ADVENTURES IN NATURE

Good morning everyone! How are you doing this bright and beautiful day? I’m good really… hurting but good. I see we have 3 more followers and yesterday we had lots of comments! YAY! Hello to all my new friends and thanks to everyone for your support. I came home and read all the comments and just couldn’t stop grinning! And to Hazel, I’m TRYING to tempt you LOL! That’s why I am holding the March Gardening contest now… so you can start your seeds INSIDE your house and by the time the snow clears, you will have precious baby plants to put into your garden… however big it may be! So go ahead and plant away… cause I’m gonna keep tempting you! LOL!

So, yesterday was a very busy day for us, but we had a wonderful day out. Family time enjoying the spoils of nature… we ended up taking the clothing to donations, metal to the scrap yard, then to Maas Nursery, the Fish Markets, and finally to Houston Garden Center to round out the day. Sit back and join us as I share my adventure!



Here you see me looking through all the plants at Maas Nursery with my DS14. They had so many good vegetable plants and they were in such good condition. They were very healthy and if I had tons of money, then all those plants you see around me would have came home with me LOL!



Here I am again all swollen and looking terrible. I’m holding some poblano pepper plants but I put them down to think about purchasing them and when I came back, they were gone! I was rather upset with myself for not keeping them in the first place! Oh well… maybe next time! NOTE TO SELF- next time buy the stupid plants and don't second guess myself LMAO!



Look at this gorgeous green plant… with the ginormous lizard! This lizard scared the tar out of my DS14 LOL when it jumped up onto the leaf. He tried to “call” it “Here lizard” but it went away LOL. He wanted to catch it and bring it home! Oh the weird things little boys put in their pockets LMAO! I hate to imagine what would have happened to the poor little thing had Alex actually caught it! Eww... yuck ok I need another mental image and fast! LOL!



Check out this beautiful butterfly that we saw at Maas… he (or she LOL) was flying around all the plants. It was the first butterfly I have seen this season and I hope to get tons in my garden very soon!



The DS18 thought he would be funny and act like he was hugging and talking to the fish and I snapped the picture! He was like “Oh very funny mom!” I couldn’t quit laughing! This was the first time he’d ever been to a plant nursery or a fish market. He says he actually enjoyed himself. Its so hard to find things to do that teens think is interesting nowadays… making sure its not totally lame in their standards… guess I just got lucky with some really great kids!



Here is DH, DS18, and DD!5 with the plants they got at the Houston Garden Center. They each wanted a plant of their own to car for and you see what they picked out LOL. I told them its their responsibility so don’t kill it! LOL and if the DS18 kills a cactus… well that will be interesting!



While at the fish market, we picked up a couple of pounds of fresh colossal shrimp that were on sale. This bad boy in my hand was about 8-9 inches long. I think it’s a beautiful site. DS18 and I cleaned them when we got home and plan on making some shrimp kabobs for the BBQ today if the weather is nice. (Note to self, check the weather when I am done here LMAO!)



And finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for because all of you who know me know that I probably brought something home from one or both nurseries LMAO! You would be correct!! I brought home 4 celery plants (I have NEVER seen these before so I brought them home just to see if I could grow them!), another baby Roma tomato plant, 2 cabbage, and 6 pks. (which had more than six plants each) of butternut squash, scalloped squash, straight neck yellow squash, okra, and green bell pepper. Isn’t that neat? CELERY! Never ever seen it but I’m really not surprised I found it at Maas LOL. I love that place! So the garden is ALMOST full… but not quite LOL… gotta figure out what to put in that foot area right in the middle LOL! Shoot, if all my seeds take, I might have to build another container LMAO!

So there you have it. I wore everyone out but they all said they enjoyed the day… which made it all worth it. I told them in a couple of weeks when I need fresh veggies again that I would take them up to the Farmers Market in Houston. That autta blow DS18’s mind, dontcha think? LOL… he never got to experience any of this stuff before he came to us, so I’m trying to broaden his mind now while I still have him.

Okie dokie… craft time! Now my mom brought up something in her comment I need to address… Easter this year falls on Sunday, April 4th… yep the first Sunday of the Month. Yesterday we covered centerpieces… floral mainly. Today I want to cover a few different ideas you can use for decorations.

Craft Ideas of the Day: Easter Decorations



Jelly Bean Carrots

Supplies:

cellophane cone shaped bags or clear plastic icing bags (these are usually available at Michaels, or sometimes in the cake decorating aisle; in a pinch, you can fashion your own from a rectangular, clear plastic bag of some kind - simply fold the bag diagonally to form a triangular cone then secure the lengthwise seam with transparent tape)

orange and green jelly beans

green tissue paper

green curling ribbon

Instructions:

1. Fill the bag about half full with orange jelly beans. Add a layer of green jelly beans. Prop the bag inside a narrow vase or wine glass to hold it up while you work on the next steps.

2. Cut a strip of folded green tissue paper that is a little wider than the length now available from the top of the green jelly beans to the edge of the bag. Make sure the double-layered tissue paper strip is long enough to roll easily into a loose circle that will fit nicely inside the top of the bag. A generous overlap when you slide the ends of the circle together is fine and will add a little body to the top of the carrot.

3. Roll the tissue paper strip loosely and fit it inside the bag, pushing it down to meet the top layer of green jelly beans.

4. Tie one or two strands of curling ribbon around the bag, just above the green jelly beans, so that the ribbon cinches the bag tightly and holds the tissue paper in place.

Curl the ends of the ribbon.

Suggestions:

-- Fill the carrot with other orange colored candy, or with cheese puffs, and top with a layer of green Easter grass.



Egg Topiary

Supplies:

18 inch foam cone
approximately 31 plastic eggs
Spanish Moss or Easter grass
Hot glue gun and glue
Pedestal Vase
Large Sewing Needle
Large Mixing Bowl

How to:

Place the styrofoam cone into your container, pushing down firmly, as shown at right. If the vase or container doesn't provide a tight fit, you may need to glue the cone to the inside of the container.

Once the cone is securely in place, begin gluing eggs to the cone. You can do this randomly or in layers beginning at the bottom. Leave gaps large enough to accommodate Spanish moss between the eggs.

You can hot glue or use floral pins to attach the Spanish moss. I used glue. Fill all open areas of the cone with moss. That's all there is to making a pretty egg topiary for Easter.



Paintbrush Bunnies

Supplies:

2 inch paint brushes with wooden handles
white craft paint
google eyes
plastic scoop (i.e. recycled kool-aid or small laundry detergent scoop)
scraps of felt or craft fun foam in red and light blue
ribbon
ribbon roses or other small floral decoration
tiny pink pom pom
2 small brown or tan pom poms
artificial animal whiskers, string...or pull a few bristles from the paint brushes before you start this project!

Instructions:

1. Begin by painting the brushes - even the bristles - with white paint. Let dry and repeat if the coverage is a little thin.

2. Use paint or a permanent marker to make a broken line (a line broken by spaces) down the center of the handle.

3. Check the photo for details, then paint the inside of the bunny's ear on either side of the painted center line. Use pink paint for the girl bunny's ears and blue for the boy bunny.

4. Assemble the bunny's face on the metal part of the brush, above the bristles. First, glue whiskers in the middle, followed by the tiny pink pompom. Under the pink nose, glue on the two brown or tan pom poms.

5. Cut a small oval from red felt or fun foam, and glue on beneath the brown or tan pom poms.

6. For the girl bunny, glue on a bow and a small ribbon rose, just below the tongue.

7. Next, glue on the google eyes, where the metal meets the wooden handle. For the girl, add another small bow just below the ears.

8. Make the boy bunny as you did the girl, but leave off the bows and roses. Instead, take a piece of square felt and cut a triangle out of two opposite sides to make a bow tie. Glue the bow tie under the tongue.

9. For the boy's hat, cut a plastic scoop in half and cover it with two coats of light blue paint. When the paint is dry, glue the hat above the eyes, as shown in the photo. And enjoy!

Alrighty so there you have some cute ideas to make for decorations. Be watching for many more things to come! Now lets get to the absolutely sinful area of my blogs… FOOD!! Do you remember those MONSTER potatoes I got at the Farmers Market the other day? Well last night I baked them (took longer than a normal sized potato HA go figure LMAO!). I also took that strip of brisket I found clearanced the other day and cut it up into thin shredded strips. I cooked it and simmered it in BBQ sauce for as long as the potato needed to cook.



Took those potatoes out of the oven, loaded them with butter, sour cream, cheese, onions, and the beef on top and OMG! I thought I died and gone to heaven! Now THAT is a loaded BBQ baked potato! I had one of these at a restaurant and I thought it was awesome but now I kinda like mine better LOL! A half of a potato with all the topping and a couple of rolls on the side was enough to stuff each person to the gills!

You probably don’t have super monster potatoes, but you could do this with regular baking potatoes too… but in case this is not your “thing” I have another recipe for you that you might enjoy! Try this one…



Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1-2 cups of sliced okra
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Creole seasoning to taste
6 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 rotisserie chicken, boned and shredded

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the roux has cooked to the color of chocolate milk, 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, start over.

Stir onion, bell pepper, celery, and sausage into the roux; cook 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning; blend thoroughly. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chicken, and simmer 1 hour more. Skim off any foam that floats to the top during the last hour.

*** NOTE- the roux color is really dependent on how you would like it. I used milk chocolate as a reference as that's our family preference. If you would like it darker then you would just keep a stirrin until it's a color you would desire-it also intensifies the flavor. Also, if you do not like it thick then reduce the flour/oil ratio to maybe 1/2 c. flour to 1/2 c. oil. You can also substitute or add Shrimp to your gumbo.***

So there you have it everyone… fun adventures, great crafts, and good eats! What more could ya ask for in a blog? Not much, I think LOL! I hope you got inspired today and will come back tomorrow for another great day. As for me? Well its cooking and cleaning and relaxing outside enjoying my garden and listening to the birds and such all around me! Wish ya could join me for a nice glass of homemade lemonade… OMG LEMONS! Now I want to grow lemons! LOL… ok I’m out of here before I get more crazy ideas! Always remember to leave me a comments with any questions or ideas or whatever! Peace, Love, and lots of HUGS!!!

QUALITY TIME

Good morning everybody! How are you doing this bright Saturday morning? I’m good… in a lot of pain but good on the inside, so life is good! The gang wants to go to a local nursery called Maa’s, but I’m not quite sure if I can handle it today. Playing in my little garden is one thing… walking what’s gotta be at LEAST a 1 acre or more nursery grounds is totally different. I do need to take these clothes and donate them so I can get them out of my living room! Then of course, I could get the guys to pull more stuff out of storage too… I just don’t know what I want to do today LOL!



Well, I got more plants for my ever growing garden yesterday! I got 2 more Husky Cherry tomatoes, 2 Porters Dark Cherry tomatoes, 4 Mucho Nacho Jalapeno peppers, and 9 Brussels Sprouts. I also picked up 3 more bags of potting soil. After school my DD15 wanted to help in my garden. She and I were outside and I was teaching her how to plant the veggies and how to feed and water them. She was learning where her food comes from and how much hard work it can be. But most importantly, we were sharing quality time together. We also planted some more seeds… pumpkin, zucchini, cantaloupe, and okra. Hopefully in about 2 weeks we will see these seeds start to pop. She told me she would be so proud if her seeds actually grew. We had fun. I love spending quality time with my kids. And now I am super excited about the sprouts of Peas I have in the starter cups! I can’t wait to plant them! I got the Gardening fever! And if I can bring a little bit of Spring to my readers who cannot yet indulge and enjoy, then so be it. I will be your “Susie Springtime” LOL!

Alright kids, Easter is less than a month away, so its time to start thinking Easter crafts! Whether you decorate your house just for your family, or you host a big ol’ shingdig… we’ll cover it! If ya need ideas, leave me a comment and I’ll make sure I take care of ya! OK… I wanna start with one of the first things I think about for “decorating”… Centerpieces. You can put them on any table… dining room, coffee tables, end tables, you name it! Traditionally you are gonna find that most of your colors of spring are yellows, oranges, and pastels. Bright and cheery is your goal. Daffodils, tulips, lillies, and daisies are prevalent this time of year… especially in Easter décor. And Easter is a very religious event for many as well. I, personally, do not decorate in a religious theme as to not offend anyone. I have friends of many different faiths, and I want them to be as comfortable as possible when they come to visit.



Craft Idea of the Day: Centerpieces with food

Food can be a unique aid in decorating, but to prevent spoiling, is usually a last minute thing. You can make a beautiful centerpiece with nothing more than a glass container, fresh flowers, food and water. Make sure that the color of the food compliments the flowers and goes along with your theme.



I find fruits such as limes, lemons, oranges, apples, etc. are very good to use, and then you have jelly bean and Jordan almonds are popular candies to use. Its whatever your heart desires to make! I don’t recommend making skinned fruits (limes, lemons, etc.) more than MAYBE 3 days in advance at most. Hard candies, I say maybe one week…



You can also use those brightly colored plastic Easter eggs you find in the store. I recommend the smaller ones- but if you are making a larger vase, then the regulars will work well too. Since they are plastic, this is a centerpiece you can prepare farther in advance… just make sure you take care of your fresh flowers. There again, you could use silk and it would not need to be watered. You see how the possibilities are kinda endless here? LOL! Whatever you choose to make, I’m sure it will be a wonderful piece to your decor!

Ok, For dinner last night, we had a recipe in one of Erin Chase’s $5 Dinner newsletters. It utilizes Brussels Sprouts, which we just planted today LOL. So I would like to share the recipe with you as my gang ate it up last night… so once again Thanks Erin for another great recipe!



Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chicken & Pasta
(courtesy of Erin Chase @ $5Dinners.com)

Ingredients

3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
2 cups shell pasta
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Rinse Brussels sprouts and remove any yellow leaves.
2. Chop off the ends and discard.
3. Cut lengthwise into quarters.
4. Add to a small skillet with some olive oil and lemon juice.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss.
6. Roast the sprouts in the pan for 4-6 minutes, or until turn golden brown. Set aside.
7. In the same skillet, cook the diced chicken pieces. Toss for 6-8 minutes, or until all chicken pieces have cooked through. Cooking time may vary depending on thickness of the pieces.
8. Meanwhile, cook 2 cups of pasta as directed on package instructions.
9. Once pasta and chicken have cooked, add all to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
10. Serve by itself, or with a side salad.

Ok everyone… its that time again. I am gonna sign off and get everyone up and moving and see what it is we plan on doing today! May become a busy day, may be rather relaxed… I just don’t know. Either way I wish you all the best in whatever you set out to do! HUGS!

PAW PRINTS

Hi there everybody… I missed you all yesterday. What happened? Ya missed the first comment day! Oh well, we’ll try again soon. I hope you are doing well. Me… not so much but its ok… Just the norm with the knees and whatnot. I have a few errands to run this morning but nothing major. Gonna try to keep it low key today so that I don’t hurt myself too badly.



Yesterday I put most of the dirt in the planter and began putting my plants in the box too. The kitties have decided they like to play in there and they killed one of my bell pepper plants already. There were little paw prints everywhere!! I am NOT happy with them… might have to invest in a small little fence to keep them out! Anyway, I am very proud of how it turned out! I think it looks great and I can’t wait to fill it in with plants and then watch it explode!



Then this morning when I was making me a jalapeno breakfast wrap, I was looking in the window sill at all the seed pots I have been trying to start. Normally I don’t have any luck with seeds, and seeing no sprouts has had me somewhat discouraged… at least until this morning!! The seeds for the sweet pea plants I started have began to sprout!!!! YAY!!!!!! I am so excited!! Now if I could just get my Giant Pumpkin seeds to sprout, I would be one happy woman! LOL… yes I said GIANT pumpkin! These seeds are supposed to produce pumpkins that get to a minimum of 400-500 pounds! LOL I just wanna see if I can get 1 to grow but if all 6 work… OMG that’s a lot of pumpkin LMAO! Could you see my landlord’s face if I was growing a 500 pound pumpkin? LMAO! Shoot, I’d need a picture of that!



I went to visit with my mom last night and we were looking through the Burpee catalog trying to get some ideas of what all I want to put in my planter. My mom is always full of such good ideas. So far in my planter (and answering Vincent’s question as well) I have 2 Roma tomatoes, 2 Husky Cherry tomatoes, 6 Black Beauty eggplant, 4 Sweet banana pepper, 9 broccoli, 2 yellow bell pepper, 2 red bell pepper, and 3 green bell pepper (have to get a new one courtesy of the cats!). I also have separate containers of Italian Flat parsley, cilantro, habanero peppers, cayenne peppers, strawberries, and rosemary. I am hoping to add brussel sprouts, more tomatoes, peas, jalapenos, cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins, okra, carrots, and some other neat stuff to my garden. I am having so much fun with this… its crazy! I want to grow everything! LOL… just to see if I can! I’m even gonna try CORN! Yes… container grown CORN! If it works, I am gonna LMAO!

Spring Break is coming soon… so is the Band trip to Florida. The DD15 will be gone from the 11th to the 15th. Her plane is leaving at 6:20am on Thursday… I’m real nervous for her! Man, I am gonna feel so lost! And then Spring Break is the whole week of the 14th (not next week but the one following). So I’m trying to brainstorm some things we can do that’s fun and easy on the wallet at the same time. If you have suggestions, I would LOVE to hear them!

Ok, well as for me, tonight and this weekend is gonna be another freezer cooking marathon as it looks pretty bare in there. I will be firing up the crocks and making soups and such, as well as making some homemade TV dinners too. I also have to make some breakfast stuff for the kids. Here is a soup recipe I’ll be making this weekend that I wanted to share with you for your collection… its hearty and healthy and I think you’ll enjoy it!



Gypsy Soup

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon tamari
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions

Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Season with paprika, turmeric, basil, salt, cinnamon, cayenne, and bay leaf. Stir to blend, then stir in chicken stock and tamari. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans and green pepper to the soup, and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Ok kids, I think I am going to grab a glass of OJ and go sit on the patio with all my awesomeness and enjoy the morning sounds of birds and nature. I’ll talk to you tomorrow… HUGS!

SPRING BUG & GARDEN COMMENTS

Well good morning to all my wonderful readers out there! How are you doing this beautiful sunny day? I am doing wonderful really! I had a great day yesterday! But I told you I wouldn’t be able to have a slow relaxing day! I don’t care… I had fun. Since yesterday I worked on a lot of gardening stuff, and that’s what I’ll be discussing… so guess what today is? YEP Its the first GARDEN COMMENT day! I want to hear about your gardening plans… are you going to do any? Even if its just a container of tomatoes, I’d love to hear! Or anything else… see the post on February 26th post for your rules and regs.



Once I got off the computer, I went and put up the stuff I got from the store. Then the DH and I went to the Houston Garden Center. Here he is pushing my cart of baby veggie plants. They were on sale 10 for $12 and most of them looked pretty healthy. Their strawberries are on sale for 98c each and they had tons here! I signed up for their free gift card offer, so when I get it (supposed to be in the next 7 days), then I’m going back! YAY! PLUS the circulars today had a HGC ad in there with a bunch of coupons… and you know me and coupons! Oh they had so many plants I would love to bring home! I’m gonna add a couple of fruit trees to the mix this year too… just not sure which kind yet… maybe peach or apple or pear or- gosh how about all of them LOL!



Then we went over to Lowe’s to buy some more soil. I got 5 bags and I was shocked at all the new plants that they had for sale too! In just a few days they have gotten so many more wonderful things! Berries, grapes, veggies, you name it! WOW… I could have EASILY dropped HUNDREDS in there! But I got 2 small sweet banana peppers for $1.78 and then my 5 dirts and I left. LOL too much temptation! These roses were there on sale for $25 a tree… OMG I wanted to take them all home with me. They were gorgeous, don’t you think? I think they would look good in my FRONT yard!



Here I am back home with my flat of new babies! I picked up Habanero peppers, green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cayenne peppers, eggplants, and sweet banana peppers. If you are new to planting/gardening and are planning on purchasing veggies or even flowers, remember that you have to buy at least 2 of each plant type so that they will pollinate and thrive. I say the more the better! The sun was so in my eyes, but ya didn't hear me complaining! LOL!



This WAS a picture of me holding the first clipping of the season off my rosemary plant but I cropped by bright red swollen face out of the picture. You can still see how swollen I am by the size of my pudgy little fingers! Anyway, I clipped it and used it on the chicken I made for dinner. Oh the smell that was on my hands from the fresh rosemary was absolute heaven! I love Rosemary! Isn’t it so pretty?!



Here is our dinner last night- Rosemary and garlic chicken with lemon, fresh green beans and new potatoes, and mini butter croissants. Delish! DB and the guys devoured that chicken let me tell you! I love feeding my brothers… since they are bachelors I know they don’t always eat properly (either cause they are on the go, working, etc.) and when they come here and eat they are getting a home cooked balanced meal with the nutrients they need! Just like mom used to make us growing up! I think a meal just tastes better knowing the ingredients were fresh from either the garden or market or whatever… wouldn’t you agree?



Oh, remember I told you I have been having Cardinals come up to the food at my kitchen window? Well I got better pictures of them both! The one from my phone with the female is rather dark and hard to tell, but here is the bright red male sitting in the tree staring at me. We were having a face off… he was staring me down LOL! I won cause he flew away… and I got his mugshot as a bonus!

Alright now… I’m gonna share with you a craft for your garden… it’s the raised bed garden box… yep just like the one I made. Now I did mine a little different than the video I found it on, but the concept and end result are both the same!

Craft Idea of the Day: Planter boxes or containers

Really anything can become a raised planter. IF you have old rubbermaid tubs, drill holes in the bottom for drainage. Same goes with cat litter buckets (as with my strawberries) or even old chairs, commodes, and tires! But to make a planteer box out of 2x4 pieces is fairly easy. Check out the Lowe’s DIY Video on How to make a Raised Garden Box for complete instruction… but here it is in a nutshell.

Supplies:

2x4 lumber- untreated
4x4 post
landscape fabric or plastic
wooden deck screws (2 1/2 inch work well)
drill
saw

Instructions:

Measure the area you want to put a planter in… length and width. Cut your 2x4 pieces to fit your measurements. My box is 5 foot by 3 foot- utilizing an entire 2x4 piece. Place 3 pieces side by side and measure them across. That is how long you want your 4x4 post piece. (I made mine slightly taller than the actual box.)

Secure the 4x4 to one side of the 2x4 with wood deck screws and repeat with 2 more pieces. Repeat on the other end. This will be the length side (or in the event you are making a perfect square, then it will be the first side). Repeat the process for the other side.

Take your 3rd and 4th sides and secure them on the other side of the 4x4 post (the post should be on the INSIDE of the box). Make sure the edges meet and are flush on each corner. Repeat with remaining boards. You should now have a box frame.

You can put this in the ground as in the video, putting the landscaping fabric under the box OR you can put this on a deck, patio, etc. I will be lining the bottom of mine with plastic sheeting with drainage holes it the bottom. Its really easy to make and really doesn’t take much time. You can make any size to fit your space. Add bottom panels if you want for an enclosed box too!

Ok, my other favorite topic time… FOOD! YAY! We love food around here! Now I already showed you my dinner from last night, so I want to share a recipe for fresh fish today. Yes I am on a seafood kick peoples LOL! Summer’s comin’ and that’s when I “indulge” the most in delicious nuggets of golden yummy from the sea! LOL! So try this one on for size…



Blackened Tuna Steaks with Mango Salsa

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tuna steaks
1 fresh mango - peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and garlic in a bowl. Rub the tuna steaks with the mixture. Place the steaks in a sealable container and chill in refrigerator 3 hours.

Combine the mango, bell pepper, Spanish onion, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper in a bowl; stir. Add the lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and toss to combine. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour.

Stir together the paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic powder in a bowl. Remove the tuna steaks from the refrigerator and gently rinse with water and then dip each side of each steak in the spice mixture to coat.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Gently lay the tuna steaks into the hot oil. Cook the tuna on one side for 3 minutes; remove to a plate. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into the skillet and let it get hot. Lay the tuna with the uncooked side down into the skillet and cook another 3 minutes; remove from heat immediately.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mango salsa onto each of 4 plates. Lay the tuna steaks atop the salsa and serve immediately.

*** A few tips for those of you struggling with the recipe: 1. While the directions were written for Tuna, it does work well with other fish but the cook time must be adjusted accordingly for the type of fish you are using and the thickness. For salmon I would recommend ditching the garlic -lime marinade, it really is specific to tuna or a similar fish. 2. For those struggling with the heat there are three things: - The recipe is designed to be eaten bite for bite with the mango salsa recipe included, if you serve it without it you'll likely need to adjust the heat level by dropping the cayenne. - For those who just aren't into the heat, you can simply reduce the amount of cayenne, by half is about appropriate. - A nice alternative I've found to the mango salsa is sour cream (about 2tbsp per serving) mixed with a bit of sugar (about 1tsp per 2tbsp of sour cream). This can be served in a ramekin or drizzled over the fish, whatever your heart desires!

Ok kids, I’m gonna get off here and try to get some more work done… not sure on what yet though LOL!… I hope you have a wonderful day in whatever adventures you partake in and remember… big sister is watching LOL! Anxiously awaiting to hear from you all… HUGS!

QUITE THE LITTLE CARPENTER

Howdy doody darlings! How are you doing this beautifully bright morning? I am really sore and I swore I was gonna take things kinda slow today… but its not looking like that’s gonna happen LOL! I was helping my parents clean out there attic in the garage yesterday because they offered for me to store my huge holiday decorations in there to help eliminate the storage unit. We saw/found some crazy things up there! We got a HUGE chunk of the attic cleared before we had to stop. I got a slight injury but not from the work, so I am gonna try to take today to kind of relax before getting back in the hyper let’s clean mode! LOL… am I driving you nuts yet Dad? LOL… It’s ok, because they have person business to tend to today.



Ok, so after I got home yesterday and took some medicine, I worked on my planter. I sat on the floor and put the pieces together with my trusty drill and box of wood deck screws!. I think its gonna be so cute when I am done. I sent a picture to my dad and his reply ended up being my title for today! He said I am turning into “quite the little carpenter” LOL… I thought that would be a great title. I joked with him that he is not allowed to come over and point out all the imperfections LMAO! I love you dad! I'm so happy I can attribute my anal retentiveness to someone better than me! LMAO... omg J/K but you gotta admit- THAT'S HILARIOUS!



I went to the store already this morning to get some stain for the outside of my planter. It’s nice and sunny outside today so it was perfect to apply the stain and get it to dry! Then all will be left is to staple the liner on the inside and load it up baby! WOOHOO! I’m gonna have some happy plants soon!! I love the color of the stain… it makes the box look so nice (I think)!



OMGoodness… I was so happy this morning. I woke up to start getting the kids ready for school and as I go into the kitchen guess what I saw? BIRDS! I saw pretty male AND female cardinals at my window eating the bird seed I have out for them! I managed to snap this picture and if you click and enlarge it, look on the bottom right corner and you can see one of the male’s bright red head’s outside the window! I love it! With all the early signs of nature so far, I am hoping for a beautiful spring!



OK everybody… I want to get a little serious and a little personal for a moment. I want to talk about something that hits close to home for me and many of people in the world today. Hoarding. Defined by the Mayo Clinic, “Hoarding is the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them. Hoarding often creates such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Some people also collect animals, keeping dozens or hundreds of pets in unsanitary conditions. It's not clear what causes hoarding. Some researchers believe that hoarding occurs on a continuum — some people may simply be considered harmless pack rats, while others have a much more severe form of collecting that is life-threatening. The condition is more likely to affect those with a family history of hoarding, so genetics and upbringing are likely among the triggering factors. Hoarding is currently considered a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but this classification is under debate. Many mental health researchers argue that, while some people with OCD have hoarding behavior, hoarding is not specific to OCD. In fact, one study found that hoarding was no more likely to be associated with OCD than with other anxiety disorders. Hoarding can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex or economic status. It's not clear how common hoarding is, though. That's partly because researchers have only recently begun to study it and partly because some people never seek treatment.

Here are some risk factors and features about hoarding that researchers have come to understand:
-Age. Hoarding usually starts in early adolescence, around age 12, and it tends to get worse with age.
-Family history. People are more likely to hoard if they have close family members who engage in compulsive hoarding.
-Stressful life events. Some people develop hoarding after experiencing a stressful life event that they had difficulty coping with, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, eviction or losing possessions in a fire.
-Social isolation. People who hoard are typically socially withdrawn and isolated. In many cases, the hoarding leads to social isolation. But, on the other hand, some people may turn to the comfort of hoarding because they're lonely.
-Perfectionism. People who compulsively hoard are often perfectionists. They worry about making the right decision about what to do with each possession — should they keep it or discard it? Trying to decide causes distress, so they avoid making a decision and simply keep everything.

Hoarding can cause a variety of complications, including: Unsanitary conditions that pose a risk to health, An inability to perform daily tasks, such as bathing or cooking, Poor work performance, Loneliness and social isolation, or a fire hazard.” I bring this all up because my mom calls herself and ME as well packrats. Yes I have a lot of junk… and OCD unfortunately… I don’t want to put the health and safety of my children or myself on the line because of material stuff. This is why decluttering, cleaning out storage, etc. is so vital to me this year. And if you have a problem out there, please don’t be embarrassed to seek help! I want happy healthy readers who are going to stick around for a LONG time!



Ok, enough seriousness… let’s talk FOOD! YUMMY! Dinner last night was absolutely divine! I made the fajita kit for the DS18 because he doesn’t care for seafood. As a good cook, I of course had to sample one LOL! It was good… of course… but never as good as homemade LOL!



My daughter and I ate the delicious snow crab I picked up as a gift/treat to her. Isn’t that a lovely sight? OMG it was very good… but they were young crabs for sure. My daughter was in hog heaven LOL! She thanked me and then said I was the "Most Awesome mom and I spoil her too much". She's probably right on both parts LOL! And sticking with the idea of seafood, because I love it so… here is your recipe for today!



Japanese Style Deep Fried Shrimp

Ingredients

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled (tails left on) and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko crumbs
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Place the shrimp in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and paprika. Place eggs and panko crumbs into separate bowls.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the panko crumbs to coat. Fry a few at a time until golden brown. This should take no longer than 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels before serving.

Alright everybody… that’s all for today! Hopefully by tomorrow I will have the planter lined and positioned and ready to fill so the plants can be happily homed! I’m gonna go clillax for awhile. Ya’ll take care and I’ll see ya tomorrow! HUGS!

BRINGING KROGER HOME!

Well a HUGE Hi there and hello to all my lovely people out there! How are you doing this crazy post-shopping morning? I am super exhausted and super sore! But super happy! And I’m up REALLY early as you can see. I had that super busy day yesterday I was telling you about. Check out my yesterday adventures in crazy town! LOL…

After I got the DS14 to school, I went over to Home Depot to pick up some lumber. Alright so I got my BOGO trash bags and BOGO plants and a few other things I found, including tape 4pks clearanced to $1. When I get to the Lumber section, the young man asked what I needed so I started telling them. He made very unprofessional comments like “Most people know what they want when they get here” and “Most people have a truck and I don’t have to cut these” etc. So I told him to step away and get me someone else. So ANOTHER good ol’ boy came over and asked what was going on… I told him and he called the other guy back over! He asked if he said those things and RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME… LIED and said NO!!!!!! Oh I was fuming! Long story short, I had to only get part of what I went for and I was so mad afterwards… well I spoke with the manager but I will be calling corporate too! That was totally uncalled for! You will NOT treat me like I know nothing just because I am a woman! I spend just as much money in there as other MEN do!! I’ve never had this problem before at this store, so it was very disheartening! Anyway, thanks to my dad for the 4x4 lumber rescue, I have all the pieces to now build my planter! Hopefully in the next day or so I will have it done and looking pretty awesome! I’m gonna stain the outside of the planter so that its pretty as well as functional! I will post picks when I am done with it. After my frustrating experience this morning, I went home to cool off for a bit.



But I was happy about the deals I found- being a member of the Garden Club, they email you coupons and I had one for B1G1 Free Glad Force Flex trash bags 100ct. box. Ok, so that one saved me $11.98. Then I had one for a B1G1F Houseplants… saved another $4.98… cool! I used that one to get 2 of these preety yellow mums. I brought them home and put them in a pot with some fresh soil and food and took it to my mom… its her Pot O’ Sunshine! I wanted to brighten her day! I also found Scotch 4pk scotch tape clearanced to $1 a pack (normally $5)! Good buys… very good buys! Was this a glimpse of things to come? YES! YES IT WAS!

Then after my period of “regrouping”, I went to the store to pick up some things for my parents. OMG peeps I HAVE to share with you all the super finds I got yesterday at my local Kroger. I swear they were clearancing the whole store! See I found these great buys when I went to the store in the morning for my mom (after my annoying Home Depot disaster!). As I was buying her foods on her list, I found tons of things! (I left the pictures full size, so if you want to enlarge it, then just click on the picture and it should open bigger so you can see it better!)



Here you see the first load I purchased when I bought my mom’s grocery list. All the bread and meats were marked down. And that’s all I got… everything was marked down! I got bread bowls for soups (which we used for supper), croissants, various loaves, cookies, a pie, brats, a Tyson Fajita kit, a long strip of trimmed brisket, etc. you name it! This order cost me $93.28… not bad really! I was quite shocked. I took the groceries out to my parents and chatted briefly for a while. Then it was off to pick up the kids!

OMG I so forgot to tell you about something my DS18 and I saw yesterday! Ok, so after school we went to pay the storage bill before going to the grocery store right? Well we come up the back road and we see this woman in the back of the Jack In the Box parking lot sitting on the edge of her car floorboard, door open, with her pants around her knees urinating! OMG are you serious?! WHY couldn’t she walk inside the stupid restaurant and use the restroom inside? My DS and I were so grossed out but laughing at the same time at her lack of class, etc. Oh if I would have had my camera with me I would have took her picture and given it to the cops and reported her! I mean, come on… what if a little kid had seen that?! Aside from that being downright tacky, god only knows if she had some kind of deadly or contagious germs she was releasing in public! YUCK! And if she is THAT worried about the cleanliness of the public bathroom… well Charmin makes a travel pack of those toilet seat covers… and I’d be happy to give her a few Charmin coupons!!!!!!!!



Ok, I got the rest of these items yesterday evening… after the kids were out of school and back home with the DH. I got tons of produce and more meat clearances! This is the produce buys… bags of precut salad, cut veggies, fruit platters, apples & cheese trays, all marked down! The mangos were on sale 10 for $10 and the onions I needed. Oh the green beans and red potatoes you ask? FRESH! Thrown some bacon and some diced onions and seasonings and OMG YUM!!!!!!! They were all on sale too!

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OK, this is more super buys on the meats. I got Chicken Leg Quarters in a 10 pound bag for 45 cents a pound, chicken drumsticks for 99c per pound, breast tenderloins, a whole chicken for 88c per pound, breakfast sausage links for $1 a pack, soup bones for 97c each, crab dip, cube steaks, organic chicken thighs, and more. The snow crab legs were NOT clearance priced, but they were a special surprise for my DD15 who absolutely LOVES steamed snow crab legs ($25 for both bags alone).



Here you see some of the non-clearance things I bought that I had coupons for and/or were on the 10 for $10 sale. Kroger had a special where you bought a combo of various Kellogg’s and Keebler stuff and you got 2 FREE gallons of milk! It also helped I had coupons for $1.00 off the cereals and crackers too huh? LOL! My mom gave me a great $2 off coupon for the cheese sticks I love so much and there is a gallon of vegetable oil hiding behind the evaporated milk too LOL!



And finally you see boxes of rice, pasta, etc. Yes Alex has a fetish with Mac & Cheese lately LOL so we got a bunch of them. Farfalle pasta and my chicken makes for yumminess! Coupons for the Rice A Roni (which was also on sale 10 for $10) and the Tony’s made them about 30 cents each!

So you see, I shopped till I literally dropped yesterday! The total for the night time shop was $190.56 plus the morning shop bringing the grand total to $283.84 and I saved $163.70 in coupons! And on top of that, I got $11 in register tape coupons off my next order (any purchase)! Add that to the $16.96 I saved in coupons at Home Depot as well as the clearance tapes… well I think I did really spiffy! Its was an AWESOME shopping day! BUT by the time I got home last night, I was super tired so the gang ate freezer meals… soups… with the promise I will make the crab tomorrow. They used the bread bowls for their soups… check these out!



The DD15 decided she wanted Chicken Fried Steak Soup… so that’s what she got- in a bread bowl! Homemade deliciousness wrapped in a piece of golden brown goodness!



The DS18 wanted the Chicken Taco soup… topped with a scoop of sour cream, some shredded cheese, and a few chipotle tortilla strips all tucked neatly in a bountiful bread bowl! I think the boy was in hog heaven!



And the DH decided he wanted Cream of Broccoli soup… and that’s what HE got LOL! I absolutely love the invention of bread bowls! Not only does it make for a pretty presentation, but you also get your bread at the same time, making this a one-dish wonder, AND it cuts down on the dishes I have to wash! YAY! That’s always a plus! Now before you go asking what DS14 and I ate… Alex devoured a link of sausage left over from last night and a box of macaroni and cheese. Once I got off my feet and relaxed… well I kinda fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Now… I have to admit, I kind of ditched the monthly menu when I found all the great buys… so I am just gonna sit and write up what I found and work that into the monthly days. PLUS I will still have the other ideas for the days left open. Whatever ideas remain will be carried over to the April menu. You saw in one of the pictures some organic boneless skinless chicken thighs, right? Well your recipe for today will utilize these for a very tropical zip sure to awaken your palate! (Yours do not “have” to be organic yadda yadda yadda LOL… just plain old chicken thighs are just as great!)



Baked Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

12 chicken thighs
1 cup apricot preserves
1 cup French dressing
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl combine the jam, dressing and soup mix. Mix together.
Place chicken pieces in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour apricot mixture over chicken and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

OK my faithful followers, I’m gonna let you go for today. I’m up real early, so I am gonna go make the kids something to eat before school and get them up and ready to go. Then its off to my parents again to help clean up mom’s fine china and move it into the new kitchen and clean out a space in her garage attic for none other than guess who? ME! LOL… she’s kindly housing my Christmas decorations so that I can eliminate that bill… remember that goal I set? Yep… I gave myself a deadline. The end of April… I want it cleaned out so that I don’t have to pay that bill anymore! Come May 1st, I will NOT pay it anymore! And there is a rental bill that won’t be far behind that being done YAY! Ok kids, I’m outta here! See ya tomorrow… HUGS!

COPYCATS & FARMERS FOODS

Well a crazy wet and rainy morning to you today! How do you like this “lovely” weather? I, quite frankly, am waiting for mother nature to decide what she wants to do LOL. So how are you today? I am surprisingly well really. I think I have most of that toxic yuck out of my body now… I’m really sore and tired, but those are my norms LOL. Got a busy day planned today, as the DD had to be at sectionals at 6am, so the day started early for me! Got to pick up some groceries, get some lunber, pay a couple of bills, etc… lots to do! Good thing I’m early and doing my blog already huh? LOL

I want to thank everyone for the comments and emails yesterday. You all make me smile each day and I just hope you find something useful from my entries… be it a new recipe, a new craft idea, or just a smile or giggle. I believe it’s essential that we laugh at least once per day… its healthy even. To Hazel… OMG I didn’t know you were in Canada! WOW! Ya know I’ve heard it’s lovely and very peaceful over there. Must be a great place to be. Yes we had a wonderful time and I am very excited for our next adventure LOL. A lot of people tell me I look like my father… and many tell me I look just like my mother and even mistake us for sisters LOL. Even the doctors asked if she was my sister when I was giving birth to my daughter!! Yes, my mother was with me when my kids we born (I told you we were close LOL). We don’t have an Aldi’s where I live, but I had read a while back that they are going to bring the first one to Texas soon… but it will still be over 300 miles away from me, so I doubt I’ll see it very often LOL. And to Jean… thanks for your comments too. I hope you get to feeling better soon darlin’… you are an asset to this blog! LOL one of you even suggested that maybe one day, we can have an annual get together… like a convention for a couple of days LOL! That’s an interesting idea… I see us going to the Market and having a grand ol’ time!



Ok, so I know I was gonna try to just relax yesterday… but it didn’t happen LOL! Every time I went to get a drink or throw something away in the kitchen, I would see all the beautiful farmers market finds and I wanted to cook. So I started with slicing up the pineapple. Now here is a tip for you all… Fresh pineapples (I mean right off the bush fresh) are high in acids. When grocers ship them to stores, they are packed in salt to neutralize the fruit’s acids. Many people don’t know that they should NOT eat a pineapple before it has been cured with sugar or salt… and I totally forgot. The ones brought over straight from Mexico are NOT packed and my daughter and I made the mistake of munching on it RIGHT after I sliced it! OMG hello! Her poor lips started to swell and I thought bout the salt. I felt so bad for her cause its so painful LOL. Ok, so I put that aside and decided that I would hollow out the 10-inch zucchinis so I could get them ready for sausage boats.



I also chopped the broccoli for lunch. I had a big sirloin steak I had got at the meat market for cheap, so I sliced that against the grain (so it cooked up nice and tender) and put the meat in some teriyaki marinade from Kroger that had pineapple juice in it. IDEA! Cure the pineapple by cooking it in the sugars and salts from the meat! LOL… Broccoli & Beef with Pineapple over white Rice for lunch with some fried broccoli on the side. Isn’t that just marvelous looking!? I was hoping to have some to freeze, but that didn’t happen LMAO!

Ok, so the freaked over lunch… now its time to prep for dinner. Remember the 4 pound cabbage I got? Peeled the outside 5 leaves and then quartered the head. Boiled all of it till tender. Take a pound of hamburger, some spices, cracker crumbs, and an egg and make some meatloaf rolls. Wrap those up in the cabbage leaves, spray the leaf with butter spray and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake about 20 minutes until the meat is cooked. The rest of the head is shredded and made into yummy Cheddar Cabbage Casserole! YUMMY!



Dinner will be pan sausage and cheese stuffed zucchinis from the market, mashed potatoes, and cheddar cabbage casserole. I topped the boats with extra shredded cheddar cheese too. Again, all the fresh farm ingredients making such a yummy meal. After such a big lunch, the gang could only take 1 boat and a scoop of sides each LOL! Maybe NOW I can freeze something?? LOL! Looks like a couple of extra meals finally YAY!

As for food for today… well finding mom’s lunch recipe for her inspired me to do an entry about Copycat restaurant recipes. There is a series of books out there called “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes” by Todd Wilber and in them he gives you the “secret recipes” to tons of different things from all over the place. McDonalds, Applebees, Chili’s, Olive Garden, you name it! I figure if I get the books and make my favorite things (and they turn out actually like the real deal LOL) then I’m gonna save myself money by having it on hand at home LOL! I got a favorite thing from tons of different places, so my quest continues (as does my buying of these books LOL) as time goes on! BUT here are some of my restaurant favorites that I figured I would share that are “copycat recipes”.



McDonalds Hot Mustard

Ingredients

1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of light corn syrup
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons ground dried mustard
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 to 14 drops habanero hot sauce

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small uncovered saucepan. Whisk until smooth.

2. Turn heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Sauce should thicken in 2 to 3 minutes after it begins to boil. Remove Sauce from heat and chill in refrigerator in a covered container. Makes 1 cup.



Popeye’s Famous Cajun Gravy

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 chicken gizzards
2 1/2 tablespoons minced green bell peppers
1/4 cup ground beef
1/4 cup ground pork, plus
2 tablespoons ground pork
2 cups water
14 ounces beef broth or chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Directions

1 Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large saucepan.
2 Saute chicken gizzard in the oil for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked.
3 Remove gizzard from the pan and finely mince.
4 Combine ground beef and ground pork in a small bowl.
5 Smash the meat together with your hands until it's well-mixed.
6 Add bell pepper to the saucepan and saute it for 1 minute.
7 Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan and cook it until it's brown.
8 Use a potato masher to smash meat into tiny pieces as it browns.
9 Add water and beef broth to the pan.
10 Immediately whisk in cornstarch and flour.
11 Add remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
12 Reduce heat and simmer gravy for 30 to 35 minutes or until thick.

This next “copycat” was for an appetizer that we had at Red Lobster on Sat. However, when I made it yesterday afternoon it turned out NOTHING like the one I tasted there. Now, I’m not fond of fried veggies really, but it was tasty… and my gang here was spazing loving the fried broccoli I made. This is MY picture and the supposed copycat recipe (which I followed to the “T” btw).



Red Lobster Fried Broccoli

Exported from MasterCook *

Ingredients

shortening (for deep frying)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour -- divided
4 tablespoons grated American cheese -- divided
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3 cups Broccoli Florets, Cleaned and Dried -- (you Can Steam Them First to Have a Tender Texture or Just Use Raw)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat 2 or 3 inches shortening to 365°F in deep fryer or deep saucepan.
2. Combine 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons cheese and onion powder in large plastic bag.
3. Add broccoli.
4. Shake to coat.
5. Combine buttermilk, baking powder, remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 tablespoons cheese and salt in small bowl.
6. Stir until smooth.
7. Dip several broccoli pieces in batter.
8. Drain off excess.
9. Fry a few at a time in Crisco Shortening heated to 365°F.
10. Fry 1 or 2 minutes or until deep golden brown.
11. Turn as needed for even browning.
12. Remove with slotted spoon.
13. Drain on paper towels.
14. Serve immediately.

OK everybody, that’s gonna do it for today. I’m gonna get the DS14 up and ready for school and then I’m out the door running! I got my tennies on and ready to hit the road LOL! Have to, with as busy as my day is gonna be LOL! So until tomorrow… Peace, Love, and lots of HUGS!!