Why I Need to be a Paula Deen Blogger!!!

Oh yes my faithful readers.  I saw where the one and only Paula Deen is doing a search for new bloggers to add to her website.  You know I went crazy hog wild when I saw this. 

One of the criteria for consideration is that you write a post about why you need to be that blogger.  Lord have mercy.  Well here we go.  I am writing that post.

I need to be that blogger.  Paula Deen is the reason I started writing my blog.  She made me love food and feeding family and friends again.  I had gone through a period where I did not enjoy cooking or menu planning or anything of the sort.  Then I was introduced to Paula on the Food Network and immediately went "cuckoo for cocoa puffs" as they say. I started cooking up a storm. 

I got so addicted that I thought to myself  "I want to do something with food." But Self said "You don't know how to write a cookbook.  You can't have a TV show because you would turn red, stutter, and your hands would shake.  You can't own a restaurant because you don't know a thing about running a business.  Besides you are a teacher.   But the thing that you could do to satisfy this need for food is to write a blog."  Then I thought "Oh my goodness!!  There are millions of food blogs out in the nanosphere!!  How will mine be different?  Why would anyone want to read my blog?"  Then it hit me.  I would play Eeny Meeny Miny Mo with my cookbooks.  I would let the game choose the recipe, and the rest is history.  It has been one of the most rewarding undertakings of my life.    So I have to be that blogger that gets chosen.  I want to show my readers how to take a chance and enjoy food again.  I want to inspire them to try something new and laugh a little bit along the way.  After all, that is what my blog and life are all about. 

PS   Pick me, pick me, pick me!!!!!

High School Homecoming and Pioneer Woman's Food from my Frontier Roasted Cauliflower

Here we go again.  I have fallen in the trap of life where you don't have time to turn around.  I am way behind - again - on the blog.  I feel so guilty when I don't write my blog.  That is a good thing though.  It means I really enjoy doing it!!   I miss it!

I have once again over-committed at school.  I volunteered to be the Junior Class sponsor.  I asked the officers what this meant.  They responded "Oh you only have to fill out a couple of purchase orders, and that is it!"  I actually believed them.  I will never believe them again!  This is how it went down.  How about you have to help us construct an 8 foot by 10 foot banner for Homecoming, and every time we work on it, you have to be there with us, or we will be disqualified!!  Hmmmm....... How about you have to figure out how to construct it because we are teenage girls and don't have a clue?  How about I am an adult woman and don't have a clue?  How about we want to do a design with tissue paper and chicken wire?  How about why don't we make it easy and do it on a piece of cardboard?  Oh no!!  So I had to call on Husband Fred to help with the construction.  I was at a complete loss to put it bluntly.  We had to go to Lowe's and pick out wood, chicken wire, and screws for this little project.  I was at a complete loss in Lowe's.  I don't know what a 2x4 or a 1x4 is or that there are such things as wood screws.  We then had to meet on a Saturday for Husband Fred (who moves at the speed of turtle) to screw together what seemed like 10,000 pieces of wood and chicken wire to make this very very large banner.  We finally got it done, and then had to figure out how to move it from the place where we were working on it to the school without losing the one million pieces of tissue paper.  That was fun too.  We finally got it in place for all to see.  And we got second place.  We were all quite upset if you know what I mean.  I don't think I demonstrated good sportsmanship to my little charges.  Oh well.  Now they tell me they are having a "Hoopcoming" in January for basketball season.  I am going to run and hide.

Now on to the recipe.....I am still cooking out of The Pioneer Woman's Food From my Frontier.  I love the Pioneer Woman.  That is all I am going to say about that.  The Eeny game chose Roasted Cauliflower.  I thought Yuck to myself.  I knew Food Police would be happy.  Again the Eeny Game is working because I would have NEVER tried this if it was left up to me.  Thank you Eeny Game.

You will need a head of cauliflower, salt, pepper, olive oil, butter (I used Smart Balance), and panko bread crumbs.

 

 

Cut the cauliflower into little florets, sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Place in a 400 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes.

 

Transfer the cauliflower to a baking dish and add the panko crumbs that you have mixed with melted butter to the top.  What could be better??

 

Put back in the 400 degree oven and roast for 5 minutes, and the dish will come out looking like this.  It was very good even if I must say so myself. 

 

 

Here is your recipe....

 

Roasted Cauliflower

The Pioneer Woman's Food from my Frontier

 

1 cauliflower head, cut up into pieces

1/4 C olive oil (I only used a drizzle Food Police)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 C panko bread crumbs

4 T melted butter (I used 1 T of Smart Balance Food Police)

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spread the cauliflower on a large sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil.  Toss the cauliflower to coat it evenly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes until golden brown with some darker parts. 

Add the bread crumbs to a bowl, pour on the melted butter, and mix well.  Place the cauliflower into a medium baking dish and mound the crumbs on top.  Roast for 5 minutes or until golden brown on top.

 

Now go have a great day.....

Internet Offers and The Pioneer Woman Cooks' Panfried Kale

You know you are getting older when your e-mail inbox becomes full of offers from the Scooter Store.  Every day I have a Scooter Store offer in my inbox.  I hope I never have to use a Scooter but if I have to, I will take command of my Scooter.  I will ride it like I am on the track at Talledega.  People will know I am coming their way on my Scooter.  I will back that Scooter up just to create that little beep-beep-beep sound.  I am not kidding either.

I got to thinking and checked out some of the other offers I have received since turning 50 about 4 years ago.  I had one from Dermatend Mole and Skin Tag Removal.  The catch is they will sell you the directions to do this at HOME!!  WHAT??!!!  Good grief.  I also have had offers to join the AARP, solve my snoring, put together a reverse mortgage, get help for my depression, hot flashes, and loss of hair, and offers for products to remove and erase wrinkles.  If I were a single lady, I could find all kinds of places to go and meet nice senior men over the age of 50.  UGH!!  I will pass on all, thank you very much.

On to the recipe...  The Eeny game chose Panfried Kale.  I was depressed about that.  I don't really go for the superfood called kale.  Of course, Food Police is all over it.  She stated in her Food Police voice that it is full of Vitamin K and beta carotene.  I told her "That is just what I need - more beta carotene and Vitamin K!  Does it have any saturated fat or carbs or sugar?!!"  She glared and countered that now people are roasting kale and eating it instead of potato chips.  WHAT??!!  People need to get a life and just eat some potato chips.

I promised that I would not cheat on the game so here we go.  I resisted, but it was really really good, and I felt super-healthy eating it.  I almost think I might like it better than turnip greens.  Oh my!!

You will need just some kale, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

 

Simply heat the oil, and add the kale, 5 cloves of garlic minced, salt and pepper.  Cook until it is wilted which is about 2 minutes. 

 

 

Here is your recipe....

 

1 large bunch of kale ( I got the Glory Brand in the bag)

3 Tbs olive oil

5-6 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Thoroughly wash the kale in cold water.  Heat the olive oil in a LARGE skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning the garlic.  Throw in the kale and use tongs to move it around.  Sprinkle in plenty of salt and pepper and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Remove and serve.

 

 

Now go have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!