A Happy Bowl of Beans

Happy? Yeah I said happy, because...my husband is happy to get a meal in the middle of the week! lol. Certainly not true! Don't you know by know how I luv to play around.
  Seriously, red beans and rice are a staple in everbody's house in Louisiana...on Momdays, and rice is cooked daily! But for some reason, I wanted the great northerns tonight.

                                         
 
 I don't eat much meat with any of my meals, (I cooked down-home sausage with the beans), and i'll put cornbread on my plate, but don't always eat it! However, my husband loves meat and cornbread.
 This was it, I didn't want dessert, or anything else, just the beans and rice. Although, I couldn't eat them all, I
was satisfied with the meal. Simple, but filling!

Our Sunday Dinner

I didn't know what to cook today. The pantry didn't entice me nor did the refrig freezer. So, I went to our big freezer trying to put a meal together. I found the greens first, but hesitated but, as you can see, we did have the greens, turnips/mustard mixed that I put away last fall. Then, my husband went out to the BBQ shack to get ribs and chicken. While he was gone, I made a pan of cornbread. It was done when he returned.
I served the meal with a garden salad and my Louisiana hot pepper sauce. My husband says it can fuel a jet!
 Later, we both wanted dessert, so I made a peach cobbler with homemade dumplings, and served with steaming hot coffee. Yum! Yum!

The Recipe
1-cup plain cornmeal
2/3 cup-plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
2-heaping Tablespoons baking powder
1 egg
 1/2 to 1-cup milk
The Method
 Mix all dry ingredients. Put pan in oven with oil to heat. Gradually add milk, then egg and stir til smoothly combined. (Do not make mixture too thin) Put into a 375 degree oven and cook til test done.

                                         So Yummy especially with the homemade dumplings!

Sunday's Lunch

I love to cook when the weather changes during this time of year. Seemingly, meals are lighter and so are appetites. This meal was quick and very easy to prepare. I pulled from my freezer the corn that was put back from last year. Fried a few pieces of chicken and made a lite salad with tomatoes, onions and peppers, then dressed it with olive oil. Crusty, buttered bread is off to the side.

Dessert is potato pie with whipped topping, served with coffee

Our Lawn and Garden

I think I've always been a farm-girl at heart actually, I think there's a bit of farming in all of us. Right? I love working with the dirt in my hands and building the soil's nutrients with the compost from my bins and adding other additives. I get just as much satisfaction sowing the seeds, and putting the little plants in the earth that was started from seed. Then, we watch as these little plants start to break the earth's surface and spring forth to capture the light and warmth of the sun and drink from the rain.
  It's fascinating watching blooms form and the vegetables grow from this one seed. Or, when root crops burst through the earth and grow. Wow! Aren't we blessed to see such phenomenal metamorphosis? Our God is good! We hope to have a bountiful garden this year so when we put back for ourselves, there will be enough to share with friends and neighbors. I'll share pics with you as the garden progress.
Luv-Loretta

This is the garden left from last fall.

The first day of working the soil. Not too much, I want to perserve the nutrients in the soil.

I added compost from my kitchen bins, then from composted leaves and pine straw

The soil was mixed together and lime was added last and mixed. I waited 24 hours before planting seed

This is my cat mint returned from last fall. Kayla will get new toys soon!

It rained the night after I planted and I went out three days afterwards, and this is what I discovered. I was so excited I ran to get my camera! What a blessing! I will share more as the garden grows more.
Luv-Loretta

New Pages Under Construction

I am in the process of creating new pages. If you don't mind the sawdust, cobwebs and noise from the construction, we would appreciate your continued visits and comments! Please bear with me as I attempt to work on this with my limited know how. I wanted to learn how...I got myself into this mess, so I hope I'm not bitting off an...ELEPHANT!!!
  I have alwas been one to finish what I've started, so I just might as well DO IT in the eyes of all thousands, upon thousands, upon...you get the picture!!!
  Wish me well and help me out...cause, I Don't Know What The Heck I'm Doing!!!! Really!!! Truly!!!!!
Loretta

Thank You Lady Jane

Lady Jane sent me the sweetiest e-mail about her winning prize! I really think she enjoyed unpacking her goodies! Lady Jane you are quite welcome for your heartfelt thanks and please know, and to all our awesome followers, we will be have another giveaway soon! Hope everyone visits us to keep updated.
Lady Jane don't eat too many kisses!
Luv-Loretta

Taco Salad and Rabbits?

They really do not go hand-in-hand here, this was what I worked on this morning before and after the storm. My daughter came up to run an errand for me, and afterwards, she made lunch for the both of us. Imagine my surprise when she presented me with this huge taco salad!

This taco salad is made with grilled chicken breast. She made the shells and they are fried to prefection. There was no way I could eat the entire salad, I couldn't eat half! So, I put it away and promised her I'd eat it later. After we finished lunch, she helped me to rearrange my bunny room and dust. It really needed  it.

Here are pictures of just some of them. Between the dolls, bunnies and rooster that my children bring home, i'll have to build another room to house them! The first ones are ceramic, and then the cloth ones. They are only the beginning. 

Smothered Pork Cutlets & Rice

I try hard to get out of cooking. Most days it works, but today I didn't have a choice. When I stood up this morning, I felt and knew it wouldn't be a good day. You see, I have fibromyalgia and the pain lets me know it's there and there to stay...awhile! My desire was to get back into bed, but I knew better. I showered and dressed...slowly. Walking into the room where the fur-babies sleep, I had trouble opening their cages for potty time. My poodle Ashley, always can sense when I'm in pain. I slowly allowed them to go out, but he stayed by my side. The only way I could get him outside was to walk out with him and assure him I was okay, but he continued to stay with me.
  Back inside, I went through the motions, then tearfully I sat down and called mom. She was not very encouraging, so I politely hung up. That is when I saw my hubby's note...what to cook! I was not ready to do any kind of work today! But, he asked so sweetly, I had to push myself to do it. It took me all day, but I did it! I was just finishing up when he came in at 4PM. I felt good because after seeing I was in pain, he praised my efforts, and lavished me with accolades and love. He immediately took over, making sure I was taken care of first! I thanked God for this wonderful man.
  This is what I cooked for my husband:  Yum! Yum!

A bed of white fluffy rice. (Not steamed)

Pork Cutlet added to the plate with asstorted peppers and onions

I drizzled pan dripping over the top of rice and onto the plate

                                               
  As I write this post, the pain is almost unbearable, But let me tell you, my heart is happy. Being able to do what I did today, with what I call my "flare-up" was a big accomplishment for me! Soon, the pain will subside, with meds, and I'll be back to my old self...working and multi-tasking as usual. I thank God for His Mercy!
  Ladies tell me about your living with fibromyalgia and how do you cope with flare-ups.

I Finally Cooked A Good Cabbage!

Not that I haven't before, but sometimes they look like a pot of mush. You know, that stuff that looks like...a pasty mass of mushy muck!! Am I getting the picture of it across? I hope you aren't one with a weak stomach. Hey WAIT, don't loose what's in there! I suppose I should tell you, i'm known to exaggerate a little. Ok, a lot then!!!

 Seriously, I've seen cabbage cooked this way, but I learned a long time ago the art of cooking this vegetable, and it's really quite simple. First, selecting one: make sure it is not a heavy one. The lighter in your hand, the better. Then, when cutting, don't shred it! Finally, if you are going to use any meat, let it cook completely. Then, add the cabbage and allow to cook down without stirring. Add seasoning, salt, pepper, onoin powder, little garlic powder and canola oil, if using, and not too much. With a large spoon, turn the cabbage gently until they are all over. Lower fire to low setting and only cook til tender, but still have a little crunch. Turn off fire and let then set in pot til cool before serving. They are ready to eat. And you thought I was a comic cook. Fooled you, didn't I! Enjoy.

I was serving down home sausage with this meal but, wouldn't you know it, once again I lost out to the fur-babies! Hubster gave them all to them, so I had to improvise. I had brown gravy in the refrig from another meal, thus my sad excuse for protein! One of these days...i'm going to eat all the meat!!

My Grand's...At Last!

  We have not physically seen our grand babies, because we all live so far apart. They are in Pennsylvania, California; and Florida, and I am in Louisiana. I can't travel right now due to health, and the military, their jobs, etc., keeps them all from coming home as often as I would like. There is always something to mess up our plans to be together, even with carefully laid plans. I pray they will not all be in school before I get a chance to hold them in my arms for the first time. It really tears at the heartstrings! 

 This is little Jacob just a few months old.

                                       

Jason Jr. I hear he's quite a pistol!

                                                     

Juelle is really growing up fast!.

                                                    

Jada, Nana's sweetheart, and pop-pop's heart!

                                      

Jessica, the boys Mom, and my sweetie!

   I am so proud of my son for having the good sense to choose her as the Mother of his children and my grand's. lol. Jess is such a good Mom, of course, both my sons did me proud with their choices. lol. When I look at my family, I not only feel pride, but accomplishment. My four children kept their family values, even though they might have strayed off the path at times. I am proud of them, they have given the most important thing in life to me...Family! They've been taught life's lessons, now the teaching role has been handed down to them...to teach their sons and daughters. This if life...this is life's cycle and it goes on; time doesn't slow, nor does it wait. Young ones must be taught, loved, disciplined and nurtured,before they are pushed out into this world of hate, violence, and where there is no love for others at all!
  I love the role God has given to me. I'm still giving, simple as ever; loving my children as ever, but most of all loving Him as ever! I am blessed and I know it!
 Share your family with us. How do you feel being a grandparent? Are you active in their lives? Tell us about them. We would love to hear from you.
Hugs and Kisses to all!
Luv-Loretta

Can You Tell Me The Name

 Every morning, I have to go outside and look at this  bush...it is so pretty! The flowers seem to come in one by one, and now it is full. After the flowers fall, leaves form and the entire bush is covered with leaves.
 My Dad planted it for Mom, and she's forgotten the name. Can you help me to identify it? I'm keeping a journal of my garden and this is the only one I haven't identified. I am very appreciative of any help. Thanks!Luv-Loretta

This Is It Friends!

We have kicked off our Give-Away on, At Home with Loretta's Blog! Hurry over and check it out! We are excited and looking forward to a great contest. Thank you for your entry and comments.
Luv-Loretta