Blueberry Yum-Yum

This is a light and fluffy dessert, perfect for summer.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 cups sugar - divided
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 T water
1 cup flour
1/2 cp butter softened
1 cup chopped pecans
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 8 oz container Cool Whip

Directions:
Combine blueberries, 1 cup sugar adn 1/4 cup water in saucepan. Cook over low heat until berries are soft about 15 minutes. Combine cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water and stir into blueberries. Stir until thickened. Set aside to cool.
Heat oven to 350. Combine flour, pecans and butter in bowl. Mix well and press evenly in a 13X9 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool.
Combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar, beat until smooth, fold in Cool Whip. Spread evenly over crust and spread blueberry mixture over the top. Refridgerate several hours before serving. Cut into squares.

Sweet and Tangy Cucumbers

Here is a recipe you can play with and not mess up! A great use for extra cucumbers.

Mix together for a marinade:
vinegar - begin with 1/4 cup. You can also use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Use equal part of oil ( the oil from the roasted garlic is delicious)
2 tsp (or to taste) sugar
add salt/pepper
snip some fresh rosemary
add a dash of lemon juice

Place the cucumbers in the marinade and soak for several hours or overnight. You can experiment with different spices etc.

Crisp Green Beans

This is a simple, but delicious recipe for green beans.
If you have fresh green beans, just snip the ends off and steam the green beans whole to crisp tender. If you are using frozen green beans, cook them in a small amount of water. In a pan, use some olive oil and brown some garlic in the oil. Place the green beans in the oil and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
This is a quick and easy vegetable to compliment any meal.

Stewed Squash with a Surprise

In our area, gardens are coming in and we have been blessed with lots of fresh squash. Here is a recipe I found which turned out delicious!

Squash - washed, sliced and quartered
Onions
Bell Peppers
Salt and Pepper
Butter
Sour Cream

In a pan put a small amount of water - less than 1/4 cup. Put squash, onions and pepper in, add salt and pepper and cook until tender. Add butter to your taste - I added about 2 tablespoons. Stir until melted and then add an equal amount of sour cream. Stir thoroughly and serve hot.
The sour cream adds a delicious rich and creamy taste to the squash.

Roasted Garlic

For a long time I have heard of the flavor of roasted garlic. Finally I tried it and could not believe how easy it was and the benefits of a deep, rich flavor it brought to many things! Also, it is easy to do!
Please take a look at the above link for pictures and step by step instructions.

Take a bulb of garlic and slice the top off. Just a thin cut to get the very top off. Leave the skin on.
Place in a small, round baking dish tightly placed together.
Pour olive oil on top generously. Add salt and pepper.
Bake at 350 until golden brown.
Let cool and then squeeze the garlic out of the skin, it comes easily. Leave in the oil and mash the garlic up in the oil.
Cover and store the oil and garlic for use in vegetables, pasta, over bread, there are many uses!

Sensational Salad

I have shared previously how challenged I was as a newlywed in the cooking area. I've almost been disowned by my family over this, but I don't like tomatoes, but neither does dear husband, so as a tomato less family, we are fine! So in the beginning my salad entree consisted of iceberg lettuce. And that was it! If I felt adventurous, I would put some cucumbers in there, but not often.
I'm not sure how it all came about, but through the years after learning about healthy living, living foods etc, I have adapted our salad routine some. Now I only use dark green lettuce ( romaine, spring mix, field greens etc.) and mix raw spinach in with it. Here is a list of other ingredients to add:

lettuce (the deeper the color, the more nutritional value)
spinach
green onions
shredded carrots
red bell pepper
broccoli pieces
mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
sunflower seeds

Mix all together for a fabulous salad. Sometimes I add chopped apple or strawberries if there are some around. You can mix and match with any ingredients. Trust me - you can't mess up a salad!

Easy Jambalya

This jambalya is so easy and full of flavor.

Smoked sausage - one or two packages
Choppped onion and green pepper
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can water
1 cup uncooked rice

In a large frying pan with a lid brown sausage with onion and peppers. Stir in rotel tomatoes and water. Add rice. Simmer 20 minutes until rice is cooked.