Mandarin Orange Cake

The boys are leaving for camping in Arkansas this weekend, and I want to do some good cookin' this week to make them miss home even more, ha ha.  But I really am going to make good stuff!  Including this easy fridge cake.  Start with 1 box yellow cake mix and blend in 1 small can mandarin oranges, juice and all, 1/4 c. oil, 3 eggs.

Pour into 13x9 dish and bake about 35 minutes.
  Let it cool.  Then blend 1 box instant vanilla pudding with 1 large can crushed pineapple (juice and all).  Fold in 1 small carton of Cool Whip.  Frost the cooled cake with this and store it in the fridge.

So good for dessert on warm summer evenings, and you could swim in that frosting.

Gina

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Sweet Thursday - Cake and Pie Edition

Summer laundry

It wouldn't be summer without the laundry line stretching across the patio

Might as well take advantage of the free heat and sun, and keep the inside of the house cool. Besides, it makes the patio smell nice, too!

This little guy takes care of socks, undies, and washcloths.  I'm going to get another for bathing suits, etc. next time I visit IKEA.  If the line is too full, I just hook him to the BBQ grill.  Do you ever hang laundry outside?

Gina

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Homebody's IKEA Party!

Let us observe a moment of silence...

for the end of our friend, Amana.  She was a true, beige friend.

She posted many a menu, work of art, school permission slip, family calendar, and kitschy magnet.  As a former floor model at Conn's she held family dinners for so many occasions, including all the major holidays for the last 12 years, and never once complained.  She stored baby formula to beer, without missing a beat.  That is, until Monday. When she started gasping for life, letting our freezer contents thaw.  Then we had to let her gently slip away into the arms of the Best Buy delivery man....and welcome our new baby.

LG. Maybe short for Looking Good.  Matches the other appliances. More space. Nicer ice and water dispenser. Energy compliant.  Me like!  And I can't bring myself to put all of those clippy magnets and notes back on it, so she looks better all the way around.  

Gina

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Creamy jalapeno dressing

I found a recipe for creamy jalapeno dressing like they serve at Chuy's, a popular Austin restaurant.  So here's what I needed, and please pretend I remembered to add mayo, because I did!

Creamy Jalapeno Dressing

Pickled japs in juice, a packet of ranch dressing mix, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 

1 c. mayo (the real thing), and 1/2 a bunch of cilantro, chopped with stems removed.  I dumped the japs into the blender with a little juice and chopped them up, then added all else and blended together.

Looks good, smelled even better!

The recipe suggests you make it hours before you want to use it.  I think hubby will be very happy to see this beside his taco salad - it's his favorite thing at Chuy's.  I will toss a bagged salad with black beans, green onions, avocado, tomato, and seasoned, cooked ground beef. My favorite salad!

Gina

On the dinner table: pizza meatloaf

Ooohhh...one of my favorite things to make, even though it's really too hot outside. I forgot to buy salmon for tonight. ): Well, I just have to thaw out some ground beef, sorry; salmon another day!  But I'll make this:

I learned to make it in high school from an old cookbook of my mom's.  Simple enough for a kid to make, but really filling and cheesey!  It was a family favorite back then and Hubby really likes it. We usually have it with potatoes of some sort (these are roasted), and a veggie (like these buttery carrots).

If I were feeling creative I might also do rolls....but..yeah. Not tonight.  However, I did make Cornflake Cookies since the oven was hot anyway.  Here's the meatloaf recipe - try it, you might like it!

Pizza Meatloaf

Mix 1 can tomato soup with 1/4 c. water and 1/2 tsp. each of crushed oregano and garlic salt.  Ladle out 1/4 c. of it into a bowl and add: 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, 1 egg, 1 c. bread crumbs, 1/2 chopped onion.  Shape into loaf and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  Drain fat off.   Pour the rest of the sauce over it, top with cheese, and bake til cheese melts. Cook the tatoes and your veggie at the same time in the oven.

Enjoy!

Mother's Day 2010

My Mother's Day was quite nice!  We went to Elsi's for Salvadorian food.

I had a great dinner with my favorite people!

Gina

Crockpot Chicken Mole Verde

Crock pot to the rescue!  Pretty much, a crock pot makes everything better. Tuesday morning: staring down a package of raw chicken, I decide to make mole. Verde Mole.  Never made it. But it looks good.  And very verde.

I just mixed the mole with chicken broth,

 browned the chicken,

threw it into the crock with the mole sauce, added some peppers and onions,

along with a sprinkling of oregano. And a little salt.
Then walked away for about 8 hours while it cooked on low.

  I served it with rice and fresh green beans.
Hubby went back for seconds.  That was easy!

Gina  

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Simple Plate - What A Crock!