Foxy's Garden & A Recipe

I'm a bit late with the pictures of the garden this week, due to the other things I wanted to post about and last evening was the first I have been out to the garden in a while.  Praise God for his bountiful blessings!  As the pictures show, we are getting an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and the beans are finally starting to come around. 

Today, Foxy is going to try his hand at making Bread & Butter Pickles.  I have a lot of cucumbers, so this will be good if he can get it done. He is also getting the dehydrator out and drying the cayenne peppers.  Then tonight, after I take Son to get his Soccer Ref outfit, I will be canning tomatoes.  Hopefully, I will get to the banana pepper rings this weekend.

Lots of salsa, sauce and tomatoes to be put up for winter.

The first of the beans.  They just need to plump up.

Also, here is my recipe of the week, Beefy Rice Pie, from mrfood.com.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound hot/sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
8 oz tomato sauce
2 cups cooked rice
4 slices Mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and sausage for 8 - 10 minutes over medium-high heat, until cooked and crumbly; drain off excess liquid and set aside in a medium bowl.  In another medium bowl, combine tomato sauce and rice, then layer half the mixture in skillet.  Top w/half the meat mixture, then place 2 slices of mozzarella cheese over the top and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.  Repeat layers.  Cover and cook over mediume low heart for 8 - 10 minutes or until cheese melts.  Let sit 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve immediately.

Sounds yummy!

New School Year and Attitude

Monday was the beginning of the new school year.  I haven't taken first day photos for quite some time, But I decided to embarrass them.  But of  course, they do get all hammy for the camera.

Son and Daughter making fun of this.

Oops, my finger slipped!

So Daughter tells me that she is in a class of four people.  This one class is to help her pass the OGT for history.  She didn't pass that or science.  Anyway, this class has the four kids who didn't take the test again over the summer.  After the test in October, the rest of the semester will be watching movies and writing papers.

She also informed me that her two favorite classes are Accounting and Zoology.  She loves math, so that will be very helpful.  Yesterday she said in Zoology she will get to dissect seven different animals.  Now she freaked out over the dog killing a rabbit, but she is now excited about opening up dead animals?  We'll see what really happens.

Son is kind of indifferent on his classes, but that's okay.  I'm sure I'll have stories for you soon enough on his clowning around.

The Rabbit Died

Saturday morning, Josie Belle was out on the back porch.  The kids and I were up and I noticed Josie Belle was digging around in one of the unused large plastic pots.  The last time she did that, she pulled out a dead animal and ate it.  This time, I noticed she had something in her mouth, but I had no idea what it was (her back was to us).  I told the kids to look at her.  They commented things like, "gross", and "stupid dog".  We kind of giggled about it and went back to getting ready for the day. 
Then my daughter started screaming!  She is  freaked out, and I came running to the back glass door and saw Josie Belle with something in it's mouth.  It was the head of a rabbit!  The face was hanging out, you could see the cute little nose, the beady eyes, and the the ears flopping toward the ground.  She ran back and forth across the back porch and then to another empty pot and buried it.  Daughter is still freaking out, yelling things about needing therapy and I run to get my camera to take a picture.  Alas, she would stay still long enough for the Kodak moment.
It was quite the morning.  I think I need to get rid of those pots, yet strangely, I secretly love the fact that my dog's quite the hunter and saves her food.  This was not her first rabbit.  She's killed mice, birds, squirrels, and just a couple weeks ago, she tried to get a raccoon out of our garage.  What a girl!

Weekend Update

What a crazy, busy, fun weekend! 

Friday night, Daughter, Son and I took Foxy out for his favorite pizza, then to the football scrimmage.  Don's Pizza was so yummy, and the football team won!  Woo-hoo!

Saturday, was my family reunion.  What a wonderful time.  We had not had a reunion in over 15 years, so almost 100 people showed up from all over, from Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky.  What a great time! 

Groups of our family sitting around talking, catching up.

Great-Uncle Dan and my Dad

Dad and his brother Bob.

The Tanneruther Clan

Cousin Dick and his son Joe.

The Rainey family

 

 

It was so good to catch up and see how we had changed and made it through the years.   It was such a nice day and amazing to see us all there.  Those that put it on deserve a Huge Thank you!

Sunday we went to church, then rested until Hornet Day.  The band played, football, girls volleyball, soccer, cross-country, golf teams and band were all announced.  I helped the After-Prom Committee make money for what the kids want, which is go to Laser Web after Prom.  That sounds like a lot of fun. 

It rained on us a bit, but we did get everything in and had a great time. 

Today, the kids started back to school.  I did get a picture of them that I show later, plus shots from last night.  This is not as busy a week, but I am glad we are back on a schedule.  The kids need that structure for school.  It will wear them out this first couple of weeks, but that's okay.  Maybe Son will go to bed earlier!  NAH!

How was your weekend?

It's Friday!

In the words of Rebecca Black, "It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday."

It has been a long week.  Not quiet sure why, but I'm glad I only have two more hours of work.  It is going to be a busy, fast-as-lightning weekend too.

Today:
Running errands including:  getting vehicle licenses, banking.  Making two cakes for two picnics, taking Foxy to his favorite pizza place in his hometown, and then going the the football scrimmage in a nearby town.  Go Hornets!

Tomorrow:  we have a family reunion.  I think Daughter is taking her BFF, AJ, homecoming shopping.

Sunday:  church, church picnic and then Hornet Days, which is where the fall sports, band, cheerleaders, etc. are introduced.  I will be actually helping running a booth for the After-Prom committee.  So it will be fun!

How is your weekend going to go?

Thursday Recipe Day

To use up my zucchini in a new and interesting way, I am trying a new recipe I found through email. I am so sure my kids will not like it, and my husband will complain because it's vegetarian.  I may try it with turkey sausage or something.

Zucchini Manicotti

12 Manicotti shells
1 T olive oil
1 meduim onion, chopped
4 medium zucchini, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14 oz.) can Italian Stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups grated parmesan cheese

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions.  In a large skillet, heat oil.  Add onion, garlic and zucchini.  Cook on low heat for about 15 minutes until zucchini is tender.  Cool zucchini mixture, and then add cottage cheese, cheddar cheese and 2 1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese.  Mix well, adding seasonings to taste.  Stuff shells with mixture and place side by side in greased 9X13" baking pan.  Put stewed tomatoes in a blender to chop tomoatoes.  Pour over shells.  Cover and back at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and continue baking 10 - 15 minutes.

I think it sounds pretty good.  What do you think?

Busy End of Summer!

So yesterday was crazy busy at work.  But today may be a little more calm, though we have one person out sick and the other is with her daughter at the hospital waiting on a baby to be born. But at least right now it's pretty good.

So Son asked a girl to Homecoming. He bought her flowers, made her a big sign and sat her in car after band practice, waiting for her.  She loved it and said yes.  So he has a date for that.  Hmmmm.

Last night, Foxy and went to the garden and harvested quite a bit. As you can't see here, there are a lot of tomatoes, 2 zucchinis, green peppers, banana peppers and cucumbers.  Yummy!  I wish I could get the pictures to download.  But something is not good with this computer.  I am sad.  Tonight I am canning the tomatoes and maybe the banana peppers (I have a bunch more).    I will also grate one of the zucchinis and leave the other to grate on Friday night or Saturday.  I have a family reunion and a new chocolate zucchini cake recipe to try out. 

There is a church picnic on Sunday afternoon.  Then Sunday evening is Hornet's Day at the school.  Plus it being Foxy's birthday on Saturday.  We are going to get pizza from his favorite place, and go watch the football team scrimmage at a close rival.  I am excited about the weekend.  So hopefully I will fix this picture problem and be able to show you all the pictures I took over the weekend. 

Tomorrow evening, the kids have band practice, then they are having some friends they met over the summer over for a cookout over the fire pit.  That will be fun, and I am glad I am going to meet them.