Sunday Cat

This is the stool in our kitchen and the babies think it is theirs.
Frosty is under the stool defending his position and Stinker is trying to take it away. Notice the ridge down Stinks back. He is the only cat we have that does that.

Crystal Springs Tomato Fest

Just wanted to let everyone in the area know to come on down to downtown Crystal Springs Sat June 25 for the Tomato Festival starting at 8 to 2.... rain or shine.
There will be a Flea Market, Farmers Market, Food and Drinks, stone ground corn meal and much more.

Over at the air conditioned Tomato Museum the Crystal Springs Art association is having a art competition.

Wife will have some paintings in the show and some for sell come by and check it out.

This Tomato panting has sold but she will have two new ones in the show.

Scallops and Shrimp bake

Well I guess I should call it Imitation crab and shrimp bake.
we didn't have any scallops and a little of the imitation crab left so we used that instead. It was good but I bet with the scallops it would have been really good.
This was really fast and easy to do something we are looking for in this heat.

1/2 lb sea scallops( I bet the bay would be better they are sweeter just my opinion.)
1/2 lb shrimp pealed.
1/2 chicken or vegetable stock.
1/2 cup white wine
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
3 Tablespoons onion or one shallot chopped
1 lemon calls or Meyer but we used regular.
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
8 oz linguini (we only had spagetti
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup crumbled feta.
red pepper to taste (optional)

Saute in skillet onions and garlic over med heat. Then add stock,wine,lemon juice,parsley and cilantro. Bring to boil.
Add sea scallops first if using. then shrimp a couple minutes later.
If using shrimp and fake crab add together and cook till shrimp turn pink. Do not over cook or shrimp will be like rubber.
Salt qand pepper to taste we also threw in some red pepper
Pour in to a casserole dish (we used a small one)
Crumble feta over top and place in oven on broil for about 5 minutes or till cheese is browned.

Sunday Cats

Here are our babies a lizard was spotted on the air conditioner. They think they can entice him in the house. We have had Sweetie Pie sit at the back door when open and some how he can catch one this way. Poor lizard.

Basil,tomatoes

Our Tomatoes are just staring to take off we have plenty of blooms but only two baby tomatoes. Sure hope they get going soon. We could not wait and got some from the farmers market, Our Basil is growing like gang busters.

Flat iron steak

Have you heard about a steak cut called a flat iron?
Wife had read how this cut was developed to be a tender cut out of a tougher piece of meat. Its all in how it cut. Well we have known about it for at least 6 months but have not seen any in the stores. Well about a month ago Kroger had some and they were on sale so we got a few. One steak is just enough for the both of us.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 clove crushed garlic
Place in bag with steak and refrigerate over night.
Its to hot to get the grill out so we used the George. (we know it must be good on a grill because it turned out great with the George)
We like our steaks med rare and 6 minutes it was perfect.
We must say this was as good as the T bone we had a while back.

Chicken Salad

Ok its time for the hot weather to let up now. I am dreading my electric bill. We bought a roasted chicken from the grocery store. That is the best thing they have done. In this heat it is so easy to pick up a chicken and bring home and not have to heat up the kitchen. It is just the long drive home with the smell killing you.
We will eat half and shred the rest to put up to use in another dish.
I know everyone also has a chicken salad recipe but this is the one we are using.
2 cups diced or shredded chicken (roasted chicken)

3/4 cup celery
3/4 cup seedless grapes (we added a few more more)
1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped parsley
salt to taste we also added a dash of Greek seasonings
3/4 cup mayonnaise we felt it was not enough so we added more about a Tablespoon
you could also add a little yogurt
1/2 lemon juice
If we had any pecans we would have added them so any nut almonds walnuts also could be added.
combine all together and enjoy as a sandwich

Smoked Pork Loin

When we did our pork butts in the smoker we also did a pork loin and it turned out pretty good. Not as good as the Butt but we have been eating on sandwiches made with it.

Sad Sunday Cat

We had high hopes that Baby Boy(Casper was getting better. He was running around the house without his collar and skin was looking good and his old peppy self.
Then two week ago it was back into the collar and he was miserable. With the heat it must have been worse for him so we made the painful decision to send him over the rainbow bridge.
We will really miss him as he was a people cat and had such a sweet temperament, never caused a fight and loved on the other cats.
We miss you Baby Boy but know you are enjoying the sun somewhere.

Roasted garlic

When we did the lamb we threw in a head of garlic to let it roast and if you have never tone this give it a try. It is so sweet and soft as butter and great spread on bread. Just wrap in foil and let it bake while you are cooking something else.
Use the cloves in other dishes to give a different flavor.

Roast leg of Lamb with Yogurt

We got this recipe from CD Kitchen and it was a winner.
We got lucky our Kroger had lamb for sell back around Easter and before it got to hot we cooked this one and it was so good. The picture is not so pretty with the yogurt on it but it kept it moist.

2 1/2 lb leg of lamb with bone
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon minced garlic about another 3 cloves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary Plus another 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
3/4 cup plain yogurt (we used Greek)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon flour

make small slits about 1/2 inch deep around the lamb. Cut the 3 cloves of garlic in slivers and mix with the 1 teaspoon of rosemary and insert in slits around the lamb.
Take the minced garlic in a bowel and add the 1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary and 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil mix all together. Cover the lamb with mixture and place in bag and let marinate at least 2 hours or best overnight. (we did overnight)

Basting recipe
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon rosemary
2 teaspoons garlic minced. Mix all together to use a a basting for the lamb every 29 minutes.
Pre heat oven to 350
Place lamb in roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper and basting mixture.
cook for about 1/1/4 hours.

In another bowl whisk together yogurt ,cinnamon and flour. Spoon this over the lamb and continue to cook the lamb till the yogurt sauce starts to set and the lamb is done. Should read 125 for med -rare.
Take lamb out and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes then carve and serve.

We did use the left overs to make pita and artichoke sandwiches that were outstanding the recipe for that is under beef and artichoke sandwich but the lamb is so much better. We ate it before we thought to take a picture.

Pasta and Cauliflower

This is one I debated about posting. I like to only put ones we would a least considered a 4 or above star rating but wife liked this one much more than I did.
I really can't believe I did not like it as we love cauliflower in most anything and we thought with pasta it would be a no brainer. There are several recipes like this one out there. I think it was the anchovies that were to much for me. This comes for the Simply Recipes site.
Please see her site for recipe.http://simplyrecipes.com/

Strawberry and Blackberry smoothie

It has been so hot here as appears as most of the country is suffering from a heat wave. We have cooled off with a smoothie and have put the rest up in the freezer to pull out and cool of at a later date.
In fact this is a real good way to get ones portion of fruit a day. We used strawberries and another one with strawberries and a banana and the last with blackberries next we are trying blueberries.
And of course they are good for you.
1 cup yogurt (we use Greek)
5-6 ice cubes (we used a little more to ice it up)
sugar or honey to taste (we used about 3 tablespoons honey)
8-10 strawberries
or
1 cup blackberries or what ever fruit you like.
pour into tall glass or small glass
also can put in container or ice cub tray and freeze