Monday, January 11, 2010

Madre Loves A Good Mexican Dip!

Oh Yes Mama Holli Loves Dip!
She could live on it actually!
Breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Muy Bueno!
So do you want the recipe?
I think SO!
Black Bean and Pico Dip
2 cans of drained black beans ( I use organic)
1 can of drained organic white corn or 2 ears of fresh cooked corn
1 16 oz container of pico de gallo if you can't make your own
(I find the pico in the deli section of my grocery store when I am too lazy to make my own)
1 avocado diced
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

3/4 cup of Italian Salad Dressing
2 Tbs of Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbs of Olive Oil
1/4 tsp of Tabasco
2 minced garlic cloves
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  In a small bowl whisk dressing, oil, vinegar, garlic, Tabasco and lime juice.  Pour over bean mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate one hour before serving.  Stir to distribute dressing.  Serve with tortilla chips and Big Scoop Fritos!

This is also yummy wrapped up in a flour tortilla!  So healthy and yummy!




Once A Child Always A Child!


I feel the need for 
SPEED!


In Formation!


What A Crew!


Let The Inner Child In You
Escape Every Once 
In 
Awhile!
It Will Keep You
Young
and 
Happy!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Dump Cake For Mama!



Here is the scenario.......
Hubby calls Mama at 4:00
in the afternoon!
"Hi Honey, I've invited Wilbur
for dinner!"
Mama say's......"Are you kidding me?"
Mama hangs up the phone.
Mama SCREAMS!
Mama says a few choice words!
Mama grabs the car keys and RUNS to the grocery store!
This is where the DUMP CAKE comes in!

So Listen Up Clever Mama's!
This is What You Do.......
1.  Go to the store and purchase a plain
angel food cake.
2.  Bring it home and plop it on a pretty cake platter!
3.  Make your way to the pantry!
4.  Grab the chocolate syrup and or caramel syrup.  Grab chocolate chips and nuts of any kind.
5.  Dump syrup over cake.  Dump nuts and chocolate on top of syrup.  Dump more syrup.  Dump more chocolate.
6.  ALL DONE!

There you go!
Mama is so Clever 
and 
Hubby
is
in
so
MUCH
TROUBLE!
OUCH!
It won't be pretty!
You can just see it 
in her eyes!
She is plotting her 
sweet
revenge!
He won't even
know what hit him!
It could have been the 
cast iron skillet, the meat cleaver,
the 20 lb sack of potatoes......
so many weapons in a kitchen
a mama can choose from!
One may never know!







Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Sometimes........



Sometimes one just 
has to.....
Go to the farm

Go to the city

Go to the bay

Go to the ocean

Go to the mountains

Go to the beach

Go to the park

Go to the lake

In 2010 
may you make the time 
to 
go to your 
special place!


Photography courtesy 
of 
Mama Holli

Monday, January 4, 2010

Introducing Kendall Payne

I want you to meet a special lady,
Kendall Payne.
She is the daughter of Craig and Susan Tschudi,
sister to Jordan and wife to Tyler.
The first time I heard Kendall sing
was in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
She grabbed the mike during a Tom James
Company Karaoke Session!
She was probably about 16
at the time. She belted out Patsy Clines's
famous song, Crazy!
I knew at that moment she was destined
for greater things!
She has recorded several wonderful
albums. Her songs have appeared on numerous
movies and television shows.
Here is a sample of her work!
Enjoy!
Visit her website for more music!
http://www.kendallpayne.com/

2010 Ready Or Not!


Take a good look at this talented
New Year Mama!
She is proudly perched
on
a
bottle
of
champagne!
WOW!
MAGIC!

I hope your year is full
of
MAGICAL
MOMENTS

Thank you to the most gracious
Graphics Fairy
for this happy graphic!
The Graphics Fairy

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Friday, December 18, 2009

Four Mamas In The Kitchen!

BIG POST TODAY!
BIG!
HUGE!
GIGANTIC!
Four Mamas Are In The Kitchen!
Oh Yes Big Stuff Is A Happening
In Mama Lisa's Cocina!
Mama Lisa and Mama Elizabeth
share their tradition of making
these wonderful treats!

Chocolate, caramel, sprinkles and pretzels!
What a lovely combination indeed!
Follow along and learn how to
whip up these divine treats!
First you will need to find a local
bakery that sells really good chocolate.

Mama Lisa and Mama Elizabeth feel quite
strongly about this!  Do not go to Michael's
or Hobby Lobby to get your chocolate!
You will also need to purchase
your caramel from
the same bakery.  It comes in logs! YUM!
Slice up the log as seen above.
Purchase pretzel rods from
your grocery store.
Gather sprinkles, crushed cookies, crushed toffee, crushed peppermint and so on!  
The topping choices are endless!
First you will take a slice of the caramel
and wrap around the pretzel.
This is the tedious part.
Stretch and soften the caramel
with your hands and then
wrap the pretzel in a
blanket of lovely caramel!
Mama Lisa is doing a good job!
You will want to cover the pretzel
almost to the end.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper
so the pretzels don't stick.
Make as many as you want or have time to.
Get your chocolate ready in microwave
safe bowls. Working with one bowl at a time
microwave on high for about 1 minute.
Check and stir and add more time if needed.
Be very careful not to overcook!
Using a spoon Mama Elizabeth carefully
covers her pretzel with the
yummy chocolate!
Place the dipped pretzel back on to the tray
with wax paper.
This time leaving more room
between the pretzels.
Mama Elise adds toppings while
the chocolate is still soft.
Oh how pretty are these puppies!
We did white chocolate ones as well!
So Darn Pretty!
We ROCK!
Let the pretzels set up.
You may need to pop the trays
in the fridge for a
few minutes if you live in a
humid region.
Being that we are in Colorado
where it is very dry ours set up
pretty fast on the kitchen counter.
We did stick some trays out in the
snow and that did the trick as well!

Wrap them up in pretty little bags
to give as gifts......OR NOT!
Don't give as gifts
and let your family
EAT THEM ALL!







Monday, December 14, 2009

Vintage Decorations!

One of my decorating goals this season
was to find some vintage
ornaments at Goodwill.
Well Mama found them!
I found these old glass painted ornaments!
I love the boxes they came in just about
as much as the ornaments!


Check out these perky little soldiers!
Santa is preaching to them!
They really want to make Santa proud!
I found these old ceramic soldiers
at Goodwill!  I got the whole bag of
10 for $2!
I just love them!
Stand tall little soldiers!
Make Mama proud!
And then there were three little
Mama Angels!
Oh how sweet are they!
They are wearing their fancy holly dresses
in honor of Mama Holli!
Bless their little angel hearts!
If you look closely the middle
baby angel has lost her wings!
"Oh no!", says Mama Holli
Then Mama Holli's own baby angel says,
"It's O.K. that just makes her special!"
Out of the mouths of babes!
We all have scars in one way or another.
Those scars be it emotional or physical
make us who we are!
That makes each of us unique
and very special!
Wise beyond her years that
baby girl is!
Step up to the stage Santa Mouse!
Bring your honey too!
Mama Lynette gave this Santa Mouse book
to my kids many years ago!
I recently found this old ceramic couple
to go with the book that they adore!
Look how cute they are!
Yes they are a bit cross-eyed but
Mama still loves them!~
What a cute little couple they make!
Last but not least......this special
candy cane candle holder is proudly displayed
every year!  My kids made this a
long time ago!
All they did with their baby hands was glue
candy cane sticks to a glass and tie a bow
around it!  So sweet!

So bring out the old and the new!
Spread the love around your house!
Make memories and enjoy!
Christmas is magical, embrace it!


Saturday, December 12, 2009

Mama Always Says, "If You Believe You Receive!"


I just adore this graphic of our
dear friend
Santa Claus!
This is so sweet and jolly!
Makes me want to get out the cookie plate
and cup of hot chocolate right now!
Thank you Graphic Fairy!
The Graphics Fairy
Here are some wonderful websites set up
to track Santa on Christmas Eve!
NORAD Santa tracker
Santa Claus
Government website




Friday, December 11, 2009

Sharing Recipes! That's What Mamas Do!



Fabulous Warm Blue Cheese, 
Bacon, and Garlic Dip


This dip is to die for!
I have made this for 
several years now!
The recipe is from a cookbook, 
Stop and Smell the Rosemary.
It is a wonderful cookbook from
The Junior League of Houston.


Ingredients
7 slices of bacon, chopped
2 gloves of garlic, minced
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup of half and half
4 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
2 Tbls. chopped fresh chives
3 Tbls. chopped smoked almonds

Directions
Cook bacon in skillet over medium high heat until almost crisp.
Drain most of the fat from skillet.  Add garlic and cook until bacon is totally crisp about 3 minutes. Remove the bacon and garlic from the skillet and drain on a paper towel.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add half and half and mix until combined.  Stir in bacon mixture, blue cheese, and chives.  Transfer to a minimum 2 cup oven proof serving dish and cover with foil.  Bake about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped almonds.  Serve with sliced green apples, crackers or bread.  
I usually double this recipe if 
taking to a big party.
Sometimes I use a little more 
half and half if I 
think the consistency is too 
thick before baking.
  When bringing to a party ask 
the hostess  if you can bake 
it upon arrival.
It is so good hot out of the oven!
Mama Likes It Hot!
Mama Also Likes it COLD!


My friends LOVE this appetizer as well.
It is sooo easy and oh sooo YUMMY!
Go HERE to this post to get the recipe.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Texas King Ranch Chicken Casserole!




(These photos do not do it justice 
but it will have to do for now!)

If you are from Texas you have had
this dish for sure!
It is so warm and filling!
Great for a cold winter day
like it is here today in Colorado!
There are many variations to this
dish but all involve chicken,
cheese and tortillas!
How can you go wrong with that combo!
So Mamas just go to the kitchen and
whip this puppy up for supper!
The kids won't fight all evening cuz their
bellies will be so full they will
pass out on the couch!

Ingredients
1 whole chicken cooked, deboned and cut into medium pieces
12 corn tortillas (cut into quarters)
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 can of chicken broth
1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
In a bowl add Rotel, soups, sour cream, cilantro, and 1 cup of cheese.  Mix well.  Slowly add in 1/2 can of the broth. Check consistency.  It needs to be a thicker than a pancake batter but not too thick.  Add more broth if it seems to thick. I usually end up using the majority of the can. I can always add more cheese if I get it to thin.  In a 12 x 10 or so casserole dish ladle about 1/2 cup of the sauce into the dish and spread it around. Put one layer of tortillas on top of the sauce. Next place cut up chicken on top of the tortillas.  Don't use all of the chicken as we will repeat this layer again. Ladle some of the sauce on top of the chicken.  Continue with this layering; tortillas, chicken, and sauce until all ingredients are used up.  So you have ended with sauce on top.  Take the remainder of the cheese and dump on top of the casserole!
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until it browns and bubbles.  Make sure the middle is hot too!  I serve this with a green salad, chips and salsa! Guacamole and pico are excellent with this as well!  This serves 6-10 depending on the serving size. We are a family of 5 and we always have plenty left for breakfast! Yes I said breakfast! YUM! If you would prefer turkey instead of chicken that can be easily substituted with the same great taste. And for a speedy version you can pick up a rotisserie chicken and go to town or just throw about 4 medium chicken breasts on the grill instead of boiling a whole chicken. Any of these versions will be delicious!
So get to the kitchens Mamas!  A Hot Meal Is Calling Your Name!
Poppy Is Hungry!
Arriba! Andale!
Here is yet another amazing Tex Mex Recipe!
Lana's Mexican Casserole! GO HERE
SOOOOO GOOD!



GO HERE to get my SALSA RECIPE!


GO HERE to get THIS SALSA RECIPE!

Because you can't just have one kind 

of salsa on the table!