Lauries Kitchen

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Potlucks

I can't top this so I had to share....Big Red Kitchen

You're welcome....I know you laughed!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Finally

Well, I am finally feeling better....cold, strep and crud.....took a while! We have been so busy-as we always are in the spring. No basketball this weekend...but a trip to Academy in Mesquite is in order...JoGail thinks she has outgrown her tennis shoes, so she has been wearing Grace's hand me downs.....pretty orphan looking...but hey I haven't felt good so I really haven't cared! Moreover my meds made me REALLY not care! JoGail really thinks they (the shoes) make her run faster since they were 'her' Gracie's. Grace is doing better. Her ankle is pretty much healed. She is having a blast throwing the discus in track. I can't wait to see her in her first track meet. I have given her CLEAR instructions to stay away from the hurdles!!!!!LOL old, old stories there, folks....my knees still has the scars!

Speaking of Grace.......she has done a FIRST for someone on MY side of the family........she made a 100 on her report card in Math!   (OK, so David Girola may have done this, I don't know).....Should have seen her daddy beaming!  She's really beginning to enjoy the youth group and especially the Bible study on Wed nights about angels...growing up way too fast!

JoGai lhas her BIG Writing TAKS test next week......she will do great....I really don't care what she makes...she has started to develop a love for writing and that's all I really care about. Really.She made all A's again......But alas it's a new six weeks, so mom becomes the battle ax about those doggone AR points......gotta start all over every six weeks!


Ok time to post a recipe.....not sure if I have posted this before or not....this is one thing Grace knows how to fix!

Grace's Fish

1 package tilapia ( I buy this at Wal Mart in a red bag)
I can't believe it's not butter spray
Lawry's Lemon pepper (this is her favorite brand)

Thaw fish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray fish with butter spray (I have also melted butter and used this). Place fish in glass baking dish sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Put lemon pepper on fish (Grace likes alot, JoGail doesn' t like much). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until fish is flaky.

Laurie

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Sunday night

Oh my what beautiful snow we has last week! So beautiful. I loved going to my kitchen window and seeing how bright i tlooked outside with all the snow. Made me think about the hymn that says He washes me white as snow...wow. I must really be clean to Him! I pulled pictures up on the computer from the last time we had any major snow here. It was Feb. 13, 2004. Grace was in 2nd grade (I think)! I remember that JoGail got bundled up and went out to play and hated EVERY minute of it! She was four! What a difference 6 years makes! She was up early Friday morning ready to go out and play and make things this time. She made a small snowman and tried making a snow volcano. She tried using baking soda and vinegar to get it to erupt but I think it was too wet. She had a blast. I think Grace slept through most of the snow....typical teenager! She has been doing her ankle exercises and rested from all activities last week. She gets to start some jogging on it this week and we'll see how it goes. Her soccer coach called and asked her is she would please stay on the roster so she can play tournaments. We (Coy, myself and her) talked about it and we agreed. So I guess she is still a Lady Destroyer. (sigh) Coy has been watching the Encore Western channel......even more than usual with the weather! It was nice and quiet around here Thursday night since there was so much snow on the satellite receiver. Too quiet....so I got up Friday morning and took a step ladder and broom and swept it off. He thought it was unsuafe to do that so I waited until he was in the shower! I woke up Thursday with a sore throat and cannot get it to go away! So in search of something hot to drink for my throat, I ditched the diabetic recipes and adapted this one. And let me tell ya....it felt so good on my throat.

Here's what I did.

Buttered Lemonade

Mix 2 quarts lemonade from  mix.
Pour some in a mug.
Add a small pat of butter.
Microwave to make it hot.
Throw in some red hot and stir.

The butter makes it just slide down......gonna be a favorite!

I made some candied popcorn for a snack for everyone (but Grace because of her braces but she got to eat the leftover m & ms)..Yummo! I think I will bag it up and take it to the office for people to munch on.

Candied Popcorn
 Pop some popcorn ( 1 1/2 batches) popcorn in air popover. OR pop two bags in microwave. Take out unpopped kernals.  Place in large bowl. Melt white chocolate almond bark-either in microwave or in double boiler. When melted stir in as many M & M s youwant. I used a medium sized bag. Mix together. then mix with popcorn. Spread on sheet pan that has a sheet of waxed paper on it and let it harden.

For various holidays you could use the seasonal M & Ms.

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Catching Up!

Wow.....been a busy weekend and week so far! Busy but good!!  Grace playe dher last 7th grade basketball game last night. Of course, she sprained her ankle again....so she get some time off now. She has also been introduced to the 'bucket of ice'. She is not a fan of that! But she did keep it in it withoug crying, wailing, or anyone having to sit on her.
JoGail is getting excited about writing. She is coming up with some good stories. Not sure about teh grammar, etc, but she is excited to be writing. Of course, I happen to think she has one of the best teachers around and that helps too! She's almost gotten all her AR points for this six weeks, too. Those suckers can be hard for her to get! She's learning the game of basketball. It's so fun to watch her play. Somehow she always ends up guarding the tallest player!
On to the challenge! We have been doing better eating out of the pantry and trying new things....Very good for a low carb dip!

Chicken Dip
1 block cream cheese
1 can cream chicken soup
1 can chicken, drained
jalepenos

Heat up and serve. It's pretty good!

JoGail and I made a new dessert, too. It didn't turn out as flavorful as we hoped, so it is just ok....Sweet Strawberry Pie

Shop 1 1/2 cups strawberries and sprinkle some sugar on. Let sit for about an hour at room temperature.
Cream 2 blocks cream cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Cream till smooth. Mix in 1 packet dream whip. Stir in strawberries and pour into graham cracker crust.

I am planning on trying to make Paula Deen's red velvet cake this Thursday for Valentine's Day!

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Tried something new!!!!!

OK, so we tried somethign new last night....one thing wasa BRAND new and one thing we haven't done as a family for quite a while....Last night we had a Meatless Monday. Now I know alot of you are thinking you could never pull it off...Well I didn't really think I could either then I started plotting....what if we had it on a night when I KNEW the kids would come in hungry???Normally we eat between 6-6:30, but on Mondays we eat around 8:30 right now because of basketball practice. So that means they went straight to practice (first one starts at 4:30 ).......JoGail had a little snack at her choir practice. Grace had a little bowl of cereal here at the house. It worked!!!!!  Everyone enjoyed it...Here's what we had...

Roasted broccoli
California Mix
Baked sweet potatoes
Mixed hominy (white and yellow) (Grace's favorite)
Spinach (JoGail's favorite)
Leftover rolls
Roasted squash and fresh mushrooms
Roasted potatoes

Seems like a lot but I wanted to be sure everybody had something they liked. My new recipe was for Roasted Broccoli...and let me tell you I loved it....Somehow roasting it seems to take the bitterness out of it.....here's what I did after reading several recipes on the internet.

Roasted Broccoli

Prheat overn to 400 degrees. Dry broccoli well. (not sure whay but all the recipess said to do this)
Cut broccoli into treetops. Place in shallow baking pan. Spray pam on broccoli and season to taste. I just used salt and pepper but you could put house seasoning, greek seasoning, whatever. Roast for about 25 minutes or until some of the broocli looks brown on top.

I saved the leftovers and intend to eat some more dipped in ranch.......

I am baking a friend's birthday  gift tonight. Gina loves Nutella. And her birthday isn't until Friday but I will be busy Tursday night with a ballgame, so I am going ot go ahead and bake it while I can.....nutella cheesecake brownies....