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Menu Plan Monday

July 22, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

Well, good morning, everyone!  It is nice to back in my regular posting routine and it is also great to be delivering some good news.  Last Monday, my MIL, who is such an awesome lady, had triple bypass surgery to correct 3 very serious blockages.  We are so blessed because all three blockages are fixed and she is home resting and recuperating.  Yay!!!  Praise God!

Since she is now on dietary restrictions and I am helping out in the kitchen, it is time for me to learn to do more low sodium and heart healthy cooking.  I don’t think my usual meals are too bad, but I know I can do better.  C & I have been what I like to call “stress eating” the last few weeks so it is time to clean up the old diet a little.  Don’t expect to see major changes here…just a few tweaks to old favorites.  I have ordered a few salt-free spice blends from Penzey’s Spices to try and I will let you know how they are.  Besides avoiding extra salt, it is back to breakfast smoothies for me instead of stopping for a ham biscuit and Coke at Dairy Queen.  Hopefully we will all be a little healthier for it.

Salsa sloppy Joes with oven fries

Taco pork chops with baked potatoes

Deep dish pizza casserole with fresh garden veggies

Grilled hamburgers with oven fries

Pork Chops a la City Chicken (new) with baked potatoes

Please join me at I’m An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Posted in Menu Planning | Tagged , , |

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

July 20, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

Smoothies make a great breakfast during the heat of summer and this was is especially tasty if you are a peanut butter lover like me.  I found the original recipe on the Whole Living website and then tweaked it to suit my taste and lactose intolerance.

pbbsmoothie

1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

1 cup frozen banana slices

1 tsp. creamy peanut butter

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Put all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Easy peasy!

pbbsmoothie

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments »

High Five For Friday

July 19, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

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1. This one doesn’t have a photo but it is the most important thing this week.  My MIL had successful triple bypass surgery on Monday and is now home and recovering.  We are so blessed and thankful that her problem was caught when it was so no further damage was done. God was watching over her!

2. I froze 6 dozen ears of sweet corn on Wednesday night and now my little freezer is just about full of all kinds of goodies.  I didn’t grow this, but someone local did and it is just so good.

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3. On a much lighter note, when I finally made it to the grocery on Wednesday afternoon, I took a little side trip to Sally’s Beauty Supply where I purchased these two little goodies:

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Now I just need a little time to do a pedicure.

4. I have been letting my hair grow for a while and it is finally long enough to pull back so I also purchased this cute hair clip at Sally’s.

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5.  Last, but I guess not least…I turn FORTY today!!  Yikes! How did that happen?  I can’t be over 30 yet? Right…right!?!?!?!?  Oh, well.  I am grateful for my first 40 years and hopefully will get to celebrate another 40.

Posted in High Five for Friday | Tagged , |

Book Beginnings

July 18, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

Thanks for joining me today for my edition of Book Beginnings hosted by Rose City Reader.  If you are a book lover like me, hopefully you will find several interesting reads from the list of blogs linking up there.

Today, my first line comes from “The Lost Art of Mixing” by Erica Bauermeister.  When I read this, it was a new selection at my local library and the title was about cooking, I just had to try it.  Cooking is a main theme through the book, but it is mostly about relationships between different people and how they all connect together.  Here is the first line:

“Lillian stood at the restaurant kitchen counter, considering the empty expanse in front of her.”

In my opinion as someone who loves to cook, this scenario could be really good or really bad.  Does Lillian have a beautiful clean space with which to work or does she see a space empty of ideas or feelings?  You will just have to read the book to find out!

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments »

Non-Menu Plan Monday

July 15, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

Good morning, everyone!  I know it’s been a little quiet here the last few days and I apologize for the lack of posts, but things should hopefully get back to normal shortly. 

I hate that things slowed down just as I got the new Facebook page up and running, but sometimes life just gets in the way.  As the Terminator says…I’ll be back!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed week.  See you soon!

Posted in My Thoughts |

Dessert Challenge: Blueberry Lemon Muffins

July 11, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking


Lady Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge

July’s spotlight ingredients for the Lady Behind The Curtain’s Dessert Challenge is, drumroll please…blueberries & lemon!  I had not used that combination before so off to Pinterest I went in search of a new recipe to try.  I found this delicious muffin recipe on the blog, Silver Boxes and knew I had found the right one.

I love blueberry muffins, but I never made them from scratch.  Instead, I always used a box mix that came with the little can of blueberries.  Well, I can now say that fresh is best!  These are awesome, especially with the melted butter, lemon, and sugar topping.  This makes 12 to 14 muffins depending on the size you want.

blueberrylemonmuffins

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

zest of 1 lemon

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk (I used 4 tbsp. powdered and add 1 cup of water when the recipe calls for buttermilk.)

1 cup butter melted, divided

1 heaping cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Juice of 1 lemon

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Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, dried buttermilk and salt together.  Zest the lemon over the dry ingredients and set aside.

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Beat the egg in a medium bowl and then add the water and 1/2 cup melted butter. Add the dry mixture to the egg mixture and stir until just mixed.  The batter will be a little lumpy.  Stir in the blueberries.

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Fill the muffin pans 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins test done.  Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove to continue cooling.

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For the topping: Combine 1/2 cup melted butter and the juice from 1 lemon.  Pour 1 cup of sugar in a separate bowl.  Dip the tops of the muffins into the butter then roll them in the sugar.  Now all you have to do is eat them.  Enjoy!

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blueberrylemonmuffins

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Posted in Cooking | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments »

Menu Plan Monday

July 8, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

Good morning, my dear readers!  First things first: I finally created a Facebook page for Picture Perfect Cooking and I would love if you would “like” it!  The link is on the right side bar just below “Who Am I”. 

I hope everyone had a great Independence Day holiday.  We celebrated a day early with C’s cousins at a cookout and had a great time.  The 4th was a complete wash-out around here.  Actually, the 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th were washouts.  I am beginning to feel a little like Dorothy, because this doesn’t feel like Kentucky anymore; at least not Kentucky in July.  We have had days and days of cool, wet, dreary weather and I hope it is about over for a while.  If not, we will be able to start a mushroom farm in the backyard. My poor garden looks bad, but it is still producing so I guess that is all that matters.

Anywho, this week is a little short on the menu plan.  We have some busy work days and one night out planned (if it doesn’t rain out the event).  I still haven’t made it to the grocery store yet so hopefully I will venture out this week. Hope everyone has a safe, blessed and DRY week!

Leftover shredded BBQ with oven fries

Baked ham slices with butter roasted potatoes

Taco ring with salad

Shredded beef taco roast with oven fries

Pizza night

Frozen Oreo pie (didn’t get made last week)

Join me at I’m An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Posted in Menu Planning | Tagged , , |

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

July 6, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

I really like to use zucchini as an ingredient in baked goods.  It seems to give the items an extra dose of moisture that results in a terrific texture for breads, muffins, or, in this case, cake.  This cake, which I found at Chocolate, Chocolate and More, would be delicious with a fruit or Jell-O salad on the side or just eat it by itself with a big ol’ cold glass of milk.  Mmmm!

chocchocchipzucchinicake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups packed grated zucchini

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare to loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick spray. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt on a plate and set aside. I prefer using a paper plate for this because it makes it easier to pour into the mixer later.

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In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until they are light and fluffy.  This takes about 2 minutes.  Add in the oil and vanilla and stir to combine. 

While your mixer is running on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture.  Beat until just blended.  Fold in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.  Mine were perfectly done after 50 minutes so be sure and check them at that time.  Allow the loaves to cool for 10 minutes, then turn them out of the pan and cool completely.  Slice and enjoy!

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chocchocchipzucchinicake

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments »

High Five for Friday

July 5, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

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Here are 5 fun things that happened this week:

1. Last Saturday, C & I spent the day in Louisville, KY and ate some awesome doughnuts from Nord’s Baker.

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2. Went to the Derby City Comicon.

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3. Visited Yew Dell Gardens.

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4. We celebrated Independence Day a day early at a cookout hosted by C’s cousins and got to play with two sweet babies…

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5.  And enjoy a backyard bonfire and fireworks show:

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Posted in High Five for Friday | Tagged , , , , , |

Book Beginnings

July 4, 2013 by pictureperfectcooking

It is time for another edition of Book Beginnings!  Join me and other bloggers over at Rose City Reader for this great literary link party which will go live tomorrow.  Today I am bringing you the first couple of lines from Deborah Harkness’s follow-up to “A Discovery of Witches” called “Shadow of Night”.

"We arrived in an undignified heap of witch and vampire.  Matthew was underneath me, his long limbs bent into an uncharacteristically awkward position.  A large book was squashed between us, and the force of our landing sent the small silver figurine clutched in my hand sailing across the floor."

These words make you wonder just where they arrived and what the significance of the objects mentioned are.  You will just have to read the book to find out.  This is the second book in the All Souls trilogy and I can’t wait for the finale!

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments »

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