Antipasto-Charcuterie Pasta

I had a little bowl of leftover pasta from the chicken-shrimp thing I made recently. I almost pitched it this morning. Then I noticed olives, pickles, and some other fun ingredients and decided to make this up. . .for breakfast today! 🙃

1c cooked thin spaghetti

1-2T truffle infused EVOO

everything bagel seasoning

Combine these in a little bowl, chop the following and add to the bowl:

1 thick slice Swiss cheese

4 baby dill pickles

5 Kalamata olives

1 big green onion

1/3 ripe avocado

1/2 small tomato

Toss all this together and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. Mmmm. . .Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner, or a great, colorful, side to grilled fish, chicken, or steak. Pasta. . .It's not just for Marinara anymore .. 😊 .. Lin  

Spiced Apple Cake

Yesterday I saw a recipe for a pear cake! I love pears, but only have apples at the moment, that I'd like to use up. I made some additions to the original and it turned out well. Perfect for morning coffee, afternoon tea, or dessert.

The original recipe used a 10" cast iron skillet, but this made way more than that could contain. I used two buttered, 2 quart casseroles.

Combine in a medium bowl, then divide between the baking dishes:

2T melted butter

⅓c brown sugar

1c craisins

1c chopped pecans

3 lg. Envy apples - Cored, scrubbed and sliced 

In the empty apple bowl, whisk together:

2 lg. eggs

½c sour cream

1c brown sugar

1T Mexican vanilla

1-2t fresh lemon juice

1t white Balsamic vinegar

6T melted -slightly cooled- butter

In a large bowl, combine:

1⅓c all purpose flour

1½t pumpkin pie spice

½t ground nutmeg

½t ground ginger

1t baking powder

a sprinkle of salt

½t baking soda

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in the big bowl, using a heavy wooden spoon. Pour this over the apples in the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool at least a half hour before flipping this onto a large round plate.

This would be excellent topped with lightly sweetened, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or just as it is. . .Lin

Pears, Pecans and Cottage Cheese

This has become a favorite, quick, go-to of mine.

Since I don't have rules about certain foods being eaten only at a specific time of day, I'll have it for breakfast, an evening snack, lunch and even dinner if it sounds good.

Put some cottage cheese in a bowl, slice in a perfectly ripe Bartlett pear, dust well with pumpkin pie spice and a sprinkle of turbinado or coconut sugar for crunch, and to wake up the flavors. Grind some black pepper over this, add a good amount of grated Gruyere cheese and add some pecan (or walnut) halves or pieces.

Mmmm, it's really good. . .Lin

Liver Sausage Cracker Spread

6oz. liver sausage

6oz. cream cheese

1 lg. clove garlic

2T sour cream

½t garlic salt

½t dry dill

Grate the garlic into a small glass bowl with the other ingredients.  Mix with a fork, microwaving 15 seconds or so if needed, to soften.  Chill an hour or so before serving with crackers. . .Lin

Mini-Grapesicles

1 bunch of your favorite seedless grapes

. . .red, green or black. . .

1 big zip-type plastic freezer bag

Take grapes off the stems.  Wash and drain for 10 minutes or so then pour out onto a clean linen dish towel.  Roll them around and pat to absorb all the water.  When dry, put into the big zip-type bag and freeze, for at least 4 hours.

When anyone wants a popsicle-type snack, give them a little bowl of these.  Mmmmmm!  My mom used to do this and I really love them.  Especially on a hot-thirsty kinda day. . .Lin