super bowl meatballs

Mini Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
with Blue Cheese and Hot Sauce
makes 80+ mini meatballs
(a perfect football game treat)

photo credit: Epicurious 

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wing sauce {I use 1/2 cup}
2 pounds coarsely ground chicken
2 large eggs
2 ribs celery, minced (about 1 cup)
1 2/3 cups dried breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Blue Cheese Dressing, for dipping
Celery sticks, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Evenly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.

2. Place butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, whisking, until butter is melted and hot sauce is well incorporated. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl; let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

3. Add chicken, eggs, celery, breadcrumbs, and salt to bowl with butter mixture; using your hands, mix until well combined. Roll chicken mixture into firm, 1-inch round balls and place on prepared baking sheet; arrange the meatballs in rows so that they are {almost} touching on all sides. Transfer to oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

4. Take out of oven and let stand 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Place on a serving platter and serve with dressing and celery sticks.

Martha Stewart Show January 2011

choose joy

Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough

Ever wonder why some people seem to experience deep and authentic joy in their daily lives--even in the tough times--and others can't seem to find it no matter how hard they search? Is a joy-filled life really possible?

The answer is yes! And it's possible for every woman, no matter what her circumstances may be. In this inspiring book, Kay Warren teaches women what joy really is, where to find it, and how to choose it in the good times and the bad. With compassion and wisdom, she shows readers--even those who live with the constant companions of discouragement and depression--that true joy is deeper, richer, and more accessible than they might think. Perfect for small groups or individual reading, Choose Joy will empower women who feel like their emotions and well-being are at the mercy of others by helping them understand the life-giving truth that joy is within their grasp--every day. {quote from amazon.com}

I will be attending a 4 week DVD series at Venice Presbyterian Church where Kay Warren will discuss having deeper, richer, more stable and accessible joy. I am a pretty shy person so interacting with 40 new women will be a stretch for me but I am hoping to learn and grow along with them.

cheese burger baked potato

We are thinking about having a "Baked Potato Bar"
at our next July 4th gathering so will be trying out a few recipes.
Here is the first one - it was delicious . . .

image credit: ambitions of grace

Cheese Burger Baked Potato
4 Servings

Ingredients

2-4 large baking potatoes

1 1/3 lb ground beef

½ onion chopped

8 oz can tomato sauce

2 Tbls ketchup

2 tsp spicy mustard

2 Tbls brown sugar

1 tsp Worcester sauce

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Wash and then bake potatoes at 425* for 1 hour.

Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; remove from pan and drain well. Sauté the onion in same pan. Return beef to skillet. Stir in rest of ingredients (except cheese). Simmer 10 minutes.

Remove potatoes from oven and cut each one in half.

Serve by spooning beef mixture over baked potato half and topping with shredded cheese.

{our potatoes were very large so ½ potato each was plenty}

cedar

Our sweet grandson {in Cambodia} has just turned two years old.

There are some very cute photos of him on his mom's blog . . .

we live in all we seek

In October were fortunate to spend a month with him in
Bangkok and then Cambodia
and now we miss him {and his family} very much.

ezra

Our sweet granddaughter {in Cambodia} has just turned four months old.

There are some very cute photos of her on her mom's blog . . .

we live in all we seek

We were fortunate to spend the first month of her life with her in
Bangkok and then Cambodia
and now we miss her {and her family} very much.

david klinkenberg

How very blessed we were to hear the music of this talented Celtic violinist during church this week.
{especially since his tour schedule looks like this}

December 2-16, 2012

Island Princess Cruise
San Lucas del Sur to Limon Nicaragua to Costa Rica

December 22-29, 2012

Crown Princess Cruise
Cozumel Belize City Mexico Belize

January 12, 2013
Community Concert Series Concert - Venice Presbyterian Church
Venice FL

January 17-29, 2013
Island Princess
Puntarenas to Puntarenas Costa Rica

January 31 to February 09, 2013
Celebrity Century Cruise

Cabo San Lucas Lahaina Mexico Hawaii

etc . . .

"When David and his fiddle step out onto a stage, every row of the concert hall should be fitted with seatbelts, for this performer takes you on a ride. And that same transforming atmosphere is present in his recordings as well."

david klinkenberg website

traveling with books-on-audio

On our trip to the sunny south we discovered a great way to

"Enjoy a little help making the miles go by"

Here's How it Works

1. Buy a Books-On-Audio CD at Cracker Barrel.

2. When you’re done, simply return it to any Cracker Barrel.
They’ll refund the purchase price, minus $3.49 for each week you've had it.

3. Do it again!

We had planned on bringing a book from our local library and then mailing it back but this turned out to be an even better option.

cracker barrel travel

bloody mary punch

Bloody Mary Punch

photo credit: serious eats

46 oz V-8 Juice

3 Tbls fresh lemon juice

2 Tbls dill pickle juice

1 Tbls Worcestershire

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp old bay

1  cup vodka *

celery stalks

garlic scapes

lemon slices

Preparation

Combine vegetable juice and next 7 ingredients in a punch bowl or a pitcher. Pour over ice in glasses. Serve with celery sticks, garlic scapes and lemon slices.

{*Instead of adding vodka, serve optional shots on the side, and let guests add it or not}

2013 calendars

If you are looking for a new calendar

this site has links to lots of fun choices . . .

Today's Creative Blog 2013 Calendars