Recipe(tried): Roast Turkey Breast Dinner, Rice and Spinach Bake, Aunt Georgia's Squash Casserole, Tomatoes Caprese Salad, Cousin LuLu's Cherry Cream Pie

Hello Everyone,

Ah, Spring is here finally!! All the flowers are in bloom, the beautiful geraniums so enchanting with their "old-world" cottage appeal are giving me a real show this year!! The Petunias despite the warm climate, are still holding their own and bursting with so many blooms. The Pentas and Heather I had cut back from the last chill are doing wonderfull!! They are growing and I can see little buds on them already!

Yesterday in the late afternoon, I spent some time picking off the spent blooms on the Azaleas. They really surprised me with their abundance of flowers this year!! As soon as the last bloom is off, I will be trimming them for maxiumum foliage next year. It has to be done after the last bloom but before July 4th. I also bought a honeysuckle bush and probably will be planting that late this afternoon. I just love the aroma ti gives... What we are wishing for now is lots of rain soon....

You know, when turkey breast is on sale, I stock up on it as it makes a quick and yummy dinner. Tonight I will be making one with some delightful side dishes and a salad. This particular recipe enticed me with it's use of orange juice and fresh rosemary. It gives me the chance to pick at my wonderful old rosemary bush in my front garden. That bush yields such aromatic sprigs and flowers!! Whenever I have to cut it back, I cut sprigs and bundle them up in ribbon to give away to my neighbors.

For dessert, a tantalizing Cherry Cream Pie to welcome in Spring!!

Happy Spring Y'all!! Gina

Roast Turkey Breast

1 turkey breast

Marinade:
2 shallots, minced
1/2 c. orange juice
3 T. olive oil
1 T. fresh rosemary or 2 t. dried
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. honey
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/8 t. dried crushed red pepper

Combine marinade ingredients in the blender. Place the marinade and the breast in a large zipper freezer bag. Marinate for 6 hours and no more. Place the turkey breast in a roasting pan and baste well. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 350 for 1 1/2 hours...-uncover- and baste well and return to oven 15 minutes. Let sit for 25 minutes and then slice.

Rice & Spinach Bake
Gooseberry Patch's Hometown Favorites
Mary Anderson, San Bruno, CA

10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach
1 c. rice, cooked
1 c. plus 1/2 c. sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded and divided
2 eggs
2 T. butter, softened
1/3 c. milk
1 onion, chopped
1/2 t. salt
* I added 1 garlic clove to the rice while cooking to get flavor

Mix spinach, rice, one cup cheese, eggs, butter, milk, onions and salt together and pour into an 8x8-inch casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese over and continue to bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 4 servings

Aunt Georgia's Squash Casserole
serves 8

COME ON IN!
Jr. League of Jackson, Mississippi

1 c. water
2 t. salt, divided
1/8 t. sugar
6 medium yellow csquash, sliced
7 T. butter, softened, divided
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. sour cream
5 medium green onions, chopped
1/2 c. parmesan
1 c. bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Add 1 t. salt and sugar to water and simmer squash over low heat, covered 15 minutes. Drain squash and return to pan. Add 4 T butter and blend with squash. Stir in cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, 1 t. salt, and parmesan.

Pour squash mixture into greased casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and dot with remaining butter. Bake 30 minutes

Tomatoes Caprese Salad

2 ripe red tomatoes
4 basil leaves, cut in long strips
1 ball buffalo mozzarella cheese
olive oil and balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Slice tomatoes and slice mozzarella. Layer alternately and sprinkle the basil over. Sprinkle with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour covered.

Cousin LuLu's Cherry Cream Pie

1/2 pt. whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. almond extract
3-oz. pkg. cream cheese
9-inch pie crust, baked
21-oz. can cherry pie filling

Blend whipping cream, powdered sugar, almond extract and cream cheese together until smooth. Pour into cooled pie crust and top with cherry pie filling; chill until set. Makes 8 servings.