Crab Rangoon dip

This is a recipe that I got out of a cookbook years ago, but have changed it up to a version I like much better.  It can be served with a host of dip devices such as baked wonton wrappers, crackers or pita chips.  It is super easy to put together and just needs a few minutes in the microwave to cook.

Crab Rangoon Dip

Ingredients

  • 2 – 8oz boxes cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz swiss cheese, grated
  • 3oz crab meat, chopped up
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • sweet and sour sauce (I used a 10oz jar)

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Instructions

  1. Unwrap/soften cream cheese and put in a bowl.  Add swiss cheese, crab meat and garlic and mix well.
  2. Spread mixture into a microwave safe dish, I use my Mini Baker from Pampered Chef
  3. Spread sweet and sour sauce over the top and microwave uncovered for 4-6 minutes.
  4. Serve and enjoy!

 

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Voila!  Time to start dippin!

Lunches with Dad – Q39

This week’s choice has been on the radar for awhile now.  We noticed it on the way to another lunch spot earlier this summer and then a few days later a friend was raving about it.  Finally we made it there, and we aren’t sad about it either!

When we walked in we noticed it was already a hoppin’ place.  We always try to get to places “early” to beat the lunch rush so usually we get there around 11:15 and watch the place fill up.  This was not the case at Q39.  There were already about half of the tables filled with customers!  Our waitress immediately brought us a bottle of water for the table and 2 glasses and offered other drink choices.  She also explained the menu and some of her favorites for us first timers.  After taking our orders I pulled out my phone to check us in on Facebook, as I usually do, and check a couple of things.  Not more than 5 minutes after taking our order, the food arrived!

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Mine – Apple Brined Pulled Pork Sandwich with potato salad


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Dads –  Certified Black Angus Beef Brisket and Apple Cole Slaw

Both meals were DELICIOUS.  The beef was tender and not too fatty and the pulled pork was flavorful and moist.  They have 3 sauce choices: classic, zesty or chipotle-cilantro.  I am a classic kind of girl but the waitress recommended the zesty with the pulled pork and she was not mistaken!  It was the right amount of vinegary flavor to go with the pork.

Dad and I were both pleased with the entire experience.  We were in and out of there in just over 30 minutes and were glad we went early as there was a wait by the time we left, before noon even hit!

Scores:  Dad: 4.5, Me: 4

Next time I need to try the onion straws.

Pickle Dip!

I had some of this magic at a bachelorette party earlier this year and have been craving it ever since.  In my perusals of the internet, I found several versions of it, all slightly different.  I decided I would just take from several of them what I thought would be good and go for it.  Turns out I was right!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of sour cream
  • 2 – 8oz packages cream cheese
  • 1 – 2.5 oz pkg Sliced Dried Beef
  • 1 – 16 oz jar of dill pickles
  • 1 Tbsp pickle juice
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

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Instructions:

  1. soften cream cheese in a mixing bowl
  2. add sour cream
  3. dice up dried beef and pickles
  4. add spices and pickle juice
  5. mix well and let sit in refrigerator, giving it a couple hours before serving, if possible, so the flavors have a chance to meld
  6. serve with chips or crackers and ENJOY!
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Dicing of the dried beef

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My slap and chop is great for getting the pickles the right size!

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Voila!  Pickle Dip!

 

 

Day off!

I have been trying to be pretty low key these days, after a hectic last couple of months.   Dad and I lunched at Panera early this week before his doctors appointment.  Nothing exciting there, but always a decent meal in my opinion.  I am loving their Apple, Cheddar and Turkey sandwich but on Tomato Basil bread instead of the cranberry walnut nonsense it usually comes on.

Today was a lovely day off.  I got to catch up with a friend that I haven’t seen in too long and finally meet her baby and give her the baby present I made her!

After that I came home and put my dogs in their adorable sweaters and had a photo shoot out back since it was such a pleasantly sunny day.  They were not amused by the photo shoot and it was really hard to get all 3 in one shot!

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Almost Christmas card worthy, if I did that…

I also read 80% of this months book club book, The Sense of an Ending, for tonights meeting.  I didn’t enjoy it and either did the others in the group that read it.  I would have given it 0 stars if 0 was an option on Goodreads.  Back to The Goldfinch for me!  In fact, I think I shall go curl up and get to reading.  Maybe i’ll finish it this time before my loan from the library is up on it.  I love Overdrive and being able to check out books to my Kindle!

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My reading partner.  Somebody is glad to be back home after her stint in the “hospital”.

Ten on Tuesday

This weeks Ten on Tuesday topic:  10 Best Things You Did in November.

I will say that it seems like it has been a long and trying month, but there is some good that happened!  Here we go!

  1. Watched our Boys in Blue with the 2015 World Series!  Go Royals!
  2. Sewed and gave my Grandma, Uncles and Dad pillows made from my Grandpas old work shirts.
  3. Yarn adventures with Laura
  4. Received TWO boxes of goodies from my awesome buddy in Ireland! (I’m in a swap group that swaps goodies from your country)
  5. Elegant Dinner Party with friends, its a (delicious) tradition!
  6. Bought some coveted yarn that I wouldn’t normally treat myself to
  7. Was able to help out Dad before surgery and in the recovery process.  My co-workers are awesome.
  8. Thanksgiving celebrations with both sides of my family.
  9. Friendsgiving.
  10. Survived…much credit to Josh, my friends and my furry babies.
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A fuzzy picture of all my fuzzy babies on my lap!

Ten on Tuesday

Ahhhh…a very relevant topic this week, being Thanksgiving week in the US and all.  Without further ado:

10 Things You Are Thankful For Right Now

  1. My health.  I am able to do what I need to do and take care of others when I need to.
  2. My parents health.  I love them so much
  3. My sister, niece and brother and law.
  4. My friends – I don’t know what I would do without them.
  5. Josh.
  6. My furry family.  They are the best and know how to give the best cuddles, right when I need them most.
  7. Music and books.  Some times you just need to get out of your head, you know?
  8. Grandma’s.  Mine is awesome.
  9. My job and co-workers.  They are always there in a pinch to fill in.
  10. Shelter – it may not be much, but its home.
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2/3’s of the canine crew around here, Pickle and Noodle

Lunches with Dad – Hospital Style

So lunch this week took an unexpected turn.  Technically it was my week to choose but Dad’s body had different ideas.  Thus we ended up eating at the hospital this week.

I got to peruse the cafeteria for my lunch.  I chose chicken strips, mashed potatoes with gravy and corn.  It wasn’t bad for hospital food, actually.

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Hospital chicken strips, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

Dad had considerbly less choice in the matter of what he ate.  He had just gotten back up on the floor from recovery and he got a clear liquids tray.

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Mmmmm…clear liquids lunch!

I don’t know that he remembers his lunch to give it a rating, but I give mine a solid 3.  However, I try to avoid eating here whenever possible…

Getting my craft on, sentimental style

I know I mentioned here that my Grandpa died early in September.  The day after his and my Grandmas 65th Wedding Anniversary, to be exact.

I was looking for ways to memorialize him when I came across this idea on Pinterest.  To turn his old shirts into pillows.  When Grandma finally decided to start cleaning out the closest, she came across a bunch of his old work shirts.  He was an over the road trucker for MANY MANY years and never got rid of his work shirts, even tho he has been retired for over 20 years at this point.  I scooped these up and got to work!

Instead of buying stuffing and doing pillows that way, I found pillow forms at Walmart.  They had 2 sizes and I chose the 12″ x 16″ over the 16″ x 16″ size.

To start I laid out the shirt nice and flat on my table and pinned the middle.  Then I measured 13″ top to bottom and 17″ across, getting it as centered as I could.

Measuring out the cuts

Measuring out the cuts

I marked it and drew lines with a disappearing fabric pen and got to cutting.  Believe me that the first cut was the hardest on my Grandpas shirts!

All cut and ready to turn inside out and sew!

All cut and ready to turn inside out and sew!

After it was all cut out, I turned it inside out (no picture of that) and re-pinned it.  Then I sewed around all 4 edges (since they are button up shirts, no need to hand sew!), about 1/2 inch in.  Once that is done you unbutton them, turn them inside out, stuff with the pillow and button back up!  They were super easy and once I got to working on them each one only took me about 15 minutes.

Finished shirt pillows

Finished shirt pillows

I made 5 total, one for my Grandma, Dad and 3 uncles.  I have another shirt left and will make myself one too.  I love the way they turned out.  I was going to give them as Christmas presents to the recipients but couldn’t bear sitting on them that long!

Getting to know me

I thought I would keep it simple today and answer some random “getting to know you questions”.  Here we go!

  • What was your favorite subject in school?  —  Does band count?  If not, my favorite core subect was probably science classes.  I really enjoyed Human Anatomy in high school.  I think it was more a function of the teacher rather than the subject tho.  He was awesome and made learning fun.
  • What is your favorite flavor of jelly beans? — I love strawberry and watermelon the most!
  • Which flavor of ice-cream do you prefer? — a good vanilla ice cream
  • Do you play a musical instrument, if so which one(s)? — clarinet, although not for years
  • What do you usually do when you have leisure time on your hands? — knit, too much Candy Soda Crush
  • What is your favorite season and why? — spring and fall, probably more so fall because the infernal summer isn’t going to immediately follow!
  • If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go? — Japan
  • What is your favorite color? — purple
  • Who is your best friend and how did you meet? — Carrie, duh!  We met thru a mutual friend in middle school, despite growing up 3 houses apart on different streets…
  • What is your favorite home cooked meal? —  Moms beef stroganoff
  • What is your favorite grab and go meal? — PBJ!
  • Do you prefer to wear pants or dresses? —  pants, I hate when my thighs actually touch
  • How many siblings do you have? — one little seester
  • What is you favorite snack? — a spoonful of peanut butter
  • What is your favorite electronic device? — my iPhone
  • What kind of vehicle do you usually ride in? — my 11 year old Ford Focus
  • Do you have pets? — 3 dogs and as many cats
  • When was the last time you visited a park and what did you do while there? — like a state park?  We hiked up to the “castle” at HaHaTonka State Park last month and checked it out…
  • What is your favorite sport to watch? — hockey if its in person, baseball either on tv or in person
  • Which sport do you most enjoy actively participating in? — ummmmmmmm….
  • When was the last time you stayed or hosted a sleepover with friends? — BFF’s stayed here at New Years because we are responsible adults that don’t drink and drive!
  • If you have to dress and leave in a hurry what is the one thing you can easily cut out of your routine? — I think i’ve got it pretty pared down already…
  • What was the last item you cooked and ate? — I tried something new…eggplant pizzas.  Not a hit…
  • How many books did you read last year? — not enough, maybe 10?
  • What size shoe do you wear? — 11 wide 😦
  • Do you prefer pens or pencils? — depends on what I am doing, but a good blue rollerball pen always wins in my book
  • Do you like your handwriting? — most of the time
  • When did you last visit the zoo? — its been a few years, maybe 4 years ago?  I miss the days of going with Audrey
  • Have you ever been horseback riding? — yes, in the Grand Tetons and a few other trail rides.  Amazing views
  • Have you ever been water skiing? — not personally, I hate water that I can’t see my feet in.  I also have the upper body strength of a wet noodle.
  • What is your favorite all-time movie? — Airplane!  A classic, for sure
  • Can you change a tire? — yup

Saturday Shennanigans

Today Laura and I went on a yarn-venture.  We first set our sights on the Topeka Twisted Fiber Arts Show put on by the Potwin Fiber Artisans.  We love yarn.  We love to look at it, to touch it, to squeeze it.  We both fell in love with some hand dyed yarns by Th’Red Head Designs.  Neither of us purchased any yarn but we were being “responsible adults” or something like that.  Personally I didn’t buy the one I was coveting because I didn’t have a specific project that I knew how much I would need for it in mind.

At the show we also sat in on a class on Entrelac knitting.  This has fascinated and baffled me for years.  They gave us some needles and yarn and we got to try it out.  It was a lot easier than I expected!  I think I my give it a go and make myself a scarf.  Laura made a whole swatch.  I wimped out before finishing a swatch but still am proud of my little swatch.

Lauras on the left, mine on the right

Lauras on the left, mine on the right

After all that yarn squeezing and learning, we were hungry!  We decided to check out a new place (for us, anyway), The Burger Stand.  We both got a different burger and fries.  They had poutine!  Neither of us had ever actually tried this magic and it did not disappoint!

Laura's burger and poutine

Laura’s burger and poutine

My burger with duck fat fries

My burger with duck fat fries

After refueling, we headed out to Lawrence on the way back.  There is a yarn store there, Yarn Barn, that we just had to check out since we were going to be driving by!  It did not disappoint, either!  Lots of fun yarn to look at and squeeze.  Neither of us found anything that we couldn’t live without, once again, sadly enough.  Well, not so sad for our pocket books…

After a quick pit stop, it was time to leave Lawrence and head back home.  We decided that since we were going to be driving right by The Legends on the way home, a stop to the Coach Outlet was in order.  That did not disappoint, either.  Laura ended up with an early birthday present to herself!

It was a successful day!  Lots of yarn with a side of purses.  What more could a girl ask for??

No loitering!

No loitering!