Southern Favorite

As a child growing up, I always hated Pimento Cheese Sandwiches (and Down South, it is hard to avoid them - served at most bridal showers, baby showers, family gatherings along with chicken salad sandwiches).

I think my hatred with it was my moms recipe, I swear that she made hers with the store bought spread and mixed that with cottage cheese. She hated cottage cheese, but this was the only time I ever saw her eat it. (gross, right?)

So, when I moved to the PNW as an adult and finally met friends and then started having MNO's (Moms Night Out) - I found a love for the light orange spread. It was at one of these MNO's when a girlfriend of mine served Pimento Cheese Sandwiches (she was also a transplant to the PNW). She offered me a sandwich and I promptly refused, 'I hate the stuff', I proclaimed. But she wouldn't let that be...I gave in, tried it and WhatDoYaKnow? It was so good!

I tried making it once and it was awful! (I used Miracle Whip rather than Mayo, it was nasty. I waited for other MNO's to get my fix).

It's gotten better over the years...it had to. My friend moved, I had to figure it out.

This is my recipe, with most of my recipes - everything is to taste (that's helpful, right?).

1 small jar pimentos, I cut mine up a little more.



In a medium bowl, mix together: (here I am using my DBD {Death By Dishwasher} Amish Butter-print Pyrex bowl, turquoise and white, #403 2 1/2 QT)

Pimento
Shredded Sharp Cheese about a LB.
Fresh Ground Pepper
Mayo






It's the Southern way to trim the crust off your regular ol' white bread (this amount will take 1 loaf).



Spread a little of the mix onto 1 side of the bread, top with the other piece and then cut into triangles.



Not for a calorie counter, fat hater or carb hater.

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Sounds good, huh?



1 Spice cake mix
1 small can of pumpkin (I didn't have a small can, so I just split a large)
chocolate chips

No oil, butter, eggs need be used - just those 3 ingredients. So simple!



Using my loved (DBD = Death By Dishwasher) avocado green, medium size, Pyrex bowl, #403 2 1/2 QT - that I bought from my girlfriends mother-in-law for $.10, this Summer.

I used a spoon to mix it all together (too thick for a whisk).



They were extremely moist. They felt wet even, but fully cooked and Oh. So. Yummy.
I took what was needed to Sprouts Halloween Party and then the rest to hubs at work (to keep me from eating them all myself).

Herbie is HOME!!!

3 years ago, Hoss's teacher gave us a beautiful black cat. He was so big, we would joke that he was a miniature panther.

Just about a month ago, he went missing. We posted on Craigslist, put signs up and asked neighbors/friends if they had seen him = nuthin'.

Today I took Sprout to school (the same school that Hoss attended) and as I am walking to the door, I see a beautiful black cat. I call out 'Herbie?' and he slowly - this is so him - SLOW! - (he sits in the road in front of the house and cars stop and wait for him to cross, it's pathetic). He gives me a lil 'Me-ow'.
I pick him up and am smiling from ear to ear.

To make a long story short, Herbie had been there for about a month and thankfully they fed him. He is home now. Hoss is going to be very excited when he gets home, just as Hubs was when I let Herbie in the house.

He isn't taking to BumbleBee to well at the moment, but he has been on his own for a month or so now...they need time.

I am not one of *those* people

...but I cant have him being cold all the dang time, either.

Using one of Sprout's old sweaters (18mth?) I trimmed it down to fit Jazz.
I cut the arms a good few inches and tapered them. (I turned the sweater for the design to fall on his back - so he is basically wearing it backwards).
I cut the sweater to fit halfway up his tummy (so, it doesn't get in the way of his 'business'). I also added a little extra piece (using the scraps) to add under the neck.

*I should have taken step-by-step pictures, but since I was winging it...

Happy Thoughts

Checking The Weather Channel, we see snow (yes, you read that right) for tonight threw Tuesday. I'm not ready for that.





Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Sun.
Pretty Yellow Sun.
Blue Skies.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Green Grass.
Blooming Flowers.
Pollen.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Beautiful Butterflies.
Bees.
Humming Birds.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.
Wonderful Warm Shining Sun.

Happy Thoughts. Happy WARM Thoughts.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

I've been into making my own BBQ sauce, it changes with the ingredients I have on hand. It's much better than the 'NotQuiteRight store bought sauce'.

Everything I put in it is to taste, but starts off with a good amount of ketchup (depending on how much you need).
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder (feel free to use fresh for both)
Salt & Pepper
Honey
Mustard (Reg or Brown Spicy)
Worcestershire Sauce
Lemon Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar
A little water (I let mine cook down a good bit, and by adding the water, I can walk away from it without fear of it burning).

Here I tossed in a few lil smokies = Yum!

Sunday Morning

This morning I woke (too dang early). With Hoss's help I made chocolate chip pancakes with homemade chocolate peanut butter maple syrup (that's a mouth full).



This is my 'new' Friendship red Cinderella bowl (I found it the other day and went back to rescue her yesterday along with a flamingo loaf). Also, you can see my dainty little 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup (got that a few months back).



Started the syrup first (but had to show off my Friendship Pyrex). 2/3 cup maple syrup (I used sugar free, but feel free to use the REAL stuff). 1/4 cup homemade chocolate peanut butter and 1/4 cup homemade peanut butter.



It was THICK. What can do to thin it out? Hubs said it was more like icing. (Oops)



Bisquick pancakes with a few chocolate chips.




Hubs took 1 bite and said (with a mouthful of food) 'need milk', that's good right?