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Just wanted to post this beautiful picture taken straight out of my camera:




Sunset that evening:




Stunning

Short Ribs Baby!!!! I'm Back! Again

 

I have to tell ya, cooking intrigues me.  There are just some things in my life that I just have to cook.  I may not every do it again but now I know that I have "been here done that".

I have a favorite blog, actually I am addicted to this blog.  Everyone that knows me knows I talk about this blog all the time.  Its called The Pioneer Women.  Ree Drummond is the author and has become a very close friend of mine.  She doesn't know it yet, but she is. 

I got into photography because of her.  Bought expensive cameras, because of her, took expensive classes, because of her, and am having the time of my life, because of her.

She cooks and takes photos of her steps, and now I have to do it all the time.  I have so many recipes that I have cataloged on my computer and the number of pictures, OH MY!  I have a lot.  I like to put recipes on my blog and have the photos to go with it.  My private desire is to be a food stylist and that takes a special eye something that takes time, but for now I am having fun!

I saw this recipe on her blog and wanted to try it as soon as I could.  Now, I know people just don't have short ribs in their freezer (except for me) and I am was not a fan of short ribs, until just the other day......

We went out to dinner in Vegas with my family and Andy ordered short ribs that were on the special menu of the day.  I thought "Yuck".  I ordered the salmon.  Well, when it got there I thought "Hey that looks good, then looked at it again and thought, "I am going to need to try that" as Andy was cutting this rib meat with a fork.  I asked him for  a bite and bit into HEAVEN!!! Oh my it was incredible!!!  The tenderness, the intense flavor, I ended up eating his dinner! (Good thing he likes salmon).

How does something like that happen?  How can I make something that incredible?!!!  After a lot of research, I finally found out tried it last night and all I can say is Come to Momma!!!! LUUUVE this recipe and Ree helped me make it happen.

I HIGHLY recommend this for you to make, take my tips to heart, I have seen the light and OH BOY!!!!!

I had some short ribs in the freezer as I said earlier.  We like to buy a half of  cow from a butcher we LOVE in Barstow, named Purdy's.  The owners name is Tommy and he is such a nice guy, that is for another story.  I found him because of my pigs I used to own, that is for another story, too.  Jeanine, stay on track...Ok...  Anyway, our best friends bought the other half of the cow and didn't know what to do with "short ribs" and gave them to us, (see the label, thanks Daryl).  The way Tommy wraps his packages the meat stays for a LONG time.  He triple wraps them and doubles the butcher paper.

For Christmas, my BIL gave Andy a Le Creuset Dutch Oven.  What was really funny, is we bought him the EXACT same one color and all for his Christmas present!  Now I am addicted to this dutch oven.  I have a few pieces of Le Creuset and they are an investment, but you can hand these down to your children and their children and their children.  They will last FOREVER!  I like going on EBAY and looking at the vintage ones and just dream of having a kitchen filled with all the colors and sizes, one day.... Jeanine, stay on track...OK

 The recipe and directions follow:

2 Packages of Short Ribs ( if you don't know where they are, ask the butcher, he knows)
1/2 pound of bacon
2 Tsp of canola oil
Flour
1 medium onion  diced
3 medium carrots diced
1 package of Lipton Onion Soup mix

2 cups red wine
2 cups beef broth
 

Here we go!

Now I like to time how long sometime takes me from start to finish, however, it really isn't accurate because of the picture taking.  For a meal I may take up to 75 pictures and the editing takes me FOREVER. That is why some of my recipes haven't made it to my blog.

Time:  You will want to make this on a day that you are home, kickin back, playing on the computer, listening to music with nothing that you have to do....other than smell it's goodness while it cooks.

Preheat the oven to 350:

Here is the package.....

Here they are once opened:

 They were HUGE compared to what the store sells, they were as large as my hand!

I let them get to room temperature and get the rest of the goodies out.

I have pepper bacon, I had bits and pieces on hand that I got to make pinto beans (another post another time) I LUUVE pepper bacon! 

Take a half a pound and cut them up in small pieces and put them into your preheated dutch oven on top of the stove. By the way, did I tell you this was a one pot meal?  Yeah!

Cook the bacon until all the fat is rendered and the bacon is almost cooked all the way, don't cook it too high or you will burn the fat.  Remove the bacon and put aside.

When the bacon is cooking, I salt and pepper the short ribs and dredged them in flour.

 
See how big these ribs are?  WOW!

Now I have a confession to make, flour is my nemesis.  Truly, just like paint.  It doesn't matter how careful I am, I get flour (and paint) everywhere!!!!! In my hair, in my shoe, don't get me started on how it gets on my plants, (still have no idea).  It just does.  You should have seen my camera, Andy is sill laughing.  Jeanine..stay on track....OK..


I then add the canola oil and each of the Flintstones ribs to sear, about 60 seconds on each side.  This is an important step because you want to lock in the goodness of the meat and the bits that will be on the bottom just adds more flavor and flavor is where its at baby!

I remove the ribs then added the diced carrots and onions to saute, just until they are soft.

I tell you at this part to add the RED wine.  I took a bottle out of the wine cooler and was excited about opening this bottle, I have had this for a while and wanted to keep it for  a special occasion, and what more of a special occasion than this dish, open her up, I say! 

Listen when I say to you it is the utmost importance to make sure EVERYTHING is fresh and good before you use it, so I strongly suggest you take a sip of the wine, not only for good luck and to give thanks for such a bounty but to make CERTAIN the wine is good.  (See the lengths I go to, someone has to it might as well be me).  Cheers to me as I take a swig out of the bottle.  Oh my! UGGGGG!  The wine had turned and I turn and spit it out in the sink!  Am I sure, stupidly I take another swig.  UGGGGG again!  Pour the WHOLE bottle down the drain, YUCK!  Well there went my only bottle of red, desperate measures now, I take a bottle of white and use it, again take a swig of out this one, YUM ok another one just to make sure YUM again, alright one more for good measure as I giggle to myself, good thing it is after 12PM, it's 5 o'clock somewhere in the world. Right?

I poured 2 cups into the pot and then added some homemade beef broth that I had made a while ago.  Deep rich dark ummmmmm....and added that.











I decided to add the onion mix at the end just for more intense onion flavor.  I am normally a purist when it comes to cooking but I wanted intense flavor.

Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove all the bits and caramelized goodness!  Oh my mouth is watering writing this out!

I now added the short ribs and made sure that they were completely covered, if not add more liquid, wine (remember to taste it first again, you now, just to make  it is still good).more broth or even water.

I waited until it all came up to a slow boil and added the bacon I had removed earlier, does it get  any better than this?

Put the top on it and into the oven it went!

I let it cook for 2 hours on 350 and then 325 for another hour.

Personal note:  It ran me out of the house an hour and a half due to the incredible smell.  You should have heard Andy again and again "I can't believe how hungry I am!"  over and over, it was quite funny.

I took it out and let it sit for about 20 minutes.  In the meantime I made fresh mashed potatoes (out of my pressure cooker, that is another one of my favorite tools).

Took a big spoonful of potatoes, added a rib on top of the pile (you may want to put three ribs on yours) and then put the gravy over it, WOW the presentation was OUT OF THIS WORLD!

The taste, can't even put into words how these just melted in your mouth!  Gift from God I tell you!!!!

You may want to have some warm  bread to go with this, that is on another one of my posts.

  MAN oh Man!

Drop me a line and let me now of your experience in making these!

Hey Everybody!!! Did ya miss me?!!!

I have not written, as you are well aware of.  Considering my last post was in May.  So the question I have to you and mainly to me is:  WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SUMMER???!!!!!

I wanted to take a couple of weeks off to get done with all of the projects I had going and one day lead into the next and there ya go.

"Wanting to" and the "Reality" reasons for not blogging:

I have been wanting to "spice" up my blog with more great recipes and instructions.
Real:  I am finding a lot of blogs with recipes and after awhile I get the "blah blah whatever is going on.  I don't want my blog to turn into that.

I wanted to write more about my chickens and their adventures.
Reality:  I sold them.
I decided that I have not been home enough to
#1 give them the attention that they needed and
#2 I couldn't eat all the eggs they were producing.
#3 Couldn't get rid of the eggs to friends, for the fear that they would suddenly stop producing and here I have 7 no laying chickens.
#4 They were going through chickens feed and that got very expensive.  Do you know how many eggs I can get at the farmers market for $40.00 a month?  I do, 10 Dozen and lastly,
#5 I got tired trying to find someone to watch them, even though they were pets with benefits.

Family issues, not that I want to get into it, but in having young adult children and the choices they make.... well, enough said.  That took the largest part of my summer as well. 
Reality: not wanting to focus on them and take away the important things in my life, i.e. my blog.

 I have been sewing.
Reality:  I like hanging out at the quilt store and visiting while I have my sewing machine all set up, those girls bring in the best food to share, I swear!  But honestly, I did finish a quilt that I had no business in doing.  Then did a cute panel quilt that all I had to do was to cut straight lines and sew in straight lines, it came out super cute.  Pictures to follow. 

I've been traveling, a lot!
Reality:  I have been traveling a lot!  Not that I am complaining but when you are gone for two weeks at a time, you start forgetting certain things about where you live, like what does your husband look like.  And also, you forget about the clothes you have in your closet.

Wanting to start a new little business
Reality:  Still wanting to start a new little business.  I have been thinking of different party ideas and have posted the challenges on my past post.  Well, Yahoo, I have figured them out, at a dear cost.  The cost has been hundreds of hours, asking, pleading, and begging for anyone to help me.  With me living in such a small town it's not like I can pick up a phone book and call someone who is a graphic artist and say "I NEED HELP!" But what you do is you start seeking and asking anyone and everyone who even knows how to turn on a computer.  I did get help and the instruction was invaluable.  I can't wait to start showing you my "Artesstist Work"  Don't ask me what that first word was I made it up, after all I am an Artist or an Artessitist! Viola!  Here is a sneak peak:

This is just ONE of sooooo many, this is just perfect to run through your printer and add to your bottles for your Halloween get together.  See, I have been artisting.  Who knew?

I haven't been taking time to do my photography.
Reality:  Nope, I haven't.  I haven't pulled out my Nikon since the Mother's Day Brunch.  I have been taking my small Cannon Elf and even worse, dare I say it....taking my phone and taking pictures.  The blasphemy!

I haven't seen my friends and spending any time with them.
Reality:  Too busy to make time and therefore time keeps going and before you know it, you've lost a summer. 

But, I have to tell you all of these confessions have been good for my soul and now I feel cleansed, deep breath!  Whew!

So with all that being said and more stuff that I didn't even put in, I am wanting to change things up a bit.  I want to have a section on my blog reserved for someone who is very very dear to my heart.  After a lot of thought and contemplating I decided that he is worth it.

Uh hum, without further ado let me introduce to you:

GEORGIE:

 This little guy has become such an important part of our lives.  He goes everywhere we go and unlike kids, I can stuff him in a suit case and there is no complaining!  Even my girlfriends bring presents to him when they visit and other ones hide them in our house and here we go looking for over an hour to find him (many times).  He is a good hider,and he never makes any noise.

So, now I will be giving him his space that is due to him and I hope you enjoy his adventures as much as we do.

Also, I want to take a moment to thank all of my followers that contacted me while I was on hiatus asking if everything was ok, you all brought me back,  so a BIG THANK YOU AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU!

I am going to close for now, thank you for being my friend and hanging in there.  I am taking you very seriously and pay attention to what is important to me and to you!

That is, if you will still have me, (as I bow.... )

Happy Mother's Day!

I am sooo sorry that I haven't written in such a long time.  Busy would be an understatement.  In the past three weeks I have put on a baby shower, pancake breakfast for 125 people on Easter Sunday and then did a Mother's Day Brunch after church for 65 people!  Whew! 

Now with that being over I can start playing again.  I miss my blog and taking time to write.  It centers me in my crazy world.

I have something I would like to share with you. 

The following is a book that was read to me years ago in church.  The pastor got up and read the child's book. I thought "Ugg"! in the beginning, but with the continued reading of this story it melted my heart.  I cried and cried and to tell you the truth I don't remember what the rest of the service was about. But for over 15 years this story is one of my favorites.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Love You Forever

by Robert Munsch

A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"
But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!
But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo!
But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town.  If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be. Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...
But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.
When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


Happy Mother's Day.  Mom I miss you.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.....

Those words just stop you in your steps, don't they?

I love this song, I love the words so much that I have this in a frame in my bedroom. I look at it every day and feel the love that these beautiful words say.

As I have said in my prior post, I am doing a Mother's Day Brunch for my church.  I decided to do the Brunch decorations with butterflies and the theme to be "Amazing Grace".  Now, how to tie them both in, hummm?  Well, I was walking past the picture and studied it and actually saw the butterfly on this page, it almost knocked me to my knees! I have decided to put the song, rolled up and have a lovely ribbon on it and place it  at the plate of every mother attending the brunch as one of her gifts.

So as a small gift to you, I have put Here the picture so you may print it for your Mother or even for yourself to put into a frame. 

I can't wait to post the pictures of the brunch with all the ideas that I have.  So until then, enjoy and if you would, send pictures of what you did I would love to see the projects.

Have a great day and keep the ideas going!  Now off to work on the baby shower.

Let there be light....

I just found out that the time change is this weekend!  My thoughts on it, Yippee!!!  I love daylight, in fact when I was in my twenties I honestly thought I would move to Alaska during the summer for the sunlight.  That is probably why I never moved to Washington or Oregon.  Now don't get me wrong, I love the green, the rain, but the dreary weather, not so much.

When I lived in Vegas there was soooo much sunshine, yes the heat was a pain during the day, but there is something to be said about sunlight.  Big Bear is just incredible for sunlight.  Did you know that it has almost 300 days of sunlight?  We even have a solar observatory here! 

My house has windows everywhere!  I do not have drapes on any windows in my house.  Blinds are good enough.  Walking into a house that is dark and closed up gives me the willies.  Lovely Brightness!

Same thing with lamps.  I LOVE TABLE LAMPS!  They say you are to have three lights in a room.  I think that works if you have a nightlight plugged in, Tiffany of course....But if you think about it, you have an overhead light, two table lamps  for the ends of your couch.  In fac,t that is what I am on the hunt for.  I have a small side lamp for my living room and the bulb burned out and I put in a night light in it.  Ummmm it doesn't give off any light, but give it a beautiful little glow just enough to bang your foot into the table, note to self:  Get new light bulb! 

Anyway, here are some thoughts I have for a new light in my living room, what are your thoughts?

Isn't she gorgeous!!!!  (SQUEAL!!!)  That would be perfect for my living room sitting right on top of my piano.  (Warm feeling flows through my body imagining it).  I may have to have it on even during the day!  The beauty of Tiffany!

Sunshine on my shoulder.....

Cute little purse

Here is something I decided to try on my Silhouette Machine.  Didn't this come out just adorable?

I printed it out on Christmas scrapbook paper, but I think any other kind for what holiday you want to celebrate would be CUTE!!!  This only took just a couple of minutes to put together and thank God for common sense, because it didn't come with any directions. 

I loved it for so many reasons, I was going to make a bunch of these for gifts for a girlfriends luncheon on Saturday.  Mother's Day Brunch?  Best Friends Birthday?  Little girl's birthday party?  Endless possibilities and what a unique little gift.  Oh how about using it as place cards at your dinner party with a little chocolate in it for desert to take home?

Have a great week! 

PS.  Guess what?  I figured out how to make those party circles.  I bought them on Etsy and can design whatever I want on them!  Wow!  I am amazed every time I go on that site, hours just fly by!

I'll post when I get some done!

Blurb, blurb, coming up for air....

Splash!  Hear me gasping for air!  Wow!  I have been drowning in my own craziness!  There has been so much I have wanted to post, but that is just one more thing to do without finishing anything.

So the next question you have is, did I finish anything and what are you talking about?

The answer is nope not one thing has been finished and listed below are the crazy things I have been doing:


My trusty beloved computer has really really been sick.  She just didn't wake up one morning.  The HORROR!!!!  I panicked and started running through the house like I was on fire trying to call my trusty computer guy, pleading to the phone "please answer, please answer, fix her quickly!"  Well I was calming down when I had to leave him a message, figures....

I took her over to his office, waiting for him to arrive and make her and I all better.  Please make her ok.....
Miracle worker I say.  He did fix her and she is all better, now.  She had a really BAD bug in her and now I have like four safeguards to make sure my little girl doesn't get sick like that again.  It was like having a child sick.  I panicked hard!  But with her check up I learned that I have to get more space for her, I guess having over 4 thousand gazillion pictures on here isn't the best place to put them.  But you never know when you just have to pull up the perfect picture to go on your post.  Am I right?

So, with that being done, the month of February is marching on.  Ha ha, get it "marching on".  Uh hum, anyway, I decided to try some different things and not necessarily in order. I am listing my projects that I have been currently taking on.  I am going to post the con then the pro, but it is not in order, due to the fact that everything I have been tackling is bringing with it difficulties, to say the least.  But there is always a bright side and we will call it them "Pro".  OK?

• Taking a class to make my first quilt.  

Con:  WOW I had no idea that sewing would be so hard.
Cut my instructor on the first day learning to use my new rotary cutter.
I sliced her good.

Pro:  I learned how to thread my sewing machine.
Pictures to follow.

• Planning  a baby shower. 

Con:  Wow, had no idea what I was getting myself into.  I have never thrown a baby shower before, When I had my twins they were four.

Pro:  I love to throw a party, just add some baby stuff in it, how hard can this be?
Pictures to follow

•  Learning to use the Silhouette Machine:

 Con:  Holy Mother of God, I had NO idea that this machine is as complicated as it is!

Pro:  Can't wait to see the finished product.
Pictures to follow

• Learning PrintShop 22

Con: Whoa!  Several hours later I am still at "Now how do I save this in jpg". 

Pro:  Print Shop is sooo much easier to use then Photoshop.

• Learning Photoshop

Con:  Oh crap this is difficult.
Pro:  Let me get back to you on that one!

• Our church has asked Andy and I to be the Greeter Coordinators.

Con:  Now I have to get up early.
Pro:  I am getting to be the first person who greets people when they walk in the door.  It's like inviting them into my home.

• Planning a Mother's Day Brunch for the ladies at Church.

Con:  Have never planned a Mother's Day brunch other than my mom's brunch.  Heck anyone can make reservations at the Queen Mary.  I am a genius at that.
Pro:  I love to throw a party, just add moms, how hard can this be?
Pictures to follow

• Doing little sewing projects to get used to my machine

Con:  Back the bus up! Do you think I should have done that BEFORE I decided to make a quilt.  Are you kidding me?
Pro:  Learning to thread my machine.

• Making pillow cases:  

This sounds silly, but I have to admit even though these pillow cases are over $30.00 for two and took me five hours to make them, they are definitely worth it.  But....

Con:  Make sure when you sew you need to make certain your pattern is set up correctly.  So when you put your pillows in them and put them on your bed one is not upside down.  Crap.  There is a right and left part of a pillow, who knew?
Pro:  I love making this little gems and I want to make 100 of them.  Guess what people are getting as gifts?
Pictures to follow.

So, that is what I have been up to in the last 24 hours.  Just kidding, Ok this past couple of weeks.

But it is now my goal to finish some of the projects I am working on.  I have talked to myself and realize that if I keep spinning I won't get anything accomplished.

I realize that all of you can relate and sympathize with what I am doing to myself.   If you can, raise your hand!

Ok off to cut my squares for my quilt,  now where did I put the rotary cutter?

UPDATE::
I have a challenge:  This is the main reason I am going crazy.  Below is a picture that I got during Halloween.  I am trying desperately to find out how to do this.  Not necessarily for Halloween, but to make these labels for the Baby Shower I am doing.  Does anyone out there know how to do this and can help me...PLEASE!!!  Argh!  This is why I am not getting anything done.
Take a look at what I am talking about Here and Here.  I want to try the same labels and do the background in a different style.  If all else fails, ask for help.  Help!!
Have a great week and I promise to show some of the projects I am working on when they start taking form.

Valentine's Day Subway Art Part I.

Click here for my valentine's artwork

Well hello everybody!  It is a Monday afternoon and I just designed the cutest subway art project:

 

I have a new program (well it's new to me) and is so much easier to work with than the other programs.  So for the easy to reach for program which is The Print Shop 22  Deluxe Version.  I am really pleased with this, easy is the way for me.  I just don't have time to sit down and rack my brains trying to get photoshop down.  Call me lazy, it works for me.  Now....

I had so much fun creating it but not so much fun trying to figure out how to put a pdf on my blog.  I have way too much going on. 
I have worked on this project for a loooong time and finally have it set it up so you can download it for FREE.  That's right FREE. 

Click here 

 

 

Let me know what you think.  This was a lot of fun, maybe too much fun.....