The Great Cooking Magazine Challenge May 2011 Edition

So its that time again! I'm putting out the challenge to flip through those stacks of cooking magazines and clippings or printed out internet recipes and try something new :-) I do this challenge mostly for myself - to justify my many cooking magazine purchases and subscriptions. But I know many of you out there are just as guilty as me!

I have a linky below where you can come back and show us what you did for the challenge. I got a new Everyday with Rachel Ray in the mail this week and thought I would give a couple things that caught my eye a try today. First up is BLT Mac & Cheese


Randy and I both grew up eating "the blue box" as my friend Kathleen calls it. Kraft Dinner is how my Canadian husband refers to it. I still love it, but we have graduated to Velveeta Shells and Cheese. High Class I know! But I am always trying out mac & cheese when its offered on a menu. I've tried to recreate it at home a couple of times but haven't been that happy with the results. This recipe was actually pretty good, maybe because it comes somewhat close to looking and tasting like Kraft! lol

BLT Mac 'n' Cheese

4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used the Hormel pieces in the bag..hey it saves time!)
12 oz pasta (elbows or rotini)
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 tsp turmeric (gives it that nice orangey-yellow color)
6 oz cream cheese
2 cups finely shredded orange cheddar cheese. (About 8 oz)
6 oz cherry tomatoes quartered (I used two small chopped)
Salt, Pepper
Onion powder, garlic powder to taste (my addition)
Grated Parmesan cheese (my addition)

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook bacon until crisp if not taking the short cut that I did, then drain. Meanwhile in a large pot of salted water cook pasta until done & drain. In same pot bring milk to simmer over medium heat. Whisk in tumeric & cream cheese. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Add pasta, bacon and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, tiny bit of onion & garlic powder. Transfer to 9x13 casserole and bake til heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with grated parmesan before serving.


In the same June/July edition of Rachel Ray's mag there was an article about updated & homemade Popsicles. There were a few I'd like to try, but settled on the "Cappuccino" because the ingredients to me sounded more like Vietnamese Coffee which I love. Very simple to make and would be a good use of left over coffee.



Cappuccino Popsicles

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (I ended up using a big more in the espresso part)
1/2 cups brewed espresso (I used prepared instant espresso powder I keep on hand for recipes like this)
2 tsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder, plus some for dusting (I only used 1)

Combine the cream and 1/4 cup condensed milk, stirring well. Divide mixture between your popsicle molds. Freeze until almost solid, about 1 hour. Meanwhile in a bowl whisk together espresso, cocoa and remaining condensed milk (I used more than 1/4 cup because I like sweet coffee!). Refrigerate until cold. Divide the espresso mixture between molds insert stick and freeze until solid - about 4 hours. Run warm water over molds to remove the pops. Dust cream layer with more cocoa powder. Yummy!

I hope I gave you a little inspiration. Go search your stacks, do some cooking and blogging and come back here to link up! Putting a link back to my blog in your post would be neighborly too :-)





Happy Mother's Day to all you Mothers out there including my own! Love you Momma!


I'm joining for the following parties
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Cooking
So Sweet Sunday
Sweet Indulgences Sunday
What's On Your Plate?
Meatless Mondays

Weekend Garden Walk and Garden Pasta Salad

This weekend wasn't really summer like, with temps in the 60s and drizzly rain, but the flowers are still blooming and not giving up on summer yet. But I can tell you..it felt like fall to me!


First stop on today's tour is the front yard. The hydrangea in the front has a nice bright pink color and some purple mixed in.


Here's a little closer look.


I planted some zinnias in the front bed a while ago and they have done really well, especially after I sprinkled some slug bait....(sorry organic gardeners but if you could see the size of them you'd be scared!).


This daylily still has quite a few blooms to go...most of my others are on their last legs



So heading around the side of the house...Look, there's a little somebody peeking around the corner waiting for you to come into the back yard for a look around.


Right at the base of the arbor I planted a few nasturtium seeds this year. Actually I sprinkled them throughout the yard. They have such cheery little faces.


One thing that you'll notice today are the phlox in full swing. That's a rose campion in the foreground.


Here's a new little perennial I've added this year, a Penstemon. Its looking happy in its new home.



The bees are going crazy at the moment. Bee Balm is attractive to them for sure.


But this Dark Knight Bluebeard (Caryopteris) is a magnet too.


The name to this one is escaping me at the moment...it will drive me crazy now til I remember. Its just starting to bloom. Rose Mallow maybe......


Super Fairy is still looking super :-) Let's go under the arbor and out the gate into the "wilderness" behind my fence. I think I spy a little exciting surprise out there.


While we're back here lets enjoy the wild flowers (also know as weeds to some).


This makes a pretty magenta flower when its open. But the bud is really interesting too!


Herb Robert...the wild geranium looking pretty and dainty


And here's a hint to what I spied over the fence


Yes!~ The blackberries are almost ripe! I actually found a few that were and I took a nibble or two. If they are all like my sample they will be good! It's too bad my sister-in-law isn't here to help me pick some! She was so excited when they came to visit to find that we had them growing just outside the gate. Time to come back and see us Sherry!


By this time next week I will have bowls full in the fridge! Until then lets get on with the rest of our little tour. A new opening this week....my pretty little pink anemone and look who was hiding. I didn't see him until I reviewed the pics on the computer.



Won't be much longer before the tall sedums are blooming. I think they look neat at this stage too.


Here's another daylily breathing its last breath.


And a cute little hardy geranium blooming for the second time. I think its Geranium oxonianum, maybe Katherine Adele.


Now finally we are at the veggie garden where there's not yet much to harvest, but there are some pretty blooms!


And that's the end of the tour today! Time for a light lunch. My friend Kathleen said my post yesterday was a heart attack on a plate, so to prove to her (and to me) that I can eat healthy I made up a Garden Pasta Salad, heavy on the veggies. This is the kind of thing you make based on what you have on hand so my ingredient list is just a guide and very sketchy.


Garden Pasta Salad

1 large carrot, cut into thin small pieces
1 bell pepper, cut into thin small pieces
2 small ribs of celery, cut into thin small pieces (are you seeing a trend here?)
1 large cucumber cut into thin small pieces
Cherry tomatoes, a couple of handfuls cut in half
Salami, I had maybe 2 ounces, cut into small pieces
Real Bacon, I had maybe a tablespoon left in the bag to throw in
Parmesan cheese shavings, to taste
Spiral pasta, about a cup, then cooked and drained
Ranch dressing to cover all ingredients

Mix all above with dressing. I ate some right away, but its probably good cold too. I'll find out tomorrow at lunch! This made quite a bit, enough for a potluck salad or a light lunch for a small family.

Flashback and Foodie Friday ~Fall Flowers and Food

This Flashback Friday I'm flashing back to last November. There were still a few pretties in the garden like this Abutilon. It spent the winter in my garage and it took all summer, but its blooming again!


There were some spent flowerheads that added some interest


And a little foliage color from one of my maple. I always think of my friend Karen when I look at them because she grew them from seeds! She's the maple queen for sure and has lots and lots of special maple babies.


My african daisy was still looking pretty


And this clematis decided to put on a grand finale


At the beginning of last November we must have been experiencing some beautiful weather..unlike today which is windy, rainy and blustery. The sky was so blue and the clouds had the neatest patterns



I'd love for every fall day to be just like this one must have been


When I look at this picture I see shimmery gold against turquoise blue with pearly white accents, but I know Randy probably looks at this picture and sees something entirely different...all he sees is at least a months worth of work with the leaf vacuum!!!


More leaves for Randy to clean up....


No recipe, it was just a quick meal I threw together...storebought refrigerated ravioli and a sauce made from white asparagus, portobella mushrooms, roasted peppers and a little cream.

If you have a flashback you'd like to share please add your link below!


I'd like to let everyone know about a fun event coming up next month on December 16th to give you plenty of advanced warning to determine what your dippage will be. My friend Marsha over at Marsha's Kitchen and Marsha's Garden is celebrating National Chocolate Covered Anything Day and would love to have you participate too. Read her post HERE that tells all about it.


I'm participating this week in Foodie Friday over at Designs by Gollum. Go check out all of the foodie posts!

Waldorf Salad Style Penne Pasta~ The Great Cooking Magazine Challenge Installment #3

I gave myself a challenge a while back to try a recipe from any cooking magazine that comes into my possession within a week. Several of my online buddies have taken up the challenge themselves! This isn't an official event, just a motivator to get cooking! If you are brave enough to tackle your stack of magazines grab the logo and link up to my blog. One good recipe might justify the cost the of mag! Click here for all of my challenge posts.

I got my new Everyday with Rachael Ray this week and knew I was going to be eating out a lot this since we have company. So I quickly picked a recipe that sounded good (there were quite a few to choose from!) and whipped it up before the company arrived on Saturday. I love the flavors of Waldorf Salad so knew this would be a winner in my book.



Waldorf Salad Style Penne Pasta
inspired by the June/July 2009 Everyday with Rachael Ray
Click here for printable recipe


1 pound whole wheat (I used a multigrain one) penne Pasta
3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used light)
1/4 cup sour cream (I used light)
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (love this addition!)
1/4 cup water (I skipped this)
3 ribs celery, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled ( I used the Real Bacon in the little bag..an acceptable substitute for me)
2 lg apples ( the recipe called for 4 nectarines or pears)
1 bunch chives, chopped
3/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted pecans (I sauted them in the skillet with a little bit of butter and salt, then sprinkled with a small amount of sugar)

Cook pasta al dente, drain. Meanwhile whisk together mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, cumin and 1/4 cup water. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Let sit for 10 mins while you chop the rest of the ingredients. Stir in celery, bacon, chopped apples, half the chives and half the pecans. To serve top the pasta with the remaining chives, pecans and few couple slices of apple.



The past couple of days have been so warm and sunny! Today...another story so far! But here's what it looked like Saturday.


Cute little mini Rhody


My herb "garden"



The border's filling in!


In the race for first rose to bloom.