Saturday, August 16, 2008

Sunday Dinner, August 17, 2008

After frittering away most of the day reading and commenting on blogs and playing Canfield Solitaire on THIS SITE, I'm now feverishly working on making preparations for Sunday Dinner tomorrow, doing at least 3 loads of laundry and trying to decide what's for my Saturday Supper.

Okay, feverishly is probably not even close to being accurate since I don't move too fast unless there's an emergency, and even then it has to be a whopper of a crisis.

I have a big pot of pinto beans simmering on the stove (I'll bet my regular readers didn't see that one coming at all!) and I have some garden ripe tomatoes to slice and serve.

I'm going to make a couple of pans of homemade Mexican cornbread for dinner tomorrow. I'll shred my cheese, brown my ground beef and onion, peppers, etc. tonight so that when I get home from church tomorrow I can just make the cornbread batter and assemble the Mexican cornbread, then toss it in the oven.

I suppose it'd be okay to make it ahead tonight and then warm it up Sunday afternoon, but it doesn't take that long to make it and bake it, and I really prefer most foods fresh rather than warmed up.

I like my Mexican foods spicy, so I'll make 2 pans of cornbread and add some jalapenos to one pan. Most of my family doesn't like their food hot and spicy, but a few of us like hot stuff so it will be eaten sooner or later if it's not all eaten for Sunday Dinner.

I don't really follow a recipe for my Mexican cornbread. I just throw things in a bowl and mix them up. The recipe varies according to what I have on hand but always includes either cream style (which is what I'm using this time) or whole kernel corn, browned ground beef, some type of shredded cheese (Colby this time) , diced onion, green chilies if I have them, and most of the time I add some diced green bell pepper.

If I'm making it for me and Lamar and others who like it spicy I add diced jalapenos. Sometimes I add taco seasoning to the ground beef, other times not.

I have some green beans I can warm up if anybody extra shows up or if anybody wants green beans with their Mexican cornbread, pinto beans and sliced tomatoes.

I think that's the final menu for my Sunday Dinner this week. What about you? What's on the menu at your place? Share your plans/menu in the comments if you'd like to participate this week.
A couple of weeks ago a generous neighbor gifted me with a large portion of jalapeno and sweet banana peppers fresh from his garden. I had a feeling that the jalapenos were pretty hot because of their pungent odor even before I sliced them to pickle them.

I put up 3 pint jars of sliced, pickled peppers; 2 jars of straigh
t jalapenos and 1 jar of half jalapenos, half banana peppers to make a full jar. I wore rubber gloves to wash and slice the peppers, then pack them in the jars. A couple of years ago I literally blistered my hands making pickled peppers. Now I may not be the fastest pig in the race, but I ain't the slowest either.

Just on a hunch, before I sealed one of the jars I touched just the tip of my little finger in the vinegar brine on a jar of the jalapenos.

Holy Cow! Those things are practically combustible! I think the jars are giving off heat and glowing in the dark! And I
like hot peppers! I even eat habaneros occasionally, but I think those jalapenos rival them for heat.

I just posted my recipe for DIANE'S ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANA and my recipe for DIANE'S HOMEMADE ZUCCHINI BREAD on MY RECIPE BLOG. I shared these links on my last post, but some people only visit for my Sunday Dinner posts so I thought I'm mention them again.

SAMMY asked me to share my recipe for bread and butter pickles, so I typed it up this morning. You can find DIANE'S BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES HERE.The weather here over the last several weeks has been a lot cooler and less humid. It's been a welcome reprieve from the typical Arkansas Summer weather. It's been dipping down into the low 60'sF for our night time lows, and a few days the highs never made it out of the 70'sF. It hasn't been above 90F more than a couple of times in the last couple of weeks.

Mind you, I'm rejoicing, not complaining! I'm hopeful that the last of the really torrid Summer heat and humidity is behind us, but realistic about the chance of still seeing some upper 90'sF to over 100F temps still yet.

But if you sniff just right, you can almost get a whiff of Autumn. And I even smelled burning leaves the other evening, so Autumn isn't too far in the future. It can't get here soon enough for me!I mentioned earlier that I was doing laundry. I just cleaned out Emmy's playpen, washed all her bedding and Feb*rezed her playpen and the 2 stuffed bears she sleeps with within an inch of their lives. Well, pretty thoroughly anyway.

Isn't it amazing how many crumbs a few froot loops, che*erios and animal crackers can generate?

Emmy's playpen will be fresh and ready for her to nap in if she and Jessica and Jason are here for Sunday Dinner. Usually by the time we finish dinner Emmy's about ready for a nap.

Well, the adults are too, but I don't think there's enough room for all of us in Emmy's playpen with her. We'll have to settle for crashing on the couch, in the recliner and on my bed if needed.
Still gotta study my Sunday School lesson and find something for my supper. I'm leaning toward fried eggs and toast, maybe a little bacon. I also have a load of laundry drying and another that just finished washing to get dried, folded, hung on hangers and all put away.

I also have to take my Saturday night shower, Sister and CECIL. ;-)

But I did manage to get my Sunday Dinner post up earlier than usual this week!

My prayer for all my friends and family is that God will richly bless you by meeting all your needs according to HIS riches in glory, and may you have enough to share.

33 comments:

Our Home Schooler and Jen said...

bless that neighbour

youve been a busy person :)

have a good new week
hugs
Jen

Anonymous said...

I know you said you don't really have a recipe for Mexican cornbread, but can you give some idea of how much of things you use? It sounds really good. I just checked your recipe blog and my mouth is watering! I saw a bunch on there that I want to try.

MightyMom said...

well now, you are one busy bee tonight!! I called in SICK to work and am home enjoying my house and bed tonight.

Hubby'd love those peppers! he's already fried off all his tastebuds long ago so can't be too hot for him!! :-)

Jess said...

Just catching up with you.... We should be there for lunch tomorrow.....so will see you tomorrow at church...Love you, Jessica

Unknown said...

Ohhhh my goodness I am going to have to stop visiting all of these blogs talking food. I think in three blogs I have gained a whole lot of weight that I don't need to gain...lol

Your sunday dinner sounds great to me. JD would be going after that hot cornbread, while I have to settle for the one on the mild side. What time did you say dinner would be?

Unknown said...

Ohhh BTW... I am thinking a nice meat loaf would go well around here tomorrow.

Brenda said...

Hi Diane,
Sounds yummy as usual! Actually I'm putting pinto beans and a little bacon in the Crock Pot tonight for our after lunch (dinner) then I'll mash them and have tostadas for dinner (supper)!
We'll definitely be 'beaned' out. I don't think anyone will be wanting to visit us too soon! ;)
God bless,
Brenda :)

Anonymous said...

I just want to tell you that I really enjoy your blog, its so down to earth and real,you Sunday dinner sounds good to me, I am making a chicken/vegetable soup from scratch, none of that envelope stuff for me, its cold here up North and hot soup with a slice of 12 grain bread will be good.Maybe a blueberry pie if the spirit is willing.
Take care
Diane

kkryno said...

Those pepprs look gorgeous! They don't even know what is hot here. If it's a bell pepper, that's HOT! I love your sky-scape photo. So glad your cooler temps are at hand, (although STILL warmer than our warmest!) Hope everyone is well at your house. We're having baked macaroni and cheese, and home made bread with some kind of veggie. Hugs to you! I really enjoy "Diane's Place." Love, V.

Lucy Stern said...

Diane, Your Sunday dinner sounds yummmy. I would love to try your Mexican cornbread, maybe sometime next week.

Those Jalapeno peppers sound Hot, Hot, Hot. No way I could eat those. When I do my stuffed jalapeno's, I use the mild ones for my family. Good luck eating those later on.

I am usually amazed at the things I find under the couch cushions. Just like Emily, my grandkids can make a mess and you would never know about it until you go to clean. Jocelyne, just turned three and she doesn't sleep in the playpen any more but she still makes plenty of messes.

Tomorrow, after church, I go check out your recipe blog and copy those recipes down. Right now, I am ready to crash!

Give Emily a hug for me.

Betty said...

Your Sunday dinner sounds good as usual, Diane. I love Mexican cornbread, but I have never heard of putting beef in it. I like mine hot and spicy, too. Maybe I'll drop in for Sunday dinner. Save me a seat.

I'm going now to check out your pickle recipe.

Jeanette said...

Hi Dianne, looks like im back in time to share in your sunday lunch..ill give the mexican corn bread a miss im not allowed anything with a lot of spice...I had beer battered fish ,salad and chips,for lunch today..

Hootin Anni said...

Oh Diane....you don't know HOW much I love jalapenos! They're so good. In fact, a while ago I blogged about our family's ritual of jalapenos and the 'new guy' in the family. If he can [or she!] eat a raw jalapeno without breaking out in a sweat -seeds and all- they're accepted with cheers into our family! [seriously, on the testing of the stamina...but even if they CAN'T eat a jalapeno, they're still part of the family]

Anyway, carrying on. Hey?!! I don't want to see the inside of your oven girlfriend!! What with tossing in your cornbread. Hope it's self-cleaning. [kidding again! I'm on a roll!]

Your Sunday dinner sounds so danged yummy. Mexican food is tops in my book. And I do love pinto beans.

:::rubbing belly in anticipation:::

I'm cooking Chicken Fried Rice and I made a mandarin orange-pineapple ambrosia salad. Bud bought some plum wine for us. And I'll chop up some cabbage and make some sweet/sour cole slaw.

Happy Sunday to you.

Lib said...

Hi Diane,
Yummy as always!I love Mexican cornbread.Any kind of cornbread !lol
I think we're gonna have breakfast for dinner. Bis.&tom. gravy. The only thing normal around here is the setting on the dryer!
Our weather has been nice too.I went out to check out the pears yesterday I saw yellow and red leaves on different trees.Fall want be too far off now!
Hope you and yours has a Blessed day!
Love,hugs,Blessins',Lib

Anonymous said...

You busy bee and even time for all these cooking - my mouth is watering :-)

Have a great week ahead!

Love and hugs,
Renny

Brenda said...

Ok Diane, I did rethink my dinner today and decided to think beyond the moment and at what might lay ahead for all of us later in the day. So, we just had tostadas and we'll eat leftovers for supper...not beans!
God bless,
Brenda :)

Mountain Mama said...

Hi Diane. I just learned how to put my picture in my comments. SEE? I'm so dang excited I just had to tell you. I'm so proud of me!
Your 'combustable' jalapenos made me laugh. I have been burnt by these little devils too so I know how miserable it can be.
I searched your recipe blog for your Mexican Cornbread. I'd like to try it. I love cornbread anyhow but to spice it up like that, YUM! It would be a meal in itself I think.
I made lasses bread yesterday but it came out a little blah so I'm dipping it in honey now and it is pretty nice that way.
My keyboard is working much better too. Thanks again for the advise.
Happy Sunday to you dear.
Love Hugs & Prayers

Dawn said...

We just had a simple dinner of lasagna and French bread with ice cream for dessert - nothing fancy, but just fine.

We've had cooler weather, too, and what a blessing it is! We actually had 3 straight days of rain, which we've been praying for - the farmers really needed it. And so did our yards! And our spirits.

Susie said...

Hi Diane,
Your Sunday dinner sounds real good. By the time you read this, I'm sure you've finished :)
Hope you post the Mexican cornbread recipe. Sounds yummy..
Tonight we're having grilled hamburgers and home fries. We've been on the run all weekend, with little time for blogging or getting much done around here.
Hope you had a great Sunday.
Love and ((hugs))

Linds said...

I am going to rock up for one of your Sunday dinners one of these days, Diane! The Mexican cornbread sounds delicious.
As it is now Monday, I can report that Sunday dinner was a thrown together pasta dish which included meat and tomato and marscapone sauce. It was good. And the tomatoes from the garden have yet to make it to the table, as I eat them off the vines. Repeatedly.
Have a great week!

Aunt Jenny said...

Oh my....1am and that mexican cornbread picture made my mouth water. I do love cornbread..and I like things spicy and cheesy too!!
YuM!!!
We had chicken and gravy over rice, with peas and yellow squash from the garden..dessert at my sis in law's house for a nephew's birthday..I am still up this late on the computer putting my kid's 4H entries for the fair into the computer...and I am tired of looking at this screen..guess I am off to bed! Have a great week!!

Dick said...

We went out to dinner with some neighbors, so were sitting inside a restaurant watching the boats go by. Then a little strolling along the sidewalks as it was a tourist type beach town a few miles from our homes. I had fish & chips which was good along with my glass of wine.

Linda said...

I always feel as though I'm sitting at your kitchen table sharing a cup of tea and having great conversation when I visit Diane.
Everything sounds so good! You're a wonderful cook.
I'm glad you're getting a break from the heat and humidity. We've had rain for the better part of the day - so the temperature stayed down around 80 (but extremely humid - thus the rain!).
I'm sure it will cool off - in a couple of months!!
Have a blessed week dear one. I enjoy all of the great stuff you send!

Anonymous said...

Forget the recipes. I'm just coming over to your house for dinner! :o)

Nancy said...

I love to read your blog!!! You write as it you're sitting across the table from me having a cup of something good! You make it sound so easy!!! Wish you didn't live so far away!!!

Our temps were somewhat like yours but we are back in the heat again now! I am waiting for winter to et here myself!

Love ya!!!

(((((( HUGS ))))))

Sister said...

Hey Diane,

Thanks for the shout-out! I'm behind on all of my blog reading, so I've got a lot of catching up to do.

We've also been having the unseasonably cooler temps...I plan to enjoy them while I can!

xo

kansasrose said...

Hi Hon!

The dinner plans sound delicious as always....I loves me some of that Mexican cornbread. The zuchinni recipes sound fantastic too! My garden has been a real bust this summer. No bees around or too cool. Your jalehpeno peppers, pintos, maters....glorious! ( however, the end result of my spicy food love is clearing a wide swath of anything with a pulse around me scurryin' for cover from some mighty powerful GAStro effects.)lol

I am and will always continue to hold you dear Diane in my prayers. I do pray that and have faith in our Lord you will get the meds and supplies you need to feel better. I'm so sorry you've been feelin' poorly. Diabetes runs on both sides of my family and my Mom suffers from it. She is 75. When she went on her meds 15 years ago she felt so much better and has been able to avoid the insulin shots.

You take care dear...know that you are being prayed for and loved on!

Jen

Rachel said...

I'm finally getting here and I don't even remember what I had for Sunday dinner now! Oh yeah, I think it was a pasta dish.

You have been busy as usual. I'll have to pass on those really hot peppers. A little hot is okay but I don't like too much of it.

Bread and butter pickles are so good! I'll have to copy your recipe!

Hope you are having a great week dear Diane!!

Reva said...

Wow, you are quite the cook. We love mexcan food and we like it hot! I love pinto beans and mexican cornbread or a large loaf of hearth bread, either with real butter.
You mentioned you had bigger protection than me on my blog comments, and I have some bigger too, but I didn't want to scare anybody. I guess I already did since Putz said he was scared. He hasn't touched a gun since he got back from the war (don't know which one). Keep on with the great recipies.

Girl Raised in the South said...

It always seems like whatever youre cooking sounds so wonderfully yummy. We just picked our first tomato of the season this evening, and promptly brought it inside, rinsed it, sliced it and ate it up!

Mary said...

Diane,

Your Sunday dinner sounds delicious, but oh my, I wouldn't want those jalapeno peppers. They would do my stomach in for sure. I used to like hot, spicy foods but can't eat them anymore.

Just saw your warning below on the previous post so am going to read that one. Sorry it's been a while since I stopped by for a visit.

Blessings,
Mary

Cecil said...

Hey.. Lunch was good last Sunday.. Looking forward to Saturday night.. I guess everyone gets to go! he he he Love ya... Cecil

Stanley said...

I live in Malaysia and we cant live without spicy food! HAhaha.....its great to meet a fellow blogger who loves spicy food. Bring the heat on!