Linguine Alfredo

Chauncey loves pasta, especially Linguine Alfredo. I’ve bought jars of Alfredo sauce and dry mixes but the other night we decided to make it ourselves. This is the recipe we came up with and it is super easy and tastes great!

Linguine Alfredo

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons minced parsley

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon cold water

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups cooked linguine or spaghetti

In a large saucepan, sauté garlic in butter. Stir in the cream and parsley. Combine the cornstarch and water and whisk into the cream mixture. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Toss with the linguine and serve. You can sprinkle it with a little more parsley too.

Chile Relleno’s

 

I made these the other night for a girls night out party with my daughter’s friends. We had so much fun enjoying Mexican food and visiting. I’ve been making Chile Relleno’s for years and they are a big favorite with my family.

Chile Relleno’s

6 eggs

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup oil

4 (4.25 oz) can chili’s

1/2 lb Monterey Jack cheese

On a counter spread a layer of paper towels. Open and drain the chili's in a colander, then lay them out on the paper towels. Cover with two more layers of paper towels and pat them down to dry the chili’s. Slice the cheese into strips and fill the chili’s with the cheese.

In a mixer beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a large bowl. In the mixer bowl beat the egg yolks until thick and creamy, add them to the whipped egg whites, but don’t mix yet. Sprinkle the flour over the egg white, egg yolk mixture and carefully fold to just mix.

Heat a frying pan with 1/4 cup of the oil. Lay a chili in your hand and cover the top with the egg mixture, place the chili in the pan batter side down. Cover the chili with some more batter. Repeat with more chili’s until the pan is full. Let brown, then flip and brown the other side. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel covered platter and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the rest of the chili’s and batter. If you have extra batter you can make a little puddle of batter in the pan and add a slice of cheese, then cover the cheese with a little batter. My kids always liked the fried cheese better than a chili rellenos.

Quick Pasta Bake

 

This tastes like a veggie lasagna but without all the fuss! My family loved this, although my sweet hubby did ask where the meat was. I think this would be really good with some chicken in it or some Italian sausage.

Quick Pasta Bake

15 oz Ricotta Cheese

6 eggs

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons basil

2 cups penne pasta

3 cups veggies~I used a 24 oz bag of frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower

1 cup grated cheese

Cook penne pasta in salted water until almost done. Drain. Steam veggies and mix with the pasta in a large bowl.

In another bowl beat the eggs. Add the seasonings and the ricotta cheese. Mix with the penne and veggies. Pour into a 9x13 pan and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Tuna Patties

One of my running friends gave me this recipe the other day. She got it from her sister. Don't you love the history in recipes! These were very easy to make and the family gobbled them up! I came up with the sauce recipe, it's kind of a different take on a tartar sauce.







Tuna Patties

1 package Stove Top Dressing, any flavor
3/4 cup water
2 cans of tuna, drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped onion

In a large mixing bowl mix the dressing mix and the water. I drained my tuna in a colander and then using a fork broke it up. Add the rest of the ingredients to the dressing mix and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Form into patties and fry in a frying pan sprayed with Pam. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Makes 10 - 12 patties.



Sauce For Patties

1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons roasted red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Southwestern Pizza

 

I love this recipe, it’s pretty simple to make too. I also love how easy the crust is and you don’t have to roll it out or anything, just pour it into the pan! This makes up pretty fast.

Southwestern Pizza

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 egg

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with Pam.

In a large bowl whisk all the dry ingredients along with the cheese. Mix in the milk, oil and egg and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Topping

1 pound hamburger

2 envelopes taco seasoning mix

2 cups sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated and divided

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup salsa

In a frying pan brown the hamburger. Drain. Add 1 of the taco seasoning packets and 2/3 cup water. Cook on low uncovered for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl mix the sour cream and the other taco seasoning packet. Pour this over the crust.

In another bowl mix the beans, corn and salsa. Layer half of the meat mixture and half of the bean and corn mixture then 1 cup of the cheese and repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Meatloaf~Pioneer Woman’s Recipe

 

I found this recipe over at Pioneer Woman and it is sooo good! I couldn’t believe that it called for 1 cup of milk, but this bakes up to be a really moist flavorful meatloaf. I did add the garlic and onion powder to it, I love these to seasonings and use them in almost everything. This meatloaf would make really good sandwiches, but ours didn’t last that long!

 Meatloaf

1 cup Whole Milk

6 slices White Bread, I used whole wheat

2 pounds Ground Beef

1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

¼ teaspoons Seasoned Salt

¾ teaspoons Salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

⅓ cups Minced Flat-leaf Parsley

4 whole Eggs Beaten

10 slices Thin/regular Bacon

Sauce:

1½ cup Ketchup

⅓ cups Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Dry Mustard

Tabasco To Taste

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Make the sauce

Add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

Serve with mashed potatoes. Yummy!

Happy Labor Day and Chicken Pot Pie

                     

 Chauncey asked me if I’d make chicken pot pie. Last time I made it I used cream of chicken soup. This time I decided to make the whole thing from scratch. This pie turned out perfect! Here’s a link to my other Chicken Pot Pie Recipe.

 

Chicken Pot Pie

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 small onion chopped

3 potatoes, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

2 cups chicken, diced

Crust

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

6 tablespoons cold water

Cook the vegetables in water until just tender. Drain and set aside.

In a sauce pan melt the 1/2 cup butter. Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, salt and chicken stock. Cook until it boils and it’s thick and bubbly.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pick out your pan, I used a springform pan.

In a bowl whisk the 2 cups flour and the salt. Cut the shortening in until it’s the size of peas. Sprinkle in the cold water and mix until it forms a ball.

Roll out the dough and fit it into your pan. Trim off the excess and roll that into a ball. Roll the ball of dough into a circle.

Put the drained veggies and the chicken in the pie crust. Pour on the sauce and top with the rest of the pastry. Trim edges and tuck the top crust down and kind of pinch it with your fingers to seal.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Lasagna Hamburger Helper

I just love a quick dinner recipe! This was so fast an easy and I like that I had all the ingredients! You can use any kind of pasta, you can even break up lasagna noodles. Chauncey wanted the cute little bow tie pasta noodles.

Lasagna Hamburger Helper

1 pound hamburger

1 cup tomato sauce

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 cup pasta, your choice, I used bow tie

3/4 cup hot water

2 cups milk

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Brown the hamburger in a skillet, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. In a small bowl mix all the herbs, sugar and cornstarch add to skillet. Add the hot water, pasta, milk and tomato sauce. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Stir in the cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese. Serve!

Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole

This is a recipe that my husband and I came up with last year for Scout Camp. He wanted something easy to make. I told him it was a chicken, rice and broccoli casserole but the boys and him named it maggot stew at camp. So, I'll let you decide what to call it!

Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole

1 box Rice~Aroni Chicken Flavor

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

2 cups of chicken chunks

1 cup or so of chopped broccoli

2 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups water

In a dutch oven or a large pot heat the 2 tablespoons butter, add the Rice~aroni and stir and cook until it starts to brown. Add the 2 1/2 cups water and the cream of mushroom soup, the broccoli and the chicken and the seasoning packet, stir. Cover. If you're using a dutch oven you want about 15 coals on the bottom and 10 coals on the top. If you're cooking it on the stove top cook on low for about 30 minutes.

Works For Me Wednesday

I'm linking up with We Are That Family for Works For Me Wednesday. Here's my super easy summer dinner recipe, and I let everyone make their own. Usually we add carrots, but we forgot.




This is one of my favorite simple dinners to make! Yup, tin foil dinners, but I put them all on a cookie sheet in the oven. Be sure and spray your piece of foil with Pam first! This time I put potatoes, mushrooms, onion and kielbasa sausage. They take about 30 minutes at 425.

Italian Hamburger Helper

This is another Homemade Hamburger Helper from Chickens In The Road. The guys just love this stuff and I love how easy it is to make! I used a bag of mixed pasta noodles that Chauncey picked out. I think different kinds of noodles can make a casserole really fun!

Italian Hamburger Helper

1 pound hamburger

3/4 cup hot water

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup pasta, your choice

1 cup stewed tomatoes, I used tomato sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Italian Herbs

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup shredded cheese

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger. Add the water, milk, tomatoes, pasta and all the seasonings. Stir, reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes, covered. Stir and add cheese, cook 5 more minutes uncovered if soupy.

Make Your Own Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

My Works For Me Wednesdays Tip is Beef Stroganoff! Do you like fast and easy without the preservatives of a mix?

Before we get to the recipe, be sure to sign up for my 2 GIVEWAYS! You can find all the info for the Bluegala Clothing giveaway HERE, and the Road Kill T~Shirt Giveaway HERE!

Since Chauncey loves noodles so much I decided to try the Stroganoff Hamburger Helper version from Chickens in The Road. I just love a one dish main dish, especially in the summer when it's hot and I don't feel like cooking dinner! Wait, I don't feel like cooking dinner in the winter when it's cold! lol This is a great recipe to have around because it's EASY and you can pass it off as homemade, because, ahem, it is!

Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

1 pound hamburger

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup hot water

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups small egg noodles

1 tablespoon corn starch

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

In a large skillet brown the hamburger, add the mushrooms when the hamburger is almost done browning and cook the mushrooms a little. When the hamburger is no longer pink add the water and milk. In a small bowl mix all the seasoning ingredients and sprinkle over the frying pan mixture. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Uncover and add sour cream, let sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it can thicken.

Sharing an Ice Cream Cone and Homemade Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper

We went for a drive the other day with the doggies. We stopped and got ice cream cones. I think Seamus and Ella enjoyed theirs. I wish they could figure out how to hold their beards back though, they had to have baths when they got home!

I found this recipe over at Chicken's in The Road and had to try it! Chauncey loves anything with Pasta. I don't buy Hamburger Helper very often so I love this alternative and it's easy and fast, can't get much better than that, except it tastes good! Be sure and check out all the variations Suzanne has for it on her blog!

Homemade Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper

1 pound ground beef
1 cup hot water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef in a large skillet; drain.

Add hot water….

….milk….

….pasta….

….and your homemade sauce packet (corn starch, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and paprika).

Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer on low about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.

In the last few minutes of cook time, stir in the cheese; cover the pot again for the final few minutes of cook time.

When the pasta is tender and the cheese is melted, turn off heat and uncover. Let mixture stand, uncovered, about five minutes. It will continue to thicken as it stands.

Quick and Easy Ham Hash

We fix a lot of roasts and ham at our house, so there is always leftover meat. I needed a quick dinner so I came up with Ham Hash! It is super quick to make and you can add anything you like!

Ham Hash

3 cups ham, chopped

4 potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1~2 cups cheese, grated (any kind you have on hand)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, turning as needed. Add the onion and green pepper and cook and turn for 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook until warm. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese.

Metamorphosis Monday, Sock Monkey and Italian Meatball Pasta Bake

I'm hooking up with Tea Rose Home Link Party so be sure and check out everyone's projects!



Today I'm linking up with Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.




The fabric on the left is the fabric I bought at our local second hand store, D.I. The other fabric I found at Walmart.

These little skirts are what Jennie and I made out of the fabric.




I love the girls in these skirts!

Now for some more Sock Monkey Adventures, and The Sock Monkey Giveaway!


Jennie and the kids and I took Sock Monkey shopping the other day. This is Camden and there are lots of really fun little shops!

Sock Monkey got an easy ride in my purse! Notice my little helpers pushing the stroller!

Time for a water break! Sock Monkey doesn't even mind that it says dog water!


Time for lunch at Cappy's Chowder House! Sock Monkey and I ordered crab cakes!


Jillian dined in her stroller and Sock Monkey was there for her when she needed a little love!

~THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED~

Ok, now for the giveaway! Sabrina from Riyah~la Designs is offering one of my readers a sock monkey designed just for them! Sabrina hand sews these little guys and they are so nice and soft!

I had so much fun with this little guy! And so did Jillian my granddaughter. I ended up leaving him in Maine because Jillian fell in love with him and she named him Wow Wow! That's what she says when she sees him.

So, I know you'll love one of Sabrina's sock monkeys if you win!

So here's the rules for the Sock Monkey Giveaway~

This rule is mandatory! Go to Riyah~li Designs and pick out something else that you really like,
then come back here and tell me what you like in a comment.

Extra entries~

Follow my blog, if you already do or are just now following, just tell me in a comment.

Make Riyah~li Designs Etsy Shop a favorite, let me know you did it in a comment

Like me on Facebook (top left column of my blog), let me know you did it in a comment.

Like Riyah~Li Designs on Facebook, let me know you did it in a comment.

Follow me via Networked blogs (top right hand column of my blog), let me know you did it in a comment.

This giveaway is open until Friday, May 28 at 6pm. Open to anyone in the U.S.





I wanted to make something with pasta for Jennie's birthday last week and she helped me come up with this yummy Italian style pasta. Jennie buys her herbs from World Spice, they are dried but fresher than what you get at the store so you might want to cut back the amounts of the spices and add more after the sauce is made. Herbs tend to lose their potency if they've sat on a shelf too long. You could also add browned hamburger instead of meatballs or just leave them out.

Italian Meatball Pasta Bake

3 cups dry penne pasta
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp dry thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
8oz tomato sauce
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
2 lb bag frozen meatballs

Cook pasta in salted water until just barely done. Don't overcook. Set aside.

Cook meatballs in the oven following package directions.

Melt butter in a saucepan and saute the garlic. Whisk in the flour, cook for a minute then the milk. Whisk and boil for at least 1 minute. Add spices. Stir in the tomato sauce. Add the egg to the noodles and toss it around till it coats all the noodles. Stir in the sauce, meat balls and mozzarella cheese.

Pour into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. In a small bowl mix the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the pasta. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to crisp up the bread crumbs.

Academy J Headband Review and Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I recently contacted Sarah at Academy J to see if I could do a review of one of their headbands. They make such cute headbands! Academy J is made up by Sarah, Jessica, and Aimee - three BYU visual arts/education students. All of their headbands are handmade by them.

Sarah sent me the cute Eve Headband and I love it! It's a steel blue and black beaded organza flower secured with thin black elastic. I think a headband or hair accessory can really make an outfit, and I just feel a little more glamorous wearing it! I don't think you have to be young to wear one of their cute headbands, so go check out their Etsy shop and their blog Academy J and see if you can find a cute hair accessory!

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40:

As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all.
Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night
and ask, 'What are you thinking?'
She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game,
she doesn't sit around whining about it.
She does something she wants to do,
and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 40 are dignified.
They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera
or in the middle of an expensive restaurant.
Of course, if you deserve it,
they won't hesitate to shoot you
if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved.
They know what it's like to be unappreciated.

Women get psychic as they age.
You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40.
Once you get past a wrinkle or two,
a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest.
They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk or
if you are acting like one.
You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons.
Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal.
For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40,
there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants
making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.
Ladies, I apologize.

For all those men who say,
'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?',
here's an update for you.
Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage.
Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying
an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

Andy Rooney is a really smart guy!

My sister in law made this for dinner one night for us years ago. She used hamburger in it, but I like to use chicken. It's especially easy if you have leftover chicken from a baked chicken. It goes together really fast. I made this for my daughters family the other night, and they really liked them.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small can chopped green chillies, don't drain
16 oz tub of sour cream
1 package flour tortillas
2 lbs chicken, cooked and cubed, I used thighs
1 lb grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.

In a large bowl whip the sour cream, soups and green chillies with a whisk. I like to put the grated cheese in a bowl and the cubed chicken in a bowl, then line them up on the counter in this order~chicken, cheese, sour cream mixture. Then pick up a tortilla and put about 3 tablespoons chicken down the center, then a tablespoon or so of cheese, then about 2-3 tablespoons of the sour cream mixture. Roll up the tortilla and put it in the casserole dish. Repeat until you've filled all the tortillas. Spread the rest of the sour cream mixture over the top making sure you completely cover the tortillas. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Maine Pictures and Beanie-dog Bundles

Ok, this is a great picture, huh? I know, I cut off my sweet hubby's head, oh well, I wanted a picture Jillian in this fun swing. This is at Belfast City Park, in Maine.

Here's Jennie pushing Amelia on the swing. She's such a good mom. This is Amelia's favorite park, and it has a beach!

Here's Reese swinging. He's wearing his new baseball cap. He's on a T~Ball team!





I've had this recipe for years and never made them. These are super easy and a great way to use up leftover hot dogs. The kids loved them. They would be good for a picnic or after school snack.


Beanie-dog Bundles

2 (8oz) tubes crescent rolls
2 cups chopped hot dogs (about 6)
1/2 re-fried beans
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375.

Unroll the crescent rolls and pinch two together to make a rectangle. Put in a muffin cup and do this with the remainder of the dough, you should have 8.

Heat the re-fried beans in the microwave (it makes it so much easier to mix up). In a bowl mix the chopped hot dogs, grated cheese and re-fried beans, add a dash of garlic powder. Divide this between the 8 crescent rolls. Wrap the dough over the tops and pinch to seal.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Serve with ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce. I served them with salsa.

Business Card Giveaway, Metamorphosis Monday and The Best Meatloaf Ever!

Have you been wanting to get some business cards? Maybe some with your blog name or maybe your Etsy Shop? Well, I have a great giveaway for you! U Printing has offered one of my Peeps this great giveaway- 500 Business Cards

2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (slim card) (I love the slim cards!)

14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock

Full Color Both Sides; Offset Press; 3 Business Day Printing Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only. Must be 18 years old and up.

All you have to do~

Be a follower of my blog (look in the upper left corner of my blog)

That's all you have to do! Just leave me a comment and let me know that you follow me. If you want more chances to win you can do any or all of these~

1)Follow me on Facebook ~ leave me a comment
2)Update your Facebook status with this giveaway ~ 1 comment
3)Blog about this giveaway~3 entries~leave 3 separate comments

That gives you a total of 6 chances to win! I'll leave this giveaway open until April 18. I want to thank U Printing for offering this great giveaway!









I wanted to share a weekend project that the kids helped me with. I'm linking up to Metamorphosis Monday over at Between Naps On The Porch. And I'm also linking up to What's Your Sunday Scoop? Weekend Wrap Up Party , I Made The World Cuter Today over at Making The World Cuter and Made By You Monday at Skip To My Lou. Be sure and check out all the other ideas on these blogs!








Ok, those were all of my poor flower pots that I have out in the front yard. I love that they are old! They were all in the old barn when we bought our house. One of them I'd painted in cow spots years ago. They were all begging for attention!




Chauncey hauled them all out to the shop where him and Sloan cleaned out all the dead flowers, washed the pots off and then Chauncey painted them black. He even got around the inside so it would look nice! I made a stencil with some freezer paper. I found a Fleur de lei on Google images, then I enlarged it and printed it out onto the freezer paper. Then I cut it out with an exact o knife and my sweet hubby helped me tape it on each pot and he sprayed it with white paint. We had to do a little touch up with the black spray paint.


The kids helped me plant all the new flowers we picked out. They did a really good job!



These are my favorites. I love the one in the middle. My daughter Jennie gave it to me when she moved from Washington. We planted some herbs in the middle of the bigger pots.


This one is kind of hard to tell, but it's a little teacup pot. I had two of these from last year, but I made the mistake of leaving them outside all winter, and they froze and fell apart. So this year I'm going to be more careful and bring them in for the winter.




I found this recipe the other day over at Santa's Gift Shoppe and you know me, here it is! She has a really fun blog, not just Christmas things, so be sure to stop by and visit!

The Best Meatloaf Ever
(makes 2 Lg. Loaves)

3 lbs. ground beef (or 1 1/2 lb. gr. turkey &
1 1/2 lb. gr. beef...lean..whatever you want)
1 lg. onion, chopped finely
1 (8oz.) box stuffing mix (any flavor)
1 8oz. can of tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. fat free, light or reg. sour cream
1 packet of dry ranch dressing
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. oregano
1 egg

Sweet Sauce (Topping)

2/3 c. ketchup
1/2 brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

You can use your mixer to combine everything!

Divide into 2 loaf pans and bake for 1 hour. Drain any fat from pans and top with topping. Bake 30 minutes more.