And so... the story goes...

Saturday was a total BUST for strawberries. The plants were burned and shriveled and ... well ... strawberry-less.

I whined and complained to the girl at the counter about how this time last year we were picking strawberries, and she confirmed that we INDEED were... but the start of summer has been brutally hot and has burned off the plants. They picked their last batch of Ovation Strawberries three weeks earlier this year than last!

Humph.

So we picked black raspberries instead.

And we got red raspberries, too -- but honestly? I love the taste of the black raspberries far more than red. AND? I can't WAIT until blackberry season. Mid-July.

So far, as of this posting... I have canned Black Raspberry Jam, Red Raspberry Jam, Strawberry Jam (Yeah -- I cheated -- I bought strawberries) and Pina Colada Jam.

Did you catch that??? Pina Colada Jam!

Oh, MY WORD -- it is the Jam of Kings -- Hawaiian Kings, that is. It is so delicious, and the recipe is a State Fair award winner. I may just enter it in our State Fair... if I can work up the nerve.

Final Jamming Tally:

9 half pints of Black Raspberry Jam
1 pint of Black Raspberry Jam
6 and 1/2 half pints of Red Raspberry Jam
1 pint of Red Raspberry Jam
8 half pints of Strawberry Jam
1 pint of Strawberry Jam
9 half pints of Pina Colada Jam
1 pint of Pina Colada Jam

Very patriotic, dontcha think?

One comment: As I'm not a raspberry lover, I must say that I find the seeds in the jam to be bothersome. Annoying, actually. Maybe next year, I'll try a different recipe.

I may not eat toast for a few weeks.

Who am I kidding?

WFMW: The Five-Ingredients-Or-Less Edition

EDITED to ADD: ONE MORE RECIPE!!! And ... IT COOKS ITSELF!! WOOT!

This is the special Five-Ingredient-Or-Less Edition of Works for me Wednesday, hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! It was hard to keep the recipes under 5 ingredients, so I didn't count salt and pepper as an "ingredient" -- even though technically, it is. Also, I didn't count the pasta as an "ingredient" either ... just use your imagination. Its a shame it wasn't the 6-ingredient-or-less edition!

Also, make sure you take a few moments to check out all the other 5-ingredients-or-less recipes that are being shared over there!!

As a side note: Can you tell which ingredients I love to use the most??

Easy Creamy Pasta Dish

1) 1 Jar of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce
2) Ground Beef
3) 1/4 onion, chopped
4) 1 clove garlic, crushed
5) Cream Cheese

Cooked Angel Hair Pasta

Season ground beef with salt and pepper and brown with onion and garlic. Strain out fat. Return to pan and add spaghetti sauce. Heat thoroughly. Add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Serve over cooked pasta (Angel Hair spaghetti cooks up within 4 minutes) and top with Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Primavera ("spring style") Pasta

The following recipe is a great way to use up all your garden vegetables -- any combination will do.

1) 2-3 tablespoons butter with a swirl of olive oil
2) 3 cups of chopped vegetables from your garden -- any combination will do (sweet onion, asparagus, carrots, squash, zucchini, tomatoes)
3) 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4) 2 cup heavy cream
5) 1 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, additional for topping

Cooked thick spaghetti (tubed pastas don't seem to work as well)

In a large, family-sized pan, heat up the butter and oil. Add the vegetables and cook until almost caramelized (add tender veggies last). Add the cream and simmer until the sauce is just thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Add cooked pasta and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, toss to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with additional Parmesan cheese.

Strawberry-Infused Lemonade

The lemonade is a really pretty corally-color, and has a wonderful flavor to it. The recipe is best when made early enough that you can chill it.

1) 2-1/2 cups of water
2) 5 washed and hulled strawberries (I slice them up)
3) 1-1/2 cups sugar (or 1-3/4 cups, depending on how sweet you like your lemonade)
4) Juice of juice 6 lemons (1 cup and a little extra)
5) 3 cups cold water

In a small saucepan, make a syrup by bringing to a boil the water, strawberries, and sugar; soft-boil for 3 minutes.

In the mean time, combine the lemon juice, and 3 additional cups of water. Stir well. Add your strawberry syrup (at this point, you can choose to either leave the strawberries in or remove them).

Taste (remember that it will be hot) to make sure it's sufficiently sweet (if not, add more sugar), or if it's overly sweet (if so, add more water or lemon juice). Cool in refrigerator ... unless you're too anxious to wait, pour over a lot of ice. If you can stand the wait, chill for several hours before serving. It is even better the next day.

I forgot to include this recipe, and when I put my name on the Mister Linky, I typed in 4 recipes, but when I went to get my link, I only saw 3 recipes -- it didn't compute in my poor old brain until AFTER I published my link.

Anyway, while this may sound like an odd concoction, it really works, and tastes fabulous together.

Slow-cooked Roast

1) 1 Beef Round Eye Round Roast
2) 1 envelope dry Good Season's Italian Dressing Mix
3) 1 envelope dry Ranch Dressing Mix
4) 1 envelope dry Mushroom Gravy Mix
5) 1-1/2 cups water

In a medium sized bowl, mix all dry mixes together. Rub all over beef roast. Place roast in crock pot and pour reminder dry ingredients all over roast and around roast.

Pour water around roast, being careful to not let it pour over roast.

Cook for 8 hours, turning roast once.

Thicken juices for gravy (taste first ... may need to be diluted a bit so it doesn't taste too strong).

It's What Memories Are Made Of! (and Monday Menu Plan)

This weekend was a bit of a blur. Busy picking berries, crushing berries, jamming berries... but more about that in a later post. Promise.

But, in the rush-about of this busy weekend, I also managed to squeak a trip in to Costco on Saturday, and was shocked at how much MEAT is going up! Now, you need to understand something -- I'm TOTALLY a beef girl. And to see my precious and beloved meat SKYROCKETING in price just breaks my heart! Even ground beef!!! Phooey!

I must have looked at all the meat for over a half hour trying to decide what to do, and finally chose a pack of fat tenderloin pork chops (not my favorite, but cheap), some ground beef, a package of London Broil, salmon, a big bag of frozen chicken breasts, and some asparagus. And when I grabbed the package of Salmon, I was only thinking of my sister and brother in law, because they are practically the only people we can enjoy grilled salmon with. They love it as much as we do, and for some odd reason, I really enjoy Costco's salmon over any other! Maybe it's because it is farm-raised, and lacks in that wild-sockeye-fishy flavor (oh, don't get me wrong -- it's fishy, just not OVERLY fishy), or maybe because I'm spending less on the package at Costco. That really makes me happy.

So when I got home, I called my sister-in-law (forgetting they were at the beach for the weekend) and invited them for dinner on Sunday. They called back to say they would join us! YAY! Hunter was over the moon with excitement!

So Sunday, we enjoyed a wonderful meal of Caesar salads (with homemade dressing, of course), Asparagus with a lemony mayo topping, Teriyaki Grilled Salmon, and Pene with tomatoes, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese and a splash of cream... and a yummy fruit salad with a dollop of homemade whipped cream with Splenda on top. It was such a wonderful and delicious way to cap the busy weekend off. So good. So easy. It's what memories are made of!

And let me just say -- my boy can chow DOWN on salmon. At one point, he even reached over to the serving dish and grabbed a second slab of salmon without us noticing! Naughty boy! But how can you fault him when he's eating something so healthy!


Moving on to Menu Plan Monday -- You simply must join Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie for TONS of tips and ideas for fresh and easy menus for your busy week! This week, it's being hosted by Laura at Heavenly Homemakers... Here's mine:

• Hamburgers, salad, leftover Pene with added sauteed sweet onion slices, chunks of tomatoes, squash and zucchini chunks
• Rigatoni and meat sauce, salad, whole grain bread
  
• Shredded Pork tacos with corn tortillas, fresh corn and black bean salad
  
• Salmon and Cheddar Impossible Pie, sauteed garlicky spinach
  
• Marinated London Broil, salad, grilled potatoes and carrots
• 4th of July picnic at my in-laws home (I'll be making a coconut cake for my FIL, and individual cheesecakes, and maybe a side)
• Dinner out at the Japanese Steak House with out of town guest (maybe -- depending on budget)

BloggedIn Bounty ($100 Target Card) and Menu Plan Monday

Did you say you need a new purse? Or those cute capri's you looked at the other day while you were strolling through Target? Oh, you know the ones.... well, the lovely people from Blogged-In Network are offering us all a chance to win, win, WIN! A! Free! Gift! Card! From Target! For $100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So what are you waiting for? Click on the box and start earning points by following a few easy instructions! Momma needs a NEW PAIR OF SHOES!!! (oh, okay -- baby and daddy do too.)

Moving on to Menu Plan Monday , Laura fromI'm an Organizing Junkie hosts the weekly edition of Menu Plan Monday -- make sure you check out her website! She's incredibly encouraging...

So, this week's menu is kind of loosey-goosey ... kind of ... and then again, kind of NOT. But I reserve the right to change it if I don't feel like cooking, because I'm BEAT, y'all, and I don't even know why. Darn hormones! Anyhoooo ... onto the food part:

1. Monday: Grilled Burgers with Chipotle (mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!) Rub with potato salad and baked beans
2. Tuesday:Creamy Sherry Chicken over Rice with Broccoli (never quite got to it last week)
3. Wednesday: Dinner for a dollar at church
4. Thursday: Penne with Meat Sauce and Caesar Salad
5. Friday: Grilled Chicken Legs with Moroccan rub with Jasmine Rice and Salad
6. Saturday: Unknown at this time.
7. Sunday: Japanese Steak House -- Woot!!!!

So... what's on your menu???

On another note, my husband and I have taken a young couple in our church "under our wing," per say. She doesn't know how to cook, and I told her I would teach her how. So, I'm asking YOU for some ideas for meals that picky eaters can eat that fall within the following categories: easy, inexpensive, not exotic, child-friendly, crock pot ideas, casserole ideas.

Please... any ideas would be awesome, since right now, she only knows how to burn things, and her husband ends up cooking for the three of them (they have a 4 year old). I'd like to put together a simple cook book for her!! Thanks for your input.

Also -- is anyone interested in doing a recipe exchange via Mr. Linky for meals you can fix for shut-ins, sick friends and family, new moms, or someone that just needs a fresh meal prepared for them? You would post the ideas on your own blog on one particular day, and then sign up on the Mr. Linky. Give me your thoughts on this!!

Have an awesome day!

WFMW: Raspy-Grater-Zester!

Thanks to Shannon from Rocks in my Dryer for hosting the weekly Works for me Wednesday Carnival! Head on over for a lot of useful tips!



These have got to be the "funnest" set of tools that I have in my kitchen. Before I got them, I tried everything, and I do mean everything... a box grater, a knife, a cheap hand-held grater I got at WalMart... the list goes on and on. All I would get is a slimy, juicy mess, or big pieces of peel (not zest).

But then, I started seeing the two different Microplane brand zester/graters on all of my favorite cooking shows, so, I went out and purchase each one, at different times, and it has revolutionized my zesting and grating! I also have a Pampered Chef zester, but I only use it for decorations, as it leaves me with long strings of zest.

The Microplane "rasp" is awesome for zesting citrus fruit, ginger, coconut, and even for grating hard spices like cinnamon sticks or whole nutmeg. The Microplane "grater" is awesome for grating hard cheeses like Parmesan, as well as coconut, too. The Pampered Chef zester is great for getting long, thin slivers of a citrus peel (they sometimes curl nicely) for decoration.

How to use them:

1. Rasp-style Zester and hand-held Grater: Hold the item being grated or zested (like a piece of hard cheese or a lemon) on the top, and run it on top of the grater. I use the grater for grating cheese which I use for my home made Caesar dressing/salad, over pasta, or in an Italian recipe.

2. Pampered Chef Zester: Hold the zester in your dominant hand and the fruit in the palm of your other hand and pull on the zester from top to bottom of the fruit.

Of course, as with all graters or zesters, you must use caution that you don't "rake your fingers!"

Menu Plan Monday

Laura and I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts the weekly edition of Menu Plan Monday -- make sure you check out her website! She's amazing...

(Go HERE for today's post)

Anyhooooo -- here's my menu plan (for what it's worth--lol!):

Penne and Meat Sauce with Salad
Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salads
Asian Salads with Grilled Beef Strips
Grilled Pork Chops with Baked Beans and Corn on the Cob
Creamy Sherry Chicken over Rice with Broccoli
Dinner for a dollar at Church on Wednesday

This coming weekend, I might take on the daunting task of teaching myself how to make homemade bread... all the frightening details coming your way next week!

And that's about all the excitement my household can handle right now! Head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans!

Menu Plan Monday

For today's Post on Gentleness, go HERE.

Money is WAY tight, because I was off from work for 6 days without pay when I had Pneumonia a few weeks ago. That paycheck just hit us, so my wonderful in-laws helped us out with some groceries. Another way God has provided for us!! thank goodness, Laura and I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts the weekly edition of Menu Plan Monday to help keep me accountable! This week, she has a list of recipe sites that allow you to enter in a list of ingredients you have on hand in order to get a list of corresponding recipes. She also has most of her menu plans linked to the recipes. Go check her out!!

Anyway, for the next two weeks, or menu will be simple, yet hopefully filling and nourishing. The following is a list of meals I have planned for this week (not in any particular order). One thing I noticed... I have found it easier for me to just make a list of meals, and then pick which meal I think is appropriate for the day.

Tonight for sure: Crockpot Creamed Chicken* with Sherry over Rice, with sweet peas
Tacos
One-skillet Tamale Pie (ground beef) with salad
Grilled marinated Chicken with Parmesan Rice, and brussel sprouts
Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with salad
Dinner out one night for my brother-in-law's birthday

*Crockpot Creamed Chicken

6-8 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 large can Cream of Mushroom Soup
8 ounces Sour Cream
1 can sliced mushrooms (or about 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms)
1/4 cup Sherry or white wine
Garlic Powder and Season Salt

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with garlic powder and season salt. Set aside. In the crock pot, mix the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and sherry (or wine) until smooth. Add the mushrooms (with their juice) and stir. Add the chicken, and coat with the mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over steamed rice with a side of sweet peas or salad (or both!).

And ... Just for Susanne:

Parmesan Rice

2 Cups rice
4 Cups water
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoon butter
4 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/4-1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Freshly chopped Italian Parsley

Place rice, water, and salt in pot with tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until rice is done, about 20 minutes. To hot rice, add butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese. Toss to mix and coat thoroughly. Toss in parsley. Serve hot.

Variations: You can add the juice of one lemon and lemon zest, or you can add a handful of frozen peas and maybe some chopped ham.

Menu Plan Monday

Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie hosts the Menu Plan Monday, and since our budget is currently tight, I thought it was time for some accountability again! So here is my menu...

Monday: Lazy Shepherd's Pie -- Ground beef w/ onions, mixed veggies, beef gravy, covered with mashed potatoes, baked until bubbly.

Tuesday: Chicken Quesadillas w/ rice & beans - cheap, easy -- seasoned shredded cooked chicken with onions and red peppers, flour tortillas and cheddar cheese.

Wednesday: Dinner for a Dollar at Church -- Dinner -- for one dollar a person -- $3? DEAL!

Thursday: Dirty rice with salad -- boxed dirty rice, ground beef (we toss in some raisins, too), salad

Friday: Shredded Pork Tacos - Crock pot recipe in soft corn tortillas

Saturday: Homemade Mac-N-Cheese w/ ham -- a new recipe I'm trying -- an Italian Mac-N-Cheese with white cheddar cheese, gruyier (sp?) cheese and chunks of ham (one ham steak)

Sorry I'm late posting this, but work has been wicked crazy! Please go to Laura's blog and check out the couple hundred (as in over 200!) menu plans!

WFMW: Quick "Bare-Pantry-Leftover" Meals

This week, Shannon's Works for me Wednesday is THEMED! Yay ... love those ... because I don't have to scour my brain for ideas! Today, it's the WFMW: What Do I Fix? Edition. When you've had a hectic day, everyone is tired, hungry, and you don't feel well, but still have to fix dinner on whatever is in the pantry... here are a couple easy suggestions (one that I make, and one that my husband made just last night). Usually, we are using leftover veggies, or veggies that weren't fully used in another recipe (like half of an onion, or half of a red pepper, or an extra un-cooked steak).

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

This is a take-off of the "hay and straw" pasta dish (which is another fast and easy dish to fix). I love this, because it's so fast and easy, and you can toss in whatever you want! I usually will add whatever I have in the fridge (mushrooms, onions, etc.), but if you don't like something on the list, just replace it with something you do like. The key is the spaghetti, cream, and the Parmesan cheese. As long as you keep those three things on the list, you can change everything else. It looks like a lot of steps, but once you read through it and familiarize yourself with the recipe and the instructions, you'll find that it goes a lot faster than you think. I usually have dinner (serve with a side salad and bread) on the table in 15 minutes.

Spaghetti (enough for your family)
2 frozen chicken breasts, sliced into strips
olive oil (for cooking chicken strips)
salt / pepper (to taste)
1/2 onion, sliced thinly (or chopped)
1 clove garlic, minced (use garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic)
4 slices bacon
6 fresh mushrooms (optional), cleaned and sliced
2 tablespoons real butter
1/2 bag frozen peas and carrots
1 - 2 cups heavy cream (depending on how much spaghetti you make)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or more, depending on how much spaghetti you make)

My mouth is watering already.

Begin by placing a large pot of water on to boil. Add a mound of salt to the water (about a quarter-sized mound is perfect). When the water comes to a rolling boil, cook spaghetti according to package directions. For a quick meal, angel-hair only takes like 6-8 minutes. For the thick spaghetti (which I adore), it will take 12 minutes.

In a medium-sized frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Set aside on paper towel to drain, then crumble. To the bacon drippings, pour enough oil into the pan to coat the bottom and keep the chicken from sticking. Add the chicken to the hot pan, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook thoroughly, and remove from pan -- set aside. To the same pan, add the 2 tablespoons of butter, and toss in the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and frozen veggies. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft, tender, and caramelized. Add the chicken and crumbled bacon. Cook until heated through. Everything should be done right around the same time the pasta finishes cooking.

Drain the cooked pasta and put back into the pot. Add the chicken mixture, the Parmesan cheese and the heavy cream slowly. Stir pasta well. Add enough cream that it coats the pasta and mixes well with the Parm cheese so it makes a thick sauce. Adding more whipping cream will make it creamier, adding more Parmesan cheese will thicken it. I usually do not go by measurements here, but rather, eyeball it. Season with salt and pepper to taste (it wont need much, but it will need it, because the cream is not salty).

Steak and Noodles

I had to work late last night, and I came home to a delicious meal that my husband "threw together" from stuff in the pantry. He didn't have exact measurements, so he kind of just eyeballed it, too. You can substitute the peppers and onions for the frozen stir fry vegetables.

Egg Noodles (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
1 steak, cut into strips
1 garlic clove, chopped or minced
red peppers cut into strips
green peppers cut into strips
onion cut into thin strips
leftover brown (beef) gravy (we had 1/2 jar in the fridge)
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix or Beef Onion soup mix
2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce (I think that's how much he used)
Water

Begin by placing a large pot of water on to boil. Add a mound of salt to the water (about a quarter-sized mound is perfect). When the water comes to a rolling boil, cook pasta according to package directions.

In a large (family-sized) pan, add a little bit of oil, and the steak. Cook until done. Add the garlic and vegetables and continue to cook until tender. Add the gravy, the soup mix, and soy sauce. Add enough water to make a nice sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until ready to serve. Serve over pasta.

You can also add broccoli, carrots, or anything else that floats your boat!

A Little "Q & A" and Some Yummy Recipes

Today, I'm going to answer a gazillion questions that I've been asked, but haven't gotten around to. The topics are: Caesar Salad Dressing, Christmas Cookie Ornaments; and Cookie Recipes. If you've asked a burning question that I've missed, leave me a comment and I'll get to it right away! Sorry this post is long, so if you want to get right to the cookie recipes, go to the bottom.

Recently, I participated in Works for me Wednesday and posted about "Safe Eggs," and I included my recipe for homemade Caesar Salad Dressing. The following questions/comments were posted, and I thought I'd address each of them:

Stacey from Just Me and my Guys commented:

"I can't eat the Caesar salad because I can't seem to get past the fact that they have anchovies in them! Got any ideas for that??"

Why, yes Stacey ... I have a couple ideas. Try using anchovy paste. I promise it doesn't have a strong fish flavor at all, and it's not as salty and oily. They sell it in a tube, and I usually find it around the Italian imported foods. If you're worried about the strong fish flavor, then reduce the amount by half, and finger-taste-test it (dip your finger in it) after you process it to see how it tastes. If you're really, REALLY worried about it, then try the recipe without the anchovy paste, just be sure to add salt. Hope that helps.

Amanda (no blog address) commented:

Why not use whole anchovies if you're going for a true Caesar? They really don't taste "fishy," if that's your concern. But I applaud you for using anchovy paste! Bravo!

Thank you for the applause, but it's not necessary. Actually, I chose not to use the whole anchovy for several reasons: I find them to be very, VERY salty (stiff, in fact, from so much salt); I find them to be very greasy when packed in oil; I do find them to be very strong in flavor. I find that if I use anchovy paste, my 2 year old is more likely to eat it, my husband doesn't balk at the fishy taste, and I'm satisfied with the important "body of flavor" that anchovy paste really does add to the dressing. It's one of those "flavor layering" things, I guess.

And finally, "K" (no blog address) commented:

"If I use these eggs can I go back to eating raw cookie dough again?"

(she's referring to using pasteurized eggs)

Well, "K" ... I just don't see why not! If they are safe for a raw-egg dressing, then in my book, they are safe for cookie dough! Woot! Dig in, girl!

Last week, I participated in Momrn2's Christmas Traditions carnival (check it out -- there are a couple new participants that have been added). I posted several new and older traditions that my family enjoys. And guess what??? I got a few questions from that post, too.

Momrn2 from My Quiet Corner said:

"...I think you need to post instructions and recipes on how to make your cookie ornaments. If you already have I missed it somehow!

What a fantastic idea!"

Well, I purchased extra large, gargantuan, beautiful cookie cutters from coppergifts.com -- made a large-batch sugar cookie dough from a recipe they sent with my beautiful cookie cutters (recipe follows). I didn't change a thing, either. I just followed their recipe. I decorated the cookies using items coppergifts.com sells -- they have everything you need, and they also show samples of decorated cookies when you hover your mouse over the actual cookie cutter. I used things like the White Cookie Icing in a bottle (similar to an Elmer's glue bottle) by Wilton. It dried ROCK HARD (no offense, Wilton), and worked beautifully. I also used various sanding sugars, edible glitters, Luster Dust, and other decorating items from coppergifts.com -- I whole-heartedly recommend visiting their site!! (Actual cookie recipes courtesy of Copper Gifts at bottom of this post)

Carey from Sunny Days at the Beach commented:

"...got a question about your homemade ornaments...from dough...how long do they last? Do they last for years? Can you share the applesauce recipe?"

Well, actually -- I packed all the cookies I made last year (because, frankly ... it was a LOT of work that I didn't want to throw away) in gallon-sized zip lock bags. I pulled them out to peek at them over the weekend, and with the exception of a few beheaded gingerbread people and snowmen, they look beautiful! I'm considering spraying them with Krylon's Acrylic Crystal Clear sealer in Matte to seal in their beauty.

As for the homemade applesauce recipe, I think there was a misunderstanding. I meant to say homemade ornaments with an applesauce and cinnamon recipe. Or maybe I should have said, "homemade cinnamon and applesauce ornaments." Either way, you can find many recipes on line (I linked the one I'll be using above). As for a homemade Applesauce recipe, well -- I don't have one, but Sandy at 4 Reluctant Entertainers has an excellent recipe. I'm sure she'll share it with you!

Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie was also looking for large-batch cookie recipes, so as promised above, here are a few tried and true large batch recipes:

Big Batch Sugar Cookies
Use this basic dough to make any of your favorite shapes.

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (less if making thick cookies)
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Mix well. Chill in large pancake shapes wrapped in parchment or wax
paper for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees before baking cookies. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat mats to prevent cookies from spreading. On surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll dough to approx. 1/8" thick. Use copper cookie cutters dipped in powdered sugar to cut dough into shapes. Bake on baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges. This recipe can
make up to 5 dozen - 4-6" cookies.

Big Batch Royal Icing Recipe
Royal icing is the best for decorated cookies because it sets up so nicely. Cookies can then be used in bouquets or placed in pretty gift bags. Some royal icing doesn't taste good, but by adding flavorings you can make it taste delicious!

3 pounds powdered sugar
4 heaping Tbsp meringue powder
water
3/4 tsp clear vanilla
3/4 tsp butter flavoring
1/2 tsp almond flavoring

Put 2 lbs of powdered sugar in your mixer bowl. Add the meringue powder. Thoroughly mix the two. Add approximately 1/2 c. warm water or just enough that the frosting is fairly thin. Add the flavorings in the amounts shown or adjust them to your own taste. Add the last pound of powdered sugar and enough water to make the frosting the consistency you want. Divide and color. This icing hardens quickly so keep your containers covered until you are ready to use. For "flow" consistency add warm water a little at a time.

Good "flow" consistency is about the thickness of chocolate syrup.

Outline cookie, flow on icing and allow icing to dry hard before you add the finishing touches.

Chocolate Cutouts
This recipe is great for detailed cookie cutters because the cookies retain the size of the cookie cutter even after baking.

1 & 3/4 cups butter (no substitutions)
2 large eggs
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon water
4 & 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa

Cream together: 1-3/4 cups butter, 2 large eggs, 2 cups brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon water.

Gradually: 4-1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup cocoa. Divide dough into 3 balls, wrap in wax paper and chill. When ready to bake cookies, let dough soften slightly, roll out on floured board to 1/4" thick and cut-out with floured copper cookie cutters. Place on lightly greased baking sheets and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, and then remove. Cool completely and decorate.

Gingerbread Cookies
Copper Gifts made this recipe when they were on the TV show called, Unwrapped on the food network. They used their Large, Giant and HUGE copper cookie cutters.

1 & 1/2 cups dark molasses
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup shortening
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening. Stir in remaining ingredients. Form dough into 1 or 2 pancake shapes, wrap, and store in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Roll dough out to 1/4 inch and cut with cookie cutters. Decorate with candy, raisins and icing. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on how well done you like your gingerbread cookies).

If making the HUGE cookies (15") from coppergifts.com: roll dough according to size of cookie cutter. If you are making the HUGE size, use all the dough and roll almost 1/2 inch thick, they recommend rolling dough out between two sheets of Parchment paper. Lightly grease the cutting side of the cookie cutter, remove top piece of parchment paper and cut out HUGE cookie. Remove excess dough from the outer edges of big cookie, then carefully slide cookie and bottom sheet of parchment paper onto cookie sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how well done you like your gingerbread cookies.

Have fun, and ENJOY!!!

Gobble Gobble (some good stuff!)

I LOVE Thanksgiving. It is one of my favorite holidays. I love the foods, the smells, and everything behind the sentiment of being Thankful, because honestly, we have a LOT to be thankful for.

And along those lines of being thankful, I am ever so thankful for my family, and for the ability to feed them a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Today, I'm joining in with Karla at Looking Towards Heaven, and many of you, to share my Thanksgiving menu, along with a few recipes and tips. Mind you, I do not always use "recipes" with exact measurements, so a few of my recipes are "a little of this, or a lot of that, or a pinch, or a handful" -- but I trust you will be able to pull it off without any problems! Make sure you check out all the people participating back at Karla's blog!!

Our Delicious Menu
The most tender, delicious marinated roasted turkey ever (yes, it requires more work, but it's so worth it!!!)
White wine Gravy
Cornbread Stuffing with sausage, dried cranberries, chopped apple and pecans
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed Parmesan Potatoes
Roasted Broccoli
dinner rolls (Bob Evans frozen ones - YUM)
cranberry sauce
Pumpkin pie
Apple pie
Pumpkin roll

We may add or change a few things here or there, but for the most part, this is our menu.

Roasted Turkey Marinade
Let me start by saying that while this recipe calls for a little more effort than dropping the bird in a bag, it is well worth it. I taught my mother-in-law, who used the bag method all her life, how to cook her turkey with this method, and now, she gets rave reviews from everyone when she serves it. Basting is key, but it's only once an hour, or once every half hour if you're inspired... but you can do it while you fellowship with your family or watch the games and parades all day long.

1 turkey
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
1/2 orange
1/2 lemon
cumin
garlic powder
paprika
Chicken or turkey stock (you can use the giblets, neck, etc. to make your own stock, or just use the boxed stock in the store)

The night before, place your turkey in the roasting pan, and rub the turkey with the grapefruit, orange and lemon juices by squeezing the juices over the bre@st of the turkey. This will make it ever so tender when you bake it the next day. Once you've squeezed all the juices out of the fruit, rub the fruit on the turkey. Pulp is a good thing.

Then, sprinkle the garlic powder and cumin and paprika all over the turkey. I usually coat it really well, then go over it and pat it down with my hands.

Cover the turkey with saran wrap, and refrigerate all night.

Roasting the Turkey
The following morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and drain off the extra juices from the pan. Pour enough stock into the pan so that it comes up 1/4 way on the turkey. Cook the turkey in a 350 degree oven. Baste once every hour or half hour until the temperature of the turkey is 170 degrees. If the turkey begins to brown too much, just tent it with foil. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, just add more. Basting the turkey is essential!!! Once the turkey is done, take it out of the oven and allow it to rest on the stove top or counter for at least 20 minutes so that the juices go back into the meat, and don't run out when you carve it. Keep the turkey covered with foil until you slice it.

Easy carving tip: When you're ready to carve your turkey, cut out each side of the bre@st away from the bone. Place the entire breast on a cutting board, and slice it against the grain.



Easy Gravy
Pour your pan drippings into a sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup white cooking wine. Bring to a boil. Make a "slurry" of cornstarch and cold water (about 1/2 cup water to 6 tablespoons of cornstarch, possibly more, possibly less -- it should be the consistency of heavy cream). Whisk it into the saucepan a little at a time while boiling. Do not stop stirring, or you will have lumpy gravy. Continue adding the cornstarch slurry until you reach the desired thickness you want. Season it with salt as desired.

Cornbread Stuffing with cranberries, apple and pecans
This stuffing is such a nice balance of sweet and savory. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to make, and how delicious it is!

2 7 oz. packages Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix
1 medium sweet or mayan onion, finely chopped
3/4 c. finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped carrot
6-8 links raw breakfast sausage, chopped/diced
1 stick butter
1 and 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 can whole cranberry sauce
1-2 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped in small pieces
3/4 cup pecan pieces
3-4 cups (approx) chicken or turkey stock

In a large (family-sized pan) brown onion, carrot, celery, sausage, garlic and cumin in 1 stick butter. Add stuffing mix, dried cranberries, cranberry sauce, apples and pecans. Add 2 cups stock and stir. Taste for salt and add accordingly. Transfer stuffing to a large casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Pour 1 cup stock over. (Can make to here and refrigerate.)

Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes more.

Roasted Broccoli
1 broccoli crown per 2 people
1/2 cup olive oil (more if you have more than 4 crowns)
6 cloves of crushed garlic
coarse sea salt

In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil with the crushed garlic and set aside. Cut off much of the stems and divide the crowns into chunks. Dip each chunk into the garlic and oil mixture, making sure that chunks of the garlic get onto each crown. Place the garlicky crown onto a cookie sheet lined with foil. When you've done this to all the broccoli, sprinkle it with coarse salt and place in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Check the broccoli by sliding a sharp knife into one of the spears. If it is tender, it is done. If not, continue to cook until knife tender. Do not be concerned if the broccoli starts to brown on top. That's what gives it a wonderful flavor, along with the toasted garlic and salt.

That's all the recipes and tips I have to share today. If you want to try any of these recipes, but have questions, feel free to ask away... just make sure I have your email to reply to (blogger people, see this). Also, let me know what you try, and how you liked it!

WFMW: Safe Eggs

Dontcha just love this new button? Me too!!

A special thanks to Shannon from Rocks in my Dryer for hosting Works for me Wednesday. Make sure to check her out, as well as all the excellent tips that get posted!

Today's tip is a huge one for me, although I'm fully aware that it may not necessarily impact your life, as it has mine! You see, we, at casa Sunshine, have a addiction fondness for Caesar Salads. Homemade ones. With lots of garlicy dressing all over it. The homemade original kind. WITHOUT dijon mustard in the dressing thankyouverymuch. And, guess what? Hunter loves Caesar salads, too! Seriously! He's TWO.

Anyway, I worried about feeding him (or us, for that matter) a dressing made with RAW egg. Yet, I'm not one to have a whole lot of time or energy to actually... coddle an egg. So, imagine my surprise when my sister shared that her local grocery store sells PASTEURIZED eggs! You see, it's not the raw egg that gets you sick, it's the untreated shell! Bet you didn't know that!

Well, I thought it was a pipe dream for us, because you see ... she lives in North Carolina, where all sorts of cool, hip, trendy grocery stores abound. But GUESS WHAT? Our local grocery stores have started selling pasteurized eggs! WOOT! Score for the familia. Yes, they are a lot more expensive, but it's worth our safety, as we consume vast amounts of Caesar salad each week. So, look for the eggs with a red P on top. They are Davidson Pasteurized Eggs.

I'm sure you're wondering what my prized Caesar salad dressing recipe is, aren't you? Well, come a little closer... closer... closer...

In a food processor, add 1 raw egg, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, juice from 1/2 lemon, and one peeled garlic clove (not a huge one ... not a small one ... a medium sized one is perfect). Blend until smooth. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and blend until smooth. Add some freshly cracked pepper, and taste to see if you need to add salt.

In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup (to 3/4 cup) additional Parmesan cheese, croutons, and dressing. You can either add sliced grilled chicken, steak, or enjoy as a side with some pasta! Mmmmm.

You can thank me tomorrow, after you've made it ... and for the love of everything good and leafy, do NOT leave out the anchovy paste! It really makes a big difference! I promise it won't taste fishy at all. It will, however, taste very fishy if you put a whole anchovy in there (yuck!).

You can click here to find a store near you.

You can click here for more tips.

WFMW: OXO Swivel Peeler

Works for me Wednesday is sponsored by Rocks in my Dryer. Don't forget to check her site for more WFMW tips!!!

When it comes to kitchen gadgets, sometimes, putting out the extra money pays off in the long run. In my case, it payed off big when I purchased the OXO GoodGrips Swivel Peeler. The handle is very comfortable, but that's not why I love this product so much (even though it is ergonomically correct). I love the blade on this product. It is 2" long, and super, SUPER sharp. My peeler is pushing 8 years now, and it is still as sharp as the day I bought it. It peels potatoes, apples, carrots, cukes, and anything else your appetite wants to have peeled

I use it like a paring knife when peeling apples, and in my humble opinion, it works much, much better and faster, and now that apple season is upon us, I thought I'd share this six dollar tip with you! But, don't just take my word for it... Gourmet Magazine tested a whole slew of peelers, and this baby came in first place!

So, rush out and get one, and enjoy peeling ... stuff ... on a whole new level!

Holiday cooking ... Blogger Style

It's here! It's here! Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style! Hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy! And I am throwing down with THREE recipes! Yes, THREE... two side dishes, and one dessert. they are all great recipes for potlucks, to serve at home, or to take to a family dinner.



My first recipe is called Baked Cheese-Scalloped Corn Casserole. There are so many variations to this recipe, and all so good, but I love this particular recipe because it is so satisfying, and can easily make just about any meal elegant. It is not runny, but rather firm with a crisp topping. My sister-in-law (Sunshine) asks me to make this recipe frequently at family holiday celebrations. I have served it at almost every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal, and during the fall, I love to serve it with my delicious roasted chicken. This recipe is over 17 years old, so I know it's tried and true! (sorry no picture!)

Baked Cheese-Scalloped Corn Casserole

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15x10” pan.

2 11-ounce cans of Extra-Sweet Corn Niblets (Green Giant brand)
1 14-ounce can Cream of Corn
1 small onion, chopped finely
1/2 green pepper, chopped finely
4 tablespoons butter
4-6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (do NOT use prepared mustard)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne red pepper
3/4 cup whole milk
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
Spray Butter (or butter flavored cooking spray)

In a large pan, cook onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons of butter until onion is tender. Add remaining butter. Once remaining butter is melted, reduce heat to low, and add flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, and red pepper. Stir constantly until mixture is bubbly and thick. If mixture gets too thick, add a little bit more butter. Gradually stir in milk. Increase to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for one minute. Again, if mixture gets too thick, you may want to add a bit more milk. Add egg and cheese, and combine well. Pour into a prepared casserole dish.

Top with a coating of bread crumbs. Spray the crumbs with butter.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

The next recipe is my Smashing Mashed Potato Casserole. It is simple, and is done mostly by eye and taste. My measurements for this recipe are approximate ... so my suggestion to you is... taste as you go. (again, sorry no picture!)

Smashing Mashed Potato Casserole

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large casserole dish.

Boil enough potatoes for your family. Mash them with butter, warmed whole milk (or cream), salt and pepper, making them a rather thick and lumpy consistency (don’t mash the potatoes into glue!).

To the mashed potatoes, add 1 8-ounce container of sour cream (more or less, depending on the amount of mashed potatoes you make), 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons garlic powder. Mix gently until incorporated. If the potatoes are too thick, add a bit more sour cream or milk.

Pour them into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese. Bake until the cheese on top is golden brown (usually about 30-35 minutes) and the potatoes are heated all the way through.

You can also add: Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or chopped fresh chives.

And finally, I leave you with a dessert that I haven't seen in ages -- Chocolate Cherry Bars. The paper I have it written on is yellowed and dog-eared, and the blue ball-point ink I wrote it with is turning "greenish" -- it conjurs up all kinds of memories! My mom gave me this recipe right after I graduated from high school (22 years ago, for those of you who are curious), and I've made it in bars (my favorite), and bundt cakes (for holiday gifts). It's so easy to make, so delicious to eat, and you'll just shake your head at how simple and minimal the list of ingredients are. I'm sure it will bring an "Ahh-haa" moment and an "I haven't made this in ages" sentiment as you recognize this delicious recipe! The picture I have is from the internet -- I think I got it from Betty Crocker's website, but I visited so many places trying to find a picture, that I just can't remember which site I got it from... sorry!

Chocolate Cherry Bars

Bars
1 box of Devils Food Cake Mix
1 21-ounce Cherry Pie Filling
2 Eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Almond Extract

Frosting/Glaze
1 Cup Sugar
5 Tablespoons Butter
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Cup (6-0z package) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15x10” pan.

Bars: In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients, stirring gently by hand with a fork until well mixed. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Frosting/Glaze: In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Pour over warm bars. Allow bars to cool before cutting. Enjoy!

Update, and Holiday Cooking Blogger Style

Praise God, praise God, praise God!!!

We took Hunter back on Friday to have his blood work redone, and his WBC Count (White Blood Cell Count, for those of you that are not proficient Dr. Googles...) is ....

... NORMAL!!! 10,800, to be specific!!! Wooooooo Hooooooo!!! Praise God for his healing hand.

This weekend, Hunter enjoyed himself so much! We rode Thomas the Tank, we walked around the festival, he got a temporary tattoo (which he wanted OFF OFF OFF right away!!!), and his eyes were as big as saucers. He was so excited! We bought him a plush Thomas the Tank blanket, and I had wanted to wash it first, but Hunter WANTED it NOW. Basically, it was a priceless weekend after all.

So ... now that Hunter is feeling better, my husband is over his surgery, and his head cold is diminishing ... Saturday evening, I started getting sick, too. And why not? Let's just all be sick and snotty and crabby together. A family that sniffles together, stays together. I'm very stuffy, head-coldy-achy-yucky feeling. And to top it all off, my dad was taken to the hospital with Atrial Fibrillation, and he'll be there for a few days. When it rains ... it really pours, doesn't it?

On a more cheerful note ... Overwhelmed With Joy is hosting her annual Holiday Cooking Blogger Style THIS FRIDAY!

Last year, she had 81 people sign up with their delicious recipes. It's very easy, and it's most delicious ... all you have to do is set aside your blogging plans on Friday to post your favorite Holiday recipe. She is looking for tried and true holiday recipes. They don't have to be your own creations, but you should give credit where credit is due. In her own words … “If you post a recipe from your aunt Martha Stewart, by all means, mention that!”

You can post any kind of recipe you want -- Appetizer, Beverage, Soup, Salad, Bread, Candy, Cookies, Dessert, Jam/Jelly, Main Dish, Sauce, Side Dish, Snack, etc. -- long or short, easy or complex.

She’ll post specific directions on Friday, but basically, you’ll post your recipe on your own blog, then you’ll refer everyone back to her blog and add your link to her Mr. Linky so that everyone can stop by and take a look at your recipe.

That's it! It's easy, and you'll get a TON of recipes in exchange! So plan on joining Overwhelmed's Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style!

WFMW: Avoiding Sticky Jar Lids

It's Wednesday, and it's time for another Works for me Wednesday, brought to you by Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer. Head on over there where you will find hundreds of tips of all kinds!

Here's my simple tip... You know how frustrating it can be to pull out your year-old corn syrup bottle for that special recipe, only to find the lid is practically glued shut, and the only way to get it open is to ask your husband to open it with his vice grips?

Or, how about that jelly jar that has a sticky, icky lid? Or better yet... how about the honey jar that won't open because it's "sticky-stuck?"

Well, I'm not sure where I read this tip, or who I may have heard it from, but I've been doing it for years, because ... well, because it works.

Whenever I open something that is sticky, or contains a sugary substance (such as jams, jellies, honey, syrup, molasses, Karo, etc.), BEFORE ANYTHING COMES OUT OF THE JAR OR BOTTLE, I will pour some oil on a piece of folded paper towel, and will rub it around the top of the jar (where the "threads" are), and around the inside of the lid.

This keeps it lubricated, and keeps it from "sticking-stuck."

Works for me!

WFMW: Strawberry-Infused Lemonade

It's Wednesday again, and you know what that means... Works for me Wednesday, hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! Make sure you take a few moments to check out all the excellent tips that are being shared over there!!

Now ... what works for me on a hot, humid evening? A tall, cool glass of homemade Strawberry-Infused Lemonade. My husband, the wonderful man that he is, developed this very special recipe, and we love it at Casa Sunshine... so props to the King Bee! And as always, please be sure to give him credit when regaling the wonders of this special strawberry refresher!

The lemonade is a really pretty corally-color, and has a wonderful flavor to it. The recipe is best made early enough that you can chill it. Here's what you do:

In a small saucepan, make a syrup by bringing to a boil the following: 2-1/2 cups of water, 5 washed and hulled strawberries (I slice them up), and 1-1/2 cups (or 1-3/4 cups, depending on how sweet you like your lemonade) sugar; Soft-boil for 3 minutes.

In the mean time, juice 5 lemons (1 cup), and 1 lime. Strain all seeds out, and pour into a pitcher.

Add the syrup, and 3 additional cups of water. Stir well. At this point, you can choose to either leave the strawberries in or remove them. Taste (remember that it will be hot) to make sure it's sufficiently sweet (if not, add more sugar), or if it's overly sweet (if so, add more water or lemon juice).

If you're too anxious to wait, pour over a lot of ice. If you can stand the wait, chill for several hours before serving. It is even better the next day

Enjoy!

Big Mama ROCKS in the Sunshine Household!

A couple months ago, Big Mama posted a recipe for Chicken Chilaquiles, and last night, I thought I'd try it out. Here's a brief recap of what happened:

I started by boiling my chicken, because unlike Big Mama, I don't have an aversion to raw chicken in any form. Except eating it raw, of course, which I hope you do too. I soon realized that it would have been faster if I had used the rotisserie chicken ... but I'm hard-headed like that.

So anyway, I started putting the components to the recipe together, and decided to boldly go where the recipe did not take me. I added garlic powder to the recipe, because everything needs a good dose of garlic, in my book. Then, I added salt to the sauce. I know. I know. It's a light and healthy recipe ... but seriously ... the recipe contains cheese, so I thought it needed salt to go along with all the cheese that made the recipe so healthy.

Then, when I was adding the Parmesan cheese, I opened the wrong side of the container and accidentally dumped what looked like 1 cup of the stuff ... rather than the 1/2 cup the recipe actually called for. But, being the ultimate professional that I am in the kitchen, I did not worry. I kept right on adding the other ingredients. Low, and behold, when I got to the "1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers" (which is the very next item on the list of ingredients) I thought it said ... 1 cup. Or, maybe I wanted it to say 1 cup. So, I added one cup instead of 1/2. My only explanation at this point is, I needed to balance out all the Parmesan cheese.

When I poured the green sauce into the baking dish, I distinctly remember thinking to myself, two very clear and concise thoughts: 1) this is awfully runny! and 2) I'm not sure I'm going to like this, because I hate tomatillos ... a main ingredient to the sauce.

Finally, when the recipe said "Sprinkle top with Monterey Jack cheese," I used the remaining 1 cup of cheese in the 2-cup bag... because nothing tells your heart you love it more than a good helping of cheese. So in all actuality, instead of the 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers that the recipe called for, I used 2 cups. Because 1/2 and 2 are so similar, in that they both have a 2.

As it turns out, not only did I like it, I loved it. And, not only did I love it, but the whole familia loved it too ... my husband and Hunter, too! The recipe magically worked out perfectly with all my "additions and variances," the sauce thickened up beautifully, and it gave me a good use for some of the 100 corn tortillas I happened to have on hand (my husband purchase them a couple weeks ago... when I asked him to get 1 package. Evidently, I need to specify ... "a package of 10 corn tortillas, love!").

The only other change from Big Mamma's recipe is... She used extra spicy green chiles because she's a "Rocker" ... I used extra mild green chiles because I'm old. As in almost 40. As in ... I want to relish in the flavor of the dish, not peel layers off of my tongue.

No worries, though ... my very picky, very high-faluting-gourmet-lovin' husband gave the dish an A++ -- and added that he would have served some green salsa on the side to put on top of the finished dish ... because none of us at Casa Sunshine care to follow directions on recipes at.all.

So, thank you Big Mama, for sharing your light and delicious recipe for Chicken Chilaquiles -- internets, I encourage y'all that have a love (or even mild fondness) for all things Mexican to try this outstanding recipe!

And Big Mama, you ROCK in our household!

WFMW: Working With Garlic

Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer ... Be sure to head over and check out all the neat tips and tricks!

I love to cook, and over the past few years,