Beef Fajita’s

This is a great marinade for all steak so don’t be scared to use it even if you aren’t making fajitas.   Remember, not guts, no glory!
 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp onion powder or 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic or 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds skirt steak

Directions:
Marinate beef 8 hours or over night in above ingredients.  Fajitas need to be cooked fast over very high heat so cook as soon as coals turn gray or cook on very hot gas grill.  Remove  the meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.  Place on grill and cook about 2-3 minutes each side and then remove from grill and wrap in foil to continue cooking while they rest.  Cut into thin strips against the grain and place back in foil in juices. 
Serve on flour tortillas with grilled peppers and onions, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.  Delicioso!   Wash it down with margaritas or Corona with lime. 
note—flat iron steak can be substituted for skirt steak and sometimes is less expensive.  You can also use beef tenderloins like the restaurants but it is very expensive and not in this cowgirls budget!   I’ve also read that a tri tip roast can be used.  You are supposed butterfly it before marinating and grilling.  I may try this if I can find one.

Pinto Bean Salad

This recipe is a nice alternative to refried beans as a side dish to your Mexican recipe’s.  Serve it along side tacos or fajitas or use as a dip with Frito scoops. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup olives, chopped
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup shredded lettuce (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• chili powder to taste

Directions:

Mix dressing ingredients together and toss with all vegetables except lettuce and chill.  Right before serving add lettuce and gently toss.  Serve as a side salad or as a dip with chips or crackers.  The lettuce can be left out all together if desired. 

Bowtie Skillet Lasagna

The Pioneer Woman posted this on her blog the other day.  I’ve actually made this before but used cream cheese instead of sour cream, but you can also use cottage cheese too.  It feeds a large crowd and the kids loved it!  I’m posting it here so that my kids can have the recipe.

• 1 pound Ground Chuck
• 5 cups Bow Tie Noodles
• 3 cups Spaghetti Sauce (or Pizza Sauce, Whatever You Prefer)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or More, Make It To Your Taste)
• ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese
• ½ cups Sour Cream (or cottage cheese or cream cheese)

Preparation Instructions

Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.
After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce.
Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup of buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.   Mix all the dry ingredients together.   Cut the butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with  a pastry cutter until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.   Add the liquid and mix/knead in bowl until dough forms, kneading as little as possible.   Turn out dough out on a floured surface and pat out to 3/4” thick.   Using a round cutter or glass cut out your biscuits out, don’t twist the dough. Place on a greased baking sheet close together but not touching and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Makes 8 biscuits.

Now That Is Talent

Rae's Concert from Deb on Vimeo.

Life Would Be Boring Without These Two

   

On Tuesday I left my nieces dog sitting with Gus for an hour.  This morning I discovered these webcam pictures saved to my photo folder.  Surprise!  Silly girls!

Christmas in July

I love this child with all my heart.  I feel a closeness with her that I cannot explain, it comes from far within.  It’s as if our souls have known each other for all eternity.  I witnessed her birth and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen with these eyes.   She is the spitting image of Mini Me and has the same determination and spirit. 

 

She loves to play on my piano and sing songs.  She is going to be musically inclined like her momma.  Look at those little hands and fingers, they look just like mine in miniature.  It’s almost more than I can stand!

 

It’s been like Christmas in July the last couple of days.  I love Raegan Olivia more than ice cream, more than puppy dogs and more than Christmas!  Don’t you just want to pinch those apple cheeks?

Dog Gone It

It was a no go on the dog adoption Saturday.  We got up early yesterday morning and headed out so that we could be there first.  When we arrived there were already two other people there to see that puppy.  Apparently they had posted a photo of a much cuter dog than the one that they were adopting out.  That’s just wrong and they should be ashamed.  Not only did he not look remotely close to the photo he was just a little too timid for my liking.  I mean I would like a gentle, relaxed dog but I don’t want to have to poke him to see if he is alive!  I guess that is how they lure people in so that you will end up adopting a less desirable dog.  I think I am done with trying to adopt a rescue dog.  The process is entirely too complicated and a bit expensive considering you don’t know the quality of the pet you are getting.  We’re talking DOGS here people!  A home visit should not be required to adopt a mutt that was saved from death at a pound.  I feel bad for all of the unwanted dogs in foster homes and truly wanted to do the right thing by adopting but the process is not for me.
I’m now looking for a reputable breeder and will purchase a puppy.  I’m pretty picky on the kind of dogs I like.  I want a poodle or a poodle mix and not just any poodle mix will do.  I prefer a larger dog to a smaller dog, that’s just the way I roll.  I will see it’s parents and talk to the breeders and then I will make an educated decision on which puppy is right for me.   The search is on.
We may be going today to look at this cute guy.  He is a Goldendoodle which is half Golden Retriever and half Poodle.  Too cute for words…

Puppy Love

We are thinking about adopting this cute little guy.  Is that not the cutest thing you have ever seen in your life?  He is a 2 year old MaltiPoo.  A MaltiPoo is a cross between a Maltese and Poodle.  Hillbilly and I love poodles!  Poodles are very intelligent dogs and have wonderful funny personalities.  They’re not really frou frou like everyone thinks.  We used to have a Standard Poodle and we really miss him.  Standard Poodles were originally bred to be bird dogs so they love the water.  We have also had a Llapso-Poo before and she loved the water as well.  My childhood pet was also a Llapso-Poo.  The name Llapso-Poo makes me giggle.  How many times can I say Poo in one paragraph????

The adoption process is quite intensive and we are not the only ones that want him.  It seems we will be in competition to adopt.  I say bring it!  The first step was to fill out an extensive online questionnaire including references.  Some of the questions were rather invasive.  They actually called my references and spoke with them too.  I understand that they want to make sure he goes to a good home but geez.  Good news…I guess they liked my answers and my references spoke well of me so I have been approved and can move on to step two.

Step two is for us to go to the Petsmart where he will be on Saturday and meet his foster mother and him.  If she feels we are the right for him they will then conduct a home visit to my house which is step 3.  Ridiculous! 

Gosh, I hope they like us…but even more important, I hope the dog likes us!

Pizza Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 24 oz pasta shells or whatever pasta you prefer
• 2 Cups chopped ham
• 1 small pkg. pepperoni, sliced in halves
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 3 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 large can black olives, chopped
• 1 small jar green olives, chopped
• 2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 Cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 small bottle Zesty Italian dressing
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cook pasta according to directions on package and drain.  While pasta is still warm stir in 1/3 of the dressing so that the pasta wont stick together.  When pasta cools add other ingredients and stir in the rest of dressing.  Make this ahead a few hours and refrigerate so that the flavors can meld.

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Rolo Pretzel Turtles~
Small pretzels
ROLO Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate
Pecan halves
Heat oven to 350.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place one pretzel for each pretzel treat desired on prepared sheet. Top each pretzel with one ROLO Chewy Caramel in Milk Chocolate.
Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until caramel piece begins to soften, but not melt. Remove from oven; top with pecan half. Cool completely.

In the Dog House and the Wife Song

 

Hillbilly has a problem with speaking before he thinks.  I’ve always know this and two or three times a year he blurts something out that is just down right mean.  It’s usually about the size of my derriere or my weight.  You can’t trust him at a party either.  You just never know what might pop out of his mouth.  Luckily, he is a very sweet guy and everyone forgives him of his misgivings.  You could say he is very spontaneous and isn’t very eloquent with his wording.  God love him.

An old friend of mine (which is exactly the same age as me) stopped by Hillbilly’s work the other day.  We haven’t seen her in probably 8 years.  When he got home from work he was telling me about their visit and he said , and I kid you not,  “She looks good, she aged better than you”.   errrrr!

He’s been here ever since.

The grass needs mowing so I may let him out for the weekend.

Lemon Refrigerator Pie

 
This old school recipe is easy and refreshing.  Hillbilly says it’s his new favorite pie.

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 can Eagle Brand milk
• 1 small container of Cool Whip

With electric mixer , mix cream cheese, lemon juice and Eagle Brand milk well.  Pour into graham cracker crust and chill until set.  Top with Cool Whip before serving.