Home made rotel

 We had plenty of tomatoes this year,so I made home made rotel.  Depending on how many jars you want the amount of tomatoes will vary.  My first batch had around 30-40 tomatoes.  Place tomatoes in the sink, in a large pot bring water to boil.  Once the water is boiling take off the stove and pour over the tomatoes in the sink.  The hot boiling water will make the skin peel right off the tomatoes.

Peel the skin and quarter the tomatoes and place in the large pot.

 Once all the tomatoes are peeled and quartered, dice 4-5 jalapeno peppers (more for a hotter rotel and less for milder) and add to tomatoes.  Add palm full of canning salt.  Bring this to a boil and let simmer for around 30 minutes. While this is simmer, in a small pan place the mason jar lid flats in water and heat to small boil. Heating the flats will help to seal the jars.

Add to mason jars.  I did several in pint size and then all the rest in 8oz jars.  Let sit until all the jars are sealed.  You will know they are sealed when the lids start popping.  We use in chili and cheese dip.

Cream cheese cake cookies

I made these this weekend and omg are they yummy.  I got the recipe online but I did a cut and paste so I don't remember where online I got it.

1pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup of butter
1 egg
1tsp of vanilla extract
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 bag of milk chocolate chips.

Heat oven to 375.  Cream together the cream cheese and butter, add the egg a vanilla.  Add the cake mix a little at a time until well mixed together then add the chocolate chips.  Bake on cookie sheet for 12 minutes and enjoy!

CHlLI

Since today feels like fall, I thought I would post my chili recipe, there is nothing fancy or secret about it but our family enjoys it.

2lbs of hamburger meat
10 oz of left over brown beans or 1 can of chili beans
10 oz of home made hot tomatoes or 1 can of rotel
chili powder
garlic powder
seasoning salt
salt
pepper
Shredded cheese

Brown the meat and then just start adding the ingredients.
I didn't add amounts to the dry ingredients because I don't measure them out, I just add until I am pleased with the taste.  Simmer the chili for at least an hour, the longer it simmers the more the flavors really come out. Top with shredded cheese.

Headboard Lettering

Hobby Lobby vinyl phrase added to headboard

Front Door Decor

Instead of a wreath for the front door, how about your initials!  This was a pinterest idea that I found.

Recipe Binder

Yesterday I took all the recipes that I had printed off the pinterest and various websites and sat down and made a binder to organize them.

School, Elvis and Me

Well my kids went back to school today and while I am glad that school has started back it is bittersweet. My oldest is now a Senior and I can't believe that. Seems like just yesterday she was starting kindergarten. 

Of course on top of that is is the 35 anniversary of Elvis's death....LOL.  Even though I was only 4 when he died I am a big fan of his and one of these days I am going to make the trip to Graceland.