THE VOICE AND ELEGANT ALMOND BARS

Don't you just love THE VOICE? We sure do...never miss it! Of course it helps to have Blake, Adam and Usher sitting there with me in my living room! Mercy! There is some awesome talent on there this year. I still like to watch American Idol, but THE VOICE is my fav!!!

I remember back in my high school days, I used to love to sit on the front steps and play my guitar with my BFF MaryBeth...we were inseparable! And we played a mighty fierce guitar. Ahhh the good ole days! Life was so simple back then, although we thought it was hard. Looking back, it was easy peasy! I miss those days. But now my days are filled with different joys..my children and my grandchild...they are music to my soul, the best kind of music ever! We had a wonderful Easter weekend....quiet time spent here at home. Good food, great family, more memories to fill our memory banks. Love it! And at the end of the day...this little face fills me with so much love.....

I love the way he puts those arms behind his head when he sleeps!

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week...rain is in our forecast for the next couple of days.

Have to have some rain if we want the rainbows right?

Speaking of rainbows...I cannot wait to curl up in bed tonight and read my

latest Kindle download....

Carry On Warrior

If you have never visited her blog...you MUST! and if you haven't

ordered her new book...DO IT...you won't be sorry!

ELEGANT ALMOND BARS

 

Cookie Base

1

pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/2

cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2

teaspoon almond extract

1

egg 

 

Filling

1

can (8 oz) or 1 package (7 oz) almond paste, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4

cup sugar

1/4

cup butter or margarine, melted

2

eggs

1/2

cup sliced almonds 

 

Topping

2

oz white chocolate baking bar, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)

2

tablespoons shortening

1/4

cup sliced almonds

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Spread in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat almond paste, sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add 2 eggs; beat until well blended (mixture may be slightly lumpy).
3. Spread almond paste mixture over partially baked base. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until filling is set (filling will puff up during baking). Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, melt white chocolate and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour and spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds. Let stand about 30 minutes or until topping is set. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Makes 32 bars 

ELEGANT ALMOND BARS 

 

 

HE BRINGS ME FLOWERS

I know that I have commented more than once about how much I love having Friday's off, but how about having a Friday off and spending the entire day with your grandson? He spent the night here last night and will be here until Sunday! Does that make me happy...oh heck yes it does! His Daddy will be spending the weekend with us too and I am thrilled about that too. Mommy is away for the weekend for some girl time...so we reap the benefits of that! I am going to enjoy every single minute! He is so much fun and is talking so much....amazes me!

So it's going to be a fun weekend and I am looking forward to it. I will be worn out by Monday but every minute will be worth it! Can you tell how much I love this kid?

Then Poppa takes him for a walk in the yard and he comes in and hands me these...along with a big smile! Be still my heart!

I am so lucky...and so blessed!

If you like bread pudding (and I do) and pecan pie ( I do also) then you will L.O.V.E. this recipe! I cannot wait to make it...looks like a good dessert for Easter perhaps?

ENJOY!

PECAN PIE BREAD PUDDING

 

Ingredients

• 8 cups bite-sized bread pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon maple or vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans, halved or chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and spraying well with a non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place all of the bread pieces into the baking dish.
3. Pour the melted butter over the bread.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple or vanilla extract, cinnamon, and the salt.
5. Stir in the pecans. Pour evenly over the bread pieces. Use a rubber spatula to push and "prod" the bread pieces around in the dish until all are coated in the syrupy mixture.
6. Bake at 375º for 45 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream!

SOMETHING SWANKY 

This Little Light of Mine and Strawberries!

OH how I love Friday's! Especially the Friday's when I am off...even if it's for 1/2 day! It's a nice prelude to the weekend, especially when the weather is as gorgeous as it has been this week! I wish I could just get in my car and drive....I don't mean just drive around here..I mean D.R.I.V.E. like all over our beautiful country! I know for sure I would head to each coast...because I LOVE the beach, and the water...not so much the sand. OH and I love lighthouses...they simply amaze me.....

 GREECE

ADDIE TOOK THIS PICTURE IN BILOXI

Aren't they all so beautiful? I am not sure what it is about them that intrigues me.

LIGHTHOUSE - JAMES TAYLOR

What intrigues you?

Since strawberries will be in abundance soon...here is a super simple and
sweet recipe!

Angel Food French Toast

 

Yield: serves 4-6
Total Time: 30 minutes or less

Ingredients:

1 angel food cake, sliced into 12 pieces
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons butter
for topping:
whipped cream
strawberries
blueberries
maple syrup
fresh mint

Directions:

In a measuring cup, whisk flour into a few tablespoons of milk until it's totally dissolved to create a bit of a slurry. Add back to the rest of the milk.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Gently dip each piece of angel food cake into the egg mixture, fully submerging it and covering all the sides. Make sure to let most of the egg drip off. Place a bit of butter in the skillet/griddle, then place cake on it and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. The only additional step here is you want to fry each side, then turn it on it's "back" and get that thick third end of the cake. Repeat with remaining slices, adding a bit of butter each time.
Serve with syrup, berries, whipped cream and fresh mint!
Borrowed from.....

How Sweet It Is Blog

2ND BIRTHDAYS AND WARM WINTER LEMON CAKE

My sister emailed me the other night and asked "What? No more blogging?" I didn't realize it had been over a month since I posted a blog entry! I just have not been inspired to blog...I never intended for this blog to be filled with unhappy or sad thoughts. I want it to be positive and uplifting. But life isn't always positive and uplifting, so maybe I should blog whether I am feeling happy or sad?  Yep, that is what I will do...but I promise to always leave you with a happy thought!

This weekend my happy place (thought) is my sweet sweet grandson, who turns 2 years old today! O M G I cannot believe it has been 2 years since I first laid eyes on that precious child! He has filled such a void in our lives and in our hearts. I cannot even begin to explain it...just trust me...he has! 

The day he was born

Yesterday for his party!

Cutie Pie huh?

He had a blast for his Toy Story birthday party and made the cutest

Woody ever!

Poppa and YaYa loves you so much Joshua!

Happy Birthday lil man!

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. This weather is yukky...good stay inside

in your jammies, reading kind of day! And I think that is exactly what I will do!
Here is a yummy warm recipe for you...perfect for this weather.

WARM WINTER LEMON CAKE

 
1 pkg.  (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
2 pkg.  (3.4 oz.  each) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups cold milk
1-1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp.  powdered sugar


HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package;
pour into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BEAT dry pudding mixes, granulated sugar, milk and water with whisk 2 min.;
 pour over batter in dish.
  Place baking dish on baking sheet.
  (Baking sheet will catch any sauce that might bubble over sides of dish as dessert bakes.)

BAKE 55 min.  to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
 Cool 20 min.  (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.)
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
 Serve warm.
Refrigerate leftovers.

KRAFT- WARM WINTER LEMON CAKE

HOLIDAYS .. DONE....NEXT...MARDI GRAS !

Not sure about you guys but I am so glad the holidays are over with...of course in S Louisiana there seems to always be a holiday! No sooner is Christmas over with and here comes Mardi Gras! I used to be a huge fan of Mardi Gras but now I could take it...or leave it. Last year, I left it! In our "younger days" we used to make as many parades that we could...racing from one to another...even on a weeknight!!! I cannot imagine doing that again but it sure was fun back then!!

Here are just a few pictures from the HOLIDAY's..

My Family

Mike and Addie

Kristen - Jordan - Joshua

See my Joshua's picture in the background? : )

What a sweet face huh?

He got the hang of that remote control really quick!

Couldn't you just squeeze him?

Yes...he rules the roost!

Christmas breakfast compliments of Poppa

And the day ended with a little jig !

I have tons more, but I won't bore you with ALL of them!

And now we prepare for Mardi Gras.... 

Throw me something mister!

Easy Peasy King Cake

Make your own King Cake with this easy recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 can of cinnamon rolls, with icing
• 3/4 cup of sugar, separated into 3 parts of 1/4 each food coloring
• plastic baby (available at most party stores)

Directions:  

The traditional King Cake is made from twisted strands of cinnamon dough, topped with icing, and sprinkled with purple, green, and gold colored sugar. Here is an quick and simple take on the traditional recipe.

• Separate the cinnamon rolls and roll them out by hand so that they look like hot dogs. Then attached them by pinching the ends together  into one long roll and shape into an oval by closing the ends together with another pinch. Place on a cookie sheet. Cook as directed.
• While it is cooking, use food coloring to dye sugar. Make one part purple using blue and red, one part green, and one part gold using yellow.
• When the cake is finished cooking, ice the top with the white icing.  Then sprinkle the different colors of sugars alternating as you go around the oval. Enjoy!!

2013-A CLEAN SLATE!

 

2012 - Where has it gone?

I could sit here and reminisce about days gone by, but that

would take too much time. Besides, I am not so sure I want to

rehash some of those days. So instead I will just thank God for

getting me through another year, fairly healthy, loved and blessed.

Now onto a new year...one that I pray will be filled with

love, happiness, good health and positive energy!

As I read back over that last statement, I realize that I am

responsible to make all of these things happen.

I am responsible for what will be written in my book.

I WILL make it a good one!

Wishing all of you a blessed New Year.

 

Banana-Brownie Pie

1/4 c. Butter

3 oz. Cream Cheese

1 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar, sifted

1/4 c. Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3 Bananas, sliced

1 (6 oz.) can Pineapple Juice

4 Brownies

Cut into 1 in. pieces

1 Baked Pie Crust

1/2 c. Chocolate-Toffee Bits or Chopped Pecans

Whipped Cream, for garnish

Beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with whipping cream.  Stir in the vanilla.  Set this filling aside.

Toss banana sliced in pineapple juice; drain.  Pat sliced dry with paper towels.

Spoon half the filling into baked pie shell. 

Arrange banana slices on filling.

Add the cut up brownies around on the bananas.

Top with remaining filling.

Top with fluffy whipped cream and add chocolate-toffee bits or pecans.

Refrigerate until serving.

Sunday Morning and Cornflake Blobs

Good morning folks! It's a beautiful Sunday morning...beautiful blue skies with billowing white clouds, a nice breeze blowing, a nice hot cup of coffee, Christmas tree sparkling...and quiet! We are strange creatures aren't we? Sometimes I love just listening to the "quiet" and other times, I can sit back and bask in the noise of laughter and talking of loved ones! Well today is one of those "quiet" days. And I will enjoy it while I can.

The tree and mantle is decorated (thanks to Addie) and there are bunches of presents under the tree (thanks to me). I would love to decorate every room in the house but when it comes to taking it all down after the holidays, I am so glad we didn't decorate every room in the house! Might have to do the bathrooms tho....yep I think we will. I bought these adorable little birdies at KMart and wish I had gotten a couple more. Aren't they so cute?

 

 

I am definitely not the decorator in the family, my sisters have that talent. Thank goodness I have Addie who picked up some of that talent. It may be simple but it works for us!

What about you? Do you have a certain theme that you go with each year or do you change it up?

There are so many awesome recipes I want to share with all of you this month, so be on the lookout for a bunch of blogs! 

A friend of mine sent me this recipe. I haven't made it yet but I plan to really soon. It looks SO good and so simple! She calls it Welfare Cookies but this blog called it Holycraptheseareamazing cookies! Call them whatever you want...I call them YUMMY!

Holycraptheseareamazing Cookies 

Ingredients

(Makes about 3 dozen cookies)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 jar (18 oz ounce) peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (I like creamy.)
• 6 cups corn flakes
• 3 oz good quality chocolate of your choice

Directions

1. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and stir in the whole jar of peanut butter. Mix well.
2. Add corn flakes to a large bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over corn flakes and mix well, taking care to coat all of the corn flakes.
3. With a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop out and form into 1-2 inch balls, depending on your preference, and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
4. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
5. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies.
6. When cooled, eat these cookies with reckless abandon.