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Turning a new leaf...

2011-02-21T21:29:00.000-06:00

It's been four years almost exactly since I gave birth to my precious child. It's been almost five years since I was married. It's been just as long since I've felt confident about myself and the way I looked. So today, I made a choice, finally, to get back to where I feel good about myself. I joined Weight Watchers Online. I'm telling you only because I need to feel like I've made it known

Make It NO Matter...

2011-02-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

This is my new mantra..."make it no matter..." No matter if I don't have exactly the tools that the recipe calls for, no matter if I don't have precisely the same ingredients (within reason of course). I live on the coast of Mississippi and I have to drive to Louisiana just to find Fennel so when I want to make something and it calls for authentic lard or chervil (a French herb), I

Roasted Veggie Pasta

2011-02-15T07:30:00.004-06:00

Vegetarian pasta dishes are a great way to get a healthy and quick meal on the table in a flash. My roasted veggie pasta casserole is very good and really easy. Roast grape or cherry tomatoes with several cloves of garlic as well as any other veggies on hand. Today, I bought five zuccini for $1.50 so I decided to add them. I also added leeks and sweet peppers. Chunk chop the other veggies

The Key To My Kitchen Happiness

2011-02-14T09:51:00.011-06:00

Last night I ordered pizza because I was in bed all day with a cold. Today, as I drink my coffee, sneeze in rapid intervals and nurse myself back, I'm brainstorming dinner ideas for tonight. I wrote a post a while back about what the key to my writing happiness was. So I thought I would now do one that explores my kitchen/cooking happiness. 1. A clean house 2. Fresh flowers (I just love

Recipe and Resentment

2011-02-12T08:00:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I made braised pork chops with pan drippings, left over mashed potatoes (refreshed in the oven), and broccoli with hollandaise. However my hollandaise was a disaster. It was supposed to be the star of the plate, but, I failed. Well I didn't exactly fail, I made it, it tasted good, and I had it sitting aside while I finished the meal. I read that it can be good up to an hour and 1/2.

Serious Eats, Amazing Sweets

2011-02-11T20:39:00.000-06:00

Last night I made my own version of a quick beef wellington sort of thing. Seasoned hamburgers cooked and then placed into puff pastry and baked until golden and oh so inviting. It was absolutely remarkable, I can't imagine what a real beef wellington tastes like. Oh my! I served it with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. I would have added corn or green beans or even a salad to round it

Crème Fraiche Start to Finish

2011-02-09T11:16:00.000-06:00

I've had creme fraiche on the brain the last couple of days. I started my experiement on Monday night (late) and am happy to report that: my creme fraiche was a success. Last night, I placed the thickened creme into a bowl after about 20 hours of standing, uncovered, on my kitchen counter, stirred it up and then transferred it to a clean mason jar and put it in the fridge. This morning I

What's for dinner?

2011-02-09T09:00:00.003-06:00

Okay, so it turned out well and the family enjoyed it...but...it almost was a disaster. We had Tilapia with a lemon butter cream sauce, French style risotto and steamed broccoli. When I say it was almost a disaster it's because the sauce was disgusting the first time around. I tried to duplicate a recipe I saw on Food Network and it didn't go so well. I learned a lot with this meal though and

Crème Fraiche Start

2011-02-08T16:49:00.000-06:00

I've decided to make my own creme fraiche. I used a small amount of ingredients for my first time to see how it turns out. Late last night I got the wild hair to go for it. I used just short of 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 1/2 tablespoons of buttermilk. I combined them in a clear glass jar and left it on the counter with out a lid. It's supposed to develope into a thick consistancy

My Life Needs Some Spice

2011-02-08T16:34:00.000-06:00

I have recently been exploring my kitchen and the cook books that have been stacked more decoratively than for use. My mom tried to get me interested in cooking when I was a teenager and although I humored her slightly, it was something I found no delight in. Now I find myself a wife and mother and I'm also finding my passion for food and preparing healthy and tasty meals for my family. I've

Open Mouth, Insert Kindle

2010-11-13T23:22:00.000-06:00

Not long ago, I wrote a post regarding my fear and lets face it, completely ignorant distaste for e-readers. I was afraid of what they meant for the livelihood of good old fashioned paper books. I said that I felt that I would miss the experience of feeling and smelling the paper in my hands while taking on the journey of a book. I realize how, in our ever changing world of technology as well

Renewal Through Research

2010-07-28T09:21:00.000-05:00

I've been blogging about my struggles with my WIP. Yesterday, in an attempt to renew the fire for my WIP, I decided to do some research. When I first thought of the idea for my story I had to do quite a bit of research and I absolutely loved the process. I've had to do small bits of research throughout as well, but it's been quite some time. My story takes place in two different time

My Key to Writing Happiness

2010-07-28T08:56:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to a quiet house. Husband and son left for work, my daughter fast asleep in her bed. Just me, the dog, and a pot of coffee. Perfect time for me to work on my WIP that I'm always talking about. Sitting at my computer, at the kitchen table, I had a thought. What is the key to my happiness? I'm not talking about the grandiose kind of happiness that one strives for in

Writing is Oxymoronic

2010-07-26T16:16:00.001-05:00

Writing is oxymoronic. At times it’s debilitating, filling you with misery and self doubt. Not just normal, do I have the talent to do this, but the sort of self doubt that makes you question your existence on this planet. Other times, it's fantastic, as if you’re floating, weightless, among the clouds, as high as humanly possible. When you are a stay at home mother, your days are filled with

Paper Books VS Electronic Devices

2010-07-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

I'm all for technological advancements and admit that some gadgets seem very appealing. I get that the Kindle or Nook for example take reading to another level in the way that you can take it where ever you go. However, I'm sad and afraid of what this will eventually mean for the actual paper books that we all so dearly love. I am a lover of books, even if I haven't read all of them, I like

Of Sex And Men

2010-07-16T15:01:00.000-05:00

Statistics prove that men think about sex every 5.3 seconds. Others argue that it's more along the line of 60 to 90 seconds. Regardless of the exact numbers, we can all agree men think about sex ALOT. This means just (lets just say) 90 seconds after the moment of climax, men are already thinking about when and where they're going to get it next. Tell me honestly then, is there any way at all

Yahoo!!!! Versatile Blogger Award

2010-06-18T15:30:00.000-05:00

My twitter friend, Dave Bartlett over at Bartie-Blog has bequeathed me with the Versatile Blogger Award. I'm so honored to be given this award. Thank you so much to Dave Bartlett!!! This is a fantastic way to help each other and spread our voices as writers. I'm so happy to be a part of it. Here's the rules: Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award. Share 7 things about

Twitter TWO

2010-06-15T18:24:00.000-05:00

I was just cleaning up my blog and came across one of my first posts back in July of 2009. I saw that I had a comment actually on that post "Twitter" from one of my very first twitter friends, and I swear I just now saw the comment. Back then I was wishing I had 10 followers. Now I have almost 250. Not too many, in the land of Twitter, but nice nevertheless. I still however, feel, most

Audio to Inspire

2010-06-15T16:47:00.003-05:00

When I'm feeling down, uninspired I enjoy looking up audio recordings or videos of great authors either reading their work, or giving wisdom to other writers. It's as if I've invited Virginia Woolf to tea or asked for advice on my career from Katherine Center. There is nothing like hearing well written or well thought out words come from someone you aspire to be like. I've offered, below,

~ Remembered Villiage got Published ~

2010-06-15T15:43:00.001-05:00

Remembered Villiage Every Writers Resource, a blog/website for writers: http://www.everywritersresource.com/ has published one of my poems, online, at the above link. Please leave a comment if you like. I would love to hear what you think. Thank you! They are accepting submissions for poetry to be published weekly. The Every Writers Resource blog also posts several interesting articles for

Allergy Woes

2010-05-03T14:30:00.006-05:00

Allergies, in a word, SUCK!Allergies are brought on by our immune systems feeling attacked and fighting back with all their might. I don't know about the next allergy stricken person, but I've had it! My immune system needs a hard fast attitude adjustment. I have no idea what I'm allergic to but it seems to be everything. I'm not talking about food allergies or even pet allergies but those weird

Oil Between My Toes

2010-05-03T12:12:00.008-05:00

On the cusp of a life altering event, I sit now in my living room, just outside, within view, lays the Gulf of Mexico. A family and pet friendly, much loved beach that we and many others have enjoyed without worry that it will be taken away from us. That is now about to change. With the oil fast approaching, there is nothing we can do but wait. Already seafood is all but gone. Crippling the job

Words of Wisdom vs Words of Conviction

2010-04-14T11:08:00.006-05:00

'Nothing stinks like a pile of unpublished writing' says Sylvia Plath. I think that's probably true if you're a well established writer. But, if you're a new, less published writer, I think there are many other things that stink far more. A teenage boys bedroom for instance.So, I will politely, and with the utmost respect, disagree for my group, which is the latter. A pile of writing is writing

Space of my Own

2010-02-17T19:55:00.011-06:00

Today I decided to create a writing space somewhere in my home. That way I will have a spot to go to when I feel inspired. I don't have enough space to have a room to myself so I had to make do with what I did have. ~~~I chose a corner in our living room. It's well lit, has windows surrounding, and is close to my books. ~

Remembered Moment

2010-02-06T17:17:00.007-06:00

Somewhere in a remembered moment, I can feel the damp air flowing gracefully in through the open screen doors on each side of me. The sun behind the stormy clouds are throwing squiggly shadows about the walls that dance and play, appearing and then vanishing. Soon the wind picks up and carries the salty air off the ocean and into my small room, filling each tiny part. I breath it in deeply with