Random Recipes

Today's Random Recipe Selection is to post your favorite appetizer and/or drink....hmmmmm What would the Happy Baker choose?

Drinks:

Spiked Watermelon Lemonade
recipe from "Cheap and Easy Cookbook"
makes 4 servings
4 cups lemonade, fresh squeezed or from a carton, or from concentrate
2 cups cubed watermelon
1 cup vodka or flavored vodka ie., raspberry, vanilla, citrus
a few sprigs of mint
Pour lemonade into pitcher. Mash watermelon and strain. Add to lemonade and stir. Add vodka, pour into tall glasses over ice. Garnish with mint.
*Use one cup of your favorite berries instead of watermelon

Rainbow Pepper Appetizers
tasteofhome.com
Ingredients:
1/2 each medium green, sweet red, yellow and orange peppers
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped ripe olives
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Directions:
Cut each pepper half into nine pieces. Place skin side down in an ungreased ovenproof skillet; sprinkle with cheese, olives and pepper flakes if desired. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender and cheese is melted. Yield: 3 dozen.

YUMMY! Great topic choice! Thanks Pam for hosting Random Recipes. Please visit her blog HERE for more entries or just to read her fabulous blog!

*******************Also, Thanks to everyone you commented on my previous post (and those that emailed). We are doing better. Several of you asked if the company or security company would reimburse us. No, the company has a policy that they are not responsible for anything happening to your personal belongings in the parking lots. Is this a load or what? Why have security officers then? Oh well, we have moved on. What else is there to do?? hahahaha Hope you are having a great day!

Mama said there'd be days like this....

If you are wondering where I am, I am here going a bit crazy...lol

Hubby was asked by his supervisor to work nights for a couple of weeks. No problem, hubby is a go with the flow kind of guy. He calls me at 9:30pm night before last, "Honey the car is missing." My heart drops into my stomach, Las Vegas trip vanishes before my eyes. We cannot afford this again!!!

Again, you say? Hubby works downtown, or as I call it the "hellpit" (not in front of the kids...geez) This past November hubby's car was stolen from the parking lot at 11:20am. It took the thief 2 minutes to get in and take off. Have the police recovered it? No, apparently there is a year long donut sale going on. Besides it was an older car, we only had liability on it (so no rental) and in Oklahoma you do not have to have a title on a car 10 years old or older to sell it for scrap. I am guessing that puppy was sold and smashed within a couple of hours.
This changed our routine a bit. I now get up early and take hubby to the bus. He had asked for a new parking pass for the downtown lot, but never heard back. Being the laid back guy he is, he didn't follow up. For a while this did not matter because he was riding the bus.

Well, duh! Neither of us thought about it when he agreed to work the night shift for a couple of weeks, and the dumb @#@$#*%! security officer had his car towed. There are not that many people working at night, the security officer could have checked around....anyway. Hubby was able to find a ride home that night. Yesterday morning my mom took him to the car lot they had towed it to. After paying 165 dollars, he went to work quite grumbly. This night gig will be over Friday.

Thank goodness because I am grumpy too! I tripped over Jaxson the other day and jammed my toe, and twisted my already bad ankle. After walking funny because of the toe and ankle, my knee and hip hurt....hahahaha I do look kind of funny hobbling around. The kids miss their dad at night. Kids like routine and get grumpy too, when it is changed.

Hope you are all well! i have not forgotten any of you! I have a growing list of blogs to catch up on, and I will I promise :)
Don't forget to leave questions for my 100th post if you would like! Reluctant Housewife posted hers and I thought it was fabulous!!!!

Use your imagination.....

because I forgot to take pictures :)
Mainly because I was just watching a friend make it. This is delicious!
We had a good laugh when I discovered she had gotten her recipe from tasteofhome.com!
I love that site :)

Roasted Corn Salsa
2 medium ears sweet corn in husks
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Tortilla chips
Directions:
Peel back husks of corn but don't remove; remove silk. Replace husks and tie with kitchen string. Place corn in a bowl and cover with water; soak for 20 minutes. Drain. Grill corn, covered, over medium-high heat for 20-35 minutes or until husks are blackened and corn is tender, turning several times. Cool.
Remove corn from cobs and place in a bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, peppers, salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: about 2-1/2 cups

**Feel free to leave questions for my 100th post....Thanks!

Chicken with a twist...

of lemon, that is. this simple recipe is delicious and quick!



I usually use boneless chicken thighs. I also get a little spice happy with this dish. Extra lemon juice, some thyme, allspice, and cayenne pepper were thrown in tonight. Yummy, yummy! I serve it with steamed rice (that has hint of lemon juice, salt and pepper) and broccoli.

*****I just realized that my 100th post is fast approaching! (WOW) If you have any questions you'd like me to answer in my "100 Things About Me", just let me know ;)

Taco Twist

I have been experimenting with new recipes for a couple of years now. We try at least one new recipe a week, sometimes up to 3 times a week. Of course, there are times we have all the current favorites :)
This was am interesting dish. I was uncertain about the finished product, but it was very good! The kids loved it, which is always an added bonus in my book!!

Taco Pasta Shells
tasteofhome.com

Ingredients:
18 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 bottle (16 ounces) taco sauce, divided
3 ounces fat-free cream cheese, cubed
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend, divided
20 baked tortilla chip scoops, coarsely crushed
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink; drain. Add 1/2 cup taco sauce, cream cheese and chili powder; cook and stir until blended. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese blend.
Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons beef mixture. Arrange in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon remaining taco sauce over the top.
Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese blend. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chips. Yield: 6 servings
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink; drain. Add 1/2 cup taco sauce, cream cheese and chili powder; cook and stir until blended. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese blend.
Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons beef mixture. Arrange in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon remaining taco sauce over the top.
Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese blend. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chips. Yield: 6 servings
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink; drain. Add 1/2 cup taco sauce, cream cheese and chili powder; cook and stir until blended. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese blend.
Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons beef mixture. Arrange in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon remaining taco sauce over the top.
Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese blend. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chips. Yield: 6 servings

Cha-Cha-Chutney

Spring has sprung here! The rain is perking up the grass and the flowers are poking out of the ground in anticipation. Time to make plans for family gatherings, BBQ's and such! Hope you all are having a wonderful day!
This recipe is easy and delicious! This is one that my brother-in-law enjoys. It's good with pork and poultry.

Tomato Peach Chutney
tasteofhome.com
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups chopped seeded peeled fresh tomatoes
2 cups chopped peeled fresh peaches
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour or until thickened, stirring frequently. Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 20 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Yield: 1-1/2 pints.

Taco Salad Night!!

My daughter's favorite meal at the moment is taco salad. She has been talking about this all week. I discovered this recipe on tasteofhome.com YUMMY!!

Taking a good salad

and making it scrumptious!!


Crowd-Pleasing Taco Salad
Tate of home
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, torn
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded taco cheese
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 package (10-1/2 ounces) corn chips

In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the ketchup, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives and beef mixture. Combine mayonnaise and taco sauce; pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with corn chips. Serve immediately. Yield: 14-16 servings.
**I have used a package of taco seasoning in the meat instead of ketchup, oregano and chili powder. It was good too!

A few of my favorite things (in the kitchen)

My favorite cooking wines, sherry, vinegar and oil.

and my spice cabinet. Sorry you can't see the names very well (flash from the camera) I love having so many spices to choose from :)
The spices and herbs I use the most? curry powder, garlic powder, parsley flakes, basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary

What are your favorites??

Southern Style

Here is a yummy meal that hubby enjoys! Chicken Fried Steak and mashed potatoes covered in country gravy! First I pound the cube steaks to tenderize them. Next, I dip the steaks in egg, and dredge in flour. Fried in light vegetable oil until browned. This is good! (not necessarily healthy)

Beef and Spinach Lasagna

A new recipe found it's way straight to my family's heart (and stomach) tonight.
I have had this recipe for some time now, but it called for 2 cups of ricotta cheese. My hubby is the only one without a distaste for ricotta. I personally cannot eat it...just, eww. Anyway, I still wanted to make this fabulous lasagna. I contacted a blogging friend at Finding La Dolce Vita. She suggested replacing the ricotta with a Besciamella Sauce (white sauce). And she is brilliant!

Where's the beef??? Right here with some onion

The next time I make this I will use my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, but tonight I a jar sauced it with Prego's traditional and Roasted Garlic Herb.

Spinach and Mozzarella...just hanging out

Oven ready!!

Served with garlic bread and salad....yummy! Jaxson even liked it!

I will definitely be making this again! They ate spinach! I feel so, so....WooHoo!
It made a ton! I made a couple of lunches for me and hubby. The other half I wrapped up, along with half the garlic bread and took it next door. Our neighbors are expecting their second baby any day now. They were really glad for the food and the impromptu visit! Hope you all had a great weekend :)

Beef and Spinach Lasagna
12 servings
tasteofhome.com
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jars (26 ounces each) meatless spaghetti sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups ricotta cheese**
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta and 1 cup mozzarella until combined.
Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with three noodles. Spread 1-1/2 cups sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella.
Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting
**For the Besciamella Sauce (white sauce) please visit Finding La Dolce Vita. The recipe is located in her recipe box under sauces.

A tag and a picture

I love playing tag! Lovely Cakelaw from Laws of the Kitchen has tagged me for a Six Word Memoir. The rules are as follows:


1. Write your own six-word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post.
4. Tag five more blogs with links.
5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.


Here are six words that I think describe me:
1. Protective
2. Dreamer
3. Loyal
4. Humorous
5. Tenderhearted
6. Happy

I tag the following people:
Amanda from Amanda's Life
Reluctant from Adventures of the Reluctant Housewife
Sass E-mum from One Strangely Lush Mother
Debby from Bee In Italy
HoneyB from The Life and Loves of Grumpy's HoneyBunch

I have given in to peer pressure...Amanda and Reluctant....sigh....what's a girl to do? As I stated in Kooky Kids, I hate to have my picture taken. But I do have several pics of me and the kids. I was just too shy to share with blogland. Well, I have decided to share today. I have only had one cup of coffee, so obviously I am not thinking clearly. One day when the caffeine is coursing appropriately through my veins, I will remove these posts.....

Pics:
Before Kids

Working on a kid

Me and Bella

Last night me and hubby after a drink or two...hehehe


Enjoy for now...wink,wink...because the coffee will revive my senses and they will disappear!

Random Recipes

Pam from Random Recipes hosts Random Receipes and this week the theme was to "post your favorite recipe"

This was hard for me! I finally chose a simple recipe. This is for Spicy Pumpkin Bread. I make it during the holidays for our neighbors, family and friends. When we have new people move into the neighborhood, I will take them a loaf of this warm bread to welcome them. I hope you give it a try!

Spicy Pumpkin Bread
Taste of home
2 loaves

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
GLAZE (optional):
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash ground cloves

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; mix well. Combine the dry ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Spoon into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. If desired, combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cooled loaves

Please visit more Random Recipes HERE

Yep, I'm here!

Good Morning!!

Thank you for the emails, but I am okay! (it is nice to feel loved, though!)
The schools are closed today because of flooding!! Apparently, there are roads closed and the buses are unable to travel. So, I am entertaining two house bound children!

We are fine here at the house. There are huge puddles everywhere and we will be muddy for a while.

But I will be checking on all of your blogs through out the day! Hope you have a great Thursday!!

What I found in the kitchen this morning...

I was helping Bella with her hair this morning and kept hearing a strange noise....
this is what Jaxson accomplished in the 5 minutes I was out of the room..

yup, he is eating a stick of butter....(and spilled something on the bottom shelf)

Can you see him in the background? He is very excited about his organizing the contents of the fridge. They are in a fairly neat line....

Jaxson explaining his actions....hehe

Chili Time!

Last night felt like a good night for chili. I kept it simple and the family likes to have it with Fritos and cheese...

On The Off Chance I Blow Away...

There is a major storm headed directly for us. It should hit in 30 minutes.
Rain, hail, strong winds and possible tornadoes....lovely.
I just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed you all (yes, I am dramatic)

Seriously though, there is a good chance we will lose power, so just in case, I will post again when I can!

Good Night Blogland!!

****UPDATE: WE ARE FINE, JUST VERY WET! WE ARE UNDER FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS AND THE RAIN IS STILL COMING DOWN. IT SHOULD GO AWAY SOON! WE HAD HAIL THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BREAK THE KITCHEN WINDOWS!! HUBBY KNEW I WOULD WANT TO SHOW MY BLOGGING FRIENDS, SO HE WENT OUT IN IT (WITH AN UMBRELLA) TO GATHER SEVERAL PIECES! WE PUT THEM NEXT TO ONE OF HIS GOLF BALLS FOR COMPARISON.

What's in your kitchen??

I pose this question to you, dear blogging friends! What's in your kitchen. Here are few shots of the decorations in my kitchen. Indulge is next to pictures of coffee and cappuccinos...what else?


This decorative plate, which has a kitchen prayer on it, hung in my Grandmother's kitchen, next to the window. I have it in the same place :)

My far away cafe and bistro I plan to visit someday!

And my nieces, who were over for visit! They "helped" with the dishes...lol

What's In Your Kitchen? Let me know you participated, so I can check it out!!

Enchilada Night!

Tonight was enchilada night...yummy!
I love the smell of onions sizzling in butter and garlic....

the makings of a wonderful sauce

baked chicken, cubed and ready

the sauce, after adding Monterey jack cheese and sour cream

ready to bake

served with Spanish rice and chips and salsa. Now we can eat,eat,eat!!

Chili Chicken Enchilada
tasteofhome.com
2 servings

1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
4 flour tortillas (8 inches)
Sliced ripe olives, chopped tomatoes and green onions, optional
In a small saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Combine flour and broth until smooth; gradually add to pan. Stir in the chilies, coriander and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from the heat; stir in 1/2 cup cheese and sour cream until cheese is melted. Combine chicken and 3/4 cup sauce. Place about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish with olives, tomatoes and green onions if desired
** I double the recipe for the family :)

Thanks!

Thank you to the Reluctant Housewife for her generous Award to Kooky Kids! I will have to ponder who I will pass the Award of Distinction to next.

Hope you are all enjoying your Sunday! We had fabulous weather today. Finally felt like Spring!!!! We packed up and went to the zoo! I will be featuring pictures and stories in a week long Zoo Trip Fest on Kooky Kids! Hope you will stop by for the fun!

Here is a peek:
More pictures and story to follow this week

Hubby's Favorite Meal

I have mentioned this dish a couple of times, and now I am finally posting it!
Chicken Spareribs (strange name) has become hubby's favorite, as well as, Jaxson's. My daughter likes anything chicken, so it's a shoo in for her too! Hubby gets so excited, he helps with making the potato salad*. I was a little camera happy today :) Enjoy the pictures and the recipe will follow. Hope you have had a wonderful Saturday!

Hubby's chopped potatoes are ready to be boiled...

While I start the chicken. Hubby and I enjoy the chance to cook together on the weekend ;)



The sauce...ooooohhhh yummmmm



This is a bowl his aunt made for us as a wedding gift. We always use it for this particular dish. It makes hubby smile...


making potato salad...*this is where I take over. The kids like "Daddy's mashed potaotes better"....


adding cornstarch and water to the sauce...needs thickening!

I give you Chicken Spareribs aka Hubby's favorite meal!


The family sure seems engrossed...but wait! Hubby is already done!!



What does hubby like more than his fave meal?? Leftovers!


Chicken spareribs
www.tasteofhome.com
4 servings

8 bone-in chicken thighs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

In a Dutch oven, brown chicken in oil in batches on both sides; drain. Return all of the chicken to the pan.
In a bowl, combine the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple juice, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, pepper flakes and ginger; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
Remove chicken to a platter and keep warm. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Spoon over chicken.

**I use boneless chicken thighs :)