Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Qu'est-ce que c'est?
What is this? Why is this here? Why do I have this?

So what's with the holes in the knife blade, eh?

It's a cheese knife. It is made for slicing soft cheeses—like Muenster, mozzarella, or brie—without the cheese sticking to the knife. The holes help it release after you've made your cut through the block of cheese.

It also works well with any other type of cheese that you'd like to slice up and snack on: cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, Swiss, brick, or Gouda. Makes it much easier to quickly and evenly slice through the cheese without the typical "pile ups" that would result with your paring knife.

I can't recall where I got that particular knife, but I've had it for years. Sometimes I use it to slice tomatoes—if you look closely, you'll see that it has a very finely serrated edge. And the forked tip makes it useful for stabbing cheese chunks to drop into a pot of sauce that you have on the stove.

A cheese knife. An all-around good thing to have in your kitchen.

Enchilada Casserole

I make this when I know that a lot of people are coming over. Some friends have similar recipes that they call "Mexican Lasagna". It's different from a traditional lasagna, and feeds a crowd, with some left over.

Enchilada Casserole

2 lbs. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 pkg. Old El Passo taco seasoning (that's just the brand I choose)
1/2 c. water
1 can (15 oz.) Old El Passo enchilada sauce (again, that's just the brand I choose)
1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 to 3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 large package corn tortillas (make sure they are corn and not flour)
+ sour cream, hot sauce, guacamole as toppings

1. Heat oven to 400º.
2. Brown meat and onions; mix in taco seasoning and 1/2 c. water. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine: beans, 3/4 of the enchilada sauce and tomatoes.
4. Cut corn tortillas into quarters, or tear into random pieces.
5. Butter bottom of LARGE casserole dish, then spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce.
6. Place a layer of tortilla pieces, haphazardly, 2 or 3 pieces deep, to make a base for the casserole.
7. Layer as you would a lasagna: bean mixture; add a layer of cheese. Top that with a layer of tortillas, 2 deep. Add 1/2 of the meat mixture, layer of tortillas, top that and layer with cheese; repeat.
8. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until you see the sides bubbling and cheese is melted.
9. Serve with sour cream, hot sauce, and/or guacamole.
   

NOTES: If you want, you can chop a couple of tortillas into little strips and put them on top of the casserole, where they will brown a little and get crispy; but be cautious, because they can burn easily. Alternative: top with crushed Tostitos/Doritos after baking.

Strength in Numbers

INTRO

This is a new feature that I'd like to post here on a regular basis. Strength training is something that I find therapeutic—it helps keep me balanced both physically and mentally.

Hopefully, I can teach you something which you may not have already known, offer some challenges, and possibly motivate you to work at gaining a little strength.

What I'm not going to do is preach to you about exercise—please tell me if it ever sounds that way—nor will I berate anyone about being "fat". All I will do is say that you could probably benefit, health-wise, from gaining some strength.

Weight, to me, is a relative term, anyhow. I don't even look at the scale. Seriously! Even when I go to the doctor, I close my eyes and tell them to write it down and reset the scale to zero before I'll open my eyes again. One time, when the doctor asked me to get on the scale, I jokingly said, "I don't want to…" and he wrote "refused" on the chart! I didn't know you could do that! LOL!

So, anywho, in the next few weeks, I'm going to gather some info (make some lists!) and probably break it down into these categories: A) basics; B) cardio; C) new stuff; D) challenges. I'm thinking the "challenges" will be an interactive feature…which I have not decided yet how that'll work…but it should be interesting. I'll just ask you to do something for 3 days in a row, and see who can do it. Something like that.

Any input you'd like to offer will be considered.

~Goldie

Lists, lists, and more lists!

I have this compulsion for making lists of things. All kinds of things. Sometimes, I'll put my list in an Excel spreadsheet, so I can click a button and sort my list. Does anyone else have this strange neuroses, or is it just me...?

I'm not even sure where this strange affliction came from, because the rest of my immediate family is horribly disorganized. Perhaps that is the cause?! LOL!

Here is a short...well....LIST of some of the things I have been making lists about:

• results of the poll on this site
• recipes I want to post
• GROCERIES!
• B-vitamin dosages
• B-vitamins available at Walgreen's, GNC, and Vitamin Shoppe
• protein shakes available at GNC and Vitamin Shoppe
  
• Nexxus hair products
  
• things to do
  
• spring cleaning I need to start on (our windows are filthy!)
  
• book wishlist
• pens that I like
  
• the nicknames I have for some hockey players (i.e. Brian Rolston = "Purina")
• trees I want in our yard (most have a check mark by them! YAY!)
• kitchen tools I want
• song lyrics to look up
  
• words to translate into French (don't ask, LOL!)
• bill-pay check-list (printed out and on the wall by my desk)
  
• new strength training exercises to try (I may make a site feature out of this)
• coffee to look for at the import store (Kimbo!)
  
• people I need to call
  
• upcoming birthdays (some people never forgive you when you forget!)
• birthday gift ideas
  
• things to look up online
• topics of interest to research and find books about (I really love books)
  
• things I still can't find since we moved
• household items that need to be repaired or replaced
  
• clothes I need to replace (I hatehate all of my shirts!)
  

Wow, that's a lot of stuff, huh? So much to do... Ah well, it keeps life interesting! And, once you have it in a list, you can use a red pen to make check marks next to the items you've completed. It's so satisfying to see a list with a bunch of check marks.

*sigh*

Okay, I'll stop now. I just wanted to get that off my chest.

Mocha Custard

My mom used to make this when I was a kid, which may have been one of the early influences in my love of coffee.
OPTIONS: Double the recipe, and pour into ready-made graham cracker crust. This makes a really awesome pie!

Mocha Custard

1 pkg. (2.9 oz.) Jell-O Cook & Serve Custard mix (not instant)
2 c. milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 t. instant coffee (I use Maxwell House)
2 T. cocoa
1/4 c. sugar

1. Mix all ingredients together in small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with whisk.
3. Pour into individual custard cups, cover with plastic wrap, and cool in fridge.

Tea...

In the evenings, I think a nice hot cup of tea can be very soothing. Whether you prefer a classic English breakfast tea, or a Ceylon, or something herbal, there are endless options with which to fill your mug.

As with coffee, I don't consider myself any kind of "expert" when it comes to tea, but I know good flavor when I taste it. Here is a list of some of my favorite teas, in no particular order:

• Gevalia English Breakfast
• Stash
• English Breakfast
• Chai Spice
• Christmas Morning (seasonal)
  
• Hoilday Chai (seasonal)
  
• Decaf Chocolate Hazelnut Tea
• Decaf Creme Caramel Tea
• Decaf Pumpkin Spice Tea (seasonal?)
• Decaf Raspberry & White Tea
• Decaf Vanilla Nut Creme Tea
• Decaf Vanilla Chai Tea
• Organic Cascade Mint
• Decaf Raspberry & White Tea
  
• Twinings
• English Breakfast
• Ceylon Orange Pekoe Tea
• Irish Breakfast
• Cinnamon Apple Breakfast
• Cherry Black Tea (hard to find!)
• African Rooibos
• 1706 Tea
  
• Ahmad English Breakfast
• Harney & Sons Orange Pekoe
• TeaGschwendner Cherry Black Tea
• Adagio Cherry Ceylon Tea
• The Republic Of Tea Lucky Irish Breakfast Tea
  

Useful Tools: Meat Tenderizer Hammer

Imagine my horror at watching my best friend retrieve a rubber mallet from the garage to use for pounding steak and chicken flat!!! Guess what one of her Christmas presents was this past year?

Useful Tools: Meat Tenderizer Hammer

Some chicken recipes call for chicken to be "pounded flat" and they may not tell you how or why you're supposed to accomplish this mysterious feat.

The "why" of it is that a thinner piece of meat will be tenderized and will also cook faster. Perhaps the recipe also calls for the meat to be stuffed, which will be facilitated by a thinner form to work with.

The "how" of it is you simply place the meat on a thick cutting board, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent splatter, and you pound the heck out of it with a wooden, rubber, or metal kitchen hammer. Here are some of your options:


IN STORE:
KitchenAid Meat Tenderizer – Black at Target $15.19

ONLINE:
Black-Handled Meat Tenderizer (9-in.) Good Grips by OXO

Meat Tenderizer Gadgets by Anolon

Aluminum Meat Tenderizer with Wood Handle by ABC Valueline

Calphalon Meat Tenderizer**

Meat Tenderizer sale price: $7.50 (reg. $17.95)

Mario Batali Meat Tenderizer $8.99 at Target.com




**this was the one I got for my friend!

NOTE: the photo at the top is one that is in my kitchen drawer—it belonged to my Grandma—and I still use it to this day.

Honey Oat Bread

I first tested this recipe the same day that I made the Bisquick bread, working on them simultaneously. I have to admit to you right now that I let my bread machine do all the work, set on "dough" cycle!

Honey Oat Bread

1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. butter, softened (4 T.)
1/4 c. honey
1 c. boiling water
2 eggs
1 c. quick-cooking oats
1 t. salt
3 c. flour
1/2 c. wheat flour

1. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
2. In another bowl, combine butter, honey, and boiling water. (I put the water in a 4-cup measuring cup, then added honey to raise water level to 1 1/4 cup line; then added butter and microwaved it.) Stir well and allow to cool.
3. To yeast mixture, add eggs, oats, salt, butter mixture, and 2 cups of flour; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
   
4. Stir in additional flour to form a soft dough.
5. Cover and let rise until doubled in size; about 1 hour.
6. Punch down and transfer to greased 2-quart casserole dish.
7. Cover with plastic wrap that's been sprayed with cooking spray, lay a dish towel over the top, and let rise again for 30 minutes.
8. Bake at 375˚ for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped on top.
9. Cool at least 10 minutes before removing from casserole dish.

NOTE: Casey just told me that this is the best bread I've ever made!

Very Easy Bread

I was entirely skeptical when I first read this recipe, and I thought it would come out generic, but it's actually decent bread. Mine got a little too browned, but I rather like the crispy crust on it.
Pictures to follow...

Bisquick Bread

1 packet yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water
2 T. sugar
4 c. Bisquick
1 T. butter

1. Grease a glass loaf pan with butter; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
3. Add sugar and initially only 2 cups of Bisquick. Stir this vigorously for 2 minutes—it will be a very thin batter.
4. Add the other 2 cups of Bisquick and mix well to form a dough.
5. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
6. Stir down and continue to mix for 30 seconds.
7. Drop dough into loaf pan and allow to rise for another 30-40 minutes.
8. Bake at 375˚ for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is nicely browned, and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
   

NOTES: As I said in the intro, I think I baked mine too long because I had a bunch of things going on at once, and I didn't watch it closely in the oven. After letting it raise in the pan, I'd also score the top to allow for expansion, as mine fractured a little while baking.

Pom Pork Roast

I made this really awesome dinner Wednesday night. I had been thinking of a twist on the typical "Pork Chops and Apple Sauce" (now, everybody say it like Peter Brady! LOL!) and I wanted to incorporate pomegranate juice. So I bought a pork loin roast and a bottle of PomWonderful, and this is what resulted:

Pork Roast with Pomegranate Juice

1 (2 to 2.5 lb) pork loin roast, sliced into chunks
1/2 a Vidalia onion, quartered or cut into chunks
1 granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 c. baby carrots
3/4 c. dried cherries (about 2 handfuls)
1 beef bouillon cube
1 chicken bouillon cube
4 c. water
10 oz. pomegranate juice (I used PomWonderful)
1/4 t. allspice

1. Brown meat in pressure cooker (lid off) in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and brown a little more for flavor.
2. Add pomegranate juice, apple, carrots, and cherries.
   
3. Add water and bouillon cubes.
4. Bring to a boil and slap lid on.
5. When it reaches full pressure, set a timer for 45 minutes.
6. Carefully move pot using oven mitts; set in empty sink and run cold water over pot (I use the sprayer) until pressure releases.
7. Move pot back to stove and remove lid. Stir a little to break up chunks of meat.
8. Serve over noodles or rice.

NOTES: The dried cherries were a last-minute decision before I put the lid on the pressure cooker. I had intended on using dried cranberries, but I had eaten the last of them while watching a hockey game a few days prior, so the cherries were actually a substitute. When cooked, the dried cherries plumped back up and added great visual interest as well as just the right flavor. The apple will completely disintegrate, as will the onion, mostly. The meat will be incredibly tender, and you will totally love this dish.

My dad's rules...

This is just for the record...my dad had an unwritten list of rules, most of which were reinforced by fits of rage where it looked like either the veins in his neck would burst, or his eyes would pop out of his head, or both, as he was yelling at us. As far as I can recall, these were the lessons that my dad taught:

1. If you had been wearing shoes, that wouldn't have happened. (basically, when you got hurt at all, it was due to lack of proper footwear)
   
2. You're smart enough, figure it out yourself. (my dad's answer to any question)
3. If you don't stop that, you're going to break a window!
   
4. You're not going anywhere until you clean up your mess!!!
5. If you leave your bike in the driveway again, I'm going to run it over! (I actually contemplated this one; wouldn't he damage his car if he ran over my bike?)
6. If you think you're getting away scott-free, you've got another thing coming!!
   
7. You just don't know when to quit, do you?!
8. That's what you get for showing off. (wanting to be good at anything was discouraged; when you eventually failed, even once, this was his reply)
   
9. If you don't take care of your stuff, you're not going to have it.
   
10. I shouldn't have to tell you twice.
11. One more peep outta you, and I'll knock you into next week!
12. If you're trying to kill each other, I'm not going to stop you. (said from behind a newspaper, as my brother and I are fighting loudly in another room)
13. You got yourself into this--now you get yourself out! No one's going to save you!!!
14. If it's not yours, DON'T TOUCH IT!!!!
15. You're wasting lunchmeat! (he said this if you opened the fridge and just pulled a slice of ham out of the package and didn't make a sandwich with it)
16. People in Hell want ice water... (whatever you asked for, this was my dad's response)
    

#9 is actually true. I don't disagree with that one.

And to this day, I follow #14 to the point of feeling like I'm trespassing when I pick up my husband's socks and put them in the wash. Logically, I know he's not going to want to wear a pair of socks that've been lying on the bedroom/bathroom/whateverroom floor, but I still wonder if I should be moving them...

#2 was, as it turns out, a great way to teach problem-solving skills, determination, and independence.

With regards to #15, it is one of life's greatest guilty pleasures! I tell my husband all the time, "Look! Look, I'm wasting lunchmeat!!!" as I eat a slice or two directly from the deli bag. Tee-hee!!!

Stuffed Chicken Foil Packets

This is actually easier than making a whole stuffed chicken...but somehow I usually end up making a whole stuffed chicken instead of this. Dee-deh-dee!

Stuffed Chicken Foil Packets

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves
4 c. Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. milk or cream
1 c. warm water
4 or 5 slices of deli ham, minced
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (or you can use 2 cans of mushrooms, drained)

1. Heat oven to 400˚.
2. Tear off six squares of heavy-duty foil. Spray each with a tad of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
3. Mix soup and milk/cream; set aside.
4. Combine stuffing mix and water; spoon onto center of each foil square, dividing as evenly as you can.
5. Top each stuffing mound with a chicken breast, then add ham and mushrooms to each. Spoon soup over top of each.
6. Lift ends of foil packet and fold over twice at top, then sides. Repeat for each packet, leaving some room for steam (i.e. do not fold up packets tightly around contents; the chicken needs to steam inside).
7. Place packets on a large baking sheet, bake for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on how large the breast is; you want to make sure it is done through. Remove packets and let them stand 5 minutes.
8. Place packet on dinner plate, then cut slit in foil to release steam before opening fully.
   

NOTES: You don't have to use mushrooms and mushroom soup if you don't want to—you can use cream of chicken soup and whatever your favorite veggies might be. Adding cheese to this recipe is messy because it ends up sticking to the foil.

Crock-pot "Lasagna"

I had found this recipe online; unfortunately, I'm not certain about where it came from, or else I'd give credit where credit is due. I've tinkered with it somewhat to accommodate personal taste, and I really like the way it turns out as listed below.

Crock-pot Lasagna

1 pkg. wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 small onion, diced small
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 jar (24 oz.) marinara sauce (I use Barilla)
10 – 15 slices Hormel turkey pepperoni, minced
2 c. mozzarella, shredded
1/3 c. Parmesan or Romano, grated

1. Brown meat and onions in a large fry pan; drain out any excess grease and add garlic.
2. Mix in sauce and pepperoni.
3. Butter bottom and sides of 6-qt. crock-pot.
4. Spoon 1/3 of the meat in a layer on the bottom, then cover with cheese, and then a layer of noodles.
5. Repeat the layers two more times—you'll end up with a layer of noodles on top.
6. Sprinkle additional Parmesan/Romano and put lid on.
7. Cook on low for 2 or 3 hours, or until sides are bubbly and cheeses are melted.
   

NOTES: It can be difficult to estimate how thick the layers will turn out, but there's really no way to screw it up, honestly. You may think you're running out of room, but as it simmers, the layers will compress and it'll be fine.
FYI—my crock-pot is a Hamilton Beach SC30 model, and I like it a lot. Casey, bless his heart, bought it for me spur-of-the-moment on a day when we were having a party and I was being irritable. Love that man! LOL!

Hearty Meat Stew

Yeah, okay, I know I said before that I'm of Apache ancestry, but this recipe is borrowed from our fellow Native Americans, the Iroquois. I had found it online somewhere about ten years ago, and have made versions of it a couple of times because I like to tinker with recipes. The allspice is a necessity, however.

Iroquois Stew

1 lb. chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 lb. boneless pork roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 T. cooking oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 c. baby carrots
2 bouillon cubes; one beef, one chicken
1/4 t. ground allspice
2 bay leaves

1. Heat 1 T. oil n pressure cooker (no lid). Brown meats in oil (with lid off), beginning with pork as one batch; remove from pan and set aside.
2. Next, add more oil and brown beef as second batch; then, chicken as last batch. (you're only browning each meat separately to conserve space and to use the heat effectively; they will be mixed in together a few steps later.)
3. Add more oil to pan and brown onions.
4. Return meats to onions in pan, and add carrots, celery, allspice, bay leaves and bouillon.
5. Add enough water to cover meat, but do not fill pressure cooker more than 2/3 full.
6. With heat on medium, bring contents to a low boil.
7. Put lid on pressure cooker and heat to bring up pressure. Allow to cook for 35 to 45 minutes at full pressure.
8. At end of time, turn off heat and carefully move pot to sink for a quick-cool in cold water. (i.e. set it in an empty sink and run cold water over it until pressure releases.)
9. Move pot to stove and carefully remove lid. Stir the stew gently to break up the meat a little.
10. Find and pick out those bay leaves!
11. I like to serve this over mashed potatoes, or over a nice big baked potato—it makes a lovely impression on the plate. I made this discovery when I ran out of room in the pressure cooker and could not add potatoes directly to the stew.
    

NOTES: Using the pressure cooker results in the best blending of flavors, in my opinion. But, you can make it in a Dutch oven, or crock pot, if you would rather. DO NOT add garlic to this recipe—it will come out bitter.

Chocolate Cake Mix Bars

I made this for the first time last summer, although I'd had the recipe card lying around for quite a while. The kids next door always descend upon my baked goods like locusts, and generally love everything I make. Due to the ridiculous chocolate content, these were particularly well-loved.

Double Chocolate Fantasy Bars

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 c. chopped nuts*
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. (6 oz.) chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350˚.
2. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and egg. Beat at medium speed until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
3. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of crumbs in bowl in fridge. Press remaining crumbs into a 9 x 13" baking pan. Set aside.
4. In saucepan, combine chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; stir until chips melt.
5. Pour melted mixture over pressed crumbs. Top with reserved crumbs.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until sides are bubbly.
7. Refrigerate leftovers! (or else they'll get really gooey and hard to cut)
   

* NOTE: you can use whatever type of nuts you prefer.

Dreams

I had the strangest dream last night: one of my teeth fell out!

According to a friend, this is a direct result of having braces on my teeth in my early teens...

So I did a little reading.

Apparently, it is a common dream, regardless of whether or not you had braces. Other 'dream interpretation' resources attribute this to insecurity; possibly about finance, or appearance*. Well, there's certainly a broad spectrum of potential insecurities, eh? LOL!

Anyways, in the dream, I was sleeping on the couch at someone's house (a client, I won't mention his name) while Casey was busy working on an audio track for a job that was an all-nighter rush order. As I rolled over on the couch, I had an odd stabby sensation in my mouth, and upon sitting up, I discovered that my tooth was loose. It was the eyetooth on the right side, and it was barely hanging on by a thread. Gross! So, with no other options—it obviously wasn't going to just push back in and survive—I grabbed it and yanked it out.

Feeling that blank spot along my tooth-line was bizarre, and I thought of James "Wiz" Wisniewski (Blackhawks defenseman)**.

Since Casey was busy in a session or whatever, I couldn't just barge in to tell him; I'd have to deal with it myself. Searching for a mirror (for some reason, in dreams, I can never find a bathroom!), I found one in a hallway, and flashed a grin to see how bad it was. Again, I thought about Wiz. I wondered if I'd be able to fix the issue before anyone else noticed.

I found a phone and called my regular dentist, Dr. Gordon. For whatever reason, I had dialed the wrong number, and reached him at home. My intention was to call his office and leave a message, saying I had an urgent problem, but was not in any pain. So, when he answered the phone, I was surprised. Immediately, I apologized and tried to figure out my mistake. Dr. Gordon wasn't phased—although it must have been very late at night, or very early in the morning—and he offered to meet me at his Hawthorn Woods office. (Dr. Gordon does not have an office anywhere near there!)

At this point, I had to tell Casey what was going on, but I had set the tooth down somewhere while I was either searching for a mirror or calling the dentist. So, now I'm looking all over for the damn tooth, and my car keys, because I intend to go meet Dr. Gordon.

Searching in dreams is a common theme for me. The items I'm looking for vary, often it is a person I need to save, or my cat, or I think my car has been stolen. Or a tooth. You know, that's just how it goes.

So I think I woke up before anything more happened. The cat was walking across me, and I was afraid to run my tongue around my mouth. But I did, and all of my teeth were still intact.






* **References:
http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/000889.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10573.asp
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3571

BBQ Salmon "Meatloaf"

I love salmon, even the canned stuff that many people turn up their noses at. I was first introduced to the concept of barbecued salmon at a Chicago restaurant called "Bandera." This is a low-brow take on that distinction of flavors. You'll be surprised how well it works out. Seriously.

BBQ Salmon Meatloaf

2 cans salmon, drained, cleaned and boned
2 eggs
2 handfuls All Bran Garlic Herb crackers, crushed
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1 t. dried chopped chives
1 c. KC Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ sauce

1. Heat oven to 400˚.
2. Butter a loaf pan, preferably glass or ceramic.
3. In ziplock sandwich bag, crush crackers into crumbs; pour into mixing bowl.
4. Add salmon and eggs to bowl; mix well. (I use a pastry blender because it mixes out chunks and your hands won't smell nearly as much like salmon!)
5. Stir in chives and cheddar.
6. Plop into loaf pan, pat into shape, and pour BBQ sauce over top. (the 1 cup measurement is an approximation; use as much or as little as you like.)
   
7. Bake 25-30 minutes at 400˚ or until sauce is bubbly on sides.
8. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Kicka$$ Brownies

Once you have made and tasted these, you will understand the naming process. No, really. They are probably the best brownies EVER. No, really! Simple, yet so incredibly tasty.

Goldie's Brownies

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. half-and-half (or whipping cream)
1 t. vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350˚.
2. In medium sauce pan, melt butter; stir in cocoa powder. Stir over low heat until smooth. (the luscious chocolate aroma will just about knock you out at this point, but please try to maintain consciousness, okay?)
3. Remove from heat, and stir in half-and-half. Then, blend in sugar, flour, egg, and vanilla.
4. Pour into greased 8-inch square baking pan.
5. Bake 25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!
   

NOTES: Options include mixing in nuts, or topping with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, either of which have been well-received by all who know me. You could also choose to flavor them with almond extract, or a shot of Kaluha in place of the vanilla extract.

Ya gotta laugh...

Okay, this just amused me to no freakin' end...

http://www.myrapname.com/


From now on, you can call me:
GG Diva Booty a.k.a. Foxy Trip
Magic Triple G
Miss G Goldie Trixx
G Booty Chill
Hot Goldie

Or, if you really know me:
TT Cookies a.k.a. Lil' Cakes
Butter T

SMINTS!

Smints are back!!!! Holy cow!!!

I have been looking for these wonderful, tiny, little mints for like two years now, unsuccessfully.

We were just at the "vacation" Strack's and while standing in the check-out lane, I turned my head, and what did I see...?

SMINTS!!!!

For those of you who are not familiar with Smints, they are teeny-tiny little mints that have a lot of flavor. But it isn't an overwhelming flavor like Altoids.

Try some today!!!