Great Invention For Coffee Lovers - Like US!

Anyone who knows me (Beth), knows I love many things, but coffee is way near the top of my list.  I have decided to give you a little "product review" today of one of my all-time favorite gifts.  It was given to me LAST Christmas by my amazing husband and I would have to say I love it as much today as a year ago!  Now THAT'S a good present!!!

Enough of the waiting... this awesome invention is my KEURIG!!!  I am going to have a difficult time, but I am going to try to tell you why I love it so much.  :)

Here is my beauty.  My husband picked this one, because you can select a variety of cup sizes, from very small to travel mug. That's one reason I love it!  =)

Another reason I love it is because there is no "leftover" coffee to clean up or throw away.  You get exactly the amount you want each time.  You can also have a variety of coffees all in the same day.

Example:
I love STARBUCKS!  So I can have my Starbucks or other bold roast coffees. (In my pajamas, without having to leave my house - BONUS!)
Attention:  That's also a MONEY SAVER!

Trey (husband) can walk right up and brew a cup of Decaf or "Half Caff."

 Kelsi (daughter) can get a little flavored coffee.

It is not uncommon when my "sissy", Annette, visits to see her try several types in one morning! :)

Let's say it is mid-afternoon and you're not sure you want coffee...
Well, the options seem limitless:
Kyle (son) LOVES the Hot Apple Cider!  Everyone enjoys the hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course)!

Trying to add green tea to your diet?  You can have it with the press of a button.  There are lots of varieties of teas!

 

 

"But that machine looks difficult to use."
Nope - Let me show you how SUPER EASY it is:
Select from your many choices:
Note that Trey does not like to have any "holes" in the Keurig carousel, so it's the least we can do to keep it filled up for him.  LOL

Lift the handle and pop in the "pod", then close the lid:

Select your cup size and press "brew":

Watch the magic happen:

About 1 minute later - yes 1 MINUTE...
Voila!!

A simple swipe with a wet rag and all is clean.  I "de-slime" occasionally by running vinegar through, followed by clean water.  It could not be easier! 

I enjoyed my "Half Caff" while putting together this blog -- don't want it to keep me up! :)

Morning coffee is probably one of the favorite activities for Annette and me.  It is part of every visit with one another, no matter where we are.  We sit and talk and talk (If you know us, you can imagine...).  We talk about joys, problems, memories - good and not-so-good.  Sometimes it's serious and includes tears, other times we might be laughing loud enough for the neighbors to hear.  Sometimes we even make calls to our other siblings, our Aunt Viv, or other friends or family and include others in our "coffee time".  We tend to get annoyed if we don't get this time together.  The day just doesn't seem right. 

Annette has the cutest story about our Daddy "letting" her drink coffee for the first time.  I know she will share it sometime.  I have that proud moment when Daddy visited my home and told me, "You really know how to make a good cup of coffee.  Not weak like most people..." That was music to this daughter's ears - sweet Daddy...
AAAHHH -- COFFEE, I love it!!!

We hope even if you don't love coffee, that you will create and share special times with your loved ones.  Let's make it a priority in 2013.

Always in our PJs,
Beth & Annette

P.S. Can you tell Trey got me a CAMERA for Christmas this year?? =D

Grapeade Refresher

Hello Everyone!

I (Annette) thought we might start with something super easy, but, tasty today!  Sometimes the best tasting things are the easiest to make.  This particular recipe holds an extra special memory for me.  As Beth and I told you earlier we originally come from the country.  We were raised on a ranch in West Texas 20 miles from town.  As you can imagine, by not being close to town, sometimes going to the grocery store was not very convenient.  Beth and I were raised drinking primarily milk, water, tea and orange juice.  So, when this drink was presented to us all I remember was hearing my little sister (Beth) squeal. ;)  I loved that sound when it came from her.  The good kind of squeal anyway...if you get my drift. lol  Well here goes.  I hope you enjoy this drink as much as Beth and I did and still do.

Grapeade Refresher

Ingredients

1 large can Welch's grape juice
1 large can Minute Maid Pink Lemonade (both found in the frozen section of your grocery store)

You combine both cans of juice in a gallon size container.  Then add 7 1/2 cans of water.  Stir well to combine both flavors together evenly.

Voila!

What makes this such a "special" drink is you can serve it at a variety of occasions with different additional ingredients.
For instance:  I like to take some of the drink and make ice cubes with it.  You can also take some lemons slices and float on top for presentation purposes.  I'm all about presentation. ;) You can use this at home as a refreshing drink or as a special punch at any event.

Note from Beth:  You can add "sparkling something" to make it even more festive, depending on your crowd. ;)

As Beth told you previously our Daddy went to meet Jesus recently.  During the holiday season so many memories come flooding through our hearts and minds.  This recipe reminded me of our youth and of our Daddy in such a sweet way.  He was always delighted when he saw delight in us.  We pray that this upcoming year is full of many blessings for each and every one of you -- that it's filled with love, fun, laughter, and prosperity.

Love to you all! 

Always in our PJs,
Annette and Beth

Cornbread and Cast Iron

Good Morning!

We want to let you into our lives a little each time we write, sharing not only food, but memories, love, and lots of laughter along the way. (Always in our PJs of course)

Cornbread was on our table on a regular basis when we were children.  It was one of those items that was just "there."  Growing up on a ranch in Texas meant great food -- sometimes not the "fanciest" food, but DELICIOUS food -- all homemade. 

A vivid memory of my childhood was coming home from school, and Annette cooking blackeyed peas and cornbread for us.  You see, we are the youngest in a large blended family, and Annette did lots of "taking care" of me. (I believe I was her personal living doll she could play with and take care of. Haha)  Her favorite food was blackeyed peas, and she apparently came out of the womb knowing how to cook cornbread - lol.  So...we ate it a LOT!

I'm not the expert, so I'll let her tell you how it's done.

I'm glad she recognized my cornbread making skills. :)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

To make cornbread the TRUE way a cast iron skillet is a must!  It needs to be seasoned (that's something you need to know more about)  If Beth was standing here...which she isn't :) She would make me explain. ;)We will address the seasoning process in a future blog.Always put your skillet of choice into the oven and get it very hot before you put your batter in. (That keeps it from sticking) So here goes.  This is where the magic happens! ;)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Grease skillet with oil.

Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl melt butter then add your sugar.  Quickly add eggs and beat your mixture until well blended. Combine buttermilk with the baking soda and stir into your mixture. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until only a few lumps remain. Pour your batter into your hot skillet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
 

 

 

I (Beth) recently inherited the cast iron skillet in the picture above when our Daddy went to be with Jesus.  It holds many memories of wonderful food and lots of love. 

We pray you all take some time to cook with and eat at home with your families.  Time in the kitchen and time around the table builds treasured memories that last a lifetime!

Always in our PJs,
Annette & Beth

Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

Good Morning Everyone!

Today let's start with an easy, healthy side dish. You know...like when you don't want to go to a lot of trouble, but, need something quick and easy.

Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

Let's start with...

2   pounds fresh green beans, that have been cleaned with the ends snapped off
3-4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (because we LOVE garlic) ;)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (much more flavorful/the only kind we use)
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

First, blanch your green beans in boiling water...

Beth insists that I describe what "blanch" means lol
So... she made me go to dictionary.com :) I thought "REALLY"?????
So here goes...Too many so's?

Blanch is a verb which means:  to scald or parboil (meat or vegetables) so as to whiten, remove the odor, prepare for cooking by other means, etc.

I think it means to make the vegetable colorful and crisp. I know your thinking too much explanation, but, you will understand as time goes on. :)

Anyway...cook your green beans (Why didn't I just say cook or boil, and we could have avoided all that blanch business?  Well, we did learn some new vocabulary, which always makes Beth happy.) for 4-5 minutes (or until beans turn vibrant green). 

Drain green beans in colander.

VIBRANT!

Then, heat your olive oil on a medium setting until hot.  
Saute your sliced garlic and drained green beans in pan together (Hopefully, Beth won't ask me to explain saute to you. Eternally a teacher!) ;)

Check out Annette's new Christmas PJs!

 
Add your Kosher salt and stir.

Transfer green beans into an attractive dish. (This is where Annette comes into the game.) ;) 

Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve. 

Yes, we realize that steak is twice the size of a healthy serving - YUM!

Voila!!!

Always in our PJs,
Annette & Beth 

.

 

Let Us Do the Dishes For You!

We love a useful, fun, relatively inexpensive gift!  Beth made these for some of her co-workers at her school for Christmas gifts, (Did we mention she's a teacher?) but they can easily be adapted for just about any holiday or recipient.  They are perfect for when you need a little something to show someone you care -- a neighbor, the mail carrier, teacher, etc.

1st:  You'll need gallon size storage or freezer bags (Aren't the penguins so adorable?)

You'll also need:
Large Paper/Plastic Plates

Smaller Plates 

Napkins (Love how these match, because we're all about the matching! ;) )

Finally, Plastic Utensils

Stack each item, one on top of the other.
Example:  A family of 4 gets 4 of each item.
Slip it all into a baggie and write a little note that says something like this:

Let Us Do the Dishes For You!
Merry Christmas!

Voila!
Aren't they ADORABLE?!
Simple, easy, and have had some great feedback.

Other ideas:  Include bowls, cups, or other paper goods and wrap in cellophane with ribbon
                     Throw in a favorite recipe or ingredient
                     Add dessert or mints for that little something "extra" ;)

We can't wait to hear your ideas and feedback!

Already love ya!

Always in our PJs,
Annette & Beth

Welcome to Our Pajama Party

Howdy and Welcome!

We are Annette and Beth -- two Texas sisters that share a passion for Food, Love, & Laughter.
We have recently realized the joy of cooking in the same kitchen.  As always, we compliment one another - we think so anyway.  We want to bring you into our kitchen to share in our passions and hopefully laugh a little with us.

WE LOVE FOOD!  Did we mention, WE LOVE FOOD?!

We think our country heritage, combined with our diverse life experiences, have led us to enjoy time in the kitchen at a whole new level.  Our families think we're crazy, spicy, silly, and a whole lot more that we won't go into today.  Hopefully this blog will convey the best parts of each of us.

Like most of you, we work very hard, and have for years.  Also like many of you, the first thing we do when we find ourselves at home is put our pajamas on.  Annette pretty much lives in hers whenever she gets the chance - lol.  Since, this blog is about having fun while creating food, we've decided we're going to do so in comfort -- PJs ONLY!

So....grab your favorite comfy PJs, a warm cup of coffee, and join us on our new journey together.

We already love ALL of you!

Dueling Spatulas on Christmas Eve = Joy = Couldn't Keep a Straight Face

Always in our PJs,
Annette & Beth