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Lighting for Your Backyard Parties

June 2, 2008 1 Comment

I’ve been looking up different party ideas when I found these really cool solar lanterns. These look very nice, and unlike a lot of alternatives, you don’t have to deal with bunch of ugly wires, and you don’t have to go through a huge installation process. You simply hang these outside in the sun so that they can charge, and when the sun goes down these handy little lanterns will give off a nice glow.

But if you live in a shaded area, or you’re just looking for something of a different style,there are a lot of great choices when it comes to lighting for your outdoor party. Some popular choices include Candles, Flaming Torches, Strings of Christmas lights or novelty lights, Electric wall laterns & post lanterns, strings of paper lanterns, etc.

Here are a couple of cute choices, followed by some links:

Flower Lights

Flipflop Lights

Sunsetter Patio Lights

Colored Lights

Cherry Blossom Lanterns

If your in the market for some party lights, here a few links you may be interested in:

Ivillage – for more info on solar lights

Offthedeepend.com – They have a fun variety of light strings

Nextag – cool lights here

Japanese Lantern lights

If you get creative with the lighting and decor, you can create a fun & unique atmosphere for your summer barbecue or pool party. And if you shop around, you can usually find some good deals on this stuff too! Have a good day!

Filed Under: decorating, Home/Garden, party ideas, summer

Menu Plan Monday for June 2

June 1, 2008 5 Comments
I’m looking forward to this week’s menu. I love Tacos, but it’s been a while since I made any. This week I’m also using a Campbell’s Supper Bake, which is very tasty and easy to make. I highly recommend them.

We’re also having a house favorite, buffalo chicken fingers & grilled brats (made especially for my husband, though I love them too). And I’ve come up with a simple idea for what I think will be a tasty wrap…I’ll let you know how it goes.

Monday – Tacos
Tuesday – Cheesy Chicken & Pasta (Campbell’s Supper Bake…very good!)
Wednesday -Bacon, Cheddar, Chicken & Ranch Wraps
Thursday – Spaghetti w/ salad & garlic bread
Friday – Buffalo chicken fingers & fries
Saturday – Grilled Brats w/ mac n cheese and baked beans
Sunday – Ham & Turkey Sub sandwiches
To participate in MPM, visit orgjunkie.com. Have a great week!

Filed Under: menu plan Monday

Bacon-Chive Potato Salad

June 1, 2008 Leave a Comment

What would a backyard barbecue be without potato salad? This recipe is a little different from what I’m used to. In my family recipe, the potatoes are always peeled and sliced into smaller pieces, and it includes eggs, mustard, mayo, and pickle relish. I would post it here today, but it’s one of those recipes that I don’t have exact measurements for; I just sort of throw it together, but some time I’ll try to write it down as I make it, and I’ll post it here when I do.

In the meantime, this Taste of Home recipe looks pretty good!


Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds small red potatoes
1/2 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup minced chives
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions: Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Cut into wedges; place in a serving bowl. Add bacon and chives. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Spoon over salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Filed Under: breads and sides, recipes

Burgers on the Grill

May 30, 2008 1 Comment
If you think, a burger is a burger, think again. There are a ton of burger recipes out there, for any and all kinds of people, regardless of your personal style and tastes. Personally I prefer the “traditional” version. I usually use Dale’s Sauce for a marinade, and it is just awesome! I also remember when I was young, my dad cooking up some burgers on the stove, marinaded in Dale’s Sauce and cooked with some onions and sometimes green peppers. Very good!

Here’s a list of links to some great burger recipes…many of them have a special twist and there’s also some links to some grilling tips as well. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve also included a few tasty and “interesting” burger photos from BHG’s 21 Great Burgers! Suddenly I’ve got a craving for a burger & fries…hmmm. Enjoy!

Latino Barbecue Burger

Chuckwagon Goat Cheese Burgers with Onion Jam

Southern Style Hamburgers

Blue Cheese Vidalia Onion Burger

Cajun Chicken Burger

Hawaiian Chicken Burger

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, recipes

Yummy Kabob Recipes for the Summer

May 28, 2008 2 Comments

With the summer grilling season in full swing, I wanted to features some recipe, links, and ideas for your cookouts. Today I’m starting with some Kabobs which I found on BHG. BHG has a lot of great recipe for burgers, kabobs, and other backyard barbecue recipes, as well as some great party ideas. Visit Quick & Easy Kabobs to view 22 different kabob recipes.

Lamb Kabobs

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Top Sirloin Kabobs

Mustard-Glazed Pork Skewers

More cookout and summer party ideas coming up later! Have a great rest of the week!

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, party ideas, recipes, summer

Recipe of The Week: Uncle Sam’s Red, White, & Blue Parfaits

May 22, 2008 1 Comment

I finally made it back home early this morning. I’m still in the process of unpacking and settling back in, but I wanted to come on here tonight to post the photo of the recipe…it’s just not the same without the picture, is it?

Hope you all had a great holiday, and I hope you enjoy this cool treat.
2 cups boiling water, divided
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any red flavor
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin
2 cups cold water, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
STIR 1 cup boiling water into each flavor dry gelatin in separate large bowls 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir 1 cup cold water into gelatin in each bowl.
POUR each gelatin flavor into separate 8-inch square pans.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Cut gelatin in each pan into 1/2-inch cubes. Layer alternating flavors of gelatin cubes and the whipped topping in 10 dessert glasses. Store in refrigerator.

Filed Under: desserts, Misc Holidays, Patriotic, Recipe of the Week

Menu Plan Monday for May 19

May 18, 2008 1 Comment

It’s a quick & easy menu for me this week. We’re leaving on Friday to visit family again for the holidays and to attend some area festivals. We were just there for Mother’s Day, but our previous visit before that was in February, and my husband’s going to have a lot going on with school and work this summer, so who knows when we’ll have a chance to go visit again. (perhaps 4th of July? but maybe not)

I do plan to do a couple of posts for Memorial Day before we leave, so check back in the next couple of days to see those. Have a great week!

Monday – Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Stuffing
Tuesday – Tuna Salad
Wednesday – Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Thursday – Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday – Out of town

Join the fun of MPM at orgjunkie.com

Filed Under: menu plan Monday

Celebrate National Military Appreciation Month, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day by Supporting Our Troops

May 16, 2008 Leave a Comment

Now is the month of Maying. Spring is here. The school year is drawing to a close, and we are beginning to plan for summer barbecues, parties, vacations, and days in the sun.

With so much stuff going on in May and with spring fever going around, it is often forgotten or unknown that May is also National Miliary Appreciation Month. Then there is Armed Forces Day on May 17, and of course, Memorial Day is a week from Monday.

I had a history professor that always told us to enjoy our holiday weekend, but he also encouraged us to think and reflect about why we were getting a holiday in the first place. He also encouraged us to avoid the holiday sales, as he felt that our soliders did not fight and die so that retailers could make a buck. While I don’t like telling others what they should or should not do, (as I don’t like being told myself) I think it is something to think about and consider over the next week and a half, as we celebrate.

And for my own part, in the sprit of giving and in the spirit of honoring the military, I decided to post a few links to some charities and causes that you might be interested in donating to. I think it’s very important that we honor all of our Veterans and those who are currently serving. They put themselves in harm’s way every day so that we can be free, and they deserve our thanks and so much more.
America Supports You – here you’ll find a whole host of charities and services to aid the military .

Filed Under: Causes/Charities, Misc Holidays, Patriotic

Recipe of the Week: Graduation Cup-caps

May 15, 2008 1 Comment

Going along with the graduation theme, here’s a very cute cupcake recipe. These would be so great for kindergarden and pre-school graduates, but the big kids and adults should like them too.

Graduation Cup-caps
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow or white cake mix
1 env. KOOL-AID Orange Flavor Unsweetened Soft Drink Mix
2/3 cup (1/2 of 7-oz. tub) BAKER’S Real Dark Semi-Sweet Dipping Chocolate, melted
12 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken crosswise in half (12 squares)
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
2 chewy fruit snack rolls, any color
24 jelly beans
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin pan cups with paper liners. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Stir in drink mix until well blended. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool.
SPREAD 1 tsp. melted chocolate onto each graham square to cover entire top of cracker. Place on baking sheet. Refrigerate until hardened. Remove paper from cupcakes. Turn upside down. Using wooden spoon handle, make small tunnel from top to bottom in center of cupcake. Place whipped topping in small resealable plastic bag. Snip corner; pipe small amount of whipped topping into each cupcake. Place remaining whipped topping on top. Top with chocolate covered graham to make “cap”.
SEE tip below to make tassels. Place each tassel on top of cap with jelly bean in center, using a small amount of whipped topping as glue.

Filed Under: cupcakes, desserts, Recipe of the Week

22 Great Graduation Gift Ideas

May 14, 2008 2 Comments


Teenagers and twenty-somethings can be hard to buy for. Fortunately we have a huge array of items to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a graduation keepsake, a dorm/apartment warming present, or something a little more “hip,” it’s easy to find something that the graduate in your life will love. Here’s a list of great gift ideas for the high school kids who are going off to the college and the college kids who are ready to go off and join the world.

1. Bible
2. Jewelry
3. Sunglasses
4. Pocket knife
5. Wallet
6. Watch
7. Souvenier throw, blanket, or embroidered pillow.
8. Books
9. Planner, Calendar, Diary
10. Picture Frame
11. Stuffed animal
12. PDA, cell phone
13. MP3 Player, Ipod, or portable dvd player
14. Graduation Plaque or figurines
15. Computer software or accessories
16. Plaque or figurine related to the student’s future major or career
17. Bedding, a microwave, a lamp, and other dorm or first apartment supplies
18. Movies or music
19. Supplies related to a hobby or the students major (like art supplies, a musical instrument, etc.)
20. A digital camera
21. Brief case, laptop case, or backpack
22. And if all else fails, there’s always cash or gift cards

Filed Under: shopping
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