Wednesday, May 19, 2010

We Have A Winner

Someone needs to teach me how to take a picture of my computer screen so I won't have to use just my camera, please :)

The winner is Elizabeth!
And this was her comment:

Elizabeth said...
Okay....At first, I was going to make something up.....but the truth is......I have NEVER grilled anything. But I love grilled stuff....for some reason the grill intimidates me. I, for sure, need that grilling cookbook....so maybe I can learn how to do it! :)

Congratulations Elizabeth please email me your address and I'll drop it in the mail today :)

Thanks y'all for your comments and for playing along.


Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Tasty Tuesday

Look what I got yesterday.

Is that just not the best ever?

I'm so excited!

What a blessing it is to have gardening friends that share!

But it did remind me of the old saying:

In the summertime you should really keep your

car doors locked for fear that your neighbors will fill

up your back seat with all their extra zucchini.

I'll just go ahead and tell ya that if you have any

extra veggies that you don't want this summer

I'll be more than glad to take them off your hands!

~~~~

I love cookbooks.

I love reading recipes.

I love cooking blogs and I've been following

a few since I started blogging.

my favorites are:

Katherine at Smokey Mountain Cafe,

Prudy at Prudence Pennywise

Kate and Sara's Our Best Bites

What happens is, while I am reading the recipe and all the ingredients

I mentally check off each item.

When I have every thing to make that recipe in the house,

that's the recipe I usually end up making.

That's exactly what happened last week when I saw

what Katherine at Smoky Mountain Cafe had created.

I had everything except the sausage and that was

easy enough to run to the store and pick up.

So here is my version of her Poppin Squash Casserole!

For step by step pictures and instructions check her out here.

Poppin Squash Casserole

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Baby Bella mushrooms,couple of generous handfuls
1/2 lb. of sliced andouille sausage or your favorite smoked or spicy sausage
1 medium diced vidala (or yellow) onion
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
2 yellow (summer) squash
2 zucchini squash
1 can of Original Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies
salt to taste
Manchego or Monterrey Jack cheese
seasoned bread crumbs

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and on tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add a couple of generous handfuls of baby Bella mushrooms. Don't move them around too much, you want them to sear and turn golden brown very quickly. Once the mushrooms begin turning golden brown, add 1/2 lb. of sliced andouille sausage or your favorite smoked or spicy sausage.
Allow the sausage to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes then add in 1 medium diced vidala (or yellow) onion and saute until the onion becomes soft. Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, stir to thoroughly combine.
Peel and slice two yellow (summer) squash and two zucchini and add to the skillet.
Saute for another 5 minutes, you want the squash to brown slightly but not turn squishy.
Add in one can of Original Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies!
Stir to blend. Season with salt to taste.
Pour into a buttered casserole dish.
Top with Manchego or Monterrey Jack cheese and some seasoned bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees fro 30 minutes.

Thanks Katherine!

We loved it!!

Oh, and don't forget to drop down to the post below and sign up for my giveaway!

Monday, May 17, 2010

888 plus a Giveaway

This is my 888th blogging post.
That just really slipped up on me.
A good surprise, don't you think?
So that being said,
It's "Grill season" and so I'd like to do my part in
helping you to be a pro at the grill with this fun cookbook!
~~~
Now is the time to speak up and quit being just a lurker :)
I know you have been here anyway and I am glad that you stop by each day and it doesn't bother me at all that you don't leave a comment but I'd like to include you in this giveaway, okay?
~~~
So leave a comment and tell me what your favorite thing to grill
or eat that has been cooked on the grilled.
Announce a winner on Wednesday morning, 5/19/10
Make it a GREAT Monday.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Sunday Stills

This weeks theme: Flowers/Wildflowers

From May Day Zoo

I was thrilled with the reflection of the dragonfly on the waterlily!

To join or view other Sunday Stills click here.

Saturday~Photo~Hunt

This weeks theme: Half
Roast Turkey and Swiss
on whole wheat.
To join in the photo~hunt or to view others click here.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Tasty Tuesday

This is one of my recipes that I've been using since high school.
It is tried and true and sort of no fail.
A real people pleaser and one of those "great comfort food recipes".
A "go to recipe" when you need to take a dish to someone or to a pot luck.
I hesitate to show this picture because it doesn't look as good as it tastes.
I took the picture Sunday, my DIL, Jordan used this recipe for our Mother's Day dinner.
First time she ever made it and it turned out perfect.


Baked Chicken and Rice
Chicken pieces
1 stick butter
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 can of water
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt Butter in 9x13 baking dish. Stir soups, rice and water together well. Add some salt and pepper to the rice mixture and pour into the baking dish with the melted butter. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Salt and pepper the chicken and place it on top of rice mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 300* for at least 2 hours. Then uncover chicken and bake a little longer until chicken begins to brown slightly. When the chicken is done the rice is too.

Now a few side notes: Some times I use all legs or all thighs or 1/4 pieces. Sometimes I take all the skin off the chicken too, just depends on how much time I have. You can use all the soups in the low or no fat brands, still tastes wonderful. It's also an easy recipe to double and put in one of those big buffet throw away pans.

This is one of my favorite recipes.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Overture to The Barber of Seville




I went to the big city last night.

Went to a spring concert.

My niece Amelia, plays the violin with the

Armstrong Atlantic Youth Chamber Orchestra.

(She is on the 3rd row to the left of the conductor, 4 seats in.)

They were wonderful and I enjoyed it so much!

I was in such a rush to get there that I forgot her flowers.


Darn.

This Week

SPRING!
Ya gotta love it!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Just A Swingin

Enjoyed the cooler day yesterday so much.
A perfect day for swinging.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Friday, May 7, 2010

Tuesdays Visitor



He didn't stay very long and sure wasn't very talkative.
Not much company at all.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Today's Vet Visit

"Bentley"

aka: Bentley Sears and Bentley Boo Dog

5 months old and 41 pounds

What cracks me up lately is his ears!

Look how they have grown.

Looking at him, that left ear flops to the front and the right ear lays over to the side.

I just think it is funny looking.


Sorry he doesn't really smile.

He is a happy and well loved dog.

The Dachshunds are 6 months old now.
Walgrin is on the left and he weighs 20lbs.
On the right is Dawson and he weighs 16.9 lbs.
They are doing great and we have adjusted really well to being dog owners again.

Life is always changing and we are along for the ride!