A few months ago I shared a recipe for cheese crisps and although it was well liked by many of our readers, I was recently sent this one and I prefer it even more. It contains flour and Rice Krispies and isn’t nearly as greasy as the previous one. I particularly liked the crunch of these. I enjoyed them with a salad, but they would also be good with any main course dish or even as an appetizer.
This cauliflower mash recipe is from Pat Culver of the Jarvis area. She highly recommended it and I loved it. I debated about halving the recipe when I started making it, but I am glad I didn’t. It lasted me over three days and I shared some with a friend who tried it cold and thought it was very tasty. I do prefer it heated up, though. Although the recipe calls for 4 Tbsp. of cream cheese, I used a half of a package.
In attempting to answer readers’ requests for some grilled vegetable and meat dishes, I picked up a book at Caledonia library. While speaking to the clerk Sam Male, who was a former student of mine at Northview Public School in Hagersville several years ago, she shared her recipe for grilled mushrooms. I haven’t tried it yet, but it certainly sounds delicious. Deb Dusseault, another of the clerks, shared that she brushes mushrooms with olive oil and rubs Montreal Steak Spice over them before grilling and her family always likes them. Thanks Sam and Deb for sharing your recipes with us.
Random Acts of Kindness – One of our readers told me about a couple in a local Tim Hortons who let two ambulance workers go ahead of them in a long morning line and then told the cashier that they wanted to pay for the young mens’ orders. Anne Cavanaugh of Hagersville area told me of a fond memory she had of my brother, Russ Thomson, who passed away accidentally in 1985. Jaymie Smyth lost her keys in a local grocery store and a customer found them and returned them to the Customer Courtesy counter.
Rice Krispie Cheesy Appetizers
- 1 cup melted butter
- 2 cups flour
- 3 cups old grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together and form into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Put on a parchment lined baking sheet about an inch apart. Flatten each slightly with a fork that you dip into water. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in covered container.
Cauliflower Mash
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 4 Tbsp. cream cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Generous ½ tsp. parsley
Mince garlic. Wash and separate cauliflower into florets. Boil a pot of water and add cauliflower. Boil 4 minutes or until just tender. Meanwhile, cook garlic in the olive oil. Drain cauliflower very well and gently blot with a paper towel. Mash well and add garlic, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix together well. Enjoy.
Sam Male’s Grilled Mushrooms
- 2 large Portobello mushrooms
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Finely minced onion
- Finely minced garlic
Wash and pat the mushrooms dry. Remove the gills from the mushrooms. Mix generous amount of olive oil, a small amount of balsamic vinegar, about half of a small onion, and a clove of garlic that you have minced very fine.
Mix the marinade ingredients together well and put into a plastic bag or covered bowl with the mushrooms. Let them marinate in the fridge for an hour.
Remove the mushrooms and fill the caps with some of the diced onion and garlic from the marinade. Grill and enjoy.
HINT: If you have run out of icing sugar when ready to ice a cake, simply whisk very well together 1 Tbsp. cornstarch per cup of white sugar.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Every day brings a brand new supply of reasons to smile.
