Saturday, February 28, 2009

Mother Goose Popcorn

I love this idea!I think I'll make it for the grandkids when I visit them in May. Of courseI would make it purple and orange. Miss O informs me each time I visit that purple is her favorite color. She was invited to a birthday party a couple weeks ago but had to stay home because she had a bad cold. The treat bag that the mom made for her was all purple items. She gave it to Karen when she went by to drop Olivia's gift off to the little girl.

Mother Goose Popcorn

1 C sugar
3 Tbsp water
6 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
food coloring

#1 Mix milk and sugar in a sauce pan and on medium heat bring to a boil.
#2Careful not to let it burn and do not scrape the sides of the pan or the sugar will crystalize.
#3Add vanilla extract and your choice of food coloring (it is usually pink or light green) and mix well.
#4Place the popcorn in a large bowl then pour the hot liquid over it and coat as evenly as you can.
#5Spread on a cookie sheet to dry.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Recipe Friday Feb. 27, 2009 'CROP' Chip Raisin Oatmeal Pecan cookies

This is one of my favorire cookie recipes. I was standing in line at the local walmart (takes forever to get checked out, doesn't it?) when I grabbed Martha Stewart's little book, Food Everyday. It's a magazine the same size as 'Prevention'. Anyways, right inside the front cover was this recipe I HAD TO TRY! Since my hubby is a huge chocolate chip cookie fan, I thought my recipe needed to 'grow up' a little. So this is an adult version of chocolate chip cookies:

Chocolate Raisin Oatmeal Pecan (CROP) Cookies

• 1 ½ c flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 C. unsalted butter, rm. Temperature
• ¾ c. packed lt. brown sugar
• ¾ c. granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 ½ c. rolled oats
• 1 ½ c. raisins
• 1 12 oz. package Semi Sweet Choc. Chips
• 1 c. toasted pecan pieces (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. With an electric mixer cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture, beat until just combined. Add oats, raisins, and chocolate chips, beat until just combined.

Drop 32 heaping tablespoons of batter, about 1 ½ inches apart onto baking sheets, bake, rotating halfway through baking time. Until cookies have spread and become a golden brown and are soft to the touch, 10-12 min. Cool 5 min. on cookie sheets, move to a wire rack to cool completely.

For crisper cookies, bake at 350 for 16-20 min.



Wednesday, February 25, 2009

GUMBO last night

It was DEELISH! I'll try to get photos tonight, it took so long to cut up the veggies, etc. that it wasn't done in time to eat dinner. So tonight I'll add the shrimp and we'll eat it for dinner. That recipe is a keeper.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Ryka Shoes

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Remember when I won these? I have a rattle in the heel of the left shoe, it sounds and feels like I am walking on crystals when I wear them, esp. when I put my full weight on them. They also make a 'flipping or clicking' sound when I walk. I noticed this when I wore them over the weekend. I rarely wear them because I have another pair of shoes that I wear.

I contacted the company, the return email was interesting. It felt like they thought I was trying to pull a fast one on them. I am disturbed by the attitude. I will return them because I feel like the shoe should be investigated for the root cause of the problem. I am out nothing, I just thought they might want to know. I guess not. But I am still packaging them up at my expense and will ship them back. I was thrilled I won them.............................now, not so much.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Sisters goofing around

A few years ago we were at a local Wal-Mart. They had a photo machine that distorted your picture when you took it. Here is the result of our efforts. Please be warned, content may actually frighten young children:










My friend Sandy the graphics designer took the pictures and put them all in a circle so we could enjoy them. While Mom was in the hospital last year recovering from her cancer surgery, I took a copy of the photo my sister had and framed it for her, it started more than one conversation in the hospital.

We are from Top to bottom, left to Right: Michelle, Deanne, Dianne, Me, and Wendy, the baby is center on the bottom. Pretty much can tell who we are by the pictures, which is scary.

Oh, and that dentist appointment I went to this morning is actually next Monday at 0800. UGH!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Dentist tomorrow

Lord, I forgot I have a dentist appt. tomorrow, got to be at a meeting at 0600, then at the dentist at 0800. I hate to cancel the dentist, so will suck it up and be back in Glenweird by 8am.

Sent a note to my team at work I'll be in late, and will do the best I can to get there in a reasonable time.

Whew! Sister's breakfast is over!

We survived it, had a good time, watched some movies I had not seen before:
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
The Secret Life of Bees (read book, hadn't seen movie)
Sweet Home Alabama
The Wedding Date

We ate, drank and had some laughs and jokes. I slept on an air mattress in a closet all weekend, slept pretty good, if my feet would have stayed warm, remind me next time to take my slipper socks.

Steve called me about 10am to say he missed me and would I please meet him for lunch. I did that, we shopped for groceries, and I came home after going to get my coat.

He has the laundry all washed, the house clean and dinner planned out, am I lucky or what?????

Sounds like Isaac called to talk to Steve while I was gone ( I told him his dad would be home alone all weekend) My Noah Benoah has pink eye and a cold, shared by the little boy Karen was sitting for, who also attends her church.

Off to take a little catnap for about an hour............

Friday, February 20, 2009

Recipe Friday Feb. 20, 2009

Mardi Gras is next week, I haven't made gumbo before, so I thought I would give it a go. I took this recipe from Paula Deen. She has a video on how to make it, along with making a roux.

For those of you that don't know what a roux is, you simply put a fat into a pan, then stir some flour into it, cook it slowly until it is a nice buttery brown color, then add your liquid. It is the basic step in making white gravy, something almost every parent made this when I was a kid growing up. They added dried beef to it and served it over homemade biscuits, toast, and mashed potatoes. I am sure you all know what it used to be called.......S%&t on a shingle! We loved it!


So, here is how to make the Gumbo, it starts with a roux, most southern cooking does.





Here is the recipe. Enjoy, I am going to make it on Tuesday, I think! I know, it looks like a lot of ingredients, but really, I have learned that is why these recipes have so much flavor. I have garlic and fresh parsley in the house all the time now, along with green onions.

Gumbo
Paula Deen

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
• 4 cups hot water
• 5 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked


DIRECTIONS

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove.
Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine.
Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

Monday, February 16, 2009

We are BACK!!

I so enjoy the times with my grandkids. Miss O and her dancing, singing and high energy personality. Noah with his steady, quiet pondering. They are so different, it is such fun to see them and watch them grow.

We made the heart shaped cookies for Noah's class treats. Hopefully Karen will post a photo, she took quite a few of the process. They look so decadent, but are not that difficult to accomplish. Karen was delighted to find out she can do it, too. The thing the kids like the best is that their names are written on THEIR cookie. It is so little work, but yields such a big reward for them. We also made bite sized ones and delivered them to her neighbors, along with 'named' ones for the neighbor kids. Karen got phone calls thanking her for the special treats.

We made Pioneer Woman's Wild rice and corn bake, and her crash potatoes, and the Raspberry Almond Pound Cake. We put whipped cream on the pound cake and then added some raspberries with the natural syrup it was in, but it was a little bland. Next time I might make a sauce with the raspberries to drizzle over the cake. I always make each recipe exactly as stated the first time, but tweak it if I make it again.

I am troubled that the woman she sits for who doesn't take her son in for an ear infection. The mother is a nurse, she told Karen that the infection didn't require anitibiotics because the little boy had holes in his eardrums and the meds wouldn't work..........he laid on Karen's lap all through church and rested his head on her shoulder. Clearly he isn't feeling well. What is wrong with that woman???? I just shake my head.

I am back at work today, hit the floor running with 111 emails to answer, along with meetings to attend. The break was well worth it. Steve and I are planning a trip to the gym tonight, I think it will help energize us. I have a hard time convincing him of that.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Raspberry Pound Cake Friday the 13th January 2009

Raspberry Almond Yogurt Poundcake

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup granulated Splenda or granulated sugar
2 eggs or leave out egg beaters and add 4 eggs
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (optional, add 4 eggs instead)
6oz non-fat almond yogurt or regular yogurt
1 1/2c frozen raspberries, thawed, drained


Preheat oven to 325°F
Prepare a loaf pan with baking spray (or grease & flour)
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and Splenda or sugar until light and fluffy
Add in the eggs, Egg Beaters and yogurt until well blended
Add in the flour mixture, 1/2c at a time, blending well after each addition
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the raspberries
Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake for about 70 minutes until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool completely.

I'd really like to try this at my daughter's house when we are there.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

250th post

WOOHOO, when Karen first suggested I start a blog, I had no idea what I would talk about. Not that I don't have problems talking, but you know what I mean?

Off to see the grandbabies soon.

We had a pick up truck try to 4 wheel up our bank last night. They didn't make it all the way up, their truck either didn't make it or they had trouble. This resulted in our back yard sustaining some damage from the truck backing down the hill, then driving out of our yard. That really makes me crabby. Last summer somebody drove right through our front yard, around the garage and up the bank.

What is wrong with people that think it is OK to drive onto private property and damage my yard???

We called the police, they were there in 10 minutes, but of course the truck was gone.

I couldn't sleep when the incident happened, I was on the computer. I heard this terrible rattling muffler. I looked out the window to see them parked under the overpass. They were all out of the truck looking it all over. I have no idea what was going on, but it was irritating.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Pound Cake Feb. 6, 2009

This recipe was found on the new site listed on my favorite blogs. I found her on The Daring Bakers site. I have always loved pound cake, it is so versatile. You can add many things to top it with, great for sipping tea and visiting.

Pound Cake
1 ½ c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 T. lemon zest
2 sticks butter


-preheat oven 350 F 180 c

-grease and flour or line with baking paper 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan
-whisk flour and baking powder together
-process the eggs ,sugar,vanilla, lemon zest & juice together in mixer until combined, with machine running add melted butter in and whisk until combined. Pour mixture into a large bowl
-sift one third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and whisk to combine, Repeat twice more with the remaining flour mixture then continue to whisk the batter gently until most lumps are gone(don’t over mix)
-scrape batter into pan and smooth the top, bake the cake 45-60 minutes
-turn the cake right side up and cool about 2 hours before serving.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Miss O and Noah Benoah are gonna get a visit!!!

I love to go see the grandbabies! This time it was grandpa's idea to go, we'll take a few days off and head on out. 7 hours is a long time in the car, but I am getting some books on CD to take with us, it really makes the time go by fast.

The only thing that would make it better is if Uncle Isaac could join us, but he is off at school learning computer networking.

Right now I am busy buying them some gifties to take with me. I'm looking for a good deal on a pair of orange crocs in a size 12 for Noah, and a size 9 pair in purple for Miss O. If any of you spot them at a good price (better than $25/pair) Let me know, I am all about saving money. That way I can buy them some personalized shoestrings, or some other necessity like that.