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Welcome! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed so you won't miss the Blarties (=blog+party) on the weekends. To find out more about our Blarties check out this post, too. Looking forward to seeing you on the weekends!
Hey All. Over the course of three months, give or take, I’ve had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with numerous readers and other bloggers from all over the world. I enjoy reading the comments as much as the posts, from this blog and the others I visit. Just like a kid with a new toy, I get excited when I open my email and see I have a comment.
Although I have a confession to make. When Angela asked me to start posting on her blog I was a bit skeptical and a little apprehensive, being somewhat in the dark about this whole blogging thing. Initially she had to walk me through the Wordpress steps until I got the hang of it. I still have to email her occasionally to ask a question when I get thrown a curve ball.
The last time this happened Angela was out of pocket (Hmmm…or maybe she wasn’t. LOL). So, I figured it out and emailed her back saying never mind, “I Did It All By Myself”. She replied, “You’re growing up Blog Baby!”
The recipe I’m sharing today almost went in the Round File. WAIT, don’t go anywhere! Not that it’s not good, it’s just so common to me and a lot of you may already be familiar with it. Then I recalled reading all the posts, comments, opinions, etc. on blogs from all over and decided, Oh what the heck! Just because it’s well known to me doesn’t mean everybody’s heard of it.
When I was introduced to this recipe, it was served as breakfast dish. Now I’ll be straight up with you. I’m not a breakfast, or a morning person. I jump-start the day with coffee and diet coke, both. However, during the Fall and Winter, when its cooler, I like to have breakfast for supper. Scrambled eggs, turkey polish sausage, hashbrown casserole, or grits and this Sausage, Cream Cheese Dish.
Brunch Casserole
1 Pound Ground Turkey Sausage*
1 – 8 Ounce Package Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less Fat), softened
2 Packages Crescent Rolls (I use reduced Fat)
1 – 2 Tablespoons Butter, optional (I use Shedd’s Spread Country Crock Light)
Brown sausage in skillet, drain any fat. Mix the sausage, while warm and cream cheese together, blending well, set aside. In a 13”x9” pan, (I spray lightly with Pam) unroll and place one package of crescent rolls in bottom, pressing to seal the seams and slightly up the sides of the pan. Spread cream cheese mixture on top. Place remaining package of crescent rolls over top of cream cheese mixture, seal seams, and bake according to directions on crescent roll package; or until golden brown. Remove from oven and spread butter over top of crescent rolls until butter is completely melted. Serve for breakfast, brunch, or even as a snack.
*Use your choice of sausage; mild or hot pork sausage, turkey, or vegetarian (Gimme Lean). BTW, I don’t eat red meat, (beef or pork).
Hello All. I trust that everyone had a good weekend. Did anybody do anything special? After being out of town last weekend, I spent Saturday and Sunday just chilling.
I don’t like to waste a second on my days off. So, I get up around the six o’clock hour on the weekends; reach for the Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, flip on the laptop and the TV. The house is quiet, the coffee is brewing, and I have complete control of the TV remote. Shhhhh, don’t wake ‘em up. LOL.
After checking emails and messages, I decided to go blog rolling, via the “wireless highway”. I found some pretty interesting blogs which I visited for a spell. Then there were some that weren’t, and a couple I found rather rude and offensive, so I didn’t tarry long.
One of the blogs I visited was Bella’s Chitta Chatta. She had posed the question, “What would you want for your last supper ever?” I pondered the question for a bit and decided I would want a buffet, a seafood buffet. If it’s my last supper, why settle for just one entrée, right? For dessert, I would like a piece of cheesecake (plain), and a piece of German Chocolate Pie. You see, I eat them together. That’s my fav. Are you writing this down?
Bella chose for her appetizer, Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip with lightly toasted garlic herb toast. That gave me the idea for my next post. This is a favorite recipe of mine I came about several years ago.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1 – 9 Ounce Package Frozen Creamed Spinach, Thawed
1 – Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (reserve 1/3 cup for top)
1 – 14 Ounce Can Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped
¼ to ½ Teaspoon White Pepper
1 – Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 – Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in an ovenproof dish. (I spray lightly with Pam) Top with remaining Parmesan Cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly. Serve with your favorite chips.
I always make a double-batch, otherwise there’s only enough for ME.
Happy Thursday, Boomers. Well, I’ve been back in the saddle for a few days now after a weekend in St. Louis. I’m always game for a road trip. New faces, places, scenery, and new restaurants to try. From New Orleans to St. Louis within two weeks time, I’ve gotta stop eating like this!
Over the years I have been to Saint Louis numerous times, but never made it to “The Hill”. Well, this time I wasn’t coming home without going! The Hill is a primarily Italian neighborhood within St. Louis. The neighborhood is home to locally renowned restaurants, bakeries, and specialty grocery stores. The fire hydrants are proudly painted red, white, and green, the colors of the Italian flag.
You see, I had this surprise party (hehehehe) to go to Saturday evening. So the plan was to go to The Hill for lunch. After checking out the Shop the Hill website, I decided to try Rigazzi’s, home of the Frozen Fishbowl, on The Hill since 1957.
The reviews I read before going were mixed. Everybody has his/her own idea of what “true Italian” food should taste like. I rather enjoyed my Mostoccioli with Marinara. The pasta was cooked perfectly and there was just the right amount of sauce, unlike some restaurants that serve your Penne drowning in sauce. The Marinara reminded me of a tomato gravy I grew up eating. No Carb counting for Me. I love my C’s too much, Carbs, Caffeine, and Chocolate! Dr. Atkins can Kiss My Grits!
Not only was the food good, so was the service, and the atmosphere. The front dining room adjacent to the bar is donned with red-checkered tablecloths, stained/painted-glass windows encompassing a Fishbowl Glass, and a life-size mannequin of Al Capone, seated at a corner table. Along the walls are shelves lined with celebrity dolls of The Beatles, The Blues Brothers, The Three Stooges, and The Marx Brothers; to name a Few.
Next trip I’m going to have one of their pizzas. Their St. Louis Style Pizza with Provel was voted one of the USA’s Best pizzas by Bon Appetit Magazine, Jan. ’95. Another one of their specialties is their Toasted Ravioli. If you’re ever in St. Louis check out Rigazzi’s on The Hill.
