Glazed Blueberry Muffins

Another great recipe from The English Kitchen. I made this recipe on Sunday and they are wonderful. Then again, all Marie's recipes are delicious!

Glazed Blueberry Muffins

finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup super fine sugar...
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup of sunflower or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

For the glaze:

3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
the juice of half a lemon
hot water as needed

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a medium size muffin tin, or line with paper liners. This recipe makes 12 muffins. Set aside.

Combine both sugars in a large bowl. Rub in the lemon zest with your fingertips until it is quite fragrant. Drop in the butter and cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla and beat well together.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Combine all well together. Fold in the blueberries. Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cups, filling them almost to the top.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan while you make the glaze.

Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients until smooth, adding only enough hot water as needed to get the right consistency. Dip the warm muffins into the glaze one at a time, glazing the tops and letting any excess drip off. Place onto a wire rack and allow the topping to set. Serve warm or cool. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and use within two days.

http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/glazed-blueberry-muffins.html

Not Just An Ordinary Day

Today is not going to be just another day for me. I want it to be, but that won't happen. I will try to make it through as if nothing is out of the ordinary and carry on my tasks at hand, but my heart is making sure that I know it's bruise...d and not ready to ever forget this day.

I often wonder if I can ever put this date completely out of my mind and just move on as if it never happened, but already I know I can't and I won't. I already know how difficult it will be for me to contain my emotions and not completely fall apart. For you see, today's date marks the anniversary of the darkest day of my life...the day my Mother took her last breath and the day I feel she took mine with her.

Today marks the twelve years that have passed since my Mom moved to Heaven and my heart feels like it's somewhere between a light rain shower and a full blown hurricane. I think I have it under control and I can shut those memories out from that day, but they continue to creep in. It's like a battle between my heart and my mind and it's my very soul that feels the aftermath of all this tugging and fighting.

My mind keeps bringing up memories of hospitals, doctors and life support and my sweet, beautiful Mother being in the middle of that awful mess. It is my mind that makes this day so difficult as it keeps reminding me how empty I am without her. The mind is powerful and no matter how hard you try, it contains a lot of hurtful data that can just come out of nowhere. There are times that it can play tricks on you and almost take your breath away and break your heart. A simple recipe that I remember we made together. A favorite song that she loved or her favorite lilacs in bloom. Even her favorite color can even trigger it when you least expect it.

It's my heart that sings out the memory of her warmth and her laughter and our one-of-a-kind relationship that we shared. It sings out the story of her life and brings me comfort in knowing that she is still right beside me. It's my heart that makes sense of it all and let's me miss her with a smile and the joy in knowing she's here and has been all along. It is my heart that tells me she is so happy that I went on with my life and chose to honor her memory by creating this place called Welcome Home. And my heart reassures me that she is calling all of you to cross my path and find comfort here too.

It just feels right to share my feelings with you today...because you have been there all along for me. I always fear that my grief shared openly might make others feel that I am asking for pity. That could be further from the truth...I do a great job of that all on my own so I really am not looking for anyone's sympathy. If anyone knows how to throw a great Pity Party, it's me...so I am not asking you for your sympathy or pity. I am just sharing my feelings and asking you to feel free to share yours too.

Today, just like the past 11 years, my inner child comes out and I long to lay my head in her Mother's lap and feel her hands stroking my hair ...telling me it will be alright. I am that little girl who is lost and scared without her mother and not sure of how I can make it without her. But I do. And next year I will go through these same feelings all over again. Her absence will still be felt every single day, but on this day it will somehow intensify.

I am opening my heart today and sharing my feelings because I know so many of you out there feel the same way. From the beginning I have always followed my heart when I write on this page...because Welcome Home belongs to my Mom. And I feel certain that she is the force behind it all. She is leading me and guiding me in bringing all your broken hearts together so that they might find some comfort here. My Mom lives in Heaven now ....but I am certain she is there with your Mom and other loved ones and there is this big rally in getting a message to you all by bringing you here. They want you to know that they are right next to you and have never left your side. They just love you from a different place.

I have a box tucked away in my closet and it is full of things from my Mom's funeral service. I do not look in that box because it is a reminder of the pain and sorrow from that dreadful day. But I did look in it yesterday and I found some bows and ribbons and hundreds of cards from friends and family that attended the service. There are a few pressed flowers in the Guest Book they gave me and so much outpouring of love for a great woman who left this world to find happiness with God. But there was one unsigned card....a blank card in an envelope that just says my Mom's name on the outside. And the card reads....

Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars at night
Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.

Thank you Mom. This is just one of the many signs you send me to let me know you are still here with me. It is the very sign I needed to get me through this day.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Cups

1 package (16 ounces) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Ultimates™ Refrigerated Chocolate Peanut Butter Deluxe Cookie Dough

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 can (14 oun...ces) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels

PREHEAT oven to 325° F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups. Cut each square in half. Place one piece of dough in each muffin cup.

BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie has spread to edge of cup.

BEAT cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla extract in medium bowl until smooth. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture over each cookie in cup.

BAKE for additional 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Remove from oven to wire rack. While still warm, top cheesecakes with morsels. Morsels will soften but will retain shape. Cool completely. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/145381/Peanut-Butter--Chocolate-Chip-Cheesecake-Cookie-Cups/detail.aspx

Remembering

My Mother's Lap

I have so many wonderful memories of the loving relationship I had with my Mom when I was growing up. I am always reluctant to allow myself to get too deep in remembering them all as it hurts far too much.

But of all the memories I cherish, it is the memory of always laying my head in her lap whenever I needed her. It was the safest place to be when my heart was broken. It was a place to go to when I needed to feel comfort and cherished and loved. There was no other place like it when I was scared or hurt or feeling lonely. I can still feel her soft hands stroking my hair and the sweet sound of her voice telling me how much she loved me and her promise that everything would be okay. And it just was. Everything was okay and all was well in the world when I heard those words and felt her warm touch.

And later...when I was a grown woman and life had dealt me a broken heart or presented me with an ultimatum I couldn't handle, I would run to her for those comforting moments, time and time again. It was where I needed to be, and no matter how grown up I really was, for those moments I was her baby again and she was my angel and my refuge and my safe haven. No matter how much pain or what it was that was hurting me, I knew I could get through it with her reassurance that I would be okay.

Of all the memories in my lifetime, those will forever be the most precious to me. Those times are what I long for and yearn for so often. Those times are gone now and the void is so overwhelming at times, it takes my breath away. Life still throws some curve balls and gives me some tough challenges and I still need so much to hear her tell me it will be okay. Sometimes, if I close my eyes tight and drown out the world, I can get lost in my memories of her and I can almost feel her hands stroking my hair.

Oh how ironic this journey of life can be... for little did I know that one day I would be comforting her and stroking her hair as she lay dying. And I would whisper those same words for the last time. "I love you Mom... more than life itself and I cannot bear the thought of going on without you. But I will be okay and I'll see you again. You can go now to a better place. I promise you everything will be okay."

~Marty

Photo by Andrzej Laskowski
http://fotouczniak.deviantart.com/art/Red-hair-110817137

Buttermilk Cornbread

My Mom made the best buttermilk cornbread and I have always used the same recipe when I make mine. It is so fast and so easy to make. I usually make mine in my cast iron skillet but this time I wanted to make it simple for those who don't ...have one. I also make mine without sugar so I give you the option to make it the way you like it. Either way, you'll love it!

Buttermilk Cornbread

1 cup corn meal
2 eggs
1 cup melted butter

2/3 cup sugar (or less if you don't like sweet cornbread)
1 cup buttermilk (see note on how to make your own)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9 with non-stick cooking spray and put it in the oven to get hot.

Next, combine your eggs, butter, sugar (if using), buttermilk, and baking soda. Mix well by hand. Then add in the corn meal, flour, and salt and continue to mix well under all our combined.

Remove hot pan from oven and melt in 2 tablespoons of butter. Carefully swirl around pan until bottom is coated. Pour your batter in hot pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

NOTE: To make your own buttermilk, pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a one cup measure. Then add whole milk to the one cup line. Let it sit on your counter for 5 minutes and then stir. You just made buttermilk! 

 

 Photographs are copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOM'S RECIPES

Most of the recipes I share here at Welcome Home came from my Mom's little recipe boxes which are so precious to me.

I look through those little cards and almost every single one has a heart drawn on it or a little loving phrase or an "I love you" written on the back. It's as if she knew that one day I would still need to see those words when I didn't have her here to say them anymore. Mixed throughout the recipe cards are little notes to herself about what she wanted to teach me next.

She loved me so much and so loved raising me...I was her last child and she loved teaching me to cook and to garden. She especially loved teaching me about life. Her mission was to raise a daughter who valued every minute of her life and shared as much love as she could with the rest of the world. I hope I'm making her proud.

Welcome Home is dedicated to my Mom who passed away suddenly 12 years ago. I loved my Mother with all my heart. She was the love of my life. She believed I could do anything and she was the truest friend I've ever had. I always say that God sent me to the arms of an angel and her arms were always open when I needed a hug. Her heart always understood when I needed a friend. Her gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson. Her strength and love guided me and gave me wings to fly. All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my Mom.

No one has ever loved me as much as she did. Never in my lifetime will I find a love so profoundly pure and so deep and unconditional. I cannot remember a moment in my life, before she left, that I didn't feel loved by her. It was a love like no other and I felt the same about her. It's been 12 years. today and I have never recovered from the loss. I doubt I ever will. To face life without that security and that promise of undying love is hard at times. But you move on and just accept what you've lost and realize that you will never fill that void.

Oh, I know she's still here. Like the sound of the bell ringing on a tiny little wind chime I have hanging here at my window. The window is closed and there is nothing to explain why it rings but it does. Just a single bell sounds out of nowhere sometimes. Or the times that I get the strong whiff of her perfume as I sit here at my desk or just before I go to sleep at night. There's no source from where it comes and no explanation....but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it is my Mom that has come to say she loves me and that I am not alone. Then there are those unmistakable moments that I get a clear sign that she is here and speaks through my writing at Welcome Home. Words that I sometimes read and know they did not come from me alone.

I am certain there are those that think it's wishful thinking or they might not think I have all my faculties and need help....but those of you who have suffered a loss of this magnitude fully understand and can relate.

She is here. She does come..... and for those few moments, I feel that same undeniable love again and all is well with my life.

~Marty

Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta In Tomato Basil Sauce

I put together this pasta bake over the weekend and it turned out far better than I expected. I love bow tie pasta (Farfalle) and the combination of the cheeses and the sauce in this recipe was incredibly delicious. I served with a fresh tossed salad and homemade garlic bread and it made the perfect meal. I think you'll love this one!

Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta In Tomato Basil Sauce

12 ounces dried farfalle (Bow Tie) pasta
1 pound chicken tenders, diced
1 14.5 oz can of Whole Italian Tomatoes
1 teaspoon of butter mixed with 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese
1 small onion – minced
1 clove of garlic – crushed
2 tablespoons of fresh basil – roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 oz mascarpone cheese, room temp.
salt to taste
1 cup shredded Romano Cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook under just tender. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet and cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside and cover with foil to keep warm. Add whole tomatoes and chopped basil to the skillet and stir. Add salt to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, boil pasta in a large pot of water generously seasoned with salt. When pasta is cooked al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside. Return drained pasta back to the hot pot and add butter and parmesan cheese mixture. Cover and set aside, off the heat.

After about 20 minutes sauce should be ready. Transfer it to a blender or food processor or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. Return to skillet and add the mascarpone. Season again if necessary at this point and add more if needed. If the sauce is too thick add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin.

Pour drained pasta in baking dish. Add just enough sauce over pasta to cover lightly and toss. Top with the chicken and sprinkle and top with Romano and then mozzarella cheese. Add more chopped basil and parsley and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese has melted. Serve immediately. Add more sauce if desired at serving.

Photograph is copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home

Chicken Tender Parmigiana

I love how this dish turned out for my guests this past weekend. Fork tender, moist chicken coated in crispy Panko breadcrumbs and topped with Romano and Mozzarella cheese. Then served over a delicious homemade sauce.   

Chicken Tender Parmigiana

2 pounds chicken tenders
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated or shredded Romano cheese
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
1 Jar tomato sauce or make your own (recipe below)

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. In another bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip tenders in egg, then in Parmesan mixture. Set aside on plate until ready to fry.

In large skillet, melt butter and olive oil. Place tenders in skillet and fry on medium heat until golden brown and juices run clear in the center. Remove and drain on paper towel and then place on baking sheet. Top each tender with Romano and Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with parsley. Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese has melted.

Spread 1-2 cups of warm sauce on plate. Then top with chicken. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan cheese on top if desired. Serve alone or with your favorite pasta or make your own (recipe below).

Simple and Easy Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (32-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 to 4 basil leaves
1 dried bay leaf

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce until entire batch is smooth.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

*** Photograph is copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.

He wasn't a hero

He wasn't a hero, known by the world.
But a hero he was, to his little girl.

I knew his voice, before I could speak.
And loved it when, he would sing me to sleep.

 He taught me life's lessons, of right from wrong.
And instilled in me values, that I might be strong.

And so through the years, like a hero he stood.
Working to give me, all that he could.

And so it is, my best memory to recall.
Is the gift of his presence, the greatest gift of all.

~Rebecca Cook

Acts Of Kindness

"The unclaimed and unknown acts of kindness done here on earth are well known in heaven."

~Anthony Douglas Williams