The North End! Little Italy!

If you get the chance to visit Boston

you must

get down to the North End!

It is like stepping back in time!

Generations of Italian Immigrants

walk the streets.

It is colorful and very flavorful to

say the least!

The quaint family owned restaurants, expresso shops, grocery stores, art galleries, churches, bakeries, and brick streets give one a European feel.  If you perch for a spell on a sidewalk sipping a cappuccino one can see and hear the rich Italian culture.  Two men slowly walk by with newspapers in one hand and an expresso in the other speaking very loudly in Italian to each other.  Another gentleman singing Frank Sinatra's Mona Lisa as he strolls down the street.  An Italian mama carrying a brown bag of bread and walking her dog.  Two young Italian boys fighting over one of very few coveted parking spaces on Hanover Street.  Then come the smells! The heavenly fragrance of pizza and fresh baked bread.

Speaking of bakeries......no trip to

The North End is complete

unless you have been to Mike's Pastry!

This is a cultural event in itself!

The line is usually out the door and down the street at any given time of the day or night!  When you reach the counter you are greeted by an Italian Mama who quickly takes your order places it in a white box and ties it up with green string that is hanging from the ceiling!  Then quickly takes your money and out the door you go!  From biscotti to cannolis there is

something for everyone at Mike's!

So off you go strolling down the street with a cannoli in hand.

The Old North Church sits at the edge of The North End.

Just in front of the Church sits a park and a statue of Paul Revere.

Sit for a while and sink in the history!

If you would like to taste a bit of Little Italy without the travel, Mike's Pastry does ship a wonderful Cannoli Kit to your house!

I have done this for Christmas before!

http://www.mikespastry.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

It makes a great gift to any Italian Mama or Papa!

Photography courtesy of Mama Holli

Old Children's Books and A Red Baby Rocking Chair!

Mama Holli is a sucker for 

old children's books!

These sweet books were found at various book sales and such.  I especially love the ones which have inscriptions written on the inside covers. It is as if you are looking into the past.  Even finding a book with a scribble or two!  Some sweet baby's little fingers left their mark in time.  My old address book has two pages filled with

33 cent stamps!  I am sure I was less than thrilled at the time to discover that all my postage was used to decorate my important book.  Now when I open to the addresses under the letter D, it immediately puts a smile on my face!
So display your old books proudly!
Especially those with scribbles inside!

Honey I'm Home!!! What's For Dinner?

Honey I'm Home!

Look out Mama!

Ward Cleaver Is In The House!

So Whatcha Got Cookin For Ward Tonight?

That Should Take Care Of It!

Chicken Empanada's

June Cleaver Style

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
• Water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. 

Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the chicken and all ingredients. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making as many circles as you can. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture.   Bake for 15 minutes.

Yummy Filling!

Perky Empanada Ready To Be Baked!

Plate It Up Mama!

Here Comes Supper Ward!

Madonna And Child

Madonna and Child Votive

I found this red vase at Goodwill last week for 99 cents! It reminds me of an old red vase my grandmother had.  I had to buy it!

Then while I was scanning through the Graphics Fairy's Christmas Graphics I found this beautiful graphic.

I think it is a perfect fit!

Christmas and year round it will proudly sit in my kitchen.

Thank you Graphics Fairy!

Mama Can Climb Trees! Yes She Can!

My oldest daughter loves a good climbing tree.  She would squeal with excitement when she found one. She would then stand under it staring up as if to develop a plan in her head to accomplish the climb to the top!  She would calculate her climb very carefully.  This is kind of how she approaches life as well.  She loves a challenge and is definitely not afraid to go to great heights to achieve it!  She is careful and wise plotting her path with great confidence and ease.  It is a beautiful thing I am privileged to witness.

This would not be a good climbing tree!

 

I'm thinking a good tree for a swing!

So as you step outside today take a good look at the trees around you!  Do you have any good climbing trees?  How would you attempt to climb a tree? Some may inquire how Mama Holli might climb a tree? ......She just grabs a limb, starts climbing and figures it out as she goes along!

Photos taken by Mama Holli at Butchart Gardens

http://www.butchartgardens.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

A heavenly place all Mamas should visit at least once!

Mama Loves Jewelry!

Meet My Beautiful Friend, Shamaine

of

Shamaine Klein Design!

We met in high school and have been friends ever since!

She is a very talented and driven lady!  She stays very busy raising three beautiful children and loving her wonderful husband Rick!

Did I forget to mention she is a Good Ole Texas Girl!

That just makes the whole package just a little bit sweeter!

Shamaine was born into a family of Jewelers and has been inspired to design jewelry for as long as she can remember. After a career in the arts and raising a family she started to sketch out designs that reflected her experiences in life, her faith, her family and her sense of fun. Shamaine made some of her initial designs into pendants for herself and as presents for her friends and family. With their unique styling and themes the pieces were an instant hit, and soon what started as an engaging pastime turned into a full time occupation and a design studio.

Today Shamaine continues to be inspired by her desire to create designs that reflect the lifestyle of the person who wears them – unique, and fun to wear, dressed up or dressed down.

One of my personal favorites!

Madonna with Child, the universal icon of motherly love and caring. This contemporary design was inspired by a Raphael painting - Madonna of the Pinks.

Shamaine was chosen by Donald J Pliner to create a piece for  

Peace For The Children Foundation.

http://www.donaldjpliner.com/Store/Foundation/

This is one of her designs for the foundation.

Yoga Girl

&

Peace Pearl Bracelet

Shamaine will also do custom designs for you!

Shamaine I am so proud of you!

http://www.skleindesign.com/default.aspx

website

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo7mppp9idI

Video Presentation

Hey Good Lookin! Whatcha Got Cookin!

Look What's Cookin Today!
Magic Fire Crackers!
Mama Liz from El Paso, Texas 
gave this recipe 
to Mama Nancy and 
Mama Nancy gave it to 
little old ME!
Whipped it up last night 
and 
WOW! MAGIC!
My new favorite crackers!

Start with a box of 
 wheat or white saltines.
Line them up in rows in a 9x13 
Tupperware container.
Or in a large Ziplock Bag.

Whisk together:

1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix

1 1/2 Cups Canola Oil

2 tsps. Garlic Powder

1-2 tsps. Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbs. Dried Red Pepper Flakes

Pour over crackers!

Cover tightly and flip!
Yes I said FLIP!

Flip again after 5 minutes!

Do this for half an hour, 

flipping every 5 minutes!

Open and serve immediately or store 
in same container for up to a week.  
I know what you are thinking.....
NO they are NOT SOGGY!
They are magically dry and yummy!  
Serve with cheese, dip, soups, or even Brie! 
 Last night my kids just scooped 
them up and munched them 
down without any dip!
Fun and Easy!
Not crazy about Saltines?
Try it with Oyster Crackers!

Here is another BIG HIT at Mama's house!



Sausage Cheese Crescent Rolls!

Click HERE!

Nobody Puts Mama In A Corner! Not Now And Surely Not Then!

Check out these Perky and Adorable Vintage Mamas!

Mama Can Bake

Mama Can Garden

Mama Can Sit Pretty In The Sun

Mama Can Write! Boy Can She Write!

Mama Can Stand Tall

If you are looking for old vintage photos go visit this new blog!

She has a lot of great mama photos!

Get Your Craft On! Mama Brag Boards!

This is my crafty entry.......what is yours?

How important is the entry in your house?  Very Important says Mama Holli!  It welcomes visitors and gives a little tease about your "HOME"!  I like to change our entry seasonally as most.  At times one will find a special plaque representing a family member centered on the entry table.  This is a hint that this family member is being highlighted for one reason or many!  My youngest daughter did very well on her report card at a brand new school! She takes the spot today! Maybe my son makes the winning shot at his basketball game or my husband comes back from a long business trip.  You get the picture!  So how do you make a Mama Brag Board?  Many ways says Mama Holli.  I just painted wooden squares and glued pictures printed on canvas paper to the board.  I bought metal letters at a craft store and glued each name under the photo. No right or wrong way.  Have fun and create it with materials around your house! Nothing fancy needed. You could use a chalkboard, cardboard or blocks.  Just find a way to highlight each family member during this thankful month of November!

  

Up Close

All ready to go when Mama needs to brag!

So make your Mama Brag Boards and start a new Mama Tradition! Don't forget to make one for yourself! Mama deserves to be bragged on too!

Mama CAN Bake! Yes She CAN!

There is something seriously wrong when your kids LOVE the slice and bake cookies from the grocery store more than your homemade cookies from a recipe handed down from
generations of loving mamas!
"Mama these are your best cookies ever!"

WOW!

Warms my heart!

Granny's Laredo Supper

Laredo Supper
It just sounds
Tough 
and 
Hearty!
Does it Not?

My Granny would have this on the stove simmering in her cast iron skillet when we arrived at her house on a Friday night!

We would all stand around in the kitchen eating a bowl of this yummy chili queso.  As we ate my sisters and I would fill her in on our latest adventures, antics and boyfriends.  Such warm fond memories we have from our time spent with her.

This is SOOOOOOO GOOD!

My husband laughs at the name each time I serve it!

Laredo Supper

2lbs. hamburger

1 large jar of cheese whiz

1 small chopped onion

1(15 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

1(15oz.) can of drained kidney beans

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 T. chili powder

Brown hamburger and onion in a large skillet.  Drain off fat. To the meat add all remaining ingredients.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Serve with flour tortillas, Fritos, Doritos or as my Uncle Jesse would say, "Pass me a slice of bread please!". Then he would carefully sop up all the yummy backsplash on the sides of his bowl!

If this recipe intrigues you, you might also like
Colleen's Queso!
Go HERE!

Serve it Up Purty

Cowgirl!

                                     

Turkey Day Tins

This Craft Is Easy As Pumpkin Pie!

With Halloween at 5 days and counting I have started to pull out my T-Day Goodies!  The girls and I made these cute vintage cans yesterday.  We cleaned out used soup cans and glued on these darling vintage graphics provided free at The Graphic Fairy! We sprayed them with a little clear acrylic and TA-DA!  Check out over 1000 free graphics on her blog.

http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

v

Potato Chip Chicken Tenders

Let's talk chicken shall we?

Most kids like fried chicken tenders correct?

Mama's know fried food is not the best thing for our kids correct?

Well here is my version of fried chicken tenders that might be a tad bit healthier.      
I did say a tad!

Mama Holli's Chicken Tenders

1 package of skinless chicken strips

1 cup of Ranch Salad Dressing

2 cups of crushed potato chips (crush more if needed)

Place the dressing and crushed chips in separate bowls.

Dip one tender at a time in the dressing first and then roll in the chips to coat.  Place coated tenders on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until crispy and done.

Serve them up hot and crispy with veggies and a salad!

These are baked not fried but the chips probably counteract that a bit!  :)  Regardless my kids love these!

Monday Night Is Soup Night

During Monday Night Football Season my sister, Joy and her family reserve their Monday suppers for Soup.

Monday night is better known at The Schindler House as "Soup Night".

Sometimes Mark will make soup and add his famous homemade noodles!

My family loves Chicken and Dumplings.

Ingredients
Chicken:
1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, whole or cut up
3 ribs of celery whole
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk
Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Ice water
Directions
Place the chicken and celery, in a large pot. Add 4 quarts of water and salt and pepper generously. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and debone. Put the chicken in a separate bowl while you prepare the dumplings. Keep the broth warm over low heat.



To prepare the dumplings: Mix the flour with the salt in a mixing bowl. At the center of the flour, drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using a spoon, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually add all of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball.



Sprinkle flour onto a clean surface. Roll out the dough, working from center to 1/4-inch thick. Let the dough sit for several minutes.



Whisk the cream of chicken soup to the pot of broth  and simmer gently over medium-low heat.



Cut the dough into long 1-inch pieces. Cut each long strip into 2 inch pieces  and drop into the simmering soup.  Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 4 to 5 minutes. Once the dumplings are done, lower the heat and add the chicken. I usually thicken my soup with cornstarch(see below). The last ingredient is a must in my book.  I add one large can of evaporated milk to the soup.  This makes it extra creamy.

If the chicken soup is too thin it can be thickened before the dumplings are added. Simply mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water then whisk this mixture into the soup.