Month: April 2014

Soft Pretzel Dip!

Any recipe that I post will be a simple, easy one!

This is a dip I make whenever my family gathers, served with soft pretzel slices.

Soft Pretzel DipI should have posted this on the 26th, which was National Pretzel Day.

Only two ingredients for the dip plus the sliced soft pretzels.  My local bakery sells pretzel sticks that they will slice into pieces for dips as shown above.

Soft Pretzel Dip Ingredients

The two ingredients:

– a jar of Kraft Old English cheese spread

– a tub of onion and chive cream cheese

That’s it!

Mix together and chill before serving.

It will be a hit with everyone.  Yummy! Yummy!

Enjoy!

Lime Green Sneakers!

Raining and storms today, so I decided to go to my “things to do” list.

I selected a quick ‘to do”, sorting out my tub of old shoes.

Came across my old Tommy Hilfiger lime green sneakers.  At first I threw them in the “donate” pile, but ……….the more I looked at them, I remembered how much I loved them, and still do!

Lime Green Sneakers!Can a 67 year old woman wear lime green sneakers?

Yes, I can, and I will!

If you have a pair of “lime green sneakers”, get them out, put them on, and enjoy life!

Oh!  This reminds me of a sweet book I read some years ago.

“When I Am An

Old Woman

I Shall Wear Purple”

edited by Sandra Haldeman Martz.

It is a tender, loving, and caring collection of poems and short stories about women growing old.  Read it if you can, it will make you laugh and cry.

My Old Hymnal!

Browsing in antique and old collectible shops is a special treat for me.

Can’t afford to buy a wonderful antique chest or table, but I get such joy finding less expensive items; an old watering can, a tin crayon box, old vintage buttons, and old books.  I love old books, especially children’s books.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOn one of my browsing trips I found a church hymnal, old and worn, with many pages falling out. It cost two dollars.  I bought it because one of the pages that fell out was the old hymn “Jesus Loves Me”.

When my now grown, awesome son, was small I rocked him and sang this song to him.  If he was sick, hurt, sad, or sometimes just tired, this song was magic to him.  Many times he would look up at me and say “sing Jesus Loves Me”.

I love the memory of this song so much that I decided to take the old page and frame it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI love the way it turned out. Using a black double mat brought out the discoloration of the page that age brings.

It is hanging on a wall that I pass many times during the day. What joy I receive from the memory it brings to me!

With Mother’s Day in two weeks, this is a gift to myself.

I thank God for letting me be a mother!

 

Time For a New Spring Wreath!

Although it is raining this morning, we have had a week of beautiful spring weather here in Ohio.

I started digging out all my outdoor items, cushions for my porch chairs, pots, a wind chime given to me from a dear friend at Christmas, and also my spring wreath for the front door.  Unfortunately, my last year’s wreath was in pretty bad shape, a little crushed from being stored all winter, and missing flowers.

Now that I am no longer working, money is tight! I need to live within my budget, so just running out and buying a beautiful new wreath was not an option.  Even using a coupon, or finding a sale, spending $25 is the going price.   So I looked at my “stash” of old grapevine wreaths in the garage and decided I could come up with something I could afford.

This is it!  I really love it, simple, lovely, and sweet.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I took a plain grapevine wreath, and somewhat pulled it apart, so it was loose with lots of “twiggy” pieces sticking out.

Went to Micheal’s Crafts and bought a bunch of dogwood flowers on sale for 50% off, which came to $4.00.  I cut the stems off from the main piece, so I had individual stem pieces to work with, and then secured them around the grapevine.  That was it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAYou can place the flowers all around the wreath as I did in the top photo, or only on half of the wreath as shown above.  You could add a ribbon but I like the simple “twiggy” look.

I love wreaths, especially on the front door, it is a way of saying “welcome”.  Hope this gives you an inexpensive way to add “welcome” to your front door.

Happy Spring!

 

Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche

This recipe was featured on one of our local radio talk stations last Saturday.  It was mentioned as a way of using leftover Easter ham.

I tried it and served with fresh fruit and some awesome muffins.  It is quick, easy, simple to make, and so yummy!  I made it for a light dinner, but It would be good to serve for brunch.  Especially with Mother’s Day in two weeks.

 Quiche Hot from Oven

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 cups cubed Ham

1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1/2 cup Bisquick mix

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the onion for 3 minutes.

2. Stir in the ham and parsley.

3. Spoon into a buttered 9 or 10 inch pie pan.

4. Sprinkle over the cheese.

5. In a blender, blend the eggs, half and half, Bisquick mix, salt and pepper until well-mixed.

6. Pour into the pan.

7. Bake in 375 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Let cool a few minutes and cut into wedges.

I am sure you could try with your own favorite veggies, like spinach or mushrooms!

Enjoy! 

A New Day!

Good Morning Everyone!

I opened my eyes this morning, around 6:00 AM.  Our bedroom window was slightly opened and I could feel and smell a cool breeze, birds chirping, as they do in early morning, and also next to me the sounds of my husband’s peaceful sleeping.

Thank you Lord for this new morning.

I am sure some will not experience these simple pleasures today.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI am so grateful for this new beautiful day and all that it will bring.

Hope your day starts with joy!

Smile, be happy, be grateful!

Gratitude…recognizing the treasure in the simple – a child’s hug, fertile soil, a golden sunset.  Relishing the comfort of the common – a warm bed, a hot meal, a clean sheet.

–  Max Lucado

My “someday” Project List!

Today is a beautiful day in West Chester, Ohio.  Finally!

It is sunny, with a light breeze, and 76 degrees.

I walked around our yard just to see what trees, plants, and shrubs made it through the winter and there it was, a project that has been on my “someday” list for years. A new potting bench!

This photo shows my pitiful bench right now.  It is pretty sad!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI put it together years ago with an old picnic table.

So, I am going to get started on this and report on my progress.  It will be fun!

I already have some old birdhouses, garden signs, and old watering cans to add that rustic look.  There are so many awesome potting bench ideas on Pinterest, hopefully I can use some for mine.

See you next time for the update on my progress.  Happy Spring!

Easter Memories

I have such fond memories of Easter as a child and would like to share a few with all of you today.

We always had new outfits, my sister and I had new dresses, sweet hats, purses, and white gloves. My brother had a new suit and always a bow tie. I do remember getting Easter baskets full of goodies.

ydmWe went to church on Easter morning, and then a trip with my grandmother to the cemetery placing flowers on my grandfather’s grave. This was something we did every Easter.

granny 001This is something that I continue to do to this day.  Tomorrow I will visit my sweet Mother’s grave who is now in heaven.

We then went to Granny’s house for Easter dinner.  Everyone was there, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  There was always so much food, I especially loved my aunt’s homemade biscuits along with Granny’s gravy.

There was always a table filled with desserts, all homemade.  I remember chocolate cake, a stacked apple cake, Granny made, and my aunt’s coconut cream pie.  Yummy!

After dinner a favorite memory was my Mother and her sisters doing the dishes and singing old gospel songs.  They would sing, and cry, and laugh.  It makes me so sad that they have all passed away.  Thank God for memories.  My heart is full of joy remembering them all together in the kitchen.

These were some of the good memories of my childhood.

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter.

yvonne 001

Make some joyful memories this Easter with your family!

 

 

 

Grandma’s Disappearing Cupcakes

"Disappearing Cupckes"This is such a simple and yummy recipe!

It has been around for years as a cake, but they come out great as cupcakes.

My mom, who has since gone to heaven, gave this recipe it’s name.

As soon as she put them on the table they disappeared!

Especially good this time of year for Easter or the upcoming summer days.

There are mandarin oranges in the batter, and the topping is cool whip with crushed pineapples.

Hope you enjoy one of my dear mother’s favorite recipes.

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 (11 ounce ) can of mandarin orange segments

Topping:

1 (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, thawed

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

1(3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil and mandarin oranges with juice.  Beat until  smooth.  Pour batter into a paper lined cupcake pan.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

4.  To make the topping:  in a large bowl, beat together whipped topping, crushed pineapple with juice and dry pudding mix until blended.  Scoop lots on top of cooled cupcakes.

This recipe, as I mentioned above, can also be made as a cake by pouring into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan baking at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes.

Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!