Butternut squash soup

Dinner tonight was too yummy not to share, especially on a cold day.

2 squash
1 lb Portuguese Linguica sausage
1/2 yellow onion, diced
Chicken stock
To taste: Sage. Marjarom, Salt, Pepper. Garlic, Ginger
Garnish with nutmeg

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Bake the squash until tender - make sure to check that the flesh is actually tender rather than just assuming after being in the oven for and hour at 350. In a large pot, cook the sausage without casings. Remove the meat. Saute the onion in the drippings until very slightly burned. Add spices and saute for a few seconds, then add stock and squash. Blend carefully. Add back the meat. Sprinkle with nutmeg and savor the goodness!

Belief

A good friend of mine asked me who Jesus Christ is to me as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is of another Christian faith and has viewed my religion with great skepticism. Many people do. But I have studied the scriptures and prayed and this is my answer. It's long, but if you have a few minutes, feel free to read. This is my own writing, not any official church document. Merry Christmas!

"Hi Marie!
Your question got me thinking, which is why it has taken me a while to respond, not because I question my belief, but more how to articulate it. But, be warned: the answer is very long, and at the end, the question is coming back to you, because I want to know what you believe.

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the prophesied Messiah (Isaiah 53:3-5), who came into the world, under the direction of God, the Father, in order to provide a path to salvation for those that believe (John 3:16-17). In his life he taught the gospel, healed the sick, provided an example of how to live, then suffered and died for every transgression, every folly, and every hurt known to man (Matthew 8:17). After three days, he was resurrected (Luke 24:39) so we can also live again. He created the world, through the power of God, our Heavenly Father (Hebrews 1:2) and he is the Mediator, who will judge us based on our actions and desires (John 5:22). He is divine himself, as God’s Only Begotten Son on earth (John 1:14).

What does he do for us? I know that he is continually aware of our challenges and trials (Isaiah 49:16) and that he cares very deeply about our troubles and our fears. I know this because he has lifted me in my own struggles, big or small. He can cleanse us from our sins if we choose to repent and follow him (1 John 1:7-9). He can save us from death and Hell through his grace, if we exercise faith in him (Ephesians 2:8). We must do things in order to demonstrate that our faith is real (James 2:17-18) How do we show that we have faith? By repenting of our sins, being baptized (Acts, 2:38; Mark 16:16), and obeying his commandments, or living according to his will (John 14:15). Christ is the Great Physician sent to heal and bless us and to provide a way, the only way, back to the Father (John 14:6). All we must do is follow him and do as he did. When we make mistakes, we ask forgiveness (Proverbs 28:13). When we have questions, we ask for guidance (James 1:5-6).

You said that Mormons differ from Christianity. Yes, in some ways we do differ, but I believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer of the world. You may know that ’Mormon’ is not the official name of the church, but rather The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as it is the Christ’s church, restored in these, the latter days in history, as opposed the early days of the ancient church. We believe that Christ’s church was on the earth for centuries, as seen in the Bible, though belief and truth waxed and waned through the ages, and many churches sprang up from only believing bits and pieces of the true gospel, though the full gospel disappeared with the death of the apostles.

As God loves all His children, and wants all to come to Him, He chose to restore the full knowledge of His gospel in our time, through another prophet. His love extended beyond the people living around Jerusalem to people living in the Americas, like the ancestors to the native people in North and South American. Their record of God’s dealings is found in the Book of Mormon. God has not limited his word to one place and time, but desires all people to know Him. John 20:31 testifies that “…these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;....” The Book of Mormon shares the same purpose in Mormon 5:14 “…that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God,….” In addition, there are several invitations to the reader to seek truth, one of which is found in 1 Nephi 33:10-11, which invites all to “…hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words, believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe on these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words or Christ, judge ye - for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words….”

Yes, we differ some, but I believe that our love for Jesus Christ is the same. We both believe that he is the way, the truth, and the life. We both believe in prayer and that God answers those prayers. If you are concerned about anything in this message, honest prayer is the key. God will show the way to any earnest seeker of truth, who is willing to act in the manner that God directs. I invite you to pray about it; to pray to know if these things are right. I know the Bible and the Book of Mormon both testify of the reality of our Savoir and that they teach us the way to live in order to return to God with our families. I have prayed about these things, to know if Christ is our Savior and if the Bible and Book of Mormon are God’s word. And It’s true. I know these things are true.

This answer has been long and wide ranging, but thank you for asking, and even more for reading. Who, then, is Jesus Christ to you? What does he mean in your life?"

Dear World,

Merry Christmas! That is all.

Hello? Hello?

The time: 04h 25 MST
The place: The livingroom
The event: Just being awake with a little person for the last 2.5 hours.
Anyone else?

Just wanted to give a little shout out to the universe.

Between an easy and a hard place

Today a close friend of mine asked me if the new little one was an easy baby. The question struck me, because I hadn't ever thought about it. I let the question knock around my head a bit before realizing that she probably was an easy baby. It's being a mommy that is hard.

The Greatest Exeriment

Three weeks ago, life took a dramatic change. While we anticipated this change in our household, one never quite knows what to expect. We decided to embark on the greatest experiment in life. My mister and I were blessed to bring home a very little person of our very own making. It seems that when one does such a thing, the adult parties - of which, I am one, supposedly - are responsible for the care and management of said little person. It's simple, right? Feed the baby, burp the baby, change the baby, rock to sleep the baby, and repeat. Simple until you realize that feeding can be painful, that burping doesn't relieve gas in the nether regions, that you are nearly out of diapers, and that your baby won't sleep for more than 3.7 minutes in her bed during the day. Somewhere in that 3.7 minutes, you try to make dinner, do the dishes, and clean the bathroom. We won't mention the pile of laundry, now stained with various bodily fluids. Thankfully, vacuuming can be done one handed, sort of, as long as she's not afraid of the noise.

Why, then, do apparently rational adults put themselves through such a routine? Well, one woman commented that her reason was because she kept falling asleep (Thank you, Bill Cosby). For me, I like my little person. And she has cute toes. And she's learning to smile back at me.

Now if she'll just stay happy long enough so we can get more diapers...

Daddy Lesson, The First

Daddy Lesson, #1:
Don't break the baby.

Why Daddy?
Do you really need to ask?

Mommy Lesson, The First

Mommy Lesson #1:
Do not poke your eye.

Why Mommy?
Because it is not comfortable. 

Acceptance

Did you learn something today? I did: I am not in control. I am not powerful or able of doing really much of anything when it comes to some aspects of life. I really can do very little. 'Now, that's really not fair,' you think, 'to give your abilities so little credit that you consider yourself so incapable.' By saying this, I, in no way, mean to lessen my potential or underestimate my circle of influence, but let me share why today is an excellent example of my lacking abilities.

The day began by getting ready for an appointment that I hoped not to need. My mister and I met with the midwife for the day-before-the-dreaded-41-weeks-of-pregnancy appointment, as 41 weeks have gone by and the baby remains comfortably in utero. We had to decide on the next step, since the doctors recommend induction about now, for fear of the baby's demise. Is induction desirable? Not really. Have we done anything to prevent having said appointment, and a potential induction, by getting the baby out sooner? I've drunk chamomile tea, I've practiced yoga, I've rocked my hips for hours to the beat of whatever music I happen to have on, I've tried massage and meditation, I've done squats until the burn was too much, I've rubbed all those pressure points they recommend, I've enjoyed spicy food, I've walked laps until my calves ache, and I've sent up some pretty earnest prayers to the Almighty Creator. Still no baby. Enough. She cannot be forced. The baby will come when she is good and ready...though I really hope it's stat!

So, moving on, since nothing we've tried has gotten much traction with our Little Miss, I decided to move on the the more mundane things of life. Cleaning the bathroom sounded as good as mundane could get, so I went to get the cleaning supplies from under the sink. As I did, I noticed a hissing noise coming from the cold water pipe that leads to the faucet. That's not normal, right? The pipe, naturally, has a knob. Here is a picture of the knob after it yielded to gentle pressure by breaking off. Unfortunately, by breaking the knob, in stead of hissing, the pipe began to spray water all over the cabinet. So I threw a towel over it and hoped the pressure would die down. It didn't. That's when I noticed the soaked roll of paper towels...and then the dripping package of toilet paper. Having never been trained in the art of finding a water shut off in a rented space, I had no idea what to do, so I asked my mom, my husband, and my brother, all over the phone or internet, their recommendations - plus I called the property manager (and as if on cue, a mosquito buzzed in my ear as I made my calls). Each had a few suggestions, so, after finding a trash can to collect water, turning off the valve on the water heater, and pulling out the washer in order to look for the main shut off, I hunted around outside, to find another valve, and closed it, in hopes that something might happen. It did, mostly. The water pressure decreased in all but the hissing valve. In a moment of brilliance, I turned the sink on, which cut off the hissing water, but it never actually stopped like I expected.

After much waiting, the repair men arrived and took care of the rest, complimenting me on my thoroughness in doing everything right (when really it was that I tried everything and hoped something might stop the water flow) - to the point of suggesting I should become a repair man.

So, with my calling in life newly discovered and a few lessons learned (like where the water shut off is and not to leave paper products where leaks can find them, not to mention that babies have a timetable of their own) I will go forth to eat more spicy food as I contemplate what other parts of life I really can't change.

Now if I could only get rid of that nasty mosquito...

Not just at Disneyland

Half the reason America goes to theme parks is because they love to stand in line to ride the rides, but the rest of the reason is for the churros! Isn't it true? But, even with a churro recipe stashed somewhere in the depths of my recipes written on little scraps of paper that rarely get any attention, this recipe caught my attention enough to try it. Thanks to my great baking friend that sent the idea my way, I now have a new love of churro cupcakes. I even made big ones for the zeroth birthday of our little person (hopefully this week)! Yum!

Sorry no chestnuts

Dinner is a constant in this house. It happens daily, sometimes more effectively than at other times, but this idea is one to keep for a mild  - or down right cold - baking day. Yes, I made this in the middle of the summer. Go figure.

Vegetable - Corn on the cob
Remove the very outer layers of husk, but keep most of the covering in tact. Snip off the silk on the end, if you prefer, to prevent it from burning. Heat the oven to 350F. Roast on a middle rack for 30 mins. Then eat!

Fruit - Mixed fresh and roasted goodness
Roast sliced plum, pitted cherries, and grapes for 15-20 mins at 350F. Add fresh blueberries and strawberries. Then sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg. drizzle honey, stir, and eat! Tasty!

Main dish - Roasted turkey and bacon sandwich
Prep the turkey and roast (my Mr. did this bit, so I didn't catch the details, but my guess is 350F for several hours, depending on the weight of the turkey), but, the kicker here is to lay strips of bacon across the breast for added flavor and juiciness. It was tasty! Basting occasionally during cooking only improves the outcome.

When it's cooked, slice the turkey into sandwich size pieces. Spread the best bread available with mayonnaise that has a dash of balsamic and chopped fresh basil, top with turkey, and lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado, sprouts, or your favorite sandwich item, and eat! So good.

People who need people meet Murphy

You may blame it on the weather, or on the impending arrival of our first child, or on constant ebb and flow of hormonally-based emotions I am currently experiencing, it might be all three, but today I want people around me. No need for entertainment or excellent conversation, just another soul nearby to pass time and make small talk. Yes, this is coming from a psuedo-hermit. Some days are like that. So why are we meeting Murphy? Well, today of all days, my excellent husband has grad school orientation and won't be home until much later tonight. Murphy Law always picks the most convenient moments to arrive. At least I still get the occasional swift kick in the ribs to know that another little person wants some people, too. Just a few more weeks. Maybe Murphy can come for that, too.

Ale? Would you like a little ginger with that?

While we're on the subject of drinks, the latest find is a ginger ale recipe. I combined two recipes to get the following:

Ginger ale

Combine in a 2 liter bottle:
2 T grated ginger
6 oz sugar
1/8 t active dry yeast
2 T lemon juice

Fill with water. Cap. Shake gently to mix. Allow to sit at room temp for 24 hours, until the bottle is expanded enough you are afraid it will burst. Put in the fridge to chill. Drink up.

What I learned:

• It's a tasty homemade treat!
• The bottle will expand as the pressure builds. Neat!
• The yeast flavor lessens after a day or two, making it better
• It gets flatter the longer it sits and the more the bottle is open - surprise, anyone?
• If aesthetics is key, strain the floaties as you pour - it's the ginger and yeast

A very merry unbirthday...

...to me! It is, however, my half birthday today. Six months until I enter my 30th year. What am I going to do for the last 6 months of my 20s? Cut my hair? Plastic surgery? Sky diving? Hmm...

Elixir of summer

Before beginning, please keep in mind that my husband has thousands of excellent and remarkable qualities, more than I have yet discovered, and I would not trade him for anything. But, you must know, he does not like watermelon. It's the sad state of things when I hesitate to buy a delicious and readily available watermelon for fear it will go to waste because my ever diminishing digestive tract is currently occupied by other things, like a person - yes, a 3 lb person, but a person no less! However, when I stumbled on this recipe, there was no reason to hold back. It wasn't bad, I thought it was really good, actually, but the Man of the House, prefers less pulpy anything. I did learn that ice cubes do not belong in the food processor. Noted for future experiments. Even with all the great nutritional value, like high in Vitamins C and A, as well as Potassium, and lots of other magical qualities, he still would like something different.


A few days ago, he sent me a video of a juice recipe, which was something different. It takes nearly 10 minutes for the video to show you how to cut, blend, and explain that good juice must be strained. But if you have 10 minutes, it's an interesting view. Tonight we tried it. And it was excellent. Really excellent! We juiced one melon, which was selling for 25 cents per pound, and made nearly a gallon of juice. Now I just have to figure out how to get out the lovely red color from our 'strainer.' (Thank you to the giver of this lovely towel. It has served us very well. Hopefully you aren't offended at our multitasking its purpose.) At least I'll have some juice to quench the thirst while washing. Maybe with a little lime in it...

Garden: Summer 2012

This weekend marks the beginning of the Summer 2012 Gardening Experience. We're growing Botanical Gardens here! We planted basil on Friday and pole beans on Saturday. Guess who already has basil sprouting?!

The secret? I soaked the seeds for a few hours before planting. Sure, it's a little early to report, but after returning from vacation to a drooping and dried basil plant that had a tragically short life, I'm excited to have pesto possibilities once again.

Maybe the beans will come up tomorrow...or the next day. We hope to add in tomatoes and possibly strawberries. Since we recently expanded our outdoor living space, we have more room to grow stuff, though we still need pots to hold the plants. Or maybe we can build one of these.

Someday my garden might look like the photo, only with more edibles. But, it has to start at the very beginning...and I live in the desert. That doesn't mean I have to stop dreaming!

Moving tips

A few things to know if a move is in your near future:

1. Avoid moving at all costs.
2. When you learn how to move in a painless manner, please tell me how you did it!
3. Many hands make light work, but the hands need some guidance on what to do. Have some organization to what needs to happen and there will be less stress. The Elder's Quorum is pretty amazing!
4. Wear good shoes.
5. When it's 104 F (40 C) outside, that's a good time to take a break. Drink some water. Like a gallon (3.7854 L).
6. Obtain enough boxes, bags, suitcases, or other containers to accommodate all moving items. My man found that small document boxes fit most objects, but aren't so big that they get too heavy very easily, plus they are sturdy, sort of. Word is that if the local grocery store doesn't give boxes, the local liquor store may. "Wine, one sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise and taste." - Milton (However, even if I did drink wine - or any alcohol, I doubt it would undroop my spirits during a move.)
7. If applicable, check with the property manager or realtor to make sure the carpets will be cleaned far enough in advance that they will be dry on the day you want to move in, rather than discovering they are still cleaning, and therefore still wet, at the time you get the key.
8. Avoid moving during the community luau, during which a 2 story water slide/bounce house covers the entirety of the walk way.
9. Count your blessings while unpacking that you won't have to repack for a while.
10. Before and after photos might make you feel like you've accomplished something. Behold the empty box pile!

More thoughts?

Hi Daddy

Today's soapbox/gratitude journal: The world could use a few more outstanding dad's. I happen to know a few, particularly in my family. Yesterday, I watched my Dad with three little ones around him playing a riveting game of Uno. There's nothing like a good game of Uno to make for a lively time.

Earlier, my brother repeatedly spend much time and energy trying to calm his poor weeping daughters in the frequent and not so far between moments of distress. He never was much of one for crying little girls back in the day, but they are awfully cute little ladies.

Then, as our child grows increasingly bigger, her father has taken to giving her fatherly advice more and more often. This morning, he shared with her his excitement in meeting her in a few months. She, in turn, shared her excitement with him by kicking him in the face. He's already a great dad.

Yep. Dads are one of the best inventions and I got some really good ones around me.

Pictionary

Welcome back to Europe! My 'laaste collega' (last mission companion) loved to play this endlessly entertaining game - and she played exceptionally well -  which game continued on my subsequent trips to Europe. Because so many languages are so closely crammed together (not to mention the high volume of dumb tourists), most of the signs on the street have few words, if any at all. That means it's up to you to figure them out. Don't hesitate to call out answers!

 

(This way to bike over rotten eggs?) (Sorry, no burger joints in here?)

The best one last. How do you figure?

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Nine, nein, neun! Germany is a beautiful country, at least the parts that we saw, full of history, culture, good food, and German speakers. Imagine!

My husband's parents graciously hosted us in their European size apartment and showed us places like Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Dachau, the local ice cream shop, various bakeries (a must on any European trip!), the Glockenspiel in Munich, the mountains of Austria, more castles, cathedrals, and many other places along the way. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, if I just stop writing, you can figure out the rest, right?

Okay, maybe a few stories. We spent our last evening at dinner with a woman from church she is German born and raised, thankfully with an excellent handle on English, told us of her trips to the U.S. and how on multiple occasions she was asked if Jews are still persecuted and killed. She's not even 40 yet, so it wasn't too long ago, but someone wasn't paying attention in history class. The war is done. There is more to Germany than what happened 65 years ago. Stepping off the soap box.

The landscape and architecture are worth the 12+ hours of travel alone. Of course, most landscape and architecture give my lovely desert home pretty stiff competition when it comes to beauty. The snow only added to the Bavarian charm...and the treachery of the roads.

And the food...that would make a 30 hour travel day worth it. When your bowl of gnocchi comes out bubbling with cheese, yes it's all healthy, or you get a half a 'turkey' on your plate (turns out to be chicken, but who needs translation), or you end your meal with a fresh slice of apple strudel, it's all worth it. My one recommendation is to have plain old water available somewhere. Anywhere! No little bubbles and not in a 3 oz container. But the birds are taken care of at least.

One memorable part of the trip was watching the neighbor downstairs take apart the street organ he is building to show us the pipes. He built the entire thing himself, including carving the airways and constructing bellows. Unfortunately, it didn't work yet, but he has a few ideas on how to fix it. He showed us an organ he had purchased online and pulled out some music rolls to play. After a nice Austrian dance, and the Bare Necessities, he played Schnappi the crocodile, about a crocodile from Egypt that lives in the Nile. He spends his time schnapping things cause that's about all he can do at his young age. Of course the organ was not complete without a stuffed monkey to sit on top. Sadly of a few of his close neighbors don't appreciate all the noise, but we were glad he shared. Sorry there's no video to share with you.

But I hope  you enjoy the rest of the story in pictures.

Brats anyone?

Welcome to Bavaria, home of the blue and white checked flag, Germans, and hops fields. We saw the Glockenspiel in Munich (Purists, please forgive my lack of accents) and went to Dachau. It was the first concentration camp in Germany and considered heaven compared to others, as it was not ever an execution camp. Don't let that fool you, because 25% of the prisoners that came there died there. But that's a lot 'better' than the 95% in Auschwitz. And what is the Glockenspiel? It's a clock tower with giant dancing and celebrating figures that was created to commemorate the marriage of a Duke in 1600 something and the cooper dancers that entertained during the Plague in 1517 (?). (Coopers are barrel makers.)

We have visited a castle and a cathedral. We ate lots and lots of brats and wurst and potatoes. We have also slept a bit. Which is a nice change after staying awake for over 30 hours on our flight over.

At church we met lots of people and I tried my hardest to understand German. I thought I could, I thought I could, but it was one of the longest church meetings I ever attended. It's not that the speakers or lessons were sub par, but German is not Dutch.

Oh, we ate applestrudel too. And kabobs. And ice cream. I like ice cream. And German food. Maybe that's all the weight I'm gaining...

Hold the raisins

Good Morning! You open the cupboard and pull out a box of bran flake and sugar-crusted raisin mixture, claiming to have two full scoops of raisins in every box. For a college assignment, a group of students and I analyzed this product to establish the meaning of this claim. We discovered that, in fact, based on percent of raisin volume and weight per box, the amount of raisin varied greatly enough, even of the same package size, that there was no consistency at all. No two scoop sizes were alike. 

That aside, have you ever checked out the ingredient list on the various flakes of branny goodness? Ever notice that even the most basic version have fun chemicals like BHT and caramel coloring. Sounds delicious! Time to eat!

Unless, of course, you want to keep it natural. How? Make some of your own! Is it simple? Yes! Does it take some time? Also, yes. Is it worth it? Right now, for me, yes. I found a recipe here at 48 Homemade Breakfast Cereals > Willow Bird Baking.

She writes for a while about all kinds of cereals and has lovely pictures and when you get to the very bottom, you find this recipe (that I have taken the liberty to shorten and modify):

Bran Flakes

Recipe by: Adapted from Mr. Breakfast and now from Willow Bird Baking
Yields: about 3-4 servings (But doubling or quadrupling is a good idea,)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bran
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup almond flour (or other finely ground nuts or ground flax)
Some honey (a Tablespoon is noticeably sweet, 3 T is really! sweet)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (though I'm not convinced it lightens it at all)
1/4 teaspoon salt, if you want
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients well. then add the wet. Cut 2 sheets to fit a baking tray or cookie sheet and place half the mixture on each sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and roll until thin and evenish.

Remove the plastic and transfer paper to the baking sheet. Heat oven to 350 F. Cook for 5-10 minutes, checking for a flexible, lightly browned leather like flake, slightly browned on the edges. It can burn quickly, so pay attention. Allow it to cool and repeat until dough is used.

Reduce the heat to 275 and break each flake into smaller flakes, like bran flake size. Spread them out on a sheet and cook for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Cool and eat up, because they only last for 2 weeks, according to the original site. Chances are, you won't need to worry about them lasting that long.


She gives the nutrition info as follows:

Nutritional Info: Serving size: about 1/4 of total yield Calories: 146.3, Fat: 5g, Sodium: 185mg, Carbs: 24.5g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 8g, Protein: 5.5g

Fun variations: Add cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, try different nuts, use juice in place of the milk and/or water. If your sweet tooth demands try it with chocolate chips (mix in the cereal bowl, probably not while cooking.) Also, combine with other cereals or add fruit to serve. It's tasty!

Am I extreme? Probably. Does my family like them? Yes.

Who can read what's in your wallet?

Since the mister and I are headed off to scary foreign places soon, we each invested in brand new passports, complete with RFID reading capacity, in order to prove our identity to those who may question it. RFID, or radio frequency identification, chips sends out a radio frequency, go figure, with information about the object or person with the chip. RFIDs are used all over to keep track of things, for example, in industry to track orders and shipments, in medicine to track samples, medications, and lost patients, and in agriculture to track live stock. Now they are also used in credit cards to offer a swipeless option. Some parents may want, or probably already have, to inject one into their kids. Great technology, right?

From my vast 10 minute search about these chips, I learned that card readers for such things range from a piddly $10 on up. What's the big deal? It means that Joe Nobody can buy a reader and, if your card has the chip, he can get close enough to you (as in 20 feet) and 'skim' your information. And you won't feel a thing. What a cozy world we live in! While not many cards use this technology just yet, some do and US passports do as well. How do you protect yourself? Don't carry one of those cards, or ask the bank to replace it with straight plastic, or buy an anti-RFID wallet. For passports, the US government was kind enough to slide and extra layer of metal into the book itself that is supposed to hinder, not prevent, would be thefts. How nice.

So, what type of shield works best? According to Consumer Reports, of the 10 products available on the market when the article was written, the homemade aluminum foil and duct tape sleeve worked better than 8 of them. Maybe I will make an aluminum foil helmet next to prevent someone reading my brain...though they may not find much useful information...

Any security people care to comment?

Button on the belly

Lately, my husband has discovered a disturbing problem. He has found it increasingly difficult to locate my bellybutton when he feels it needs a poke. Now bellybuttons have been a favorite landing spot for pokes since my early childhood, to the point where my brother and I contemplated manufacturing bellybutton protectors. (And as an older sister and aunt, I strive diligently to keep this noble tradition alive, sans protector.) But not only has my husband found it difficult to correctly locate said bellybutton, I have found that the general shape and placement of the little button seems to be changing along with the marked changes in my waistline. We have made great strides in overcoming the need for prefab, zero nutrition foods in our house, which has contributed somewhat to our overall health and well-being, yet still, my waistline seems to be changing shape at an alarming rate. Am I ill? Have I contracted some incurable disease that damages the general structure and shape of the innocuous button? Do I have a parasite? If so, it is a very large parasite. Imagine how Grover will feel if I try to use his bellybutton resting place. Whew!

Not my actual bellybutton

Upon seeking medical advice from a competent and well-informed friend, she suggested that I might have "the infamous Little-Puking-Ball-of-Flesh parasite!!!! I had two of those once. They're not bad once you get used to them. Especially because you can get big tax breaks if you get one removed." One can only hope that those tax breaks still apply upon its removal. Tomorrow we set an appointment to find out of the Ball-of-flesh parasite is of the male or female type.


Any prognostication? Prediction? Unwanted advice?

The wobble in the gobble

Imagine walking into the kitchen just as the most succulent looking turkey comes out of the oven. It's brown and crispy skin glistens as steam rises from the warm meat. Take a sniff. Ah, delightful! Too bad you still have to wait another 20 minutes before digging in.

That is what happened in our house this weekend. My resident-chef husband cooked a delicious bird for our April Fools dinner. No joke. He followed a recipe by Gordon Ramsey, plus or minus a few things. It was wonderful. Sorry no picture. It would only make you hungry.

Some changes he made, were to cover from the beginning with foil and bake on 350. Somehow he didn't mind that we did have bacon either. The last 30 mins, he basted and left the cover off for the rest of the time. We didn't let it rest for 2.5 hrs, nor did we follow the gravy recipe. The turkey was good enough.

Sugar + Water + 6-year-old = ?

Thirsty? Try a nice cool refresher. Um yum! Want a sip? What?! Your straw is broken?

April fools!

This year, my sister and I made a ’secret drink’ for dinner, made of ‘sugar and water‘ she explained, as she tried so hard to keep it secret. I even considered making blue or clear jigglers for ice cubes, but decided it wasn't worth the effort this time around.

Want the recipe?  Check the back of the gelatin box. Then add straw. Or dress it up with a strawberry on the rim.

(Helpful hint: Try not to shake the tray too much as you serve. It kind of gives it away.)

The actual reason for weddings

To the bride,

Congratulations once again! You have the groom, you have the date, you have the place, you have the flowers, you have picked your dress, and the other dresses, so all that remains is the cake. Yummy!

No doubt, the cake is central to the celebration, the very reason that guests attend. You get presents, everyone else settles for food. As it is such an important part of the joy and happiness of all, no need to rush a decision or feel pressure. Check these out when you have a few minutes to sit back and take it in a bit at a time.

So what are the options?  Thankfully, with a peacock feather theme, there are many, including some very ugly ones, but you are the judge.

For starters, we have cupcakes, small, portable, individual servings of goodness. (But maybe minus the rhinestones.) Or, if you like individual feathers, this might be a quirky option.

Want something a little more sophisticated? Here are a few options of feathers mixed with fancy design, or other design. Or even feathers mixed with no design. But maybe you want color, all over or just a splash.

Or do you prefer a modern, artsy look? These ideas range from nice to fun to fancy, to really fancy, and all can be adjusted to match your colors and style.

If you would like to get closer to nature, cascading feathers look magnificent. Your choice to go ornate design or simply elegant and to axe the bird or keep it.

Haven’t had enough or can’t quite decide?  These other options might spark your interest.

Your faithful baker, decorator, and cake taster

P.S.  You may have all the outfits picked out, but have you considered hats?

Now boarding...

We're off to the land of the tulips. Yay! And the Fatherland and the Garden State. Time to pack yet?

Left it in my other pants

Unemployment, or minimal employment, has sometimes brought out my quirky creative side...  not that it isn't always there, it just doesn't have as much attention. But what else are you suppose to do with worn out pants?

Let me explain: a few years ago, while searching for a new job, I wanted a new purse, but lacked funding and lacked the desire to shop. However, I didn't lack an extra pair of pants.  (The usefulness of said pants you have seen previously).  So, brain met brawn and a purse came to life, complete with two inside pockets and an adjustable strap. Don't imagine that it jumped together without a struggle. Sure, pants are meant to carry keys, wallet, or phone, but these pants wanted to remain in the original configuration.

Last Christmas, a friend of mine offered a fresh pair of holey jeans and I couldn't resist.  She had shown enough interest in my last creation that I decided to make her one too. This version submitted more easily, but not without several needle fatalities. It features two inside pockets, an adjustable strap, a space divider, and a belt loop for hanging keys, if she wants. I Left It In My Other Pants II complete!
 

What I learned:

• Jean is stiff material
• Making stuff is fun

What do you think? 

Lupini: Conclusion

Success. When the husband likes it, then you know you've done well. I added a little (a little too much maybe) garlic powder one of the later soaking days to give it a little flavor. Now they are back in salty water to be snacked upon at will.

From what's available around the web, most people soak in fresh water for about 2 weeks. I found that salty water removed the bitter taste in half the time, which makes sense, as salt is used to draw out moisture, in things like salted meat or with cabbage to make coleslaw less drippy. As yet, I have no idea of the nutritional value, but it's a bean. Beans are good for you. Cost effective? Probably not. Time efficient? Nope. Exciting and new? Absolutely.

Lupini: The Taste Test

"The time has come," the Walrus said...  Oh, wait, no, it's day 5, so it's time for the taste test. Here's how it went down: After changing the soak water (which I decided to leave fresh today, to let some of the saltiness dissipate) and waiting for a witness to get home, I made my first attempt. I extracted one lucky bean, bit the skin, for easy removal, and popped it in. My witness will report that I had a questioning look on my face. I was trying to decide if the taste was bitter or not (i.e. not done soaking). It wasn't bitter, it had a metallic overtone, which makes me wonder if I shouldn't have soaked it in a glass canning jar with its original metal lid. Nothing like that good ol' stainless steel flavor.

Where are the beans now? Back in the glass jar, with plastic on top...and some salt. A second attempt tomorrow, maybe?

Lupini: Day II

Post soak, post rinse

Boiling day. Boy, isn't this exciting? Only 4-14 days left until they are ready! After soaking overnight, these little beans got pretty big. Then, they were rinsed and boiled for about 90 minutes, then left in a pot until I did the dishes to clean the jar where they will soak...and soak...and soak.

Dry v. soaked. It's 'uge!

That's what they are doing right now in fact. Soaking in the fridge. Soaking up some salt. 

Coming soon: Taste test - only 4 days left!

If you missed the first installment, look no further than right here.

Next experiment: Lupini

My favorite Italian co-worker introduced me to these a few years ago. They were slightly crunchy, salty, and yummy to snack on. The knowledgeable (and infallible) internet shows that lupini is often prepared for celebrations, such as Easter, often served with beer. Here, I am breaking tradition, with no major celebration and no beer in sight. Until a few weeks ago, I had never seen these little beans, but when they jumped off the shelf of a local market, it was time.

Lupini is a good source of protein, so the internet says, but the beans contain lots of nasty toxins too, which is why they must soak and soak and soak, until the bitterness is gone. This could be up to two weeks. My co-worked gave me a basic recipe, but, 4 years later, I have no idea where it is. I do remember a lot of boiling, rinsing, and salting. Again, after consulting the web, I decided my method:

• Soak for 24 hours. Rinse.
• Boil in salted water for 90 mins. Rinse.
• Cover in salty water (1 T/quart) and refrigerate.
• Rinse and recover with salty water 1-2 times a day until they 'don't bite back.'
• The end product was yellow and plump.

Ready for the ride?

Christmas presents

Happy New Year! Let's talk about Christmas.

Posts have noticeably dwindled a bit in the past three months and someone, somewhere out there, may, for a brief nanosecond, have wondered why. Was it you? Ah, shucks. Well, I spent most of my time making these for my nieces and nephews.

Here are a few technical things I learned:

• Use tight knit fabric, cotton works well.
• Use strong thread.
• Use sharp needles.
• Become friends with the sewing machine. It knows a lot of tricks to make things easier, like the embroidery hoop attachment. 
• Try not to get mad at the sewing machine. It didn't do anything to you.
• Small details are hard to sew.
• Hope and pray the kids won't destroy your handiwork on the first day.

What to do with rice filled animals?

• Throw at parent
• Throw at sibling
• Throw in the microwave to warm feet at night
• Throw at wall
• Don't throw to dog!
• Make into puppets
• Balance on head
• Open for food during the coming apocalypse

Moms and dads might want to practice ducking! (No ducks included.)

Acknowledgments: To all those who posted stuffed animal critters on the web so I could steal ideas and, more importantly, to my husband, aka The Man, for design ideas, quality check, and grunt labor.