Hello out there! No weather report today - just look out your windows! Before I share another "Through the years" marriage post... I'm going to write a quick "Cooking with Sharla" post!
Our son and his family have been staying with us while preparing to move into another house. There are seven people in their family! Our son, daughter-in-law, and five of our grandchildren! Meal preparation for nine people! If you are a vegetarian, or on a diet - these meals and desserts will not interest you. But... if you have a big family and are looking for some ideas for breakfast, dinner, and the constant, "I'm hungry" - this is the post for you! Jim is in charge of breakfast and it is always so good! Scrambled eggs and bacon burritos, chorizo, bean, and cheese burritos, sausage biscuits, and he fries up some really good potatoes! Every now and then he says, "Cereal or pancakes on a stick!" He makes really good pancakes too!
Taco and or Burrito Night at Nana and Pa's is very popular.
I cooked 2 1/2 pounds of ground meat (use more of less depending on the size of your family and their appetites!) Drain the fat, add salt, garlic powder and (2) Taco Seasoning Packets (1 packet if you don't cook as much ground beef) and about 1/2 cup of water. Stir and simmer. Wash and dice tomatoes, chop lettuce, slice up some mini bell (sweet) peppers. Jim cut the veggies for pico de gallo (jalepenos, tomatoes, onions). Crispy taco shells, flour tortillas, grated cheese, and sour cream!
Same amount of hamburger meat as above. Cook, drain the fat, season, add chopped bell peppers and onions, and a can of Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies and let simmer. Add a can of whole kernel corn including the liquid, and add a couple of can of water. Turn the heat up to a slow boil and add a couple of cups of dry pasta; elbow, bow tie, shell, whatever you have on hand. Make sure the pasta is covered with the broth from the goulash so it will boil. Cook for 12 minutes (give or take a minute). I try to use as few pots and pans as possible - this is a great, one very large cast iron skillet recipe! Make some cornbread, or saltine crackers go really well with it also, or you can warm up some tortillas!
Beer Bread is easy, yummy, and smells so good!
My recipe for the beer bread is included in the following post.
Rice Krispy Treats, Honey Nut Cheerio Treats, 1/2 Rice Krispy & 1/2 Fruity Pebble Treats, AND 1/2 Corn Chex and 1/2 Fruity Pebble Treats have been quick desserts and EVERYONE loves them!
The following pictures are my beer bread, regular Rice Krispy and the 1/2 Corn Chex and 1/2 Fruity Pebbles Treats! You can also add a big whopping, serving size spoon of crunchy peanut butter to the melted butter and marshmallows before you add your cereal and that adds some extra protein!
Hope you enjoy my stories - they are both from June 2016 - 33 years of marriage! This June we'll celebrate the Big 40!
Check out the following website: foryourmarriage.org
National Marriage Week (February 7-14) and World Marriage Day - Sunday, February 12th
Thursday, June 2, 2016
COOKIES, BEER BREAD, AND 33 YEARS OF MARRIAGE - IT'S ALL GOOD!
Hello Out There! I haven't posted in almost a week! How are y'all doing? It has been
raining on and off all week. Right now it is overcast and a little cool outside,
70 degrees to be exact. For this time of year, 70 degrees is awesome! The only thing
negative about this kind of weather is it makes me want to bake! I saw some chocolate
chips in the pantry and so I decided to check and see what other ingredients I have on
hand. I have everything I need to make a big batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
with pecans! Doesn't that sound great? I also have the ingredients to make beer bread.
I haven't made beer bread since the Christmas season because I sure don't need
to eat it, but it sounds really good today! AND it is so easy to make! I will share the
recipe will y'all! Easy peasy and only 4 ingredients!
3 1/4 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
stir together
add 1 can (12 oz.) of room temperature beer (I use Lone Star because that is what Jim
drinks and so I have it on hand).
Stir until well blended, batter will be kind of lumpy.
Spoon into a greased (I use the Crisco spray stuff) loaf / bread pan. My loaf pans
are glass but the aluminum / metal pans work just as well. Or you can use (4) mini loaf pans and share! Bake for 30 minutes if you do this.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. This bread smells so good when
it is baking!
Melt 1/2 stick of butter (the recipe calls for 1 stick, but 1/2 is a little less fattening!)
Melt the butter and pour it all over the top of the bread and then put the
bread back into the oven for another 5 minutes.
Wait as long as you can and then slice and enjoy! Add more butter if you want, but
it really doesn't need it. This bread is great with soups, stews, a big pot of red beans
and as toast! I haven't tried it as garlic bread but I bet that is would be great that way
too! There is also a really good biscuit recipe on the back of the self-rising flour.
This reminds me of another baking tip to pass along. If you want to make Buttermilk
biscuits and don't have or keep buttermilk on hand this tip will work.
Use 1 teaspoon of vinegar for each 1/3 cup of milk. If your recipe calls for 1 cup of
buttermilk, add (3) teaspoons or (1) tablespoon of vinegar to your milk and let it sit for
at least 5 minutes. I usually add the vinegar to the milk first thing and then by the time
I get to that step it has already been plenty of time for the milk to sour.
I really had not planned on writing about recipes or cooking tips today but sometimes
that is what happens! I have something serious I want to talk about but I think I will
post it on another page. I want this page to be about happy things! No downers after
this fun yummy recipe swap!
On Saturday, Jim and I will be married for 33 years! I can't believe it! The years have
flown by. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a wonderful husband.
raining on and off all week. Right now it is overcast and a little cool outside,
70 degrees to be exact. For this time of year, 70 degrees is awesome! The only thing
negative about this kind of weather is it makes me want to bake! I saw some chocolate
chips in the pantry and so I decided to check and see what other ingredients I have on
hand. I have everything I need to make a big batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
with pecans! Doesn't that sound great? I also have the ingredients to make beer bread.
I haven't made beer bread since the Christmas season because I sure don't need
to eat it, but it sounds really good today! AND it is so easy to make! I will share the
recipe will y'all! Easy peasy and only 4 ingredients!
3 1/4 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
stir together
add 1 can (12 oz.) of room temperature beer (I use Lone Star because that is what Jim
drinks and so I have it on hand).
Stir until well blended, batter will be kind of lumpy.
Spoon into a greased (I use the Crisco spray stuff) loaf / bread pan. My loaf pans
are glass but the aluminum / metal pans work just as well. Or you can use (4) mini loaf pans and share! Bake for 30 minutes if you do this.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. This bread smells so good when
it is baking!
Melt 1/2 stick of butter (the recipe calls for 1 stick, but 1/2 is a little less fattening!)
Melt the butter and pour it all over the top of the bread and then put the
bread back into the oven for another 5 minutes.
Wait as long as you can and then slice and enjoy! Add more butter if you want, but
it really doesn't need it. This bread is great with soups, stews, a big pot of red beans
and as toast! I haven't tried it as garlic bread but I bet that is would be great that way
too! There is also a really good biscuit recipe on the back of the self-rising flour.
This reminds me of another baking tip to pass along. If you want to make Buttermilk
biscuits and don't have or keep buttermilk on hand this tip will work.
Use 1 teaspoon of vinegar for each 1/3 cup of milk. If your recipe calls for 1 cup of
buttermilk, add (3) teaspoons or (1) tablespoon of vinegar to your milk and let it sit for
at least 5 minutes. I usually add the vinegar to the milk first thing and then by the time
I get to that step it has already been plenty of time for the milk to sour.
I really had not planned on writing about recipes or cooking tips today but sometimes
that is what happens! I have something serious I want to talk about but I think I will
post it on another page. I want this page to be about happy things! No downers after
this fun yummy recipe swap!
On Saturday, Jim and I will be married for 33 years! I can't believe it! The years have
flown by. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a wonderful husband.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
A Bouquet of Wild Flowers, A Covey of Quail, Two Roadrunners and A Jack Rabbit
Good Morning Out There! I worked in my home office all day long on Tuesday. I was
trying to get caught up. I was cranky from being inside all day. I needed to get up and
move around. Jim came home about 5:00 p.m. and was headed out south of town to
where our son was working. He asked if I would like to go with him. I knew I needed
a break even though I still had a lot to do. I grabbed some waters and off we went. I
was tired so I leaned the seat back and closed my eyes for about 15 minutes. Jim hit a
bump in the road and my eyes popped back open. We rode along for about 15 more
minutes and then we were there. We traveled down a bumpy ranch road with trees and
brush all around. Our son was clearing cedar for the land owner and we brought the
smaller trailer to pick up some of the extra implements. We checked on our son and
visited for just a little while. I waited in the truck while Jim loaded up the grubber. I
saw a covey of quail dart across the road. I smiled as I watched them scurry beneath the
brush. Another movement caught my eye and I looked up and saw a roadrunner running
by. He ran down the road for awhile and then turned and dashed into the brush. I could
almost hear him say "Beep-Beep" like the one in that old cartoon. Jim opened the door
to the truck. I turned to tell him what all he had missed but before I could speak he
handed me a bouquet of wild flowers. My heart grew and my smile did too. I thanked
him and told him that I would put them in a vase when we got home. I also told him
about the quail and the roadrunner. We were driving down the ranch road once more
when another covey of quail shot right across that road. Then we saw a Jack Rabbit with
huge ears quickly hop by. We made it to the main road and then I shouted out, "Look, it's
another roadrunner, it must be a sign!" Jim told me that the sign was that I needed to get out of the house more. I laughed and told him he was probably right!
I did need a break that day. I really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife and driving down that
bumpy road. When we got home I helped Jim feed all the animals and I gathered the
chicken eggs. We watered the plants and when we came inside I put my bouquet of wild-
flowers in a vase and filled it full of water. I placed the vase on our dresser by a picture
of Mother Mary so that she could enjoy the flowers too!
I have to get back to my book work now. I hope you have a wonderful day. Spend some
time outdoors and be blessed!
trying to get caught up. I was cranky from being inside all day. I needed to get up and
move around. Jim came home about 5:00 p.m. and was headed out south of town to
where our son was working. He asked if I would like to go with him. I knew I needed
a break even though I still had a lot to do. I grabbed some waters and off we went. I
was tired so I leaned the seat back and closed my eyes for about 15 minutes. Jim hit a
bump in the road and my eyes popped back open. We rode along for about 15 more
minutes and then we were there. We traveled down a bumpy ranch road with trees and
brush all around. Our son was clearing cedar for the land owner and we brought the
smaller trailer to pick up some of the extra implements. We checked on our son and
visited for just a little while. I waited in the truck while Jim loaded up the grubber. I
saw a covey of quail dart across the road. I smiled as I watched them scurry beneath the
brush. Another movement caught my eye and I looked up and saw a roadrunner running
by. He ran down the road for awhile and then turned and dashed into the brush. I could
almost hear him say "Beep-Beep" like the one in that old cartoon. Jim opened the door
to the truck. I turned to tell him what all he had missed but before I could speak he
handed me a bouquet of wild flowers. My heart grew and my smile did too. I thanked
him and told him that I would put them in a vase when we got home. I also told him
about the quail and the roadrunner. We were driving down the ranch road once more
when another covey of quail shot right across that road. Then we saw a Jack Rabbit with
huge ears quickly hop by. We made it to the main road and then I shouted out, "Look, it's
another roadrunner, it must be a sign!" Jim told me that the sign was that I needed to get out of the house more. I laughed and told him he was probably right!
I did need a break that day. I really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife and driving down that
bumpy road. When we got home I helped Jim feed all the animals and I gathered the
chicken eggs. We watered the plants and when we came inside I put my bouquet of wild-
flowers in a vase and filled it full of water. I placed the vase on our dresser by a picture
of Mother Mary so that she could enjoy the flowers too!
I have to get back to my book work now. I hope you have a wonderful day. Spend some
time outdoors and be blessed!
Peace and blessings to you and yours,
near and far, wherever you are!
Bye for now, Sharla
