Highlight of My Week.......

Nothing short of getting vacation hours added to my bank at work could make my week any better.

Last night when I watched the R.N.C., I roused Roxy from a deep sleep with the volume and force of my laughter when I saw Piper Palin fixing her brother's hair. It is truly one of the most hilarious, unscripted and unrehearsed things I have seen in a long time!! If I was guaranteed to be entertained by Piper for the next 4 years, I might consider casting my vote for her mom.

BTW, I might be a little partial to Piper to start with because she has one my all-time favorite girl names.

The Wait is Over......











Is anyone as excited as me about the newly opened 9 mile section of 121?!?

I now have a direct 16 mile route from Plano to Coppell (Valley Ranch). It's still 22 miles to get to work but 16 of it are tollway driving.

Where was all the traffic as I entered the new freeway this morning on my way to work? Is it possible that I was one of the few who knew it opened?? Is it possible that the large majority are taking off for Labor Day week? Where was all the traffic during the afternoon rush??

I am still holding my breath that 121 will stay this way for a while. It reminds me of when the George Bush opened. It started as a calm and quite tollway but now it's a parking lot during rush hour.

Here's to hoping my 70+ mph commute will last for a while!!

First Known Picture of Michael Phelps

She Knocked It Out of the Ballpark!!

My admiration for Hillary Clinton and her ability to deliver a speech was reconfirmed again last night at the Democratic National Convention.

She has an amazing ability to speak with poise, eloquence and clarity. She is able to connect with her audience and last night she spoke to one of the most diverse.

She follows with exact precision all of the things one is taught in public speaking courses. She is an expert at keeping an open face, appropriately using pauses, gesturing effectively, and maintaining a rhythmic flow of words.

I am motivated and inspired to hopefully someday become an ounce as good as she is. (I get a lot of practice at work.)

She has a gift and she has mastered this art.

Thank you Hillary and I hope to have the privilege to contintue to learn from you.

Ya gotta love it......... :)

Summer Salads

I hosted a dinner party on Friday night and my theme was "Summer Salads". The menu consisted of:

Tomato & Mozzarella
Mexican Corn Dip / Salad
Chicken Salad
Pasta Turkey Salad
Broccoli Cornbread
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Black Cherry Sangria

Here are the recipes:

TOMATO & MOZZARELLA
ingredients:

Mozzarella Ball

Tomotoes

Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing

Basil Leaves

Thinly slice the cheese & tomatoes. Alternate slices of cheese & tomatoes on a dish. Drizzle with olive oil & vinegar dressing. Sprinkle with basil leaves.
For parties, I usually cut the tomato & cheese into small cubes or triangles and serve them on toothpicks. Alternate tomato & cheese with about 4 pieces on the toothpick. It makes for a nice, colorful presentation.

MEXICAN CORN DIP / SALAD

2 cans Fiesta / Mexican corn (drained)
1 carton sour cream
1 cup mayo
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp chili powder
jalepenos, chopped - to taste

Mix all the ingredients and serve with tostato chips.

To make it more of a salad, add fritos to the mix.

(Meme's serving bowl)














This picture does not show how truly yummy this is.
It's a great dip to take to a party. People love it!!



CHICKEN SALAD (recipe by June K.)

I wanted a very simple recipe, nothing fancy, with few ingredients. June gave this to me a few years ago. It's very yummy and people always want the recipe!














1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2-3 green onions
1/2 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (not dip mix)
1 cup mayonnaise
pepper
















Boil chicken then shred it.
Combine the dressing mix with the mayonnaise.
For the dressing mix, it's approximately 1/2 envelope per pound of chicken.
Add the green onions & pepper.
Stir in the chicken.
For parties, I serve on either a croissant or potato roll.



PASTA TURKEY SALAD (recipe by Mel)

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad classic pasta salad mix
1/2 cup poppy seed dressing
1 1/2 cups cubed turkey (I buy 2-3 thick slices in deli then cut into cubes)
3/4 cup halved red grapes
1/2 thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted














Empty pasta into saucepan with boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.

In a large bowl, stir together seasoning (from pasta box) and dressing. Add pasta and remaining ingredients. Toss to combine. Better if chilled before serving.

(decorative bowl gift from Jackie)


BROCCOLI CORNBREAD (recipe by Mel)














2 pkgs corn muffin mix
10 oz. frozen broccoli - thawed (I rinse under cool water)
1 cup cottage cheese
4 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

Mix the ingredients and pour into a 9" X 13" baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.


BLACK CHERRY SANGRIA

1 bottle red wine
1 cup orange juice
1 cup black cherries, pitted and halved
3/4 cup grenadine syrup
1/2 cup grand marnier















Combine all the ingredients and stir well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but best if overnight.
I like to put mine in the freezer about 4 hours before serving so it is slushy.
Serve over ice.
Makes about 8 glasses.

Lake LBJ

See my vacation blog for pics.

Visit from the LJ Crew

YAY! The LJ Crew came back!! Last summer we did Dallas and this summer we did Ft. Worth. Friday we spent the day in Plano and went to the Fox Sports Grill at The Shops at Legacy.

On Saturday, we went to the uniquely texan Stockyards in Ft. Worth. The streets are lined with saloons, restaurants, souvenir shops and western wear stores. It's home to the famous Billy Bob's of Texas and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. We had lunch at a great steakhouse called Riscky's. The Cattle Drive had much to be desired, but I guess as native Texans since we've seen it and done it before in natural settings, the herd seemed sluggish. The highlight of the Gunfight Show was seeing Blake jump like an Olympic high jumper when the first shot was fired.

Our next stop was to the Texas Christian University (TCU) campus. Our group loves to visit college campuses so this was a highlight for sure! The tall trees that tower over the academic buildings and residence halls are a stand-out feature of this campus. We were so impressed with the identical architecture of the old and new buildings. The campus spreads over 268 acres and has an enrollment of 8,900 students.

After withstanding the blistering heat of 102 degrees on a day spent mostly outdoors, we drove back to my house and either jumped in the pool, took a cool shower, watched tv or all of the above. We had take-out fajitas from La Hacienda Ranch. The BEST beef fajitas! As geeky as it may seem, our Saturday night entertainment was watching the Dave Ramsey Show. Not only does he provide great financial advice, he is hilarious!!

Enjoy our pics!
(To view at own pace, click each picture; for slideshow, click play.)

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