Fortune Cookie Fortune...

(Not that I believe in the fortunes that come in the cookies, but had to share)...opened up a fortune cookie and the fortune was "the love of your life is right in front of your eyes."

Felt kind of strange since I was looking at my computer....

Cookies

I played with a recipe that I've already mentioned on here, my great-grandmother's Bread Crumb Cookies (Feb. 9, 2010). I changed the cloves to cinnamon. Also, because we didn't have raisins, I used dried cherries. The third thing was that the dough was very dry and crumbly, wouldn't stay together so I added 2 tablespoons of milk and about 1/8th cup of water. I still baked them the 10-12 minutes and they came out fine. Better than fine...the change to cinnamon and addition of the cherries made these already delicious cookies delectable.

The other cookies I made were Butterscotch Gingersnaps. I needed to use the butterscotch chips and this was the recipe I used. The flavors of the gingersnap cut down on the sweetness of the butterscotch making these cookies very enjoyable; it all blended together wonderfully.

Butterscotch Gingersnaps
about 5 dozen


3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/3 cup molasses
11 ounce package butterscotch chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; set aside. Cream together butter, sugar, egg and molasses until creamy. Gradually add in flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Add in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9-1 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. YUM!


Dwell refreshed!

Post #50

Whee...I was going to post something else, and I will, but wanted to mark the 50th post.

Cake in Mug II

I have been playing with the Cake in Mug recipe a bit. I started with just eliminating the cocoa and chocolate chips:

Vanilla Cake in Mug
1 serving

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
2-3 tbsp butterscotch chips, coarsely chopped (optional)
½ tsp vanilla (Tahitian)

Add dry ingredients to large coffee mug mix well; add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add chips if using. Put mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (insert knife in center to test doneness). The cake will rise over the top of the mug.

Note: Outside of cake will appear spongy…inside will be done.






AND just now...


I created the Almond Cherry Sour Cream Cake in Mug...this recipe, however is 1 extra large serving or 2 servings. I cut it in 1/4ths after using a gigantic coffee mug and served 3 small servings. (No picture...we enjoyed it before I thought of getting out the camera...next time though).

Almond Cherry Sour Cream Cake in Mug
2 serving

9 tbsp flour
6 ½ tbsp sugar
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
½ tsp vanilla (tahatian)
2 heaping tsp sour cream
1 tsp almond extract
¼ tsp cherry extract

Add dry ingredients to extra large coffee mug or small soup bowl and mix well; add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Put mug in the microwave and cook for 4 minutes and 30 seconds at 1000 watts (insert knife in center to test doneness). The cake will rise over the top of the mug.

Note: Outside of cake will appear spongy…inside will be done.


Serve warm or at room temperature. Is even better with homemade Raspberry-Plum jam, if you have some. (I used that which my cousin [Lynn Geiszler] made).

I also mix my ingredients in a separate container before pouring into mug, usually a glass 2-cup measuring cup and mix with fork. Makes mixing much easier.


Enjoy & dwell refreshed!

Early Morning Scramble

I've been up all night saving recipes from some of my mom's cookbooks into my computer. I started getting hungry after a few hours so I decided to fix myself something to eat. What I came up with was delicious so I'm sharing it. Would also be great with any fresh vegetables you have on hand...bell peppers, green onions, etc. Can also wrap up in tortilla and eat on the go.

Early Morning Scramble
2 servings

3 spears of broccoli florets
2 tbsp minced onion
1/2 carrot, diced super fine
1/2 celery rib, diced super fine
3 eggs
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp dill weed
Mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 handfuls or as little or much as you want)
1/2 to 1 tbsp butter

Put skillet on low to heat; add butter. Break eggs into a bowl and scramble with a fork; add salt, pepper, garlic powder and dill weed. Pour in hot pan. Once the eggs have started to set slightly, add chopped vegetables and stir in. Cook to desired doneness, stirring occasionally (I don't like ooze, so I cook to well done). When just about done, turn off heat and add a handful of cheese and stir in. Add about 1/4 of handful to bowl or plate; pour egg mixture onto plate and add remaining cheese to top. Serve immediately.

To prepare the night before, chop up all vegetables and place in fridge overnight. Set out spices, pan, plate, etc. In a.m. heat pan and prepare as above.

Spring Time

We've been having warmer weather and lots of sunshine in my corner of the world the past few days. It is such a nice change from all the rain. It was even warm enough to wear shorts today (70's)...white legs and all!! It's a good thing I didn't leave the house today. :)

Here are some springtime pictures I took recently. Hope they cheer your day!

Cake in Mug

I made a couple new recipes today...

The first was a vegetarian meatloaf...it was quite good. My dad, who is (personally, himself) is against eating vegetarian food even liked it. I took a taste and asked him to tell me what he thought of the flavor before I told him what it was. At dinner, he ate two pieces. He did state that he wouldn't want it all the time and that he wants his meatloaf with meat in it, but that he thought it was okay.

The other recipe is Cake in Mug.

I actually made three (for two of my brothers and myself). The first one overflowed and made a mess of the mug and the napkins I had it sitting on. The second one puffed up without overflowing...like it was supposed to be. The third was a volcano (pictured below). Still, they tasted yummy. Great with a glass of cold milk or hot coffee!


Cake in Mug

1 serving

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp miniature chocolate chips(optional)
a small splash of vanilla essence
1 coffee mug


Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well; add the remaining ingredients (except chips) and carefully mix thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips (if using) to top of cake. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug.

Today's Weather

Here in Northern California, we've been having rain again. Today I captured two rainbows...even was able to take pictures of the one touching the ground. It was a complete arch, however, I couldn't get enough distance to take the entire arch. They were so beautiful!

Lilias Trotter Quote

From her diary, September 9, 1902

Trained faith is a triumphant gladness in having nothing but God - no rest, no foothold - nothing but Himself - A triumphant gladness in swinging out into that abyss, rejoicing in a very fresh emergency that is going to prove Him true - The Lord Along - that is trained faith.

From the biography: A Passion for the Impossible by Miriam Huffman Rockness (c)1999, 2003 Discovery House Publishers ISBN 1-57293-108-6

Yum...Bread Crumb Cookies...

Today I made a "new to me" recipe. This recipe was from my maternal great grandmother's recipe collection. The instructions were to mix all ingredients and bake. Well, since we are using this recipe for our family reunion (newsletter and website), I needed to make a batch to find out the baking time/temperature.

The house smelled great while they were baking. They turned out to be crispy and chewy cookies. The ground cloves were definitely there...left a slight after taste. Next time I make them...and I will be...I might try cinnamon instead of the cloves or less of the cloves with cinnamon as well.

They were yummy otherwise and I am so excited to have recipes from my great grandmother handed down to me.

Bread Crumb Cookies

36-48 cookies

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Mix all ingredients; drop in greased pans with teaspoon and bake.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden around edges.

Bread Crumb Cookies

Baby Blue Eyes

I fell for those eyes of blue,

the moment I met you.

Your smile so bright,

to this weary soul gave light;

a tickle of the tummy,

a giggle worth more than money;

For six months you gave so much love,

sent from heaven above,

Now your gone, my heart will have to go on,

but forever...there you'll live on.

Note: Not gone in death; He was adopted by someone other than me.

Looking back in time...to 1991

While going through some papers last night, I came across a poem/song I wrote while I was in high school. It was mid-winter break (Christmas) and I stayed in Michigan instead of coming home. I was staying at a relative of a cousin of mine. It was quite late at night, probably around midnight or so. I was sharing a room with some of the children in the family and couldn't turn a light on, so I wrote in by the moon light that was streaming in the window directly over me. I thought I'd share it.

My life was shattered,

I was down in the dumps.

I couldn't hold myself up

and I was gonna jump.

Then I saw Him.

That Man with the nail prints in His hands.

A gentle tugging at my heart

came only with two words;

spoke from the heart...

Don't go.

As I looked in those sad eyes,

I saw love and compassion as He repeated...

Don't go.

I turned toward Him,

tears in my eyes.

I said, "I'm sick of this life,

I want to go."

Then He sat down and said,

"I can give you a new life,

just don't go, follow me."

My life has changed,

I'm thankful I didn't go.

With my new life and love I now can say...

Don't go,

please don't go,

don't go,

oh, don't go.

Dwell refreshed.

December 21, 2009

December 21, 2009 was a sad day in our little corner of the world. Spitz, my brother Joe's cat, died at 9:15a.m. Joe and I spent the last 3 hours of his life with him, Casey joined us for the last hour. It was such a difficult time, watching him struggle for breath at the end. We hoped he would have gone quickly, but he didn't; he is now no longer in any pain and he isn't suffering. He was a loved little boy!

Spitz joined our family in 1996. Mom told Joe that if he got his grades up, he could have a cat. One day, mom saw some wild kittens sitting on our back fence and told dad to go get one for Joey. Dad was trying to catch a gray fluffy cat and came up with Spitz when the others scrambled away before dad could get there. Dad named him...Spitz. Spitz was chosen because when dad brought him in, he was spitting and trying to claw dad. He was soooo tiny. He fit in the palm of our hands.

We put him in a tall box and would pet him to tame him. He eventually came around and became a tame kitten.

Dad tells a story about Spitz, how dad would grab him and flop him over and grab his belly...soon, Spitz would walk up to dad and flop over and try to grab dad in play. The boys also tried to get him to fight all the time. I, myself, am allergic to cats and needed him not to scratch every time someone went to pet him. When dad and Casey drove to Michigan, I tamed him again and he really only fought with Joe after that.

Also, when he was a kitten, dad brought in a fishing pole with a plastic worm on it. We would cast it down the hall and Spitz would chase it back up, as we reeled it in. Eventually, if we wanted to play, all we had to do is pull the line out, making a sound as it unwound and he would come running. Eventually, dad put the pole away; later in life, when dad would get the pole out to set up for fishing, and he pulled the line, Spitz would still come looking to play.

Spitz was a sickly cat most of his life. He would throw up and throw up and he would loose weight and look terrible and then a few months later, he would be healthy, full of fire and glowing coat. He loved to sit in the sun. His fur would gain a red tinge in the sun. The past few years, Spitz would go roam the neighborhood, disappearing for days on end. About three weeks ago, he became quite ill again, loosing weight. He was so thin, loosing weight each day. He became more lethargic as the days went on. We brought him in the house and fixed a box for him to sleep in. At night, we'd put it in the bathroom, so if he messed, it would be easier to clean (and not on the carpet!).

Approximately 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec 20, Spitz walked into Joe's room, where his box was and crawled up into it. When Joe went to bed, he transfered the box to the bathroom again. At 6a.m., I went to the restroom and noticed that Spitz was struggling to breath slightly. When I moved his head, it was completely lethargic and he didn't respond. I went in and woke Joe up and told him he needed to come. He took the box into the living room and laid down on the floor next to the box, I sat in the recliner. For some time, Joe held his dying body. Finally at about 8a.m. he started struggling more. He would gasp every so often for breath, breathing his last at 9:15 a.m.

He was Joe's best friend, but we all loved him!

Rest in Peace dear black baby boy!!

Jibberish

There once was a man from the land of Google, who thought he wanted a poodle.

He climbed in his machine and began to glean...using his noodle...

information on getting a poodle...he named it Doodle.

This is a rhyme without a purpose,

written during a time when I wasn't nervous...

just looking to kill time...

with this silly rhyme!

Trying new things

Today, I became a caterer's assistant for a few hours. I washed fruit, peeled and sliced more fruit, layered various danishes on a tray and helped load the transport van. Tomorrow I am staying home to help with two sick or invalid persons. Shall make for an interesting day.

Trying something new

I tried a couple of new recipes today. One was a Smoked Salmon Pizza. It sounds strange, but it was actually quite delightful. The other was a Jalapeno Poppers Dip recipe. I made both for potluck tomorrow. The popper dip won't be tasted until tomorrow since it needs to be baked just before serving. I purchased Triscuits and another cracker to go with it.

The other thing I did today was go to an adoption agency to get signed up to adopt. I'm quite excited to get the ball rolling. I'll update periodically on the progress.

Dwell refreshed.

Thanksgiving 2009

Our family had a great Thanksgiving. It was a small year for us. We had approximately 45 people. My mother made 33 pies, we had 3 turkeys (2 roasted in oven, 1 smoked), mashed potatoes, dressing/stuffing, gravy, yams/sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, creamed corn (homemade by my grandmother, not out of a can), rolls and much more.

My grandmother insists on having a "program" each year. This year it consisted of my aunt, her grandson and a cousin reading/singing a poem book. Then my g-ma insisted that I play the piano, so instead of just playing one song, mom and some of the children handed out hymnals and I played while everyone sang.

My contribution to the meal was peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin dip with apple slices and gingersnaps for the appetizers, rolls (8 dozen) and for the children, suckers made out of melted life savers, loosely in the shapes of apples and pumpkins. The little ones loved them and ate them before they even had dinner.

The food was great. I only had one complaint...my stomach wasn't big enough to keep going. I had a piece of rhubarb-raspberry pie and ended up taking cherry and berry home. They were delicious as usual.

That night, I took my two young cousins, who are more like a niece and nephew in relationship with me to where I was house sitting. They stayed Thursday and Friday nights. I let them stay up late and sleep in on Friday. When we got up, we went to KFC/A&W to eat (chicken and hamburgers). Then we went shopping at the Dollar Tree. I even purchased a few items for their birthdays, and they never saw the items. Cool! After stopping at the grocery store for a few items, we went back to the house. We had pizza and gingerbread cake for dinner; watched a couple of dvd (George Younce [Cathedral Quartet] memorial dvd and Watchmen Quartet [Calif]). It was neat to see their responses to the dvds. We went to be early on Friday. On Saturday, we got up and went to church. There was potluck after the service. Both R & O were excited to be able to attend church with me.

Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays of the year, was a nice celebration extended through the weekend.

Dwell refreshed

Housesitting 101

Housesitting 101

If the timeframe is more than just a few days, make sure you get all instructions in writing.

Make sure you are comfortable with the people you are housesitting for; you will be comfortable in their house. If not, there may be a bit of awkwardness while staying there.

Items you’ll need to know about (instruction to get in writing):

· Emergency Contact Numbers where the home owners will be

· Phone: Do the home owners want you to answer the phone when there is a call or let it go to voicemail

· Gardening/Yard work (watering/mowing; planting/harvesting [if vegetables, etc], plant trimming, where the hoses/spigots are; garden tools needed [if any])

· Pets (food/water/toys; if pets are allowed indoors; any special instructions; vet clinic and what to do if there is an emergency with a pet)

· Any special phone calls (doctor’s appointments, other important information such as lawyers/insurance agents/etc)

· Garbage service (when to put out; where cans are located, etc)

· Washing Machine/Dryer (if any special instructions)

· Cleaning Supplies locations (broom/dustpan/mop/bucket/window cleaner/vacuum/etc)

· Food (any to be used immediately/what is available to you and what is not [if any])

· Mail Delivery (a place to collect mail, if home owners are having you pick it up) and Newspapers (if home owners are being delivered; do home owners want you to save them or throw out, etc)

· Towels/Washcloths/Dishcloths and kitchen towels

· Any rooms/areas that are off limits

· Are guests acceptable

Have a notebook and pen (if not provided) to take any phone messages that might come in while you are housesitting (if you will be answering the phone)

These folks are trusting you with their home, respect it and their privacy.

If you are not from the area pick up a map of city/town, along with a local phone book, if it is not provided. Most phone books have a basic map of the area, but not usually too detailed. Also, go driving around to become more familiar with the area. It might also be a good idea to find out where the nearest fire department is and where the police station is located. Another helpful place you might look up is the post office.

If there are pets you’ll be caring for it might be a good idea for you to go a few days ahead, while the homeowners are still in town for the pets to get to know you soon. You’ll also want to find out if there are any special instructions for the pets (such as: a dog that doesn’t like to be grabbed by the collar and will bite if such is done; an older pet that might pass away while in your care and what to do in that case; any special dietary needs of pets, etc)

One of the most challenging aspects of house sitting is the amount of time you will be alone. If you are not used to spending most or all of your time alone, this can prove to be somewhat unsettling. If you are house sitting away from your normal activity area (your home and the city/town you live in and around), and you are housesitting for more than a few days, you might consider getting to know some of the neighbors in the area. Also, check, the local newspaper for any festivals or community activities going on in the area. It also helps to keep in contact with your family and friends. If you are working while housesitting, this might not be as difficult since you most likely will be interacting with others during your work hours. Your alone hours will not be as many. If you are a person who has a difficult time meeting new people, you will need to plan ahead to have activities to fill the hours you will be alone. If you are allowed to have guests over, plan a weekend activity to connect with your friend/family.

Items to bring with you when housesitting

(some are needed if you are house sitting for more than a couple of days and especially if you are not working while you are housesitting)

· Clothes

· Shoes

· Personal grooming supplies

· Activities to keep busy with (if you are working a steady job, you’ll probably not need as many of these since you’ll most likely be gone most of the day during the work week)

o Books/Magazines

o Movies

o Computer

o Video Games

o Other projects you might be working on

o Etc

· Food (if there is anything specific you want or for any special dietary needs)

· Medicines (if you are taking any) and any that you might need in case of illness.

· Personal bedding (if not supplied or if you are like me and like your own blankets and pillows)

Life in a Small Town

Living in a small town

Born and raised in the Lodi (CA) area, I have always heard Lodi described as a “small town” or having a “small town atmosphere”. The past two months I have been living in a town with less than 25,000 inhabitants...truly a small town. In two months I have discovered that living in a small town has many advantages. Along with the advantages also come disadvantages.

The neighbors are friendly; even going so far as to put out the garbage cans for their neighbors. For all the friendliness, there was an extremely small down side. The newspaper disappeared for several days. After I realized it was walking away, I started going out to pick it up earlier in the day. The second day of retrieving it earlier, one of the previous days papers, that had gone missing, was returned, rubber banded together, ads and all.

The cashiers at the mom & pop grocery store know their customers by name, greeting them when they walk in. They are welcoming to an unknown customer with warmth and delight, as if they have known you for years. The politicians are also personable. During the election time, while I was there, I spoke to a mayoral candidate on the phone, when she phoned the house to stress her platform for running. During “trick or treating” on Halloween, a flyer from her campaign was left on the doorstep and on Election Day, a reminder call to vote, from one of her volunteers. Not a recorded voice, but an actual pleasant person. She won the election. I don’t know if it was because of her personal approach or not, but I would think it was in her favor.

Another thing, livestock is not banned from “city limits”, a goat or lamb bleated in the house behind where I was staying. I also hear a rooster several mornings. Delightful sounds to this city turned country girl.

The air in a small town is fresher not bogged down by smog and other big city stenches; you can step outside at night and see the stars. Not just the few with the strongest light, but many, many more.

Businesses close up in the early evening as the owners and employees go home to their families. I had become used to having 24 hour stores and it was a change for me to be in a place where there were none. Such was a great learning experience on waiting, no “instant gratification” for the things I desired or needed.

Having had this experience and already having the desire to eventually move to a small town, I learned first hand experience that moving to a small town will be a delight, one I greatly look forward to.

House Sitting

I am going to be housesitting and dogsitting for 30-60 days. I am going to be in a little country town called Riverbank. It will be quiet. I'm looking forward to the change that it will bring for a few weeks.