From Captain's Daughter to Army Mom

Happy President's Day!

2012-02-20T17:14:00.025-05:00

President's Day calls for something baked with cherries, don't you agree?

I think so too! And, after finding this recipe on-line (here) I know just the cherry

dessert to celebrate this President's Day. By the way, I learned something today I

think is worthy of sharing with you. You see, the recipe calls for a half-sheet pan

measuring 11 inches by 17 inches. And, while I have plenty of sheet pans, upon first

measure, my pans appeared too large. But then I realized I was measuring wrong!

Because measured top edge to edge, I was off nearly 2 inches in both directions...

However, measured correctly along the inside bottom edges, my sheet pan is perfect!

This discovery saved me from having to get all MacGuyver on my sheet pan. Yea!

I love how easy this recipe is! I read it once and already have it

committed to my memory... 3 cups all-purpose flour, a teaspoon

and a half of baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 eggs, 1 3/4 cups of

granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter...

Plus a teaspoon of vanilla extract, (I used vanilla paste) and one

can of cherry pie filling. To finish, a sprinkle of powdered sugar!

The only aggravating aspect of the whole operation was coaxing the batter

over my greased half-sheet pan. But I did what I always tell the boys to do...

Keep going until it works! Oh, and using my large off-set spatula helped a lot too!

Trust me. This was worth the effort!

Spread the cherry pie filling over the batter...

Then dot the top with 1 cup of batter you reserve just for this occasion...

Like this!

Pop the pan into a pre-heated 350 degree oven...

Wait for it...

And bake until it turns golden brown!

Honestly, if you don't have vanilla ice cream

in your refrigerator, leave for the market now!

Because you're gonna need some!

Perfect for President's Day! Calling this dessert delicious doesn't even
begin to cover it... The base is somewhere between a sweet, tender
cake and a cookie! And what's not to love about warm cherries!?

I think this makes an excellent 4th of July cook-out dessert. But clearly...

Placed onto a fancier plate, it goes elegant in a second!

I especially enjoyed reading the story that
comes with this recipe and I think you will too...

Because you know how much I appreciate others who appreciate cake stands!

This is definitely a dessert to share. Because just speaking for myself,

stopping at just one or two of these cherry slices is impossible to do!

So if these show up at the office tomorrow, don't be surprised!

Out of the Blue...

2012-02-20T08:44:00.186-05:00

It began snowing yesterday!

I have been waiting for it to snow since last November!

By dinnertime it began to look like it might amount to something!

Just before bedtime I took another look around outside...

I really liked what I saw!

In my opinion, the landscape gets prettier and

more interesting when it's covered in snow!

Cousin It always looks especially gorgeous in the snow!

Too bad we took the lights off him last week...

It's also too bad I took the electric

mattress cover off the bed last week too!

In my defense... It was almost seventy degrees last

week, and I was in full-on Spring cleaning mode!

We weren't promised too much more snow overnight, and since it's

supposed to reach 55 degrees today I rushed outside early this morning...

Just to ensure I didn't miss this beautiful view!

Trust me...

It is not 55 degrees out here!

It is C-O-L-D!

Two days ago I drove the Mini to Whole Foods with the top down!

I saw cherry trees in full bloom downtown!

But clearly, winter wasn't done with us yet!

Which is just fine with me!

Because I love a little snow with my winter. It's essential!

In fact, I wouldn't be unhappy at all if we had a few more snow events this season!

As long as they hurry and get here before

my trees and flowers start blooming!

Because there was too much effort put into

planting three thousands flower bulbs last fall...

Not to have the benefit of all that beautiful color...

Not to mention a bunch of vases full of cut flowers!

This pretty little snow event aside... I fully expect to

see this old dogwood tree blooming in a few weeks!

But for now...

I'm going to enjoy the snow!

Since the office is closed for President's Day

today it couldn't have come at a better time!

I don't even regret not sleeping in on my day off...

I always enjoy being up with the sun!

But since my fingers are frozen, I do think we need to move this walk along...

Because I want to get around to the bird feeders before my toes go numb!

And, trust me...

We are almost there now!

Thankfully, I filled all the feeders last night...

So there's no shortage of birds this morning!

I didn't even notice the second bird

while taking this shot! Do you see it?

Such sweet tweets!

All this posing for me... Obviously, I'm being

rewarded for filling the feeders last night!

Okay, old man winter... This was a wonderful surprise...

And, I am grateful. But now that I can

no longer feel my toes, I think I'm over it!

Onto Spring we go!

German Wiener Schnitzel

2012-02-18T19:54:00.025-05:00

Following another disappointing experience at another so-called German

restaurant a few weeks ago, I decided enough is enough... I am officially

ending our search for authentic German food outside of my own kitchen!

I won't bore you with how incredibly horrible our experiences have been, but

trust me... Calling them horrible is being incredibly kind. Nevertheless, I like

to say, when you know better, you should do better. And since I do... I shall!

First of all, you should know two things... First, a Wienerschitzel hot dog franchise

has absolutely nothing to do with German food. Second of all, pork has absolutely

nothing to do with German wiener schnitzel. Therefore, if you want to be sure you'll

be served an authentic German schnitzel, you'll want to inquire with the kitchen

about their choice of meat. If you're told your schnitzel will be veal, I suggest you be

seated at a table. However, if you're told they use pork, you have a decision to make

about whether or not you're in the spirit to spend $20 on a pounded-flat breaded

pork chop. Because if you agree to stay, that is precisely what you'll be eating. This

passing off pork chops as schnitzels aggravates me for a couple of reasons. Firstly,

because the use of pork is just wrong. It's much like filling a pie crust with cherries

and calling it apple pie. Secondly, as you can plainly see from the label below, good

quality veal is relatively inexpensive when compared to the price of a schnitzel at

the average German restaurant. In my opinion, the use of pork in this wonderful

dish is lazy, deceptive, and insulting to anyone that has ever enjoyed the real thing!

As you can plainly see, for approximately the same price as one

faux-schnitzel, I have enough veal for 3 authentic schnitzels!

When a schnitzel is made from veal it is so tender

you can cut it with a fork, and it melts in your mouth!

To prepare your veal, pound it thin, resisting the temptation to season it,

and then go find something else to do until it comes to room temperature...

Normally I would serve Pfanni Knödel with my schnitzels; or

fries and a salad; however, Army Dad requested these German

skillet potatoes, and I'm only allowing myself the smallest

schnitzel, and a few of these Spätzle that my mom sent me!

Because eating authentic German wiener schnitzel has

nothing to do with being on plan, or my CLEAN program!

So now that our veal has come to room temperature, it's time to get breading!

First, 2 beaten eggs...

A half cup of all-purpose flour seasoned with fresh cracked black pepper and

sea salt, and for 3 schnitzels, a packet and a half of schnitzel coating crumbs

And, while our skillet potatoes cook through...

Cover each veal cutlet in the flour mixture...

then the egg...

and finally, coat with the crumbs!

Keep going...

Until your Spätzle are finished...

And the little pat of butter has melted over them!

Oh, and until all of your veal is prepared too!

Now you have a choice... You can either fry your schnitzels in butter like

they do in Germany or you can use a fantastic, extra-virgin olive oil like I did!

When you've decided, heat the oil and then add your veal...

Letting it cook just until the edges turn golden brown...

Then turn and let the other side brown too...

Because with proper schnitzel-making, it's all about equal time!

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and continue until all

the veal is cooked. Now you have another decision to make since

there are numerous schnitzel variations to choose from!

The man I love prefers the Jägerschnitzel

While I remain a Schnitzel-purist...

Because all I need to be happy with my schnitzel is a half of lemon!

Very happy!

Guten Appetit!

Cooper and Me and the Military... Book review, and a Give-away!

2012-02-18T12:14:00.022-05:00

A few weeks ago I had the good-fortune of being contacted by Propeller, a marketing firm in Tennessee specializing in family-friendly media asking me to review a children's book. This was an easy Yes for me since Army Dad's library includes a huge collection of children's books and he's always open to adding new titles. However, the more obvious reason for agreeing to review Cooper and Me and the Military is because it is dedicated to military families and specifically, speaks to children facing the challenges of separation while one parent or both parents are deployed.

Of course, the fact that Cooper is my maiden name, and I was once the 5-year old daughter of a soldier deployed, and now I am the mother of a United States Airborne Ranger on his third deployment in less than three years all contributed to making this book a must-read too!

Cooper and Me is actually a series of books that include interactive features, such as: Special Memory Creation, Life Lesson, Connections and Learning Together… All essential elements when writing for, and reading with children. What this means for parents is that Cooper and Me is a series of children's books not to be missed!

Perhaps the reason these books relate so easily to children is because the author, Alexa Peters is today only 13 years old. Alexa's rhythmic writing style begs to be sung, and her illustrations reflect the skill level of her target audience.

I especially enjoy the messages of Cooper and Me books as each installment tells the story of a dog and its owner who have many friends from diverse backgrounds, each facing challenges unique to their situations. Each book offers a task-orientated solution, a kind of call to action that helps engage readers beyond the story. To me, a book that inspires a child to think, share and act after the cover is closed and it’s put back on the shelf is truly a worthwhile read!

In this particular installment of the Cooper and Me series, Cooper's friends, Gracie and Joe find comfort during the separation by filling a care-package with reminders of home that they then send to their parents. I could relate to this since I remember my mom encouraging my little brother and me to color pictures she included in her letters to my dad while he served in Vietnam. Today, the care packages I send the Ranger and his buddies are as much for me as they are for them. There is something reassuring about knowing the things I put into those boxes will be touched by someone I love so much while he is so far away.

All in all, I am happy to recommend Cooper and Me and the Military. Not only to parents with children separated by deployment but to anyone interested in educating children about the importance of patriotism and their peers facing the challenges of having a parent or parents serving in the military.

I want to also encourage you to learn more about this young author and all she is doing to benefit others through her work by clicking here. I am especially thankful for her support of the Lustgarten Foundation, which is America's largest private foundation dedicated solely to funding pancreatic cancer research. Clearly, by adding a copy of Cooper and Me and the Military or any of the other books in this series to your library, you are doing much more than buying a book! You can make your selections now by clicking here.

In addition to the copy they sent for my review, Propeller offered to send a second copy of Cooper and Me and the Military to one of my readers - So I asked them to send it to the wife of one of the Ranger's buddies. She is at home in Atlanta caring for their sweet baby girl while her husband is deployed. I hope this little book helps remind them how important they are to the mission.

The fine print: Disclosure of Material Connection - I received one of the products mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will benefit my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's (Federal Trade Commission) 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Happy 21st Birthday...

2012-02-13T06:04:00.011-05:00

Named for your grandpa... You are sensitive, smart, funny,

kind, and yes... Even at twenty-one, you are still my baby!

Born today, and brought home on Valentine's Day to meet your big

brother who was so eager to help with your care, and protect you...

Today we Celebrate sweet you, and give thanks to your

big brother who is currently deployed in defense of us all!

Have a Cupcake!

2012-02-12T20:24:00.004-05:00

I spent the better part of the day yesterday baking and

decorating heart-shaped sugar cookies only to hear as I

crawled into bed, I thought you were going to make me cupcakes...

So this afternoon I made him cupcakes. And, I baked these few

NY Times chocolate chip cookies I forgot were in the freezer

from the last time the Ranger was home. I intended to bake them

just before he left and slip them into his bag. But again... Forgot!

Now that my cupcakes and cookies are out of the oven,

let's make some of the best Cream Cheese frosting... Ever!

Get a pen or e-mail this recipe to yourself... Believe me, you'll want to keep this

one. For. Ever! And, by the way, when you read six teaspoons of butter, it's not a

typo. When I read it I panicked a little because I had no idea how to measure

six teaspoons. I mean, really... Who uses only a teaspoon of butter? But just

as I began to wonder how to convert tablespoons into teaspoons, there it

was... Teaspoon measurements right there on the package. Who knew!?

10 oz. Cream Cheese (chilled), 6.5 tsp. unsalted butter at room

temperature, 3 1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar and 3 tsp. clear

vanilla extract. Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of stand

mixer, (hand mixer works too!) and beat on medium/high until fluffy,

about 3 minutes. Add sifted confectioners sugar and mix on low speed

just until incorporated. Increase speed to medium/high again and beat

for 3 more minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat another minute. To

avoid sugar-cloud, cover the head of your mixer with a towel for

the first minute after you add the sifted confectioners sugar!

That way, all your sugar will stay in the bowl!

If you can stand one more hint, I'll tell you this... Double the recipe!

This batch barely covered 15 cupcakes. And no, I did not come up

short because I ate frosting from the bowl. However... It is that good!

I love mini cupcakes! I also love these cute Wilton pink mini cupcake

liners and heart stick decorations, also from Wilton. I have a friend and

former coworker at Hanes that now works for Wilton. We have a deal...

I keep buying Wilton and he keeps buying Hanes. I told him this evening

that I expect to see a healthy bounce in Hanes POS this week in exchange

for the fact that I bought out four stores of these hearts sticks and liners!

Are you mixing butter and cream cheese yet?

Why not?

I know you want a cupcake!

So have a cupcake!

With the best Cream Cheese Frosting. Ever!

There's nothing cuter than mini-cuppies under Martha's birdie glass!

Or a regular-sized cupcake propped up by a sweet little bunny!

My cupcakes are staying home but my cookies are hitting the road!

Because there are a few people at

work that deserve a little sugar!

Have a Great week!

Happy Valentine's Day... Cookie!

2012-02-11T21:44:00.011-05:00

Winter finally found us last night so I broke out the

butter and decided to spend today in the kitchen!

I rescued these daffodils from the yard this morning. Sure didn't

make you-know-who happy but with the chilly weather and temps

dipping below freezing tonight, I'm saving them from frostbite!

At least that's my story... And, I'm sticking to it!

Thank you for not judging me about the four new cake stands I picked up

this week! It's not my fault. Pottery Barn sent me a catalog and when I

saw the bunny dessert stands, I couldn't resist. As for the two you

see in the photo below... All I can say is that I couldn't fight Martha

off at Macy*s last night. Martha needs me... What can I say?

When I posted photos of my cookies to my Facebook page, I was

immediately asked about thickness. I get that question a lot and I

answered it in this post here. But I'm happy to show you again!

Always just over a quarter inch!

And, I use vanilla paste instead of liquid extract for the

added depth and warmer vanilla flavor it provides. I also like

the little specks of vanilla beans that show up in the dough!

Oh, and vanilla paste amps up the smell

of cookies baking in your kitchen too!

All very valid reasons to throw your old extract over for this vanilla paste!

Now that all my hearts are baked, it's time for icing!

See the bunny cake and cupcake stands? So cute!

Let's mix up some Royal icing!

4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of Wilton

meringue powder and 6 tablespoons of warm water!

1 tsp. extract of your choice, (clear if you're not coloring) and you'll
get Perfect every time! Finish with Americolor gel coloring
from our dear friends at CopperGifts.com, and...

Spin it!

Your color will darken as it dries, so keep that in mind when...

The red you want looks a little...

Orange!

Trust me...

It gets better!

And, you will be happy!

Very Happy!

I cannot believe that Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

I have always loved Valentine's Day. But especially the one

twenty-one years ago when I was discharged from CHOMP!

Because that Valentine's Day was the day

the Ranger first met his baby brother!

Sometimes it feels like yesterday, and some days it feels like a lifetime ago...

Happy 21st birthday!

Love, Mom

Oh, My! I won... Cupcakes, Cookies and Pie, Oh, My!

2012-02-07T06:54:00.018-05:00

I did something this morning I promised I would never do after I got

my new Mini-Cooper... I checked e-mails while driving to work! And,

just as I was warned... I lost control. But in a Good way! You see, the first

e-mail I read was from Liz, the creative force behind the wonderful blog

Hoosier Homemade telling me that I'd won her most recent give-away

for the fabulous new book, Cupcakes, Cookies and Pie, Oh, My!

Oh, My indeed!

I am so excited! I've been baking cupcakes since I was a very little girl,

and still feel that hardly anything else brightens the day quite like peeling a

pretty paper liner off your very own cupcake! Lately, I have been on a cupcake

kick, baking cupcakes and, mini cupcakes I affectionately call, cuppies every

weekend. I used to think a cupcake was a cupcake was a cupcake but in 2008,

Karen Tack and Alan Richardson turned the cupcake world upside down with

the introduction of their hugely successful book, Hello, Cupcake! The very

second these cupcakes were featured on Martha's April 2008 show, I began

stocking up on cupcake liners and everything else needed to create the wildly

imaginative and expressive cupcakes on the pages of Karen and Alan's book!

If you haven't already discovered Karen and Alan's books and you love

creating cupcakes as much as I do, then do yourself a favor and add

the whole series to your library today. You'll find them all here!

And, don't forget to add the Hello, Cupcake! Blog to your

list of favorites. I'm there everyday watching helpful videos

and discovering tips to improve every aspect of my Cupcake

baking and decorating adventures, and you can bet I'll be adding

the Hello, Cupcake app to my iPad the moment it is available!

Another stop at the S-S-S!

2012-01-30T19:54:00.004-05:00

I received another e-mail from another friend in California asking me to send

her a couple of boxes of those fantastic disposable pastry bags I found at

my secret savings spot. She read this post and couldn't believe seeing that I

actually found communion figurines too! Communion season is coming up and

her sweet daughter Mini-P, as I affectionately call her, will be making her first

Holy communion in the same Church where the boys made theirs! Of course, I

was all too happy to make another trip out to my s-s-s, especially since the last

time I was there with SpaBoy, we saw lots of employees busy stocking the

shelves with all sorts of new items. One of them being these pencils from my

very favorite make-up, Urban Decay. Do you know what I pay for an Urban

Decay eye pencil at Sephora? A whole lot more than $4.95, that's for sure!

I don't usually spend much time at the s-s-s cosmetics

counter, but that changed tonight! I'll take three, please!

When I couldn't find the communion figurines I started to panic a bit. I
mean, just last week there was a huge box practically over-flowing. But
tonight, no trace of them anywhere! I finally asked the man at the register,
but I was directed to the food section to the communion wafers. No... Really!

Fortunately, I didn't give up and found this tiny stash behind the
boxes, (and boxes!) of church votive candles. Whew! Now, all the kids

in Mini-P's first communion class will have one in their goodie bag!

I hope that they enjoy it as much as I love the figurine

I received on the day of my first Holy communion...

Although I wouldn't put money on any of them keeping

their first Holy communion figurine for 35+ years like I have!

More Cupcakes!

2012-01-28T23:34:00.002-05:00

Last weekend I made these cupcakes and they went pretty fast!

Mostly because I took 12 of them to work to help celebrate a friend's baby news!

She found out she's having a girl, so I thought red velvet cupcakes with pale-pink

icing was absolutely in order! Speaking of in order... I found this measuring

cup/pitcher and thought it was perfect for cupcake liner filling!

And, once again...

I was right on the money! And, speaking of money, if you

want one of your own, it won't cost you much at all!

This was the Best $6.00 I spent all week!

Speaking of spending... Mom asked me to place an order for her with

Williams-Sonoma for some of the same Bistro items I picked up. I was

happy to do it, and even happier to find the table runner I've been eyeing

is now on sale! Mom loves her butter dish and her cheese platter

as much as I am now enjoying my new pantry table runner!

While my cupcakes baked, I checked on the boys out in the solarium!

Our transition has been going quite well this week!

King Bing is back to his calm, happy self!

And, King Leonidas really seems to be enjoying his new home!

For my part, I'm really enjoying the peace and quite. And, what about all

this bright sunshine in January too? Love it! I think as soon as my cupcakes

are out of the oven, I am going to get outside and wash the Mini Cooper!

Cupcakes baked... Mini Cooper washed!

How much do we love Devil's food cupcakes?

Last week I had batter for one cupcake left over...

Today, there's batter left for two!

Time for another round of Martha's Buttercream!

The secret to smooth frosting is sifted powdered sugar!

Sifting works out all the kinks!

Last weekend I made only one batch of Martha's buttercream...

Which left me with a few naked cupcakes. Naked
cupcakes rarely get eaten around here...

So I throw them out into the yard for the

raccoons. Because they are less picky that way!

Nevertheless, this weekend I'm doubling Martha's

recipe, thereby eliminating the risk of naked cupcakes!

The raccoons won't be happy!

I'm using a couple of different tips this time so I thought I

would share with you my trick for transferring icing from one

pastry bag into another... Just snip off the bottom of the first

bag, and use it to pipe the icing over into the second bag!

Certainly not rocket-science. However, it's a whole lot easier and less
messy than scooping icing out of the top of a used pastry bag. Right?

Last week I told you about the photo light tent I picked up and how

much I enjoy using it. Well, after my friend Cheryl read my post, she

e-mailed me to show me how she was able to tweak one of my photos

using Photo Shop. Cheryl's adjustments looked great, but the thing I

wanted to know the most was how she was able to lift, and brighten

up the background. I don't know how it happened; but I noticed a

while ago that my indoor photos were looking a bit drab. After

sharing my frustration with her, Cheryl suggested I adjust my

white-balance setting. And, you know what? She was right!

Adjusting the white-balance on my camera made all the difference!

Now, even without help from Cheryl's Photo Shop, I have

beautiful, bright, clear backgrounds again. Oh, Cheryl...

I heart-you!

Another weekend... And, another great
afternoon spent in the kitchen baking!

Before I go... This is the scene upstairs on our bed

right now. Bing and Leo getting along, and getting closer!

Could grooming each other be far behind?

Inside my Secret-Savings-Spot!

2012-01-25T23:54:00.027-05:00

After sharing my Secret-Savings-Spot in this post, I received a ton of

e-mails asking me to disclose its location. I also received e-mails asking if

I would consider shipping some of the disposable pastry bags I found there!

If you're one of my readers that inquired, then you know I answered every single

e-mail. And, if you asked me to mail you a box, (or four) of disposable pastry

bags, you'll know in a few days that they were mailed this evening. But, if you

are one of the many readers who said you wished you could see inside my

little s-s-s, then get comfy... Because the following photos are for you!

SpaBoy and I met for Hot Yoga after work this evening. Then, we hit the

secret-savings-spot. It was his first time. We shopped for almost an hour

and a half! The first thing I hope you've noticed is the variety of products

they carry! Now... This below had me a bit miffed because these non-slip

comfort/wellness mats are perfect for the kitchen but at only $14, they're

a fraction of what I paid for the one I ordered from Williams-Sonoma!

Part of the reason it took me and SpaBoy an hour and half to get through the

store is because we stopped to giggle so often. I mean, really... This has to

be the only place you'll find a garment steamer, blowdryer diffuser, water

bottle combination set, and commercial fry basket all on the same shelf!

Oh, and empty prescription bottles just below!

This cracked me up because I saw these in the gift shop the last time we

visited the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning with the Ranger!

Yes indeed... There's a whole lot of everything here!

Like these hand warmers I intend to send to the Ranger! He told me

it's been snowing in Afghanistan for a week now and that their

digital thermometer stopped working at minus 6 degrees!

SpaBoy loaded up on these sponges... Every

esthetician knows why this is a great deal!

Trehalose...Who knew?

But this is where you'll find it... Right next to

the hot tub safety rails and... The bathtub!

Need a bar condiment caddy, flat iron or set of hot rollers?

Or maybe you're in the market for a new

Bible or you're taking a road trip to Arizona?

I bet you could shop every store in North Carolina and not

find another box of plastic communion figurines anywhere!

Last fall I bought a case of tennis balls at Costco,

and I paid a whole lot more than this for them!

Right above the Pottery Barn wine stopper set and next to the corkscrews

is where you'll find the extra-long Gutting Gloves. And, isn't

extra-long what really matters when buying your gutting gloves?

This is usually the only place in the store where you'll find me...

It's where they stock all the baking/cooking supplies, and where I recently

found these fantastic rolls of 18" disposable pastry/decorating bags, priced

just $9.95 a box! I called yesterday afternoon to ask if they would put another

six boxes on hold for me, and I'm glad I did - Because while it may look like

there are still a lot of boxes left, there were ten times this many last week!

Now, last week they didn't have any of these latex gloves I was

after... But this evening I got lucky, and I took all five boxes home!

This is an example of the Williams-Sonoma goodies to be found here!

And, if you're in the market for a replacement handle

for your Le Creuset rubber scraper, you're in luck!

I hope you've enjoyed your peek into the best kept secret in this area... SpaBoy

and I had a blast! After all, it's the only place in North Carolina a couple of former

Kansas State University students could find a clock like this hanging over the door!

White carrara marble makes my heart go...

2012-01-23T19:54:00.003-05:00

Pitter-patter!

When I saw it standing there I heard Agnes say, It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!

I finally had an opportunity to visit the slab I mentioned in this post...

And, I was a bit disappointed to find it's not quite perfect. What this means is that

in order to get the best possible, (most perfect) area out of this slab, they'll have to

cut it down. Way down. Which means my dream carrara marble island-top might

turn out to be more of an extra-large carrara marble cutting board. Now, I hadn't

considered that as an option before; but considering how much it cost to have my

Corian fabricated, not covering my island completely may keep me out of trouble!

So we'll see... I have until Friday to pull the trigger on my slab. One thing's for

certain. I certainly cannot live without at least a little bit of white carrara marble

in my kitchen and I am positively giddy to be one step closer to getting it slipped in!

Oh, and PS... Yes, I am aware that marble is a natural surface so imperfections

are to be expected... And, as I was reminded today, embraced. But I just can't do it!

A little Kitchen time!

2012-01-22T21:04:00.002-05:00

I went into this weekend looking forward to a little kitchen time!

Specifically, I wanted to bake! However, instead of baking, I

spent most of yesterday organizing my baking goodies...

But after a quick trip to Costco for butter and sugar this morning...

There was no stopping me and no more excuses not to get my bake-on!

Red velvet cupcakes with Martha's buttercream recipe to be exact! By the way, if you

haven't heard, the secret to really great cakes and cupcakes, and breads too is this cake

enhancer from King Arthur Flour. I initially began using it because it helps cakes and

cupcakes last longer. And, with there just being two of us at home I figured it would

help cut down on the number of cupcakes I usually end up feeding to the raccoons

that live on our property. But even better than the way it stretches the life of your

cake and cupcakes is how much better it makes them taste! Trust me... Get some!

How cute are these cupcake liners I picked up at Bake it Pretty

in Asheville? I was sorry to learn that they have closed their store...

But fortunately for me, I stocked waaaaaay up during our last trip!

So let's bake some red velvet cupcakes!

I don't know about you, but I find pouring my batter into liners

a whole lot less messy than dipping it with an ice cream scoop!

Red velvet cake batter always looks like ketchup to me!

I know... It's just me!

I also know it may seem silly to bake just one

cupcake when that's all the batter that's left...

But if I dumped it, I wouldn't have this last, perfect cupcake!

Now that my cupcakes are baked and cooling in front of the open window, it's

time to whip up some of Martha's Buttercream Frosting... It's so good!

Being so close to Valentine's Day, I think a little pink might be in order!

Just two drops is all it takes...

For perfect pale pink buttercream!

Decorating my cupcakes will be especially fun since I'm totally stocked

up on disposable pastry bags. I mailed a couple of boxes to friends so when

a friend at work told me she was going to the secret savings spot to pick

up a box for herself, I asked her to pick up another three boxes for me!

Disposable pastry bags is the way to go because buttercream is

especially difficult to clean out of those reusable decorating bags!

And, I am all about the easy clean-up!

I'm also all about this decorating tip!

Because I love the little poof it gives us, huh, Bing? Bing's been

staring at me for a while now... Do you want to know why?

Because I hit pause on the cupcakes and have started my dinner prep!

And, Bing can smell seafood a mile away!

Tiger prawns, lump crab and scallops are on the menu tonight!

And... Cupcakes for dessert, of course!

One for you... One for me!

By the way... I finally broke down and ordered one of those photo light

tents many of my blogger friends rave about. I like the clean backgrounds,

and the light it provides long after the natural light in my kitchen has

disappeared. I like the way it diffuses light to eliminate shadows too!

So if you're in the market for one and wonder what it

might look like after you pop it up in your kitchen...

Now you know!

Now... Go, and have yourself a Happy week!

Organizing

2012-01-21T18:34:00.001-05:00

Last night I went to a friends house to decorate cupcakes she baked to serve at

a baby shower she's hosting today... When she asked if she could borrow a few

cake stands too, I said, Sure! Decorating those cupcakes and the call I received

later from a friend in Kansas looking for input about her cake recipe inspired

me to plan my own baking adventures to keep me busy on this rainy weekend!

However, after it took me thirty minutes to dig out four cake stands, I decided my

time would be better spent organizing my baking stuff, rather than baking. First

step was to corral my cookie cutters... They were everywhere! In drawers, inside

cake pans, but mostly in my cake stand cabinet where they were under, on top of

and around almost every cake stand I own. Whenever I reached for a cake stand,

fifteen or more cookie cutters jumped out at me. Well, no more! Today I rounded

all of them up and put them away into storage bins. Now, my whole collection is

contained in one place, organized, and very best of all... So much easier to find!

Oh, and best, best of all...

My cake stands can breathe again!

I have just enough space left for the cake stands my friend

has borrowed. So if you see me buying another cake stand...

Smack me!

That goes for cake pans too!

I really don't need anything else for the kitchen...

But it's so hard to resist new things!

Speaking of new things... You know that feeling you get when you see a

cute guy? Well, I picked out a slab of white carrara for the kitchen island

yesterday that made me feel the same way! Why am I picking out carrara

for the kitchen when it's been less than three years since we installed new

counter tops and this larger island top? Well, every morning when I step

onto that little piece of carrara in my shower, I am reminded how much

I still want it in my kitchen. So while I'm not ready to risk getting divorced

over asking for a third remodel of my kitchen, I am thinking a little, (or

a lot) white cararra for the top of my island might be a nice compromise!

I like the butcher block that used to be our old island, but it's just not,

nor can it ever be the carrara I've always wanted. But now that I've pulled

the trigger on a slab of creamy white carrara to call my own, it means by

this time next week I will be a much happier and content kitchen camper!

Right Leo?

We'll just have to figure out how to slip that 125-pound

piece of carrara into the kitchen without being noticed!

Me-weekend, Day 3 & 4!

2012-01-18T18:24:00.072-05:00

Oops... Didn't mean to leave anyone hanging!

Yes! There was in fact a day three, and a day four in the fabulous 4-day Me-weekend, which followed my birthday last week. And, while I did have every good intention of updating before now, hot yoga happened to me on Monday night. So for now, I'm letting hot yoga take the fall for the absence of any updates since day 1 and day 2!

Day three of my me-weekend was arranged weeks ago... You see, my friend SpaBoy relocated back to his home in High Point from Chapel Hill last week so this weekend was our first opportunity to get together without one of us having to drive an hour and a half. I had his house rented for over two years; however, after my tenant vacated, SpaBoy and I decided it was high-time for him to high-tail it back to High Point! I'm so happy about this for so many reasons; but especially because his return means we'll be spending more time together doing the thing we do best... Shop!

And, that's exactly what we did Sunday! First, we met for lunch at PF Chang's, then we walked the shops at Friendly Center... We stopped in at Sur la Table where we exercised my professional discount card, then we hit the Apple Store and then Williams-Sonoma for even more goodies! Since I found this post by the lovely Lora, macarons have been on my mind. But everyone knows that you cannot properly create macarons without a food scale.

So when I saw this one on the clearance

rack at Sur la Table for $14, it was a must have!

I had to make a bee-line to Williams-Sonoma for mini-rubber scrapers

after seeing this post on Dara's blog last week! I cannot wait to duplicate

her success with this yummy recipe... But my first thought as I read along

was that popping Nutella out of my measuring spoon would be so much easier

and less messy if I had a set of these super-cute mini silicone scrapers! Now,

I have no valid excuse for also buying this set of 3 mini spoonulas, except to say

they were on sale... And, for this Catholic, not buying them would have been a sin!

On the way home I stopped at the best kept secret in my area... It's so funky, a bit

gritty, and up until just recently, when the Law changed in North Carolina and the

employees were finally forced to stop smoking inside the store, I wouldn't even

venture in unless I had a lavender-scented hand wipe to cover my nose. But all of

that aside, the deals there are always so amazing, I didn't mind sacrificing a few of

my pricey lavender hand wipes! So what do I find there? Well, the store is packed,

wall to wall, ceiling to floor with items from every department in any retail store

you might shop. I'm talking Target to Bloomies! But... Everything for sale there

is at least 50% off, if not 75-90% off the suggested retail prices. When son #2

moved out I picked up everything from a locking mailbox to a coffeemaker by

Krups, shelving from Pottery Barn and kitchen tools from you-know-where!

Admittedly, most of the items are discontinued but a lot of it is brand new stock

that has simply been salvaged. You see, if a truck carrying goods is in an accident

or burglarized, the carrier's insurance pays the manufacturer for the entire load,

even if the shipment hasn't suffered any damage at all. Then, the carrier sells or

auctions off the merchandise for the insurance company to stores like this one!

So what prompted this latest visit to my secret savings spot? Honestly, I was

after latex surgical gloves! My s-s-s carries tons of hospital supplies, such as

disposable gowns, surgical masks and caps, barf-trays, and even empty/fillable

prescription bottles. And, they usually stock a ton of surgical gloves... Usually!

Anyway, since I cannot stomach touching raw meat, and won't polish my silver,

copper or clean my oven without protecting my hands, I go through a lot of latex

gloves in my kitchen! Sadly, I didn't find any on this trip. However, I did find a ton

of these handy food-service poly gloves! And, at only $1.95 for a box of 500, they

will do just fine until the next shipment of latex exam gloves finds its way here!

But you know me, so you know that I didn't just buy gloves... No! Eight bottles of

my favorite shower gel also flew into my cart, (only $14 a bottle!) and then, as I

was browsing the baking supply corner, grabbing up all the .25 silver-foil covered

cake boards I could, I spotted the very best deal ever! And, since this is all that

remains of my stock of disposable pastry bags... This deal arrived just in time!

That's right fellow baking-fanatics...

I'm talking about 18" disposable pastry bags...

On a Roll!

Squee!!!

I have already used one, and these pastry bags are every bit as durable

as the bags I paid much more for, but at a fraction of the price! My
friend Melanie, aka The Coupon Goddess would be so proud of me!

And, these bags are longer, which means they'll hold

almost twice the volume of my old, expensive bags,

and the extra length makes them easier to fill too!

Of course, let us not also discount the convenience of being on a Roll!

I found other rolls of 18" disposable decorating bags here, but just

look at their price! Doing the math, my roll of 500 bags would

cost well over $150! So at $9.95, at my secret-savings-spot...

I grabbed several boxes! And, I'm thinking of going back to buy more. But again,

doing the math, I'm not sure that I will still be baking when I'm 108 years old. So
I might be forced to leave some for other area bakers to discover... Drat!

Okay, that was day-3, Janet... What about day-4, you say?

Day four brought the adventure of my very first Hot Yoga class!

I listened carefully to the advice of my dear friend and Hot Yoga

devotee, Teresa and took along everything she advised me to pack! A

bottle of frozen water to hold against my pulse-points, a bottle of water

with fresh-squeezed lemon juice added, to drink during class and a plain

water for the drive home. Plus, a towel for my mat to prevent slipping and

a cold, wet towel to wipe sweat from my face and arms. Check, Check!

I arrived as prepared as I could possibly be. I am also delighted to tell

you about the best Hot Yoga studio in the area, if not on the whole

East coast! I am impossible to please, and so sensitive to stinky smells,

and yet, Hot Yoga Therapy in Kernersville impressed me with the

cleanest, freshest-smelling workout studio I have ever experienced, and

the most knowledgable, caring and helpful staff anyone could ask for! I

also found the advice and warnings about the hot yoga experience on

their website particularly helpful. Therefore, none of what I felt came

as a surprise to me. It doesn't mean I enjoyed the dizziness, nausea, or

the overwhelming fatigue I felt following my first class. It just means

it was not a surprise! Nevertheless, I didn't give up, I stayed for the

whole class and at the end, when our instructor announced that we

had just endured 105 degrees with 46% humidity for 90 minutes, I

felt really good about my first hot yoga experience! Dizzy, terribly

nauseous, and I do not remember driving home... But I felt good! So
good in fact, I am paid and signed up for 20 more Hot Yoga classes!

Me-weekend... Day 2

2012-01-14T18:34:00.018-05:00

I spent half the day in bed. There I said it.

I was up early to feed the kitties and to do a tiny bit of housework, and then... I went back to bed and watched television shows I normally don't have the opportunity to watch.

Fortunately, this didn't last long because much of what I found made me feel like my braincells were oozing out of my ears. Did you know that the Kardashian sisters have a television show? Why? I mean really... Does anyone care to watch them prancing about, doing absolutely nothing at all? I don't get the appeal. Although I must credit the half-episode I watched for clearing up the whole, why-didn't-Kim's-marriage-work mystery because that dude was just a big square peg rolling around the biggest box of round holes that I've ever seen. But seriously, Kim didn't see that coming? I'm afraid I am now part of the it-was-all-for-television camp because there is no way those two could have ever been serious about making their marriage last. No way!

I don't know how it happened but after my unfortunate Kardashian moment, I somehow ended up on a channel airing a rather gritty reality series called Dog, the Bounty Hunter. It was pretty difficult to watch because that man and his wife both looked cardiac to me. I also couldn't help wonder in what quantity they buy peroxide. I'm guessing gallons. And, for as smart as they think they are, the whole group was pretty goofy. Back in 1987, I worked at an answering service owned by a the baddest bail bondsman in Monterey County, and he didn't come home until his fugitive was caught. So I could have told Dog that leaving the hot-zone, (where they last located the suspect) to take a break in the middle of the night was a bad idea. Sure enough! No sooner was the Dog crew back home, forty-five minutes away, did they receive a call saying their target was about to be at a gas station near the location they had just abandoned. All this amateur hunting aside, I hung in there long enough to see Dog capture a fugitive missing a little finger.

One show I don't regret watching today is Hungry Girl. I have every one of Lisa's books and love them! So when she mentioned this amazing ice cream, and that is only 150 calories for a whole pint, I was out of bed and at Whole Foods in record time!

It's called Arctic Zero! And, if you know someone that

considers a pint-size container of ice cream a bowl... Like I do

might... Then you are going to love Arctic Zero as much as I do!

I don't know how they do it, but the whole pint is just 150 calories! And, best of

all... It's 150 calories worth eating. Soooo good! Whole Foods is the only place

in my area that carries Arctic Zero, but you can find it in your area here

I like Whole Foods, but I'm first and always a Trader Joe's girl. We've been

promised a Trader Joe's for a while, and I'll never give up hoping that we get

one in our area. In the meantime, I'll keep driving to Charlotte and Raleigh

to get my Trader Joe's fix. They have the best of everything at Trader

Joe's, especially fresh-cut flowers. I've stopped hoping for great cut-

flowers at Whole Foods - Just like I've stopped hoping for great

looking produce there. But today, I was surprised with these!

There is nothing like winter Tulips in the house to

help one forget how ugly it is outside in January!

Now please excuse me while I finish Day 2 of me-weekend

with a little Arctic zero and some Football... Go Niners!

Remembering my beloved Oma

08/11/1914 - 01/14/1991

Sie fehlen immer von meinen Tagen...

Me... Day 1

2012-01-13T20:14:00.258-05:00

After I stripped the bed this morning, Bing

and Leo had to find another place to hang out...

Another place to watch birds, lick, snooze and hang, while I went out to

my orientation for hot yoga, to have a facial and relax with a pedicure!

When I returned from my pampering, this was the scene in the solarium!

By the way... Me-days usually mean good things for Army Dad too!

Because while I'm being pampered and have time to relax and

let my mind wander is usually when I do my best thinking!

And, one thing I was thinking about as I was being pampered

was how much I bet he would enjoy my pork chops for dinner!

But before I talk pork chops, look what Mr. UPS brought me!

It's the Bistro butter dish from Williams-Sonoma! I also ordered

this and this and a few of the other Bistro-line items; however, so far

it's just little Beurre and me. Maybe it's just me... But the French word

for butter always makes me think of Brer Rabbit. Just me. I know...

So back to my pork chops!

This is my own recipe... Totally easy, totally made up and totally delicious. You

can do it in your crockpot or in your Dutch oven - Either way works just fine!

First, rinse and pat your pork chops dry with a paper towel. Then heat a little

olive oil in a cast iron skillet and brown the chops on both sides. I'm using my

crockpot but if you're using a Dutch oven, just brown your chops in it instead

While your chops brown in the skillet, core and slice up a few

apples. Now, Army Dad likes a little applesauce with his pork chops

but he really loves apples cooked with his pork chops even more!

I'm using Fuji and Granny Smith because these varieties stand up to slow

cooking better than golden or red delicious. Those apples turn to mush!

And, not in a good applesauce way! To keep apple slices from turning

brown before I'm ready for them, I squish lemon juice over them...

After the chops were browned on both sides I tossed my apple

slices into my lined crockpot and added one chopped white onion...

Then I added a cup of soy sauce mixed with a cup

of Trop50 and drizzled honey over the whole thing!

A little butcher's salt, a little fresh cracked pepper,

a little brown sugar... And, a little more honey!

Add the pork chops, set on high for four'ish hours and just walk away!

While my pork chops cooked and the kitties snoozed

in the solarium, I busied myself around the house!

I decided it was time to de-Christmas the console...

From this...

To this!

I'm not done tweaking and fiddling with

this arrangement... But for now, this will do!

Another thing that will do is this lovely little Bee pillow! It arrived with

the box I got today from Williams-Sonoma and was quite the surprise! In

fact, when I saw the label from Ballard Designs I told UPS it couldn't

be mine because I wasn't expecting anything from them. But, it was

absolutely meant for me... With a note, which read, Love Mom!

Thanks Mom...

Your gift was the perfect ending to my

first all-me day of this long weekend!

A New Year's Update, and 4 days of Me-time!

2012-01-13T09:54:00.013-05:00

Welcome to the weekend, kitties!

I have four days of all-me-all-the-time to look forward to and I am, e-x-c-i-t-e-d!

But first, as you can see from the above photo I just took, operation shared-space between Leo and Bing is still on track. I woke up this morning to Bingee in his usual spot, planted firmly in the small of my back and to Leo snuggled up on the ottoman in the sweater I wore to work yesterday. Now I'm busy stripping the bed, being careful not to disturb Bing of course... While Leo plays peek-a-boo with me from the pile of pillows on the chair. So cute!

So all is well. Although... I must tell you... The Ranger was none to pleased to learn about this piece of news from home. His reaction surprised me a little because he's always loved cats... Having said that though, he is fiercely protective of his Bing - So at one point, a threat to get a place of his own and take Bing with him was mentioned. Hum... Looks like I'll have a little more work to do when he gets home!

Okay! It's day thirteen... How's your New Year coming along? Aside from beginning each new year getting older with a birthday, and the fact that our Ranger is deployed, I'm doing better than I anticipated. Mostly, because we've heard from him! You know me... No contact and I'm deep in a hole.

Anyway... You'll remember from this post I wrote shortly before the New Year that I have recommitted myself to CLEAN - And, so far, despite indulging a bit on my birthday Monday things are going quite well! I'm feeling a little lighter and MUCH brighter, which is the first thing you notice with CLEAN - Love it!

I'm still enjoying Trop50 too! It helps me get my day started right, and I especially look forward to taking my CLEAN supplements with it.

So that's where I'm at in terms of my new beginning for 2012!

Also today, as soon as I get my bed linens into the washer, I'm headed to an orientation for a series of local hot yoga classes I am excited to begin this Monday. I love yoga but have been wanting to try hot yoga since my friend Teresa raved about her experiences with it.

After my hot yoga orientation I'm off to have an hour-long facial. Last year, I rediscovered Living Social and Groupon in a big way, buying up just about every deal offered for pedicures, facials, and fitness bootcamps in my area. Now I have a file folder full of deals I need to hop on before they expire... So first up today after hot yoga orientation is a facial and then a pedicure. I cannot think of a nicer way to kick off a four-day weekend of me-time!

How about you? What are your plans for the weekend, and where are you in your New Year?

Huge progress being made today on our Adjustment!

2012-01-07T13:04:00.002-05:00

A couple of days ago I told you about some adjustments being made around

here to integrate another cat into our household with Bing. Well, while Bing

and I dug into my birthday package from mom and dad last night, Leo was

still being booed and hissed at any time he dared to come into the room!

By the way... How much do we love presents? Especially presents from the people

who know and love you best. For me, those people are my wonderful parents! Oh,

and also, yesterday I did a little to-me-from-me shopping on-line with our friends at

Williams-Sonoma after I received an e-mail telling me about this Bistro line. I had

to have almost every piece in the collection! And now with this gift card from mom

and dad, I'll be able to do a little more damage! If you like the Bistro line too, you

better hurry because one of the items is already on back order... But I got mine!

Thank you, Mom and Dad!

So where was I? Oh, yes... The integration of Bing and Leo into the same space! Well

this morning, after they each finished their Fancy Feast treat I found Leo out here

in the solarium. When I looked around for Bing, I was surprised to find him...

Right here in the same room!

I didn't want to wander away too far... Just in case someone needed to

be rescued... So I busied myself in the kitchen by unpacking and packing

up the Hickory Farms order I placed to ship to the Ranger. I must have

gotten caught up in what I was doing because without a peep, both Leo

and Bing left the solarium without my seeing them. I searched the entire

downstairs but couldn't find them. Surely they couldn't both be upstairs!

But that's exactly where I found them. And, together... In our bed!

I don't know how it happened, but Leo managed to win Bing's usual spot too!

Maybe Bing's deferring to Leo because he knows Leo's still nursing tender

paws after being declawed. Or maybe our sweet Bing is just that sweet!

Either way... I'm so grateful and relieved by

this obvious display of mutual acceptance!

Now I know I can leave the house to spend my Birthday money

without worrying about the fur flying back here at home!

Adjustments...

2012-01-05T20:44:00.031-05:00

Is there a cat in your life? If there is, I'm willing to bet that your life has been

enriched far beyond what you imagined was possible before your cat came along.

For us, our Bing has been a loyal, love-bug companion for more than ten years...

From day one he's been the Ranger's best buddy...

And, he always will be!

Bing is the king of this castle and wherever we are is where Bing wants to be!

He's always been quite the observer too...

Some would even say he supervises... I know

that's true whenever I'm busy in the kitchen!

If you don't already have a cat in your life, I highly recommend that you

get one because there's a whole lot to love here! In Bing's case it's an intuition

he possesses that knows exactly when I need a hug. And then there's his little

feet, which always smell like Cheetos and the way he licks my eyelashes when

I am sleeping to tell me that it's Fancy-Feast time! But mostly, Bing is just...

Always snuggle-ready!

He especially enjoys change-the-sheets day! Fortunately,

I know how to dress a bed without disturbing the patient!

Otherwise...

I'd never get our bed made!

Now, Bing's been an only child since he was born. Whenever I have been invited to
adopt another cat, I always have to explain that Bing's allergic to (other) cats. He's

always been very possessive of us, and whenever a stray dares to invade his space

outside, Bing makes it very clear, (from inside his solarium) that he'll not tolerate
anyone attempting to horn in on the good thing we've got going on here! However...

All that changed on New Year's Eve when we were asked to take in our younger

son's cat, Leo. We've loved Leo since our son accepted him from a friend that could

no longer keep him. And, when Leo got under-foot as a tiny kitten and his jaw was

broken, we immediately stepped in to ensure he got the medical care needed to be

good as new. I didn't think it was possible to find another cat as lovable and who is

as affectionate as Bing is with us; however, Leo is that cat! So call it the investment

we have in him to repair his jaw, vaccinate and neuter Leo, or the fact that he is the

perfect compliment to Bing, but there was no way we could turn him away. So what

about Bing and his allergy to other cats? Well, to level the playing field, we had Leo

declawed Tuesday since Bing is also ~~not able to shred furniture~~ declawed. And now,

we're just working slowly to integrate Leo and Bing into the same spaces here in our

home. The operative word being, s-l-o-w-l-y! Last night a door was inadvertently left

ajar so this morning I awoke at 5AM to much hissing, spitting and growling by Bing

who was letting Leo know he'd gotten a little too close by wandering into our room!

Leo was raised in a house full of other pets so he's very used to both

large and small dogs, and sharing with several other cats. For his part,

Leo appears quite eager to be Bing's best friend... For our part, we're

hoping that our Bingee will come around and accept Leo as part of

our family. Besides, we travel a lot so Leo could be just what Bing

needs to keep him company and occupied whenever we're away!

Our fingers are crossed so please do wish us luck as
these adjustments are made... And, if you have multiple
cats in your home and wish to offer advice, I'd love to hear it!

Leo's full name is King Leonidas; however, since Bing

is king around here, we'll just have to stick with Leo!

Croque Monsieur... Finally, and It's not Complicated!

2011-12-31T19:04:00.036-05:00

Have you ever seen a recipe featured in a film that you couldn't wait to

try at home? Well, that's the story behind my burning desire to

create Croque Monsieur after seeing, It's Complicated...

I admit, my burning desire has been simmering for quite a while... I mean,

the film debuted two years ago this month! Maybe it's because the disk

lives in my blueray player and I just happen to be watching it again for

the 37th time, right now... But I hardly feel I'm as late to this party as I

obviously am. Most other bloggers that loved the movie as much as
I did, (still do!) who couldn't wait to blog their adventure in Croque

Monsieur have been there and already did that a long, long time ago!

But you know me... I'm no follower. I will

make my Béchamel sauce only in my own time!

And, not a moment sooner! So for this last

chance to make dinner in 2011, I decided it's time!

Just for the record... It's not the story-line of a divorced couple committing adultery

between Streep and Baldwin, or the reaction to their affair by their three, barely

adult children who can't decide whether they actually remember the divorce or

should blame it for their seemingly constant fragile emotional states that has

me in love with this film. No... It's first the house and second, the food!

Although the story goes that Streep is eager to remodel it, the kitchen

in her movie-home is to die for! I find myself watching in slow-motion

and rewinding, (often!) just to get a better look at the serving pieces,

dishes and accessories used to decorate the dining and kitchen sets!

So if you haven't seen the movie or if you haven't already made your

own Croque Monsieur, I'm recommending you do both! There are lots of

recipe variations, all basically the same, so I suggest you do a little research

and pick one that suits you best. In the film, Streep's Croque Monsieur appears

open-faced, but I didn't go that route. In most recipes, the cheese covering

the Black Forest ham is sliced Gruyère, but I didn't go that route either!

The important thing to remember, regardless of the recipe you choose, is to

use only the absolute best quality ingredients you can buy. It makes a huge

difference, and if you just slap lunch meat on bread and cover it in cheese,

you're going to miss the luxury that is Croque Monsieur done properly!

One thing I did do like they did in the movie

is cover my baking sheet with parchment!

After all, this is one of the baking sheets I use to make my sugar

cookies, so we can't have it mussed up with baked-on cheese!

And, there will be cheesey spillage this evening...

Lots of it!

Trust me when I tell you that men love this dish!

Maybe it's because they appreciate simple things. Or maybe it's because

men are simple... I can't be sure. But what I am sure of is that my Croque

Monsieur received rave reviews and an immediate request for an encore!

I said, I can do that!

Tomatoes on top after the broiler or tomatoes under the cheese before you

broil... You decide. But do use a beautiful, very ripe heirloom tomato!

And, do top with a sprinkle of extra Parmesan!

You'll be happy you did!

Remember I said there were numerous ways to get to

a great Croque Monsieur? Well, this is my way...

Finished with plenty of California avocado!

I think I'll call it Le Croque Monsieur Monterey!

New Year's Eve Bird Watching!

2011-12-31T11:24:00.003-05:00

The last day of 2011 delivered blue skies and 60 degrees...

And, plenty of happy morning bird watching...

From the kitchen window!

Happy New Year!

Tropicana Trop50 True Resolutions, and a Giveaway!

2011-12-31T00:04:00.008-05:00

Happy New Year!

2012 is just around the corner, have you picked your resolution yet?

I've already decided on my resolutions for 2012, and shared one of them with

you here... Which brings me to why I agreed to tell you about Tropicana's Trop50

juice beverage when I was asked. You see, this isn't just juice, Trop50 is a juice

beverage offering all the goodness of juice with 50% less calories and sugar. And...

Very best of all, Trop50 is artificial sweetener free! See, I love fruit drinks

but avoid them because of all the extra calories and sugar they add to my

diet. And, because I am terribly sensitive to artificial sweeteners, sugar-free

foods/drinks have always been off-limits. But Trop50 delivers everything I

want... Great fruit taste, 50% less sugar and calories and... Zero side effects!

Trop50 can deliver for you during this season of resolutions and new beginnings

too! Just enjoy all the guilt-free juice you want, in a variety of flavors you'll crave
without the worry of extra sugar and calories... For me, nothing refreshes after a
spin class like Trop50 Raspberry Lemonade. I put it in my blender with a handful of
frozen berries and blend it into my own frozen lemo-berry concoction! It's a whole
bunch better for me, and far less expensive than the smoothies sold at my gym!

Another way Trop50 can deliver for you is through their True Resolutions
program via facebook! Trop50 True Resolutions is all about celebrating

the true reasons for what motivates us to make the positive changes we seek!

Trop50 wants you to share your resolution and more importantly, your true

motivation for the changes you're making! Just visit the Trop50 Facebook page

right here for the opportunity to share your resolution, earn a coupon plus more

for up to 50 of your friends, and then enter to win one of four, $1,000 gift cards!

If you want to share your resolution and true motivation for it incognito,

that's fine too! But whether or not you share a resolution, you can still

enter to win one of four $1,000 gift cards. It's your resolution, it's

your brand new year, and it's your chance to win with Trop50!

The good people at Trop50 sent me a coupon for a Free bottle of Trop50;

however, since my refrigerator is already stocked, I'm mailing it to the

first person to comment on this post. Additionally, Trop50 has provided

me the opportunity to giveaway a $25 Visa gift card and coupons for three

free bottles of Trop50 - A $12 value. All you have to do is pop on over to the

Trop50 facebook page, like them, enter to win and let me know you did!

Earn extra entries by linking this giveaway to your own blog, facebook page,

or by tweeting, using the @TropicanaOJ handle and hash tag, #Trop50

Winner will be announced on January 9th,

which just happens to be my birthday!

The legal stuff: In exchange for my review, Trop50 provided me with one coupon for a free bottle of Trop50. Since I was a fan of this product before I was contacted, I am giving away the coupon. All of the opinions expressed in this post are my own. Furthermore, Trop50 didn't ask me to let you know about all the good work they do with Dress for Success through their charitable program, Girlfriends Giving Goodness. To learn more about this wonderful program click here. And, for valuable information about balanced and healthy living from our friends at Tropicana, click here.

Happy Birthday to Me, and Congratulations #1

Contact me with your mailing address at jcbridge@aol.com!

A couple of Finds and getting back to Basics with CLEAN!

2011-12-30T11:34:00.003-05:00

Before I tell you about one of my resolutions for the New Year, I must show

you one of my last finds during our run-away ~~from~~ for Christmas trip

this past week... I couldn't believe my luck when I found this beautiful

Infant Jesus of Prague statue in an antique shop in Warrenton,

Va. Usually when I find them, these statues are in poor condition so

to find one this pretty, and with the fingers intact is especially rare!

Fortunately, I have just the spot for it!

There are no visible signs of Christmas left in the rest of the house...

But I am not yet ready to dismantle and put away these things
on the console so I'm going to enjoy them a little while longer!

Another of my last finds during our tour through

Northern Virginia's antique shops is this jelly fish!

I need another paperweight like I want to raise another teenager;

but this reminds me just slightly of the Richard Satava moon

jellyfish piece I have always wanted... So I brought it home!

And, I'm glad I did!

You know what they say... You rarely regret what you buy, only the things you

don't buy. Had I not taken it home, I would be thinking about it right now!

Okay... Usually I don't make resolutions but since I have resolved to get back

to basics with CLEAN and the new year is less than 48-hours away, I'm calling

this a New Year's resolution! Truth is... I've strayed far off the balance I found

a year and a half ago when I first discovered CLEAN and frankly, I feel exactly

like the garbage I've been eating. Fortunately, CLEAN is extremely easy to get

back to so the minute after I unpacked, I readied my latest CLEN shipment

for take off. Then, I spent a little time getting to know CLEAN again!

I find dumping my Nourish and Move shake powders into larger containers makes

it quicker and easier for me to scoop them when I'm pressed for time in the

morning and still have to whip up my CLEAN shake. A scoop of Nourish, a scoop

of Move and a handful of frozen blueberries is all I need to power through my day!

What's your New Year's resolution, and what is motivating you to bring about

change in your life for 2012? Whatever it is, I am wishing you a New Year

that delivers perfect Health, Happiness and Success in all you love to do!

Run Away for Christmas... Day Two!

2011-12-28T23:54:00.002-05:00

Run away ~~from~~ for Christmas day two took us to Middleburg, Virginia

When Army dad was growing up in Arlington, Virginia he said Middleburg was

where all the poor people lived. Now, Middleburg is prime horse-country! I've

never seen so many taxidermy foxes, antique polo mallets, and riding tack in my

life! There's a realtor on every corner and Middleburg's turned into the Carmel of

Northern Virginia where Washington DC and Hollywood money comes to buy

sprawling country estates. And, who could blame them? It's beautiful out here!

Many of Army dad's ancestors are buried right here in Middleburg... You can't

walk through the Middleburg cemetery without seeing all the familiar names. But

all that family history in this area aside, I love all the cute shops in Middleburg!

You can't help but feel like you've stepped right back into a simpler time here

in Middleburg. And, you can't help but wish the walls of its taverns could talk!

After we explored every antique shop in Middleburg, we stopped in Aldie at

Bella Villa (see here!) where we met owner Rosanna, a fellow former Californian,

who recommended that we also visit Wally, the owner of the Aldie Peddler wine

and antique shop next door to hers. Wally is the former mayor of Aldie, Virginia

and a descendant of one of the men that served with John S. Mosby, commander

of Mosby's Rangers. And, since Army Dad also has a relative that served as a Ranger

with John S. Mosby, they had quite a lot to chat about. While they chatted, I did a bit

of shopping, and picked up several things I couldn't live without. Speaking of things

I couldn't live without... During my cleaning spree on Monday I moved my poor

Rumtopf a little too close to the edge of the refrigerator door... So, when I swung

the door open to grab a stick of butter, my Rumtopf crashed down onto my face!

That's why I am currently sporting a huge black eye! Have you ever had a black

eye? This is my first. And, I find it's not only painful, but awkward too. People

stare, and you can see they really want to ask... And, me... I feel like I have

to tell them that I am not prone to bar brawls, nor have I been abused!

Then there's the loss of my Rumtopf! I bought it at an antique shop in Monterey

just before we left California and I loved it! I never imagined I'd find another

one like it. I mean, you don't see German Rumtopfs in many stores. But today,

while browsing through an antique shop in Haymarket, Virginia of all places...

I found my Rumtopf!

And, it only cost me twice what I originally paid for it! Now, as

soon as I lose this shiner, it'll be like none of this ever happened!

Remember my collection of antique

covered display cases and cloche bells?

It would have been so easy to add to them today. But I didn't... I resisted!

Totally came home empty handed in this department! The three I found in this

shop were amazing too. Extremely old, and extremely expensive. The large one in

the middle of the table was marked $550 and the one to its left was $375. It was

so easy to pass them up at those prices! This one below caught my eye because of

the shape, and its $1,500 price tag. What could possibly warrant that kind of price?

Well, as it turns out, this is a memorial piece from Edwin Booth and

his daughter, Edwina to honor his beloved wife and Edwina's mother,

Mary Devlin-Booth who died in 1863 at the age of twenty-two. Who is

Edwin Booth? Well, he was none other than the brother of one John

Wilkes Booth, whom we all know as President Lincoln's assassin!

And that's why we enjoy exploring these little shops...

You just never know what you're going to see or learn!