Classic Potato Salad

Classic Potato Salad

Makes 8 servings

8 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
1 1⁄2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 cup onion, minced
5 hard-boiled eggs
paprika

Boil peeled potatoes in salted water until done. Cool to room temperature.
Place diced potatoes in large bowl.
Mix mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in another bowl.
Add to potatoes.
Add celery and onions and mix well.
Stir in eggs.
Sprinkle a little paprika on top.
Cortesy of food. com

Keep It Clean

My mother always used to say to clean up as you go. Don't worry if every thing is not perfect. It really does not matter as there is a family that lives in that house. I followed her ruling and have passed it down to my children as well. Now my mother was serious and sadly was not a good homemaker and did not worry about it. For years I worried about how my home looked and had to have it perfectly daily. The truth is though if we follow a few easy steps it will be easy to keep our homes looking good

First thing in the morning, make your bed. This will help break the temptation of wanting to get back in it. It will also be one chore out of the way. Once a week I wash the sheets and blankets in our home. So if it is the day to wash the sheets strip the bed as soon as you get out of bed and take them to the laundry area. This will help remind you that the chore needs done

Everyone even small ones can help clean up after their self. The bathroom is a prime area to do just this. Each time they shower make sure that they spritz and wipe the area, pick up dirty towels and clothes and leaves the area as nice as when they came in. Yes this really can help the more they do it the better it will be.

The kitchen our house may be the largest area that gets messy. Easy way to keep it clean will be to clean up, wipe up and keep space clean as you cook. Keep a sink of soapy water so that you can wash cooking areas as well as dishes as they become dirty.

Happy Cleaning.

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Boston Cream Pie To GO

1 3.9oz Pkg Instant or Cook Type Vanilla Pudding
1 3.9oz Pkg Instant or Cook Type Chocolate Pudding
3 Cups of Milk *divided, to make pudding
1-2 Sleeves of Graham Crackers
1 Tub Cool Whip
sprinkles if desired

I keep seeing "to-go" parfait jars...kept in fridge and just grab and go. I decided to make my own. I made both puddings and then layered crushed graham crackers, vanilla pudding, cool whip, then repeated the same layering on that with the chocolate pudding ending with sprinkles of chocolate curls...so easy peasy. you can use cook type pudding or instant. I will let the ones I made set in the fridge to soften the grahams for a few hours at minimum. I'm sure in the future I will make ones with berries and maybe banana pudding with sliced bananas etc...the combinations are endless
Makes 7 Half Pints
Enjoy! Diane 

Hamburger and Potato Casserole

5 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thick 

2 -3 tablespoons chopped onions 

1 lb ground beef ( really lean is preferable) 

salt and pepper 

Cheese sauce (the same one I use for macaroni and cheese)

2 cups milk ( I use skim) 

3 tablespoons butter 

3 tablespoons flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

ketchup ( optional condiment) 

 I use a 2 1/2 quart covered casserole dish for this. This will stick unless you have a great non-stick baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350.

Brown hamburger and onion.

Place a layer of sliced potatoes in casserole dish, top with half of hamburger/onion mixture. Salt and pepper to taste (kind of depends on how salty your cheese sauce is - you can always salt it later if it needs it).

Repeat layering of potato slices and hamburger mixture (and salt and pepper if desired).

Make Cheese sauce:.

Melt 3 T butter in saucepan over med-high heat.

Add 3 T flour, and the salt and pepper. Stir quickly to blend.

Add 2 cups milk; stir with whisk to incorporate butter/flour mixture.

Reduce heat, stir till thickened and bubbly.

Remove from heat and add shredded cheddar. Stir until cheese melts.

Pour cheese sauce over hamburger and potatoes in baking dish. Push potatoes around to let cheese sauce into all of the crevices so it's well coated.

Cover and place in oven. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, till potatoes are tender and top is browned. I like to take off the lid for the last 20 minutes or so to brown the top a bit.

Even with the leanest ground beef, this can get little pools of grease on top - I just spoon these off. It doesn't mean the whole thing is greasy - just cheesy.

My family members consider generous amounts of ketchup a necessary addition to this dish. I like it fine by itself (ok, maybe a spot of ketchup on the side).

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Cherry Tomato Salad

Makes 4 servings

1⁄3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I usually use grape tomatoes)
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar and mustard together. Add tomatoes, onions and parsley. Toss well and season to taste.

source food.com

Sweet Cherry Buttermilk Cake

This summer treat reminds me of the home that we all loved but had to leave. In the yard there was a cherry tree and we loved to make cobblers and this cake would have been on the list as well. This cake is nearly cornbread like.The cherries and sugar crunch on top offer the cake a bit of sweetness. Know a young one that has been wanting to bake their own cake this recipe is perfect for that. 

                                                                                            1 cup all purpose flour                                                                            

  1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 1 large egg room temp.

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 cup pitted cherries

Whipped cream and cherries for garnish, optional of course

Preheat oven to 400°F, rack in middle. Butter, flour and parchment a 9-inch round cake pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. Beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes or so, then add vanilla. Add egg and beat well. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until combined. Spoon batter into cake pan. Scatter cherries evenly over top and push down into cake batter then sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar. Bake until cake is golden or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool until room temperature. Serve with whipped cream and cherries for garnish.

*For the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, I used  sugar in the raw {turbinado sugar}.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from : The Baker Chick

Oven Baked Fajitas

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Recipe source facebook recipe group

Banana Foster

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 medium, firm bananas, peeled, cut lengthwise and then diagonally into thirds
1/3 cup dark rum

Do This:
Melt butter in slow cooker on low (approx. 10 minutes)
Mix in brown sugar
Gently stir in the bananas and rum
Cook on low for one hour (until bananas are glazed and softened; do not overcook. You don’t want mushy bananas.)
Spoon banana mixture over vanilla ice cream, pound cake or Belgium waffles
Serve and enjoy!


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Strawberry and Lemon Lime Icey

We have a large family so this recipe makes a lot! You can make a half recipe if you do not want a lot.

7 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
strawberries – 1 container fresh or frozen
3/4 cup juice of lemons
3/4 cup juice of limes

Mix the water and sugar in a pot and simmer.
Add the strawberries and continue to simmer.
When the strawberries have become soft use a potato masher to break them up and mix them in the liquid.
Add the lemon and lime juice and boil for 2 minutes.
Remove the pot from the burner and let cool.
Pour the liquid into containers and freeze.

This is a simple and very tasty treat on a nice warm day.

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Jamaican Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or pina colada flavored!!)
3 tablespoons dark rum OR apple cider
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.

Slow Cooker Coca Cola Beef Roast

3-4lbs any cut of Beef Roast (I used Cross Rib Beef Chuck Roast) 
1 Can Coke (not diet) 
1 Packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Can condensed Cream of potato soup (or Cream of Mushroom)
fresh mushrooms, *optional 

Place meat in slowcooker, spread soup over roast.
Sprinkle Lipton onion mix over entire roast, pour coke (not diet) down around all and cover. Cook High 6-8 Hours or Low 10-12 Hours.
The cola really enhances the beef flavor and breaks down the meat into fall apart goodness!! This couldn't have been easier or better tasting!
 didn't even have to thicken the "gravy" because it was SO tasty as is!!!! I usually end up adjusting recipes by adding things - I wanted to try this "as is" first - and "as is" it's amazing!
Using cream of mushroom soup and *Adding fresh mushrooms in the last 20-30 mins of cooking time would be wonderful 

Recipe adapted from: Crock Pot Recipe Exchange Group

Win Shampoo

When I was a kid there were brands of shampoo on the market that I no longer see any more. But some have stayed for the long haul. Pert is one of those that has been around for a bit and only gets better through time. Now with the Pert 2 in 1 shampooing takes less time but still offers that same great feeling. 

If you have not tried Pert 2 in 1 as of yet then here is your chance. The blog heck of a bunch is hosting giveaway where one lucky individual will win a bottle of the named product. Good Luck

want yet another way to win?? Check out this super cute batman sock monkey. Since my grandson was a baby his mama has been buying him a sock monkey for birthdays and holidays. He is really into batman and I would love to win this for him. You can enter for your chance to win over at Heck of a Bunch as well. 

Soup and Sandwich Meal Idea ::: Baked Potato Soup and Pulled Pork Sandwich

Baked potato soup

onion, chopped

4 T butter

10 potato, chopped

1 qt. of chicken stock

1/2 gal of milk

Saute onion in butter. Mix potato and onion. Add stock Mix in milk Freeze or heat til vegies are tender

I totally love pulled pork, no real recipe needed. It is so easy to fix and I have made it a number of times. It is perfect for making on a day that you are busy or one that you just dont want to do a lot. It is the perfect dish to put in freezer or to serve guest. 

 You will want a pork loin, you can cut it into pieces or leave it whole as long as it will fit into your slow cooker. Add enough beef broth to cover the meat. (normally around 3 cups or so) You may want to have bbq sauce or steak sauce on hand. 

Pork loin and enough broth to cover should be placed into slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Meat should be able to shred apart. One great idea is to cook this overnight and finish up the next day. 

Taking 2 forks to shred the pork tear in a crosswise motion. As meat shreds place in a casserole dish. If you choose to not add bbq sauce add some broth. If you are using sauce do it now. Bake for 350 degrees for 30 minutes, uncovered. 

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small victories sunday

What Did We Find.... Our Latest Car Ride

I simply love to take a slow Sunday style car ride on the back roads of southern Illinois and Kentucky. The beauty of the trees no mater the weather is always something to see. What lives in the forest is also amazing to me. Perhaps the trip will find deer, rabbits, squirrels or the dreaded skunk. On a recent ride through the country side we came upon a flock or family of wild turkeys. What a beautiful site. 

Peach Barbecue Sauce

Peach Barbecue Sauce
Recipe is adapted from the Ball Canning and Recipes website.

Another great recipe where peaches are desired. There is never enough time to try all the great picach recipes. I love that it can be canned and kept year round. Enjoy

12 c. (about 6 lbs.) peaches, peeled, pits removed and chopped
2 c. (2 large) red bell peppers, chopped
2 c. (2 large) onions, chopped
6 TBS. (about 9 large cloves) garlic, chopped or pressed
2 ½ c. honey
1 ½ c. apple cider vinegar
2 TBS. Worcestershire
4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 tsp. dry mustard
4 tsp. salt


Put all ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil.  After ingredients have softened,  use an immersion blender to puree. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 25 minutes, longer if you prefer a thicker sauce.

Water bath for 15 minutes.  This recipe makes about 12 half pints.

Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini  Brownies

* 1 1/2 cup (about 1/2 pound) fresh grated zucchini
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1/2 cup cocoa
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
* 1/2 cup natural applesauce minus 1 Tbs
* 1 Tbs canola oil
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 pan. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. In another mixing bowl stir together the zucchini, apple sauce oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together until combined well. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing between each until the batter is just combined. Add the
chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a
toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan, but on a rack at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
86 calories per serving when cutting pan into 5x5 squares

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Make your own Fringe Top

Want to take the ordinary t-shirt and make it into something fun and stylish?? Follow this easy tutorial and you will be on your way. 

7 layer salad

August was always a time for family reunions in our family. If you are attending or hosting a reunion this 7 layer salad may be the perfect dish to take. The salad serves between 12 to 14 or more depending on serving size. I hope that you enjoy your Sundays in August as well as well as this beautiful salad. 

5 cups chopped green leaf lettuce
2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped yellow bell pepper
1 (12-ounce) package frozen green peas, thawed
2 cups chopped radishes
2 cups diced seedless cucumber
Seven-Layer Salad Dressing (recipe follows) Garnish: shredded Cheddar cheese, crumbled cooked bacon

1. In a 3 1/2-quart glass bowl, layer lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, peas, radishes, and cucumber. Top with dressing, spreading edges to seal. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight. Garnish with cheese and bacon, if desired.

Seven-Layer Salad Dressing
Makes about 2 cups

2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chives, dill, Dijon mustard, onion powder, and pepper, stirring well.

End of Summer Recipe

Summer Tortellini

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1/2 green pepper, bite size pieces
1/2 red pepper, bite size pieces
1/2 yellow pepper, bite size pieces
2 cups ham, diced
1-2 packages tortellini, cooked according to package
Italian Dressing
Fresh Parmesan


Lightly coat zucchini and pepper in italian dressing and sauté in pan until lightly softened (just to take a bit of the bite out, you still want it crunchy).
Toss ham, sautéed vegetables, tomatoes, tortellini with just enough dressing to lightly coat.
Grate fresh paremesan cheese on top.

recipe source here

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa

Yield: 7 to 9 eight ounce jars

6 cups diced unripe mangoes (about 4 large, hard green mangoes or slightly under-ripe)
1½ cups diced red bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro (or dried cilantro)
1 teaspoon diced or dried mint leaves (optional)
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger (Harris Teeter sells little frozen cubes of ginger cheaply)
1 cup light brown sugar
1¼ cups cider vinegar
½ cup water or lime juice

Peel and dice mango.
To the 6 cups of diced mangoes, add the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and mix the spices. Reduce to simmering, and simmer 5 minutes.
Wipe rim and screw threads with a clean damp cloth. Add lid, screw band and tighten firmly and evenly. Do not over tighten.
Put the sealed jars in the canner and keep them cover with at least 1 inch of water and boiling. Boil them for at least 20 minutes.