football & pigs-n-a-blanket recipe.

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have not followed much college football this past season.  I love college sports, especially basketball and football, but this season has been filled with a little more than just being able to sit around on a Saturday eating pizza and drinking an adult beverage while watching games all day.  However, tonight, I will be watching Alabama as they take on Notre Dame, and I will temporarily separate myself from my belief that the SEC is the best and root for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame is a team I passionately followed during their '06 season coached by Charlie Weis.  I have two words as to why....Brady Quinn.  Cue husband rolling his eyes.  Saturdays, I would glue myself to the tv to watch a super cute quarterback, the dancing leprechaun, and awesome traditions their program continues season after season.  I enjoyed watching Jeff Samardzija, who is now a pitcher for the Cubs - talk about talent, as well as speedy Darius Walker.  They were my team.  I have various t-shirts, hoodies, and jerseys to support my case.

So, tonight, I will be watching a football game - pacing with a crying baby or not.  

If you're planning on watching, too, and you're needing a quick, guaranteed crowd-pleaser....Try pigs-n-a-blanket.  I recently used Nathan's Famous Beef Cocktail Franks, and they were pretty good.  Get one pack of the franks and a couple packs of crescent rolls...Separate the crescent rolls accordingly, and then, further divide them into 2 or 3 sections per triangle.  You can also add cheese, if you want.  Roll the crescent rolls around franks (doesn't have to be perfect) and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

These little piggies are ridiculously easy, and people love 'em!

Happy Monday...enjoy the game.  I gotta go find my jersey for tonight.  I'll give ya one guess whose number I'll be wearing...

-S

easy squeezy, crock pot chili {version 2}

The weather around here has finally become cold enough to enjoy extra warm meals!  So, on New Year's Eve, I decided to make some of my {easy squeezy, crock pot chili} that I threw together back in October.  I changed it up a little, so I wanted to share...plus, I got a photo worthy of including.  Chili is kinda hard to photograph, ya know?  

Send me some of your suggestions or favorite recipes for hot meals in the cold winter...

-S

easy squeezy, crock pot chili {version 2}

1 lb. beef
2 cans (14 oz can) diced tomatoes with added garlic

1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cans (15 oz can) kidney beans

salt 
pepper
little bit of flour - if you want to thicken...

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cook your meat.
mix all ingredients into crock pot, except flour.
cover & cook on low 6-7 hours.
uncover, gradually add some flour, & cook another 15 minutes.
done.

to serve, add some shredded cheese and scoop chips for dippin'!

still on a turkey high.

I keep asking my husband if something is wrong with me.  It's a rhetorical question.  I'm sure he has plenty of various responses he could choose to say!  Seriously though, I'm just not ready for Christmas yet.  At this point, I typically have at least two trees fully decorated.  I haven't even brought one box down from the attic.  Yesterday, I slowly started bringing decorations out of their boxes...but I just don't feel ready yet.  I'm still on a turkey high from Thursday.

Please, don't think I'm being a Scrooge...and yes, Mom, I will put up a tree this year (she asked me last night, "You are going to put up a tree, right?").  I'm still just enjoying a holiday that some chose to completely bypass and sprint straight into Christmas.

So, this post is still about Thanksgiving, which I think we should celebrate throughout the year.  We should all learn to gather more and give thanks for our many, many blessings.  

Here's to still eating turkey leftovers and being thankful.

To support small businesses, we decided to purchase fresh, green beans for my annual, green bean casserole from a local business, Cash and Carry Barn, located off of Laffayette Road in Clarksville.  We bought two, MASON jar fulls, and they were delicious.  They weren't my Uncle J.T.'s, but they were pretty darn good.  Thank ya, Cash and Carry!

The Campbell's Green Bean Casserole recipe I've been using for years...ripped straight out of a magazine...wrinkles and all.

One of my tables...I know I shared another picture of this table with y'all last week, but I just love it!  I love the mini centerpieces I threw together (thank you husband for gathering some of the weeds that mornin' from the farm), and I love my grandmother's beautiful china.  We actually ended up having two, round tables in the front room, instead of our big-ish table.  We used that for food instead.  It worked out a lot better.  Everyone had more elbow room while eating.  And that's a BIG deal.

The goods - and this is even without some of our dishes...including the ham!  It got left on the stove-top...whoopsie.  More for us throughout this week.  Maybe it was intentional?

Above: Our group photo from my house...yes, Mase was still in his adorable P.J.s (thank you New York fam).  Below: Group photo from my cousin's house...Mom, Michael, Mase, & I decided to pile in Mom's Jeep later Thursday night and go over to Susannah's house for a quick, surprise visit. :)

...and last but not least, the main man everyone wanted to see.  Our blue-eyed turkey. :)

-S

pecan pie.

I made this pie last Thanksgiving...My Daddy loved it, so I'll probably make it again this year. :) I found the recipe in Country Living Magazine.  I don't know Aunt Karen, but this is one delicious, simple dessert.  Enjoy!

-S

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Aunt Karen's Pecan Pie

3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cups dark Karo syrup 
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons melted butter
2/3 cup pecan halves
Single pie crust for a 9 inch pie (unless you want to make your own, but this option is way more schedule-friendly)

*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  To well-beaten eggs, add the rest of the ingredients.  Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven to 325 and bake for 35 minutes longer.  Cool on wire rack.  Eat!

crockin' BBQ chicken.

I have a new best friend.  She's a little hot-tempered, but we get along really well.  I don't know why we haven't met sooner, but I'm just thankful we've gotten pretty close the last couple of weeks.  She is savin' my hiney in the kitchen...Her name is crock-pot.  

Happy weekend, y'all!

-S

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crockin' BBQ chicken

3 chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce - the BEST & super cheap!
2 dashes hot sauce

Place chicken breasts in the bottom of crock pot.  I would highly suggest making sure you don't accidentally buy the kind that has each breast individually wrapped.  I struggled with both hands trying to get each one open...debated on using my teeth - gross, and then, considered using the scissors, but I didn't want chicken juice all over the scissors.  Way too many minutes later, I did get them all open.  Whoever packages those things means serious business.  

In a bowl, mix together the ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, chili powder, maple syrup, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce until well blended.

Pour sauce over chicken and cook on low for 6 hours.  Watch a movie with the baby or anything else you want to do - best step of this recipe.  Then, shred the chicken, toss back in the crock-pot, and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Serve on some sliced bread or rolls, if you're fancy.  DONE.

easy squeezy, crock pot chili

I made this last Sunday for lunch, and it was very yummy.  The hardest part was getting up at 6 a.m. to cook the meat and throw everything in the crock pot...but once that was over, there's nothing else left to do!  Crock pot meals are the best.  I'm planning on trying lots and lots of new recipes during the next few BUSY months...

Happy Thursday!

-S


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easy squeezy, crock pot chili

1 lb. beef
dash of garlic salt
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 (15 oz) cans ranch style beans

salt 
pepper

little bit of flour

cook your meat.
mix all ingredients into crock pot, except flour.
cover & cook on low 6-7 hours.
uncover, gradually add some flour, & cook another 15 minutes.
done.

no meat mexican black bean lasagna.

Here's my end-of-summer recipe!  Ha!  Posting it on the first day of fall. :)  

NO MEAT Mexican Black Bean Lasagna!

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can of whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed

2 (10 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes w. green chilies, drained

*VERY important to drain all of these!  Trust me - I've skipped doing this before, and it will make a BIG difference!

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin (I usually use about a teaspoon or even a little more...)

8 (6 inch) corn tortillas (sometimes I use the bigger ones!  if you do, then you'll only need about 4)

Mexican-style cheese blended - I usually use whatever we have in the fridge...I tend to get a little cheese happy, so maybe several cups??

*

Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray...sometimes I forget this step!  No biggie!

In a large bowl, combine your beans, corn, and tomatoes.

In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, and cumin.

Place 2 tortillas (or if you're using the bigger ones, just fold one in half) on the bottom of the loaf pan.  Spread about 1/3 cup (rough estimate - just wing it) of ricotta mixture over tortillas.  Top with about 1/3 cup (again, wing it!) of black bean mixture.  Sprinkle GENEROUSLY with cheese.  REPEAT THESE STEPS 3 TIMES!  I usually end by putting one or two tortillas on top...they get nice and crunchy!

Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and your cheese has melted!  Enjoy!

the big easy breakfast.

Off work today and lookin' for a quick breakfast to whip together?  Try this.  You'll probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen.  Thanks, Momma, for this fun and simple recipe! Happy Labor Day, Everyone! -S

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The Big Easy Breakfast dish (starring all the bad stuff, eggs...cheese...sausage and named The Big Easy because it's EASY).

1 lb sausage

8 oz crescent rolls

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 cups milk

1/4 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

Crumble and cook sausage...drain that bad stuff off.  Let your kiddos line the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with the crescent rolls...sprinkle with sausage and cheese.  Let your other young'un beat the remaining 'stuff' together and pour over the sausage/cheese.  Let husband (or significant other) preheat the oven to 425 and bake for 15 minutes or until set.  Keep everybody away for 5 minutes, then cut into squares, give thanks and serve it up.....don't forget to run the dogs out of the kitchen!

-Melissa