A tip for you

Ahhh the Alamo!
Such a wonder of Texas history so easily accessible when visiting San Antonio.

Which by the way, is where I was for the past 2 days.
My husband and I took off for a quick trip there to attend the TSACF...
or was it the STCAF,
or it could have been the TSCAF.

Oh, not that it matters really, let's say it was a high school all star football game which my sweet husband was requested to attend.
It was a good excuse for the two of us to go on an overnight date!
With three kids about, there really aren't many chances for that, so we jumped at the opportunity.

In case you don't personally know me, and are just a random passerby, or a reader referred by a friend, there is something you must know about me.

I, like many others I know and jaunt about with, love a good deal.
I am more likely to do without something I really really want than to pay full price for it.
There does come a rare opportunity to work a deal and get both the item in want and the "high" from knowing I saved money in the mean time. Like the Coldwater Creek jacket I scored the other day for a mere $15.00 instead of the selling price of $79.99.
Just thinking about that makes my heart flutter a bit.

You might by this time be wondering, "Just what does this have to do with San Antonio?"
Well, hang on I am gonna tell ya.

I knew that my husband and I would be eating out this whole trip.
This was not a pack a sandwich kind of trip, it was a romantic get away (with a football game thrown in) kind of trip, which we had specifically set aside money for.
However, me being me, I had to find a deal to make all that eating out easier to swallow.
Not that I don't enjoy eating out. I do! It is the spending money that I am not crazy about.

This is where we get to the meat of this post.
My husband is always in charge of choosing our hotel and he does a bang up job searching for unique historic places and not just the Motel 6 down the road.
Once he makes his choice, it is then my turn to visit Restaurant.com.
This is a website which sells "discount certificates" from participating restaurants.
You simply type in the zip code of the area where you wish to eat, then modify your search based on distance and cuisine!!
It is a neat way to try new restaurants, especially if you know you are going to be eating out anyway.
For instance you can purchase a $25.00 off the purchase of $50.00 certificate for a listed price of $10.00.
But, there is always a coupon code available to bring that price down even further.

Come on...you know about coupon codes don't you.
Always, always search for a coupon code before you buy anything online!
Just go to your google bar and type in the particular place "restaurant.com" followed by "coupon code".
The internet is filled with sites that track these codes and make them available.
For instance, at the time of this post, I googled and there I found a coupon code of "tasty" to plug in before your purchase at restaurant.com to save 70% off of your total purchase.

I like to watch the trends and purchase from this site when there is and 80% off code bringing my purchase price down to a measly $2.00. Yes, $2.00 to save $25.00.
There are other savings amounts as well, depending on the restaurant and how fancy it may be. Anywhere from 10-100.
Be sure before you purchase that you read all the fine print very carefully.
When is it available for use?
What is the minimum you must spend?
Does it include lunch, or just dinner?
How many entrees must be ordered?
Look for things like that, read it and read it again to be sure you are getting what you think you are getting.

I have used this particular service for eating out in my home town as well as when we are traveling. I have only had one incident where a restaurant I purchase a certificate from had closed. I immediately got a notice from the website with a "credit" to be used toward another certificate of my choice.
I have had gone to some places and thought, boy I sure am glad I didn't pay full price for that!!!
I have gone to other places, I probably never would have gone to otherwise and had amazing food!!
Some months I look and don't find anywhere at all that I would consider eating, and other times there have been offers from some of my favorite places.
So, it is touch and go, but isn't life in general that way?

So, check it out. It could be that you have an occasion to eat out, and may get to go to a place fancier than you would have considered because of the deal.
Or, maybe it causes you to try Mongolian stir fry, or sushi, or that little Mexican place that you drive by and wonder about.

You may just hit pay dirt, and you will have me to thank!!!
Oh, and be sure to always pay your server based on the full ticket price, cause anything else would just be rude!

No account tidbits

Since my photo transferring problem is still in effect, and I don't want to deal with the issues today, and I don't want to write another food entry without the joy of photos, I have chosen to amuse you with more random thoughts.

Consider yourself forewarned!

We have baby ninja snails! Oh boy! Just how prolific are snails anyway?
I saw one this morning that was the size of that O up there in oh boy.
And two yesterday that were the size of a fingernail.
Hmmmmm I think this deserves some investigation.
Not by me, mind you.
I am not digging around for snails, ICK!!

I came across this Starbucks Natural Fusions Coffee in my grocery store the other day. It is the real deal, no artificial flavor cinnamon coffee.
Since I had a coupon...and it was on sale, I picked up a bag. YUM!! I had another coupon, so I hit another sale! Coffee is a two-fer...an absolute staple, and an everyday treat. Why not have coffee you really enjoy?

I honestly can't tell the difference between HD and regular TV, sorry!
Maybe if I saw them side by side??
Yes...I think then I could.
I think.

I am making a double batch of homemade wheat tortillas today which calls for a whole lotta rolling!!
I am glad my middle son is such a good sous chef here lately!

Still pondering what to do with those pablanos.
I don't want to waste them on something not fantastic.
This is really quite silly seeing as how I can get more, and it is not like they are crazy expensive or anything.
Sigh...what to do, what to do.

I have been carrying my dog up and down the stairs this week because she is not supposed to climb them.
Never thought I would be "that" person!

I am trying to decided if I should mop my floor before or after my company today.
I must tell you I am leaning toward after!

I love the simple goodness of pencil perfection.
A Dixon Ticonderoga tri-write fits the bill.


The warm wonderful familiarity of the classic #2 yellow pencil combined with the modern twist of three sided comfort.
And, to top it of...literally...the delicate pink eraser which never smears or gums up.
And the green! Oh, the green!
The shiny clover green used in both the labeling and where the three stripes join the pencil to the eraser!
Love, true love in a pencil.

I have been greasing the pole of my bird feeder with coconut oil, and find myself wickedly fascinated by watching the pesky squirrels make a jump for it, then slide down while gripping tightly!! They spend a good amount of time in contemplation on just how to beat this particular road block to their feeding frenzy.

My Lemon Thyme and Orange Mint have tripled in size since I planted them. I know, I know...I simply must take the time to google uses for them.
For now, I am just enjoying how gorgeous they look just outside my back door falsely accusing me of being a master gardener by their growth and glory.

I came across a recipe for Snickerdoodle Blondies while surfing yesterday.
My oldest son happened by the computer at that very moment; fortuitous for him I think.
Strange sounds began to emit from his throat and belly.
Growling, yearning, feed me sounds.


I think a fresh box of crayons is a sight to behold. All of those crisp edges waiting for you to draw them from the box and round them off with use.
I believe if I were presented with a new box of crayons everyday, I would simply have to color. The temptation to see them go from pristine to lovingly used would be too much to bear.


Somewhere around here is a box which has my CD's in it.

It feels pretty much impossible and improbable that I will ever be able to appropriately thank God for all that he has blessed me with. I am sure gonna give it my best shot though.

Have a great weekend!!

No recipe Shepard's Pie

Yesterday I volunteered to play a game new to me, with my middle son.
He opened the box and poured out all of the pieces and began to set up the game.
I asked "Where are the instructions?"
He shrugged his cute little shoulders and said "I dunno, we don't need them...I know how to play and I will teach you."
I imagine that learning a new game from a 9 year old is for some, like making a new dish (that you have never tasted before) without a recipe.
It is a constant guessing game of...
...did I miss something,
... could I have done that in a different order for a better outcome,
...why does this rule apply now but not then?

I was so very intensely frustrated yesterday, learning by failure how to play this new game.
I hated the feeling.
I hated thinking...if only I knew the rules, I could do this right!

My point here is this...Wanting to create a dish but not knowing the "rules" can be a frustrating thing. Failing because of lack of knowledge can make one not want to play again.

I don't want you to feel this way about creating something in the kitchen and that is why I have chosen not to write about things without exact measurements for you.
I don't mind cooking this way.
I enjoy the challenge of creating something out of nothing and having it taste the way I imagine it would be.

Have you ever seen Ratatouille?
That cartoon about the mouse who wants to be a chef.


That is me!
Well, besides that I am 6ft. tall and don't have gray fur...we are just alike!!
I love the scene where he is jumping across the pot throwing in seasonings until it is just right.
I totally identify with that silly mouse!!!

Alrighty then, I said all of that to say...
I am going to attempt tell you how I make Shepard's Pie for the benefit of my Sister in Law who requested it. (I figured if I was gonna take the time to type it out, I may as well share with more than one person!!) I will try to word it in such a way that it is manageable to accomplish.
If you make it however and don't feel like it was as great as you wanted it to be...do not despair. Play another round and try again.
When I want to try something new, I usually google the recipe. I read way too many recipes to find the common denominators in them and then tweak it to suit my tastes.
I then scribble a bunch of notes down and head to the kitchen, ready for a challenge!
Oh and also...I grew up cooking for 6 people and now for 5 with hopes of leftovers for hubby's lunches, so I pretty much don't make anything that will feed less than that!

So here we go!
Don't worry, you don't need the exact instructions. I know how to play and I will teach you!!

I am gonna give you a simple no hassle version that you can change up as your kitchen skills progress.

Shepard's Pie for beginners!
*Finely chop one small onion and 2 cloves of garlic
* Saute over medium heat in your favorite oil until clear.
(See how generous I am...putting onion there in the recipe so you will know where it goes!! I don't even buy onions, let alone cook with them. I am opposed to the taste, in case you haven't caught onto that by reading yet.)
*Add 1 lb. lean ground beef, cooking and stirring until the beef is well browned.

In the meantime...
Let's create basic mashed potatoes, which will serve as the lid on your meat sauce.
*Chop 4-6 potatoes into consistently sized pieces. (This is important, you want them to cook at the same rate.)
*Put them in salted water to boil.
*When they are fork tender, drain them, add a bit of butter (uhhhh maybe 3T),
milk (not too much at first, careful...soupy potatoes are blech!),
salt and pepper and mash them to your favorite mashed tater consistency.
I like 'em smooth and thick, with lots of pepper!

Now back to your meat...
*Drain off the excess fat
*Add about 2T. flour (Wondra Flour is best here because it is fine and light.)
Stir this about, cooking the flour gently for a couple of minutes. This is going to help thicken your cooking liquid later.

I personally like a tomato based sauce so this is where I choose to put in a can of tomato sauce, or tomato puree, or petite diced tomatoes, depending on what I happen to have in the cabinet. The 10 to 12 ounce can is what I mean. You could choose however to put in a few Tablespoons of tomato paste and a cup or so of beef broth if you like it less red. Or for that matter a few squirts of ketchup, a dash of Worcestershire and some beef broth would do. This is a point where I have to leave it to you to come up with what you like best with the options I can throw out there for you. But for the sake of beginners trying this for the first time and that what this recipe is all about, lets just say...
*add one can of tomato sauce, stirring to incorporate into the meat mixture.

This is going to thicken a bit because of that flour we added earlier.
*Now is the time to season to taste. Obvious choices are salt and pepper.
If you are feeling a bit creative then add in a pinch or two of thyme, maybe a bit more garlic, and parsley flakes are some to consider.
I remember when I first got married I had salt, pepper, garlic, and celery seed to season with.
Oh, and this...

...I grew up in Louisiana, don't know how to make Gumbo without it!

Here is my next ingredient suggestion, for ease of use. No Salt added Veg-all.


This comes in cans and in the freezer section. But we are talking easy here so go with the no salt added canned version. This is simply chopped veggies (no onions).
As you get farther along in your journey you may choose to work in frozen vegetables or even fresh. Some days easiest is best, in that case go for the veg-all.

*Add 2 cans Veg-all to the meat mixture and stir to coat the veggies with the sauce.
When this is heated through, taste again to check the seasoning.
Add more spices if needed at this time.

*Set your oven to 350*
Pour the meat mixture into a casserole pan something like this. A 9x13 is a bit too big for this but would do in a pinch, I just really like how it looks in an oval!! Call me crazy.
*Next take your prepared mashed potatoes and spread them in a nice even layer across the top of the meat mixture.
*Add a generous layer of shredded cheddar on top of the potatoes.

*Put this into the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until you see the liquid bubbling at the edges of the pan.
It may take 12 minutes, it make take 25. The goal is to get it hot all together and to have the cheese melty!
Serve this with a loaf of bread and a side salad.

Now, you realize this is gonna feed 6 people.
Or 2 people for 3 days, or 3 people for 2 days, or 4 people who are very, very, very hungry!
It is a lot of food, so invite someone over to eat!

Boy, oh boy, I sure hope this turns out good for someone!
I think if you taste it all along and find it yummy, then all yummy things combined together should make one big pan of yumminess...in theory right?!?

Good luck and happy cooking!!

Promises, promises

It has been a crazy week.
Our new little doggie had her girly surgery on Monday and didn't do at all well with recovery.
Here it is Thursday and I am just now gaining my life back.
In bits and pieces.
I feel out of whack and off.
I decided to go ahead and post anyway, seeing as how it is real life and some days you just get what you get.
So, if it is less than wonderful writing today...blame it on the dog!
Having her snoozing in her happy place crate next to me at the computer, unable to wander about helps bunches!!

Guess what??
In my efforts to get off of the boring road of cooking that I have been traveling lately...I bought some new things at the grocery store.
For instance...
How many times have you seen a chef on Food Network bust out the Panko Bread Crumbs?
Well, if you don't happen to watch Food Network like some foodie nerds around here, you may have never even heard of Panko.
I see it all the time.
I always think...I wish I had Panko at my house so I could make that.
Well, now I do!!
Now, if only I could remember what they were cooking.
Well, when the opportunity presents itself, I will have them.

And then I chose Chilpoltle Peppers in Adobo sauce. Those chefs are always chopping up those peppers and dropping them in all kinds of yummy looking dishes.
I just bet if I google Rachel Ray, there will be plenty of recipes to choose from there.

The last new item...Pablano peppers.
Just to look at their lovely dark green shapes makes me happy.
My kids were amazed at this new gorgeous pepper.
"What is this??" they proclaimed.
(It was like the first time they saw an onion at a friends house...just raw wonder at this never before seen item.)
I am trying to figure out a recipe which these kids will eat, but will please my desire to have some sort of fantastic creation!!
A layered enchilada casserole?
A stuffed pepper?
A chicken and pepper sauce over rice?
Actually, I think what I will do, is just cook what I think sounds yummiest and they can all deal with it!!!
Insert evil Chef Jen laugh here... Bwaaahaaahaaaa ha ha.

I am not being cruel here, I had an epiphany the other day!

I chose to make Shepard's Pie the day of the doggie surgery, because I knew I could prep it ahead of time and pop it in the oven. I filled it with lean ground beef, carrots, corn, green beans, peas, and a yummy tomato based sauce, topped with mashed potatoes and some cheddar...you know, classic full meal in a bowl!
I figured my kids would all just push it around their plates and fuss about how awful it was.
Not so...

They all thanked me for making a meal and acknowledged that it was a satisfactory effort based on the notion that I was trying to be a good pet owner; taking care of one very upset puppy, while still taking the time to put a decently healthy meal on the table.

So, I think the time has come to branch out from safe, kid friendly meals and head down the road of experimenting with new flavors and ingredients.
If they don't like something, I can just blame it on the dog!!!

Here are some other things that I am planning to do, when the time and energy present themselves.

I want to try the recipes from the back of the King Arthur flour packages.
*No-knead 100% whole wheat bread
and
*The very best fudge brownies ever (My oldest son found this recipe and put it in a place of prominence while making hearty speculations about how wonderful brownies would be. Subtle!)

I also want to make and record for you (finally) that recipe for wonderful pizza crust that I promised ages ago.

And, a friend of mine gave me some spices that are calling to me to be experimented with.
Just what does one use sumac for???
I plan to find out and tell ya about that.

In a bit I am gonna sneak downstairs and try this recipe for Peanut Butter Balls which I was happy to run across at Chocolate Broccoli, a new blog I am enjoying. This was the topic of her blog entry this morning. I am also gonna try a version with chocolate peanut butter and a dash of vanilla. This recipe calls for powdered milk, which I normally don't have on hand, but happened to purchase the other day because the aforementioned wheat bread recipe calls for it. Nice how things work out like that, right??

So much to do, so little time.
I need a nap!

Never in a million years...

Deciding on colors for my kitchen was a big deal as it is the place where I spend the better part of my waking life.
My goal is to incorporate the green from the living room as well as navy blue, and a crisp and fun turquoise.
I have this problem with designing the perfect fabric in my head then not being able to find just the right thing based on my preconceived ideas!
But I want what I want, ya know.

My (yet another) sweet sister in law took me shopping the other day in search of a housewarming present.

We had driven by Sur La Table earlier in the day and seen the "summer clearance sale" sign in the window, which is where we decided to start our search.
My goal...the perfect kitchen towel.
She thought I was a bit crazy, knowing I could shop away for something wonderful, but was choosing to look for simple towels.

But it is more than a towel to me, more than just a drape of fabric over a rod.
It is a statement of who the kitchen is.
A declaration of attitude and flair.

As all shoppers are want to do...we started in the "sale" section.
There, on the bottom shelf, among the other summer fun towels, one called out to me.

My heart began to beat quickly as I caught sight of it.
Could it be true?
Could this be what I was looking for?
Could this possibly be the end of my perfect towel quest???

I leaned over to take a closer look and heard it call out to me again, this towel of wonder.

This my friends was not just any towel, it was THE towel.
Perfect crisp stripes of turquoise, navy blue and okra green on a white background.
A large, generously sized towel, made for whisking away moisture from hands and dishes alike.
A towel ready to take a brazen position of honor in my kitchen.
(A towel on sale!!!)

Sigh...

A towel made of 100% cotton.


Which frankly, must be ironed to have a brazen appearance, otherwise it just looks like a crumpled shabby mess!!

But, iron I will.
Never in a million years would I have ever, ever thought that statement would be coming out of my mouth about kitchen towels.
But if you gotta have towel perfection, then you gotta have it.

Have a great weekend!!

Frantic mistake

I was frantically cooking dinner the other night when the phone rang.
It was my sweet neighbor from our old neighborhood who has since moved to some Carolina state. I never can remember which one it is, just suffice it to say, it is way to far away for me!!!
She was also frantically cooking dinner and trying to accomplish cookies on top of that for company...as I understand it anyway.
Not just any cookies, my cookies from the previous weeks post.

She frantically asked "Are there really no eggs in these cookies???"
I frantically answered "Oh, my!!! You must be kidding me, I didn't include eggs in the recipe???"

My heart dropped to my stomach.
I knew I had!!
I remembered typing it out on the printable recipe sheet.

Well, she didn't print out the recipe sheet, but frantically scribbled out the recipe straight from the post!!

I have since frantically corrected this mistake on the post, and apologize profusely (and frantically) for any of you who didn't have my phone number to call and check on the recipe!!

Catching up

I am happy to say that I got my grocery shopping accomplished.
The fun purchase of the day was 3 new flower pots.

Oh, I know that is not grocery store fare, but I was at Wal-mart and had seen an orange pot that I really really wanted for a specific new plant that we have.
A friend gave us this foursome of plants in one pot at our housewarming party and I have been wanting to separate them to spread the plant love around the house.

I know orange is not a well loved color by too many people, but I am not scared of it and don't mind it at all right smack dab in the big middle of everything!!! Color tends to lend to my happiness quite a bit.
Taking pictures with my cell phone, emailing them to myself, saving them on the computer, adding them as a lame image to my blog...not so much.
Yes, I am still bewildered by the madness and my dear husband has far more truly important things to tend to, so I will suffer on.
But, as I was saying...orange pot...

This plant was the least favorite of mine in the grouping, but I have come to really appreciate it.
It has a fantastic array of yellows, reds, oranges, and greens.
Anyone know what this is called? I did a quick search and couldn't find it in images.



Ahhhhh, here is a shot of the "beautiful" Galveston beach I was telling you about yesterday.
All that clumpy brown stuff is the piles of seaweed. I would say it was a good 7-8 feet laid out on the sand, for as far as you could see.
It was scratchy
and...
well...
I can hardly believe it, but I cannot find words to describe it well enough for you to get how disturbed I was by it.
I might need counseling to get over it.
I hate to speak too badly of it, because it is just a natural occurrence that I happened to get into the middle of. It is not the seaweeds fault that I showed up on the beach that day to play.
Okay, I am moving on from this ridiculous topic!

Now to introduce you to Shelby.

She was very funny this morning as I tried to take her picture.
She is a bit of a prissy princess and was not in the mood for photos.
(Please disregard my sons black boat sized shoes there in the background, they are now put away!)

My daughter picked out a super cozy PINK dog bed for her. She refused, I mean all out totally and completely refused to lay in it. She has however decided that the green blanket with the little cat embroidered on it is just fine.
Prissy princess dogs...humph!!

I think she comes from a one woman family, and is having a bit of a time adjusting to all the love available to her. It is neat to see her little by little trust that the kids have her best interest at heart. I was thrilled that she let my oldest son take her out for a potty break today. She immediately dashed right back in to my side, but progress was made!!

Oh, and by the way I swept and vacuumed first thing this morning.
Wait a minute, let me translate that.
After I had several cups of coffee I swept and vacuumed.
Not much happens around here before the coffee, so if in the future I use the expression "first thing this morning" be assured that it carries the inference of coffee consumption.
So the floor is all fresh and ready for the next assault and I feel good about it being clean.
Win win!!

Well, that catches you up a bit for now.

FYI, I am finding myself stuck in a recipe rut and am determined to get out of it, so watch for that in the coming weeks.

'til next time!!