Archive for the 'Cooking' Category

Chili, the Second Time Around

January 25, 2026 | Cooking

from HL Carpenter

Stretching leftovers is always a good plan, especially now with our over-the-top food bills.

You’ve prepared your favorite chili recipe. Friends and family said yum! Now you have leftovers, but not enough to feed everyone another meal. Here’s a tasty trick.

Buy a yam or a sweet potato for each member in the family. While the taters are microwaving, heat the leftover chili. When the sweet potatoes are done, place on individual plates, slice open long-ways and fluff. Spoon the heated chili on top of each potato.

Before you say, “Yuk,” fork up a taste of this sweet, spicy savory combo. You may need more leftovers.

Enjoy!

Once upon a time there was a mother/daughter author duo named Helen and Lorri, who wrote as HL Carpenter. The Carpenters worked from their studios in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories, was unreal but not untrue. Then one day Lorri left her studio to explore the land of What-if, and like others who have lost a loved one the magical place lost much of its magic. But thanks to family, plus an amazing group of wordsmiths named Authors Moving Forward (AMF), the magic is slowly returning.

Helen Carpenter loves liking and sharing blog posts from other authors. She lives in Florida and appreciates every day, especially those without hurricanes.

Stay connected on her blog and  Facebook .

LET THEM EAT SOUP!

January 5, 2026 | Cooking

Okay, so it’s not the best takeoff on Marie Antoinette’s infamous saying, but that was my little way of announcing that January is National Soup Month. It’s true. You can check it out on Wikipedia. In honor of this auspicious event, my January posts will be dedicated to soup, well, at least the Wednesday posts. So tie on your aprons and let’s get cooking!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 lb. fresh mushrooms – use 2 or 3 different types
8 tbsp. butter
2 small shallots or scallions, finely chopped
6 tbsp. flour
1 qt. chicken stock *
¼ cup dry sherry
2 egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream
White pepper**

Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Pull the stems and caps apart. Put pieces in a food processor. Run until chopped. The mix will almost look like a paste. Or fine dice the mushrooms by hand.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-12 inch skillet. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté for 3 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

In a heavy 6-quart saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Do NOT let this brown too much or it will be bitter. The roux should be no darker than a caramel/tan.

Remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool 10-15 seconds, then pour in the stock while whisking constantly. Return the pan to a medium-high heat and stir until the soup base thickens and is smooth, approximately 12-15 minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms and sherry. Simmer for 15 minutes, but be sure to stir occasionally.

Blend the egg yolks into the cream with a whisk. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of hot soup at a time until you’ve added ¾ cup. Reverse the process and slowly whisk the now-warm mixture into the soup. ***

Bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat. Taste and season with pepper.

Serve from a tureen or in individual bowls.

This recipe makes 6 bowls

*You can substitute up to half the amount with dry white wine
**In this recipe white pepper is used for its slightly sharper taste. There is no need to make a special trip to buy white pepper. Black pepper will work fine, just use a little more.
***This may seem like extra work, but if you don’t do it the yolks and cream will curdle.

Happy slurping!

Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning romance author with a passion that consumes her day and night. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.

To learn more about Taylor go to her website. Stay in touch on Blogger, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Taylor’s cookbooks, Hot Men Wear Aprons, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Sizzling Summer, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available on Amazon.

CHRISTMAS BRUNCH IS SERVED

December 15, 2025 | Cooking, Holidays

After we entertain Christmas Eve, we tear through the house cleaning up before the kids and grands come for brunch Christmas Day. This meal is wonderful because so much can be prepared well in advance and stored in the fridge until it’s time to cook.

MENU
Breakfast Soufflé
Hash Browns
Fresh Fruit Salad
Mini Croissants
Christmas Cookies & Leftover Desserts
Mimosas

Breakfast Soufflé
1 lb. (½kg) ham, bacon, or breakfast sausage
9 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups (750ml) milk
1 tsp. (5ml) dry mustard
Diced green, red, and/or yellow pepper to taste
½ lb. (57g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ lb. (57g) Swiss or Gruyere cheese, or a combination of the two, grated
Diced onion to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 – 1 in. (2.54cm) slices Vienna or French bread, cubed

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Dice ham or bacon. If you use ham, set aside in the bowl you use for the eggs. Fry bacon to the crispness you prefer. Drain on paper towels. If you use breakfast sausage, fry meat until no longer pink. Be sure to break up any clumps. Drain meat in a colander while you continue to prepare the soufflé.

Add all ingredients, except the bread, to eggs. Stir well. Gently stir in bread.

Pour mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch (33 x 22cm) glass baking dish. Bake 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center has no egg clinging to it.

This dish can be assembled one or two days ahead of time. On serving day allow the soufflé to sit on your counter 1 – 2 hours before you bake it.

Leftovers are excellent from the microwave.

Hash Browns
If you need to increase the hash browns recipe for a larger group of people, it’s best to sparingly add more garlic powder. As is this recipe serves 6. Leftovers reheat beautifully.

3 russet potatoes (about 1½ pounds), peeled
1½ tsp. (7.5ml) garlic powder, not salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

Shred potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or use the coarse grater disk on a food processor. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Allow them to soak for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and then rinse under cold water. You do this to remove the starch that makes hash browns gummy.

Transfer shreds to a kitchen towel. Gather together ends of towel and twist over sink, squeezing firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible. This step creates crisp hash browns. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and toss with garlic powder and pepper. Be sure to evenly distribute the seasonings.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, press down to form a thin layer and cook for a minute or two. Stir and then press down again. Cook until a dark golden crust forms, about 5 minutes.

Turn potatoes in sections. This is easier than trying to turn the food as a whole. Continue to fry until hash browns are crisp and browned all over, 5 minutes or so. Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Fresh Fruit Salad
1 banana, peeled
1 pear, cored
1 tbsp. (15ml) lemon juice
¼ pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
10 seedless red grapes, halved
10 blueberries
10 raspberries, optional

Slice banana into bitesize pieces. Scoop into a medium-sized bowl. Dice pear and add to bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice over fruit to stop it from turning brown and mix well.

Gently fold in remaining fruit.

Spoon into a glass bowl, cover with cling wrap, and chill until time to serve. Leftovers are still good the next day.

Mimosas
1 bottle sparking white wine or champagne, cold
1 carton orange juice, cold
Tall slender glasses

Fill glasses half full with wine. Tip the glass slightly as you pour to retain the fizz. Top off with orange juice. Don’t stir. That will destroy the bubbles.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning romance author with a passion that consumes her day and night. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.

To learn more about Taylor go to her website. Stay in touch on Blogger, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Taylor’s cookbooks, Hot Men Wear Aprons, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Sizzling Summer, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available on Amazon.

Cut-Above Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

December 8, 2025 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

From Sharon Ledwith

Got a party to plan for your kids or family members? What about a special treat for your Holiday hostess? Bake sale you signed up for? Need a quick fix for a shower, book club, or potluck engagement? Got. You. Covered.

Everybody loves cupcakes. Even wedding planners love to suggest to the bride-to-be to serve cupcakes instead of the traditional tiered cake. Cupcakes are like having a party for one in your mouth. Seriously. So let’s get to it. These cut-above chocolatey peanut butter morsels of heaven will make you look like a five-star baker with your family, friends, PTA members or ‘fill-in-the blank’ guests.

Cut-Above Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (400 mL)
½ cup Hershey’s® Cocoa (125 mL)
½ teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda (2 mL)
¾ cup butter
1 ½ cups brown sugar (375 mL)
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream (125 mL)
¾ cup boiling water (175 mL)

Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with large, paper liners.

Stir flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla until combined.

Using low speed, gradually blend in dry mixture and mix until combined. Slowly, pour in boiling water; scrape down sides of bowl and mix on low just until combined.

Divide batter evenly between lined cups. Bake for 22 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting
Using a piping bag with a star-shaped tip gives these cupcakes their bakery-made look
2 cups Peanut Butter Chips (500 mL)
1 cup softened butter (250 mL)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 mL)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Melt peanut butter chips in the microwave on medium (50%); microwave for 1 to 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter and vanilla with melted chips until fluffy. Pipe or spread frosting over the cupcakes, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Once you’ve hung up your baker’s hat and apron, how about taking a break, and delve into one of my books? May I suggest a visit to mysterious Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, either series will entertain, engage, and open your world to new adventures.

Here’s a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures…

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial—five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.

Children are the key to our future. And now, they are the only hope for our past.

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries…

In the small, quiet tourist town of Fairy Falls, a new-to-town teen, an unlikely hero who possesses an unusual psychic ability, is drawn into a mystery and is tasked with uncovering corrupt truths that threaten the town’s future.

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

Buy Links:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book 3

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book 2 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book 1 Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Legend of the Timekeepers, Prequel Buy Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost & Found, Book One Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies & Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

PANDAMONIUM PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and two shiny red e-bikes.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUSES:

Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE

Download the free PDF writing resource Tips, Tools  & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer HERE

 

DINNER IS SERVED

November 10, 2025 | Cooking

The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a snowy winter we’ll not soon forget. Warm up your family with a hearty dinner that tastes great and satisfies the hungriest of appetites.

Chicken Pot Pie

CHICKEN 

1 lb. chicken breast, boneless, skinless

Celery chunks

Carrot chunks

Onion chunks

Tap water

Fill a medium-size saucepan with water. Add celery, carrots, and onion. Cover and bring to a boil. Add chicken. Cover pan. Turn off heat and let the chicken sit in the hot water 1½ hours.

Remove chicken from pan to a plate. Discard water and veggies. Don’t wash the pan. Allow breast to cool then cut off any excess fat. Slice meat into bite-size pieces.

FILLING 

⅓ cup butter

½ cup celery, sliced

½ cup carrots, chopped

⅓ cup onion, chopped

⅓ cup flour1

⅔ cups chicken stock

¾ tsp. garlic powder, not salt

¼ tsp. ground thyme½ tsp. dried sage

½ tsp. dried parsley

½ tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

⅔ cup heavy cream*

1 cup frozen peas, thawed is fine

Melt butter in the same pan you used for the chicken breast. Stir in celery, carrots, and onion. Sauté on medium heat until veggies are semisoft and onion translucent, 7 – 9 minutes.

Stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Carefully pour in stock while stirring. Scrape pan bottom and sides to capture flour residue. Add garlic, thyme, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir in cream then simmer on medium low until mixture thickens, 5 – 10 minutes, stir often to prevent burning.

Add chicken and peas. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool.

ASSEMBLING THE PIE

2 premade refrigerated pie crusts

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Follow the directions on the pie crust package to prepare the pan for a two-crust pie.

Scroop filling onto bottom crust. Lay the other crust on top. Seal the edges by pressing the two crusts together around the rim. Trim off excess crust.

Mix egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. use a pastry brush to spread mixture across the top crust including the rim. Score the top crust with 4 – 6 thin slices. This allows the pie to cook better by releasing a little steam.

Bake 10 – 15 minutes then remove from the oven then cover the edges with aluminum foil so they don’t burn. Return pie to the oven. Continue for 30 – 35 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown.

Allow the pie to cool 10 – 15 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set properly.

*No need to run out to buy heavy cream. The following recipe is easy and works great for a any cooked dish that requires heavy cream.

Heavy Cream Substitute

¾ cup milk

⅓ cup butter

Pour milk into a small bowl then set aside. Don’t use milk fresh from the fridge or this recipe won’t work right.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave until melted. Allow butter to cool at room temperature.

Combine milk and butter with a hand mixer until well blended.

Use this substitute 1 for 1. Don’t use it as whipping cream. It won’t work.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

 

SAVORY HOLIDAY TREAT

October 20, 2025 | Cooking, Holidays

From Sloane Taylor

The holidays are just a few weeks away. It’s time to start gathering recipes for those fun times in your home and your contribution to the parties you’ll soon enjoy. Here’s a super easy appetizer that will make everyone toast you and want to keep eating.

Addictive Cheeseball

2 – 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened

6 oz. corned beef*

5 green onions

1 tsp. (5ml) garlic powder, not salt

1 tsp. dried dill weed

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place cream cheese in a medium-sized mixing bowl. I know this seems too large, but you need the room. Use a wooden spoon to mash the cheese against the sides of the bowl.

Chop the meat then stir into the cheese.

Slice onions into small pieces, be sure to include a lot of green, then stir into cheese mixture.

Sprinkle on garlic and dill. Stir well. Taste for flavor. Add more garlic if necessary but go easy.

Blend in Worcestershire sauce.

Scoop onto a sheet of cling wrap, then form it into a ball, and refrigerate. Remove from fridge a half hour or so before serving. This dish lasts 1 week in the fridge.

When you’re ready to serve, place the unwrapped cheeseball on a plate then surround it with crackers. Sociables or any baked savory cracker works best.

*Deli corned beef is wonderful in this recipe. Ask the clerk to slice the meat thin. Tear the meat into small pieces when you’re ready to make the cheeseball.

In a hurry? Use packaged corned beef and be sure chop the meat before adding to cheese mixture.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning romance author with a passion that consumes her day and night. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.

To learn more about Taylor go to her website. Stay in touch on Blogger, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Taylor’s cookbooks, Hot Men Wear Aprons, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Sizzling Summer, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available on Amazon.

Make Your Life Tastier

September 16, 2025 | Cooking

from Stella May

Two years ago, I developed a far from pleasant illness which forced me to change my way of eating, I’m really grateful my husband and son were willing to give it a try. Back up support is an amazing thing.

Making homemade nut butter is a straightforward and rewarding process that allows you to create a fresh, flavorful spread tailored to your preferences. Here’s a basic guide to help you craft your own nut butter with the nuts of your choice: Almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, or any combination (You will need 4 cups).​

Optional add-ins: Salt, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, or other flavorings to taste. Roast the Nuts: Roasting enhances the nuts’ flavor and aids in releasing their natural oils.

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Be cautious not to over-roast, as this can lead to a burnt taste. ​

Cool Slightly: Allow the roasted nuts to cool for a few minutes util they’re warm but not hot.

Warm nuts blend more easily, resulting in a smoother butter.​ Transfer the nuts to a food processor or high-powered blender. Process on high speed. The nuts will go through stages: from whole to a crumbly mixture, then to a thick paste, and finally to a creamy butter. This process can take anywhere from 5 to 12 minutes, depending on the nut type and your equipment. Be patient and scrape down the sides of the processor as needed.

Add Flavorings (Optional): Once the nut butter reaches your desired consistency, you can add a pinch of salt or other flavorings like cinnamon, honey, or maple syrup. Blend briefly to incorporate. Keep in mind that adding liquids may slightly alter the texture.​

Transfer the nut butter to an airtight container or jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to one month. Note that homemade nut butter may firm up when chilled; allowing it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before use can make it more spreadable. ​

Experiment with different nuts or combinations to discover unique flavors. For instance, blending cashews and almonds can yield a creamy, mildly sweet butter.​ My personal favorite is combination of pecans and walnuts.

By making your own nut butter, you not only enjoy a fresher product but also have complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to create a healthier alternative to many store-bought versions.

All my best, Stella

Here is a peek at book one of Stella’s time travel romance series for your reading pleasure. 

One key unlocks the love of a lifetime…but could also
break her heart. 

Nika Morris’s sixth sense has helped build a successful business, lovingly restoring and reselling historic homes on Florida’s Amelia Island. But there’s one forlorn, neglected relic that’s pulled at her from the moment she saw it. The century-old Coleman house.  

Quite unexpectedly, the house is handed to her on a silver platter—along with a mysterious letter, postmarked 1909, yet addressed personally to Nika. Its cryptic message: Find the key. You know where it is. Hurry, for goodness sake! 

The message triggers an irresistible drive to find that key. When she does, one twist in an old grandfather clock throws her back in time, straight into the arms of deliciously, devilishly handsome Elijah Coleman. 

Swept up in a journey of a lifetime, Nika finds herself falling in love with Eli—and with the family and friends that inhabit a time not even her vivid imagination could have conjured. But in one desperate moment of homesickness, she makes a decision that will not only alter the course of more than one life, but break her heart. 

’Til Time Do Us Part is available in Kindle and Paperback at AMAZON. 

 

Talented author Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website.

Almost Half-Way to St. Paddy’s Day

August 25, 2025 | Cooking

from Sharon Ledwith

This is the perfect casserole for any occasion, especially holiday feasts like celebrating Half-Way to St. Patrick’s Day. These super scalloped potatoes compliment any main dish you serve at your table. Tender potatoes in a creamy onion sauce baked to golden perfection would make any mouth water. Whether you’re serving spiral ham, pork chops, poultry or beef, this tasty side-dish makes six servings to share with family, friends, or friends of friends.

With a prep time of 25 minutes, cook time of 1 hour and 20 minutes, and a rest time of 15 minutes for a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes, you’ve got plenty of time to visit with your company, and enjoy a glass of your favorite libation. May I suggest a pint of green beer or perhaps a dram of Irish Whiskey?

Slainte!

Half-Way to St. Paddy’s Day Scalloped Potatoes

Preheat oven to 350°F

Sauce

To make the sauce, melt butter, onion, and garlic over medium-low heat. Cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Combine milk and broth. Add a small amount at a time whisking to thicken. The mixture will become very thick, continue adding a little bit of liquid at a time whisking until smooth.

Once all the liquid has been added, bring to a boil over medium heat while continuing to whisk. Stir in salt and pepper and let boil 1 minute.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place ⅓ of the potatoes in the bottom and season with salt and pepper. Pour ⅓ of the cream sauce over top.

Repeat layers ending with cream sauce. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.

Uncover and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes or until golden brown, and potatoes are tender. Broil for 3-4 minutes to obtain a golden top.

Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

This casserole is also a wonderful side-dish to include at your holiday get-togethers too, making a great substitute for mashed or roast potatoes. Try it. You just might love it! 

Once dinner is done, and you’ve got some free time on your hands, why not dig into your next read? May I suggest my latest release?

 

Savor Summer

August 11, 2025 | Cooking

From Sloane Taylor

Pasta Primavera is a perfect warm weather dinner, especially with a glass of cool, crisp white wine.

The word primavera means springlike in Italian, but don’t be fooled that this dish originated in Italy. Nope! Both Canada and the US claim the honor of creating Pasta Primavera. No one knows for sure which country invented this delicious dish, but the fact is that it didn’t come to be until the 1970s.

This recipe is for 2. If you are serving more simply increase the ingredients accordingly. Don’t prepare extra for another meal because the veggies get mushy when reheated.

Pasta Primavera

9 – 10 oz. cheese tortellini

2 tbsp. olive oil

5 baby carrots

⅓ red onion

½ red or yellow pepper

4 asparagus

⅓ seedless cucumber or small zucchini

3 tbsp. butter

8 or 10 sliced mushrooms

1½ tsp. garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp. lemon juice

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

2 tbsp. parsley, optional

Cook pasta per package directions al dente, no longer. Drain into a strainer, retaining ⅔ cup of water for the sauce. Cover tortellini to keep warm.

Slice carrots in thirds lengthwise. You do this because carrots take so much longer to cook. Slice red onion into thin rings, but not too thin, then cut in half.

Remove seeds from pepper then cut into strips lengthwise. Set aside. Freeze the extra for another recipe.

Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Add to pepper bowl. Slice cucumber/zucchini about ¼ inch thick then add to pepper mix.

Pour oil into a Dutch oven set on medium-high heat. You need this size pan to properly blend the veggies. Stir in carrots and onion, sauté until crisp tender, 6 – 8 minutes. Stir often and adjust heat to prevent burning.

Lower heat to medium. Add butter, asparagus, pepper slices, and mushrooms. Season with garlic, black pepper, and lemon juice.

Gently blend in pasta and cheese. Add small amounts of reserved water to thin sauce to your liking.

Heat through. Sprinkle on parsley then serve.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

It’s a Peach, Hon!

June 30, 2025 | Cooking

From Sloane Taylor

A sizzling summer deserves a cool dessert. This tasty treat is one my family loves and because it’s so easy to make we have it often.

Peach Crumble

1 – 15.25 oz. can peach chunks in heavy sauce

½ tsp. cinnamon

1½ tbsp. cornstarch

¼ cup apple juice

Pour peaches into a small saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly so the mixture doesn’t burn. If the sauce is too thick add more apple juice one tablespoon at a time.

Scoop peach mixture into an ungreased 1 quart, or slightly smaller, ovenproof casserole. Individual ramekins work well, too.

Topping

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

2 tbsp. butter or margarine, cut into bits

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour and sugar in a small bowl. Add butter bits then use your fingertips to blend the mixture into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over peaches.

Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until topping is a lightly golden.

Serve smothered in whipped cream.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane