Waving to Alberto!

Hey Y'all!

I am on the beach on this BEAUTIFUL Sunday! I am waving to our newly formed Tropical Storm Alberto. It's windy and the seas are rough, but other than that it's great out here! I woke up early this morning, got the house cleaned and knew there was only one place to be today! :)

Tootles!
JKP

My New Kicks!!

Hey Y'all!

I found some shoes! Sketchers GO PLAY! I Love, Love, Love them! I got them in navy too!
SQUEE!!! And, it didn't cost me the price of a small country! :)
Tootles!
JKP

It's Monsoon Season

Hey Y'all!

This week, our weather has been CRAZY. Lots of rain, storms and tornadoes. This morning I got up, got online and visited the National Hurricane Center's website and noticed a little something interesting off of our coast. For Real. It's May 19th. NOT hurricane season here!

It has spin and it is not going anywhere for a while. We should have another update by tomorrow on any development from this thing. It has a low chance for development, but it is still weird to see these things pop up so early!

I am off to do a little shoe shopping today and maybe I will finally get to see Dark Shadows! I also need to find some time to go see Battleship... you know me and my action adventure/alien/end of the world movies!

I've got to bite the bullet to go shoe shopping today,  because for about a year I have been dealing with a horrible case of Plantar's Fasciitis. Y'all. This stuff is BAAAADDD. My left foot is in a lot of PAIN. I have tried everything from ice to exercises, but I am still in alot of pain. Last night, I actually took some Aleve (which I am not suppose to, because of my stomach.) It has helped and given me some relief. I can't wear flip flops because of the pain, so I need to go find some cute shoes to wear for summer, but that keep me out of pain. I know. Good luck! The only relief I have had, was the 7 days I was on prednisone. My foot felt GREAT! But, I am off of the steroids now, so the pain is back more than ever. I am thinking I may have to go to the doctor once school gets out. YUCK.

Well, let me run. It is Biker Week here at the beach. I have to get up and out and run my errands before the bikers wake up. Traffic is terrible once the they are out and about!

Tootles and have a great Saturday!
:) JKP

Attack of the Dizzies, Currently and SOUTHERN SAVERS!

Hey Y'all!

Sorry for the absence from the ol' blog. But. I have been busy! And. Sick. But, I am getting better so that is YAY!

The weekend before last was a great one! I ended up going to Columbia on Sat. May 5th to take a Southern Savers Coupon Workshop with my best friend Marie, her future daughter in law, Ellen, and my Mom. The funny thing is that our workshop was at Spring Valley Baptist Church and I used to live in the neighborhood right next door! This was a duplex and it was my first house that I ever bought.We drove by it before the workshop and it was still pretty much the same, except for the kiddie toys in front!

And, let me say. If you EVER get a chance to take a workshop with Jenny from Southern Savers, DO IT! It was funny, informative and I learned so much. Here we are before the workshop. The picture is blurry. My mom can't take pictures with my phone!

 

And, the best part. You learn how to get toothpaste for fee. Drugstores are your friend! :)

While we were in Columbia for the day, we made a stop at the Shops at Sandhill. It was great to be in a big city and get some shopping in! I was able to pick out an early Mother's Day gift from Pitty Pat.. a new Vera Bradley set. I just love Vera Bradley and it was fun to be amongst the goods!

We ended the weekend by celebrating my Grandaddy's 89th birthday. He is so cute!

Sadly, last Wednesday I got hit with the Vertigo Dizzy Lizzies. And, I had a field trip. It was bad folks and by the end of the day, I could hardly stand. My doc ended up putting me on steroids, an antibiotic and Valium to help with the vertigo. I am finally better today after hanging out on the sofa for the weekend and NOT driving. It was triggered by a sinus and ear infection. Life has not been fun. I have been on the tilt a whirl for a while!

And, last but not least, here is this month's Currently... only 15 days late! Check out my Beauty Pageant Title and my platform! Hee, hee!

Tootles!
:) JKP

Happy Sunday!

Hey Y'all!
I have two days left on my state park pass.. So I am putting it to good use! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! :)

Hi. My Name is Julia and I Made an ENTIRE Steak Dinner in my Crockpot!

Hey Y'all!

This was not the post I had planned for tonight, but I came across a recipe this weekend and I just had to try it. And y'all. WINNER,WINNER STEAK DINNER!

Hi. My name is Julia Goolila and I like red meat. :) I don't know if that is "politically correct" to say these days. You would never know from that statement that I was a vegetarian for 5 YEARS. Um. Yes. I did it more to help with my Crohn's than as a statement. And it did help me. But I found myself at a party one night drooling over some chicken. So. I started eating meat again and I never looked back!
I love to eat steak, but I have to be very careful about eating it. Because of the stupid, stinkin' Crohn's, I have a hard time swallowing. It's not everyday, but it can be a pain. Hee, hee. Things like to get stuck in my throat and sometimes they get stuck in my windpipe. It can be scary, but I just make sure I chew very, very, very well. And sometimes it still happens. Ugh.

So, when I came across this recipe I was intrigued. I love to grill out steak, but then I have to cut it into tiny, tiny pieces. Well. No more my pretties! No MORE! SQUEEEE!!

And, let me preface by saying that this is a recipe you will use a lot. If you like to grill, this will not have that "grilled" charred flavor. But, if you like meat that is juicy, tender and you will have a whole meal to boot, than this is for you. And. If it is raining and you want a steak dinner. :)

This is what you will need to make Julia Goolia's Entire Steak Dinner in a Crockpot.......
(Legal disclaimer... I did not make up this recipe. I found it on several blogs that I stalk.)

Steak. You want to at least purchase steak that is 3/4 inch thick. I put in four small pieces. But, you can go big, or go home. It's just me, so I stayed on the small side.
3 to 4 potatoes. You can even do sweet potatoes.
A veggie of your choice. It can be frozen. I went with corn. :)
3/4 cup of Heinz 57 or A1. Or your favorite steak or Barbecue sauce.
Tinfoil

Place your steak on the bottom of your crockpot. If you want to put a rub on it, go for it. Add your steak or barbecue sauce and make sure it gets on both sides of the steak.

Now. Add a piece of tin foil OVER the steak. Just do it.

Wash up your potatoes. I salted mine and then wrapped them in tinfoil. Place the potatoes on top of the tinfoil layer.

Do the same thing with your corn, or veggie of your choice. Place it with the potatoes.

Now. Put on the cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Then toss up a salad, make some bread and get your sweet tea ready. You've got a meal!

And. After cooking your potatoes this way, you will never put a potato in the microwave AGAIN!!!

Now. Go forth and make a steak dinner!
Tootles!
:) JKP

Hawaiian Chicken in My Belly.. Crockpot Style

Hey Y'all!

Well, here it is. The end of spring break. Sigh. I do have the Sunday blues just a wee bit tonight, but knowing we only have 35 school days left in the year kind of makes it just a little bit easier. However, I know one furry buddy that is going to have a temper tantrum when I leave to go to work tomorrow. And. I know he is just plotting to get me back for that bath I had to give him this afternoon too!

Thanks to Pinterest, I spent a good deal of this week trying out some new recipes! Crockpot friendly, of course! When I saw this Hawaiian Chicken recipe on a board, I just knew I had to make it! I love any chicken that has the word "jerk" or "Hawaiian" in it! Say those words to me and my mouth instantly starts to DROOL. The best jerk chicken I have ever had was in Key West, Florida. Seriously. It has been 8 years and I still dream about that chicken! Also, when you see all that you need to make this chicken dish, you will be AMAZED. Are you ready?? Are you sure? Get you pen and pencil ready. The ingredient list is LONG. NOT!!!

All you need to make this yummy dish is......

1 jar of Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce (I got mine at Target and it was delish!)
1 can of pineapple chunks (drained. I saved a wee bit of the juice to add back into the sauce at the end.) If you don't like "chunks" you can get the crushed pineapple too.
4 to 6 chicken breasts (as usual, mine were in the fridge)

Now. All you do is add the chicken to your crockpot, add the entire jar of barbecue sauce and then add the pineapple chunks. Set your crockpot on low for 6 hours... or if you were like me and chasing daylight.. and wanted dinner in your belly... I put mine on high for 3 and 1/2 hours. Woot.

Just throw it all in!

And it is cooking! It smells so good!!!

Now, you can opt to do this next step or not. It is entirely up to you. You can leave the breasts in and not shred them. I took mine out about an hour before they were scheduled to be done and I shredded them with a fork. That way, I could eat this as a sandwich or as a meal! :)

Shredding the chicken!

Now, place the shredded chicken back into the crockpot for another hour. Mix well with the sauce in the crockpot. At this point I added a wee bit of juice from the drained pineapple to make it juicier! I am glad I did!

Right before the chicken finishes, you can boil up some rice. I am not proud. I use the "Success Rice" method. This girl can burn rice in a pot in a hot minute. So. For the safety of my beloved cookware....I use the cheater's rice. :) It also comes in brown rice if you want to be really healthy. My tummy can not tolerate brown rice at the moment.. so I had to go with regular.

Add a side of your favorite veggie.... and VIOLA. You are instantly transported to Hawaii. Or. Your favorite vacation spot! Well. At least your tummy is!!!

YUMMY in my BELLY!

Also, do you know what I did this weekend? Besides scour my kitchen from top to bottom? The inside of my fridge is so shiny that you can see your reflection!

I brought out my Amish Friendship Bread starter out of my freezer. Oh. Yes. I. Did. In fact, I just finished baking up two loaves and my house smells so good. I needed some "comfort" to go back to school with this week! And, y'all know how JKP loves to bake!

Interested in some starter or some Amish Friendship Bread? Don't live near me and want to make your own? Visit The Friendship Bread Kitchen. There's tons of recipes! Also, READ THE BOOK! Friendship Bread. It's a great read! And. The main character's name is Julia. Enough said. It comes out in paperback May 1st! Or support your local library and check it out there!

Alrighty. I have school tomorrow. So I must go to bed. I've got to get back on schedule! Pitty Pat is already sound asleep. Or at least I think he is!

Tootles!

:) JKP