Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Deli, Li & MM.




All I want is one picture where they are all looking at me and smiling. Who'd have thought it was this tough?!



Not too shabby!




Well, all eyes and smiles are on me. Maybe I should be more clear with what I want.

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Willowdale Blvd,Luling,United States

Date Bars

Every year my momma makes dozens & dozens of Christmas cookies. My favorite has to be her date bars. This is the first time she has shared the recipe.

Date Bars

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teas baking soda
2 teas water
3 cups sifted flour
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas nutmeg
¼ teas ground cloves
Dash of salt
1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz pkg chopped dates
Extra Sugar for Topping

Directions
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Dissolve baking soda in water and add. Sift together the flour and spices. Gradually add it to the creamed mixture beating after each addition. Add dates and nuts. Chill for several hours. I usually chill it overnight. The mixture is hard to work with if it is not thoroughly chilled.
On a lightly floured board shape into roll 10” long and ¾” diameter. Place 2 rolls on a cookie sheet and flatten with floured fingers to ¼” thick. Sprinkle generously with sugar.
Bake 15-18 minutes at 350° F.
While hot slice on the diagonal about 1½” apart. Place on a wire rack to cool.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Luling, LA

Deli Raspberries

Last night, bebe' #3, also known as Deli, treated us to an exposition of her expert level raspberries.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Willowdale Blvd,Luling,United States

RW's Black Bean Stew

Today I needed a quick Saturday lunch. Luckily this morning, I read my Runner's World and came across the following recipe for Black Bean Stew. This would make a great week night dinner because it's fast and tasty. I added a bit of cayenne pepper because I'm Cajun and well we put it in everything.




Black Bean Stew
Ingredients
2 tsp oil
1 onion, diced
1 cup carrot, sliced thin
2 15 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1.5 cups veg broth (I used chicken bc I didn't have veg)
1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
1 tbsp chipotle pepper in adobe sauce
1 tsp cumin
Salt & pepper, to taste
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp of fresh thyme

Directions
Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Cook onion & carrot over medium heat for 5 mins. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, peppers, and seasonings. Simmer for 20 mins. Stir in orange zest and thyme.



Super tasty and healthy. This will definitely be a family fav.


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Hallow Cupcake!

Li made these cupcakes. They just crack me up. She tries so hard to make them perfect. Not too shabby for a 6yr old.

Game Night in Luling

Last Saturday was Junior Monopoly night at our house. It's been awhile since we've played a board game. 
As per usual, I don't feel like writing very much. So here's a few 1,000 words via pictures. 

MM fretting over her money troubles

The Big Man was the bank

MM learning how to properly throw dice

Li enjoying the game

MM after her big win of $1 over her sister. 

I forgot how good MM is at board games. You do not want to play Candyland with her. She'll win before you get halfway thru.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Luling,LA

Rainy Days

Every time it rains these days MM tells me "April showers brings May flowers." She's been saying it quite often. I'm pretty sure that saying is for regions where Spring happens later than February.
I don't mind the rain as long as it's not lightening and thundering while we try to sleep. The girls use thunder as an excuse to climb in the big bed. Eventhough the bed is big, it's not big enough for me to have room to sleep comfortably.

For those of us who have little to no skill with a camera, the rain also provides the opportunity to take interesting pictures. Below are a few I took yesterday and today near my house.

Rainbow over Hwy 90



Same rainbow over the tree line






Sunrise trying to break thru this morning's rain

Last night I tried to capture the frog cacophony that was happening in my back yard but the iphone just doesn't take good audio. Too much other background noises.

Wilowdale Dog Parade

This weekend my neighborhood hosted a dog parade to raise money for a new shelter in St. Charles Parish. My mom and dad brought two of their wild beasts. We met up with the other participants for the 1.5 mile walk. Here are a few pictures from the pawrade.

Sunday Dinner - Leftover Easter Candy S'mores

What does one do with all over the leftover Easter candy? Why make s'more, of course. Normally, I bring it to work after week to pawn it off. But I decided to try some thing a bit different this year.

Everyone knows how to make s'mores on an open flame. And it's not that hard to figure out how to make them indoors. But in case you've never done it. Here are the simple steps.

Ingredients
2 graham crackers
4 chocolate eggs
4 bunny peeps



Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan with Pam. Break the graham crackers into two pieces and place a piece of chocolate on each. Bake in the oven until the chocolate is melty but not melted. About 4 mins.



2. Add the peeps. Bake until soft. They get a little puffy.






5. Then top with the rest of the graham crackers and serve.



If your oven isn't pre-heated and/or your don't feel like waiting. You can use the broiler setting. But watch it closely. Peeps are made from sugar and covered in sugar. Sugar is surprisingly combustible. And hot, liquid marshmallow is like napalm.


Enjoy your indoor leftover candy s'mores.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Luling, LA

Shuttle Sister Spring Soirée

It has been six months since we got together. Way too long! But that's what happens when four girls with jobs, kids, and husbands try to work out a date that fits into busy schedules. In fact we were still a man down, due to sick children.

After our usual dinner of Mexican, we went out in Old Town Slidell. This pregnant momma stayed out way too late last night and am paying for today. But it was worth it to get to hang out with my Shuttle Sisters.



Kristy's such a good photographer she managed to hold the phone at arms length and three of us in the frame on the first try. I am still impressed.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Luling, LA

Hoppy Easter

I hope everyone had a great Easter. We had a very eventful day. As you can tell from the last picture, we had good time. Here are a few pictures from our day.

Easter Bunny Stopped By



Dying Eggs






Egg Hunt
















Crawfish Boil














After party Naptime



It was nice to hang out with our family on this gorgeous day.

Location:Luling, LA

Lemon Coconut Bars

Now that I have a lovely new iPad I plan to try to blog more often. I downloaded a blog app that should make the whole process a lot easier. We shall see how long this lasts.

Since I had some free time today, I decide to do a bit of baking. I have tons of "fresh" lemon juice in my freezer. Thanks to pinterest I have a few new recipes I've been wanting to try. These lemon coconut bars looks delish and a perfect for our Easter party tomorrow.



Lemon Coconut Bars

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup cold butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup shredded coconut


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour and confectioners’ sugar. Using a food processor, cut in the butter until thoroughly combined.






3. Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.




4. Beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and baking powder until well mixed and pour over crust. Sprinkle coconut over the top.





5. Bake at 350F for 20 until golden brown.

6. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

I hope you enjoy these lemony good bars. And I look forward to bloggingd more.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Luling, LA