Happy Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and lurkers!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We are spending it down South with my family. As usual there were way too many wonderful things to eat and we stuffed ourselves.

I haven't blogged lately. For those who have missed me I am sorry. The holidays are especially difficult for us. It's hard to put aside that there should be a beautiful brown haired girl bouncing around, squealing in delight in the wonder and magic that is Christmas…but there isn't.

So you cope. You muddle through the best you can, and you remind yourself that she's safe and sound. I find myself daydreaming sometimes. What is Christmas like in Heaven? Indescribable. I know it must be amazing. I wish I could catch a glimpse, just one small glimpse of what she's doing this very moment.

For now I whisper Happy Christmas Gracie girl and I love you, and hold her in my heart.

Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,

Was singing without any presents at all!

He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME!

Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,

Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?”

“It came with out ribbons! It came without tags!”

“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.”

“Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”

Wordless Wednesday

Pretty Pumpkins

Tasty Tuesday: Party Chicken

Several years ago someone made party chicken for us. It was so good. Ever since I've wanted to make it myself. It took a while, but I finally got around to it! Haha.

I found a recipe somewhere, can't remember where, and used that as a guideline.

If you follow my Tasty Tuesday, you know I love to mix it up and improve it.

My chicken breasts were pretty big so I doubled up on the dried beef and bacon. I also used only two breasts as that was all I had defrosted, so we had lots of gravy.

I also added paprika to the recipe.

What You'll Need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 slices dried beef

8 slices bacon

1 cup sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom

Paprika

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 2 pieces of dried beef on each chicken breast, and wrap in bacon. Brown chicken in a skillet over medium heat until bacon is crisp.

Meanwhile, mix sour cream and mushroom soup. Sprinkle in paprika to taste.

Place browned chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover with soup mixture.

Cover and bake for about 30 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Our Bird Friends

For the past month or so we've had some bird friends hanging around the lake. A lovely pair of Sandhill Cranes moved in and have been entertaining us. We love listening to them.

They usually keep their distance…especially with a certain hairy beast in the yard.

They appear to be having a chat.

This weekend they decided to venture into our yard for the first time. We were on our way to church, but the husband was able to snap a few pictures before he got too close for comfort. Thus the cranes made their exit.

Some fun facts for you. Mated pairs stay together. Also, they can live up to twenty years! That's a pretty long time! Hopefully our couple sticks around for a while!

The Birthday Babies

Today is Maggie and Boomer's 7th birthday! Hard to believe we adopted them 6 years ago. Time sure does fly!

Vacation

The husband and I had a lovely vacation away. It was long overdo.

We visited his family in Virginia, and then headed to Tennessee for a couple of days.

Naturally, it didn't last long enough!

First glimpse of the mountains.

His sister lives in a really small town!

Richard is now famous in this small town. He ate the "Big Porker" and got his picture on the wall. It was quite entertaining.

Beautiful red church door. Thanks to Pinterest, I've come to realize I have an odd fascination with doors.

Pretty little town of Wytheville, VA.

We drove to the top of Whitetop Mountain.

It was so beautiful.

Plus it was nice and cool!

Tobacco Fields

One of our first stops in Tennessee! Gotta love the Apple Barn!

We went to Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg. If you've never been I would highly suggest it. It was worth every penny!

Love the penguins!

He kept posing for us!

Beautiful Gatlinburg!

Beach Days

It's been raining here for days and the sun was finally sun shiny today!

We went to the beach yesterday and nearly got blown away!!

Richard had to hold on to his hat...

Or else this would happen…

Today was completely different! It was beautiful out. And we didn't have to hold onto the boardwalk for fear of flying away!

Phoenix even enjoyed himself.

Richard walked the beach a bit and found some treasures! He found a piece of green sea glass…

And the best one…A whole sand dollar!

He was quite impressed with himself! I couldn't believe he found it. All I found was a half eaten lollipop and a dead fish.

I spared you the pictures.

Wordless Wednesday

An afternoon nap.

Musical Monday

This week's song is "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons.

Love this group. We listened to them over and over on our trip. Great driving music!

I'm probably going to close out Musical Monday soon. I just can't find a suitable site to stream live music that will auto play.

Mix Pod doesn't have a good selection so it's getting quite hard to find music.

We shall see.

Wordless Wednesday

I will shoot you with my laser beams!

Tasty Tuesday: Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

This is the last Summer recipe!

I tried this out for the first time last night. I meant to take pictures but was pressed for time.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cup flour
1 cup blueberries

1/2 pkg cream cheese, cut into 1 tsp cubes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Blend in the lemon zest, juice and eggs. Make sure to scrape off any bits of zest that stick to the mixer paddle.

In a separate bowl whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour then mix it into the wet ingredients. Gently fold in the blueberries so as not to burst any. Refrigerate the dough for about 15 – 20 minutes to make it stiff enough to roll.

For each cookie, roll 1 heaping tbsp of dough into a ball then flatten it slightly into a disc shape. Place a 1 tsp cream cheese cube into the center and form the dough around it creating a ball again. Bake them for about 10 - 14 minutes until the edges brown slightly.

A few tips…

I cut up strawberries also, and did half blueberry and half strawberry. You want to be really careful when you mix in the blueberries so they don't burst. Also, cooling off the dough before you roll them is essential. You'll have a gooey mess if you don't.

Enjoy!

Musical Monday

This week's song is "The Greatest" by Cat Power.

I love this girl! She has some really great music.

We're headed out on vacation so this shall be the song for the next two weeks.

Enjoy!

Kitty Mischief

This is why I constantly disinfect my counters!

Little booger!

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday: Bacon Tomato Cups

This weeks recipe is Bacon Tomato Cups.

I posted this recipe on my blog a few years ago, but I wanted to post it again.

Probably because I've been craving them!

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

3 oz Swiss Cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mayo

1 tsp dried basil

16 oz can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough (Grands)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan.

2. Cook the bacon until evenly brown, then drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon into a medium mixing bowl and add tomato, onion, cheese, mayo and basil.

3. Separate biscuits into halves horizontally and press each half into the cups on the prepared muffin tin. Fill each half with the bacon mixture.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!!

Musical Monday

This weeks song is "Your Song". It was originally by Elton John, but I chose the cover by Ellie Goulding.

She is new to me. I first heard her sing this song on a Mother's Day special for SNL.

I was highly impressed with her version. She has such a lovely voice. You also know someone is truly a gifted artist when their live performance is just as good as their recorded one.

I'm not always a big fan of covers, but I really love this one.

We Will Never Forget

How He Loves

He is jealous for me

Love's like a hurricane,

I am a tree

Bending beneath the weight of

His wind and mercy

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory

And I realize just how beautiful You are

And how great Your affections are for me.

Oh, how He loves us so

Oh, how He loves us

How He loves us so.

Yeah, He loves us

Oh, how He loves us

Oh, how He loves us

Oh, how He loves.

We are His portion and

He is our prize,

Drawn to redemption

By the grace in His eyes

If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking

So heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss and

My heart turns violently inside of my chest

I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

He loves us,

Oh, how He loves us

Oh, how He loves us

Oh, how He loves

- John Mark McMillan -

Wordless Wednesday

You know how plastic bags have that "Not a Toy for children" print

Or the "Keep away from Babies and Small Children"

"Danger of Suffocation"

Obviously they didn't consider cats.

Tasty Tuesday: Southern Peach Cobbler

I have been dying for some good ol Peach Cobbler lately.

Not very diet friendly though.

It also doesn't help that there's a fruit stand advertising fresh Georgia peaches just a couple of minutes from my house that I have to pass all the time. I may have to break down soon.

So here's your late Summer recipe.

Southern Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup milk

29 ounces sliced peaches in light syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 2 quart baking dish and place in the oven until completely melted.

In a medium bowl combine sugar and flour. Stir in milk, a little at a time until completely incorporated. Remove dish from oven and pour mixture carefully over the butter. Spoon peaches and syrup over the batter.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until crust is puffed and golden.

I highly recommend using fresh peaches for this recipe. They just taste better. You will need to cook the fresh sliced peaches in a bit of sugar and water to soften them and make a nice syrup.

Enjoy!

Musical Monday

This week's song is "Someone Like You" by Adele.

The girl gives me goosebumps!

Happy September

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for Fall! It's a comin!

This Summer has been a scorcher.

I'm ready to yank the windows open and let those cool Autumn breezes flow through my house. Ahhhhh, can't wait!

I'm also ready to decorate and do crafty pumpkin crafts and start baking yummy Fall foods like Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. Yum!!

Okay I need to calm down.

On another note, I've had Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" stuck in my head all day long! Ha. I'm such a doofus.

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Biscuit Pie

This week's recipe is another I've had around for years. It's simple and one of my favorite comfort foods.

Chicken Biscuit Pie

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter

1 onion, chopped

1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

Salt & Pepper

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen carrots

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

Biscuits:

2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

5 tbsp shortening

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450. Grease a 2 quart baking dish.

In a large saucepan, saute the chopped onion in butter. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add frozen veggies and chicken and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Pour into greased baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk just until dough is moistened, then drop by spoonfuls onto chicken mixture.

Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes.

A few personal additions. I do whatever veggies I have on hand. Frozen, fresh or canned. Just remember they must be cooked prior.

Also, I find the biscuit mixture to be too much and always half it. Or double the chicken mixture, whatever meets your needs. I also cook it at a lower temp. Usually 375.

You can use canned biscuits also. Throw them on top, or bake them separately.

Enjoy!

Musical Monday

This weeks song is Laughing With by Regina Spektor.

I really like Regina. She has a unique voice, and her lyrics are always interesting.

I listed the lyrics this week just because I really love them. They are powerful.

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” CS Lewis

Laughing With

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God when it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they're mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say, "We've got some bad new, sir"
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God in a hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war

No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
We're all laughing with God

Pinterest

I had to blog about my latest and greatest obsession…

Pinterest!

If you have never heard of it, I will give you the lowdown. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. It's basically a visual bookmarking site. You can pin images of all the things you love onto personalized bulletin boards.

It consists of Bulletin Boards that you pin photos to with links attached.

Say there are several crafts you'd like to do. Instead of bookmarking them the "old fashioned" way, pin them to your Craft Bulletin Board in Pinterest. Then they're all right there, just a click away. You can see everything all at once.

Or there's a great recipe you stumbled across that you'd really like to try. Click on your Pin It button, it's a bookmarklet, that you installed on your bookmark, there are detailed instructions once you sign up,

click on the picture you want to pin,

then file it under whatever category you choose.

Then when your looking through your Recipe Bulletin Board, you can quickly see the recipe you want, click on that pin, and it will take you directly to the recipe.

I'll admit…I'm totally hooked.

Whoever thought this concept up is pure genius.

Have you ever been browsing through the internet and stumbled on something you really liked? Sure you can bookmark it, but let's be real…how many of us actually do that? Then actually remember to go back and find it!

I hate the conventional bookmarking. It drives me crazy and I never use it.

Another awesome concept of Pinterest is that you can see what your friends are pinning also. That really opens up your realm of great finds. It makes it easy to share recipes, craft ideas, photos, products, quotes, and a zillion other things!

I can't tell you how many awesome recipes, craft ideas, pictures and slews of other things I have come across from this site.

If you haven't checked it out, you should.

You do have to be a member to use Pinterest. You can request an invitation from Pinterest itself, or a friend can invite you.

I'm not sure how I got so lucky, but I requested an invitation from Pinterest and received it less than an hour later. I've heard of people waiting forever and not getting an invite.

If you'd like an invite, shoot me a comment or an email.

Scritch A Scratch

This is what happens when you have a kitty cat sweetly sleeping in your lap, and your husband decides to be silly and scare the poo out of her.

Wordless Wednesday

She decided to sit on him. He was not amused.

Tasty Tuesday: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

This weeks recipe is a delightful little cookie!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies.

Has anyone else noticed that all my summer recipes are desserts??

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tbsp lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and zest. Beat to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. Remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about a half a teaspoon onto each cookie, and spread using the back of the spoon. Allow the glaze to harden for two hours, then store in a container.

Enjoy!

Musical Monday

This week's song is Pyro by the Kings of Leon.

Love this song, and love this band.

The music video is pretty cool too. You should check it out.