potatoes

How many ways can you use potatoes??? I love mashed, fried, oven baked, steak fries, and leftover mashed turned into potato pancakes! My daughter (about 6yrs.old) told my mother one time that "my mommy doesn't make mashed potatoes", which my mother got on my case about which I immediately replied, "my mother doesn't make mashed potatoes either"! I need to tell you that I love my mother,but she really didn't make homemade as "Potato Buds" don't qualify as homemade potatoes!!! She worked hard and didn't have time to mash potatoes for our meal! But I have found that you can freeze mashed potatoes well if you want to do that and have the homemade taste available quickly! Try it for Thanksgiving!! Blessings! P.S. in the photo, my daughter is the one with the doll!

stuffed peppers

We have green peppers!! It has been years since we have had the bumper crop of green peppers like this year!!! So yesterday I spent some time making stuffed peppers and freezing them for later! Gordon is just crazy over rice, me, not so much! But for this recipe, I made brown rice with spaghetti sauce with some ground turkey,it's pretty good!!! I washed the peppers and took of their tops, discarded the guts/seeds, filled them with the rice, meat and sauce!!! I had leftover rice/meat/sauce and reheated that for supper tonight! I even remembered to label the containers before they went to the freezer!!! YEAH!!!! Blessings!

leftovers

Do you love leftovers?? We do! When we were first married, we were so poor that leftovers were necessary part of life! Now, we just do because we have been doing it so long! Leftover chicken can become chicken with angel hair pasta, leftover pot roast becomes beef hash with potatoes, carrots and onions, leftover pork becomes fried rice! So many choices!!! There should be a cookbook for leftovers(probably there is one)! Have any great ideas, let me know!! Let's continue to share the ideas!!! Blessings!

family fun!

While on vacation, my cousin Karen and I thought it would be so much fun to do a family cookbook! One new recipe and one family favorite that maybe you take to every family gathering! I'm glad and surprised she wanted to do this, but knowing Karen, she will do the best job!! I have so many, so now it will be crunch time to figure out the best of the best!! Do you have the recipe that everyone wants at every party??? Or are you the one that makes the request??? Maybe it's time to do this same thing in your own family!!! Well, get off that couch and do it!!! the photo was taken a while back, but it's a symbol of family and the couch(get it??). I'm LOL!!!! Blessings!

Walmart

So, I told you a couple of days ago that I would tell you my Walmart story! So, my cousin, Judy, and I went to the local Walmart to get a few things, I picked up 2 things, a bra and a toothbrush! We paid and were leaving when that gate thing went off(don't know what's really called). We were laughing and I said to the guy that it was probably my toothbrush, ha ha. He wasn't laughing and grab my bag, started rummaging in it and pulled out the bra. That was what set that thing off, the girl hadn't demagnetized it or what ever they do! So, that's my Walmart story!! It really is funny and I'm not one bit offended! Blessings!

Apple coffee cake

My cousin bought a copy of Taste of Home magazine. We looked through it and I found a recipe for apple coffee cake, but changed it slightly to call my own! It's in the newest copy on the magazine stand now with the pumpkin on front! Here's Apple coffee cake my way: 1 pkg of frozen Rhodes dinner rolls(22 in pkg), 4 apples peeled and cut up, 1 cup of sugar, 1 small pkg of sliced almond. Let the dinner rolls thaw out, at this point make 2 separate balls with the dough. The dough will be a little difficult to roll out, but be patient with it!! I sprayed 2 jelly pans to use to bake, place the rolled out dough on the pans, next add the apples, sugar and almonds between the 2 pans. Fold over and seal the edges of the dough, flip the dough over so the seam is down, let this rise for 15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. When cooled, make the frosting with powdered sugar and water, sprinkle more almonds on top! YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blessings! I will try and make this again, so there will be pictures this weekend! P.S. this is my aunt and uncle in Missouri with their great granddaughter, Annie!

home

We got home yesterday! It was so good to sleep in our bed last night, not that the beds were bad(they weren't), but it's just good to be home! It felt like it took us forever! Anyway, we had lots of laughs, good talks, and just enjoyed everyone we were with! I ate grits twice, yum! I will look for my grits and cheese recipe to share with you later! We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant yesterday and I had the grilled fish tacos, YUM!!!! I'm going to figure out the sauce and then make my own as we get there only once every 6 months! Check out smittenkitchen.com as she has a wonderful snicker doodles cookie recipe! Blessings! P. S.I made the cookies last night to rave reviews!!!

apple pie

My cousin Judy is making apple pies today, one for me and one for my uncle. We may choose to share or maybe not!! Anyway, I don't make good pie crust and Judy gave me her recipe, which I will share with you. Pie crust 101: 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of Crisco, 1/2 cup of water. Mix the flour and Crisco, using a pastry blender till it resembles very fine pea size, then very slowly add the water! Roll it out and put in the pie pan, then your filling, bake according to the fruit you are using! 45-60 minutes for apple at 350 degrees. We are having alot of fun! I'll tell you next time how I almost got arrested for stealing at Walmart, not really!! Blessings!

vacation

Gordon and I are going to Missouri to see my side of the family! I have an aunt and uncle with many cousins in Missouri! I remember as a kid when we would take my grandparents to Missouri to see relatives, my grandpa would start singing about the Ozarks mountains! He sang some little ditty and he would smile all the way!! I love that family and we have so much fun together! But I can tell you there was a time when we didn't see them as my Mother and her brother(my Uncle) had a 14 year riff and didn't speak! Oh, boy!! Well, that ended just before my Mother died!! God's grace is AWESOME!!! So, it may be a few days before you hear from me! Have a great day!!! Blessings!

spices

I just a new Penzey spice catalog!! It one of the places I order spices from that are really good quality! I really love the Bold Taco seasoning and the Italian sausage seasoning when we make our own Italian sausage from venison!! The catalog is beautiful and has a few recipes! I would look at the website and you can order from there, but I like to take my time with the catalog, dreaming!!!!! Blessings! P. S. I forgot to tell all of you, go see "Julie and Julia" it was great!!! Makes me want to wear my pearls everyday!!

nutella

I had Nutella when Erika and I went to France a few years back! It was on a crepe from a street vendor, YUM! It is this rich, creamy, satisfying chocolate sensation! Many of you know I'm not that in love with chocolate like some of you, but it does have it's place in life! If you haven't tried it, please run out to the closest grocery store and buy a jar! They have a really cool website and recipes for different ideas to use Nutella in! There is a mousse recipe, chocolate cookies and many more! I am up so early this morning and I think it's because we are going on vacation this week on Wednesday. I'm pretty excited to get out of here for a few days and not think about work! Pray for us as we travel! Blessings!

bacon

I love bacon! There I have said it! I recently found a recipe that is called "peanut butter bacon cookies", which I think is very weird!!! It has peanut butter,brown sugar, egg, and bacon. I didn't see that any flour is in it which I think is wrong because what will keep this together?? I might try this weekend to make it and see how it holds up!! It's all for you the reader that I experiment on my husband! Poor thing!! Let me know what you think of this recipe! I can't remember where I saw the recipe! Also, to let you know, I haven't done any new dips or salads at work! I don't know why, but it just hasn't happened! Have a great weekend! Blessings!

banana bread french toast

My friend, Gloria had a birthday recently! She and her 2 sons went to a local restaurant for breakfast! Gloria had banana bread french toast! She said it was fantastic! Why hadn't we ever thought of doing banana bread as french toast?? Well, I'm going to make some over the weekend and try the french toast thing! Actually, it sounds a little freaky to me, but I need to try it out for all my fans(some are still lurking around and haven't really declared themselves as a follower, you know who you are!). Let me know if you have had any freaky recipes that you thought might be weird, but was willing to try them out! Blessings!

zucchini cake

I made a meal for friends who just lost their daughter! The meal consisted of pork roast, carrots, bread salad, and zucchini cake. I got the zucchini cake recipe off the tastykitchen.com website. It sounds like a carrot cake, but has zucchini instead of carrots! Ruth said it was good!! YEAH! I hope for a moment it took some pressure off of them as they feed family and come together to remember their daughter/ sister/auntie! Pray for them as the funeral approaches and difficult days are ahead for them! Blessings!

movie night!

I'm so excited!! I'm going to see Julie and Julia tonight with my daughter and some friends!! I met and talked to Julia Child's in 1994 at the Food and Wine Food experience in Aspen, Colorado with my friend,Gloria! We took one of her classes and stood in line forever(about 1 1/2 hours) for her to sign our cookbooks! What an honor to talk to her. She was just an ordinary Joe schmo, not haughty! I'm taking my camera and will stand by the billboard for a photo opt!! HA HA!!Blessings! P.S. I'll have to make something French in honor of the movie this week!

new cookbook

I bought my best friend a cookbook for her birthday(which is Wednesday)! It's called "How to Cook without a Book"! I can tell you this as she doesn't read my blog(watch, she'll read it)! anyway, it's an interesting book. Tells you how to saute and then tells you all the other things that you can saute to use that technique on! I'm impressed!!! No, don't buy it for me, family!! It's by Pam Anderson(not that Pam Anderson) and I heard of her on The Pioneer woman blog! Please try some of her recipes from that site!! So, go and search out some new cookbooks and tell me about them!! Kara, that's for you!! Blessings!!

Town and Country Days with Kayla

Town and Country Days are a big deal in our area! It's one of those weekend activities that people from far and wide come home for! Kayla is the person whom I'm under from The Pampered Chef and is a Shell Lake native! So, she was right at home to be there with her wares from Pampered Chef! It was so fun to sit with her for a few hours today and get to know her better(I know her from the store as a teenager/college student)as an adult!! She had a beautiful display of wares and so smiley!! Way to go, Kayla!!! It was a beautiful weekend to be outside and the breeze off the lake today was great! So, as the weekend is winding down, I hope and pray you are enjoying this time! Blessings!!

Erika

Our daughter's birthday is today! Trevor(her husband) planned a little party for her which included Jean and Larry(his parents),Gordon and myself, and Robin, Chuck and Sydni! There was plenty of food there! Grilled turkey, corn on the cob, 2 salads, deviled eggs, baked beans and potato salad! It turned into a beautiful day to be outside to eat, visit, take pix, and laugh!! So, I'm giving my jello recipe away for you all! Recipe: 1 large pkg of Strawberry or Raspberry jello, 1-8oz. pkg of cream cheese, 1 banana, 1 small can of mandarin oranges(drained), 1-18oz can of crushed pineapple, and 1/2c. of chopped walnuts. Empty jello pkg in large pan(9 by 13),add 1 cup of boiling water and mix well! In separate bowl add cream cheese and banana, mash that together, add to jello, add nuts, oranges, and the pineapple(not drained). Let it set up in refrigerator for 2-4 hours! Enjoy!!! Blessings!

blackberry jam, baby!

My sweetheart went and picked blackberries for me, so I made him jam!! He likes jam, but never thinks about till I say"Hey, you want some jam?" I found a pretty easy recipe on line and followed that, but made this into freezer jam as I ran out of jelly jars! Have a great weekend!! Blessings!

cookouts

This is the last big weekend of the summer! Boo Hoo!!! Summer went by so.....fast!! We had maybe a handful of very hot days, mostly a very nice, but cool summer! What are your plans for the weekend?? Mine are to go to the farmer's market, Erika and Trevor's house for her birthday/including a late lunch, church on Sunday, Town and Country Days in Shell Lake craft fair, and maybe a nap!!Trevor and his Dad are grilling a turkey(which I love), his Mom is bring beans and potato salad, I'm bringing the cake and Erika's favorite jello. Recipe for jello to follow another day with photos!! Have a great time!! Blessings!

key lime pie

I have never made key lime pie, but heard about an easy recipe and brought home the ingredients to make the pie tonight. Gordon is fishing and I have time to play in the kitchen! So here's the recipe: 1 graham cracker pie shell, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, 1/2c of key lime juice and 2 cups of cool whip! Open the can of condensed milk and add the key lime juice in a bowl, whisk together, then add the cool whip. Whisk that all together and pour into pie shell. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. YUM!!! Enjoy this one and send me one of your favorite easy dishes!! After looking at the photo, I think it could use some lime zest or lime strips on the top to dress it up! Blessings!