Dennis's Philly Cheese Steak Chowder

This soup was created by my friend, Dennis Bevers. He's a fellow Texan,  who is now my fiance.

Dennis's's Philly Cheese Steak Chowder

Dennis's Philly Cheese Steak Chowder

1 -  15 oz box Steak-Ums or shaved beef from any grocery store

2 - Tbs olive oil or butter (to me, it tastes better with butter!) I had to keep adding butter when I was cooking the vegetables and then again when I cooked the steak - about 6 Tb butter total

16 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup green pepper, chopped

8 cups beef broth or or 2 - 32 oz boxes

2 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened (I ended up using 2½  (8oz) boxes because I added more broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garlic powder or minced garlic, to taste  (I used about ½-1 tsp powder)

2 cups Provolone, Havarti cheese (or a mixture). I used 1 cup Provolone and 1 cup Havarti.

Parsley, chopped, if desired

 Garnish: 1 cup EXTRA grated cheese to place on top of each individual bowl of soup. (3 cups cheese total for soup).

Toasted Sourdough bread to dip in soup 

Directions

Place beef broth in soup pot and heat on low, adding chunks of the softened cream cheese. Whisk occasionally so cheese will blend with broth.

In the meantime, heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add sliced mushrooms, chopped onion and green pepper; saute til softened. Add this (including ALL liquid) to soup pot with broth and stir.

Then saute Steak-ums in same frying pan, adding a little more oil or butter. It's ok if it breaks up. When cooked, add to soup/broth and stir all together, making sure cream cheese is blended.

Add 2 cups grated cheese, while stirring, to blend. Then add salt and pepper to taste.

After pouring soup into individual bowls, add more shredded cheese to top of each one. Toast bread for each person to dip into soup. Don't skip this step!

This is absolutely delicious! It's now one of my favorite soups! I know you'll love it too!

Sketches-Designs for Submission

 Examples of my Sketches for Submission of Designs for MagaZines or Crochet Books

I'll be adding more so please come back!

This is an Example of a Top I had Published in my Book, Positively Crochet! This design was Published several years before "off the shoulder" tops became popular, and that's because I used to look in Runaway design magazines to see what was going to be in style. So I was ahead of the styles in stores!

This sketch was for a Double Breasted Jacket/Sweater I submitted that was Published in "Crochet" magazine

The BEST 7-Layer Salad!

 THE BEST SEVEN LAYER SALAD        (the sauce is what makes it!)

In a very large bowl, layer the following: 1 head lettuce, (I use Romaine & it doesn't wilt or get soggy if you have leftovers), 1½ cups fresh broccoli & 1 cup fresh cauliflower (small pieces), 1 sm pkg frozen peas (thawed), chopped Vidalia onion, 1 can water chestnuts, (cut in matchsticks) ½ cup cheddar cheese, ½-1 lb bacon (cooked & crumbled-add right before eating) 

Optional ingredients: diced green pepper, celery, hard boiled eggs.

SAUCE: 1 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip), 1 cup sour cream, ¼ - ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup dried parmesan cheese in the plastic jar (absolutely essential and  sets it apart from other salads). Pour sauce on top of salad. Leave overnight w/o stirring. Just before serving, stir salad & add crumbled bacon.

Portabella Mushroom Sandwich

Portabella and Sweet Red Pepper Sandwich

*Note-we had these delicious sandwiches in a little cafe at Hocking Hills & I came home & recreated them!

Portabella Mushroom Sandwich 

 Mary Jane’s recipe

Ingredients

Portabella Mushroom caps, sliced sideways about ½" thick

Red Bell Peppers, sliced flat

Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese Slices    

Focacciaa, Sourdough or Italian bread, large slices (GF bread if you need to avoid gluten-my favorite to use for this recipe, because the slices are not tiny,  is Canyon Honey White or Hawaiian Sweet, which is not always easy to find)

Dressing

Mix ½ cup Mayo  & 1 tsp Italian salad dressing

Fry mushrooms & red peppers on both sides til charred, in butter or olive oil. Toast bread in skillet w/ butter or oil. 

Spread mayo mixture on each side of toasted bread. Place in this order on bread - cooked mushrooms, peppers & motz cheese. Place sandwich in microwave to melt cheese. 

I love this sandwich so much and consider it very special! I made it again tonight and ate sweet Vidalia onion on the side and fixed sweet iced tea, which hit the spot. So good!

Suggestion: I have not tried this yet, but I bet the sandwich would be good with roasted red peppers (in oil you find in a jar), to replace the fresh red pepper. In my grocery store (Kroger), you'll find those red peppers in the jar, near the salad toppings and rows of fresh nuts. I'll try that next time, because I have some in my fridge.

Other Suggestions: I think this sandwich wound also be good with fresh tomato slices and/or lettuce too.

I'm not crazy about Italian dressing, but the 1 tsp you add to mayonnaise helps to make this sandwich special. That's the exact taste of the sandwich where I tried it in the small cafe (in a bookstore/library) at Hocking Hill, Ohios.

Mary Jane Hall's version of the Portabella Mushroom and Red Sweet Pepper Sandwich

Dill Pickle Tuna Macaroni Salad

Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad
My own creation

You cannot tell from the picture, but there is actually Albacore tuna in this pasta salad. It's similar to my Macaroni Salad, but slightly different. The regular macaroni salad (without tuna) has green pepper and black olives. (Instead of celery and dill pickles). This and my regular macaroni salad may not be anything new to you, but most macaroni salad I've eaten, whether it be at an Amish restaurant or potluck, is almost always sweet. I like those sweet versions too, and if you like a sweet macaroni salad please try my Broccoli Pasta Salad HERE (with bacon). I'm crazy about it!

Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 lb dry macaroni, any shape (I use GF)

2 small can Albacore Tuna, drained
6 hard boiled eggs, grated
1½ cups mayonnaise (Hellmans or Dukes)
1 - 2 Tbs yellow mustard
¾  cup celery, chopped
¾ cup sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1 cup Baby Dill pickles (whole) chopped
2-3 Tbs cream, only if needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  Cook the eggs about 12 minutes; place in cold water and ice. This will make it easier to peel the eggs! Set aside. Boil the macaroni according to pkg directions and drain in a colander. After it has drained (without rinsing) place in very large bowl. I don't rinse the pasta anymore because it makes the salad too runny. Drain the tuna and add to macaroni, breaking up big chunks.

  

  While the macaroni is cooking, chop the celery, sweet onion and pickles. Add to the macaroni after it's been placed in the big bowl. Grate the peeled eggs into the macaroni with a grater. (I don't like big chunks!) Add mayonnaise and mustard. Stir this all together. Taste it and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Add more mayo if needed. If you want it a little more creamy, just add some cream, but not too much. Hope you enjoy it! I am addicted to this, and it's so refreshing for summer on a hot day!

* This main dish Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad is a lot like my Tuna Salad for sandwiches but with added pasta. In my regular tuna salad, though, I add sweet pickles, as well as dill pickles. Everybody asks me for the recipe!

Crunchy Chicken Casserole - My Favorite!

Crunchy Chicken Casserole
Original casserole published in
Taste of Home Magazine by Michelle Wise called Hot Chicken Salad

CRUNCHY CHICKEN CASSEROLE     

(My friend, Shirley Siddall gave me this recipe) SERVES 5-6 people

* Note - I half this recipe for 1-2 people

2 cups cooked chicken, diced   

 1 cup celery, diced

½ cup onion, diced

1 can sliced water chestnuts, cut in slivers

¾ cup mayonnaise (Dukes is GF)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1½ - 2 cups cooked rice

½ cup slivered almonds (or more)

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms  (optional) 

TOPPING - 1½ Tbs butter, 1 cup crushed cornflakes, ½ cup slivered almonds

Cut water chestnuts in strips. Mix first 8 ingredients (+ mushrooms if using) & put in casserole dish. Mix topping ingredients & spread on top. Bake at 350º  30-40 mins.

Enjoy this tasty casserole! Leftovers are great!

Crunchy Chicken Casserole

Crochet vs Knitting? Which is Better?

If you're a knitter & trying to decide whether or not you want to learn to crochet, this blog post is for you!. Btw, I can knit myself & love the look of knitting, but would much rather be crocheting, because it's faster & more fun to me. 

Anca Văduva - Anca is my Romanian daughter in law. When she came to the US and married my son, I knew she was a knitter just like her mom. I asked her if she wanted me to teach her how to crochet and her response was "Sure, someday I'd like to learn." Well, 3 years went by and Anca had her first baby. I was going to stay with her about a week, helping with that absolutely beautiful baby girl, Chloe. (Who is now about to turn 21!) I told Anca, "While I'm here, why don't you let me teach you to crochet?" Then she said, "Oh, maybe later. This may not be a good time to learn, with a new baby." Well, I persisted saying this might be the best time while I'm here and it doesn't have to be stressful. Maybe it will relax you like it does so many other people." 

So then she gave in saying "ok". About an hour into it and learning the basic chain, single and double crochet, I told her I wanted to get her started on an easy, quick project such as a dishcloth, pot holder or easy scarf, because people tend to stick with it if they actually make something, as opposed to me leaving them with a long sc or dc row to practice on. But no, not Anca. She's brilliant, by the way, and even knows 5 languages! She said, "No, I want to make a hat, this newsboy cap", after looking at some patterns I'd brought to show her. Not a simple beginner hat that is made from a rectangle and sewn up the side. I tried to discourage her from doing an intermediate project, because, after all, she'd just been practicing the basics for only an hour! A newsboy cap to some people is an advanced project! But she insisted, since I was going to be there a few days, I thought I could help her step by step. As she was working on the hat, she literally jumped up and down, saying "This is SO much fun! Why didn't you teach me this a long time ago?!?" I had to laugh. That did my heart good! Needless to say, she added "Crochet is so much more fun and faster than knitting!" One of the most surprising things that told me she was beyond excited about crochet is that after I went home a few days later, she called me and said she made a matching one for Chloe! Now how many beginner crocheters would be able to do that? To cut down a pattern on her own that had increases and decreases, plus a brim? Amazing! I kept asking her if she already knew how to crochet and she assured me she didn't! She's smart, and still knits occasionally, but I attribute it to the fact she loves crocheting more. 

My daughter in law, Anca, and my sweet little granddaughter, Chloe! The Newsboy Cap was her first ever Crochet Project!

Chloe (now 20) and Anca, 2 of my favorite people in the whole world! I taught Chloe to crochet when she was about 10 and she loves it too!

Opinions from people who both knit and crochet:

https://www.jjcrochet.com/top-8-reason-why-crocheting-is-better-than-knitting/

Crolynne

August 18, 2017

I am casting a vote for crochet. It’s 100x better than knitting, in my opinion. It’s much less strict and more adaptable. Knitting is harder for me because it’s more difficult to go back and fix a mistake and dropped stitch. I learned knitting first (about 2 years ago) and did it exclusively for amost a year before I picked up a crochet hook. Since I went hook, I haven’t really gone back to knitting. I should so I don’t lose my skill, but honestly I find even the thought a chore. I still have a knitting WIP that I want to finish but who knows if/when that will happen. I must admit that I am so surprised to hear that crochet patterns are harder to come by. I thought it would have been the opposite, in that knitting patterns were fewer and farther between.

Chuckles By The Bay

 I  just started crocheting this week. OMG!!!!! It is QUICK! And, it is fun. I am not giving up knitting. But, I am making a granny square blanket right now and I am soooooo darn excited. I never knitted a blanket–it bored me. Granny Squares are NOT boring. They move quickly and it is fun deciding on the next color.