Strawberry Bars for the Cajun!!!

There was a time when I absolutely loved to eat Nutrigrain bars.   They made a mighty tasty "on-the-go" breakfast.    At some point in my life after reading the nutritional facts,  I decided all those preservatives just weren't necessary and quickly began the search for something better that could easily be prepared at home.   These babies are absolutely delicious!   You gotta try them!

Strawberry Fruit Bars

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup oatmeal,  (I prefer the old fashioned kind.)

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup strawberry jam ( I used a small jar of this...)

Spray a square brownie pan with cooking spray & cover with foil.  Spray again.

Combine the first 6 ingredients until it is crumbly.  

Spread 1/2 into prepared pan.

Spread the Jam

Spread the remaining crumblies & press together.

Bake @ 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden.

I think that changing up the jam would be fun here...Seedless Raspberry?  Peach?  Blueberry?

So many options!!!

Hey...RB, is this quick enough for you?

Tomato Soup has changed my life.

 All my life I have thought that tomato soup was yucky and tasted metallic.  Yea,  I was raised to think that canned was the only way to get tomato soup.    And why should I order tomato soup at a restaurant when I don't like it?   My dear husband thinks it is amazing.  Canned, that is.

Hey, Mrs. CS......make this!!!! You will like it.  Get out your giant Le Crueset!!!

WELL....... We were watching an episode of PW and she was making it.   It looked easy.   I was hungry.  He said that he would go to the grocery store.  Ok, yea baby........  I'll make that.   Can you pick up a loaf of french bread too?  And a gallon of milk?

Tomato Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large carrots, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, pressed

   *( these really need to be finely diced.....food processor?)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 large cans whole tomatoes, the 28 oz size

4 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons parsley

1 cup water

Saute the top 5 ingredients.  Add the tomato paste and cook another 3 minutes.

Add the remaining and boil.  Reduce heat and simmer another 20 minutes or so.  

You really want the vegetables tender.

Get out your immersion blender and puree until smooth.  

Add..   1/2 cup whipping cream 

            2 tablespoons basil, chopped

            salt & pepper to taste

Simmer another 5 minutes.

  

                                             

December! January! & WAIT!!!!! Today is February!!! WHAT????

Miss C.G. tied the knot!  She recently married her love.......  Mr. RS   What a day that was!   As if getting married isn't going to fill the calendar......We planned a wedding on top of Christmas & a mini vacation.   Fortunately, I am a bit OCD and over all a decent planner!
Everything went off without a hitch.   Did I also mention I interviewed for a new job 2 days before the wedding?  AM I INSANE??????    Hey, God's timing is not always my timing...but I'll take it.

The Ringbearer just didn't want to hang out in a box.......

The cake looked pretty on that beautiful platter!!!

Something old..  (my pearls) 

Something new... (dress)

Something blue..... (her tongue?)

Baby, is my tie ok?

Look who photobombed the pretty girls?   JESUS!

What a good place for a new life to start!!!

RS entered our lives a few years ago and promptly introduced himself by announcing that he had no intentions of being enrolled  in the "Flavor of the Month Club".   We immediately figured out at that point he was a keeper.

RS will do the family pose now......

Some may call the wedding punch a "punch casserole"  It was easy.  It had a ton of things in it.  It was delicious!!  Anything served with that ladle & punch bowl should be tasty......  And can you believe we found all those cups for virtually about .10 each?  WHAT???????

Since the wedding of the year is over.....Life continued on.  We survived Christmas.  We went to Branson for a few days after that to unwind and find a new kind of normal without the daily excitement of having Miss CG in the house.  WAIT......  She is now MRS. CS!   Gotta remember that one!!!

Hey, kids...gas was $1.89 per gallon at the Racetrack on the day you were married!

I started the new job....actually using my diploma and loving it.   Yep......  I am finally back in the classroom!!!!    Family things occurred and I found myself in the midst of crazy band planning events.    I REALLY NEED A VACATION NOW!!!  


                                             Road trip anyone?  The beach isn't that far....

Merry Christmas Friends!

As 2014 draws to a close,  I sit here reflecting on the many blessings and events that have occurred this past year.

Meagann graduated from WHS in May and is enrolled at Collin County Community College.  She is currently performing with an independent winter guard group based here in Frisco and last weekend signed a contract with the Blue Stars to perform in their Summer 2015 show.  She is also working with the Little Elm ISD color guard and returned to Cinemark for the holiday season.   One of the above pictures features Meagann at her 18th birthday party.   We had several dozen of her friends over for a surprise party and gave them all a can of shaving cream to empty on her.    It was quite the memory for all!

The hardest part for Greg & I this year was to watch Clay play his final baseball game as a Riverdog.  The team had been together since his 1st grade year.   What a run they had!!!  Clay left middle school and began his Freshman year at Wakeland.  This means I began my 8th year as a WHS band mom.  He played the mellophone in the fall marching show "Venomous"  and enjoyed a trip to Indianapolis for BOA Grand Nationals where they placed 15th out of 94 bands in the Nation.

The biggest news lies with Courtney.  She spent the summer in London working with OM. Immediately upon returning in August,  the decision was made that the wedding would be in December during winter break.  Her fiance, Rick, is currently working for the Collin County Police Department and plans to enroll in the police academy as soon as he accumulates enough college credit hours.  They recently adopted an 8 week old French Bulldog and named him "Winston."
She will be finishing up her pre-law degree this next year at UT Dallas.  Her plans include law school the following semester.

Tramp isn't too sure of Winston.  He prefers to be left alone but will tolerate the attention that Winston is eager to give.   He jumps to the top of the closest couch in fear for his life.   Nothing changes too much with Tramp.....his current hobbies still include squirrel watching, cuddling and napping.


In closing, I ask all of you to look around and count your blessings.   We all have a blessing or two that goes unnoticed and taken for granted.  Be thankful for all.......

Using all that leftover turkey (or chicken) & creating happiness

Yea, you heard that right...............happiness.  It all comes together in the end of this one and world peace is created around a plate filled with "Chicken/Turkey pot pie."    This stuff is so easy.............It will simply make your whole world a better place.  Easy assembly.  Easy Peasy & Delicious!
Did I mention minimum dishes to clean up afterwards?  

Run/Drive to the grocery store & buy these 3 things.

*A jar of Alfredo sauce....any flavor.  I like the one with mushrooms!
* A half- bag of frozen mixed vegetables.
*A box of Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust.

Assuming that you have some leftover Thanksgiving turkey....chop up about 3 cups into small bite sized pieces.   If not, you need to purchase & debone a roasted chicken.

*A roteriserie chicken


Roll out the dough and put the first layer in the pie plate.
Mix up the half bag of vegetables, the poultry & the alfredo. Spoon it into the crust.
Take the remaining pie-crust and arrange it on top & crimp the edges with your fingers.

Brush the top with an egg wash.  Snip a hole or two in the top for steam to escape.  Shake some freshly ground pepper & sea salt on top.

Bake @ 375 for about 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Use those leftover veggies for a vegetable beef stew!!!!!  



Enjoy the holidays Friends! Take some time to relax and enjoy the moments!!!

The day before cooking.

Today,  I have burned as many calories as I have cooked and assembled the side dishes.

The list is very long on Thanksgiving must haves for dinner.

Turkey
Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes
Hatch Green Chili Corn Casserole
Cranberry Crunch
Cranberry Jello (straight from the can)
Pink Fluffy Stuff
Green Bean Casserole
Williams Sonoma Gravy...this stuff is the bomb.
Dinner Rolls.......Aunt Laverne's secret recipe.

Pumpkin Cheesecake topped off with  chocolate ganache.
TUMS..... by the bucketload.

In order to have all that as a late lunch/dinner.....one must have a fun breakfast.  Tomorrow's will be sausage balls & cinnamon rolls.

Am I a glutton for calories?  Not usually.  Tomorrow is the exception.  I like the side dishes.  Personally, I can live without the jello-like cranberries.  They just aren't special.  The turkey makes me the happiest as a leftover sandwich.  Oh dear.......  I forgot to purchase the sourdough bread for my special sandwiches...........

Yummy Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

A friend. (L.F.)  called me several months ago asking about "monkey bread"  This is the recipe I gave her.   Totally easy-peasy.  Totally yummy and good for those breakfast gigs at church or elsewhere when you need some good sticky sugar-loaded carbs.    I have also done this one for a holiday morning breakfast. 

Cinnamon Pull-apart Bread

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 TBS cinnamon

2 Cans (7.5 oz each) buttermilk biscuits*

1/2 cup butter, melted & divided

cream cheese glaze

Preheat oven to 350*.  Cut the dough into quarters.

Mix Cinnamon & sugar together in a small bowl.

Roll the dough quarters around in the sugar stuff.

Place 1/2 of the dough in a greased bundt pan & drizzle with 1/2 of the butter.

Sprinkly a small amount of cinnamon on top.

Finish rolling the remaining biscuits & top with the melted butter.

Top the unbaked dough off with the remaining sugar stuff.

Bake 40-45 minutes and let it sir for 5 before inverting.

Glaze………….

4 oz softened cream cheese & 1/2 cup powdered sugar.  Add 1 or 2 TBS of milk until it is your desired consistency.


* Substituting a can of cinnamon rolls here would be extra yummy.

.)