Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Why don't I ever think of this kind of dish? This is another super yummy goodie my mom prepared for us during her recent visit: baked macaroni and cheese. Ingredients: diced cheddar cheese, diced cream cheese, butter, milk, a little flour, dried mustard, cooked and drained elbow macaroni and then add whatever you want after that point :) A sprinkling of panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese is a great topper.

Monte Cristo vs. the Wafflewich

The sandwich "smackdown" at Life's Kitchen last week: Monte Cristo (below) vs. the Wafflewich. The sandwiches are similar. The voting in my immediate family? It was a tie! Although, the wafflewich was my favorite!

Homemade Chicken Parm

Chicken Parmesan courtesy of my mom during her visit to Boise. Chicken breasts pounded thin, and dipped in seasoned flour, beaten egg and Panko bread crumbs mixed with shredded Parmesan cheese. Fried in olive oil until golden. Then baked at 350 degrees for a few minutes to finish, and top off with a slice of provolone. Serve on a bed of alfreda sauce. Mmmm.

Dungeness Crab

Extra happy food - dungeness crab :)

Peach Pie Part Two

And yet another peach pie made by someone other than me :) Look at the nice finish, no runny insides and a glazed top.

Apple-Peach Pie

More peach pie experimenting, but this time an apple-peach combo. Our friend Ben and his daughter baked this one, and cornflakes were part of the recipe. Yummy pie.

Honeycrisp Apple Happiness

Two layers of these in each box, weighing in at about 25 lbs. We picked these honeycrisps up at a local orchard for $14 a box. I'm not an apple fan, but these apples are amazing.

Peach Pie - Kinda

I experimented with a chilled peach pie in a baked shortbread crust. It might have been better if I had a full recipe in hand, instead of just a "few details" from a friend. It turned out more like a peach tart, which I liked. I've got to toy some more with the shortbread crust recipe, too. I want to use it for a chilled pumpkin pie this year.

Garden Corn

Our third ear of corn from the garden bed. Our corn wasn't too happy this year, and I got pinched by an earwig while battling this one from the stalk...but oh, so sweet! No need for any butter, either, because it's yummy "as is."

Peaches and Cream

A friend gave us peaches from his yard for this simple after-dinner treat. Sprinkle the peaches with a touch of table sugar and drizzle with heavy cream.

Shells and Cheese

Cheese-stuffed pasta shells aren't too exciting, but made for an easy dinner last night. The best part of this plate: the cherry tomatoes from the garden in the salad, and fresh-from-the-garden green beans.

Tri-Color Salad Disaster

Looks pretty, but in this case, looks are nothing. I experimented with a tri-color cheese tortellini salad. Yuck. The tortellini were the frozen kind. I cooked them one minute less than the directions indicated and they turned out mushy and most pieces had lost their cheese filling. I tossed with some Italian dressing and a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese to try to dress it up and it was still a failure. Lesson learned: fresh tortellini is probably a better option.