Cookie Baking with the G-kids

Many years ago we used to have cookie baking day at my sister Starla's house, all us brothers and sisters and our kids would go over to her house and bake cookies ALL DAY LONG.  I'm not sure when we started this tradition but we did have a couple years when mom was still alive so it's been awhile ago.  We stopped cookie baking a few years back when our kids got older and were moving away and having their own children and the family was just getting to big.  

Lynn was always a fan of the cookie baking day so this year she had her own cookie baking day.  Of course she invited Starla and Brad and Gayle and Bill to join us.  It wouldn't be the same without them. My dad has a sister that we call Aunt Sis and she would come to our cookie baking and bring egg salad sandwiches, so inviting Lynn's aunts she thought she might get some famous egg salad sandwiches.  

Lynn's newly remolded house is perfect for entertaining and baking as a group.  The kids were great, they were such helpers with every step.  The first step was unwrapping the kisses.  

Uncle Bill getting there and Uncle Brad (you can see Brad's hand in the upper right corner).  There was lots of unwrapping to do and I don't think any of them snitched the chocolate.  

Gayle is such a great kid person, she loves letting them help with even the messiest jobs.  Her cookie was a double chocolate something that they had to roll into balls.  Of course she lets them all help her.

And she lets Jr season the baking sheets.  

Max isn't a fan of being dirty so this took a lot for him to have his hands messy.  It wasn't long before he was finding me to wash him up.  

Garrett's a bit cleaner than Max.

Jr had to go spend some time with the boys before lunch

After 5 other cookies we finally get to the cut outs.  This is a favorite of the family.  Gayle and I roll dough for the kids and let them cut whatever, where ever they want.  We had a few interesting cookies and rolled the dough a few more times than we would have had to.

Elly really does a good job letting her brother have more turns than her.

Of course Gayle lets Max and Mally roll their own dough.

Yep dirty again, after this process I had to strip him down to his underwear.

Jr might not have got to help cut cookies but he was right there grabbing everything he could.  

Frosting is the next process, Jr is now off for a nap and I'm not sure what happened to Garrett that he has a wet head..... crazy kids.

Max hopped up on the chair and grab the spoon in the frosting and took a big bite like it was pudding.  Lynn - No Max you can't eat it

Max - then do I dip it?

Lynn - No Max you don't dip the cookies you frost them

Lynn showing Max how to frost cookies

Garrett with his wet head doing a fine job of frosting.

Mallory might be a bit like her momma....... everything has to be lined up.  

Look how tall Elly is getting, she's almost as tall as Gayle.

After a few cookies were frosted we kicked the kids outside with Jesse for a 3 wheeler/sled ride.

In 1978 John bought a brand new 3 wheeler, he was 14 and it was her pride and joy.  He rode that thing everywhere.  When we got married he left the 3 wheeler on the farm with his dad.  Gilbert used the heck out of that thing and when he sold the farm he rode it out at the hunting shack.  When Adam was like 10 he asked Grandpa what he was going to do with the 3 wheeler and Grandpa told him he could buy it....... so we paid John's dad for the 3 wheeler so Adam could have it.    LOL

Adam drove what life was left in the wheeler out, he rode it until he bought a dirt bike and then the wheeler sat and took up space in the garage.  John wanted it out of the garage and Jesse said he'd take it.  Well they lived in Oregon at the time so his brother stored it for a few years.  Jesse got the wheeler out of his brothers storage and had it restored, today was the unveiling.  John had to work so he didn't get to see it.  It looks like the life is right back in it again and Mally and Max will have the chance to ride the heck out of it.  Max says......... grandpas little wheeler doesn't go very fast.  LOL

Here are the kids on the sled

And the restored wheeler.  (Couldn't get Maggie to get out of the way) :)

The kids had a blast with wheeler and sled and knowing that it came from Grandpa's hard earned money (twice) makes it that much more special.

We all loved our cookie baking day, these are the memories the holidays are made of.   Thank you Lynn for hosting the baking, you were a great host.

Veggie Supper

Tonight for supper I made roasted asparagus, that's it nothing else..... yummy! Lynn brought roasted vegetables for Easter and they were so delicious I had to make the rest of my asparagus the same way. Thanks to my sister-in-laws suggested Tupperware Veggie Containers they were still as crisp as the day I bought them. I'm telling you those things really work, I have 4 of them and they are in my fridge all the time. I don't think I'll ever boil vegetables again.

Guac, you either love it or hate it

If you can't eat guacamole like this.... stay out of Mexico. I could eat an avocado like an apple, without the skin of course, but instead I smash it up with a little lime juice, salt and pepper and call it good. In Mexico when you ask for guacamole and chips by the pool on a 90* day at 3:00 snack break this is what they will bring you. I might not be in Mexico, instead I'm standing in my kitchen but I have guac and I get to eat the whole bowl by myself!!

Cheers

A girl at work today had a t-shirt that said "Nobody Cares About Your Blog"..... how RUDE!! I'm sure you do care about my blog, I care about yours. Why are they making t-shirts to make me feel bad? Can anyone explain this? I'm sure someone cares about me holding this chip, I'm sure someone cares that my cabinets still look fabulous, I'm sure someone sees the tiny bubbles of light called "bokeh" that are in the top of this photo (I've been trying to do that for awhile now), I'm sure someone cares that I like guac, I'm sure you do...... damn t-shirt has given me a complex. :)

Left Overs and Food Touching

I can't eat left overs unless they are the right kind of left overs. I'm not sure what defines the right kind of left overs, I guess it's just foods like left over potatoes and meat that I can't eat... or like a sandwich that has ranch on it and makes the bread soggy, YUCK. Nothing worse than soggy bread. As some of you know I don't like my food to touch so this photo is me going out on a limb...... my food is touching and it's left overs! I must have been starving but it was really, really good. If you haven't made the Pioneer Woman's Enchiladas you got to try them.... they are fabulous, even as left overs.

Actually I've grown to let these types of foods touch each other, like using sour cream and guacamole on top of my enchilada. I know it's hard to believe especially if you've ever watched me eat and my corn juice gets anywhere close to my potatoes I freak out, or if my meat touches my potatoes I cut it off and put it on John's plate.

I have to tell you my favorite story of my food touching. Years ago I'm at a after hours work party in a local tavern and there is snacks there. I fix myself a plate of mozzarella dip on the left, shrimp dip with sauce on the right and pretzels. Nothing is touching and now I have to walk back through a crowded party to where I was standing, I get half way there and I meet a co-workers wife and she says "Ohhhh thanks Connie" as she takes a pretzel and starts with the shrimp dip and drags it totally across my plate into the mozzarella dip. I am shocked and stood there with this deer in the headlight look on my face not knowing what to do. I must have had a tear start swelling in my right eye as she says "what's the matter" I say "my food can't touch" and she takes my plate, holds it up to her face and licks the center until there is nothing touching. "there" and hands it back to me. I look around and everyone I work with knows me and is laughing hysterically at me, I am so shocked I can't speak. I hand the plate back to her and walked away. It's hilarious now but at the time I think I was traumatized.... her and I still talk about it and laugh every time, she's never seen anyone like me.

Not everyone in my family is struck with this fobia but those of us who have it, got it bad. My brother Randy has to have a different plate for everything he eats, his food can't even be put on the same plate. Let me tell you he goes through the dishes on holidays or potlucks!!

Old Fashion

It's a tad chilly outside again so we opted to stay home curled up on the couch. After our throw together supper I requested a drink to celebrate the week. John has been working on mastering the Old Fashion from scratch for me. He has taken lessons from the neighbor, bought a grinder thing-a-ma-gig, experimented with different whiskey, uses an orange for flavor and color.... and by George I think he's got it.

Cheers! (glasses clinking) or as they say in Mexico "Saaa-lllllute"

Southwest Chicken Salad

If your like me there has been a time or two that you ordered a Southwest Chicken Salad while at your favorite Mexican Restaurant. It's my favorite salad and I had one last Friday in the Detroit Airport and it was fabulous. I started a search on-line to find a recipe that represented the salad that I had there and I came up with a close 2nd but the chicken short cut that I came across was well worth the search.

So here's the Chicken short cut - A bag of boneless skinless chicken breast (thawed), generously sprinkle the chicken with McCormick's Broiled Steak Seasoning, place in crock pot. Add about 1 cup of chicken broth. (I use the chicken bullion paste mixed with water). Cook the chicken in the crock pot for 7-8 hours. Now here's the short cut - Cool and place in freezer bags to use in all your favorite chicken recipes. Who couldn't use a couple cooked chicken breast on a Monday night when you don't have any supper ideas.... defrost, fry or grill, add a salad and go, suppers done!

Now the challenge is having the chicken breast make it to the freezer. I made this chicken short cut on Sunday with all intentions of using 2 for supper and freezing the rest. Sunday night I served them with garden red potatoes (thanks to Shawna), stuffing, broccoli and cauliflower, gravy made from the chicken stock in the crock pot, and rolls. Lynn and Jesse were over to pledge for the fantastic tasting chicken... nothin' but moans and groans during this meal. That chicken is fantastic, you gotta try it!

Tuesday I used the chicken for my Southwest Chicken Salad and it was again a hit. None of this chicken made it to the freezer but I do plan to make up a batch again real soon to help me out with those stressful nights of "What's for Supper?"

Tonight I had leftover chicken and the leftover Corn Salsa and chips from the salad. I love my Mexican bowls, my salsa wouldn't be served in anything else.