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2 tablespoons butter 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup green onions, sliced 8 oz. spaghetti (cooked & drained) 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon salt 1 15oz. can tomato sauce 1 cup cottage cheese 1/4 cup chopped green peppers 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated Preheat oven to 325°F. Saute onion and mushrooms in melted butter until tender.  Add salt, pepper and tomato sauce.  Simmer for about 10 minutes and remove from heat. In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream.  Add peppers, green onions and spaghetti.  Spread pasta mixture in the bottom of a greased 3 quart casserole dish.  Pour tomato & mushroom sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 1 cup French or Catalina salad dressing 1 package onion soup mix First make the marinade:  mix cranberry sauce, salad dressing and soup mix.  Marinate chicken breasts in about 3/4 of the marinade for 2-3 hours, reserving the rest of the marinade. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken breasts in the bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish.  Top with remaining marinade.  Bake for 1 hour. Serve with wild rice.

4 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla dash nutmeg Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" pie pan. Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy.  Add flour, milk and vanilla.  Pour into pie pan.  Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for about 1 hour, until firm.  (Flour will settle to make the crust.)  Cool on a wire rack. Top with whipped cream and seasonal berries to serve. Note:  You can use gluten-free flour for this recipe, but up the vanilla and sugar slightly.

There have been quite a few folks clanging the alarm bells about last week's landmark Supreme Court decision in "Citizens United v. FEC". I agree with the 'landmark' designation -- as it is certainly unusual for the Court to overturn more than a century of precedent and until-then-considered closed case law.  For that reason, the decision deserves scrutiny -- especially given the seemingly overt political nature of the decision. Tea leaves aside, I reject some of the more dire predictions and chicken-little responses from various talking heads and bloggers. I happen to believe that there are ways of governing corporate behavior that can be used to prevent the potential abuse people are afraid of -- regulation that will withstand additional judicial scrutiny: Require full electronic exposure of corporate shareholders with more than $1 worth of shares -- this is information that is already available to the corporation (it has to be for annual shareholder m...

This is a quick & easy side dish that works well with chicken... 16 oz. #7 spinach linguini noodles 1 egg, beaten 1 1/2 cups sour cream 1 cup grated parmesan / reggiano cheese Prepare linguini according to package instructions.  Drain and return to pot. Mix sour cream and egg, fold into noodles.  Add cheese and mix well. Serves 8.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast 8 strips bacon 1/2 package spaghetti noodles (16 oz.) 1/8 cup soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoons pure sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon hot chilli sauce 1/2 tablespoon canola oil 2 tablespoon hot water 1-2 spring onions, sliced thinly (optional) Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll the chicken breast halves into a circle, ensuring you have a smooth top, you may need to manipulate and tuck the chicken. Wrap tightly with a strip of bacon and secure with a tootpick or two. Repeat with remaining chicken and bacon. In a skillet, brown chicken over a medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to an oven tray or baking dish and bake 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to packet directions. Drain and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chilli sauce, canola oil and water. Heat a wok or lar...

1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups cranberries (if frozen, allow to partially thaw) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon almond extract Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease one 9" pie pan. Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts and toss to coat. Stir in the butter, beaten eggs, and almond extract. Evenly spread the batter in pie pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

1/4 pound sliced bacon, chopped to 1/2" pieces 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 pounds vidalia onions, peeled and sliced thin 8 cloves garlic, peeled 2 cups dry white wine 4 cups chicken stock 1 bay leaf 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon thyme 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon tabasco 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup sliced scallions 2 cups croutons In a large Dutch oven cooked bacon slowly until crisp.  Remove bacon with slotted spoon and drain - reserve for garnish. Add butter, onions and garlic to bacon renderings.  Cover and cook on low heat, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add wine, chicken stock, bay leaf -- bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain mixture preserving both liquids and solids. Discard bay leaf and and purée the solids in a blender. Recombine purée and broth and chill. Just prior to serving whisk in sour cream and heav...

As promised, I've added the ability to share any of these blog posts via social networking sites like FaceBook, Digg, etc. -- and now you can tweet them as well. As I dig through sites like http://www.bloggerplugins.org/ , I'm finding more things to potentially add -- but want to make sure that the site loads quickly. If you experience problems with the site load or any of the other widgets, please leave a comment.

For the chicken: 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic pepper seasoning 1 each, juiced orange and limie 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves lime slices (garnish) Peach-Avocado Salsa (recipe follows) Place chicken in shallow glass dish; rub all sides with garlic pepper seasoning. Pour orange & lime juice over chicken and drizzle with oil. Crush oregano with fingers and sprinkle over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute, turning, 12 minutes or until lightly browned & cooked through. A fork should be able to be inserted easily. Serve topped with salsa & garnished with lime slices. Peach-Avocado Salsa: 1 each, peeled, pitted & diced peach and small avocado 1 tomato, peeled, seeded & diced 1/4 cup diced jicama 3 tablespoons chopped red onion 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons freshed chopped cilantro 1/4 teaspoon c...

Many people think of "blondies" as "brownies without the chocolate" -- but that's just not the case.  This is a great basic bar cookie that you can easily make your own by adding additional ingredients that you like -- Most people "dress up" their blondies with other ingredients like semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips / chunks -- and depending on the region include some sort of chopped nuts like pecans or almond slivers. 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9x13" cake pan.  Line pan parchment paper, allowing 2-inch overhang. Butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In the mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix i...

I will admit to being something of a packrat... so when I do start to clean out things, I never really know what sort of "treasure" I might find. I found the January 20-26, 1995 issue of "This Week in Texas" with then Council member aspirant (now Houston Mayor) Parker.  There was a special election that year to fill the vacant seat created by Sheila Jackson-Lee's election to Congress. Echoing what she would say in her future campaigns, "Potholes and street resurfacing and things like that really don't have a gay agenda..." What struck me as I leafed through the pages was how much has changed in the 15 intervening years. In 1995, about half of the non-bar advertisements were for 1-900 chat lines... the Internet was still a few years from coming into its own.  The majority of the other advertisements were for "viatical services" -- brokers who were buying up the insurance policies of people diagnosed with HIV. A particularly macbre...

2 cups hot mashed potatoes 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1 beaten egg yolk salt & pepper Preheat oven to 450F. To the potatoes add 1 tablespoon butter, egg yolk, salt & pepper to taste.  Using a serving spoon, push mounds of potato mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet.  Melt remaining butter and drizzle across potatoes. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

4 large baking potatoes 2/3 cups butter 2/3 cup flour 6 cups milk (not skim) 4 green onions, chopped 1 cup sour cream 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 2 cups bacon crumbles (10 slices, cooked crisp) Salt & pepper to taste Bake potatoes until cooked through.  Chop into small squares -- leaving the skins on is optional. In soup pot, melt butter.  Slowly blend in the flour to make a roux.  Add milk, whisking constantly.  When milk is very hot, whisk in the potatoes.  Add green onions, sour cream and bacon.  Do not boil. Continue to stir, adding cheese gradually until all is melted.  Salt & pepper to taste.  Serve.

1 can cream of mushroom soup 2 tablespoons chopped white or yellow onion 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 cups cooked wild rice 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 pound uncooked shrimp 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup cubed cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.  Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

1 9" unbaked pastry shell 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup margerine, melted 1 cup pecans, chopped 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 oz. praline liqueur Preheat oven to 350F. Combine sugar and corn starch.  Gradually add to eggs, mixing well.  Stir in melted margerine, then add praline liqueur.  Add pecans and chocolate chips.  Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes.  Cool. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with an additional tablespoon of praline liqueur drizzled over all.

The virulent anti-gay, anti-semitic WBC nuts descended on Houston to protest our city's election of Mayor Parker... they chose (for some reason known only to their wacked-out minds) the Holocaust Museum of Houston as their primary protest site. Here's a clip from a friend and co-worker of the results... h/t etee2k

Remarks by newly sworn-in Mayor Annise Parker to GLBT community supporters on Sunday evening. More than 500 people from the community packed the ballroom at the Four Seasons hotel to "Celebrate Victory! -- A Party to Welcome the New Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker!" Among the event co-hosts: Equality Texas Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund HATCH Houston Area Stonewall Democrats Houston GLBT Community Center Houston GLBT Political Caucus Houston Transgender Unity Committee (HTUC) Houston Stonewall Young Democrats (HSYD) Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Impact Houston Lambda Legal Out & Equal Houston Pride Houston Seniors Preparing for Rainbow Years (SPRY) Attendees included veteran GLBT activist Ray Hill, Harris County's first openly gay judge, Judge Steven Kirkland, former Mayor Kathy Whitmire, and a host of others. As Ray Hill said in introducing our Mayor, "We did not elect Houston's first lesbian Mayor. We gave our best to the people of Houst...

Soups Baked Potato Soup Brie Soup Cheddar Tomato Dumpling Soup Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese on Foccacia Cream of Vidalia Onion Soup Easy Tomato Florentine Soup Tomato Basil Bisque Shrimp & Corn Bisque Five Onion Soup Stews / Chili Chili with Beans

6 large Vidalia onions (~3.5 lbs) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow baking dish that's large enough to let the onions open. With a sharp knife, trim the root and end of each onion carefully so it is still intact.  Stand each onion on its rood end, cut parallel vertical slices at 1/4" intervals from the top -- into but not through the onion -- stopping at about 1/2" above the root.  It's best to do one slice, then rotate the onion by 90 degrees to give yourself quarter guides.  Once sliced, arrange onions root-end down in the baking dish.  Drizzle with butter and lightly dust with salt and pepper. Bake 1 hour.  Sprinkle with pecans, baste with pan drippings and return to oven to bake for about 30 minutes more.

4 tablespoons butter 1 small yellow onion, chopped 3 ribs celery, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock 4 1/2 tablespoons flour 1/2 pound shrimp, raw (if large, then cut into bite-size pieces) 1 cup kernel corn (fresh or frozen) 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt & pepper to taste Melt buttter in a sauce pot over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and garlic.  Saute the vegetables until slightly soft then add flour, stirring well.  Pour the chicken stock into the sauce pot gradually while whisking.  (At this point, the soup should be slightly thick.)  Add shrimp and corn kernels.  Simmer until the shrimp is cooked, then, add cream.  Season to taste.

Since I started this blog back in 2008, I had no idea that: I would publish over 600 posts, I would post over 240 recipes, People (other than some of my FaceBook friends) would be interested in reading them, and Blogging is still rather fun To keep things interesting going forward, I'm going to be continuing regular recipe features: Recipe Fridays Side-dish Sundays Just Desserts (Tuesdays) Dippity-Do Da & Entertaining Recipes (random) And adding: Soup's On -- a new section of soups & stews, including some slow-cooker / crock-pot favorites Recipe Rewind -- repeating some of the standards already published, but with some additional notes and flourishes Working within the limits of what one can do in Blogger, I'll also be cleaning up the recipe lists to make them a better index and more navigable.  I'll also see what I can do to make it easier to pass things along via FaceBook, Twitter and other social media. Beyond that, I'll still be posting ...

A bit of whimsical muscial mashup from the Disney / Pixar movie, "Up" -- which I highly recommend.

It's New Years Day -- and in keeping with the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas to bring you fortune & luck throughout the year, this handy & easy casserole fills the bill... good for the Super Bowl parties as well since this recipe serves 10-12. 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped 1 large can (15-16 oz.) jalepeno black-eyed peas 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can (10 oz.) hot enchilada sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided 1 bag (10 1/2 oz.) tortilla chips, divided Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, black-eyed peas, soups, enchilada sauce and garlic; stir. Grease a 13x9x2 baking dish.  Layer 1/4 of the chips in the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with about 1/4 of the meat mixture, followed by 1/4 of the grated cheese.  Repeat layers. Bake for about 35 minutes