The Fish You Should Make if You Think You Don't Know how to Cook Fish. (Parmesan Crusted Tilapia)

I love to cook.
I love to cook all things.
But for some reason I have always been kinda intimidated by fish.
I've always heard how tricky it is.
Easy to over-cook
Easy to dry out.
Easy to mess up!

Well... Not this fish!
I promise, it'll be a winner every darn time!
All of my kids love it!
My spoiled-rotten sister came over last night for dinner.
She was skeptical, because she is not very fond of fish.
She is a food snob!

Guess what! She loved it! Ha!
Try it! You'll be glad you did!
Dana's Parmesan Crusted Tilapia.

• 2 lbs Tilapia fillets (Orange Roughy, Cod or Snapper works great too!)
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
• 1/8 teaspoon (or a dash) seasoning salt
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• black pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay fish fillets in a buttered baking dish or baking sheet , in one layer. ( do not stack)
3. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice.
4. In bowl combine cheese, butter, mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, onions and seasonings.
   
5. Stir well to thoroughly combine.
6. Bake fish in preheated oven 10 to 20 minutes or until fish just starts to flake, remove from oven.
7. Spread cheese mixture over fish, coating each evenly.
8. return to oven, bake until golden.

This topping works GREAT for chicken too!!

**Tips** Baking time will depend on the thickness of the fish you use.
Watch fish closely so that it does not overcook.

Note: This fish can also be made in a broiler.
Broil 3 to 4 minutes or until almost done.
Add cheese and broil another 2 to 3 minutes or until browned.

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One of Those Days...

Yep, I'm having one of those days.

One of those days when it's beautiful outside, there are tender easy-to-pull-now-weeds popping up in the garden...
But I didn't pull a single one.

One of those days when I have plenty of "free time" and yet, I am avoiding walking though the laundry room, because of my very real fear of being smothered to death by a damp, smelly, 16yr old boy's sweat sock during a Mt Laundry avalanche.
So the laundry continues to marinate in it's own filth for yet another day.

One of those days when I've found myself sitting down at my lap-top numerous times with total intentions of blogging a fantastically interesting and humorous blog post that you will enjoy reading.
But, not a word has actually been written.

One of those days when I have spent hours perfecting my To Do Lists in Excel.
(I even color-coded the columns!)
But am unable to check ONE THING off any of the lists as "Done".

One of those days when I want to read the new book I bought last week.
But not one page has been turned because the book is all the way in my bedroom, far away from my perma-butt-imprint on the couch.

One of those days (that NEVER happen) when I am alone in the house and could get so much done without any interruptions, or questions, or fights, or too-loud music, or phones ringing, or doors slamming, or screaming.
But I'm sitting here in the silence doing NOTHING.

One of those days when I'm not so sure I remembered to brush my teeth.

One of those days when I hope to God no one "stops by" to realize I have morphed into something that resembles a cave-dwelling, grunting, wild woman found in the pages of an old issue of National Geographic.

Don't worry, I'm sure reality will come smack me in the face soon, Just about the second the short people come home.

Until then, I'm havin' One of Those Days...

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Everybody Loves Pie! (Spaghetti Pie)

Everybody loves pie right?

Apple Pie,
Cherry Pie
Pecan Pie,
Blueberry Pie,
Lemon pie,

I could go on and on, because I love pie!
In fact, I think we should eat pie every day!

What kind of mother would I be if I served pie every night for dinner?
Well... if it's this pie, I'd say a pretty darn great one!

Take a look at this!!

Let Them Eat Pie!!!

Dana's Spaghetti Pie

• 6 ounces spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs (well beaten)
• 1 cup cottage cheese (or Ricotta)
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup green pepper (chopped)
• 1 (8 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic (chopped)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti as directed on package, Drain, set aside in a bowl.
   
2. Add margarine, Parmesan cheese and eggs to the pasta.
   
3. Mix well.
4. Press noodle mixture into the bottom of a greased 10 inch pie pan.
   
5. Spread cottage cheese over spaghetti.
6. Brown ground beef; add onion, garlic, green peppers. Drain off excess fat.
7. Add diced tomatoes, paste, sugar, spices to the meat mixture.
8. Stir to combine and heat thoroughly.
   
9. Spread meat sauce over spaghetti and cottage cheese.
10. Bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
    
11. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese and bake 5 more minutes.
12. Slice and Enjoy!
    

My Grandmother used to make a spaghetti pie.
I've tweaked it to our liking.. feel free to do the same to suit your taste!

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The Taste of Comfort

Last night, we had one of my favorite comfort foods for dinner.

Tender, juicy, slow roasted, pot roast
with roasted carrots, huge mushrooms,
onions, & fingerling potatoes.
mmmmmmmm!

Top it all with a rich and thick homemade gravy, and I'm in comfort-food heaven!

Pot roast brings back memories of Sunday After-Church dinner.
Walking in the back door and smelling the wonderful meal long before you reached for your fork.
It's warm, filling, honest food. (if the term "honest food" makes any sense at all!)

I have many favorite comfort foods.
some sweet,
some savory,
some simple,
some complex,

I always find it interesting what foods other people consider comforting.

So today, It's all about you!

I wanna know...
What does comfort taste like to you?
And Why?

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I want His Dentist!!!

Can't Type....
Laughing too hard!...



I know... I know...
I shouldn't laugh at the poor boy.
I'm sorry...
not really, But I know I should be sorry.
That counts right?

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This Bothers Me.

When there is a puppy in the house, you can't help but notice that they have an uncanny ability to fall asleep anywhere.

They, like all babies, sleep a lot.
But sometimes you have to wonder...

How can this be comfortable?

How can a puppy who can hear me roll over in my bed, on the other side of the house at 2:00am so he can start crying and howling for attention, not notice the fact that his face is being smashed into the hardwood floor?
How can he not notice the fact that his face is NOT enjoying the same schmooshy-soft dog bed that the rest of his body is snuggling into?
It CAN'T be comfortable!
This bothers me..
Not enough to stop taking pictures and giggling so I can help him ....
But it does bother me.

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My Chinese Leftovers can Beat Up Your Chinese Leftovers!

I love Chinese food.
I really love Chinese food!
But.. there is NO Chinese food in the sticks.

I have done a really good job learning how to make my favorite restaurant foods at home.

Not only can I control exactly what goes into our foods,
It's WAY cheaper to make it myself!
I can usually make a meal for my entire BIG eating family, including left-overs, for less than one or two servings would cost at a restaurant!

My burgers are better than any burger joint.
My steaks are better than any fancy steak house steaks.
I am the queen of deli-style sandwiches and Paninis!
I am thrilled with my Vietnamese spring rolls!
My Pizza is getting close!

But Chinese food always kind of intimidated me.
I didnt' even know where to start!

Until NOW!

Yummy looking huh?

I could never figure out what spices and seasonings made Chinese food taste like Chinese food.
I tried soy sauce.... nope.. something else.
I tried 5-spice.. good but not the taste I was craving.

then.. BINGO!!
Enter sesame oil & fresh ginger!!
DING DING DING!!! We Have a Winner!!

the combination of-
soy sauce
sesame oil
fresh ginger
and garlic
IS the Chinese food taste!

Now... don't let the fresh ginger scare you.
I have always said I didn't like ginger.
But.. I do!
as the subtle taste in the background that brings Chinese dishes together and makes them sing to your soul!

I did the work..
and Now.. I'm gonna show you how!
Here we go!

Dana's "Better than Take-Out"
Shrimp Lo Mein.

• 2 lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
  
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  
• 3/4 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled (using a knife or vegetable peeler) finely chopped or grated.
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
  
• 12 ounces snow peas
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
  
• 1 head bok choy
  
• 1 (14-15 ounce) can chicken broth
  
• 7 green onions, sliced
• 1 small can water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 12 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente and drained

Directions-

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside to marinate while you get the other ingredients prepped.
2. In large skillet or wok, heat 2 tsp sesame oil over high heat.
   
3. Drain shrimp, reserving marinade.
   
4. Over high heat, cook shrimp until pink, 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove shrimp from skillet into a large bowl, set aside.
   
6. Add 1 tsp sesame oil to the skillet, then add snow peas and carrots, and cook approx 2 minutes.
7. Remove from skillet add to the bowl with the cooked shrimp.
   
8. Cook cabbage, water chestnuts & pepper in skillet with the remaining sesame sesame oil for approx 2 minutes.
9. Remove cabbage mixture to a large clean bowl combine with cooked/drained spaghetti noodles & green onions, set aside.
10. Combine chicken broth and reserved marinade, stirring well to stir up the settled corn starch, add to the skillet, along with shrimp mixture.
    
11. Bring to a boil, over high heat, and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
    
12. Remove from heat and pour over the noodle/veggie mixture, toss to coat.
13. Enjoy!!
    

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Get an Early Taste of Summer!

Several years ago, my spoiled rotten little sister attended college in Arkansas.
My mother and I went to visit her.
While we were there, we stopped at a restaurant called "The Market Place", I ordered what may possibly be the BEST salad I have ever eaten!

It had chicken breast, fresh strawberries, roasted pecans, water chestnuts, & spinach.
The dressing was a blueberry dressing.
It was wonderful!

I loved this salad so much that I made my poor mother smuggle an ice chest full of salad home on the plane each time she would visit my sister.

I have tried and tried to replicate this salad.
I managed to make some pretty darn tasty salads, but they were not quite right.
UNTIL NOW!
As a matter of fact...
I think mine is better!

Dana's "Taste of Summer" Salad

• Chicken breast, or breast tenderloin, grilled.
  
• 1 lb spinach (I like baby spinach)
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced
• 1 small can mandarin orange sections. (drained)
  
• 1/2 cup pecans or cashews, toasted
• 1 can water chestnuts, sliced (optional)
• Blue Cheese or Feta cheese, for sprinkling
  

Dressing

• 1/3 cup raspberry vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  
• 1/4-1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup blueberries (Frozen work great!)
  

Directions

1. Grill your chicken breasts or tenderloins, set aside to cool slightly.
   
2. Toast nuts in a pan over low heat, set aside to cool.
   
3. Combine all the dressing ingredients EXCEPT blueberries, in a blender and blend well.
4. Add thawed or fresh blueberries to the dressing and pulse to combine. set aside.
5. Arrange salad ingredients on plates, drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.
6. ENJOY!
   
   
   

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What Did I Get??

I got a new toy this week-end.
Can you guess what it is?

Well... It's VERY Pink.

It looks Retro.

It makes me feel like a kid again!

I'll be back in a few hours with more hints and pictures.

So... what's YOUR guess?


OK... ok ok!!!
Y'all are just too smart!
Or, I'm just too dumb.

You got it!
too easy!
too fast!
Way to burst my bubble!

I Love My New Bike!

It's girly.
It's Pink!
It has a big Butt seat too! whoo hoo!

All I need now is a bell and a big basket for the front...
and maybe some streamers...

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Is There Anything Better?

Than Puppy Breath?

I picked him up yesterday.
The whole drive home I couldn't stop thinking about my English Bulldog "Angus".
Angus has been gone to doggie heaven for 4 years now.

Those big eyes,
That schmooshed-in nose,
The loud snore while he slept.
This puppy has so many of the same characteristics!

You sent in so many great suggestions for names!
We had narrowed it down to Rufus & Guido.
We were gonna wait to see his personality before we decided for sure.

After meeting him, we just knew his name!
Gus! He is a Gus!

Otis the Wonder Dog
is amused by his new playmate...
Until Gus tried to nurse.
oops!

This is the adorable position that you are most likely to find Gus.
He is NOT used to hardwood floors!
His front feet sprawl apart and he pushes himself around with his back legs.
He kinda looks like he is skiing!
Too Cute!!

I'm gonna try to get a video of the little goof floor-skiing today.
Until then, I'm drunk on puppy breath!

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BEST Time of The Year!!

This is my favorite time of year.
I'm not melting into a sweaty puddle of smelly goo each time I walk outside.
I can have the windows open to air out the house.
There are baby critters everywhere I look.
Spring is in the air!!!

But... My favorite thing about spring??
Are these!!

Lookie what I've got!!!

Soon we'll have fresh strawberry Jam!!

The green beans and onions are reaching up towards the sky.

The cucumbers are sprouting, soon to reach for the fence and
climb, climb, climb.
Oh the Pickles we'll have!!
mmmmm

The pepper plants look so perky!

Fresh Salads will soon grace our table.

This is Stevia.
It's my first year growing this plant.
It is sweeter than sugar and no calories!
crushed up in some Fresh Sun Tea?
DIVINE!!

The chives look so dainty and sweet, popping their heads out of the soil.

The cilantro is making an appearance too!
Getting ready for homemade salsa.

The downy-soft fuzzy Sage leaves beg to be stuffed into a chicken.

Oh.. Oh... The Oregano we'll have!

Whats your favorite season?
And Why?

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A Secret.... And I Need Your Help.

A baby brother for Otis The Killer Boston Terrier!!
He comes to the farm next week.

Now.. we need a name!
Something cute like Otis.
He is the breeders favorite, and so far, they call him Sputnik, I love the name, but also would like something that goes better with Otis.
We need a new name to add to Sputnik!
Ideas?

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The Wall & The Balls.

The Man-of-My-Dreams and I spent the day yesterday at his brothers house.
Our kids ran a-muck in their lovely home, the men worked on restoring an old truck,
And I got to spend some time bonding with my newest sister-in-law.
It was a lovely day.
Not only because it gave me the chance to have actual live adult conversation, but I also got to spend the day away from Mt. Laundry.

They have a beautiful home!
It is tastefully decorated with big comfy leather couches, rod-iron accents on the warm-colored walls, and the most adorable little topiaries scattered about.
It is warm and inviting...
I guess you could sum it up by calling it Comfortable Country Elegant.

It is a sharp contrast to our little old famhouse.
There is no clutter.
There is no dust.
They have a place for everything & everything seemed to be in place. (except for the cat who decided to go missing, but thats another story for another day)

Don't get me wrong!
I love our little house.
But it looks like a flea market threw-up in here!
Lots of wonderful things.
Lots & Lots of wonderful things that I love.
Enough wonderful things to fill 4 houses this size!

And MY dust? Well, I like to say that it is a protective covering for the old patina on my antiques. There is PLENTY of it!

One thing that caught my eye in her house was the wall.
This wall is a waist-high half wall running the length of the living room separating the entryway from the actual room.

On this long wall my beautiful sister-in-law has placed a beautiful glass bowl thingy full of balls on one end.
There are feather covered balls,
seed covered balls,
leather covered balls,
& reed covered balls.
Sitting in an ornate glass holder/bowl/thing.
It's beautiful!

One long wall,
With one stinking glass thingy of balls.
ONE thing on the whole looong wall!
did I mention it looked beautiful??
ONE FREAKING Glass thingy of BALLS??

Do you have any idea how long it would take me to have 756 various pretty things stacked on that wall if it were in MY house?
Milliseconds!

I just don't understand it.
It's a Long wall for crying out loud!
It begs for "stuff"
And she has ONE bowl of balls on it??
And it looks like something out of a magazine???

I guess thats the difference between her
Comfortable Country Elegance
and my Decorating style...
Crammed Country Crap.
*sigh*

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Saturday From The Sidelines.

The Man-of-My-Dreams got to come home this weekend.
The few weekends he gets to be home usually end up being not as fun as we'd like, because there is so much work that needs done that we really need him to do.
So we usually end up working on big jobs.
We have fun doing these jobs, but not the kind of fun the young'uns would consider a "good time".

This weekend was slated to replace the decaying front porch.
But, alas, we didn't have use of the trailer that was needed to haul the long lumber that the job required.
The Man-of-My-Dreams was disappointed because he is one of those incredibly exhausting kinda men that MUST always be busy doing something.
Fixing something.
Building something.
Demolishing something.
Cleaning something.
Planning something.
You get the idea.

This quality is not necessarily a bad thing. But it can lead a wife to attempt to find creative ways to hide Ritalin in her beloved's food. (no, I haven't done this... YET!)

With no way to complete the task he had in mind, he had to find something else to do.
So, bright and early this morning he told me to, "Get in the truck. We are going for a drive."
I happily obliged.
We headed out... just the two of us.
We made our way to the big Mega-Store in the next town.

Of course he had to buy the new shower heads for the bathrooms & replacement water filters, but he also stopped in the automotive department.
I figured he was looking for some new gadget for the new truck.
Nope.. instead he bought two new stereo systems.

You have NO idea how excited two certain 16-yr-old young-men-folk were when he brought them home.
For the past three hours, they have been out in the front yard installing their fancy new stereos in their vehicles that they both worked so hard to buy on their own.

I have been piddling away in the garden and playing with the critters.
Even now, I am typing this entry on the porch while, in the background, I'm listening to three of my favorite men laugh, joke & pick on each other as they work side by side.

I couldn't ask for a more perfect Saturday afternoon.

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is..out..to.get..me

I..am..alive.
But..my..space..bar..is..not.
making..it..hard..to..write..a..post.

I..should..have..a..new..keyboard..tomorrow.
till..then....
Pray..for..me..to..get..over..my..computer..withdrawal..
without..killing..any..of..my..young'ins.

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