8 Random Topics

Mark this down as the random post of the decade!!  No kidding...it's all over the place today, you've been warned...oh and it's kinda long too!


Random Topic #1

How to make your berries last longer in the refrigerator.

Dump those berries in the sink with 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water

Just swirl them around gently in the water 

yeah...just use this stuff

and yes, I buy this in a mondo huge jug at the costco.

why...because I use it with everything especially laundry and cleaning

it's a handy item

Take the berries out of the sink and dry them...then put in the refrigerator

Vinegar is a natural disinfectant so it kills any of those nasty little mold spores hiding out on your fruit 

hence, they stay fresher longer.

Did it work on the blueberries?  I dunno because I ate a pint and a half in a day.

The strawberries ...most definitely.  They stayed fresh for over a week.

Random Topic #2:  Cooking fresh green beans in the crock pot

First things first....you gotta wash and trim those fresh green beans.

There's about 2 pounds in this pot

Then just fill with enough water to cover

Throw in some ham...or bacon or what have you

I keep ham chunks on hand in the freezer so I just toss them in frozen

what?? you don't???

Seasonings

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• ground black pepper to taste

Dump all those in the crock pot

You'll notice there were no onions, I was out

they tasted good anyways

Let those cook for about 8 hours on low...take them out and snort them down

good stuff good stuff

(I have no picture of the finished product...sorry we were hungry)

You can also add about 1 lb of new potatoes in there and then you'll feel like your grandma is cooking for you and that's a good good thing!

Random Topic #3:  Bird meeting

Apparently the birds held a community meeting on my front lawn

I hope they were discussing finding some rain and sending it our way

Most likely they were just enjoying some shade but it sure looked like an organized meeting to me!

Random Topic #4:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream...homemade

I'm still seriously in love with my new ice cream machine!

In a large bowl beat together:

4 oz pasteurized egg substitutes (such as Egg Beaters)

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add to this 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup milk

(I used 2% milk)

Beat well.

Put in the refrigerator to get the mixture chilled well.

Pour the chilled mixture into the machine let the magic happen

While the ice cream base is churning away grab some of this pre-made cookie dough

(do not use homemade cookie dough...just let the doughboy do this work)

Cut it up.  You can see I cut each of the pieces into 4th's and it was suggested that next time I actually make the chunks a bit smaller.

When the ice cream is about 10 minutes from being done just drop in those cookie dough pieces. 

Behold the thing of beauty...now eat and enjoy!!

Side note...as a general rule I do NOT like leftover home made ice cream. It just gets too grainy for me after a couple of days but this, well it was still nice and creamy the next day which could be a bad thing.

Random Topic #5: The Hannibel Lector refrigerator

This is our newest addition to the laundry room.  You know the refrigerator from storage wars!

It cleaned up very nicely and now it's being put to good use.....feeding my organizational habits!!

Seriously....the shelves are all labeled.  It's quite a system so I went to work on the big freezer too, which is now in the garage.

Sausages, ham, bacon, porks of all kinds and the freezer meals

As you can see it is time for me start cooking more meals we're almost out.

Shelf #2....various frozen ready to eat things and of course the ice cream machine tub!

This is the third shelf...this is where the beef products are living.

And this is the bottom baskets....it is for the chickens

I'm telling you I just don't know if you guys can take the excitement that goes on in my life.  I mean it's seriously overwhelming.....NOT!!!!!

Random Topic #6:  very unexciting dinners

this is about the extent of the food situation around here.  We are going to be on vacation soon and we are on a clean out the refrigerator and the half empty bags of stuff in the freezer.  Plus it is just too dang hot to cook in the oven, using that grill whenever possible.

This is a salad with some Schwan's buffalo chicken nuggets.

Random Topic #7:  Throw seed packets in your yard

Have I mentioned it is hot..and dry?  I mean really really dry!!!

I dumped a bunch of seed packets in a section of the backyard a month or so ago and by golly look what happened!   I haven't even really paid much attention and these were smiling at me this morning.

Happiness on a stem is what they are.

Random Topic #8:  I got a new coffeepot

Yep, I'm probably the last in the country to finally get me one of these little beauties but I finally did.  Want to know the kicker... I don't really drink coffee. I'm a tea girl but I can do that in this too.  I also got that handy little drawer to store the kcups in. Yep, the need for organization takes over me yet again.

So there you have folks, a week's worth of randomness in my very exhilarating life!

I hope wherever you are you are enjoying cooler temperatures and more rain than we are.

I think today is Day 39 over a hundred, the record should be broken on Saturday for the most days over 100 degrees.  I will not care as I'm going to Jamaica and I'm pretty sure 90 degrees in Jamaica is going to feel like a major cold front!!!!   

Thanks to all you for the sweet messages about our Kiss dog.  I still miss her, the house just isn't the same without her around.  In a couple of weeks when the kids are back in school and my house is empty again I'm gonna be a lonely lonely girl.   Of course maybe I'll start cooking again but then.....my sweet Kiss won't be around to clean up my floors when I make a mess.  :0)

Peace, Love, Cool Breezes and Summer Rain to you guys!!

Wacky Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!!!
It's been a wild and wacky week around here.
We said goodbye to a loyal, loving family member

Our sweet Kiss dog has gone on to doggie heaven where her heart is strong again and she can run and play like she did as a pup.  I can't tell you how much I miss this dog.  She has been my best bud since I haven't been working.  Oh the conversations and walks we had together.  Thanks to Court for "loaning" me her dog while she's away at college.  I loved this old lump of fur like crazy....we all did.

We also had to move the Abogg out of his apartment in Waco last week.  Did you guys know we are on like day 33 of over 100 degree weather?  Did you know that we had no air conditioning last week while moving?  Did you know it gets really really hot moving furniture from the 3rd story down to the parking lot?  Did you know we have to move into the new place this weekend?  Do you know that I'm exhausted just thinking about it?

My husband has also been watching too much cable...namely Storage Wars.  Yep, the crazy guy went to an auction and bought us an abandoned storage unit.  Romantic eh??  Yep some girls get flowers and diamonds or cars.... I get Hannibal Lector's refrigerator!!  Oh well... we needed an extra fridge so this one actually cleaned up rather nicely.  It's now in the laundry room and the freezer has been moved to the garage.  So far we're only out 50 bucks as we've made the rest of the money back from selling off furniture.  I made a big donation to charity and I still have quite a few things to sell off on ebay.  In the end we'll make a few bucks and have a like new refrigerator.  Seriously....now he's looking at more of these auctions!!  I just hope that the next one doesn't occur in the middle of 100+ degree weather stretch. I'm kinda tired of showering 2-3 times a day!!

Some exciting news.... I got a new trashcan!

Seriously...does anyone lead a more boring life than me?? 

well...if you ever saw the old one you'd understand why this is so exciting.  I mean it could have won the ugly trashcan award.  Tacky blue plastic...uggh

In my final exciting news....I present you with some prelim. photos of the back yard.

Remember this?

well this is it now....

that's not all, there are still more photos to come but I just wanted you to see how far our backyard has come.  It's looking good and we have finally decided on a fire pit and bench design so hopefully by the time cooler weather arrives around here, we'll be out back sitting around our fire and making s'mores.

Happiness indeed!!!

I have an appt today with a specialist.  He's been mentioned here

and because of my delightful dentist I now have an appointment with this fellow. 

He's on the cutting edge of hormone and thyroid management AND the best part..he uses holistic medications whenever possible.   I'm stoked as I'm so ready to back to feeling like my old self again.

Peace out my peeps and try to stay indoors!!!

Peace, Love & Yummies