Tortilla Spirals ~Chile & Cheese Mexican Pinwheels ~Appetizer Recipe included

 Mexican Pinwheels

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 4 ounce can diced green chilies

1/4 cup diced red pepper

6 green onions, sliced

1 6 ounce can black olives, chopped

4-6 taco size flour tortillas

Chop, dice, and slice ingredients.

Drain the chilis thoroughly.

Combine Cream Cheese, Cheddar Cheese,

Chili’s, Green Onion, Red Pepper, and Black Olives.

Spread a generous half cup of the mixture on each tortilla.

Roll up and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Chill for one hour.

They can be made ahead and

kept in the refrigerator for up to two days.

 

Remove plastic wrap and slice each roll into 3/4 inch pieces.

Garnish with Cilantro, if desired.

Guests can serve themselves with a toothpick. Enjoy!

I had some requests for this recipe after

I posted about my Hubby’s Birthday Party.

Let me know if you make them!

Stay Safe and Well.

Take care,

~Natalie

Thursday Thoughts ~The Days Seem Long ~The Weeks Go Fast

Every Day is the same, but my routine feels safe.

For that I am Thankful.

Hubby has mastered the art of preparing our Weekend Brunch...

Perfect Over Easy Egg on Toast, Hash Browns, and Bacon.

And it is now Peak Season for many types of Fresh Fruit.

These Cherries are juicy and delicious.

None of us know if our communities

will host a Winter Arts Festival, so

I have been busy taking photos and listing

our creations in my Tins and Treasures Etsy Shop. 

This week we enjoyed one of our Go-To meals...

Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta.

It also involves mushrooms, red pepper, and green onions.

It fast and easy to prepare and so very tasty.

Hubby enjoys spending time in his wood shop after

a day at the office working with Unemployment.

This is just one of his hand turned bottle openers that is available

for purchase. It would be the perfect stocking stuffer

for your favorite bartender.

Remember if you are a local friend, you can contact me

to make arrangements and we can bypass the Shipping Charges on Etsy.

Stay Safe and Well.

Take care,

~Natalie

Pizza Friday ~Addendum to my Report ~Two New Favorites ~Taco Pizza ~Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

Trust me...there is a slice of pizza under those toppings.

I don’t think it gets any better than this...

combining two of our favorite foods, tacos and pizza, all in one.

I mean, there are Doritos on this pizza!

When it came out of the oven, it looked like this...

taco meat, sautéed peppers and onions, tomato slices,

black olives, and two kinds of cheese.

Fresh ingredient toppings include Romaine lettuce, tomato,

and Cilantro from our Patio Herb Garden.

I’m pretty sure we’ll make this one again!

Remember last week, after having a procedure done at the hospital,

I wasn’t really in the mood for Quarantine Cooking,

so Hubby Picked up this Take and Bake Pizza...

Chicken, Steak, Red Onion, Green Pepper, and Tomatoes.

Another Favorite was the Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

that we created the week before.

There’s seasoned Ground Beef, Mushrooms, Onions, and Red Pepper.

(The Hamburger Dill Pickle Slices are optional)

This one also needed a little Sharp Cheddar

along with the Italian Blend of Cheeses.

This was so tasty.

Now, here’s a little tip...

Please learn from my mistakes!

When finishing a pizza, I like to put it under the broiler,

just long enough to lightly toast the cheese.

The first time I made the Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza,

the Bacon was exposed on top and got a little too brown.

So, last time I made sure it was under a blanket of cheese.

We have also settled on a favorite crust recipe.

Remember I have experimented with several...

We prefer a thin crust, and I like to add

a teaspoon of dried Italian Seasoning with the flour.

I have a Pizza Pinterest Board

if you are interested in any of these recipes.

Have a Wonderful Weekend.

Stay Safe and Well.

Take care,

~Natalie

Quarantine Questions ~Is Pizza Friday a Thing? ~Are You All Participating? ~What Pizza is Your Favorite? ~Do you Prepare Homemade, Take and Bake, or Order Delivery?

Hubby and I have been staying close to home

since I returned from Massachusetts...which is 10 weeks now.

We go out only for essential errands like groceries,

prescriptions, and to mail packages of masks at the usps.

Hubby worked from home for most of that time,

taking care of the very essential work they do

at the DOL regarding Unemployment.

For me, every day is pretty much the same,

however we do look forward to seeing what we can create

for Pizza Friday. Last night, an Italian Sausage Supreme.

This is what was under that layer of cheese:

Italian Sausage

Caramelized Onions & Red Peppers

Mushrooms & Black Olives

It was delicious!

Last week... Chicken Bacon Ranch.

The addition of green onions added

a little pop of color and just the right texture.

Before that, Turkey Pepperoni and Veggies,

Shrimp Alfredo,

And Chicken Cordon Blue...

Another favorite of ours.

Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Green Onion, and Red Pepper.

We prefer a Thin and Crispy Crust, so I have been experimenting

with a variety of pizza dough recipes. One thing is constant...

I like to add Italian Seasoning in with the flour.

Since I really have nothing but time on my hands,

I like to prepare Homemade Pizza. However, when we order,

It is usually from Dominos. This is my favorite...

from the Build Your Own Menu,

Chicken, Spinach, and Roasted Red Peppers.

This was pretty tasty, too.

From the Dempsey’s Take and Bake Menu...

The Mrs. Brady, it was their Pizza of the Week,

A delightful combination of flavors.

Now it’s your turn to tell me about your favorite pizza toppings!

Stay safe and well.

Take Care,

~Natalie

Monday Memories ~Celebrating our Family’s March Birthdays ~Emily’s Party Report ~And The Anticipation of Jack’s Big Day

It was a wonderful time to visit our family.

I enjoyed visiting our daughter and family in their new home

and helping to provide childcare for our grandson.

While there, I loved getting to see both daughters and sons in law,

and especially having them together under one roof...

even if it was just for an overnight stay.

Jack and his Aunty Emily have a birthday

just one week apart.

She and her hubby celebrated

with a special lunch date out while still at home.

Then the next morning, they made the 90 minute

drive to celebrate family-style with us.

With all the family chefs in the kitchen,

we put together this amazing meal of

Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce,

Pot Stickers, and Ham Fried Rice.

Jack says, “I am not waiting for any photo,

I must taste this right now!”

Amy captured this selfie with

the Birthday Boy and the Birthday Girl.

After dinner, we watched Emily open her gifts,

and Jack and Uncle Jake play with Trucks and Cars.

That Morning, Amy, Jack, and I had visited a local Italian Bakery.

We saw the most amazing Cakes, Cannolis, and Pastries.

We brought home that sweet little cupcake for Jack,

and four generous slices of the Peanut Butter Mousse,

the Tiramisu, a Lemon Cake, and a Ricotta Cannoli Cake.

There was enough so we could all have a taste of each,

and some for the next day!

We had fun talking about the details of a party for Jack,

planned for the following weekend...the guests, a menu,

the cake, and age-appropriate activities.

At that time, we were still looking forward to having Papa

join me there to cherish time with family.

Of course, those plans are on hold.

I feel so fortunate to have had the time with them,

and it will be even that much sweeter

when we can be all together again.

Stay Safe and Well, everyone.

Take care,

~Natalie

Valentine’s Weekend ~Here’s My Report ~It All Started with a Lovely Dinner Party

It was a wonderful weekend to celebrate love.

We were invited to a Dinner Party with

our Friday Night Friends.

We get together every Friday to celebrate the weekend.

We are all retired, empty nester couples...

all of our children and grandchildren live far away.

Our hostess, Wendy set a lovely table.

The red heart doilies under our salad bowls stole my heart.

Here we are...the Galentines.

We all know that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

Wendy worked all afternoon on her Bolognase Sauce.

She kept it warm in her crockpot.

Charlotte prepared her Olive Cheese French Bread.

And Patty tossed her Salad with homemade dressing.

My assignment was dessert.

I made a Chocolate Ribbon Cheesecake

with a Strawberry Garnish.

Here’s my recipe if you are interested.

Here are our Valentines.

A gift from the heart...

There isn’t anything better than that.

This came to me in the mail this week

from my long time college friend, Debra.

I love, love, love, getting something in the mail

besides bills and junk.

“Much too good for Children”

Who else remembers this quote by Mrs. Trunchbull on Matilda?

Sending love over the miles.

Guess which card is from our grandson, Jack.

Of course, Hubby treats me like a Queen.

His coffee-themed card, a new mug, and a Starbucks gift card

came together to be the perfect Valentine.

I mean, here’s the bottom of my new mug!

So...our Valentine’s Day lives on with these chocolates.

You all remember those Crystal Candy Dishes on my table?

Hubby’s favorite candy on the left,

My favorite candy on the right,

And something for everyone in the center.

Take care,

~Natalie