Old Glory

This year we had a pretty low key Fourth!

We tried to get home to Arizona, but alas, it was not in our cards.

So we did the next best thing and relaxed.

I very much missed making french toast and pancakes for all my family and seeing all the nieces and nephews decked out in their Red, White, & Blue best.

I cheered myself up by hanging out in the kitchen and making some scrumptious edibles.

Have you ever had chilaquiles?!  They are so delicious and I thought I would try to replicate the ones we had when we were in Dallas last.  We went to a great place called

and had some that I DREAM about.

Mine turned out really good, maybe not quite as good, but definitely still edible.

Ingredients:

2 cups oil for frying

1/4 cup chopped onion

30 (6 inch) corn tortillas, cut into eights
8 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 (7.75 ounce) can Mexican style hot tomato sauce {like El Pato}
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions:
1. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Carefully stir in the tortilla strips. Fry until tortilla strips are crisp and golden brown. Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels. Drain the skillet, leaving only a thin residue of oil.
2. Over medium heat, sautee onion. Then add eggs and cook until eggs are firm. Add tortilla strips to the pan.  Season with salt.
3. Mix Mexican style hot tomato sauce and water into the skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Top with cheese. Continue cooking until cheese has melted.

Next I made PIE!  I went a little 'summer fruit' crazy at Sam's Club so we had more fruit than we could possibly eat and so I made fruit pies.

Creamy Blueberry Crumble Pie

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh blueberries

1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

3/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
Directions:
1. Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add eggs and sour cream, stirring until blended.
2. Place blueberries in pastry shell, and spoon sour cream mixture over berries.
3. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter or margarine with pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal. Sprinkle this mixture over sour cream mixture and berries in the pie shell.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes, or until lightly browned. If desired, garnish with additional blueberries and mint leaves.

The Blueberry pie was wonderful! If you have some extra blueberries lying around, do yourself a favor and make this pie.

 Purple Plum Pie

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced fresh plums

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pastry shell
TOPPING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
 Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; pour into the pastry shell. For topping, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cover edges of crust during the last 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cool on a wire rack.

The Plum pie was pretty tart!  It should be eaten with lots of vanilla ice cream!

We drove to Fort Gibson to eat dinner {& pie} with my Aunt & Uncle.  Then we enjoyed a spectacular fireworks show.

As we drove home, I sat pondering.  I am thankful for the freedoms I enjoy each & every day.  I am thankful to the brave men & women that protect us each day.  On the flight that officially made my home Oklahoma, I had spent many hours in the airport.  It was a long day.  I spent extra hours in the Dallas airport because we had a very special passenger that would be joining us.  He would not be seated in the cabin though, his journey {which was much, much longer than mine} was in the cargo hold, his seat, a wooden box.  The flight attendant asked us all to stand as he was loaded into the belly of the plane.  Then when we landed here in Tulsa, we were in no rush to EXIT the plane.  We watched out our little windows as his fellow soldiers, one of whom accompanied him the entire journey to make sure he made it home, carried him to his parents, his wife, and his son.  It was a scene that I don't want to forget. 

There is great sacrifice tied to our freedom. 

 Before the fireworks show started, a prayer was said, the National Anthem was sung, and we all stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.  It's amazing how even though I probably haven't said it in years, I could say it perfectly.