Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

How is it that we’re in May already and we’re half way through Spring? I really am trying to find ways to slow things down and enjoy life more. I had to make multiple trips into town last week trying to accomplish several Eagle’s tasks.

On Friday we went to a BBQ at a friend’s house and then on Saturday went to the Farmer’s Market, Butcher and grocery store before having a nice lunch out. After we got home Saturday I spent 8 hours prepping the jam for yesterday’s fundraiser breakfast, the BBQ sauce for the upcoming BBQ competition, cupcakes for Tuesday’s Cinco de Mayo at a friend’s bar and grill. Sunday was the fundraiser breakfast in the morning and relaxing with NASCAR in the afternoon and catching up on some DVR shows in the evening.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re going to FINALLY and consistently be in the low 70’s this week with lows in the upper 40’s. There will be some cloud cover which will keep the mornings cool with the highs happening around sunset. This will be a good week for my veggie starters to get their roots.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL, APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV

LAUNDRY & CLEANING The laundry WAS all done… yesterday… 🙂
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a haircut on Wednesday morning when I’ll also do the Eagle’s shopping and my friends Bar & Grill shopping.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m just planning a few recipes a week for now and doing more CORN/YOYO nights as our schedule is so busy.
DVR/TV I have just a couple Christmas movies left to finish and some food network shows.
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY new plant starts starting to grow… successful new recipes… majestic sunsets… fluffy kittens…
ON MY MIND There’s an ALL member meeting on Friday night with the state representative that will probably determine the fate of the charter.

READING TIME

The book club that my girlfriend and I belonged to seems to have died a natural death. We decided to start our “own” 2 person club. We’re reading EVERYTHING WE KEEP by Kerry Lonsdale. I say we’re reading, but I’m starting today and she’s just about finished LOL It’s a 3 book series so I need to get going! 🙂

EVERYTHING WE KEEP ~ “A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keep explores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us.

Sous chef Aimee Tierney has the perfect recipe for the perfect life: marry her childhood sweetheart, raise a family, and buy out her parents’ restaurant. But when her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes in a boating accident, her well-baked future is swept out to sea. Instead of walking down the aisle on their wedding day, Aimee is at James’s funeral—a funeral that leaves her more unsettled than at peace.

As Aimee struggles to reconstruct her life, she delves deeper into James’s disappearance. What she uncovers is an ocean of secrets that make her question everything about the life they built together. And just below the surface is a truth that may set Aimee free…or shatter her forever.”

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	5/4 MONDAY TRIVIA NIGHT	5/5 TUESDAY TACO TUESDAY	5/6 WEDNESDAY	5/7 THURSDAY	5/8 FRIDAY	5/9 SATURDAY	5/10 SUNDAY
DINNER	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CAESAR SALAD PARMESAN BOWL	OUT after ALL member meeting	MISO CHICKEN & SLAW	CHICKEN ORECCHIETTE with BROWN BUTTER WALNUT SAUCE
DESSERT	CHOCOLATE CHILI CUPCAKES for CINCO de MAYO @ TACO TUESDAY	HONEY RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

We were able to Feng Shui the backyard last week with all the wonderful weather. I was able to clean up all the vegetable beds and get them prepped for this year. I did a ton of weeding and pruning also. Fresh flowers have been planted for spring along with all the seedlings for the garden. I planted 3 types of tomatoes, 4 types of cucumbers, carrots, onions, snap peas and zucchini.

Hubby was able to get the new hose reel hung to make sprinkling everything easier until he get all the misters and individual water systems up and running.

Photos this week are of the planting updates, yesterday’s Bloody Mary sample for the Mercy Foundation Fundraiser breakfast we had to kick off the BBQ competition coming up on the 17th and the beautiful majestic sunset last night. Oh and the bees are back and loving the azaleas! 🙂

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

PUB ROAST
ORANGE GLAZED MEATBALLS
CHICKEN PARMESAN SLIDER BAKE

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 365.123

SATURDAY COFFEE ~ BLOG 365.122

TGIF ~ BLOG 365.121

COOKING THURSDAY ~ BAKED CARROT CASSEROLE ~ BLOG 365.120.C

BAKED CARROT CASSEROLE serves 4

2 cups homemade chicken broth
3/4 pound carrots, sliced thin
1/3 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons FINELY chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon creamy horseradish
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 Ritz crackers, crushed

Preheat oven to 350°.
Add chicken broth and sliced carrots to a sauce pan.
Bring to a SLOW boil.
Reduce heat, a simmer 7-9 minutes until carrots are fork tender.
Drain, reserving 1/8 cup of broth.
Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Whisk together the reserved chicken broth, mayonnaise, horseradish, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
Fold in carrots.
Arrange carrot mixture in prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle with crushed crackers.
Bake uncovered 30 minutes.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ CORN CHILE CHICKEN RELLENO SOUFFLE ~ BLOG 365.120B

This souffle is PERFECT for a weeknight meal or a holiday brunch.

CORN CHILE CHICKEN RELLENO SOUFFLE serves 3-4

1 LARGE can Hatch chopped green chiles, drained
1 can Green Giant Mexicorn
1 small jalapeno, de-seeded and small diced, optional
1 SMALL can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch green onions, sliced – reserve some for garnish
1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
1 cup + 1/2 cup FRESH grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup JIFFY baking mix
1 cup WHOLE milk
1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
Salsa, garnish
Sour cream, garnish
Olives, optional garnish

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly grease 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
Spread green chiles, green onions, corn, black beans and jalapenos if using.
Sprinkle with chicken pieces.
Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar cheese.
Whisk together the eggs, biscuit mix, milk and pepper until smooth.
Fold in cottage cheese until well blended.
Pour mixture over top ingredients already in baking dish.
Top with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake 50-60 minutes until golden brown, puffy and cooked through.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with Salsa, sour cream, sliced green onions and optional olives.

NOTE:

Recipe easily doubles for a 9×13 baking dish.
UNBAKED casserole can be covered and refrigerated for several hours or overnight before baking. Bring to room temperature before baking while you’re preheating oven. May require a bit more time baking.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ SHEET PAN MAC & CHEESE with CRISPY EDGES ~ BLOG 365.120A

Mac and cheese HAS to be creamy AND have crispy edges for my family!!! I’ve found THE best way to accomplish this is to use a deep jelly roll baking sheet. That way everyone gets the best of both worlds. I keep trying to reinvent this recipe and think I’m FINALLY there!

The other MAJOR requirement is to use FRESH grated cheeses for the BEST results!

SHEET PAN MAC & CHEESE with CRISPY EDGES – SERVES 8

1 pound elbow macaroni or shells
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
2 cups WHOLE milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced into paste
1 medium shallot, FINELY minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
FRESH ground black pepper
2-3 green onions, THINLY sliced for garnish

Preheat oven to 425°.
Arrange an oven rack 6 inches from broiler.
Lightly spray large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 1 minute less than al dente per package instructions. Drain well. Return pasta to hot pot. Stir in cream cheese and Dijon until cream cheese is melted and pasta is well coated. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add garlic and shallot, cooking and stirring 2 minutes until fragrant.
Whisk in cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne until lightly browned.
Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream until slightly thickened. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed.
Season to taste with FRESH ground with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat.
Stir in sharp cheddar cheese and jack cheese until melted.
Pour and fold into pasta mixture until well combined; season again to taste.
Pour onto baking sheet.
Sprinkle with Colby Jack cheese.
Bake 15-20 minutes until all the cheese is melted and the edges are crispy.
Top with green onions.
Serve immediately.

NOTE: For best results use FRESHLY grated cheeses, NOT prepackaged.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 365.119

TUESDAY TRIVIA ~ BLOG 365.118

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, RECIPES & MENU week 17 of 2026 ~ BLOG 365.117

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

OH MY, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT’S THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL??? I want this world to slow down!!!!!

Last week was a culmination of things coming to a head at the Eagles. I had to get the newsletter prepped and ready to mail in 2 days time with a special letter to members for a meeting on May 8th that will determine A LOT of things, starting with whether we keep our charter or not. To me it looks like we are going to lose our charter and I’m actually not as sad about that as you would think. In a weird way I’m okay with that. I’m so over the drama. I’m more upset by the amount of time I’ve tried to help keep things afloat and others have just laughed it all off. There is such a small handful of the 350+ members that have stepped up to do ANYTHING to help keep the place running and the doors open. Most treat it as a social club only.

I will be looking for other service projects to fill my time.

Hubby and I went to a painting class on Thursday night, but it had been canceled. She felt so bad that she hadn’t contacted me to keep us from driving so far that offered me a free class on Friday that I enjoyed! I do need to finish some of the top flowers, but am pretty happy with it.

We took a spontaneous trip to the coast on Saturday to meet up with our neighbors for lunch and gallery browsing. They had taken their trailer up for the weekend to attend their grandson’s invitational track meet. The hubby’s got a kick out of us driving 80 miles to visit with friends that live 200 feet away 🙂

Sunday was very relaxed and I got a lot done clearing my desk, laundry that had piled up the past week, prep for this week’s recipes…

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

I sure hope the weather forecaster got this week right!! Highs in the mid 60’s and lows in the low 40’s and partly cloudy will make it the perfect week to get the garden started. We have A LOT of clean up and organization to do that will take some serious time so we can get the new top soil in.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL, APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV

LAUNDRY & CLEANING WHEW I did 7 loads yesterday! Usually I do a load every other day, but it’s been SOOOOOOOO busy this past week it built up – especially since I’m still wearing multiple layers of tops and flannels, 🙂
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I will be going for us on Friday, but will do Costco on Wednesday for the Offyce and groceries for the Eagle’s bar.
PROJECTS & TRAVELS We’re starting to plan a BIG trip for late June, but are also planning a small trip for the coast in late May.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menu is planned for the next 3 weeks, but my girlfriend gave me a new cookbook with vintage Ellis Island recipes in it that I’m researching to do soon.
DVR/TV 24 in 24 started last night. I still have a couple taped HALLMARK MOVIES to get through as well as a HOPE VALLEY episode and a couple THE WAY HOME.
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY warm toes… purring kitties… fluffy clouds… empty laundry baskets, like that every happens ∞…

READING TIME

I’ve been falling asleep quickly and haven’t had time to read even in the evenings so…

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	4/27 MONDAY	4/28 TUESDAY	4/29 WEDNESDAY	4/30 THURSDAY	5/1 FRIDAY	5/2 SATURDAY	5/3 SUNDAY
DINNER	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	MEATBALLS & BEAN BREAD	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	BBQ at a friend’s house I’m taking Macaroni Salad	CHEESY PIZZA ROLLS & SALAD	CHILI BALLS & FRENCH ONION AU GRATIN POTATOES
DESSERT			BANANA BREAD CINNAMON ROLLS		HONEY RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

This week’s pictures are some of my favorite barns that have been collapsing year after year. A burned copper piece I found at a favorite gallery and a hand carved nativity I found at the kitchen store of all places. I found both pieces on our spontaneous coast excursion.