Happy Belated 4th of July :)

Hi again - I meant to post last week *before* the Fourth of July, but time got away from me (what else is new right?)

Spent the 4th at some friends house and took this video; now keep in mind that I'm used to Minnesota, where you cannot have shooting fireworks.  These were being shot off in the neighborhood and were spectacular.  These folks spent some serious money, let me tell ya!

Did a couple new recipes for the 4th as well; Banana Pudding and a hot Bean Dip. 

The Banana Pudding is actually a Paula Dean recipe and all I can say is "OHMYGOD".  It is thick, it is rich and it was a huge hit.  Here's the one I made:

The recipe calls for bananas, but if you (or one of your guests) doesn't like bananas, this recipe can easily be altered.  Skip the fruit and change the cookies/pudding flavor.  How about Oreo's and chocolate pudding?  Or Ladyfingers and butterscotch pudding?  I'm sure you see where I'm going with this :)

The other recipe I made was a baked Bean Dip - I absolutely love it.  I had planned on taking a picture as soon as I brought it over, but it was immediately attacked so here's what it looked like about 5-10 minutes after I brought it out:

 

 

 

This is a good Southern recipe, with black eyed peas and artichokes. Let me know if you'd like the recipe and I'd be happy to send it to you :)

 

We played softball over the weekend - well, let me know get real here:  we took turns hitting balls while the rest of us chased them LOL  Even so, after 1 1/2 hours in the hot sun you get a good workout!  I'm sore head to toe, but its a good sore.  I even hit a few balls; everyone took turns hitting 12 balls.  I only missed three....not bad for not swinging a bat since 8th grade.  One even managed to roll into the outfield so I'm pretty happy about that!!!!  It was a good showing for someone who was playing with people who have played baseball/softball practically all their lives.  I got lots of good tips on swinging the bat (apparently I swing like a girl - go figure LOL) but we had a great time overall.

 

Still no sewing - yeah, I know I'm a slacker!  Haven't painted anything lately either - I don't know where the time goes every day.

 

And a quick shoutout to Kathy Luehrs - again wishing her a Happy Birthday on the 5th!!!

 

How was your fourth of July?  Feel free to post in the comments section :)

Vanessa

All is quiet on the homefront.....

It's been pretty quiet the past couple of days - which is a nice change since I'm always going, going, going!  Had a nasty migraine starting on Sunday and am just finally starting to feel normal again (well, as normal as I'm ever going to get hahaha)

I've been looking around for a new project to start and during my browsing around I found this pattern:  Dog Daze & Feline Frenzy by Fons and Porter.  Click on the link to see it - it is adorable and is definitely going on my every growing 'to do' list!!

Now that we are already in mid-June I'm already starting to think ahead for Christmas.  After not making any for two years I'm thinking I may make some microwave bowl holders for my aunt, sister-in-law and a few others (as well as myself cuz I don't even have any for me!!)  I already know my friend Amy is screaming "Noooooooo" - we made these a couple of years ago for craft shows and I swear that we made 600+ between the two of us LOL    And my friend Kathy made several as well and were a big hit so she knows what I'm talking about - ha!!  But seriously, as long as you aren't killing yourself making a billion at once, they are a lot of fun and are pretty quick.  Once I get fabric picked out and all that, I'll post a tutorial (and pics)!!

Any other idea for Christmas presents?  If so leave a comment.....cuz I'm drawing a blank for some reason!

It also seems I'm running low on my microwave heating/ice pack bags so will need to make some more.  I think I've only sold maybe 10 or so, but then again I haven't really tried that hard either LOL  I did have someone ask for a Pittsburgh Steelers one so I'll just go ahead and make some more since I have a bunch of fabric for them already.  I'll make sure and take pics and post them when I'm done.

Otherwise......the only other news I have is that I've been working out:

 

 

Which totally sums it up, my opinion ;-)  Actually though, my work has a fitness center and they only charge $10/month for employees to use.  I figured "why not" - and my body has been screaming at me ever since.  Literately screaming lol  I'm trying to go 3 times a week and when I do, I use the elliptical maching for 20 minutes.  I started last Monday and after my workout on Tuesday my right calf had enough; it was cramping and really tight.  Didn't work out on Wednesday and was eating bananas like they were going out of style (for the potassium).  Between that, using my microwave bag and massaging it, I felt well enough to go back on Thursday.  Already went once this week and have 2 more times to go.  I'm trying to ease back into it since its been awhile since I've been exercising, but I can already tell you I feel a lot better.  Not that I'm going to be fanatical about it or anything....

 

Anyway - hope you're having a wonderful week!!

Vanessa

It was a hit!

So the monkey bread was made and was a hit!!!  Here's how it turned out:

I used a Wilton fluted cake pan and followed the directions I posted in my previous post.   I did end up using pecans instead of walnuts, and skipped the raisins completely (can you say "yuck"????). 

Even with all the sugar and butter, it actually wasn't I-need-to-run-around-the-house-because-I'm-hyped-up-on-sugar sweet, but it was a sweet.  Does that even make sense???  Well it does to me LOL

Helpful hints:

• Make sure you grease the pan well (so it doesn't stick to the pan)
• You can adjust the butter/brown sugar ratio if you like (I think its perfect the way it is)
• Make sure you let the pan sit for at least 10 minutes before you put it on the plate
• This is REALLY good with coffee (this is heresay as I don't drink coffee lol)

Let me know if you make this recipe!!!
Vanessa :)

Father's Days A-Coming!

Father's Day is on Sunday the 15th and I'm going to make Monkey Bread since I'm going to a bunch and need to bring something:

Looks yummy doesn't it?  I've had it before and MAN-O-MAN is it really good!!  Sweet, gooey, sweet......did I mention its VERY sweet???  LOL

Anyway if you're interested, here's the recipe:

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MONKEY BREAD

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury Grands! Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cups walnuts (or nuts of your choice), optional
1/2 cups raisins (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine 


Cooking Instructions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces

 

In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.  Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.             

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 I won't be using raisins (because I don't like them) but otherwise I'm not changing the recipe.

 

I'm not sure *why* its called Monkey Bread - I looked it up on Google (because if its not on Google then it doesn't exist LOL) and there are all sorts of theories, but no one agreed on the origins of the name.  Ok I'll go with that.

 

So.....what are you doing on Father's Day?   

 

Vanessa     

 

Thursday Show and Tell

Everyone always say Monday's are awful, but for me they usually fly by.  My worst day of the week is always Thursday - why?  It seems to just dragggggg all day long, even if I'm super busy at work.  Go figure.....

So as I was looking at the pictures on my phone (looking to delete to make some more room) I came across my favorite quilt I've made to date:

I made this a good 3-4 years ago and I love it as much today as I did when I took this photo.  I can see all sorts of things I did wrong - such as placement of some of the squares next to ones that had the same material - but I don't really care lol  This quilt is a queen size and the best part is that I bought all the fabrics on sale from a discount warehouse (Mill End Textiles, if you're curious).  I wanted something with animal prints and I ended up with this.

The whole top probably cost me $40 to make (including thread!!) and I loved the black textured/marbled fabric so much I bought the entire bolt (which was good because they were out of that black for at least another 6 months lol).  I do still need to get it quilted and bind it, but unfortunately its packed away with most of my other fabrics in Minnesota.  But it will come home to Florida with me when I got back with a UHaul and get the rest of my things.

So what was your favorite quilt that you've ever made, and why??

May BBQ Competition Results

Ahh....trying to recover from another long BBQ weekend.  You'd think that after doing one a month all year, then doing overnights the past couple months that I'd recover faster, but not quite yet LOL

So on Friday I left work and it was *pouring* rain; I was thinking 'oh great another cold and wet BBQ night'.  But by the time we got there it had stopped raining and didn't start up again until we were on our way home on Saturday afternoon....

After the cooks meeting, we started setting up.  We bought a new tent and once we started putting it up, I was essentially pushed out of the way because several of the other BBQ team guys came over to help and oooh and ahhh over the new tent:

Yes we got a double-wide tent LOL we didn't have to put up the sides/walls and left it open.  We had a TON of room which was nice.  We put the smoker, tables, and cooking stuff in the back half, and had a 'living area' in the front half, with tv trays tables and chairs galore.  I didn't think to take a picture (sorry) but will next time.

Anyway we had some friends hang out on Friday night; we smoked burgers, had some beer and had a great time visiting.  After they left we put on the brisket and let it cook all night:

YUM!!!!

I made the brisket marinade and the chicken sauce from scratch....still working on the brisket and chicken rubs, so this time around we used commerical ones.

Anyway, here are the pictures of both the chicken and the brisket:

After almost 3 hours of waiting, the results came in:

1st place - Chicken
10th place - Brisket

We are THRILLED with the first place finish (obviously!) but are *very* disappointed in the brisket finish.  Overall we came in 9th place.  I'm still waiting for the judges comments to see what they said about the brisket (and find out what they didn't like about it) so I can fix it for next time. 

After looking at these pictures again, I'm hungry LOL

Hope you had a great weekend!
Vanessa

Happy Memorial Day

Yes its the day after Memorial Day but I hope that everyone had an awesome weekend, and were able to spend some quality time with friends and loved ones. 

This photo is of my grandparents graves that I took over the weekend; my grandfather was a career Navy man who died in 1986.  He served in both Korea and Vietnam.  He met my grandmother in the Phillipines and they got married against orders (all servicemen were told to leave the local women alone).  According to my uncle, when he married my grandfather and his commander found out, he was sent to the brig for a few months (I think he said 3 months but I'll have to verify).  Anyway I wish I had asked more questions when they were alive....

Anyway I hope you had an enjoyable weekend!!
Vanessa