tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49248855143790795752024-02-06T20:11:41.657-08:00Grandma Opal's Midwest FavoritesHi, my name is Michele, I am a wife, daughter, sister, friend, bonus mom and mom to a couple of very needy animals. I want to share with you some of the things that are important to me and my family, be prepared, there will be a lot of food involved!Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-84212549062728991282014-01-02T10:21:00.000-08:002014-01-02T10:21:33.669-08:00Happy New YearI can't believe it's already 2014! I am not one for making resolutions, but there are a few things I would like to accomplish:<br />
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1. Get a job - not just any job, I want to help a company succeed and grow.<br />
2. Continue on my real estate investing journey - I just completed my online class and man there was a lot of information I learned! Currently looking for an investing group or mentor that can guide me.<br />
3. Grow my networking group - I discovered this was an area I was lacking in my job searching adventure (sometimes I like to refer to my job searching as my once a day anxiety attack).<br />
4. Update my blog more often.<br />
5. Contine exercising and eating healthy (eating healthy least 80% of the time because I just love food!)<br />
6. Get my husband to clean his closet - it's just awful, that's all I'm gonna say 'bout that.<br />
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My husband and I started off the New Year by picking the lettuce we grew in our garden. Tom and I have never tried growing lettuce, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. We made a great salad and topped it with a bruschetta mixure, artichoke hearts and blue cheese dressing, it was really delightful.<br />
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So, here is to a new year, new adventures and hopefully a lot of good times!<br />
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<br />Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-47648025918301388672013-08-16T08:33:00.000-07:002013-08-16T08:33:22.470-07:00Tomato Cucumber SaladI love this time of the year, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, doesn't get any better! Last night, after returning from a horrific experience at the doctors office, waited in the lobby for an hour before I was even called into a room, saw the doctor for 5 minutes and then waited another 30 minutes to do a blood test, after I went and complained that no one was helping me!!!!! Good thing I didn't have to go back to work!<br />
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Tom and I decided to go to the movies and have "Date Night", but we wanted to eat something before we went, we had leftover stuffed poblanos (that will be in a future post) and I decided to make tomato cucumber salad with fresh basil and oregano, all from my garden! I love it when I can "live off the land".<br />
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Tomato Cucumber Salad<br />
1 large cucumber<br />
2 large tomatoes<br />
Fresh Basil<br />
Fresh Oregano<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
Olive Oil <br />
Balsamic Vinegar<br />
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Start with peeling and cutting up the cucumber<br />
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Pick a couple good tomatoes, chop and add to cucumbers<br />
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Add some fresh basil and oregano</div>
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Toss this together with salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar<br />
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I added some black olives, which my husband was not too happy about. The great thing is I grew everything in this salad (except the olives)!<br />
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<br />Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-40594655637318960532013-08-13T09:02:00.002-07:002013-08-13T09:02:43.791-07:00Spicy Chorizo Corn ChowderWhen I browse thru magazines, the recipes I try to focus on have items that are growing in my garden. This chowder recipe caught my eye immediatly because it has a couple of items from my garden, poblano chilies and fresh basil and it is pretty simple to make.<br />
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2 Poblano Chilies<br />
12 oz chorizo, casing removed<br />
4 cups fresh corn kernals, about 3 ears<br />
2 cups chicken broth, reduced sodium<br />
1 cup heavy whipping cream<br />
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced<br />
1/2 cup sliced basil leaves<br />
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The poblano chilies need to be blackened and have the skin removed, my husband does this for me on the grill, puts them in a zip lock bag for a few minutes and the skin comes off pretty easy. Let cool, remove stem, seeds and chop.<br />
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Cook chorizo, breaking up sausage, discard any fat.<br />
Cut corn from each ear.<br />
In a saucepan, add cooked chorizo, corn and chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook until corn is tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer, add cream and poblanos.<br />
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with onion and basil.<br />
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For some reason my computer did not want to load all the pictures, trust me it was yummy!<br />
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Thank you Sunset Magazine for the recipe!<br />
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<br />Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-18790712805270601802013-08-12T10:21:00.001-07:002013-08-12T10:21:26.140-07:00The $5.00 Bill Savings TrickI am going to share with you one of my money savings tricks, I have been doing this for a long time and everyone like to give me a hard time about it. Whenever I get a $5.00 in my wallet, I pull it out and put it in a drawer, pretty soon those $5.00 bills are a few hundred. Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-91546093095335639892013-08-12T07:43:00.000-07:002013-08-12T07:43:10.549-07:00Feeling InspiredI was having dinner with some friends last night and we got to talking about blogs, of course I said I have a blog but haven't updated in awhile. Well, my friend Kortney was telling me about her friend, Katie and her blog, I promptly looked it up, All Things Katie Marie, it was great! After browsing for awhile, I wanted to jump up and get my blog going again, but decided to wait until the morning, that way I can sit, have a cup of coffee and organize my thoughts.<br />
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I originally created the blog to celebrate my Grandma Opal and the wonderful food she cooked. I decided that I am going to evolve my blog into celebrating not only the great food my husband and I grow and prepare, but the values I have learned from my family and the things that are important to me.<br />
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Here are some of the topics I will be including in my new, updated version of Grandma Opal's Midwest Favorites:<br />
- Recipes<br />
- Exercise tips and tricks<br />
- Budgeting and money saving ideas<br />
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Thanks for the inspriation Katie! Everyone please follow All Things Katie Marie!<br />
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-71079357825198746662013-07-06T19:06:00.001-07:002013-07-06T19:06:27.083-07:00Walnut TartletsOn the 5th of July, my sister and I had plans to do some wine tasting with Auntie Maria and Grandma in Santa Cruz, our journey began by going about 5 miles out of our way to the Summit Store in the Santa Cruz Mountains to get some sandwiches, if you ever visit this area, you MUST go to this store, it is AWESOME! After we got our sandwiches, we were on our way to Santa Cruz, there is a group of wineries on Swift Street and a delightful French Bakery, Kelly's French Pastry. The wine was good, but the Walnut Tartlets at Kelly's French Pastry were delicious, so were the French Macaroons. Well, I decided I could make those little tarts, so I got up this morning, looked up a recipe on the internet, found one that I liked and dived right in. The funny thing is, I was thinking I haven't blogged about my food recently and on my way home from my jog, I saw my friend, Trisha, from high school, she reminded me that I haven't updated my blog, so here it is, thanks Trisha!<br />
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First, I had to make the pastry, not too bad and I found out that I LOVE my Cuisinart food processor! I have had the mini tart pans forever, but I have never used them, they worked perfect! I love to buy nifty baking contraptions, haven't used them all, but I shall start!<br />
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Next, I had to bake these little guys and make the filling, these are the ingredients for the filling, not really low fat, oh well, I am going off the diet today.<br />
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Next, I had to fill the tart shells with the yummy, walnut mixture</div>
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These went back into the oven, the recipe said to bake them about 25 minutes, I think it was a little too long, they got a little browner that I would have liked, BUT they tasted really good.</div>
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I am sure that I will have to do some more R&D on these, but I think they were a success! I will have my sister try these tomorrow, after we get our workout done!</div>
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My hubs and Sarah have been in Colorado for a week for softball, they are coming home tonight, I can't wait to see them, I will try to get one of them to be a taste tester later on!</div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-67521506450998404982012-08-20T18:59:00.001-07:002012-08-20T18:59:32.169-07:00Summer Garden Love PieThe Palermo family spent their summer vacation in Oklahoma, visiting some great people and meeting some new one's (Makenzi and Cassi Coder, you girls are awesome!), as always, the Hillenburg family was the best and I wish we could see all you more often. The girls got caught up on old movies(Ya Ya!) and saw a new one, that I won't name, and that we all walked out of. One of the movies we were desperately trying to watch was "The Waitress", we could find the DVD cover, but no movie. We even tried to buy it at several stores, but no luck. If you haven't seen "The Waitress", it's about a woman who works in a pie diner and has a special knack for making pies and then she gives the pies all kinds of crazy names, there is some other things happening in the movie too, but I don't want to give away too much. Right now, our garden is producing all kinds of wonderful things, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, basil, oregano and mint. As I was looking thru a magazine, I found this recipe that incorporated all the yumminess from the garden and thought it sounded fabulous. I guess you could call it a quiche, but that sounds too fancy, we are going to stick with pie, because for one, it's baked in a pie dish and for two, you need to have a pie shell to bake it in and three, pie just sounds like comfort food. This isn't technically one of my grandma's recipes, but I will use her pie dough crust and if she was still here, I think she would really like it. I have decided that going forward all my pies shall be named. I will call my apple pie "I love my daddy pie" because that was my dad's favorite. I will call my banana cream pie "I love my husband pie" because that is one of his favorites that he only gets at Thanksgiving. My pies shall all have the word "love" included in the name, because I know my grandma loved to make pies.<br />
<br />
So,<br />
<br />
Pie = Love<br />
<br />
'Nuff said.<br />
<br />
Here is the recipe for "Summer Garden Love Pie"<br />
1/2 pkg pie dough(this girl doesn't use "store bought" dough, but if you have to use store bought it's ok)<br />
2/3 cup fontina cheese<br />
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped<br />
1/3 cup shallots<br />
3 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch slices<br />
1 tbsp flour<br />
1 tbsp cornmeal<br />
1 tbsp thyme<br />
1 tsp kosher salt, divided<br />
1/2 tsp pepper<br />
1 1/4 cup 2% milk<br />
1 1/2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano<br />
3 large eggs<br />
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves<br />
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350. Put dough into a 9 inch deep pie dish, sprinkle with fontina cheese, olives and shallots. Lay half the tomato slices on top, then combine the flour, cornmeal and thyme (I added some fresh basil and oregano too) and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Top with remaining tomato slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine milk, Parm-Regg cheese and eggs, pour into pan, bake for 40 minutes or until set, let stand 10 minutes, top with basil. Combine cherry tomatoes with salt and serve with the "pie".<br />
<br />
Here is the cast of characters:<br />
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Grate the cheese:<br />
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Chop the olives:<br />
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Put the cheese, olives and sliced shallots in the pie dish:<br />
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Layer in some tomatoes:<br />
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Sprinkle with the flour/thyme/cornmeal mixture and I added some fresh basil and oregano and another layer of tomatoes. Then mix the milk, eggs and parm and pour over the top:<br />
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<br />Bake for about 40 minutes or until the pie is set and sprinkle fresh basil on top:<br />
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This pie had all the yummy flavors of the garden:<br />
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I would like to thank my husband for being my food photographer, couldn't do it without you!<br />
Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-33983589255923689002012-04-09T19:35:00.000-07:002012-04-09T19:35:17.241-07:00Cinnamon TwistsWhat to do on a rainy Saturday morning, Sarah's softball game was cancelled, my house was clean and I had nothing to do, well I ALWAYS have something to do, but doing more laundry didn't sound half as fun as making homemade cinnamon twists, I could smell them baking even before I got the ingredients out of the cupboard. My husband wasn't moving too fast, see we had gone out the night before to several bars with a friend of ours that was here from out of town and Tom had one Jameson shot with a pickle juice back too many(he said he had to do the shot - Peer Pressure) and he wasn't feeling too well, he couldn't wait to smell fresh baked cinnamon twists as he was laying on the couch "recuperating".<br />
<br />
I pulled out Grandma's cookbook (this is a recipe that I have been wanting to try out and I think that the gloomy, rainy day was perfect), pulled out all of the ingredients and got to work. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a pretty simple recipe.<br />
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<br />
Cinnamon Twists:<br />
Bring to boiling in large saucepan, 1 cup buttermilk.<br />
Remove from heat and stir in:<br />
2TBSP shortening<br />
3TBSP sugar<br />
1/8 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp salt(I generally use a little less salt)<br />
Cool to lukewarm & add:<br />
1 egg<br />
1 pkg yeast<br />
Mix in with a spoon:<br />
3 C flour<br />
Knead dough, roll into a rectangle 6 x 24". Spread entire surface with melted butter. Sprinkle half of the dough (long way) with:<br />
1/3 cup brown sugar<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
Bring unsugared half over to make rectangle 3x24". Cut dough into strips 1 inch wide. Twist in opposite direction. Place on greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Let rise in warm place until light. Bake at 375. Spread baked sticks with icing made with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 TBSP milk.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-z3qOlLHzv32S9_mNEs8reQQcASWHZe40O2ZnxgHTt4Azpt5qRGfg3PLJHfXuG8lVsomnROiUZ_S542vmiykFTmWLcXEjW4bgqh5Hb18kwOmi5VJ6Wh_h7eaOs7Fj7UXCucEyibXBlQ/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-z3qOlLHzv32S9_mNEs8reQQcASWHZe40O2ZnxgHTt4Azpt5qRGfg3PLJHfXuG8lVsomnROiUZ_S542vmiykFTmWLcXEjW4bgqh5Hb18kwOmi5VJ6Wh_h7eaOs7Fj7UXCucEyibXBlQ/s320/DSC_0008.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>Kneading the dough...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xT05aKhH29VJAUnreCeBkVMljzC__p95St5q1PoAZ3fYmR4FRydskKoBVkjmkTkLi-mPDnlAmVAbHF_6-kvOCb7l7vKyO_6vtOWMUnV2oVQBiKt38aES8DKxV0AvwAYPodYW5O1ZPf0/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xT05aKhH29VJAUnreCeBkVMljzC__p95St5q1PoAZ3fYmR4FRydskKoBVkjmkTkLi-mPDnlAmVAbHF_6-kvOCb7l7vKyO_6vtOWMUnV2oVQBiKt38aES8DKxV0AvwAYPodYW5O1ZPf0/s320/DSC_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Roll out the dough, spread with melted butter and spread half with the cinnamon/sugar mixture, fold over and slice...<br />
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Twist ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibloIU78gT5srorubtfbjJwAy185SZ8X3FXW3tW4I0h1CVcMEIFoeU1J2R0v3rRca0-qG6QOrMGU6oY5Mwwgm89sosFs-S_VMrUzHxjkvWqIKKg3mhwaisIbPeA8EOb5NxKLUBBtUVgL8/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibloIU78gT5srorubtfbjJwAy185SZ8X3FXW3tW4I0h1CVcMEIFoeU1J2R0v3rRca0-qG6QOrMGU6oY5Mwwgm89sosFs-S_VMrUzHxjkvWqIKKg3mhwaisIbPeA8EOb5NxKLUBBtUVgL8/s320/DSC_0017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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For some reason, Grandma did not say how long to bake the twists, I started with 15 minutes, then added about 5 more minutes when they looked nice and golden brown.<br />
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Drizzle a little glaze of powdered sugar and milk and yes, they tasted as good as they looked.<br />
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The whole time these were in the oven, Tom kept asking if they were done, as soon as they came out, I put his on a plate and served it to him, as he laid on the couch (just like the good, dutiful wife that I am, hehehe). I called my mom and told her to come over and try my little masterpieces, I think she was over in about 5 minutes. I love doing R&D!Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-87839231821028527212012-03-18T14:47:00.000-07:002012-03-18T14:47:03.350-07:00Knock You Naked BrowniesThe other day was my coworker's 30th birthday and I decided that she needed a sweet treat, so I was looking at the Pioneer Woman's website and found "Knock You Naked Brownies". The only was to describe them is "SINFUL". I looked up the recipe, made a quick shopping list and stopped at the store on the way home from work, the recipe calls for a box of German Chocolate cake mix, do you think that my grocery store had it? They had every flavor of chocolate cake EXCEPT the one I wanted, I keep telling Tom that I am not shopping there anymore because every time I look for something, they never have it or they used to have it, now they don't carry it any more. The other grocery store that is close to my house is yucky and I try not to shop there, unless it's an emergency and in this case it was and they had the cake mix I was looking for.<br />
<br />
Here are the ingredients:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC34hcpuaDNp6X3l6f_0rXsfSHyFeo0yPi7XzrDFjQoQlBS_MqZPibkncSmovUoxTZYx1l4DV4npdr2zayXZ83q8BHNa-W_5GRnu9a24Gzcs2GPrVuLryHXHqCqYiuvhIwhLTtKrxB1hY/s1600/DSC_7548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC34hcpuaDNp6X3l6f_0rXsfSHyFeo0yPi7XzrDFjQoQlBS_MqZPibkncSmovUoxTZYx1l4DV4npdr2zayXZ83q8BHNa-W_5GRnu9a24Gzcs2GPrVuLryHXHqCqYiuvhIwhLTtKrxB1hY/s320/DSC_7548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It is really pretty simple, take the cake mix and add evaporated milk, melted butter and chopped pecans, mix is together. It is a pretty thick batter, then divide it in half:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcQIZgkOlW3xuFUlO_JgxsO0ERiwwT0xl_VGFV7vKOMfJ8SccMv4l3qRAMqzOPPfnrc9KT202ehfiWRI9q_3FCYcV4gMcGlErY36fy2wd7aaLfV8Pivw_nbJ8wCKf5pTszCF8bL233jY/s1600/DSC_7554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcQIZgkOlW3xuFUlO_JgxsO0ERiwwT0xl_VGFV7vKOMfJ8SccMv4l3qRAMqzOPPfnrc9KT202ehfiWRI9q_3FCYcV4gMcGlErY36fy2wd7aaLfV8Pivw_nbJ8wCKf5pTszCF8bL233jY/s320/DSC_7554.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Place half the mixture in a well greased 8x8 baking pan and bake for about 10 minutes. In the meantime melt the caramels with some evaporated milk in the top of a double boiler:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfOlZ2AcsV4uCqDjfizA1QCiUi7Hf8CTFnGTc1x0xtm2OvHvahuyTYDV-04TVhquQOJcQwmaX2Ynb-e2xEytn3VvlctKMhkyQuUjSIWg3vmqewkifYBq4Crou8J6bXiI_Wn6GqTT9qI2M/s1600/DSC_7557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfOlZ2AcsV4uCqDjfizA1QCiUi7Hf8CTFnGTc1x0xtm2OvHvahuyTYDV-04TVhquQOJcQwmaX2Ynb-e2xEytn3VvlctKMhkyQuUjSIWg3vmqewkifYBq4Crou8J6bXiI_Wn6GqTT9qI2M/s320/DSC_7557.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Then, pour that yummy, caramel goo on top of the baked brownie, top with some chocolate chips and put the other half of the brownie dough on top:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMp5pwrX_cs2nu1AItJHLxTWW-sb2p3jVKKMXhIrBeczyPLJP0f7uAXjOLgTot7Rdt0T0S9xV_AcIW-W3_MbmQYKFHuwzd4PYbESXw3-YUnF11kc4jr_dveyCskiQvYjyENPia-LxV0-Q/s1600/DSC_7559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMp5pwrX_cs2nu1AItJHLxTWW-sb2p3jVKKMXhIrBeczyPLJP0f7uAXjOLgTot7Rdt0T0S9xV_AcIW-W3_MbmQYKFHuwzd4PYbESXw3-YUnF11kc4jr_dveyCskiQvYjyENPia-LxV0-Q/s320/DSC_7559.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bake this for about a 1/2 hour, let it cool completely. I put it in the refridgerator overnight, dusted it with powdered sugar and this is what you get:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JkEQCsDH41CmRRXzKvgpbxrq3pUVCJIbb5ugVN8RStXqEBW6CrIO2nxXddFeScjC75jvnNpADO7eO5m2pL_jfwqIJ_MrFbolbVXDH6sBT74nBKgsuyy6p4zPuwoRdvirc1n5XUXD94I/s1600/DSC_7560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JkEQCsDH41CmRRXzKvgpbxrq3pUVCJIbb5ugVN8RStXqEBW6CrIO2nxXddFeScjC75jvnNpADO7eO5m2pL_jfwqIJ_MrFbolbVXDH6sBT74nBKgsuyy6p4zPuwoRdvirc1n5XUXD94I/s320/DSC_7560.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I left one of the brownies at home for Tom to try, he said he couldn't eat it that morning because he was afraid his clothes might fall off. Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-84774040633276286782012-03-18T13:42:00.000-07:002012-03-18T13:42:55.441-07:00Red Velvet CupcakesA couple of weeks ago we were having some really nice weather, I think it was close to 80 degree's so Tom and I decided to have a little backyard BBQ and there is nothing we like better than sitting out on the patio enjoying good food and good friends. We kept the menu pretty simple, some chicken wings for an appetizer, macaroni salad, bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers and Tom put together some kabobs and for dessert I made red velvet cupcakes from my grandma's cookbook with cream cheese frosting. Our friend Lee Bradford brought his two daughters over and they were more than happy to sample the frosting and the cupcakes (all before dinner).<br />
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Here the ingredients for the cupcakes:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBJKyhHvA114hVUrx7yZsfADPMlhwTF3kV2GjWJKUeh2Y5xO8OV5aa388-KytqQhQGz4-qTGi6AmltY4Qxurjni8npecmQ8Woe0l-jGwb4QFoxOrDX0_FggYMlkw5tzHJpJJdD23jsUU/s1600/DSC_6134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBJKyhHvA114hVUrx7yZsfADPMlhwTF3kV2GjWJKUeh2Y5xO8OV5aa388-KytqQhQGz4-qTGi6AmltY4Qxurjni8npecmQ8Woe0l-jGwb4QFoxOrDX0_FggYMlkw5tzHJpJJdD23jsUU/s320/DSC_6134.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Seems like some of the recipe's in grandma's cookbook always contain something that isn't expected and Nesquik was not what what I expected, but it gave the cupcakes a nice chocolate flavor.<br />
So, all the ingredients got all mixed up together:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20G5YuzGpgzLZqWDfzYlZvAbVT_PTQXYYHjbZpnUv9O-OCc01hXZRLfF12dcBY5LtMrIj3QkYxuv-6GnYoi3mcCPgnz8KdYYXqnI77O9lu34cueJTL6IyYuFmZVLUkfa2e6DJXE5jsKQ/s1600/DSC_6150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20G5YuzGpgzLZqWDfzYlZvAbVT_PTQXYYHjbZpnUv9O-OCc01hXZRLfF12dcBY5LtMrIj3QkYxuv-6GnYoi3mcCPgnz8KdYYXqnI77O9lu34cueJTL6IyYuFmZVLUkfa2e6DJXE5jsKQ/s320/DSC_6150.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>and then filled up the cupcake holders:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI91ZV44s9E9cBSz2PuqlO5WzT8LtnBmLN4utcZfEC4CNTtkaEEaJX8g4zIIMrwSOuK9hW09snTIDUGDJJ3AdHPKsuwMMTTdIBTJBCXy7o8Tvk-LZDAWvcT5TtmyF4-dmODB4x7m6Kbo/s1600/DSC_6160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI91ZV44s9E9cBSz2PuqlO5WzT8LtnBmLN4utcZfEC4CNTtkaEEaJX8g4zIIMrwSOuK9hW09snTIDUGDJJ3AdHPKsuwMMTTdIBTJBCXy7o8Tvk-LZDAWvcT5TtmyF4-dmODB4x7m6Kbo/s320/DSC_6160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>These little goodies went into the oven and I whipped up some cream cheese frosting. After the cupcakes cooled, I put a little dollup of frosting on top and the rest is history! I think Lee's daughter's ate about three each.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnLn5wOSZxzDgIVkJFYbY62dzDSk_V21AO1q133N20eRY-XRnh7mz9iYKf-_DCzTs2Za9B0RkQ7Ykg0u5LuT70v7TwWRrVHZHJldRw0lfLwX433DzbwIDG94KyYvZOlNAKyja1GAadB8/s1600/DSC_6180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnLn5wOSZxzDgIVkJFYbY62dzDSk_V21AO1q133N20eRY-XRnh7mz9iYKf-_DCzTs2Za9B0RkQ7Ykg0u5LuT70v7TwWRrVHZHJldRw0lfLwX433DzbwIDG94KyYvZOlNAKyja1GAadB8/s320/DSC_6180.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Here is a little sample of what Tom cooked up on his smoker:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKic5zmu4fA0eEqUK1UCmGDLG9WOoZSyXCq2IJwTNgN9lBxXllq3Jg7t-Gsj4YVPtofuZjsTdhVRHkCDvOtmAW5dEJ-xK4TLPrqcWZhvHM7Kgge9WRJGg2MtdDy5nz0jG_89eDnQMNt8/s1600/DSC_6141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKic5zmu4fA0eEqUK1UCmGDLG9WOoZSyXCq2IJwTNgN9lBxXllq3Jg7t-Gsj4YVPtofuZjsTdhVRHkCDvOtmAW5dEJ-xK4TLPrqcWZhvHM7Kgge9WRJGg2MtdDy5nz0jG_89eDnQMNt8/s320/DSC_6141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>These are whole jalapeno's, stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcDdgOlg19xbj6R9PzOqOArVQHarST9-gvc2sXhnLaS2JCxW9Fqog8s7ngTv9rolS5-kcn2cBt6mwuQh7Cmu7cQMWQ-EaPIJeko2AhHZaRwuEZngiaybYdGOg7sdD1R92h49NPosLv-k/s1600/DSC_6147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcDdgOlg19xbj6R9PzOqOArVQHarST9-gvc2sXhnLaS2JCxW9Fqog8s7ngTv9rolS5-kcn2cBt6mwuQh7Cmu7cQMWQ-EaPIJeko2AhHZaRwuEZngiaybYdGOg7sdD1R92h49NPosLv-k/s320/DSC_6147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>These are the chicken wings, with some sort of secret sauce he tossed together with everything that was in the refridgerator.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqxugLbYnNebRAuOjopE6p_x4SSbCOsqmuexYpUwQgw1KlwYJZcRz22wYudK-MwuwgDmgseMOZzKbsCHy5ojDC-QS07knR3iSjnli7yMCOjL-nxSJGA8h6bH9HnFVXPeQ-rO5xj1I6PY/s1600/DSC_6146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqxugLbYnNebRAuOjopE6p_x4SSbCOsqmuexYpUwQgw1KlwYJZcRz22wYudK-MwuwgDmgseMOZzKbsCHy5ojDC-QS07knR3iSjnli7yMCOjL-nxSJGA8h6bH9HnFVXPeQ-rO5xj1I6PY/s320/DSC_6146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and these are the kabobs, they were DELICIOUS!<br />
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I think Tom is turning out to be a great photographer, especially a great food photographer! One of Lee's daughters thought we were silly for taking pictures of our food. Sometimes Tom and I will go back and look at the pictures and remember how good everything tasted.Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-67216872899773125122012-02-25T09:05:00.000-08:002012-02-25T09:05:35.151-08:00Comfort FoodMy husband thinks we are the only couple who wake up in the morning and start talking about what's for dinner. I am going to say it WE LOVE FOOD and we like to cook for our friends. So last Sunday we woke up and decided we were going to make some good, stick to your ribs comfort food and of course fried chicken was what we wanted. It has been a long time since I fried chicken and I am pretty sure my grandma made it, there wasn't a recipe in her book, so we improvised (and the internet helps ALOT!). I made sure that my sister and I did our workout that day so I wouldn't feel guilty about eating a big meal. The other cast of characters on the menu were loaded mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, fruit salad and biscuits (not homemade, I have not perfected the biscuit yet, we, the biscuit and I have a love/hate relationship, I just can't figure it out) and for dessert, Devil Dog's (this is something from the Pioneer Woman's website, but my grandma has the same recipe's in her book).<br />
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So here we go into the land of comfort food....<br />
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I decided I needed to get my cake going first, so I whipped up my grandma's chocolate sheet cake, but did not make the icing that usually goes on the cake, because I am going to cut the cake into circles and put frosting on top. I am going to say it many times in my life, but this is the BEST cake in the whole world, I always requested it for my birthday's growing up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPM8M38QCMNJXK12VPpMX4UQS5zFdxAjL4avOCjcZe7pxkpIt-w-ipMU8K9bOPyjKF-aLZUEjtfpsmqH38ItDfs_BkfWFDAmWsvKPXCmK4VpKSrchmu2vA-Ns-zBvy9KZRi1ujPOzZrBI/s1600/DSC_5127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPM8M38QCMNJXK12VPpMX4UQS5zFdxAjL4avOCjcZe7pxkpIt-w-ipMU8K9bOPyjKF-aLZUEjtfpsmqH38ItDfs_BkfWFDAmWsvKPXCmK4VpKSrchmu2vA-Ns-zBvy9KZRi1ujPOzZrBI/s320/DSC_5127.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is me whipping it up and still in my work out clothes, but dontcha love the apron (what goes thru my mind right now is "I'm sexy and I know it"). Anyways, back to the cake, got it in the oven:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzvNI6imVl5R9wG0dd9co455CNHHQy8wlTyW05lzwd61VeOoFcIFWDG08vnP-c4jgexpyk2QPfWeqLGN4eScwX1Zjock1GA7KB45DXB7i9HejpszLoogysxY7SaG6FP4jeUfdcokRBBA/s1600/DSC_5129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzvNI6imVl5R9wG0dd9co455CNHHQy8wlTyW05lzwd61VeOoFcIFWDG08vnP-c4jgexpyk2QPfWeqLGN4eScwX1Zjock1GA7KB45DXB7i9HejpszLoogysxY7SaG6FP4jeUfdcokRBBA/s320/DSC_5129.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, now the cake is baking, we get the chicken out and soak it in buttermilk and some Sriracha chili sauce, we wanted to add a little kick to our chicken:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2KujgCGpoMCKUBy-7-4nNQa2YatHWRb9cyxmRdCFtRodU8o-0QBDZFey-bKVYbpaiD4L8Sdh6r8jXe3W0yJFYaAjLaNZ89zmI6A8CPWsA-DLbAaaH-xLuOJq4R-fI3BHq1Ipy66_3ck/s1600/DSC_5116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2KujgCGpoMCKUBy-7-4nNQa2YatHWRb9cyxmRdCFtRodU8o-0QBDZFey-bKVYbpaiD4L8Sdh6r8jXe3W0yJFYaAjLaNZ89zmI6A8CPWsA-DLbAaaH-xLuOJq4R-fI3BHq1Ipy66_3ck/s320/DSC_5116.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, I need to get my fruit salad put together and in the fridge so it will be nice and cold, I used fresh pineapple, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlbb9OH6NfDVlsUYI7mBvLdtveMilabm29cjCBpsut3azT3HVwGSNra6G4ASX57QRoSCwjxnaEDKRvVlPDuBmlMxR0WB47ql9WN918b-5MhfzbdU2zx3JUobQsrbcWn0hybsmoW4uyR8/s1600/DSC_5142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlbb9OH6NfDVlsUYI7mBvLdtveMilabm29cjCBpsut3azT3HVwGSNra6G4ASX57QRoSCwjxnaEDKRvVlPDuBmlMxR0WB47ql9WN918b-5MhfzbdU2zx3JUobQsrbcWn0hybsmoW4uyR8/s320/DSC_5142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Doesn't that look good!<br />
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Next up, the loaded mashed potatoes. I boiled red potatoes, smashed them with cream cheese and sour cream and added, wait for it.....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSKAED5B2DhevhTFpKyYSvdbZBqtJ5NYeZOvujwCeDXESg3X-ybKbpMERIEH1s7QRvJF5wYYJmc11UuVVgh-lbMi1S1ugPm-T0yfo6UFEFH71DVM-c9fifOeHc1yQgErJ3urHV6jIuzQ/s1600/DSC_5148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSKAED5B2DhevhTFpKyYSvdbZBqtJ5NYeZOvujwCeDXESg3X-ybKbpMERIEH1s7QRvJF5wYYJmc11UuVVgh-lbMi1S1ugPm-T0yfo6UFEFH71DVM-c9fifOeHc1yQgErJ3urHV6jIuzQ/s320/DSC_5148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, that is BACON and CHEESE, we also added some green onion to the mix, I have to say that the potatoes tasted as good as they look.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My husband, Tom, was in charge of frying the chicken (which he did outside in the back yard, we built an outdoor kitchen a few years ago and it sure is nice when you have to fry things that make the house smell). I can't really tell you what was in the coating for the chicken (mainly because I don't remember the things we thru in there), there was flour, salt and pepper and a few other spices.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFXuE1B7mQdBjPULQNUdjSz6pWTnO6YnIsaH0DVnpRWCZEh9byw0vrOKwrxcyHsCiSqZuJw12G_4UXZeXXEK1FIvOp1yAk53PK72820a7BN-N08bi3TC7VdijBALUwB_q9C8o6S_RCBg/s1600/DSC_5175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFXuE1B7mQdBjPULQNUdjSz6pWTnO6YnIsaH0DVnpRWCZEh9byw0vrOKwrxcyHsCiSqZuJw12G_4UXZeXXEK1FIvOp1yAk53PK72820a7BN-N08bi3TC7VdijBALUwB_q9C8o6S_RCBg/s320/DSC_5175.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnSbzlsUXcLwF2nf8t5wN23If2mRnOmaqFBV_z2yHvU1B6GEm9kdkE25k4TN0Y03Gd_awYLT6XyfSdqwtRznEulxznfgqi-JTa5sGs80SLXBL_r50eZeawkEAVngaAuWxDZBuyJZqnzo/s1600/DSC_5157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnSbzlsUXcLwF2nf8t5wN23If2mRnOmaqFBV_z2yHvU1B6GEm9kdkE25k4TN0Y03Gd_awYLT6XyfSdqwtRznEulxznfgqi-JTa5sGs80SLXBL_r50eZeawkEAVngaAuWxDZBuyJZqnzo/s320/DSC_5157.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So while Tom is frying chicken, I got busy on my dessert, Devil Dog's. I saw this on Pioneer Woman's website and thought they looked yummy and pretty simple. My cake was nice and cool, so I cut out the circles. I am making the frosting for the cake, you have to beat the frosting for about 10 mintues, I love my KitchenAid mixer. The frosting is a crazy concoction of flour, milk, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla. Now, time to put these Dog's together:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_9XFqB_gInbEk06aXUFzbgEyMjqYEpWM793vm9nm_WDqc7MxA0X2D34PuLeprc4iryXrBPfqibvDptX6qhjM2H_GMEAV-5k6V-85ApSXVW4zZTXYzGm00CXNHtxImNnZnv52vkyme78/s1600/DSC_5169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_9XFqB_gInbEk06aXUFzbgEyMjqYEpWM793vm9nm_WDqc7MxA0X2D34PuLeprc4iryXrBPfqibvDptX6qhjM2H_GMEAV-5k6V-85ApSXVW4zZTXYzGm00CXNHtxImNnZnv52vkyme78/s320/DSC_5169.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used my little decorating tool and piped on the frosting and topped them with a cherry, don't they look yummy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dinner is ready! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZsZ8N5eVuXwpU6dkA0WfGBL7E5a8TrFaQ1hCi-vc1gEv8nnlYH3zin3Z8Y9nHdJ8homGuqFFmWUuOWoy5JDLFHnacgcW18Xq2NEd1iAjgip0sb2XDj2JMWyirEs7b3xZPlAlqA5vYiY/s1600/DSC_5174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZsZ8N5eVuXwpU6dkA0WfGBL7E5a8TrFaQ1hCi-vc1gEv8nnlYH3zin3Z8Y9nHdJ8homGuqFFmWUuOWoy5JDLFHnacgcW18Xq2NEd1iAjgip0sb2XDj2JMWyirEs7b3xZPlAlqA5vYiY/s320/DSC_5174.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was a fun meal to put together, Tom and I work pretty good together in the kitchen, I just wish he did dishes...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptViBDPEgCeUR6vOPV8L7R_hvnCwQmIue-9PUtkMW5HEhgdabJuIK-IgYAdyYVIoASS-_zrg4pt8yyDaxCp6F8gEaMWmhLvyf55BCQp8TqaN0AkZLW4zFWL0RKRbZI1vr_sFAIwNabfc/s1600/DSC_5151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptViBDPEgCeUR6vOPV8L7R_hvnCwQmIue-9PUtkMW5HEhgdabJuIK-IgYAdyYVIoASS-_zrg4pt8yyDaxCp6F8gEaMWmhLvyf55BCQp8TqaN0AkZLW4zFWL0RKRbZI1vr_sFAIwNabfc/s320/DSC_5151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, people, my husband does the dishes, isn't he dreamy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-92138110514673831422011-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:002011-08-24T19:48:46.162-07:00It's Pickle Time!Our garden is overflowing with the tomatoes, jalapeno's, anaheim chilies, cucumbers, basil, mint, rosemary and thyme, what to do with all these yummy treats? One option is to make pickles with the pickling cucumbers that I planted. The regular cucumbers get eaten as soon as they are ripe, I admit I am addicted to cucumbers, as soon as they are ripe, I pick them, slice them up and eat them, delicious. Well, I was looking around for a pickle recipe and found one in my grandma's Armstrong Ladies Aid Cookbook and it just so happens that it was her sister's recipe, my Aunt Edna. These are dill pickles, pretty simple, but I added some pepper corns and fresh garlic just to spice it up a bit. They have to sit for a couple of weeks before I can try them, but they look pretty good to me.<br />
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First, you have to pick the cucumbers and wash them:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplG1xhgJe9T3Nosm20so4iN518U95Ljteq9sU83I0B-efNi3LBYXk6rpweEbuVyZrSCM31NfKbLjz5OFf2AqELBbE8WOKn5Bcnm4IJYKlh84RYujxwiS40JRr_WNzkP0-8QAqdfjXRuU/s1600/DSC_1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplG1xhgJe9T3Nosm20so4iN518U95Ljteq9sU83I0B-efNi3LBYXk6rpweEbuVyZrSCM31NfKbLjz5OFf2AqELBbE8WOKn5Bcnm4IJYKlh84RYujxwiS40JRr_WNzkP0-8QAqdfjXRuU/s320/DSC_1116.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Then, you need to cut the ends off and cut up the cucumbers (I did spears and slices):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif38cJKvFOPZ8xT6BZ88pcUbVC7TkjYBBjkHzMIpV6XEbgjee7BuZXsvZWd25tOIweVWw0-kLzHOCSGVCVaAfuBuaTQ9k6u4OFFRuEo6DQh28NQ_m5hsQR7yB7XCGnrn5P4auYvfOtjHM/s1600/DSC_1123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif38cJKvFOPZ8xT6BZ88pcUbVC7TkjYBBjkHzMIpV6XEbgjee7BuZXsvZWd25tOIweVWw0-kLzHOCSGVCVaAfuBuaTQ9k6u4OFFRuEo6DQh28NQ_m5hsQR7yB7XCGnrn5P4auYvfOtjHM/s320/DSC_1123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When they are all cut up it's time to pack them into the sterilized jars with the fresh dill, garlic and pepper corns:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSozQ0PYYO7yHqnaxBkF8pE_U6ckL1eDf0VC7-TxiLL5ZcpZtpMAGuCAjEcfhfdr8Dok_ryXjxgJZeXLQZZZ8_I59XKCJ1rV3F_XY8UG_5tKy-thph7JgQk7diymd7R0YcoPsZdd2qBI/s1600/DSC_1131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSozQ0PYYO7yHqnaxBkF8pE_U6ckL1eDf0VC7-TxiLL5ZcpZtpMAGuCAjEcfhfdr8Dok_ryXjxgJZeXLQZZZ8_I59XKCJ1rV3F_XY8UG_5tKy-thph7JgQk7diymd7R0YcoPsZdd2qBI/s320/DSC_1131.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now, it's time to mix the vinegar, water and pickling salt together and fill each of the jars:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzu9OA5U06oNnVRdtsrYSB7rUG5lPeROWrjYy9p0xlZ5UBROzCsKNWHkhE8PN1ufLlfAPEqSe9h-5gAxEBRONkxIqyBbRzoALaov8-8DXeqXsQvPmOLrznO605dVZuBvBNtOKrhrLaBw/s1600/DSC_1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzu9OA5U06oNnVRdtsrYSB7rUG5lPeROWrjYy9p0xlZ5UBROzCsKNWHkhE8PN1ufLlfAPEqSe9h-5gAxEBRONkxIqyBbRzoALaov8-8DXeqXsQvPmOLrznO605dVZuBvBNtOKrhrLaBw/s320/DSC_1128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once the jars are filled, lids are put on and the bands are tightened, process them in boiling water for about 10 minutes to seal the lids and voila! Fresh pickles!<br />
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Every year I feel the need to purge my life of any excess junk that is hanging around and every year my sister, my mom and cousin Carol come over and we have a huge yard sale (this year a realtor came by and wanted to know if I was moving, I guess we have a lot of junk). Tom made breakfast burrito's, we should have sold them, they tasted so good and Carol always makes taco dip (Carol makes THE BEST taco dip), I think we are going on about 6 or 7 years that we have been doing this, it's a lot of fun, but it's a lot of work. We always ask the same question, where did we have all this stuff? When all is said and done, we load up all the goodies that haven't sold and take them to the Goodwill truck.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzoWiF-sQanY3TCh3v8MtO6g9Pvdd7lTnctsYCNrjZErOx5SSfIG378m-dqpm3nIRUYR_QpYJh9oTouBB0L100Og-ovL8J0jADj-Ik9Cu-U_bEkYE6R2GeIf_soo9IEJJ4ACo3Bbkw2Vk/s1600/DSC_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzoWiF-sQanY3TCh3v8MtO6g9Pvdd7lTnctsYCNrjZErOx5SSfIG378m-dqpm3nIRUYR_QpYJh9oTouBB0L100Og-ovL8J0jADj-Ik9Cu-U_bEkYE6R2GeIf_soo9IEJJ4ACo3Bbkw2Vk/s320/DSC_1112.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Tom wanted to try on one of cousin Carol's necklaces that was for sale (that is my garden over Tom's shoulder, crazy huh?).<br />
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That is my grandma on the right and her sister, Edna on the left<br />
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-75558221147208941452011-06-12T20:56:00.000-07:002011-06-12T20:56:25.574-07:00Hello Summer!Sarah graduated from the 8th grade, where the heck does the time go? She is such a pretty young lady now, it's kind of scary that she will be graduating from high school in 4 years! I will say it again, I feel so lucky that I get to be a part of her life (and lucky for her, I remember EVERYTHING I did in high school!). I love that kid!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QfAMvNOXLZ_aX9V7vkPd47Eh_WBbWnooOTSyEtw0j03aKmJQKSh2riPupc1YM92h-QNJB5WoeD1xCilwLcV0QhKF9v153grNz6LM8emtKZoEYWJrG7tlSihFWcVxhrQjnbQJR4iCI0Y/s1600/DSC_7996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QfAMvNOXLZ_aX9V7vkPd47Eh_WBbWnooOTSyEtw0j03aKmJQKSh2riPupc1YM92h-QNJB5WoeD1xCilwLcV0QhKF9v153grNz6LM8emtKZoEYWJrG7tlSihFWcVxhrQjnbQJR4iCI0Y/s320/DSC_7996.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sarah's softball team had their second tournament this weekend. Saturday, they won 2 and lost 1, it was a long day. Sarah hit two home run's and played 2nd base (instead of her usual catcher) and was just an animal out on the field! Her dad and I couldn't have been more proud of her. On Sundays your team plays until they lose and then your done. Our team was down, I think 11-0 after two inings, it wasn't looking pretty, then the girls started to rally and they came back with 8 runs! We did end up losing, 12-8, but those girls sure gave on heck of a fight! Sarah hit two doubles and had an awesome base hit down the the 3rd base line. I just love watching those kids play!<br />
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Tom has been working all weekend and making time to be at the games, I know he is just beat up from the street up! As we were leaving the softball game this morning he told me to make some dinner and I decided it would be a good time to get back to my grandma's recipes. Tonight it is going to be a Chicken and Rice casserole. Looks pretty easy, however I am going to try and make it a little healthier by substituting lower fat/salt soups for the original full fat ones and mixing my white rice with brown rice.<br />
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Chicken and Rice:<br />
1 can each:<br />
Cream of Mushroom Soup<br />
Cream of Celery Soup<br />
1 C. rice(uncooked)<br />
1 chicken cut up (I am using boneless, skinless breasts)<br />
1/2 soup can milk<br />
Dry onion or chicken soup mix<br />
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Mix rice, soups & milk in pan. Lay chicken over top and sprinkle dry onion or chicken soup mix. Cover with foil and bake 2 1/2 hours at 325. I am also going to add some fresh thyme that I have growing in the garden.<br />
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Sorry there aren't any pictures of the casserole, I didn't have a camera today. But Tom loved it!<br />
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We are finally having nice weather! Northern California had a pretty cool spring and lots of rain! Last weekend it rained so much the neighbor's olive tree broke a branch and it came down in my backyard! Thank god it missed the fence! I am looking forward to some warm temps and sunshine, but I will make sure I keep my sunscreen on! HAPPY SUMMER!<br />
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Time to pull up our skirts and get in the lake!(that is my grandma on the right and her Aunt Bert in Michigan)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJe8GuSSsiT3Js_s_DNRSWTehPgsayVato9uQSVVUaN4Q5rJ-6y3XnnvSSjw5lfryT5ABCGbXc8hnR8XoWFGZFB2029ObFKCiJwYzJFP__0ZBPz6gZZ8A2Y-2MkmOBbQOdVJBjfdBg9E/s1600/SCAN0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJe8GuSSsiT3Js_s_DNRSWTehPgsayVato9uQSVVUaN4Q5rJ-6y3XnnvSSjw5lfryT5ABCGbXc8hnR8XoWFGZFB2029ObFKCiJwYzJFP__0ZBPz6gZZ8A2Y-2MkmOBbQOdVJBjfdBg9E/s320/SCAN0155.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-16534288157062219232011-06-04T14:14:00.000-07:002011-06-04T14:14:46.661-07:00Mother's DayTom and I had just a crazy, busy weekend. Saturday was supposed to be Sarah's last softball game for her recreational league, but the game was cancelled, which saved us a long round trip road trip, because Sarah was camping. Instead of staying home and getting caught up on the laundry, Tom wanted me to go to our friend's daughter's softball game, I am glad I did, it was a beautiful afternoon (laundry will always be there, right?). Saturday night we went to our friend's house for dinner, that is always nice because usually everyone comes to our house and my house stayed clean!<br />
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On Mother's Day, we decided that we would plant flowers flowers at my mother-in-law's house, go shopping, cook and have everyone over at our house for dinner. Sometimes I am not really sure how we get everything done, but we do, I'm sure glad that my wonderful husband helps out, he's the best.<br />
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Our dinner menu consisted of BBQ Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin, BBQ chicken breasts marinated in a Santa Cruz Lime marinade, homemade potato salad, green beans that were cooked al dente, cooled and tossed with sea salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and chili. Dessert was homemade strawberry shortcake, the shortcake biscuits were made from my grandma's recipe.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hCz6siASCJstKdz-jFs2zpCbUlTu3hDBzMgXpGLfTNsRTzYGn3QURSc6_ZYJ6ejTvah917McLbj5sobqRvkbjXeAHPMjM0I7I-_MSbS5T_10uyp4imQnsgT534fV1Xllqbal1Rw1uW8/s1600/DSC_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hCz6siASCJstKdz-jFs2zpCbUlTu3hDBzMgXpGLfTNsRTzYGn3QURSc6_ZYJ6ejTvah917McLbj5sobqRvkbjXeAHPMjM0I7I-_MSbS5T_10uyp4imQnsgT534fV1Xllqbal1Rw1uW8/s320/DSC_7143.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnPpxt6pL1Zmr4nSwSXP-b0sVCiGpfMlUv81ypK4cdsSKyt-o_zulrdi-qdjgiH0HdUu2ju3JuHs1RdgoQjlRv0eEm49BY0D_Y_GVE9LlCV_1mHPrHE25QXlTsimoG70xIq5R9NpwzCE/s1600/DSC_7147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnPpxt6pL1Zmr4nSwSXP-b0sVCiGpfMlUv81ypK4cdsSKyt-o_zulrdi-qdjgiH0HdUu2ju3JuHs1RdgoQjlRv0eEm49BY0D_Y_GVE9LlCV_1mHPrHE25QXlTsimoG70xIq5R9NpwzCE/s320/DSC_7147.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbm6KiQoQEHzLebxjYdbTfi_FSPFw0j5vWET7ZLrcDxsv9rnGUC7MJVRtCOopiLSoIEIbJQSqvTItJp5XebHl24oU4OSIwEGzawvUOPsSoXEAXWf8aMVyIpFrHUIYsvvEN5efonGe-fg/s1600/DSC_7163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbm6KiQoQEHzLebxjYdbTfi_FSPFw0j5vWET7ZLrcDxsv9rnGUC7MJVRtCOopiLSoIEIbJQSqvTItJp5XebHl24oU4OSIwEGzawvUOPsSoXEAXWf8aMVyIpFrHUIYsvvEN5efonGe-fg/s320/DSC_7163.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrlG9Lc2MZQqj2kDmE4jNPajJ0mciTiTKag3OWpNe1mrUI702MdI2Vcy9CUyMBX8JoTy8zRD6oLPgwxR-RRZj7K1E_vTxG4xYSU4iSdUIX_g5Z2Be80DGiTJF9_A5jSQl3J8ncBs_UEQ/s1600/DSC_7180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrlG9Lc2MZQqj2kDmE4jNPajJ0mciTiTKag3OWpNe1mrUI702MdI2Vcy9CUyMBX8JoTy8zRD6oLPgwxR-RRZj7K1E_vTxG4xYSU4iSdUIX_g5Z2Be80DGiTJF9_A5jSQl3J8ncBs_UEQ/s320/DSC_7180.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Slowly, our backyard is getting into shape for the upcoming summer months, we like to spend a lot of time out there. A few years ago, we decided to build an outside kitchen, so we could do our pickled jalapeno's out there. We have a group of people that come over, usually on a Saturday, and we pickle jalapeno's, green beans, carrots, asparagus and whatever else we can get our hands on, we call it the "Pickling Shed", I will post more of that later when our vegetables become ripe. That is how this all got started, one year I had a ton of jalapeno's and didn't really know what to do with them, so I pickled them and it just turned into something we do every year, lots of fun! I will also post about jam's that I make, my mom has an awesome plum tree and I hate to see the fruit go to waste. I have a nectarine tree, however the squirrels get most of that fruit, little stinkers and I have an apple tree that they also raid every year. Usually if someone brings me fruit or vegetables, I will find some way of cooking it, canning it or baking it, I probably should have lived on a farm.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PBtYCZHCHSC2bSM-0T2UWIxk3aybMCTAhih_uQDYvCphsQ9z2x-PN7Ogo9bFTojBI6NvsFeGnyA5xn6sgxBJbCl11vXDF2Q9XHIS3UnLXKmzLcZ1FvEJDep1Q2S0HxCynXNjJs7S7r0/s1600/DSC_7179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PBtYCZHCHSC2bSM-0T2UWIxk3aybMCTAhih_uQDYvCphsQ9z2x-PN7Ogo9bFTojBI6NvsFeGnyA5xn6sgxBJbCl11vXDF2Q9XHIS3UnLXKmzLcZ1FvEJDep1Q2S0HxCynXNjJs7S7r0/s320/DSC_7179.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWIPHWWjumo9CIn3juaTkHiaFRLPSXlusds4gf6rn2ngRiYYXcikKZr61Trq-t3jraOnORVbQti904n1Z_4r6AxcnKnAOzzqPCt_PW6cKnhnQ_EJF7OwxibnNkTc9RzLdzSZAwZYHr_c/s1600/DSC_7168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWIPHWWjumo9CIn3juaTkHiaFRLPSXlusds4gf6rn2ngRiYYXcikKZr61Trq-t3jraOnORVbQti904n1Z_4r6AxcnKnAOzzqPCt_PW6cKnhnQ_EJF7OwxibnNkTc9RzLdzSZAwZYHr_c/s320/DSC_7168.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-75636820072597505992011-05-05T10:23:00.000-07:002011-05-05T10:23:22.316-07:00I Love Spring.....I love spring, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and I am sneezing. Even though it is one of my favorite times of the year, I don't look forward to the sneezing and itchy eye's and for some reason the month of May is the WORST! I hate taking allergy medicine, because then I just want to go to sleep.<br />
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I will be cooking some more food, however, I am going to have to re-formulate some of my grandma's recipes, to make them a little more heart friendly, since my hubby had his "incident". We are eating a lot of chicken, chicken and more chicken, I sort of feel like Bubba from Forrest Gump - we can have chicken salad, chicken soup, chicken chili, chicken enchiladas, etc.<br />
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Tom and I did plant the garden last weekend, 2 jalapeno peppers, 2 anaheim peppers, and 11 tomato plants (La Roma, San Marzano, Beefsteak, Yellow Pear, Cherry), 1 cucumber, 1 pickling cucumber, 3 basil plants, 2 thyme, 1 mint, 1 rosemary and some green beans. Hurry up and grow so we have have some yummy treats!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfdVfWYGJXteD430CO65pchrKbYW0qbVd5xjR3hRqgT6MVRWqno_e7JPAAG6K-Pl8HD6hWr5-ShE_rrqYOf5F_hjfYwtdTuC6uQZowwOVFdnH0IOqWgozlTQ9iXkhLxBwY2KRY95wAvg/s1600/DSC_6908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfdVfWYGJXteD430CO65pchrKbYW0qbVd5xjR3hRqgT6MVRWqno_e7JPAAG6K-Pl8HD6hWr5-ShE_rrqYOf5F_hjfYwtdTuC6uQZowwOVFdnH0IOqWgozlTQ9iXkhLxBwY2KRY95wAvg/s320/DSC_6908.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My husband is a hottie-working the soil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFiu6H8yWD4p34ZAqbrZo8xcDqLrxBTyxrSD-pN7v3WVEvtrBlbnb87xpyVcjqBQ_WSe0dF5XTZw3MDfK_Xvz6z_8EHXVGt1RqRysqTiYI7IAQNYP0rocci308Hxn12lTVVK0Ccne6T4/s1600/DSC_6914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFiu6H8yWD4p34ZAqbrZo8xcDqLrxBTyxrSD-pN7v3WVEvtrBlbnb87xpyVcjqBQ_WSe0dF5XTZw3MDfK_Xvz6z_8EHXVGt1RqRysqTiYI7IAQNYP0rocci308Hxn12lTVVK0Ccne6T4/s320/DSC_6914.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my herbs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBk82w56xSl5v2-oZToEHSGL9YJSRZnuSiQy9jK6PBS2a-5P3ovijZ9y8HZYlap6NeJZTJpXlBHX83RfxXmyuud6RLKEj_BQC8hyphenhyphen-EG8mY0GMsch-02nLrTUSzi_vp6d59oJq3zK5dWI/s1600/DSC_6919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBk82w56xSl5v2-oZToEHSGL9YJSRZnuSiQy9jK6PBS2a-5P3ovijZ9y8HZYlap6NeJZTJpXlBHX83RfxXmyuud6RLKEj_BQC8hyphenhyphen-EG8mY0GMsch-02nLrTUSzi_vp6d59oJq3zK5dWI/s320/DSC_6919.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can you believe I took this picture!?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCpicomHQYxpUfTjVqP9DYJQ637J3lx5-mQ92gsybI8Nl-JMKK5F18hNLT5MoiEDuYH4UJ1jMIX1nZMRNOaBEdEOBKxIV71EkCvZe5oMw8EVRNCaIY0iDEM8Qa329MZmBHnTkdaHjP-Y/s1600/DSC_7012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCpicomHQYxpUfTjVqP9DYJQ637J3lx5-mQ92gsybI8Nl-JMKK5F18hNLT5MoiEDuYH4UJ1jMIX1nZMRNOaBEdEOBKxIV71EkCvZe5oMw8EVRNCaIY0iDEM8Qa329MZmBHnTkdaHjP-Y/s320/DSC_7012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tomatoes and Peppers</div><br />
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Tom and I decided to spend last sunday at the beach, we drove to Half Moon Bay and walked around and then took a beautiful drive south on Route 1 to Santa Cruz so we could eat at our favorite restaurant, The Palomar. We have been going there since 1992, when we were just friends and as always the food was DELICIOUS.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGQcUzL0s18BYBrp2So40fJ7dSjh2495V3-WmbzudF-i9zjHPdTZDXRcUShvzGPF4kq9OMIBbFptA5jNYH4exzT5J0mMqR9fsxDnYVt1Pwa1vVcQLG1y_F2MBwFi247TC8vL8ikCGMNg/s1600/DSC_6948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGQcUzL0s18BYBrp2So40fJ7dSjh2495V3-WmbzudF-i9zjHPdTZDXRcUShvzGPF4kq9OMIBbFptA5jNYH4exzT5J0mMqR9fsxDnYVt1Pwa1vVcQLG1y_F2MBwFi247TC8vL8ikCGMNg/s320/DSC_6948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Half Moon Bay, CA - at the Ritz Carlton</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF6XRmUNeB-xrj18MAA4vTybhngC0zHsY7tzzcIIUbnHRmjk6kCBPDwhU0AAtPWjih0bVoYPpkHsZMhe4HVAdrFKdNanPbkInFhj8y_CyvSQIodNyMn8vnQR6z12pyasqVgZu3F9ptSc/s1600/DSC_6973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF6XRmUNeB-xrj18MAA4vTybhngC0zHsY7tzzcIIUbnHRmjk6kCBPDwhU0AAtPWjih0bVoYPpkHsZMhe4HVAdrFKdNanPbkInFhj8y_CyvSQIodNyMn8vnQR6z12pyasqVgZu3F9ptSc/s320/DSC_6973.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tom and I taking a stroll on the beach in Half Moon Bay</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGS9PuZGHMaO7vrVr5l8Q9ijNOGJdqYa2NF0jrSgzS5k-kvTVJJY0aLyrWueGqTp3BBcjCgIvuwXFgJLTkf8L3AL4f7l40TcStiA7WSBmR23cpQXMUUOcLPBn5i54sSewBLVz7TBy5AQ/s1600/DSC_7006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGS9PuZGHMaO7vrVr5l8Q9ijNOGJdqYa2NF0jrSgzS5k-kvTVJJY0aLyrWueGqTp3BBcjCgIvuwXFgJLTkf8L3AL4f7l40TcStiA7WSBmR23cpQXMUUOcLPBn5i54sSewBLVz7TBy5AQ/s320/DSC_7006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Downtown Santa Cruz - always lots of interesting entertainment</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-43567807165615044182011-04-10T17:22:00.000-07:002011-04-10T17:22:21.209-07:00Day #11 - "Healthy" Chocolate Chip Cookies and My HusbandSometimes life doesn't exactly go as planned. Tom and I started off the week knowing that we were going to go to Southern California for his great Aunt Fray's funeral (she was 102 years old!) and we thought we would take a couple of extra days and visit my uncle Ozzie in Manhatten Beach. I would have been happy if that's what happened, instead Tom called me on Wednesday saying he was going to the hospital because he was having chest pains! I dropped everything I was doing and rushed over to the hospital, he was a little pale when I got there, but they had done and EKG and they thought everything was ok, but they wanted to keep him overnight because of his family's history of cardiovascular disease. They drew some more blood at 2am and his cardio enzymes were slightly elevated. When I got to the hospital in the morning the cardiologist was there and he said that Tom had a "small" heart attack and they were going to do an angiogram later in the day. The angiogram revealed that he had a 95% blockage in one artery and 80% blockage in another, but there was no damage to his heart (thank God). The doctor put in two stents to clear the arteries. Tom had to spend another night in the hospital and let me tell you, he was none too happy about that! Tom got to come home the day after his "procedure", just in time to see Sarah off on her East Coast trip with school. I am so happy to have him home, resting and taking care of himself. Now "we" are on our way to having a heart healthy diet and plenty of exercise! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAag0myZOe_3Z0-5FRIQiNLGsqmuIVQ9Bk2-YrdRuQb2YT3QVtN66opORg9QqJlnY9xPEb3Aa8P_ToGDylVS9pujjRnycdV4iM_bbFiZqvNwsSQVQBmdqf8MJAWFgngmaQQ5SCGoZ7Ps/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAag0myZOe_3Z0-5FRIQiNLGsqmuIVQ9Bk2-YrdRuQb2YT3QVtN66opORg9QqJlnY9xPEb3Aa8P_ToGDylVS9pujjRnycdV4iM_bbFiZqvNwsSQVQBmdqf8MJAWFgngmaQQ5SCGoZ7Ps/s320/021.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Isn't he cute! </div><br />
A few weeks ago, I was at my sister's house and she had made these Chocolate Chunk and Walnut Oatmeal Cookies, I thought they were pretty tasty, so I decided that I would make these for Tom, so he could still feel like he was eating some yummy treats.<br />
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Chocolate Chunk and Walnut Oatmeal Cookies<br />
Preheat oven to 350. Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, and add 3/4 light brown sugar, stir until smooth. Combine 2/3 cup whole wheat flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Combine butter mixture with the dry ingredients and add 1 egg, lightly beaten, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped. Mix well, and spoon by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until tops are dry to the touch.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRPbxrd3oXr_RTIaDP8L2a2Y9UZ8ECkzpHWV9vzbClB9BeaEJgoORi2U0LtGjrl1cmP_fdRRzhrYr85lqnh5YCWnQWxXr1rSu5q0Aka3Gnj8AOd-m9LyYsfPTCckOY20-7x2sT1qdIAM/s1600/DSC_6679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRPbxrd3oXr_RTIaDP8L2a2Y9UZ8ECkzpHWV9vzbClB9BeaEJgoORi2U0LtGjrl1cmP_fdRRzhrYr85lqnh5YCWnQWxXr1rSu5q0Aka3Gnj8AOd-m9LyYsfPTCckOY20-7x2sT1qdIAM/s320/DSC_6679.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ingredients</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLpugf5J7L7w0XlXCTC8vKHJ1wSwZrpz9_gU3PWWWEp7cZ_SfpHWfhRnkYKQdayqAi3KSMrbZn0mnzHR0U_mtxOPa-FTXJZnC-GFAiVTRklsCxGjWpHiJp0Z1nnN6EOhUftYfhsLbdl8/s1600/DSC_6682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLpugf5J7L7w0XlXCTC8vKHJ1wSwZrpz9_gU3PWWWEp7cZ_SfpHWfhRnkYKQdayqAi3KSMrbZn0mnzHR0U_mtxOPa-FTXJZnC-GFAiVTRklsCxGjWpHiJp0Z1nnN6EOhUftYfhsLbdl8/s320/DSC_6682.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Melt butter, add brown sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YsUsyToXfH0GEo7edsl4VuEj-PaaLGz2vlxSDxo1ptWKplBtM6MJsVyBvwc-U-r1mTQURiJxD5b80L83xWTjwLJegrYK1UCCV_twUw64nTtrAidHiqqA09UoGtXjlxWdYeojaYxBaBM/s1600/DSC_6684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YsUsyToXfH0GEo7edsl4VuEj-PaaLGz2vlxSDxo1ptWKplBtM6MJsVyBvwc-U-r1mTQURiJxD5b80L83xWTjwLJegrYK1UCCV_twUw64nTtrAidHiqqA09UoGtXjlxWdYeojaYxBaBM/s320/DSC_6684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mix dry ingredients</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs2SObSalJL6trL8c8_OGqBbcwpgAV140SqfxgatMZTk8diUj0wqpBZKhh8kHkcTVw04gLS1ZRvXRgnFcrR-HklQgPedK_s_3J3h3ng29F1YyH6p_wHOexYn9pj47bd562ZR5HrvTZeU/s1600/DSC_6685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs2SObSalJL6trL8c8_OGqBbcwpgAV140SqfxgatMZTk8diUj0wqpBZKhh8kHkcTVw04gLS1ZRvXRgnFcrR-HklQgPedK_s_3J3h3ng29F1YyH6p_wHOexYn9pj47bd562ZR5HrvTZeU/s320/DSC_6685.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Add the butter/sugar mixutre, egg, vanilla, walnuts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFMeKnyfMxg_on3AxDgcK7k1wiMoxgiYUvn4BfDJY-pv2dE8riyCmeuc86CtOrt1bpksaTr0HLRtvFOZtOBJbh4Jz9gAP1m8aGRWVgP5wOB-gXu5XdlFG2EzBO4a92Av28-9_YiNXPw4/s320/DSC_6689.JPG" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bake for about 12 minutes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cookies came out really good. I know my sister will be mad at me because I used chocolate chips, but I really didn't feel like going to the grocery store, sorry Katie, next time I will use the dark chocolate, I promise.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-55798708766135823112011-04-03T16:58:00.000-07:002011-04-03T16:58:24.123-07:00Softball and FlowersToday is in honor of spring, planting flowers and getting ready for the garden. I apologize, I didn't have any time to cook this weekend. Sarah had a softball game yesterday afternoon, they won 8-3 and Sarah hit a triple, her dad and I couldn't have been more proud of her. After the game we went over to the Millet's for some celebrating! It was great company, I love the softball families, great kids and parents, it was a blast. The kids were playing Just Dance and we even got Tom and Marty to play, let's just say, watching the two of them dancing still brings tears to my eyes, of course we captured it on video so we can enjoy it for a long, long time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSVECf3DQ_OgASxnKpFAxkVTryQqxMCImpd4TWWM7bDp3_u3ZCovI55NkphxTmMeR5zwgb7FffSiNutON7K-LlQJxIoIH_kuYsCdArWYquUGSD1sobhNK2v0k813zFewU68q8IW0S0Js/s1600/DSC_9879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSVECf3DQ_OgASxnKpFAxkVTryQqxMCImpd4TWWM7bDp3_u3ZCovI55NkphxTmMeR5zwgb7FffSiNutON7K-LlQJxIoIH_kuYsCdArWYquUGSD1sobhNK2v0k813zFewU68q8IW0S0Js/s320/DSC_9879.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Isn't she cute.....<br />
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My sister and I have been pretty faithful to our Sunday morning workout's at the track and it was a perfect morning to do that today. After I got home, Tom and I started working in the front yard, pulled the weeds, cut the grass, got rid of old flowers. I love this time of the year, the newness of everything. I decided that I should put some flowers in some of the pots in the front, bring some color to the front yard. I know my grandma always had beautiful flowers in her yard, I can't wait to finish planting the rest of the flowers in the front and get started on the back yard.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Guuvr_fGPXxPt7kgwjY7p0h1kRL49H0cievxZOoDfVDXeGvGsf7fN-X9gEZLeiN6-1dsk-AmCDDIBEdU2vBe6yqeyAyhjjXL7H7N6zTj81y4HrYHNIDwsdjkqm5TLDkA2Na2dQoGfbs/s1600/DSC_6653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Guuvr_fGPXxPt7kgwjY7p0h1kRL49H0cievxZOoDfVDXeGvGsf7fN-X9gEZLeiN6-1dsk-AmCDDIBEdU2vBe6yqeyAyhjjXL7H7N6zTj81y4HrYHNIDwsdjkqm5TLDkA2Na2dQoGfbs/s320/DSC_6653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOlYvSocfCV6Pfw-07QxNP1JJqvCWHvscBR4zifb7n5E2HxLdJK50saeG0AuXQze7ATaYRJqqhu6lmSuWXEe3jPKJ7eP9lt2J4qogk1BmMnjoXrg6Akk5bSUVxHwOZ-y5bFk0On6-OWY/s1600/DSC_6657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOlYvSocfCV6Pfw-07QxNP1JJqvCWHvscBR4zifb7n5E2HxLdJK50saeG0AuXQze7ATaYRJqqhu6lmSuWXEe3jPKJ7eP9lt2J4qogk1BmMnjoXrg6Akk5bSUVxHwOZ-y5bFk0On6-OWY/s320/DSC_6657.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO95u22sYH2_ZZtvPhUR2yomIU9ui30OAyL3qH3gOmrDh4P7Yq6gmjAE_VD7gIM0f6sKl_KYs1lOS8Tvnw9epBOV9PGvMpaHnv4zBYoNqfHNEdEb7ppwQKqCgtQh96RuPjjdMKaSU_fbM/s1600/DSC_6660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO95u22sYH2_ZZtvPhUR2yomIU9ui30OAyL3qH3gOmrDh4P7Yq6gmjAE_VD7gIM0f6sKl_KYs1lOS8Tvnw9epBOV9PGvMpaHnv4zBYoNqfHNEdEb7ppwQKqCgtQh96RuPjjdMKaSU_fbM/s320/DSC_6660.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The garden will be planted in a couple of weeks and that means fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and jalapeno's. As I mentioned before, there will also be fresh basil, thyme, sage, mint and maybe some rosemary. My mouth is watering as I write this! Nothing is better than a fresh picked tomato, right off the vine, with a little salt and pepper.........as my husband would say "forget about it".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKPNLQp0vFbq_Qc4Um6PdtBKQE9unGnFNL4UJAIy2AZfkf5mLtzVT5aM_estJgVUJddcflHjErimqyyft5u69VJn90PNauGjD6CHq50fGu5A3-M4nkbG3hR419NbPToZ4TS6c07mkpsw/s1600/DSC_4313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKPNLQp0vFbq_Qc4Um6PdtBKQE9unGnFNL4UJAIy2AZfkf5mLtzVT5aM_estJgVUJddcflHjErimqyyft5u69VJn90PNauGjD6CHq50fGu5A3-M4nkbG3hR419NbPToZ4TS6c07mkpsw/s320/DSC_4313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Picking tomatoes from the "crop"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMUh_nD50uHQghG9o11iiymHrdF6gI2aapNmssZ-sPODFiA3QB5ipQkbhg6lFYLKsgBl4XXM6pAUE41b284ySNXVCjo6updkagIXC9l9JlxPothTD5WvjKMpbpCilyVHRLA74YPR2TJI/s1600/SCAN0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMUh_nD50uHQghG9o11iiymHrdF6gI2aapNmssZ-sPODFiA3QB5ipQkbhg6lFYLKsgBl4XXM6pAUE41b284ySNXVCjo6updkagIXC9l9JlxPothTD5WvjKMpbpCilyVHRLA74YPR2TJI/s320/SCAN0204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>From what I remember my dad telling me, my grandma used to pick cherries every year, this was one of their trips, my grandma is the one with the bucket tipped towards the camera.Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-7282924945086156212011-03-27T14:40:00.000-07:002011-03-27T14:40:18.297-07:00Day #10 - Gravy, Italian Sausage and Whoopie PiesIt is raining, again, that means no softball, no running, no nothing! I don't know how many days of rain we have had, but I am done, I need some sunshine! My wonderful, Italian husband is going to make some homemade "gravy" today with the rest of last summer's tomatoes. Our garden will be planted on April 19th, we plant on the same day every year, we put in between 6-8 tomato plants, some jalapeno's, green beans, cucumbers and last year I ventured into the world of herbs with some basil (NOTHING smells better than fresh basil). A few years ago I started freezing my tomatoes so we could enjoy them all year, that way we would have them for "gravy", chili and soups. I have never made Italian sausage, but my husband's grandma would come visit his family at Christmas and make all kinds of yummy food with Tom's dad. I remember the deep fried cauliflower, it was dipped in some sort of batter and then fried, the funny this is, I am not a huge fan of cauliflower! Well, one of the things they would make every year was Italian sausage, 100 lbs of sausage! Unfortunately, Tom's dad and grandma are no longer with us to give us a little guidance in the sausage making, so we are just going to wing it and I think we did a pretty good job for our first time!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NDI8TLISGlRriVZEiMcA-Dmbq9bVeja3J4iOJpXVQ6Ekzr1IaiKhmbozPcNYSqDslRA4TqHgQXpB8tYtW8uZIhAVMQy5F3dwlQToaF3exKT6JSgFeXvOtrBRwHNnXO1qIOZBQg0NHAk/s1600/DSC_6516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NDI8TLISGlRriVZEiMcA-Dmbq9bVeja3J4iOJpXVQ6Ekzr1IaiKhmbozPcNYSqDslRA4TqHgQXpB8tYtW8uZIhAVMQy5F3dwlQToaF3exKT6JSgFeXvOtrBRwHNnXO1qIOZBQg0NHAk/s320/DSC_6516.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Chop up the meat<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg3ezXI_jPpU1cQATGHNxerYIc4cXowBTZ5SrU-o7UNKWgU3la-NxVDlTT6LEFpjfgxH387EQqvXUBjHF4VbZFrc24LkVm1iiFNdBYcfExtO9DZAF7Ejhp45Zg2ztj42y8PjhBp2kpak/s1600/DSC_6526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg3ezXI_jPpU1cQATGHNxerYIc4cXowBTZ5SrU-o7UNKWgU3la-NxVDlTT6LEFpjfgxH387EQqvXUBjHF4VbZFrc24LkVm1iiFNdBYcfExtO9DZAF7Ejhp45Zg2ztj42y8PjhBp2kpak/s320/DSC_6526.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Send it through the meat grinder<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SRZHmpas2KQhfgyiZR4_K_FT93elWSdSCPAs0TZ7YMcOAkaiWrPOjBmwErcDKZlID5AlK5ZJS7szx9dg3oBq75J_u1cc6A-_kODMVl8B6NPdaBynn46Hackv8XVyq0YaCeFMWB7GaYI/s1600/DSC_6533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SRZHmpas2KQhfgyiZR4_K_FT93elWSdSCPAs0TZ7YMcOAkaiWrPOjBmwErcDKZlID5AlK5ZJS7szx9dg3oBq75J_u1cc6A-_kODMVl8B6NPdaBynn46Hackv8XVyq0YaCeFMWB7GaYI/s320/DSC_6533.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Add the seasonings and mix together<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8me-WWajPRurP7KAaNJW6Go0IMDiHrOMGd6Y9O-k7UxXDVT_niJ9jtdhAaDnufY_3a5rFw_YLpjzd7cldRqWTtFmj8YXpW-mFCCpU667R5Nx8JIuLWiz1aOEpMkDg0p9mC0pjmmxjYw/s1600/DSC_6541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8me-WWajPRurP7KAaNJW6Go0IMDiHrOMGd6Y9O-k7UxXDVT_niJ9jtdhAaDnufY_3a5rFw_YLpjzd7cldRqWTtFmj8YXpW-mFCCpU667R5Nx8JIuLWiz1aOEpMkDg0p9mC0pjmmxjYw/s320/DSC_6541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We needed to sample it to see if it needed any additional seasoning, so we fried up a patty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaw7c6J1bvZpLFKu21OWk_Eil70Z3WrpYAIBtE56VF-pjdZV8L-MvGFQR3wsC1gdtQ4hS-IXmO1N0KaAin3xVD0JjgbF65Y0cgWHUgIvRUa4gMTLQbCDDh6bFsTNOxHhyp5hWWBXgfx0/s1600/DSC_6543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaw7c6J1bvZpLFKu21OWk_Eil70Z3WrpYAIBtE56VF-pjdZV8L-MvGFQR3wsC1gdtQ4hS-IXmO1N0KaAin3xVD0JjgbF65Y0cgWHUgIvRUa4gMTLQbCDDh6bFsTNOxHhyp5hWWBXgfx0/s320/DSC_6543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Then we decided to add some sauce and parmesan cheese and a meatball, it was delightful!<br />
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I decided we needed some sort of sweetness to eat, so I decided that I was going to make some Whoopie Pies. This isn't totally my grandma's recipe, except for the frosting, she call's it "Mock Whipped Cream Icing" and the funny thing is, I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's web site! The Pioneer Woman was making "Devil Dog's", she used a Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe and the Icing to make these, both of these recipe's are in my grandma's cookbook! When we go visit our friends, Andy and DeAnn in Oklahoma this summer, I am going to make these "Devil Dog's", I can't wait!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKp-wm2_QJB9M-DGvelLDX3kUsMlk0OQSN2ygKkFr0UQOhcNomGq90rK68aNXxvH0Rh50Tny5xbkd8uUHevArz3HzHaa_eMSDKflcEnBl5kwiiwz6T20QeTNrz78-NI5TOnPqvYUjvW_8/s1600/DSC_6509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKp-wm2_QJB9M-DGvelLDX3kUsMlk0OQSN2ygKkFr0UQOhcNomGq90rK68aNXxvH0Rh50Tny5xbkd8uUHevArz3HzHaa_eMSDKflcEnBl5kwiiwz6T20QeTNrz78-NI5TOnPqvYUjvW_8/s320/DSC_6509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Ingredients for the Whoopie Pie cake/cookie portion<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3Cp9CLCxle541srQSVVctUQSHImFS09uLtOv7gwzifsEC5oGQfMmaVeaChu35axPljiAqw7Q6ok5RbtTv1Qab5xVd_hWS5JcbuDJXS3A2pIpdCnCzxP6bvZxsKNXjkR6vLyRaZaFCUA/s1600/DSC_6511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3Cp9CLCxle541srQSVVctUQSHImFS09uLtOv7gwzifsEC5oGQfMmaVeaChu35axPljiAqw7Q6ok5RbtTv1Qab5xVd_hWS5JcbuDJXS3A2pIpdCnCzxP6bvZxsKNXjkR6vLyRaZaFCUA/s320/DSC_6511.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Mix all this together<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2YeWu0C12WcRsfQiCbA8d_y1JgMx3a_TZgcQhKf47taf_AQiinA1lMeORY8b8BhCHwcjGuuEZwOXtwpt6BF7uM1OVe0U0yEFSP_aCvCa0LWv1eqfkiBrjTGliEM_ZCB-U0LTRdpZPG4/s1600/DSC_6512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2YeWu0C12WcRsfQiCbA8d_y1JgMx3a_TZgcQhKf47taf_AQiinA1lMeORY8b8BhCHwcjGuuEZwOXtwpt6BF7uM1OVe0U0yEFSP_aCvCa0LWv1eqfkiBrjTGliEM_ZCB-U0LTRdpZPG4/s320/DSC_6512.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Drop by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet and bake<br />
<br />
I have to admit the first time I read the Mock Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, I was a little skeptical, the ingredients seemed a little strange to me, but when I saw it on the Pioneer Woman's web site, I thought, "it has to be good" and I have to say it was tasty!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gyfOpx7qKJDcT9M1lQl5uRGfqVyXToTOH0IEdn2qnwtA02PoZEI4i0BJpbfiN8UqVC4YsBy2_KO5vVPqFkokoPovBmL1NCCkRhscoQMxW30jggZIU1u9LITUCvci5F1feL8zdBRpqvw/s1600/DSC_6535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gyfOpx7qKJDcT9M1lQl5uRGfqVyXToTOH0IEdn2qnwtA02PoZEI4i0BJpbfiN8UqVC4YsBy2_KO5vVPqFkokoPovBmL1NCCkRhscoQMxW30jggZIU1u9LITUCvci5F1feL8zdBRpqvw/s320/DSC_6535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Cook milk and flour, until it is thickened, let cool completely<br />
Then with a mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar and then add the cooled milk/flour mixture and beat for about 10 mintues.<br />
To assemble the Whoopie Pies, take one of the cakes, spread some frosting on the bottom and top with another cake. They are like big Oreo cookies<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYgjW9XX7pyOq_aAcWqjkn8YUSgz1fw12IMu1suZazRjv6qrzQi86c82ovdY3nOMmJaYad0zPOfaZ3IiMFw705Pr6eJyXRLdnIhQi3NlPIW42zuFq8PGDQBxnRhoyaXV3PsMqrFRHokQ/s1600/DSC_6545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYgjW9XX7pyOq_aAcWqjkn8YUSgz1fw12IMu1suZazRjv6qrzQi86c82ovdY3nOMmJaYad0zPOfaZ3IiMFw705Pr6eJyXRLdnIhQi3NlPIW42zuFq8PGDQBxnRhoyaXV3PsMqrFRHokQ/s320/DSC_6545.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>By the way, the gravy was wonderful! My husband out did himself again!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5D6H55EYBbcep1uBM9MU-VI8iQM8KBCArhOvuo1rKUFGcXvr3jEhWboxkY54ARWqTrVc7iaAQbg9C5t_qwkXv7gKI50uTXymY9USeGu8_t79jAzCOwIG87mKZPytwjHCH5bhF5snTKw/s1600/DSC_6496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5D6H55EYBbcep1uBM9MU-VI8iQM8KBCArhOvuo1rKUFGcXvr3jEhWboxkY54ARWqTrVc7iaAQbg9C5t_qwkXv7gKI50uTXymY9USeGu8_t79jAzCOwIG87mKZPytwjHCH5bhF5snTKw/s320/DSC_6496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-7257956839174065452011-03-20T18:33:00.000-07:002011-03-20T18:33:28.483-07:00Day #9 - Bars, Hamburgers and Golden Parmesan PotatoesThis past Thursday was St. Patrick's Day, of course for us that means we go to the Redi Room to eat Corned Beef and Cabbage, this has been our tradition for the past 6 or 7 years and every year it is delicious. We got an extra dose of fun because the Redi Room has regular Karaoke on Thursday's, nothing like watching drunk people sing (I should know, I am usually one of them). We had a great time, cousin Jody came and my sister and B, however I drank a couple too many adult beverages, let's just say I wasn't feeling 100% on Friday, but I made it through my day at work. Tom and I were invited to attend a grand opening of a new BBQ place (the company I work for did the remodel work), our plan was to go to the grand opening, have a little food and go home to sit on the couch, of course things never work out that way. First, the owner of another local pub/restaurant was at the same grand opening, he is also one of Tom's customer's, he and Tom decided to take a walk and look at another bar in this same complex, when they came back, I noticed the Rockstar (a friend of Tom's) was with them, we then decided to leave and go to to the the pub/restaurant and have some dinner and more drinks. Dinner was good (Shepherds Pie), we had a couple more drinks, the boys played a few games of darts, but Tom and I really just wanted to go home and relax, we finally did at 11pm. Tom had to work the next day, which means he has to be in a bar most of the day running a dart tournament and I was going to a birthday party at a place called the Saddlerack. The Saddlerack has been around forever, we used to go there in our twenties, there is a mechanical bull, bands, just like the movie "Urban Cowboy" (best movie EVER). Well, I knew I was not looking for love in all the wrong places and I was the designated driver, I decided that watching all the drunk people would be fun, most of these people (mostly women) really need to learn how to dress appropriately for their size, and I guess that when you are drunk these days, these women all turn into wanna be pole dancers (believe me, they ALL needed to take a few lessons). It had been raining all day and since I was the designated driver, I was trying to be careful on the freeway for the ride home, staying in the slow lane and going the speed limit, I was just saying to the other girls in the car that with all the rain, it was hard to see the lines in the road and the next thing you knew, my car started hydroplaning, scared the you know what out of me! I remember Tom telling me not to break if that ever happened, how on earth did I remember that! I said a quick prayer and I got the car straightened out and thank god we were fine, the only thing I wanted to do at that point was go home and pull the covers over my head! Finally, we made it home, I told Tom what happened and fell asleep. Today we had to go to another bar for a baby shower, there was no way I could drink again, so I stuck with diet pepsi, I think I'm done with being in a bar for awhile. <br />
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Tom and I always love talking about what we are going to have for dinner, so this morning he had my mouth watering when he mentioned the Bacon, Blue Cheese Burgers he wanted to make. I decided that some Golden Parmesan Potatoes would be a good companion for these. The potato recipe was something my grandma must of clipped out of a newspaper at some point, they sure sounded good to me.<br />
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Golden Parmesan Potatoes:<br />
6 large potatoes<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
1/4 cup parmesan cheese<br />
3/4 tsp salt<br />
1/8 tsp pepper<br />
1/3 cup butter<br />
Chopped Parsley<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAr0sJztBAcTCi0RRbR2Pq76hL0egF_0aFiGCmQi3M073PunknPp0N9eVIvco5gqOIy7kRduS1PdsedfM-VwnU_Hx7cX8x4ClHzivJkw0X4SYVBZoQo7wHNTLNpQS-nfujZcgQi8-7Ps/s1600/DSC_6467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAr0sJztBAcTCi0RRbR2Pq76hL0egF_0aFiGCmQi3M073PunknPp0N9eVIvco5gqOIy7kRduS1PdsedfM-VwnU_Hx7cX8x4ClHzivJkw0X4SYVBZoQo7wHNTLNpQS-nfujZcgQi8-7Ps/s320/DSC_6467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Cut up the potatoes in chunks. Combine, flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a bag. Moisten potatoes with water and shake a few at a time in bag, coating the potatoes well.<br />
Melt butter in 13 x 9" baking pan, place potatoes in pan, bake 375 for about 1 hour, turning once during the baking. When golden brown, sprinkle with parsley.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGozY-Psh4-nw6aUoig-Dd1FFs2Gr9xQhr6Lq1EP5WT-XWNM6hVjLHxtk7x4SD1hOWIQ94lqSh5U2zEvQvIQp6bkX-mJZZR5Kpc9Pi8BXThGCTGY6bKmcnBXG8FGURk0rByk9DqiEJU14/s1600/DSC_6483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGozY-Psh4-nw6aUoig-Dd1FFs2Gr9xQhr6Lq1EP5WT-XWNM6hVjLHxtk7x4SD1hOWIQ94lqSh5U2zEvQvIQp6bkX-mJZZR5Kpc9Pi8BXThGCTGY6bKmcnBXG8FGURk0rByk9DqiEJU14/s320/DSC_6483.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Some of the things I love about cooking my grandma's recipes, is that there are very few ingredients, the recipes aren't fancy and they are good comfort food. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6NATjC-MkUDlMZP5WCWjjYwhxYubz7S7RZ3T_WpnkHqxfFpAqRxMdg-uPwMOIElBQ9bCKPrjAPXwBAn9vpWaXBH99eTva5GR2V6SOkT96qM8gnHKstaJ82eKcICN9Du9pB0I9J8D7Fw/s1600/DSC_6475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6NATjC-MkUDlMZP5WCWjjYwhxYubz7S7RZ3T_WpnkHqxfFpAqRxMdg-uPwMOIElBQ9bCKPrjAPXwBAn9vpWaXBH99eTva5GR2V6SOkT96qM8gnHKstaJ82eKcICN9Du9pB0I9J8D7Fw/s320/DSC_6475.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiLOo1zlOADqk9dFckIk32FMjzItIgdUx9X-mP6irBjP0eTnVqAhVlvTnL2J2Hs7XNyD6b0WgG4hg5AzrUGca9Tkv3bD772jWXEJD3kuMxL98_brz2DEjysgT0pzjdm78odr8s3ZKcXY/s1600/DSC_6480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiLOo1zlOADqk9dFckIk32FMjzItIgdUx9X-mP6irBjP0eTnVqAhVlvTnL2J2Hs7XNyD6b0WgG4hg5AzrUGca9Tkv3bD772jWXEJD3kuMxL98_brz2DEjysgT0pzjdm78odr8s3ZKcXY/s320/DSC_6480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I can't give out the recipe for the hamburgers because Tom doesn't usually write things down, he just starts throwing things together and everything always turns out good. I have been bugging him to cook the hamburgers in the cast iron skillet for awhile now, that is how I remember eating a burger growing up, can't wait to taste it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf-rdm_0vYFQ3Mft8cuY8CZ7APssKZAb-i9FD8pvsEEl8xiZgwzi70VYnf215Nn6n60woZJlffjF8HBJUsMWED5jLM0c0is6RVBPtMeW4sdMbPzo6OK7NY-UN6P_iT-GMBey2T1RxLoA/s1600/DSC_6484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf-rdm_0vYFQ3Mft8cuY8CZ7APssKZAb-i9FD8pvsEEl8xiZgwzi70VYnf215Nn6n60woZJlffjF8HBJUsMWED5jLM0c0is6RVBPtMeW4sdMbPzo6OK7NY-UN6P_iT-GMBey2T1RxLoA/s320/DSC_6484.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-73097659557267504202011-03-13T21:49:00.000-07:002011-03-13T21:49:15.413-07:00Day #8 - Sugar Cookies and Sarah's BirthdaySarah's birthday was March 10th, she wanted to go to Original Joe's, which is a local Italian restaurant that we love, so Tom and I took her to dinner for her birthday and we ate some yummy Italian food. We also decided that we would make dinner for her on March 12th and invite some family and friends over to celebrate, we wanted to keep it "old school", we let Sarah pick out whatever she wanted to eat and she decided she wanted her dad's enchilada's and I asked her if I could make her a cake. The menu consisted of chicken enchilada's with a delicious chili verde/limey sauce, ground beef enchilada's with a red sauce, spanish rice, corn salsa and salad. I decided to make homemade Devil's Food cake with a chocolate glaze. Instead of a traditional layer cake, I thought it would be fun to make "little cakes" with a bundt cake pan I had gotten years ago. I think Tom and I cooked all day, well Tom cooked all day, I made the "cakes" and cleaned the house. By the time everyone ate dinner, drank a few adult beverages and ate birthday cake, Tom and I were exhausted and it was only 9pm! After cleaning up the mess, Tom sat in the big chair, I went and took out my contacts, by the time I got back to the living room, maybe 5 minutes later, he was sound asleep. <br />
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Tom's yummy enchilada's:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo800WseJ_jmn_fbehT-1vh1Zn0hPZmoyhTDOE8XepYp12lnUfswzejjbNgrvExN22cEPVFda08KhFIGZW6YGAA73tH_0qAQviJU6coJ71QoJ75FjCtdRDskeZxM9yJP1c8KZRAnB9io8/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo800WseJ_jmn_fbehT-1vh1Zn0hPZmoyhTDOE8XepYp12lnUfswzejjbNgrvExN22cEPVFda08KhFIGZW6YGAA73tH_0qAQviJU6coJ71QoJ75FjCtdRDskeZxM9yJP1c8KZRAnB9io8/s320/IMG_0071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sarah's Birthday "Cakes"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5p1erVq3so9HgjNPwouyDaA2YZ7lvDjgYCzQ-hgDDgsCXMxpD0P4Drdz-L9E7i9YG42XKa5X4mgu7y_3B-2flxW3uGW_d3iBb5U4c5WKJ_fj3GwZqfNCqfVB_vE2q3oVyZwwYgdua3uc/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5p1erVq3so9HgjNPwouyDaA2YZ7lvDjgYCzQ-hgDDgsCXMxpD0P4Drdz-L9E7i9YG42XKa5X4mgu7y_3B-2flxW3uGW_d3iBb5U4c5WKJ_fj3GwZqfNCqfVB_vE2q3oVyZwwYgdua3uc/s320/IMG_0070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Tom and I knew we had leftover enchilada's to eat for dinner, so he suggested that I make a dessert or something sweet to eat for after dinner. I threw out a few suggestions and we decided that I would make some sugar cookies. Tom suggested that I put some lemon icing on the cookies, like his grandma used to make for him. We had a bag of lemons in the garage, thanks to Buttercup's dad from last week.<br />
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Here is the recipe:<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 cup butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 tsp salt(I don't use this much because I use salted butter)<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp cream of tartar<br />
4 cup + 2 TBSP flour<br />
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Cream butter and sugars, add eggs, then oil and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten or roll and cut. Bake 375 for about 11-13 minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFVzVmE6fvjxpHtvmxr9nWmvfDNZ6v_9PINIceP1_lhlPAv-wpeh-azgrsF4AZyUABEHgStahdN08clrrudbv3zIbdO6k71lMILaW3ZpXc04J1IIjrNzpM5M8rOM88WyEKWfyXmjiPaA/s1600/DSC_6454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFVzVmE6fvjxpHtvmxr9nWmvfDNZ6v_9PINIceP1_lhlPAv-wpeh-azgrsF4AZyUABEHgStahdN08clrrudbv3zIbdO6k71lMILaW3ZpXc04J1IIjrNzpM5M8rOM88WyEKWfyXmjiPaA/s320/DSC_6454.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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One of the things Tom and I agree on, we actually agree on a lot of things, but we love to have our friends and family over for dinners. When I was in the process of getting divorced from husband #1, my house was under construction because it was being remodeled. Tom and I had re-connected at that time, we probably hadn't seen each other in about a year, he came over and helped me out with some painting and the only thing he wanted in return was for me to make him my chili enchilada's. I didn't get around to making those chili enchilada's for a few months for other reasons I won't get into right now, but when I did, I thought it would just be Tom, Sarah and me for dinner. Well, it turned out that my sister and B stayed for dinner and Tom and Sarah brought Uncle Shakey and Sean Sweeney. Tom asked if there was enough for everyone and my reply was "If we don't, we'll make more". That has been the motto around here ever since, we'll always have enough for whoever shows up.Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-1970388356597226912011-03-09T21:38:00.000-08:002011-03-13T16:02:28.703-07:00Day #7 - Pumpkin Cookies and SarahTomorrow is Sarah's birthday, she is going to be 14 years old, it's really hard to believe she is that old! Sarah is a great kid, she has been in my life since she was born, she doesn't remember, but her dad, my husband Tom, used to bring her to my parent's print shop (I worked for my parents for 16 years) and all of us would just fuss over her, she was and still is a doll. I re-entered her life seven years ago when Tom and I started seeing each other and we became more than friends, I don't think she liked me too much, because Tom and I took her and cousin Jody to Disneyland and let's just say when we got home, I told Tom he needed to spend some quality time with his daughter and less time with me. I knew she was feeling like she was loosing her daddy to that "other woman", but I hope she knows that she is the most important thing in his life and mine too. I love seeing her grow up and how much she changes, it is a lot of fun. I didn't have kids of my own for very personal reasons, I am just glad I get to be a part of her life. I love you "little girl" and I hope you have the best birthday ever!<br />
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Well tonight I decided to make "Pumpkin Drop Cookies" this was a recipe that I found in the "Armstrong Ladies Aid Cookbook", this was a contribution my grandma made, I will give you the recipe as it is written:<br />
1/3 cup fat<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup cooked pumpkin<br />
2 cups flour<br />
2 tsp B.P.(Baking Powder)<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
Cream together the sugar and fat. Add the cooked pumpkin and flour, which has been sifted with the dry ingredients. Drop on greased tin and bake in a hot oven.<br />
My first question is what kind of fat?!? I decided to use butter. I did not want to cook a pumpkin, so I used canned pumpkin. My second question was how hot should the oven be and how long do I bake them?!? I decided that 375 would be ok and the cookies should bake for about 15 minutes. These cookies don't flatten out, they stay in a ball shape and the texture is more "cakey", so in all of my wisdom, I decided that the cookies should be "dressed up" with some cream cheese frosting (because everything is better with cream cheese frosting, right Keli Maddox?).<br />
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Cream Cheese Frosting:<br />
4 TBSP butter, softened<br />
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened<br />
3 cups powdered sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
Cream the butter and cream cheese, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and the vanilla.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh281mS3LTaX3Ws29cRwR_0p28fExIMA9V256NAYafUSgu-4UhmIdt-_Dz5ES_ycggCWboRjOTBYaTFbHgFGyYSaZTEbg11o33_khnAL4TJtKLsxxLSDxqx7z2fjLG-FnnsWvJJ3OvxLeo/s1600/DSC_6437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh281mS3LTaX3Ws29cRwR_0p28fExIMA9V256NAYafUSgu-4UhmIdt-_Dz5ES_ycggCWboRjOTBYaTFbHgFGyYSaZTEbg11o33_khnAL4TJtKLsxxLSDxqx7z2fjLG-FnnsWvJJ3OvxLeo/s320/DSC_6437.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Tom has his route on Thursday's in Santa Cruz/Watsonville/Monterey (I know what a horrible place to spend a day working) and I wanted him to be able to share some goodies with his customers. I hope they like them!Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-15213684429289655992011-03-05T20:35:00.000-08:002011-03-05T20:35:50.225-08:00Day #6 - Chicken Casserole, Softball and My Dog BillI spent the morning and early part of the afternoon at Sarah's opening day ceremonies for softball, it was a lot of fun and the best part was Sarah won the Hit-A-Thon, 2nd year in a row! She was a little nervous before it started, but she pulled it off, way to go kid! My friend Tina came with us to hang out and we had a great time. Sarah and her friends are pretty funny. I forgot what it was like to be 14 and Tina and I were having fun giving Sarah and her friend Maddie a hard time. Of course there was a raffle and of course I did not win anything, but Tina won a cool basket with cute flip flops, Itunes gift card, lotions and other useless junk. All in all it was a great day. When Tina and I got back to my house we were unloading my car and we both looked over and saw a guy stopped in the middle of the street and his dog was laying on the ground (I live by a park), I have seen this man several times walking his dog, the dog is a large golden retriever named Buttercup, she was having a seizure, poor thing, I ran and got him a baby aspirin and some cheese and we waited until Buttercup came back to reality, we got her into my car and we drove them home (about 5 blocks). This happened to my boxer, Lucy, when she got older, it was very scary because the dog can't tell you what is going on. I came home and told my dog, Bill that he wasn't allowed to get old and that he needed to just stay the way he is right now (of course he understood me because he was wagging his tail). These darn animals just worm their way into your hearts and hold on tight and even though the end comes, I could not imagine my life without my critters. Bill was a rescue dog from the Humane Society, he was probably the biggest sissy in the whole place, he wasn't like the other dogs that were running around their "jail cell's" he sat in the corner and stared at the wall, why I thought I needed that dog, I have not a clue(probably because I was in the process of getting a divorce from husband #1). Auntie M and my sister were with me at the time and we all loved him! The funny thing was, Bill was a stray, so he didn't have a name and the Humane Society named him Grizzly, he was the farthest thing from Grizzly. It took me awhile to let myself love him, like I loved my boxer, Lucy, but I could not imagine a day without this dog in my life. Auntie M's dad, grandpa, used to say that animals find you, I tell Bill daily that I'm sure glad <u>he</u> found me at the orphange that day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5CzHKvarGDK3aZM7uzbZLCO9sKFwhBpsp6LNiqkM__JZhXGR1Mc8Vt37eTzmvzpWlpJsi1_KwcCQEn_W6_P5cIijNTBHBa1LQPYctMcV0bsWd3cWqcq_-93ULpC6QfeSNuMBDp-5dMU/s1600/DSC_0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5CzHKvarGDK3aZM7uzbZLCO9sKFwhBpsp6LNiqkM__JZhXGR1Mc8Vt37eTzmvzpWlpJsi1_KwcCQEn_W6_P5cIijNTBHBa1LQPYctMcV0bsWd3cWqcq_-93ULpC6QfeSNuMBDp-5dMU/s320/DSC_0288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Well, tonight I am making dinner for my sister, Katie, brother-in-law B, my mom, Auntie M and grandma(Auntie M's mom) and the main dish is Chicken Casserole, I had to "build" this recipe last night and refridgerate it overnight.<br />
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Chicken Casserole:<br />
3 cups cooked chicken (the original recipe called for a stewed chicken, I bought a rotiesserie chicken at Costco)<br />
2 cups chicken broth<br />
2 cans cream of mushroom soup<br />
1/2 lb of Velveeta, cubed<br />
small pkg of macaroni (the original recipe calls for "creamette" I had no idea what a creamette was so I Googled it and it is macaroni), uncooked<br />
I also added some salt and pepper and some thyme<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSMukNJaCRLYUPO0RD0-H5HYgY-hwkMWwu3rHf-WGkI_nnyF-Cq_i3hwM2UIiP8eT2YI6pFZrlQAJZzFljAdxY02zyO-cVvoX1m-j65ofRduqKiFFA8xBUiRw7yEUMpAjT8cU2F_uaYM/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSMukNJaCRLYUPO0RD0-H5HYgY-hwkMWwu3rHf-WGkI_nnyF-Cq_i3hwM2UIiP8eT2YI6pFZrlQAJZzFljAdxY02zyO-cVvoX1m-j65ofRduqKiFFA8xBUiRw7yEUMpAjT8cU2F_uaYM/s320/IMG_0065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Mix all of this together and refridgerate overnight<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FA4vTSQrXkXL6_RtU2YNLB78viBGmeyVSkA1UJ5frIg_6E-5XdOA5z-GsSdCjCcMJ2IRCrBlh9iWFm80c8w6Gjd3Q4t5FVAsAYw2KRi1dLUgdOjHfCNig-PpRDqzmNyjS61XYH8ZDTY/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FA4vTSQrXkXL6_RtU2YNLB78viBGmeyVSkA1UJ5frIg_6E-5XdOA5z-GsSdCjCcMJ2IRCrBlh9iWFm80c8w6Gjd3Q4t5FVAsAYw2KRi1dLUgdOjHfCNig-PpRDqzmNyjS61XYH8ZDTY/s320/IMG_0066.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bake 45 minutes at 350<br />
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We are also having green beans, peas and carrots, bread and butter, fruit salad and of course the apple pie that was baked last night.<br />
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My mom had a cookbook that was put out in 1939 that was titled the "Armstrong Ladies Aid Cook Book" and my grandma was the secretary, I can't wait to go thru it and find other recipes that she had. There is a little poem inside:<br />
<br />
Take a little dash of water cold,<br />
And a little leaven of Prayer,<br />
And a little bit of morning gold<br />
Dissolved in the morning air.<br />
<br />
Add to your meal some merriment,<br />
And a thot for kith and kin,<br />
And then as your prime ingredient<br />
A plenty of work thrown in.<br />
<br />
And spice it all with the essence of love;<br />
And a little whif of play,<br />
Let a nice old book and a glance above<br />
Complete a well-made day<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSJa92BUSXzrsomClBpabRefJgXcs_9Pu-bGpFqvxkY5YQjbPPIo0a6R-PDCTdJo6IoH0lRO60WptU77Me_uYYGRhS3p3E-ZEHCLdJ8pL4I_mGbKPcHBXbDwfb9Ft2CZ-qFUXgcZFqhA/s1600/SCAN0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSJa92BUSXzrsomClBpabRefJgXcs_9Pu-bGpFqvxkY5YQjbPPIo0a6R-PDCTdJo6IoH0lRO60WptU77Me_uYYGRhS3p3E-ZEHCLdJ8pL4I_mGbKPcHBXbDwfb9Ft2CZ-qFUXgcZFqhA/s320/SCAN0090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is my dad, my grandma Opal, Aunt Ruth, Aunt Lizzie, uncle George and aunt Peggy....looks like they are enjoying their meal. We sure enjoyed ours, good food and good company, life doesn't get any better...but I wish my husband was home to enjoy it with us.Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-39284920537395784682011-03-04T22:00:00.000-08:002011-03-04T22:00:42.771-08:00Day #5 - Apple PieMy family abandoned me again! Well, technically Sarah is at her mom's house because it's her weekend and Tom is in Las Vegas to see the NASCAR race with Sean Sweeney. I invited my sister, Katie and brother-in-law, B over for dinner tomorrow night because B fixed my computer last weekend, we are going to have a chicken casserole, some green beans, bread, fruit and a homemade apple pie. I had to "build" (as my friend Andy would say) my casserole tonight because it has to refridgerate overnight and "build" my apple pie because I will be with Sarah at her opening day ceremonies for softball tomorrow. Last year Sarah won the Hit-A-Thon and Tom won the raffle for Disneyland tickets, I hope this year we are that lucky! Sarah has played softball since she was 8, she will be 14 next week (where has the time gone?), she is a great catcher and she plays with a great bunch of girls. I didn't play softball growing up, I was a soccer player, but watching these girls and learning the game is a lot of fun. I am glad that I get to be a part of Sarah's life and I am glad that she get's to have the experience of growing up and playing on a team, these are times she will remember for the rest of her life. I still stay in touch with my soccer friends from my childhood and I can't wait to get back to playing again (probably in the fall).<br />
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For the apple pie, I have a recipe, but not precise measurements, I kind of learned this one by watching my grandma make it. <br />
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Filling:<br />
6 apples, I like Granny smith<br />
Juice of one lemon<br />
Brown sugar (about 1/2 cup)<br />
White sugar (about 1/2 cup)<br />
Flour (about 1/4 cup)<br />
Cinnamon<br />
Nutmeg<br />
Mix all this together and put in the refridgerator until you roll out the pie crust.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiruEvvr2xdGgTsCokyGcjjzVXi_PtIw0MsANmDmvgoDO__B4Ss6GTtvEEVRpkoT4XVQFKdk3owjsoayfddmjXVN6RrU8Q3UNWH0r_tXFtN4CujOeYvJOPTNWoMFTDD2fXVyJQsvu4Fps/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiruEvvr2xdGgTsCokyGcjjzVXi_PtIw0MsANmDmvgoDO__B4Ss6GTtvEEVRpkoT4XVQFKdk3owjsoayfddmjXVN6RrU8Q3UNWH0r_tXFtN4CujOeYvJOPTNWoMFTDD2fXVyJQsvu4Fps/s320/IMG_0059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The pie crust is:<br />
3 cups flour<br />
1 1/4 cup flour<br />
1 egg<br />
1 tsp vinegar<br />
5 TBSP cold water (add more if dough is too dry)<br />
Mix all of this together<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjfGBRxO6XYqussbaSrSi2bGYDcPcC6NGZgThexblsUhyphenhyphent01mAtQk8tGU87SB4zh4rjyqY1xA6vY0XaO0XYCNJsj65_MGBuAD9u9Zx-lFt0CrrgmNF5JhRIsHnha_aS7TtIfSR6SHO9s/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjfGBRxO6XYqussbaSrSi2bGYDcPcC6NGZgThexblsUhyphenhyphent01mAtQk8tGU87SB4zh4rjyqY1xA6vY0XaO0XYCNJsj65_MGBuAD9u9Zx-lFt0CrrgmNF5JhRIsHnha_aS7TtIfSR6SHO9s/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Divide in two, roll out a bottom crust, put in pie pan, pour in apple filling, put a few dabs of butter on apple filling and roll out crust for top. Brush the top of the pie with milk and sprinkle with sugar.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwopC2YAE6zn2uhyphenhyphenqqgTY0o-ljwx3RUvbwEB8St9mK-2r6uZ7jF6WKKXrfBKXDd2cihJcbFNvIuU241hBv_eR9LddptKHGU3hWXlk7AztgzjmPkUxHob69eSNiAyu7vFtYOruYkNQIOqo/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwopC2YAE6zn2uhyphenhyphenqqgTY0o-ljwx3RUvbwEB8St9mK-2r6uZ7jF6WKKXrfBKXDd2cihJcbFNvIuU241hBv_eR9LddptKHGU3hWXlk7AztgzjmPkUxHob69eSNiAyu7vFtYOruYkNQIOqo/s320/IMG_0061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bake 15 minutes at 400, then 45 minutes at 375.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZDqZzlpDuP1ULpu9MDOflq7h8O4kP87sByS0OLA0EI3HHNewdajw7nmjV-Gkljp2yjQQCYw_haT4zTiLDctgM6CkAZXWpR3J9M4Ij77LsjagC0k_bAlziauW48Myv8MMNf9tPVwP82U/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZDqZzlpDuP1ULpu9MDOflq7h8O4kP87sByS0OLA0EI3HHNewdajw7nmjV-Gkljp2yjQQCYw_haT4zTiLDctgM6CkAZXWpR3J9M4Ij77LsjagC0k_bAlziauW48Myv8MMNf9tPVwP82U/s320/IMG_0067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We'll serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, yum! My dad always liked a slice of cheddar cheese on his pie, I think that is a mid west thing. I wish my dad was still alive, he would get a kick out all of this.<br />
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The best part of making a pie are the pie dough treats that come afterward, these are my sister Katie's favorites! My sister gets a little "testy" if she doesn't get any of these. These are pretty simple to make, use the leftover pie crust pieces, roll out flat, spread with butter and top with brown supar and cinnamon<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmq8vMZ5TgfQmLVPfpMF8zNMqs9-vASKzMZ3MG7ESU_FMc_CKtdjsf7fYDDV_TJJLZmPMV1Y14eN0ua75QgitAXqPVlb3EeuDcDbvjNLB4VSajMVz3xwVwuTCCpfYuT7OSRyZPfZK3L8/s1600/IMG_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmq8vMZ5TgfQmLVPfpMF8zNMqs9-vASKzMZ3MG7ESU_FMc_CKtdjsf7fYDDV_TJJLZmPMV1Y14eN0ua75QgitAXqPVlb3EeuDcDbvjNLB4VSajMVz3xwVwuTCCpfYuT7OSRyZPfZK3L8/s320/IMG_0062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>roll up like a jelly roll and slice<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMn3aYiwTWYVMxxhyphenhyphen-zRZyDeEqGhnELxaRjyUWoW5fr4t_Q5JZQkaIQC2qCYfFUgghaMJkQbrH3wBibf-pvloO8IYs-PR9UWKW0_A7Re5TnF5vpyioiL0LnIIRKl7ek_6KXtPIp6NIl0/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMn3aYiwTWYVMxxhyphenhyphen-zRZyDeEqGhnELxaRjyUWoW5fr4t_Q5JZQkaIQC2qCYfFUgghaMJkQbrH3wBibf-pvloO8IYs-PR9UWKW0_A7Re5TnF5vpyioiL0LnIIRKl7ek_6KXtPIp6NIl0/s320/IMG_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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put on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes. <br />
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If I thought the house smelled good when the banana bread was baking, it doesn't even compare to some yummy cinnamon goodness that happened in my kitchen tonight, DeAnn I wish you were here with me! Thanks for sharing, via text messages, a glass of wine with me! Tomorrow we'll see how the chicken casserole turns out!Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-69404097801026712142011-02-27T19:33:00.000-08:002011-02-27T19:33:38.801-08:00Day #4 - Tater Tot CasseroleFriday night my family "abandoned" me, as Sarah would say, Tom had to work and Sarah went to a party, I should have called my friends so we could go out and party like it was 1999, but I decided that I should stay home and clean the house because I had to pick up Sarah and her friend at 10:30pm (I was just hoping that I could stay awake that late). Cleaning is kind of like therapy for me, it's a no brainer and I can turn on my music and rock out, so that's what I did, rocked out with my tunes and seranaded my dog, Bill. I'm really not the crazy lady with the animals, but I do love my critters and Bill loves my singing. Earlier in the week, I had asked a couple of friends to come over for dinner on Saturday so they could sample my cooking, my friend Tina and Auntie M(I am not sure if she wants me to use her name, but now she sounds like a character from the Wizard of Oz) were coming over and I needed to figure out what to cook. The menu I came up with was Tater Tot Casserole, salad with homemade honey dressing, garlic bread and fruit salad. Tater Tot Casserole was a dish from my childhood that my grandma gave my mom, it is probably the easiet casserole to make and almost impossible to mess up, here it is:<br />
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Tater Tot Casserole:<br />
1 lb hamburger (I try to find the leanest)<br />
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the healthy request variety)<br />
Tater Tots<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzn5VWC40pu0pXlbzfjOu9dKSwvYRz-vx1YQqETBR0EGVSZA5D9_jyB746K8nJJBiIj8Wc-TlruwyphhKqulgouWFEorJRHLUGwyg8SXhhatPCQhOjVVEM5IBVw0tSXFvbC7YIqQALvW0/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzn5VWC40pu0pXlbzfjOu9dKSwvYRz-vx1YQqETBR0EGVSZA5D9_jyB746K8nJJBiIj8Wc-TlruwyphhKqulgouWFEorJRHLUGwyg8SXhhatPCQhOjVVEM5IBVw0tSXFvbC7YIqQALvW0/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Put the hamburger in the pan, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrAmj1280Hg7PvzKas4xKYJzqa_ly9wXZag8iUyzJCy18N7EzfUM7KCVtMhfn4oZg1UoqcLqlmyFIqb72r-uZ_8cPsph-Kn1pdn0hBhkY3C9n-hhv6F3dktAfYbYatO1BJLarLrsHZjQ/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrAmj1280Hg7PvzKas4xKYJzqa_ly9wXZag8iUyzJCy18N7EzfUM7KCVtMhfn4oZg1UoqcLqlmyFIqb72r-uZ_8cPsph-Kn1pdn0hBhkY3C9n-hhv6F3dktAfYbYatO1BJLarLrsHZjQ/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Next layer is the cream of chicken soup<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPicvtyUbiIRXylfUyrdVuiTu6OzgR3evXLpu4gn3g6ILUeJx_Aw4KtT1LHQSmRduwUjN-yAkQc0x4R2-Aj82f5UXschqTpRf3rEhq7CsZeniGpMa1DUEDjHBxo25XCqAS0MEBH6krwSQ/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPicvtyUbiIRXylfUyrdVuiTu6OzgR3evXLpu4gn3g6ILUeJx_Aw4KtT1LHQSmRduwUjN-yAkQc0x4R2-Aj82f5UXschqTpRf3rEhq7CsZeniGpMa1DUEDjHBxo25XCqAS0MEBH6krwSQ/s320/IMG_0053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Last layer are the tater tots<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4x-AQWdDOKuHVMPWoWL6VZNzBdyhCwLSjMJtONTlufm1beLzmohZkMCOy6eUuXzJ25MS6LNX3NKeui4ivl4wRs3pRYu0dMdu07AHKY2n69VFv0Vy-RK1t5-pA3WgWBXvpjHsR0h0tELg/s1600/IMG_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4x-AQWdDOKuHVMPWoWL6VZNzBdyhCwLSjMJtONTlufm1beLzmohZkMCOy6eUuXzJ25MS6LNX3NKeui4ivl4wRs3pRYu0dMdu07AHKY2n69VFv0Vy-RK1t5-pA3WgWBXvpjHsR0h0tELg/s320/IMG_0054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes<br />
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I needed a vegetable, so I decided on salad. My grandma had a recipe for Honey Dressing, I think this must have been something she made for the school (she was a cook at the school) because there was a large portion recipe that was written on a menu for that day, Tuesday, Sept 17, 1968 and it was for Lunch #1, pork patty with cream gravy, whipped potatoes, buttered green beans, slaw, apple sauce, hot biscuit, butter and milk, can you imagine getting that for a hot lunch at school! Thank god she had written a "reduced" portion recipe on an old envelope.<br />
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Honey Dressing:<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp celery salt<br />
1 tsp paprika<br />
1/3 cup vinegar<br />
3/4 cup honey<br />
1 Tbsp lemon juice<br />
1 Tbsp dry onion(I used onion powder)<br />
1/2 cup catsup(ketchup)<br />
1 cup olive oil<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCK6mzVefc0_sHy6z43x8myftlpaua0oAmTNc2NHwyEgJY5lsONR6-pxvQwaBGTg2G0axtBuL_42MPsDRlDZQuKrNJgPo5FKqmaZM07GMH9bY0YuZim73mqlRZ6Xx60b1QcqPYqgIwZPU/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCK6mzVefc0_sHy6z43x8myftlpaua0oAmTNc2NHwyEgJY5lsONR6-pxvQwaBGTg2G0axtBuL_42MPsDRlDZQuKrNJgPo5FKqmaZM07GMH9bY0YuZim73mqlRZ6Xx60b1QcqPYqgIwZPU/s320/IMG_0055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.<br />
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Everything turned out great! I have to let you know who Auntie M is, she is my aunt in law from marriage #1 (yes, I was married before), she is a very dear friend and my friend Tina is actually a "new" friend. I am very thankful these two people are in my life, they both make me laugh and I always have fun with them, I wanted to tell them that Sarah and I had fun with both of you and I think that "Date Night" was funnier the second time.<br />
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I am having a lot of fun with my blog and couldn't wait to post on Saturday, but my DSL/modem/router decided it was tired and it died. I went and got a new one today and had my brother in law, B, install it (I don't do computer techie stuff). Thanks B, I will be cooking you dinner next week!Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4924885514379079575.post-25712057346919475422011-02-23T21:04:00.000-08:002011-02-23T21:04:14.820-08:00Day #3 - Banana BreadThis is one of my personal favorites and has been in my own recipe collection for years. My husband, Tom, plays darts on Wednesday nights, I wanted to surprise him and make something so that when he came home the house would smell delightful and since there were banana's on the counter, Banana Bread won! Tom won't be very happy with me, because the banana's are for his cereal in the morning, and how can you resist banana bread! I actually don't like banana's, they smell funny and the texture is just all wrong, but mashed up and baked in this bread, it's all good!<br />
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Here is the recipe:<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 cup butter, softened (the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup melted shortening, but I like butter)<br />
3 bananas, mashed (most of the time I put them in whole and let the mixer mash them)<br />
2 cups flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
pinch salt<br />
1/2 cup nuts(I like to use walnuts, you can leave the nuts out if you don't like them)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GCeiwbiUmSY8ktcxDngt7ZdowK1S_g9E1j69rCicmHLGoFCz9G2nRg_Qy7Hd0XlKYow4bgVp9YpTEdMOJGgPX6-G8i3R0QfST4ziuBqmx_h4fgmQrw2xilpUfGVKezfC-OYZQK0Wf40/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GCeiwbiUmSY8ktcxDngt7ZdowK1S_g9E1j69rCicmHLGoFCz9G2nRg_Qy7Hd0XlKYow4bgVp9YpTEdMOJGgPX6-G8i3R0QfST4ziuBqmx_h4fgmQrw2xilpUfGVKezfC-OYZQK0Wf40/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cream the sugar and butter, then add the eggs<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp6bSEoDM23orpmb9KYDv8Rdfd2dbu21Ul3abFFs6koE1tlH38r47BFj5wouXl3OfIoaLb37PuYXY3uK_rtnvXEPuGYrQLLVVgxvM40txm1faP217StB84L53ejg3-uOODokJ88wsNxc/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp6bSEoDM23orpmb9KYDv8Rdfd2dbu21Ul3abFFs6koE1tlH38r47BFj5wouXl3OfIoaLb37PuYXY3uK_rtnvXEPuGYrQLLVVgxvM40txm1faP217StB84L53ejg3-uOODokJ88wsNxc/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Add the bananas and mix<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB2e8rFSVSNTZft0V4LmsLEXRKU9DHWcLiKVLygJg00Bv1_E3Jso0hrpZ098BQSOmPgmrKIFfVlg3wKwtp4MwW_NwaCbsctHozimq6aZsQTvQ5T_2DyZrBGrwALFSwQYuoPnq549-_CQ/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB2e8rFSVSNTZft0V4LmsLEXRKU9DHWcLiKVLygJg00Bv1_E3Jso0hrpZ098BQSOmPgmrKIFfVlg3wKwtp4MwW_NwaCbsctHozimq6aZsQTvQ5T_2DyZrBGrwALFSwQYuoPnq549-_CQ/s320/IMG_0034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Add 2 cups flour, baking soda and pinch salt and mix<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpc9CaXgfqnrI0JB4pNjHJS20LgpNhz8Is4OdTW-hXlBOIUYiqkb4RPUWLwEh8W3T7l45Q7r8CEhde9Qsx0FCBKygZz0JSciY3DnrGrDIpfehyXYCN9ES_djSDuOsXZMU_zhXPt5B5o0/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpc9CaXgfqnrI0JB4pNjHJS20LgpNhz8Is4OdTW-hXlBOIUYiqkb4RPUWLwEh8W3T7l45Q7r8CEhde9Qsx0FCBKygZz0JSciY3DnrGrDIpfehyXYCN9ES_djSDuOsXZMU_zhXPt5B5o0/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Stir in 1/2 cup nuts(if using)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOd4GMPqHF37qgFQXl8ReEvoJMVI413kkEMNxmCnW2F97S3Q815-siPrMHSp_-tbXsOgUvuHDBpdrntomOcYYFU8fEf1FusZ2y8AYr5OQchFIGvX349IG0nt6WTW2YxcA7h4KczWHaa3I/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOd4GMPqHF37qgFQXl8ReEvoJMVI413kkEMNxmCnW2F97S3Q815-siPrMHSp_-tbXsOgUvuHDBpdrntomOcYYFU8fEf1FusZ2y8AYr5OQchFIGvX349IG0nt6WTW2YxcA7h4KczWHaa3I/s320/IMG_0037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour (in my oven I usually have to let it bake a little longer, just insert a knife and if it comes out clean it's done).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ1m9rqZqX-1abGF2m48lYSz0KhJI8DkOOUS-OQIraB-7YbYUYCPRCKkNaQoo3nX23-Ugyx6U1e2ONO4-dEa7ORdS1gdL_21peTD-nbIJJAxEW_oURLrToFkkuPBGl2jf1ydJUm1jReQ/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ1m9rqZqX-1abGF2m48lYSz0KhJI8DkOOUS-OQIraB-7YbYUYCPRCKkNaQoo3nX23-Ugyx6U1e2ONO4-dEa7ORdS1gdL_21peTD-nbIJJAxEW_oURLrToFkkuPBGl2jf1ydJUm1jReQ/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here is the finished product! Too bad you can't do scratch and sniff on the computer, it really smells yummy!<br />
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I started swimming today, I am not the best swimmer, probably because I do not like to put my head under water. The reason I started swimming was last fall I tore a muscle in my leg playing soccer (at least I think it was a tear, I never went to the doctor, but it felt like a rubber band snapped), I did not run (which I love to run) for 4 months! I just recently started running again and did my first 5k a couple of weeks ago, my sister and I are working our way up to a 10k by July when the Wharf to Wharf happens in Santa Cruz. I am slowly getting back to where I was last year, it just takes a little longer to heal from injuries, mentally I am still 16, however, my body is objecting just a little bit. Thank god I am doing all this exercise, now I can eat the goodies I am making!<br />
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Hope you enjoy the Banana Bread and your house will smell delicious when it is baking!Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01237727359712289457noreply@blogger.com1