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18 Days Until Christmas!

Hello friends! Here’s hoping you’re successful in getting ready for the holidays.

I would say I am 70% done with shopping. I have to round up a few little things and some gift cards. There has been no wrapping! I’m always a slacker with that. I haven’t started my cards yet but I got them out and printed my card list so that is a start. The baking/candy making list has been made.

The only thing I am done with is my decorating! Finally! I have discovered that I have so much stuff to decorate with that I have to make choices about what to display. For instance this year it was a contest between my nutcracker collection and my Tom and Jerry punch sets. The nutcrackers won. Next year I will display the Tom and Jerry sets.

Each year I add to my decorations. This year I was especially bad in TJ Maxx with the encouragement of my friend Linda! She is dangerous to shop with, especially in that store! However, I loved every minute of it!

During the holiday season sometimes we struggle to be “happy” because darn it we are supposed to be happy at this time of year. Sometimes, it is difficult for a multitude of reasons. Often it is missing a loved one who is gone but it also can just be the stress of getting ready or even just of “being happy” as expected.

I recently read an article by Lynya Floyd called, “The (Online) Pursuit of Happiness”. She really didn’t talk about online happiness but rather the title refers to some research she did on the web and through email. She has identified 7 theories about happiness. I will attempt to summarize them for you here. They were a little eye-opening to me and maybe they will help you put it in perspective too.

  1. We should ask ourselves what an ordinary week looks like. After all, we can’t just gauge our happiness on achieving certain milestones such as an engagement or a job promotion. There is a lot of time in between those events and we need to look at that time and see how we can achieve our average happiness. How would I like my ordinary week to look? Since I am happiest when I get things accomplished I would like to keep up with my housework, work on my blog, etc. I would also like time in the week to watch a little TV in the evening while snuggling with my doggies. Some volunteering makes me feel good too so that would be part of my week. Being social is a big part of my life so that would be an element of the time too as well as some craft project(s). Do you see what I am getting at? Make sure your ordinary week has stuff in it that make you happy!
  2. Comparison is not always a good thing. Sometimes we compare our accomplishments with what could have been. Try to just revel in what you have achieved. No comparison needed!
  3. Happiness is not a goal to work toward but rather a destination you stay at. Carry your happiness with you and in you!
  4. You don’t have to win the lottery to get a jolt of happiness. You can do that by helping someone in need. Sending a card, letter or email thanking someone else thanking them for something they did for you. Donate item(s) or your time to a cause.  Just be kind to others!
  5. Quit complaining! It is nice to express yourself and be heard but let it end there. Continuing to complain keeps you focused on the problem. Allow yourself to move past that and move toward what you want.
  6. There are two kinds of happiness, natural and synthetic. Your brain can’t tell the difference. Here’s an example. Let’s say you want to move to a brand new house or apartment. That would make you happy and would be natural happiness. Due to finances you are unable to move so you decide to put a fresh coat of paint on some walls, move your furniture around and make a couple of throw pillows. This makes you happy and is synthetic happiness because you created it. The message I take from this is that if you aren’t experiencing natural happiness then make your own!

Finally, the big milestones like graduation day, wedding day, birth of a child, etc. are really few and far between. We can’t depend on them to have happiness. If you focus on growing as a person either mentally, physically or spiritually, helping others, reaching out and connecting with people then you will have happiness. There will be unhappy moments but they will be few and far between.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Handy Tips

  1.  This is the season for baking. How is it best to store our bounty until they are served? Martha Stewart says; Allow them to completely cool. Then layer them between waxed paper or parchment. Put them in an airtight container. Most will keep for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Don’t store soft and crunchy baked goods together. The crunchy will absorb moisture from the soft and they will be soft too. Only keep in the refrigerator items that contain a dairy or egg component. If you need to revive stored cookies heat them in the a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them so that they don’t over bake.
  2. Test baking soda by adding a teaspoon full to 1/2 cup of hot water. If it doesn’t bubble then throw it out!
  3. Sprinkle a little salt in your pan before frying. This will keep the oil from splattering.
  4. If you have icy sidewalks or steps mix 1 teaspoon Dawn dish washing liquid, 1 Tablespoon of rubbing alcohol and a gallon of hot water. Pour over the icy area. It won’t refreeze or chip concrete like salt does.

Christmas Goody Recipe

My grandchildren go crazy for this easy, no bake, delicious treat. It is sure to be a winner in your house too!

Peanut Butter Logs

1 stick of butter or margarine (melted)

2 cups of peanut butter (you can use crunchy or creamy)

1 pound of powdered sugar

3 cups of Rice Krispies

melted chocolate for drizzling on top ( you can use candy melts or chocolate chips)

Melt your butter and in a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the chocolate. When all ingredients are completely incorporated shape them into logs and put on waxed paper or parchment paper. Melt your chocolate in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. You don’t want to over do this as the chocolate will get grainy. Once your chocolate is melted drizzle some over each log or you can completely coat them if you would rather do that. I drizzle. Refrigerate until serving.

You will thank me late! LOL

Have a wonderful week! Do those things that make you happy!

 

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Now On To The Leftovers

I hope your Thanksgiving was great and that you were surrounded with positive people and of course, tons of food.

We had the best Thanksgiving in recent years. Now, I say this not because previous ones were bad in any way but mainly because I didn’t have any hiccups in the meal preparation and I even had time after dinner to play some cards which I really enjoy.

Last year the rolls were a little over done and the bottom of the pumpkin pie cake was burned. Those are two of my kids’ favorite things and I was happy this year both items came out as they should have. I also didn’t forget anything for the meal. No trip to the store at the last minute is a plus. Last year I forgot to take the family picture which I take every year and use in my Christmas cards. This year we took great pictures!

Now, we are onto the leftovers. Everyone loves leftovers from the Thanksgiving feast. I purposely make extra so that each person goes home with a plate to enjoy later. My brother, Doug, even comes to the dinner with his own containers to take some home. I told you, WE LOVE LEFTOVERS! Items from the dinner included, turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, butternut squash, green bean casserole, rolls, cranberry sauce, stuffing, corn, pumpkin pie cake, sweet potato pie,  and mixed berry pie.

Even after I had a couple of meals from my leftovers I still had some items in the refrigerator that needed to be put to use. I had an abundance of mashed potatoes and quite a bit of sweet potato casserole. I decided to make potato soup (I love soup!) with the mashed potatoes and I found a recipe for using leftover sweet potato casserole to make biscuits. I am sharing them below.

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

  • 4 cups of mashed potatoes
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Chives, bacon crumbles, and grated cheddar for garnish

In a stock pot  heat the olive oil and then add the chopped onion. Saute the onion until it was translucent. Next, add the mashed potatoes and the broth.  Then add salt and pepper to the pot. Simmer these on medium until the mixture is warm, the flavors have a chance to combine and many of the lumps of potatoes have been incorporated. Finally, use a submersion blender to get all of the lumps out and fully incorporate all of the mashed potatoes with the broth. Just for good measure I simmered the soup for a few more minutes with the lid on. I left the lid on because I didn’t want the liquid to reduce any further. After ladling the soup into bowls garnish with chives, bacon, and grated cheddar.

*Notes: This recipe was a combination of several that I found online. I just used the parts of recipes that sounded good to me. It was outstanding!

 

Sweet Potato Casserole Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 oz. (4 tablespoons) cold butter
1/8 cup milk
1 cup sweet potato casserole
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. Add the cold butter which has been cut into chunks. Use a pastry cutter  to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. If you don’t have a pastry cutter,  use a fork. It can be done, it just isn’t as easy. Once this is done add the milk and the sweet potato casserole. Form a ball with your dough and using a rolling pin roll it out until the dough is 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter or the top of a glass. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprayed with pan spray. Bake in the oven for 9 to 11 minutes.
*Notes: This recipe was from the Pinterest board, Home Cooking Memories.
I followed the recipe exactly but set my timer for 7 minutes instead of 9-11. The first time I make a recipe I want to make sure I don’t over bake it. As it turned out, the biscuits were done perfectly in 7 minutes. The difference in baking time is most likely due to each oven being different.
As you will likely notice in the pictures, I put chopped pecans in my sweet potato casserole and they are a really nice addition to the biscuits. I will definitely make this again!
I want to add a little something about the parchment paper I use. I have for many years used parchment or baking paper that came in rolls like foil. Recently, a friend, Linda, told me that they now sell sheets of the paper. That is nice since if you have worked with this product before you know that it is a struggle to get the parchment paper that is in a roll to lay on the baking sheet without curling. When the paper is in sheets it lays nice and flat. That is so much more convenient! It can be quite expensive but I happened to stumble upon it one night with Linda at our local Dollar Tree store. They sell it in packages of 10 sheets for a dollar. That is a bargain!
Odd Item
This morning while washing dishes I was cleaning my spatula from breakfast with the dishcloth and it just snapped in half! I have only had it for a couple of months and I use it exclusively for making eggs. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I have decided I am going to write the company since it is a rather well known one and let them know what happened. I think it must be a design flaw.
I once wrote about a kind of large set of utensils (you know, large and small spatulas, ladle, slotted and solid spoons, etc.) They weren’t cheap.
I loved them except for one thing. Apparently, when I washed them, water would get into what must have been hollow handles and then when I would use them water would come running out. This happened several times and that water went right into whatever I was cooking. I tried draining them at every angle but it didn’t work. It was very unsanitary to say the least.
I wrote the company about this flaw. They totally surprised me by allowing me to pick out a new set from their website. I still have that set and they must have corrected the design flaw since it doesn’t happen with the new ones.
Just to be clear the small spatula I used for eggs and the other set are not made by the same company.
Christmas Idea
Wrapping paper can be quite expensive. There are alternatives to using traditional wrapping paper. When I was a kids I can remember my Mom saving the colored comics from the Sunday paper to use as wrapping paper for a child’s gift. For a person who loves to read, even the black and white pages make a great wrapping! Other items might include fabric scraps ( you can also use fabric scrapes to make bags just by stitching 3 sides together), maps, butcher paper, paper bags, pillow cases ( just add a drawstring or tie with a ribbon), or use part of the gift as wrapping such as a baby towel or blanket or a sheet. When using plain paper the sky is the limit to how you can embellish it. You can stamp on it, paint on it, autograph it, tie it with colorful twine or add a sprig of pine or a cinnamon stick. Use your imagination. Look in your drawers and your sewing basket!
Gift tags can also be re-imagined. One year I used an old deck of cards, cut the edges with pinking shears, punched a hole in one corner, used a black sharpie to write the name on it and a ribbon to attach it to the gift. Another year I used old photos from my Mom’s photos that were of landscapes, cars, and other items like that. They had no special meaning to me. I punched a hole in the corner and used twine to attach it to the gifts. The bonus was that my family loved they they were Grandma’s pictures!
Christmas Decor
This year I had seen an idea on Pinterest to use a ladder and decorate it like a tree with lights and all! I thought I would try it out. I bought lights, large ornaments, and a large gold bow for the top.
My one quandary was how to keep it anchored so the wind didn’t blow it over. The ladder was my Mom’s and is an aluminium one which is very light. I decided to use tent stakes, supplied by my daughter, Sara, and zip ties (gosh how I love zip ties!) I used two on each side. Well, it was windy yesterday and a couple of the stakes pulled right out of the ground. In desperation, I grabbed a brick and put it hidden out of sight on the bottom step! Necessity really is the mother of invention! I think it turned out nicely.

 

 

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Thanksgiving: The Best Holiday Ever!

Happy Turkey Week! All the preparations and family gathering makes this an exciting time. Thanksgiving really is better than Christmas in some ways. You have everyone together. You’re almost expected to be gluttonous. There are no presents to buy. WIN! WIN! WIN!

Little Life Hacks

-This first one is a financial hack. Experts say that when you pay off a credit card you shouldn’t close the account. That action has the potential to negatively effect your credit score. (Side note; did you realize that your credit score and credit report are used for much more than obtaining credit? Employers occasionally use them for making hiring decisions. Landlords may use them for evaluating potential renters. Also, some insurance companies use them in setting rates.) The better alternative to closing the account is just to cut the card up!

-The other hack is about your health. Many of us are getting our flu shots as we head into flu season. Negative moods like stress affect how well vaccines work. This has been established since 1996 by researchers. The trick to getting the most out of your vaccine is to get it when you’re happy! Vaccines are more effective if your immune system is strong enough to react and form antibodies. Boost that immune system with some SMILES!

Thanksgiving and Christmas – The Decorating Debate

I firmly believe in not decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Some people really decorate for Christmas very early. That’s fine. I just try to languish in one holiday before enjoying another. Please leave comments on your preference.

I have to confess that this year I did decorate one 4 foot tree already and Thanksgiving is till a couple of days away. My friend Linda gave me a 4 foot, green, flocked tree that she no longer wanted.  (The reason she no longer wanted it has to do with two mischievous cats and their propensity take over the tree.) I decorated this tree early because Linda and her sister, Gina, were coming for dinner and I wanted them to see it. It isn’t traditionally decorated but I like it. I used a single strand of red cardinal lights and a stick star with red berries to decorate it. You can see one of the cardinals below.

My Family’s Favorite Thanksgiving Dessert

This little gem has replaced pumpkin pie for my kids. They actually prefer it.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Crust –

one yellow cake mix ( reserve 1 cup)

1 stick of butter(melted)

1 large egg

Filling –

2 cups of pumpkin

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 eggs

Topping

1 cup cake mix (reserved from crust)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 stick of butter (cold)

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all of the ingredients for the crust and pat into the bottom of a

13″ X 9″ greased pan.

Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients for the filling and pour over the crust.

The ingredients for the topping should be mixed into a crumble (that’s why the cold butter) and sprinkled on the top of the cake.

Bake for 50-55 minutes. Test in the center of the cake for doneness with a toothpick.

*Notes – I often don’t use the walnuts in the topping as my kids aren’t wild about them. You also could add a dash of cloves and or pumpkin pie spice to your filling if you want that sort of flavor. I start testing for doneness early, around 40 minutes or so. I don’t like this to over-bake.

Enjoy your family and your feast! Happy Thanksgiving! See you next week.

 

 

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Winter Has Arrived

Winter has hit our neck of the woods with cold temps and a few flakes flying in the air. It had to happen. We knew it would. It does every year. It is sometimes an early Winter and sometimes there is a late start to the season but it always arrives.

In The Kitchen

This time of year is when my mind always turns to baking. Maybe it is to keep warm (especially when I try to last as long as I can before turning the furnace on). Maybe it is just that baked goods taste best with a hot cup of tea or coffee and cooler temps! Whatever the reason, I baked.

One of the things I made was some homemade corn bread from a recipe that was on a bag of mill ground corn meal that I bought while in Massachusetts. My friend, Darcy, and I went to the Brewster General Store while in Cape Cod. It is a classic general store with the original wooden floor, music from a player piano and homemade fudge, etc. If you would like to learn more about this endangered species, the general store,  click on the link below.

The Thanksgiving display outside of the Brewster General Store in Brewster, Massachusetts.

https://www.brewsterstore.com/

The corn bread turned out beautifully. It was moist and sweet. I think you would really like it. We ate it while it was still warm which is best. It does microwave well so you can warm it up at a later time.

Golden Corn Bread

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 level teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup soft shortening

1 egg

1 cup of milk

Cream shortening, egg and sugar until light. Blend sifted cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder in bowl. Stir in milk. Add shortening mixture and blend just until smooth. Bake in a greased 8″ square pan in 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 9 servings.

*Notes – I baked mine for 18 to 19 minutes and it was perfect. The corn meal had to be sifted because it is mill ground and there are dried larger pieces of corn in there that you wouldn’t want in your bread.

I mentioned above that we went on a road trip to Massachusetts. When Darcy and I go on a road trip we have certain requirements. One of them is our favorite road trip food, salami roll-ups. I am drooling now as I type. Darcy introduced me to these simple, little wonders a few years ago. I can’t be in on a road trip with her without these little bundles of yumminess!

Salami Roll-Ups

All you have to gather is cream cheese (you can use the fully loaded fat kind, the low-fat or fat-free), rather thinly sliced hard salami and sweet baby gherkins (drained). Spread some cream cheese on a slice of salami, put a little baby gherkin in the center, roll it all up and stick a toothpick in it to hold it together. You might not need the toothpicks if they hold together without them.

*Practical note – while driving and eating these, make sure to remove the toothpick before lifting roll-up to your mouth. I almost lost an eye or two.

Viola, road-trip finger food!

     

New Product

I, like many other women, have some constant struggles. Sometimes I think that I have an overabundance of them. One that has been at the forefront the last few years has been how to have the best looking eyebrows. I am so very sorry for taking my eyebrows for granted in the past. If I could speak to those full, beautiful eyebrows right now I would tell them that and also tell them how beautiful and how much less work they were than they are now.

I have used an eyebrow pencil, eyebrow powder, an eyebrow stamp (which I talked about in a previous post) and now finally I have discovered something new. It is from Maybelline and structured like a mascara tube and wand. It is doing a great job for me. I just use the wand over the eyebrow and it darkens and increases the volume of the hair that is already there. Unfortunately, I have one eyebrow that has little to no hair at one point in the arch and I do have to fill in with a pencil. This item is definitely on my recommended list!

Currently, my house is all decorated for Fall and I am making my Thanksgiving list for the grocery store. However, Christmas is not that far off in my thoughts. I am hatching some new additions to my decor for Christmas this year and I have been collecting the things I will need to put them together. In my posts between now and Christmas I want to show you what I am doing. It would be great to see and hear about your holiday crafts, decor, baking and shopping.

I’m doing a survey and want to hear your thoughts on Christmas card sending. I still do it but some people I know have stopped sending them. What do you do? Let me know in the comments.

Have a wonderful week!

 

 

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It’s Getting Chilly

Here we are in my “neck of the woods”, Western New York, and it is getting mighty chilly. I still haven’t caved and turned the furnace on but I can feel myself weakening. I play this game with myself every year to see how long I can go before I have to turn the heat on. I really don’t mind a little chilly. Just throw on a sweater or hoodie. However, when it is cold and DAMP, that’s when I can’t keep it up any longer.

Yesterday I was closing storm windows and “battening down the hatches” for our traditional snowy, cold winter and my thoughts went to baking. Yep, food, that is how my mind works. So, first, I thought I would share a couple of recipes with you.

During my vacation to Alaska my son and I went to the Taku Glacier Lodge near Juneau via a seaplane over 5 glaciers. It was beautiful. I was nervous about the plane ride but I am so glad I went! While there we saw black bear and had a salmon feast which included, cole-slaw, salmon, baked beans, and herb biscuits. The entire meal was delicious but, alas, I am a lover of carbs! The biscuits were the star for me. I bought a cookbook in the gift shop while we were there and the recipe for the herb biscuits was included in the book. Of course I had to make them!

Famous Taku Herb Biscuits

4 cups of flour

3/4 cup powdered milk

2 Tablespoons of baking powder

2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 level Tablespoon of each:

thyme, parsley, tarragon, basil

1/2 Tablespoon of garlic powder

1 cup of butter (cold)

approximately 1- 1/4 cups of water (be careful not to add too much)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together. Place the butter in the dry mixture and work into dry ingredients until the butter is no smaller than a peanut.

Make a well in the center and add cold water. Work enough to have a slightly sticky dough.

Place dough on floured board. Fold, turn it over and fold again. Do this 8 times. You may need to add a little flour between folds if the dough is too sticky.

Pat into a square about 1 inch thick. Cut into square biscuits or use a round biscuit cutter.

Place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.

These are best served hot. Be creative and use the biscuits to make tasty sandwiches.

Notes:

I gave you the recipe exactly as was written in the “Top Secret Recipes Served at Taku Glacier Lodge”. Now, I need to tell you what I did and make some comments.

I was out of dry milk and kept forgetting to pick it up so I finally decided to make it but use milk instead of the water and omit the powdered milk. This is tricky because you don’t want to add to much liquid. That is why I started out with 1 cup of milk. I ended up added 3/4 more cup a 1/4 cup at a time as I judged the consistency of the dough. Knowing it was to be sticky, I aimed for that consistency but not so wet and sticky that I had trouble working with it. It is important to start slowly adding liquid. You can always add more but you’re in trouble if you add too much.

When I added the butter to the bowl I cut the sticks of butter into chunks. This saved a lot of time when working the butter into the dry ingredients. I used a pastry cutter to do this and it was not time-consuming at all. You can see from the pictures below that there are visible chunks of butter in the dough.

I did cut the biscuits into squares. To me that is more rustic looking which is really what these biscuits are. Also, cutting them into squares rather than using a round biscuit or cookie cutter means less waste and no need to re-spread your dough to cut more biscuits. This dough is not meant to be handled that much anyway.

The recipe called for un-greased cookie sheets. I sprayed mine. I have learned that for me biscuits stick when you don’t spray the pan.

Lastly, the recipe states to bake for 25-30 minutes. I set my timer for 15 minutes just to check on them since it was my first time making this recipe. I am so glad I did because they were done. As a matter of fact, they were just a tad darker than ideal. There was nothing wrong with them. They weren’t burned. I just like them a little lighter because they are prettier that way. For the second sheet of biscuits I set the timer for 14 minutes and they were perfect!!!

By the way, I was able to cut 16 biscuits out of the dough this recipe made. They are so yummy!

This is the dough in the bowl. Notice how sticky it looks and the chunks of butter.

You can still see the chunks of butter and notice that there are 16 large biscuits cut.

Just ready to go into the oven.

The second tray of biscuits as they came out of the oven and I had adjusted the baking time to 14 minutes.

Kitchen Tip

One of the things my friend, Linda, and I learned at the Taste of Home Live Cooking Show was how to spatchcock a chicken for baking. Spatchcocking a chicken, turkey, or Cornish hen allows the poultry to cook evenly and all the meat stays moist because it all gets done at the same time. Basically. you are cutting the bird up so that it lays flat and cooks evenly. The breast of birds cooks more quickly and can often be dry due to the fact that you have to cook the bird longer to get the rest of the bird completely done.

The following pictures were taken from Martha Stewart online. It shows the process so well and I need to give Martha credit for the photography.

Lay the bird breast side down.

Using kitchen scissors cut to the side of the backbone. You will be cutting through small bones.

Repeat the process on the other side.

Then you turn the bird over and flatten with the palm of your hand. This way the whole bird is touching the baking pan. Your bird will cook evenly and be moist. There are many recipes online for baking a spatchcock chicken. However, you can bake it as you usually do but be aware of adjusting baking times. Your bird will most likely be thoroughly cooked in less time.

Money Saver Extraordinaire!

Yesterday was a great money-saving day for me! I belong to NYSUT which is a union. NYSUT stands for New York State United Teachers. They have a Member’s Benefits department with money-saving offers, etc. Occasionally, I get mailings from them. The latest one was for car insurance group discounts with MetLife. I decided to call and get a quote. By the time I was done I had new car insurance, new homeowner’s insurance and no longer needed AAA for roadside assistance. For the same price per month that I was paying for car insurance alone, I am not getting car and home insurance. The car insurance includes roadside assistance so no need for AAA. I saved $335 a year doing this. We went through my coverage while on the phone and I have the same coverage as before if not more in some instances.

The moral of this little story from yesterday is to check on these things we get in the mail. A lot is junk. However, when you have a reputable company known worldwide and it is endorsed by an organization you belong to and trust, you just might benefit. The key here is to be selective!!!

I will see you with a new post next week. Stay warm and enjoy your days!

 

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88 Degrees on October 22!

As my title indicates, we are having a wonderful Fall day in Western NY. To top it off the Buffalo Bills won the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers! Life is good.

In The Kitchen

Today we are celebrating my youngest daughter’s birthday. It was really Friday but as a family we tend to do our parties on Sundays since that day works better for most of the family.

Since Sara’s birthday is in the second half of October her chosen treat usually involves Halloween or Fall. One year when she was little I remember making a grave yard with cookie headstones for her and buttercream frosting ghosts. This year she requested pumpkin cheesecake. I was more than happy to make it because it is a no-bake recipe and I love pumpkin flavor too! The recipe was really easy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. butter

3 – 8 oz. packages of cream chees

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

whipped cream or whipped topping for garnish if desired

Combine the graham crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press firmly into the bottom and up 1″ of the sides of a spring-form pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine room temperature cream cheese and cream until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Pour the filling into the pan. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 6 to 8 hours.

Garnish with whipped cream or whipped topping if desired.

*I used prepared graham cracker pie crusts to make this dessert. The filling filled two pie shells nicely. The filling is not overpoweringly pumpkin. It is just a nice taste!

On Facebook, a friend of mine shared one of those recipes you see quite often. Thanks, Sue! It was for bean soup and I love bean soup so I made it yesterday. It is delicious.

Crockpot Bean Soup

6 c. chicken broth

1 lb. dried Great Northern beans

1 lb. ham (chunked)

1 med. onion (chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley and oregano to taste

Put all ingredients in the crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

*I added about a half pound of baby carrots chopped in half to the ingredients  because I could! LOL! No, really, because I like carrots in my bean soup. I left my crock-pot on while I went to the zoo and shopping and I was gone longer than 8 hours. The soup was fine but now needed a little more broth. So I just added about a cup and a half of chicken broth to it. Perfecto!!

TOH Tips

Last week I gave you a couple of Taste of Home tips from chef Kari Kartch. I want to bestow more knowledge on you this week!

Do you cry when cutting onions? We all do! If you cut each end off an onion and take off the peel you can then place your onion in the microwave for 15 seconds. It isn’t long enough to really do anything to the onion except release the odors that make you cry.  Give it a try!

Don’t salt and pepper your eggs before or when you first start cooking them. They should be at least 70% done before you season them. It gives the eggs a rubbery texture if they are seasoned at the beginning of the cooking process.

If you have any other tips to tackle these problems or others please leave a comment and share! I would love to know and I am sure that your fellow readers would too.

Grab and Go!

I wanted to talk a little about disaster preparedness. We have had some disasters in our country recently and they’ve been scary. People are still dealing with the aftermath and my heart aches for them.

This made me think of when I lived in Germany in the late 70’s to 81. We were told to keep a “Go Bag” ready at all times in case something required our immediate evacuation and we didn’t have enough time to think let alone gather all the needed supplies. We had a small suitcase packed and stored in our closet the whole time we were there.

I have read a couple of articles lately about keeping a “Go Bag” now so we could be prepared to evacuate if needed. Even here in Western New York we live on a fault line and have had minor quakes in the past.  It is my opinion that no one in our country is exempt from some sort of natural or man-made disaster. At the very least it is an insurance policy but at the most, it could be life saving.

What might you include in your “Go Bag”? There are some basics you should have in it and then maybe some other things you might add depending on the demographic you’re packing for.

The Basics

Electronics – an extra phone charge, a portable battery pack in case you have no electric, a long lasting LED flashlight, a small portable radio with extra batteries

Personal needs – travel size of every toiletry you and your family uses in the morning to get ready for the day, backup eyeglasses, first aid kit, baby wipes and a multipurpose tool which would have a knife and a can opener

Clothing – Pack a few days worth of clothes for each person in your household that are easily layered, lightweight rain gear and waterproof boots

Meds – Pack at least 3 days worth of each of your prescriptions for all household members

Paperwork – Use a zip-lock bag to hold copies of your important papers for each person such as your birth certificate, driver’s license, health insurance cards, power of attorney, will, marriage and adoption certificates, medical and immunization records and finally information about your ATM and credit cards

Food and Drink – Bottled water, granola, energy bars, and other small and filling items enough to last at least 3 days

Cash –  enough money for a few days including small bills and a roll of quarters in case you need to purchase something from a vending machine

In my household I have dogs. I would pack copies of their licenses and proof of vaccinations. I would also include food for them and something to put water in for them to drink. You could also make these same adjustments when you pack for any pet.

Pack your “Go Bag” and view it as part of your insurance policy!

Money Saver

In a previous post I have told you about the Plenti card where you accumulate savings when you use your card while making a purchase at participating businesses. Examples of those businesses are Exxon, Rite Aid, Macy’s and Chili’s. If you would like to sign up or learn more please follow this link, https://www.plenti.com/

I am mentioning this now because 2 weeks ago I put gas in my car at a local 7 Eleven store which sells Exxon gas. When I swiped my Plenti card I was informed that I had $9.74 I could use toward my purchase. I don’t really keep a close eye on how much I have accumulated because someone at a business usually tells me and I immediately use it. However, I was unaware that I had that much. What a great surprise!

Have a wonderful week. I hope that you have found some things you could use in this post. Please let me know if you have anything to share with all of us. I am always on the quest to know more (about literally anything!).

 

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Happy Mid-October

Hello folks! Hope all is well with everyone. I am currently in the game of “how long can I not use my furnace”. I do it every year and try to last as long as I can. So far, it has been easy. We have had one or two chilly days but a little baking cures that. Baking warms up the house and you get extra benefits like freshly baked goods and delightful smells.

Last night my friend, Linda, and I went to a Taste of Home live cooking show. It was called “Taste of Home Happiest Holiday Tour”. The chef was Kari Karch. She was funny and ever so knowledgeable! We bought the best tickets and had preferred seating, a catered dinner and a bag of swag! We had a blast,  learned a lot and gathered some new recipes. This week and in coming posts I will share with you what we learned.

Here are your Kari Karch tips for this week:

Did you know that there are boy and girl sweet peppers (whether they be green, red, orange or yellow)? The ones with 3 bumps on the bottom are boys and four bumps means the pepper is a girl. The boy peppers are sweeter. (Go figure!) So if you need the peppers for sweetness in a dish get the one with 3 bumps on the bottom.

You should make your pancake batter 24 hours ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator. This allows the proteins in the flour to do their thing. You will end up with fluffier, high pancakes! Also, it is super easy to dispense your pancake batter from a squirt bottle found at all dollar stores. You will just need to cut the tip back a little so that you can use it for the thicker batter of pancakes.

Money Savers!

As you probably know by now, I have a smart phone. I use an app called
“Free Prints” which you can download from the Google Play Store or from iTunes. Using this app you receive 85 free prints a month. All you pay is shipping and that is $10.70, approximately. It is convenient because even though I have a nice Fuji camera, I take most of my pics with my phone which has an excellent camera. It makes ordering prints soooooo easy! Also, you can create one free 5″x7″ photobook each month! Win! Win! If you would like to check it out you can use the following link.

 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.photoaffections.freeprints&hl=en

Lately, I have been ordering some items from Wal-Mart and having them delivered directly to my home. The main reason I started this was so I didn’t have to do so much lifting and hauling. I buy a lot of birdseed for my feeders, food and treats for my 3 dogs and 1 cat and cat litter.  Particularly, the birdseed is heavy. If you buy it at the store you are first, lifting it from shelf to cart, then cart to cashier belt. Next you are putting it back into the cart, going to your vehicle, lifting it from cart to trunk and you aren’t even home yet. Once you get home you must unload your purchases. For me it is first to the porch, then inside and finally to the back deck or the kitchen. That’s a lot of handling of the same items! May I just say that I really hate that?! 

If I order online the drudgery and heavy lifting is cut dramatically! On most items you get free 2 day shipping for orders over $35. Items that are not eligible for 2 day shipping will be delivered free in 3 to 5 days. If you would like to read more about this please follow the link below.

https://help.walmart.com/app/answers/d. etail/a_id/1544/kw/free%20shipping

The also price match other retailers (online or brick and mortar) and their own prices in the store if they differ from the online prices. See below.

https://help.walmart.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/31/kw/price%20match%20online%20prices%20to%20store%20prices

Another big saver for me is Amazon Prime. I absolutely love it! The prices are reasonable. The shipping is fast (two-day). If you need a gift pronto or you are out of something and need more as soon as possible this is the way to go. One of the items I buy is a Redken product for beachy waves. In the Wal-Mart beauty salon it is  over $22 with tax. Amazon has it for $14 plus tax! In addition to your purchases there are videos, music, books and more available to Prime members! If you would like to learn more about Amazon Prime see below.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200444160

Recipe

I am going to leave you with a recipe that I have been using for over 30 years. It is my Fall staple!

Pumpkin Bread

2/3 c. shortening                                                  2 t. soda

2  & 2/3 c. sugar                                                     1 & 1/2 t. salt

1 -16oz can of pumpkin                                       1/2 t. baking powder

2/3 c. water                                                               1 t. cinnamon

3 & 1/3 c. flour                                                          1 t. cloves

2 eggs                                                                          2/3 c. raisins or

2/3 c. nuts (optional)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans. Cream shortening, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and water. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add to wet ingredients. Add nuts and/or raisins if desired. Bake for 75 minutes. Test with a toothpick in center of loaf to check for doneness. Viola’

Have a wonderful week! In my next post you have things to look forward to (more Taste of Home tips from Kari Karch)! Hey, be real out there! Oh, and be kind!!!

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It’s Me!

I’m back! Here’s the scoop. I was on a grand adventure to Alaska, The Last Frontier, with my oldest son, Jess. We were gone 11 days which included travel time. I didn’t want to say online that I was going to be gone so long. Everyone would then know my house was empty. Well, nearly empty. I was lucky enough to have my grandson, Dakota, and his girlfriend, Shawntai, stay to take care of the dogs. They have to work though so the house was empty quite a bit.

Anyway, it was wonderful! I had never been on a cruise before and have always wanted to go to Alaska. I don’t really know why but I have. We were on the Star Princess for 7 days and on land at Denali and McKinley lodges for 3 days. The scenery was awesome. We visited, while on the ship, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Anchorage. If I had to pick out some highlights I would say that meeting people from all over the world on board the ship, seeing Denali, visiting the Husky Homestead (owned by Jeff King who is a four-time Iditarod winner), and flying in a seaplane over glaciers were just a few.

                                                                          The photo doesn’t do Denali justice.  She is grand, beautiful and I saw her! Only 30% of the people who go to Alaska get to see the peak.

Now, onto regular business.

I have recently joined a thing called Ipsy. You get 5 cosmetic samples per month for $10. I enjoy checking out the products as I am a makeup junky. This month I received a foundation primer, a blush, 2 facial masks, mascara, a nail polish and a cosmetic bag. Some of the items are not sample size. The nail polish this month and the blush were full size products. All of the items are from companies that are well-known. I used to do something similar through QVC but it was at least twice as expensive. If you are interested you can check it out at www.ipsy.com. You fill out preferences on colors and things about your skin care and skin tone, etc. so that they have an idea of the products that you might enjoy receiving. It is very easy to join and you can quit at any time.

The fruit stands are open and brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables in our area. On a recent trip I bought some red sweet peppers and wanted to do something slightly different with them. We were also having an Indian Summer heat wave here and I wanted to use my Crockpot rather than turn on the oven. In in my search I found the following recipe and it was a winner! I will definitely make it again.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers (Recipe courtesy of Chef Savvy blog)

  • 5-6 (depending on size) tri-color bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds and ribs removed
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey, uncooked
  • 1 cup rice, cooked (mexican, brown rice, or white rice)
  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 cup red enchilada sauce
  • ¾ cup shredded Mexican cheese, plus more for topping, if desired
  • ½ tablespoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Spray the bottom of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place the peppers inside.
  • In a large bowl combine ground beef or turkey, rice, black beans, corn, enchilada sauce, cheese, seasoning and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
  • Place the filling into the cavity of each pepper.
  • Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours or until the meat is cooked through.
  • Serve immediately with some of the optional toppings, if desired. Goes great with a side salad!

    Optional Toppings

    1. cilantro
    2. sour cream
    3. shredded Mexican cheese
    4. salsa
    5. enchilada sauce
    6. avocado
    7. lime wedges                                                                                                                       Usually, I do try to follow a recipe exactly the first time I make it and then tweak it later. However, when you find yourself without a couple of ingredients or maybe you don’t like what is in the original recipe, then you need to make substitutions or changes. I used red peppers instead of the tricolor. I do like the tricolor and they make a pretty dish but as you remember, I bought red. They were also the long peppers so instead of cutting the tops off and filling them I cut them in half-length wise and filled them. When making enchiladas I make my own sauce. I was conserving energy and time the day I made these (yes, maybe lazy) I didn’t feel like making my sauce. I had a can of diced tomatoes with peppers that I used instead and it worked very well. Also, I didn’t have frozen corn and used a can of corn which I drained instead. The recipe was a success. We used salsa, sour cream and cheese as toppings.                                                                                                                                    This picture was taken just before I put the lid on the Crockpot and turned it on high for 2.5 hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I very recently made another kitchen gadget purchase. This one I had been contemplating for a long time. Welcome to my kitchen, 6 quart NuWave Air Fryer! The purchase was made from BonTon. Here’s what was involved that helped make my decision to order it; a $10 birthday coupon, two $20 bonus cards (BonTon lets you double stack the reward cards) and free shipping! How could I not?                                                                                                                              So far I have only tried it once and that was just to make frozen french fries. It was so easy to use. The fries came out pretty good. I would say better than putting frozen fries in the oven but definitely not like deep-frying french fries. Of course, I wasn’t expecting that. There are many recipes to try.  Some examples are twice baked potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, home fries, air baked eggs, buffalo wings and Cajun shrimp. Also included, is a divider so that you can make two different foods at once.                                In future posts I will let you know the other foods that I make in my NuWave. If you would like to read about this appliance you can go to mynuwavebrio.com.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     My birthday celebrations have extended beyond my birthday month into October which is why I refer to it as my “birthday season”. During the season my friend, Linda, made me an absolutely wonderful banana cream pie. She gave me permission to share the recipe with you.                                                                                                                                                                                            Banana Cream Pie with Cake Mix Crust (one of my two favorite pies)                                                                                                                                                                                1 pkg. yellow cake mix, divided                                                                                                1 large egg, lightly beaten                                                                                                           3 Tbsp. butter, softened and divided                                                                                    1 cup cold 2% milk                                                                                                                          1 pkg. (3.4oz) instant banana cream pudding mix                                                          1 medium banana, sliced                                                                                                              1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided                                  1/3 cup creamy peanut butter                                                                                                  Additional sliced ripe banana to decorate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch pie plate. Stir together 1 3/4 cups cake mix, the egg and 1 Tbsp. butter until combined. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth dough forms.  Roll dough to fit pie plate. Flute edge. Prick bottom several times with a fork. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.                                                                    Whisk milk and pudding mix 2 minutes. Fold in banana slices and 1 cup whipped topping. Transfer to cooled crust. Top with the remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.                                                                            Meanwhile, mix remaining cake mix, peanut butter and remaining butter until crumbly. Transfer to a parchment paper lined rimmed baking pan. Bake until golden brown, 14 to 15 minutes, stirring once. Cool completely.      Top pie with the additional sliced banana and the crumb topping.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                That’s all for this week, folks! Be kind to each other over the next week. Spread kindness and compassion wherever you go!
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Happy Birthday To Me!

I just wanted to let my subscribers know that I am taking a brief hiatus, sabbatical, vacation, you know. Since I normally post once a week I thought you might miss me for the next couple of weeks. Anyway, I will be back by the end of the month with more ideas, recipes, tips, etc.

 

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As Summer Ends

Summer is winding down and I am getting the urge to bake and make warm comfort food for dinner. It hits me at this time each year. Yesterday I was looking on Pinterest to find a bread I could make with my rather bountiful supply of applesauce. I came up with the following recipe and it is yummo!

Recipe

Applesauce Bread (keelymcquire.com)

1/2 cup of softened butter
1 large egg
1 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t kosher salt
1 1/2 cups of applesauce
1 t of pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, first blend together the butter, egg, & sugar.
Then add the flour, baking soda, spices, & salt.
After it starts to from a crumbly dough, pour in the applesauce and mix together.

I used two loaf pans which I had sprayed with cooking spray. You could also use parchment paper if you would prefer that. The loaves were baked for 40 minutes and came out perfectly. The bread is moist and doesn’t need butter unless you want it. Great with a cup of tea!!

Note: The loaves aren’t very high. I think the next time I make it I will double the batch and still divide it into two pans so that I get  higher loaves. That, of course, would change the baking time and I will need to check for doneness a few times.

Techy Stuff

I have discovered an app for my smartphone called Tasty. It is the app that has all those neat videos of recipes that are always being shared on Facebook. It is super cool and I love checking out the Recipe of the Day, Courses, Cooking Skills, Recipes and Lifestyle sections. All the videos are really well done and informative. Check it out!

My place for prescriptions has always been Rite Aid. It is convenient and the people are friendly. I recently downloaded their app for my phone. I was checking out the different features and thought I would try to order a refill on a medication that I needed. Before I knew it I was done ordering it and received the message that it would be available for pick up at my local pharmacy after 4pm. All I did was scan the bar code on the label. Zip, zap and just like that an Rx is ordered! Wow! I checked CVS and they have the same feature. I imagine that you would find an app for your pharmacy too.

Money Savers

  • Did you know that many workplaces and organizations such as unions have agreements with cell phone providers to give a discount on service to employees or members of the organizations? Yep, I have been saving 19% on my Verizon service for years through my employer. It is worth checking. You can do it online. You submit the name and address of your workplace or organization and they will get back to you and let you know if it is a participating member. Let’s figure this out. If I saved $19 per month for a year that would mean that I saved $228 over the year. That is a considerable savings.
  • I recently received my flu shot at Rite Aid pharmacy. (No I am not getting a kickback from Rite Aid for mentioning them twice but I wouldn’t mind that. Hint, hint Rite Aid!) They had a promotion where you received a $4 coupon off  a purchase of at least $20. That is a full 1/5 off of your purchase! That coupled with the Plenti points that I have accumulated (search earlier posts for info on Plenti points if you don’t know about them) is quite a savings. Right now I have 974 Plenti points built up which translates to $9.74 I could get off of my purchase. So if I buy $20 worth of merchandise right away I am only paying $6.26! Now, I just might have coupons I could use too. You know me, I probably do and could save even more!
  • I mentioned in one of my first posts that you should sign up for loyalty clubs wherever you might shop or eat. They always send you something for your birthday. My birthday is around the corner so I have started receiving my little goodies. Department stores send you a $10 gift card which is good for $10 off a $10 purchase. Now they’re hoping that you will spend a lot more and that by them giving you $10 which wholesale is a third of that in cost for them that you’ll spend a lot more money. The trick here is to head right for the 75 to 80% off rack and find something even if it’s for the season that is just ending. You can wear it next year or layer it. Get something that costs maybe $12 and you only end up paying $2. You also could get something like a pair of earrings as a gift for a friend’s birthday. You just have to be smart and not fall into their trap. Now, restaurants differ a  little bit in that Denny’s for instance gives you a free grand slam and Ruby Tuesday’s gives you a free Garden salad or a burger. For me it’s not that much of a problem just to stick to that because that’s all I can eat anyway but if you’re in a group and a lot of other people buy appetizers or desserts then they are making extra money off of you. Just for me though it works.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Projects

I have finished my French shopping cart!

As you saw from last week’s post it was originally green. My friend Geri that I got it from loves green. However, me not so much. Therefore, I used Berry Pink Rust-Oleum paint and spray-painted the cart. As a nod to Geri, I saved a green spot where the manufacturers label was.

Now, in the summer on the deck or the front porch I have a lot of ideas for using this little pink baby. During the winter I am thinking about uses inside. Possibly books. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let me know.

See you next week and in the meantime enjoy!!!

 

 

 

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