Espresso Brownie Pie

This was beyond "rich" and extremely delicious!

Espresso Brownie Pie

1 prepared graham cracker crust (or you can use a regular prepared pie crust, if you prefer)
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 stick of butter
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. biscuit baking mix (Bisquick)
1 T. espresso powder
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 325°.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in small saucepan over low heat; stir in sweetened condensed milk.
3. Remove from heat and add espresso powder, biscuit mix, eggs and vanilla.
4. Whisk until smooth (it will be thick!); pour into pie crust.
   
5. Bake at 325° for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set. Cool at least 1 hour before you try to cut and serve it.
   

Option: top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. (I recommend this!)

random amusements

Work has been keeping me busy over the past two weeks and I have not had time to post any of the food photos I've taken recently. Plus, after working in front of a computer screen all day, the last thing I want to do is sit here any longer...

Then there's all of the outside stuff that we want to accomplish, like starting a garden. My uncle made us these raised beds out of cedar, and we need to set and level them still...

We had to turn the sprinkler system on to see where to place them...

I'm anxious to get this started, but the weather has been so cool, and none of my little seed trays are even sprouting yet. :(

I will probably end up going out to buy plants if I don't see something happening soon...but, then again, since the beds are not ready yet, I guess I'm in no hurry.

It's funny that as of May 1st we've been in the house for 3 years now, and I still have lots of stuff we have never unpacked. I had bought Casey some art for the office, but we didn't put it up, and he seems to have a resistance to making nail holes in the walls. Oh, sure, we can get those sticky-tape 3M things, but I've witnessed them being unreliable, so I don't really want to go that route.

A lot of things go unfinished, even with all of the good intentions we have, and the business ends up making it seem like there are not enough hours in the day. Know what I mean?

Well, it's 11:15pm, and I need to go get on the exercise bike...

I titled this "random amusements" but this has turned out sounding more like a "Gripe Of The Day"! LOL!



Thanks for your continued patience...

~Goldie

Gripe Of The Day

those are my garden shoes/clogs...whatever you want to call them...

My feet hurt!

We were working out in the yard (Sunday) for quite a while, and my feet hurt.

That's it.

That's my gripe. Sore feet.

Gifts from Casey...

This is what my charming husband got me for my birthday.

I was planning on making a stacked crepe cake, like the Martha Stewart recipe, but we'll see whether or not I'm gonna be that ambitious today....I'm thinking, "no."

Just plan to grill some ribeye steaks and maybe watch some movies later.

Keepin' it low-key, the way I like it.



FYI: here's a picture of the crepe cake:

BLTC

BLTC = Bacon Lettuce Tomato Chicken sandwich

I just made a BLT with some deli chicken on it, and it was so fabulous, I took a picture!!! LOL!!

Raspberry Rolls

This is just going to be a pictorial...follow the photos for the steps in the recipe...

Raspberry Rolls

1 pkg. Hot Roll mix
1 can raspberry filling
1/2 pkg. (about 1 cup, I think) frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. butter, melted





















Make some ganache using chocolate and whipping cream; serve rolls with ganache poured over them...



Messy...but good!

random amusements

My new favorite website!

The Texas Beef Council's list of recipes...

http://www.txbeef.org/recipe_book

Just found this site with some wonderful recipes, so I thought I'd share.



I'm sorry I don't have time to elaborate, but I'm supposed to be working right now, so I have to get back to it. Things should ease up this weekend, and I hope to post some more recipes of the things I've been cooking...

~Goldie

Bisquick Tuna Quiche Pie

I've made several of the different versions of Bisquick's "Impossible" Pies, but this is the only one I've photographed for a post. While it may seem a little generic, it is a very easy and tasty dinner.

"Impossible Seafood Pie"

1 can tuna (I think this was only one can, but it may have been 2 cans)
1 c. shredded cheese (I used Monterrey Jack)
1 t. dried minced onion
2 oz. cream cheese
2 c. milk
1 c. Bisquick
4 eggs
1 t. salt

Heat oven to 400˚. Prepare a pie plate with non-stick cooking spray; place on a cookie sheet.


Mix tuna, shredded cheese and onion...


...layer evenly in pie plate. Dab with cream cheese—you can use more or less than the two ounces listed, depending on personal taste preference.


In blender, mix milk, Bisquick, eggs and salt.


Pour mixture over ingredients in pie plate. Carefully move to oven (this is partially why you put it on a cookie sheet—so it wouldn't spill or run over in the oven.)


Bake at 400˚ for 35-40 minutes, or until set in the center. Top should be lightly browned, but don't let it get over-done or it will be tough. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

random amusements

What should I do with my puff pastry?

It has been in the freezer for a few weeks, and although I had plenty of ideas and good intentions when I bought it, I forget now why it hopped into my cart.

Sure, I could look through my cookbooks and find a few recipe ideas, but I've done enough reading lately....

What do YOU think I should make with the puff pastry sheets?




...I'm waiting.....

German Chocolate Cake

I made this for Casey as his "welcome home" treat, after he was out of town for several days. I missed him terribly...and he missed my cooking!!! LOL!

German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Frosting

1 bar (4 oz.) German chocolate
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter, softened (2 sticks)
4 large eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 350˚. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
(or you can use 2 round cake pans; bake for 35-45 minutes)

Melt chocolate in microwave; stir until smooth.

In large mixing bowl, blend sugars with butter using an electric mixer; beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing continuously. Mix in melted chocolate; then add the rest of the ingredients. Pour batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake at 350˚ for 40-50 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cake will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and look crusty. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely before frosting.


Gooey Coconut Frosting

1 c. sugar
1 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
3 eggs, beaten (at room temp)
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flaked coconut

Mix evaporated milk with sugar and butter in a medium sauce pan; add beaten eggs and cook over medium-low heat until it is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and vanilla. Allow to cool, away from stove, for about 30 minutes before frosting cake.



I baked it in my heart-shaped Bundt pan!



Mmmmmm....cake.....

Garden Party

2nd Annual Garden Party/Plant Swap
Saturday the 24th 1:00pm

Okay, I'm trying this again. Last year the weather did not cooperate because of an unusually cold Spring, and I'm hoping it will turn out to be a nicer day this time around. (although rain is predicted! ARG!)

Sometimes people need a little gentle shove to get them active in the yard, and I'm even using this event to inspire myself along with others, because we've basically been hibernating all winter. Visiting with friends and neighbors is something I'm really looking forward to, the sharing of plants is an added bonus.

Casey & I have several landscaping projects in mind, including a vegetable garden which will most likely require the construction of raised beds. This is something that needs to be done, too. I'm tired of "mooching" off of our very generous neighbors without being able to offer something back!

Daffodils blooming in the yard:


Below is the text I used in my email and flyers—feel free to borrow it for your own garden party plan:

I'm planning to have a garden party & plant swap on [date] . The basic premise is to share different types of plants among all the attendees.



What you should bring:


1. Two flats of plants from any of the local garden centers or home stores. If each person does this, there will be a nice variety available in the swap. I will separate them by type (annual, perennial, bulbs, etc.) and then we can divvy them up. You aren't obligated to take one of each—take only what you want.
2. Optional: Bring any plants from your yard that need to be thinned out or divided. You are not required to purchase extra plants—this part is strictly voluntary, for those who have the resources in their yard, and want to do the digging!
   
3. Optional: Extra seeds or seed packets that you'd like to share.
   

If you plan to attend, let me know what you intend to bring, so that we can coordinate colors and not get too many duplicates in the swap. Please let me know if you are not interested, or have other plans.



**Snacks and drinks will be provided, so you only need to bring plants and not food.** 





RSVP: ___________________




One of my favorites, violas, are taking over the front flower beds:


hybrid tulips with multiple flowers on each stem:



I will check back in, probably with photos, and report on how the day goes....but right now I have to go clean up the garage...

Bacon-Cheddar Chicken

This was dinner on another one of my lazy, lonely nights while Casey was out of town...

Bacon-Cheddar Chicken

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 slices turkey bacon
some cheddar cheese
dash of: garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder

Microwave the bacon until crispy—about 2 to 3 minutes—on a piece of paper towel. Put another one on top to keep it from splattering. (I saved 2 pieces for breakfast the next day)


Saute the chicken, cut into pieces, in a little dab of olive oil. Add seasonings...it looks like I put a dash of marjoram in there, too...


Put the chicken on a plate and top with cheese and bacon. Sit in front of the tv while you eat, and try not to miss your husband....oops!...having flashbacks, sorry!

Chicken Taco Salad

While Casey was out of town, I got kinda lazy in the kitchen, so one night I just made myself a quick salad...

Chicken Taco Salad

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 T. butter
dash of: garlic salt, cumin, paprika

salad: mixed greens, diced tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, black olives, fat-free sour cream

I just diced up the chicken and cooked it in a frying pan with the butter, then seasoned it until it tasted right and made it into a salad. No real epic culinary experience this time....just making a salad. It tasted soooo good! (I had an avocado, but was too lazy to cut it up for the salad...)

random amusements

Game 3 - Blackhawks VS. Predators

Pekka Rinne voodoo doll...

Rinne needs to feel some added pressure tonight...

Be a shame if that famous "toe save" suddenly became ineffective for some unknown reason...


NOTE:
This is entirely comical with no real or imagined links to actual "voodoo" practices. It is intended only for the purpose of entertainment.


...much like the real Pekka Rinne, he is fabricated from paper towel,
glued together, and stuffed with Kleenex.


But, on the serious side, in the last game, the Chicago Blackhawks shut out the Nashville Predators (2-0) simply by being the better team.

I thought both teams played hard and played well, with Nashville failing to get anything going on the power play. I like the Hawks' PK and think that Colin Fraser in particular is an extremely effective penalty killer. However, the Hawks need to stay out of the box tonight, and not let Nastyville bait them into taking bad penalties.

I'm a little anxious because I know the "Preds" will come out hitting, and if the Hawks can return the favor and hold off the initial onslaught, they can out-skill and out-play Nashville. .....and if not, I'll keep the "voodoo doll" handy!!! LOL!!!!

LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!