Monday, February 1, 2016

Kathy's Heart, Last Booties, Thai Scarf and Two Recipes

Happy February!  I hope you had a good weekend.  I got a package in the mail from my blog friend Kathy from "Runs With Rocket" blog - she is a fabulous seamstress and made me this super gorgeous heart as a gift!  I adore it!  I think I need a "heart tree" to hang my hearts on.. don't you?  Thank you, Kathy!


Kathy works at a post office and loves cards and postcards and stamps.  She sent a card that she wrote a note in with a wonderful watercolor of Multnomah Falls Lodge.  One of the best watercolors of the lodge I've ever seen - and enclosed a blank card for me to use.  How generous!  I love it!  


We went to visit our son Shawn and his family on Saturday to hear about their trip to Phuket, Thailand.  Beth showed me photos of the wedding they attended there and a lot of the sightseeing they did.  Their hotel room was on a hillside and the whole front of it opened to a view of the ocean and their own private pool!  We sent photos from her iPad to me to post but they never showed up for some reason.  Beth brought out this gorgeous cashmere Pashmina as a gift for me - and it's just perfect with my favorite jewel tones.  Thank you, Beth!  They are continuing plans to move to Southern California.  


While we visited with them on Saturday I got one more pink bootie made and this is a photo I took of it on Sunday as I began the second bootie.  My rainbow "Lucy" bag on my lap.  I like to give credit to Lucy at Attic24 blog for inspiring me to get back into crochet and to use bright colors.  Dayle and I watched "A River Runs Through It" on TV in the afternoon.  What a wonderful movie.  


These booties are for my niece Johanna and her husband Andrew - they have a wonderful son and just welcomed a sweet little baby girl to their family.  :-)


We have had a couple really delicious meals here and I wanted to share the recipes with you.  This is an old family favorite of ours, Dayle makes them.  Sweet and Sour Meatballs over rice.  Our little grandsons gave us the thumbs up and enjoyed them immensely.



2 lbs ground beef
4 (or more) TBS bread crumbs (Italian seasoned is what Dayle uses)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped onion
4 TBS butter
2 cans of Campbell’s condensed tomato soup
4 TBS brown sugar
8 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 TBS regular yellow mustard
2 TBS vinegar
2 small cans of crushed pineapple

Directions:  Mix beef, crumbs, egg and salt together, roll into small meatballs (1 inch in diameter), brown in frying pan until cooked through, drain on paper towel. 


Cook the green pepper and onion in butter until tender, stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes, add the meatballs into the sauce and pour all into a shallow baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  While it is baking, cook 2 cups (raw) rice, and to serve the meatballs over the rice.  Ladle the crushed pineapple over the top for the final touch.
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Yesterday Kristi tried out a new recipe in her sheet pan dinners cookbook and it was a huge hit so I thought I'd share this recipe too.  YUM!


Honey-Orange Shrimp with Baby Bok Choy

1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp hot sauce
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil cooking spray
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
pinch of red pepper flakes (I didn't use)
1lb baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise in quarters

1. Place the shrimp, orange zest, 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the olive oil, hot sauce, mustard, and garlic in a medium sized bowl or gallon size ziploc bag, and toss to combine (or seal bag and shake gently). Cover the bowl and marinate the shrimp in refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center position. Mist a sheet pan with cooking spray.

3. Whisk together the butter, honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and the remaining 3 tbsp orange juice in a small bowl. Place the bok choy on the sheet pan, drizzle with the dressing, and toss to coat. Spread out the bok choy in a single layer.

4. Roast the bok choy, rotating the pan halfway through, until it starts to brown and sauce begins to thicken, about 25 minutes.

5. Add the shrimp and it's marinade to the pan in a single layer over the bok choy, and roast until the shrimp are bright pink and just cooked through, an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
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Well.. a new day, a new week and a new month.  I'm off to swim soon.  What's new with you?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)  




20 comments:

  1. Hi Teresa. What a lovely gift from your friend! So thoughtful of her! I love the scarf from Thailand too. I know you are heavy hearted at the thought of them moving. I am so sorry.
    The meals both look delicious! I shall have to give them a try.
    It is cold and windy here today. The wind has blown the storm out, and the skies are a beautiful blue, with big white puffy clouds...my favorite!
    The booties are darling. I give Lucy credit for inspiring me to crochet as well.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  2. Lovely gifts to and from you, Teresa :) I think you should have a heart tree. For a long time I have wanted to figure out how to make a heart tree... and where to display it over here, but so far have not come up with a viable plan. Your recipes do look yummy! I plan to see you at the pool. xx

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  3. Hi Teresa, thanks for sharing those recipes. They both look tasty. I love your pashmina and I think those colors are very you. I hope you have a good swim today.

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  4. We just had your sweet & sour meatballs Friday. It's a great recipe and a favorite of ours. So good! I almost posted about them, but didn't want to put your recipe up. Glad you posted it yourself. Cute booties!

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  5. That's a very pretty heart that you got from Kathy and that pashmina is just beautiful. I love the colors in it. It sounds as though you do need a heart tree. You seem to be amassing quite a collection. The sweet-and-sour meatballs look especially good. I think I may have to try making those before long since Dennis is a huge fan of meatballs. I know the thought of your kids moving is depressing to you. My thoughts are with you as your family faces this change. You know that I know how you feel, my friend. I hope you're having a wonderful day.
    Blessings, Betsy

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  6. Gorgeous heart and a brilliant painting of the falls. I'm glad your son and his family enjoyed Phuket. Wishing you a good week Teresa. CJ xx

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  7. Wonderful gifts received and given ☺ That painting of the falls is incredible. Good on you going swimming and may you have a great week too xo

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  8. Love the heart and Pashmina! The watercolor card is wonderful, and how nice she included one for you to use. Happy February! :)

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  9. Oops...Also wanted to say love the pink booties. So cute!

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  10. That recipe with the pineapple looks amazing! now I have to try it!
    Pink booties are the BOMB.
    New for me: a haircut! Lots of layers instead of a big bulky bob

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  11. That pashmina is just gorgeous!

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  12. The elephants on your pashmina are lovely.
    I have enjoyed getting to know you to the point I can make items you enjoy. Your DIL must also know you well - picking out those gorgeous scarf colors.
    You are an amazing person.

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  13. What a sweet felt heart and a gorgeous shawl you received Teresa. Such happy bright colours. Those dinners looked yummy. Happy February x

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  14. What delicious things to eat! Your new heart is beautiful isn't it, so is the card of course! xx

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  15. Hello Teresa. I think you should definitely have a heart tree. Lovely gifts from your friend. The recipes look delicious and I would really like to try them out. We've had a wonderful few days in Yorkshire with our eldest son and his lovely family. It was like a mini holiday - we were thoroughly spoiled. Hugs Anne x

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  16. Those gifts are so wonderful. I bet your loved hearing about their fantastic trip. I am home early today and loving every minute of it. Hugs to you Teresa.
    Meredith

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  17. You have such lovely thoughtful friends. That pashmina looks really nice. I ordered a pashmina online a couple of weeks ago and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I'll probably wear it as a scarf. Yummy looking sweet and sour meatballs. Xox

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  18. You are certainly loved with all those beautiful hearts, what a blessing to have such wonderful friends.

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  19. What a great collection of hearts my friend. ... I truly miss you n hope we can see each other soon

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  20. Yummy! I *heart* meat ball subs. :) Here's an even EASIER sweet&sour meat ball recipe. I get the pre-fab meatballs from the cooler at Kroger, throw them in a crock pot with several jars of Kekoman Sweet & Sour Sauce, and a can of chunk pineapple (with the juice too), let them puppies simmer for a couple of hours and BINGO! you're done.

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