Dear Nora,
I’d like to discuss two things with you.
1) I hope when you are talking about polka dots you always refer to them as polka bots as you do right now. Because, seriously, it is the cutest freaking thing ever. That and ‘jeebes’ for jammies. I like that one too.
2) Yesterday when I asked you to please follow directions and listen to mommy you said, and I quote, “blah blah blah”. I see that you are now sassing me, at 21 months old…I’m sure your grandma B probably thinks it’s pretty damn funny, too. Some sort of poetic justice I imagine.
of “baby Nora”. It’s just unbelivable how the time has flown.
Here’s an awesome and super easy main dish recipe. It’s for…you guessed it: Diet Coke Chicken. Now don’t pre-form an opinion and start thinking “Coke…on my chicken….? I’m not sure about that…” I’m telling you it’s very tasty! Just pretend you don’t even know that there’s Diet Coke on your chicken. Except of course you will know because you’ll be the one that put it there. Just revert back to your childhood for a little while and pretend you don’t know it’s in there. This one is totally worth trying and no one will even know you put your soda in the sauce!
Diet Coke Chicken
1 pkg. Skinless, Boneless, Chicken Breasts
1 c. ketchup
1 can Diet Coke
Preheat a skillet…pick a deep one with a lid…to medium/medium high…place Chicken Breasts in the skillet…pour ketchup over the chicken…pour the entire can of Diet Coke over the ketchup and chicken mixture. Stir the ketchup and soda to mix it a little. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes. Place lid on the skillet and lower temperature and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken sauce. The soda and ketchup make a BBQ tasting sauce. It’s absolutely dee-lish!
Weight Watchers Points: 4 per piece
Here’s an easy and delicious corn recipe that has been passed on to me from my Grandma. I think she got it from my Great-Grandma Held. I know it’s an old recipe by the way it says to use one pint of corn. Who measures their corn in pints? Not me. Not the grocery store where I go to buy cans of corn. Of course I had to call my Grandma once and ask her this question: “How many cans of corn make a pint?” She told me that it’s written that way because back-in-the-day they canned corn (jarred it, whatever ya call it), and it was measured into pint jars. But anyways, I digress. All you need to know is that it’s easy to make and very yummy. FYI: One pint of corn is “about one can” according to Grandma.
Scalloped Corn
1 pint of corn
2 eggs
2 C. milk
8-10 soda (or Ritz) crackers, crumbled
salt & pepper to taste
Mix all together in casserole dish. I use an 8×8 or 2-quart…depending on which one is closer to the front of the cabinet. Dot the top with butter. Bake 45 minutes to one hour at 350. I find that it usually takes a full hour and the top of the casserole develops a nice brown color. You can also use corn off the cob…that’s how I made it for Christmas dinner…mostly because we blanched and “shaved” about 3 dozen ears of corn this past sweet corn season to store in the freezer for winter…gotta use that stuff up before it’s sweet corn season again! Anyhow, I think I used about a cup and a half of sweet corn kernels…well I guess it was more like a pint of corn kernels…you know, about the same amount that comes in a can…the cans that are measured in ounces…how’s a girl supposed to keep up with all these different measurements? Geez….
I am sharing this recipe in honor of the quickly approaching New Year’s Eve. Larry and I are having a New Year’s Eve/Housewarming Party for our families and we will be serving these delicious slushies–to the adults! The best thing about this yummy beverage is that you can’t taste the alcohol. Now I know you’re thinking, “Courtney, that makes them even more dangerous to drink…” and to that I say, “Yes, yes it does….”
Hope you had a wonderful holiday and a joyous New Year’s Eve. Please remember to be safe…don’t drink and drive…or drive and drink…or any combination thereof.
Slushie Yum-Yum
3/4 C. Vodka
3/4 C. Sloe Gin
6 oz. Orange Juice Concentrate, thawed
12 oz. Lemonade Concentrate, thawed
2 (10 oz.) jars maraschino cherries, juice & all
32 oz. grapefruit flavored soda, such as Squirt
64 (or so) oz. lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite
Mix Vodka, Sloe Gin, Orange Juice, Lemonade, cherries, and grapefruit soda in a large container with a lid. I usually use my large Tupperware© Thatsa™ Bowl, however I have also used a 5 quart plastic ice cream container. Then freeze this mixture for at least 24 hours. To serve: scoop slushie mixture with an ice cream scoop and fill the glass the rest of the way with Sprite. I generally double the recipe if it’s for a large crowd, and I use one scoop of slush in the small, party-sized plastic cups.
These will also keep in your freezer for a long time! The alcohol keeps the mixture from freezing solid, so feel free to mix them up and only scoop out a little here-and-there!
There are changes coming soon to this blog. They will be very obvious and very cool. It should be done tonight. Just wanted to let you know so that when you come back tomorrow (you will won’t you? please say you will…) you know you’re still in the right place. It’ll be the same content, but with a new and improved look!
UPDATE: The changes have been made. Purple and pink (not usually colors I like)…what do you think? You like it. I know you do. I tried to get as close to Elegant Eggplant & Rose Red. That’s my current (which changes all the time) favorite Stampin’ Up! color combo. Check back in a few days…my current favorite color combo will probably be different! Anyhow, hope you enjoy!
The following recipe was taken from a cookbook or magazine, and I cannot remember which one. It’s actually sooooo easy that I’ve committed it to memory! This one is sure to get rave reviews from husbands, children, and anyone else at your dinner table! Read it. Remember it. Make it. Love it.
Tater-Tot Casserole
1# ground beef (I use the 90% lean)
1 small onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cheese soup (a little expensive, but it’s worth it)
2 c. cheddar cheese
1 bag (32oz) tater tots
Brown ground beef with chopped onion. If using the 90% lean there’s no need to drain. Pour in casserole dish (13×9). Whisk soups together and pour over beef. Next comes the cheese…sprinkle it all on there! Now the tater tots….spread them all over on the top.
Here’s the best part: The recipe that I originally used said to bake at 350 for 1 hour. Who wants to wait an entire hour?? Not me. So here’s the secret fake-out trick: Bake at the temperature and for the time length that your tater tots call for. For instance the kind I get says to bake them at 425 for 18 minutes. So set your oven to the temp that the tots call for and dinner will be done in 1/3 the time! Enjoy!
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