MIA

I have been so busy and have had no time for blogging! Really, really trying to get my house together, cleaned out, and scrubbed down for the big move to Germany. Plus a few golf games with friends have really sucked into my extra time:)   I would like to share with you some things I have found, made, and tested out over the past month or so.  

Easter has passed us by this year but this has to be the cutest Easter printable that I have ever seen!!! Vintage Easter Treat Bags over at Funkytime is where you can grab them for yourself!

The end of the school year is fast approaching, and How Does She? has printables that can spice up a teachers gift.  Need ideas for the gift?  Here are a few....Paper block, and dollar store etched glass.

I posted this earlier this week on FB under Recipes with Friends....in case you missed it, over at Cheeky Kitchen she has perfected the recipe for Iced Lemonade.  It is so delicious, try it..today!!!


and because I am a collector of wine corks, I had to share this......cork monograms!


Lately I have been trying my hand at Photoshop....it makes me crazy at times but The Coffee Shop Blog has helped me grasp the basics of applying actions and presets to my photographs. If you are interested in photography, retouching photos, photoshop actions, and tutorials for all of these things...then head over and check it out.  The best part, she offers it all for FREE!


Won't be out of the loop forever....hope to keep you updated on the move, the travel, and all the good times!  Thanks for stopping by:)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I posted this on Facebook a few days ago, it is a great recipe!  Really tasty and I think fairly healthy...even the kids ate them up quick.  

If you have never checked out Our Best Bites, swing by........this is where I found this recipe and they will even send recipes right to your inbox:)


Asian Lettuce Wraps
Recipe by Our Best Bites
2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken*
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 C bagged coleslaw mix or thinly shredded cabbage
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)
1/2-1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (1 tsp of Sriracha is fairly spicy in my opinion, so if you want less or no kick, just give it a little, or you can leave it out completely)
1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce
*To prepare your own ground chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in a food processor until ground.
Dipping/Drizzling Sauce
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top.  When hot, add vegetable  oil and then garlic and ginger.  Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.  (*At this point, sometimes I have some extra liquid in the pan from the chicken.  If it’s quite a bit, I tilt the pan and spoon it out so the chicken can cook and not boil.) Add cabbage/coleslaw, water chestnuts, and green onions.  Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt.  Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce.  (The closer you get to the center, the easier it becomes!)  Place chicken mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.
Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture.  Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

Sorry for the lack of pictures....there was absolutely no time, the wild things were needing FOOD!

Thanks for stopping by!

PW~Blackberry Cobbler

My mom bought me the Pioneer Woman Cooks Cookbook, if you don't own it....you should try it.  It has beautiful pictures, is laid out very nicely, and the recipes are simple and easy to follow.  This will not win me a popularity contest and I hope not to receive hate mail for this but I find her stories about Marlboro Man completely nauseating:)  If you do as well....look past it, the recipes are worth it:)

You will find this Blackberry Cobbler totally addicting, AND  super easy!  If you take it to a get together they will also think you are a creative cooking genius!

Ingredients

• 1 stick Butter
• 1-¼ cup Sugar
• 1 cup Self-Rising Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 cups Blackberries (frozen Or Fresh)

Preparation Instructions

Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.
Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.

The family would have literally made themselves sick on this if I would have allowed it....it's that good!!!!

Thanks for stopping by:)

Oreo Suckers

These super easy and very cute cookie suckers have been on the agenda for some time!  Last week I donated these for a bake sale and they were a huge hit, and tomorrow Andy is taking them in for his big class party.  If you are interested in making them check out this tutorial on How does She?, a great tutorial and super easy to follow.  See what I created in the picture below!

Thanks for stopping by to take a look!

Bread Pudding w/Blueberry Lemon Sauce

Hello! I would like to apologize for my lack of postings lately.  The family got big news on Friday and I think I have been in a tailspin ever since....I know, as with all ten moves this family has gone through with the military, it all works out but WOW....it sure is alot to think about!  Especially in a brain that already feels like it filled to maximum capacity:)  Anyway, the news is about the move...and we are headed to Germany!  So super excited I can barely stand it!!!!  

On to why you clicked on the page in the first place....the recipe!  Made this last week for my family...in Sam's they had blueberries, which jogged my memory of this recipe and made my mouth water for it!  If you make it....be prepared to hide a piece for later in the fridge!  Also, I found my blueberries at Sam's and I believe Costco also has them.  Both of these stores have them in larger packages, they are fresh and always tasty.  

Bread Pudding w/Blueberry Lemon Sauce
1 1/2 Cups of sugar
4 large eggs
2 Cups Whipping Cream(never claimed it was healthy:)
2 Cups Milk
1 Tablespoon grated Lemon rind(I use lemon rind from the spice section)
1/2 teaspoon groung nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 16 oz. stale french bread, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 Cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Beat sugar and egs at medium speed until fluffy.  Add whipping cream and next four ingredients beating until blended.  Fold in bread cubes and blueberries.  Pour into lightly greased 13 x 9 pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Let stand for about ten minutes to cool.

Sauce:
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 Cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries of frozen.  

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add blueberries and reduce heat, stirring constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until sauce thickens.  

Cut up bread into squares and spoon sauce over it! 

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Bakerella!!!

Hi All!!!!  Hope everyone is hanging in there through this winter weather....it is chilly here in southern Alabama but nothing compared to the five degrees or lower I know some of you are going through.  Very quickly, I wanted to pass this along.  Over at Bakerella, you can snag yourself some free printables....yes, FREE....it does not get any cheaper than that folks:)  I will be using these for teachers gifts, treats for the kids classes, and a special treat for my neighbors. Check them out and load up on ink!  While you are there, also check out their Cake Pops....those will be making an appearance soon, right here on The House of Reeves!

Thanks for stopping by:)

Greens

I made greens and cornbread muffins the other night for the family....unfortunately, I ate so much my belly hurt till the next morning:)  If you don't like greens or have never tried them, try these...they are delicious!!!!  Found the recipe on Paula Deen.  Here it is:

8 strips bacon (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium Vidalia onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 stick butter
2 cups water
2 pounds collards, rinsed and drained, stems removed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips
Salt
Hot sauce

Directions

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and butter and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes more. Add the water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the collards and cook until very soft, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and hot sauce, to taste. Transfer the greens to a serving bowl and serve.


My only suggestion is either cook the bacon till it is VERY crisp...or use bacon bits!  I think the bacon grease is what gave me the bellyache, well that or my three bowls:)))

Thanks for stopping by!

Dumplin's

Last Sunday when Southern Alabama was calling for snow and freezing rain, I made chicken and dumplings for the family!  They did NOT mess around with these things!  I am fairly certain there were a few stomachaches afterwards but boy were they good.  I made chicken and dumplings a little different than most so I am sharing my recipe.  The reason I make them this way is because I do not like touching chicken...I know it is a weird thing but I just do not like it.  So I use about three large containers of chicken broth, two to three cans of chicken(yes, canned chicken...I realize I could be kicked out of the South for such a thing!), bisquick for the dumplings, salt and pepper to taste.  I normally make two batches of the dumplings and I mix those up first.  Then in a large pot I pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Then throw in the canned chicken...bring to a rolling boil and start adding dumplings by the spoonful.  Usually the dumplings are still to big, so I tend to cut them up as it boils.  Let boil for ten to fifteen minutes and continuously stir and separate the dumplings. Turn down heat and let simmer for about ten minutes, this will allow the dumplings to set up and not be runny(my picture was taken when Brett had to have a plate), Salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowl and enjoy!!!  Hope you enjoy them as much as my family does!

Mascarpone Oreo Cookies

Warning: These cookies are DELICIOUS!!!!!

Amanda over at Kevin and Amanda has truly outdone herself...I read her story and recipe on her blog about these cookies and knew I had to try them.  Let me tell you what, they did not disappoint!  So head on over and get the recipe!

Great Bloggin' Ladies!

I have been thinking about this post for awhile now. I wanted to let you guys know about some great blogs that I have recently ran across in the past couple of months!

Tiffany over at IffyScraps has a great tutorial on her page, it is a Valentines craft and would be super cute on a scrapbook page, or baby headband!  

Over at the MagPie Cottage...they just have stuff I LOVE...period, I LOVE IT!!!!

Michelle over at Sweet Sensations has awesome recipes on her blog...check it out if you need some inspiration in the kitchen!


Ms. Tina at Oh, The places you will Go! blogs all about her adventures in Germany! It will make you want to update your passport and take off:)

At Design Intervention, so many projects!  Lots of ideas, and upholstery projects.


Of course I won't leave out a few of my tried and true favorites....the first being Kevin and Amanda, can't say enough about this blog...just the fonts alone are amazing!  The Pioneer Woman, has so much to see...photography, food, and she homeschools her children.


Hope all of you enjoy the list!  Thanks for stopping by to take a peek:)

*Pecans*

My mother has made these pecans for years and they are so delicious!!!!  I made them this year to give to all my favorite neighbors.  I'm sharing the recipe with my favorite followers:)  Here it is,


1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
about 2 lbs. of pecans

In a large saucepan bring whipping cream and brown sugar to a boil...while continuously stirring mixture.  Turn off flame and add pecans to the mixture, coating pecans.

Place pecans on large baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 18 minutes.  After the first nine minutes stir pecans on cookie sheet and place bake in oven for another nine minutes.  Dump pecans on wax paper and let dry.

It is wise to place the pecans almost immediately after drying in bags....otherwise they will disappear:)  I used Wilton Icing decorator bags for mine and tied a ribbon to the top!

Cream Cheese:)

So on a shopping trip to the commissary a few days ago I came across this cookbook from Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  It is chock full of GREAT recipes!!! It is no flimsy pamphlet cookbook either, this thing was meant for the kitchen.  If you have a chance get over to the commissary and pick one up for yourself.....the best part is,  it's FREE...yes, FREE folks!!!!!