Blackeyed Pea Salad

Remember to eat your blackeyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck in 2014! This is the perfect dish for those who do not like blackeyed peas. The mixture of veggies and Zesty Italian dressing give the peas a wonderful flavor. Some people let it set over night and then drain the dressing off the mixture and use it as a topping for tortilla chips. I prefer the salad.

Blackeyed Pea Salad

 

2 cans blackeyed peas

1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing (16 ounce)

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Jalapeno peppers to taste (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Mix all ingredients and chill. It is better if you let it set overnight.

You can also use chopped tomatoes or what ever veggies you like.

 I put 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms in this one.

Wiederkehr Wine from Pam & David

Our friends David and Pam came to Western Oklahoma to visit and brought us this bottle of Wiederkehr Wine from Altus, Arkansas. They were shocked to learn that Oklahoma has an entire program supporting agri-tourism of the wine industry.

 

Although the Sooner State is a latecomer to the wine industry, already, there are more than 50 wineries throughout Oklahoma which are continuing to mature and expand as business associations form to champion the cause of wine and Oklahoma wine tourism.

 

According to the Wiederkehr history...

"In 1880, Johann Andreas Wiederkehr and his family emigrated from Switzerland to Altus, Arkansas (Altus comes from the Latin word for "high"). He chose St. Mary's Mountain, near Altus, as the location of his home in the New World because the area's mountains, valleys, and ridges had many different microclimates, some resembling the grape-growing climates in Europe's finest wine regions. Here in the beautiful Ozark Mountains high above the Arkansas River valley, the very shape of the countryside, the soil, and the climate closely matched that which for centuries had nurtured some of Europe's great wines.

In his new homeland, one of Johann's first tasks was to carve a large wine cellar from a hillside. The cellar still exists, and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Johann's wine cellar was converted into the Weinkeller Restaurant, serving authentic Swiss and European culinary delights to thousands of visitors at the Wiederkehr Village and Winery each year.

Johann's first wines were produced from the grapes, blackberries, and persimmons that were native to the area. By planting the noblest grape varieties and producing fine wines, he helped to pioneer the American wine industry—Wiederkehr Wine Cellars is U.S. Bonded Winery Number 8. From these humble beginnings, the winery has remained a family operation with third and fourth generation members dedicated to producing only the finest wines available."

Ice - Western Oklahoma December 2013

These photos taken from my front porch...brrrrrr

Western Oklahoma ice can be bad!

 

Thankful for my husband

Many mornings when I am blogging my husband will fix breakfast for me.

It might be waffles or pancakes or oatmeal with bacon, ham, eggs, or cinnamon toast.

He makes my oatmeal with sugar free maple syrup and butter. YUM.

I am thankful for my husband.

 

Friday Foto

The Grandkids made me this neat 8 x 10 collage for Christmas.

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM OUR FAMILY

TO YOUR FAMILY

 

Kennda's Potato Soup

Kennda's Potato Soup

Peel and cut potatoes in small square pieces

Boil potatoes in chicken broth with

Chopped onion

Garlic Power

Onion Powder

Seasoning Salt

Salt and Pepper

In skillet mix melted butter, more seasonings 

 and flour to make white gravy like sauce

Add cup of milk and pour mixture into potatoes

Cook on medium to low heat until done

Stir often to keep from sticking to pan

 

 Make some garlic bread in the skillet to serve with soup.

Oreo Truffles

 

 

OREO TRUFFLES

 

1 package of whole Oreo cookies blend into fine crumbs.

 

You can use regular Oreos or mint Oreos or your favorite.

 8 ounce package cream cheese, blend until sticky

Chill for half hour then roll into small bite size balls. 

 

Chill for another half hour.

 

You can freeze them as it makes them easier to work with.

Melt chocolate chips or almond bark.

 

 Dip balls in chocolate and put on wax paper until firm.

Bacon Covered Meatloaf with Crisscross Potatoes

Kennda's Bacon Covered Meatload with Crisscross Potatoes

(my daughter made this dish and sent me the photos)

 

Basic Meatloaf Recipe

Ground Beef

Crushed Saltine Crackers

Bread Crumbs

Egg

Milk

Worcestershire Sauce 

Chopped Bell Pepper

Chopped Onion

Catsup

Garlic Salt

Accent

Onion Powder

Seasoning Salt

any other ingredients you put in your meatloaf

Mix meatloaf and place in 9 x 13 pan in loaf type shape

Crisscross Potatoes

Cut potatoes in half long ways

Make shallow crisscross cuts on middle of potatoes

Spread butter on top on cuts place around the meat loaf

Cover meatloaf with bacon slices and bake at 350 for hour

Mix topping

Catsup and Honey for topping

Spread on meatloaf and cook for an additional half hour or more

Bless her heart she said it is not as good as yours mom...but I know that she is an awesome cook and it was probably better than mine. It looks really good!

Easy Yummy Roll Ups

Easy Yummy Roll Ups

 

Cream Cheese Softened

Chopped Black Olives

Fire Roasted Diced Green Chilies

Mix together

Spread on Flour Tortillas

Roll Up

Chill

Slice and Serve

 

 

Variations

Add Chopped Beef to the above mixture

 

or

 

Stir together

Cream Cheese Softened

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

Black Pepper

Chopped Red Bell Peppers

Chopped Green Bell Pepper

Chopped Green Onions

Spread on Flour Tortillas

Roll Up

Chill

Slice and Serve

Friday Foto

Great Grandson's First Snow Experience

Colonial Williamsburg, VA

 

One of our daughter's fellow OU scholars shared these photos from

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia taken on their trip to the DCDT Conference.