They call me Lucy

Dorito Taco Salad

2010-03-12T18:50:00.007-05:00

I'm sure everyone has had this before. I remember having it as a kid, but had forgotten all about it until recently. It's really good and quick! Of course my boys won't touch it with a ten foot pole, so they went out for pizza. Brats! I'm hoping that I chopped the onions up small enough to pass them off to Chuck as garlic. It usually works!

Ingredients

2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 head iceberg lettuce, washed, drained and shredded
1 pound lean ground beef, browned, crumbled and drained
1 cup salad dressing (recommended: Catalina)
1 (7-ounce) bag taco flavored chips, crushed
1 cup salsa
Tortilla chips, to serve

Directions

Combine the tomatoes, cheese, onion, lettuce, and ground beef in a large bowl. Add the salad dressing and mix well. Just before serving, add the taco chips, tossing to combine with other ingredients. Top each serving with salsa. Serve with tortilla chips. I also added a few black olives which aren't in the ingredient list.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

2010-03-10T18:36:00.002-05:00

Wow, I just tried Becky Higgins Garlic Chicken Farfalle It has so much flavor. By far one the best pasta dishes I've had. I served this with a Caesar salad and crusty Italian bread. I think this will be the dish of choice for the next girl's dinner and a movie!

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you’re apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it’s crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it’s usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple (I totally wear disposable gloves for this part - surprise, surprise).

[ directions ]

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Test Kitchen

2010-02-27T19:19:00.002-05:00

I have spent the better part of the day in the kitchen trying out new recipes. What a great way to spend a Saturday. I have some good ones to share, but for now I'm going to put my feet up. Enjoy your weekend!

2010-02-25T23:28:00.002-05:00

On FB I've been participating in a 365 project. It's just motivates me to pick up my camera everyday. It's been fun, so I thought I would share some of my shots here. They are all pretty random.

This is a bike in front of Plumtree Antiques on the square in Mcdonough. Love that shop!

Pico de gallo

This is my mom making biscuits, love this shot!

MckLinky

2010-02-24T22:43:00.003-05:00

I've just recently discovered Better in Bulk. I love this blog, especially the Bloggography section. So many good tips and I love seeing everyone elses photos. This weeks challenge is Aperture. I just recently purchased a 50 mm f1.8 lens. It has great DOF. So I decided to participate. This is also part of my 365 project. I had to borrow my son's hobbits. :)

Mexi night is Mexi right

2010-02-18T20:48:00.003-05:00

I could eat Mexican every night. I've had it with jarred salsa though. It's so much better homemade. Even more so when you have fresh tomatoes out of the garden. Of course I had to use can tomatoes this time.
This recipe is so simple, yet so good. In a food processor add a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, 2 jalapenos, seeds removed, 1 small white onion, 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1tsp of salt, and 2 tbls of lime juice.

Pulse a couple of times and that's all there is to it! If you like it even hotter just add more peppers.

Goes great with tacos!

Sidenote: I didn't realize how dark these photos were until I posted. :(

Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow

2010-02-14T19:49:00.002-05:00

Well, we went the nontraditional route this Valentines day. Flowers and chocolates are fine, but give me something I can really use, ya know?

So Chuck got a new chainsaw. Now he can cut firewood. See, that's romantic, right?
He bought me the "nifty fifty" for my Canon. I'm so excited. The only problem is, it hasn't arrived yet. I keep checking the FedEx website. It's close!
I made a really good dinner. Everyone fell asleep and I ended up eating it alone though. It's the copycat version of Applebees Santa Fe Stuffed Chicken. It's not that pretty but man is it good! I served it with almond rice pilaf and a salad.

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (8 ounce or larger) package Monterey jack cheese,
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small red bell pepper
1 small green bell pepper

Cut some of the cheese into 8 slices, and reserve part of it for the
cheese sauce. Place 1 chicken breast between two sheets of wax paper.
Working from the center to the edges pound with a meat mallet until
flat and rectangular shaped. Repeat with remaining breasts. Wrap the
flattened chicken breasts around cheese. Secure with wooden picks or
uncooked spaghetti noodles.

Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, cumin and pepper.
Roll the secured chicken pieces in the melted butter and then in the
bread crumb mixture. Place chicken breasts in a 13 x 9-inch baking
dish, but don't crowd them. Drizzle the remaining butter over all
eight of the breasts. Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze to bake later
(baking time will be increased by about 5 to 10 minutes).

Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken
is done. Make a roux with butter and flour. Add about 1 cup milk.
Bring to a simmer. Add cheese and lower the heat, stirring constantly
so cheese does not burn. Add more milk as needed to thin out the
cheese sauce. Dice bell peppers.

When chicken is done, pour some cheese sauce over top and sprinkle
with diced peppers.

I'll leave you with a little eye candy since it is Valentines Day and all!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2010-02-11T16:18:00.001-05:00

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 (2 ounce) bottle hot sauce (I used Franks Original, always the best!)

1 (8 ounce) bottle blue cheese salad dressing

1 (16 inch) prepared pizza crust

1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

PREP: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook and shred chicken

1. Prepare crust per instructions, roll out on a foil lined cookie sheet. (Spritz the foil lightly with Pam so it doesn’t stick)

2. In a medium bowl combine the cubed chicken, melted butter and hot sauce. Mix well. Spread whole bottle of salad dressing over crust, then top with chicken mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

3. Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let set a few minutes before slicing, and serve.

You can sprinkle green onions on top too. Crazy good!

Movie Night

2010-02-07T00:08:00.003-05:00

I think I have found my drink of choice. I love Sangria. It just reminds me of a summer day.
My friend came over to share a glass or two and we watched Julie and Julia again. Great movie!

It inspired us to throw a 1940's (ish) formal dinner party. Pearls included! I have to come up with a fancy dish to make. Perhaps Boeuf Bourguignon .

Maybe a little Ink Spots for our listening pleasure. Can't wait!

Dining with one's friends and beloved family is certainly one of life's primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal~~~Julia Child

A Day Of Sloth

2010-01-31T16:39:00.002-05:00

We have done absolutely nothing today and it's been wonderful! There aren't many days when you can say that.
I'm gearing up for the Grammys. My boys are up for 4 awards.

I just wish I didn't have to sit through so many horrible acts just to see The Kings of Leon! There is supposed to be a tribute to Les Paul too. That will be pretty cool. Hope that you're having a wonderful Sunday! Maybe yours will be much more productive than mine!

Yay Chocolate!

2010-01-29T23:34:00.003-05:00

I never win anything, so what a nice surprise to get these chocolates in the mail today. I participated in a quiz at Home Haven Ministry. Thanks again Deanna. Now I just have to hide them from the boys!

Because Every Blog Needs A Cheesy Post

2010-01-28T22:13:00.002-05:00

1. Grab the nearest book to you, turn to page 18 and find line 4. What does it say? Miguel's English was passable, but not nearly as good as Juan's had been.

2. Before you started this survey what were you doing? Watching John Mayer on Storytellers.

3. With the exception of the computer what can you hear? The Foo Fighters

4. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? I went out this evening to take pictures.

5. Do you usually remember your dreams? In vivid detail!

6. When did you last laugh? While I was making dinner. Hunter was doing an impression of the Nard Dog! We're always laughing in this house.

7. What is on the walls of the room you are in? A print of Rome and The Dancing Butler print by Jack Vettriano

8. What is the last film you saw? The Boys Are Back. I loved it. I am such a sucker for boys, they kill me.

9. If you moved to another state where would you go? Seattle, oddly enough, for the rain. Love it.

10. Tell me something about you that most people don't know. I collect take out menus, read the description and recreate the dish at home. Yeah, I'm a nerd. It's challenging at times but fun when you get it right!

11. Do you like to dance? I like it although I'm not good.

12. Would you ever consider living abroad? I would like a long visit to Italy.

13. What is the last thing you downloaded on your computer? A chess app for Hunt's Ipod.

14. Type of music you like most? singer/songwriter

15. Type of music you dislike most? country

16. Are you listening to music right now? yes, Foo Fighters, Skin and Bones

17. If you could change something about your home what would it be? I really want to screen in the back porch.

18. What was the last thing you bought? fresh basil

19. Have you ever driven a motorcycle? driven, crashed, got a concussion

20. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? No, I have no interest whatsoever

21. Do you have a garden? we had one in the summer. I really want to start an herb garden.

22. Do you really know all the words to the National Anthem? yes I do

23. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? I immediately think of the time and check it

24. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be? Caleb Followill

25. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Wolf Camera or Williams Sonoma

26. What time is bedtime? never before 1 am

27. How many tattoos do you have? zero

28. If you don't have any, have you ever thought of getting one? no, tattoos aren't for me

29. Who was the last person you ate dinner with? I ate alone tonight for the first time in a long time.

30. Is the glass half empty or half full? half full

31. Are you a good cook? I think so

32. Do you know how to pump your own gas? of course, although I wish there was an attendant to do it for me.

33. Do you touch type? yes

34. What time do you get up? 6:15 ugh

35. What is your favorite time of the day? twilight

36. Where did you grow up? Jonesboro, Ga

37. How far do you live from there now? 30 minutes

38. What are some of the different types of jobs you've had in your life? pharmacy tech, phlebotomist, mom

39. What is most important in life? Family

Waffle House Waffles

2010-01-17T12:07:00.003-05:00

These are the best waffles. The trick is to make sure you chill the batter overnight! Who needs the Waffle House when you can make them this good at home?

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1 tbls of sugar
2 tbls of butter, softened
2 tbls vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of half and half
1/ c milk
1/4 cup of buttermilk
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract

1. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda and stir.

2. Beat the egg in another bowl, add sugar, butter, and shortening. Mix well with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half and half, milk, buttermilk and vanilla.

3. Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Only mix briefly, it's ok if the batter is lumpy. Chill overnight, break out the waffle iron in the morning and enjoy!

Short and Sweet

2010-01-09T20:35:00.001-05:00

Enjoying the fire with a nice glass of Sangria. Who says you can't drink a summer wine in the dead of winter? Makes me want to Salsa!

I Should Be Leaving This Climate

2010-01-07T21:45:00.002-05:00

No snow here yet. I really hope that it passes us by. It's really pretty coming down, but I hate the mess it makes. I love cold weather and sitting by the fire but I'm already dreaming of a tropical island and boat drinks. As Jimmy would say, "I gotta go where it's warm."

I normally don't make New Year resolutions, too cliche, this year is different. I resolve to pick up my camera more. I'm guilty of waiting for the perfect shot to present itself. Which is exactly how to not get that great shot. Today I captured some of my son's drawings.

He does such a great job, he's still interested in the boobies though. Cracks me up. Oh well, at least they are in proportion.

Hope everyone stays warm and is careful out there!

C'est Magnifique!

2010-01-04T21:52:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the Pioneer Woman we now have a new favorite dish in our house. I tried Coq au Vin and it was a success. You can't really go wrong with a recipe that has wine as it's main ingredient. The recipe calls for Burgundy but I decided to use Cavernet Sauvignon. Pinot Noir would be good as well.

The only thing in this recipe that didn't go over so well with my kids were the mushrooms. They just can't get used to the texture of them.
I had to pull out the cute dishes for this!

Whatever you do, don't use a non stick skillet. I used a big stainless steel one, it allows all of those good browned bits to stick to the pan. When you deglaze with wine, stir 'em all up. Yum!!

1 whole Fryer Chicken
4 slices Bacon, Cut Into Small Pieces
½ whole Medium Onion, Diced
½ cups Carrots, Washed, Peeled, And Roughly Chopped
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced
2 cups Burgundy Wine
1 pound Pasta (egg Noodles Or Fettucini)
2 Tablespoons Butter
Parsley, Fresh, Minced
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Saute bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium low heat until fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside. Increase heat to medium.

Salt fat side of chicken pieces, then place chicken, fat side down, in skillet and cook in bacon grease until both sides are nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a 2-quart baking dish, skin side up.

Saute onions, carrots and garlic in bacon grease until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from grease with slotted spoon and set aside.

In a separate skillet, saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Layer half of the bacon pieces, carrot/onion mixture, and mushrooms in pan with chicken.

Drain grease from the large skillet, then place over medium heat. Pour in 2 cups Burgundy wine, using a wire whisk to scrape loose all the burned/brown bits. Lightly salt liquid and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons butter.

Serve chicken in a pasta bowl with noodles, sprinkling minced parsley over the top. Spoon juice from baking dish over the top of everything.

Wendy's Chili

2010-01-03T20:01:00.002-05:00

As if you needed another chili recipe right? This one is so good though. It tastes so much like Wendy's! I've had it simmering all day. It such a great day for it too, it's so cold here. Hope you enjoy!

2 pounds of ground beef
1 can (29oz) tomato sauce (I prefer Dei Fratelli)
1 can (29 oz) kidney beans with liquid
1 can (29 oz) pinto beans with liquid
1 medium onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 celery rib diced
3 medium tomatoes chopped
2 teaspoons of Cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Brown the beef, drain, add remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 2-3 hours.

Blah Blah Blah

2010-01-02T22:53:00.004-05:00

I had a few left over Christmas pictures that I wanted to post, and also a really good cookie recipe. Although I don't have a picture of the finished product.

If this post makes no sense it's because my son has his headphones on my ears while he is controlling his Ipod. I'm supposed to give him the thumbs up or down for each song he plays. So far he has gone through the entire Beatles catalog. Did I mention how sick of the Beatles I am? Ugh, I liked so many of their songs until his dad bought him Beatles Rockband, kind of ruined it for me. Now if they made a Kings of Leon Rockband that would be an entirely different story! Ok, he has moved on to the Foo Fighters, finally!

We watched 500 Days of Summer tonight. Loved that movie, even if I'm only a hipster wanna be. I'm a big Zooey Deschanel fan! The soundtrack is really good too.

I'm going to try my hand at Co au Vin tomorrow. That is if I have some burgundy on hand. My luck, with tomorrow being Sunday, I'll be out.

Ha! Now he's playing "Stairway to Heaven" but he said I had to promise not to sing it. How do you listen to that song and not sing along? Impossible, and you know I sound good with these headphones on and the house as quiet as it is. Ha! Enough babbling!

Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands
1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At
low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula. With floured hands, take out about 1
tablespoon of dough and shape into a ball. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies.
Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in
additional confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

Say Cheese

2009-12-29T21:03:00.002-05:00

My brother and his wife asked me to take their portrait. We went to Starrs Mill in Fayetteville which was flooded. I wasn't prepared for that but I got a few shots that I liked. This was my first time taking someone elses portrait, so while they may not be perfect, it was wonderful practice.

Crock Pot Wednesdays

2009-12-29T20:01:00.002-05:00

Italian seasoned chicken with potatoes, cooked in the slow cooker.
Cook Time: 7 hours
Ingredients:

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
* 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder to equal same)
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
* 4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or thick slices

Preparation:
Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, spices, and the grated cheese. Put the potatoes on top or around the chicken. Sprinkle with the rest of the dressing, spices, and cheese.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is done and potatoes are tender.

Christmas Decorations

2009-12-20T21:39:00.005-05:00

Not much time for a post, but plenty of pictures!

So Very Tired

2009-12-17T21:17:00.004-05:00

Whew, I am shopped out. I've been going since 7:30 this morning! It's 9:20 and I just got back from Best Buy. I only have 2 more gifts to by. Yay! I am so ready to be done. I just want to sit by the fire, wrap presents, and watch Christmas movies!

I have The Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake in the oven. It's for my husbands party at work tomorrow. The whole house smells like chocolate. And to think that they told him he could just bring in beets. Hmph!

I'm hoping to take pictures of the house tomorrow so that I can get in on the home tours. If I'm too late, I'll post them anyway!

The picture is not that great, but this is what we will be doing tonight. If I can keep my eyes open..............

Crazy Busy

2009-12-14T21:34:00.003-05:00

I've been so busy, there is still so much to get done. Baking, shopping, wrapping, photos, the list goes on. I'm hoping that I'm not too late to participate in at least one Christmas home tour. :(

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2009-12-01T23:15:00.004-05:00

Well, with Thanksgiving over everything is kicked into high gear. It seems like the days just go by so fast because there is so much to do. Gifts to buy, goodies to bake, parties to plan.
We kicked off our holiday season by going to a play. We saw a production of " A Christmas Story." The Henry Players did a great job!

Complete with the leg lamp!

I look forward to all the Christmas home tours and hope that I can participate. All of my decorating is finished. I usually have it completed before Thanksgiving, but this year I decided no to let the holidays run together.

I have a couple of recipes from Thanksgiving to share but for some reason the photos wouldn't upload. I'll try again tomorrow!

Make Your Own Take Out

2009-11-23T23:16:00.002-05:00

We had Chinese tonight. It was so good. The pictures aren't so great because of the lighting, oh well.

GENERAL TSO'S

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks
2 cups green onions sliced
8 small dried chilies seeds removed (bird pepper or thai chilies are good)

Cornstarch slurry

1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium preferred
1 egg beaten
1 cup cornstarch

Sauce

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sherry
14 1/2 ounces chicken broth (a can)

Place sauce ingredients in a quart jar with a lid and shake to mix. If you make this ahead of time just refrigerate until needed, shaking it again when you are ready to use it. This also keeps your dirty dishes down.
Mix cornstarch slurry in a large bowl- the mixture will be strange but trust me it works. It will be VERY thick almost paste like. Add chicken pieces to coat. Using a fork remove ONE chicken piece at a time and let the excess mixture drip off. YES even though the mixture has a weird consistency it will not stick like paste and the excess will drip off. Add chicken to the hot (350 degree) oil and fry until crispy. Only cook 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time. You do not want to raise the temp of the oil by cooking too many at a time. You can use a simple cooking or candy thermometer to judge the temp of the oil.
Drain on paper towels. Keep warm- I just put them in the oven with the oven off. Repeating until all chicken is fried.
In a separate wok or large skillet add a small amount of oil and heat to 400 degrees. Again, a candy thermometer works great. You can fry all the chicken, drain the oil to the desired amount and use the same pan if you like.
Add green onions and hot peppers and stir fry about 30 seconds.
Stir sauce mixture, and then add to pan with onions and peppers, cook until thick. If it gets too thick, add a little water. The thickness of the sauce should be similar to what you get when ordering this at a restaurant.
Add chicken to sauce in wok, and cook until all is hot and bubbly. The quicker this is done the crispier the chicken stays.
Serve over rice.

MANDARIN CHICKEN (Tastes just like Panda Express)

2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tspn vegetable oil
1 tspn minced fresh garlic
½ tspn minced fresh ginger
¼ cup water
1 tbsp cornstarch
6 skinless chicken thigh fillets

Preparation & Cooking Instructions :

Combine sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan.
Combine water with cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add to saucepan and turn heat to high. Stir often while bringing mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes or until sauce is thick.
Preheat your grill on high for the chicken.
When the grill is hot, rub each chicken piece with oil and cook the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes per side or until done. Chicken should have browned in spots. When chicken is done, chop it into bite-size pieces.
Pour the chicken pieces into a large frying pan over medium heat. Heat until chicken sizzles then reduce heat and cover chicken until ready to serve.
Spoon chicken into a medium bowl, then pour all the sauce over the chicken and stir until well-coated. Serve with steamed white rice.

If anyone wants the recipe for the egg rolls just let me know!