So far, a relatively productive day . . .

 
So far, my day has been blessed and I got a lot of things done including time at Adoration and a trip to the grocery store.

Gosh, I am constantly amazed at how fast the cost of food is going up. Nowadays, when I see something going for pre-2008 prices, I stock up. Kind of makes me feel like I'm preparing for the worst of something! Anyway, I got some good deals and controlled any possibility of impulse shopping. Mass, Adoration, and shopping were all done by noon so I had a few hours to work on my lagging 'home business' of quilting quilts. I actually finished one, today. The pictures show the front and the back of the quilt. It looks better 'in person' but the camera worked hard at trying to caputure the colors for me.

My scrap quilt of yesterday reached the quilting stage today. The reason the first quilt got done so promptly? I needed pins for the scrap quilt so finished the first one in order to remove the pins!

Summer is striking with a heavy hand as we are up to triple digits in heat today. We don't have air conditioning so rely on some stragically placed fans . . . it isn't working! And, tomorrow, it is supposed to get even hotter. The news said that even the beach areas were hitting the high 80's which is unusual. Frankly, 80-plus degrees is sounding pretty cool right now!

Off to get another iced glass of water . . . possibly to dump over myself then drink!

Your Pot Luck Offering . . .

In case you are venturing over to a pot luck this weekend, something in a crock pot would be easy to bring and just plug in and share. I like basic and easy because a large group of people don't always like the same thing and will wander over to something recognizable and savory.

1 pound ground beef, fried and crumbled
(You can do half and half with ground pork, if you like.)

1 onion, diced
1 bell peppers (your choice of red, green, or yellow), diced
2 14.5 ounces cans diced tomatoes
2 14.5/15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
16 ounces of corn, canned or frozen
1 14.5/15 ounce can of kidney beans
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash of chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 cup shredded cheese, your choice

After you brown and crumble the meat, in the same pan, lightly saute the onions and peppers until they almost lose their crisp.

Add the meat, vegetables, canned items, and seasonings to the crock pot at your favorite setting and depending on when you need it.

When you are ready to serve, top each bowl of chili with diced tomatoes and cheese.

This recipe can also be cooked on the stove top. Crock pots keep one, less chore off your list but, sometimes, it is nice to have a pot on the stove to fuss over and scent the house with good flavors to be!

Chocolate Pots de Creme

Okay, besides peanut butter, chocolate ranks very high in my diet-breaker of choice. Just ran across this one in my search for something special to make this weekend and am definitely going to have it cooling in my refrigerator very soon.

3/4 cup milk
6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces
2 eggs
2 tablespoons strong coffee
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur or extract

In a small pan, slowly heat the milk but do not boil. In a blender, combine chocolate,eggs, coffee, and liqueur. Blend until very smooth. Add hot milk and blend until well combined.

Pour mixture into six small serving cups and chill for about four hours before serving. To present your creation, some whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder would not go amiss. My crew would also demand a cherry. A touch of cinnamon adds another flare to the dessert as would a few scrapes of freshly grated orange zest.

Although I haven't tried it yet, I'd think the recipe would double quite easily for a crowd.

Peanut butter pie . . . dessert?

This looks very good but, then, I enjoy peanut butter! Although is would work well spread into a crumb crust, I'm thinking of parfait glasses to serve this. For me, pie crusts can often get in the way of a creamy filling.

1 package 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Whip the cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar gradually, beating until smooth. Add peanut butter to blend. Stir in milk and vanilla.

Whip the heavy cream with the sour cream and granulated sugar until it is stiff. Fold into the peanut butter mixture. Spoon into either a prepared (as in already baked, if necessary!) pie crust or into individual serving glasses. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. You can also preface the addition of the peanuts and syrup with a puff of whipped cream. If you aren't serving it at once, Make another half batch of the whipped cream called for in this recipe. It will last in the refrigerator for almost three days without breaking down.

Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving this delicate, smooth, and soft dessert.

So easy yet seldom considered!

One reason I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time.

Lady Nancy Astor

Quotes to remember for the Fourth of July!

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.  ~Thomas Paine


This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.  ~Elmer Davis


The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation.  ~Woodrow Wilson


Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have.  ~Harry Emerson Fosdick


Let freedom never perish in your hands.  ~Joseph Addison

Baking in spite of the summer temperatures . . .

Okay, I'm crazy but I plan to bake a few batches of cupcakes to decorate in red, white, and blue for the holiday weekend. I want to try the bakery-style frosting recipe I posted a week or so ago and I want to treat some friends and neighbors.

Sigh . . . While I do like what the Fourth of July stands for, I dislike the way the holiday is presented. No patriotism in our neighborhood, just blaring stereos and fire crackers being set off from dawn until practically the next dawn. Given the height and blast, we are talking about a lot of 'imported' and illegal stuff being exploded over our roofs. How do we celebrate? We spend the early evening thoroughly wetting down our roof and yard. We give the dog a treat to calm her down. And we try to cope with music that is louder than  our television WITH closed doors and windows. You have to wonder where consideration and a real feel for what the day stands for has gone.

Anyway, I'm making my festive cupcakes and giving them out on Sunday. My husband always has to laugh when I get indignant over the unnecessary noise that disturbs the peace of the neighborhood because I always remark, "Well, there is another person who is NOT getting one of my quilts for Christmas!" Since these people don't even know me, I'm thinking they aren't worried! But, hey, they don't know what they are missing! :- )