17 in the 70's

Just in case you are wondering who this girl is, it's me!!!! Seventeen and graduating High School. Oh, I was so innocent, naive, untainted, & untouched. As we have heard a hundred times, "If I Only Knew Then, What I Know Now". But guess what, I don't think I would change anything because it made me who I am today, and I think that goes for most people.

The only thing I regret is that time just seems to have gone by so fast, and nowadays even faster!!! Being on this earth for half a century, wow, sounds like a really long time, doesn't it? Well, it has been a long road traveled, and guess what, that gives me the right to do what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it, and however I feel like doing it. So there, take that, and don't mess with me!!!!!!

Have a wonderful day, and remember life is what you make it!!!!

Smile and the world smiles with you!!!

I Wish You Love and Happy Days To Remember,

Joyce

Mimi's Meatballs

I made these meatball the other night. Served them with smashed potatoes and gravy. I just took 1/2 pound of ground chuck, added l small diced onion, 2 diced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese(I grated it from a chunk of Parmesan), 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon fresh parsley, salt & pepper to taste. Combine and form meatballs any size you prefer. Brown both sides on medium heat in a skillet. After both sides are browned, turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for approximately 20-25 minutes, until done. When they were done I removed them and made a gravy from the drippings. Served the gravy on the side. You can also add these meatballs to spaghetti sauce.

To make the gravy I added some diced onion and garlic to the oil and let it soften. Then I added a couple of tablespoons of flour and stirred it until it turned light brown. Then I added a cup of water and let it thicken. Salt & pepper to taste. I strained the gravy before I put it on the smashed potatoes and meatballs.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

XOXOXO,

Joyce

I Want To Go Back..........

To the days when kids could play outside all day without harm, as long as they made it home for dinner.


To the days when brothers watched out for their sisters and sisters took care of their brothers.

To the days when you answered the telephone and the person calling would ask how you were and mean it.

To the days when family reunions were held every year in Georgia and over 500 showed up, and the food was outrageous!!!!

To the days when fathers got home from work and still had time to play a game of touch football with his kids.

To Sunday dinners at Grandma's house.

To Easter picnics with family and friends, out in the woods, covered dishes, Easter egg hunt, softball, volleyball, and the egg toss.

To the days when people had manners, morals, and etiquette.

To the days when little girls were always reminded by their mothers to sit up straight and act like a lady.

To the days when daddy's checked out their daughter's date and gave him the third degree.

To the days when dinner was at 5pm and we all sat down together, said a prayer for the food we had to eat, and happily ate whatever was on the table.

To the days when people were kind and not hateful towards each other.

To the days when neighbors watched out for neighbors.

To the days when parents made sure that kids who had fights shook hands and made up.

To the days when the children played dodge ball in the middle of the street and the drivers knew to watch out for them.

To the days when the milkman delivered fresh milk and eggs at the back door.

To the family gathering every evening after work under the big ole tree at grandma's.

To Saturday's at the roller rink.

To the days when all the kids in the neighborhood would grab their bats, balls, and gloves and meet at the school to play a game of softball.

To taking ballet, tap, and modern jazz lessons every Saturday only cost $6.

To the days having slumber parties.

To the days when children were taught to respect their elders.

I want those days back, how about you?

Tell me what you miss about the old days.

I Wish You Love and Memories of the Good Old Days!

Joyce

I Love Green Giant Frozen Veggies!!!

These Green Giant Frozen Veggies are just the best. They all, and I have tried mostly all of them, are just delicious and all you have to do is heat them up in the microwave. Not only that, I get them when they are on sale for 10 for $10.00. One dollar a box, you can't beat that.

I made this for dinner the other night and it was just so quick and easy and so delicious. I seasoned some boneless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and sauteed them in a little olive oil and butter, then I placed a slice of swiss cheese on top and let it melt. Next, I followed the directions on the package of Green Giant Garden Vegetable Medley which was to put them in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes. I made a lettuce, tomato, and onion salad with Kraft's Catalina dressing. It was sooooo good.

So there you have it, an economical, fast, and delicious meal.....
Just thought you'd like to know.

I Wish You Love,
Joyce

Baked Ziti With Italian Sausage And Garlic Buns

Ingredients:

1 Box of Ziti Rigati

1 lb. of Mild Italian Sausage

1 35oz. can of Plum Tomatoes

1-1/2 cups Olive Oil

1/2 cup Dry Red Wine

1 cup Fresh Parley

1 cup Fresh Oregano

1-8 oz. triangle of Parmesan Cheese

1-16 oz. Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese
1-15 oz. Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

2 pinches of Nutmeg
6-7 cloves of garlic
1 Large Onion

Salt & pepper to taste

1 package Brown & Serve Rolls

Fill a large pot with water for cooking the Ziti Rigati. Bring to a full boil and add pasta and cook until al dente.

Dice up the onion.

Saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet until soft.

Remove casing from Italian sausages and dice up 3-4 cloves of garlic.

Crumble the sausage as you add it to the skillet.

Add the garlic.

Cook until sausage turns brown.
Add 1/2 cup of Red wine and reduce.

Add 35 oz. can of tomatoes with juices and cook uncovered on medium low heat for about 1o minutes.

Then throw in 1/4 cup of diced oregano, give it a stir and turn down the heat to low.

Now, in a large bowl, combine 15 oz. Ricotta cheese, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, salt & pepper to taste.

Shred the whole 16 0z. Mozzarella cheese.

Add cooked Ziti to the bowl of ricotta mixture along with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella.

Add the tomatoes and sausages to the bowl.

Mix together.

Oil the bottom and sides of a large baking dish, I used the olive oil. No, these are not my hands. Those little beautiful hands belong to my 7 year old granddaughter who wanted to help. She was my taster and said, "Mimi, you are such a good cook", and after that she was allowed to do what ever she wanted:)!!!!

Place all the ingredients you have in your big bowl into a baking dish and sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella on top and try to take the picture before you put in into a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until bubbly!!!! I had already put it in the oven when I realized I didn't take the picture of putting it in the baking dish and sprinkling the cheese on top. I was sooo excited that my granddaughter loved my cooking that I just forgot!!!!! So I pulled out of the oven took the pic and back in it went.

"Mama Mia", I even surprised myself!

But we need garlic buns, and

this is what you will need.
Garlic, Olive Oil, Parsley, & Parmesan of (GOOPP).

Put 3 cloves of garlic, 2 small chunks of Parmesan cheese, about 1/8 cup of chopped parsley and about a 1/2 cup of olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste in food processor and let her spin. I just eyeball the amounts so you can add according to your preference. It also depends upon how many rolls you are making. You may need more and you may needs less. You may also have to add more olive oil depending on the thickness, because you want to be able to pour it on top of the hot buns, therefore it shouldn't be too thick. I was so carried away with the GOOPP that I forgot to take a picture of it in my mini food processor, so this is what it looked like after I took it out and poured it on the hot buns.

Bake the buns as directed on the package. Of course you can use your favorite kind buns or rolls, or you can make your own. We just happen to love these. And I really didn't have time to even think about making my own!!!!

Pour the GOOPP on top of the hot buns right out of the oven and then shred some more Parmesan cheese on top.

"MAMA MIA"

Now it's time to serve it up.

I hope you enjoy making and eating this very authentic Italian dish. My family and I did. It was even better the second day. Please feel free to email me with any questions.

I Wish You Love, Vi Auguro Amore
~Mimi~

Roast Pork & A Cuban Pork Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 8lb. pork shoulder picnic
Sour orange
3-4 bay leaves
Salt
5-6 whole cloves of garlic

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Make 5-6 big slits in the pork roast with a knife so you can push salt and garlic cloves down in them. Pour salt down in each slit and then push a garlic cloves down on top of the salt.

Pour sour orange all over the roast and rub with more salt. When you think you have put too much salt on it, ADD MORE!!!! Stick 3 or 4 bay leaves on the top.

Now place the roast on a rack, fat side down.

Stick a meat thermometer in it and slow roast 5-6 hours until thermometer reads 170 degrees.

It should look like this.

Now take a piece of the pork skin and eat it!!!! Ummmm
The Cubans call it the "Chicharon"
It's falling off the bone tender!!!

To make the sandwich you take some nice pieces of meat, and cut it up like this.

Add some diced onion to it, and sprinkle some MOJO on top.

Place it on a nice piece of Cuban bread, and there you have it.

We make a tunnel in the Cuban bread by taking some of the dough out before we put the pork and onions in it.

Awesome Cuban Sandwich Baby!!!!!!!!

Now go get you a pork shoulder and make one!!!!!

Of course the pork is very good with black beans and white rice, yellow rice, yuca(cassava), plantains, moros, or just by itself. And, for my Southern family & friends, it makes a damn good BBQ Pork Sandwich. Don't worry Nana I saved you some:)

I Wish You Love & A Good Ole Cuban Sandwich With Mojo!!!!!
Joyce