Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday, 28th Day of Lent

Breakfast:    Fried Eggs over easy, place one egg onto ONE slice of whole wheat toast (its fun to eat and less filling).  Take left over baked potato and slice into quarters then fry in your skillet or pan.  I substituted oil with butter.

(optional)  Bird in a nest:  Remove the center of your bread (about half inch in diameter) Place the bread in your frying pan or skillet with some butter.  Next, crack your egg and place in the center of your bread.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then turn over with your spatula. Turn off heat in two to three minutes then serve!  Sprinkle lightly with salt if you prefer.

Orange juice and a multi-vitamin for your family.

Dinner:    Thin Crisp Margherita Pizza or Tomato Pie, courtesy of your favorite restaurant.   Treat the kids to a soda if you wish!  I say ginger ale (great for their tummies), or sprite; They're both caffeine free!

Have a great weekend!

Sharon M. Perrotta-Thourot


Yearning For Serenity In Your Life?
Pray The Holy Rosary

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
-Philipp 4:7

New Testament--
Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!  Phllippians 4:1

Thursday, March 15, 2012

"Baked Chicken Again?" 27th day of Lenten Season

My family devoured an entire chicken for the first time.  It seemed as though I brought it home pre-cooked but the truth is I paid dollars for a small chicken and came home and seasoned it, then threw it into the oven.


Prep Time - 15 minutes
Cook Time - 45 minutes on 350 degrees

*One Small Chicken
*half lemon
*half lime
*Instant Rice (your preference); We happen to like Uncle Ben's
*One bag of frozen vegetables; tonight's is Broccoli

Seasonings: Salt, Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Oregano.

*Remember to rinse the chicken, remove the liver (bag inside the chicken).... and place in your corning ware.    Then add your seasonings to your liking ..... Just sprinkle them over the top

Half way cooked I decided to take the remainder of my lemon and lime (from yesterday's dinner) and squeeze them over the chicken!  I place the lemon and lime in the bottom of the dish as well to relish the broth........        YUM...... Smells like Heaven in here!  


Hint--These herbs and seasonings are going into your children's bodies without them having to know! Never tell your kids, 'Oh, I seasoned my chicken with black pepper, of course' ... Even if you have to trick them and give them the inside of the chicken the key is to  still give them ADDED nutrition without them knowing.


Your chicken is ready for the oven!


Next, heat your instant rice and bag of frozen vegetables in the the microwave if you'd like.  I just split the bag with a scissor and place it in the microwave.  Then place in pretty bowls when their done.  


When we're ready to eat, I simply heat the food all together in the microwave.  Bon Appetit!


Yours Truly,


Sharon Maria Perrotta-Thourot

Every season of the Church year has a certain theme or themes. During Lent, we see four themes in these readings:
  1. The need for proper repentance
  2. Israel of the Old Testament as the model of the New Testament Church
  3. Israel’s exodus from Egypt to the Holy Land as the model of the Christian journey out of sin into the Kingdom of Heaven
  4. Jesus Christ as the eternal high priest
Fasting is about more than refraining from food or other pleasures. In today’s reading from the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 58:1-12), the Lord explains that fasting that does not lead to works of charity does us no good. This is good advice as we begin our Lenten journey.

Retrieved from: http://catholicism.about.com/od/catholicliving/a/lenten_readings.htm on March 15th, 2012.











































Wednesday, March 14, 2012

"As We Continue the Fifth Week of Lenten Season"

Hmm..... The grill is out of propane so for now I'm going to cook as much as I could in the oven....  This wonderful dish came to mind ............ I had a delicious fresh piece of Salmon that I placed in my corning ware with four  medium size potatoes.  Luckily, the pound and a half of boneless salmon and the four potatoes miraculously cooked in the same amount of time.
Yesterday, I cooked up a batch of shrimp; dipped them in egg and flour, then fried in olive oil till they were golden.  Tonight, I used the remainder of this dish as my side.  My children loved it!
Prep Time -- 15 minutes
Cook Time -- 1/2 hour
One 1.5 lb boneless salmon
Four medium size potatoes
Romaine Lettuce
Place the potato and the salmon in corning ware and drizzle a very small amount of olive oil over the salmon.  I used cooking butter spray to lightly coat my potatoes.  Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and onion powder over the salmon and place in the oven.  Tonight my taste buds didn't care for the parsley or any other herb; so, to keep the dish light, I eliminated the herb.


Cooked in the oven for 30 minutes on 350 degrees.  Hint -- I turned the oven OFF after 20 minutes but kept the dish in the oven for an extra 10 so this way to serve while still nice and warm.


Once I removed the dish from the oven I squeezed a half a lemon and a half of lime over the salmon.  I placed the potatoes in a separate bowl, sliced them in half and used one teaspoon of salted butter over each potato.


Cut up the romaine lettuce, drizzle olive oil, apple cider vinegar, onion salt and black pepper and your done!  It was delicious and healthy.


No desert tonight, but I brewd a delicious cup of chai tea, and added a slice of lime and a slice of orange!  As Rachel Ray would say, "It was Delish!!"  Have a great night and God Bless!


Sharon Maria Perrotta-Thourot


The reason for observing Friday as a day of penance (abstinence) should be fairly obvious. It was the day of Christ's death.   Retrieved from: http://www.catholicforum.com/forums/printthread.php?t=311 on March 14, 2012





Thursday, March 8, 2012

Saint Patricks Day is on its Way!

I prepared a delectable meal in half an hour!  Give it a whirl this Saint Patrick's Day (Saturday, 3/17) and enjoy!

1 small Corned beef (2.28 lbs)
Cabbage
Potatoes
Garlic
Onions
2 cans of sweet peas (optional)
7 small apples


I placed the Corned Beef in the center of a baking dish.  I placed the seasoning that comes with it, spread it over the Corned Beef then I sliced the meat down the center and stuffed with garlic, and fresh parsley.


Cubed *5 potatoes, *4 small onions, and *3 small apples and placed them around the corned beef.


Hint--If you choose NOT to use the apples you could substitute them with small sweet peas; a recipe my mother always made was peas, potatoes, and onions baked in the oven!  Never add the peas until the dish is fully cooked.  Canned Peas only need to be heated.


Seasoning--I added garlic salt, dry parsley, oregano, black pepper, and onion powder to the potatoes.  Then I drizzled Extra Virgin olive oil (canola is very good too) over the potatoes and trimmings; approximately 4 tbsps = 1/4 cup (to me less oil is better, just be sure to stir the potatoes every 15-20 minutes or so).


Place in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.


Take 4 apples place in a small baking dish and place in the oven at the same time as your corned beef.  Baked apples should be fully cooked by the time your corned beef is ready!


Next cut up your cabbage and place in a medium size pot.  Seasonings I recommend are Salt, Pepper, red crushed pepper (I had to substitute with paprika), then drizzle fresh garlic and olive or canola oil (quarter cup = 4 tablespoons) over the cabbage, also add one 8 oz. cup of water into the pot.


Place the heat on medium to high... Lower the heat once the cabbage is steamed.  Be sure to stir it several times.  Once I feel the cabbage is predominantly cooked I turn OFF THE HEAT all together, keep the lid on, and let it continue to cook.  I do this with many of my dishes because it allows for an easy (I don't have to keep an eye on it and more!) without the long process of a crock pot!


Once your meat is done, your baked apples and your cabbage are sure to be done too!  I took the meat, placed it into a separate dish and sliced half of the meat nice and thin....  Then I smothered it with the cabbage!  Yummmmmm!..............  


Your baked apples could be eaten as a side dish or as a dessert...... As a side, sprinkle powdered cinnamon on them..  As a dessert, serve with vanilla ice cream!   Think 'Luck of the Irish'    Enjoy!  









 Quotes from Oscar Wilde:



"Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it."

(You say man I say woman)    lol....

"You give the criminal calendar of Europe to your children under the name of history."

"Children begin by loving their parents. After a time they judge them. Rarely, if ever do they forgive them."

"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his."

"Come home with me, I want to introduce you to my mother. We have founded a society for the 

suppression of Virtue."

"I should imagine that most mothers don't quite understand their sons."


Psalm 119:11 - Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 


Psalm 4:4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah

1 Corinthians 7:7 


I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from 


God, one of one kind and one of another.