Monday, April 23, 2012

Here's the youtube video she made the day Reagan came to Birdeye.  He's adorable and gets to go to his forever home on May 2!

Biscuit's Birthday IMovie, Birdeye

Monday, April 23, 2012
This is the Imovie Chloe made of yesterday's partee...it's funny and there's another one she wants me to put on here...all the grass scenes are from a mole the dogs were trying to get among other things.  Let it load once then try and watch it a second time!

Biscuit's Birfday Partee, Birdeye

Here's foster dog Reagan gettin a bath...he is a water dog
and did very well in the tub, we could tell he's been
in there before

Chloe has a great way with the dogs....

A great shot of Reagan...

Chloe's babysitting Gumball's brother who lives up the street,
he is house trained and Gumball isn't, interesting....
Max has excellent manners in the tub!

The party...Back row: Maggie Miller, Kate Davis, Margaret
Woodruff, Chloe with Biscuit and Whit
Middle: Anna Claire Dallas and Kelly Glover
Front row: Stella, Rose Meyer and Julia Shepherd

Our tradition of "Pin the Tail on Pudge" was a big hit
I think, here's Kelly Glover

Here's Coco doing it too while Whit watched...

Here's another BFF Kate Davis who ended up winning the
closest pin the tail on pudge...

The cake was DELICIOUS and made by Cathy Helton,  btw

This side of the table (can you see that we painted it when
Chloe turned 7 with her friends, a great project)...A big thanks
to Joy for helping with the party!

This side of the table with Chloe's poster of Pudge in Stripes

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Happy Earth Day Ya'll!  What a great day it was having Chloe's friends over and her cousins to celebrate Biscuit's 6th birfday.  He loved having people over and was a good host.  We had Margaret Woodruff, Maggie Miller, Kelly Glover, Anna Claire Dallas, Kate Davis, Julia Shepherd, Rose Jackson, Whit and Stella and uninvited Sicily, the Dalmatian, came over starting fights, we were all glad when her grumpy tail left.  We played our traditional game, Pin the Tail on Pudge.  It was great fun even though everyone was around 11 years old.  I wonder how long we'll do these parties....BUT it was fun.  Chloe asked for no gifts but just to recycle an old dog toy and take one of Biscuit's back or to recycle flip flops for the needy.  Some girls participated but it was really about the girls getting together and hanging out.  No one cared about taking a dog toy, they were excited about making Imovies with Chloe's Ipad.  I'll try and put them on here.  It was sure a beautiful day! :)

Pecan Crusted Salmon, Birdeye

This salmon is so stinking delicious and super easy

Chloe's working on a Social Studies Project about the Civil War
and Jackie found this first edition dating to 1890

Another great cookbook, it's big, like
everything in Texas

Stella and August came over during Whit's ball practice..
Biscuit tolerates August and Reagan loves all kids

The latest foster from the Birdeye Store, Whit promptly
names him Junior Pretzel Smith since that's what he was eating
over there....he's adorable and so skinny, he's in isolation right now

He was starving, Whit loves Junior

Whit's uniform looks like the Yankees'

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Holy Smokes....I just found the best and so easy Salmon recipe in the world!  I found it in my bff's cookbook Dallas Dish, from Leigh Anne Cloud Haugh's Junior League of Dallas.  I've had this cookbook for a while and have used recipes periodically and was super pumped about tonight's fish.  It's so easy and I promise that you will have all the ingredients....here's how it goes...

Pecan Crusted Salmon, Dallas Dish

2 T. Dijon Mustard
2 T. butter, melted
4 t. honey, I used barely 2 t.
1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs, I pulsed some stale bread in a blender
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
2 t. fresh chopped parsley and I added 2 t. fresh chopped rosemary
4 (4-6 oz) salmon fillets, I used just 2 and needed all this topping, just sayin
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine mustard, butter and honey and mix well.  Toss bread crumbs, pecans and parsley (and in my case the rosemary too).  Season the Salmon with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet (I sprayed mine with pam and it was totally worth it).

Brush fillets with butter mixture and pat the bread crumb mixture over the top of the fillet (now I use skinless salmon and did both sides, the reason I ran out of crust).  Bake for 10 minutes at 450 or until the salmon just begins to flake easily (I baked at 400 for 12 minutes and it was perfection, same difference!).  You may prepare in advance and store covered in the refrigerator.  Bake just before serving.  Serves 4.  (I did keep in refrig since Jackie got home late and it was great, I can see how easy it would be to keep it in the refrig before serving).

I served this with a baked orange potato (I think I cannot call this a sweet potato since it's totally not sweet), green beans and a arugula salad with salted pecans and lemme tell you, delish!!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Birdeye

If there could be a scratch and sniff it would work here!

Chloe about to add my homemade vanilla to the batter...

These eggs are from our chickens...

One of our girls....

Gumball...my nemesis....

Chloe took this of Biscuit in the hole she dug...cracks me up!

Kara and I rode 35 miles Saturday....we both were
scheduled to work that day and it worked out!
Notice that bulge on my hip...it's my phone clip!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Chloe helped me make this pound cake, she's gotten quite good around the kitchen.  It could be because we watch the Food Network's show Chopped.  I've come home to many a concotions since watching that show.  Anyhow, I usually don't make this cake unless someone has just had a baby but it's so easy and I had all the ingredients so I picked it for dessert after church Sunday.  We invited our interim minister Bill Branch over for lunch. He is just a wonderful person and minister, we enjoyed visiting with he and Jim Shaver who also came over for lunch.  We laughed and laughed!

Ok, here's how it goes:

1 C. butter, softened (that's 2 sticks)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
2-1/2 C. sugar
3 C. flour, sifted (I use all purpose)
6 eggs, room temperature
1 t. vanilla
dash salt

Cream butter and cream cheese over medium pace in your mixer.  Gradually add sugar then add one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Gradually add flour then vanilla and salt.

Pour batter into a greased bunt pan, I use Bakers Choice spray that works better than plan Pam spray, it'll stick unless you butter and flour it if you don't have Bakers Choice.

Bake at 250 for 1-3/4 hours.  Cook on a rack for 10 minutes (don't go longer or it'll stick in the pan). Then remove from pan and cool.

I served it Sunday with Bald Knob strawberries that Jeanie gave us, it was delicious!

BBQ Chicken, Birdeye

Reagan is our latest foster, he's from Dallas.  He's a
Portuguese Water Dog and absolutely fabulous!
He gets to go to his forever home in Minnesota on May 2,
we'll miss him, but we still have 2 weeks to love on him!

Friday, April 13, 2012

I told Chloe tonight about the Farmfest youth BBQ contest and she was quite interested in competing.  This was her first time around a grill.  I believe that the competitors will have to BBQ a whole bird on a grill.  I will get her some birds this week and see if she's really serious about it.

We did two recipes today.  One was cousin Bill Raffety's North Carolina BBQ sauce.  It's a mustard base and just lovely for chicken on the barbie.  The other one is from Williams Sonoma that I found via the internet years back, here's how it goes.  The full recipe is on here under dinner, but lemme just at least show you how easy the sauce is.

Grilled Cuban Chicken Sandwiches (See under dinner the full spread)

For the sauce:
2/3 c. mayo, I always use Hellmann's and I always use light
1 T Dijon mustard
1 minced garlic clove, I always use 2
Juice of a lime
Zest of a lime
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

That's it, mix it all together and reserve about a 1/4 of it to use as a mayonnaise on your sandwich.  Marinate about an hour and grill.  (I did try this on the stove during the winter one time and it was awful, it must be done on a grill, just sayin)

Today we used chicken strips because that's all Jackie lets me keep anymore.  He doesn't like the big chicken breasts (they can be overwhelming) because they can be too large and wasteful.  Ya'll know I don't like to waiste, so we have cut back to just strips.

Chloe totally enjoyed her chicken all weekend with a side of ketchup, of course!

There is a youth division at Farmfest for BBQ, Chloe's
considering entering.  This is the first time she's ever
cooked on a grill...I think it's all that Food Network she's
been watching....she loves Chopped!

Doctor Calico loves to come inside in the afternoons,
here he is in his favorite chair, in his favorite position...

The peach tree Jackie and Chloe gave me for mother's day
2 years ago is covered in produce, we can't wait for July!

Bob's Fish and Hush Puppies, Birdeye

Our BBC group Saturday before our ride....we had a new
member of the BBC....Jon David King who was a champ
and rode his first clip-in road bike 24 miles....Yippee!

I ran into these guys in Texarkana Saturday morning on my
way home from Dallas helping a friend out with her dog.
They loved telling me they were "Team Jackass", if you look
at the photo you'll see it on their jersey.  There were about 15
riders...they were very visible and no one had a flag like mine!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Let's get down to business....Bob Hardin, Kara's dad, was in
charge of the fish fry.  He caught all of the catfish in his
backyard in Russellville.  They live on Lake Dardanelle.

Kara graciously hosted a BBC bike ride on Saturday at 3 pm.  Her mother and dad were in town for Easter and helped put on her fish fry.  I usually bring something but today just beer and wine since I was in Dallas on Friday.

Bob brought his special fryer from Russellville and did a ton of fresh catfish and hush puppies.  They both were delicious and all of us enjoyed watching him spoon out the dough for the puppies.  It was so stinking fresh and delicious!  We also added some freshly pickled jalopenos chopped up from one of Kara's customers.  It made that spicy batch even more delicious.  I got Polly's recipe for the hush puppies and Bob did the cookin'.  It was a delicious spread!

Polly's Hush Puppies and Fish technique

Use House-Autry hush puppy mix with onions.  I add about 8- 10 diced green onions for each cup of mix that I mix up.  The jalapenos were an extra treat that Keeli will know about.

The breading for the fish was just yellow corn meal with salt added.  We put it in a paper grocery bag and shake it up with the fish--a little at a time as we cook it.

Here's Bob working his tail off....I do think Martin's over there
cooking the french fries.

I cannot wait to try Bob and Polly's fish and hush puppies! Within a minute in the oil, get them out and enjoy!  Of course draining on paper towels is key!  Martin cooked 3 bags of french fries that the kids devoured and there was cole slaw and all kinds of desserts.  Cecilia made some kind of bar cookie and it was divine!

The yummy finished product...the hush puppies!

Jack is helping Jon David get ready for Martino's old Bianchi,
We are so proud he made it 24 miles!!  

PS. I hope ya'll loved the photo from those Texarkana cyclists!  Here's their website, they are all getting ready for an iron man in May!  Maybe we all need to consider one?  They have a great website: http://teamtexarkana.com/

Easter 2012, Birdeye

Jeanie's egg toss...the kids (and some adults who will
remain nameless) throw an egg onto a tree for the title
of the "best egg thrower"...

 Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter Ya'll!  Chloe was up bright and early this morning, around 6:30 to be exact.  Since she gave up chocolate for Lent, she had eaten one of her chocolate bunnies first thing, cracks me up!  It was a great Easter.  Chloe's growing up so fast but totally still believes in the tooth fairy, Santa and the Easter bunny.  Let's hope it'll stay that way for a while!  Anyhow we had a fun Sunday school class decorating the cross, hunting for eggs and listening to a story.  The service was also wonderful since our church is blessed with a great interim pastor Bill Branch.  Jeanie invited everyone over for lunch after church and it was really nice.  We haven't had it since J.Harmon gave everyone the stomach flu in 2002 and Harmon's sister blamed it on the salad I made instead.  Needless to say, no one got sick this year and I didn't make anything because I was outta town most of the weekend thank goodness.  Jeanie's egg toss was fun too.  We've always enjoyed it even in the rain a few years back when we tossed eggs off the front porch into buckets, good times.

Jackie stayed over at the farm till 7 pm watching some golf game even though we had 30 pages of Benchmark quizzes to go over (I had asked them to handle that Friday and Saturday but they didn't of course) and a piano lesson.  Whatever!  Chloe and I handled it Easter afternoon and it was good.

It was a fun Easter. There is one thing I need to work on and that is interrupting people.  I was sitting at our high class table enjoying the excellent potluck (seated were Jim and Jimmie, Bonnie Sue, Carolyn and Mick, Jeanie and Bob Hardin) and our conversation.  We were discussing multiple trips to Colorado when Jackie totally interrupted, rudely, then thankfully Jim Shaver told a good story on Bonnie that cracked us all up.  It's a great one that I'll share later.  But I doubt Jackie could have heard Jim's story because we didn't interrupt them across the room.  Whew...now I feel better!

Listening to Margaret Woodruff read the Easter story
before decorating the cross

Dying the eggs....

I thought this would be a great photo...

Egg hunting.....August is so cute!

Chloe holding August during the cross
decorating, there's Julia Shepherd who
went with us to church and Seth Poindexter

Easter Egg hunt over at Kara's

I'm not sure which bunny this is...but Whit has 2 lop bunnies
(yes, Chloe's growing up!)

Memaw started letting the kids drive down her gravel road
and Chloe always asks us....she does pretty good over
the bridges that used to scare her 

Easter at Wynne Presbyterian includes decorating the
cross with flowers representing life with Jesus raised from
the dead.  There was an egg hunt right after....

Decorating the cross...yes Chloe loves to baby August

I can't crop this photo but here's a group shot after lunch
at Jeanie and Harmon's...Jeanie brought back the old tradition
of having Winnie Bob's brother Jim Shaver and family out
along with Harmon's two sisters that live in Wynne and Birdeye.
There were 28 there including Kara's parents

Jackie hates photographs...

Roasted Red Pepper Salsa, Birdeye

Blogger is jacked up again...here's the finished product.
So delicious on egg whites and for a salsa with baked chips!

Chloe on Sunday right after getting home from DC....It was
80 degrees and she grabbed Gumball Waterson and he
loved gettin in the pool...they crack me up.
He's on my hit list since I found a
water hose chewed up today dang it! :)

Winnie Bob planted these Azaleas
 at her gate in 1991

They really are outstanding!

Her daffodils are still blooming and have this year since January

I copied off Kara and got my tomatoes in
for the first time 4 weeks before our last
projected frost....We'll see if this is the
death of my garden....

The veggies before they go into the oven

My blender with a double recipe
(look at the daffodils...:))

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Winnie Bob's birthday is this week so I had to add some photos from her beautiful yard.  We are so lucky to have such a mature yard.

One of my favorite recipes from Fresh, Lake Austin Spa by Terry Conlan, is this salsa.  It's so stinking easy that I think everyone can pull it off.  So here it goes and with some photos....

"This earthy, brick-red salsa with complex flavors and sweet, smoky undertones drawn from the grilling process and the chilpotle chiles is great as a simple chipper and dipper, or as a lively accompaniment to any number of Mexican, masa-based dishes."

1 medium red bell pepper, I doubled today, so I used two and cut them in half so they wouldn't char too much
3 medium tomatoes, I only used 4 romas today; I also added a poblano
1 small onion, I only used one but doubled the pepper
2 garlic cloves minced, I used 4
1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves, take stems off and I did double this
1 C. tomato juice, I used tomato sauce
1 t. adobo paste from canned chipotle chiles, buy this 4 oz can in the latino/mexican isle; Rachel Ray said on Food Network to freeze the left overs and break off the amount you need later, and it's worked beautifully for me, the can I froze was back in November, don't judge me, it tastes great! :)
Juice of 1 lime, I only used one
1/2 t. sugar and 1/2 t. salt, I did double to balance the acid in the tomatoes

Roast the bell pepper over hot coals, turning until it is thoroughly blistered, about 5-10 minutes (I always broil on 500 degrees about 15 minutes, I hate waisting charcoal if I'm not cooking out).  Transfer the pepper to a paper bag and close it tightly and allow it to steam for 10 minutes.  Remove the bag, peel and seeds.  Grill tomatoes and onion over hot coals until softened and charred (I just roast with peppers in the oven). Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until the desired consistency is reached.  Yield 80 1 T. servings, or double that for my recipe today.

Nutrients: Cal 3; Prot 1 gr; Carb 1 gr; Fat 1 gr.