This is Georgia, or George, for short. Georgia is our little old Japanese Chin that we got suckered into that we adopted from the rescue.

It went down a little like this.  I wanted a dog.  Hubby did not.  I really wanted a dog.  Being that I’m an only child, I refused to take no for an answer and I brought home Mesha.

This is Mesha.  I wanted her badly, but she didn’t really want me, she wanted Hubby.  And her big brown eyes won him over instantly.  So, Hubby got a dog, and I still wanted one.

Not too long after we adopted Mesha, a lady that works with the rescue called me and told me about Georgia.  She was shipped here from England as puppy, worked as a show dog for a while, then was “petted” out to the woman from the rescue.  According to the woman from the rescue, Georgia was getting older now and needed a family that was home more than she was.  I instantly agreed.  She sounded cool.  After all, she had history, had came here from England, was a show dog.  A real lapdog.  My lapdog.

If you’ve ever read my blog before you won’t be surprised to find out.  I. Was. Wrong.

Georgia waltzed into this house, walked over to Lilly and looked at her as if to say “Hey toots.  How about you and me hang out for a while?”  Now, Lilly had never really had much in the way of a friend before Georgia moved in.  Having Asperger’s Syndrome really makes it hard to make and keep friends.  But Georgia didn’t care about Asperger’s Syndrome.  She just knew that Lilly held her, and petted her, and was little just like she is (Georgia weighs about 4 1/2 pounds and Lilly weighs about 60) - before you knew it they were like Forrest and Jenny.  Peas and carrots.

Dang it!  I still had no dog.  *sigh*  Oh well.  Who am I to tell a dog who they belong to, right?

But, shortly after Georgia waltzed into our house I realized that I might have made a mistake.

First off, Georgia was ancient - as far as Japanese Chins go, that is.  Like old humans, old dogs don’t always make it where they’re headed when they have to go to the bathroom.  And, as Lilly likes to say “She’s deaf, and she can’t hear either.”  Apparently, she was born that way - and she really can not hear anything.  You can literally run over her tail with the vacuum cleaner and she won’t notice until her tail is stuck inside the thing.  Oh, and, she has a wry bite, which means - that cute little tongue always hangs out of her mouth.  Yeah, and it isn’t so cute when it’s all dried out and got fuzz balls stuck to it.

But, Lilly loved her and she loved Lilly.  So we kept her. What else could I do, really?

One of the things that I think is most hilarious about little deaf Georgia is that she loves, and I mean loves, cheese crackers.  It doesn’t matter where you are in the house, if you open a box of Cheese-Its that little deaf dog comes running.  I don’t know if Mesha gives her the heads up in Doggy sign-language or what, but that dog just knows when you open the box.  And, maybe because she’s deaf, she’ll often come running when you open other things too; like cereal, graham crackers, potato chips and pretzels.

We’ve had Georgia for four years now, and I’m happy to say she’s really had a wonderful, loving family here.  Sometimes, she drives me bonkers with all her idiosyncrasies, but she is a sweet and loving dog.  Her days here are certainly numbered, as she’s taken to having seizures every so often and sleeps more and more each day.  It will be hard on everyone when she passes, but our lives have been richly blessed by this little pint sized dog.

Yesterday, when I opened the bag of pretzels to make today’s snackies, she woke up and came trotting into the kitchen hoping for a cheese cracker.  I tossed her a pretzel, gave her a smile and said “George - I don’t know if dogs go to heaven, but if they do, I sure hope there’s a big Cheese-It there with your name on it.”

So, obviously, today I am going to tell you how to make my locally famous Ranch Pretzels.  No one really calls them that, but that’s what they are.  If you ask anyone around these parts about my pretzels they’ll say “Oh!  You mean the crack?!”  So, yes, we call them “Crack Pretzels” and just like those pesky potato chips - no one can eat just one.

This method works a little like the old party mix recipe.  You bake them at a very low temperature and stir every few minutes so that they don’t get stuck together or burn.  I like to make batches of these and my spicy pretzels to give away at Christmas time.  They are great to throw in bowls for parties with peanuts.  Setting a big bowl in the office break room or the teacher’s lounge will make you the number one recipe go-to person.  (Remember to send them to my site, please!!)

Ranch Pretzels (or Crack Pretzels)

1 Packet of ranch dressing mix, or use this recipe if you are sensitive to MSG
20 ounces of mini-twist pretzels
3/4 Cup of vegetable/canola oil
1 tablespoon of dill weed
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 250.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up.

Gently pour pretzels into a large bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Stir very gently to mix well, being careful not to break pretzels into little pieces.

Pour pretzels onto the sheet pan and spread into an even layer.

Place pretzels into the oven and stir every five to six minutes, baking for a total of 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.  Store in an air tight container (like they’ll last that long!  HA!)

[Saturday Sides is a weekly feature I run to help you combat the side dish blahs. Check here Saturdays to see what’s new and different you can add to your dinner table. Or, you can subscribe here so that you never miss a Saturday Sides Recipe.]

Got Zucchini?

As the season winds down and the vegetable stands in our area switch to squash, pumpkins, onions and apples - I’m left with fewer local fresh veggie options. But, just about everyone still has a few of those monster zukes left . . . a lot of the farmers are giving them away now. Hey, I never pass up free vegetables. Never. Not even a zucchini.

I’m pretty bummed because my neighbor didn’t grow any tomatoes this year. Last year she grew so many that after she couldn’t stand canning one more day she gave me the leftovers. Her leftovers were enough to keep me and mine in tomato sauce for a full year. I stopped by the other day to tell her how much we appreciated the tomatoes last year (hint, hint, hint) and she told me she skipped growing tomatoes this year since they still hadn’t finished all of last year’s harvest. As I jumped back into my truck she called after me . . . “Hey you want some of this zucchini?”

But, what do you do with all this zucchini after you’ve sauteed, grilled, shredded, baked, deep fried, mixed in chocolate and made enough bread for a small army?

You make Vegetable Blondies.

What, you might ask is a Vegetable Blondie? Well, a “blondie” is simply a moist and chewy non-chocolate bar cookie. A vegetable blondie is a moist, chewy, non-chocolate vegetable bar.

They don’t sound all that appetizing when you describe it that way, do they? Just stick with blondie and you’ll be fine. And. I promise you - they are tasty, tasty. And, they have so many benefits it’s a little overwhelming. Let’s see . . .

(Angie Pangie begins counting with her fingers)
Low-Carb
High Taste
Excellent served hot. Taste good at room-temp. Great cold!
Portable. Take them to a pitch-in potluck.
Full of scrumptious, good-for-you, delectable and fragrant vegetables that make your mouth water.
Super simple to make.
Oh yeah. And they use a bunch of zucchini.

You better get to mixing. These are perfect to take along as an appetizer, but we love them for lunch, with dinner, as a snack . . . whenever. We just want to eat them!!

Vegetable Blondies

Adapted from Recipezaar

3 cups zucchini, grated and well-drained
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated (or more, if desired)
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup all purpose
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350ºF.

This recipe takes a little bit of work because you have to grate all the zucchini and the carrot.  It goes pretty quickly with a mandoline grater attachment or even a baby food-processor.  You can always resort to the old school tower of doom, if you must.  Any which way you go about it make sure your zucchini is well drained. You can squeeze it inside a clean towel or paper towel after you grate it.

Grease bottom and sides of a 13X9 rectangular pan.

In a medium bowl, mix eggs, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, pepper sauce, parsley and vegetables.
Add dry ingredients and stir into liquid mixture.
Stir in melted butter.

Spread mixture evenly into pan.
Sprinkle a small amount of additional grated cheddar cheese over top, if desired.
Bake about 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool slightly, cut into tiny small squares.  These are wonderful served with sour cream on the side.

Today was like that here.  I recently started helping hubby with his booming freelance writing business and no matter how fast or hard I worked today, I could barely make a dent in the pile.

Then, I finally looked up and thought “Right!  Gotta make dinner.”

Except, I fah-got!  I laid out pork chops this morning.  And I don’t like pork chops.  Oh Maaan.  Can you say DARN THE LUCK?!  I worked all day and now I get to make pork chops.  Wheee.

Now, it’s normal that about once a week I make something for dinner that I really don’t care for.  But, let me tell you, I’ve had a really giving week this week when it comes to making things I don’t like.

Case in point.  Yesterday, I made tater-tot casserole, one of my all time least favorites (don’t even ask me for the recipe, because I’m not sharing it, it’s gross).  Unfortunately, it is one of hubby’s all time favorite dinners.  If it weren’t for the fact that he loved it, the words tater-tot and casserole would never again cross my lips in the same sentence.

Oh yeah, and at the beginning of the week - I made (and ate) hot dogs.  Yeah.  Hot dogs, people!  So, now do you see why I wasn’t happy about those darn pork chops tonight?

But, I had to cook them. It was time to start dinner, not time to figure out dinner.  And, then.  I quickly realized, I didn’t have half the stuff I needed to make the damn pork chops.  This was not going well.  I actually started to get a little cranky.  Not that I would usually dream of being cranky after working all day, realizing I had to make and eat pork chops for dinner, and then realizing I didn’t have any garlic OR sweet potatoes in the house.  But this time, I did seem slightly, you know, maybe just a little agitated, if you will.  I actually started thinking about reservations.

But, reservations were not on the menu, and certainly not in line with my pocket book.  So, I angrily threw what I had together and tossed it in the oven.  Then, I drove to pick up my teenager who complained the whole way home about how unfair her science teacher is for making her do her homework.  I listened, smiled, nodded, and silently thanked my lucky stars I wasn’t in high school any longer, because making and eating pork chops is bad, but high school is way worse.

Perhaps my sympathetic attitude turned the tide because when I got home my luck changed.  I pulled those pork chops out of the oven and they looked really, really good.  And they smelled divine!

And I ate them.  And they were excellent.  And now, I’m going to share the bad day pork chops with you.

Part of the reason hubby and I don’t care for pork chops much is because the of texture of the meat.  It’s a tad unforgiving.  If you don’t cook it just right it’s either dry or it’s rubber.  Neither dry nor rubber textures are something we care for.  These pork chops were soft and tender.  Juicy and flavorful.  They rocked out loud.

I baked these in a 325F degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours, but you could certainly cook them at 300F for 2 hours, or 350F for 1 hour.  It’s up to you.  Slower is better.  Slower is goooood.

Well, here you go.  Thankfully, I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a few pictures as I start a new recipe - you just never know when you’re going to get lucky.  While I was making these pork chops I also took a few that had nothing to do with pork chops.  Like this one of my Aspie girl, Lilly, lining up her lite brite pieces by color instead of doing her homework (FYI - Lilly - and a lot of people with Asperger’s Syndrome - often display OCD traits.)  Lilly didn’t eat any pork chops or apples.  As a matter of fact, she pretty much just screamed through dinner about how mean we were that we put that food on her plate.  Hey, I said the day got better.  Not perfect.

Bad Day Pork Chops and Roasted Apples

1 pound of pork chops about 1/2 inch thick (we like boneless loin, but any should work fine)
3/4 Cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4-5 apples (I used a combination of Granny Smith, Washington Reds, and Gala)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 325F (or see notes above for different cook times/temps).

Rinse pork chops and pat dry.

Mix the bread crumbs and kosher salt in a dish just large enough for one pork chop to fit inside.

Dip each pork chop into the bread crumbs, then into the egg, and back into the crumbs a second time.

Lightly brown the pork chops in vegetable oil, using a heavy, oven-proof pan - like this 12″ Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet.

Meanwhile, peel and core each apple.  If you don’t have a nifty apple corer and peeler and you and/or your children like apples it is well worth the investment.  I use mine constantly.  It makes peeling and slicing apples fun and easy.  It’s safe enough for my girls to use it - and they love to do so.  It’s perfect for a recipe like this one, too.  It allows you to have evenly sliced apples - so that they cook evenly.

Place the apple pieces in a medium bowl.  Add water, vanilla and sugar and toss.

When the pork chops are browned, remove from heat and pour the apple mixture over the top.  Place the entire pan inside the preheated oven.

Bake 1 1/2 hours, or follow directions above for different cooking times.  Carefully remove from skillet and serve with apples over the pork chops.

[Saturday Sides is a weekly feature I run to help you combat the side dish blahs. Check here Saturdays to see what’s new and different you can add to your dinner table. Or, you can subscribe here so that you never miss a Saturday Sides Recipe.]

I know, you read the title and thought “Great.  Creamed corn.  Been there, done that. I thought this was supposed to be new and updated veggies for us to try?  That Angie Pangie, she totally copped out this week.”

Now, I’m not saying that I haven’t sometimes, you know, flaked out (Let’s not talk about how long it’s been since you’ve seen a Saturday Side, shall we?), but readers.  Please listen.  I know it’s not a new recipe, but this recipe is for fresh creamed corn.  Which I promise is good!  It’s actually better than good.  It’s kind of unbelievable!  Promise me you’ll give it a try?  Just go old school this one time and see what you think.  Besides, I changed it up a little with some cream cheese.

Corn is something I don’t really eat.  I don’t particularly care for corn on the cob, which I realize is not normal, but unless it’s done extra different, I just think it’s a hassle to eat and tasteless.  The stuff from the freezer section and the cans . . . well, we all know how I feel about canned veggies, right?

But then some of the ladies over at Menus for Moms started talking about creamed corn the way their Grandmothers made it.  And when people start talking about their Grandmother’s recipes, I start listening.  My own Grandma was a huge influence on my early cooking career, and I know our ancestors hold the recipe secrets we all crave - for good old fashioned natural foods.

So, I made this creamed corn a few times.  Well, before you know it I had a winner on my hands.  I added this, subtracted that, and then my family gobbled it up.  I even liked it.  That’s how I knew it was ready for you guys to try.

Let me know what you think, o.k.?  Tout de suite!  On a side note - I used to have a professor who said “Tout de suite.  RIGHT NOW ANGELA!”  Of course back then I had two speeds - I’ll get there eventually and slow so I don’t know what he was yelling about.  Oh, and don’t call me Angela, o.k.?

Old Fashioned Creamed Corn

6 ears of fresh sweet corn
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup half and half (or milk)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 tablespoons cream cheese

Husk the corn, remove the silks and wash them well.

Holding the corn from the stalk end, place the tip of the corn in a bowl and use a very sharp knife to cut the kernals off the husk by cutting downwards.  Do not worry about cutting into the kernals, since this is creamed corn you want little bits and pieces.

After you have removed the large bulk of the corn from the husk, use your knife to scrape the remaining part of the kernal into the bowl.  This can be messy, but I just place my bowl inside my kitchen sink and work there.  When I’m all done I just remove the bowl and rinse out the sink.

In a heavy skillet add corn, butter, water and sugar.  Mix well over medium heat until it is lightly boiling.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix half and half (or milk) with cornstarch until smooth.

Add cornstarch, salt and pepper to the corn and continue cooking until thick and bubbly.  Add 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese and mix to melt.

Remove from heat and serve.

Over the weekend Bob and I went on a nice dinner cruise out on Lake Huron.  It’s a giant sailboat, and it was a stargazing tour (unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see much of anything) and just overall a very cool experience.

But, I have to admit.  There was one thing that really sold me on going.  Just one little word . . . dinner.  I’ll admit it, I’m obsessed with all things food.  The idea of going on a dinner cruise just set me to thinking about the fancy, gourmet, catered dinner I was going to be served under the stars on a romantic ship.  I was thinking of the field greens salad, the limit-less possibilities of the creatively melded flavors of my main dish, and the fantastic-ness of it all.  And, as you can imagine, my wildest fantasies were

Wrong.

I don’t know why I’m surprised.  After all, it’s a boat without a kitchen.  Even though it’s a huge sailboat, it’s a small boat.  Since I haven’t found an extraordinary caterer anywhere in my area, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the boat company people haven’t either.

What we did have? Buffet style dinner with salads.  Potato salad.  Pasta salad.  Asian salad (I was looking for the crunchy raman-style noodles broken over the top.  Yes, that’s the salad I’m talking about).  Of course, there was a piece of chicken with over-cooked spinach inside.  A slice of bread.  And a prepackaged - previously frozen - sold at GFS - slice of cheesecake.  I’m serious.  I mean, really.  Frozen cheesecake?

So, the dinner wasn’t great.  I mean, it was fine, but unexciting.  Definitely not what I was hoping for.

But, that Asian salad made me remember about a great little pasta dish I’ve been wanting to tell you about.  I like to make this for lunch because it’s fast, filling and easy.  Not to mention, it’s made with whole-wheat pasta and lots of veggies, which makes it good for you - full of fiber!  Plus, the sauce is a no-brainer, you just mix it up and toss it with the cooked goodies.

Right now the red bell peppers in my area are amazing, which makes this dish’s flavor explode in your mouth!

Lunch-time Sesame Noodles and Veggies

Adapted from Everyday Food

12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 bunch of broccoli, stalked and thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red-pepper flakes (can use less or more, according to preference)

Chop the veggies.  Use thin even slices to help them cook evenly.  Since you are only boiling them for a few minutes, you want to make sure they are sliced thin.

Cook pasta in salted water for 7 minutes (or three minutes less than directions specify).

Add vegetables.  I leave out the broccoli, because I think broccoli is yucky.  If you like it you can use it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you if you end up thinking it’s yucky, too.  Continue cooking the pasta and veggies for 3 minutes.  Scoop 1/2 cup of water out of the pot and set aside.

Drain pasta and veggies after three minutes.

There are three ingredients that make this dish work, in my opinion.  Peanut butter and sesame oil are key players here.  The other is the crushed red pepper.  I know that you might not like spicy food so you’ll be tempted to leave this out.  But it’s a lot like salt - a flavor enhancer.  If you like it spicy add a full teaspoon (and more), if you don’t, stick with 1/2 a teaspoon.  It really makes a difference in taste.

Mix peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and red-pepper flakes in a large bowl.

Add pasta and veggies and toss.  Add reserved water if necessary, to thin sauce.
Can serve hot or cold, I like mine HOT!

I know, a bunch of you are saying “Um. My kids went back to school a month ago, what in the world are you talking about? What part of the backwoods are you living in, Angie Pangie?”

It’s true, I know. We went on vacation three weeks ago and the kids in Indiana were already in school when we got there. But, here in Michigan, they passed a law that says you can’t go back to school before Labor Day. So, every year all the kids in Michigan go back to school the day after Labor Day. The kids love it, and frankly, I don’t mind them being home for all of August. I do have to admit though, it is awfully nice and quiet here now that they are (all three) gone.

This morning I saw them all off to school without much trouble and I came home to clean out my closet (it was my hiding place on the really hairy days this summer - and I needed to get rid of all the empty bon-bon containers.) After I cleaned out the closet, I noticed something really strange. Today, when I picked up the trail of dirty socks off the living room floor they didn’t magically reappear when I turned around and looked the other way. I shut my eyes really tightly, but they just wouldn’t play.

Since Hubby and I were a little lonesome for the kids and bored since the socks refused to reappear and entertain us, we decided to hang out and have lunch together.

And, because everyone has been bringing me tomatoes from their gardens, I had an a wonderful assortment of tomatoes to use up. I decided to make some Italian salsa for us to munch on as an appetizer. Now, a lot of my friends and family would call this “bruschetta” and to be fair, most of the time, I refer to it the same way.

Technically speaking though, bruschetta is a toasted garlic-rubbed bread; not the the tomato stuff on top. I do like to make toasted bread, but a lot of time when I made this salsa I usually just serve it with garlicky crackers.

This is a simple and ultra yummy appetizer. It’s better after you let it rest in the fridge for a while, but you can make it and eat it right away, too. Make sure you tote some gum because it packs a for-real garlic punch. No foolin’ there. Use up some of your fresh tomatoes today (or hit the local farmer’s market), you’ll be glad you tried this one!

**I just noticed that the pictures that I took for this post are corrupt! I am so bummed out!! Well, I’m going to go ahead and post the recipe and maybe tomorrow I’ll make a fresh batch of salsa and take some new photos.**

Italian Salsa

1 1/2 cups of finely chopped and seeded tomatoes
1 tablespoon of fresh minced basil, or 2 tsp. of dried basil
2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic
1 or 2 pieces of marinated sun-dried tomatoes, diced
2-3 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated

Use a very sharp knife to dice the tomatoes into small pieces. Make sure you aren’t just squashing the tomatoes, you want them to be cut into small squares - not pulvirized. And, yes, I know this from experience.

You can use a garlic press for the garlic, or just chop it extra tiny. It’s served raw, and you don’t want any huge stray pieces in there!

If you use the sun-dried tomatoes you’ll be please with the wonderful deep flavor and the gorgeous appearance your salsa will have. They are a bit pricey, but a jar will last a long time.

Gently mix together the tomatoes, basil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and salt in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the top. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

Serve with garlic crisps or on bruschetta.

I came home and decided on a nifty little recipe from Kraft Kitchens called Potato Smashers. By the way, do you subscribe to their free magazine? It’s truly loaded with a lot of good and family friendly recipes. I do have to comb out some junk and convenience items, but I still come away with several great ideas from each issue.

Potato Smashers are small potatoes boiled, smashed flat, and sauteed. They turn out like a cross between a twice baked potato and a potato pancake. And good golly gosh they’re good.

So, I’ve been forcing my oldest daughter, Katie, to work in the kitchen with me. She just doesn’t have any interest in cooking - except an occasional cake, cobbler, or pie - otherwise it’s just a chore to her. But, she’s 14 1/2 now and can barely boil water. Her sister, Babs, who is 7 has more kitchen savvy. I think that’s just sad and I’ve decided she must learn to cook. Her future family will thank me for it someday.

So, I put Katie to work on these potatoes. Boy was she pissed. She was all like, “Why do I have to cook them twice?” Teens can be so lazy. Oh, what’s that? You don’t have a teen? Well, I’ve been thinking of setting up a loan system . . .

Now don’t get too anxious, thinking you might see a picture of Katie cooking potato smashers, because if I wield a camera anywhere near Katie (or her friends for that matter) they run in terror. What is that about?

But, getting back to the potato smashers, they turned out good! As much grief as I give Katie, she did a wonderful job. And, gosh I love that bratty kid. She’s my sidekick these days, and even if it isn’t hanging out in the kitchen, I suppose that’s o.k., right?

Anyhow, here’s the recipe:

Potato Smashers

Adapted from: Kraft Food & Family Magazine

8 small potatoes, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter
1/4 cup crumbled bacon
2 Tbsp Italian dressing
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place potatoes in a large pan enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain well.

On a cutting board, press each potato with the bottom of a small dish to flatten. Potatoes should be about 1/2 inch thick when done.

Heat dressing in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Turn the potatoes over gently - because they will come apart easily - and sprinkle evenly with cheese and bacon. Put the lid on the skillet and cook for about 2 more minutes, or until the cheese is yummified - otherwise known as melted. Serve topped with sour cream, if desired.

[Saturday Sides is a weekly feature I run to help you combat the side dish blahs. Check here Saturdays to see what’s new and different you can add to your dinner table. Or, you can subscribe here so that you never miss a Saturday Sides Recipe.]

Oy VEY!

This week. Well. Yeah. Where to begin?

This week hasn’t been anything like I expected it to be. As a matter of fact, I actually already had a post written for today and I pushed it to the side and decided to save it for another day. Because when I wrote that post I thought my week was going to be a lot different than it actually was.

My girls went to camp this week! Yay!! All three of them. At the same time. Together. No one was home but me, Bob, and the animals. Which I faithfully fed, just like I promised the girls I would. It was crazy quiet here, in case you were wondering. Bob and I spent two full days being uber productive.

Bob and I had planned a week of eating nothing but potato chips, ice cream, and turkey sandwiches on plain white bread. Seriously. We were. It’s true!! I wasn’t going to cook anything.

Then, well, as an online friend of mine likes to say; it became a plan “B” week since camp called on Tuesday night. Babs had fallen and was hurt.

We drove through the night to meet camp staff and Babs at the hospital and this morning, after meeting with the orthopedic surgeon, this is how the week ended.

Can you believe her? Smiling like that?!? Meh.

Well, anyhow, I couldn’t very well feed Babs potato chips, ice cream, and plain white bread all week. I mean, I could have, except Bob and I had already eaten it all by Wednesday afternoon (we’re nervous eaters, do you know stressful a call like that is?).

So, I had to cook. Good thing too, cuz I was itching to get back in the kitchen and pretty darn sick of crappy bread. Unfortunately, Bab’s arm hurt a lot and she wasn’t really up for running all over the place to get groceries, so I had to make due with what I had on hand.

These rustic smashed potatoes are great for days (or weeks) like this. They don’t use anything particularly special in the ingredients, although adding crispy bacon and shredded extra sharp white cheddar makes them scrum-dilly-icous. Hey, does that word have a copyright on it? Well, no matter, what I mean to say is . . . YUM. All you need is a few potatoes, some butter, sour cream, and a little milk. They take all of 30 minutes from start to finish, so if you have a sick kid who wants your attention (as mine does now) they’re ideal. So, since Babs is wanting my attention, I guess I should get on to the recipe and get out of here. Have a great weekend everyone!

Smashed Potatoes

2 pounds of small thin skinned potatoes (such as red potatoes or yukon gold)
4 Tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup milk, half and half, or cream
1/2 - 1 tsp salt

Wash potatoes thouroghly and remove any large eyes or blemishes. If you don’t have scales, I have found that about 7 or 8 very small potatoes will make about a pound.

Place them in a heavy pot and add enough water just to cover the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil and cook until tender; about 20 minutes. If you aren’t sure if they are done, just use a sharp knife and stab into the center of the potato. It should easily move through the potato. When they are done, remove from heat and drain well.

Add sour cream, margarine, and milk to the pan and return the potatoes.

Use a potato masher, or a large fork and “squish” the potatoes roughly. Leave large pieces, but mix the milk, butter, and sour cream in well.

Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

Without the pictures:

Smashed Potatoes

2 pounds of small thin skinned potatoes (such as red potatoes or yukon gold)
4 Tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup milk, half and half, or cream
1/2 - 1 tsp salt

Wash potatoes thoroughly and remove any large eyes or blemishes.

Place them in a heavy pot and add enough water just to cover the potatoes.

Bring the water to a boil and cook until tender; about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain well.

Add sour cream, margarine, and milk to the pan and return the potatoes.

Use a potato masher, or a large fork and “squish” the potatoes roughly. Leave large pieces, but mix the milk, butter, and sour cream in well.

Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

[Saturday Sides is a weekly feature I run to help you combat the side dish blahs. Check here Saturdays to see what’s new and different you can add to your dinner table. Or, you can subscribe here so that you never miss a Saturday Sides Recipe.]

As repayment for the non-posting of a Saturday Side for too many weeks I will now give you my numero uno favorite green bean recipe.

What it’s not:

It’s not very healthy.

It’s not pork free.

It’s not super-duper fast.

It’s not incredibly simple.

What it is:

It’s knock-your-panties-off good.

It’s gorgeous.

It’s something you will make for company.

It’s something you should print multiple copies of for your friends because I promise they’ll be asking. On second thought, just write “www.angiespangies.com” down on a piece of paper. It saves time. That way, you can make some more green beans.

O.k. here’s a peek . . .

These are AMAZING! This is the perfect combination of flavors, sort of like a BLT, without the “L” and with a “GB” for green beans . . . so a “BGBT”, um, well, that doesn’t really work, does it? Well, you get the picture. Bacon, green beans, and tomatoes mix together in this slightly crunchy and delicious side to make your taste buds scream - “FEED ME SEYMOUR”.

Please don’t even try to take my word for it, just go make some. Please.

Green Bean Saute with Tomatoes

Adapted from Recipezaar

3 strips bacon, cut into pieces
1 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

After trimming the green beans, wash thoroughly and steam over one inch of boiling water for 5-6 minutes.  To learn the vegetable steaming processing read about steaming broccoli in the Citrus Broccoli recipe.   Steam the green beans just until the color turns bright green. If you overcook the green beans, the color with become washed out and dull, and they will become mushy.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Did you know that bacon crumbles are much easier to make if you cut the bacon before you cut it? By cutting the bacon into little pieces the bacon cooks faster and you don’t have to try and cut hot, greasy bacon. To be a real kitchen diva, use scissors to cut the bacon. Ingenious!

Look, aren’t they pretty? Ohhh, I think I just felt my cholesterol climb while looking at these little tidbits of heaven. You could use turkey bacon, I suppose. I didn’t do that.

To the bacon drippings, add green beans and saute for 10 minutes. If you prefer your green beans a little on the crunchy side, you can saute them less time. Either way, watch your green beans carefully, and use a moderate heat level, because they can scorch and that’s not tasty at all.

Add the garlic; cook 2 minutes. Don’t let it burn! Burnt garlic is bitter and also not tasty.

Stir in tomatoes, bacon, salt, and pepper. Heat through. I just want you to look at these tomatoes. Some of us, here in the United States, have been without tomatoes more than we choose to be over the last couple of weeks. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all.

Without the pictures:

Green Bean Saute with Tomatoes

3 strips bacon, cut into pieces
1 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

After trimming the green beans, wash thoroughly and steam over one inch of boiling water for 5-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels.

To bacon drippings, add green beans and saute for 10 minutes.

Add the garlic; cook 2 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, bacon, salt, and pepper. Heat through.

Do you buy, and use, these?

Hmm. Well, so did I. But, I always felt a little funny about it. I mean, it’s just oatmeal, which is cheap and easy to make. And, when I checked the ingredients there was that heinous “artificial flavors,” which could mean . . . well, anything, right?

So, I quit buying it one week and just decided to make it from scratch. No big deal. Except. Sort of a big deal. Minus the “sort of” part.

What I mean to say is this: my kids didn’t like it. And I didn’t like making it. It’s actually really convenient to, you know, rip open the bag, pour the stuff in a bowl, dump in some water, nuke it for a while, stir and eat. Instead, I was measuring this and adding that and, well, jeez, what a pain in the behind.

Plus, instant oatmeal is more of a powdered oatmeal than the stuff we buy in the big round cardboard container. Which means instant oatmeal is softer and less chewy that non-instant oatmeal. Those of us who have always eaten instant oatmeal will make the other stuff and assume it’s undercooked. People who love chewy oatmeal will tell you that instant oatmeal is “icky” and paste-like and proclaim themselves oatmeal snobs.

The problem, of course, is that my kids like oatmeal paste and since none of the nutrients are lost in any version (whole, steel cut, rolled, quick cook, and powdered/instant oats all have the same thing inside) I’m going for something that my kids will eat.

So, I went back to buying instant oatmeal. And I was happy again. Except. It kept bugging me. I was paying for the convenience and in the meantime feeding my kids “artificial I don’t know whats” and “caramel coloring.”

And then, I found this recipe. Basically, you premix the oatmeal and the (not artificial) flavorings, put it in a bag, and you know, open the bag, pour the stuff in a bowl, dump in some water, nuke it for a while, stir and eat. Brilliant! And, when I’m feeling really froggy I’ll portion it into small snack sized bags so it’s all premeasured.

How smart is that?! And, since I’m really lucky, sometimes, my completely competent teenager can even manage to, you know, open the bag, pour the stuff in a bowl, dump in some water, nuke it for a while, stir and eat . . . all by herself!

Of course, my slightly autistic ten year old, and her younger 7 year old sister have no problems making it either. I tell you this because I feel it is very important information for those of us who are stay in bed Moms to know.

To deal with the consistency issue I toss the whole batch in the food processor or blender to break it down into smaller pieces. If you like a chewier oatmeal, you can completely skip this part.

Oh, and guess what?! It tastes as good - if not better - than the stuff from the store, since it’s got all the goodies mixed in. Which means . . . my kids like it! Hooray!

Here are some pictures from a new batch together I put together for the kids - since they are now home all day, every day, oh my goodness when-does-summer-camp-start? Actually, I’m just kidding, I’m one of those weird Moms that actually looks forward to having their kids home all summer.

And this summer, we’ll be eating oatmeal by the pool . . . well, until summer camp starts anyhow. So, perhaps you should make a batch and see what you think.

Homemade “Instant” Oatmeal Mix

Adapted from Recipezaar

6 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped dried fruit, optional

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. If you prefer a smoother, less chewy oatmeal grind the mixture in a blender or food processor until the oatmeal is cut into smaller pieces. The longer you allow the oatmeal to process, the smoother the oatmeal will be. Leaving some larger pieces will give it some texture.

Store in an airtight container, or a zippered bag in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

I like to leave the dried fruit out of the mix and just add in the fruit by the bowl. This way I can add apples to mine, raisins for Katie, blueberries for Babs, and leave it plain for Lilly. I just add a couple pieces of dried apple, cut into small pieces.

To prepare oatmeal: Shake mix well and measure 1/2 dry oatmeal into bowl, add 2/3 cups water, and microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Or on a stove top, in a saucepan, bring water to a boil; slowly stir in 1/2 cup mix.
Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.

Here we have chewy oatmeal (with apples).

And here we have smooth oatmeal, plain.