Mas Taco Por Favor's Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe - Did I Say Fabulous?

We've both been a bit under the weather.  Hacky cough, headache, scratchy throat.  Not feeling terrible, just not great.  The sneezing and runny nose can stop anytime.  Hopefully it will resolve itself soon, and I do hope SOON.  Dan and I have been really healthy for years, but since the grandsons are in school, we seem to come down with a lot of little colds which they bring home from school.  They are all hacking and coughing too.  Springtime can't come fast enough.

Science has found that chicken soup is good for colds and congestion.  This soup I am writing about today is just good for the soul!  Our daughter kept raving about the chicken tortilla soup from a local restaurant called Mas Tacos Por Favor.  This is not your average Tex-Mex place.  It is a little hole in the wall decorated with mis-matched chairs and wobbly tables.  You have to place your order at a window and pray that you find a seat because the place is always packed.

Mas Tacos Por Favor has been written about in many culinary magazines and in the New York Times on June 18, 2012.  Their menu is written on a chalk board and changes every day.  Their tacos are things like braised pork and red mole in la manana, or fried avocado, pulled pork, cast iron chicken and quinoa.  Merciful heavens their food is good.  But, the chicken tortilla soup is divine, their shining star.  Simply heavenly.

I took my chances and googled Mas Tacos chicken tortilla soup and miracle of miracles there was an online recipe in Bon Appetit magazine.  The tortilla soup gods smiled on me with great favor!  Full, rich flavor tasting of lime juice and clear, tasty chicken broth is the base for this soup.  It is topped off with grilled corn, avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, queso fresco and more lime juice.  It has a spicy taste from chipotle chiles and just a bit of jalapeno.  Not too spicy, but just right in my estimation.

Here is what you need to make 8 servings:

1 4 pound chicken
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, peeled, chopped
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 dried chipotle chiles
1 jalapeno (with seeds), halved lengthwise
7 cilantro sprigs
3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
vegetable oil
5 corn tortillas, cut in 1/2 inch strips
2 ears of husked corn, or 2 cups frozen, thawed corn kernels  (I had to use frozen corn)
Chopped fresh cilantro, halved cherry tomatoes, avocado wedges, queso fresco or mild feta, lime wedges.

I didn't have any chipotle chiles on hand, so I used a can of green chiles.  Just a little different, but not the end of the world.

Bring the whole chicken, onion, carrot, garlic, chipotles, jalapeno, and 16 cups water to a boil in a large pot; skim foam from surface.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, skimming the surface frequently until chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.

Transfer chicken to a plate.  Strain broth into another large pot.  Return chiles to broth if a spicier broth is desired.  Discard remaining solids.  Shred Chicken meat; discard skin and bones.  Transfer chicken meat to a medium bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, set pot with strained broth over medium heat and add cilantro springs.  Bring broth to a simmer; cook until reduced to 8 cups, about 1 hour.  Discard cilantro sprigs and chiles if using.  Stir in 3 TBSP fresh lime juice.  Season with salt, pepper, and more lime juice if desired.  Add chicken to broth.

DO AHEAD:  can be made 2 days ahead.  Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Attach deep fry thermometer to the side of a large cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet.  Pour oil into skillet to a depth of 1 inch.  Heat over medium heat until thermometer registers 350-360 degrees.  Working in batches, fry tortilla strips, turning occasionally until crisp and golden brown, 2-3 minutes per batch.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.  Season with salt.

(I baked my tortilla strips.  Drizzle with oil, toss until coated and put on a baking sheet at 400 degrees.  Stir on occasion to make sure they brown on all sides).

Cook the corn over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning occasionally until charred in spots.  (You can use your outdoor grill too).  Let stand until cool enough to handle  Cut kernels from cobs in strips.   Discard cobs.  (Alternatively, cook kernels in a large skillet over high heat until charred in spots).

Rewarm broth with chicken.  Divide soup among bowls.  I put the corn and tortilla strips in the bowl and then put out plates with toppings because not everyone likes all of them.  (You know who I'm talking about, right?)  We had cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, queso fresco, cilantro and lime wedges. YUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

This soup is heavenly.  Divine.  Amazing.  Fabulous.  Incredible.  Awesome.  Flavorful.  Tasty.  Scrumptious.  Is that enough adjectives?

I had never thought of eating avocados in a hot soup broth, but boy oh boy, are they good!  It's all good and will do wonders for a stuffy head.  It's not really hard to make either.  You don't even have to wait until you have a stuffy head to enjoy this fabulous concoction.

If you are ever in Nashville and want some spectacular food, head straight to Mas Tacos Por Favor at 732 McFerrin Avenue in east Nashville.  They are open 11-4 Tuesday through Saturday and I don't know about evenings.  They also have a food truck that makes appearances from time to time around town.  Mas Tacos is owned by Teresa Mason and she certainly knows her stuff when it comes to delicious food.

Give this soup a try.  No, it's not like the chicken tortilla soup you get other places - it's so much better!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

A Jewish woman had two chickens. One got sick, so the woman made chicken soup out of the other one to help the sick one get well.   Henny Youngman

Kate, This Is For You

Hi all!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the Superbowl - if that is your thing.  Dan spent his Superbowl down for the count with a rather nasty stomach bug.  We usually enjoy all the fun, food, and festivities, but this year's menu consisted of jello and sprite and not too much enthusiasm.  There's always next year.

What I did this weekend was finish these crocheted high top sneaker booties for a friend who is expecting a baby at the end of February.   Seriously, what could be cuter than a baby wearing these adorable high tops?  I tried two different patterns I found on Pinterest with no success.  I started one pair four different times and I could not make the count work out.  The writer of the pattern actually said "I think I did this" in a couple of places.  I should have given up right then because that is obviously not what she did, but she was nice enough to share so I say thank you.  I am not one to admit defeat.  Needless to say, I finally hollered Uncle and tried another pattern.  No dice on that one either.  My frustration level was really high at this point and I was about ready to throw in the towel until I found this pattern from sarahatbeyondallmeasure.blogspot.com.    If you would like to make some of these, please go to her site for the instructions.   Her pattern is super easy to follow.

This is not the pattern my friend originally chose and I am sad that I could not make the original choice for her.  On the other hand, these are really, really cute and I hope she will like them.  Little BDS will look super hip in these stylin' high top sneakers!  Why are baby booties so darn cute?

All that is needed to make these booties is worsted weight yarn, an F crochet hook, and I used some crewel embroidery thread to make the stars on the sides.  Once I got my rhythm going, it didn't take long to complete them.  I was getting really anxious about my lack of progress, but now they are done.  Hip, hip, hooray!

They will be shipped to her this week and I really hope she likes them!  It's such a pleasure to make things mother's want for their babies as gifts.  I hope she sends me a picture of him wearing them.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

The "blue" you see inside the shoes is tissue paper placed there so the shoes will keep their shape in shipping.  Not anything necessary in making the booties.

Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake - A Superbowl Must

If you don't love coconut, read no further.  This recipe is not for you.  If you do love coconut, come on in  - this recipe has your name ALL over it.  If you like Almond Joy's, coconut bonbons, macaroons, or anything that has coconut in it you are going to love this cake.

By the way, you probably want to make this cake for Superbowl Sunday.  Why?  Because it is so good.  It's somewhat like "chocolate heaven on a fork" good.  It's like "where has this been all my life" good.  It's "why haven't I made this before" good?!   Did I say it was good?  Not.  Kidding.

I don't usually post on Friday night, but the last two days have been super busy helping Daughter #2 and her family move.  Whew.  What a job.  Grandma is T. I. R. E. D. today.    On top of that, it is cold here in middle Tennessee and it was a day for comfort food.  We have been grabbing things here and there between cleaning and unpacking.  Time for some home cooking.

Tonight, I made one of our favorites - Shepherd's Pie - and for dessert Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake.  Is it comforting?  In every conceivable way.  Is it easy?  Yes.  Is it fabulously delicious?  Oh my heaven's yes.   Here is what you need to make this treat:

1 Devils Food cake mix - make according to directions on the box

Filling

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
2 TBSP flour
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all together and put aside.  I used a whisk.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP milk
1 cup chocolate chips

slivered or sliced Almonds, optional

Put a sauce pan on the stove and melt the butter at medium low.  Add the chocolate chips, powdered sugar and 1 TBSP of milk at a time until the chips are melted the the glaze is thin enough to pour.  If you need a little more milk, add sparingly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the cake mix according to directions on the box.  Pour half the batter into a lightly greased non-stick Bundt pan.

Use a tablespoon and drop mounds of the coconut filling all around the center of the cake batter, spreading it out evenly by lightly tapping with the spoon, making sure it does not touch the sides of the cake pan.  

Pour the rest of the cake batter over the coconut filling.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes and turn onto a plate to cool completely.  Drizzle with the chocolate glaze.  Decorate with slivered or sliced almonds if you wish.  (I wished).

This is a view from the top.

Look at all that icing puddling in the center of the cake.  Yum.  Yum.

Now, a cross section of the interior of the cake.

Look at that super tunnel of coconut that is sweet, and chewy, and fantabulous.

Isn't it pretty?  Don't you want a piece?  If you were here, I would gladly share.  Since you aren't here, looks like you need to make one for yourself, your family, and all your friends.  They are going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.  Don't you want to run your finger through those big puddles of chocolate at the base of the cake?  Come on, I know you do.  That's what icing is for.  MMMMMMMMMMMM.

In order to enjoy the food, er game, on Sunday, it would be nice to have a fabulous dessert to go along with all the other scrumptious food that will most likely be available.  Maybe you have to take a dish to a party, perhaps you are the host.   Either way, this is a wonderful cake that will make you happy no matter who wins.  Gooooooooo team!  Can't you tell I'm a major football fan?  I try, really I do.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I'm old enough to remember the first Superbowl and this year is #47.  I was 17 (do the math).   It was not the big deal it is today, with parties and food and celebration.  It really has developed into a phenomenon that is lots of fun.  Hope your team wins!  Enjoy the halftime show!  Eat some cake.

Bad Name, Great Recipe - Mud Hen Bars, Great for Super Bowl Sunday

This my friends is a Mud Hen Bar.  A What?  A Mud Hen Bar.  A what?  You read that correctly.  What exactly is a Mud Hen and why would anyone name something so delicious such an awful name?  I wish I knew.  Truly.  This is something you will want to make in the very near future.  They would be excellent for Super Bowl Sunday!  They are easy to make and so, so good.

I tried to do some research on why they would be named Mud Hen Bars, but with no luck.  Seems there are many people on the world wide web asking the same question.  Evidently the recipe has been around for years and years with no information about how the name came to be.  This is what I did find.  There is a Mud Hen, New Jersey, a minor league baseball team in Toledo, Ohio, named the Mud Hens, and a Mud Hen is a bird that lives in the marshes, is very round with long legs and has trouble launching itself into flight.  Now, I see no connection to any of these other than the fact that the original recipe could possibly have come from Mud Hen, New Jersey.  Even then, I think I would have come up with a better name.  Seriously, Mud Hen does NOT sound inviting in any way and they are really, really good!

I found this recipe on one of my favorite sites, Plain Chicken.  I read over the ingredients and knew these would be good because I have been making a cookie bar called Chinese Chews for years and they are somewhat similar. (I'll share that one some day).   Now there's another name - Chinese Chews.  Where did that name come from?  Makes you wonder and they are just as good as Mud Hen Bars.

Here is what you need to make these delectable treats:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 whole egg
2 eggs separated
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

First, beat the white sugar and butter together until creamy.  Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks, keeping the whites for later.  Mix in the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla.  Spread cookie batter into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle the marshmallows and chocolate chips on top of the unbaked cookie crust.

(Are you thinking s'mores yet?  That's what I thought, but kind of yes and no.)

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  A stiff peak must stand on it's own.

Now, fold in the brown sugar.  This is your meringue.  Folding means stirring from the bottom up and over the top, not just mixing.  Be gentle.

Spread the meringue mixture over the marshmallows and chocolate chips.  Bake for 30 minutes.

It looks kind of flat when you first spread it on, but looks like this after it is baked.

That lovely merengue gets nice and puffy and brown and kind of crunchy.  Oh my.

Let cool in the pan and cut into squares.  Serve.  Try to keep from eating them all in one sitting.

These bars are sweet, I am warning you now.  But, holy cow they are good.  My only idea would be to add chopped nuts and maybe even some coconut if you like either or both.  Wowsa.  That would make them over the top good.

You have a nice layer of cookie base, just a hint of chocolate chip cookie, but not quite because of the melted marshmallows in the middle with the chocolate chips.  The texture of the meringue is heavenly with all that brown sugar in it.  They are chewy bars that you will just have to make to understand how good they are.

Yeah, you need to make these.  They would be a real hit for Super Bowl Sunday.  Dan LOVES them. If you're like me and don't really care about the game, but do love the good eats, these are for you!  They will make your day.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Even though the name is not particularly appealing for a recipe, don't pass it by.  Names can be deceiving.  ; )

Parmesan Chicken Sticks - Perfect For Super Bowl Sunday

Iiiiiitttttttt's Monday!  Again!  Hope your weekend was spectacular.  We spent ours at grandsons' (plural) basketball games on Saturday and helped our other daughter pack her house for their big move this week.  Have you ever packed to move with two little ones running around?  I have, and all the help you can wrangle is a major bonus.  Some to pack and some to chase children.  They are moving to a new house all on one level.  She is so excited.  No more flights of stairs to navigate with two little boys.   Talk about a workout.  Wow.

On Friday night, I felt ambitious and wanted to fix something different for dinner.  Don't you get tired of the same things all the time?  I sure do.  Well, that huge package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts  in the fridge looked like they were it whether they wanted to be or not.  I hunted around the net to see what I could find as far as recipes using chicken breasts.  One of the first places I always look is Foodnetwork.com.  Lots and lots of good recipes on there and Ina Garten, better known as the Barefoot Contessa, always has awesome recipes that are not hard, but always flavorful and delicious.  What did I spy, but a recipe for parmesan chicken sticks.  Sounded good to me!  I mean, who doesn't love chicken parmesan?   And, what to go with them?  Why my 3 cheese mac and cheese of course (made from scratch) and a recipe for zucchini cakes that I found on Pinterest a while back.  They are like potato pancakes made with zucchini and a tzatziki sauce to go with them.  Yum.  Yum.  Yum.

I put our youngest son to work grating zucchini while I prepared the parmesan chicken sticks.  They are really easy and oh my goodness delicious.  These would be perfect for Super Bowl serving!!  For Super Bowl you want some finger type food that guys will love and these certainly fit the bill.  Here is what you need:

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (3 to 4 - I used 4 and had a mound of chicken sticks)
1 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 extra large eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Bamboo skewers 6-10 inches long, optional

Directions

Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice each diagonally into 4 or 5 large strips.  (The chicken breasts I had were very large so I got 6-7 strips per breast).  I also ended up doubling the breading recipe.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.  Beat the eggs with 1 TBSP of water in a second shallow bowl.  Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third shallow bowl.  Dredge the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and roll in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat.

Heat 1 TBSP of butter and 1 TBSP of olive Oil in a large saute pan and cook the chicken sticks on medium low heat for about 3 minutes on each side, until just cooked through.  Don't crowd the pan.  (I used my non stick electric skillet so I could cook more at a time).  Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken sticks.  Serve each stick on a skewer if you want.  (We didn't bother, but could be good for the Super Bowl).

You can keep the chicken breasts warm for about 15 minutes on a sheet pan in a preheated 200 degree F oven until you finish all the chicken sticks.

We ate these with some Trader Joe's marinara sauce (warmed) for dipping.  Mm, mm, mm, mm, mmm.  Dan and Tyler declared these fantastic and we certainly will be making them again!  We had a huge plate of chicken sticks and enjoyed them for two more meals.

If you have children, I guarantee they will love these scrumptious pieces of chicken.  So will anyone at a Super Bowl gathering.  They were so tender and tasty we could not stop commenting on how delicious they were.  Tyler, who is somewhat of a foodie, TRULY liked them if you want a good testimonial from someone with rather discriminating taste.  Dan declared the meal better than most restaurant meals which made the effort more than worthwhile.

Thanks Ina for a great recipe!  Hope you all give it a try.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I predict that one of the teams will win the Super Bowl.  ; )

Sinfully Good Red Velvet Cookies - 21 Days Til Valentine's Day

Greetings friends and neighbors.  I have been absent for a couple of days due to an AT&T issue that shut our internet and cable down.  Seems there was a server problem in Atlanta and it caused outages all throughout the southeastern United States.  If you think you are not dependent on the internet, think again.  I look up so many things in a day's time its unbelievable.  Then again, perhaps I spend way too much time on the world wide web.  How did I discover this?  By all of the things I accomplished here at home during the two days without service.  Perhaps it's time to reevaluate my minor addiction.

We are now 21 days away from Valentine's Day.  It is rolling up in a hurry don't you think?  Do you make things for your sweetheart, family or friends?  Or, do you just run out and grab some run of the mill manufactured card and maybe some candy or flowers?  I am not knocking your choice whatever it may be.  Thoughtfulness is the name of the game when it comes to the big red heart day.  If you start planning now, you can do something original or hand made which shows you put in just a little more thought or effort into expressing your love and appreciation for your special someones.  Perhaps you can make a special dinner, hand made card, or gift.

How about baking some lovely cookies that are devilishly delicious?  How about some sinfully good red velvet cookies?  Huh?  How about it?  These are divine and so easy to make.  This recipe came from Food.com.  Here is what you need:

1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 18 ounce box red velvet cake mix
confectioner's sugar for rolling and dusting

Directions:

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Beat in the egg.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Add the cake mix and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up the mix so that you can roll the batter into balls.  

After the batter has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12 minutes.  The cookies should remain soft and gooey.  Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioner's sugar.

My thought was to add some white chocolate chips to the batter for a little extra something something.  Doesn't that sound just fine?   Either way, these cookies are sooooooo good and the beautiful red and white is perfect for Valentine's day.

(A little FYI, your hands will be very red from the food coloring in the batter after rolling all the balls.  Don't be alarmed, just scrub them really well with a good soap or dishwashing liquid.  It does come off and does not leave your hands stained.)

Now is the time to start your plans.  Aldi's still had some of their seasonal red velvet cake mixes today and I am partial to theirs, but there are other brands available.  You might want to make a test batch before the big day so you will get to eat some of them.   I'm just sayin'.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

-- Maya Angelou

Valentine Candles

 Happy Martin Luther King, Jr., Day and Inauguration Day!  What a momentous occasion today has been with the second inauguration of President Barack Obama and celebrating the life of a true hero of the American Civil Rights movement.  Reverend Dr. King did so much for the rights of everyone to be free and equal.  He laid down his life for his beliefs and we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude.  Celebrating his birthday is one way we can remember him and all of his contributions to mankind.

Watching all the ceremony and pomp of Inauguration Day certainly makes one grateful to be an  American and know that we are free to elect whomever we choose to be the best candidate to lead our country.  We still have a way to go in making everyone in our country equal in enjoying rights given to some, but not all.  This is a part of President Obama's speech today.

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.  Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.  Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country.  Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia, to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm.  President Barack Obama, January 21, 2012.

It makes me proud to know we have a President leading our country who truly believes in equality for all.  Hopefully, the day will soon arrive when the tenets of our Constitution will apply to everyone.

Time to get down off my soapbox now and proceed with today's blog post.  Yes, it's more Valentine's Day ideas and yes, these are really cute and really inexpensive.

Perhaps you may need a few small gifts for Valentine's Day, or you just want something to decorate your home.  You may need centerpieces for a Valentine party or a romantic dinner.  These devotional candles are quick and easy.  You may remember my post before Christmas where I made Santa's bellies and burlap angels using these candles.  Because they come in clear glass, the possibilities for decorating them are endless.  Everything came from the Dollar Tree except the piece of red felt which came from Michael's and was only $.35.

Here is what you need:

Devotional candles - $1.00 each  - however many you want to make
1 package of white paper heart doilies - 20 for $1.00
1 spool white cotton twine - $1.00
1 piece of red felt 9x12 - Michael's $.35

First, I cut out some small red felt hearts that would fit inside the center of the paper heart doilies.
Run some hot glue around the edge and center of the felt hearts.  Press them on the paper heart doilies in the center
.
When the glue is set, place a dot of hot glue in the back of the paper heart doily and place on the devotional candle where you want it.  Put a small dab of hot glue on the top edge of each heart (both sides) and press it to the glass until it holds.

Now, cut a piece of twine about 1.5 - 2 feet long.   Wrap the twine around the heart however you desire.  Make whatever design you want.  I made mine 3 different ways.

Tie the twine in a knot on the back of the candle and cut the string close to the knot.  That's it.  Done.  Easy peasy.  You have a gift that cost you peanuts about $1.10 each.  Look how adorable they are!  If you wanted to use red card stock instead of felt, you could put a message in the center of each heart.  Just an idea!  Now, you have a Valentine card/gift all in one.  Pretty.  Handmade.  Thoughtful.  Original.

I put mine on the sofa table in our living room.  They look so pretty there and brighten up the gray, cold days we have been experiencing.  

The antique blocks on the left are the initials for our 6 grandsons with the number 6 on top.  I have been looking for a set of these blocks for years and found them right before Christmas at a wonderful shop in East Nashville called Wonders on Woodland.  A few of the blocks are missing, but I was so excited to find them.  You see them used in decor in magazines all the time and they are one of those items I kept asking myself where I could find them?  Lucky me, they were right on the counter when I walked in the door and they were calling my name.  Needless to say, they did come home to live with me.  

Our two year old grandsons, who are cousins, think they are the bomb.  All the fancy toys in the world today and they want to play with these blocks.  Go figure.  The carved "R" block is missing, so I had to use one of the printed sides for our NYC grandson whose name starts with R.  There are 7 more blocks in the set and I will be using them a lot in the future.

These are one of those simple things that make my heart smile.  On the right side are some pictures of three of our precious little men.  Being a grandparent is such a joy!

A friend of mine tried to find some of these candles before Christmas and had no luck.  They are always in the candle/vase department at the Dollar Tree.  Our Kroger also sells them.  I have not checked any other dollar stores for availability.  I do know that Dollar Tree will order items for you if they do not have them.  They have a catalog and you can order in quantity and have it shipped to the store so you don't have to pay shipping.  Then, you can pick the items up there.  I used to do it when I worked as the floral designer at the casino back home.  They are usually very helpful about ordering items for you.  

 Your Valentines will love receiving such a thoughtful gift from you.  Even if you don't consider yourself a crafty person, these are quick, easy, and thrifty!  Remember, these would be great for teachers, friends, or to use as a centerpiece for a Valentine party or romantic dinner.  Have fun with this project and be creative!  You can do it!!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where our father's died,
Land of the pilgrim's pride,
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring.

America, written by Samuel Francis Smith