Grief that brings us together 12/14/12

Well as usual; I'm behind. After seeing FB posts I turned on the news and then had to sit with Kendall and explain why I was crying, and what happened. The 1st thing I did was hold her; and pray. I prayed for everyone affected, their parents, their siblings, their family and friends for everyone. We are all affected, this is obvious. Grief draws people together, as we cannot make sense of this all we can do is pray our Heavenly Father sends comfort to those who need it; ask for it and for those who need Him to know Him. This is yet another sign: DO NOT TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED... FORGIVE...TELL PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM.... BE THE BEST YOU... THAT YOU CAN BE..... God bless each and everyone of you tonight, there is not a soul I know I have not covered in prayer. Heaven gathered many Angels today.

Egg Salad Sandwich

Egg Salad is one of my family favorites!  It brings back loving memories of my Grandmother making it for my school lunches.  I would sit at the bar talking to her while she would get my lunch ready.  She was an amazing woman and such a huge part of my life.

I got a lot of my cooking skills from her that's for sure.  Grandmother was for sure the down home country cook and my mother made some but liked to dabble in more elegant like Roasted Duck etc... 

My husband, daughter and myself love egg salad.  To me it tastes like deviled eggs and we love those and want them more than just at the holidays so we eat these sandwiches off and on all year!  While my Grandmother would boil just 2 eggs to make my sandwich I boil usually 8 to 12 eggs for us!
So here's how to have a quick, easy and delicious egg salad sandwich!

Ingredients: Eggs

Mayonaise 

Mustard ( we like Dijon for the added flavor)

Lemon Pepper

Dill Weed

Boil Eggs - the secret to boiling a good egg is bring the water to a full boil then add your eggs; carefully one at a time and return to full boil for exactly 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain and rinse in cold water.  

I just dump them into a colander in the sink and run water over them. They are cooked and the shell comes off easily. 

Peeled and ready to mash!

Start mashing, this day I just used a fork (but normally use my pastry blender or potato masher) dice, smash, whatever you like just break them up to get your preferred texture.

All smashed up and ready to get dressed up with all those good spices!  

Here's where you make it your own.  I do not measure.  Where my Grandmother would use Mayonaise a little mustard, salt and pepper.  

I use a generous scoop of Mayonaise, a little less of the Dijon Mustard, sprinkle lemon pepper all over the top and then a lot of dill weed.  

Dill Weed is a special ingredient that just gives it a wonderful fresh flavor.  We all love it and I use it in Mac-n-Cheese too!  Kendall actually requests it!  

 So you blend in your ingredients to taste and load it up on what ever type bread you like and enjoy!

I often thank God for letting me have so much time with my Grandmother because I have so many memories with her and lots of them were centered around her in the kitchen, me at the bar which looked into the kitchen watching and learning from one of the greatest women who I've ever met and that God graced me to be a part of her life.  

A funny note:  She would send these sandwiches to school with me and honestly everyone would be grossed out by the smell thinking my lunch smelled like a toot!  The funny part is that it was all I could do to keep others from taking my "stinky" sandwich.  They all loved it!  :)

Caramel Apple Snack Mix

Caramel Apple Snack Mix...........Fall Snacks are fun, festive and so easy!  

Fall is such a fun time of year for many reasons like the cool weather, football, pumpkins, falling leaves, sweater weather, finally get to wear pants, apple pies, bonfires, s'mores, hot chocolate, warm apple cider, apple pies and my list goes on and on and this kick's off the Holiday Season and it just doesn't get better than this!  With this said I'm in full baking mode and one of the 1st things I make every year is this Caramel Apple Snack Mix.

This is a super easy, delicious and fun to share with friends recipe and so I am posting/sharing it for the first time.  Wishing you fun in making this as it is so easy and my daughter loves to help get it ready!  Let me know what you think if you try it!

So here are the ingredients you will need to make this fall snack.
1st:  Get a Large Roasting Pan to put all your dry ingredients in.

7 cups of popped popcorn
4 cups Crispix Cereal
4 cups Apple Jacks Cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick of butter = 1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In large roasting pan, combine popcorn, cereals and peanuts; set aside.  Preheat Oven to 250 degrees.

 In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; bring to a rolling boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.

Cook without stirring until mixture turns a medium amber color, about 8 minutes.  Then remove from heat; quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy.

See, when you add the baking soda it puffs up a little and looks like caramel!   Light and foamy;  Ooo la la! My daughter thinks this is the coolest of the stages~ and~I agree!

I actually snapped this while I was stirring!

IMMEDIATELY  pour over cereal mixture and stir to coat.  ( the peanuts seem to stay at bottom and this is okay)

Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  This will get those little peanuts coated and make everything nice and crispy!  :)

   Spread mixture onto baking sheet to cool completely.  Now you can store for gift giving surprises or just
   enjoy!  We usually keep half and package the other 1/2 in different ways to share!  Enjoy and beware...
   you will be asked for this recipe again and again!

"Under the Sea" happy dinner

With Finding Nemo 3D coming out this Friday, September 14, 20120  I was inspired to do a fun dinner from my childhood that my Grandmother and Mom used to make for me. If you want a quick, easy and yummy dinner that brings smiles just looking at it this is the one!!

I made this and our daughter asked me to please make this again and again, even my husband went back for seconds. Here it is and the tutorial to guide you too! Enjoy!!

Just look how cute these Octopus Hot Dogs on Mac-n-Cheese and Green Beans is!  We love their smiles and they make us smile!  Looks like these guys are holding hands!  :)

30 minutes start to finish for a dinner that will give you joy serving as your family smiles at these cuties!

Hot Dogs
Mac-n-Cheese ( I use Kraft) 
Frozen Green Beans

I open the bag of green beans and put into a microwave safe bowl and steam them for 20 minutes

2 pots filled with water on stove to boil. 
 I get all the things ready for the Mac-N-Cheese to be made.

While the water is coming to a boil I put 2 slits into top of hot dog for the eyes

Then I make another slit under the eye for their smiles 

Then about 1 inch under the smiles I make a slit down the middle to start their legs

Then lift the hot dog up put onto cutting board and carefully cut more legs I make 8 legs

By the time you've gotten through slicing your hot dogs ( I make 6 for the 3 of us) your water should be boiling!

Now add the hot dogs to the boiling water one at a time!  Easy!  Just plop them in doesn't matter how!  This is also when I add my macaroni for the Mac-N-Cheese, they cook about the same time 10 minutes... I prepare the Mac-N-Cheese right before I take the hot dogs out.  I add Dill Weed to our Mac-N-Cheese for taste...

When the Octopus look like star fish they are ready!  Now use tongs get them out and put them onto your plate and be ready for your family to be pleasantly surprised!

Gummy Yummy's

       We love Gummy Bears around here, we always have and always will.  It's amazing that always
the clear one's which I think are pineapple are the first to go.  I try to pick a few and eat them before
they are all gone.  So among some of my many pins I had one for Gummy Bears and decided to make
them tonight because Kendall has her friend spending the night and they always eat the gummy bear stash!
So quick and easy I am impressed!  The girls sampled them about 20 minutes after making them and
they are a big hit!  We are excited about going to the store and letting each girl pick their favorite flavor
and making them again!


Gummy Candy




   

Christmas in July

I have loved Christmas my entire life and it is very big in our family. The other day we were at Brookshires buying something to make for dinner and Kendall comes running up to me and says "Mommy they have Blue Bell Christmas in July Ice Cream!" with her big blue-green eyes filled with excitement.

Tugging at my arm please can we please get some? Please!? How could I say no? So I read the package and it talked about Christmas cookies, chocolate chip, snicker-doodle, sugar cookies, frosting and sprinkles in the ice cream. You guessed it I couldn't get it home quick enough to have some!!

As I'm not much of an ice cream eater Kendall and I finished it in 2 days. David had a bowl :) it is that good.There are actually tiny cookies in it!! We all love it and couldn't pick our favorite cookie because they were all so good.

So if you want a quick Christmas treat in the hot summer try this for it will put a smile on your face and a little Christmas joy in your heart :)

Grandma's Recipes - fried okra

Memories of my Grandmother are always in my heart and close by. I don't think a day goes by she doesn't cross my mind for one reason or another.

Today I'm making one of her dishes a family favorite of ours for sure. **this recipe is not heart <3 healthy but it is made with love and patience because that is exactly what it takes!
Love because I loved it as a child, as did my Father. I remember my Grandmother making home made fried okra and me sitting on the bar stool watching, talking and learning from her as she sliced, breaded and fried the okra till it was cooked to the point of being crunchy!

I'm not kidding it takes a couple of hours in order to follow her recipe. She laid them flat and used a fork to turn them individually as do I. This step is what it takes to cook them all evenly as she did. I walk off and do something else while they fry in the skillet and it works well.

Patience well to spend the time it takes frying them speaks for itself. I never understood why we only had in once in a while, maybe a couple of times a year. Now grown, fixing it myself I totally get it. It is a special treat.

The funny thing is that as the smell of it fills your kitchen the 1st batch is always eaten because it takes so long so she always cooked enough for 3-4 batches and so do I.

Okay here's the recipe, simple as that!

• Fresh Okra sliced or Frozen sliced; thawed in a bowl

• Sprinkle with Kosher Salt and then
• Pour Cornmeal over it.
• Use your hands and make sure every piece is coated. Just keep adding until they are covered. 

Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in pan or electric skillet till frying temperature.
( test with a popcorn kernel it will pop or the end of a wooden spoon, bubbles will be all over the bottom )

Put okra into hot oil 1/2 " deep in single layer; fry until brown, then using a fork flip over the pieces that are most done 1st. Let go until they are brown. I say about 30 minutes; then scoop them out onto paper towel lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with more Kosher Salt.

Enjoy!

Delicious Cheese and Corn Dip

My mother in law has made this dip
Over the years and I just love it! The taste and texture are enjoyed by u all so here it is:
1 14oz Can Corn; drained
1 2 cup package Finely Shredded Mexican Blend or Sharp Cheddar
1 or 2 jalepeno's seeded and diced
1/2 cup salsa we like medium
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
1/4 pepper

Drain corn and put into large bowl, add the rest of ingredients and chill for best flavor. Then enjoy with your favorite chips and or crackers and enjoy! This only last 1 day in our house!

Angel Food and PineApple Muffins

Ok, it's a hot sunny summer day here in Texas. We came in from church and had our friend Chris at the gate waiting for us! A nice surprise and the 1 time I didn't take my phone with me! Thank the Lord we have shade on the outside of the gate where he was waiting.

While David and Chris were talking I decided to try out another pinned recipe. I've often been confused at what makes a muffin different from a cupcake? After talking with my husband and daughter our thinking is muffin = no icing. So there you go, simple as this recipe as well.

2 Step Muffins
Angel Food and Pineapple

1 box Angel Food
1 14 oz can Crushed Pineapple

Mix together well, batter gets light and fluffy. Fill muffin pan with liners the. Full with the fluffy batter. Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Keep an eye on them and enjoy a fat free muffin with delicious flavor!!

Biscuit Donuts

I remember these from when I was a kid. My grandmother used to make them when she wanted something quick and easy. I forgot until I pinned a recipe the other day. So easy ad delish!
1 can biscuits ( non-flaky )
Vegetable Oil
Sugar
Cinnamon

I used my electric skillet and covered the bottom in oil.
* use the bottom of a wood spoon to test temperature for frying, little bubbles will be all over the butt of the spoon*

They were so quick and easy. I used the standard biscuit size and cut a hole with my apple corer, you could just have them e a puff but we like the donut holes almost as much as the donuts themselves.

Heat the oil, test with bottom of wood spoon

Open and separate biscuits cut out holes if desired

Mix about 1 cup of sugar and enough cinnamon to turn sugar a little brown.

Fry donuts till they puff a little and you can tell they are brown on bottom. Then flip ad brown the other side.

Remove from oil then dip into sugar mix and enjoy!! They really do melt in your mouth! Enjoy!

Deer

Oh, how I love seeing God's beauty all around! I was taking Kendall to her VBS (Vacation Bible School) and driving down our driveway when something big and orange caught my eye out by our pond/tank.

How exciting! It never gets old to see a beautiful deer just looking patiently at us. I stopped, the deer and I just looked at one another. We drove on down to the gate and Kendall realized she had forgotten her "Bible" glasses she made last night. It's almost 6 and that's when she's supposed to be there but the church is just 1 mile down the road so I turned around in hopes I could get a picture of the wonderful deer we had just seen.

Thrilled I got my iPhone camera ready and saw her still there nibbling the brush and by the water in the tank. I stopped and took my picture! I would love to have a real camera but am so blessed to have this phone that has one in it! So I'd like to share the graceful wild animal that posed for me!!

Oh and we still got to VBS with our Bible glasses on and on time!!

Pumpkin-Muffins

My family and I love fall, the cool weather, the smell of rain, the seasonal vegetables and fruits and the break from our Texas summer heat!  With that said my Fall Board on Pintrest has many pins.  Anything says pumpkin and I'm all over it!  I just love the word pumpkin, all the different sizes and all the things you can do with them!  From their beautiful orange colors of fall and the decorating things you can do, baking, eating, carving or using as a soup bowl they are just one of my all time favorite things!!  With that said let me share the most simple, delightful, moist, delicious, quick and simple PUMPKIN MUFFINS.... a weight watchers special!!  No eggs, Oil needed just cake mix and a can of pumpkin!  Woo Hoo!!  p.s.  all were gone in 2 days and for a family of 3 that's a big deal!! 


I am so looking forward to making it with the Spiced Cake mix and the Chocolate Cake mix too!






http://sweet-verbena.blogspot.com/2011/08/pumpkin-muffins.html

Curried Cauliflower

This recipe we tried the night before last was simple, easy and good.  However, it didn't taste
like popcorn to us but we will make it again because it is also good for you!  Enjoy and let me know what
you think?  Comments welcome....  p.s.  I just figured out how to put the picture and the link in!  I'm so excited!  It's just the little things that make me smile and bring joy  :)



http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/07/curried-cauliflower-popcorn.html 

Country Living/Grasshopperville

First, you have to understand I am totally freaked out by grasshoppers!  We live in Texas and on acreage.  Unfortunately as I have mentioned before we don't have a tractor.  So the grasshoppers just love our yard.  My daughter who is 11 has discovered thanks to her father how to really scare me!  She runs through the yard and they fly every which way all over the place and she laughs as I shutter at what she is doing!!

When we leave our house we have one gate that surrounds the house.  We have to get out to open it and she is doing this for me as the grasshoppers are all around.  We drive down the driveway and it is like the parting of the Red Sea I kid you not!  They end up on my hood, my windshield wipers and it's just freaky!  Well I don't get out to do the gate at the road I ask my daughter to do it.  She is such a great help and I have raised her not to have a fear of them since she was a baby.  I thank God she does so well with it and I get tickled at her humor!  It's just like her father's my sweet husband.

Well yesterday my husband and I took her into Forth Worth and met her grand parents for their spend the night visit.  David and I enjoyed our day together and have a special quiet date night.  He had to work on Sunday/today.  So I needed to get out and when those things started flying everywhere I finally got the way to do it!  I drove all the way to the gate, let them fly, then put the car in reverse, backed up a little and drove up to the gate again!  Woo Hoo!! Grasshoppers were no where by me!  This was very exciting!!  Now I've been doing Pintrest and going to test some of my pins to get rid of them!  We shall see how this goes and I'll post my findings!  Till then, have a wonderful day!

Well as the summer days get hotter it is so nice to have rain showers blow in!  We went from 99 to 80 within a few minutes today.  The gusts of wind were incredible and knocked over our shade umbrella and blew sand around to look like dirt tornado's blowing around.  As we went out today to get some Olive Oil and 4 spray bottles to complete all my Pintrest pins or something else requiring a spray bottle I had to stay in my care through our gate from grasshopper fear.....

We live in a rural area; we are on acreage and unfortunately do not have a tractor to keep the wild brush down.  After 10 years hear I have to admire my husband tremendously for the amount of work he puts into keeping my daughter and I out of a jungle forest of Mesquite trees and every large prairie grass, weed or cactus you can imagine!  Let me see if I can explain a little.  Here is some of my back yard.....  as you can see we do have neighbors but we only see them from a distance.

This photo was taken right before we got some much needed rain.  The sky is always so beautiful and amazing I photograph it a lot.  I am amazed at God's beauty all around.  The weeds are not tall in this photo I will have to take one of what we have now to share what we see now.


I pinned on my Pintrest Board under Gardening or Helpful Solutions the recipes for the 4 spray bottles I desire to make and use/try.  Please forgive me if I do not link them right as I don't know how.  I am trying and learning as I go and very new to this whole thing.  I do keep the original pins and refer back to them for correct credit.  


I look forward to showing the up-grown area we now live in and God bless my husband for keeping our fenced in yard mowed with his push mower.  He spends around 3 hours a weekend doing just that on top of working over 40 hours plus his 2nd part time job!  Thank God he loves what he does and the people he works with!  I agree, they are wonderful and he is happy.

My PAM / Home made oil spray

Found this on Pintrest and had to try it too! Saving money is a big deal these days and trying all I can to save in areas I can and at the same time cut down on chemicals and go more natural. So I made this spray as I'm always out of my oil spray when I need it and never have liked the chemicals that come with it! So I followed a pin and this is what I have.
1 part Olive Oil
5 parts water ( I used Ozarka)
Shake before spraying and we will see how it goes!  I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS!! IT TURNED FOGGY AND WE THROUGH IT AWAY!!!!

Peanut Butter Banana Toast

Wheat bread, toasted, top with peanut butter, sliced bananas, I drizzled honey on top and we enjoy them and they are now a breakfast staple.

Bandaid Get Well Card

I have made several and I think these are so cute and a fun way to brighten the persons day. All you need is:
- 3 or so band aids
- Google eyes; different sizes, colors be creative
- card stock
- glue

Cut the top and bottom of band aids off then place them where you want. Glue the google eyes.

Write your well wishes inside.
I go this from my Pintrest board I think under For kids. Great idea I like using.

I now know how to link so wanted to share where I got my idea from.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8296413@N05/2449674157/

I could not attach the photo but it is on my Pintrest Board Things I've Done/Learned from Pintrest :)

Banana Hanger

Because I've misplaced my banana tree I decided to use our paper towel holder to hang the bananas on in ripening stages! Quick fix and they are off the counter!

Banana Cream Dessert

We just love bananas and recipes that use them.  I stumbled across this recipe for a Banana Cream Dessert from my Taste Of Home back in 2003!  IT was a favorite and so easy I wanted to share it with.  Okay, here goes.

4 medium firm bananas, sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream  (I use light) a msall
1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Optional: 1/3 cup peanuts, pecans or walnuts for garnish and a little crunch :)

Toss bananas with lemon juice; drain well and set aside.  In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.  Press into 9" spring-form pan.  ( you could use a square baker too)
In a small mixing bowl, beat the sour cream and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes.  Fold in bananas and whipped topping.  Pour into prepared crust.  Chill for up to 6 hours.  Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Enjoy!

My little family did and it was gone almost as quick as I made it!

p.s. I'm still working to figure out how to add photos, buttons, tabs and all!  I'm such a newby I'm just excited I've gotten this far!  Hang with me it will be fun!

Welcome to my 1st Blog Day

6/28/2012


Today is the first day of my blog Sunshine Joy & Smiles :) What a wonderful day!  I was getting my 2nd cup of coffee this morning and looked out the window to spot a deer by our
daughter's tire swing in the back yard!  She was a beautiful doe.  She looked as though she saw us but I think the only reason her head turned was because my Pomeranian Holly Berry was barking to come back inside!  What a great way to start our day!


I tried 2 new Pinterest things today and sorry to say for us they just weren't at all what I thought they would be.  I will learn how to upload photos, instructions and more as I can!  May your Friday be filled with unexpected joy and blessings....