Memorial Day Weekend

A very wonderful Memorial Day Weekend to all.

I am knee deep in yard work. trying to make life a little easier in my yard by down sizing.
Why did I ever make all that work for me, must have been crazy!!

My college age granddaughter is coming in from Kansas today and we will probably make some new recipes. Haven't been doing as much cooking as I have been soooooooooo very busy with yard work, putting a 6 ft. fence around my garden, planting my garden, planning my cooking class, Alumni Pot Luck and community service.

I had a speeding ticket, and went to plead my case. I ended up with 15 hours of community service instead of paying a fine of $175.30. Yes I was 10 miles over the speed limit. Was going 35 miles an hour, late one evening by where the Forester used to be on Spencer. Should know better as that is such a speed trap there.

The prosecutor felt I was waaay too old to do community service. Hey I am only 71 years young, and probably can work circles around those young whippersnappers!!!!
Thank God for the judge, as he decided I was capable of doing Community Service.

A super great weekend to everyone. Sound like it is going to be a hot one.

Memorial Day

Hope your Memorial day week-end is filled with good times, good memories and good food!

Chickpea Salad-Appetizer

I was going to use this recipe for the cooking class, but decided against it last evening. So here it is for you to try. It is quick and easy and also very good. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

1-15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3-4 Tablespoons Vegenaise (vegan mayo)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt-I didn't use

Fresh cracked black pepper-to taste

Mash all ingredients to form a chunky spread.

Refrigerate or serve immediately.

As a appetizer, serve on a low sodium cracker. I put a radish piece in mine when I served. Also would be cool with a little parsley sprig on each appetizer.

Enjoy!!!!

The Graduuation of Another Very Special Class

What a special class this was!!

So hated to see the class come to and end as I know I will not be seeing a lot of the people in the future. If you are from this class, I want to see you at the Alumni Get Togethers. I will miss you lots if you don't come.

You where a really special group of people and I came to love each one of you. You are very important to me.

Many where missing when this picture was taken as several where out of state and out of the country.

See you at the Alumni Get Together June 1st.

I care about you, LOTS!!!

New Recipe

Remember the Tofu Dip (recipe on blog) I made in front of class. and put Garbanzo Beans in without thinking.
A new recipe was developed. I later added celery to the above.
After toasting my high fiber bread, I put on some of this mixture, topped with
daiya mozzarella cheese (which melts. It is a soy cheese and probably the best I have ever had.)
I put in back in my small oven for a few minutes (400 degrees) until the cheese melted.

Oh my gosh was it good!!

If you think you made a flop with your recipe-remember a new recipe was established.
Maybe better than ever, Don't through anything away.

Have a great day.

Really Busy

I am still here!!

On Saturday and Sunday, I roasted 60 red peppers and froze them. (they where 49 cents a piece) Also dehydrated 3 grocery bags of bananas that I got at a really good price

Today I rotor tilled my garden. Cleaned out my Herb Garden. Also put 6 ft. stakes around my garden with the intention of putting up a 6 ft. fence tomorrow to keep the deer and wild turkeys out. Hopefully I can plant my peas, radishes and spinach as they do not mind the cold weather. The tomatoes and peppers plants, and other seeds will have to wait until the end of May.

Then off to CHIP Class tomorrow evening.

I have been trying out new recipes for my cooking class on June 7th. I am not putting them on my blog, as I am not sure at this time what recipes I am using.

Am I crazy or what, I will be 71 years young on Friday and busier than ever.

Hope your doing well.

Have a super great day.

Red Peppers

Just wanted to let you know that Red Peppers are 49 cents a piece at Woodman.
That is a steal this time of the year.

I just came from there one hour ago and they had lots of them. I am going back to pick up at least 20 more. When they are this price is when I buy them to roast, and then freeze, and also cut in strips and freeze for future use.

Sunday afternoon:
I am in the throws of roasting red peppers. I did up 30 yesterday and am doing 30 more today.
Oh they are so good in pizza sauce, lasagna sauce, spaghetti sauces, you get the idea. Plus soups, or anywhere you want a roasted tomato flavor. They had lots of red peppers left this afternoon.

They are oh so good!!

You know how expensive red peppers have been. Like $1.58 a piece last week at Woodman's. I saw them at another store last week for $2.58 a piece. I will not buy them at this price

Just wanted to let you know!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Verna's Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been experimenting with these cookies for a few weeks.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour


• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa


• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1 can cannellini beans-rinsed and drained


• Egg replacer to total 1 egg-leave stand for 5 minutes before using


• 2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar


• 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce


• 1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 2 1/2 teaspoon Stevia


• 1 cup non-dairy chips-I used Dream Chips


• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process beans, agave nectar, egg replacer, vanilla and peppermint extract.


2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.


3. Add bean mixture, applesauce and egg replacer. Blend with mix master. Do not over blend.


4. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips.


5. Form in small balls and flatten. You do not want these very big.


6. Bake at 375 Degrees until golden brown on the bottom of the cookies.

These are quite good. I took some to the CHIP Class and they like them a lot. If you have any thoughts on these I would be interested.
Have a super great day.

New Recipes

I am really busy trying new recipes for my cooking class that is coming up on June 7th.

I hope to post a recipe later today on a appetizer that is quick and easy that I probably will not make that evening. Even though it is really tasty.

Happy Mothers Day

A very Happy Mothers Day to all you wonderful mothers out their. I hope your day is very special and your children make you Queen for the Week-or the year would be even better.

Happy Mothers Day.

My Bike

Carol, you and several others have asked me about my bike. As you can see it is a Biria. I bought it at the bicycle shop on East College Ave. towards Kaukauna. Isn't that the Recyclist Shop.? To tired to look it up. It has 7 speeds on it. I understand they are the only shop north of Milwaukee that handles this bike.

I love it as it has the wider tires, and as you can see it is super easy to get my leg over the bar. It is nice and low. Hey that is great!!! If I am still hear in 15 years, it will make life a lot easier.

I love the saddle bags on the back and also the basket. They come in real handy for the longer bike rides.

Isn't it just so cool!! :)

Cooking Classes

Hi Everyone
Just wanted you to know that on Tuesday June 7 at 6 o'clock pm I am having a cooking class.

This is not a Theda Care Project and I was not opening it up to all the Alumni Classes. I can hold about 15 people comfortably. If you are interested please let me know ASAP. The Menu will consist of:

• Beverage



• Appetizer



• Salad with fruit and Vegetables.



• Main Course



• Also a special dessert

There will be Door Prizes given out also. The cost will be $25.00 per person.The first 15 people that pay will be in the class.

If interested email me at verna.v@att,net ASAP

So many of you have been asking me to do this. We did a couple a few years ago, which where a huge success because of you.

Come and have an enjoyable evening out with friends.

Verna

Mike's Salsa

Mike brought this to the CHIP Class last evening to share with everyone. It is very good. Give it a try I think you will enjoy it. Plus it is quick and very easy to make.
Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans-rinsed and drained




• 1 can pinto beans-rinsed and drained




• 1 can white "Shoepeg" corn




• 1 medium opion chopped.




• 1/2 jar Jalapenos-mild or hot-chopped




• 3-5 limes-depending on size and amount of juice desired-squeezed

DIrections: Mix everything together. Leave in refrigerator for a few hours before serving. Mix before serving.

We ate it with scoops.

Thanks Mike for sharing with the class. It was great!!!!

Mexican Tortilla Soup

These are Fat Flush Tortilla Shells cut into thin strips and Baked at 350 degrees for 10 min.
,
This recipe is so very good. I started with a recipe in a book and totally changed it

Ingredients:

• 
  
  1 large onion, diced


• 
  
  2-3 garlic cloves, minced


• 
  
  1 cup diced green pepper


• 
  
  2 cups frozen corn


• 
  
  2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed


• 
  
  28 oz. can diced tomatoes


• 
  
  1 can Fire Roasted tomatoes


• 
  
  1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies


• 
  
  1 quart home made broth


• 
  
  3 teaspoons Wylers, on sodium Chicken Bullion


• 
  
  2 Tablespoons cornstarch


• 
  
  ripe avocados


• 
  
  Fat Flush Tortilla Shells


• 
  
  Cilantro, cleaned and diced with stems removed.


• 
  
  Siracha Sauce to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Cut Fat Flush tortilla Shells into thin strips. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Do not overlap. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from parchment paper and cool on rack.

Saute onions and garlic until transparent. Add green pepper, continue sauteing. Add the next 7 ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, continue simmering 45 minutes or so.

Mix cornstarch with a very small amount of water, Mix well. Add to soup mixture gradually, stirring the entire time.

Add Siracha Sauce to taste.

Serve in soup bowl. Top with sliced avocados, tortilla, and cilantro.

Mexican is hot. Eat this on the hot side if possible. That is so good for the metabolism. Remember HOT is good.

Enjoy!!!

2nd Alumni Herb Class Northside Hardware

Some more very special people!!! How can you not love all of these wonderful people!!

We had a packed out house for the second Herb Class at Northside Hardware. There where 29 people that came out for the class with June.

Did you know that Northside Hardware has over 100 different kinds of herbs at that place.

So if you are looking for something that you need, take a trek to Northside Hardware.

One of the recipes June gave us:

To kill those weeds that are growing, even when nothing else is cause it is just way too cold.

1 gallon vinegar

1 lb. salt

Tablespoon Dawn Soap

Directions:

Mix and spray on those weeds

If you are starting a new herb garden, must haves are:

• **mint



• **2-3 parsley plants-use for winter also-sometimes will winter over if it has good coverage



• 2 basil plants
  1 dill plant-will reseed itself



• These are perennials:



• 1 chive plant



• 1 garlic chive plant



• 1 garlic plant



• 1 rosemary plant



• 1 thyme plant

1. **Be sure to plant mint in a pot without a hole in. I prefer to leave the pot several inches above ground level. It is like a weed and will be in everything if you don't do this.






3. I love growing lots of fresh parsley for winter use also. I cut the parsley about 1/3 of the way down in the growing season. Wash well remove leaves from stems. (stems go in broth bag)



4. Put leaves in blender,and barely cover with water. You don't want a lot of water. I then freeze them in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop out and put in double freezer bags. Label the bag.. Use all winter long for soups, stews, wherever you want parsley. Including salads, I just drain off the juice and use as fresh parsley. So much more economical.






6. Make sure not to let any of your herbs go to seed. If you do you just shortened there life.



7. In the summer never cut your herbs more than 1/3 of the way down. In the fall I cut everything way down and mostly freeze or dry.






9. Herbs don't like a lot of water or a rich soil. Make sure to mix sand in your soil for good drainage.






11. Keep herbs by the back door. You will use them a lot more. Plants in a large strawberry pot would be great on the patio. Use Terra Cotta Pots if possible.

Have fun with your herb garden.

Did you know that Northside Hardware has over 100 different kinds of herbs at there store.

So take a trek over to Northside Hardware one of these days. It is going to warm up for more than just one day and then turn cold again.
Warm weather has to come, tomorrow is May 1.

In case you did not see it on my Theda Care email, the May 4th Herb Class at Memorial Park has been postponed to May 11. Let me know if you would like to come.