*Simply Happy*

Father's Day Fun and Food: Dad Dogs and Banana Split Pie

Blair's Mom gifted him with a grill for his birthday back in March and Father's Day seemed like a great day to go get it and assemble.  He worked on it in the back while Sally and I made Father Food in the kitchen.  First we made Dad Dogs and then I made a Banana Split Pie.  Both were delicious!

Dad Dogs

1 pkg of hot dogs
1 pkg of buns
Katsup
Chili: 1 Can turkey w/ beans chili, 1 Can Texas Ranch beans with jalapeno (whole jalapenos removed), 1 Can Black beans, 1 Chili spice packet.
1/2 diced brown onion
1 cup shredded cheese
1 strip of crispy turkey bacon per bun for dog
Sour cream

Start chili first.  Put each can of chili stuff in a pot & the chili packet.  Stir all together and let simmer over very very low heat as long as you like.  Boil or grill hot dogs.  Chop the onion and bacon while chili is simmering.  Shred cheese.  Assembly: Bun, microwaved 14 seconds for warm and softness; katsup on bun; dog on top katsup; scoop of chili on dog; sprinkle of onion, cheese & bacon, small scoop of sour cream. Serve hot and with knife and fork. 

Banana Split Pie

1 Graham Cracker Crust
2 Cups Strawberry Ice Cream
1 Banana
1 Small can of crushed pineapple, drained and squeezed liquid out
1 Tub cool whip
Chocolate fudge ice cream topping
Carmel ice cream topping
1 tbsp chopped almonds
Maraschino Cherries

I used a store bought crust, but you could make it if you wanted to.  Slice banana in 1/4 in coins.  Place one complete layer on the bottom of the crust.  Cover with strawberry ice cream, about 1 inch thick.  Sprinkle the pineapple around on this layer.  Top with cool whip from top to edge.  Place in freezer for 2 hours.  Remove from freeze, slice piece of pie.  Then drizzle with chocolate and carmel.  Sprinkle with nuts and place a cherry on top!  Enjoy!

Loaf Cake Yumminess

Loaf Cake Yumminess

1 Entimenns Butter Cake
2 Banana's
1 Tub of Cool Whip
Couple of handfuls of chocolate chips

Slice the butter cake into thirds, length wise.  Place the bottom on a plate.  Slice first banana in 1/4 inch slices and place on the layer of cake.  Sprinkle in some chocolate chips.  Cover with a couple of large scoops of cool whip.  Place middle layer of cake.  Repeat banana, chocolate chips and cool whip step.  Place top of cake on and sprinkles the rest of chocolate chips on top and on the plate.  Serve right away or place in fridge until you want to eat.  Super easy, could use any kind of fruit you like, totally delicious!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4-5 Bell Peppers, any colors of choice
    Cut from the top down, 1/4 of the colorful peppers and chop that piece up
    Remove the veins and seed bulb from the inside of the peppers
2 tbsp of evoo
1 lb groud turkey
1/2 brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can of corn, drained
1 small can of tomato sauce, pick any flavoring you like
1/2 cup of Pace medium salsa, or whatever salsa  you like
pinches of: salt, pepper, cumin
1 bag of brown rice boil in a bag
Couple of handfuls of grated cheese of choice; I used a bit of cheddar and a bit of pepperjack
1/2 cup water
large sheet of foil
Oven safe dish
Oven temp: 350 degrees

In large non-stick over med heat, put evoo for 2 minutes then add chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic and pinch of salt.  Stir and cook until onion is translucent, then add ground turkey.  Add another pinch of salt, pepper, cumin to turkey and brown for 7 minutes.  Place pot of water on to boil for rice.  Turn oven on to 350.  Add tomato sauce and salsa to meat and stir.  When water boils add bag of rice for time indicated by brand.  When done, drain, use back of wood spoon to push water out and then add rice to meat mixture.  Stir all together.  Add corn, stir and heat through for 4 minutes.  Grate cheese while it's heating up.  Line up peppers in your pan.  Scoop the meat mix into the peppers to overflowing.  Pour 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the baking dish, cover with foil.  Put in oven for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven, remove foil, sprinkle cheese on pepper and place back in for 5 more.  Pull out and serve.  Eat everything but the stems!

Yum!

Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake - Yep, it really works!

This cake was so fun.  My friend Korrie from work shared that she had a crockpot cake recipe so a bunch of us from work each brought in an ingredient and made the cake in the morning so it would be ready after lunch.  It really works, is super easy and everyone said it tasted amazing.

Crockpot Lava Cake

1 Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Box of Chocolate Pudding Mix
2 Cups cold milk
2 Eggs
1 Bag of Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons water
1 Crockpot Liner
1 Crockpot set to low
2 1/2 hours of time (not including prep)

Plug in crockpot and set to high.  Put liner in crock pot.  In a bowl mix the cake mix, water, eggs, oil.  Pour into crockpot.  In a bowl mix the pudding and milk.  Pour in a circular/spiral on the cake mix.  Sprinkle the entire bag of chocolate chips on top.  Put lid on and set timer for 2 1/2 hours.  When ready to serve take lid off and scoop out.  This is a very moist cake and will be quite hot.  Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!!

Panteth

     
As the deer panteth for the water...

Have you ever pictured a deer panting?  Have you seen this on NatGeo or a picture of it on the internet?  I haven't.  And yet, it describes a visual image so detailed that we can then identify with the next line, ...so my soul longeth after thee. 

I stood among my favorite people today and sang this song with a renewed sense that the words are exactly what I wanted to share with my savior.  ...You alone are my hearts desire, and I long to worship thee...

I do long to worship Him in every fiborous cell of my being.  I surrender my thought life and my emotion life, my movement, motives and imagination to just find a resting place of worship.  I long for it; connecting in a sweet and quiet moment. 

...You alone are my strength, my shield, to you alone may my spirit yield... Oh, dear God, teach my spirit to yield.  I stood and pictured myself protected by a shield that nothing is able to penetrate.  That no weapon formed against me shall prosper.  I was reminded by Him one more time with 2 Timothy 1:7...I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and sound mind.

These traits that I so deeply desire to posses come only after I surrender my whole self to a yielded spirit.  So, I will panteth today, for the stream of life.

OC Food Truck Rally

OMGoodness...this was hiliarious.  Vacant lot, across from my last job, took a photo of the general scenery to realize when I got home that the husband of a co-worker was in it (the half of a guy sitting on the bench).  Went with the girls from the office, took everyone in my new car - because we all fit!!!  Stood in line at Seabirds, a truck from the Food Network Food Truck Rally.  Ate something that I still am not sure what it was (anyone out there know what the heck a Jack Fruit is?).  Drank iced tea with so much ginger in it I nearly spit it out after the third choked down swallow.  Asked for a lid and the gal handed me on and said, "They're too big."  (Somethings are just not helpful.)  Ran into other people from work; one of the girls got something she thought was good for her but turns out she was unclear about what was in it and it was not good for her at all.  Oops.  Ran into one of my friends from my last job, introduced her to everyone.  Had a great time; thanks ladies!!

 

Two new recipes on Memorial Day

We got together with Becky, Kurt & Peter for Memorial Day this year...super fun.  Upon arriving I offered to help in the kitchen and Becky suggested I make the trifle.  I didn't buy the ingredients and I've never made one before, especially in the beautiful dish that shows a trifle in all its glory, so it was totally cool.  And my contribution to the day was an amazing salad (see below trifle).

Store Bakery Angel Food Cake, Tub of cool whip, strawberries-sliced, raspberries, blueberries. Layer until this deliciousness appears:

 

Head of  Bibb Lettuce-chopped, 1 diced avocado, 1 handful of almonds, 2 lf mozzarella sticks cut in 1/4 in. bites, 1 box of raisins, 2 stalks of celery cut in half and chopped, 2 handfuls of baby carrots cut in 1/3'ds, 1 apple-cored and diced, a smidge of lf ranch.  Yum!

The Luxuries we have

So, at first I was not super thrilled with the idea that our condo complex was going to be tenting for bug fumigation.  But quickly I was reminded that we live in part of the world that can tent our homes to reduce bugs... um, spoiled is a better word.  I got happy about it and made an adventure of it.  We were able to do a couple of things from Project 35 in the process and that was delightful: Visit the Sunset Beach Farmers Market and sleep overnight somewhere other than home; my gracious MIL let us bunk with her for the weekend.  So all in all, a luxurious weekend.