Make Your Own Ketchup

2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 28-oz can tomato puree
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent [about 6-8 minutes]. Add in rest of ingredients and stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally until it gets thick like ketchup.
2. Use an immersion blender, food processor, or blender to puree the mixture until smooth.
3. Pour into container(s) and refrigerate for up to one month.
**for a more “normal” ketchup taste you’ll want to use less cloves and allspice, or none at all. also, if you don’t like things spicy then don’t add the red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. taste as you go along to get the right kind of flavor that you like!

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Cabbage Hamburger Soup #recipe

1 lb beef, ground 

2 Celery, rinsed well and diced

1/2 cabbage, diced

1 8 oz tomatoes, Can and diced, do not drain

1 8 oz kidney beans

8 oz beef stock or beer

4 cups water

2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp celtic sea salt

2 tsp pepper

In a large dutch oven, brown ground beef and cook into crumbles (about 8 minutes). Add diced celery and cabbage, cook until soft (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add salt and pepper. Add diced tomatoes (with the liquid from the can- don't drain it off!) and kidney beans (go ahead and drain these off). Stir to incorporate. Add garlic and paprika, mix. Add beer or stock and water, stir. Let simmer on low until soup has thickened and turned a darker red, 1 hour (or 4 hours on low in a slow cooker).

Serve immediately, soup tastes even better the next day!

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Cleaning Your Cutting Board

The holidays have been completed and now it is time to get back to business. While I am sure the house was elaborately looking during the holidays it may have gotten a bit shaken up with all the present opening and partying that may have went on. So now it is time to get the house back that sparkly look. 

One easy way to get started is to clean the cutting board that may have been over used in the last few days. However to do so may seem like a chore with these tips I am hoping it gets a bit better. 

The best way to clean a wooden cutting board is by using citrus. Simply cut a lime, lemon or grapefruit in half and follow up with a dip of salt. The salt is the secret as it will become the scrubbing cleanser. By lightly rubbing fruit over the cutting board as you squeeze the fruit slightly to release juices as you scrub. After you have scrubbed the entire surface then it is time to rinse.

Cleaning a plastic or glass cutting board can be just as easily done. First mix 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 2 cups of water in the sink and let the cutting board soak for 15 or more minutes. After the soak rinse the board completely

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Burger Time==== Southwestern Burger #recipe

One of my favorite dishes to serve and eat are burgers. There are all types from the cheesy ones to those that are dressed to the tee. This recipe is for a Southwestern burger and is a tasty one that you may want to try for yourself

Southwestern Burgers

2 pounds ground pork or meatloaf mix
1-1/2 cups shredded pepper-Jack cheese
6 onion rolls, sliced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 can (4 ounces) diced pimentos, drained

Divide ground pork or meat loaf mix into 12 equal patties, about 3-1/2 inches in diameter. Place 1/4 cup shredded pepper-Jack cheese in center of each of the 6 patties. Top each with a patty press edges to seal. Broil 6 to 7 minutes each side or until internal temperature registers 155 degrees F on instant-read thermometer. Toast onion rolls. In bowl, mix mayonnaise and diced pimientos. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on each side of toasted rolls. Add burgers

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Peanut Butter Muffins #Recipe

Peanut Butter Muffins

•2 eggs
•1 c. milk
•¼ c. banana (about 1 banana), mashed 
•¼ c. peanut butter
•1/3 c. vegetable oil
•¼ c. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed (left out of the freezer until it's soft)
•¼ c. nonfat dry milk
•2¼ c. flour
•1½ tsp. baking powder
•1 tsp. baking soda
•nonstick cooking spray


Preheat oven to 350° F In a small bowl, break the eggs and use a fork to beat them a little bit. In a large bowl, combine the milk, mashed banana, peanut butter, vegetable oil, apple juice, dry milk, and the eggs from the small bowl. Mix with a mixing spoon until the mixture is creamy. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda into the large bowl. Mix again. Line a muffin tine with paper liners or lightly spray with nonstick spray. Spoon in the muffin mix. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 of the way up. Bake for about 15 minutes. 

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Early Thoughts of New Years

Did you celebrate New Years Day?? I was at work and enjoyed it as I work in a nursing home and while I was not there for my family I was there for individuals who still need to be reminded it is a new year and to have a good one. However when I was doing a bit of research I found that not everyone has always felt the same about New Years:

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in the fall of 1835 and lived a good long life passing in the spring of 1910. While better known as Mark Twain Samuel was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was dubbed "the father of American literature" by William Faulkner. However, looking at the New Year holiday as he took his own perspective of many life events he once gave a description of New Years being:
Mark Twain
New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions.

Ben Franklin was a scientist who used a kite and discovered lightning is electricity. While that is what he may be most famous for he was also a statesman, an inventor, a printer, and an author. With so many talents some that knew him thought of him to be magical. Thus he took life with importance and thought of New Year as a new beginning.

Benjamin Franklin
“Be at war with your vices; at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

How do you feel about a New Year. Me I think many do over due it a bit but releasing the old and bringing in the new is often cause for celebration. I also believe that a new year is a chance to get it all right. What do you think

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Snack Time :::: Popcorn Delight

14 cups popped popcorn
2 cups salted peanuts
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 pound white candy coating, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons creamy Jif® Peanut Butter

In a large bowl, combine the popcorn, peanuts, cereal and marshmallows. In a microwave, melt candy coating and peanut butter; stir until smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat.
Spread onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets; refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 6 quarts.

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Happy New Year

The year 2019 is behind us and while we were blessed with a beautiful baby in the new year the year for the most part was a hard one to get thru. But the delight of that little lady and her smile seems to make every day better and something to look forward to. Simply take a look for yourself:

That man in the picture is my husband. In just 2 days we will celebrate 33 years of marriage. Time has gone by and we have seen children, their spouses, and grand-children be born into the family. The couple me 16 and him 19 was thought to be never be able to make it. However, we proved them wrong relying on God and the lessons taught to us from others we made it and continue to grow.

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Your Color of Underwear Does Matter

You read that right... what color of undies will you have on. Why??? Well it seems a tradition of those that live in Latin American countries like Mexico, Bolivia and Brazil hold true to the belief that the color of undies you wear will help determine the year ahead. 

Don a pair of red panties and you may just be lucky enough to find love and romance. Meanwhile, yellow undies are thought to lead to wealth and success. Traditional white undies are thought to resemble peace and harmony. While eating greens on New Years is thought to bring about a year of good finances wearing green undies will hopefully bring about good health. 

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Eating Grapes On New Years

Take note that I have shared a few recipes to help you have good luck in the new year. You can find them here here and here

Now, I want to share another tradition that comes from Spain and Mexico. This one involves eating fruit,,, grapes to be exact. The thought is that when the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve welcoming in the new year one eats 12 grapes. That is one grape for each month of the year hoping to bring luck into ones life.

Meanwhile.... check out this recipe

1. 1 package (8 ounces) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
2. 1 cup (8 ounces) lite sour cream
3. 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons sugar splenda blend
4. 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
5. 2 pounds seedless red grapes
6. 2 pounds seedless green grapes
7. 2 cups fat free cool whip
8. 3 tablespoons brown sugar-to garnish (optional)
9. 3 tablespoons chopped pecans-to garnish (optional)

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, cool whip, sugar and vanilla until blended. Add grapes and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans just before serving. Enjoy!

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