Happy New Year, 2022!!

Starting the New Year trying a new breakfast/brunch recipe for the Alexandria Casserole

After watching Paula Deen videos on holiday meals I decided to try (my very first time making a breakfast casserole). I like the idea of a one pot dish and know how to adapt it. I made it my style: dairy-free, meat-free and gluten-free. It is OUTRAGEOUSLY yum!!! Give it a try!

2 cups of homemade Cashew Ricotta cheese – recipe to follow soon

12 oz bag of Tater tots – enough potato to line the bottom of the casserole dish

2-3 Large Italian sausage – I used two Beyond Meat

3 Extra large eggs (I used the egg whites only) – the original recipe calls for 6-8 regular eggs

2 cups of Almond Milk ( or any plant based Milk)

1 cup of any Vegan shredded cheese

6 – 8 oz frozen Spinach (thawed)

2T dried Onion flakes

1-2 t Garlic powder/fresh (depending on your taste)

1.5 t Kosher Salt (or to taste)

Fresh Black pepper (to taste)

1. In the food processors add all of these ingredients: Ricotta mixture, thawed Spinach, 3 egg whites (or whole eggs if you prefer) Almond Milk, dried Onion flakes, Garlic (fresh/powdered) Salt & Pepper.

2. Sautee the Italian sausages in a pan on medium flame, break up the links and cook for a few minutes…the rest will cook when ready to bake.

3. Liberally spray the casserole dish – I used an 9×12 but could have easily done two smaller ones.

4. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with any brand of potatoes. I used tater tots… any variety/brand of potato, shredded/diced/sliced/fries would work as well.

5. Add a layer of the Italian sausage

6. Pour the Cashew mix over the top of the sausage

7. Scatter all of the shredded cheese and using a spatula smooth over to cover the entire mixture

8. Cover the casserole with Saran wrap and place in the refrigeraror overnight.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour

Update: hubby says “it was worth the wait!”

I look forward to the day I could make this for a large Brunch, for friends…. I’m calling it the Alexandria Casserole.

Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year!!

Farewell December

Holiday bouquet to welcome the start of the New Year, 2022.

I’m an optimistic sweeper … I’ve had better luck entering IG sweeps. So far this month I’ve won sock yarn, beauty accessories and a few make-up products. I love being able to try products free.

Essie Winter care giveaway: https://wyng.io/39iKQD

Enter my referral code: 2L8BAC

Farewell to yet another bizarro Christmas during this cray Pandemic…. I’m hoping and praying for a happy & healthy New Year for all of us. Stay safe peeps! I’m taking all the necessary measures, boosted and all. I also bought 3M N95 masks (on the list CDC recommends).

Let there be Peace on Earth…

Piggy Penny

Stopped in to say hello to Ms Penny, piggy at a local produce farm. She was more interested in sunning herself than greeting us.

Notice the baskets of mixed nuts (in the 1st pic) yeah…so do the squirrels!! I watched as a squirrel took a flying leap into the mixed nuts basket grabbed nuts and ran off….OMG, too funny!!!

Noice assortment of squashes of every size…I love the tiny butternut squash!

Gluten-free Pumpkin bread (Vegan)

Excited to welcome Autumn and all the goodness of the Season. I was inspired by:

https://rainbowplantlife.com/the-best-vegan-pumpkin-spice-bread/#recipe

I tweaked the recipe replacing the flour with Gluten-free flour, the sweetner with Stevia and sugar-free Maple syrup…it’s moist, it’s Vegan and super yum! I also added chopped Walnuts and pepitas. Very yum!

Next time I’ll try her icing.

Upstate NY….road trip

After 14 months of lockdown/pause etc… super grateful to be able to get away, for a bit….masks, Lysol wipes and spray packed we headed Upstate to the mountains & through small towns . If felt great going up the mountains…. it’s a wonderful experience. We did the ordinary… shopped and walked around. I went into what I thought was a separate Sephora store but it lead into a Mall…whoa, I didn’t expect that! Thankful that nearly everyone wore masks…we spent hours walking around, window shopping (I miss that!). The weather was comfortably warm, breezy and pleasant. Glad to be vaccinated but kept my mask on anytime indoors, or wherever peeps gathered. The Farmer’s Market had more food items than veggies/fruits…not surprising as it’s still early in the Season. A group called F.O.G (freakin old guys) played what I believe was folk/country music…cute. I appreciate the bursting blooms of colorful plants and hanging baskets. 🙂

It was fun…the new normal.

“Water your soul”….

Feeling hopeful and loving that Spring is in the air (although it’s still cool/cold here in NY)… hearing the good news that all who want a Covid-19 vaccine will be able to get it within the next few months. Hallelujah!!

Love Mia Niles voice and her songs…

Homemade Chinese Fried Rice

I just made the very best ever homemade fried rice…simple and easy to add as much as you like, or substitute with your favorite veggies/egg/chicken, etc…you can use any kind of cooked rice as little/much as you want. I used 1.5 cups of cooked brown rice.

Ingredients I used.

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, diced

In a large cast iron frying pan saute the onions & garlic in 2T of Olive oil, until soft. Remove from the pan once soft, set aside until you’ve fried the rice then you can add into the mix.

Add cooked brown (or any kind) of rice to the pan, I used 1 1/2 cups. Pan fry the rice on high, stirring often as not to burn it. Add, the onion & garlic to the fried rice, mix in green onions & add peas. I added a few dashes of powdered ginger, sesame seeds, add a few shakes of Tamari sauce & Coconut Aminos to the rice mix, add the peas and stir until well mixed…serve.

Buen provecho!

PIF this holiday…

  • Christmas Cactus

Except for the handful of young kiddies in our life Christmas gifting is very different this year.

The difficult times we’re all living in 2020, during this global pandemic, and all the obvious suffering so many are enduring being out of work, financial hardships, and food insecurity we’ve chosen to Pay It Forward by donating to our local food banks instead of buying gifts. I created a few food baskets, including a Turkey, etc. for a traditional holiday dinner and left it at the doors (anonymously) of neighbors… including a few of my knitted hats/ear warmers & scarves which will come in handy this Winter.

I enjoy knitting/crocheting items for local charities but that too is on hold until we get pass COVID-19…charities are asking for $$$ instead.

I hope all who are able will continue to pay it forward…every bit helps.

My wish for all this year is one of love, hope, health & peace in 2021!

Pumpkin Bread – Gluten & Sugar free!

2 cups of King Arthur Gluten free flour

6 individual packets of Stevia

2 t Rumford Baking powder

2 t Simply Organic Pumpkin spice

1 t Simply Organic Ceylon Cinnamon powder

1/2 softened Butter…I use Smart Balance buttery spread

3 eggs, minus 1 yolk

Mix butter with eggs then stir into all of the above ingredients.

You can also add walnuts/pecans/chocolate chips or anything you like into the mixture.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Use a loaf pan, spray with your favorite oil spray.

Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.

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