Author: QuiltLady

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPE LINKS & MENU ~ week 21 of 2026 ~ BLOG 365.145

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

MONDAY was spent cleaning up from all the BBQ makings and doing the first layer of drywall patch work on the ceilings around the fans we replaced last week. I moved a couple dressers around giving hubby and I both better drawer space. Monday night was trivia night and we had a great time as always 🙂

TUESDAY was spent doing the second layer of drywall patch work and cleaning out the garage for another load to the thrift store after Taco Tuesday of course 🙂

WEDNESDAY was finally a bit slower for me! I actually sat and read for a few hours and did absolutely nothing for a change. Then reality set in and I had some gardening and pruning to do before I headed over to help an elderly friend. I was able to take another load to St. Vinny’s also.

THURSDAY we had several VA appointments and did the Eagle’s and Offyce shopping while we were in town. When I got home I was able to finally try my new Nordicware smoker and made a smoked brisket. I’m in love with smoking meat now! I can’t wait to try new recipes and techniques.

FRIDAY we had planned to go to a coastal town and do their citywide garage sales, but I just wasn’t up for it so I got some paperwork done and some chores around the house. We met with a guy about clearing the back hill that meets the rural highway before fire season which is quickly approaching and we’re being VERY cautious about it with the early drought from the dryer than normal winter season.

SATURDAY one of my besties had a wooden laser cut butterfly wreath painting class as a fundraiser for the Eagles Auxiliary so I helped out.

In the evening we went to see THE MODERN GENTLEMEN at a historical downtown theater, the ROSEBUD. We had such a GREAT time!! They were quite good and have worked with some wonderful BIG name celebrities.

SUNDAY was a day of relaxation (HA HA) I actually got 4 loads of laundry done, food prepped for 3 meals this week, made a pineapple angel food snack cake and did some reading 🙂 I LOVE holiday weekends!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re taking a down turn this week with a 20 degree temperature dip for temperatures back into the 50’s (good thing I haven’t put away the flannels yet) AND some rain. Colton is supposed to be here at 9AM to clear the firebreak on the back hill so I’m glad the rain is supposed to hold off until tonight and they are supposed to be here tomorrow to start the new roof so I’m hoping all the rain happens over night. We’ll see what happens.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL,  APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Done, at least as much as laundry can be 🙂
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’ll be heading out for just a few things today and picking up guacamole for the Offyce tomorrow’s Taco Tuesday. Fortunately it’s a slow week for errands 🙂
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS We’re finally planning a trip for July to go to a family celebration and then to see our oldest son.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m working on some new BBQ recipes and fresh TEX MEX recipes as well as some summer salads.
  • DVR/TV We’re binge watching NCIS (the early years) and some cooking shows ~ 24 in 24, BBQ BRAWL
  • THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY A fun night out with friends… wonderful neighbors… spending time being creative… spring garden blooms and veggies…

READING TIME

I’ve finished Kerry Lonsdale’s book 1 and 2 of EVERYTHING WE KEEP and EVERYTHING WE LEFT BEHIND and have just started the last book #3, EVERYTHING WE GIVE in the series.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
5/25 MONDAY
no trivia tonight due to the holiday
 5/26 TUESDAY
 5/27 WEDNESDAY
 5/28 THURSDAY
5/29 FRIDAY
5/30 SATURDAY
5/31 SUNDAY
DINNER
BROWN SUGAR CORNED BEEF with POTATOES & CARROTS clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
MEATBALL ENCHILADAS
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
CARNE ASADA MEATBALLS & YELLOW RICE
DUTCH CHICKEN POT PIE
MEATBALL PARMIGIANA & BAKED TOMATO ORZO
BAKED PORK CHOPS & NUTTY BROCCOLI GRATINS
DESSERT
 
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

My garden is starting to grow like gang busters. I even have pea pods already, way too soon, but cool! I hope the weather holds so I don’t lose the crop.

And this old hotel is just plain creepy! There are also some serious diehards that are trying to “salvage” it, but the ceiling has already mostly deteriorated into the 2nd story which has crashed into the 1st floor which is now crashing into the basement in oh so many places. Plus there are these seriously creepy dolls in one of the room.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SKILLET
  • COUNTRY SWISS STEAK
  • LEMON ROAST CHICKEN

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

COOKING THURSDAY ~ CAJUN COLA GLAZED PORK LOIN ROAST ~ BLOG 365.141D

CAJUN COLA GLAZED PORK LOIN ROAST

MARINADE
3 tablespoon avocado oil
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons sweet aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard (optional)
2 LARGE cloves garlic, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning such (Slap Ya Mama)
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
1/4 teaspoon paprika

5 – 7 pound boneless pork loin roast
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a large ziploc bag or large glass measuring pitcher.
  • Generously season roast with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Place roast into bag with the marinade ingredients, seal well with as little air as possible. (see NOTE)
  • Let stand for 24 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, turning bag several times to ensure the meat marinates evenly. If using a baking dish, just let marinate overnight, then turn over, fat side-down the next morning for a few hours, then turn again before roasting while coming to room temp while oven preheats.
  • Remove roast from marinade and discard the marinade.
  • Tie up roast.
  • Generously re-season roast with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Place roast, fat side up onto prepared rack in roasting pan or large rimmed baking sheet, lined with foil.
  • Insert meat thermometer (if using one) into thickest part of roast. *Do not add water*. *Do not cover*.
  • Roast in preheated 325º oven until the thermometer reaches 165º. Allow 30 minutes per pound. TURN DOWN TO 300° HALFWAY THROUGH!
  • During last 1/2 hour of cooking time, brush on the glaze. I removed mine from the oven, cut off the string, and turned the roast over to meat side-up, fat side-down, then basted heavily (meat side and sides only), then a second time lightly during the last 20 minutes. I turned the roast over and basted with the rest of the sauce well, and baked 10 minutes longer. BASTE FREQUENTLY if necessary!
  • Remove from oven, place onto platter; cover with foil, tenting to seal steam, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

GLAZE – Double the glaze if you’d like to serve some on the side for dipping or as a sauce for sandwiches.
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3 tablespoon sweet aged balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup Coca-Cola
1 teaspoon jalapeño ketchup or your favorite barbecue sauce
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • While pork is roasting, mix together all ingredients in small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a high simmer/low boil, and stir 2 minutes until thickened.
  • Remove from heat and let cool down.
  • Brush or spoon glaze on meat frequently during last 30 minutes.

NOTES:

  • If you don’t have a bag large enough, pour marinade into a baking dish, add pork and turn several times to coat, ending with fat side-up. Cover well with plastic wrap.
  • ALSO quite good with root beer or Dr. Pepper.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ BBQ MAC & CHEESE ~ BLOG 365.141C

This year’s BBQ competition for the DIGG’S Mercy Children’s Foundation had us coming up with more new recipes. This year I entered my BBQ Baked Beans, Smoked BBQ Cheesecake and BBQ MAC & CHEESE.

BBQ MAC & CHEESE
1/4 cup + 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 cups WHOLE milk
12 ounce can Jalapeño condensed milk
6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
6 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1 pound pasta (such as elbow, penne, cavatappi, or rotini)
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Fontina or Havarti cheese
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco or Frank’s Original)
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups crumbled cornbread
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup barbecue sauce of choice

  • Spray baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
  • Bring 1/4 cup salt and 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large covered Dutch oven over high heat.
  • Add pasta to boiling water, cooking 8 minutes.
  • Microwave milk in a microwave safe glass measuring cup covered with plastic wrap on HIGH 3 minutes.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Whisk in flour, cooking 1-2 minutes until golden.
  • Slowly whisk in hot milk; bring to a SLOW boil, cooking 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cheeses, most of the BBQ sauce, hot sauce, remaining salt and pepper.
  • Toss together cornbread and melted butter. Set aside
  • Drain pasta.
  • Fold pasta into cheese sauce.
  • Pour pasta mixture into baking dish.
  • Sprinkle cornbread mixture over top.
  • Sprinkle green onions over cornbread mixture.
  • Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
  • Drizzle with remaining barbecue sauce.
  • Serve immediately.

NOTES: You can make this dish up to 3 days in advance. Bake at 325° until heated throughout and then broil.



COOKING THURSDAY ~ PINEAPPLE CHERRY BREAD PUDDING – BLOG 365.141B

PINEAPPLE PEACH or CHERRY BREAD PUDDING is a summer dessert that’s bursting with pineapple and peach flavor, but can be easily converted to just about any flavor you want for any time of the year! Small wild blueberries are a winter favorite.

8 cups sourdough bread, cubed
3 LARGE eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup pineapple yogurt
1 cup WHOLE milk
2 cups Sugar

1 LARGE can pineapple, WELL drained
1 1/2 cups FRESH peaches or cherries, peeled, pitted and diced *(see note)
½ cups chopped pecans or toasted almonds
1 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon or Finishing sugar

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl beat 3 eggs, add melted butter, yogurt and milk. Add 2 cups sugar slowly, stirring until it is dissolved. Add peaches and bread, mixing well.
  • Allow mixture to soak into bread 30 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  • Pour the bread mixture into 9×13 baking dish, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture or finishing sugar. Cover loosely with buttered foil and Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the foil, sprinkle with the pecans and bake until the top is golden and the center is set, 20 to 25 minutes longer.

CARAMEL SAUCE
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar

  • In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar, bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, simmer until the sauce thickens, for about 5 minutes.
  • Pour over individual bread pudding servings.
  • Top with vanilla ice cream.

NOTE: You can use canned fruit or even frozen fruit. If using canned fruit, be sure to drain them EXTRA well. If I use these I start the draining the night before and just cover them in the fridge over night. If using frozen, thaw them overnight and then drain well.

**COOKING THURSDAY ~ OUR FAVORITE SLOW COOKED BROWN SUGARED CORNED BEEF ~ BLOG 365.141A

our favorite SLOW COOKED BROWN SUGAR CORNED BEEF

4-5 1/2 pound corned beef
1 sweet onion, quartered
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Grandma’s Molasses
12 ounce Moose Drool Brown Ale
1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaf
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
Seasoning from below or Seasoning packet from meat package
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1 large bag baby carrots
1 pound Baby potatoes

  • Arrange carrots, celery and onions on bottom of slow cooker.
  • Add the corned beef to a large slow cooker.
  • Tuck potatoes around the sides.
  • Whisk together the sugar, molasses and seasonings together.
  • Whisk in the beer
  • Pour over the corned beef.
  • Cover and cook 1 hour on high.
  • Reduce heat to low and cook another 5 hours.
  • Let cool slightly before slicing or shredding for Reuben sandwiches.
  • Serve with cooking juices for gravy over meat and potatoes.

SEASONING
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon trim-colored peppercorns
1/2 – 1 teaspoon anise seeds
8 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods
4 LARGE bay leaves (crushed)
 or 1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • Heat a medium sized heavy bottomed skillet or pot over medium heat.
  • Add the mustard seeds (if using), black peppercorns, anise seeds, cloves, and cardamom pods.
  • Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are fragrant.
  • Pulse the toasted seeds and bay leaves in a spice grinder a few times.
  • Add in the ground coriander, red pepper flakes and ground ginger.
  • Use as you normally would when making corned beef.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPE LINKS & MENU ~ week 20 of 2026 ~ BLOG 365.138

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

Monday morning was spent fighting with the first exhaust fan! You have to love (or really hate) builders sometimes! The fan was put in from below BEFORE the ceiling and whoever installed it obviously didn’t care whether or not it was ever going to need to be replaced one day. Mind you this was an area with ZERO attic access also. The installation screws were angled downward AND stripped! A downward angle means that when they then installed the ceiling they were now inaccessible without breaking out drywall and doing major repair so we spent the better part of 2 hours prying the old unit out of the joists as gently as possible. It only took 20 minutes to install the new one! Of course the ventilation size on the new ones was an inch larger so we did have to adapt from the original 3 inch to the new 4 inch. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! I gre up watching MacGeyver LOL 😀 and hubby says I’m the female version!

Most of Tuesday was spent at the VA dealing with hubby’s change in doctors and meeting a new team. We then did Taco Tuesday and came home so I could get the BBQ sauce done for Sunday’s competition.

Wednesday was a repeat of Monday except worse, because of the tight quarters in the attic! I spent over an hour in a face mask up in the attic working on breaking the housing loose from the screws with a pry bar. We also found that the drywall had been weirdly pieced in above the laundry room and was already broken from the top side so it will require much more repair. But, MacGeyver won again as we were able to reinforce the fan area from in the attic making it only a cosmetic repair from the laundry room side. We were about to get cleaned up when our friend and neighbor suggested we share a load of mulch/bark for the front yards that he was about to go get. Since we were already hot and sweaty it seemed like the prudent thing to do so we didn’t have to haul the individual bags next week.

Thursday was also a busy day. I got the car washed, did the shopping for the Eagles, the OFFYCE, myself for the BBQ needs and got a pedicure before I came home to deep clean the laundry room and .

Friday was spent helping my bestie set things up for the Eagle’s yard sale that corresponded with our neighbor town’s ALL CITY WIDE garage sale on Saturday. After that was done I came home to make the BBQ MAC & CHEESE, assemble the parts for the BBQ BAKED BEANS, smoke the cream cheese and make the BBQ CHEESECAKE for Sunday’s entries for the BBQ. 

Saturday was the actual garage sale and it went really well considering the weather took a nosedive and became cold, windy and rainy. The rain and wind were inconsistent making it a wet and LONG day!!!! . In the afternoon I made the Blackberry Jalapeno jam for the Brisket on a Biscuits we were entering in the BBQ competition as well as the pans of biscuits. I started the slow cooker of beans for the competition and let them go through the night to enhance the flavors.

Sunday was FINALLY the BBQ and we had such a good time. The weather had turned quite cool on Friday afternoon and Saturday was downright cold. It stayed VERY cloudy and cool through the BBQ and the wind kicked up, but it’s the Pacific North West so we roll with the punches, ESPECIALLY in May! We have a wonderful OFFYCE team made up of Siana, one of my besties, her daughter Hetaher and son-in-law Tony along with my book club bestie Nicole, her hubby Dan as well as my hubby and I. Dan took 1st in one of the beef categories for his Carne Asada Meatballs, but Nicole gets the credit since it was her idea!!!! Dan’s brisket was the bomb also, Tony’s burnt ends rocked and Heather’s Pig Shots were so yummy!!!!😋 My BBQ Baked Beans were pretty yummy too! The 1st place aprons this year were so tiny too!! We talked about framing his for the wall since it’s too small for him to actually wear.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Our lows are still in the low 40’s and the weatherman say we’re going to be in the 70’s, but after last week I’mm taking it one day at a time! May weather seems to be changing on the drop of a hat these days! I pulled a few hoodies back out and am keeping layers handy.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL,  APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Pretty caught up, but I’m still trying to the stains out of the jeans I wore in the attic last week 🙁 I had cut my arm and got blood on them that just won’t come out!!!!
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS Wednesday will be shopping day for us, the Eagles and the OFFYCE.
  • APPOINTMENTS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS Thursday will be a long day at the VA again for hubby.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING
  • DVR/TV
  • THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY completed projects… organized and clean dresser drawers… books that draw me into their world… the feel of fresh sheets…

READING TIME

The book club that my girlfriend and I belonged to died a natural death and we decided to start our “own” two person club. We’ve read Books #1 & #2, EVERYTHING WE KEEP and EVERYTHING WE LEFT BEHIND and are about to start the last book #3, EVERYTHING WE GIVE.

“Award-winning photographer Ian Collins made only one mistake in life, but it cost his mother her freedom and destroyed their family, leaving Ian to practically raise himself. For years he’s been estranged from his father, and his mother has lived off the grid. For just as long, he has searched for her.

Now, Ian seemingly has it all—national recognition for his photographs; his loving wife, Aimee; and their adoring daughter, Caty. Only two things elude him: a feature in National Geographic and finding his mother. When the prized magazine offers him his dream project on the same day that Aimee’s ex-fiancé, James, returns bearing a message for Ian but putting a strain on his marriage, Ian must make a choice: chase after a coveted assignment or reconnect with a mysterious woman who might hold the key to putting his past to rest. But the stakes are high, because Ian could lose the one thing he holds most dear: his family.”

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – these days it is generally a few sips of coffee and a fruit yogurt 😀
5/18 MONDAY
 5/19 TUESDAY
 5/20 WEDNESDAY
 5/21 THURSDAY
5/22 FRIDAY
5/23 SATURDAY
5/24 SUNDAY
DINNER
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
CHICKEN ORECCHIETTE with BROWN BUTTER WALNUT SAUCE
OLD SOUTH PORK LOIN with GLAZED CARROTS AND BABY POTATOES
MEATBALL PARMIGIANO with BAKED TOMATO BASIL ORZO
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
BAKED PORK CHOPS with NUTTY BROCCOLI GRATINS
DESSERT
 
STICKY RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

The BBQ went wonderfully and we raised A LOT of money for the Children’s Foundation! We just started participating last year. Someone took the group shots, but they haven’t made it my way yet 🙂 These are from my phone – In order they are this year’s winning apron, last year’s winning apron, my BBQ cheesecakes, Dan & his apron, Diana and her guys, judging rules, Heater and Tony and Heather in her familiar stance 🙂 

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • CAJUN COLA GLAZED PORK LOIN
  • SLOW COOKED BROWN SUGAR CORNED BEEF
  • PINEAPPLE PEACH OR CHERRY BREAD PUDDING

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

COOKING THURSDAY ~ MEATBALL SOUP ~ BLOG 365.134D

SLOW COOKED MEATBALL SOUP serves 8-10

3 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
FRESH ground sea salt & black pepper
24 ounces thawed frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs**SEE NOTE
(2) 14-1/2 ounce cans Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
5 cups beef bone broth
1 cups water
1/2 cup dry red wine

  • Add ingredients to a 6 quart slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours until vegetables are tender and flavors are blended.

3/4 cup ditalini or other small shell pasta
4 cups fresh baby spinach, trimmed
1 mini red peppers, sliced into rings
FRESH grated Parmesan cheese for serving

  • Stir in pasta, cooking 15-20 minutes more on high until pasta is tender.
  • Stir in spinach until wilted.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

NOTE:

  • Tortellini makes a great substitution for the pasta for a more substantial soup.
  • Homemade meatballs are truly wonderful if you have the time.