Thankfulness.

This year has been a difficult one to find things for which I am thankful for.   Yes, I can tell you that I am grateful for my new Fossil purse that a friend found for me.  I can add my DH & the kids to the list.  I can tell you that I am grateful for my computer.  I love my MAC & couldn't imagine life without my calendar syncing to the iPhone.   I am grateful for my job.  It keeps me somewhat sane….and well dressed.    Yes,  LS…….  I know you find that one shocking, the sane part.   All of the mentioned are meaningless.  Well, not all!

But this year,   I really need to shout out to a few friends who have remained in my grasp.   You know who you are……..  R.B. (aka…the Cajun),   C.K., R.G.,  P.I., K.B., L.S., B.W., G.N. & her husband W.N.,  L.B. (aka Ethyl),  DF & LF,   M.L. & T.P., J.G.   You guys have kept in touch with me.  I have loved & needed the random phone calls.  The texts that keep me laughing.  The love & prayers.  The unconditional support.  You guys have been my rock and for that I have been grateful.  Thanks friends.


Now because I love you, friends…..  This is my current Thanksgiving dish.  This is the one that makes my heart go pitter patter.   My favorite Aunt made it one time at Thanksgiving and it changed my life.  Even though she is gone……  I may never forgive her for making it ONE time.  So I made it better…..  GREEN CHILIS!  OH MY!  I am very thankful for the GREEN CHILI'S!  I hope you will be too.

I would put a picture of the finished dish on here…..but yellow makes a terrible picture.  Forgive me…and buy me some much needed new camera gear!   Christmas is coming & I have been a good girl!

 

Pumpkin Bread - with or without cranberries & pecans

Today I received a threatening text from RB, the Cajun.   She mentioned visiting my BFF's blog more frequently if I didn't change my latest post and remove the cranberries.  Apparantly, cranberries are offensive to the Cajun.  Who knew?   I believe Ree won't notice the new Cajun from LA when she hasn't even noticed the Redneck Texan yet.


This post was up next on the old blogging block.   R.B. can skip the cranberries.

My son, CG, begs for this!  He absolutely loves pumpkin bread.  He loves it even more with fresh cranberries.  I make it for him year round.  During the summer……  I just leave out the cranberries.  It is too difficult to find them during the summer and craisins just aren't a good substitute.

PS….  Watch the baking time with fresh cranberries.  I tend to bake it a bit longer with them.

Cranberry Crunch...YUMMMMMM!!!!

As promised from last year I am posting this recipe from our Thanksgiving meal.  It was delicious.  Everyone.....except my dear husband loved it.   G.G.  loves the traditional cranberry sauce.  He prefers it straight from the can with the lines and all.......  YUCK.

Cranberry Crunch

1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Mix everything together except the sauce.  Spread half of the oatmeal stuff in a pie plate.  Spread the Sauce.  Crumble the rest on top.

Bake at 350* for about 35 minutes.

This was taken before baking.

I found this recipe over at the Southern Plate.  She has some great pictures of the finished product too.  She has even topped it with vanilla ice cream.   If you have never been to the Southern Plate blog.....go check out Miss Christy.  While I don't know her personally......I consider her my friend.

http://www.southernplate.com/2011/11/cranberry-crunch-and-ghosts-of-thanksgiving-past.html

Yes, that is a disco ball.  Tramp loves to chase the sparkles across the yard.

This is about as fall as it gets here at our house.  Happy Fall Friends!

My latest project

  I have been wanting to find a large frame and customize it with a chalkboard.  

All summer, I  hit up several local thrift stores and several yard sales and found nothing acceptable at the price of almost "free".  Yea, does any of you feel my pain here?

Last week, at my favorite thrift store.......this little gem was just sitting there.  The price on it was $9.99. I did a double take and questioned the guy walking around.  It has a couple of dings on the top.  For a chalkboard in my kitchen.....I call it purposely distressed. 

The hubby cut a piece of masonite to size and decided to be a nice guy and paint as well.  He knows that I hate using a paint brush.  My preferred paint method is spray paint.  Yea, I am that lazy.

This is the finished frame and the new kitchen wall color.  He painted that too.

Next..........  I want to find a new kitchen table & chairs.  Well, maybe that and cross something off the bucket list.  Apple Pie?

YIKES!!!!!

Yesterday, the above picture was taken.  She still looks like that.  So do I.

This gave us a giggle when she was in the 1st grade.  

1st grade cutie

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

She can't bring him chocolate.  He is allergic.

Her Daddy said "Yes, you can marry my daughter!"

Give this girl a can of spray paint & she can change the world.

Yesterday, I took pictures of a really ugly silver lamp.  I knew it had potential when it was purchased.  I had been keeping the lamp hidden in a closet upstairs until the exact idea came to mind.

They were decent pictures of an ugly lamp.   I saw them on the LED panel of my camera.  This morning when I tried to upload them ...they weren't there.  Neither was the flash card.  I hate it when this happens.

always here to help........

This is what I used.  It was about 6 dollars at Home Depot.   It was both paint & primer.  Nice.

So you get the finished product pictures instead.  Trust me......the silver finish was never a good idea.  I bought the lamp at one of my favorite stores for something less that 7 dollars.  I really don't remember the exact price.

Next......Trying my hand at repairing this webbing.  Maybe a little spray paint too.

Mountain Dew Bundt Cake & the solution to hoarding

I never make cake.  My husband doesn't care for it.  Something scarred him as a child with cake and we can't figure it out.  He only eats carrot cake.  He considers it a vegetable.  Right?

This story has two questions.

1.  If I don't make cake...Tell me why do I need the 2 bundt pans in the closet?
 (ANSWER... I must be a hoarder.)

2. Why was there a can of mountain dew in the pantry?  We don't drink that soda.  (ANSWER....  It belongs to a child living here?)

The obvious solution to both questions....MAKE CAKE.    The husband & I are watching our diet this month.  We are really trying to eat better and cleaner.  We won't eat this...RIGHT?  He hates cake. I don't care for mountain dew.   It is a winning solution for all and the pantry gets cleaned out in the process.

MOUNTAIN DEW CAKE

1 yellow cake mix
1 small box of lemon instant pudding
12 ounces of mountain dew
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

Mix it together.  Pour into a greased & floured bundt pan.
Bake @ 325 for about 50 minutes.

Let sit in pan for 20 minutes to cool before flipping.

Glaze...

3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tb Mountain Dew
1 small teaspoon of lemon extract  (yes, I had that too...go figure.)


I suppose you are asking yourself who ate the cake.  Between 4 teenagers in the house and 2 adults.....that picture is all that currently remains of the cake.  It was an epic diet fail. However, the pantry did get cleaned out!!!