Croissant Strata with Sausage Filling and Monterey Cheese

"That is one good thing about this world...

there are always sure to be more springs."

-L.M.Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

Croissant Strata with Sausage Filling and Monterey Cheese

Cook's Notes: This casserole is rich, delicious, and company-worthy for a Saturday or Sunday brunch. It's a hearty, filling dish that combines a few favorite ingredients, like hot ground sausage, flaky croissants, and Gruyère or Monterey Jack cheese. Combine the ingredients in 3 qt casserole dish with the creamy milk mixture. Letting it chill for eight hours is the trick to letting the flavors meld together before baking. The chill time also helps you get this casserole together the night before, making it less stressful to get breakfast on the table the next day! Whether you have company in town or just early risers with hearty appetites, this casserole makes your life just a little easier and way more delicious. 
Pair the meal with a fruit compote topped with your favorite yogurt.
Ingredients:

• 8 purchased large croissants
• 3/4 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 1 cup mini red and yellow peppers, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon each basil, parsley, oregano
• 2 cups lightly packed spinach leaves, stems removed
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk 
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

• Cook sausage, crumble, and set aside.
• In the same pan, saute onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Add torn spinach leaves and spices for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Add sausage back to the pan and mix all ingredients well.

• Preheat the oven to broil. Slice croissants and place them on a baking sheet, cut side up. Broil for 1 minute, watching carefully so they don't burn. You just want them lightly toasted.
• Lightly grease the bottom of the baking dish.
• Arrange croissant bottoms, cut side up in a single layer overlapping slightly in the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over croissants, topping with sausage mixture. Add croissant tops and cut sides down over the sausage mixture.
• In a blender, mix eggs, milk, mustard, and pepper. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the strata and gently press down on the croissants with a sheet of wax paper. Remove wax paper and refrigerate covered overnight. 

Cooking Tip: I found that there was a little too much milk mixture for the size pan I was using, so I did not use the last 1/4 cup.

• Cover and chill overnight. Uncover and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake uncovered for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Covering with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time avoids over-browning. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Also, as you can see from the photo, I ran out of croissants, so I had to substitute small Kaiser rolls I just happened to have. I readjusted the number of croissants in the recipe ingredients above.

Mexican Street Corn Salad and Glazed Lemon Blueberry Loaf

There are many reasons to celebrate spring as nature begins to put on a showy display. With May around the corner, celebrations abound with Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, and Memorial Day. It's always good to have a few recipes on hand that are easy to prepare that guests will enjoy. 

Do you remember the MUST GO gatherings we had?

It was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to clean out our refrigerators and share surplus food before we all headed back up north. Sadly, this year, this party was not held for various reasons. So, I am in high gear, trying to be creative about unloading and making meals with what I have. 

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Cook's Notes: This flavorful comfort salad comes together in under 30 minutes. Make the salad early in the day for the flavors to meld. A real plus for this dish is that with ample dressing, you can easily increase the ingredients for your next spring gathering or potluck. The recipe was adapted from juliasalbum.com and serves four.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups spiral, bowtie, penne
• 1 package Honey Roasted Steamed Corn (Green Giant) thawed or 4 ears of corn 
• 1 cup diced mini red and yellow peppers
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup small mozzarella balls (ciliegine), halved 
• 1 cup broccoli, cut in medium-sized pieces 
• 1/3 cup diced red onions 
• Optional 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• Garnish with pine nuts or croutons

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup each mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip) and yogurt
• 1 small lime, freshly squeezed  
• 1 tablespoon chili paste or a few drops of Sriracha sauce 
• 1 teaspoon Elote seasoning 
• Optional dash of cayenne pepper (use with caution as it can make the dish spicy) 

Directions:

• Cook pasta al dente, drain, rinse, and set aside.  
• Prepare the dressing and set aside.
• Mix all the prepared salad ingredients and moisten with the dressing. Some dressing will remain, so refrigerate in a screw-type jar. 

Glazed Lemon Blueberry Loaf  with Toasted Coconut 

Cooking Tip: Toast more coconut than you need for the recipe and store in zip loc in the refrigerator for future baking. Small blueberries work the best for this recipe.
Bread Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1 cup sugar  
• Grated lemon peel from 2 large lemons  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup buttermilk 
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• Juice of 2 large lemons, about 1/4 cup 
• 1/2 teaspoon  each vanilla and almond extract 
• 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried on a paper towel 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Whisk flour, salt, sugar, grated lemon, and baking powder set aside. 
• In a bowl, beat eggs with milk, butter, lemon juice, and extracts, 
• Add eggs to the dry ingredients and combine only until mixed. 
• Fold in blueberries. 
• Grease well a loaf pan and pour the mixture into a prepared pan. 
• Bake @ 350 for about 45 minutes. 
• Cool the bread in a pan for 15 minutes and invert it onto a cooling rack. With a long skewer, poke holes in the top of the bread. Slowly drizzle, glaze, and baste top several times. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. 

Lemon Glaze
Combine 1 cup confectioners sugar with 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice. 

HAVE A GREAT DAY AND

Enjoy Wednesday Blooms

Puff Pastry with Salmon, Radishes and Garlic Cream Cheese

Radishes and Smoked Salmon with Puff Pastry
Cook's Notes: An easy puff pastry treat that's a great way to start your morning or serve as a brunch or lunch item.  No matter when it's served always a delicious combination of flavors. The recipe was adapted from Food Network in April 2019.
Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry (half of a 17-ounce package)
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 bunch of radishes (about 1-1/2 cups) thinly sliced
• 1-5 ounce package (container garlic herb cheese such as Boursin) at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or good quality white balsamic vinegar
• 2 oz. smoked salmon
• Optional garnish fresh snipped parsley, dill, or tarragon

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry sheet on parchment paper or a silicone pad and transfer it to a baking sheet. Beat the egg with a splash of heavy cream. Brush a 1-inch border of the egg wash around the edges of the dough. Then, fold each side about 1/2 inch to make a thin border and press to seal. Prick the center of the dough all over with a fork, then brush the dough all over with egg wash.

• Bake the dough until crisp and golden brown, 22 minutes. Prick the center of the dough with a paring knife and gently press with the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten it a bit. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, soak radishes in a large bowl of ice water until crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain radishes and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Mix garlic herb spread with heavy cream until smooth. Spread the cheese mixture over the tart with a spatula.
• Crumble salmon pieces over the tart.
• Whisk vinegar and radishes with a pinch of sea salt. Place on top of salmon.

Now we have another choice-cut tart in smaller pieces for an appetizer.

Veggie and Hummus Sandwich

 . 

Today is one of those warm, sunshiny days in the 90s—hard to imagine for April 20th. I declare it the perfect day for making a healthy vegetarian sandwich with no oven cooking required.  

Cook's Notes: First and foremost, you need a firm multigrain bread. I would suggest using 

Killer Dave Bread (21 whole grains) and lightly toast it for a firm base. It holds up well with moist ingredients. 

I will list the ingredients used for creating this delicious sandwich. You decide how many sandwiches to make. 

Ingredients:

• Multi-grain bread-2 slices per sandwich 
• Hummus (I used roasted red pepper) found in the deli section
• Lettuce leaf
• Thinly sliced cucumbers
• 1 small grated carrot
• Avocado slices
• Tomato slices
• Red onion slices
• Provolone cheese
• Broccoli sprouts (refrigerated organic section) 
  

Directions: 

Have all ingredients accessible so ready to assemble

Lightly toast bread

Place one toast slice on the cutting board and build a sandwich by 

1. Spread hummus on toast slice 

2. Add lettuce leaf

3. Cheese slice

4. Cucumber slices

5. Carrots 9grated) 

6. Red onion slices

7. Tomato slices 

8. Sprinkle broccoli sprouts

9. Top with another toasted bread slice

Spring Garden Blooms

Cowboy Country and Cowboy Baked Beans

 Cowboy Country  

Hacienda de la Canoa Tour

Canoa Ranch in Green Valley, AZ was a working cattle ranch from 1820 to the 1970s. At its peak, the ranch controlled more than 500,000 acres. Pima County bought the 4,800-acre ranch property, about 25 miles south of Tucson, in 2001 with the goal of making it a public site and nature refuge. Today, historic ranch buildings and numerous archaeological sites remain. Visitors are led on guided tours through the historic ranch that was once home to Native Americans, Spaniards, Mexicans, and Americans at various points in history. It gives visitors insights into the fascinating stories of those who lived and worked on the ranch. The ranch often hosts outdoor concerts, events, and presentations. 

Below is a scenic view of the Santa Cruz River Valley. Note that the Santa Cruz River is usually a dry river bed unless heavy rains are likely to occur in late July, August, and even September. Since we are not here during those months, I have only seen the river once, full and running from a video I saw.   

After a six-month stay in cowboy country, it's not hard for me to reimagine life and the challenges of cooking back in the 1800s. I'm so happy it's 2024, with a variety of foods readily available. With family gatherings, several holidays approaching, and summer adventures, it is good to have a side recipe your guests will enjoy. 

 This recipe has a few customization options. I decided to turn mine into a walking taco with all the trimmings. But the recipe makes a flavorful side for a grilled meal that can be baked in the oven or in a crockpot. 

The recipe serves 6 and was adapted from therecipecritic.com

COWBOY BAKED BEANS

Main Ingredients:

•  1/2 pound of bacon, halved  (used thick sliced Applewood) 
• 1-1/2 cups diced sweet onions
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef (85 %)  
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 can each rinsed and drained, kidney beans, pinto, cannellini

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays brand)  
• 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons chili powder (taste test)  
• 1-1/2 cups ketchup 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
•  2 tablespoons yellow mustard
•  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 2 cups water

Directions:

• Make sauce ahead by whisking ingredients together and set aside.
• In an oven-safe pan or Dutch Oven pan on the stovetop, fry bacon until crisp. Toward the end of the frying time, add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook with bacon, and when done, remove everything from the pan to a paper towel-lined towel plate. Crumble the bacon. 
• Wipe the grease from the pan and add the ground beef. Cook and crumble the meat, adding the desired salt and pepper amount. 
• Pat meat dry from grease in the pan and mix in the sauce mixture. 
• Cover and cook for 40 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees, or transfer the beans to a crock pot for 3 hours on low. 

Option 1: Serve the bean mixture in a bowl with toppings, including shredded   

cheese, chopped chiles, and chopped tomatoes.

Option 2. Walking Tacos 

Remove the chips from individual Frito Lay bags. When adding the bean mixture to the Frito Lay bag, drain some of the bean liquid with a slotted spoon. Add your 

preferred toppings and some crumbled Frito chips to the bag. 

Looking for a sweet treat with this? Try Cowboy Cookies 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2023/01/cowboy-cookies.html

Book Review It's Murder, You Betcha!

 Author Jeanne Cooney has cooked up another cozy mystery for her fans with her newest book, “It's Murder You Betcha,” Book Two in the It's Murder Series. Her pot simmers with crisp, sharp bites and witty sentences peppered with liberal use of metaphors, idioms, similes, and hyperboles gently stirred in. One-line zingers with added doses of betcha, dontcha, gotcha, uff-da deliver distinctive Midwest flavors. Readers will find themselves served a heaping bowl of a satisfying and entertaining murder mystery authored by Cooney.

Cooney, a skillful wordsmith, creates memorable and often hilarious scenes for the reader using authentic dialogue with relatable characters. The setting is a small real Northern Minnesota town of Hallock in the Red River Valley.

The main protagonist, Doris Day Anderson Conner, narrates the story. In the previous book of the series, Doris was instrumental in solving a murder in their town where a local pharmacy is robbed and the prime suspect is murdered. Her sister, Grace Kelly Anderson, owner of the More Hot Dish Please Cafe, is often an unwilling sidekick to Doris's self-imposed investigative work. Ninety-year-old feisty Rose O'Brien, temporarily staying at their house, often joins them on their sleuthing adventures. Rose's fragile health is a concern to Doris and Grace. They are continually trying to minimize her stress without much success. When Lars, Rose's love interest, has been found murdered and his body in the lake, they find themselves thick in the middle of the sheriff's investigative work. Doris is compelled to make inquiries among the town folks, much to the sheriff's chagrin. He feels the investigative work is being compromised by her meddling. When a second murder occurs, the whole town goes into overdrive. As the suspect list grows, so do possible motives. Doris is determined to solve the crimes with her sister's reluctant help.

Cooney is a master at creating red herrings, moving the storyline along. Many persons of interest, shifting relationships and alliances, and possible motives keep the reader guessing all the way to the end of the story about who is responsible for these two murders.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention food, which is often central to the storyline. Doris's weakness for sweets and snacks creates relatable and funny scenes, like the need for a convenience store stop for snacks to fortify herself and Grace while on surveillance watch. The mention of comfort food recipes from the 50s, 60s, and 70s throughout the story evokes a sense of nostalgia. 18 mouthwatering recipes are in the back of the book and are waiting for you to try. 

Readers beware: It's an addictive read. 

All About The Author (jeannecooney.com) 

Jeanne Cooney is the author of the popular Hot Dish Heaven Mystery Series: Hot Dish Heaven, A Second Helping of Murder and Recipes, and A Potluck of Murder and Recipes. Her new series, It’s Murder, kicks off in March 2022, with the release of It’s Murder, Dontcha Know. Jeanne splits her time between northwestern and central Minnesota.  

Chia Pudding Cups

Guest Food Blogger M E Fuller

Artist Online Gallery

Author, Workshop Facilitator, & Writing Coach mefuller.com 

@mefullerarts

Meet ME Fuller (author of a cozy mystery series and artist) at the 2024 Northwoods Art and Book Festival. She will be a vendor outside this year, selling her books and artwork. This photo is from 2024 Art and Book Festival

The following recipe is one of Maggie's favorite snacks. 
 

 CHIA PUDDING CUP

A half cup of Chia pudding paired with blueberries or strawberries makes a tasty mid-morning snack. Chia seeds are a good source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation and support healthy digestion. Coconut milk is high in calories and fat, adding energy to your morning, and is a good source of potassium.
Ingredients:

• 1-14-ounce can light or full-fat coconut milk. Do not use coconut milk from cartons. It won’t set up the same.
• 5 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Optional add-ins- fresh fruit or nuts

Directions: 

• Mix the ingredients (not the fruit/nuts) in a bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight, stirring the pudding once or twice to ensure the Chia seeds are well distributed. Keep refrigerated until you make the next batch.