Tutu adorable for words!

And here is my darling little granddaughter, Paisley, at age six months.

Talk about a cutie patootie!! 

He Just Takes My Breath Away!

Seriously ... have you EVER seen SUCH handsome young face??!! 

Those big brown eyes slay me every time. 

This is a photo of my grandson, Jonas, who just turned FOUR!!

He is going to be a heartbreaker for sure!  

And he has such a loving personality to go with those GQ looks!

I love a good history lesson!

Happy first "Official Day" of Summer!!!!

A Knob of Butter

One of my favorite blogs to visit for English recipes is Marie's blog, The English Kitchen.  She has some really great recipes using ingredients as only the English dare.  But what I really love is reading the ingredients list.  Check out her recipe for "bangers" (and I don't know why, but I always chuckle when I see a reference to sausage bangers).





Cider and Honey Braised Bangers

Serves 4
Easy and delicious. This is a meal that cooks itself.




8 good quality thick and meaty sausages 
    (thick and meaty ... makes sense)


225ml of Apple Cider (1 cup)
    (so glad Marie includes cup measurements or I would be lost)


2 TBS runny honey
    (okay ... runny honey ... as opposed to thick honey? ... just makes me laugh)


1/2 tsp dried thyme
    (I can handle this)


1 small cabbage, trimmed, cored and cut into wedges
    (who doesn't like a good wedgie?)


a knob of butter
    (knob ... not sure how much a knob is supposed to be but probably sure it isn't the size
     of a door knob!  I'm thinking probably a tablespoon, but will google it).


Melt the butter in a skillet large enough to hold your sausages and the cabbage. (You will need one with a lid.) Once the butter begins to foam, add the sausages. Brown over medium heat on first one side, and then the other. Once they are browned, tuck in the wedges of cabbages wherever they will fit. Sprinkle all with the thyme. Drizzle with the honey and pour over the cider. Cover tightly and turn to low. Braise for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the lid and scoop out the cabbage wedges. Cover and keep warm. Turn up the heat under the skillet and continue to cook the sausages, as the liquid bubbles away, turning them occasionally, until they are nicely glazed and the pan has some nice thick juices in it. Divide the sausages and cabbage amongst 4 heated plates and drizzle with some of those scrummy pan drippings.

So go over and give a shout out to Marie and check out her archives for some really amazing recipes, etc.
Here's the link to the recipe above:

http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/cider-and-honey-braised-sausages.html

Working Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

We had my daughter over for dinner last night ... although it was actually breakfast foods that we served. I made some soft scrambled eggs, grilled up a thick ham slice and then made "cinnamon buns". My grandmother always made these for me when I spent the night - she was a FIRM believer in not letting anything go to waste. My kids grew up on them as well as I always seemed to have leftover buns and these treats were SO quick and easy to throw together for them in the morning before school. It's the easiest thing to make and the essence of comfort food. This photo was the ONLY one I could find on the internet that came close to what they look like. They are made with leftover hamburger or hot dog buns ... either works just as well. You just slather the buns with real butter, sprinkle a good portion of brown sugar on top and then generously sprinkle with cinnamon. Put these under the broiler for about three to five minutes. You can tell when they are done as the brown sugar will melt into the butter. Don't let them stay under the fire too long or the topping will get too "crunchy". Just watch them closely and once the butter has melted nicely with the brown sugar pull them out and enjoy.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!

I love this photo of my dad.  So young and full of dreams of the future. Coming from a hard life on a small rural Nebraska farm, he could not have known what an amazing future he had ahead of him.  He would go on to become a successful master plumber with his own business, which allowed him to take us on amazing family vacations and to a yearly retreat at an ocean side condo every year where he would enjoy deep sea fishing.  He had the ability to make fast and enduring friendships and saw the good in everyone. He was such a hard worker.  And he LOVED (and still loves) gadgets ... new inventions that made life easier ... or at least a bit more fun.  And if anyone was in need of help, there was no question but that dad would do everything he could without expecting anything in return.  I am so very proud (and so very blessed) to have him for my dad.  Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Summertime, and the living is easy ...

I found this lovely photo during my blog hopping and couldn't resist sharing it with my readers. Is this not THE most delightful looking picnic setting??!!  Oh, but I would love to be sitting there right now with a good book and not a worry in the world. 

Me and Miss Paisley!

What a glorious day spent with my sweet little granddaughter Paisley.  Here she is at almost SIX MONTHS old already.  It'll be a blink of an eye and she'll be crawling!  I'm just trying to hold onto her baby sweetness as long as I can. 

The event this photo was taken was a birthday celebration for my precious little niece, Avlyn ... here she is telling us that she is TWO!





Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound ... !

The boy can JUMP!!! 

My grandson, Jonas, should be wearing his super hero cape in this photo. 

I think I should contact the Olympic high jump committee to give them a heads up on some future talent!

Five Ingredients or Less Recipe

One of my favorite recipe publishers is Gooseberry Patch.  I actually have several family recipes that I've submitted to them over the years and have had published in their delightful cookbooks.  They have a new call out for recipes that are five ingredients or less.  The first one that comes to mind is my son's FAVORITE salmon dish - Salmon Patties.  Here's my recipe for this quick fix hearty meal.

1 can sockeye salmon (drained with bone cartilege removed)


2 cups refrigerated sour cream and chive flavored mashed potatoes

1/2 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs (or you can use crushed saltines as well)

1 egg (beaten)

3 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

Directions

In bowl combine salmon, potatoes, bread crumbs, and dill. Form salmon mixture in eight 3-1/2-inch cakes. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook cakes over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until heated through and browned. Makes 4 servings.






My son likes his salmon patties topped with creamed peas, which is just a simple white sauce and a can of peas.  This is definitely one of our favorite family comfort foods!