Paint’s Blog

will repost pictures or ask …  it’s pretty gursom what a 2 , 70 lb  german shepards and a mastiff can do to a 23 lb dog.

my thumb

fritz and rudder his body guard

fritz and i were attacked by 3 dogs Tuesday night ,
more info in petfnder thread .

http://www.petfinder.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=695814#695814

Very Happy

Beverages

Triple Double Trouble A.k.a. the Painkiller ALCOHOL

4 fluid ounces frozen vodka
4 fluid ounces Amaretto
4 fluid ounces Southern Comfort
1/2 fluid ounce chilled orange juice or pineapple juice (actually a “splash”)

Combine all above in a cocktail shaker.

Shake, shake, shake.

Pour into tall glass.

Serve Straight up.

Or on the rocks: Add a couple of ice cubes if they will fit (totally optional).

Or as a frozen drink: Add several ice cubes into a cuisineart and then add drink mixture and blend until it has the consistency of a frozen margarta.

**If you want to get there – and get there fast – make this cocktail and all the pain will go away….. You will need a tall glass for this. WARNING: This is not for light drinkers. This is strictly for the point of getting tipsy or drunk quickly. Laughing

Makes 1 Mega Cocktail

Watermelon Water

6-8 lbs watermelons, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cups cold drinking water
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
ice cubes
limes, to garnish
mint leaves, to garnish

Process half of your melon cubes with 2 vup of water.

Strain into a pitcher.

Repeat with second half of melon and cup of water, strain into pitcher.

Stir in lime juice and honey.

Fill glasses with ice, and then pour in your watermelon juice.

Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves.

Makes 8 cups

Apple Cup

4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 (13 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 (28 ounce) bottle ginger ale
crushed ice

Mix fruit juices and pineapple and chill.

At serving time, add ginger ale and serve over crushed ice.

Makes 8-10 servings (2 1/2 quarts)

Bread, Seasoning & Salad Dressings

Onion and Garlic Bread

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, yellow skinned, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme or poultry seasoning
black pepper, to taste
1 loaf crusty bread, split lengthwise
3/4 cup parmigiano (Parmesan), grated

Melt butter in a small pan over moderate heat.

Add onions and garlic and season with sugar, thyme and pepper.

Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden in color and translucent.

Place the split bread on a baking sheet and broil until golden.

Spread half the onions and garlic on each half of bread in a thin layer.

Sprinkle each side of loaf with half the cheese and return to broiler for approximately 30 seconds to bubble cheese.

Shake and Bake Substitute

1 cup biscuit mix
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix toether.

To use, place in a paper bag and add up to 3 pounds chicken.

Shake.

Bake in greased pan at 350 til done.

**For variety, add 1 tablespoon chile powder to mix.

Makes 6-8 servings

Better Ranch Dressing

1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk

Mix all together and chill for at least 30 minutes and then enjoy.

Makes 16 servings (2 CUPS)

Sun-Dried Tomatoe Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more after tasting)
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
1 tablespoon oil, from tomato
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Place all ingredients in blender and mix until well blended.

Makes 4-6 servings

Main courses

Herbed Turkey Roast CROCKPOT

5 lbs turkey breasts, boned
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
salt
pepper
2 ounces Fontina cheese, sliced
2 ounces prosciutto ( kind of dried ham)
4 sprigs parsley or thyme
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Rinse turkey, pat dry and place, skin down, on cutting board.

Sprinkle meat side with chopped parsley and thyme, season with salt and pepper.

Cover with cheese and prosciutto, overlapping slices.

Starting with a long edge, roll up turkey, firmly, jelly roll style.

Overlap 3-4 sprigs parsley or thyme down length of roll; tie roll securely with string at 2″ intervals (at this point you may cover and refrigerate until next day).

Place turkey, thyme side up, in slow cooker.

Pour in broth and wine.

Cover and cook until meat in thickest part is very tender when pierced (9-10 hrs).

Carefully lift turkey to a warm platter and keep warm.

Skim and discard fat from cooking liquid; blend in cornstarch (blended with water).

Increase cooker to HIGH; cover and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until sauce is thickened.

Remove and discard strings and thyme sprigs from turkey; slice meat 1/4″ thick.

Garnish with additional thyme sprigs, if desired.

Serve with sauce.

Sweetie Ziti VEGETARIAN

8 ounces ziti pasta
8 ounces frozen broccoli florets
3 quarts water
2 teaspoons olive oil, seperated
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons margarine
4 slices swiss cheese, Thin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 dash thyme
salt
pepper

Bring water to a boil with 1 tsp of the olive oil.

Add pasta.

Cook 7 minutes, then add Broccoli Florets and cook another 8-10 minutes.

Drain (reserving water)and toss with other tsp olive oil in same pot.

In a small saucepan, melt margarine at low-medium heat.

Add flour and 1/2 of the milk, stirring constantly.

Add slices of cheese, one at a time, stirring after each addition.

Add remaining milk and seasonings.

Stir and keep cooking for another 3-5 minutes.

Add reserved water by teaspoons to reach desired consistancy (Thicker than milk, Thinner than pancake batter.).

Pour over pasta broccoli mix, stir to coat, and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Baked Hot Dogs

8 hot dogs
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs

Cut slits on the hot dogs about 1/2 inch apart.

Roll the hot dog in the ketchup and then in the corn flake crumbs.

Place on a cookie sheet and Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

**Note: You may need more or less of the ketchup and corn flake crumbs.

Kickasserole

1 lb ground beef
2 medium onions, diced
8 ounces frozen spinach, drained
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces French’s French fried onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups wide egg noodles
2 garlic cloves, pressed
salt
pepper
basil
parsley

Brown ground beef, diced onions, garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain.

Cook noodles.

Add drained noodles, browned ground beef and all 3 cheeses in a large pot or mixing bowl, adding in small amounts of frozen spinach as you mix, and use basil and parsley to taste.

Mix until noodles are well-coated.

Put the casserole in a microwave-safe (Can use the stove, too, but it takes longer) bowl and sprinkle the french fried onions on top.

Microwave on high for 12-15 minutes (can be baked for about 30-40 min at 350 F as well).

Let stand for about 5 minutes to cool, then serve.

Makes 6 servings

Ranch Chicken

1 cup prepared ranch salad dressing
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
2-3 cups chickens, your choice of pieces, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
10 ounces dry pasta, small shapes like bow-ties, spirals

In a bowl, whisk salad dressing with mustard; reserve.

Bring water to boil in a large stockpot for pasta.

As soon as you put the pasta into the water, saute chicken and shallots in butter until barely cooked.

Remove and keep warm.

Add wine to skillet, stirring up any browned bits.

Whisk in salad dressing/mustard mixture and heat. Add chicken.

Drain pasta.

Toss chicken/dressing mixture with pasta and serve warm.

**Can be served warm or at room temperature. Yield and cook times are approximate.

Makes 6-8 servings

Cajunized Oriental Pork Chops

6 Thick pork chops
Salt & red cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cup Dry white wine
1 cup Bell pepper, chopped
1 cup Onions, chopped
1 Clove garlic, chopped
3 Tsp Soy sauce
1 (15 oz.) can Pineapple chunks

Salt and red pepper the chops.

Brown them slowly in a skillet.

Add wine, bell pepper, onion, and garlic.

Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove pork chops, being sure to keep them warm.

Add the soy sauce and syrup from the pineapple.

Stir and simmer until more or less thick.

Add the pineapple chunks and bring to a boil.

Serve over pork chops and hot cooked rice.

Makes 6 servings

Pasta and Shrimp Alfredo

2 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces each)
8 oz. medium shrimp
2 medium tomatoes
12 oz. spaghetti or linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons alfredo sauce (1/2 of a 17 ounce jar)
chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese (used as garnish)

Bring 3 quarts lightly salted water to a boil in a covered large pot.

Have a large, deep skillet ready.

While water comes to a boil, quarter zucchini lengthwise, then slice crosswise; peel and de-vein shrimp, and seed and dice the tomatoes.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook uncovered, stirring often for seven minutes.

Add zucchini and cook until pasta is firm-tender and zucchini is tender, about 3 minutes longer.

Drain in a colander.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add shrimp, salt and pepper.

Sauté until shrimp turns pink.

Add the drained cooked pasta and zucchini, tomatoes and Alfredo sauce.

Stir gently until blended and thoroughly heated.

Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Step 1

2 (6 oz.) cans Albacore Tuna (water packed) drained and flaked
8 oz (1/2 of a 16 oz pkg.) small shell macaroni
2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/4 cup green or red pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas cooked and cooled (or 1 cup canned peas, drained)

Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water.

Allow to cool.

Add the remaining Step 1 ingredients to cold macaroni.

Mix well.

Step 2

3/4 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
2 tablespoons pickle relish
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, pickle relish, salt and pepper.

Add to the macaroni and mix well.

Place in refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Desserts

Better-Than-Cash Brownies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup cocoa (I highly recommend using natural cocoa, not dutch process cocoa)
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease an eight-inch baking pan (I spray it very lightly with Pam) and set aside.

Place the butter chunks in a glass mixing bowl and microwave on Medium power until melted (I find High power causes the melting butter to spatter all over the inside of my microwave, while the gentler power level seems to prevent this).

Put the cocoa, salt and instant coffee into a sieve (or sifter) and sift mixture into the melted butter — you may need to use your fingers to force the coffee granules through the sieve — and whisk until smooth.

Next, add in the sugar and whisk well; then add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition just until blended.

Whisk in vanilla.

Using a sieve (or sifter), sift flour over chocolate mixture, then stir with a wooden spoon just to incorporate flour.

Batter will be thick.

Spread batter into prepared pan, smoothing top, and scatter a topping of your choice (nuts, chocolate chips, etc), if desired, over top.

Twenty pecan halves or walnut halves, evenly spaced out, looks great and suits those who don’t like nuts in brownies, as they can easily be picked off.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-32 minutes.

A tester should come out with some crumbs on it.

Do not overbake or brownies will not be fudgey.

Let cool, in pan, then cut into small squares.

Expect these brownies to not cut cleanly, some bits will cling to the knife.

Awesome Blowouts

1/2 cup unsalted butter or regular butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
3/4 cup coarsely chopped miniature peanut butter cups (about 15)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.

Add the sugars, baking soda and salt.

Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally.

Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.

Using the mixer, beat in as much of the flour as you can.

Stir in remaining flour by hand.

Stir in the chocolate pieces, peanuts and peanut butter cups.

Drop by generously rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. About 30 cookies.

**Note: If you like, for easier chopping, freeze miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cups in their wrappers for 1 hour. Remove frozen candies from wrappers before chopping.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Mini Shortbread Fruit Tarts

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can of fruit pie filling (raspberry, strawberry, cherry, etc.) or 1 jar fruit preserves, of your choice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.

Add flour and mix well.

Shape into 1 inch balls and press into the bottom and up the sides of greased mini muffin cups.

Bake for 20 minutes or until very lightly browned.

Cool for 15 to 20 minutes and then carefully remove from pans.

Spoon pie filling or preserves into each tart (Use a baby spoon to do this–it’s much easier than a regular teaspoon).

Breakfasts

Raisin-Apple Tortilla Roll-Ups

4 (6-inch) whole-wheat tortillas
2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup finely chopped or coarsely-grated apples (about 1 medium-sized apple)
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and honey.

Mix thoroughly.

Stir in raisins and apples.

Divide raisin-apple-cream mixture evenly among four tortillas.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Roll tortillas up.

Place tortillas seam-side down on a microwave-safe plate.

Heat each roll in microwave on half power for one minute or until warmed through.

Super Drink

2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
2 1/2 cups plain fat-free yogurt
1 cup fresh blueberries (or 3/4 cup frozen)
4 tablespoons oat bran
3 tablespoons almond butter (can also use peanut butter)
5 tablespoons apricot preserves
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Makes 4 (14-oz.) glasses

Overnight Oats With Fruit

2 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup milk
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup blanched toasted and coarsely chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts
1 tart green apple, cored, seeded, and very thinly sliced crosswise
1 (6 ounce) container desired-flavor yogurt
1 cup fresh raspberries

In bowl stir together oats, milk, apple juice, honey and cinnamon.

Cover; chill overnight or until oats are soft.

Stir in nuts.

To serve, spoon oats mixture into serving glasses.

Top with apple slices, yogurt, and raspberries.

**If you don’t like yogurt, you can always skip that, but you can put all different kinds of fruit in it, other than whats suggested.

Makes 4 servings

Gingerbread Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat together egg and milk.

Stir in molasses, then oil.

Add flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Pour a quarter cup of batter per pancake onto griddle.

Cook on first side until puffed, full of bubbles and dry looking around edges.

Turn and cook until second side is browned.

Makes 12 pancakes