A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

I'm a self-proclaimed ranch dressing snob. I like ranch dressing, but I'm particular about it. So please do not offer the bottled ranch dressing to me. It's not my preference. Which is a nice way of saying I don't like it. It's nothing against bottled ranch dressing . . . it's that I just don't really like most bottled dressings. Confession time is over;  back to the ranch dressing. I like good ranch dressing. Ranch dressing with flavor. Ranch dressing with zip. Ranch dressing with depth. Ranch dressing that has "character" to it. That's why I like this ranch dressing. I think I ought to call it "green ranch dressing," because I mix it together in a blender, which does change the color of the dressing. But if you want to mix it by hand, then I think you'll not call your dressing "green ranch dressing." So, why do I mix it together in the blender, you ask? Because I like it really, real...

Smoking meat is one of those things I really want to learn to do. Correction:  smoking meat is really one of those things I really want the MR. to learn to do! He has smoked meat a several times. But truthfully, there is an art to doing it well. Some people call that "a knack!" The problem is that the Mr. doesn't want to learn how to do this "art," as much as I want him to learn! Oh, the problems we have! But!  My smoking meat dilemma was cured a few weeks ago when a friend of ours offered to smoke some meat for us. He's really good at what he does! He's even won a "smoking competition." Now!  Before you go making wise cracks about that statement . . .I already know what you might say. Honestly, though . . . there's a lot to being able to smoke meat well. And well he did! After the meat was smoked, the Mr. and I put it into the freezer so that we'd have it when we wanted it. This week, with the crazy schedule...

I can't even remember what I was fixing but I needed a side dish to serve with it. Oh wait!  Just typing that sentence made me remember what I was making! Ham! Which reminded me . . . I'm going to post my ham recipe! But not right now. Right now, it is about the potatoes. Since I was making a ham, I wanted to have a complete meal. You know, not the one-dish-call-it-good meal. But a meal that resembled thought, and preparation, and time, and love, and all those things! I had some potatoes in the refrigerator. I keep my potatoes there because I don't use them fast enough to keep them in a cute potato basket. Because if I kept them in a cute potato basket, my potatoes would be gross. And unusable. So I keep them cold so they won't get gross so fast. Now, before you start thinking about all the bad things that happen to cold potatoes. I know. The starch changes to sugar. They don't taste the same as if you store them ...

By the looks of it, you might think it's been a slow month at our house! Truthfully, though, it's been kinda busy. Just this month, we have spent a week in the mountains, prepared for the start of school, and I've gotten to share with a group of ladies about meal preparation. That's why I decided to write today. Because of my time with the moms. It got me thinking. One of the things I did at the cooking class was show how to prepare five meals with five pounds of ground beef. Easy enough. But there was really more to it than that. The "more to it" was this: eating at home is cheaper than eating out. cooking at home tastes better than eating out. cooking takes a little bit of prep, but it's worth the effort eating dinner together, as a family, is more than the meal; it's about sharing together   For some, cooking is intimidating. But I've shared this thought with so many . . .and I shared it with the moms at the cooking c...

Everyone has their favorite chicken salad. But if you're like me, you're always on the search for "the best" chicken salad. I've scoured lots of church cookbooks, tea room recipes, and magazines searching for an even better chicken salad recipe. Truthfully, I've had some delicious chicken salads. But this one . . . this is one of my favs! I've used this recipe for more than 15 years. Honestly, though, I don't make it a lot. And for that, I'm not sure as to the reason. Bust as we planned a get-away this Summer, I decided to make this to take with us. When we travel to the mountains, that is our let down and relax time. I don't mind cooking . . .but I want to do it at home and just take it with us in the cooler. That way, while we're away, I feel like I'm getting a vacation too -- rather than having to spend so much time preparing meals! Chicken Salad 3 cups cooked & cubed chicken (I roast a whole ch...

If you're like us, you are glued to the TV for the next few days. As in, glued to the Olympics! Since the Opening Ceremony, we have been watching relentlessly! There is something about the Olympics that we love! Matter of fact, we'll watch sports, that at any other time, we're not really interested in! For example, the last time we watched ladies volleyball was . . . four years ago. But put the infamous 5 Olympic rings on the screen, and we become mesmerized by sports! Along with the sports, is the excitement of the host country! We like to learn a little about the country, think of things we'd like to do if we could ever visit, and look at the pretty landscape of the host country as we learn about it through the watching of the Olympics! Typically, on the evening of the Opening Ceremony, I'll make food from the host country. This year, I planned to do that, but our schedule kept us from having a watch party. But I still had the ing...

We were having a weekend of guests. Not over-night guests; just a weekend with a variety of guests. Breakfast guests. Hang-out-after-church- guests. Neighbor guests. That got me thinking. "What can I serve to drink besides the regular stuff?" Which that got me looking at different options. I went to one of my trusty cookbooks . . . the one my mom put together for me when I was getting married. She collected recipes from family and friends, from both sides of our family, and compiled all the recipes into a cute little cookbook. Which I still use today. This recipe is from our "Auntie Ronda," who, more than 30 years ago, started out as a neighbor and turned into family! There, in the appetizer section, was this recipe. Note:  maybe that's why I've missed it before . . .it was in "appetizer," rather than drinks, or miscellaneous . . . . But for whatever reason, I saw it. The ingredients are simple. At the bottom...