Finally Returning

Wow! I have been gone for a long time!  Isn't it funny how life has a way of just moving on? 

 Let's just all yell really loud: STOP WORLD, SLOW DOWN!!!

Here I am at home and 2013-2014 school year starts Tomorrow!
 Where did the summer go?  Is it just me?

Let me back track just a bit and share some pics from my daughters summer job! She was a camp counselor at a wonderful place called Camp Don Lee.  Let me just say how very proud I'm of her!  She had one week off from school and started this great new adventure!  You should Google this camp for more information.  It's a Methodist camp that is also a sailing camp located in Arapahoe,NC.

I will post more summer pics later.

I hope my blog friends are all doing well, I hope to reconnect with you all soon!
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week!

    

Cauliflower Soup

Hey everyone sorry I have been away soooo long!!

You know how it is.  Life has a way of creeping up on you.  So much to do, so little time.

I tried a new recipe a couple of weeks ago.  I thought it was really yummy.

 

Ingredients:

1 small chopped onion

1 table spoon butter

4 stalks chopped celery

2-3 chopped carrots

2 cups chicken stock 

1-2 cups of milk

 

 

Saute the vegetables and butter until just tender. 

 

 Add a bag or cauliflower pieces or 1 head in pieces to the pot.

Add:

2 cups of chicken stock or until just covered

Bring to boil.

Salt and pepper to taste.

 Add milk and reduce heat. The cauliflower will soften quickly.  

Looking good!

*

Much of this is not exact.  You can adjust the amount of liquid according to how much you are wanting to serve.

You could also add cheese if you like for garnish.  A hard crusty bread would take this over the top!!

 

 

 Thanks so much for stopping by. 

 Have a great week!

 

Taco Casserole

I was looking through Pinterest a few days ago and got the hankering for a Taco casserole. Sorry, not sure if hankering is a real word? Anyway I had a craving for a Taco casserole.  After wasting about 30 minutes, I decided to just throw some stuff together.  I figured it couldn't turn out that bad since I would be using all of my favorite ingredients. 

You should know that Pioneer Woman, or PW is a great source for me. But even with her blog help I was on my own.

Oh no!...

I made this on a Thursday evening around 9pm. Just a small sample nibble ensured me that it was yummylicous!  Ok, I know that one isn't a word but I like it anyway!

When I got to my work I had the cafeteria staff reheat it for me. I think it was in there a bit too long! Oops!

I topped it with a bit of crushed chips and the like!

At this point it's all about the taste and the fact it was hot!

I would take off 5 points on presentation if I was grading. Ha ha!

 Directions:
Tostitos corn chips

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

1 can re fried beans

1 can mild Rotel

1 cup water

1 packet Taco seasonings

frozen corn (enough to cover the casserole)

Toppings:

1 cup shredder sharp cheddar cheese

salsa

sour cream

chopped green onions

shopped tomato

crushed corn chips 

Brown hamburger and drain.  Add remaining ingredients except corn, and mix it all together.  Layer unbroken chips across the bottom of 11x13 baking dish.  Pour out meat mixture and cover the chips.  Top with enough corn to cover the meat mixture, maybe a cup or more.  I just think frozen corn is better and sweeter, but you could use can if you wanted.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and return to oven till cheese is melted.  

Top with remaining ingredients for a beautiful presentation (unlike mine.)  :)

I received several compliments so that made me smile!
All you need now is one of PW Mango Margaritas!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Peach Crisp

I went to our local farmers market a couple of day ago and bought a few peaches.  Oh my, how I love fresh peaches!  Well I waited until they were good and ripe.
  Heaven!

This is really a very simple and easy desert.  You could easily change this to apples, pears or blueberry like my friend Bonnie did.

Directions:
Combine first three ingredients and place in a lightly greased baking dish.  I used a pie dish.  
Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle over peaches.  Bake at 350 degree for about 30 minutes and topping is starting to brown.
That's it! 

Thanks for stopping by!
Hope you are having a great day!

Home Alone

Well, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later.  My baby girl has moved off for college.  

We would laugh and joke about how I would take it.  Well it's all true!

  I cried like a baby!

Carmen and I have been real close this summer, more than usual.  Her job didn't come through like she was planning, so it has been just the two of us.  
So between summer classes, beach and shopping we have been together.  Oh and did I say shopping!  We bought all the stuff that goes with a new apartment. 
Whew!!
I just got an iPhone this summer and here are a few photos we snapped.
 You know girls, we love to take pictures.

  

I don't want to go into a long diatribe about missing her and all that emo stuff. Ha ha! Because if I do I'll start crying again. I'm sure you can relate about missing someone.  Plus she is only two and half hours from here!
Wishing you all a great week!

 Boyhood Home of General John J. Pershing

While I was home visiting my sister, she took a different route home from the air port.  I haven't been this way in years! I spotted the exit to the Pershing family home in Laclede, Mo.  Laclede was once many years ago a rail road town.  Walt Disney was born not far from here.

Pershing was a Commander during WW1 and was born in 1860.  His family moved from a log cabin this house when he was a young boy.  He was a graduate from West Point and  later was appointed to General of the Armies of the United States.  He and George Washington were the only persons to ever have held that rank.  He died in 1948.

 

This is Prairie Mound School.  He taught at this school very early in his career.  

There is so much more about this very influential General.  If you have the time you should read up on some of our great American history.

Unfortunately we were there on a Sunday and the building was closed. It was an extremely hot day at the time.  Missouri has been in a horrible drought, along with most of the mid-west.  Most farmers have lost their crops as I'm sure many of you all know.

This has been the worst drought since the dust bowl times of the "30s.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

Tabouli Salad

I have been missing in action . Ha ha!  Summer has been very hectic around here. 

 I went to Missouri to visit family and friends and finally got back this week.  I tried to pack in as much as possible.

.

  My family is coming over for dinner tonight so I went looking for something light and refreshing.  Tomatoes and cucumbers came to mind!

Recipe:

2 ripe tomatoes chopped in small pieces

1 cucumber chopped in small chunks

1/2 cup Bulgar wheat

1 bunch finely chopped parsley

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 or 2 finely chopped green onion

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the bulgar according to package directions. Add all remaining ingredients. Refrigerate. 

All of my ingredients are approximate. You can add more or less as you feel like. This is so easy.

 Thanks for stopping by.

Funnel Cakes

Well, what goes with fire works? Funnel cakes I say! 
My daughter and I were thinking that it would be nice to have a funnel cake stand near by.  So we rushed home from watching the fire works and whipped up some up. 
I've never made them before, but they are way easy!  Like about five minutes and were were stuffing our faces sharing this sweet treat..  Ha ha

Recipe:

1 Table spoon sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 cups milk

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix dry ingredients in a med sized bowl.  Then mix milk, egg, and vanilla in another bowl.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry with a mixer. Add melted butter last. Put your mixture into a container with a tip you can put your finger over.  I used a plastic bag with a small tip cut off.  Drizzle in a hot skillet with oil.  This should be very hot but not smoking. 

We had fun making theses. My daughter thought they were the real deal! We did get a little carried away with the powered sugar! 

Thanks for stopping by.  

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!