For the Love of S’mores

Selfies of me and the girls at Saltgrass on Mother’s Day…

It was a 45 minute wait at 3 p.m. I had to keep the girls entertained some how!

We have a gas fire pit in the backyard and the girls favorite summertime treat (besides popsicles) is s’mores. We either make the traditional version with Graham Crackers, Marshmallows, and Hersey Bars…or we make these:

Easy s’mores

I am thinking we may need to try something new. Something exciting. Something different. The girls are traditionalist. Me, I need experimentation.

Love Pinterest…

Do you need to try something new this summer? Check out my Pinterest S’mores Love Board.

I am really liking the S’mores Buffet for our next barbeque; and the S’mores Bars (no fire required).

Ooooh, what about smearing the new Mocha Cappuccino spread from Jif on Graham Crackers and smashing a gooey marshmallow in the middle? Just thinking… ♥

Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice

Crock pot red beans and rice

Glenn talks fondly of his years spent growing up in Slidell, Louisiana. Mostly it’s about the crazy things he did as a kid, but also he misses the red beans and rice served in the South. Apparently, Colorado don’t know nothing about red beans and rice. This is the only recipe that passes his taste test:

Louisiana-style Red Beans and Rice

• 1 lb. red kidney beans
• 8 cups boiling water
• 1 large meaty ham bone
• 1 lb. hot sausage (fried & drained)
• 2 stalks chopped celery
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 tbsp garlic salt
• large pinch of dried thyme
• 4 bay leaves (removed before serving)
• salt, pepper & cayenne pepper to taste.

Layer in crock pot and cook at least 8-10 hours on high. The longer it cooks, the better it gets! About 45 minutes before serving, mash about 1/4 of the beans to help thicken. Serve over rice (optional). Could serve with crusty bread or cornbread…yum!

I said the rice is optional because I don’t eat the rice. I guess it’s just me. It’s so good you don’t need the rice!

The best things I ate this weekend:

Spinach, arugula, feta, Roma tomatoes, leftover prime rib and Greek vinaigrette salad

Spinach, cucumber, tomato, avocado, green olives, ham, feta with Greek Vinaigrette

Both salads are Atkins Diet (Phase 1) friendly; the red beans, not so much. So, 3 months of serious cardio and calorie counting and I only lost 5 pounds. Very frustrating. After careful evaluating of my food log it was clear: too many carbs and not enough protein is my problem. Hopefully, Atkins will get the scale moving in the right direction…

Peel hard-boiled eggs easy-peasy

Okay, okay…that sounded a little hokey, but check this out…

I am thinking ahead to Easter and making deviled eggs. We eat organic, cage-free eggs (cause they taste the best), but once boiled they can be hard to peel. Well, I came across this genius tip for brain-damage-free peeling…seriously, it will change your life! I had to try it out just to be sure it would work as well as she claimed.

Easy Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs from The Cozy Old Farmhouse

Parker was being awfully quiet…too quiet. I found her in the tub with pillows, blankets, stuffed animals and her Kindle. She said she needed “some alone time”.

“Alone Time”

Um, I hope the tub was clean…

I am a mother of a tween

Today my first born is 11-years-old. Geez, how did I get to be a mother of a tween? It may be cliché but, seriously?

It’s good to be eleven!

Her birthday cake of choice: Angel Food Cake (high altitude recipe here)

Ever try to bake an Angel Food Cake from scratch? It is a high maintenance cake. And hell if you don’t whip the meringue into submission you’ll end up with a flat, dense cake. Try number one was a bit dense but tasty.

I turned to YouTube for tips because I was going to figure this out! Why can’t I bake a “simple” Angel Food Cake? I had to dig out my stand mixer that I hadn’t used in so long it had a thick layer of dust had formed. Try number two was perfect! I was doing my happy dance in the kitchen. And then…disaster. I had a little cake-fall-out-of-the-pan mishap.

Try number three? Two words: King Soopers. I fought the cake and the cake won.

We added a little glaze to the store bought cake…yum

Eleven is a big deal. It’s the end of elementary school. Next year is middle school, which I hear is scary, for her and me. She is becoming a young lady. There are so many things I want her to remember. Like, when things get tough: this is only a moment. It won’ last forever. Or, the interests and hobbies you have today will be different next week, next year, 5 years from now. It’s okay to explore everything that interests you.

It is things like that that prompted my gift to her.

Eleven things you need to know at eleven

Eleven Things to Know at Eleven Book:
(I saw a similar list somewhere in the blogosphere. I wish I could credit her with this idea. )

1. I love YOU
2. I am your biggest fan
3. Keep your panties on at all times
4. Don’t do drugs, alcohol or cigarettes
5. Be you…everyone else is already taken
6. As your parent I will say no, so that you can say yes to wonderful things
7. Don’t be afraid to be smart
8. Learn to bake (especially Angel Food Cake)
9. Friendship and popularity are not the same thing
10. Love your sister
11. Never stop having fun
12. And one to grow on…When in doubt, pray!

#7 Don’t be afraid to be smart

With each “thing to know” I added my own journaling, or pearls of motherly wisdom, for Alexandra. This is totally a book she will keep forever in her hoard.

#9 Friendship and popularity are not the same thing

She is constantly leaving me little “love notes” on my iPhone or iPad’s Notepad app. I hope she doesn’t stop doing that.

#1 I love YOU

She is such a great kid with a big future ahead of her. I love seeing the lady she is becoming.

Homemade Doggie Treats

My little baker.

Almost good enough to eat.

Rocco dancing around for his treat! So handsome in his Christmas sweater too.

Thor is not taking his eyes off that dog treat!

I used this recipe except I cut mine out with a bone-shaped cookie cutter. Thor and Rocco gave the treats two paws up!

December Daily | Ten, Traditions

When you think of your childhood during Christmas time, what comes to mind?

When we were growing up, our mom always filled a glass jar with this mixture: peanuts, M&M’s and raisins. This glass jar always sat on the coffee table for a quick grab treat. I don’t know why but this simple thing sticks in my mind, and speaks December to me. This year I decided to make the mixture and load in recycled frappuccino bottles for a quick gift for neighbors and friends.

So, how I did it: Drink and enjoy the Frappaccinos. Then, wash the frappaccino bottles and lids really, really well. You can use Starbucks® Frappaccino bottles but I found the sticker labels are hard to get off cleanly. So, I used Target Archer Farms® Frappaccino bottles. Their labels are more of a shrink-wrap kind. All you have to do is cut the label off the bottle. Easy-peasy.

Spray paint the lids red; don’t spray paint the inside of the lids. Once dry, add a round sticker label to the top of the lid (also bought at Target in the Christmas stationary isle). In a large bowl mix a bag of red and green M&M’s, cocktail peanuts (you could use dry roasted instead) and raisins. I didn’t measure it out, I just eyeballed it. Fill the jars, add ribbon and viola!

Happy snacking!

November Joy: Let the holiday baking begin!

It’s that time of the year. Time to pull out baking recipes that you haven’t whipped up since last November/December. Time to try something new. Hubby and I are making a trip over to my old office tomorrow to pay a visit and to show off the Charger. So, I thought I would make them some treats to get them through working Thanksgiving week.

First up, Chocolate Peanut Butter & Pretzel Truffles (from Eating Well, Diabetic appropriate, low carb)

• 1/2 c crunchy natural peanut butter
• 1/4 c finely chopped salted pretzels
• 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips, meted (the recipe calls for milk chocolate, but I prefer semi-sweet)

Use good chocolate like Ghiradelli. Combine peanut butter and chopped salted pretzels in a small bowl. Chill in freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 20 balls (about 1 tsp each). Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Roll frozen balls in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Yum! Note to self: I got a little carried away when rolling the balls and made them too large!

Chocolate Bailey® Truffles (this is an old recipe that I used to make every Christmas)

• one, 12 ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (Ghiradelli is best)
• 1/3 c whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp Baileys (or use extract of choice such as, vanilla, mint, almond)
• melted white chocolate Quickcandy to drizzle
• whole almonds, dipped in Quickcandy
• optional: years ago I would roll the truffles in ground almonds or walnuts instead of doing the Quickcandy drizzle. This drizzle/almond this is a new idea I had to decorate the truffles.

In double boiler combine 12 ounce chocolate chips and whipping cream. Stir constantly, keep on low heat so that you do not burn the chocolate. When melted remove from heat and let cool slightly, then add Baileys or extract. Beat chocolate mixture until smooth. Put in refrigerator to chill completely, about 20 minutes. Drop by teaspoons onto prepared wax paper on baking sheet. Chill in freezer until firm enough to handle and roll into balls, about 10 minutes. Shape chocolate mixture into balls (if you chill too long, like I did, and can’t shape into balls, just let them sit out until easy to shape).

*Meanwhile, melt Quickcandy and dip half of the almonds, set aside on wax paper to set. (I had a little chocolate leftover from the above truffles so I double dipped the almonds.) Remove chocolate balls, drizzle with Quickcandy, add dipped almond to top of truffle. Let set. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Suggested to let truffle sit at room temp before serving, but honestly, who can wait that long? *Now, if you don’t want to do the drizzle thing roll the truffles in ground nuts and place in airtight container.

Christmas Amaryllis starting to peek through

Summer Favorite: Cherries

Every year I look forward to summer, not because summer is my favorite season; far from it, it’s my 3rd favorite. Summer means it’s CHERRY SEASON!

Cherries also remind of my childhood. How many hot summer days did my little sister and I climb the cherry tree in our backyard and pluck the sweet fruit from the branches, popping them in our mouths?

Besides, cherries are a “super fruit” that is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Just the other day I heard on The Doctors that cherries aid in losing weight. One cup is only 87 calories, and 3 grams of fiber. (Who couldn’t use more fiber in their diet?) Eating cherries has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and aid in the prevention of  memory loss, and much more.

All that is even more reason to eat up this summer! We buy 2-3 large cartons at Costco a week. Yes, eat that many in the summer!

It’s looking like spring.

It’s been fun watching my orange tulips sprout from the pot. 

tulips in morning light

finally...buds

tulips in early morning glow

hello bloom

Tonight we had pork tenderloin in the crock pot with fingerling potatoes, fresh sliced button mushrooms and topped with cream of mushroom soup; and slow cooked for 10 hours. Can you say comfort food? You have to try it!

the daffodils in the garden have shown their pretty faces

Sunsets and frozen yogurt.

So, I haven’t used my camera in a while. Just not in the mood I guess. On Thursday it was usually warm here in Denver. 70 degrees warm. I took my camera and the girls to the park just before sunset. Gorgeous!

I love living in Colorado.

I slept for 12 hours this weekend. Don’t judge. Obviously I needed the sleep.

One happy 5-year-old!

I treated the girls to Smart Cow Yogurt Bar today. They have been craving Smart Cow all winter. If you haven’t the pleasure of having one in your town, let me explain. It’s not the old frozen yogurt shop of the 80s… It’s a frozen yogurt bar gone cool. When you enter the door, you grab a cup and fill it with any flavor of frozen yogurt that your taste buds desire. Go simple and classic with Tahitian Vanilla and Dark Chocolate or go crazy with flavors like Pomegranate, Thin Mint Chocolate, Birthday Cake, or Red Velvet Cupcake.  The price is based upon how much the cup weighs; and they give back a portion of sales to local schools (so cool!). Parker loves Watermelon with gummy bears.

Sitting on the modern sofas watching the Disney Channel (ugh!). A little NatGeo wouldn't kill ya, Smart Cow.

They offer any topping you could ever want including fresh fruit. Alex’s favorite is cookies and cream. But today, they were out, so she went with Tahitian vanilla with cookies on top…and gummy bears. I choose the peppermint, chocolate mint and a little vanilla, and chocolate sprinkles. Yummy!

I want to take one of those little white chairs home with me! (Source: Yelp!)

In the summer months they will open the garage door and we sit at the bar and let the cool breeze blow on us.

Tonight: We’ll be veggin’ on the couch watching Frozen Planet on Discovery Channel.