MarytheKaytheBlog

What I've been snacking on lately

Well, if that's not a riveting, life-changing title, I don't know what is.

However, if you were me, (and be THANKFUL that you're NOT) you would know that snacking IS a very important topic in my life.  I'm just being honest, people.  If you need to judge me for my snacking abilities, well then, you're probably also judging me for my toenail color, too.  And I always say--people who judge other peoples' toenails should not throw rocks.  Because throwing rocks is mean.  And dangerous.

And I am all about 3 things here on this blog:  Safety, Snacking, and Soda Pop.

What the heck was I talking about?  Oh yeah.  Snacks.

All right.  First of all, the whole motivation behind this post is I found a favorite new snack.  Well, new to me.  Probably old to Walmart  and Country Mart and probably Piggley Wiggley, too.

1.  Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Hard Pretzels - (Not to be confused with the Snyder's of Scranton Pretzels)  These pretzels are gigantic in the world of pretzels.  Yeah, gigantic in taste and crunch, too.  Pretty much gigantic in every single way that a pretzel can be.  When you need a good crunchy snack--these just hit the spot! 

2.  Gala apples- Have ya'll eaten a Gala apple recently?  Mmm--mmm, they are delish.  Mid-afternoon, there is nothing better than a crispy apple.  Well, okay, tater tots might be better...and cheesy tots even better.  But, a Gala apple is a good substitute.

3.  Just so ya'll don't think I've gone all crazy on  ya, I'll just be honest.  I am kind of addicted to McDonald's $1 Coke in the styrofoam cup.  I have about 5 extra pounds that I can thank my friend Jenn, who first told me about these beautiful $1 Cokes.  I hate to admit it--but I like these Cokes better than a Sonic Coke.  I KNOW!!!!  Crazy.

4.  Okay, now I am going to tell you about a snack that I just CANNOT buy...because I CANNOT STOP EATING THEM.  Have ya'll tried Golden Oreos?  Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious.  They are very dear to me.  Now, I have to tell you, I am a real cookie snob.  I don't like most cookies in a bag.  But, the Golden Oreo?  Pure gold good.

5.  Okay, I am going to tell you about another snack that I should not buy...but I do anyway.  Because, what's a life of eating turkey sandwiches at home every stinking day if you cannot have some good chips on the side?  That would be a cruel life, I tell ya.  So, in order to keep my daily life from being cruel, I buy Lay's Kettle Cooked Mesquite BBQ chips.  If ever your life is feeling a little blah or bland--you just buy yourself a bag of these tasty chips, and you will not feel bland anymore.

All right, I'm done making you people hungry.  Now, it's YOUR turn to make ME hungry. 

What have you been snacking on lately? 

Chicken Cashew Pasta Salad...Or as I like to call it: Pasta salad heaven!

Let me warn you, dearest readers:  This pasta salad recipe I am about to share with you may cause you to over-eat.  It may even cause you to be deceitful to your family, and tell them the pasta salad is all gone...when really you have saved a big bowl of it for yourself to eat when everyone's gone.

Now, I do not condone over-eating, and I do not condone deceit.  I do, however, condone THIS RECIPE.

My big sister (who is actually my sister-in-law, but we're from Arkansas--so it's all the same, anyway) made this pasta salad for us on vacation.  I am here to confess that I kind of made a spectacle of myself by the way I kept having 2nds...and 3rds, and calling it "that heavenly pasta salad."

But, my family already knows I'm a little crazy about beautiful food, and they pretty much ignored my spectacle.

All right, all right--I'll get on with the recipe.  Ya'll know I cannot say anything quickly.

Here are the ingredients:  (minus the chicken) 

Isn't that a beautiful bowl of deliciousness? 

Here's what you need to do:

4 cups cooked and chopped chicken

3 cups cooked pasta (I love the bowtie pasta for this!)

2 cans water chestnuts, chopped

1 1/2 cups green grapes, halved

1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved

2 cups celery, chopped

16 oz. coleslaw dressing

1 cup mayo (not Miracle Whip)

1 can broken cashews

2 pkgs. Craisins

Mix a few hours before serving and add the nuts and Craisins just before serving.  Even with the nuts and Craisins this refrigerates well for a couple of days.

Also, this makes a BIG amount.  This could easily serve 10-15 hungry people, and at least 2 dozen dainty women at an uppity brunch.

Enjoy!!

Set a Spring Table and 2 Refreshing Spring Desserts

Well, if that title doesn't make ya want to eat a marshmallow Peep, I don't know what will.  I figured since Easter is this weekend, I'd better get this post up...or else I'll be trying to post these delightful Spring ideas this summer when I'm so sweaty and grumpy I want to punch somebody.

And punching somebody just doesn't fit in with this lovely post, now does it?

So--pinkies out, everybody!  We're talking Spring and pretty and dainty today!

I know I mentioned this post a couple of weeks ago, when I gave you a sneak peek at at my easy and inexpensive place cards idea.  I decorated this Spring table and made the 2 refreshing Spring desserts for a cooking show our church held.

My  mom and daughters helped me get everything set up the day before

Pop of color: Fabric.   I fell in love with the bright tablecloth topper (simply a fabric remnant on sale at Hobby Lobby), and knew it would add just the color pop I was looking for.  Because of the many bright colors in the fabric, I knew I needed to use white or clear dishes on the rest of the table.  I also bought the cheerful yellow with tiny white polka dots fabric at Hobby Lobby--and simply cut them into rectangles, and folded them into napkins.  (Shh!  Don't tell--I didn't even sew them!)

Everything borrowed: Inexpensive and easy.  Since the point of our table settings was to be easy and inexpensive entertaining, I mostly "shopped" for my table in my basement, my friend's basement, and my mom's storage closet.  I borrowed the darling bunnies and Easter egg tree from my mom, the votive candles from a friend, and the mason jars from my canning jar bin in the basement. 

Mason jars: Make me happy.  I wanted my Spring table to have a laid-back and fun feel, and the mason jar candles sure helped set the mood!  I used plain glass votives (from Walmart...Well, from my friend's basement...but I've seen them at Walmart), and slipped them into different sizes of mason jars.  I loved the way they looked grouped together in 3's.

Unique place cards: Fun.  I already told you how I made my jelly bean place cards here.  I bought the silicone cupcake cups at Hobby Lobby (on sale!), and filled them with jelly beans.  The only bad thing was I had to keep re-filling the jelly beans because a certain little person with a sweet tooth kept squirrelling them out. 

Want to see the whole table?  Here 'tis!

Sorry, I just couldn't grab a picture before people started taking the Mini Lemonade Cupcakes.  The plates are looking a little sparse here...  If you look real hard, you can see the White Chocolate Lemon Truffles hiding behind that bunny on the right.

Prettiest dessert winner: Smile.  Oh, there they are!  Y'all, these Truffles just make me smile.  Aren't they they prettiest little sparkling things?  (My camera skills don't do them justice.) The recipe said to roll them in powdered sugar.  But, I had seen some pretty ones rolled in regular (granulated) sugar and did that, instead.  I also placed each one inside a mini cupcake paper--which made them look all the more special.  Click here for the easy, no-bake recipe I used from Kitchen Simplicity.

Lemonade and cupcakes: Lovely words.  When I saw the Lemonade Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to make it into mini cupcakes for my Spring table.  I will say that the mini cupcakes were more labor intensive than I planned--and next time I would prefer making a whole cake of this recipe.  However, the flavor is perfectly lemony, perfectly springtime!

Table centerpieces: Easy and meaningful.  My mom has the most adorable miniature ornaments for her Easter tree, but I wanted something simpler, and more meaningful.  I decided to use coordinating scrapbook paper and my beloved oval cutter (from Creative Memories).  My daughter helped me make these--I cut the ovals, while she hole-punched the tops, and slid in the yellow ribbon.  My mom wrote Easter Bible verses on several of the "eggs"--which brought a spiritual emphasis to my Spring table.  Up close, you might be able to see a couple of the Bible verses my mom used: John 13:8 and John 1:29

Does all of this Spring talk get you in the Easter mood? 

What are your Easter plans?  Will you attend church?  Cook?  Visit relatives? 

No Man's Land has been redeemed...linky dinks

Happy weekend, lovely readers!  I hope you have fun and relaxing plans ahead.  If I weren't so doggone tired right now, I would go take pictures of my daughters' No Man's Land.  If you read yesterday's post, you saw some pretty messy pictures.  After much nagging, threatening, giving of consequences, and gnashing of teeth, both girls' rooms are sparkling clean!  Now, we all need to GO SOMEWHERE QUICKLY--before anything gets messed up!

Here are some fun links I've found recently.  Prop up your feet, nibble on some bon bons, and read on. 

 

Easter craft ALERT!  Wouldn't these paper mache eggs be fun to make with your kids?

Darling art prints that make me wish I were an artist...  I keep thinking I need to purchase Daisy and Rose for my two daughters.  What do you think?  Yes?

Want to try out the funky new hair colors--without any long-term commitment?  Brilliant--hair chalk!!  My daughter Rebecca would DIE to do this.  Hmm...shall I show her this article, or not???

If you have young children, Impress Your Kids is a wonderful blog resource!  Go there now and check it out!  You might recognize the author from her blog Oh Amanda.

Grammar nerds, unite!  20 common grammar mistakes (almost) everybody gets wrong...  What's your most common one?  "Farther" and "further" always trips me up.  If you're a REAL grammar nerd, the Comments are interesting to read.

 

That's IT.  I'm moving to LA--I mean, a SPRINKLES CUPCAKE ATM????  I am in.  I am way way way in!!!

 

Happy weekend, good people!  I love ya all as much as Oreo cookies and milk.  Really, I do!

What are your plans this weekend?  Has anyone started some Spring cleaning?

Ooh La La Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

I'm pretty much a sucker for anything that says "cheesy" or "baked"--so the minute I saw this recipe, I knew it would be a good one.

Recently, when I needed a recipe for a Frozen Dinner Co-Op, I googled "cheesy baked spaghetti" and Tammy's Recipes blog came up.  Click here for Tammy's AMAZING recipe.  Seriously, this recipe is my favorite baked spaghetti recipe I've ever made!  It's very similar to lasagna--but with spaghetti noodles.  (And angel hair noodles are my favorite, too!)

 This is one of my FAVORITE time-saving ideas:  I made my Cheesy Baked Spaghetti in round foil pans--so that I could freeze it, and then easily slide it out frozen, to put directly into my Crock Pot.  (I explained all about From Freezer to Crock Pot to Table here.)

So, what are you waiting for?  Go purchase your ingredients and 2 round foil pans.  Make one for yourself, and one to freeze for later.  Then, when you find out someone who needs a yummy meal, you will feel like Holly Homemaker when you pull out your frozen Cheesy Baked Spaghetti to share.

Oh, and I forgot one thing.  After you make this dish, you might as well get on the treadmill.  But, just remember--its cheesy goodness is worth every minute of sweat and tears.

What food do you think is WORTH time on the treadmill?

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Celebrating my Mom's 70th Birthday!

 This weekend my mom celebrated her 70th birthday.  Our whole family is planning to celebrate her when we're all together later this month, but my sister and I wanted to plan a special day just for the 3 of us--a girly day!

We met my sister in Fayetteville, AR, and started the day with pedicures! 

Here we are--all relaxed--post-pedicures.  And just LOOK how much we 3 are alike.  We all picked very similar polish shades...

I just had to snap a picture of the salon's adorable child's pedicure chairs.  Aren't they the cutest things ever?  There were 2 itty bitty girls getting their toes painted while we were there.  Note that there is also a little dvd player, so the girls can watch a movie!

After pedicures, we let my mom choose where she wanted to eat.  She chose a place she and I had never been...OH MY HEAVENLY CHEESE...

We ate at Hammontree's, a little eatery on Dickson Street that creates the most amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.  Oh my!  You should totally check out their menu.  We all 3 had the Spinach Gorgonzola soup (SWOON) and a grilled cheese.  My mom chose the Caprese Melt, my sister chose the Jack to the Future, and I chose the Bries Company.

(I was thrilled to find out--once we got there--that the name of the restaurant is NOT  Ham in Trees.  I just couldn't figure out how Ham in Trees sounded the least bit appetizing for a restaurant name!  Ham on the Plate, maybe.  Ham in my Tummy is even better.  Ham in my Hand.  Ham that's been in my Fridge too Long.

Oh I could keep going.  You know I could...

Ham in the Oven.  Ham in the Skillet for Breakfast.  Ham on a Biscuit Slathered with Butter.)

Okay, I'll stop.  You know--I'll stop HAMMING it up...

After filling our bellies with lots of gooey cheese (and not ham), we felt the call of the mall.  Namely, we were on a search for new swimsuits for our upcoming beach trip.

Note to self:  When trying to enjoy a fun day with your sister and mom, do not start out by shopping for a swimsuit.  Especially with a belly full of gooey cheese (and not ham). 

Shopping for swimsuits can be downright depressing.  And sometimes funny.  At one point, we were in 3 dressing rooms--3 in a row.  We were all 3 trying on swimsuits.  And we were in separate dressing rooms because...well, there is no kind of nekkid like swimsuit-trying-on nekkid.  (FYI: You get naked at the doctor's office.  You get nekkid in the swimsuit dressing room.)  I got to giggling pretty hard when I started trying to get on a Miracle Suit.

Have you ever tried on a Miracle Suit?

It's not called "Miracle" for nothing.  Miracle to get it on your body. 

It's been quite a few months since my body has shimmied into a Miracle Suit.

I called out to my mom and sister, "Hey!!!  I might need some help in here!  I'm not sure I'll be able to get this thing off my body once I get it on!"

Verily I say unto you...there is no love like a sister who hath helped peel off a Miracle Suit.

There was a whole lot of shimmying going on in that dressing room.  A Miracle Suit requires certain shimmies and bends and squats to get that dang tube of lycra stretched over your parts.  I'm pretty sure my upper lip broke into a sweat.

Oh, but I'm getting all tangled up in our swimsuit trying on.  We eventually moved on to more fun shopping...like Yellow Box flip flop purchasing (3 matching pairs for 3 sisters on the beach--yippee!), shorts and shirts purchases, and even the cutest-ever red Born espadrilles for the birthday girl!

After all that shopping, it was time to head home.  We hugged my Sissy goodbye, and loaded back into the car.  Just in case you don't know--our family's car ALWAYS stops at Sonic before any road trip.  So, after Sonic, we headed back to Branson.

It was such a fun day, and a fun way to celebrate with my mom.  Rarely, do we get to spend time alone with my mom without 475 interruptions from sweet little kids.  We were very sad my other sister couldn't join us...but we plan to make up for it on the beach soon!

Happy birthday, Mom!!!  Of all the women I know, you are one of the kindest, most loving, wisest, most serving, most generous, obedient to God, example of a loving wife, continual example of love poured out I know.

I love ya, Ma!!!

Love, your favorite daughter

(Let's see if that gets either of my sisters to comment...)

What do you / did you love most about your mom?

Farmers have Invaded my Kitchen!

I don't mean to alarm you...but farmers have invaded my kitchen.

Want to see what I mean?

My husband and daughters are starting a brand new gardening project tonight!  This summer our urban sports camp is going to sport a mighty fine vegetable garden.  Dave found some wonderful heirloom seeds from the nearby Baker Creek Seed Company, and has gotten some good advice from our local College of the Ozarks Landscaping Department.  He's hoping to supply our camp kitchens this summer with some home-grown vegetables--like lettuce, watermelon, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, chives, and basil.  We have lots of other hopes for our garden, too, including getting the inner-city campers involved!

But, for tonight, in this first week of March, there are farmers in my kitchen planting tiny seeds in some dark fertile soil.

Just like life, huh?  Sometimes you have to plan far in advance...planting tiny seeds along the way, lovingly watering and caring...and waiting for results that we won't get to enjoy for quite some time.

What have you been planting and cultivating lately?

Spring Table Preview: Place Cards

I'm working on a longer post full of happy springy photos and ideas, but I thought I'd give you a little preview today...

Recently, I decorated a pretty Spring Table for a cooking class event at our church.  For my table, I focused on ideas that were EASY to do, INEXPENSIVE, yet PRETTY.  Ahh--3 of my favorite words!

The place cards hit all 3 of those wonderful words!  Want to know how easy they were?  I only did 4 things to create these Spring Place Cards...

1 - I bought a package of 8 yellow silicone baking cups at Hobby Lobby.  (They were $3.99--but 40% off!!)

2 - I filled each cup with jelly beans (after eating...quite a few!)

3 - I used a toothpick, and stuck it into 1 jelly bean.  Sometimes, I used my fingernail to "pierce" the jelly bean, if it was being stubborn.  I did break a couple of toothpicks before figuring out the fingernail piercing method.  (A highly technical process, as you can see!  Ha!)

4- I cut little rectangles out of plain notecards, wrote on the names, and taped to the toothpick.

That's it!  4 easy steps to creating darling little Spring Place Cards!  And won't your guests just love nibbling on the jelly beans?

What's your most recent EASY, INEXPENSIVE, and PRETTY idea??

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't know if you know this about me, but I am on several very important life-long searches.

I have searched high and low for the perfect apple pie.  (And think I've found it.)

I have searched high and low for the perfect chocolate chip cookies.

And I have searched high and low for a pair of good-fitting jeans...that make me look ridiculously skinny.  The jury's still out on that one...  (Huh.  Funny how this search is in direct opposition to the other 2 searches...  Weird.)

This post is about what I think is my FAVORITE recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  However, if you feel that YOU have the perfect chocolate chip cookie--I say BRING IT ON!  But, I am going to need AT LEAST a DOZEN of your cookies in order to judge them.  A cold glass of milk with them would be a nice touch, too. 

I promise to judge fairly.

I NEVER discriminate against sweets, nor chocolate chips of any kind.

Now, please cue the harps and the soft drum roll...

Here is my (current) favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe:

 

Amy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

(This makes a HUGE batch.  I usually cut this recipe in half, to make approximately 3 dozen.  Or, many times I make the whole batch, but put a tray or two of the unbaked cookies into the freezer.  Once the dough is completely frozen, I store them in a ziploc bag until ready to bake.  Or...to be completely honest...until I eat them one-by-one, in a couple of days.  Please see warning below for more information...)

Cream together:

2 cups butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

Add into butter mixture:

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix in separate bowl:

4 cups flour

5 cups ground oatmeal (grind dry oatmeal in blender or food processor, until powder texture)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Slowly add dry flour mixture into butter/egg mixture, while mixing on medium continuously.  Once everything is well-mixed together, hand-stir in 24 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 8 oz. grated Hershey bar (or 1 bag of mini milk chocolate chips.)

Drop golf ball size dough onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes.  Cookies should be golden brown.  Let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before removing them to cool.

*Modification:  Sometimes I add white chocolate chips, instead of chocolate--for my chocolate-allergic mom.  The white chocolate chips are a wonderful substitution!  YUM!

WARNING:  This cookie dough is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.  I know you are not supposed to eat dough with raw eggs...so I'm just warning ya!  There's just something about the oatmeal flour in this recipe that makes the dough extra delicious!

WHO wants to bring me a dozen chocolate chip cookies to be in a contest against mine?  I promise I'll be fair...and really, really fat, I guess.

Now, I need to go repeat this phrase 27 times:  "This is why I run. This is why I run.  This is why I run.  This is why I run.  This is why I run.  This is why I run........"

What life-long perfect recipe searches have YOU been on? 

(Please tell me I am not alone!)

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Comfort food: My favorite sandwich spread in the whole wide world!

If you love the salty deliciousness of green olives--then you are about to LO-OVE me!  I am about to give you a Secret Family Recipe that has been passed down generation to generation.  Okay, maybe not.  Especially since the SECRET to the recipe is in the NAME of the recipe itself...Cream cheese and olive spread.

Yep, those are the only 2 ingredients.

(I swear, I read this jar several times before I realized it said "Queen" olives, and not "Green olives."  Did you do the same thing?  Oh, and just so you know--any old green olives will work for this recipe.  Except, not really the "old" part.  Because they would probably be nasty.)

All ya need for this deliciousness of a recipe:  Green olives, a block of cream cheese, and a blender.

Just open the jar of olives, and toss 'em in with the cream cheese.  Please do not buy fat free cream cheese.  That stuff ought to be outlawed.

Put the lid on the blender, and blend blend away.

I debated about whether or not to include this picture...because it just doesn't look all that appetizing.  But, I promise you--if you swiped your finger through this mixture, you'd surely swipe every other finger you've got.

Mmm!  You can spread it on crackers.  But, my favorite way in the whole wide world is to spread it on plain old white bread.

The flavor of cream cheese and olive--spread on a sandwich--just takes me back to my childhood. 

My grandmother from Florida would make this for us when she visited.  Gram didn't like to cook much, but this was one of her special no-fail recipes.  This recipe is just like her--simple, no fuss, just get on with it. 

Also, my mom made this spread whenever she was making fancy finger sandwiches for a party.  My sister and I would help spread the dozens of bread slices, knowing we'd get to eat on the crusts for days.  I can still see those leftover bread bags completely filled up with trimmed off crusts.

So, you see--this cream cheese and olive sandwich spread is comfort food for me.  Eating it just takes me back to those days when my Gram was still alive, and my mom was setting out dainty sandwiches on silver platters.

What about you?  What food just takes you back? 

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