SALSA

My salsa recipe is pretty basic stuff . I bought a SALSA MAKER at the fair several years (2 or 3) ago and thats what I use. It's manual, nothing electric on this baby. You can use a food processor if thats what you have and make this as chunky or as smooth as you desire. I love gadgets!

Salsa

12 Roma Tomatoes ( i like romas ten times better than plain tomatoes for this stuff)
1 green Pepper
1 onion (I like the purple ones)
2-3 jalepenos ( with or without seeds depending on how HOT you like it)
cilantro
garlic salt

Chop by hand by salsa maker or by food processor mix and eat
its that simple
use the scoop chips you just get more salsa~~ oohlala!~~

RESOLUTIONS

Been thinking about new years and all the resolutions that we make at that time. thought I would make a list (or at least start a list)

1. lose weight ( this is at the top of my list every year)
2.


Why is that the only thing I can come up with to put on my list every stinkin year . It's the same thing. I need to lose weight I need to lose weight I need / want to lose alot of weight!!!Why do I do this crap every year if I would just lose the weight now i'd be thin for the holidays, which brings me to food and holiday menus First there is halloween, then thanksgiving, then Christmas, and don't forget New Years Eve and New Years day. Menu planning is the first step and by far the most important, if you forget something while planning your just screwed. We don't live close to a store that carries alot of holiday cooking essentials, so it's a big deal just to run to Wal~Mart or Reasors, well not a real big deal but a hassle.
Anyway.....

I'll start with halloween: I am not having it at my house so I don't have to plan!! (clever huh?)
Mels having it at her house and I am showing up! (o.k. by me) with a cake and some salsa and what ever else I am told to bring.
First off~~ I am taking a Pumpkin Cake yummy!
Then ~~some of my salsa ( I hear that Kels has been wanting some lately)

Hopefully I can remember to take some pictures of the Pumkin Cake to add to the recipe. We'll see how that works out. Later

BLOGGIN

When I started this I really thought "oh I might put something on this about once or twice a week" This is addictive. But I am also going thru all my Mothers papers and such and came across those dadgum recipes again and man is that making me think. She didn't have like a ton of them but she had some good ones, ones that we had at our meals for years. The further I dig. the more I find and the more I remember. I guess I just wanted to share them with everyone, the ones who ask and the ones who don't. HA ha! She/We was/are into easy but good recipes. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as my family has and will to come! The holidays are coming up and that calls for lots of cooking.


Hopefully I will be putting more pictures on here soon, that was the original plan. Now I just need to stick with it!!

What is wrong with me?

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE

I'm not a big fan of Pumpkin Pie, but this Pumpkin Pie Cake is a holiday goodie.

PUMPKIN CAKE

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 stick butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

Take out one cup of cake mix , set aside. To the remaining mix add the butter and egg. Mix and press onto bottom of greased and lightly floured ( i use Bakers Joy spray) 9x13 inch pan. Put the following ingredients into a bowl:

1 large can of pumpkin pie mix

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup of white sugar

2/3 cup of evaporated milk

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Beat well and spread over cake mixture. To the one cup of reserved cake mix add:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup of chopped pecans

1/2 stick of butter ( softened not melted)

Crumble together and sprinkle over the pumpkin mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45- 50 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate. To serve cut into squares and top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

ENJOY!

I am making this for Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas and .....

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Another Day, Another Recipe

This one is a favorite of everyone, especially the cook. If you have ever tried making enchiladas, just looking at the recipe will make you take two steps back and say "oh this is not for me". But this one is easy, and oh so good. And not 112 ingredients, I hate recipes with 112 ingredients!

Chicken Enchiladas

1 3 lb. bag of boneless skinless chicken breast ( i like alot of meat in mine)
2 small cans of green chilis
1 large onion chopped
2-3 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of milk
1 can of rotel (drained and save juice)
1 large bag of cheese ( monterey jack, colby etc)
tortillas (medium size)

Boil the chicken breast and let cool, then shred with fork (I don't like cubed chicken) In sauce pan combine soup, green chilis, onion, 1/3 cheese, rotel, mix and then add chicken. if too thick add some or all of the rotel juice. Spray a 10x13 pan and start rolling up tortillas with the mixture inside, line them up in the pan close together, might even have to put a couple sideways. Thin the rest of the mixture with milk and pour over the top and totally cover with cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or till cheese is starting to get a little brown.

These are the best and so easy.

ENJOY!

White Chili

Here is the last one for today, I have cleaning to do. This one is White Chili, I don't have a clue where Mom got this one, but dang its good.

White Chili

4 to 6 chicken breast-- boiled and shredded (2 large cans)
1 large white onion chopped
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 can chopped green chillies
1 tsp white pepper
2 cans white northern beans, not drained
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup chicken broth ( or maybe more)

Mix all together and cook serve with tortilla chips and shredded Colby cheese

ENJOY!

Maybe next it will be chicken enchiladas. yummy! they are sooo easy.

Beer Bread

Hey, heres a good one. My Mom never drank a beer in her life ( that I know of )but yet she made some darn good Beer Bread. This stuff smells soooo good while its cooking. You're gonna love it!

Beer Bread

3 1/2 cups self rising flour
2 tbs sugar
1 egg beaten
1 12 ounce can of beer

Mix and put in muffin tin and bake at 350 till golden brown.

ENJOY

Italian Cream Cake

Well heres another good one from Moms recipe box. Where did she get all of these recipes? I have ate these most of my life and i still don't know where she gets them from.

Italian Cream Cake

The easy Way

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Butter cake mix
1 1/3 cups of water
1/4 oil
4 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
1 large pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix

Blend all of above i large bowl for 3 minutes
Bake at 350 degrees anout 45 minutes in a 9x12 pan.

Icing:
1 stsick butter
1-8 oz. cream cheese
1 pound box (3 3/4cups)of powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cocnut

Blend until smooth. May garnish with chopped pecans.

ENJOY!

Elks Cole Slaw

WOW 2 in one day! Maybe I am avoiding cleaning my house. You think? This is one that my Mom got from the cook Mary at the Elks Lodge. Mom loved it and made it for alot of dinners, now since she is gone I have people calling me asking for the recipe. Since I am not a very organized person, I just now found it. Imagine that!

Anyways on Moms recipe card it says that this will keep for a week, personally I don't know how she would have known that since it never lasted more than a day around all of us.

Elks Cole Slaw

Cabbage

Green Peppers

Red Onions

Carrots

Add: 1 part vinegar

1 part sugar

1 part vegetable oil or olive oil (she says the olive oil is the best)

Celery seeds

Toss together and

ENJOY!

I use and she did to a whole head of cabbage and how ever much peppers, onions and carrots you desire .

Maybe I should be taking photos of these dishes that I am posting. And maybe I will whenever I get back in the kitchen, I mopped the floor and its wet, "can't walk on a wet floor now can you!"

Blonde Brownies

I thought I would start sharing some of my Moms recipes. The first one is Blonde Brownies, I have no idea where she got this recipe, but she has been making them for me most of my life. Her grandsons (my 2 boys) absolutely love them and I hope you will too.

here it is straight out of her recipe box

Blonde Brownies

2/3 cup of melted oleo

2 cups of packed brown sugar

stir sugar into oleo and cool slightly

add 2 eggs well beaten

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups of flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped nut ( your choice--i like pecans)

Mix and press into greased 10 x 13 pan

put a 6 0z bag of chocolate chips on top and press lightly

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Enjoy!

Apple Dumplings

I have come across the most amazingly awesome and easy Apple Dumpling recipe on this earth. I wish I could say I came up with it. But I didn't, so there. But I did find it on Thepioneerwoman.com, she has alot of great recipes. Her whole website is pretty awesome, but the recipes, holy cow. There is the apple dumplings, that everyone I have fix them for, loves them, The Best Chocolate Sheet cake Ever, Marlboro Mans Favorite Sandwich(my husband loves it) and the list just goes on and on.





On the Apple Dumpling Recipe I have to cut it down by half because there is just the two of us and well it makes 16 small dumplings and we /I will just sit and eat them till you know, they are all gone. So I make half and that is still alot, but somehow we/I manage.





I do want to try it with peaches instead of apples yummy


This is the cut down version but you really need to go to http://the%20pioneerwoman.com/ to take a look at all of the recipes.

Apple Dumplings

1 Granny Smith Apple

1 can of crescent rolls ( the 8 in a roll)

1 stick of butter

3/4 cup of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

cinnamon

about 1/2 cup of mountain Dew

Peel and core your apple and cut into eight slices- wrap each slice in one of the crescent rolls- put them in a small buttered dish( don't want them all scattered out)combine the butter (melted) and sugar and vanilla and pour over the dumplins -then - pour the mountain dew around the edges of the pan and sprinkle all over with cinnamon

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes

have some vanilla Ice Cream on hand and you are goin to be in heaven

P.S. I did try it with peaches and they are just as good

P.S.S. one peach equals 4 dumplings vs one apple equals 8 dumplings

Salmon Patties

Have you ever had salmon patties? OMGsh are they the bomb? Salmon Patties, fried taters and onions, and green beans. You can't go wrong with that. this is the way my Mom used to make them and the only way I know how, except she fried hers and I now bake mine. Love them just the same.

Salmon Patties
1 large can of salmon
1 medium onion ( white or purple i use purple)chopped small
1/2 sleeve of saltine crackers
2 eggs
salt and pepper

Debone and clean up the salmon, add the chopped onion, eggs and crushed saltines, a little salt and pepper to taste Mix with spoon (i use my hands)
form into patties and either fry in skillet with oil or put a small amount of olive oil on a cookie sheet and bake. It only takes about 30 minutes and i flip them at about 20 minutes

fry up some potatoes with onions and serve with green beans
when the boys was home i had to use 2 cans of salmon and double everything
they never went to waste.

Enjoy!

Birthdays

Sometimes birthdays come and go, no big deal, and some of them you will remember for the rest of your life. When someone close to you passes away you know in your heart you will remember them forever, you'll remember how they look and how they smell, how they walk and talk, and all the things they have done for you all your life. You want to set something out as a remembrance token, so that when you walk by it you can look at it and all those feelings are just there. There for you, in your heart, something to hold on to. But in reality you can't keep everything that special person leaves behind. But sometimes someone helps to make something special for you to help you along the way. When my mother passed away , everything went to crap, in my mind. What do you do with everything all the clothes, the house , and all of the belongings , not to mention the grief, so you start to get rid of what you can, when you can. And you deal with it the best way you know how. Back to the birthday. When I was ready to deal with the material things some of my closest friends came to my rescue and offered to help (Thank God!) One of the friends that came to help with all the stuff , took some of my Moms clothes and scarfs, didn't know what she would do with them but she wanted them so they in turn were hers to do with what ever she desired. Then several months later it was my birthday and she presented me with a Quilt made out all of Moms things, it is the most awesome beautiful quilt that I have ever seen or will ever own. As I look at it, all kinds of memories of her wearing that shirt or she got that scarf at the race for the cure, they are all there for me to enjoy. I will cherish this quilt forever. Thanks Amy

Winter Wonderland?

Winter is just around the corner, never sure if we will have a true Fall or if we will go straight from summer to winter. I love fall with the changing of the leaves even though it doesn't last nearly as long as I would like. And then winter comes along and WOW you never know, will it be mild, or will it be a humdinger. last year seemed like everything was going along just fine and dandy and then guess what ICE STORM!!!! you hope for at least one or two good freezes to kill off the bugs but then that's enough for me , oh maybe one pretty snow doesn't even have to be on Christmas just pretty. Although i don't like to drive in it (I do have 4-wheel drive)i do like to ride around and see how everything changes looks with a few inches of snow on it. Everything is prettier with a little snow on it. Ice is another story, it can be pretty with the icicles and all but alot scarier. No electric, running generators, falling limbs everywhere sounded like a war zone last year with all the limbs falling, couldn't even walk around in the yard out of fear of a limb or two falling on top of you. But Fall is here and so winter is soon to come Lets just wait and see what it brings

Cooking 101

Stay out of the kitchen as much as possible!!!! not really! although some take out is good and believe me i use it to its full potential. when the kids was home i tried to cook every day, you noticed i said tried. With two growing boys at home it was hard not to cook. until baseball season came around, then there was no time to cook or even shop for the food. Two boys on two separate teams going to two separtate towns at two separate times. OMG! (THE FUN WE HAD! Fast Food was my friend and the only thing we would have for supper for months. then they became teenagers and well they just wasn't home alot of the time but I cooked a few nites. now they are grown and out of the house, and i am having to relearn how to cook and to cook for only two. Not having two growing boys eating all the time has really cut down on the grocerys in our house and what goes on the table

Sundays seems to be my cooking day, you know make alot like when the boys was home then you have lots of leftoovers for the rest of the week. yea !!! you know cook stuff like stew , chicken and dumplins, chicken enchiladas(ummm),beans and corn bread,and in the summer the husband gets to cook the meat and sometimes the other stuff outside but its not summer here and so on sunday i cooked roast potatoes and carrots and yes i still cook two roast just as if the boys were still home but now we have lots of leftovers for the week.

Sunday Roast Dinner

2 3lb roast browned
8 potatoes
2 lbs baby carrots
2 packages williams brown gravy mix
1 or 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (you pick)
2 onions sliced real thick
sat and pepper to your taste (cuz i like alot)

Brown your roast in a skillet i use about a half a stick of butter. layer the onion slices in the bottom of your roaster then your roast(s) i let that cook at 350 for about a 30 minutes then add gravy mix, soup and water let that mix up let everything cook till about three hours before being done and add the baby carrots then about a hour and a half later add the potatoes

When all done (meats at the right temp and potatoes break when poked with a fork) place roast and fixins on a platter and use a little bit of corn starch to make gravy
Serve with cole slaw and brown and serve rolls (you cant beat those brown and serves to sop up that gravy with) i guess you just had to grow up with em

thats how i do it
deb

OMGsh

this is a lot more complicated than i thought
you know me i was thinking "oh you just type it in and everything will just appear where you
want it to be all by itself"
maybe it will some day but Today is not that Day
I will say, so far it is fun just learning how and what to do and write
OK the "what to write is kinda of easier because it's just what ever is happening in My Life
Some days thats alot and somedays its not so much.

So i guess what i am trying to say is "bare with me till I get this all together "
It'll be fun !

oh yea don't mind the typos I'm sure there will be lots of those and misspelled words
just over look them okay?

today is the day......

Well today is the day that i will start My Blog not sure what it will consist of but we will learn together....
maybe a little photography and some cooking and maybe just a little bit of life, My Life the way it is right or wrong
I know everyone has a blog well everyone but me till now.
this might not but interesting for anyone but me or it might be an adventure for everyone, we will see won't we
i hope this is fun and i can't promise me or anyone else that I will blog everyday but I will give it my best shot