Update! (And A Sneak Peek!)

Howdy folks!

I'm back! And as the statement above clearly indicates, I have an update and a sneak peek at some tasty new recipes that I'll be sharing in the days and weeks ahead!

First, the update! I won't go into the major details about what the past couple of months has been like in my world. I'm in the process of writing a post for my other blog (Spilled On The Kitchen Table) called "Living With Lupus - The Crash". If you'd like to know more about my trip and my recovery from it, I'll be adding the link to the title here once it's live on the blog and you'll be magically whisked from this blog to the other, where you can catch up with my life and learn a bit more about it/me. (Should be up in a few days)

For now, I will say that I've been down for the count since the first part of the year and that I'm finally working my way back toward being a more functional, more involved with the world, Me. I have to throw in one little spoiler, though...

As of December 11, 2015 we are the very proud, over the moon, head over heels in love grandparents, of a beautiful, 3 month old, baby boy! He is our first grandchild and he arrived at 8:34 PM after 13 hours of very intense and very painful labor for my daughter. He weighed 8lbs 4oz and was 21.5" long, with a very full head of dark brown hair. And he is THE most beautiful child on the planet! (of course, I might just be a tad biased, but he really is gorgeous! lol)

Part of the reason that I've been gone so long, is that I was blessed beyond all blessings, to have been right there in the room, the moment that he entered the world. I went down early so that I could also be around to help the new little family settle in. Then the Hubbs drove down a couple of weeks later, to spend a love filled, truly joyous first Christmas with the newest member of our family!

We drove back up North, shortly after New Year's week and as I suspected, I've been recuperating ever since. Yup. It sounds like a long time to recover from a "holiday trip", but when you live with an autoimmune disease like Lupus, that's just how it is. Lupus has been a part of my life long enough to know before I left, that it was going to kick my behind and then some, but I wouldn't trade the joy of being there when our grandson was born and for his first few weeks on this earth for anything in this world! (Even with Face Time and phone calls, etc. I miss him like crazy, though)

So, let's take a little peek at what I'm working on for all of you at the moment, shall we?

How To Perfectly Saute Mushrooms

Pan Sauted Broccoli With Garlic

Easy Homemade Fettucine Alfredo

Baked Ricotta Meatballs

Creamy Cheddar Dijon Brussels Sprouts

And believe it or not, there are even more yummy posts in the works! But, I'll stop here for now. After all.. a girl likes to leave a little bit to the imagination. Even when it comes to what she's been cooking! LOL

See you all again, very soon!

Mary

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"Mom's" Meatloaf

I know I've been posting a lot of recipes for the foods that I make when my daughter comes home for a visit, but that's one of the times when I tend to do more cooking. This last trip home also coincided with Easter, so that meant a lot more cooking than usual. I do have a new recipe coming up soon that I've made since her visit, so stay tuned! Now, on to the recipe for today.

Is there a more familiar meal to the average American family than one that includes some form of meat and potatoes? One of those hearty meals is definitely Meatloaf and it's usually accompanied by some form of potato side dish. Now, I know that meatloaf isn't necessarily just an "American" concept. It's origins date back to fancy meat terrines and pates that have been made in multiple cultures for centuries, but the one I'm posting today is the simple version that has graced the tables of American families for generations.

As it happened with most of the meals I prepared while the child was here, I didn't take a lot of step by step photos. But, I'm sure nobody's going to have any problems filling in the blanks. :~)

Mom's (that's me) Meatloaf

• 2 Lbs Beef, Pork and Veal Mix (sometimes labeled "meatloaf mix")
• 1 Med Yellow Onion, minced
• 1/2 Lg Red Bell Pepper, minced
• 1/2 Cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tbls Ketchup
• 1-2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Glaze (optional)

• 1/4 Cup Ketchup
• 1 Tbls Yellow Mustard (heaping)
• 1/4 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. You can use just beef or turkey or whatever ground meat(s) you'd like to.

Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and set it aside.

Pour the meat mixture into a baking dish or loaf pan and shape it accordingly. I bake mine in a large, oval, ceramic casserole dish and I form it into an oblong/football shape, making sure not to mound it too high in the center. The more level it is, the more evenly it cooks.

Bake the meatloaf, uncovered, for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on size/thickness. It could take up to an hour if it's baked in a high sided loaf pan. About halfway through the cooking process, I remove it from the oven, pour on the glaze and spread it evenly over the top.

When it's done, transfer the meatloaf to a heated platter and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing it. Since it's usually just the Hubbs and me for dinner, I'll just throw in a couple of baked potatoes along with it, or if I'm in the mood, I'll make mashed/smashed or twice baked. This time, I made oven roasted herbed potatoes (recipe to follow) because they just happen to be someone's favorites. Can you guess who? LOL Serve it with your favorite sides and enjoy!

**This serves 4 people (generously) with plenty left over for meatloaf sandwiches the next day. Yummm!  I still make the entire recipe when it's only the two of us. I just divide it in half and place the second loaf on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer until it's frozen through. When it's completely frozen, I'll put the additional loaf in a large zip-top bag and pop it back into the freezer for another meal at a later time!


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Honey, I'm Home!

Howdy friends!

Thanks so much for all of the well wishes for our trip! You'll be happy to know that they worked!!! As much as it's always fabulous to take a vacation from the everyday routine, it's always just as nice to get back home.

Before I go any further, please let me apologize for missing two Seasonal Food Friday Posts while I was away. I'd set up last week's post to launch on Friday morning, but for some reason it didn't (Blogger??) and I was so busy doing all the things that you do on vacation, I never had time to check in on the blog to see what was going on. My laptop never even came out of the bag! We decided to stay on for a few extra days and after an exhausting 12 hour car ride home yesterday, this week's post never made it off the ground either!  I promise that I'll do my very best to make it up to you all with some extra recipes in the coming weeks!  Any special requests??

As far as the trip was concerned, we had a great time! The weather cooperated quite nicely, but the best part of the whole trip was getting the chance to see our daughter for a few days! Even better, she missed us so much that she actually decided to hop in her car and drive up here this morning and will be here until next Tuesday! Yay!!

So.... Since I'm not unpacked yet and my house is not even close to being ready for the gang of out of town family and friends who will be decending upon us mid-week and staying here through the July 4th holiday, I've planned a few different posts for the week ahead. There will be some scoop and photos from our trip and a few recipes of course, but I also have a couple of very important "food themed" issues to share with you, starting with tomorrow's post.  If all goes as well as I hope it will, I'll have a couple of surprises coming up too!!

Last, but certainly not least, I couldn't possibly close this post out before giving a special shout-out to local boy and "Amazing" newly drafted Sacramento Kings point guard (possibly?) Jimmer Fredette, with this newly released video by his older brother, hip hop artist (and friend of my daughter's) TJ Fredette.  Go Jimmer!  Congrats on your incredible success, past, present and future!




Live Well, Eat Well !

~Mrs B

Road Trip!!!

Howdy folks!

Mr B and I are taking a little trip down D.C. way, to visit family. (including our beautiful daughter! Yay!)  We're leaving some time in the wee hours on Wednesday because Mr B likes to avoid rush hour around NYC and some of the larger cities to the South.  We might very well be on the road as you read this!

I'll be doing my best to pop in here when/if I can, but the Seasonal Food post is all set for Friday and  should be up first thing in the morning.  We should be back by next Wednesday, but who knows?? A little side trip on the way home is never out of the question!!!!

Maybe a little detour to a beachy resort town?

Possibly a trip into Boston and one of my faves, Quincy Market? (a little eating and shopping never hurt anyone, right?)

Might try a stop-over in the City of Brotherly...

 Or... A leisurely drive down Millionaires Row, perhaps?

How about just coming straight home and relaxing in our own "backyard"....



Hmmm.... What do you think?  Well, one thing I do know for sure is that wherever we go we'll be praying for fair skies and mild temperatures.  I'll miss you all and I'll be thinking of you while I'm out shopping, dining and sunning myself on the sand! hee hee...

Mwah!!  See you soon!

~Mrs B

Be Careful What You Wish For!

Howdy Folks,

Sorry for the absence this past week, but I'm just now getting a moment to check in. Unfortunately, in the midst of my late Winter pity party, I received a call from my dear friend (and sister-in-law) saying that her father had passed away. They live out of state so would of course, be coming home right away. The news obviously made me take a step back and realize that life may feel like it's getting stagnant at times, but the truth of it is that it's too darned short and it's a waste of precious time and energies complaining about it. You all gave me some great advice in my previous post and you are all right on the money. Truly living life means doing what you can to make the best of it.... No matter what lands in the path ahead us.

My house began filling up last Sunday and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law headed back home to begin their healing yesterday afternoon.  It was a tough week, but at the same time, one that was full of love and family and laughter and tears. Our daughter even made it home for a few days, so that was an unexpected blessing. I'm a bit worse for the wear with my chronic pain, but all in all, it's been a great lesson in acceptance. When something like the loss of a loved one happens, it makes the things that we might perceive as hard times in our own life, seem minor in comparison. Maybe the occasional "rut" isn't really a bad thing. Maybe it's just God's way of making us slow down and be still, so we can listen.

I'll be back in the next day or two with a new recipe, (and I believe a renewed outlook) but for the moment, please allow me to say a great big THANK YOU !! to all of you, for the wonderful suggestions and that ever-present, totally awesome blogger support.  As I've said, oh... I don't know... maybe a gazillion times before,

BLOGGERS ROCK !!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Hello Friends!

Since everyone is supposed to be a little bit Irish on St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd share a clip or two from some of my favorite movies about Ireland and the Irish.  I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I do.  I lift my cup o coffee to ya and say.... Slainte Mhaith!

In our house it couldn't possibly be St. Paddy's Day without "The Quiet Man".  This movie has to be the most watched and recognized film related to the holiday and John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara were the perfect choices to play Sean Thornton and Mary Kate Danaher. The score for the film was written by composer Victor Young, but the melody played most throughout the film is called The Isle of Innisfree and was written for the film by Dick Farrelly - a policeman turned songwriter - on a bus trip from County Meath to Dublin.  (the song, as sung by Celtic Woman is posted below the movie clip.) 

This next clip has to be one of my favorite Barry Fitzgerald scenes out of the hundreds of movies he was in during his long career. It's from the movie "Going My Way".  He actually won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in this Best Picture Award winning film.

As a brief summary leading up to this clip, Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) has been sent to St. Dominic's to take charge by the Bishop, because Father Fitzgibbons (Barry Fitzgerald) is getting on in years and the parish is in financial trouble. Even though the older priest isn't too happy about Father O'Malley at first, he grows to appreciate and care for the younger priest.  Just as things are looking up at St. Dominic's, the church burns down and through a series of efforts by all, the funds are raised and Father O'Malley is told by the Bishop that he's being transferred to a new parish that is also in trouble and needs his help. At an earlier point in the movie, the old priest mentions to Father O'Malley that although he's come close several times, he's never been able to make it back home to see his dear mother, since he first left Ireland 45 years ago.

Now, there's one more song that I just have to add. (you just heard a tiny bit of it in the last clip) For me, it wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without hearing it. It's a song that is very dear to me because my mother sang it to me when I was a child.  I know that may seem a bit cliche', but it's true.  I also sang it to my daughters. It will always tug at my heart and always remind me of Mama. Always.

To Old and New Friends

I've been around the blogosphere in a bit of a rush during the last 24 hours.  I have been dropping in on some dear friends and adding myself to their list of followers, so that they'll know that I'm back from my, hmmm.... what shall I call it?  How about "short hiatus"?  Sounds good to me.

I'm on my way out of town for an important appointment, so I didn't get the chance to leave a note for everyone.  I definitely would have preferred to, but due to the time constraints, it just wasn't possible.  But, if you happen to stop by my dears, I just want to say Welcome to my new digs! and thank you so much for being the best blog friends a girl could have! (I can still call myself a girl, because well, that's a woman's perogative, right ladies?)

I still have many friends to visit and inform that I've arrived at my new home, and I promise that I'll be by or I'll email you as soon as I'm back in town. (Monday night/Tuesday morning-ish) And for anyone new who just happens to stumble upon my humble blog, I would also like to say,

How do you do? So very nice to meet you! Thanks for stopping by!

With much love and continued friendship