Star and Mooning ;)

making lunch-star & moon bento

A horrifying recipe

 An interesting but not so horrifying packet of seeds from the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show.

I thought my eyes deceived me but no, this Melonhash is really made of meat..and melons. Not to mention veggies and other fruits. Lets not forget the glue that holds it all together. A healthy amount of mayo *shudder*.

While I'm at it, what is up with this stacked hot dog baked bean thing?

Wednesday night dinner

Wednesday is an activity night for us so dinner was late as usual. I made Spinach Alfredo Pizza using store bought focaccias (basically pizza crusts). A container of sour cream had frozen and the texture was weird after thawing. Sort of like Crème Fraîche. Perfect for making "alfredo"!

Spinach Alfredo Pizza

2 pack of crusts

garlic powder

seasoning (oregano,rosemary,marjoram, thyme)

low fat sour cream

grated parmesan, enough to cover each crust (real parm not shaker, my Sicilian sensibilities just can't take that substitute!)

mozzarella 

spinach (1 box frozen spinach thawed or spinach leaves)

olive oil (optional)

Oil crusts lightly with olive oil. You can skip this step. Spread sour cream on crusts. Sprinkle with garlic powder and seasonings. Add grated parmesan to cover whole crust. Top with spinach. Cover with mozzarella. Bake at 350-400 until cheese and crust edges are browned.

Cut, cool, and eat!

Halloween Birthday Party: Part Trois (or is it quatre?)

My kids have birthdays a month apart. One is turning 13 in a week (save me!) and the other is turning 10 in Oct.
We always do Halloween themed birthday parties (click link for decorations,food, and crafts) for my youngest daughter Onyx.
The husband has demolished our deck so this year's party may have to be somewhere else. I don't really want anyone falling out our sliding door onto the ground below!
 ..and that may happen, last year the kids knocked over the basketball goal in our backyard (encased in cement). Thankfully no one was hurt!

Onyx wants a spa themed Halloween party this year so we are planning a haunted salon. We have a bodiless foot to go in a pedicure bath, a hand for the manicure area, and will be doing "monster" mud masques.
I may set up different rooms as stations.

She is going to be Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I am going to be Marie Antoinette and my oldest hasn't picked her costume yet.

Make it Hormel

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hormel Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

Growing up I did not watch a lot of tv. I'm serious. I  also wasn't allowed to eat junk food or sugar. We had a small black and white television set in my parent's bedroom. My favorite show when I was little was the MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour on PBS. Ok, you can stop pointing and laughing now.  Later I graduated to British television and the junk food of our television set, grainy black and white westerns. I did however have friends. Lots of friends. Friends with junk food, pools, and cable.

One of these friends was my bestie and we would play outside barefoot until the bottoms of our feet were burnt to a crisp. Then we would go inside for a/c and popsicles. And of course TV!
This was the 1980's. Commercials that I remember from this time were for Koolaid, Cabbage Patch Kids, Barbie, Frosted Flakes (They're GRRRReat!), and of course Dinty Moore and hormel chili.

In the 80s, pro football player Fran Tarkenton was tapped to promote Hormel chili.

Hormel Foods has been around forever it seems. The company was founded as George A. Hormel & Company in 1891. The company changed its name to Hormel Foods Corporation 102 years later in 1993. They have a long history of character ads. In the 30s, characters Jiggs and Maggie from “Bringing Up Father” were used in Dinty Moore advertisements. Later, a lumber jack character was introduced, proclaiming “First name’s Dinty, last name’s Moore,” who placed his signature thumbprint on every can.

Hormel is a national household brand with a product line including:

* Hormel® Chili
* Hormel® Chili Master® Chili
* Hormel® Compleats® microwave meals
* Hormel® Refrigerated Entrees
* Hormel® Natural Choice® meats
* Hormel® pepperoni
* Hormel® Black Label® bacon
* Hormel® Microwave Ready bacon
* Hormel® 100 Percent Natural Deli Meats
* Hormel® Cure 81® ham
* Hormel® Always Tender®
* Hormel® bacon toppings

* Hormel® party trays
* Hormel® Snac*Cups™
* Hormel® Little Sizzlers® pork sausage
* Hormel® Mary Kitchen® hash
* Hormel® Kid’s Kitchen® microwave cups
* Hormel® microwave cups
* Hormel® chunk meats
* Hormel® dried beef
* Hormel® Fresh Pantry® meats
* Hormel® Old Smokehouse™ summer sausage
* Hormel® Wranglers® franks
* Hormel® corned beef & roast beef with gravy

Several other brands are sold by Hormel Foods including SPAM.

Not to be punny, the 80's were kind of cheesy and Velveeta and Hormel Chili were used often to make party dip.
We use the chili on baked potatoes with sour cream, cheese (sharp cheddar tastes best), and optional chopped green onions on top.

What do you make with Hormel Chili or the Hormel product line? I would like to try this yummy looking recipe using Hormel® Always Tender® Pork Chops.


Coconut Curry Pork Chops

Ingredients
Servings: This recipe is recommended for 4 servings

* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon red curry paste
* 4 Hormel® Always Tender® Pork Chops, boneless
* 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

Directions

1. In large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium. Remove chops from skillet; wrap in aluminum foil.
2. Shake can of coconut milk. Whisk coconut milk into skillet drippings. Whisk in curry paste. Bring to a simmer.
3. Return chops and accumulated juices to simmering sauce; cook, turning chops once, 5 to 6 minutes. Do not allow sauce to boil; reduce heat if necessary.

For more ideas try the Hormel Foods recipe database.