lots of wineries, too)  So, if you love h...