memories

Memories

The latest news of Michael Jackson passing brought many memories of high school drill team. It seemed we always had a dance to one of his songs. Oh, the 80’s. One of my favorite routines was “PYT” – pretty young thing. Snaps, and a head pop back and front. Wow…that’s all I remember of that one. ha. Thriller – showing my children that video after seeing “13 going on 30” and realizing how old I am. He is our generations Elvis. Too much in the news. Too many tears for a star searching for importance.

Farrah – memories of being in my parents den, laying on a love seat pretending to be asleep watching “Charlies Angels.” It was past my bed time, and I so wanted to watch that show. I so wanted my hair to be like hers, but who didn’t. Such a strong lady with her battle with cancer.

Childhood. Wonderful memories.

My Mom’s birthday is June 30th…and how I would love to have her for a moment or two…just to sit and hold her hand. I miss her stroking my hair. Happy Birthday Mom. She would have been 73.

grades · Recipes · Sunsets · sushi

Time to play catch up

I have to say, that I never thought I would have to play catch up with a blog. I have been terrible about taking pictures while cooking, but if you continue reading, I have taken pictures about other things.

It has been crazy busy at our house the past couple of weeks.

Stephen and Carmen finished up 6th and 10th respectively.

Stephen…

Stephen made A/B Honor Roll – Yeah! The biggest accomplishment for him was actually seeing what happens when he studies. He will just review a subject before a test, take the test, make anywhere from a “C” to a “F”. He failed one test scoring a 41 (vocabulary words and definitions) doing this type of studying. I explained it to him, that he was a lot like me, and needed to slowly study throughout the week, absorbing the information over time. We reviewed the material together, and he studied all week. The last day of school he brought home all of his papers…and in that pile of papers… a 100% on the vocab test. YEAH! He looked at me and said, “I think I know how to study this now.”

Stephens Baseball ended well. I think (yes, think) that they finished 2nd…but truthfully I don’t remember and really don’t care as long as they were not last. Yes. They were last – last year.

He received the award of most improved player. He deserved it. He made 3 outs of the season, and compared to last year, that is three more than last year.


Proud. He should be.

Juno’s Sushi!

I have to say, that I have been in withdrawals. I have loved sushi for 20 years now. One person’s sushi in particular – Juno for the past 5 years. He used to work at a Japanese restaurant about 3 years, then another. He ended leaving and opening his own restaurant! We are so happy. The quality is high, and the flavors wonderful. We went without sushi or if we just had to have some it was from Publix while he was renovating his new restaurant.

David and I have eaten there twice or three times before telling the kids. They love sushi. Carmen will eat most everything. Stephen is more choosy. But, today – oh today, it was Carmen and I.

I finally got Juno to place my roll (he named it after me mainly because I could never pronounce the proper way to say what type of roll it is) on his specials board. Raw salmon, green onion, masago (fish eggs), spicy mayo, crunchy’s, soy bean paper (instead of Yaki Nori), rice. Yum. It is even better when he adds avocado.

Jerry Roll and Dragon Roll

However, today was nigiri pieces of saba (mackerel), fresh salmon, and squid with masago, and a red devil roll (tempura shrimp, cucumber, chili sauce, avocado on the inside, and Krab on the outside with eel sauce). Carmen had the Jerry Roll and a Dragon Roll. I had the nigiri pieces, and the Red Devil roll.

Carmen…

Day one of not being in school, my daughter decides it is time to kick butt on Guitar Hero. She has always been the one (besides David) to really take hold of the guitar part. She has been on Medium for a long while, and the 1st day of summer —-Expert level.

She is a proud young lady…and we are proud of her. But, not for guitar hero…no.

She has been looking for a job…and has gotten her first paycheck from the church. She has been working on Sunday mornings during early service in our preschool. She made $14.00. Woohoo!

Carmen did great in school as well. Some of her art work is a bit odd, but showing of her abilities to think outside the box, and hopefully she will continue to enjoy art.

Sunsets…

I know that I have posted some pictures of the sunsets while David and the kids have fished. I have become fascinated with them now, and the way they change from the actual colors to the colors on the camera. Some of the pictures that I have taken recently, the water looks iridescent with purples and pinks.

I think it is gorgeous and comes through on the picture quite well.

The moon cooperated this time. And, so I have discovered I like sunsets and the moon glow.

I think this one is my favorite now.

I now know what I want for Christmas, and Mother’s Day, and all of the birthday’s in the future…a new camera. Preferably a Nikon D90. Ree (pioneer women) uses one…and I am in awe of her pictures.

family · Sunsets

Sunsets


I love this place.


My in-laws home is on the sound here in Fort Walton Beach,
and their dock is one of the most relaxing places for me to be.


David likes to fish, whether he ever catches one or not.



Stephen loves to try to fish, but his abilities are not there…but the spirit is.



That doesn’t mean he is not loving this…or Dexter…

Carmen just likes to come and just sit about…and why not?


And, no she is not a senior in High School…
she is wearing my graduating 1984 shirt. ha.
She actually wears it to school. I am honored.


A boy and his dog.


Me…I love to sit and take pictures of everyone including Dexter (our dog).



And something happens with the sunset…it constantly changes…



And as the night ends…we are given this…


Nice.

Recipes

Crawfish Pie

Once – way too long ago…
ha.
I made this pie for my friend Leslie for her birthday.
I have given her the recipe so many times – it is sad…so I decided that since I was typing it out anyway…I would blog it. Hopefully, soon, I will make it again.

Crawfish Pie

I used a Pillsbury Crust – roll out kind. I am afraid that I have never made crust.

Filling:

2 Tbs Brandy – but I normally don’t use it.

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
3 Tbs chopped parsley (flat leaf)
2 Tbs chopped celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (mainly tops)
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 lb crawfish tails (I always get the package kind)

Melt butter over low heat. Add the flour, and cook slowly until it forms a golden roux. Add onion, garlic, green peppers, parsley, celery, green onion, cook until soft. Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne, heavy cream (and if you are using the brandy – now). Mix gently and cook for about 5 minutes over low heat. Add the crawfish, and cook until the tails are tender but still firm.

Line the pie plate with your pie dough…press down. Add filling. Cover with another pie sheet. Press down edges – cut in slits (4-6). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Yum.


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Thepioneerwoman.com

Ree – is amazing.
I have been following her blog since I have discovered blogging.

So…she does these smartypants quizzes…and it is a riot trying to figure them out. I actually completed one tonight – with David’s help! ha.

It was fun…
Check her out.

Thepioneerwoman.com

Enjoy!

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Blogging

I haven’t been posting much…really.

But I have discovered that I enjoy cooking, inventing, something for my family, and it seems that I enjoy cooking more.

David sees that in me anyway.

So I hope you are enjoying it too!

Recipes

Seared Pork Chops with Provolone, Balsamic Vinegar Reduction with Mushrooms and Onions


I had this pork loin…had not a clue what to do with it…should I make some sort of stir fry? No…

I start cutting the loin, and out comes these beautiful chops.

I decided to look around, and I found white button mushrooms, and some yellow onions, provolone cheese…and so…I chopped the onions, sliced the mushrooms…


Put some olive oil in a pan and sear off the chops…placed them in my dutch oven (for the space), put some beef broth in there…

Add slices of the provolone cheese…and put it in the oven (350 degrees) to finish off the chops…then to the onions and mushrooms…Saute them in the oil left over from the chops. Add some butter, and then this glorious balsamic vinegar…and reduce…reduce…

YUM…yummy…

I served it with sauteed cabbage that my beautiful daughter cooked…and some jasmine rice.

I was told…it was good!

Seared Pork Chops with Provolone, Balsamic Vinegar with Mushrooms and Onions

6-8 Pork Chops
2-3 onions, sliced (I did chop mine by accident)
1/2 small container of fresh white button mushrooms
4 tablespoons olive oil
provolone cheese slices – or any other smoked type white cheese
Herbs De Provence (basil, marjoram, thyme, sage, savory and rosemary)
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup beef broth
2 pats of butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour olive oil in a saute pan, sear off pork chops, place into a dutch oven, pour broth over chops. Place slices of the cheese on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes (until pork is no longer pink).
In the meantime, add the onions and mushrooms to the oil. I add the Herbs De Provence (about 1 full tablespoons) to this mix. Sauteed until golden. Add in vinegar and reduce. Right before serving, add butter and stir. Serve with the pork chop down and spoon some broth over…then the mushrooms and onions.

Enjoy.

Recipes

Cream Chicken with Tomato Raguot

Another night of “what to cook” for dinner…?

Well, searching through Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food cookbook, and I find:

Baked Chicken with eggplant, zucchini and tomato ragout…well, I don’t have half of the items needed…so I will just wing it.

Saute the chicken, seasoned with coarse salt and pepper (I used rib-bone in chicken breasts) in olive oil. Remove from pan, set aside.

Chopped the onions, garlic, and rosemary (fresh). Cook until the onions are translucent. Add 1 can of diced tomatoes, and 2 glasses of white wine. Simmer and reduce by half.

Add chicken back into the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream, and 1/2 block of cream cheese (mix together so it won’t curdle when placed in the hot sauce). Simmer for 15-20 minutes more and serve over rice.

I also, cooked carrots…just simmered sweet. Yum.

Recipe below. Enjoy!

Cream Chicken and Tomato Ragout

3 chicken breasts with rib bone
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions – chopped
4 sprigs of rosemary chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tablespoons of parsley
2 glasses of white wine
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 brick (small) cream cheese
1 cup of heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Saute chicken in the olive oil until soft brown, remove and set aside. Place in chopped onions, garlic, rosemary in remaining olive oil, simmer until translucent. Add in white wine and tomatoes, reduce by half. Add chicken back into pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add in cream cheese and heavy cream, cook an additional 15-20 minutes more. Serve over rice or noodles.

Carrots

3 pounds of regular carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
water

Place in a pot, water to cover, simmer until done al dente.

Yummy.

Enjoy!

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Yard…the jungle

Well, it took a friend coming from Alabama to say that our yard was turning into a jungle, for us to do something about it.

Me, well, I am not allowed to do a lot. I try to follow those rules. Arguments would occur. It is really a better marriage if this does not occur. So…

We cut back expenses in the winter months, and let go our wonderful yard man, Mr. Nuebauer. He took care of everything, weed and feed, trimming the trees and bushes, edging the yard, and caring for the grass. We have maintained mowing once…maybe twice. But all of the weeds have taken over, and I couldn’t really say anything (see above).

So…one picture of before:

So…my wonderful husband, David and our children Carmen and Stephen went to work…Embarrassed I believe.

Stephen mowed. This was his second time mowing. Much better this time. We tried to get him to watch where he had already mowed, and to look for spots that needed to be redone.

Carmen weeded with David. She also took care of the racking of the oak leaves in the back, and helping with the planting of the Vincas.

David. Dug up dead bushes, weeded the flower bed closest to the house, and then planted the Vincas (when I got tired).


And the partial results:

This was a blank spot from the driveway in between the sidewalk…and drive.
I planted these flowers, and then watered.


It still needs a ton of work…but we are on way.
It was fun doing it as a family. It was nice sitting in the shade, watching my loveys do what I bid. I love cleaning, and growing…taking pride in our home.

So, no longer a jungle…we are on our way to having a beautiful yard again.

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Fishing…


David has decided to try fishing.

It really is complicated. A rod, line, lures or bait, and of course, fish.

I enjoyed a nice Sunday morning at church, then home for lunch and relaxing on the dock.

We took Dexter. He seems to enjoy the birds flying by.

Although it was a nice afternoon on the dock, it did not produce any fish. The water was murky, it was overcast, and was supposed to rain. It didn’t.

Humpf. No fish tonight.

Actually, the only thing David did catch was the Wal-Mart bag that blew off of the dock. He could only retrieve it with the hook. ha.

It was a nice afternoon.

I love just sitting and watching my baby, enjoy trying something new.

I love just sitting on this dock.