Chess Brownies :)

1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 melted butter
3 eggs
1 package of yellow cake mix
1 package of cream cheese
1 box of powdered sugar

Mix one egg, pecans and melted butter. Spread un bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch pan  VERY IMPORTANT.. I used a 9 x 9 pan and it didn't turn out right!!). Mix remaining 2 eggs cream cheese and powedered sugar. Top cake mixture with cream cheese mixture and cook for 40 minutes @ 325. Cool completely prior to cutting. Sooooo yummy!

pending inspiration............

These egss are the eggs my cockateil laid a while back. I have been holding on to them since then waiting for something special to do with them, I'm thinking a cute shadowbox or something. I found this nest @ the petstore and when I took the dog on a walk I found these beautiful feathers to incorporate somehow.. stay tuned for the finished project :)

Best Baked Scallop Recipe Ever!!

2 lb sea scallop
salt & pepper
1 tsp fresh minced thyme
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups of crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup melted butter
juice of 1/2 lemon

Pre heat oven to 400. Place scallops in a oven safe casserole dish and pour buttermilk over scallops and mix in thyme. Crush up Ritz crackers and top casserole. Drizzle butter over top. Bake 20 min.

Jalapeno Cornbread

I found this reipe on a blog I follow called Closet Cooking. He makes the most amazing and creative dishes.. he is one of my favorites! The only recomendation I would make to this dish is to add more sugar or even honey.. didnt seem sweet enough for my taste but was sooo good and super easy to make! I used the picture from his website but I swear mine turned out just as beautiful (amazingly!!) I made sure to make a batch of 5 alarm chili as well so we can enjoy left overs for the rest of the week!


Tis the season for holiday eatin' :)

Jalapeno Cornbread

• 1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
• 1/4 cup oil, butter or bacon grease
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced

1. Mix the buttermilk, oil and eggs.
2. Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in to the wet and then mix in the jalapeno peppers.
4. Pour the Mixture into a grease 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated 375F oven until a toothpick pushed in the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes.

Bill's Babybacks & Homemeade sauce... mmm mmm GOOD!!!

4  racks baby back ribs
1.5 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp liquid smoke (hickory flavor)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
and of course we add hot sauce (like we do to just about everything)

Sauce: combine all ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat simmer - stirring often - 45-60 min until thick   (p.s. we double the sauce recipe.. because trust me you will want extra!)


Pre-Heat oven to 300


Brush sauce over ribs, wrap each rack tightly in aluminum foil. Arrange packets on baking sheet or pan with seams facing up. Bake 2-2.5 hours until meat has pulled from bones at tip @ 1/2 inch.


Pre-Heat grill to MED heat

Remove ribs from foil, BBQ 4-8 minutes on each side. Brush BBQ on both sides a few minutes before removing from grill.

I looooove the view of my backyard :)

Although our home is still in town our backyard is on a preserve that spreads out miles into the country of a still unpopulated area... we have the most AMAZING wildlife right in our backyard even though we are in a gated community. We apparently have a bear back there that comes out to feed in the trash cans on trash day (I have never seen this but my neighbors have.. dangit!!) but we have seen 2 deer walk by, bundles of bunnies, a family of 3 otters bouncing by (never seen that before.. sooo cool) fancy woodpeckers, tons of blue jays..and now this week we saw this cute racoon at the top of a flimsy tree eating berries..look really close and you can see him... little surprises like this make life sooo wonderful :)

not sure I will be attempting this again...

I sure LOVE to cook delicious meals but I am noooo baker.. I think it's due to the fact that baking requires so much patience and there is no room to improvise or tweak things.. after all I have never been a fan of playing by the rules. But thanks to my sweet MIL, I  received one of those swanky Kitchen Aid mixers for my birthday this year and I just had to put it to good use. So here is the final result.. 2 full days of baking with 2 young boys.. wheeeew-weeeh!!  The kitchen was so wrecked by day 2 I wish I had a picture of my husband's face when he came home from work...priceless!! I am trying to forget the whole exhausting experience and vow to use my mixer for more exciting things like homemade pasta or bread.. now thats what I'm talking about! But here are my pics to prove I was a good mommy this year and did the whole Betty Crocker bake-with-your-kids thing.. and even better used all Mrs. Field's cookie recipes :))))))))

My delish homemade salsa :)

14 1/2 ounces can tomatoes and green Chills (like Ro-Tel)

14 1/2 ounces can whole peeled tomatoes plus the juice

1-2 tablespoon jalapenos (canned, diced, not pickled)

1/4 cup diced onion

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon cumin, or more to taste

1/4 teaspoon sugar, to taste

Place jalapenos and onions in processor; process for just a few seconds.

Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar and cumin.

Process all ingredients until well blended, but do not puree.

Place in covered container and chill.

The Tick Jar

For those of you who thought I was exaggerating the tick fiasco! Keep in mind these are in the bottom of a HUUUGEE pickle jar. I had to zoom in big time to get them big enough to see. Crazy huh?!!