Strawberry Smoothie

 

It is quite hot outside and I thought a smoothie sounded good.  So I searched the internet for a recipe and then Devon and I went out to our small strawberry patch and picked some strawberries.

I loved the smoothie!!!  Devon said he didn't, but he is 10 years old and a picky eater. 

On a hot day like today, it tasted awesome and hit the spot!!!

Strawberry Smothie

5 strawberries (I used 10 since mine were small)

10 ice cubes

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

Dutch Oven Cooking: Green Bean Casserole

This dish is amazing!!!  It is more like a dressed up green bean casserole and it is good.  Not only have I cooked this in the dutch oven, but I have also thrown it together in a crock pot and taken it to potlucks. 

This is one of those recipes that you can add more or less to it or additional items to it.  I have altered the recipe from where I original got it, Everyday Dutch Oven but I don't think you could do anything to make it taste bad!!! This recipe is cheesy, and super easy to make.

Jazzy Green Bean Casserole

 

3 cans green bean, drained

2 cans corn, drained

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup dried onion flakes

2 cups cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

4 strips bacon, crumbled (optional)

1 small can French-fried onions

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     In a large bowl combine all ingredients (except fried onions).
     Spoon mixture into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (10 coals on bottom and 14 on top) or until bubbly.
     Sprinkle fried onions on top and bake for a few minutes more or until onions brown.
    

Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt

A friend of mine posted this scavenger hunt challenge on her blog and I thought it would be fun for Devon and I also do it this summer.  We are also ways looking for different things to do!!! (I will label each post as Hunt, so you can find them)


Here is where the challenge can be found:
 Gallo Organico

And here is my friend's blog if you want to follow her hunt: Fivetulips


Here's the list:
1. A sign welcoming people to your home town (or a nearby town)
2. A garden gnome
3. Birds on a wire
4. A group of tourists
5. A rack of post cards
6. An urban street scene
7. A rural landscape
8. A tattoo on a person
9. A bakery
10. A photo bomb (someone found lurking in the background of photo; the lurker may have intended to disrupt the picture or may be doing it unintentionally, but the background lurker is a surprise to the photographer)
11. A horn
12. A mascot
13. A sunrise
14. A parade
15. A juggler
16. A sign in a language other than English
17. A lamp post
18. A water fall
19. A public garden
20. A bus (not a car, truck, lorry, camper or RV) with a picture painted on its sides.
21. A photograph of you with something representing the season (recognizing that the season will be Winter for our friends in the southern hemisphere). Note: you may not use a substitute for this item.
If you find something on the list too difficult, you may substitute one of the following items for anything on the list, except for Item #21:
Alternative A: A kite, hot air balloon or blimp
Alternative B: A bird house

Fall layout

I had the motivation to do some scrapbooking today, so I sat down in my room and created this layout with the help of a sketch from My Scraps & More.

Here's my layout

 

Here is the sketch I used for inspiration

Dutch Oven Cooking: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

With camping this past weekend, I have discovered that I really like cooking with my dutch oven.  I have cooked with it on camping trips before, but this was the first trip that I think I have somewhat mastered the dutch oven as I did not burn any of the food.  I took pictures of all the stuff I made in it and plan on sharing them with you here on my blog.

 

My husband's favorite is Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  And I made it perfectly!!! It was so good and everyone loved it.

	Topping		Cake Batter
4	Tbs. butter	1	yellow cake mix
1	cup brown sugar	1	cup pineapple juice
8	pineapple rings	1/3	cup water
8	maraschino cherries	3	eggs
		1/3	cup oil

Prepare Cake Topping: Melt butter in bottom of a 12" Dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter being careful not to touch the sugar once it has begun to dissolve into the butter. Carefully place pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar, 7 around the outside and 1 in the center. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Prepare Cake Batter: In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, pineapple juice, water, eggs and oil; mix well. Spoon cake batter carefully over the top of pineapple rings. Spread batter evenly to edges. Bake: Cover Dutch oven and bake using 10-12 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 45 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so in the oven with the lid cracked. Next run a rubber spatula around the inside edge of the oven to loosen the cake. To turn the cake out, first lay a piece of parchment paper across the top of the oven so it lays flat and replace the lid so that it holds the paper in place. Make sure you have an available lid stand resting on your table for the next step. Using gloved hands place one hand on the lid and the other hand under the oven and carefully lift and flip the oven over so the cake falls onto the lid. Rest the oven upside down on the lid stand and tap the bottom and sides of the oven lightly with your hand to make sure the cake didn't stick. Then lift the oven off the lid. The cake will be resting on the parchment lined lid and can be cooled this way or slid off the lid using the parchment paper. Allow cake to cool slightly before service.

Flowers

Each year for Mother's Day, Devon gets me a bunch of flowers and then he helps me plant them in containers.  I wish I could say I have a green thumb, but I really don't. I would love to really know what I am doing and what works best.  My planters might not be the prettiest things out there, but I love them just because my son got them for me!!!

After we planted all the flowers, Devon went around and watered them all.

These are the containers by the back door.  The bird feeder is one that Devon made for 4H last year.

 

 

The front door

A suet feeder Devon made in Cub Scouts

Love Baseball

I love baseball season!!!  It keeps us very busy.  Devon had a game this morning and he did a great job.  They tied 10-10 with the other team.

Now to their next game on Monday!!!