Scoop Scoop Scoop

 

 

Ok- to say I love these scoops would be an understatement. I use these for lots of tasks around the kitchen and I am always amazed when people say they don’t own any. I bought my first one at a Pampered Chef party probably 16 years ago and I have been using them since. I own 3 different sizes and I have to say my favorite is the “cookie” scoop size.

I also use this scoop for my homemade meatballs, which I  bake on parchment paper in the oven.

Other uses for these great scoops:

fill your cupcake and muffin tins, use the scoop to put your pancake batter on your griddle, scooping out soft melons into melon balls, putting cake batter into little paper baking tins. The amount of uses for these scoops is endless!

I hope that you will go out and buy you a scoop or two if you don’t own one. Recommended brands. Pampered Chef, Sur la Table and OXO.

Happy Scooping!

Christmas Trees at the Curbs

Turns out when you are around 10 or 11 years old and Christmas has come and gone and the long days of boredom have set in you can turn just about anything into a fun activity.  Growing up in our neighborhood we would all go out and collect all the Christmas trees that people had put at the curbs and we would drag them to the Scott’s house and down the hill in the back yard to their metal jungle gym.  We would put the trees all round the structure and on the top and make us a little fort to play in for weeks on end.  I can’t remember what happened to all those trees after we were done with the fort and school had started back up, poor Mr. Scott drug them all out to his front yard for pick up I’m assuming.   Oh wait…I forgot, Shannon, Toni and Terri got that job I bet.

Practice makes Perfect

My Practice Sheet

I have another great idea!  Although this one is just for me, Kathleen W. Hunt.  I want to learn calligraphy and open my own shop to fill my more advanced years of life with something that I love to do which is work with my hands.  I have my “Official” Degree in Interior Design so I already know how to use pen and ink and can do architectural lettering which is one style- so I thought what the heck.  Ya, you guessed it.  All those hours spent in college at my drafting table with Dr. Ramsey standing behind me critiquing my writing and drafting is reminding me how much time and energy I put into that degree.  I would say we spent around 8 hours a day in our drafting classroom with our Walkman’s plugged into our ears just drafting and lettering away.  I am going to have to spend hours and lot’s of money to correctly learn how to do multiple styles of this beautiful art form, but it is going to be well worth it. I’m excited about having something new and exciting to learn…stay tuned.  Oh and when you see me out and about in my SMU t-shirt just know that I am getting an advanced degree there in Calligraphy, it’s costing hundreds of dollars so I thought I might as well get me a t-shirt.  Do they give out diplomas for continuing education classes I wonder?  I sure hope so.

Cookies for Coaches

It all started about 5 years ago when Mitch was a sophomore at Lovejoy. One Friday afternoon I made homemade roll out sugar cookie footballs and chocolate chip cookies and took them up to the school for the boys and coaches to have for dessert after their pre-game meal and the rest you can say is history. I’ve been making cookies on Fridays since 2010. It’s kinda become my thing. After Mitch graduated, Caroline became a Student Athletic Trainer for the team and the cookie tradition continues. I have to say I love these Lovejoy Coaches with all my heart. They are the greatest group of Godly Men and making cookies for them is just a small way to say how much I appreciate all their hard work for our kiddos.

It’s great when you find something that can be your thing. It doesn’t really matter what that thing is, it’s just nice to be able to do something for other people. Our old neighbor in Duncanville used to put the newspaper up on our porch everyday, it wasn’t anything that cost money- only a few extra steps. That Mr. Elkins was a neat man.

Nothing is Better than Basil

Every summer I plant two basil plants in a special pot in a special spot on my back porch. This years crop has been fantastic. The key to good basil is the right amount of sunshine and shade everyday. Once you find a good spot, you’ll know it.

I picked 8 cups of basil last week for some homemade Basil Pesto.
I thought I’d share the recipe with ya’ll.

Basil Pesto

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 fresh garlic clove
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
about 1/2 to 2/3 cups of Olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

*In a food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. With the processor running- slowly pour in the olive oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Then stir in the cheese. Put the pesto in containers and pour enough olive oil over the top to cover.

I freeze all of mine except for what I am about to use. I have fresh pesto all winter. Here is what I got out of 8 cups of basil.

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We use this on everything! Turkey sandwiches, pasta, pizza, tomatoes and mozzarella, grilled chicken and fish…let your imagination go wild.

Enjoy!

Advice of the day…Eat Lunch before you go to the Beach

It’s that time of year again when our family of 4 heads to beach for our summer vacation. We have found a little place we like to rent in Sea Grove, Florida and have settled in nicely for our 2 weeks of extended family time. This year has really been nice for us since we had not had much time with Mitch for the past few months.
Every day I painstakingly make sandwiches for everyone to lug in our big ole cooler down to beach…I pack what everyone likes on their sandwich which is different for everyone of course and then I label their sandwich sack. I pack chips, pickles, fresh fruit and desserts as well. I’m sure you know where this going….we have been settled into our lounge chairs for a total of about 4 minutes when we all decide that we are hungry and ready for lunch. Really? Yep? Really! We all scarf down our lunch and settle in for an afternoon of fun and sun.
One day last week I had a brilliant idea! What if we ate lunch then went to beach? Gosh…we would not have to lug all that food down there and drag that monster cooler with us…sometimes it takes us a while to come to our senses. So for today, we will enjoy our lunch at our little rental house then pack up and head out.

 

Is this not the cutest little motel you have ever seen?  It was one of the first things I feel in love with on 30A.

Texas Heat Dog Water Tip

 

Our dog Harley is the best dog we’ve ever owned. I’m only saying that because we got our pooch at the SPCA and he is by far a pound puppy extraordinaire. He loves Stace most of all- and the feeling is mutual. He likes to be outside during these hot summer months and I used to fill up his bowl outside with cold water and ice cubes when we left him outside during the heat- although never if it is above 90 degrees. The ice cubes melted pretty quickly and his water would not stay cold for long. He does however hang out with us if we are outside and it is above 90, we cool him down with the water hose or pool water. He is not a swimmer, although his girlfriend Bailey, a chocolate lab, loves to swim in our pool when she comes over for a date. Yes, this is true.

I got an idea to freeze a big chunk of ice in a plastic container and I put that in his water bowl and it stays cold for a total of about 4 hours! I tested it yesterday. I am using an old Cool Whip container- don’t judge me about the cool whip! I started buying it last summer for a little dollop on fresh fruit and now well….we are addicted. I fill it up and keep it in the freezer and when he is going to be outside I put it in his bowl with a little bit of cold water from the refrigerator and then it slowly melts as the hours go by. I put his bowl in a shady spot and I know that he has cold water while he it outside and he loves it. We heart Harley.

The Summer of the Talent Show

1975..was the summer of the Greenway Estates Talent Show. I can’t seem to remember much else going on that summer with all the neighborhood kids except that. We would all get together early in the day in someones garage and practice our show for hours on end. Our dress code was a black leotard and bare feet. Back in the “good old days” that was what we did for fun during the summer. Our theme song and most choreographed number was the number one chart topper Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain and Tennille, we all participated in that number since it was our opening act. Toni and I rocked out to Crocodile Rock by Elton John and to this day it’s all I can think about when I hear that song. I seem to remember Kelley hanging from the wooden fence as an Angel as part of her play that she was putting together and loads of other marvelous acts.

On Friday night we had a show and set folding chairs out in the Scott’s driveway that we had drug over from everyones houses and Carolyn made popcorn that we sold for 10 cents. I think our admission price was 25 cents. We left our large box office take in the hands of Tiffany who moved to Germany and took our talent show fund with her I am assuming.

Back in 1975 that was what kids did. I would like to encourage everyone to remember those simple pleasures and lets all try and do one thing this summer with friends that we did back in the “good old days”. Now that sounds like a fun idea…

Texas Toaster Oven Talk

While doing some chit chatting on my recent girl’s weekend with my best friends from college we started talking about my friend Julie’s cabin that her husband built in Crawford, Texas. Yes, her husband built it. It’s difficult for us normal folks to believe, but he did. It’s so awesome! Here it is.

We were talking about how hot it is to cook in the summer months and how our homes get heated up if we turn on our ovens. Julie’s little cabin only has 2 small window units and she was sharing with us how she can’t use her oven to cook during the heat of the summer. I was remembering how my Mom would say in the summer we were having a Tuna Salad Supper because it was too hot to heat up the kitchen some nights. I guess this is a common theme among Texas Kitchen’s but it is one we don’t often talk about? I told Julie, get a little toaster oven for your kitchen and you can use that during the hot summer days. Guess what she said? Yep…now that’s a good idea. Look at this picture of her little kitchen in the cabin- so cute.

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I think I’m going to take my own advice and get me a little toaster oven as well…now that’s a good idea.

Coupon Fairy

While out doing some grocery shopping yesterday I ran into the Coupon Fairy. well, I didn’t actually run into her, but she was there right before I got there. Darn it. I’ve often thought throughout the years about this Fairy and yesterday reminded me how easy it would be to maybe join in on the fun one day. I was buying some coffee and the Coupon Fairy had left a $2.00 coupon on top of the brand I was going to purchase. Wow, I thought, that will pay for 2 Sonic Happy Hour drinks 🙂 I’m cheap you see.

I thought what a fun activity to keep your kids busy in the grocery store. You can just cut out the coupons in the Sunday paper and give each kid a stack and let them leave the coupons on top of the items as you shop through the store. I realize this is probably going to take some extra time while you are shopping, it’s not for a quick run to the store type of trip, but more for a bored summer day kinda trip. I’m sure the kids would think it was fun. I think I might too.

Have you ever used a coupon from the Coupon Fairy? Let me know.