Summer Squash Spoonbread (with Pimento cheese)

Hello friends and Happy Monday!

And it's also the first day of JULY...that's just unbelievable.
~
So I have a recipe that I'd like to share with you that I made over the weekend.
Have you ever been leisurely paging through a magazine and a recipe just jumped off the page

and stopped you in your tracks...and you knew right away you had to make it?

Well, that's what happened to me a couple of days ago.

I won't tell you exactly where I was when I was paging through said magazine...

...I'll just leave that one right there...😉...ahem...

Not only did the recipe look super easy but I love anything with squash in it.
I thought it was unusual that it called for pimento cheese and we always have some on hand...
...even better!

I also love baking in an iron skillet and the directions were to preheat the pan.

The recipe also called for two cups of diced onion...two cups?

At first I wasn't going to put in that much but I decided to follow the recipe and I'm really glad I did.

Not too appetizing at this stage is it?

My 10" skillet nearly overflowed as you can see...YIKES!

I was just hoping it wouldn't bubble out while it baking, which it did not after all. 

Next time I do think I will use my 12" skillet though.

So here's the recipe...

Actually, I was pretty happy about how beautiful it looked after it baked...

...and I dug right in...and it wasn't even suppertime yet.

Now keep in mind that I make stuff like this when Jim's working so I can dig in whenever I want!

Oh mercy...it was SO good y'all!

So I just had to have me a little snack!

And a couple hours later I had a little more with a side of my "pickles".

And in keeping with the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, 

there was also a little bit of red, white and blue action going on.

This dish is just perfect for an easy summer supper...actually, anytime at all.

I don't know about you, but I am learning more and more that I don't need a meat with every meal.

I had some again for lunch on Sunday with a baked sweet potato...really a great combination!

I am sometimes a little hesitant to post a recipe that I thought was really good 

for the fear that someone might try it and think it was really gross.

But isn't that always a chance we take whenever we try a new recipe?

Life is a gamble!

Anyway, I do hope that if any of you decide to give it a try, it will be to your liking!

HAPPY JULY!

A Paper Medley

Well here we are on the last Wednesday of June...
...can you even believe that??

And what's more, can you even believe that a day has been set aside to honor
PARCHMENT PAPER???

If you want to find out more about parchment paper...or maybe you already know all about it,
Terri has a wealth of information on her blog and it's the subject of this week's
Wednesday Medley.

So just copy the questions from Terri's blog and paste them to yours....
...add your answers and link up to the Medley!

1.  Who knew there was a day to celebrate parchment paper?!  Do you ever use parchment when you bake or cook? Tell us about your favorite way to use it, please.

I can't say I've never used it but normally I don't...and until I read this, I wasn't really familiar with all of the reasons to do so. I guess I have a lot to learn! Excuse me for a few minutes while I run down to the store and pick me up some!

2.  When Terri thinks of parchment paper, she usually thinks about special writing or artist papers. She loves using specialty papers for creating cards or other art projects. Tell us about a creative way you have used parchment paper other than to bake with!

I'm with you, Terri! I love me some fancy parchment papers for crafting and stuff. Have you ever wanted to create some kind of an award or certificate for someone? It can be a gift certificate of some kind for a service you want to give or just to honor someone for an event...they have some really cool ways to make certificates on most PCs. Printing them out on parchment paper makes them way cooler than regular printer paper. I have used it for card making as well and have also printed out a favorite poem in a lovely font making it suitable for framing.

3.  Terri used to be in the cake business and has piped many borders and roses and leaves and letters, etc., etc.  You can make a pastry bag from parchment paper!  Have you ever tried decorating a cake with a pastry bag and specialty tips?  Do you have a picture to share?  Don't be shy, now!

I have never done this with parchment for sure. I have tried a plastic pastry bag before but it has been a long time ago. What I do remember is that it was a messy experience and I didn't do a very good job. That's why God invented those tubes of colored icing with the screw on tips, right?

Tell us about something you baked or cooked in the past week or so that turned out great, parchment or no parchment.  Will you share the recipe?

Hmmm... I have not done much cooking over the past week or so but I will tell you what I have plans to bake in the very near future...but I doubt it will include parchment paper. I have been hoarding bananas in my freezer that have gotten too ripe...I just cannot bring myself to eat one that does not still have a little bit of green showing on the peeling. So in to the freezer they go for some future banana/nut bread! Those yummy breads will be traveling with us as we make our way to visit our Tennessee bunch for July 4th next week!

5.  The last Wednesday in June!!  How can that be? Has your June flown by or have you been able to enjoy each day and make it slow down for you?

Don't I wish it was possible to make time slow down just a bit! Terri, do you know a secret to make this happen? I am absolutely stunned at how fast time in general is marching on, let alone June.  They say this happens the older we get. There "they" are again. 😉

6.  Tell us something about your week so far, if you will.

Just a regular old week for me...not much going on...yet. I did pull off the first fruits of my cucumber vine!

These are not actually pickles, more like marinated cucumbers and this is the way we like to eat them. Just a little onion slices in the bottom of the jar, a little apple cider vinegar, sugar and water.

There's nothing prettier that fresh produce in or out of a Mason jar! I have several green tomatoes on the vine and normally I would fry me up a batch of fried green 'maters...only I'm not sure how those would set on my tummy. And speaking of my tummy, I found out a week or so ago that I will be having surgery sometime in August. They are going to fix those bile ducts of mine once and for all! (we hope) More about that later....

So...that's it for this Wednesday.

Next week it will be July and we'll be on our way to enjoy Fourth of July festivities

and birthday celebrations in lovely Tennessee!

See you next month!

A Medley with an Attitude

A tom cat with an attitude...
...who would have ever thought that ol' Garfield
would have earned his own day to be celebrated??

NATIONAL GARFIELD THE CAT DAY
JUNE 19

It's Wednesday and once again time for Terri's Wednesday Medley. 
So hop on over to her blog and find out everything you always wanted to know
about that crazy cat with an attitude, Garfield.
Just copy and paste her questions to your blog post, answer them and link up.

See ya over at the Medley!

1.  If you have ever followed the Garfield comic strip, you know Garfield loves lasagna.  What is your favorite Italian food?  Do you over indulge when it comes to pasta?

I must admit that even though I am familiar with Garfield, I have never really been one to read the comic strip. I never was really into comic strips except when I was a really little girl and Blondie and Dagwood or Beetle Bailey were among the comics of the day...Garfield came along a bit later on. And until I read this, I wasn't even aware that he loved lasagna...see how out of touch I am? BUT, I do love Italian food and if I had to name a favorite, lasagna would be right at the top of that list. Of course I always over indulge, don't you? That is main reason I don't indulge in it often!

2.  Tell us about your very first pet.  If you have never had a pet, can you tell us about an animal that touched your life in some way?

The first pet that I remember was the family dog, Tippy. He was a mut/pomeranian mix and his tail curled up in a perfect "c" over his back. I remember him being a very sweet boy....well, except for that time when he was lying on the doorstep and wouldn't move out of my way so I could get in the house....so I stepped on him....and he had the nerve to nip me in the leg! I have always been an animal lover and have always had a dog or two in my life. It's hard to single out one precious pet from another but I will always have a special connection to this guy right here...

We got Hunter as a tiny pup and he was with us for 13 years. One evening about 4 years ago and completely out of the blue, he had a stroke-like attack and was gone within a couple of hours. I held him against my chest as he took his last labored breath.

3.  Garfield sleeps his day away, only waking to eat or sweet talk his girlfriend Arleen.  How many hours sleep do you normally get each night?  How much sleep do you really need?

I have never been one to sleep in. Even as a little girl, I remember getting up with the chickens even after going to bed relatively late. Over the years, not much has changed...if anything, I probably sleep less. I am up at 4:30 every morning whether I want to be or not. Occasionally I might be able to sleep a little later on the weekends....5 or 5:30... NO KIDDING. I normally go to bed at 10 pm so you can do the math....6 1/2 hours of sleep would probably be the maximum if you don't count the times I wake up throughout the night even though I am able to go right back to sleep most of the time. I really don't think I require those 8 hours of sleep that "they" say I should be getting. Who are "they" anyway??

4.  Garfield lets the mice in the house have their way.  When was the last time you had to chase out a little varmint?

Just let me say that we haven't had a mouse in the house since the feral cats started coming around and we began feeding them. I would guess it's been over a year...and when you live in the woods, having an occasional mouse in the house is just something you learn to expect...but I don't miss see their little beady eyes one iota! 🐭

5.  Garfield also loves his teddy bear Pooky. Did you have a favorite stuffed animal when you were young (or now!)?  If you didn't or don't, what about someone you know?

I did have a special teddy bear that I pretty much wore out. I remember my mom sewing his eyes back on and stitching up worn areas many times. I had many other stuffed animals too and I always treated them gently...never did I throw them around or leave them in an "uncomfortable" position. Whenever I would see that someone else was being rough with them, I always put a stop to it and made sure they were all lovingly placed together so they rested well. In my mind, those sweet little stuffed animals had feelings too...and I must admit, to this very day, it hurts my heart to see stuffed animals that aren't treated kindly. You just don't even know how hard it is for me to buy a gently used stuffed animal at Goodwill to give to my dogs to play with! I know...I'm just weird.

6.  Please tell us something about your week, so far!

Dylan, grandson #2, walked the aisle to Pomp and Circumstance this past Saturday! Boy, it sure makes this Mawmaw feel old! Where did that chubby little boy go? We are so proud of him and are looking forward to him being able to fulfill his dreams of serving in the Army very soon. His daddy, Aaron, couldn't have been more proud of his baby boy!

And yesterday, June 18, marked exactly six years since I hit the "publish" button for the first time, sending My Favorite Things out into the blogosphere. I know six years doesn't seem like such a long time compared to how long some of you have been blogging. I never dreamed nor would I have believed it if anyone would have told me how it would be possible to "meet" so many wonderful and dear friends....many of them, kindred spirits, really. So Happy Blogiversary to me!

Until next time...

The Girls Next Door

Let me introduce you to the girls next door.
Actually they live directly behind me...

I guess you can consider that next door, depending on your perspective, right?
 

 

They are all such beautiful ladies too...
...quite voluptuous, I might even say.
I mean, look at the size of those.......well, I think you know where I'm going with this.




But, hey...curvy women are good, right??



There are three blondes...



...two gorgeous red-heads...



...two with lovely, silky black feathers locks...(get away from the camera, Blondie)....

...and one that is sporting a gorgeous salt and pepper do.

I can't keep their names straight but they are, in random order,

Marilyn, Jane, Dorothy, Audrey, Liz, Sofia, Natalie and Bridgette.
I tried getting them all together in one photo but it was like rounding up a bunch of chickens.

For the most part, they are pretty good neighbors and they behave themselves.
Every now and then though, they can get a little carried away...
...probably just one of the many hen parties they host on a regular basis.
 And just the other day when I was sitting on the front porch,
I heard someone let out several annoyingly loud shrieks.
I swear it sounded like one of them had just laid and egg or something!



Ohhhh....it was an egg!
 

Happy Monday, y'all!

 



A Medley of Cheese and other Stuff

Hello, my friends and welcome June!



It was feeling like the middle of August this time last week...the mid 90s!
I have never felt it so hot and muggy in the month of May before and now that we are in June,
it has finally cooled off a bit to feel more seasonable.
It is still comfortable enough to enjoy the porch and I try to get out there as often as I can
while the weather still allows because once the heat and humidity kicks in,
 it's pretty much unbearable until the fall.

I found this set of pillows (with the birds on them) a few weeks ago at Goodwill.
I loved the pillow ticking combined with that lovely print, don't you?



So I've been having some trouble blogging lately.
I can't seem to gather my thoughts long enough to even get a decent post together.
I can't tell you how many posts I have started and then I wind up deleting them.
I just don't know what it is..........well wait a minute, yes I do.

These wicked steroids have really been messing with my thought processes.

But I am on the down-slope...I started my taper a couple of weeks ago and in another month,

I will be off of them completely...YAY FOR ME!

I guess it's been a while since I gave y'all an update on my health issues.
Did I happen to tell you that my doctor said that as of where we stand now,
there was no reason why we shouldn't be able to move forward with our "plan"?
This benign so-called tumor may be staying with me for the long haul...
...something that can be watched and managed, he said.
He also said he would help me get connected with some great doctors in Tennessee at Vanderbilt!
I am still trying to wrap my brain around this roller coaster my life has been on this year...
...but I am only sure of one thing ... and that one thing is that God is SO very good!
~
So, let's see...... oh yeah...
...the whole family had a great time over the Memorial Day weekend.
We were able to surprise the birthday boy with a certain delivery man who was actually his brother.
How that all came about is w-a-a-y too long of a story to share right now but just let me say,
it took a while for Aaron to recognize his brother with "Billy Bob" teeth in his mouth,
wearing a "wife-beater" t-shirt and his cap pulled down over his ears. 😁
 Am I the only one with big plans of taking lots of pictures of certain events and then getting none??
Not. One. Photo. Was. Taken.
This is the only one I have to share that Michelle took of Aaron and Dylan before their pull.

Aaron got third place in his division and Dylan got a full pull in his exhibition run!
It was a great weekend and we all had a blast.
And speaking of Dylan, this young man will be graduating high school next Saturday.
It seems like just a few short years ago, this Mawmaw was changing his diapers!
And later this summer he has plans to join the Army.
We couldn't be more proud of him for wanting to serve his country!



But it is Wednesday...and that also means it's time for Terri's Wednesday Medley.

Today, it's all about cheese, which I love...
...the only problem is I can't eat much of it anymore.
LOW FAT DIETS ARE NOT FUN, PEOPLE!
So head on over to the Medley and you just might find out some interesting facts about cheese!

1. National Cheese Day is Tuesday, rather than Wednesday, but I think we should celebrate cheese this week!!  Let's start by sharing your favorite cheese with us.  Which one is always in your fridge?

My hubby's most favorite of all cheeses is extra sharp cheddar in block form and you'll most likely always find some there in the cheese drawer. Sliced swiss is also among our favorites and you will also find a bag or two of shredded cheese of some sort and Kraft single slices for grilled burgers when we have them... although I really don't think it qualifies as "real" cheese. 😏 

2.  What is your preference? Mild, Sharp, or Extra Sharp?  How do you use cheese most often?

Well, I think I answered that question somewhat above...I like the flavor of different varieties, even the mildness of a great havarti, muenster or string cheese (mozzarella). Even though I can't be eating a lot of cheese these days... I do sneak in a piece on a turkey or ham sandwich or have a tiny bit of the shredded kind on my eggs. I do buy the Polly-O string cheese sticks...they make a great snack.

3.  Cheesecake?  New York style or what other flavors would you rather have?

This is torture, Terri....now your making me talk about cheese CAKE! I love cheesecake pretty much in all forms or flavors but my favorite would have to be with strawberry or cherry topping. Or chocolate with cracked pecans drizzled with caramel or......whatever!

4.  When you do grilled cheese sandwiches, which cheese do you prefer to use and what condiments do you use, if any?

When I was eating grilled cheese sandwiches, I would butter up some great grainy, seedy bread and usually tuck in a couple of types of cheese...a slice of cheddar and maybe some pepper jack...but no condiments for me. Now Jim, he likes his a bit different...same grainy, seedy bread but with the Kraft singles with mayo and dill pickle chips.

5.  Number 5 on June 5th... Say happy birthday to my sister, Tammy!!

Happy Birthday, Tammy! May you have a most enjoyable birthday on the 5th!

6.  Share something with us about your week. If it includes using cheese in a recipe, please also share that with us too!!

No cheesy recipes to share today but I will share with you a recipe I tried WITHOUT cheese. Have you ever made cornbread waffles? I am always on the lookout for interesting or unusual waffle recipes...it's amazing how many things you can make into waffles! And if you wanted to add some cheddar to these, they would be awesome I'm sure.

So it came to me how easy it would be to make cornbread waffles and sure 'nuf, Pinterest had bunches of them. You can use any recipe you like but if you ever use those little boxes of Jiffy Mix, that's what I used for mine....easy peasy! Prepare as you would normally then pour the batter into the waffle iron. They were delicious and I have been eating them off and on all week since I made them over the weekend. I have kept them in the fridge and heat them up in the toaster oven as I go. I ate one for breakfast with maple syrup and then had another last night with a tiny pat of butter and honey along with my air-fried asparagus and mushrooms. YUM!

Here's another random thing from last week...and it has nothing whatsoever to do with cheese. For quite a while now I have been keeping my eye out for a vintage kitchen scale. To me, they are kinda like clocks...and y'all know how much I like my clocks. And if I had a dollar (well okay maybe ten dollars) for every photo I have taken of that cherished family heirloom pocket watch I could go on a very nice vacation (hmmm...maybe to Ireland!)

There's just something about the dial, the numbers, the history...I don't really know what it is that intrigues me...BUT...anyway...I FOUND ME A SCALE! 

And a great old scale she is! I fell in love with the color and the wonderful patina.

I found her right here in my town on our local Facebook Marketplace. She had belonged to this young lady's grandmother (how could she be selling this??) I promised her I that would take very good care of it.

And as you can see, we had us a little photo shoot...no surprise there. 😊

So that's it for me this week!

Until next time...

Much love,