Happy Valentine's Day!

Disclaimer #1: Andrew and I don't normally do Valentine's day, especially if we are both working. Disclaimer #2: I did what I did more because I had the day off, and would have still done it had it not been Valentine's Day (maybe I wouldn't have decorated the bucket).

When we were in Louisville for New Year's, we went to Muth's Candy. Andrew fell in love with their licorice caramels. So I found a recipe and yesterday, gave it a whirl. They turned out much better than I expected. When the recipe ended up making a bucket full, I decided I should decorate the lid of my recycled ice cream bucket.


So, if you like licorice, here's a recipe for you:

2 sticks butter
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c karo light syrup
3 tsp anise extract
1 tsp black paste food coloring

Melt butter over medium heat in a dutch oven with a candy thermometer attached- (make sure your thermometer isn't touching the bottom). Add milk, sugar, salt and syrup. Stir constantly until thermometer shows 234 degrees (should be the soft ball mark on your thermometer). Remove from heat, add the anise extract (most recipes show 2 tsp, I used 3 because I didn't think it was strong enough with 2- the Hubs says it's perfect) and add the black food coloring. Stir until well blended, pour in a buttered 9"x13" baking dish. Let cool completely, then cut into caramel sized pieces. Wrap in waxed paper. Enjoy!

This made over 100 caramels for me. Of course, the bigger you cut, the less candies you have. I just tried to make them look the same size as store bought.

The lid was made with the Opposites Attract cartridge for the letters, The heart is from the Plantin SchoolBook cartridge and the Background is Doilie 5 from the Lovely Floral cartridge. I trimmed it with black small rick-rack and tied a metal A for Andrew on. Viola!

Corn Dog Casserole

This is a recipe I have had since Robert was little, it was one that he always helped me make and it seemed like, if he helped, he was more enthused about eating it. It is still a family favorite.

Corn Dog Casserole

1 c celery, sliced thin
1 T Butter
3/4 c. green onions
1 pkg. hot dogs
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. sage
pepper
1 pkg. corn muffin mix
1 c. shredded cheddar

Slice hot dogs in half length wise, then cut into thirds. Saute celery and onions in butter for about 3 minutes, add hot dogs and saute til celery and onions are tender.

Set aside one cup of this mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, sage and pepper, add remaining veggie/ hot dog mix. Stir in cornbread mix. The mix, just like making cornbread with it, will be slightly lumpy even when thoroughly mixed.

Add 3/4 c. of the cheese (save 1/4 for topping)

Spread into a shallow 8"x8" or 9"x9" sprayed baking dish. top with remaining veggie/ hot dog mix and remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Ode to Whitney

Yes I am sad, no I am not shocked. Another life cut short. I love Whitney Houston's music. I honestly remember the first time I saw this video on Friday Night Videos--before MTV hit my house.

Takes me back to those days. Life was good, not as good as it is now, but good. I am sure I had just got home from a night of running around with my friends, which was typical Friday night fair. I absolutley loved her voice and it didn't change when "How Will I Know", The Greatest Love" or even her remake of Dolly's "I Will Always Love You" came around ( I will STILL sit and watch "The Bodyguard".

RIP Whitney, by the sounds of the reports already, you had a tumultuous last few days, not much different than the rest of your public life.

Your music will be missed.

Onward through another week

Wednesday is here again, hard to believe it is the 2nd one in February already. This year is going faster than ever. Of course, things are never calm around here, and it seems right now is as crazy as ever.

Andrew went to the surgeon Monday evening, we now have his surgery scheduled for the 23rd. I was wanting them to say, "We better get this done tomorrow", but they didn't. So, now, he has two weeks of trying to be very careful. He is still going to work but isn't supposed to even lean over to tie his shoes. Thank goodness he has one pair of dress slip-ons or he would be in trouble. I could tie his shoes of a morning, but what if one came untied? Anyway, hurry up and wait.

Robert goes to Chicago to the Auto Show on Friday. I know he is excited, this is something he has always wanted to see. I know for the next two years he will go with school, but I have a feeling he will always find a way to go even after that.

Work is a big focus for me right now, lots of things going on. I fought a laptop yesterday and won. It had been a while since I had a real challenging one, but this one was it. I had two to work on, trying to get a new wireless modem to work on them. The first one took me about 10 minutes to figure out the problem and it should have been the solution for both laptops, but it wasn't. I wrestled with the second one from about 10:00 Monday morning until yesterday afternoon, but they both work now, that's the important thing. Lots going on with our Percentage of Income Payment Plan too. Working on  getting it ready to go for next year and keeping our current clients going. Looks like I am going to get to help with the training for the state, that's just one of those "cool" things. I know I don't talk about my job much to people. It is mainly because I get to do so many neat and cool things and I love it so much that I am afraid I will come off as bragging, and I don't mean to.....I just have a really, really neat job.  I go to Decatur on the 17th to learn a new portal for Ameren, this will help out a lot- hope it works as well as it is supposed to. Also helping the Weatherization guys get powerpoint presentations ready for their conference in March. Lots going on, but as you can tell, I'm lovin' every minute of it.

I have my root planing done next Tuesday, my teeth are just now getting over being sore from the last visit. Not sure I am really looking forward to this one but know it will be better for me in the long run.

I'm down to 15 mg of prednisone for the UC, things aren't as perfect as they were when I was on the 40 but they aren't bad. I am thinking with the trauma to my system of the root planing, I am going to stay on the 15 another week, my doctor had told me if I had anything too drastic going on, to stay where I am until I get through it, so I am choosing to do that.

Looking a bit into taking a trip to see Andrew's grandma when we all take vacation the first week of March. Funny how things work out. Andrew took vacation because we have the Grand Prix at church on the 3rd. I took vacation to spend some time with him and get a couple of projects done here at home then low and behold, I realized Robert was on spring break, so we will all be together! Robert has Monday's and Tuesday's off from work so we could take an overnighter, see Grandma and still come home and get a couple things done. Sounded pretty perfect to me.

Once again, life in a nutshell.

Happy Wednesday!

Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes were introduced to us when we lived in Pennsylvania.
Everyplace you went out there had Crab Cakes and they quickly became a favorite. I make mine with the imitation crabmeat. Between it and chunked up crab, I like the imitation more.  These got rave reviews from Andrew too, already asking me to make them again.

1 lb. imitation crab, I use Louis Kemp's     2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped, bell pepper                      1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 TBS Onion, Onion (Tastefully Simple)   27 butter crackers (Ritz)

1. Finally crush the crackers, divide in half.
2. Break eggs in bottom of medium sized mixing bowl, scramble slightly, add crab (the more it is shredded, the better), bell pepper (I have bags of frozen from the garden, they are a mix of red, green and yellow and really gave this good flavor), and Onion, Onion (you can use a 1/4 c of chopped onion if you don't have Onion, Onion) and half the cracker crumbs. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until ready to use-- I mix this up before work and let it refrigerate all day.
3. Shape crab mix into 10 1-inch thick patties; coat with remaining crumbs.
4. Heat 1/4 c oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add crab cakes, cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden on both sides. Remove to paper towels to drain.

I use tarter sauce on mine, Andrew uses Cocktail sauce. Hollandaise would be good too, but I wasn't in the mood to make it.

*If you liked the canned crab, you can use it, just drain it well and make sure you have a lb. of it.

Enjoy!

A dog's life

Took the girls to Petsmart yesterday for grooming. They are such clowns, I can't get good pictures of them this morning, but at least they are both sitting still in this one! Liz has not one but two bows, and they are pink, which is funny because she is such a tomboy that I normally don't put pink on her but as you can see, I had bought her a new sweater--pink. Chrissy's is light purple to match, normally I would have went the other way around but decided may be Liz would like to have some pink from time to time.

It's a productive weekend so far. Yesterday was full of running around, first Mattoon then Terre Haute, but I have the month's groceries bought as well as gift for a wedding next weekend. Funny thing, I went to get the wedding present, which I had planned on since I received the invitation. When I purchased it, I got a free orchid. I will kill it, I know I will, plants and I don't have the best track record. Andrew always said I commit herbicide, but I digress and say it is plantslaughter, because I don't mean to, it just happens.

It's Superbowl Sunday. I wish I really like football but truth is, I just don't but Andrew does and Robert tolerates it so I am doing my part and bought all the appetizery like foods for supper tonight. I have Beef Stew in the crockpot and homemade bread in the bread machine so lunch will be something to look forward to.

Busy week, lots of commitments, but that keeps life fun. Andrew's appointment to see the surgeon has been moved up to tomorrow at 5:00. Will post when I know more.

Happy Sunday!

Welcome to February

Okay, here is my monthly menu for February. You can click on the actual menu to get a bigger view. As you can see we have a wide variety. Most of which is already bought. I use the first week in the month to buy the rest of the necessities to fix these meals (except for fresh stuff) and then spend the rest of the month only buying what is on sale and/or I have coupons for. For instance, our local store ran a special on Chicken breasts a couple weeks ago, 3.99 for a 3 lb bag, there was a limit of 2, so Andrew went and got 2, Robert went and got 2, and I went and got 2. That should get us through 3 months, which is how far I try to go out when shopping sales. I also got hamburger for $1.87 a lb last month, I bought 15 lbs. I honestly think I have all the meat for this month except the corned beef for the reuben ring and the steak. Before I started the menu, I asked the guys what they were hungry for. Robert's answer was the steak, Andrew's the Manicotti. As you can see, Wednesday night is prepared foods, I normally don't come home from work on Wednesday evenings until after AWANA, this gives Robert direction for his supper before he comes to AWANA and Andrew knows what he can fix himself when he gets home from work. Being prepared also switches me from wanting to go out for dinner because I don't know what to fix to wanting to go out for dinner because I want to go out for dinner. I will try to put some of the recipes on here for the casseroles, the corndog casserole is cheap, easy and well-liked. The Ravioli bake is also a crowdpleaser here, I have two kinda italian nights in a row, but at my house, that isn't a big deal.