dinner with FRIENDS

Having people over for dinner is something we do often. I love to have a herd of friends over to eat, for supper, breakfast, a snack, coffee, lunch! The more the merrier!

It's the way I grew up. We quite often overflowed our family table. Remember T.V. trays? I don't know how my mom did it. She taught me you don't need to have a big kitchen to feed lots of people...she did extraordinary things with 1 oven and an electic stove. Electric stove...isn't that a swear word?

The only time I do not get excited about feeding people is when I get my kitchen ALL cleaned up and a child (or worse yet an adult) shows up at my side and says.....

"I'm hungry"

Cereal......have a bowl of oats!...Cheerios, Baby! Then scat, am-skram out of my kitchen!

Last night we had some good friends over for a Pioneer Woman extravaganza!
I am hoping none of us have to get our lipids checked this week....if so we might be in some serious trouble after this meal!

Starting with dessert....we didn't eat dessert first, but this picture was the best so I thought I'd start with it. Pineapple Upside Down Cake.....oooh Mama! I have to make this for my Dad for his birthday. And that's all I will give him...the cake will be his gift...this cake is soooo freaking good he will forget I didn't give him a present!



(Not that I don't like giving my father gifts....it's just...well all he wants is underwear and socks and I am frankly tired of buying him stuff he needs to buy for himself!)

Here we have the Cheese Grits...



Grits are something I have to admit I have never made. Well, lets just say these were sinful. They are loaded with cheese, and eggs, and butter!

Oh MY!

I probably won't make them very often because I was the only one, of course, that really loved them. I say "of course", because I have yet to find a food that I don't care for. I am the least picky eater, ever. Bugs...I've said I will not do bugs. Now the grits are calling my name, just like those leetle French poofs. Ooooo-dogee cheese grits warmed up with a little extra cheese melted on the top sounds like the perfect bedtime snack...for someone who doesn't want their jeans to fit that is! So I am holding my own against the call of the grits!

Twice Baked Potatoes



These are a family favorite! My kids even ate the left overs warmed up today...that is nothing short of miraculous in this family. My family is not good at eating leftovers.

I will take full responsibility for that...

Growing up we ate the food until it was gone...no waste.

"Waste not want not", that's what my mom would say.

Unfortunately it has turned me off to eating the same food two or three days in a row. I usually try to reinvent leftovers if possible....or pawn them off on people as they leave. Or like today I brought leftovers to my sister and Skidder....

Skidder didn't get any of this. It was gone. Our sweet dog Jack didn't even get a morsel. This Beef Brisket was so tender. I marinated for two days and then baked it for 5 hours...this piece of meat was ready to be consumed!



It was mouth watering, tender, yummy goodness! Next time I will buy a bigger piece of meat so we have leftovers. This would easily make good sandwiches, tacos, enchiladas....

9 days and 7 recipes left!

April 1, the WINNER of the cookbook GIVEAWAY will be announced!

That means 9 more days for you to get your friends and family on over here to make a comment!

Have a good one!