Summer :@)

Truly home garden perfection.

Yes folks, they are purple tomatoes...

Eat well and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Frank's RedHot Dipping Sauce 5 Ways -Dollar Tree Find

I always say going to Dollar Tree is kind of like going on a scavenger hunt, you never know what you might find. That was the case with this Frank's Golden Dip'n Sauce. They had just gotten a delivery and boxes were stacked on the floor and hadn't even been opened yet... As soon as I saw Frank's, I broke into the box:@) Then I began to wonder what I could do with it, besides dipping chicken nuggets... 

The first thing I made was this super easy Macaroni Chicken Salad. Add whatever you like, onion, peppers, maybe some dill pickle or pickled jalapeno... Then sub the mayo for the Frank's Dipping Sauce, wa-la, a very nice lunch indeed:@) And it doesn't have to be chicken, use pork, tuna, hard boiled eggs, any protein of choice.

It's been a while since we tried something new and Easter is coming... So I thought I'd whip up some Two Ingredient Deviled Eggs with Frank's Dipping Sauce. Yes folks, this adds a nice bar-b-que twist to deviled eggs! I loved the sweetness the sauce added. Simply mash the yolks and add enough sauce to make a smooth filling. I added the pickled jalapeno for garnish, but honestly, these are really best plain. I didn't even need to add S&P.

Other uses for the sauce? 

• A no-brainer is using it as a dip for potato chips. If your crew likes BBQ chips, they will love this.
• I heated up some meatballs and Jimmy Dean sausage links, added a toothpick and gave them a good dose of the sauce. An easy and very filling appy for game day.
• And of course, as indicated earlier, I'm sure it was created to be served with chicken nuggets and similar items. 

What I bought:

Is the sauce hot? The label calls it mild, I'd say there's a hint of heat, kind of what you'd expect from a product made by Frank's Hot Sauce. The back of the bottle says: A smoky and spicy twist on Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce. I say, well worth the $1.25...

Try something new and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Ham & Peach Kabobs, Lemonade Cucumber Salad & French Beret for Barbie

Peaches are abundant right now and these Ham and Peach Shish-Kabobs make a fun and very tasty meal. I also like that folks don't generally think of ham for the grill. But I promise you, it's seriously a match made in heaven:@) 

How's your garden doing (or neighbor's, or farmers market), got cukes? This Fresh Lemonade Cucumber Salad was truly different, and very refreshing. Every lemon lover will approve:@)

Google tells me that the two months most traveled to France are July and August... Let's send our Barbie off for vacation in style with this Felt Beret free pattern here. I think she'd like it:@)

Have a great weekend:@)

Summer Tomato, Cucumber, and Pepper Pickled Salad & Best Yellow Tomato Variety

This Summer Tomato, Cucumber, and Pepper Pickled Salad is something I'll throw together for Sunday dinner when the garden is producing. There really isn't a recipe or anything very specific, and it can be more on the vinegar side, or the sweeter side, you know your crowd:@) My family leans more towards vinegar... What makes this different than my normal quick pickled salads for dinner is the addition of oregano and a drizzle of olive oil, giving it a little Italian flavoring. Isn't this gorgeous folks... Summer on a plate!

As a general rule I stay away from terms like the best or the greatest here on the blog, that's all subjective... But just look at the color of those tomatoes... I really wanted a yellow cherry tomato plant this year and honestly, spent more money on it than I normally would... But I have to say, This Bonnie Sun Sugar plant has incredibly over-produced, we've had tomatoes for over two weeks already, and it will be ripening for weeks to come (they say until frost, we will see). Ma calls the tomatoes candy, and I've been very happy with this variety:@) *This pic is from the Bonnie site.

Summer Tomato, Cucumber and Pepper Pickled Salad

Whatever amount you have of the vegetables cut bite size

Whatever amount of vinegar use about 1/4 that amount sugar to start and adjust to taste

Sliced Onion

Light drizzle of olive oil

A few hearty shakes of dried oregano

Light sprinkle of garlic powder

S&P to taste

~Mix everything, let sit on counter for a couple hours stirring occasionally.

Eat Seasonally and Have a Happy Day:@)

Pickled Corn Salad with Cumin, $1.25 Barbie Size Food & Minions...

I had a couple ears of corn to use up and we were having burritos for dinner so I thought I'd try to make a Pickled Corn Salad with Cumin. The idea was, we could either add it to the burritos or eat it as a side dish. We liked it as a side dish salad. This was easy and surprisingly tasty, and the boys said it was perfect for summer:@) I love cutting it off the ear and leaving some of the kernels attached in little rows so folks know it's fresh corn. Recipe below...

Dollar Tree has this set of Barbie Size Food Erasers in with the back to school things. It has a good variety of items, hot dog, hamburger, French fries, soda and personal pan pizza, and would be perfect for doll play:@)

And I hear there's a new Minions movie out... Thought I'd share my silly Minion Deviled Eggs from back in 2016:@)

Cumin Pickled Corn Salad

For each two ears of cooked corn:

Hearty 1/4 C green/red bell pepper

Small jalapeno, cleaned diced

About 1/4 C onion, diced

3 Tblsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

S&P to taste- or your favorite seasoned salt

Fresh parsley or cilantro if you have it-optional

~Mix everything, cover and let sit in fridge for a couple hours.

Have a Happy Day:@)

Summer Garden Side Dish & Raised Bed Garden Update

This Summer Garden Side Dish/Salad is another super simple way to use up some of the veggies the garden gifts us. Just mix and match whatever is in season, whether plentiful, or you just have a few... I had some green beans, a cucumber, a few cherry tomatoes, chives, and fresh parsley. Dice and mix with your desired amount of Italian salad dressing. I have to say, this was amazing with a grilled chicken breast for dinner:@) 

Pics from July 1st: Two pots of green beans in the background, one heavily producing and coming to the end, and I just planted seeds in the second pot. The little Dollar Tree bird bath has been very popular this year:@) Mostly wasps and brown finches so far, but I'm glad I picked it up. 

By the time July gets here the garden has gotten pretty large and overgrown... The tomatoes have reached the top of the stakes and now I'm beginning to pinch them back and cut branches to allow sunlight and airflow. Cucumbers are doing ok and I have made a batch of my favorite Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles. If you only try one pickle recipe from Pig In Mud folks, this is the one I recommend:@) You can use the brine for Jalapeno Pickles too...

Planter has a small yellow squash plant I rescued from the garden center, I'm hoping it catches up soon. Pepper plants didn't get very tall (yet), but they are happy... 

Mini sweet multi colored peppers:

And my jalapenos:@)

Zinnias add more color every day:

And I'll leave you with the long view:

Summer Garden Side Salad

1. Whatever garden vegetables and herbs you have on-hand, diced bite size. If using string beans, toss into boiling water for about 2 minutes. Immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking process, dry and add to the rest of the veggies.
2. Mix with liberal amount of your favorite Italian Salad Dressing.
3. A few grinds of fresh black pepper would be nice...
4. Chill and serve.

Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce Cucumber Salad

I was pleased with the way this Sweet Thai Chili Sauce Cucumber Salad turned out. Lot's of big flavor for only three ingredients:@) Maybe four if you'd like to add some sliced onion. Simply use your favorite Thai chili sauce (mine was from Dollar Tree) and use a ratio of 2:1. Two times the chili sauce to one time the amount of cider vinegar. Just use enough sauce to be able to stir over the cucumbers, nothing has to be exact. Let sit for a little while and enjoy! This was a nice way to use a cucumber from the garden.

So far the plants are hanging in there:@) I do see cucumber beetles starting to come around though...

The bees have been happy, making honey while the sun shines😄

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce Cucumber Salad

2:1 ratio of chili sauce to cider vinegar

Sliced cucumbers

~Mix everything, let sit for about an hour. Stir and serve.

Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Watermelon Basil Balsamic Side Salad

This Watermelon Basil Balsamic Salad is the first time I've served watermelon as a savory side dish, and I have to say it was very good folks:@) Just a few simple ingredients (hopefully you have a bottle of good balsamic vinegar on-hand. If not you can find my son's suggestion here), and it comes together in no time. Basil is growing nicely in the garden and I want to enjoy it while plentiful. There really isn't a recipe, it's summer, let's keep things easy... Construct it right on the plates, that way everyone gets a nice drizzle of the balsamic for themselves. Don't hesitate to give this a try, it gets my darn good label, and I will be serving this for Sunday dinners during the hot weather! It would be really special while grilling out...

Watermelon Basil Balsamic Salad

Watermelon, deseeded, smaller bite size pieces

Sweet onion, sliced very thin

Fresh basil, thinly sliced

Good balsamic vinegar

Coarse salt

1. Plate watermelon, sprinkle with onion and basil (How much? You know your crowd).
2. Drizzle with vinegar, finish with a sprinkle of salt.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Salad

I wanted to use up what was left of some sauerkraut so I scaled this down and served it with our bar-b-que on Sunday. Good stuff folks:@) This Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Salad whips up in no time, and is actually better if you can let it mingle for a few hours. I'd consider this an alternative to mayonnaise based cole slaw, and had some with a hotdog. Simply drain the kraut, don't press it dry, and be sure to adjust the salt to taste. My best tip: I suggest using a mild olive oil or vegetable oil, my extra virgin olive oil was pretty assertive, but did mellow with time. Have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this side dish folks, don't hesitate to give it a try if you're up for something different. Be sure to stay tuned, I'll have a little mini series of sauerkraut ideas coming up...

Easily cut in half, 

or estimated for lesser amounts.

Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Salad -from here

32 oz sauerkraut, drained

3 Tblsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

half apple, chopped-peel if desired

1 tsp sugar

S&P to taste

fresh parsley or dill for garnish

~Mix everything together, chill at least one hour and serve.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Grilling Season! Pineapple Marinade, BBQ Sauce Pineapple Slices & Pina Colada Carrot Salad

I thought we'd kick of grilling season with a little round-up of pineapple recipes, sound good? Good:@) Let's pick up a can of sliced pineapple and use the juice in this three ingredient Pineapple Marinade for Chicken or Pork. It's a quick marinade that's a little sweet, a little savory. It's good for kabobs or bigger pieces of meat.

As for the slices, let's grill them too... This Savory Grilled Pineapple with BBQ Sauce makes a great side dish that's a little unexpected. Simply use your favorite bar-b-que sauce. Even if you opt out of the sauce, toss some slices on the grill to get a nice char. Good stuff folks!

If you happen to reserve a slice or two, dice it and add it to this Pina Colada Carrot Salad for a refreshing side dish:@) This salad would be perfect with any grilled meal, and is extra easy if you start with store bought shredded carrot. 

My Pineapple Pinterest Board here.

And I'm still lovin' this Pineapple Coconut Water at Walmart, 

splash of rum optional:@)

🍍Let's Fire Up the Grill and,

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Hellmann's Macaroni Salad

I'm thinking about trying some of the tried and true classic recipes for summer salads instead of just winging it like I usually do:@) Years ago I made Creamettes Macaroni Salad here, it had eggs and cheese and was very good. On today's menu, Hellmann's Macaroni Salad. This is the first time I've added white vinegar to a macaroni salad, it brings a nice little zing. I also loved the good amount of fresh vegetables, they add a cool crunch that will be welcome in the warmer weather. This is a refreshing side salad that will appeal to anyone that likes a little zippy bite, please note there is very little sugar in this recipe.

Hellmann's Macaroni Salad

8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and run under cold water, drained

1 C Hellmann's Mayonnaise

2 Tblsp white vinegar

1 Tblsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sugar

1 C celery, thinly sliced

1 C green or red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 C white or yellow onion, chopped

*1 tsp salt

*1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar in bowl. 
2. Mix in everything else.
3. *Add S&P to taste.
4. Served chilled.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Apple and Marshmallow Salad

I love it when I see something a little different and realize I already have everything on-hand to make it:@) That was the case with this Apple and Marshmallow Salad. This is cool and creamy, and what I like best is, it calls for mayonnaise, so no need to run to the store for pudding or Cool Whip. I also feel that the mayo tames the sweetness a bit, and makes it a little more of a side dish as opposed to a dessert. But, you can honestly call it either/or, or both. One son would eat it with dinner, one after dinner. Good stuff folks, and easily cut in half for a smaller batch. My apple was a little sad so I peeled it, the pretty red would add some nice color.

Other sweet apple salads:

Snickers Apple Salad ~ Fruit Salad w/Pudding

I've added a Marshmallow Love Pinterest Board...

All Pig In Mud Pinterest Boards here.

Apple and Marshmallow Salad-from Taste of Home

3 C apple, 1/2" diced-peeled or not, your call

2 Tblsp fresh lemon juice

1 C celery, sliced

1 C miniature marshmallows

2/3 C mayonnaise-original calls for fat free, I used regular

1/2 C pecans or walnuts, toasted is best

1. Mix apples and lemon juice in large bowl.
2. Mix in everything else except nuts, store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve.
3. Mix in nuts and serve.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Winter Gardening: Microgreen Seed Sprouts

I was killing some time on-line and typed in 'mason jar accessories'... Sprouting lids popped up and I thought that might be a fun little experiment, so I ordered them:@) Do you need a specialty lid? No. Folks have been sprouting seeds forever simply using cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or by cutting circles from a cheap $1 splatter screen that they sell for frying. The first thing I tried was a microgreens mix from Dollar Tree. The packet had about a half Tblsp of seeds in it. I used a quart jar, you could easily use a pint jar, or even a recycled peanut butter jar... Oh, btw, that gorgeous spinach wintered over in my raised bed garden-yep!

What I started with:

Observation: I'm not fond of the large openings in these lids. Seeds do fall out, all small would be best.

The process:

• Day 1: Add seeds to clean jar, fill jar 1/3 to 1/2 with cool water. Add lid, place in a cool, dark spot for 8 hours or overnight.
• Day 2: Pour off water. Add fresh water, gently swirl, drain. Do that twice, turning jar so the seeds 'stick' to the sides of the jar. Place jar inside bowl at about 45 degree angle. If you have sprouting lids, the jar can be turned upside down as the lid has bumps to raise it off plate for drainage. Add to cool, dark spot.
• Day 3-until big enough to eat: Repeat Day 2.
• When ready to eat: Rinse, drain, and this time put jar in a sunny window so the sprouts green-up before eating.
• Leftover sprouts: Store covered in refrigerator.

After soaking for 7-8 hours,

draining and sitting upside down 24 hours...

Little sprouts:@)

After another 24 hours:

I'll spare you from having to watch, well, sprouts grow:@) I started soaking my seeds at 11 AM Sunday, and the sprouts were put into the window 7 AM Friday morning to green up for a few hours, and eaten with lunch. When it comes to growing things, this is a satisfying project, and because it grows so quickly, a fun one to do with the kids. There are plenty of videos on-line and it's perfect as we're waiting for the weather to warm up enough to get outside and start working in the garden.

If this is something you'd like to try, I do suggest buying seeds on-line in bulk specifically for sprouting. And you should use 1-3 Tblsp per jar to get enough greens to make it worthwhile.

Let's try something new, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Old Fashioned Ham Salad -Dip or Sandwich Spread -Retro Recipe

Still have a little leftover ham in the freezer to use up? This Old Fashioned Ham Salad is the kind of thing my G-Mom-B would make. She had a hand cranked meat grinder and wasn't afraid to use it:@) Today we would use a food processor or knife. Grandmom would definitely use this as a sandwich spread, in my world it's more of a dip... The only thing I left out was the hard boiled egg. In my view, that would only be added if she was low on meat, or needed to stretch it to feed more people. Also, I seriously doubt Grandmom ever had Dijon mustard... She'd just use yellow. This is a very tasty recipe that will most likely appeal to anyone that doesn't mind "crunchy things" in their salads. Recipe easily scaled down.

And of course, this is ~your~ salad...

Want to add onion? Great.

Want to add dill weed? Great.

Anything goes...

Don't hesitate to give it a try folks, 

I called this lunch one fine Saturday afternoon:@)

Old Fashioned Ham Salad-from Retro Recipes

1 lb fully cooked ham, chunky grind or small dice

1 rib celery, rough chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

1 Tblsp sweet pickles, chopped

1 Tblsp sweet pickle relish, or to taste

3/4 C mayonnaise

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp black pepper

Bread, crackers, bagel chips, and/or celery and bell peppers for dipping

~~Mix everything through black pepper, serve as desired.

Let's repurpose those leftovers and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Italian Dressing & Sour Cream Vegetable Dip-Two Ingredient

Whether it's a dip served in a dainty dish for our charcuterie trays or a nice big bowl for holiday or football parties... This Italian Dressing & Sour Cream Dip will pair very nicely with vegetables. And the best part, the title includes all of the ingredients:@) Simply mix one envelope of dry Italian salad dressing with a pint of sour cream-that's it. Use your favorite brand of dressing, did you know there's a Walmart brand? 50 cents... I consider this a last minute pantry staple, I always have sour cream and some type of the dressing mix on-hand. 

It's easy to scale down too, just guess at the measurements, it doesn't need to be exact. Mix, taste and adjust to taste. Then let it mingle in the refrigerator for a couple hours for the flavor to fully develop.

Italian Dressing & Sour Cream Dip-Vegetables and Chips

1 pint sour cream

1 envelope Italian Salad Dressing

Assorted vegetables for dipping

• Mix well, cover, and place in refrigerator for a couple hours. Stir and serve.

Snack well and have a happy day:@)

Christmas Side Dishes: Pea Salad, Corn Pudding, Cheesy Broccoli Casserole, and more...

When it comes to holiday meals, it seems to me that in my family, we have a little more wiggle room to try new things at Christmas than Thanksgiving. So... I have a few suggestions in case you're looking for something a little different this year, and one is make ahead, one uses a slow cooker, and one is just full of cheesy goodness:@) We'll start with this pretty, refrigerated, make stir and serve, Christmas Pea Salad. I love the red and green colors! If you want to get extra fancy you can use a mini cookie cutter in a star shape and add some red pepper stars to the top...

We all know oven and stovetop space are at a premium during the holidays, that's why I like to have a few Crock Pot recipes on-hand... I'll share a pic of Corn Pudding using Jiffy Mix, but also give links to Mixed Vegetable Casserole and Slow Cooker Stuffing.

This Frozen Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Casserole is on my dinner list for this year, and I'm debating about giving it a twist and adding some cooked macaroni too... Kinda like a Broccoli Mac and Cheese, we'll see:@)

Finally, may I suggest giving cole slaw a little tweak by adding some unexpected ingredients... Apple, Walnut, Raisin (or Dried Cranberry) Coleslaw looks great, but tastes even better:@) This was a huge hit with my crew, and I think it's time to make some more!

Looking for more ideas? 

You can find all of my Pinterest Boards HERE.

🎄Happy Holiday Planning,

Have a Great Weekend🎅

Football!!! Team Color Dyed Pasta & Sports Ugly Sweater Vest for Ken (Barbie)

It's my favorite season folks, Football Season:@) Why not kick off the year with this fun little twist and make a crowd pleasing (and filling) Team Color Dyed Pasta Salad. This isn't really a recipe for the salad, just sharing how to intensely dye the pasta in team colors. I've even provided a chart from McCormick that shows how many drops of food coloring to use for each team. The chart is for icing, but it gives you a good idea. Yep, this would be a conversation starter for sure! Although here in Philly, we talk about the Eagles 24/7 year round anyway...

And even Ken is excited for football, he's sporting his ugly team sweater vest for opening day. I took my free vest pattern and "glammed" (or maybe "hammed") it up with team colors and a nod to all things football. Ken says it's his lucky vest and any true fan would be thrilled to have one... Barbie on the other hand, rolls her eyes and wouldn't be seen in public with him dressed like this😉

(My football is a child's ring that was a decoration on some cupcakes from Walmart.)

The idea is based on Ugly Christmas Sweaters🎅

so the tackier the better!

And yes, even guys like a little bling😎

Now Ken is ready for some football!!!

The pattern I started with:

✂What I did:

1. Cut pattern from paper.
2. Fold piece of felt in half.
3. Place pattern on fold of felt. Pin pattern in place.
4. Cut vest out.
5. If your felt has a design, place right sides together (turn inside out).
6. Sew or glue sides together, aim for a 1/4" seam.
7. Turn right side out. Gently press side seams so they lay flatter. You could lay a book on the vest to help with that.
8. Dress Ken and smile at 10 minutes of time well spent😉

And of course these vests can be plain for every day, or dressed up for any sport, holiday, or occasion:

Have a great weekend, and

🏈GO BIRDS!!!