Earle Kazmark Jan 2, 1934 - July 23, 2009

It's been a sad time for the funky junk family, our father passed away last week and we are back at home visiting family and friends.

We will miss him.... we created a tribute to him, you may visit it at EarleTKazmark.blogspot.com

Linda & Dixie

Backyard Cookout~ Williams Sonoma Style

I was cruisin' some of my favorite sites and I came across this totally yummy Backyard Cookout! It is just a little something different!!! Enjoy~

Cheddar and Corn Jalapeño Poppers

Filled with cheddar cheese, corn kernels and other savory ingredients, our fire-roasted peppers are the perfect appetizer for outdoor gatherings. Or serve these stuffed peppers alongside a platter of Smokehouse Ribs.

Ingredients:
18 large jalapeño peppers

1 1/4 cups finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup chopped corn kernels

2 Tbs. minced green onion, white and green portions

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Directions:
Cut 1/4 inch off the top of each jalapeño pepper; reserve the tops. Using a thin knife or small melon baller, hollow out the centers of the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs; do not cut through the flesh.

Prepare a grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat.

In a bowl, stir together the cheese, corn and green onion, and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the center of each pepper with 1 to 2 Tbs. of the cheese mixture, filling to within 1/8 inch of the top of the pepper. Place the filled peppers upright in a jalapeño pepper roaster and set the cut tops back on top of the peppers.

Place the pepper roaster on the grill over indirect heat and cover the grill. Roast until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Transfer the jalapeño poppers to a platter and serve immediately. Makes 18 jalapeño poppers.



Smokehouse Ribs

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chili powder

2 Tbs. sweet paprika

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

6 lb. spare ribs, cut into 3 slabs, each about 16 inches long

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup wood chips

1 cup barbecue sauce


Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, paprika, oregano and cayenne. Rub the ribs on both sides with the spice mixture and season generously with salt and black pepper. Place the ribs on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Put the wood chips in a small bowl, add water to cover and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the wood chips and place them on a smoker tray to one side of a gas grill. Preheat the grill on medium-high heat, covered, until the wood chips begin to smoke, about 10 minutes. Turn off all but the left and right burners and reduce the heat to medium.

Set a grill-top smoking rack in the center of the grill over indirect heat. Place one slab of ribs on each shelf of the rack (the bottom slab will sit directly on the grill grates). Cover the grill and cook the ribs until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bones, about 2 hours, rotating the ribs among the shelves every 45 minutes. During the last 20 minutes of cooking, baste the ribs occasionally with the barbecue sauce.

Transfer the ribs to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the ribs between the bones and arrange on a warmed platter. Serves 6.



With the addition of yellow cornmeal, simple shortcakes gain hearty texture and a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with blueberries. The berries' fruitiness is intensified by gently cooking a portion of them until juicy and then mixing in fresh berries for texture. Soft, fluffy, vanilla-scented whipped cream pulls all the elements together.

Ingredients:
6 pints blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

10 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed

Sweetened whipped cream for serving


Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pour 4 pints of the blueberries into a large bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 2 pints blueberries, the sugar and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries have burst and are very juicy, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the warm blueberry mixture over the fresh blueberries, stir gently to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add the butter pieces to the bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the texture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle in the 1 cup cream and stir with a wooden spoon until evenly moistened. The dough should be moist and cohesive. If it looks and feels dry, stir in more cream, 1 Tbs. at a time, until the dough comes together.

On a lightly floured work surface, pat the dough into a round about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-inch pastry cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Bring the dough scraps together and repeat; you should have 8 rounds total. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake the shortcakes until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the shortcakes cool completely.

Using a serrated knife, cut the shortcakes in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves, cut sides up, on dessert plates. Spoon about 3 Tbs. of the blueberry mixture on the bottom halves, then spoon dollops of whipped cream on top of the berries. Cover with the top halves of the shortcakes, cut sides down, and serve immediately. Serves 8.

All these recipes can be found at Williams-Sonoma

Facebook Giveaway!

We are almost to 200 friends on our fan page on Facebook! The 200th friend will receive something fun! Spread the word and join our fan page!

xoxo
Dixie

Fabulous Friends!!!

My friend from grade school came to visit me this weekend with her daughter! I was so excited because in the last 20 years this is the first time I had a friend from school come visit for the whole weekend =) So, I had to make this some what of a fun weekend for all of us.
First off... I put my hubby on food patrol! He gathered all the fixins for the whole weekend. He had to do it up right because I bragged about how much of a wonderful cook he was. Plus, this way I don't have to cook...hehehe!
Next, was planning fun activities to do up here in Indianola. This was a little bit easier then I thought it would be... My friend Liz of "Seabold Vintage" was putting on her flea market this weekend in Bainbridge Island. That was a must see! Before we went to the flea market we had to check out the shops in Winslow (which is on Bainbridge too). There is one paper store that had the funniest glasses that her daughter could not resist to purchase for her friend back home. They reminded me of glasses that Elton John would wear back in the day. Then we hit the flea market! Of course I was talking about our next show that the Funky Junk Sister's will be having in October to everyone. There was some great stuff there. Liz's stuff was awesome as usual! It looked like everyone was having a great time... wheeling and dealing in each booth. We also toured around Poulsbo. Hit the fabulous bakery that they have there... yummy! Of course I am still doing the diet thing.. so, I got a healthy cookie (if there is such a thing) it had pumpkin seeds, flax, and some other health stuff. It was pretty good. I think it was called "Grandpa's Cookies". My friend's daughter had a yummy looking pull apart... I just wanted to take it out of her hands it looked so good! Ok, enough about food because I will probably go raid the fridge if I keep talking about it!
The nights consisted of sitting out on the back deck enjoying a nice warm fire... drinking a few adult drinks.. and thinking about how much I have missed this. We had a lot of fun talking about the good ol' days and people that we have seen over the years. Our 20 year reunion is next summer and we can't wait to catch up with everyone!

On To The Next Show!

We have made it official! Our next show is in October... The first event was a huge success!!! By the end of the show everyone was asking when the next one will be. After working out the football schedule around my sister's house (she has all boys). This seemed to be the perfect date! We are doing a Girls Night Out which will be based around fundraising to save the ta-ta's! What a wonderful way to shop and support a great cause. We are also offering an early bird special on Saturday for those die hard shoppers! There have been a few changes which we think are for the better. Mark your calendars for the BIG EVENT! The holidays are just around the corner and this is the place to get your one of a kind gifts!!! Checkout the Funky Junk Sister's Blog and FunkyJunkSisters.com

xoxo
Dixie

Free Shipping!!!

The Chic Housewife is offering FREE shipping on sign orders over $100.00! Sign up to be a wholesale vendor.
I will be adding new signs and products everyday for the next few weeks...so keep checking back =)

xoxo
Dixie

The Year was 1972

The year was 1972 in a small town called Deer Park. My family built their own home on a few acre property... life was much simpler. They had cows, horses, and chickens that roamed the land.
That summer they brought home a brand new baby girl. My parents were no strangers at having kids for as I was the 4th to be born. My dad named me after my mom... probably because he knew I would turn out just like her!
Today is my birthday!!! I am looking back at the years that have past.
I remember getting older and having our german sheperd as our babysitter...and he was a good one. If anyone would drive onto our property "Duke" would be right on their car window not letting them out of the car. Those poor door to door salesman. I miss that dog!!! I also remember the long walk from the bus stop to our house which was about a mile. For a 5 year old walking home from the kindergarten bus that was a long walk. In todays world I don't even let my kids out of my site!!! As the years passed and I grew older and more independant... like riding my bike into town over the summer when I was 9... no parent supervision until my mom came home (which we knew better to be home before mom) Would I trust my kids...probably! Do I trust others..no way!!! All summer long we would see almost all of our school friends for as the Deer Park pool was the place to be. When I walk into the rec center and smell the chlorine ~ flashbacks of that simpler time comes to mind.
I grew up in this small town with the same kids all through school. This is what I want for my own children.. a simpler time. To have life long friends. Someday!!! As for today I am in love with the most wonderful man and have two special little girls. My oldest daughter~ my husband said we should of named her after me...she is just like me in every way. One day they will look back and hopefully have wonderful stories to tell about growing up. xoxo

4th of July family fun!

Whoohoo! What a party!!! Most of the family came up for the 4th of July festivities... lots of food, fun, and music!
Playing on the jukebox around the homestead has been Michael Jackson to remember all the good times that we had growing up listening to him... made us feel like kids again! R.I.P. Michael!





Oh...all the food!!! Patty & her husband (Troy) came over from Spokane, Washington. They spent all of friday touring around Pikes Place Market. Picked up some Mick's hot pepper jelly for some snacks. We have cream cheese with hot pepper jelly poured over the top and wheat thin crackers are used for dipping. Yummy!!! Next, we made Red Velvet cupcakes with white frosting and blue sprinkles...tying in with the red, white, and blue theme of the day. I also made homemade cheesecake. My nephew, Travis, requested my famous (at least with the family) pasta salad... always the perfect hangover remedy =) My hubby made the classic cheese burgers and hot dogs. Linda & Joe brought over some wonderful trout that Joe caught on his last fishing trip to Alaska. Everything was very good!!


Next, was the fun! The guys left the house around 3:00 pm in search for the best deal on fireworks...lol They are so funny! Hunting for rabbit (fireworks)... so about 6 I made the call... we are hungry and the kids are restless. Lucky enough they were just down the street. We sat around on the deck talking about the ol' days... how times have changed on how we celebrate Independence Day. Remembering growning up in the town of Deer Park and who we see over the year. After the dinner is done we head on down to the beach to light off fireworks. Like every year the guys do a wonderful job!
We hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Independence Day! xoxo