Monday, August 29, 2016

game day spuds





We are counting the days for the official start of college and NFL football.  We love the beginnings of fall and everything it brings.  The weather is less than desirable right now, with it's high temps and humidity, but I am holding out hope crisp air is around the corner, and I am committed to trying some "fun foods" for those Saturdays and Sundays when we're watching our teams play.

Enter the cutest things I've ever seen.

I have been buying Honey Gold potatoes from Walmart for the last few months.  They are wonderful, quick-cooking, silky smooth and full of flavor.  Usually, I quarter and roast them and douse them in an herb, olive oil, salt and pepper concoction.  They are just delicious!  But yesterday, I took a look at my small golden potatoes in my basket and thought they'd make adorable mini-baked potatoes and a great appetizer idea!  My friend had mentioned doing something similar recently, so I thought, why not give it a try?  They were ready in no time and seriously loved by my family.  And such a perfect finger food!

One bite of creamy, bacon-y, cheesy fun, my friends, is no small potatoes.

Game Day Spuds

  • 12 small golden potatoes
  • 2 T melted butter
  • 3 T sour cream
  • 1 pieces bacon, cooked crisp
  • 3 T finely shredded cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat oven to 400 and cook potatoes on baking sheet for 30 minutes.

2. Let cool five minutes, and make 1/2-inch slit in each.  Press together to "open" potato.

3. Drizzle melted butter inside potatoes.

4. Fill small baggie with sour cream and snip off corner.  Make sure the hole is small.

5. Pipe sour cream into potato openings.

6. Top each potato with cheese and bacon.

7. Finish off potatoes with a sprinkling of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Recipe from The Lazy Daisy Kitchen.


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

the lazy daisy creates - rope word signs





There are a few words that are favorites of mine.  Hope...  Blessed...  Joy.

Joy.  

It was a word I first remember hearing when I was very young.  The theme of a children's Sunday school song, my compadres and I would sing it 'til we were blue in the face (at the top of our lungs, I might add).

"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!"  

You know it, right?  Maybe you sang it, too.  It was such a fun song to sing, and, still, to this day, it gets any children's group I might be leading just as fired up.

It's timeless.

This word has been a pretty regular one within our world lately, as John has led our youth group, and as a result his family, in thinking about the importance of joy.  Why it's better than "happy."  Why it's a constant state of being and not just a consequence of life's events or moments.  Why, as Christians, we're called to produce it, a natural fruit of the Spirit Who lives within us.

So, when church camp came along this summer, and the craft cabin was opened, I was very excited to find all the necessary supplies were available to get busy coming up with a way to feature this word. You can easily see how any word could be used.  Just make sure to attach as many boards as needed to provide ample room for the length of the word.  Such a simple, effective way to feature what matters and a wonderful gift idea!

Directions

Line up number of desired wood slats needed for the length of the word, and attach with nails to a base scrap piece of "1 by", as seen here.  I used 1-inch nails with small heads... about two for each slat.


Next, lay out your word with the rope to get a general idea of how much you'll need, making sure to cut it a bit longer than needed, just in case.

Finally, attach the rope with 1-inch nails, beginning with the first letter.  It doesn't take many nails to hold it down, as the nail heads really work well to keep the rope in place.  You can see how it works here.









Thursday, August 4, 2016

country living magazine gives this butter a nod




When you have a blog, as many probably know, stats are usually made available by the blog provider.  In my case, I use Blogger, and it's really nice to see which posts get how many views, links that drive my readers, etc.  I have a pretty good idea of how many views, on average, I receive a day, and typically the view number increases over a weekend, because readers have a) more time to sit and peruse websites and b) a desire to find a recipe to use when they actually have time to cook.  

Well, a little over a week ago, I logged in to begin typing a post, as usual, and I noticed my view stats had skyrocketed.  After a little research, I found that Country Living's online magazine listed this recipe as one to try in an article, "30 of the Most Delicious Things You Can Do With Blackberries."  I could not believe it.  I had no idea it had been included, and while itsy-bitsy in the whole scheme of life, I was as excited as a kid in a candy shop.  No joke.  I still look at it, and my stomach flip-flops with joy.   

So... I'm doing a little TBT for you today, and throwing it back to a post I did three years ago that has just caught the eye of one of my favorite mags I began subscribing to shortly after we married.  Thank you, Country Living, for many years of great design and recipes right up The Lazy Daisy's alley.  You never disappoint!

Originally posted on December 27, 2012

It is crazy to me how fast time flies.  Wasn't I just blogging yesterday about the blackberry discovery we made on our summer trip to Gatlinburg?  Now, it's nearly six months later, and we're far from summer vacationing.

I had about a half gallon of blackberries left from our trip, hanging out in the deep freezer. While trying to think about options for Christmas goodie bags, I ran all kinds of ideas through my head of how to use up the berries.  The Amish White Bread was already a definite for the bags, so it didn't take me too long to determine that a good butter would make a great companion.


Blackberry Butter was born.

For the bags, I packaged them in logs, wrapped in parchment paper, twisted and twined on the ends.  I also gave them to others in canning jars.  Either way, I was pleased with the presentation and equally satisfied with the flavor.  I'm looking forward to experimenting with some other butter ideas.  I already love the stuff in its truest form...  why not consider other ways to make it interesting and fun?

Happy whipping!


Blackberry Butter - makes one pound of butter


  • 1 pound salted butter, softened
  • 1/8 cup of honey
  • 1/2 cup blackberries
1. Whip together butter and honey until fluffy.

2. Add in berries and mix in short bursts until desired look is achieved.  I did not want mine
to be completely emulsified, so I "broke" up the berries slightly with just a few turns of the paddle attachment.

3. If storing in jars, scoop into jar and wipe mouth clean.  Cap and refrigerate.

4. If storing in logs, place a piece of plastic wrap over a piece of aluminum foil the same size.  
5. Scoop out butter along length of wrap/foil, folding wrap over butter and rolling into consistent-sized cylinder.  Roll up foil around log and twist ends.  Refrigerate or freeze.

Recipe from The Lazy Daisy Kitchen.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

tuesday tip - collecting fresh corn kernels




This last Saturday, we had our neighbors dear friends over for the fish tacos featured in my last post.  As an appetizer, we had fresh corn chowder, which required many ears of corn to be shucked, cut from the cob, and the cobs "milked."  Man, it was so good.  Cobs and all were slow cooked in the crock pot for nearly eight hours, then pureed and topped with a buttered shrimp garnish.  We really enjoyed it, but I was unable to get a picture, so I can't post it yet.  (Bummer.  I guess I'll have to make it again.)  

I was really glad I caught this tip in one of my editions of Cooks Country Magazine a couple of years back.  It is such a good one and helped me get the kernels off the cobs and contained in no time, flat.  

As pictured here, stand the cob up on the center of an inverted bundt cake pan placed inside a larger bowl. Cut and scrape kernels and cobs for little mess and tons of flavor!