"Sunday; May 29, 2016 ~ Wave Your Flag Cheesecake"

Credit:

"Wave Your Flag Cheesecake" -- allrecipes.com

"Salute the red, white and blue with this layered dessert studded with fresh blueberries and strawberries."

"Lebkuchenhertz -- German Gingerbread Heart Cookies"

Image Credits:

"M.I. Hummel by Goebel, Valentine Girl (1972), "I Like You" -- www.ebay.com

"I mog di", I Like You Lebkuchenherzen" -- www.etsy.com

"Ich liebe Dich -- I Love You Lebkuchenherzen" -- Not Known 

An interesting history of "Lebkuchenherzen," German gingerbread cookies,

can be found at smileycookie.com

If you want to bake a "Lebkuchenherzen" for your sweetheart, a recipe and

a few useful phrases/mottos are available at germanfood.about.com

A Few Useful Phrases for your "Lebkuchenherzen"

• "Ich liebe Dich" (I love you)
• "Ich mag Dich" (I like you)
• "Spatzl" (little sparrow)
• "Weil i Di mog" (Because I like you - in Munich dialect)
• "Für mein Mädl" (for my girl)
• "Ich hab Dich (sooo) lieb" (I like you sooo muh)
• "Zum Muttertag (etc.)" (for mother's day)
• "Drücke mich" (hug me)
• "Meiner Kuschelmaus" (my snuggle-mouse)
• "No. 1 Lehrer" (Number One Teacher)
• "#1 Mutti" (Number 1 mother, etc.)

"Fabulous Finds -- Meyer Lemons"

Image Credit:  eatdrinkandbetracy.com

I went in search of a description for "Meyer Lemons" after I came across a reference to them while researching a recent posting to G&DT.  This variety of "lemon" is believed to be a hybrid between a mandarin orange and a lemon.  

Meyer lemons are reportedly sweeter than regular lemons and have a complex citrus taste resulting from the marriage of lemons and mandarin oranges.

These lemons are commercially grown in Florida, Texas, and California.  They are often not available in regions far from these states because they are challenging to ship and store.

I imagine the "Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies with a Lemon Glaze" referenced in a recent G&DT posting are quite a treat.  The recipe for these cookies is available at askchefdennis.com.  Other recipes calling for "Meyer Lemons" can be found at www.cookthink.com.

-- Roasted Eggplant and Meyer Lemon Risotto (Cookthink)

-- Broccoli with Fettuccine, Lemon Zest, and Parmesan (Cookthink)

-- Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies with a Lemon Glaze (askchefdennis)

Now, I'm off to discover a source for "Meyer Lemons."

"Fortune Cookie -- Life ... lemons ..." & "Fabulous Find"

Credits:
"Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies with a Lemon Glaze" -- askchefdennis.com

"Fortune" --  "Fortune Cookie Journal"

Visit this site for tantalizing recipes to add to your collection!

"Recipe -- Cheesy Polenta Casserole -- allrecipes.com"

Image Credit:  allrecipes.com

I was in the mood to experiment last night, so I searched the pantry and came up with the ingredients needed for "Cheesy Polenta Casserole."  I found the recipe on allrecipes.com ... 

As usual, I tweaked the ingredients a bit ... swapped out fontina cheese for swiss and gruyere cheeses and skipped the green pepper altogether ... I was in a hurry to get the casserole in the oven. 

Experimented with a new sauce ... "Tuscan Tradition Spicy Tomato" by Giovanni Food Company, Inc. (www.giovannifoods.com) ... luscious!  

This one is definitely a "do over!"

"Recipe -- Acorn Squash Soup"

A good friend prepared a luscious treat for me recently ... Acorn Squash Soup.  She shared her recipe for this delight on her blog "Breadsongs."  The blog, like the soup, is filled to overflowing with delicious pieces on a variety of topics. Stop by and explore this wonderful resource. 

(There's Just Not Enough Songs About) SQUASH

Recipe Round-Up -- "Sweet Hawaiian Crock-Pot Chicken"

"Sweet Hawaiian Crock-Pot Chicken"

2 lb. Chicken Tenderloin Chunks
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Soy Sauce

Combine all together, cook on low in Crock-pot 6-8 hours ... that's it! Done! Serve with brown rice and you have a complete, easy meal!

Source:  Facebook Posting (Author Unknown)

Recipe Round-Up -- "Cajun Deviled Eggs"

A local restaurant serves Creole deviled eggs.  I checked my spice cabinet, but no Creole seasoning.  Then, I discovered that I have “Hot & Spicy Cajun Style Spice Blend.”  The blend contains salt, garlic, onion, chili, black pepper, sugar, paprika, red bell peppers, chives, celery seed, coriander, parsley, oregano, and ginger – whew!

This moved me in an acceptable direction.  I did a quick web search and found a recipe for “Cajun Deviled Eggs.” I made a small batch (6 eggs) following the spirit of the recipe (spice blend, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard).  I improvised with the spice blend.  The trick is to avoid overloading the recipe with the spice blend … a hit or miss proposition.

Picture Credit:  www.raggedyscrappin.com/fpdb/images/primrecipecardtemplate.jpg

Recipe Round-Up -- "Peanut Butter Brownies"

Photo Credit:  thedirtyfloor..blogspot.com

Photo Credit:  tipnut.com