Sunday, December 21, 2008

December 2008 Food Co-op

Food Co-op for December $14 Half Share:
2 lbs. chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 2-lb bag whole carrots
2 grapefruit
3 Utah red onions
6 Gala apples
1 bunch celery
1 carton mushrooms
5 bananas
1 lb bag black beans
1 loaf Stone Ground Artisan Wheat Loaf

Back to regular mundane posts. Enough with the candy! (besides, I'm sure there will be more candy in a few days)

Just for comparison, here was the offering for the Harvest Share $14:
1 5 lb. bag Yukon Gold potatoes, 3 grapefruit, 2 bunches celery, 4 Utah red onions, 2 2-lb bags whole carrots, 8 Gala apples, 1 carton mushrooms, 6 bananas, 3 avocados, 1 lb bag black beans and 1 loaf Stone Ground Artisan Wheat loaf.

And the Standard share $23:
2 lb Eye of chuck beef pot roast, 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 4-oz center cut pork chops, 1 5 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 grapefruit, 1 bunch celery, 2 Utah red onions, 1 2-lb bag whole carrots, 5 Gala apples, 1 carton mushrooms, 4 bananas, 1 1-lb bag black beans, and 1 loaf Stone Ground Artisan Wheat loaf

Orders for January are due by Friday January 9th. For more information go to www.foodco-op.org

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Part 9 Gingerbread Finale (We make our own!)

After seeing so many wonderful examples of gingerbread houses at the Festival of Trees, we were able to make and decorate our own gingerbread houses. I awoke early to make the houses with enough time for cooling before assembly. We were using molds loaned to us from my uncle and with my aunt's recipe, we were able to make three houses. The mold needed is John Wright Gingerbread House Cookie Pan 14-in and can be found at Amazon for around $26. For assembly I made sugar glue for the first time. Hence the burnt dark brown/black sugar glue for the first house. After using up the first batch of sugar glue, I attempted another batch, watching it more closely and taking it on and off the heat as it started to melt, while stirring with a wooden spoon. This second batch came out to a golden amber and tasted quite yummy from the little drizzles that we enjoyed after they cooled.
At a family party we decorated the houses. And here is Eva's beautiful gingerbread cottage with a frosting door.
Sarah went with a pink and red theme for her gingerbread cottage. They both included a lot of gummy bears with a few fish.
So this ends the series on Gingerbread for now.
Note: Sugar glue is merely melted sugar. Measure 1 cup sugar into a heavy pan and place over high heat. Stir occasionally at first and then constantly near the end - taking on and off the heat as needed to keep the syrup amber and not dark brown or black. Do not attempt to make sugar glue unless you have previous candy making experience since the syrup is far hotter (350-365 degrees F) than boiling water (212 degrees F) and can result in third degree burns. It requires a lot of patience and caution-definitely do not have children around while gluing the houses. Do a line of sugar glue on the base and then place the smoothed bottom of the wall onto the glue and hold until stable. Repeat with remaining walls. Drizzle sugar glue down the seams of the walls to seal together. Once the walls are assembled and the glue has hardened (about a few minutes) drizzle glue on the tops and apply roof pieces. Drizzle more glue along the top ridge of the roof to seal the roof together.

Friday, December 12, 2008

From Farmhouse to The Big Apple to North Pole Gingerbread Part #8

# 1 Thatched Roof Farm House
People celebrate Christmas from all kinds of habitations including farmhouses.#2 The Big Apple
And they celebrate in the cities with advertisements on buildings for Target and Coca-cola. And let's not forget movies like Twilight-does there seem to be a small fad for Edward Cullen among the gingerbread makers this year?
#3 North Pole Sweets
And what is something that they celebrate? Why, sweets! And some of the best sweets come from the North Pole.
(Please know that this is the materialistic and commercial celebration of Christmas-the birth of the Saviour of the World is the meaningful part and the focus of our lives but I think we are also here to enjoy things and the Festival of Trees is very enjoyable. Plus the Festival of Trees along with the accompanying gingerbread houses and wreaths and play cabins and other trappings represent a beautiful example of charity at work of helping others by raising money through donations and volunteers for Primary Children's Hospital.)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Part 7 From Gingerbread Cottages to Castles

#1 Janie May's Cottage
I really like the stone foundation and pretzel tree.#2 Castle (sorry, I didn't get the name in the picture)
How many turrets are on this gingerbread castle?

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Gingerbread Christmas Part #6

# 1 The Christmas Village
Traditional style gingerbread houses with candy canes and gumdrops and mints.#2 Christmas Carousel
Unique design and artful use of gingerbread reindeer.
#3 Kalahari Christmas
A generally warmer climate makes for a less insulated Gingerbread house although it can get below freezing in the winter in the Kalahari.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Part 5 From Candyland to Princess Land to Bah, Hum-BUG!

#1 Candyland
Isn't the Gingerbread Plum Tree fantastic?
#2 Candyland
In this picture you can make out the licorice fort.
#2 Princess Land
I like the jellybean/gumdrop daisy flowers.
#3 Bah, Hum-BUG!
And this was both clever and odd but full of creativity.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Part #4 Gingerbread Authors

#1 Dickens Bookshop
A Christmas Carol written in 1843-need I say more?
#2 Louisa M. Alcott Home
If you haven't read Eight Cousins, I can highly recommend it.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Gospel Gingerbread part #3

# 1- Cozy Christmas Church
#2- Salt Lake LDS Temple
#3- BYU Hinckley Center

Click on pictures for more details.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Part 2 Gingerbread Romance

First up is "A Twilight Christmas"-who could possibly be in the tree with a sign below saying "The City of Forks" ? Click on the picture to see more detail including Bella's truck.


Next is a classic, "The Highwayman" I love the original poem by Alfred Noyes and the vocal version done by Loreena McKennitt. You can her beautiful rendition on various videos on youtube. (Picture is at the bottom after the poem.)

Alfred Noyes (1880-1958)

The Highwayman

PART ONE

I

THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

II

He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

III

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

IV

And dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say—

V

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

VI

He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet, black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonliglt, and galloped away to the West.

PART TWO

I

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching—
Marching—marching—
King George's men came matching, up to the old inn-door.

II

They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

III

They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They had bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now, keep good watch!" and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say—
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!

IV

She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

V

The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain .

VI

Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up, straight and still!

VII

Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.

VIII

He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

IX

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

* * * * * *

X

And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding—
Riding—riding—
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

XI

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard;
He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

I really appreciate that the artist of the house kept the highwayman on his horse to visit Bess. So many versions have him dismounting and going up the inn and that's not accurate to the poem.


Friday, December 05, 2008

Gingerbread Houses Part 1

Ginger bread houses at the Festival of Trees. Look for more pictures everyday this week.

The first is "A Christmas Cottage" I especially like the chocolate kisses along the top of the roof continuing the red, white and green Christmas color scheme.


The next is "The Warmth of Friends". Note the caramel corn at the base of the tree and the height of the cabin complete with a sledder going down the hill.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Food Co-op November 2008

November half share $14
2 lbs. Chicken leg quarters, 4 oranges, 6 kiwis, 2 avocados, 1 red leaf lettuce, 1 loaf Stone Ground multi-grain bread, 1 lb. bag rice, 1 lb package cube steaks, 1 bunch bananas, 1 bunch broccoli, and 3 tomatoes.

Order for December due December 5th. www.foodco-op.org

Another healthy side note: Jessica, Eva and Sarah went with me to walk (Jessica ran) a neighborhood 5K on Thanksgiving morning. We all made it to the finish and then walked home. We enjoyed walking with friends. Thank you to Janice for sponsoring the walk and setting it up.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Cat Mishaps and Veterinary Bills

Part of pet ownership is taking care of the animals in your possession. Our 12+ year old, little 7 and 1/2 pound cat is basically a DIY type cat-feral with almost anyone to the point of clawing to get away except with our family and my dad. (She behaves at the vet's office if we participate in holding her.) It took us three months just to catch her to have her spayed and when we moved ten years or so ago we didn't know if she'd stick around the new home. She's caught everything from mice and rats to a hummingbird that she had to show off before the death chomp. She rarely gets into fights with other cats-usually seeking to get away. Well, this time she wasn't so fortunate. Our vet thinks the other cat bit her in her right hind paw, judging from the three deep puncture wounds he found. The bite quickly became infected and we took her in after a few days of noticing it was not getting better-without know what was wrong other than her foot was swollen.They initially cleaned all the gunk out from her foot, put in a couple of drain shunts with bandaging and paired it with the oh so chic collar. They said she was a really sweet cat (Are they talking about our cat ?!?!?-She can behave when she knows she's hurt.) Throw in several follow-up visits, a couple of bottles of antibiotics and more bandages before she was finally healed enough for the bandages and collar to come off after a very long three weeks of having our outdoor cat inside.

She's like an outdoor dog-meows at the door to go out and rarely wants to be in more than an hour or so unless it is freezing with blowing snow drifts. It was just in time since she figured out a not so cute contortionist act of stretching her neck out of the collar to reach her extended foot so that she could chew off the bandage during the last 3-4 days of recovery. That's when we started slapping on a bandage ourselves with the home first aid kit of triple antiobiotic, a pad, cotton gauze wrap and first aid adhesive tape.

Her paw will never be exactly as aesthetically pretty as before but the wound is healed beautifully and she started purring loudly when we took off the collar.

Recovered cat with her casual, non-interested look, imitated by Eva-just hanging out together as Eva was reading a Garfield cartoon book from the library. By the way, our vet is really reasonable-the whole episode was only around $250 on the high end-but most places would have charged about three times as much. They are professional and caring at the Millcreek Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Foster has been our veterinarian for a long time now.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Fine Dining at LaCaille

I've never been to LaCaille before... so when I had the opportunity to go with Jessica for a fine dining course thorugh her school I eagerly accepted for both of us. (Parents were invited.) Jessica took pictures of the beautiful grounds.

The front entrance.

The beautiful pond with many birds from swans to peacocks.

The lighting was not the best but this is the escargot (snail) we enjoyed with a pieces of baguette and a garlic butter sauce. We both ate our single snail serving and found that the snails really had no discernible taste with the sauce and a texture similar to a meaty mushroom (like a Shiitake mushroom). The picture below is a clearer example.
(Thank you to Flickr and Williamnyk for the escargot picture above.)

I had the salmon and Jessica had the chicken. Everything was wonderful and I especially liked that the 6 course dinner was only about a small fraction of what it would have cost if we had just come in to dine off the regular menu. I'm grateful that LaCaille offers this opportunity to students (and some parents) who might otherwise miss out on the wonders of fine dining at this historic establishment.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Feed 1 Giant a giant breakfast sandwich

Mmmmm..... this was way better than anything on a fast food breakfast menu. We recently enjoyed this unusual dinner item and found it warmed up to delicious leftovers the next morning. I love food that that's good the first time and good as leftovers.













Breakfast Sandwich for a Giant

1 lb. round loaf French bread
4 to 6 ounces of thinly sliced deli ham and/or turkey
5 to 7 eggs, scrambled with salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese or cheese of your choice
1/2 red, orange or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced





1-Cut a thin slice from the top of the French bread and reserve. Hollow out the bread to create a shell of about 1/2". (Use scooped out bread for something else or for the birds.)

2- Layer 1/3 of meat on bottom, then top with slices of pepper and half the cheese.

3-Top with scrambled eggs, then tomato slices, and next the remaining cheese and end with the last 2/3 of the meat, pressing down on layers if necessary to make them fit.

4- Replace bread lid and wrap loaf in aluminium foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and loaf is heated through.

5-Slice into 6-8 wedges to serve for humans or just wrap whole sandwich in paper towels to serve a Giant.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

2008 (and before!) Halloween






































































Sarah's pumpkin is on the far left with the homage to Charlie Brown's costume from It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
Eva went with a more traditional round nose and toothy grin for her upside-down crescent eyed pumpkin. Jessica's pumpkin is a cute puppy dog next to the mailbox with little round ears at the top, two round dots for eyes and a round nose with whiskers above a tongue.










Eva was a gypsy this year.




In previous years we've had more gypsies and mermaids along with wizards and other costumes.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Everyday occurrences in housework

These are just two moments among many where I'm proud to show family members that are willing to pitch in and help out.

Sweeping.
Cleaning dishes with the help of a dishwasher.

A dishwasher performs the equivalent of 225+ hours of labor per year compared with hand washing dishes. (from the energystar site sponsored by the government.) So how do I spend those extra hours? Write things like this blog for one thing. We have the equivalent of a house full of servants with modern technological conveniences from dishwashers to vacuum cleaners but we actually still spend a fair chunk of time on housework because standards in cleanliness and hygiene have risen as well as fashion.

(How many of us reading this blog really have just one outfit for summer and one outfit for winter to wear on Sundays? Yet we know of generations just before ours with an outfit for Sunday and maybe 2 or 3 outfits for school. So even fashion has contributed to the steady need for housework in cleaning, drying and occasionally ironing.) Ah...but I still like my washer and dryer and dishwasher and toaster and microwave and fridge and lights and heat and running water and etc, etc.....

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Food Co-op for October 2008

Harvest Share $14
4 tomatoes, 1 honeydew melon, 5 pears, 2 artichokes, 1 loaf Stone Ground Whole Grain Bread, 1 lb bag of brown rice, 1 1/2-lb. carton Utah mushrooms, 2 bunches red leaf lettuce, 5 oranges, 2 1-lb. pkgs. baby carrots, and 1 Utah spaghetti squash.


Nutty Guys Sampler of Roasted, salted sunflower seeds, raw whole almonds, butter toffee peanuts, and roasted, salted whole cashews for $11.50.

Order for November is due on Friday the 7th with pickup on Saturday November 22nd. Find more information at the Food Co-op.org site.