A Southern Sunday Post…."THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!"

I can't think of any better words to describe what I'm feeling at this moment! I truly can't! I would love for you to listen to  Rodney Atkins singing this song but I doubt you will…so, I've put the chorus here so you might just get a taste of what I'm feeling right now!

These are my people
This is where I come from
We're givin' this life everything we've got and then some
It ain't always pretty
But it's real
That's the way we were made
Wouldn't have it any other way
These are my people

Happy 90th Birthday, Joe! We love you very much!

I'm so grateful for my Aunt Jayne and Robert opening up their beautiful home for this party!

And there was NOTHING like getting to be with our cousins Kimberly and Melanie again after way too many years! I have a feeling this will be happening again pretty soon! Just look at Layton's smile! She loved being a part of a big, happy family!

What an incredible example of a loving marriage they have given to us!!!

After a fun filled, family weekend in Memphis…celebrating my grandfather's 90th birthday….I've come to know one thing that is for certain…we NEED our people! They are the backbone that holds us up strong! They are the ones we can count on when the going gets tough! And by golly, they are the ones we can celebrate with when life is worth celebrating! I can't think of a better reason to celebrate than this occasion! My grandfather's 90th Birthday!

I sure hope to be able to see my own children enjoy this celebration when I turn 90 but hey, if not…we will celebrate in heaven! For now, we sure did enjoy being together for Joe's 90th birthday! We are already planning my grandmother's 90th celebration next year! It was so much fun to see each other after more years than I care to admit….it had been WAY overdue for this family reunion! Even Layton had the time of her life! 

However, I must admit it was nice to come home to some wonderful leftovers and not have to think about cooking after this eventful weekend! I made this dish Friday night and knew you would all want to see it and try it! I promise, it's incredible! The original recipe came from Pinterest but I did make a few changes….hope you like it!

It's Fajita Shrimp Pasta and I promise it was incredible!

 It was so easy to sautée the onions and the peppers…and garlic!

All I did was add the Mexican Seasoning!

 Then I sautéed the shrimp for just 2-3 minutes with some more seasoning!

 Next came the Enchilada Sauce!

 After cooking the veggies and the shrimp I simply set them aside while the pasta and the sauce cooked.

 Then, because we weren't ready to eat it right away it was easy enough to put in this casserole dish and set in the oven to bake while we continued on with our night…

 Loved using this Cotija cheese for the first time! 

So light and yummy!

It only baked until it was bubbly and then we sat down to a delicious dinner of Fajita Shrimp Pasta!

Enjoy!

Fajita Shrimp Pasta

13.25 oz box dry whole wheat linguine ( I used 3/4's of the box )
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers, sliced thinly into strips (I used 1 yellow, 1 red )
1/2 large yellow onion, halved and sliced thinly into strips
2 1/2 Tbsp fajita seasoning, divided
1 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined ( I used 1 lb. of shrimp )
19 oz can enchilada sauce
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese

Crumbled Cotija Cheese

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron skillet until rippling. Add the peppers, onions, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the fajita or Mexican Seasoning. Cook 8-10 minutes or until tender and onions are translucent and veggies are browned for that fajita effect! Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Add shrimp and remaining 1 tablespoon seasoning to skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are no longer opaque. Remove shrimp to a bowl and set aside.

Add enchilada sauce and cream cheese to skillet and whisk well until cream cheese is melted and incorporated into sauce. Toss to incorporate and melt the cream cheese.

Add all ingredients ( including pasta ) and toss well. Place in a greased casserole dish and crumble the Cotija cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes…may want to cover with foil so as not to dry out the pasta.

Yield: 7 servings (about 1 3/4 cups each).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 401 calories; 9.1 g. fat; 140 mg. cholesterol; 618 mg. sodium; 52.9 g. carbohydrate; 7.4 g. fiber; 28.7 g. protein

Result: Must make recipe! That’s right…get on it! Choose your favorite protein if shrimp isn’t it. You can prep your veggies ahead of time to make this a 20-minute meal. Husband-approved…dietitian-loved. This makes a lot of food…perfect for leftovers, entertaining guests, or lots of hungry mouths to feed. With all the protein and fiber, this is one filling meal packed with flavor…and only 400 calories. Enjoy!

We loved every single bite of it and are already looking forward to the leftovers after a long weekend in Memphis!

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and read about my grandfather's 90th birthday! I wish I could truly convey the emotions and the "specialness" of this event! So wish Miller and Will could've been there as well! And my precious brother Wayne and his family! We sure missed y'all! Don't worry, y'all will be there next time! And you will LOVE it!

Much love,

Happy Early Birthday, Elvis!

I know it's early...I know his birthday is January 8th! However...I'm dedicating this post to my mom! 

And I can't wait for her to see it!!!

Graceland....I remember it well!!!

Ok....Well it's certainly not "Tara" from Gone With the Wind but it certainly did suffice for my longings of fame and stardom whenever we would go "home" to Memphis!  I had heard countless stories from my parents since they literally grew up just around the corner from Graceland. Needless to say... I'm an Elvis fan from birth...and yes, I cried the day he died.

                            Here in lies the proof of my heritage...so to speak!!

 Not only was my Uncle Ricky in Elvis' brother's wedding....not only did my mother sneak and peak over the fence at Priscilla and Elvis and lord knows who else when she was in high school....she toted ME along with her long after I was born!!! Here we are....on the front cover of a Memphis magazine way back when...Yep....that's me!  The 4 year old little girl with blonde hair being HELD by my beautiful mom gazing up at the King Himself on his horse!! (Just look at her stylish orange coat and fabulous scarf!!)  My mother has always said I wanted to carried until I was in the first grade!  Now I believe her! Anyway...moving right along....as a celebration of Elvis' birthday I thought I would share with you the recipe that was made famous I thought by my family!  Good heavens...we ate there EVERY time we went back to Memphis to visit and looked forward to it!  It was where my parents grew up going on their dates when they were "young"!

Later, I was informed... that in reality...this pizza was made famous by Elvis Presley...Food Connoisseur!
I hope you try making it and that you love it at least half as much as I do!! It is certainly worth the effort!

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water

Coletta's Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/3 cup sliced onions
• 1/6 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 ounces water

Toppings:

• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• 12 ounces low-moisture, part skim shredded mozzarella (recommended: Wisconsin)
• 2 ounces pasteurized process shredded Cheddar (recommended: Wisconsin)
• 1 1/4 pounds barbecue meat (cooked and chopped pork shoulder), heated ( I used meat from Miss Myra's )

Directions

To Make Dough: Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of flour. Add the yeast mixture, oil and 3/4 cup of water. Stir and mix with a wooden spoon until a rough ball of dough is formed and dough cleans the sides of bowl. Turn dough out of bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough for 7 to 8 minutes until it is smooth and satiny (dust dough with flour if it feels sticky). Dust a large mixing bowl lightly with flour. Place dough in bowl; cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Put dough in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 hours, until double in bulk.

After dough has doubled in bulk, punch down and turn out of bowl onto work surface. Knead lightly for about 2 minutes. Roll or stretch dough into a circle that is 16 inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch thick. Place dough in a 16-inch flat pizza pan. Cover dough with a clean towel and let rise a second time for about 45 minutes before adding toppings.

To Make Barbecue Sauce: Combine all barbecue sauce ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat. Strain outcloves and onions. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use. Sauce can be made 1 or 2 days ahead. Makes 2 cups of sauce.

To Assemble Pizza: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Spread 1/3 of barbecue sauce evenly over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge. Mix the mozzarella andcheddar cheese and sprinkle them over the sauce. Bake pizza for about 10 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove pizza from oven and spread barbecue meat over the cheese. Add remaining barbecue sauce evenly over meat. Serve at once.

Let me know how you liked it! I promise you won't be disappointed!
For now...sit back and enjoy the music! Hopefully while you eat your Coletta's Barbecue Pizza!

Mom....these are for you! I love you and I cherish the memories! Next we will talk about Tom Jones and the airport!!!

Return To Sender

I'm All Shook Up!
Let me be....Your Teddy Bear!
Jail House Rock!

and my personal, all time favorite that I used to practice in my room when I was suppose to be studying....

Don't Be Cruel

Ok...enough already, right?!  Hope you enjoyed a trip down my memory lane! But for now....ELVIS HAS DEFINITELY LEFT THE BUILDING!