Just thinkin...

I've been thinking and dreaming

 About where I'll be in my future.... What I want for myself. And the only adjectives that come to mind are peaceful, comfy, serene. 
This is where I'd like to live... You could come by and have tea on the front porch with me.

Unless the weather isn't co-operating...
then we could just sit in the kitchen and catch up.

 We could have a few more friends over for lunch and talk about our gardens and grandkids....

.

 

I would love to spend quiet evening hours in here reading and doing my handwork.

And a place for me to have my own quiet time.

Somewhere for my shoes!

Even tho' the weather's just about unbearably hot here in Texas (I think it's at about 20 - 30 days in a row over 100) I just had to find an interesting recipe to cook something different and as it turns out, hot or not, it was a soup.
Of course I've changed the recipe a bit added this and taken that out to make it more to our taste. But all in all, it's just what I had in mind and I can't hardly wait to make a big pot full when the weather cools down.
I bought a pot a few weeks ago. . . . . . 'cause I've realized I tend to fill up whatever pot I'm using and not having a house full, just three of us now, the pot needed to be a little smaller. Anyway, I love the new pot. Not quite as large as the typical dutch oven that comes with a set . . kinda like a saucepan, with the long handle, just bigger than any saucepan I've ever had. I just looked, it's 4 1/2 qt. Perfect size!
So I checked to see what I had around here to mix up something yummy and I end up with a pot of Sausage, Bean and Turnip Green soup. Turnip Greens? Doesn't sound like a typical comination, huh? But it was soooo yummy.

I thought I'd have to "doctor it up" with several spices to get a hearty flavor but, nope, the seasoning from the sausage was perfect........ in fact, go easy on the salt until you've tasted your soup.
So here you go:

In a large pot cook 1 lg. chopped onion in 1 T. olive oil until onion is soft. Remove "skins" from the links of 1 Lb. Hot Italian Sausage, discarding the "skin", add sausage to the onions. Stir the meat breaking it up into chunks as it cooks.Fix up a pan of corn bread and you're gona love it!
Cook until not quite browned.
Add 1 can diced tomatoes (You can use a regular size can or a large...
depending on your tastes for tomatoes), 2 (15.5 oz.) cans cannellini
beans (rinsed), 1 1Lb. bag frozen collard, mustard or turnip greens, 3 cans low
sodium chicken broth, 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring to a hard boil.
Reduce heat to a light boil with lid on pot for 45-60 minutes.
Remove lid and continue to boil lightly till it reduces to a much thickersoup, 30-60 minutes or so. I like the soup to cool then I taste it to get an accurate sense of if it needs salt. Remember, Don't add any salt until it's finished cooking.

Yummy Treats

I haven't posted in so - so long and I've had every intention of getting my thoughts and ideas for a post together but since it's been so long and I've had a few people ask me for a some recipes... this first new post isn't going to be about what all's been going on... how miserably hot it's been here for weeks and weeks or what we did this summer or the new grandbaby, altho' I am gona get to the grandbaby, Caylee AnnMarie, just born 8 days ago, real soon.
We had our monthly brunch today with the sweet, wonderful ladies at our church this morning and I decided to take a couple treats made with the recipes from Kristy over at www.owenscrew.blogspot.com . Kristy is the mom of Trey and Emery who you've seen on my blog and on Bleah's blog, www.blondeforchrist.blogspot.com. I am their "Grammie". I began keeping Trey, now 5 1/2 and one week into kindergarten, when he was newborn.... then along came Emery, or "Emmie Lou-Who", as I like to call her and she's still here with me. So special both of them.... Ooops, sorry, I said this was gona be about the recipes....
First the Corn Dip... mmmm so yummy!

Here are the ingredients:

•2 cans fiesta style corn


•2 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese


•1 cup shredded parmesan cheese


•1 small can jalapenos OR green chiles (depending on how spicy you want it!)


•1 cup of mayo
Mix it all together in a good size bowl.........

Put it in an 8x8 dish and


bake at 350 degrees for about 1/2 an hour.


Serve with Tortilla Chips.
I think there are alot of things I could do with this recipe to have something different everytime I mix it up.
I used a small can of mild chili peppers and even tho' I usually don't care for spicy food.... just a few spicy chili's or some jalepeno might have been better. When I went to get the mexican corn I noticed they now have something similar with black beans in the can, too. I wasn't brave and I shoulda been. I think the black beans would have been great! Serve this with tortilla chips. Keep them close to the dip. Today the ladies were thinking it was a side dish and just eating it like that.

I also made the party sandwiches from Kristy's recipe! Neither one of took pics of them, but here's the recipe.







•1 12-count package Hawaiian rolls


•6 slices ham


•6 slices Swiss cheese (Kraft Deli Fresh package)


•1/2 cup butter, melted


•1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce (I used more...)


•1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds


•1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard


•1 tablespoon dried minched onion


Cut rolls in half. Cut ham & cheese into 4ths. Layer 2 slices ham & 2 slices cheese alternately on rolls. Place in 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Combine butter, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, mustard, and onion in a small bowl. Pour over sandwiches. Cover with foil and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Back covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.
For these.... maybe some corned beef to go with the mustard one time.... and on a potato roll. I've never been a big fan of the Hawaiian rolls but someone special loves them so I did make mine just like the recipe. Next time my bunch gets together I think I'll be using her recipe exactly and who knows what changes. It really was so easy..... it was difficult to pour a liquid over the sandwiches the first time out but it all went well!
Thank you, thank you, Kristy!!!

Now this is for Miss Linda who's been waiting for awhile for me to get this posted.....

Spiced Bacon Twists



1 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar


2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard Powder


1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon


1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg


1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper


1 Pound Sliced Bacon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
With a baking sheet that has sides to catch the grease, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over the foil.
Stir together the brown sugar, mustard powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
Press each slice of bacon into the mixture until well coated.
Twist each strip a few times and place on the prepared baking rack.
Bake until the bacon is browned and crisp enough to hold its shape which takes about 30 minutes.

I have a couple new soup recipes that are so yummy. They'll be on here soon, too. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
Blessings!!!

Pot Likker Soup

 My sister, Tammy was thinking of me a couple weeks ago and I'm so glad!

She lives in Florida and she and her husband run Aunt Catfish's on the river restaurant in Port Orange and she sent me an email telling about this soup they serve at lunch time.

Well, I just don't think there's anything better than a bowl of blackeyed peas or greens with a slice of tomato and fresh cornbread so when I saw this and realized they're both in this soup I asked.... "How did I not know about this before?"
I have friends out here in Texas who call themselves southerners but I wasn't so sure they truly are.... I mean, I love 'em but they kinda screw up their faces like they smell something bad when I mention something like this soup.
I changed the recipe just a little bit after I made the first pot and I have to say, I like it better with the changes.
This is my version.....
Start with 2 lbs, about four bunches of collar greens. Remove and discard the stems.Wash 'em in cold water and tear 'em into about 1" pieces. Bring to a boil in a large pot covered with water, drain, and repeat.

 Cut 2 lbs of boneless ham into large chunks, place in a bowl, toss with 2 - 4 tablespoons of hot sauce. I used Lousiana Hot Sauce because I wanted flavor more than heat. ( I used 6 Tablespoons and I don't like spicy food!)
Put the ham and hot sauce in a large pot with 3 tablespoons heated olive oil cooking over med high about 8 - 10 minutes until the meat is brown. DON'T try to skip this part.... This creates the base flavor for the yummy pot likker.


Add 3 med onions, chopped and 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, chopped and cook until the onions are tender.
Add 1 cup pork jowls cut into small pieces (The original recipe doesn't call for jowls but it really adds to the flavor.) and cook just two minutes more.

Now it's time to add the greens, and a good 4 cups of fresh turnips you've peeled and cubed. I like them to be good size. The recipe calls for potatoes...... I think the turnips are better.

You add 4 cans of blackeyed peas and/or field peas, drained or 4 16oz bags of the peas, frozen, 4-5 cans of chicken broth, 2 cups of water 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook another hour..

You can used field peas...  blackeyed peas or crowder peas or whatever you choose. Just know... this is southern cooking at it's best.

Make a pan of plain old corn bread..... I don't care for sweet corn bread for a meal like this personally.

2011

Okay. This is a new year and I want to be more diligent about posting. Even tho' it seems to me, all I have to say is pretty frivoless and probably of interest to very few... I'm gona try!


What's first, to me, is pretty great. Iggie showed me this on her own blog. She's decided for who knows what reason to take a month off from blogging and for her that's major. She blogs several times a day sometimes and has 263 followers and some of them she's become pretty close friends with.

But, she broke her respite... already.... for this....




I hope you enjoy.

Just wanted to add something today that's easy to look at.....

Pumpkins

I'm gona start off with a recipe perfect for now:

Best Baked Mini-Pumpkins

Cut off the caps, scrape out seeds, season, re-cap, and bake. That’s all it takes to give each diner a yummy little pumpkin, custom-flavored. Bake while you roast some meat or vegetables, or both! Or, for an all veggie meal, serve with braised greens and toasty baked grains. Make sure you cook dull skinned (not shiny coating like the supermarkets do just for decoration!). As the Cinderella coaches bake, natural oils surface and they turn as glossy and bright as painted and shellacked decorations.
For Each Serving:
1 mini pumpkin
pinch of ground coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, or garam masala or big pinch of dried savory, sage, or thyme, crumbled to powder
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 teaspoon butter or nut oil
1 Tablespoon prune, apple, cranberry, or orange juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1. Set oven to 350 degrees to 375 degrees. With sturdy sharp knife, cut a square (or 5-6 sided ) cap around pumpkin stem, poking into the heart of the squash to cut the fibers. Pry out the cap. With melon ball cutter or grapefruit spoon, scoop out and scrape interior to remove all seeds and fibers. Trim fibers from cap.
2. Sprinkle spice (or herbs), salt, and pepper inside and tap to distribute. Add butter, juice, and sweetening. Set cap back in opening, but do not press in fully (or it may slip inside). Place in baking dish.
3. Bake until creamy-soft inside, about 30 minutes for small squash, 45 minutes for larger ones. Test with knife tip - it should slide through easily. Let stand 15 to 60 minutes, as convenient.
I just realized I never posted about the opening of HOME GOODS.... When I was there they had some fabulous pumpkins and fall deocorations! I didn't get any, tho'.
I just realized I never posted the opening of Home Goods.
It was great!
They had lots and lots of fall and Halloween decorations.... But I didn't get any.....What's wrong with me..... But today, I'm in a fall mood. Except for pumpkins and Thanksgiving Fall isn't a favorite season for me.
I've never wanted to go see the changing leaves.... It just means winter is on the way and I don't care for temps low enough in areas where they really change.
But I really do love pumpkins!!!
Looks at these KNUCKLEHEAD PUMPKINS.... I kinda like 'em.

 These are pretty terrific... Even tho' I'm not sure they're real.
If they are, that's a lot more work than I'm willing to tackle.

 These are Fall Leaves for me! A favorite sugar cookie recipe and mingled fall colors of dough.

 I wish these people were my neighbors!

How about a nice recipe?

Cinderella Pumpkin Soup

4 cups cooked pumpkin


2 cups chopped onions


4 Tablespoons olive oil


4 cloves garlic


4 cups chicken broth


2 cups white wine freshly ground pepper


kosher or sea salt


1 cup heavy cream (special occasion) OR 1 cup milk (weeknight dinner)


Optional garnishes:


grated nutmeg


chopped crystallized ginger


croutons or


freshly popped popcorn


Lightly brown onions with the olive oil in a thick-bottomed soup pot. Add garlic and cook until it softens but doesn't brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, broth, and wine, stirring to blend. Add S & P. Cook for 30 minutes or so over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Puree soup. Serve hot with 2-3 T cream in each bowl. Garnish as desired. Serves 8, or 4 with yummy leftovers.


 Can you imagine? I believe these are studs all pushed into the pumpkins. I love them!

 And maybe the simplest way to decorate your pumpkins..... Stencils. These are great, too!

 I do love pumpkins ! ! !

So Sad!!!

I wish I had some photos to post and I almost took some thru the windows at HOME GOODS yesterday morning about 7:50 while I was down there, having gotten ready for Sunday School and Church early so I could do the GRAND OPENING only to findout that they have postponed the GRAND OPENING to NEXT Sunday!!!!
There were PLENTY of FANTASTIC things I could see as I pressed my nose up against the windows! :(
It's gona be so good but I'm very disappointed! Woe is me....... But the anticipation grows!

My sister, Carol, in Alaska sent me another box of homemade jellies and goodies. These are a few....

My favorite's the Rose Petal Jelly. Iggie's is the Fireweed Jelly.

She sent some Nutty Rhubarb Hot Fudge Sauce. Haven't tried it, yet.

Some Rhubarb Butter as well as several other yummies.

 I decided I needed something fresh and hot to go with my Rose Petal ..... So, I made some Orange Cranberry Muffins....................

 To make it all better I grilled the muffins in butter (naughty, naughty!).

 Made myself a cup of hot Black Current Decaf Tea.

Now that's me being good to me!

Some of my goodies were made by Carol's friend, Margaret...... Margaret is the daughter of a gentleman, Mr. Johnson, who Carol used to take care of before Carol had her transplants.
Margaret and her husband, Leroi, were driving from their home near Anchorage to the Denver for their son's graduation from medical school this past weekend when they hit a patch of ice and had a terrible accident. Margaret's injuries were minor but Leroi was killed immediatly.
Please keep Margaret, her family and their friends in your prayers.
These people have been so kind and loving to my family.
This is so sad!

I have to get myself back into the practice of doing my blog. I enjoy it, I really do.... I guess it just seems like there's not much going on that's "blog worthy"!

BUT...... I have to share that in just 10 days we'll have our very own HOME GOODS just down the way. About 5 minutes.... IF there's traffic!

It opens Sunday October 2 at 8 a.m.

That's an hour an a half before I have to be at church to do my Etiquette Class..... I can do a lot in an hour.... Especially at HOME GOODS!!!

I'm saving my nickles. Savin' up for that special find and I'm SOOOO excited! I know there's gona be something there that'll be aperfect for some place in my house.

My first trip into Home Goods was about 2 or 3 years ago when we'd made a trip to Florida and ended up e-x-t-e-n-d-i-n-g it and part of the most wonderful summer I've ever had was a road trip up to Soperton Georgia to visit our 90+ year old Aunt Mammie with two of my fabulous sisters, Tammy and Carol.

We also went to Savannah to wander the streets, to eat at Mrs. Wilkes Restaurant and by Paula Dean's Son's restaurant fo a lookie-loo.

I'd never heard of Home Goods but I've been a shopper of Marshall's for years and drive into downtown Houston to go to Marshall's Mega Store as often as I can.

After the summer trip to Savannah, on a trip out to San Antonio my oldest, precious daughter, Kathryn, took me to the new HOME GOODS out there. I found a couple of busts..... this is one..... on the clearance shelves... and I don't remember what else. But I was a HAPPY SHOPPER!

I guess about a year ago, maybe a little more, they started opening up Home Goods here in town and that's just a special day outing for me. I always find pretties for the house and things to stash away as sweet gifts when I need 'em and the prices are sooo good!

Over on Eldridge Pkwy they're connected to TJMAX so Iggie's very happy anytime we go.... Down the road here... at least for now.... it'll just be HOME GOODS.

Now I'm gona have "my own"!

10 days and counting......

The Pact...

Well its been over a month since I've done any blogging. Its been a pretty busy Summer, lots of things going on. But now we're back to normal. Here's a little something that happened yesterday.


Hello! My name is Bleah Briann... (www.blonde4christ.blogspot.com) and "Jennifer" is my grandma.
So now that we're all acquainted I'd like to tell y'all a little story.



Trey, Emery, my Grandma, and I were in Sam's the other day, doing some grocery shopping for this church dinner thing we're having. Emery was fussing... Trey was picking on Emery, and talking. And I well... well of course I wasn't doing anything at all. Though I'm told I was talking just as badly as Trey. Grammie was a little distracted. And she was trying to concentrate and I guess we were being kinda difficult. Here's the slant of what Trey figured should be our tactic towards her, since he just wasn't happy with being shushed...

Grammie had turned to  find something and asked me to stay with the buggie. As soon as she was out of sight, and out of ear shot, Trey starts wiggling his finger for me to get closer to him. So I do. "No, give me your ear so I can whisper in it." so I lean my ear in. "Don't you think Grammie is being mean to me today?" he says, "yeah Trey, sure." "And--" he continued, in the most serious tone I think I've ever heard out of a four year old, "--I've noticed she's being mean to you too." I nodded slowly not knowing where this was going. "Well, I think we need to be mean back to her so that she knows how we feel." "mmhmmm" I said, ever so slightly distracted by the fact that Trey suddenly sounded like a politian and Emery was trying to tear the pages off of my new book. "No." he said as he grabbed my arm. "we have to be mean back to her, because then she'll know how sad it makes us feel." "alright Trey, I understand. How are you going to do it?" "Well..." he said with his hand on his chin. "...we can't talk to her. And when we look at her we have to look like this-" he furrowed his eyebrows, and narrowed his eyes, and pursed his lips. It was a seriously scary look-- not really. More humorous then anything. But Trey was convinced it would do the trick. "Oh, and we can't tell her-" he says's "-we can NEVER, EVER tell her." "why not?" I asked. "Because, she'll be very mad, and will not let me watch PBS Kids, or eat snack for a very long time. And she probably won't even let you play on your computer anymore." I'm sorry but that got a laugh out of me, which wasn't good because I was already holding in so many giggles is wasn't even funny. "why are you laughing?!" he said placing his hands on his hips and offering up the infamous Trey-Bo-I'm-Not-Happy-Stare. "Okay, okay, I won't tell her." "ever?" he asked, "ever." "Alright." he said sticking out his hand, "Shake my hand." I stifled a laugh and shook it. "deal?" "deal." I said as Grammie approached. He winked at me.

{the look}

After that, we cruised the store picking up things like, bread crumbs, sugar, and salad greens. Everytime Grammie looked away, Trey gave her that twisted up look. You know that one he had taught me earlier? He's shoot her this glance and then look at me and smile wide and gave me a thumbs up.

Later when we arrived at home and Trey leaned in and said "we're still mad at Grammie right?" I nodded, "yeah Trey, we're still mad at Grammie."

Well that was Thursday... today he came in and asked me yet again "We're still mad at Grammie right?"

Booger!

 

With Love and Blessings,
Bleah Briann

Ever After

Well, life is more back to normal this week....

Iggie went to camp for two weeks and when I was talking to a friend I said to her, " It's been... how many years since I've had 2 weeks without kids? ............. Never!"

My oldest daughter is 42 and Iggie is 15.

Last year when she went to camp for a week I'd gone out to Liberty Hill and wasn't alone then.

This time I went to Liberty Hill for 5 days and came home. For the next 9 days it was just me and the cat. And.... she didn't like it!

It's been really surprising to me how much differnce even one, easy going child can be compared to none.

Anyway, she's back and has been resting up from the work routine she followed with all the other interns.

She met lots of new friend, so knowing her, she was spending plenty of time visiting when she could have been resting but I know that they keep the interns busy with pretty much constant chores. She did a lot of kitchen duty this time.

So, she was thinking home cooked food and being lazy.

Last night I made a speial meal for her and then we watched our FAVORITE movie.... Ever After.

We get excited. We both almost know every word of it, knowing what's about to happen and we cry thru several of the scenes. At one pint she said "This is the best scene and the saddest, all in one."

There's a point where someone throws a punch and we both whoop about it!

If you haven's seen it.... Go rent it. She and I began watching it when she was 4 and we enjoy it more each time. She says.... "That's the TRUE story of Cinderella! That's how it really happened!"

I hope so!!!

I love having a shady section in my yard. It came about because I really had no choice. Years ago we planted an oak tree and now it's big enought to cast shade all day on the back corner of the yard where I just kept trying to keep the grass growing, with no luck.

So I gave in and started to work with it instead of against it.

Here's a picture of Iggie near the corner, but still shady, from quite a long time ago with some of my Trumpet Plants. They seem to do great in the shade or the sun.I have to have some color so I choose to paint things bright colors. Like the mailbox that sits on a post back there. I've never collected any mail there but I've had several bird families use it as a place for their nest! Or the old piece of picket fence I picked up on the side of the road years ago.

The ground around the tree was dry and I couldn't deal with the roots so I had to raise it up abit. That means good fertilizer... Miss Ann has some horses and chicken. I have to get over there and 'collect' some....What better?

I brought back some little Rain Lillies from a trip to visit family in Florida a year or two ago and they like it back here.

I think I need to get someone in to trim up the tree tho' just to let in a little more light.

I found these chairs that are ideal for a quiet, shady spot to sit and read and relax at Lowes a couple years ago for 75% off.... Woo-Hoo. PERFECT!! I've put in a few plants that make nice, heavy borders along the back and the only 'care' they need is to stay at them so they don't take over too much of the area. The ferns love the humidity out there. I like color so I use the perenials like Impatience and Begonias a lot. Periwinkles are really hearty and colorful. I want to try some Hydrangeas but even in the shade it might be too hot.Lots of the color isn't in the ground. I have them planted in pots, like this.The Plumbego, sometimes called Blue Jasmine, that is in the ground just goes out in every direction and is so pretty! I have some vines. I had a nice Morning Glory but it gave way one winter so now I have a Bleeding Heart and a Moon Vine. I had this unbelievable Clemantis that went across the fence and attached itself to the nighbors tree and went all the way to the top and around and around....but when I trimmed the monster, it died.

I don't have a cover over my area, like this..... But I hope too soon...

And, I'd like to find some roses that would do well on the edge of the shady area like these......