Potato Wedges & BBQ Dipping Sauce

For some reason side dishes seem to be hard for me.  Deciding what to serve with my main dish is complicated and annoying.  I'm not sure why?  Growing up my sweet mama always made our dinners flawlessly...it was like she could just wake up everyday and dinner for the night was born effortlessly.  I now realize that was not the case...there was a lot of planning involved but still...what am I going to serve with the pork roast in the crock pot?????  One of the problems is trying to please EVERY palate in my home.  Tater loves pasta but not couscous...Tales likes Caesar salad but not spinach salad!!  I admit that a lot of nights I try to choose a one pot dinner just so that I don't have to think about what to make for my second dish.

There is however one side dish that everyone seems to love equally and that is Potato Wedges.  I love them because they are simple to throw together and they can be eaten with any meat.  To make them I begin with a potato for each person that I am feeding...

I wash the skins of the potato's really well and then cut them...

First in thirds length wise.

Then I take each piece and slice wedges.  Usually 3 or 4 wedges per slice...

Until I have them all cut.  I then arrange them on a greased baking sheet skin side down.  Instead of drowning them in oil to bake, I spray them with Canola Oil cooking spray (PAM) on the top and season them with salt and pepper.  Bake them in a preheated 450° oven for about 25 minutes or until they look like this (if they don't have the color you want then turn on the broiler the last few minutes and they will)...

My kids love them dipped in ranch and ketchup but the other day I decided to try and recreate the Onion Ring Sauce from Red Robin.  I'm not sure if you have ever tasted it before but it is quite AMAZING.  To make it I used 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke...

Combine well and serve for dipping...

Make them as a side along side a burger, roast, chicken breast...anything.  An easy side dish that everyone should love.  Now I just need to come up with about 10 more...Sweet sides-

Love that lasts a lifetime...

I have to say that, I am a very lucky girl.  Every single day of my life I am surrounded by handfuls of amazing people.  Friends and family who make my life more complete.  My parents are my constant and my rock. My sisters (some biological and some chosen) are the ones who keep me grounded and who help me through life's moments.  My sweet babies make my life complete in a lovingly chaotic way, what can I say, they brats but they are MY brats.  My boyfriend and his sweet babies have added a special something that I didn't even know I was missing in life and am so glad that I am not anymore.  My nieces and nephews are like children of my own, who I don't have to take care of everyday and can spoil when I do...what is better than that?

Then there are these two...

who just celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary!!

Myself and 60+ others who get to call them Papa & Mamu are the luckiest grandchildren in the ENTIRE WORLD!!  Every single day we are blessed with these two amazing grandparents who love us unconditionally and also show us that love can last a lifetime.  I love them big bunches and after looking at this picture I can't wait to see them...give them hugs and eat pancakes!! Yep...I am one lucky girl.  Sweet Papa & Mamu-

Running News & Puppy Love...

A few weeks ago I invited all of you to join me for the Pear Blossom Run/Walk in Medford, Oregon on Saturday April 13th but I wanted to let you know that plans have changed.  You see...my sister (Amus) and I are taking our 4 babies on a fun filled trip to Southern California. Our plan was to drive down on Sunday after the race because airfare for all six of us was a little outrageous.  We were going to just take turns and power through the 11 hour drive with 4 restless teens and preteens...even though flying seemed a whole lot more fun.  It was going to work well because we could run the race on Saturday...get a good nights sleep...wake up early and get it done!  But then a really great airfare came across my email about a week ago and all of us could fly round trip for under $100.00 each and so.........we decided to take it!!  The only problem is that we need to be in Reno, Nevada by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday the 13th to get the awesome deal and so that means we can't be Medford to run the race.  A bummer and a fabulous thing all at the same time.

I will however be running the 5K during St. Patty's Day here in Lakeview on Saturday, March 16th.  I don't yet know the exact time but because I have done this before...

I know that it is a good time and I would love for any or all of you to join me.  Message me if you are interested.

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In other news, this girl (our sweet baby Sage)...

Has a Valentine!!  Last night when I arrived home from a fabulous dinner with my Darb there was a package in the mail box addressed to Sage.  Atop a sweetly wrapped box was a card from our neighbor dog and fellow Yorkie Radar asking Sage to be his Valentine.  Inside the box there were three of his favorite bones and little love note...what a sweetie!!  Now, I would love to tell you that Sage is such a lady that she carefully took each bone and carried them to her bed for later but that is most definitely NOT what happened!!  She is completely OBSESSED with these darn bones...I have to wonder if Radar laced them with something because she has gone MAD!!  I think she spent ALL night digging in the couches, beds and blankets hiding these silly things only to get them out and hide them again.  I'm not sure poor Radar knows what he is getting himself into...his Valentine is completely CRAZED!!!  Sweet puppies-

Valentine Breakfast 2013...

Yesterday I shared with you a fun idea for this mornings Valentine's breakfast.  It is what I fixed for my sweeties last year and they absolutely loved them.  Now I have to tell you that one of the problems with being me (and believe me...there is more than just one) is that I sometimes get obsessive over silly things...like breakfast on Valentine's Day.  I really do have other things to do but once I make my mind up to do something then it pretty much consumes me until it is planned and over.  The fact is that I'm sure my kids appreciate tolerate this trait.  I could probably serve them cereal and they would be completely happy...as long as they didn't have to do it themselves.  I think that might be why I blog because then I have a reason to do these things.

So for this years breakfast I decided to make heart shaped French Toast with fresh raspberry syrup.  The night before I cut my Texas Toast bread into heart shapes, mixed my French Toast batter, set the table and assembled the syrup.

Breakfast table...

I just used a cookie cutter to make the heart shaped Texas Toast...

I like using Texas Toast because I want the bread to be thick.

For my French Toast batter I combined 3 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg...

The raspberry syrup began in a sauce pan with 1 pint of raspberries, 1/3 cup sugar (mine was a little tart, you may need to add a little more) and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Cook over medium heat for about five minutes being sure to stir and break up the berries with a wooden spoon constantly.  Let cool completely and then using my blender I blended it until smooth...

You could go one step further and use a strainer to get the seeds out but I didn't this time.

This morning all I needed to do was get the griddle ready, warm the syrup and cook the French Toast.  It really was pretty darn simple. 

It truly is a great way to start the day...it is sad that I only do it a few times a year.  I think once in a while a "just because week day breakfast" might be in order.  Sweet valentine-

Valentine Breakfast Idea...

Last year I shared with you the Valentine breakfast that I quickly prepared for my sweet babies.  I really love to make a special breakfast on Valentine's Day for them when it lands on a week day because you just never know what might come up.  Tale's basketball schedule can be a little crazy and so the only meal I know that we will all be together at is...breakfast. 

So for those of you looking for a quick and easy idea...look no further.  Start with a can of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (the ones you get right next to the biscuits and crescent rolls).  Unroll and re-roll each one to resemble a heart.  Just like this...

Bake according to package instructions.  I added a little red food coloring to the frosting that is in the packet provided to make it pink.  A few strawberries and some scrambled eggs finished the meal.

The good thing about it is that you don't even have to add anything extra.  Just a warm plate of heart shaped cinnamon rolls will absolutely do.  A little something fun to start the day of love.  Tune in tomorrow to see this years Valentine's breakfast menu.  Sweet breakfast-

Valentine Sugar Cookie Bars

This recipe is for all of you moms out there who's child will come home on Wednesday night and tell you that they need 2 dozen valentine treats by tomorrow morning!!  Kids have a funny way of forgetting certain things...like when they volunteer their sweet mama for holiday treats and then don't think about it again until only hours before you need to have them delivered...kids!!  I can't even tell you how many times this has happened to me in the past and I so wish that I had this recipe.  It uses basic ingredients that most of you will have on hand...it only takes a few minutes to mix them together...they only take about 12 minutes to bake and it yields 24-36 good sized portions...PERFECT for anytime but especially perfect when in a pinch.

To make them you will need 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter or margarine, 2 cups of sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 5 cups of all-purpose flour.  Begin by creaming together the butter and sugar.  Add each egg to creamed mixture one at a time until mixed well and then add the vanilla.  For the dry ingredients add the salt and baking powder, mix well.  Then add one cup of flour at a time until the dough comes together.  Using your fingers pat the dough into a greased 13x18 jelly roll pan...

Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 12-15 minutes.  I know I say this all of the time but DO NOT OVER BAKE THEM.  You want them to just barely turn a light brown around the edge before you pull them out and let them cool.

For the frosting you could always use a can of your favorite but in this case I made a creamy and delicious cream cheese frosting.  I used 1 stick of margarine, 4 oz. of cream cheese, 4 cups of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and a little red food coloring (for a sweet pink color)...

  

Mix the margarine and cream cheese together until well blended, add the vanilla.  Then a cup at a time add the powdered sugar.  You shouldn't need to add any water or milk to the frosting, it may seem like it will be too thick but as it mixes together it will become the right consistency...

I then added a little red food coloring and scooped it onto the bars...

Frosted them and added a few adorable heart sprinkles...

I'm not sure if I will ever go through the hassle of making cut out sugar cookies again...these are so easy and so darn good that they just might be my new go-to recipe...

In fact you might just want to make these up for "just in case"...because you never know which one of your sweet babies will come home and in their tiny little voice say, "Mama, I need valentine treats tomorrow."  Sweet kids-

Surprise Party Success...

Well...I am happy to report that I still have a boyfriend!!!  YIPPEE!!  The surprise party that I planned for Darby's 40th was a complete success and the birthday boy enjoyed himself...thank goodness!  The best part about the night is that most of our closest family and friends were able to make it.  After all...a party is only is good as the people who are there and we had the best of the best. 

Planning the surprise party started after Christmas and began with the invitation...

Then it was a matter of planning the menu.  I wanted to be sure that EVERYTHING I served was something that I new Darb loved!!  For dessert I made Golden Oreo Truffles (his favorite store bought cookie), Red Velvet cookies and Snickers Brownies.  All of his very favorites on one tray...

I will be posting the recipes for each of the desserts over the next few weeks because if you like Snickers Bars then you have GOT.TO.MAKE those Snickers Brownies!!  Guest were literally making them selves sick from eating so many of them...definitely the hit of the night!!

I also made whiskey bottle sugar cookies to bring the invitation back into the party.  At the last minute I decided to display them in an old soda crate that I had and I have to say it was just sort of brilliant...look how cute they are in there...

For the food table I made Rotisserie Chicken & Cheese sliders (a spin on Darb's favorite sandwich), Shrimp Cocktail, Ground Beef Taquitos, Chicken and Bacon Jalapeno Poppers, a bowl of Doritos (can't plan a party for Darby with them) and my sister made a bacon and cheese dip...

The Chicken and Bacon Jalapeno Poppers were a new recipe and sometimes that makes me nervous because you never know...but they were awesome!!  The entire pan was devoured in no time flat!!  The kids even loved them.

A few gifts, a few drinks, and a ton of great conversation finished off the night just perfectly.  Now on to Reno (tomorrow) to keep the birthday celebration going.  Sweet Darb-