Food Friday~Key Lime

Does that look good or what???  I just got an e-mail from Betty Crocker  the other day and it had a bunch of pictures of key lime desserts.... oh joy!!  They all looked fabulous!!  Search the words key lime on their site for the recipes.

This is the perfect summer dessert for a family get together or a picnic or heck I'll just make it for myself!

We are super busy with the move, packing and cleaning and  touch up painting everyday!  Making arrangements, getting paperwork, saying goodbye.  The list is endless.  I can't wait to share photos of the new house with you.

Remember my favorite paint color?  Cotton Balls by Benjamin Moore?  I painted the WHOLE upstairs that color!! I love it.  Or rather I should say, we hired a painter to go out and paint.  I was a little disappointed yesterday, I saw the marmoleum I picked for our laundry room on the floor at Cafe Yumm in Eugene.  I still like it but for some reason I don't like having the same thing as a franchise.  Oh well.  At least I got to put a new floor in right??  Yes.

Ok, well back to work, much to do!  I hope all of you have a great weekend!!

Food Friday~Super Fudge (it's healthy)

When I was in 4th and 5th grade my family lived in Arizona.  During that time my mom had gone to a health food class.  And our lives were instantly transformed, I mean that in a funny way....

We went from eating Doritos to wheat germ, from drinking pop to raw milk.

Now that I am older and know the benefits of that I really appreciate all my mom did.  But I don't think we stuck with it very long.  Probably to many complaints from the family, just like I hear.

And now you can't even get raw milk anywhere, it's illegal!!  Which is ridiculous.

This recipe is from my mom's health food days.  I have such fond memories of it, I'm not sure why, I do love it though.  The original recipe calls for peanut butter, but since Sophie is allergic to peanuts I used almond butter.  But it's better with peanut butter.

Super Fudge

1 C honey

1 C chunky peanut butter

1 C sunflower seeds

1/2 C raisins

3/4 C carob powder ( I used organic cocoa powder)

1 C sesame seeds (I used less)

1 C unsweetened coconut

Heat honey and peanut butter till smooth on low heat.

Quickly add rest of ingredients, which have already been mixed together. 

Pour into greased 9x9 pan and chill.

Cut in pieces.

I adore this recipe, for many years I didn't have it and I searched my recipe files for it but could not find it.  Then I wrote a letter to my grandma and asked her if she remembered this fudge and she had the recipe!!

Please pray for me, I am super duper stressed.  I am grateful our farm is sold, but the stress is giving me migraine after migraine and I cannot function with them.  We have to be out of the farm in 3 weeks and there is oh so much to do!  And to top it off I have sick children.  Portia was sick last weekend and Sophie this weekend.  Sophie even got a trip to the ER.  I'm not sure she really needed it but the nurse on the phone sounded very sure of herself when she told me to rush her to the ER even call an ambulance if I have to.  Which scared me.............  I am grateful that she cared, but now I have the ER bill.  Oh well we would do anything for our children, wouldn't we?  Yes.

She has a double ear infection, fever, maybe starting migraines, sore throat, and lets top it off with barfing, YES!!!

Well we must be thankful in the good times as well as the bad.

So thank you Jesus for all these things and for all you are doing behind the scenes that I cannot see.  I am grateful I cannot see it all, because I may just go off the deep end if I did.

Amen.

and amen.

Food Friday~Chicken Spaghetti

hi, so sorry, this is late today, Portia stayed home from school with a fever, then I started cleaning and packing and well you know........

This is Pioneer Woman's recipe and it is really really yummy comfort food.  As always I switched it up a bit and I'll let you know when I changed  things.

Chicken Spaghetti

1 cut-up fryer chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts)
1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
One 4 oz. jar diced pimientos, drained (eewww, left out)
1 small onion
1/4 C finely diced green bell pepper (I only had red, so used that)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (eeewww again, I used cr. of chicken)
2 1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
1 t seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 t cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.
Add the chicken to a stock pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the water using tongs or a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate to cool.
Remove 2 cups of broth from the pot and set aside.
Bring the remaining broth back to a boil and add the spaghetti.  Cook al dente. (ok, I tried this but for some reason the remaining broth bubbled over before I even put the spaghetti in, and then it wasn't enough, so I had to keep adding more water cuz 1 pound of broken up spaghetti is alot.)
Drain the spaghetti, discarding the cooking liquid.  Set aside.
Shred chicken or cut in chunks.  Drain the pimientos.
Dice the onion and pepper.
Place cooked spaghetti in a large bowl.  Add the cream soups, add 2 cups of the cheese.
Then add onion and pepper and pimiento.
Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Use less cayenne if you don't like the heat.
Add chicken broth that was saved.  Stir together well, then taste to check seasonings.
Pour the mixture into a large baking pan, and top with the remaining cheddar.  Bake for about 35 minutes until bubbly.

So if you like this you should just go buy her cookbook, cuz I have loved everything I've made so far!

Food Friday~Salmon Burger

  Do you think this looks good?  I do!  I LOVE SALMON!
So I have not actually tried this recipe I am sharing today.  I just got my new issue of Coastal Living magazine and a recipe for salmon burgers was in it.  I just thought it looked so yummy, but this is not the actual photo of Coastal Livings salmon burger either.

Salmon Burger

1- 14.75 oz. can salmon, drained
1/4 C sliced green onion
1/4 C diced pimientos, drained    ummm, yuck, won't be using those
1/2 t lime zest
2 T fresh lime juice
2 t dijon mustard
1/2 C plain greek-style yogurt
1/2 C panko (japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T vegetable oil,  I'll use coconut oil
4 whole wheat or poppy seed buns
garnishes: lettuce, tomato slices, onion slices, cucumber slices

Combine first 11 ingredients in a bowl, and form mixture into 4 large patties about 1/2 in. thick.  Patties will be soft.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side.  Serve on buns; garnish, if desired.  Makes 4 servings.

So either you guys never try my recipes or you don't like them or you never come back and give me feedback.  COME ON GIRLS!!!  Let me know how you like it!

Food Friday~Rainbow Ribbon

When I was little I used to look at my mom's cookbooks and there would always be a Jello one.  I would beg my mom to make a Jello dessert.  They all looked so fun and I thought if only I could eat those creamy lemon cups right out of the lemon or drink that Jello shake, I would be so happy!

The pictures were so MAGICAL!

Well I think I understand now why my mom rarely if ever made Jello desserts, at least the complicated ones.  I made this recipe last fall or maybe it was before Christmas.  It was difficult only because I had never made it before and I didn't know exactly how long to let it set or firm in the fridge before each additional layer, you know it never is as simple as the recipe says.

That being said, it was super fun to look at and super fun to eat.  Just as I imagined as a kid.

And I hope my kids thought it was magical too.

Rainbow Ribbon

5 pkg (4 serving size) Jello gelatin dessert, any 5 different flavors

6 1/4 C boiling water

1 C sour cream, plain yogurt, or vanilla ice cream (I used yogurt)

Dissolve 1 pkg Jello in 1 1/4 C of the boiling water.

Pour 3/4 C of the Jello into 8 C ring mold.  Chill until set but not firm.

Another side note, my mold was to wide, I needed to use a taller thinner mold to achieve the tall mold, but as you can see mine is quite shallow.

Chill remaining Jello in bowl until slightly thickened; gradually blend in 3 T of yogurt.  Spoon over gelatin in mold.  Chill until set but not firm, about 20-25 min.

Repeat with remaining Jello flavors.

Chill until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.

To unmold, dip mold in warm water for about 10 seconds.  Gently pull gelatin from around edges with moist finger.  Place moistened serving plate on top of mold.  Invert mold and plate;  holding mold and plate together, shake slightly to loosen.  Gently remove mold and center gelatin on plate.

Ahhh if only it were that easy!!

It was very good!  As you can see mine was not as tall and perfect as the cover photo!

Well I'm not a professional.

I am going to try more recipes from here........... someday, maybe.

Food Friday~Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream

So here is the recipe I promised, it is a Paula Deen recipe.  If I had to make it over I would not add the cream filling.  But I will give you the whole recipe and you can decide.  They are addicting!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Filling & Coffee Buttercream Frosting

2 1/4 C all purpose flour
2 C sugar
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 C vegetable oil
1 C strong brewed coffee, cooled,  I used instant~ easy
3 large eggs
1 8oz. container sour cream
1 t vanilla extract
Coffee cream filling, recipe follows
Coffee Buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add oil, coffee, and eggs.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.  Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, for 16-18 minutes.  Let them cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes.  Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Spoon coffee cream filling into a squeeze bottle with a long narrow tip.  Insert the tip into the top of cupcake and squeeze about 1 T of filling into center of each cupcake.
OKAY....WHOAH Paula Deen.  Not so quick and simple.  I didn't have a bottle like this, I used this:

And that didn't work to well, for some reason my nozzle kept getting clogged, maybe it was to small and it was very hard to squeeze out, and after I thought I had been squeezing half the tube in, I still had no way of telling how much was in there, except to break the cupcake in half and see for myself.  Of course I had to eat those test cakes. (I made this a couple months ago before I started, my grain/sugar free diet).

Spread the coffee buttercream frosting evenly over the cupcakes and garnish with chocolate covered coffee beans, if desired.  That would have been good, but I didn't have any chocolate covered coffee beans, and I found that these cupcakes and the coffee frosting were pretty coffee flavored, which I love, but the bean would have been to much.

Coffee Cream Filling

1 (3 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 C coffee flavored liqueur, ok I didn't have this and don't remember what I replaced it with! 
1 (8 oz.) container frozen chocolate flavored whipped topping, thawed.  I had regular flavored cool whip and squirted some chocolate syrup in it.

In a small bowl, whip the cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Slowly add the liqueur and fold in whipped topping.  Cover and chill.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting

1/2 C butter, softened
3 C confectioners sugar
1/4 C strong brewed coffee, I used instant again.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add the confectioners sugar, beating until smooth, then beat in coffee.  I think I added more confectioner sugar to make mine thicker.

These are extremely delicious and would be still amazing without the cream filling.

Food Friday~Larabar

I am obsessed with Larabar's.

I am obsessed with Apple Pie Larabar dipped in almond butter.

Here are the ingredients in an Apple Pie Larabar:

dates

almonds

unsweetened apples

walnuts

raisins

cinnamon

Do you see why I am so excited?

It's actually good for you!

I think I started dipping them in almond butter because I am also obsessed with almond butter.

Wouldn't you be too, if you haven't had peanut butter for over a year?

And you can  never have it again because your baby girl is allergic?

So when Sophie was cleared on tree nuts on Monday, oh boy, that's all I can say.

I've been gorging myself on almond butter.

Almond butter plain.

Almond butter on stuff, food, any food.

I even dripped almond butter on the Larabar wrapper, and I knew it was obsessive but I licked the wrapper clean.

I'm not even an apple pie girl, except if it's real apple pie, ya know?

I don't get into apple pie flavor things.

But this Larabar is da bomb.

Food Friday~ Orange Juice Plus

Happy April Fool's Day.

The only April fool I get a kick out of is making my husband think we've had another SUPRISE!!

But I've done that joke so many times, he ain't falling for it anymore.

Otherwise I'm really not into jokes, I mean cruel jokes that make someone look stupid.

I had been pining away for a VitaMix FOREVER... they just seemed healthy, ya know?

So anyway I got one a long time ago and when I finally purchased it I went to the VitaMix website and bought one of their refurbished ones. 

It is so much cheaper than the new ones and I also did that when I purchased my Kitchen Aid mixer.

Refurbished means it was a return and they put a new whatever on and slapped on a full warranty and sell them cheap!

So a cookbook  came with my VitaMix and I just love it, one of my favorite recipes is:

Orange Juice Plus

2 medium navel oranges, peeled and quartered

1/4 C water

3/4 C ice cubes

1/4 t vanilla

1 T sugar or other sweetener to taste (optional)

Place all ingredients in VitaMix (or your blender) container in order listed.  Secure lid (duh).

Then it goes on to tell you how to do the speeds on the VitaMix, but you get it, turn your blender on and blend away!

Serve immediately.

There is supposed to be 2 1/2 servings in this recipe at 1 C each. 

And it only has 52 calories!!

Sometimes I use milk and lately I use coconut milk in place of the water and I put honey in place of the sugar, you could use stevia too.

It is so yummy!

I promise I won't bore you to death with updates about my grain/sugar free experiment, but I did good today!

No sugar.

I really struggle around 3pm and I have been having one slice of

 Ezekiel sprouted grain bread (I know, I know....GRAIN)..... but it is a flourless bread.

Anyway I toast it and put butter on it and that gets me to dinner and I am struggling with no dessert after a meal, but somehow I am abstaining!!

Food Friday~Butter free, Sugar free cookies!

I was experimenting last night and came up with this cookie.

If you don't like really sweet cookies, you may want to use less honey.

But I am overly sensitive to sweetness (cuz I'm just so sweet....ya right) so this may be fine for you.

Prudy's Cookies version 5,298

1C coconut oil

1 C honey

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 C coconut flour

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

3 C oatmeal

enough flour to make them thick

1 1/2 C chocolate chips

With a hand mixer, mix coconut oil and honey.  I warmed my oil a bit in the microwave to make it softer.

Then add in eggs and vanilla and mix again.  Now your done with hand mixer.

Add coconut flour, salt , baking soda.  Stir.

Add in oatmeal, stir.

The batter was to wet for my taste so I add about 1/2 - 3/4 C flour.

Then add chocolate chips.

Put cookie drops on baking sheet and bake at 350 convect which puts it down to 325 and bake for 9-10 min.

So for me they tasted a bit to much like honey, so I will use less next time.

This is what I want to do today.....

Maybe not, maybe I will read. I love to read and am currently reading about 5 books at once.

Spring break is almost over and what did I do this whole week??

I cleaned everyday, because we had a "showing" that couldn't decide what day they were going to come out.  Everyday was going to be "the day".  And then it wasn't.  

FRUSTRATING

  One day this week (after getting the house ready for the 3rd time) I got an e-mail from my husband saying, well not today....again......so I wrote him back and the e-mail had a bunch of these symbols...............#$%^&*@.

Then, I went in the bathroom and cried.  Then I went to Costco and cried all the way there too.

 I think maybe I will be on cleaning strike this weekend!

Our showing looks promising, they are a non-profit group who wants to save the river and habitat around the river.  We live on a unique piece of property on the confluence of two rivers.  So we'll see what happens.

This is completely in God's hands, I really am helpless in the situation.  And that is nice, but I do have to remind myself a couple times a week not to worry.  I'm getting better though, I used to worry daily!

It is a good feeling to know God is in control and I'M NOT!

Enjoy the cookies and let me know if you come up with a better recipe,  I'd love to hear it!

Food Friday~Sweet Saltines

I woke up this morning to the devastation in Japan.  The images are horrifying. 

You feel so helpless, yet the same time so grateful it was not where you live.  But my heart goes out to all the mothers of lost children and spouses of lost loved ones.  It seems a day does not go by with something happening.  So it feels not right posting a fun recipe, my life goes on as usual while they are suffering :(

Sweet Saltines

I must warn you before you make this, you will be pulled in, you will be not be able to control yourself, so BEWARE!

40 saltine crackers

2 sticks unsalted butter (I used 1 1/2)

1 C light-brown sugar

8 oz. chocolate chips (about 1 1/3 C)

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil and saltine crackers.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar.

Bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour over crackers, covering them evenly.

Put cookie sheet into oven and watch closely.  Bake for about 5 minutes, or until just bubbly.

Mine were just bubbly after 2 1/2 minutes, so you really do have to watch them closely.

Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips over crackers.

When chips begin to melt, spread them over crackers with a knife. 

Transfer pan to freezer for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cold.  The chocolate covered crackers will form a solid sheet;  break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

I'm telling you, no I'm warning you again, these are evil!  I am not used to this much sugar, so I would get a tad bit of a headache after eating them, but that didn't matter, I kept going back!!

So next time I make these, if there is a next time, because they are THAT dangerous........

I will cut back on the butter and sugar, as you can see, I had a heavy coating of the melted butter and brown sugar.  I may even cut back on the chocolate chips.  These are the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Also you can use graham crackers for a sweeter snack.  I was also wondering how pretzels would taste in this, or potato chips?

Let me know!!  What would you use in this recipe?



Food Friday~Comfort Meatballs & Chocolate Cake

Today I am sharing The Pioneer Woman's Comfort Meatballs.

They do take some time, so plan ahead.

Also a triple layer chocolate cake, I found that recipe in a magazine.

Comfort Meatballs

Meatballs

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3/4 C quick oats

1 cup milk

3 T finely minced onion

1 1/2 t salt

pepper

4 T canola oil

1/2 C flour

Sauce

1 C ketchup

2 T sugar

3 T distilled white vinegar

2 T Worcestershire sauce

4-6 T minced onion

dash of tabasco

In a bowl, combine the ground beef and oats.

Pour in the milk, then add the diced onion and salt.

Add the black pepper, then stir to combine.

Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and refrigerate them for 30-45 minutes to firm.

(I threw them in for 10 min.  because I was out of time.)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Roll the meatballs in the flour.

Brown the meatballs in batches until light brown.

As they brown place them into a rectangular baking dish.

Stir together the sauce ingredients and drizzle the sauce evenly onto the meatballs.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly and hot.

I also made mashed potatoes and gravy to go with the meatballs.

It was REALLY good.  I am loving the cookbook and love to read the little stories in it.

You should get it!

For dessert I made Double Chocolate Cake

3 eggs

2 C all purpose flour

3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

3/4 t baking powder

3/4 C butter, softened

2 C sugar

2 t vanilla

1 1/2 C milk

3oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate, grated

Allow eggs to stand at room temperature 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, grease three 8 x 1 1/2 in. round cake pans.  Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper.  Grease parchment paper and lightly flour pans; set aside.

In medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/2 t salt; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, 1/4 C at a time, beating on medium until well combined.  Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined.  Beat on medium to high 20 seconds more. 

Stir in grated chocolate.

I didn't feel like grating chocolate, so I chopped it.

Divide batter among prepared pans.  (if you do not have 3 pans, refrigerate remaining batter until ready to use.)

My pans were two different sizes, and I should have cut the cakes down after they were done baking to be the same size, but I didn't.  They would have been easier to frost.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.  Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove layers from pans.  Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

Frost.  Store covered in refrigerator.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 C butter, softened

2 - 3oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened

5 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

2 t vanilla

6-6 1/2 C powered sugar

1/4 C milk

In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese.  Add chocolate and vanilla; beat until blended.

Gradually beat in 3 C powdered sugar and the milk.  Beat in enough remaining powdered sugar to make a spreading consistency.

Makes 4 Cups.

And there you have it!

This was the BEST dinner and dessert.

The cake was so, so good.  I ate way to much of it.

Over the last year I have lost 13 pounds and I feel like I have gained it all back in the short time of just one week!  It's my own fault.  I've been baking up a storm.  These recipes were just the start.  When the cake was halfway gone, I then made chocolate/coffee cupcakes with cream filling and coffee frosting.

Then yesterday I made cookies and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Why am I doing this to myself!!

I'll have the chocolate coffee cupcake recipe for another food friday, it is

DIVINE.

Have a great weekend!

Food Friday~Kitchen Boss

So I know I said no food friday today, but I'm laying on the couch and I was watching Kitchen Boss, you know Cake Boss?  I love that show.  And he just had a really yummy looking meal on there!
I have never made a meal from a cooking show, but I am going to try it!
It was broccoli and pasta and homemade fish sticks with halibut.
Go to http://www.tlc.com/ and find the recipes under Kitchen Boss.
And tonight DC Cupcakes is on!

Food Friday~ not today:(

I am sick sick sick.  Last Saturday on my birthday I had a migraine and then it turned into the sickness my babies STILL have, headache, sore throat, ear ache, sinus infection, fever, cough.  And then today I woke up with another migraine!
Lord let this misery end!  I have to many chores piling up around me.
Today is the only day I will ever say this..... sure hope we don't get a showing!
Have a good weekend!

Food Friday~My favorite breakfast

I love eggs.

I love egg salad (only if I make it), sorry don't invite me over and make egg salad.

Same with tuna, I love a tuna sandwich but only if I make it.

So essentially my favorite breakfast is an egg mcmuffin.

But McDonalds is gross.  I don't eat there......maybe once a year.

Well when my dad visits if we are driving around, we get a fries and a coke....

I have to, it is fun to do.

But I don't get a coke, I get ice tea, oh and their ice tea even taste like a sorry stand in for real tea made at home.

So this is what I make almost every day for Me, Nic, Lauren and Portia, for breakfast before school.

And I love making it as much as I love eating it.

So I put the english muffins in the toaster, then I throw some butter in the frying pan.

Butter is good for you, don't let anyone tell you it's not!

Same with eggs, don't toss out the yolks folks.

God didn't do an oopsy and accidentally throw to much cholesterol in there!

I fry up the eggs.

Then I butter the english muffin and put some shredded cheese on one half.

Put on the fried egg and that's it!

And I stay quite full for a long time after eating this.

And sometimes it just feels like there is to much "bun", so I eat only the bottom english muffin.

Do you have a little girl who likes to fix her own hair? 

And then she thinks it is absolutely beautiful and won't let you touch it?

I do and you know what, it is absolutely beautiful!

Of course I tell her what a good job she did!

What is your favorite breakfast?  Please tell me you eat breakfast and don't skip?!!



Food Friday~I love donuts...I won a giveaway!!

Well I do not have a recipe today, but thought we could chat about donuts and bakery's.

Hmmm?

There is nothing I love more than a donut.

I love chocolate eclairs.

I love apple fritters.

I love old fashioned glazed.

I love cake donuts.

I love jelly filled with powdered sugar.

I love a donut with hot coffee.

I love a donut with iced coffee.

I love starbucks mini birthday cake donuts.

I treat myself to a donut about 3 times a year.

Why only 3 times a year?  Because I cannot control myself around donuts.

I turn into a crazy lady who hunkers over the donut box and can't shovel them in fast enough.

I have always wanted my own bakery.

To have commercial size mixers.

To make donuts and cakes and pies.

To get up and start baking at 3am, when no one else is awake, to have a cup of coffee in my hand, to drive to MY bakery in the dark...

To start crafting baked goods, all by myself!

What's your favorite donut?

Do you treat yourself to that donut?

I ordered these earrings...

I fell in love the minute I saw them.

They are different.

I wore them last night on date night.  I adore them!

They are from here .

I also entered the giveaway on her blog and won this necklace!

I can't wait for it to arrive in my mailbox!

Something else I love, packages in the mail.

Thanks Patricia!

Food Friday~Taco Spaghetti

OK, well I said earlier in the week I wanted to share coconut bread today.

YUCK!

I tried it and it didn't turn out or I screwed it up somehow.

So I am sharing what I made for dinner last night, which didn't sound very good to me, but it was

DELICIOUS.

BUT...... I don't have any pictures, and I know some of you are like me, you won't try anything without a photo. 

Well take heart lovely, no worries, this is good.

Taco Spaghetti

5oz. packaged spaghetti (I used rotini pasta)

1 pound ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3/4 C water

1/2 of a 1.25 oz envelope taco seasoning mix (oops I misread that and threw the whole thing in!)

1 11oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (I used half the can, I don't like corn)

1 C sliced, pitted olives (yuck, not for me)

1 C shredded cheese

1/2 C salsa

1 4oz. can diced green chile peppers, drained

6 C shredded lettuce

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

Tortilla chips (optional, ya right, a must!)

Dairy sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is brown.  Drain off fat.  Stir in water and taco seasoning.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cooked pasta, drained corn, olives, half of the shredded cheese, the salsa, and drained chile peppers.

Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish.  Cover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and, if desired tortilla chips and sour cream.

Makes 6 servings.

Ok now I must tell you I really veered off this recipe.  I must have had more ground beef than one pound and I used a bit more pasta, I used more cheese.  So with all that "more" I used a bigger baking dish too.

As I was making this I thought it was not going to be good, but I was so suprised when I took that first bite!

Also I did not have any sour cream or shredded lettuce in the house, so imagine how much better it would be with those items!!

I always say let me know if you try it, I mean it let me know!

Stay tuned for more info on the shop that is carrying Lollibag's up in Spokane, Washington!

I hope all my friends here who live up there will go support this wonderful lady!

Food Friday~Bread so easy, even I can make it!

White Bread

4 C flour

1 1/2 C barely warm water

1 1/2 t active dry yeast

1 t salt

Put the flour in a large bowl, the bowl of a stand mixer, and make a well in the middle.  Pour in the water, which should feel neither warm nor cool.  Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Mix the ingredients, add the salt and mix some more.

Fit the mixer with the dough hook.  Mix for 2 minutes to moisten the flour.  Cover with  plastic wrap and let sit for 20 min.  Knead the dough on medium speed for about 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap.  Leave the dough to rise for about 2 hours at warm room temperature.

Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf.  Put loaf into well oiled loaf pan.

Cover with oiled plastic and let rise in a warm place, until doubled in volume, 1-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 425.  Place a sheet pan on the floor of the oven or on the bottom rack, and pour in enough hot water to come about 1/3 in up the side of the sheet pan.  Slide the loaf on to an oven rack over the pan of water.

Bake for 35-40 min.

This recipe sounds involved but it's not once you get the hang of it, trust me I dont' like involved recipes.  The crust turns out really hard, which I dont' know why, I would like it if it were a bit softer.  I think you have to refill the water in the pan, cuz last time I actually did this step and the water ran out.

This bread is so good right out of the oven with butter and jelly.

Food Friday~Special Coleslaw

Why have I never bought coleslaw dressing and prepackaged coleslaw salad mix??

HMMM??

So I recently bought said items.  And I had some left over.  I was craving that salad that Jean makes, but my spring mix was all slimy and brown.

So I thought why not use the coleslaw mix?

So I did.

Special Coleslaw

Prepackaged coleslaw mix.

Coleslaw dressing.

Turkey lunchmeat, the carving kind.

Red peppers.

Extra carrots, the shoestring type.

Texas Toast croutons.

Mix all together and eat!

It is soooo good!

Let me know if you try it!