I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
The 4th of July is America’s birthday. This year, America celebrated her 245 birthday. We helped her celebrate her special day with good friends and family and a ton of typical American food. I was expecting more guests, and as usual, we had enough to feed a small army. None of you came over. 🙂 That’s OK. I promise you, none of it will go to waste, unless of course, it would be going to my waist.
Larry grilled and smoked chicken, ribs, burgers, veggie burgers and brats. Of course we had all the fixin’s to go with them them too, including cheese, mushrooms and bacon for the burgers. I made potato salad, a corn and tomato salad, a cherry almond cake, and my decadent chocolate peanut butter brownies. Decadently Rich Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies. We had chips, salsa and guacamole too. Our friend Shannon made a rocky road pie and Cora made some vegan cupcakes. Needless to say, we had a ton of food, both literally and figuratively. And of course, I added a lot of patriotic touches to everything as well to help make the day’s celebrations more festive.
Tehvia and Nahila eagerly awaiting dessert.
Sitting down to enjoy the day’s feast and celebrations.
After the feasting was completed and our tummies were VERY full, we were treated to some spectacular fireworks from all around.
Happy Birthday America. I hope we will still be celebrating you for at least another 245 years to come. God Bless America!
I wasn’t sure if I would be able to post today, but I got a lot of my stuff done yesterday, which allowed me some time time to post today. Larry is marinating the chicken as we speak (He likes to be in charge when it is anything to be grilled or smoked). I made the potato salad already, the baked beans are already prepared, I made a cherry and almond cake and my decadent chocolate peanut butter brownies. All that is left for me to make is my corn and tomato salad and my guacamole, and then clean and straighten up the house before our guests start arriving.
Brownies are about as American as you can get. We Americans just can’t seem to get enough of them. So with The 4th of July being America’s birthday, I thought it only fitting to add brownies to my American menu. Peanut butter is another American tradition and combining peanut butter with brownies, well, that’s just about as good as it gets.
I found this recipe in one of my Costco cookbooks. Yes, they have cookbooks too. They used to just give them away at the beginning of December, on a first come first serve basis. I haven’t seen them in awhile though. Just like Costco, itself, the cookbooks are filled with all kinds of good things. Believe it or not, these ooey-gooey decadent brownies only require 6 ingredients. And since it is a Costco cookbook, most of the ingredients can easily be found at Costco.
Decadently Rich Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
1 package of Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
Preheat the oven to 350* F or 170* C.
Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix the eggs and oil together and then combine with the brownie mix and the chopped peanuts.
Combine the peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk and set aside. This is the filling for the brownies.
Spoon about 1/2 of the brownie mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Then evenly spread the peanut butter mixture over the brownie mix. Spoon the rest of the brownie mix over the filling and again, evenly spread and swirl the brownie mixture over the peanut butter filling.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until it is set. Let cool completely before slicing. You should get 24 brownie squares.
Once the brownies have cooled and have been sliced, all that is left to do is to sit back and enjoy. These are definitely brownies to share with others. they are way to good to keep all to one’s self.
Have a great, safe and happy 4th Everyone. ‘Til next time.
Tomorrow is the 4th of July. It is a big to-do here in America. It is our official birthday. It was 245 years ago when the 13 original colonies gained their independence and created The United States of America. They fought in a Revolutionary War to gain their independence from oppressive British rule. The federal holiday commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 when our forefathers decided to get independence and become a place for freedom. The Colonial Patriots fought a long, hard, bloody battle for their freedom and independence. Things that are still treasured today and are part of our DNA, and hopefully things we will forever treasure and fight to preserve.
The Declaration of Independence – Preamble
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.”
These stirring words were designed to convince Americans to put their lives on the line for the cause. Separation from the mother country threatened their sense of security, economic stability, and identity. The preamble sought to inspire and unite them through the vision of a better life.
Resolution of Independence
The most important and dramatic statement comes near the end: “That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.” It declares a complete break with Britain and its King and claims the powers of an independent country.
Today, as has been our tradition since our humble beginnings, we celebrate this day with parades, fireworks and gathering together with friends and family. There is almost always a large amount of parties, picnics and BBQ’s to be found all over the country. And our house will be no exception. We will be hosting a gathering tomorrow where a big BBQ will take center stage. More than likely, I will not be able to post anything tomorrow because of all the festivities, as well as the preparations and clean-up afterwards. We will be serving all kinds of traditional American foods, such as burgers, chicken, brats, and of course, all the fixin’s to go with them. Come one, come all. I always have more than enough food to feed a small army.
This is a typical BBQ found just about everywhere in the United States on this day of independence.
Happy Birthday America! Happy Birthday to the land I proudly call HOME! I hope we are still celebrating our freedoms and independence for at least another 245 years to come.
This is the little itty-bitty house I grew up in Pasadena, California. My parents bought it in 1969 for $17,000. It was a good little house, and it was all we needed. It is a little 2 bedroom, one bathroom bungalow style house that was popular in Southern California. We owned it until just about 13 years ago. I sold it not long after both of my parents passed away.
When we sold the house, we sold it for $460,000. We paid for our big house outright, here in Colorado, from the sale of my old family home, and we have 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 5,000 square feet (counting the basement), and we have the open space and lakes for our backyard (you have all seen many, many pictures of our lakes). We have not owed any money on our house pretty much since we bought it. The only thing we have to pay for are all the repairs that go with owning a house, which as any homeowner knows, can be very pricey. (We are buying new windows for only 1/3 of the house at $30,000. The other windows will be purchased in installments, later on down the road.) Thank you Mom and Daddy. This would not have been possible without you and your love and generosity.
Today, the house has been sold yet again, after many remodels and necessary repairs and upgrades. This is what it looks like now. This house that we originally bought for $17,000 just sold for $880,000. The current monthly house payments are $3,743. My parents paid $103.00 a month. When I first saw the house, I did not even recognize it. The improvements they made are absolutely gorgeous. But it is still only an 830 square foot house, with only 2 bedrooms/or 1 office and 1 bathroom and a tiny detached garage. It just goes to show, it is all about location, location, location.
This was my parents’ bedroom.
This was my bedroom, which has been converted into an office now.
Needless to say, the house looks NOTHING like it did when I was growing up. The changes are breathtaking and stunning.
This is the back porch. We used to have a little enclosed area, and then it would go directly into the back yard.
The best thing about this tiny house was the big back yard. We used to have a big oak tree right in the center of the yard, with no neighbors to the right or behind us and we lived at the end of a cul-de-sac. There was a lot of privacy all around the house, with lots of trees and shade.
It’s amazing how things change so much over time. This tiny little house has definitely been given a new lease on life and it looks amazing. Nothing stays the same, and change is often a good thing. It certainly was for this tiny little house in Pasadena, California.
Larry’s company picnic was today. It was at a beautiful park in Northglenn. The park had a big lake where people could paddle around in the paddle boats, though there were no a lot of paddle boaters out on the lake today. There were lots of flowers, geese and ducks, and oh so much more too. There were about 20-30 people at the picnic. There was a wide range of BBQed items and typical picnic fare. Everyone had a good time, and most probably ate way too much good food. I was good though and only ate a little bit. Larry (and I) brought my herbed cream cheese and crab stuffed tomatoes. Herbed Cream Cheese and Crab Stuffed Tomatoes They were a big hit with everyone.
The park itself. I only took a few shots today, since I was only there for a short time, and I was visiting for most of that time. But it was an absolutely gorgeous park designed for a lot of good family fun. The theme of the park is to “be happy”. It was definitely a happy place to be too.
Can you believe these were the baby geese from not that long ago? Just look at how much they have grown. It won’t be long now, and they will be flying the coop too.
There were a few fun sculptures too. This one really caught my eye because of all the bright colors.
Have a Happy, safe 4th of July to all my American friends, and to Everyone, no matter where you call home, stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.
Larry is having his company BBQ tomorrow and of course I was tagged to make something for him. All he said he wanted me to make was appetizers, with no guidance at all. I asked about a few things, but none of them were floating his boat, until I mentioned the herbed cream cheese and crab stuffed tomatoes. Then his eyes lit up and that was it.
You can use any kind of tomatoes you like, but just know that the smaller the tomato, the more difficult it will be to stuff. I chose Campari tomatoes. They are smaller than regular tomatoes but much larger than either cherry or grape tomatoes, which makes them the perfect size to stuff. For appetizers, the general rule is you want them to be bite sized or at most, 2 bite sized.
These are simple, quick and easy and only require a few basic ingredients.
2 containers of Campari tomatoes
1-2 tsp each fresh thyme, oregano, basil and chives, chopped fine
1 1/2 8 oz packages of soft cream cheese
3-4 oz lump crab meat minced
Remove the core and stem of the tomatoes, as well as some of the insides. I find my little strawberry corer is the best little tool for removing the stems and insides.
Whip the cream cheese and herbs together, using the whip or whisk attachment to your mixer, until smooth and creamy.
Use a pastry bag with a fluted tip and carefully pipe the cream cheese into the tomatoes. Fill them with as much cream cheese as they can hold.
Mince the crab and then sprinkle on top of the cream cheese mixture. I topped them with some minced chives. Serve these chilled. They will be a perfect starter for a picnic or BBQ on a hot summer’s day.
Stay cool, stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.
I love shrimp any way I can get it. It is truly one of my most favorite foods. So I always get excited when I come across new recipes for shrimp. I even get excited when they are just variations of old recipes. Old recipes never die. They live to be cooked again and again.
This recipe for coconut lime grilled shrimp is so easy to make and it came out very good too. I served it over rice, that I topped with some of the remaining sauce and sauteed summer vegetables. It was a quick and easy lunch we shared with our friend Jonathan after church.
Coconut-Lime Grilled Shrimp
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp lime zest
1 TBSP garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 soy sauce
1/3 cup fresh cilantro and/or lemon verbena.
Mix all the ingredients in the food processor until you have a liquidy paste. Then add the shrimp and marinate for about 1/2 hour in the refrigerator. I forgot to buy cilantro and I thought I had enough, but I did not. Fortunately though, I have a whole backyard filled with lemon verbena. So lemon verbena to the rescue.
When the shrimp is ready, carefully add it to the skewers and place them on the grill to cook. Cook them about 3-5 minutes per side, and flip them over so the shrimp all cook evenly.
Once the shrimp is cooked, serve it with your favorite side dishes, and you have a quick and easy summer meal. It was cool and refreshing and full of delicious citricy lemon-lime and coconut flavors.
Stay safe, sty well and enjoy your summer. ‘Til next time.
Even though it is technically summer, it is a very pleasant, cool a day. My favorite kind of day too. But I still made a cool, refreshing salad for my women’s group meeting. I made a summer salad that was just perfect for the season.
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This colorful salad was loaded with all kinds of fresh, seasonal goodness, like blackberries, raspberries, red onions, green beans, baby spinach, goat cheese, bacon and toasted almonds. This salad is both colorful and nutritious. It was a big hit with all my guests too. As with all of my recipes, use what you like and forget the rest.
Summer Spinach and Fruit Salad
The Salad
1 lb fresh baby spinach, stems removed
1 basket of raspberries
1 basket of blackberries
4-5 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled – I used pepper bacon
1/4 red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup cooked green beans, cut into pieces about 1 inch in size
3/4 cup toasted almond slivers – I cooked mine in the bacon grease
4 oz, crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
You can toss this salad all together or your can neatly arrange it all on a platter. I do both, it just depends on whether or not I am striving for a nice presentation or if I am just eating it on my own and the presentation is not necessary. I added the dressing right before serving it so the salad would not get soggy.
The Dressing
2 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
1 TBSP poppy seeds
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp dried minced onions
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
black pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients together and mix well. When you are ready to serve the salad, add the dressing and serve immediately.
This is a perfect summer salad that you can whip up in no time at all. It is full of color and is bursting with fresh good summer flavors. This will be a perfect crowd pleaser any time you serve it.
Stay well, stay safe and stay cool. ‘Til next time.
My friend Suzanne invited some of us to go see her husband Bill play and sing at a fun little paint, craft and coffee shop called Tracy’s, in Arvada. It was a perfect way to enjoy the evening after a crazy fun time at the pool earlier. The Seals vs. the Dolphins While Bill was performing, my friends Suzanne, Albi and Shawna and I all decided to do a little painting while we were listening to Bill play. Larry was the photographer for the evening’s events.
Tracy’s has a little something for everyone. It has coffee, art, wine, snacks and now music and entertainment too. And Tracy’s was voted Best of the Best coffee shop in Arvada in 2020.
They even have their own special brew that was made especially for them.
Owners Jeff and Mary-Ruth Tracy, proudly displaying some of their awards, with more coming their way.
Just hanging with the Girls.
Tracy’s actually started as Tracy’s Place in August, 2016. It started with a dream that Mary-Ruth Tracy had. She wanted to create a space where people could gather, connect, and reconnect with their creative selves. Tracy’s Place was founded on being comfortable, cozy, and inviting. As planning began Mary-Ruth wanted to provide a launching pad for people to explore new art forms and hobbies. Knowing that it is expensive to do it at home. Business was booming and Tracy’s Place needed to grow, so in 2020, they moved into their new, larger “home” and just became Tracy’s.
Tracy’s offers painting classes as well as jewelry making classes. Or if you just want to sit and relax with either a cup of coffee of a glass of wine, this is the perfect place to do just that too.
Their motto is “Create what you want, when you want. [They] provide the tools and materials and you do the creating. You create and [they] clean up”.
This rolling garage door window was the selling point for both Jeff and Mary-Ruth, and they knew this was the place for them. The painting on the ceiling was a family affair, and you can just feel the love and creativity that went into painting it.
We all decided to paint and we all did something different. Albi was painting Yoda for her granddaughter.
Shawna is hard at work perfecting her craft.
Suzanne and are I are hard at work creating our masterpieces as well. I choose to paint something that is 100% me! You will soon see the finished results. Obviously, none of us will be setting the art world ablaze with our talents, but we all had a good time and that’s all that really matters.
And Voila …. Our finished pieces. We are done.
I choose a beach scene as seen through a wine glass. Larry said my seas were a little rougher than the seas in the picture I used as my inspiration. Oh well, I am not afraid of few rough seas. 🙂
If you prefer trying your hand at jewelry making instead of painting, they offer classes for that too. One of these ladies is Mary-Ruth’s mom and the other lady is her best friend. They were hard at work beading some jewelry pieces.
They also sell what they make at Tracy’s too.
So if you are looking for something a little different and creative, go check out Tracy’s. I am sure they can help you find your creative side and you just may end up having more fun than what you thought too. 🙂
Tracy’s is located at 8770 Wadsworth Blvd, Unit F, in Arvada, CO, off the SE corner of Wadsworth. You can fine them online at http://www.tracysplc.com, or on Facebook or you can call them at (720) 476-4431.
We had another duel in the pool, this time with the Louisville Dolphins. We were concerned about time constraints since they are a big team and we are as well. As it turns out though, time constraints were the least of our worries. Mother Nature had other plans in store for us.
We had only completed a little over 1/2 of the meet when the skies turned dark gray and the storm rolled in. We had to call the meet, and whoever was ahead at that time was declared the winner of the meet. We had no choice. It would have been way to dangerous to keep swimming with all the thunder and lightening all around. Always, safety first. My Seals did not win this meet, although it was pretty. We all had fun though, and that is really all that matters. The Dolphins were worthy “adversaries” and in the end, they out swam us.
My coaches and myself showing our team spirit. The kids went to the party store and picked up all this fun gear. They said my hair was the new do for me, and that style was what they specifically chose for me. I like the new look. What do you think? Is it me?
