New Year's Resolution on Recipes and Cookbooks

So, y'all know that I have a gajillion recipes everywhere. For the ones that I managed to do an okay job on, I'll later forget where it is and wonder where and in which book it is, or was it a torn piece of magazine, newspaper, email, or what? So this year with my Christmas cooking, I made a New Year's resolution to make a notebook of recipes that I have tried throughout the year with the date and any modifications to the recipe that I made. And also whether it was a keeper or not. Or if I just killed the recipe and to never try it again.

I'm going to have sections of the usual, appetizers, fruits, breads, meats, ets and the killed file, because there are plenty of killed recipe attempts. It's just the way it is.

I want my new recipe book to be a bit of a work of art for me. I want to pick up the book and see things that stir my soul - maybe a picture of a wishlist kitchen or a beautiful tea set that I would love to have. And the recipe that inspired me to try and cook it and whatever notes I have made about how it turned out, what my family thought about it, what I added because I thought it might work for the recipe, etc, etc You know how that goes. I want to feel good about the cooking that I do try to do. I will never be a great cook, I know that and that is okay.

This will be a book just for me and my experiments in the kitchen. I'm not sure what it will look like yet but for now it's started in a regular blue kid's notebook and a stack of recipes that I have tried throught out the years (before Huny and after).

I'll post some before pictures and show you my progress as it goes.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve! Huny wants Black Eyed Peas with Ham Hocks. Need I say that I've never cooked this before?

Texas Rock Rose

Pavonia lasiopetala is a Texas Native that is extremely drought tolerant.
Flower: 1" pink Hibiscus-like flower that is loved by butterflies and honey bees.
The Rock Rose will stay in bloom from summer till fall. This plant comes back every year in my garden. The plant can get leggy, but cutting it back several times a year keeps it in check and the look is still lovely.

Texas Rock Rose generally only last 3-4 years but will reseed freely and the seedlings can replace the older plants. The flower will open in the morning and will close in the afternoon, blooms can be extended if there is afternoon shade.

Package contains 10 seeds.

Clike HERE to purchase.

Where did all the snow go?

Well, I guess that Texas for you. HaHa. I don't believe that we got any freeze last night, although I was freezing when I got in bed. Huny had to work all night de-icing the planes at the airport so my bed was COLD.

When I got up all the snow was gone!  The weather is about 40 degrees, so I decided to take a walk. I opened the door and was greeted with songbirds going about their business. I immediately felt a weight lifted from my shoulders. I took the time to just relax and enjoy the morning mist and the bird songs in the neighbordhood. Because of the cloudy day, I felt as if I was alone in the world for a little while, and I found that that is exactly what I needed. I have been a little neglectful to myself as far as taking the time to be by myself and enjoy my own company. Solitude is not a bad thing. I think that being alone for a bit is an important part of our lives that we need to take and reconnect with ourself to replenish the soul.

I've been feeling a little stressed, as I'm sure a lot of us have the last few weeks, and taking the time this morning for my walk and to not think, was good. I just enjoyed the feel of the cool day and just let myself be.

Snow in the Garden!

It is snowing again!

Below are pictures of the snow we got on Christmas Day. We got three inches of the white stuff. Beautiful, but it also was icy and stopped me from going to see my grandson and new granddaughter - she's doing wonderful!  3 lbs. 12 oz.  She'll be home soon!

Do you know that feeling you get when you cook a meal and then you just KNOW that it's going to sit in the fridge until it grows into a science experiment? Well, this is the feeling I have about my taco meat from last night. And it's because it has more beans in it than usual. My guys don't know a good thing when it stares at them from their plate.

So, in order to save my taco meat, I think I will convert it to chili. My guys don't like chili either, but I do and since they won't eat anymore of my taco meat they can just go fix a sandwich. I bought plenty of lunchmeat for them.

Chili with cornbread mixed with jalapenos and a cold, cold beer.

I'll show them.

Today we have frost and it is COLD. The wind died down from yesterday so that is a good thing. In a couple of days we will be back up to the 60's during the day and low 40's at night. We had a fire going all night and have it going this morning again since Huny is off today.

I did another cooking experiment last night. I made Salmon Patties. I followed the recipe off the can since I've never made this before. The recipe called for one egg white, but I used the whole egg. It also called for a tsp of seasoned salt. Next time I will not use so much because it came out a bit salty for me. Huny warmed up a can of creamed corn and the recipe called for a dip of mayo and dijon mustard. I added some parsley to the dip.  Huny liked it and we'll make this again. He would like tuna patties, and I'll try it, but it does not sound good to me at all.

I also made some oreo balls. I got the recipe from Lisa from Tarnished and Tattered. She said that her husband makes this all the time and it sounded pretty easy so I thought I could make it here at home. The only problem I had was the frosting of the balls. I used a toothpick to dip the balls, but I think I needed to water the chocolate down a bit because it was too thick, I think. I haven't tried one yet because  - well, just haven't yet. But, I tried the mix before the chocolate and IT WAS SOOOOOO GOOOOOD. Yum. I'll have to keep trying these until I get them right for me.

Tonight will be a back to basics supper with tacos. I bought some fresh corn tortillas from a little store down the street. I had to eat a couple fresh from the bag on the way home. Tacos, with beans and rice tonight and salsa. Oh yeah.

Last Wednesday

I woke up to snow......