One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four......

Have you ever heard of a Potato Bag?

Here are my newest Potato Bags I just received in the mail from Barbara in North Carolina.  I came across my very first Potato Bag in a quaint coffee shop in North Carolina on our way to Myrtle Beach a few years ago.  I purchased the bag and brought it home, placed it beside my microwave and sorta forgot about it for a few weeks.  One day I had one of those "ah ha moments" and made my first potato in my potato bag with the microwave.  Barbara had inserted instructions inside the bag and also one of her business cards.  I followed the simple instructions of, washing potato, place inside bag without poking holes, close over flap and bake for 2-21/2 minutes on high.  Gently squeeze potato from the outside of bag. If potato is soft when slightly squeezed, potato is done.

After that first potato made in the forgotten potato bag, it has become one of my very favorite cooking items in my kitchen....

And

I have gifted so many of these since my first purchase in that little quaint coffee shop that we just happened to stumble onto during our road trip.

Not only are the bags a plus, Barbara and I have become friends, also...

The three bags I purchased this time are for gifts also...

First one is a pattern of Cupcakes.  (I may keep this one for myself ;)

The second one is a Kitchen and Baking Pattern

The third one is a pattern of fresh fruit

In my goody package was also a Key Chain Barbara makes...

This was a gift to me, just because!  I love it Barbara...!!

I love gifting my friends and family homemade items that are so useful and made of very good quality.  I have had my share of some really crappy stuff over the years, even some crafting work done by others I personally have known and who I would never have thought would be so careless and not caring how their work looked. 

With that said, if I can't do the work myself I am very  particular on who I purchase from and no more asking others to help me complete a crafting job in an area I'm not as experienced in.....

If anyone is interested in a Potato Bag, send me a message and I'll give you Barbara's Information.

Thanks for stopping by...

Loves n Hugs,

K

Last week with the anticipation of all this snow we have been hit with, I went to Roots Market, a local farmer's market, and stocked up on fresh goodies, meats and veggies.

Tonight I made two dishes using up the last of fresh Asparagus and fresh Spinach.

I made a chicken spinach dish with a garlic and lemon cream sauce and a favorite dish my mother made often, asparagus casserole. 

Firstly, I took some skinless chicken fillets from the freezer, (I wrap about two or three thin skinless chicken breasts in plastic wrap and freeze several wraps together in a sealed plastic bag.  This makes life so much easier when I need some chicken.  I simply pull a wrap from the bag, unwrap the chicken and I have the perfect amount I need for whichever chicken meal I am planning to make.)

I placed the frozen fillets in a large skillet with some butter.  Let the chicken simmer until each fillet is separated and nicely golden brown.  I also sprinkled some garlic salt on the chicken as it simmered.

 I then added some some flour, about a large Tablespoon to the chicken, flipped it over in the pan so the flour was on the bottom and moved each piece of chicken around so the flour mixed in with the butter.  I then sprinkled some lemon juice on top of the chicken and added some light cream.  Mixed this around with the fork and each piece of chicken.  The sauce thicken up very nicely...

I then added the fresh spinach.  I did wash the spinach before cooking with it in a cold water bath.  I had a large amount of spinach, so I placed all of the spinach on top of the chicken and placed a lid on the skillet.  I had to hold the lid down for a few minutes until the spinach started to wilt.  I reduced the temperature down below medium heat.  The spinach steamed down very nicely...

 Here is the completed dish.

It.was.delicious!

While the spinach was steaming, I finished my asparagus casserole.

First I steamed a nice fresh bunch of asparagus.  Toasted four pieces of bread, and earlier in the day I had hard boiled two eggs.

In the dish  your serving in, take the eggs and chop/slice into smaller pieces.  Tear up the four pieces of bread into the serving dish, add the asparagus.  

Now you add some milk.  You can either add cold milk into the dish or warm the milk up first in a pan on the stove top or microwave OR pour cold milk into the serving dish over the asparagus, eggs and bread and heat in the microwave.  Just make sure your serving dish is microwave safe.  Which ever way you decide to warm the milk is entirely your choice.. You can also add some butter if you like.

This is what your asparagus casserole should look like. 

   I have the dish tilted front so I could get a decent picture. You can place the asparagus in the oven for a few minutes also to warm the milk and melt the butter.

I cheat and just warm the milk in the microwave.

So, there you have it my friends....

A very quick and healthy meal with plenty of leftovers!

This is enough food for at least three meals.

More snow here tonight into Tuesday...

Then the temperatures are expected to be in the low 50's later in the week and weekend..! I can certainly handle those temperatures.

Have a safe and fun week

and thanks for stopping by..

Hugs,

K 

What's Your Theme...!?

What a wild winter this has been....as most of you have also been experiencing if you live here in the US from the Mid-West to the East, and all along the East Coast...!  Spring can not come soon enough for this Gal!

So many of you crafty folks are taking advantage of being stuck inside.

I have made several Infinity Scarfs since Christmas.  It's a good way for me to relax in the evenings.  And, my friends and family seem to enjoy and like them.

One of my acquaintances from Facebook is Ruthie.  She is a very good friend of my nieces Mother-In-Law.  Ruthie is from PA and moved to GA several years ago.

Ruthie has been busy crocheting hats.  And not just  your every day hand-made Crocheted hat.  Hats with a theme....

Below are the most recent hats Ruthie has made.

 Click on picture to enlarge. 

Doesn't she have talent!!  If your interested in having Ruthie make you a personal theme hat, you can contact her by Personal Message here

Ruthie

The hat she made for our special little guy, Sam....was a "monster hat" to match his favorite slippers, which he cannot be without when he is home.  

So, Uncle Jere gave him his new Monster Hat tonight after work and before uncle had to head out for his class.  I was hopping Jere would be able to join us for the Spaghetti meal I made, but he didn't have enough time.

Sam in his Monster Hat

Sam checking himself out in the mirror....

We had such a fun visit with Sam and his Mommy.  We sure do love this little guy.

The last two visits from Sam, he did not want to go home.  First time he showed not wanting to leave, he ran back into the Family Room and sat down with his coat on.  On this visit, he really gave his Mommy a hard time, she would put his coat on, he would take it off.  It sure does make us feel good knowing he likes being here.  But not so good for mommy.

Until next time, I hope all is well with you! 

Stay safe and be careful if your in the line of all these winter storms.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,

K