Cookies and Pizza in the garden!

It's cookie day today. I've had some great luck making a couple of batches for the kids on Papa and Nana night. I'm sure you're wondering what cookies and pizza have to do with each other. We'll it was Halloween Papa and Nana night. First the kids carved pumpkins then we made pizza. Fun idea for Halloween or any night with the kids. We used the following:
Pillsbury Thin Crust dough (The kind in the can you keep refrigerated)
Cheese
Pizza Sauce
Pepperoni
Pineapple
Ham
Jalapeno's
Onions
We made two for the kids and two for the adults. The kids one was pepperoni and shaped like a pumpkin and the other was ham and pineapple and shaped as a ghost. Okay here are visuals.

And the adults had square ones, with all the fun stuff like Jalapeno's and onions!

Then came the cookies, I saw a fun recipe with low calories in the Salt Lake Tribune. I thought hey I want to try that. Then as I looked over the recipe I wondered if the kids would like it, or if only the adults would. I decided to make two kinds, then everyone would like at least one if not both. (I made these the day before)

Pumpkin Double-ginger cookies (Source: The Associated Press)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek-style Yogurt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized Ginger (yes there is such a thing, it's by the spices)
2 cups sifted cake flour (I never sift anything)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment. (what is that? I just use the spray).

In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, yogurt, oil and vanilla. Whisk until smooth--I just used a spoon, I'm lazy. Stir in the crystallized ginger.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until just blended.

Drop tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. bake, in 2 batches if necessary, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool. (I just let them sit on the pan until cool, then put them in the container I was storing them in)

Nutrition information per cookie: 54 calories, 7 cal. from fat (13 percent of total calories); 1 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 38 mg sodium. Makes 40 cookies.

FYI- I decided that since I had pumpkin and yogurt left over I'd double the batch. I have the 2nd batch in my freezer because 40 is plenty. They are very good, not very sweet.

The next recipe I made up. I opened my cook book and compared how much flour to use per baking powder, etc. But they turned out awesome, I was surprised. Especially since I discovered my baking powder was dated to be used by 2002. Who knew it stayed good that long.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (Source: Me)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder (dated as early as 2002 LOL)
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups shortening
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 ripe banana, mashed
12 oz. bag semi sweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease with cooking spray backing sheets.

In a large bowl cream the shortening and the sugar together. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Beat in the bananas. Gradually add the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly colored. Cool.

Makes about 45 cookies. Calories 143: Fat 6g, Saturated fat 2g, Cholesterol 19 mg, Sodium 48 mg, Carbohydrates 21g, Sugars 14g, Protein 2. Vit. C 2%, Iron 4%.

So not too bad on the calories for a dessert! Make a batch for Halloween and enjoy!

Marie Higgins is visiting the garden!

Today we have Marie Higgins in the garden. Some of you may know her as an author, however, we’re going to find out what she does when she’s not at a computer writing. It’s a little chilly in the garden so be sure to wear a jacket. I have hot chocolate or coffee for everyone. There’s a little peppermint schnapps for the cocoa and Kailua or Irish crème for the coffee.  Are we ready to begin?

Thanks for having me in your garden, Mary. I’m sipping my hot chocolate and I have a light jacket on, and I’m ready to begin!

Mary: Marie, glad you have your cocoa, now relax. Can you tell us a bit about your background, where you grew up, etc?

Marie: I have lived in Utah all my life – not counting the few months we lived in Oklahoma, but since I can’t remember much about that time, I’ll not say anymore. I remember when I was younger living in Salt Lake City.  When my dad got a job at Hill Air Force Base, we moved to Clearfield. When I was eight, my grandpa died and we moved back to SLC to live with my grandma who was having a hard time dealing with her husband’s death. I think that lasted only a couple years before we moved back to Clearfield, which is where I spent the last few years in elementary, then to junior high and high school. We still moved a few more times, but we continued to live in Clearfield, so it was easy to keep the same friends that I met in school. I also met my husband in Clearfield.  He actually had gone to Layton High (and I went to Clearfield High) but we were both out of school when we met so I guess it didn’t matter that our schools were rivals, right?  After I married, we moved to Brigham City, which is where we stayed.  We’ve lived here for nearly 24 years now.

Mary: What do you like to do when you go on vacation? Or do you? And if you do not, what would be your dream vacation?

Marie: Vacation is a word I don’t know very well.  When my daughters were small, our vacation consisted of going camping. Once we went to Yellowstone Park. Now that my children are grown, my husband and I have only taken one ‘real’ vacation and we went to Charleston South Carolina. I loved it – although I’m still not sold on flying…   A year after that, I went to a writer’s convention in Dallas Texas (my second time flying – still don’t like it). When we finally get the money for a real trip, I’ll want to take a cruise – and I also wouldn’t mind going to Las Vegas.  Other than that, I don’t care where we go – as long as we GO!

Mary: Do you have a favorite holiday recipe? Speaking of which, everyone have some pumpkin cookies I just made them, they’re fresh out of the oven. And if you do have a recipe, will you share it?

Marie:  I also love pumpkin cookies, so since you’ve already baked them, I’ll tell you about my next favorite cookie recipe, which is Applesauce Cookies.  I grew up on these cookies.  My grandma used to make them. Then my mom… now me.  Here’s the recipe:

Applesauce Cookies

1 cup sugar            ½ cup butter
2 eggs                ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg            ½ tsp cloves
½ tsp salt            1 cup applesauce
1 tsp soda            2 ¼ cups flour
7 oz chocolate chips        ½ cup chopped nuts

Blend sugar, butter, and eggs well.  Mix in spices.  Measure out applesauce and add soda to it while still in the cup.  Add with mixture.  Add chips and nuts and flour.  Bake 400 for 9-12 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen.


Mary: No fair, you peeked on my Facebook  and saw I was baking! LOL though I will  post the recipes this Friday. These sound yummy, thank you! Marie, you know me, I love my wine, but I know you do not drink wine. So when you’re relaxing or having a holiday dinner, what is your beverage of choice?

Marie: Coke.  Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I’m a Coke drinker.  Funny thing is, I’m not a heavy Coke drinker, either.  If I open a can of Coke, it can last for two days.  lol  So I just try to stick to ice-cold spring water.

Mary: With the holiday’s coming up, a lot of people have family traditions, do you? If so can you tell us some of them?

Marie: We really don’t have a lot of traditions. Thanksgiving and Christmas are family get-together holidays, so we always want to include our families.  Every other year for Thanksgiving is at my mom’s house, and the off years are with my in-laws.  For Christmas, we try to have a family gift-exchange on Christmas Eve, but that doesn’t always work out.  However, my kids know I will always have a big dinner planned for Christmas Day – either Ham or Turkey – and yeah, all the trimmings!  YUM!

Mary:  What is your favorite holiday? And why?

Marie: My favorite holiday is Christmas.  Maybe it shouldn’t be because we put ourselves in debt every year… But I love the feeling of giving.  I love teaching my girls and grandkids how important it is to give to others.  I especially enjoy reading the story of Christ’s birth to my grandchildren to help them know the true meaning of Christmas.

Mary: What is the one thing you have always wanted to do? And do you think you’ll accomplish it before you go to the great garden in the sky?

Marie: For the past twenty years, I’ve wanted to be a writer.  When I finally mastered that, I wanted to be published (not caring how, either).  Once I passed that hump, I realized I wanted to have my book in bookstores.  Well, I’m to that point in my life now, so I guess you could say I’ve reached my goals.  However, lately, I’ve made another goal…  Now I want to make money at writing. (grins)  I’m really working hard on trying to get this goal reached, but I’m afraid it’ll take awhile.

Congratulations on your goals and coming so close, soon you'll be making money, I know it! Thank you, Marie for playing with us here in the garden today. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we have. Come back soon!

Thanks Mary!  It was fun playing in the garden, and I hope you have me back.

Chili in the Garden

No I didn't spell it wrong. I meant it's that time of year when you want warm and cozy. So you make chili! One of our favorite tailgating meals is when we have our annual chili cook off. My husband Ron makes the hot chili con carne and I decided to share it with you. We make it hot, but you can tone it down by using **mild or medium where I have 'HOT'.

Ron's Halftime Chili (5 quart Crockpot)
2 lbs Meat (1 lb hot ground sausage, 1lb ground beef) Browned.
4 Lg. Cans (26 oz) Kidney Beans (Drain 2 cans)
4 small cans Diced green chili
4 cans Rotel Hot** Diced Tomatoes
1 Lg can (12 oz) Tomato Paste
1 Lg. Yellow onion

Add all ingredients to the Crockpot. Season with black pepper and Add either Cayenne or Hot chili power --to your taste.

Cook on low for about 10 hours or high for about 5 to 6 hours. Serve in bread bowls.

Great with fresh chopped onion and grated cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top. We had this last Saturday at our Anniversary tailgating and I believe it turned out the best ever!

When it's snowing outside, this is great to have!

Two dinners in one night in the garden

What do I mean? As usual I've been playing in the kitchen. I have two meals for you, from one roast. Get a big pot roast, pick up some of those small red potatoes and baby carrots. Slice up some onions, garlic and red and green bell pepper.

Bring out the Crockpot about 10ish in the morning. put the roast in. Make a couple of little slices and slip in a slice of garlic clove in each. Then add a couple of cups of water, the vegetables. Amounts depend on how many you want to feed. Cook on high for about 6 hours. Or low for 10 hours. Or until tender.


There is your first meal.

Put all the left over juice, meat and vegetable in a big bowl and keep in the fridge.

Now for the 2nd the next night or maybe the night after that.

Left over pot roast soup!
Cut up the carrots and potatoes. Shred the beef and put everything (onions, peppers) in a pan. Most likely you will not have enough juice, open up a can (12 oz) of Sodium free and fat free chicken broth and add to the pot. If you think you need more, add another can. Add ground pepper, salt free seasoning, and some crushed chili peppers. And any other seasoning you think may go well with beef. Bring to a boil, then add 4 oz. (approx.) penne pasta. Continue to boil until pasta is done. Serve with rolls, or garlic bread.

May sound like some kind of weird mix, but it really is awesome.

Tuesday in the garden

Any of you who read my blog post yesterday knows I made Homemade Chicken Soup in the Crockpot. It turned out yummy! AND the best part is, when I put in all the ingredients into my calorie counter program it was low calorie also! Score. Here it is:

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup 
Makes approx. 16.83--1 1/2 cup servings (12 oz.)
4 1/4 cup Chicken shredded or chopped (pre-cook fryer) 
3 medium carrots sliced
3 medium celery stalks sliced
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 cup onion chopped
2 cups broth from cooking the fryer
2 (14 oz) cans Chicken Broth 99% fat free No MSG
8 cups water
1/2 tbsp Ground Pepper
1/2 tbsp Basil
1/2 tbsp Thyme
1/2 tbsp Rosemary
1/2 tbsp Marjorum
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 12 oz bag of Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Wide Noodles

Serving - 1 1/2 Cups 
Calories 136
Fat 2g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat  0g
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium  342 mg
Total Carbohydrate 17 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 3g
Protein 14g
Vit. A 37% Vit. 3% Calcium 2% Iron 6%

Preparation: Pre-Cook Chicken Fryer and let cool. Use strainer for broth and measure out 2 cups and set aside. Pick all chicken off the fryer. Slice and chop vegetables and place all in the crock pot. Add the liquid and seasons and let cook on high 4 hours and 45 minutes then add noodles and cook 45 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Monday at the garden

I've been out of touch this last week. I haven't found any new recipes to report, nor do I have any new wines. I haven't had really anything to post. So I haven't. Sorry. But rest assured I am wooing guests to come visit.

I will post when I have something fun to say. I am creating a new recipe. But then there are only so many ways you can make Chicken Soup!  I had my recipe book out and then thought, why? I'm winging it (yeah I know lame joke) and being brave. I will post the recipe tomorrow if I have a success. If I post about something else, or not at all you know it bombed in a big way. LOL!

It's Papa and Nana night, so the kids are the guinea pigs. Poor things. I think it will be fine though, mostly they'll hate it because of the carrots.

Now you may wonder what I've been up too, since I haven't been blogging. I've been doing book trailers. One for Watching Jenny (I'm on my fifth, or maybe sixth make over on that) and Classic Murder: Mr. Romance. I'm also re-making ones for Chick Magnet and Romance & Misconceptions.

Here's the link to the most current http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoa4ho6YVuI of Watching Jenny. And here is Classic Murder: Mr. Romance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb_AhOhuYdI

I'll have to post the others when they are done. Let me know how you like them. Now I'm off to start my Crockpot Chicken Soup. Check back tomorrow for the results...

Repost - Unorthodox Review on a Non-diet

I've re-posted this blog in the spring. It's almost the holiday's, and we all need a little help with the extra calories of all the candy, pies, and whatever your traditions are.

I need to re-read this also to remind me why I weigh and measure everything.

I've lost 76 pounds. It's been a year and a half since I reached my goal. I originally posted this right after Mother's day 2009. I continue to weigh every week, and when I creep up 5 pounds I force myself to be diligent about weighing and measuring and I drop the weight. I figure it's a lot easier than if I creep up 10 or 20 pounds.

I know a lot of people are struggling with weight, as I was. I feel so much better now. I hope that I can help a few who are in the same situation I was.

Here is the re-post:
Today I'm going to review a non-diet. I have tried everything under the sun. Here's a story of my weight loss journey as a writer.

Writing vs. Weight:

Writing is a solitary profession. I sit with my coffee, coke or wine on my desk, a bowl of chocolates, candies or whatever at my side. My characters prance around in my head as I put pen to paper. Or in my case put fingers to keyboard.

Day after day as my word count multiplies so does the inches on my butt.

Over the years, I’ve tried every diet known to mankind. I’ve used every excuse of why it doesn’t work for me. Then last year while putting pictures from our recent New York trip into an album, I saw an astonishing site. Me. Good grief. I was a tub of lard. It’s a wonder my hips would fit between the armrests on my office chair.
In New York 5/08
My doctor has this new wonderful thing. Email. So I emailed her in tears and we came up with a plan.

Here is where writing and weight are similar. Writing is personal. Are you a panster or a plotter? What works for you doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for me. And visa versa.
Same with diets, or weight control, or changing your eating habits. You have to find the formula or method that works best for you.

Whenever I’ve dieted in the past I’ve changed my eating habits, I’ve heard this is good. The trick is to keep those habits long term. Never happened. Every time I’d get near my goal I was so sick of the foods I had been eating to reach my svelte figure that I couldn’t wait to eat normal again. So then I’d gradually start to cheat and little by little I’d balloon up again. And I would always reach new heights on the scale.

So what, you ask, is different this time? I eat whatever I want. Would you like me to repeat that? I eat whatever I want. I drink whatever I want. I snack on whatever I want. I just eat small.

My doctor and I came up with a novel idea. Eat correct proportions. While trying to drop the pounds she suggested I try 1200 calories per day. At first, I thought she had a screw loose. What? 1200 calories per day, I’d starve. But I was game, I had the wonderful robust picture from New York on my fridge door.

I knew myself well, I hate keeping a food journal. That was my first and so far only hurdle. I didn’t want to write everything down, use my calculator to add it up, not to mention find the calories for every food. So I Googled calorie counters, thinking at least I could use that as I wrote everything down. I found an online journal for free. It adds everything up for you. Counts your calories, cholesterol, sodium, protein, carbs, etc.

Score! http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/ It also has a weight progress chart, measurements, and other helpful things. But most important, most of your name brand foods are already in the system. If you buy private label (Kroger, Smiths, Western family, etc you can download your own). It took me a few days to figure everything out, after that it’s been a piece of cake.

Now I was ready I had a free system to electronically keep track of calories. I knew I wanted to keep to 1200 and mostly I wanted to eat normal.

First morning, I read the cereal box. One cup cereal and one half cup milk. Did the same with my coffee and creamer, yes coffee has calories. All day long I ate everything I would have had I not been counting calories. The only difference, I measured out the appropriate serving. After dinner of that first day, I had two hundred calories left over for an evening snack. I’m serious in order to give you an example I looked back on my online journal.

Going out to dinner can be a bit of a challenge, but not impossible, I have most fast food places bookmarked. I don’t eat the Big Mac’s at McDonalds but I do have a cheeseburger and fries when I take the grandkids there.

When I go to a restaurant if they don’t have nutrition tables on line, then I do the best I can. I eat what I think the correct portion should be and bring the rest home. Someone will eat it for lunch the next day. I’ve been on two vacations, and have not gained. I ate peanut brittle, chocolates, fudge and cookies at Christmas and only gained a half a pound. It was the peanut brittle. And it was because I did not look up the calories before I indulged. I would have still had some, just not as much.

I weigh once a week on Friday’s and I’ve lost a total of Seventy-two pounds. I'm at my goal weight.

I honestly think my success this time is not changing the way I eat, but changing the portions. I do not deprive myself of anything. I don’t have seconds any more and I enjoy eating. Another bonus has been; when I went for my annual check up last March I had such high cholesterol my doctor put me on medication. In August, my cholesterol was normal and I was able to stop the medication. This year at my checkup my doctor gave me high praise and all my tests were great. And I feel 100% better!

I still sit with my coffee, coke or wine on my desk, a bowl of chocolates, candies or whatever at my side. And my characters prance around in my head as I put fingers to keyboard. The only difference is, I count them in my daily 1200 calories and my butt is shrinking.

This has worked wonderful for me. I hope it works for you, after all what have you got to lose?

Mother's Day before we left for Brunch 2009!

I hope you enjoyed this and found it helpful a 2nd time around. October 2010 and still have the weight off...

Great Recipe in the Garden

My friend, Cindy, from the SL Airport Hilton sent me this great recipe and I wanted to share.

Fresh Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:

4 cups cubed peeled fresh pumpkin
1 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Stalk celery, chopped
2 cans (10 ½ oz. each) condensed chicken broth
2 soup cans water (3 ½ cups)
½ cup instant white rice, uncooked
Dash Ground Nutmeg
1 soup can milk (1 cup)

Directions:

Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan on med-high heat; cover. Simmer on low heat 20 min/ or until pumpkin is tender.
Stir in rice and nutmeg. Return to boil. Remove from heat.
Let stand, covered 10 min.
Add pumpkin mixture, in batches to food processor. Use pulsing action to process until well blended. Return to saucepan, stir in milk. Cook on low heat 10 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 hr. 15 min.
Makes 8 Servings

Chocolate in the garden!

Today I'm in beautiful Park City, Utah at the annual Utah RWA Annual Conference. And tonight we're having a booksigning with special guest Christine Feehan. So what does this have to do with chocolate?

First we're romance writers, do you know anybody who writes who doesn't like chocolate? Second, after the bookssigning we're having Ophelia's Anti-depressant Chocolate Pond Party where there will be chocolate fondue and Seratonin refills on-tap for conference attendees until deep into the night. Yes the theme of the conference is Out, out damn plot; A conference in five acts.

I'm sure we will have loads of fun, and learn a lot. After all we're going to have a workshop with Christine Feehan, her agent Steven Axelrod, Victoria Dahl and her agent Amy Moore-Benson, on the agent/author relationship. What more could you ask of a conference?

I'm counting the hours, no minutes until I can indulge in my secret chocolate fantasy. I so hope there is some Godiva chocolate there. Or some white chocolate, or Swiss chocolate, oh my!

What is you favorite treat? It is Halloween month, and treats are coming up.

Harley girl's in the garden

Now I come to my daughter Chrissy, remember her? The one with the loud little rat dog? Well she is my tattoo, Harley riding daughter. And nope she's really not a beer drinking though I know you thought I'd say she was.

Yes I did say 'girl's' as in more than one. My daughter-in-law Merissa--married to my hunting, fishing, bike riding son, mother of my only two granddaughters, also is a tattoo, Harley rider.

You'd think I'd say the same drink for these two, right? Well if you said yes, you'd be wrong because the only thing these two have in common is they both ride bikes and they both have a tattoo.

Chrissy I would say is a:
A Captain's Paradise
1 part Captain Morgan® Parrot Bay pineapple rum
1 part Tropicana® orange juice

She's a simple girl, and love's sweet things.Yeah I know I said she's my Harley riding daughter and she can be loud. Well hello it's rum, and what do pirates drink? Well she would fit right in on a ship of pirates!


Merissa I would say is a:
Mojito Diablo
1 1/2 oz white tequila
1/2 oz creme de cassis
2 lime wedges
12 fresh mint leaves
3 - 6 oz 7-Up® soda
1 tbsp brown sugar
She's easy going, laid back, but don't rile her or you're in for trouble.

Food? Merissa is like her husband stead and potatoes, Chrissy is like her mom (moi) she likes about anything.

I'm done and here it is Thursday, what am I going to talk about tomorrow? I don't know but I've probably bored you to tears with my drink comparison of my kids. And you all must think I'm a heathen. I have no idea how my mind works sometimes.

But you have some fun recipes for drinks now. And next time you're tailgating you'll be able to suggest some fun drinking things.

Okay off to figure out what I'll take about tomorrow.

Our out of towners

We have two who do not live near us. Derek is a tattoo artist in Austin. (Sample of his work to the left) He does like his beer, but if I had to say what drink he was, it would be a:
Grateful Dead
1 part 1800® Tequila
1 part vodka
1 part light rum
1 part gin
1 part Chambord® raspberry liqueur
Not that he drinks that, just what I think fits. As for food. He actually likes omelets and that fits.

Nichole lives in Sunny California and is part owner of The Pilates Studio I think some kind of beach drink.
Blue Hawaiian
1 oz light rum
1 cherry
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
1 oz cream of coconut
1 slice pineapple
But she's into healthy, maybe something like fresh squeezed carrot juice would be more appropriate.

Okay off to tomorrow! 

Ever heard of a Octabong?

Our daughter Kaci loves New York City. She loves shoes and bags, in fact she's always having those knock off bag parties, has a bag for every outfit. I mean who can afford the real stuff? I would say she's a Cosmopolitan Cocktail kind of gal.

Here's a recipe! (It is my recipe contest month you know)
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz triple sec
1/2 oz Rose's® lime juice
1/2 oz cranberry juice

But she's also a contradiction because she loves her beer at the football tailgating. Now I'm about to introduce you to the Octabong. It doesn't matter what beer you use, and in fact you can do a cocktail.

Football Tailgating 101:

What in the heck, you ask, is that? It's an octabong and this is what we gave Kaci for Christmas last year. For Tailgating. See that cup thing at the top? There are 8 sections and you pour your beer--or beverage of choice--in them and then you shoot them, like this and see who can finish the fastest.

So you see, it's a bit crowded but fun. Now if you're not into beer or the Octabong, you can always do Jello shots. 

They have things called Suck and blows. These are tubes you put jello shots in and one person blows and the other sucks.

Like this. And it's a bit of a shock the first time you do it.

And of course if you're only into hard liquor we have the shotski. What the heck is that? I will tell you or show you. Yes it's a ski with 4 shot glasses on it.

We have all reverted back to 21 for our tailgating. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing, and it keeps me young or a bad thing.

Okay now you know our daughter Kaci. Her husband is Dallon, the one who was a chef in another life. So as far as food goes, I don't know that I can pin her down. Cosmo's is perfect because it's a blend, and she's definitely that!

Son's and their beverages in the garden!

Saturday I was at my grandson's soccer game and his dad brought the dog. And thought, you know what they say about dog's and their owners is true. Dave's dog is like him. But what is even crazier is my daughter Chrissy her dog, Bubbles (yeah I know sounds like a pole dancer) is like her. I love Chrissy but she can be a bit on the loud side. Well her dog is the same.

Then for whatever reason I thought of drinks, cocktails, liquor or beer are the same thing. What you drink says a lot about you. I can figure this out for my children because they are adults and most have kids of their own. So this week is drink week. And though between my husband and I, we have more than 5 kids, I will get it done in five.

I'll start with my two son's. Troy and Dave are easy. They're easy going, love to hunt, fish and hang out. Beer, cheaper the better. Actually my son-in-law Dallon fits right in. We're talking Keystone, bud light, miller light, Coors. Sure they like a Heineken here and there, but mostly it's the inexpensive stuff.


When it comes to food, Troy would be steak and potatoes. Dallon must have been a chef in another life. He loves to cook, so I can't pin down what he would be. Dave would be enchilada's, chili verde, etc.

Okay if you have grown son's what drink are they? Or if your kids are young, what food are they? 

See you tomorrow!

Fall and/or Halloween Recipe Contest in the garden

Okay maybe this will inspire all of you!

As most of you know I'm having a recipe contest. It's very simple...

Post your favorite fall and/or Halloween recipe in a comment any day to any post between now and November 1st, 2010. Yes that's all you need to do to have your name put in the hat for the drawing. AND if you post a recipe more than once, then you have your name in more than once.

See how easy it is? So why hasn't anyone posted? Does no one cook anymore? I know I hardly do anymore, hence the contest. I'm trying to get myself inspired for the holidays!

Oh, want to know what you win? A download, your choice, of one of the following:

Okay so I couldn't figure out how to get them in a row! LOL. But you know you can choose from one of them. Now let the recipe posting begin!

Have a good week.