I know that I am a little too old to have been under the "Hannah Montana" spell....even my kids are too old for that...and I have sons who would not have watched it, anyways if it was around when they were kids/tweens. We had hordes of kids (mostly boys) at my house after school playing Super Mario on the big screen TV because their parents weren't home from work yet and ...I was home...lots of Mountain Dew, chips and salsa, fruit-by-the-foot or whatever that fake fruit leather was called- Tostino Pizza Rolls...sigh- yes, I was THAT mom who fed your kids sodium filled crap after school- that, and roller hockey on the hardwood floors of the downstairs- or Youth Ministry meetings for Team Leaders...yah, a whole 'nother topic...some of you were there :) ha ha!! BUT- we had a lot of good conversations!!
But- I do watch the news, and read Mashable, and keep up with current events...I'm not THAT old, after all!! I know that Miley has talent as a singer, and as a 'celebrity'; although, I don't always appreciate her artistic ventures. Especially the naked twerking stuff. Sigh.
I sort of get her, at least, this week, after watching "Glee".
I have to admit, "Glee" has been my guilty pleasure for the past few years. I LOVE music- all kinds of music- and they have featured a lot of music that I really like (read: know all the words and sing along) and other music that I have had to check out.
"Wrecking Ball" was one of those songs.
It was featured on "Glee" this past week...and it hit me pretty hard (well, I do follow the story line). I do understand the life of a high school student, having worked with them for so many years- and I know how a seemingly innocuous event could be life-changing.
I get why Miley did a video of 'Wrecking Ball' pretty much naked.
She was suffering. In pain. Wondering who she is...is she lovable...she has been hurt.
I get it, now.
Poor girl.
I hope that all of the young people who hear her song know that they ARE loved- someone cares- and that life is not over or full of despair when you feel lonely, or unloved, or outcast.
Life will get better.
All of us go through times when we do stupid or bad things and we feel self-contempt...but the wonderful thing about life is that we can get better! We are not the sum of our weakness.
I want you all to think about a time when you did something you were ashamed of or something bad, or evil. That is not who you are!
You CAN move beyond your worst moment.
The 'Wrecking Ball" can be a force for good and for hope.
I am filled with hope--but I know who I am.
I am lovable- I am good- I am worthy- I am a mature person who is still discovering all the amazing things I can accomplish!
Who are you?
I think you are awesome!
Here are the lyrics...http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mileycyrus/wreckingball.html
Monday, November 18, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
It Must Be Cold Outside...My Twinkle Star Orchids Are Blooming!!
A short post, but I hope you love the photo!
I bought two Twinkle Star Orchid plants at Trader Joe's in Rancho Santa Margarita in 2005 as a cute little 'decor' for our bathrooms while our home was up for sale. Orchids love a steamy bathroom and they were just so tiny and cute I couldn't go wrong!
Kevin brought them to me in March 2006 when I was longing for something green in Klamath Falls (it was still practically winter, then) He was still living in Rancho, getting ready to retire from the Sheriff's Department, and came to visit me for St. Patrick's Day weekend. The orchids made me so happy!
One of the interesting things about these orchids is that they bloom twice a year- in the late fall and in the late winter. I've kept them in a sunny window for the past 7 years...but I don't really have a shelf that is close enough to a sunny window in this little rental house...so they are perched as close to the kitchen slider and full sunshine as possible!
They began to bloom this week....
The orchid is to the right of our White Ginger plant that is growing like crazy! Remember, we bought a 'stick' of a White Ginger when we were in Hawai'i in March earlier this year...isn't it beautiful?
Oh, and yes, I do use the molcajete on a regular basis to make salsa...thanks, Debbie Bloomgren for making me use one with fire roasted veggies! I still use the technique that you taught me so many years ago :)
I bought two Twinkle Star Orchid plants at Trader Joe's in Rancho Santa Margarita in 2005 as a cute little 'decor' for our bathrooms while our home was up for sale. Orchids love a steamy bathroom and they were just so tiny and cute I couldn't go wrong!
Kevin brought them to me in March 2006 when I was longing for something green in Klamath Falls (it was still practically winter, then) He was still living in Rancho, getting ready to retire from the Sheriff's Department, and came to visit me for St. Patrick's Day weekend. The orchids made me so happy!
One of the interesting things about these orchids is that they bloom twice a year- in the late fall and in the late winter. I've kept them in a sunny window for the past 7 years...but I don't really have a shelf that is close enough to a sunny window in this little rental house...so they are perched as close to the kitchen slider and full sunshine as possible!
They began to bloom this week....
The orchid is to the right of our White Ginger plant that is growing like crazy! Remember, we bought a 'stick' of a White Ginger when we were in Hawai'i in March earlier this year...isn't it beautiful?
Oh, and yes, I do use the molcajete on a regular basis to make salsa...thanks, Debbie Bloomgren for making me use one with fire roasted veggies! I still use the technique that you taught me so many years ago :)
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Retirement and the Lazy Girl's Way To Dinner
I know, since I retired I've been finding more and more ways to tantalize you with my cooking creations!
Once in a great while I just want something that is fast and easy for dinner. Like, last night. Well, I did make a fabulous souffle for breakfast...anyhow, I read quite a few blogs on cooking, crafting, 'how-to' and faith. A recipe that appeared in Martha Stewart Living Magazine has been making the rounds in the blogosphere, so I decided to test it out on Kevin. Yes, I am talking about...One Pan Pasta
It really is that simple!
I made some adjustments, of course...but basically you add the following to a large pan:
(I used my Jamie Oliver 12.5" professional series stainless steel fry pan)
12 ounces of linguine (I used spaghetti since we prefer it over linguine)
12 ounces of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 thinly sliced onion (I used a red one)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (we like it spicy)
4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
2 sprigs of fresh basil
This is my 2 month old Trader Joe's basil plant, still going strong!
I added:
8 small homemade frozen meatballs
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of capers
The recipe calls for 4.5 cups of water, but I used 1 cup of white wine (Pinot Gris) and 3.5 cups of vegetable stock. Talk about a punch of flavor!
Pour the liquids into the pan along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to a boil. Tossing the pasta frequently, boil until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is almost gone....about 9 minutes or so.
Serve with another tablespoon of olive oil and a little Parmesan if you like....and you probably will need some salt if you just used water.
This was delicious, easy and I only had to wash one pot, one knife, one cutting board, 2 forks, two plates and two wine glasses. Oh, did I forget to tell you to serve wine with dinner? We had this again for Sunday lunch...and probably for Monday and Tuesday lunch, too :) It makes a lot of food! Supposedly it feeds 4...but I am positive we will get 8 servings out of it! No salad or bread with this one!
Once in a great while I just want something that is fast and easy for dinner. Like, last night. Well, I did make a fabulous souffle for breakfast...anyhow, I read quite a few blogs on cooking, crafting, 'how-to' and faith. A recipe that appeared in Martha Stewart Living Magazine has been making the rounds in the blogosphere, so I decided to test it out on Kevin. Yes, I am talking about...One Pan Pasta
It really is that simple!
(I used my Jamie Oliver 12.5" professional series stainless steel fry pan)
12 ounces of linguine (I used spaghetti since we prefer it over linguine)
12 ounces of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 thinly sliced onion (I used a red one)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (we like it spicy)
4 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
2 sprigs of fresh basil
I added:
8 small homemade frozen meatballs
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of capers
The recipe calls for 4.5 cups of water, but I used 1 cup of white wine (Pinot Gris) and 3.5 cups of vegetable stock. Talk about a punch of flavor!
Pour the liquids into the pan along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to a boil. Tossing the pasta frequently, boil until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is almost gone....about 9 minutes or so.
Serve with another tablespoon of olive oil and a little Parmesan if you like....and you probably will need some salt if you just used water.
This was delicious, easy and I only had to wash one pot, one knife, one cutting board, 2 forks, two plates and two wine glasses. Oh, did I forget to tell you to serve wine with dinner? We had this again for Sunday lunch...and probably for Monday and Tuesday lunch, too :) It makes a lot of food! Supposedly it feeds 4...but I am positive we will get 8 servings out of it! No salad or bread with this one!
Friday, November 8, 2013
Love my latest cookbook...
My friend, Jaena, sent me this 'coffee table' cookbook- she knew that she wouldn't make the recipes in it, but she thought I might! Oh Yay! LOVE this stuff!
I'm going to try and cook my way through this book...so tonight, I tried the Chicken Garlic Lettuce Wraps and Blue Cheese Stuffed Poached Pear Salad!
For the Garlic Chicken Wraps:
Sauce dip:
2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Vietnamese (or Thai) fish sauce
1 tablespoon of sambal olek (chili garlic paste)
mix together and place in a small bowl for dipping and set aside
1 head of Bibb Lettuce, washed and separated into leaves
marinate the following together:
2 thin cut defrosted chicken breast pieces chopped into minced pieces
1 tsp. of red pepper flakes
2 chopped green onions
1" of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled, chopped
8 springs of cilantro, cleaned, stemmed and chopped finely
1 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
For the chicken-
heat a small saucepan over medium and add the chicken/spice mix. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked and the spices are fragrant...about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
To assemble:
place a tablespoon of cooked chicken mix on a lettuce leaf; top with sauce, wrap and eat!
Blue Cheese Stuffed Pear Salad
1 whole ripe pear, peeled and cut in half- seeded
poaching liquid
2 cups of apple cider
(or 2 cups of red/white wine if you really want to go there)
1/2 split and scraped vanilla bean
1 stick of cinnamon
1 chopped star anise (if you have it optional)
boil and add the peeled and halved pear- boil at a low boil for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool for an hour. Drain the pear halves.
stuff the pears with 1 tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles and top with homemade croutons. Serve over chopped greens...or serve with a drizzle of honey as a dessert. YUM!
I'm going to try and cook my way through this book...so tonight, I tried the Chicken Garlic Lettuce Wraps and Blue Cheese Stuffed Poached Pear Salad!
For the Garlic Chicken Wraps:
Sauce dip:
2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Vietnamese (or Thai) fish sauce
1 tablespoon of sambal olek (chili garlic paste)
mix together and place in a small bowl for dipping and set aside
1 head of Bibb Lettuce, washed and separated into leaves
marinate the following together:
2 thin cut defrosted chicken breast pieces chopped into minced pieces
1 tsp. of red pepper flakes
2 chopped green onions
1" of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled, chopped
8 springs of cilantro, cleaned, stemmed and chopped finely
1 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
For the chicken-
heat a small saucepan over medium and add the chicken/spice mix. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked and the spices are fragrant...about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
To assemble:
place a tablespoon of cooked chicken mix on a lettuce leaf; top with sauce, wrap and eat!
Blue Cheese Stuffed Pear Salad
1 whole ripe pear, peeled and cut in half- seeded
poaching liquid
2 cups of apple cider
(or 2 cups of red/white wine if you really want to go there)
1/2 split and scraped vanilla bean
1 stick of cinnamon
1 chopped star anise (if you have it optional)
boil and add the peeled and halved pear- boil at a low boil for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool for an hour. Drain the pear halves.
stuff the pears with 1 tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles and top with homemade croutons. Serve over chopped greens...or serve with a drizzle of honey as a dessert. YUM!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Hot Soup on a Cold Night
I told you about the Reno-Gazette Journal's Food section...well, today I made an amazing soup that they posted in the paper on Wednesday that sounded like something we would love...Cream of Celery Soup with Carmelized Apples and Blue Cheese. Oh, Yah. That's what I'm talking about...this recipe was actually lifted from the Sunset Magazine Book, "Cook Taste Savor".
I have listed the original link to the recipe for you here...Cream of Celery Soup from Sunset Magazine
I didn't make too many changes since it turned out so fantastic!
First, I cleaned and chopped 1 whole head of celery. I put this in my enamel lined RED Dutch Oven - well, it's the largest pot I have out of a box at this point! Next, I peeled and chopped 1 red onion. I like red onion better in a soup recipe than a yellow onion because it adds a little more, um, I don't know, something sweet and some pretty color to the dish, usually.
I also added a little butter and put the heat on medium.
Then, I chopped one Granny Smith green apple and tossed it with 1 tsp of softened butter in a fry pan over medium. I left that to caramelize...I did add some Blue Agave, since it's lower on the glycemic index and I just like a pour-able sweet, don't you?
Next, I added a sprinkle of celery salt to the celery/onion mix and all of the chicken stock...
and I let her rip for 25 minutes.
The recipe does not call for croutons, but I LOVE crunchy croutons in my soup, so I had an extra hamburger bun in the oven...and voila! Croutons!
A little olive oil, some smoked paprika, some garlic powder all tossed with some chopped up bits of hamburger bun- thrown in the oven on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes and we have crunchy tasty heaven!
While all that was going on, I checked the apple to make sure it was getting crispy...
then I added the half and half to the soup and broke out the stick blender...
and voila! We had a delicious soup!
I added some croutons, some blue cheese crumbles and the caramelized apples....
and deliciousness....for dinner.
Try it, you' ll like it!!!
I have listed the original link to the recipe for you here...Cream of Celery Soup from Sunset Magazine
I didn't make too many changes since it turned out so fantastic!
First, I cleaned and chopped 1 whole head of celery. I put this in my enamel lined RED Dutch Oven - well, it's the largest pot I have out of a box at this point! Next, I peeled and chopped 1 red onion. I like red onion better in a soup recipe than a yellow onion because it adds a little more, um, I don't know, something sweet and some pretty color to the dish, usually.
Then, I chopped one Granny Smith green apple and tossed it with 1 tsp of softened butter in a fry pan over medium. I left that to caramelize...I did add some Blue Agave, since it's lower on the glycemic index and I just like a pour-able sweet, don't you?
The recipe does not call for croutons, but I LOVE crunchy croutons in my soup, so I had an extra hamburger bun in the oven...and voila! Croutons!
A little olive oil, some smoked paprika, some garlic powder all tossed with some chopped up bits of hamburger bun- thrown in the oven on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes and we have crunchy tasty heaven!
and deliciousness....for dinner.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Beautiful Tahoe...
Today we decided to make a road trip to check out several places in the Lake Tahoe area, as well as routes for winter skiing.
It was warm and sunny- around 54 degrees. We decided to take Bridget the Yorkie and a picnic lunch and make a day of it! Remember those cheddar biscuits? Well, they were fantastic with ham and Havarti cheese! We also took some home made dill pickles, celery with home made ranch dip and a couple of protein bars to go with out water bottles.
We drove up Highway 50 from Highway 395, which is very close to the house. We like Highway 50 going up the mountain because it's 2 lanes, 50 MPH and there is a cement divider between the eastbound and westbound lanes. It wasn't a worry today with dry roads, but in the winter when it's snowy and icy...that's another story.
It took us about 25 minutes to get to our first stop at Zephyr Cove. We found out that there is a dog friendly beach there, with nice picnic tables and stunning views of Lake Tahoe.
Kevin drove up Highway 50 so I could keep Bridget the Yorkie occupied. She just loved the short hike to the beach! We walked around these beautiful rock formations- it was low tide-and she snuffled and chased imaginary lizards and had a grand time while we admired the serene beauty of Lake Tahoe.
That ugly monstrosity in the picture is the Tahoe Queen...one of the tour boats on the lake.
I have to say, as we drove up Highway 50 I gasped at the beauty of the huge and incredibly blue Lake Tahoe. It is a stunning view from the road, nestled between the mountains.
I just love the fact that a wild pine tree is growing at the water's edge of the lake!
We met a couple of other folks who were walking their dogs on the 'dog-friendly' beach area. Bridget was not ready to play with them just yet :) We did perch her on a giant rock to try and get a cute picture but she DID NOT LIKE IT!
We drove to Stateline near the big casinos- Montblu, Harvey's, Harrah's and Lakeside. No view of the Lake from the road, so we kept going.
We decided to check out Ski Run Drive and the entrance to Heavenly Ski Resort on the California side. Kevin and I have skiied the Gunbarrel run many times in the past....it is a super steep mogul filled tight alley surrounded by rocks...just my kind of black diamond adventure! Not sure that Kevin's knees can do the 'bumps' anymore, but it sure looked beautiful! We are willing to try as soon as we have some snow!
We ended up brown baggin' it in the parking lot on the Nevada side...near the Stagecoach Lift.
It was just beautiful!
Everyone here is very hopeful for a nice snowy winter- after two dry winters, there are lots of empty stores and lots of properties up for sale.
A little snow is predicted for this coming weekend, with Opening Day scheduled for Nov. 22!!!
I'm just asking everyone to PRAY FOR SNOW!!
I drove home while Kevin kept Bridget occupies. I took the Kingsbury grade down to Jack's Valley Road...a lot quicker, even though it's 2 lanes, very twisty, no cement barriers and 45 MPH but it only took about 20 minutes to get home. Very pretty, scenic drive with great views of the entire Carson Valley all the way home! Sorry no pictures- Kevin had his hands full with a squirmy Yorkie!
It was warm and sunny- around 54 degrees. We decided to take Bridget the Yorkie and a picnic lunch and make a day of it! Remember those cheddar biscuits? Well, they were fantastic with ham and Havarti cheese! We also took some home made dill pickles, celery with home made ranch dip and a couple of protein bars to go with out water bottles.
We drove up Highway 50 from Highway 395, which is very close to the house. We like Highway 50 going up the mountain because it's 2 lanes, 50 MPH and there is a cement divider between the eastbound and westbound lanes. It wasn't a worry today with dry roads, but in the winter when it's snowy and icy...that's another story.
It took us about 25 minutes to get to our first stop at Zephyr Cove. We found out that there is a dog friendly beach there, with nice picnic tables and stunning views of Lake Tahoe.
I just love the fact that a wild pine tree is growing at the water's edge of the lake!
We met a couple of other folks who were walking their dogs on the 'dog-friendly' beach area. Bridget was not ready to play with them just yet :) We did perch her on a giant rock to try and get a cute picture but she DID NOT LIKE IT!
We decided to check out Ski Run Drive and the entrance to Heavenly Ski Resort on the California side. Kevin and I have skiied the Gunbarrel run many times in the past....it is a super steep mogul filled tight alley surrounded by rocks...just my kind of black diamond adventure! Not sure that Kevin's knees can do the 'bumps' anymore, but it sure looked beautiful! We are willing to try as soon as we have some snow!
It was just beautiful!
A little snow is predicted for this coming weekend, with Opening Day scheduled for Nov. 22!!!
I'm just asking everyone to PRAY FOR SNOW!!
I drove home while Kevin kept Bridget occupies. I took the Kingsbury grade down to Jack's Valley Road...a lot quicker, even though it's 2 lanes, very twisty, no cement barriers and 45 MPH but it only took about 20 minutes to get home. Very pretty, scenic drive with great views of the entire Carson Valley all the way home! Sorry no pictures- Kevin had his hands full with a squirmy Yorkie!
Cheddar Biscuits and a GREAT section of the newspaper...
Every Wednesday, the Reno-Gazette Journal has a, "Food and Drink" section of the paper. Wednesday has become my favorite day of the week to read the paper due to the inclusion of this section!
I found out today that apparently, I am 'trendy' in the food world. I can't help myself; I just LOVE to try new things or things that are new to me. One of my favorite condiments is Vietnamese Fish Sauce. I discovered it years ago when it was served on the table in Vietnamese restaurants all over Orange County, CA. I usually have a bottle of it in the fridge and I use it frequently to flavor up all kinds of things- soups, sauces, marinades. Anyhow, the "Food and Drink" section had an entire article entitled, "Fish sauce might be the new kale.". Apparently, famous chefs have just discovered fish sauce and are using it in many dishes to add 'umami'...whatever that is:) According to Kikkoman, it's the 7th sense or something. Whatever. Fish sauce is delicious! Oh, and I've been eating (and growing) kale for years before it became trendy. Maybe the famous chefs should follow my blog to get the up and coming food trend flavors on the cutting edge...
I wanted to make something delicious for breakfast today, so I decided on Biscuits and gravy. Yes, I know, I've published my recipe before, but today I found a delicious new alternative that turned out fantastic, so I thought I'd share it with you!
Cheddar Biscuits
I only made one change- I used low fat buttermilk instead of fat-free milk. I also mis-read the directions and cut the rectangle of dough into 4 biscuits- not 8 like the recipe said to do! Anyhow, the biscuits were fantastic!
Here's what's left after breakfast...
I made chicken sausage gravy using chicken stock and fat-free half and half -again- instead of milk. Sorry, it's all GONE! no photos of that...
We are planning to drive up to Lake Tahoe today for a picnic lunch, so I'm thinking about using the last two biscuits to make ham and havarti biscuit sammiches. Yum.
I found out today that apparently, I am 'trendy' in the food world. I can't help myself; I just LOVE to try new things or things that are new to me. One of my favorite condiments is Vietnamese Fish Sauce. I discovered it years ago when it was served on the table in Vietnamese restaurants all over Orange County, CA. I usually have a bottle of it in the fridge and I use it frequently to flavor up all kinds of things- soups, sauces, marinades. Anyhow, the "Food and Drink" section had an entire article entitled, "Fish sauce might be the new kale.". Apparently, famous chefs have just discovered fish sauce and are using it in many dishes to add 'umami'...whatever that is:) According to Kikkoman, it's the 7th sense or something. Whatever. Fish sauce is delicious! Oh, and I've been eating (and growing) kale for years before it became trendy. Maybe the famous chefs should follow my blog to get the up and coming food trend flavors on the cutting edge...
I wanted to make something delicious for breakfast today, so I decided on Biscuits and gravy. Yes, I know, I've published my recipe before, but today I found a delicious new alternative that turned out fantastic, so I thought I'd share it with you!
Cheddar Biscuits
I only made one change- I used low fat buttermilk instead of fat-free milk. I also mis-read the directions and cut the rectangle of dough into 4 biscuits- not 8 like the recipe said to do! Anyhow, the biscuits were fantastic!
Here's what's left after breakfast...
We are planning to drive up to Lake Tahoe today for a picnic lunch, so I'm thinking about using the last two biscuits to make ham and havarti biscuit sammiches. Yum.
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