What is this plant?

Update - the plant appears to be Disocactus flagelliformis, also called Rat Tail Cactus. I'm not 100% certain that's what it is but I think that's correct.

Someone in our office suite gave me this cactus because it was in their way and they were tired of bumping into it. It's a neat looking plant, I think, but we've had a few customers walk in and say something like, "Oh! Your cactus freaked me out!!"

I'm not sure how to care for it. Some of it is green and some is brown. I don't know if it needs water or if it's supposed to look like that.

Just what is this thing?





I moved it outside for awhile and got another picture.



And here's one of new growth



If you have an idea what it is and how to care for it, please let me know. I want to give it a great home.

Another non-food post but still...

This morning I read this article about banks and the money they received in the bail out and just fumed. Hours later I'm still mad about it. Does anyone else see this is as patently ridiculous or is it just me? I simply can't fathom the reaction of the banks - what do you mean you don't know where the money is? What do you mean you won't comment? Absolutely irresponsible.

Can you tell I'm a little mad about this situation?

Are we obligated to pay old debts and charge off debts?

This is so not food related but I wanted to find out what others think. Do you think people have an obligation to pay a charged off debt?

During a conversation with one of my sons this morning he said he got his credit reports last week and there were two charge offs from almost seven years ago. They're both due to roll off soon and other than those two he has about $3,600 in non-student loan debt. Apparently he plans to tackle the two charge offs at some point down the road but not any time soon. He agrees we might have a moral obligation to pay such a debt but isn't concerned about it.

I, on the other hand, think we definitely have a moral obligation to pay debts, even old and charged off debts. So what if the company got a tax break on the bad debt - we still owe them that money and not paying it is theft.

What do you think? Do we or do we not have an obligation to pay old/charged off debts? Input greatly appreciated!

Corn Chip Chili Pie

Corn chip chili pie is one of my favorite cold weather recipes. I'd planned to have it for dinner one night this week but made it today for lunch instead in an attempt to ward off hunger and the desire to go buy Chinese food at $20 for the two of us.

It turned out very well and I think the addition of a little pico de gallo to the top of the pie was one reason. I got busy while it was cooking, though, and left it in the oven a little too long. Fortunately, that didn't seem to hurt it much.


I'm still adjusting to the new camera and having problems getting all of what I want in the picture but I think the photo isn't too horribly bad. Is it?

Menu Plan Monday - Denise tries something new!

I've prepared the same basic meals for 26 years, give or take, and have reached a point where I want to try some new dishes. Well, I'm jumping in with both feet this week and plan to try two that I've found recently. Hopefully, I'll actually get them made and we'll enjoy them.

So without further hullabaloo, here's the menu for the coming week.

Tonight we're having broiled barbecued beef short ribs with baked beans and salad. If there are any ribs leftover I'll take the meat off the bone, cut it into small pieces, and use it in soup. Wednesday night we'll have whatever I make at my mother's house, presuming I go over that day.

Assuming there are no ribs left to make soup, the rest of the week we'll have, in no particular order:

Crockpot Cheese and Vegetables with homemade wheat rolls

Corn chip chili pie, one of my all time cold weather favorites

Meatloaf Casserole with green beans and salad

Baked chicken tenders with steamed spinach and salad

And that's it for the week, short and sweet, easy and tasty...I hope!

Hop on over to Menu Plan Monday and add your menu for the week. It's always fun to see what others are serving and I've gotten some fantastic recipes that way.

Ohhh, can I have one of these?? Just think what I can do with it!

That's what I'm going to say to my husband when I spring my latest kitchen wish on him. What, you don't have kitchen wishes? Sure you do! You know, those things you wish you had in the kitchen, the things that will make your life easier (or so you think), the things that make your heart go pitter pat when you see them.

Well, this is my latest kitchen wish and while $100 isn't cheap it's a whole lot cheaper than that Aga range I want someday! Yeah, if wishes were horses beggars would ride. The first wish is doable but that Aga range, ehhhh not so much.

Honestly, I don't know if I would really use the first thing very much but I'd like to try!

Speaking of the Aga, I finally got the brochure I requested. Oh, be still my heart. The pictures from it are going on the wall over my computer..after I take pictures of them to post here. Yes, I'm going to take pictures of the pictures. Guess I need to wrap the keyboard in plastic to protect it from the drool....

A few recipes in my 'have to try this soon' list

I keep a running list of recipes I want to try. The list seems to just get larger as time passes, mainly because I don't get around to trying the recipes. But one of the things I want to work on this month is trying new recipes. I'm tired of the same meals and actually making some of the recipes on my list should help.

Here are some of the recipes on the list:

15 Minute Steak Soft Tacos
Cabbage Roll Meatloaf
Cranberry Scones
Crockpot Cheese and Vegetables
Healthified Lasagna
Meatloaf Casserole

Cheddars Spinach Dip

1 cup half and half
1 cup monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces green chili peppers
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
10 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted, drained, squeezed of excess liquid

Mix all ingredients. Cook at 400 degree for 1/2 hour in serving dish.
Serve with tortillas.

Crockpot Reuben Dip

This delicious and easy five ingredient dip recipe is perfect for a spread for football watchers.

8 oz. cooked corned beef, coarsely chopped
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, drained, chopped
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

Mix all ingredients in 1-1/2 - 3 quart crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stir to combine and scrape down sides. Dip will hold for 2 hours on LOW. Serve with party rye bread slices, pretzels, pickles, and french bread cubes. Serves 10 to 12.

There are a lot of other recipes I want to try but these are just a few. Now, I need to find ways to work those into our menu, even one new recipe every week or two would work.

When you find new recipes do you try them immediately or save them up and work them in later?

Depression era recipes & help with leftovers

I'm something of a collector of recipes, especially really thrifty ones. I suppose it comes from raising kids on a very limited income but even though it's just me and the man person now and we're doing okay financially (thanks to YHWH, Dave Ramsey, and our own hard work) I still cook frugally and collect recipes for very inexpensive dishes. In light of that, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Depression era recipes with y'all. Some of these I've found on the web and where I know the site, I note that by making the name a link. Enjoy!


Depression Cake

1 cup shortening
2 cups water
2 cups raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups white sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a saucepan combine the shortening, water, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease one 9 x 13 baking pan.

Stir the flour and baking soda into the cooled raisin mixture and mix until just combined. Pour batter into the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This is actually a very good cake and it's excellent when frosted with homemade icing.


Another Cake Recipe

1 cup water
2 cups raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup lard (shortening)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Place water, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, lard, nutmeg and salt in a saucepan and mix. Bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes. Allow to cool, then sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir into cooked mixture. Place in a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for one hour.


Rice Pudding

Grease a glass 9" x 13" Pyrex dish with solid shortening. Preheat oven to 300.

½ cup long grain white rice
½ cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk, diluted to make one quart
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon to taste

Place all ingredients except cinnamon in pan. Generously sprinkle top with cinnamon. At least once during the baking, stir cinnamon crust into the rice and sprinkle the top with cinnamon again. Let bake until rice is tender, approximately 1 ½ hours. Cool and serve or refrigerate and serve cold.


Meatless Loaf

1 cup rice
1 cup peanuts crushed
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients together and bake in a loaf pan for 30 minutes or until loaf is set.

Meatless loaf sounds like a very odd dish and it is but it's tasty!


Homemade Dumplings
This is how my paternal grandmother made dumplings

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons shortening
3/4 to 1 cup milk
2 quarts broth or more

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add shortening then milk until thick batter is obtained. Drop by teaspoonfuls in boiling broth cover and cook covered 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid while cooking.


Bread For the Poor
That's what the same grandmother called this fried bread

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Water

Stir in enough water to make a batter and pour into greased cast iron skillet. Fry like you would a pancake until brown on each side. Spread with butter and jelly and enjoy. Its also nice when sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

And there's a new blog, Not Just Leftovers - Brand New Meals, about creatively using leftovers. Kudos to Janelle for starting it up!

Free 100 Day Meal Planning Kit

For just a few minutes of your time, you can get the free 100 Day Meal Planning Kit from Menu In A Box. Hurry, this is good for one day, January 1, 2009! This ebook has just about everything you need for 100 days of meals. Just add money (to buy the groceries) and you're ready to go. :)

And a happy one to you!

Where ever you are, who ever you are, wishing you a great 2009! May it be bountiful and blessed....