Can You Tell I'm Off Work Today ?

Wow, can you believe it, I am back again !!!

As I was reading the Recipe Curio blog a few minutes ago I came across a chicken casserole recipe that reminded of one I made years ago. Granted, it is one of those oh so NOT politically correct "cream of something" casseroles, but it is full of great flavor and gives us that comfort food feel that we need on these cold windy days.
Hope you enjoy!

Nacho Doritos Chicken Casserole

1 bag Nacho flavor Doritos (or Fritos, but they are boring)
3-4 chicken breasts
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
½ cup sour cream
1 can green chilies - chopped
1 small onion - chopped fine
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups grated Taco seasoned cheese
Cook chicken in salted water (or Kitchen Basics stock) in *pressure cooker about 20-25 minutes.
Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with Pam. Cover the bottom with ¾ bag of Doritos.
Remove chicken and strain stock. Remove the skin and bones and dice chicken into small pieces.
Combine 1 ½ cup of the strained stock, chicken soup and celery soup, sour cream, green chilies, onion, minced garlic, chili powder, brown sugar, and pepper in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring as needed.
Remove from heat. Layer diced chicken over Doritos and top with soup mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese over top and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and crumble the remaining Doritos over top. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes.

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

Sitting In The Bad Blogger Corner

OK, I know, I know............................. I am officially the worlds worst blogger. I mean to be better, really I do, I aspire to be Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. We all know how good she is, 4 kids that are home schooled, a ranch to work, a New York Times # 1 best selling cookbook, appearances on national television and cooking meals every night that she is home............ among other obligations I'm sure and she still finds time to blog everyday. Not just blog but include incredible photography and the world's best recipes.

Anyway, I just have a lack of inspiration at the moment. That said, I do have some fun things coming up that I will be blogging about so bear with me.

On a quick note, I came across a really cute blog the other day and the nostalgia has held me captive. I am a sucker for old hand written recipes and clippings and this blog is just like pilfering in my Mother's recipe drawer, minus all the yucky molded jello stuff. She scans in the vintage clippings and hand written recipes as well as types them out for easy reading.
Check out: www.recipecurio.com
Let me know if you have as much fun there as I have!!

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

Welcome Back, Lacy Jay and Bashar

Welcome back, Your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back, To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well, the names have all changed since you hung around.
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)
Yeah, we tease her a lot cause we've got her on the spot.
Welcome back, Welcome back, Welcome back...............................

Theme from Welcome Back, Kotter by John Sebastian (with liberties)

I can't help but think of Lacy when I hear the theme song from one of my favorite 70s television shows. She couldn't wait to leave Marion for college, then onto the big city of Philadelphia. Slowly, somewhere along the line she realized that North Carolina really is home. The dream is to be back in Raleigh.

In the meantime, it has been the most incredible time having Lacy and Bashar (Scooter, Bo and Mason too) here with us on a bi-monthly schedule. We have always been close, but it has been such a joy to share a home day to day with our "grown up" daughter. Realistically, she hasn't lived with us since that sad (for Ronnie and I, not Lacy, she loved every minute of her time in Raleigh) Saturday in August when we drove out of Wake County and left her behind at NC State. After graduation, she stayed in Raleigh until she and Bashar moved to Pennsylvania in 2007.

Even though this arrangement is short lived, probably just until June or July, I plan to make the most of every minute. As my friend Cyndi said, this is bonus time most parents never get.

So, March (as well as May and possibly July) is our month, and this Mother could not be happier!!

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

It's a Conundrum

According to Webster: A conundrum is a confusing, perplexing or awkward predicament.

Well, maybe, but no less intriguing at this point. Let me start at the beginning...............

Yesterday I had a client ask if I could provide 35 bottles of Conundrum to be placed in her guests rooms when they arrive in April. I assured her that I could, set myself a reminder to take care of this in late March and didn't think a lot about it. That is until I opened up the Pioneer Woman's site and read "what would life be like without Conundrum wine?" ummmm, maybe we are on to something here. Let me back up here a bit and remind you that I am the "instant gratification girl" personified. Remember when I told you about those little signs in the grocery store that say "new item" might as well have my name on them? Yeah, well.... even though Buncombe county was under a blizzard warning yesterday I had to make a least one stop to try to locate Conundrum. No such luck. Today I check their website to see that Ingles on Merrimon carries it, so off to Merrimon Avenue after work , no luck. So, Lacy calls as I am driving home and I explain my obsession to find Conundrum and she says "Mom, don't you remember me asking you about that a few months ago, (I didn't), Kellie and Anderson (her friends from NCSU) rave about it all the time". Gee...... then later tonight Ragan calls and of course, I have to explain my new obsession to her too. When I say Conundrum, she gasp. Wouldn't you know she had it at a wine tasting last week and loved it!!! I am always to last to find out all the good stuff!!!

Let me assure that before this week is out I WILL have found Conundrum. It is now a mission. I will let you know if it is as good as my beloved Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc ($12). It is a bit pricier at around $22 but still less than my all time favorite Cakebread.

What is your Conundrum?

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

It's A Super Sunday

Weather you are a Saints or Colts fan, it is a Super Sunday. I really don't have a dog in this fight, I will be fine with either team winning. The Saints are the southern team, plus they deserve the win after Katrina, but then the Colts have Payton Manning..........


Truthfully, the Super Bowl is really all about the food anyway, isn't it? This is the day we get to eat "junque" food" all day and justify it. Pretty sweet if you ask me.


A multitude of circumstances have come together this year that have Ronnie and I celebrating Super Bowl Sunday here at home, just the two of us. I wanted to have some people over but after this lovely winter we have experienced no one in there right mind wants to traverse our driveway, so I didn't even ask. We had a couple of invitations, but Ronnie has put in a lot of hours this week and I knew he wouldn't be up for much. So, we are having out own Super Bowl party.



This afternoon I made the Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Sheet Cake. I haven't cut it just yet, but it smells wonderful.

Pioneer Woman's Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
½ cups Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla
_____
FOR THE FROSTING:
½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
1-¾ stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.
Cut into squares, eat, and totally freak out over the fact that you’ve just made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever.

The rest of our spread looked something like this:

Union Square Bar Nuts*
Guacamole and Pita Chips
Sticky Chicken Bites
Creamy Beef Dip with Veggie Crackers
Oprah's Favorite Pomegranate Martinis*

Union Square Bar Nuts

2 1/4 cups assorted unsalted nuts
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. course sea salt
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter -melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread nuts on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter.
Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm.

Oprah's Favorite Pomegranate Martinis

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
2 oz. Absolute Citron vodka
1 oz. Cointreau
Cup of ice
Splash of tonic water

Squeeze of lemon (optional)

Shake pomegranate juice, vodka and Cointreau in a shaker with ice, pour into chilled, sugar rimmed martini glasses. Top with a splash of tonic water and a lemon wedge.

Serves 2

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

S~~~

Once A Month Cooking

Ronnie had to work today so I had a bit more time to piddle in the kitchen. I cleaned out my freezer and did some chores I had been putting off for a while. I found myself throwing away money from my freezer. I had let it get so full that I had forgotten what I had. That said,
I have a bit on an interest in the popular Once a Month Cooking method (OAMC).
I love to cook, but I hate to spend all night in the kitchen after working all day. Especially now that Lost and American Idol are back on. While the OAMC concept appeals to me, I also don't want to use an entire Saturday cooking and freezing portions. So, I asked my sweet sister in law, Karen, if she would be willing to take a vacation day off work and we could cook double batches all day and have plenty for both families meals for a month. So, we plan to take a leave day and cook sometime this month.
I have been researching OAMC recipes and have found some that I know would work well for us. I just need to make sure I have the proper type containers available. Any hint of freezer burn and it goes in the garbage here.

So, it you have any recipes for OAMC or suggestions for storage please, please share. I will let you know how our "cooking day" goes. Just to get you thinking along OAMC lines I am posting on of the recipes Karen and I will be making.

Zesty Pineapple Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Zesty Pineapple Glaze:
1 medium can pineapple tidbits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. soy sauce

Preheat oven to 375F. Place chicken breast in freezer safe container. Brush each piece of chicken with melted butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Make glaze. Pour glaze over chicken. Freeze.
Remove chicken from freezer and place in refrigerator the day before to thaw.
On cooking day, bake in preheated 375* for 50-60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and glaze is dark brown.

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

S~~~

Getting Lost

Need I say more ????

What a perfect night for television, Lost and American Idol!!!

We will be snuggled up on the couch if you need us..............

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

Warm Winter Soup

I was looking through my soup file to find a recipe to take into my office next week and this is what I decided on. I made this a couple of times last year and it is perfect on a cold winter night.
You could serve it over macaroni or noodles, garnish with bacon, add tomatoes, bell pepper and celery, or use a more exciting cheese, but I like it just as it is.

Cheeseburger Soup

2 medium garlic cloves - minced
1 medium onion - diced
1/2 lb. ground chuck
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 tsp.celery seed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 cup evaporated milk or Half and Half
4 oz. Velveeta cheese - cubed
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine onion, garlic and ground chuck in saucepan. Cook until beef is browned. Drain.
Add chicken stock and bring to a slow boil. Cover and reduce heat to low until onion is tender, stirring occasionally and adding additional broth as necessary - about 10-15 minutes.
Once onion is tender, add vegetable stock and heat until just boiling. Add celery seed, thyme and parsley.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add milk and cubed Velveeta cheese stirring continuously until milk is heated through and Velveeta is melted.
Stir is paprika and black pepper.

Serve hot with bread for dipping and a pickle.

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

Green Stamps, Watergate and Pink Princess Phones

While perusing Amazon I came across a book entitled Green Stamps to Hot Pants: Growing Up in the '50s and '60s by Genny Zak Kieley.
Being 53 years old I was struck by nostalgia and moved it over to my Amazon wishlist.
Just the thought of S & H Green Stamps brings back beaucoups of memories. I can remember seeing Mother and Daddy sitting at the gray laminate aluminum sided kitchen table with a wet sponge pasting Green Stamps in books. The Dixie Store always gave Green Stamps in those days, maybe the A&P as well, I just don't remember. I know Mother's well used ironing board and iron came from Green Stamps. Our toaster, Mother's first blender and Daddy's wheelbarrow (pronounced wheelbarrel in the south or at least in my house) too. The very last time I remember using Green Stamps was in 1981 when we were putting together Lacy-Jay's nursery. We proudly purchased her Winnie the Pooh toy box with Green Stamps.

This whole Green Stamp curiosity really started when my 39 year old colleague, Michael, casually yelled across the office "what were Green Stamps anyway?" Whoa, he did not know about this wonderful grocery store premium that allowed hard working families the opportunity to shop for "free" things that sometimes were beyond their budget. Afterall, you had to buy groceries, why not shop where they gave you S&H Green Stamps. I am sure this was the criteria that many families used when deciding where to shop. Sometimes I fail to remember how wide the generation gap really is.

So much has changed since the 60's. As a teenager, I recall feeling very privileged to have my own pink princess phone in my room. This "modern" phone also sported a cord and you actually had to stick your finger in the ring to "dial" the number. First graders now arrive at school on the first day outfitted with their very own cell phone and Dora the Explorer backpack with cell phone pouch.

I'm sure everyone longs for their own "good old days". I came of age in the 70's and that will always be the decade to end all decades for me. I love the music, the clothes, the hair, the cars, Richard Nixon, and everything else associated with that wonderful time in my life. That was my decade. Lacy used to say Ronnie and I were stuck in the seventies (SIS), now in 2010 at 28 years old she finally understands why.

Today's recipe is a throwback. If you managed to live through the 70's and never had this cake you don't know what you missed. Those of you that were not fortunate enough to have been a part of the seventies, either by being born too late or living through it in a haze, should give this cake a try. You just might get a tiny understanding of why the 70's was in fact the greatest decade.

Watergate Cake

1 pkg. cake yellow mix
1 pkg. instant pistachio pudding
1 cup vegetable oil
3 whole eggs
1 cup 7-up or ginger ale
1 cup pecans (chopped very fine)
1 tsp. vanilla

FROSTING:
1 box pistachio instant pudding
1 1/4 cup milk
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip


Mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, 7-Up or ginger ale and nuts together.
Blend well and beat 4 minutes.
Grease and flour 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Icing:
Blend all ingredients together and beat until light and fluffy.
Spread on cooled cake.
This cake must be kept refrigerated at all times.

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

So Good To Hear From Frances

Loyal readers will remember an earlier post where I have mentioned my good friend and former colleague, Frances. We worked together for several and I will never forget the fun and energy she brought to our office. Today I am posting an excerpt from a recent email. In part because she has shared a great recipe, but mostly because I want to you to enjoy her words as much as I did.

"I have a good one for a chocolate snack - it's kinda like a chocolate bark. One sleeve of saltine crackers - line them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (not wax paper). Just line them up together as best you can - about 6 across and 6 down works pretty well. Melt 2 sticks of butter and 1/2 c. light brown sugar - heat til melted. Drizzle the butter/sugar mixture over the saltines. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. As soon as you take out of the oven, sprinkle over the mix a small bag of chocolate semi sweet chips - the heat will start melting them - then take a spatula and just smooth over a little bit. Sprinkle a small bag of crushed pecans over the mix. Put in refrigerator just like they are until they set and get hard - they will break up and come right off the parchment paper. It's a great snack - course, with 2 sticks of butter, a pile of poop probably wouldn't be too bad. It breaks up kinda like peanut brittle - it's VERY good. I had to stop making it as I would eat the whole batch before I could give it away. That's it for now. I expect to see this recipe in your blog at some point - probably using Ritz crackers, butterscotch morsels and maybe some Rotel tomatoes on the top - just kidding- but somehow with the Susan twist to it. You really don't have to change it a bit - it's easy - make sure the cookie sheet has a lip, cause the butter can melt over into your oven if you're not careful - and of course, I wasn't. Bye now. Say hi to all for me."

I have to try this, probably this weekend, I am a sucker for that sweet and salty combination.

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

Elvis and Banana Sandwiches

Elvis Presley - January 8, 1935 - August 16, 1977

All this talk about Elvis's birthday has me thinking about banana sandwiches. After all, he did make the the banana and peanut butter sandwich popular. I'm not really thinking about the banana and peanut butter sandwiches though, I am thinking of banana and mayonnaise sandwiches on what else but white bread as soft as cotton candy.

I am always amazed when I run into someone who has never had a banana sandwich. My son-in-law, Bashar, just looked at me as if I spoke in German when I asked him if he had ever had one. My sister-in-law, Karen, doesn't eat banana and mayonnaise (she isn't mayo friendly), but loves the banana and peanut butter. Ronnie loves his banana sandwiches with a side of potato chips and french onion dip. I am a purist, just a banana sandwich on a plate with a glass of cold milk works wonders for me.

I was raised to slice my bananas in half and then lengths, Ronnie slices his in rounds. Either way
banana sandwiches are a little slice of heaven on white bread.

Now, back to Elvis..........
August 1977 my family and I had the opportunity to see Elvis at the Asheville Civic Center. As thrilling as it was to see a legend live in concert, it was twice as much fun to see him with my little Grandmother, who just happened to be his biggest fan and a charter member of his fan club!! It was the greatest moment of her life.

In memory of the king, share your Elvis memories and banana sandwich secrets with us, come on, I know you have some.

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

The Winter Blues

The winter blues is coming on with a vengeance.........................., I'm cold through and through. I could stay indoors until spring without a complaint, except that I thankfully have a job.
Our office got all the way up to a balmy 60 degrees today, burrrrrrrr.

This weather makes me want hot bathes, warm pajamas, good books, soup, hot tea and cocoa. Atlanta Bread Company has a Butternut Squash Soup on their menu right now that is beyond TDF. I have never made anything with butternut squash, but I am thinking it is in my future this weekend.
I found this recipe on Allrecipes that sounds wonderful. Perhaps I will need to use at least low fat cream cheese, use butter in place of margarine (no margarine to be found here) and maybe sub chicken stock for the water and bouillon cubes, but other than that I will keep it as written.

Butternut Squash Soup

6 Tbsp. chopped onion
4 Tbsp. margarine
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese


In a large saucepan, saute onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

If soup is in your future maybe give this one a try and we will compare notes.

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

Food Network Stars

Who is your favorite Food Network Star ?
Hands down for me, it is Ina Gardin (Barefoot Contessa) with Bobby Flay running a close second.

Ina Gardin simply has one show. How rare is that? Most everyone on Food
Network has several going at a time. I love her simplicity. She speaks to me when she decorates her table with flowers of all one kind and color. Remember, I am a clean straight line kind of gal.
Most of all she is an entertaining genius, practically everything she serves her guests is made ahead with the goal of enjoying her company when they arrive. How many have you been running around getting last minute dishes ready, stuck in the kitchen when the party is ready to start? Oh, yeah, me too...... Plus as much as possible on Food Network, she seems real to me. If something is not perfect she is quick to remind you that a party isn't just about the food, it is the people. Real is a breath of fresh air on FN.

I like all of Bobby's shows but Throwdown is the best of the best. Again, he seems more real on this show than contrived. As he says sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses......
I had the opportunity to have dinner at Mesa Grill in New York a year or so ago with Ragan, Lacy and Bashar. The food was wonderful and the restaurant was beautiful but not overdone.

So, today's recipe is one from the Barefoot Contessa herself.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 tsp. lemon zest, grated (zest of 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

For the glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp.fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.
Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set the lemon syrup aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar syrup over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool before serving.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

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

Christmas Day 2009

A very Merry Christmas to each of you that has joined me around the Sunset Supper table this year.
I pray your holiday is filled with peace, joy and surrounded by family and friends.

Love,
S~~~

A Beautiful Quiet Christmas Eve

This was a cozy Christmas Eve for Ronnie and me. We celebrate tomorrow with my family, but tonight it was just us.
Since I was just cooking for the two of us I splurged a bit and supper on this very comfortable evening looked like this.

Steak Diane*
Broiled Lobster Tail
Butter Beans
Mushroom Rice Bake
Yeast Rolls
Rum Raisin Caramelized Pears

Steak Diane

2 - beef tenderloin steaks
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter (divided)
3 tsp. green onions - chopped
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. chives - chopped

Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.
Heat half of the butter in skillet, stir in onions and Dijon mustard.
Add steaks.
Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side.

Remove to serving platter and keep warm.
To skillet, add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining butter.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Add parsley and chives.
Pour over steaks.

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

A Bit Of Weather Inconvenience

As much as I love the snow, I am not a fan of inconvenience. I am a planner by profession, so naturally I do not like to have my personal plans cast in disarray. Saturday was the designated day to finish my last minute shopping, grocery shop for my homemade office gifts and buy my stocking stuffers. We all know what they say about best laid plans....................

I had to run over to Stein Mart in a rush last week. I had one of those life's most embarrassing moments. First thing in the morning we were meeting in our reception area, as I was leaning against the front of the desk, I happened to glance down at my shoes, horror of horrors, I was wearing one black shoe and one brown shoe. Granted, they are identical shoes, just different colors but still...... I was not about to go through the day like that. Immediately I grabbed my bag and headed over to Merrimon Avenue for new shoes. Since I was in a rush I just quickly gazed at these cute little Christmas crocks with an adorable Santa Claus spreader attached. I decided then and there to make boursin cheese and put it in these little crocks as gifts. At that point I wasn't sure who I wanted to give those to, but later decided I wanted to use them as part of my office gifts. I was in far too much of a rush to grab them by then and simply added them and Stein Mart to my Saturday list. Well, by now we all know what Saturday looked like.

So, by Sunday I knew I would have to improvise and use Christmas mugs for my boursin cheese spread. I made this delicious boursin cheese spread and piped it into cute little Santa mugs.
In case you still need a last minute gift idea I am sharing this most versatile cheese spread. You can serve it with crackers or bread, use it in place of butter/sour cream in baked potatoes, or my favorite in stuffed chicken.


Housemade Boursin Cheese

2 tsp. minced garlic
1 stick salted butter - room temp
16 oz. cream cheese - room temp
3 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. chives
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley - fresh
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Have cheeses and butter at room temperature.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Store in a container in refrigerator.
Serve at room temp.

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

These Boots Are Made For Walking

Yeah, these boots are made for walking all right, walking right down the driveway to the Explorer (right now our drive is just barely 4W drive accessible), so I could get to work this morning. Do I need to tell you that these don't belong to me? My boots just don't get it in this much snow. So......., Ronnie to the rescue. He drug out his old work overboots and here we go. No matter that they were at least 4 sizes too big.

We had our office Christmas luncheon this afternoon at Stoney Knob
( www.stoneyknobcafe.com ).It was soooooooo good. We love lunch there. Cyndi, Deb, Michael and I had the Marsala Beef Tips with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus. I can't decide if the tips or potatoes were better, I am leaning toward the Wasabi Mashed Potatoes though. Lynn had the Crab Cakes which are incredible. Since we were celebrating, we splurged and had dessert too. The Italian Lemon Cake was perfect. So, should you find yourself a tad north of Asheville make it a point to stop at Stoney Knob, you will not be sorry.



Allow me to introduce you to my co-workers at Accents on Asheville. (L-R) -
Michael Rouse, Deb Bowman, Lynn Grabey, Cyndi McAbee.
I am so fortunate to work with four people day to day that are not only my colleagues but are truly my friends.

Stay warm on this the 1st day of winter and the shortest day of the year.

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

Gorgeous Snow December 2009

This was taken this afternoon from my deck.

Lacy- Jay and Bashar

A very politically incorrect photo of Lacy- Jay and Bashar, playing with Ronnie's new UNLOADED shotgun.................

Ronnie and Cagney

Just snapped this photo of a very tired Ronnie, (he works for Duke Energy, I haven't seen much of him since Thursday) and Cagney.