Okay, so we all know that I love my coffee. And I don’t just love my coffee. I LUUUUUUVVV my coffee! I have found my coffee soul mate. It’s the Salado blend from a little known place called The Strawberry Patch in Salado, TX. Lucky for me and you, their coffee as well as other products are available online. You could make a weekend out of Salado, TX and stay at the Stagecoach Inn. Get a little R&R along with your favorite coffee or enjoy it like I do in front of the computer.

I never did get around to making those easy no bake chocolate, peanut butter cookies last night. I’m going to be that person. I plan to leave early for work and stop by the grocery. Plan B; lots of miniature candies. How did I ever let myself sink so low?

We all have a favorite chocolate chip recipe. For me, I love the Nestle Tollhouse recipe with semi sweet chocolate chips and real butter. However; my husband prefers a different cookie concoction. He likes his made with margarine and milk chocolate chips. I’m not about to make two batches of chocolate chip cookies, but a nice compromise would be welcomed. I have put off making one of my favorite cookies due to the dilemma mentioned above. I may or may not battle this today, but it’s crossed my mind more than I’d like to mention. I’d love some help on the matter. What is your cookie of choice?

This one makes me laugh. I don’t know why, but it just does. Anyways, here it is.

1 can Bumblebee Albacore tuna in water, partially drained

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

mayonnaise, enough to bind everything together

1/2 cup (or more)  shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Mix everything together. Serve on slightly toasted wheat bread.

24 mini croissants

8 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup mango chutney

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 TBS lemon juice

1/2 TBS red wine vinegar

dash of Tabasco

1 1/2 tsp cumin (I love the stuff so I always add more)

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all and let the  flavors combine. Overnight works best, but not all of us have time for that. Serve on mini croissants.

1 pkg smoked salmon of your choice

1/4 red onion, diced

1 1/2 Tbs. capers

3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced

lemon juice

1 container of chive and onion flavored cream cheese

1 pkg of crescent rolls

Roll out crescent rolls to form a large rectangle. Bake according to package directions. Next, spread cream cheese all over. Then, top with capers and onions. Arrange sliced tomatoes in neat rows on top of the cream cheese mixture and then top each tomato with smoked salmon. Drizzle lemon juice all over and cut into squares with a pizza cutter.

I have some super turbo easy recipes to post this weekend. So, watch out. First up is a smoked salmon appetizer. Next,  an Indian inspired egg salad served on mini croissant rolls and finally a nice tasty dip.

I love my morning coffee. It’s what gets me out of bed…literally. Lately, I’ve been doing a little something special. I’ve been topping each cup of coffee with a heaping mound of whipped cream. Hey, at least it is light whipped cream. Like that matters, right? It’s oh so good and it gives me the best start to my day.

What a week! I’ve been waiting all week to get to today. First off, I have the place to myself until tomorrow. How great is that? I don’t even know what to do with myself?? I’ve got a few episodes of The Wire to catch up on. My husband and I started watching the series about a month ago. We are almost ready to start season 3. There’s only one problem, I’m behind. If only I had that magic ability to stay up late, but I don’t. I get about 10 minutes into a show and then I’m out like a light.

So, what am I going to do with myself today? I started the morning off with two massive cups of coffee along with two slices of cinnamon raisin toast. I’m debating a third piece. I need to clean out the fridge and pantry. I have an abundance of eggs that are nearing expiration. I should have enough ingredients to put together at least one appetizer and a side dish for Sunday dinner. I’m off to crack the cookbooks. I can’t wait to spend all day in the kitchen.

Guys, the chili was a huge hit. I doubled the recipe (Bobby Flay’s Red Beef Chili) and made a few additions/subtractions of my own. I didn’t have Thai bird peppers or pasilla chile powder so I added more of the other chile flavors in their place. I omitted the habanero and tripled up on the jalapenos. I feared the habanero would light our guests mouths on fire. I now know that the habanero would have been just fine. I added additional poblano peppers which I roasted and peeled as well as Worcestershire sauce, Chipotle peppers in adobo, extra tomatoes and tomato paste. I set out Frito’s, cilantro, diced onion, sour cream, extra sharp cheddar cheese and diced tomatoes for garnish.

In addition to the chili we had  grilled Hebrew National all beef dogs, a lovely green salad with corkscrew pasta, corn on the cob, Rotel dip (of course!), peanut butter cookies and assorted flavors of Braum’s ice cream. I made a last minute punch for those that wanted an alternative to beer and what not.

Fuzzy Navel Punch

1 bottle Ginger Ale

1 sm. can crushed pineapple in juice

1 can Bacardi Fuzzy Navel

2/3 cup lg. can of pineapple juice

Combine and serve over ice.

As for the key lime pie? I ran out of time. Dang it. I knew I should have made that one the night before.