Hobos and a Scarf

I posted this yesterday and then it disappeared into the internets lost and never to be found... so let's try again.

I haven't felt so well this  weekend and just wasn't feeling up to cooking yesterday and made the easiest meal I could think of... well, except for picking up the phone and ordering something to be delivered.  Most who know this meal will associate it with camping, but Mama always made it in the oven and called it Hobo dinner.   You can put any veggies in it, but depending on what you put in it, whether it is  basic Hobo Dinner or High Falooting Hobo Dinner.  Mama says if you add mushrooms then it is High Fallooting.

In the FAMOUS Hart Cookbook there is a recipe for it called Child's Supper.  That is the the one I am going to post here, but I will put what I do differently, but only if I happen to have the ingredients.  

 Child's Supper
Rose Ellen (Copeland) Gregg

   It was the duty of our children to cook a meal once in a while.  Any 6 or 8 year old can fix this.
   Peel a potato and cut in small squares; 1 carrot cut in small squares, 1 small onion (chopped), salt and pepper.  Take a 12 to 18-inch (piece of) foil, place all ingredients in center of foil.  Add 1/4 pound of hamburger meat; wrap airtight.  Bake in oven approximately 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  This  can be eaten  from foil with fork.




I season the hamburger with the trinity uhh I mean salt, pepper and garlic, and lay onion slices on the hamburger and sometimes bell pepper. Yesterday I had bell pepper and I chopped the onion and mixed them in the hamburger.  I was thinking you could add some tomato sauce or tomato paste.  I also add soy sauce and/or worchestershire sauce.  I also use baby carrots, cause I dislike peeling things, I do usually peel the potatoes. If I have red potatoes I don't.

Ok on to the scarf. It was 76 degrees here yesterday, but you know this is Texas  and I might need a knitted item at any MOMENT.

I tried to get a good picture of this but couldn't get the color right. It is a deep ruby red and fuzzy and soft and yummy... and the temp is suppose to be 20 degrees cooler this week.  This is might even be too warm for 56 degrees. 

Potato Chip Chicken Recipe

There is a resturant we love on Main Street in Lewisville called Tierney's Cafe if you are EVER in Lewisville you must not only eat there, but experience Tierney's.  And if ever do get the chance I hope you will consider ordering the All Most Legendary  Potato Chip Chicken. It is melt in your mouth goodness.

 

  http://www.tierneyscafeandtavern.com

 Ever since we first had this I was determined to find the recipe, and I have came upon something very similar, on the Good Morning America website called Robin's Potato Chip Chicken, but I changed it up a bit from Robin Roberts' recipe to make it  Bobbie EASY....Also, I think Tierney's version is fried, but I like it baked...

Bobbie's Potato Chip Chicken

8 Tablespoons of butter or margarine, melted

2 teaspoons of chopped garlic ( I use the jarred garlic from the produce section)

1 bag of potato chips

8 chicken breast 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non stick spray that sounds like a girl you might know  and rhymes with am.

In a small microwave safe bowl melt the butter, and then add the garlic, stir and let cool for a bit.

Open the end of the chip bag so it won't bust and then fold over  and roll the bag to crush the chips with a rolling pin, until the potato chips are potato crumbs.  Sprinkle the black pepper in the bag and shake. (sometimes I use Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips, just to umpp the flavor)

Dip the chicken breast into the garlic butter and then  into the potato chip bag and SHAKE.. (It's Shake and Bake and I HELPED!!...haha I amuse myself).

Place the chicken breast on the foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the breasts are fully cooked but still tender. If the chips aren't completely golden brown and crisp, then pop under the broiler a few minutes, but watch closely.

 Crispy golden on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside... Yummm Yumm!!!

May I also suggest if you are at Tierney's Cafe... right there at 208 Main Street in Lewisville .. that you could order The Blue Steak or the Pan Seared Salmon.   Ok, you can order anything.. I have never had a bad meal there, but these are my three favorites.

Oh, and just and FYI, if you go for breakfast, don't go when you are hungry.. go when you are STARVING!!!! the portions.... oh my goodness...and on Sunday's they have a breakfast buffet and mimosa's (so I have heard)

 I haven't mentioned they have a full bar and  make a great margarita... (umm, so I have heard)

No one has paid for this advertisement... but if there weren't 1/2 inch of ice and 6 inches of snow here, in the DFW area, where we don't know how to drive if it flurries, I would be headed there for supper, and maybe a margarita  :)

Cabbage and Black Eyed Peas.. must be Jan 1st.

Happy New YEARS!!! Have you had your cabbage and black eyed peas?

Yummy!!

I am not sure if it is just a Texas thang or a Southern thing, but you MUST have black eyed peas and cabbage for New Year's Day. It is what we do,  good luck, and prosperity is involved, but mostly because yer Mama SAID SO.  And of course you have to have a good piece of buttered corn bread to go with it.  Well, you don't have to, but WHY WOULDN'T you.  This year I made corn muffins.

 I am the great procrastinator, and have put off making my New Year's resolutions, until TODAY.  Last year my resolution was easy, just to Be happy. To not let circumstances steal my joy. I  think I mainly was happy.

I am a very listy kind of a person, I can make a list a mile long. I have them everywhere.  I  started writing  a list of  resolutions, and it got long, but the more I looked at it the more it boiled down to just two things. Instead of my list of things, I want to make a plan.  So here is my small list with some plans to implement them. 

Resolution #1. Lead a healthier lifestyle.
Take my vitamins and calcium daily that I tell my doctor that I take. I don't tell him I take them daily but I just say I take them.   I just don't add.."sometimes".  It is really important and the older I get the more I know this.

Intake less caffiene.  That was even hard to type.  I am a Coffee person, I have a sign in my office that says, "Just plain evil without my coffee."  Now, noticed I didn't say NO caffiene,  I wouldn't want to hurt people, I will still have my coffee in the morning, just maybe not a whole pot of it.   I got this for Christmas.




http://www.gehousewares.com/Browse_Product.aspx?category_id=20

  I can have it in my office where we can't get hot water and I have these

All Caffiene Free

So that is my plan for less caffiene, at least until someone gets injured.

Also healthier lifestyle will include more excercise, I am still working that out in my head, and is involved in resolution #2.

Resolution #2.  Slow down and take time to smell the Daffodils.
    
I like daffodils better than roses.   It seems this past year I have been TOO busy to enjoy the little things.  Little things like lunch or dinner with friends.  When I have done these things, they seemed smooshed into my busy schedule and not truly taken the time to enjoy them. 

I want to slow down and enjoy the beauty around me.  Beauty in nature and also the beauty in the people that are important to me.  I did not go camping  once last year. Oh, the horribleness of this, it makes me so sad.  I didn't have ONE picnic last year.  This must change.   I want more dinners with my kids, more time with my mom and aunts, cook outs with my friends  and more moments of being in the moment instead of thinking of things I must get done.  

Also, slow down and let the creativity flow, either in cooking, sewing, knitting or writing.  How can I not have time to do the things that I truly love to do?  

Laurie @ http://crazyauntpurl.com  did a monthly check in last year of how she did on her New Year's resolutions.  I think this is a great way to be accountable. I am going to try that.  It should keep me more focused.

So there it is... My short little list of resolutions. Now to get busy and get them started.  Little lists are good too.    humm... truthfully, I think I see the "plan" turning into a big ole long list... woo hoo.. I love a good list.

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.