Something to throw on the grill other than hamburgers and hot dogs.....

Southwestern Burgers {not too spicy I promise ~I am a wimp!}

1 lb ground pork
2Tbs chopped onion {chop this as fine as possible}
1tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
½ ground cumin
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 jalapeño pepper {take the seeds out if you don’t like the heat}
I like to put the pepper and onion in a food processor to get a good fine chop.
Combine all ingredients and then grill. Serve as you would a taco. Use your favorite salsa, sour cream, and cilantro in place of ketchup mustard and lettuce. Cheese is optional. This is often a by name request here when we have company.

Jessica’s Creole Shrimp
½ cup oilive oil
2T Cajun seasoning
2T fresh or 1T dried parsley
1T honey
1T soy sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2T lemon juice {fresh really is best}
1 lb shrimp cleaned
Bake on a cookie sheet for 10 min or until pink {watch it or you will get rubber tires!}
Serve on garlic butter pasta or grill like we did tonight as a scampi style side

mmmmm.....breakfast!!!

Ok, so twice this month I have been asked for "my" recipe for German Pancakes and Buttermilk Syrup. So I thought it would be easier to post the recipes, and pics, that way I won't lose it.

First of all a foodie friend of mine, Sonja S. gave me the recipes and I can take no credit. I can guarantee that if I get a recipe from her, it will be aWeSoMe!!!

German Pancakes

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine...melted
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Cup milk
1 Cup flour

Really that is it! Simple simple! Pour the butter into a greased 9x13 pan. Mix a batter with the remaining ingredients starting with the beaten eggs and adding each in order. Pour over butter. Bake 425 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with fruit and syrup. Eat immediately.

Considering 1/6 of the pan as a serving, the nutrition information is as follows:
268 calories
18 carbs
9.34 protein
16 fat

I like to have mine with fruit. Raspberries are my favorite, my kids all like strawberries and bananas, and of course I drizzle it with the coconut syrup.

So looking at that my new mission is to do two things, 1) bring down the fat without it sticking to the pan and 1) bring down the calories perhaps even upping the protein.

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

1 1/2 Cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda

Combine above ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla or coconut extract (coconut is my favorite by far)

Drizzle over fresh fruit tarts, fresh fruit on pancakes or waffles, sliced bananas topped with chopped peanuts, etc.

Now since I didn't know how many servings this recipe makes I don't have the nutrition information super exact. I guess that it will make 18 servings.

Going by that the nutrition information is as follows:
135 calories
21 carbs
5 fat

Shelf Reliance gives stuff away {really!?}

So go to Shelf Reliance's blog { http://www.shelfreliance.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/10/free-friday-pantry-72/ }, leave a comment {read the rules first} and get an entry. Add their blinky to your blog and comment that you did it and another entry. NIICE.

They are calling their giveaway "Free on Friday" *guess why*.

Sonic = Summer!

So Sonic has a "Happy Hour" for half off drinks...a great time to grab a summertime Route 44 and chillllax. Anway, grab this link, insert your email adress and that's it. You will be emailed a coupon for their new "Chiller" for 99Cents. {yay cheap}

http://www.sonicdrivein.com/chillout

Random chance for a free thing?

Ok, so bloggers who are promoting their businesses often give away samples from their stores that are soon to be replaces with new samples.

They will choose a random person who has left a comment on their blog, and wa-la! A free item.

www.katicupcake.blogspot.com is doing just such a thing.

First entry, just comment on her quilt....say it is cute, even that it's not {why would you if you want to win it though ;)}

The second entry is to use it on your blog, and send people her way....

so get on comment, say JoAnn sent you, and THEN use it in your blog. entry. entry. entry.

what could it hurt?

could make an awesome gift {think save money!}

Sale frustration....

Ok, I keep waiting for a true "EPIC" sale.....

Good thing I am not holding my breath! It seems that manufacturers are having a hard time letting a good sale happen. I have been couponing for a year on the 4th {not terribly long} and so I am not 100% sure that this problem isn't a case of the typical late summer price points, but OI!

The best thing I have managed to do is

#1, take the paper {or make friends with people who take the paper but don't coupon}
#2, print the coupons online {check www.pinchingyourpennies.com}
#3, use the random doublers that are in the paper

{HINT HINT....there are going to be doublers in tommorrows paper. July 8th)

photo shoot on the cheap...will elaborate.

So really what happened here is I had Olivia's pics done, and really can't afford to pay for every print of everything I loved, and knew it before I went. Soooo, I made nice with the wonderful business women in Rigby and took some pics of my own at Annie's Attic, and the Quilt Shoppe!