Etoufee = a-two-faye

This past weekend our strange February weather resumed to normal.

The old folks might say we had a "cool-snap".

Have you ever heard those words?

Anyhow, perfect time to have a warm bowl of

Shrimp Etoufee

This is such a quick dish to prepare.

Definitely not to be labeled healthy,

 due to the number of cans to be opened.

But very tasty and (heavy).

Quick was what I needed, because the

 three hungry guys needed something "substantial" and fast.

I served the etoufee with garlic bread. 

The serving dish to the left of the bowl was for the bread.

My picture taking had to be fast too,

because they were not waiting around long for me to

change settings on the camera and do any staging.  :)

Shrimp Etoufee

(easy recipe to half)

2 cans  cream of celery soup

2 cans cream of mushroom

2 cans Rotel (I use mild)

1/4-1/2 cup green onion chopped

1 stick butter (unsalted)

2 tsp. garlic

1&1/2 lbs. shrimp (pre-cooked & frozen)

Optional: I added a tsp. of liquid shrimp/crab boil

not necessary because I have prepared with or without

Saute green onion in butter.

Open and place contents of cans in large pot.

Add sauted onions & butter.

Heat until bubbly and add thawed & de-tailed shrimp.

(I run warm water over my shrimp and pull tails off.)

Let simmer on low or place in crock pot on low for about

an 30-60 minutes. (be careful will stick easily)

Serve over rice. 

Hope you enjoy!

~Karen

Tea Time Anyone?

I've always been an "iced sweet tea" kinda girl.

But, I've matured with age.

Afternoon Tea Anyone?

My mother-in-law told me about the

Blueberry flavored and so...

this afternoon, I enjoyed

a cup of Celestial Blueberry Flavored Tea.

It was so delicious and I encourage you to try it.

(No compensation for sharing this product with you.)

Tea should be taken in solitude.  ~ C.S. Lewis

12 days + 25 years

12 days....since my last post

oh my!

 How time passes when you are having fun.

We have traveled to Louisiana during those 12 days

to visit family and enjoyed our week stay.

We returned home on Sunday with lots of

 memories, (blogging posts - can't wait to share)  pictures,

 and suitcases to unpack.

Yesterday, our first day back, we took time

 to remember the events of a special day

 that took place 25 years ago.

Our Wedding Day

November 28, 1986

Oh how the hands of the clock have moved quickly.

But, I must say alot of water has run under the bridge, too!

We've learned to love with a much deeper love

and communicate in different ways.

We shared a fun evening together.

(pizza & Wal-mart) = your morning laugh!

I have plans to prepare a nice dinner tonight...

just could not put it all together yesterday.

We are planning to celebrate our 25th

with a memorable get-away

after the first of the year.

It is such a busy time for us,
 this time of year.

Dinner Menu

Petite Dinner Rolls
Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Toasted Pecans

Cornish Hens with Lemons and Rosemary

Green Bean Bundles
Iced Lemon Tea

Chocolate Mint Brownies topped with cream

I am not promising pictures - due to food prep overload. :)

The dishes are Lynmore Golden Rose.

My grandmother gave me

 two demitasse cups with the saucers

approximately 30 years ago.

  I have collected for approximately 20 years

and now have a large collection of this pattern.

~~~

Hope you are having fun

 preparing for Christmas.

We are getting our decorations

 down from the attic tonight and

I'll be sharing my home with you.

~~~

I have missed visiting with all of you.

Hoping to play catch-up soon.

:-)

Karen

~Bisquick Queen

...such a great product & can be used in so many tasty ways.

~

I'm afraid I could be re-named the Bisquick Queen

sharing a quick but delicious recipe with you today

Brunch Pancakes

1-1/2 cups Bisquick

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup syrup (I use Mrs. Butterworth's)

1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

10-12 slices bacon, fried & crumbled

Heat oven to 425 deg. Grease 9X13 pan. Beat together by hand

Bisquick, sugar, milk, syrup and 1/2 cup cheese until smooth.

Pour in dish.  Bake uncovered, until toothpick inserted in

center comes clean, for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon while hot.

Serve with syrup.

I know what you are thinking cheese & syrup?

Amazingly a great combination.

Have a great week & let me know if you give

this one a try.

"It's Oh SO Good"

This quick recipe comes to you from days gone by.

The quaint little restaurant/gift shop was located

in Shreveport, LA and I am so glad

I purchased their small cookbook.

I have tried several recipes from the cookbook,

and this recipe is definitely a keeper.

So quick and with ingredients

that I usually have on hand.

Everything tastes better with cheese!

Onions are sauted in butter until shiny.

Chopped parsley from my herb garden "pot"

add color & flavor

Ready for the oven

&

Cooling in the pan

This would be so pretty in a round dish.

Be sure & read what the recipe says about slicing.

I served this with a grilled chicken salad.

Sorry, no pictures of the place setting,

 the sweetheart was hungry and read to eat.

Just a tasty & great simple pleasure.

Linking to the following:

{everything's peachy}

Our neighbor shared some peaches with us.

Peeled & Cut up Peaches

Water & Sugar Added

Simmered until tender

This recipe is a basic cobbler recipe,

but with a topping to add it over the top!

butter in pan

(love this old enamel pan - perfect for shelling peas in)

Ingredients gathered

Mixed by hand and placed into the pan.

But, wait!

Do you see the sugary shiny ingredient on top?

Sugar and vanilla blended with a fork and placed on top,

makes for a crispy sweet topping.

Warm - straight from the oven.

How do you like yours?

Warm

with Ice Cream

without Ice Crean

or

Cold

???

I prefer mine the next day,

after it has chilled in the refrigerator.

The next time you make a peach cobbler,

you try adding the sugar & vanilla on top.

See what you think!

Linking to:

Inspiration Friday

Foodie Friday

Sweetness...

...the aroma was heavenly...

...juicy...

...no need for this...

I'm sure some prefer

do you eat yours with salt?

...memories from long ago...

Daddy would hold & tilt

and

I would drink the juice to my heart's tummy's content.

This is my nephew's son.

My dad would have enjoyed him so much!

Simple Pleasures

 =

Sweet Juicy Watermelon

Sweet Precious Memories

Sweet Baby "Elbow Sugar"

I'll be joining the others on Thursday

for Simple Pleasures.

~~FaSt FoUrTh FaRe~~

We were "SO BLESSED" this afternoon!

An afternoon thunderstorm blew in bringing

temps down from 96 to 78.

Quickly, while the hubby was grilling

I threw the tablesetting together under the gazebo on the deck.

(these little metal flags were purchased at Dollar General)

I had some Americana items grouped together

 in the kitchen for the month of July.

I brought them along with the lamp to the table

 and added a denim table cloth and red check napkins.

The antique corn dishes are one of my favorite items

 in my kitchen cupboards!

Just a little closer view of my tricked up napkin ring. :-)

NOW, for the menu:

fresh corn from the garden

shish-ka-bobs

grilled pineapple

iced sweet tea

The pineapple was so juicy!

The table was cleared and we played a few rounds of Skip-Bo.

What a fun and relaxing day!

Most of the time I don't take the time

 to add the special "little" touches,

but I'm learning that each time we share a meal

 it should be

acknowledged as "special"!

I'm joining the others this week for some really great parties.

You are welcome to visit.

Just click on the links below and see what the other's

are bringing to the parties!

 

 

Cookies & Milk + Blanket & A Nap

The recipe reads

 "Best Sugar Cookies in the World"

 and the title holds truth!

I wanted to share it with you.

This recipe was tried in my kitchen for the first time,

approximately six years ago

and it now is my stand-by!

The batter is so light and fluffy.

This cookbook is from our former church
and great recipe is included.

I must say the cookbook had two publications,

such a "big seller".

I drop mine in the little yellow bowl

 containing the sugar and roll them around.

I don't make them "perfectly round & smooth". 

  I like the fact "mama's fingerprints" can be seen.

  Do not let them turn brown,

I must say this is the secret to a soft sugar cookie.

The cookies will firm as they cool.

~~~

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." Barbara Jordan

~~~

 

I had fun preparing these for my guys this past weekend.

My nest was full for Mother's Day!

Our boys having fun with dad.

Mother's Day 2011