Walden Artisan Market

Someone got a shot of my booth at the Walden Artisan Market - and she posted it on her blog! View the whole post (and other vendors) here at Maple Sugar.

She's the head pastry chef of the soon to open Sugar Bar in Nashville.
Thanks Maple Sugar!

Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake

Cold weather makes me want to cook warm things. I'm making this tonight.

Ingredients
8 oz. dried bow tie pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz.)
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium skillet cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. In bowl whisk together eggs, milk, seasoning, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir in chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, half of the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion. Transfer to 3-quart rectangular baking dish.

3. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. In small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over pasta. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until golden. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

I mean...FINALLY!

I thought I would have green tomatoes for, like, ever!

A Quick Click, Save a Life

There are tons of organizations set up to send donations of food and water to hungry children as long as we are participating!
Click on these once a day:

http://www.worldofgood.com/sn/f

http://www.bhook.com

http://www.pajacyk.pl

http://www.porloschicos.com/PorLosChicos.NET/index_english.htm

http://www.clickbokin.ekokoro.jp/50.html

http://children.care2.com

http://www.feedsa.com

http://www.hungerfighters.com

http://www.hungrychildren.com
http://www.clickbokin.ekokoro.jp/floq.html

http://www.OneClickOneMeal.com

http://www.definition-of.com

http://www.thehungersite.com

http://www.youthnoise.com/page.php?
page_id=2335

http://www.okruszek.org.pl

http://www.chintai.net/contribution/index.html

http://www.worldhunger.org/contributefood.htm

http://www.spendu.org/beta/index.php

Free Donation Search : http://www.helpuu.com/

Or play these fun games to donate:

http://www.freerice.com - Free Rice
http://www.freeflour.com - Free Flour
http://www.freepoverty.com - Free Water
http://www.helpthirst.com/ - Free Water
http://www.savetheworldwithmusic.com Play a day!

World Hunger: Interactive Map - Want to know more?
Click Here
World Food Inequality: Want to know more?
Click Here

I must've done something right!

Elijah said, "Mom, could we please have something healthy for snack?"

This is amazing! What kind of kids am I raising?

I'm still here!

I've been a bad, bad blogger. I'm sorry, but I am still at my mom's. I finally decided to upload some of the pictures on my camera to my dad's computer so I could do a new blog. Don't erase me off of your links just yet! I'm going home tonight, so future posts will be more regular, I promise! Here's a few pics from Thanksgiving at Grandma's...

What's for Dinner?

Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea and Lima Bean Salad


We had this salad from MSL this week and it was a total hit! It's a perfect side to pretty much any meat, or it would make a great lunch all by itself! Yum!
Ingredients
Serves 6
1/2 cup fresh or frozen lima beans, blanched
1/2 cup drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 to 3 romaine leaves, cut into thin strips
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, broken into small chunks (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus small sprigs for garnish
4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Combine lima beans, chickpeas, zucchini, onion, romaine, Parmesan, and chopped basil. Add lemon juice, oil, red-pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine. Garnish with basil sprigs.

Sweet Cherries!

I just bought some very sweet cherries from Kroger of all places and it reminded me of the cherry trees that were in fruit on our trip to the Ukraine. I ate so many cherries on that trip so every time I have a good cherry it brings back all those memories. But even if you don't have those same mental pictures, you can still enjoy some delicious cherries! Get some and eat happy!