Friday, May 29, 2015

Recipe Roundup!

I just had to share this with you as it was so easy and so good!  I cut the recipe in half but still used a 1/2 pound of bacon.  I'm bad that way and I love bacon.  Bacon is the reason I will never be able to be a vegetarian.  There, I've said it.  I used to just "doctor up" canned baked beans and had no real recipe but if you knew me you would say, "Sam, use a recipe", as they never turned out the same twice.  So, I searched for the "best baked bean recipe" and I swear I found it!  I got it from www.food.com and it had 5 stars from 68 people!



Total Time
1hr 10mins
Prep 10 mins
Cook 1 hr
The perfect addition to picnics and barbecues! Simple and delicious. Sure to become one of your favorites. My mother makes this for every family get together. Ham could be added, or more ketchup if desired, but try it this way first - you'll love it!

Ingredients Nutrition

Directions

  1. Cut bacon into bite size pieces.
  2. Cook bacon in microwave, checking after each minute, or cook in a skillet, draining fat.
  3. Don't let it get crisp.
  4. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a 3 quart casserole dish.
  5. Add bacon and mix a little.
  6. Bake uncovered for one hour at 350*.
  7. It's best if they set out to cool for one hour before you serve them.
Enjoy and Happy Trails!


Thursday, May 28, 2015

#3 Finish!

***UPDATE ON KITTEN*** She was out there "crying" this morning when I got up and as soon as I got dressed I went out and gave her fresh food and water.  Later she was crying again so I went out and sure enough she had eaten it all!  I gave her more and was so happy she made it through the night and was eating.  I just take it a day at a time. 

My 3rd finish this week is this but I forgot to take a "before" picture.  This was an old hand mirror that belonged to my Mother and it is heavy but the gold plating had seen better days and whatever was on the back of it had come off.  I remember her using this mirror when I was a little girl.  I decided to "refurbish" it........I spray painted it pink.............
and then used some paper I printed off from the internet to put on the back with Mod Podge. 
I used some crocheted trim to put a bow around it as I didn't have any pink ribbon.  What do you think?  I may look at ribbon when I go to Wal-Mart next time but for now this will do.  I hated to throw it out but it looked so awful before...now I can still have something of my Mother's without it being an eyesore! LOL!  What do you think?


 A few more granny squares before I close!
Happy Trails!



Wednesday, May 27, 2015

We have a guest!

Isn't he/she cute?  I'm the only one in this neighborhood that opens the windows and I'm so glad because no one else would have heard this little one crying/mewing so plaintively.  It's very tiny and has the bluest eyes!  It came yesterday after the big storm we had and I'm sure something terrible happened to Mom and the rest of the brood because he/she just cries and cries.  I put out water and dry food but then went and bought some canned as I don't think it was ready for the dry stuff.  It ate the canned though...whew!  It is so tiny I'm sure it was still drinking mom's milk.  I can't believe how much time it takes to care for an infant!  So far the dogs are leaving it alone although I think they know it's there....I watch them.
Did I tell you my drier broke? They came and it was going to cost $400.00 to fix it so instead I told them to forget it but I still had to pay $70.00 for the service call.  Everyone has to travel here from far away especially anyone that knows how to fix an HE front loading dryer.  I rue the day I bought them and they will stay with the house when I leave! LOL!  Don't worry, I'll tell them the drier doesn't work and will probably pay to have it fixed then but I want my trusty old Maytags back!  It's all computerized and thus pricey when they break!  So, I've been hanging clothes in the basement and will continue to.  It makes for more ironing as the clothes are like cardboard but I just remind myself of the $400.00 I saved and I feel better! LOL!
I've mowed, paid bills, done laundry and cooked up some good meals and I made a new goal for myself; to try and finish something each day.  So far so good except for yesterday with the cat dilemma.  I finished this book the first day....good writing, I guess, and it was based on a relative of the author but OMG was it depressing and just when you thought it couldn't get any worse....it did.  I was telling my daughter about it and she said she saw the movie.  Movie?  They made a movie out of that sorry tale?  I love history but I think the author is seriously depressed himself.

The next day I finished another book.........this is the same author that wrote the audio book I loved, The Hurricane Sisters.  This book was very enjoyable but I missed the Carolina accent that I had with the audio book.  I will be reading more of this author for sure.  I love how she describes the natural environment there and this time there were even some southern recipes! Yum!
Both of these books I got at the library.
I started reading The Shop on Blossom Street and I remember having read it before but I will keep reading it as I want a "refresher" and then I will read the rest of the series which is about a knitting store and the lives of its' patrons.
I am absolutely loving this audio book by Jeanette Walls....Half Broke Horses about her grandmother's life.  Fascinating and what a character she was!  Strong, brave and fearless just the kind of women I admire.
I couldn't help but delve into the Gladys Taber books that Sue dropped off.  This is the one I read last at night because it is so soothing to read of the life and times they have on their farm.  It is 2 single Moms raising their children and cocker spaniels...what a delight!  (Long ago too....these are old books).
I'm still reading the premier issue of Organic Life by The Rodale Institute.  I love just about anything they publish.  They always give you a lot for your money too and I learn so much from them.
  When I took my books back to the library yesterday I also returned the newest Jan Karon book and the The Friday Night Knitting Club book #2 and took out the first book again as I read it years ago and also I decided to reread the entire Mitford series by Jan Karon to refresh my memory (I have all of them in my own library) as it's been years for those books too.  I swear I've forgotten more than I ever knew and I could probably just recycle my top 10 favorite books and be a happy camper reader! LOL!
I also saw this one and couldn't resist as I have several auto-immune diseases; mainly Rheumatoid Arthritis and Grave's Disease...real messed up endocrine system which they tell me was caused from stress which I used to have a @#&* load of! LOL!  Anyway, I don't dwell on it but it is part of the reason I don't go "full speed ahead" anymore.  I haven't read up on it in years as I did at first and I was determined to not take too many meds except when necessary and also to take charge of my own health which has turned out to be pretty darn successful.  But I can always learn more and one can never be too healthy especially if there are more natural methods to attain that health.  
This doctor also has the same diseases I have to the letter and the fact that she believes in as natural approach as possible and she's also a physician convinced me to pick it up.  I started reading it last night and so far so good.
Tomorrow I will have a 3rd "finish" as I have already written the post for it and it's not a book! LOL!  I hope you are enjoying good weather and I hope you enjoyed your Holiday weekend.  We had every kind of warning imaginable over the weekend but we lucked out and I pray for so many that weren't as fortunate.
Happy Trails!