SUPER BOWL FOOD POST NUMERO DOS: PW Chocolate Sheet Cake

Sometimes I hate blogger. And I think it knows that I hate it so it does mean things to me like say "Error on Page" when I try to upload a photo. So I gave up. I will not be loading the photo from the Super Bowl Party at the Scott's of the ladies in attendance. Maybe it will let me later. But probably not. Anyhoo. I also made PW Chocolate Sheet Cake. It was delicious. It has 4 sticks of butter in it. How could it not be?

Before I post the recipe, please let me take this opportunity to put a plug in for my best friend, The Pioneer Woman. She has just released a new book Black Heels to Tractor Wheels which chronicles the story of how she fell in love with her Marlboro Man and goes through their first year of marriage. I picked up this beautiful book yesterday and I've just finished part 1. LOVE. Might I encourage you to do the same at your local book store?

Since it is, after all, her recipe, I copied the link to her post of this special cake on her blog. (Originally posted June 2, 2007)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_chocol/

If you aren't familiar with my best friend, take a minute and look around her site. Look through all sections. Get to know her. Read about her always educational life as a cattle rancher's wife/ blogger extraordinaire/ mother to 4. Just remember, she's MY best friend- she just doesn't know it yet.

Love to you all,

Lana

SUPER BOWL FOOD: Post Numero Uno

Yello friends. I made some food for our Super Bowl Party at the Scott's house Sunday and my sweet friends actually liked it! Does it not thrill you when people like the food you prepare for them? They even asked me to put it on my blog so they could pull it off here- which I thought was even more flattering. They read my blog! This is, of course, one of my go-to recipes for BBQ's/ Burgers/ Picnic get togethers. It was given to me in a book of recipes that my MIL put together and gave to me when we got married.

Oriental Cole Slaw

From Ms. Shirley Swatts

Dressing:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup oil of choice

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 chicken flavor packets from Ramen Noodle packets

salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

1 16 oz pkg coleslaw mix

3 green onions, chopped (handy hint, I take the ole kitchen sheers and just cut these babies up)

2 pkg chicken flavor Ramen Noodles broken into small pieces (put in a gallon zip lock bag and pound gently with a meat mallet)

1 cup sunflower kernels

1 cup slivered almonds (note, I do not use sunflower kernels or slivered almonds. I just use sliced almonds and love it that way and if you're in a pinch, peanuts work well too)

Mix dressing ingredients and let stand while preparing the salad. Mix salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and mix. Let sit for several hours, or overnight, to blend the flavors.

Different take on White Chili

My mom gave me this recipe and it's absolutely yummy. I love White Chili and I think this may be my new favorite way to make it.

White Chili

2 or 3 Chicken breasts cubed, raw

1 small onion, diced

1 leek, sliced and washed to remove grit

1 poblano or ancilla pepper, seeds removed and diced

2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white hominy

1 quart chicken broth

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Heat olive oil and butter in pot on medium high heat. Add onion and poblano. Cook until onions beginning to be translucent and then add chicken. Cook for several minutes until chicken has browned on the outside. Add leek and stir until tender (about 3 minutes). Then add beans, hominy and spices and stir in for another minute. Then add chicken broth- enough so that it almost reaches the top of the ingredients, but you don't want the ingredients to swim in the chicken broth. Bring to a roaring boil. Bring heat down (medium low) and allow to simmer for 30- 45 minutes. So yummy and makes great leftovers.

Tonight, we eat out :),

Lana

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

My friends, have you read this book? It. Is. Awesome. I was so sad when it was over! I wanted more more more! My book club read it before I joined and they kept telling me I HAD to read it. So, I listened to them. Here is the book description:

"January1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man shes's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb... As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends- and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island- boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books , and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever. Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways. (From the Hardcover-edition)"

The characters in the story are all so endearing and funny and quirky. I just loved it. If you read it, I hope you love it too!

Happy reading,

Lana

Jason Aldean, Baby!!

Our sweet friends Jonathan and Rachel asked us to go to the Jason Aldean concert! We had a blast! We ate at Cantina Laredo first. This is my blouse I showed you in the last post. While we were there, the waiter spilt food on my back as he was clearing the table. I felt horrible for him! I could tell he was super embarrassed. I've seen that happen to other people but it's never happened to me. Rachel and I agreed it was like slow motion watching the plates fall. Poor dude. Anyway, I washed it when we got home and it came right out. No harm, no foul! Isn't Matt cute?!

Me and Rachel

Here are Jonathan and Rachel! Isn't her top cute? She got it at Anthropologie too!

Here's the whole gang!

Here is Eric Church who opened for him. He was one tall dude! And a true red neck! He put on a great show! My favorite song of his is Love Your Love the Most

And of course the man, Jason Aldean! He was awesome!!! Matt and I were excited because we knew more of his songs than we thought we did. He really was a blast to watch. I think my favorite song of his is Big Green Tractor but it was really cool when he did the knew song he has with Kelly Clarkson (Don't You Wanna Stay). They had filmed her before and had her sing her part on a giant video screen so it was like she was there for their duet.

Anyhoo, it was SUCH a fun night! We had a great time with great friends and can't wait for the next concert!

Yeehaw,

Lana

Loves of Late

Hey sweet friends! Here are some things we have picked up lately that I love.

I spent the rest of my Christmas money on this beauty (and a dress). Went to Anthropologie (which is also a love) and found it in the sale section! I had seen it before Christmas but they didn't have my size. I walked back there this week and there it was! Oh my heart stopped. I was so excited! I have a funny story to tell about it but will share in the next blog I am about to post.

New bed pillows! My sweet MIL got them for me for Christmas. LOVE. It adds some color to the bed that was all olive green before.

SPRAY PAINT! I just really struggled with liking my blue bathroom for a while, but after I started spray painting the accessories white, I love it. It is so calming and crisp looking to me. My mommy gave me the pedestals (originally gold) and I spray painted them white. I got the vases at a garage sale for $1 each and the stems at Hobby Lobby this week since stems were half off. Then my best bud/ handy man Matt hung them for me. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Well, Matt finally got his office he has been so patiently waiting on since his promotion this past summer. We were buying him leather chairs for his seating area and stumbled across this AWESOME love seat! We got a GREAT deal and it matched everything perfectly. Our living room is now complete. And we can sit more than 4 people comfortably with out grabbing chairs from the dining room which is nice.

I also picked up the red pillows at Target on sale. (Notice I switched the brown pillows to the leather couch from the love seat. Which do you like better?)

Anyhoo. Those are our new accessories. I am so excited about all of them!!!

Thanks for taking the tour around the house,

Lana

Snow Day! (Self Declared)

Here are a few pics of the pups playing in the snow with their dad. He got out there and played with them for a bit. Here's the deal. I do have 4wd on my truck, but to me that does not mean I should use it. Crossing the 430 bridge with ice really scares me. I did it last year and I hated every second of it.

Ignore the awful no make-up shot. I did it to show what a cuddly dude he has been lately. I think the whole tail/ cone wearing ordeal maybe traumatized him a bit. He has to touch us all the time now. (Which I just really don't mind at all.)

Anyhoo, today, I have played with my sewing machine! SO excited to get some crafts going, played with my dogs, dumped a bunch of ingredients in my crock pot (really, I just dumped, I have no idea what it will taste like), finished Big Love Season 4, finished Sarah Palin's Alaska, pulled something in my neck, hung some pictures, spray painted some candle holders, did some ironing, and I am about to watch last week's Bachelor~! Oh how it brings back special memories from college!!! We girls used to get together and watch every episode! Oh nostalgia.

Thrilled about the snow day, but EXCITED to go to work tomorrow,

Lana