She Would Have Loved My Garden

She Would Have Loved My Garden

My Mom moved to heaven a few years ago and there are days that I still cry deeply over missing her so much. I need her in my life and never imagined my life without her. Often times my mind wanders off to a different time. A time when I still had her with me to share my life. We were inseparable and I am told that our love for each other was unusual...almost too deep and too perfect. While I have no idea what that means, I do know that I loved her beyond measure and she felt the same way.

I miss her most when I am in the kitchen making one of the recipes from the little cards in her old collection of favorites and reading the little love notes that she knew I would read someday when she had moved on to her new home. I miss her when I try to step in and cover for her on those special occasions like my Dad's birthday party or a some special occasion for my brother. I know I can never be her. But I do the best I can to bake that cake or cook that meal that always makes him cry.

I miss her most when I am in the garden. After she moved to Heaven I brought her old bird bath to my garden and some of her favorite flowers and I created a special garden in her memory. And it is the prettiest garden you've ever seen. The flowers are vibrant and colorful and there is so much activity there. Butterflies, birds, lady bugs and some of God's tiniest creations gather there to share her memory with me.

She would have loved my garden ....she would have stood there in silence looking at every single flower, studying every petal, stem, and leaf. She would have taken big breaths and let out deep sighs at the miraculous wonders of God's work all around her. She would have looked up at the Heavens and silently praised God for his beautiful work. And she would have taken my hand and squeezed it tight to let me know she was so grateful that she taught me the gift of gardening.

She is in her own garden now. A garden so magnificent that words cannot describe the beauty. She sees far more flowers and far more colors and she now talks to God up close and personal. And I know she is watching me walk alone in my garden now and she sends these thoughts to me to let me know...."she would have loved my garden."

I want to share that garden with you my friends. I will post some photos in honor of her memory here at Welcome Home. Like this small patch of African Daisies that are supposed to an annual that blooms only one time each year during summer. However, this is a patch that came up on their own this year. I did not plant them. They were one of her favorites.

My Delicious Irish Stew

 

I make this stew every year for St Patrick’s day…not only for tradition..but because it’s so good. I’ve made it with lamb but I prefer beef.  It’s a blend of tender meat, carrots and potatoes in a savory broth.  The perfect comfort food for a chilly night.

My Delicious Irish Stew 

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 pounds beef stew meat
• ▢ 1 cup onion coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup Irish stout beer (Guinness)
• ▢ 4 cups beef broth
• ▢ 1/4 cup tomato paste
• ▢ 2 pounds small yellow potatoes
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ▢ 2 cups carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

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  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  

  

  
  
  
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper to taste.











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  Add half the beef cubes to the pot in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. Remove the beef from the pot and repeat with remaining meat. Remove all the browned meat from the pot.

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Add the onions to the pot and cook for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Return the meat to the pot. Add the flour and stir to coat the meat and onions.
• Add the beer, beef broth, tomato paste, potatoes, thyme and carrots to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and bring the pot to a simmer.
• Cover the pot. Place it in the oven and bake for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

NOTE;  Guinness makes a non-alcoholic beer now! So you can still have the flavor without the alcohol.

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT STEW

• I use packaged beef stew meat because saves on prep time, but you can also buy a chuck roast and cut it into cubes if you prefer.
• Be sure to cut your vegetables and potatoes into large pieces so that they don’t get mushy during the long cooking time.
• Choose your favorite Irish beer, I typically use Guinness.
• Beef stew can be stays fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days, and can be frozen for 2 months. Freeze the stew in an airtight container or resealable bag, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove top.

Black Cherry Cobbler Pie

Last time I was at Costco I saw the prettiest dark sweet Bing cherries. I walked by them several times but they kept calling out the words "cherry pie" to me so I bought them. The next day I made the easiest and one of the most delicious pies. I took some short cuts on the pie crust but you'd never know because Marie Callender makes the  best buttery and flaky refrigerated pie crusts! This pie turned out to be a winner. 

Black Cherry Cobbler Pie

1 pkg. (2 per pack) 9 or 10-inch frozen or refrigerated pie crusts
5 cups sweet cherries, pitted (See note below)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon of cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg for egg wash

Place the pitted cherries, sugar, almond extract, lemon juice and corn starch in a large bowl. Toss until the cherries are well coated with the sugar and other ingredients.

Make sure if using frozen crust, they are thawed completely. Use one for your pie and take the other out of its tin and on a lightly floured clean surface, roll out the dough. Using kitchen scissors or a pizza wheel, cut strips or shapes to go on top of pie filling.

Place the filling in the pie plate. Dot with small dabs of butter. Cover with strips or shapes or you can even drop dough on top of the pie filling for that cobbler effect. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water or milk. Use a brush to brush over the top crust. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if desired.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the pie on a baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 350 degrees and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is thick and bubbly. Serve chilled or at room temperature.       

                              

NOTE: If you can't get ripe sweet cherries where you are, you can use this Cherry Pie filling recipe for the same results:

1 can (14.5 oz) Oregon Dark Sweet Pitted Cherries
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract

Drain cherries, reserving the liquid. Add enough water to bring the drained cherry liquid up to 1 1/4 cups and add to small saucepan. Add cornstarch and sugar to saucepan, and heat, whisking occasionally until mixture comes to bubble and thickens. Continue whisking so no lumps form and filling is smooth. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and almond extract, fold in cherries. Follows the rest of the recipe above.

Photograph is copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love a good old fashion casserole.  The kind our mom’s used to make.  This one was served a lot when I was little because it’s the only way Mom could get me to eat broccoli.  As a matter of fact, it’s one of the only ways I will eat it all these years later.  So rich and so creamy and good. You can use Campbell's
Cream of Chicken Soup or you can follow my recipe to make your own. You can serve it right away or freeze it for later.  How simple and very versatile. 

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

2 Tablespoons butter

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Salt/Pepper, to taste

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 cups white long grain rice, uncooked

2 cups fresh broccoli florets, uncooked

10.5 oz. Cream of Chicken Soup 

½ cup milk

½ cup sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, separated

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with Italian seasoning and desired amount of salt and pepper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Note: This step is not needed if using a cooked rotisserie chicken.

Add the chicken broth, olive oil, and rice to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Cover tightly and cook for 6 minutes. Add the broccoli and replace the cover. Cook for 9 more minutes, or until no liquid remains in the pot and the rice is cooked through. (If it's not cooked through yet, quickly replace lid and simmer 5 more minutes, or until cooked through.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Turn off the heat and leave the cover on. Let the rice stand for 10 minutes, do not stir. Any rice on the bottom of the pot will release.

Add the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, optional seasonings, and half of the cheddar cheese.

Add to a lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

 NOTES

• This recipe can be made with Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Broccoli, Cheddar Cheese, and Broccoli Cheese.
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• Don’t use Minute Rice.  You want regular long grain rice for a creamier consistency. You can also use brown rice but it will take a little longer to cook.

• 2 cups of frozen broccoli can also be used. Just be sure you thaw and pat it dry! Frozen broccoli is already partially cooked, but you may want to consider steaming it as well for a softer texture in the casserole. 

• This is a great casserole for rotisserie chicken, 2 cups is the perfect quantity to use.
• Since rotisserie chicken can sometimes be salted, consider using low sodium chicken broth so that your meal doesn’t turn out overly salty.

Make for later

• This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days prior to baking. Let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking and add 15 minutes to baking time.

Freezer:

• Assemble the casserole as outlined and do not bake. Let it thaw for 24 hours in the fridge. Let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking and add 15 minutes to baking time.  You can store in freezer for up to 3 months.

Storage

• Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Chicken Cobb Salad

Chicken Cobb Salad

I can remember when I began to appreciate salads.  It was just after high school when I decided to give up the Twinkies and Ding Dongs and eat a little healthier. Prior to that, salads were just something you ate on the side so you could say you got your veggies for the day. But then one day, I decided to play grown up and I ordered a Cobb Salad off the menu at a restaurant as my main course.  I have loved them ever since!   It’s the perfect salad and has all my favorite ingredients like crispy lettuce, boiled eggs, chicken, tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese sprinkles and bacon!   My kind of healthy salad!  

Chicken Cobb Salad

Roast Chicken

2 bone-in chicken breasts
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Rub the chicken with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake for about 35 minutes until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Transfer chicken to a plate and remove skin. Slice in strips or chop. 

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and blend well. Toss the chicken in this dressing and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Salad

3 strips apple wood smoked bacon
1 head lettuce, roughly chopped, Romaine or Iceberg
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Cut raw bacon into 2 inch pieces and fry until lightly crisp. Transfer to paper towels and set aside.

To cook the eggs, bring a small pot of water just to a boil. Carefully lower the eggs into the pot. Time 9 minutes, then, using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs to a bowl of iced water. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the shells and slice in half.

To assemble the salad:  Place lettuce on plate. Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced eggs, and bacon.  Next arrange sliced chicken on top of salad and sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese. Top with sliced avocado if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with your favorite salad dressing!

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.