It's Christmas

Today has been fun.  Watching the grandchildren play.  Enjoying my "grown-up"kids visit, laugh and reminisce.  I so enjoy listening to them sing carols, read the Christmas story from the bible, and talk about which of Jane Ann's deserts is the best.  Now they are all gone, the kitchen is clean and I am sitting by the fire looking forward to a week long vacation with my Jake!  What an amazing holiday this has been.  I think the more I focus on the reason for the season - Jesus - the more I enjoy Christmas Day!

God bless you each and every one!

The Weather

Today is a gloomy day outside.  I am tired, worn out and exhausted from work, the holiday season, and parties.  As much as I love to socialize I am thankful that there is no event this  morning that requires me to get out of bed, dress and shower before noon.  There is something wonderful about laying in your bed in your favorite cozy pajamas with the Saturday newspaper or your laptop and relaxing!

Family Meals

As the holidays approach, we often reflect on what we shall have for the holiday meal. One thing I have learned over the years is that it does not matter what you serve but that everyone gathers together to sit around the table and fellowship as a family.  It does not have to be on a specific day or at a specific time, but that from time to time, we gather together to come as a family and break bread.

Enjoy your holiday!

Rue La La

You can find some amazing kitchen and other fashion finds at this great website.  It is listed on my favorites now.  You can click on the link and join at my invitation.

Miss Ann's Pimento Cheese

When I was growing up, my across the street neighbor, Miss Ann, made the very best pimento cheese in the world. She was a great cook and always had great snacks at her house. In fact, when I was feeling “snacky”, I would wander over to her house and nibble. One of my favorite things was her pimento cheese. It was just the perfect snack on a triscit cracker. She was such a great Southern cook. She has given me permission to share her recipe on my blog. I hope you and your friends enjoy this delightful recipe as much as I have over the past few years.




Miss Ann’s Pimento Cheese Spread
1 pound of American cheese (grated)
1 small pimento (chopped)
1 pint of Helmann's Mayonaise

Melt cheese in double boiler, add pimentos and mayonaise. Stir until is all melted and creamy. Yummy on bread or crackers.

Chicken Salad for Andrea

Well my darling niece, Andrea Blair, is looking for a chicken salad recipe. You know I think recipes are really just a list of ingredients, but here goes.


1 whole chicken, boiled and deboned (or you can use 2 large cans of chunk white chicken, drained and flaked)
2 stalks of celery (chopped finely)
3 tbsp of sweet pickle relish
1-2 tsp of seasoned salt
1-2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbsp black pepper
¼ to ½ c of mayonnaise (not miracle whip) depending on the consistency you like the salad
¼ c. slivered almonds
Optional: ¼ c of halved seedless purple grapes or apples chopped finely






Enjoy on some great gourmet crackers or home baked bread. I also wrap them up in lettuce wraps as well or you can use tortilla for wraps.

Heading Home

I have had the most wonderful vacation.  I have seen beautiful foliage, eaten amazing food and enjoyed the conmpany of several good friends and my darling husband.  I can honestly say that no matter where you travel, there truly is no place like home.  I am anxious to get to my house and sleep in my own bed on my own sheets with my own pillow.  I am anxious to get sit on my sofa and let my sweet dog lay his head on my lap.  I am anxious to get to my house and pilfer through my kitchen for something not luxurious, decadent or sinful.  But mostly I am anxious to return to my home to sit in the solitude and be grateful for all that I have and for the many blessings I have received.

I can honestly say that when you hear, "There is no place like home", it must have ben said by someone who has just returned from vacation.

Have great rest of the week.  I'll sling a new recipe or two up in a day or two.

Martha's Vineyard

What an amazing yet surreal place to travel.  The homes are not austentatious at all - really some are just shacks.  But this place gives new meaning to location, location, location.  It must be an amazing thing to never worry about money, to walk into a store and pay $650 for a plain soft navy sweater and to live in on an island that costs $50 to get off of without a  car.  It is a great lifestyle for those who are blessed by financial security but it does bring one back to reality when thinking about having to pay $20 to simply check just one bag at American Airlines.

Oh well......back to reality on Wednesday even though it was a magical trip!

New England

Yesterday was just gorgeous.  We took the scenic route from Boston to Maine.  We found this great little roadside restaurant in Rye, NH called Petey's.  I found out something about lobster that I did not know on this trip.  There is softshell lobster and hardshell lobster.  The softshell lobster is pretty cheap.  You can get a one pounder in a restaurant up here for about $8.  That price usually includes fries and coleslaw.  The hardshell ones are about $18.00 a pound.  The difference is the softshell lobster is much easier to get into but it has more water in the body so you are really getting a bit less lobster.  However, I have discovered that you can enjoy the softshell just as much as the hardshell.  They make everything with lobster up here from lobster rolls, lobster bisque, loster salad, lobster bites to fried lobster. 

I also discovered a new dish that I had never tried before called smelts.  Smelts are little tiny fish that have been gutted and have their heads cut off.  They are deep fried whole and served with a side of fries.  I am not really sure what kind of fish they are but in the south we eat "fiddlers".  These are tiny catfish cooked the same way.  The smelts are about 3 - 4 inches long where the fiddlers are about 6-8 inches long. 

So far, the trip has been gorgeous with the fall foliage and delightful weather.  Today the high is supposed to be 55 and we are heading to Kennebunkport for a day of shopping and eating.  I'll keep you posted on my seafood journey!

Salmon

You know I think we forget from time to time how good fish can be for us.  Obviously it is best just cooked over an open fire on the grill or baked in the oven.  However, from time to time we love to add a great sauce to some fish to "dress it up."  This usually works well when you have company and you can show off your culinary skills.  Here is a great sauce for Salmon that I recently discovered.  I thought I would share it with you.

Sauce for Salmon


1 melted stick of butter
1/4 c  ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp orange juice

Combine all ingredients and heat slowly for the sauce.  Drizzle over a grilled or baked salmon fillet.  If you really want to dress up the plate, put the sauce in a squeeze bottle and drizzle a pattern on the plate, place the fish on the pattern and then add the sauce to the top of the fish.  You can also add a touch of mint on the side for looks.

Cheese

I have had such a blessed weekend.  My son returned from Alaska.  I spent the weekend with him and so enjoyed his company.  However, I am back at home, working and ready to cook again. 

I can't over emphasize the greatness of cheese.  It makes all things better.  Cheese also serves as a great snack when you have friends drop by your home.  I am always looking for new and interesting cheeses to try.  I have discovered that Costco has an excellent cheese selection.  I recently tried some garlic chedder cheese from there that was just out of this world.  I would invite you to consider (as my dear friend, Kay, woud say) buying a small block of cheese and sharing it with a friend.

Great Friends

On occasion, we forget how much fun it is to just host a group of friends at your home.  Your home doesn't have to be spotless.  The menu does not have to be extroidinary.  You are not required to use your best china. But more importantly, you are not required to plan, plan, plan for a gathering.

Some of the best parties I have ever been to were impromptu parties with a few friends who enjoyed good wine, good fellowship and good conversation.  The only important thing you ensure that your guests remember is that they enjoyed themselves in relaxing atmosphere.  Guests rarely remember whether you used cloth or paper napkins, crystal or plastic cups, or your fine china as opposed to disposable plates.  What they will remember is that you made them feel welcome and you were hospitable.

Many times my guests always inquire what they may bring.  Recently I hosted a covered dish dinner.   Everyone was to bring enough food for six people.  The food was amazing, ample and from many types of cuisines.  It doesn't matter whether the dish is a casserole, vegetable, salad or dessert.  What matters is that there is plenty of great food and everyone enjoys sharing a favorite dish.  You should try it sometime.

New Griddle

What a delight to discover yesterday that the new griddle grill I bought makes the best shrimp fajitas in the world.  It is easy and great way to cook.  Take shrimp, onions and peppers and douse generously with fajita seasoning.  Sear in garlic butter on the griddle - serve with hot tortillas and guacamole.  What an easy quick dinner.  You can even use frozen shrimp!  Enjoy.

Crock Pot Delight

One of my favorite recipes for a rainy day is to put a chicken in the crockpot whole.  Mix a can of Dr. Pepper and a cup of ketchup.  Drizzle over the chicken.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  You have the most tender juicy BBQ chicken ever.  Add a baked potatoe and green salad and the world thinks you are Julia Child!  Of course I can't take credit for this recipe.  My dearest legal assistant, Kim, shared this one with me.

The Corn

Of course I forgot to include the corn recipe. Take 16 ears of corn in the husk. Cut the ends off and soak in sugar water for about 3 hours. Grill at about 350 degrees for about an hour.

Red Hot Mother Cluckers

I have been asked by so many people for a number of my recipes but this one is the most requested lately. I love doing this dish out on the grill with some corn in the husk and baked beans in the oven. It gives you plenty of time to socialize.

Red Hot Mother Cluckers

8 Large Boneless skinless chicken breasts
16 jalepenos
1 8oz carton of sour cream with chives
Tabasco Sauce for seasoning
Seasoned Salt
Worchestershire sauce
1 large envelope of Dry Ranch Dressing Mix
16 pieces of thick cut bacon (I like the peppered kind)

Take the jalepenos and cut the tops off and seed them. Stuff them with cream cheese with chives and set aside. (Wear gloves to do this and use a baggie with the end snipped off to stuff the peppers. It makes it so much easier. For about $3 Walmart sells a really nice little seeder tool that makes this task pretty easy.)

Split the chicken breasts in half. Tenderize them gently. Put some Tabasco and Season salt on one side of each chicken. Roll the stuffed jalepeno in a piece of chicken and secure with a toothpick. Wrap each piece of chicken in a piece of bacon.

After you have fixed all the chicken breasts, sprinkle each with worchestershire sauce, and dry Ranch Dressing Mix.

Grill at about 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Usually when the bacon is crisp and cooked the chicken will be as well. Be careful not to overcook as it will make them dry.

If you have any left over, they can be steamed in a ceremic bowl with a lid for about an hour at 250 degrees in a convection oven.

Summertime

I love spring and fall but summer is just too hot. Dining al fresco is one of my favorite things to do but in the summer in Texas - you just sweat too much. I am looking forward this summer to more private dinner gatherings at home in the air conditioner. I'll keep watering my plants (or begging my neighbors to do it) so that come fall - my arbor will be a divine place to entertain yet again......Enjoy the weekend! xoxo - The Party Guru

My Mother's Mother

It was 25 years ago today, my father came to tell me that my Mother's Mother (my dear sweet Grannie) had passed away in the hospital with a heart attack. I was shocked and devastated. My dear sweet Mother has missed her Mother for 25 years now. My Mother's life is full with kids, grandkids and lots of friends, but she says there is always a void in your life after your Mother passes away! So, I will arise, dress, and travel to spend the day with my Mom and be blessed that I still have a Mother on this earth to celebrate with on Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day

No matter how old you are, you always remember your Mother on Mother's Day. Today, I am tired and would like to stay in bed. But I can't tell you how may occasions my dear sweet Mother has gotten up and gone to work, taken care of me and been there for me. So on this day, I will travel to see her and spend the day and night with her. No gift can ever equal the time we spend with our Mother's. Make your Mother proud today.

Enjoying Life

The key to a great dinner party is not how much you wonderful food you can serve, but how comfortable you can make your guests feel! You don't have to have a perfect home, expensive china or serving pieces or fancy food. You just have to have a warm and friendly atmostphere with great conversation !

Dreary Days

A great pick me up during the middle of the week is to meet a friend for a glass of wine in a quiet venue to regroup and prepare for the remainder of the week.

Mother's Day

If you haven't already ordered flowers for your Mother for Sunday - consider this important tip. Don't wait until Saturday night because the grocery store doesn't have any good flowers left by that time.