I received a Vita Mix Blender for Christmas from my mom and I LOVE IT!!
Here is the Strawberry and Green Smoothie Recipe I have been making for breakfast.
Green Smoothie:
1/2 c water
1/2 c milk or mocha milk
1 handfull of spinach (handful)
1/2 c frozen strawberries
1 banana (frozen or fresh)
Blend and enjoy!
Can also add blueberries or any other fruit
½ Stick of Butter (Give or Take)
¼ Onion, finely diced OR couple of shakes of minced onion
3 Carrots, (chopped fine in food processor)
2-3 Celery Stacks, finely diced
1 Head of Cauliflower
- I take cauliflower and cut it into 3-4 sections and wash each section.
- Then I finely dice one of those sections in the food processor (sometimes two of the sections; depending on time).
- The other sections I cut into small put recognizable pieces.
2T dried parsley
1 Quart of Chicken Broth
2 Cups of Whole Milk (or whatever you have)
3 T Flour
Salt and Pepper to Taste (I use no salt and lots of pepper)
Garnish (CRUCIAL TO RECIPE): Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese (Cheddar)
In large pot, melt 2T of butter. Add onion (if using fresh) and cook. Add carrots and celery and sauté. Add cauliflower, parsley, and splash of chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes until cauliflower is steamed and soft. Pour in rest of chicken broth, bring to a boil, and allow it to simmer.
In medium saucepan (not on heat), whisk together 1 cup of milk and 3 T of flour. Add 2 T of butter, put on heat and whisk until thick. Take off heat and stir in another cup of milk. Add mixture to simmering soup. Allow to simmer another 15 to 20 minutes. Season
Garnish and serve.
1 Large Can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatos
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Diced Tomatos (optional)
1 Can Green-beans, drained and rinsed
1 Cup Frozen Corn (optional)
1.5 lbs Browned hamburger (browned with 1 small diced onion)
1 Can Ranch Style Beans
1 Can Black beans, drained and rinsed
Pepper to Taste
Several Cans of Water – fill to cover everything
1-2 Hunks of Velveta
Put everything together, except velveta, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer for 30-40mins, add velveta. Serve with chips.
We recently went on a trip to Branson and stayed at Chateau on the Lake. It was beautiful. We took Sophie and received two offers buy her!
I love foggy mornings.
Our room was upgraded to a King Suite with a lake view which is $100/night more than we actually paid.
Here is the hotel’s marina which does not seem very busy on a cold fall morning.
There are quaint spots all over the hotel grounds.
Sophie – the poodle.
I got to use my china for the first time. It was so fun pulling it all out and setting a table with such beautiful china.
I couldn’t find any candles to float so I dropped in some flowers from a bouquet I had.
It is so annoying having to spend money on paper products. Paper towels, paper napkins, toilet paper, paper, paper, paper, paper….. ANYWAY, I stopped using paper towels to clean with. I don’t even use paper towels to clean the glass and mirrors in my house. A soft towel works even better.
Also, I bought several cloth napkins so I don’t need to buy/use paper napkins. I bought them on sale at JCPenny. They were 75% off (about $0.75/napkin). It is actually very nice using cloth napkins. It feels as if your eating at a restaurant.
I think I will keep buying toilet paper… My husband might move away if I stop buying it. LOL
This is the Tickle Me Elmo of the adult world.
If you go into a Starbucks and see this cup, buy it!!!! For one, it is a cool cup and is very handy for taking drinks to work, school, etc. Two, you can sell it on Amazon or eBay for more money than you paid for it. They are in such high demand that they are being sold online for $10+ more than Starbucks sells them for. My mother-in-law bought me the large one for my birthday on amazon.com and she calls it the “Golden Chalice.” She was here recently and asked me for a drink of the golden chalice. I had no idea what she was talking about until she explained.
With the purchase of our new Espresso machine, we have acquired a smattering of coffee essentials.
In addition to coffee drinks, I have also been making Italian Sodas. Here is how I make them:
This drink is typically served not mixed, but if you are making it at home mix it up. Serve with a straw and enjoy! It is so easy to make.
My new ride (for two days) is bringing out my inner country girl….ok, maybe not… It is probably just the Sirius radio. It is set to a country station and I don’t know how to change it yet.
This pickup is so quiet inside. I am super impressed. It drives just like a car! It is nothing like my Ford 150, stick shift, plain jane pickup I learned to drive in.
I am driving this because my car has to get a headlight fixed. Yes, I wish bad things on the engineer that designed the Mercury Montego’s headlights. It is $300 to change the light without labor, $500 to change the ballast (what the light is fixed into), and $700 without labor for the light assembly (the glass part that contains the light and ballast). It appears that the light assembly’s seal is corroded ruining the ballast and light. The ballast is a very very sensitive part. It can not be touched by anything or it will fail. It is very annoying paying an upwards of $1500 per year to get a headlight fixed. Do you think this could have been planned service department job security on the part of Ford? Everything involving this situation seems unreal.
Starbucks DeLonghi Rialto 4500
One-Touch Super Automatic Espresso Machine
We said goodbye to our trusty Saeco and hello to a one-touch wonder. It grinds the beans, steams the milk, and cleans itself. We used our Saeco so much we knew we would love a newer model that would save us time. This is so cool that, after staying with us, my mom went and bought one too.
You do have to clean the inside parts, but is very easy and doesn’t take a lot of time. Here are the innards:
By the way, don’t you love my bronze wall tile in the first picture.
