Fussy Monkey Business: Thoughts to Think On

Please take a moment to jump over to this delightful blog and read this wonderful message today.

We had a tough day around here yesterday and this couldn't have been posted at a better time. :0)

Blessings to all of you!!

Fussy Monkey Business: Thoughts to Think On

Tuesday's Tasty....Garlic Green Bean Stir Fry

So I found these little gems on Pinterest....seriously if you aren't on Pinterest you don't know what you're missing!!!   I have a little clicky link over there on the left to follow me on Pinterest so click that link and find out what kind of things I'm digging on.  If you need an invite just pop me a line in the comments section and I'll certainly send you one.

This recipe has an odd ingredient in it and it does smell kinda weird when you are cooking it but press on my peeps cause it's yummy!

Starting Lineup

1 lb fresh green beans

2 Tbsp peanut oil

2 Tbsp chopped garlic (yeah use the whole amount!)

1/2 large yellow onion, cut into bite size slivers

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp water (plus a bit more if needed)

2 Tbsp oyster sauce (comes in a bottle usually in the Asian foods section)

Prep your green beans by washing then trimming the ends and then breaking into bite size pieces.

Heat the pan (use a wok or heavy pan) over high for 1-2 minutes (or until too hot to hold your hand over).  Then add the oil and heat about 30 seconds longer.  

Add the garlic and the onions  (yeah, I didn't use the entire amount of garlic but I should have)

Cook for about 30 seconds stirring the entire time.

Add the beans and salt and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

Add the water, cover the pan and let the beans steam for 5 minutes.

(you should check the pan once about half way to make sure you don't need to add more water.... I added about 1/2 Tbsp more)

Uncover the pan and add the oyster sauce, cook about 2 minutes more while stirring to make sure all the beans are uniformly covered with the sauce.  Beans should be slightly crisp. Serve HOT.

We normally have salad when we have spaghetti but my dear Abogg wanted green beans so I decided to try out this new recipe. They were really good and I'll def. be making them again and the next time I will also be sure to use the full 2 Tbsp of garlic. It seems like a lot but the flavor just infuses the beans so well

I'm off to get some work done my peeps.  I'd say yesterday was a total waste of makeup but I never even got close to getting make up on.  I got a shower and put on some clothes to go to the gym that's about it.

Today will be better...I hope but so far I'm still in my "watering the yard clothes".  :0)

Peace, Love & Yummies

Machine Mondays....& some Chocolate frosty

well my peeps..it's Monday again and I'm just tired.  Mentally and physically!!! There is just too much drama going on around here lately for me.  Too much I tell ya!!!  

First up I need to tell you remind you that I love love love my yoga pants.  You already knew that but I just wanted to remind you of my undying love for them but quite frankly when it's been over 100 degrees for like a bazillion days in a row with no relief in site, one cannot wear yoga pants.  The test....find something equally lovable. Enter stage left...the fitness skort!!!  OH MY WORD Y'ALL this is summer's answer to the yoga pant!!!   Seriously I'm in love with this little ditty.  The best part.....you don't gotta wear under britches!!! ha ha  TMI I know but seriously, those little suckers are sewn in for you!!  Hey, when it's this hot and miserable outside one less clothing item can be a godsend.  :0)  Try them you'll love them, cross my heart!!


OK...so you probably noticed Monday Machines as the title of the post and that's because I'm gonna show you my other newest appliance..you know the one that's earned a coveted spot on my counter top.  Well for the time being anyway, I have a lovely new idea for organizing my prized appliances (remember I'm an appliance junkie) so it may not stay for long but rest assured out of site is not out of mind!

There she is...behold her beauty and splendor for she spews forth icy cold creamy goodness!!

Yes, she is my new ice cream maker.  My old ice cream maker and I are were having some issues. You know it was so demanding..rock salt, ice, then there was the spilling of salty water all over the patio and then what do you do with that leftover salt water, the NOISE and quite honestly the concoctions it was turning out just weren't up to par any longer.  Thus began my research of a newer and better model.

Enter my delightful Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker

No, she doesn't make the same quantity as the old one but that's ok because no one really likes leftover homemade ice cream anyway.  It just gets too hard and grainy.  We made frozen yogurt in this first. It was good but I was alone, the rest of the family isn't much on frozen yogurt.  So let's make a family favorite...chocolate frosty ice cream.  Try it and see why it's called that!!

First up...grab 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk, 1 tub of cool whip and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.

Put those in a big bowl or mixer and get it all combined.

Then pour into your ice cream freezer bowl.  The new freezer won't hold all the mixture so I just poured the rest back into the milk jug and stored in the refrigerator. We'll have ice cream again this week.

My new baby has a big bowl that you keep in your freezer (you know so it's always ready for that spur of the moment ice cream craving)

You fill the bowl then set it into the machine and put the blade in and the top on. Flip the machine to on and presto chango!!!!!

In about 20-25 minutes you get gorgeous creamy smooth ice cream.  No mess no fuss just pure ice cream goodness!!   I tell you...I just love this machine and I'm so glad I went ahead and made the plunge and bought it.   My next purchase just might be the extra freezer bowl...you know that way I can make two batches quickly or make two different kinds back to back.  Life is truly good even if there is too much drama for this mama!!!!    Remember you can make this in a regular ice cream freezer too!!

Stay cool my peeps!!!

Peace, Love & Yummies!!!

Hubsters Sticky BBQ ribs

well Friday Happy Dance peeps!!!    Yep, I promised I'd be back with the Hubsters current obsession.  I really had other things I wanted to blog about today but I'm afraid he'll leave me if I don't get these ribs on here for him.
Please note....all photos are his.  This is basically his post, I'm just writing it for him.  You know so he won't like ask for the 1,000th time "why aren't my ribs on the blog yet?"  
so my dear Hubster...here are your ribs
Recipe adapted from Womans Day magazine

Cast of characters:

1/4 cup Chili Powder

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp celery seeds (optional)

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar

kosher salt & pepper (obviously Hubster snuck in the Jalapeno salt)

Ribs (we used pork)

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

In a bowl combine the chili powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, celery seeds, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper

Mix that up really good!

slap those ribs on to a rimmed baking sheet

or do like the Hubster and use my pyrex dishes

Rub down those ribs with the dry spice mixture

rub them real good...both sides please

Now cover tightly with foil

pop those wrapped up piggies in the oven and bake until the meat is tender

About 2 to 2 1/2 hours

Now we are going to whisk together (you can use the same bowl)

the ketchup, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and the remaining Tbsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp of pepper.    Whisk it up good.

see nice and mixed together

take those ribs out of the oven and heat your grill to medium-high 

(sorry...the photographer must have gotten excited and forgot to take pictures)

You are just going to baste those ribs with the sauce while grilling and turning occasionally.

Grill until they begin to char (about 5-6 minutes)

Cut into pieces before serving.

Enjoy!!!   

Now we have that out of the way I feel I must share with you an amazing item I discovered at Cracker Barrel.  Don't you just love that place???  Good food and that gift shop...oh my!!!

This is a Mint Moon Pie.....let's just say a Chocolate Moon Pie and some GS Thin Mints got married...

this is what their babies would be!!!!  Worth a drive to the nearest Cracker Barrel if you ask me!

Letting the men continue the cooking this week..... My Abogg spotted some amazing looking Rib Eyes at the costco last week and has been itching to grill them up... so I let him.

But first he asked..."do we have any vegetables?"

Yeah....I know you are jealous.  My son asked for vegetables.  It only took him 20 years to get to that point in life but yeah it's nice to hear!!

I had some zucchini and squash that were desperately in need of being consumed but I didn't really want to fire up the oven and roast them.  So instead I got my handy little food processor out and sliced up those bad jammas in about 3 minutes.  Gosh I love that thing!!!

I tossed the zukes and squash with some olive oil, salt and pepper and just sauteed them on the stove in a big iron skillet.   They were actually pretty yummy this way.  

then we ate...the end

by the way...my dear Abogg is turning into a grill master!!!

those steaks were just perfect!

Have a great weekend my peeps and stay cool...it's another scorcher!!

Peace, Love & Yummies

Co Co Coconut Cake

well well what do ya know??  I made it to posting BEFORE Friday this week!!  gooo meee!!!

This one has been done and gone for a few weeks now but I'm just now getting around to sharing it with you.  Probably because I don't really care for coconut (shock & dismay!) so I don't exactly know if this cake is really good.  People seem to eat it up so I'm assuming it's good!!  I made one for LL for her birthday (which was before the 4th of July..see told you I was tardy with this one).  She must have liked it pretty well because I didn't even have to hide it in her stuff to get her to take it to her house!

You only have to turn on the oven for a little bit so go ahead and make this one!!

Get yourself a box of white cake mix and make the batter as instructed on the back of the box.

Oh but use the egg whites only directions.  I personally splurge on occasion and just buy the egg whites in a carton.  Easier than separating those eggs yourself!

 and put that cake mix in a 9x13 Pan and bake it up.

Once that cake comes out of the oven, take your wooden spoon and just poke holes all around the cake

Don't be shy poke away at that cake

Now you are going to need these little fella's too.  

I NEVER said this was low calorie....don't fret, just do it!!!

That crazy Cream of Coconut can usually be found on the aisle with all the drink mixers.

You know the tonic, seltzer, etc.   It's usually on the top shelf too.

Now pour both of those all over the HOT cake.  Yep...just keep pouring until the cans are empty.

Now you can see where all those holes are and why I told you not to be shy about poking holes in the cake.

you are going to pop this is the freezer for about 30 minutes, just to let it get nice and cooled off

Grab a big tub of Cool Whip and top the whole cake with that stuff.

Now grab you a nice bag of coconut.....

and cover the cool whip with the coconut, then just pop it in the refrigerator until ready to serve!

I don't have any more photos...they ate it too fast but I think it was good and I think they liked it!

Now if someone could come and remove the baked multi grain cracker chips and spinach artichoke hummus from my reach that'd be awesome!!

I'm gonna try and put a post up tomorrow with the Hubsters newest obsession to cook on the grill.

Hopefully I'll remember so he won't be texting me like every hour to ask why it's not there yet!

 Stay cool my peeps...it's just HAWT out there!!!


Peace, Love & Yummies!

Another Friday post....and some pesto

well shoot a mile...I seriously just typed this entire post and backspaced over a misspelled word and the whole ding dang dong blog just disappeared!!!!

Even though it's the first time around for you, this is my second post of the day!!   Yeah, I'm really sorry about the lack of posts, I have the best of intentions but then.....life keeps happening.  That's ok, I like life and I like to keep it happening.

So, I made pesto for the very first time ever.
It was easy enough....easier if you have a food processor not a blender.
I have a food processor now.
I may or may not  be a kitchen gadget junkie.  What can I say...I love love love me some gadgets!

I've wanted a food processor for awhile but there are just so BIG and so expensive I just couldn't justify the whole purchase.  But yesterday as I was shopping in the wall marts I wandered into the kitchen appliances (probably a horrid flashback of making pesto with the blender) and found this lovely babe.         
Yep, it's a small 8 cup food processor by Black & Decker and it can be yours for just 30 buckaroos.
PERFECTO and SOLD!!!  Into the buggy it goes.
(by the way...do you say buggy or cart???  I think buggy is more southern or country hick but that's what I say...cart sounds so formal)
I sliced cucumbers with it last night to test it out.  I'm in love...yep...it's awesomely perfect.  It slices, shreds and chops and doesn't take up a ton of room to store.

So onto the pesto...get out your food processor or do like me and drag out a smoothie blender (it works but it's a little frustrating)

2 Tbsp coarsely chopped pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cups basil leaves

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

The pictures get a little lax about here as it is kind of hard to run the processor, pulse, take pictures all at the same time.  If my lovely photographer (ahem...MERE!!!) would please come back to help me this would be much easier.   :0)

With the motor running drop in the pine nuts and garlic through the feed chute

Process until finely minced, add the olive oil and pulse 3 times

Add the basil, Parmesan cheese and salt and process until finely minced.

Scraping down the sides (and cussing the blender) as needed.

A

Now you can take it out and enjoy the flavor of summer pesto or you can do like I did and plop it in a nice freezer container and pop away for later.  I have a few recipes that call for pesto and these small containers hold the perfect amount so when I need some this winter I don't scream at the price in the grocery.  But seriously I know why this stuff if so expensive!!  A whole lot of basil makes a tiny bit of pesto.   You can refrigerate this but it needs to be used within a week.

Now one other fun thing....

we got a cotton candy machine

Did I mention I was a gadget junkie??  Seriously and these are just 2 of the 3 gadgets I've bought in the past two weeks!!!   The other one will be up soon and I'm in love with it so much it gained a coveted spot on my counter tops!!

But this...this is just FUN!!!  I mean we've been cotton candy making fools.  It works well but you don't get a lot  at once but it's fun to make and the cleanup is so easy!!   I got ours at World Market and it's just been a blast to play around with and experiment.   

We've used jolly ranchers, life savers, plain sugar, sugar sprinkles, and warheads to make the cotton candy with.  The one above was my largest creation and I used blue sprinkles. So far the lifesavers produce the best tasting concoctions.  I've been reading that you can mix some kool aid with sugar and use that in the machine for flavor and color so I got some kool aid yesterday and I'll let you know how it goes.   But if you feel like being a cool mom (even to teenagers..spend the 40 bucks and get this. It's too fun!!!)    My husband and I are loving it too but don't tell the kids!

Well, I gotta go run and get some housework done around here my friends and I'll promise to write sooner rather than later. Enjoy your weekend, we're off to Schlitterbahn tomorrow!!!

Peace, Love & Yummies!