CROCKPOT MEATBALLS

Autumn conjures up memories of football game Sundays and Thanksgiving parades at my Godmother's home, where meatball sandwiches were warming in the crockpot all day...ready to be scooped into fresh rolls. Mmmmm.

Our family meatballs were always lovingly prepared homemade (of course) and served up to hungry and appreciative recipients while yelling out remarks to the TV ref. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Simple SUNDAY MEATBALLS

Lean (we use 90%) Ground Beef
Parmesan Cheese
Thinly chopped onion
Day old Bread
Milk
Egg
Parsley
Salt & Pepper

The trick is to not over mix the meat with your hands...hence the meatballs become too chewy. Soak your bread (I use the ends of a loaf of bread but you can use crusty Italian or breadcrumbs) in milk till they are absorbed.

To the ground meat, eyeball everything....and mix. If it's too wet, add a little more bread or breadcrumbs, if it's too dry, add another egg. Remember, don't over mix! Form palm size balls (not too large because it takes longer to cook) flattened a bit and brown over a hot pan coated with Olive Oil.

When the meatballs are browned evenly, drop into your crockpot and add your gravy (also known as tomato sauce - ours is homemade too, simple easy recipe for future posting). Let it cook slow and low for a few hours.

Get yourself some fresh Italian rolls and provolone cheese.

Watch many happy faces devour those babies! Is it half-time yet? I smell meatballs!

Enjoy!
xoxo

MONDAY MOVIES

A new feature profiling my favorite, most beloved movies and why I adore them.

LAST OF THE MOHICANS
1992
Daniel Day Lewis
Madeline Stowe
Directed by MICHAEL MANN

Something about this movie stirs some real deep emotions inside me.

Maybe it's the lush cinematography of early American colonies, the riveting scenes of battle and survival, the romantic simplicity between the main characters of Hawkeye and Cora who fall in love based on witnessing one another's life's passion and protection of each other, the self sacrifice of Duncan and the amazing innocence of untold and unexplored secret love of Alice and Uncas.

Everything about this movie from the story to the soundtrack is merit-worthy of greatness.

Being that I am a huge history buff and love learning about Native American cultures, I was intrigued and impressed with this film since I saw it at it's release in 1992. Today, I can watch it over and over and still find something new and incredible about it. The theme of family (2 sisters meeting their rescuers of 2 brothers...the father of Hawkeye and Uncas is the Last of the Mohicans) and tradition and honor runs through the movie with a powerful sense of emotion.
Watch it. You'll be glad you did. Better yet, read the book by James Fenimore Cooper

More info on this great film is found here.

For those that have already seen it, relive the end scenes here. (Spoiler)

THANKS, GRAM!

ANNA

1919-2008

Dear Grandmom,

I doubt highly that you are in heaven right now reading blogs...but just in case the words somehow are carried to your soul, I wanted to write you a letter.

I want to thank you for being my girlfriend for 37 years. Having you watch me while I was a little girl so mom could bring in some extra money, sleep over at your house, go to mass and breakfast at the diner every Sunday... I thank you for spending so much time with me while I was young and how you continued to look after me even as a young adult, your wisdom formed and molded me into someone I am proud of.

I want to thank you for going places with me when nobody else wanted to...for waiting for me to get done work on Fridays so I wouldn't drive to the seashore alone....for treating me to lunch at Friendly's so many times....for the breakfasts at IHOP (you loved that rootie tootie fresh and fruity pancakes and the funnel cakes) You always had powdered sugar on your lips!
I want to thank you for raising my mom to be the woman I most admire today. The fact that you opened up a neighborhood store back in the day when women just stayed home with their little ones, showed an independent spirit....now all the women in our family somehow have their own niche to share with the world.

I want to thank you for Sunday dinners at your house, and Monday soup night pick-ups for all the working family to come and pick up your homemade soup....You constantly thought of how to make your family's life easier.

When Gramps died, I know you died too. You loved him so much and your passion for life diminished. That's what happens to a broken heart....but you never wanted to be a burden to any of us...and you watched as grandchildren married and gave you great-grandchildren. You now had a new reason to live!

I was there with you through it all. You were beyond a mere Grandmom. You were my Girlfriend...I loved putting blush on you in the hospital and barrettes in your hair. I loved how even the Sunday before God called you home you were modeling your look for the "camera".

We did so much together. Being roomates, I could hear you prayers at night. You never ever stopped praying for me. You called me everyday and got sad when you didn't see me for more than 3 days. It helps we lived so close.

Grandmom, you were SUPER GLUE...always holding our Italian crew together...telling us to overlook each other's faults and just be happy in the moment. You always brought back memories of your days growing up and what real sacrifice and commitment and love of family meant. I honor those stories of the old days...maybe that's why I always feel like I don't belong in this generation but in yours...when respect and joy for the smallest things took precedence over matieral gain.

I miss you. You know that. Your death was not the way you wanted. None of us did. You fought and struggled right till the end. When I finally told you to go to sleep, your breathing and restlessness started to fade....We kept vigil over you for 3 days and that final night we watched as the Full Moon came out and your soul finally went home to Jesus.

We sang old Italian songs and reminisced about times shared with you. I have so much more to share with you...will you still be able to hear me?

Can you see me where you are?

We had a very special bond...does it still exist while you are in heaven? Please say it does.

You know I love you, Grandmom. I'll see you in my dreams...I'll pray to you for strength and wisdom and courage...and to do the right thing everyday.

Be my friend forever as I will be yours.
Love,

TALENT CALL: Who Among You is Up for the Challenge?

I know there are so many talented people in blog-land and I was hoping to find one who can assist me in my small business needs.

First and foremost, I need a website. I would prefer to find someone who can set up a few customized pages with a "vintage and feminine look" like the ones found here at Avalon Rose Designs. Nothing to technically fancy... Being that I am on a budget and would like to know how to easily switch up the visuals or templates on a whim (since I tend to like to create constant new looks), I would want someone who can walk me through the steps of getting a site done.

I have budgeted some fees aside and would love to know if anyone is interested in helping me out with a design plan for a website and/or brochure with props to you of course indicated on the site.

If you know of anyone, please contact me at bluerosemlm@yahoo.com or wedibles@gmail.com Thank you so much!

Sorry I've been MIA....What's been happening

I've been amiss in my blogging responsibilities for the last 2 weeks. I've had some familial and business obligations to take care of.

For those of you asking about my G'mom...she is resting as comfortably as we can get her at my parents' home a few miles away. Her hospice nurses are angels.

She was administered last rites today by our priest and is surrounded by family at her bedside. I've been there off and on and it's so very hard to watch my once "girlfriend" lay like a frail, wounded little bird. God is calling her home and I know she is drifting in and out of this place of consciousness to the next.

It's a very spiritual and strange time indeed and my heart is both full of sadness and joy. I wish I could explain better but I will reserve that for another post when I have a better process of my wording.

Thank you for all your continued prayers. My family is the most important thing to me. When one leaves, it's a void that cannot be filled.

God Bless!

On a Whim and a Prayer

"Do you have any plans for today?" asked hubby

"Nope." I replied.

"And since I picked last weekend's plans, it's up to you to come up with something fun and interesting!" I added.

3 hours later, the husband suggested a drive to Elk Neck State Park, Maryland.

Being desperate to get out of the house on a glorious gorgeous Sunday afternoon, I agreed.

"It's going to take us a good 2.5 hours to get there" I explained.

"No, it won't. 1 hour tops!" husband challenged.

Why do I listen to him?

"Are you kidding me? It takes an hour just to get to Delaware from here!"

What is he trying to prove, I thought....

"So what, we have no plans today...let's just go!"

"Fine" I agreed.

_________________

Um, this is way past an hour drive. He thinks he's "on top of it all"

I ask "Are we there yet?" I'm overheated, dehydrated and tired.
What do you mean you're not sure this is where it is!!!! @)(#)(@*

His response?...

Finnegan also asks "Are we there yet? I gotta pee, man"

We continued to drive...and drive some more...and just when you think we are near where we need to be, we continue to ...ya know.....drive a bit more. FINALLY! We arrive. I don't even know why we are driving here.

We could have gone to any state park in our OWN area...Why Maryland? Because lovely husband had a personal agenda in mind: scouting expedition for future kayak trip. I was just along for the ride. I was miffed. Leave it to a guy to rethink the phrase "romantic couple bonding time". Grrrr

We managed to hike a whopping 1.8 miles to Turkey Hill Lighthouse overlooking the Chesapeake via steep bluffs.

I think we stayed a total of 15 minutes then headed the heck out of there. Green flies, mosquitoes and gnats considered us a delicious buffet.

Still peeved that he had an ulterior motive to this excursion, he made it up to me by stopping for homemade ice cream at Havre de Grace.


Surely Ice cream will appease her heart!

I smell a State Park!

Cute little town along the drive.

The Ride Home
Finnegan is having doggie dreams of all the places he peed and poo-ed

Final Sunset makes it all worthwhile...

We laughed. I cried. We hiked. We conquered the bluff. We smacked flies off our skin. We got lost. We found ice cream. We marveled at the sunsets.

Ok. That's it.

Thanks for stopping bye!
xoxo

SALSA/Cha-Cha CHICKEN

After reading the rave reviews of SALSA CHICKEN on the message board, I decided to make use of my surplus of fresh, home-grown tomatoes (for homemade fresh salsa) and frozen chicken tenders.

The result was Viva La Yum! My husband thoroughly enjoyed it...so much so that he spared the last heaping spoon for our neighbors to try. I received a phone call 15 minutes later from them asking for the recipe.

Here it is:

Salsa Chicken (or as I like to refer to it, Cha-Cha Chicken)

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts or Tenders (I used about 10 medium Chicken tenders - equal to 4 breasts)
Salsa (I made homemade salsa with peeled tomatoes, sweet peppers, red onion, fresh cilantro, apple cider vinegar and lime juice etc.)
Cream of Mushroom Soup (can also use Cream of Chicken)
Shredded Cheddar (use your preferred cheese)
Sour Cream
Taco Seasoning
Tortilla Chips

Method:

Using a crockpot, place chicken pieces in bottom and shake Taco Seasoning over. Stir Salsa and Cream of Mushroom Soup together in a bowl and pour in Crock. Let slow cook according to your time or crockpot specs (for me it was 4 hours). One hour before done, layer a generous heaping of your cheese on top and continue to crock.

Easy? Yes! I reserved some fresh salsa for the end and placed a dollop of sour cream over it with additional sprinkled cheese.

You can serve this easily in soft tacos, tortilla chips or over rice. I made mine over rice using the liquid from the simmering chicken. 1 cup of Rice to 3/4 cup of Salsa Chicken Juice and 1/4 cup water.

My husband cha-cha'd over to the sink to clean up the table when we were done extoling praises for this "keeper dish"

Thanks for stopping bye!
xoxo