Saturday Chores...

Well I started my Saturday with grand enthusiasm to get some long needed cleaning done.  The first thing that happens is my washing machine springs a leak.  Well it's done that before so I cleaned up the mess, and started trying to figure out if "I" could fix it for a while longer, the machine is only about 30 years old.  No such luck, it not only leaks, it has quit spinning.  OK, so I'll wash clothes at Mari Ann's for a while....So then I decided to steam clean my floors in the kitchen and great room area, they are ceramic tile...I hate grout.  I didn't even finish the dinning area when my Shark steam cleaner stops steaming,  So now I'm using a very old sponge mop that has already broken on me once today, but I managed to put it back together then I'm getting a towel to mop up the excess water on the floor....Are we having fun yet...I was going to make some yeast rolls today to use next weekend in a Monkey bread recipe, but I'm almost afraid to try it today the way my luck is going.....maybe tomorrow....

Another now they tell me...

Chocolate: eat it to be thinner?

Posted: Mar 27, 2012 5:10 PM CDT

Updated: Mar 27, 2012 5:10 PM CDT

Posted by Stephanie Frazier - email

Chocoholics rejoice: a new study says you can have your chocolate and be thin, too.

Researchers at the University of California in San Diego found those who ate chocolate on a regular basis had a lower body mass index.

The lower BMI group did not eat fewer calories or exercise more than their heavier counterparts.

It seems chocolate's properties to increase your metabolism may offset the calories consumed.

Despite the sweet news, the head researcher warns that that does not mean you can eat unbounded amounts of chocolate.

OK so where's the rest of the story, how much do you eat to obtain a "lower BMI".  This is just plain mean to publish this and not give the details!!!

Rumaging through a closet....

Daddy, Sonny and Bub Hardy

While looking for something else, I came across a box of old photos I had forgotten about.  I mean really old, one is a picture of my daddy's mother at about 1 year old.  Some of them are really in poor condition, so I decided to get these on my computer before they completely disintegrate.  Here are just a few, the rest can be seen, copied, downloaded, or whatever from my facebook page.  Just let me know if you want me to e-mail any of these.  I only found one from the Mendell side of my family, sorry, Danny, Steve, Scott and Mike....

Annie Lee Hardy, Daddy's mama

Mama's Aunt Alice

Dan and Sara Ann  circa 1975

Sunday morning, count your blessing...

The other day I received a most unexpected phone call.  I can't say alot about it to the world, but a few very special people in my life know what I am talking about.  This is the first blessing I am being thankful for today, and now for the rest of them:

1. My children. 
2. My grandchildren all 14 of them.
3. My husband even though he seems at times to deliberately push my buttons.
4. My home.
5. My health.
6. The friends and neighbors who make my life comfortable.
7. The people who come into my life to challenge me.
8. The people who inspire me.
9. The wonderful Christus House Clinic and all the people who volunteer there.
10. And last but most definitely not the least, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for without him, none of the above is possible.

OK, now for the hum-drum, normal daily stuff.

On the menu for today: DeBone Chicken stuffed with Cornbread Dressing (more on this to follow), My Mama'a Creamed Spinach, and something with some peaches I found in my freezer, that I need to cook.

For those you you that live in the east Texas area near Longview, Tyler, Noonday or Lindale, you simple must go by your nearest Herberts Meats, home of Deboned chickens.  They carry a variety of meats, poultry and fish that is hard to beat.  Everything from sausages to turducken, steaks to kabobs, red beans and sausage to Boudin Balls, meat pies to shrimp augratins, and much of this can be bought fresh or frozen.  So far I have had: the meat pies, the shrimp augratin, the stuffed chicken with broccoli and cheese, and today the deboned chicken stuffed with cornbread dressing and all of it has been great.  Here are the East Texas addresses and a phone number  for more information: phone # for all three stores call 903-247-meat, Longview address 2329 W Loop 281, Noonday 16949 Hwy 155 S and Lindale2304 S Main St.  I mean really you won't regret it...

 My Mama's Creamed Spinach

• 2 cans Spinach drained and as much liquid squeezed out as you can without turning it into mush
• 3 hard boiled eggs peeled, and chopped or grated (I grated 2 then chopped one I wanted to see the eggs)
• 3 T butter
• 3 T flour
• Salt and pepper
• Apx. 1 t dried minced onion
• Garlic powder
• 1 C milk maybe a little more
• 1/4 C Parmesan Cheese divided
• Bread crumbs (I used panko)

Make a roux using the butter, flour  seasonings, stirring in the milk just before it starts to brown (a little bit brown is ok). Stir in the eggs.   Allow to thicken then add a little over 1/2 the cheese. Cook till thick, remember that spinach already has some liquid in it you don't want the creamed spinach to be runny.  Put the spinach in a lightly greased casserole dish pour in the cream sauce a little at a time ( I used almost all of the sauce, but you might like a little less or a little more) gently stirring as you add it so that all the spinach is covered.  Finally sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese top with the bread crumbs, then bake at about 350* till hot and bubbly.


And finally the something peachy.  A peach pound cake that I found online, it is to wet and it fell some, but it taste really good, I'm going to have to work on this recipe a little before I publish it.

It's Saturday morning and I'm making cake...

Sunday is Allison's 12th birthday and I am baking her cake.  As usually she wants the Black Magic Chocolate Cake.  I was going to put a mint marshmallow creme filling between the layers but I made some chocolate cupcakes earlier in the week and put the filling in them...she didn't like it.  I thought it tasted pretty good and it looked really good with the green filling,...Thought I'd use Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies to decorate the cake.  She loves mint chocolate chip ice cream and these cookies.  I just don't get why she didn't like the filling...but so goes the world.  Here's how it came out, what do you think?  Only one problem...no room for candles...well, maybe...

T.G.I.F.....

Well folks, we made through another week full of ups and downs, mostly ups, but the downs were really in the muddy deep ditch.  It's when you hit those muddy deep ditch lows you find out who you can depend on, who is just going to be there and who is just going to be a pain in the rear.  I hit a pretty tough financial snag in the past few days, that's not to say we were financial set before, but we were getting by.  Our monthly income was cut by about 25%. OUCH! ! ! ! !   But thanks to my daughter,  my husbands brother, some very dear friends at the Christus House and a few budget cuts we will survive.  I won't cause the others embarrassment by mentioning their names.


For the "ups" I give full credit to "my daughter,  my husbands brother, my dear friends at the Christus House, and my granddaughters, who say some very sweet things to their granmaw, but at the same time not so very truthful.  You know, things that make you laugh or smile and you soooo wish they were true....Thank you, all of you for the time, the smiles, the laughter, and the love, without you I could not make it to tomorrow.


On the menu for this getting colder by the minute day:  Semi Homemade Tomato Soup and Grill Cheese Sandwiches.

The Soup:

Butter to sauté apx 1/4 C

1/4 C each:

    Onion chopped finely

    Celery chopped finely

    Bell Pepper chopped finely

Apx 1 T. Pesto

1 can Campbell's tomato soup

Optional:

Add a dash of crushed  red pepper or cayenne

A sprinkle of basil or Italian seasoning

In a sauce pan sauté onion, celery and peppers in butter  until tender and transparent.   Add soup per directions on can.  Milk can be substituted for water for a creamier less  "tomato-ie" flavor.  Heat to serving temperature.

The Sandwich: Is some left over oat bread I made for Sunday dinner, a little mayo on the inside, a slice of American Cheese, then some grated cheddar/Monterrey jack and then a slice of provolone, grilled in butter. Don't you love it when the cheese oozes over the side...of anything...

Later today I am going to make so Moon Pies for my grandgirls to put in their lunches, recipe and picture coming soon.  Oooooops! I'm getting my pies mixed up.  Actually I'm making Whoopie Pies.  The grandgirls love them in their lunch boxes.

Whoopie Pies: I doubled the recipe and got 10 small and 8 large pies.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's or Scharffen Berger

• 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons fine salt
• 18 large marshmallows, (the minis will work but they are a little more trouble)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet.

Put the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into another bowl. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until moistened. Switch to a rubber spatula and finish folding the batter together; take care not to over-mix.

Use a ice cream scoop for a consistent size drop of batter or spoon to drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto the prepared pan. Space them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly touched, about 6 minutes for the smaller and 9 for the larger.

Cool the cookies slightly. Transfer half of the cookies to a rack. Turn the remaining cookies on the pan over, so they lay flat side up. Place a marshmallow on top of each flipped cookie and return pan to the oven. Cook just until the marshmallow begins to soften and puff, about 3 minutes. Cool marshmallow topped cookies slightly, about 2 minutes. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing lightly to make sandwiches. Cool whoopee pies completely on wire racks. Serve.

Store in tightly sealed container for up to 1 week.

Note:

• Do not use the cream cheese, marshmallow cream filling recipe for this or just marshmallow cream It doesn't work buy marshmallows...

It's in the 60's at night and he's turning on the heat!!!!

Well I think my husband is having a mid-life crisis, exactly the opposite of mine.  I have night sweats even when my room is at a cool 69 degrees and he's turning into a Popsicle at at 70 degrees.  Last night I woke up in a sweat 2 times, came into the kitchen to check the thermostat, both times it was on 75 (current temp) set for the heater to keep it at 74. and the fireplace (it's gas one) had been turned on both times.  So I decided to get up and catch him turning the heat up.  Twice he got up (very scantly clad) within a hour of each other, got a drink and went back to bed. Around 3 I decided I would head back to bed,just before I got to my room I heard him headed my way so I turned to watch him.  He asked me what I was doing I told him I was watching to make sure he didn't turn on the heat again, he responded with something like "I married an Eskimo", I said "no you didn't but just in case you forgot you can keep warmer by wear pajamas and using blankets, I on the other hand can not and will not cool off by running naked around the house or even in my bedroom."  With that he turned and walked away mumbling something about how I don't care about his health....I finally fell back asleep around 4-ish til the alarm went off at 6:30.  So much for the drama in my life....

Yesterday evening I decided to make a brownie recipe I had received from a pastor at an office I worked at.  Donna made these for every special occasion to share with us and they were divinely rich, so I decided to make some to share with the all volunteers at the Christus House Clinic.  They were a big hit.  Here's the recipe, they'd be a great Valentine treat for all you want to feel special and they might even make some not so special people think you are special for sharing this treat.

Symphony Brownies

1 box Pillsbury 13X9 Family size Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix

Make according to directions. Spray 13x9 metal pan with Pam. Put half of mix in the bottom of the pan. Take three GIANT Symphony with almond and toffee chips Bars. Put two of the bars side by side in pan. cut off about a half inch of the other bar and lay it next to the other two bars. Use the part you cut off to put along the top in the empty space. Put the other half of batter over the candy bars. Bake for 31 minutes at 350.  Allow to cool, cut and dust with powdered sugar.

These turned out great, but I think next time I will use this recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen.  They are called $200 Brownies, but it is basically the same recipe but using 2 mixes (easier to divide) and a few more instructions.  If you try either of these let me know how they turn out...

And it rained, and rained and rained....

It started raining last night about 9pm and it really has stopped raining for more than a few minutes at a time, there has just about always been at least a drizzle coming down, when it wasn't pouring.  What a great day for taking a nice long nap.  But I will resist the urge, because if I do take a nap I won't sleep tonight.

Worked at the free clinic today, almost immediately when I arrived we had 2 cancellations (due to the weather), and one had already called to cancel before I got there.  So that was three cancels, and right after that, there was 2 no shows, so we had one patient this morning.  Then one of the no shows, shows up about 1-1/2 hours late, along with 3 other patients showing up at the same, so the staff and I had to get a move on, after sitting and talking recipes and food for over an hour.  All of us getting hungrier by the minute.  We starting talking about the rice bowls many Mexican restaurants are serving now, I really want to try one, found a recipe on the Tasty Kitchen web site.  Sounds really good to me, think I'll try it soon, it's called Burrito Bowl.  Got to go the the grocery store before I can make it, I hate going to Wal-Mart for groceries, but when it's the least expensive, I wish someone would compete with Wal-Mart's prices....

One more early morning at the clinic then I can sleep in on Friday.  Three clinics in one week is kinda' tough on old folks like me, but I love being there, and doing what I am doing,  I just wish I could find a paying job that wouldn't interfere with my volunteer career...any ideas????

On the menu for today...

Today is Sunday, my favorite day of the week,  It's kind's a end and a beginning at the same time.  One week is finished and a new week is starting.  Does that make any since?  O'well it's going to be a wonderful, easy day.

I 've already put a pot roast in to cook, a recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen,  Creamy Portabella Pot Roast  along with some Beefy Rice, Biscuits and something green...think I'll ask Mari Ann to bring the green...The pot roast recipe called for portabellas...of course, the closest grocery store to me was out, but they had some baby Bella's on sale which I substitute.  The beefy rice is just regular long grain rice made with beef stock instead of water and I'm cheating on the biscuits, I bought some frozen "Mary B's".  I've not used these before usually I keep the Pillsbury frozen biscuits in the freezer cause they are just so handy, when I'm just cooking for two, and they are pretty good.  I'll let you know what I think of the Mary B's.

OK,  the Mary B's biscuits were pretty darn good, the pot roast was good, but missing something, I'm not sure what, but definitely a do again, with a little more or less of something...

We diiiiid it, we diiiid it...

We, Allison, Sara and I got the Christmas decorations put up... all except a couple of things that need to go in the attic.  Went shopping for a new tree, my cat broke 3-4 limbs on my tree it really looks pretty sad.  I'll go to Hobby Lobby tomorrow, hope they have a 6-7ft skinny tree, I'll be real surprised if they do.  I think I'm ready to scale down to a table top tree, if I can figure out a place to put it.  Wonder if I could get a good buy on line...

Stopped by our Brookshire's Fresh on the way home, picked up a couple of salads for the girls and I for supper.  I had their fresh pasta, mozzarella tomato salad for supper last night, it was really good, looking forward to tonight's meal with the girls.

Tomorrow we will be going to the clinic, we have about 3 patients due in, should be a nice day.

Good Friday morning....

Well the chest x-ray came back clear and normal, Mari Ann doesn't believe it.  The wheezing is still there, but getting less every day, still coughing but not as much.  So much for the health report.

Going to the clinic today, have a doctor coming in on Monday for about 3-4 patients, so need to get all the charts ready.

Still haven't taken down my Christmas decorations, every time I think I might get it done something gets in the way....like I being sick or the girls need to be taken somewhere or maybe I just don't want to....I promise I will get it done sometime this weekend...maybe...I better or the neighbor will probably start complaining...I really need to get my living room back to normal...

Another rainy gloomy day....

Had a Dr. listen to my lungs today, it appears I may have a little more than an upper respiratory infection.  She ordered a chest x-ray prescribed another antibiotic (I am to take with the other antibiotic) and an Advair Diskus (it's a medicine I have to inhale and if I don't rinse my mouth out well after each dose, I could get thrush...Oh goody).

Got the girls again tonight they decided they want "egg in a hole" for supper tonight and poor Sara is starving to death, poor baby she's wasting away.   So I guess I'd better go start cooking, I'll try to blog aliitle more later...I can only imagine how excited you are to hear about my day......NOT

Getting back into a routine...

Sorry, I haven't been here for a couple of days, but I've been a little busy.  I volunteer at a free clinic in a small community near where I live.  Sometimes I'm there 2 days a week, sometimes 3, and occasionally 4, but I love being there and working with my co-volunteers.  I do so wish I could find a job that would not interfere with my volunteer career and help me make ends meet, I would love to quit looking for a job and spend I my free time there.

Josh aka Dennis the Menace

Preston aka Eddy Haskel

Tomorrow I am going to get 2 more of my 13 grandchildren so they can spend some time with me.  This time it 2 boys, Preston and Josh.  They remind me of Eddy Haskel and Dennis the Menace, I'm a little worried how I will keep them entertained and out of trouble.  Say a little pray for me... Love'em both dearly.

I was so sorry to learn that Josh and Preston did not do what they needed to do to come see granmaw for about a week.  We can hope they will do what is necessary to make the trip next time.  I thinking about adding a little something extra if they will do what their mom and dad tell them too and get a little ahead on their homework, but they would have to be willing to wait until March or April for their visit.  I'm thinking we might go camping for a couple of days.  I would think the boys would like that....

Happy 2012

Stayed up till midnight with 2 of my granddaughters, Allison and Sara Ann.  We watched the Ball in New York, then the Moon Pie in Mississippi, have you ever eaten any of those...they are down right addicting.  We got some sparklers after Mass, so they had a glorious time "sparkling" as Sara called it for about 30 minutes into the New Year.  I was surprised to hear and see all the fireworks going off around us at midnight, I didn't realize so many people stayed up to bring in the New Year with a bang.  Our neighbors across the street apparently had couple of friends over, but they left about 12;15.  The party must have been really lacking in food, or fun for it to end  so quickly, the girls were "sparkling," and shouting  "Happy New Year" as the neighbor's friends left without a "Happy New Year" in reply, and the lights on their house went dark.
 Today on the menu is of Black-eyed peas, a southern tradition that is supposed to bring you, wealth, health and happiness. The rest of the meal will consist of Maple Mustard Pork Chops, Cheesy Grits (this a favorite of Allison's), Broccoli and Cheese and of course biscuits and syrup for desert.

Well only a few more ....

I think she liked her Christmas gift.

Refers to a test she took
diagnosing the hole in
her heart

days of 2011  are left to live.  Whoa, that sounds a little dreadful maybe even a little morbid, that's really not how I intended it to sound.  I hear a lot of people saying how bad they thought 2011 was, but I have no complaints.  Among the many blessings I received, the life and health of my daughter was one of the best.  For those of you who do not know, on Nov. 5, my 34 year old, non-smoking, non-birth control pill taking, dieting and running 5 miles a day, daughter had a bilateral thermalic stroke.  She was non-responsive for about 18 hours and but managed to recover in about a week.  The only lasting side effect was/is a numbness on the tip of her tongue and (get this) "sweets don't taste as good as the used to."  We did how ever through the testing they did on her discover she had an undiagnosed  hole in her heart.  The doctors fixed that a couple of weeks ago, she is back at work and on the road to a full recovery.  She will be on blood thinners for a couple of months so we are keeping her away from all sharp objects, and try not to touch or poke her with any force, though her husband has threatened to poke her several times on her back to make a smiley face .  What is surprising to me is that 25% of the population is walking around with the same problem and do not know it, what's more the insurance companies will NOT pay to have it fixed unless you have a heart attack or a stroke, now does that make any sence....

The Christmas rush is over....

The feast has been consumed, the gifts have been received...and given with wonderment and joy.  But let's not forget, December the 25 is the first day of the Christmas season, not the last.   All Saints Day nor even Black Friday, are not the first day of the season, as many would have you believe.  The hardest part, and for some the worst part is over (except for paying the bills you may have run up).  Now sit back take a deep breath and say, "Thanks you Jesus, for all the many blessings and graces you have sent my way."  tonight, and every night for the next 11 (eleven) nights.  What a wonderful birthday present that would be for Jesus, if everyone would just take the time to thank Him for all the gifts, He has given us, even while knowing, so few of us will reciprocate or even send a simple thank you His way.  To tell Jesus thank you each and everyday would be a wonderful and easy New Years resolution to keep.  Think about it....  May you all have a Glorious 12 days of Christmas and a Blessed New Year....

Here goes number 2...

Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011

Hannah, Allison and Sara Ann

Today the girls and I did a whole lot of nothing, we slept in, ate an early lunch or a late breakfast...what ever you want to call it.  Late this afternoon I tried a new recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen called Soft Pretzel Bites.  The outside was as it should be crunchy and salty, but I think I should have let them rest or rise a little, before I put them in the oven, the inside was a little doughy, they were done just not what I though it should be.

Madison

Right now I have a pan of Hobo Dinner on the stove to feed 5 grandkids, my daughter, my husband and me. I made enough to send some home with Mari Ann to her husband Shawn, who's feeling a little under the weather.  For those of you who do not know what Hobo Dinner is, it is a one pot meal my mother came up with to feed myself, my 5 very hungry brothers and mama and daddy, we all loved Hobo night at the Byrd house.  It's made up mostly of rice, hamburger and a can of tomatoes.  The rest fo the ingredients can vary depending on what I have available.  This time I chopped up an onion, some celery, threw in a can of corn and a couple of Bay leaves, and salt and pepper of course.  Then I added a couple of cups of rice, 3 - 1/2  cups of beef broth.  Simmer till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.  A glass of milk and some bread and butter makes this one of my favorite comfort meals.

From far left:  Mari Ann, married to my brother Billy Joe; Mari Ann,
 my daughter and Mary Byrd aka mama Byrd.  The caption should be
"Is it done yet?"

Got to go check on my supper, good night all.

Dec. 18, 2011, My First Blog

OK people this is my first attempt at this.  Be patient with this old lady...never thought I'd hear that coming out of my mouth...but at least I'm not as old as my husdand...LOL  How'd he get so old?

Today and the next few days I have the pleasure...no not pleasure, but sheer joy of spending some time with 2 of my son's daughters, Hannah age 10 and Madison age 16, or Madie as she prefers.  We are going to spend some time together cooking, shopping, laughing and enjoying this Christmas season.  I told them last night there are only 2 rules at granmaw's house:

1.   If you want to leave my yard ask before you go
2.  Just because it is in this house does not mean you can have it or eat it, ask me first.

Then this morning I realized theres one more:

3.  Keep all the doors the bedroom closed because Gigi my 12 year old mini dapple dachshund will poop or pee on the carpet given the opportunity.


I need to add another one : (


4.  Please flush the commode each time you use it...my water bill won't go up that much....