Northwest Polish Beer Sausages...

Oh man, do these taste great!!! They have great flavor and are moist and yet have a real snap to them...so good! and what is better this time of year...they are easy and looks like you really did something! Take me out to the ball game!!!!!!

Pour a bottle of beer in a pan...and

put in your sausages and put on a simmer while you get your BBQ coals ready....they heat slowly and increase in size and if your cook them slowly they won't split open and loose there juices....

open your sauerkraut and start cooking, slowly on medium heat...funny they have sauerkraut in resealable bags, who ever has any left?

then put them on the coals and cook quickly browning the skins....and...

put them on your grilled bun and top with your favorite, sauerkraut, relish, chopped onions and mustard!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!

My Rosary...

Here is a story about how I came up with my very own rosary...

I work in a restaurant and one of my team members, Nery, (pronounced Nettie) had just finished work and had changed her uniform. She had just come down the stairs from the employee room and she had this lovely hand crafted rosary around her neck...I had never seen her wear this and I asked her about it....She had received it from her Mother in Mexico...her mother had made it for her...and as I looked closer you can see all the knots she tied and the dark wooden beads (might be seeds) and the wooden cross...I admired it so much she took it off and gave it to me...She wanted me to have it...A person can't say no, well she can say no just a little,  and then must be gracious and accept the most special gift...I am awed by this wonderful handmade rosary...I feel it is the real deal....each bead very symbolic...I am not Catholic, I come close though, I have 2 godchildren, and my daughters family are Catholic.....and  Guadalupe is my own special saint...every one gets a saint, if they want one, and she is mine....So I must of needed a Rosary of my very own....I will hang it in my room right above my Guadalupe statue where I can see it everyday....it will always remind me of the unselfish love that Nery showered on me....

This is Nery....She has the sweetest spirit.....and the best smile...I call her 'mama'...and she calls me 'mama'...I am not sure why, it is just what we do....

Cheers to Happy  !!

Fresh Apricot appetizers....

Go ahead and say it...I am a bad blogger...I have been a little sickish, first flu then a cold and when I am feeling puny I freeze....really just freeze....like freeze tag, and then I wait for someone to come tag me so I can become unfrozen....I know I am weird, because I actually visualize these stupid things in my mind....I come from a long line of 'frozen people'....I come by it naturally...(someone please say it is true)...so anyway, I want to show you the easiest and most dramatic of quick summer appetizers....

Apricot halves...

nope there is no recipe, you just get a picture....I had these once at a wedding, they had servers going around
with appetizer trays, and these were the most popular item...and so simple...

don't you just love it, which would you have? Raspberry or Blueberry?

I would have both, ha!

Cheers to Happy  !!

Oven Cleaner...

This is helpful hint #37, just because I love you all so much....how to clean fiberglass tubs..., my tub/shower enclosure, was as bad as any you have ever seen when I moved into my house 5 years ago...the water here is very hard and the previous owners very old and it had (what I thought) was permanent buildup, I had always planned on installing a new tub, but never had the money and so...I did my research and over and over again oven cleaner kept coming up......so here you go, all you do is buy oven cleaner, (do yourself a favor and buy unscented) and one of those green scratchy pads with the sponge on the otherside....spray the oven cleaner all over, use the whole can, and wait 20-30 minutes, and then get the green scratchy pad and start cleaning in circular motions...it is magic, really...it will turn that tub back to new looking and shine like you have never seen it do before....promise...

Cheers to Happy  !!

John Wooden's Love Letter

This is the new love in my life....John Wooden...I didn't know he existed until yesterday..when I watched this video...now if he was still alive I would be known as a Stalker...I just can't get enough...he is so smart, or I should say wise, he was a wonderful coach, tough but fair, but the sweetest most endearing thing about him is his abundant LOVE...he inspires me to be a better person...I know you too, will love John Wooden.....

The most decent man...

Cheers to Happy  !!

Plank Salmon...

This is plank salmon...you know the planks you can buy at this time of year at the BBQ sections of the store...and you look at them and never buy them? Well go ahead and buy them...it is worth it...it makes cooking salmon on the BBQ flawless....it is moist and a slightly smoke flavor...so very delicious...it doesn't fall apart on you between the grates...

you start by going to the Market and buying fresh Alaska salmon at the flying fish place...

season your fish and let rest, soak your cedar plank in water until time to use... start the briquets....

when the birquets are ready...place the wet plank of top of the heat.....no need to oil the plank, the moisture that is in the plank provides enough moisture to keep it form sticking....

top with the salmon.....and place the lid on...cook about 20 minutes and then check...remember the thermometer? Time to get it out and make sure the interior of the salmon is between 130-140 degrees....

it will look like this......scoot it on a plate or serve right on the plank!

The best perfectly cooked Northwest Salmon....

Cheers to Happy  !!

Baked Potato Soup...

I would like to introduce my cousin Annie...She is an amazing woman, wife and mother...She works, goes to school and is the mother of two very busy teenagers, and fishes..yep she even catches fish...she is my kind of gal....and lucky for us she cooks, and takes amazing pictures....I love her very much and know you will too....take it away Annie!

Baked Potato Soup...

Baked Potato Soup


12 slices of bacon*
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
7 cups of milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (I microwave mine and then just scrape em out.)
4 green onions, chopped* (or I use about ½ cup of sweet onions)
1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese*
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Cook bacon, drain and set aside. In a stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.


*plus more for topping if desired

fry bacon....mmmm bacon, bacon, bacon....and set aside...

melt butter and then ....

whisk in flour....and then.....

slowly add milk while whisking, and whisk until smooth....

add potatoes and onion and cook until tender....

add cheese, sour cream, bacon bits and salt and pepper and stir....continue cooking until hot and the cheese is melted...

and oh my! look at this goodness! topped with the bacon bits, more shredded cheese and a dollop of the sour cream....hmmm lets all go to Annie's house!

Cheers to Happy  !!