Grandma’s Meat and Potatoes with Baked Veggies-Dinner in 80 minutes, No Fuss!


Who doesn’t like an easy meal that is reminiscent of Sunday Supper at Grandma’s house?

My cousin brought me two semi-thick ribeye steaks this weekend,

I don’t own a grill. I am not a huge fan of skillet fried steak–so whats a girl to do? I grabbed a 9×13 glass baking dish and got to work.

Ingredients

2 ribeye steaks (or roast or whatever beef you got)

1 medium onion, chopped into big chunks

4 medium to large carrots, peeled and course cut into chunks

4 medium/large red potatoes, washed and quartered (no need to peel)

Seasoning to preference (I used salt pepper and Montreal steak seasoning)

1/3 cup of water.

Put the meat on the bottom of the baking dish, layer the veggies on top, sprinking the seasoning in between stuff, pour water into the dish.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. pop in oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 70-80 minutes until meat is cooked and veggies are tender. I set the timer and just “forget about it” and go get other things done in the meantime.

Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry every one is!

Wake and Bake Breakfast Company–lunch in Pendleton, South Carolina


The name itself is rather funny but it’s appropriate–it’s a great place to dine.

My cousin Amy and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the great food while we were there. It was a different restaurant all together the last time I ate at the location a couple of years ago. The change is well worth visiting!

The food is prepared fresh with amazing ingredients and the service is wonderful, which is so important!

Amy loved the decor and design of the business that she even purchased a Wake and Bake coffee mug as a souvenir for herself, a fun way to remember our lovely outing!

Station Cove Falls–4 Foot Bridges in- 1 Mile Round Trip-Easy Walk!


A lovely visitor came to see me for the weekend from North Carolina. I couldn’t have asked for a better adventure buddy than my cousin, Amy Reid. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon in the outskirts of Walhalla, South Carolina.

Going to the waterfall at Station Cove was enjoyable. The whole walking trail, from where we parked at the trail head to the waterfall and back, was 1 mile. It was super easy terrain. The natural flora and fauna is outstanding. There are ferns, mushrooms of all sorts, and song birds in multitude. Plus, there are lots of trees and so much more. The walking trail and park is free!

We donned our comfy sneakers and off we went, bottled water in hands–the trail head information sign states that it takes about 30-40 minutes to go round trip from parking area to waterfall and back. Amy and I, though, took our time and spent a total of about 2-2.5 hours as we chilled on the flat table rocks on the edge of the waterfall pool and did what we do best, talked, looked at the waterfall, splashed our feet, and talked a whole lot more!

The trail is super easy for walking. At one point, it splits off into another trail that leads to another site 2.7 miles away.We weren’t brave enough to trek through that today! The trail is easy, as stated, and allows bicycles (non motorized). The trail is also very family and pet friendly. However, I don’t believe it’s accessible or usable for mobility aids like wheelchairs.

Enjoying the delights at Mocha Mountain, Walhalla, South Carolina


My lovely cousin, Amy, drove down from North Carolina to spend the weekend with me in Upstate, South Carolina. We kicked things off with a wonderful and spectacular lunch at Mocha Mountain in downtown Walhalla, South Carolina. It is just a few blocks up the street from the historical St. Johns Lutheran Church (worth checking out!)

While we waited for our lunch to be served, Amy shopped the boutique within. It hosted a lovely assortment of handmade goods. These ranged from goat milk soaps to yeti items and more. Amy purchased a little souvenir treat for herself while there and I snapped some photos. I found Yeti–a mural of him anyway! Why is that we assume Yeti is a dude and the Loch Ness Monster a cool chick? Wonders never cease but I digress!

I ordered the Mountain Club. I had avocado added. I chose rye bread with homemade potato salad on the side. It was absolutely delicious. If my stomach would have allowed, I would have eaten two of them, it was that good! Amy also chose the club. She enjoyed it on white bread with mayo added. She scarfed it down with a side of chips. She ordered a caramel latte and I had the London Fog, both amazing beverages. You can choose a real, ceramic mug or a to-go mug. This is a great feature because I prefer a real mug. Mocha Mountain is the only place in this region that serves a London Fog. It is one of my absolute most favorite hot beverages. It really added the dazzle in our dining adventures!

After lunch, we felt full. We headed to Station Cove Waterfalls, which is about a 10-minute drive up Highway 11. The adventures continue!

Citrus-Shroom Herbed Tiliapia Complete Lunch-Dinner (and Diabetic Friendly!)


I have adult onset Type II diabetes (non insulin dependent!) and cooking at home often helps me keep my blood sugar in check–and eat healthier. I am not a dietitian or a nutritionist but I do like to cook healthy–enjoy!No one would suspect that it’s diabetic friendly!

Serves 2

4 pieces of frozen tilapia fillets

2 tablespoons lemon Juice (from the bottle is great!)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tsp minced garlic (I use the jar stuff)

1 tsp of dried basil

a couple of shakes of Tony Satcherehs

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded (I used the peeler to just shred it!)

1 medium green bell pepper, pith and seeds removed, cut into spears/strips

1 small container fresh mushrooms, sliced (stems and all)

Put all the stuff into a medium/large semi deep skillet, turn on medium-low heat and simmer together until fish is cooked and the veggies are al-dente.

In a small pot, put 2 cups of water and 1 cup of plain quinoa with salt and pepper-cook this on medium heat for 15 minutes, stir periodically and let rest (turn off heat) to let finish cooking

Plate up the fish and veggies on top of the quinoa or side by side, as in the photo. Pairs really nicely with Chamomile tea or Cinnamon Apple Tea–Enjoy! .

Collection of 21 Oil Paintings–Make me an Offer! Free shipping–secure buying via eBay!


There are many paintings, all crafted and painted by me, Anna Potthoff. I am selling 21 of them as an assorted lot–make me an offer! I am Spring Cleaning my Studio and need to make some room! Free shipping to the United States but can ship them world wide for a small additional shipping fee. Here are the 21 original, one of a kind paintings included in the lot–various sizes from 8″x10″ to 24×30″—some are framed, other are not but all are ready to hang and be on display in a gallery, library, office, home or given as gifts!

The link to my eBay is here! Or click on the link below! Happy Shopping

I am an American Artist currently living in upstate South Carolina and am seeking to create more beauty in the world and help clear out some of my studio. The dream is help promote my small business and other small business–neighbors supporting neighbors.

One of a kind Oil Paintings–American Artist Anna Potthoff available for purchase–with free shipping to USA (nominal shipping fee for worldwide delivery!)


So many stories to tell in each painting–everyone comes with free shipping the addresses in the USA–but can be shipped world wide with nominal shipping fee.

Each painting is hand-painted and ready to hang–some are framed, others are not but can be hung unframed–and have the ability to be framed if you choose!

Happy Shopping! Click Here to purchase on my eBay store!

Meat Free Friday–Celebrating Lent Recipe


Here’s a simple easy (and cheap!) recipe!

Ingredients

1 can pinto beans (don’t drain!)

1/2 a bell pepper (any color)

a hand full of grape tomatoes, quartered

1 tsp of Cajun season

Sour Cream for topping

Combine the beans, cajun seasoning and vegetables into a small pot, simmer for 8 minutes on medium, serve with tortillas and a dollop of sour cream on top. Feeds 2.

Simple Supper–less than 20 minutes to feed the family or yourself a couple of meals.


Spring Break is over and we’re back to the grindstone! One method of saving money for your next adventure is to make affordable, cheap meals at home. While I am a huge fan of Aldi’s low prices, deals can be found just about anywhere! This meal out would easily cost $12-15 per person–but I made 3-4 portions (depending on how hungry each person is!) for under $6, total! I pack the extra portions as meal prep for lunches at work.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast tenders (Aldi’s, $8.99 for the big bag, so about $1.99 used)

1 bag of California Blend Frozen Vegetables (Aldi, $1.89)

A splash of lemon juice (I used the bottle, $0.20)

2 Teaspoons of Herb Mix (Dollar Tree, $1.25, Used $0.20 roughly)

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil ($0.50)

Saute the chicken tenders in the olive oil until almost done, diced it up or shred it, return to pan, add the bag of frozen vegetables and spices, simmer on med-low heat for another 10 minutes. Serve Hot.

Don’t forget to check out my eBay! Over 100 items for sale, each with free shipping and benefits the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keensburg, Colorado!

When Manners Matter-Traveling Local, Road Trip or Abroad, it all matters–and makes it so much better! Tips for a more joyful, successful experience.


Travel, or any interaction for that matter, manners truly do matter. There isn’t a language or cultural barrier that being polite and mannerly doesn’t help.It even aids in the work place. While manners won’t be a cure-all for every situation,manners and a smile can truly go a long way.

Why do manners matter? For starters, being a sour-puss or abrasive is a turn off and off putting. Most don’t want to being around a person or group that is obnoxious or nasty–it is the personification of rancid body odor and poor reflection of the person. Rudeness or lack of manners always portrays the person isn’t giving a dickers damn about anything, which is not conducive to much.

While “polite society”, as my grandmother would say, would kindly over look such ill-behavior. Most won’t likely hang around long and few might even bring it to light (in a discreet setting).

What are the perks of being mannerly and polite?

  1. It allows for a better experience, crossing barriers that may exist (language, cultural, diversity, etc)
  2. It aids the traveler in getting what they may need, help finding a specific location, a recommendation for dinner, a cool place to jive or enjoy some local delicacy and so much more.
  3. Helps in a pinch if one gets lost.
  4. Assists in business transactions, especially in making new deals or keeping repeat business.
  5. Manners can introduce new, happy experiences. A simple but genuine smile is universally accepted as nice!
  6. Smile and be patient
  7. Use a pleasant tone
  8. Ask openly
  9. Make eye contact and listen
  10. Be curious, respectfully

Here is a link to give some tips if you like to know more!