Here's to a New Year

     Tomorrow is New Year's Eve.  Another year has come and gone, and I'm amazed at how fast this one went by.  It seems the older I get the faster the years fly, not to mentioned that ever since Monkey was born they seem to be reaching lightening speed.  As bittersweet as it is, I'm looking forward to this new year.  This year Monkey will be 6 years old.  I will finally graduate from Nursing school in the fall.  I'll take the NCLEX in September, and (hopefully) I'll begin my first nursing job before the year is out.  Just as 2015 will mark the beginning of my Nursing career, it will also bring the close of J's Navy career.  Who knows what new adventures that alone will bring. At any rate, I think it's safe to say that 2015 will be a year of many firsts, and I'm ready to meet them head on.

     As with many of you out there, the beginning of the New Year makes me think about what changes I can make in my life, and although I'm not one for New Year's resolutions, the holidays and all the goodies they entail have me wishing for a bit healthier fare in the near future.  Thankfully, my awesome MIL gave me a Magic Bullet which will come in handy as I get back on the smoothie wagon.  In the meantime, though, I have been indulging a bit too much in food like this:

Easy Crockpot Burritos
Adapted from FoodPusher blog

2 lbs stew meat, ground beef, or chicken
19 oz can mild red enchilada sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 can refried beans
7 burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings: guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, shredded lettuce

Place beef, bouillon cube, and enchilada sauce into a crockpot.  Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours, or until meat is tender and flakes easily.

Once beef is tender, heat refried beans in a microwave or on the stovetop according to package directions.

Grease the inside of a 9x13 baking dish or spray with cooking spray.  Set oven to broil on high.

Assemble burritos by placing about 1/2 cup drained meat in the center of a tortilla.  Add a about two scoops of beans to the center.  Fold the sides in and roll up like a burrito.  Place inside the greased baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas or until all the meat is used up.  Pour leftover sauce from the crockpot over the top of the burritos.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with optional toppings.

     I love that this recipe can be adapted for your preferences (and budget).  J prefers ground beef burritos, but I like the stew meat best.  Chicken is always a good compromise, and it's easier on the bank than beef, not to mention it has less fat than beef.  Plus I like any recipe that gives me the choice to mix things up without becoming a whole new recipes I have to memorize.

    Anyway, I hope everyone has a fun-filled New Year's Eve, and a wonderful New Year!

It's Ime-tay Oo-tay Eak-Spay Ig-pay Atin-lay

     I'm in trouble.  I discovered that I can no longer get away with spelling things in my house when I don't want Monkey to know what I'm talking about.  I should have seen this coming.  I mean, she's known several small words for a while now, but she has come to that point where she is sounding words out and actively reading, so she's gotten even better at deciphering J's and my secret code.  Sunday we decided we would surprise her by taking her to see Big Hero 6, and when I asked J what time the m-o-v-i-e started, she perked up and said, "I wanna watch a movie!"  I guess it's time to break out the Pig Latin...

     Speaking of Monkey, I know it's only Tuesday, but I have never appreciated Kindergarten so much as I did yesterday afternoon by about 12:30.  I love my daughter, and I have been looking forward to spending extra time with her for weeks, but I forgot how much work it is to keep her busy all day.  I commend all you stay-at-home moms out there.  It's a full time job.  As I mentioned in my last post, we're working on a few projects to learn about properties of water, and yesterday we focused on reversible change, or more simply put, freezing and melting.  After breakfast, I let her watch this episode of Sid the Science Kid while I set up our experimenting station (aka while I cleared off the table).  After the show was over we talked about how water can change to ice and back to water again, and that's why it's called a reversible change.  Then we pulled out our frozen "Sink or Float" experiment, and she recorded her findings.  Next I asked her how she thought she could get her toys out of the ice, and she came up with some excellent ideas ranging from lighting a fire under them, to using the microwave, to sticking the whole thing in the oven to melt the water.  I gently steered her towards using hot water to melt the ice, after all it seemed the safest route.  

     After this experiment she decided clothes were over rated, declared it Pajama Day, and then came back downstairs for more experiments.  I was ready for her.  The night before I had filled three balloons with water.  I made them different sizes, one small, one medium, and one large.  I took them out and instructed Monkey to peel the balloon off and use the frozen balls to create a snowman.  Of course, I had to start singing "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" while she worked.

     I had Monkey sprinkle a bit of salt between each ball to help them hold together.

     Next, she decorated her snowman using some construction paper cut-outs and salt to help them stick.

     With the snowman finally assembled, I asked Monkey to hypothesize how long she thought it would take our snowman to melt.  She said until the next next, so I had her record her hypothesis of 24 hours and draw the experiment.  I set an alarm to sound every hour so we could record the progress, and every hour Monkey drew a picture of what was going on with our science snowman.  Her hypothesis was incorrect; it only took 7 hours and 26 minutes for our snowman to melt completely.  She recorded these results too before helping me clean him up.

    Now, this experiment was loosely based off of this experiment I found on Pinterest, but I just looked at the picture without reading the instructions (shame on me) so I didn't realize they made two snowmen, putting one outside and one inside to see which would melt faster.  I froze six more water-filled balloons so that we could do that version of the experiment today.  

    I realize that lately most of my blogs focus on kid crafts or kid lunches, and some of you are only here for the recipes (I'm onto you), so it's only fair that I give you what you came for, right?  Well here you go!  This is my favorite hamburger recipe from Paula Deen, and believe or not, no butter was harmed in the making of these burgers. ;-)

Paula Deen's Loaded Juicy Beef Burgers
3 lbs ground beef
1 (8 oz) package baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
2 TBS prepared horseradish
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Gently shape into 10 patties.  Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350-400 degrees).  Grill burgers, covered with grill lid, for 5-6 minutes per side or until thermometer inserted into the thickest portion reads 165 degrees.  Serve with homemade buns (recipe to follow), pickles, sliced tomatoes, slice onions, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, or any of your favorite hamburger toppings.

Homemade Hamburger Buns
from Taste of Home
2 TBS active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 TBS warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in water.  Add oil and sugar.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add egg, salt and flour to form a soft dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.  Do not let rise; immediately divide into 12 pieces (for bigger rolls, divide into fewer pieces).  Shape each piece into a ball.  Place 3 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.  Cover and let rise for 10 minutes.  Bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!

Six Years Down, How Many More to Go?!

   Marriage is a crazy concept if you think  about it.  You're taking two people, who each have different life experiences, different perspectives, and different opinions, and basically telling them to put up with each other for the next 50-70 years.  The craziest part is that these two different people enter into this crazy pact by choice!  Although I wanted to be with J for the rest of my life, at 19 I don't think I really knew what I was getting into.  Then again, I don't think anyone does, regardless of their age on their wedding day.  It's just one of those things you don't know until you do it.  Well, six years ago today, I entered into the crazy commitment with J, and it's been a wild ride.  Ups and downs, forward and backward, we've moved all over the spectrum together.  And although there were days I wanted to just throw my hands up and call it quits, I'm so thankful to be married to this man.  He drives me nuts (on purpose).  He pushes my buttons (on purpose).  He causes me to rethink my beliefs, my standards, and my goals.  He challenges me to be a better me.  He supports me in my ventures.  He's my biggest fan, and my worst critic.  He loves me in his way that is totally different from my own, and he causes me to questions what the Hell I was thinking the day I said, "I do", but more than anything, he shares my life.  He's the first person I want to call when I have a great day at clinical.  When I failed my first test in Nursing school, he was the one I wanted to talk to.  When Monkey is having one of her days where I just can't win, I know he's there to pick up my slack.  As cliche as it may sound, there's no one else I'd rather travel through this world with.  So here's to you, Love!  Happy Anniversary :-)

     

     Now for the rest of you, I guess I owe you something for being such a good sport and sitting through my cheesiness. How about a recipe?  Here's one I made for J the other night that he loved!  

Paula Deen's Quick Italian Meatballs with Spaghetti

Makes 4-6 servings

1 TBS olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

2 lbs ground beef

36 pepperoni slices, finely chopped

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Quick Spaghetti and Sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place a wire rack over baking sheet, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and bell pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Set aside to cool. IN a large bowl, combine cooked vegetables, ground beef, pepperoni, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt.  Shape mixture into 2 inch balls.  Place on prepared rack, and bake for 15 minutes or until no longer pink.  

Paula Deen's Quick Spaghetti and Sauce

1 (25 oz) jar pasta sauce

6-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 (16 oz) package spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

To thinly slice the basil, stack several fresh basil leaves, and roll them up tightly.  Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the bundle, and watch it cascade into tiny ribbons.  

In a large saucepan, combine pasta sauce, basil, oregano, and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat until safe is warmed through.  Add cooked pasta and meatballs.  Toss gently to coat.  

Enjoy!

Light and Frolicsome

   Today, at least, I succeeded.  Too many times in life I find myself feeling like I'm going through the motions.  I try to force the joy and happiness that should just come so naturally.  It's understandable, especially when life gets in the way of living, but it's not acceptable.  I've been trying in all the wrong ways to find my joy again.  Today when I stopped trying, it found me.  It always seems to work out that way, doesn't it?  So why don't I ever think to try that first?

     This morning I hit the gym with my new workout buddy, and together we tackled the first day of a 12-week body building program and then some.  My arms now protest if I lift them over my head, but it just reminds me that I'm alive.  After taking care of some of my usual duties (schoolwork, the house, etc.) I began to get that feeling again, that I was just going through the motions, and that I needed to get out.  That, of course, required a little mood music.  So I went to Youtube and began blaring the 80s music as I got changed from my sweaty workout attire to something cute.  Just then J came home and laughed as he pointed out that my outfit seemed to match the background music.  He came along for the ride when I decided to pick Monkey up from daycare early.  They both were pleasantly surprised when I decided on a whim that instead of staying straight to head home, I would turn the car left and head to the beach.  We played in the sand for a while, chasing each other, writing our names in the sand, and going on a "Spider hunt" at Monkey's request.  The beach trip was followed up by a spontaneous trip to the mall for cookies and pretzels.  As we headed home we watched the sun set over the water.

     It may not sound like much, but it was good for the soul just to be happy and unexpected.  As the mommy, too often I feel like I have to do exactly as others wish.  It's like I have a role to fill, and if I don't fill it properly I'll let someone down.  Today I felt like an actor who threw out the script, and came up with something brilliant anyway.  Kinda like what Harrison Ford did the day he decided to whip out his gun and shoot that bad guy instead of going through that long, arduous fight scene the writers had planned for him.

     Keeping with the whimsical theme I seem to have going here, I'd like to share a recipe from the Harry Potter Cookbook:

 Molly Weasley's Meatballs with Onion Sauce
For the Meatballs:
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup fresh or dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 onion, finely chopped
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

For the Onion Sauce:
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS all-purpose flour
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

For the meatballs, combine the beef, bread crumbs, eggs, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Heat the oil in a skillet.  Form the meat mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls, and working in batches, fry the balls on each side until well browned, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer meatballs to a dinner plate.  For the Onion Sauce, add 2 TBS oil to the skillet and heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.  Add the flour, and stir to combine.  Pour in the chicken broth and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling.  Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or wide egg noodles.

Learning to Laugh

     As most of you know through Facebook, my husband came home from deployment a little over a week ago.  That, plus the start of another school semester are my excuses for being absent from the blogging universe lately.  I knew it wouldn't be long, what with having my darling J back in the house, before I had a blog-worthy story to tell.  He didn't disappoint.
 
     Last night was our first official date night since he's been back.  We created a "Date Jar" about a day or two after his return.  It's an idea I found on Pinterest, although I didn't actually pin it, so I can't credit the original source.  (Sorry if you're the original source.)  Any-whoo, a Date Jar is a prettily decorated jar that you and your significant other fill with slips of paper.  On each piece of paper there is a short description of a date you'd like to go on.  For example, one of the slips I added says "Take a cooking class" and one of J's additions says, "Go to a shooting range".  We'll take turns pulling from the jar, and the goal is to do at least one "just us" date a month, but we threw in a few family dates as well so we can include Monkey.  I pulled first, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I read "Dinner (you pick) and a movie (I pick)".  No pressure!  Dinner and a movie is a cinch, especially since I've been dying to see The Hobbit since it came out.  I picked my part quite quickly, but J himmed and hawed for a few days.  I asked him Wednesday if he knew where we were going to eat yet.  He got this cute, mysterious grin on his face, and said, "Yeah, but I'm not telling."  Intrigued, I just said "Okay."  His face got a little brighter as he asked me if I wanted a hint.  Of course I did!  I love surprises, and I'm an expert and figuring them out before I get them, which is the fun part for me.  His hint was, "It's your favorite restaurant, but you don't get to eat there very often because it's a bit more expensive."  OMG!  He's taking me to Koi Sushi! I squealed on the inside.  Out loud I merely shrugged and said, "Oh, well then I know where we're going."  He just grinned, and we changed the subject.

      Yesterday we got home after looking at cars at about 3 pm.  I immediately locked myself in the bathroom and began the long, arduous task of curling my hair into those adorable 50s ringlets.  At 5:00, I was finally fully dressed and ready to go in my cute dress, high heels, curls and makeup.  I came downstairs and got that "Wow" moment from my husband every girl aims for when getting dolled up.  We loaded Monkey into the car to bring her to my friend's house for the evening.  As J backed the car out the driveway I asked in a knowing voice, "So baby, where are we going to eat?"  Without missing a beat, he turned and grinned at me and said, "Five Guys!" in a very self-satisfied voice.

     Over the years, being married to J has taught me a lot of things, but I think the biggest lesson I've learned from dealing with him is how to laugh.  I'm not perfect at it, but I've come to know that when moments like that happen I can either be angry and hurt and disappointed, or I can laugh it off, put on some blue jeans and enjoy a sloppy hamburger with my husband, the man who may not have a clue half the time, but sincerely tries to make me happy.  He's not perfect, but neither am I.  Together we make a mess out of thin air, but it's our mess, and it's a beautiful one.  He may not be some Casanova or Romeo, but the fact that he remembered me saying a few days before that I was craving a sloppy burger shows that he does think of me, and he is trying.  I love my husband, and more than anything, I'm thankful that he's home with me again so that I can learn to laugh again.

     Another thing I love having him around for is the food I get to cook!  Monkey is a great taste-tester, but she's got a tiny tummy, so I don't cook as much when it's just the two of us, but now I have no reason not to try out all the new recipes in my two new cookbooks.  The first one I tried was the Beef Casserole from the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook, and it was excellent.

Beef Casserole
Makes 4 servings

3 TBS vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
3 TBS all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 TBS tomato paste
10 oz mushrooms, sliced
Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven 350*F.  Heat 1 TBS of oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over the stovetop.  Add half the meat in a single layer and cook over high heat until crusty brown, about 5 minutes.  Turn the meat over an brown the other side.  Transfer the meat to large plate.  Wipe out skillet and add the other TBS of oil.  Repeat with the remaining meat.  Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining TBS of oil.  Heat the oil and add the onion and celery.  Cook over medium heat until the onion turns light brown, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the onion and celery and stir until it is dissolved.  Add the broth while stirring.  Add the tomato paste, mushrooms, salt, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and bring casserole to a boil.  Turn off the heat.  Mix in reserved ground beef and any accumulated juices.  Cover the skillet and transfer it to the oven.  Bake the Casserole for 2 hours.  Stir the casserole every 30 minutes to make sure the bottom doesn't burn, and add water as necessary.  Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

     It was really good, but definitely not a weekday meal if you're a working mom.  It kinda reminded me of Beef Stroganoff without the sour cream.  J loved it, because as he put it, "It's manly food".  Goofball!

It's Just Another Manic Monday.....On Tuesday

     To say that this is just not my night would be the understatement to beat understatements.  Does anyone out there have a Dachshund?  If you do or did, you will know what I'm talking about when I say they are little shits.  That's it.  They're turds, butt-heads, divas!  They can be so cute and sweet when they feel like it, but if you put one toe out of line you will feel their wrath.  Don't believe me?  Go get one, and try to tell me in a few months that I'm not right.  Better yet, take mine!  Andouille is my own sweet little shit.  Remember when I first got him, and I thought, "Awe, he's so cute!  He'll be a good lap dog, and a sweet cuddler." Remember that?  Neither do I.  Andouille has a bad habit of tearing up his bed.  We have gone through three beds in as many months, and I think I've finally figured out why.  He likes the stuffing.  He rips the insides from the bed, fluffs them up, and then sleeps on them.  The problem with this is that those "fluff balls" seep out of his wire kennel and onto my bedroom floor, so I pick them up and throw them away.  Within a week or so, he no longer has fluff balls to sleep on, so what does he do?  He pulls my comforter off of my bed and begins the process of creating more fluff balls with it!  I have repaired my comforter three times, but today he managed to get it into a state of disrepair before I even realized he was no longer warming my feet as I studied.  Butt-head!  So now we both need new bedding; well played Dachshund, well played.

     After cleaning up what was left of my comforter and finishing up my extra credit project for Psychology, I went downstairs to do some laundry.  The problem is, my washer won't work.  It managed to wash the clothes, but it doesn't spin them.  It simply makes this pathetic whirring noise when I turn it on.  So I've been wringing out a few clothes at a time and running them through the dryer.  On a positive note, however, I'm finally getting that arm workout I've been meaning to do.  I handled it like a big-girl though, only locking myself in the bathroom to cry after I called the repairman.

     After Monkey went to sleep tonight, I decided to hop on here and print my notes for Microbiology.  I noticed that my ink cartridge was low, so I thought that was going to be the last straw on this evening's tale, but no.  I had enough ink to print, but my printer happens to share a desk with my sewing machine.  Without realizing it, I had tossed a few scraps of fabric onto the printer while sewing this week, and when I printed my first three pages of notes, the printer sucked the fabric down in there, and now I can't get it out!  I think I'm going to need a new printer...

     At least I just got my refund from school, but a new printer and washer were not the items I was wanting to splurge on.  *Sigh*

    In the meantime, would you like to see my awesome brain?

See the purple section?  His brother caused the printer jam.  Butt-head!

 
    I made it from fabric scraps, a piece of my old jeans I'm refashioning into capris, and thread.  I'm pretty excited about it.  I just hope my teacher is too, because extra credit is always nice.

    I do have a recipe I've been wanting to share with y'all, so let's end this crappy night on a good note, shall we?

Oven Baked Chimichangas

1 1/2 lb ground turkey
1 pkg Taco seasoning
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp fresh chopped oregano
2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro
1 can green chilies (about 7 oz)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
4 TBS melted butter
6-8 large flour tortillas

Optional Garnishes: Guacamole, Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa

Preheat oven to 450.  Brown turkey over medium.  Add taco seasoning and water.  Stir, and cook until liquid is reduced by 2/3.  Add cumin, oregano, cilantro, chilies, tomatoes, and green onions.  (I threw in a handful of chopped jalapenos, but watch out, it gets spicy quick.)  Stir until remaining liquid has evaporated.  Remove from heat, and let cool 5 minutes.  Stir in yogurt and 1/2 cup cheese.

Brush both sides of tortillas with melted butter.  Spoon desired amount of filling into the center of the tortilla, being careful not to over-fill.  Roll up and place on a greased or non-stick baking sheet, seam-side down.  Space them so they do not touch.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Return to oven to melt.  Serve with garnishes.

All the gooey goodness that's on the inside

     Monkey and I both devoured these suckers!  I normally don't like Mexican food because it can be too heavy, but this was just enough that I could eat two, feel really full, but not bloated and gross.  Plus I had an excuse to make my own guacamole.  It's really easy; simply mash up an avocado or more, depending on how much guacamole you need.  Dice a tomato, dump that in.  Season with salt and pepper, and voila!  Homemade guac that is amazing!  One of the guys who worked with my stepdaddy was from Mexico, and he told me that if you leave the avocado seed in the guacamole, it doesn't turn brown as quickly.  I never tested that, however, because guacamole doesn't last that long in this house anyway.

     Now I'm going to shower and curl up in my bed with my old tatty blanket with holes in it.  O.o

UPDATE:  So as I was about to hit "publish" and head off to bed, I decided to try one more time to get the fabric out of my printer.  I thought I'd be smart and use a pair of tweezers to remove the obstruction, but now I need to go buy a new printer and new tweezers, because the machine swallowed those too!  I'm going to bed now for my own safety.  Goodnight all!
   

And the Mama Bear said, "Who's been sleeping in my bed?"

     Today was Monkey's first day back at the Child Development Center here on base.  When she walked in, she made a beeline for her favorite teacher, who greeted her with a warm hug.  It definitely made it easy for me to leave her there after seeing how happy they were to have her back.  I took full advantage of my "me-time" to wash the dishes, mop the floors and get some errands taken care of.  The main thing I wanted to accomplish was a bit of grocery-shopping.  It was very nice to be able to go in, get what I needed and get out without anyone moving the car while I was inside or adding an extra $100 to my bill.

     Although her daddy isn't around to give me fits, there are still ample ways for me to be stressed.  Take the other night for example.  Monkey has a new fascination with my bed.  She loves to climb into it and play with her toys on my headboard.  She nestles down into the covers to hide, usually when I ask her to clean her room.  She even shoves all the covers onto the floor so she can use them as her own personal tent.  The other night I went into my room after Monkey had fallen asleep and found my blankets on the floor once more.  I shrugged, heaved them back on my bed, and nestled down for the night.  I Facebooked for a while, read a book and played on my phone for a good hour before deciding that 1:00 am was a good time for sleep, so I put away my things, fluffed my pillow, and turned over to get comfortable.  Right as I was reaching for the light I saw it.  Something slithers right next to my chest.  I leapt out of bed with a shriek!  I hate snakes, and I was petrified at the thought of one slinking its way into my bed.  I started flinging my comforter up and down and side to side, screaming, "Kill it 'Douille!  Get 'em Roux!"  My dogs, alerted by my antics, began hunting for the slippery creature, barking and growling like the protective angels I knew they were capable of being.  A few minutes go by before I stop long enough to notice the dead newt on my floor.  Apparently my "snake" was about two inches long and had feet.  I must have scared him to death quite literally, so I think I got the better end of this deal.  This is why I need Lasik surgery!  And a newt-free home.  And a slightly lesser fear of snakes.  And a better bedtime.  And...ugh!

    Now that I've given myself the heebie-jeebies again, I have a recipe that I find rather appropriate to share.

Drumroll, please....

Rattlesnake Bites
(No; I'm not kidding.)

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
4 oz chopped jalapenos
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3-8oz tubes crescent rolls

In a large skillet, cook beef/turkey and jalapenos over medium heat.  Drain off grease.  Add cream cheese, cumin, and chili powder.  Cool slightly.  Separate  the crescent rolls into triangles (There should be 24).  Place about 1 TBS of the beef/turkey mixture on the short end of the triangle, and carefully roll up.  Place seam-side down 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. (I like to line mine with parchment paper for easy clean up.) Bake at 375 for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown.

I hope you enjoy them, and I equally hope you find your beds empty of any critters tonight :-)

Onion-Sesame Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

  Alright ladies and gentlemen, tonight all I have for you is a recipe.  That's right: no long-winded stories of shopping trips that end in disaster.  No bitter diatribe about J letting a dirty dog into my bed.  No anecdote about Monkey.  Just a recipe.  But with a recipe that's as good as this one, what else do ya need?

Here it is:

Onion-Sesame Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

These were in Paula Deen's latest magazine issue, and I'm so glad I tried them!  They're hands-down my favorite of all her main-course recipes I've tried.  Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 lime, zested and juiced
5 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
3 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS rice wine vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 (2 lbs) flank steak
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
Optional Toppings:  matchstick carrots, bean sprouts, sliced water chestnuts, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro leaves, steamed white rice

In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the steak, lettuce and optional toppings.

Place steak in a resealable plastic bag.  Add half of the green onion mixture; seal bag, and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Cover and chill remaining green onion mixture.  Spray grill rack with nonstick, non-flammable cooking spray.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350-400).  Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade.    Grill steak for 8-10 minutes per side or until a thermometer registers 155 or until desired degree of doneness.

I have never mastered the grill; I hate the smokey flavor, and I hate waiting for J to do it for me.  So, I cooked my steak in about 2 TBS oil on the stove over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, because I like my meat medium-rare.  
 

Once your steak is cooked allow it to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before cutting into it.  Slice across the grain.

Serve steak in lettuce leaves with desired toppings and remaining green onion mixture.  Like so:

I will say that the marinade is what made this meal.  Next time I grill steak I'm going to use that marinade again.  It was just enough "something different" without being overwhelming.  I loved it!

That's Not the Point

    You know, after you've been in a relationship with someone for any substantial amount of time, you begin to pick up on more of the little things about them.  The way they can only fall asleep when facing the edge of the bed.  The way they always drink their milk after their meal is gone.  Or the way they avoid confrontation like the plague, but not in the traditional manner of apologizing so that the argument ends.  No, that would be too simple.  Instead my darling J has to deflect any attempt at an argument by turning the conversation around on me.  For example, last night I got out of the shower to find J lying in bed next to our dog, Roux.  This is not uncommon, or even forbidden, if the dog hadn't been between the sheets, on my side of the bed, with her snout on my pillow, after she had just come in from the rain!  I immediately barked an order at her to get in her bed, which she was quick to obey.  That's when I rounded on J, demanding, "Why was the dog on my bed?"  Instead of an "I'm sorry", or even a "Well she looked cold!"  I get: "You can't be mad at the dog; she doesn't know any better."  See?  Still semi-related to the topic on hand, but not what I asked.  "You're right," I reply, "I should be mad at you.  Why was the dog in my bed?"

"You don't have to use that tone of voice."

Again, slightly on topic, but not the point!

"Oh, I'm sorry," I respond lowering my voice, "Why was the dirty dog in my bed?"

"She's not dirty, she has a bath every week."

"Ugh,"  I'm getting flustered, but I am determined to not have him shake me this time.  "She gets a bath every Thursday.  It's Wednesday.  Why was the dirty dog in my bed?"

"No; I bathed her Saturday."  J senses I've begun to catch onto his wily ways, but he refuses to abandon them.

"I don't care when you bathed the dog, it rained today, and you let her get in my bed, between my sheets, after she came in from the rain, and I just got out of the shower!  So I'll ask you again, why was the dog in my bed?"  I will not be blown off course!

"So are you really just angry that forgot to bathe her last Thursday?"

"NO!  I just want to know what in the world makes you think it's okay to let a filthy dog get into my bed while I'm in the shower getting clean!  Why was the dog in my bed?"

Seeing that his attempts at misdirection are failing, J takes the only course left to him, "LOOK! Flying monkeys!!!"

Head hanging, I simply return to the shower for a few more moments of peace and quiet.

   But to give credit where credit is due, there are many wonderful things about J.  I can't think of any right now, but they're there. ;-P  Just kidding.  J is pretty handy to have around.  He has a knack of being able to fit just about anything into our little car.  Just yesterday he managed to fit an entire patio set in our tiny Saturn Ion.  He's also pretty good at getting down onto Monkey's level and entertaining her as if he were a kid himself.  She loves it!  Not to mention, he's a pretty handy garbage disposal.  Anything I cook, even if it's gross (which doesn't happen very often, if I do say so myself) he wolfs down with a grin and a comment about how it's better than galley food.  Yeah, I think I'll be keeping him around for a while longer.

   I'll also being keeping around this recipe I found for Paula Deen's Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta.  I really  loved it because it combined two of my favorite things: pasta and hamburger :-)  The best part is that it was adapted from a reader's recipe who asked Paula for ways to make the recipe healthier for her family.  So here it is:

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 (16 oz) packages 2% cheese, cubed
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp dry mustard
1 (14.5 oz) package multigrain penne pasta, cooked and kept warm
4 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
2/3 cup sliced dill pickles
1 med tomato, chopped

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray.  Add ground beef and onion, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until beef is browned and crumbly.  Add cheese, milk, ketchup, and dry mustard, stirring until cheese melts.  Stir in cooked pasta, crumbled bacon, and pickles.  Transfer mixture to a serving dish, and sprinkle with tomato.  Serve immediately.

Voila!

  And now, I'm going to have a picnic outside with my little family.  :-)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

   I know what you're thinking, What is she doing typing up a blog on a beautiful day like this? Well my answer to that is, I don't know!  It's a beautiful day, but I have no where to go and nothing to do, and it's all J's fault!  He called me this morning to say that he'd be headed home sometime today and that he'd call me back at noon to tell me when.  I haven't heard from him since. :-/  So, being the good wife that I am, I'm sitting around here, waiting, in case he calls to say he needs me to come get him.  That and I spent all morning baking; so now I'm tired and don't feel like doing anything.  So I'll hop on here and ramble a bit.

   Today I'm going to share one of my step-daddy's recipes: Stuffed Bell Peppers.  As I'm typing, I'm finding it a bit odd that this is the first recipe of his I've shared, especially considering that most of my love of cooking comes from years of helping him chop onions, garlic and bell pepper in the kitchen.  I guess the reason is that he's not really one to write down recipes.  He usually just throws a whole bunch of stuff into a pot and it comes out gold.  Anyone who has known me for more than a day has heard me talk about his cooking.  When asked if I like catfish, my response is always, "No; only my step-daddy's."  If I'm out enjoying a steak at a restaurant I may comment that "My step-daddy makes an awesome shrimp topping for his steaks."  And if asked about bar-b-que, the answer has never been anything short of, "Nobody does it like my step-daddy."

    What can I say?  Growing up when it came to food, we were spoiled rotten.  Jude (my step-daddy) never bought groceries in advance, he'd just grab whatever he was in the mood for from the local store and come home and invent something wonderful.  The only problem with this method is that I can't recreate any of his concoctions.  There's no method to his madness that I can see; so I'll just delight myself in these yummy bell peppers and leave it at that.

Here's what you'll need:

6-8 medium bell peppers
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 box Stove Top Cornbread Dressing
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Clean peppers and place them in a large pot filled with about 1-2 inches of water.  (The water should come about halfway up the sides of the peppers.) Bring the water to a boil, and cover with a lid.  Allow to steam until the peppers are tender.  Set in a 9x13" casserole dish.  Prepare the dressing according to directions on package; set aside.  Brown meat and onions, season to taste (I use Tony's).  Drain off excess fat.  Add soup, dressing and rice.  Mix well on low heat.  Stuff peppers with mixture and top with grated cheese. (I usually add a squirt of Ketchup on top, but that's optional.)  Bake at 325 for 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Bell Pepper sans ketchup.

   Well my baby girl is tired of entertaining herself inside and wants to go swing, so I'm going to oblige her.  Y'all enjoy your Saturday!

The Big Bang (and Cabbage Rolls)

    Here lately I haven't had much sleep.  J being gone has turned me into an insomniac, and that should mean that my house is immaculate, and all of my projects have been completed, right?  Wrong!  Instead of being productive, I've been watching re-runs of "The Big Bang Theory" every night from the time Monkey goes to bed until about midnight or later.  The result is that I currently have "Soft Kitty" stuck in my head and I've invented a new game.  It's like those drinking games you see all over Pinterest mixed with the Harry Potter Workout Game.  The result is this:

  I'm actually not doing this to get into shape.  I'm trying to wear myself out in order to attempt sleep before a new day dawns.  Aka, my husband needs to come home....so he can play my new game with me :-)

   At any rate, I'm still cooking, and I'd like to share something new.  The other night I made Stuffed Cabbage from Paula Deen's "Southern Cooking Bible".  I've never had stuffed cabbage before, and I admit I was a little unsure, but I think the end result was rather yum.

    Before I get into the recipe, though, I must admit something.  I was extremely distracted while making this (probably because I was watching the bloopers from The Big Bang Theory season 4) and I didn't really follow Paula's instructions.  So for the sake of accuracy, I'll give you her recipe, and then I'll let you in on how I botched it.

Here's what you'll need:

2 TBS vegetable oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 lbs)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 tsp salt
1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp paprika

Here's what Paula says to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9" baking dish.  In a medium skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat.  Add the onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Using a small, sharp knife, cut in a circle all around the stem of the cabbage and remove the core.  Place the cabbage in the boiling water.  After about 2 minutes an outside leaf will come loose.  Pull it off and our of the water using tongs.  After another minute or so another leaf will come loose.  Remove and repeat until you have 8-10 nice leaves. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels.  Cut out the thick part of the rib from the bottom of each leaf, but don't cut more than a third of the way into the leaf.  In a bowl, mix together the beef, cooled onion, rice, raisins, and salt.  With the stem side of the cabbage leaf facing you, place a scant 1/3 cup of the beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf.  Fold the bottom edge over the mixture and them fold the sides over and roll into a tidy packet.  Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.  In a bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, broth and paprika and pour over the cabbage.  Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Serve the cabbage rolls with a big dollop of sour cream.

 Okay, so here's what I did differently.  First off, I wasn't reading through so I added the meat to the skillet with the onion.  Then I mixed the tomato sauce in with the beef, onion, rice, raisins, and salt.  That meant that I had no sauce to cover the cabbage with, so I improvised by mixing the beef broth and paprika with a jar of spaghetti sauce I had on hand.  The meal still managed to turn out rather well, and I had already cooked the meat which meant my cabbage only stayed in the oven for about 25 minutes instead of the full hour.  On another note, next time I will probably rule out the raisins.  They didn't taste bad, but texture kept throwing me off.  Plus mentally I kept thinking "Why am I eating raisins, mixed with meat, mixed with cabbage?"  Monkey enjoyed it, though.  She even asked for seconds, that is, once I removed the cabbage from her plate.  For a kid who likes coleslaw, she was not having that cabbage.

   Well, enough anecdotes about the cabbage, it's time for bed.  And hopefully by "bed" I mean "sleep", because I just discovered that our new pup snacked on J's power cord for his laptop, and now it's dead, and I can't watch The Big Bang Theory!

Perspective

   I recently tried these Ham and Swiss Sliders.  They were the perfect weeknight dish, simple, easy and yet with a touch of something different. 

Here's what you'll need:

24 slices Honey Ham

16 slices Swiss Cheese

16 White Dinner Style Rolls, cut in half

1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 C  Mayonnaise

8 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

1/4 C brown sugar

1 tsp onion powder

     Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet place the bottom half of your dinner rolls.  Top with ham and cheese slices.  Spread about 1 tsp of mayo on top half of bread before placing on top of ham and cheese slices.  Make sure that your sliders are snuggly placed, so that they can soak up all the juice.  In a small bowl combine the mustard, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and brown sugar. Mix until combined and evenly pour over the assembled rolls.  Bake, covered with foil for 10 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until tops are browned and cheese is melty.  The original poster said that if you're using these for a party or want to cook them later, you can cover them with foil after you've poured the mixture over the rolls and refrigerate them until you're ready to cook them.  

Enjoy :-)

   

      I'm going to keep this short and sweet, mainly because I have a child with tummy troubles who refuses to wear a diaper or a pull-up; so I'm afraid to have her out of my line of sight.  Which is also what I wanted to blog about, so here we go.  Last night was one of those nights where I was so stressed out about everything and angry with everything and nothing was going right, that I felt like I was about to snap.  Monkey was having bowel issues, and the dog apparently ate too much grass, and it was just turning into a big ole mess, literally.  That's when I decided to take Monkey to the store so that I could get some fresh air (and possibly a bottle of wine), and she needed some medicine.  As I was huffing and puffing my way through the store with Monkey in tow, I happen to see something that made all my complaints vanish.  When Monkey dragged me down the toy aisle, I saw a little girl, not more than seven, standing there with her daddy.  She was just as happy as could be, chattering away about her day.  I noticed that this child had lost all of her hair and that her little face looked like she had lost a lot of weight really fast.  I had seen pictures of children with cancer, but never one in person before, and it was all I could do not to cry.  I forced myself to smile at her before turning to Monkey to pick her up and hug her as tight as I could.  Sometimes I get so focused in on my stress and my aggravations that I forget what's important, and every now and then it's good to have your life put into perspective.

It's Only Two Weeks

  As most of you already know, J has been gone for a few nights now.  He's training at a base not too far from here, but he's not allowed to come home so that they get the real "feel" of war.  *insert eye roll*  Whatever.  Although I hate any amount of time that he's away, I was looking forward to these next couple of weeks.  I thought, "Yay for me time and one-on-one time with Monkey and a lower grocery bill."  What I didn't realize was how much I'd actually miss him.

   I know that must sound horrible, but as a seasoned Navy Wife, I thought that a couple of weeks would be no problem.  After all, we've been through a nine month separation swiftly followed by one month of home time before he was shipped off on a six month deployment.  Two weeks?  What's that?

   What I didn't take into account was the fact that I've gotten used to having him around.  This is the longest J has been home since Monkey was six months old, and I guess I've gotten spoiled.  So yesterday when I drove home from work you can probably guess how excited I was to see his car parked outside of our house.  I was so happy, giggling at the thought of him trying to surprise us,  that I swung into the driveway without stopping to pick Monkey up from my friend's house first.  As the garage door was going up for me to park, it dawned on me.  J didn't take his car.  I dropped him off, and the buses drove him to the base.  Sad times.

   Tonight I had another realization of what having J around means to me.  With him in the house, I'm not really that worried about crazy things like burglars or ghosts, but when he's gone every creak in the floor is a robber or a demon from Hell.  (And our floors squeak a lot.)  As I was upstairs bathing my Monkey, I heard a loud bang downstairs.  The dog (who is a good warning signal) raced downstairs, barking.  Fearless, as I am when forced into the protective mother-bear role, I ran to the closet, grabbed J's hammer and creeped downstairs, ready to bludgeon some bad guy for entering my home uninvited.  That's when I found out that the cat had knocked the laundry detergent off of the shelf.  No one got bludgeoned, although I seriously considered the cat as a likely target for a moment or two.

   It's not all bad though; Monkey's room and mine are more spotless than ever.  She goes to bed on time, and without being wound up by tickle attacks.  I get the whole bed to myself.  AND, we get to eat all of the food ourselves.

   On that note, I'm going to share two recipes.  The first recipe is for a month's supply of breakfast burritos.  The woman who thought of this was a genius.  J goes through two boxes of cereal a week on his own, so I think having these stock-piled in the freezer will not only fill him up more, but also cost less.

You'll need:
2 lbs bacon, diced
2 lbs sausage (I used Johnsonville, b/c it's good, and I usually have a coupon.)
1 large onion, diced small
1 diced bell pepper
20 eggs
30-35 fajita sized flour tortillas
1 (8 oz bag) shredded cheddar cheese (I just realized that I accidentally used two bags.  Oops.)

In the biggest skillet you own, cook the bacon.  Once brown and crispy, take out and put on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess grease.  Brown sausage in the same skillet.  Remove from skillet.  Place on another plate lined with paper towels.  Cook onion and bell pepper in same skillet until onions are translucent and bell pepper is tender.  Meanwhile scramble your eggs in a blender. Add eggs to skillet, and scramble with onion mixture.  Once cooked add sausage and bacon.  Remove from heat. Add cheese.  Cover pan and allow cheese to melt.  In a frying pan warm your tortillas to make them more pliable before topping with a 1/4 cup of the bacon/egg mixture.  Wrap it all up in plasitc wrap and place them into a plastic freezer bag.  The original poster said she made 36.  I made 30, so I guess it just depends on how generous your 1/4 cup is.

Next up is a house favorite from Paula Deen's Sept/Oct 2010 issue:

Italian-Seasoned Chicken, Pasta and Vegetables

You'll need:

8 oz linguine
1 1/2 TBS red wine vinegar
2 TBS olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp slat, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 tsp gr. black pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup of water
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 TBS chopped fresh oregano

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.  In a small bowl, combine vinegar, 1 TBS olive oil, and 1/4 tsp salt.  Set aside.  In a large saucepan, heat remaining 1 TBS olive oil over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.  Add chicken to pan, and saute 3-4 minutes or until chicken is browned.  Add onion and garlic, and saute 2-3 minutes or until tender.  Stir in water, and bring to a boil.  Add broccoli and tomatoes, and cook 2-3 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.  Remove from heat, and stir in cooked pasta, olives, lemon zest, and oregano.  Drizzle with desired amount of reserved vinegar mixture.

Enjoy.  Now I'm going to finish watching Grey's Anatomy.  :-)

Mac & Cheese, Kentucky Brown, and Biscotti

    Omg, where to start?  I guess I should explain my abscence, although most of you already know that I was spending my Thanksgiving holiday in the happiest place on earth.  That's right; the hubby and I took our little Monkey to Disney World!  It was so much fun!  She got to meet all her favorite princesses.  I got to eat all the food I wanted, and J got to experience Epcot and Hollywood Studios for the first time ever.  It was an all-around good trip for all. :-)

    Since I've been home, I've been on a sort-of mental vacation.  I guess I just needed to regroup and go from vacation-mode to real-life-mode.  My mind's still dragging though.  The cold weather and the early nights aren't helping much.  Although, the cold weather has gotten me excited about a few of my favorite things.  One of them is....drumroll please...Christmas!  (Of course.)

     I can't wait until Saturday, because we're going to pick our tree, and for the first time ever I'm going to a live tree farm and cutting down the tree :-)  I'm excited about that.  I'm sure I'll have pictures later.  I also can't wait for Ryleigh to see Santa and the lighted boat parade they do here in town.  I've been in such a holly jolly frame of mind that I've even gotten most of my wrapping accomplished!  The guys at work are a little sick of my Christmas music already, and I did have one tell me that he hopes my "holly-jolly" gets stolen, but whatever!

    I think the thing I'm looking forward to most is being in our own home this year.  As much as I'm going to miss my family and the traditions we've shared it'll be nice to finally be able to start a few of our own.  I can't wait to see Monkey's face we she comes downstairs to see what Santa has left for her.  I am also looking forward to cooking the entire Christmas dinner myself :-)  I'll be sure to post plenty of pictures and recipes too.  That is, if I don't burn the house down in the process.

     In the meantime, here are the recipes I owe y'all from my week-long absence.

The Lady's Cheesy Mac

Once again, I'm using the Paula Deen Southern Cooking Bible, and although this is a goo recipe, I've discovered that I don't like homemade mac and cheese.  I've tried just about every version of this, either making it myself or someone else's, and although this is the best I've tasted, I just don't like it.  I guess it's from all those years growing up eating the quick, Kraft version.  J LOVED it though, so it looks like I'll be making it again.

You'll need:
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping (I ended up using about 3 cups)
4 TBS ( 1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk or evaporated milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 13x9" baking dish.  In a large pot of boiling salt water, cook the macaroni according to the package directions.  Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.  Add the 2 cups Cheddar and the butter, stirring until the pasta is coated.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream and salt.  Add the egg mixture to the pasta and stir well to combine.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Bake until golden, 35-40 minutes.  Take the dish out of the oven and top with extra cheese, the return it to the oven until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

   Next, I made something I've never had before, and let me just say: it was amazing!

Kentucky Hot Brown

8 TBS (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 slices white bread, toasted
3/4 lb sliced roast turkey
4 tomato slices
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

In medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high hear.  Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring with the whisk, for 1 minute.  Add the milk, bring to boil, and cook, stirring with the whisk, until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the Jack cheese until melted.  Stir in the salt and cayenne pepper.  Preheat the broiler.  Place the toast in a baking dish large enough to fit the 4 slices in one layer.  Divide the turkey and tomato among the bread slices.  Pour the cheese sauce over the toasts and top with Parmesan.  Broil until brown and bubbling, about 5 minutes.  Place 2 slices of bacon (like and X) on top of each cheesy toast and serve.


   Okay, so I realize that none of these recipes are really all that healthy.  Who am I kidding?  Their not good for you at all, but that last one was well worth the 2 mile run I had to do to get rid of it ;-)

   Like I said earlier, those recipes came from the Southern Cooking Bible, but this next one came from my favorite Paula Deen magazine issue.  It's the Holiday 2010 issue, and it's packed with goodies and gift ideas. I'm going to share one more recipe, and then I'm headed to bed.

Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti

Here's my disclaimer for anyone who is a bit like my husband:  A biscotti is just like a hard cookie that you can soak in coffee or hot cocoa or just enjoy plain.  It's an Italian treat that's amazing, so stop asking questions and just try it already :-P


1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped pistachios
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined.  Beat in pistachios and chocolate morsels.  On prepared baking sheets, shape dough into 2 (12x2") logs.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 3/4"-thick slices.  Return slices, cut side down, to baking sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes or until biscotti are crisp.  Let cool on pans for 2 minutes.  Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.  Store cookies in airtight containers.

  And with that, I'm out.  Nighty-night folks :-)