I made these delicious treats for my school boy when he got home.  Logan of course had one also. 

We went to the great state of OKLAHOMA fair.  It was crowded.  I just ate only an indian taco. 

MICHAEL BUBLE!

I seriously LOVE Michael Buble!

I made these cute little mice the other day.  I didn't really take my time with them so I think I could make them a lot cuter.  I had such a hard time looking for stemmed jar cherries.  My aunt Rhonda told me about these.  I love them!  What it is is a chocolate covered cherry and a hershey kiss.  The bottom is an oreo cookie.  My silly dad asked me if I licked the cream out of the oreo...and no I didn't....although I did eat most of it after I scraped it off.  These would be so cute at Halloween.  I am really going to go to the library this weekend and get my catering menu DONE!  I think I will go Saturday afternoon to the Midwest City library since it is a little bigger than the Moore one.

Chicken night at Eischens

Last night we ate at Eischen's in Okarche with some very good friends of ours.  This was our first time to eat there.  I have heard so much about the place that I was glad to finally try it.  The fried chicken was great and I am not much of a meat eater.  We had a really good time with them! 

Bar has served area since 1896



By Cass Rains, Staff Writer



OKARCHE — For more than 100 years Eischen’s Bar has been a stop-off for everyone from territory pioneers to locals looking for the bar’s famous fried chicken and cold beer.



The family owned bar and restaurant opened its doors in 1896, 11 years before Oklahoma was a state, said Ed Eischen, great-grandson of founder Peter Eischen.



But with statehood came prohibition, closing the bar. Eischen’s Bar re-opened shortly after the end of prohibition by Nick and Jack Eischen, son and grandson of Peter Eischen and Ed’s grandfather and father.



Along with the bar, the men also opened a small lunch counter, serving sandwiches, which Ed credits with keeping the bar going before it began serving its famous fried chicken.



“That lunch counter kind of kept us alive,” Ed said, noting there were several other bars in town at the time.



In the 1950s, a massive, hand-carved back bar — made in Spain in the early 1800s — was installed in the bar, making it the oldest bar in Oklahoma.







What’s on the menu







The tale of the bar’s famous fried chicken began when the Eischens tried to make money for the now-defunct family grocery store.



Ed’s brother, George, began a shuffleboard tournament for two reasons: to make money for the bar and the meat department of the grocery store, which George ran at the time.



“We used to cook them in old cast iron skillets,” Ed recalled. “He (George) served it with the same thing we serve it with now — sweet pickles, dill pickles, marinated onions and bread.”



With the recipe in place and the Wednesday tournaments gaining popularity, patrons began showing up more for the chicken than the shuffleboard.



“It just got busier and busier,” Ed said. “Then the word got out. He was only trying to make money for the meat department, and look what happened.”



In 1960, the bar began serving its now-famous fried chicken as a regular menu item.



The bar moved from cooking in cast iron to electric skillets as demand grew, and in 1964 the first automatic fryer, which could cook three chickens at a time, was purchased.



“For years and years Wednesday night was a bus-night,” Ed said. “It was chicken night at Eischen’s.”



A new item was added to the menu in the 1970s, when one of Eischen’s suppliers presented the bar with an easy-to-make snack — nachos. Ed said he wasn’t sure when someone asked for the bar’s chili on the nachos, but it, too, soon became a menu staple, along with its roast beef and barbecue sandwiches.



Some time later, a group of regulars asked Ed if they brought some okra in would the bar fry it for them. Ed obliged, and soon other guests began requesting the golden fried veggie.



“We used to have them call before 6 so we could go to the grocery store,” Ed said.



Eventually, he said, the decision was made to add it to the menu.







A fiery setback







On Jan. 21, 1993, the bar burned down. Media descended on Okarche to cover the story about the destruction of an Oklahoma landmark.



“The day of the fire all the TV stations were here,” Ed said. “It even made the national news.”



Not all was lost to the flames. Firefighters were able to save adjoining buildings and small piece of the bar’s history.



“When the fire was out there was three and half walls,” Ed “That old bar was still there.”



The bar reopened Aug. 9, 1993, with much of what was the same way it had been.



“Our first thought was to just get the doors open,” Ed said. “We kept it all the same way.”



Stories were written throughout the rebuilding process, and customers followed the rebirth of Eischen’s Bar. When the time came to open up again, Ed said a “soft” opening was planned, but word got out and it soon made it onto the news.



“We had a line out here at 9,” Ed said, laughing.



After the bar was rebuilt, workers could cook 16 chickens at a time. And, with time, the bar continued to add fryers to meet the demand for its chicken.



“Now we have eight fryers,” Ed said. “With seven of those fryers we can cook 28 chickens every 20 minutes.”



The eighth fryer is used to fry okra. The bar used to go through 10 to 20 cases of okra a week. Now, 80 to 100 cases is the norm, with up to 120 cases sold in a week last summer.



“On Saturday nights we were hitting that 300-chicken mark,” Ed said. “Since the first of the year, we’ve had one Saturday where we haven’t cooked 1,000 chickens.”



He said the bar today cooks between 2,000 to 3,000 chickens on a Saturday



Eischen’s Bar, 108 S. 2nd St., is open 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sundays and for holidays. Cash and checks are accepted — no plastic.

Stuffed Mushrooms for Mindy

This one is for my dear friend Mindy.  Mindy and I love to eat Zio's and she gets stuffed mushrooms from there just about every time.  I thought I would try to make them and they taste just like Zios.  Mindy is on a cruise for 2 weeks but when she gets back I will make these for her.  That will be the real test! 

MUSHROOMS

I love mushrooms!  Hubby does not like them at all so he didn't really enjoy me making all this mushroom stuff.  I made the mushroom dip that I made for our wedding.  Yum, if you love mushrooms then you would like this. 

I was suppose to be working on my catering today while Blaine was at school but instead I tood a nap.  I want to make an apron that says A GIRL GONE GOURMET.  How cute!

Sushi Shrimp

Well, I went to the Asian Market today with my boys. It was actually a lot of fun...but if you don't know where something is then you are out of luck. NO ONE spoke any English. I had to ask a shopper where some stuff. She was an ederly lady that actually asked me if I needed help. I must of looked lost. I am not pleased with the sushi shrimp at all. It has really no flavor and was really expensive to make. Next is ....I don't know...ANY IDEAS? I am up for the challenge. I am really going to try by next Friday have almost everything priced!

It is a rainy Saturday and I am going to go to work tonight. I really enjoy going to work though. I like getting out of the house. I went to the library last night and worked on some pricing. I have a lot of stuff priced now!! HOORAY! I plan on going to the library again on Monday. I can get a lot done not having kids around. I looked up some more appetizers today....one is Chopped Salad Appetizer in shells. It looks interesting so I might give it a try. The other one I found is called Baked Artichoke Appetizer..which is artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayo, Worcestershire's sauce, garlic powder, and Tabasco sauce. You serve it with crackers or any kind of dipper. That is all for today...there is a pic of the salad in the shells. I didn't make it.

I have nothing to show you today. I will put another cute pic of my kids. My mom did come over to watch the boys yesterday but we didn't get to the brie pockets. I am a little discouraged right now over the catering thing. I am however, going to library tonight to try to get more motivated. Busy weekend coming up but I hope to try another appetizer. Have a wonderful weekend!

No brie pockets today....Tomorrow?

My brie pockets didn't turn out today. I am going to try them again tomorrow. Tomorrow is my dentist appointment...argh! My mom is coming to watch the boys so maybe she will help me with the brie pockets. In the meantime here is some pics of my little Logan. He keeps me on my toes and loves to dress in weird stuff.

I went to the store to get the brie to make the brie pockets but I won't be able to make them until tomorrow. I did make some marshmallow treats for Blaine. We went on vacation this summer and stopped in a chocolate shop and they sold these little treats. Blaine HAD to have one. They charged $3 for one of them. I decided I could make them. Blaine couldn't wait for them to be in the frig for a while so he ate right when I got done.

Well, Happy Labor Day. I have to work tonight but oh well. I took the jalapeno things to my parents house and my mom suggested that I cook them longer to make the bacon more crispy. I made some more today and broiled them but I need to just cook them on like 375 degrees. My friend Brooke told me that her hubby didn't actually try them like I thought he did. I am taking a few to her house tonight on my way to work to see if they like them. My mom really enjoys them. My husband's aunt Susan (kind of my mother in law) suggested me make some bite size brie things.....piece of brie with crushed nuts and jam wrapped in a pastry. I will try to try that this week. I think I may have to wait on the shrimp thing because so money. I put some pics of my house up just in Susan looks on this site. She hasn't seen my house since we moved in.

Jalapeno Popper with cream cheese and little smokey

Today I made the jalapeno popper things. I don't know yet what to call them. They were really good. I am not sure they are pretty. Hubby did like them but the real test is my friend's husband who loved them at the restaurant he ate at. I am excited! I am putting them in the menu as soon as I figure out what to call them. Next, the shrimp with the sushi rice!

shopping day!

Had a wonderful day shopping. My mom and I went shopping...thrift shopping. I love bargains! We had such a good time and got to eat at Zios. My mom bought at Marshalls (one of my favorite stores) a silver fish platter for $5. I am so excited to see if I can use that in my catering at all. Money is tight so I won't be able to make the shrimp and sushi rice this weekend but hopefully soon. I was right about the marshmallow cream dip...my mom agreed with the mayo. Tomorrow is the day that I plan on making the jalapeno pepper appetizer. That is all for tonight...hubby watching the OU game and both kids in bed. Thanks mom for a good time today..I know you are the only one reading this!

Cracker canapes with mushroom cream

I had these wonderful mushroom dip at my wedding. I made them the day before the wedding and couldn't stop eating them. I think that I will add this to my menu. I need to type out the recipe today. I had it as a dip at my wedding but I think I will put a dollop of the mushroom dip on a cracker and garnish it with some parsley and a little slice of mushroom. My simply appetizers recipe book has something in it that I really want to try. It is called Nigiri Sushi with Shrimp. It looks kind of simple so I am game for that. It is a shrimp split open with sushi rice in the middle. You serve it the wasabi. Man, if I only had the money to buy this stuff now and work on it. It will all come with time. I can hardly wait!

Cracker canapes with mushroom cream

marshmallow cream dip

Marshmallow cream

I am just now gettnig to post something. I went to the store today in hopes of making a wonderful marshmallow cream dip. I am not so sure it is great. It calls for 1/2 of mayo and after eating it I could taste the mayo. My 5 year old son however loved it. I think I am going to make it again but have marshmallow cream, orange juice, and lemon juice. My friend Brooke went to dinner last night in Tulsa and had an appetizer that is a jalapeno with a little smokey, cream cheese, and it is wrapped in bacon. Sounds wonderful! I will try making that this weekend. FRIDAY tomorrow. Work tomorrow night

I was Inspired

This is my first time to write a blog. I am not sure anyone will read this but I think it is good for me to get my thoughts out of my head. I am working on a catering business. I have dreamed of this for about 8 years now. I am finally just going to do it. Julie and Julia movie totally inspired me and I am sure there are many blogs now because of that movie. My youngest son is napping and I should be working on creating a menu for the catering but I thought blogging might help me. Today on creating my menu I am going to type out all my recipes that I know are good and get them ready. I am totally on my own on this and I am not the brightest person in the world but I truly believe in myself....did I just think that....YES I AM WORTHY OF CATERING! I can do this...I CAN! Okay now I better just get started and tell my son to stop playing in his room and SLEEP! This felt good! I like it already