Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Every time I want to make this soup I come looking here for the recipe, so I thought maybe I should actually ADD the recipe so next time I'll be able to find it. I found this a long time ago on allrecipes.com and it's fast, easy and yummy. It's also very adaptable to your personal taste.

(Special note for Dione from Dione: Don't forget that Amanda would rather eat dirt than soup, so when you're shredding the chicken, set aside some for her to make a taco.)

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer (I usually use chicken broth instead)
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

The Barbie Days...

We're deep into the Barbie days at our house and I'm totally in my element. I have my own credit cards and I COULD have the Barbie world of my dreams if I wanted to.

Amanda asked for a Barbie house for Christmas. Yes, this is the kid who already has a big old Barbie house. But there was a part of me that wanted that big old perfect Barbie world. For a while there I was thinking I should be practical and just get some furniture and let them use our bookshelves as rooms (which they do anyway).

I ended up impulsively buying her the collapsible Barbie house in the top two pictures... on clearance at Mervyn's so Scott couldn't tell me to take it back, ha! But before I did, I set up one of those ebay search thingies that sends me an email whenever some fun Barbie world thing comes up. And I haven't turned it off yet.

When the 1962 Vintage Barbie house showed up today I had to show it to Amanda and tell her that I used to play with a house just like it when I was a kid... and that before I played with it, Auntie Deni did and then Auntie Darin... She was wowed....
Then I decided DUH I should post it here.




















By the time I got the house, most of the furniture was long gone. I think maybe I got the TV/stereo thing though. It was a very cool house with or without furniture.



















Somewhere buried on this sisters blog, Darin and I discussed Skanky-Ho-Goes-to-the-Bar Barbie so imagine my delight when another of my emails from ebay offered up the playset above, that no little girl should be without... Does it get any better than this? It's the Skanky-Ho-Barbie-Bar!

Chicken Divan

1 Cup Mayo
2 10 oz pkgs frozen brocolli (or buy stems & steam)
4 boned chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumbs or stuffing mix
1/4 cup melted butter

Simmer chicken in small amount of water until tender (about 35 min.)Cook broccoli in water as directed. Drain broccoli and arrange in a shallow qt. baking dish. Drain chicken and shred and arrange on top of broccoli.

Pour soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry powder mixture over the above chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle the casserole with grated cheese. Mix the bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with rice. Can also be used with turkey.

(contributed by Dione)

Salsa Chicken

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp. taco seasoning
Cooking spray
2/3 cup bottled salsa
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 oz.) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz.) can whole green chilis, drained and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
2 Tbsp. sliced olives

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Combine chicken and seasoning in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated wtih cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Arrange chicken in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with salsa, cheese and chiles. Bake at 475 degrees for 8 minutes or until chicken is done and cheese is melted. Top each serving with 1 Tbsp. sour cream and 1 1/2 tsp. olives. Serve with tortillas.

Makes 4 servings
each serving 207 calories, 2.1 g fiber, 3.5 g fat

Weight Watchers: 4 pts. per serving, 6 pts. w/tortilla

(contributed by Dione)

41 Odd Things

This was one of those questionairres that made the rounds on email. Miraculously, all four of us Nelson sisters and Mom took the time to answer. I had to post the results so we'll know where to find them when it's time to pick music for Mom's funeral. I'm joking Mom! (I'm not joking, Darin... remember I put this here so we can find it when we need it, okay?)

41 Odd things about the Nelson Women

1. Do you like blue cheese?
   Darin: Nah, more into Caesar
   Denise: No - and nothing green on my cheese either pls.
   Dione: Ick, ick, ick. Tastes like crayons to me. Remember those big fat half round crayons left over from Grandma McGraw's teaching days? Tastes like those. Don't ask me how I know.
   Mom: Yuck! I like Cheddar
   Mechelle: Not really however I do like Gorganzola with a nice basamic vigerette or rasberry walnut dressing.
2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes?
   Darin: I was very worldly for about a week the summer of ’71 when I was 13. Snuck my Grandpa McGraw’s smokes one at a time and smoked them in his bathroom with my best friend. He was a very bright man, and never said a word, probably just snickered all week and never ratted me out to my Mom.
   Deni: I inhaled once - yuck
   Dione: Only once when Danny found some and he dared me too. I was probably
   11 or 12 and I did not inhale. Don't tell Dan. Always thought it was dumb to start something that I would eventually want to quit. Eww I may as well admit I chewed tobacco once too on a canoe trip when I was told it was sort of a requirement. How gross is that?And man did it make my head spin!
   Mom: Tried one time, choked when I tried to inhale. . . never again!
   Mechelle: Growing up in a house of smokers it was hard to avoid. I tried once when I was 13 and my little sister told on me and was promptly grounded for the remainder of the summer (it was June). When I was 18, thinking I was very cool, started smoking with my friends. I then met Neil who really was never a very good influence except for the fact that he didn't smoke. For the first few months I dated him I tried to convince him that the smoke he smelled was really from my roommates smoking and not me (I was too embarrassed to tell him I smoked). My News Years Resolution was to quit smoking, but had planned to take full advantage of smoking until 11:59 p.m. I would go into the bathroom at the friends house we were celebrating (she left me cigarettes under the bathroom sink). As soon as I would light up - Neil was knocking on door "what are you doing". Obviously he didn't think I might actually be using the bathroom.
   Unfortunately I was forced to give up smoking at least 2-3 hours prior to my anticipated 11:59 p.m. cut off time. I have been smoke free (other than visiting my family) for 22 years and counting!
3. Do you own a gun?
   Darin: Several, and one has a laser site, so don’t mess with me in the dark.
   Deni: No - but putting on my Christmas list for this year!
   Dione: No. Well we have a B-B gun which is how Scott shot the rat last weekend. Does it sound like we need a real gun in our house? I didn't think so.
   Mom: Never
   Mechelle: Danny has a BB gun that belonged to his grandfather and a pellet gun I am sure he Chuck collaborated on. Other than that I don't want to know or see.
4. What flavor Kool-Aid was your favorite?
   Darin: Is there any flavor besides “red”?
   Deni: Going with red also - unknown flavor but love the color.
   Dione: Umm duh. Also going with red here.
   Mom: Kool-Aid at my age? You must be joking!
   Mechelle: Is red a flavor? Ok, ok, just kidding. I like rasberry.
5. Do you get nervous before Dr. appointments?
   Darin: Depends on the circumstances and family members, but for me—no.
   Mom: No, but my blood pressure always goes up.
   Deni: Always.
   Dione: I get nervous before everything. I was nervous before I opened this email.
   Mechelle: Depends on the doctor and the type of appointment (get it??) Typically no.
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
   Darin: Casper’s please, hold the onions. (Just had one Tuesday on date night—who says romance is dead?)
   Deni: Love hot dogs.
   Dione: What's not to love?
   Mom: They're okay! Usually cut mine up and put them in scrambled eggs.
   Mechelle: Once in a while I can tolerate them with mustard and ketchup but I do love them with chili, cheese and onions.
7. Favorite Christmas movie?
   Darin: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, makes me sad when no one will play with him.
   Deni: No fave here.
   Dione: It's a Wonderful Life... I also like the Christmas Story...or whatever it's called. The "You'll shoot your eye out!" one.
   Mom: It's a wonderful world. Think that's the name of it.
   Mechelle: It's a Wonderful Life and Mircle on 34th Street - reminds me of my mom.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
   Darin: Half coffee/half nonfat (Denise, note—this is a coffee order with FOUR words: my sister’s Starbuck’s order is an entire paragraph—they should just name her beverage after her and make life easier for the rest of the people at the drive-thru.)
   Deni: Tall nonfat pumpkin spice latte please - extra hot, no foam, with a straw please.
   Dione: At home coffee with whatever flavored coffee mate creamer I have, at
   Starbucks: Venti caramel macchiato. THAT'S THREE WORDS. I've even got Darin beat.
   Mom: Coffee with a scoop of Cafe de Vita and Splenda.
   Mechelle: Venti (which frequently elicts chuckles from my co-workers) nonfat, no whip Mocha. Mmmmmm.
9. Can you do push-ups?
   Darin: Bras, No, already too busty. Oh, like the exercise on the Presidential Fitness Test in the 60’s? No, exercise is one of my fundamental disbeliefs.
   Deni: could never do a pushup
   Dione: Why would I want to do one of those?
   Mom: You must be joking!!!!!
   Mechelle: Yes, only because Tia has been making me practice with her.
10. 10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
    Darin: An opal/ruby ring my husband gave me early in our courtship.
    Deni: I love my engagement ring and wedding ring
    Dione: I love my engagement ring too... but I'm not much into jewelry.
    Mom: A necklace with gold nuggets. . . bought it in Alaska while on a cruise.
    Mechelle: My engagement ring and wedding bands. They remind me each day how lucky I am!!!
11. Your favorite hobby?
    Darin: Reading
    Deni: Making candles.
    Dione: Umm... Reading, no writing, err taking pictures... oh making photo books! I don't know. Who says I have to choose?
    Mom: I have made a list of 24 different hobbies I have had so far during my life, one of my craziest was Belly Dancing, but right now I would have to say Reading, and NOT in the bathtub.
    Mechelle: Who has time for a hobby??? Aren't Tia and Danny my hobby?? Well I do love to read (when I am traveling for work) and I lik to play Suduko.
12. Do you have A.D.D.?
    Darin: I’m sorry, I was looking at a fly—what was the question? Oh, yes, I do.
    Deni: Definitely
    Dione: Come on, do you really need to ask? Oh, these keys are SHINEY!
    Mom: .? No. . . . I'm pretty normal. . . don't ask my kids though.
    Mechelle: Not for the most part - except when I am cleaning the house.
    There is always so much to do that it is hard to stick with one room.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself?
    Darin: Impatience, wanting to know the future instead of enjoying the moment.
    Deni: difficulty I have staying with a project
    Dione: Messiness
    Mom: ? I hate being alone. . . it's so depressing.
    Mechelle: I picked up my mom's habit of worrying about everything.
    Obviously Danny believes this is a trait his Mom has too because sometimes he replies "ok Dolores". At least I am good company!!
14. Middle name?
    Darin: Elise
    Deni: Elaine.
    Dione: Elizabeth
    Mom: Elaine
    Mechelle: Alice.....I feel so left out.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
    Darin: (1) Ha ha, I’m taking tomorrow as vacation. (2) Whose office is this and why don’t they clean it up so it looks like an office and not a storage shed? (3) Why didn’t I do what I told Adan I was gonna do AGAIN????
    Deni: 1) I need to stay focused today, 2) I need to try to exercise
    today,3) my dogs need a bath badly!
    Dione: 1) Do I have enough time to go to Target before picking up Amanda? 2) Does Deni exercise every day? I should probably start exercising. 3) Nah.
    Mom: (1) I am wondering if the police have caught those 3 guys loose in my area--we have been told to stay in and keep our doors locked. (2) Will it be safe to go get my mail soon? (3) How did these 3 guys get in here anyway?
    Mechelle: (1) Do my in-laws think I am weird? (2) Does Deni excerise everyday? I know I should too, but who has the time. (3) Is it lunch time yet? I'm starving!
16. Current hate right now?
    Darin: I’m feeling pretty grateful right now.
    Deni: No hates - but not happy with my diet/exercise routine - bad enough was not exercising now not even counting my points either - yuck!!
    Dione: I hate that Deni keeps talking about diet and exercise. Are you trying to make me feel bad, Deni?
    Mom: I hate it that I can't go out and walk my dog and water my plants.
    Mechelle: Do you really have to ask? Ok let me refine my answer and you can take it from there. Contra Costa County Family Court or maybe just the attorney from the otherside. See...I am trying to be respectful of my darling husbands evil ex-wife!!
17. Favorite place to be?
    Darin: Climbing up the stairs out of the Tube in downtown London & seeing EVERYTHING I’d always dreamed about all on one street, West Minster Abbey, London Eye, River Thames, Big Ben, etc. Did it 3 times, made me cry 3 times.
    Deni: Sitting with my husband on a beach
    Dione: Snuggling with one of my kids.
    Mom: In Salem with Lindy.
    Mechelle: I will have to go with sitting on a beach with my husband too, but since it seems so far out of the realm right now, I will just say anywhere with my husband. Don't say yuck girls just because he is your brother. He really is charming when he wants to be!!
18. How did you bring in the new year?
    Darin: Uh…that requires staying up until midnight. Probably listened from bed to Katie, Chuck, and Breandan explode things and then knew it was midnight when two 70-lb dogs jumped up on my bed shaking at the gunfire ringing in the new year.
    Deni: Have no recollection!
    Dione: The Travis tradition: At home, slumber party in front of the Christmas tree. Dick Clark on TV. Watch fireworks from our back yard. Eat crepes with nutella & chocolate for dessert. Yum.
    Mom: I was asleep so Idon't know who brought it in.
    Mechelle: Danny and I were with close friends in San Francisco. I was drinking champagne (which is my favorite) and Danny was the DD for the entire group.
19. Where would you like to go?
    Darin: Hawaii in a heartbeat. But Clara is PROMISING New Orleans
    Deni: I'd like to see some of our national parks
    Dione: Italy. Or Target.
    Mom: Salem, Hawaii, Alaska
    Mechelle: Anywhere with Danny that is quiet, peaceful, warm and where we can play cards and relax!
20. Name three people who will complete this?
    Darin: Dione, Denise, Mechelle
    Deni: Dione for sure - Darin already did - don't know Mechelle well enough to know if she will!
    Dione: Thanks Deni... I would have put me down for getting distracted and not getting around to it. Uh... Well I saw one come through from Mom a few minutes ago... so it might be cheating to say her... But uh... I'm gonna hope for Mechelle. I guess that's everyone unless I send to others.
    Mom: Dione, Denise, Mechelle
    Mechelle: Well you all four did already....so there is no one for me to guess! : (
21. Do you own slippers?
    Darin: Nah, this is my older sister’s addiction. (Can’t wait to see her
    answer.) I wear sox, just to admire how much my dogs can shed on hardwood floors in one week.
    Deni: Only 9 pair - anyone wear a size 7 and need a pair? Some are still brand new - and some have not yet arrived in the mail!!
    Dione: Uh yeah I OWN them because all the lists that tell you what to pack for the hospital when you're having a baby say you need slippers. Turns out you don't actually have to have slippers to give birth though. Who knew? I don't really WEAR slippers too often though... BUT Darin, remember those totally cute pink striped slipper socks you got me cuz Katie got some because they reminded her of Dad. Now I LOVED those. Pretty much wore them to death though. Anybody who sees slipper socks, please tell me.
    Mom: Yes, 1 pair and another pair coming. . . thanks to "the slipper lady," Denise.
    Mechelle: Yes, fluffy pink ones that Danny bought me for Christmas last year.
22. What shirt are you wearing?
    Darin: Chico ’s tank top and jacket
    Deni: Wearing a pink sweatshirt with a hood - cold this morning!
    Dione: Long-sleeved pink shirt with a hood... (how cute are we, Deni?) and a white tank under it.
    Mom: White sweatshirt, blue jeans, my uniform.
    Mechelle: Wow, yesterday was pink day. Good think I caught up today with my pink sweater.
23. Do you like sleeping on satin?
    Darin: Too cold + dangerous—you can slide ride off of the bed, which does not add to the air of sophistication I’d be going for. Safety first.
    Deni: Have never slept on satin - sounds dangerous tho!
    Dione: Gonna have to go with my sisters. Far too dangerous.
    Mom: Are you kidding? I'm sleeping in Flannel.
    Mechelle: I'll go with the sliding. I would much prefer soft cotton sheets.
24. Can you whistle?
    Darin: Very badly, but it reminds me of my pop, so I whistle a lot. (Then I take pity on the woman in the office next door and try to stop.)
    Deni: Could if necessary - not very well tho.
    Dione: Nope, not really?
    Mom: Just enough to call my dog in.
    Mechelle: Barely
25. Would you be a pirate?
    Darin: In a HEARTBEAT!!!!!!!!!! Arr, matey. (Lord, let me be on the same ship as Johnny Depp)
    Deni: No - would rather be a cowgirl
    Dione: Nope. Don't think I'd cut it as a pirate. Or a cowgirl. Apparently I'm the wussy sister.
    Mom: Nah, never been able to grow a beard.
    Mechelle: I like the idea of traveling on a boat, but I would have trouble with the gun and the stealing and the "ey matey". Oh, and I don't like parrots.
26. What songs do you sing in the shower?
    Darin: I’m a bathtub person, and I read there--can’t sing and read at the same time.
    Deni: Don't sing - get in and out as fast as I can.
    Dione: I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair...
    Mom: er? Don't sing in the shower, can't carry a tune.
    Mechelle: Ha!! Ha!!! I don't sing....hasn't Danny told you I can't hold
    a tune to save my life! Ha!!!
27. Favorite girl's name?
    Darin: “Darin,” it’s a very misunderstood girl’s name; but I haven’t been mistaken for a male yet today, and it’s almost 10:30.
    Deni: Probably Samantha or Stephanie - with boy's nicknames
    Dione: Uhhh... hmm... Gosh I guess it would be Darin or Deni. Yeah I'm TOTALLY sucking up.
    Mom: Hannah Vanna Lolana. . . that should keep me out of trouble.
    Mechelle: Kelly...not sure why. It has changed over the years. It use to be Jennifer when I was 12, and then it was Susan and then it was......
28. Favorite boy's name?
    Darin: Probably Daniel, cuz it reminds me of when we got my brother.
    Deni: Timothy
    Dione: Darin.
    Mom: Favorite boy's name? I don't know. . . . . . . Santa Claus?
    sorry!
    Mechelle: Devon was the cute boy from High School and sort of soapy in nature, but I will have to go with Danny because (1) my husband, but (2) I love it as an affectionate name since everyone else calls him Dan.
29. What's in your pocket right now?
    Darin: phew, that one always scares me, cuz one never knows. Used to come to work with pacifiers. Other day I came to work with dog treats in my pocket. There is NOTHING in my pockets right now—woo hoo!
    Deni: Pockets are empty
    Dione: I think I've got three wadded up dollars in there. I think they went thru the wash that way. So they're probably lucky dollars. Which means I should spend them at Lucky's.
    Mom: plastic bags to pick up after Hannah, for the walk we haven't been able to take. Police helicopter still circling above us.
    Mechelle: Nothing : (
30. Last thing that made you laugh?
    Darin: Clara’s explanation of how she wanted the pirates’ booty—but it was the jewelry part.
    Deni: Story shared by my daughter Karyn
    Dione: Already told Deni this, but Alyssa asked for some hot chocolate and I put it in this mug that has a frog inside... got it when I was a kid in San Francisco with you & Chuck, Darin...Alyssa had never seen it... but when she did she said: "Oh my GOSH. you're not gonna believe this! There's a ribbet in my cup!"
    Mom: Can't remember, but I do laugh a lot
    Mechelle: Remember the field trip yesterday with Tia's class as I was retelling the story to my co-workers.
31. Best bed sheets as a child?
    Darin: I think I had some race car sheets, not sure why. Maybe it was
    just the plastic placemat. (This will annoy my mother, who always made sure I had cute bedspreads—she just didn’t appreciate that I stored the rest of the room under the bed)
    Deni: Anything dry? L
    Dione: Grandma Nelson's sheets... She had all those pretty flowery good-smelling sheets... As for my own, I loved the Miss Piggy ones
    Mom: Did they even have bed sheets that long ago?
    Mechelle: Can't even remember that far back.
32. Worst injury you've ever had?
    Darin: The infamous eye injury while I was roller skating past Bobby Stillwagon’s when I was 9 and he was fishing from his front lawn with his new Christmas fishing pole—I think I was probably the first fish he reeled in with that new pole.
    Deni: I don't recall a bad physical injury to be honest
    Dione: Probably falling out of the car and messing my face up. The road burns were the worst.
    Mom: I broke my arm on April Fool's Day. . . Darrell thought I was "joking" it.took about and hour to convince him that he needed to take me to the ER
    Mechelle: Head concussion I received while playing flag football - I think I was 14. I wasn't "suppose" to get tackled. My head hit the ground and everything in my view bounced. I made it home, but later my mom had to take me the ER at the same hospital my dad was already a patient because he was having surgery. He came down to the ER to see me - fortunately I didn't have to stay overnight, although they said something about putting bed in his room. My appendix was probably worse, but it wasn't an injury so I picked this one.
33. Do you love where you live?
    Darin: Don’t even go there….. OK, yes, I LOVE where I live because it is not a Refrigerator Box.
    Deni: I'm okay with it - not in love tho.
    Dione: I'm okay with it too. And Alyssa would LOVE to live in a refrigerator box.
    Mom: Not anymore. . . much too lonesome up here.
    Mechelle: That is a hard question. I love our house, just not the neighborhood. I think it has changed from the time you all lived there.
    In fact I know it has changed. I could do without the gunshots right outside our bedroom window (yes you can find the shell casings in the
    morning) and the speeders that think our street is a freeway. Last weekend Danny's work truck (the big ugly white one) seemed to the perfect setting for the neighborhood tagger to spray paint his BIG HR initials. Ugghhhh!!
34. How many TVs do you have in your house?
    Darin: 3
    Deni: 4
    Dione: 4?
    Mom: Only 4
    Mechelle: 4 - but we only use three. This is much better than before the garage sale when we had 7.
35. Who is your loudest friend?
    Darin: That’s a toughie.
    Deni: No loud friends
    Dione: If they don't have to answer than neither do I.
    Mom: Gayle Peters, my Garden Club friend.
    Mechelle: Kelly Sanderson who fits in well with Danny's second loudest friend Allan. Chris is the loudest - which you probably all know!
36. How many dogs do you have?
    Darin: Two
    Deni: 2
    Dione: ZERO!
    Mom: One
    Mechelle: One
37. Does someone have a crush on you?
    Darin: Yup.
    Deni:Yep
    Dione: You'd think with the amazing genes our family obviously has that there must be someone. I'm gonna say yes just so I don't look like the ugly stepsister.
    Mom: I hope so
    Mechelle: I hope so too!
38. What is your favorite book?
    Darin: “Here If You Need Me: A True Story.” Had to mail a new copy to Courtney instead of the original, cuz I liked it so much I couldn’t part with the original. (But then…I loaned it to Dione--YOU BETTER GIVE THAT BACK, and you better not tear it up like you did Francie)
    Deni: No favorite
    Dione: Okay I will admit to misplacing it for a BIT, Darin, but I found it and actually was reading it just last night. It is good! It would be too hard to pick. I'm gonna cheat and pick a kids book: "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". It never fails to make me feel better. And I'm going with Amanda's class to see the play next week.
    Mom: What ever I'm reading at the momen Love Debbi Macomber books.
    Mechelle: Anything by Danielle Steel, Mary Higgins Clark or John Grisham.
39. What is your favorite candy?
    Darin: M&M’s for every day....Mound’s if I’m feeling the need for something decadent.
    Deni: Snickers bar
    Dione: Nutrageous. And if you had TOLD me you like Mounds, Darin, I could have helped you out before we traded in NINE POUNDS of candy for book fair dollars last week at Amanda's school. I don't eat Mounds... Love M&M's and Snickers though.
    Mom: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
    Mechelle: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but if I'm hungry, I love Snickers.
40. Favorite Sports Team?
    Darin: Sports?????? Heck, I already forgot the name of Giovanni’s JV football team. Eagles? Anyway, #61
    Deni: San Diego Chargers
    Dione: Uh... ummm. I don't do sports.
    Mom: Not a sports fan. Spent 53 years listening to: Baseball, Basketball, Football and Golf.
    Mechelle: Raiders!!!!
    
41. What song do you want played at your funeral?
    Darin: Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”
    Deni: Amazing Grace, Awesome God
    Dione: Ahhh... Ya'll took my answers. I walked down the aisle at my wedding to "What a Wonderful World" so they might as well carry me out to it...
    Mom: Ray Charles "Born to Lose" (If you don't think that's appropriate, then my next choice would be: "The Old Rugged Cross"
    Mechelle: I love "Amazing Grace, but I also love "What a Wonderful World", but I might have to see what else is available - I would love something that is countrish, that sings about love, happiness, and just how lucky I am. Ok - I might have to go with something outside of country!
    
    

Darin's topless on the internet again

Click here to view this photo book.

Recipe for a Beautiful Bride

Congratulations Karyn, you're the most beautiful bride ever! We couldn't have been prouder or had more fun--Love, Auntie Darin & Dione

Congratulations on Your Graduation, Katie, from your Aunt Dione:

It's not about cooking, but it IS about Katie GRADUATING!

Don't try this at home, folks: Kaitlin Marie Good is about to Walk The Stage! Today, Sunday, June 4, was Berean Christian High's Baccalaureate at Fair Oaks Baptist Church in Concord. This Friday night is the Final Deal in Brentwood. GO KATIE, GO --knock 'em dead during Finals Week! For more pictures of Katie please click here.

Memories of Grandpa Nelson

I finally found these old emails from July 2002 when Deni, Darin and I were doing this "Sister Survey" thing, where one of us would ask a question and we would all reply. Below are the answers to a question I asked about Grandpa Nelson. I always hoped we'd move on to talk about the other grandparents but we never quite got there. Guess that's what this cookblog is for.

Unfortunately Deni's answer is missing. I might have it somewhere and if I find it I'll add it here. I think I remember her saying that her memories weren't nearly as vivid as ours but when she thought about Grandma and Grandpa Nelson she remembered feeling very safe and loved, which I think is how we all felt.
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From Dione: When I wrote Karyn the letter about the furniture, I realized that since Grandpa Nelson died when I was only 10 or 11, I don't have nearly as many memories of him as I do of Grandma, which I think is kind of sad. (Sorry, I'm pregnant, hormonal, and sentimental.) Tell me about one or more memories you have of Grandpa Nelson.

From Darin:MEMORIES OF GRANDPA: His calmness. His quietness. His gentleness. Him working in his workshop building things (and hiding out from grandma!!!), (sometimes building cool things, like a staircase for my Barbies.)

Yardwork. He was always busy making their yard beautiful on McBryde. I remember Grandma running him ragged and haranguing him, and him just good naturedly taking it...most of the time. And those occasional yummy times when he'd snap back at her.

I remember when he retired and the two of us used to go pick Grandma up at Macy's after work. "Downtown."

I remember snuggling in the middle of their bed while they read their morning devotional and drinking my teensy cup of coffee w/way too much sugar in it.

I remember going to church w/ him & Grandma at Grace Lutheran and how he "shot the breeze" with the other "ushers."

I remember those Sundays after church and "supper" when he used to take Grandma and me for rides up to Tilden in that car I bought from him yrs later just so he'd stop driving. (By then, he steered and Grandma drove..."Ed, you're running off the road, pull to your left.")

One of my most precious memories is when I first started working at Chevron and had moved out. I used to drag my dirty laundry over there every week to use their machines. Grandma would try to wash it, Grandpa would insist on helping me fold it, and just the two of us would talk about Chevron, and South Dakota. Grandma was off in the kitchen cooking dinner.

In the latter years, him sneaking cigarettes off Chuck and them smoking out in the backyard where Grandma could see them.

And then, in the middle somewhere, camping, when they packed everything and the kitchen sink--it was like setting up a Mash unit when they went camping with Maurie and Janice at Lake Mendocino. the "bug tent."

From Dione: Re: Grandpa Nelson, I can't tell you how glad it made me that his calmness, quietness & gentleness were first on your list. Rolling through my memories of him, I realized that I couldn't remember the sound of his voice. (That's not true of the other grandparents, aunts & uncles). I remember spending time with him, but the times I remember are very quiet and calm. I wasn't sure if that was true or if I'd just forgotten...

I remember the sound of his electric shaver and the smell of his aftershave as he got ready in the morning. I remember the way a smile would slowly break across his face and turn into a huge grin. I remember him sneaking fresh baked cookies when Grandma wasn't looking. I remember he made his scrambled eggs too runny.

I remember playing a zillion games of Crazy Eights with him. I remember sitting on his lap and holding the magnifying glass for him while he read the paper. I remember how patiently he helped Grandma put up zillions of Christmas decorations. I remember spending a week alone with him, dreading it at first, because what would we do without Grandma? But then wishing I could stay longer because we'd had so much fun.

I remember there was something incredibly comforting about the routines of their day-to-day lives:

• The way Grandpa brought their coffee to bed every morning (using the same two cups every day and yes, mine in a teensy cup with lots of milk and sugar.)
• Snuggling with them during their morning devotional. (Did we all get to do this?)
• Eating something yummy for breakfast and then watching them play pinochle while I finished my hot chocolate.
• Eating a big supper at noon while they watched "Days of Our Lives" and then hanging out in the kitchen with Grandpa while he did the dishes. (For some reason I thought it was so sweet that he did them...Maybe this is why I'm still so charmed by the sight of a man doing dishes. To this day, I only buy the green Palmolive liquid that they used -though my bottle doesn't wear an apron - because the smell of it immediately transports me to their warm, cozy kitchen or to the camping trip when Grandma taught me to do dishes standing on a little stool in front of a red dishpan (and every day after that I begged to do those dishes because I thought it was so much fun.)
• Covering them with beach towels and tucking them in for their afternoon naps and then playing quietly to the sound of their snoring. (Same two towels every day. Grandma gave me Grandpa's towel, which is practically in shreds now, but I could never throw it away.)·
• The tiny glasses of red wine they drank each afternoon (doctor's orders!) and how they thought it was so darn funny to occasionally switch their wine with my grape juice and then wait for me to be shocked by the nasty taste.

I remember the time when Danny and I were very little and Grandma got us all dressed up for church in our bright white Easter outfits and then told Grandpa to watch us while she got dressed. Somehow we sweet-talked him into handing over a bag of chocolate Easter eggs. He didn't want us to make a mess so he made us eat them outside...in the hot sun. By the time she was ready to go, we were both covered in chocolate. Boy did he get in trouble.

I remember the time he braved snakes, spiders and rats to rescue a puzzle piece I dropped through one of the cracks in the deck. (I thought that was the ULTIMATE declaration of love.)

I remember how much Grandma missed him when he was gone and dreamed of seeing him again in heaven one day... Always made me hope I'd love someone that much someday...

From Darin: (Answered above...but naturally has more to say after reading Dione's remembrances) Dione's remark, "I remember there was something incredibly comforting about the routines of their day-to-day lives" was very true/touching w/me also. It's one of the things I've faulted myself on not giving my girls, that structured of a routine.

I remember explaining to a therapist how I felt guilty about this, and she asked me to describe a day/week at the Good's...and she said "whether you know it or not, that IS Structure." Well, it wasn't structure compared to the comfort of structure at grandma's, but maybe the best a working mom can do these days.

I was also touched by Dione remembering about the disappointment, worry, anxiety of "being stuck" alone w/Grandpa until Grandma got home from work...until you learned that he was a pretty different, more playful, etc., kind of guy away from her scrutinizing eyes : ) That was one I had to catch on to, too. Grandma sort of stole the show, but when the Cat was away, the Mouse was a fun grandpa.

My big thing about Grandpa Nelson was that I always thought their Marriage was sort of 'way ahead of its time', as far as sharing traditional duties like housework, etc. I always admired him for that, still do. Probably part of it might have been from being raised on farms, where everyone pitched in and helped with everything, but in the 60's, my dad & my friends' dad's didn't do housework, etc. Then again, their wives didn't run grocery stores and work in shipyards. So that from the time I first started catching onto Grandpa being that way until we lost him, I always respected him tremendously for that.

As for Grandpa and the Heroic Puzzle Piece...sorry, but that pales in comparison to what my favorite, heroic Aunt Marge did when I was about 4or 5 and I dropped my colorful plastic bracelets into the toilet in her bathroom where there was actual poop in the toilet (probably David hadn't flushed, he never did)...she Reached In, Retrieved Them, Washed Them Off, and Returned Them. I was impressed for years by her bravery.Probably until I owned my own toilet and realized that you couldn't flush plastic bracelets or Buicks down toilets without having serious plumbing problems that made your husband go absolutely NUTS, as witnessed by when Katie pee'd her pants at age 3 and flushed the evidence.

This Picture Just Made Me Happy

From Darin:
Thanks for posting the pics, Dione. This one just made me happy, so I had to post it here. I don't think I've ever seen it before. There's so much going on in this picture--you and Grandma Bea in private conversation...but it captured the essence of Grandpa Nelson for me: How many guys would take time to notice the doll? This just captured his spirit for me and took me back to what a special guy he was.

Mom's Layered Vegetable Salad

This is a fantastic salad. Found this recipe in the Grace Lutheran Cookbook, pg. 13 but have seen others through the years.

Of course I made changes.

1 head lettuce (wash/dry and chop in small pieces) line the bottom of pretty bowl
5 stalks celery (coarsely chopped) next layer
10 oz pkg. frozen peas (3rd layer) Do not cook or thaw
Green pepper (sliced thinly) 4th layer (or red pepper would be nice)
I bunch of green onions. . . cut in thin slices
Broccoli florets . . . cut in small pieces (I put this layer on top of the green onions.)

"Frost" with mayonnaise (I used Best Foods lite) carefully sealing the ingredients. Refrigerate 5 - 24 hours. I like to make this salad the day before and because it is sealed with mayo, the vegetables are really crisp.

Just before serving spread a layer of grated cheddar cheese
3 sliced hard boiled eggs (optional)
1 or 2 thinly sliced tomatoes on top.

The neat thing about this salad is that you can use any vegetables you want. Grated carrots would be nice, sliced red pepper, cucumbers, radishes, thinly sliced red onion. . . whatever.

As you can see it makes a great presentation. Mix together at the table just before serving. The leftover salad was even crisp and good the next day.

From Dione: Mom said that we should pay attention to what order the layers go in because it's prettier if different colored layers are next to each other. Clearly she doesn't think we're smart enough to figure this out on our own. Not saying that we are... but still. Oh and Mom did not want me to mention that this salad got rave reviews from family on Easter Sunday. But on occasion I do not listen to my mother. Sorry Mom.

Poll # 5 - Courtney's Suggested Question

From Darin: Unfortunately, the following question comes from Courtney, who I really don't think we should take very seriously, as I think she probably mis-remembers thing when it comes to whoppers that her parents told her when she was growing up:

What is the Biggest Lie Your Parents Told You When You Were Growing Up?

Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

Aunt Lynnie made these when I was very pregnant with Alyssa and then sent me home with a bag of them. They were DELICIOUS and as I was gorging my pregnant self on them, for some reason I got it in my head that these would be the perfect thing to make when I went into labor so that folks would have something to munch on while they waited for the baby to be born. Yep, I was planning to just whip up a batch of these between labor pains, I guess.

I know... don't ask me what I was thinking. I remember Deni telling me that before she had her babies she'd stock up her freezer with casseroles. Well I knew I'd never be able to pull that off. No, I couldn't supply my family with a stockpile of warm nutritious meals, but darn it, I could supply a few cupcakes for my kid's birthday.

I bought the ingredients to keep on hand but somehow the whole labor and delivery thing just keeps taking me by surprise. The night I went into labor I forgot all about baking cupcakes... which is probably a good thing. Darin was awfully patient with all my excuses for not leaving the house that night but I'm not sure how she would have reacted if I'd said I had to whip up a batch of cupcakes.

So there you have it, I couldn't deliver the cupcakes, but I delivered something even better. (Now how's that for a corny line... not to mention an obvious excuse to include a picture of my cute kid?)

1 (18 1/2-ounce) package chewy fudge brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)
1 (12-ounce) package peanut butter chips or 24 miniature peanut butter cups

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Fill the cups half full with brownie batter. Place about 1 tablespoon peanut butter chips in the center of the batter, or press 1 peanut butter cup into the batter in each muffin cup until the batter meets the top edge of the peanut butter cup.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cupcakes are set.

When they can be handled safely, remove them from the muffin tins and let cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

(Recipe contributed by Dione. Alyssa, also contributed by Dione, seen above at 5 months old.)

Aunt Jacque's French Toast

When I ran across this recipe the other day I immediately knew I should post it because Scott asks me for it now and then and I can never find it. (Oh how I love an online cookbook. I rarely lose my computer.) So I've never made this French Toast but I've eaten it many times and it's yummy.

Aunt Jacque makes it, my mother-in-law makes it and Scott makes it (please refer to the Does Tia cook? post and find a boy who can cook). Even Amanda has made it with Grandma (see photo). So I can't imagine WHY I would make it…but if the need arose for me to make French Toast, this is the recipe I would use, because I could make it ahead of time and it doesn't require constant supervision the way normal French Toast does. Man, I can really screw up regular French Toast…one piece burnt, one piece raw in the middle… Anyway, now for your enjoyment:

Aunt Jacque's French Toast

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temp
12, ¾ inch thick french bread slices
6 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt

Butter bottom of large baking pan. Arrange bread. Beat eggs and all ingredients. Pour over bread. Turn bread to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn bread and continue to bake until brown. Keep cooking on both sides until browned to your liking.

(Recipe contributed by Dione, photo is of Amanda and her Grandma Travis. The picture is from Christmastime 2005. I don't remember the exact details but I remember my mother-in-law saying it was a good thing it was just family eating that French Toast.)

Poll # 4

What is the greatest lesson your children have ever taught you?

Umm... no food-related question, this time. Get over it.

Poll # 3

Non-food related question:

• What did you get into trouble for more often than anything else as a youngster?

Food-related question:

• What food above all others would you find absolutely impossible to give up?

Poll # 2

Looks like it's time to get things moving around here again. You'd think coming up with a poll question would be easy, but I was feeling rather uninspired so I dug out this book of questions...but as I flipped through it I kept saying nope, dumb question... nope, nope... no way...Shouldn't someone like Courtney be coming up with these questions? She'd be better at this... Who wrote these questions?

Then I finally had to pick one at random because I couldn't find a single question I liked. Of course after I'd picked the question I continued flipping through the book and then I kept thinking was, Oh great question! Good one... Interesting... Oh who needs Courtney, these are great... So I found several others which I should probably save for later. Except I have no self-control... so we'll see how long I can wait. But here's the randomly selected question for today:

• When you were very young, what did you want to be when you grew up? When you were a teenager, what did you think you might want to do for a living someday?

For those of you who are uptight about this being a "COOKBOOK," you may answer the alternate, food-related question:

• What was dinnertime like in your home when you were growing up? What was a typical meal? What was a typical evening for your family?

And yes, those of us who find it difficult to stop typing may answer both. Oh and if anyone wants to jump in with new poll questions, please feel free!

Aunt Lynnie's Baked Spaghetti

Like Darin, I also married into a family of really great cooks. (Luckily they only ask me to bring desserts to family gatherings. Lucky for them, I mean, because I'd hate to have to show up with a batch of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Though I could "fancy it up" by throwing in some sliced Oscar Mayer wieners for the meat eaters in the group.)

Aunt Lynnie definitely falls into the great cook category and we have been lucky enough to live only a short distance from her so we often get invited for fabulous dinners and then get sent home with delicious leftovers. Unfortunately, Aunt Lynnie and Uncle Bill will be putting their house on the market in the very near future and moving closer to the rest of their family. (So yes it's unfortunate for us, but fortunate for the rest of the family.)

Anyway, last night they had us over for dinner and Lynnie made this spaghetti. It was yummy. I'm not usually courageous enough to attempt Lynnie's recipes but she said this was easy and I thought hmm… I wonder if I could actually make this. I'm not particularly good at multi-tasking especially when it comes to cooking. Yes, I can check email, blow-dry my hair and breastfeed a baby all at the same time, but I panic at meals that require having multiple things hot and ready at the same time. I much prefer recipes like this one that I can make ahead of time when nobody is crying or begging for my attention and then just pop it into the oven at dinnertime. (Which reminds me…I love being able to say, "Oh dinner is ready and in the fridge, let me just pop it into the oven. Makes me feel Grown-Up and Competent. Feelings I don't have on a terribly regular basis.) So anyway, I haven't made this recipe but I'll give it a shot one of these days.

Aunt Lynnie, we'll miss having you nearby but we'll visit and thanks again for dinner and for sending home the leftover Snickers cake, last night. It will not go to waste! Mmmmm…

(Oh and Darin please tell the story about Chuck and Mom's spaghetti.)

Aunt Lynnie's Baked Spaghetti

2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the stockpot. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes. Cut into squares before serving.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

(Recipe contributed by Dione. Photo is of the Rullman sisters, left to right: Aunt Jacque, Andrea (my mother-in-law), and Aunt Lynnie. No doubt I'll be sharing other recipes from these sisters in the future.)

Amanda, My Superhero Niece

Could someone please come up with a recipe so that we have a reason to leave this picture here? This picture speaks to me in so many ways, that I keep having to go back and forth to the other blog to enjoy it.

Isn't there like some SuperHero Cookie recipe out there or SOMETHING? Some recipe on how to make Kriptanite or something?
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Mother of the Superhero jumping in here… I was trying to come up with a recipe for SuperSomething when it finally occurred to me I should go directly to the source. So I asked Super Amanda, "What do Superheroes eat?" And she said, "Superhero Stuff" (I'm not sure but I would swear that as she answered, she shot me one of those looks… you know the look that she will spend the next 13 or so years perfecting…the look that says, parents can be SO DUMB sometimes). "Oh yeah, of course, Superhero Stuff. Can you give me the recipe for that?" I asked.

To which she replied, "Sure Mommy!!! What's a recipe?" So then she told me. But as she listed the ingredients and I asked her how much or how many she was rather vague. Or she would say, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9,10… 4!" like she was trying to trick me. I'm afraid that either she doesn't know the exact recipe because she's one of those cooks who just throws in a little of this and a little of that and it comes out just perfect or she doesn't actually want me to know how to make Superhero Stuff. You know, since I'm a mere mortal and all. So make this at your own risk. There's no guarantee it will be as good as the stuff the superheroes eat.

Superhero Stuff

A lot of macaroni
10 peas (optional*)
Chicken
Some corn
Sausage
One piece of pepperoni pizza
4 trees (broccoli)

Get a foon. Get a bowl. Put it all in together. Get the salt and get the pepper. Shake.

*I told Amanda that Aunt Darin doesn't like peas and asked her if there was something we could use instead. She said, "Hmm. I don't think I want any peas in my food either. But what are we going to do with the peas?" As I looked around at my currently pea-free windowsills, I said, "I don't know, but please don't ask Aunt Darin."

Superhero Buzzert

11 marshmallows
A lot of chocolate
5 M&Ms
6 lollipops (lollipops are good – any flavor)
Like 88 Reeses peanut butter cups
All the boxes of chocolate ice cream at the store… like five!

Put it together in a really, really big bowl. Don't forget to take the paper off the lollipops. Eat it with a fork or foon.

When I asked Amanda what Superheroes drink, she said, "Water. They drink water. They don't ever drink chocolate milk but I do. Can I have some chocolate milk, Mommy?"