WildWSS

Amazon.com: Brother MFC-J1010DW Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with Mobile Device and Duplex Printing, Refresh Subscription and Amazon Dash Replenishment Ready : Office Products

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WZBZ1JQ?tag=pcg-guide-best-small-printer-20&geniuslink=true&th=1

Equifax

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noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 19:53:00 +0000

COUNTING DOWN TO NEW YEARS! CLICK THE PIC!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 20:31:00 +0000

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2020

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 17:09:00 +0000

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 20:40:00 +0000

Best Wishes For A Wonderful

Holiday Season &

Merry Christmas 2017!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage - Re-Post

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 18:53:00 +0000

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Hope you find your Pot O' Gold on St. Patricks Day! If not, I have a pot of gold you can make on your own. Actually, this is a re-post from several years ago. But hey, St. Pat's is just around the corner.

Really, you say! Well, it's a different kind of Pot. A Crock-Pot to be exact. See, you're already ahead. Everyone has a crock pot, right? Right. I did downsize to only 3 now, but I've had my eye on a new model...

This is an easy, fast to prepare and delicious way to serve up some great Corned Beef and Cabbage. Do you know why Irish Americans eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day? No, just click here: Corned Beef & Cabbage or here: History of Corned Beef & Cabbage .

So let's get started!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 8 hours Servings: approx. 6

Ingredients:

1 med. onion, cut into wedges
4 medium potatoes (peeled/quartered) or 1 1/2 lb. bag baby red potatoes, halved
1 lb. baby carrots (or regular carrots coarsely chopped)
3 c. water
3 garlic cloves minced
2 bay leafs
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (3 lb.) corned beef brisket w/spice packet
1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges

Preparation:

Place the onion, potatoes & carrots in 5-qt. or larger slow cooker.
Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper & spice packet;l pour over vegetables.
Place brisket on top of vegetables, cover & cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat & vegetables are tender. NOTE: half way through cooking time, place cabbage wedges in crock pot.
Remove bay leafs before serving.

Serving suggestion:
Serve with Dijon mustard, creamy Horseradish sauce, crusty bread or piping hot cornbread.

Enjoy your Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage and Happy St. Patricks Day!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Merry Christmas 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 19:36:00 +0000

A Very Merry Christmas from the StanLira Household!

Just click the snowman to take you to a little video...

Or Just Click the pic below to start or view in YouTube!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Merry Christmas 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 20:48:00 +0000

Merry Christmas 2015

from

Steve, Larry & Gabi

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Ms. Berta's Potato Cheese Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 20:44:00 +0000

Ms. Berta

A number of years ago - well quite a number of years ago -, Ms. Berta, a dear friend and co-worker brought this Potato Cheese Soup to an office potluck. At the time, I couldn't even tell you how to turn my stove on. But this Potato Cheese Soup was soooo good! Ms. Berta gladly jotted down her recipe for me.

O ver the years, I attempted to find the knob or button on the stove to try a little cooking and made this soup several times. It was always wonderful. However, after moving in 2013 to a new location, downsizing, rearranging, organizing and such things, I misplaced my handwritten Potato Cheese Soup recipe. Being much older... I could still see the handwritten recipe in my ole mind, even her treasured signature with a great, big scripted B, but alas the specifics had evaporated from my memory bank.

T he weather had turned much cooler and it was time for this soup, so I sent Ms. Berta an email asking (well, begging maybe...) if she could recall the recipe and share with me once more. Being the gracious lady that she is, my email dinged with a response shortly thereafter, with all the detail. Yippee! So, off to the store I went to grab all the goodies and a few extras to "kick it up" because I wanted to try this recipe with a little more spice and use one of my trusty slow cookers instead of the stove top.

S o, Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped(I used three, 'cause I like garlic.)
2 jalapeno's, whole or chopped or quartered - your choice & I tossed in a couple of small, whole jalapeno's from my garden about half way through the cooking process.
1 tsp. dried Thyme
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
32 oz.(4 c.) chicken broth
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into approx. 1/2 in. pieces or sliced
2 cans green chiles, sliced(I like green chiles, so I used two 7 oz. cans
2 c. jack cheese, cut into about 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
salt & pepper, to taste

Garnish:

shredded Jack Cheese
sour cream
chopped scallions
cooked, crumbled bacon
chopped cilantro

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeno's and thyme just until the onions start to brown. Approximately 5 minutes, depending on your heat setting.

2. Stir in flour to combine and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the chicken
broth.

3. Mix well & transfer to the slow cooker. Add in the chopped or sliced potatoes & the remaining chicken broth. I added a little fresh ground black pepper. Stir to combine well. Cover & cook on low for 5-6 hours. Stir about once an hour & if you like your soup a little more "soupy", you can add some additional broth or a little water.

4. During the last hour of cooking, stir in the sliced green chiles.

5. If the potatoes are cooked to your desired softness, stir in the cubed Jack Cheese. Cover and heat until melted, stirring as needed.

6. Stir in the heavy cream. Give it a really good stir to combine.
Cover & let sit for about 5 minutes, until heated through.

W
ell yum! There you have it, my version of Ms. Berta's Kicked Up Potato Cheese Soup! I garnished it with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro & scallions, crumbled bacon, fresh ground pepper and a little shredded cheddar cheese... cause I just happen to have some on hand! But please, do it your way... ♪ ♬ ♩ ♭ ♫ ♪

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Spicy Oktoberfest Pumpkin Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 19:35:00 +0000

It's Chili For Fall

or

Fall For Chili!

WildWSS's Oktoberfest Pumpkin Chili

Well, I stumbled upon a recipe for Oktoberfest Pumpkin Chili. Everyone I mentioned it to pretty much gave it a thumbs down. Why? Because, WHO puts pumpkin in Chili. My response was I don't know, but I'm going to try it! If you don't try something, how do you know you don't like it. The other person in my home simply said; "huh!". However, I think he is use to some of my wild rides with different recipes from time to time. And several of those wild rides have turned out to be keepers! He also had second servings twice and the leftovers! Huh! Yippee!

This recipe was intriguing because it's Fall and I had been wanting to make some chili. Pumpkin is one of our Fall Favs. Right! Give me five.

Plus, this is a slow cooker chili recipe which is even better. You throw everything together in the morning and simply dish it up in the evening. Now who doesn't like the ease of using a slow cooker versus standing over a stove for extended periods of time. I do! And the combination of the tomato puree, crushed tomatoes and canned pumpkin create a deliciously creamy texture to go with the beans and sausage. There is also a slight sweet taste in the flavorings.

After reading the original recipe which can be found on Juggling Act Mama , I made a few changes and adaptations to kick up the spice a bit and make better use of ingredient sizings from the typical market packaging. So, Yippee Again!

Let's Try It!

Ingredients: (approx. 8 servings)

1 tbl. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 tbl. minced garlic
1 tsp. coriander
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tbl. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. Italian bulk sausage(use your fav & I think 1 1/2 lb. would be better)
12 oz. Oktoberfest Beer
1 1/2 tbl. honey
1 large(28 oz.) can dark red kidney beans
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz. can tomato puree
3/4 c. or whole can pumpkin pie mix
16 oz. beef stock or broth

Condiments for serving:

shredded cheese(cheddar, taco blend or your fav)
sour cream
chopped green onions
*tortilla chips
*salsa
garlic bread

* Trader Joe's had these great pumpkin tortilla chips and fall harvest salsa that worked very well...

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or similar pan. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, on medium-low until they start to turn translucent.

2. Toss in the bell pepper and jalapeno pepper and cook for a few minutes(approx. 4-5) stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

3. Turn heat up slightly. Add sausage, break apart to brown. Add coriander, cumin, sea salt, pepper, chili, onion, garlic seasonings & stir to combine. Continue to cook & stir until meat is browned. Add beer, stir, reduce heat & simmer for a few minutes. Add honey, stir.

4. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, pumpkin & stock to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Stir the meat mixture in to the slow cooker.

5. Set slow cooker to low, cover and cook for approximately 5 hours(I did 5 1/2). Stir chili mixture every 1 to 1 1/2 hours to blend flavors. Ready to serve!

This was a deliciously good and creamy Fall chili. I served this topped with some sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese, along with garlic cheese bread and the TJ's pumpkin tortilla chips on the side. Another keeper for another time. So, give it a try. You might be surprised and of course, it makes a great dish for a Fall potluck. Leftovers are also good, as the flavors continue to blend together.

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Happy Halloween 2015!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 14:04:00 +0000

Enjoy a little Halloween slide show.

Just Click the Right Arrow to Begin!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Flavorful Favorites For Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 19:37:00 +0000

Flavorful Favorites

For Fall

S
ummer draws to a close. Fall approaches. Time to recap on some great recipes from the past that compliment the season. Below is a little slideshow for some of these tasty delights.

I
'm pretty sure that I will be whipping up a few of these during the next several months, but I am also on the lookout for some new tasty treats to tantalize the tastebuds... say it fast several times!

I
f you happen to see something that grabs your attention, links to all 15 recipes are listed below the slideshow.

H
ope you enjoy this little presentation reminder!

1. Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

2. New Mexican Style Chicken Posole

3. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

4. Crock Pot Spicy Smoked Sausage Gumbo

5. WildWSS's Texas Tuff Chili

6. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

7. Vegetarian Slow Cooker Minestrone

8. Southern Pecan Pie

9. Bison Chili Picante - Muy Bueno!

10. Tomato Soup Spice Cake

11. Spicy Potato Beef Soup

12. Double Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake

13. Rock Your Crock Taco Soup

14. Crock Pot Pasta & Kidney Bean Soup(Pasta E Fagioli)

15. Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Creamy Ginger Filling

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Red Beans & Rice with Cajun Sausage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 20:40:00 +0000

Red Beans & Rice

With Cajun Sausage

Tasty, spicy and filling! Red Beans & Rice with Cajun Smoked Sausage is one of those true comfort foods, at least for me. And in this recipe, I've "kicked it up" a bit. You probably know from so many of my other posts that I have a "sweet tooth" for spicy. Not to be confused with the comic book Sweet Tooth, the character Sweet Tooth in the video game Twisted Metal or the novel of the same name, Sweet Tooth, by Ean McEwan.

And if ya don't glisten just a little, it's not spicy enough right? This works, but it's not over the top for me! If you prefer less spice, simply tone it down a notch or two.

This dish goes well with some hot, crusty bread. But more importantly, this is one of those "one pot" meals, easy to make and takes minimal time to prepare. And left-overs, if there are any, will allow more time for those spices to "marinate" all the other ingredients. Unfortunately, we cleaned the pot!

Originally, I found the Red Beans & Rice recipe on another blog I follow called Southern Bite. So this has been adapted to accommodate my need for spice. I've added some extra spice, extra broth and the broth I used is cajun infused. If you're not a smoked sausage fan, you could change it up even more by sauteing the veggies first, add some of your favorite rotisserie chicken (chopped into about 1 inch chunks) and continue on your journey.

So get in that kitchen, pour some vino, crank up your favorite music (Raul Malo works well with this... love the way this man can put it out!) and create your Red Beans & Rice.

Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil(vegetable, canola or olive oil)
1 lb. cajun smoked sausage(I like aidells.)
1 medium large onion
1 medium green bell pepper
3 celery stalks
2 cloves minced garlic
3 c. Louisiana Cajun chicken broth or plain chicken broth, Swanson sells the cajun
2 cans red beans or red kidney beans, 15 oz. size
2 c. minute rice/instant rice
1 tbsp. creole seasoning, or to taste(I like Zatarains.)
Tabasco Sauce to taste.
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

note: If you prefer your dish a bit more soupy, just add additional broth during the cooking process.

Point of Interest: Onion, bell pepper, celery & garlic are known as the Cajun holy trinity. Just click Cajun holy trinity for a little history!

Preparation:

A little up-front prep will speed things up. First, slice the sausage into approximately 1/2 inch pieces. Then chop the onion, seed & chop the bell pepper, chop the celery stalks and mince the garlic(Or even better, buy garlic already minced like I do.). Drain & rinse the beans. This saves time and, of course, allows for sipping on some wine during the remaining preparation. Hey, it's all in the planning...

1. Add the oil to a large dutch oven type pot (I used a 5 qt.) & heat to medium. Add sausage cook/stirr until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Toss in the onion, pepper, celery & cook until the onion begins to turn translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. Toss in the minced garlic & cook until fragrant. Add the broth & bring to a slow boil.

3. Sitr in the beans, rice, creole seasoning & pepper giving everything a good stir to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer & cook about 15 minutes. After about 8 minutes add Tabasco sauce to taste or add when serving.

Ta Da!

Did I say this was easy & quick? Right! Of course it was. Tasty, filling & with a little kick to it. I hope you enjoy your Red Beans & Rice with Cajun Sausage. Ok, so I'm off to find more foodie adventures to stir up!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Toasted Coconut Pecan Walnut Caramel Cream Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2015 19:58:00 +0000

Toasted Coconut

Pecan Walnut

Caramel Cream Pie

Toasted coconut, yum! Toasted pecans , yum! Toasted walnuts , yum! And caramel cream filling, yum! Can you say yummy? YUMMY!

All of this presented on a graham cracker crust AND the best part of this delicious dessert is it is NO BAKE. Can you say yummy? Of course you can...

On a recent trip to see my family in Florida, my sister contributed this little dessert dish during one of our family meals. Well, I had three or four servings during the next two days. Ok, I know. It was a little rich, some might say fattening. But, it was sort of like a little vacation so I didn't have to "watch my figure" during this time away from home.

I had to have the recipe so I asked her for the details. She rattled off the ingredients, but I like to be a bit more precise on "how much of this" or "how much of that" is in the recipe. While she stood there trying to remember, my simple little "google" yielded three or four "like" recipes. Cause that will work! You can pick out parts you like from all the recipes and form your own little creation.

Did you know there are Persian and English walnuts? Did you know that "green" walnuts can be pickled or fully ripened walnuts are known for their "nutmeat"? Well did you? I'm still not so sure about "pickled walnuts", but then that can be another adventure. Just click; The Walnut to get a delightful insight on this amazing nut.

This recipe is a wonderful "Make Ahead" potluck dessert AND because it makes two pies, you can save one just for yourself. You don't have to share and no one will know the better. For me, it's really good. It is a bit rich, but who doesn't like a little rich dessert from time to time. That other person living in my house said: "It's ok.". However, the plate was licked clean. And the neighbor really enjoyed it as well. So, are you ready?

Let's Try It!

Silly me, forgot the Milk in other pic.

Ingredients:

2 - 9 in. graham cracker crusts
1/3 c. butter
Flaked sweetened coconut, approx. 12 oz. - You can use less or more to taste
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
12 oz. frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, thawed
1 - 14 oz. jar caramel ice cream topping, such as Hersheys or Smuckers

Preparation:

1. In a medium to large skillet melt butter on medium heat. Toss in nuts and coconut, mixing well to coat. Saute and stir several times until lightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate & set aside to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whip softened cream cheese until fluffy. Pour in condensed milk and mix until smooth.

3. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping just to combine.

4. Gently & evenly spread about 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture into each pie crust. Gently sprinkle about 1/4 of the coconut mixture over the top of each cream cheese mixture. Drizzle about 1/3 of the caramel topping over the top of each cream coconut mixture. This should leave about 1/3 of the caramel for the final layer.

5. Repeat layers for each pie, starting with cream cheese mixture. Then coconut mixture. Then caramel topping. OHHH, just look!

6. Cover each pie and freeze for several hours. I left mine in the freezer, covered, for at least 6 hours. Less time is probably ok. The freezing helps to set & firm the pies making them a bit easier to slice when serving. I actually let mine sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing. And you might remember a little tip from a previous recipe. You can remove the paper layer from the plastic cover on your graham cracker crust, gently clean with a little soapy water, dry, invert & use as the cover when placing in the freezer.

So, I will share with you the slice below on the right! But I get the remainder of the pie on the left. Share with your neighbors. Win over an old combatant. Make up for a tense little encounter. Prime the pump for that special little gift you have been craving. The options are endless. But, please enjoy your Toasted Coconut Pecan Walnut Caramel Cream Pie!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 17:30:00 +0000

Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake

Banana

Cherry

Coconut

It was time for a new dessert dish. We've all had the ole' stand-by Pineapple Upside Down Cake, which is very good. And did you know that the "Pineapple Upside Down Cake" was listed in the 1936 Sears Roebuck Catalog? No? Well just click: The History of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Did you also know about the National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day? Just check out the link at the bottom of the post.

However, it was time for a little twist. So, I adapted a couple of steps from several recipes to try this new treat called Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake. Why not, 'cuz if it's a disaster you can toss it out or better yet, he he he, pawn it off on that pesky neighbor needing a little payback.

One, this was easy to make because you use a box cake mix. Two, it was quite tasty if you like bananas, cherry's and coconut. I do. And three, it was a bit colorful if not downright pretty. Right! But, I will tell you that with just the one boxed cake mix this will make TWO Upside Down Cakes. Does this not sound like a potluck dream... you've been slaving away all day creating two beautiful cakes for that "special" potluck and everyone is sooo impressed. And we all know - those potluck people will eat anything! Right! Can I get an Amen! So,

Let's Try It!

Ingredients: (makes 2 cakes)

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist yellow cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sour cream
cooking spray
4 - 6 bananas (It depends on the size, you will be able to judge.)
1 jar (about 8 oz.) Maraschino Cherries
shredded or flaked coconut, approx 1/2 of a 14 oz. bag
1 c. dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
3 tbsp. lemon juice.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. While oven is heating, beat cake mix/eggs/water/oil & sour cream until blended. Then beat on high for 2-3 minutes.
3. Spray two 8-9 inch round cake pans. I used non-stick.

4. Slice bananas approximately 1/4 inch thick & layer bottom of pans, leaving just a few spaces to add cherries in between banana slices. Add cherries to spaces. See the pic... ooh... pretty.

5. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium/medium low. Add the brown sugar & lemon juice, stirring to combine & dissolve sugar.

6. Pour 1/2 the sugar mix into each pan over the bananas & cherries. Sprinkle coconut on top of the banana/cherry & brown sugar.
7. Gently pour 1/2 cake batter into each pan, spread out as evenly as possible.

8. Bake cakes for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of each pan comes out clean.
9. Let cool for about 8 minutes. Invert on to serving dishes & slice to serve. Remaining cake should be refrigerated.

Enjoy your Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake! Until next time... Oh, go ahead and take just one bite! Go on! Just one! You might just love it...

Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Bison Chili Picante - Muy Bueno!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 19:51:00 +0000

Bison Chili Picante

I t was time for chili, spicy chili. And the weather was right for chili, spicy chili. So, I tried a new little chili, spicy chili, recipe. I found this intriguing recipe on Pinterest called Spicy Touchdown Chili, as it was time for the Super (yawn, yawn again) Bowl Game. And it had that kicked up spice taste that we like so much. I knew I had to give it a try.

M y friend and former co-worker, Pat, suggested substituting ground Bison Meat for the ground beef. I could not remember the last time I had Bison meat, although I was sure it had been a long time. It's not prevalent in the markets, but I knew that I saw it once upon a time at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and I thought my local Stater Bro's carried ground Bison. I was in luck at Stater's Bro's! Bison meat is actually better for you than "the other red meat", as it is higher in protein, lower in saturated fat, calories and cholesterol. And a huge SHOUTOUT & THANKS to Pat for her suggestion, as I think the ground Bison made a huge difference in the taste of the chili. Very Good!

T his chili has a refreshing new flavor compared to chili made with only ground beef. I think it's the combination of all the spice along with the mixture of the ground Bison, ground pork sausage and cooked, crumbled bacon. The original Spicy Touchdown Chili was prepared using a slow cooker. I used a dutch oven on the stove combined with a long slow simmer. I'm sure it would be just as good in the slow cooker. What are we waiting for...

Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

King of Beers

1 lb. ground bison
1 lb. ground bulk sausage(I used Jimmy Dean regular.)
5-6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
2 cans(16 oz.) kidney beans
2 cans(16 oz.) pinto beans
2 cans (10 oz.) Rotel diced tomatoes w/green chilies
1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 c. Mexican chili powder
1/3 c. chopped pickled jalapeno
2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt/pepper to taste
approx. 18 oz. of your favorite beer(I used the King of Beers, Budweiser, 25 oz. can & used about 2/3 can.)
garnish/toppings - sliced pickled jalapeno's, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions

Preparation:

ground bison

ground sausage

1. In large dutch oven, brown ground bison & drain if necessary. Remove to plate with paper towels. Brown ground sausage & drain. While meat browns, cook bacon (I used the quick & easy microwave.).

2. Combine bison & sausage, stir to combine. Add cooked bacon, stirring to combine.

3. Drain & rinse kidney beans and pinto beans, add to meat. Add diced tomatoes, chopped onion & chopped jalapeno's. Add chile pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, basil, minced garlic. Salt & pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

4. Add beer & heat to medium low bowl, stirring well to combine ingredients. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours, stirring occasionally to blend flavors. For a more "soupy" chili add more beer or water as desired. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Looking Good!

O h, so good! The flavors, texture and a little heat does the trick to kick this chili up a notch or two! Toss in some crackers or cornbread and you are set. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. Enjoy! Off to explore more adventures...

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Easy Arrabiata Mushroom Spaghetti

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 21:03:00 +0000

Easy - Easy

Arrabiata Mushroom Spaghetti

Go to Ingredients:
Go to Preparation:
Well whoot, whoot! Guess what I stumbled upon? Wild Oats Arrabiata Pasta Sauce (a.k.a. - sugo all'arrabbiata) at the local Fresh & Easy Market! Now, I don't spend much time in Fresh & Easy, b'coz, quite frankly, I've never found them to be "fresh" or "easy". And if I wanted to scan and bag groceries I would get a job at Stater's or Trader Joe's, because I will always pick up just one little item that WILL NOT scan. My thought is if you gotta scan & bag, then you should be getting a great discount on your purchase! Any whoo, I was getting over the remnants of the flu and thought I could pop in/out of Fresh & Easy quickly without having to deal with other folks. Ya know, when you start coughing around folks during flu season, they can look or act a little panicked. And rightly so!

However, there is good news! I remembered reading months ago that the former "natural & organic" Wild Oats brand was likely to make a bit of a comeback based on the sale of Fresh & Easy Stores to the Yucaipa Companies group run by Ron Burkle who continued to have ties to the Wild Oats brand. Wild Oats stores were sold to Whole Foods in 2007 and I have missed them ever since they closed. Well, Fresh & Easy has started stocking quite a number of Wild Oats branded merchandise, including their great Arrabiata Pasta Sauce. I had to grab some for a quick, easy and tasty little meal.

Now Arrabbiata sauce has a little "kick" to it - spicy- but we like spicy and why the Wild Oats brand is spelled with one "B" in arrabiata, not two, is a mystery. However, a lot of postings use just one "B"! The word "arrabbiata" literally means "angry" in Italian. "Angry Sauce" is usually made with garlic, chili peppers and tomatoes. You simply toss it over your favorite pasta for a simple little dish. I decided to step it up just a notch or two by adding sliced mushrooms and onion. I had been longing for a spaghetti with mushroom sauce dish similar to one we use to get at one of our favorite little Pasadena Italian restaurants which closed in 2004 after 43 years in business. It was called Bona Corso's.

This was super easy to whip up because most of the work , the sauce, had already been done. So,

Let's Try It!

Ingredients: (serves approx. 4 - unless you're greedy)

1 25 oz. jar Wild Oats Arrabiata Pasta Sauce
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
8 oz. (approx.)sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 16 oz. package spaghetti
salt, pepper to taste
1 clove minced garlic, optional - like my garlic
parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet or dutch oven to medium/medium high (you can see it start to "shimmer" or "shimmy"). Saute onions until they start turning translucent. Add garlic & mushrooms cooking just until the mushrooms start to brown on edges.

2. Add jar of Arrabbiata Sauce to onion/mushroom mixture, reduce heat to simmer. Stir to combine well. Cover & simmer until slightly bubbly, stirring occasionally. Approximately 15-20 minutes.

3. While the sauce is shimmering, oops, simmering, cook your spaghetti according to package directions. However, remember to put just a little salt in the water when bringing it to a boil AND after adding the spaghetti gently stir for the first 2-3 minutes to minimize it sticking together.

And there you have it, in three Easy Steps, yummy Arrabiata Mushroom Spaghetti! Add some crusty bread and a little side salad for a simple, tasty and filling dinner. It's perfect for a busy, weekday evening. And I'm off to find some more Wild Oats offerings at Fresh & Easy...

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

2014 Favorites Welcome 2015!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 19:30:00 +0000

2014 Favorites
Welcome 2015!

Food, glorious Food!

Find your favorite here: Post List:

Community Fun! A Little Recap!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Easy Eggnog Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 20:56:00 +0000

EASY

Skip to Ingredients
Skip to Preparation
Skip to Closing

Eggnog is one of those seasonal favorites that ushers in the Holiday Season! Typically, we would take about an ounce of Spiced Rum or Brandy, pour it in a Double Old Fashion, fill with chilled eggnog, give it a good stir and top it off with a dash of ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg! Yum! Nothing better to get those Christmas juices flowing.

This year I stumbled upon a new little eggnog adventure called #Eggnog Pie. The pic I saw made this little dessert a "must try" on my recipe to do list!

I found the original recipe on one of my favorite blogs called South Your Mouth! Mandy has a lot of tasty recipes and I have tried quite a few over the past several years. Now her pic of #Eggnog Pie is sooo much better than my little attempt, but hey what's a person to do with just a basic iPhone! You should spend a little time and visit South Your Mouth! You just never know what mouth watering morsel you may run across.

Now Mandy's recipe makes two Eggnog Pies. Since I had never tried #Eggnog Pie I thought it should be reduced by one, if on the off-chance I (and/or we) didn't like the outcome. Naw, that didn't happen! However, I did make a couple of minor tweaks. And this is so EASY to make! All it takes is three simple steps. And it's one of those "make well in advance" desserts! Nothing better than EASY MAKE A-HEAD! Right!

Oh my stars! I almost forgot. I must give a little sprinkling of Eggnog History. The origins and ingredients to make the original eggnog drink continue to be debated to this day. Eggnog made it's way to the English (American) Colonies during the 18th century. After the Revolutionary War, when rum became somewhat scarce, Americans turned to bourbon, as well as other whiskeys to quench their thirst for eggnog. Did you know about the Eggnog Riot of 1826? Did you know that the future Confederate States President Jefferson Davis was involved in the riot? You do now, Click Here: Eggnog Riot!

Enough I say!

Let's Try It!

Ingredients: (makes one pie)

2 c. Eggnog, your favorite
1 box (3.4 oz.) Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust (9 in.)
ground cinnamon, optional

Preparation:

1. Pour instant pudding, nutmeg & eggnog into medium mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with electric mixer for about 2 minutes.

2. Fold in about 2/3 of the thawed cool whip to combine.

3. Gently pour combined cool whip, eggnog mixture into graham cracker crust. Spread gently and as evenly as possible. Cover pie and chill at least 6 hours, but I found longer is better (I did 8 hours.). Remember a previous little tip I use... remove the paper liner for the plastic pie cover, wash & use to cover/chill your pie. It works perfectly! Serve with a dollop of the left over cool whip, or a swirl of Reddi Whip on top. Dust with a little more nutmeg or cinnamon!

Well, there you have it! Easy Make A-Head #Eggnog Pie. This works great for a little home entertainment or a neighborhood pot luck. Hey, you can always serve a little snifter of warm brandy to go with it. Enjoy!

Easy Eggnog Pie

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Creative Cards By Linda

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 18:28:00 +0000

2014 Shout Out to Linda and her unique Creative Cards.

Give Linda a call or drop her an email! But don't dawdle in getting your Holiday Greeting Cards! Check out a sample of Linda's 2014 Christmas Cards on the left. On the right is one of my favorites from her 2012 collection, as it now looks on my Christmas Tree!
Linda Brooks
Tel./Fax 626-794-9002

email: lbrooks1138@hotmail.com

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Check out the little slide show below...

Creative Cards By Linda

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to All!

Christmas Time is Here!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Creole Pastrami & Ham Panini

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 20:41:00 +0000

Creole Pastrami & Ham Panini

I am oh so late in getting this recipe out on WildWSS, but there's still time for a little soup and sandwich treat! The cooler Fall and Winter weather is perfect for a Creole Pastrami & Ham Panini with a piping hot bowl of my Vegetarian Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup. Since we were having the sandwiches, I decided to leave the croutons out of the soup and add some fresh grated cheese on top.

N ow, this tasty treat has three basic "building blocks" that can be spread out - 1. Morning, get your soup on in the slow cooker - 2. Noonish, toss your Creole spiced coleslaw together to marinate - 3. Evening, just build your panini's, grill & serve. Pretty easy, right!

J ust in case you are not familiar with Panini's or a Panini Press, click here: Panini's . If you do not have a panini press, check out these options to create your very own panini; 5 Ways to Make a Hot, Crispy Sandwich Without a Panini Press. However, you can get some great bargains on panini presses at most of your houseware stores. I use a great little George Forman model that holds at least two large sandwiches, is easy to clean and stores in a small space.

N ow, this meal can be really simplified. If you don't want to tackle the soup part, you can just buy some fresh minestrone from your favorite deli or heat up a can of your favorite minestrone. Trader Joe's sells a canned minestrone that is really good! At least I think so. Check it out: Click Trader Joe's Minestrone .

F or me, the absolute best part is the coleslaw after it's had a few hours to marinate in the Creole spices AND the Sriracha Sauce AND Trader Joe's Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce, which you can buy on Amazon. I love, love, love TJ's Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce. It's good on dogs, veggies and the tip of your finger! I mean, I could just eat the whole bowl of coleslaw by itself. Maybe these should be called Creole Asian Italian Pastrami & Ham Panini's! But that's a tad bit long... so, we'll just stick with the original. Remember, I've said many times before that I'm not a cook, but I try. And I like to try out new recipes and change them up a bit. These sandwiches had a little spicy kick from the coleslaw that just worked so well with the pastrami, ham and cheeses. Besides, we all like to "tweak" things a little. Are you ready?

Let's Try It!

Coleslaw Ingredients:(creates enough for: approx. 4 sandwiches)

1 bag shredded cabbage(green or green & purple combined)*
2 shredded carrots*
1/2 c. diced onion
1/2 c mayonnaise(I like the Best Foods with Olive Oil brand.)
1 tbsp. ketchup
1/2 tbsp sriracha sauce(or more to taste)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. creole seasonings**
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

*note: You can simplify the slaw prep by using a combination coleslaw package containing the cabbage & carrots. I usually like a little more shredded carrot than the packaged mixes.
**note: You can create your own Creole seasonings by combining well: 1 tbsp. each - onion powder, garlic powder, dry basil, dry oregano; 1/2 tbsp. - dry thyme, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, celery seed and 2 1/2 tbsp paprika.

Slaw Preparation:

1. Place cabbage, carrots & onion(or coleslaw pack) in mixing bowl.
2. In small separate bowl, add all remaining ingredients.

3. Combine & blend sauce ingredients well.
4. Gently fold sauce mixture into coleslaw. Cover & chill for 2 or more hours. Toss well before serving.

**Panini Ingredients:*(creates: 2 - 4 sandwiches)***

1 pack(about 8 oz.) sliced deli pastrami
1 pack(about 8oz.) sliced deli cooked ham
Cheddar Cheese slices, about 8
Mozzarella Cheese slices, about 8
Rye Bread sliced, about 8
butter, softened

Panini Preparation:

1. Lightly butter bread slices on one side.
2. Invert one bread slice, buttered side down, per sandwich & layer with:
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- slices of ham, amount optional
- slices of pastrami, amount optional

- 2 slices of mozzarella cheese

3. Warm your panini press medium to medium high.
4. Toss chilled coleslaw & layer top of each sandwich half.
5. Top each sandwich half with remaining slices of bread, buttered side up.

3. Grill sandwiches until cheeses start to melt & bread toasts.

YUMMY!

S erve your Creole Pastrami & Ham Panini's with the minestrone soup (or your favorite soup), garnish with some stuffed olives or pickles and ENJOY! One last thought. Turkey day is just around the corner and there is usually left over turkey. Substitute the pastrami & ham with sliced turkey and I'm sure these would be just as tasty. So good for a cool Fall day!

Creole Pastrami & Ham Panini

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 21:22:00 +0000

Pumpkin

Spice

Cheesecake

Tasty. Creamy. Easy. This Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake is a perfect compliment for your fall menu lineup and you do not have to bake it! Adding in a little mixture of spices and just a hint of pure bourbon vanilla extract creates a delightful dish to remember. Preparation is so easy! It takes less than 30 minutes to whip it up - and this allows time for a little glass of wine. This is the perfect "make ahead" dessert - one of those "fix it & forget" dishes, except don't forget to eat a little or a lot.

Whenever I decide to add a new dish to my blog, I always like to dig up a little history on the subject. This Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake is no exception. Did you know that a form of cheesecake was popular in ancient Greece, prior to the Roman conquest of Greece? Well, did you? Of course, cheesecakes contain cream cheese and the modern commercial American cream cheese was developed in 1872. Pasteurized cream cheese was developed by James L. Kraft in 1912. Mr. Kraft originally sold cheese from a wagon, formed a company with his brothers which became known as Kraft Foods Inc. One other tidbit of information is whether baked cheesecake should be classified as a pie, a custard, a torte, or something else. This continues to be a matter of debate for some. For me, bring it on - who cares!

Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

1 (9 in.) ready to use graham cracker crust
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 tbsp. Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract(I get mine from Trader Joes)*
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided**
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Ground nutmeg to garnish
Canned whipped topping, such as Reddi Whip

*Note: I wanted to add a little extra "spice" & thought this would be good. You can use plain vanilla extract.

**Note: You can use store bought or do as I did & make it combining 1 tablespoon each of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger & ground allspice. You can save any remaining spice mix for another recipe in an airtight container.

Preparation:

1. Mix cream cheese until creamy. Add 3/4 can of pumpkin to cream cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.

2. Add remaining pumpkin, pie spice, sugar, salt & bourbon vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined & creamy.

3. Gently stir 1/2 of Cool Whip into pumpkin cheese mixture until combined.

4. Gently transfer pumpkin cheese mixture to graham cracker crust. Cover & chill for at least 5 - 6 hours! Serve with a dusting of nutmeg & a little dollop of the remaining cool whip or a squeeze of the canned whipped topping. Here's a little tip: These crusts usually come sealed with a thin plastic cover, so remove paper liner, gently clean & reverse the plastic insert to use as your cover during the chill time. That way you don't have to worry about covering the cheesecake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap & having it stick/smash the top of your pie. It works great!

Honestly, I think this was better the next day, after having more time to set and chill. See if you can detect that little bourbon vanilla extra when having that first bite. I did! Enjoy your Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake!

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Pecan Pumpkin Pudding Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 18:54:00 +0000

Pecan Pumpkin

Pudding Cake

The Three P's - Pecan, Pumpkin, Pudding - team up on this easy, yet oh so tasty, fall dessert dish I'm calling Pecan Pumpkin Pudding Cake. A perfect compliment to your Thanksgiving menu, this simple to prepare taste treat is very flavorful combining a little crunch from the pecans with a smooth, creamy mix of pumpkin and vanilla pudding. The added spice kicks it up a notch! And this dessert provides a very light finish to what is usually the more filling "Holiday" dinner. This is also a good "make ahead" dish to minimize that last minute rush to get everything prepared at once.

Did you know the pecan is technically a "drupe" (aka stone fruit)? So I guess you could say this is a"fruit cake", not to be confused with those other, heavier fruit cakes... You know the ones... grandma used to make. Just a little reminder to your left. The pecan is native to Mexico, southcentral & southeastern United States. The U.S. produces between 85% - 95% of the worlds pecans, approximately 200 tons per year from approximately 10 million trees.

Now Pumpkins, on the other hand, are technically a "squash". Typically we think of squash as vegetables. So, I guess you could say that this is a combination "fruit & vegetable" cake! Have you ever heard of a "fruit & vegetable cake"? While that doesn't sound very good, trust me, this is a great little dish. So,

Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

1/4 c. Butter(1/2 stick), melted
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 (8 oz.) pack cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) containers Cool Whip
1 (3.4 oz.) package Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 c. pumpkin pie mix
2 c. cold milk
1 c. (approx.) pecan halfs (for topping/decoration), optional
Nutmeg to garnish

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375˚.

2. Combine the butter , flour, chopped pecans & sugar. Place in an 8x8x2, or similar size, baking dish. Press into bottom of dish.

3. Bake 10-15 minutes. Cool completely!

4. While crust is cooling, whisk together pudding mix, cold milk & pumpkin pie filling.

5. Chill in fridge to thicken for approximately 15 minutes.

6. After crust is completely cool, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar & 1/2 Cool Whip.
7. Spread mixture evenly over cooled crust.

8. Gently, ever so gently, spread the thickened pudding/pumpkin mix over the Cool Whip layer trying not to mix the two, creating a layer.

9. Gently, ever so gently, spread the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding/pumpkin mix. Again, try not to mix the two, creating your third layer! You can see the layers in these two pics. Top with pecan half's & dust with nutmeg! Cool, covered, in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours or until ready to serve. You are done!

This makes a great little fall treat for after dinner or maybe to share with friends during your next card game. And for a "cake", there is virtually no baking! How great and easy! Enjoy your Pecan Pumpkin Pudding Cake!

Pecan Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Laguna Woods Village Car Show Oct. 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 21:49:00 +0000

The First "Annual" Laguna Woods Village Car Show was held on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at Clubhouse 5. Hundreds of folks attended and several dozen vehicles were featured. Drinks & snacks were available for the car enthusiasts, the cool autumn weather was perfect and it was a huge hit! I was able to capture some photos which I've included in the following little Youtube video. Transfer quality of the video from my computer to the blog is not the best, due to size constraints, but it captures quite a little story. Enjoy!

We're looking forward to 2015's show! Hope you enjoyed!

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WildWSS

Amazon.com: Brother MFC-J1010DW Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One Printer with Mobile Device and Duplex Printing, Refresh Subscription and Amazon Dash Replenishment Ready : Office Products

Equifax

COUNTING DOWN TO NEW YEARS! CLICK THE PIC!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2020

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Best Wishes For A Wonderful

Holiday Season &

Merry Christmas 2017!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage - Re-Post

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

So let's get started!

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Merry Christmas 2015

A Very Merry Christmas from the StanLira Household!

Just click the snowman to take you to a little video...

Or Just Click the pic below to start or view in YouTube!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Merry Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas 2015

from

Steve, Larry & Gabi

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Ms. Berta's Potato Cheese Soup

S o, Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

Garnish:

Preparation:

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Spicy Oktoberfest Pumpkin Chili

It's Chili For Fall

or

Fall For Chili!

WildWSS's Oktoberfest Pumpkin Chili

Let's Try It!

Ingredients: (approx. 8 servings)

Condiments for serving:

Preparation:

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Happy Halloween 2015!

Enjoy a little Halloween slide show.

Just Click the Right Arrow to Begin!

Flavorful Favorites For Fall

Flavorful Favorites

For Fall

Red Beans & Rice with Cajun Sausage

Red Beans & Rice With Cajun Sausage

Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Toasted Coconut Pecan Walnut Caramel Cream Pie

Toasted Coconut Pecan Walnut Caramel Cream Pie

Toasted Coconut

Pecan Walnut

Caramel Cream Pie

Let's Try It!

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake

Banana-Cherry Coconut Upside Down Cake

Banana

Cherry

Coconut

Let's Try It!

Ingredients: (makes 2 cakes)

Preparation:

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

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Bison Chili Picante - Muy Bueno!

Bison Chili Picante

Let's Try It!

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Enjoy! WildWSS outta here!

Easy Arrabiata Mushroom Spaghetti

Red Beans & Rice

With Cajun Sausage

Toasted Coconut

Pecan Walnut

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2014 Favorites
Welcome 2015!

**Panini Ingredients:*(creates: 2 - 4 sandwiches)***