A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

Our own waffles, but the idea came from the blog "Random thoughts of a Super Mom." This is what happens when the Mr. looks at blogs! He gets ideas! Ideas that he thinks would be fun to do . . . but then needs my help to do! Friday, the Mr. saw this on a blog and said, "That'd be fun to do for the cherubs for breakfast tomorrow!" Saturday morning breakfast is "His" thing. Has been since we've had cherubs. So, on Saturday, I'm trying to look real busy being "comfy" when I hear him say, "I'm going to need your help!" Here's where it started: He  had no waffle mix; so I had to search for a waffle recipe.  Found one! He didn't really know how to add "my" food colorings to the batter; so I did that too.  Looks pretty close to the real color! He didn't know what he was going to put the different waffle color mixes in so that he could pour the different colo...

WAY back in 2002 we had a tasting party at church.  If I had more time, I'd explain the tasting party -- but to put it in simple terms; do you know the free samples given at Sam's or Costco on a Saturday?  Well, it was like that --- but with about 500 women -- all tasting fantastic homemade food on a Thursday evening!  Then, after a wonderful program we were given a cookbook of all the delicious recipes! Need I say more? One of the recipes that night, way back when, was from Robyn.  This soup, if I remember correctly, was one that her grandmother used to make! While I haven't made it this year, just yet, I do think I have a real craving for it! Which leads me to think that you just might have the same craving! It's delicious! Zucchini Soup 6 chicken bouillon cubes 5 zucchini, sliced 1 onion, chopped 3 cups water 2 carrots, grated 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened and cubed In a large sauce pan, place the bouillon cubes, zucchini, on...

I love caramel apples. The big, gourmet ones! The ones that sit on display, begging you to indulge! When we're on vacation, that's a temptation I'll succumb too! There's a little shop in Santa Fe that have the best gourmet caramel apples. But I don't live in Santa Fe! Making my own is my task today! Because Fall is coming . . . it's been here once or twice, already . . . and gone . . . and now it's coming again! In honor of Fall, I whipped up one, lonely, delicious, caramel apple treat! I'm kind of picky when it comes to caramel apples. I like real caramel apples. Where the caramel is thick and sticks to the apple . . .and my teeth, occasionally! I like the apples with a little extra splash of chocolate and rolled in something delicious and sprinkled with something fun and drizzled with a bit more goodness! So tonight, I didn't do all of that -- it's just me, after all!  And you too, but you won't know about...

Image from Pillsbury With cool weather one day . . . and a warm day another it's hard to plan for a soup day! With this quick and easy recipe, most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry.  You can have soup whenever that Fall day decides to arrive! The original recipe is from Pillsbuy -- the adaptions are mine. Easy Enchilada Soup 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 1/2 cans of milk 1 can enchilada sauce (I used mild) 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese (I omitted) Crushed tortilla chips (to garnish) Dump soups and sauces and chicken in a pan and heat.  Just before serving, stir in cheese, until melted.  Top with crushed chips. That's the basic recipe.  But I changed it up a bit!  I added: 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained 1 can green chilis, drained 1 can hominy (or corn), drained 1 can black beans, drained 3 chicken boullion cubes Once the soups/sauces are heated, dump in the ...

Look into my crystal ball . . . .  . . . what do you see? Halloween Candy Bark! Yummy! Making bark is the easiest thing in the world to do!  You can mix just about anything into the melted bark and POOF !  You've got a new creation! Halloween Candy Bark 1 package white or chocolate almond bark 3 cups pretzels, broken 2 cups candy corn 15 Halloween Oreo's, broken into pieces (I didn't use them because I couldn't find them!) sprinkles On a silpat or foil-lined cookie sheet, place about 2 cups of the broken pretzels and the broken Oreo's, if you're using them.  Melt the almond bark in the microwave, being careful not to scorch the bark.  Almond bark typically holds its shape, even when it's melted, so stir often to prevent burning. Pour the melted almond bark over the pretzels and smear it around, covering as much of the pretzels/oreos as possible.  Quickly sprinkle the top of the almond bark with the remaining pretzels and cand...

How many things can you sit around and think about? Seriously? My cherub talked me into buying the new "flat" marshmallows for a project she wants to make. Great!  I'll make a project too! Inside-Out S'mores! Kind of a hassle, but fun to give to friends, or pack in a lunch box, or just say you made it! Inside-Out S'mores Graham crackers "Stacker Mallows" (flat marshmallows) from Jet-Puff white or chocolate almond bark sprinkles Break a graham cracker in half.  Melt one or two "cubes" of the almond bark. Take 2 stacker mallows and dab a bit of almond bark on each one and lay them side by side on 1/2 of a graham cracker.  Smear a bit more almond bark on the top of the marshmallows and place the other 1/2 of the cracker on top.  Allow the chocolate to set before dipping. Melt the remaining almond bark in a bowl.  You want to be able to dip the crackers in and submerge and turn them to get them evenly coated. Lay...

My girl cherub has an auction at school today. Parents have been asked to donate items. My cherub begged me to make sugar cookies. She thinks that everyone will LOVE cookies! So I made 3 different pumpkin cookies and 2 spider cookies. I like the spider cookies the best. My cherub is so excited -- she wants to bid on the cookies. But guess what! My cherub is home sick today -- she has strep throat! She's not going to school OR bidding at the auction! Guess what I did! I left one of the cookies at home for her to have! That's a nice momma -- don't you think?

Today, I share my page with my first guest post!  The Mr.  begs   tries to be a "guest post" on my blog -but not until now have I thought something could be so worthy! You'll be amazed at the one-of-a-kind recipe that was created! Today, my youngest cherub shares her favorite recipe that she created! "This is great!  I hope y'all like it!  It's great for any meal or snack.  You'll need: a tortilla 1/2 an apple chocolate chips peanut butter marshmallow cream OR mini marshmallows Today, I am home sick.  I tried this recipe on a crepe that my mom made.  It was SOOOOOOOOOO delicious on a crepe! On your tortilla, spread on a WHOLE LOTTA peanut butter! Then, depending on what you use, put on your marshmallows.  I like the cream AND the marshmallows -- hey!  Maybe I should put BOTH on my tortilla! Next, sprinkle on some diced up apples. After that, let it rain down chocolate chip...

17 years ago we got an "old fashioned" popcorn popper for a wedding gift. It used to be our tradition . .  .before kids . . .that we ate popcorn every Sunday night. It was delicious! The popcorn popper came with a popcorn recipe book! We'd get so excited -- we'd thumb through the small book and find a new popcorn seasoning to make! Doesn't that sound so fun!??! It's been a couple of years since we've even used the popcorn popper, but the other day we decided we'd get it out and have some fun! And fun we had! First, we had to go to 3 stores to even find popcorn -- like the kernel kind!  You know, the kind that can't go in the microwave! The cherubs have had more fun standing at the stove and cranking the handle and waiting to hear the pop! We've made: B.B.Q flavored Italian flavored Sweet and Crunch (like Kettle corn) and just plain buttered Now, we have the popcorn maker at the front of ...

Today is my birthday! This is my birthday cake! The Mr. made it for me . . .  . . . last night . . .  . . . all by himself . . .  . . . after he got home from work . . .  . . . which was after 8:00!  . . . he helped with the night-time routine with the cherubs . . .  . . . and ate dinner! He didn't get the cake in the oven 'til 9:15! That's a late night for the Mr.! But he did it because it was important to him for me to have a cake for my birthday.  It was really important to him that I have a cake for my birthday that I didn't make!  That's the truth of the story! He did this all by himself! Read the recipe. Went to the store. Cleaned up the mess. I think he did a great job! Here's the recipe! Fresh Apple Cake 3 cups sugar 2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cup oil 3 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts 3 cu...

I have to practice restraint when looking at the King Arthur website! I want one of everything! When a friend gave me a bottle of "fiori di sicilia" -- it's changed they way I look at extracts! When my little friend, Benjamin, gave me a gift card last May to King Arthur -- I knew I was in heaven! I ordered several things -- but two flavorings that I got where the Princess and the Vanilla Butternut. Both are subtle and add just a bit of depth to cakes, cookies, and frostings!  The flavorings and extracts are strong -- so just a little goes a long ways!  I've never added more than 1/2 of a tsp. in any recipe! If "living on the baking edge" is thrilling to you -- then get yourself a bottle of each  . . .and maybe the Butter Rum too! That's my next purchase!

Yes!  I know the picture is crooked! I don't know why! It's not crooked when I open it from my computer! It's not crooked when I open it from my "editing" site! I don't know WHY it's crooked on the blog! We haven't eaten this yet -- I've made it for tonight's dinner -- but it's easy enough and it didn't seem repulsive when I was stirring it together! One thing I know I like about this recipe, it will 1/2 or double easily! I halved it for tonight -- I didn't want to mess with left-overs! I have a ton of left-overs in the refrigerator right now and I don't want any more this week! The recipe is the original, but you can figure the 1/2 or doubling -- you're smart that way! Chicken Lelani 4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked 2 cans cream of celery soup 2 cups evaporated milk 2 cups minced celery 2 tsp. minced onion 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 cup blanched and silvered almond...

Abra . . .  . . .Ca . . .  . . .Dabra! Brownies 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2/3 cup flour 1/4 cup cocoa 1/8 tsp. salt 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired Preheat oven to 325. Combine the melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir together. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture. Stir in nuts, if using. Pour into a greased and floured 8 inch pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden tootpick inserted in the cnter comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.  Enjoy! 

My boy cherub turned 13 a few weeks ago. He's having his "friend" party today . . . on OU/Texas Weekend! That WAS his party -- having his "Texas" friends over to watch OU win! That's a great way to make and keep friends! To get ready for 12 boys -- we cleared everything out of the living room. Put up a "tailgate tent" and spread out astro-turf!   Then we hung a little OU  paraphernalia around -- but not too much; we didn't want to rub it in! We dusted off this old football game that the cherub got one year for Christmas when we was about 6 years old! It was a hit! Nothing beats a good game! Especially when your team wins! We grilled out and had "stadium food" for the boys! These boys consumed: 2 dozen hot dogs 1 1/2 bags corn chips with queso 4 gallons of lemonade 1 dozen OU decorated sugar cookies 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies fun size butterfingers a...

My family loves Italian food! They could seriously eat pasta every night of the week, I think! I, myself, like lasagna.  But there's this myth out there that lasagna is hard and time consuming and, and, and! But my friend, Paula, makes this great lasagna that is SO easy and so good! I'm giving you her recipe, just as she does it -- but in the directions, you'll see where I make a few minor adjustments . . .but only if I have time!  You may ask, "Don't you have to cook the noodles?"  I never have.  I just snap them to make them fit the pan I'm using and layer away.  By the time the lasagna is browned and yummy -- the noodles are always soft and perfect! Paula's Easy Lasagna Lasagna noodles, uncooked 1 jar of Ragu tomato, onion, and garlic sauce (or whatever brand/flavor you prefer) 1 lb ground beef, cooked 1 small container or Ricotta cheese or small curd cottage cheese Mozzarella cheese, grated Preheat over to 350 degrees. B...

I love bread. I especially love homemade bread. In all actuality, I love about anything with the word " bread " in it! Serious! When it comes to cornbread, there are two types of people. Those who like plain 'ol cornbread (meaning no sugar) and those who like sweet cornbread. I like sweet cornbread. I'm the person who adds sugar to the jiffy cornbread mix. The difference between my cornbread and a cake:  my cornbread doesn't have icing! A friend of mine, who originally hales from Alabama, makes a great cake-like cornbread. But it's "her" recipe -- so I never felt right putting it on the site for millions . .  .or maybe more . . . ok, maybe like 10 people to read! Then, I was reading a cookbook, because they're like novels to me, and I saw "her" cornbread recipe; but it was not submitted by "her." So now, I don't feel like I'm revealing her kitchen secrets . . . because I am . . .but I'm re...

Image from Taste of Home My oldest cherub just loves pumpkin! pumpkin pie pumpkin cookies pumpkin cake pumpkin dump cake pumpkin seeds The only thing the boy cherub doesn't really care for is pumpkin soup! For the sake of my cherub, I'm always trying new pumpkin-ish desserts and the other day, I tried these pumpkin bars.  I found it on another blog-site when I googled something about "pumpkin." I have to say, I think they're the best I've every made. The cake is so moist and the spice is just right and the cream cheese frosting is perfect. I made it for the family birthday celebration and it was gobbled up! I've just made it again this morning.  The Mr. is taking it to the office tomorrow to celebrate the birthday of an intern.  It smells so good baking on this Fall morning! I wish I had a candle that smelled just like this! Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting 4 eggs 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1...