Run Little Miss....Run...

Its Teal Tuesday...

and what an apt way to remember those who are fighting cancer

Little Miss took part in mini run to raise funds for Childrens Cancer Charities in Newcastle

She ran the whole mile...

in less than 9 minutes..

and even kept going past the finish line!

Pretty good for a three year old

Im a very proud Nana

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Whats For Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday

Oh boy.... I cant keep up! The last week of September already. We have a lot of things going on this week... especially this weekend. Saturday we will be attending Franklin Grahams Route 66 Tour when it comes to San Bernadino. And on Sunday.. after church..we will be going to Greg Lauries So Cal Harvest at the Angel Stadiumin Anaheim. Im looking forward to both immensely. Apart from that... not much is happening...as yet! But thats enough excitement. 

Im still cooking from my vintage recipe books. This weeks offerings include Chili Enchiladas.... Pork and Rice Casserole.... and my grandmothers chicken pie.. which should be in a recipe book

Have a great week!

 Weekly Plan - 29th September 2021

Monday               Chicken Pie, Mashed Potatoes Cakes.

Tuesday               Chili Enchiladas, Avocado Salad

Wednesday          Pork and Rice Casserole, Green Beans

Thursday             Spahgetti Alfredo. Garlic Bread

Friday                  Pizza Night

Saturday              Stadium Brats, Corn on the Cob, Coleslaw

Sunday                 Dinner Out

Sunday Thought ~ Colossians 3:23-24

 Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Feeling Like Fall...

 It rained yesterday.... and I mean really rained. It was...as we say in Wales.. bouncing down...and it lasted well over an hour. It wasa real blessing as we havent had so much rain in months. Not like the couple of minute showers we have had in the last year.

The rain really cleared the air and its decidedly cooler and its beginning to feel like Autumn...although I dont yet know what that means for this area. My old walking partner has harvested the trees in her garden.. and dropped off a housewarming gift of avocados and pomegranates. What a treat!

Later MrD and I took a drive out to walk around a couple of vintage shops... so I can indulge my love of the past

We didnt buy anything... but a very old radio caught my eye...

as did a fancy old Juke box..

filled with songs I remember from my childhood... 

except I dont remember the one about Jesus wearing a rolex

and I wondered just who would buy an unused can of cleaning powder from the 1950s?

Possibly me!

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Speedy Baked Beans

This weeks recipe comes from Betty Crockers Dinner for Two Cookbook. Its a bit tatty as its a first edition that was published in 1958..and its well used.

As well as being one of my favourite recipe books... this is one of my favourite and easiest ways to spruce up an ordinary can of pork and beans

Speedy Baked Beans

2 strips bacon, diced
1 small onion minced onion
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 can (28 oz) baked beans
2 Tbsp chili sauce

• Heat oven to 350°F. 
• Saute bacon and onion until bacon is crisp and onion is yellow
• Stir in the remaining ingredients
• Pour into greased in 1-quart baking dish
• Bake uncovered 45 minutes or until beans are brown and bubbling
• Serve hot

First Day of Fall...

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Whats For Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday

Its not quite Fall yet .. but the decoration is done. We even had a slice of pumpkin pie yesterday after church. I doesn't feel like Autumn yet as the temperatures are still in the top 90s...and due to be over 100 for the next couple of days. But... when we get up to get MrD off to work at 3am..  there is a definite chill in the air. it doesnt last long once the sun comes up. I better start stocking up on cold medicines...cos you know its gonna happen.

Apart ffrom buckling down and finding us a GP closer to home than an hour away... theres nothing planned for this week... and hopefully we can get a restful weekend because next week is a busy one

This weeks meals from my favourite vintage recipe books include lasagne, Speedy Baked Beans.. and the Pork Chops in mushroom sauce. 

So thats it... everyone have a great week

 Weekly Plan - 20th September 2021

Monday               Sweet and Sour Chicken, Stir Fry Veggies

Tuesday               Carne Asada Tortillas

Wednesday          Pork Chops in Mushroom Sauce, Potato Cakes, Broccoli

Thursday             Lasagne, Homemade Garlic Bread

Friday                  Pizza Night

Saturday              Grilled Ham, Speedy Baked Beans, Potato Salad

Sunday                 Chicken Tenders, Mac and Cheese

Sunday Thought ~ 1 Peter 3:14-15

 Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Looking For "The Look"...

Well the trip to LA didnt materialize... MrD found what he wanted in a local Harley shop... So it saved us gas money... but also revealed a new shopping mall to us that we didnt know about. 

As you know... we are planning to go to Dapper Day at Disneyland next year for my 60th birthday..so MrD will need a snazzy outfit... and we found the perfect shop to look for it..

Lots of shirts...in the  cut that he likes...

Countless pairs of flashy shoes..\

Perhaps not the style that he likes.

A nice selection of sweaters....

Dozens and dozens of hats....

and hundreds of hats.

He has a few ideas....and it will be interesting to see what he chooses

Love and Hugs
Phoebe x

Zinnia..

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Whats For Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday

 Im tired... very tired. its not that we did anything special over the weekend. Just a couple of hours at the Swap Meet again watching a tribute band and having a late lunch out. But yesterday we missed church as I felt unwell and if I was coming down with anything...I didnt want to pass it on to anyone else. I feel better today...just lethargic... 

Since moving to the Blue House and Hubbys insurance changed.. we havent found ourselves new GPs yet... but I think that should become top of our list. And I need to find an oncologist as my 4 month check up is looming. I dont think this tiredness is cancer related.. it could just be my age or lacking in vitamins..but best to be on the safe side.

This coming weekend..MrD has decided he would like to take a drive into Los Angeles.. to visit a Harley shop of all places. I dont mind as we are going to take a stroll down the Walk of Fame...The last time we took a dtive  into LA was when the riots were on. Hopefully no trouble this time...and a change of scenery will do me good

Anyway.. this weeks menu features meals from my favourite vintage cookbooks.. The Stuffed Peppers are filled with the leftover Company Spanish Rice from last week... The Spaghetti Sauce, Vegetable Bake and of course.. Pork Chops and Mashed Potatoes is a classic

Have a great week

Weekly Plan - 13th September 2021

Monday               Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Corn

Tuesday               Stuffed Peppers, Salad

Wednesday          Spaghetti Bolognese and Garlic Bread

Thursday             Chicken with Potato and Vegetable Bake

Friday                  Pizza Night

Saturday              Day out with Hubby

Sunday                 Grilled Steak with onions and mushrooms, Fries and Peas

Sunday Thought ~ Luke 9:11

 Amen!

Never Forget...

They say you will always remember what you were doing when you hear shocking news. For me..thats true. I still vividly recall where I was.. what I was doing and how I felt when I heard about the Aberfan Disaster (even though I was very young).. Elvis had died.. John Lennon had been shot.. Princess Diana had been killed.. but nothing affected me more than when the planes hit the twin towers

I was living in Wales and I had just got back from the garden centre with my then mother in law and was prepring to walk up to the school to collect my young children. Something told me to switch on the tv and it was just after the first plane had hit. It was on every channel...but I tuned into Sky News and I stood watching in disbelief as the horror unfolded... and saw the second plane hit!

Standing at the school gates with the other mums... the fear in some of their faces was evident... especially in those whose husbands were in the armed services.If an attack like this could happen in America... it could happen anywhere.

I got home to see the towers fall...

That day... my view of the world changed. Like many others.. it became a little less safe and I became a little less niave

Some may have forgotten what happened that fateful day... come up with ludicous conspiracy theories or even play down the reasons why

but I will never forget

Phoebe x

Company Spanish Rice..

Im loving using my vintage cookery books... and there are a list of recipes I want to try. This one from my 1953 Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook was a must as. I must admit.. I have been using the package type... and to be honest for some reason.. it was turning out sticky and mushy. 

This recipe however turned out practically perfect... and Hubby loved it... He even said it was better than his moms...a compliment indeed!

Now here's a confession. The recipe called for 2 1/2 teapoons of salt..which..seeing as we dont use a lot of salt.. I thought was a bit much. So I used just one teaspoon... and ended up having to add a little more to the plate. That was no biggie though... as its easy to add salt...than take it away. Oh...and I used olive oil instead of salad oil

It was a big dish full... but I gave some to hubby to take for his lunch at work the following day.. and froze the rest to stuff peppers with next week

Company Spanish Rice..

1/4 cup salad oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
2 1/2 cups tinned tomatoes
1 6oz can or 2/3 cup tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 bay leaf
Few grains cayenne pepper
2 cups hot water
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 10 1/2 or 11 ounce can condensed beef bouillon

• Heat oil in heavy skillet. 
• Add garlic and celery; brown, stirring constantly. 
• Mix rice, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, bay leaf, and cayenne with hot water. 
• Add to garlic and celery in skillet; stir well and cover.
• Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. 
  
• Brown beef and green pepper. 
• Remove from heat. 
• Stir in chili powder, sugar, and beef bouillon. 
• Combine rice and meat mixtures in 3-quart baking dish. 

• Bake in moderate oven (350 F or 176 C) 35 minutes 
• Add water or tomato juice if necessary; stir occasionally

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Umbrella Alley...

 Love and Hugs

Phoebe x