New Baked Egg recipe was good

Steve got me new Fiesta Ware coffee cups for Christmas. I didn't know what to do with the little cups that came with the 5 piece place settings.....I had a recipe that called for Ramekins. I didn't have any ramekins, so I made do.

Baked Eggs
(serves 2)
4 whole eggs
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 T. fresh parsley, minced
4 T. sour cream or creme fraiche
salt and pepper
Equipment: 2 buttered ramekins, a shallow pan to bake in

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Butter the ramekins and put about half the garlic in the bottom of each, along with a tablespoon of sour cream and half the parsley. Crack 2 eggs into each ramekin, season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining garlic, sour cream and parsley, and place in the baking pan. Fill the pan with warm water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekin and place in the middle rack of the oven. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Serve with toast.

Snowed in for 2 1/2 days: PHOTOS

Isn't it lovely? There's plenty here if you want to borrow a little. I won't be sad.








Isaac is 6'2" the snow is way taller than him after piling it up. This all came from between the house and the garage.





















This drift was as high as our kitchen window. OUCH!!!













View out the kitchen window of our house.

Snowed in day 2 1/2

Ok, I've taken CLR to anything that has a water lime build up, now I'm cleaning the junk drawer. Lord help me, how does all this stuff get in this one little spot? I have like 10 9V batteries and 15 or more AAA's. Only 6 AA's. No C's or D's (can tell there are no little kids here opening gifts or needing batteries to make it run).

I'm bored. Taking some chili and a sleeve of crackers to the housekeeper to see how she fared in this weather. She's off today, I bet she is sad she can't do anything on her one weekend off.

Merry Christmas!!!

I think we've hit a new record. Generally the kids were up opening gifts early in the morning, today it was 10am before we started, we had the traditional Overnight Raisin Oatmeal Pancakes, a cup of coffee, then opened our gifts. It's never been 10....it's been 10 before 6am, 10 after 5 am, even 10 after 4 am one year, but never 10am, the kids would have exploded if they would have had to wait that long!!!

It's nice to be all snug in the house with the snow neck deep in the yard. Nobody has to go to work, we don't HAVE to be anywhere. We're just going to watch old movies, visit and enjoy our company!!!

View out our back door:

Pending, Isaac's computer is hooked up, I don't have a place to stick the SD card...sigh.

Frank McCourt and Julia Childs????

I'm listening to Frank McCourt's book "Teacher Man" on CD in my car. It's all I can do to keep from bringing it in the house to listen to when I get home from work! What a great story, and it was read by the author himself. I just don't know if it would have been as good if he hadn't read it.......

Julie and Julia on DVD. We watched it tonight for the first time, Julia Childs was a hoot, and Julie Powell is going to get some research done on her.

I've got to know more about Julia Childs, the way Meryl Streep portrayed her in the movie was fascinating! What a lighthearted and happy sould Julia must have been.....she and her hubby were so in love.

I was so tickled about the visit from her sister. It reminds me how I feel when I see Karen Jean or my friend in Colorado, (Karen's namesake) The overall sense of joy, love and contentment to just lay your eyes on them, spend time with them and love on them.

I love both of you Karen's with all my heart....I love you more'n my luggage....name that movie!!!!

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Happy Holidays

This year I feel the stress of the holidays. I am generally done with my shopping in Oct. or early Nov. The cookies are mixed and ready to bake, candy is prepared or planned out, and I am ready.

This year I didn't get Steve's list until 2 weeks ago, so had all that shopping to do, it isn't wrapped yet, no cookies mixed or baked. No candies made.

I want to know how you get an invite to a blog that is locked down to people that only are invited??? I had one blog I was following, but after a rough patch it was closed. I think that a new blog was created. I want to reconnect but don't know how.

Maybe I'll get an invite?? I hope so, I love to see the family and hear the antics. SIGH.

Son is home for the holiday

You don't realize how important it is to have your kids near you during the holidays until they aren't here anymore. Our son arrived on Frontier Airlines this evening. It's good to hear him in the house. I love having him home.

He's a lot easier than his sister. He only wants Chili, Ham and Beans and maybe spaghetti. I think we can manage all 3!!!!!!! What a hoot!

Glitter Ornaments

Karen sent me a video to watch today. These look so easy and would make great gifts.

Recipe Friday Dec. 11, 2009 Peek-A-Berry Boos

I love this recipe, I found it many years ago in a magazine. It's been a favorite on my cookie trays every since. Hope to get a photo when making them for our first annual cookie exchange at work. I can't wait for this, we've been wanting to do it for a couple of years. This year it finally came to fruition.

Peek-A-Berry Boos

* 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
* ¾ cups Sugar
* 1 cup Butter Or Margarine
* ½ cups Water
* 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
* 2 whole Eggs (large)
* 3 cups Flour
* 2 cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal
* 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
* ½ teaspoons Salt
* ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
* ⅔ cups Raspberry Preserves

Heat oven to 400 F.

2. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, sugar and butter or margarine until light and fluffy.

3. Add water, almond extract and eggs; mix well. (Mixture looks curdled at this point, but that’s the way it should look.)

4. Stir in flour, oats, soda, salt and cinnamon; mix well.

5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets approximately 2″ apart.

6. With back of spoon, make intentation in center of cookie. Fill in with approximately 1/2 teaspoon preserves. Drop scant teaspoonful cookie dough over preserves.

7. Bake 6-9 minutes or until light brown.

Yields 4 1/2-5 dozen.

First Annual Cookie Exchange

Snow days always sound funner than they actually are! I have all my stuff ready for the cookie exchange at work tomorrow.







I am all ready for the cookie exchange for work. I've packaged the cookies in little boxes. We're making 6 cookies for each participant, with a dozen brought to taste.

Snow snow everywhere SNOW!!!

AND I HAVE PROOF!!!!!!!!

Satellite TV didn't work

When I got home from work last night the satellite TV wasn't working. We watched 'Walk the Line' on DVD. That is a great love story between Johnny Cash and June Carter.

I could watch it over and over. My other favorites are Shawshank Redemption and Tombstone. Hook, Pretty Woman and Top Gun rank up there amongst my favorites. I really am not a movie person....I can't sit for hours and watch movies, I'm generally doing hobbies or working around the house.

It was good to spend a couple hours watching this favorite. Once it was over the satellite worked. Strange, but OK by me.

Today I'm going to change out my phone, hopefully get the Droid by Verizon...........my phone has been ready for an upgrade for about 6 months, but I wanted to see what the new phone would do, read reviews and see if there were any good deals. Since there are, I'm going to jump on it!!!

Thanksgiving was fun

Isaac never ceases to entertain the babies while we are there, they have such a good time with him.

Nutty Bacon Cheeseball Recipe Friday December 4, 2009

Nutty Bacon Cheeseball

1 pkg. 8oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c milk

2 c. (8 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

1/4 c. (1oz) blue cheese

1/4 c. finely minced green onions (white parts only)

1 jar (2 oz) diced pimiento

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 c. chopped pecans

salt and pepper

1/4 c. minced parsley

1 T. poppy seed

Place cream cheese in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to speed 2 and mix 1 minute. Scrape bowl. Speed 2, gradually add milk, mixing until well blended, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl. Add cheeses, onions, pimientos, half of bacon and half of pecans. Turn to speed 4 and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Season with salt & pepper.

Transfer half of mixture to lg. piece of plastic wrap. Form into ball: wrap tightly. Repeat with remaining mixture. Refrigerate at least 2 hrs until well chilled.

Combine remaining bacon, pecans, parsley & poppy seeds in pie plate or lg. dinner plate. Remove plastic wrap from each cheese ball: roll in bacon mixture until well coated. Wrap in clean plastic wrap & refrigerate until ready to use, up to 24 hrs.

Yield: 24 servings.

I have so many holiday traditions, but will have to stick with the cranberry muffins. They are the one thing the family wants each year. We've had them for over 30 years each Thanksgiving and Christmas. The kids love them, and so do the adults. The second recipe is the Christmas pancakes. We have them every Christmas morning for breakfast before opening gifts. A tradition we adopted once I discovered the pancake recipe in a magazine.











Cranberry Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups chopped cranberries
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cranberry Spread:


1 (8 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup margarine


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray or grease a 12 cup and 6 cup muffin tin. (I use the large muffin pans and double the recipe.)

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, orange peel, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. (I mix this all together in a zip lock bag a week before the holiday to let the spices flavor the flour. I leave out the orange peel as it can mold inside the bag.)

Cut in shortening; stir in juice, vanilla, eggs, cranberries and nuts. Pour into muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes or until brown.

Prepare the topping in a saucepan over low heat by whisking together the cranberry sauce, brown sugar and margarine. Cook until heated and smooth. Remove from heat and serve as a spread for the muffins.


Christmas Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup raisins

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats and buttermilk. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next morning: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the oatmeal mixture, eggs, butter, and raisins. Stir until just moistened. Allow batter to sit 20 minutes before cooking. If batter is too thick, add buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter reaches the desired consistency.
3. Heat a lightly greased, large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle for each cake. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on top, flip, and cook until lightly browned on bottom.