Recipes... Tomatoes... Fishing...

First things first here... RECIPES...

Pretzel Bark...

 Be cautious cause this stuff is addicting and it's not really good to have around to much. Hard on the healthy lifestyle for sure! I like to make it to take to parties or when we have guests over but after the party is over it needs to get out of the house!! The last batch that had some left was sent out to the shop with Dave...:)

Here goes... Are you sitting down??

Layer some bar pans with tin foil. Try not to use pans that you will need to overlap the foil or you will have a hard time getting it off the bottom later. I use about three or four nice size bar pans. (depends how much caramel or pretzels you like) Use three bags of pretzels. I like to use one bag of the thicker pretzel and two bags of the thinner ones. Break them up a bit as you divide them evenly onto the bar pans. Set aside. Heat up your oven to 375'. Bring to a boil on low to medium heat... 1 Cup Butter and 1 Cup Brown Sugar! Stir constantly. Once boiling a good heavy boil let it alone and time it for about three minutes. It's important to cook this just right or you will have rock hard caramel or else really sticky stuff that won't break nicely. Stir again after your three minutes are up and then spread evenly over each bar pan of pretzels. No need to put it on heavy because the baking will then fuse it together. Put in oven once oven is at set temperature. Bake for five to ten minutes. (My oven takes longer!) Once the caramel is kind of bubbly then it's ready to come out. Sprinkle with choc chips (however many you like, we like a lot...:}) and I like to use some milk choc wafers to. Turn off oven and set pans back in just a few minutes until choc melts. Not to long or the choc won't spread nicely! Spread choc with a knife so it runs down the cracks and this will hold the bark together. Put the trays in the freezer. I have a big chest freezer so this works for me. Outside was working great last winter!!...:) In order to get it to break nicely you need to freeze it somehow. Once frozen about an hour or so I get it out and break it into pieces. Tupperware container and store in a cool place. I use my basement steps in the summer and my garage in winter...:) Enjoy but please don't overdose!!...:) #itssinfullydelishious

Zucchini Pizza Casserole...

4 Cups shredded zucchini, unpeeled
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (divided)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can Italian tomato sauce (I used my own marinara)
1 med. green pepper chopped

Place zucchini in strainer, sprinkle with salt. Let stand ten minutes. Squeeze out moisture. Combine zucchini with eggs, Parmesan cheese and half of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Press into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 400 for 20 minutes. Meanwhile cook beef and onion over med heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Add tomato sauce, spoon over zucchini mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Add green pepper. Bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through. 6-8 servings.

Okay our days are flying by!! I can hardly believe next week is school already!! Today we did some school shopping. I like to use discover rewards gift cards for the boys clothes since they like the name brands. We were waiting around for these cards to come in the mail and I was getting antsy. We got some of them the other day but not to the favorite name brand stores. I guess these are still on the way??   I decided not to wait. We went and got enough to get us started and when the cards come we will finish up. The big boys were the ones we were shopping for but I didn't think it necessary to put the Little's to a sitter so they came to. Big mistake. I am not one to shop with little ones and I guess I just never did it much since I had a Rachel Ann so close. Every time I do take the little ones shopping I think surely it will go better this time. Javon is so patient and does amazing every time! He is a great shopper and does not mind if I don't get much for him.

Jenika on the other hand wants everything we pass by!! Even if she knew before we left the house that we already did her school shopping and other then just a few things on her last minute list this was going to be a shopping day for the boys. She was not okay with this once she started to see all the COOL stuff in the stores! I was being accused of loving the boys way more then her today!... She had the whines like you wouldn't believe!! Do they outgrow this?? I hope!! She wanted to by shirts that had an attached necklace just for the necklace!! The shirts were way to big and not at all her size but she didn't care she wanted them anyway, just for that necklace! Since when do we by necklaces around here anyway!!?? Oh boy we were all ready to get back home again!!...:) It was hot and sticky out to and my van air conditioner gave out in early summer. (good summer to go without so far, until today!) We are so BLESSED!! I'm not complaining just wanting to remember these days when my daughter outgrows this stage of her life...:) #thistoshallpass!

Yard work got done this afternoon. I was expecting a rainy day today so getting the yard work done was a bonus. I did need to water the garden though. The boys do great with helping in the yard.

Tomatoes are getting done slowly... I'm waiting until they ripen so I do some almost everyday since Tuesday. It's a slop. Cleaning up after only a few batches is getting old but I'm so thankful for this spot on my basement porch with outdoor cookers!! I just hose it all down once I did my batches for the day. And I see waiting until the tomatoes ripen is important since my first batch was done to soon and the juice got thin and weak looking.

It was almost a six mile run this morning! My ankle still hurts when I twist it a certain way but healing has come and I'm back to more miles again. It's hard. I got lazy this summer. I sleep longer then I should in the morning. I think I will sign up to run the half again next year since this is a great summertime motivator.

The Belize presentations went well. John Turley spent one night here and is on his way back to Belize again already. Thanks to those of you that came out to see what's happening in Belize. I'm excited about visiting there again soon! Dave has had some great Syndication Investing Interest and he has been on the phone or in a meeting pretty much ever since the presentations! He loves to talk about Real Estate investing and especially about Belize!...:) He will do a great job answering all the questions you might have! His education is paying off and I'm so proud of him and the journey of Syndication he is on. It is his hobby as of now...:) I'm still trying to get used to his many trips away from home but it has been so helpful for him in this new venture of his! One day when the kids are grown I hope to go with him everywhere!...:)

Jordan had a blast on the boat with Sam's crew yesterday!! We now have some fish to fry but they need to wait a week since Jordan is doing his "No Animal Products" week. Thanks so much Sam for allowing him to join you again this year!! This truly is a huge highlight of his summer!!

Jordan caught the biggest fish again this year!! He enjoyed his day very much! The lunch we packed in the morning held him over okay. He had to watch the crew eat at Pizza Hut on the way home. He ate the other half of his grapefruit!... We are so BLESSED... Have a great night.