A Couple of Stories and My Christmas Eve Brunch Menu (Just a Little Late!!)

"Son!!" as Son-in-Law has taught me to say!!  December got the better of me this year, and I am way behind on my blog.  I did not get out of school until December 22nd, and that was because I snagged a sub in September!!  Otherwise, it would have been December 23rd!!  What happened to getting out for Christmas Break a week before Christmas?  We go back January 3rd to add insult to injury.  Do you know how hard it is to get distracted teenagers to pay attention in class on December 21st?  It was the horror of horrors!!!  So that is why I am behind SON!!!

I finished my Christmas shopping on December 22nd in a monsoon!!  That is what I get for waiting to the last minute.  Of course, Food Police and I had a major incident in the Target parking lot.  I pulled the car up to the loading dock so we would not get all our treasures so wet, and Food Police let go of the cart, and it rammed a lady's car.  Food Police said she thought I had it, and I said I thought she had it.  It was raining sideways at this point!!  The lady was very nice and waved us on.  She was probably afraid to lower her window to talk to us because we looked half-way crazy!!  AGH!!!

Later that night, I decided to go grocery shopping so I would have all day Friday to get ready for my Brunch.  So after making my grocery list and checking it 3 times, Husband Fred and I head out to Publix at 8:00 pm on a Wednesday night.  Now if you will recall, I have written about Wednesday being Senior Day at Publix.  I forgot this until we go to the Check-out line and saw a sign that stated "Don't forget to ask about your 5% Senior Discount!"  I gleefully showed the sign to Husband Fred and told him that he needed to inquire about the age!!  Hee Hee!!  So the next thing I know, he has leaned over to the cashier and in a hushed voice asked "What is the age you have to be to get the Senior Discount?"  She said "60!"  And I said Woo-hoo!!!  He said "I am sure you want to see my ID?", and she said "No that is OK!  I believe you!"  I couldn't help but to go into a major laughing spasm.  Poor Husband Fred, but hey, it saved me almost $20.00.  No more will I make fun of Senior Day.

I am deviating from my Eeny Meeny Game to bring you my Brunch Menu. I have been doing Christmas Eve Brunch now for about 10 or 11 years.  It is a come and go event and is always the highlight of my holidays.  I always have so many requests for the recipes that I thought I would put them in the blog.  This menu is tried and true, and you can use it for New Year's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc... You get the picture.  I always try to add one new recipe, and this year it was Christy Jordan's Harvest Cinnamon Rolls, and SON they were a hit.  So here we go. 

Breakfast Casserole

Southern Cheese Grits Casserole

Homemade Harvest Cinnamon Rolls

Brown Sugar Bacon

Praline French Toast Casserole

Holiday Fruit Salad

Sister Schubert's Sausage Rolls

Mama's Fruitcake Cookies

Orange Blush

Spiced Cranberry Cider

Coffee

Hot Chocolate

Let's start with Mama's Fruitcake Cookies.  I did a little picture tutorial on those.  I remember these being in the refrigerator every Christmas when I was little.  I would sneak into the kitchen, open the fridge, unwrap these, and get me a little bite any time I could.  They are the best, and I make them in honor of her every Christmas!!  One thing that I didn't do was have Mama write the recipe down.  I thought I could remember it!!  Don't ever make that mistake!!  So Food Police found a cookbook by Gooseberry Patch called Christmas in the Country that had the recipe.  Thank goodness.  That is a lesson learned.

You will need a box of Vanilla Wafers, a can of sweetened condensed milk, walnuts, candied fruit, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar.

Put the Vanilla wafers in a ziploc bag and crush the life out of them.  I used my big canister!!

Add the remaining goodness, and mix well.  That is the wonderful cookbook that had the recipe in it. 

Roll the goodness into a log and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Roll the log tightly in waxed paper, and place in the refrigerator.  These make great gifts as well.  Food Police's Father-in-Law gets several of these as Christmas presents.  He loves them with his morning coffee!!

Here is the recipe.....

Mama's Fruitcake Cookies



Gooseberry Patch's Christmas in the Country

16 oz pkg vanilla wafers, finely crushed

1 c red candied cherries, chopped

1 c green candied cherries, chopped

1 c candied pineapple, chopped

2 c walnuts, chopped

14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 T vanilla

Powdered Sugar

Mix all ingredients except powdered sugar together in a large mixing bowl.  Divide into  4 portions; form each into an 8x2 inch roll.  Coat each roll in powdered sugar; wrap with was paper and twist ends.  Chill and cut into 1 inch slices.  Keep refrigerated.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Now on to the rest of the recipes:

Breakfast Casserole - Southern Living Magazine

6 slices bread

Butter

1 pound pork sausage

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs, beaten

2 cups half and half

1 tsp salt

1.   Remove crusts from bread.  Spread bread with butter.  Place in a greased  13x9x2 dish.

2.   Brown sausage, drain, and spoon over bread.  Sprinkle with cheese. 

3.   Combine eggs, half and half and salt and pour over cheese.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

4.  Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before baking.  Bake UNCOVERED at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Yields 8 servings.

Southern Cheese Grits Casserole - Southern Living Magazine

5 c water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c quick grits

12 oz Velveeta Cheese (You will need the big one.  It is marked in either 3 or 4 oz measures.  I can't remember right now!!)

1/2 T garlic powder

3/4 c butter

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 c milk

1/4 tsp pepper

1.  Bring water to a boil, and add grits.  Make sure you stir well as you add the grits, or you will get lumps.  Cook grits uncovered for 3 minutes.  (When they start popping, I put the cover on loosely.  Those little things will burn and stick on your skin!!) 

2.  Add cheese and butter and stir until melted.  Add eggs, milk, garlic powder and pepper.  Stir well.

3.  Pour into a 3-qt greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Yields 12 servings.

Christy Jordan's - www.southernplate.com - Harvest Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 loaf frozen white bread dough (such as Rhode's)
• 1/4 Cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 Cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (can use raisins or dried cherries)
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
• 1 Tablespoon orange zest (or more to taste)
Icing
• 3 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 Cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1-1/2 Cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Place loaf of dough on plate and let sit at room temperature until thawed. Once thawed, roll out onto floured surface to a size of about nine inches by sixteen inches.
2. Spread 1/4 C margarine or butter over dough.
3. Place cranberries in a bowl and cover with hot water, let sit for five minutes to plump, then drain well.
4. In small bowl mix together brown sugar and 3 T cinnamon. Sprinkle over top of cinnamon roll, stopping about 1/2 an inch away from the sides so it will seal (see photos). Sprinkle pecans, cranberries, and orange zest over brown sugar mixture.
5. Carefully roll up cinnamon roll into a log, squeezing lightly as you do to seal it. Slice into one inch slices with serrated knife.
6. Place in greased 9x13 inch pan and cover with cling wrap. Place in warm spot and allow to rise until doubled in size. Remove cling wrap and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until done.
7. Icing: Mix all ingredients together and beat with electric mixer until creamy. Spread over cinnamon rolls.
8. *To Freeze:* Prepare Cinnamon rolls up through step six (through the baking process). Once baked, allow to cool and then wrap well with foil. Freeze. Best if used within a month or two. To reheat frozen rolls, allow to thaw and then cover loosely with foil and place in 200 degree oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven and top with cream cheese icing.

Brown Sugar Bacon - Katie Joel

1/2 c brown sugar

1 T Dijon mustard

1/4 pound thickly sliced bacon

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  In a large ziploc bag, combine brown sugar and mustard.  Add bacon and coat.

3.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place a cooling rack on the baking sheet.  Put bacon on rack and roast in oven for 20 minutes.

4.  Let drain for a few minutes on the rack and serve.  DO NOT put it on a paper towel to drain or the brown sugar will stick to the towel and you will have a mess.  Who would even think about doing that?  Hee Hee!!

Praline French Toast Casserole

Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible

French Toast:

1 loaf French Bread, 13 - 16 ounces

8 large eggs

2 c half and half

1 c whole milk

2 T granulated sugar

1 T vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Praline Topping:

2 sticks butter, softened

1 c packed light brown sugar

1 c chopped pecans

2 T light corn syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Raspberry Syrup:

1 c raspberry preserves

2 T orange juice

3 T water

1.  Grease a 13x9x2 pan.  Cut the bread crosswise into 20 1-inch slices.  Arrange the slices in two overlapping rows.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Beat with a whisk until the mixture is blended but not too foamy.  Pour the mixture over the bread slices, making sure they are all covered evenly.  Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

3.  The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the praline topping.  In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, pecans, corn syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg and blend with a fork.  Spread the topping over the bread slices.  Bake until puffed and lightly golden, about 45 minutes.

4.  To make the raspberry syrup, heat the preserves, OJ, and water over medium heat in a small sauce pan.  Stir until wamr and thinned out to a syruplike consistency.

5.  Serve the French toast with a drizzle of the syrup.  Yields 6-8 servings.

Holiday Fruit Salad - www.southernplate.com - Christy Jordan 

• 6-8 Apples
• 6 Oranges
• 1 lb Grapes
• 3-4 Cans Fruit Cocktail (You can use generic, it is every bit as good!)
• 1 Cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks 

1. Peel fruit and chop into small pieces. Cut oranges over apples so that the juice from the oranges will stop the apples from turning dark. Pour fruit cocktail over fruit. Drain juice from fruit into saucepan.
2. Add 1 cup sugar and 6 egg yolks. Blend well.
3. Cook approximately 15 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Cool. Pour over fruit.
4. Cover and refrigerate. Will keep in frig for a week. Make at least 24 hours ahead so that flavors can marry. Optional: Coconut and pecans. Bananas can be added but they turn dark quick and the fruit salad will not last as long in refrigerator.

 Orange Blush - This recipe was given to me from somebody.  I had it at a wedding shower, loved it, and asked for the recipe.

2 6-oz cans frozen OJ concentrate, thawed and undiluted

2 c cranberry juice cocktail

1/2 c sugar

1 28-oz club soda, chilled

Crushed ice

1.  Combine OJ, cranberry juice and sugar in a serving pitcher;  stir well to dissolve sugar.  Chill thoroughly.

2.  Stir in chilled club soda just before serving.  Pour over crushed ice in glasses.  Serves 12 depending on the size of your glasses.

Spiced Cranberry Cider - Southern Living Magazine

1 quart apple cider

3 c cranberry juice

2-3 tbs brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

3/4 tsp whole cloves

1/2 lemon, sliced

1.  Bring ingredients to a boil, stirring often.  (I do mine in a percolator)

2.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.

3.  Remove spices and lemon.

Yields 7 cups

There you go.  The Sister Schubert Sausage Rolls are found in the frozen bread section of your grocery store.  I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as my family has.  Unfortunately, Food Police will have a stroke when she sees the ingredients and all the butter and eggs I used.  Oh well!!  I will be back on the Eeny Game after New Year's!!  Happy New Year!!!

The Christmas Lights and Gooseberry Patch's Homemade Christmas Baked Brown Sugar Oatmeal

Goodness!!! It has been awhile since I posted.  Between school and the Christmas lights, I am barely keeping my head above water.  But that is OK because the Christmas lights are - more or less - up and running. 

When we moved to our present house about 25 years ago, Little Food Police was 4 years old.  We had one little pine tree in our front yard which we decided to decorate with lights that first Christmas.  That is when the addiction began.  We began adding one thing a year to the display until now it has taken over our lives beginning around the end of October.  Husband Fred, who should have been an engineer, has had to divide the yard into electrical sectors so that we don't blow a fuse when the lights are on.  One year before he calculated the voltage load, whatever that is, I could not wash or dry clothes at night because the fuse would blow.  It was nuts!! 

Husband Fred and I have gotten into many an argument over these lights. We have specific roles for the putting up of the lights.  My assignment is to string all the trees with white lights and do the bushes in green.  It is very tedious because I try to follow each individual limb of the tree with lights.  AGH!!  He gets on the roof and does the icicle lights and the Santa going down the chimney.  He also sets up all the structures in the yard plus builds a very tall tree around the giant sycamore tree.  He then is responsible for laying out the thousands of extension cords.  All of this stuff is stored in the attic so he has to climb up in the attic and laboriously lower each piece to me - "The Impatient One" - at the bottom of the steps.  I say that he moves at the speed of Turtle.  Just to tell you, one year we did an Open House, the guests were arriving, and he was still out in the yard putting up lights.  He didn't even have time to take a shower.  I know the neighbors sit out on their front porches and listen to the steady stream of dialogue that happens when we are out putting up the lights.  It is great entertainment I am sure!!

The best thing about the lights, though, is to sit in the living room with all the lights off in the house and watch the steady stream of cars go by.  We have a system where we grade the activity.  There are the drive-bys which have already seen the lights and probably live on the street.  We have the slow-downs who are going about 2-5 mph, and then the much appreciated stoppers who take pictures and sometimes even back up to get another look.  We have even had people stop, get out of their cars, and take pictures by some of the structures.  Oh the joy of it all!!

This year has been no different.  He still has to finish some of the lights tonight,  and it is December 10th!!!  We were late getting our 5-Foot Santa positioned and dancing at the front door because Husband Fred needed to do shoulder surgery on him.  He has danced so much over the years that he threw his arm out of joint.  After the surgery, he also shrank about a foot so now he is Dancing 4-Foot Santa.  Grrrr.......But what is so cool is that we are dedicating the lights to Valor Flight which is a community service project that flies Korean War veterans to Washington, DC to visit the Korean War Memorial.  We invite you to drive by, enjoy the lights, and then make a donation at www.valorflight.com.  It is a wonderful project.  Husband Fred was lucky enough to be chosen to fly with the first Valor Flight, and it is something he will never forget.

This is a picture of the house at 1108 Woodmont Avenue in Huntsville, AL taken in 2009.  It looks alot different this year.  We have added a digital clock that counts down to Christmas in days, hours, minutes, and seconds.  The kids love it!!

I love the lights.....I love the lights....I love the lights.....Now on to something else I love, and that is cooking.  I chose as my next cookbook - Homemade Christmas - by Gooseberry Patch.  If you have never tried a Gooseberry Patch cookbook, they are awesome.  I think I have 10 or so of them so I will be sharing more recipes from the various ones.   The Eeny Game chose Baked Brown Sugar Oatmeal.  I was excited because I love breakfast and brunch foods. 

Here you go!!  A much better picture I must say!!

You will need quick-cooking oatmeal, white and brown sugar, milk ( I used Almond Milk), eggs, salt, oil, and baking powder.

Whisk together oil, eggs, and sugars.

Mix the oats, baking powder and salt and add to the oil mixture.  Add the milk and stir it all together.

Put the mixture into a greased 1-1/2 quart baking dish.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

It comes out looking like this.  So beautiful!!!!

I spooned it up and added raisins to it.  You could add whatever topping you like.  It is awesome!

I must say this was easy and delicious.  It tastes just like a warm oatmeal cookie.  So so good!!  I plan to serve it at my Christmas Eve Brunch which I will write about later in the month.  I will give you my menu which has stood the test of time.  Now here is your recipe---

Baked Brown Sugar Oatmeal

Gooseberry Patch's Homemade Christmas

1/2 c oil - Food Police says use applesauce instead!

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c brown sugar, packed

1/2 c sugar

3 c quick cooking oats

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 c milk

Optional:  Toppings like nuts, raisins, etc..

Whisk together oil, eggs and sugars; set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine oats, baking powder and salt.  Add to oil mixture.  Add milk and stir well.  Pour into a greased 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is golden.  Serve warm, either plain or with toppings.  Serves 6.

Now go have a great day, and come see the Christmas Lights!!

What I am Thankful For and Cooking for a Cause Salmon Patties

As Thanksgiving approaches, I have so much to be thankful for, and I know you do too. 

Today I was thankful for the Roto-Rooter Man because, for some reason, our old faucet in one of the showers decided it would not turn off.  It was spewing mega hot water everywhere.  Husband Fred tried to turn the water off at the street but, and I quote,  "I don't have the right tool, and I am going to be late for work!"  So that leaves me to greet Roto-Rooter Man at the door at 7:00 am this morning.  $125.00 later, the faucet was fixed. 

I am thankful for Husband Fred who gets up every morning at 5:00 am and works himself to the bone to provide for us.  Even though he could not find the right tool today, has not finished the Christmas lights, and still has not moved the building (inside joke), I love him with all my heart.  I am thankful for all he does!

I am thankful for Food Police.  She is the best daughter a Mama could ask for.  She is one of the most caring and honest people I know.  I wish you could all meet her.  I also am thankful for her side-kick - Son-in-Law.  He makes me laugh when no one else can and will get me to do things that I thought I never could like laying sod in the yard and getting me in the ocean during the sharks' feeding time.  I still have not recovered from that one!

I am thankful for my Dad and the fact that he is still getting it done at 78 years of age.  I am thankful when I call him every morning that he answers the phone, and I ask "What are you doing?" and he always has the same answer   "I am reading the paper, drinking my coffee, and eating an orange!"  That is music to my ears.   

I am thankful for all of my friends.  They bring peace to an otherwise crazy world.  For instance, I want to tell you what my work buddy Kim did today.  She brought me a WHOLE Sweet Potato Pie. Yes Food Police - a WHOLE pie.  It is her grand-mother's recipe, and Thanksgiving would not be complete without it.  She also buys me Babaganoush because I cannot find it at my local grocery store.  She rescues me when I cannot get the technology to work in my classroom.  What is so funny though is when she is not there I can make it work myself.  Hmmmmm.........  My other work buddy - Lynne - is cut from the very same cloth as me.  She throws the best birthday party for me every year at her pool.  Fun times can I say!!  She always has a funny joke, saying, or YouTube video to help us take it down a notch.  In fact, last night she made an "Office Max Elf Yourself" video of the three work buddies as elves dancing to an 80's song.  The program takes your face and puts it on a little elf.  Can I say I laughed hysterically for 30 minutes and released enough endorphins to get me through the week!!!!  I really wish I could dance like that and was that skinny!!

Speaking of skinny, I am thankful for my Body Pump Instructor - Amber - who tried to kill me yesterday with these new push-ups!! Horrors!! But between she and Food Police, I have lost over 10 pounds.

I am thankful for my Aunt Susie.  She, like Son-in-Law, can make me laugh like no other.  The best story lately from her was when her Mother made 6 year old Susie play the song "500 Miles" by Peter, Paul and Mary on her little ukelele for her grandfather when he was on his deathbed.  I don't know why that made us laugh, but I think it was the mental picture thing!!  She is the one who coined the phrase "Horror of horrors!"  That ukelele story is a horror of horrors. 

I am thankful for my sweet animals.   They bring such fun and life to an empty nest.  However, one of my dear friends Sara, who I am thankful for as well and who knows my weaknesses, has offered me a cat named Jackie.  She is a brown tabby and looks like a cat I met at the beach one year.  I am thankful for Sara but why are you doing this to me??  You know me!!  I will keep you updated.

I am thankful for Food Police's In-laws.  They are some of the sweetest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and she is the best cook known to man.  I am thankful I get to share Thanksgiving with them. 

I am thankful for my students.  They keep me young and on my toes.  They make me laugh and give me a captive audience to try out my different accents and new jokes on. 

I am thankful that I get to watch "Christmas Vacation" this week.  We kick off the Christmas season with this movie to get us pumped to get those Christmas lights done. 

I am thankful that Alabama is number 2 in the BCS standings and that when they annihilate Auburn Saturday and Arkansas beats LSU on Friday, they will be number 1 as they deserve.  RTR!!!!!!!

I am thankful for the restaurant Little Rosie's. I crave their Chicken Fajita Salad. I want one right now!! I am getting hungry!

I am thankful for my blog experiment and all the opportunities it has afforded me.  I am thankful for all of y'all that read it religiously and ask "When are you going to post another story and recipe?"  Thank you for indulging me. 

On to the recipe.....This is the last recipe I am cooking out of the Cooking for a Cause cookbook.  I will turn my sights to my various Christmas cookbooks for here on out until we hit the New Year.  The Eeny game chose Salmon Patties.  I have made these 1000 different ways but I really really liked these.  They held together better than any other, and they make for a quick week-night meal.   I will definitely make these again and again.

You will need a can of salmon, corn meal, crackers, an egg, and salt and pepper.

Drain the salmon reserving the liquid.  Add the crackers to the liquid and in another bowl, flake the salmon.

This is what the crackers absorbing the juice looks like!!  WOW!!

Add your other ingredients to the salmon.  WOW!!

Mix it all together.  This is riveting!

Brown them on each side.  I used Pam spray instead of oil.  Food Police was here helping me!!  Hey it worked!!

Plate and you are done!!  I got this simple but yummy meal on the table in under 30 minutes Rachael Ray!!

Here is your recipe......

Salmon Patties

Cooking for a Cause

Sandy Cross

1 (16-oz) can pink salmon

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 C cornmeal

1/2 C saltine crackers crumbs

1/4 tsp pepper

Oil or Pam for browning

Drain the salmon, reserving liquid.  Flake the salmon.  Combine liquid with cracker crumbs in bowl.  Mix this well.  Wait a little while and add your salmon, cornmeal, egg, salt and pepper.  Mix well and shape into patties.  Brown on both sides in Pam or oil in large skillet.  Drain on paper towels.  Serves 4

Now go have a great day and Thanksgiving!!!

An Ode to Lucy and Cooking for A Cause Smoked Sausage Casserole

Lucy...Lucille...Lubird...Birdie...Lucifer...LucyBird...Berber Carpet (Don't Ask!)  Those were a few of the names that we gave our first ever cat.  We are those people that go cuckoo over animals.  We have 3 Rescue animals now - 2 cats and a dog.  I have always been prejudiced toward dogs until Food Police was in middle school, and her best friend's cat was pregnant.  We were summoned one Saturday morning to watch her deliver her kittens.  Of course Food Police was begging for one of the kitties.  I thought I was so smart and answered the constant nagging with "If she has a calico kitten, you can have one!"  I thought calicos were as rare as albino tigers, but lo and behold, the third one out was a calico.  She was claimed, and her given name was Lucy.  We took her home at 6 weeks, and it became Food Police's mission to make her "FEISTY"!  Oh believe me, Food Police succeeded!!  That cat would bite, scratch, climb the walls, tear up the horrible grasscloth wallpaper (I was secretly happy about that!), shredded toilet paper, and clawed the furniture.  One time, she actually stood up on her hind legs and walked across the den at my poor mother hissing all the way.  It was out of a horror movie. 

But you know what, I loved that darn cat with all my heart.   She was the ultimate SnuggleBunny.  Anytime, I would lie down on the couch, she would appear, and get in the crook of my arm.  She took turns sleeping with Food Police and me.  Son-in-law was so taken with her that he bought her a leash and collar so he could take her outside.  She had her own Christmas stocking and sweater.  She would even go on car rides with us.  She was what we called the "WatchCat"!  She knew immediately when someone would pull up in the driveway and would come and alert us.  She was always waiting at the door when I came home. 

She lived a good 16 years, and this past week, we had to make that horrible decision to put her to sleep.  She was in kidney failure and was miserable.   I know we did the right thing.  There will never be another one like her!!!  She is sorely missed!

In my Snow Village....we called her Godzilla!!  The little miniature people were always afraid of when she would appear!

Here is Son-in-Law with Lucy on her leash.  You thought I was kidding!

Her favorite spot in the whole world. 

She loved getting into tight places.  She loved that Tupperware bowl!!

Now on to the recipe.  I am still cooking out of the cookbook Cooking for A Cause.  The Eeny Game chose Smoked Sausage Casserole, and believe you me, I would have never picked this one. I am glad the game did though.  This experiement is working.  It was one of the best dishes I have had in a while.  It is one of those comfort dishes that you can pull out after a hard day at work or a cold winter night.  It was quick and easy, and I served it with a salad.  Perfect!!

You will need Smoked Sausage (I used Turkey Food Police), potatoes, an onion, tomatoes, butter, Dijon mustard and whipping cream.

Cube 4 medium potatoes, and cook until tender.

Chop up a medium onion and saute in the butter (I used Smart Balance) until tender.

Cut the Smoked Sausage into 1/4 inch slices.

Add the smoked sausage to the onions, and brown the sausage.

While that is cooking chop up 2 medium tomatoes.

Mix together 1/2 cup of whipping cream, a tablespoon of dijon mustard and 1/2 tsp of salt and add to the sausage and onion.  Bring to a boil and then add the cooked potatoes and the tomatoes.

Serve it up, add some parsley, and you are good to go.  It is FANTASTIC!!

Here is the recipe....

Smoked Sausage Casserole

Cooking for A Cause

Elisha Dawn Davis

4 med potatoes, cubed

1 large onion, diced

2 T butter

1 lb. smoked sausage

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c whipping cream

2 med tomatoes, chopped

1 T Dijon mustard

Parsley to garnish

Cook potatoes in salted water, drain.  Brown onion in a large pan in butter until soft.  Add sausage (cut into 1/4 inch slices).  Cook stirring often until lightly browned.  Mix in mustard, salt, and cream.  Bring to a boil.  Lightly mix potatoes and tomatoes.  Add to rest of ingredients.  Cover and cook over medium heat until potatoes are heated through usually 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley. 

Serves 4.

Now go have a great day.....

Quick Announcement, and No I am not going to be a Grandmother!

Hello all--

I just had to share the good news.  My blog and I were selected to be a featured publisher on Foodbuzz.com.  I am sooooooooooooooo excited.  With that said, you will be seeing some changes to the blog in a few days or so.  I will keep you posted!!  Thanks for reading, and hope you are having a wonderful Veteran's Day. 

Older Folks and Cooking for a Cause Shrimp Linguine

When I was a teenager, I thought that anyone over the age of 30 was an "older" person.  Now that I am way over 30 almost times 2, I have a different perspective.  But as I have gone through the decades, I have come up with a list of commandments that I will follow when I, God willing, join the ranks of those "older folks".  A recent trip to the grocery store reminded me of those guidelines.  Here is the list so far:

1.  I shalt not go the grocery store on "Senior Day Wednesday".  It is way too crowded.
2.  I shalt not drive my scooter down the middle of the aisle where no one can pass me on the left, or as a matter of fact, on the right.
3.  I shalt not back up my scooter so that it makes that horrible beeping noise that puts everyone on edge.
4.  I shalt not stop my buggy in the middle of the aisle and stay there for what seems like 10 minutes looking for that sale item.
5.  I shalt not pay for my groceries with a check but with my debit card to speed things along.
6.  I shalt not tell the bag boy or girl how to bag my groceries.
7.  I shalt not hold up the check-out line perusing my receipt to make sure I got my Senior Discount.

Postscript.....Husband Fred just this minute got back from the grocery store to pick up one item for our sick kitty.  He wanted me to add one more commandment after his adventure.

8.  When only one check-out lane is open, I shalt not write a check for cash over my purchase, and then count my cash in front of the long line that is waiting behind me.  Then I shalt not decide that I want change for the cash that I just received only to count it all again in front of the even longer line.

Another thing that happened to make me think of older folks this week is that I have started my geriatric unit in one of my classes.  The first rule that I give the students is that, from this point on, they will not refer to the older folk as that "old woman" or that "old man".  They say "Yes Ma'am", and we move on.  I set up an "Effects of Aging" lab where the students go through 10 different stations to get to experience the effects of aging.  They experience everything from arthritis to cataracts.  Then they get to play "Geriatric Bingo" where they have to come up with a "geriatric name" for themselves.  The names they choose like Albert and Ethel crack me up.  I think I make a point with them because they will tell me things like "I think I am going to be more patient with old - whoops older - people from now on!"  Mission accomplished!!!  Hmmm...Maybe I should follow the students' lead.

Now on to the recipe.  I am still cooking out of the Cooking for a Cause cookbook.  I am liking the recipes that the Eeny Game has been choosing lately.  I have had no urges to cheat.  HAHA!!  The Game chose Shrimp Linguine.  It is absolutely the best ever.  This would make for a wonderful dinner for company or a special occasion.  YUM!!

You will need shrimp, linguine, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, green onions, parsley, lemon, garlic, Zesty Italian dressing and cayenne pepper.  You can't go wrong with that list of ingredients.

Look at the rainbow of goodness.  You julienne the carrots and the squash, and chop the green onions and garlic.  Food Police is smiling right now.

You heat the salad dressing in a large skillet and then add your vegetables plus the cayenne pepper and salt to taste.  It is smelling wonderful at this point.

While that is cooking, you chop up parsley and juice your lemon.

You then add your shrimp, parsley, and lemon juice, and cook for 10 more minutes.  I used frozen already cooked shrimp so I added it the last 3 or 4 minutes.  It worked very well.

You cook the linguine and then mix the wonderful stuff all together and this is what you get.  I added a little fresh parsley to the top, and we were good to go.

Here is your recipe....Sonja said this recipe got her a marriage proposal.  I can see why.

Shrimp Linguine

Cooking for a Cause

Sonja Langham, Nurse Anesthetist

16 oz pkg linguine pasta

1 C Zesty Italian dressing

2 med yellow squash, julienned

2 med zucchini, julienned

2 carrots, julienned

3 green onions, cut into strips

1 clove garlic, minced

Dash of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

1 1/4 c parsley, chopped

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Prepare linguine per directions; drain well.  Heat salad dressing in a large skillet.  Add squash, zucchini, carrots, green onion, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt.  Mix will.  Saute for 10 minutes.  Add lemon juice, parsley and shrimp.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Combine linguine and shrimp mixture in a large bowl and toss.  Serve immediately.

Yield:  6 servings

Now go enjoy the day.....





Mammograms and Cooking for a Cause Tasty Tilapia

As you probably already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I chose for my next cookbook one from Huntsville's Women and Children's Hospital called Cooking for a Cause.  The cookbook is a collection of recipes by breast cancer survivors, family, friends and health care providers.  It is awesome , and I plan to cook several recipes for the blog from this cookbook.

Breast cancer has been a major player in my life with my sweet Mama being diagnosed with it at the age of 50.  She battled the disease and was a 20 year survivor when she was diagnosed with another form of cancer.  She taught me how to face that type of adversity with grace and courage.  She insisted that I start getting my mammograms before I turned 50.

With that said, I began having annual mammograms at 43 years of age.  I must be honest and say that is not one of my favorite things to do in life.  You just have to laugh and go do it.  I believe this cartoon says it all:

Don't get me wrong.  It does not hurt one bit but that is how you feel while you are having one done.  HAHAHAHA!  I just thought this was too funny!!

This last time I got my mammogram, I get called back and look up at the Tech, and it is one of my EX-STUDENTS!!  Horror of Horrors!!  I am thinking "Oh no!!  This is just way too awkward!!"  Luckily, she used common sense and said that she had just wanted to tell me Hello and let me know how much she appreciated my being her teacher.  Whew!!  Crisis averted.

Thank goodness that all my mammograms have been good, and I want to encourage you to go and get yours as soon as possible if you have not done so.  Enough of that, let's talk about something that I do love and that is food.  The Eeny Meeny Miny Mo game chose "Tasty Tilapia" for this go round.  Can I say a keeper, a winner, a homerun, a touchdown??  It is awesome.  So let's get started....

Here is the cookbook.  I don't know if they still sell them at the hospital, but it is worth a shot.  All the proceeds went to the Liz Hurley Foundation.  Again, too much flash!!  AGH!!

You will need tilapia, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, a lemon, green onions, and salt and pepper.  I forgot to put the Smart Balance butter in the picture!!  Whoops!

I like the frozen tilapia in the bag from Publix.  The filets come individually sealed in a little pack.  Very nice.

You combine the cheese, butter, mayo, green onions, and salt in a bowl. 

Cover the fish with the mixture after brushing the filets with lemon juice.  You then bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Here you go.  I served it with rice and fresh broccoli.  DELICIOUS!!

Here is your recipe:

Tasty Tilapia

Cooking for a Good Cause

Carrie Nelson - Breast Center Mammographer

2 lbs tilapia

2 T lemon juice

1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

1/4 c melted butter - I used Smart Balance spread

3 T mayonnaise

3 T chopped green onion

1/4 tsp salt

Coat baking dish with non-stick spray.  Place filets in dish and brush with lemon juice.  Combine parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, green onion, and salt.  Cover filets with mixture.  Bake at 350 degress for 30 minutes.

Now go have a great day.....

Memories of Halloween and Frightfully Fun Halloween Recipes Potato Bugs

Halloween is my second favorite holiday behind Christmas as far as the decorating aspect of it goes.  In future posts, I will tell you about our Christmas lights.  We are the Griswald's!! 

I remember when I was a little girl, we always got to go trick or treating around our neighborhood with all our friends.  I would get a huge bag of candy and then proceed to "save" it and not eat it except at special times as my Aunt Susie so fondly remembers.  First, let me tell you about Aunt Susie.  She is really like my sister because she is only 7 years older than me.  She is the queen of sarcasm and utilized it early and often on me.  I learned the art of sarcasm from the very best.  Susie crowned me "Miss Save-a-dee Lot" at Halloween one year.  I could stretch that Halloween candy well into Christmas.  But saving it had to do more with, first and foremost, torturing my younger brother than conserving my candy. He would eat all of his candy the first week after Halloween.  I would then proceed to pull out my saved portions and eat it in front of him without sharing!!  How cruel was I!!!  He would run crying to Mother, and she would make me choose - either give him a piece of candy or get a spanking.  I would usually take the spanking!  Of course, he had to tell Aunt Susie who proceeded to tease me by calling me "Miss Save-a-dee Lot!"  She was mad too because I would not share my candy with her either.  What is so funny, though, is that I would save the candy for so long, it would get old and yucky, and I couldn't even eat it and enjoy it.  HAHA!

Another memory I have of Halloween revolves around my Nana (Mama's Mama) who was the sweetest person on the Planet.  She made me a ghost costume out of a nightgown for Halloween.  I loved that thing and proceeded to wear it as a nightgown after Halloween.  I was and still am a Scaredy Cat when it comes to night time.  I hear things go bump in the night, get torn up, and can't sleep.  One night while wearing my Ghost nightgown, I heard something and proceeded to get up and go to my Mama and Daddy's bedroom to seek comfort.  For whatever reason, instead of waking them up, I proceed to stand over Mama willing her to wake up.  Well, she did and when she did, she let out a bone chilling blood curdling scream and literally levitated to the ceiling screaming the whole way.  I started screaming.  Daddy started screaming, Sam the dog started screaming, and Mother never quit screaming.  When it was all over, I was schooled on the proper procedure for waking them up at night when I got scared.  I don't think I ever wore that nightgown again either.

Here is a picture of Mama and Daddy as Elvis and Priscilla one Halloween.  This is when he realized he was Elvis.

When Food Police was born, we kicked it into high gear when Halloween rolled around.  I remember one year she wanted to be a Barbie Doll.  This is when I humiliated myself in the eyes of the other neighborhood moms.  I thought it was fine and dandy to buy one of those plastic one piece costumes that came with that little plastic mask with the little nylon string that held it on from the Walgreens store.  Horror of horrors!!!  What was I thinking?  When all the other kids came over to trick or treat, they had on awesome costumes that had a lot of effort put into them.  I was mortified.  "Never again" I said to myself.  Little Food Police loved that costume though. 

I found the picture of the Barbie costume.  I guess we opted out of the mask!!  Look at her posing. Oh my!

 I redeemed myself by hosting two neighborhood Halloween parties while Little Food Police was in elementary school.  The first one was outside complete with dry ice in the back yard, a fortune teller in our gazebo, and a scary house where they had to touch the proverbial peeled grapes for eyeballs and the spaghetti noodles for the intestines.  The second party was the best though.  I turned the whole inside of my house into a haunted house.  The premise was that the house was for sale, I was the real estate agent, and the kids were the potential buyers.  I took them into the house two at a time to show them the house.  We had scary music going and candles and spider webs everywhere.  At the dining room table, I had a person underneath with their head sticking through the opening where you lengthen the table.  I had a silver tray with lettuce surrounding their head with a dome over it.  When the kids would come into the dining room, I whipped off the dome, and there was this head just sitting there screaming with no visible body!!!  We would go onto one of the bedrooms where someone was dressed like a zombie and appeared to be dead and of course, they would jump off the bed and chase the poor little kids down the hall.  In the bathroom there was a large doll in the bathtub that had blood all over it and a knife sticking out of its head.  Finally, they would go down the hall to another bedroom, and a friend of ours dressed like a red Bigfoot would burst out of the room and chase them outside.  Those kids were literally hysterical and crying as they flew out of that house.  One kid was so scared he kept running down the driveway after he got out of the house.  Oops!!  I worried for a long time that I had made it too intense (they were only in the 5th grade, and I do have tendencies to take things over the top), and that all the parents would hate me!!

Look out!!  See how the costuming has upgraded.  I learned my lesson with Barbie.  Little Food Police is Paula Abdul !!  Look at Daddy's face!!  How funny!

Now I can't wait until I get little Grand-Food Police. What fun that will be!!   It will also be so much fun to watch Food Police deal with the candy issue and the lack of nutritional value of it all.  She will be that parent who will give out those horrid little boxes of raisins or worse yet, Halloween pencils and stickers!!  Horror of Horrors!!  Happy Halloween Y'all!

On to the recipe....I chose my cookbook called Frightfully Fun Halloween Recipes.   The Eeny Meeny Miny Mo game chose the recipe "Potato Bugs".  These are the cutest little things and taste wonderful.  I can't wait to make them for the Grand Food Police!!

Whoops..still getting too much flash!!  I have got to work on the photography.  Notice in the background the beautiful hydrangeas.  I think they are the perfect plant.  In the spring, they are that wonderful blue and then they fade to a pretty green color.  Now in the fall, they have that gorgeous jewel tone fall look of purple. 

You will need hash browns, broccoli, spaghetti, olives, and carrots.  I left out the sour cream.

After baking the Tater Tots and skewering them onto dry spaghetti noodles to hold them together, you decorate their little faces with broccoli for the hair, carrot sticks for the legs, and cut black olives for the eyes.  You get everything to stick using sour cream.

 

Ok... I think these are too cute!

 Here is your recipe....

Potato Bugs

Frightfully Fun Halloween Recipes

1 package (16 ounces) Potato Nuggets

6 pieces uncooked spaghetti, broken into thirds

1 carrot, cut into 1-1/2 inch strips

Sour cream, black olive slices and broccoli pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly grease baking sheets.

Spread Tater Tots on baking sheets and bake for 7 minutes.

Thread 3 Tater Tots onto 1 spaghetti piece.  Bake 5 more minutes.

Carefully push carrot strips into sides of each Tot for legs.  Use sour cream to attach the vegetables to make the face.

Makes about 15 servings.

Now go have a great day.......