An easy breakfast for a crowd

This was one of the breakfasts I came up with when I had a house full of guests and really didn't feel awake enough to cook. lol

I buttered my muffin tins, added the eggs and let them bake in a 350 degree oven... I let them bake for around 20 to 25 minutes, until the whites were just set. I didn't want them to be rubbery.
Also, not sure if I needed to but I poked the yolks with a fork before baking.




made my hollandaise sauce....









heated some sliced ham....



buttered and toasted split english muffins under the broiler....


assembled the ham and eggs on top of the toasted english muffins....



topped with the hollandaise sauce and served with hashbrowns and fruit....









It was an easy breakfast for me to make even though I was half awake. :)

I did it!

I made it though 10 days of company........ and still have my sanity!

While it was nice seeing my friends, (all 17 of them)
I'm really enjoying the peace and quiet of being home alone again. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hope everyone has a great St Patrick's Day... remember to wear your green.

I've been busy with company since Friday.
What started out as a friend coming up to spend the week with me has snowballed...

Hearing that she was on her way, another friend said "I want to come too!"...then another and another. My house guest count is up to 17.
The original visitor had first choice on a bedroom.....the rest have had to use floor space and sleeping bags. Some brought tents.

The past 6 days have been fun... lots of food, drink and laughter.
5 guests went home yesterday and 3 more left this morning. That leaves a head count of 9 for the rest of the week.
Funny how nine guests doesn't seem like much now. :)

A Surprise from the Netherlands

I received a wonderful surprise in the mail from cooking forum friend Phubar.
It's just amazing! A smoked garlic braid, smoked shallots from "Smokey Al's".
Several other ingredients, including sambel pecel, massala, garlic chutney,
ajam pedis...and so much more!

Last fall Phubar and his Mom were kind enough to share a recipe with me and also translate it from Dutch to English. They explained the step by step process for me to make
Smoked Chicken with Roti


I am now hooked on their wonderful food and with these new ingredients will be able to make more of their dishes.

I'm a happy girl! :)


Phubar, if you read this.. Thank you so much!! Thanks to your Mom too for all she does.
(((HUGS))) to the both of you. :)

Mesquite Smoked Brisket Indian Tacos

I've really gotten a lot of use out of this big honkin' brisket. :)

This is the same brisket that I used for my Drill Press Tortillas
and my Huevos Rancheros with Smoked Brisket Hash

I smoked the brisket and divided it into baggies that were better suited for my meals and put them in the freezer. It was nice to have the smoked meat on hand. :)

I made my indian fry bread...






topped with smoked brisket....




then added cheese, a fajita sauce, lettuce and fresh pico....

It was a quick and tasty meal for me. :)

Big Poppa Smokers... American Made Grills

I wanted to take time to mention a good friend's web site that might be of interest to smokers and grillers or anyone wanting to get started with outdoor cooking.

My Smoking Pal, Big Poppa, has a great online site offering American made grills and so much more. :)

Big Poppa Smokers


Big Poppa's site contains a Big Poppa TV section with how-to videos for preparing anything from Prime Rib on the cooker to a simple, wonderful "Fattie". I only wish smell-o-vision were available. :)

One of my favorite things about the site is BP's Grilling gallery ... where I get my hind end kicked on a regular basis by the outstanding smokers that hang out there. lol

If you get the time, check it out, browse over the smokers and grills..... sign into the Gallery and join in on the fun. Top three posts for the month receive Big Poppa bucks good for accessories in the store.
It's been a lot of fun sharing recipes and ideas with the talented smokers there.
Another benefit for me.... by hanging out in the gallery, I keep outta trouble. lol

Thanks Big Poppa for putting up with me! :)



If you are interested in quality guitars and accessories, check out Big Poppa's other sites.

Ernie Ball and
Music Man Guitars

A New Friend

I've been on the lookout for a new dog to help around the farm. I had planned on getting a pup so it would be easier to train...but...was offered this little girl that needed a home.


She's a border collie, which I'm used to. Very active dogs and smart as a whip. They need to keep busy.
It looks like she might have come from a not so nice home... she was a bit shy when I brought her home, but is opening up to me. She stays glued to my side while walking around the farm.

Her soft brown eyes are just begging for reassurance and a kind voice. So far that is just what I'm giving to her... and all the love she will ever need. She is responding quite well and I'm sure we will have many years of watching sunsets together. :)

Huevos Rancheros with Smoked Brisket Hash

I smoked a brisket the other day using bit of mesquite. I like to keep brisket simple, so I trim some of the fatcap, rub with oil and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.

I sauteed onions, garlic and cubed potato until tender then added some of my smoked brisket.

Seasoned well with cracked black pepper and kosher salt.

made my sauce by heating onions, garlic and minced pepper in oil, then added tomatoes, minced green chilis, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and a small pinch of oregano.








heated a corn tortilla in the sauce..




then started building...

the smoked brisket hash on top of a warm tortilla......



added a poached egg....




topped with sauce, cheese, minced green onions and cilantro.....



It was tasty! Loved the addition of the smoked brisket hash with the huevos rancheros. :)

AS (after snow)

Some after snow pictures....

busy road.... ok, those were my tire tracks. :)




Another benefit of owning black cattle during the winter......I can stand in the yard or look out my front window and count the cattle using my binoculars...





trouble is, they aren't always together and some are hidden in draws... :)

checking them in person is best.