Category Archives: Greg’s Corner

All things Greg.

Recipe Of the Week: Zucchini Brownies

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Tired of  Zucchini Yet!!!

If you have your own garden or your neighbor has a garden.  Chances are you may be tired of zucchini.  There are many things you could do with that left over zucchini from your garden.  You could use it as decorations for those of you that have that creative touch. You could feed it to your farm animals, our little piggies just love them. Target practice is also an option for those of you that love to shoot. Or you could just leave it on your neighbors porch.  No surprise there is even a National Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbors Porch Day.  But what we at the Thames house love, I mean L. O. V. E. to do with them is making it into a dessert. 

Zucchini Brownies ARE THE BEST!!!

I know a lot of you have tried Zucchini bread and yes there are many simply delicious recipes out there.  But this is no ordinary zucchini bread and if you are up for something simply heavenly check out these brownies.  I love giving them to someone that “Hates” veggies, or zucchinis. They simply love them.  And get this, if you peel the green off the zucchini you can’t even see them in the dough.

Word of Warning: The dough is more cake-like than brownie but it is light and fluffy like floating on a cloud.  I really hope you enjoy our family favorite.

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup margarine
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners’ sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Recipe Of the Week:Old Settlers' Baked Beans…

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Old Settlers’ Baked Beans…

This is the by far and away my favorite bean recipe.  We have made many different versions of it.  Sometimes with meat then sometimes with veggies only.  It is very easy to make and even easlier to expand.  We often make a large verison for  church functions, game nights with friends, etc.  But a word of warning, as we just found out, if you don’t let it bake for at least any hour it will be a little spicy but good just the same.  I believe that the spices need time and heat to mellow out.  Well I hope that you and your family enjoy them as much as my family does.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound bacon, diced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 (16 ounce) can pork and beans, undrained
  • 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook beef, bacon and onion until meat is done and onion is tender. Drain any fat. Combine all remaining ingredients except beans. Add to meat mixture; mix well. Stir in beans. Place in a greased 2-1/2-qt. casserole. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until heated through.

Confessions of a Hungry Man…..

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Hear ye, Hear ye!!!  I confess to one and all that I need to share how I have selfishly wanted to keep some really great recipes to myself.  And not share them with the world.  Well here is the story…

Our church is now producing a church cookbook and my wonderful, beautiful, kind, sweet, etc. etc. etc (Can you name the movie that used the phrase “etc. etc. etc.?  Hint it’s a classic)  wife wanted to share some of the recipes we have collected over the years.  She had decided on three (3) of our family favorites (which I will share later) .   While she was deciding which three recipes to share she told me and I thought nothing of it.  Until the day that she was transferring them to the form that the church needed three or four days before it was to be turned in .  So I decided to look over her shoulder and noticed that the ones she was sharing where ones that I had found.  I then went on to grab the papers from her fingers and run away like a little girl (sorry to all you little girls out there) and told her matter of factly,  that she couldn’t give THOSE ones (Yes I do know that it was God’s CHURCH.)  I am ashamed to admit that my selfish pride over took the idea that my wife enjoyed those meals and wanted to share them with those whom we love.  So with that said I want to share with all of you those recipes,  (And yes they were given to be put in the Church’s Cookbook).

First up is Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces linguine pasta
  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  2. Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).
  3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Sauté and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
  4. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle in with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
This is our hands down favorite meal.  Hey, it’s got two of my favorite food groups Butter,  Heavy Cream.  What more could you ask for (Bacon, and Sugar if you must know).  Oh one other side note is add extra parmesan cheese.
I will share the others at a future time.  You know I have to do this confessing stuff one step at a time.
~ Greg T

More Wine and then some

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We bottled more wine last night. We are almost done with these batches. Today we are going to finish the last of the blackberry. As Zoe gets older it’s fun to see what she remembers. When Greg told her last night we were going to bottle more wine she got really excited and asked if we were going to stamp them again. Greg told her yes, we were going to cork them. She confidently said, “I’m going to do it myself. You just take the pictures.”

The things she has been saying lately have really been cracking me up. She found a necklace that no longer had a clasp and wanted me to put it on her. I explained the clasp was broken and there was no way for it to stay on her neck. Her reply…”Please, it will be my dream come true.” I couldn’t contain the laughter.

Another one from yesterday…just minutes after putting her to bed, Zoe threw up. As I was changing her sheets said to me, “Thank you for saving my life.”

~ Merriann

New Mower

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This year we decided to get a “real” lawn mower. Last year I found a free one on Craigslist and it worked well for us that year but it was going to take a bit too much money and work to get it up and running again this year. So now we have one that starts every time you want it to. Of course as soon as we got it it rained for days and days. Greg was extremely eager to test it out. The rain finally stopped for a few hours and although it was still to wet to cut Greg and Zoe headed out for a ride (and to knock down the hundreds of mole hills that developed over the winter). The only ear plugs he could find for Zoe were the ones that attach to his hard hat so, that’s what she had to wear. I love watching them work and play together.

~ Merriann

I love Craigslist!

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We have found so many great deals on Craigslist. I am all for the free section and have found about 99% of our deals there. Today we found a universal home gym. Great shape and just what we were looking at spending money on. Silly us. Just wait a little bit and you’ll find what you are looking for free. It is a great lesson in patience.

Merriann