A Kitchen Thing or 2! (Tips and Recipes)

 Howdy all.  I sure hope all are well and safe this morning.

It is a lovely morning here.  In the upper 60's going to around 80*.  The sun is out at the moment.  It was a very dewy start to the day.  Dew was just hanging on everything and still is.  It was a little foggy around here, I bet it is heavier outside the city.

No rain in sight for the next few days.

                    I just love this picture of the old kitchen.  I would love to have this today!

Today just a tip or two and an easy-peasy recipe or two for summer.

MEXICO CITY DIP

1 - 16 oz. container of sour cream

1 1/2 C thick and chunky salsa

4 green onions chopped

chips

Combine salsa, green onions and sour cream together and chill.  

Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.

**Remember cottage cheese can be used in place of sour cream in most dishes.  Blend until completely smooth in the blender and use as you would sour cream.

JALAPENO BITES (different)

1 - 12 oz. can jalapeno peppers, drained (or equivalent)

8 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 C milk

Preheat oven to 375* (190C)

Seed and chop peppers and place in the bottom of a 9" pie pan.  Sprinkle cheese over peppers.

Combine eggs and milk and pour over cheese.  Bake about 25 minutes until firm.  Cut into small slices and serve.  Great for breakfast, a side or an appetizer!

** Remember - 99% of the dates you see on food products are NOT expiration dates.  Almost all food does NOT have the word expiration on the packaging!!!!!  It is 'best by' or 'sell by'.  Food does not magically go bad by those dates - they are suggestions.

**Grocery shopping tips:

1.  Take your time and hunt for deals - compare prices and know your prices

2.  Bigger is not always better nor is smaller.  You have to do the math.  This week I noticed 1/2 gallons of milk advertised for 1.49 - gallons never sell for more than 2.49 gallon at the same store!  Unless you can't lift the weight of the gallon - it is the best price.  That happens a lot here.  Figure the pricing out - don't just buy w/o checking

3.  Be willing to try store brands and generic at least once.  Many times, they are the same product manufactured by the same place as brand name - just a different label.

4.  Make a list.  Know what you are after - get it first then check for clearance.

ORANGE BUTTER

1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 Tbsp.  grated orange rind

1/4 C orange juice

Beat butter and grated rind together until fluffy.  Gradually add in juice and beat until well blended.  Store in frig and serve with hot biscuits (scones) or toast.  

What a treat!!

** If you see a great deal on onions or bell peppers - buy them.  Chop, slice or julienne.  Place in baggies and freeze.  They freeze well and are good in so many dishes when cooking.

BLACK OLIVE SPREAD

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 - 2 oz. can chopped black olives, drained

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Party rye or pumpernickel bread (or even Triscuits)

Beat cream cheese until smooth and then stir in olives and cheddar cheese.

Spread of party bread.

Serve cold or broil and serve hot (hot is so yummy)

* I have subbed chopped green olives in this as well - whatever you like.  Seriously you could use chopped jalapenos as well!

Super for a lunch bite or appetizers

DON'T WASTE - GET CREATIVE

You can soften cream cheese and mix with about anything leftover for a great spread to use with chips, bread or crackers.  Leftover nuts (chopped), tuna, chicken, roast beef, ham, hard boiled eggs. etc.  Chop them and add to cream cheese.  Use relish, chopped onions or chopped pickles or celery to add extra flavor.  You can also add a bit of mayo or salad dressing to thin a little.

Add anything you have and make a fun, inexpensive and new item for the table and to fill the bellies.

No need to throw food away - get creative.

ALSO - you can any of those things to pasta as well - to create a pasta salad for lunches or a side

**Remember to ALWAYS check your receipt before leaving the store.  Not only may you have been over charged or charged twice, BUT a dishonest clerk could have added a cash back option to your ticket and kept the cash!!  It can happen.  I usually go to the same cashier every time I go if possible.

**Never throw out old stale bread (unless moldy).  Use to make breadcrumbs or croutons or make bread pudding.  Makes excellent French toast.  Use to make individual bread pizzas (fun for lunches).  Toast - and top with eggs fixed the way you like and maybe a patty of sausage or bacon and some cheese - yummy breakfast.  Use instead of biscuits (scones) toasted and topped with gravy.  Just USE IT!

**Don't have conventional buns for your burgers?  Well, shape the burgers for what you DO have.  You can use sliced bread, oval French or Italian bread, oblong for hot dog buns or long rolls.  No need for a grocery run - use what you have!

Just an idea or two to jazz things up a little and to stretch those food dollars.  Food is expensive and when you throw it away you might as well throw dollar bills into the trash can!  Use it up.  Have fun with the food in your kitchen - you may just find a new FAVORITE for your table.

Hope this gives someone a new idea or two.   Get creative!!!!!

Have a super day - make it a fun one.

SMILE!

Deals, Shopping and What You Stock

 Hello my friends.  Hope you are all well this fine day.  It is a wet day here.  Not sure what time it started raining during the night but woke to a little thunder and rain.  It is muggy and extremely cloudy.  It stopped for the moment, and I got to get out and feed the cats - they were hungry.

Boy everything is just vibrant and almost glowing this morning.  The grass is so bright green.  I have all kinds of lilies that are shooting up buds - Tiger and D'Oro - tons of them.  It will soon be a sea of orange and yellow out back.

I just want to touch on sales and stocking for moment.  What are some things that you always buy?

Whether sale or not - I am always stocking up on cat food - both dry and canned.  That is probably the one item I do not always get on sale.  I do get special deals from Kroger (as they keep track) on things I buy, and cat food is usually in the mix.  I get the best deals I can - but it is always in demand here.

I do not leave a grocery store WITHOUT buying cat food, in some form.

Other things I always watch for - are sales and clearance on certain items.  Whenever I see a good price on TP and ground meat - I BUY IT!  It doesn't matter if I need it now, I will always use it.  I am always stocked very well on both. 

I used to buy pasta just about every time I went shopping.  I now have a good supply, and have it sealed to last, so I am good on that.  I got so many good deals on all sorts of pasta.  Same with all sorts of dried legumes.

I keep my eyes open for dish soap and laundry soap as well.  Sales and clearance only!!!!  When I find it, I get it.

I know many look for the super cheap case deals on canned veggies, and then on turkeys and hams at the holiday sales.  I do keep an eye open for sure.

I often buy garden seeds when they are on clearance to keep for the future.  They last well, when kept dry!

What are the things you ALWAYS buy when the price is right?  

I know this is a shorter post - but I am curious what you all do.  It might help others to see what you stock up on - new ideas they hadn't thought of.

What say you??????

Have a wonderful day and give thanks for all gifts.

Come Sit and Chat

 Hello all.  Here we are in the last week of the month again!  Time flies when you're having fun!  I hope this finds you all well, and I hope everyone had a nice weekend.

I stayed home all weekend and just enjoyed quiet time.

It is a 60's morning here.  The sunrise was so beautiful this morning - the pinks and oranges were something.  I was standing at the kitchen window looking at it and up flies a hummingbird for a drink!  What a great way to start the day.

I often wonder about folks who don't get up early and never see the glory of God in the skies, and I think about what they are missing.  It sure is something.

Last evening at sunset (about 9PM) the horizon was just gorgeous and bright pink in EVERY direction!  WOW.

Come sit with me and chat for a while.  I just love my walkway up to the porch.  Lots of red, white and blue flowers - I have my little yard flags out (you can't see the 2nd one).  Lots of sunflowers coming up and will soon bloom thanks to the birds!

Sunday the race got completed 100%, with no rain.  That was a good thing.  I hear that it poured just after the race ended in Speedway. My neighborhood did not get a drop - it was just cloudy.

I am not a huge race fan, but did see bits of it on TV, and the ending was sure something!  It set records and made history for the closest finish ever.  It was pretty darn amazing; I even caught myself yelling at the TV.

I watched the opening ceremonies and listened to Taps (and cried), then I went out to the porch, and I got to see the flyover of the fighter jets at my house.  I could hear them all the way out to the track - it was a muffled rumbling sound, then all of a sudden there they were and that noise is something.  They went directly over the house and were still in the missing man formation.

I know many may think I am nuts, but I find it so moving.

Thought I would show you my little kitchen lettuce and green onion 'garden' outside the kitchen door.

It is just me, so I don't need a lot - and this works perfectly.  I can continue to plant onions.  I had some fresh lettuce yesterday on a sandwich - YUM.

I dropped my glasses last week on the driveway (cement).  Now I have a couple scratches right in the middle of one of the lenses!  Anyone have an easy 'hack' to help cover the scratches until I can get my eyes checked and get new glasses?  I can still wear them for now, but it is noticeable and a little annoying.  I don't have to wear them all the time and can just wear readers for close up, but I do wear them some.

Any help?

Boy oh boy the tulip tree is messy right now.  Flowers are dropping all over.  Especially after a wind or rain.  This is looking out the bedroom window.

This was how it looked before I could get out to mow and trim and those darned petals were all over.  By the way, I did get to mow and trim yesterday - so happy.  The petals are cleaned up for the moment - until it rains later today!

Well, there are new members on the little homestead!  Pip, who I thought was a boy cat, had babies!  Yep - I try to get the females fixed first - but I made a mistake with Pippy.  She is so small herself and has the littlest head and neck - just so darn cute (about 9 months old).  I believe there are 3!!!!  A black one, a black & white one, and an all-white one!!!!  Now her momma and daddy were both solid black, and so is Pip and her sibling - and here is an all-white one, I figure old Tom must be the daddy! (he is b & w).  She has them in a secluded area in the greenhouse and lets me take a look from a distance. They aren't even a week old and so tiny.  Hopefully I get to see them close up soon!

So, I will have other choices coming up in about 7-8 weeks or so.  Sigh!

I am so upset; I hate having to give animals away and separate them.  You know me, the old softy.

Well, I guess I better get busy and do some outdoor work before rain comes in.  

Thanks for sitting and 'listening' to me talk.  Join in the converstion.

I hope you all have a lovely day.

Thank you for being here!!!!

Weekly Wrap Up 5/24

 Hello to all - goodness here, we are with just a week left in the month!  Hope this finds everyone well and safe.  It is a cloudy morning here.  About 65* at the moment.  May get to 70* or so today.  May has been on the cooler side where April was very warm.  Strange weather.  May has been wet as well.  Today looks to be no exception.

It is 500 Mile Race Day here, and I almost bet it doesn't run the whole race without rain.  So many people here wanting to see it - goodness, I hope they get to.  Funny, the little town of Speedway becomes the second largest city in the state on this weekend because of all the tourists!!!!

It is also Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S.  It is the day week remember all those that gave the ultimate sacrifice over the years for our freedoms.  Thank you and prayers for all of the families as well.

                                                             Thankful for FREEDOM

My frugal week:

• Cut lots of peonies and roses this week.  I have the last 2 vases of peonies in the house.  Going to be so sad when I have to be done with them.  I just love that smell
• Finished up a gallon of milk on 5/18 that was dated 4/29.  Tasted just as fresh as the day it was opened.
• Mowed the front yard - still too wet to get to the back
• Used up the last of the homemade banana ice cream in a smoothie along with some grapes that needed used
• Did several walks when weather permitted
• My former neighbor (moved to KY) came by for a short visit while in town.
• Aired house a lot - no heat, no AC
• Baked a dozen cookies from dough I had in the freezer
• Scoured all the watering holes - cleaned and refilled hummingbird feeders
• Laundry and used dehumidifier water and hung to dry
• Working on gathering things to donate and ended up with a big bag to trash as well
• I did go out and filled the gas tank, and my gas can (good for the summer on mower) for 3.09 gal. using discount
• Stopped at Kroger and got a watermelon (pretty good), grd. beef on clearance for 3.37 lb. (got 3 lbs.). found 15 smaller cans of cat food for .24 ea. on clearance and 6 regular cans for .51 ea.  Got TP on sale - bought 2 - 12 packs.
• Paid everything I had on hand
• Harvested my celery plants I was growing.  The bottoms were getting nasty looking, so I just harvested all the little stalks and leaves

Meals this past week:

Taco mac bowl

Fried salmon bites and nice salad

Salmon patty sandwich, fries and side salad

Summer sausage, cheese and veggies & crackers plate

Cheesy broccoli, chicken rice skillet

L/O rice skillet and salad

Swiss/onion dbl. burger, baked beans, slaw

SNACKS:  various fruit, cookies, beef stick

There you have it - nothing too exciting.  Just a nice week.  Plan on doing more getting rid of things and hoping to get to mow out sometime soon!  It sure needs it.

How was your week?  Any good deals?  Have you all got those gardens planted yet?  I know weather has kept many from getting things in.  It will all work out - so have patience.

I hope you all have a lovely long weekend and take a moment to remember why!!!!  The celebration isn't really about the race or the picnics - but those who sacrificed everything so we can be free over the decades.

Have a super week ahead and stay safe and hope health finds you all.  Prayers of healing for those in need.  Blessings to you and yours from me at my humble little home.

**********************

The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord life his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

Lord, we send up our thanks for all the precious gifts we receive each day, and for all our blessings.  Help us each one to see all the blessings, even when things look grim - there is always some sunshine behind those things.  Prayers for all our military past and present and their families.  Prayers that all folks that are out on the roads this weekend will be safe.  Please keep everyone in your loving and protective arms.  AMEN

Weekend Plans - Fun or Work?

 Hello to all.  Glad to be here this morning, and hope you are well.

It is a cool and cloudy morning here.  This may be our only day with no rain for the next many.  Goodness, we have had our fair share of rain around here.  At my house, it was non-stop all day yesterday until in the evening hours.  It was just a soft and gentle rain - but rain none the less.

Yesterday also had this annoying noise going on.  It was a beeping noise, that persisted all day long.  You know the sound a truck makes when backing up?  It was that kind of beep - ALL DAY LONG!  I even took a walk in the rain to try and figure out where it was coming from - no luck - just somewhere down the alley.  I guess the homeowner must have been at work or something, because it finally stopped around 6PM.  It was just a noise that got under the skin!  LOL

Yesterday was also chilly.  I had on socks and a cardigan all day.

YEP!  This is kind of my life now.  Slow and steady and easy.  Much to be said about retirement.  Much to be said about not giving a rats patoot about impressing others.  

What kind of plans do you have for the weekend?  As I said yesterday, it is Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S.  It is also the 500-mile race on Sunday.  It is generally a big weekend.

There are graduations and grad parties happening all around.  Pools generally open, but I would think around here, it would be rather cool for that - but the braves ones won't care!

There are cookouts and family parties that happen all around.

If you live somewhere else - do you have any big plans for the upcoming weekend?

I have no plans at all.  Just hanging out here with the kitties!  Not sure what will be on the menu - it really is just another day for me.  I DO want a watermelon.  I am very much in the mood for munching on watermelon.  I may make a trip to the store for that.  I probably need to go and get gas while out as well.  I know I have a week to use my discount points, but I will probably stop while out.  I have no big plans for next week.

I plan to work in the basement some, I may go out today and paint a couple items in the yard decor.  I can't mow out back, as it is still way to wet!  Front has already been done.

I think maybe I will porch sit when I can and just watch all the goings on in the neighborhood!

Whatever I want to do.

Maybe even this!  Naps.  I love how laid back and calm Bitsy is most of the time.  He finds a spot and just sleeps and sleeps.  Lazy bug.  My kind of cat!!!!!

He loves cuddles with mom as well.  Sometimes he comes and sits on the footstool and yells at me to sit on the couch.  As I sit, he figures how to be as close as possible up against my leg.  I pet and look at computer and he loves it.

So give us a shout out on your weekend plans.  Cookouts?  Grad parties?  Pool parties?  Race parties? Garden planting?   Harvesting?  Look forward to how you plan to spend your days.

Whatever you do and wherever you are - make it a nice one.

Have a super weekend and love each moment and day that you are given!

 

Getting Back to it! Simplifying!

 Hello to all this midweek morning.  I surely hope all are well and safe today.

It is again wet this morning!  Yesterday we got a bucketload of rain in the afternoon and evening - and NOW I do have a lake out back.  Ugh!

They are predicting rain almost every day for the next week.  Including over the holiday weekend (Memorial Day) and even on the 500 Mile race day!  That is not good, as about 300,000 show up for that!

This year the race will be on TV live as it happens.  That happened last year too - but never did before.  It has to be a sold-out event to be aired live.  So, locals usually don't see it until it is over (unless you go).  I am not a huge race fan, but I do love all the pomp and circumstance leading up to it.  Of course I will be on my porch before the race, waiting to see the military flyover - that is my favorite thing!  They always manage to come over my house as they leave the area.

Everyone gets excited about a long weekend - I used to as well.  Now it is another day.  Every day is a holiday once you retire!

Now that the garden is in, the flowers planted, my big sewing project done, I am now getting back to the simpler and quiet way. 

Life has finally leveled out and there is no rush on anything.  I pretty much do what I want - when I feel like it.  The above seems appropriate for me.  I eat differently during the summer - a lot lighter and fresher.  I walk so much more.  I really don't need a thing, so not a lot of need to shop.  I always try to laugh, love and feel blessed.  Every morning when I go out to feed all the animals - I stop and take time in nature to say my morning prayers and to thank God for all things.

I porch sit a lot.  It is a great time for reflection.

My house never gets messy, as I put things up as I use them (upstairs).  The basement is a different story!!!  Now that it is rainy, and I can't get out to work as much, I am again going to tackle that area.  I really want it cleaned and straightened and I want stuff GONE!  It is time to get back to de-cluttering.  So much down there, that hasn't been used or touched in years.  WHY???????

It truly did.  Now I have to admit, most wasn't much money - being a yard sale, thrift store aficionado in years past.  I hardly bring anything home now.  I just don't go to those places hardly ever.  I need nothing, so why go.  As someone stated the other day - I will be blessing someone else with things.

I need nothing, so why not!

I love the lazy, hazy days of summer.  Sure there is garden work (I love), yardwork (I like), and heat (meh) - but it a time of growth, abundance and thriving.  Everything is gorgeous out and God shows us all the beauty of nature is so many ways.  I will have things to do - but I also will JUST ENJOY.

We need to do that more.  Take in all the special moments.

So, I am ready to get back to getting rid of my overabundance of stuff and I plan to eat well, and I plan to stay healthy.

This weekend is the 'un'official start to summer around here.  Graduations are happening, pools will be opening, lots of outdoor events will be happening, many summer celebrations starting, and just lots of outdoor activities.  

What do you plan for your summer (gosh, winter for some)?  

Take time and get rid of stuff you no longer need or use and enjoy each and every day to the fullest.

Have a great day - help the light shine!!!

What we do When we Grow Up!

 Hello and happy Tuesday to all.  Hope this finds you all well today.

It is a lovely morning here - after a rainy and stormy day! Yesterday afternoon it started to rain, then storm and it came down hard and for quite a while.  The neighbor to the west had a backyard lake - one a couple to the east did as well - I didn't!  Not sure why this time, but it is just soggy and no lake.  YAY! 

More rain coming back in later today and tonight (and storms).

Haven't had to water a thing I planted yet!

Remember as a youngster saying, "when I grow up I want to be...."?  

Well, somedays I still wonder what I want to be when 'I grow up'.   How about you? 

As a child, I said I was going to be a teacher.  Then in high school, I took my college prep classes and did a semester 'student teaching' at my old grade school.  I worked with 3rd graders and with 4th graders.  That was fun.

In college, I got more interested into wanting to teach special education or work in social services helping kiddos.  Got to do a hands-on service with a social agency for children then, and it just broke my heart.  I would come home and cry and cry.

Then life happened, and college became part time, as I needed to work to help pay mortgage and bills, and then I just stopped in my junior year.

I got into accounting and did that in some form for the remainder of my working years (funny, as I hated math in school).

Became a 'sort of' care giver and stayed home with hubs when he became disabled.  I have been home since.  Learning, doing and caring.

Now I stop and think - am I doing what I am supposed to be doing?  Am I making a difference?  Is there a big plan for me?

Do you ever wonder things like that?

I know I am not done growing up - so I wonder what I will be when I do grow up!!!

I guess in a way, I teach in a form, by having the blog.  I help give the opportunity to myself and others to pass on useful information that others can use to maybe make their lives better.

I try to be a good family member and help those in need.  I try to be a good neighbor and friend.

I try to just be a good servant of God.

I hope that is enough.

I see pictures taken of earth from outer space and it is beautiful, but it is so small compared to the unending vastness out there.  We are a part of that little ball.  Once you are on this planet, we are but a grain of sand.  There is so much out there in the unending space and so many on this earth.  I am presuming we all have a purpose (?).  Somedays watching the news, I have to wonder what that purpose may be for some, surely evil and meanness can't be a purpose.  OR maybe it is there to help us realize what NOT to do.  I don't know.  I doubt anyone knows.

I do know that we all have a bright light go out at some point in our lives, a light that gets extinguished.  It may be from death or from illness or from losses of all sorts - but we have found a way to get back to a light and see some brightness again.  We go on, and hopefully the time of darkness helps us grow, and maybe we can help others to see a light again.

So have you figured out what you want to be when you grow up?  Have you always followed your dreams or ideals?  Did things change drastically at some point?  I would love to hear.

I guess I will stick with teacher!

I just know that when my days are done - I "hope" someone can say "she did good".  

That would be a good legacy.

Have a beautiful and special day.

Make it a good one.