Sassy Skeleton~ Queen of Halloween

I finally found a full size skeleton for my Halloween decor. She was 30.00 at Menards. 

I brought her home and sprayed her with spray adhesive, then covered her in German Glass Glitter. 

Can I just say...AMAZING. 

She then was dressed in vintage jewelry, and one of my petticoats. She sparkles in the sun like a Queen...the Queen of Halloween!

 

Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

This lasagna is just as good as the noodle variety in my opinion. It is low carb and gluten free for all of us that are on Atkins, Paleo, and Mediterranean diets .

1 lb  lean  ground beef 
1 clove garlic chopped very fine 
1/2 onion diced
1/2 green pepper diced
1 jar  (quart)spaghetti sauce of choice...I can my own
3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/8" thick 
12 oz  small curd cottage cheese
16 oz  mozzarella cheese, shredded  
1 large egg

Now the thing with zucchini is it holds a crapload of moisture. You must get a large portion of it out unless you want watery lasagna. You can salt it for 10 minutes then press the moisture out with paper towels, or to get even more of the moisture out and have extra time,I froze enough zucchini slices for one lasagna recipe. When the zucchini was defrosted, a large amount of liquid came out. I squeezed the slices, and they held their shape really well. Your choice. 

In a fry pan, brown meat with  the green pepper ,onions, garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste.then drain

Add spaghetti sauce to the pan.

Simmer on low for about 30 minutes, you want thick sauce because of the water content in the zucchini..

Add the egg to the cottage cheese and stir well.

Now you just want to layer all of the goodness in a 10 to 12 inch square pan It goes zucchini noodles , beef mixture, cottage cheese mixture, and mozzarella...repeat once more then top with only meat sauce and any remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a preheated  350 degree oven  for one hour...cool for 15 minutes , then serve with a optional dollop of Daisy (sour cream).. YUUUUUUMMMY!!!

Bacon Wrapped, Cream Cheese Stuffed Ranch Chicken Breasts

 Here's what ya need...

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. 6 0z. cream cheese
2T. cream or milk
1 pkg.dry Ranch dressing mix
1 tablespoon green pepper, Chopped fine
6 pieces bacon, Partially Cooked

Directions:

Pound out Chicken breast so it is about 1/4″ thick.

Mix together cream cheese, ranch mix, milk, and green peppers and spread cheese mixture over 1 side of chicken breast.

Roll Chicken breast up to conceal cream cheese.

Wrap partially cooked bacon around chicken breast and secure with toothpick.

Place in baking  dish, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for about 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Broil for about 5 minute to crisp bacon.

*Special note: For stuffed Popper chicken substitute jalapeno peppers for the green peppers!

Puffball Mushrooms

I learned about giant puff balls almost 12 years ago here in Wisconsin and they are indeed edible and a very tasty treat. 

I have eaten them over the years and fried in butter is my favorite. They are surprisingly rich however. A single puffball will make a meal.They also dehydrate nicely for use later in soups, etc. Just slice and dehydrate.

Just be sure to cut them in half to ensure they are completely uniform and white throughout (no gills and no stem).

I am on a low carb diet and large puffballs sliced and roasted can be used as a pizza crust.Gluten free too!! Cut 1/2″ slices of Giant Puffball and fried them on both sides with Parmesan Cheese in Olive Oil, to a golden brown. Then topped them with your toppings of your choice. Baked at 350 till toppings turn golden brown.

To clean a puffball, remove any dirt using a veggie brush or paper towel. Use  very little water, as puffballs are very absorbent. Dry the mushroom thoroughly. The outer layer can cause gastrointestinal issues in some people so remove the skin with a knife before cooking.

 I found oodles of puffballs this year so I will be making "puffball powder" by basically drying them down and pulverizing. The powder is then added to various dishes and/or used as a breading. Again LOW CARB!

 Arrange the cleaned, sliced mushrooms on the dehydrator trays. 

Dry them at 110F/43C until the pieces are crispy dry. This will take 4 to 6 hours for 1/4-inch slices, up to 8 hours for thicker slices.

Allow the dried mushrooms to cool completely before transferring them to airtight containers. Store away from direct light or heat.

To use dehydrated mushrooms, pour boiling water over them  and let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the richly flavored soaking liquid for soup stocks and sauces.

Use the rehydrated mushrooms as you would fresh mushrooms.

PANKO PUFFBALL MUSHROOM FRIES

INGREDIENTS 

10-12 Large 1/2 inch slices Puffball mushrooms ( outer skin cut off)

 2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1-1/2 cups water 

1 cup flour 

1/2 cup cornstarch 

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Vegetable oil or canola oil – enough so that you have about 2 inches of oil in your pot. 

DIRECTIONS Use a clean dish towel  or brush to wipe the mushrooms clean.

Mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Add water, about 1 1/2 cups, to create the batter. 

Dip each mushroom in the batter.

Coat each mushroom in Panko bread crumbs

. 

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large deep fry pan to about 350 degrees

. 

Carefully add mushrooms to the  oil 

. 

Cook  the mushrooms  for about 7-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.

Carefully remove mushrooms from the oil to a paper towel lined plate. Allow the mushrooms to cool for a few minutes before serving with ranch dressing. ENJOY!!

Be certain to consult a professional (or a really good field guide) in order to positively identify this plant before trying this for yourself. The owners of this site will not be held responsible for any lapses in judgment or stupidity when handling or consuming wild plants.

New grand baby!!!!

Finally a girl!!
Baby Violet has entered our Kingdom...our new Princess...