In a pickle!

We're gearing up for football season, and I wanted to share my "go to" dip recipe.  I've made this so many times, and it's ALWAYS a HUGE hit.  SO simple and SO dang delicious.  Make a batch and let me know what you think!

Dill Pickle Dip





Ingredients



8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 to 1 cup dill pickles, depending on how pickly you like things

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

dill, for garnish, if desired

pickle juice

Instructions

Chop the pickles into very small pieces.

Combine with the cream cheese and Worcestershire sauce until well mixed. Splash in a bit of pickle juice to thin the dip out a bit (around 1 tablespoon, but more is fine, dependent on your taste).


Can be served with chips, crackers or toast points.

Aw Shucks!

Isn't it fun to live in a town all your life, and still be able to discover a diamond in the rough restaurant?  That just what my hubby and I did for lunch today.  If you live near or around the Omaha, Nebraska area, you simply must put SHUCKS on your "places to eat" list. They have THE most awesome seafood this side of Boston, hands down.  A bit on the pricey side, but fresh seafood in the Midwest is going to come with a bit of sticker shock.  It's just the price we have come to expect having no beach front property nearby.  But talk about FRESH and delicious!



What brought us to this establishment was a promotional coupon good for a free appetizer up to $9.  I have picked up fresh seafood from Absolutely Fresh Seafood in the past and knew since this restaurant was associated with this business that we could probably expect something good. We ordered the shrimp cargot … fresh large shrimp in garlic butter and covered with gouda cheese and then broiled until the cheese is gooey and crisp on top. Oh yeah .. SWIMMING (pardon the pun) in calories. It came with fresh sour dough bagettes slices for dipping. Sterling ordered their jambalaya and was NOT disappointed.  Ever since Mother's Good Food closed down years ago, we haven't found any place that compared.  Well, problem solved!!  I ordered a ½ portion shrimp po’boy sandwich with a cup of lobster bisque for my luncheon entree. Good gravy, it was beyond delicious!!!

To quote Arnold … “we’ll be back” !!!

Pucker up - It's National Lemonade Day!!

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

But regardless of what life has given you, get your pitchers ready!  Why? Because today is National Lemonade Day!

And with the lazy days of summer coming fast coming to an end, what better reason to enjoy this sweet/sour drink of sunshine!





But there's really only ONE way to make this ... using FRESH lemons ... I'm sorry, but while the concentrate will do in a pinch, there is nothing to compare to the original fruit ... unless, of course, you use fresh limes instead (see an earlier post of mine on limes!)





Here's my simple "go to" recipe for making this sparling beverage:

Ingredients


1 cup sugar
1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

1 cup squozed lemon juice  (squozed is my own personal word for fresh squeezed)

3 to 4 cups cold water

Method

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.  This is definitely the secret to good fresh lemonade - don't just add granulated sugar to water and lemon juice - it'll never dissolve properly!

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.  I've also added lemon zest from the fruit to add even more pucker!

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength.  Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes.

Pour over a glass of ice and ENJOY!!!

Wonderment

I saw this photo here:  http://toocutethings.blogspot.ca/

The look in this child's eyes, with her nose pressed up against the glass ... just made my Monday a little better.  This website has SO MANY adorable photos that will just melt your heart.

King of Rock 'n Roll

Has it really been 35 years ago today since we lost this music icon?  I remember my folks taking us to the drive-in movie and watching Elvis on the screen singing his way into every young girl's heart.

Popcorn the Bear!

Kathy over at Kathy's Double K Krafts participated in  The Crafter’s Companion Birthday Blog Hop this past week.  Here is her delightful project.  I was SO impressed with her coloring and paper piecing  talents on this sweet sweet project. 





The blog hop was also offering up prizes ... and guess what?  I WON from Kathy's blog!!!  Thank you Kathy for this darling Popcorn the Bear - "Party Time" stamp set!!





Now RUN ... don't walk, over to Kathy's blog and give her a shout out.  And check out her FUN blog while you are there.  Tell her I sent you over!

http://kathysdouble-k-krafts.blogspot.com/search/label/Crafter%E2%80%99s%20Companion%20Blog%20Hop

And then go and check out the birthday week specials over at Crafter's Companion - you're gonna fall in love with their products!

http://www.crafterscompanion.com/

Happy 5th birthday to Crafter's Companion!!

Happy Birthday to my niece, Trisha!



I know the photo says happy birthday Avlyn, because it was taken a few months back for Avlyn's 2nd birthday ... but this is such a nice photo of my niece, Trisha, and her husband, Craig, with my adorable grandniece, Avlyn.  Happy Birthday, Trisha! 

Sterling's Cookies

My husband, Sterling, makes some of the best chocolate chip cookies!  And he has a following.  I've brought them into the office several times during the past several years and everyone smiles in delight at the sight of them.  They have even requested them for special occasions.  Maybe THIS might be an idea for his retirement plan!  The cookies are soft and moist - very cake like - not too sweet, but chock full of nuts and chips!  He won't divulge the recipe, but I've watched him make these and I can be compromised for the right price (chuckle).

It's so hot ...

IT'S SO HOT in NEBRASKA



.....the birds have to use potholders to pull the worms out of the ground.

......the trees are whistling for the dogs.

.....the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance

.....hot water comes from both taps.

.....you can make sun tea instantly.

.....you learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.

.....the temperature drops below 90 F and you feel a little chilly.

.....you discover that in July it only takes two fingers to steer your car.

.....you discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.

.....you actually burn your hand opening the car door.

.....you break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 A.M.

.....your biggest motorcycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death"?

.....you realize that asphalt has a liquid stage.

.....the potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter.

.....the cows are giving evaporated milk.

.....and, the farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs