Bah Hum Bird!

So let me get this straight…I have to get up at 1am Thursday morning to start the big bird, go back to bed at 2am and then wake up on the hour to baste until 5am and then start preparing 20 side dishes, 2 pies, 2 cakes…all between one oven and a small microwave, set the table to look like something from Martha Stewart’s Living, look like I stepped out of Vogue as I serve it…then do two loads in the dishwasher whilst washing all the big stuff which puts me at about 1am Friday morning and then I’m supposed to get up at 4am and stand in line to shop in over crowded stores for bargains whilst everyone else watches football games and marathon TVLand episodes????

BAH HUM BIRD!!!!!!!!!!!

What I REALLY want is my own reality show just to get this documented!

Whew!

Some weeks are just more hectic than others…and I’m thankful for it.

Last week included replacing a hot water heater. Thanks to Hungry Hubby it was done in less than four days and cost $400 less than any estimate.  Thanking God it happened AFTER Easter dinner (literally right after dishes were done) AND that we live in a time when we have hot water coming straight to a faucet near you!

I’m finally taking a moment to review our Easter weekend in pictures.  Colored Easter eggs, chocolate covered Easter eggs and dinner with my first souffle.

      

         

 

Giving thanks every day!    

Inspiration CAN lead to perspiration

I was inspired by a post at Hawty McBloggy’s place. I really got stars in my eyes when I saw these cupcake toppers.  I thought to myself, the kids would go CRAZY over something like this.  With stars blinding me I remarked I was going to try my hand at the fondant cupcakes.  Then Ms. McBloggy responded with the request for pictures.  Now I HAD to do them! ha!  Yes, it is the gamer in me.

Anyone who has been reading here knows we are really into our Wii.  Super Mario Galaxy is especially gorgeous and spectacular so I wanted to theme my cupcakes after it.  My theme is “Mario Dreams.”

So out I go to get the stuff.  First on the list white fondant.  I know, I know…white…what were you thinking…but hey, I’ve worked with clay, I paint, I’ve watched Food Network’s Ace of Cakes.  No sweat, this should be “a piece of cake” with my credentials.  ***waves of laughter over take my body***  I skipped all the implements that would have cost a small fortune but I did get some awesome color GEL.  I have to say don’t keep buying the old liquid food coloring…get some of this vivid, easy to use gel.  I’ll NEVER go back to liquid. 

I hadn’t anticipated that making a few fondant cupcake toppers would take the better part of  a day.  I hadn’t anticipated how long and how many colors my “vision” would need.  I hadn’t counted on actually producing any sweat.  But I did.

So after six straight hours on my feet I placed them proudly on the table and called in the kids for their BIG SURPRISE!  The response was MUCH LESS than imagined in my head.  ***Isn’t it always that way?***  Oh well, it was an experience.  Did you know that fondant does NOT taste good?  Looks pretty but not so great to eat.  So I wrapped them up to harden and reuse over and over again for decorations.  There is no way in heck I’m ditching them after looking at them ten minutes!  😉

So last night I watched Ace of Cakes and was re-inspired to create something with the left over fondant.  I think I’d like to make a 3 D Mario, Mama, Princess Peach or even Zelda.  One thing is for sure I’m taking one day to mix the colors and the other to actually make/shape the end product. 

So here without further ado are “Mario Dreams.”  Keep in mind it is my first attempt with fondant, I’m old, decrepit and half blind…okay, not decrepit. 

FYI – The number one is the LIFE left for Mario…I’m SURE he has nightmares about THAT! 

***We did it!  Hungry Hubby, Big Boy, Young Son and Wailing Woman (that would be me)did it!  As of this morning, Saturday, March 15, 2008 we reached the end of Super Mario Galaxy.  This was a group effort and each of us has our own game going on but we also had a family game.  The boys were jumping up and down with joy!  It was fun and it has beautiful graphics.  The end is VERY nice!***

The Outcry for CHANGE!

FightingWindmills turned me on to a post at CheeseSlave.

After reading through I just had to ask some questions of us all:

I’ve read something like this on more than a few topics and not just about Monsanto (see the open letter to Hillary at Cheeseslave).

Cheeseslave says “I’ll have to learn more about Obama but I have a sense that he is the latest Prius they are trying to roll out to keep us in the dark.”

Cheese, you are right about this.  It is all a smoke screen.  This open letter is just the TIP of a huge iceberg on so many things it makes my stomach churn.

Deb, you are right about the FDA.  Pressure for drugs to make us live forever, you know.  **wink, wink, nudge, nudge**

And there is NO truth in advertising anymore…okay, there is half truth in advertising, leaving out critical information that could steer you to um, EATING YOUR VEGIES or a VITAMIN deficiency…and away from their product du jour.

I could go on and on about what is wrong because there is so much.  Unfortunately ONE PERSON (a new president) isn’t going to fix it all. 

It has to be a huge change across our nation, it has to be an outcry so long and so loud from millions upon millions before the kind of change needed is going to happen.  A wave of change has started, it needs nurturing and growth.  So that 4 to 8 years (or even 12) from now the people who caught the wave can be in positions (legislative, judicial) to support and uphold the changes that NEED to be made in the STATES and in FEDERAL governments. 

That is a lot of people needed to ride the wave much less keep the energy of the wave high…is it YOU?  Are you willing to commit to politics, start in your community, local, state levels?  Holding offices of change in your area?  Are you willing to get into politics at the state or national level to support a person in a presidency that will need the support to really change things? 

A president can’t do it alone.  Are you willing?

I’m asking these questions thoughtfully…not antagonistically. 

I’m a PUPIL of LIFE!

P erception

U nderstanding

P ersistance

I nsurance

LOVE      I nclusion    F ellowship   E quality

I’m a pupil of life.

Pupil as in learner AND pupil as in the center transparent, black part of an eye (I).

The cornerstone of my learning life is LOVE, for without it I am nothing.  I exist, I am seen, I am because I love others and I am loved by others. 

This is the perception of understanding that I insure through my persistance to love others through my inclusion and fellowship with all because they are equal to me through love.

Do you hear what I hear?  Do you see what I see?  Do you know what I know?

LOVE is the cornerstone.

I’m done now.  😉

I’m a spiced nut!

My Christmas tradition for about 24 years now is making SPICED WALNUTS or SPICED PECANS or both.  Pop some into a tin or decorative jar and it is a nice gift for anyone. The smell will bring you delights for days!

The BEST thing about this recipe is that I’m giving you the basic recipe and then you can tweak it to your own taste.  I imagine you could do this with most nuts. 

1 1/2 cups your preferred nut for spicing (about 6 ounces)

1/2 cup of white sugar

1/2 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a heavy skillet (non-stick or well seasoned) over medium med-heat and heat to boiling stirring constantly until ALL the liquid is evaporated, nuts are coated and sugary.  Transfer to a non-stick cookie sheet and break apart while still warm.  Let cool and enjoy.

MY TIP:  I prefer to put all the dry ingredients (NOT the nuts) into the pan, add the water and boil until beginning to thicken THEN add the nuts.  I do this because the nuts remain crisp (is that the right word, ha) as opposed to soggy. 

Play with the spices until you find the right mix for your taste!

***COULDN’T RESIST ANOTHER PIC OF THEM; THEY ARE SO PRETTY!***

Gearing up for gluttony!

I’ve never noticed so many gloomy faces during the most festive time of year.  Maybe because I’m paying attention.  A nice smile on my face is met with pert lips and a quick glance away. 

Why?  Why are so many  running around with such gloomy faces?  Are they on a sugar induced crash from tasting too many of their Christmas treats they made last weekend?  Are their pants too tight?  Are they in the midst of the financial strain (been there done that)?  Then it dawned on me…they are starving themselves!  Gearing up for the gluttony that will begin this coming weekend!

I’ve already warned Hungry Hubby that we are going to tone it down this year on the goodies.  I’ve only made some banana bread (frozen) and my traditional spiced nuts (hidden).  I had made oatmeal raisins but um…they are gone with the wind.  Surprise! Surprise!  That is why I’ll wait until this weekend to make one more item that I know won’t keep very long. 

My last item will be the least healthy but more into the Christmas tradition.  Some people call them Russian Teacakes or Danish Christmas cookies, others call them Mexican Wedding cookies, we call them YUMMY!  I like to put food coloring into the mix for white, green and red (although it looks pinkish) with a healthy dose of powdered sugar over top. 

Here is a peek at my spiced nuts (pecan). 

 

I also do walnut but prefer pecan because they hold up better and look pretty.

These are SUPER easy and I’m going to share the recipe in my next post.