Graduation Gift for Mom

This weekend I went to Arkansas to see the beautiful stepdaughter of my college BFF graduate from high school.  Amy threw a wonderful party to celebrate (upcoming post!) and we had a great weekend.  Just like any parent, watching your child grow up, graduate from high school and prepare to move on to the next stage of their life is hard.  Tears were shed, even though they were happy tears.  I know Amy pretty well.  She's a sap and I knew she would cry a tear or two for her sweet baby girl.  I saw a variation of this cute idea on one of my favorite blogs, Jacolyn Murphy.  (If you are in need of adorable invitations and party favors, this is the place to go.  I can't get enough of her clever ideas and fun puns!)  I whipped up my own version so I could take Amy a little treat in honor of her graduating girl!

Here it is, the Mom's Graduation Day
Survival Kit!

Everything Mom needs to keep those
crying eyes looking good on graduation day!

Free Printable.
Just right click on this image, and save.
Then open up in the program of your choice
and print!  Free for your personal use only.

Treat Mom too. 
It's a hard day to watch her baby grow up!

Greek Chicken with Cucumber Sauce

I love Greek food.  There's nothing better than fresh ingredients stuffed inside a pita, dripping with a tangy, yogurt dressing.  This version is sort of a de-constructed pita.  The chicken is grilled, and topped with the refreshing cucumber sauce.  I served it along side some fresh tomatoes, sliced red onion, and some pita wedges.  Of course you could just stuff everything in that pita pocket if you wanted to.  This preparation just looks slightly more elegant, making it perfect for company!

It's like a de-constructed pita!

The Line-Up for the chicken

Combine ingredients and pour over chicken.
Allow to marinate.

The cucumber sauce ingredients...

Combine grated cucumber with salt.
Let sit for 15 minutes.

Combine remaining sauce ingredients
and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove chicken from marinade.
Allow to cool slightly. 

Serve topped with cucumber sauce.

Bunny Beers

Sometimes Mr. DD and I exchange gifts for Easter, sometimes we don't.  It was a bigger deal when Little Devil was little and the Easter Bunny filled everyone's basket.  Now the Little Devil is out with her friends and no one is leaving fresh carrots on the porch for said rabbit.  I still have some some little goodies for everyone even though there is no egg-dyeing or egg-hiding this year.  My Merry Christmas Rein"Beer" were such a hit, I decided to change them up a bit and give the idea an Easter make over.  I was even able to find a few beers with "rabbit" and "spring" themes, which was exactly what I had in mind.  Earlier this week I cleaned my oven (UGH) and threw out the oven liner I had in the bottom.  If you haven't tried those, do.  It will help keep your oven clean of spills and overflows.  Anyway, Mr. DD went out to buy himself an electric knife so he will look all official when he carves the Easter Ham.  He came in a surprised me with a new oven liner, and said, "Happy Easter."  I'm ashamed of how excited I was.  Now I'm extra excited to give him his Easter Bunny Beers!

Bunny Beers.
When a chocolate bunny just won't do.

I was even able to find a beer
with a rabbit on it.
Thanks Shiner!

The bunny tail is a nice touch.

They look pretty cute peeking over the six-pack!

Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale
and
Abita Spring Ale

Have a "Hoppy" Easter
(beer humor...ha ha)

Eggs-tra Special Easter Treat (with printable)

Easter is almost here, and while my little bunnies are grown up we still celebrate.  There probably won't be any egg-dyeing or egg-hunting but everyone needs a little something special to brighten their day.  One of the best things about this time of year has to be the Easter candy.  Especially Cadbury Eggs.  (And don't even get me started on the Cadbury Robin's Eggs.)  I purposely don't even go down the Easter aisle or I would leave the store with a grocery cart full of stuffed bunnies and Cadbury Eggs.  I decided to whip up a quick little Easter treat to share with my parents and in-laws and a few other special people.  These literally took minutes to assemble and I've included the tags at the bottom so you can copy mine and print your own.  I hope you have an Egg-cellent Easter, and decide to share my idea with someone Egg-stra Special!

Show someone they are Egg-stra Special
with some yummy Cadbury Eggs!

You'll need pretzel bags, Cadbury Eggs,
Baker's Twine, tags, scissors and a hole punch.

I found the bags at Hobby Lobby. 
They were back in the baking and candy-making
section.  I think they are intended for pretzel rods.

It's as simple as putting 3 Cadbury Eggs per bag,
and tying it closed with the baker's twine.  Hole
punch the tag and tie it on.  You're all done!

I've included both pastel tags...

and primary tags...
Just click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and choose the copy/paste option
or save the image to your computer.
Print using the computer program of your choice.
(Microsoft word, Corel, etc...)
Enjoy!

Homemade Italian Seasoning

A while back my husband and I cleaned out the pantry.  And by cleaned out the pantry I said, "I don't think we need Emeril's Asian Essence from 1996."  We organized everything, and all of the spices are labeled in neat little jars.  In alphabetical order.  I repeat in alphabetical order.  (No, I don't wash my hands exactly 5 times before bed.  Yes, I do like my cooking stuff really organized.)  Imagine the horror when I went into the pantry today, looked under "I" for Italian Seasoning and didn't have any.  Seriously I second guessed myself and was like, "Damn. Should not have thrown out Emeril's Italian Essence from 1996."  It was cold and rainy here and I was making a Crock Pot Ravioli Casserole.  And I was in my pajamas and dead set on not leaving the house.  Then I remembered that not only am I a food blogger, but I'm a pretty decent cook and coming up with my own Italian Seasoning probably wouldn't be rocket science.  After all, I've made my own Homemade Greek Seasoning and I always make my own Homemade Taco Seasoning.  Why should the Italians be neglected?  They shouldn't.  And so I whipped up my own Homemade Italian Seasoning and LOVED IT.  (I went extra on the red pepper flakes, but well, you know.  I'm the DEVILISH Dish.)

Out of seasoning?  No need to get out
of your pajamas for a trip to the store. 
You can make your own!

Horseradish Dip

A while back, I made my friend Michaela's Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches for dinner.  I wanted something a little different to serve beside them with some potato chips.  Horseradish is such a great compliment to beef, that I decided a Horseradish Dip would be just the thing.  You can adjust the amount of horseradish to suit your taste. (We like it hot and spicy, we're The Devilish Dish) In addition to being wonderful with chips, it makes a great spread for a roast beef sandwich, as well as a wonderful dipping sauce for sliced roast beef. 

A perfect accompaniment to roast beef!
And potato chips!

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Onions

I don't know about you foodie friends, but I get in a rut and serve the same side dishes over and over.  It's always salad and potatoes.  Salad and rice.  Salad and salad.  Sometimes green beans, just to mix it up.  Obviously we needed a change in the line-up so I thought I'd give Sweet & Sour Onions a whirl.  They live up to their name.  A little sweet, a little sour and a little perfect for a new side dish.  Especially because they cook in the slow cooker.  Just fix them and forget them.

A perfect slow cooker side dish.

The Sweet & Sour Onion Line-Up

Toss onions with olive oil
until well coated.

In slow cooker, combine onions with
vinegar...

brown sugar...

Chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW
4-5 hours until onions are tender.