Good morning Goldies,
Nothing but work going on here. Ds started his new job today. It's a beautiful cool sunshiny morning. Temps got to 37 this morning. We had a heavy frost. We went to my sisters and bil last night for supper. I stayed 100% on plan. Yay!!!!

Bobbi ~ I would love your caramel corn. Sweets are my weakness. If I start I wouldn't stop.

Carolsue~ southern Cajun cooking is awesome. That's why I'm FAT. I think losing weight is the hardest thing I've ever done. Our food is so tempting. What is keilbassa? I haven't the slightest idea what that is. Lol. I'm really enjoying seeing the difference in everyones menu.

Have to get busy in my house.

Hugs
Cajun

Good morning GG’s,

Back home from a visit to NC to see my youngest daughter and her family. (This is the daughter I mentioned in an earlier post here that was uppity as a teenager.)

It was mostly a nice visit. If I can let some of her comments and attitudes just roll off it turns out ok. She is a good mom to her little girl. Her little girl is a sweetie, but DD Jen caters to her. Hope she stays sweet and does not turn into a spoiled uppity little girl.

Parts of the visit were kind of stressful. They live a lifestyle that is completely foreign to anything I know. I grew up in a working class family, trying to just make ends meet. We didn’t have a lot of stuff other kids had, but were happy and had fun anyway. Simple pleasures.

Jen has to be going and doing all the time. DGD Evie kind of runs the show ~ that actually worked to my advantage one day ~ LOL. Jen asked Evie if she wanted to go…. (to a play group with a bunch of the other ladies and kids that DD Jen is friends with ~ others like her ~ fancy shcmancy
people). Evie said no, so we didn’t go. Yippee ~ I felt that I would feel totally uncomfortable around those people. Jen is so worried that Evie will be bored if she stays home and said ~ well this is boring. I think that it is Jen that is bored and not Evie. I think Evie was perfectly happy having someone play with her one on one.

It sort of kind of made me feel bad. I don’t get to see Jen very often and didn’t want to hang out with a bunch of strangers. I wanted to spend time with Evie and Jen. And it made me feel bad that Jen didn’t want to clear her busy social calendar to spend time with me. Jen said ~ well I thought you would like to see how Evie spends her days. I don't begrudge Jen her lifestyle ~ just wanted to see her and not all those other people.

She told me that on Sundays, she cooks a big meal, and a whole bunch of people come over and spend the day. I was dreading that ~ having to make small talk to a bunch of people/strangers who I had nothing in common with. A couple different times when they were gonna get together and do stuff with their friends, I asked if I please just couldn’t stay home. They did that a couple times. I way rather preferred staying home alone, than have to be with those other people. I guess they finally “got it” that those situations made me very uncomfortable. I think they called their friends and said that for this Sunday, they wouldn’t be doing their usual thing. Instead, SIL Mike went to a football game with friends, and Jen and I got out Christmas tree and decorations. That was mostly fun until when Evie and I were playing with the paper that the decorations had been wrapped in ~ Evie had it over her and was pretending to be a sheep ~ baaaa ing and all ~ and then closer to bed time, we were pretending that the paper was blankets and we were covering up with it like a blanket and sleeping. Jen said ~ you look like homeless people ~ don’t worry Evie ~ you will never be homeless. We weren’t even thinking anything like that ~ Evie wouldn’t even know about anything like that ~ I felt like Jen took something that was innocent fun and was being uppity about it.

Anyway ~ it was that simple stuff that I enjoyed. One night I helped Jen wrap Christmas presents. Another day, we went to the store and got stuff to make Evie a felt Christmas tree and different colored circles so she could decorate her “own” little tree.

SIL Mike, I guess he just wants his guests to have a nice time. He kept offering to stay with Evie and tried to get Jen and I to go to a movie, or to a spa for a massage or a place to get our nails done. Finally I told him that I wasn’t trying to be difficult, but I had no desire to do any of those things. Those things weren’t fun to me, but hanging out at home with Jen and playing with Evie ~ that is what I was really enjoying.

Mostly it was a nice visit. Glad to be back home all the same. I was really surprised when I got on the scale this morning ~ that I hadn’t gained about 10 pounds, because we ate out a lot ~ almost every day. Thankfully I gained only 2 pounds. Probably up moving around playing with Evie helped that.

Dryer is buzzing ~ guess I’d better go tend to that. Spending the day unpacking and putting that stuff away and getting ready to go back to work tomorrow. Sigh…….

Hope you all are having a nice day.

Take care

picture ~ Evie and her little Christmas tree

Okay back to try again. i just about killed myself yesterday. I told you that have 9 ups and downs in my knee and I got voluneered to be the bumper and had to do at least 16 ups and downs. I stood outside after the game and couldn't bear the thought of walking to my car. I finally got there and called DH in tears telling him it was a mickydee dinner. He helped me out of the car. turns out he fell off a ladder and Dash spent the day guarding him after that....by 9pm it was hard to tell who was the most exhausted.

Cajun....Kielbasa is smoked sausage....We got your cool and loving it. Even closed a few windows this evening. Bless your DS for getting himself out of the horible job into a better safer psoition. It's amazing when your kids think for themselves.....good mother job!

Rosey....Didn't we tell you that you are not made out of rubber and you don't bounce. Fall again and we'll bubble wrap you.

CarolSue....If not thread, how about Crazy glue or Duct Tape?

Gayle...Over all sounds like it was a pretty good visit.

OHHHH recipe....so easy and so good it's sinful:

Bake some pecans to increase flavor.
Mix warm pecans with SF butterscotch (ice cream) sauce.
Pour into pie crust.
Make sf chococate pudding with ff milk and put on top of nuts
chill

Gonna try with sf butterscotch pudding next!

Donna... Are you having guests or going?

Lynn....How are you and your DD?

We are not going to NC for the holiday. Just us. Been invited to friends but found that there were just too many folks and not fun anymore.

Soooo... dinner will be the 16lb turkey (we like leftovers and so does Dash)
Rutabago for DH, sugar snap peas for me, baked sweet potatoes (no sugar etc) just butter, whole cranberry relish, hot rolls and sweetpotato pie for dessert unless DH wants the above pie.

I have really never tasted Thanksgiving dinner at dinner time. After cooking all day nothing tasted right, BUT come 10pm I must have a cold Turkey sandwich on cheap white bread with mayo and lettuce. Cranberry sauce on the side. MUST HAVE! OR ELSE!

Gonna post before this too disappears...k3

Hi everyone,thanks for the advice about the bubble wrap k3 made me laugh. we had 4 " of snow and becuz dh cant lift yet i wanted to get the snow off the ramp befor it froze. so i went out and hung onto the railing and pushed the shovel down and off the ramp went the snow sorta. sure got a work out and its not perfect but was proud of me. and yes bobbie im sore like i was beat with an ugly stick and afew bruises but i'll live. and yes those medics where CUTE and lifted me up like a feather. i have veg beef soup simmering on the stove and tootsie on my lap,and steves snoring in his chair,lifes good. have agreat evening rosey

Well Karen 3 and Rosie are on the injured list. I hope you are both feeling better. Gotta be careful, girls!

Cajun , they are right. Kielbassa is sometimes called Polish Sausage and sometimes Smoked Sausage. It is one of the basic food groups here in PIttsburgh. I stick a pound or two in when I cook a turkey or a ham. Some eat it on a bun as a sandwich, or just eat it the way it is. When I make pork and sauerkraut I cook a couple pork chops, a couple country ribs, a few pieces of kielbassa and some hot dogs. Let the pork simmer for a few hours then add the kielbassa and hot dogs in the last 30 minutes. You can also cook it on the grill. My husband puts it on a fork and holds it over the flame of the gas range, much to my chagrin. My favorite brand is Eckrich and I buy the skinless. It is not a diet food!!! It comes in "Turkey" too, and that is a little less fatty.

Karen3 - Duct tape sounds good! I wonder what DH would do? LOL I think it would melt in the oven, though.

I never made this recipe but I have had it at Steeler Parties and it's good. When I had it, it was served warm, with the meat in the sauce.

Kielbasa is a staple here in Pittsburgh and a must-have for every Steelers tailgating party or summer get-together. Try this official Pittsburgh kielbasa recipe - featuring Iron City Beer and Heinz Chili Sauce - for your next party. The sweet glazed little appetizers are sure to be a hit!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

One pound kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch coins
One can (12 ounces) Iron City Beer
One jar Heinz chili sauce
One small can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup brown sugar

Preparation:
Kielbasa: Pour beer into a large skillet. Bring to a simmer and add kielbasa pieces. Cook sausage for three minutes per side. Drain. Serve warm with dipping sauce (recipe follows).

Dipping Sauce: Mix the chili sauce, crushed pineapple and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm with kielbasa slices. Serves 10.

I wanted to share my favorite way of cooking k.sausage or polish sausage,i usually dont measure and throw it all in a lg soup pot.

we call this 15 bean soup

1 bag of mixed dried beans,peas and lentils( presoak by bringing to a boil,let set for 1 hr, drain,rinse and add back to pot)
chopped onion celery carrotts
cut up sauage
lg can diced tomatoes
about 2 qts of water
1/2 c ketchup
garlic salt and pepper

simmer till beans are done serve with jalopeno corn bread

jalepeno corn bread
2 boxes jiffy corn bread mix
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/4 c oil
1 can cream stly corn
cut up j.peppers to taste( iuse the pickel slices ones)
mix put in 9x13 greased pan
dollop sour cream every few inches so each sq cut has a 1/2 t. s cream
top with cheddar cheese bake 350

Make this often especially if having snowbird company....it stretches alot.

Low Country Bog

8 chicken thighs skinless bone-in
1lb smoked sausage chunked or kielbasa
1 cup chopped onion
olive oil
salt pepper 3 bayleaves and garlic powder
8 cups of chicken stock
3 cups of rice

Sautee chicken and onions in olive oil. Combine sausage and seasonings. Add stock bring to boil and simmer for 40 mins. Remove chicken and debone. Add rice bring back to boil and simmer until rice is done. Add chicken and remove bayleaves......double yummy!

I use thighs because they are easiest to debone....lazy me.

Been known to double this recipe for a crowd.....k3

Good morning Goldie's
Your kielbasa sausage sounds just like the sausage dh and I smoke. Our sausage is pure pork meat with spicy seasoning stuffed in casing and smoked. Not diet but..... So good. We put ours in gumbos, gravy,barbecued,sandwiches. We also use it to doctor up beans cabbage mustard greens. We make 60 lb at a time about 4 times a year. Guess you could say we use lots of sausage.
Today is pack day for the camp. I'll be leaving after work. I hope I can stay on my food plan this weekend.
It's 430 in the morning. Couldn't sleep anymore. Guess I'll make a pot of coffee for dh. That's usually his job in the morning.

Hugs
Cajun

Hi everyone... happy Friday

Haven't posted much lately as I have been reading Michael Pollan's books... very educational.

Mary, glad to find another WA neighbor on here. I am a bit the opposite in that I love the rain and wind, so go out walking in it every chance I get. Sounds like there are going to be some opportunities in the next week or so!

Happy Friday, all!

Good Morning girls, I had to do a system restore this morning after I clicked on something I shouldn't have. I got an ad that just kept popping up, wouldn't stop multiplying itself and no stopping it. It was like a raging fire!
Below is the yummy treats you can bring along to your Thanksgiving feast, hide it from the kids until after your dinner is served or it'll be gone. Lots of butter in it, you could probably cut the butter down to 1/2 or 3/4th. I made it with the full amount of butter, if anyone tries it with less butter, let me know how it turns out. I going to use some of this for my mailman and paper carrier package, plus some baked goodies.

I'm tackling another quilt for Christmas, I told Tiffany to go pick out the fabric she wanted. Always in a hurry Tiff did just that, EXCEPT she didn't take the time to take it off of bolts of material. Instead she purchase 5 tiny, wee little packages of pre-cut material just for quilting. Enough for a large hanky........geeez. The fabric store is in another town so DH took me over yesterday to pick up lots more fabric. She fibbed to me about the price of the quilt packages too, said they were $1.00 each. Wrong, $1.98 each.......for $2.00 she could have bought a whole yard of material. I'm still peeved about it. Kids in general don't bother to look for the best bargains, just grab and go.
Okay, I'm done now. Gonna go start on the freaking quilt.

LOL Bobbi about your recipe. Why bother to eat it? Just apply it directly to your hips!

Just joking... it does sound yummy though.

Loved all the recipes for Kielbasa. They all sounded good for throughout the winter months.

Karen3 - When I saved your recipe to my recipe file I noticed that I also had a recipe for Low Country Bog from Paula Deen. It is almost exactly like yours. She just names a couple different seasonings and doesn't specify the chicken pieces to use!

Rosie - Your bean soup sounds good. My mother made a delicious bean soup but when I tried it turned out bland. Yours sounds like it might taste just like mom's.

Cajun - it is probably the same thing as the smoked sausage you make. Sometimes foods are called different things in different parts of the country. But in the end, we're all eating the same thing. I have a quicky meal I make with it, too.

1 # Kielbasa sliced
1 can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic, with juice
1 can sliced mushrooms
cooked noodles

I brown the sausage slices in a little bit of oil. Add the can of tomatoes, juice and all, and the sliced mushrooms. Let this all simmer to meld the flavors, 15 min or so. Then stir in the cooked noodles. It's ready in less than 1/2 hour. If I don't have the tomatoes with the onion and garlic already in them, I just add my own, an any other spices that I might like. Great for a night when you're busy with a project and don't have time to cook a big meal.