p dub's "spreads"...

Here's a little something for you to snack on...
because I like you.

These are Pioneer Woman's "Spreads".
She used to (and still does on occasion) make
them for her oldest brother.
This is the second batch I've made...
because they are crazy simple to make
and crazy simple to snack on with a glass of milk...
not that I would know anything about THAT!

On the second batch, I concluded that they would
be even more crazy yummy if they had a peanut-butter
layer under the chocolate... and I was right!
Oh boy, oh boy, was I right on that one!

Pioneer Woman's "Spreads"

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup margarine
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
6 to 8 ounces of chocolate chips

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Mix together brown sugar and margarine.
~Add egg and mix together.
~Add the flour, salt and vanilla and mix together.
~Spread the dough onto a cookie sheet to a
thickness of 1/4 to 1/2-inch.
~Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly browned.
~Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top.
~Return to oven for 1 minute.
~Remove from oven and spread the melted chips
evenly over the top.
~Cut into squares.

Enjoy!

But be sure to warn your hips and thighs first!

xo
Ralonda

austin valentine...

I know it's been nearly two weeks ago since Valentine's Day...
but I told you I would share all the mushy details, and
dog-gone-it, that's what I'm gonna do!
So here ya go... but don't say I didn't warn ya with all the mushiness...

Austin is about 3 1/2 hours from my doorstep...
and I had the fabulous idea to take the Mini Cooper
down for Valentine's weekend (yes, with baby in tow).
I bet you can sense right now just how mushy it was.

It was a fun little trip.
Baby Jude did wonderfully on the drive down.
We did stop at Dairy Queen for a quick romantic bite,
and to let Jude stretch his little legs.

We arrived Friday afternoon and
with almost no effort, we found our hotel... lol
Do you detect a hint of sarcasm here? You should.

We woke to a LOVELY cloudy, chilly Valentine's Day,
and neither of us had packed anything warm... because
a certain someone (I won't name names here... but it's
the only female on the trip.) looked up the weather and
it said it was going to be in the 70's. And JB said we needed
to pack light because we could only get "so much" in the Mini.
So, off to Old Navy we went! How enchanting!
After we purchased a few jackets, we headed towards Austin's
East Side, to pick up an old high school/college buddy of JB's.
Oh, did I forget to tell you that JB went to college in Austin?
Well, he did!

This is his shop.
After chit-chatting with JB's buddy's mom and sister
(they were also visiting), we piled in the Cooper and
headed here... a place that I've been dying to try.
And had I done more research on the place, I would've
known that the wait, on any given day, is 1 1/2 hours.
But that didn't bother us on that dreamy afternoon,
it just gave us more time to savor all the... umm... dreaminess
that was amidst in the air. lol

Later, back at our hotel, this sweet breathed bundle
dictated the rest of our bewitching evening.

lol... the reality of it was, we were so stuffed from eating at The Salt Lick
that neither of us had the energy to go to some "fancy" restaurant
that JB actually had reservations at. All I wanted to do was put on my
pj's, stretch out in the king size bed and snuggle with my two Valentine's.
Now that's romantic don't you agree?

And let me just say: It's really hard to be "romantic" with your sweetheart
when you have a two month old between you. Baby Jude doesn't care
what date the calendar said it is.
And I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not even sure that JB got a Valentine's kiss.

But I do know that we had a good time.
Here are a few random pictures that I
did manage to get... I'm also embarrassed
to say that I didn't get many.

I like this one of JB.

On Sunday (which was a much more beautiful day),
JB took me downtown so I could get some pics
of our state capitol...

And about 5 minutes after I took this picture
baby Jude spit up all over me!
Lovely it was, I tell ya! Just LOVELY!
So, that was pretty much it for me... the icing on
our Dreamy-Austin-Valentine-Get-Away-Cake.
I packed up my camera, wiped myself off and we
headed for home.

And I'm pretty sure this is what lil' guy thought of the whole escapade!

Next year, we'll probably just stay home!

xo
Ralonda

honey ginger glazed roasted carrots...

A little something for you to drool over...

Serve 'em with steak and potatoes! YUM!

Honey Ginger Glazed Roasted Carrots

6 to 8 large carrots, peeled or scraped

1 stick of butter, melted
2 Tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Mix together butter, honey and ginger.
Place carrots in a shallow baking dish.
Pour glaze over carrots to coat.
Roast in a 400 to 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes...
take out of oven and turn carrots to re-glaze. Return to oven.
Continue to roast for about 15 to 20 minutes longer...
or until tender.

Enjoy!
xo
Ralonda

speedy sesame stir-fry...

I know I said I would tell y'all about our Valentine's
weekend get-away to Austin... but you'll just have to wait
a bit longer. I promise I'll share all the romantic details soon.

Right now I have something much more interesting to share with you...

Much more interesting and delicious.

This dish is one of my favorites to make.
It's super easy and versatile, and
it has such a good flavor. I would prefer this
dish over take-out Chinese any day.

You could throw in pretty much any vegetable you like.
You could even use beef, chicken or shrimp.
The flavor is all in the sauce.

You could serve it over white or brown rice
or angel hair pasta (my personal favorite).

Speedy Sesame Stir-Fry

2 cups broccoli florets… or 1 cup broccoli and 1 cup sliced or baby carrots,
or any of your favorites veggies.
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
½ cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
¼ tsp. each ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper... you can
add as much or as little red pepper here. It all depends what your mood is.


*Cook the broccoli (and carrots or whatever veggies you like) until tender.
*In a separate frying pan, spray with a nonstick cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat.
*Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
*Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper;
cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.
*Meanwhile, in a separate pot, prepare rice or pasta according to directions.
*Serve immediately; stir-fry over rice or pasta.

You could even sprinkle chopped peanuts or sesame seeds on top.

Enjoy!

xo

Ralonda

replacement toy...

Here's the story...

This was JB's toy/baby... yes, I said, "was".

We (he) had to sell it to pay the Dr. for this.
A new toy/baby... who, by the way, is 12 weeks today!
Such a little stinker... literally! :)

Several weeks back JB got this...

He wasn't actually looking for a Mini Cooper, but he was looking
to trade his 1992 Toyota Landcruiser (his daily driver) in for something
a little more economical now that gas prices have gone down.

And let me tell you, this little thing is a blast to drive!
But the best part is, he/we drove it all around for 10 days
on a full tank of gas, then refilled for $21.50!
No joke... I have the receipt tacked to the fridge to prove it!
We even took it to Austin for our Valentine's weekend get-away.
I'll tell you more about that tomorrow... or the next day. lol

I know it was a hard thing to have to do to sell his Harley...
especially after he had JUST paid it off.
But you do what you have to do.

And after selling it he didn't look back.
We paid the Dr. what we owed him just in time for delivery
and JB never blinked an eye.

But after driving the mini around for a few days,
JB excitedly announced, "This is the replacement for my Harley",
"It's even the same colors"! :)

That's all fine and good... but I guess the truly best part for me is,
now I don't have to worry about him
(as much) when he gets out on the Dallas freeways with his "toy".

Oh, and Babe... I have an errand I need to run when
you get home and I'll be taking the Cooper! :)

xo
Ralonda

excuse me...

Can I have your attention?

Thank you!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!

xo

Baby Jude

onion rings...

Now that the flu bug has seemed to have left the homestead and Haley is back at school, the whites, linens, and towels have been sanitized, the baby has been changed, and Buzz (the cat) has had his yogurt, I can get back to more important things.

Like these babies...

Oh Lord, please help my thighs.

The other night... well, maybe it was a week or so ago, I made this...
And let me say, Pioneer Woman has it goin' on.

I also made her onion rings (or "strings" as she calls 'em) to go with her "favorite burger". It was a P Dub dinner night!
I had a zucchini in the fridge and thought it would be delish to slice it up and make onion-ring-style too... hey, gotta get some veggies in some how.

They're really easy to make and oh so good.

Here's what you do...

Grab a large yellow onion and slice it super thin... and whatever other veggie you have a hankerin' for.

Separate the slices, put in a shallow dish and pour 2 cups of buttermilk over them.

Next, add 2 cups of flour, a tablespoon of salt, a tablespoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper in a dish (I used a pie plate) and stir together with a fork.

Heat your oil or rev up your deep fryer... I use oil in a deep pot on top of my stove.

Using tongs, grab a handful of onions, coat with the flour mixture and fry 'em up. You know they're done when they float to the top and turn golden brown.


Place them in a dish lined with a couple of paper towels.

I sprinkled them with Seasoned Salt afterwards just to make them extra good!

Okay, now that my stomach is growling and I don't have an onion, I guess I'll go paint my toenails to get my mind off their light, crunchy goodness...

xo
Ralonda

back in business...

Out with old (it broke).

Two weeks without a washer.
Ten loads at the neighborhood washateria.
A week with one home with the flu.

In with the new
(all shiny and fancy, woohoo)!

Back in business!

Happy Monday!

Thanks Babe!
You'll have clean undershirts by the time you get home!

xo
Ralonda

the lemonade award...

I feel so very special... like a *real* blogger!
How excited I was earlier this week after returning home from a
quiet little walk with baby Jude to discover that
Katherine, over at Smokey Mountain Cafe,
had given me The Lemonade Award!

Thanks so much Katherine!

As I understand it, The Lemonade Award is given by a previous
winner to ten people who have shown a great attitude or gratitude this week...
It's a great way to show these people that you appreciate them.
So, I am passing the award on to these fabulous blogs:

Barbara Bakes

Meet Me in the Kitchen

The Sisters' Cafe

Aggie's Kitchen

The Dyer Bunch

table for ten

Alicia's Family Blog

Gourmet Mom on the Go

missbinnyc

mocha me

Have a great weekend!
xo
Ralonda

frittata...

We had breakfast for dinner one night last week. I don't know what it is about having breakfast for dinner that makes everyone all giddy... but it does. They don't act like that when I cook a big Sunday morning breakfast... strange. ???
I wonder how they would act if I were to make a steak dinner for breakfast one Sunday morning... hmmm... it's a thought.

Anyway, besides pancakes and lil' smokies, I tried my hand at a frittata(after all, I must get all the use I can out of my new cast iron skillet!)... and I must say, it was delightful.

Here's what you'll need to start with:
8 extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, diced... I used a red pepper here, JB's not a fan of onions.
4 small red potatoes, diced
Optional:
Ham, sausage or bacon
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup prepared salsa
Crumbled bacon
Cheddar Cheese
Chives

And here's what you will need to do:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until foamy.
Melt butter in a cast-iron pan over medium heat.
Add the onion (or red pepper) and potatoes and cook thoroughly.

I salt and peppered the potatoes and pepper.

Next:
Pour the eggs over the mixture... sorry, I didn't get a pic of this step.
Pull the edges away from the sides of the pan with a spatula so the eggs flow to the bottom of the pan. When the frittata is half set add your choice of ham, sausage or bacon (or in my case, nothing at all).
Transfer the pan to the heated oven.
Bake for 10 minutes until puffed and golden.
Top with you choice of sour cream, salsa, and chives before serving.


Or you could do what I did... pull it out about 5 minutes before it was finished baking, top it with crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese, put it back in the oven and continue baking until done.


Then serve it with sour cream and salsa on the side for your picky eaters.

Enjoy!
xo
Ralonda