BUTTERFLY FROM TEXAS

I will try to see if this picture will come in sharper. Now that is more like it. For whatever reason the modified pix was a different number. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the picture. BRIAN

TEXAS BUTTERFLY

On our recent trip to San Antonio, Texas, for the wedding of our friend Shannon Pinkelman, we stopped in Austin at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and I got this picture of a butterfly. I think I got lucky, for this is a pretty good picture. Well, it looked more in focus when I edited the picture in iPhoto, but when you download it the edited pix does not go for some reason.

I AM BACK

I have not been good about posting. That is an understatement. We are fine here. The fall weather here in Norfolk, Nebraska, has been beautiful. Last night it got down into the 20s and the high today will get into the 50s, but that is the coldest it has been. The fall colors were nice, but fading fast. We got some nice pictures of our red maple tree out back that I will share. In Nebraska we don't have beautiful forests around here or mountains, but we do have our own brand of fall beauty.

EASY CHICKEN & CHEESE ENCHILADAS

This is good. It is from CampbellsKitchen.com. Prep: 10 min. Bake: 40 min. Serves 6

1 can condensed Cream of Chicken soup. 1/2 c. sour cream. 1 c. picante sauce. 2 tbs. chili powder. 2 c. cooked diced chicken. 1/2 c. shredded Mex. cheese. 6 flour tortillas (6"), warmed. 1 small tomato, chopped. 1 green onion, sliced.

1. Stir soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in medium bowl.

2. Stir 1 c. picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in large bowl.

3. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side up in 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Pour remaining picante sauce over the filled tortillas.

4. Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

5. Top with tomato and onion.

LEMON BUTTERMILK CHESS PIE

I was reminded how long it has been since I posted something, so here is a new recipe I found while I was in Indiana visiting my Mother who is not well. Anyway, I would read the Louisville paper every morning and came across this recipe. I made it this afternoon and it is GREAT. We ate half of the pie already. There was a recipe for the pie crust, but I used a prepared one and it worked fine. So here is the recipe for the filling.

INGREDIENTS: 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 4 eggs (room temperature), 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted), 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup buttermilk (room temperature), 1/2 tsp of vanilla. 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for garnish (optional). Note: I did not use the eggs or buttermilk at room temperature and it worked fine.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350.

PROCEDURE: In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornmeal, flour and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs until light and lemon-colored. Add to the dry ingredients, blending well. Add the melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into the chilled crust, and place on middle oven rack. Bake until top is golden brown and jiggles just a bit, 45-60 minutes. I baked our pie 60 minutes and it was perfect. When cool you can garnish with the powdered sugar. We ate 1/2 of the pie before it cooled. Ha. This is good stuff. This is supposed to serve 8-10, but make that 4, if you like it as much as we did. BRIAN

SCOTTSBURG TRIP TO SORT MOTHER'S STUFF

Mother, Lucy Rogers, moved into assisted living in June or there abouts, and is enjoying the good life at The Hampton Oaks in Scottsburg, Indiana. She is 92 and enjoys having someone cook for her and look in on her and really enjoys her many visitors. She said she wanted her furniture and antiques collected over the past 70 years to go to us and to our daughters. We arranged for ABF to spot a trailer in Scottsburg and we packed, loaded and bulkheaded the treasures and they were delivered a few days later to Norfolk, Nebraska. This was so much easier than renting a truck an driving all the way to Norfolk. Well, we are all enjoying our "new" treasures and the house has been listed for sale. Here are some pictures of our packing session.

LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

This is a great easy recipe taken from the pages of the Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations cook book (a book of east deserts that start with a mix). INGREDIENTS: 1 pkg (18-1/4 oz) white cake mix, 1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix, 1 cup warm water, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 4 tsp of poppy seeds. PROCEDURE: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and oil. Beat on low for 30 seconds; beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fold in poppy seeds. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5- in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks. YIELD: 2 loaves (16 slices each). Depends on how pick a slice you cut for yourselves. Enjoy! BRIAN