Potato Croquettes

POTATO CROQUETTES



Ingredients;

4 potatoes (2lbs.) peeled and cubed
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3/4 cups dry breadcrumbs
Veggie oil for frying

Directions;

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes and garlic for 15 minutes till tender.............drain.

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes adding butter, salt and pepper....let cool completely.

Stir in 1 egg and flour.

Form by 2 Tbsp. into 12 cylinders....or 1 Tbsp. into 24.

In a shallow dish, beat remaining 2 eggs. Place breadcrumbs in a second shallow dish.

Dip one at a time, into egg mixture then roll into breadcrumbs to coat. Place on a baking sheet.

In a large saucepan or deep fryer heat about 1 1/2" oil til deep fryer reaches 350 deg. or 1 cube of white bread turns golden in 30 seconds.

Fry croquettes in batches for about 4 minutes or til golden.

Drain on paper towel........

****Can be made for up to 24 hours ahead......reheat at 425 deg. F. for 7 minutes til crispy.
****I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, gives it a better flavour.

Thanks for stopping by.

Turkish Beet Salad

If you didn't like beets.........you might want to try this recipe. It might change your taste buds to actually like beets. I grew up on beets being from a Ukrainian background my Baba made the famous Beet Borscht soup. Also a popular salad from beets called 'Vinaigrette' [Vinigret] a Ukrainian Beets Salad which is very popular there. I still yet have to visit the Ukraine at least once. Today I'm focusing on a Turkish recipe......I fell in love with this Beet salad when my sister/in/law made it. This dish is made very often as a side during the winter months in Turkey, but I like it during the summer also as it is refreshing and cool with that tangy taste. I might add it is very healthy and easy to make.

Beet Salad

4 to 5 beets

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp. mayonaise

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. vinegar or fresh lemon juice 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried mint

salt to taste

Scrub and wash beets to remove any dirt and roots. Put into a saucepan and simmer about 1 hour till done. Poke them to make sure they are fork tender. Cool beets....then peel. Using a hand grater or food processor grate them. When I use a hand grater I wear plastic disposable gloves so my hands won't be red...... the processor is faster and cleaner. Place the beets into a bowl and add yogurt, garlic, Olive Oil, vinegar or lemon juice, mayonaise, dried mint and salt to taste.........Mix well to marry all the ingredients. Keep in fridge for 1 hour at least so the flavours can mingle together for a better taste. Serve cold as a side dish to any meats. Today I'm linking to; "FOODIE FRIDAY" "FOOD ON FRIDAYS" "FRIDAY POTLUCK" Thanks for stopping for a visit.

Beef Noodle Casserole

Family Casserole For a Cold Night I'm not sure of the source where I got this recipe from, because I have had it for years and have made it numerous times. It may have come from a friend or else a magazine as in those days we didn't have any computers at home. So it was either like I mentioned a magazine, a cookbook or from a friend. My husband Don is not too keen on casseroles as he really didn't grow up with them and he will eat it once but not really any left/overs, on the other hand my daughter enjoys casseroles.......so I just put some portions into the freezer and when I'm home alone I just heat some up for me. It freezes very well........well I shouldn't say my husband didn't eat casseroles they just baked different ones then we do here. 1 lb. lean ground beef 8 oz. tomato sauce 15 oz. can tomatoes 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp. sugar salt and pepper to taste 3 cups egg noodle, cooked and drained 4 oz. light cream cheese 1 cup low/fat sour cream 4 - 6 green onions, chopped 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese Brown meat and drain well.......Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Combine hot cooked noodles with cubed cream cheese and mix well till melted. Add sour cream and green onions. In a greased baking dish layer 1/2 meat sauce, 1/2 noodle mixture, 1/2 cheddar cheese and repeat. Bake un/covered for 30 minutes till golden and bubbly. Serves 6. Notes; As you can see I forgot to take a photograph of the baked Casserole. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of taco seasoning, then it tastes Mexican. Today I'm linking to; Foodie Fridays. Food on Fridays. Friday Potluck. Frugal Fridays. Be sure and visit the other participants.

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Brooches

Today I'm linking to "Blue Monday"

Today I'm showing my Mom's [rip] two BLUE brooches. I can remember her wearing them sometimes in the summer when she would go to church. Sometimes even just a special occasion........she loved jewelery but this always stood out in my mind. I think because it was so delicate and pretty.

They are from the 1950's.........vintage floral bone china. Made in England....... hand painted and glazed. As you can see one of them is a bit chipped but I keep them because they were my Mom's. In a special place along with some of her other costume jewelery as a fond memory.

This one has some chips on it..... I guess I played a bit too much with it.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure and visit some of the other participants for some "BLUE MONDAY"

Tzatziki and Olives

Is there any better dip then "TZATZIKI"............it is creamy and refreshing.
It's a perfect dip with pita, basically I could slather it on anything. It's perfect for shish kabobs being lamb/chicken/beef. This is super easy to make and super healthy for you.

You can buy ready made Tzatziki basically at any supermarket.........But why buy the full-of-chemicals-stuff. When you can make it at home in a few minutes.





Tzatziki Cucumber Yogurt
Source; Unknown


2 cups Greek yogurt [must be strained or the dry kind]
1 English Cucumber [seeded and grated, I find these have the best flavour]
1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped fine
1 1/2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO]
1 Tbsp. vinegar
Salt to taste

Place yogurt in a bowl...and set aside.

Grate cucmber and place in a strainer. I like to use un/peeled cucumbers.

To the yogurt add the cucumbers, garlic, dill, EVOO, vinegar and salt.

With a spatula fold all together gently till well combined.

Place in the refrigerator for flavours to marry.




OLIVES.............
These are some homemade olives that my sister/in/law makes for us when we go to Turkey to visit my husband's family...........



Here are some photo's of Olives that they sell in Turkey daily at the outdoor Bazaars.......they are a must at every breakfast and throughout daily meals. They have large orchards of olive trees everywhere on the farms. First time I went I've never seen so many varieties of olives in my life........ I was totally blown away. I rarely saw any bottled olives like we have here in Toronto........most are all freshly made.



Thanks for stopping by.

Today I'm linking to 'Outdoor Wednesdays' be sure and visit.

"Blue" and WhiteTassels

"Blue Tassels"

Today I'm linking to "Blue Monday".

Thanks for visiting and stopping by.......

Turkish Carrot Salad

This is one of my daughter's favourite salads.........it's easy fast and healthy. I learned to make this from my Turkish sister/in/law. When we go over seas to visit my husband's family this is on the table quite a few times a week. They have these huge outdoor bazaars brimming with loads and loads of fresh veggies......and most of them are all organic. The carrots there are so sweet and you never have to peel them. It gives out more flavor, not like the supermarket carrots here which taste bland most of the time and you have to peel them especially during the winter months.

This is especially good with grilled meats in the summer but we make this salad all year round living in a four season country.




Turkish Carrot Salad

4 large carrots, shredded [I use a food processor so much faster]
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley


Dressing;

1/4 cup Tbsp. EVOO
2 - 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh dill. minced


In a salad bowl toss the shredded carrots with the chopped parsley...set aside.

I use a mini food processor I put the EVOO, salt and pepper to taste, parsley and mint to combine well.

Then I pour the dressing over my shredded carrots and mix well....and serve. This can be made ahead of time, we have even had it the next day and it tasted fine.



Thanks for stopping by............


Be sure and visit the other participants for some great food recipes.

CN Tower (Toronto)

Today I'm linking to; asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com

Be sure and visit the other participants for some great Blogs.

Today for outdoor I'm showing the "CN" Tower in Toronto, Canada............where I live.

This tower was built in 1976 and was once North America's tallest freestanding structure. It held the record for 34 years. It has an equivalent floor count of 147 floors.
It also has a 360 degrees revolving restaurant on top which really revolves, by the time you finish dinner you are facing another part of the city.
This tower attracts 2 million visitors a year........it's an icon for the city.


This is driving into the city on the Expressway from the west end and the view of the Tower.

I have lived in Toronto my whole like and I've never been up to the Tower except this summer when my Sisiter in Law came with her husband I decded it was time for me to go up. I've been in tall buildings in New York City and Chicago but never here.............anyway all my friends really have never been there either in the Tower, they say it's for the tourists.

Standing at the base of the CN Tower building......see each line those are floors.

Toronto city views from the tower.

I live someplace to the left. :-)

Toronto Island.......this place has gorgeous parkland and there are actually people who live there in a small community. You have to take a ferry across which they run quite often, in the summer time it is extremely crowded, but the gardens have beautiful flowers, lots of yachts and boats, swimming, midway for the kids only to name a few things that go on there in the summer time.
It also has a small airport which is now expanding where you can catch flights to some large cities across North America.

Waterfront condo's and the Expressway on the south side of the city.

The view of the Toronto Island Airport, it basically just has small airplanes. But it is expanding and more flights are landing making it easier to get downtown, but I doubt any huge jets are going to land like at the other airport.

These are glass floor views........I just took a picture from the side. I couldn't step on the glass, being a chicken. It felt like I was going to fall through....very eerie and scary feeling and I wasn't the only one.

Thanks you for taking time and stopping by.......I greatly appreciate any comments.

Blue Pen

Today I'm linked to; "Blue Monday" at Sally's.

"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY"

Today I'm posting a picture of this decorative pen with this gorgeous............. turquoise blue colour.

This pen I cherish because it was my Mothers {RIP}. She's always had it since I can remember as a child. She kept it in her room on this shelf along with some other treasures she loved or sometimes in another room in the house..

I have no clue where she got it from but all I know that she's had it since the 50's.

Sometimes she would keep it as a decorative piece in the den but then when the grandchildren would come they would play with it and try and write with it. But I don't think it has ever been written with forever, as I'm sure the ink is dried out. Then after this pen got it's permanent home back to the bedroom..........and you know what they still would find it when the kids came to visit grandma.

Thanks for stopping by and I really appreciate your visits and comments.