Gabe put the crate in the backseat of the truck. There was room for Max to in or out of his little condo. He spent most of the trip in the crate with all his toys and his blankets.
We did quite a few stops. Stretched our legs and Max got to investigate and made sure other dogs knew he had been there.
Stopped in Ashland, Virginia and Max did not like the room. It was the "pet" room and I bet that the rug hadn't seen a vacuum in awhile. The smell from the other animals kept him up most of the night.
Wondered if he would remember this house and he did. He ran all over and had fun running around the yard and got the play with Luna! She's fast and he did his best to keep up with her. It was so cute, Jake's mom said Luna was waiting by the window each day waiting for Max to come home. It's great that he will have someone to play with. All he had in Florida was Gregory and that was only when Gregory was home.
Think he has enough sticks?
The photo below is when we were packing the truck. He made sure he was in the way so we wouldn't forget him.
The Methodist Church had a bake/yard sale the second week in April. Jean and Jim, Gregory's neighbor are members and I offered to bake again for them this year. Last year I made these
which were excellent. I know lemon is a favorite so decided to make Lemon Cookies.
1 box lemon cake mix-( used Betty Crocker 18.25 oz)
1/2 Cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
Lemon Zest ( I wanted additional lemon taste so I added zest of 1 lemon)
Mix everything together. Drop by tablespoon onto cookies sheet and bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Here
On our way home! Six months with NO fire ants to bite me, oh be still my heart ;-)
Going through food in the freezer I found a container of collard greens. If you follow the blog I went a little crazy and bought way to many collard greens when Hitchcock's had them on sale. I made my version of collard greens but had a tub left over in the freezer.
Gregory hates cooked vegetables and I know he wouldn't eat them. I couldn't bring them home. WHAT! YOU WANT TO BRING THAT? IT'S GOING TO MAKE A MESS! Yes, that's my honey.
Recipe was adapted from Friends For Weight Loss. I can tell you I'll be visiting that site once I get home. The Florida fat has to come off and now that I'll be home I can walk the beach again.
Ingredients:
4 tsp. butter
3 eggs ( next time going to use egg beaters)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup fat free milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 pound shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 (10 oz.) packages spinach(Collard Greens)
1 tsp. chopped onion
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Directions:
Defrost spinach and cook. Once cooked and cooled, squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Melt the butter in microwave, set aside and let it cool.
Add eggs to large bowl and once butter is cooled beat well.
Add the flour, milk, salt, baking powder. When dough is mixed add the mozzarella and the Parmesan and spinach, garlic and onion.
Pam a 9 x 13 dish and spread the mixture evenly.
Bake @ 350 35 minutes and cool for 45.
The Pontfadog Oak, which was 1,285 years old was blown over last week by extreme winds.
Link to the tree when it was Alive from google images.
So very sad, losing a tree like this one is almost like losing a friend. You grew up with it, your parents and grandparents and many generations of your family grew up around it and it was visited and enjoyed and now it's gone.
I always have a tub of cool whip in the freezer. I add a teaspoon to my yogurt for dessert. I'm out of yogurt and I didn't want to buy more because we are leaving Friday . This was a good way to use up that extra cool whip!
I found this recipe on Jo and Sue Blog and adapted it slightly. Everything I needed was in the cabinet so when Gabe was visiting Ted, I whipped it up.
1 (0.30 oz) Package sugar free orange jello
1 small can mandarin orange ( I had about 1 cup)
1 (3.4 oz) package of fat free vanilla pudding
1 container fat free cool whip ( I use 3/4 of a 8 oz container, Jo and Sue used a large container which I think is 16 oz.)
Dissolve orange jello in 1 cup boiling water. In 1 cup add 1/2 of the cup with ice and fill the rest with cold water. Add to the dissolved jello. Stir until the ice is gone and then set it aside for five minutes.
Stir in one cup mandarin oranges- leave a few out so you can decorate your dessert.
With an electric mixture ( I used my kitchen aid) blend in the vanilla pudding. Mix until well blended. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Fold in half of the tub of cool whip.
Spoon into individual dishes and put in the fridge.
Add additional cool whip and a few Mandarins to pretty it up.
This was really good! Next time I'm going to try the strawberries. See Jo and Sue's Blog for additional flavors.
Where does time go? It seems like yesterday we were driving to Buffalo to pick up our new puppy and look at him now!
He's a laplab with Gabe. Max and I still have our issues. He listens to Gabe and he's smart. To smart for two old people.
He knows when we eat dinner. Gabe gives him a taste of what we had in his dish. About an hour before we eat he get pushy. He knows dinner is around the corner and he "encourages" us to get moving. He started a habit of barking. That's a huge no in this house. Rex, our first Lab barked when someone came to the door, Rip never barked. Max barking because he wants us to move, NOT! Max starts and Gabe pulls him into our room and closes the door. Time Out for Max. The funny part Gabe has done it so many times he now says- in the room and Max heads for the room.
Gregory's kitchen is small and my work space is this corner. Looks who makes sure he's there for the drops.
When we travel north I've been told that I can't take the kitchen back with us.
I tend to buy vegetables when on sale and it's crunch time and I need to eat 'em asap. It's a shame the weather is so hot, the crockpot would be making soup.
Adapted recipe from Coastal Living , which I found on Pinterest. Looked interesting and I thought I would give it a try.
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2/3 cups mayo ( used Kraft Chipotle Mayo)
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup breadcrumbs or panko
1/4 cup butter, melted
* I also added to taste Thai Chili Garlic Paste ( really wanted it to be Zesty)
Peel and scrape carrots and boil 5 mins or until tender
Drain but reserve 3 tablespoons of the liquid from the carrots.
Spoon carrots into a greased dish and set aside.
Combine the mayo, onions, reserve carrot juice, salt and pepper, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce and to taste if you add it the Thai Chili Garlic Paste.
Add the above mixture to the carrots and sprinkle with panko.
Pour melted butter over the panko.
Last night watching the 6:30 news brought tears to my eyes. People who jumped in to help those in need after the bombing at the Boston Marathon.
That's what's it's suppose to be all about. Helping, being supported. It's what's remembered- compassion.
Traditional Irish Blessing, just click on start to begin.
I made Carol's Biscoff Cookies awhile ago. Our neighbor Jean happened to come over as I was taking the cookies out of the oven. I insisted she try a few and take some back to her hubby, Jim.
Jean checks the blog and checked out the recipe. She made them for her church bake sale so I'm thinkin she really liked them.
We are going back to NY soon and we are finally getting together with Jean and Jim for dinner. I didn't want to make Carol's Biscoff cookies since Jean made them, I wanted to give them a sample of another Biscott cookie.
This is another recipe from Carol and Barbara Bakes. Usually I adapt a thing of two but didn't change a thing.
3/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 C biscoff spread
1 1/2 C old fashion oatmeal
1 C raisins
In a bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, which I used my kitchen aid I added the butter and both sugars. Cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and biscoff and beat until smooth.
Add your dry ingredients that are in your other bowl to the butter/biscoff mixture. Also add the oatmeal and the raisins.
Once mixed put the bowl in the fridge for 30-45 mins.
Preheat oven to 350 and spray cookies sheet with pam and next time I'm going to use parchment paper.
Add rounded tablespoon and place 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. The center will be soft.
THIS is important- let the cookies cool on the cookies sheet for 3-5 minutes. You know the first batch I pulled out I didn't do that. Those cookies didn't make it over to Jeans.
Once they cooled for those 3-5 mins. put them on a wire rack for additional cooling.
Original recipe HERE
Note: The recipe was my first recipe to be featured on another blog. Thank you Close to Home!
Carol adapted the recipe from Barbara Bakes. Barbara's recipe Chunky Biscoff White Chocolate is on my must make list.
My three guys waiting for the dinner. You might notice a thin rope tied to Max. That's to prevent more holes in the lawn. Little did we know that the rope is not Max chew proof. The amount around him is all that's left.
I had a can of Grand Biscuits in the fridge which I planned to use for another recipe. As usual, I forgot why I bought the biscuits and since we are leaving soon I needed eat them up.
Gabe really liked them and recipe is so easy. Added to my make again list.
1 can Grand Biscuits -not the flaky kind
1/2 stick butter
3 cloves garlic- minced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Directions:
Good recipe for my bundt pan!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1/2 stick of butter - which you add to the bundt pan and melt in preheated oven
Cut up the Grand's, I quartered them.
In a large bowl add the cut up grand's, garlic, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Once the butter is melted, add the grand's to the bundt pan, which have been coated into the bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe adapted from The Virtuous Wife
It's been almost 20 years since I visited Busch Gardens. We did the family trip to Disney, Universal and Busch Gardens when Gregory was in middle school. It certainty has changed!
If you would like to view additional Photos click and enjoy!
Anything with bacon and jalapeno is a winner in my book!
Recipe adapted from Real House Moms
12 large eggs, hard boiled and peel them (I cooked 6 eggs)
1 cup mayo( I used about 1/4 cup of mayo)
1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar ( used 3/4 tsp.)
3/4 tsp. ground mustard (used 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. sugar (scant amount)
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped ( used Cajun Chef Nacho Jalapeno slices)
6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
paprika (sprinkled with Tony Chachere's)
Slice the hard boiled eggs in half
Scope out the yolks
Mash the yolks and add mayo, rice vinegar, mustard and sugar.
Mix in jalapeno and bacon
Sprinkle with paprika or if you like Tony's add that.
If there is anything related to diving you know my Divingabe either has to see it or has already experienced it.
We were told this little museum was a must see.
I added photo from the museum to Shutterfly Pictures. Click on pictures if you would like to see additional photos.
Myra is the wind beneath my wings. She's also the sister I never had.
I "met" her when I joined a group on the internet, OWBB (older women bulletin board). I was lucky to establish a few lasting friendships with Myra and Paddi and Dottie.
Myra has been a strong supported of this blog. She has commented on every post from day one and today this post is just for her to show how special she is to me.
Myra my friend-you understand my past and believe in my future and accept me just the way I am. I wish you all the happiness and health in the year to come. Happy, Happy Birthday!
Butterfly Hugs!
New experience for Max last week. We spent a day in Key West, which is a fabulous place. I wanted to take the train which does a historical tour. Gabe didn't want to do the tour and said he would walk Max. Nothing like throwing the little man into the fire! Tons of people to deal with, other dogs, chickens and he was very good! Gabe was shocked. We never knew he could behave, there's still hope that he will turn out to be a good dog.
Restaurants in Key West were dog friendly. A few years ago a very drunk lady fell over a dog which was under a table. She sued and dogs are no longer welcome. The above place is dog friendly, outside. No problem for us, we love eating outside.
Max was served his own drink with plenty of ice! People that walked by loved him. They asked first if they could "pat" him and he sure loved all the attention!
This spiny lobster name is "Betsy". The sculpture welcomes you to the arts and crafts village. Awesome stop on the overseas highway. A quirky blast of bright colors, beautiful hand-made art and crafts. I didn't buy anything but saw quite a few things that I sure would like to own!
Loves to dig!
You can almost hear what he's thinking- how can I get in that pot and get to that soil! He's not tall enough to get in it and would never jump. Gabe still has to help him in the car. Spoiled? Oh yeah.
