beans...beans...

they make you...
SMILE! :)
ha. just cracked myself up!

looked for a new green bean recipe yesterday and found THIS on Pioneer Woman.

We love green beans, but don't always love the mundane recipes that I have to make. This blew the top off of anytime I said 'oh, i don't think i can eat another bean the way we make them...'

try it.
i mean it.
yum. yum. yum.
it was very easy, very pleasing to the senses and just plain YUMMY!
Happy Monday!
~chat soon!

*disclaimer-i used green pepper, because i had it. I also cooked the TAR out of them on accident. Besides not being as perky as the picture they were FFFFIIIIINNNNNNEEEEE.* you won't be disappointed! :)

Playdough...

There is nothing as great as playdough.

I love playdough.
I love the feel, the smell, the therapy behind playing with playdough!
I love how quiet my kids are when they have playdough.
We have not had playdough for awhile.
This weekend the weather has been utterly disgusting, so I thought it was time to bust out the tried and true homemade playdough recipe.
Both girls had a part in making a batch.
They played for hours-literally, in the morning and then again before dinner. Amazing how simple it is to make and how much fun they have.

Here's the recipe...
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp cream of tartar
2 tsp food coloring (I just squirt it in there...2 tsp seems like an awful lot)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I think mom's recipe uses baby oil)
1 cup water
Mix it all together-stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes...its a gross consistency but go with it.
When it forms into a ball in the center of the pot, turn it off and let it cool. Knead several times on a floured surface.
Store in an airtight container.

~Chat soon!

So good...

Try this. I love her blog. Her recipes are delicious. I covet her life, on a ranch, taking pictures and cooking as much as you want for a very hungry man. ( I have the very hungry man part of the life, and I do take a lot of pictures but the ranch...don't have that, and would LOVE IT. or a meadow, or farm, or something.) WOW! I would pack up today and go if I could! :) I have made the Cheesy Olive Bread and The Italian Meatball Soup. Adam isn't a HUGE lover of soup and went nuts over this one. It was pretty easy to make to boot! A win, win for everyone involved! :)

Check it out!
~Chat soon

Good Eats!

If you are in any way close to the state of Missouri, you will know that it has been raining NONSTOP for a good TWO DAYS. I love a good Ole rainy day. Just O.N.E.! BUT, it is fall in the Show Me State, and along with fall comes a little soggy-ness.

To help chase the rainy day blues, I made some comfort food, and then played with my camera. Really did brighten the day a tad!

On the menu...
Rachel Ray's Chicken Noodle Soup, (soup-er easy AND soup-er yummy!)
Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cream Cookies from a new blog I found called Cookie Monday's. Check it out, they taste GREAT. (disclaimer-don't let the word 'pumpkin' deter you...they taste more spicy then pumpkin-y so give 'em a whirl!) *I also just realized that the author said she would have added pumkin puree to the filling if she would have had it...I didn't do it either, which in fact would have made them even more scrumptious! :) sounds like I need to try some more tomorrow!*

Another disclaimer--my cookies did NOT flatten like the original baker's cookies did. Don't know why...but they were still delicious! :)

Here's hoping for just a peek of the sun tomorrow!

~Chat soon!

Yum, Yum, Yummy

I often read a blog titled 'Whatever.' (click on it)
It is a wonderful place to go and hang out for a little while. Meg, the author, has wonderful outlook on things, is a great photographer, and often gives ideas for projects and recipes.

Yesterday, while I was visiting her blog. (you should check it out too!) She shared a recipe for Blueberry Buckle. I fell in love with the name, the picture and just outright HAD to try it.

Today was the day, the girls went to visit their friends at the babysitter, so the mixer had my UNDIVIDED attention. The outcome was... A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Go ahead, try it, I know you'll like it!

~Chat soon!