A Make Your Momma’s Recipe Party

 

We put an interesting twist on our MSU basketball watch party yesterday.  It was decided that the dish everyone would bring to share would be something our mothers made in the 60’s or 70’s.  It was a stroll down memory lane and the fun part was hearing everyone’s stories. We enjoyed sloppy joe’s, deviled eggs, homemade mac and cheese, strawberry pretzel jello salad, iceberg lettuce salad and three bean salad. Desserts were peanut butter cookies and a decadent chocolate cake.

I brought an appetizer that my mother always made at Christmas using the gold standard of the 70’s - Velvetta cheese.  It is a recipe I had forgotten about, but still delicious.  It was fun to go back in time with some of these classic dishes which may not fit into today’s healthier eating, but have that comfort food factor. When was the last time you had any kind of jello dish?  It’s been awhile for me, but reminded me so much of childhood pot lucks when there was always one or two on the table.  

The basketball game was a loss for MSU, but the party food theme was a win that everyone had fun with.

What would be the dish you would bring?

My Mother’s Party Browns

1 package party rye bread

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb hot sausage

3/4 lb velvetta cheese, cubed

2 T oregeno

2 T Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Brown ground beef and sausage.  Add cheese and seasonings.  Put bread on a cookie sheet and top with meat mixture.  Bake in 350 degree oven 12-14 minutes or until bread is slightly crispy.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Life Lately

 

Life is busy, but good busy.  I have been quite social with breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I have also been getting my hands dirty, which I love; both in my volunteer role and still working hard in my neighborhood to get things back to normal after the hurricane damage.  There has been a lot of mulch spread this past week, including in my role as a captain for Make A Difference Day in Venice.  

I ventured out to a park that is very close to me, but is known for having a lot of alligators since it is adjacent to a river.  It really is a nice, peaceful walk with old Florida ambience.  And, I am definitely much braver and more nonchalant about gators than when I first moved to Florida.  Don’t bother them and they won’t bother you.  But, the warning signs you see are just a little different here lol

Finally, I have been making a point to read more lately.  I finished The Henna Artist and it is exactly the kind of book that makes me appreciate being in a book club. I can’t say I would have picked if up on my own volition, but I throughly enjoyed it and found it is the kind of book that immerses you in the culture and characters so much, that when you are done it stays in your thoughts.  

Have a wonderful weekend!

Fashion Show Fun

 

I put together a table of friends and neighbors to attend a fashion show that benefited the group where I volunteer.  It was a fun way to spend an afternoon and feel a part of the larger community as well. The hotel ballroom where it was held was full to capacity and we enjoyed the delicious desserts and champagne while waiting for the models to come out.  Two of the models were co -volunteers so that was fun too.  

The outfits modeled were all from local stores in our downtown shopping area and we received discounts to many of the stores if we saw something we had to have.  There was a mix of casual and dressier styles and they were definitely wearable clothes for the Florida lifestyle.  

A highlight for me was the decor made from debris gathered from Hurricane Ian (no shortage of that) and fashioned into ballgown look a likes.  It was very creative and I love anything that uses natural material.

In the past few days I have been on a shopping outing with friends and now a fashion show,  Not my typical Florida days, but definitely a fun change.

Happy Friday!