Sweet and Sour Bavarian Supper

Which day are we traditionally supposed to eat sauerkraut? I know it's around New Year's sometime, so I decided to make this today, to bring to work for dinner.

Sweet and Sour Bavarian Supper

Ingredients

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 (12 oz.) jar Smucker's® Apple Jelly
• ¼ cup spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 2 pounds smoked kielbasa, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (2 lb.) bag sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
• 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen onion, red and green bell pepper strips (3 cups)

Directions:
OVEN METHOD

1. HEAT oven to 375°F. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan or 3-quart ovenproof casserole with no-stick cooking spray.
2. COMBINE apple jelly, mustard and flour in baking pan. Add kielbasa, sauerkraut, onions and peppers, mixing to combine.
3. BAKE uncovered 1 hour 15 minutes or until sauerkraut is tender and kielbasa is golden brown. Stir sauerkraut mixture to combine sauce and serve.

SLOW COOKER METHOD

1. SPRAY slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray.
2. COMBINE apple jelly, mustard and flour in cooker. Add kielbasa, sauerkraut, onions and peppers, mixing to combine.
3. COVER and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours (or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours). Stir sauerkraut mixture to combine sauce and serve.

I can't tell you how glad I was to bring this dish to the Tidewater, because Tom definitely would not have appreciated it. The girls were very happy with it, and thought it was delicious. I was pleasantly surprised. The peppers and onions weren't overpowering, and even though I enjoy the sour of sauerkraut, it wasn't too sour. Definitely something I'd make again.

Chicken Pot Pie

Last night, I asked Tom to come up with an idea for dinner tonight, and this morning he said "Chicken Pot Pie." Here's what I came up with.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can milk
• 2 T butter
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• ground thyme and rosemary to taste
• 1 can crescent rolls

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°. Put all items, except crescent rolls, in pot and warm up and blend.
2. Pour contents of pot into a casserole dish, and cover the dish with the crescent rolls.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

I think it turned out well. I was afraid that the filling would run out after cutting into the pot pie, but it stayed pretty well. It wasn't overly seasoned, and Tom said he really enjoyed it. His only criticism would be that I should leave it in the oven a little bit longer to brown the crust up some more (I only left it in for 15 minutes).

Eventide Scarf

The day that Mom and Dad left to go home after Christmas, I came down with a cold - doesn't it figure? I've been battling it for weeks, and it finally caught up to me. While sitting around, trying to fight it, I finished a scarf made from Premier's Starbella "Eventide."

The colors are very pretty and springy.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Ours was good. We had family over - Mom, Dad, and Donnie. Overall, I think we had a really nice day. It started with spending time together by cooking fried rice and working on a colossal crossword puzzle. We opened presents, then Tom and Donnie did a little yard work while Mom took a walk and I baked pumpkin pies. We started working on dinner - roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, and broccoli - and after dinner we watched "21 Jump Street." Donnie left after the movie, since he has to work in the morning.

Apple Sauce Cake

Tom's been asking for it for a while, and when he finally found this recipe in his mother's recipe box, I knew it was time to actually make it.

Apple Sauce Cake

1. Sift together and set aside:
   • 2 cups flour
   • 1 tsp soda
   • 1 tsp cinnamon
   • ½ tsp salt
   • ½ tsp cloves
   • ½ tsp nutmeg
2. Mix 2 minutes:
   • ½ cup shortening (like Crisco)
   • 1 cup sugar
   • 2 eggs
3. Then add and mix together:
   • 1½ cups apple sauce
   • ¾ cup raisins
   • ½ cup chopped walnuts
4. Add dry ingredients a little at a time and mix 1½ minutes
5. Grease and flour pan (2 loaf pans or Bundt cake pan)
6. Bake at 350° about 55 minutes

Tom thought the cake should have been browner (if his memory serves him correctly), and that it should be moister. But then again, he thought that it shouldn't have nuts in it either, until he saw the actual recipe.

Ravens vs. Giants

The Ravens game today was quite a surprise. I never expected, after the way the Ravens have been playing for the last few games, for them to pull together like they did, but they defeated the Giants, 14-33. It was like watching a whole different team. Both the offense and defense played well, and it was good to see.
For our halftime show, the band played Santa Baby and Let It Snow. We did drill to Santa Baby, and stood still for Let It Snow while the cheerleaders did a routine.


This win clinched an AFC North Division title, and a playoff berth.

Christmas Gifts

This morning, I finished the hat for Taylor. I'm happy with it, but when Tom looked at it, he said it wasn't Orioles colors. Well, it's the only orange I had, so it'll have to do!

After that, Tom and I worked on putting together Wanda's Christmas gift to me - two ClosetMaid Cubeical units. They're to help me get my crafting area organized. It took me a few dys to get to putting them together, and who knows how long it will take me to start getting things organized, but it's a start.

Then, at work tonight, I completed a scarf using Bernat's Boa "Nightingale."

While I was finishing it, Mel said she'd buy it off of me as a Christmas gift for her daughter. I was pleased with the colors (black and purple with a little silver metallic), and seeing how the yarn was an impulse buy, I'm glad I was able to sell the finished scarf.

Coffeehouse Cap

This is the hat I finished today, using the Lion Brand pattern.

I'm much happier with this hat, except after Tom tried it on, he thought it needed to be longer, so by adding more rows, the stripes aren't where I wanted them to be. Even after that, when Shawn tried it on a work tonight, he wanted it even longer! Oh, well. I started another hat for Taylor, my Secret Santa partner in the flute section, in Orioles colors. I'll move the stripes down, and see how it turns out.

Head Hugger Cap

A few days ago, a co-worker asked if I could make a beanie for him, in Philadelphia Eagles colors. I found a good color and did some research on what I wanted it to look like - the knit hats that the players are wearing on the sidelines. I decided on a pattern by Red Heart, and here's what I came up with.

I'm not real crazy about it, I don't like how the top isn't smooth, and the fit was bigger than I wanted. I found a new pattern from Lion Brand to try out, and will see how it turns out.

Spring Rolls

At Huber today (my last regular day of work for the rest of the year!), we had a luncheon for our group. I made Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

I misplaced my recipe, so I had to wing it. Regardless, they turned out well, and were fairly popular. I made them up last night, but took them to the Tidewater to get them fried up, where I left a sampling for my co-workers. They enjoyed the spring rolls, too.

Ravens vs. Broncos

What a disappointing game. The Ravens lost to the Denver Broncos, 34-17. I had hoped that with the Raven's most recent personnel change, that things would turn around for them. Not likely. It was still a fairly decent game, and it didn't rain!
For halftime, the band performed our Queen medley, and I think it turned out well. We sounded good, and I don't think there were any huge mistakes in our drill.
After returning home, I completed a scarf that Janet had ordered recently - to match the ones she got for her daughters a while back.

I feel a sense of completion with that, because it means that I have only one more scarf to complete (which is 3/4 of the way done), and all of my orders are up to date, just waiting for payment and delivery. The pressure's off, since now it's not my fault if someone's Christmas gift falls through.

Headbands

Phew! A while ago, Julie and Mel each ordered six headbands from me, in various colors. Well, this past Sunday, Julie threw a curve ball at me, and asked for flowers to go on them. I asked Mel if she wanted some, too, and she said sure. Headbands and flowers were all completed today, and here's what I ended up with.

Julie asked for flowers with Washington Redskin's colors for the black headbands, and thought that the purple yarn I was using at the time would look good with the grey headbands.

Mel asked for black flowers. I thought straight black flowers on the black headbands would get lost and not have enough contrast, so I used the grey with those flowers. On the purple headbands, I added purple to the flowers to add contrast, but still coordinate.
All of the flowers were made as pins, so that the wearer could attach the pin to whatever side of the headband is most comfortable for them, not use it at all, or even attach it the their coat or jacket as a coordinating accessory. This project was a lot of work, but Julie and Mel both loved what I had to show them, and were happy with the end products.

Dessert Day

The fourth day of Huber's Holiday Spirit Week consisted of a luncheon and a dessert contest. I made an old stand by, Turtle Fudge Cake with Caramel Drizzle. I first found this recipe in Chocolatier magazine, and really like how it turns out, so I make it often.

I don't know how I did in the contest, but in my honest opinion, the only competition was an apple pie.

Cookie Day

The second day of Huber's Holiday Spirit Week was cookie day. I made Rosettes, an oldie, but a goodie brought to us by Betty Crocker.

Rosettes

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup water or milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Heat oil (2 to 3 inches) to 400°. Beat egg, sugar and salt. Beat in flour, water and 1 tablespoon oil until smooth. Heat rosette iron by placing in hot oil 1 minute. Tap excess oil from iron. Dip hot iron into batter just to top edge of iron (do not go over top). Fry about 30 seconds or until golden brown; remove rosette. Invert to cool. (If rosette is not crisp, stir small amount of water or milk into batter.)
2. Heat iron in hot oil and tap off excess oil before making each rosette. (If iron is not hot enough, batter will not stick.) Sprinkle rosettes with powdered sugar just before serving if desired.

I burned a bunch, but eventually, I got enough good ones to take to work. I think they were pretty tasty.

Eggnog French Toast Bake

Today was the kickoff of Huber's week-long Christmas Spectacular. It started with a Holiday Breakfast with Santa! I made an Eggnog French Toast Bake.

Eggnog French Toast Bake

Ingredients

• 1 loaf texas toast style thick sliced bread (or a loaf of French bread) cut into 2 inch cubes (about 4-5 cups)
• 4 cups eggnog
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Arrange the bread cubes in a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the bread.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 (I recommend refrigerating overnight).
4. Preheat oven to 350. Bake french toast uncovered for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

I thought it was pretty tasty, but ended up more like a bread pudding than French Toast. The flavor was really good, with just the right amount of spice, and not too sweet.
At breakfast, Santa joined us, and we sang Christmas carols after eating. What a way to start spending my last full week of work before the end of the year!

Ravens vs. Steelers

What a crazy game! The Ravens lost to the Steelers, 23-20! The game was a real nail-biter, with the Ravens only barely holding on to a lead for most of the game, but losing it in the last minute.
The band had a good show, I thought. We did a Metallica themed show, playing Enter Sandman and No Leaf Clover. There were, of course, some slight mess-ups, but overall, it went well.

Two Scarves

Before having to head in to work today, I completed two scarves. Kayla had ordered another scarf, this one for her Grandmother in Red Heart's Boutique Sashay "Shuffle."

I finished the second of two scarves for some fellow band members. The first was made with the color, "Peacock," but this second one is in Premier Yarn's Starbella Flash "Tanzanite."

Those are some beautiful colors!

Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups and More

Tonight, I finally cashed in a gift certificate that I won at the Lyn Comer benefit from Blue Earth Leathers (it expires tomorrow). I got a beautiful necklace.

When I got home, I made New England Clam Chowder and a new recipe I found on Pinterest, Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups.

Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups

• 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
• 40 slices turkey pepperoni
• 4 pieces of mozzarella string cheese, cut in half
• garlic powder
• pizza sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles. Place 5 slices of turkey pepperoni on each crescent roll. Top pepperoni with string cheese half and roll up. Sprinkle crescent rolls with garlic powder. Place rolls on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce.

I used regular pepperoni, and didn't have any dipping sauce, but they were still good on their own. Tom loved them, too.

Cabled Headband

I just had to take a break from all of the ribbed headbands I'd been crocheting for Julie and Mel, so today I finished a black, cabled headband for Rachel.

I think it turned out well, and she loved it. I know you can't see it very well in the picture, but it looks just like Kayla's, only black.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that yours was as relaxing as mine. I feel like I got nothing done - no cleaning, no crocheting, nothing. I spent most of my time playing an interactive fiction game from the 70's, "Adventure." I loved it! I also helped cook Thanksgiving dinner, which turned out well.

I made a vegetable tray earlier in the day, which we nibbled on all day, but for dinner we had turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and crescent rolls. After a few hours of football, pumpkin pie for dessert topped it all off.
It was a wonderful time with the family. Donnie leaves tonight, and Mom and Dad tomorrow, but, as always, it's wonderful to spend time with them!

Bourbon Banana Bread

Mom and Dad arrived tonight for their Thanksgiving stay. I made our Thanksgiving baked goods (pumpkin pie and date nut bread) as well as something new - Slow Cooker Bourbon Banana Bread.

Slow Cooker Bourbon Banana Bread

Bread

• 2 2/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Glaze

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1 teaspoon hot water

1. Grease bottom only of 3 1/2- to 4-quart round slow cooker with shortening or cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with 2 teaspoons of the Bisquick mix.
2. In large bowl, stir bananas, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons bourbon, the vanilla and eggs until well blended. Stir in remaining Bisquick mix, the cinnamon, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pecans until well blended. Pour into slow cooker.
3. Cover; cook on High heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Turn off slow cooker; uncover, and remove ceramic base from cooker to cooling rack. Let cool 15 minutes.
4. Loosen edge of bread with thin metal spatula. Remove bread from slow cooker to cooling rack. Cool 1 hour.
5. In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth and consistency of thick syrup. Drizzle over top of bread. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.

Makes 16 servings

At first I thought it hadn't cooked all of the way through, but I'm guessing that it was probably the mashed bananas that made the bread look like it wasn't cooked through. The flavor was good, and the glaze wasn't too sweet. And the bourbon flavor wasn't overpowering, which is something that I worry about whenever cooking with alcohol.

Thanks to the Troops

Here is another great video featuring Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe."

Headbands

After a really long shift at Tidewater today, I finished two headbands. The first was started and finished today, after finding instructions on how to do a cable stitch in crochet.

Kayla said she loved it. Rachel even said she wanted one, but in black.
The second, I have been working on for a few days, and when Julie and Mel saw the finished product, they each ordered six, in a variety of colors! Please excuse the scary picture, I modeled this one.

I need to move on these quickly, they're meant to be Christmas presents.

Omigosh, I Won

Well, heck! I just found out today that I won two items at the Ashley Greene Benefit!

I won a wine gift basket from the Tidewater Grille and a gift certificate from the Greene Turtle in Aberdeen. A fun idea for a date night!

Also, today, I made a recipe that I found on Pinterest.

Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken

• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 2 tablespoons asian fish sauce or 1 tablespoon of GF soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1. Place all the ingredients above in a food processor and process until smooth.

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2. Pour marinade over chicken breast and let flavors sink in for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
3. Prepare your grill or broiler. Cook until temperature registers 165F on the meat thermometer. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving, this prevents the meat from drying up.

I made the marinade this morning before work, and marinated the chicken when I got to work this evening. I thought it was pretty good. It was flavorful and tender, but personally, if I try this recipe again, I'd decreaase the amount of sesame oil.

Old Scarf, New Yarn

The latest scarf I’ve completed is very similar to many of the others I’ve made, but this time I used a different brand of yarn. Mom and Dad came to visit Friday night, and brought a birthday gift of yarn. All of the different colors of Boutique Sashay that I hadn’t used previously, plus a yarn I haven’t tried out, yet, Premier’s Starbella Flash in Peacock. I worked on the Starbella Flash scarf a little at the Tidewater, to see how it would work out, and the hostess walked by and said she wanted it! So, I’ve been working on it, and another scarf, for a few days, and while I was on the bus at band on Sunday, two more scarves were requested (one in the Peacock, and one in either purple or black). It looks like I’ll be busy for a long time! But anyway, I finally finished the first Peacock scarf tonight.

I just love the color, hopefully I’ll get around to making one for myself!

Ravens vs. Raiders

Today’s game against the Oakland Raiders was ridiculous! The Ravens soundly defeated the Raiders, 20-55. I only wish that the Ravens would play that well all of the time.
Since this was the Veteran’s Day game, our halftime show consisted of one song, the Armed Forces Salute. During the song, we played each military branch’s song and formed letters on the field that coincided with each (like for the Marine Hymn, we formed USMC). During the pregame show, there were also some really nice salutes to veterans, live feed from Afghanistan, and an A-10 Warthog fly-over.

Two More

I finished two scarves today. The one I finished this afternoon is Nicole's.

I think it will suit her well. She said she likes darker colors, she likes the Baltimore Ravens (hence, the purple), and I think she likes some bling. This yarn, Red Heart's Boutique Midnight, has silver threads running through it. The color is Aura, which has some beautiful grays, purples, and blues that I love. The pattern is called Sophisticated Scarf.
The second scarf that I completed is another Frilly Crochet Scarf, this time using Red Heart's Boutique Sashay in Salsa.

Julie ordered this one as a Christmas gift for her mother. This one is 6 feet long, my usual length is 4 feet, on request.
Only two more pending orders, a scarf for Brit's grandmother, and a headband/earwarmer for Kayla. Then, I can move on to different crafts, or scarves to sell on Etsy. By the way, I relisted some items on my Etsy shop this afternoon, so my shop is officially open again. I'll list some scarves after I get some good pictures.

More Sales

Linda paid for her scarves today. I can't believe it, but she paid me $10 more per scarf than I was going to charge her. I feel guilty taking the money, but yesterday, she quoted a price per, and I straight up told her that was too much, but she said it was for my time and effort. She even said that she might order some more for Christmas gifts, but she'd probably buy the yarn. That's cool, because I owe her.
In other news, Nicole ordered two scarves from me yesterday. This one will be difficult, since she's giving me no guidance except that one is for her, and I know her style (the other is for her aunt). Hopefully, she'll like what I have planned for her.

Sales

I am so excited, I had two sales today! I delivered Ellen's and Janet's scarves, and got paid! Whoo-hoo!
I spent most of the morning, and any extra time during work finishing up a third scarf for Linda.

On Friday, I gave Linda the two scarves she had ordered, and she ordered another one, this time in "Hip Hop." Luckily, I had a sample in my car that she could look at. Hopefully, this scarf thing will prove fruitful in the near future.

Third of Three

I finished the last scarf for Ellen today.

Okay, I admit, this is the same picture I posted for the last scarf from this trio, but they're all the same. I hope to bring them to work tomorrow, and hopefully Ellen will be there so that I can deliver her order. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

All Day Long

With another day off of work due to Hurricane Sandy, I finished another scarf. This one was the second one for Ellen, but I had to start it from scratch, so it took all day. It turned out well, and I can't wait to finish the last one.

On A Roll

Well, Hurricane Sandy was coming and both of my works were closed. I spent the day crocheting and finished three, count 'em, three, scarves! The first was yet another of the ever popular Frilly Crochet Scarves for Kayla in "Boogie." This will be a gift for her mother's birthday.

The second was the second and final scarf for Janet.

The third was a completely random scarf that I made because I liked the yarn. It's made from Red Heart Boutique Magical "Wizard." It's got green, red, purple, and gray colors, and several different textures, which is part of what made it so cool for me. The pattern is called Spectrum Scarf.

I'll put it on my shop and see what happens.

Blackberry Cobbler

A co-worker at Huber gave me some tires, for free, and I asked him if I could take him out to lunch. He said no, so then I asked if I could make him a dessert, what did he like? He said anything, but after some thought said a cobbler, no particular fruit. So, with Wanda's advice, I got this recipe for Blackberry Cobbler from the Pioneer Woman blog.

Blackberry Cobbler #1

Ingredients

• 1 stick Butter
• 1-1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Self-Rising Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 cups Blackberries (frozen Or Fresh)

Preparation Instructions

1. Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.
2. Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.

It was pretty delicious. The tartness of the blackberries offset the sweetness of the sugar that was sprinkled on top. Tom said this is one of his favorite things I've ever made.

Rah-Rah Ruffles Scarf

This is the first scarf I've worked on that might not go to a particular person. Adrienne, from the restaurant, has a Secret Sister at her other job, and asked me to crochet a scarf for her. She thought her Secret Sister might like the Baltimore Orioles, or maybe the New York Yankees, but she wasn't sure. So, to get a jump on this particular project, I crocheted the Rah-Rah Ruffles Scarf out of Red Heart Team Spirit "Orange/Black."

If Adrienne's Secret Sister likes the Orioles, it's hers, but otherwise, I'll try to sell it to some other Orioles/Clemson/Harley Davidson fan.

Two More Scarves

I completed two more scarves today. The first was ordered by Ellen, a regular at the restaurant, at the Ashley Greene benefit. She liked the larger, purple and black Fun Fur scarf I had on display, but wanted three, and a foot longer! So I added another foot to the existing scarf, and Voila, it was done!

The second scarf was for Linda at Huber. She ordered two Frilly Crochett Scarves for two of her step-daughters, both in "Shuffle."

Two Scarves Done

Since I started crocheting scarves for the Ashley Greene benefit, I've had some co-workers and one regular customer "order" scarves from me. Today, I completed two. The first was for Janet. She ordered two for her daughters, so this means that half of her order is done.

The second was for Chris. He ordered a Frilly Crochet Scarf for his mother, in the color "Hip Hop," which are kind of Eagles colors (at least in fluorescent light).

Things are moving along pretty well.

Eggplant and Tenderloin

For dinner tonight, I decided to make an eggplant dish that I saw first on a blog called Cooking by Sight, but then found a less healthy version elsewhere, and a steak dish that I got from a Pillsbury e-newsletter.

Eggplant Roulade

Ingredients:

• 2 italian (or 2 small almost seedless american) eggplants
• 1/3 cup oil for frying
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for rolling

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1/2 tablespoon sour cream
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon walnut (optional)

Serving: 3
Or you can use: chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic, chopped cilantro, minced garlic
Directions

1. Trim eggplants and cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Put slices in salted cold water for half an hour to remove bitterness and prevent excessive oil adsorption during frying.
2. Remove the slices from water and dry them with paper towels. Roll the slices in flour until coated.
3. Place the eggplant slices in a skillet of preheated oil. Fry until crisp and golden brown (big heat) on both sides. Check the tenderness of the slices with a fork.
4. Remove from skillet and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
5. For filling: mix mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic and cilantro in a small bowl.
6. Spread 1 teaspoon of filling on each eggplant slice and roll up the slice, enclosing the filling. Make the remaining roulades in the same way.
7. Garnish with cilantro.

I think that this dish had a lot of potential, but, in my opinion, it needs more filling for each eggplant slice. It could be that I bought eggplants that were just too big, but they were the smallest ones available at the store early this morning. They had graffiti eggplants that were smaller, but I wasn't sure how the flavor would be affected.

Wrapped Tenderloin with Gorgonzola-Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 beef tenderloin steaks, about 1 inch thick (4 oz each)
• 1/2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
• 4 Pillsbury® Grands!® frozen buttermilk biscuits (from 25-oz bag)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (4 oz)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 jar (4.5 oz) Green Giant® sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In 8-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat steaks dry with paper towel; sprinkle both sides with steak seasoning. Add steaks to skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove steaks from skillet; place on plate.
2. Place 2 biscuits on microwavable plate. Microwave on High 30 to 40 seconds, turning biscuits over halfway through microwave time, until soft enough to press into rounds. Repeat with remaining 2 biscuits.
3. Spray cookie sheet or 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. On cookie sheet or in baking dish, roll or press 2 of the biscuits into 5- to 6-inch rounds. Place 1 steak on center of each flattened biscuit. Press remaining 2 biscuits into 5- to 6-inch rounds; place over steaks. Flute or crimp edges with fork to seal. In small bowl, beat egg yolk and water with fork until blended; brush over top biscuits. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, mix cheese, pepper, whipping cream and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. Stir in mushrooms. Keep warm over low heat.
5. Serve half of mushroom gravy over each wrapped steak; sprinkle with parsley.

This dish was really tasty, and Tom loved it. It was a version of Beef Wellington, which I've only ever had at the Tidewater off of the banquet buffets, and they aren't really fabulous. Tom liked the biscuit surrounding the beef much better than the phyllo dough that the Tidewater uses. I think the phyllo is the best part of the Tidewater's banquet Beef Wellington. The Gorgonzola-Mushroom Gravy was surprisingly good, too.

Ashley Greene Benefit

Tonight, the Tidewater is having a benefit for Ashley Greene, a local lady who has been diagnosed with Ciliary Body Melanoma. She has been accepted into a clinical trial in San Diego to study this disease. The proceeds from this benefit will assist her with the cost of airfare and hotels so that she can participate in this study.
As with Holly's and Lyn's benefits, $1 from the purchase of every drink in the bar was donated to the cause, and there were raffle and silent auction items in the banquet room. For my part, I crocheted some scarves, and put them up for sale, with everthing except for the cost of materials going to the charity.

Kristen, who organized the Lyn Comer benefit, did the same, but with football team themed wreaths. A couple of bands donated their time and talents, and the Tidewater donated some free hors d'oeuvres. Unfortunately, I had things to do, so I couldn't stick around for the actual event, but I did my part and purchased some raffle tickets.