Recipe fails

FAIL!

So I have been trying some new recipes but they have not really worked out so no posting them!
One was the dorito chicken cassarole, you see that pop up on pinterest a lot, well, don't bother it was horrid! Now, I am a huge fan of doritos, so much in fact I will not buy them or allow them in my house because I can devour the whole bag, it is like crack, I am telling you!! So I just do not have them around. No worries that way! but I saw the cassarole and thought, oh I must try that for winter...ewww! It was gross, and I did try not to eat much of the doritos, I actually crushed them up used what I needed and threw the rest in the trash!! I am such a good "recovering dorito crack" addict!

FAIL!

I also tried a recipe for artichoke, spinach pasta dish. Oh, I thought that has to be heaven on my plate, no way, really boring, I am talking really boring! Oh, then I tried a bread recipe for breadsticks like olive garden to go with my awesome olive garden salad recipe, listed a few posts ago, yeah that one I got right!!. Well, the recipe for breadsticks did not work! They used canned breadsticks and brushed them with garlic butter, nope, did not taste like olive gardens!! I will keep trying and let you know when I find a winner!

FAIL! OG does not get their bread from a can!! Yucky!

The kitchen wall...

I decided to paint that back kitchen wall dark red! I really like it! the aqua was bugging me, for some reason it reminded me of a hospital. This is Valspar paint, Radient Red.

Week long fun!

My friend Debbie came to visit from Wednesday to Tuesday, we did so much in that time!
We we played pool, had dinner, cooked dinner, went to Bally's hotel for the weekend and played scrabble out by the pool there, went to see Human Nature show at Imperial Palace, VERY GOOD SHOW!!
We also played bingo, no wins, went to breakfast, watched a movie, Hunger Games, interesting movie...
Then she went home yesterday.
I met Debbie when I was pregnant with my son Travis, who will be 29 this year! So we have been friends for 30 years!! Wow!

Bingo, bloody Marys and doughnuts, our favorites!!

Olive Garden Salad!

My friend Debbie is visiting for a few days, so far we went to dinner and played pool with Charlie and James. Tonight we stayed in and I made a new recipe for the Olive Garden Salad, it was really good! Found on the internet and we really enjoyed this nice big salad! I can't wait to try some soup and breadsticks with it for the winter, yes, the Zuppa Tuscana soup will go great with this!

Here is how you can make this salad for yourself:

1 package good seasonings italian dressing, make this according to the package!!
then add:
1/2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning (Shilling or McCormick)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon mayo
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon water
4 tablespoon grated parmasan cheese

Whisk all this together and refrigerate for 2 or more hours, should make this in the morning for dinner that night, you want the flavors to meld.

For the salad, chop romaine and iceberg lettuce, add tomato slices, peperoncini's, red onion, black olives, croutons. Pour on dressing and toss and serve!
Enjoy!

Taco Cupcakes!

This is everywhere on the internet and it just seemed too good to be true!

I had to try it! What better time to try it then Sunday morning breakfast!

I used the recipe from www.girl-who-ate-everything.com as my recipe guideline.
I made a couple changes, this is how mine went down:

pack of wonton wrappers
1 lb ground beef
pack of taco mix (McCormick is my fav)
1 can refried beans
shredded cheese
crushed tortilla chips

Plus, your favorite taco toppings: I used lettuce, taco sauce, salsa, sour cream. You can do guacamole, onions, cilantro. You can also make them with no meat, or with shredded chicken, the possibilities are endless! This would be perfect to take to a party!

Cook the ground beef and taco mix. Heat beans. Spray muffin pans with non stick spray. Put a wonton wrapper in each cup. Put a spoonful of beans, some crushed chips, we thought maybe those two should be switched as the beans made the bottom a little soggy, but then I took them out of the pan and let sit up on a rack and they were fine, so your choice!

after beans and chips, add a spoonful of  meat, then cheese. Bake at 375* for ten minutes. remove from oven, remove each cupcake to rack to set up, serve with toppings! Excellent no mess tacos!!
Charlie loved them! I can see making these with extra beans so I can omit meat, maybe even black beans and more veggies!
Enjoy!

Travel...

Pool Time!

We had the chance to go to a friends house for a fabulous pool party, but after seeing their pool Charlie and I really want to add a little something to ours! It has been six years since building our pool and we had no idea all the features we could have incorporated but now that we had it awhile we want to make some changes, we spend all summer out there so we really need a comfortable space...
here is what we would like to add, it may be a winter project and I will skrimp and save for it so we can pay cash....but how about a rock formation to provide shade?? Would pay for itself due to the wind popping up and killing our umbrellas!

No slide needed, just a waterfall and shade in the corner.

Would also like to add a palapa to the sundeck, they have windproof ones!

Breakfast is Served!

I never liked breakfast, I usually had steak and eggs if I went out, but that was long ago and far away. Now days I know how important it is to eat some breakfast, so I am trying new things, I am really digging the breakfast burrito, but I get very tired of eggs quickly. So I need more options.


Today I made my spinach and added some carmalized onions I made the day before, (I love to make a batch on monday and use them on everything all week long) then dumped in a can of the S&W black beans with jalapenos (those are really yummy), cooked that all up and spooned some on a flour tortilla (any excuse to eat a flour tortilla is a good excuse!) WOW, my new favorite breakfast burrito!
Enjoy!

Inspiration!

I need a little inspiration for my upcoming trip, 3 days in Spain and 7 days cruising the ports of Italy.

I came across this trip/challenge: The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge.
www.hokaheychallenge.com
Wow, that has got to be one amazing trip. This year's challenge starts in Las Vegas and ends in New York! I am hoping to get my hubby to take me to see them start off this Sunday, I will take some photos! I really need a boost of confidence, I know all I need is tattooed on my wrists, but I am still getting a little nervous. How to pay for taxis, how to order from menus and pay my bill correctly, oh, I have a million questions that keep me up at night and I still have a month to wait!!

I will look forward to seeing these men and women head out on their journey across the US with nothing more then their motorcycles and the stars in the heavens to guide them!!

Good Luck everyone and how about a little luck for me too!!
Here is the url for the video: http://vimeo.com/36997860