A Bunch Of Hullabaloo

All the fuss was about Hullabaloo Diner!  In my last post I shared with you that my man Dan and I would be moving Miss T to college. She’s all settled in now, a full-fledged college student.  Making friends, attending classes, checking out the boys, doing homework, finding her way to the rec center regularly, and trying out cafeteria food.  I discovered that the week leading up to her move was more emotional than the move itself.  

The Day Of The Last Supper

My mind is a jumble of emotions, questions, feelings and thoughts.  I’d love to make or bake some delicious recipe to share with you but that’s not happening today.  Today is the day of “The Last Supper”, not the one with Jesus and his followers but our last meal with Miss T before she heads off to college.  This is a big deal!

It has yet to be decided where the last meal will take place.

I Don’t Like Pie

Miss T’s Lattice-Top Blackberry Pie

Or so says Miss T!  It’s a true statement, the kid won’t eat a slice of pie but she likes to make and bake pies.  When she was around eleven years old I signed her up for a pie making class at Central Market around the Christmas holidays.

What The French Toast!

In an effort to please Miss T, who will depart for college soon enough, I’ve been making some of her favorite dishes.  French toast is not one of them, but spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread is.

Friday evening I presented her with a steaming bowl of homemade meatballs and spaghetti complete with a side of garlic bread.

Please, Please Help Me, Help Me, Help Meeeee, Oooooooh!

If you are reading this post I am asking for your help.  I don’t receive many comments on my blog but I raise a question and I need your assistance, whether a loyal reader or if you just stumbled onto The Orange Bee, please take a minute and leave me your thoughts on the following question.

When you pick up your favorite cookbook, purchase a new one or are thumbing through the cookbook section in your local bookstore what is it that draws you in?  Is it the cover, the photos, the ease of the recipes, the size of the book, the author or the nature of the book, e.g. quick meals, cakes & pies, comfort food, etc.

Now, if you would be so kind…leave me your thoughts.  I’ll be back soon with a mouth-watering recipe and thanks in advance for all of your helpful comments.

There’s No Place Like Home

We recently returned from a splendid vacation to the cool mountains and arid deserts of Colorado and New Mexico.  Returning to temperatures stretching way over 100* was torturous but…there’s no place like home.  Below is a story in photos.

Enjoy!

Stack of plates @ Sophia’s – we heard about this joint on Diners Drive Ins & Dives. Fabulous – I recommend you go if you find yourself in Albuquerque.

Huevos rancheros @ Sophia’s with a side of green chili and carnitas. Delicious!

 

Go ahead drool now! French Toast with Strawberries and Bananas @ Sophia’s.

 

The view driving into Silver Jack campground – not bad!

Three Aspens

Let’s get this party started!

Man Camp – This huge tent is where the guys bunked for the night.

This is why we put the guys out in man camp – to scare away the bears before they found the girls in the trailer – where yes, the food was kept.

Monster breakfast one day one!

Monster breakfast consisted of eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, honey, jam and hot coffee. Hiking required after….

But first a little snooze…

Silver Jack Lake

Someone beat us to it….our initials carved into an Aspen.

Amazing views on our hike back to camp.

Pass the mustard please…..

Many horseshoe contests took place..always with tons of laughter.

Beautiful flowers were everywhere – this one bright and spiky.

This one delicate and tender.

One of the highlights was hiring a jeep, with driver to take us over Black Bear Pass at 12,800 feet into Telluride for lunch with a return trip over Imogene Pass . at over 13,000 feet.

84 year old Wild Bill was our driver. He’s done the drive over 2000 times…so they say!

The views are incredible and the wild flowers abundant.

Bridal Veil Falls – above Telluride

That’s Telluride down in the canyon – our lunch destination.

On the way back into Ouray you pass by Tom Boy Mine – it’s something to behold. If you like history I recommend reading Tom Boy Bride by Harriet Fish Backus for a look into mining history – especially how it affected women.

Discarded bed frames from the bunkhouse at Tom Boy

Next stop Imogene Pass 13,114 feet. The air is thin up here.

The views are phenomenal up here too!

Majestic mountains in every direction.

Red Mountain in the distance – sweet sub-alpine flowers in the foreground

Survival of the fittest.

The next day we hiked to Silver Jack Reservoir for a little fishing. Yes, there was a storm rollin’ in…but before it hit….

I caught a fish…so did my brother in law and my handsome nephew (who took my fish off of the hook). Fish for dinner!

Then the thunder became louder, booming all around so we high tailed it back to camp.

The hummers gave us a daily show…Miss T was patient and look what happens next…

This little guy found his new favorite perch.

This little one posed perfectly for a picture. Rufous hummer – flaunting my favorite color!

Santo Nino church in Cebillo, New Mexico – headed to Santa Fe

Beautiful country, breathtaking views, laughing with family, chowing down on delicious food, campfires nightly, s’mores, dashing under cover from the unexpected rain shower, waiting for your cork to bob, always on the look out for a bear, delighting in the tiniest creatures buzzing all about, gazing at stars, smelling the coffee and the flowers, coming home…….

Summer Fruits For You

When I learned that my favorite peach orchard would be closed until next summer as of this weekend, I knew I’d better take a drive and stock up on fresh peaches.  Ham’s Orchard in Terrell, Texas offers up fresh picked peaches all summer long but alas peach season is almost over.

I’ve watched Ham’s go from being a shack on the side of the road offering bags of fresh picked peaches, to a full-fledged store selling peaches, condiments, ice cream, fudge, and fresh local veggies.  

I’m Running Away From Home

Only joking!  But if I were, I’d tie some of these Monster Cookies up in a red bandana and throw them in my knapsack.

These cookies could stand in for a meal!  Filling, full of fiber – oatmeal, nuts – macadamias and of course some chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips.  They also include natural peanut butter – with very few grams of sugar, and honey!  All in all they aren’t too unhealthy.

Enjoy!

Monster Chippers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup + 2 tbsp. brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs
2 cups peanut butter
3/4 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
41/2 cups regular oats, uncooked
2 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 6 oz. pkg. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup macadamias

Cream butter; gradually add sugars.  Beat well.  Add eggs, peanut butter, honey and vanilla, beat well.  Add oats, soda, and salt, stir well.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Dough will be stiff.

Preheat oven to 350*.  Lightly spray cookie sheets with Pam.  Pack dough into 1/4 cup measure.  Drop dough 4 inches apart onto cookie sheets.  Press each cookie into a 31/2 circe with fingertips .  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Centers of cookies should be slightly soft.  Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes and remove to racks to cool completely.

A Vegetable Isn’t A Vegetable

Down South, even our vegetables have some pig hidden somewhere in it. A vegetable isn’t a vegetable without a little ham hock.
Paula Deen

Ah Ha…I finally found a recipe using vegetables that appealed to me.  I think the reason I only want to eat fresh fruit has to do with the heat factor.  Soon I”ll be in the cool mountains of Colorado…looking forward to throwing on a pair of jeans and a hoodie and hopefully getting more vegetables in my tummy.  

I Want To Bathe In This

Seriously!  I want to fill up the bathtub and slide right in.  Honey-Lemon Custard is a simple dessert, a little tangy, a little sweet, creamy, full of honey, lemon and vanilla flavors.