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Barbecuing on the 4th of July and Having a Great Independence Day Celebration!
Searing the meat!We found something new to barbecue for the 4th of July celebration this year! I love to barbecue and this took some planning but it turned out great! With the family gathering around to share the weekend, we had been busy cutting down dead trees (the ash bore infestation seems to have reached us) and other outdoor activities. Everyone came away hungry and this provided a great main dish! We did do this on the 3d due to some family travel requirements on the 4th but military family life often creates those flexible holiday celebrations! Deb bought a beef brisket (a hunka meat) and marinated it for me.…
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What a great week!
A dinner at one of my new favorite restaurants with the love of my life; a newly stained deck; a fresh coat of oil on my deck table; a cleaned out garage, with a year’s worth of dirt, power-washed out back to its natural habitat; barbecued shish-kebobs with grilled asparagus and fresh bread with dipping sauce, (Wow, a meal with no “ICK… I’m not eating this”); evening walks; some wonderful alone-time with hubs; and wine… a few bottles of wine over the course of the week. It has been a great week! First of all MAJOR PROPS to my mom and dad for hosting the annual Camp Grandpa! The inaugural…
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Norwegian Waffles for Syttende Mai
It is almost time to say “Hurra for syttende mai”! I can hear the old ladies in my childhood church chatting and clacking… most of them had dentures that didn’t fit quite so well. They had stamina, girth and a love for breads. Yes, these were Norwegian women. They were a tad formal, my Grandma referred to her best friends as Mrs. Otto Andersen, Mrs. Moy, or Mrs. H. C. Andersen. This made me smile, as I can picture these women in sensible shoes, baggy hose, blue suits of every shade, clutch purses and a handkerchief in hand. Each had an open house policy… come on over and have a…
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A Dedication to my 6 year old
Happy Birthday to my *C*! He turned six on Saturday. It was a day filled with fun befitting our six-year old prince. A 9:30am birthday party with 15 of his kindergarten friends; a 3:00pm soccer game in the rain and major-mud (see picture for the after-soccer game look); a favorite dinner of pasta, meatballs and bread, which after all the earlier fun in the day I had to wake him up off of the couch for. Then to top it all off sundae-desserts at our kitchen counter. It was just a great day! This little boy is a light in my life. He has the strength of a military-child. The heart of…
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Menu Monday: Italian Meatballs
Ah Family! We had a wonderful time visiting my brothers, parents, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews this weekend. We are quite a crew. From the humble beginnings of ‘The Lt and Mrs’ to Grandma, Grandpa, three adult children & spouses, and nine-grandkids. When we get together we rock the house! This weekend’s visit was to meet my brand new nephew and niece. Twins!; born on January 3rd to my youngest brother, his wife and their two older sons. I was excited to meet them but couldn’t dream of putting work on the new family so I planned a big meal of Spaggetti and Meatballs. My brother, James, invited my folks over…
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Menu Monday: Italian Tortellini Soup
I am a /huge/ fan of the slow-cooker. It helps with the crazy routine of the day and allows me prepare a meal when there are a few moments of calm. If you are looking for a tasty, winter, soup filled with the aroma and comfort of Italian food give this meal a try! Put it all together when the baby is taking a morning nap, the preschooler is creating a masterpiece on paper, or the kids are off to school. If you work outside of the home put the dish together the night before and then plop it in your slow-cooker on the way out the door in the…
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Tasty Tuesday Christmas Tree Coffee Cake
Have you ever looked at something year after year and yet never seen something, a treasure within an article? Each year this has been our Christmas breakfast. From the look of the page that has this cut out pasted upon it, you can tell it is a loved article.I cut the edible Christmas tree recipe out of a commissary handout over 31 years ago! And use it every year.This year I read the first two paragraphs and burst out laughing. The wonderful lady who sent this in was stationed with us in Iceland 20 years ago. At that time her son was in high school with our son and daughter.…
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Tasty Tuesday Banana Pepper Gratin
Summer is so over… so very over. Temperature dipped to the twenties; leaves are brilliant red, orange with faded yellow edges; sunshine hours have slipped to dark morning and evenings. Autumn is here.. no doubt. The gleaner in me came out this weekend when I heard of the temperature forecast. Dale and I picked anything living out there that could be touched by a freeze. Whoa, I already have packed a peck of pickled peppers into the pressure cooker. My imagination has been running overtime as to how to use plant after plant that over produced this year. Yeah for that… but I can’t let them die on the plant.…
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Sweet Potato Nut Muffins or Bread
Sweet potatoes are in the markets now. They are the fall colors coming to your table, ready to eat and full of vitamins. We have company and I somehow feel obligated to make enough food for local Michigan, Illinois and Indiana… needless to say, I have leftovers often. AND I love to be a touch creative in the use of this bounty… and pass it on to others in a more palpable form than cold potatoes in a bowl.Smell the muffins! Pass the bread! This recipe comes from memories of church suppers, when the ladies brought in the best of their mixings and musings. Everything was served with pride and…
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The Land of Fire and Ice Disrupts Air Traffic – DoD Roundtable
We were stationed in Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice, for almost three years and saw the island at its best and worst at times. It was windy, cold, dark in the winter, required handrails on sidewalks due to ice and wind but it was a great tour! The people were helpful, liked Americans and treated us well. The land was always exciting with new adventures to see such as waterfalls, geysers, hot water lakes (such as the Blue Lagoon), beautiful geothermal heated swimming pools and much more! We visited Vestmannaeyjar (the home of Free Willy fame) and the ground was so hot in places the locals claimed they…
