Tag Archives: NanaBread

July 30, 2012 · 1:33 PM

Postcards from Small Town Texas

The Complete Package and I have been enjoying scenic drives to small towns throughout Texas. This is the third in a series of photos documenting our lazy day adventures and highlighting these small town Texas treasures.

Third Stop: Shiner, Texas


Shiner has an unconventional downtown compared to other small towns we’ve visited. Instead of a town square, Shiner’s downtown appears to be one long street running parallel to a railroad track, with shops running for a block or two on either side of the tracks. While I missed that town square vibe, there were plenty of historic buildings to ‘oooh’ and ‘ahhh’ over. Most of these were built in 1910-1911. I can never get enough of the gorgeous brick details in these old buildings. The craftsmanship is just stunning and so colorful.

This might just be my favorite downtown shop. Why? Because my mother’s name is Martha and she is an avid quilter; has been ever since she was a wee girl. If she ever decides to move away from Oklahoma, I think she could step right into this place and take over. How perfect is that?


Once you’ve hit all the shops and taken a lunch break, take a short stroll down 6th Street to this bridge over the creek (that’s downtown in the background).


For your efforts, you’ll be rewarded with a visit to the Spoetzl Brewery, home of Shiner Beer. For Texas beer lovers, this place is sacred.


There’s something about visiting the Spoetzl Brewery that makes you feel like you’re experiencing Texas history firsthand. Heck, I’m not even a beer drinker and I get excited seeing those gorgeous, enormous copper brewing kettles.


Tours of the brewery are only available Monday through Friday (I know… I don’t get it, either) so plan accordingly if you want to take in the heady brew room in person. If you find yourself in Shiner on a weekend, don’t despair. The gift shop is open on Saturday from 11am-3pm, and you can sample Shiner’s many varieties while browsing the t-shirts, ball caps and other treasures.


If you’re lucky, you might even find yourself there during a beer-themed trade fair. We found table after table of antiques & collectibles under the live oaks in front of the brewery. While we didn’t find anything we couldn’t live without, there was certainly plenty to see and some really interesting people to chat with.


Our last stop was one of the famous painted churches of Texas. Built by Czech and German immigrants, these churches are among some of our most treasured Texas historical buildings. This historical marker tells the tale of Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Shiner (click on the photo to see it in a larger format, then click the ‘back’ arrow on your computer to return to this post).


Just outside the church, we found this pretty little grotto/shrine.


But the real show-stopper is the church itself. Built in 1920-21, it’s a testament to the faith and perseverance of Shinerites as well as a nod to their history and heritage. As luck would have it, the church was locked when we were there. To see photos of the painted interior, you can click on this link to a Google Images page or visit the Texas Escapes page for Saints Cyril & Methodius Church.


What I can tell you is that it’s enormous and absolutely gorgeous from the outside. Even if you find it locked, it’s still worth a leisurely stroll around the church just to enjoy the details of the exterior. It really is a lovely church.

Shiner is located approximately 125 miles west of Houston, 80 miles southeast of Austin, or 90 miles east of San Antonio. For more information on Shiner, visit their website at http://www.shinertx.com/ or visit the Texas Escapes Website.

To see the other stories in this series, go to:
Postcards from Small Town Texas – Hallettsville
Postcards from Small Town Texas – Yoakum

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July 6, 2012 · 7:50 AM

Friday Fun: The Sock Monkey Project

Who doesn’t love a sock monkey? They’re cute, they’re cuddly, and they’re colorful. When Mom & one of my four sisters were here last week, Big Sis threw down a crafting challenge. She brought a pattern for sock monkeys. She should really know better than to throw down a crafting challenge for several reasons:

1. I love a challenge.
2. I love all things crafty.
3. I love my grandchildren.
4. I love making things for my grandchildren.
5. We all inherited the ‘Artsy Fartsy’ gene from our mother.

We had grand plans to tackle this together – the three of us. But food, antiquing and Cocktail Week got in our way. You see, my big sister was just here for a long weekend. Mom came for 9 days. That meant Mom and I had more down time. So in the same way we tackled Cocktail Week research, we jumped on that sock monkey pattern – like it was our mission in life.

Quick fact about the females in my family – we’re addicted to Target. While there, we found a rack of cute socks in coordinating stripes, patterns and colors. Of course, we looked at each other and squealed “Sock Monkeys!”

Making these for Lilly & Jonah was, well… more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

The only thing cuter than sock monkeys? Sock monkeys in stylish outfits. Lilly Bug’s monkey has a lacy skirt with antique button detail; Jonah’s monkey has grey flannel shorts with a star button pocket. It’s what all the fashionable sock monkeys are wearing these days.

Feeling crafty yet? Here’s the link for the sock monkey pattern. It’s from CraftPassion.com. If you enjoying being creative, you’re going to love this website. Thanks for the pattern, Big Sis! And thanks to my Mom for helping sew them up. We had the best time bringing these little cuties to life.

The twins really want you to make sock monkeys. Like right now.

I can already tell I’m going to spend WAY too much time browsing CraftPassion’s fun projects this summer. Care to join me? Bring your socks!

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July 4, 2012 · 8:03 AM

Lazy Day Dinner: Easy Pizza at Home

Thrown together in minutes, this lazy day pizza is a must have.

The Complete Package was traveling last week, and when he travels I usually eat things like Honey Nut Cheerios for dinner. Hey, don’t knock it until you try it. They’re delicious. But after a while, even cold cereal can’t hold my attention. So what do you make when it’s 103F outside and you don’t want to spend hours in a hot kitchen? How about easy homemade pizza? Works for me!

I started with a ball of frozen pizza dough in its whole wheat version.

Frozen pizza dough – it’s the key to quick homemade pizza

Just spray a mixing bowl with Pam, drop in the frozen pizza dough, give the dough ball a quick spray to keep it from sticking, and cover the bowl in plastic wrap. I like to secure the plastic wrap with a large rubber band. Better safe than sorry, I always say. For a rapid thaw at summer temps, place it on your back porch (out of the reach of kids and pets) for approximately 30 minutes. If you’re making this for dinner, you can let it rise on your kitchen counter all day.

While the dough is thawing, I like to prep the rest of my toppings. For this pizza, I browned one package of my favorite breakfast sausage in a skillet. I like to break it up with a wooden spoon and stir it frequently until done. If it’s too greasy, drain the cooked sausage on paper towels, pour most of the grease off and return the skillet to the stove.

Next, I make my own pizza sauce. It’s easier than you think. Really. In the same skillet, brown half a small onion (chopped) and 3 cloves of garlic (minced) in about 1 tablespoon of the sausage grease. Once the onion starts to become translucent, add one 15-ounce can of pureed tomatoes. Toss in 1/8 teaspoon of ground oregano and 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil. Allow the mixture to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken, then add salt and pepper to taste. If you like a little spice, throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes. That’s how I roll.

Homemade pizza sauce – it’s easier than you think & tastes better, too.

Once your dough is thawed and risen, spray a cookie sheet or 13″ x 9″ baking pan, then gently press the dough into the pan. You can roll it; I use my fingers.

Look at that gorgeous dough. You’d never guess it’s store-bought.

Using a spatula, spread as much or as little pizza sauce as you like then top with the sausage, some grated parmesan cheese, and a nice layer of sliced provolone.

Building the pie – the only thing missing is the provolone. Yum!

Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting & serving.

Thatsa’ one pretty pizza pie!

Feel free to change up the toppings to your preference. The options are literally endless – pepperoni & sauteed mushrooms, leftover grilled chicken & spinach, summer veggies, leftover steak, Canadian bacon & thinly sliced onions, meatballs (sliced or cut in half). Heck, you could even substitute alfredo sauce, buffalo sauce, or BBQ sauce and get really creative! The point is that a good frozen pizza dough and a quick homemade sauce can turn any homemade pizza pie into a treat in mere minutes. So what are you waiting for?

Sorry. This one’s for me. Go make your own pizza. Shoo!

And if you like to multitask meals like I do, save that leftover pizza sauce.

Yes, there will be leftover pizza sauce. You will not want to waste it.

Grab a bag of frozen fully cooked meatballs from your local grocery store and a package of frozen French baguettes. They make another great meal in minutes.

Yet another reason I love my local HEB grocery store.

Throw the meatballs in a baking dish and cover with foil. Place the baguettes on a baking sheet. Heat your oven to 400F, then put the meatballs and bread in to bake. The baguettes are ready when they’re toasty on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. Both should be ready in about 20 minutes. To assemble, microwave the sauce until hot and smear a generous amount into the baguettes. Toss in enough meatballs to fill them and top with a slice of provolone cheese. Presto – a second quick & easy dinner in about 30 minutes.

Do you plan meals that multitask? If so, what is your double-duty favorite?

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July 2, 2012 · 9:00 AM

One Kitchen, Many Hearts – June

I love our blogger boxes. There’s no other way to say it. It’s like Christmas morning, every other month. For June OKMH Boxes, I received a carton of love from the 45th parallel from Kirsten of Comfortably Domestic. We’ve never met, but we are twins separated at birth (never mind the pesky age difference). She is my sister from another mister. My doppelgänger. And because of that, her box was an exercise in perfection. It started with this card.

This is us in 30 years, and my vote goes to “buck naked”


Fuel for my soul, that’s what this box is.

The first goodie out of the box was this can of chipotle peppers (which we love), a jar of lemons preserved in salt (which I have never in my life tried), and a recipe for BBQ sauce that combines the two. Kirsten nailed this one. I love lemons, we both love barbecue, and TCP loves to grill. I can’t wait to try this recipe and those gorgeous salt-preserved lemons.

Smokey, zingy, tasty goodness – all in one recipe. Very cool.

Next up, a little something for the girly girl in me. Hello summer!

Lips & nails – throw in some mascara & it’s a girly emergency kit.

Then my heart stopped beating when I found these…

Dried cherries from the Upper Peninsula region of the 45th parallel.

If you’re thinking “big deal… dried cherries” then I question how we can be friends (except for my dear friend Kaki – she gets a cherry pass). Seriously, as a cherry lover there are few things as glorious as a gift of Michigan cherries. Canned, fresh or dried – I’ll take them any way I can get them. I’m not exaggerating when I say that a little tear of joy came to my eye when I pulled these out of the box. They are the perfect blend of tart & sweet, dried & plump. I covet these the way some girls covet diamonds. Have mercy, they’re delicious.

This next little gadget blew my mind.

The Cuppow – it turns any wide-mouth canning jar into a travel mug.

As a lover of canning jars AND my morning coffee, my jaw dropped when I saw this. The Cuppow fits onto any wide-mouth canning jar, which I just happen to have a love affair with. In the list of things I hoard, canning jars rank near the top. When I saw this, I did the head slap/why didn’t I think of this thing. It’s so simple it’s brilliant. And Kirsten kicked it up another notch by including my first ‘to go’ beverage AND a handmade travel jar koozie. Seriously. She raises 4 boys, homeschools them all, runs a household, trains a dog and bakes every single day. And she still found time to knit a cover for my travel jar. UH.MAZE.ING.

This simple rigid plastic lid will change you life.

Knowing my love of canning jars, Kirsten capped my June box with yet another of my obsessions – buttons. Or in this case, buttons in an antique canning jar she found in an antique shop. My mother and I went through these like kids in a candy shop, ‘ooooing’ and ‘ahhhhing’ over each new find. We laughed our butts off when we found a small denture charm in the jar. It looks ancient, it’s a little disturbing, and it’s absolutely hysterical. I loved them all. Here’s a collage tribute to our button fun because every crafty girl loves buttons.

Antique buttons in an antique jar; she just gets me

Saying that I enjoyed this month’s box would be a gross understatement. I loved it all. Kirsten’s picks could not have been more perfect. Seriously, these boxes are too much fun. I have a feeling we’re going to need to expand this next year to include more friends. Because everyone loves friends and presents.

To see what the other girls in our group got, drop in on:
Kirsten at Comfortably Domestic (who received a box from me)
Megan of Wanna Be A Country Cleaver
Kat of Tenaciously Yours
Madelyn of La Petite Pancake
Allison of Decadent Philistines Save the World

OKMH Bloggers (top) – Mads, Kirsten & Megan; (bottom) Jeanne, Allison & Kat

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June 30, 2012 · 8:00 AM

Mom’s Favorite Raspberry Mojitos

I swear I wasn’t trying to get my Momma drunk, but you certainly wouldn’t know that by the number of cocktails we attempted in the last 10 days. Cocktail Week proved to be more daunting than I thought.

Lava Flows – frozen cocktails made from pineapple, strawberries, hooch and half & half? Not good.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Daquiris – sounded great in theory, but our fresh pineapple was flavorless and the chunks of pineapple & strawberry kept getting stuck in our straws; too gooey sweet; poor sipping factor.

Hurricanes – too many items to purchase at the liquor store; I already have a pantry shelf full of booze, and I’m not really a drinker. Plus, it’s Houston and we’re allergic to the word ‘hurricane’.

Sex on the Beach Popsicles – I was all in for the peach factor; I was all out for waiting 2 days for them to set up.

Big Sis’s Frozen Slushies – I don’t even know what’s in it. I just know that it was frozen, delicious and died a quick death. She brought them in an ice chest, so I didn’t witness their creation and unfortunately, it won the ‘most un-photogenic cocktail’ prize. Still, it will need to be shared this summer. For sure.

Cherry Amaretto Granitas & Spritzers – this one worked. Mom sampled it as a granita and a poptail, but I think my favorite version of it was the spritzer with ginger ale. You can see that one by clicking HERE.

Raspberry Mojitos – Mom’s pick for favorite cocktail of the week. I have to say, she’s right on the money with this one. It was a great balance of sweet (berries) and sour (lime). It also created a light summer beverage that was still remarkably flavorful. This is the kind of cocktail you could sip often and not tire of. In my book, that’s a keeper.

Here’s how we did it. And you know what? You should do it, too.

Mom’s Favorite Raspberry Mojitos
Makes 2 large mojitos over ice

the juice of 1/2 a lime (freshly squeezed)
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 ounces rum
1 ounce raspberry liqueur
3-4 fresh mint leaves

Simple syrup, to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup of lime seltzer
ice
lime slices & mint leaves, for garnish

Begin by placing the lime juice, berries, sugar, booze & 3-4 mint leaves in a deep glass container. If you have a muddler, put it to good use. If not, use a sturdy wooden spoon and smash all the ingredients to a pulp. Literally. Place the container in the fridge and allow your fruit sludge to chill for at least one hour. The theory is to let the fruit macerate in the booze and sugar until the flavors are beautifully infused.

While your fruit is macerating, make a simple syrup by placing one cup of water and one cup of granulated sugar into a small saucepan. Heat to a boil, then remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.

To serve, strain the fruit mixture equally into two serving glasses. Add simple syrup to taste, then add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lime seltzer. Stir with a spoon and sample. Tweak the simple syrup or seltzer to your personal preference. I like them a little on the sweet side. You may like them with more seltzer. Garnish with a slice of lime, a fresh mint leaf and a colorful straw. If you’re feeling fancy schmancey, toss in a few fresh raspberries. Then pull up a lawn chair and sip until you forget it’s 103F outside.

We’ll be in the back yard drinking until we can’t hear the neighbor’s dogs barking.

Now, don’t forget to visit Wanna Be A Country Cleaver and enter to win that sexy new fabulously blue KitchenAid blender. She’s wrapping up Cocktail Week today with a lovely Lavender Blueberry Lemonade, and has also done a great job of re-capping all of our Cocktail Week shenanigans, so what are you waiting for? Shake a leg, and tell her NanaBread sent you.

While you’re at it, drop by Bakeaholic Mama‘s blog to see her cocktail finale – Funfetti Milkshakes. She’s celebrating her first blog anniversary by creating a party in a glass, and she’s giving away presents in the form of a Le Creuset giveaway you will not want to miss.

Fifteen gloriously refreshing cocktails just in time for summer AND two fabulous giveaways? I call that an unqualified success and a fabulous way to wrap up Cocktail Week. Thanks for joining us, and thanks to my fellow bloggers for another winning collaboration. Happy summer everyone!

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June 29, 2012 · 7:10 AM

Cherry Amaretto Granitas

It’s Cocktail Week, which means my blogging buddies and I couldn’t resist the temptation of yet another collaboration. With the July 4th holiday and summer high temps just around the corner, what could be better than cocktails? Nothing! (That’s what WE said!) Here’s my contribution to quenching the proverbial thirst while battling record highs in Houston. You knew it had to be frozen.

Cherry Amaretto Granitas:
Makes 4 cocktails, 4 granitas OR 4 poptails

8 ozs. frozen dark sweet cherries
1/4 cup cherry jam or preserves
1/2 cup simple syrup
1/4 cup Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka
1/4 cup Amaretto
2-3 drops of red food color (optional)

Note: To make simple syrup, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cool completely.

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients above and blend until the cherries are almost pureed. Pour the mixture into a shallow glass dish and place into the freezer until firm. This may take up to 2 hours, but it can also be made in advance and kept in the freezer until ready to serve.

To serve, use a fork to flake the frozen concoction into a slushy texture. Spoon the slush into an elegant flute or pretty glass and serve with an iced tea spoon and a straw. For a spritzer, add a touch of ginger ale. If you prefer, you can spoon the slush into small bowls and serve as a boozy adults-only granita. Either way, you’ll want to lick the vessel clean.

Speaking of, you can also turn these into grown-up Poptails by boosting the simple syrup amount up to 3/4 cup and reducing the whipped cream vodka to 1/8 cup, which will allow the mixture to freeze hard. Just adjust your liquids and pour the mixture into popsicle molds. Allow them to freeze overnight for best results. Just be sure to mark them “For Adults Only” and keep them out of the reach of children. Who says kids should have all the fun this summer?

Special thanks to: my mother, who helped develop & test way too many cocktails over the past 10 days & my friend Kirsten, who inspired this concoction with a jar of the most wonderful homemade Michigan cherry jam. I couldn’t have done it without either of you ladies. Thanks so much!

Mom takes one for the team by sampling a Cherry Amaretto Poptail

And now, be sure to drop in on these fabulous cocktails:

The Raging Aztec Frappe – by Megan of Wanna Be A Country Cleaver (her post includes a giveaway of a FABulous KitchenAid blender; how convenient!)

Peach Pie Prosecco Palmer – by Allison of Decadent Philistines

Raspberry Thyme Tom Collins – by Carrie of Bakeaholic Mama

Traverse City Cherry Mojitos – by Kirsten of Comfortably Domestic

Amaretto Sours – by Kat of Tenaciously Yours

Watermelon Mojos – by Katie of The Hill Country Cook

Palomas – by Lauren of Climbing Grier Mountain

Radlermass – by Allison of Decadent Philistines Save the World

Blueberry Smash Cocktail – by Madeline of Munching in the Mitten

Peach Bellinis – from Madelyn of La Petite Pancake

And there’s still more to come! Allison is prepping an Anniversary Sgroppino Cocktail, Megan is mixing up a Lavender Lemonade, Carrie is stirring up a Funfetti Martini, Lauren is shaking up a Vodka Gimlet, and I’ll be back soon with a Raspberry Mojito so good my mother gave it ‘two thumbs – way up!’

Don’t forget to drop in on Megan of Wanna Be A Country Cleaver and enter to win that gorgeous KitchenAid Blender. It’s a fabulous addition to any kitchen, and the color will blow your socks off. As if that isn’t enough, she’s giving readers a buhzillion ways to enter, so check it out and tell her NanaBread sent you. Good luck and happy sipping!

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June 16, 2012 · 3:14 PM

Republic of Texas Bike Rally (ROT) Austin 2012

The suns sets over the Texas state capitol during ROT 2012


If you read my blog, you’ve occasionally heard me reference The Complete Package (my beloved husband) and his girlfriend (his beloved motorcycle). Each year, TCP takes his girlfriend… er, motorcycle… to Austin to participate in the Republic of Texas (ROT Rally for short) Bike Rally. And every year, I pack my Jeep full of his gear, my stuff and our Boston Terrier and fulfill my destiny as the driver of the support vehicle. Lest you think I’d rather be riding on the back of said motorcycle, think again. But that’s a story for another day.

Each year, approximately 50,000 motorcycle riders and 200,000 participants join in the fun at the largest motorcycle rally in the state of Texas. One of our favorite events of the weekend is the bike parade from the Austin fairgrounds northeast of town where the rally takes place to downtown Austin in front of the state capitol. It is really something.

With the parade route stretching about 11 miles long, bikers riding 2-across will stretch the entire length of the route for more than an hour. To give you an idea of how many riders take part, when the first riders pass the state capitol and turn onto Congress Avenue, there are still riders parked at the fairgrounds waiting for their turn to leave. That’s a solid line of riders stretching out for more than 11 miles riding across Austin, revving engines, honking horns, flashing lights and high-fiving onlookers as they pass. Even if you’re not a motorcycle enthusiast, it’s an impressive spectacle.

Here are a few photos from this year’s ROT Rally parade into downtown Austin.

Here they come! Escorts lead the first riders down Congress Avenue.

Lilly Bug, our granddaughter, takes in the parade from atop mommy’s shoulders.

Bikes of all shapes, sizes & colors parade past.

Some are stretched out choppers…

Some have stretched out riders…

Some get a big ‘thumbs up’ from event staff when they pass.

Some bikers share their ride with pink-haired cuties…

And some ride solo while rocking a spiked yellow helmet for color.

Some like to hide their identities like these mysterious luchadores.

Some represent the ‘older’ crowd on an ultimate trike…

While others represent the younger crowd like this green Ninja hottie.

Some riders are too cool for school…

While others are too fabulously outlandish for words.

As downtown fills with bikes, the first riders into downtown fill Congress Avenue starting at the state capitol and parking their way down to the river.

When a traffic jam occurs, some riders are friendly enough to stop and chat with our grandkids and pose for pictures.

Eventually, Congress Avenue becomes a giant parking lot filled with thousands of bikes and people begin to mingle and take it all in.

I love that the downtown parade is a family-friendly event. People of all ages, races, backgrounds and tastes come out to see this once-a-year event. Rally organizers throw a giant party downtown each year. There really is something for everyone – from bikes to live music to stunning architecture.

When all else fails, you can always break out the light sabers and battle to the death, as My Baby learned at the hands of Jonah Bear. Lilly joined in, too.

Every year, friendly riders show off their bikes to anyone who asks. Some will even let the kids sit on them and pose for photos. Jonah Bear loves that part. I think he likes dreaming of the day when he’ll be big enough to ride a bike into downtown Austin with his Papi. And to that, I say “let the boy dream!”

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May 31, 2012 · 1:37 PM

My new favorite chicken salad

My twist on ATK’s Classic Chicken Salad; it’s light & lemony & yummy

It’s from America’s Test Kitchen. Raise your hand if you’re surprised I fell in love with yet another ATK recipe. No? Nobody? Yeah, me either. It’s no secret I’m a rabid fan of America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks and TV shows. I just love that they devote their lives to perfecting recipes so I don’t have to.

So let’s get on to the chicken salad. This Classic Chicken Salad is adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (revised edition).

1 rotisserie chicken from your grocer’s deli, plain
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 ribs celery, chopped fine
3/4 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Hellman’s)
2 scallions, minced
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
kosher salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Bone and chop your rotisserie chicken and toss it in a mixing bowl.

Note: I prefer the plain chicken seasoned only with salt & pepper. I say that because I once mistakenly grabbed a barbecue seasoned chicken and it was a horrible choice for chicken salad. Don’t be like me; read the label.

Add the canola oil, celery, mayonnaise, scallions, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, parsley and a good pinch of salt & pepper. Give it a stir and allow it to sit for a few minutes, then come back and taste it. I found I liked this recipe with a little more lemon juice, so I added another tablespoon. It gives it a bright citrus zing. Instead of adding more juice, you could also throw in some zested lemon peel, since you’re using a fresh lemon anyway. What I’m saying here is that the lemon is my favorite part of this chicken salad. It’s refreshing. And zingy. I also add a pretty heavy pinch of fresh cracked black pepper, because that’s my thing. I loved cracked black pepper.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes before serving. It helps the flavors come together, and everyone is happier when they’re all getting along. To serve, simply scoop onto your favorite chicken salad vehicle. In my case, it’s a toasted bagel. I can also vouch for the fact that it’s delicious on whole wheat toast, saltine crackers and celery sticks.

If you’re feeling frisky, you can top it with a fresh sliced tomato and a nice crispy piece of romaine. I also highly recommend spicy sweet pickles and your favorite chips on the side so you can get in all the food groups – sweet, salty, crunchy and creamy. Wait, that’s wrong. There are five food groups. I totally left off chocolate! {slaps forehead} Have mercy… can you ever forgive me?

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May 22, 2012 · 7:17 AM

Postcards from Small Town Texas

The Complete Package and I have been enjoying scenic drives to small towns throughout Texas. This is the second in a series of photos documenting our lazy day adventures and highlighting these small town Texas treasures.

Second Stop: Yoakum, Texas

Yoakum, Texas is located between Houston & San Antonio on Highway 95 So., 35 miles south of I-10 and 11 miles south of Shiner. To learn more, visit www.texasescapes.com.

To see the first story in the series – Hallettsville, Texas – click HERE.

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May 17, 2012 · 7:25 AM

Moody Haiku

Ever had one of those days? One of those funky, moody, blue days when you just feel out of sorts? A day when even a counter full of homemade fried pies can’t seem to snap you out of it (so you KNOW you’re really in a funk)? I don’t know why, but I’ve been feeling funky. And when I feel funky, my mind goes to weird places. Like haiku. Don’t judge. I don’t shake my head or wag my finger when you eat peanut butter from the jar with your fingers. Do I.

In the tradition of 5-syllables then 7-syllables then 5-syllables, here’s where my mind went yesterday. And don’t even think about stealing these little pearls. Some day, they’ll be published (on a bathroom stall somewhere).

Oh lovely bacon,
you beguile me as you lay
on my BLT.

Grey hair – yes, down there;
the drapes and now the carpet.
{sigh} Growing old sucks.

"The Complete Package"
He says that's his wrestling name.
He does not wrestle.

"Someone shrunk my pants!"
she declared as she ate pie.
Oh snap. That was me.

Boston Terriers:
I love their smushy faces
And sweet, warm snuggles.

I have a new bike.
It takes me on adventures.
And makes my butt numb.

"What's for dinner, babe?"
“Go make yourself a sandwich.”
“Wow. I feel the love.”

I love barbecue
and ice-cold Dr Pepper.
I’m a Texas girl.

Hey, tailgate driver:
if you’re gonna hug my butt,
introduce yourself.

Okay, guys – it’s your turn. Throw your best or worst haiku at me. I could really use a chuckle. But couldn’t we all?
-NanaBread

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