Thursday, June 10, 2010

Eggplant Casserole With Italian Sausage


Is Your Mouth Watering Yet?
Well It Should Be!
I love this easy crowd pleaser!
The only hard part is keeping
the critters from snatching the
fried eggplant before I can load
it up in the casserole!

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of ground Italian sausage
1 eggplant
4 cups mozzarella cheese
8 cups gravy (spaghetti sauce)
1 cup flour
olive oil for frying
salt
1 cup milk

Peel the skin off the eggplant and slice in rounds about 1/4 inch thick.  Place slices on a kitchen towel in a single layer. Moderately salt each slice.  When the eggplant sweats (about 10 minutes) flip each slice over and repeat the process.  After the sweating is complete heat up about 1/2 cup of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.  Dip each slice in milk and then flour and fry until slightly brown.  Drain on a paper towel.  Continue to fry all the eggplant adding new oil to the skillet when needed.  In a separate skillet brown and drain the sausage.  Add the gravy to the sausage.  I make my gravy from scratch and it is different each time.  A really good store bought brand is fine.  Now you are ready to assemble your casserole.  Spray a good size casserole dish and spread about 2 Tbl of gravy on the bottom.  Place a layer of fried eggplant on the sauce.  Next spread part of the sausage mixture on top of the eggplant.  Sprinkle the cheese on top of  the sausage.  Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used ending with the cheese on top.
Bake covered at 350 for about 45 minutes or until it bubbles. I usually take the cover off the last 10 minutes of cooking as I like me cheese a little crunchy on top! Serve it up with some salad and bread and you are good to go my friends!


Easy No Fail Ciabatta Bread


Look at this NICE Bread!
This recipe is from
my new Blogging Friend
Papa Steve
from
The Clean Team
The Best Carpet Cleaning Service
in the city of Denver!

It truly is a no-brainer recipe!
Go HERE
to get it!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Summertime Meal....Simple and Healthy

AHHHHH
Summer is Here
FINALLY!
Fire Up The Grill!
A simple but yummy meal
from
the grill!

Grilled Chicken
Salad
Bread

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Grandpa's Blue Pot



Exploring
 "The Barn"
was 
a
 favorite
pastime in the summers
at
Granny and Popeye's
House

we would spend hours
moving the hay from
position to position
to create the perfect room

sweeping the floor
until every crevice
of our body
was totally and completely
filled with dust

avoiding snakes and spiders
as we carefully
maneuvered through the
dark
and
very narrow hallway
to the "House"

keeping the cows
and
or
goats at bay
as we ran to the wooden door

climbing in the upper loft
better known as 
"The Attic"
to find more 
treasures
to fill our 
"House" 

trying to remember to
"Close The Gate"
so the animals
did not escape

finding old pots and pans
to make "Stew"

swinging open the wooden hatch
to let air in and out
and in
and out
trying hard 
not to smash fingers 
in the process

locking up our "House"
to eat "Supper"
and
catch fireflies
on 
the fresh cut grass

My Great Grandpa's
Blue Pot
Now sits
proudly
in
my garden

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Mama Cora Gives Mama Holli an AWARD!

Mama Cora is sending me
some 
Lovin!
She awarded me this!
Mama Holli Trendy?
Well I guess So!
If Mama Cora says it
then it is TRUE!
Thank you my friend!
Go HERE
to see Mama Cora!

She has the sweetest blog
with the sweetest words
and the sweetest photos
and the sweetest recipes
and the sweetest stories
and
well I think you get the picture!
JUST GO!


Thursday, May 20, 2010

Nifty Neapolitan Cookies


MAMA HOLLI
MADE
 THESE!

Pretty Neapolitan Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
6 drops red food coloring
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 (1oz) square unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla and egg.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide the dough into thirds. Add the almond extract and red food coloring to one third of the dough; spread evenly into baking sheet.  Add walnuts to the second third of the dough and spread on top of first layer.  I used a rolling pin to assist me.  To the remaining dough add the melted chocolate and spread over the other two layers. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.  Dump dough out of pan and unwrap.  Cut loaf in half lengthwise.  Cut each portion into 1/8 inch slices.  Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes when edges are firm.  Cool on wire racks. 




Store
In
A
Pretty
Jar
to
 SHOW OFF!
VERY IMPORTANT!
linking this up
on
Tasty Kitchen

Monday, May 17, 2010

Starbucks And A New Cookbook!

WHAT MORE
COULD
A
MAMA
ASK FOR
My New Real Plastic
Reusable Cup
from
Daughter # 1

A New Cookbook
From
Mama Monica!
WOW!
AM
A
LUCKY
MAMA

SEE YA!
I AM REAL BUSY HERE!

Sneak Peek From Goodwill Hunting!



Just A Peek!
A Work In Progress!
Mama is rolling
up her sleeves!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Window Boxes Please!


MAY
COLORADO
SNOW
COLD

This year has been crazy weather wise!
I think my bones have been 
COLD
all year long!
NEEDING 
some
SUN
and 
SOON
Needing some COLOR!
Needing
a
WINDOW 
BOX
NOW






Thursday, May 13, 2010

Barns and Houses



Okay...so Mama Holli is a little wierd!
Just a little!
Sometimes 
A LOT WIERD!
I can't help it!
I have always had 
A
THANG
(TEXAS TALK)
for
old 
BARNS AND HOUSES
They tell a story!
I like stories!
Especially good juicy stories!
Old buildings are full
of
juicy stories!
I also like
WOOD
Again with the weird thang!
I told you
I can't help it!
So show me an old
wooden barn or house
and I am intrigued to say the least!
I want to explore!
Do you want to come with?
These photos all taken on
our Mother's Day Adventure!



So this one is colorful and interesting!
Could have been a row of little motel cabins
or small houses grouped together.
Combine or Roadside Motel?
Both very interesting proposals!
The wheelchair in the far left corner 
is a little disturbing! 
 Not quite sure what that is all about!
Does it add to the story?
OH YES IT DOES!

Little House on The Prairie?
Could be!
Like it!
Not too old 
but still like it 
just the same!

Oh Yes A Red Barn!
Gotta throw a Red Barn into the mix!
A Little muddy.
Expecting to see a cow cut around the corner
at any moment!
MOOOOOOO!

Do you see a pattern here?
Interesting workmanship!
I like the white plaster stuff in between
the layers of wood!
Way Cool!
I'm sure there is a name
for that but heck if I know
what it is.
I think that little house needs
some perking up!
Mama Holli would add some
gingham curtains and a nice
window box full
of bright RED geraniums!
Now doesn't that sound nice!

So this one is all boarded up!~
Could be abandoned!
Could be where Big Foot vacations!
Could Be!

So this one is definitely abandoned!
Big Foot would not 
vacation here!
This I know!

Like this one for Two Reasons!
First off.....
The WOOD is GREAT!
I mean GREAT!
OLD
WORN
and
WEATHERED
Definitely tells a story!
Secondly......
Looks Like the story 
is
still
THERE!
BOO!
Look closely in the middle 
window my friends!
Do you see what I see?
Oh Yes You Do!
A
MAN
IN
THE
WINDOW!!!
Hello little ghost man!
What's your story?
HEE HEE HEE

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Caprese Panini

My kiddos wanted a quick
and easy hot meal last Saturday.
What does Mama Holli do you ask?
She grabs the nifty
Panini Maker
stuffed in the bottom cabinet
under the mixer 
and next to the blender!
I plug it in
and
it works it's magic!

Caprese Panini
Bread
Olive Oil
Tomatoes
Basil
Spinach
Sea Salt
Crushed Black Pepper
Red Wine Vinegar
Mozzarella

Layer  
tomatoes
spinach
mozzarella
and
basil
On Top
of
 any slice
of
 yummy bread
Dribble 
olive oil
red wine vinegar
Sprinkle
salt
pepper
Top
with
second
slice
of
bread
Grill
until
cheese 
melts
EAT
and
Enjoy

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Sharing A New Painting From My Baby Girl



I Could Stare At This
For Hours


WOW!
I love Aspen Trees!
She wanted to represent
the seasons changing!
I think her interpretation
is beautiful but
then again
what do you 
EXPECT
After All
AM
HER
MAMA
and
OH
SO
PROUD
OF
IT

Saturday, May 8, 2010

What Children Give Their Mama's For Mother's Day!





I Will Let
My Mama
Brush My Hair
One Time Only


I Will Give
My Mama
A Cat and A Dog
She Will Like It




I Will Not Fall
Off The Table
And
 Crack My Head Open
For
 My Mama

We Don't Know 
What To Give
Our Mama
We Are So
Confused




I Will Make
A Nice Present
For My Mama
And
Leave It In My Diaper
For Her
I Will Make 
Another Nice
Present For Her
She Will Like it



Happy Mother's Day
To All
The Mama's!
Enjoy All Of The Gifts
From Your Babies!

The Graphics Fairy