Fresh Out Of The Garden...

Do you know what this sweet little green plant is?

We planted it two months ago and it's flourishing.

It's delicious to eat.

It smells wonderful.

Basil is my new cooking best friend!

That's probably why it's now growing in our backyard so I don't have to buy it at the store anymore.

My three other new cooking best friends are Rosemary, Parsley, and Cilantro.

They aren't flourishing just yet, but maybe one day.

The basil is growing so out-of-control (I think our gardener dropped the whole packet of seeds in-you know he can get a little "sprinkle happy") that we needed to thin some of it out.

Perfect!

Pesto Pasta Anyone?

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves-firmly packed

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese-grated

1/4 cup Romano cheese-grated

1/4 cup Pine Nuts

1 large garlic clove-sliced

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

*Choice of dried or fresh pasta*

In a food processor bowl fitted with the stainless steel blade, or a blender container, combine the basil, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and salt. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

Cover the process or blend with several on/off pulses of the machine until a puree forms, stopping the machine several times to scrape down the side of the container with a spatula.

Toss with cooked and drained pasta. Store any remaining pesto in 1/4 cup portions, wrapped airtight, frozen for as long as 1 year or refrigerated for up to 2 days. Before using, bring the pesto to room temperature (Pasta Pocket Cookbook).

Has anybody tried any of these recipes?

Just curious!

I would love to hear if you did...

Another Great 5 Ingredient Meal!

Super easy to make and it tastes GREAT.

Another must make for the summer time-Pineapple is delicious on the grill!

Just don't make the same mistake I made by allowing a 3 1/2 to be your sous chef-Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is very SPICY!!

Use exactly what the recipe calls for, not what your 3 1/2 thinks should be sprinkled on top. I'm in deliberations if I have to release him from his cooking duties in the kitchen or not...he got a little "sprinkle" happy with this one. All kidding aside it still turned out yummy, but very, very SPICY!

Bon Appetite~

Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons salt-free Jamaican jerk seasoning, divided (recommended: The Spice Hunter)
Salt
1 (20-ounce) can no-sugar added pineapple slices, in juice with juice reserved (recommended: Dole)
1 tablespoon brown sugar


Directions:
Preheat grill or cast iron grill pan to medium-high heat.
Remove any excess fat from chicken and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Use a pastry brush to brush with olive oil and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons jerk seasoning and salt, if desired. Set aside.
Drain pineapple slices and reserve juice. Season both sides of pineapple slices with 1/2 teaspoon of jerk seasoning; set aside.
In small saucepan, bring reserved pineapple juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon jerk seasoning, and brown sugar to a boil over high heat. Reduce liquid by 1/2, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Just before grilling, oil grate. Place chicken breasts on grate and grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove to platter and tent with foil.
Place pineapple slices on grate and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side until grill marks appear and pineapple is heated through.
Serve chicken breasts with pineapple slices and warm sauce.
NOTE: Chicken may also be broiled 4 to 6 inches from heat source for 6 to 8 minutes per side. Broil pineapple 1 to 2 minutes per side.

A little humor from the grill master himself-ha, ha

(sorry the picture flipped, but this was how Andrew chose to present it last night-cute!)

Well, Well, Well...

Look what we have found...Finally, after months of waiting, a baby bunny makes his/her appearance in our backyard! We all got close enough to pet it-even Taylor! Mommy bunny was just around the corner of the house, so Andrew had me all freaked out that she was going to come and attack me. Needless to say, I chose to leave the cuteness alone.

Proud parents?? Who knows, but there are definitely always rabbits in either the front or backyard. We have a huge bush on the corner of our lot that we have affectionately nicknamed "the bunny bush". We're pretty sure that's where they all live, and they have lived there for years. Just out of the camera shot was another bunny in the sheet.

Lots of cute bunnies around=no more lush green leafy potato plants

Lonestar

"The view I love the most is my front porch looking in"

-Country Band Lonstar

I couldn't agree more!

The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes

Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view

I can sit and watch the fields fill up

With rays of glowing sun

Or watch the moon lay on the fences

Like that's where it was hung

My blessings are in front of me

It's not about the land

I'll never beat the view

From my front porch looking in

There's a carrot top who can barely walk

With a sippy cup of milk

A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong

'Cause she likes to dress herself

And the most beautiful girl holding both of them

And the view I love the most

Is my front porch looking in,

I've traveled here and everywhere

Following my job

I've seen the paintings from the air

Brushed by the hand of God

The mountains and the canyons reach from sea to shining sea

But I can't wait to get back home

To the one he made for me

It's anywhere I'll ever go and everywhere I've been

Nothing takes my breath away

Like my front porch looking in

There's a carrot top who can barely walk

With a sippy cup of milk

A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong

'Cause she likes to dress herself

And the most beautiful girl holding both of them

Yeah the view I love the most

Is my front porch looking in

I see what beautiful is about

When I'm looking in

Not when I'm looking out

There's a carrot top who can barely walk

With a sippy cup of milk

A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong

'Cause she likes to dress herself

And the most beautiful girl holding both of them

Yeah the view I love the most

Oh, the view I love the most

Is my front porch looking in

Yeah Oh, there's a carrot top who can barely walk(From my front porch looking in)

A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong, yeah

And the most beautiful girl(Beautiful girl From my front porch looking in)

Holding both of them

Oh, yeah

I Wish

I wish this was the view outside my house.

A horse farm.

With acres of white picket fences.

Beautiful horses lounging around eating grass all day.

I could lounge around all day with them.

So peaceful.

It just happens to be right next to a golf course.

It's not for sale but I wish it was.

I also wish I had millions of dollars to buy it.

As you can see my son cares more about the golf shot being hit.

Not the pretty horses in the distance.

I've been lucky to have grown up around horses.

Unfortunately, in my adult life not so much.

I miss it...

What Are They Looking At?

Curiosity

Wonder

Amazement

Engrossed

Engaged

Understanding

Learning

Enjoyment

Fun

Different

In Awe

Are you curiously wondering what in the world could possibly have 3 children under the age of 4 so intrigued? It's really nothing out of the ordinary, just a magical drain that mysteriously sweeps away all the water from the sprinkler park.

More Than 10 Random Facts About My Childhood + 10 Random Facts About Montana

The last time I was in Montana, I was only 11 years old. I stayed with my grandmother one summer, who still lives there, and my older brother. After my grandfather had passed away years before, my grandmother sold the farm and moved down the road to this little white house that I remember. I remember being introduced to trains (one ran right past the house), gardening-freshest pea pods,strawberries, and corn if you could get to them before the grasshoppers did, painting white fences, kittens (never forgave my mom and grandmother for selling my beloved Petunia "barn-kitten" five years earlier, so I think out of guilt my grandmother broke down and bought me a new kitten-a tabby), soap operas (my grandmother watched them religiously every afternoon), country living, A-tracks, a Slip-n-Slide, the card game solitaire, dirt roads, and pellet/Beebee guns (thanks to my brother)! Well more than 20 years later Andrew, Taylor and I have the opportunity to visit Montana once again-a different part that I've never been to...Southwest Montana!

Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states.

Montana is nicknamed the Treasure State.

The density of the state is six people per square mile.

Montana's rivers and streams provide water for three oceans and three of the North American continent's major river basins.

The first inhabitants of Montana were the Plains Indians.

Montana's name comes from the Spanish word mountain.

In Montana the elk, deer and antelope populations outnumber the humans.

Butte is the 5th largest city in Montana with 32,282 people.

Butte is the center of the area that once supplied half of the U.S. copper.

Glacier National Park has 60 glaciers and 200 lakes.

Here's to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!

The Curtis-Wellings/Murray Family Reunion/Vacation!

Margarita Chicken

How can you not love a recipe with 5 ingredients and one of them is Tequila! This recipe was so delicious and it's perfect for a hot summer night!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast halves
1 can (10 ounces) frozen margarita mix (recommended: Bacardi), thawed
2/3 cup tequila
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chicken seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Grill Mates)

Directions:
Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Place the chicken and marinade in large resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
Set up the grill for direct cooking over medium heat and oil grate when ready to start cooking. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Place chicken on hot oiled grill and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until done.
INDOOR: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare chicken breasts as directed. Roast chicken breasts in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Compliments of Sandra Lee!

Breaking up the noodles for cooking

Toasted Pasta & Salsa (Side)

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

5 oz. dried vermicelli or capellini

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 cups chicken broth

3 jalapeno chillies, seeded and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Tomato, chopped for garnish

Directions:

Break the pasta into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pasta, onion, and garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until the pasta is golden and onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Gently stir in the 2 chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, jalapenos, oregano, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente, tender but still slightly chewy, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro.

Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and serve immediately.

Austin Duck Tours

I guess you truly haven't seen Austin to it's fullest until you've done the "Duck Tour".
Given with complimentary "duck quackers".
Why?
I think ours have since mysteriously disappeared.
Wait a minute, I was mistaken, they haven't all disappeared-shucks!
It was HOT.
It was a lot of fun.
Downtown Austin is so beautiful with rich Texas history.
Especially when the bus drove right into Lake Austin and from that point on it was a boat.
It was a great family activity to do on the 4th of July!

A Fish Named Snapper

It really wasn't as gross as I imagined it to be-handling a fish that is.

I had a great time exploring Central Market to buy him.

He did leak in my car a little so we had a "fishy" smell even a day later-Taylor pointed that out!

He weighed about 3.75 pounds.

He had a face that only a mother could love.

He was delicious!!!

That's Rosemary in his mouth!

Humor of the CW brothers.
Before the oven...

After the oven!
The salt just flakes off and you collect the meat from inside.

The whole dinner menu went super smooth. We fed 12 hungry mouths and everyone was as amazed as we were that the fish turns out so tender, moist, and flavorful. The Eggplant Involtini was a huge hit too. Both are truly not that hard to make and they taste phenomenal.

It was a success!

"Check" that off my summer-to-do list.

I'm enjoying cooking more and more everyday!

Before & After Photos

Dinning table that we've had for 5 years.

Actually came with the house!

Now the breakfast table.

New dinning room table!

Taylor LOVES the bench seat!

Can't wait to replace the old lighting fixture...

White walls EVERYWHERE!

Yucky...

Thank goodness the painting frenzy is over!

We love the new room.

New lamps and wall art will come later...

I love summer break because I actually get to do fun home improvement projects!

Fourth Course

Angel Hair Pasta

with Alfredo Sauce

What you Need:

Pasta

1/2 cup half-and-half or whipping cream-at room temperature

2 tbsp butter-at room temperature

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1 small garlic clove

1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or parsley

black pepper

After pasta has been cooked, drain and return to pot. Add half-and-half or cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and garlic. Toss gently until well coated. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with basil or parsley and pepper. Enjoy!

Third Course

Whole Baked Snapper in Salt

What you Need:

1 large Snapper, whole, with insides cleaned and removed by fish guy!

1 large lemon

3-4 cups pf large sea salt or kosher salt-fill bottom of cookie sheet-A LOT!

2 tsp of salt

2 tbsp of olive oil plus extra for garnish-drizzle inside and on top a little

Bouquet of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley tied

2 cloves of garlic-sliced

5 bay leaves (2 in the fish & 3 under the fish)

Preheat oven to 400. Place Snapper on kosher salt filled cookie sheet and bay leaves. Take olive oil and drizzle inside fish and add 2tsp of salt, garlic, herbs and lemon and stuff inside. Close fish up and cover with remaining kosher salt. Place in oven for 25-35 minutes or until fish easily flakes. Remove and break salt up removing the fish to a platter. Open fish and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

Second Course

Eggplant Involtini

What you Need:

2 large eggplants

2 tbsp. of salt-not on the eggplant itself

1 cup of flour (in a bowl)

2 eggs beaten with 1 tsp. of water (in a bowl)

2 cups of Panko (in a bowl)

1 cup of shredded mozzarella

1 cup Parmesan

3-4 cups of tomato sauce

8 basil leaves

toothpicks

vegetable oil, 1-2 cups

Preheat oven to 375. Slice eggplant lengthwise creating long strips about 1/2 in. in diameter-you should yield 4-5 usable slices per eggplant. In a non-stick saute pan, preheat oil while preparing your eggplant to fry. Place eggplant in flour, then egg and then Panko (place salt and a little Parmesan in Panko mixture). Fry each strip on each side until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to a paper towel to drain. Once all eggplants have been cooked, take each one and place a tablespoon of mozzarella in the middle. Roll each one up and secure with a toothpick. Place side-by-side in a baking dish which contains the tomato sauce (at the bottom). Once all involtini have been rolled, top with Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

First Course

In preparation for Saturday night's family Italian dinner (12 people-holy cow, I'm so anxious), I'm posting the yummy recipes that we'll be making. I will post all the "real" food pictures later, plus all the hungry relatives eating it all up!

The first thing that will be served is:

Classic Caprese Bruschetta

What you need:

2-3 cups of grape or cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup or 6-7 fresh basil leaves

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp. of olive oil

1/2 tsp. of salt

1 cup of sliced fresh mozzarella

1 large baguette cut into diagonals or Italian loaf such as Ciabatta

Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor and pulse lightly until incorporated but not saucy. Take baguette and place a few pieces of mozzarella on top with a drizzle of salt and olive oil and lightly toast-add tomato mixture to the top and serve (taste mixture first, if the tomatoes are too sour tasting add a little sugar to sweeten). This is by far the best and freshest tasting bruschetta we've ever had. Please try it, you won't be disappointed!