Each year I set a personal goal of reading an average of three books per month and rarely do I fail to meet this. 2009 was a banner year.... I read almost double this amount! Sure, many of them were lightweights, but I read for pure pleasure and entertainment. They don't have to be lengthy tomes that impact the world or make a statement.
I can honestly say I liked every book I read this year. Some are always better than others, though, so the following is a list of the ones I enjoyed most. I've never been good at reviewing books so I'll just make a comment or two then provide the Amazon link for more information.
In no particular order:
1. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (Recommended by my sister-in-law, it's possibly my favorite of the year. If you're a dog-lover, it's a must read.)
2. Matthew Shardlake Mysteries by C.J. Sansom (I read the first three and decided to group them as one here. Thanks again to Petty Witter for introducing me to this author.)
3. Day After Night by Anita Diamant (A gift from Quid who knew that I loved Diamant's novel The Red Tent. I liked this one even more.)
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (One of many great recommendations from Bob.)
5. T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton (This series "sagged" a little for me about midway, but the past few installments have been very good. I look forward to reading U.)
6. The Forest by Edward Rutherford (I love Rutherford's writing style and have read all his novels with the exception of the two about Ireland. They're in my TBR stack for 2010.)
7. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (Another pick from Bob, I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did. Written in an interesting format, it reads quickly.)
8. Imperium by Robert Harris (I love reading books set in ancient Rome. This was almost as good as Pompeii, also by Harris.)
9. The River Wife by Jonis Agee (Parts of this novel were much better than others, but overall I enjoyed it.)
10. I couldn't decide between these three for my last pick: The Sweet By and By (Todd Johnson), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson), and The Good Thief (Hannah Tinti).
- Kelly
- Making my way through the ups and downs of life, holding fast to my favorite Bible verse: "For we walk by faith, not by sight." ~2 Corinthians 5:7. I began blogging in earnest at Yahoo360 on October 24, 2005. (briefly using LiveJournal and blog-city prior to that) In June 2008 I moved to Blogger. I'm now at WordPress where I hope to remain.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Good Luck Peas
New Year's Day is just around the corner and all true Southerners know that means eating black eyed peas for good luck. Although I'm not one for superstition, I do like to keep with tradition and will have black eyed peas on the menu at my house.
For years I cheated and served purple hull peas instead of black eyes. We grew them in our garden and it was convenient to just pull some out of the freezer for the occasion. A couple of years ago I decided to switch to the real thing and have found several good recipes using black eyes. Today's paper had a recipe for black eyed pea soup that I plan to try this year. If it's good, I'll share it here. Meanwhile, this recipe from a friend at church is what I've prepared the past two years.
3 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 (2 oz.) jar diced pimento, drained
1/2 cup diced purple onion
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 T. vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
Combine first 3 ingredients, toss gently. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a jar or bowl, shake or blend well. Pour over pea mixture, cover and chill at least 3 hours. Yield: 6-8 servings.
For years I cheated and served purple hull peas instead of black eyes. We grew them in our garden and it was convenient to just pull some out of the freezer for the occasion. A couple of years ago I decided to switch to the real thing and have found several good recipes using black eyes. Today's paper had a recipe for black eyed pea soup that I plan to try this year. If it's good, I'll share it here. Meanwhile, this recipe from a friend at church is what I've prepared the past two years.
Black Eyed Pea Salad
from the 1988 Southern Living Recipe Book
3 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 (2 oz.) jar diced pimento, drained
1/2 cup diced purple onion
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 T. vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
Combine first 3 ingredients, toss gently. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a jar or bowl, shake or blend well. Pour over pea mixture, cover and chill at least 3 hours. Yield: 6-8 servings.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Favorite Five - Holiday Eating/Drinking
I'm sure all of you have certain snacks, dishes or drinks that you associate with specific holidays. You know... Grandma's plum pudding at Christmas or Aunt Sally's homemade peach ice cream on the 4th of July. Or maybe it's just the candy corn you always buy for Halloween.
My family does a lot of holiday eating. We often try new recipes, but there are a few staples that I always look forward to. Here are some of my favorite holiday treats:
1. Cornbread Dressing - I've been making dressing for Thanksgiving since my mother died when I was 17. My version might be a wee bit different from hers, but I still follow her advice for keeping it moist. "When you think it's sloppy enough, add a little more broth!"
2. Stuffed Eggs - Some folks call them deviled eggs. No matter what they're called, they're wonderful. In recent years my younger daughter has taken over the task of preparing them for our holiday celebrations.
3. Cadbury Eggs - This treat is only available in our area at Easter. Not only do I love them, so do my kids. I'll never forget the look on my son's face when he saw his first Cadbury vending machine in the London underground a few years ago.
4. Sun Dried Tomato & Pesto Torte - Cheese is one of my absolute favorite foods! I treat myself and my sister to this yummy snack each holiday season.
5. Sparkling Catawba Juice - There wasn't much alcohol in our household when I was growing up. My dad knew he couldn't drink, therefore we just didn't have it around. Instead, we toasted special occasions with non-alcoholic Catawba juice. Though I no longer drink, during my "partying" days I preferred Catawba to real Champagne. Welch's sells several varieties, but the sparkling white grape juice remains my favorite.
Have you got any favorite holiday treats?
My family does a lot of holiday eating. We often try new recipes, but there are a few staples that I always look forward to. Here are some of my favorite holiday treats:
1. Cornbread Dressing - I've been making dressing for Thanksgiving since my mother died when I was 17. My version might be a wee bit different from hers, but I still follow her advice for keeping it moist. "When you think it's sloppy enough, add a little more broth!"
2. Stuffed Eggs - Some folks call them deviled eggs. No matter what they're called, they're wonderful. In recent years my younger daughter has taken over the task of preparing them for our holiday celebrations.
3. Cadbury Eggs - This treat is only available in our area at Easter. Not only do I love them, so do my kids. I'll never forget the look on my son's face when he saw his first Cadbury vending machine in the London underground a few years ago.
4. Sun Dried Tomato & Pesto Torte - Cheese is one of my absolute favorite foods! I treat myself and my sister to this yummy snack each holiday season.
5. Sparkling Catawba Juice - There wasn't much alcohol in our household when I was growing up. My dad knew he couldn't drink, therefore we just didn't have it around. Instead, we toasted special occasions with non-alcoholic Catawba juice. Though I no longer drink, during my "partying" days I preferred Catawba to real Champagne. Welch's sells several varieties, but the sparkling white grape juice remains my favorite.
Have you got any favorite holiday treats?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Day After
Looking around our house tonight you'd never know we just celebrated Christmas. I've never been one for keeping the decorations up after the fact, so the afternoon was spent UNdecorating.... not nearly as much fun as putting it out. Mission accomplished. Everything is back to normal in the house.
I wish I could say the same for everything outside. In yesterday's post I mentioned the large amount of rain we got in a short amount of time on Christmas Eve. Turns out the damage to our pond was much more extensive this time around. The gravel we had brought in for the repairs a month back is all gone, along with most of the road around it. Many of the items kept under our equipment shed are now somewhere out in the surrounding woods. The good news is that the pond is still holding for the moment. The bad news is that rain is in the forecast again for the coming week and it's too wet to try and make temporary repairs.
When I think of the horrible weather people across the US have been faced with the past few days I feel a little guilty moaning about our problems. They might seem trivial by comparison... but they matter to me.
I wish I could say the same for everything outside. In yesterday's post I mentioned the large amount of rain we got in a short amount of time on Christmas Eve. Turns out the damage to our pond was much more extensive this time around. The gravel we had brought in for the repairs a month back is all gone, along with most of the road around it. Many of the items kept under our equipment shed are now somewhere out in the surrounding woods. The good news is that the pond is still holding for the moment. The bad news is that rain is in the forecast again for the coming week and it's too wet to try and make temporary repairs.
When I think of the horrible weather people across the US have been faced with the past few days I feel a little guilty moaning about our problems. They might seem trivial by comparison... but they matter to me.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas 2009
What a wonderful Christmas we've had !! Things got off to an iffy start. The weather system working its way across the south decided to stop over us and dump more than 6 inches of rain in just a few hours. We seriously feared for our pond since the area we had just repaired from the flood this fall started washing again! So far, though, things are holding.
The bulk of our celebrating takes place on Christmas Eve and by mid-afternoon everyone had gathered at our house to begin the festivities. The afternoon and evening were filled with lots of laughter, game playing, gift opening, photo taking, and of course.... eating.
There were several new recipes on the menu, but my younger daughter's cookies were the hit of the holiday. I'll leave you with a photo and the recipe:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
M&M's miniature baking bits
3/4 cup vanilla frosting
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Green food coloring, optional
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press baking bits into half of the cookies.
Bake at 325F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine frosting and confectioners' sugar until smooth; tint green if desired. Spread over the bottoms of plain cookies; top with decorated cookies. Store in the refrigerator.
The bulk of our celebrating takes place on Christmas Eve and by mid-afternoon everyone had gathered at our house to begin the festivities. The afternoon and evening were filled with lots of laughter, game playing, gift opening, photo taking, and of course.... eating.
There were several new recipes on the menu, but my younger daughter's cookies were the hit of the holiday. I'll leave you with a photo and the recipe:
Gingerbread Sandwich Trees
contributed to Simple & Delicious by Steve Foy of Kirkwood, MO
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
M&M's miniature baking bits
3/4 cup vanilla frosting
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Green food coloring, optional
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press baking bits into half of the cookies.
Bake at 325F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine frosting and confectioners' sugar until smooth; tint green if desired. Spread over the bottoms of plain cookies; top with decorated cookies. Store in the refrigerator.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Pre-holiday snacking
My younger daughter enjoys cooking and when she's home from college we like to try new recipes. Here are some recent efforts, all "keepers". She prepared the sweets and I did the party mix.
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 cup lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to the oven.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.
3 cups Crispix
3 cups Wheat Chex
2 cups cheddar-flavored snack crackers
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 cup almonds
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup pistachios
1/2 cup butter-flavored popcorn oil
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the oil, dressing mix, dill, garlic powder and cayenne. Drizzle over cereal mixture, toss to coat.
Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 250 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3 qt.
2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup cold margarine or butter
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (6-ounce) package almond brickle chips
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350F (325F for glass dish). In medium bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in margarine until crumbly. Press firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in chips and pecans. Spread evenly over crust. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator. Makes 36 bars.
Lemon Square Bars
Submitted to allrecipes.com by RCOMP
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 cup lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to the oven.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.
Kickin' Snack Mix
Contributed to Simple & Delicious by Kim Vogt of Creighton, NE
3 cups Crispix
3 cups Wheat Chex
2 cups cheddar-flavored snack crackers
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 cup almonds
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup pistachios
1/2 cup butter-flavored popcorn oil
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the oil, dressing mix, dill, garlic powder and cayenne. Drizzle over cereal mixture, toss to coat.
Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 250 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3 qt.
Pecan Pie Bars
Great American Brand Name Recipes Cookbook
2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup cold margarine or butter
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (6-ounce) package almond brickle chips
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350F (325F for glass dish). In medium bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in margarine until crumbly. Press firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in chips and pecans. Spread evenly over crust. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator. Makes 36 bars.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Favorite Five - Holiday Songs
I love Christmas music! I like to listen to it and I love to sing along. I have Christmas albums (the vinyl stuff) and Christmas CDs plus lots of Christmas music in my iTunes. I've been a satellite radio subscriber for a number of years. XM Radio (now Sirius/XM) switches the programming on several of its channels to holiday music this time of year. There's Hanukkah music, Country Christmas, Holiday Pops (Classical), Holly (Contemporary) and my personal favorite, Holiday Traditions (music from the 40s, 50s and 60s). Whether at home or in my car, I can surround myself with holiday music. It's a feast for the ears!
Considering I enjoy most all Christmas music, both sacred and secular, it's really tough to pick just five as favorites. Some songs I prefer specific versions, others I love no matter who is singing. I'll see if I can narrow it down...
1. Do You Hear What I Hear? - This is one I really like by anyone, but Whitney Houston does a nice version of it. I use to sing it year round when I was a little girl. I would ride my bicycle to my aunt's house then ride round and round the tree in the middle of her driveway, singing it at the top of my lungs!
2. White Christmas - Bing Crosby's is the best. Would you believe I've never seen the movie?
3. The Christmas Song - No one can really sing this one like Nat King Cole. I have several versions, but his tops them all.
4. Little Drummer Boy - This didn't become a favorite until I heard Mandisa's upbeat version in concert last year. The drum solo in it is awesome!!
5. Carol of the Bells - Another one that I enjoy by anyone. One of the segments from Claymation Christmas uses this piece.
I won't try to list any runners up. There would be too many!
So.... what are some of your faves?
Considering I enjoy most all Christmas music, both sacred and secular, it's really tough to pick just five as favorites. Some songs I prefer specific versions, others I love no matter who is singing. I'll see if I can narrow it down...
1. Do You Hear What I Hear? - This is one I really like by anyone, but Whitney Houston does a nice version of it. I use to sing it year round when I was a little girl. I would ride my bicycle to my aunt's house then ride round and round the tree in the middle of her driveway, singing it at the top of my lungs!
2. White Christmas - Bing Crosby's is the best. Would you believe I've never seen the movie?
3. The Christmas Song - No one can really sing this one like Nat King Cole. I have several versions, but his tops them all.
4. Little Drummer Boy - This didn't become a favorite until I heard Mandisa's upbeat version in concert last year. The drum solo in it is awesome!!
5. Carol of the Bells - Another one that I enjoy by anyone. One of the segments from Claymation Christmas uses this piece.
I won't try to list any runners up. There would be too many!
So.... what are some of your faves?
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Christmas Reading Challenge
Petty Witter had an entry recently about a Christmas Reading Challenge she was participating in. Normally I don't go for things like that since it can be a burden having to stick with a schedule or specific books. However, this challenge sounded fun and didn't seem too difficult. I already had two holiday books in my TBR stack and figured I could easily find a third. I completed the challenge last night, with time to spare! Here's what I read:
1. Home for the Holidays by Rebecca Kelly - Part of the "Tales From Grace Chapel Inn" series from Guideposts. I mentioned in an earlier post that I thought this book was probably the last one I would receive in the series. They are light reading, but always inspiring and uplifting with their Christian message.
2. The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson - Ms. Carlson also wrote several of the "Grace Chapel Inn" books. This, however, is a stand-alone book about a widow, her granddaughter, an odd neighbor and a dog that comes into their lives. Again, light reading... but that's the best kind for this busy time of year.
3. The Gift by Lauraine Snelling - This thin little book was buried in my stack from a past holiday season. Another widow (a young one this time), a widower, a boy, and a horse. Oh... and a dog, too! More light reading that was enjoyable enough.
Friday, December 18, 2009
The Sing Off
When my daughter is home, I tend to watch things on TV I might not otherwise watch. Earlier in the week we tuned into a new reality show airing on NBC called "The Sing Off". It has the typical set up: A celebrity host, three celebrity judges and eight groups of contestants vying for big bucks and a recording contract. What makes it a little different is that each group performs a capella. Another difference is that the show will be wrapped up within a week - not drawn out like many reality shows.
The performances took place over several nights this week with the judges making the eliminations. Three groups remain and the final results are now up to the public. Viewers are limited to ten votes each and these can be cast anytime up until Sunday. The final show will air on Monday evening.
Did you miss out? It's not too late! If you go to NBC.com you can watch all the episodes in their entirety as well as learn about the contestants, watch individual performances, and ...vote.
The performances took place over several nights this week with the judges making the eliminations. Three groups remain and the final results are now up to the public. Viewers are limited to ten votes each and these can be cast anytime up until Sunday. The final show will air on Monday evening.
Did you miss out? It's not too late! If you go to NBC.com you can watch all the episodes in their entirety as well as learn about the contestants, watch individual performances, and ...vote.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Night Before Christmas
"Now Dasher! now Dancer!
Now Prancer! and Vixen!
On Comet! on Cupid!
On ______! and Blitzen!"
There was a letter to Dear Abby recently ranting about the use (or perhaps misuse) of the name that fills the above blank. The writer insisted it should be "Donder" instead of the more frequently heard "Donner".
My copy of The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore is a 1935 edition published by The Platt & Munk Co., Inc. of New York. It's the version I read over and over while growing up and, therefore, the version I like best. Neither Donner nor Donder.
How do you fill in the blank?
Now Prancer! and Vixen!
On Comet! on Cupid!
On ______! and Blitzen!"
There was a letter to Dear Abby recently ranting about the use (or perhaps misuse) of the name that fills the above blank. The writer insisted it should be "Donder" instead of the more frequently heard "Donner".
My copy of The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore is a 1935 edition published by The Platt & Munk Co., Inc. of New York. It's the version I read over and over while growing up and, therefore, the version I like best. Neither Donner nor Donder.
How do you fill in the blank?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Favorite Five - Christmas Albums
I'm going to divide my Favorite Five Holiday Music choices into two entries. I'll come back later with individual songs, but tonight I want to focus on albums in general.
I try to treat myself to a new holiday album each year. This year it was David Archuleta. (and no, I voted for David Cook when they competed on American Idol) I enjoy the new ones, but there are a few that get pulled out every year. The first two listed are my absolute favorites.
1. Hallmark presents The Tradition of Christmas - A collection featuring Harry Belafonte, Jennifer Warnes, The American Boychoir, and The London Symphony Orchestra.
2. Majesty & Wonder, an instrumental Christmas by Phil Keaggy with the London Festival Orchestra.
3. Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas
4. Classical Christmas - A CD which includes selections from Handel's Messiah as well as pieces from Mozart, Corelli, Bach, and Vejvanovsky.
5. The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky
I try to treat myself to a new holiday album each year. This year it was David Archuleta. (and no, I voted for David Cook when they competed on American Idol) I enjoy the new ones, but there are a few that get pulled out every year. The first two listed are my absolute favorites.
1. Hallmark presents The Tradition of Christmas - A collection featuring Harry Belafonte, Jennifer Warnes, The American Boychoir, and The London Symphony Orchestra.
2. Majesty & Wonder, an instrumental Christmas by Phil Keaggy with the London Festival Orchestra.
3. Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas
4. Classical Christmas - A CD which includes selections from Handel's Messiah as well as pieces from Mozart, Corelli, Bach, and Vejvanovsky.
5. The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky
Monday, December 14, 2009
Dijon Chicken Salad (& a rehash)
My church Circle group had their annual Christmas salad luncheon today. In addition to the marinated carrots* I always take, I tried a recipe for chicken salad that I found at Allrecipes.com. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, so it will be a keeper.
Dijon Chicken Salad
2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup halved seedless green grapes
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons dried chives
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix together the chicken, celery, green grapes, red grapes, cranberries, and chives in a bowl. Whisk together the honey, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Add the mustard mixture to the chicken mixture, stir to coat.
*I thought I'd already "rehashed" this recipe. I couldn't find it, so here it is again. This is for you, Barbara.
Marinated Carrots
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
18 whole cloves
18 whole allspice
2 cans baby carrots, drained
Combine first seven ingredients, bring to a slow boil and simmer five minutes. Pour over carrots. When cool, cover and place in refrigerator for 24 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
The message in church this morning was entitled "Seeking Peace on Earth" with Luke 2:10-14 as the scripture focus. Our pastor spoke of the time in his life when he first came to the realization that Christmas was not a magical happy time for everyone. It was while singing the hymn "I heard the Bells on Christmas Day", the second to last verse in particular. I did a little research on the hymn when I got home and found that the lyrics were taken from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow written during the American Civil War.
As we continue in this Advent season, may we keep all those who serve in the armed forces in our thoughts and prayers.
As we continue in this Advent season, may we keep all those who serve in the armed forces in our thoughts and prayers.
Christmas Bells
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The heart-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The household born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!
Friday, December 11, 2009
A pot of soup
It got cold this week. Perfect weather for soup!
My mother made a wonderful vegetable soup when I was growing up. She's been gone for many years now, but my sister and I have carried on the tradition with our own takes on the original. Mine has evolved into more of a cabbage-tomato-barley soup. Here's how I make it:
Put a soupbone, an onion or two, and some seasonings in a soup pot half filled with water. Bring to a boil then simmer about 45 minutes to an hour to form the stock. After removing the soupbone add a chopped head of cabbage, some diced fresh carrots, a large can of crushed tomatoes, and a can of tomato paste. Top off with tomato juice until the soup pot is full. Simmer on medium low heat all day. An hour or so before serving add a can of green beans (drained) and about 3/4 cup of barley.
Mmm, mmm good!
My mother made a wonderful vegetable soup when I was growing up. She's been gone for many years now, but my sister and I have carried on the tradition with our own takes on the original. Mine has evolved into more of a cabbage-tomato-barley soup. Here's how I make it:
Put a soupbone, an onion or two, and some seasonings in a soup pot half filled with water. Bring to a boil then simmer about 45 minutes to an hour to form the stock. After removing the soupbone add a chopped head of cabbage, some diced fresh carrots, a large can of crushed tomatoes, and a can of tomato paste. Top off with tomato juice until the soup pot is full. Simmer on medium low heat all day. An hour or so before serving add a can of green beans (drained) and about 3/4 cup of barley.
Mmm, mmm good!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Keep that mind alert!
I think it's pretty much agreed upon that as we age it's important to "exercise" our brains. There are many ways to do this: attempt another language, play bridge, learn to play a musical instrument, take a different route to the store or to work each day. I enjoy working jigsaw puzzles when time allows for it. Life's been too busy for that in recent months, but there are a few "brain exercises" that I always make time for. My local paper carries three daily puzzles that some folks would consider time-wasters, but I look at as ways to enhance my brain power.
I begin with the daily crossword puzzle, which is a simple one. Created by Thomas Joseph, it rarely takes me more than ten minutes to complete. If I'm really feeling daring, I work it using my left hand. (I'm right handed) There is one a little more difficult in the state-wide paper my husband reads, but I'd rather do the easy one and still have time for the other two puzzles. On rare occasions I will work the more challenging Los Angeles Times puzzle which appears in my Sunday paper. If my husband and I take a road trip on a Sunday, I'll take it to work in the car. (Yes, I'm one of those lucky people that can read while riding in a car.)
I next move to the cryptoquote. It's all about looking for patterns that appear in words and grammar. Sometimes the author of the quote is what gives it away. (look for anonymous, source obscure, source unknown, or some country's proverb) Also, if you do these enough, you'll start to recognize a lot of the folks who are quoted. I can't always work the cryptoquote. If nothing jumps out at me I move on to my last puzzle and come back to it later. Even that doesn't always work and it just goes unsolved.
The final puzzle I work is the sudoku. The version in my paper is called Conceptis Sudoku and starts the week easy, getting more difficult as the week progresses. I challenge myself on Mondays to work the puzzle without making any notations in the process. As the puzzles get harder, though, I have to makes notes. By the end of the week, I don't always complete them. If I find I've made an error or I just plain get stuck, I won't slave over it. I think one of my pet peeves is when folks claim they won't try sudoku because they "don't do math". It has nothing to do with math. The numbers could just as easily be substituted with the first nine letters of the alphabet. It's all about logic.
So..... that's how I try to spend about a half hour of my day. I find it relaxing. Hopefully it's doing my brain some good in the process!
I begin with the daily crossword puzzle, which is a simple one. Created by Thomas Joseph, it rarely takes me more than ten minutes to complete. If I'm really feeling daring, I work it using my left hand. (I'm right handed) There is one a little more difficult in the state-wide paper my husband reads, but I'd rather do the easy one and still have time for the other two puzzles. On rare occasions I will work the more challenging Los Angeles Times puzzle which appears in my Sunday paper. If my husband and I take a road trip on a Sunday, I'll take it to work in the car. (Yes, I'm one of those lucky people that can read while riding in a car.)
I next move to the cryptoquote. It's all about looking for patterns that appear in words and grammar. Sometimes the author of the quote is what gives it away. (look for anonymous, source obscure, source unknown, or some country's proverb) Also, if you do these enough, you'll start to recognize a lot of the folks who are quoted. I can't always work the cryptoquote. If nothing jumps out at me I move on to my last puzzle and come back to it later. Even that doesn't always work and it just goes unsolved.
The final puzzle I work is the sudoku. The version in my paper is called Conceptis Sudoku and starts the week easy, getting more difficult as the week progresses. I challenge myself on Mondays to work the puzzle without making any notations in the process. As the puzzles get harder, though, I have to makes notes. By the end of the week, I don't always complete them. If I find I've made an error or I just plain get stuck, I won't slave over it. I think one of my pet peeves is when folks claim they won't try sudoku because they "don't do math". It has nothing to do with math. The numbers could just as easily be substituted with the first nine letters of the alphabet. It's all about logic.
So..... that's how I try to spend about a half hour of my day. I find it relaxing. Hopefully it's doing my brain some good in the process!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Favorite Five - Holiday Specials
I figure I'd better get in a couple of Favorite Five posts pertaining to the holiday season. I'll begin with an easy one.
I'll admit, there are lots of Christmas movies I've never seen. They air all through the holidays, but I rarely sit down and watch any of them. I prefer the shorter Christmas TV specials... the ones geared towards kids.
Here's my top five list. Bet you won't have any trouble telling me yours, either!
1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - Naturally this tops my list. After all, it made the cut for my "Favorite Five - Movies" entry. I noticed A&E had it on several times this past week. I saw bits and pieces, but will wait and watch it from start to finish closer to Christmas. I replaced my old VHS copy with a DVD this past year.
2. A Garfield Christmas - Jon, Odie and Garfield go home to the farm for Christmas with the parents, Doc Boy and Grandma. Silly in places, but leaves you with a warm feeling at the end.
3. Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas - This show first aired in 1987. I don't think I've missed it a single year since then. We originally taped it on VHS, then found it on DVD several years ago. Each "claymation" segment revolves around a different song. I think my favorites are "Joy to the World" and "O Christmas Tree".
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas - This one's a favorite from my childhood. (original air date: 1965) I miss it most years, but saw it scheduled for this past week and set up the DVR. I'm looking forward to watching it a little closer to Christmas. Also love the music in the show from the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
5. It's a Wonderful Life - A wonderful movie, a wonderful cast, and a wonderful message. Everyone should see it at least once in their life. It's been awhile for me. I need to remedy that.
I'll admit, there are lots of Christmas movies I've never seen. They air all through the holidays, but I rarely sit down and watch any of them. I prefer the shorter Christmas TV specials... the ones geared towards kids.
Here's my top five list. Bet you won't have any trouble telling me yours, either!
1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - Naturally this tops my list. After all, it made the cut for my "Favorite Five - Movies" entry. I noticed A&E had it on several times this past week. I saw bits and pieces, but will wait and watch it from start to finish closer to Christmas. I replaced my old VHS copy with a DVD this past year.
2. A Garfield Christmas - Jon, Odie and Garfield go home to the farm for Christmas with the parents, Doc Boy and Grandma. Silly in places, but leaves you with a warm feeling at the end.
3. Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas - This show first aired in 1987. I don't think I've missed it a single year since then. We originally taped it on VHS, then found it on DVD several years ago. Each "claymation" segment revolves around a different song. I think my favorites are "Joy to the World" and "O Christmas Tree".
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas - This one's a favorite from my childhood. (original air date: 1965) I miss it most years, but saw it scheduled for this past week and set up the DVR. I'm looking forward to watching it a little closer to Christmas. Also love the music in the show from the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
5. It's a Wonderful Life - A wonderful movie, a wonderful cast, and a wonderful message. Everyone should see it at least once in their life. It's been awhile for me. I need to remedy that.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Posting
Last month I questioned your blog reading habits. Today I'm curious about how you post.
In the past, I composed my entries in Word then pasted them over to Blogger. I liked keeping various "ideas" in my Word documents to work on at my convenience. It was easy to pick up recipes from other Word documents and to paste links from the Internet that I might want to include in an entry.
I have a new laptop. My old one was five years old and in laptop years that's pretty old. The new one is wonderful! I love Windows 7 (so far) and I have all the newest versions of the programs that come on a computer. That includes Word 7. Now when I try to copy and paste from Word to Blogger, it won't let me!! I can copy, but it won't let me paste. Instead, it wants me to use the new Windows blog publishing feature. It's compatible with Blogger, but when I set mine up, it didn't work correctly. *sigh*
I've had to go back to composing in Blogger. If I don't have time to finish a post, I have to leave it as a draft. No, it's not really a problem, but it's not what I was use to. And it will be a bit of a pain until I eventually "rehash" all the recipes from my old blog (which are in a Word document).
So.... how do you post? Do you do everything in Blogger? Do you compose in another program and paste to Blogger? Oh, and how many of you take advantage of that handy feature to "schedule" entries for posting at a future time?
Inquiring minds want to know.
In the past, I composed my entries in Word then pasted them over to Blogger. I liked keeping various "ideas" in my Word documents to work on at my convenience. It was easy to pick up recipes from other Word documents and to paste links from the Internet that I might want to include in an entry.
I have a new laptop. My old one was five years old and in laptop years that's pretty old. The new one is wonderful! I love Windows 7 (so far) and I have all the newest versions of the programs that come on a computer. That includes Word 7. Now when I try to copy and paste from Word to Blogger, it won't let me!! I can copy, but it won't let me paste. Instead, it wants me to use the new Windows blog publishing feature. It's compatible with Blogger, but when I set mine up, it didn't work correctly. *sigh*
I've had to go back to composing in Blogger. If I don't have time to finish a post, I have to leave it as a draft. No, it's not really a problem, but it's not what I was use to. And it will be a bit of a pain until I eventually "rehash" all the recipes from my old blog (which are in a Word document).
So.... how do you post? Do you do everything in Blogger? Do you compose in another program and paste to Blogger? Oh, and how many of you take advantage of that handy feature to "schedule" entries for posting at a future time?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Favorite Five - Breakfast Cereals
I've always been a fan of cold breakfast cereal. That's not to say I don't enjoy oatmeal, muffins, eggs, pancakes and other breakfast fare, but most mornings it's just cold cereal with soy milk. Actually, I don't limit cereal (or any other traditional breakfast food) to my morning meal. Any of the above make a great lunch or supper!
There aren't many cereals I don't like, however these are the varieties most often found in my pantry.
1. (Quaker Oats) Honey Graham Oh!s - I love these so much I devoted an entire entry to them on my old blog. They are my all-time favorite.
2. (Post) Honey Bunches of Oats with Pecan Clusters - This is their newest variety. I also like the original and the version with Real Peaches.
3. (Kellogg) Special K Red Berries - They have several more twists on the theme, but this strawberry version remains the best.
4. (Post) Grape-Nuts - My favorite way to eat this as a kid was with half & half rather than milk. My kids liked it warmed in the microwave with syrup and milk. As an adult I prefer it with light soy milk and a sprinkling of white sugar... and I like it cold and crunchy.
5. (General Mills) Honey Nut Cheerios - I think the company got in some trouble recently for making claims about the effectiveness of Cheerios as a "heart healthy" food. Regardless, they're certainly better for you than a lot of the options out there.
There aren't many cereals I don't like, however these are the varieties most often found in my pantry.
1. (Quaker Oats) Honey Graham Oh!s - I love these so much I devoted an entire entry to them on my old blog. They are my all-time favorite.
2. (Post) Honey Bunches of Oats with Pecan Clusters - This is their newest variety. I also like the original and the version with Real Peaches.
3. (Kellogg) Special K Red Berries - They have several more twists on the theme, but this strawberry version remains the best.
4. (Post) Grape-Nuts - My favorite way to eat this as a kid was with half & half rather than milk. My kids liked it warmed in the microwave with syrup and milk. As an adult I prefer it with light soy milk and a sprinkling of white sugar... and I like it cold and crunchy.
5. (General Mills) Honey Nut Cheerios - I think the company got in some trouble recently for making claims about the effectiveness of Cheerios as a "heart healthy" food. Regardless, they're certainly better for you than a lot of the options out there.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
More decorations
While on the topic of decorations, here are the links (if they work right) to a couple of entries from my old 360 blog.
This entry about our mantel is from Christmas 2007.
I wrote this entry mentioning our creche in 2006.
How lazy is this.... recycling old blog entries!!
This entry about our mantel is from Christmas 2007.
I wrote this entry mentioning our creche in 2006.
How lazy is this.... recycling old blog entries!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Decorating
I don't remember when or why I began decorating so early for Christmas. I draw the line at starting before Thanksgiving, but anytime after the dishes have been washed and the leftovers put away is fair game. This year my younger daughter and I spread the work out between Friday and Saturday.
I'm not much of a "pack rat", but there are some things I have a hard time parting with, Christmas decorations being one of them. My dad hand painted our names on glass ornaments when I was a little girl. I still have one survivor. My mother was quite "crafty" and I treasure the tablecloth she made representing the "Twelve Days of Christmas". It's starting to look worn in places. I have many of the decorations my kids made over the years, though some of them stay in the boxes and don't get displayed anymore. Any sort of decorative container that a gift arrived in has been packed away to set out in following years.
Earlier this month we got some new flooring in a few areas of our home. It required moving lots of stuff around, so I took the opportunity to clean out. As we pulled out the boxes of Christmas decorations this weekend I realized I was still in clean-out mode. I'd recently made a plea in the church bulletin on behalf of our craft group asking for old decorations no longer being used. It was easy to sort through my decorations with a critical eye and move a number of them to a box for the church.
Perhaps someday I'll be able to put into practice the words of my favorite architect.
"Less is more".
I'm not much of a "pack rat", but there are some things I have a hard time parting with, Christmas decorations being one of them. My dad hand painted our names on glass ornaments when I was a little girl. I still have one survivor. My mother was quite "crafty" and I treasure the tablecloth she made representing the "Twelve Days of Christmas". It's starting to look worn in places. I have many of the decorations my kids made over the years, though some of them stay in the boxes and don't get displayed anymore. Any sort of decorative container that a gift arrived in has been packed away to set out in following years.
Earlier this month we got some new flooring in a few areas of our home. It required moving lots of stuff around, so I took the opportunity to clean out. As we pulled out the boxes of Christmas decorations this weekend I realized I was still in clean-out mode. I'd recently made a plea in the church bulletin on behalf of our craft group asking for old decorations no longer being used. It was easy to sort through my decorations with a critical eye and move a number of them to a box for the church.
Perhaps someday I'll be able to put into practice the words of my favorite architect.
"Less is more".
Friday, November 27, 2009
Another cake
The holiday is over and we only have a sprinkling of Thanksgiving fare still in the refrigerator, the majority of leftovers parcelled out yesterday.
Let me look back for a moment to the delicious meal prepared on Tuesday night. In addition to the Bacon Wrapped Chicken dish and accompanying sides, I tried a new cake recipe a friend shared over the phone last week. She told me an old man in her church always brought this cake to potluck functions up until his death at age 103. Supposedly, the critical factor is to use a Duncan Hines brand Butter Recipe Yellow cake mix. The only way I altered the recipe was to sub fat-free half & half for the milk. Once the cake cooled, I drizzled it with chocolate and caramel syrup. The result was a delicious, dense poundcake type dessert.
Duncan Hines Butter Yellow Cake Mix
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 milk
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
8 oz. carton of sour cream
Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
Let me look back for a moment to the delicious meal prepared on Tuesday night. In addition to the Bacon Wrapped Chicken dish and accompanying sides, I tried a new cake recipe a friend shared over the phone last week. She told me an old man in her church always brought this cake to potluck functions up until his death at age 103. Supposedly, the critical factor is to use a Duncan Hines brand Butter Recipe Yellow cake mix. The only way I altered the recipe was to sub fat-free half & half for the milk. Once the cake cooled, I drizzled it with chocolate and caramel syrup. The result was a delicious, dense poundcake type dessert.
Duncan Hines Butter Yellow Cake Mix
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 milk
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
8 oz. carton of sour cream
Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanksgiving 2009
We normally have extended family join us for our Thanksgiving feast, but this year it was just my husband, me, our son and two daughters, a significant other, and our granddaughter. We had a wonderful day filled with food and fun. We ate, played board games, ate, celebrated our granddaughter's birthday (the 28th) and ate some more.
What a feast it was! Turkey and cornbread dressing, goose and wild rice, gravy, spinach casserole, corn, sweet potato casserole, green beans, stuffed eggs, cranberry sauce, black olives, cheese and crackers and rolls. My daughters provided the desserts this year. Older daughter brought two things. I'm not sure what either was called, but both were delicious. One was a pie with cream cheese and condensed milk and the other was chocolate cheesecake balls dipped in chocolate, drizzled with more chocolate. Younger daughter tried a new pumpkin cheesecake recipe that turned out great. I'll leave you with a picture of it.... yum!!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Easy Party Chicken
Once upon a time many years ago there was a recipe that my aunt called "Easy Party Chicken". Everyone in my family loved it and we referred to it as "Bacon Wrapped Chicken". In February of 2001 I decided I wanted to become a vegetarian. Selfishly, I said if I couldn't have Bacon Wrapped Chicken then no one could have Bacon Wrapped Chicken. Shame on me. Time passed and we all forgot about the dish.
Last Spring I decided I had been a vegetarian for long enough. I've had my first taste of new recipes my family has enjoyed over the past eight years as well as pulling out many old favorites. A few weeks ago my son mentioned Bacon Wrapped Chicken. It hadn't been spoken of in years and I'd totally forgotten about it! I haven't been able to get it off my brain since then.
Last night I had everyone here for supper. Speckled butter beans, rice and.... Bacon Wrapped Chicken!! Mmmmmmm. It was everything I remembered!
Easy Party Chicken
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
dried beef - 1 jar
1 carton sour cream
1 can cream of celery/or chicken/or mushroom soup
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. instant chicken bouillion
butter
Butter casserole dish and line bottom with dried beef. Wrap chicken breasts in bacon slices and place on the dried beef. Sprinkle with chopped onion.
Mix soup, sour cream worcestershire sauce and instant bouillion. Pour over chicken and spot with butter.
Cook uncovered at 275 degrees for 3 hours or shorter time with higher heat. It will be lightly browned on top. This can be frozen ahead of time and then cooked.
Last Spring I decided I had been a vegetarian for long enough. I've had my first taste of new recipes my family has enjoyed over the past eight years as well as pulling out many old favorites. A few weeks ago my son mentioned Bacon Wrapped Chicken. It hadn't been spoken of in years and I'd totally forgotten about it! I haven't been able to get it off my brain since then.
Last night I had everyone here for supper. Speckled butter beans, rice and.... Bacon Wrapped Chicken!! Mmmmmmm. It was everything I remembered!
Easy Party Chicken
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
dried beef - 1 jar
1 carton sour cream
1 can cream of celery/or chicken/or mushroom soup
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. instant chicken bouillion
butter
Butter casserole dish and line bottom with dried beef. Wrap chicken breasts in bacon slices and place on the dried beef. Sprinkle with chopped onion.
Mix soup, sour cream worcestershire sauce and instant bouillion. Pour over chicken and spot with butter.
Cook uncovered at 275 degrees for 3 hours or shorter time with higher heat. It will be lightly browned on top. This can be frozen ahead of time and then cooked.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Holiday Goose
We always have wild goose as part of our Thanksgiving feast in addition to the traditional turkey. I thawed a Speckle Belly (sometimes called a White-Fronted Goose) today. This recipe appeared on my old blog a long time ago. Figured it would be an appropriate time to post it again here.
Holiday Goose
Take a fresh goose and place breast side up in a steamer basket in a dutch oven. Cover and steam on the stove for about an hour to remove the fat. (keep an eye on the water level so the pan doesn't cook dry) Remove goose and steamer basket and pour off greasy water. Return goose to the dutch oven, breast side down, and stuff cavity with wedges of apple, onion and sliced celery stalks. Pour 2 cans of beef broth over goose, season as desired, then cover and bake 3-5 hours at 275 degrees or until done.
This dish is good to prepare a day early. Remove the meat from the bone when done then pour some of the baking juices over it to keep it moist. Refrigerate, then microwave before serving the next day.
Holiday Goose
Take a fresh goose and place breast side up in a steamer basket in a dutch oven. Cover and steam on the stove for about an hour to remove the fat. (keep an eye on the water level so the pan doesn't cook dry) Remove goose and steamer basket and pour off greasy water. Return goose to the dutch oven, breast side down, and stuff cavity with wedges of apple, onion and sliced celery stalks. Pour 2 cans of beef broth over goose, season as desired, then cover and bake 3-5 hours at 275 degrees or until done.
This dish is good to prepare a day early. Remove the meat from the bone when done then pour some of the baking juices over it to keep it moist. Refrigerate, then microwave before serving the next day.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Favorite Five – Reality TV
I’m not much of a fan of Reality TV. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have included it in my Favorite Five series if Quid hadn’t mentioned it in an earlier comment. I’m not even sure the choices I’ve listed all technically qualify as reality shows. Anyway, here goes....
1. American Idol – Talk about a program that requires an investment of your time! I’ve only watched one season from start to finish and that was the Taylor Hicks year. During two other seasons I’ve picked it up for the final 12 (or 13 as was the case this past year) contestants. Now that I have a DVR, I may try to watch it from the beginning during the next season. It’s great being able to skip all the boring parts.
2. Iron Chef – Not the American version, but the original Japanese version that was dubbed in English.
3. Pimp My Ride – It always amazed me how they could take a pitiful looking vehicle and customize it in such neat ways to suit the personality or profession of the owner. I loved the host for the show, Xzibit . A funny guy!
4. Skating with Celebrities - Plagued with a variety of “issues”, this program only lasted one season. Too bad. I enjoyed it.
5. I couldn’t decided between these two for my last choice: Parental Control (I watched the later version of the show) and America’s Best Dance Crew (produced by Randy Jackson of American Idol fame), Totally different, but equally entertaining.
1. American Idol – Talk about a program that requires an investment of your time! I’ve only watched one season from start to finish and that was the Taylor Hicks year. During two other seasons I’ve picked it up for the final 12 (or 13 as was the case this past year) contestants. Now that I have a DVR, I may try to watch it from the beginning during the next season. It’s great being able to skip all the boring parts.
2. Iron Chef – Not the American version, but the original Japanese version that was dubbed in English.
3. Pimp My Ride – It always amazed me how they could take a pitiful looking vehicle and customize it in such neat ways to suit the personality or profession of the owner. I loved the host for the show, Xzibit . A funny guy!
4. Skating with Celebrities - Plagued with a variety of “issues”, this program only lasted one season. Too bad. I enjoyed it.
5. I couldn’t decided between these two for my last choice: Parental Control (I watched the later version of the show) and America’s Best Dance Crew (produced by Randy Jackson of American Idol fame), Totally different, but equally entertaining.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Common Words
If you’re like me, another way to waste time on the computer is just what you need. (NOT!) I got an e-mail today with a link to a site where you are given 12 minutes to come up with the 100 most common words in the English language. I never do well at things when timed and only came up with 46.
Give it a try HERE and see how you do.
For the record, if a word you type into the box is correct it will automatically move it to the list (which is not in any order). If it’s not correct, you’ll have to back-space it out and try another word.
Give it a try HERE and see how you do.
For the record, if a word you type into the box is correct it will automatically move it to the list (which is not in any order). If it’s not correct, you’ll have to back-space it out and try another word.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Eggless and more (or less)
Think you know about Southern cooking? See how well you do at this Southern Food Quiz that caught my eye on the MSN page today. I scored 10 out of 10 and would have been disappointed in myself if I hadn’t. After all, I’ve lived my entire life in the South!
I don’t normally post recipes that I haven’t tried first. However, I was “talking cakes” with a friend on the phone this morning and was reminded that she won’t eat anything with egg in it. So, I’m posting this recipe for her. I copied it from the August 2009 issue of Guideposts magazine. It was submitted by Rosemary Marbach of Boston, MA and looks like it would be delicious.
“Violet”, this is for you. Let me know what you think if you try it!
Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1½ cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups dark raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons water
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Combine sugar, water, oil, raisins and spices in a saucepan, and boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Take pan off heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Dissolve baking soda and salt in 2 teaspoons of water and add to raisin mixture (it will foam). Blend in the flour and baking powder. Mix well, Pour batter into a greased 9-inch-square pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10 to 12.
I don’t normally post recipes that I haven’t tried first. However, I was “talking cakes” with a friend on the phone this morning and was reminded that she won’t eat anything with egg in it. So, I’m posting this recipe for her. I copied it from the August 2009 issue of Guideposts magazine. It was submitted by Rosemary Marbach of Boston, MA and looks like it would be delicious.
“Violet”, this is for you. Let me know what you think if you try it!
Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1½ cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups dark raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons water
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Combine sugar, water, oil, raisins and spices in a saucepan, and boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Take pan off heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Dissolve baking soda and salt in 2 teaspoons of water and add to raisin mixture (it will foam). Blend in the flour and baking powder. Mix well, Pour batter into a greased 9-inch-square pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10 to 12.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
I got one!
I’ve heard about them for years and those that use them love them. Algernon’s recent post, and the comments that followed, got me to thinking about them more seriously. The “them” I’m referring to are neti pots.
I have lots of sinus issues, but a real aversion to antibiotics. So, as long as things don’t get serious, my doctor allows me to ride out my sinus problems without medication. After several days of debate, I decided to purchase a neti pot in hopes that maybe some of my sinus issues would go away.
While headed to visit a friend yesterday, I stopped by the local Walgreens to see if they had any neti pots in stock. They had the travel variety (plastic), so I made the purchase. The first words from my mouth when I arrived at my friend’s house were, “have you ever used a neti pot?”. Her response, “every morning!”. She gave me pointers on positioning and what type of salt to buy. My neti came with 50 packets of “Sinus Rinse”, a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. I’ll use those first, but probably switch to kosher salt when they’re gone.
I’ve found it fairly easy to use, so far. The only drawback I can see is that I have to heat distilled water in the kitchen microwave then carry it to the bathroom to use in the neti pot. I was going to use warm tap water, but the instructions don’t recommend that unless it is ultra-filtered or chlorinated. Being on a personal water well, ours is neither. We have good water and I don’t mind brushing my teeth with it, but we distill what we drink.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but I already feel like it’s helping!!
I have lots of sinus issues, but a real aversion to antibiotics. So, as long as things don’t get serious, my doctor allows me to ride out my sinus problems without medication. After several days of debate, I decided to purchase a neti pot in hopes that maybe some of my sinus issues would go away.
While headed to visit a friend yesterday, I stopped by the local Walgreens to see if they had any neti pots in stock. They had the travel variety (plastic), so I made the purchase. The first words from my mouth when I arrived at my friend’s house were, “have you ever used a neti pot?”. Her response, “every morning!”. She gave me pointers on positioning and what type of salt to buy. My neti came with 50 packets of “Sinus Rinse”, a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. I’ll use those first, but probably switch to kosher salt when they’re gone.
I’ve found it fairly easy to use, so far. The only drawback I can see is that I have to heat distilled water in the kitchen microwave then carry it to the bathroom to use in the neti pot. I was going to use warm tap water, but the instructions don’t recommend that unless it is ultra-filtered or chlorinated. Being on a personal water well, ours is neither. We have good water and I don’t mind brushing my teeth with it, but we distill what we drink.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but I already feel like it’s helping!!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Favorite Five - Book Series
If you’re waiting for “favorite books” or “favorite authors”, don’t worry… I’ll get there eventually. Today, though, I want to focus on book series. I read so many series, this one is especially hard for me to narrow down! I’ll try to limit my runners up to just a few.
1. The Marcus Didius Falco novels by Lindsey Davis. – Based in Rome during the reign of Vespasian, I started this series when the first one came out about 20 years ago. The author intersperses plenty of humor with the action which makes the central characters all the more fun.
2. The China Bayles herbal mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert – Another series I began reading at their onset, these books not only provide a good mystery with well developed characters, but they also include lots of herbal lore and recipes. I tend to kill plants in real life, so I garden vicariously through these books. Each book has one particular herb which plays into the storyline.
3. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith – I bought the first one through QPBC and it sat on my shelf, unread, until several more had been published. Once I finally picked up the first one, I was hooked!! I haven’t seen the HBO series based on the books, but I’ve heard it’s very good.
4. Tales from Grace Chapel Inn published by Guideposts – This is one of those kinds of series you sign up for by mail and receive a new book approximately every six weeks. The first in the series explains the overall situation of how three sisters open a Bed & Breakfast together in a small town in Pennsylvania. The remaining books are “stand alone” stories that revolve around the sisters and the guests that visit their B&B. Written by a variety of authors, they are light, easy reading that I always enjoy. I haven’t received one in quite awhile, so I’m afraid I’ve reached the end of the series. I still have one on my shelf with a Christmas theme that I’ve saved for the upcoming holidays.
5. The Richard Jury novels by Martha Grimes – The main character of this series is an Inspector with New Scotland Yard. Although the author is American, I think she does an excellent job writing a British detective series. Each of the book titles is the name of a Pub found in the story.
Any of the runners up listed below could just as easily have been one of my top five picks.
Roma Sub Rosa (Gordianus the Finder) series by Steven Saylor, Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters, Adam Dalgliesh novels by P.D. James, Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Kinsey Milhone (Alphabet) series by Sue Grafton, Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich, Matthew Shardlake mysteries by C.J. Sansom, Yada Yada Prayer Group novels by Neta Jackson, The Mitford series by Jan Karon.
There are more that I enjoy, but I had to stop somewhere!! With the exception of #4 on my list, I would recommend reading any of these series in the order in which they were written.
1. The Marcus Didius Falco novels by Lindsey Davis. – Based in Rome during the reign of Vespasian, I started this series when the first one came out about 20 years ago. The author intersperses plenty of humor with the action which makes the central characters all the more fun.
2. The China Bayles herbal mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert – Another series I began reading at their onset, these books not only provide a good mystery with well developed characters, but they also include lots of herbal lore and recipes. I tend to kill plants in real life, so I garden vicariously through these books. Each book has one particular herb which plays into the storyline.
3. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith – I bought the first one through QPBC and it sat on my shelf, unread, until several more had been published. Once I finally picked up the first one, I was hooked!! I haven’t seen the HBO series based on the books, but I’ve heard it’s very good.
4. Tales from Grace Chapel Inn published by Guideposts – This is one of those kinds of series you sign up for by mail and receive a new book approximately every six weeks. The first in the series explains the overall situation of how three sisters open a Bed & Breakfast together in a small town in Pennsylvania. The remaining books are “stand alone” stories that revolve around the sisters and the guests that visit their B&B. Written by a variety of authors, they are light, easy reading that I always enjoy. I haven’t received one in quite awhile, so I’m afraid I’ve reached the end of the series. I still have one on my shelf with a Christmas theme that I’ve saved for the upcoming holidays.
5. The Richard Jury novels by Martha Grimes – The main character of this series is an Inspector with New Scotland Yard. Although the author is American, I think she does an excellent job writing a British detective series. Each of the book titles is the name of a Pub found in the story.
Any of the runners up listed below could just as easily have been one of my top five picks.
Roma Sub Rosa (Gordianus the Finder) series by Steven Saylor, Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters, Adam Dalgliesh novels by P.D. James, Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Kinsey Milhone (Alphabet) series by Sue Grafton, Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich, Matthew Shardlake mysteries by C.J. Sansom, Yada Yada Prayer Group novels by Neta Jackson, The Mitford series by Jan Karon.
There are more that I enjoy, but I had to stop somewhere!! With the exception of #4 on my list, I would recommend reading any of these series in the order in which they were written.
Friday, November 13, 2009
A book, a bazaar and a ballgame
It’s been a busy week, but not too busy to finish a book I started over the weekend. It’s fun to discover new authors through other folks’ blogs, especially when you get to have some interaction with the author! I followed a link from Pen and Paper over to Crime Fiction where I discovered the book Cut Short. I enjoy reading books in this genre and decided to give it a shot. I thought it was quite good and plan to continue with the series as she writes them. If you like P.D. James, Ruth Rendell or the sort… I bet you would enjoy this novel by Leigh Russell.
Whew! The Bazaar is over for another year. We had a fairly good crowd yesterday and I'm pretty sure we ended up making more money than we did last year! Our group takes a break now until January when we clean up the craft room and get started for the next year. I still need to tie up all the loose ends for this year, but that should be done by the first week of December.
Last night my husband and I attended our granddaughter’s final soccer game of the season. This is her second year to play (she’ll be 8 this month) and she’s actually quite good at it. None of our kids played soccer, so it’s been a new experience for us. I’ve always believed in good sportsmanship and last night I caught a little glimpse of what I don’t like about children’s athletics. The game was for the championship in their age division and there was a man there, I presume someone's grandpa, that I hadn’t noticed at any of the other games. He was quite vocal in his opinion of the kid refereeing the game. The league uses older kids to call the games and this particular young lady was a little tickier than most we’d had throughout the season. I don’t know if she was truly being fair or not, but hey… it’s just a ballgame! Despite what the man thought were unfair calls, our granddaughter’s team won.
Whew! The Bazaar is over for another year. We had a fairly good crowd yesterday and I'm pretty sure we ended up making more money than we did last year! Our group takes a break now until January when we clean up the craft room and get started for the next year. I still need to tie up all the loose ends for this year, but that should be done by the first week of December.
Last night my husband and I attended our granddaughter’s final soccer game of the season. This is her second year to play (she’ll be 8 this month) and she’s actually quite good at it. None of our kids played soccer, so it’s been a new experience for us. I’ve always believed in good sportsmanship and last night I caught a little glimpse of what I don’t like about children’s athletics. The game was for the championship in their age division and there was a man there, I presume someone's grandpa, that I hadn’t noticed at any of the other games. He was quite vocal in his opinion of the kid refereeing the game. The league uses older kids to call the games and this particular young lady was a little tickier than most we’d had throughout the season. I don’t know if she was truly being fair or not, but hey… it’s just a ballgame! Despite what the man thought were unfair calls, our granddaughter’s team won.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Cooking for the Bazaar
Tomorrow we will have the annual Holiday Bazaar at our church. Sponsored by our “Wednesday Worker” craft group, we offer all sorts of handmade crafts and holiday decorations, a big spread of baked goods and preserved items, lots of jewelry, and a huge selection of “Trash & Treasure”. In addition, we serve a breakfast of muffins, cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, etc. One of the items I provide for the breakfast is this pear cake:
Pear Bundt Cake
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) pears in light syrup
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
2 egg whites
1 egg
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Drain pears, reserving the syrup; chop pears. Place pears and syrup in a mixing bowl; add dry cake mix, egg whites and egg. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 4 minutes.
Coat a 10-in. fluted tube pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour. Add batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 16 servings.
I always make a few things for the bake sale area including my Van Gogh cake and bags of these crackers:
Seasoned Oyster Crackers
16-20 oz. plain oyster crackers
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Original Buttermilk Recipe salad dressing mix
¼ tsp. lemon pepper
½ to 1 tsp. dill weed
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¾ to 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
Spread crackers into a jelly roll pan. Combine remaining ingredients and drizzle over crackers, stirring to coat well. Place in a warm oven (lowest setting) for 15-20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
This year I also tried a new recipe. Of course mine don’t look like the picture in the magazine, but they still taste okay. Not the best, but good enough to sell. From a recipe submitted to Simple & Delicious magazine by Rebecca Clark of Warrior, AL., they're called Oatmeal Surprise Cookies.
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 ¾ cups quick-cooking oats
1 ½ cups chocolate-covered raisins
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in oats and raisins.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake at 350º for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3 dozen.
Here's hoping for a successful day!!
Pear Bundt Cake
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) pears in light syrup
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
2 egg whites
1 egg
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Drain pears, reserving the syrup; chop pears. Place pears and syrup in a mixing bowl; add dry cake mix, egg whites and egg. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 4 minutes.
Coat a 10-in. fluted tube pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour. Add batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 16 servings.
I always make a few things for the bake sale area including my Van Gogh cake and bags of these crackers:
Seasoned Oyster Crackers
16-20 oz. plain oyster crackers
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Original Buttermilk Recipe salad dressing mix
¼ tsp. lemon pepper
½ to 1 tsp. dill weed
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¾ to 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
Spread crackers into a jelly roll pan. Combine remaining ingredients and drizzle over crackers, stirring to coat well. Place in a warm oven (lowest setting) for 15-20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
This year I also tried a new recipe. Of course mine don’t look like the picture in the magazine, but they still taste okay. Not the best, but good enough to sell. From a recipe submitted to Simple & Delicious magazine by Rebecca Clark of Warrior, AL., they're called Oatmeal Surprise Cookies.
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 ¾ cups quick-cooking oats
1 ½ cups chocolate-covered raisins
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in oats and raisins.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake at 350º for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3 dozen.
Here's hoping for a successful day!!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Favorite Five – Ice Cream Flavors
Ice Cream is not something for which I have a great weakness. I do love DQ Blizzards, but since our Dairy Queen closed, they’re no longer a temptation.
I have to be in the right mood for ice cream. When I am, these are my favorite flavors:
1. Vanilla
2. Pralines and Cream
3. Mint Chocolate Chip
4. Coconut Almond Fudge
5. Orange Sherbet
I have to be in the right mood for ice cream. When I am, these are my favorite flavors:
1. Vanilla
2. Pralines and Cream
3. Mint Chocolate Chip
4. Coconut Almond Fudge
5. Orange Sherbet
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Blogger
Blogger has been acting a little strangely for me the past few days.
When I read blogs, I normally go to my dashboard first and look for updates from those I follow. I’ll link off from there if something catches my eye or otherwise interests me. While talking with my brother this week, he mentioned an entry he had made on his blog. I checked later and there were three entries that had not appeared in the updates on my dashboard. Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I had updates for four entries from another person’s blog, but some of those entries were as much as a week old. I had already read them since I get e-mail notifications of new entries for that blog, but thinking back, I can’t remember if they showed up in my updates at the time they originally posted. Hmmm.
How do y’all read blogs? Do you use the dashboard and depend on updates from those you follow? If you do this, do you click on the entry or the entire blog? Do you just go to individual blogs and read all the entries down to where you last read one? Do you think you ever miss entries this way? Do you care?! (sorry…I got carried away…)
Just curious.
When I read blogs, I normally go to my dashboard first and look for updates from those I follow. I’ll link off from there if something catches my eye or otherwise interests me. While talking with my brother this week, he mentioned an entry he had made on his blog. I checked later and there were three entries that had not appeared in the updates on my dashboard. Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I had updates for four entries from another person’s blog, but some of those entries were as much as a week old. I had already read them since I get e-mail notifications of new entries for that blog, but thinking back, I can’t remember if they showed up in my updates at the time they originally posted. Hmmm.
How do y’all read blogs? Do you use the dashboard and depend on updates from those you follow? If you do this, do you click on the entry or the entire blog? Do you just go to individual blogs and read all the entries down to where you last read one? Do you think you ever miss entries this way? Do you care?! (sorry…I got carried away…)
Just curious.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Organic God
Having a close relationship with God is important to me. I’ve considered myself a Christian all my life (brief testimony), but it wasn’t until about ten years ago that I started hungering for a more intimate relationship with God. I’ve used various devotional guides throughout my lifetime, and still make that a part of my daily quiet time, but it wasn’t until I tackled my first in-depth Bible study that I finally touched on that personal relationship I was looking for.
Most of the studies I’ve done have been by Beth Moore. I think I’ve completed all her workbooks, my most recent being the Psalms of Ascent. She never fails to make me ask questions, dig deeper, study harder and ultimately draw closer to God.
Even though my daily devotions are vital, I can always tell when I need that extra boost that only comes from a group study. So…. when my church recently offered a 6-week course by Margaret Feinberg entitled The Organic God *, I jumped at the opportunity. The book, paired with the corresponding workbook and videos from our group sessions, made for a delightful and thought provoking study, different from any I've done in the past.
Just what I needed!
* "Organic means natural, pure, no additives. Margaret Feinberg wants us to know the God revealed in the Christian Bible without prejudice or corruption. In the course of 10 creative and engaging chapters, she introduces us to the character of God….Feinberg is a gifted storyteller and spiritual teacher. She has a knack for leading us to an 'aha' insight or a reflective 'hmmm.'" — The Dallas Morning News
Most of the studies I’ve done have been by Beth Moore. I think I’ve completed all her workbooks, my most recent being the Psalms of Ascent. She never fails to make me ask questions, dig deeper, study harder and ultimately draw closer to God.
Even though my daily devotions are vital, I can always tell when I need that extra boost that only comes from a group study. So…. when my church recently offered a 6-week course by Margaret Feinberg entitled The Organic God *, I jumped at the opportunity. The book, paired with the corresponding workbook and videos from our group sessions, made for a delightful and thought provoking study, different from any I've done in the past.
Just what I needed!
* "Organic means natural, pure, no additives. Margaret Feinberg wants us to know the God revealed in the Christian Bible without prejudice or corruption. In the course of 10 creative and engaging chapters, she introduces us to the character of God….Feinberg is a gifted storyteller and spiritual teacher. She has a knack for leading us to an 'aha' insight or a reflective 'hmmm.'" — The Dallas Morning News
Friday, November 6, 2009
Favorite Five – Words
Words are an important part of our everyday life. Reading, speaking, listening… we all use them. Etymology is important to some folks and there are several “daily word” sites, such as the one I subscribe to, which provide this along with pronunciation, meaning and an example of usage.
I like words. You may not think you do, but surely there are a few you like better than others. I’ll tell you mine if you’ll tell me yours…. and please, keep it “G-rated”.
1. Vacuum - Hands down, this is my all-time favorite word. I love the sound of it and especially like spelling it aloud! There’s something about those “u”s.
2. Ominous – I remember learning this word not in spelling, but as a vocabulary word from a story in school. It was used in reference to “ominous clouds” before a storm and I’ve used it in weather discussions ever since.
3. Business - When I learned to type in High School (on an Underwood manual), I liked the way this word seemed to flow from my fingers. Why this particular word I don’t know, but it always just “felt” right.
4. Ombudsman – A fascinating word! I rarely see or hear it, but when I do it jumps out at me. Mainly, I think, because it’s such an awkward word that doesn’t flow from the lips easily. (interesting note: When I checked its spelling in my dictionary, I discovered it’s on the same page as “ominous”.) (additional note: Yes, I tend to use a real dictionary more than “spell-check”.)
5. Viaduct – This is not a word most small children know. However, due to having one over our community’s train yard near the downtown, I would venture to say most kids in our area are familiar with the word. When I was little, it was a known fact that if you didn’t hold your breath the entire time you drove over it, a murderer would come to your house that night and chop off your head while you slept!
I like words. You may not think you do, but surely there are a few you like better than others. I’ll tell you mine if you’ll tell me yours…. and please, keep it “G-rated”.
1. Vacuum - Hands down, this is my all-time favorite word. I love the sound of it and especially like spelling it aloud! There’s something about those “u”s.
2. Ominous – I remember learning this word not in spelling, but as a vocabulary word from a story in school. It was used in reference to “ominous clouds” before a storm and I’ve used it in weather discussions ever since.
3. Business - When I learned to type in High School (on an Underwood manual), I liked the way this word seemed to flow from my fingers. Why this particular word I don’t know, but it always just “felt” right.
4. Ombudsman – A fascinating word! I rarely see or hear it, but when I do it jumps out at me. Mainly, I think, because it’s such an awkward word that doesn’t flow from the lips easily. (interesting note: When I checked its spelling in my dictionary, I discovered it’s on the same page as “ominous”.) (additional note: Yes, I tend to use a real dictionary more than “spell-check”.)
5. Viaduct – This is not a word most small children know. However, due to having one over our community’s train yard near the downtown, I would venture to say most kids in our area are familiar with the word. When I was little, it was a known fact that if you didn’t hold your breath the entire time you drove over it, a murderer would come to your house that night and chop off your head while you slept!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
To Kill A Mockingbird
There are a number of books that I feel like I should have read at some point in my life. You know the ones I’m talking about… the classic you somehow missed out on in school, the Pulitzer Prize winner, the novel the critics raved about. Some of them I still have hopes of reading someday. Others are actually sitting in my TBR pile, just waiting for the right time. Then again, some you really don’t care anything about, no matter how "important" others might think they are.
A good friend, who happens to be a retired English teacher, and I were discussing some of these books over the summer. She was surprised to find out I had never read To Kill A Mockingbird (by Harper Lee) or seen the movie version (starring Gregory Peck).
When my birthday rolled around in September, she gave me a copy of the book. I read it last week and really enjoyed it! In fact, I can’t imagine why I hadn’t read it before. I may have to insist my husband put the movie in his queue at Netflix soon, while the book is still fresh in my mind.
A good friend, who happens to be a retired English teacher, and I were discussing some of these books over the summer. She was surprised to find out I had never read To Kill A Mockingbird (by Harper Lee) or seen the movie version (starring Gregory Peck).
When my birthday rolled around in September, she gave me a copy of the book. I read it last week and really enjoyed it! In fact, I can’t imagine why I hadn’t read it before. I may have to insist my husband put the movie in his queue at Netflix soon, while the book is still fresh in my mind.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Ocean Dimensions
After taking a couple of months off from “puzzling”, I recently completed the final puzzle in the Visual Dimensions 3D Motion Puzzle series. Jungle Dimensions and Outer Dimensions are featured in entries on this blog. I worked Floral Dimensions when I still used 360.
It’s disappointing how poorly they photograph. Being “motion puzzles”, they really need to be seen in person and viewed from several angles to be appreciated. I think this one took the poorest picture of them all.
Next up is a Jan Van Haasteren puzzle. They don’t photograph well, either, but for other reasons. They’re a lot of fun to work, though!
It’s disappointing how poorly they photograph. Being “motion puzzles”, they really need to be seen in person and viewed from several angles to be appreciated. I think this one took the poorest picture of them all.
Next up is a Jan Van Haasteren puzzle. They don’t photograph well, either, but for other reasons. They’re a lot of fun to work, though!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
I Like Pie
I found this recipe in my Great American Brand Name Recipes Cookbook. I substituted a cup of peach pie filling for the applesauce and it became Peach Chess Pie.
Delicious!
Apple Chess Pie
1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell
4 eggs
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE® Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 cup applesauce
½ cup margarine or butter, melted
¼ cup REALEMON® Lemon Juice from Concentrate
2 tablespoons cornmeal
Preheat oven to 425º. Bake pastry shell 8 minutes; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350º. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients except pastry shell; mix well. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers 
Delicious!
Apple Chess Pie
1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell
4 eggs
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE® Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 cup applesauce
½ cup margarine or butter, melted
¼ cup REALEMON® Lemon Juice from Concentrate
2 tablespoons cornmeal
Preheat oven to 425º. Bake pastry shell 8 minutes; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350º. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients except pastry shell; mix well. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Washed Out
This has been an exceptionally wet fall for south Arkansas. Our unofficial rainfall in September was more than 20 inches. October surpassed that. The weather between noon Thursday and noon yesterday brought torrential rains, high winds and spawned several tornados. Thank goodness we didn’t have a tornado at our house, but we sure did have the rain! By my estimates, more than six inches.
Fortunately our pond is well constructed. The levee which surrounds the west side, and is also the road to our pasture, has a spillway built into it along with two overflow pipes. Actually, I think there is a third pipe with a valve on it for draining purposes, but it stays closed. The road from our house forks once it reaches the pond. To the left is the equipment shed, the right leads to the pasture. This is where we had our troubles. I wish I had taken pictures while there was still water rushing across the road, but I didn’t get down there until this morning.
Here’s the view of the road leading to the shed. The bucket on the right is as high as the water got.
The boat we use for fishing got washed down along with various other things. It makes my husband sick to see all the gravel that washed away.
You can see how the flow of the water flattened out the grass in its path.
Here’s a lily pad in the grass. Too bad its roots aren’t still attached. Ripping up those nuisances would have been a bonus!
This view is from the other side of the washout, looking back towards the road to the house.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the pond this full. Many of the tops out of the dead trees broke off and washed to the bank, some clogging the overflow pipes. My husband said they were probably only draining at about 50% capacity due to this. He had to clear the pipes several times.
Here you can see a log he pulled up onto the levee. Water was starting to cross the levee some in this area, but not bad enough to do any damage.
Looking towards the east pasture.
You can make out some of the cows watching us. Fortunately my husband can still ride his 4-wheeler to the tractor in the shed in order to put out hay.
All in all, I’m quite thankful. It could have been so much worse, and was for many people. My husband is already noting ways he can improve things in the event something like this happens again. Let’s pray it doesn’t any time soon!
Fortunately our pond is well constructed. The levee which surrounds the west side, and is also the road to our pasture, has a spillway built into it along with two overflow pipes. Actually, I think there is a third pipe with a valve on it for draining purposes, but it stays closed. The road from our house forks once it reaches the pond. To the left is the equipment shed, the right leads to the pasture. This is where we had our troubles. I wish I had taken pictures while there was still water rushing across the road, but I didn’t get down there until this morning.
Here’s the view of the road leading to the shed. The bucket on the right is as high as the water got.
The boat we use for fishing got washed down along with various other things. It makes my husband sick to see all the gravel that washed away.
You can see how the flow of the water flattened out the grass in its path.
Here’s a lily pad in the grass. Too bad its roots aren’t still attached. Ripping up those nuisances would have been a bonus!
This view is from the other side of the washout, looking back towards the road to the house.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the pond this full. Many of the tops out of the dead trees broke off and washed to the bank, some clogging the overflow pipes. My husband said they were probably only draining at about 50% capacity due to this. He had to clear the pipes several times.
Here you can see a log he pulled up onto the levee. Water was starting to cross the levee some in this area, but not bad enough to do any damage.
Looking towards the east pasture.
You can make out some of the cows watching us. Fortunately my husband can still ride his 4-wheeler to the tractor in the shed in order to put out hay.
All in all, I’m quite thankful. It could have been so much worse, and was for many people. My husband is already noting ways he can improve things in the event something like this happens again. Let’s pray it doesn’t any time soon!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Pilots & Controllers
WhiteStone has a good entry at her blog today about the Northwest pilots who recently lost their jobs after overshooting their intended destination.
When I first heard about the incident, it brought to mind something that happened to me a long time ago. Those who read my 360 blog might remember an entry where I told about getting my single engine pilot’s license (VFR) shortly after I got married. My husband was bound and determined to get his and with a history of heart disease in his family, I decided I needed to have mine, too. I sure didn’t want to get caught up in the air with him and not be able to land the plane if I ever had to!
I have no idea what getting a license these days entails. At that time, one of the requirements was to plan a “long cross country” flight. It had to include stops at several different airports, one of which had to be a specific distance away. It was a lengthy solo flight and required refueling at one point. My flight plan took me from Arkansas to Texas, then to Louisiana before returning home. As I neared the final airport on my route, the tower put me on a heading for approach. I complied, saw the airport ahead of me, and then watched as it receded into the distance behind me! I called the tower again and it was obvious what had happened. They’d forgotten about me!! I could hear laughter in the background! I was already pretty nervous, so it was no laughing matter to me at the time (even though I can tell the story now and it seems funny). Once I landed, I vaguely remember getting my log book initialed by someone on the ground then getting back in the air as soon as possible to get back home.
My experience was pretty trivial in the big scheme of things. It was just me. But you think about the hundreds of flights each day carrying hundreds of people from one place to another. It’s important that pilots AND controllers stay vigilant and never get complacent.
When I first heard about the incident, it brought to mind something that happened to me a long time ago. Those who read my 360 blog might remember an entry where I told about getting my single engine pilot’s license (VFR) shortly after I got married. My husband was bound and determined to get his and with a history of heart disease in his family, I decided I needed to have mine, too. I sure didn’t want to get caught up in the air with him and not be able to land the plane if I ever had to!
I have no idea what getting a license these days entails. At that time, one of the requirements was to plan a “long cross country” flight. It had to include stops at several different airports, one of which had to be a specific distance away. It was a lengthy solo flight and required refueling at one point. My flight plan took me from Arkansas to Texas, then to Louisiana before returning home. As I neared the final airport on my route, the tower put me on a heading for approach. I complied, saw the airport ahead of me, and then watched as it receded into the distance behind me! I called the tower again and it was obvious what had happened. They’d forgotten about me!! I could hear laughter in the background! I was already pretty nervous, so it was no laughing matter to me at the time (even though I can tell the story now and it seems funny). Once I landed, I vaguely remember getting my log book initialed by someone on the ground then getting back in the air as soon as possible to get back home.
My experience was pretty trivial in the big scheme of things. It was just me. But you think about the hundreds of flights each day carrying hundreds of people from one place to another. It’s important that pilots AND controllers stay vigilant and never get complacent.
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