A Week Of Family Favorites: Steak Vermicelli

This recipe is a mish-mash of several recipes I found on pasta boxes and tomato sauce cans. I changed up the ingredients until I found a combination we liked and that was easy to fix. With just the three of us, I fix a half box of vermicelli noodles which is just enough for us. The rest of the sauce left, I freeze for another meal. I don't like to freeze noodle pasta because it tends to get mushy when thawed out. I use whole wheat pasta which I think holds its texture better.

Steak Vermicelli

• 1 lb. of steak tips
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 1 bell pepper, color of your choice cut into strips (I use a combination.)
• 1 14.5 oz can of Hunt's Basil, Garlic, & Oregano diced tomatoes
• 1 small can of mushrooms (I chop them up a little.)
• about a 1/2 cup of ketchup
• a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a squirt of yellow mustard
• 3 cheese slices
• 1 box of vermicelli pasta (If you can't find vermicelli whole wheat pasta, you can use angel hair or thin spaghetti. I use Barilla's pasta.)
• garlic salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, onion powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and parsley - all to you family tastes

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil. Add the slices of onions and strips of pepper. Saute for a few minutes til they begin to soften.

Add the steak tips to the onions and peppers. Cook until the meat is completely brown. Add your herbs and spices, except for the parsley save it until it is time to add more herbs and spices. 

Now add the can of mushrooms, drained and chopped, to the pan. Along with the can of diced tomatoes with juices, about 1/2 cup of ketchup, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a squirt or two of yellow mustard. Let the mixture come to a boil. 

When it is boiling, reduce the heat to low. Tear the 3 slices up cheese up into small pieces and add to the mixture. (The cheese helps to thicken the sauce.) Check the sauce to see if you need to add any more herbs and spices, then add parsley. When melted, place lid on top and simmer until the pasta is cooked. 

Cook pasta according to the package. Drain, reserving one cup of the pasta water. Pour some of the pasta water back into the pot along with the pasta. Place back on a burner set to its lowest temp to keep warm until you are ready to serve. 

The best way to serve this is in a bowl. Place pasta in the bowl. Pour the sauce on top. Top with shredded parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese. 

I usually don't serve this with a salad since the sauce has a lot of veggies in it. However, a slice of garlic bread or Italian bread is must, so you can sop up what is left in your bowl. Enjoy and Bon Appetit! 

Cooking is simple one of those simple pleasures! 

A Week Of Family Favorites: Asian Beef & Broccoli With Noodles

Some of my family's favorite recipes have been found in strange places, like today's recipe. I found it on a package of steak tips I brought from the store. It sounded good. We tried it and liked it. It is unusual from most things we eat, because it has an Asian flare to it. I am not big on Asian cuisine, but this is really good. Of course, I have strayed from the original recipe to suit our tastes.

Asian Beef & Broccoli W/ Noodles

• 1 lb. of steak tips 
• 2 packages of Oriental-flavored Ramen noodles, broken into pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp. of cornstarch dissolved in a 1/2 cup of water
• 2 Tbsp. of olive oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a crown of broccoli
• 2 to 3 carrots depending on the size (I have used a 1/2 of a package of baby carrots sliced into small discs or cut into length wise.)
• 1 1/2 cup of water
• garlic salt, black pepper, onion powder
• a dash of Worcestershire sauce 

 

Open the packages of Ramen noodles and remove flavor packets. In a bowl, pour 1/2 cup of water and dissolve 1 1/2 tsp. of cornstarch in it. Add the contents of the flavor packets and stir. Add the steak tips to the mixture and let marinate in the frig for 30 minutes or as long as 2 hours.

 

 

While the meat is marinating prepare the broccoli and the carrots.  Cut the carrots into round discs or cut the on an angle for planks. Remember you can also use baby carrots. Cut the crown of broccoli into small florets. How much you cut and add is really up to you. 

 

 

Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet. (I really don't measure. I just eyeball it.) When good and hot, add the meat. (I usually pour a little of the marinate in the pan, which I know the FDA says not to do, but it hasn't made us sick, yet, and it is being cooked.)

 

  

When the meat is almost completely brown. Add your spices and herbs. When the meat is completely brown, add the carrots and broccoli.  

 

 

When the carrots and broccoli are no longer bright and look jeweled tone, add the noodles to the mixture, then add 1 1/2 cup of water and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. 

 

 

Cover the skillet and simmer until all the noodles have became soft.

 

 

I serve this with garlic bread or Italian bread. It could stand as a meal all by itself. You will have to experiment to find what spices suit your family, but I promise you won't be disappointed with the results. Enjoy!

 

 

Simply loving simple yummy food! 

A Week Of Family Favorites: Triple Cheese Spinach Manicotti

My family is pretty willing to try new recipes when I make them. Of course when I look for new recipes, I look for ingredients my family likes. Everyone once in a while, I throw in a new ingredient to see how it will fly. This is what lead me to Triple Cheese Spinach Manicotti. I found it in a Philadelphia Cream Cheese cookbook they were giving away at a local supermarket.  

My family loves most anything with cheese in it. I knew DH and I loved spinach on sandwiches or in a salad, but we had never eaten cooked before. DD isn't much for any greens, but I knew she liked cooked broccoli. So I took a leap of faith and tried the recipe out. It was an instant hit. Of course, I tailored the recipe to our tastes and likes. I also changed some things up and found a few short cuts that work for me, but if you want to see the original, you can find it here. 

Triple Cheese Manicotti

• 12 manicotti shells, cooked according to package
• 1 lb. of ground beef
• garlic salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, onion powder, to taste
• 1 - 8 oz. package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1 - 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 1 - 24 oz jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce (I use Barilla.)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Preparing the spinach is the trickiest part to this recipe, because it could make the filling for the manicotti to watery if not dried enough. Here is what I do: 

• I thaw the spinach in the frig over night. About 3 hours before I am going to make this dish, I put the spinach in a mesh sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Every once in awhile I use a spoon to mash down on the spinach to squeeze out more liquid. Right before I am ready to add it to the meat, I put it in the middle of a dish towel. I pull the towel up around, twist, and squeeze any liquid left in it out. Stop when you see just an occasional drop of liquid. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

 

Fix the manicotti according to the directions on the box. Drain and cool slightly in a colander. 

 

While the pasta cooks, brown ground beef in a large frying pan. Drain and risen off excess grease. Put back in the pan. Add spices and herbs to suit your tastes. 

 

Add the 8 oz. cream cheese that has been allowed to soften, to the meat. I cube it up to help it melt quicker. Now if you want to add the 1/2 of mozzarella to the meat mixture you can. Or you can save it to melt over the top of the manicotti. I have done both.

Add the drained and squeezed spinach to the meat mixture and stir well until combined.

 

In a 9" X 13" casserole dish, pour a cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish.

 

Using a small spoon, scoop the meat mixture in to the manicotti shells. Be sure the shells have cooled slightly or they will burn your hands. Trust me on this! 

 

Lay the shells on top of the sauce in the casserole dish. Pour a 1/2 cup of water into the jar of the marinara sauce you have left and shake. Pour over the shells. Top with 1/2 cup of mozzarella (if you decided not to put it in the meat mixture.) and a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. 

 

Bake for 45 minutes. Cover with tin foil for the first 35 minutes and remove for the last 10 minutes. 

 

Let it cool a little before serving. 

 

This is great with a salad and garlic bread on the side. Or it can be a stand alone dish, since it has meat, pasta, and spinach in it. Give it a try and let me know what you think! 

 

Living a simple life and enjoying making yummy meals for my family!  

A Week Of Family Favorites: Crock Pot Cube Steak

Crock Pot Cube Steak is such a family favorite that there are hardly any leftovers left for someone to eat for lunch the next day. This is one of the few things I fix that DD goes back for seconds. Served with cream potatoes or poured over cream potatoes - which is the way I like it - it is a homey, satisfying meat dish perfect for a cold winter day or a family gathering anytime of the year. 

Crock Pot Cube Steak

• 1 1/2 lb. to 2 lb.s of cube steak
• 1 - 14 oz. can of beef broth (I use Swanson's.)
• 2 cans of Cream Of Mushroom Soup (I use Campbell's.)
• around 1 cup of flour
• seasoning salt, garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper - all to taste

To prepare the cube steak, I cut to bigger pieces in to 2 pieces. The smaller ones I leave alone. 

In a shallow dish, put a cup of flour. Add to the flour the spices your family likes. I add seasoning salt, garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, and just a touch of cayenne pepper. You can taste the flour mixture to see if you need to add more or just eyeball it like I do. 

I dredge the cube steak through the flour mixture coating well. I let it sit while I get olive oil warming up in a frying pan. When the oil is hot enough, I dredge the steak one more time in the flour mixture and put in the pan to fry. You can tell when the oil is hot enough, because it will start to shimmer. Or you can drop some droplets of water in it and it will sizzle. 

Don't crowd your pan with meat. When the meat is really good and brown, turn it over to brown on the other side. 

While the meat is browning, get the rest of the ingredients into the crock pot. Turn crock pot on to high. Add a can of beef broth and 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup. Use a whisk to combine the two. 

When the meat is good and brown on both sides, add the meat to the mixture in the crock pot. 

After all the meat is brown and in the crock pot, lower the heat in the pan. Add about a cup of water to the pan to deglaze the bottom of the pan and get up all the brown bits. Turn off heat and pour into the crock pot. Stir to combine everything and to make sure the meat is submerged in the gravy. 

Cook the meat into the crock pot for 3 to 4 hours. Turn down the crock pot to low for the last hour to 30 minutes. 

The meat will plumb up and be very tender. If you have meat lovers in your family, they will love this, but don't expect any leftovers. Serve with cream potatoes on the side or my way. I just get a bowl, put in a pile of cream potatoes, put some meat and its gravy over the top, then devour! 

Trust me it tastes WAY better than this picture looks. 

Simply enjoying fixing meals my family loves to eat and looking forward to doing it again! 

Barrabas

Based upon a Swedish novel, this 1961 movie elaborates on the life of Barrabas after he was set free instead of Jesus. Not the prettiest movie every filmed or filled with outstanding acting, it is still a movie appropriate for Easter time viewing. One of the neatest facts about this movie is that the eclipse that occurred after the death of Jesus was actually filmed during a real eclipse.  

The movie opens with Pontius Pilate asking the crowd gathered before him, which one should he set free Jesus or Barrabas. The crowd cries out Barrabas's name. When he is released, Barrabas goes back to his friends looking for his love, Rachel. His friends informed him that Rachel has become a follower of Christ. Rachel is not happy to see him or eager to return to her old life. 

Intrigued by this man that changed Rachel's life, Barrabas goes to witness the crucifixion of Christ. He stays through it all and even follows the body as it is being carried to be sealed in a tomb. Three days later he returns to the tomb to find the body gone. He believes his body has been taken away by His followers, but Rachel tells Barrabas that Jesus had risen from His grave. Barrabas seeks out other followers including the disciples only to be told them same thing by them. 

Rachel goes about telling all of Jerusalem about her risen Saviour which leads to her being stoned to death at the insistence of the Jewish priests. Barrabas witnesses the stoning and when he sees one of the priest later he throws a stone at him, which leads to him being arrested again. When Pilate finds out by law he can't execute a person already pardon, he sentences Barrabas to life in the mines of Sicily. When he arrives he is chained to a fellow prisoner, Sahak who happens to be a Christian. Not looking forward to being chained to the man released instead of his Saviour, Sahak learns to live with it and the two eventually become friends. 

Does Sahak's belief rub off on to Barrabas? Are they every freed from the depths of the mine? Does Barrabas become a follower of Christ? Does this man many say can't be killed eventually meet his end? This movie can be rented and streamed through Amazon or found on DVD.  Like I said before, it isn't the best shot film or full of academy award winning acting, but it still a simply good story to watch at Easter time! 

Simply enjoying living a simple life and all the simple pleasures to be found in it! 

The Robe

The Robe is a movie based on a novel of the same name written by Lloyd C. Douglas. It is a story about the military tribune in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus and his winning of the Robe Christ wore in a game of dice. Richard Burton and Jean Simmons star in this 1953 film.

The story of "The Robe" opens in Rome and follows the life of a son of a Senator, Marcellus Gallio. He is a ladies man but the arrival of his childhood sweetheart, Diana, once again captures his attention. She is a ward of the Emperor and unofficial engaged to the Emperor's regent, Caligula. When Marcellus and Caligula try to out bid each other for a rebellious slave and Marcellus wins the bid, Caligula has Marcellus transferred to Jerusalem.

Marcellus releases the slave and asks him to go to the Gallio home. Upon returning home, Marcellus is surprised to find the slave there. Despite be freed by Marcellus, the slave feels honor bound to serve Him and accompanies him to Jerusalem. Before he leaves Diana finds Marcellus and pledges her love to him. 

Marcellus and Demetrius arrive in Jerusalem at the same time as Jesus is making His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday. Demetrius locks eyes with Jesus and feels compelled to follow Him. After an audience with Pontius Pilate, Marcellus is told the Emperor has requested his presence but before he departs Pilate puts him in charge of crucifying Jesus. After Jesus death on the cross, Marcellus wins the Robe in a dice game and is told by his soldiers that it would be a reminder of his first crucifixion. 

Having meet up with Demetrius after the crucifixion, the two get caught in a downpour and Marcellus uses the Robe as a shield against the rain. However when he put it on, he is instantly feels a crushing guilt for what he had done to Jesus. He tears it off of him and Demetrius picks it up. He curses Marcellus, the Roman Empire, and runs away. 

Continually being haunted by the guilt he feels and suffering from nightmares, Marcellus asks the Emperor when he sees him if he can hunt down any followers of Jesus and look for the Robe to destroy it. The Emperor agrees and also agrees to pledge Marcellus to Diana, although he thinks Marcellus is mad. 

As Marcellus begins his search, will he do what he seeks to do? Will he hunt down and kill the followers of Christ? Will he find Demetrius and the Robe? Will finding it get rid of the nightmares? Will it change his life for the better? Will the pledge between him and Diana remain intact? Or will other circumstances render the pledge useless? What will happen to Demetrius, Diana, and Marcellus? To find out, go rent a copy or buy a copy to add to your collection. It is worth  watching and starting a tradition with.

Enjoying those simple pleasures of a simply great movie! 

Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur is a very popular story, so popular it has been made into a movie 3 times. The first time it was released was in 1925 as a silent film. It was remade in 1959 starring Charlton Heston. A remade version is set to come out this August. 

Based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale Of Christ by Lew Wallace, the 1959 film is a sweeping epic with massive sets, beautiful costumes, and stunning cinematography. It became the second top grossing film after "Gone With The Wind" and won 11 academy awards. It is a classic, classic movie, with a very good story to tell.  

In AD 26, Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is a wealthy prince and merchant who lives in Jerusalem with his mother, sister, and loyal slaves. His childhood friend is a Roman citizen who has come back to Jerusalem as Roman tribune, Messala. Messala believes in the glory of the Roman Empire, while Ben-Hur believes in freedom for the Jewish people and is devoted to his faith. 

During a parade to honor the new governor of Judea, a ceiling tile falls from the roof of Ben Hur's house nearly killing the new governor. Despite knowing it was an accident, Messala condemns Ben-Hur to life on a galley ship and imprisons his mother and sister. Ben-Hur vows to revenge Messala'a treachery. The betrayal and promise of revenge sends Ben-Hur on a journey of discovery. He is eventually adopted by a Roman Consul and begins to live life the Roman way and becomes a champion chariot driver. However, he longs to return to his homeland. 

Upon the return to his homeland, he tries to gain the freedom of his mother and sister only  to learn they contracted leprosy in prison and were expelled from the city. His is lead to believe they are dead at their request. They want him to remember them as they were. When the news of his champion chariot driver becomes known, he is asked by an Arab sheik to drive a chariot in the race being given by the new governor Pontius Pilate. At first he declines, but when he learns Messala is entered in the race, he sees a perfect way to get his revenge. 

Does Ben-Hur get his revenge? Does he find out that his mother and sister aren't really dead? Will he find peace? How will his life be impacted by the life and crucifixion of a rebel known as  Jesus Christ? Curious? Find a copy of the movie at your local library, video rental store, or buy a copy. This is really a great movie with a moving story to tell. It is simply a must see for our holiday viewing! 

Simply enjoying the great story telling to found on a screen! 

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The newest version of Ben-Hur will be released to theaters in August. They just recently released the trailer and you will find it below.

 

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

There are just some shows and movies that should be watched around the holidays. They help create a family tradition and memories to store away. The rest of the week I will be sharing some of the things we watch around Easter as part of our family traditions. Over on Pinterest, you will find a board I just started called "Viewing For The Holidays".  On the board, you will find on the shows and movies we watch around the holidays with a short description. Please, go and check it out! 

The first Easter watching tradition I want to share with you is "Here Come Peter Cottontail." It is just one of those sweet, quintessential holiday show. It also has a lesson to be learned about lying and responsibility in its plot. It came out when I was two years old. It is one of the earliest shows I can remember and I looked forward to watching it every year. Sadly, when DD was growing up it, it no longer was being shown on tv. However, we managed to find it on VHS and DD fell in love with it. Now, we have it on DVD and still watch it at Easter. 

                                    

Peter is a young Easter bunny that lives in April Valley. He has a habit of lying which makes one of his ears to droop. When the Chief Easter Bunny decides to retire, Peter is about to be named his successor. However, an evil rabbit named January Q. Irontail has other plans. He wants to ruin Easter for children as revenge for the lose of his tail and it having to be replaced with an iron one. He arrives in April Valley and proposes a contest to see who could deliver the most eggs. The winner would then become the Chief Easter Bunny. 

Promising the retiring Chief he wouldn't fail, Peter stayed out late partying with his friends. He got to bed late and failed to wake up on time, due to the fact Irontail tampered with his alarm rooster. Irontail wins having delivered one egg, while Peter delivered none and Irontail becomes the new chief. Peter leaves April Valley in disgrace. Meanwhile Irontail makes new rules about Easter hoping to ruin Easter forever. 

On his travels, Peter meets a friendly peddler and tells him his woes. The peddler being a compassionate person, allows Peter to use his time machine to go back and change the outcome of the race. Meeting many obstacles and roadblocks along the way, will Peter be able to win the contest and get Easter back to the way it use to be or will Irontail's mud color eggs and chocolate tarantulas become the new norm for Easter? Find a copy of this show and watch, to find out for yourselves. It is worth watching and a wonderful show to build family traditions on. 

Simply enjoying the tale of Peter Cottontail and continuing the family tradition!

The Pagan Origins Of Easter

The Easter season is the most special season to Christians all over the world, because it chronicles the journey Christ took on His way to die on the cross for our sins. The highlight of Easter week is Resurrection Sunday, when we celebrate our risen Saviour. Although this is a very sacred season for us, many of the traditions and symbols are rooted in pagan traditions. From the eggs we dye to the rabbits we decorate with, the pagan roots are found.

As Christianity spread across the world, there was a constant struggle of how to get the people to lay aside their old ways and traditions and adopt a new way of looking at things. When the Emperor Constantine "converted" to Christianity, he took many of the pagan ways of doing things and melded them with Christian beliefs. As Christianity continued to spread, the merging of the local traditions and Christians traditions became inevitable. 

Non-Christians and pagans of today are quick to point out the pagan of roots of Easter. They point out the name Easter is a variation of a pagan goddess. That the Easter egg was exchanged as gifts to celebrate the rebirth of nature and a belief that the earth was hatched from a giant egg. They point out that the rabbit or bunny is a sign used to celebrate fertility. Also, they point to the fact that the day of Easter is determined by a lunar cycle. Some even go as far to compare the Resurrection of our Lord to other resurrection stories found in ancient stories and myths.  

What does that mean for us as Christians? Should we NOT celebrate Easter? Should we forego dyeing eggs and eating chocolate bunnies?  Where do we draw the line? As with most issues that can't be defined by Biblical truths, I think it is a heart issue that needs to be decided by the individual after much research, study, and thought. 

Our family celebrates Easter with all the decorations, the dyeing of eggs, the Easter egg hunts, the eating of Cadbury Eggs, and the arrival of the Easter bunny, but always with the REAL reason for the Easter season in our hearts and on our minds. There are others in our life that don't do many of these things and don't wait for the arrival of the Easter bunny. We are okay with that and they don't mind how we celebrate. What matters is that we are in accord with when it comes to the most important element of the Easter season which is the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord. 

Each person and family must determine for themselves how they choose to celebrate Easter. It may take a while for you to sort your thoughts, to do some studying, and give prayerful consideration to the issue. With God guidance and a focus on what really is the most important thing about Easter, everyone will find their way and what is right for them and their family.

Simply living a life I pray is pleasing in the eyes of my risen Saviour! 

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If you are interested in finding out more about the pagan roots of Easter, here are some links to a few articles to get you started. 

The Pagan Roots of Easter by Heather McDougall

Where Did Easter Get Its Name?...Christian Answers

The Ancient Pagan Origins Of Easter by April Holloway

The Pagan Origins Of Easter - Religious Tolerance

Was Easter Borrowed From A Pagan Holiday? by Anthony McRoy

What Are The Real Origins Of Easter? by Jerold Aust

Easter Article on Wikipedia

He is risen! We serve a risen Saviour! Hallelujah! Amen! 

Antenna TV & Comet TV

Antenna TV and Comet TV are the last two networks I have to share with you. Antenna TV is packed with classic tv series. Comet TV is a sci-fi network and is the newest one I have found. 

Antenna TV is has all kinds of different shows from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's. Their shows range from "Father Knows Best" to "Family Ties." They have recently added "Morky and Mindy" and "Sabrina The Teenage Witch." It is well worth the effort to find the local channel in your area. To see their schedule go to the following link.: Antenna TV schedule.  

Comet TV is the newest network I have found. I am not real sure what all their program will be. I know they show a lot of sci-fi B movies. They also air "Stargate SG-1" and "The Outer Limits." They plan to add "Stargate Universe" and "Stargate Atlantis" soon. One of this month's feature movies is "Mad Max." To see their schedule go to the following link: Comet TV Schedule. 

I have shared a lot of networks with you this week that can be found on regular broadcast tv. There is a lot more programming to watch on tv now that all the networks have to broadcast digitally. While they may not show sports, current movies and shows, or have the trashy reality tv shows that can be found on cable; they still have enough good things to watch if you are looking to cut loose your cable or dish.

Networks broadcasting on regular tv is just simply one of those good things! 

Bounce TV And Laff TV

Bounce TV and Laff TV are completely different from the other networks I have mentioned. Both show movies that are only a few years old and tv series that were popular in the 1990's and 2000's. I don't watch these two as much as the others, but I have found some good movies and tv series.

Bounce TV runs program geared towards the African American community, however, I think everyone will find something they like. My favorite tv series they show is "A Different World". I have watched it so much that I have been through the whole series about4 times. They also show "The Hughleys", "The Parenthood", "Roc", and "The Bernie Mac Show." They also have two game shows that they air, "Catch 21" and "The Newlywed Show." The movies that they show are movies that will appeal to everyone. They also have original programming. "Mann and Wife" is a funny show about a blended family learning to live together as one. The also have an original drama that airs on Sunday nights called "Saints and Sinners" which is soap opera type show about a small town Baptist church community. To see the schedule for Bounce TV visit the following link: Bounce TV Schedule.   

Laff TV is associated with the ABC network and show a lot their tv series from the 1980's and 1990's. I like tuning in because they do show some old Disney movies like "The Shaggy Dog" and "Flubber" - the original black and white movies. They also have shown movies like "Three Men and A Baby." The tv series they are running include "Empty Nest", "Grace Under Fire", "The Drew Carey Show", "Night Court", and "Spin City." Laff TV is not a network I watch a lot, but when you can't find anything else on it is worth checking out. To find the schedule for Laff TV visit the following link: Laff TV schedule.

Living a simple life and enjoying entertainment that can be found in it! 

Grit TV And H&I

Grit TV and H&I are geared toward to a male audience, but I have found a lot of good things to watch on both networks. I think tv networks often forget that there are women who like action, war, and western movies and shows, too.

Grit TV is television with backbone. They show a lot of old Westerns- such as old Roy Roger movies - and war movies, along with other action movies. They have recently been running the movies "Tango and Cash" and "All The Right Moves." They also run marathons of movies, such as all "The Scorpion King" movies and the "Lethal Weapons" movies. They also run tv shows and they change them out frequently. Right now they are showing "Walker Texas Ranger", "Wagon Train", "High Chaparral", and "Laramie" just to name a few. You can find a full schedule at Grit TV Schedule.   

H&I stand for Heroes and Icons. Their schedule and shows lives up to that name. They show a lot of old action adventure, crime, and police dramas, along with Westerns. Some of their shows include; "Have Gun Will Travel", "21 Jump Street", "Kung Fu", "Renegade", "Mannix", "The Commish", "Hill Street Blues", and "Hunter", along with two of our favorites tv shows - "Hercules" and "Xena:Warrior Princess." It has been reported that in the future, they hope to add some of the "Star Trek" shows such as "Star Trek: Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" which is just fine with this nerdy family of mine. To find the current schedule go to H&I:Schedule. 

War, police, crime, action adventure, syfi, and fantasy tv shows are simply just fine with me! 

ME TV Network

ME TV is Memorable Entertainment TV. It is a treasure trove of old shows. Old shows that are just fun to watch and old shows I just love. They do show them over and over again, but they do rotate in new shows every few months. They show everything from sit-coms to dramas to westerns to murder mysteries to syfi classics and detective stories. 

Right now in the early morning, they show classic sit-coms like: "Gomer Pyle", "The Donna Reed Show", "I Love Lucy", and "The Beverly Hillbillies." In the past, they have shown "Family Affair", "The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis", and "Make Room For Daddy." From 9:00 am to 12:00pm, they are running the murder mysteries of "Perry Mason", "Matlock", and "Diagnosis Murder." They have run various shows in these time slots from "Daniel Boone" to "Quincy MD." Starting at 12:00 pm, they run a Western block until 4:00 pm. They show "The Big Valley", "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", and "The Rifleman." At 4:00 pm, they show "Emergency" followed by "Chips." In the past they have shown "Adam 12" and "Dragnet". The evening is chalked full of more sit-coms like "Mama's Family", "M.A.S.H.", and "The Andy Griffith" just to name a few. The night time hours contain more classics and even a mystery movie. To see their full weekday schedule use the following link; ME TV schedule. 

On the weekends, they have a variety of different shows on. Saturday morning, they have some classic and new kids shows. Those shows are followed by a block of Westerns including "Rawhide", "Wanted Dead Or Alive," and "Wagon Train." In the evening, they have a syfi block starting with the classic "Superman" series and ending with "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea." You can see Saturday schedule here. In the past, they have shown "The Wild Wild West" and "Branded." On Sundays, they have an entirely different line-up that features "Saved By The Bell" in the morning and classic sit-coms like "The Brady  Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island." Later in the day, they show "The Love Boat", "Colombo" and "Cheers". You can see Sunday's schedule here.  

If you like good, fun, clean classic tv shows, ME TV is the network for you. It is a simply entertaining network!

THIS TV, get TV, & Movies

I love watching good tv always have. I just enjoy the twists, turns, romance, and suspense of a good movie. However, most of what I like to watch is the older tv shows and movies. Since we won't pay for cable, a dish, or streaming services, it has been difficult to find such shows and movies. 

However, over the past few years, with the tv networks having to switch from over the air tv to digital, it has opened up many new channels on regular tv offering new networks. Networks that carry nothing but movies, or a combination of movies and tv shows. So if you are looking to cut one more bill out of your budget, there is plenty to watch on regular tv. I thought I would share some of these new networks with you. 

THIS TV is a network that shows both movies and old tv shows. the movies range from old westerns and other action movies to newer action movies and dramas. They have run all day marathons of the Rocky movies, Star Trek movies, and Elvis movies. In the past few weeks they have shown "Valley Girl" and "The First Knight". "Philadelphia" and "Hannibal" are movies they will be showing soon. Some of the old tv show they show are "The Rat Patrol", "The Addams Family", "In The Heat Of The Night", "The Young Riders", and "Cagney and Lacey." You will have to set the website to the area you live in to find the channel it is on in your area. 

get TV is golden entertainment television. It shows a lot of old black and white movies, including Westerns and gangster movies. They also show the Three Stooges movies. On Saturdays, all the run is some type of Western, whether it is a movie, serial, or tv shows. On Monday nights, they show old variety shows like "The Judy Garland Show" and "The Merv Griffin Show." They also pick an icon of the week and feature that icon's movies on a certain day. You can find all the old greats on get TV, like; Fred Astaire, Barbara Stanwyck, Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth, and Spencer Tracy. You find out the channels in your area on the website.

Movies TV Network is another network that shows great old classic black and white movies, as well as new classic movies. On Saturdays, it runs a Popcorn Movie hours where they show all of those fun, old syfi movies; like "The Blob" and "The Lost World." They also show a lot of old John Wayne movies and westerns. Sundays, they run a film noir hours where they show old detective movies or murder mysteries. Recently, they have been showing greats like "Cleopatra" and the Gidget movies. Again, you will have to find where you can view it your area. 

All three of these networks will show movies several times a month before replacing them with other movies. Sometimes, I will find nothing new I want to see or something I have seen a zillion other times. However, I often discover a new movie I have never seen or run across a movie I could watch over and over again, like "Donovan's Reef" or "Gidget". 

No, these new networks don't show trashy reality shows that stick up the airways of today. Nor, are they chalked full of cooking and home decorating shows, but they are worth taking a look at. Especially, if you are looking at cutting out your cable or dish bill. 

Old movies and tv shows are just simply one of those good things! 

A Week Of Cookies: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Yes, the name of these cookies is a mouthful, but when you get a mouthful of these cookies you will see their taste lives up to the big name. These cookies also have a lot of healthy ingredients in them and really would make a good breakfast food. If you don't like walnuts, you replaced them with pecans or just leave out the nut element. 

I found this recipe in a cookbook written by Christopher Kimball, the host of America's Test Kitchen, called The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook. As with most recipes, I tweaked it to fit my family's taste and the resources I have on hand. The recipe calls for the cookies to baked on parchment paper. After trying to use the parchment paper without any hassle, I gave up on it and just put them on a baking sheet. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

• 1 1/2 cup of rolled oats
• 2 sticks of butter, softened but firm
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of flour (I use 1 cup of white and 1 cup of wheat.)
• 3/4 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 12 oz bag of milk chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

Blend the 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats in a blender until very fine. 

 

Beat butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Add an egg, one at a time, beating after each addition, then add the vanilla.

 

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, blended oats, baking powder, and salt. 

 

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until combined. 

 

Add the chocolate chips and nuts. Blend them into the batter by hand. 

 

Form into 2 inch balls. Bake on a baking sheet for 14 to 15 minutes until the bottom is light ly brown. 

 

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will harden as the cool. 

 

Like most cookies these are good dunked into a glass of cold milk, a cup of hot chocolate, or a cup of coffee. Enjoy! 

 

Living a simple kind of life and enjoying those simple treats that can be found in it! 

A Week Of Cookies: M & M Chocolate Chip Cookies

Out of all my cookie recipes, this one is probably the most requested and favorite of family and friends. They are good dunked in milk and hot chocolate, which is almost a prerequisite for any cookie I make (except for Snickerdoodles.) One of the good things about this recipe is that with the different colors of M & Ms they make for holidays, you can tailor these cookies to celebrate a certain holiday.

All the ingredients you will need ( except for the eggs and semi-sweet chocolate chips which I forgot to put in the picture.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

M &M Chocolate Chip Coookies

• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of soft shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups of flour (I use 1 1/4 cup of white and 1 1/4 cup of whole wheat.)
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup of MM and semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together the sugars and shortening. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy.

In another bowl; combine the flour, salt, and soda. Whisk to mix together and to get rid of any small lumps in the flour. 

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Beat until combined and a soft, wet dough is formed. 

In a measuring glass combine the M & M's and semi-sweet chocolate chips until you have about 1 1/2 cups of both. (I usually just eyeball it and throw in what I think will be enough.) Add them to the cookie mixture and beat until well combined. 

Roll the dough into about 1 1/2 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. The cookies are half way to being done when they puff up in the middle. This is when I rotate the cookie sheet to insure even baking. Remove from oven, cool for about a minute on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 

For some reason, I didn't get a picture of the finished product. You will have to trust me when I say these are pretty cookies as well as yummy cookies. 

Cookies are just one of those simply perfect snacks and desserts! Enjoy!

A Week Of Cookies: Criss Cross Peanut Butter Cookies

I LOVE peanut butter and anything with peanut butter in it. So these cookies are perfect for me. I found this recipe from a pamphlet put out by the NC Peanut Growers Association over 10 years ago. Whether with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of hot chocolate, these cookies make the perfect snack or even a breakfast food. Well, I can dream can't I?

Criss Cross Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup of creamy peanut butter (we use JIF)
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup of flour (I use 3/4 cup white & 3/4 cup wheat)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 

Combine the butter, peanut butter, the two types of sugar, vanilla extract, and an egg until light and fluffy. 

 

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients; the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter/sugar mixture, blending thoroughly. 

 

Shape into one inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Flatten each ball with the tines of a fork, making a criss cross pattern on top of the cookies. 

 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cookies cool for about a minute on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  

 

I store these cookies in a pretty container and leave them sitting on the counter top. They don't last long and probably won't with your family, either. 

 

Living life and enjoying the simple things in it, like peanut butter cookies!