The Rocket Ship....

The other day when I was outside getting ready to burn my pile of yard clippings that I had pruned...I was down on my knees and shoving paper under some limbs to light, when I spotted something...way down deep, in the pile of limbs was a burned out, small stump, from the last fire I had last fall. I reached and wiggled that burnt wood piece out....although small, it took me way back.....years ago, back in the late 50's, there were a bunch of us kids..there were 7 of us under 10 years of age...I was one of the little kids, 3rd up from the bottom.....

we played king of the hill...(still not sure why the oldest child got to be king)... we played cowboys and Indians... (of course I was always an Indian, and the cowboys won), cops and robbers....we climbed up trees and slid down the branches, we sailed little homemade boats in mom's wash water that poured out into the yard, away from the house.  We had a clump of trees that we played house in,  and a king tree and a queen tree.  Trees that had been sawed off at the top that we climbed and we sat on top of, and we had our own beloved rocket ship....to some it might of been a huge burned out stump but to us it was our own rocket ship....oh the wonderful times and places we visited on that stump...

We had such imaginations...we climbed all over that thing...we must of been so black, that stump was huge...it seemed to have compartments and practically its own rooms.......we even brought Mom out and invited  her to crawl all the way though it...and you know she did...she never said how dirty it was..she just admired it...and saw the beauty that we saw.....

Oh, looking at this rocket ship I can see all us little kids crawling in the nooks and traveling the world saving the peace on earth, on our very own rocket!

I will save this little reminder of days gone by...happier day, days when all we had were each other and it was enough......just a bunch of wild big dreams.....

Cheers to Happy  !!

Citrus Salt Scrub...

Citrus Salt Scrub

My daughter Becky is a massage therapist and recently she told me when she wants a salt or sugar scrub she just makes her own...hmm really?... make your own?....how does that go?...she said you just mix these few things together and that's it...she would never buy the expensive version they sell....wow how easy is this!

Citrus Salt Scrub
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
(can substitute sweet almond oil or vegetable oil)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Directions: In a medium dry bowl, combine all ingredients making sure to not let any water touch them as it will dissolve the salt. Pour mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.

To use: Just before showering, swirl ingredients together with your fingertips to mix. Clean body completely and just before exiting shower, apply Citrus Salt Body Scrub to body in a firm circular scrubbing motion with hands or a soft washcloth. Rinse off the mixture and pat body dry with a clean towel. (my own helpful hint: before you shower set a separate dishpan in the shower floor and sit on the side of the tub and rub this scrub on your legs....it will save you alot of slippery mess in the bottom of the shower....

yep, just a few ingredients....I thought I might color it yellow...just for the picture...but it didn't need it...it comes out yellow...

coarse sea salt....

grated orange and lemon....

add the olive oil in my case......stir and....

put in a cute jar you saved from something else.....

tie a pretty ribbon and it is ready to go! You will have the softest silkiest legs...better than if you just left the salon...this would make a great quick gift also.

Cheers to Happy  !!

Crab and Cheese twice baked Potatoes...

The other day I was in Costco...(you know the store that it is impossible to get in and out without spending $100..) and saw a big can of crab in the refrigerator section..it was only $8 so of course in the cart it went....When I was paying, the cashier guy said this was the best thing in the store, that he and his wife buy this all the time...he said they make cheesy, crab boats with them....I did my head spin and said "what?"...then he gave me a brief run down on how they make these....so here is my rendition.....they were great...and perfect with a big steak and salad...thanks Costco guy!

crab and cheese twice baked potatoes

just a few simple ingredients...3 thinly sliced green onions...16 ounces of crab...1 cup of shredded cheese...1/3 rd cup of butter...and 1/2 cup of cream cheese... salt and pepper...oh and the four baked potatoes.... 

this is the can of crab I bought it was 1 lb...it is a lot of crab...it would probably have been enough for 8 potatoes...ha ha or 4. I think crab is like butter there is no such thing as too much.

bakers are just out of the oven....



cut off the top and scoop out the inside.....place in a bowl....(it is ok if they tear some, just fill as if they didn't)

and add your cheese...cream cheese....onions and butter....mash the heck out of this, salt and pepper to taste and then fold in the crab....

here is the filling....carefully spoon the filling back inside and put in a baking dish...

liberally cover with shredded cheese and bake in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes....

now ready to eat...garnish with bacon bits and a few scallions or chives...this is a meal in itself!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Creme Brulee...

Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is the best dessert in the whole world! Hands down...it is easy to make...you can make it ahead of time....it holds well in the refrigerator, and it has very few ingredients...It says special, very, very special....

Ingredients
•1 quart heavy cream
•1 tsp vanilla
•1/2 cup sugar
•6 large egg yolks
•2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Place the cream, and vanilla  into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

4 ingredients....

put cream and vanilla in pan....boil on medium heat....

until really boiling...almost over the top of the pan....hurry and pull off...Whew!

put a lid on and set the timer for 15 minutes....

then mix your egg yolks and the sugar....

beat until light yellow and fluffy...slowly add the hot milk....

and beat....while pouring in the hot milk....

pour into little ramekins that you have in a baking dish.....they don't have to match and they can be different sizes...

set in the oven and pour boiling water in the pan deep enough to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes...

bake until set and jiggly still in the middle....remove and cool slightly and refrigerate until time to serve...

you can buy the flame thrower at kitchen shops...it is the funnest tool in the kitchen...everyone will come running when you start using flames...when you are burning the sugar it smells like toasted marshmallows.

add a fine sprinkling of sugar, about a teaspoon  and shake around....

light your torch and hold about 6 inches away from the sugar top...keep the torch moving back and forth or in circular motion so that you are toasting evenly.....

you want the topping to slightly bubble...wait 5 minutes...it will turn to a sugary glass on top....

and serve....this is the best and easiest dessert ever....bon appetite!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Blood Orange Chicken Paillards...

Blood Orange Chicken Paillards

I love the flavor of this...I am loving the different oranges out this time of year...it is fun to try the different ones...these are two of my favorites...Blood Orange is great, but the color is also beautiful, the orange gets its ruby color from cold nights...Cara Cara is sweet and low in acid...it has only been carried in US market since 1980...

Blood Orange Chicken Paillards...

3 chicken breasts, cut thin and pounded thin...

1 egg...mixed

1/2 cup of flour...seasoned with salt and pepper

1 blood orange

1 regular orange

1/4 cup red onion finely chopped

1/4 cup chiffinade fresh basil

1/2 cup of butter

salt and pepper to taste...

this is the few ingredients in the fruit salsa....

section the orange and cut into small pieces...(reserve some of the onion and basil for the orange sauce)...add the basil and onion, then the lightly salt and pepper...put in the fridge until ready to use...

this is the regular orange I bought...it is a CaraCara...it is the best looking orange I have ever seen....

juice the whole orange and set aside...

bread your chicken in a beaten egg and seasoned flour...I seasoned my flour with lemon salt and pepper...

ready to go.....

fry in 1/8 cup of butter (or 1/4 cube) and same amount of olive oil...about 2-3 minutes per side...

after chicken is done set aside and put 1/4 cube of butter in the pan...add a small reserved amount of onion and basil..cook for 1 minute over medium high heat and then....

add the fresh juice....reduce by half...cooking about 2 minutes....

add cut up 1/4 cube of butter..stir just until blended and butter melted and serve...ladle the orange sauce on the plate...put the chicken on the sauce and then spoon on blood orange salsa...

this is so flavorful and light and clean tasting....You will Love it!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!