Back from Disney!

I am back - physically - not mentally yet! It is so hard to get in the swing of things when you have been gone for a full week. My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by taking my family and my brother's family to Disney World and the Disney Cruise. My children had never been, my husband had never been, and I was 8 when I last set foot in the enchanted world of the Magic Kingdom. I won't bore you with the 500 photos I took, or the stories of how the sea air shrunk all my clothes (If I never eat again - I will be just fine), but I do want to share one thing that tickled me to bits.



It happened on the Cruise. Every day when we came back to our room from our adventures there it was. Waiting, hanging out, just wanting to send a smile shooting across our face - and it never failed! Who knew towel animals possessed the power to make one person so happy?



Bunnies...



Lobsters.....



and Monkeys were just some of the animals that made our day! How neat would it be to have this little guy hanging in your kids bathroom in the morning. Just hanging out - waiting to say good morning. Try it - see it if doesn't make their day - just like it made ours! Click HERE to find out how!

Quiche Craving!

The day Robin Sue and I did our "2 Cheap Chics" Blog we started our excursion with a wonderful lunch at a little outdoor cafe in Reston. The Quiche I had that day (pictured above) was probably the best quiche I have ever had. That one little piece (Ok it was the size of my head) probably had enough butter in it to kill a cow - but it was AMAZING! I haven't really stopped thinking about that wonderful slice of heaven, and so I decide to quench my quiche craving by making one for my family dinner.



I dug through my recipes and decide on one that always comes out creamy, cheesy and plain old perfect. Don't be afraid when you see mayonnaise on the ingredient list - it helps to make this ham and cheese dish rich and wonderful!

Creamy Ham and Cheese Quiche

1 (9-inch) Pie shell, thawed
2 cups shredded sharp cheese
1 cup chopped ham
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 375. Toss together cheese, ham, and onion. Spoon into pie shell. Whisk together remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour over ham and cheese mixture. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden and knife inserted into center comes out clean.



It hit the spot on that warm October night - but I look forward to hitting that little lunch spot again some cold November afternoon!

Dad's Birthday Butterscotch Pie

On his Birthday my Dad gets to choose whether or not he wants a Molasses Cake or a Butterscotch Pie. This year he chose the Butterscotch Pie and thus the blog that appears below. Strangely enough, my Mom and her Mom, as well, always chose a Butterscotch Pie for their Birthday. I wonder how long this recipe has been around?
It will remain on the A-list as it is goood - but then so is the molasses cake.

Butterscotch Pie

Put one pint milk in double boiler and when it is hot add:

1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon flour (I do mean heaping)
3 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla and
yolks of 3 eggs which have all been creamed together.

Cook until thick then add 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Put in an already baked shell. Cover with meringue made with 3 egg whites and 1/2 cup
sugar.
Sprinkle a few chopped nuts on top and brown in oven.
(375 degrees for five minutes)
Allow to cool well before serving.



After using this same recipe for years I read in a newspaper that one
Tablespoon molasses added to a butterscotch pie enriches the color of
the filling and blends with the sugar, butter and vanilla, giving the pie
a true butterscotch-candy flavor.



Happy Birthday Dad - I love you!

Pumpkin Play Dough

It is getting to be the time of year when children come back in the house to play. Days are getting colder and the kitchen table is more comfortable than the sandbox.



Play Dough

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tblspn cooking oil
2 tsp. cream of tartar

Mix together, cook until dough comes away
from side of pan (about three minutes)
Cool slightly - knead - add coloring
(Can add coloring with the water)




This simple recipe for play dough is not only easy to make but keeps well and with the addition of food coloring is definitely for all seasons. My mom just made some to give to her "great" nephew and included a few cookie cutters. ( While Mom is making real Halloween cookies her son can make endless shapes and pretend cookies.) He will be able to make pumpkins and bats but put in green food coloring and he will be making Christmas trees. This play dough can also be used with the many play dough toys found in the marketplace.



Make it today and give it away or have it on hand when your grandchildren come over or if your children have a play date.

Saltine Toffee Cookies

Saltine Toffee Cookies

My mother had her first bite of these two years ago at a neighborhood cookie exchange. She loved them and particularly enjoyed the fact that these could be made with matzoh crackers as well as saltines.
Remember, she grew up in the Catskills sometimes called the Borscht Belt and has friends that could appreciate this recipe. Don't wait for the Holidays or a cookie exchange- this recipe is good and easy for any occasion.



Ingredients:

4 ounces saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans




Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in a single layer,
(I covered cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then sprayed with
cooking spray.)
3. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil
for three minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread
to cover crackers completely.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven
and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for five
minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped
nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces. (Cool in fridge.)

Organizing a Magazine Addiction

Grocery Stores know exactly what they are doing! They put the candy on one side of the checkout line so your kids go crazy, and they put the eye candy (Cooking Magazines) on the other side so you go crazy. I hate it! I tell myself - I am not going to buy one more cooking magazine. I have an armoire - literally- full of cook books, but once I see the checkout line I start to feel the addiction. I tell myself I'm just going to take a peek. I just want one little peek. I'll be careful - I don't want to wrinkle the magazine for the person who is REALLY going to buy it. I'll just graze - slightly. Then it happens - I spot the perfect recipe for all the ingredients I have in my pantry already. The justification for the purchase starts - I wouldn't need to buy any ingredients - which is really SAVING my family money, and besides, this could be my family's favorite new recipe. Before I know it - that magazine has found it's way to the conveyor belt (on top of the groceries so as not to get water damage from the slightly damp belt) and I relapse.

Taming my addiction
I usually hold on to those magazines for about 6 months and then it is time to clean house. I go through each magazine and pull out the 6 or so pages containing something I think I will actually make. I then put those pages in page protectors and slide them into one of four binders. My largest binder holds just dessert recipes (go figure - oh wait - my figure's gone!) The next binder holds Chicken, Turkey and Pork recipes. The third binder holds Beef and Seafood, and the last one holds Pasta, Veggies, and Bread recipes.



These binders are so helpful when I have purchased Chicken Breast or Hamburger and want a new and fun recipe to try. I just pull out my binder and refresh my memory of what I wanted to make - 6 months ago!

How do you store your magazine clippings - and better yet - what is your addiction in the cooking world?

Fall Decorating Idea

Fall is here...and how do I know this? It is this time of year that I constantly dress inappropriately for every outdoor event. At my daughter's cheerleading at 5pm I've dressed in fleece and jeans only to be met with blazing hot bleachers and direct sunlight. At my other daughter's morning Volleyball game I have managed to wear capris and a short sleeve shirt only to be sitting in a gym catching a cold and frost bite. Yes I love the fall - Mother Nature can't make up her mind (just like me)!
One thing I can rely on is my Plastic Pumpkin topiary. He patiently waits in the basement for the opportunity to show his little face for such a brief time. I can always count on "him" to let my neighbors know - Fall is Here!



Construction of this perfect fall decoration is easy. I just purchased 3 graduated plastic pumpkins from my local craft store. The smallest pumpkin gets a hole only in the bottom. The medium and large size pumpkins get holes in the top and bottom.
Insert dowel stick through all three pumpkins while leaving a little excess on the bottom. I hot glued some leaves around each pumpkin, since you are able to see quite a space because of the pumpkins stems.



My dad drilled a small hole in the bottom of the dowel to thread with a wire. He then tied a brick around some string and fixed it to the wire. The topiary is so light. This weight keeps it from flying away in the cold night wind!

I have had two of these pumpkin topiaries for 5 years now. I think they were definitely worth the investment!