Begging Mama Nature For Spring!

Light Snow Showers Today!

Need SUN and COLOR!

So I

Strolled Over

to

FiFi Flowers!

AHHHHHH

A Breath of Fresh Air!

COLOR!

FUN!

PERKY!

makes

mama

happy

GO VISIT!

HERE!

Cinco De Mayo

We celebrate Cinco De Mayo

about every week

at Mama Holli's house!

We LOVE

Mexican Food!

We always have fresh

salsa/hotsauce

and tortillas are a staple in

our pantry!

Quesadillas

is a quick and easy meal

we make quite often.

Sometimes it is breakfast.

Sometimes it is lunch.

Sometimes it is a snack.

It may be filled with chicken, steak, beans, cheese,

mushrooms, pork or just about anything within reach!

Easy and quick to make.

Just stuff what you like in between two tortillas.

Make sure you stuff some cheese in to bind the ingredients.

Heat it up in a well oiled skillet.

Flip it over to hit the other side.

Cut it up like a pie and serve it up

with your favorite toppings!

Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, pico, queso .....

you get the picture!

Adios Amigos!

Faces

FACES

round

oval

square

brown

white

yellow

ripe

pure

aged

rough

soft

smooth

fresh

worn

weathered

all

diiferent

yet

all

similar

each
perfect
one
is

beautiful

lovely

amazing

Artist

Daughter #1

age 14

Proud Mama Holly

Goodwill Hunting!

Look What Mama Found 

at

Goodwill!

Decorative Milk Glass Plates

Sweet Baby Angels

How stinkin cute 

would these be in a nursery?

And
NO
I am not pregnant!
I am
way too old for that!
And
way too young
for
Grandbabies!
Mama Holli
will just have 
to wait to
use these plates!

WAAAAA
WAAAAA
WAAAA!

Mama Makes A Calzone!

That's Amore!

Mama

Makes

a

Big Pizza Pie!

Oh Yea Baby!

This

is

GOOD STUFF!

Grandpa

would be proud!

Do you want the recipe my friends?

Did I hear a YES?
Well Here You Go!

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour plus more if necessary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar

In a bowl, combine yeast with water, olive oil, salt, sugar and stir well. Let it sit about 5 minutes, add half of the flour and mix well with a spoon. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well using your hands. Bring dough to a lightly floured table and knead  for about 5 minutes, adding remaining flour as needed to form a smooth dough. Dough should not be sticky. Work more flour in if sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually about 1 hour.

Divide the dough evenly into 4 balls. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let sit for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured table and roll out into 4  8-inch circles. Place filling of choice in the center of one side of each circle, then fold dough over filling to meet edges of filled side. Crimp edges with a fork , then cut a small slit in the top of the calzone to allow steam to release while baking. Cook in a preheated 475 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until well-browned.  Enjoy!

Sauce (Gravy)

I make my sauce from scratch.  That is another post in itself!  So use your favorite sauce and ingredients for your own personalized calzone!  My family loves Italian sausage and mushrooms so that is what I filled these with!  The possibilities are endless!  

Spinach, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Tomatoes, Basil, All Varieties of Cheeses, Pepperoni, Chicken, and the list goes on and on!

So I did a layer of mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, sauce and sausage.  Then more cheese of course!  My son ate the leftovers for breakfast COLD!

ENJOY!

Ciao BELLA!

Sweet Cuppycake Sam

I LOVE this!
Watch his eyebrows at the end of the song!
Bless his baby heart!

KINDNESS FOR KIDS INC.

Mission Statement:

"Changing lives through compassion."

Youtube Star Cuppycake Sam encourages us to have hope, and to not to judge others.

Sam Allred resides in Alaska with his parents and siblings. Sam enjoys reading, Lego robotics, and cooking. Sadly, Sam suffers from a rare kidney condition - for which he takes steroids. The steroids have stunted his growth and complicated his weight.
Sam is currently working to help support children with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Sam’s non-profit; Kindness for Kids mission statement shares his vision “Changing lives through compassion” Team up with Sam at www.kindnessforkids.org. Or www.cuppycakesam.com

Together we can change the world!
Go HERE
to purchase Sam's
New Book!

Mama Elise and Mama Lisa are Cooking Up a Storm!

So Mama Elise made this for

Mama Lisa and Mama Christine.

It was real yummy and they liked

it very very much!

So Mama Lisa 

SNATCHED

the recipe and cooked it

right up!

Mama Lisa loves this chicken so much

 that she created a shrine for it!

She says it smells as if you

are walking the streets of Greece!

Yes she did!

Chicken Marbella

10 chicken breasts, skinned or 1 whole chicken cup up

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1 bottle of capers with juice

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup dried apricots or prunes

1/2 cup green olives (pitted)

8 bay leaves

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white wine

Mix all ingredients except topping and marinate overnight. When ready to bake pour the brown sugar and wine on the chicken.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

I can't wait to try this!

This Will Make Mama Perky and Happy!

Needing a little

Pick Me Up

today!

So I am posting up

these beautiful flower photos

I took at

Butchart Gardens

last September

Hope You like!

My favorite part of the Garden 

was this enormous display

of annuals!  It was a wall of the

most gorgeous flowers I have ever seen!

The wall was 7 feet tall and at least 100 feet in length!

It went on forever!

Can't you just picture a beautiful bride

walking this path to meet her groom!

SIGH!!!

Looking across the lawn at 

part of the wall of flowers!

Close Up View!

NOW 

Mama Is Perky

and

Chipper!

Granny's Icebox Cookies

My Granny always had

a stash of homemade cookies

for us to enjoy!

She always had a variety to choose

from at any given time!

Her Icebox cookies were

sometimes stored in the

deep freezer awaiting visitors.
They were even yummy cold!

The lucky cookie of the week

was proudly stored in her 

round Tupperware container.

I now have that container!

I baked these cookies this weekend and

loaded them into the famous container.

My daughter walked by lifted the lid 

and squealed!  "Oh it smells just like Granny's house!"

I was giddy all over!
I had already discovered this
 but was thrilled
that she discovered the same treasure!
This spurred what I call a "memory blast" 
where we each began spilling
 out one memory after
the other about our Granny!
My grandmother and her Great Grandmother!
How blessed my children were to know
their Great Grandmothers!

So we spent the rest of the weekend

walking by the cookies, lifting the lid to 

take a whiff of that wonderful smell!

Sometimes not even grabbing a cookie!

A smell that took us back to the kitchen

of a magical woman who loved us totally

and completely without conditions.

A woman who opened her 
home and her heart

to all who entered through her doors.

What is most amazing to me is 
that my daughter

was 5 when she passed away, 
yet this memory, from this smell

took her immediately back to that kitchen!

Back to that feeling of love!

How Sweet Is That!

It is true that

love knows no boundaries

and

not even death can separate that.

Icebox Cookies

Displayed in Granny's

"Fancy China"

As a child I remember gazing at this china!

It was off limits and stored it a cabinet

in the dining room.  When you opened

the cabinet it had a distinct smell.

You just knew it was protecting 

something special inside!

My Aunt B gave me a place setting

that I now safely store away.

Thanks Aunt B! 

Icebox Cookies

2 cups of brown sugar

1 cup of shortening (I use Crisco Butter Flavored)

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 cup of chopped nuts

1 Tbs of water to dissolve 1 tsp of baking soda

1 Tbs Cream of Tartar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Cream shortening, add sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla.  Sift flour, salt, and cream of tartar, add to mixture.  Add soda with water and fold in nuts.  Mix together well and separate dough in half.  Take the first half and roll into a log on wax paper.  Wrap up the log in the wax paper and store in the "Icebox".  Repeat the same with the remaining dough.  Chill well.  Slice and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool.  Store in an OLD, ROUND TUPPERWARE container!

Go HERE for MORE RECIPES!

Mama Is Queen For The Day!

Calling 

All

Mamas!

I officially

declare

you

QUEEN

FOR

THE

DAY!

Here You Go!

Here is your crown!

Put it on

and

prance around!

Go Ahead!

BE

THE

QUEEN

TODAY!

Panini Maker!

I love my Panini Maker!

So do my kids!

So I took the  leftover

ham from Easter.

I grabbed some yummy

potato bread from the pantry.

I snatched some Muenster

cheese, mayo and honey mustard 
from the fridge.

This

Is

What 

WAS 

Created

YUMMMM!

Make a rich dressing by missing the 

mayo and the honey mustard together.

Slap it on both sides of the bread.

Layer ham and cheese on top of that!

Drop it on a Panini Grill 

lathered with olive oil.

Grill until cheese oozes out

and it smells divine!

EAT!

LEFTOVER

HEAVEN


Linking up to:
Made It Mondays
Just Something I Whipped Up!
Tuesday Tastes

Two Bunnies And A Friend!

Aunt B is going 

to

PEE

in her pants again!

Another FUNNY

animal photo from

the Graphics Fairy!

Mama Karen says these are real

animals dressed up and that the photographer

worked very hard to get these pictures!

SO Funny!
They do look like they are on a mission!
Don't they?

Mama Holli is Proud as a Peacock!

OH YES!

Mama 

is

PROUD

of 

HERSELF

TODAY!

LOOK WHAT

POPPED

OUT

OF

HER

OVEN!

Klobasnek

pronounced "Klobasneeky"

My Granny always had a table

full of these when we came to town!

Better known as 

Pig In A Blanket

SOOOOO GOOD!

It only took me about

4 Hours to make these!

The dough has to rise 

not once

but twice!

Look at what 

is

inside!

Did I say these

were GOOD?

Well they are!

This is the first time I have

made these by myself!

So I am A Proud Mama!

I will post the recipe once I tweek it a little!

Excuse me while I go have a little snack!