Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble

I keep wondering where June went.  It is so hot in Alabama right now I bet I could cook chocolate chip cookies in my car.  (For some reason I've always wanted to try it.  I may do it next week.)  We skipped right over June & have August weather.  It makes me want to wilt.  I am extremely cold natured, but if I get just a little warm I will start sweating.  Yes, I am a walking contradiction!

I do love summer though because of all the fresh fruits & veggies, and farmer Ted (this is what I call Hopson when his garden is in full bloom) has his garden stocked with them.  But when it's this hot, who wants to spend anytime in a hot kitchen?  I do because all 4 kiddos are home 24/7 & they are hungry!  (and since I have my new cook top, even though the down draft vent is not hooked-up, I don't have an excuse not to cook.) 

Last night I was trying to think of something very yummy, but not too hot to eat.  For some reason in the summer my kids love tuna with a side of mac & cheese.  We didn't have that for dinner, but it's just something they love.  Ok, that was totally unrelated to this posting, but they do eat it almost everyday in the summer.  (no eggs in the tuna, just a little mayo & a ton of dill pickle relish.  sooo good!!!)

I decided on a pasta bar for dinner.  I had some homemade marinara in the fridge I made last week b/c the children were on a homemade pizza binge, so I browned some hamburger meat and onions to make that a meat sauce.  I made some creamy pesto, and a garlic butter sauce too.  There were 3 different kinds of pasta to choose from & they could just carb themselves out.  I think they were extremely happy b/c no one said anything during dinner, they just ate.  It's always nice when they get excited about my cooking. 

The one downer, the clean-up.  Because I haven't learned the ins & outs of my new cook top, I made a little bit of a mess & some elbow grease was required to scrub it all off.  But, you know, I didn't really mind b/c I have enough left overs to serve the pasta as sides for the next few days, or part of lunch, or breakfast if they're moved to have pasta before swim team/golf/football practice.

It was a different kind of meal & I was going to serve it with a salad, but they wanted angel hair shredded cabbage with ranch dressing.  You know as long as they were eating something green I thought that was just fine.  Y'all try to stay cool during these hot days in June. 

Be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

PS~My baby, Henry, turned 9 Sunday.  Happy Birthday to the cutest little wiggle worm in the world.  I love you Hen. with all my heart.  <3

 

Springtime

I need to apologize to all of you for not posting any recipes in about forever.  Springtime is a crazy time for us, and like every other family we are running on full throttle.  I've been cooking standards lately.  Here is an oldie that the fam loves, but it's a goodie:  hamburger quiche.  I will serve it with green beans & fresh fruit.  It's a favorite dinner of mine because it's easy to double. 

Our state was hit very hard by all the tornadoes that came through Wednesday.  There are so many areas that have been devistated.  Please pray for our state. 

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Relaying It

Today is a friend of mine's mother's birthday.  Ok, so what's the big deal you may ask?  She's a survivor; a 14 year cancer survivor.  She and my mom went through chemo at the same time.  I remember when they were giving Mrs. Hagler 'the big red devil'; I watched as the nurse pressed down the plunger of that HUGE syringe full of what looked like red cherry kool aid into her system to kill the cancer cells in her body.  I've only heard of a few people who didn't have at least one adverse reaction to chemo.  It's so horrible, but for so many it does so much good.

I remember talking to Mrs. Hagler a few years ago.  She said at times she feels guilty that she is still alive while others have gone onto heaven.  I think that's a horrible thing to say.  Survivors should NEVER feel guilty.  I don't begrudge any survivor the time God has granted them.  I celebrate with them and their families.  Am I a little jealous?  Yes, but that's just my own selfishness coming out.  I am thankful for the memories I have of my parents.

All around the country there are different groups hosting The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.  If you've never participated in one, I highly recommend it.  The luminary ceremony is very touching and for me always a little sad.  This year my oldest, Hopson, is co-captain of a Relay team.  I'm so proud of these young people.  Not just the ones on his team, but all the kids at the high school.  They are thinking outside the box to raise money for a cause that is trying to help patients all over the world be able to celebrate one more birthday.

If you know of someone who is trying to raise money for Relay, anything you can do helps!  (and no, this is not me trying to get you to support Hop's team, but if you're interested...)  I found a letter a friend of my parents wrote about them and their relationship; I also found their obituaries in the same drawer.  As I have been thinking about Mrs. Hagler, I have also been thinking about my parents.  They would have just turned 63 this year (mom January 1st & dad March 22nd) & in August would be celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary.  I wonder how my life would be different some days if they were alive, but I know this is my life I have and I'm going to be thankful for what I do have instead of focusing on what I don't. 

Happy Birthday Memory Hagler!!!  May you be blessed with many more!

Tonight in Birmingham at MugShots, 10% of your entire dinner will go to support Relay for Life.  If you've never eaten there, you should.  They have some of the best burgers around!  My new favorite is Trevor's 1000 Island Burger.  My stomach is growling and my mouth watering just thinking about it & it's only 10:30 in the morning.  If you get a chance, support Relay, help someone have 1 more birthday!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

I'm still here I promise

Hello everyone,
I feel like I've been gone for months instead of a few days.  You'll be glad to note that my cook top is fixed.  We didn't have to buy a new one.  (which is very good & a little disappointing)  I haven't cooked anything super special since it was fixed.  We've been blowin' and goin', so dinner has been what I can fix rather quickly.  I still haven't gone to the store for a major restocking since we arrived home from spring break.  I know, I'm a slacker.  I just can't get excited about a major shopping excursion.  Shall I make a few more excuses?  I'm done I promise.  :)

Two nights ago it was homemade shell-less taco salad  (iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, ground venison with Mexican spices and topped with ranch or sour cream); tonight we pulled out homemade marinara that I froze and we had spaghetti.  Like I said, nothing spectacular, but everyone was fed.

Since the kitchen is clean, and all little people, except for Harry (of course) are asleep, I'm going to start heading back to take care of the last bit of chores I need to get done so I can get to bed at a decent hour.  4:30 comes offly early when you go to bed at 11.  Sweet Dreams!!!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Trying to squeeze it all in

Before I start my newest posting, I want to give a shout out to all the people outside the US who are reading my blog.  It's so fun to see all the different countries represented.  Even if you stumble here by accident, I'm glad you're reading my page & I hope you come back often!  Leave me a message because I'd love to hear from you.  And just so all you hometown folks don't feel left out, you know I love you!  As Clarie says in Steel Magnolias:  "You know I love you more than my luggage."  Make sure you use your best suthen voice.  (and voice has 2 syllables and the i makes the eh sound.  Just a little clarification there.)

Having one child that can drive is huge! It is easier knowing that I only have 3 children to ferry around our town and get from place to place. Hoppy helps when he can, but most of the time he has a practice or game of his own.  Because this is a crazy time of year, we usually eat in shifts.  This can be so crazy, but at the same time great.  Last night I was bad & 3 of my children used the same plate.  I know some of you may be cringing, but hey, I had less dishes to wash.  :)

Before you think this is a rant, please know it's not, it's just me observing...

There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get things done. My momma would pull all-nighters just to get chores done, but I choose not to be that way. I have to have my sleep. Now, I wake-up way before the sun, but I need at least 6 hours.  If I don't get my sleep, Mr. Hyde likes to make an appearance, and the Mr. Hyde part of me is not very nice.  (He will show up around 4pm, and that's when I'm usually driving in the car, so y'all be careful out there...)

Because I'm such an early bird, I can get more done by 11am than I can get done in the rest of the day, but for some reason the hours of the day still get away from me.  It seems my house stays a little to messy for my liking; the laundry is never completed;  I'm trying to remember & juggle schedules;  the fam gets hungry; and I'm trying to be a work (the kind that earns money) from home mom.  Can anyone out there relate?  Ok, y'all hold on a second, I'm going to step away from my computer & either have a tension breaker or cry, I can't decide which.  Just kidding, I'm really ok. 

Thinking about crazy times reminds me of one day in the car about 7 years ago when Henry was a baby, Elizabeth a toddler, Harry about 6 & Hoppy 8.  Hop & Harry were arguing in the back seat, Henry was crying, and Elizabeth was informing me about the baby crying.  I thought to myself:  "...and this is what I wanted to be when I grew up".  I thought I signed up to have a few children who loved and adored me, and who were perfect.  Not the chaos that was following.  I know my friends have days like that too.  You'll be glad to know I did survive that day & many others eerily similar.  Looking back I can laugh, at the time, not so much.

I can only deal with one day at a time.  Hopson & I usually will try to discuss our weekly schedule and what's coming up early in the week.  I decided this week I was going to really try to have great dinners prepared for the fam even if we had to eat in shifts.  It has been a little crazy, but not too bad.  The other night I made a homemade Chicken Pie & everyone gobbled it up.  There was a little leftover, and Henry liked it so much he ate it for breakfast.  Today, you get a bonus recipe!  Yea!!!  I have a ton of venison in my freezer, and some of it is in the form of cubed venison steaks.  There are only so many ways you can cook cubed steak.  Last night I found a yummy & quick way to prepare it.  Everyone loved it.  Harry, the picky one, who even had his braces tightened yesterday, ate it, so it must have been pretty good.  I hope these two recipes help you during this getting busier time of year, and that you can find little blessings in every day!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Staying Golden

Last night I had a night of laughter.  I mean the, side-splitting, eye crinkling, snorting kind of laughter.  The kind where everyone in the restaurant is staring at your table because you're talking & laughing, loudly.  We all showed up last night with our own set of "luggage".  The kind of burdens that weigh you down so much you feel like you're physically carrying them around with you. You might even feel like there is no one or nothing that can make you feel better.  Well, that is SO not true.

I celebrated my 20th high school reunion last summer.  (Yikes, it looks so much worse written down.)  There is a group of us that have had a supper club for 20 years.  (Shout out to Shannon for keeping us straight for all 20 of those years!!!  And why didn't we vote you class president?)  Not everyone can make it all the time, and we don't meet every month anymore, but maybe we should.  The systemic "dump" that we all had was therapeutic.  Lisa J., I think your next glass of wine is on me, and the next round of water can be on me too.  LOL!  Sorry everyone, inside joke.

Do you have friends like this?  Friends that have known you so long they know what you're thinking.  They can laugh at you and you know they're not doing it to be mean.  They love you enough to tell you the truth no matter how painful.  When life comes crashing down around you they are the first ones there to pick you up and love you through it.  (except Lisa because she didn't tell us, oui!)  I love my high school friends.  I mean the agape kind of love.  Deep abiding love that grows every  year.  When we're together it feels like we're still in high school, and husbands, children, jobs, and life don't matter. 

As I was driving home, I thought of the movie 'The Outsiders'.  Don't ask me why, my mind is twisted and weird and there's a lot of stuff rattling around in there.  But in the movie, Johnny reads a poem to Pony Boy by Robert Frost called:  'Nothing Gold Can Stay'. 

Here's the poem:
Natures first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leafs a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay, 


In the end of the movie Johnny tells Pony to stay golden.  As I thought about that phrase, my friend's faces flashed in my mind.  Amy, Lisa, Cara, Amy, Aundrea, Stuckey, and Shannon.  There are so many others that weren't there, but I felt them with us because the strands of their lives are woven in with mine.  Gold is the hardest color to hold.  It's rare and it's the one color that must be filled with trust and love.  Being golden stands the test of time and circumstances.  There is a trace of it in every memory, laughter, tears.  I'm thankful for my golden friends.  They bless me more than they can ever imagine.  And just in case I forget, I want to tell them I love them & am thankful for everything they have meant to my life.  My life's tapestry is so much prettier with their golden strands!

If you haven't been to MugShots, go with your friends!  Eat a great burger, and have love and laughter fill your table & may your cup overflow!!!  I had the ComeBack burger with onion rings & it was great.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley 

Dinner & a Movie

Does anyone remember when the classic movies only came on once a year?  The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, and Gone with the Wind were the big three.  On these days my mom made it like a special occasion.  Momma would make a special dinner and we were allowed to eat in the den & watch the movie.  It was a HUGE deal.  For all you Gen X'ers this was way before DVDs and movie channels.  We actually had to get up to change the handful of channels we had on our tv.

My mom would always make spaghetti on these nights and we would have a salad with it.

I'm sitting here in the den, by myself, watching Gone with the Wind.  I'm thinking that Rhett Butler is still a  handsome rake, and I'm watching how Scarlet flirts and manipulates all those around her to get what she wants.  But most of all I'm remembering a time when my family would stop and enjoy hanging out together and watching a classic.

What would I give to have a day back.  Rhett says "waste makes me angry, and that's all this is, is sheer waste."  I feel like that sometimes.  I remember the times I wasted, and the times I was selfish.  I guess that's one of the major lessons I learned early in my life.  Live each day as if it's your last, because once it's gone you can't get it back.  I know that sound trite and overused, but it's so true.

I hope you and your family will have a special time together with dinner and a movie.

Be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

"I just put the love in the pan"

There are days that I will look in the fridge hoping dinner will just suddenly appear; beautiful, warm & looking like it came out of a Southern Living cookbook.  Unfortunately, it doesn't.  It's on days like this, when dinner needed to be ready 15 minutes ago, that I become really creative.

Tonight was one of those nights.  I had some leftover Mexican corn bread, an avocado, and some green onions that needed to be eaten.  OK, what do you do when this happens?  You throw it all together & 'just put the love in the pan.'  (and then pray it turns out to be ok so they'll eat it.) 

The phrase "I just put the love in the pan" came from the show The Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker on TLC.  We love this show.  If you haven't seen it we highly recommend it.  On one of the challenges the teams had to bake a HUGE cake as well as prepare an Italian meal.  One of the bakers trying to win & be the next great baker is also a chef.  When they were asking him about what he cooked and why he said:  "I just put the love in the pan."  Elizabeth & I looked at each other & both agreed that this is a great phrase.  Isn't that what you do when you cook or bake?  I cook because I like it, but also because I love my family.  I think even if you just fix your family a box of Kraft mac & cheese you're putting some love in the pan.  It's a heart thing.

Anyway, back to my items that have to be eaten or thrown away...

I decided to brown some ground venison & some onions together.  (if you don't have any venison, use ground turkey or lean hamburger meat)  I seasoned the meat with chili powder, ground cumin & cilantro.  I like to taste the spices so I tend to use a lot.  I crumbled the cornbread in the bottom of my baking dish, drained a can of diced tomatoes & spread those on top with cut-up avocado.  I then layered the meat next.  In a separate bowl I mixed cheese, sour cream & diced green onions together; spread that on top of the meat & baked it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  I tossed some raw shredded cabbage with some Hidden Valley Ranch together for a veggie & voila...dinner of champions!

They actually liked it, even the picky one.  :)  Joy is mine:  I didn't have to slave over dinner & they ate it.  That always makes for a happy mommy.   Even though it was a simple fair, I just put the love in the pan!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

It's official, I'm a dork

Well, it's official.  I have been confirmed as a dork by my teenagers.  I guess I knew this day would eventually come, but I hoped I would at least be 40 when I became a dork to my kids. 

If they only knew...

I remember when I dubbed my parents as dorks.  We were dancing in the kitchen & my mom started doing 'the skate'.  She was born in 1948 and came of age in the '60's and apparently the skate was hugely popular.  Um, yeah, well in the '80's the skate was not cool.  My sister & I could mimic my mom so well it was scary!

Jump forward to 2011.  We're in the kitchen, listening to music & 'All I do is win' comes on & Hoppy and Harry (especially Harry with Hoppy egging him on.  The scene was eerily familiar) start making fun of me.  Every time they hear the song now they start to laugh and now mimic me. 

I don't remember waking up and feeling like a dork.  When did this horrid transformation take place?  For some reason the song 'White & Nerdy' keeps playing in my mind.

The only good part of becoming a dork this early in life is that in about 10 years I should grow out of the dork phase, and then I'll just be old. 

If any of you other parents have been dubbed dorks by your adoring offspring, I would love to hear from you.  Misery loves company; or is it birds of a feather flock together. 

We're having beef tips & rice for dinner tonight.  Click here for the recipe. I did change it up a little & instead of using beer I used Marsala cooking wine, salt, pepper, rosemary & a little olive oil.  Should be yummy.  I'll let you know later.

I hope you enjoy the laugh & have fun remembering when you thought your parents were dorks.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

A Twofer

I've finally gotten off my duff & posted the second recipe. 

I was a little nervous about serving it because my family is known to turn their noses up at soup. (and not just the picky one)  They want something that is meaty & hearty.  Something that coats their stomach's and doesn't make them hungry in 5 minutes.

This recipe came out of desperation.  It was cold.  Squirrel...  I'm cold natured & am not a fan of being cold.  I know you can bundle up to get warm, but I never feel warm!  I have to be in my bed with my:  electric mattress pad (I would love to kiss the person on the mouth who invented this), sheet, electric blanket (between the electric mattress pad & electric blanket I feel like I'm in a warmth burrito~it's heavenly!), polertic blanket & down comforter.  Even then it takes me about an hour to warm up & be toasty.  My family thinks I'm crazy & they call me a cold prickle.  I've come to terms with it. 

Anyway, like I was saying, it was cold outside.  I had some stew meat that I needed to find a way to eat, because I had cooked it a few days before & served it with rice, but I had a good bit leftover.  I hate for food to go to waste.  Sooooooo, I came up with the stew. 

The fam actually liked it.  They really liked it because I gave them each a huge hunk of bread to go with it.  (I love the bread you get at Panera Bread when you order their soup.)  Yum is all I have to say.  I ate some today for lunch & it was delish.

On the we gotta eat site I've included how to make this meal a twofer, so you too can cook the meat once, but eat twice.  No thanks needed, just throw money.  HaHa!  Just Kidding.  (I think that was in a movie from the 80's.)  We love to say random movie lines & see if others in the fam can figure them out.  I know, we're a little kooky!  :)

Y'all have a wonderful Veteran's Day!
Be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley   

Memories

Well, here I am sitting at the computer when I should be cooking.  Tonight we are having an oldie but a goodie.  Hamburger quiche.  It's not a girly quiche by any stretch of the imagination.  (my clan would not come near it with a 10 foot pole if it was.)  It's hearty and is as good in the summer as it is in the winter.  I just change up what I serve with it.

This is another one of my mother's recipes.  I still have the original recipe card with her handwriting.  You may think I'm weird, sometimes I'll get her recipe box down just to look at her handwriting and think of her cooking.  It makes her feel just a little closer.  No more sad things for today...  This blog is about joy, and sometimes from the least likely place, joy wells up. 

Did you ever notice that Jesus loved a good meal and/or party?  I think he knew that when food was present it was easier for people to talk, ask questions, and listen to what He had to say.  Maybe that's why meal time is so important for our families.  It gives us a chance to do the same thing.  It's gotten hard for us to do this every night, but we try to have family dinners as often as we can.  If you can't do dinner, do breakfast.  If you need conversation starters b/c you're tired of hearing your kids say everything is fine, play a dinner game.  We have a blast every time we play.  Go to the following link to see some:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_12?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=dinner+games&sprefix=dinner+games 

Well, it's time for me to go cook now.  Joy is mine!  I've included some verses I came across this week while I was doing my bible study.  I think they are perfect for today! 

Acts 14:17  "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Acts 2:28 "You have made known to me the paths of life;
      you will fill me with joy in your presence."

Here's the link for my momma's hamburger quiche recipe.  It's easy to double and freeze part to have for later.
http://wegottaeat.com/ashnance/recipes/hamburger-quiche#

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley