3 Cheese Macaroni & Cheese

OMG....I have to share this recipe with everyone.
The family came for dinner the other day and I was pressed for something filling to make. We were having a delicious butt pork roast (I'll give that recipe another time), a mess of turnip greens, cornbread, apple pie and iced tea. But I needed something else......what to do......Mac & Cheese came to mind.
Here's what I did:

• In large pot, I cooked 2 cups of macaroni, drained and set aside.
• In another large pot, I melted 1 stick butter along with l pkg of Mozzarella (cubed); 1 pkg Cheddar (cubed...I used the mild but sharp works as well); 1 pkg Monterey Jack (cubed & my favorite). Each cheese package is 8 ounces. Sorry I didn't say that in the first place. You could use Goda but I didn't have that. Cubing the cheese helps it to melt faster.
• Stir constantly.
• Add milk as needed to lend a smoother cheesiness. I don't have a measurement for the milk. Just pour small amounts at a time while stirring. The mixture will become more smooth and creamier. Hope that isn't too confusing. I also added about 2 tablespoons flour to the mix sometimes if the mixture becomes to watery.
• Pour cooked macaroni into cheese stirring until well coated.
• As a kicker, I also added 1 cup of cooked shrimp but the Mac & Cheese is good without that!!
• Grease a casserole dish and pour mixture into it. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. 
• Remove from oven, sprinkle Parmesan cheese and Smoked Paprika over top. (You can find Smoked Paprika in seasoning isle)  I love Parmesan cheese so I use a lot but if you don't like it, use very little or none at all. It really doesn't affect the taste one bit.
• Serve immediately or whenever.

Note: Sorry I have no photo of the results. When I thought about taking a photo, the Mac & Cheese had already been devoured.

Bird Brain

       Heart pounding, heavy breathing, sweating profusely.....that's what happens after chasing a fledgling bird from my garage. I'd just come home from grocery shopping, which in itself is a torture. 

       With the last load of bags hooped on each arm, I noticed something from the corner of my eye I thought I saw something. But at my age I chalked it up to those floaties that break loose & float across the iris. I closed the garage door & went inside to put up all those groceries. When I went out to do a load of laundry.......once again, there was a blur of movement just out of my line of sight but this time I could have sworn I saw something. And then it happened........a bird flew by my head. Mind you, the garage doors were closed so I'm in an enclosed area with that little bird.

       Let's just say I went one way and the bird went the other for the time being. Of course I raised the doors and you'd think the little critter would fly out those doors but oooooohhhhhh nnnnooooo!

We went round and round and round until I was dizzy, the bird flew up into the loft to perch and looked down his beak accusingly at me. 

       That was it, I had had it!!!! What to do, what to do???

Granddad's shotgun??? Too brutal, plus there's not guarantee that I'd actually hit the little birdie. The pepper spary???? Too over the top and who's to say it wouldn't blow back somehow on me. 

       Think girl, think.

       Lightbulb!! (from Despicable Me - movie)

       Out came two cans of canned air (one of each hand cause I'm an old western fan.....six guns and such).....and it was on again. When all the air was gone, my blood pressure through the roof that little birdie decided to flitter away. I ran for the down buttons and thank goodness, the doors closed and I crawled into the house.

      Can you see the sweat on my brow????? I hope not because after 10 minutes with a cold ice pack on the back of my neck, my blood pressure and breathing finally under control, my shoulders unlocked and my spine relaxed.

      Did I mention that I don't like things that fly, crawl, slither, hop, flutter, gallop, lope, meander, etc.....you get the picture!!

      Note to self: Remember, you live in the country with wildlife so always drive into garage and immediately lower door!!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

I was going to use this block in a quilt when someone noticed at problem. 

Since I have dyslexia, it didn't pop out at me. Should I still use the block since it already pressed down

 or is it a failure?? 

Help!

When Chickens Fly...

That's about when this quilt will be bound.  I really need to make a note to myself to bind this puppy!

The top is from when I was a member of our local guild.... many, many years ago. Each block was made by various friends from said guild and I quickly put the top together.  BTW, this was my chicken period.

Do any of you know what I'm talking about???? Those time periods where you can't get enough of a design or fabric designer or a particular thread...... then years later, you're thinking ....... "What was I thinking?????"  That's me, always in a phase or fad of time.
Well the other day I was cleaning out a "box" of stuff and lo' and behold, there it was... quilted but no binding........ I need to just do it!!!!!
I was thinking about binding it when mom had her surgery so ...... who knows when I'll get back to it....... When Pigs Fly...... maybe???

Wooded Area, You Say & Sewing Time

 Can you see a little calf in this thicket?  Look closely now..... take your time.  Focus!

How about from this angle..... really concentrate.  

Of course you can't... no one can.  

He's totally black hiding in there bawling his little heart out for his mommy.  How did he get in there, you asked? 

How would I know but he's stuck and hung up in some vines. Now I ask you, who's going in there after the little critter?????

Sigh... alas, it's me.  His mommy is on the other side of the thicket safely away from me, mooing for him.

Did I mention that I don't like anything bigger than me, smaller than me, faster than me.... need I go on.

Mind you, we have open fields, meadows and flat land to roam around in but did the little critter wonder into that area..... 

Nnnnnooooooo!

Got him! Sorry I didn't get a shot of the goings on in the thicket, it was a little tight in there...... needless to say, I hacked my way in, lost my hat in the bushes (no worries, I found it on the way out) and my foot caught on a stumpy something or other. The calf and I came face to face.... he dislodged himself  from the vine like bush and ran in the opposite direction towards his mommy (thank goodness). After their joyous reunion, they loped off to chew on some range cubes with the rest of the herd.
Did I mention I don't like cows!

For years I've been keeping up with my sewing and embroidery time keeping a record on a calendar by my machines. It helps me get motivated from month to month or to slow down when I'm in a frenzy. I have a PFAFF which I sew on and a Janome that I'm truly in love with.  The PFAFF is a great machine and handles like a dream and the Janome is truly amazing but it weighs a ton. You would think I get a lot done by sewing on one while the other stitches out a design. Sometimes that works but mostly I sit and watch the Janome do it's thing. Does anyone else have that affliction?
Sewing Time for January = 23 hours
Machine Embroidery = 23.5 hours
Fabric used from stash = approximately 5 yards

There's A Frog In My Hair!

I swear, I'm never going outside without protection again.
As most of you know, I live in central-ish Texas where the weather is always changing. One day hot the next cold..... make that changing from nearly moment to moment... today, it was a balmy 71 degrees, just perfect of working in the yard... a slight cloudy day but I can work with that....... but I'm babbling.
So I was outside raking leaves, minding my own business when suddenly something plopped onto my head. At this point I'm thinking it's a small branch that's come loose from my red oak and landed on my head.
Did I mention that I don't like surprises.
I reach up to brush it away and my hand connects with something slightly moist, wiggly and it was soft. Not a branchy, hard, rough feeling at all.  Of course I panicked went into survivor mode and carefully brush off the offending critter (NOT). Let's just say it was not a pretty picture. Leaves, my rake, gloves and one tennis shoe went in a counter clockwise directional pattern, the frog landed safely several feet from me (unharmed, I might add) and I wound up bottom first on the ground.  Can you say "upset" cause I really was.
Did I mention that I don't like things that flutter, fly, leap, hop, crawl, creep, slither, limp, wiggle, etc.
I would have posted about the incident right after it happened but I was too traumatized to do anything but have a stiff glass of iced tea and downed a couple of aspirin and a Tea cake to soothe my nerves.
I thought frogs hibernated during the winter. I guess he didn't get the memo.
Note to self....... New plan when raking leaves..... suit up in my hunting gear..... loaded for bear!

I pulled this photo out of the archives to remind myself how to dress when going out into my very dangerous, critter filled yard. I think I need a check list, too......
boots-check
gloves-check
long sleeved shirt-check
pants that can be tucked into boots-check
protective head gear-check
goggles-check
 and then there's the all important fire arm with plenty ammo-check.
I'll be ready next time..... I hope.