Okinawa Family Toffee

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

In a nonreactive sauce pan, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a temperature of 290 degrees is reached measuring with a candy thermometer (takes about 20-30 minutes).  Mixture will be a rich caramel color.  Be careful not to over or under cook.  When ready stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  Pour into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly.  Wait 1 minute until it is slightly set and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Wait 5 minutes and spread the melted chips.  Sprinkle with remaining pecans.  When cool, break into pieces.


This is another recipe from Joanne Baldwin from Okinawa.  She tweaked the recipe until it was perfect.  She would send this to the marines overseas so it definitely ships well.  I made it while at the lake for Christmas 2013.  It flew off of the pan.  I don't think it ever made it into a serving dish!  Granted, we were all indulging a bit much!

Easy Creamed Corn

4 cups frozen, canned, or fresh corn
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (I used 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Notes/Story: Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, don't worry about mixing thoroughly, just throw it all in. Cook on high for 1 hour, stir, then cook an additional hour. So creamy and good! Served it with BBQs.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta or spaghetti squash, for serving

Notes/Story:  Place thawed chicken breasts in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Then drain the chicken and shred with two forks. Put back in crock pot. Add spaghetti sauce and cheeses in with the chicken, put the lid on and cook and additional 45 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve over pasta.

I found this recipe on tastykitchen.com and it seemed so easy I decided to try it at the lake. Everyone seemed to like it and it was something Mom and Will could eat with spaghetti squash for their Paleo trial.

Paleo apple crisp

5 or so peeled, cored, and sliced apples
Put in bottom or greased 10 inch pie plate
Sprinkle with cinnamon

Mix together
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
2 Tablespoon butter

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes until apples are soft

This might be called only a 'part paleo' dessert, as we are using butter and a occasionally oatmeal.

Fresh fish supper

1 package fish ( fresh or frozen)
1 cup ground almonds. ( we bought this at Fleet Farm)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Dip fish in olive oil and dip in ground almond
Pan fry until fish flakes and is done.

Baked cabbage and carrots

Boiled asparagus

Paleo apple crisp

Round steak, cabbage dinner

1 1/2. Round steak,  thawed
1/2  can. Tomato paste
1 1/2.  Cup water
1 yellow onion. Sliced
1 green pepper. Sliced

Cut steak in 1 inch slices, add to casserole.  Add onion, pepper, and water mixed with tomato paste.
Bake 350 degrees for about 2 hours. Or until tender.  Check and add water if needed.

Baked sweet potato
Wash, peel large sweet potato
Cut in chunks
Add cut pieces to casserole, add 1/2 cup water
Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg
Cover and bake 45 min. - 1 hour or until soft
Mash with fork, mixing spices into potato

Cabbage and bacon bake
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 strips bacon

Sauté onion, add cabbage and steam covered for 5 minutes
During this time, fry bacon until crisp - cool

Break bacon into bits and add to cabbage / onion mixture

Serve hot.

Paleo apple crisp. ( see recipe on blog)

Dinner with pork

1 pork roast, lean
          Wash and cook in crock pot according to size

Mashed cauliflower ( see recipe on this blog)

Sweet potatoes baked casserole

Bake 350  for 45 minutes
Lightly mash with a fork and serve

Lettuce/ spinach salad

Apple slices