Tie One On Tuesday

Do you hear that? It's called silence...followed up by millions of mothers cheering. School is back in session for kids all around the world. It's Christmas in August! Let's all celebrate the return of the school year with some back to school cocktails.

Loved by college girls and moms alike, I give you the Green Apple Martin. It's like a jolly rancher but with a punch. Just like your 2nd grade crush.

Green Apple Martini
Cinnamon and sugar for rimming glass
5 tablespoons vodka
5 tablespoons sour-apple schnapps
5 tablespoons lemon juice
5 tablespoons lemon-lime soda (such as 7-Up or Sprite)
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, schnapps, lemon juice and lemon-lime soda.
Cover and shake.
Dip rim edge of martini glasses in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch water, then in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch of equal parts sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Strain shaken mixture into glasses and serve.

Okay, fine, your kid is an overachiever. Big deal, what do you want? An award? Well too bad-you get a cocktail.

The Overachiever aka Teacher's Pet
1 1/2 oz blended whiskey
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1 tsp sweet vermouth
3 dashes bitters
Pour the whiskey, vermouth and bitters into an old-fashioned glass almost filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a slice of orange, and serve.

Sometimes you just don't have enough time to spend mixing up a cocktail. That's fine, you've got juice boxes right? Well, throw a little vodka in that juice box and viola'! You've got a super summer berry crush cocktail!

 Whoop! Whoop! Give those teachers a hug and kiss and thank them for taking little Timmy (or Tammy ) off your hands. Make sure those teachers have their shots, Timmy can be a biter. As for you, well, kick back, put your feet up on the table and enjoy the silence with your yummy beverage.

Salivating Saturday

It's been some time since I have posted any new recipes or treats so in order to make up for the absence, I'm posting not one, but TWO recipes. Oh yeah, they said it couldn't be done, but I did it and now I'm passing the flavor baton on to you.

I know I mention from time to time how much I love pinterest. I am always pinning the best recipes and I refuse to just let them sit there. This first dish is from Six Sister's Stuff. It's easy Hawaiian BBQ chicken. There was only one catch-I am not a fan of pineapple in my food-unless it's a cocktail or certain cakes. So, I tweaked the recipe a little bit and spiced it up.  Oh yeah, I renamed it, because it gives your belly a slap when you eat it!

Who's Your Mama Chicken
4-5 frozen chicken breast
1 jar of Soy Vey Island Teriayaki Sauce
1/2 to a whole jar of Stubb's honey BBQ sauce
1/2 to a whole jar of Stubb's original BBQ sauce (warning-this has kick to it)
Before turning on your crockpot, spray it with cooking spray so the sauce doesn't get all gummy and stick to the sides.
In a large bowl, combine all the sauces and mix together.
Throw frozen chicken in the crockpot and cover with the sauce.
Cook on high for 3 hours, or until chicken is done. If on low-cook for 4-6 hours
Take the cooked chicken from the crockpot and with two forks shred chicken
Put the shredded chicken back into the crockpot with the sauce, turn the crockpot off and let the chicken soak while the rice is being made ( I assume you all know how to make rice, right?).
Serve up the chicken over the rice and enjoy the goodness.

The left over chicken is great for burritos, BBQ sandwiches, tortas, nachos....OMP even made the suggestion of adding a little bit of Kahlua to sweeten the mix.

I knew I needed to make a dessert that would stand next to the awesome chicken I made. Well, I went back to pinterest and found the recipe. Once again, I tweaked the recipe a bit to make it my own. The original is from Sprinkle Bakes. I love coconut candy and when I saw how simple it was to make, I knew I had found my dessert for the night.

Coconut Ice
4 1/2 cups sweetened coconut
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 can condensed milk
1 tablespoon chocolate powder
Pink food coloring

Combine coconut and milk together, blend well with a fork.
Add one cup of sugar at a time and blend well.
Separate mixture into 3 bowl. The first bowl will be left white, the second bowl, add a few drops of pink dye and mix and the third bowl add the chocolate powder.
In a small baking pan, layer the three colors, spreading out the mixture.
Let it set up in the fridge for 2-3 hours, slice and store in a container. I put mind back in the fridge.

A couple things I would have changed again on this recipe. I would have shredded the coconut more to make it a bit more fine and I probably wouldn't have used as much chocolate powder, I would have started smaller and added more for taste. Also, don't leave it unwrapped in the fridge for too long-it will take on the taste of your fridge. You can also experiment with different flavorings for the three different colored layers.

I can not believe how awesome each of these recipes turned out. They will definitely be in heavy rotation at Casa de Pedersen!

Feel Good Friday

 via Kate Spade Tumblr.

It's Friday, doing my happy dance, Whoop! Whoop! Go Pam, get funky!

Could this embroidery be any sweeter? Onyxnox at Craftster stitch this up for her craft room. It makes me so happy.

Yesterday I posted 3 dog videos on Facebook. I was going to save this one for Sunday, but I just couldn't wait. The little head tilt reminds me of Pete. Warning-you will have happy tears.

Oh, you know it's true. southern food did save my soul and my marriage, cause OMP loves my southern cooking. Junk Gypsy has the best stuff for the rebel cowgirl in you. I think I will have one of everything please. Cowboys, rhinestones and sassy quotes-throw in dogs, a few cocktails and you have my life, or at least my dream world.

Kittens are very good at karate. It's a well known fact.

Oh my little cats and kittens, it's time for me to go out into the world and enjoy some sunshine! The pups and the pool are calling my name. I can't let either one of them down, can I? I knew you would understand.

 
Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you.

- Hafiz of Persia

When Crafting Goes Wrong

Ya know, sometimes the way I picture things in my head, it doesn't always work out that way. I had this image of this perfect little picture frame. I followed the directions to the letter and still came up with something that looks like a preschooler, who was high from a pixie stick binge, created.  I had been dying to make a cute fence inspired picture frame. It is suppose to look like this....

From Craftberry Bush

Instead, it turned out like this....

I'm not even going to show you the starfish I made.

Trival Pursuit, Kitty Style

Sunday Morning, the scene - OMP and and I sitting in our local diner waiting for our breakfast. Out pop the Tivial Pursuit cards:

OMP: What board game did Humphrey Bogart excel in?
Me: Monopoly!
Long pause....
OMP: Really?
Me: What? I bet he was really good at it.
Another long pause...
OMP? You're kidding right?
Me: I would think a man like Bogart would love Monopoly, and he was smart so I bet he had all the hotels and Park Place.
Another long pause...
OMP: Chess, he excelled at chess.
Me: Really? Hmmmm..would have never thought that. He doesn't seem like a chess man, maybe Life, or Risk but not chess.
OMP: We're done playing this game.

Tie One On Tuesday

Day three in the pool, OMP keeps telling me to get out, that I am beginning to grow gills, I tell him, that's not such a bad thing and demand another cocktail. Mama has to stay hydrated and I'm building a giant parasol from all the little parasols from my cocktails. See, I can be crafty in the pool.

I have also started demanding to see a drink menu, OMP isn't liking this too much either, I tell him if he makes my drink extra special, there will be a big tip for him. He brought me a menu.

So, let's see what the specials are at Casa de Pedersen (aka Rancho Relaxo):

The Manizer (Originally called the Womanizer, but since I've become a little demanding, OMP changed the name)

1/2 flute of champagne
1 quick dash of vanilla liqueur
1/2 flute of orange juice
Take a few pieces of crushed ice and place on the bottom of the flute, next pour in the champagne and the vanilla liqueur.
Top off with orange juice, add an umbrella and serve

A drink that is so refreshing, and probably one of the easiest in the world to make, is the Santo Libre. The best part about this drink, aside from the rum, is the name, it just rolls off the tongue.

Santo Libre
2 ounces white rum
1/4 ounce of fresh lime juice (you can add more to taste if you need)
5 ounces of 7-up or Sprite (I prefer 7-up, it's not as sweet and is more crisp)
Pour lime and rum in a glass filled with ice, add 7-up and serve.

Oh my goodness! I think OMP is trying to get me tipsy with fruity girl drinks. The last one is an easy cocktail too and it is fun to say! Woo! Woo!, I'm not just excited, that's the name of the cocktail.

Woo! Woo!
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce peach schnapps (I know this brings back memories of college)
4 ounces cran-raspberry juice
Mix all three ingredients in a shaker and pour over a glass with ice.

I love that OMP is catering to my poolside whims, I just wish he hadn't brought me a bill.

Pool Passion

I mentioned yesterday that we just got a pool. It's not the kind you can really swim in (unless you are a 12 pound Jack Russell) but you can have a nice soak after a long day. Although I can't dive or swim in it, that doesn't stop me from practicing my water ballet maneuvers. Who better to take lessons from than Esther Williams herself, so I pulled out a few of my favorite Williams movies and began practicing my moves.

Let's see, Bathing Beauty will definitely help with my leg kicks and splits, I'm sure of it! Esther and Red Skelton star in this delightful movie about a songwriter and a gym teacher in love but outside forces try to split them up. I'm still not sure how they got all of those wonderful costume changes and fancy lights in a school swimming pool, but hey, if they can do it-so can I.

Next up is Neptune's daughter. There are several reasons I picked this. 1-great bathing suit inspiration 2-Ricardo Montalbahn stars in it (KAHN!) and 3-the water ballet in this movie is to die for! Now, this movie isn't going to win any major awards for acting but it is silly and will take your mind off life for a little bit. Once again, Esther and Red team up and love is found, lost, and found again but this time, it involves an Oscar winning song, Baby It's Cold Outside.

Last up for my training videos, ummm, I mean entertaining films is Dangerous When Wet. Esther, plays a young woman who plans to swim the English Channel. And guess who her co-star in this movie, Fernando Lamas! I know! I squealed too! The absolute best part of this movie is her routine with cartoon cat and mouse, Tom and Jerry.
Okay, I think I have her moves down, I sent OMP out to set up the gel lights and the underwater cameras, Lola, Jujube and Pete are dressed up like spouting fountains and I am ready for my close up. I mean, I saw it in a movie once, I'm pretty sure I can pull it off.