Grandpa Tom's Shrimp and Corn Chowder {Our Sipping Soup}

O.K. If there were to be one thing on my blog I would beg for you to try, it would be THIS.SOUP. No kidding!

Grandpa Tom and Grandma Judi {my mother-in-law's BFF for about 58 years!!!} have been part of our family since my hubby and I have been married {over 20 years!} They treat our children like their own, never forgetting a birthday, special milestones, and sport's games when they are in town!

They are amazing friends and amazing cooks. This soup has become TRADITION! It is so easy to make, but it is fancy enough in the taste department that it could be served to the Heads of State!

We like serving it in glass punch cups as an appetizer for our Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! It has affectionately been dubbed "our sipping soup".

It is soooo good even our friends have adopted it as a family TRADITION in their homes.

ENJOY!!!!


Grandpa Tom’s Shrimp and Corn Chowder
{Our Sipping Soup}

1 cup unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped

2lbs. cocktail shrimp, rinsed and drained

2 {14.75} oz. cans cream style corn

1 can Rotel Tomatoes

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pint half and half

1 half pint heavy whipping cream

1 lb. Velveeta Cheese {I KNOW! BAD.BAD.BAD...but the fami does not like the healthy version...and for the sake of TRADITION...it is okay!!! We will just be juicing for the next 10 days. That's all. DONE!}


Directions:

*Saute onion in butter until onion is soft

*Add shrimp, corn, Rotel and pepper to taste.

*Add remaining ingredients.

*Heat until cheese melts. It is ready to serve!!! YIPPEE!!

We have made this soup in the crockpot and it works great. Just add the shrimp about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with crusty Artisan bread and a nice dinner salad for a main coarse...just be sure to serve LINDA'S Chocolate Decadence for dessert!

Shared with: stone gable

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Photo/Clutter Garden Trellis {DIY}

Is there anybody that doesn't LOVE looking at people's fridge photos and other interesting little pieces of paper that are taped to, stuck to, and attached with cute magnets to the fridge? I know I do. I refuse to take pictures of loved ones off my fridge for the sake of having a clutter-free zone! It is part of who we are and our friends have become a part of our family.

I love it, too, when friends visit and they know the same people we know! It always tends to spark fun conversation. ORRR,...you might have an adorable Christmas picture where friends might comment: "cute kids!", "I LOVE her hair!", "There is no way shehas 5 kids!" etc. It gives you a chance to tell other people about YOUR friends! ANYWAY, blah.blah.blah!

However, I can not stand clutter ALL OVER every other part of the fridge. Notes from my children {I have to keep them at eye-level to remind myself how blessed I am with them on days where parenting does not come quite as easy}, little reminders to myself, concert tickets, quotes I love, things that do not need to be out for everybody else to see etc.

SOOOO, I picked up two garden trellis picks, took some wire and tied them together to hang INSIDE my cupboard...opposite to the FAMILY calendar. I had some mini clothespins and it works GREAT! Not bad for $4.00!

*Do you keep pictures and everything else on your fridge?

*Do you like it nice and tidy?

*How do you organize your tidbits of info?


linked to http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/search/label/linky%20party

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SHOW-N-TELL Club

This morning as I was reading Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say REJOICE!" I was reminded that life should be filled with JOY.

It should be about refusing to let life's circumstances dictate our attitudes.


Believe me, I am the first one to get impatient with an overly energetic child bouncing off the deck and on the furniture as he is getting the dogs completly wound up AT dinner time, and we have had our share of life-altering situations that will be part of who we are for the rest of our lives.

Life should be about looking at things from a different perspective. Not our perspective, but through God's perspective.

When was the last time you remember being joyful? Not happy. JOYFUL?

We are fully aware that life is tough. Not a day goes by that we are not ALL reminded of that. Marriages are on the rocks, innocent children and soldiers are dying, babies in orphanages are not being held and cuddled, hearts are broken, jobs are far and few between, and those who have never dealt with addictions are turning to them to "cope and deal" with life.

Here is a quote I LOVE: Joyful people stay riveted to the present-the here and now, not the then and never...Swindoll

"I was regretting the past
And fearing the future...
Suddenly my Lord was speaking:
"MY NAME IS I AM." He paused.
I waited. He continued,

"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE PAST,
WITH ITS MISTAKES AND REGRETS,
IT IS HARD. I AM NOT THERE.
MY NAME IS NOT I WAS.

"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE FUTURE,
WITH ITS PROBLEMS AND FEARS,
IT IS HARD. I AM NOT THERE.
MY NAME IS NOT I WILL BE.

"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THIS MOMENT,
IT IS NOT HARD.
I AM HERE. MY NAME IS "I AM"

HELEN MALLICOAT

...AND THAT is how we can have joy. Knowing that our life is in God's very capable, loving hands. Despite our fears, worries and everyday stresses only HE can give us joy. Maybe we have had joy in the past. Maybe not. Maybe we are thinking that in the future we will have joy when the children are older, when the baby is sleeping through the night, when morning sickness is gone, after the house sells...etc. WHAT about today? God is there for YOU TODAY. This very second.

*************************************************************************************

I have talked about my friends Linda and Julie before. We are the three that get together for Show-n-Tell once a month.

When we first started getting together we would talk about food and direct sales. As our friendship has grown we now talk about food, food carts, aging, fun walks to take, culture, children, barns, shoes, buying in bulk etc.

Julie is Vegan, I am "pretty much a vegetarian" {chicken once in awhile and love seafood}. Linda eats and likes just about everything...so it is alot of fun chatting about our different recipes and tweaking them to suit our eating habits.

This last month, Linda took the bull by the horns and gave us a date, time and place. No questions asked. That is the way it works! We met at PF CHANGS.

*Julie's Show-n-Tell: Her new hairdo, new lipstick...{she got off the hook a bit since she is working on finishing up a new cookbook!}

*Linda's Show-n-Tell: Dove Chocolate Discoveries catalogs. Since we all met through Direct Sales, we were all OKAY with it. She is hosting a party, and we are all attending. No way around it. She is so excited! We all trust Linda. If she thinks it is good. It is going to be! The catalogs are TO.DIE.FOR. Think White Chocolate Cream-filled Cupcakes,Triple Cream Fudge Cake and Frosted Espresso-glazed Brownies! I KNOOOOW!!!

*my Show-n-Tell: A bit of the loot I received from Garnish. We thought of a million and one ways to package and display different foods!

We ate our lunch and then unanimously decided to finish our date at CASH-N-CARRY!

We packed in several more important topics which included ice cream scoops...the good ones that will last forever and the ones that don't last one run through the dishwasher...and yet another reason to carry feminine products in your purse.*** {Mom, if you are reading this, STOP.RIGHT.NOW!}...

***{My hubby had taken me out to a fancy schmancy dinner auction and I was chewing gum. I had cleaned out my purse. No receipts, no appointment cards, nothing except my wallet, lipstick and feminine paper products in the zippered part. {Because that is the decent place to carry them!} Well, there were cloth napkins and no sugar packets {usually my back up} sooo, my hubby asked what I was doing {the table was filled with other people} I told him I needed to spit my gum out! I had my purse on my lap and tore the paper off THE PRODUCT and wadded my gum up in it. Well, my hubby needed to spit his gum out, too. So, he asked for a piece of paper. I obliged. The submissive wife that I am... :) OH.MY. HE WAS COMPLETELY mortified. We laughed so hard!}

So, all I am saying is this: LAUGH! Ask God to give you joy...in the midst of the storm or laughter while it is smooth sailing!

*Do you have friends you can laugh with?

*Are you able to find the humor in the everyday?

Today, I am grateful for friends. {No particular order} The friends who live far away, my closest friends that hold my heart, friends that encourage the deepest part of who I am, My daughter..., adopted "moms", the best mother-in-law EVER, my kindred-spirits, friends I only see once-in-a-blue moon, my twinsie who knows all my secrets, and the friends I have never met and the ones I have yet to meet and my Momma who loves me the way I am and who will still be pulling my skirt down, suggesting I wear a cami and reminding me to turn down the water until I'm 101! I LOVE YOU ALL...and you bring me OUTRAGIOUS JOY!

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TRADER JOE'S CAKE MIXES

Aren't these the most adorable cake mix boxes ever? AND the cakes are delicious! DARE I SAY ALMOST AS GOOD AS HOMEMADE? I am NOT kidding. Friends actually think I made them from scratch!! I will definitely be making chocolate biscotti! SO...this is my new go-to! I am NOT even going to be hiding the boxes! I am considering displaying them in my hutch for all to see!


*Would YOU buy a cake mix from Trader Joe's even if you consider yourself a "FROM-SCRATCH-BAKER" only?

*Are you going to run out and stock up on them?

*If you don't have a Trader Joes would you call up their headquarters and cry, beg, plead for them to send you a cake mix? I would!!!

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Pumpkin Waffles {with the WORKS}

Pumpkin Waffles

Lisa Pearson



2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup plain pumpkin {no spices added}

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. sea salt


Beat eggs, buttermilk and pumpkin together. Add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk until batter is smooth. Place 2/3 of a cup on waffle iron and let cook until golden brown.



Cinnamon Sugar

½ cup organic sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon



Homemade Syrup

Lisa Pearson


1 cup organic sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. clearjel {available at King Arthur or the Decorette Shop}

½ cup corn syrup

1 cup water

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract



Whisk all dry ingredients together in a little saucepan. Add wet ingredients. Stir until it boils. Boil for three minutes. Strain. Pour into an old-fashioned glass syrup dispenser and frolick the day away!

Be sure to keep leftover syrup in the fridge. Now, go frolick!



Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cream

Lisa Pearson


Whip up 1 pint of whipping cream with 4 Tbsp. Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup.


Here is what you do:

*Place waffle{s} on plate

*Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar

*Pour on warm syrup {in your cute little glass dispenser} :)

*Top with whipped cream and garnish with freshly ground nutmeg

Post Note: It is the little things in life that add zest to life. With all the money you will be saving by making your own syrup, you can purchase a dispenser. They can be found at thrift stores...make sure it has a tight seal..., Cash and Carry, K-Mart, Target, EBAY etc. and if you don't have the time, CHRISTMAS IS COMING AND THE GOOSE IS GETTING FAT! {my hubby's favorite saying from October on!}





An Autumn Brunch Menu:

Orange Juice and Milk

Pumpkin Waffles

Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cream

Cinnamon Sugar

Homemade Syrup

Oma's applesauce

shoulda made bacon on the bbq, but opted for the sugar high!

tired girls home from college, 1 teenage boy, an energetic hubby, and grandparents who dropped by...a little dappled doggie who feels she is entitled to pumpkin waffles, too...and there you have our crazy, late, late brunch!

Happy Happy Happy Saturday!

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Cajun Black Bean Burritos

Cajun Black Bean Burritos
Lisa Pearson

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Soup Base {Trader Joes} or regular bouillion

¼ cup cup water

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1 bunch cilantro, chopped {be sure to soak, drain, rinse, drain!}

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 cups cooked rice {I use leftover Jasmine rice}

1 can Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Black Beans…do not drain

1 package flour tortillas {I prefer Trader Joe’s Organic Wheat & Corn Tortillas}

Directions:


Over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil until fragrant. Add bouillon, water and spices and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through
Add rice and beans. Stir.

Using an ice cream scoop, put two scoops of filling onto each tortilla shell. May add cheese, too. Roll each tortilla up, burrito style and place on SILPAT.
Bake at 350 for about 68 minutes or until golden.

Serve with MORE cheese, salsa, sour cream and whatever else you love.
Serves about 6 unless you are feeding teenage boys or hungry firefighters!!!

This is an easy recipe you can double and freeze. I like to wrap them individually in Kabinet Wax papers and then stick them in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Remove from freezer and zap them for 3 minutes!

Variations:

*You can use one can of chicken instead of fresh if you are short on time.

*You may add more chicken and less rice if you LOVE meat.

*Have fun with this basic recipe and let me know if you come up with other fun combos!

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Pat-A-Cake {Quick D.I.Y. Cake}

No need for spendy cakes. I can't think of much else I would rather do than to widdle the morning away making a birthday cake with a little helper...{BTW, Trader Joes has THE.MOST.ADORABLE packaged cake mix boxes that TASTE amazing and the graphics are to.die.for! I think they could sell it to me with pickled pigs feet and I'd still buy it for the box!!}

Here is what you need:

A sweet.fun.energetic.little helper

A cake mix and a few ingredients

Your favorite frosting

Bake Your Cake.

Let it cool.

Wrap it and freeze it. This makes it sooooo easy to frost!

Unwrap the frozen cake and set 1st layer on a serving plate, waxed paper boars, cake plate...

Frost a bit.

Set 2nd layer on top of frosting.

Get a knife or spoon and pat the frosting on the cake in an upward motion, creating little peakes or waves. This takes no skill whatsoever.

Take two lollipop sticks and stick 'em into the cake. Tie twine, ribbon, string or whatever you have {twisties, dental floss :) on one end. Add paper punches of leaves, different shapes, candy corn, Froot Loops etc. Tie to other pole. That is it. Just think. No lines, no ordering, a fun baking day, memory making, and the satisfaction of having saved a bit of money.

Now, I really want to hear from you? Do you bake from scratch or are you okay with buying a box mix? Be honest!!! :) It took me awhile to not hide the box mix under the organic sugar, butter, milk and oats. BUT it saves so much time!

Happy Thursday!

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