Category: MISC

Camera Critters ~ Mom we're bored!!

hosted by Misty @ Camera Critters
Go see all the other great entries.

Mom we’re borrrrrrrrred!! Gunner will sit and whine and whimper until he gets his way, but the weather has still been so cold and snowy here that they just aren’t getting any decent outside time and are becoming super bored!!

I have never had a dog that uses pillows like Whiskey does. She’ll actually rearrange the couch with her snout until she’s comfortable.

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Favorite Ingredients Friday ~ Country Chicken and Rice

hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

COUNTRY CHICKEN and RICE
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, tenders or thighs
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, drained
or I prefer 1/4 cup sun dried tomato pesto
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Marsala wine
3 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin tops and all
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups boiling water
chopped fresh parsley for garnish



  • Whisk together the tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning and 1/2 of the salt and pepper.
  • In a Tupperware marinader or a large Ziploc bag pour sauce over chicken pieces and marinade 2 hours or overnight is really yummy too.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish with PURE.
  • Place rices, carrots and onions in the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
  • Remove chicken pieces from the marinade to a plate.
  • Stir remaining marinade into the boiling water and then stir that into the rice.
  • Evenly layer chicken pieces over rice.
  • Cover tightly with foil.
  • Bake 1 hour or until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
  • Sprinkle with fresh parsley as garnish.

THIS WAS 2 THUMBS UP ON THE HUBBY TASTE TESTER!

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Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would participate and take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

We’ve had a houseful for the holidays and a bit of cabin fever with the weather. There have been a few heated discussions and one in particular left me with Today’s question:

Do you push your basket or walk down a store aisle as if you were driving a car? For example, do you stay towards the right or are you all over the place cutting people off?

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Let me tell you about my best friend….

Hubby and I do a Christmas stocking each year for each other with little things we might not buy ourselves otherwise. This year he put these 2 wonderful candy bars in my stocking. You know how chocolate bars just don’t taste like they did when we were kids? Well these DO!! They melt in your mouth and the creamy filling is so silky!! They’re almost orgasmic they are soooooooooo good! He’s a real help with starting my diet. LOL
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Friday Fill-Ins


Hosted by Janet

1. The world is becoming a smaller place with the internet.

2. Such as was the last thing I said.

3. I wonder when this economy is going to straighten out.

4. Peace is at the end of all things.

5. There’s something to be said for Prayer.

6. Eutopia is where I want to be. LOL

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to relaxing with hubby, tomorrow my plans include cleaning and finishing the de-decorating and Sunday, I want to watch play off games!

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Slow Cooking Thursday


hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

PEPPERONI SAUSAGE PIZZA DIP
2-8 ounce packages cream cheese cut into 1 inch cubes
2-8 ounce cans pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 easpoon oregano
8 ounces chopped pepperoni
1/2 package Jimmy Dean HOT sausage, browned, crumbled and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

  • Place cream cheese cubes in bottom of 3 quart slow cooker.
  • Combine pizza sauce, seasonings and meats and pour over cream cheese.
  • Top with the mozzarella cheese.
  • Cook on low 1 1/2-2 hours.
  • Serve with sourdough chunks.

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~*~Resolutions / Goals & Epiphanies~*~

Last year I did an extensive list and find it is now time to review and revise while I put into writing a more extensive GOALS list for myself in 2009.

I like the idea of having even one Epiphany, especially as the New Year begins. Epiphanies can lead to resolutions that help us reach our goals and one of my goals is the follow through it takes to bring those Epiphanies to life.

Here’s a very incomplete, but great beginning to the list of resolutions/epiphanies/ultimate goals I want to address in 2009:

  • 2008 DONE & 2009 STARTED TODAY!! Make most, if not all of next year’s Christmas gifts by hand and tailored to each person’s likes/dislikes


  • 2008 DONE!! Get my kitchen in order ~ I used to (before the nightmare of this house came to life) make my menus a month in advance. This was really helpful to our budget also. If a recipe called for half of an onion on Monday, I’d make sure to follow it with a recipe on Tuesday that called for the other half. During that time we tried at least 1 new recipe per week so I could try to empty the shoebox (my husband just reminded me that there 3, not “1” of these) FULL of recipes that I’d cut out from newspapers, magazines and such. That never worked because I always filled it right back up, but now it’s overflowing and desperately needs thinning out!!!!!!


  • 2008 DONE & 2009 IN PROGRESS ~ Limit my craft & fabric purchases to ONLY the items I need to make things using mostly materials that I already own


  • 2008 NOT WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUT A 2009 PLAN OF ATTACK IS IN THE SCHEDULE ~ Take a walk daily (weather permitting or not) OR AT LEAST use the treadmill, it’s already here after all!


  • 2008 SUCCESS ~ MY DIABETES IS UNDER CONTROL ForceD myself to eat breakfast! And I managed to lose weight too!


  • 2008 WAS MINIMAL due to the continued house issues, but 2009 LOOKS MORE PROMISING ~ Continue my volunteering monthly, even if it’s just a home project for something I already support


  • 2008 WAS A BUST due to the continued house issues, but 2009 LOOKS PROMISING ~ Write some freelance newspaper/magazine articles


  • 2008 WAS A BUST due to the continued house issues, but 2009 LOOKS A LOT MORE PROMISING ~ (Here’s the big scary one I’ve avoided for more years than I care to admit) I will write the novel(s) that have been swirling in my head for years. I have the plots, characters, synopsis and the settings. I’ve conversed with the characters like they are old friends and family, I’ve developed the towns, supporting characters and walked through the houses and buildings like I built them myself. I know everyone’s likes, dislikes, personality traits and idiosyncrasies. I know all the dogs in town and who rides their bike to work or walks. I know how deep and blue the lakes are and how clear the night sky is so much so that all the stars sparkle bright and appear as if you can reach up and pull them down. All I need to do now is capture it all on the blank pages between the colorfully bound covers that I can see so vividly


  • 2008 WAS A BUST but THERE’S ALWAYS 2009 ~ Try to sell my screenplay (inquiry letters are written and the 1st couple dozen, 2ND COUPLE DOZEN rejection letters are making for a great book).


  • 2008 WAS A BUST but THERE’S ALWAYS 2009 ~ Find a publisher for the cookbooks I’ve written

So… I scared myself a little (okay ~ a lot and I mean A LOT) with this list. But the age-old question truly is ~ “How do you eat an elephant?” And the answer will always be ~ “One bite at a time!” Some bites will be smaller than others, but that’s okay too!

Happy New Year, one and all, and may you too see the light to your epiphany!

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Thursday Thirteen ~ A few definitions

  1. BISTRO ~ A bistro, sometimes spelled bistrot, is a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. The concept developed in Paris, France. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. Slow-cooked foods like braised meats are typicaland usually serves wine.
  2. CAFE~ A café is a restaurant that does not offer table service. Customers order their food from a counter and serve themselves. A café menu traditionally offers things such as coffee, espresso, pastries and sandwiches. Cafes originated in Europe and are strongly associated with France. They are known for their casual, unhurried atmosphere. Outdoor seating is another trademark of a café. Panera Bread is an example of a popular bakery-café chain. The term bistro is sometimes interchanged with café. A bistro is actually a café that offers full meals (albeit, cheaper than a full fledged sit down restaurant).
  3. RESTAURANT ~ business establishment serving food and drink
  4. FINE DINING ~ Just as the name implies, fine dining is used to describe a much more upscale restaurant, one that offers diners an elegant atmosphere with high quality service. The chefs in fine dining restaurants are usually professionally trained, and the food is fairly expensive, but worth it.
  5. TAVERN ~ A tavern is, loosely, a place of business where people gather to drink alcohol and, more than likely, also be serve food.
  6. PUB ~ Short for Public House, pubs date back hundred of years to Europe, especially Great Britain. Pubs have a timeless appeal, for their laid back atmosphere. Brewpubs offer beer made in house, as well as a wide selection of other beers and ales. Pubs can offer full menus, as well as appetizers. Many casual style restaurants have a separate pub side to their establishment.
  7. GRILL ~ a restaurant where food is cooked specifically on a grill
  8. CHOP HOUSE ~ a restaurant that specializes in steaks
  9. COFFEE HOUSE ~ is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages
  10. BUFFET ~ a meal set out on a buffet (piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room) at which guests help themselves
  11. DINER ~ A small and inexpensive type of restaurant
  12. CAFETERIA ~ a restaurant where you serve yourself and pay a cashier
  13. BRASSERIE ~ a small restaurant serving beer and wine as well as food; usually cheap or a café doubling as a restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves single dishes and other meals.

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Happy New Year

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I’m going to do my traditional resolution list, but I think once again this year I will be realistic.

Lose weight ~ I lost a total of 15 pounds last year so I’ll leave this on my list and try for a bit more ~ another 15 would be fantastic.
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Get MORE organized ~ another one that EVERYONE always says. Once again I got a head start though. Last year was still devastating for us with the military red tape, the disclosure fraud from the previous owners of this house and a few other things. But, I started this past week at putting together the office/studio/workshop and it’s already going well. A place for everything and everything in its place… is almost complete.

Start on next year’s Christmas ~ Start in January again to hand make next years Christmas presents . It went well this year, a true labor of love. Look for peek-a-boo pictures to come (after all we can’t give away what’s what or who it’s for before next Christmas).

Be happy ~ Worry less ~ Smile more ~ Be more productive ~ Spread joy ~ Make a difference in the world.

I wish you ALL much health, happiness, tranquility, spiritual well being and prosperity in 2009 and may we ALL be able to face our challenges with much strength and grace, and may we receive ALL our blessings with thanksgiving and appreciation.

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TWD – Tall and Creamy Cheesecake

Anne of Anne Strawberry chose Tall and Creamy Cheesecake on pages 235-237 and I am so glad she did. Make sure to visit her for the original recipe. Hubby requested cheesecake for Christmas so this was the perfect opportunity to try this recipe. I just had to wait to share my results with you. I have to admit I did use a bit of creative license though! I’m calling this a red velvet cheesecake. It looks so pretty cut, just like red velvet!
My creative changes are somewhat obvious from the picture, but I really don’t think they changed the overall flavor and since they ate it all, I’ll consider that proof that it was good! I added 2 teaspoons of red food coloring to the actual cheese cake. I also don’t ever use graham crackers – hubby says they’re just too plain, so I always use a combination of gingersnaps and vanilla wafers instead. I also use my square springform (love that pan!!) to make it easier to cut into more pieces evenly. I had some cream cheese frosting from cookies left over also so filled in the top for decorating. It made a very nice contrast.





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Homemaker Monday & Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ~ Our Favorite Pancakes

Homemaker Mondays is hosted by Jen at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven Making a Happy Home Monday is hosted by LL at As for me and my house… and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace

BUTTERMILK CINNAMON PANCAKES
2 cups Pioneer Baking Mix
2 JUMBO eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk OR and what I prefer:
[1 1/2 cup whole milk + 1 tablespoon cultured buttermilk powder]
1 teaspoon sunflower oil
Cinnamon Sugar
REAL Maple Syrup

  • Whisk together the baking mix, eggs, buttermilk and oil.
  • Pour onto hot griddle.
  • Top with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and pour on warm syrup.
  • Enjoy!
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