Good evening -- can't believe I am finally on a computer again - well not counting work on Friday! What a day that was - first day back from vacation on a Friday!! But at least I only had to work that one day and then be off a couple. Now I only have three ahead of me and I'm suppose to leave for Ruidoso, NM for a short visit with my friends, Mary and Jack!
Travis and I had a great time in West Texas - a totally different world - where things are slower, much more relaxed, friendlier like all small towns are supposed to be! The most activity we saw was the Border Patrol that was very busy with more people and vehicles and even helicopters. The Gage Hotel was beautiful and we stayed in private rooms off of a beautiful garden and it was great. Really didn't encounter any ghosts though!! ha. At the Gage - we met the neatest lady, Connie. She was the pastry and bread chef at the hotel and at Sul Ross University in Alpine. She was so nice and friendly -- we felt like we had a real friend there! Of course Travis did - she slipped him homemade cinnamon rolls, fresh scones right out of the oven, and even sent us out a Blackberry Cobbler and Pomegranate ice cream, and gave us cookies to take on our next day's journey. (Every day there was a "journey" because everything is so spread out!) Needless to say - she knows the way to a man's heart -- you know - through his stomach!!! She has promised me her recipe because she makes all kinds of wonderful creations from the one recipe. She gave us tips on where to go and what "not to eat!" The day we were going to Fort Davis, she suggested we stop at the all natural food store and buy bread, cheese, avacado, etc., and have a picnic. Good advice - we had a great picnic up in the mountains!
Tonight at church they had a "Back to School" bash from 4 to 6 for the young people - served hot dogs and everyone else brought chips and dessert. My sweet little niece
wanted to go and I think it is rude to attend anything like that and not do your part and take what they have asked for -- so although Travis and I had really planned on and wanted to go to the new Robert Duvall movie this afternoon, and Maura had said she and her Meme were going shopping so she could spend her birthday money -we had Maura with us - so I went to the store and we made cookies -- I'll give you the easy recipe! Easy especially if you have two precious girls - such as Michelle and Maura unroll all of little Peanut Butter cups and then help press them into the cookies. I also made a very tasty dip (well I think it is anyway!) and took a special bread toast for dipping. So for the second day - I spent it doing for Maura - but that is OK -- I do love her so much and she is worth every second! Yesterday she turned 8 years old and she had told me she wanted me to make her birthday cake. She wanted an Angel Food Cake with white icing (now that was a first - I had never iced an Angel Food Cake - kind of defeats the purpose of fat free Angel Food Cake - but I iced it. Then she wanted it to say "Happy Birthday Maura" in the center -- well - there is no center -- but I managed around the whole in the cake - then she wanted blue icing around it and strawberries around it. Then of course we had to top it off with the tallest birthday candles you've ever seen -- at least 10 inches tall! The cake would not win a "beauty prize" but Maura told her Meme it was the prettiest cake she had ever had. Now year before last her Meme took her to Village Bakery and let her describe the cake she wanted and they did a beautiful job and then last year her Dad had one make that was fabulous -- so I really did get a compliment!! I also made just a plain white cake with icing and "ugly attempt at decorating" so there would be plenty -- but as it is -- most of it could be shared afterwards!!
Tonight at church Mark preached the second great lesson of the day! One of my friends and I were talking about his lessons and how much depth they have and how sincere he is about his faith and living the right way. Speaking of living the right way -- they announced tonight that we had a new sister in Christ and that she had been taught by the 92 year old mother of one of our members. This immediately made me think of the Godly woman my 92 year old Mom is and how she has a young neighbor that she has been studying with. I really think that the Godly women of that age and the era they were raised - made them strong in their faith and sadly - more convicted than we will ever be - to share that faith and pass it on! May God bless those women and give them the strength to continue as long as they are on this earth!
Recipes I promised. You may have all made these -- they are so easy but when you only have an hour - they are a great substitute for a long time-consuming recipe - no matter how great the results.
REECE'S NUGGETS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1 (15 or 16 oz.) roll slice and bake sugar or peanut butter cookies (I used sugar)
1 - 10 oz. pkg. Reese's chocolate peanut butter cups
Slice cookie rolls into 9 slices. Quarter each slice. Place each piece in a minature muffin cup. (I did not spray or grease the cookie pans and it was not easy to get the cookies out of the pan. One out of the 60 I made came out without sticking -- SO SPRAY THE PANS WITH PAM BEFORE PUTTING COOKIE DOUGH IN!)
Bake 10 to 12 minutes (mine were ready in 10) and Remove from oven. Place 1 unwrapped peanut butter cup on top of each cookie. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Makes 3 dozen. (I doubled the recipe!!!!)_
Now here is the Spread or Dip I made from my wonderful new SOUTHWEST LITE (Full-flavored, healthy cooking) by ZBob Wiseman. He says "this tasty appetiser can be used as a filling for omlets or wrapped in flour tortillas and then chilled and cut into rounds, or used for dipping" as I did tonight. I thought they had said to bring chips and dips -- but mine wa the only one I saw so guess I misunderstood!
PACO'S CREAMY MANGO DIP (Really called Paco's Shrimp and Creamy Mango Dip)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
8 oz. Lowfat cream cheese
1/2 Cup lowfat cottage cheese
1/2 med. onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons low-fat evaporated milk - I didn't have any so I used 2 Tbsp. fat free cream
1 Tsp. salt or he said "salt substitute"
2 Tbsps. minced ginger
1 small jalapeno chile or serrano chile -- I used two jalapenos and added about 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Mango - peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilanto
NOTE: I ADDED 2 CLOVES GARLIC, AND THE RECIPE CALLS FOR 30 MEDIUM SHRIMP, COOKED AND COARSELY CHOPPED AND TWO MANGOS - BUT I LEFT OUT SHRIMP AND DID ONE LARGE MANGO!!!
In a blender, combine the red bell pepper, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and all the other ingredients except mango and cilantro (and shrimp if using). Blend until smooth. Fold in mango, cilantro (and shrimp if using!)
Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. Serve immediately. Makes about 2 cups without shrimp and about 3-1/2 cups with shrimp and extra mango.
Here is the good part -- even with the shrimp -- Calories are only 14 for about 2 Tbsps.
Tomorrow I want to share a chicken recipe that was in this new book and how great it was -- although once again I added a little to it! Isn't that what all great cooks do?
Now for my soap box for the evening. I rudely forgot to silence my phone and I had a call during church tonight. I rushed out to quiet it and take the call. When I came back in I sat down in the back -- should never have done that. Shocked is all I can say! I know I could be all of the kid's grandmother but I'm not very "old fashion" at all - but hopefully I am Godly enough to recognize "trouble on the horison" or immoral behavor or just plan 'inatentiveness or disrespect for the preacher and other members.' One little girl was sitting in short shorts with her legs up in the seat spread apart and some little boy had her hugged up and every once in a while you got the idea he was doing something inappropriate - especially for a "Christian Girl" sitting in church because she would giggle and wiggle around. The rest of the girls behind her, on her row, and behind the row I was sitting on - was texting during the whole sermon. You know you read of the the past and in lots of places, people have to "check their guns at the door" -- parents should take up cell phones before children are allowed in church with them - the church might have to enforce "checking the cell phones at the door." Now - tell me -- how could they tell you one thing the preacher said if they are so busy texting and looking to see if they got one back?? I can just hear them and perhaps some of the parents saying "well, she is just an old lady!" Well I may be older than them -- but I know what is right and what is wrong and that never changes! There was another lady sitting there and after church she asked me "Are you sorry you sat down here?" and sadly I thought "Yes, I am!" Preacher - Elders - talk to these parents before they are coming to you with bigger problems!!!
Have a great night -- sleep well - pray for our youth -- and do a good deed tomorrow. Join me tomorrow for more recipes!!!
G
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