the Organized Life, September Paint Bucket

Here’s my bucket list of recipes I want to make in September: APPETIZERS ……………………………… KALE, SAUSAGE & MUSHROOM DIP BAKED WON TON CRISPS ROASTED EDAMAME w/SEA SALT MINI MONTE CRISTOS LASAGNA CUPCAKES ……………………………….. …………………………… BAKED POTATO CHIPS ORANGE & BLEU GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD VEGGIES IN PORTOBELLA CAPS MUFFIN TIN POTATO STACKS SPINACH & ZUCCHINI GRATIN … Continue reading

Party Panache, Blueberry & Bacon Breakfast Cake

Blueberries, Bacon, Cake! Yes, please!  Sweet & salty, creamy & dreamy, sounds good doesn’t it?  It’s simple to make too, and stays delicious for a week. This would be so perfect for the holidays in December! Labor Day weekend is fast approaching and the family is coming to the beach for the weekend.  I was … Continue reading

Tablescapes, Refreshing Flowers

Our house was full of flowers this past weekend, some hydrangeas from the garden, some roses from my sweet husband, and a lovely bouquet from some friends that came for dinner.  I love flowers, and hate to part with them, so when they start to droop, I refresh the arrangements to make them last as … Continue reading

Take out Tuesday, Ham, Mushroom & Spinach Manicotti

My love of cooking really isn’t about food but about creativity.  Cooking is the ultimate creative endeavor for me.  Taking ingredients and combining them in a unique way to create a flavorful dish, feeding the eyes and the spirit as well as the body, and doing it for your family and friends.  Doesn’t get any … Continue reading

Gifts from the Kitchen, Olive Oil

OLIVE OIL! Keep an oil bottle, preferably with a spout, right by your cooktop and it will be ready to grab! I buy a big jug of Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil at Costco and keep it in my pantry and use it to keep my oil bottle full. This saves mucho time, its right … Continue reading

Recipe Box, Summer Thanksgiving

You are going to thank me, seriously thank me for sharing this meal with you.! I had this entire dinner prepped and in the oven in 15 minutes. Hungry Husband’s comment was “That is the BEST dinner you have ever made!!” Yea!! Sets the bar pretty high for tomorrow night though… So here’s what we … Continue reading

the Organized Life, Clean your fridge!

OK, when was the last time you cleaned out your refrigerator, as in take everything out, wipe down the shelves, check expiration dates… I have had more than my share of refrigerator “Encounters”.  My mom, bless her heart never threw anything away ever and when I would get to California to visit her, it could … Continue reading

Creations! Flatbread with pear, bacon & bleu cheese

This is one of those recipes that is more of a formula than a recipe.  Change it up to suit your taste or what you have in the fridge.  This version is a combo of all my favorites, freshly baked bread, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, bacon, bleu cheese & fresh pear. I love the sweet, … Continue reading

Organized Life, Caramelized Onions

Uhmmmm….nothing makes your kitchen smell better than sauteed onions.  Well, maybe bacon, but you get the idea…Caramelized onions are so easy and so tasty, and so so so much better than just a quickly sauteed onion.  Slow cooking the onion in a combination of butter and olive oil gives it a rich, deep flavor. I … Continue reading

Take out Tuesday, Glazed Ham, Mac & Cheese

We always have ham on Christmas Eve, but rarely have it other times of the year.  I found a Mac & Cheese recipe from plainchicken.com that I was dying to try and decided ham would make a great pairing for Take out Tuesday’s meal.  I had to go to Costco anyway, where else can you … Continue reading