My Virtual Café Where You Can Relax & Read
October 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
Over the past few days, I have been introduced to two fairly new BlogCatalog members who have made me laugh right out loud. Sometimes a shout out and with my mouth wide open. They are Dani G. @ Her Side Funnies and Robert Crane @ Cranelegs Pond. I ask that you read down until you find the stories that bring out the laughter you needed to brighten your day. Take your time and capture their unique writing styles.
October 30, 2009 1 Comment
Today there was a knock on our front door and I wondered who it might be. Well it was the UPS man again. The past two day saw him leaving packages for our downstairs neighbor. I am happy to help because she is a new Mother and we all look out for our neighbors here. Anyway … the package was for us. I knew I had not ordered anything and turning to my husband he shook his head in a side-to-side fashion.
I looked at the box and it was addressed to me, Joe and Bobby, our cat. When we saw the Ceramic Daisy The Curly Cat Halloween Treasure inside, we began oohing and aaahing. The Monkey & Daisy cup was a gift we received last year. Friends are Important.
We love Daisy The Curly Cat, We love Harley, her little brother and we love their Mommie and Daddy, too! What a wonderful family! My Bobby loves Daisy. Look in my side bar to see her all dressed up for Halloween last year, in an outfit that we chose for her because it is fit for a real live Princess. We thank you very, very, very much! Happy Halloween!
October 30, 2009 Leave a Comment
This is what I fixed tonight. I call it Vegetable Orzo w/Romaine Lettuce.
October 28, 2009 3 Comments
Tonight I served myself fried chicken, lemon pepper mashed potatoes with sour cream, romaine salad with tomato, fresh orange slices and grapes. It was chased with ice cold milk and no, I did not eat it all, only perhaps 2/3. I throw kisses into the air because it was colorful, plentiful and satisfying. Twenty-two minutes.
I baked the remainder of the chicken. Poultry is much less expensive to purchase whole rather than choice portions. An entire chicken can serve four to six persons, depending upon their size and appetites.
October 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
I will go fix something from Half Hour Meals … GrandMa’s Meatballs to go with Linguini Fini. I’ll take some photos and be back in an hour. In the meantime , why not go over to the site and choose something for you. Tomorrow I will be featuring a new member and blogger from Plum Bush Cottage. She’s awesome!
The recipe called for a slice of white bread and I used crushed saltine crackers. It called for parsley and since I was winging it, I used tarragon, which I much prefer. These meatballs were the bomb!
* It’s Wednesday and there are leftovers from late last night. I am going now to reheat a dish of this. Please try it yourself.
October 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
This is one of my late Mother’s favorite paintings. Although is is but a copy, I feel the same about the artist’s interpretation of this still life. It hangs upon the wall, behind my desk, as a reminder that even though she has gone on, she is not far away. It brings me some small comfort. I will always hold her memory close in mind and in my heart.
October 27, 2009 1 Comment
Look what Joe and I had for our breakfast this morning. Fresh ripened blackberries, rinsed and gently patted dry, buttermilk pancakes. Yummy. Do not turn your pancakes before the bubbles begin to pop. What would they be without real unsalted butted before and after? A maple syrup on top and then it was time to sit down and be thankful.
October 26, 2009 Leave a Comment
This is a dish that took me fifteen minutes, tops to prepare and it was so delicious.
1) Boil salted water to cook Angel Hair Pasta for 4-6 minutes, according to package.
2) Take one fresh chicken breast, rinse, pat dry and slice medallions; about 2″ rounds.
3) Saute chicken in golden butter, perhaps 3 tablespoons, which has been melted in the skillet. Do not overcook.
4) Shell fresh pistachios, place 1/4 cup in sandwich bag and using a wooden mallet, break into small pieces.
5) Assemble together, scrape the bottom of skillet with a fork and add to the pasta for flavor and texture. Salt to taste and then toss about with tongs or serving spoons. Enjoy.
October 26, 2009 Leave a Comment
The other evening I had to chase down George Apple Band to pose for this Family Harvest Photograph. I believe they thought I was going to use them in my kitchen and turn them into dinner. Surprise fellows. You’re safe.
October 24, 2009 1 Comment
For the past few days I have been feeling down, tired and my asthma seems to have been triggered by the changing air, pollen and rain. The air hasn’t been as crisp as it was about ten days ago and this time of year, the seasonal allergies seem to vamp up. You will not find me far from my inhalers, in fact, they are what I would call, at hand.
Having asthma is a pesky thing and while more and more humans are being diagnosed as having this condition, many of us are set-off by scents, perfumes, cleaning supplies, fertilizers, smog, exhaust and smoke … such as cigarette smoke. As an X-Smoker, I cannot understand why I ever wanted to inhale, but back then it was the thing to do.
Best parting shot. If you smoke, stop. If you never did, don’t start.
October 21, 2009 1 Comment
HBDay Cake 1, originally uploaded by Theresa111.
Over at my BLOGCATALOG, Agapelife, one of my dear friends, decided I should be singled out to prepare a cake every month, in an effort to help our fine members share in the revelries of their birthday parties.
This is a Devil’s Food Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Icing. Fresh Raspberries and Blackberries are the only adornment. It was prepared with affection and at midnight. I iced it around 3:30AM this morning and we shared a slice just to make certain the flavors blended well together.
I assure you I removed the raspberry leaf which shows up in one of the pictures. Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns to all of you October Celebrants.
October 17, 2009 1 Comment
In September, my fabulous niece Rachael stopped by one afternoon to visit. While she and I talked she asked me if I would care to see her vegetables from the garden she had tilled over the summer months. I readily agreed and she pulled out her iPhone. Picture after picture of magically grown garden vegetables! You do realize that they once began as seeds. I find it such a cool idea; growing one’s own fruits and vegetables.
She told me she and her friends had gotten together and prepared some preserves. I do not now recall what is inside of these jars, but I am certain it is yummy.
This is what started me to thinking, that while I do not grow the edible delights I could bring some home from my shopping and give it a go. Now after I got into reading more, I do know that I have prepared compotes at the hotel pastry kitchen, when I was there, but they were for immediate use and not to be stored up for a later use.
My husband and I explored the state of the art public library, he sitting in the magazine section, and I on my knees in the cooking isles. After many books I decided to choose two.
and 
I bought some of these $1.19 jars, and today … I preserved for the very first time. 
Come on over to Half Hour Meals and hang out for Saturday’s Event Canning and Preserving.
October 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
Danish from the dough two blog posts down. You can make so many varieties of pastries. These have been depressed in the middle, pastry cream piped into the well and different fruits placed on top. Each one gets a different glaze and or topping. Yummy and so satisfying.
October 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
Like watching a train wreck in slow motion, lately I have been feeling as if particular conversations I have witnessed aren’t really started in order to bring about calamity. I have even stuck out my neck to make honorable mention that these matters be reeled in, with the hopes that a gag order be wondrously granted, or that the vocalization of said contributors be silenced. At least in the social arena.
Why are there some participants who interject unappealing subjects in the commonplace, for all to see? Why do they get to steer the train in a downhill motion, allowing it to gather speed until the inevitable occurs? A vulgar crashed site where no one wants to go. Believe me there is nothing classy involved in what as of late, must be endured.
The 5% that like and even encourage the pushing of the envelope cry “Freedom of Speech,” and be damned to any genteel persons who are having this bad behavior shoved down their throats. It seems as if the uglier the words the move vivid the picture the reader is forced to see.
Unfortunately, there is no bigger turn off than to be subjected to vile and gutter type language, that everyone knows very well, but hopes that there is a place where they can be protected from these low forms of interactions.
It’s a real sad day when I feel the need to get things off my chest, in order to try and stomach a familiar and popular place I care about be sullied and spoiled.
October 12, 2009 1 Comment
This is a puff pastry book and there are no words to write within its layers. But once it has been rolled and folded and cooled in order to rest, a few times, it is filled with delicious ingredients, either savory or sweet to be flaky layers of bitable goodness. You must take time to get this to the point of baking but it is well worth the wait.
Laminated Dough
Laminated Dough Characteristics
Laminated means layers of dough and butter. They require your attention in timing, control and visual.
Compare side by side different doughs.
Type liquid de trempe beurrage handling
1) Classic Puff water 1 lb flour 12 to 16 oz butter 6 single turns = 1,459 layers
2) Quick Puff water 1 lb flour 12 to 16 oz butter 6 single or 2 double turns
3) Croissant milk/yeast 1 lb flour 10 oz butter 3 single turns
4) Danish milk/yeast 1 lb flour 8 oz butter 2 single turns
5) Brioche { Brioche 5oz butter} 8 oz butter 3 single turns
When making turns, dough to dough counts as one layer. Don’t overwork the dough. Let it rest in order to let the butter layers re-harden before turning. Keep open layers turned toward your right hand. Walk the dough out with your rolling pin. Roll in the direction middle out and edges in toward the middle. Turn and lift the dough and brush off excess with a bench brush. Make single or double turns, mark the number of turns with fingertips in dough and wrap in plastic wrap. About 20 to 60 minutes in fridge before working dough once more. Do not let the butter get too hard. Before freezing be sure at least 1/2 of the turns are completed. If you do not want puff dough to rise, for example, dock it with a fork. Whenever you have scraps left over you can roll the rognure and cut strips for twists.
