tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62669997329600442172024-02-01T19:41:33.988-08:00Little Cook from the Prairie in the Big CityWelcome home! Bitte, join us at the Little Cook's table and sit for a while to enjoy down-home cooking and baking with a cosmopolitan edge. When Mennonite prairie girl meets Vegas, anything is possible! The Little Cook, her hubby and pup have recently moved from their motorhome into a house to "live the dream." Ah the creative space in the kitchen, so expect oven-free dishes and delicious meals with a twist as we adapt.Take up your skillets and spatulas and get ready to experiment!Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-10015117841003937152024-01-20T11:32:00.000-08:002024-01-20T11:32:52.429-08:00CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MARSHMALLOW SQUARES (aka CONFETTI SQUARES)<p><span style="color: #660000;"> <b><span style="font-size: medium;">CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MARSHMALLOW aka CONFETTI SQUARES</span></b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">True confessions: I didn't take a photo of just my chocolate/marshmallow/peanut butter squares (aka "confetti") so I am sharing a photo of our Christmas Cookie "Tree" display. Lots of goodies on there - some recipes I have previously shared, some yet to come. But anyway, this is our variety, and if you look carefully, on the bottom part of the cookie stand, you can see (left to right), cherry coconut slice, spritz cookies and yes, lurking to the right my ultimate favorite, chocolate confetti. So easy, so much fun to make a SO delicious!</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjqDw6l4OHQjtxGyq4Ij4FMnS1-xBYrz8T0pocnFuMoXb3Ul_yTDN6Dc2NNQ5cUxysM7iDhx4C3E3kqEbHYcLduy3oapQr-V7Clkh0cEgIci6MnH8R9GCaHA9_KO2Oud_f042UwINos6G2MiLX_CFI0B1XSgDs6d6qIFlwTUBLUvV9vGtvUbKBb11CBzw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="1590" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjqDw6l4OHQjtxGyq4Ij4FMnS1-xBYrz8T0pocnFuMoXb3Ul_yTDN6Dc2NNQ5cUxysM7iDhx4C3E3kqEbHYcLduy3oapQr-V7Clkh0cEgIci6MnH8R9GCaHA9_KO2Oud_f042UwINos6G2MiLX_CFI0B1XSgDs6d6qIFlwTUBLUvV9vGtvUbKBb11CBzw" width="190" /></a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I decided to get smart and make stacking the dang thing a bit easier, so I packaged the variety of baking, tucked into cupcake liners, into freezer bags for easier filling. We do love our cookies! The Chocolate Marshmallow Squares have a prominent place on the bottom right of the bag since I like big chunks of this square - ok I admit it, it is an addiction! But the packed bag is so pretty that I had to share it, too. Just think, all the years I have done Christmas baking and have never thought of this little time and space-saver! Whoah!<br /></span></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgY6BOCdpZpGeOQxFiq-p8loHrloAtps3kyHD8ekKZ62up9j76ebVwx3JbXysUlWDWRKA1NZJdYh6MuPBbcmfPAZ3DOMrsfKAmPkbHg_sK_CLyYSFUlxqKUmX5yrCLpqfYrBKWFYS_blkqGyy-sKjSNsYhSSpfUSzxENvg-C1ahlt5o611-_0pl1jMSdkk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgY6BOCdpZpGeOQxFiq-p8loHrloAtps3kyHD8ekKZ62up9j76ebVwx3JbXysUlWDWRKA1NZJdYh6MuPBbcmfPAZ3DOMrsfKAmPkbHg_sK_CLyYSFUlxqKUmX5yrCLpqfYrBKWFYS_blkqGyy-sKjSNsYhSSpfUSzxENvg-C1ahlt5o611-_0pl1jMSdkk" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>So,</b></span></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> what is the difference between "Chocolate Confetti" and Chocolate Peanut Butter Square? In my opinion, "Confetti" uses colored mini marshmallows while my square uses white marshmallows. Traditionally, Confetti uses milk chocolate chips while my square - this year - was a mix of half dark and half milk chocolate, which made all the difference. Whichever you prefer, all I know is that I have trouble stopping at one piece, hence only having 2 on the tray at once! Oh, and I prefer making it in a foil pan lined with foil so it's easier to remove and cut without issue. Just a little hint there. This year, I also added about half a cup of marshmallows to the pot while the mixture was still quite warm, so </span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">they added a bit of gooeyness, a chewier texture that we </span></b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>liked.</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">INGREDIENTS:</span></b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1/4 c unsalted butter</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1/2 c cup creamy peanut butter</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3/4 c dark chocolate chips (or use all milk or semi-sweet if you prefer)</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>5 c white mini marshmallows (rainbow marshmallows for Confetti slice)</b></span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DIRECTIONS:</b></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Line an 8x8 or 9x9 foil pan (or baking pan) with aluminum foil. </b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Melt, stirring until smooth and completely combined.</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Remove from heat and stir in 1/c marshmallows - just for the square, not the Confetti.</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Let cool slightly and then mix in the remainder of the marshmallows.</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Spread in prepared pan and let set at room temperature. </b></span></li></ol><div><span style="color: #660000; font-size: medium;"><b>Note: The slice can be frozen at this point, but I find it much more attractive if sliced into squares with a sharp knife when set, then stored in the freezer in a freezer bag (as pictured above). Don't forget to save a few slices for the baker and a helper to sample! SOMEONE has to taste-test the goods!</b></span></div></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-26768069583605820002024-01-20T10:21:00.000-08:002024-01-22T10:42:09.034-08:00Spritz Cookies (Cookie Press)<p> <b> SPRITZ COOKIES</b></p><p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinKCMH4QHrsBkh_5TTmy_8QQTQ8YY6vtfOQ9ucex7VScZEqnwY8qCtbGqSKY3boFFgAqj-JhcIDdGIRUMeNWSBwIB_zHT5PWhoul5ALmJ7PznZ1M_IR8HuJ4VfkpqI94gK80bby0C8631wHfn42cmxtIsbmATcheyAbi9FJmEJ1a0mZuTHLgYPrnYpe9w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinKCMH4QHrsBkh_5TTmy_8QQTQ8YY6vtfOQ9ucex7VScZEqnwY8qCtbGqSKY3boFFgAqj-JhcIDdGIRUMeNWSBwIB_zHT5PWhoul5ALmJ7PznZ1M_IR8HuJ4VfkpqI94gK80bby0C8631wHfn42cmxtIsbmATcheyAbi9FJmEJ1a0mZuTHLgYPrnYpe9w=w266-h256" width="266" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>This cookie is one of my hubby's favorites, and since he could actually enjoy them this year, I made them as a special treat. I have always found them extremely fussy and guess what? I discovered that the difference is in the dough! Sheesh! Who would have guessed it! So here is a great "found" recipe with perhaps a tweak or two to make them even better.</b></p><p><b>Note: </b><span style="color: #990000;"><b>The recipe makes a LOT of dough - it pretty much filled the bowl of my stand mixer (my new toy). So, you can either go on "Cookie Palooza" and git going, using different sprinkles, cherries, tiny gumdrops or chocolate chips and so on for the center. The main thing is not to fret! Even if the cookies aren't perfect, they are the closest I have found to what I would deem a very light shortbread (my favorite) and a good, solid spritz dough. Enjoy, and if you prefer, you can freeze some of the dough for up to 3 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and place in a zipped plastic bag. The entire batch will take at least 3 cookie sheets, depending upon how large you "spritz your cookies." I do love my vintage cookie maker!</b></span></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b>PUTTING ON THE SPRITZ</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ingredients:</span></b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1 c unsalted butter, softened to room temperature</b></span></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">3/4 c granulated sugar</b></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">1 large egg, room temperature</b></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">1 tsp pure vanilla extra (I used this for the first time and it makes a difference)</b></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">1 tsp almond extract (we don't care for almonds, so I doubled the vanilla)</b></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon</b></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">2 1/3 c all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled</b></li><li><b style="font-size: large;">1/2 tsp salt</b></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The fun stuff: gel food coloring, sprinkles, chocolate chips, melted chocolates, halved maraschino cherries, etc. Let your imagination fly! If you want to use gel food coloring you only need a bit to color cookies before baking, since you want to keep them pastel. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Preheat oven to 350 degrees (177 C)</b></li><li><b>Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or use nonstick bakeware with no liner. (HINT: I have discovered that pressed cookies do not adhere to parchment paper BUT you can use aluminum foil with the dull side up as long as you watch that the bottoms don't brown too much. <span style="color: #990000;">Do not use nonstick foil!</span> This may mean slightly reducing baking time. If you can chill the prepared baking sheets, that works even better.)</b></li><li><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">Making the dough</span><b>: In the large bowl that comes with your stand mixer (or your own bowl using a handheld mixer) fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on MEDIUM-HIGH for approximately 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract (if desired). Beat on HIGH for about 1 minute. Scrape sides and the bowl bottom, beating again for an additional minute to combine. On LOW, beat in flour, cinnamon and salt. Turn to HIGH and beat until completely combined. It will start forming a ball. You can add gel food coloring at this point if you like.</b></li><li><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Pressing the dough</span>: </span>Fit the cookie press with your first decorative plate. It's fun to use variety, especially if you have children helping you. Hold the cookie press perpendicular to your pan (one edge touching and the press at an angle to help the dough stick), press out the cookies approximately 2 inches apart. Don't make too huge or press too hard or they may become distorted and won't be as pretty. If using sprinkles, brush the formed cookies lightly with water to help them stick before sprinkling and placing in the oven. If you find the dough is getting too soft, simply refrigerate between pressing, while the first cookie sheet is in the oven. </b></li><li><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">Baking: </span><b>Bake for approximately 7-9 minutes. You want the bottoms just golden, not dark. Using foil as a liner on pans may take just 5 minutes per pan, depending upon your oven. I have a gas range that runs hotter, so I have to be really careful. Allow about 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. I just put them on my counter on a clean tea towel, but some prefer using a rack. This is the time to drizzle on melted chocolate if you like.</b></li></ol><div><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;">Hints: </span></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dough may be made beforehand and chilled in the fridge until you are ready to make your cookies. If you freeze the dough, take it out and let it thaw to room temperature before using the press. </b></span></li><li><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>If you don't have a cookie press, you can use a pastry bag with a star tip or other decorative cookie tip. But since my vintage press is my choice, it comes out every Christmas. We found it years ago at the thrift store.</b></span></li></ul></div></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><b><br /></b></p>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-49899223163017749602024-01-11T10:20:00.000-08:002024-01-11T10:20:15.521-08:00Happy New Year!<p> <span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>Happy New Year to all my friends and followers. I have neglected you shamelessly over the last year. My hubby, Mike had a stroke a year ago last November, and life has changed drastically over his recovery. I will finally have time to devote to my page and have SO many wonderful recipes to share with you. If I have to list a New Year's resolution it is to get back to my book writing and blogs and catch up with all I want to accomplish this upcoming year. Excelsior, my dears, and thanks for being with me through this journey.</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #134f5c;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGauxKHySzrWzVYGRNFO4EjHv-Bu-69cODC-_jo-V5Dw1vm3Ion_bkZzOiJFLmQIJMvvyRaFBY_lciygalSOooGlrhk_b1RTV6wC4142qqfBK2ju16UbX8ifun6UCMvCOnT3BbdocLQ70lvsrC30Bxl8TC63FTzBRZOCT_nDOTBYResc-Eu8_dfJoW3EI/s4624/20220914_093106_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGauxKHySzrWzVYGRNFO4EjHv-Bu-69cODC-_jo-V5Dw1vm3Ion_bkZzOiJFLmQIJMvvyRaFBY_lciygalSOooGlrhk_b1RTV6wC4142qqfBK2ju16UbX8ifun6UCMvCOnT3BbdocLQ70lvsrC30Bxl8TC63FTzBRZOCT_nDOTBYResc-Eu8_dfJoW3EI/s320/20220914_093106_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-30284829978809737982022-01-30T10:24:00.001-08:002022-01-30T10:24:12.059-08:00Totally Delicious Banana Walnut Muffins<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8htO4pHU_7q8m7GB-kAZC70OxowzsI-s8sA0JSfV4sGKFLIR4xIhqvmZYG7FKwjMyt7qWl2GCcfGpzOXXq0hlHr6BKJbcjaMacMVxbKRKMzYOBqBvBV_uWIwGHUqTFEdeJh2a1BfXy2zEgzDjJQhYnF51Ha4ahnYBN8IVwlj4tiybuzvkuiSoLnhm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="640" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8htO4pHU_7q8m7GB-kAZC70OxowzsI-s8sA0JSfV4sGKFLIR4xIhqvmZYG7FKwjMyt7qWl2GCcfGpzOXXq0hlHr6BKJbcjaMacMVxbKRKMzYOBqBvBV_uWIwGHUqTFEdeJh2a1BfXy2zEgzDjJQhYnF51Ha4ahnYBN8IVwlj4tiybuzvkuiSoLnhm=w291-h204" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>This recipe is simple and the result is well worth it! These were about the best banana muffins I have made and surprise! I actually had all the ingredients in the house! If you can't eat nuts, they are just as good without them but there is something about bananas and walnuts that is almost magical...</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: #ffa400;">Totally Delicious Banana Walnut Muffins</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Ingredients</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>1 1/2 c all-purpose flour (plus a couple of tbsp to dust pans if necessary)</b></li><li><b>1 tsp baking powder</b></li><li><b>1 tsp baking soda</b></li><li><b>1/2 tsp salt</b></li><li><b>1 tsp ground cinnamon</b></li><li><b>1/4 tsp ground nutmeg</b></li><li><b>3 large bananas, mashed</b></li><li><b>6 tbsp melted butter: sweet or salted</b></li><li><b>2/3 c brown or golden brown sugar</b></li><li><b>1 large egg</b></li><li><b>1 tsp vanilla extract</b></li><li><b>2 tbsp milk</b></li><li><b>1/2 - 1 c chopped walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips (if desired)</b></li></ul><b><u>Instructions</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a medium muffin pan by either spraying it with cooking spray, using cupcake liners or using melted butter to coat each cup then dusted with enough flour to just coat.</b></li><li><b>In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together . Set aside.</b></li><li><b>In a large bowl, mash bananas. </b><b>Using a spatula or wooden spoon (or mixer if you prefer), mix in the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract and milk.</b></li><li><b>Pour the dry ingredients into the moist ingredients and continue stirring until combined and no dry bits remain. Then add nuts and/or chocolate chips. The batter will be quite thick.</b></li><li><b>Spoon the batter into cups (prepared as directed in #1), distributing evenly. It will come just below the top of each cup of the tin, which will give you a nice rounded muffin top.</b></li><li><b>Baked at 425 for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees without removing the muffin pan. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, depending upon your oven, or until a toothpick or thin knife blade comes out clean. </b></li><li><b>Remove from oven, wait a few minutes and then transfer muffins to wire rack to cool. If using butter/flour, you may want to gently brush off some of the coating from the bottoms before serving.</b></li></ol><div><b>NOTE: Not all ovens are created equal and some run hotter than others. You learn that by experimenting. Our gas range runs about 10 degrees hotter than our electric oven did, so test the muffins a bit earlier to ensure they don't overbake. Lowering the temperature after 5 minutes (as instructed) gives the tops a nice crusty rounded finish that is the benchmark of a good muffin. Make sure to allow a good amount of time to preheat the oven to begin with so you ensure that it has reached the correct temperature.</b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /></span></u></b></div><br /><p></p>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-44532933411702430062021-08-06T15:45:00.000-07:002021-08-06T15:45:32.674-07:00Shepherd's Pie with a Twist<p> <b>As most of you know by now, I am a fool for shepherd's pie of any variety. Whether a mashed potato topping, beef or pork or turkey, any type of vegetable, gravy or tomatoes, this is my comfort food. So after freezing diced tomatoes with their juice a couple of weeks ago - yes, I will include the recipe for that - I went "aha!" when looking through our admittedly sparse pickings right now. We obviously 'dug into it' because this is the remnants of dinner tonight. Here is my little tutorial on one pot (and a casserole) Shepherd's Pie.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJi3I6rltOCZJf4dWnLnNIuOYPYlfsoTH8D12nEAG8U4zIigXjyfIDbChDLFvm-WWJUG7pOOtrlRftNDk8ayg-kaotwz4d5MBcAgLL__97Yq716Kojahd5Q31ll-iT3li51B7RawAvXA/s4160/20201009_110012_Film1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJi3I6rltOCZJf4dWnLnNIuOYPYlfsoTH8D12nEAG8U4zIigXjyfIDbChDLFvm-WWJUG7pOOtrlRftNDk8ayg-kaotwz4d5MBcAgLL__97Yq716Kojahd5Q31ll-iT3li51B7RawAvXA/s320/20201009_110012_Film1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b><u>Frozen Diced Tomatoes</u></b><p></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Wash all tomatoes thoroughly. I just put cold water in a sterilized sink and let them soakdwhile I prepared for freezing, then wiped them with paper towel before the next step to ensure they were cleaned (these were garden tomatoes)</b></li><li><b>Place water in a large pot - fill about half-way - add tomatoes and bring to a slow boil. Make sure the water covers the tomatoes totally so they can blanch properly.</b></li><li><b>Sterilize sink or use a large bowl, place ice water inside and let sit.</b></li><li><b>When skins start to split, turn off element and remove tomatoes one at a time with slotted spoon. Place in ice bath that you have created. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Dice each tomato with a paring or other sharp knife, placing in container with juice. Do not fill to more than 1 inch from the top of the container and pop on the lid.</b></li><li><b>Place in freezer or if you prefer, simply use right away in your favorite recipe (or this one).</b></li></ol><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Shepherd's Pie</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Potatoes 6 or 8 (enough for 2c of mashed potatoes)</b></li><li><b>Diced tomatoes (1 1/2 c canned or as frozen above)</b></li><li><b>Ground beef (approximately 1 lb)</b></li><li><b>1 tbsp vegetable oil</b></li><li><b>Mixed vegetables of your choice</b></li><li><b>Grated cheddar cheese (1 cup)</b></li><li><b>Seasoning of your choice: salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, dry beef bouillion, a tbsp of ketchup, minced or chopped onions etc.</b></li></ul><div><b>Preparation </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Preheat oven to 350 degrees</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1. Cook diced potatoes on medium heat in a saucepan with enough water to cover them and boil until tender when poked with a fork (approximately 20 minutes). Drain some of the water and mash the potatoes. You can add a splash of milk and a couple of tbsp of butter as well as </b><b>1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt for flavor and texture.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>2.</b><b> Brown ground beef in oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat with chopped or minced onions, stirring until brown (about 5-10 min.). Every stove is different so it's best to stay while the meat is browning.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>3. Drain the fat from the saucepan (I used a small colander to make it easier).</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>4. Add diced tomatoes, frozen mixed vegetables and your choice of seasoning to the meat and stir gently with a spoon until heated through and thick - 10-15 min.</b></div><p></p><p><b>5, Pour into a 2 qt casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes to cover the top of the casserole and sprinkle with grated cheese.</b></p><p><b>6. Bake in oven until the cheese is melted and the meat mixture begins to bubble and seep through the mashed potatoes. This will take approximately 30 minutes.</b></p><p><b>7. Let sit for 15 minutes with a piece of foil to cover the top to cool it slightly and enjoy! Great with a side salad or garlic toast. With any luck you will have left-overs for the next day.</b></p><p><br /></p>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-57273225545498358162020-08-31T10:24:00.003-07:002021-08-06T15:51:10.011-07:00Lemon Creme Pie with Toasted Coconut Topping<p> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Lemon Creme Pie with Toasted Coconut Topping</b></span></p><p>(alas my photo disappeared and now I have to find it again! Disaster!)</p><p>Sometimes life leaves us with a lot of time on our hands to make lovely dishes and take great effort with prep. Other times you simply don't have the gumption, so you use what you have on hand to prepare something pretty tasty that is quick-as-a-wink, as my dad used to say.</p><p>This is one such recipe. Just a few basic things that are still easy to find on the shelves of the store or that you may well have in your cupboard right now. I find pre-made graham wafer pie crusts in aluminium foil pans to be one of the most marvelous inventions! They have saved me a lot of scrambling for ingredients when I had precious few during this whole pandemic. </p><p>Just one hint: These crusts taste even better when you mix an egg white with a bit of water and brush it on the crusts before baking at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It sets the crust and makes it a pretty brown.I also discovered the homemade toasted coconut is a breeze and intend to use it more often. SO here you go, friends! One of the latest creations by The Little Cook - me! </p><p>Please note, this is homespun and not a fancy dessert. Easy, peasy lemon squeezy, to coin a phrase.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>LEMON CREME PIE WITH TOASTED COCONUT TOPPING</b></p><p><b>INGREDIENTS</b></p><p><b>Pie Crust</b></p><p>I am not fussy but Keebler seems to have a tastier finish when prepared. I have used many generic graham pie crusts that are excellent as well but they do tend to crumble a bit more quickly. It also bakes to a nice golden color (see directions above). Home made is always the best.</p><p><b>Filling</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>One can of lemon cream filling OR lemon pie filling or you can prepare your own from package directions</li><li>One 8-oz tub of Cool Whip or a similar topping</li></ul><div><b>Toasted Coconut Topping</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Approximately 4 oz of flaked coconut. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>PREPARATION</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk 1 egg white with a bit of water in a small bowl, then brush lightly onto the top of the pie crust. Heat in oven for approximately 8-10 minutes before removing. Set aside to cool. Leave oven on for the coconut layer.</b></li><li><b>While the crust is in the oven, fold together the lemon filling and cool whip in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge til ready to use.</b></li><li><b>To toast coconut: Place on a cookie sheet or foil pan large enough to spread the coconut into one even layer. This insures even toasting. Place onto middle rack of oven and heat, stirring ever couple of minutes and shaking gently to distribute pieces, until an even golden color is reached. It is okay to have some lighter and darker bits. Let cool for approximately 15 minutes.</b></li><li><b>Once the crust has cooled, empty the bowl of filling onto the crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula or wide knife. It will be quite thick.</b></li><li><b>Sprinkle evenly with the coconut. The variety of colors is what makes it so attractive. Place in fridge, covered with the lid that comes with the crust (another reason I love the convenience) or plastic wrap to cool for a couple of hours before serving.</b></li></ol><b> Et voila! A yummy summer dessert.</b></div><div><b><br /></b><div><b>Note: Flaked coconut gives a slightly more tasty, chewy texture that complements the creaminess of the filling.</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Enjoy!</b></div><p></p>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-14737062999375508462020-06-20T09:21:00.000-07:002020-06-20T09:21:10.316-07:00Good Morning, World!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>So the big news is that as much as loved our RV, almost 2 years of living in a 33 ft space was just a bit too much for us, especially as this Pandemic started. "Crab-walking" between table and couch became very old very fast and the lack of preparation space made being creative turn from a challenge to a horror very quickly. We loved our trip to Utah last summer and relish the memories, but the day-to-day reality hit a bit hard especially when trapped in a tin box with the forthcoming hot dry Vegas summer looming, in an RV park. In short, we needed out. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>So we went searching for apartments because house prices here are ridiculous. After looking at 6 or 7 'meh' places, I finally contacted a 55+ place in town - one of the MH communities that Mike found which are usually quite attractive. They said "Why not come down and take a look. We have a brand new home that you might love." We talked specs on the phone, then Mike and I went to look at it, masks on face, and fell in love. It is our gingerbread house - 3 BR, 1200 sq ft, 2 baths, nice big yard with 'desert landscaping' (aka rocks). In our eyes it was perfect, it was home and it was less than a lot of places we had explored. Totally unlike us, we went to the office, signed the lease for immediate possession and started moving in the next day. What a whirlwind!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>So here we sit, 5 weeks later, waiting for some furniture to be delivered but loving the sheer space. Slowly hanging pictures, getting stuff out of storage to put in our shed, talking about what we need vs what we want after selling, giving away or donating all our furniture prior to moving into our Lyda, our RV. She sits on a space on the hill above her for now so we can keep an eye on her. Charlie is happy to have roaming room and many windows to his world. We are still pinching ourselves. Some struggles with getting services established during this difficult COVID time but so happy to have home. Voila:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZ_Zb2FgIrSZxxRB8-9Uh8IWKvSSwoPzoSP1zISAH-uAeydT5O6zFMOieVGnYLeUf4Ie9Jf1Nfku4zLoNUHrWJ1fNOCWYHqQPbd4f4b_ZVS3a16E0HaUAiTE_e2Ngjo2q-7LaofOn-cI/s1600/20200523_164752_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZ_Zb2FgIrSZxxRB8-9Uh8IWKvSSwoPzoSP1zISAH-uAeydT5O6zFMOieVGnYLeUf4Ie9Jf1Nfku4zLoNUHrWJ1fNOCWYHqQPbd4f4b_ZVS3a16E0HaUAiTE_e2Ngjo2q-7LaofOn-cI/s320/20200523_164752_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xXAHi0vPxVM_mC1Y0GuHIKtMBlRV_okkh6hL0Fx_qVvf_iUeOHDppZfpqnhzDVFubint_Nlbdu7lZOfkI7FA9AUTM8VzUyV_M01teqmriIyxaMB3rxQn1f5HEd-Wb5HoFQdwesGTf9o/s1600/20200513_105249_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xXAHi0vPxVM_mC1Y0GuHIKtMBlRV_okkh6hL0Fx_qVvf_iUeOHDppZfpqnhzDVFubint_Nlbdu7lZOfkI7FA9AUTM8VzUyV_M01teqmriIyxaMB3rxQn1f5HEd-Wb5HoFQdwesGTf9o/s320/20200513_105249_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYy6eXKhbOFVtA1aaAfbwaFIxOrwkTwHVpdwaxX7Zrn9113Gk_w8UdQDj-80IIBi9Bjy5N3nvYqq8AdHuQDLET9XLV0VxCQkicn3RaBhZakdgZNajm0DYseWJdDeva6HAttErpLA6WaUk/s1600/20200518_065441_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYy6eXKhbOFVtA1aaAfbwaFIxOrwkTwHVpdwaxX7Zrn9113Gk_w8UdQDj-80IIBi9Bjy5N3nvYqq8AdHuQDLET9XLV0VxCQkicn3RaBhZakdgZNajm0DYseWJdDeva6HAttErpLA6WaUk/s320/20200518_065441_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVn_HzKbA5TlUruoKNdgsDfh3hiDsjIq5eXhb9H9Wy7KPlCyjGdM04WxnxccPqaT0TSBI0Ki8JMWcZGzTH1PYKXqEnbGEfZDyH07nyIUIEoFELfsSjsavEUg-K4hwRT_Y37iasd8sfHQ/s1600/20200619_173632_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVn_HzKbA5TlUruoKNdgsDfh3hiDsjIq5eXhb9H9Wy7KPlCyjGdM04WxnxccPqaT0TSBI0Ki8JMWcZGzTH1PYKXqEnbGEfZDyH07nyIUIEoFELfsSjsavEUg-K4hwRT_Y37iasd8sfHQ/s320/20200619_173632_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b></div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-14962141758636938562020-03-29T12:38:00.001-07:002020-08-31T09:42:13.353-07:00Taco (shepherd's pie) Meatloaf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Here is a recipe that is adaptable as to ingredients and prepares easily in an RV with minimal clean-up or sink/counter room necessary. Please note - the light in here wasn't great so they look twice as dark as they really are. Ooops. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Taco (shepherd's pie) Meatloaf</b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b><br /></b>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span face="" style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">* About 1.3 to 1.5 lbs of lean ground beef</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">* 1 pkg of taco seasoning (I used McCormick)</span></span><span face="" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">* 2 large eggs</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">* 1/2 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">* 1 small bunch of green onions (finely chopped)</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">* 1 pepper (red or green) cored and finely chopped</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">* 2 Roma (or other small) tomatoes, chopped</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">* about 1 tbsp butter</span><br /><br style="color: #1c1e21; content: ""; display: block; margin-top: 10px;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #990000;">Prep</span></span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span face="" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">1. Place butter, onion and pepper in microwave safe bowl and let heat in microwave for about 10 min. on high to saute</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">2. Remove bowl from microwave and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly with your hands.</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">3. Grease 1 large or 2 med loaf pans (I used foil for easier clean-up afterward). Divide mixture in pans (or put in large pan) pressing down gently.</span><br /><br style="color: #1c1e21; content: ""; display: block; margin-top: 10px;" /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 30 min, pour out excess liquid carefully (not quite set yet) then raise heat to 375 for an extra 15 min or so. I have a convection/ countertop oven so always bake/cook things 15 degrees lower than directed. I large meatloaf would probably be 375 degrees for a hour or so.</span><br /><br style="color: #1c1e21; content: ""; display: block; margin-top: 10px;" /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">Note: I was going to top with mashed potatoes sprinkled with cheese (hence the Shepherd's Pie title) for the last 10-15 min (after draining) to make a taco shepherd's pie but since I didn't get potatoes in my food order we will have rice on the side. Also sorry about that dang dark photo! Best I could do for now :)</span></span></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON50lpgtWMjCdxr-SDQ_NteK83oIoeqxS4kHuhkCCOXkBLHqms33EuoHGGEeXoTpEKYMqwmmcXEANk_0DuB_Y8Q8P9n4PgCVcK2_ExtH5fF2YM9_art9sOTrJKhg8-J-bJCbVqRGPrvk/s4160/20200709_115251_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON50lpgtWMjCdxr-SDQ_NteK83oIoeqxS4kHuhkCCOXkBLHqms33EuoHGGEeXoTpEKYMqwmmcXEANk_0DuB_Y8Q8P9n4PgCVcK2_ExtH5fF2YM9_art9sOTrJKhg8-J-bJCbVqRGPrvk/s640/20200709_115251_Film1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-62524194057964058572020-03-29T12:27:00.001-07:002020-03-29T12:27:35.169-07:00Has it really been that long?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello, friends. I have been neglecting you!<br />
<br />
We are winding down our time in the RV slowly but with this coronavirus decided to stay put in our current location in Las Vegas until things look up. Scary times but always hope ahead. I hope you all are well and doing ok in self-imposed isolation. I am actually enjoying it but am an old bird, so that's not surprising.<br />
<br />
I will post a recipe or 2 of RV-appropriate messages in another post but just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten you all and thank you for whenever you have the chance to read this blog. Just a few more current photos than last October, including Christmas and our trip to Disney World in January (jeepers have I been lax!) The first one is my little RV Park garden :) Love as always.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtFj3gwA_08z4lF615b9yv2DLMfHUXbJ8AT-gZdcdXFQIKnljHd-h-YymjnU2Pz8TO15Z9Sk35NsMTUg1SBFFhiugkoAKIKs7dM2ikF4O7qKFzjiMm66Ys-IaDhOSpupsLEmJ1ZxYxyM/s1600/20200320_172326_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtFj3gwA_08z4lF615b9yv2DLMfHUXbJ8AT-gZdcdXFQIKnljHd-h-YymjnU2Pz8TO15Z9Sk35NsMTUg1SBFFhiugkoAKIKs7dM2ikF4O7qKFzjiMm66Ys-IaDhOSpupsLEmJ1ZxYxyM/s320/20200320_172326_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS92MOjUjVZ2MJnxBDKIufsIpJ4xDiKxUQk-NAo-juYZMzNmYfUkZqW81vIKTZ9v-8ZVdhO_nEz_Q4lv9oqWwRwPstoxNDM9x0B4-i7n4ye1YP9sxx7XHCN00ri237HRk1mmWYSJa9OP0/s1600/20200314_124149_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS92MOjUjVZ2MJnxBDKIufsIpJ4xDiKxUQk-NAo-juYZMzNmYfUkZqW81vIKTZ9v-8ZVdhO_nEz_Q4lv9oqWwRwPstoxNDM9x0B4-i7n4ye1YP9sxx7XHCN00ri237HRk1mmWYSJa9OP0/s320/20200314_124149_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrCAI-WYV-Ic_tH9ILmBtwsJhMD7nx8DkWEbmfdo8r3kAJ6SVk-7MsGy0KZ1F_QFr3-nnqcRZSKnwoQJQR6N7_Ymrf1Mp91h2rD-yYy4lrgQhC1FzMUM1OyAe8a8E9can69rHm_QGbAs/s1600/20200219_192634_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrCAI-WYV-Ic_tH9ILmBtwsJhMD7nx8DkWEbmfdo8r3kAJ6SVk-7MsGy0KZ1F_QFr3-nnqcRZSKnwoQJQR6N7_Ymrf1Mp91h2rD-yYy4lrgQhC1FzMUM1OyAe8a8E9can69rHm_QGbAs/s320/20200219_192634_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg2OSKb8bl9thFczfN2Z2_ewOypucYMYP4b2PfqKfflkQNeXQG7n0hZLakbH2iLkjgi0BS1XVWkBqdaprzFyPd9atetMtKaIlVYBZ8_OUnZosx4qHi-jJc7c0j2NgvGmRnawmMY8Jn5w/s1600/20200202_141207_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg2OSKb8bl9thFczfN2Z2_ewOypucYMYP4b2PfqKfflkQNeXQG7n0hZLakbH2iLkjgi0BS1XVWkBqdaprzFyPd9atetMtKaIlVYBZ8_OUnZosx4qHi-jJc7c0j2NgvGmRnawmMY8Jn5w/s320/20200202_141207_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWudW8CpKjbg-BlY2izMzzgy2Hbnh_WOqV302XNHt_BqtKguwY-041urqJB8ujgT1bHbpzs8jFl7U95KjxuUCPL0x3MmGOIRISLmKNLQrWEL7Rq1gqfpFOq-R_C3psyTJDVGX5D9T1GS4/s1600/20200202_121700_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWudW8CpKjbg-BlY2izMzzgy2Hbnh_WOqV302XNHt_BqtKguwY-041urqJB8ujgT1bHbpzs8jFl7U95KjxuUCPL0x3MmGOIRISLmKNLQrWEL7Rq1gqfpFOq-R_C3psyTJDVGX5D9T1GS4/s320/20200202_121700_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlnW8ZHu0at7lm4yqY4HZfy9WhrAbHjr9UdScnjBjGBUgAGfkF3dtz_Vvxqu5L1MY_1zxjV5q6XWTUtMPwO30-ZdQ-3pG-z-uiBG8dzl16sBoXycszselSG55U0V8GrTB1-8lRKGA3go/s1600/20200201_105400_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlnW8ZHu0at7lm4yqY4HZfy9WhrAbHjr9UdScnjBjGBUgAGfkF3dtz_Vvxqu5L1MY_1zxjV5q6XWTUtMPwO30-ZdQ-3pG-z-uiBG8dzl16sBoXycszselSG55U0V8GrTB1-8lRKGA3go/s320/20200201_105400_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6IKk7AyJsqx9dp6LwFYclDpWaqEvoASSd9Rrfp8JrXxgY1xIX67CxQYdx1Wta9CbCFFmOqI_4B_H_vMyi4AThtj3UZI5irLhWPOQrFkUt7gil7YrUx35ce-n6Uw1eLlnsN_2IAZ_G0w/s1600/20200201_083525_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6IKk7AyJsqx9dp6LwFYclDpWaqEvoASSd9Rrfp8JrXxgY1xIX67CxQYdx1Wta9CbCFFmOqI_4B_H_vMyi4AThtj3UZI5irLhWPOQrFkUt7gil7YrUx35ce-n6Uw1eLlnsN_2IAZ_G0w/s320/20200201_083525_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgLuNBSovrKA5L5enTOivuReJq30Gk8a0ZYv6J2weawRV7yOVE_02MCHhWBp5ZV3TnMYMls-VSgHPqHfRQYw2DOwaORkdzDRNHem2DfZKz6wRBdPcy3hhqWWcQlP9WFVxN2i4oW5tbdg/s1600/20200131_201521_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgLuNBSovrKA5L5enTOivuReJq30Gk8a0ZYv6J2weawRV7yOVE_02MCHhWBp5ZV3TnMYMls-VSgHPqHfRQYw2DOwaORkdzDRNHem2DfZKz6wRBdPcy3hhqWWcQlP9WFVxN2i4oW5tbdg/s320/20200131_201521_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpX7SR7gsTMIFKECOnhnzztbNyfKTN3X51pdTMHeOyso6e24_NpnRDxd4AXvNOvf3jQTE5AXYwEVD0NOUH4AV1ck4M6NB-9TaOacT2kKXWtsMmvCJVJenxsqlsTgEWzIeYpyQJwVIpRxU/s1600/20200128_152520_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpX7SR7gsTMIFKECOnhnzztbNyfKTN3X51pdTMHeOyso6e24_NpnRDxd4AXvNOvf3jQTE5AXYwEVD0NOUH4AV1ck4M6NB-9TaOacT2kKXWtsMmvCJVJenxsqlsTgEWzIeYpyQJwVIpRxU/s320/20200128_152520_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgB4u-KRK46geXW6ZRoUdRhbxNn5Si48cflXJC9e5fYczhpHHswLYlpIRTuKlKrPOvUnEp-BGNlH0RO2jm7cT4O6W0DUdC7nq5R5Q7Cxwd3N_BXbmqAXB5nOcvT7dV4obGsOIqNieervU/s1600/20191228_211901_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgB4u-KRK46geXW6ZRoUdRhbxNn5Si48cflXJC9e5fYczhpHHswLYlpIRTuKlKrPOvUnEp-BGNlH0RO2jm7cT4O6W0DUdC7nq5R5Q7Cxwd3N_BXbmqAXB5nOcvT7dV4obGsOIqNieervU/s320/20191228_211901_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZIun5hk19d0hUqqU2iwv70to3MiANFCT8GccXKDuNHXxWTFYceKTKDzD-X8yD89y5Rl48FpJUdbBz6ZF8_9t7dBLmxZJzf894yosbc7yCyZw8qrW-7tEZJ1W1HRhzXsJ0RAKH5uCKyc/s1600/20191224_190655_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZIun5hk19d0hUqqU2iwv70to3MiANFCT8GccXKDuNHXxWTFYceKTKDzD-X8yD89y5Rl48FpJUdbBz6ZF8_9t7dBLmxZJzf894yosbc7yCyZw8qrW-7tEZJ1W1HRhzXsJ0RAKH5uCKyc/s320/20191224_190655_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bZ4U-WCKUwgo1upEiDvlhJc5UpFW41bStA9w8dm79Qz8C0WWNCVTSHnGDz4QMpLjHDZJBnBpLVT9wCvoWeYeEWjm9JobNnTXFc9j0SkK3pw2gCnB7T6fM_FuF27rIx4fB7TlIHyCoOQ/s1600/20191211_164635_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bZ4U-WCKUwgo1upEiDvlhJc5UpFW41bStA9w8dm79Qz8C0WWNCVTSHnGDz4QMpLjHDZJBnBpLVT9wCvoWeYeEWjm9JobNnTXFc9j0SkK3pw2gCnB7T6fM_FuF27rIx4fB7TlIHyCoOQ/s320/20191211_164635_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaQL8eCrEztWBMnKQH1TL6DTYZk7bbf9Z2Ak7PKoA7rMbysNESPIacCvZ3bcYLPibLkrjZA_XzU7zV127f6aYxa67H2djH1bX7EJw7xbF8fGGwrdkf5MTqyA6tHkODLt0Wo1jD90f190/s1600/20191201_184945_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaQL8eCrEztWBMnKQH1TL6DTYZk7bbf9Z2Ak7PKoA7rMbysNESPIacCvZ3bcYLPibLkrjZA_XzU7zV127f6aYxa67H2djH1bX7EJw7xbF8fGGwrdkf5MTqyA6tHkODLt0Wo1jD90f190/s320/20191201_184945_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0XQ4BlLjG57TsUdxo3l_sQa_1DIRdS7bKjCigAH5G_lP9Xl5PssTtkYXEXgOM-Ntj70VYw7cXPZA_QtNPuB_1wcB6Vy_MPj-SDdJA9m0nwMPfz_AA9KGNzikgkhh26eo-G7Boa8f8sk/s1600/20191128_185101_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0XQ4BlLjG57TsUdxo3l_sQa_1DIRdS7bKjCigAH5G_lP9Xl5PssTtkYXEXgOM-Ntj70VYw7cXPZA_QtNPuB_1wcB6Vy_MPj-SDdJA9m0nwMPfz_AA9KGNzikgkhh26eo-G7Boa8f8sk/s320/20191128_185101_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-55012818132489507342019-10-23T10:21:00.000-07:002019-10-23T10:21:23.396-07:00A Year of Life on the Road and Home Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="e7ui2-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e7ui2-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="e7ui2-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">It's been a year now since we moved into our motor home, Lida, to enjoy a life of freedom and choice. It's not all been roses and sunshine. Things like restricted storage space, cramped quarters and repairs have taken a toll on our patience and tolerance at times. The reality of 2 people and 2 dogs, one a very active pup, has also meant a lot of adjusting. Traveling this summer to Utah and living near Zion for 2 1/2 months was blissful, but we had to literally work for it as workampers so we didn't get the full Monty where that was concerned. It was such a nice change from Las Vegas summers and the scenery was lovely! </span>We miss campfires and the brilliant stars in Utah along with the clear high desert air. <span style="font-family: inherit;">But the trip home showed our beastie's age as it lurched down the highway, hitching and hiccuping. I think that may be the old girl's big trip. We are nicely settled in a comfy RV park SO much better than the first one we spent 6 months at ('nuff said about that) and the location is great. Mike got a good job and I am going back to work part time for the City after almost 5 months off and am grateful for that. I miss 'my' work kids and friends. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="51h3f-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="51h3f-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="51h3f-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="d5feb-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="d5feb-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="d5feb-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">There are a few things we really miss, though, living in a tin can: I miss a real kitchen. It's not easy preparing meals on a 12'x16" surface. The sinks are fit for a dollhouse. We don't use the stove top even though it's a wonderful gas grill because let's face it, the cost of propane is phenomenal and we aren't willing to put out $75 every month or less for the convenience of using a stove. We would rather use the furnace. I miss a stove, full-size fridge and my little freezer. Those who know me know that I absolutely love cooking and baking. Mike says we are getting a good convection oven as soon as we can afford it. That will help but it's still not the same! I like my electric slow cooker, grill, sandwich press, electric fry pan and other appliances that we have crammed into our little storage cupboards but I miss a stove! I miss a real bathroom, with a tub and shower we can use. Ours leaks, so we use the lovely bath house here, which is one of our favorite features of this place. Cuts back on propane but also cuts back on convenience. I miss having a real kitchen/dining room table to decorate for the holidays and having room to put up a real tree in here. BUT we make the best of it with decorations inside and out and this year we can do even more.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="50d27-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50d27-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="50d27-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="204st-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="204st-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="204st-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">We don't miss property management that won't work with you or who are disrespectful when you are tied in to a year long lease. We don't miss constant apartment inspections and intrusion. We don't miss relying on others for our accommodations. We like the freedom to travel if we like, even though now it won't be far, and the ability to pull up and go elsewhere if that's what we want to do. The build-in electricity and cable costs still leave us with a rent that is far less - almost half the cost - of the ridiculous rent of $1000-$1200 that is the average for 1-2 bedroom apts in the LV/Henderson area. One day we will end up in an apartment but unfortunately, it will probably not be in this area anymore. But we will have the freedom to make that choice when the time comes. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="635b-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="635b-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="635b-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="dopbs-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dopbs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="dopbs-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">We are grateful for what we have and that includes the wonderful neighbors here. Full-timers are a breed unto themselves and we are happy to be part of that community. Having gotten rid of lots of our clutter - yes, a bunch is crammed into our storage unit but you wouldn't believe the down-sizing we have done! - will make any changes easier in future. So we are thankful for that as well. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="2cl3c-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2cl3c-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="2cl3c-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7cn0h" data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Life is good and we forge ever onward, much like gypsies or pioneers who knew the general direction in which they wanted to head but had no clue the obstacles that lay in their way. May the roads be fair, the path be smooth toward our next destination. I wish that for all of you as well. </span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="ol1i-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">[Sorry the photos taken - present to past - don't align properly. A bit of a glitch with the system}<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8UD4kjny_R2-q23DFIAt4bIC-nYvcyeTzNbJAxhM2J805Tc3-rs6qtZEUdsIhtW_RkVZ8uLzBE24w2TYNsCwgVE0uIUvyGMpmS-fCCgY08dwhWD3q0v2IATjq7xibpak1fXC4bLpDvs/s1600/20191015_162811_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8UD4kjny_R2-q23DFIAt4bIC-nYvcyeTzNbJAxhM2J805Tc3-rs6qtZEUdsIhtW_RkVZ8uLzBE24w2TYNsCwgVE0uIUvyGMpmS-fCCgY08dwhWD3q0v2IATjq7xibpak1fXC4bLpDvs/s200/20191015_162811_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for dad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIaqOziLveic5qKPMPqejaJHZHKGaXgNi6NN33c-N6dzOoQ9s-dnEQu_Ob3BTtxwFiKKb7GEy8ikLJXsL2v505F8rBwUastvVTGlvwiSZ1mO9h0CORKUn8ye-62jVJPiysH2IkouTEV8/s1600/20190817_105302_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIaqOziLveic5qKPMPqejaJHZHKGaXgNi6NN33c-N6dzOoQ9s-dnEQu_Ob3BTtxwFiKKb7GEy8ikLJXsL2v505F8rBwUastvVTGlvwiSZ1mO9h0CORKUn8ye-62jVJPiysH2IkouTEV8/s200/20190817_105302_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZymXvZpZrpShXF2VUen0nB8K1xuhz5oNDL-V65NcQOxipBHFtgBufN6i-ta4fv-Ownw2gkLiIqq7jkk0ZciA7omFPvkVqki1-qvlkuDJGzIjPvf1dzAl6aTJ84fChM2UQqo7g1DK88o/s1600/20190808_174316_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZymXvZpZrpShXF2VUen0nB8K1xuhz5oNDL-V65NcQOxipBHFtgBufN6i-ta4fv-Ownw2gkLiIqq7jkk0ZciA7omFPvkVqki1-qvlkuDJGzIjPvf1dzAl6aTJ84fChM2UQqo7g1DK88o/s200/20190808_174316_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh the places we saw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiUF-sRrRQsKJlMkKHfZZxxyoYS1Zc-pwdWp5cABwEhtIeSnkDmE2PH_8FVN-QSD3-Ff7GscMVs7qTUIy6bqTcVl7SVmDGa6JjS2yP4YpO6vHaoonkc5-bNbMnXKGPEScztEBdV2nTyM/s1600/20190808_165733_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiUF-sRrRQsKJlMkKHfZZxxyoYS1Zc-pwdWp5cABwEhtIeSnkDmE2PH_8FVN-QSD3-Ff7GscMVs7qTUIy6bqTcVl7SVmDGa6JjS2yP4YpO6vHaoonkc5-bNbMnXKGPEScztEBdV2nTyM/s200/20190808_165733_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning scenery in Utal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJnIpyXW75dvZNChg0neDcFEuK1rOFcWdMlCEbaxfBmCfNR7m3A-_z-Huzi_5Dswb5DhgY2ZeKq18xK_ADKp4yxvAxxNqHht9dhfp6ObTsghn3tqi42f92_xkIQ2J2ZjjTdVIoTXxIbo/s1600/20190711_205931_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJnIpyXW75dvZNChg0neDcFEuK1rOFcWdMlCEbaxfBmCfNR7m3A-_z-Huzi_5Dswb5DhgY2ZeKq18xK_ADKp4yxvAxxNqHht9dhfp6ObTsghn3tqi42f92_xkIQ2J2ZjjTdVIoTXxIbo/s200/20190711_205931_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The evening at our campground</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmWsrdDOkMxLMA_U5iqv-HvyMmoFfy07LTGOIQp5xZj6vcxKD-4MCbbyJ6NYPRUt2ldd6xox7hZDlIaoGVDEy645VvN7_DDMn6D9EMB9hVIRwuPlRBis3Oiz1ysKhVnM9gU_rT-pF9So/s1600/20190711_182955_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmWsrdDOkMxLMA_U5iqv-HvyMmoFfy07LTGOIQp5xZj6vcxKD-4MCbbyJ6NYPRUt2ldd6xox7hZDlIaoGVDEy645VvN7_DDMn6D9EMB9hVIRwuPlRBis3Oiz1ysKhVnM9gU_rT-pF9So/s200/20190711_182955_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My marigolds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikugVQCrlLMBhiVp_WdVeWCaxI21a3rN9KXnQaZ6hnn8SHkp_zBKr2wjVM-E3toTGUYyqYADpM2G25upuajgUf65KRVmUDAGpoGWDWMVlhbUDDFSXtSZhrxMOrr_UOYuflpg41pnn5K6w/s1600/20190711_183157_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikugVQCrlLMBhiVp_WdVeWCaxI21a3rN9KXnQaZ6hnn8SHkp_zBKr2wjVM-E3toTGUYyqYADpM2G25upuajgUf65KRVmUDAGpoGWDWMVlhbUDDFSXtSZhrxMOrr_UOYuflpg41pnn5K6w/s200/20190711_183157_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First pic of baby Mellie with Charlie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P1hdpkoFui5273fhBOe9yw_a5_W7ofkSDNSrYX_xoAjcOUGD-XYkg0LXT5MeDzaIaVOzODp9nFYWF8B88LJss7754I7WfNSh8RbSjhdzYlfEkfV_P3nwEwmaapsznRmvNsr78hbibLM/s1600/20190711_182859_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P1hdpkoFui5273fhBOe9yw_a5_W7ofkSDNSrYX_xoAjcOUGD-XYkg0LXT5MeDzaIaVOzODp9nFYWF8B88LJss7754I7WfNSh8RbSjhdzYlfEkfV_P3nwEwmaapsznRmvNsr78hbibLM/s200/20190711_182859_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our favorite activities at camp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDolQN4SVUz7rYhmuJ8Ibxbnt8De_rKGKXboKBHJF3BHO6bLY1EXXc5eRUDg5QM5mcKDh0GPHUOorQK95fuuRs0nhpSfwNCg950JyqeB4E5GwOfH-dJPylE_JkrkqEtdPOTy2m2NGT7kY/s1600/20190528_123050_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDolQN4SVUz7rYhmuJ8Ibxbnt8De_rKGKXboKBHJF3BHO6bLY1EXXc5eRUDg5QM5mcKDh0GPHUOorQK95fuuRs0nhpSfwNCg950JyqeB4E5GwOfH-dJPylE_JkrkqEtdPOTy2m2NGT7kY/s200/20190528_123050_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Utah</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1mQ0ZARlJcJd7JahxP3Q2nNkhJbzXIkI9tSa1QnSoX-tKyQZCFCwtiPPKBnaGxHXty62VDqzmu8D93VQa8UtM_4Q63oYxdE6ag8QAXMJGZupOThYvsPIvGer2oIZ4h_atU-JwgFKUkQ/s1600/20190808_190111_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1mQ0ZARlJcJd7JahxP3Q2nNkhJbzXIkI9tSa1QnSoX-tKyQZCFCwtiPPKBnaGxHXty62VDqzmu8D93VQa8UtM_4Q63oYxdE6ag8QAXMJGZupOThYvsPIvGer2oIZ4h_atU-JwgFKUkQ/s320/20190808_190111_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-32088956050539943362019-08-01T09:17:00.000-07:002019-08-01T09:17:24.657-07:00Looking Back in August at Our Summer Adventures as Workampers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittAZJP68ZNw-2nKfswQ4wdLLaRiqjB2Ke0LhppnpwjklyPAS2Q9ZwCgp14nJpppUbzkjD_0ZUwsOx2cZ4Xv_9po5QJaaxJq8MDcjYHcMwJNx_DOr9jNJORH0AF_WmNhu9lLQgMCzb0E0/s1600/20190716_173321_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittAZJP68ZNw-2nKfswQ4wdLLaRiqjB2Ke0LhppnpwjklyPAS2Q9ZwCgp14nJpppUbzkjD_0ZUwsOx2cZ4Xv_9po5QJaaxJq8MDcjYHcMwJNx_DOr9jNJORH0AF_WmNhu9lLQgMCzb0E0/s200/20190716_173321_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZ8ejzyYuVvDwFdcx5jBBY19N_D3Iq1IT7UacKloosSy6S7R0B2SrIIGKrJOFxV-JgXBPKvQIMSGrUPCNgvnvoQPakT2F4Aq-Ed20Jd09XJekt63dYSOMKidbC-1TmqDZ8miB2ymwIpo/s1600/20190711_183139_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZ8ejzyYuVvDwFdcx5jBBY19N_D3Iq1IT7UacKloosSy6S7R0B2SrIIGKrJOFxV-JgXBPKvQIMSGrUPCNgvnvoQPakT2F4Aq-Ed20Jd09XJekt63dYSOMKidbC-1TmqDZ8miB2ymwIpo/s200/20190711_183139_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2l3fRxKaBnCMy_5iQeDK6jgGx2JBux3e61-_sipvU3_-fgNI6slqbZNPyqAn0Opey88yukaFOgrWqxPaEkk1-6wuNwYUbMwAlV6qJWXzba-zQOgQ9YnNuZR3ibhyphenhyphennhbzi1tQx7NsuQ0/s1600/20190724_095141_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2l3fRxKaBnCMy_5iQeDK6jgGx2JBux3e61-_sipvU3_-fgNI6slqbZNPyqAn0Opey88yukaFOgrWqxPaEkk1-6wuNwYUbMwAlV6qJWXzba-zQOgQ9YnNuZR3ibhyphenhyphennhbzi1tQx7NsuQ0/s200/20190724_095141_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<b> A lot has happened this summer. We've learned new skills, gained a lot of tolerance and patience (and many gray hairs) and we added an addition to our little family - Mellie, a blue heeler/Australian Shepherd. This, in itself has been quite an adjustment.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Mellie was 10 weeks old when we adopted her from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, right here in Utah. She was and still is a "wild child" but as you can see, she and Charlie were siblings from other from the first time they laid eyes on each other. They roughhouse and play by the hour...literally and then, tired, Charlie usually retires to the bedroom while Mellie crashes on the floor in the living area of our RV. That's when we can breathe a sigh of relief...for a little while.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>She bolts her food - probably the result of fighting her 4 sisters for kibble at the Sanctuary. Sometimes what goes down comes up, but that's life with a puppy. She has had her accidents and occasionally still does but was relatively quick to learn that you went outside, not inside and once the puppy pads were depleted, we just didn't buy anymore. She is doing well for an almost 4 month old but whoo boy! she and I are both really stubborn so sometimes when we lock horns, it's a battle of wills. Lots of love on all our sides and even though she is sometimes a real challenge, she is part of this dysfunctional little family.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The summer of Workamping taught us a lot, too. Mike and I enjoyed working together as a team, using our individual strengths and weaknesses to balance each other. We made some good friends here, as temporary as they were, and also made some lasting friends who we don't intend to forget. Ah, the power of Social Media and messaging! We were the oldest Workampers here which was interesting as well - to be "first-timers" and the eldest was sometimes a strange mix.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>It was satisfying to finally get the office side of things in hand. This was a complicated hotel registration system and took some getting used to but practice gives a person confidence, I suppose. The routine of office, cleaning, scrubbing bathrooms and dealing with guests was different but never dull, even on the quietest days. Mike got used to his friend, the weed-eater and his enemy, the standard-drive beater truck. He damaged his bowling hand some with the constant stress on it. Seems to be a tendon thing that hopefully will mend in time for him to rejoin his league.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We applied to numerous workamping jobs for fall, finding a wonderful fit in Tennessee that unfortunately won't work this year because it was essentially a volunteer position for free space/hook-up. Financially it wasn't feasible right now but we hope perhaps in fall we can take them up on the raincheck. We also discovered the Snowbirds are taking most of the jobs, happy to have a free place to stay in return for doing a short stint of work. IF we were both retired, it would be ideal but not with Mike being well below the age for collecting Social Security. So unless something drastically changes, we are probably headed back to Nevada after the middle of the month.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We have gotten used to living in our motorhome and despite its foibles and restricted space, it's home. Rather than take an apartment again, we will probably get a few repairs done and find a resting place for fall and winter. It will be nice to have a shower again!!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We also found that when your gut tells you it's time to move on, you move on. We put in our notice for the middle of August and are starting to prepare to hit the road again. It was an interesting 2 1/2 months but time is time. After 13 years in the Henderson area we miss some of our favorite shops and restaurants. Utah is gorgeous and we have some wonderful photos but it's not where we want to stay. We loved the little towns - Orderville and Kanab and Hurricane (civilization! a Walmart!) and will miss our favorite bakeries and shops (and Mike's favorite pizza/icecream place) but that's okay. We have the photos and memories to look back upon. Plus we can plan out what we intend to do in Spring and where we prefer to be situated.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We visited Zion Park a couple of times and drove through more it more than that, tunnel, switchbacks and more. I love may Senior Parks Pass! We also visited the Johnson Canyon area with the old set of Gunsmoke and Montezuma's Steps (the Escalante), Eagle's Gate and more. </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLFHQSiURtCVtOh3sOIIzeLUmh5IZ0aYAEXUsdvZ2cY0QUMCm81r9i7hyphenhyphenlxdigxZC1qb1Xx_G4v7UJGKFpNSklBxZO_dRIs6wTGHVfCVy67KEv6U9QY7cAi8pUEELyQedY1mBntlNZso/s1600/20190718_140421_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLFHQSiURtCVtOh3sOIIzeLUmh5IZ0aYAEXUsdvZ2cY0QUMCm81r9i7hyphenhyphenlxdigxZC1qb1Xx_G4v7UJGKFpNSklBxZO_dRIs6wTGHVfCVy67KEv6U9QY7cAi8pUEELyQedY1mBntlNZso/s200/20190718_140421_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiM8dmMGHhHSgt-lf-GPoantWZCrWPyF0X6IA7pwwsYWVIrgsrR0OaAHZXSocGCDyFZAZ1PUgAea5UMoYMM7gIyJKVl95giwUtQgVVatdOwlaR8cKN1_BOuOTgh-GwcnlQQDeBbWdnRQ/s1600/20190718_130356_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpiM8dmMGHhHSgt-lf-GPoantWZCrWPyF0X6IA7pwwsYWVIrgsrR0OaAHZXSocGCDyFZAZ1PUgAea5UMoYMM7gIyJKVl95giwUtQgVVatdOwlaR8cKN1_BOuOTgh-GwcnlQQDeBbWdnRQ/s200/20190718_130356_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjpN4BWoV-6QldPTYu1C7qg_dkawd2IbehLEGH4t3e7kS3bwSMia9ZZCnNBGyDEEyUL_hR05pKjydpIop0vinzxw-xllHqs1Yv6hh2veTrT-DdhNDhmQtMHBO9m9iuh4erwOoq4PLwHU/s1600/20190718_134816_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjpN4BWoV-6QldPTYu1C7qg_dkawd2IbehLEGH4t3e7kS3bwSMia9ZZCnNBGyDEEyUL_hR05pKjydpIop0vinzxw-xllHqs1Yv6hh2veTrT-DdhNDhmQtMHBO9m9iuh4erwOoq4PLwHU/s200/20190718_134816_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWR00ZWsIkRT1AmKm_A_lynRshYfXBTIflE_ug-UIXAVRvK8HVlt0R00-WFp5E7pK2oKjwkvsID87W5IOLuqRAjZbV8azzlEVFH2huKOR7frdyu-Bgf_Lrg8vNLjo4fBrwuND7D3UgGY/s1600/20190718_141830_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWR00ZWsIkRT1AmKm_A_lynRshYfXBTIflE_ug-UIXAVRvK8HVlt0R00-WFp5E7pK2oKjwkvsID87W5IOLuqRAjZbV8azzlEVFH2huKOR7frdyu-Bgf_Lrg8vNLjo4fBrwuND7D3UgGY/s320/20190718_141830_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>So with those thoughts, I'll share some of our favorite photos of the amazing Zion Park and the surrounding area to share with you in a mix of nostalgia and joy that we had the opportunity to visit and spend time in an area of the US that we probably otherwise may have never seen. That is the main joy in the freedom when you workamp. Safe travels!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfTH2KAMilu_zey77UgbHRO1ZVf4jk2MkijKwbpeDkkSy2pqnj6FCn1wKNnIL69Wdof9XBw8e_HhYtkBiV_fMCRm2Phu-Cs1XDgWPAJBAEO0JFvAXa1rCvt2ABPKvtevDOMqoOHohB9U/s1600/20190718_143838_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfTH2KAMilu_zey77UgbHRO1ZVf4jk2MkijKwbpeDkkSy2pqnj6FCn1wKNnIL69Wdof9XBw8e_HhYtkBiV_fMCRm2Phu-Cs1XDgWPAJBAEO0JFvAXa1rCvt2ABPKvtevDOMqoOHohB9U/s200/20190718_143838_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvwWfEK0jJJcW7NesoL9Xap4YY9YCrc3ofxxjY6WhIO5bWSf7gsjZNZxgFC9wVt-fVFmPVLWDQPOnWmYMqCWYtPMuWYeGUcPUMb2wEi65lDFtzlnuHPN8o5ZiHzAqLcoH0w8SGnyQse0/s1600/20190718_140742_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvwWfEK0jJJcW7NesoL9Xap4YY9YCrc3ofxxjY6WhIO5bWSf7gsjZNZxgFC9wVt-fVFmPVLWDQPOnWmYMqCWYtPMuWYeGUcPUMb2wEi65lDFtzlnuHPN8o5ZiHzAqLcoH0w8SGnyQse0/s320/20190718_140742_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkkWPUpD8182uTrGJKJzZ39XA2QfisGqvu0dcBFAZiMZr-vhnhyphenhyphensksQojfacaT5Ua-MJidHb8tHWPMpNCbrt8wjXoI7ay6yKKHKrgI2g1arOfRebO6NWwHFmnZEDYQW-0RissIhWwkzo/s1600/20190711_205956_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkkWPUpD8182uTrGJKJzZ39XA2QfisGqvu0dcBFAZiMZr-vhnhyphenhyphensksQojfacaT5Ua-MJidHb8tHWPMpNCbrt8wjXoI7ay6yKKHKrgI2g1arOfRebO6NWwHFmnZEDYQW-0RissIhWwkzo/s320/20190711_205956_Film1.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RPs5n11nAxdVATrRgFdsA_h8bMkEFntm2llQO2wRax-Oe9yZ0Tkv4Fi67rjshOXPLxJ1LecoW0cxerQrwnYGx0jik-Rh9_i1bpZVlLzRYhFulE0GjcaQFjm7Q7eR2xHKgdM-80bi6xE/s1600/20190718_130356_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RPs5n11nAxdVATrRgFdsA_h8bMkEFntm2llQO2wRax-Oe9yZ0Tkv4Fi67rjshOXPLxJ1LecoW0cxerQrwnYGx0jik-Rh9_i1bpZVlLzRYhFulE0GjcaQFjm7Q7eR2xHKgdM-80bi6xE/s320/20190718_130356_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5Q9jBKSp0Bxv_0l7X0qWmPP3P29VNHS7-k3OxBjIJyma1japTQyJ0hoEwTzAl_Udl7S5TG8QOY8Yxtf4T7DLqJSVeo8BhE30pskgqVO8I6b8PyNCEaOIolDC32ij-xgksH3B6ae9-Ns/s1600/20190630_185013_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5Q9jBKSp0Bxv_0l7X0qWmPP3P29VNHS7-k3OxBjIJyma1japTQyJ0hoEwTzAl_Udl7S5TG8QOY8Yxtf4T7DLqJSVeo8BhE30pskgqVO8I6b8PyNCEaOIolDC32ij-xgksH3B6ae9-Ns/s200/20190630_185013_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhB_DDPaODQarMitnkX8nzieVx2Vp07h_8bJMBmfcdyYDPyVPKu-Qs63LqwSndk2Bb9MsK-UCN9-vCyXhwndLvZSK4Ud4M21t7fKAtNzwGggOzx49tKnjUTfy1HtLpQSh-W-KfkiUkyE/s1600/20190630_184015_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhB_DDPaODQarMitnkX8nzieVx2Vp07h_8bJMBmfcdyYDPyVPKu-Qs63LqwSndk2Bb9MsK-UCN9-vCyXhwndLvZSK4Ud4M21t7fKAtNzwGggOzx49tKnjUTfy1HtLpQSh-W-KfkiUkyE/s200/20190630_184015_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OiJ9Z7Ww0xIWyAFuXzNkQlR5RfYC2eORG9vPLkAlY7KMKbYmIn-z3MXEp_bR9aSpGLZlMDGHT7MsRrBdVoGzrEQF2u4StfW0JdUOva7JxYIc1Rv0O9bOAYw1WGwt4mG6mse3lKkDDno/s1600/20190630_182854_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OiJ9Z7Ww0xIWyAFuXzNkQlR5RfYC2eORG9vPLkAlY7KMKbYmIn-z3MXEp_bR9aSpGLZlMDGHT7MsRrBdVoGzrEQF2u4StfW0JdUOva7JxYIc1Rv0O9bOAYw1WGwt4mG6mse3lKkDDno/s200/20190630_182854_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCPl6EfhmcaJNT_HpvNTC3Fwz-jyDn2VR3YqRm7x-jvTh9FvxfElWj5JVNIO34YfbdS68uevP4vMK7rEehyB6OqKJxeOUyWMbOqM7fyPMRMgVWOyjjGuiaILCcJ6ilp-nRif0B-hImF4/s1600/20190630_141000_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCPl6EfhmcaJNT_HpvNTC3Fwz-jyDn2VR3YqRm7x-jvTh9FvxfElWj5JVNIO34YfbdS68uevP4vMK7rEehyB6OqKJxeOUyWMbOqM7fyPMRMgVWOyjjGuiaILCcJ6ilp-nRif0B-hImF4/s200/20190630_141000_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MVrsSWVjQhq-FVN3z1K0RUwdAjTyhdSVLaCDw4VirdaAt2SwlpiNLz5m1d_bi6DfX2JeDQuG9TrhA0_0hXsPUIYRWO40uA8cpNRePBXa6kuj-Y7CoiSaAk8Dh0kMzXNUjUBXy3XAGsc/s1600/20190630_182244_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MVrsSWVjQhq-FVN3z1K0RUwdAjTyhdSVLaCDw4VirdaAt2SwlpiNLz5m1d_bi6DfX2JeDQuG9TrhA0_0hXsPUIYRWO40uA8cpNRePBXa6kuj-Y7CoiSaAk8Dh0kMzXNUjUBXy3XAGsc/s320/20190630_182244_Film1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br /></div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-57478817830506876472019-05-18T12:10:00.005-07:002019-05-18T12:15:33.450-07:00The Incredible Journey Begins with Retirement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpruyy8QfDS6Am5y2mnI86zqGLE41-ZbmkrfeyMwoMagE9hjnFxNoX_QkRP67Kvs2M2UflNK8Rzv_bCBU_5lAwZBybIZ5zh_O4XIcZ_vO0b7a1pOaupiEpcq4p089EeauYM7RdUY6H5HA/s1600/20181208_173723_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpruyy8QfDS6Am5y2mnI86zqGLE41-ZbmkrfeyMwoMagE9hjnFxNoX_QkRP67Kvs2M2UflNK8Rzv_bCBU_5lAwZBybIZ5zh_O4XIcZ_vO0b7a1pOaupiEpcq4p089EeauYM7RdUY6H5HA/s200/20181208_173723_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
So by now anyone following our personal journey knows of some of the obstacles we had to overcome to move into our motorhome. Whether you want to call us gypsies, vagabonds or First Timers (we concur with each of these) we are glad at the thought of getting into new surroundings.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8ysijzQr9Sw8GIriixhUgHp4KScOUd62rw8f9uy3FqRpB1CIay85EimO_Y1pM4EhV7KarsEs5CfOsjEIICrjegrVl9IlbCr6uhn4f4X3gWhVW3-8zBIjYk8iUZh97BXPUH-hC42Jk4Q/s1600/20181216_110802_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8ysijzQr9Sw8GIriixhUgHp4KScOUd62rw8f9uy3FqRpB1CIay85EimO_Y1pM4EhV7KarsEs5CfOsjEIICrjegrVl9IlbCr6uhn4f4X3gWhVW3-8zBIjYk8iUZh97BXPUH-hC42Jk4Q/s200/20181216_110802_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Christmas was interesting and next year we will be much better prepared with decorating.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghwu7VAKASFybexGTycdbt7hzNzOS2p0fzF2DE8aOmEozoF7Q_9WU1Y8fUMWb30TVrOQUc0lA3IYvTz_KGxNYYFy3UehPN8yy-_FbjAi3AgWiE0Czw6gslYaeeN4-zQ_t937F1BBAULo/s1600/20181209_181633_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghwu7VAKASFybexGTycdbt7hzNzOS2p0fzF2DE8aOmEozoF7Q_9WU1Y8fUMWb30TVrOQUc0lA3IYvTz_KGxNYYFy3UehPN8yy-_FbjAi3AgWiE0Czw6gslYaeeN4-zQ_t937F1BBAULo/s200/20181209_181633_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2F0xj2y3QFOtX-K-BChhMAR0fBiYBbCPQv9IsYrP0w4AIyUxU2_88_OKKrxyJAIHIK4fewxT8XX7rIuxFoek3BQfz4eeilyi0SQ1wEK1SABIE_fUEXhMkTWUD2OQ3rogQinTYxcG9R4/s1600/20190210_122733_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2F0xj2y3QFOtX-K-BChhMAR0fBiYBbCPQv9IsYrP0w4AIyUxU2_88_OKKrxyJAIHIK4fewxT8XX7rIuxFoek3BQfz4eeilyi0SQ1wEK1SABIE_fUEXhMkTWUD2OQ3rogQinTYxcG9R4/s200/20190210_122733_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGRGiZRYCAbb0yINfRcSI_8K6D2EgLE_119IB6mg7OYPfOrsHtFSypEaLaioXlf7GLjyk6j22qzapSrs5gZM0eipKd3ABk7lWxJqYUnKxj8RbKpqX1TNXCFGtyQCVMxGUpjvsFvv4yK0/s1600/20190212_181812_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGRGiZRYCAbb0yINfRcSI_8K6D2EgLE_119IB6mg7OYPfOrsHtFSypEaLaioXlf7GLjyk6j22qzapSrs5gZM0eipKd3ABk7lWxJqYUnKxj8RbKpqX1TNXCFGtyQCVMxGUpjvsFvv4yK0/s200/20190212_181812_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a>We did get to Disney World courtesy of Mike's mom last February. It was so much fun that she wants us to go with her in January, 2020 again! Here are a few shots from our trip.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58C8Ce2nvzD5Wq8OvIYp8hhryNewxheHvgXwBQhAJeThwFy67b2GTsPxffYVIKxJGu6pPCPwR7JzWAbatd-yX8lcc9Cau893zM5yDw3ZDhPOLlg0yuL4rh_wxVmmD5S0K6hvMyQ98Qeo/s1600/20190210_161215_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58C8Ce2nvzD5Wq8OvIYp8hhryNewxheHvgXwBQhAJeThwFy67b2GTsPxffYVIKxJGu6pPCPwR7JzWAbatd-yX8lcc9Cau893zM5yDw3ZDhPOLlg0yuL4rh_wxVmmD5S0K6hvMyQ98Qeo/s200/20190210_161215_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
6 months at one place is more than enough for us. We endured a lot here and we look forward to many more positive experiences elsewhere. Lida is locked and loaded, I am officially retired and Mike's last day of work is this weekend - until at least in fall when we plan to return to Henderson/Vegas once cooler weather hits.<br />
<br />
We got a ding for another $450 when we had to have our waterlines - grey and black - repaired. There went more savings. Between that and previous repairs, we figure we've probably put $1200 or so into this little monster since moving in but it's like that with any new home so you deal with it and - hopefully - roll on. Still some minor stuff to deal with before our travels begin for real at the end of the month. Finally.<br />
<br />
Pluses with living in a motorhome as full-timers:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Generally less expensive than apartments, especially with increasing costs in Henderson</li>
<li>Less bills except for propane, power and personal costs (cell phone, satellite TV, loans, etc.)</li>
<li>You can pack up and leave as soon as you can afford it and not look back. There are no long-term commitments unless that's what you want. We are no longer tied into a lease which is a real relief.</li>
<li>You get to choose from a wider variety of places for your next site - especially after retirement. In my case that's now - Mike has a few years to go unfortunately. Now this does depend upon availability with all the snowbirds coming here every fall but we can beat them to it by returning from travels a bit earlier.</li>
<li>When you go camping you go "glamping" with everything contained in your little home.</li>
<li>We don't have to use public facilities. I like my own shower and toilet, TYVM and Mike does, too. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Minuses:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>You have to deal with your own repairs which can get costly. No maintenance guy to bail you out. You have to find your own contractors to help you.</li>
<li>Propane costs. We were lucky to find a good service that gave us premium prices. We will use them again upon our return.</li>
<li>Space can get tight when both of us are up and around. We want another pup but are seriously thinking about it because of the time and space continuum. </li>
<li>We have had to get rid of lots of excess baggage and have to have a storage unit which adds somewhat into the monthly cost of the unit but still beats rental here in Henderson.</li>
</ul>
<div>
As you can see, as in any home there are things to consider. We are just excited at the prospect of getting out on the road and finally starting to see our favorite Nevada vantage points - or even new ones! If we can get the dang battery working and git 'er going, Amargosa, here we come!</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Til then, take care, be well and the new post will hopefully be from our summer site!</div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-33626555710606964252019-01-19T10:41:00.000-08:002019-05-18T11:39:57.842-07:00Living the dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi, there. Welcome back! It's been way too long...<br />
<br />
We have been just a bit preoccupied lately with a big life change and it's about time I gave you an update.<br />
<br />
First, a bit of background: Since moving here almost 13 years ago, we have lived in a variety of apartments in the beautiful city of Henderson, NV (after a brief nasty experience to begin with in Las Vegas - another story for another time). In fact, I have just completed a book entitled "Lost Restaurants of Henderson," about this town: it's defunct, beloved restaurants of days gone by, Henderson's historic beginnings, current favorites and sites of interest - past and present (the survivors) and where the future may bring us now that the Raiders and Knights are here. Haven "eaten our way through Henderson" it seemed like a fit when History Press proposed the idea to me.<br />
<br />
After an 8 day trip in Spring of 2017, we discovered just how much we enjoyed traveling with our pup Charlie, and we began talking about alternative lifestyles. I was ready to move into a cabin in the woods in Northern Nevada or California after visiting the area. This, unfortunately was not Mike's idea of living. The idea of living on the road began niggling us in the back of our minds. We didn't want to be tied down with a house or condo, we were tired of paying to live in places with nothing to show for it, and we decided to research motor homes, RV's and living on the road. We love nothing more than researching and Mike is a born statistics man while I am more of a dreamer, so we did our work.<br />
<br />
In summer, we started looking at RV parks and such after receiving a bit of an inheritance from my Mom's passing last Spring (thanks, mom, for always encouraging me to follow my dreams!) We decided that with me retiring in spring/2019 and Mike being ready to leave town, this was the time - now or never. In September we made our great foray into the wonderful, previously unknown world of motor homes and all they had to offer. We didn't want anything too huge - we wanted the ability to really be mobile and certainly didn't want a mobile home to drag behind us! We discovered the difference between class A and class C, about trailers you pull vs homes you drive (like a bus). We found a consignment place that looked pretty good and had a great variety and, taking a breath, we worked up a feasible budget and visited the place.<br />
<br />
Oh mercy! Tiny and huge RV's called our name. The one we actually had considered turned out to be nothing like the photos and description. It was nestled in a nasty little section of the place and like the guy told us - "Yep, those are pretty old photos." Noooo....really? <sorry, Canadian skepticism and sarcasm aka sardonic wit emerged briefly> I remember thinking WTH have we gotten into?<br />
<br />
By this point we were more-or-less committed. The cool thing was that in searching for this evasive toad of an RV, we saw a couple of really nice ones, including one that kept calling us back as we browsed to our content - and I am sure the salesman's annoyance as he finally left us to our own devices. Trouble was, once I had walked away from the one that felt right, I couldn't find it again. That's how big this place was and how many units were actually kept there! Mike went down one row, knowing the one I meant, while I wandered the other way, keeping my eyes peeled (and peering into others, wondering if there was even something better). Finally, by coincidence, I kid you not, we both ended up in the same row in front of this same motorhome. The sun shone down, a great light illuminated it and we could almost hear the angelic chorus when we walked inside. Okay, that's a tad dramatic but we did feel a lifting of our spirits and a surge of excitement coupled with a sense of satisfaction and "rightness" when we walked into it.<br />
<br />
It was lovely, a 'deluxe' version of a 1998 National Sea Breeze. Blue and cream on the outside, blue and silver and cream inside with loved wood cabinets with blue and silver and cream 'etched' panels, a really sweet large microwave (the guy called it a "convection oven" when he walked through with us but who was he kidding? I am a Little Cook, not a Little Fool!). The little kitchenette area was sweet with a requisite fold-up work table. A considerable amount of storage space inside and out, which we desperately needed but which, of course, is never actually enough. It even (ta da!) already had a Dish Traveler unit on top so it was pretty much TV ready! (turns out it also has the capability of surround sound throughout the trailer but we have to go to Camping World to see about that because we have no clue!) It was in lovely condition for its age or any age. The bathroom was bigger than the others we had peered into and the fridge was a decent size. There was a 'walk around' bed area with a fair bit of storage in there, too (bonus!) and all-in-all, it looked dang good to us.<br />
<br />
We walked into the office after about 2 hours of poking, peering, looking at various units and such and said "That's the one." The price was better than we had hoped, the year was better than we had feared, the condition was quite literally wonderful and it had most everything we needed, including a really good Magic Chef gas grille on top. I love cooking with gas!<br />
<br />
We discussed specifics and looked at the VIN sheet and description of the motorhome. It had just arrived there a couple of days previous before prepping for sale. This was its first day for sale and we were the first to look at it. One owner, lightly used, only 40000 miles, excellent condition with everything working (we will get to that later). He turned on the a/c for us and it was instantly cool. All the windows opened, all the lights worked (more about that later), the electrical system was good, newer battery, really comfortable seating and such, etc etc etc. The asking price was low for the age and condition and non-negotiable - which was understandable - and we would have a down-payment. Then came financing. The manager of the sales place recommended a nearby credit union (which made me happy - I always wanted an account at a credit union and so did Mike!) We asked him to put a hold on it, and he did, promising to hold it for us until we got back to him. In preparation, just in case, I had brought all our financials and stubs, etc with us. Good thing! 2 1/2 hours later, we walked out with a loan for the balance.<br />
<br />
The first thing I did was call the sales guy and tell him to put a Sold sign on it - that we had gotten our financing and would be there on the Thursday (we had gotten the loan on Tuesday and Mike had to bowl Wednesday evening so with me working that day and him bowling that evening, Thursday was the earliest we could get in to do the deed. He said he was really glad because he did have another offer from another lady but had told her it was already sold. And so it was done.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fY6qpmZ-RHqF5vC-mVr9iLgiTW7x1suhiRjyY_BXkusX8ctx3WCPhImI3fGz_iT80-g61kYrTFfDERVd_m1nHm6dTuwGQvYfgOTSUa5aRMgNCY9K0qPLtNnzOorAGhewJ9xf3l8_zIU/s1600/20181011_170310_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fY6qpmZ-RHqF5vC-mVr9iLgiTW7x1suhiRjyY_BXkusX8ctx3WCPhImI3fGz_iT80-g61kYrTFfDERVd_m1nHm6dTuwGQvYfgOTSUa5aRMgNCY9K0qPLtNnzOorAGhewJ9xf3l8_zIU/s200/20181011_170310_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOpWNmnhiBnymSgotZX6CQWYuwYvUhgLgP6WFaGvDqJjBo8D7yO3NDdrvQiRJeChAmeGBqQS6xqE_gJUDaEmfop3hVFC0jzKENttS-Qeb_jpKKCFh_YmYQCycaGUb3hIuQ0iTLCFI1So/s1600/20181011_171057_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOpWNmnhiBnymSgotZX6CQWYuwYvUhgLgP6WFaGvDqJjBo8D7yO3NDdrvQiRJeChAmeGBqQS6xqE_gJUDaEmfop3hVFC0jzKENttS-Qeb_jpKKCFh_YmYQCycaGUb3hIuQ0iTLCFI1So/s200/20181011_171057_Film1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_CvED_A4-4s4NWwzxfvppXdoua8DPigyVZuy7UDyVLhH9d7w7SLWO6Ctsa2Ywz1iR4Fyo3zVNSEyvHnu1pSJrg6nXtiGh6G7J3Jhtgr6gnoIJo_U38DI8g2nHGeTqvm7mK5P9vRgU5A/s1600/20181011_170526_Film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_CvED_A4-4s4NWwzxfvppXdoua8DPigyVZuy7UDyVLhH9d7w7SLWO6Ctsa2Ywz1iR4Fyo3zVNSEyvHnu1pSJrg6nXtiGh6G7J3Jhtgr6gnoIJo_U38DI8g2nHGeTqvm7mK5P9vRgU5A/s200/20181011_170526_Film1.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
We moved in to Lida (named after my mom's middle name) at the end of October and haven't looked back since. We are living in an RV park until the end of May when our traveling will begin. And we are discovering the joys of home ownership: flooding the place by leaving the water pump on 2 days after moving in (oops), replacing the furnace and water pump taking the rest of our savings and the joy of address changes and such. But we are "living our dream" which is all it's all about.<br />
<br />
So, next installment will feature non-oven recipes because, joy of joys, we discovered after purchase that it didn't have an oven. Thank goodness for electrical appliances and a great gas range top! Then again it will probably be an installment of the continuation of our personal "incredible journey."<br />
<br />
hugs and love for now</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-30727289206599673252018-08-07T15:08:00.001-07:002024-01-22T10:51:54.731-08:00Oven-Roasted Vegetable Medley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<b> </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCZ3q2CdNAMj1TOJUp_xYHNzjBUHF1LWRSjUHBDfc3tFx-yABQPGoRnQI7ajcilqrvNidlMFFluwfbnR2d8AQFRjhv5Bwkv92ALZqOOAZLMyVjNM8icKG4JJXRt1TrL11hIpj2gtQFe0OH-5YyBYqkd9_jf2boaN0cccCaxFUfx0xbVZ30pgBCNukQAE/s4624/20220621_183123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCZ3q2CdNAMj1TOJUp_xYHNzjBUHF1LWRSjUHBDfc3tFx-yABQPGoRnQI7ajcilqrvNidlMFFluwfbnR2d8AQFRjhv5Bwkv92ALZqOOAZLMyVjNM8icKG4JJXRt1TrL11hIpj2gtQFe0OH-5YyBYqkd9_jf2boaN0cccCaxFUfx0xbVZ30pgBCNukQAE/s320/20220621_183123.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /> <br />
This is one of our absolute favorite dinner sides - in fact, we have been known to make a whole meal out of it. The best part about it is you can use almost any vegetables, especially root veggies since they seem to work best. I will give you the ingredients as I used them last time. Sooooo tasty!<br />
<br />
<b>Oven Roasted Vegetables:</b><br />
<b>Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with heavy duty foil.</b><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>small red potatoes, cut into 4 pieces each (scrubbed, skin-on)</li>
<li>baby carrots or washed and scrubbed regular carrots chopped into large chunks</li>
<li>green peppers - wash, remove seeds and chop into chunks</li>
<li>zucchini - wash and cut into chunks or thick slices</li>
<li>onions - either whole baby onions or any other type peeled and cut into chunks.</li>
<li>Garlic cloves if desired **I stopped here but you can also add turnips or rutabaga or parsnips (if you like them) **</li>
<li>olive or canola oil</li>
<li>Italian seasoning, rosemary, smoked paprika, salt and pepper</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Preparation</b></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>As you chop your veggies, place in a large bowl. Drizzle with about 1/4 c or so of oil along with your favorite seasonings. Toss gently to thoroughly coat</li>
<li>Dump carefully into a foil-lined pan and spread out evenly for consistent roasting.</li>
<li>Place on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven and roast for approximately 40-45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and turning golden brown.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Excellent when served with roasted turkey or chicken or with BBQ or grilled meat. This made enough for a few meals for us. Bonus!!</div>
</div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-14055623496589216112018-08-07T14:39:00.000-07:002018-08-07T14:39:37.179-07:008-Layer or Magic Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="Image may contain: food" height="320" src="https://scontent.flas1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/38505840_10216874841009014_2634104533558493184_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=99e936f1a42ef47f9af4811fcc3535bb&oe=5BC8A35F" width="180" /><br />
<br />
Hi! I'm baaaack with more favorite recipes that I have been perfecting for the last while. This is my husband's absolute favorite. Some folks call them 7-Layer Bars while others call them Magic Bars. In my opinion, I would rather eat them than quibble so let's get down to some serious baking! And why are my bars called 8-Layer instead of 7-Layer? Because they have an extra-special something something that makes them even more delectable - if that is even possible!<br />
<br />
<b>8 Layer Bars</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="320" src="https://scontent.flas1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/38686115_10216893296710395_4626429893830246400_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=ba210d6fb02e124f0e4b1ef8877b72ae&oe=5C11459F" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="177" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The inside story<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 c graham wafer crumbs</li>
<li>1 stick (1/2 c) butter</li>
<li>3/4 pkg semi sweet chocolate chips</li>
<li>3/4 pkg salted caramel or butterscotch chips</li>
<li>3/4 pkg white chocolate chips</li>
<li>1/2 c chopped walnuts</li>
<li>1/2 c chopped pecans</li>
<li>1 pkg coconut flakes or shredded coconut - sweetened or unsweetened</li>
<li>1 x 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk - regular not low fat</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>How-To: </b></div>
<div>
<b>Preheat oven to 350 degrees before starting. Line 9x13 inch pan with foil or parchment paper.</b></div>
<div>
<b>*</b>True confessions: I made the mistake of lining the pan with foil and attempted to mix the graham wafers and melted butter right in the pan. Big mistake: ripped foil, messy results but so good!*</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Melt stick of butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Check and melt a bit more if necessary.</li>
<li>Stir in the graham wafer crumbs with a fork and then press into a foil-lined 9x13 inch pan. (You can also use parchment paper but I find foil easier to fuss with)</li>
<li>Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the crumb mixture</li>
<li>Sprinkle caramel (or butterscotch) chips evenly over the chocolate chips</li>
<li>Sprinkle white chocolate chips over the caramel chips (trust me, these make all the difference)</li>
<li>Sprinkle first the walnuts and then the pecans over the top</li>
<li>Sprinkle the coconut over the whole mess of deliciousness. Make sure all is covered with it.</li>
<li>Drizzle the whole thing evenly with the can of sweetened condensed milk. Don't leave gaps - the bars don't like that (just kidding - it's almost impossible to get it perfect but do your best)</li>
</ol>
<div>
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes or so. The top should be slightly golden with darker gold edges (see the picture). This gives the best results. DO NOT even think about cutting this until it's thoroughly cool - or at least cool enough to not fall apart when you use a serrated knife run under hot tap water to cut it. If you use a better grade of foil than I did you should be able to pull the whole thing out of the pan. This is why we always put the foil slightly higher than the pan's edges, my friends. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Enjoy....but I don't have to tell you that. If you cut it in many pieces - I call them 2-bite pieces while my hubby calls them "more" - you can get at least a couple to three dozen slices. I kept some out and froze the rest in 2 different freezer container, for the sake of self-control. They "keep" very well.</div>
</div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-51819385370264493012017-06-26T10:57:00.000-07:002017-06-26T10:57:28.657-07:00White (Bechamel) Sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Basic White or Bechamel Sauce</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<img alt="Image result for bechamel" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>This is one of the first recipes that burgeoning cooks should learn. Once you have the hang of this, you can add grated cheese or other ingredients such as carmelized onions to enhance your meals.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>flour</b></li>
<li><b>1 stick of butter</b></li>
<li><b>milk or cream (warm)</b></li>
<li><b>salt and pepper to taste</b></li>
<li><b>grated cheese optional</b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Procedure (Read before starting)</b></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Melt butter in a medium sauce pan</b></li>
<li><b>When melted, stir in approximately 1/2 c of flour. It should melt into the butter without being too wet or too solid. Add a bit extra flour if necessary - but not more than a tablespoon at a time or it will get chunky (time to experiment).</b></li>
<li><b>Stir over medium heat until thoroughly mixed and add a bit of salt and pepper.</b></li>
<li><b>Reduce heat slightly and slowly stir in warm milk or cream (room temperature or slightly heated) into the flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk so it doesn't scorch. It may take a cup to a cup and a half of liquid. What you want is a thick, creamy sauce.</b></li>
<li><b>If you want a cheese sauce, add some grated cheese to the mixture but be careful, it will scorch easily. Always work over low heat for this addition.</b></li>
<li><b>When the mixture is smooth, remove from heat and serve over pot pies, perogies, meat pies or other dishes as required. To refrigerate and reuse, keep covered (will last up to a few days) and simply add a bit of milk when you reheat it, stirring often in the microwave or on the stove top on low-medium heat.</b></li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-65431402907795182032016-12-19T11:02:00.002-08:002017-05-17T11:19:27.712-07:00Twice-Baked Potato Casserole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe at allrecipes.com, one of my favorite go-to sites. It is perfect for potlucks, family dinners and with a bit of tweaking (see below), is just right for large gatherings (2 pans). This is the perfect dish to prepare the night before and bake the following day. And yes, I had to taste it for "quality control" <koff koff>.</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS27XFmCI5FOyrPpx04fNfC7bn6O4RSnYaYAE4PdOw9_IO2qizHKd99XzLta3aTHFxyHK-QM7wvawTYpSbVgOWV7M_1bUQCJvdoKwvHAGjbERLoEUS9OQR8AQaIXxvApuDe3QPnF167M/s1600/TWICE+BAKED+POTATOES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS27XFmCI5FOyrPpx04fNfC7bn6O4RSnYaYAE4PdOw9_IO2qizHKd99XzLta3aTHFxyHK-QM7wvawTYpSbVgOWV7M_1bUQCJvdoKwvHAGjbERLoEUS9OQR8AQaIXxvApuDe3QPnF167M/s400/TWICE+BAKED+POTATOES.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</b><br />
<h2 class="recipe-print__h2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; margin: 0.5rem 0px; outline: none;">
<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ingredients</span></h2>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 284.984px;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: #666666;">
</span>
</span>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">2 large baking potatoes (or 6 regular)</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1/2 pound lean bacon (or Real Bacon Bits)</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1/2 cup sour cream</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1/4 cup milk</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">2 tablespoons butter, melted</span></li>
</span></b></ul>
<span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999;"><br /></span>
</b></span><br />
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 284.984px;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: #666666;">
</span>
</span>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1 teaspoon dried chives</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">3/4 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese</span></li>
</span></b></ul>
<h2 class="recipe-print__h2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; margin: 0.5rem 0px; outline: none;">
<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Directions</span></h2>
<span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d;"></span></span><br /></span>
</b></span><br />
<ol class="recipe-print__directions" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5rem; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.</span></b></li>
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Poke a few holes into each potato using a toothpick.</span></b></li>
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake potatoes in the preheated oven until fully cooked, about 1 hour. Cool for about 15 minutes.</span></b></li>
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels and crumble.</span></b></li>
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cut a thin slice from one side of each potato; carefully scoop out the flesh and transfer to a bowl. Discard skins. Mix 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, butter, chives, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder with potatoes. Spread potato mixture into the prepared casserole dish; top with 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.</span></b></li>
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake in the preheated oven until just bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.</span></b></li>
<li class="item" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #990000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>*Let the 'tweaking' begin. I baked 5 lbs of potatoes and, after letting them cool slightly, I scraped the contents into a big bowl and chopped them up with my spoon. I added a full bag (8 oz) of sharp cheddar, </b><b>1 1/2 c of sour cream, 2 tbsp of dried chives, half bag of Kroger 'real bacon bits', ground pepper and salt (didn't measure, just poured some on my hand and then into the bowl). I didn't use garlic salt because the chives provided sufficient seasoning). I used about a cup of milk and about 4 tbsp of butter. The potatoes were still hot enough to melt the butter when mixed in. I folded everything together, put it in one larger foil lasagna pan and one smaller, more shallow aluminum foil cake pan (about 8.5" by 12.5") for us. I used another half bag of shredded sharp cheddar to top the two pans and sprinkled liberally with dried chives and about half the pack of bacon bits. The casserole was moist, not wet, before baking and because I like my casseroles well cooked, the small one took about 25 minutes to warm through with bubbly cheese. I will probably cook the large one for about 30-40 minutes. Turned out tasty, slightly puffy and smelled delicious!*</b></span></div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-30618115641261383652016-09-26T18:32:00.002-07:002016-09-26T18:32:38.801-07:00The Little Cook's Enchilada Casserole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>We went bulk grocery shopping, taking advantage of the case lot sales about a month ago, and the rest is history! This casserole may feature tortilla chips on top rather than actual rolled tortillas in the mix, but it's tasty, easy and above all, quick for those evenings when you just don't have time to fix. Plus it offers quite a bit of left-overs - always a bonus in our house.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Little Cook's Enchilada Casserole</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVeTMa7fC5p0A2FaDUuSAshSdFOwaBEDxYOenGVyiE7G9a_VPjHfLWzxcKmjctqVNMU1V11idOAM_F4FHdFvhPQCD7mX0nSW6RHSKipMTLE-p90aBk6cOmDc2A4ebHsSj7enlzBwOnq0/s1600/ENCHILADA+CASSEROLE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVeTMa7fC5p0A2FaDUuSAshSdFOwaBEDxYOenGVyiE7G9a_VPjHfLWzxcKmjctqVNMU1V11idOAM_F4FHdFvhPQCD7mX0nSW6RHSKipMTLE-p90aBk6cOmDc2A4ebHsSj7enlzBwOnq0/s320/ENCHILADA+CASSEROLE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>1/2 lb ground turkey (browned in a couple of tsp of canola or olive oil)</b></li>
<li><b>2 c cooked rice, white or brown - a great way to use left-over rice!</b></li>
<li><b>1 chopped onion</b></li>
<li><b>1 14 oz can of corn (not creamed)</b></li>
<li><b>1 14 oz of kidney or black beans </b></li>
<li><b>1/2 jar of your favorite chunky pasta sauce</b></li>
<li><b>1 pkg of taco or chili seasoning</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 to 2/3 pkg sharp cheddar cheese (approximate 1- 1 1/2 cup)</b></li>
<li><b>about 1 c of any flavor of broken tortilla chips (I used some awesome sweet chili chips)</b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Mix together ingredients, from the browned turkey to the taco seasoning. If you like, you can stir half the cheese into the mix. Place in large casserole.</b></li>
<li><b>Sprinkle with tortilla chips and the remainder of the cheese</b></li>
<li><b>Bake at 350 degrees for approximately half an hour, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.</b></li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Note: It tastes even better the next day and the day after that, as the flavors mellow and blend!</b></div>
</div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-14118579491091597632016-09-26T18:07:00.000-07:002016-09-27T17:58:43.116-07:00Vintage '50s Hamburger Casserole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>This is a recipe that can be dressed up or down, changed to use a variety of ingredients and still work out to be as tasty as you can imagine.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFA4zY4QDEVfmEwR-4Shmi6MTYYBbSSTog8LV2k19ex4K75WERRW6JKfl7Cs455O6jeQu2MIP5wd_M_Xnzm-GW5wg3eARoZB6qSNx_BKqgaTx5CWfuCht7dthndOkYOtjAaudjps96iC0/s1600/Hamburger+Casserole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFA4zY4QDEVfmEwR-4Shmi6MTYYBbSSTog8LV2k19ex4K75WERRW6JKfl7Cs455O6jeQu2MIP5wd_M_Xnzm-GW5wg3eARoZB6qSNx_BKqgaTx5CWfuCht7dthndOkYOtjAaudjps96iC0/s320/Hamburger+Casserole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Vintage Hamburger Casserole</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>8 oz large noodles (elbow, rotini or any other favorite)</b></li>
<li><b>1 1/2 lb ground beef (if you prefer, use ground turkey or chicken)</b></li>
<li><b>1 medium onion, finely chopped</b></li>
<li><b>1 med. green pepper, chopped</b></li>
<li><b> 1/2 tsp salt</b></li>
<li><b>1/4 tsp black pepper</b></li>
<li><b>1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 lb sharp cheddar, grated or cut into small chunks</b></li>
<li><b>1 large can cream-style corn (or use regular corn or peas and add a can of cream soup)</b></li>
<li><b>1 can pitted black olives - optional (the sliced ones work well)</b></li>
<li><b>Dash of Tabasco sauce for flavor (some people prefer to use ketchup)</b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Boil noodles according to package directions. Set aside.</b></li>
<li><b>Brown meat, onion and green pepper. Add salt and black pepper.</b></li>
<li><b>In large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and fold well. </b></li>
<li><b>Pour into 2-3 qt casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour</b></li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Goes well with your favorite mixed green salad or a tomato, cucumber and onion salad.</b></div>
<div>
<b>Yields 12 servings.</b></div>
</div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-83007798253708842942016-09-18T16:52:00.000-07:002016-09-27T17:57:29.379-07:00Fall Greetings from the Frantically Creative Little Cook<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Finally, a new post. It's been just a bit busy the past while with canning, preparing crafts, cooking and baking and just loving every minute of it. But I figured it was finally time for an update. I wanted to share some of my projects with you, my friends, and celebrate the arrival of fall! </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I had a week off a while ago and frantically worked on jams, salsas, dog biscuits, ruffled scarves, glycerin/shea butter soaps and finished up my doilies. Here are the results (as you can see it's been just a wee bit of work and there's more happening):</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDibedbmJlkFWNJoU4GqcAGf6bzt73-pnpQtpdI3LTYY0T8tAqf3KKyPpeTc7xXh-F4Xx9BxZdeJHMvfhxTKj17adXvLrMFmX3wYE9Mt830-IaBWDemJKt8Wfn1WTlvsQevGv-14R7Vk/s1600/DSC02019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDibedbmJlkFWNJoU4GqcAGf6bzt73-pnpQtpdI3LTYY0T8tAqf3KKyPpeTc7xXh-F4Xx9BxZdeJHMvfhxTKj17adXvLrMFmX3wYE9Mt830-IaBWDemJKt8Wfn1WTlvsQevGv-14R7Vk/s320/DSC02019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8M8Ao1dDflwsyxZg8h269G_Xk7m5OhFqDViiHJvUYw87iF6fPhc9QjxJitU6geEN8_OLEmtwU0JhRb2JCQ-O92q9lqKnkae9Nalij9t0QuR8Ts2tTS-sGVLvWxm7DJUhOiOJ5bXqVUU/s1600/SOAP2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8M8Ao1dDflwsyxZg8h269G_Xk7m5OhFqDViiHJvUYw87iF6fPhc9QjxJitU6geEN8_OLEmtwU0JhRb2JCQ-O92q9lqKnkae9Nalij9t0QuR8Ts2tTS-sGVLvWxm7DJUhOiOJ5bXqVUU/s200/SOAP2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnjxku4qyaWJPn8wZtWbEpukuXSLcyxgEAeqpY7h1D4Lbxb3cQUbHyreMDwXOImawzcaw14OqVZeZ-_2lDJmZ6eQsXDXrNBjKexgo4zp7cj62Jrk5yAtwNTTiebChxOUPd-zaXHt3qNo/s1600/JAM+%2526+SALSA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnjxku4qyaWJPn8wZtWbEpukuXSLcyxgEAeqpY7h1D4Lbxb3cQUbHyreMDwXOImawzcaw14OqVZeZ-_2lDJmZ6eQsXDXrNBjKexgo4zp7cj62Jrk5yAtwNTTiebChxOUPd-zaXHt3qNo/s320/JAM+%2526+SALSA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpcGBX7C4wTR_bHzH8juJVz28ONrVnrRiK24bz6LljaAzwa7Srysn7QyFCyY1p3Mid7WqDgDxpQ9Hp8Q4usCM20F-7CYBy1eOiEhP3getKvd4q1TYYUNXm8DDJCDUYawnIlJ8WYzjVmE/s1600/SOAP4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUXiarjD6rA7SpLKX75oDbGE32bPFvaeaku3NbscY2XjlpDL8EjwjEwxxkNS6L0kAxwpjRdQrc8yYITZlQCAYHVxl9u4lpJCoU49Waz7H_wGMkmR_7cqNR_MeuUjGKqCpEsvMvApA3jY/s1600/SOAP3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUXiarjD6rA7SpLKX75oDbGE32bPFvaeaku3NbscY2XjlpDL8EjwjEwxxkNS6L0kAxwpjRdQrc8yYITZlQCAYHVxl9u4lpJCoU49Waz7H_wGMkmR_7cqNR_MeuUjGKqCpEsvMvApA3jY/s200/SOAP3.jpg" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpcGBX7C4wTR_bHzH8juJVz28ONrVnrRiK24bz6LljaAzwa7Srysn7QyFCyY1p3Mid7WqDgDxpQ9Hp8Q4usCM20F-7CYBy1eOiEhP3getKvd4q1TYYUNXm8DDJCDUYawnIlJ8WYzjVmE/s200/SOAP4.jpg" width="200" /></div>
Pardon the lousy photo editor!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdShxXwROj0cJknJ0tuhJ6e9i5lzpHofdXXiBxktPSfhRlfjuJHd5VwLq3X-7x1SLyMEJmXgF9yZ0JS9s6bRogFWJSWgKOHX-RqVXA8Yz654dUuk90RzqH_rh3reyHWYbcjMkWjpP2vec/s1600/MYSOAP2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdShxXwROj0cJknJ0tuhJ6e9i5lzpHofdXXiBxktPSfhRlfjuJHd5VwLq3X-7x1SLyMEJmXgF9yZ0JS9s6bRogFWJSWgKOHX-RqVXA8Yz654dUuk90RzqH_rh3reyHWYbcjMkWjpP2vec/s320/MYSOAP2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8M8Ao1dDflwsyxZg8h269G_Xk7m5OhFqDViiHJvUYw87iF6fPhc9QjxJitU6geEN8_OLEmtwU0JhRb2JCQ-O92q9lqKnkae9Nalij9t0QuR8Ts2tTS-sGVLvWxm7DJUhOiOJ5bXqVUU/s1600/SOAP2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8M8Ao1dDflwsyxZg8h269G_Xk7m5OhFqDViiHJvUYw87iF6fPhc9QjxJitU6geEN8_OLEmtwU0JhRb2JCQ-O92q9lqKnkae9Nalij9t0QuR8Ts2tTS-sGVLvWxm7DJUhOiOJ5bXqVUU/s200/SOAP2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaki__vU4JvzhUvZJnqxoBRc9UKWg4-AcykoD2dYtW-gl92V9SBhvt6wiNu94-4rEom7tRiq6n75AfqRyVFWfeS6XNmKnRjppNo17t4yZE3rWZnIs542QowH6WIlGrPyOBF6-hyurMWL0/s1600/SALE+ASTRO+SCARF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaki__vU4JvzhUvZJnqxoBRc9UKWg4-AcykoD2dYtW-gl92V9SBhvt6wiNu94-4rEom7tRiq6n75AfqRyVFWfeS6XNmKnRjppNo17t4yZE3rWZnIs542QowH6WIlGrPyOBF6-hyurMWL0/s200/SALE+ASTRO+SCARF.jpg" width="112" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xjJ-Rf-BZCEs0Zj6T-ZX7j5nde4ROjVFgG9jvaZOfXaDXXrlXf9rvtAWUjEFQoQuMZ8RB7NiXQYBKG7YfxdVKJVcC3_hnRJJD_GiPlfBcQxGu1t3RlYziHsZ-8AkGq0w1iH6K9IPFDU/s1600/SOAP1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xjJ-Rf-BZCEs0Zj6T-ZX7j5nde4ROjVFgG9jvaZOfXaDXXrlXf9rvtAWUjEFQoQuMZ8RB7NiXQYBKG7YfxdVKJVcC3_hnRJJD_GiPlfBcQxGu1t3RlYziHsZ-8AkGq0w1iH6K9IPFDU/s200/SOAP1.jpg" width="111" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSLo44ehUwHHt6w3fAA8ar7SZVRsA7-0HRMTA3vX4IYUDQ8YqMpjrjMsCJnrPgK_3BWIWfLLYKFrnOVPWIMGNiXdwszxk6L4-zXQOMHsCjsDGb0TK_0bgfvJj011_c3UifiQl1LV7qYM/s1600/SALE+BOHO+SCARF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSLo44ehUwHHt6w3fAA8ar7SZVRsA7-0HRMTA3vX4IYUDQ8YqMpjrjMsCJnrPgK_3BWIWfLLYKFrnOVPWIMGNiXdwszxk6L4-zXQOMHsCjsDGb0TK_0bgfvJj011_c3UifiQl1LV7qYM/s200/SALE+BOHO+SCARF.jpg" width="112" /></a> The newest creations - new ruffled scarves and soaps! I am also working on designer scarves in lovely fabrics with crocheted flowers. Stunning!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVIpGR7d0Td4asjU1EuwI10Yt-G4d7p6o2Q0L2AdqQcaA6B_5cmtgGH0M1PD9TrYfg5CaDY61FhlyFjREWG7oPwR6r0hVl04jM9WpzMbsdMBtmNBC8smTkTYHfjmC95zHgntfrt1V7sA/s1600/SALE+BIRDHOUSES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVIpGR7d0Td4asjU1EuwI10Yt-G4d7p6o2Q0L2AdqQcaA6B_5cmtgGH0M1PD9TrYfg5CaDY61FhlyFjREWG7oPwR6r0hVl04jM9WpzMbsdMBtmNBC8smTkTYHfjmC95zHgntfrt1V7sA/s320/SALE+BIRDHOUSES.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mini birdhouses and a little crocheted 3D Christmas tree decoration. I also made ribbon angels.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzhcTaUlZHb_Q4IDn_Di1v37XJMvuxf-9VtPFDdXcQvreAHS5kTyTHLaHYyb8ds_Tznzd6DioXP2M3XCWBc2Ny0ooWNw5E9h7utOC9CSlgZaYZcPs7vrZH3ABInekrRilPNpDvaSrPMs/s1600/SALE+BROWN+SCARF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzhcTaUlZHb_Q4IDn_Di1v37XJMvuxf-9VtPFDdXcQvreAHS5kTyTHLaHYyb8ds_Tznzd6DioXP2M3XCWBc2Ny0ooWNw5E9h7utOC9CSlgZaYZcPs7vrZH3ABInekrRilPNpDvaSrPMs/s320/SALE+BROWN+SCARF.jpg" width="180" /><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1-5utqc81oWIIRm2oubQpQAHOsCgfY67-qG89bJfv8xspL6LcBSrmeujH6uAEaBn8lJZHvs9mcJN61fA4uTkfxZID6a92QFnIeo-_0wYIR2hYCarjJRfs-MOxiK-ZN3GwAjRTLGgEJk/s1600/SALE+CREAM+SCARF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1-5utqc81oWIIRm2oubQpQAHOsCgfY67-qG89bJfv8xspL6LcBSrmeujH6uAEaBn8lJZHvs9mcJN61fA4uTkfxZID6a92QFnIeo-_0wYIR2hYCarjJRfs-MOxiK-ZN3GwAjRTLGgEJk/s320/SALE+CREAM+SCARF.jpg" width="179" /></a> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvsGAXixOa87dKmFDjVZR3uQlel3JliVj1zhYNuWM3vLWXE3hW0HYtXtQYH3rCOjqyc2aRsIMWLC83L42ivywGiMSaXXLilQ38EJz8f1tmBtAf71Dc2ab8RbOYhok9efRV3okvWXWABE/s1600/SALE+DOILY4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvsGAXixOa87dKmFDjVZR3uQlel3JliVj1zhYNuWM3vLWXE3hW0HYtXtQYH3rCOjqyc2aRsIMWLC83L42ivywGiMSaXXLilQ38EJz8f1tmBtAf71Dc2ab8RbOYhok9efRV3okvWXWABE/s200/SALE+DOILY4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I finally blocked all the doilies and...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuXCgUF8Fo8ndv2MVKmOMXzYHYbH8Xn6LNjhST1TqzHLDJ-QgyqIemVr-jUnBgvqU5O6rg5FkuEjJIPgQWfoA59uWnp6NBtRiwod9S8ybekfwqOMhtMEkd0zu5v8aHkF7L8h6jYJOtr8/s1600/SALE+GREEN+SCARF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuXCgUF8Fo8ndv2MVKmOMXzYHYbH8Xn6LNjhST1TqzHLDJ-QgyqIemVr-jUnBgvqU5O6rg5FkuEjJIPgQWfoA59uWnp6NBtRiwod9S8ybekfwqOMhtMEkd0zu5v8aHkF7L8h6jYJOtr8/s200/SALE+GREEN+SCARF.jpg" width="112" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tHyDxpTWOebllSftCuJ7uMNu4JMATvbDBwNZVAHJ1JqzJL2WYlHZ-3icRjGNyiK3Kq70eJ76k5zXNSaPkOdjoETpGD83iSbgOdTAkhEZr4vjy3ZIC-7yvAAal0bWyILS_LTbMRiUI3Y/s1600/SALE+DOILY5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tHyDxpTWOebllSftCuJ7uMNu4JMATvbDBwNZVAHJ1JqzJL2WYlHZ-3icRjGNyiK3Kq70eJ76k5zXNSaPkOdjoETpGD83iSbgOdTAkhEZr4vjy3ZIC-7yvAAal0bWyILS_LTbMRiUI3Y/s320/SALE+DOILY5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmZr4_jWZcxdK9CvD_zjs6-X3ijhThGn8GGxPmNcl5vE3sVYGtIJBFYBlK3zP4-E26AYuUn9MjMbbs5LPMKSfa39Yme-HiizdLeqbsUeHpgwC-7tnvmJH3c63wTQAETLiMXLg9tV_uKM/s1600/SALE+DOILY6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLm-oxgp_8JmCJZljc0jmQC7TGGv155aSF2W9M39ZH-vtmO9fjWC9K4rcdDJgSVGPaYpBtWByGCvusca3lgXK1ZidfzNjsDkY32ENQ0CvXdax21T6wEpiooT-9Wmx0sMnV546wO91wMs/s1600/SALE+DOILY7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLm-oxgp_8JmCJZljc0jmQC7TGGv155aSF2W9M39ZH-vtmO9fjWC9K4rcdDJgSVGPaYpBtWByGCvusca3lgXK1ZidfzNjsDkY32ENQ0CvXdax21T6wEpiooT-9Wmx0sMnV546wO91wMs/s200/SALE+DOILY7.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmZr4_jWZcxdK9CvD_zjs6-X3ijhThGn8GGxPmNcl5vE3sVYGtIJBFYBlK3zP4-E26AYuUn9MjMbbs5LPMKSfa39Yme-HiizdLeqbsUeHpgwC-7tnvmJH3c63wTQAETLiMXLg9tV_uKM/s1600/SALE+DOILY6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmZr4_jWZcxdK9CvD_zjs6-X3ijhThGn8GGxPmNcl5vE3sVYGtIJBFYBlK3zP4-E26AYuUn9MjMbbs5LPMKSfa39Yme-HiizdLeqbsUeHpgwC-7tnvmJH3c63wTQAETLiMXLg9tV_uKM/s200/SALE+DOILY6.jpg" width="200" /></a> What a difference it made!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLm-oxgp_8JmCJZljc0jmQC7TGGv155aSF2W9M39ZH-vtmO9fjWC9K4rcdDJgSVGPaYpBtWByGCvusca3lgXK1ZidfzNjsDkY32ENQ0CvXdax21T6wEpiooT-9Wmx0sMnV546wO91wMs/s1600/SALE+DOILY7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4RwuMGepBQgqa-cOtVWHev1Ycq6nHx9goK3MP-6SU4sHhACCzBkw6cLu1Aivq0QOQIXrYBEGvtjmPISWgoTEravA2h8AJCiN9oGL1P2a3eCoGhJq3MlCxowOiSI6OvUKfswAH7FGyQo/s1600/SALE+FAIRY+GARDENS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4RwuMGepBQgqa-cOtVWHev1Ycq6nHx9goK3MP-6SU4sHhACCzBkw6cLu1Aivq0QOQIXrYBEGvtjmPISWgoTEravA2h8AJCiN9oGL1P2a3eCoGhJq3MlCxowOiSI6OvUKfswAH7FGyQo/s200/SALE+FAIRY+GARDENS.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJYLHr5NWcfPv1nES7wD9UIEBuQOavMCnw6fiQd68AFWMBX6-zukxAEr0wBq2VI4IwYIiAjqXJCJaz23GqqeVG5dHzKbaXo_Yn2gNnw3Mqd0IYK6A0KFvbxfFeixidFS-j5QLO4JagVQ/s1600/SALE+DOILY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJYLHr5NWcfPv1nES7wD9UIEBuQOavMCnw6fiQd68AFWMBX6-zukxAEr0wBq2VI4IwYIiAjqXJCJaz23GqqeVG5dHzKbaXo_Yn2gNnw3Mqd0IYK6A0KFvbxfFeixidFS-j5QLO4JagVQ/s320/SALE+DOILY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The fairy garden votive jars were a labor of love. Gotta love those puffy birds! I finally found the battery operated LED lights so some will have those and some will have battery operated tea lights.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieY24LA1cvNq37UcNg4AuwRVX_IAGMUe9XKpGzICneXFes55LK7xRVix6_t7Hz_icyCoeWZF_qUFmGvb-mIPebzdbJulwsk6AdQLnYODeBj7ibnMVsVq30ef2LqcZYvjix0RFDQn8SXk/s1600/SALE+JAMS5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieY24LA1cvNq37UcNg4AuwRVX_IAGMUe9XKpGzICneXFes55LK7xRVix6_t7Hz_icyCoeWZF_qUFmGvb-mIPebzdbJulwsk6AdQLnYODeBj7ibnMVsVq30ef2LqcZYvjix0RFDQn8SXk/s320/SALE+JAMS5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>In all, I created 7 varieties of healthy, wholesome doggie treats/cookies/biscuits that will be sold in 3 different containers. There will be a 4-pce. "snack pack" for munching; a "Treat a Day" with each of the cookies; and a Max Pax (looks like a takeout container) with 12 biscuits inside. I am pretty excited about all these ventures! For more photos, etc, please visit:</b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HomespunTreatsandTreasuresforFolksandCritters/">https://www.facebook.com/HomespunTreatsandTreasuresforFolksandCritters/</a> and/or my Facebook Page.</b><br />
<br />
<b>I promise that season recipes and more will be posted as soon as I finish all these projects for the upcoming craft shows! Thanks for keeping reading, even when I have been unforgivably lax. Love and hugs and HAPPY FALL!!</b></div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-14650913843770081332016-04-10T12:55:00.001-07:002016-04-10T12:55:30.840-07:00Mom's Favorite Unbaked Cheesecake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Whenever we had a special occasion at home such as my birthday or Christmas, Mom would make this unbaked cheesecake and it was everyone's favorite. Yesterday, after 2 decades of missing the taste, I finally got up the courage and ingredients and attempted it myself. There must be something about nostalgia, because nothing ever tasted better than the memories brought back with that first bite. Pure Nirvana. So here, in all its glory, straight from The Mennonite Cookbook, is my Mom's best unbaked cheesecake to delight your own taste buds and family.</b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mom's Favorite Unbaked Cheesecake</span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhIidHCOUcmw7FkNzXihzZVN3Jxjo7d5M_tQf6fw6ojjigC3scDQnxozNg3v_XakK3ICiT90Q7_Lfy3CtOg3Qy599Xxa9RcyYpAbRKyHNW-qLQRCLxuoWq27sjBdq0mq9RKqcqcTLFXg/s1600/DSC00221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhIidHCOUcmw7FkNzXihzZVN3Jxjo7d5M_tQf6fw6ojjigC3scDQnxozNg3v_XakK3ICiT90Q7_Lfy3CtOg3Qy599Xxa9RcyYpAbRKyHNW-qLQRCLxuoWq27sjBdq0mq9RKqcqcTLFXg/s320/DSC00221.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And yes, we already dug into it, Pure deliciousness!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>1 pkg lemon jello</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 c boiling water</b></li>
<li><b>1 8-oz pkg cream cheese</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 c white sugar</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 pint (8 oz or 1 c) whipping cream</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 box graham wafers</b></li>
<li><b>1/4 c butter or margarine, melted</b></li>
<li><b>10 maraschino cherries, cut</b></li>
<li><b>1/2 c drained crushed pineapple</b></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Preparation</b></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Dissolve Jello in boiling water and let stand while preparing the other ingredients.</b></li>
<li><b>Beat whipping cream until stiff in a medium bowl.</b></li>
<li><b>With the same beaters, beat well together the cream cheese and sugar in a small bowl.</b></li>
<li><b>Place graham wafers in a resealable bag and roll with rolling pin til finely crushed. Mix with butter/margarine and press 3/4 of the mixture into a 9x9 pan, reserving the rest for sprinkling on top.</b></li>
<li><b>With mixing spoon, fold cream cheese mixture and Jello into whipping cream (that bowl will be big enough). Mix thoroughly, then fold in pineapple and cherries. </b></li>
<li><b>Pour over prepared base in pan and sprinkle remaining crumbs over top. </b></li>
<li><b>Place in fridge for at least 1-2 hours to set and ENJOY! This keeps well for a few days.</b></li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-71113081373725688572016-02-08T10:56:00.000-08:002016-02-08T11:01:05.365-08:00Super Duper Homemade Calzones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>So yesterday was the Superbowl and my hubby had a hankering for calzones. Not any old calzones but the ones he remembered from his days working at a pizza joint back in New York. He gave me his basic specs and found a recipe he thought would be ideal and then we went ingredient shopping. No sir, these were definitely not your garden variety calzones! I made a double recipe of dough as shown in the recipe and went to town preparing them. They ended up being HUGE! Like he said, now "thatza a calzone!" In retrospect I would prefer a commercial or good homemade pizza dough, since there is a lot of bread in each serving, but it sure was good! He ate one, I ate half and we have 2 in the freezer for another time plus the other half of mine for his dinner tonight. Serve with warm marina sauce drizzled on top, or in a small bowl for dipping.</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Calzones</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD2f7M-lgLVgmkVhwEZQKuFP6QkTySa4DLHbBAMmgnWOLdueTnhA4znbwcT5EYAidX0e83YT7KUXVCAa8KltvxXWHLV40fhjx4Ognbuce-03R4N9ckx9XYlp8tc3qxmADt45GSY4ZL9A/s1600/DSC00130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD2f7M-lgLVgmkVhwEZQKuFP6QkTySa4DLHbBAMmgnWOLdueTnhA4znbwcT5EYAidX0e83YT7KUXVCAa8KltvxXWHLV40fhjx4Ognbuce-03R4N9ckx9XYlp8tc3qxmADt45GSY4ZL9A/s320/DSC00130.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<adapted from this <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/18874/real-italian-calzones/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=8" target="_blank">recipe</a>></div>
<h2 class="recipe-print__h2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.125rem; margin: 0.5rem 0px; outline: none !important;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ingredients (for 2 huge calzones)</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<ul style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; display: inline-block; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 284.984px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1 cup warm water</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1 teaspoon white sugar</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1 teaspoon olive oil</li>
<li style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;">*1/2 cup ricotta cheese</li>
</b>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*Parmesan cheese</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*1/2 c Canadian bacon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*1/2 cup diced pepperoni</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*1/2 cup chopped bell pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*1 tbsp basil or Italian seasoning </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">*1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water and 1 tsp olive oil (for the "wash")</span></li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><ul style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; display: inline-block; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top; width: 284.984px;"></ul>
</span><br />
<h2 class="recipe-print__h2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.125rem; margin: 0.5rem 0px; outline: none !important;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Directions</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 16px;"></span></span></div>
<ol class="recipe-print__directions" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: item 0; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5rem; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #274e13;">Dough</span></b><span style="color: #2d2d2d;">: </span><b><span style="color: #660000;">THE RECIPE MAY BE DOUBLED TO MAKE 4 HUGE CALZONES</span></b><span style="color: #2d2d2d;">. </span></span></li>
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #2d2d2d;">In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. When soft pour into medium bowl (use large bowl if doubling recipe) and add the oil, sugar and salt. Mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Place dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.</b></span></li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<ol class="recipe-print__directions" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: item 0; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5rem; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li class="item" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #274e13;">Filling</span></b><span style="color: #2d2d2d;">: </span><b><span style="color: #660000;">DOUBLE IF MAKING A DOUBLE RECIPE OF DOUGH</span></b></span></li>
<li><b style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).</b></li>
<li><b style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. While dough is rising, combine the pepperoni, Canadian bacon, chopped peppers and basil leaves or Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Toss well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.</b></li>
<li><b style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal balls (4 balls if you have doubled the recipe). </b></li>
<li><b style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Roll each out into a THIN circle on a lightly floured surface, one at a time. </b></li>
<li><b style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. A so-called authentic calzone recipe said to do it this way, so I did: Fill each of the two circles with half the mozzarella on the lower half of the circle topped with filling (refrigerated pepperoni, Canadian bacon, pepper and spices), then scooped ricotta cheese, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Fold the top over the fillings and secure edges by rolling/folding up, pinching and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with beaten egg mixed with oil and a bit of water and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet (I used a perforated pizza pan for 2 of the ones I made from the double recipe placed on the middle rack and a cookie sheet topped with silicone sheets on the second-from-lowest oven rack). REPEAT WITH REMAINING DOUGH (BALL). As you can see, these are humongous. </b></li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvLLPYyZ5G3oWMDHva0PaZgMv74fc3Cc9JYa5U4VPIIeqz0_2p9wOU0yYs98DfkYfczL-OLuxHGCsQSi_oKiYrX1Jxik3wcjkDpW3hR5IhnnwQGppnXDo0k1ovT1o6eUVhOdITT6Pg2g/s1600/DSC00128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvLLPYyZ5G3oWMDHva0PaZgMv74fc3Cc9JYa5U4VPIIeqz0_2p9wOU0yYs98DfkYfczL-OLuxHGCsQSi_oKiYrX1Jxik3wcjkDpW3hR5IhnnwQGppnXDo0k1ovT1o6eUVhOdITT6Pg2g/s320/DSC00128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ol class="recipe-print__directions" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) !important; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; counter-reset: item 0; font-size: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5rem; outline: none !important; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li><b style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6.Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes (as above) until cooked through and a beautiful golden brown. Serve hot with marinara or a favorite spaghetti sauce heated for dipping or drizzling.</b></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Please note: I saved some money by using a bag of Italian Mixed Shredded Cheese containing Parm, Mozza, Asagio and Romano. That saved me time, too, by letting me spread this on the bottom of each circle without having the expense of Parm to sprinkle on top and gave a little extra flavor. I found the mix of egg/water/olive oil gave it a beautiful sheen and color.</b></span></div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-55374235329312838122016-02-01T09:04:00.001-08:002016-02-01T09:07:02.528-08:00Game Day Recipes: Cheesy Pull-Apart Sliders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This recipe was featured on our local <a href="http://myfox8.com/2016/01/29/cheesy-pull-apart-sliders/" target="_blank">Fox 8 News</a> channel page and I received it in my email. It looks so good that I had to share it with you! Definitely a must-do for the big game! Put these on a table with some chili, pulled pork or chicken wings, veggies and dip plus other munchies and you have everything you need for an ooey gooey (calorie-laden but who watches calories anyway on Superbowl?) good time!</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cheesy Pull-Apart Sliders</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjR3EtjwEwxZ5RgYFGxxBptQzsPzCdT0c-jWzKyDiHIMyPdoNikMD3a3rY5BBZCFBjVgCWnRAzC3QKQefYXvxqQTy8_19oiBlqSxxZ3PXQ2U19_r2rWGTaYhWJLvKp2znukimuPnFO7F4/s1600/SLIDER.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjR3EtjwEwxZ5RgYFGxxBptQzsPzCdT0c-jWzKyDiHIMyPdoNikMD3a3rY5BBZCFBjVgCWnRAzC3QKQefYXvxqQTy8_19oiBlqSxxZ3PXQ2U19_r2rWGTaYhWJLvKp2znukimuPnFO7F4/s320/SLIDER.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
</span><br />
<div style="color: #212121; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Sliders:</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #212121; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">1 pound lean ground beef</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">1 teaspoon salt</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">1 teaspoon pepper</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">1 teaspoon mustard powder</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">½ teaspoon smoked paprika</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">2 cups diced onion (about 1 medium onion)</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">3 cloves garlic, minced</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">1 (10-oz) can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles, drained</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">12 slices cheddar cheese</b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;">12 dinner rolls</b></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<div style="color: #212121; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Glaze</b></span></div>
<ul style="color: #212121; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 14px 25px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">½ cup (one stick) butter</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">2 tablespoons Brown Sugar</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">1 tablespoon mustard</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">1 tablespoon sesame seeds</b></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="color: #212121; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Instructions</b></span></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Place a large skillet on the stove top over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the beef and season with salt, pepper, mustard powder, and paprika. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and onions are golden. Stir in drained tomatoes until combined.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Slice dinner rolls in half and place bottom half of rolls in 9x13 baking dish. Top with beef mixture & sliced cheese. Finish off with the top half of the bun.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Mix all the ingredients for the glaze in a sauce pan over medium heat (or microwave about 40 seconds) and mix until melted, smooth, and combined. Pour evenly over the buns.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.</b></span></li>
</ol>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Makes: 12 burgers.</b></span></div>
</div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-51053375231779675822015-12-12T11:03:00.001-08:002015-12-12T11:03:33.253-08:00Follow-Up on Tomato Junk and Tomato Junk Beef Stew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7boqkX5ITaq_JNl97BkZ6G4K6RAOKvmyjjruONaubVA65feIPJEbxxm5mQmjskyyGXu9jUgK-qseqt13g7Cx6WMFuzOsK1_KO_RD23_h9RTjLZOKbIjDtax9HxnfAyXMPUFGnDy6ODo/s1600/TOMATO+JUNK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7boqkX5ITaq_JNl97BkZ6G4K6RAOKvmyjjruONaubVA65feIPJEbxxm5mQmjskyyGXu9jUgK-qseqt13g7Cx6WMFuzOsK1_KO_RD23_h9RTjLZOKbIjDtax9HxnfAyXMPUFGnDy6ODo/s200/TOMATO+JUNK.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato "Junk"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Apparently the <a href="http://wwwlittlecookfromtheprairie.blogspot.com/2015/10/tomato-junk-or-last-chance-sauce.html" target="_blank">Tomato Junk</a> recipe I provided earlier (in October) makes a great stew! Being in a rush, I thawed the concoction in the microwave (Ziploc bag and all) while I got out the slow cooker. I heat the contraption up, sauteed onions, garlic and chunks of steak (a bit of a waste, I thought, but softer and tastier than stewing beef) and 1/3 pack of frozen (chunky) hashbrowns for about an hour. Then I added the "junk," half a jar of homemade salsa plus enough water to almost cover the stew and let it simmer for another couple of hours, until it was simmering. I added 1/4 c flour mixed with water to make a gravy and let it simmer away on low for another 4 hours. My hubby said it was delicious (with a bit of zing to it because of the salsa) but I haven't had a chance to sample it yet. I will tonight! The funny thing is, he doesn't really like some of the veggies in there but liked the flavor so much it didn't matter! Who woulda thunk it?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApUD5qSvRRiC2U7mkY9nC0krUJ-gxuzhlvdPWqnAxuOu0eoYC7p6heWz3mKjljxZr2y3mr9_eDf-Gll4tGKACeIoLVsmNt06b7lv0B4_zmI1bhzfcjC_TcJshoXgrIZw3EVXWgnfjoYs/s1600/TOMATO+JUNK+STEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApUD5qSvRRiC2U7mkY9nC0krUJ-gxuzhlvdPWqnAxuOu0eoYC7p6heWz3mKjljxZr2y3mr9_eDf-Gll4tGKACeIoLVsmNt06b7lv0B4_zmI1bhzfcjC_TcJshoXgrIZw3EVXWgnfjoYs/s200/TOMATO+JUNK+STEW.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato Junk Stew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6266999732960044217.post-12526670598672353032015-12-12T10:34:00.000-08:002015-12-12T10:34:52.912-08:00Working on Making Christmas Eats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Well now (or in Plaudeutsch </b><b>nah yoh) I have made dough for my zweiback and even though I made a dreadful error after letting the sponge rise (forgot to add the fat and extra warm milk) - yes, even well seasoned bakers do that! I think it will be ok. The Portzelky dough is also rising and I am making meat pie as I type this. Well, not literally since I am waiting for the Crisco to chill for a bit. It is a hectic, happy day in the Little Cook's Kitchen: my favorite kind of day, actually having the luxury of time during this hectic work period. More baking photos to follow. I wish you good baking and have fun experimenting with new and family favorite recipes to make them your own! (just don't forget ingredients).</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI8BH6-GHKG1A3awzAljEVGYvAvRf87Sml1r0Q01KxcXvBdh7QwSW5JBZbYRmAtNh_blrolNauc0BqWcpwnmbb6BdmUwXZNJFcURJctv-v6lPaZyFcPgpNn07rJaoIXdkwcRN5FUrmjs/s1600/DSCN2237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI8BH6-GHKG1A3awzAljEVGYvAvRf87Sml1r0Q01KxcXvBdh7QwSW5JBZbYRmAtNh_blrolNauc0BqWcpwnmbb6BdmUwXZNJFcURJctv-v6lPaZyFcPgpNn07rJaoIXdkwcRN5FUrmjs/s200/DSCN2237.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meat Pie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcycINbQD_sioWx0NYLWa-lUOMY8ChnjkWfY3J_X1OMTiCp2sSdeNTPmUCNwbBYjEvxiSoxwFjYsVSOFWT8QwMe0DZlQ31Jr_5r6Lubu5iV5a2Tt_FxXCXg5nFBDYMkb95Iai9oNVgkLY/s1600/DSCN2817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcycINbQD_sioWx0NYLWa-lUOMY8ChnjkWfY3J_X1OMTiCp2sSdeNTPmUCNwbBYjEvxiSoxwFjYsVSOFWT8QwMe0DZlQ31Jr_5r6Lubu5iV5a2Tt_FxXCXg5nFBDYMkb95Iai9oNVgkLY/s200/DSCN2817.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ZXweiback</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N9_5sxKrZfn8cembWe-hCpFMdku0spVqauAfHFB1iiiXMh2as9H41sLv3TsJ2tT98QiRPtouokvXtxu1-57wm297IJYbSXn662y8jMjsumRruYURb27UNEZdqfIiGkqbnnXxsgs_yTw/s1600/DSCN4392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N9_5sxKrZfn8cembWe-hCpFMdku0spVqauAfHFB1iiiXMh2as9H41sLv3TsJ2tT98QiRPtouokvXtxu1-57wm297IJYbSXn662y8jMjsumRruYURb27UNEZdqfIiGkqbnnXxsgs_yTw/s200/DSCN4392.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portzelky</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027557401933783264noreply@blogger.com0