Summer Roma salad~

I love this salad in the summer!

3-4 roma tomatoes,chopped and seeded
1/2 red onion chopped
1/4 Cup mozzarella cheese
2 tsp fresh basil chopped
salt and pepper
dash of parm cheese and garlic powder
olive oil to taste(about 1-2 TBSP)

Throw all ingredients together in bowl and serve chilled.Great for picnics

Paula made this amazing looking "BBQ pizza" on her show last night. She actually grilled the crust before adding the toppings then cooked it in the oven. I'm so going to make this.



Perfect Storm Pizza Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2008
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1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded barbecue rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 pound pizza dough, recipe follows or store-bought
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup small diced yellow bell peppers
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
Sour cream, optional

Preheat a large, 2 burner cast iron grill over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Toss chicken in 3/4 cups of the barbecue sauce.

Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface roll 1 piece into a 10-inch circle. Stretch it by hand to make it an oval so it will fit on the grill. It doesn't have to be perfectly shaped but try to make the thickness as even as possible.

Lightly brush 1 side of the dough with olive oil. Transfer to the preheated grill, oiled side down and brush the other side with olive oil. Within 1 minute the dough should begin to puff and get crisp on the bottom. Flip the dough over and grill another minute or so until marked and crisp. Transfer the grilled pizza crust to a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

Spread 3/4 cup of barbecue sauce on top of pizza crust. Scatter chicken, the cheeses, diced peppers and green onions over crust. *Cook's Note: Do not over top the pizza or it will be too heavy for the crust and will make it soggy.

Bake the pizza in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut pizzas into wedges and serve with sour cream if desired.

I'm so LOST

I'm totally baffled by the show "Lost".
I watched the 1st season and actually enjoyed it.It was different and mysterious but where the heck did it go?! It's gone off in all kinds of crazy directions.I sit and watch it( not by choicwe,it's the only tv show my hubby watches every week) and my mouth just hangs open. It's so confusing.
The characters die then come back,there's time travel,weird black smoke that eats people,etc etc
I guess when I watch tv I want it to be enjoyable and relaxing not give me a headache.Maybe it's me.

a shameless gush

Ok,I don't know if I'm old enough to be considered a "cougar" or not.(the term Meredith uses in the video to refer to all of us ummhmmm "older fans")
Heck maybe I am but who cares! I just think David Cook is the sexiest and cutest thing to come along in awhile!
I love his voice,his hair,gush,gush ok I better quit.

BBQ

I have a real problem with BBQ sauce,I could seriously put it on anything.
I've been on a quest to find a really good homemade BBQ sauce recipe.I've tried a few but none of them made my mouth water so I'm experimenting with my own.
I made a batch that was so spicy my mouth burned for 2 days and then another one tasted like poo so I made this one last night and I must say I thought it was my best so far.
It's still a work in progress but here it is.

3 cups ketchup
3 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP maple syrup
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP prepared mustard
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP garlic powder
dash of lemon juice
1 tsp paprika
dash of hot sauce
If you want more heat I'd add some cayenne pepper,but not too much if you value your taste buds!

I used it on chicken and I'm going to try ribs next.

Just get me a saddle

My 5 year old daughter looks at me last night and oh so sweetly and sincerely says" you're just as cute as a horse!"
lol,good to know.

Whew

These 3 day holiday weekends always wear me out.
Here are some photos from the lake this past Saturday.

Happy Memorial Day

Well,I have too many different thoughts swirling around in my head to actually write about anything in particular today.
It's been a long week.
Some of the highlights~
~trip to ER for 2 yr old,he's a-ok now thank god.
~same 2 yr old got an eraser stuck in his nose
~still looking for a house~very aggravating
~many end of year school functions
~got a new cell phone that I love but can't figure out
~went to the lake yesterday,had a picnic and went out on a boat.Fun but my 5 yr old daughter screamed bloody murder every time we went over 3 MPH.
~got sunburned
Today we'll be doing major cleaning around here and the yard is in sad, sad shape.
I'm thinking we might just have a quiet Memorial Day at home tomorrow.
Hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend.

Gloomy Friday

Well,it's a new day and after several meltdowns and a glass of merlot last night
I'm feeling a bit more on top of things today.
Sometimes we all have those days don't we?
It's a dark and dreary one here today and I absolutely have to run some errands that I've been putting off all week.
My middle son had his 1st cub scout event this week and it's been postponed due to the weather.He's so not happy about that. He just wants to be involved in everything and I'm so glad that he's social. I've been noticing some changes in him recently.He comes home and changes his clothes and he has this obsession with spiking his hair all up. He sprays about 1/2 a bottle of gel in it then asks me"do I look cool?"
Of course I tell him he does then I show him that you really don't need all that much gel to get that spike that he's looking for.lol!
He's just so funny and growing up every day.Time just flies at lightening speed I guess.My oldest daughter is approaching her 13th birthday this November and that just blows my mind.
My oldest son will be elegible for his temp driving premit in 9 months!!! What!!??
He's also trying to get a job at a grocery store nearby.You can only work 20 hours a week at his age but I think it would be wonderful for him!

Well, anyway I'm off to do some cleaning and run my endless errands.
Let's hope the sun decides to poke it's head out for a bit today!

update~it's now almost 4 pm and it's turned into a gorgeous day!!YAY!

One of those days!

Ok,have you ever had one of those days that NOTHING goes right??!! You trip,wake up late,burn breakfast,get into arguments,battle with your kids,get a big pimple under your nose,drop the raw chicken on the floor,have a headache,can't seem to make anyone happy,still in your pajamas and unbrushed teeth and then drop red Crystal Light on the cream colored carpet.
Yep,that's been my wonderful Thursday so far and it's only 1:30 in the afternoon!!
Can I go back to bed now?
~SIGH~ I hope it gets better is all I can say.

Happy Mothers Day

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born.

One day the child asked God, "They tell me that you are sending me to Earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there, being so small and helpless?"

And God answered. "I chose an angel for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you.

"But here in Heaven all I ever do is sing and smile and laugh. That's enough for me to be happy.

"Your angel will sing for you and will smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy.


"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language that men speak?" "Your angel will speak to you using the sweetest, most beautiful words you will ever hear; and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.
"And what am I going to do when I talk to you?"

"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.


I've heard that on Earth there are bad men. Who will protect me from them?" "Your Angel will defend you, even if it means risking her own life.


"But I will be sad because I will not see You anymore.


"Your angel will talk to you about Me, and will teach you the way so that you can come back to Me, though I will always be beside you.


At that moment there was much peace in Heaven. Voices from Earth could already be heard, and the child asked softly.

"God, if I am about to leave now, would you please tell me my angel's name?"

"You will call your angel: Mommy.

~AUTHOR~unknown

kicked up turkey chili

I thought I'd share one of my favorite chili recipes.I made it for lunch today and it's fairly low carb and low in fat so not too much guilt.lol

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 large vidalia onion~chopped
1 TBSP minced garlic
salt and pepper
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
small jar of Ragu original (weird I know but it really is sooo good)
same jar of Ragu filled with water
TBSP of each~chili powder (I actually use 2)
cumin
paprika
cayenne pepper
chili flakes
dash of brown sugar(my little secret)
sometimes I add a can of beans but usually not

brown turkey well in a dutch oven then add onion and garlic.Cook over med heat for a few minutes longer.
In seperate bowl mix all other ingredients then add to turkey.
The longer you simmer the better!
It's a bit on the spicy side but really tasty.
Serve with cheese,sour cream,jalepenos(for the REALLY brave),red onion,or whatever you like in your chili.
YUM!

Wow

I saw this on TV this morning and it is just amazing.
I could never in a blue million years get on that thing but boy I bet it is breathtaking.
I've always wanted to go there(on my list!)but I never knew this even existed.
Just incredible.

http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/

Feather pen,lol

I don't have much to say tonight but just thought this was too cute!!!!
I'm watching American Idol with my middle daughter(she loves this show),GO DAVID COOK!!!

Some roses never fade

I've been so bad about unpacking boxes since we've moved.I guess it just seems so final to me to actually take some of the things out and try to find a new place for them.
This past weekend I started with a box of my Old Country Roses china.This is one I've really been putting off but I knew it was asking for trouble to leave them in a box on the floor much longer.
I took the pieces out one by one and the 1st thing that I recalled was the evening before we moved a few months ago.My oldest daughter was wrapping the plates and for the 1st time she was asking questions about the china.I told her that her dad had gotten me 4 place settings for Christmas the year she was born and that's how my collection began.Over the years I've added many pieces and every single one has a story or memory attached to it.
My sister-in-law (she's not my sil anymore but I still consider her my sister) collected it too and there were many trips to the outlet store scouring for that special piece. When she and my brother in law divorced she gave me her collection so every time I take it out and use it I think of her.
This china is taken out only once or twice a year for Christmas or Thanksgiving or maybe a special party. There are so many wonderful memories that came back to me as I was carefully putting each piece in the china cabinet. I know that will see many more special occasions and hopefully will be enjoyed by my daughters when the time comes.I intend to split it all up between the 3 of them as they get older.
I hope they love it as much as I do.