Domestic Goddess or what!?

I would like to think I'm a "Domestic Goddess" - unfortunatley, the truth is definately not this!  But there are some things I can do, that make me feel like one for a little while, just long enough to make me feel good, then the truth comes crashing back!

Now, let me give a disclaimer I AM NOT A GARDENER!  But I do love to garden.  I have a little veggie plot, that if you are a gardener, you would laugh at it.  However, I am pretty proud of it.  I have tomatoes, squash, peppers, jalepino's, onions, okra, beans, strawberries and some herbs.  Not a huge selection, but enough for a beginner.  I know I'm kindo' weird, but I love tending it! It's really relaxing and I can mess around with it while the boys are playing in the yard.

But, by far the best thing about my garden is that just now, all the veggies are still growing and nothing is ready to be picked, except for my beloved herbs!  I love it!  I can just nip out my back door, scissors in hand and come back with a handful of herbs and chop them up and chuck them on whatever I've cooked.  My cooking can go from 'ho hum' to 'ta da'!  in a single second!  It is wonderful!  Ofcourse, you can get somewhat a similar experience if you buy fresh herbs - but really nothing beats growing your own.  And trust me, if I can grow them anyone can. 

So, if you've got a garden, I would totally like to encourage you to go and plant some herbs and start enjoying this wonderfully, easy way to be a 'Domestic Goddess'  If you don't have a garden, go and get some little pots and put them on your kitchen window.  Serously, you will feel a million dollars if you do this - you will be amazed!

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about putting huge 'trees' of parsley all over your food, like your mum did in the 70's.  But using fresh cilantro in your salads, fresh basil in your jar of pasta sauce (everyone will think you've made it!!), fresh chives in your mashed potatoes - also add some cheese and sourcream - YUM!  You can pretty much put fresh herbs in any dish and you will improve it dramatically.  So, go on out and start your journey on being a 'Domestic Goddess'!

Steak with a bunch of herbs, salt & pepper and olive oil, throw on the grill and 'Voila'!

From the Field to the Table

Dave is my knight in shining armor!  He is a complete stud!  We had a whirl wind courtship and got married super quickly - it was amazing!  I moved from Washington DC to Longton, Kansas.  Longton is tiny, population 300.  My life has so changed - but it is great and great because I get to spend my life with Dave!  He is the local preacher and loves to hunt.  He loves to hunt pretty much anything.  The first time I saw him all decked out in his hunting garb, I wondered if I had got the date wrong and had missed Halloween!  It always kind of makes me smile when I see him all camo'd up!  But at the same time, when I see him all ready to go hunting, well, it kindo' makes me go weak at the knees!

Anyway, turkey season came this year and out Dave went.  One day, he came home really early - that usually is an indication he's got something.  Had he got something?  Oh yes!  He had got 2 big turkeys - well, one big one and one not as big.  But the thing that really tickled us was that he had got both the turkeys with one bullet!  I mean - what a dude!   So the big turkey was 24lbs and the little one 15lbs. 

The fun wasn't over.  Oh no, it was now time for the boys to do their bit.  The boys just LOVE to 'help' Dave get the turkey's processed.  I looked out the window to see the boys running round the yard chasing each other with the turkey feet.  They were having the time of their life!  It often makes me laugh to see my life - never would I have thought I'd be married to a hunter, living in the middle of no-where, with boys running round the yard thinking they are Rambo!  God has an amazing sense of humor!

Another great thing about Dave hunting is that he loves to cook what he's hunted.  So, last night he was busy getting the turkey ready to be smoked today.  He was up at 7.30am this morning, getting the smoker ready and up to heat, to get the turkey in.  He did it all himself.

This post I'm not leaving a recipe, because when Dave cooks, it is just done by a bit of this and a bit of that!  It's amazing - it always comes out really great and today was no exception!  The turkey was wonderful.  It was Memorial Day today, so we were able to celebrate it with Dave's parents - Kay & Enrique Sanchez (Granny & Ta ta) and also a neighbour, Rex came over.  We had a wonderful feast - Dave made the turkey and grilled some homegrown onions and corn.  I made some salads and some other fixin's - it was great!

There was a bunch of left overs, so tonight we were good to go and everyone just grabbed what they wanted.  It was a lovely holiday, spent with family & great food, d day to remember!

not your average potato salad

When I was 8 & 9 years old, I spent a couple of weeks each summer in Rothesay, Isle of Bute.  This is a very small island just south west of Glasgow, Scotland.  My Auntie Isobel & Uncle Bill lived there.  I would go there with my sister and brother and meet up with my 3 cousins and granny and grandpa also came - so it was quite a gathering!  We spent the days swimming, fishing, going on picnics - that kind of stuff you did in Scotland on holiday.  In the evening, we would all be responsible for helping with dinner.  Some would set the table, others make the salad, others make (yes from scratch) the lemonade - it was all quite a deal!

Many years later, having not been to Rothesay for a considerable time, I went back.  Apart from my Aunt and Uncle being older and moving into a smaller house, nothing had really changed!  The table was still set properly for dinner, everyone still helped & the lemonade was still made from scratch.  My aunt in conversation said we were having Potato Salad, because she remembered I really liked it.  I have to be honest, I hadn't had potato salad in years and couldn't really tell you whether or not I liked it - it just wasn't something I would have even considered eating.  But apparently, at age 8 I had loved potato salad, therefore that was what we were having for dinner (along with, I think Salmon - Scottish of course).  So, not wanting to offend, I ate the potato salad - and yes! It really was pretty good!  I had totally forgotten how good simple food really was.

Well, let's get back up to 2011...I'm married to a half American, half Mexican.  Dave LOVES food - but really thinks jalapenos should probably be in every dish.  Really, it doesn't matter what you make - the jalapenos are probably on the table, along with the hot sauce.  So, alot of the time I try to make food especially the way Dave likes it, it's just one of those crazy, love things I do!  Well, I was trying to think of some yummy fixin's to make one day and started thinking of Potato Salad.  Then I just got carried away and ended up with this AMAZING ZINGY POTATO SALAD.  I hope you like it!

Dee Licious Amazing Zingy Potato Salad

Potatoes - I like to use little new ones and not even cut them- boil them til just cooked - not mushy!
Jalapenos - chopped really small
Mayonnaise - I really like the stuff made with olive oil, but any will work
Cilantro (coriander) - chopped
Green Onions (Spring Onions) - chopped really small
Salt and Pepper

Mix all in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

I purposefully haven't put measurements in for this recipe, because it is so up to ones personal taste.  My family like it really spicy - so we add lots of jalapenos, cilantro and onions.  Other people just like it to have a little bit of zing - therefore only add a little of each.

Family dinner picture, summer 1980 Rothesay, Scotland.  Cousins, aunts, uncles, sister and brother, granny and grandpa.  A true MacGregor Holiday!  I'm the little girl, 2nd from the front, with pigtales (and yes squint eyes!).

Just Dessert

My kids just love to help in the kitchen - esp when it involves chocolate!  They definitely get this from there Mama - I love, love, love chocolate.  In my humble opinion desserts need to have chocolate or they shouldn't really be called dessert.  OK, there are some exceptions, but not many!

I've been in America for 11 years and really love my life here.  But, and hopefully I'm not sounding critical, the 1st holiday I had state side was Thanksgiving.  I was really excited about it and everyone talked about the wonderful food and amazing desserts.  Well, Pumpkin Pie was just a big let down!  And it seems like all the parties I went to had bought, stodgy pumpkin pie.  For my Scottish friends Pumpkin Pie is really just like Neep Pie!  Can you imagine anything worse??  I now avoid PP...

Well, Memorial Day is approaching and my in-laws are coming.  The kiddo's are just too excited to see Granny and Ta ta.  I will be busy making sure all the meals are yummy and everyone is well fed and desserts are always a must when we have people in.  One of the all time fav desserts I've ever made is Banoffee Pie.  I will make it sometime during the weekend.  Whenever I make it I have lots of ohs and ahhs.  If you are wanting to make a good impression, or get a marriage proposal or make your man fall more in-love with you than ever before - this is the dessert to make.  And the best bit - it is so quick and easy.  So here goes.

Dee Licious Banoffee Pie

I Graham Cracker pie crust (Digestives of course are the best if you're in the UK)
1 can condensed milk
2 Tblspns butter
2 Tblspns sugar
4 Tblspns milk
2 or 3 bananas - not too ripe
whipped cream
sprinkle of cocoa powder

Brush the pie crust with egg and bake at 350 for 5 mins.  This just makes it taste so much better.
In a good, thick based sauce pan, put in condensed milk, butter & sugar.  Heat to boil, STIRRING ALL THE TIME.  Boil for about 5 mins, just until it goes slightly darker and thickens slightly.  REMEMBER TO STIR IT ALL THE TIME OR IT WILL BURN AND GO LUMPY - DON'T STOP NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND!  Remove from the heat and add milk, stir this in.  Leave to one side.  Slice bananas and line pie crust with bananas.  Pour the toffee mixture over the bananas, refrigerate until cold and set.  Top with whipped cream and then sprinkle with cocoa powder.  As with all desserts serve with good, fresh coffee. 

Note to the cook - remember to not eat too much of the main dish as you will def want to leave room for Banoffee Pie.  It really goes without saying, this is not a healthy recipe.  If you are on a diet, just don't make it!

Stop Wafflin'

When I got married to Dave and moved to Kansas, I had to change what I ate.  Dave LOVES cooked breakfasts, I'm more of your coffee and cereal or toast kindo' girl.  Anyway, I  got the frying pans out, the eggs, bacon, sausage etc etc - not everyday, but sometimes, when I was feeling particularly sweet.  Dave loved it - but would always ask for waffles.  I'd never made waffles, but being the good wife that I was, I got the recipe books out and started looking for a recipe.  Well, this was where the problems started.  I made lots of batches, with lots of ingredients and they were all YUCKY!  They were hard, lumpy and definitely not soft and fluffy and melt in the mouth delicious!  Like the recipes told me they would be.

So, what could I do - I made up a recipe for waffles and it's great!  It's made with wholewheat flour - so you feel you can pile on the butter and syrup and if you use organic syrup, that makes you feel even healthier!

Dee Licious Waffles

1 cup wholewheat flour
1 cup SR flour
3 tspns baking powder
1 Tblspn cinnamon
2 Tblspns sugar
2 eggs
1/4 veggie oil
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tspns vanilla (real if you have it - it's def worth it!)

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Add all the liquid.  Mix until smooth.  If it's too thick - add more milk, you want it to be like heavy whipped (double) cream.  Pour into your waffle iron, don't fill it too full and cook til golden brown.  We have a waffle iron with a timer and alarm, after going through several cheaper ones, this one is definitely working out really well and in my humble opinion, worth the extra money. 

Serve with lots of butter and syrup and of course a large cup of fresh coffee.

This morning, I got up and got the coffee going and made a batch of waffles.  I even had my 2 oldest boys help me, which they love to do.  We all sat down to a great breakfast and it was a wonderful start to a great day with my family.

Meal times at our house are crazy, loud, lovely times, times I will cherish all my life.  Make the most of every moment with your family, too soon this time will pass...

What? Really? A blog!

My name is Dee Sanchez, and I'm married to Dave, a preacher come hunter in rural SE Kansas.  We have been married for 6 years and have 3 boys - age 4, nearly 3 and 8 months - yip we have been busy!  So, why am I blogging?  Well, my hopes and dreams would be to make people laugh, think a little and maybe just step out and try something new.
Today, Dave came back from the post office with a parcel for me - a new recipe book!  I love recipe books and have many - but you can really never have too many, so I was delighted to have a new, beautiful book to look at and see some yummy new recipes.  I love cooking and baking - but do not have enough time or energy to cook like I used too, nor to be honest do I have the $$ just to spend on food.  We are so blessed that I get to stay home and raise my boys - but it is definitely at a cost, and we just have to be careful about how we spend our $$.  So, I'm always looking for recipes to make great food without spending too much.  Often, I just have to change ingredients either to make it a bit healthier or more affordable or to accommodate what I have in the cupboard.  Anyway, rarely do I actually stick to a recipe.
So, tonight, in the new book there was a recipe for bean dip - it did look good - but I made it even better.  Here it is, 
Dee Licious Bean Dip

1 can Pinto beans - really you could use any kind of bean though
4 cloves garlic - peeled
handful cilantro (coriander)
handful parsley
salt and pepper
2 stalks celery
1 radish
few spoons of canned tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 jalapeno

Put all the ingredients into blender and whiz until smooth.  Pour into dish and serve with veggies, bread or chips.

Of course you could use dried beans - but canned are supper quick and easy and with 3 kiddo's - quick is often essential!  It really was a delicious, quick and healthy meal that we all enjoyed.  Even little Titus, my baby had some and appeared to like it!

I don't live in a house, where we sit around eating and discussing the ingredients - no way, I have 3 boys!  Tonight as I was cleaning up the dinner, the boys were playing with Dave, they were wrestling.  Then Dave stopped and showed them wrestling on 'utube' now Reuben thinks he is Bruce Lee!  They are all boy - which I LOVE!  But they are all boy, who eat most of what I cook and that makes me happy!