FAMILY POTATOES

FAMILY POTATOES--YUM!

This is my family a few years ago. There are a couple more grandchildren now. Would like to find a picture to put on here of the women who made these for me: my mom and grandma, but did figure out how to get one of my grandma, my daughter and my auntie. My daughter makes these, too. As does my niece. Not sure who else makes them, but they're delicious and I include them in every family cookbook I make every few years. Simple recipe but the one I love more than anything else:

Family Potatoes
6 large baking potatoes

one large onion butter and oil

8 oz. cheese shredded or cut in cubes

salt and pepper
paprika

Cut potatoes into large dice. I always leave skins on but it's up to you. Dice onion. Personally, I love large chunks of onion, but most of my family doesn't, so will dice them according to who's going to be eating them. Heat pan on high heat, then coat bottom of pan with oil, then add some butter--up to you--maybe a couple tablespoons of each. Put in potatoes and fry for awhile until nicely browned, then reduce heat and add onions. I often add them both at once but have to watch onions so they don't burn--want a very nice crispy brown to everything. I don't use salt usually as dh adds it to everything anyway!! I do, however, put in a lot of freshly ground pepper. If wish, put lid on and turn heat to low until potatoes are soft. When potatoes are cooked, sprinkle cheese over and put the lid on for a few minutes until it's melted. Sprinkle paprika over and serve. These are so adaptable--have used other potatoes, added cooked meat, other veggies--diced celery, julienned green peppers, shredded carrots, etc. You especially want all the fried goodies from the bottom, so use a pan you can use a metal spatula on!! I have Cuisinart pans and love them--they even have handles that stay cool.

"POSSIBLE" BAG WINNER

The "possible" bag winner is Sue H. She said this on her comment, "I practically lived in flip flops when I was a kid, but the strap between my toes seems less comfortable now. My favorite flip flops are in a quilt my niece made. Here's a picture of it: http://www.alderwoodquilts.com/shopping/Category.asp?c=Gallery_MelsQuilts&p=1. The bag is so cute- and looks so handy. Thanks for the chance!Just signed up to follow- fun blog!"

I want to make a couple comments about the giveaway, and these are comments I've seen on other blogs, and also on blogs who list giveaways each week: Read what the "rules" are for the contest...if they say to write about birds, don't forget to do that. Also, if you your email is set for no-reply, I can't get in touch with you. This is the second giveaway I've done and both times people forgot to do that. It's frustrating not being able to include everyone in the drawing because one or both of these weren't paid attention to--it always makes me feel so badly especially after you've taken the time to make a comment. I know I've made the mistake of not having an email listed--when I first got online I think I signed up for about 100 giveaways in some special week-long contest spree and have always wondered if I actually won something but no one could get in touch with me!!

Also, I'd love to be able to give away a bag to everyone...if I ever find where to get the directions, I'll post it on here so you can make one if you'd like. DAUGHTER FOUND THE SITE FOR THE BAG, SO GO HERE: https://www.youcanmakethis.com/info/handbags/Convertible-Wristlet-Case-for-a-Gaming-Device.htm

Congratulations to Sue and everyone have a great day!

FLAMINGOES ABOUND!!

Finally found this darling little jingle bell flamingo--he was a Christmas present and ornament for dear hubby several years ago.

Don't remember all the circumstances, but years ago hubby and I were having a discussion about those plastic pink flamingoes people put in their yards. His opinion was that except for Florida, they're tacky. Not sure why FL gets a pass and maybe other states don't, but anyway...he doesn't like the little sweeties in the yard. We live in WA, so that's a far pace from FL. Then he made sure I understood that he'd know we were over if he ever came home to find a flock of plastic flamingoes in the yard. That sounded like an ultimatum and not something I deal with well, so from then on he's gotten flamingoes for birthdays/Christmas/anniversaries. They're always given with much love. The weather vane one I copied from an actual vane in a catalog years ago. Unfortunately, his delicate neck got broken and hasn't gotten put back together. I put some of that clear plastic tape on it and then tied an ascot around so could take a picture. I used a knitting needle stuck in a wooden disk for the stand and he had it in his office for years.

For several years he's also been giving me the little pinkies, so we have alot of fun with them. Our grandkiddos love playing with the playable ones. Our daughter made an adorable one for her dad, plus gave him the one to hang his glasses on, and my friend gave me one, so it's fun that it's spread a bit. The wall hanging was made several years ago and has lots of embellishments. It's one I designed and I had to add the little ladybug--actually try to remember to add ladybugs in some fashion to everything that goes out from me to my family.

I love making Randy flamingoes, and flamingo fabric. So bright and fun. One I can't seem to find is a cute one I made on my embroidery machine and has a bell in it. We have a rug, there's a dvd with a flamingo theme, a wall hanging with lots of bling, a tiny weather vane, a couple puppets. Randy has flamingo bermudas and a denim shirt with flamingoes on the pocket.

.The long-legged stuffed flamingo is from several years ago; it has been painted a bit to give it an antique look. The little floofy pen is one my friend, Shirley, gave me several months ago after she took a trip to FL--it lights up when you write. Love it!

Randy gave me the huge hand puppet (think that's from a trip he made to Florida, but my memory is so terrible) The big one has hand strings inside that allow the head to go forward and backward and to nod. He says I bought the little one--do not remember doing that, but there again... Whatever, they are a super hit with all the grandchildren. It's a big thing to get to play with them at gramma's house. The big puppet is my all time favorite that he's given me, but I also love the totally silly pen that's over a foot tall with crazy hair. I also have a darling thing that is a "bracelet" for a candle jar that he gave me and a neon flamingo that we keep in the little bathroom.

This has been a fun thing for us to share. The tiny ornament with the lei is one I made for him for Christmas this year--had forgotten to make one in all the craziness of getting ready. At dear daughter's home she gave me some pink fabric and the yarn for the legs. I made the lei similarly to how we used to make crepe paper ones when I was a young girl. My sweet grandaughter gave me the beads for its eyes. Couldn't find the weather vane one--he's wooden and his neck snapped a few years ago, so he resides in a protective tin until he gets fixed someday. He sits on a little wooden disk and is supported by a knitting needle that wasn't needed for that anymore.
Hope you enjoy our little pinky friends. We've had lots of fun giving and getting them over the years!

All Around The Neighborhood

At http://www.fabshophop.com/main.asp last month there were a bunch of blocks one could pick up for a darling quilt called Quilt Around The Block. You had to visit shops to find the little bunny button and then at several of the shops you would win a block that goes into the quilt. I found a lot of great shops, many of which have free quilt patterns.
This month there's the same sort of thing, only it's all cupcake patterns along with cupcake recipes. You might have fun looking at the sites and seeing what's there. I really love the various buildings, trees and flowers. And aren't those fence pieces just so cute!!

My sweet hubby took some of the pictures for me, others were taken with my trusty cell phone camera--isn't technology fantastic?

I have a couple things that still need doing--the star on the "flag" next to the little red house, and a bell on the school house. I changed a couple things to fit what I like--made one of the big houses into a school house since that wasn't one of the patterns. Also altered the church to have a steeple instead of a cross on the top since I'm LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) and we don't have crosses on our churches.

Here's all the strips laid out together on the floor. Aren't they just so fun and vibrant? I love them so much. Will be putting narrow green strips between the house/trees/flowers strips which is also a change from the original pattern.

Hope to get that all done today or tomorrow and will add more pictures when it's done. Randy got the cloud material--isn't it cute? It adds so much to the quilt.