flower pots

But back at the ranch, I was outside taking photos of things I have planted in the last few days! I took a photo of the hanging basket that my daughter and son-in-love bought me for Mother's day, it's so gorgeous! Have a great evening! Blessings!

Memorial Day

Growing up in the Chicago area, we celebrated Memorial day with a flag ceremony in a local park. It was a big deal! I don't think our country truly thinks it's a big deal anymore! The younger generation doesn't really know what Memorial day means and why we celebrate it, do you??? It should be thank you to the many area veterans that served in the Armed Forces! Do you know any vets and would you be willing to thank them for laying down their lives for our freedom??!! Celebrate this weekend and thank a vet! Our country is worth it and so are we, the people, but we need to remember!! Blessings!

bag of groceries

I have been working on a project at work for the last year, actually I have finished the project, but work is moving slow on letting me know if it will be a go! On the kraftfoods.com website, it has a really neat area called budgetwise( it's a header on the page)at the site to click on that will give you ideas for 5 meals, the last one will be some sort of pizza, but idea is one bag of groceries and 5 meals! They did the hard work and I had the easy job of pricing everything out in the store comparing name brand items against Our Family items! The meals are pretty easy and there's a healthy choice area also with the 5 meals in one bag! So, check that out when you are needing new ideas for meals( that means most of you that are looking here)! Blessings!

New look

Well, I changed (just a few minor things) on the blog, you probably can't tell! I've been trying to make it look a certain way and haven't gotten there yet, but still searching for the right thing! But tonight's menu was BBQ pork, leftover pork roast with homemade BBQ sauce. It was good, I added hoisin sauce to the ketchup and it was a hit!! I bought a new potato salad from work, "Loaded baked potato salad". It has everything in it that you would put on a baked potato,like sour cream, bacon bits, cheese, very good! Try it, it's worth the expense! Blessings!

ideas

Well, summer is here and the heat has begun! I don't like hot weather! Actually, I don't like hot sticky weather! Salads are on the menu for the next few months and I'm hoping to see evidence of a farmers market soon! I'm planning a trip to the St. Paul farmers market, but I say this every year(for the last 5 yrs), that this is the summer I will get there! Any salad ideas will be greatly appreciated! I truly appreciate my 8 followers!!!!! You rock! Blessings!

rhubarb

This is the time of year that rhubarb comes in so out of control that you are baking, jamming and saucing everything with rhubarb! So, I made jam today and rhubarb dessert! YUM!!!!Blessings!

onion bread

I made onion bread this morning using the 5 minute bread recipe that I have blogged about before. I sauteed the onion last night, so it would be cool enough to put in the dough this morning! I have to say that it tastes mighty fine! So check back in the archives in the blog for the recipe! Blessings!

Family

My elderly Uncle passed away yesterday! It has made me very sad as it's an end to an era! I can't explain it any other way! He was the last of 4 siblings, he was a wonderful man, loved Jesus, loved his family, loved the outdoors and his wife of 74 yrs. We saw him last Sept and I was so sad to leave as I knew it was the last time I would see him on earth! I told him I how much I loved him and would miss him! He made the best peach cobbler in a dutch oven that he learned from Boy Scouting and the best biscuits and gravy! I will miss him as he was my last connection to my mother! He's in glory and walking streets of gold with family! Blessings!

Spinach pie

A friend of mine sent me this recipe, I cut it in half otherwise we would be eating this for 2 weeks! So here it is as the full recipe: 10oz. feta cheese, 1-16oz, cottage cheese, 1 onion diced and sauteed, 4 eggs, 4- 10oz packages of spinach, thawed and drained, mix all the above ingredients in a bowl. This makes enough filling for 2- 9x13 pans. 1 pkg. filo dough, thawed, should be 2-20 sheets of filo dough, melt 2 1/2 sticks of butter, greased pan with the butter, carefully unwrap filo dough and lay down one sheet and using a basting brush spread the butter on that sheet, lay down another sheet and butter, continue until you have used 10 sheets of filo dough, spread 1/2 filling on top of the butter dough, then start with dough sheets again with the buttering, until you have used up all the sheets(another 10 sheets). Cut into squares before baking. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Enjoy!! It is really good!!! Thanks Michelle! Blessings!

chocolate heaven

I came across a recipe yesterday and decided to make it last night! I need to interject something here, that I really don't care for chocolate! It started a few years ago when I was having gallbladder problems, stayed away from it for a long time! But ever now and again, I have a craving for it! Here's the recipe for Granny's Chocolate Cobbler: 1 c. of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder,7 tablespoons of cocoa powder,1 1/4 c of sugar, 1/2c of milk, 1/3c of melted butter,1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1- 1/2c of brown sugar,1- 1/2c of hot tap water. Preheat oven, stir together the flour, baking powder,3 tablespoons of cocoa, and 3/4c of sugar. Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix till smooth. Pour mixture into an ungreased 8 x 8 baking dish. In a small bowl mix the remaining sugar, cocoa and brown sugar. Sprinkle this over the mixture. Pour the tap water over the batter. DO NOT STIR!!! Bake for 40 minutes or until the center is set! Hold yourself back before cutting about 5 minutes. then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream! YUM!!!! Blessings!

May rains

It started last night and will continue today, RAIN! Yeah!!! We need rain so bad, it's been a 5 yr drought here, the lakes and streams are down drastically! So, in tribute to the rain, tonight's supper will be leftover cheeseburgers and hash brown casserole from Mother's Day! I hope all of you had a great Mother's day, I know I did! I'm grateful for my children and grandchildren, they are all so wonderful to me! So, here's the hash brown casserole recipe: 1 bag of hash browns, I couldn't find the size the correct size so I went with the 32oz., 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 8oz. of sour cream, 1 medium onion chopped, mix this all together and place in 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, 5 minutes before removing from oven, put 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top and bake, yum! Blessings!

April Fool in May

Yesterday started out as any day, but it was raining! Then around 3:30pm, it started to snow big flakes! We who live in the north know what it means when it snows big flakes, not much is going to stick to the ground! Then by 5pm, it was snowing smaller flakes and by 7pm it was sticking to the ground! It was so funny to look out the windows and see the snow in May. I think it's the latest it has ever snowed since we moved here in 1976, but I could be wrong as I haven't looked it up yet! The moisture in the rain gauge said we got 2 1/2 inches of moisture in the last 24 hours! YIPPEE!!!! So, at this moment in time the snow has melted and it's trying to rain/sleet/snow today! So, I'm thinking about molasses cookies, maybe I'll bake this afternoon and the house will smell wonderful, then we can eat a few cookies with some coffee later! Blessings!

monkey bread rolls

Yesterday morning I got up early and made monkey bread rolls! I really love monkey bread, but really don't need the calories! So, I try to make them only 6 times a year, but that's still not working out so well, since I've made them 6 times since January and the new year isn't half over!LOL!!!! But I took photos of them and they are beautiful! Maybe I should make some more for the weekend, but I won't! Promise!! Please check out thepioneerwoman.com website, as she is giving away wonderful gifts this week! Blessings!

new meal

I came up with this new meal as of 4p.m. today! Brown rice, ham, leek, and peas, YUM!!! It's a do over in the line up of meals for the next year! Only thing missing was an egg roll. Recipe follows: one leek cut up and placed in bowl with water, separate the leek so the grit can get out from between the layers, one piece of ham-cut up into small pieces, 1 cup of brown rice and make according to directions, 1/2 cup of frozen peas. In skillet, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry up the ham, take ham out of pan and set aside, add more oil(1 tablespoon) and fry up the leek(remove from water and put in pan carefully as not to splatter. The rice takes a while to cook about 45 minutes, when the rice is done place in skillet and start to heat this up, add leek and ham. You might need a little more oil so nothing sticks, then add the peas in the end. I used 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of hoisin sauce to flavor everything, YUM!!!

game night

Last night, the girls talked Daddy into playing "Candyland" with them. Gordon took some photos of the fun! We had supper,then I suggested we go to DQ for ice cream, it was a hit! I planned to make pancakes for breakfast, but Lily loves my cinnamon toast, so that's what they had. I made monkey bread rolls for us! YUM!!!