Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Here is our little RV Christmas tree. Isn't it cute - not even 2 feet from the base to the tippy top of the star!! I got the tree and the teeny ornaments from Michaels (my new favorite place to shop)!

And here are three of the little paper ornaments I did just to add that "homemade" touch!! I like the little snowman best!

Cards

One of the new hobbies that I've been pursuing is paper crafting. I've done some scrapbooking, but never made any cards until I decided to take a class here at Palm Creek in Casa Grande, AZ. The only problem with the card class is that they provide everything and have most things cut to size and everyone makes the same set of cards. I'm learning techniques and getting some good ideas, but there is little room for creativity. I've been spending a lot of time on the internet researching the subject. There are a lot of sites to peruse and I've been getting some good ideas from that limitless source. I've also been collecting tools and doing some experimenting!! : )

We are going to a local (and very good) Mexican restaurant tonight to celebrate the birthdays of some new friends and here are a couple of cards that I made for the occasion.

The cupcake card with it's Happy Birthday message.

I love this turtle and the cute stamp I found at Michaels on the clearance rack (remember we're retired!!).

Then I found a site that showed how to take inexpensive junior legal pads and make really cute binders for them. This is my interpretation.
This is really a lot of fun but very addictive. I'll see you later - I have to go get more tools and stamps and inks and STUFF!!!

Tucson Tamale Co.

You know we LOVE tamales. Really, really, really love tamales. But - well, you know, they use lard in the masa. I've always said that a really good tamale HAS to have lard in it to make the masa light and tender and melt in your mouth good!! Well, not anymore!!

Just look at that succulent beauty!! It is melt in your mouth goodness AND it is lard and gluten free.

We were in Tucson recently and I had checked out Roadfood.com for a good place to eat and they raved about this place. I'm thinking, "Yeah, right, can't be as good as El Charro!" Always up for a challenge, we decided to try it out. This is a small "mom and pop" business and above you can see their three man production line!!

Jalapenos roasting on the grill.

These are really good tamales and they do a mail order business. If you have to have a periodic tamale "fix" like we do, order some of these and check out the incredible varieties that they have. We tried several and the green corn and Sante Fe were the best, but we haven't tried the Thanksgiving one yet. As you can imagine, there are several taking up my precious, limited freezer space! Here's the website: www.tucsontamalecompany.com/menu.html.

Quiche Perfected

I've been making quiches for years - pretty haphazardly, I must admit. I think I've finally got it right. This is a basic recipe and you can make any type quiche that you want from seafood to vegetarian. What makes it "perfected" is the custard recipe - I think I've finally got that egg/milk combination nailed!! Don't leave out the freshly grated nutmeg. It's critical.

I made this quiche for a brunch potluck here at Palm Creek in Casa Grande, AZ. Not a crumb left!!

Quiche Perfected

1 9 inch pie crust (I use Pillsbury refrigerated)

6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

1/3 C. diced onion

½ C . sliced mushroom

1 C. grated swiss cheese

2 green onions, diced

3 eggs

1 C. half and half

½ C. skim milk

freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball ¼ to ½ tsp.)

salt and pepper

Saute onion in small amount of bacon grease until translucent. Add mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms give up their moisture.

Combine eggs, half and half, skim milk, nutmeg, scant ¼ tsp. table salt, and generous grinding of pepper.

In the prepared 9 inch pie crust, scatter ½ C. cheese, bacon, mushroom/onion mixture, remaining cheese, and the green onion. Pour the milk/egg mixture over all.

Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes until set. Oven temperatures vary so check to be sure center has set before removing from oven.

Terrific Tucson Tamales

Forgive the alliteration - my English teacher background gets the better of me sometimes.

We rolled in to Tucson this afternoon for a short stay to get the coach washed and waxed. We love Tucson and here is one of the reason's why:

Tamales at El Charro!!! These are the best tamales anywhere and we have eaten a LOT of tamales.
We have tried these beauties several times and they are consistently good. The vegetable ones are the best followed closely by the pork carnitas ones. If you are a tamale afficionado like we are, you must try these if you are ever in Tucson - heck, just plan a trip - they are that good!!

Haute Cuisine - Arkansas Style

Several years ago I took my parents on a road trip to see our daughters and my brother and his family with a brief stop in the spa to see JC's little brother T.

T suggested we have lunch at a little place that was on our route. I couldn't remember the name of the place so I called Mom and she couldn't remember, but she was sure it was in Mt. Ida because Daddy always like to go through that little town. For once it was a beautiful day in Hot Springs so JC and I hopped in the car and went on a culinary adventure.

This was some gooooood eatin' - so hot and crisp that you had to wave it around and blow on it and you still couldn't wait to get that crunchy goodness in your mouth!!

Fried catfish at the Dairyette in Mount Ida, AR. I'm sure the other food is tasty, and they stay busy, but order the catfish - it is sooooo goooood!!!!

The Big Feed!

We had dinner at Mom's today and all three of my siblings and numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews were there. Mexican was the theme and I didn't take pictures, but I'm telling you it was a feast. Mom had cooked for days and there were several kinds of enchiladas and her famous chili and yummy rice and my foodie nephew J made two salsas and guac to die for. There were several dips and my sis-n-law's stuffed jalepenos (peppers grown by my nephew S). The list goes on and on . . . Ok I didn't take pictures . . . I'm old - I forget and I was way too busy holding babies to take pictures of food!

Anyway, I decided to make a cheese dip and combined what I had in the fridge and pantry - turned out pretty good:

Clog Your Arteries Mexican Dip:

1 lb breakfast sausage crumbled, browned and drained

1 8 0z block cream cheese

Hot (habanero) Rotel tomatoes, drained - juice reserved if needed to thin dip

1 lb block Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

Place all ingredients in a small crock pot on high, stirring occasionally until melted and then turn to low and serve with corn chips.

I also made PW's Spanish Green Beans. Click here for the recipe.

It was a memorable day because of the people and the food and Mom who brought us all together and for whom we give thanks.