Fall Food * It's What's For Dinner

They look hungry, don't they? 

Here in North Carolina, it's starting to feel like Fall and that craving for Fall comfort foods has come upon me.  Soups. Roasted veggies. Baked breads. Casseroles. And Chili Dogs.  What? You don't crave chili dogs in the fall?! Well, we Callahans do. Actually, there are a couple of us that could eat hot dogs five days a week (youngest bonus daughter, I'm lookin' at you, sugar).  

But chili dogs are messy. Even for grown ups. One could end up with chili down a shirt, in  a lap or at a minimum all over your face and arm. And that's when Mr. Matt, our cool neighbor next door, stepped in to once again save the day. He told us he serves his chili dogs. . . . wait for it. . . . in a big ol' coffee mug. Yup. A coffee mug. Brilliant! It was such a brilliant idea, I turned to The Hubbs and said, "We're having chili dogs on the next night that it's our turn to have the kids."  And off to the store we went.  

It can be a bit tricky to find stuff that everyone will like that I can eat.  But I was certain that with a little work (and some avoidance on my part) we could sit down to eat basically the same meal together.  I found hotdogs with out corn or gluten in them at our local Harris Teeter.  And shredded cheese made from almond milk for me (cheddar for the girls), which we already had on hand.  I sacrificed the bun on mine for a second hot dog and we bought Amy's Chili (gluten and corn free and also from Harris Teeter) to top it all off. 

First, I heated up the chili and boiled the hot dogs.  We like our hot dogs boiled, but you could roast, grill or fry them if you'd rather.

 

Then I buttered up the hot dogs buns for the rest of the family and stuck them in my toaster oven on "toast" for six minutes.

While they were toasting and the chili and hot dogs were warming, I made a quick salad and got the cheese and sour cream out.  And I set out my vintage Pyrex individual baking dishes that I usually use for baked oatmeal or single serve brownies.  They're the perfect size and shape for our chili dog concoction.

Once the buns were toasted and everything was heated, I moved it all to the kitchen island to assemble.  First you stick a dog in the bun then cut it up.  Put the pieces in the dish and cover with chili and sprinkle on the shredded cheese.  After assembling each one, I stuck into the still warm toaster oven - just to get the cheese to melt.  

The bonus daughters came down from their room, noses sniffing the air, asking if we were having pizza.  Nope better than that.  Out came the baking dishes and everyone doctored theirs up as they see fit (some with sour cream, some with more cheese and of course The Hubbs had to add heat in the form of hot sauce).  

It couldn't have been faster or easier. No messes on the adults, kids or the table.  Clean up was a snap.  And guess what.  EVERYONE LOVED THEM!  That's always a big win in my book.  This would even be a great serving idea for a football party. Which is what we wanted to do, until we realized The Hubbs needed to shuffle girls around to sports practices all evening.  (Remember - his beloved KC Chiefs were on last night).  No party for us.  So there, Fall.  We're gave in to your cravings even with out the party.  And who knows.  Maybe tonight we'll have roasted veggies.  You're welcome.

Right Here. Right Now. * Your Daily Brain Vitamin v9.30.13

Monday Manic Round Up * What's Crazy, Expensive and Keeps You Awake Until 2:30a?

Is it really Monday already?  It can't be.  There's no way the weekend is already over.  I'm not buying it.  I need a weekend from my weekend.

The Acorn Inn B&B in Farber, VA

Quick recap: Got to central Virginia Friday afternoon and checked in to The Acorn Inn.  We love it there.  Long before it was a B&B, the homestead and peach orchards belonged to my great aunt.  I can remember going there as a little girl for meals that would knock your socks off!  Hard as a try, I still can't make lima beans the way Aunt Mamie did.  Nor grow tomatoes that taste as good as hers.  The Hubbs and I stayed in the cottage, which was really a small house originally built for Mamie's husband's aunt back in the day, when she came to live with them.  Nowadays, I associate the place with Martin and Kathy (the owners for the last 26 years) and their yummy homemade breads and breakfasts and awesome hospitality more so than my Aunt.  But I have old and new memories there that keep me coming back.   And if any of you are skiers, this is a GREAT place to stay when you go ski Wintergreen Mountain.  Just sayin'.  

My mom and dad cutting their cake with a little help from my niece, Cora.

Look at that cake!  It tasted even better than it looked, which is hard to believe.  Aunt Linda always makes the most amazing cakes!  And the plate on the right got signed by everyone so my parents will have a keepsake of that night.

Cousins of all ages getting reacquainted and having blast with each other, while Tony is in the background making yummy pizzas for us (even me, since they have GF options).

Friday night was also the 50th wedding anniversary celebration for my parents, which went off without a hitch.  Thanks to Giuseppe's in Nellysford, VA and Ashely Pannell, their manager, for making it possible (along with help from my Aunt Linda).  We had 40 people come celebrate with Mom and Dad and it was a great night!

The Cottage at The Acorn Inn.  See how cute it is! 

Until The Hubbs and I got back in the truck to leave, that is.  That's when we found that The Red Dog had somehow  opened up his incision (the doublewide cone was still on, so we have no idea what he did).  After emailing with Dr. Alley at Shiloh Animal Hospital (I can't tell you often enough how much we love this vet clinic and these people!), we determined we needed to take him to the emergency vet to get it restitched.  Forty minutes away.  At 10:45p.  Why this dog can't seem to injure himself during normal business hours is beyond me.  Several hundred dollars, seven new stitches and almost four hours later, we were back at the cottage (to help you with your math, we got back at 2:30a) and heading to bed.  

The second gorgeous cake my aunt made to celebrate my parent's anniversary.

Needless to say, that made for a late start to the day Saturday and a very late arrival at the Purvis Family Reunion that afternoon.  We missed the second gorgeous cake my Aunt Linda made (you can find her FB page here and order cakes from her if you're in Central VA) to celebrate Mom and Dad. We did get to see pictures (one of which is immediately above and a pic of the first cake is towards the top of this post), but we did get to see several family members.  It's always great to catch up with everyone and reconnect, since so many of us are scattered all over the country these days.  None of the famous family members were there (Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers, Erik Estrada by marriage, etc) but most of the infamous ones were (you know who you are).  ;0)
So, moving on to things I learned last week that I thought you'd like:

These are a cute follow up to the post I wrote about making button jewelry.  I love them.  I now must go buy thumbtacks.  Watch out friends and family - everyone is getting some for Christmas this year.  

And these. . . . well, let's just say I'm trying to figure out how to make these fit my dietary restrictions.  Plus, I love the name of her blog: Greens and Chocolate, Where healthy cooking meets sinful indulgence. These must lean towards the sinful side.   

And today's featured product (as I type this, I'm wearing the three quarter sleeved tshirt with the, "Relationships are hard.  Pizza is awesome." quote on it), is this cute makeup case.  Everyone needs a little zen when putting on their makeup, I say.  Plus today there is 15% off my entire store if you enter ZFALLSPECIAL as the promo code when you check out. Yes, even 15% off the pizza shirt (quickly becoming a cult favorite).  
Oh, and The Hubbs wants me to remind everyone that the KC Royals made it into the playoffs and the KC Chiefs play tonight.  <eye roll>  You're welcome. 

It's Really Just The Beginning * Your Daily Brain Vitamin 9.29.14

What feels like the end is often the beginning.  

You Are A Soul * Your Daily Brain Vitamin v9.28.14

You don't have a soul.  You are a soul.  You have a body. -C.S. Lewis

Grateful Not Hateful * Your Daily Brain Vitamin v9.27.14

You gotta look for the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, and what makes you grateful not hateful. -Karen Salmansohn 

Your Friday Quickie * I Think I've Sold My Soul To A Piece of Fruit

The Wedding of Vada Purvis and John Ralph October 10, 1964, Shipman, VA

Friday!  Friday!  Friday!  I love me some Fridays!  This weekend The Hubbs and I are on the road once again.  We're in the truck, with the dogs, driving up to central Virginia to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary tonight (a few days early but with a bunch of family!) and to attend our annual family reunion (on my mom's side) tomorrow.  This is a weekend I've really been looking forward to.  And I'll have lots of photos to share with you on the Monday Manic Roundup.

But before we get to all of that, my friend Michelle at The Whole Smiths accepted my suggestion for this week's Whole (craft)Cocktail and so of course The Hubbs and I will be partaking later this evening. You can get the ingredients list on her Instagram feed. Watch my Instagram feed for pics!  And please join us!  We'd love to have more folks participate in our VHH's (Virtual Happy Hours).  

 

Ok, now that we have that stuff out of the way, here's today's little tidbit.  It all started long ago with an iPod.  And then another.  And then an iPhone.  And then two more.  And an iPad.  And a MacBook Air.  Then a mini-iPad for work.  Then I outgrew my Air and gave that to the Hubbs and got a MacBook Pro.  And now I dream of the new iPhone but my contract on my work phone isn't up yet, so I'm waiting.  Patiently.  Sort of.  <maybe not so patiently>

A few days ago, I updated my iPhone to the new iOS8 (before the update was issued that actually made things worse).  I was worried, because my iPhone is pretty loaded down with stuff and in updates-past, I've had to remove stuff just to add the new iOS.  But then I found a website that helped out.  Apparently, if you connect your phone to your laptop to update, you don't need all that space on your phone, like you would if you install the update "over the air."  Whew!  Now I don't have to delete all those photos. 

And then once I updated it, I found that Mac had installed a little icon on my home screen called "tips".  And, that's in fact what it really is.  A link to a bunch of tips!  Helpful ones.  If you haven't updated yet (assuming you even have an iPhone and aren't like The Hubbs with your Android in hand), you can check you what you're missing here on Apple's website.  And if you have updated, you can see what you just got.

Oh and I also found out from a friend that you can ask Siri "what planes are flying overhead right now" and she'll tell you!  Crazy!  I use it while walking the dogs all the time, since we live under a flight pattern.  Not that it really matters, but now I no longer have to look up and wonder where that airplane is going with all those people on board.  And now, as one always full of wanderlust, I know if I wish I were up there with them or not. 
See you this evening at the VHH!  Happy Friday.  And you're welcome.

Don't Think * Your Daily Brain Vitamin v9.26.14

Don't think.  It just complicates things.  Just feel, and if it feels like home, then follow its path. -r.m. drake

Straw, Sticks or Bricks? You Help Me Choose.

The Hubbs and I are getting ready to build a house.  And we want to be sure the Big Bad Wolf (aka Carolina Hurricanes) can't blow it down.  But what I want to know is would you (my readers, and yes, that includes you Mom) be interested in hearing how this whole thing goes?  Kind of like The Pioneer Woman did with their office remodel?  Maybe even ask for your help now and then on choosing certain things.  Like light fixtures.  Or faucets.  Or carpet (I vote no carpet, so help me out on this one with The Hubbs).  
Leave me a note in the comments if that sounds like something you'd like to hear about now and then.  
Until then, here are a couple of recaps.
1.  Last night's Mexican Lasagna was amazeballs.  I had to make ours gluten, corn and cow's milk free, but it was still YUMMY!  Here's a pic of it.

2.  And I now have The Hubbs helping me make the homemade dog food.  He's a really good patty maker.  And it goes more than twice as fast.  I snuck this photo today while he was helping.  Note his take on the tie-dye craft tshirt he's wearing.  That was from the camp vacay in Canada a few months ago.  There's even a bottle of homemade kombucha in the foreground.  See, we really do live like this.  ;-)  You're welcome.  

Remember How Far You've Come * Your Daily Brain Vitamin v9.25.14

Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be.

Maybe The Italians Didn't Even Invent Lasagna To Begin With

You may have been wondering where I was yesterday afternoon. It was a Tuesday.  And for a while now, I've blogged every week day.  But yesterday. . . .  well, yesterday, I just didn't have anything cool to tell you about.  Nothing.  I made a promise to myself when I started this blogging endeavor that I would not post crap just for the sake of having a post. So, yesterday you got - a break.  
But today, however, is a very different story.  We have a new guest blogger!  I'd like to introduce you to Stacey.  She's been my BFF since we were thirteen (I'm not going to tell you how many years it's been.  I'm on to you.  You're smart and you'll do the math.  No way, sugar.  You'll just have to keep guessing.)!  And she's quite the cook.  Always has been.  She's the one that introduced me to Monte Cristo sandwiches (I've never been able to make them as well as she does), among other things.  I can still see us wolfing those bad boys down in her parent's kitchen.  Hi, Judy! (that's her mom, who I hope is reading this). 
Today she's bringing us a new recipe she's just perfected. So, here we go. . . .

Food inspiration… it’s what I needed… it’s what I got. I had some ground beef that I needed to use and decided to brown it, add in taco seasoning and call it good. Then, I started flipping through some of my cookbooks and that’s when it hit me… Mexican Lasagna. Well, what really hit me was Tricia Yearwood’s Black Bean Lasagna from Trisha Yearwood’s Family Recipes (which appears to be no longer available new but the recipe is in Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen too). I made her version before and it’s really good. I just decided this time to modify it and make it more… Mexican. So, here is what I did:

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1 can black beans

1 ½ cup frozen corn

1 – 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 – 6oz can tomato paste

1 can Ro-Tel

¼ cup water

Lasagna Noodles

8 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese – grated

8 oz Cheddar Cheese – grated

16 oz Ricotta Cheese

To start, you will need 1lb of ground beef, a packet of taco seasoning, a can of black beans and about  1½ cups frozen corn.

Brown the ground beef and add the taco seasoning according to packet directions. Add the can of black beans. I drained off most of the liquid from the black beans before I added them. And finally add the corn. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, long enough for the corn to thaw. Remove from heat and set it aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine an 8oz can of tomato sauce, a 6oz can of tomato paste, ¼ cup water and a can of Ro-Tel. Any flavor of Ro-Tel will work. I just like the Mexican Lime & Cilantro version.

Let it simmer while you boil your lasagna noodles. Which you should be doing now… if only I had taken a picture of that… anyway, get a big pot of water boiling and cook your lasagna noodles according to package directions.

While your lasagna noodles are boiling. Get out your grater and start grating the cheese. I used Monterrey Jack and Cheddar Cheese. You need about 8 oz of each. Or get a 16oz block of Cheddar Jack cheese and grate the whole thing. Or, buy a bag of shredded cheese.

It’s time to assemble! First, start by preheating your oven at 350°. Next, take a 9x13 rectangular baker and spread about 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce.

Place a layer of noodles on top of the sauce.

Smear 1/3 of the ricotta cheese on the noodles.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce on the ricotta cheese.

Spread 1/3 of the meat mixture on top of the sauce.

Next, sprinkle in 1/3 of the cheese.

Repeat the layers two more times. And pop it in the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

Ahhhh, melted goodness! Take it out of the oven and let it set for 10-20 minutes. Cut a big square and enjoy. As a side note, a little dollop of sour cream is a nice addition too.

Here's the play by play again in one place:  

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Add taco seasoning according to packet directions. Add black beans and frozen corn. Continue to cook the meat mixture over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes or until the corn is thawed. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, Ro-Tel, and ¼ cup water. Let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Cook and drain lasagna noodles.

Preheat oven at 350°.

In a 9x13 rectangular baker, spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture. Layer lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese on noodles. Spread 1/3 of the tomato sauce mixture on top of the ricotta cheese. Layer 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with the cheese.

Bake lasagna, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbling. Remove from oven and let it stand for 10-20 minutes. Cut into 3” squares and serve.

See.  I told you this was worth skipping a day and waiting for.  I've actually got The Hubbs stopping at the store on his way home to get the ingredients to make it (Wendy-fied for my dietary restrictions) tonight.  You're welcome!