Football Season is HERE!

How do you know high school football season has arrived?

This little guy lets you know.

How?

Like this...

Nothing says 'We accept you' like 'I made a big mess in your yard for you to clean up'.

This is how the band and color guard drop off the yard signs.  My now sophomore got to clean it up last year and now my new freshman gets the pleasure.  And it is a pleasure.  It truly does make them feel accepted.  It's a weird phenomenon.  I remember it from my high school days. 

Funny how something that seems like it would be a mean prank is anticipated with a lot of excitement from the person that will spend their Saturday picking up tiny torn bits of toilet tissue out of the slightly damp grass.  Forget about scaling the tree, which they did a great job of hoisting rolls of TP high up.  Kudos...

Now to go 'encourage' the clean up...

:)

Back to School

The buses are on the loose again.  The AM traffic is back to horrible and the blinking school zone lights are on once more.  Ah, back to school time.  I love this time of year.  It means fall is around the corner.  Friday night high school football games are gearing up.  And better day time sleep for the night time worker! 

This back to school year also means my baby is in high school. 

And my last year freshman is what she calls, a squash-more.

Let's not even get into my second year college student...
              - She asked me the other day what I'll think when she turns 20.  I told her that in this case, thank goodness for teen pregnancy, lol.  Even though they all know what a hard road it was when they were younger.

But as everyone goes through the anxiety filled, yet exciting back to school days - I wish the best to all!

First Day of Clinicals!

My husband has always wanted to have a job where he felt like he was making a difference.  He has recently made the decision to go back to school and become a Paramedic.  I couldn't be more proud.

He completed the Basic EMT portion and today is his first day of clinicals!  And, as an L&D nurse, I love that his first clinical is in labor and delivery.  He is doing a 12 hour shift at a county hospital.  I can't wait to hear how his day went.  Way to go, Mr. H2!  Just watch out for the fluids ;)  Amniotic baths are completely disgusting!

Casual Cos - Tenth Doctor

 

Doctor Who fan folks say that the first Doctor you watch becomes "your" Doctor.  I remember seeing Doctor Who on PBS when I was a kid, but this is America where Star Trek and Star Wars reigned SciFi supreme. 

 

Enter Netflix and a night on call a year or two ago...

 

I was searching for something to watch and saw the Doctor Who logo pop up on what was recommended for me.  I vaguely remembered the show from childhood so I gave it a try.  Starting from the beginning made Christopher Eccleston my first Doctor.  And he was 'fantastic'. 

 

But then he regenerated and in came David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.  My Doctor.  The Proper Doctor. 

The pin striped, Converse wearing Ten made me smile.  Ten and Rose made me cry like a baby.  I can't watch it without bawling and I have seen it so many times now.  And the Doctor Donna, don't get me started...

I can't wait to see how they bring him back, hopefully with Rose, in the 50th special!

Irish Soda Bread

 

I want to be a bread baker, but I'm a complete novice and a bit yeast challenged.  So I tried my hand at yeast free Irish Soda Bread to go with some Irish stew.  It turned out fabulous!  I brushed on buttermilk before I put it in the oven and got the best, crunchiest crust.  Just perfect for dipping in a hot bowl of stew.

 

This will totally become a regular, especially for the fall and winter.  It's considered a quick bread since it lacks yeast and depends on the baking soda to make it rise.  I am totally going to look for more quick bread recipes.  I'm a bit impatient, which is probably why I have a problem with yeast breads...Either way, this is a great bread!

 

 

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and add buttermilk.  Mix.  If necessary add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time until a soft dough forms.  Turn onto lightly floured surface.  Knead 5 or 6 times.  Form into a ball.  Place on baking pan.  Cut an "X" into the top of the bread.  Brush with buttermilk.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Serve with a delicious slathering of butter.  :)

Casual Cos - Sherlock

There seems to be a bit of a BBC craze in America.  Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and, of course, Sherlock.  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's eccentric mystery solving sleuth has made a few recent appearances.  I enjoyed the movie version with Robert Downey Jr, but I have not yet watched the new series with Lucy Lu as Watson.  A girl Watson just doesn't seem right. 

I had this discussion with my brother-in-law just the other day.  I mentioned wanting to have a Sherlock themed party for my birthday this year.  He assumed it was the Lucy Lu one.  I informed him that it was the BBC version.  He rolled his eyes a bit.  That's okay, he had the same reaction to Doctor Who and now he and his daughters are hooked.  There is just something perfect about Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes.  My BiL replied that they brought back his drug addiction in the American series.  Shocker.  Hollywood using drugs in a production is not something I get excited about.  I wonder if they address the fact that the drugs Holmes used in Doyle's time were legal.  It would be like smoking now - it's not good for you, it's addictive, but it's legal.  Which is why I like the way Cumberbatch's Holmes wears a nicotine patch (or a few).  It's the same concept, but current to today's society.  Anyway, I digress...

I am very pleased to hear a third 'season' is coming.  So pleased that I have a casual cos in honor of the show today!

 

 

P.S. My birthday is around the corner so I'll post some photos from that.  We don't do big bashes in our house.  Just a family birthday dinner with some games and cake.  But the birthday boy or girl gets to pick a theme.  We decorate according to the chosen theme and people dress up with stuff they find around the house that goes with it as well.  Good inexpensive, creative fun!

Parsley Potatoes

I love french fries.  And I love tater tots.  They don't love me, however.  So here is my make it yourself alternative.  The secret is heating the oil in the oven while getting the potatoes ready.

They are the size of tots with the crispy crunch of a fry.  Satisfaction in a major way.

 

Parsley Potatoes

 

2 1/2 pounds potatoes (washed and chopped into about 1 inch chunks)

1/4 cup olive oil

kosher salt

1/4 chopped fresh parsley

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour olive oil into a baking pan, like the kind you would make a sheet cake in.  Place pan in heated oven.  Wash and chop the potatoes.  I don't peel mine.  I just cut them into approximately 1 inch chunks.  Place potato chunks in a large bowl.  Using a rubber spatula, toss while adding salt and parsley.  Remove hot oil from oven.  Carefully add potatoes, the oil should sizzle.  Toss to coat the potatoes in the hot oil.  Return to oven.  Bake until browned and fork tender.

 

They are simple enough to eat with a burger and visually appealing, so you can serve them with something a bit more gourmet.

 

You can also change up the herbs to fit the rest of the meal.  Easy peasy.

 

Homey, comfort food that makes me smile.

Casual Cos - Psych

A little Polyvore and Psych on Netflix!  I love that show.  It is one of my favorites.  So much so that two years ago my husband threw me a Psych birthday and hid pineapples in different parts of our small town with clues to find the next one.  It eventually led to my present.  He's pretty awesome.

So, as I am having my current Psych marathon I made a 'Casual Cos' outfit on Polyvore.

 

Just in time for Shawn and Jules' first kiss <3

 

And now on to Despereaux part 2...

 

Key the theme music - I know, You know...

Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes

 

 

I didn't know Hawaiian sweet potatoes are actually purple.  I don't want to eat purple potatoes...

 

But I did want to find a good Hawaiian sweet potato recipe for a luau themed dinner.  I combined a couple that I found online and made some adjustments and came up with a delicious side dish for the Huli Huli chicken I made.  Simple and scrumptious.

 

 

28 ounces sweet potatoes, canned, drained

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, canned, undrained

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 Tbsp brown sugar, divided

4 Tbsp butter, divided

1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped pecans

 

Preheat oven to 350.  In medium bowl, combine sweet potatoes, pineapple, 2 Tbsp melted butter, 4 Tbsp brown sugar, cinnamon.  Pour mixture into a medium size casserole dish.  In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp melted butter, coconut, flour and pecans.  Mix well and sprinkle over sweet potatoes.  Bake for 30 minutes or until topping is slightly browned and crunchy.

 

Enjoy :)

 



Lord of the Rings Vintage Suitcase

I've always wanted to try my hand at up-cycling a vintage suitcase.  And what better theme than Lord of the Rings.  The story of an epic journey placed on a suitcase for my own travels.  I found some inexpensive maps on Amazon and a medium sized American Tourister suitcase at a thrift store.  The hardest part was refinishing the inside.  I used fabric, but it wouldn't stick.  I used a large amount of modge podge which made the fabric stiff.  Next time I'll just use scrapbook paper.  It will probably stick better and lay better in the rounded corners. 

The suitcase was originally a light blue with violet interior.  I used black satiny fabric for the inside and painted to outside with acrylic paint.  The suitcase shell is hard plastic, not leather.  I painted the trim in gold to emulate the ring.  Oh, and I tore the map to fit and used distressing ink to make it have an aged appearance.  I placed the Lord of the Rings on one side.

 

And Middle Earth on the other.  I mixed some fine gold glitter in the top coat of the modge podge to girl it up a bit.  I put several coats on top of the map, including a water proof one.  I love the final product and can't wait to use it!

 

 

For some reason I can't get the last photo to be the same size as the others...

 

But I hope it inspires someone to try one.  I love the custom look.  I will definitely have no problem finding my suitcase at the terminal!

 

 

Irish Chicken and Stout Stew

I love theme cooking with theme music.  Tonight's dinner was some good old Irish cuisine and lots of pub music.  It might be dorky to some, but to me - it is the best way to have a family dinner.

 

Irish Chicken and Stout Stew

6 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 Tbsp olive oil
3 pieces bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 2/3 cup Guinness beer (or another stout beverage)
1 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced into 1 inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms
2 cups onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Combine 6 Tbsp flour with salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken thighs through the flour mixture.  Coat completely and set aside.  Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place half of the chicken thighs in the hot skillet.  Brown on both sides.  Remove chicken to a plate.  Repeat with the other chicken thighs.  Reduce heat to medium.  Arrange thighs in the slow cooker, evenly.  Place bacon pieces in skillet.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  Top bacon with 1/2 cup flour.  Stir.  Cook for another two minutes, stirring continuously.  Add 1 2/3 cups Guinness.  Continue to cook while scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the skillet.  Pour mixture over the chicken and spread evenly.  Top with carrots, garlic, onion, mushroom and thyme.  Spread evenly.  Pour broth on top of mixture.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.  Stir in peas.  Stir mixture thoroughly.  Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve over mashed potatoes with a side of Irish soda bread.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with a Drunken Sailor apparently...  :)

Skillet Cornbread

There are certain foods that remind me of certain people.  Homemade ice cream, sweetened condensed milk and cream of wheat remind me of my Grandpa.  Beans and cornbread remind me of my Nana.  That woman could make some cast iron corn bread...oh my goodness...We're talking bacon grease heated in the skillet and then the gritty cornmeal batter poured in.  Every bit of sizzling goodness, I'm telling you.  Pair that with some butter beans that have been cooking all day - shut your mouth.

 

I've been wanting my own cast iron cookware and after eyeing the selection at HEB, I have purchased a cast iron dutch oven with red enamel and a matching skillet.  They also have the cutest mini dutch ovens.  When my husband's not looking I will start stock piling  those as well :)

 

 

Well, tonight I threw out the classic Corn Kit cornbread and made some from scratch.  I didn't have an old metal Folger's coffee can full of bacon grease like my Nana used to so I used butter.  It gave the cornbread a delicious buttery, crunchy crust so I didn't have to smear butter on the inside.  Tonight I served it with some dirty rice, spinach, lima beans, sweet tea and my zydeco playlist.

 

 

 

Look at those crunchy golden edges.  I might have to go grab the last slice from downstairs.



 

 

Skillet Cornbread

1 Tbsp butter or bacon grease
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
(I use self rising cornmeal so I skipped the baking soda)

Preheat oven to 450.  Place butter or bacon grease into cast iron skillet.  Place skillet in oven.  In a medium bowl, combine eggs and buttermilk.  Mix with a fork.  In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, sugar and baking soda if needed.  Stir liquid mixture into the dry mixture.  Combine until mixed well and moist.  Remove skillet from oven.  Swirl skillet to coat the pan.  pour the batter into the hot skillet.  Return to oven.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and pulling away from the skillet sides. 

I had some melted butter left over that I had brushed the top crust of the cherry pie I made for dessert so I poured that over the warmed cornbread.  Delicious.

Coq au Vin

This meal is rustic and full of rich flavors.  The French know what they are doing...in the kitchen :)

 

 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 chicken breasts (I cut mine into thirds)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots, sliced

1/2 pound mushrooms

1 cup chicken stock

6 cloves garlic, mashed

1/2 bottle red wine (about 3 cups)

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

salt & pepper

 

Add olive oil to dutch oven.  Bring to heat and add bacon pieces.  Cook until lightly browned.  Remove bacon using a slotted spoon.  Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place in dutch oven and brown on both sides.  Remove chicken.  Add onion, carrots, mushrooms and garlic to dutch oven.  Pour in wine.  Add bacon.  Stir thoroughly.  Bring to a light boil.  Add chicken to mixture.  Add thyme.  Pour in chicken stock.  Cover and cook in preheated oven at 350 for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on stove at medium heat.  Prepare a "Beurre Manie" paste - combine butter and flour in a small bowl, mix until it forms a paste.  Mix the paste into the stew a little at a time.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

Delicious served with parsley potatoes, buttered peas and a delicious hunk of French bread!