Artful Words by Teresa

Sometimes, well make that most of the time when you live in the creative side you just don't stop looking, learning, and creating! I wanted to share a few creations I have been putting together with my Rhonna Designs iPad App. I think you can waste create for hours and hours and wonder where the time evaporated to! As with all techie stuff there is a learning curve. This app is worth the investment if you like the look of mixed media and I do! I just cannot always drag around my wonderful art supplies and play so this app seems to curb that desire a tad bit.

This is a creation I did during worship yesterday! I felt Abba Father speaking to me about traveling far, the requirements? Stand STILL and Do NOT BE Moved by ALL of the things that surround my little world. Sounds pretty easy; not so much! As our pastor was sharing yesterday our society has become very toxic. Many, many things are vying for our attention. We have to find that time, that secret place to be alone, really alone with Him. 

Yesterday all of our children "came home" to enjoy some chicken enchiladas, rice and beans.....

Damita is such a great help in the kitchen! I tell her and Olivia all the time that they are going to be wonderful cooks one day. Not sure if they can grasp the bigger picture, but never the less I insist on their help! Indeed Damita is Special to me and she makes me smile! I call her my 

FASHION GURU! 

ANOTHER NEW CREATION PROJECT.....

Prima Marketing has a wonderful collection of rubber stamps by Julie Nutting. 

See her blog here: 

Julie Nutting Designs

Sooooo many to choose from; Julie and Natalie and Shay and Lorena and Tasha and Mindy and Priscilla and Mia and Kate and Olive and Sunshine and well you get the general idea! Soooo many and soooo little time!!!

I always loved playing with paper dolls when I was a little girl. My mother would mix up some flour and water and make a gooey substance she called paste. She would let me have the expired Montgomery Wards catalog and a big cardboard box and a pair of scissors! I would cut and paste and create for hours on end. I am excited about the endless possibilities of mixing these in with my mixed media......... you will have to visit my blog again to see the ongoing story! P.S. Thank you Miss Ann L. for introducing me to these adorable little ladies and allowing me to "play" with your dolls!

NO Matter HOW I feel These words spoke, 

well breathed a breath of fresh air into my weary soul! 

JESUS 

has and will always BELIEVE in me! 

I am the 

APPLE of His eye. 

I am special to HIM. I am his little princess!

AND SO ARE YOU! Now go and create something that inspires you and reminds you of the beauty all around ......

Till next time my coffee cup and mouse meet.....

Teresa

Posole in the Making

Posole 

An Old Mexico Family Tradition

When I married into this family I realized pretty quickly I would have an entire new way of cooking to learn and I was up for the task. Growing up and surrounded by many great cooks I had already mastered a number of meals that I enjoyed serving family and friends. That was 33 years ago! Today I can pretty much hold my own ground in the kitchen and absolutely enjoy cooking! In raising our children it was important to me that they embrace both my husband's Mexico cuisine and my southern cuisine! Its kind of funny where we merged and adapted some recipes to both of our likings. For the most part we have managed to raise four kids and none of them are too picky. The adult children will come back home for certain meals with just a phone call that says guess what we are having for dinner tonight. And our son, Preston, well lets just say when I call and say I am cooking Posole I might as well set out several extra bowls because he is going to invite a few friends to come home for dinner! 

Shopping List:

Pork Tenderloin

Dry New Mexico Peppers   3 oz bag

White hominy

Garlic

salt

pepper

oreagno

Cabbage 

Onions

Limes

Cilantro

Corn tortillas

Oil

Step #1 

Brown pork tenderloins and cover generously with garlic, (about 2-3 Tbsp. of minced garlic) salt and pepper. I sometimes use my waterless cookware and sometimes I use my crockpot. Depends on how much time I have to cook my meat. You will need to add several cups of water to make broth. This broth will become part of your soup base later.

Step #2

Sometimes I take time to "roast" or blacken my peppers on a cast iron griddle and then proceed with the  next step. Kind of depends on how much time I have and honestly I am not sure that my family can really tell the difference. In a separate pan add the red peppers and cover with water and a lid. Allow them to simmer until they soften up and shrivel up a bit. I included a picture for you so you would know what they should look like! Usually takes 10-15 minutes and I just turn the burner off and let them set until they cool down a bit. Now comes my least favorite part of this job and if you can recruit a kitchen helper it will be less time consuming. After-all it is a family tradition to gather in the kitchen and many hands makes for lighter work.  Cut off the stem end and split open the pepper and scrape out all of the seeds. Yes, I said this was my least favorite part of the job! [it is very important to remove all of the seeds-they are hard and do not dissolve plus if you bite into one they have a bitter taste]

Step #3

Pork tenderloins cooking...... note: in my most humble opinion you cannot put too much minced garlic during the cooking process of the meat

Step #4

Place the stemless and seedless remains of the red peppers in your blender or Vita-Mix and add about a cup of water - and yes I use the water the peppers were cooked in! Blend very well. The goal is not to have pieces of skin showing. If your blender does not completely blend all of the skin you can pour it through a collander to remove any pieces.   

Step #5

Add pepper mixture to simmering broth and add water to consistency of thin soup broth. Add chopped meat, hominy, and oreagno. I usually add about 1-2 Tablespoons of dried Oreagno. This is one of the unusual spices used in this soup! Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup back to simmer and serve with the following garnishes!

Step #6
Chopped cabbage
Limes
Cilantro
Onions

Step #7
Not mandatory, but my family thinks I am cheating if I try to serve store-bought chips, so to the chip factory we go! I use store-bought corn tortillas and cut them into strips and fry them in a cast-iron skillet. Use about 1/2 inch of oil and make sure it is really hot before you begin placing them in the skillet! Keep your layer single for best results. Drain on paper towels and add salt immediately.

Finished Soup...... (note the big pot is full...... the red chilis are strong which enables you to add a lot of water for making the soup broth)

At Last: The bowl of garnished soup; ready to enjoy!

“If you knew how to cook, maybe I would eat," Jace muttered.

Isabelle froze, her spoon poised dangerously. "What did you say?"

Jace edged toward the fridge. "I said I'm going to look for a snack to eat."

That's what I thought you said." Isabelle turned her attention to the soup.” 

― Cassandra Clare, City of Bones

Till next time my coffee cup and mouse meet.....

Teresa

Chicken Florentine Soup

Well, it just wouldn't be right if I didn't mention Vanessa and Emily in this post. Recently we all met for lunch. Now I was actually trying out my eldest daughters advice about time management. She suggested I go to lunch with someone that had a tight time schedule which would prevent me from falling into Narnia time. Sounded like it might work. These two young mothers would be in pursuit to pick up their little toddlers at the local Mother's Day out program.

I told them they would be responsible to watch the time and when they had to leave, I would leave. We were having such a delightful lunch and a lively conversation and time was slipping. When I sensed it was the time we should be departing and going our separate ways, they just giggled and announced, "Got 'cha! Our moms are picking up our children, so we have all the time you can spare!" So much for time management!

The local Italian restaurant served Chicken Florentine soup with their lunch special and since I am usually willing to try something new I ordered some! Emily being the great adventurous cook, too admitted to never making it! Needless to say, since I had never eaten it I certainly didn't recall ever looking at a recipe. Well, my dear ladies I have been wanting some more soup and with a little google search I discovered there were many different ways to make it. And I did what I like to do best...... Just started tossing stuff in the pot!

I will save the Ricky and Lucy story for the end....... So let's get cooking!

Teresa's Chicken Florentine Soup
(First Attempt)

4-boneless chicken breasts
Cover them with water; add salt, pepper and garlic powder; simmer until done
Dice into bite size pieces and add back to broth and continue to simmer

Add one yellow onion finely diced

About one cup of finely diced carrots 

About one cup of finely diced celery

Minced garlic - about 2 Tblsp.
2- boxes of chicken broth
** optional - A shake or two of "Slap Ya Mama" by Walker & Sons

Remove a couple of cups of hot broth from stock pot and whisk in 3-Tblsp. of flour ( I went really easy on the flour due to gluten issues, therefore my soup was pretty thin )

Bring back to a simmer

Add 1-cup of white cooking wine

2-3 bay leaves (I try to remember to scoop out those floating leaves - failure to do so will bring on the commentaries)

Then add:

8 oz. of cream cheese
1 & 1/2 cup of heavy cream

Add a carton of fresh baby spinach (sliced)
* I added a bunch because I figured it would be a easy way to get my family to eat a healthy portion! Warning: the green stuff floating in the pot gave it the "fear factor food" name at my house tonight.

Simmer a few minutes until spinach wilts and now it is time to sit down and enjoy some piping hot Chicken Florintine!


Croutons

One loaf of stale French bread-sliced into one inch cubes

1-stick of melted butter

Stir in:
1-tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Black pepper
A couple of shakes of  "Slap Ya Mama" by Walker & Sons

Continue stirring as you drizzle the butter over the bread pieces.

Bake 350 for 20 minutes-
Stir them around
Lower oven to 225 and continue to bake an additional 20 minutes
Turn off the oven!

But, leave them in the oven for a couple of hours. The goal is to dry them out slowly. Crispy is the goal!

Serve with soup and if you have any leftovers they store great in a ziplock bag for up to one week.

The calendar in Texas says it is spring, but my pansies are still loving the really cool nights!

Pan of bread cubes before the spices are added......

The broth mixture with the onions added....... 

The finished soup and croutons......yummy goodness!

Reece and Leslie showed up un-expectantly and just in time for dinner! Imagine that! Well, needless to say they have become accustom to my experiments in the kitchen, but tonight was even a tad out on the edge, because Olivia kept saying we were having fear factor food.

A close up of the finished croutons. I have been making these for years
and they never fail to be a big hit with the family!

Read on to learn more about this mysterious tortilla that showed up in
the middle of my Italian night...... the Mexicans are coming........!

Top view of dessert.....What is it you ask?

Tarimisu Wanna Be

1 small box of Jello Vanilla instant pudding & pie filling

1 small box of Jello devil's food instant pudding & pie filling

Mix both boxes "together" and follow directions on the box and add about 3- Tbsp of brewed coffee

Now for the really easy part:

I put one Tbsp. of coffee in the bottom of the glass and laid a girl scout cookie on top of the coffee. I then spooned in the pudding mixture and topped with a dollop of heavy whipped whipping cream. Two more girl scout cookies garnished the top and there you have a very simple dessert.

Let us talk a bit about that whipping cream..... I really wanted some cream cheese and powder sugar mixture, but didn't have any. So I poured about a half of cup of heavy whipping cream into a chilled bowl and added a couple of Tbsp. of sugar and beat with a fork until it got stiff. Normally I would have used a mixer for this process, but decided I was not making enough to justify the mess. It doesn't look as pretty, but taste was super!

Well I was already committed to the evening menu and with Reece and Leslie
showing up I decided to throw together a quick dessert.

Ready for the Ricky and Lucy part of the story!? Everybody kept coming through the kitchen and asking what was for dinner.... My answer was the same every time, "Chicken Florentine" and their response was "Chicken who?!" When Olivia went to get her dad for dinner he enters the kitchen with a fairly decent attitude about dinner. "So we are dinning like the Italians?" You know you really should have married an Italian, I am Mexican and Mexican's don't eat Italian food! About half way through his bowl of soup he departs from the kitchen table and starts warming up some flour tortillas. Well of course Leslie starts picking out her chicken and rolling it up in her tortilla! You know after 32 years of many Ricky and Lucy moments I have learned more about going with the flow and choosing not to be insulted or angered! Most of the time I can laugh at our differences and we have tried to instill in our children that it is okay to embrace both sides of their parents cuisine worlds.

Finally we had reached the end of the main course and it was time to serve the dessert. Needless to say the anticipation was somewhat high because chocolate was involved. Leslie takes a bite and says, "Oh, no, you put coffee in it!" Damita and Olivia chose to eat theirs, but decided it would have been much better without the coffee..... Reece ate his and Leslie's or at least I think that is what happened. And as for Jose' (Ricky) he announced that he had had enough Italian food for one night and trotted off to the fridge again, only to return with his Mexican rice pudding! Yep, it was just the store bought-pre-packaged kind. As he is peeling off the foil top announces that if he cannot pronounce it then he shouldn't eat it! 

All in all the meal was pretty tasty, I just didn't have the right guests over for dinner! Emily and Vanessa I should have called you, perhaps you would have appreciated my efforts a tad bit more! In closing let me send up a warning to you sensitive gals..... If you decide to experiment in the kitchen and try new things that your family is not accustom to eating, you should have a tough exterior along with a sense of humor! Getting upset over a meal just simply isn't worth it! It wasn't exactly the family dinner gathering at the June Cleaver's table, but it was our dinner table and 32 years later we still think it is pretty important to hang out at the table and dine together! Want to know one more little secret we have enforced all of these years at the dinner table? No TV! We like to talk about our day ...... It really is important to connect with our loved ones and sometimes this is the only time after long work days and school activities and all the other craziness our busy lives take on. Go ahead whip up something new tonight and experience the satisfaction of helping your family out of the box!

Go and make some melodies with those you love today!

Till my coffee cup and mouse meet again,

Teresa

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Old Fashioned Teacakes

My dear friend Jean shared this yummy cookie recipe with me years ago. Nancy, Jean and I would bake up dozens and dozens of these cookies and help our kids decorate for hours! It became one of our Christmas traditions. Pretty sure they ate more than they decorated! Recently I blew the dust off of this forgotten gem and decided to make these for Olivia's class. It was her birthday and she wanted to take something to share with all of her friends. Dear me I had forgotten how long it takes to make these! Needless to say they were a big hit with the students and the teachers! Be sure and allow a few hours to finish up this project. Enlist some help because conversations that happen in the kitchen can be the best part! Some traditions are worth sharing with the next generation of young people! Bake up some love this Valentines Day! Real butter and cream make these melt in your mouth! 

Cream:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

Beat in 1 egg

3 T. Cream or milk (more if needed)

1 t. vanilla

Stir in :

3 cups unsifted flour (all purpose)

1 - 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt 

Chill dough for easier handling.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Roll out dough, one-third at a time, on floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place on ungreased baking sheets. I prefer to use parchment paper!

5-8 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 1/2 - 4 cups powder sugar

1/3-1/2 cup milk or half n half

Cream butter, add vanilla, salt and sugar and milk. Alternate milk and sugar and beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. You can thin with a little bit more milk if you need to.

Be sure to sprinkle on the sprinkles as soon as you ice a cookie. The sprinkles will dry into the frosting and for the most part stick! We allowed the cookies to set for a couple of hours before placing into the baggies!

Optional : add orange & lemon extract

the mustaches were a bit tricky getting straight on the pan
and the tips really cooked fast....but, too cute!

another shot....

bow ties and lips too! 

We put four little cookies in a snack size ziplock bag...
it was perfect for her to hand out to her friends....
Notice the lips on the ribbon!? I found that
at Cat's Scrapbook Store last week at
her 75% off sale!! Whoop!!

Olivia off and running with her basket of goodies....

one last glimpse of the cookies..... and the one
picture I did not capture was my husband holding
a mustache up to his mouth and acting totally
out of character.....!!!! I begged him to do it again
and he quickly gobbled up the cookie and
fled out of the room! You will just have to use
your imagination!

Go and make some melodies!

Till next time my coffee cup and mouse meet.....

Teresa

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. ~Khalil Gibran

Snowballs in the Kitchen

Snowball Cookies

YIELD: about 30 very small cookies or about 19 Texas size cookies
PREP TIME: 20 minutes (10 minutes if your fast)
COOK TIME: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Mexico vanilla is our favorite)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans (Texas brand)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or Morton will work)
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted - for rolling cookies

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.

3. Mix in the flour, pecans and salt. Mixing until just combined.

4. Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough (mine are a bit larger, see notes below) into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. The cookies can be placed quite close together since they do not spread during the baking process.

5. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes – taking care not to over bake. Allow cookies to cool on baking pan until you are able to comfortably hold them in your hands.

6. Sift 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. While cookies are still warm, roll them in confectioners' sugar. Place cookies on cooling rack, once they have cooled completely, roll them in confectioners' sugar again.

NOTES:
These rich little cookies are extra-special when made with macadamia nuts.

To ensure recipe success, do not use self-rising flour or vegetable oil spreads in this recipe.

If salted butter is all you have on hand then omit the salt.

Make it your way. Toasted Coconut Tea Cakes are a special treat for coconut lovers. Toast 3/4 cup coconut by baking uncovered in an ungreased shallow pan at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Let coconut cool before adding to the dough.

The 1979 Betty Crocker cookbook has a version called "Ambrosia Balls" -  Follow the Russian Tea Cake recipe except swap out the nuts for 1 cup flaked coconut and add in 1 tablespoon of grated orange peel. So Yummy!

The cookie balls are ready for the oven.....

Out of the oven and dusted with yummy white powder sweetness.....

Really Mom, You have to take a picture before we can eat them?!

Melt in your mouth goodness.......

Baking up some sweetness for those we love,

Till next Time,

Teresa

"Behave so the aroma of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere." 

-Henry David Thoreau

Me~We! Rhonda brought this yummy soup tonight!

Rhonda's Olive Garden Soup

2 lbs of Italian Sausage
potatos
1-3 pounds of frozen green beans - (or kale)
Italian seasoning
garlic or garlic powder
3 cubes chicken bouillon
water to cover

opt. red pepper flakes

after it cooks:
add two cups of milk
1 cup cream (opt.)
8 oz cream cheese (opt.)

Serve with grated parmesan cheese and garlic bread

Great Foods We Ate in July @ Me~We!

submitted by my wonderful ladies, Dru and Irene

Pistachio Pudding Dessert
1- 20 oz. can crushed pineapple drained
2- 3 oz. boxes dry pistachio pudding ( regular or sugar free)
1- 16 oz. thawed cool whip
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows
Stir all together and Chill

8 Minute Cheese Cake
1- 8oz cream cheese softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1- 8 oz. thawed cool whip
Beat cream cheese and fold in sugar, add sour cream and vanilla and fold in cool whip.
Pour in a graham cracker crust and chill for 4 hours. You can top with your favorite topping. Cherry pie filling, strawberries, caramel, chocolate syrup, etc. It's GOOD frozen too!

Oriental Broccoli Slaw

1 16oz bag broccoli slaw ( in produce dept. w/ bagged lettuce) or I have used the shredded cabbage and carrot mix when I can't find that.
1 can cashew's or pieces
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 bunch chopped green onions
2 pkgs. Oriental ramen noodles (RAW)
Crush noodles and mix in salad right before you add dressing so they stay crunchy.
Mix all together and mix dressing:
3/4 cup veg. oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
and the 2 seasoning pkts. from the noodles. Mix well and put in frig. to chill a bit and right before serving, shake well, add noodles and stir in the dressing.

Good too with a grilled chicken breast on the side or on top.