suzanne anderson

Food for Thought

2012-01-27T08:39:00.002-07:00

“Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up wrinkles the soul. ”

Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964);

American general and field marshal

Thanks, Values.com for this quote.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bars

2012-01-25T18:28:00.001-07:00

We're making things with chocolate again....although I stipulate that this recipe actually has some redeeming qualities to go along with all those calories.

This recipe actually had an earlier version that was good, but rather pedestrian. As you can see above, they were rather flat and uninspired. They tasted good, but I wouldn't make them again.

My new version is much heartier. Both were made in a 13 X 9 pan. The difference is that this recipe had twice the flour and oatmeal. Hence the greater density. The other difference, which I think really added to the bar's texture is the use of whole wheat flour instead of white flour. The whole wheat pairs very nicely with the sturdy oatmeal, as well as the addition of butterscotch chips mixed in with the chocolate chips. And finally, there's peanut butter, which makes everything taste better.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups peanut butter

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking soda

8 oz cup chocolate chips

8 oz cup butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream together sugar and butter, beat until fluffy

2. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time, continue beating

3. Beat in peanut butter

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, and baking soda. Slowly incorporate flour mixture into wet ingredients.

5. Add chips. Scoop mixture into lightly greased 13 X 9 pan. Optional: sprinkle a few grains of sea salt over top of mixture before placing in oven.

6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Let cool before cutting into bars.

Mac and Cheese Inspired by Country Living Magazine

2012-01-16T22:01:00.001-07:00

Last year I went through some sort of compulsive subscription frenzy brought on by Amazon's $5 magazine sale at Christmas and ordered about a dozen other magazines, all of which I've since let expire. This year, I'm just keeping the core.

My favorite magazines are: Southern Living, Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, and Oprah (of course). These are my tried and true, been subscribing to them for a hundred years and will still be subscribing to them one hundred years from today. (Thanks to sister-in-law Kathy for sponsoring my Better Homes and Garden subscription for the past two years).

As I flip through these magazines each month, I generally find inspiration for a new dish that I want to try. This month it was Country Living's Macaroni and Gruyere Cheese. Would you believe that I've never made mac and cheese before? I know. Strange.

Here's my version of it, in which I changed up some ingredients to use what I had on hand, as well as the amount, to suit a two person household.

Ingredients:

8 oz whole wheat pasta shells
1 1/2 cups grated aged cheddar and gruyere cheeses
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter melted
breadcrumbs to sprinkle
pepper, garlic powder to taste

Begin by boiling the pasta. In this case I used whole wheat shells. They're cute and healthy.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups half and half. That's right. Not milk, we're going for the rich stuff.

After you've drained the pasta toss it with about half of your shredded cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the half and half, two egg yolks, and two tablespoons of melted butter. Add freshly ground pepper and garlic powder according to your taste. Freshly grated nutmeg would also be wonderful.

Pour the mixture into the pasta shells and cheese and mix together. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.

Bake at 325 F for 30 minutes covered with foil, then top with half cup of remaining shredded cheese and bake for another 20 minutes uncovered.

And voila. I promise you, this recipe is easy to assemble and tastes so incredibly better than anything you will get out of a box.

The variations on mac and cheese are endless, so you can literally use anything you've got in the pantry and fridge to create wonderful comfort food.

Cheers!

Our Book Cover Finalists are Here!

2012-01-11T21:47:00.001-07:00

Window Cover

White Flower Cover

Black Flower Cover

I love them all, but only one can be chosen.

Which best captures your interest as a reader?

Which best conveys a World War II story about two Hungarian sisters trying to save their abandoned niece from the Nazis?

Help Me Choose a New Cover for My Novel

2012-01-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have completely revised my first novel, MRS. TUESDAY'S DEPARTURE. Turns out that was the easy part. I've spent the last few days tormenting my friends and family trying to decide on a new cover for the book which will be coming out as an ebook and in paperback.

Now I'm appealing to you.

Which is your favorite?

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

No. 4

No. 5

No. 6

No. 7

No. 8

And just in case you're one of those sticklers who actually want to know what the book is about before deciding...here's a brief synopsis:

Faith is the evidence of things not seen...

Hungary's fragile alliance with Germany kept Natalie and her family out of harm's way for most of the war, but as the Führer's desperation grows during the waning years of the conflict, so does the threat to anyone in its path. Natalie's sister, Ilona, married a Jewish man, putting both her and her young daughter, Mila, in peril. Natalie is hiding all of them, including her schizophrenic twin, Anna, under her roof, and now, as the streets of Budapest thrum with the pounding boots of Nazi soldiers, they are all at risk.

It is time to run.

Then Ilona and her husband betray them by taking the only two tickets to safety for themselves, abandoning Natalie to shelter Anna and Mila from the encroaching horror alone. As the danger seeps ever nearer to her door, Natalie is forced to reach down into the core of her faith to believe in what she must and save what she can, no matter what the sacrifice.

An inspirational story of faith and family, strength and weakness, and the ultimate victory of love over hate, Mrs. Tuesday’s Departure shows the power faith has to light even the most imposing darkness.

So, which is it going to be???

Please leave a comment below and let me know your favorite.

I can't wait to see the results!

The Infamous Neiman Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Cookie: My Version

2012-01-05T00:23:00.001-07:00

The week before Christmas I was reading Jane Green’s wonderful novel, Promises to Keep. At the end of each chapter she provided a recipe that was relevant to the story. One recipe was a copy of the infamous Neiman Marcus ‘$250 cookie’, which we all know by now is an urban legend that is actually several decades old and has traveled as far as South Africa in its origins.

That said, what intrigued me about the recipe was the use of ground oatmeal with the regular flour. I was also stunned by the enormous size of the batter the recipe would produce, given that it called for a total of nine cups of ground oatmeal/flour to a relatively lower proportion of butter in the traditional Tollhouse recipe.

Since I wanted to send cookies to friends and family for Christmas, I decided to give the recipe a try with some tweaks on my part. My changes are the addition of the three different types of chocolate for the chips, a teaspoon more vanilla than the original recipe, and the use of sea salt.

Urban legend or not…these are some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. I believe the addition of the ground oatmeal adds a lovely fulsome texture and nuttiness to the cookies that is not found in a flour only cookie. It’s similar to the effect you get with the use of whole wheat flour.

Give them a try…..and be prepared to share with the neighbors. I ended up with 80 generously sized cookies.

Ingredients:

2 cups butter  

4 cups flour  

2 tsp. baking soda  

2 cups granulated sugar  

2 cups brown sugar  

5 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in blender or food processor to a fine powder)  

3 X 12 oz bags of chocolate chips (one each milk chocolate chips,semi-sweet chunks, dark chocolate chips)  

1 tsp. sea salt

 4 eggs

 2 tsp. baking powder  

3 cups chopped nuts (your choice, I like walnuts)  

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla.
. Sift or mix with a fork flour and ground oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
Combine flour mixture with butter mixture. Fold in chips and nuts.
Roll batter into balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheets.
Bake at 375 for 10 – 12 minutes.
. Enjoy!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

On this first day of 2012, I resolve to do and be better than I did in 2011 with the intention that I will progress closer to being the person I was created to be.

Please take a moment to watch this video. It not only makes me incredibly happy, it reminds me that we are capable of so much more than we ever imagined. If we'll only get out there and try.

God bless you and keep you throughout the coming year. May all your resolutions be fulfilled.

2011 Year in Review

2011-12-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

We started the year in our new home.

There was a lot of open space to fill.

Flowers of congratulations arrived from Mr. Weaver.

The first of many beautiful dawn skies I captured from my bedroom window.

The big bull elk that came to visit. Always a sign of good luck.

Our furniture finally arrives from Florida after 15 years in storage.

We baked a lot of cakes this year.

And then one on my birthday. March 19th.

Minutes after we adopted Henry, he jumped in the back of my car for a six hour ride home from Nebraska.

Mom's the best co-pilot for any road trip. Coco chose to ride up front for this first trip with Henry. None of us knew quite what we'd gotten ourselves after adopting the world's largest dog.

We quickly discovered that Henry was not only a counter surfer, he was a brilliant thief.

Spring arrived and I began gardening in the front yard.

And then realize why we are advised to wait until after May 31st.

We still managed to have some beautiful flowers in the garden.

The social highlight of the year was Mom's 84th birthday.

The whole family was there along with 40 of her friends.

It was the perfect time for a family portrait.

We even managed more than one.

With family in town, we hit our favorite spots.

David and Henry enjoyed Echo Lake.

John enjoyed Vail.

John, Victoria, and David enjoyed the weekend.

We can't wait to do it again.

I walked in my first Evergreen 5K.

My friend Beth came along for the fun.

I entered the Big Chili Cook-off and my chili won 3rd Place!

With big help from John and Heidi who cheered me on (and added more spice while my back was turned.)

They were rewarded with a quick trip to Crested Butte.

Where we enjoyed our first views of the beautiful fall colors.

Our first picture together on the night that George joined our family.

He quickly became Henry's best pal.

I started decorating the house on the day after Thanksgiving.

It took a lot longer than expected.

Mom entered her chicken soup in the 1st annual Chicken Soup Challenge.

And won 6th place!

She's already planning her entry for next year's contest.

We hosted our first annual Christmas party to benefit the Echo Food Bank.

And then enjoyed a quiet Christmas at home.

Surrounded by our own loving family.

And one little scoundrel.

It's been a good year.

We are so very grateful.

What the Dogs Were Doing While We Opened our Presents

2011-12-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

While we opened presents on Christmas day, Henry and George enjoyed their Christmas presents out on the deck. (Sorry for the glare. If I'd opened the door to take the picture, the dogs would have gotten up like the gentlemen that they are.)

They each received a bag of frozen beef bones, which they love almost (okay more) than Mommies homemade peanut butter doggie biscuits.

One large bone will bring hours of contented chewing. And from what I've been told, the enzymes from the raw bones are good for their teeth.

And then there's the added pleasure of watching the dogs revert to their wild wolfish ancestry.

Of course Coco enjoys a good bone as well. And is often seen carrying the big boy's castoffs. Hilariously, the bone is nearly as big as she is.

She growls as she runs around the room in an endless loop, just daring you to take her prize.

Her self-confidence is awe-inspiring.

Mom's Favorite Christmas Present

2011-12-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

A few weeks before Christmas I received an email from Megan Edgeller at EasyCanvasPrints.com offering me a free 11 X 14 canvas print of a photo of my choice with the hopes of a mention on my blog.

After looking at their work on a couple other blogs, I decided to give them a try.

For the photo, I chose a picture taken by Kimberly Anderson (no relation and no compensation for this link) who did a beautiful series of family photos this summer when everyone was in town for Mom's birthday. If you live in the Foothills area, I highly recommend Kimberly, she's talented, patient, and very fun to work with.

I chose the picture above for the canvas print because I knew it would mean so much to Mom. Her 'big boys' expressing their love, and her obvious appreciation, just perfectly captures the wonderful memories I have of that birthday weekend.

Megan even expedited the shipment so that the canvas would get here in time for Christmas.

I was delighted by the result. The canvas print of the photograph is crisp and the colors are vibrant. The canvas is mounted around a wooden frame that we can later place in a decorative frame.

It should come as no surprise that this is Mom's favorite Christmas present. She loved it so much that she wants me to order copies of this canvas so she can give them to John and David.

Thank you Kimberly Anderson Photography and EasyCanvasPrints.com for creating a memorable gift.

Merry Christmas! 2011

2011-12-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Hope your Christmas is filled with joy!

Thank you http://www.christmas-tree.com/stories/nightbeforechristmas.html

Dec. 22, 2011 Snow Day: Winter Bird Watch

2011-12-22T17:20:00.001-07:00

Dec. 22, 2011: 20 inches of Snow: Part One

2011-12-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Party with a Purpose: A Christmas Party to Benefit Our Local Food Bank

2011-12-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

Last week I hosted a Christmas party at my house. I asked each of my guests to bring something to donate to the Evergreen Christian Outreach Food Bank.

What I discovered is that we live in an incredibly generous community.

Instead a can of this or that...My guests brought bags. And bags. Of wonderful quality food that anyone would be proud to have in their pantry.

You may remember that I said I'd put up multiple Christmas trees around the house.

They were soon crowded with bags of donated food.

It was a wonderful evening. Good food, nice wine, great conversation with some terrific new friends. The evening was such a success that we've decided to make it an annual event.

The following afternoon, volunteers from the Food Bank came to our house and picked every bit up and took it away where it will become part of the larger Food Bank Pantry.

What a great little town we live in!

Book Review: Empty Arms by Erika Liodice

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

From the back cover of Empty Arms:

Catharine Chase’s entire life is built on a secret. In 1972, at the tender age of sixteen, she got pregnant. An embarrassment to her parents, Catharine was exiled to a maternity home to carry out her pregnancy far away from the watchful eyes of their tight-knit community. What they didn’t tell her is that she wouldn’t be allowed to keep her baby.

With her daughter’s screams still echoing in her ears, the medical staff told Catharine she’d move on with her life and have more children, they promised she’d forget. But they were wrong. Catharine never forgot Emily. And when she and her husband, Paul, learn that they can’t have children, she risks her job, her marriage, and her family’s reputation in a desperate attempt to find the daughter she never wanted to give away and reclaim her only chance to be a mother.

I will freely admit to a bias going into this review. I've known Erika through her blog Beyond the Gray for two years. During that time I've followed her journey to publication with its many trials, obstacles, and as you will find today, triumphs. (To read more of her journey, in her own words, please see our interview below.) However, familiarity is a double-edged sword, as I dipped into her debut Empty Arms, I wondered, would I like it? Would I be able to review it without bias?

The answer on both counts is: yes.

I can happily announce that Empty Arms is the second book I will award five stars. Erika writes about the heartbreak of adoption and infertility with sensitivity, without being smarmy. She creates a complex moving story, that has a satisfying, not predictable, ending. Her characters are realistic and fully drawn, they are well rounded individuals instead of cardboard cut-outs. All of this is remarkable because a book on this topic could have gone horribly wrong and descended into a Hallmark movie channel knock-off, a feel-good bit of fluff with characters who reveled in an happy ending, but which readers would only be able to dream about rather than relate to. Instead, Erika has shown an incredible depth and maturity for a debut novel by writing characters who we could expect to meet at our neighborhood diner or a high school reunion.

1. When did you first decide that you wanted to become a writer?

I've had a passion for writing since I was a little girl. In fact, I wrote my first book when I was five or six years old - it was about a little girl who had 18 brothers and sisters, which is funny in retrospect because I was an only child at the time (and apparently trying to send my parents a message!).

I decided to seriously pursue writing about six years ago when I realized that I didn't feel fulfilled by my professional pursuits. In the three years that followed, I continued working full-time and writing my first novel, The Ardent One, in my free time. When it was done, I spent the better part of a year trying to find an agent and publisher...with no luck. A few kind agents took the time to tell me that though they liked my voice, they felt there wasn't much of a market for my book. So I rewrote it, made it stronger, and sent more query letters. No bites. Ultimately I decided to listen to their feedback and move on to the next book. It was tough to see my first book banished to a desk drawer but it taught me 2 important lessons: 1) that I was capable of writing novel-length fiction and 2) what not to do the next time around.

2. Where did the idea for Empty Arms come from? And how long did it take you to write?

The idea for Empty Arms came from a story that my Nana told me about a family friend who got pregnant when she was a teenager and was forced to give up her daughter for adoption only to later learn that she couldn't have any more children. This story inspired Catharine's character, and through my research I discovered that 4 million women went through a similar "forced adoption" experience between the 1940s-1970s, and I just knew that this was an important topic that I wanted to explore.

The first draft of Empty Arms took me two years to research and write. Then I worked with an amazing developmental editor who helped me see how I could make the story stronger. The only problem was that implementing her advice meant rewriting most of the book. That revision took an additional year but in hindsight, it was definitely worth the extra time and effort.

3. Why did you choose to self publish Empty Arms? What was the self publishing process like?

A lot has changed in the publishing industry since I started following it six years ago, and as a result it feels like there is less room and fewer resources for emerging writers like myself. On top of that, I wasn't convinced that "traditional publishing" could offer me what I want: creative control of my books and writing career. So I decided to approach things a bit differently and I started my own small press, Dreamspire Press, which is currently publishing Empty Arms with plans to add more titles next year. In addition to writing, my dream is to be able to work with other passionate writers and help bring their work to life.

4.What's next? Do you have an idea for your next book and have you started writing it?

I do have an idea for the next book, but it's so premature that I can't reveal it just yet. All I can tell you is that, like Empty Arms, it's another work of "social impact fiction" (which is how I like to think of the fiction that I write).

5. What is the most valuable lesson you've learned from launching your first novel?

Do it right. There were so many times during this process when it would've been easier to just cut corners and publish the book faster - the major rewrite that took me a year, for example. I also had the book copy-edited not once but three times to make extra extra sure that it's error-free. I've learned that despite how tired I am or how eager I am to start working on the next project, going the extra mile and making your book the absolute best it can possibly be is the most important thing you can do.

Mom Enters the Congregation Beth Evergreen First Annual Chicken Soup Challenge

2011-12-11T21:35:00.001-07:00

Somehow it seems only appropriate that after this summer's Evergreen Chili Cook-off that our town would host its first Chicken Soup Challenge

And since chicken soup is Mom's culinary claim to fame, I encouraged her to enter. She agreed and spent a week reading cookbooks and then 24 hours perfecting her mother's version of Hungarian chicken noodle soup.

Here she is at Congregation Beth Evergreen, dishing out her soup.

While she waited for the results to be announced, Mom kept busy meeting new friends. By the end of the evening, she'd been invited to next Friday's Shabbot service.

She brought cookies to her new friends. She danced to sixties covers by a local live band.

And in the end, she brought home a trophy. Mom's chicken soup is a winner in our book and now in the annals of chicken soup history.

Snow Day: December 1st, 2011

2011-12-01T19:04:00.001-07:00

Plan A: Tonight I was supposed to host an Open House at my place to benefit our local food bank. Hence the empty basket under the Christmas tree.

Since the day after Thanksgiving, I've been decorating the house.

I decorated the six different Christmas trees I found among the boxes that had been in storage for the last fifteen years.

Needless to say, I didn't need to buy a single string of lights or ornament. In fact, I still have two boxes of ornaments that haven't been unpacked.

But Mother Nature had other ideas. And this is what greeted me when I opened the front door this morning.

Yesterday, I sent out an email telling everyone that the party would be postponed for two weeks. NOAA had issued a winter weather advisory.

Before I went to bed, I joked with Mom that it would be just my luck that after I cancelled the party we wouldn't get any snow at all.

Guess I didn't have to worry about that. This is my driveway. Which the guests would have had to traverse had I not cancelled.

And here's the hill behind my house. Which the guests wouldn't have had to traverse, I just like photographing it.

And my favorite rock cropping at the top of the hill, where I'm convinced either a mountain lion or bear is watching and waiting.

And here's the snow level so far....it's still snowing. And we're expecting more snow this weekend.

I'm hoping for a white Christmas. I think we're off to a good start.

Suzanne's Mini-Muffins for Good Doggies

2011-11-29T11:48:00.001-07:00

This morning as I was working in the kitchen, Henry and George decided to join me. The little darlings look like they're taking a nap, don't they?

Let's conduct an experiment...

I go over to the cookie jar and open it. Henry raises his head and watches to see what my next move will be. George pretends to remain asleep. At the age of seven, he's not moving without good reason.

Hoho! Mommy's holding two of her Suzanne's Mini-muffins for Good Doggies. Now I've got their attention!

Henry gets his and then quickly looks back to see if George has dropped his on the floor.

No such luck. George might be old, but where food is concerned he can always keep up with the young guns.

Coco on the other hand could really care less about this stupid competition amongst the boys. She knows she gets her mini-muffin by special delivery.

Suzanne's Mini-Muffins for Good Doggies

4 cups of whole wheat flour

1 cup of crunchy peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup chicken stock

1 scoop pea protein powder

4 fish oil capsules - cut open and oil squeezed into batter

Optional: four slices of fried bacon and bacon fat from frying

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Easy directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a dry dough

2. Press rounded balls of dough into mini-muffin tins

3. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes

4. Turn muffins onto a cookie sheet and return to cooling oven for several hours or overnight so muffins will crisp.

World's Easiest, No-Stress, No-Fuss Turkey Recipe

2011-11-22T22:45:00.001-07:00

Every year the cooking channels and food magazines present one-hundred-and-one ways to brine, rub, roast, butterfly or fry your Thanksgiving turkey. Even an experienced cook will watch a dozen of these shows and come away with so much confusion over which method is best that cooking the bird becomes an anxiety filled event suited only to a massive intake of white wine.

So please allow me to share my secret to fool-proof turkey.

K.I.S.S.

Keep it Simple Suzanne.

Follow these simple steps and you'll have a delicious bird that everyone will love. Prep time is five minutes. Then you simply walk away and enjoy your guests until the bird is ready to come out of the oven.

Here it goes:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F

2. Into the turkey's empty cavity (don't forget to take the giblets out first) toss any of the following: an apple cut in half, an orange or lemon cut in half, a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme, salt and pepper.

3. Slide chunks of cold butter between the skin and breast meat of the bird.

4. Rub the skin of the bird with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

5. Put the turkey in the preheated oven and roast according to the time/weight ratio suggested on the wrapper (for instance, 3.5 hours for a 14 lb bird). If breast skin becomes too dark during the roasting process, cover with foil.

That's it. No brining beforehand. No basting during. And I promise, you will enjoy a lovely, succulent bird that everyone will rave about and which will make you the toast of the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

How to Stack a Cord of Wood

2011-11-17T21:11:00.001-07:00

As the temperatures drop, we need more wood for our wood stove. However, when they delivered the wood they simply dropped it in the driveway and left it up to us to move it.

Our supply of firewood was running low. So we needed to get that wood stacked and ready for cold winter nights.

Coco assessed the situation and decided we'd need help to get the job done.

Although Newfoundlands are known as 'working dogs'....

George didn't get the memo.

In fact, let's note just how far George is from the pile of wood. You'd think he was afraid it would burst into flames at any moment.

We believe that senior citizens can enjoy long and healthy lives with the proper amount of daily physical activity. Let's get Mom to stack that cord of wood!

Look, Coco wants to help Grandma!

In short order Mom's got the first row of firewood stacked. Don't stop yet, there's still more wood out in the driveway!

As the morning wore on, Mom ditched her jacket. She was warmed up from that heavy lifting.

She also discovered a quicker way to get that wood from the driveway to the stack. She enlisted the help of her walker! Look how much more wood she was able to transport with each trip! Of course, typical of most young people these days she's got her phone tucked in amongst the pile of wood so that she won't miss a call.

Mission Accomplished. Mom proudly surveys the fruits of her labor...three rows of firewood neatly stacked.

Good Job, Mom!

Pork Chops with Special Dry White Wine from Simone Beck's Food and Friends

2011-11-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

Another entry in our Cookbook Diaries. This week a second recipe from Simone Beck's memoir and cookbook, Food and Friends.

Ingredients (according to Simca):
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
10 oz onions chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper

6 pork chops
Bouquet garni of celery stalks, parsley, thyme
2 Tbsp. strong Dijon mustard
3 1/2 oz gherkins, thinly sliced

Special equipment:
2 heavy bottomed skillets
Parchment paper

Sautee the onions in butter and oil. Sprinkle with flour and begin to create a roux.

Add vinegar, continue stirring, then add wine, stir, add broth. Simmer uncovered until reduced.

Meanwhile, in the second oven ready skillet (I used a enamel covered cast iron model), brown the pork chops, then pour the onion-wine sauce over chops. Add bouquet garni, cover with lid and put in oven.

Cook for 20-30 minutes at 375, until pork is thoroughly cooked. When the pork comes out of the oven, stir in the mustard and finely chopped gherkins into the sauce.

Serve with broccoli - cheddar bake. The pork chops and sauce are incredibly delicious. Yum!

Henry, George, and Coco Anticipate the Beginning of Ice Fishing Season

2011-11-10T21:51:00.001-07:00

Snow Day from a Dog's Perspective: November 3, 2011

2011-11-02T13:47:00.000-06:00

Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake

2011-10-30T21:52:00.000-06:00

Being a fan of meat and carbs of any variety, I feel as if I can never get enough vegetables in my diet.

Let's do a simple vegetarian cheese bake that I found in Classic Vegetarian Recipes, which as the name implies features easy to make, classic vegetarian dishes that are wonderfully illustrated with step by step photos.

I decided to modify the cauliflower bake into a broccoli and cauliflower bake.

You begin by sauteing shallots in butter. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli and cauliflower.

When the shallots are tender, add flour to the melted butter mixture to create a roux. Make sure you 'cook' the butter. Then add a cup of milk and a cup of shredded cheese (cheddar or swiss).

Put the broccoli and cauliflower into a baking dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the vegetables.

Top with a couple slices of cheese (I used swiss) and bake in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Next Monday I'll show you the dish I paired with this...yes, it's meat.

Enjoy!

Please Adopt a Rescue

2011-10-26T09:43:00.000-06:00

Please

adopt

rescue pet.

They'll warm the cockles of your heart forever.

Henry and George

Enjoying the Snow

October 26, 2011

Evergreen, Colorado