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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

"BBQ" Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Here's a tasty recipe I found in the Better Homes & gardens magazine. By the way, I have found a new love for this magazine. It is borderline obssession! Anyway. I tweaked a couple things and doubled the recipe. Here goes...
Ingredients:
1- Roasting Chicken, approx 5lbs. (you can also get an already made roasted chicken from the store)
1 medium brown onion
1Tbsp Olive Oil
2/3 C Cider Vinegar
1 C Tomato Sauce
2 Serrano Chile Peppers
1 Sweet Banana Chile
Sprinkle of dried Thyme
3 Tbsp Molasses
4 Tbsp Water
Couple dashes of Salt
6-8 Kaiser Rolls/Buns

1. Cook your chicken. I roasted my own 5 1/2lb chicken in the oven for approx 1hr 45min

2. Let it cool for a while. Take the meat off the bones and put it in a separate bowl. Shred the chunks of meat with a couple forks. The chicken may still be H-O-T in the center.

3. Get your large skillet heating on the stove and toss the olive oil in to get it nice and hot.
4. Remove the skin of the onion, cut it in half and chop each half into strips
5. Toss those bad boy into your hot skillet and saute them until they are slightly browned and tender

6. Slice open those tasty chiles and remove the veins and seeds. (to reduce the spice/heat)

7. Chop them up into bits

8. Add the vinegar to the skillet and simmer w/ the onions for about a minute
9. Add the Tomato Sauce, Thyme, Salt, Water, Molasses and Chiles to the onion mixture.

10. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes
11. Add the chicken to the mixture and stir until coated

12. Throw that goodness on a bun and eat up!

P.S. Sorry I didn't catch a picture of the finished product on a bun. I was hungry...
P.S.S... Next Time I plan on adding more peppers and onions because well, I'm a pepper and onion lover. I also think having it a touch sweeter would be even tastier. I think I am going to throw in 1/4C of pineapple juice next time.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Cookies for the Cure

To raise a little extra money for Team Cal Fire, I decided to make cookies and sell them. I figured a few people might buy them. What I didn't (really) expect was for ots of people to want them! They turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. I Iced each cookie and piped on the lettering. Within the first 24 hr I made 14 dozen cookies. That's 168 cookies! ALL individually decorated. By mid-thurs i realized I must have been temporarily insane to post such an idea on facebook!

Did I mention I piped (writing w/ a decorating bag) ALL 168 of those cookies? Every. Single. One.
Last week i was reading up on a couple baking blogs I follow and one ofthe ladies was talking about using edible ink to draw a jack-o-lanterns face. The light bulb finally went on! I have edible ink markers in my fridge. I couldv'e used those to write on those (168!) cookies. But alas, I am not always the sharpest tool in the shed so I didn't think of it.

I have a few orders for this weekend and you bet your bottom dollar i will be using those edible ink pens!
Oh and thanks to the cookie orders I've been able to raise close to $130! woohoo! Possibly more. I just can't remember :)


 



Tuesday, September 14, 2010

I Heart him!

So a certain guy of mine surprised me with these last friday:


Oh how I love red roses!! I have been in a bit of a slump lately and he's done great with loving me when I am Miss Cranky Pants.

Oh! OH! and he got me the yummiest smelling candle! Spiced Pumpkin. Mmm Mmm Mmmm.

I love you Jared! Thank you for spoiling me even when I don't necessarily deserve it.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Here to Stay?

I have expressed my love for this holidayish treat before.  Generally it only comes out around early November and stays until just after the first of the year (not that I notice such little things...)

That being said, for the last several months I have noticed a certain holiday favorite in the refrigerator section. I teeter between buying it or leaving it on the shelf until the holiday season comes around.

Every time I am in that section I see it staring at me, softly whispering "pick me! pick me!". OK, well it doesn't really whisper to me. If I truly believed that then I'd have many more problems than being excited about holiday coffee creamer on the shelf year round (and way more interesting blogs).

Last week I gave in. I couldn't resist the temptation any more. I am hoping this yummy treat is here to stay year round and not just toying with my coffee loving emotion.

Welcome back dear friend... please stay. Forever.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

My Inner Nerd

I will be the first to admit I am a musical theater nerd. I love love love it. From the opening number in "Bye Bye Birdie" to my solo of "On My Own" from Les Miserables to sitting in the second row in a New York City Theater watching "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk"... Musical Theater sucks me in. I loved being on stage in high school and I greatly enjoy going to the San Diego Civic.

When I looked at the 2010-2011 season at the Civic, I was overjoyed. One of my all time favorite shows, Beauty and the Beast, is finally making its way to the West Coast. I'm not sure if it was the Disney cartoon that captured my heart in such a way or performing in the show. "Ramona Amateur Theaters" debuted the show in the gymnasium on D street in Ramona. Not the most glamorous venue but it worked. I didn't have a large role. ok, I had 3 very very small roles.

 1) The witch at the beginning that turns the prince into the beast.
2) a "towns person" with a small solo
3) a plate in the song "Be Our guest"

Not exactly my dream role of Belle.

I am hoping some friends will tag a long for the show but if not, I am good with going stag. I may sing along, I may get teary eyed and I will for sure give a standing ovation at the end.  No matter what, I am going and there's nothing you can do about it. :) October 29th can't get here fast enough

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Remembering

I don't know about you but every year on 9/11, I remember exactly where I was, what I was doing and how I felt. The heartache is still there.The memories are vivid. The sense of honor and pride are stronger than ever. Most years I have a quiet morning of reflection. I guess it is my way of honoring all of the lives that were taken.

I saw this video on facebook. I thought it was beautiful, sad, passionate, heartbreaking and breathtaking all in one. Take a few minutes to watch. And uh... grab a tissue. or five.

Remembering 9-11-01

Friday, September 10, 2010

Fall



I may have mentioned it before but, I L-O-V-E the fall season. It is almost here! Can you feel it? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I am so excited!!!! Apple Cider, baking, pumpkins, baking, leaves, baking, scarves and hats, baking, new coats, baking, Bates Nut Farm, football,brisk mornings, cool evenings, candles, blankets, baking. Oh yeah and I get to bake! Lots!

PLUS this year I get to go to the Harvest Festival for the first time. Jared's mom told me about it. I fully intend on dragging my mom , Katie and Jessica with me!



I don't know what it is about fall. Hmmm yeah I do.. it is everything. Every bit of fall makes me feel warm and cozy. It is Romatic and beautiful. Fully of scents that leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed. Only about a month to go.

Not to mention getting away from this horrible heat that keeps rearing its ugly head.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

I like Cherry Best!

As I was looking up some stuff on the internet at work , I came across this:

A Snoopy Snow Cone Maker. I remember my childhood neighbor had one. So many tasty flavor options! I wanted one too. Always have.

Still do.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Recently, I saw this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's blog. It is for home made cinnamon swirl bread.
I was a good little blogger and took pictures of the process but my ambition tampered as I was waiting for the dough to rise. Give me a break.. it is a total of 4 hrs rising time (well worth the wait by the way). Being the genius I am, I also deleted said pictures off of my camera before uploading them onto my computer. "Delete all pictures from memory card" "OK"... oops, wrong button. Thankfully there were no other important pictures on my camera at the time.

Any who.

I saw this recipe, drooled a bit and decided to give it a try. It sounds tedious but it is actually quite easy. Time consuming. But easy non the less. Give it a whirl.

Oh and just in case you make the same mistake I did, really follow the recipe closely when it says to allow the butter/milk mixture cool to warm before adding the yeast. Being someone scatter brained on baking day, I just tossed the yeast right into the hot milk/butter mix.

Bad.
Bad.
Bad.
Baaad idea.

It killed the yeast and the dough didn't rise. Also, don't skimp on the rising time. As aggravating as it is to wait for 4 hours, you won't regret it one stinking bit.

OK OK I know.. shut up and give you the recipe... here ya go:

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Monday, September 6, 2010

Keep The Change

Bank of America has a "keep the change" program. Every time you use your debit card, it rounds to the nearest dollar and deposits the difference into your savings account. Make sense? or shall I say,,, "cents"? HA! I crack myself up.

Everytime I pay my bills or load up on coffee for work, a little bit is also heading straight towards my savings account. I love it. I can hear the little "ca-ching, ca-ching, ca-ching" in my ears with every purchase.

Friday, September 3, 2010

It's here!

Football Season. Finally.

It feels like amount of time between the end of last season and the beginning of this season moved along slower than molasses rolls down hill. It has been agony waiting for my favorite past time sport to come back around/ Not only am I ready to watch the Bolts power through this new season with a new Running Back but I am ready for a little family competition too!

King Pigskin Fantasy Football is back!

A couple weeks ago we gathered around our cheat sheets.

Brian fancied things up with an "official" draft board with sticker name and everything.

We drew our draft order numbers and began piecing together our teams.

 I am even taking a chance on the new Chargers Running Back. Don't let me down Mr Mathews!

Here's the Line up:

"Smashmouth"
Manager: Brian
Place Stats: 2008: First Place Champion
                  2009: 9th Place

"Baby Ballers"
Manager: Katie
Place Stats: 2008: 3rd Place
                  2009:  5th Place

"Jimmychangas"
Manager: Jimmy
Place Stats: 2008: 4th Place
                  2009:  3rd Place

"Guam Bomb"
Manager: Jessica:
Place Stats: 2008: 5th Place
                  2009:  4th Place

"Ground Breakers"
Manager: Jim aka Dad aka the old guy
Place Stats: 2008: 6th Place
                  2009: Current Reigning Champion

"Ghostriders"
Manager: me
Place Stats: 2008: 9th place
                  2009: Current Last Place Champion

"Quack Attack"
Manager: Jared
Place Stats" The new guy!

"Biffinators"
Manager: Brian H.
Place Stats: 2008: 8th Place
                  2009: 7th Place

"Gingy Snaps"
Manager: Summer
Place Stats: 2008: 7th Place
                  2009: 2nd Place

"Hot Tamales"
Manager: Jason
Place Stats: 2008: Unknown 
                  2009: 6th Place

"Blue Crush"
Manager: Mindi
Place Stats: 2008: Unknown
                  2009: 8th Place

Let the games begin!!