Aunt Grace's 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Chicken

In case I haven't told you, I have the most amazing family, and especially the most AMAZING Aunts, they are truly remarkable.  I was thinking during the holidays, that everything I do would be totally different if not for these amazing women. From the foods I cook to the way I wrap presents to the decorations on my Christmas tree, (and the crocheted tree skirt that Aunt Lovis made me, years ago.)


Aunt Grace posted this recipe on our family page, and let me tell you it has become one of my favorites.   It literally couldn't be easier.  This would be a great dish to teach kids to cook.  Three ingredients.. THAT IS IT. 

Ugly Chicken..... ends up delish!!!

 This chicken is very close to one you buy precooked in the deli section of your supermarket, only better!! 

1 chicken (5 pound or more) 

spray with olive oil (I didn't have spray, I just smeared it with olive oil.... (smear* that is a technical cooking term) 

Lawry's seasoned salt -no substitutes

Aluminum foil

  

Clean chicken inside and out. Spray with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with Lawry's.

Spray inside of crock with Pam.

Note: Do not put any water in the crock

Roll some wads of aluminum foil into balls and put them in the bottom of the crock.

The chicken is going to sit on these.

Put chicken back side down in crock on top
of aluminum balls. You have to use the aluminum to get the deli taste..

Cook on High (will not come out the same on low), 4-6 hours. 

I was going to take you a beuuuuutiful picture of it...
but my son was home alone....
he ate some before I got back...
I TOLD YOU IT WAS YUMMY...
he couldn't wait!!

Yummiliciousness!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!!

Easy Peasy Summer T'shirt Scarf

I saw this back in the spring, when things were crazy with moving and the ending of school, but had no time to make and probably couldn't find my sewing machine.  I bookmarked it and now here it is summer and I ALMOST have a finished craft room, and am enjoying some free time.


If you haven't visited Disney go now.  I get so much inspiration from her.  I didn't do a whole tutorial here because I could never do better than Disney  does  HERE.

I made with an X-large Long sleeve mens t'shirt, and have plans to make more. It turned out fabulously!!!

  

Trisha Yearwood's Squash Casserole

This was in the Guide Daily Section this morning... so of course I had to make it. I think after tasting I would have added a Tablespoon or so of sugar.  But overall yumm. We will see what the Man of the Place thinks... he doesn't like squash but so far this summer has eaten the fried squash and onions I have made. You don't think he is just being polite do YOU?

Trisha Yearwood's Squash Casserole

Dallas Morning News 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 2-qt casserole dish. 

2 lbs yellow summer squash, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick 

1/2 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, peeled and diced

1 t. salt (divided use)

1 large egg

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces) 

1/4 t. black pepper

1/2 cup crushed butter crackers, such as Ritz (about 12 crackers)

Place the sliced squash and the onion in a medium saucepan with about a cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain thoroughly and cool.

Put the squash in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer; the mixture should remain kinda chunky.  Add the egg, mayonnaise, cheese, remaining 1/2 t. of salt and the pepper and mix until combined.  Pour the squash mixture into the prepared dish, top witht the crumbs and bake for 30 minutes.

It says makes 12 servings.. uhh not if you love squash as much as I DO!!

ok here are the changes I made... I didn't preheat oven until after the squash was cooked.. this is summer in TEXAS.. ovens must not stay on that long... I mixed it in the saucepan, why mess up another bowl to wash... then I added the cheese and mixed to cool if off and then the mayo.. and beat the egg first and then added it... I am impatient and didn't want to wait for it to cool.. It still turned out... Like I said next time I will probably add a T or so of sugar. 

Enjoy

Easier than going to the store Homemade BBQ Sauce

Who'd a thunk it... BBQ sauce easier to make than going to the store to buy some for a quick dinner.

Easy BBQ Sauce

2 T Butter 
1/4 cup of onions, minced
1 C. Ketchup
2 T Vinegar ( I used Apple Cider)
1 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper 
2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
2 T. Lemon juice ( I had no lemons, but used Limes)
2 T Brown Sugar
1 t. dry Mustard


Melt butter in  sauce pan.  Saute onions until soft.  Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 20 minutes. 
Makes about 2 cups of sauce.




Yummiliciousness, with the leftover London Broil we had on Sunday.

Twig up your hair and be happy!!!

I am remembering my New Year's resolution to live a happy life.  I am really!!

But yesterday and today I am going through the valley, the temptation to throw up my hands and give it up.  I know I can have an over all happiness in my life, while still shedding many many tears.  

I am happy today that yesterday my Daddy got a kiss I sent him from my sweet sweet Aunt Lovis.  I know Daddy would be happy about that too, because it was from me, and (shhh don't tell my other aunts but,) I always knew Aunt Lovis was my Daddy's favorite. How could she not be.. she was my Mama's best friend.

And I know Aunt Lovis found Jonathan for me and gave him a big ole Aunt Lovis hug.

Borrowing from Toby Keith's  " Crying for Me Waymans Song"

"I'm gonna miss that smile

I'm gonna miss you my friend  aunt
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
I'd do it all again
So play Sing it sweet in heaven
'Cause Thats right where you want to be
I'm not cryin cause I feel so sorry for you
I'm cryin for me"

going to miss that smile
other things I will miss about my Aunt Lovis ( but I am Happy for the memories)

1.  Barefeet (she taught me well)
2.  Batting eyelashes
3. Peanut Brittle
4. Chocolate Pies ( I could fill this list with the foods she cooked.. these are my two  all time favorites)
5. Vicks Vapor rub..(hiding my head to cough in the pillow so she wouldn't make me eat it)
6.  her hymn singing when she sewed my clothes in Arkansas
7. Reggie and Doe Reggie (my family understands this and the friendship that is Lovis and Mozell)
8. Fussing at Uncle William and then petting him to death :)
9. Easters at the farm  in  Reno, Texas and the memories she made with my kids.
10. Twigging up her hair, putting on lipstick and putting on shoes for that  next great adventure, whether it be  a party, a reunion or a trip to  
Wal-Mart.


you aren't part of the family.. you don't understand twigging up your hair...I had to explain to my friend Nan this afternoon in an email.. about our trip to Savannah in the Spring...

Nan,

Whenever  something special was going on, like a trip to town, or a family reunion or to church on memorial day, My sweet Aunt Lovis would put the rollers in her hair and let it dry and right before she got ready to go to the BIG event, would take the rollers out and take her back comb and TWIG UP HER HAIR, put on her lipstick and last thing put on her shoes(she never wore shoes)... and set out on her grand adventure.... Yesterday Aunt Lovis TWIGGED up her hair.. and went to heaven and gave my daddy a kiss on the cheek... so if we are going on this trip we are going HART GIRL STYLE..... now TWIG UP YOUR HAIR AND GET READY.... and I am going to stop crying and go start making my lists... WATCH OUT SAVANNAH!!!!

I'm going to miss you my AUNT!!!

I am fanciful I tell ya...

Yesterday on my favorite blog http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/  (my secret stalkee) posted about her redneck travel mug... but it was not quiet as "fanciful" as mine... good for a smoothie, but GIRL PLEASE, I may have been born in Dallas, but I grew up in the mountains of Arkansas.  When your children steal all your thermoses(sp), what do you resort to, to carry your beverage?  I resorted to that which works best.

Notice the beautiful crocheted dishcloth it sits on!!

I was actually watching the food network this weekend and saw a couple preparing a picnic and then they loaded up their  iced peach tea in mason jars to  ummm take to their living room to drink.  Not sure about the living room part but  made me think... And yes I do have a gigantic jar, because yanno DRINK MORE WATER!!!!!  

Simple things... I am happy.

Of course I can get away with it... Living in Texas and all, and if the Texans say something I just say, I am from Arkansas, and they just nod in understanding.

BTW... cute simple project pictures coming soon.. Patience, remember I am new at this!!!

Facebook Colors

 It was a simple request... just post your bra color on Facebook and raise awareness for breast cancer. Cute little thing women could do and maybe just MAYBE would remind someone to think, or act and get a mammogram. For the last two days, this small deed has proven the old adage, "no good deed, goes unpunished".

I was bombarded about it being a sexist thing to do, DON’T YOU KNOW MEN GET BREAST CANCER TOO…. to it making other cancers seem like LESS than breast cancer. Seriously??? SERIOUSLY!!! I posted my bra color so now I hate men and think any cancer that isn't breast cancer is less of a cancer. Me, whose father died of lung cancer and whose mother is an ovarian cancer survivor.

 Cancer is CANCER.... HELLO!!!!

 Cancer is a killer... do we have a new label to worry about cancerist, one cancer is worse or better than another cancer, depending on where it attacks??? I never knew one cancer was better...


CANCER... bad in my book in any form... but I am a simple mind.






I got upset, yanno let someone steal my happiness. Then I remembered my New Year's resolution, to just be HAPPY... I have to realize I can't do everything... but I can do SOMETHING.. This was something, ok maybe it wasn't perfect, but


"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." Voltaire



Just because I can't do everything perfect doesn't mean I will not do anything good.

and on that note...



I stand up and say



"BLACK” for today….

“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
Voltaire











A nice thing about settling for “good”
when “perfect” is too daunting
is that achieving a small thing
often gives you the energy
to attempt a bigger thing.