Pedicures and Sloppy Janes

Wow, today has been a blur. I was 7:20 getting home from work, well............., there was a pedicure in there somewhere, to be perfectly honest. Anyway, no matter, late is late.

Actually, let's talk about pedicures first. For my money this is close to the ultimate. I love having my toes done. I get soooooooooooo bored having my nails done, but I want a pedicure to go on for hours. The warm lotion on your feet and legs and the warm water swirling around my feet, the hot towel, the massage chair, oh yeah. For the life of me I can't understand why nail salons don't offer a complimentary glass of wine for your pedicure. Just take that whole relaxation factor up by about 100 points. I might be there once a week. Bet I would have the prettiest toes in town, at least among us 54 year olds! Any nail salon owners out there? Johnsie, my sweet friend, I know you are there.

So........ supper tonight was one of my freezer meals. I know this recipe sounds a tad bit strange but give it a try.

Sloppy Janes

1 lb. ground chuck
1 medium onion - chopped fine
1/2 tsp.celery salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1 cup evaporated milk (lowfat is fine)

Brown ground beef in water. Cook until water has evaporated and beef is well browned. Drain.
Add celery salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, brown sugar and worchestershire sauce.
Cook 10 minutes over medium heat. Add evaporated milk and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Serve in hamburger rolls with cole slaw or pickles with potato wedges and ranch dressing for dipping.

So, Until Tomorrow........
S~~~

Saturday Morning Granola

Wow, where did the weekend go ??? Sure wish Mondays and Tuesdays went by as quickly as Saturdays and Sundays. I think if I had my choice my very favorite time of the week it would be Friday evenings. The whole weekend is ahead of us, a clean slate to do with what we will. I am never as relaxed as on Friday evenings.

I love routine. It makes me feel safe and secure. I imagine it makes me sound boring as well, but that's okay too. On Saturday mornings I make a double batch of granola and toast up the weeks left over bread into croutons. Next I plan my menu for the week and make a grocery list. All this while I am still running around in my "jammies". I remember a song from about 1969 called "Saturday Morning Confusion" by Bobby Russell, it was a cute song about chaos in a house with twins and a hung over Dad. We certainly had our years of Saturday Morning Confusion when Lacy-Jay was growing up. There was always more places we needed to be than we could possibly appear. There are times I miss those crazy days.....

Now back to the granola, this is a food blog after all. This is the simplest granola you will ever make, and in my opinion the very best. This is one of those recipes that you can personalize as you wish. Leave out anything your family doesn't like, use any variety of nuts you have on hand, substitute any dried fruit you enjoy. Eat it by the handfuls, top your yogart with it, eat as cereal with milk, hot or cold, you get the picture. It will keep well for at least a week, but it won't last that long, I promise.

Saturday Morning Granola

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
2 cups quick oats (not instant)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
5 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup almond slivers
1 cup natural unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup Craisins

Heat oil and butter in large skillet, add oats. Cook over medium high heat 2- 3 minutes or until oats start to brown a tiny bit, stirring constantly. Add salt, maple syrup, brown sugar, almonds and pumpkin pie spice. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until golden brown. Add vanilla. Spread on a large baking sheet and add Craisins. Allow to cool and store in an air tight canister.

So, Until Tomorrow.......
S~~~

Tuesday September 11, 2001

I know that not a one of us woke up this morning without realizing within 3 minutes that today marks the saddest single day in modern history.

May we never forget the 3000+ that lost their lives that Tuesday, the heroes who worked tirelessly to save those trapped and especially the survivors and families whose loved ones were torn away from them in such heinous a manner.

S~~~

Wednesday Night at the Taylor's

Most of you know that I don't cook supper on Wednesdays. By the time I get home from work the guys from SideStreet are downstairs in the studio hard at "work". I take snacks down and spend the night upstairs indulging myself with my guilty pleasure................., two hours of Reba and wine.
I love Reba, I am impossibly hooked. Where was I when this show was first run?

I grew up in the sixties and seventies when television was king. We got our first color TV in 1962, the Christmas I was six. I puzzled for months about how Santa Claus got it down our chimney. A huge console Zenith that took front and center in our den. I can still hear Daddy say "want to watch some T?". We checked the TV Guide every night to see which shows came on in color, on our 2 or 3 channels. Some of the first ones I remember are Hazel, The Beverly Hillbillies and Bonanza. As a young preteen shows like Love American Style, The Sonny and Cher Show and Laugh In consumed my TV watching time, all piled up in my bedroom with what we called the portable TV.
Later Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley. Kojak, Quincey, Mork and Mindy, Barney Miller and of course, we can't forget Welcome Back Cotter.
Along about the time Ronnie and I were married TV lost its appeal. There were a few things we watched but by and large we weren't addicted to television. Then the eighties brought along one of my favorite shows, Cagney and Lacey (don't forget I have my own Cagney {shih tzu} and Lacy {daughter}), as well as Dallas, Magnum P.I. Hart to Hart, Family Ties and In the Heat of the Night. We spend the nineties so busy raising our daughter and with Play by Play and Fantasy Travel so we hardly ever saw a television.
Then about two years ago we rediscovered TV. Lacy and Bashar talked us into Lost and the rest is history. Now we love Pawn Stars, American Pickers, NCIS, Lie to Me, Memphis Beat, American Idol, Top Shot (can't wait for season 2), High Stakes Poker, World Poker Tour and most of all Mad Men.

I guess we have come full circle, TV is once again a family event.

Let me know what you are watching, I sure would hate to be missing something!!

So, Until Tomorrow...........
S~~~

Beginning the Long Slide into Autumn

Labor Day......., no more white shoes, no more white pants, (oops, I better dirty up my new walking shoes in a hurry). Today begins the countdown to those cooler, crisp days of fall. These last couple of weeks of summer are quickly slipping by. You know me, the summertime girl that loves 80+ degrees, born in July and rarely ever complains of the heat and humidity( I think of it as cozy). I start getting cold about the end of this month and don't get warm again till June. So, my plan is to enjoy every single second of what is left of summer 2010.


Tonight's summer menu went like this:

Western North Carolina Style Low Country Boil*
Creamy Pesto Spread
Crusty French Bread
Peach Cobbler with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Western North Carolina Style Low Country Boil

2 quarts vegetable stock (I like Kitchen Basics)
3 quarts water
1/2 stick butter
1 bag crab boil seasoning (Zatarains)
2 Tbsp. Old Bay
1 Tbsp. kosher salt or to taste
2 jalapenos (sliced lengthwise)
12 little red potatoes
2 large onions - quartered

In a 12 quart stock pot, preferably with a strainer basket, combine vegetable stock, water, butter, crab boil seasoning, Old Bay, jalapenos, potatoes and onions.Make sure to cover with liquid, add water as needed.
Cook 10 minutes.

Add:
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 lb. smoked turkey sausage or kielbasa - sliced in 2-3 inch lengths
8 small ears of sweet yellow corn - fresh is best but frozen will do

Cook an additional 8 minutes.

Add:

1 tsp. celery salt
juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. medium uncooked, unpeeled, deveined shrimp

Cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Drain and pour out on butcher paper. Serve with cocktail sauce some crusty bread for dipping and have a party!!


Serves 4-6

So, until tomorrow............,

S~~~

It's Good To Be Back

Sunset Suppers is back! Thanks to those of you who let me know that you missed reading my little blog. It is so easy to get sucked into the notion that no one is reading and get lazy.

Wouldn't you think I would try to make a comeback with a killer supper menu? Yeah, well, as luck would have it we have been out on the lake in the boat all day and didn't roll back in until 8:00 pm, tired and hungry, for sure.
So, what do you fix on a night like this..........................................

Campbell's Cream of Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

You got it, the ultimate in comfort food. The perfect end to a perfect day.

What I am going to share with you tonight is a recipe I have been playing around with for a while. Ideally, it is perfect for a Valentine's or Christmas breakfast but really how can Red Velvet Pancakes be bad anytime of the year?

Red Velvet Pancakes

1 cup plain flour

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of kosher salt
1- 1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup butter - melted

2 large eggs - beaten well

1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. vinegar
1 oz. red food coloring
Butter
Powered Sugar

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, vinegar and red food coloring. Add the sifted ingredients to the liquid ingredients and whisk lightly, being careful not to over beat. Let sit 5 minutes.

Heat a non stick skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tsp. butter. Drop by 1/4 cups into skillet. Flip after bubbles cover the surface and cook 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Serve hot with your choice of topping. We love butter and warmed light corn syrup, but you could get a tad creative here with some cream cheese and chocolate syrup topped with cherry pie filling, ummmmm.

So, Until Tomorrow.........
S~~~

***Sunset Suppers Returns Sunday Sept. 5th***

A friend shared this great salmon recipe last week and we enjoyed it. Salmon is the best for a quick supper. Add a baked potato, a garden fresh cucumber salad and some crusty bread and call it supper.

Creamy Mustard Salmon

2 salmon fillets
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Mortons Natures Seasoning Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. half and half
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. brown sugar

Squeeze the lemon juice on the salmon fillet and season with salt and pepper.
Whisk the mustard with the half and half until creamy.
Brush the salmon with the creamy mustard mixture.
Sprinkle it with dried oregano.
Reserve the remaining creamy mustard for basting the salmon.
Preheat the grill. Grill the salmon until it flakes easily, 5 to 7 minutes per side, basting it occasionally with the rest of the creamy mustard.

So, Until Tomorrow..............
S~~~

Summer Soltice and Father's Day

The first day of summer!!!!! The longest day of the year.
After that very long, torturous winter I am looking forward to every moment of summer 2010.

Yesterday was Father's Day and I had the incredible luck of being surrounded by three fabulous fathers. My Daddy, as you know, I am certain he hung the moon, my uncle who has always been there for me, and my amazing husband, whom I become more thankful for everyday, the daddy to our daughter.

I wanted their day to be as special as they are to me, so I focused our Father's Day Supper on foods that I knew were their favorites. As I was puzzling over some foods that they would all enjoy, I happened to think of blueberries. All three of them are very fond of them, so I made a blueberry lemon tea. It turned out to be a favorite. It was also gorgeous in the glass. I wish I would have had made a photo to share, but it disappeared quickly. I used frozen blueberries but fresh would probably be even better.

Lemon Blueberry Ice Tea

16 oz. frozen blueberries (or 2 cups fresh)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tea bags
1 cup sugar
water

Bring blueberries and lemon juice to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour into a stainer over your tea pitcher. Press with the back of a cooking spoon to crush all berries and make sure you get as much juice as possible. Make tea as usual for 1 gallon. (I use 3 family size bags and 1 cup sugar.) Once the tea has steeped pour it through what is left of the berries in the strainer to make sure you get all that blueberry goodness. Add sugar and fill 1 gallon pitcher with water. Stir and enjoy.

The rest of our supper went like this:

Shrimp Cocktail
Guava Lime Frosties (more on this in a future post)

Espresso Roasted Tenderloin of Beef
Potatoes Au Gratin
3 Bean Baked Beans
Tossed Salad w/ Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Honey Wheat Bread w/ Roasted Garlic Butter
Key Lime Pie
Lemon Blueberry Ice Tea

So, Until Tomorrow................
S~~~

Grilling Again

Sunday night I wanted to grill. Originally, I was thinking about what I could make with the power off, but since it came back on about 3:00 I didn't need to worry. Warm weather is all about grilling so I never miss a chance this time of year. Grilled lemon chicken is one of my favorites and I was surprised when I checked my blog and realized I had not shared this particular recipe before.

Grilled Lemon Chicken*
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
Tossed Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Honey Wheat Rolls with Herb Butter


Grilled Lemon Chicken

3 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (never reconstituted)
Zest of ½ lemon
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1Tbsp. fresh rosemary
1 tsp. garlic ~ minced
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeno pepper ~ chopped fine
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut chicken in 1½ in strips.
Marinade at least 30 minutes or up to two hours.
Place chicken in an aluminum disposable pan and pour most of the marinade over chicken.
Grill until juices run clear. On my grill (indirect heat) it took about 20 minutes.

So, Until Tomorrow...........
S~~~

I Am A Fraud

Yes, it is true. I am a fraud. All this big talk I have about being a "summertime girl"................
Well, all that went out the window this afternoon when the power went off on the hottest day of the year. What I discovered was that I love the heat on my own terms, in small doses, apparently. Now to be perfectly fair here, the temp did exceed 90 degrees. One other small fact to consider is that we live in a house with a glass front 22 feet high, west facing. What were we thinking?

I have lived in "town" all my life until we moved to what I consider "the country" in 2006. I never knew what it was like to have your power off for any extended period of time. Even during the great blizzard of '93 we never lost power. I didn't see much of my husband for about three weeks, but I did have power.

I think there is a generator in our future.

This is a good time for a cold drink. Enjoy.

Arnold Palmer

3 oz lemonade
3 oz iced tea

Pour equal amounts of lemonade and iced tea into a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Fourth of July Fizz

5 oz. Sprite
3 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 tsp. Grenadine

Fill a tall glass with crushed ice. Add all the ingredients and stir. Garnish with cherry and pineapple slice and serve.

Sweet and Sour Sparkler

3 oz. Grapefruit Juice
3 oz. Cranberry Juice
3 oz. Diet 7-Up

Pour over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.


So, Until Tomorrow........
S~~~

Taco Salad Night

Due to conflicting schedules SideStreet won't be practicing tonight, so we are having a rare Wednesday night supper at our house.

I am married to a man who never complains about what I cook. As long as I stay away from cooked cabbage, greens or black eyed peas that he hates he is a happy camper. He doesn't require fancy food, just simple food makes him the happiest. After experimenting with many different taco salads over our 32 years he is convinced this is his favorite. He would eat this everyday if he could, at least until I fixed him soup beans.

Ronnie's Favorite Taco Salad

1 lb. ground chuck
2 packets taco seasoning mix (low sodium)
1 can black beans
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion ~ chopped
1/2 head lettuce ~ chopped small
1 tomato ~ diced (I leave this off my salad, naturally)
1 avocado peeled and sliced
1 small can black olives ~ sliced
1/3 cup pickled jalapenos (or banana pepper rings)
1 bag tortilla chips
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup taco sauce ~ medium (or to your taste)
Brown ground chuck and drain well.

Add 1 packet taco seasoning mix (with water according to the package direction) and sugar. Stir in black beans and heat through. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix together chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, avocados, onion, jalapenos, olives, and the second package of taco seasoning mix.
Add to cooled beef mixture; toss to combine.
Immediately before serving toss with the combined ranch dressing and taco sauce.
Serve over broken tortilla chips.

So, until tomorrow...........
S~~~

Are You a List Maker?

I am. I love the satisfaction of crossing things off my to-do list(s). Even though I am a "gadget girl" with a Blackberry, a Droid and a laptop in almost every room, all fully equipped with programs prepared to manage my entire life three times over, I still have a paper list and a pen handy everywhere. I set electronic reminders for work and personal, and yes, you get that small sense of completion when you click the completed tab, but it just isn't the same.

My Mother never made a grocery list while I cannot shop without one. I walk out of the grocery store with a buggy full of "stuff" and not one single item that I need. My real treasure is to find a buggy in the store where someone has left their shopping list behind. I love to see what other people put on their lists. Another weird habit I have is looking to see what other people are buying. I hate to get in a line where there is no wait, I want to see what the people in front of me are buying. I know, maybe I should get a life.

I am a creature of habit. I find comfort in doing the same things at the same time every week. On the weekend I make my menu for the week and then create my shopping list from there.
One really neat feature with the smartphones and one I truly love even though it does not involve pen and paper is sending my list to my phone and clicking to cross off items as I put them in the buggy. No more having to keep up with a pen and paper in the store.

Supper last night was another casualty of this stormy weather pattern we are under right now. Once again I had planned to grill out but the rain came at the wrong time. So, we just stayed in.
Same meal just done in the oven.

Dry Rub BBQ Chicken*
Fresh Creamed Corn
Sauteed Green Beans
Roasted Red Potatoes

Dry Rub BBQ Chicken

3 - boneless skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon

3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. granulated dried garlic (or garlic powder)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Cut chicken into strips (3-4 per breast, depending on size). Coat heavy pan with olive oil. Place chicken in pan and sprinkle with additional olive oil and lemon juice.
Combine dry rub and sprinkle 1/2 over the chicken. Bake at 425 or grill 15-20 minutes and turn over. Sprinkle remaining rub over the other side and continue to bake or grill until juices run clear, approximately 15 minutes.

So, Until Tomorrow...........
S~~~

Gettin' Ya Grill On

This was the chicken I fixed last Saturday night. It turned out so juicy. Great flavor too. So good that you could leave off the dipping sauce if you were so inclined, but I absolutely love this white bbq sauce. The chicken alone is terrific, but if you want to take it over the top serve little individual bowls of the dipping sauce.


The menu went like this:

Summer's Best Grilled Chicken* w/ White BBQ Dipping Sauce*

Bobby Flay's Smoked Chile Cole Slaw

Corn on the Cob - (cooked in half milk and half water, yum)

Baked Sweet Potatoes


Summer's Best Grilled Chicken

1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Miracle Whip
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbsp. pepper
2 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. onion powder


Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Marinate chicken at least 30 minutes, but up to 48 hours. The longer the better.

Grill or bake at 400* until juices run clear. Remove from grill or oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.


Our grill is indirect heat only and I used huge bone-in skin-on chicken breast. They were done in 1 hour 10 minutes. The skin will actually char, but that is fine, we don't eat it anyway. Grilled chicken is far less abt to be dry if you leave the skin on while cooking.

Serve with:

White Barbeque Dipping Sauce


1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 Tbsp. white corn syrup (Karo)
1 Tbsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. Accent or salt
1/2 white pepper
1 tsp. horseradish


Whisk together and refrigerate at least 30 before serving.


So, Until Tomorrow................
S~~~

Rained Out - or should I say in.........

With yesterday being the official start to grilling season I had every intention of grilling out every night this week, but a rainy afternoon got in my way. I had bought some wild caught salmon fillets and thought I would grill them with some lemon butter and dill. When I realized I wouldn't be grilling I decided to go with a dish I used to make several years ago.

Supper tonight was:
Crunchy Baked Salmon*
Rosemary Potato Casserole
Fried Squash
Cucumber Salad


Crunchy Baked Salmon

2 - 6 oz salmon fillets
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. melted butter

Preheat oven to 400

Cover the bottom of a baking pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Place fillets in pan skin side down. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, lemon pepper, celery salt, parmesan cheese and brown sugar well.
Spread mayonnaise mixture over salmon.

Bake about 8 minutes. Combine Panko and melted butter and sprinkle over salmon. Bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until fillets flake easily with a fork.

I could have made a meal on the fried squash and cucumber salad. These are summer foods at their finest. Just another reason to love warm weather!

So, Until Tomorrow...........
S~~~

Memorial Day - Let's Not Forget

I just wrote a very long blog about Memorial Day and deleted it all. It was breaking my promise to stay away from politics on my blog. Memorial Day isn't about politics anyway.

The greatest honor we can bestow on the those who gave their lives for us today is in remembering of what they did to keep us free. Lets not forget, today or any day. If we stumble, and fail to stand up for our freedoms they died in vain. All those mothers, fathers, wives, husbands and children gave up their sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, husbands and wives for nothing at all.
That can't happen.

I will not forget. I know you won't either.

Thank you not only to the fallen but those currently serving and those who stand tall and proud as veterans.

S~~~

Easiest Most Decadent Dessert of the Year

We ran to Asheville today so no cooking here. We had brunch at Early Girl (http://www.earlygirleatery.com/) so we might not be hungry for a week.

So, I thought this might be a great time to share this incredibly simple, quick and delicious dessert. I hope you enjoy it half as much as we did.

These rolls are so decadent I feel guilty posting, but they are way too good not to share. Maybe you can save them for a day when you are only serving water for supper. Just kidding, but I promise they are worth the calories. If you want to feel better about the splurge just half the recipe, then it will only be half the calories...............

Bavarian Cream Rolls

2 (8 ounce) cans crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. nutmeg

Leaving dough in roll, cut evenly into 8 rolls from each can, for a total of 16 rolls.
Arrange rolls in oblong pyrex dish (I use an 8x12).
Whisk milk, sugar, and butter, vanilla and nutmeg together well in a 4 cup measuring cup. Pour over rolls.

Bake at 350 until rolls are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

These have infinite possibilities. You could leave out the nutmeg and add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Use apple pie spice and a cup of chopped apples. Cut back on the sugar a tad and add 3 Tbsp. of maple syrup. Peaches could be added for peaches and cream rolls. If I liked blueberries or strawberries (which I don't) I might add a cup. Some chocolate chips over top for chocolate cream rolls. You get the idea......................, share some of yours too.

So, Until Tomorrow..........
S~~~

Picnic Season

Picnic season is my favorite. I love to eat outside, it is amazing how everything tastes better.
This is a recipe that I found torn from a magazine in my Mother's collection. They are the perfect take along dessert for a pic-a-nic (ala Yogi) basket. Rich and moist enough that you don't miss the frosting. Just what a brownie is supposed to be.
Enjoy.

1960s Saucepan Brownies

1/3 cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan and melt together over a low heat, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and stir in, in this order: sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, salt and pecans.
Pour batter into a greased 8 inch x 8 inch x 2 inch baking pan and bake in a moderately hot oven, 375 *, 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Later............
S~~

Getting Lucky with Lucky Duck

In the spring and summer I love a cold (yes I said cold, not chilled) glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the deck, or anywhere else for that matter. I know you have heard me wax long about my all time favorite Nobilo. Quickly, let me say it is still my favorite. No one can top a New Zealand SB, in my very humble opinion, and the Nobilo is as near perfect as you will ever find in a $12 bottle.



That being said Lacy came home with a very cute $3.97 bottle of Lucky Duck Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) from Wal Mart, yes, Wal Mart in Marion at that. I didn't have great expectations, I figured it would be drinkable perhaps but I really didn't count on liking it, really liking it. It has that minerality that I love in a Sauvignon Blanc and of course the grapefruit.



The Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina) is very good as well, if you are looking for a red. Smooth, not what you would call complex but still very good, at least $3.97 good.

They also have a Sharaz, a Malbec and a Chardonnay. I did taste the Chardonnay and liked it . Not oaky at all, which is why I stay away from Chardonnays. Today the only Chardonnays I prefer are from stainless steel barrels, but again for the price I will give this another shot. I am not a Malbec or Sharaz fan but let us know if you have tried them.

I can't seem to find much about the company, but they are the right wine for these slow economic times. I know there are people who will never buy Lucky Duck because of the price, but I just consider myself a "Lucky Duck" for buying it and enjoying it.

I am sure I have mentioned my penchant for buying pretty or unusual bottles only to find out they are really bad. Reislings are not my favorite wine, but they are usually my favorite bottles, go figure....... Anyway, this is one cute bottle I can justify and savor.

So, until tomorrow...........
S~~~

We Are A Cole Slaw Family

We are a cole slaw family for the most part. Ragan and I love it, Ronnie likes it and Lacy loves certain kinds, such as cole slaw with bleu cheese or cilantro added. There are a few foods that I cannot eat without having cole slaw on the side. Fried fish, soup beans, meatloaf and beef roast to name a few. Daddy makes the worlds best cole slaw, hands down. He shreds his cabbage with a box grater, adds carrots, mayo (he uses Dukes, this is where we part company, I am a Kraft girl), vinegar, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper. He never measures and it is the same Cole Slaw everytime. Crisp, creamy and just right.
One night while Lacy was home I had bought cole slaw at Golden Fried and her comment was "why didn't you get John (that is what she calls her granddaddy) to make us some slaw?"

That said.......... I was cruising the internet last night and being the Bobby Flay fan that I am I was excited to see this recipe. With Memorial Day picnics coming up I thought you just might want to try it. I know I will.


Bobby Flay’s Smoked Chile Cole Slaw

1/2 cup Hellmann's® (you know I will use Kraft Light)
2 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
1 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine Hellmanns® Real Mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, honey and cumin in large bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since I needed to be out of the kitchen quickly last night (American Idol, go Crystal) we did pizzas on the grill. Yummmmmmmmmm
I bought the small pizza crust so we could have a bit more variety. The one that I thought was best was of course the most simple.

Goat Cheese and Basil Pizzas

Per 6 inch Pizza Crust

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. dry oregano
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more)
pinch of Kosher salt
pinch of pepper

Stir and let sit for 10 minutes.
Brush on pizza crust.
Top with:

2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese (the green can stuff)
2 Tbsp. mozzarella cheese
goat cheese crumbles - I didn't measure but I would guess 4 Tbsp.
very thinly sliced sweet onions - to your taste
a few sliced mushrooms
10 basil leaves

Ours grilled for 10 minutes and they were perfect. We have a Holland grill that only cooks with indirect heat so yours may cook quicker. Oops, I almost forgot, Ronnie put a few very thin slices of tomato on his. With tomatoes coming in a few weeks from now this will be great.

Tonight is Wednesday so no supper here tonight.

So, until tomorrow..........
S~~~