What Time Is It?

Funny how getting out of the habit of something can be so hard to get back into the habit of doing it again!  This is the same for not only missing church but working out, being organized, eating healthy, even making your bed everyday!  And at the same time, those simple things can weigh heavy on your heart!  So last evening, I broke out of my little comfort bubble and went to a function put on by my church.  We have a new pastor and this event was for getting to know her.  I met people that are new to my church, old to my church and everywhere in between.  What was really nice is that the onery old man who is very involved in our church gave me the "who are you and how the hell do you belong here?" questions.  He was intimidating and had we not been at the pub for this informal meeting, I would have curled up in a little ball and hid!  But I handled it fine.  He was appreciative of my answers and then invited me to come back to church this Sunday as did another gentleman.  I thought that was so awesome but I have to help a friend out Sunday morning and can't be there.  However, it is my full intention to be there next weekend! 

So to back up just a hair, when this was being planned I asked if I could bring anything in order to keep myself more accountable.  My friend tells me to bring something for munchies if I wanted.  And like normal, I stressed about what to bring!  What goes good with Bibles and Brews???  I found out that what I made did!  Disclaimer:::  I was so busy trying to get everything done and get out the door that I didn't get a picture!  However, I got rave reviews from even the onery old guy!  I did get one of the leftover dip though!

So what time is it?  It's time to keep things simple and do what's in your heart!  Jump in the puddles!  Throw a snowball or two!  Slide on the ice!  Go to church (someone upstairs is calling!)! Tell everyone you love that you love them!  I will leave you with a Bible verse that made lots of sense to me.  It's just about being simple!  Also, a couple of great appetizer recipes just in time for the super bowl! 

Keeping in Simple,
Blonde & Blue

 

CREAMY BLACK BEAN SALSA

(Taste of Home)

 

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 C frozen corn, thawed

1 C finely chopped sweet red pepper

3/4 C finely chopped green pepper

1/2 C finely chopped red onion

1 T minced fresh parsley

1/2 C sour cream

1/4 C mayonnaise

2 T red wine vinegar

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp pepper

Tortilla chips

 

In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, peppers, onion and parsley.  Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar and seasonings; pour over corn mixture and toss gently to coat.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Refrigerate leftovers.

 

 

BUFFALO CHICKEN "FRIES"

(Cuisine at Home)

 

1/3 C hot sauce (such as Frank's)

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 T Honey

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch wide strips, seasoned with salt and pepper

1/3 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C vegetable oil, divided

 

Whisk together hot sauce, butter and honey in a large bowl.  Toss chicken strips with flour in a large resealable plastic bag until coated; shake off excess flour.  Heat 2 T oil in large saute pan over medium-high; add half the chicken strips, saute until browned, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to hot sauce mixture and toss to coat.  Repeat with remaining oil and chicken strips. 

K.I.S.S.

Most of you know what K.I.S.S. stands for right?  Most like to say Keep It Simple Stupid but that last word really bugs me so I call it Keep It Simple Silly!!!  And in the spirit of making life more simple and living by the moment, I need to organize my "stuff" a little bit better.  Not so much as to make it look better when company is here but to make it functional!  So with that said, I have an afternoon to myself today.  I walked into my bedroom and decided these baskets that were hanging on my wall, totally out of place, that were serving as my stache for my scarves needed fixing.  And like any good girl, floods of Pinterest pins started flowing through my head!  I vaguely remembered one for scarves where you hot glued shower curtain rings to a hanger.  Easy enough right?  So I ran to the store, grabbed some rings and headed for home.  I eagerly ran downstairs to find the hot glue gun and hanger.  I ran back upstairs and got everything ready.  Here is what I started out with...

 

Functional and simple plus kinda looks neat right?  Then I grab my scarves and start putting them through the rings.  I found out that fishing them through the rings took more time than what I wanted.  Then once I had a couple of scarves on it, things started popping off.  Dang it!!!  Then a burst of laughter and I thought to myself "Keep It Simple Silly"!  Here is what came after pulling them off and taking off the hot glue...

 

Thought..."They open!  Duh!  So much easier to put a scarf in it!"

My, My!  Brilliant! Easy AND functional!

 

Voila!!!!

 

I feel so much better now that those ugly baskets aren't on my wall and my scarves are in my closet where I can see them!!!  Now to finish odds and ends in the bedroom so I can mud & tape, paint, add trim, etc!  Not today but eventually!

 

 

Also, to those of you that were praying for Little Bear's dental appointment, he came out with fabulous news!  Ended up not having to do major work because dentist said it looked worse than what it actually was!!!  Hallelujah!  And the appointment was still so fun that Little Bear asked when we can go back again!  Thank God for a pediatric dentist that really loves his job!

 

Keep it simple my friends!!!

Love,

Blonde & Blue

 



 

It's All In What You Have...

...in the pantry!  I found a new recipe to try and come to find out, I didn't have all the ingredients.  So rather than going to the store, I chose to use that new recipe as an inspiration for something all my own!  Should you try it, leave me a message and let me know what you thought!

Amanda's Pepperoni Sausage Lasagna

FOR THE SAUCE:

1/4 C peanut oil (any kind but this is what I had by the stove)

10 slices bacon, diced

1 large white onion, diced

Salt

4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

4 quarts canned whole tomatoes (4 - 28 oz cans at store)

FOR THE LASAGNA:

Salt

1 1/2 boxes lasagna noodles

1/4 C peanut oil

1 pound bulk homemade pepperoni sausage (can use Italian sausage!)

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2-12 oz pkg mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 C ricotta cheese

1 C grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

2 T dried basil

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Make the sauce:  Coat a large saucepan with oil and add bacon.  Cook until nearly done and add onions.  Season generously with salt.  Stir to cook until onions are soft.  Add garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.  Stir continuously!  Put the tomatoes through a food mill.  Add to bacon mix with 2 cups of water.  Season again generously with salt.  Simmer 2-3 hours stiring occasionally and adding salt if necessary.  Cook down to a thick sauce!  Warning:::It smells AMAZING!

Make the lasagna:  Cook the noodles only until pliable.  Do it in batches!  Let rest on a paper towel lined pan.  Cook the sausage in 2 T oil until brown and crumbly.  Remove from pan.  Add remaining oil and add garlic.  Cook until garlic is golden and remove from pan.  Toss the garlic in the trash.  Add the mushrooms and a little salt.  Cook until tender.  In a bowl, mix ricotta, parmesan, eggs and basil. 

Preheat oven to 400.  In a 9x13, spread a couple of ladlefulls of sauce on bottom.  Layer 1/3 of noodles across bottom.  Top with 1/3 of each: ricotta, meat, mushrooms, mozzarella and more sauce.  Repeat layers 3 times finishing with lots of sauce and mozzarella on top.  Cover with foil and bake for an hour.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.  Let rest and cool for 20 minutes before serving.

I got rave reviews from the family!  Hope you enjoy it too!



We REALLY do have time - UPDATED!!!

My new year challenge to you was to smile and live in the moment...have you done that yet?  Just the first weekend into the new year, I found myself making lists of all the things I needed to get done: laundry, bake this, cook that, make this for so and so, make sure bills are paid, etc.  All of the boring, everyday stuff we have to do as responsible adults.  So when the munchkins asked to shoot their new potato guns, of course my response was "NO!  We don't have time."  Then I stepped back and said "Just kidding...we DO have time!"  Much to Mountain Man's disagreement, we drove out on icy roads and braved below zero wind chill to let the kids fire the things off.  I would post a couple of pictures but something is wrong with the site and won't let me!  Dangit!  UPDATE!  I got the uploader working again so here is the picture!

I have never messed with potato guns and so therefore, basic science I had learned in high school was not at the forefront of my mind!  We learned really quick that gas turns to liquid if it gets too cold...oops!  But all the same, we smiled, lauged and froze our fingers off!  But it was worth it! 

Hope this finds you smiling too!  Take time to do the little things!  They really are the BIG things in life.

Blonde & Blue

Bring on 2013!

I sit here this morning enjoying my coffee and reflecting on the last year.  My first thought arrives at "Crud...I forgot to make new year resolutions.".  But then I begin to think why I make them in the first place!  I love to break rules so why am I giving myself rules to break?  Here is to NOT making the typical resolutions...lose weight, not to procrastinate, not yell at my kids or my husband...you know!  The same old thoughts we all have.  Then I was enjoying a scroll through Pinterest and found a saying that I am sure I want to live by.  Not just because it's new years day and it's time to clean the slate but because it's how any and all of us should live. 

I DON'T WANT TO  EXIST.

I WANT TO LIVE!

 

So my proposition to myself, my family and to you is to LIVE!  If something comes to your mind, do it!!!  (Please be responsible!)  Here is my example.  This morning I went outside to grab something out of the car.  I found a small patch of ice on the sidewalk and thought of all the sliding on ice I used to do!  So I slid instead of thinking of how old I am and how the chiropractor would say otherwise and walk around, I did it!  I didn't fall or slip or anything.  It made me smile and I realized that I am not perfect nor is any other single person on this planet!  Do what makes you smile (please be responsible)!  Who cares what others may think!  Heck, I bet I made the little lady across the street and the next door neighbor smile too!  And they were smiling with me! 

 

There are always things that a person wants to change.  I challenge you to change the way you think.  When you look in the mirror, LOVE the person you see.  Look beyond your imperfections and beyond what others may see.  Look inside and love the person you are.  We are all perfectly imperfect and that is what makes us the people that make this world go 'round. 

 

Here is to 2013 and may it be YOUR year!  Smile and LIVE!

 

All my best to you and your family,

Blonde & Blue

 

 

 



Tater 'n' Ham Omelet Pie

Holy Moly!  Is it really September???  And it's a Monday on a Tuesday!  Boy life is traveling fast these days!  I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.  I know we did!  Here is the view I had to look at every day...it was absolutely wonderful!

Now that school has started and there is somewhat of a routine, I have some more recipes to share with ya'll. 

Tater 'n' Ham Omelet Pie

 

1 package puff pastry, thawed

1/4 C unsalted butter

3 C peeled, thin sliced red potatoes

1 C thinly sliced onion

salt & pepper to taste

OMELET: 

 6 eggs

2 T water

salt & pepper to taste

2 T butter, divided

FILLING: 

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 C cubed cooked ham

 

On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry into a large circle.  Place one circle in a pie dish.  Set dish and remaining pastry aside.

 

In a skillet, melt 1/4 C butter.  Add potatoes, onion, salt & pepper.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

 

In a bowl, combine 6 eggs, water, salt & pepper.  In a 10-inch skillet, melt 1 T butter.  Add half of the egg mixture.  Cook over medium heat.  As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath.  Cook until set.  Slide omelet into prepared pastry dish.  Repeat with remaining butter and egg mixture to make a second omelet. 

 

Sprinkle 1/4 C of the cheese onto the omelet in the dish.  Top with half of the potatoes and onions and half of the ham.  Add another 1/4 C cheese!  Top with second omelet and repeat layers.  Top with remaining pastry.  Trim edges, flute and seal!

 

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving!

 

 

 

 

I hope this is a keeper recipe for everyone!  My family loves it! 

 

One request from everyone...please keep the firefighters and especially the Gilead Fire in your prayers.  This one is a little close for my comfort for something very near and dear to me and my family and would love to see the weather change for rain and for this to be out before it gets worse.  Thanks!

 

Have a great week!

 

Blonde & Blue



Mary Mary Quite Contrary...is giving something away!

How does my garden grow???  So far, it's been great!!!  I have plenty of pictures to show y'all.  This is my second year with a raised bed garden.  I did some crop rotation which I feel has contributed to some of the success this year.  I decided to not layer wood chips everywhere...boy were they nice but full of weeds!!!  So now I am letting them rot and am putting them in my new beds for next year!  You may find this hilarious but I think I am the only person in my little neck of the woods that doesn't have zucchini coming out of my ears!  I only planted one plant and that may have something to do with it.  My winter research I am sure will help me figure that one out!  But the pumpkin patch is going nuts as are the tomatoes and the new things I tried are doing well too!!!  Here are some pictures of the fun!

My Basil plant



Spearmint!

An almost perfect Broccoli head

Something to try...planting root crops with top crops.  Here is carrots with the broccoli.

 

My very first eggplant EVER!

Just some of the tomatoes....

And a few more!!!

Jalepeno flower and...

a baby Jalepeno!

Cucumbers growing up the trellis!

A couple of picklers!

A new one for me this year!  Tomatillos!

And another...artichokes!

And yet another!  Celery!

Leaf lettuce (so yummy with warm bacon dressing)

The Pumpkin Patch!!!

One of the pumpkins growing in the patch!

Finally, my little delight!



So are you ready for heck of a giveaway???  Here is the deal...you HAVE to do it all to get your name in.  It's an all or nothing deal.  Remember this?

I will build another one just for you if you want to go the distance to get in the drawing!!!  Here is what you have to do:

1. You have to follow me on here.  Write a comment on here that you are following me.  And if you are a follower, that's great!  Leave the comment that you are a follower!
2. Sign up for email notifications and come back and leave another comment saying you have signed up or that you are currently signed up for the emails.
3. Check out my facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/amanda.hulet.7  You may already be my friend but the page is private so you may have to ask me to be your friend.  Leave me yet another separate comment on here that you are my friend or added me.
4. While on my facebook page, copy and paste my blog link to your page and share with your friends.  Again, another comment here saying you did so!
5. Finally, check out one of the ads on here.  You don't have to buy anything, just click on one and come back with a comment that you did.

Realize that I have a "checker" that lets me know that you did these things.  But like I said, it's all or nothing!!!  Thanks, in advance, for all the comment love!

I will do the drawing Sunday evening (August 12) and will contact the winner personally. 

Happy Summer Everyone!!!

Blonde & Blue