Funky Monkey

Happy Hour!  I haven't had a Happy Hour post in a few weeks so here is the perfect drink to kick off Saturday evening with the gals.  The first time I had a funky monkey it had pineapple juice added to it....but I have to admit when I discovered how good it is without the juice I never went back.

I know some folks have this thing about drinks that are classified as shots....goodness knows I have a few friends that will not try this because they "can't" handle shots.  Well....here are my thoughts.....we all love a good black Russian...just a sippin shot.  So...do like I do....add a couple ice cubes into a larger shot glass...and sip away.  And really if all else fails......make a shaker full...pour into your favorite martini glass and enjoy.  Every once in a while the sophisticated momma in all of us deserves a little funky monkey....just remember..."pinkie up"....according to SpongeBob it keeps you fancy.  Wow....a SpongeBob reference...I do need a night out!

 

 

Funky Monkey

 

Equal parts coconut rum and banana schnapps

Pour into chilled shot glass

 

 

Cheers My Friends!  Laugh....Love....and Enjoy!

 

 



Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

 I have been trying to find new fun breakfast choices for my boys. They are both very predictable in what they will have. Cereal for Jakey and Matt will have a English muffin breakfast sandwich. I try to add fruit which they both love....but not for breakfast. So when I was poking around Pinterest the other day I was pretty excited when I found these breakfast cookies. Thanks to watching-what-i-eat.blogspot.com I will be adding some fruit and fiber into the menu tomorrow morning.



Since there is no sugar added to these cookies I was afraid that my little darlings would turn up their noses so.....I sprinkled in just a few white chocolate chips.  I know....I thought these were supposed to be healthy....but really there are just a few.

 Mix applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon together.

Add quick oats, smashed bananas and craisins.  Allow mixture to rest 10 minutes.

Drop spoonful onto cookies sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 min.

Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

 

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 smashed ripe banana

1 cup applesauce

1/3 cup Craisins

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

 

1.  Mix vanilla, cinnamon and applesauce together

 

2.  Blend with remaining ingredients.

 

3.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

 

4.  Drop spoonful onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

 

5.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

 





 





 

Happy Wednesday my Friends!  Enjoy!





Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

There are very few sweets that my husband ever asks for....but these cookies are at the top of the list.  This month we will be celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary and it probably took me 18 years to master them.  I could never make them like his Grandma....not even close.  I know....how can you not make them right!....they are so simple. I hated making them because they would never set up.  They were always to soft or gooey.  Well once I figured out that you HAVE to use butter and not margarine (which no one told me) they soon became a cookie I made all the time.

These are not fancy cookies....but they have a special place in our family.  Ray's grandma passed away last year and he holds many memories of her in his heart....and her chocolate no-bake cookies always makes him smile.

Combine sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and cocoa powder in a large saucepan.

Bring to boil.....stirring constantly.

Add in oatmeal....combine well.

Drop spoonful onto wax paper.  Allow to cool and set.

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

 

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup butter

4 tbsp. cocoa powder

3 cups quick oats

 

1.  Add sugar, milk, vanilla, butter and cocoa powder to a large saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. 

 

2.  Boil for 2 minutes.

 

3.  Remove from heat and stir in oats until well combined.

 

4.  Working quickly, drop spoonful of mixture onto wax paper.

 

5.  Allow to cool and set.

 

 

Be sure to use butter.....margarine will not work.

 

 

 

Happy Monday my Friends.....take time to remember those that live in our memory.  

Spinach Strawberry Salad

I suppose this should be "what did Debbie make last week".  Wow!  I can't believe how fast this last week went.  The boys were on Spring Break and it seemed like we had something planned for each day.  They keep this momma busy.....and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

My husband is not a salad guy...and really neither are the boys.  They love an occasional taco salad or side salad but that is about it.  I love salads...but I am often disappointed when I make a salad at home.  Why is it that they always taste better when eating out.  Same ingredients...same everything...but different.  So when I find a salad that is just as delish at home I make it a lot...in fact I made this salad two times in less than a week.  Now...the boys weren't big fans....but my husband loved it!

I have seen lots of versions of this salad out there...and I just took the bits that I liked from each and combined them into one very yummy plate of goodness.

 



When I was gathering all the ingredients we were on our way to dinner with friends so I took a little help from the store.  I used honey sugar pecans that come in this great package in the produce section.  I am sorry that I can't remember the brand....and most of the time I would just make own.

Chop your spinach and add to a nice large bowl....big enough to toss once you get everything added.

Add the sliced strawberries and thinly sliced red onions.

Then add the pecans and crumbled feta cheese.  Toss well and add poppy seed salad dressing.  Make your own or use your favorite.



Spinach Strawberry Salad

 

bag of spinach, chopped

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1 container of crumbled feta cheese

1 cup honey sugared pecans

poppy seed salad dressing

 

Toss all ingredients together....add dressing when ready to serve.

 

The amounts will vary on how many people you are serving...or how much you love this salad.  Feel free to add more berries,...less onion...make it however you like it.  There is no "right" way....only the way you will enjoy it.

 

Happy Sunday!  Enjoy!

 



Tropical Wave

Hello Friday....oh how I have missed you!  I realized earlier this week while driving to parent teacher conference that it had been a while since I had posted anything.  These last few weeks have just been a blur....not sure where the days have gone.

It was a crazy weather day here in the Pacific Northwest....all morning we had beautiful blue skies and farther north...snow and ice!  Holy cats...you gotta love spring around here.  For happy hour today I was thinking tropical...warm...coconut.  So....a Tropical Wave was the answer. 

It is a great blue green color....during football season we like to call these a Seahawk Blitz.  In my house football season can not come soon enough.

Tropical Wave

 

1oz vodka

1oz coconut rum

1/2oz blue curacao

1/2 cup pineapple juice

fresca or sprite

 

1.  Fill glass with ice

2.  Add vodka, rum, blue curacao and pineapple juice....stir.

3.  Fill with fresca.

 

 

I discovered Skky pineapple vodka....and I was pretty excited...but in the end I was a bit disappointed.  It has a wonderful pineapple smell...but the flavor didn't do it for me.   I did however use it in this drink and it was delish!

 

Cheers My Friends!  Enjoy!



 

 

 



Shrimp Po'Boy Sandwich

I think that I may have mentioned I am so ready for spring!  I have decided to get my spring cleaning started early.  The boys both have spotless rooms....outgrown clothes and toys donated....and I am headed out for paint next week.  Feeling pretty good about the progress so far.

After cleaning today I took a look in the freezer to see what might be good for dinner tonight.  I had totally forgotten about a bag of jumbo shrimp that I had picked up at Safeway for $5 Friday.  I tossed around a few ideas....pasta....Asian stir-fry....but in the end it was shrimp po'boys.

I grabbed a few fresh rolls and a bag of shredded cabbage....mmm...delish!  I do however wish that I could find a way to faux fry the shrimp and yet keep them crunchy and tender.

 

 

First mix up the sauce...combine mayo, water, Franks, minced garlic and red pepper flakes.



Peel and clean the shrimp.

Mix together flour and Cajun seasoning.  Beat an egg together with a little bit of cold water.

When I am coating anything to fry I will toss it in flour....egg wash...and then back into the flour.  Be sure to shake off excess flour before placing into the hot oil.

Place breaded shrimp into hot oil.  Fry for 1 1/2 minutes per side then remove from oil and place on paper towel to remove excess oil.

 

Slice open the roll and spread a bit of the sauce onto the inside of the bread.  Spread shredded cabbage on top of sauce and then lay on the cooked shrimp.  Drizzle more sauce on top if desired.  I didn't have a tomato....but my husband and I both thought that it might be a yummy addition.

Shrimp Po'Boy Sandwich

 

16 - 20 Jumbo Shrimp

4 soft rolls

shredded cabbage

2 cups flour

 1/8 cup Cajun seasoning

1 egg

water

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp milk

1/8 cup Franks hot sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

red pepper flakes to taste

 

1.  Whisk together mayonnaise and milk.  Add hot sauce, garlic and pepper flakes whisking until well combined.

 

2.  Peel and clean the shrimp.

 

3.  In shallow dish combine flour and Cajun seasoning mix.  In another bowl beat egg adding water.

 

4.  Add oil to large pan....enough to cover the bottom.

 

5.  Toss shrimp in flour...dip into egg wash and then toss again in flour.  Shaking gently to remove excess flour. 

 

6.  Place shrimp into hot oil....frying 1 1/2 minutes on each side.  Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to allow excess oil to drain off.

 

7.  Slice rolls open...spread on sauce...add cabbage and shrimp....drizzle extra sauce if desired.

 

 

Enjoy!  And remember Spring is right around the corner.



Flip Frame - Mini Book

It is a sick day at my house....poor Jakey is home with a bad cold.  I guess too much weekend fun finally caught up with him.  After getting him all cozy with a blanket and Sponge Bob I headed down stairs to my craft area.  Originally, I was only going to move and organize things a bit more.  I have to say that it is really starting to look like a fun workable space.  While I was going through a stack of scrapbook paper (which I have WAY to much of) I found some fun pink spring paper and thought I need to do something with this.   I had also found a plastic easel type frame that I bought for something and never used....something I do all to often.  Well...really...you never know when you might need it....like today.

So after pulling scraps and embellishments together that matched I started putting it all together.  I have to admit it turned too cute.  It will work as a great "girly" gift and I got the perfect girly in mind.

First, I cut the pages of the mini book out of chipboard and then covered them with coordinating paper.  After covering the pages I used my Bind-it-all to attach them. 

I embellished each page with flowers, washi tape banners and matting paper for pictures.

I made sure that I covered front and back of the pages so as you flip both sides will be filled with memories and pictures.  I also varied the size of the pages just for fun and also added a couple of tabs on the side to add more embellishments.  I added lots of ribbon, glitter and paper clips that have ribbon or washi tape on them.

Once all of the pages were complete I cut a piece of paper to fit inside the plastic frame....I made sure I had saved a coordinating piece that would be big enough.  And then I used hot glue to attach the mini book to the plastic frame.  Making sure to keep the wire O-ring above the top of the frame to allow the pages to flip over.

 

I really didn't have a plan....I just started putting things together adding more as I went along.  Don't you just love it when a plan comes together.

Grab some scraps and just go...don't think...just craft!

 

Happy Tuesday!