Great Holiday Appetizer

I posted this earlier in the month without a picture. Since I posted it I have made it and took a pic of it and wanted to tell you what I did. I went by the recipe other than I added two whole jalapenos with seeds chopped and one jalapeno seeded and chopped. That may be a little too hot for you but for our family it worked well. Everyone loved it.

Quick and Easy Pasta Dish

This is a new recipe I tried. It is very easy to prepare and delicious. I was a little concerned about my husband liking this one but I will tell you about the changes I made. The recipe calls for freshly grated Asiago cheese. I love Asiago cheese but in this recipe it is pretty strong. It could have been just the block of cheese I bought that day. The second time I made it I used freshly grated Parmesan cheese and we both liked it a lot better. We also love Gorgonzola cheese and I would like to try that sometime. If you like Asiago give it a try. It's really good and a great comfort food.

Fettuccine with Zucchini and Pecans

3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 (12 oz.) package of Fettuccine
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 lb. small zucchini, shredded
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium low heat, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
Prepare fettuccine according to package directions.
Meanwhile, melt butter with olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add zucchini and garlic and saute 3 to 4 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Toss with hot cooked fettuccine, pecans, Asiago cheese, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Home Alone

In October, our last two little fledglings left the nest. Actually, they are not little anymore. Our two sons moved to the city and are living in an apartment together. They are loving the convenience of living in the city and all the amenities that are associated with that. From their mother's point of view, there are not many amenities to living in the city but I'm a country girl through and through. My occasional trip to the city is plenty of exposure to that loud hurried life style.

After the boys moved out, one day I was figuring how long we had had children in our home and it has been 35 years. I could hardly believe it. We had our first child two years after we married. We home schooled our children for 17 years so life for me was very busy. I think about it now and I can't believe I did all that I did in a day. It has been a wonderful part of my life and I'm very thankful for our children and the time that we have had with them.

I worked up until our first child was born and then I was excited about the prospect of quiting my job and staying home with her. I've always love different hobbies and when I quit my job I thought I would have time for those things as well as being a wife and mother. I did work in things occasionally but it added a lot of unneeded stress to my life so I didn't do it often.

I get up in the morning now and all I have to be concerned about is me and my hubby. I'm still trying to get used to cooking for two people and the house stays cleaner a little longer.

I do believe each of us is here for a purpose and while I was raising our children I knew I was fulfilling my purpose at that time. Now, I'm asking God about the next chapter and what does He have for me now. I'm excited to find out. In the meantime, I'm thoroughly enjoying not living on a schedule and doing what I want when I want.

Leafy Apple Pie

In mid November my oldest daughter had sent me a picture of a beautiful apple pie on the cover of Parade (a section in the Sunday paper). It was an absolutely beautiful pie and it was covered with leaves made from pie crust. The presentation was very unique and beautiful. So I stored away that little idea.

One of my customers that I cook for quite often called and her daughter and son-in-law are coming in from California and she ordered several pies, one of which was an apple. In the middle of making the apple yesterday, I thought of the pie on the cover of Parade and I thought I would surprise her with the leafy apple pie. It would be a beautiful dessert to present to her family. I was a little nervous about it, since I had not made it before but it came together beautifully. I was so excited.

The pie was made in a 10 inch foil pie plate. Put it in the oven, watch it carefully so it wouldn't get to brown. Finally it was done and it looked beautiful, I was so pleased. I took it out of the oven and a little juice had dripped over the side so I didn't want it sitting in the juice and drying so I carefully lifted it on both sides to move it to a wire rack on my table in the breakfast room. As I was moving it, the sides of the foil pie plate started to bend into the middle and I couldn't get to the table fast enough. The pie spilled all over my hands, the floor, chairs, table. I can't even remember the last time I was that mad. I wanted to cry, and fling the rest of the pie against the wall, I hate to admit it (but confession is good for the soul, right :)) but I came up with some new cus words. All of that work, gone. My positive vibes were gone. My husband helped me and we cleaned up the mess. I left to get fresh air and go to the store for more apples. I came home and my sweet husband said, "the best way to look at this is, this has never happened to you before, you could have been walking out the door to deliver this and it could have happened." That's true. I would have been up a creek without a paddle then.

So, I started all over and made it again and put it in a glass pie plate to hold the weight of the pie. It turned out great. I'll be delivering it to her today and I will be excited to get her impression of it.

If you are interested in making this. Cover the top of your pie with a regular pie crust. Cut a round circle in the top of the pie crust. Be sure to crimp the edges of your pie so the juice will not leak out when it is cooking. Find a leaf cut out and make lots of leaves to go on the top. Make a egg wash (one egg and 1 tablespoon of water, beat) and brush a section of pie crust with egg wash and arrange your leaves on the pie crust and then do another section until you have covered the top. Brush the egg wash over the leaves and bake as you normally do. Watch the pie and cover with foil if the top starts to get to brown. And if you use a foil pie plate be sure and carry the pie with your hand under the pie plate. :)

Judging

I have always been concerned about judging. I didn't want to judge anyone but it seemed like I was always falling into doing it. No one has ever been able to give me a good explanation of how to not judge, until recently. This explanation is so simple and makes sense. "Observe, just don't put a label on it."

Isn't that good!

Winter Decorating

This is a simple decorating idea. This is a concrete pot I bought at a garage sale but I decorate a lot with it in my home. I change out the greenery and flowers each season. I have a huge glass vase that I keep in the middle and a good size candle in it. At night, it creates beautiful light through the flowers and greenery.

For the winter, I have artificial evergreen and something that looks like lamb's ear. There are pine cones tipped in white paint that looks like snow. I have crocheted snowflakes that I have placed throughout the arrangement. This can stay out until the end of February. Looks like winter!

Great Holiday Appetizer

My husband and I went out with dear friends last weekend. We went on a tour of homes decorated for Christmas. All of the homes had different snacks you could sample also. The was one I had never seen and it is very festive and delicious. Sorry, I don't have a picture. I haven't made it yet.

Cranberry Relish

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 bunch cilantro
3-4 jalapenos, seeded if you don't want much heat.
1-8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Put above ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until fine to medium consistency. Pour over cream cheese and serve with Fritos.

When I tasted this, the hostess had only put in one seeded jalapeno and I couldn't taste the jalapeno. So you will need to decide how hot you want it and add your jalapenos. The hostess also said Fritos are the best with this. She had tried different crackers and it didn't do what Fritos did for this.

My Birthday

My birthday is in November and our oldest son was born the day before my birthday. Since he is older now we usually celebrate together. This year my sister surprised us with huge rib eye steaks (for our son) and her wonderful artichoke salad (for me). It was a wonderful dinner. My sister is a wonderful cook. She has a natural ability for putting foods together and making up her own recipes. This artichoke salad is one she made up years ago and I have always loved it.

Just a little information about my sister. I have never said much about her. She is 11 years older than I am. She married and left home when I was in the third grade. She is a very sweet and kind person. Like I have already said, she is a wonderful cook and had a full scholarship to Oklahoma State University in Home Economics when she graduated from high school and turned it down to marry the love of her life. She has two sons. Before I married, my sister and her husband would have me and our parents up for dinner at least one or twice a month. She always went all out with appetizers and drinks before dinner and then she always had a wonderful gourmet meal for us. Wonderful memories!

Back to the birthday dinner. One thing I have always loved about my sister's meals is she always does appetizers. For our dinner that day, she had made a yummy corn dip as an appetizer. It was a relaxed afternoon, enjoying the appetizer cooking dinner at a relaxed pace. I'm usually in a rush trying to get things done. I need to pick up her style of being relaxed and enjoying food and conversation and having the food in stages. I need to do more appetizers for my family and friends. Having appetizers before dinner just creates a relaxed mood.

The menu was steaks, salad, sauteed mushrooms and then our youngest daughter made this wonderful German Chocolate Cake. I had been wanting to make a layered German Chocolate Cake. My mother had a wonderful recipe when I was growing up and I have not been able to find her recipe. So in Southern Living in October they featured a German Chocolate Cake and the recipe was from 1957. I thought this has to be similar to my mom's recipe. It was wonderful. If you like German chocolate cake you will have to make this, it really is worth the effort of making a layered cake.

Now for the recipes.

German Chocolate Cake
2 (4-oz) packages Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate Bar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Parchment paper
Coconut-Pecan Frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 3 (9 inch) round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly grease paper.
Microwave chocolate baking bars and 1/2 cup water in a large microwave safe bowl at High for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring once halfway through.
Combine flour and next 2 ingredients in a medium bowl.
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form, gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven from, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cake layers to loosen from sides of pans. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Spread Coconut-Pecan Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

2 cups chopped pecans
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter
6 eggs yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes).
Meanwhile, cook evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks in a heavy 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cook, stirring constantly 12 to 14 minutes or until mixture becomes a light caramel color, is bubbling and reaches a pudding like thickness.
Remove pan from heat; stir in coconut, vanilla, and pecans. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally 45 minutes or until cooled and spreading consistency.

Artichoke Salad

1 head of Romaine, torn or cut
1 head of Red Leaf lettuce, cut
2 jars marinated artichoke hearts, sliced, reserve liquid from artichokes
1 can black olives, sliced
1 purple onion sliced thinly
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
garlic salt
Freshly ground pepper
salt to taste

Cut up greens in a salad bowl. Add olives and purple onion. In a separate bowl, mix about 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil and liquid from artichokes. Whisk together and pour over greens. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and toss. My sister doesn't measure anything so I'm guessing on the measurements. You might want to add more or take away according to your personal taste. I also thought fresh garlic would be better and I personally like Kalamata olives better than black olives.

I always forget to take pictures. The cake was devoured when I thought of pictures and that was left over salad.

I had two favorite gifts for my birthday. One was a pair of shoes curiosity of daughter number two and daughter number one gave me this adorable piece for my garden "blackbirds in the pie". It is in our breakfast room until spring when I will have a perfect spot for it in my flower garden. Blackbirds in the Pie came from Wilshire Garden Market. Go and check out all the wonderful pieces they have for your garden. I promise you, you won't be able to leave without something you'll fall in love with.

Turkey for the Holidays

Thirty years ago, my mom showed me how she prepared our Thanksgiving turkey. I have always prepared ours the same way she taught me. Clean and wash out the turkey, make a flour mask to coat the turkey with. Which is butter and flour. Season with salt and pepper rub on the mask and wrap up in foil. Then turn on the oven and start cooking about 2:00 a.m. and let it cook at 250 for about 8 hours. We always have 18 to 20 pound turkey. It was good and we always enjoyed it.

This year I was watching how a lot of the chiefs on the Food Network Channel prepared their turkey and decided to try something different. Since the Barefoot Contessa happens to be one of my favorites, I decided to try her version and let me tell you it was the best turkey I have ever cooked. This is what I did. Always wash the turkey with warm water inside and out and clean the turkey up. Zest and juice one lemon, 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened, 1 heaping teaspoon of fresh chopped thyme. Mix these together and run your fingers between the skin and the breast meat to loosen the membrane and then put the butter mixture under the skin covering as much of the breast meat as possible. Salt and pepper the outside skin and rub the rest of the butter mixture over the skin. Now, inside the cavity cut a small onion in half and lay it inside the cavity along with half a lemon, a large bundle of garlic cut in half, and about 12 stems of fresh thyme. Tie the legs together with cooking twine and lay turkey in a roasting pan with a rack in the bottom. I cooked it at 400 degrees for 4 hours and after about 2 hours, once the turkey was golden brown, I layed foil over the top to keep it from burning. I let it rest after cooking for about 20 minutes before it was carved.

My family loved it and they thought it was the best turkey we have ever had. I think next year I will do the same thing but I may lay the turkey on a bed of carrots, celery, onions and apples. I saw someone do that and thought that might be interesting. Happy Cooking!!

I'm back!

It was a long hot summer for me and I didn't have much inspiration. But the cool breezes of autumn and the beautiful colors have revived me. I'm full of stories and ideas that I want to share with you.

I've been putting edging around my flower beds. Old red bricks are the edging around my flower beds and with my old yellow house in the country it really looks good. My husband and I have started creating an area behind our barn for star gazing parties. I have wanted to do this forever and there was so much to do it was almost overwhelming. But once again, we have taken a little at a time and we are making progress. It is going to be beautiful. I have transplanted a climbing rose bush and put a trellis behind it to cover some of the back wall of the barn. In one corner, we are putting up an old weathered pasture gate for morning glories to grow on.

I will show pictures before long.

Celebrating my husband's birthday tomorrow and will have two new pie recipes to share with you.

Thankfulness

I have enjoyed reading the postings on FaceBook for the 30 days of Thankfulness for the month of November. It is a tradition in our family, that before we eat Thanksgiving dinner each person in our family shares the thing they are most thankful for that year. This year I am most thankful for the enlightment that God has given me this year.

It is kind of a funny story or at least it's funny to me. Almost thirty years ago, God told me he was going to take me from the darkness to the light and take me a way I had never been before. He certainly did that and continues to do it. But what was funny was at the time I was in church and born again and I thought I was already in the "light". Little did I know! God in His wonderful, great goodness continues and continues to bring me to the light. There is a scripture that says, Light arises in the darkness for the upright. I would like to say that light is arising in the darkness for mankind. We just need to have eyes to see and ears to hear.

I have many things to be thankful for this year but that is the one I'm most thankful for.

Critical Thinking

I have become a critical thinker over the years but I remember my mother always saying "why didn't I have you first when I was younger, because you are always asking why and how." Beliefs are passed down from family, government, religion and other sources I'm probably not thinking of right now. I'm sure you've heard the story of cutting the butt off the ham. A family is gathered for dinner and the mother has cut off the butt of the ham to put it in the oven and her daughter asked her why she was cutting off the butt of the ham and she said, "Because Mom always cut it off" and grandma was there and the daughter asked her why did you cut off the butt of the ham and grandma said "because it wouldn't fit in my oven." Great example!

As I said in my last post, I have been going through some of my son's school books from college. I realized as I was reading one of the stories in his English book that I had taken someone else opinion of a person. The person is Martin Luther King, Jr. I vaguely remember hearing that he had communist views and I can't give you specifics but I had a negative view toward him. I ran across a story in the English book entitled "Letter from Birmingham Jail." He was in jail being arrested for a peaceful protest. His letter was addressed to the clergyman in his part of the country who had been criticizing him for his beliefs and position in the civil rights movement. It was a very moving and inspirational letter and once again I saw where I had been sucked into believing something that wasn't true. If I had been older when King was protesting for the civil rights of the black people I can assure you I would have been marching with him. I read nothing in the letter that would make me think he was a communist, in fact from reading his letter I could see why he was asassinated.

I am writing this to encourage you to think critically. Research things for yourself and know what you believe and why you believe it. I think if you will start to do that you will find out that things may be different than what you think.

This makes my blood boil!!

Recently, I was looking through my son's Sociology book from college. I know the agenda of the colleges are to change the way our children think. In fact, over 100 years ago the public education system was changed to do just that. Starting in kindergarten through college. The goal is to create worker bees, slaves, who show up for a job everyday, do their job, go home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed and start all over again. The big high light of the week is the weekend when you don't have to "work". They have been very successful. Children today do not think critically, not just children, even adults. There are so many contradictions on the evening news (which I don't watch anymore) I'm thinking are people not catching this? I'm getting side tracked here. Back to the book. It stated that parents are in agreement that it is more socially important for their children to know how to conduct themselves in today's society than to be taught all the academic subjects. The only subject that the educational system views as important is Math. I don't have the book here with me or I would quote it exactly. In fact, I will do it at another time.

Twenty-five years ago the agenda was hidden. But it is out there in plain sight for all to see now. Probably thirty years ago, in the Baptist church we were attending at the time, there was a special meeting. It was a husband and wife team and they were both teachers from the midwest. They were traveling the country trying to wake up parents to what was going on in the public school system. They could take a teachers lesson plan for the year and show the teacher how this philosophy was woven into what they were teaching. Our children were not school age at the time. When our oldest became school age she was enrolled in a Christian school and evently we started homeschooling.

We homeschooled for 17 years and this is my opinion "nothing is perfect." Not everyone can afford to send their children to private schools and not all mothers can stay home with their children. My advice to young mothers is raise critical thinkers, unconditionally love your children, give them wings and let them make mistakes while living under your roof. If you are Christians guard your heart from being religious. Make sure you have dinner together every night at a dinner table with the TV off and talk to your children. Love them and pray for them and the rest is up to God. As God asked me one day, "do you think you can change their heart" and I said," is that what I'm trying to do" and He said "all you can do is teach them what you know and leave the rest up to Me."

Beautiful Poem

I love this poem and I can't say who wrote it. It's from my devotional book that I read every year.

"He was better to me than all my hopes;
He was better than all my fears;
He made a bridge of my broken works,
And a rainbow of my tears."

The billows that guarded my sea-girt path,
But carried my Lord on their crest;
When I dwell on the days of my wilderness march
I can lean on His love for the rest.

He emptied my hands of my treasured store,
And his covenant love revealed,
There was not a wound in my aching heart,
But the balm of His breath hath healed.
Oh, tender and true was the chastening sore,
In wisdom, that taught and tried,
Till the soul that He sought was trusting in Him,
And nothing on earth beside.

He guided by paths that I could not see,
By ways that I have not known;
The crooked was straight, and the rough was plain
As I followed the Lord alone,
I praise Him still for the pleasant palms,
And the water-springs by the way.
For the glowing pillar of flame by night,
And the sheltering cloud by day.

Never a watch on the dreariest halt,
But some promise of love endears;
I read from the past, that my future shall be
Far better than all my fears.
Like the golden pot, of the wilderness bread,
Laid up with the blossoming rod,
All safe in the ark, with the law of the Lord,
Is the covenant care of my God.

Yoga Class

Over a year ago I attended my first Yoga class. I had every intention before I attended to do this at least 2 to 4 times a week. After the first class I never went back. :( It is probably the hardest exercise I have ever done. Maybe, it's because I'm older.

I think I mentioned in an early blog that I still have 30 pounds I want to get off. So I was recently putting together an exercise program for myself and I knew I needed to incorporate the Yoga class in my regimen. It has been over a year so I somewhat forgot about how hard it is. Now I want to say, that Yoga is a lot of stretching and flexibility and it is amazing how you sweat when you are not really doing anything aerobic.

So last week I went back to my first class in over a year. It first started with a lot of stretching and it felt good and I thought to myself, "Ok, this is not so bad." Then things started to pick up and I then remembered why I never came back. Ok, visualize this. On the floor, in a men's push up position and from this position you bring one leg up under you and come up into a standing position. Oh my gosh, I can't even tell you how hard this is. My thoughts, in the midst of all of this was I'm not doing this, I'm not coming back, this is just too flippin hard, then I thought no, I can do this and I have to make myself do this. It is good for my body. As I do it, it will become easier.

Toward the end of the class, I started laughing because of what I am about to tell you. I think everyone pretty much experiences this, even though we are getting older, inside, in our spirit, we still feel like we are in our 20's or maybe 30's. Anyway that's how I feel. So here I am, standing with this huge rubber band stretched around my foot holding it with my hand and this leg is out in the air and I am trying to balance myself on the other foot. Really struggling to keep standing and all of a sudden I look up and this huge mirror is in front of me and I wonder who this old woman is trying to stand on one foot and about to fall on her face.

It was funny! You probably don't see the humor in all of this but you needed to be there to really appreciate it. So, the moral to this story is I am not giving up. I am making myself attended the Yoga class once a week and my goal is to work into twice a week. When the class was over, I really felt better and was I ever sore the next day. I'll keep you posted on my progress!

I'm determined, "I will not give up."

Easy Cherry Dessert

I had a client call me in July and was having a birthday party for an aunt. She was wanting a dessert with cherries but not a cherry pie and she also wanted a chocolate pie. I remembered a dessert I use to make years ago and it was very good. I told her about it and she liked the idea so I made it for her. She called me later and said it was a hit at the party and everyone loved it. You may or may not know about this dessert but it is very easy and good. One of those things you can whip up quickly and it taste so good everyone things it must have taken time.

2 cans cherry pie filling
1 lg. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 white cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups, chopped pecans

Pour cherry pie filling in a 9x13inch ungreased pan. Sprinkle crushed pineapple over the cherry pie filling. The sprinkle white cake mix over cherries and pineapple. Pour melted butter over cake mix. Top with chopped pecans. Bake at 350 for one hour. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

I want to share another idea with you for gift giving. I have posted a picture of 2 chocolate pie tarts. I had a lot of chocolate filling left from the pie I made so I made 2 chocolate tarts to give to a friend for her birthday. She loves chocolate pie and she is a person who has everything. She was delighted with the tarts. This particular chocolate pie recipe is served with whipped cream so that is why there is no meringue on the top. On another occasion I made coconut cream tarts with the meringue and they really look cute. People really like things that are homemade and the tarts are perfect.

Chicago Steakhouse Sandwich

All the family was home yesterday for dinner. It was a pretty exciting day. We have a house divided in the area of college football. Some of kids were at the OSU game and some were at the OU game. It makes for lively dinner conversation. Then as we are eating dinner, we see one of our neighbors in his four wheeler running our next door neighbor's Longhorn bull up the road.

My husband and I ran outside to see what we could do. Our neighbor cornered him in our back pasture and I thought we were going to have a bull fight on our hands. The bull was hitting the dirt with his front hoofs they way they do in the bull fights. It was pretty funny. He was mad! This bull belonged to our neighbor on the north and the bull was trying to get to our neighbor's heifers on the south.

Well the roundup :) ended safe and sound and the bull got back in the right pasture. So much for life on a Sunday afternoon in the country!

Ok, back to food. This steak sandwich is really awesome you've got to make it.....you will love it. I was watching the Sandwich King on Food Network and he made this sandwich and my taste buds were having an attack. I knew I had to try it for sure. I made homemade onion rings to go with it. It was a great combo and my family all loved the sandwiches.

3 boneless rib eyes or strip steak would work
12 0z and 5 oz container of spinach (I used this much for my family of 6)
10 peeled garlic cloves, sliced thinly
baguette bread
crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 heaping Tablespoon fresh dill chopped
Cracked pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Use a large skillet and put in about 1/4 cup of olive oil and cook garlic until it starts to turn golden then remove and place on paper towel. Use the garlic oil to saute spinach and add one teapsoon of red pepper flakes or more if your family likes it spicy. Your spinach will be overflowing the skillet but it will cook down and you will wonder if you have enough. Keep turning spinach with tongs until it is wilted down.

I have just started cooking steaks this way and they are really great. I have watched this on the Food Network Channel and all the cooks do this. If you buy a good grade and cut of meat you really don't need a lot of seasoning and if you cook it correctly the taste is excellent. Salt and Pepper your steak. I have very large cast iron skillets but you can use any skillet just make sure you can put it in the oven. Salt and pepper one side of the steaks. Make sure your skillet is very, very hot and lay the steak in the skillet and sear both sides of the steak. When you lay the salted side down make sure you salt the other side. After you sear the second side then put it in a 420 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes depended on how you like it cooked. Take it out of the oven and cover it with foil for about 10 minutes. Don't cut into it until after it has set for 10 minutes.

After the steak has set for 10 minutes, put the steak on a cutting board and slice it thinly. Take your baguette bread cut it in half (horizontally) then cut in half vertically. Butter both sides of bread and grilled it or put it in the oven until slightly golden. Take bread and put slices of steak on bun then sauteed spinach then put garlic chips on top of spinach then top with several spoonfuls of the buttermilk blue dressing.
YUMOOOOOO!

If you have friends over on Saturdays to watch the game, this would be a great sandwich to serve.

Strawberries and Balsalmic Vinegar with Vanilla Ice Cream

I love balsamic vinegar and strawberries but I never thought of putting them together. I have seen Ina Garten on the cooking channel do it a couple of times. But recently, she had a segment on quick and easy sides and desserts. This was one of the desserts and I have tried it. It is quick and easy and really good.

2 pints of strawberries, cut each berry into 3 sections
2-3 Tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Cut berries add vinegar, sugar, black pepper. Make sure berries are covered well with all the ingredients. Cover with saran wrap and let it set for about an hour. After it has set for an hour put about a cup full in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I know this sounds odd but it really is good.

Cool Weather on the Way!

I'm so excited. Cool weather is on the way. I've just turned off the television from watching the weather report and finished my cup of coffee. It's just getting daybreak and I can't wait to get outside and do some work in the garden.

The heat has been so unrelenting this summer my garden didn't make it. But I am going to start planting my fall garden today. I wouldn't do it before because I knew the tender little seedlings would get cooked after one day in this scorching heat. Lots of spinach, kale, beets, swiss chard and several different lettuce mixes that will be my fall garden. I'll have lots of greens for juicing.

Speaking of juicing, I would like to tell you about a very interesting lady. A little over twenty years ago, I was having some health issues and had been praying for God to give me some direction as to what I needed to do for my health. One morning I got into the car to run some errands and a talk show was on the radio. A lady was talking about health and at first I didn't pay much attention but as she continued to talk I finally pulled over and started taking notes and then got her address for more information. That was my start of drinking barley green and I still drink it today. I started my kids on it back when they were small and honestly for years we were hardly ever sick. No colds and thankfully the flu passed us by. It is the single most important thing I think you can do for yourself. Now green drinks are really becoming popular and fresh greens are really great for you but if you can't get fresh check into getting barley green. The lady I was listening to that day was Dr. Mary Ruth Swope. She is 91 now and still going strong. I was recently listening to a broadcast of her from late 2010 and early 2011 on an LA talk radio show. If you are addicted to soft drinks you need to hear what she has to say because you will never want to drink one again. Go to latalkradio.com/Aging.php. There are 3 segments Oct. 7, 2010, Jan.6, 2011, Feb.10,2011. They are all good but if you have to pick one listen to Jan. 6. You can also get information to order the barley green.

Have a great Saturday!

The Room Everyone Wishes They Had!

Several weeks ago I stopped by to visit with a friend and as I was getting ready to leave she said, "Oh, let me show you what I've done." I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the conversion of one of her bedrooms. First of all, red is one of my favorite colors so immediately I loved it. Then as I stood there and slowly took it all in I was so amazed by her creativity and her organization was fantastic. I wanted to see every little detail. This is a room I would love to be in all day, just going from one project to another. I would be inspired by just walking into the room. Then add a little music to the atmosphere and I would be ready to go!

All of the room is wonderful, like I've already said, but my favorite thing is the red and white quilt her dear friend made her for her birthday. I love the red and white embroidery and the pinwheel pattern is adorable. She did and excellent job on the quilt and it is a wonderful finishing touch to her wonderful room.

Enjoy the pictures and I know it will give you lots of ideas to create a special room at your home. For once I had my camera with me!

Bridal Shower

My dear friend and I had a bridal shower for a dear friend son's fiancee. Laughing...all my friends are dear to me. :) Well, I wanted to share some of my ideas for the shower.

The bride is having a vintage wedding. She is getting married at her parents home which is out in the country on top of a hill over looking beautiful pasture land. They are getting married under an old tree that will have their initials etched in the tree with a heart around it. I'll show pictures of wedding later. They are getting married in October. This is just my kind of thing. I loved vintage! If my husband and I could get married again it would be outside and in the country. Yip eee!

Ok, back to the shower. We had a bridal brunch and the menu was quiche, blueberry scones with lemon curd and salad with mixed greens, fruit, nuts and champagne vinaigrette. Oh, and I can't forget strawberry pie with whipped cream for dessert.

For the table, I had a old crocheted tablecloth that I used and some old vintage hankies. I took my 3 tiered holder and layered cleaning supplies (as you can see), I stuck in a wooden spoon, spatula, garlic press, ice cream scoop, tongs and recipe book on smoothies. I also stuck in kitchen towels. I was very pleased with the way it turned out and it also gave the bride a lot of items to stock her kitchen. So often I see fresh flowers for center pieces at showers and flowers are lovely but I liked the idea of the centerpiece being useful after you are finished with it.

I'll have to tell you something funny. I used Ina Garten's recipe for lemon curd. The recipe did not specify how many it would serve. So from the recipe, the ingredients didn't look like it made very much so I quadrupled the recipe and I ended up with a gallon of lemon curd. I was able to send home lemon curd with a lot of the guests. Oh well!

I used a huge antique platter for the blueberry scones and I laid an old hankie on the platter before I put on the scones.

Hope this gives you some ideas before you have your next shower. I will have to say that I haven't given any showers in a long time but really enjoyed doing this and the baby shower that I did recently. It was fun!