busy busy Weekend

It was wonderful to have a long weekend..
Portland- check

Shopping- check (michaels-joannes-bath&bodyworks-macys-victoriasecret-dressbarn-homedepot)

Mother of the Bride dress-check

hawt shoes- check

dinner with brother-check
visit cemetery/dad-check
visit with mom-check

long drive home-check
mow lawn-check
cook weekly egg snacks for hubby-check
 http://davisdialogues.blogspot.com/2009/03/friday-food-fun.html

re-configure office so it is now a bedroom-check (well half a check*not quite completed)

three days not on the computer..but now have to catch up..... priceless

hey,   you play=you pay!

Food Fun Friday BBQ Jalapeno Poppers

I cooked something really different .... and it's something I don't really like.  Ok it is something I really hate, but Mr. Produce loves 'em so.... It's all about you, dear!

But wait here is the whole story.  For Christmas I got the cook book: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

and frankly time being what it was.. I never had -any- to sit and read.  When I finally did it was May.. and just in time for Mr. Produce's Birthday.

So here is The Pioneer Woman Cooks:  BBQ Jalapeno Poppers   (she takes WAY more pictures than I do) and uh, her's are better, (ya think?)   I've added my own take on her recipe.  

18 fresh jalapenos
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
1 green onion, sliced
18 slices think bacon, cut into halves
bottled BBQ sauce
toothpicks & rubber gloves

Cut Jalapenos in half lengthwise.  with a spoon, scrape out the seeds and light colored membranes (that's where the hot taste comes from -ha- IT COMES FROM THE WHOLE DARN PEPPER FOLKS). 

In a bowl combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and green onions.  Mix gently. 
Stuff each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture.
Wrap bacon slices around each jalapeno half covering as much of the surface as you can.  Be careful not to stretch the bacon too tightly around the jalapeno. 
Brush the surface of the bacon with your favorite BBQ sauce. (chutney or apricot jelly works well too)
Secure the jalapenos with toothpicks and pop them in the oven for 1 hour at 350.
Serve hot.. (well duh they ARE hot).

if you like jalapenos you will LOVE this!

Bloggvile- Kind over Matter

Kind over matter
touching the world with inspiration, gentleness, kindness and love
 an amazing site with tons and tons and yes TONS of inspiration. 
My favorite day is Friday when she shares lots of ideas, and articles and sites to visit... but the other days are good too.
extremely uplifting and thoughtful.
pictures:

Touching the light , originally uploaded by *archangela*.


articles:
In Appreciation of My Body

"May I be filled with loving-kindness

May I be well
May I be peaceful and at ease
May I be happy
From that day forward, I began my mornings with those words, I ended my days with those words, and I repeated them in the moments of self doubt and in moments of pain. Slowly and surely I bathed myself in compassion, in the compassion I readily gave to others but rarely gave to myself. Things began to change.

misc:

She even has little bits of wisdom, which as you know are some of my favorite things:

The happiest people I know are people who don’t even think about being happy. They just think about being good neighbors, good people. And then happiness sort of sneaks in the back window while they are busy doing good.

Rabbi Harold Kushner

Wednesday Wisdom

Easy Roses out of sheet music

I needed a cute little flower for a gift tag- something
quick and easy...
cut a circle (or punch out a circle.) (any size really)

You will want to cut a spiral, (you don't want to draw it, just cut it free hand)

start at the end (that pointed end) and roll it up

You will roll it up and glue it to it's tail... but you'll need to roll it up tighter than in the picture above and below.

Then you can glue it anywhere...

free hand cut out a leaf- pinch it in the middle for a nice 'shape'

and then just glue it by the rose.. and 

Everyone will appreciate your little notes...

ta da

Party-ing up here:



Binge Eating, or How to Fall off the Wagon

This weekend I had (HAD) to make a tray of goodies.  I chose this very hard (not) recipe.  I specifically chose a recipe that had oreos in it, because i do not like oreos!

The New Brownies
1 box brownie mix
1/2 C marshmallow creme
12 oreos

Mix the brownies up according to the directions (adding the eggs and oil and water, yada yada).  When it is all mixed up add the 1/2 C of Marshmallow creme. 
In a heavily greased muffin pan, spoon the brownie mix in, about half full.
Add an oreo cookie and make sure it is covered.

Bake 350 for about 17 minutes until brownies are cooked.
Remove and let them cool an additional 5 minutes in the pan.  Run a knife around them and pop them out.

DO NOT (like I did) fill them too full, they bake into the top of the muffin pan, like this:

and after being on a healthy eating kick for 4 months, feel really depressed because for the second time no one came to your open house so you have to eat all the brownies yourself.

the end.

2 winners for the wrist rest

So there are two winners.. (not bad odds 2 out of 12)
first is

My buddy Gina from  Cat Nap Inn Primitives- 
and second is

Regan from:  Floating on a Quilted Cloud
A big thank you for all who read my blog and even bigger thank you for commenting!!!
I love my:

Food Fun Friday- Steak rice bowls

yum yum, I saw this recipe over at Favfamilyrecipes and knew I had the ingredients and figured I'd just go for it (we haven't been eating rice/carbs...so this was going to be a treat).  You can substitute chicken for the steak.  This is easy and like I said usually you'll have the ingredients.. well maybe not the avocado!



Steak Rice Bowls
1 Lb. steak, sliced (top round steak works great)
1 can diced green chilies
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. beef broth
1 pkg. fajita seasoning, divided
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 pkg. Spanish rice
1 can beans, drained and rinsed (pinto or black)
Flour tortilla shells
avocado (optional)
shredded cheese (optional)

Slice steak into thin strips. Place steak strips, chilies, garlic, beef broth, and 1 Tbsp. fajita seasoning in a large plastic Ziploc bag. Press all the air out and let marinade for at least 1 hour. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet. Drain some of the marinade (you don't need to drain it all out, you still want most of the chilies in with the steak) and add steak to skillet. Stir-fry until brown and cooked through. Stir in remaining fajita mix. Add onion and peppers. Prepare Spanish rice according to package directions. Add beans and stir together with rice until hot. Prepare bowls by placing a tortilla inside of the bowl. Add rice/bean mixture to bowl. Add steak and peppers/onions. Top with sliced avocado and/or cheese.

AND don't forget to enter my giveaway... for a wrist rest  here  it ends tonight!

Happy Birthday to Mr. Produce

It's Birthday time again. (and as you are so fond of saying: just another year closser to retirement)

It's a happy Birthday to you... from me

Such a cute happy life we have now that we have each other.  There was a time when hair was dark and kids were young:

You can core a pineapple like nobodys business. Not to mention pick out a ripe watermelon!

The kids are grown and now we are starting to have grandkids to play with (look at your AZ tan!)

Let's make a plan for lots of years ahead to spend making more memories.

I love you Mr. Produce.  Happy Birthday

Thank you GIve Away

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

--William Arthur Ward

Today I give gratitude for the friends I've made here on the blogging community and all my family that read this blog to keep up with us.
****and if you need a wrist rest enter my contest yesterday here..

since your on the computer I figured you need one!

do you need a Wrist Rest? tutorial&giveaway

After a hard day at work, sitting at the computer for 8 hours, I come home and do all the housework/maintenance/food stuffs/laundry etc... and if I am fast and lucky, I can spend EVEN MORE time on the computer!!!
I'll have to say that my wrist gets twangy and tingly and ridged and just plain old achy.  I saw these in the office supply store and thought I could make some of my own.
Wrist Rest

Draw up a little pattern.
Cut two pattern pieces out of soft material.
With right sides together, sew the two pieces together. Leave an opening for turning and filling.  You can go around again with a zig-zag if you want to.

Turn so the right sides of the fabric are showing and fill the bag with barley, or I found Lentils work the best.  

Fill the pouch, but don't over fill (I did that on the blue one and it doesn't have the 'give' that my wrist needs to rest in, too full=too hard.) You'll need about a cup and a 1/4.
Hand stitch the opening... and THERE you have it.. a Wrist Rest (see the blue one is just too full&hard but it's velvet&soft)

Now because I'm feeling so generous, and I REALLY DO LOVE my fellow readers and bloggers, I am giving away 2 of these funny little pillows.  All you have to do is leave a comment letting me know what color you love (any color will do and I'll see if I have that fabric).  And you know I'm dying for you to follow me.  I'm just trying to be creative.  This is my new performance art.  I love to share!

I'll pick a comment on Friday the 20th at 6pm with random.org

I am linking up here:

and here

and here

Blogger down=Friday the 13th= Coincidence? ?

Well Blogger was a little funky last week... I took it as a sign that I was not meant to blog- and to stay off the computer for a couple of days!  I really had a good relaxing time not worrying about posting, or keeping up to date... like I might miss something because I knew I wouldn't be missing anything.  I even,--get ready for it--READ A BOOK.  I don't know how long it's been since I've taken the time to read!  Thank you blogger for the forced vacation!

Friday the 13th was daughter #1's Birthday.  27, yikes! 

All grown up and a mother herself.  She had a wonderful day and I'm sure Carson was an angel for her!  I can't wait to see them again.  And I have to show you the beautiful necklace she sent me for Mother's Day: 

If you don't like TMI, stop reading now.
I am having to take a forced vacation from work today because I am having a colonoscopy.  yuck yuck double yuck. I've been on clear liquids for 2 days and feel like crap, literally.  waiting for 2pm today when I will, well you know, get the deed done and hopefully eat something tonight.
Maybe this will be good for losing a couple of pounds!! I have a wedding coming up in Sept ya know! -- and wait till you see the beautiful shoes I bought with the mother's day gift money I got from daughter #2,  the bride to be!!  now if I can only find a dress!