Shepherd's Pie

     This is a simple dish that freezes well.  It is comfort food at its best.  If you make a roast and mashed potatoes for dinner one night, you can use the leftovers to make this dish.

Shepherd's Pie:

Shredded pot roast
1 c brown gravy
1 1/2 c mixed frozen veggies
salt & pepper to taste
2 c mashed potatoes
1 c shredded cheese

In a large bowl, mix together the pot roast, gravy and vegetables.  Spread evenly in a 9x13" pan.  Spread mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture and top with cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Rain

     It is raining today.  I enjoy the smell of the rain, listening to the sound it makes on my roof and watching it fall from my kitchen window.  I get tired of the rain week after week but I really enjoy it for just a day or two.  It makes me want to curl up in my favorite chair with a good book, blanket and a cup of hot tea.  The rain here is like a steady drizzle.  It is not like the rain that I grew up with in Oregon.  I don't even know if Oregonians would consider what we have here as rain.  They really know what rain is.  It rains there "like a cow peeing on a flat rock" and often.  That might sound funny unless you have experienced it for yourself.  So today, don't let the rain bum you out.  The sun will come out another day.  Just try to enjoy it while it lasts.

Chicken & Rice With Broccoli

     Last night I was looking for a quick dinner.  I started rummaging through my cupboard for ingredients and this recipe is what I came up with.  My whole family enjoyed it.  I love it when that happens!

Chicken & Rice With Broccoli:

2 T vegetable oil
1 pkg raw chicken breast cut into strips
1/2 t Cajun seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
2 T soy sauce
2 T sugar
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1/2 t ginger
1 T white wine vinegar
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 c minute rice
1 head of broccoli (chopped)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Layer chicken on the bottom of the pan and season both sides with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.  Cook until chicken is almost done.  Turning over every 1-2 minutes.  In a bowl, mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger and white wine vinegar together.  Pour over the chicken.  Add the minute rice, chicken broth and broccoli.  Cover.  Cook until the rice is done.

Honored To Be Your Friend

     I am so blessed with good friends!  At times I am reminded of just how fortunate that I am to have such wonderful friends by the way that they allow me to participate in their lives.  This week I have been thinking about two moments in my life that I have been called on by a friend.  These moments have touched me so deeply and have altered my life for good.  They have taught me that life is unpredictable.  It can change in a moment.

     The first moment that I want to share with you is about a friend of mine who had a miscarriage.  She called me one morning a few days after her miscarriage.  She was traveling with her husband to meet his family for the first time.  The phone rang while I was sitting in the living room by the window.  The sun was peeking through the blinds and shining on a plant that I kept by the front door.  I asked her how she was doing and if she had made it to her destination alright.  With a tearful voice she said, "My milk came in and I don't know what to do?"  It took everything that I had not to start crying hysterically.  I took a deep breath and told her that she needed to get some cabbage leaves to stick in her bra to help dry her up.  I don't even remember what else we talked about but I do know it was one of the longest conversations that I have ever had in my life.  As soon as I hung up the phone, I cried like a baby.  I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR FRIEND!

     The second moment that I want to share with you is about a friend of mine who was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She called me while I was folding laundry.  We had a very nice conversation.  She asked me if I would shave her head because her hair was starting to fall out from the chemo and radiation.  Of course I said yes.  That was another moment that I cried like a baby as soon as I got off the phone.  I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR FRIEND!

     I don't know why I was allowed to be a part of these two women's lives, but I am so humbled that I did.

Hot Toddy

     Well, I am still under the weather...  I have been having a hard time sleeping because my head is so stuffed up and the coughing doesn't help either.  In the middle of the night when I am desperate to breathe and sleep, I make myself a hot  toddy.  It tastes way better than NyQuil.

Hot Toddy:

4 T homemade cough syrup (equal parts honey & lemon juice)
2 T Pendleton whiskey
1 c boiling water
1 chamomile tea bag

Pour the syrup into the bottom of a mug.  Pour boiling water over the top of the syrup.  Add the tea bag and steep for three to five minutes.  Pour in the whiskey.  Stir and drink while it is as hot as you can stand it.

Homemade Cough Syrup

     I am sick!  Grrrr!!!  I hate being sick.  It is no fun.  I am using a homemade cough syrup to soothe my cough.  I like it because it tastes good and it really coats my throat.  I keep it in the refrigerator and stir it right before I take some.    I usually have the ingredients on hand so I don't have to leave the comfort of my home and pay $6-7 for the store bought variety.  Plus, I know the ingredients that I am putting into my body.

Homemade Cough Syrup:

Honey
Lemon Juice

Pour equal parts honey and lemon juice into a pint jar.  Stir until combined and refrigerate.  To use: Take one tablespoon full of the syrup to stop a coughing attack.  Repeat every couple of hours as needed.

Nails

     I have always had brittle nails.  For years, I had artificial nails but I never liked them.  They always looked really nice but they still felt fake and they were really expensive to keep up.  I am a licensed manicurist which makes me self conscious about the way my nails look.  Sally Hansen has a product called Hard as Wraps that is over the counter.  You can find it at Fred Meyer, Walmart, Target, etc..  Once a week I paint my nails with it.  It is amazing!  My natural nails have grown out long and beautiful.  You can either use the product alone or sometimes I use a topcoat like OPI to finish it off.  It reminds me of having gel nails except it is not a thick product like the gels.  I hope this helps some of you with brittle nails.

Texas Toast

     I love crispy, cheesy toast with pasta.  It is like they were made to go together.  The nice thing is that Texas Toast is super easy to make.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Texas Toast:

sliced sourdough bread
butter
garlic salt
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese

Butter the bread and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Shake a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top of each piece of bread and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Place the sliced bread on a cookie sheet and broil until crispy.  Serve warm with pasta.

5 Simple Things To Prepare For An Emergency

     An emergency can be right around the corner at any time.  A windstorm could knock the power out, finances can make the grocery budget tight, a snow storm could make you trapped at home for a while, etc..  It is a good idea to have a few extra things on hand in case of an emergency.  I put together a list of five simple and cheap things to help you in case of an emergency.  Some you may already have.  It is easy to think that you don't have the time or money to prepare, but with these cost effective ways to get started anyone can prepare for an emergency.

1.) WATER (Have at least one gallon of water per person and per pet on hand at all times.)

2.)  BLANKETS (Store some extra blankets.  You can use them if the power goes out or if you have an unexpected guest)

3.)  TOILET PAPER (Make sure that you have a large package of extra toilet paper stashed somewhere.)

4.)  FOOD  (Get several cans of your favorite soup/chili.  Make sure that you have a non electric can opener.)

5.)  FIRST AID KIT  (Spend the extra money to get a good quality first aid kit.  In an emergency, you will want to have the proper equipment to take care of yourself and others.)

Good Thing You're Cute

     When my daughter was three, our family went to my parents for dinner.  My mom made a delicious meal.  We had slow cooker ribs, mashed potatoes, veggies and salad.  While we were eating dinner my daughter said in her loudest voice, "Nana, even though I don't like your cooking, I will still be your friend!"  It was one of those moments in life where you belly laugh while you are choking on your food and trying to tell your daughter that was not a very polite thing to say.  It is a good thing that she is so cute.

Best Tuna Sandwich

     When I was pregnant I use to make this protein packed tuna sandwich all of the time.  It satisfied my hunger in a hurry.  It takes a bit of work to smash it down to fit in your mouth but it is totally worth the trouble.  For variety, toast the bread before you assemble.

Best Tuna Sandwich:

whole grain bread
tuna
1/4 c mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste
10 black olives (diced)
2 hard boiled eggs (cut in half)
1 avocado (sliced)
2 slices of cheddar cheese
1 large piece of lettuce
1 bunch of sprouts

Mix tuna, mayonnaise, salt, pepper & black olives together in a bowl.  Spread a large amount of the mixture on top of the bread.  Top with cheese, eggs, avocado, lettuce & sprouts.  Smash it down and take a huge bite.  Yum!

Homemade Hashbrowns

     Hashbrowns are simple to make and they taste delicious with a slice of fried ham and tomato.  I make this dish when I need to make quick breakfast.

Homemade Hashbrowns:

1 large potato
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
1 T oil

Peel the potato and grate with a cheese grater.  In a small bowl beat the egg.  Add the shredded potato, salt & pepper.  Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat.  Place a small amount of the potato mixture in the pan and press it down into the shape of a circle with a fork.  Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until the patty is golden brown.  Continue frying the rest of the potato mixture.  Serve immediately.

Thirsty

     I got a gift card to the Olive Garden for my birthday.  (Thanks mom!)  We went to lunch there yesterday.  Before we left, we all decided to use the restroom.  When my husband came out of the bathroom he was cracking up laughing.  I asked him what was so funny and he said there was a gentleman in the restroom with a small child.  The child kept saying, "Daddy, I'm thirsty.  I'm so thirsty!"  The dad said, "What would you like to drink?"  "I want apple juice.  No, I want some water.    I'm so thirsty.  I really want some water.  I'm thirsty!  I don't want to drink my pee!"  The dad said, "Shhhhhhh!!!"  It is funny when it is not your own child.

Amish Zucchini Carrot Cake

     In the summer when zucchini is plentiful, I purée a bunch of it in a blender and put it in ziplock bags to place in the freezer.  All winter I am able to enjoy delicious breads and cakes like this one.

Amish Zucchini Carrot Cake:

2 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
1/4 t salt
1t baking powder
2 t soda
3/4 c oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 c shredded zucchini
1 c shredded carrots

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients in a seperate bowl & add to the dry ingredients.  Fold in the carrots & zucchini.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool completely and frost.

Frosting:

1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
1 1/2 t vanilla
(Approximately) 4 c powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter & vanilla.  Gradually add powdered sugar until you reach the desired thickness.

Pray

     Sometimes life can get overwhelming, even on Valentines Day.  Have you ever had a day where everything seems to go wrong?  You know, one of those days that just never seems to end?  I have and lately I have had several friends who have had some days like this.

     There is a quote that I like to remind myself of on days like these.  It is:  "When life gets too hard to stand, kneel."  There is nothing better to turn my day around than this.

   

Bean Soup

     I have been making a lot of soup lately because of the dreary weather outside.  I enjoy warming up my insides with a big bowl of steaming hot soup and a slice of crusty bread slathered with butter.  This soup is simple, cheap to make and you can cook it in the crockpot.  It will make your whole house smell good.  This recipe calls for salt pork.  If you have trouble finding salt pork, just ask the butcher.  They always have some on hand and are more than happy to wrap up a chunk for you.

Bean Soup:

1 pkg dry beans (any kind)
5-6 c water
salt pork
2 carrots (diced)
1/3 c celery leaves (minced)
1 T dry minced onion
1 t parsley
1/4 t pepper
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c milk

Soak the beans in water overnight in a large bowl.  In the morning, drain the water from the beans and rinse them thoroughly.  Place the beans in a crockpot and cover with water.  Add salt pork, carrots, celery leaves, onion, parsley and pepper.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Stir in the milk and salt.  Let it cook 15-20 minutes longer.  Serve with crusty bread.

Grouchy

     The other day, I ran across a card that my daughter gave me a few years back.  She loves to make cards and pictures for people.  She has the sweetest and most encouraging little heart.  I just love her to pieces!  The day that I received the card, I was having a bad day and I was not in a very good mood.  The front of the card says, "Mom I love you". The inside of the card says, "Even when you are grouchy."  Grouchy was spelled growchy.  I hope that you have someone in your life who loves you even if you are grouchy.  It is pretty special.  Have a great day!

Kale Soup

     I love kale!  I actually like the taste of it.  I am strange, I know.  Kale is very healthy and I want my family to enjoy it as much as I do so I made them this delicious soup.  The key to disguising the taste of the kale is to cook it seperately from the rest of the soup and then add it later on.  Don't knock it before you try it.  It just might be one of your favorites.

Kale Soup:

1 bunch of kale
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg turkey kielbasa (sliced)
1/2 c onion (minced)
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 1/2 t parsley
8 c water
1 can kidney beans (drained)
1/2 head of cabbage (chopped)
4 potatoes (peeled & cubed)

Wash the kale and remove the stems.  Place in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and let it cook until tender.  Set aside.  Bring ground beef, kielbasa, onion, salt, pepper, parsley and water to a boil in a Dutch oven.  Reduce heat and simmer until the ground beef is cooked.  Drain the water from the kale and purée in a blender until smooth.  Add to soup along with beans and cabbage.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook another 30 minutes.

Snot Glasses

     I wore glasses in fifth grade.  They were not attractive at all.  It was the 80's after all so you can imagine how bad it was.  One morning in class, I felt a sneeze coming on.  My teacher always kept a box of tissue on her desk so I ran up to her desk to grab one.  I didn't quite get it sealed around my nose properly so when I sneezed, snot covered my glasses and got in my poofy 80's bangs.  As if that wasn't bad enough, an annoying boy in the front of the class pointed and yelled, "Eww gross!  Christina has snot all over her glasses!"  The whole class stopped working and looked up to see my snotty glasses and hair.  There was much laughter.  The teacher excused me to go to the bathroom and clean up.  I was completely mortified!

     The moral of the story is:  Make sure that you cover your nose completely before you sneeze with a Kleenex.

GG's Eggs

     Sometimes the simplest meals are the best.  This recipe reminds me of my grandma.  She use to make it in the morning and eat it with toast and coffee.  Every time I eat it I think of her.

GG's Eggs:

2 eggs
1 T butter
salt & pepper to taste

Place two eggs right from the refrigerator into a saucepan.  Fill the saucepan with cold water until the eggs are covered with water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat and let boil for five minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the pan rest on the burner for ten minutes.  Pour out the hot water, remove the eggs and carefully peel them.  Place the boiled eggs in a bowl and mash with a fork.  Place the butter, salt and pepper on top of the eggs and stir together.  You can eat the eggs this way or spoon it on top of buttered toast.

The Garden

     Last summer, my dear friend Julie gave me some things to plant in my garden and gave me some of her garden goodies to enjoy.  I can cook just about anything but gardening is not my strong suit if you know what I mean.  I planted the rhubarb plant, the chives and the parsley that she gave me.  Later that day, she came over to my house and we went out to the garden to check on the newly planted items in my garden.  She began to laugh and told me that the parsley was for eating and not for planting in my garden.  I slowly backed up, picked the parsley out of the ground and said, "What parsley?  I don't see any parsley!"  We had a good laugh about that & I chopped up the parsley for dinner that night.

     The moral of the story is:  Laugh at yourself.

Leftover Tri-tip Stew

     I had leftovers of that delicious tri-tip that I made and I thought that a stew sounded good with all of this cold weather that we have had.  It was very flavorful and I thought that I would share the recipe with you.  Even though it has a lot of vegetables in it, my husband still thought that it was really good.  Write it on the record books!

Tri-tip Stew:

Leftover tri-tip (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 potatoes ( diced)
1 large carrot ( diced)
1/2 head of cabbage (diced)
1 t parsley
1/4 t pepper

Place the tri-tip & cut up veggies in the same Dutch oven that you cooked the tri-tip in the night before.  The juices from the night before should remain in the Dutch oven as well.  Season with parsley & pepper.  Add just enough water to cover the meat & veggies.  Bring to a boil on the stove and turn the heat down to a simmer.  Cook until the veggies are soft.  (About 20 minutes). Ladle into bowls and serve with bread.

Tasty Tri-tip

     My neighbor butchered one of his cows recently and gave our family some meat.  Last night for dinner I made a tri-tip.  I think the best way to cook a tri-tip is to grill it but because of all of the snow, I decided against that.  I ended up using the oven and it turned out wonderful.

Tri-tip:

1 t garlic salt
1/2 t dry minced onion
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sage
1/2 t parsley
1 tri-tip
1 c water

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  While the oven is preheating, mix together all of the seasonings in a small bowl.  Rub generously all over the meat.  Place the meat on the counter and let it sit for 1-2 hours.  Put the meat in a Dutch oven and pour in the water.  Cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes.   Slice the meat and place it back in the juices until ready to serve.

Trailer Trash

     Early on in my marriage, my husband and I lived in a travel trailer for two and a half years.  It was one of the most challenging times in both of our lives.  The close quarters were almost suffocating at times.

     One night we were having an argument.  (This is rare for us because we usually get along great.)  To get to our bed we had to climb a small ladder.  Our bed was close to the ceiling.  In fact, neither one of us could sit up in bed or our heads would smack the ceiling.  We continued to bicker as we got into bed.  I was so irritated that I rolled over away from my husband and when I did that my elbow whacked the ceiling.  It hurt so bad!  There was about five minutes of silence and my husband rolled over and whispered, "Trailer trash" into my ear.  We both started laughing until our sides hurt.  I don't  remember what we argued about that night but I will always remember the laughter that came after.

     The moral of the story is:  Try and find humor in every situation.  It just might make you feel better.

Blackberry Pie

     I thought that I would give you my favorite dessert recipe EVER!  I have always loved blackberries.  I have fond memories of picking blackberries in the summer at my childhood home.  I ate more than I put in the bucket.  They were so big, juicy and sweet.  I just couldn't resist popping them into my mouth.  If you have access to blackberries, you must make this right away.

Blackberry Pie:

1c sour cream
3/4 c sugar
3 T flour
1/8 t cinnamon
1/8 t salt
3 c blackberries
1 unbaked pie pastry

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.   Bake pie pastry for 12 minutes & set aside to cool.  Reduce oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl mix sour cream, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.  Gently stir in blackberries.  Spoon mixture into pie crust.  Bake 50 minutes covered with foil.  Remove foil & bake 20 more minutes.  Cool & refrigerate before serving.

Maple Snow

     This morning, I woke up to lots of snow on the ground.  I love it when it snows!  It makes me so happy!!!  A fun idea with children young and old is to make Maple Snow.  You can't over think this process because it can gross you out to think about the dirty air that makes up snow.  I figure you only live once and "God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt."

Maple Snow:
1 large bowl of clean snow
maple syrup

Drizzle the snow with desired amount of syrup.  Enjoy!

Embarrassing Football Moment

     Back in the early 90's, I was in Anaheim, California.  I was staying at a hotel babysitting for some people who had conferences to go to. I watched their three children during the day while they were in meetings.  There was a lot of excitement in the hotel because the Seattle Seahawks were staying on the ninth floor.  One sunny afternoon, the children and I were in the elevator on our way to the swimming pool.  There were two large men in the elevator with us and one of them pushed the button for the ninth floor.  I stupidly said, "Did you know that the Seattle Seahawks are staying on that floor?"  The two men chuckled and one of them said, "Yes, we play for the team."  My face turned five shades of red and I said, "Oh."  The men continued to chuckle as they got off on the ninth floor.  That was the longest elevator ride of my life!

     The moral of the story is:  Don't say anything if you are ever in an elevator with famous people.

Tasty Apple Salad

     Sometimes I feel like eating a salad.  I don't always feel this way, but when I do I want something that I can whip up fast.  This is a salad that I make often.  I ate it at my friend Julie's house several years ago and it has become a family favorite.

Tasty Apple Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce (torn)
1 gala apple (diced)
2 carrots (shredded)
1 bunch of parsley (chopped)
1/2 c walnuts (chopped)

In a large bowl mix up all of the ingredients.  Toss to combine & serve with Ranch dressing.