Happy Homemaker Monday

 

 I'm joining Sandra today for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The Weather:::

It's overcast and cloudy, 70º with 1-2 mph winds.  55% humidity.

As I look outside my window:::

Most everything is lush and green from recent cool rainy weather.  Lots of wildflowers and weeds are blooming, in addition to our two patches of iris which are magnificent this year.

 

Right now I am:::
 

Working on a blog post.

 
Thinking and pondering:::

On what I'm reading in Holy Hygge.  One quote that spoke deeply to my heart: "Encouragement is not a luxury to the Christian life; it is a necessity. We're often tempted to lump encouragement in with things like a pat on the back or an 'Attagirl'.  But encouragement is more than just giving a compliment.  It is the passing on of courage.  To encourage someone is to give them the courage to face an unknown future, the courage to trust an unseen God, the courage to stand firm in a turbulent culture.  Encouragement is no trivial thing.  It is a weapon we wield against the enemy on behalf of those we love.  Who is receiving courage from you today?"

Wonderful graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, three books,  a pen and a jar of lavender-infused oil for helping with insect bites.

On my tv this week::: 

Nothing this week.

 Listening to::: 

A small plane overhead.  Unidentifiable birds calling sporadically.  The hum of the woodsplitter.  Someone mowing a lawn across the street.

On the Breakfast plate:::

I do intermittent fasting so don't have breakfast.  Lunch was a salad with cubes of turkey, cheese, and banana pepper rings in addition to butter lettuce.

  On the dinner plate::: 

 

Loaded cheeseburger pie ... a new recipe I'm trying that includes ground meat, green peppers, onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, eggs and more.  No crust.

 

On the menu for this week::: 

I usually plan my menus from Thursday to Thursday, and grocery shop on Friday morning.  A few meals on my menu plan:

Loaded cheeseburger pie

Egg bake
Roast turkey

Salade Hachee*

* This salad is one that I clipped from a newspaper years ago and had never tried until 2006. It’s definitely a keeper. It came from a feature called “Express Lane Cooking” by Bonnie Tandy Leblang that used to run in our daily newspaper. I made a few changes, but Bonnie still gets the credit for a great recipe.

SALADE HACHEE (which I think translates to "Chopped Salad" -- it may have a French name, but this salad has a definite Greek accent)

1 lemon
4 Tblsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano (or use 2 Tblsp. fresh, chopped)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 small head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
Cooked chicken breasts (approx. 3/4 of a pound), cubed

Into a large bowl, squeeze all of the juice from the lemon. (Remove any seeds.) Stir in olive oil and seasonings. Add remaining ingredients; toss to combine. Serve.
 

Yield: 4 servings.

 

On my reading pile:::

 

Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson

Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor by Donna Otto

We Travel an Appointed Way by A.W. Tozer

 

On my to do list today:::
 

Work on blog posts
Go for walk √

Do Bible study assignment √
Work on felt food.

Bible study this evening

The study we are working on

Plans for this week:::

Plan menus and make grocery list
List some notions, patterns, cards, and kids' books on Etsy

Declutter a closet
Take a box to the thrift store

Write blog posts, especially some for Christmas in July
Work on my Sunday School lesson

Attend a funeral for our elderly neighbor

Dental appointment

Possibly go out for lunch with a friend

What I am creating:::

January cross-stitch sampler
Felt food for some toddler birthday gifts

A couple Shutterfly freebies -- a canvas tote bag and a mouse pad √

 

 

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::

This quote from Better Together,  the study on discipleship we're doing in a ladies' Bible study I'm part of:

 

"The gospel changes everything.  It is not just a heartwarming message that leads to our conversion.  It is an enduring message of truth that radically changes our lives.  For followers of Christ, it is a precious message of hope that sustains, comforts, and encourages.  While our conversion is an instantaneous work of the Spirit where we are legally declared righteous in Christ, the result is a new life that involves a slow transformation into Christlikeness.  Our salvation in many ways is past, present, and future.  We are justified, our future glorification is secured, but our sanctification is progressive and occurs over a lifetime here on earth.  But the truth remains ... our lives ought to be different because we are different.  We are united to Christ."

It took me awhile to get into this study.  But these chapters on the gospel, which we are studying for tonight,  have been amazing.  The particular chapter where I found this quote is titled Life Worthy of the Gospel, and is just so good.  As I read, though, my heart hurt quite a bit when I thought of so many believers I know who just don't seem to grasp this truth.

 

On my prayer list:::

 

Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country

 

And there's the Happy Homemaker Monday for this week!

 

Hopping into the Hodgepodge

 

It's Wednesday again, so it's time for the Hodgepodge -- the linkup where Joyce, at  From This Side of the Pond, asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers on their own blogs.  This week's Hodgepodge questions have a spring and Easter theme.   Here goes:

1.What would you say is the most difficult task when it comes to spring cleaning? Have you completed that task this year? Any plans to get it done?

I don't do actual spring cleaning, preferring to try and keep up with cleaning tasks all year round, but I do find that windows need cleaning in spring after a long and messy winter.  Mr. T and I will work at it together, but it's not done yet.  Our house is still surrounded by snow.

A 1954 Wonder Book ready to list in my Etsy shop

2. Your favorite pastel color? Favorite thing you own in a pastel shade? 

Oh, that's a good question.  Possibly mint green, possibly peach, possibly light blue. Favorite thing I own in a pastel shade would probably be a peach colored sweater.

3. Do you like ham? Do you fix ham year round or is it mostly just a 'holiday food'? Baked ham-ham and eggs-ham and cheese sandwich-scalloped potatoes and ham-Hawaiian pizza....what's your pleasure? 

 

I do like ham.   I tend to only cook a ham at holiday time, but really there's no reason why I don't cook one any time of year.  I have a hot ham and potato salad recipe that we really enjoy.  Hawaiian pizza is good too -- I usually use barbecue sauce rather than pizza sauce on it.  I guess I have never posted that ham potato salad recipe, so there is no time like the present.   It really is delicious.  One could probably adapt it to use leftover Easter ham, but I've always just used ham steak.

HOT  HAM  AND  POTATO  SALAD
 

2 lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in 1-inch cubes
8 ounces smoked ham steak, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 Tblsp. cider vinegar
1 Tblsp. honey
2 tsp. coarse-grained mustard (I often use the Dijon pub-style with mustard seeds)
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (light works fine)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Chopped parsley to taste
Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (optional)
Plum tomatoes, quartered (optional)

    Place potatoes in saucepan; cover with lightly salted water.  Bring to boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes.
    Meanwhile, cook ham in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove  ham to a large bowl, using a slotted spoon.  Add celery and onion to the bowl.
    Pour vinegar into warm skillet, stirring to dissolve browned bits in bottom of pan.  Stir in honey and mustard.  Slowly whisk in mayo.  Add salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
    Drain cooked potatoes and, while still warm, add to mixing bowl.  Pour dressing over potatoes.  Toss gently to combine, then sprinkle on the chopped parsley.  Serve salad in a shallow bowl (or even in the skillet) encircled with egg and tomato quarters (sprinkled with salt & pepper) if desired.  Serve warm.

Yield :  4 servings.

4. Do you celebrate Easter? What did Easter look like when you were a kid? What are your plans for Easter this year? 

 

I do celebrate Easter! Joyously!  

When I was a kid, Easter was not a holiday that I fully understood.  We did go to church, but the Gospel was not really part of it.  We did not have Easter baskets.  Instead, my mother hid jelly beans around the house for us to collect.  We usually did have a lovely Easter dinner at my grandmother's farmhouse.

 Easter plans this year include an early outdoor service, breakfast at the church, then an Easter worship service.  My daughter and I plan to collaborate on Easter dinner at her house.  Yes, it will include ham!

5. Something that makes you feel hopeful amidst all the chaos and confusion this world brings? 

I can give only one possible answer to this: the fact that God is in complete control and that He is working all things after the counsel of His own will -- and that one day all wrongs will be made right.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Looking forward to dinner out with old friends this evening (Tuesday).  It will be good to catch up. 

And that's the Hodgepodge!  Have a wonderful Easter, everyone!

Hodgepodge takes a Roman holiday

 

 Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond, where Joyce asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers.  Here we go ...

 1. It's March 15th and as the saying goes-"Beware the Ides of March". Have you read or studied much Shakespeare? Do you have a favorite Shakespeare play? 

I studied some Shakespeare in high school -- I think we studied something by him every year, but the ones I remember are The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth.  I really can't say that I have a favorite Shakespeare play.

How do you feel about a Caesar salad? 

I don't care for anchovies, so I don't love a traditional Caesar salad.  But years ago I found this recipe: Lemon Artichoke Romaine Salad, and it has been a favorite ever since.  It is close enough to a Caesar salad for me.

2. Have you ever been to Rome? If so what do you love about the city? If not, any desire to go?

I have never been to Rome and really have no desire to go there.   Possibly another Italian city, like maybe Venice, but not Rome.

3. What's your favorite place to 'roam'? 

Hmmm ...  Well, I would say either the Maine coast or various regions of New Hampshire.   We have a dream of renting a convertible some beautiful autumn day and taking time to explore a number of back roads all over the state.  We also love exploring hiking and walking trails anywhere we happen to be in this beautiful region.  Read about the photo below, from roaming much closer to home,  here: Mental health day.

Photo above is from a fine spring day and a "mental health" hike we took a few years back with our daughter and family.

4. Do you like pizza? Thick or thin crust? Red sauce-white sauce-other? Your favorite toppings? How do you feel about pineapple on a pizza? 

I do like pizza and prefer it with a thicker crust, though thin is fine -- especially if cooked in a wood-fired oven.  I like it with red sauce, but my favorite sauce for topping a homemade pizza is pesto.   My favorite toppings for a pesto-sauced pizza include roasted vegetables, Italian-blend cheese, and freshly ground Italian seasonings from one of those spice grinder jars.

I first got the idea, though, from this recipe: Pesto Vegetable Pizza.  It's yummy, so if you'd like to try this concept without winging it as I so often do, there's the link back there in green.

I do like pineapple with ham on a pizza.  I also like a barbecue chicken pizza, in which case I will spread barbecue sauce on the pizza and top with colby jack and/or cheddar cheese, plus cooked chicken and sometimes red and green pepper strips.

5.  'Rome wasn't built in a day'...tell us how this expression applies to something in your home-life-job currently (or recently)? 

Trying to get a start on another round of decluttering and downsizing. Three boxes are ready for the thrift store, but that's only making a very small dent.  Still, it's a beginning.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Why is it so difficult to get rid of books? (Speaking of decluttering, as we were above.)  I'm sure I've mentioned more than once in cleaning out the old homestead, that my parents had hundreds of books, shelved or stacked in nearly every room in their house, including the cellar.  As you might guess, this experience made Mr. T and me decide that we would downsize our own books.  (I will admit that they are mostly mine.)  I had a goal this past week to get rid of 20 books.  I managed to get rid of more like 30 books, but it's so hard!  I'm doing better, though, and will set a goal for another 20 books this week.

And that wraps up the Hodgepodge for this week!  Why not head on over to From This Side of the Pond and snag the questions to answer on your own blog?

One new thing ...

Here's another super-simple One New Thing that I recently tried -- a new way to make a coleslaw dressing.  Here's a little backstory:

We had leftovers of two meals planned for supper (we love leftovers!), but it seemed a little skimpy so I thought I would make a small amount of coleslaw to have as a side.  I remembered that there was part of a cabbage left in the fridge.  Well, it was a much smaller piece of cabbage than I remembered.  I shredded it up with a knife and then shredded a carrot (using a grater this time) into it.  Still looked a little skimpy, so I cut an unpeeled apple into very small dice and added that.  Perfect, but now for dressing.

What I often do to make coleslaw dressing is to stir some mayonnaise into the slaw, then add seasoned rice vinegar to make it the right consistency.  I usually also add some pepper and some onion powder.  No salt or sugar needed, because the seasoned rice vinegar contains those things.  (And maybe my simple slaw dressing will become a One New Thing to someone else -- who knows?)

But I had run out of rice vinegar and had to think about what to use instead.  I wanted it a little bit sweet because of the apples, but not terribly sweet.  I was thinking maybe a teaspoon or so of sugar, but didn't want to use honey or maple syrup as I felt those flavors would be overwhelming.  What I decided to do instead of adding any sugar was to add about a tablespoon of frozen apple juice concentrate.

So I used mayonnaise to taste, probably a half cup or so, salt to taste, some dashes of pepper and onion, and the tablespoon of apple juice concentrate.  It turned out really good.

I failed to take a picture the day that we enjoyed this coleslaw, so this is a container of the leftover slaw which we enjoyed with our lunch the following day. 

Hope you'll try this trick if you like coleslaw! 

Recipe ramblings

 

As I mentioned last week, I've tried a few new recipes lately.  The recent hot, humid weather prompted me to go through a stack of main-dish salad recipes that I'd saved.  The potato salad with kielbasa, above, is a Woman's Day recipe I've had for years but had not tried.  It's very good!  Below is the rest of the recipe:

Another salad recipe I've saved for years but never tried is this Hearty Pasta Salad from an older issue of Taste of Home.  

Photo from Taste of Home

For the meat, I used cut-up smoked turkey and it was very good.  I didn't use either carrots or celery as I was really crunched for time.  Instead I used some frozen petite peas, thawed in a strainer under hot running water.  I also added a good bit more lemon juice to the dressing.  1/4 teaspoon is a pretty small amount.

When we visited Nevada this spring, my sweet daughter gifted me with a copy of Taste of Home's Healthier Cooking.  It has so many good recipes in it!  This Slow-Cooker Chicken Taco Salad is one of them.  I've made this multiple times now,  and it is SO delicious.  That entire magazine, in fact, has such a variety of great recipes that it is well worth owning.  Very few, if any, ads. 

Photo from Taste of Home

I used that taco salad recipe while we were staying and working at a Christian camp early this summer.  It was so easy since I cooked and shredded the chicken at home, then brought it along in a container along with bags of salad mix, cherry tomatoes, avocados, shredded cheese and a bottle of ranch dressing.  It made for quick, simple, nourishing meals after busy work days.

 Another new recipe I recently tried was for Quick-Pickled Red Onions.  I kept seeing this condiment mentioned on people's blogs, so I finally bought a red onion, found a recipe, and went for it.

 

Photo from Martha Stewart

We both enjoy onions on burgers, but seldom have them because we are still tasting the onions for days afterward, it seems.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that we could put these pickled red onions on a turkey burger or a sandwich with no ill effects at all.  Now I am looking forward to trying these out in the company of grandson Sam, known in his family as the Condiment King when it comes to burgers.

I can't forget to share this recipe for low-carb Cream Cheese Chicken Stuffed Peppers!  I tried this one day when I had some colorful sweet peppers to use up and this recipe happened into my email inbox.  I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.  This is a super recipe by Karly from Buns in My Oven.

Photo by Karly from Buns in My Oven

This is a scrumptious recipe and so easy!  My hubby could not stop raving about how delicious these stuffed peppers were and that there is no need to ever make them any other way. 

Lastly, I want to share an eggplant recipe: Slow Cooker Eggplant Parmesan from Anne Wolfe Postic.  Someone gave my local daughter a very large eggplant; in fact, it seemed like two large eggplants that had grown together.  Their family doesn't really care for eggplant, so she offered it to me.

 

Photo from Pixabay

The weather was so hot at that point that I couldn't even think about making moussaka or eggplant parmesan in the oven as I ordinarily might.  My hubby suggested looking for a slow cooker recipe, and this is the one I found.  It was also too hot to think about making my own marinara, so I used the jarred kind.  This eggplant parmesan turned out so, so good!  I loved the fact that, although the eggplant slices are dipped in egg and crumbs, they do not need to be fried.  Again, this was a recipe my hubby raved about and declared there was no need to make eggplant parmesan the regular way ever again.  I really think he's right!

There are my recipe ramblings from the past few weeks.  Maybe you'll find a recipe you want to try among them.

Monday musings

 

 Even though I feel that I have less to share than usual -- the hot humid weather has likely addled my brain -- I wanted to pop in with a brief Monday musings post just to touch base with everyone.

Yes, it's hot and humid here these days.  Last week we had a couple of nice cool days that were just wonderful.  Sunny, but breezy and cool.  I really wouldn't mind if the rest of the summer turned out to be just like that.

My hubby and I stayed at our little camp again, to catch every available breeze and bit of coolness through the night.  This morning we enjoyed coffee and our quiet time by the campfire.  We hope to stay at our camp one or two nights each week, and to make one of the mornings a leisurely one like this.  (Photo below is from a previous summer in our own back yard.)

We always loved having our devotional times outdoors when we were camping, and tried to do so on some Saturday mornings at home, but often there wasn't time to build a campfire.  Now that we are retired, we can enjoy something like this more often -- maybe once a week or so, as life is still very busy. 

Last evening our daughter and the 4 kids came over (some walked, some biked) and we just enjoyed a nice visit outdoors where there was a bit of a breeze under the trees.   We've brought over some vintage wooden (and other) lawn chairs and and a wood glider from Tractor Supply that's been on our porch for years but was seldom used.  It will get a lot more use at the cottage.  Now we have outdoor seating for a crowd.

Anyone else finding it tiresome to cook on these hot humid evenings?  We are eating a lot of sandwiches and salads. Alfresco Bean Salad  is a wonderful healthy side for any sandwich.  

I recently made a large batch of this, along with a simple pasta salad, for my friend Jenn who just had a baby.  It was a hot week like this one, and she loved having cold foods all ready to eat.  You can find the recipe for the pasta salad in this post: Supper on the deck.

 Saturday we attended a graveside service for an extended family member.  We were blessed that the rain held off, the day stayed overcast (it was so hot and humid the sun would have been brutal), and that we could see so many of Mr. T's siblings and their families.  It was a blessing to see the outpouring of community support for the family.

Speaking of Mr. T, he has been working hard on the project of insulating and installing a ceiling of matched pine boards at our little camp.  I have no photos of this endeavor, though I think our daughter got a few with her phone the other day when Josiah was helping with the project.  It's looking good!  He plans to install a window in one end and also a floor and ladder.  This loft will be a fun and functional spot for the grandchildren to enjoy.  Below you see it as it was last summer:

I'll leave you with a view from one of our camp windows.  All of that green is so soothing ... and there is a green view from every window!

A favorite side salad

While our Nevada daughter was here visiting, we celebrated several birthdays.  For granddaughter Julia's birthday meal, she requested shepherd's pie, one of her mom's specialties.  I was asked to bring a salad to the birthday supper, and this is what I chose to bring: Lemon Artichoke Romaine Salad.

I posted this recipe back in 2011, so many current readers may have missed it.  It is a real favorite of mine.  The dressing is so simple, calls for very ordinary staple ingredients, and yet tastes so special.  It's very light, also.

I found this salad in a Light and Tasty magazine some years ago, and we really enjoy it.  The flavors are perfect with any Italian-type main dish.  I have served it to company with lasagna (or even pizza many times).  If you are looking for a side dish to perk up spaghetti, pizza, calzone, or any Italian meal, you will want to give this a try.  You may find it perks up your old standard Italian style menus. 

It actually is a great accompaniment to any savory main dish;  it went perfectly with the shepherd's pie for Julia's meal.  I tripled the recipe because we had such a large group, and this time I chose not to use romaine, which has had a few issues of late.  I used an organic spring mix which included herbs -- I believe it was the Hannaford brand.   I didn't end up using all of the dressing, so left it there.  They used it on an antipasto type salad later in the week and loved it.

If you'd like a different salad recipe to add to your usual repertoire, you will want to try this one!

Supper on the deck

When we got our patio set at the beginning of summer, we envisioned lots of suppers on the deck.  It hasn't worked out quite as we'd hoped, although we have eaten some meals out there.  We had one entire week where it rained pretty much every day.  We had another couple of weeks when it was just brutally hot outdoors.  Even though we don't have AC, it was cooler inside the house than out, so we ate indoors.

So last Thursday night when we were ready to eat, Mr. T suggested we eat outside.  The meal I had planned and was ready to serve was just perfect for this: some simple wrap sandwiches and a pasta salad with veggies.   I'd made some iced tea, too.

 I really doubt you need recipes for these, but I will just quickly share how I made these very simple foods that work so well for al fresco dining.

Wrap Sandwiches
Some sort of flatbread intended for wraps, or flour tortillas
Some sort of spread -- mayo, mustard, barbecue sauce, pesto, guacamole, hummus
Some sort of meat, the more thinly sliced the better
Some type of cheese; I like the ultra thin slices
Vegetables like lettuce or spinach leaves, chopped tomato, chopped or thinly sliced pickles

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap for each sandwich desired.  Lay a flatbread or tortilla on the plastic.  Spread with whatever spread you choose.  Lay a couple slices of meat on top, then a couple slices of cheese.  Sprinkle with the vegetables.  Fold in two ends of each wrap (so now you have a circle with two straight folded edges).  Roll up the bread tightly and wrap securely in the sheet of plastic wrap that's underneath it.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Now the pasta salad is even easier.

Vegetable Pasta Salad
12 ounces of any pasta shape -- I like either the tricolor rotini or the tricolor ruffles
1 pkg. (16 ounces) of any frozen unsauced vegetable mixture -- I like the sugar snap pea stir-fry blend or the deluxe stir-fry blend
Salad dressing to taste -- either Italian, or Greek, or some other type of savory vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste, or other seasonings like herbs or seasoning blends
Parmesan cheese if you like

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Stir in the pasta and cook as package directs. 

Meanwhile, place the frozen vegetables in a large colander and set it in your sink.  When the pasta is done, pour it into the colander right on top of your vegetables.  Let it stand as it is for a half hour or so, then rinse with cold water.  You have just "cooked" your frozen veggies to the point where they will be just right in a pasta salad.

Let the pasta and vegetables drain thoroughly, then transfer them to a large bowl.  Add salad dressing and seasonings to taste.  This most recent batch that I made had freshly snipped chives and basil in it.  Sprinkle in some Parmesan cheese if you like.

Will probably make 4 to 6 servings or so.

When my hubby suggested eating outdoors, he quickly set the table.  I chose this pretty vintage tray to carry out the food and so I arranged the wraps, salad, and salt and pepper on it. It looked so inviting!

So there you have some no-recipe recipes that just might facilitate an outdoor supper for you as well!

We've decided we are going to eat supper on the deck whenever possible.  Just being out in God's creation, even in our own backyard, has such a calming and relaxing effect on us after a busy day.  Before we know it, the weather will be too cold to eat outside, so we plan to make the most of our deck and patio set throughout the summer and fall.

Another sensational main-dish salad for those hot days

(Photo above is from Taste of Home.  My salad was not as pretty as theirs but it sure tasted good.)

Things continue hot, humid and showery in the Granite State.  Cool main-dish salads are the order of the day at our house.  We have old favorites but are always happy to try out a new salad recipe.

I tried this recipe Friday night: Cobb Salad with Chili Lime Dressing.  I found it while browsing through a 2009 summer issue of Simple and Delicious magazine and decided to try it, since I had everything on hand that I needed (other than salad greens, and I was grocery shopping that day).

I did change up a few things.  I left out the raw onion as we just don't enjoy them in salads.  I left out the shredded cheese also, since chicken and beans provided plenty of protein.

Some reviewers on the Taste of Home site said that they swapped out black beans for the kidney beans.  I just used the light red kidney beans and they were delicious in the salad.  I would think just about any type of bean would be good in this.

The chili lime dressing is fantastic.  I changed a few things there too.  Didn't have quite enough sour cream, so added a few tablespoons of mayo to make up the difference.  I didn't want to mess about with a blender, so I left out the canned green chiles and substituted an equivalent amount of salsa verde.  And I used the squeezable cilantro paste from Gourmet Garden -- always my go-to when recipes call for fresh cilantro.  I find that the fresh stuff goes bad far too quickly.

We loved this salad.  My hubby declared it "one of those meals that I could eat and eat."  This will definitely be going into our rotation of main-dish summer salads!

A favorite summer supper -- Chef's Salad

Photo is from Pixabay.  You don't really think I'd remember to take a photo, do you?

 Last night we had one of our favorite summer meals -- a nice chef's salad.  During the dog days of summer, it's one of the best suppers I can think of, and my hubby is always happy to see it on the menu.  I did a search here and discovered I've apparently never posted this recipe ... which is really more of a formula, I guess.  So here goes:

CHEF'S SALAD

*Leafy greens enough to feed however many folks are at your table -- I like the baby leaf lettuces from Little Leaf Farms
*Chopped green, red, or yellow peppers to taste, if you like
*Tomatoes, cut in wedges, or grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, to taste
*Thin sliced swiss or provolone cheese, cut in strips, to taste
*Thin sliced deli ham, cut in strips, to taste
*Thin sliced deli chicken or turkey, cut in strips, to taste

And you could certainly add other things like olives, chopped green onion, avocado cubes, sliced hard-cooked eggs, or whatever you might like in a salad like this.

Layer the ingredients in a large salad bowl.  I like to make two layers so that the ingredients are well distributed when the salad is tossed.

I always use a thousand island type dressing with this salad, as it's what was suggested with the recipe I found years ago.  Here is what I combined to make last night's dressing:

DRESSING FOR CHEF'S SALAD

*3/4 cup mayonnaise
*1/2 cup barbecue sauce
*1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish
*2 Tablespoons milk, to thin the dressing to your taste

Serve in a bowl alongside the salad, so diners may add dressing to their personal taste.

This 'n' that

How can someone who is so busy find so little to blog about?  At the very least, I guess I can share some of what I've been up to.  Many readers enjoy random posts ... in fact, I enjoy them myself on other people's blogs.  Let's begin with some kitchen news.

Last week our local supermarket had split chicken breasts (the bone-in type) on a great sale, so on Thursday I bought a package and marinated them as soon as I got home from the store, to make Garlic Lime Chicken, an old favorite.  It sort of kicked off summer, with some purchased potato salad and steamed snow peas.

We had a busy weekend with lots of cooking and eating going on.  I took my favorite Bacon Chive Potato Salad to a cookout with friends on Friday night.  Not much was left to bring home!

My chives are looking really skimpy these days.  I spotted a bunch at my dad's place and am thinking I will transplant them into a large container and bring it home.  I like to use chives in many recipes in place of raw onions or green onions.

I had offered to bake cookies for a graduation party last Saturday.  So I spent a few hours over several days,  baking different kinds.  I like the idea of a varied cookie tray or plate and also the idea of  having tins of different varieties of cookies stashed in the freezer.  This accomplished both.  Here are some of the kinds I made:

Moose Tracks Cookies

Photo from Inside BruCrew Life

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Crunchy Toffee Crackle Cookies

Cookie Dough Brownies (I usually omit the nuts on top)

On Monday we had a cookout with our local daughter and family.  Burgers with chips, deviled eggs,  and salads on the side.  I made a roasted sweet potato salad, and my daughter made Greek Pasta Salad, minus the chicken, which is a huge favorite with her kids.  I made a strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert but the filling didn't thicken enough.  It did taste good, thankfully!

I've made Tuna Pasta Salad several times in recent weeks, as I mentioned, I think, in a Hodgepodge post.  It's a favorite warm-weather meal and my hubby loves it.  To lighten things up, rather than serving this with corn muffins as I might usually do, I've been serving it with a tossed salad on the side instead.

Not much happening on the crafting front, though I do have a little sewing project cut out for when I find some time.  I'm crocheting and embroidering in bits and snippets of time here and there.  The Scalloped Potholder pattern is easily memorized and continues to be a favorite of mine.  I'm really itching to get back to sewing and embroidery, but we will see!

I've been trying to walk with a friend nearly every morning, and it's been great.  Tomorrow I plan to take the camera (if I remember) and take some pictures of spring blooms we've been noticing.

Of course, many other things have been going on -- trust responsibilities of all sorts, Sunday School preparation, supporting my hubby in his pastoral search responsibilities,  and also the finding and purchasing of tickets for a fall trip to Nevada.

That's a general wrap-up of what's been going on here.  How has your May been?

From the August archives, part 3

I just can't seem to stop myself from a third August archive post.  If I had time, there might even be a fourth, but I am going to try and do one on my Christmas blog as well.  I've tried to keep a balance in this post between devotional thoughts, recipes, crafts and memories.  Here we go ...

Thoughts from reading Jonah is a post from 2008 that might encourage anyone going through difficulties right now.

From 2009, Lifting up my soul to God is another post that resulted from my quiet time.  I hope it will be a blessing to someone else today.

Now for a few recipes:

Lemon Artichoke Romaine Salad is the perfect salad for serving to company alongside pizza or other Italian food.  It tastes impressive and reminds me somehow of Olive Garden.

Root Beer Float Pie is a cool and delicious pie for the end of a late-summer meal, or to bring to a potluck.

And Farmstand-flavored memories shares a recipe link as well as some precious childhood memories.

 Speaking of memories,A hike with the grandkids talks about a 2015 hike where we made some memories.

 And lastly, a crafty post: Around the felt campfire shares photos of a fun felt project I did for my local grandkids.  Still have a set like this in the works for the out-West kiddos.

There you have it!  Hope you've enjoyed this rummage through the archives.