World Peace…..one piece at a time

Attention dieters and calorie-counters, you will be offended by this recipe. Pants with elastic waistbands are highly recommended.

I’m convinced this chicken fried steak with gravy would bring peace to the world. If the crunchy, battered tenderized steak didn’t encourage people to be nice to each other, the thick and creamy gravy would surely change their attitudes. It changed my Husband’s.

 

You know those little crunchy bits you get when you fry something? Well, I took a big handful and added them to the cream gravy. Yeah, I’m livin’ on the edge. Mmmmm mmmmm gooooooooood.

Sorry, I was having a personal moment with myself.

Moving on!

Back to Husband’s change in attitude tonight…

Husband’s been irritated and frustrated all day while trying to find tires to fit one of the trailers parked behind our house. Currently, there are three ~ a horse trailer, a bumper-pull trailor, and a gooseneck trailor. He blew two tires last weekend coming home from an auction and it’s been tougher-than-nails to find two additional tires that match the new ones. He began this “scavenger hunt” EARLY this morning. Seven hours later, plus several trips to multiple retail locations bearing the same name, he found the tires.

Praise the Lord, the tires will be here Monday.

All was fine-and-dandy in Husbandville until I heard growling words. I peaked my head outside and quickly ducked back in. Minutes later, Husband appeared to share his bad news.

While re-attaching a new tire to the trailer, he stripped the thread on a nut and bent a bolt. That’s not a good thing. In fact, it’s going to require ANOTHER trip to an auto or hardware store for a new nut and bolt.

I know what you’re thinking – - ”Wow, this girl really knows what she’s talking about!” Keep telling yourself that. I won’t stop you.

Anyway……..I tell you all of this because as soon as Mister Frustrated entered the kitchen and smelled battered meat fryin’ in the iron skillet, his attitude quickly changed and he was quite pleasant. He even poured a glass of sweet tea for me. Bless his heart. 

World Peace Chicken Fried Steak

Start with a couple of pounds of tenderized steak cut into large pieces. I used two large steaks and cut into 12 pieces. Husband and I enjoy leftovers, but you can adjust the quantities to suit your needs.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, and seasonings. I use a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. In another bowl, combine add a good amount of Bisquick (or plain flour) and a healthy dose of more seasonings. In an assembly-line fashion, dredge the meat into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and return for another coating of flour.

Heat a large iron skillet over medium heat and pour in enough oil to completely cover the bottom.

When the oil is hot, add 2-3 pieces of steak, depending on their size. Don’t crowd the pan, this meat deserves respect and you’ll appreciate the crunchiness.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip. The steaks are done when golden brown.

Served with mashed/smashed/smooshed/baked/fried/whatever-you-like potatoes and gravy, this fried steak will promote peace in the world…….one piece at a time.

Oh, and would you believe this recipe is completely, totally, unequivalocally, 100-percent dairy-free. That means, no milk, no butter, no cream, no nothing from a cow. Well, except the meat, of course. I might have an allergy to cow’s milk, but I’ll still eat the cow!

Have you entered my current giveaway? If not, click HERE and add a comment with your name and email address. If 100 or more comments are received, I’m increasing the Target gift card amount to $100.00. Contest ends Sunday at midnight. Good luck!

Peace, love, and fried steak,

Home Chef Challenge

I’ve been a lazy bum this morning. Even though I awoke before my alarm went off, I stayed in bed to finish a book I had started. I thought I would check my social status before going outside to begin another’s day work in the garden when I was pleasantly SHOCKED to read an email from the staff at the TODAY show’s Facebook page. I entered the Home Chef Challenge several weeks ago and they’ve selected my entry.

If you remember, I made a peanut butter pie for Husband’s birthday – you can see the post here and get the recipe here. It was, simply, one of the best peanut butter pies I’ve EVER eaten. Super peanut-y, super creamy, and super delicious made for a super dessert.

If you are a Facebook user, I would really appreciate your support in this little contest. All you must do is “like” the TODAY Food page on Facebook. Then, visit the Home Cook Challenge page and vote for my recipe. The photo above is featured on their page too.

This is what their Facebook page looks like:

 

VOTE NOW!

When I took this screen shot, I was in the lead. Please share with your friends and encourage them to vote too. Just think, Husband’s birthday pie could be featured on TODAY.com!!!!!!!

Please vote. Thank you!

Related articles

• Five-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pie (mrshutchison.wordpress.com)

Cousins are the BEST

I’ve had a fine day. Really fine.

I left Louisville at the butt-crack-of-dawn early because my Mother said I had to come home and help in the sweet corn patch. No big deal, except I drove at excessive speeds to span the 150-miles under two hours only to get here as the pickers were done picking, the last ears of corn were boiling, and the cutting-off had begun. I did assist in the silking process though, so it wasn’t a total wasted effort on my awesome driving abilities.

If you don’t have a clue about what I just said, just nod your head and smile.

Bless your heart.

Anyway, by early-afternoon I called my cousins in the big city towndot-on-the-map of Onton, located outside of Sebree.

Earlier this week, I promised Lindsey that I would prepare a meal for her birthday if Miss Jill would allow me the pleasure of getting to use her fancy-schmancy kitchen appliances.

Imagine for a moment the commercial with Kelly Ripa and the Electrolux appliances. You know that stove that supposedly boils water in 90 seconds or less. Well, the less part is true. That stove is AHHHHHHH-MAZING. I want one. Problem is, I have a drop-in glass stove top and separate double ovens. I don’t know if those models are available. And, heck, even if they were, I’d have to sell kidney or my ovaries to afford them.

I digress.

Lindsey and I are second cousins. Her mom is Jill, or Miss Jill as I always called her when she drove a school bus. Lindsey’s father, Jim, and my father are first cousins. They all live in Onton and have a fabulous backyard complete with a HUGE swimming pool and gorgeous landscaping.

Lindsey’s engaged to Josh. He’s super-tall and a cutie-patootie who FINALLY proposed a while back…..their wedding is September 24. I’m planning to attend the wedding – plus, it’s another reason to come to Kentucky.

*Photo courtesy of Rachel Mathew Photography*

After swimming, Super-Tall-Josh and I began dinner. He grilled the pork tenderloin while I tended to the fresh green beans, homestyle mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and bread. Josh and I made a great team! Supper was dee-lish.

I couldn’t eat the dessert options, but I know they had to be tasty and Lord knows there were enough candles on that darn thing. Geesh, Lindz, you’re old! Actually, Jill put about 8 packages of candles on the cake, I guess she was going for ambiance in the dining room.

Yes, there’s a chunk of dessert missing. Obviously, somebody did NOT wait for the candle-lighting ceremony.

Want more proof we’re a crazy bunch?

Who has a swim party, birthday dinner, AND spa session?!?!

WE DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is Jill’s mom, Granny Jane, getting beauty-fied. All of the girls got pampered tortured with a brow wax before the festivities concluded for the evening.

If I go missing or am unresponsive for an excessive period, check the whereabouts of this crew because I know they’re going to whip me for putting this picture on my blog ~ but I don’t care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Simply put, this afternoon was splendid. We swam, we ate, and we laughed out loud.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, some photos I took of the gorgeous flowers around their pool and deck. Jim is a part-time beekeeper as well, but several hives have been swarming lately and I didn’t want to take any chances getting stung – so I stayed clear of the bee area.

Hummingbirds were all over the place……until I got my camera ready.

This cardinal bird stayed perfectly still while I took his picture.

tehehe

I have a thing for dragonflies now.

delicate pink flower

I love this picture. You can see the tiny little fibers, or hairs, on the leaves and petals.

Kentucky has seen plenty of rain this year, which means the grass is green and lush. But growing along the perimeter of the deck and pool areas are these striped grasses. I think they look really cool. It’s as if somebody took a brush and painted white spots on the grass!

working on my camera’s “aperture” settings here – notice one petal is in focus while the other is not…….I’m trying my best to figure out this camera!

definitely have the subject in focus and the background blurred here….pretty nice shot

butterfly in the grass ~ told you the grass was really green here!

Wondering Wednesday: the battle of cookware

I have so much to get done ~ my to-do list is a mile long ~ but instead, I’m throwing caution to the wind and writing this post. Why would I do that?

Why not?!

The washer is running, the dryer just beeped, dishes in the dishwasher need to be put away, and I have yet to pack a single thread of clothing for my trip to Kentucky - I’m leaving for Austin tomorrow afternoon and I fly out early Friday morning. I have the final night of VBS at the Fort Worth Community Center tonight too, so I’ve got TONS of time on my hands….yeah right!

It seems all I’ve been thinking about lately is food, food prep, food photography, etc. etc. etc. Quick question for you: Choose your favorite type of cookware.

If you could have just one, which would you choose and why:

All-Cladstainless steel

 

Photo courtesy of ChefsCatalog.com

or

Le Creuset cast iron

Photo courtesy of ChefsCatalog.com

Personally, I’d love to have BOTH - but that’s not one of your answer choices!

I love the durability and tradition of stainless steel, but I also love the rustic charm and festive colors available with cast iron. My dream kitchen has a variety of Le Creuset pieces placed all around….yeah, I’m a big dreamer. As far as price, holy smokes I have expensive taste! The All-Clad stainless steel cookware set retails for over $900.00 – and that’s the SALE price. The Le Creuset cookware set retails for $430.00 - that’s a sale price too. Holy snickerdoodles, that’s a lot of money for pots and pans!

I wish I could say, “Hey, leave a comment and enter for a chance to win your choice of fantastic cookware.” but I cannot. I’m sorry. Maybe ~ hopefully ~ one of these days when I’m in the Big Leagues of Bloggers, Le Creuset and All-Clad will give me their products. Until that glorious day, I’m just gonna slobber on my laptop and wish I had their cookware.

Want some random crap from my life…..here’s some completely useless information:

1. I’m a kick-butt kind of wife. I can weld metal pipe fence, construct a portable building, assemble a carport, hammer, paint, and replace the wood flooring in a bumper-pull trailor. Yeah, I kick butt and take names…..all while smiling real big like Polly Freakin’ Anna.
   

   This pile of wood WAS the old trailor floor...obviously in poor condition!

   

   Husband and I successfully installed a NEW floor....via moonlight - how romantic?!

2. I’ve done more errand-running the past three days than I have in my entire life. I’m tired. Mothers are my heroes, I don’t see how they do all that they do. If I had a hat on right now, I’d take it off and give it to them. However, as much as I’ve done, laundry is not finished and my suitcase for Kentucky is NOT packed.
3. I’m really hungry for sushi.
4. In November, I’m going to help a friend help another friend by taking pictures at a wedding. My friend was asked to take pictures of the small ceremony and I could tell she was really nervous about it. I’m by no means a professional, I don’t think I qualify as “amateur” even, but I offered to take my camera along and snap some photos too. Who doesn’t like weddings anyway? It’ll be fun, I’m looking forward to the opportunity.
5. If you live underneath a rock, then you probably don’t realize how bad the drought in Texas is right now. When I say it’s bad, I’m not fooling around. We have not mowed our yard since the first week of May….today is July 13. I bought a set of ferns in April and promised myself that I would take care of them. I failed. Miserably.
   

   a bit parched, don't you think?

6. The financial institution that had my car loan is acting like a bunch of idiots and I told them that over the phone today. I paid off my car loan in June and I was promised the process would be expedited if I paid in cash. So I did. Almost a month later and I don’t have my car’s title. WTH? Why would you send an important document (i.e. vehicle title) in the regular mail without a tracking number or delivery confirmation? I told the woman on the phone that the company she works for is ridiculously idiotic. She agreed. However, my problem of receiving my car’s title is not solved. Ughhhhhhhhhh.
7. Another ridiculously stupid,  and idiotic company: American Airlines. I could have flown from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) airport directly to Evansville (IN), Nashville (TN), or Louisville (KY) round-trip for $500. However, if I drive two hours south to Austin and board a plane to any of these destinations, the price is $220. Guess where the connection lands……DFW. So yeah, I’m driving my Polly-Freakin’-Anna self to Austin tomorrow afternoon and staying with my best friend who’s dropping me off at the airport early Friday morning to get on a plane, fly to DFW, and board another plane to Nashville, where my Lovely Mother will retrieve me at 1:32 pm. It. Makes. No. Sense. But hey, I save at least $230 (gas to drive to Austin will cost me at least $50) in airfare alone. I’ll spend that on food instead……take the parents out to dinner and treat them nice.
8. I ate lunch at Qdoba today and spoke with the manager about the possibility of hosting a GIVEAWAY for a gift-card. I’ll let you know what he and his Marketing Manager say. Who could so “no” to me? PUH-LEASE!
9. After lunch, I went next door to the nail place and had them cut off the “talons” that had overwhelmed my little hands. I told my sweet friend, Erica, that I was going to Kentucky to work in my Daddy’s garden and a pretty French mani was NOT going to cut the mustard. So, she opted just to paint a light coat of acrylic on top until I return from Kentucky and Haiti. She’s a smart cookie. Aren’t they pretty? Yes, I thought so too!
   

   These nails are ready for working in Dad's garden.

10. I have successfully wasted an hour blogging and playing with my camera that it’s now time to leave for church, drive the van to Fort Worth, and entertain some of the AWESOMEST kids ever. It’s been wonderful to be in fellowship with these children and share a Vacation Bible School with them. I can’t wait to share photos and stories with you.

Don’t forget to share your choice of cookware and, by all means, share a random thought from your brain too while you’re here. Might as well, I’ll be listening.

Love,

Weekly Photo Challenge ~ OLD-FASHIONED

I’d consider myself to be pretty old-fashioned when it comes to some things…….I am NOT, by any stretch of the imagination, fashion forward, politically involved, or up-to-speed on the latest celebrity gossip.

There is one thing, however, that I am very old-fashioned about ~ and that’s food and cooking.

I believe every single kitchen in America would be a happier place if there were at least one rooster on display, a jar of bacon grease in the fridge, and plenty of homegrown goodies in the pantry.  

Speaking of garden goodies, here is my Weekly Photo Challenge submittal, what do you think?!

L to R: plum preserves, pickled beets, green beans, pear preserves with jalapeno, pulp-y tomato juice, and corn relish.....all made with love and sealed with a "Kiss From Kentucky"

I think it’s pur-dee darn delicious looking. Thanks to my wonderful, awesome, thoughtful, and VERY generous parents in Kentucky, they grow all of this in their GIGANTIC garden. Then, they share it all with me, their favorite (and only) daughter. I’m one lucky girl!

I have personally helped make all of these creations except for the pickled beets…that’s my Mother’s doings. I personally don’t like beets so I say, “Mom, knock yourself out!” (figuratively, of course)

So, there you have it. Homegrown delicious-ness that you CANNOT buy from the grocery store. When I open a Mason jar, that “pop” is a Kiss From Kentucky. Boy, it’s a wonderful kiss!

Here’s a view of the infamous garden ~ this is just part of ONE of the gardens though….there’s another one behind their house and you can’t really see the true size of the garden, nor the rows of sweet corn either.

This ain't your grocer's produce section.

I’ll be heading to Kentucky later next week to enjoy myself some fresh picked produce and drink some of my Daddy’s homemade wuh-ine!!!!!!

Thanks Mom and Dad for the delicious garden goodies (and Neenie for the extra green beans!), Husband and I are extremely grateful ~ so are our bellies!!!

 

Related articles

• Surf~N~Turf (mrshutchison.wordpress.com)

Surf~N~Turf

EDIT TO SHRIMP RECIPE
The shrimp I bought for the Spicy Citrus Shrimp had been de-veined but not peeled. To achieve a richer, more intense flavoring, peel the shrimp before placing in the marinade. My shrimp was delicious ~ what shrimp isn’t?! ~ but I feel the marinade did not infuse the shrimp due to the peel. So, take a few minutes to peel the shrimp and you’ll be very happy at meal time. Adjust the seasoning and happy eating!

Today is Husband’s 35th birthday and to celebrate I made one of his favorite meals: pork tenderloin and green bean casserole. I also included two special treats: spicy shrimp and peanut butter pie.

Birthday Dinner Menu

• Spicy Citrus Grilled Shrimp
• Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Green Bean Casserole
• Five-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pie

 

Now, before you get your panties in a wad, we are big fans of leftovers. Yes, there’s enough food here to feed at least six hungry adults. But rest assure, there won’t be a crumb left in a day or two.

In this post, I’m going to share my tips for enjoying this delicious meal with a milk allergy. That’s right, I’m allergic to dairy (cow’s milk) products ~ and considering I have not had any breakouts, we’re going to keep on keeping on without milk-laden delicacies I crave but can’t have.

Spicy Citrus Grilled Shrimp

Place one pound of extra-large shrimp (de-veined) in a large Ziploc plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the juice of one orange, one lemon, and one lime. Add a tablespoon of hot chili sauce and a teaspoon of brown sugar. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into the mixture and stir. When combined, pour mixture over shrimp; then, seal the bag and place in the fridge.

Add shrimp to wooden skewers and place on grill. Shrimp are done when they’ve turned pink.

Wow, that was difficult. <insert sarcasm>

 Marinated Pork Tenderloin

In a large Ziploc plastic bag, combine a terriyaki glaze with olive oil and a variety of spices (i.e. paprika, garlic powder, etc.). Remove tenderloin from wrapper and rinse with cold water. Using a sharp knife, carefully “butterfly” the loins and place inside the Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over the meat, seal the bag, and place in the fridge.

Place loins on pre-heated grill and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side, turning once and basting with reserve marinade.

Man, this is difficult stuff! <add more sarcasm> 

Green Bean Casserole

Now, for you pitiful souls that buy your green beans in a can from the grocery store, I’m sending my condolences to you and your belly. At my house, the green beans come from a Mason jar specially sealed by my Mom, Dad, Neenie (Dad’s mom), or my Aunt Cathleen (Dad’s sister) and the green beans come from my parent’s garden. That “pop” you hear when opening a jar is a kiss from Kentucky.

Admit it, you’re jealous………as you should be!!!

I prepare my green bean casserole in a three-step process. If you don’t want to get this complicated, do your own thing. If you are using canned green beans, you might want to start this at least a half-day ahead so you can “infuse” those puppies with some love and seasonin’. God knows they need it.

Remember, when I say I’m using butter or milk in my recipes it is soy-based. I prefer Smart Balance Light butter made with olive oil and Silk Light regular soy milk, both are milk-free.

In a large stock pot, add two quarts (or four regular cans) of green beans. I like a mixture of Kentucky Wonders and Blue Lake. If you’re using canned beans, drain the can juice ~ yuck! ~ and add fresh water. Otherwise, use the juice in the Mason jar. Add a heaping tablespoon of bacon grease (a staple in EVERY country woman’s fridge) and several chunks of onion for extra home-cooked flavoring. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes…..MUCH longer if you’re using that store-bought crap.

Preheat oven to 300.

Drain the cooking liquid from the pot of green beans. Set aside but keep covered. In a large skillet over medium-heat, melt two tablespoons of butter and 1/3 cup of flour. Let the flour sit there for several minutes and soak up the butter. Stir with a whisk and add two cups of milk. Season with salt and pepper. Once the mixture is thick, add the cream sauce to the green beans. Stir in one bag of French’s fried onions.

Coat the bottom and sides of a large baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour in bean mixture and top with another bag of fried onions. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until onions are brown.

At this particular point, everything is cooked so I don’t want to “bake” ~ I simply want to get the onions browned. As soon as the crispy onions get a nice golden color, take it out of the oven.  

Five-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pie

I was inspired by Cocoa and Cheese’s Easy Peanut Butter Pie ~ click here ~ but I made a few adjustments to suit Husband’s tastes and my milk allergy. I did not add the full cup of powdered sugar but I did add peanut butter for an intense flavor.

8 oz. Tofutti cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup Great Value (Wal-Mart brand) powdered sugar
1 cup JIF creamy peanut butter
8 oz. Hill Country (H-E-B brand) dessert topping
Keebler Ready-Crust, graham cracker

Optional Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips
1 teaspoon Smart Balance Light “butter” made with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Silk Creamer, original flavor

 In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Slowly add dessert topping and powdered sugar, stopping at least twice to scrape the sides of the bowl. Pour mixture into graham cracker shell.

For glaze: add chips and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 15-30 second, or until melted. Stir in creamer. Drizzle over pie.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is one of the easiest PB pies I’ve made in a long time. I was uber-excited when I found a dessert topping ~ aka Cool Whip ~ made without milk. Thank you, H-E-B!

I got a little fancy with the chocolate glaze and placed it inside a small Ziploc bag, cut the tiny corner and drizzled it over the pie for a nice zig-zag pattern. For easy clean-up, put a sheet of parchment or wax paper underneath. I had enough chocolate sauce left for a big “K” in the middle, in honor of my Husband.

So there you have it. My really easy take on a Surf-N-Turf birthday dinner that Husband loves and I can safely eat. Believe me, you CANNOT taste the non-dairy-ness in either the casserole or the pie. In fact, that pie is damn good!!!! I’ve served this meal to some big ol’ country boys and they didn’t complain or question my ingredients. Plus, they all went back for seconds and some had thirds. Bunch of pigs!

Enough blogging already, I want another piece of pie!!!!

pork butt = YUM

Pork butt is heaven on earth.

HA - I said butt.

butt, butt, butt

I crack myself up. (note: I’m home alone AND in a ridiculously giddy mood – I’ve laughed at my own jokes all day.) Anyway………..some bloggers do “Word-less Wednesdays” but c’mon, we all know that I can’t be quiet for an extended period of time. 

The following recipe was adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

Start with a pork butt. Or pork shoulder roast. Or butt roast. Or Heaven on Earth. Whatever it’s called…just buy it.

Remove the roast from its packaging, rinse with cold water, and pat dry.

My ingredients include an assortment of pantry staples: brown sugar, minced garlic, dark sorghum, and a yellow onion. The chipotle peppers are something new.

The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is something I’ve never used before. The PW used them in her recipe, so I thought I’d give them a try. I purchased the smallest can I could find. I don’t like really spicy food.

I took a whole onion and sliced it in half, then removed the skin and sliced the two halves in half.

Lay the onion pieces on the bottom of a heavy-duty stock pot. The onions are like a pillow for the pork butt.

 

 

This “dry rub” is a combination of different spices I found in the spice cabinet, including chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and my Dad’s Holy Trinity – salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

The “odd” ingredient for this recipe, according to The PW, is Dr. Pepper. I use DP and other dark-colored colas (coke? pop? whatever you call it) in BBQ recipes all the time, especially when I make BBQ sauce. Plus, I like to see it fizz without spilling over the top of the pan. I’m easily entertained.

I topped the pork butt with adobo peppers and drizzled with dark sorghum molasses.

Cover and place inside a preheated 350-degree oven for 4-6 hours, depending on the size of your (pork) butt. My (pork) butt was over 7-pounds and it cooked for almost 6 hours. Once an hour, I’d flip the roast.

After five hours of cooking, I tried to pull out the roast’s bone. It was not coming out easily, so I continued to cook it. That’s the best indication of the roast being done…..when that bone comes out clean, it’s done.

Do NOT over-cook this meat. Over-cooking any meat is a sin.

What’s the point of that pitiful, pathetic, plastic cutting board? That’s embarrassing.

I used two forks to “shred” the meat and put fatty pieces, onions, and adobo peppers in the “discard” cup you see there on the side.

Turn oven to broiler, slice a kaiser roll in half and butter your buns!

hahaha – I’m laughing at my own jokes again.

Top the toasted bun with shredded butt meat.

Eat and enjoy.

YUMMMMMMMM

 

And the winner of GIVEAWAY 3 is……

What? You thought I’d announce the big winner immediately?!

You must be crazy.

Let’s talk a bit. What should we talk about?

Hmmm.

I got Haiti vaccinations yesterday, two in each arm. The injections didn’t hurt, but …….

OH-MY-GAWD-WHAT-AM-I-THINKING-GOING-TO-HAITI-THIS-CRAP-HURTS

My arms hurt so bad I can’t stretch them out straight. I made Husband go with me to hold my hand, catch me in case I fainted, AND to drive me home. Just. In. Case.

Husband’s life-saving strategies and valet services were not needed.

I wore my Big Girl Panties and did NOT pass out. The nurse asked me lots of questions and had me jibber-jabbering the entire time. I swear, sometimes I’m the freakin Energizer Bunny and don’t know when to shut up. The next thing I knew she said ALL DONE!

Just think, I had to PAY for this torture!!!!!!

I went to the Tarrant County (Fort Worth) Health Department to their Traveling Health Services and spent $215.00 for an office visit (that was $25.00 on its own) and FOUR injections. Plus, I have two prescriptions to fill and TWO additional office visits (another $25.00 each) for the second and third injection of Hepatitis A/B. This got expensive fast. Thank goodness for insurance – which I am hoping will actually pay for this torture.

One more thing before I announce the big winner……..

I love my Mom. The woman is freakin’ awesome. She sent a check for the Haiti Mission Team and taped it inside a sympathy card. No joke. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I love you, Mom.

 

Back to the giveaway, here’s the complete list of participants, in the order that they posted a comment:

 

I used Random.org to choose a number between 1 and 19. The lucky winner is:

 

#8: Beth Smith

 

Congratulations, Beth!!!! I sent you a message on Facebook and I’ll be sending you an email shortly. I need your mailing address ASAP so I can send your Teeny Tiny Spice tins.

Beth chose “Citrus Pepper” and “Montreal” as her spice gifts. I’m so excited for her to try Citrus Pepper, I think it’s pretty amazing.

Thanks to everyone who entered – I love every single person that visits this blog. 

Y’all are all a blessing and, in the words of Fnkybee, AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!!! 

 

Coal miner’s daughter and a GIVEAWAY

I didn’t realize until researching for this post that Father’s Day might have originated in 1907 at a memorial service for a group of men, majority of them fathers, killed in a coal mining accident in Monogah, West Virginia. This is near and dear to my heart.

I’m a coal miner’s daughter.

I know first-hand the nervousness from watching my Dad pull out of the driveway for another shift in the darkness of an underground coal mine. Despite the dangers associated with mining, my Dad’s work ethic is second to none. It’s just one of the many characteristics I admire about him. When he’s not working at the coal plant, he’s in the garden or honing his vintner (wine-making) skills. Between the fresh produce and homemade wine, many people consider my father a saint.

I completely agree.

In honor of Father’s Day, this is for my Dad…

Things I’ve learned from my Father

• Win (and Lose) Gracefully — While I do not play golf nearly as much as I used to, the game still means a lot to me and the relationship with my dad. He taught me the game at a young age. It’s something we did together and enjoyed it thoroughly. I believe golf is an outdoor classroom, not just a form of entertainment or physical activity. I credit my relationship-building skills, mannerisms, etiquette, honesty, and maturity to my parents, but to golf as well. During my competitive years, I enjoyed success but suffered plenty of disappointment too. It didn’t matter if I brought home the trophy, though. Did I respect myself? Did I represent my family in the best possible way? Did I honor myself by trying my best? Did I respect my opponents for their efforts? Did I win like a champion or lose with grace? If I answered yes to these questions, I learned the lesson. If not, I lost the competition AND respect for myself. 
• Don’t settle for chicken if lobster’s available — This is just another way of saying don’t settle for less. When it came to relationships and looking for a husband, I had a long list of requirements. As such, I did not date in high school. Truth be told, I didn’t have time because I was too busy (focused) on golf. Another truth: my expectations were too high and the boys at my school were too short. Fortunately, Kevin EXCEEDED all of my expectations……and he’s tall.
• Address every situation with good posture and a pleasant smile — I can’t think of any experience where this advice has not been beneficial to me. Thanks Dad!

Something my husband has learned from my Father

• Keep big guns

Ummm, yeah……my Dad’s not messing around with his toys.

And, this is just one of many.

 

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

 

Blah, blah, blah – what about the GIVEAWAY?!?

In honor of Father’s Day, I am offering a giveaway for the adorable, wonderful, and lovable men in our lives. As such, this giveaway item is guy-friendly. However, ladies can benefit as well. 

Nicole, enough already – what will I win?!

Go to Teeny Tiny Spice Company and check out their products page.

They are currently featured in Real Simple Magazine and have a Father’s Day Special featuring two of their wonderful spices. I had the “citrus pepper” at a friend’s house and let me tell you, it was AWESOME! We had steak and chicken kabobs and the seasoning was perfect.

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

For this giveaway, I’m offering TWO spice blends!

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

Here’s how this works:

• Go to Teeny Tiny Spice’s website and choose TWO seasoning blends you’d like to have
• Leave a comment on this post, include your NAME, EMAIL, and SPICE SELECTIONS
• One entry per person please
• U.S. shipping only
• You’ll be really awesome if you re-post this giveaway on your blog, webpage, Facebook, and Twitter

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

Deadline to enter giveaway is midnight Friday, June 24. The winner will be announced Saturday.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Good luck!

Today’s high hopes and epic failures

I had a long list of to-do’s to do today.

Gosh, that’s a lot of t-o-d-o. I’m so sorry.

I was supposed to clean the kitchen, empty the dishwasher, do loads of laundry (yes, plural on the laundry), de-clutter the living room and dining room tables, vacuum, mop, and dust the furniture.

I’m hosting a dinner party Friday evening for the Haiti mission team members and other guests, about 15 people in all. I’m not concerned about the food prep or the cooking or even setting the table, but my house is a mess and I desperately needed to get my butt in gear. Afterall, I didn’t have to go to work today!

To the n-th degree, I am an excellent list-maker. However, I’m an epic failure in the business of completing to-do lists.

I’m adding this to my Bucket List. Need to work on that.

Hmmph.

First, I slept till 10:34 am. Then, from the bed, I went straight to the couch to log-in to Facebook and Twitter.

I like to pretend I’m THAT important…yeah right.

About noon, I warmed up the leftovers and enjoyed my very dee-lish pot roast. After lunch, I unloaded the dishwasher and started the dryer (for the third time, with the same clothes inside). Then, I spent the next two hours gawking (literally) at Foodgawker.com for recipes and dishes to make Friday evening.

My contributions for Friday’s dinner: several appetizers, mixed-grill kabobs, cupcakes (with sprinkles, of course), iced tea and soft drinks. Everyone is supposed to bring a vegetable or salad, potluck style. Nothing fancy, but you know me, I’ll try to play hostess-with-the-mostess.

I’m hoping Friday’s get-together will go better than the last one.

At 3:00, I got bored so I took a shower AND folded the clothes in the dryer. I started the washer too. (Wow, my productivity level just soared a gabillion-zillion levels.)

While Kevin was feeding the horses, I went outside to water the ferns and saw a really bright green and blue bug flying around the chaise lounge-chair. I went inside to grab my fancy-schmancy camera. Don’t know what it is…but he was bright and colorful.

Kevin ate dinner and I pretended to be The Next Food Network Star. I found some tilapia filets in the freezer and sautéed them in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Alongside long-grain rice, drizzled with a nice sauce, the fish made for a quick, simple, and tasty meal. I’ll have leftovers tomorrow too.

Oh gosh, tomorrow will be here really soon.

Why am I still up? Am I crazy?

Don’t answer that.

Not only do I have to complete all those things on today’s to-do list, but I must go to the grocery too. How will I find the time?!

Wish me luck…I’m gonna need all I can get!