Wordless Wednesday

For my birthday, I got a humming bird feeder from the Mr.'s auntie! I researched how to make the food (not hard...1 cup sugar to 3-4 water) and hung the feeder. Not sure when we will see humming birds, but this is my view from the kitchen sink (see the small blue feeder?)!

Grape Salad = Yummy!!

I picked up the ingredients yesterday to make Grape Salad this week!  I have had it several times at family functions, but have never made it myself.  After this weekend's trip to visit family in Baxley, GA, I am craving it! 

Here's the recipe!  It is great for a summer time get together or as a nice health desert or side dish!

Ingredients
2 lbs green seedless grapes
2 lbs red seedless grapes
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste

Topping Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar, packed, to taste
1 cup crushed pecans, to taste
 
Directions
1-Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla by hand until blended.
2-Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving bowl.
3-For topping: Combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans.
4-Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely.
5-Chill until ready to serve!

Cookies!

As many of you know, we recently went through "Remodel Hell" at our house.  We didn't have a kitchen for several months, so cooking was done in a microwave, grill or toaster-oven (did you know you could bake salmon in the toaster-over?  I've tried it all).  You can do a lot with these appliances, but it is NOT the same as a full functioning kitchen by any stretch of the imagination. 
The saying of "you always want something you don't/can't have" kept coming to mind throughout this experience.  We wanted to cook certain things (i.e., frozen pizza, brownies, cookies, etc), but we needed an oven or stove to do so. 

"Remodel Hell" made grocery shopping very interesting. frustrating.  I would go down the isles and read boxes to see if it had microwave directions.  Thank goodness for mini (very unhealthy) pizzas, Pasta Roni and Zanerian's Pasta dishes, and a big fat NO thanks to spaghetti noodles, brownie mixes and anything else that requires boiling or baking!

Now that we have our kitchen back, I have been doing some baking.  Below are some cookies I baked!  No, is it is not a family recipe. In fact, it came straight off the back of the chocolate chip's package, so I guess I am pulling a "semi-Julie!"  (Have all of you seen the movie, Julie & Julia?  I haven't, but I've heard it's good!)

Nestle Toll House Cookie Recipe:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional in my house)

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree [Fahrenheit] oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. (A Mrs. Soirées & Shenanigans' tip: put a piece of bread in the container you store the cookies.  It keeps the cookies moist!)