Our Memorial Day cookout actually went pretty well after all. It did rain a little, but not enough to prevent me from firing up the grill so the guys could cook. Younger Daughter and I stayed in the kitchen, preparing some foods. For example, we wanted to have kebobs but Youngest Son couldn’t find any skewers at Walmart. He called and said there was one package of four steel skewers, and it was expensive. An associate told him they were sold out!

Apparently, everyone in the county did kebobs yesterday. So, we opted to cut up the vegetables and meats as if we were making the kebobs, but we put them in a baking pan with some pineapple and seasonings, covered it with aluminum foil, and baked it instead of grilling it. Surprisingly, it turned out really delicious and the meat was fork-tender.

We also put burgers and brats on the grill along with a nice salmon fillet Youngest Son picked up while shopping. Everyone brought food of some kind with them - chips, drinks, burger patties, dessert. The children had fun upstairs in Son’s room, playing Guitar Hero. It was a bit too rainy for them to play outside very much.

It was a wonderful day, though, and I’m eager to do this again around Independence Day!

Technorati Tags: Memorial Day, cookout

Staying home with your family can be just as much fun, if not more, than going out. In our home, we had our own movie nights, complete with sodas, popcorn, Milk Duds, Rice Krispies treats, and a rented movie or two that were good for family viewing.

When the children were small and spills were very likely, I really wished we had home theater carpet so it would be more durable and soil resistant. The next best thing was to lay out a plastic tablecloth on the floor in front of the TV and let the children sit on that with their drinks and snacks. At least it was easy to clean up if something got dropped or spilled.

Technorati Tags: Milk Duds, Rice Krispies treats

My sister and I have a lot in common as far as food preferences go. However, our similar preferences aren’t all shared by our Mother. She often comments that she doesn’t know how she raised two girls who’s taste differs so much from hers!

Yet, we also have differences. Sis doesn’t care for anything made with corn meal. She doesn’t like cornbread, corn flakes, or English muffins, although she loves Fritos. Go figure.

Our personal style is different, too. When we were younger, she tended to wear more classic styles while I donned equestrian riding apparel and Western clothes most of the time. Even now, I tend to wear a few more frills and pink than Sis does, and I still love boots and tiered skirts. I don’t wear them as often simply because I don’t want to look like an old lady who hasn’t progressed out of her teens!

So, Sis and I look nearly alike, eat nearly alike, but dress completely differently. That’s the wonderful thing about families - there’s always room for diversity and individualism!

Technorati Tags: sister, food preferences

So, what’s on the menu for your Thanksgiving feast? I can tell you most of what will be on our menu because we’ll be having Thanksgiving dinner at my Sis’ house. Mom lives right next door and will likely be in charge of the whole meal, making sure everything is done just so. She even fixes special sides to accommodate some of us who tend to be a bit finicky about what we eat.

For instance, I love giblet gravy but not the eggs in it, so Mom sets aside a cup or so of gravy for me. She also makes sure there is canned, gelled cranberry sauce for my niece since she doesn’t care for the whole-berry kind.

Mom will oversee and prepare the main courses such as the turkey, the bread dressing, the cranberry sauce (completely home made), the pumpkin pies and the gravies. My sister will make her own rendition of “succotash”, made with green beans, corn, onions, and bell pepper. This is always a huge favorite with us all. She’ll also make candied yams and baked ham. I’ll bring cornbread dressing along when I go, as well as the spray whipped cream. Some other family members also make pecan pies, relish trays, and other sides.

I don’t know yet how many will be there for the day, but it could run up to around 25 or 30 people, depending on whether they all show up or have other commitments to their spouses’ families.

There could be a jigsaw puzzle set up, although we usually have to use the card table for folks to sit and eat. When it’s all cleared, the extra tables put away, and Sis’ furniture returned to its normal arrangement, some of the guys will fall asleep in front of a ball game while the women chat or work the puzzle. Kids will play outside and ride bikes, or maybe play some games inside.

If they all show up, I’ll get to see the new babies that have been added to the family in recent months!

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving dinner

Some of you probably have either home based businesses or online businesses. That’s great because either one can give you certain freedoms. A business opportunity that allows you to set your own hours also allows you to dedicate some time to volunteering for local charities can be very fulfilling. You can also dedicate a portion of your earnings toward financial contributions to those charities.

Which charities? It’s totally up to you. Everyone has their favorites - organizations that speak to their hearts or touch their lives in some way.

Technorati Tags: business, volunteering, charities, contributions

Feeding ourselves and buying groceries isn’t really a problem for me, and probably not for you. However, there are many in your community who are having a tough time putting food on the table. Even if they are on public assistance, they may still run short of those funds before they’ve actually fed their families. This is where your local food bank, church food pantries, and other community feeding programs come in and fill in the gaps.

It’s not at all difficult to give food items or some cash to these charities. Even a little will help. I know that at this time of the year when you’re probably spending money on school supplies and new clothes for the kids, it’s hard to think about others. But hunger doesn’t go away.

I commend all those charities who reach out during the holidays, but people are hungry all year long. That’s why I’m posting this, today. You could even have neighbors who are in need of groceries or non-food items that will help them get through for a few more days.

If you decide to donate to a local food drive, here are some things to know:

• Donate non-perishables. Give canned foods, flour, sugar, coffee, tea, and other grocery items that will keep without refrigeration or freezing. Many food pantries don’t have a lot of space fore perishable items.
• Remember to donate non-food items such as paper towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, bath soap, and other things that can’t be purchased with public assistance benefits.
• Don’t donate dented cans. Dented cans can actually have a leak and allow deadly bacteria in.
• Don’t donate odd foods. If you don’t like the food, don’t expect others to. This is not the time to clean your pantry and give away those cans of chicken tongues you found weren’t so tasty after all.
• Stick to basics. Canned corn, green beans, pinto beans, and other ordinary canned vegetables are always welcomed.
• Give canned meats. These meats are shelf-safe for a very long time and can add needed iron and protein to a deficient diet.

Sometimes, merchants and businesses make it easy to donate. They will collect your non-perishable items and pass them along to the appropriate program. For instance, a state-wide used car dealership has food drives and sports equipment drives off and on throughout the year. Donating will get you a lower down payment on a car, so if you’re already car shopping, it’s a good place to start.

You can also donate your time. Volunteer a few hours a month helping to sort and store donated foods, or give them out to those who need them.

Please. Feed the hungry.

Technorati Tags: groceries, public assistance, food bank, church food pantries, charities, groceries, Volunteer

I do love oranges and it’s my opinion that Florida oranges, especially Valencia oranges, are the sweetest and juiciest around. The only thing better than buying Florida oranges here would be to live in Florida and be able to visit the groves and pick them myself. Orlando real estate actually makes buying and owning Florida property easy and inviting. See, they offer a buyer rebate of a portion of their commission and they offer sellers a flat fee for selling.

Not only that, but they are community and civic minded as well. Currently, they are promoting the Save Our Homes movement, which involves issues relating to their homestead laws and regulations.

Technorati Tags: oranges, Valencia, Florida, Save Our Homes

My friend Chef Jules tagged me to do an Eight Things post about myself over on his Gourmet-a-go-go blog. I’m not so sure I can think of eight other people to tag, but I’ll sure try!

Here are the rules:

Rules: Each person posts the rules before their list, then they list 8 things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people then visits those peoples sites and comments letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.

Here are my eight things about myself:

1. I color my hair to cover the gray. I’ve always been blonde, so that makes it easy.
2. I used to drive a big-rig over the road, sometimes with my husband and sometimes by myself.
3. One year, I was the county rodeo queen. (This was during my teens!)
4. I drink hot, black coffee all day long, no matter what the weather may be.
5. I have five children and seven grandchildren.
6. As a Halloween prank when I was a teen, I filled the backseat of my boyfriend’s car with shaving cream. I didn’t realize his brother was laying in there, asleep!
7. I like to collect three-ingredient recipes.
8. I hate bananas.

So, there you have it. Eight things about me that maybe you didn’t know before. Now comes the hard part. Finding eight bloggers to tag.

I’m tagging:

1. Elizabeth Edwards
2. Everyday Weekender
3. As The Garden Grows
4. Nutrition Nerd
5. Buy and Live Better
6. Jean
7. Sindhu
8. Food and City

So there you have it! Have fun!

Technorati Tags: Chef Jules, Eight Things, three-ingredient recipes

I just found a really neat cooking site written by Chef Julian Fairchild. He covers all sorts of interesting cooking related things such as recipes, gadgets, and even gifts from the kitchen. Click on over to Gourmet A Go-Go and read some really great stuff! I know you’ll come away hungry, just as I did!

Gourmet A Go-Go is the name you’ll want to bookmark and remember.

Technorati Tags: cooking, Chef Julian Fairchild, recipes, gadgets, gifts, Gourmet A Go-Go

Elizabeth tagged me for her first meme, which just happens to be food related! If I tag you, just follow the rules below and happy blogging!

1. Link to the name of the person who tagged you.

2. Include the state and country you’re in.

3. List your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location (locally).

4. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

I live in central Arkansas, and no, we really aren’t all barefoot. My top 5 favorite places to eat:

1. La Rosita, a local Mexican restaurant that has the nicest Mexican decor and the best authentic Mexican food around here!

2. Cracker Barrel, which you know is coast-to-coast along the Interstate highways, but I love it for it’s home-style food and super service.

3. Fisherman’s Galley, which is, as you might expect, a fish restaurant. Not what you might call “seafood”, but good old Southern catfish with all the trimmings. I’ve never tasted it prepared any better!

4. China Town, which has the absolute best Chinese buffet. They are closed on Sunday because these folks are Christians, but are open the other six days of the week for our eating pleasure.

5. Larry’s Pizza, where they put on a “parade of pizzas”. Every fresh pizza out of the oven is paraded around the restaurant with the wait staff calling out what kind it is and “would you like a piece?” After that, they add it to the all-you-can-eat buffet. They have the best pizza and some of the most unusual topping combinations - but those combinations really work together!

So now, I need to tag five other people. Let me introduce you to…

Cass
Kim
Ang.
Tami
Jennifer

Please do leave a comment after you do the meme. I’d love to come read it!