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Stovetop Hamburger Potato Carrot Casserole

Hamburger Potato Carrot Casserole is super easy to make for a weeknight meal.  This was a mainstay meal when my children were growing up. STOVETOP HAMBURGER STEW There is nothing more filling than a hearty bowl of hamburger stew with potatoes and carrots, and this one is ready in 30 minutes. When I tell people we are having Hamburger Potato Carrot Casserole for dinner, they say, "That sounds good, what's in it?"  I answer them with, Hamburger Potato and Carrots--- simple ingredients.

Blackberry Dumpling Cobbler

Blackberry Dumpling Cobbler, luscious, juicy blackberries layered between three layers of buttery, flaky crust with a rich syrup of butter, sugar, vanilla, and water poured over the whole cobbler.  This is where all the magic happens when the dough in the center forms pillows of tender dumplings.  I know you are thinking, why am I posting a recipe for blackberries, a summer berry.  Well, we love blackberries and eat them throughout the year.  I missed the window for posting the recipe this summer and thought, why not.   When I was young and newly married blackberries were only in the grocery stores and better yet on the vines during blackberry season in the summer.  Produce these days have changed so much.  We see blackberries year round in the grocery store and farmer's markets.

Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers

Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers, flavors of the traditional fajitas in colorful bell peppers.  The peppers are stuffed with cooked strips of grilled chicken, bell pepper, onion and folded altogether in white queso then sprinkled with shredded sharp cheddar.   Chicken Fajitas Stuffed Peppers are filled with all the ingredients served on the hot iron skillet you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant.   The bell peppers are cut in half and used for the vehicle for eating the fajita instead of flour tortillas.   I like to cook the filled pepper in the rich sauce leftover from the cooking the peppers and onions just until they are soft yet still sturdy enough to pick up to eat.  That way, they are easy to pick up the whole filled pepper.  Leaving the stem on the pepper helps them hold together.  

Summer Vegetable Gratin

Summer Vegetable Gratin, four simple vegetables layered in a gratin fashion on a bed of sauteed sliced onions then topped with a mixture of buttery breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.   With summer overload of squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant, I like to make a lovely Vegetable Gratin.  The vegetables bake into a tender bubbly casserole, rendering them into a vibrant melody of summertime freshness. The vegetables are beneficial to using uniform size, so the gratin cooks evenly and not yielding too much moisture.  Also, the larger the vegetables, the larger the seeds. In the recipe, I use fresh Roma tomatoes, straight neck squash, slender zucchini, and mini Japanese eggplants.  At the last minute, I scattered a few garlic pods in and around the vegetables to enhance the flavors.

Summer Peach and Cherry Salad

Summer Peach and Cherry Salad with Fresh Collard Ribbons and Feta, an elegant salad showcasing fresh seasonal stone fruit.  A beautiful combination of sweet peaches and fresh cherries with the salty taste of feta on a bed of tender collard ribbons. Peach and Cherry Salad On A Bed of Fresh Collard Ribbons This Peach and Cherry Salad is lite and fresh with red onions and a sprinkle of feta on my favorite bed of leafy greens and tender collard ribbons.   Capturing the last of the peach season here in Texas.  We have eaten a ton of peaches this year.   Our favorite orchard is winding down, as well as our local Sams.   The salad is then drizzled with a simple White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Best Loaded Roasted BBQ Cauliflower Salad

Loaded Keto Roasted BBQ Cauliflower Salad, a low carb version of Loaded Potato Salad, also known as Fauxtato.  Taste just like the standard version with all the flavors and a few carbs. Roasted BBQ Cauliflower Salad The Roasted BBQ Cauliflower Salad is absolutely delicious.  The ingredients are simple and straightforward, cauliflower, bacon, chicken, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, dill pickles, BBQ seasoning, and a dressing of mayonnaise, mustard, and sour cream. Yum.  Traditional potato salad is a favorite around our house for any occasion.  We love it.   It is perfect for potlucks and picnics. You name it, Potato Salad  is going to be on the table. Here recently, my husband has been on a low potassium diet, and potatoes are one of the foods that are very high in potassium.   Wouldn't you know he loves potatoes?   My daughter has been telling me about a delicious faux potato salad.   It is a loaded faux potato salad.

Peach Dumpling Cobbler

Peach Dumpling Cobbler, a cobbler made with fresh sliced peaches layered between three layers of sweet, tender, buttery dough.  Boiling water is poured over the whole cobbler.  The dough transforms magically, making sheets of dumplings. Peach Dumpling Cobbler is the first dessert I want to make as the peach season approaches.  We love my Double Crust Peach Cobbler  recipe, but here lately the Peach Dumpling Cobbler has taken the first choice to make.   They are both easy enough to make.  We just love the dumpling texture in the Peach Dumpling Cobbler.   And really, the only difference between the two recipes is the Peach Dumpling Cobbler has 3 layers of crust instead of two, and 2 cups of boiling water is poured over the whole cobbler.  This is where all the magic happens, tender sheets of dumplings. Since the Peach Dumpling Cobbler is baked with water, I bake it in a deep oblong baking dish.  

Christmas In July! Chessmen Butter Cookie Pineapple Pudding

Pineapple Pudding , creamy, velvety homemade custard pudding layered between Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Butter Cookies, classic southern.  The Christmas Chessmen add a charming touch to the dessert during the holidays, simply scrumptious. Christmas in July is a fun Christmas celebration in July that originated from the circumstance that in the southern hemisphere, Christmas is actually celebrated in the summer.   So for the residents from that area, they began to have Christmas celebration in July so they could enjoy the holiday in the peak of their winter season. So here in the United States, we began to embrace the concept.  Americans began capitalizing on the profits with sales and promotions. And then there is the early count down, six months, which has us all looking forward to all the Christmas fun.   Hallmark definitely plays a big part in all the anticipation with all the Christmas movies playing on their channels.

Stain Glass Fruit Salad

Stain Glass Fruit Salad, fresh pineapple chunks, fresh strawberry slices, and fresh blueberries tossed all together in a strawberry pie filling, homemade or canned.    Light and fresh...who says it can't be for dessert!   The night before any celebration we are having, I make Celebration Salad.  I like another quick fruit salad  I make from my childhood using canned fruit, but this is our favorite. I try to use fresh fruit as much as I can.  Especially now, while the strawberries, pineapple, and blueberries are in season.   We have some that are not a fan of bananas in this salad, so we leave them out but feel free to add them along with any other fresh fruit.  I think Kiwi and grapes would be another delicious addition or even peaches.   If you add peaches, a homemade peach pie filling is a great combination.

Fresh Vanilla Peach Slab Pie

Fresh Vanilla Peach Slab Pie,   fresh juicy peaches in a buttery lattice crust, baked in a rimmed baking sheet pan.  Easy to serve and perfect for a large crowd.    Here in Texas, peach season is in full swing.  The peaches are lovely in the grocery stores, but for our peaches, we like to get them at a local peach orchard in a little town close to us.   They have several varieties, but our favorite is Alberta's, they are not ready yet, so we get another variety.  They are sweet, juicy, and the best part, they are freestone.