♥ The beautiful Monarch Butterfly

The beautiful Monarch Butterfly

"If nothing ever changed, there wouldn't be butterflies."

♥ Perfect Home Fries

Perfect Home Fries

2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 tablespoons butter

5 medium/large red potatoes, diced

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt

 black pepper to taste

Melt bacon grease in heavy skillet (I use my cast iron skillet) until it begins to sizzle. Add the butter. Carefully add the potatoes and onion to the skillet.

Sprinkle the salt and plenty of black pepper over the potatoes and stir gently until all of the mixture is coated in the grease.

 Cover with a lid and cook for 25-30 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Turn up heat to medium high and brown potatoes until brown and crisp. Continue to stir potatoes every few minutes or so to prevent burning/sticking.

If you don't have bacon grease on hand, fry 5-6 bacon strips until crisp and drain on paper towel. Use the grease to fry potatoes and if you'd like add crumbled bacon to recipe.

 

You can also add green or red peppers, sausage, cheese or anything else you desire to this dish.

 

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♥ Fresh Panko and Coconut Crusted Tilapia

Fresh Panko and Coconut Crusted Tilapia

4 tilapia fillets (or any other firm, white fish, such as cod)
1/2 cups coconut cream or milk
½ cups almond meal, ground almonds or almond flour
1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
Old Bay Seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together Panko and coconut, salt and pepper and set aside. Pour coconut milk in shallow bowl for dredging.

Pat and dry fish fillets. Sprinkle both sides with a pinch or two of salt and pepper and just a light sprinkle of Old Bay. Dredge fillets first in coconut milk and then in panko and coconut mixture. Turn to ensure everything is coated well. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray and carefully lay the fillets on pan. I also use parchment paper to cover my pan before baking fish. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until fish is white and flakes easily in the center.

NOTE: Coconut Cream or Milk is found where they sell ingredients to make mixed drinks at your grocery or liquor stores.

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"Life's Lessons...What God Would Have Wanted Me To Know By Now."

 As I get older each year, I find that I think a lot about my past. I often wonder if I've truly learned any lessons from past experiences in my life. I decided to ask God what are some of life's lessons that he would have wanted me to learn... by now. And God replied.....

"I would have wanted you to learn that it's important to hold hands and cherish the moment, for some day that person will not be there again."

From My Book, "Life's Lessons...What God Would Have Wanted Me To Know By Now."

http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/195682-life-s-lessons

♥ YELLOW TIGER SWALLOW TAIL

From my garden...

"It's the end of the world," said the catepillar. "It's just the beginning," said the butterfly.

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♥ Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

Another one of my favorite dishes to make. I love my pasta in a rich creamy alfredo sauce. This sauce is wonderful and I use it with different types of pasta. I might add shrimp and linguini or Italian sausage and penne pasta. I like to change it up from time to time for a whole new look and taste. This time I used chicken and rotini pasta. It is delish! Don't forget to click on the photo for drool mode!

Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

1 lb spiral pasta (cooked according to package directions and drained)
2 cups of diced chicken breasts (I use Tyson Grilled chicken strips or I use a rotisserie chicken)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese for top
2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for top
Alfredo Sauce

½ cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup mozzarella cheese for sauce

Boil pasta as directed and drain well. Return to pot but off the heat just to absorb excess liquid.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir often. Add parmesan cheese and simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and become smooth. Add the mozzarella cheese and cook until smooth.

Combine chicken with the cooked pasta, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Stir in alfredo sauce. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Mix together the 1/2 cup of parmesan and the 2-3 cups of mozzarella cheese. Cover top of casserole with the cheese mix and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese has melted and starting to brown.

Recipe and photography ©Welcome Home

♥ White Chocolate Cheesecake with Glazed Raspberries

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Glazed Raspberries

For the crust

3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 sticks salted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened.
Pour into a spring form pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides.
Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 cup good quality white chocolate chips

3 eight ounce packages ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup whipping cream for cheesecake batter

Over low heat in a small saucepan, heat 1/3 cup of whipping cream until scalding. Stir in the white chocolate until melted. Set aside while you make the rest of the batter.

Cream together cream cheese and sugar until creamy and then add one egg at a time beating well after each one. Add the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate. Finally blend in the 1 cup of whipping cream.

Pour your batter into your prepared crust and bake in a water bath at 325 degrees for about 60 minutes depending on the size of your pan. The cheesecake will be slightly brown around the edges. It will be slightly wobbly just at the center. Allow the cheese cake to cool on a wire rack at room temperature. When completely cool remove the cheesecake from the spring form pan by running a sharp knife around the outside edge before removing the sides of the pan and then run a knife under the crust to release it from the pan’s bottom. Cover the top with fresh raspberries and drizzle with raspberry glaze

                                                                                     For the raspberry glaze

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon water

Place the jam in a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over low to medium heat on the stove, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add about 1 tablespoon of water and stir constantly over low heat, until the berries begin to break down and the sauce develops a thinner, pourable consistency. Taste and add sugar or a little honey if you want it sweeter. Turn off the heat when the sauce has reached the consistency you desire. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until it's still thin enough to pour but no longer piping hot. If the sauce thickens too much, simply reheat it on the stove for a minute or two.

NOTE: I bake my cheesecakes in a springform pan that has the bottom and sides wrapped in multiple layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. I use at least 4 layers of foil to make sure that no water leaks in and ruins the crust of my cheesecake. The aluminum foil wrapped pan is then placed inside a larger baking pan; I usually use a 12 inch cake pan. Then I pour boiling water into the larger pan filling it 1/2 of the way to the top. I find it best to pour the boiling water into the pan after it is placed on the rack in the oven as you are less likely to splash water onto the cheesecake or inside the aluminum foil.

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♥ Baked Rotini in Meat Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

I love making different pasta bakes with different sauces and cheeses...they are the ultimate comfort food. Lots of gooey cheese and rich sauce. Serve it up with garlic bread and a salad and you have a great meal. And Pasta bakes are always even better the next day! Click on photo for drool mode.

 
Baked Rotini in Meat Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small can diced tomatoes in juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste (if you want a thicker sauce)
2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce (see my choice below)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz sour cream
2 cups whole milk shredded mozzarella
2 cups of shredded Provolone cheese
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
1 (16 oz) box of Rotini pasta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and then saute onion and garlic until just tender. Add sausage and ground beef and break up into pieces with a wooden spoon. I like my ground beef chunky so I leave large pieces. Drain any excess oil from meat mixture and return to stove. Add the canned tomatoes, your favorite sauce (I only use Ragu Chunky Tomato Onion and Garlic). 

Turn the heat to medium high and add basil and oregano to suit your taste. If you want a thicker meat sauce add in your two tablespoons of tomato paste. Cover and let the sauce come to a low boil. Then turn down the heat to a low simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime boil pasta according to directions and then drain well and return to pot.

Mix the cheeses all together in one bowl. Pour half of the pasta into bottom of buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle half cheese mix on top of pasta. Layer half the meat sauce on top of cheese. Spread sour cream on top of sauce all the way to the sides of the dish. Add the remaining pasta. Add another layer of cheese, reserving some for the top.

Pour the remaining meat sauce and then finally add the remaining cheese all over the top. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted on top and has started to brown.

Recipe and Photography ©Welcome Home

♥ Four Layer Red Velvet Cheesecake

My elderly neighbor, Jack Dulaney, stops by from time to time to bring me something from his garden. He turned 90 last Friday and I wanted to make his favorite cake and invite him over to celebrate his special day. Jack is a widower and I have kind of adopted him as the grandfather I never had the chance to meet and it has been a joy calling him my friend. Usually people make this wonderful cake for the holidays because of it's rich red color, but Jack loves it anytime! I decided to add a little twist and make it a cheesecake and he loved it. We enjoyed coffee and cheesecake last Friday afternoon for Jack's 90th birthday.

Four Layer Red Velvet Cheesecake

For the cheesecake:
10 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
3/8 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons red food coloring,
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

Line the bottom of four 8 inch spring form cake pans with parchment paper cut in circles. Then wrap each cake pan bottom and sides with heavy aluminum foil. Pour in filling into the pans then place in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the side of spring form cake pans. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge and let cool completely without removing the cheesecake from the pan. Cover the pan and chill for at least 3-4 hours, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar until well combined. Add dry ingredients in three additions and beat at low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes after all the dry ingredients have been added. Divide batter evenly between 4 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely.

Frosting

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Putting it all together

Place one of the 8 inch cakes on a cake stand. Remove one of the cheesecakes from freezer, unwrap, and remove from the pan and peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the bottom layer of the red velvet cake. Place another 8 inch cake on top of the cheesecake, and continue doing this with all four layers of cake and cheese cake. Then frost entire cake with cheesecake frosting. I topped it with a maraschino cherry but you can decorate how you'd like it. Try some shaved white chocolate or some sprinkles of red cake crumbs.

NOTE: In the photo, I used only two layers and with a serrated knife, I sliced them in half to form the four layers. I did the same thing with the cheese cake after allowing them to thaw a little before slicing them to fit the cake layers. But for a more impressive tall cake, use all four layers of each.

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♥ Shrimp Cocktail

My lunch today. I love shrimp cocktail as an appetizer before a meal when I go out to dinner but why not have it as a main course for lunch? Here's how I make mine.
Shrimp Cocktail

First I brine the shrimp. I buy them raw but already cleaned at the seafood counter.

For the brine:
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups cold water

For the cocktail sauce:

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup prepared chili sauce
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil
Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning, optional

Rinse the shrimp in cold water. Then add them to a bowl with the brine mix and refrigerate them for about half hour.

Mix tomatoes, chili sauce, horseradish, sugar, pepper, and salt in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate cocktail sauce until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a baking sheet in hot oven and heat for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and dry on paper towels. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, if desired, or a little salt and pepper.

Place shrimp onto a sizzling hot sheet pan and roast at 425 degrees for about 5-7 minutes or until just starting to turn pink. Turn the shrimp when they come out of the oven and let the heat from the pan finish cooking them until they are cool enough to place on your serving platter. Eat warm or you can chill them to serve later.

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♥ Garlic Shrimp Over Pasta

 Can you tell I bought too many shrimp this past weekend? It was on sale at my local grocery store, But shrimp is so versatile and you can use it in so many ways. This dish is one of my favorites One of my favorites. It's simple, fresh an...d soooo good! It's one of those dishes that gets better the second day! I think you'll love this one.....click on the photo for drool mode!






Garlic Shrimp Over Pasta

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 lb medium to large shrimp, cleaned and tails removed
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 cups farfalle pasta, uncooked
Salt & pepper
Dried red pepper flakes (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add a few drops of oil to prevent sticking. Cook pasta until al dente and drain well but reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water and set aside.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the minced garlic and shallots for 2-3 minutes until tender. Add the shrimp to the skillet along with 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Saute and stir constantly until shrimp have turned pink. Add the pasta to the skillet and mix until cheese melts and blends in well. Using a vegetable peeler, shave sheets of Parmesan cheese onto pasta and serve immediately.

 

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♥ Strawberry Glazed Cheese Cake

For this little delightful dessert, I baked a vanilla cake just to keep  it simple. I sliced the layer in half and between each layer I spread a generous amount of no-bake cheesecake filling. Then I topped it with some fresh whole strawberries.  To top it all off,  I poured on a strawberry glaze. It's incredible!

Strawberry Glazed Cheese Cake

1 super moist vanilla cake mix
1 egg
milk
butter, melted

Follow the directions on any super moist vanilla cake mix you choose (I like Duncan Hines), however, replace the oil in the recipe and use melted butter instead. Replace the water in the recipe and use whole milk instead. Add one more large egg than the directions call for, and then follow the directions for baking. Once cake has finished baking, allow it to cool completely.

No Bake Cheese Cake Filling
24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
2/3 cups plus 6 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

In the electric mixer on high speed whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form and set aside. Then in another bowl, on medium speed, mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Fold in the whipped cream.
 

Strawberry Glaze

2 pounds (32 oz.) fresh strawberries, stems removed
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn starch

Combine the water, strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large saucepan on high heat. Stir thoroughly while bringing it up to a boil. After the mixture begins to

boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow to cook for up to ten minutes, occasionally stirring throughout. As the strawberries soften, use a wooden spoon to break them in pieces to release the flavors from the strawberries.

Remove from heat. Using a strainer, pour liquid into a bowl ensuring to press as much juices through strainer with wooden spoon. Dispose any of the solid strawberries leftover from mixture, and return liquid to pan on low heat. Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Then, pour into the simmering pan of strawberry juice. Increase heat to high, and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens into a glaze (approximately 3-5 minutes). Remove glaze from heat, and pour into separate bowl to cool down. Once the glaze has reached room temperature, place in refrigerator until it is chilled.

Cake Assembly

Make cake as directed and cool completely. With long serrated knife, slice one cake layer in half lengthwise to make it evenly flat on top. Generously pour and spread cheese cake filling on top of bottom layer and top with second layer. With flat spatula spread more filling all around the sides and top. Place fresh strawberries on top of cake and top with strawberry glaze. If desired, apply cake crumbs to the sides of cake for an added garnish. 

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Giant Ornamental onion plant

 From my garden...these are Alium also known as Giant Ornamental onions. They are definitely a show stopper in the garden with their purple softball-sized flowers and strong stems that reach 3- 4 feet tall.

Ornamental onions perform beautifully, blooming late spring through early summer; they add a different, spectacular architectural dimension to the garden and they are also wonderful for cut and dried flowers.

♥ Fried Cornbread

 

Fried Cornbread (Also Called Hoe Cakes)

1 ½ cups of Yellow Self-Rising Cornmeal
2/3 cups Buttermilk
1 Egg, whisked
½ teaspoon of salt
... Oil for frying
Place the cornmeal in a medium sized mixing bowl. Crack the egg, whisk it with a fork and add it into a well formed in the center of the cornmeal. Add the buttermilk. Add the salt. Stir the mixture just enough to incorporate the ingredients. If the batter is dry, add a little more buttermilk as needed for a smooth consistency.

Test your oil for proper frying temperature. Drop a spoonful of the batter into your skillet. Adjust the amount depending on the size you desire. If necessary, use the back of the spoon to spread the batter out. You want thin hoe cakes. Watch for the edges to brown then, carefully flip the hoe cake over. Fry until the hoe cake is golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil, place on folded paper towels and let drain.

Repeat the process. You need two hoe cakes for each sandwich. Serve warm and enjoy.

http://www.tasteofsouthern.com/collard-sandwich-recipe/

If you can't see anything beautiful about yourself....

get a better mirror,
look a little closer,
stare a little longer....
 

Because there's something inside you that made you keep trying, dispite everyone who told you to quit. You build a cast around your broken heart, and signed it yourself. It says.... "They were wrong."



The author is Shane Koyczan. The poem is called, " To This Day." It is powerful. Watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY

♥ Brown Sugar and Apple Glazed Ham slices

Ham and Egg Biscuits

Instead of making a whole ham, I sometimes buy the slices and make my own glaze before baking. This time, I made the ham and some cream biscuits and added a fried egg on top....oh so good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown Sugar and Apple Glazed Ham slices

2 fully cooked thick ham slices
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil and boil for about 2 minutes Place ham on rack in a foil-lined roasting pan. Brush with hot glaze. Bake at 325° for about 10 minutes. With tongs, flip ham slices over and brush glaze on other side. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve any leftover glaze on the side.
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Cream Biscuits

3 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt butter in a microwave dish, and set aside. Sift two cups flour, the baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cream. If the dough is not soft or easily handled, fold in the remaining 1/4 cup cream, little by little.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Cut into 2 1/2 inch rounds. Dip the top of each dough round into the melted butter and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes and serve hot.

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♥ Sunny Side Up Eggs and Homemade Biscuits

This was Sunday morning breakfast yesterday. We had eggs, brown sugar ham, homefries and buttermilk biscuits. I like eggs anyway you choose to cook them. I usually fry mine over medium, or scramble them, but yesterday I decided to make them... Sunny Side up. Here's how you make the perfect sunny side up eggs.

 Sunny Side Up Eggs and Homemade Biscuits

Add butter to a heated skillet set to medium high. When the butter starts to sizzle, crack your eggs on a flat surface and add them to the pan. Slip the egg into a saucer first if you have trouble keeping the yolks from breaking. Salt and pepper the eggs and cover the skillet. Turn down heat to medium. Leave covered until egg white around yolks is opaque, usually 3-5 minutes. Uncover and carefully run spatula under egg, and serve on plate.

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Butter Milk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, very cold
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 450. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal. Add the buttermilk and mix just until combined. At this point if it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.

Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet touching each other. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until they are a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom. Do not over bake.

Hints: Your dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits. So work quickly. If you use a food processor the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of over mixing. You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly. Don't roll these with a rolling pin or you will have tough biscuits.

You can also make them up and freeze them on a cookie sheet. Once they are frozen, drop them into a ziploc bag or container for up to one month. Then just bake frozen biscuits as you need them in the oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

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Every Woman Should Know
 
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
A set of screwdrivers,
A cordless drill, and
A black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
One friend who
Always makes her
Laugh...
And one
Who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
A good piece of furniture
Not previously owned by
Anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
Eight matching plates,
Wine glasses with stems,
And a recipe for a meal that will
Make her guests feel honored.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
A feeling of control over Her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
How to fall in love Without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
How to quite a job
break up with a lover
and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
When to try harder
and when to walk away

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
That she can't change
The length of her calves,
The width of her hips, or
The nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
That her childhood
May not have been Perfect
But; It's over.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she would and Wouldn't
Do for love or money...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
How to live alone...
Even if She doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
Whom she can trust, Whom she can't,
And why she shouldn't Take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
Where to go...
Be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
Or a charming inn in the woods...
When her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she can and what she can't accomplish
In a day...
A month...
And a year...

 

~Pamela Redmond Satran

♥ Brussel Sprouts in Butter

Brussel Sprouts in Butter

Who out there loves Brussel sprouts? I snapped this photo and then ate this entire bowl of them tonight. I didn't leave room for the steak and other vegetables I
put up in the last post.

These were boiled in water with a teaspoon of sug...ar added. i did a slow boil until they were tender then I drained them...added butter and salt and a little pepper. Yum!
I also grill them, roast them, steam them. Sometimes I add bacon and onions and garllic...sometimes I just like them with butter! My Mom used to tell me I called them baby cabbage balls when I was really little. LOVE my brussel sprouts! Do you?
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♥ Roast Chicken

Moist and Tender Roast Chicken

5-7 pound roasting chicken
Kosher salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 whole head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons butter, melted for outside rub
1/2 stick of butter for cavity
1 large yellow onion, cut in half
2 cups chicken broth or use water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Generously add salt and pepper to inside of cavity. Then add thyme, rosemary garlic, onion. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. I use my hands to make sure every part of the outside of the chicken is covered in butter. Tie the two legs together with kitchen string Place chicken on rack in large roasting pan. Pour chicken broth or water under rack but not touching any part of chicken. This way the chicken steams and stays moist, yet the skin gets crisp.

Roast the chicken for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.... Or when the chicken registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Remove to platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve.

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