Category: MISC
An Award from the Queen

Sweet Tammy over at Queen Size Funny Bone gave me this award.
It’s new and original and I love it.
Here are my awards:
Sandra @ Diary of a Stay at Home Mom with Slow Cooking Thursday
Meredith @ Mercedes Rocks with Scrumptious Sunday
Laura @ I’m an Organizing Junkie with Menu Plan Monday
Fortunately I like to read and always learn something new every time I visit these ladies in particular so I’m also passing this award to Barbara at Candy Hearts & Paper Flowers, Michelle at Scribbit ~ Motherhood in Alaska, Lisa at Confessions of an Apron Queen, Penelope at the Cafe at the End of the Universe, Misty at Misty’s Words, Diana at Forgetfulone and Joy at Joy of Desserts. These ladies inspire me in sooooooo many ways and help to be clutter free, organized, cozy, on budget, full of crafty ideas and productive. So grab your award and pass it on to those special someones who teach you just by reading their blog.
Autumn Test
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Sunday Scribblings ~ Forbidden
One of the most unbelievable things I found were some of the reasons behind the rationals to ban a book. Go look at this list of Banned Books. You’ll see that Alice in Wonderland has been banned in China because of the portrayal of Anthropomorphized animals acting on the same level as humans. Black Beauty, Catcher in the Rye, Catch 22, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The very Hungry Caterpillar… are just some of the well known and familiar books on these lists with equally baffling rationals for being banned. The lists go on and on. I’m sure each person or entity had a very ‘valid’ reason to see a book banned, at least in their mind, but I’m of a mind to allow others to make up their own minds. Not to mention that I believe if you tell someone they are FORBIDDEN to do something that’s all the more reason they want to do it.
The Online Books Page, ALA the American Library Association, Explore Banned Books, The Forbidden Library are just some of the places where you can read and learn more.
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna – don’t judge me, one of my friends used to love Madonna so I checked it out at her house one day. Said friend stopped loving Madonna once she read the book.
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett – just starting to read
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Christmas Preparation & a clean kitchen
Friday December 19th ~ *Sweet & Sour Pork
Saturday December 20th ~ *Spaghetti Bolegnese
Sunday December 21st ~ *Everything but the Kitchen Sink Soup
Monday December 22nd ~ *Snow Bound Casserole – (recipe soon)
Tuesday December 23rd ~ *Sweet & Zesty Meatballs
Wednesday December 24th ~ Crab Cakes w/ Remoulade Sauce (recipe soon) & Noel Log
Christmas Day ~ Ham, Holiday Carrots (recipe soon), Cheesey AuGratin Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Parmesan Rolls, Cranberry Sauce (recipe soon), Pumpkin Cheesecake (recipe soon)
Friday December 26th ~ CORN and/or ham sandwiches
Saturday December 27th ~ *Farm Style Chicken & Noodles
Sunday December 28th ~ *Cream of Chicken Rice Soup -(recipe soon)
Monday December 29th ~ *Chili & Chile Cornbread Casserole
Tuesday December 30th ~ Lemon Lime Pepper Chicken
Wednesday December 31st ~ Pot Roast & Veggies
Thursday January 1st ~ Ham and Broccoli Casserole & Buttery Biscuit Rolls (recipes soon)
Friday January 2nd ~ Chicken Fried Chicken w/ Parmesan Potatoes & Peppered Gravy
Saturday January 3rd ~ *Split Pea Soup
Sunday January 4th ~ Italian Macaroni & Cheese (recipe soon)
Monday January 5th ~ OUT
Lucky Duck I am ~ Book & a an Apron
Camera Critters ~ Sweet Whiskey Sour

Hosted by Misty
I took these a few weeks ago when the weather was still warm and I was baking that day so had the door open (yeah I know we need a storm/screen door here still). My sweet little girl does NOT like to be relegated outside! She waits patiently, well sort of patiently for me to click my tongue which is her signal to come back inside.
Fall always leads to Winter ~ BRRRRRRRR!
Gail better known as Tismee2 over at Squared Off asks “I’d love to know what it is you do to feel cosy when the weather turns cold. Although for some of you in more topical climes, I suppose you just put on a shirt – LOL!”
To use her verbage, it’s time to get out the winter woolies once again here too. It’s a bit nippy here too as last night’s low was 27 degrees and the high was 47 degrees.
I finally ran the furnace this week whether I wanted to or not for the first time of the season and then had to promptly clean the whole house top to bottom for all the summer dust.
So, to answer her question, what do I do to make life more comfy for me during the winter?
- I change to my wool socks and those are usually worn over my cotton ones since I don’t react well to the wool back do like to keep my toes warm.
- All of my coats have a pair of gloves in the pockets along with a scarf around the neck.
- I have a winter coat in the car boot, oops I mean backseat of the truck – in case it’s colder than I thought somewhere.
- I turn the heat on for a bit as soon I get up.
- I wear boots rather than tennis shoes.
- I have sachets, oops I mean packets of hot chocolate in the house.
- The fridge contains lots of root vegetables for soups and stews instead of salad
- I wear an ARMY sweatshirt inside and out-all day like a comfort blanket!
- In preparation of Lake Effect snow, the window and door screens have been replaced with storm windows and there are snow shovels at every door in preparation of the impending inevitability and the firewood is beginning to stack up for the wood burner.
Scrumptious Sunday ~ National Pork Month ~ Traditional Carnitas – YUMMY!


Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
CARNITAS (my most favorite way to make this recipe)
1 can Old El Paso verde enchilada sauce
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced, Jar
sea salt
white pepper
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
- Lightly spray your baking dish with PURE.
- GENEROUSLY salt and pepper both sides of your roast. Put in the baking dish.
- Cover the roast with the onion pieces.
- Whisk the minced garlic into your enchilada sauce.
- Pour over the onions and roast to coat well.
- Cover loosely with foil.
- Bake for 3 hours or until fork tender.
- Remove to cutting board with a juice well.
- Shred the meat and return to pan with the juices.
- Increase heat to 325 degrees.
- Cook uncovered 30 minutes until tops are slightly crispy.
- Turn the meat and bake another 30 minutes. There should be virtually no juices left.
- Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole and salsa.

Friday Fill-Ins
2. The current state of the economy and political manipulation scare me!
3. Leaves are falling all around, it’s BEAUTIFUL.
4. My favorite horror movie is The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock because truly scares me.
5. Hubby = good memories.
6. It was a dark and stormy night when I first watched The Birds, probably why it scared me so much.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to snuggling in with hubby for a good movie, tomorrow my plans include errands and Sunday, I want to quilt and watch football!
Aloha Friday ~ Coffee
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. 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!
What is your favorite flavored coffee?
(spiked or not)
Recipe Box Swap collides with Favorite Ingredient Friday ~ Sandwich Edition ~ Monte Cristo Sandwiches with Homemade Raspeberry Jam
2-3 tablespoons butter
powdered sugar
for each sandwich you will need:
2 slices thick Potato bread
1 slice roasted turkey
1 slice swiss cheese
1 slice smoked or baked ham
BATTER (enough for 2 sandwiches)
1/2 cup milk
1 JUMBO egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup self rising flour
- Assemble sandwiches with the cheese between the 2 pieces of meat.
- Cut into halves or quarters.
- Whisk together the milk and egg. Add the seasonings. Add the flour last.
- Melt butter on griddle.
- Dip each sandwich piece in batter coating well.
- Fry each sandwich until crisp. Make sure to turn onto each side and edge to grill batter well.
- Cool on paper towels.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve with fresh raspberry jam.
RASPBERRY JAM
8 cups raspberries
6 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange peel
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 package unflavored gelatin
- Combine fruit, sugar, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange peel in a stock pot.
- Bring to a full rolling boil – stirring constantly. Let boil 1 full minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in gelatin.
- Skim any foam.
- Pour into sterilized jars.
- Water bath process 15 minutes.
, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy
, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
, and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!






