Foodie Friday: Enchiladas & Troyaritas

Memorial Weekend, around here, is traditionally when we celebrate my Birthday. . . works out perfectly with that extra day tacked on for recovery.  I really don't need to go into detail, do I?  This weekend will be no exception and is turning into one of the more organized, and larger, parties to date.

Since moving to Southeast Kansas, we also take in the Chautauqua Blues Festival in Sedan, KS on Sunday and it really makes for a fun-filled, music-motivated, and memorable time.  Good Friends - Good Food - Good Fun.  That's what Memorial Weekend is all about!

In honor of celebrating, I thought I'd share a Texmex kind of meal - including the infamous Troyarita.  This ought to keep your celebration going hot-hot-hot!

Since you will want to stay well-hydrated while making Choose-Your-Meat-Enchiladas, we'll start with. . .

Return to Flower Power and Playing Hookie

Hey!  Didja miss me yesterday?  I took the day off because. . . . it was my Birthday!!!  I'm back with you again today - no worries:-)  Yes, I had the most loveliest of days, thanks for asking! 

It was a gorgeous day so we spent most of it outside around the patio table in the shade of the umbrella.  I had both kiddos here and Hubster cooked a delicious chicken and shrimp alfredo.  And my presents?  AWESOME - of course!  Can't wait 'til next year.



What I really want to show you are the flower beds!

Monday's Musings. . .

So what have I been up to since sharing my list of 'things to do' on Friday?  Well. . . the usual - cooking, cleaning, eating, gardening. . . and waiting for my J-girl daughter to come home to celebrate my Birthday!

I did attempt to find candles for my giant candle holder/ vases.  No go, yet, but I won't give up.  But while out searching, I found a beautiful frame for J-boy's golf photo, a cool little blue-green ceramic bird,

So Many Things - So Little Time!

Every day I wake up and try to decide what to do first?  What should be on my list for the day.  I mean. . .besides the normal work-work in the office, and housework and the rest of the 'boring' stuff that fills a person's day.  But I mean stuff that truly needs to get done or you want to get done and would get done if you didn't have to get all those mundane things done every single day.

So what's on my list?

Buying some awesome giant pillar candles for my candle 'sticks.' Putting felt on the bottom of my giant ceramic fish and filling it with seashells.

Putting on the Dog - Tommy-style

Don't you love Facebook??

So last night I see that my favorite nephew-in-law (we'll call him Tommy) has posted a most tasty looking photo.  That photo prompted a very interesting and informative virtual kind of conversation.  Eleven comments and three likes. . . . Not bad.  Not bad at all.

Searching. . .

So - where's the sun?  It's been days.  I mean, I've lived in this area long enough to realize we have a time of year called 'rainy season', but, seriously, can't the sun shine while it's raining?

And somebody really needs to climb up that tree and take care of that dead limb.  Maybe when the sun shines, eh?

Foodie Friday: Magnificent Manicotti!

YUM!  I *adore* manicotti!  I had it one time at a restaurant near my hometown when I was in high school.  I most definitely was hooked at the first bite.  Was several years before I 'put it all together' and figured out a recipe to make it at home.

Over the course of time, this became one of those things that Hubster became extremely good at making - so he is the star of this Foodie Friday!

Interrupting this Boring Life. . .

So what have I been up to, you want to know?

Well. . . . I've been eating leftovers (Oh no!  Don't feel sorry for me. . . Are you kidding?  Kindly refer to the menu on the right side of the page) and watching the weather radar as it rains. . . .Boring, no?  Actually,  not really.  Don't get the wrong idea - my life is NOT boring.   Nope.  Not one iota.

I get to feed the dogs.  I get to change the kitty littlerbox.  I get to wash laundry.  Hang up laundry.  Fold laundry. Put away laundry.  I have the honor of being the Royal Duster and Vacuum Master.  OH!  And the joy of tub scrubbing and toilet bowl cleaning.  And the mopping???  Oh - be still my heart!

The Day the Zune Went Away

My MP3 player is being obstinate.   On vacation.  Kapoot.  Adios.  Doesn't work.  Died.  Yes.  I'm facing the reality of it all.  My Zune has bit the last megabyte.

Now what???

I've had my beloved pink 30gb Zune since Christmas 2007.  She's walked with me, slept with me, traveled with me, partied with me.  I've listened to music, shared photos, enjoyed podcasts, played games.  I've always kept her up to date, synced, and charged.  After all that we've been through. . . Error #5 - Contact Support.

Menu Monday - Shrimp Sized

You won't believe the size of these shrimps that Hubster came across in the grocery store - they are HUGE. Definitely not your typical 'shrimp' - that's for sure!  And at a bargain price - The Best.  Hooray for Hubster! 

We decided, in honor of the first BBQ of the season we were invited to, we would make some awesome shrimp-pepper-pineapple skewers for the grill.  So good!

We've made variations of this glaze in the past, but here's the recipe we used this weekend:

May Musings. . .

We have had the most lovely of springs. . . rain here and there and some hurricane-force winds on occasion, but, overall, bright sunny and warm days. Perfect. There has been more than one day over the past couple of weeks when I have moved my office outside. Look at that view!

Distracting? Yes, perhaps. But better than sitting inside and gazing longingly out my window from my desk.

Now *that's* unmotivating AND unproductive!  Especially when the cat tree is cat free. 

Dog Days of Summer - Already?

SIT!

Got your attention, didn't it.  No. . . Not the dog days of summer - but if you were a dog you could just call your entire life dog days.  At least mine could. . . Check out Jaz and Zayda the Wonder-Vizslas.

Yup.  Tough being a dog, eh?  Here I am at my computer in my studio/office slaving away typing and answering the phone and checking e-mail and doing internet searches.  And there they are Right By My Side.  Yeah - asleep.  Wonder if I could teach one of them to type?  Hehehehe.  Doubt it.

Menu Monday - Pork Colombo

Hubster can smoke the most glorious of hams!  It's so phenom as we'll have it fresh from the smoker as one meal; eat it on some sandwiches for another; fry a little of it for breakfast one morning; and then, the Final Masterpiece:  Pork Colombo.  Oh!  You absolutely have no idea how tasty this is until you actually have tasted it for yourself! 

A wonderful Carribean treat:  there's some heat and sweet and tang and smoke and oh!  Pork Colombo is just full of yummy goodness!

Fresh herbs and spices are best in this recipe - but if you don't have them, don't worry.  Use the dried version - still will make for a tasty stew.  I've included links for some of these substitutions.