JUST SIMPLE SOMETHINGS: 2018

Christmas Vignettes

Merry Christmas to all!

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Happiness is Homemade What's for Dinner Nifty Thrifty Sunday That DIY Party Amaze Me Monday Mix it up Monday Make it Pretty Monday Cooking and Crafting with J and J Busy Monday Keep it simple Monday Show and Tell Warm Heart Tasty Tuesday Dagmar's Home Delicious Dishes Talk of the town Waste Not Wednesday Thrifty and Vintage Finds Share Your Style Create it Thursday Creatively crafty Full plate Thursday The Handmade Hangout Foodie Friday Friday Features Home Matters Dare to share Sat Saturday Shuffle Saturday Sparks Hello Fall linky party Wordless Wednesday
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Pittsburgh Street Art

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Wordless Wednesday
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Creamy Brownie Bars

I've always considered myself an average baker, so I look for recipes that are fast and easy but have great results! This recipe has rich chocolate flavor with a creamy top layer.

Creamy Brownie Bars

makes 48 bars

Ingredients:

1- package Duncan Hines Double Fudge Brownie Mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup of oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Topping:

one - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

two eggs

1 pound (3/2 cup)s confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2" pan

For brownies, combined brownie mix, contents of fudge packet from mix, two eggs, water and oil in a large bowl. Stir with a spoon until well blended, about 50 strokes. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

For topping:

Beat cream cheese in large bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in two eggs, confectioners' sugar and the vanilla extract until smooth. Spread evenly over brownie mixture. Bake at 350° for 40 to 50 minutes or until edges and top are golden brown and shiny. Cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled. Cut into bars.
Quick and easy...that's my game!
Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade What's for Dinner Nifty Thrifty Sunday That DIY Party Amaze Me Monday Mix it up Monday Make it Pretty Monday Cooking and Crafting with J and J Busy Monday Keep it simple Monday Show and Tell Warm Heart Tasty Tuesday Dagmar's Home Delicious Dishes Talk of the town Waste Not Wednesday Thrifty and Vintage Finds Share Your Style Create it Thursday Creatively crafty Full plate Thursday The Handmade Hangout Foodie Friday Friday Features Home Matters Dare to share Sat Saturday Shuffle Saturday Sparks Hello Fall linky party Wordless Wednesday
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Just friends...

I pass this farm on my way to the hair salon. The buffalo was just a baby when I first saw him a few years ago......

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Weekend Snapshots Wordless Wednesday Image-in-ing

Fall Color

The peak of fall leaf color is over two weeks late this year in our neck of the woods...

We had far too much rain this summer so the leaves aren't as brilliant as other years, but I'll take what I can get!

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Weekend Snapshots Wordless Wednesday Image-in-ing

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is an ethnic melting pot. Immigrants from every country settled in this area, bringing uniquely delicious recipes with them from their homeland. One of these recipes is stuffed Cabbage Rolls (golumpki). It's not a hard recipe, but it is very time-consuming. The cabbage needs to be boiled to soften the leaves so that they can be stuffed with the mixture and individually rolled.

This time-saving recipe eliminates those steps but has all the flavor of the classic.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

2# lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup rice, cooked
1 large head of raw cabbage, chopped
2 cups tomato soup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/8 cup sugar or sweetener
3/4 cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Brown the ground beef, drain any fat. Add salt, pepper, onion, and rice. Spray a 13x9 dish with cooking spray. Spread half the cabbage into the dish. Top with the meat mixture. Spread the remaining cabbage over the mixture and flatten. Mix soup, sugar, vinegar and 3/4 cup of water. Pour over casserole. Cover with foil and bake 1-1/2 hours at 350 degrees. Serves eight.
Enjoy!!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade * Sundays at Home * Sunday's Best * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner * Nifty Thrifty Sunday * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share * Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell * Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday *W.A.Y.D.2018 Blog Hop * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes * Talk of the town* Waste Not Wednesday * Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday * No rules Weekend * Creatively crafty * Full plate Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Friday Frenzy * Anything blue Friday * Foodie Friday * Friday Features * Best Friday Features * What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Ultimate Pin Party * Dare to share Sat. * Saturday Shuffle * Saturday Sparks * Best of the Weekend *Hello Fall linky party

West Virginia Style Hot Dog

Growing up, I probably only ate hot dogs with ketchup or mustard..the usual for a kid. When I met my husband, he introduced me to West Virginia hot dogs... they way he had always eaten them. His grandparents owned a family restaurant
and this is the way they were served:

hot dogs
hot dog sauce, (recipe follows )
chopped onion, optional
COLESLAW,... yes, coleslaw on top of the hot dog!!
yellow mustard

Hot Dog Sauce:
note: It's called "hot dog sauce ", not chili...no beans

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1-16 oz. can tomato sauce
1- 12oz. can tomato paste
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
2 cups water

Directions:
In a dutch oven, DO NOT BROWN FIRST.....ground beef and all other ingredients but vinegar. Mix until combined. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
Stir in the vinegar and simmer another 30 minutes.

Extra sauce can be frozen in small containers and thawed when needed.

Now build your hot dogs...and don't be afraid of the slaw...it's awesome!!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade * Sundays at Home * Sunday's Best * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner * Nifty Thrifty Sunday * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share * Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell * Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday *W.A.Y.D.2018 Blog Hop * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes * Talk of the town* Waste Not Wednesday * Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday * No rules Weekend * Creatively crafty * Full plate Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Friday Frenzy * Anything blue Friday * Foodie Friday * Friday Features * Best Friday Features * What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Ultimate Pin Party * Dare to share Sat. * Saturday Shuffle * Saturday Sparks * Best of the Weekend *

Key Lime-Banana Smoothie

I like any recipe with a lemon or lime flavor. Lemon Chicken ... Key lime Pie...you name it and my mouth is watering. This smoothie recipe sounds like a winner to me!