NEW COOKWARE REVIEW

There's nothing like having two children getting married roughly three months apart to remind you how old all of your kitchen materials are. 

In the summer of 2021, both my oldest son and my daughter were married. It was hectic and wonderful all at the same time! It was a beautiful few months of parties, showers, teas, and lots of family time. I would do it all again if I had the opportunity. However, as their wedding gifts started coming in, I started making some comparisons (which is always a bad idea!) between all the shiny new kitchen gadgets they were receiving, and all the old, worn out, even some hand-me-downs I was using. So, after the money stopped dashing out the door for the weddings, I decided it was time to replace a few things in my kitchen. 

One thing I ordered and have loved is this new set of cookware. 

Rachel Ray 13-pc Non-stick Cookware

I did a good bit of reading and researching before I made my decision. I do cook, but I don't cook all the time. So, I was trying to find something that was a good value that would also last me a while without breaking the bank. This set had great reviews, and I also liked the color. (I mean that's important, too, right?)

It may be reading a bit green in this picture, but it's the perfect light gray with some blue undertones. Another great thing about this set is all the lids it comes with. That has been a problem for me in the past: not enough lids to go around when I'm using multiple pots or skillets. I have been really pleased so far. I've had my set for almost a year now, and it still looks brand new. It cooks evenly and everything washes up well. So far, not a single complaint.

If you could also use an upgrade in the cookware department, I think this set is a great option. Let me know below in the comment section if you have any questions. 

Happy cooking!

DIVINE CASSEROLE: A NEW RECIPE

It's recipe day! I have a new-to-me recipe to share with you guys today that you will love, especially if you like spaghetti and lasagna. It's kind of a cross between the two. It's full of flavor, and it makes a large amount if you're feeding a crowd, or you could easily half the recipe for a smaller group.

Ingredients:

1 large package medium egg noodles

2 pounds ground beef

2 - 15 oz cans of tomato sauce

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 - 24 oz carton small curd cottage cheese

12 ounces of cream cheese ( 1 1/2 bars)

1 cup of sour cream

3 - 4 chopped green onions (about 1/3 cup)

1 stick of butter or margarine, melted

salt to taste

Directions:

• Prepare the noodles according to the directions on the package and rinse under cold water.
• Set out the cream cheese to be softening. 
• As the noodles are cooking, brown the ground beef well, drain.
• Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and salt to the beef and set aside. 
• Mix the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and onions.
• Melt the butter.
• Grease 2, two-quart casserole dishes. (I used 2, 8 x 8 pans, and 1, two-quart casserole dish.)
• Place 1/4 of the noodles in each dish and pour a little butter over them.
• Add 1/2 the cheese mixture to each dish.
• Add the remaining noodles, more butter, and top with the meat mixture.
• Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and bubble. 

Add a salad and bread, and you are done! This pull apart bundt bread would be a great choice with this dish. 

Thank you to my soon-to-be daughter-in-law's mom for sharing this recipe with me. 

I hope you like it.

Kathryn

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

It seems like it's been forever since I've shared a recipe. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy doing these posts! Food photography is fun. :-)

Back in the fall, with a group of  some of my favorite ladies, I did a book study. Our host was our friend Emily. She served these cookies at one of our last sessions. They were so good! I've been trying to find time to make them ever since. Like most of you, I've had nothing but time lately. So here they are: A light, not-too-sweet, delicious-with-milk, treat.

Ingredients:

3 ounces of cream cheese

1 stick of real, salted butter (no margarine)

1 cup of sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon of almond flavoring 

2 1/4 cups of All-purpose, sifted flour

Pecan halves (optional)

**One quick note before we start: they no longer sell cream cheese in a 3 oz size, so you'll have to cut an 8 oz bar. If it's a little over 3, it will not matter. Okay, now we're ready! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Unwrap the stick of butter and place it in your mixing bowl. Allow it to get to room temperature, then cream the bar really well. 
• Add in the cream cheese, and again, cream the two together really well. 
• Mix in about half the sugar, and when smooth, mix in the rest. 
• Add the egg yolk and almond flavoring, and mix.   
• Begin adding the flour. I mixed in about 3/4 of a cup at a time. The dough will no longer be smooth once all the flour is mixed in. 

Dip out a small amount and roll into a ball. Place on cookie sheet, and lightly push in the centers of the cookies. They will not spread much on their own. Bake 11-12 minutes. The top doesn't brown really, but the bottom will.

Love pecans? Place one pecan half in the center of each cookie. I love pecans, but I didn't have any on hand.

I hope you enjoy them. I've enjoyed them a little too much!
Kathryn

It was time for a new cookbook...

I have a new cookbook to tell you about. I've actually only bought maybe three or four cookbooks for myself - a church produced paper back (which I love), a Southern Living Annual Recipes cookbook from years ago, and a couple from book fairs at my high school. The others landed in my kitchen as gifts from friends and family for various occasions. I'm really excited to have something new and updated.

The mailman handed it to me Saturday, and I've been dissecting it page by page in every free moment.

The Skinny Taste Cookbook

There looks to be lots of yumminess (the spell checker says that's not a word - I say it is) to share with you. The nutritional information is provided with every recipe, which I love and find helpful.

The Skinny Taste Cookbook

If you think you might enjoy a new cookbook as well, you can order it from Amazon here. On Instagram? You can follow the author Gina Homolka, @skinnytaste. Her pictures always make me want to order the book, and I finally did.

I'll let you know as soon as I try my first recipe! Do any of you have this one?

Kathryn