Sist3rs

Lunch for the Ladies

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I had a fun day today with two of my closest gal pals. We enjoyed a little girl-time getting pedicures and then I hosted a luncheon for them, followed up by an iPad tutorial.

Speaking of iPads...I gave a lot of them as gifts this year. At least 10 of them. The first app I tell everyone about is Paprika Recipe Manager. It's definitely my most-used software program. It's also available for Mac computers and offers a handy Bookmarklet. No software or app is easier to save (or share) recipes. And because I love it so much, I will now be making my recipes downloadable to Paprika when I share recipes on Sisters!

On the lunch menu today was Millionaire Mac & Cheese and a Wedge Salad, paired with a Fat Bastard Chardonnay, and followed up with brownies made by Debbie :) I like homemade mac & cheese, but I love this recipe. I also served it for our Texas-style Christmas dinner. It has truffle oil and truffle salt--one of my all-time favorite flavors. I'm convinced that you could put truffle oil on anything and it would be amazing. I've put it in hollandaise sauce--incredible. I've had it drizzled over French fries with a dusting of parmesan--incroyable.

As for the Wedge Salad...the dressing is flavorful without being too bleu cheesy. And swapping out regular bacon for the pepper bacon adds an extra layer of flava flava.

Millionaire Mac and Cheese

Adapted from Oprah.com

(Printable Recipe)

(Download to Paprika)

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 7 mins | Servings: 6 | Difficulty: ---

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. truffle salt
Cracked pepper , to taste
Fresh nutmeg , to taste
3 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
4 ounces goat cheese, cut up
2 tsp. truffle oil
14 ounces penne or rotini pasta , cooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
Directions:

Preheat the broiler. Spray 6 individual french onion soup bowls or ramekins, or a 4-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and mix together to form a roux. Add half of the milk. Using a whisk to make sure you get the sides and bottom of the saucepan, mix well as you add the rest of the milk.

Using a wooden spoon, continuously stir the sauce until it begins to thicken and tiny bubbles form on the sides for about 5 to 6 minutes. Do not boil. Add salt, pepper, fresh nutmeg to taste, cheddar cheese and goat cheese into the sauce. Mix until completely melted and smooth. If desired, add the truffle oil and mix well. Cover and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Use 2 tablespoons of salt for 3 quarts of water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta.

Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl and pour the cheese mixture over it mixing well. Spoon into individual french onion soup bowls or ramekins, or a 4-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and broil until the top is crusty and golden, approximately 6 to 8 minutes, depending on your broiler. Watch it carefully and be careful not to burn it. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

If making ahead: wrap with aluminum foil and refrigerate over night. To heat, bake covered at 350'F for 45 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil and brown top. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Inactive prep time: 0 minutes

Cook time: 6 to 8 minutes

Wedge Salad and Dressing
Adapted from Big Oven

(Print Recipe)

(Download to Paprika)

Prep Time: --- | Cook Time: --- | Difficulty: ---

Ingredients:

2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large clovegarlic; minced
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese; crumble
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce; cut into 6 wedges
3 strips pepper bacon; cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 tomatoes; preferable Roma, diced
Directions:

To make dressing:

in a food processor, combine buttermilk, sour cream, garlic, cheeses and salt and pepper to taste. Whip until frothy. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (can be made up to 2 days ahead).

To serve:

Arrange lettuce wedges on 6 chilled salad plates. Spoon dressing over. Garnish with crumbled bacon, chopped tomato and an extra bit of crumbled Gorgonzola.

-----

There you go. The next time you have a few girlfriends over for lunch, this is an easy (make-ahead) menu for you to try.

As for the Paprika iPad app...you're welcome :)

A Little Old, A Little New

noreply@blogger.com (Lise) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:32:00 +0000

Well, it's been quite a while since I've posted - the world seems to move too quickly at times, and by the end of the day there doesn't seem to be a lot of creative juices left in the tank....I'm hoping to change that this year, to squeeze just a little more time out of the crazy clock~

What better way to get back on the blogging horse than to give our readers a little insight into 'how we rolled' this Christmas - Texas style....

Christmas is a very hectic time of year at the best of times, especially for us as we (Bear and I) split our time due to our family dynamics. This year, it was Bear's turn to have Christmas with his father. There are many mothers in my situation that get upset at the thought of not having their little ones with them on Christmas Eve, but I have always been of the opinion that everyday I have with my Bear is Christmas, so I actually look forward to New Year's Eve - starting the year off together, as a family, celebrating with food and fireworks - it's the perfect way to start things off on the right note.

This year we were very blessed to have been able to ring in the New Year with my family - ALL of my sist3rs...in Texas!

We 3

Normally a few of us get back East at Christmas time, but since we've had kids, we've not been together - all together, for Christmas... but with both of our grandparents now watching down on us, we felt it important to be able to celebrate this year with our mom, together. It sure was nice to not have to sludge through snow to get to the hot tub! Heh heh....

Bear and I arrived from Edmonton on the night of the 27th and we celebrated Christmas morning on the 28th, Niq and her crew having arrived the 23rd (thank y'all for waiting for us). The stockings were hung by the chimney with care....and everyone had on their Christmas Jammie's (man, were we a good looking bunch!)

Naturally, first thing 'Christmas' morning calls for the Sist3rs Christmas Buns!...there was a bit of excitement as some of the brown sugar made its way on to the cooking element, and just when I thought I might get my Christmas wish of wangling the fire department under the mistletoe, JB to the rescue!...crisis averted, dag nab it!

Presents and stockings were opened, cousins, aunties, nanna all oohed and aahhhed over iPads, iDocks, iBikes, iGrill...we were all very good boys and gurls this year.....Thank You Santas!!!

The cousins were happy to see each other and have been playing video games and watching movies and having a great time together.

Christmas dinner - many a turkey were rolling around in wheelchairs...

Smoked turkey legs a la JB

And what would dinner be without the lovely set table?...worthy of Suck it Martha magazine~

12 days of Christmas

Christmas dinner would not be complete without a touch of tradition....my grandmother's seafoam icinged cake, made to perfection by my sister, Danie. And to top it off, scotch cookies and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies...

mmmm, goodbye cookies, hello waistline!

After I rolled away from the table, we had a nice soak in the hot tub under the stars....life's rough!

Fast forward three days ahead to New Year's Eve....Jammie party!!!

What's Hugh-bie without his bunnies?

Texans sure like their fireworks down here...they were poppin them from 3pm in the afternoon right through the clock two days running!

We had snowflake martinis and frosty nipple shooters as our signature drinks of the evening with champagne at midnight, naturally.

Who knew Pictionary could be a contact sport? Despite all the smack talk going on by the testosterone team, the estrogen girls won out!...what a blast.

I can't say enough about our hosts with the most - Danie, JB and HeHeeleys...And while thank you just doesn't seem nearly adequate enough, our sincerest thank you for such an amazing time!

2012 is going to be a banner year for us all...how were your holiday celebrations? Did you make any resolutions for this year?

Best to y'all this coming year~

Lise

Caption for Kramer: I (Heart) Sist3rs

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Yes, I'm the type of dog-owner that runs for the camera before disciplining my dog over a stolen shoe. He's just so stink in' cute--even when he's naughty...

(Your Caption Here)

Christmas Cake Pops {Linky}

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Christmas cake pops--yeah, I've made a few.

I enjoy making them every year for the school staff and faculty. I mean, the faculty that don't actually teach my son--they get cupcakes. Sometimes I'll make a second batch closer to Christmas for friends and house guests. These ideas come from Bakerella, and I would never tell her to suck it. Nothing but respect.

The first time I made cake pops, I made them in a non-sphere shape, and I'll probably never do that again. I thought I was being clever by making christmas trees and santa hats since they're about the same shape. No. They were more work then I bargained for. And then my golden retriever, all heaped up on steroids for his allergies, ate an entire platter of Christmas tree cake pops off the counter and left one star behind as if to leave behind a little insult.

This are supposed to have colorful ornament-like sprinkles. Whatever.

Messy, but getting the hang of it.

The year I made reindeer and discovered that not all edible ink pens are created equal.

Maybe I should have taken beautiful photos of the cake pops before packaging them because my cousin made this comment on Facebook:

And that, was one negative comment too many--Delete!

These cake pops were quickies. I believe I'll be making them again this Christmas per my nephew's request, along with blueberry pie, of course!

Which brings us to 2011. They took me about four hours to make but they process was much smoother. I added a little bit of shortening to the melted candy and after adding the snowman, it was sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle. Easy peasy. Notice I photographed before packaging so I wouldn't be accused of suffocating the snowman in a creepy way?

My friend, Penny, made this comment on Facebook:

...which led to this...

Poor me. I had to take a bite and post a picture to prove they're real. Well, I didn't haaaaave to, but that's the kind of friend I am...always sacrificing, I am :)

Where's Waldo? All packaged and ready for delivery to school. Can you see my son in this photo? He's a bit of a ham.

And then looked who arrived just in time to sample the goods! Not two minutes through the door, mom had sampled a vanilla champagne cupcake and was into the cake pops. Hubie "complained" about having to eat my baking. He loves every second of it!

I've already decided on which ones I'll make next year! How about you? Link your cake pops below! And grab our button from over there on the right. Can't wait to see your cake pops! We'll feature our favorites!

Teacher Gifts From the Kitchen: Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

There are two things that the teachers and staff have come to expect at Christmas time: Cupcakes and Cake Pops. Today, I'll tell you about the cupcakes I sent in for HeHeelys' teachers.
Last year, I gave cupcake 4-packs. This year, I decided to do a half dozen. My original plan was to make pretty pale-blue buttercream with white snowflakes but I changed my mind when egg nog got into my head. I knew I had to make an egg nog buttercream. Then, it came to me...Merry Christmas and Have a Happy New Year. Translation: Egg nog and champagne.

Before I could make an egg nog buttercream, however, we had to determine the best egg nog to use. So we had a taste test. I bought four kinds of egg nog and called HeHeelys to the kitchen.

The competitors.

The taste test.

The winner!

Now that I had a winning egg nog, I made a chocolate cupcake, topped it with egg nog buttercream and then sprinkled a little coarse cinnamon sugar on top...

I had grand illusions of topping both cupcake flavors with fondant toppers, but I ran out of steam.

Over the weekend, I made test batches of cupcakes--and I'm glad I did. When we went to Napa Valley in October, we joined the Chandon wine club, but I didn't want to use one of those bottles for the next cupcake (yeah, yeah, I was being cheap). So, my husband picked up a bottle of sparkling wine at the grocery store. A cheap bottle. And the results weren't great. The frosting literally left a bit of a burning sensation on my tongue. Sorry, Dad, you got the test cupcakes :( I went out and bought a decent but not expensive bottle of Chandon (sorry, but I was still resistant to using one of our bottles of Etoile for cupcakes). The final product was delightful (if I do say so myself). Lesson learned. Stick with what's good.

Vanilla cupcakes with Sparkling White Buttercream, sprinkled with nonpareils.

These were packaged up for the teachers and we included Starbucks gift cards. Want to know a secret? Last year, I bought those Starbucks gift cards. This year, I bought them with credit card bonus points--which means...free. Then they sent me a free coffee to say thank you. Booyah! Merry Christmas to the teachers and to ME!

And Merry Christmas to you, too!

Christmas Treats From the Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

There's a lot of baking going on this week. I'm not complaining--I love it! So, amidst the baking, I decided to put together boxes of treats for a couple of special people. I had several flats of canning jars left over from our Kicking Off Summer barbecue and decided to put them to good use.

Luckily, while the men were cooking their Mega Pot of Gumbo, I had my buddy here, too, and I put her to work! When they arrived, I had just finished baking a couple of batches of test cupcakes before baking them for teachers. I was trying a new recipe and I wanted to make sure they would be good. While I was at it, I cooked some in jars for transporting and shipping.

Chocolate Egg Nog and Vanilla Champagne <3

We made white chocolate Christmas mix (recipe to follow) and mini chocolate chip cookies (so they would fit in the jars). And since I was baking my grandmother's peanut butter balls, chocolate caramel squares and scotch cookies for HeHeelys' school community project this week, I added some of those to jars as well...

White chocolate Christmas mix, mini chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter balls.

Nanny Odille's chocolate caramel squares and scotch cookies.

Linda helped me wrap up jar cases with Christmas paper and this is what they looked like when they were ready to give away...

Over night shipping to Florida, where our dad is enjoying his retirement RV adventure.

There are numerous ways of making these mixes and I've heard them called everything under the sun. Personally, I like to go for a salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy balance. Here's the recipe that I've been making (and giving as gifts) for years...

White Chocolate Christmas Mix Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup of Chex cereal

1 cup of multi-grain Cheerios cereal

1 cup of mini pretzels

1 cup of dry-raosted peanuts

1 cup of craisins

1 bag of white chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)

Directions:

Pay close attention because this is complicated and very tricky. I'm just kidding. It doesn't get any easier than this...

1) Melt the chocolate. White chocolate is actually a little trickier to melt and can dry out, so I suggest one of these methods: 1) use a double boiler (this is what I do), or 2) put your white chocolate in a zipped plastic bag and microwave 30 seconds at a time. After each interval, massage the bag. This method helps prevent the chocolate from drying out and turning into a hard crumbly mess (trust me on this one).

2) Dump the rest of the ingredients in with the melted chocolate.

3) Spread on wax paper until hardened.

4) Enjoy!

Mega Pot of Gumbo

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:14:00 +0000

Our Canadian friends are abandoning us this Christmas *sniff sniff* and heading north to visit their families. Whatever. So we're having a little Christmas send-off on Thursday since we won't be seeing them again until the New Year. I swear, if my family wasn't coming to Texas for the holidays, I would be utterly devastate by this.

So, with all the baking that needs to be done this week for teachers, school faculty, community service projects and gifts from the kitchen--oh yeah, and my folks flying into town tonight!--maybe I'm a little busy this week. So our friend, affectionately known to us as Mega Me, offered to come over and cook a caldron of gumbo (free cooking lesson included) for us to serve on Thursday--one less thing for me to think about!

So here's what went on in our kitchen this weekend...

First things first. This is our second fridge used for drinks and overflow. That middle shelf needed to be cleared to fit the pot of gumbo. These men were up for the task!

Chef Mega Me with his sous-chef, Mini Me.

The sous-chef's job: stir and learn

Two whole chickens and 6 lb. of sausage.

Mega Me's mega spoon. I have spoon envy.

These two are always stirring the pot ;)

The taste test!

We had a bowl on Sunday night--just to make sure it was good enough to serve guests. I can't wait to dive into this stuff full force! Thank you to Mega Me for cooking with us (ok, it was for us)!

"Out of This World" Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Another Friday, another high school dance. Another dance that my son won't be attending, but whatever. The theme is "Out of This World" and although I was too busy to help decorate the mezzanine, I've heard it was a decked out with silver and black, with green accents.

Usually I make four dozen cupcakes--two dozen of each kind. This time, I made four different types of cupcakes, therefore, I kept the decoration simple.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcakes

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Chocolate/Vanilla Cupcakes

Mole Day

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Hey Chemistry geeks...Happy Mole Day.

I learned about Mole Day a couple of years ago when my son asked me to make a Mole Day cake to bring to school. Thankfully, my mom was visiting at the time, so we made mini bunt cakes with moles popping out from the center...

Mole Day 2009

This year HeHeelys is taking Pre AP Chemistry, which means Mole Day projects. He always chooses "Bring cupcakes or cake." We were inspired by Hasbro's Whac-A-Mole game and came up with the following cake...

Whac-A-Mole Cake for Mole Day 2011

Poor little dude is seeing stars.

Who else is baking for Mole Day? Post your links and comments below!

Sist3rs Top 10 Blog Posts

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 17:52:00 +0000

Here are the (current) top 10 most popular blog posts on Sisters.net, according to Google Search:

10. how to write a persuasive letter - by bear
9. goldilocks and the oatcakes

8. 3 ~~too~~ many cooks - burgers

7. soup's on!
6. teacher appreciation cupcake recipes
5. why you should wear a helmet
4. casino night cupcakes
3. flip flop cake & cookies
2. cupcake critique: the woodlands, tx

...And most popular blog post on Sist3rs.Net, according to Google Search is...

1. 5 favorite scone recipes

A Caption for Kramer: The Royal Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

...Because no royal wedding-watching would be complete without a light-up tiara...

(Your Caption Here)

3 Too Many Cooks - Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Burgers

Take your pick, people, but you are having a good burger tonight!

Anything on the bbq is yummy, this one will get the senses peaking and the neighbors drooling over your back fence! This burger's got bite!! And yes, while I realize the Greeks didn't have Bison in the backyard...but if they did - then they'd definitely be grilling up these bad boys!!!

Greek Bison Burgers a la Lisette

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground bison
2 cloves crushed fresh garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp lemon
1 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. greek salad dressing
1 large red onion
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 cucumber
1/2c. feta cheese
1 tsp black pepper
Tzatziki sauce
Foccacia buns

Directions:

Combine bison, bread crumbs, salad dressing, oregano, garlic, lemon and pepper.
Mix in 1/4 of the onion (chopped fine) and 1/4 of the red pepper (chopped fine).
Form into 1/4 lb patties and refridgerate for an hour to set.
Slice remaining red onion, green pepper, red pepper, and cucumber thinly and set aside for garnish.
Grill burgers on high to sear in juices, then cut back to med low 5-6 minutes per side to ensure cooked.
Spread Tzatziki on bottom of bun, then place on patty, crumble feta to taste.
Garnish with peppers, onion, and cucumber.
Serve with Greek potatoes
Oh!, and don't forget the ice cold beer!

Enjoy!

Here's my conundrum: my two favorite burgers are not my own. If I'm cooking them, then I'm perfectly happy with a Cowboy Burger from HEB. Thankfully, I'm friends with the two people who just so happen to make the two best burgers. I've asked Debbie to join us today to share her yummy burger recipe (a word of advice, she gets pretty animated if you overcook her meat). Our other friend, Keith, is a grill master and smoker extraordinaire. He made these burgers for me and Debbie one evening when our husbands were out of town (don't worry, his wife was there, too), and while they're a lot of work, they're a lot of worth it!

Killer Inside Out Burger
Adapted from Guy Fieri by Keith D.
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1/4 pound bacon, chopped
1/2 cup minced red onions
3 tablespoons fresh uncooked chorizo, out of casing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20 mix
Bleu cheese crumbles (or Swiss cheese if you're a wimp)
4 Pretzel buns, split and toasted

Directions:

In a medium pan over medium to high heat, add bacon and onions, cook until the bacon is rendered but not crisp. Add the chorizo and cook until done. Remove the bacon mixture to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.

Divide ground chuck into 8 equal parts. Form into a loose ball, and create 4-inch patties. Layer with 1/4 bacon mixture, bleu cheese crumbles, then add another patty on top and gently seal edges and form into a patty, about 4 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches high. Repeat with the remaining patties to make a total of 4 large patties.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Place all 4 patties in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on 1 side, then gently turn over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and pop it in a 250 degree F oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, place onto rolls and serve with Worcestershire Tomato Ketchup.

Bonus Recipe! Worcestershire Tomato Ketchup
From Guy Fieri @ FoodNetwork.com
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup diced red onion

8 Roma tomatoes, skinned, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch allspice

Pinch celery salt

Pinch mustard seed

Directions:

In medium saute pan over medium heat, add oil and onions. Cook until brown and caramelized. Add the tomatoes, and garlic and cook for a few minutes, just to soften the vegetables. Then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

You can either serve the ketchup chunky or puree it in a blender first and serve it smooth.

Best Bet Burgers by Debbie
From Taste of Home.com
(PrintableRecipe)

"A well-seasoned classic, this foolproof burger will make your mouth water as soon as it hits the grill"

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp prepared mustard

1 tbsp chili sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 garlic clove, minced

2 lbs ground beef (ground chuck)

6 hamburger buns

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into six patties.

Grill, covered, over medium heat 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 and juices run clear. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Helpful hints: When making patties, handle meat as little as possible. Lightly shape them without compressing the meat, to allow the juices to flow. They'll also cook more evenly.

What's your favorite burger recipe? Add your recipe in the comments section!

A Caption for Kramer: Surfer Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Warning: Gratuitous cuteness...

(Your Caption Here)

Red, White & Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I know I'm going to catch hell for the whole red, white and blue thing, but in Texas, we don't really celebrate Canada Day. Them Texans are rude, I tell ya. They only celebrate Independence Day around here.

Here are a couple of things I did for Memorial Day that would be very well received for the 4th of July as well.

Disclaimer: I am not a food photographer. In fact, I had no intention of blogging about this so I only snapped quick photos with my phone camera.

Red, White and Blue Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries is an idea that I got from Baking Bites. After dipping the strawberries into melted white chocolate, I popped the tips into blue sprinkles. This idea would also work well for Canada Day by using red sprinkles.

There are a ton of Red, White and Blueberry Trifle recipes out there. The one that I made is from Everyday Food. For Canada Day, you could omit the blueberries and add another red fruit--like sliced strawberries. The trifle bowl is from Willams-Sonoma. Technically, it's not a trifle bowl. I found the actual trifle bowl to be too large. I think this one is an apothecary candy bowl.

Serve that all up with a platter of sliced watermelon and call it dessert!

I'm not much of a florist but I try. I was given a hostess gift of the cutest graduated bowls. As soon as I saw this floral arrangement on BHG (sorry, I can't find it again), I knew I had to try it out.

BHG inspiration

Danie's version

Again, not much of a photographer. Not much of a florist. But you get the idea and yours will probably look better. In my defense, I opted to use three different kinds of flowers instead of one. And, my arrangement did look a lot better once all the roses and carnations opened up. But hey, there's no blue involved so it's something that easily be done for Canada Day. You could even incorporate some white flowers, too.

I'd love to see your red, white and blue ideas, too! Link 'em up in the comments section.

Monday Morning Music Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Lise) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

This one is for JB... it reminds me of my visit to England back in 2002..
Have a great week and enjoy~

Happy Father's Day, Papa!

noreply@blogger.com (Lise) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

My parents were married (by today's standards) at a pretty young age. My grandfather became a grandfather at my age. I didn't become a parent myself until I was 35. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to be a parent at barely more than half that age. My grandfather has always been a strong father figure in my life and in the lives of all of his children (7) and his grandchildren (14) and his great-grandchildren (18, soon to be 19?)....

Not too long ago, my grandfather's health was ailing. I remember it vividly as it was right around the Academy Awards. They always give out a Lifetime Achievement Award Oscar, and I thought no one would be more deserving of the Melanson Lifetime Achievement Award than my grandfather. He was so ill at the time, I didn't know that he would have even seen it had I sent one. That made me sad. When we love someone, now matter how old they are, we always want them around forever, humans are naturally geared that way. Luckily for our family, my grandfather recovered enough to move off the critical care floor of the hospital.

We are a very affectionate family and while I'm sure he knows how much he is loved by all of us, sometimes I think he doesn't quite comprehend the magnitude of how much he is loved and respected, not only by his family but by numerous people in the community.

I adore my grandfather. He's always been bigger, larger than life to me so when I think of him, the first word that pops to my mind is BIG:

BIG smile that greets you when you walk through the door
BIG bear hugs that envelop you whenever you visit
BIG love of nature and conservancy
BIG hands that have tied the tiniest of flies
BIG hands that make yours feel infinitely small when held inside them
BIG heart that holds his family dear with so much love
BIG kidneys that are attached to the eye ducts (we all cry when we're happy, we all cry when we're sad – it's our genetic predisposition, thanks for that!)
BIG pot of homemade soup that simmers on the stove
BIG arms that curl around you when tucked under his arm snuggling on the couch
BIG laugh that comes from way deep down in the belly and comes rumbling out with such music
BIG appetite for life, for food, for friends
BIG sense of humour – few enjoy a good joke more than Louis~
BIG role model
BIG love of his country
BIG shoulder to cry on whenever needed (see kidney reference above)

...I could go on and on, and I'm sure so could those who read this post and know my grandfather. (Please feel free to add as many as you like in the comment section)

My grandfather is 88 years old. I am half his age. We have very long life lines in our family, which means if I keep myself in good health, I potentially still have another entire life to live...that thought is sometimes a daunting one to me. I think of how many things my grandfather has seen in his lifetime and it boggles my mind, really – and then I think about all the things I will see in my lifetime by the time I reach 88....

I hope to wish you many more Happy Fathers Day, Papa~ love you!

..and Happy Father's Day to all our Dads!

Our Favorite Things - For Summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Our Favorite Things

For Summer!

Ah yes, Summer....say it with me now -Summmmmerrrrr...sigh, what a lovely ring. Cause ya know, up here in Alberta, our summers are short - SHORT I tell ya!!!

The first of my favorite summer things are my summer dresses - with strappy little sandals - they make me feel girly and sexy...a little dab behind the ears with my favorite perfume and voila!

The second (and third) is my fishing rod and tent trailer - let's get the hell outta dodge y'all and get out camping in the wide open spaces - any where in the Kananaskis or up around Jasper. (keep in mind, the dresses do not accompany me on the camping trips...lol) (don't forget the sunscreen and bug spray)

And to round things out, a favorite patio with friends - and both table and drinks with an umbrella, either out or chez moi with the BBQ.

Ooops - one more - a favorite read either hardcover or on my fabulous Kindle, something a little tawdry and trashy where everyone is tawny and brawny....lol

Can't WAIT to get out and enjoy summer! What are some of your favorite summer things?

I'm not a fan of fake. Fake flowers, fake tans, fake smiles, fake diamonds. Not a fan at all.

A few years ago, however, after moving to England, I had replaced all my household plants and then was told we were moving again. That's when I switched to fake plants. Chuck 'em in a box and ship them abroad. Then, I made an exception for a fake Christmas tree and plastic pumpkins when we moved to India. How else were we going to have Christmas and Halloween? So, besides never saying never, I've also had to adapt to whatever the climate demands I adapt to.

That said, after replacing my melted outdoor candles twice, I opted for--you got it--fake candles! I ordered them from Pottery Barn and they provide a lovely glow--and they don't melt! They also have a nifty feature which allows me to have them turn on at the same time each day and automatically turn off after a specified number of hours. I think there will be more of these in my future.

I <3 my Rhinestone Roxy flip flops. I love the charms. And every time I wear these, somebody asks where they can get a pair, too. I buy a new pair of the flip flops every year or two and just transfer my charms over to the new pair. This year, I splurged for new charms that say SIST3RS.

Unfortunately, I was not blessed with any of the good Greek genes, which were so generously doled out until I came on the scene. No, I got the look-like-a-lobster Scottish burn-baby-burn genes. Good times.

So, this is my favorite article of clothing for summer: The Land's End AquaTerra Long Sleeve Rash Guard. It's my favorite because I basically can't swim or go outdoors without it. Or my skin burns. Because there is no SPF that can save me. This has a UPF 50 rating, which means it blocks 98% of harmful rays. And yes, I still wear SPF Gazillion sunscreen under it. And a Gilligan hat. And sunglasses.

I don't look cute at the pool.

What are some of your favorite things for summer?

Monday Morning Music Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Lise) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Ah yes, who'd have thought that biker shorts were still the 'in thing' in the 90s...lol - this is a good one to start of your week~

Enjoy!

5 Favorite Scone Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I love scones. I love baking them. I love giving them to the friends. Because I love eating them.

I especially love Starbucks scones. But I prefer them homemade. Therefore, three of these scone recipes are Starbucks knock-offs.

A new addition to my specialty-pan cabinet: The Mini Scone Pan from Williams Sonoma. I couldn't justify the price but when I went in to buy some napkins, there it was, all shiny and glistening on the SALE table. It was just begging for a good home--so, booyah! I can't wait to try it out with one of my (current) favorite scone recipes...

5. Cherry Almond White Chocolate Scones by Mommie Cooks

4. Starbucks Pumpkin Scones by All Secret Restaurant Recipes

3. Starbucks Maple Oat Scones by Eating Out Loud

2. Samoas Scones by Baking Bites

1. Petite Vanilla Bean Scones (Think Starbucks) by Pioneer Woman

Yeah. In that order.

What's your favorite scone recipe? Drop us a link in the comment section!

Dinner Party Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Hi, I'm Danie and I'm a type-A list-maker.

I've been making a sincere effort in my attempt to go completely digital since the New Year with one exception--when I'm planning a dinner party. I need to have paper lists, paper recipes and lots of sticky notes.

I've hosted several dinner parties so far this year and I've been a total slacker to not post about them (but I will). Before I do all that sharing, however, here are a couple of my tried-and-true tools to planning and executing a successful dinner party...

I've shared this Party Menu Planner before but it's such an essential tool for me--here it is again. I write out the entire menu: welcome signature drink, munchies/appetizers, main, side dishes, desserts, and post dinner drinks. In the bottom section, I jot down ideas for music playlists, flowers, activities and such.

(click to print)

While I'm writing out the menu and making notes of the recipe/book/page number, I also write my shopping list on the right-hand side of the page. Then I think about which serving piece I'm going to use to serve that dish.

My usual timeline for a party is is three days: Shop, Chop, Slop (sorry, cook doesn't rhyme *shrug*). So I try to get everything else done at least three days in advance, including ironing and starching the linen, and setting out the dishes and serving pieces. I begin from left-to-right, in the order that the meal will be served and label everything with sticky notes.

This was a New Year's Eve fondue party for ten people with a table in the dining room for the adults and a table in the kitchen for the teens. I don't like having to wash dishes in between courses, so I make sure I have enough of everything in advance.

I admit, looking at these photos makes me think I'm OCD. Believe me, there are only a few areas of my life that are this organized while the rest is utter chaos.

I'd love to hear your tips for dinner parties and organization. I live for that stuff!

Monday Morning Music Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Lise) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Since my sister said I was 'old' last week, I decided to kick it ahead by 10 years to the 80s...and since summer is right around the corner, what better way to kick off the week than with a little ode to the patio lantern....

Enjoy, and have a great week!

wow...Kim Mitchell even had hair back then!!! LOL

Are You Ready for a Hurricane?

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It's official. Hurricane season has begun.

So, now what?

I will never forget my first big hurricane. It was 1999 and we had just moved into our newly built house. The sod hadn't been laid yet and our first mortgage payment wasn't yet due. Hurricane Dennis, although not severe enough to warrant retiring the name, came up the coast, stalled, then descended south, only to head north again and dissipate. Dennis dumped a lot of rain, which would have been fine if it hadn't been for Floyd right on his heels.

Like me, all of my friends in NC had relocated from somewhere else. None of us had ever experienced a hurricane before. I answered calls and then called my other friends all morning long to relay every new bit of information or advice that I'd learned. Fill the bath tubs with water. Really? Oh, okay. What else? Who has a stash of batteries? Because there were none available at any of the hardware stores!

That night, as the acorns flew off the trees and hit our house like bullets, I was never so scared. Thankfully, the hurricane passed near us and not over us. While it was a devastating blow to eastern North Carolina, our little house was fine. A neighbor's tree fell but it missed us.

With a death toll of 57, Hurricane Floyd was the deadliest United States hurricane since Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The storm also was one of the costliest in the nation's history, amounting to $4.5 billion (1999 USD; $5.3 billion in 2006 U.S. dollars). Most of the deaths and damage were from inland, freshwater flooding in eastern North Carolina. -Wikipedia

And that, my friends, was the last hurricane season in which I would feel helpless and unprepared. Since then, I've had a fully stocked emergency kit in the event of tornadoes in Illinois, tsunamis in India and now again for hurricanes in Texas.

So, here is the list of Atlantic Hurricane Names for 2011:

Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irene, Jose, Katia, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney

The lists of hurricane names are recycled every six years. So this list of names will appear again in 2017, unless a name is retired. For example, this year's list of hurricane names appeared back in 1999 and again in 2005. Because of the deadly or costly nature of the 2005 hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma, those names were retired. Thankfully, there will never be another hurricane Katrina. This year, Don, Katia, Rina and Whitney are new to the list.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) an above-normal hurricane season is expected this year:

Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year:

12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which:

6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including:

3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher)

Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood, and indicate that activity will exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

“The United States was fortunate last year. Winds steered most of the season’s tropical storms and all hurricanes away from our coastlines,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “However we can’t count on luck to get us through this season. We need to be prepared, especially with this above-normal outlook.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted the following emergency supply kit recommendations:

You should stock your home with supplies that may be needed during the emergency period. At a minimum, these supplies should include:

Several clean containers for water, large enough for a 3-5 day supply of water (about five gallons for each person).
A 3-5 day supply of non-perishable food.
A first aid kit and manual.
A battery-powered radio, flashlights, and extra batteries.
Sleeping bags or extra blankets.
Water-purifying supplies, such as chlorine or iodine tablets or unscented, ordinary household chlorine bleach.
Prescription medicines and special medical needs.
Baby food and/or prepared formula, diapers, and other baby supplies.
Disposable cleaning cloths, such as "baby wipes" for the whole family to use in case bathing facilities are not available.
Personal hygiene supplies, such as soap, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, etc.
An emergency kit for your car with food, flares, booster cables, maps, tools, a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, sleeping bags, etc.

For more information regarding recommended hurricane readiness supplies and evacuation information, download the complete Hurricane Readiness Brochure from the CDC.

A Caption for Kramer: Catching Some Rays

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

We had just finished unloading a couple of new lounge chairs and set them up next to the pool...

(Your Caption Here)

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Soccer to the Xtreme

noreply@blogger.com (Lise) — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:00:00 +0000

We take our sports participation seriously in our house. We're good sports, of course, but we're pretty competitive. I played soccer through the winter (indoors of course) and so did Bear. This spring he asked to try out for the city league instead of community league. I had hoped to put him off one more season, but he was adamant. So he tried out for the team, and he made the team. So from now until mid July, our weeks are filled with team practices, technical practices and at least one if not two games during the week. In addition to that, they also have a weekend tournament.
It keeps him active, outdoors, and involved in team sports which makes me very happy. Being his age, I feel it very important to be involved in such activities - it teaches him good sportsmanship, team spirit, lets him blow off a little steam, and it encourages strategic thinking and leadership.

Since my family is spread to the four winds, here are a few pics from last nite's game - they didn't win and Bear was a bit put out, but after having a cool down period, he realized they played well as a team and with a few more practices under their belt, they'll be a force to be reckoned with.

Sist3rs Chick-Lit June '11

noreply@blogger.com (Danie B.) — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Back in Session: Summer Chick-Lit!

Aaaaaaaand, we're back! With three summer months of fun beach reads. First up for June is...

Tales From My Hard Drive by Megan Karasch

This is Danie's pick! I chose this book because I think we could all use a fun and entertaining story about online dating. Maybe with a happy ending? I have no idea--I haven't read it yet. I read the sample and thought the author did a great job of creating visuals through her words.

We hope you'll be reading along with us!