Bloody Mary THE Breakfast of Champions

Once again, my FFH(firefighter husband) wishes to "speak" with you. Good Golly Day-Who's blog is this anyway? He wants to let you in on his talent with the Bloody Mary. THE one and only Breakfast of Champions. Welcome Scott, my FFH..

YES I am a Steelers fan often asked why. Because my Mom is from a small town in Pennsylvania,Plymouth Twsp. outside Wilkes-Barre. Many weekends we always went there to visit. So the Steelers were always on. Besides as I got older I found that they were and ARE the greatest Football team EVER. -Can you imagine what it is like to live with someone who has such firm opinions?- Come on you must agree.- Just agree, trust me, it's easier this way and makes for a pleasant day.

Just a little history on the FFW(firefighter wife) experience with the Bloody Mary.. it was about 7AM. We were on our way to the airport to head to Key West. MMMMMMMMMMM Key West as Homer Simpson would say. -I don't and never have watched the Simpsons, so I do not get the humorous connotation here.-This was our first and unfortunately our last Vacation -BooHooHissHiss- for a long while. But I was out to make it a good one. And so it was..

We both hate to Fly So after Check-In I just happened to walk by the bar-Yeah, did you all catch that one too, he just HAPPENED to walk by.. he thinks he's slick- and Oh my gosh .. what a beautiful site.. the bar was open, and sitting there was a guy having a Bloody Mary.Well being the good FFH I am -ya know we sometimes have a reputation to live up to- I thought Why Not?

Yeah, I guess you just HAVE to say WTF , right dear?

By the way its the best nerve builder upper you can have before that take off. Forget the coffee,a big one of these and you'll take a little nap.

I have the funniest story about this drink at an airport but FFW said it will take too long-you can all thank me later- and I talk to much anyway so OK ill continue . OK so at the bar I asked her ,"Honey, do you want one too?" Her reply ,"NO, ITS TOO EARLY. Besides I never had one of those." WHAT!!! I couldn't believe my ears.-He acted like I said I never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for crissakes- Try it you'll like it. Wasn't that from some commercial oh yeah that was Life Cereal Mikey hey he likes it he likes it. Yeah, And Oscar Meyer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A.

OK baby, she said( I like when she calls me baby ).-Please don't read too much into that people.- She took one sip and the look on her-he means to say beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous, lovely- face was filled with WOW! That's good honey she said. It was truly delicious! Told Ya So! I said.( Because I said so Rules). I will let that go for now.

Hence the Breakfast of Champions, So named by my Brother in Law Hurley AKA Vern another story. -Again I'll accept your thanks later-He is an awesome cook. After her taste of the drink a new craving was born.-At least its a way to get some of your 5-a-day in- We all had one-sure it was just one, FFH?- at Irish Kevins in Key West the next Morning. And the next, and the next... naughty.

BTW, if you are ever in Key West, please stop by this place, you will laugh your ass off.

So every now and then since the trip I hear those sweet words from my FFW. Honey V8 was on sale. -That's the cheap pollockness in me coming out- Say no more get out the ingredients. I got her hooked-they are really good, they are addicting, like episodes of 24, you begin to yearn for them- especially on our special weekends.

Bloody Marys-- Breakfast of Champions. Superbowl Breakfast of Champions..What a way to start a day. This drink brings this song to mind. Don't Worry Be Happy, Don't Worry Be Happy now. That song will be in my head for hours. -Guess this would be a good time to tell him about the new immersion blender I bought with his credit card then, huh? Hey, I love cooking toys that vibrate;)

Oh I forgot the best part.. Some of FFW's scrambled eggs with cheese along with this drink would be the best combo.Then maybe some kielbasa on the side. OK what a way to start Super Bowl Sunday!

GO STEELERS!

Here it goes. Get out your ingredients, just humor me will ya? Most certainly. Get yourself a hurricane-type glass, fill it with ice , but not all the way. Use cubes, not crushed. Yes, and you say tomaaato, and I say Tomooooto.

Add 1/3 cup of vodka-or upwards of that-, your V8 up to the ice cube level, then add 1 teaspoon horseradish and mix it in, 5 shakes of Worcestershire sauce, a couple turns of freshly ground black pepper add about 1/8th of a teaspoon celery seed.. I like the seed better, it gives it more flavor, pinch of salt, and the tabasco, amount varies depending on the amount of heat you like. FFW likes 3 dashes, I like 7. -But of course you do, firefighters can stand the heat, you fight flames,you wear firefighter boots, you wear a helmet, OMG you are a man in uniform- Cut a slice of lemon, twist it to get some juice in the drink, fix lemon slice onto the rim , grab your stalk of celery, mix it all together well, stick the celery in your glass, and down it. Then have another. Matt Bites has many reasons for you to have a Bloody Mary if my FFH didnt convince you to have one..just look! OnceUponAPlate has steak bites with a bloody mary dipping sauce. So on my list! Food and Wine offers Bloody Mary Cocktail meatballs.. Irresistible! That's All Folks. Oh, I'll leave you with this thought. Mojitos, pina coladas, citron bombs, and the list goes on. We'll talk later.

Banana Bread Cookies AND Ever SO Moist Banana Cake with Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Bread Cookies Banana Cake with Cream Cheese frosting I am bananas over bananas , especially when they turn a dark black color. There is so much you can do with them. Bananas are even a part of my morning weekday ritual. Are you wondering how? And no, they are not part of my ritual by slicing them and putting them on top of mine or my childrens cereal or oatmeal... Geez what a bunch of know-it-alls...., but in a totally different way. Let me explain. Each weekday morning, I get my 4 children ready for school and happily send them off on the bus. Then I breathe. I rush back inside from the bus stop, put on my gym clothes, rush off to my Jazzercise class. You're still wondering about the bananas. I'm getting there. After class, I frantically, maniacally head to MY supermarket. (Why is it that we all call the supermarket we frequent"my supermarket" as if we own it??) I find the closest parking space I can possibly find. I hurry, so quickly, like a lightning bolt, to the entrance, then I swiftly dart through the aisles toward, you got it, you know it,the reduced produce shelves!! As I do so , I hear people whispering,"Is it a bolt, is it a train, NO, It's the weirdo again.... !". My heart pounds, my head throbs, my pulse races, all with the thought and hopes of finding this: Score! Touchdown, Homerun, Bingo, Goal, Whatfreakingever! Yes, mine, all mine suckers. Outta my way all! I am meaning business here. I have the elbows of steel, don't fight me for my reduced produce.

I mean really wouldn't the idea of 5 pounds of bananas for .99 cents excite you? It excites me almost as much as the thought of my FFH cooking with his Firefighter boots on. Just think of the possibilities, NO NO NO, not the possibilities of my FFH with his boots on and hose out, think of all the things you can bake with 5 pounds of overly ripe rotting bananas:).. Oh, the visions that enter my head. Yes, that empty head of mine.

This time however, I was inspired by some posts from Debbie of Mocha Me. She posted about some banana nut cookies and a banana cake. I knew I would be making something along those lines, along with my chocolate chip banana bread for my FFH''s Captain Darryl. (Dear Lord, I still have more left over..YEAH!! It's the little things in life people, the little things..)

Down to the nitty gritty..

Let's start with the Banana Bread Cookies

You will need

1/2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar packed ** Just check out this nifty measuring cup.. Has a measurement for 3/4 cup.. and 2/3 cup how very convenient. It is from And no, I do not work for them, I just happen to really love some of their stuff, lots of their stuff, I find they're very high quality and affordable at the same time. Many items also come with lifetime guarantees. Geez, maybe I should work for them. Maybe I missed my calling.. 1/4 tsp each baking soda and salt 2 large eggs Get yourself a ripe banana, peel and slice the little darling.

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped coarsely.

I sooo love macadamia nuts, so Hawaiian like. Makes me think of beaches, Palm trees, fresh pineapples, and surfer dudes! Preheat your oven to 350. Beat your butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in your eggs, vanilla, and sliced banana until well blended and banana is mashed. On low speed, gradually add in the flour in 3 additions or until just blended. Onto the good part, stir in the chocolate and the nuts.. Drop rounded measuring tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake them for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and remove to rack to cool completely. **I did refrigerate dough a few hours prior to baking, I thought it was a tad soft.

This recipe is from Womans Day Magazine 11/04, and yields 40 cookies!

Little bits of pure banana bread bliss. I like it, I love it, I want some more of it. Are you ready, are you game, are you alive? This banana cake is by far the best I've ever had. It is soooo darned moist, and the LUSCIOUS, bodacious, thick yet creamy, cream cheese frosting, only adds to the pure indulgence of this tempting dessert!!!! The recipe can also be found here from Recipezaar. Banana Cake with Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting Preheat your oven to 275. Yes, 275. Grease and flour your 9 x 13 inch pan. **Do you use your unwrapped butter wrappers for anything? After my butter has been softened, I use them, sometimes, sometimes not, to grease my pans.. In a small bowl mix your mashed banana with the lemon juice, that you have freshly squeezed. Set that bowl aside. The more black the banana, I've discovered, the better it is for baked goods, IMVHO. Just make sure there are no fruit flies around. In a medium bowl, mix your flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cups butter and your sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in your eggs, 1 at a time, then stir in your 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in your flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in your banana mixture. Pour into your pan and bake for 1-1 /2 hours or until the toothpick test says its ok. HERE LIES The TRICKY PART... You must then place it directly into your freezer for 45 minutes as soon as it gets out of the oven. Sure, no problem, I thought. I'll place it in the freezer and forget about it for 45 minutes. I have 3 freezers, I'll just pick one. IDIOT!!!! Look at what I found when I opened my freezers. Holy Crap! You'd think there was 20 feet of snow outside my front door. What the heck! I had to make room for the cake. So word to you.. if you try this cake-- and I tell you you must, really, please make sure there is room in your freezer before hand. I really have to get my act together here. I need lessons from Katie of The Hyper Homemaker. Help Me! Organization is what I am lacking. Anyway, while your cake is in the freezer, start your frosting. For the frosting, cream your butter and cream cheese Until smooth. Beat in your vanilla and confectioners sugar. Beat on low speed until combined, then high speed until frosting is smooth. Want a lick?? Spread this absolutely ---mmmmm sooo good, frosting over the cooled cake. JUST LOOK!!! TRY, I double, no triple, dog dare you, not to eat more than one bite. **I think this tastes best when stored in the fridge.. What is your favorite recipe for overly ripe bananas... do tell. Inquiring minds want to know. OK, I want to know. Give it up! Pretty please with sugar on top? Ok if that doesn't work, how about pretty please with Kiefer Sutherland from 24 on top? Or you could be on top?

Pan Roasted Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Potatoes, oh and yes, PenneVodka, PLUS BLOWOUTS

This post will be a threefer. Three recipes in one post. Three times the food , Three times the calories, three times the work, three times my lady..i looooooooovvvveee you.. Once again, a song enters my head. Must be real empty up there. Not only are we making two dishes, we are going to make these super-dee-duper cookies. Did ja know they have peanut butter cups, honey roasted peanuts, and chocolate chips in them? Did you know I have 4 children under 11 and 4 stepchildren under 12, and a puppy named Clooney.. think George...George, Oh, George, beg Clooney,beg..No, how could you know that?Dinner before dessert, they say. Due to that line of etiquette, I will begin with the Pan Roasted sausage chock full of all things good!! I sooo enjoy this dish by Rachael Ray. Yes, another Rachael Ray, actually 2 of the dishes are hers, the other is a cookie! I highly recommend both of these dishes, the pan roasted sausage and the penne vodka have been "keepers and repeaters" in our home for years. Both are so very tasty, relatively easy, and that's enough for me:) Remember what you find here is the girl-who loves to cook and bake- next door kinda cooking.. Nothing fancy schmancy, nothing high-faulutin, nothing overly gourmet, just your basic YOU ROCK ,tastes great,food. Onto the -oh so yummy - palate satisfying--

Pan Roasted Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Potatoes

**Recipe from Rachael Ray's Comfort Foods Cookbook

**Let's begin by getting the potatoes ready, ok big buddy

6-8 red new potatoes, cut in wedges..I use about 10 Generous drizzle olive oil

Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped--I have subbed dried before, works well

Sprinkle Paprika ( I use more than a sprinkle)

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. In a bowl, toss the delightful tiny red potato wedges with a drizzle of olive oil. Thinly enough to coat all wedges. Then sprinkle(Every time I hear the word sprinkle the old rhyme enters my head.. do you know which one.. If you sprinkle when you tinkle please be neat and wipe the seat.. Geez, can't I ever focus?) with the montreal seasoning, rosemary, and paprika. Add the potatoes to your nonstick panCover and cook for 15 minutes or so, turning occasionally. They will look like this: Keep warm and set aside. This would actually be a neat side dish by itself. But, when partnered with the rest of the ingredients in this recipe, you just know its where they belong.

Your ingredients include:

4 links hot sausage and 4 links sweet sausageGosh these are short and squat. Nothing at all like this Remember our kielbasa, our friend, it conjures images in our head that these short sausages just do not. I digress.. Forgive me..

Back to what we need , again people, focus, don't think about the kielbasa, just don't. Pot calling the kettle black here.

You will need

Olive oil, about 1 tablespoon

2 Italian Cubanelle Peppers (I use 3)

3 red peppers(my addition)

1 medium onion

6 cloves garlic

Handful chopped, fresh parsley, chopped

Colorful veggies=healthy.. I just love peppers, I always have to add extra.. have you ever tried Peppadew peppers.. check this out, you might enjoy it for superbowl.

2 tablespoons juice from pickled sliced hot cherry peppers(I use 3-I like it hot, I'm married to a fireman after all)

4 slices hot sliced, cherry peppers (I use more, same reasoning as above) Chop them You will need warm crusty bread for mopping, sopping, soaking up the juice from your plate.

To start, Cut your -do nothing for your libido- sausages into large chunks. Seed and slice your peppers, peel and slice your onion, crack your cloves of garlic from the skins, leave and them whole, my darling. Skip to my lou while you're at it.

Can I just ask you a question, cyber people? Do the ribs on peppers annoy you? They so totally annoy me .. do you know what I'm talking about .. these thingsI despise having to trim them all out, but I do, because in my mind, I think they would add water to the dish, I mean, does anyone know if there is flavor in the ribs?Is there lime in the coconut?

Back to the business at hand.

Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil, brown sausages on all sides.

Drain the excess oil and add your peppers, onions, and garlic.. Cover your pan and cook 10 more minutes. Or until peppers are done to your liking. These are to my liking.. Uncover your dish and toss in your parsley, splashes of your hot cherry pepper juice--that sounds like a chant--hot cherry pepper juice, hot cherry pepper juice, hot cherry pepper juice--, and your chopped cherry peppers Add your cooked potatoes Combine. Done. Doesn't that look so freaking good? Grab your bread and dive in!! Looking for a good crusty one ?? Wow, that doesn't sound too appetizing.. good crusty one.. But these breads certainly are.. Why not try Amber's Crusty Italian loaf from Amber's Delectable Delights? How about this one from Farmgirl Fare? Both of those look spectacular!! Oh yes, yes, yes!!Come to mama baby!Along with this, every time I make it, I MUST make Penne Vodka. Why? because all of my 4 children will not eat the hot sausage dish, only one or two will. However they will all eat Rachael Ray's Penne Vodka, of which the recipe can be found here It is a simple recipe, but is delicious and as I said, even the children love it! This is from Rachael Rays 30 Minute Meal cookbook She calls it her You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta Yes she does, that's what she calls it.

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 20 leaves basil, roughly cut or torn
• 2/3 cup vodka
• 1 pound ( or less) Penne
• 1/4 cup heavy cream( or more)
• Grated parmesan cheese

Heat your olive oil and garlic in deep saucepan over medium heat. When the garlic speaks, add tomatoes and heat through. Stir in your basil leaves

When the basil wilts, stir in your vodka, and bring to a boil. Give the pan a shake and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the pasta is done to your liking. When you drain the pasta Add the cream to your sauce, then stir in your cream until the sauce blushes a shade or two lighter. (Are you blushing still thinking about the kielbasa?) Toss sauce with your hot pasta, top with grated cheese, and again use some crusty bread. Now pair that with the sausage and peppers, potato dish and you have a splendid combo! Splendid, I say.

IMPORTANT!!!!

There is one step , when making the penne vodka that Rachael Ray left out!! A VERY IMPORTANT SIGNIFICANT ABSOLUTELY MUST DO step.

Ready, listen up, listen, when you are pouring in the vodka, STOP and pour yourself a shot

and down that sucker. Really, it makes for a more satisfying experience.

For the final part of our threesome, I mean threefer, I baked up some Awesome Blowout cookies! Recipe is from Better Homes and gardens and can be found here. I am not typing this one out. My hand is shaking from the shots (I mean shot of vodka).

Onto the sinful, calorie-laden cookie!

How awesome are these cookies?? They include honey roasted peanuts, peanut butter cups, and chocolate chips, oh my.

First you must get your peanut butter cups

Strip them, (visions of kielbasa)I mean unwrap them, and chop them up coarsely.

In a mixing bowl, you will mix your butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds

Then add your sugar, baking soda and salt

Beat till combined and scrape down the darn sides when needed. Now add your egg, vanilla, and milk

Then beat in your flour. Now, for the best part, add in your honey roasted peanuts, oh God, your chocolate chips, oh my, and your peanut butter cups, Yipppeeekayayayea......

Stir these babies in. Just try not to steal any pieces before you do so. I admit, I plead guilty. I had to put a little of each in my hand and try the combo.. (Have you ever tried peanut M&M's mixed with buttered popcorn at the movie theatre.. holy lord is that good stuff!! Make sure you say extra butter.. so what run another mile)

Bake for 10 minutes, cool on wire rack

And INDULGE

Oh yeah, quick tip, if you decide to try these cookies, place peanut butter cups in the freezer for a bit, they are easier to chop..

Guess what!! II am sure you all know Madeline of Everything Rachael Ray, well, I *spoke* with her , and pleaded to know her 2 favorite Rachael Ray dishes!!!!!! She said it was a really tough decision, but if she had to choose, she would pick....., NOT telling you, hahahaha.. I will be making it next week.. NaNaNaNaNaNa .. she picked one healthy one (not making that one) and one not so healthy.. that would be mine. Thank you Madeline for sharing with me!!

One more thing and I will let you go,, And again, I value your thoughts, Can anyone tell my why in God's green earth, my husband and my children, constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized out of thin air? Could ya let me in on that one??