Here is one more reason to love IKEA besides the space saving furniture and storage items. If you travel with a small refrigerator, as an electric chest type or an RV type, IKEA’s menu items are priced competitively with Cracker Barrel, and less during special IKEA family deals. Plus, after you fill up on fish or meat balls with two sides, and enjoy your family member free coffee or tea, go back for a second meal then ask the cashier for a carry out box.
Two space saving IKEA take out boxes
Two of these boxes fit in less space than one from Cracker Barrel. Also, there is no tipping charge. It’s the very best deal I have found in any city for take out meal food that has a vegetable or two for no extra charge.
Now, if they only would put up signs for special RV parking in their huge parking lots…
Have you even attended a Pot Luck, loved an item, and wondered how to make it?
Well, you are not alone. I wish everyone would make a sign with the ingredients, or make copies of the recipe and put them beside their food item.
A small chalkboard easel from a craft store would work, if all you needed to write was an Internet address.
In my case, I didn’t make the recipe exactly the same as the one I posted. I needed to convey a lot of information in a small space.
So having an IKEA napkin holder, many rolls of washi tape, clear packing tape and one index card on hand, I provided all the needed information without using a lot of paper or a giant easel.
In the style of decoupage, I cut pieces of washi tape and applied it to a thin piece of cardboard that I cut using the original cardboard that was on the IKEA napkin holder when I purchased as a pattern. I just needed the cardboard I used to be a little longer than the pattern. This was the easiest part.
The most difficult part was using the clear tape, which kept sticking to everything, or wrinkling up. As you mail your holiday presents, and also struggle with clear packaging tape, think of me.
Remember that the tape is just a barrier to the good stuff and nobody cares about it being perfect.
When You Make Your Own Bread You Know What is In it.
Ah, the smell of fresh baked sodium bisulfite, lipoxygenase, azodicarbon-amide, and good old fashioned DATEM (diacetyltartaric acid esters of monoglycerides), to name a few.
What could grandma be cooking in the kitchen? Well, labeling laws allow all of the above and more to be listed as “dough conditioners“ and “dough enhancers” on bread, buns, etc. They make both big corporations and little mom and pop bakeries, (that sometimes don’t label any of the contents) more profitable by speeding up proofing and kneading time, along with giving a pretty homemade goodness look, better crumb, and a bonus of longer shelf life! Wow! What a deal!
Grandma should be making authentic sourdough bread with a starter culture instead of buying store bought labeled sourdough that has yeast and vinegar. Folks, real sourdough is not a sweetbread, but it’s not necessarily sour tasting. It also has big holes throughout the loaf.
It’s true that these dough conditioners and enhancers that are in the majority of bread products purchased in grocery stores, restaurants, and bakeries make picture perfect bread and perfect crumb with no gaping holes. However, let’s have holes in our bread and not in our head.
After skipping breakfast, which I almost never do, I needed a hearty lunch and didn’t want to break my budget. Here was my total bill:
There is no tipping so this $14.89 was the price including tax!
What did I receive for under $15.00? One Greek salad, containing delicious pitted black olives, and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing, one lemon breaded cod fillet with pesto sauce, peas, and corn with summer squash.
At a furniture store called IKEA. It is located next to the Mall at Millenia Off I-4 between the theme parks and downtown. Just type IKEA Orlando Florida into your navigation.
Since I joined the FREE IKEA family club, I get coffee or tea with refills free daily. I like to get a glass of ice and pour my fresh hot black tea over it. This is so much better than any instant iced tea anywhere.
The pesto sauce is free to anyone with the meal. Just ask for it. If peas or corn with summer squash is not your thing, they also have fries or, mashed potatoes (gravy if you ask), and macaroni and cheese.
The Greek salad comes with a side of dressing, but Newman’s dressings are also free if you want them. They are near the small salads and soup of the day.
And if you have never visited an IKEA store before, they sell more than food and furniture. IKEA can plan, and the kitchen designers work is free, an entire kitchen for you including major appliances, faucets, sinks, cookware, and utensils. They have a great selection of toys and furniture for children too. Well I could go on and explain they have everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink, but go and see for yourself!
If you are such a fan of the silky pillowcases so much so that you take them with you when you travel, here is a tip on washing them.
By machine, wash with cold water with like colorfast colors and gentle cycle and gentle spin. Be sure there are no other clothes with Velcro or fasteners that could tear your delicate pillowcases. Remove from washer and give a good shake. Unzip and re-zip around plastic hanger. Hang to air dry. Once dry, place in closet still zipped on hanger.
Silk Pillowcase Ready for Storage
By hand, use cold water wash and rinse well without wrinkling. Zip around plastic hanger. Place over sink or in shower to drip dry.
Silk pillowcases dry much faster than cotton ones, so they are great for travel in a RV, Recreational Vehicle!
Publix Supermarket has Patagonia Scallops on sale through Wednesday. Here is how I made a generous serving meal for two adults using a skillet and in less than 20 minutes.
How to use frozen scallops to make a quick, flavorful, one skillet meal.
Method: On medium heat, thin coat skillet with olive oil and lightly brown the white part of one leek, which was cut into thin slices and seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper. Turn heat to low.
Add 4 cups washed, torn, and salad spinner dry baby spinach. Stir fry for a minute on medium heat.
Add one half package of frozen scallops that have been rinsed and drained. Keep on medium heat, cover skillet, and cook for five minutes.
Uncover and stir fry for a minute. Now without stirring, reduce heat to low and sprinkle over spinach and scallop mixture: 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, and three cloves sliced garlic. Cover and let cheese melt and garlic soften on low heat.
Uncover and stir fry on medium until moisture is absorbed and all scallops are opaque.
When Cooked, Scallops Turn Opaque White
After reducing the liquid, the feta will be melted and form a flavorful glaze on the spinach and scallops.
The orange, pumpkin colored soft flesh of a papaya with limes.
Although diets disappear when pumpkin pie appears, this Orange color October treat is delicious, healthy, and puts you back on track.
Although, I have had papaya trees in my yard, it’s available in grocery stores all over the US now. Pick them when they are yellow on the outside without bruises. If they are rock hard, just put them in a paper or plastic bag overnight. As long as they can be easily sliced, they should be ready for feasting.
Serve with a minimum of two whole limes. The combination of papaya and limes is like peanut butter and jelly. It’s classic for a reason; it’s more delicious together. Also, it’s less work than than making a sandwich!
Super easy, low sugar, and high protein this breakfast lunch or dinner meal was inspired by the following: German Pancake Recipe on the website: http://www.lecremedelacrumb.com and my own version of a Jewish blintz filling. When you go to the LeCremeDeLaCrumb website, find breakfast recipes in the menu and then scroll until you see German pancake.
The “German” pancake, which is probably an American invention, is whipped together in a blender. I followed the recipe on the Le Crème de la Crumb website except, I noticed half way through that my oven was hotter so, I reduced the temperature to 400 F to avoid having it burnt at the edges and undercooked in the center. Watch this carefully.
German Pancake in 9 x 13 foil pan
Also, with the amount of butter, when cooled, the pancake sticks to the bottom of the aluminum pan. To fix this, I put a layer of non-stick aluminum foil on the bottom of the aluminum pan. Now after the pancake cools, it is easy to lift out of the pan and cut into small servings with kitchen scissors.
The topping is my own invention trying to simulate the Jewish cheese blintz filling. Into approximately two pounds of whole milk ricotta cheese I mixed a half Tablespoon of sour cream and two Tablespoons of Icelandic Provisions Extra Creamy Lemon Yogurt. The Icelandic yogurt is perfect for this, since it’s so thick; you can try it with the other flavors such as vanilla bean or coffee.
Thick and Flavorful Icelandic Yogurt
Get out your tasting spoons. You want to barely loosen up the thick ricotta, but still keep it flavorful and have it mound up. Left over ricotta topping/filling can be used to make a traditional rolled cheese blintz filling for tomorrow’s breakfast. Just put the topping/filling down the middle of the cooked pancake of your choice, fold over the sides and top with jelly, whipped cream, sour cream, and/or fruit.
Make your German pancake first. Store it in your refrigerator until just before leaving for the potluck. At that time, mound up the ricotta topping/filling on each piece of your pancake. On top of that, I like to put a fruit spread or jelly. Cover and transport to your event.
Topping can be any jelly of your preference, or use the plastic squeeze type; this is convenient to offer anyone in the buffet line wanting to up the sweetness. You can also add fresh fruit and even more sour cream, if you prefer savoy rich food over sweet. These are good choices to feed a crowd.
Sedano’s and Publix Supermarkets Come Together for a Two Ingredient Frozen Treat
What I love about Orlando is the blend of cultures as experienced through food. For a unique, easy, crunchy, spicy, sweet, and cooling treat, I developed this two ingredient pot luck favorite. Take softened Sedano’s Mamey ice cream and spread between two Publix brand ginger snaps. The Publix brand has enough kick to stand up to the mellow mamey flavor. Wrap each one of these not so ordinary ice cream sandwiches in foil and freeze overnight.
Publix Supermarket Ginger Snaps are a Spicy Surprise
I find approximately 9 x 11 inch aluminum sheets cut in half are the perfect size. Three boxes of Publix ginger snaps will be needed for each container of ice cream. Transport in a small cooler for approximately 90 one treat servings.
Mix left over softened ice cream with crumbs and broken cookies right in the ice cream container and place back in the freezer for an instant family time dessert. This is easy enough to have your children help.
Most Publix grocery stores in Florida carry this salad in their deli section. With all the ingredients, which includes capers, I cannot make it at home for less.
Happen to be passing by an out of state Publix today and discovered that if you don’t see this salad, ask at the SUB counter if they can make one or two up for you.
This is the only store that told us to ask if you don’t see what you want. Such nice folks here!
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