Saturday, July 27, 2013

My Mountain Melt

My friend Limor and I have been spending our girl's night at our wonderful neighborhood Ale House. After realizing that their famous Mountain Melt has a million more calories than even two people should share in one sitting, and being the foodie I am, I knew I could make it at home...

So it began. (Adapted from a recipe from Fiesty, Frugal and Fabulous)

Here's what the original recipe said to use.


Ingredients
  • 6 medium potatoes cut into cubes (skin on)
  • ⅓ cup oil (olive or vegetable)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 5 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Frank's.)
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I used 1 cup cheddar, 1 cup mozzarella.)
  • ½ package (7 strips) Maple Leaf Ready Crisp Bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • ½ cup diced green onion

First - scrub clean the potatoes and cut them however big you wish. Cubed, of some size. And preheat your over to 500. Yes, 500. Trust me. 

Second - cook the bacon. I love bacon, so I do it on the stove in a pan. Full fat. Yumm-o! Dry it on a paper towel and then chop it with a knife. I don't crumble bacon. It's weird. 

Step 1: mix olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and hot sauce in a bowl. *Note - I do not really 'measure' things. You can. Please do. We like garlic and onions here. We use a lot of that, so...


 

Step 2: Coat the potatoes in the mixture you just made. Then, put them in a casserole dish, but make sure you leave as much excess 'juice' from the bowl, in the bowl. (That's what will coat your chicken.) Bake in the 500 degree oven for 1 hour. Stir them every 10-15 minutes. This will make them crispy. Trust me, you will want them crispy...

                     

Step 3: After the potatoes are done, take them out and turn your oven down to 400. Let it cool a bit before putting the casserole back in for final cooking, or it will more than likely burn. Toss the cubed chicken in the bowl of leftover juice. Coat evenly. Put the raw chicken on top of the potatoes. Cover with the cheese and bacon. Put back in the 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes. When it looks all bubbly and yummy, it's done. If you need to be sure, test a piece of chicken.


THEN IT LOOKS LIKE THIS: (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Enjoy. 

  

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Taco & Cheese Roll Ups.

Well. Jimmy loves mexican food. And any variation there of. I hate grocery shopping, but love to cook. So I used what I had...PS - It turned out FABULOUS!

 

What you Need:
1 pound ground beef (Use turkey if you want. We are red meat people...)
Taco Seasoning (I make my own...recipe off Pinterest, from Spend With Pennies)
10 (or so...) lasagna noodles
1 small block of Velveeta ( I like the Mexican kind. It spices it up a bit.)
1 can of Rotel or similar. (Pick desired 'hotness'. I always go middle of the road.)
1 handful Mini Sweet Peppers
1 onion (I used a white onions. Vidalia or red would work too.)
2 spoonfuls of minced garlic
1 can of refried beans
Shredded Cheese

So the recipe is on the simple side. I used 1 pound of ground beef. Cook it. And season it. While you are doing that, cook the lasagna noodles. Lay then out to dry off. They are easier to work with.


Heat the refried beans u; microwave or stovetop is fine - your preference. Meanwhile, chop the peppers and onions. In a 2qt saucepan, with just a dab of olive oil, heat the 2 spoonfuls of garlic (I used a small kitchen spoon and got 2 little heaps form the jar), the peppers and onions, on medium heat. Let them cook a while. Cut up the Velveeta in cubes. After you can smell the onions, garlic, and peppers, drain the liquid from the Rotel and add that to the pot. (Some juice is OK...it will help the cheese melt faster.) So let that get hot, and then add the Velveeta. Watch it and stir it often. Don't let it burn. Add the meat and stir it all together. Let it mesh a while. It will taste better, and the low setting on the stove never killed anything...

Now, just put them together. I put the refried beans down first, with a small spatula. the spooned on the cheese. Rolled it up. Put it in the pan. You will see some recipes on Pinterest that add salsa or enchilada sauce to the bottom, but that weighs it down for me, and frankly, I think it tastes better this way. Top with cheese. I used a bit of shredded mozzarella and a bit of shredded cheddar. It's what I had. 


Put it in the oven. I did 320, for 30 minutes so I could shower and relax. Then I did 10 minutes on 400 to brown up the cheese on top.

Best. Mexican(ish) roll ups. Ever.



Saturday, June 1, 2013

The greatest Mexican style shredded chicken...EVER!

I have been getting bored with dinner. I always eat the same stuff. So after perusing Pinterest and reading 10 or so recipes, I made my own. Here it is...

Into the crock pot: 1 can enchilada sauce. 1 packet of ranch dressing mix. 1 tablespoon of taco mix. 1 cup of chicken broth. 6 chicken breasts. I put it on low in my crock pot for about 6 hours. The smell is AMAZING! I left it in the crock pot and shredded it with 2 forks. Take it out with a slotted spoon.

Best. Tacos. Ever.



This is the happy husband.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Knife Block reVamp

As promised, I completed a project and I think it turned out fabulous! I really wanted to give it a 'distressed look, as in the tutorial, from Johnny in a Dress, I looked at. Well, it didn't happen, due to the white spray paint nozzle being broke off, and irreplaceable. Maybe I will add to it; I let this meld a bit.

So here it is...step by step. Enjoy!

Step 1 - Take ordinary knife block and remove knives. 
Step 2 - Give it a light sanding. I used a piece of 60 grit, coarse sand paper.
I only sanded it enough to take off the sheen it had before. I assumed the paint would 'stick' better. 
Step 3 - Paint it. I used a left over paint sample from what was the color of Corbin's first bedroom .
**I put 3 coats on it. Do however many you want. You will know wen it's covered. I did..

Step 4 - I sprayed it, lightly, with a matte finish, clear spray paint. I hate glossy paint.

Step 5 - I didn't want to put an initial on it. I had this stamp from years ago and the paint from an old Christmas project.
I mixed, stamped, and made a few 'touch-ups'.  
Viloa!

All in all, so simple. And it made me want to do more, so I am spray painting a wire bakers rack I use outside for flowers and Corbin's toys. I cleaned out the spare bedroom closet. I washed and changed the sheets. I cleaned the vacuum and then vacuumed. 
I feel accomplished. #winning

I'm back...!(Maybe. For real.)

Well, well, well. October 10, 2012 - I'm off work. Corbin went to the doctor - 38" tall, 33 lbs. He's almost 3 1/2...what?! I can remember taking him there, 3 days old. Time flies.

So I just deleted my last post that said I would start posting more. Ha. Who was I kidding. I am not sure if I have any "followers" or not, (I know it's not impressive) but I am making myself a promise to blog more. I am becoming addicted to Pinterest more and more everyday, and am actually making things and trying recipes. I figure I can post that stuff here and send it into the world. Maybe I'll add some whit and charm too. Cheers!

And PS - Go Gators!! I am so glad you pulled it together to beat LSU! #huge
PPS - some recent photos below.
And lastly - I will be posting more today. I'm half way through this knife block project I pinned this morning. Wait until it's done. Suckas.

at the Naples Zoo 9.30.12
Happy Saturday! 10.6.12


at Elmo Live
our typical family picture...


Monday, February 6, 2012

17 things to make life easier...

I got this from a fellow blogger, and its absolutely true. I have tried and used some, and others I can't wait to try. Enjoy! (And pass it on!)


1. Reheat Pizza
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

2. Easy Deviled Eggs
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing roughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

3. Expanding Frosting
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

4. Reheating Refrigerated Bread
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5. Newspaper Weeds Away
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

6. Picking Up Broken Glass
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.
**I have also used a slice of bread. Works like a charm!

7. No More Mosquitoes
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

8. Squirrel Away!
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.
**Use eggshells too - sprinkle them around your plants and snails won't eat them. They hate the smell and can't maneuver over the broken shells. 

9. Flexible Vacuum
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

10. Reducing Static Cling
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and — ta da! — static is gone.

11. Unsticky Measuring Cups
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
**I use Pam.

12. Foggy Windshield?
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

13. Reopening Envelopes
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

14. Smoother Legs With Conditioner
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair…
**I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS!

15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To get rid of pesky fruit flies , take a small glass fill it 1/2″ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid , mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

16. Get Rid of Ants
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home”, can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains , but it works & you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

17. Info About Clothes Dryers
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material – I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like.
WELL…the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn’t go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that’s what burns out the heating unit. You can’t SEE the film , but it’s there. It’s wha t is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free – that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Attack of the Under-Productive

Why is it that some people are either under-productive or severely counterproductive? I can't stand it! I watch people everyday and it's the same thing. Over. And Over. And Over. I mean get real! At what point to you stop moping around about bullshit that clogs your life and just be happy? It would be really amazing to realize how much more you could get done and how much happier you could be if you just made an attempt to change your own life and not just complain about it! I get to the point I want to rip my hair out because I can't stand to hear about how tough someone else's life is, when in all actuality, all that needs to happen is 'trimming the fat'.

I think that our culture has gotten so lazy that we just complain to hear ourselves. A long time ago, I realized that we are all blessed. You need to take each day for that day and thank God at every chance possible.
makes ya think
I wish for everyone that they just become at peace with their life. They saying goes, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone." Just stop complaining. Kiss your loved ones. Call that friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Help an old lady cross the street. Whatever you do, please, pretty please, realize that your attitude affects other people whether you want it to or not. People by nature will listen and try and comfort you, but everyone gets to a breaking point. Most people won't tell you when they get there, they will just start to resent you. Little by little, everything you will push them closer to the edge. One day, they might even let you know how they 'really feel'.

All in all, I want to give people the benefit of the doubt. We all have problems and life sometimes gets in the way. There is nothing you can do about it. Put on your big girl/boy pants and a happy face and GET OVER IT! That way we can all be in a happy place.
Thank you.