Tuesday, January 29, 2008

I'm just sayin'...consider it

Now, I'm not going to get all political on you, BUT if you don't want the world to come to an end, don't vote for Mitt Romney. I am not religious, and I have to say it is because of the Mormons. I was for a very short period of time, and it is a cult. Horrible experiences, that I'd really like to black out.
Anywho, Let me tell you what will happen if a MORMON makes it to the white house.

1) We'll all have to wear special underwear called garments. Not more thongs, Lacy boy shorts, etc. Granny panties all the way. Victoria's Secret will become an underground store. Think black market lingerie. A man approaches you, opens his overcoat and has all kinds of Lacy things hanging on the inside. It will be one of those "meet me in a dark alley, if you want those red panties." moments.
2) Every last drop of caffeine will be removed from the earth. No Small World. No Caramel Macchiatos, no Coke with lime. You get the picture.
3) No smoking. Anything.
4) Before any worldly decision is made, Romney will have to consult his "prophet". Some guy who's name was pulled out of a hat by 12 other guys and Viola, he's an all knowing, all seeing "prophet", who's just going to use Romney as his puppet to rule the world.
5) Ladies, the worst of it is for us. We're seen as child bearing vessels, who must cover almost every inch of our bodies in clothing. Practically a Burka. If you work, you'll be fired and will be confined to your house to do "Woman's work."
6) Tom Cruise will move to mars, because he and his Scientolobot wife and Scientolotot won't stand for the changes. Wait, that's a good thing.
7)NO ALCOHOL. Think Prohibition, only worse. All the alcoholic starlets will get the dt's, and stop making movies. Oh wait, that doesn't matter, only G movies will be made from now on.
8) Some freaky Future teller of the church,(Seriously there really is one) will basically tell us all that we're going to hell, because we haven't been following the word of God for our whole lives. There might be a slight chance that you'll get into one of their three levels of heaven. We're talking slim chance people.
9) If you ever go to Utah, don't plan on coming back. You get off the plane, they brainwash you before you even get out of the airport, and you're forever trapped in a world of Stepford Mormons. They'll expect you to start breeding mini-Mormons immediately.
10) Everywhere you go there will missionaries in black pants and white shirts. We'd call them the "morality police". But they'd call it "spreading the "good word".
11) If you get married, it will take place in a creepy room, in some big temple, with only You, your spouse and some guy who I really think just wants to watch you procreate for the first time. No one is allowed to discuss this ceremony. I'm telling you it's some bizarre threesome.

Which leads me to #12......NO SEX. No Pleasure sex, only Procreation Sex. Basically a wham-bam-thank-you-Mame-now-your-knocked-up.

So, If you'd like your world to stay somewhat the same, DON'T VOTE FOR THE MORMON!

Disclaimer: I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm just telling it like it is.....

Monday, January 28, 2008

Operation Homefront and Operation Santa

Whew, is all I can really say. I worked my ass off last week. And before you go any further, if you don't want to be depressed, you might want to stop reading now.
A neighbor of mine runs the Operation Santa and Operation Homefront on Fort Dix and McGuire AFB. She is a very nice woman...the tough-as-nails-broad type. Doesn't take crap from anyone and is willing to do anything to help someone out in a heartbeat. So, I felt I needed to do the same for her. She has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer on the outside of her throat. Knowing that she would be starting chemo and radiation soon, I offered to help her at the "building" (where both Operations are run out of). She jumped at the chance for help. This time of year is almost busier then Christmas, since stores donate their leftover clearance stuff that didn't sell. Toys, stuffed animals, books, etc. You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff. I took my son with me and he was in heaven. They also have used toys that are donated for other families that might need things on the base, but most of it is new. Everything old gets washed and we have a group of prisoners that come in to help. I busted my butt. Sorted books, arranged toys by age and type of toy, organized, organized and organized. It was an exhausting week, but I left feeling really good because we got most of it done. I felt like I had worked off the little gifts she's constantly leaving at the door for the kids. She's probably in her 60's and has 2 daughters who don't appreciate her at all. It's sad. This is Cancer instance #1.
Saturday afternoon, there's a knock at my door. There stands my favorite customer. I had not heard from her since Thanksgiving and I truly felt that something was wrong. She'd sometimes stop by, just to drop off cooking articles, goodies for the kids or neat old cookbooks (I collect old and antique cookbooks). Her mother happened to be a Home Ec. teacher back in the day. Well, as it happens, she lives with her partner (and they're in they're 60's, easily) and they're very cool ladies. As it turns out, a week before Christmas, her partner had a massive infection in her body, that paralyzed and she almost died. Good news is, she's home and on the mend. Bad news is that My Customer has 3 large tumors on the lymph nodes in her neck. Not a good outlook, says she. I am crushed. Whenever she calls, I know exactly what she'll want. Lemon cake with lemon curd filling and and lemon curd whipped cream, or my award winning cheesecake covered in ganache. And here it is : Cancer instance #2.
Lastly My Aunt in Canada was on her deathbed a few months ago, with you guessed it, cancer. Leukemia. Thankfully, she is in remission now, although they're not expecting it to last long.
WHY??? WHY??? WHY????? It's everywhere and this week it's got me down a bit. I found 2 lumps. THANKFULLY, they're nothing. I hate it. The ones who most certainly do not deserve to get it do. Not that anyone deserves to get Cancer, but some people are just angels that you'd expect to coast through with their health. I need to get out of this funk.....

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

We'll be back after these messages.......

This is one of those CRAZY busy weeks. I've been working on the Military base and am officially exhausted. Today should be the last day.....although there is a chance I could be there until Friday. We'll see. I will be back to write about my adventures........

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Bitch. Nuff Said.

Rachael Ray – Dunkin' Coffee is S***Talk about biting the coffee bean that feeds you: Rachael Ray might be shilling for Dunkin' Donuts coffee and donuts on TV, but when push comes to drink, it's all Starbucks for RR.A spy for NYmag.com's Grub Street reports that on the set of Rachael's latest Dunkin' spot, she was given a cup of joe – but after just one sip, she yelled, "What is this s**t? Get me MY coffee." And, as it happens, HER coffee was from the competition, Starbucks.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Comfort food

I'm not a huge fan of the winter. I do like the seasons, but I either want a lot of snow, or for it to be some what warm. Being that it's cold and we have some snow on the ground, it brings out my want and need to cook and bake. Two words: Comfort Food. What justifies Comfort food for you? Is it food that you had as a child? Something that reminds you of a special event? Something a favorite relative made for you? Or is just a warm delicious meal, that fills you with good feelings?
For me it's all of the above. My Grandmothers baked Macaroni and cheese, with layers of macaroni and cheddar cheese a bit of milk, and baked into creamy goodness. (or as my tasteless husband calls it, Mac and milk) It brings fond memories of spending the summer in Long Island. They lived on the water, and my Grandfather and I would go out and fish, and come home to a smell so heavenly, I'd run off the boat and into the house. She made the greatest fish balls. (I know, sounds weird) Cod fish with mashed potatoes, shaped into balls, dredged in cracker meal and fried. You flattened them with your fork, in a certain way, added a dollop of Ketchup and your taste buds would sing. My grandmother was probably where I unknowingly at the time, got my love of food. Almost everyday we would make fresh bread. Is there anything better on earth, then a slice of fresh bread from the oven, slathered with butter?!
My Mother is an excellent cook also. She just fears the knife, and that's a hindrance in the kitchen. I taught knife skills classes, and did she sign up? No! And why didn't she? Because she knows I will come to her house, hear her in the kitchen snipping herbs with scissors, or something crazy like that, and although I try with every bone in my body, I will eventually come flying into the kitchen Yelling for her to remove herself from the room, before I lose it. She does it, because she know that I can chop, dice, julienne, brunoise and sliver in the time it would take her to peel a carrot. She reads me like I book. My Mother was fond of making what we called "wing-it's) meaning she just throw a bunch of stuff together and hope that it came out good. I have to give her credit, 95% of the time, they were good.
Aaaahhhh now onto my own menu for this week. Monday I made a cross between authentic bechamel lasagna. (Lasagna Bolognese) and the traditional Lasagna Napolitana, with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Now, I will admit that I do not cook lasagna noodles anymore. I LOVE the Barilla no cook noodles. The stay firm, not soggy, like some other brands. I learned this through process of elimination, while teaching a basic cooking skills coarse. I layered noodles, bechamel (cream sauce) added dollops of ricotta, generously sprinkled shredded mozz, and then the sauce. I did four layers, topped it with lots of mozz and Parmesan. The key to not letting the foil stick to the cheese is to lightly spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray. I baked it, made a post of meatballs and sausage with sauce, and awaited a taste bud party. Well, I loved it, it was so creamy, and but still held up so nicely. my 2 year old loved it. (he's a cheese fiend) My husband loved it. My 8 year old...not so much. Oh well, I can't win them all.
Today I'm take a huge piece of beef chuck, adding finely diced onions, some green chilli's, cumin, cilantro, a pinch of coriander, and a bit of beef stock. I'll slow cook it in a cast iron dutch oven, all day and then take it out and shredded it. I'll let the heavily scented juices reduced a bit and with the meat added back in. When it's done, I'll make soft tacos or quesadillas, whatever they're in the mood for. Cheddar cheese, tender meat, fresh mango salsa, a dollop of sour cream, whatever they crave. This is my 8 year old's favorite meal. It fill my heart and soul to know, that I am creating memories of comfort food for her. She cooks at my Mom's house, but I don't really let her do to much here. I have gas, my mom has electric, I have extremely sharp knives, and honestly it's sad to say, I don't have the patience to teach children. I must have total control in the kitchen, or have someone to bark orders to, and I don't want to do that to her yet.
So, I hope I haven't left you starving...(I am). If I have, think about your favorite comfort food and find the time to make it. It really does make you feel good.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Sister Dear, here it is.....

My sister feels it necessary to make fun of these rabbits that I make as baby gifts. Here is a normal one:


So I felt it was necessary to make her the ugliest one I possibly could.

Here is is as promised. I never put buttons on the baby ones......but I did on yours, in hope that you might CHOKE on them. Bwahahahahahaha!!
Love ya #1!




Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Go Ahead. Make fun.


Over the last few days, I have heard nothing but teasing and taunting from my Family members. Here is why: I can NOT sit and watch tv or even just sit for a little while, without NEEDING to do something with my hands. I can sit for hours and create these gumpaste flowers that have to be cut and shaped petal by petal.

This is why I don't have a desk job. There is no way I could sit still through an entire day. Even if I spent the whole day just typing, still wouldn't satify that itch. So here are my projects from recent weeks, or days. The lovely Blue sweater with a pocket front and roll neck collar, that I knitted in about 4 days. It had a hood. I had to remove it, because it wouldn't fit over my sons head. It still doesn't and everytime I go near him holding the sweater, he runs in the other directions screaming "NO FIT" and "DON'T WANT IT". Well, Thanks little buddy, you'll have this sweater forever and I'll just make fun of you for having big head in a few years. Not the fact that I may have knit it to tight. My daughter LOVES hers and has worn it endlessly. I am now in the process of making myself one, and if I hear one more time "make sure it fits over your head", from my wonderful husband, I'm going to knit him the ugliest one I possibly can.

So after knitting, I figured I'd take a break for a few nights, and have been making these: I have always been fascinated with Oragami. I got this really cool little kit for Christmas called "Minigami". When I was younger, I did it all the time. Something about paper folding, and watching this tiny paper transform into something is cool. Most of my family members couldn't name what half of these, in my mind, OBVIOUS shapes are. I'll leave it to you reader, to make your interpretations.
This photo---> is to give you a better idea of the size of these Minigami. Please, feel free to make fun, or even venture a guess as what some of these objects apparently aren't.











This post is really just to make fun of my family, and show them how little the appreciate my freakish activities.......and allow myself to accept the fact that my hands have some kind of hyperactivity disorder. Can you tell business is a little slow at the moment? All I have on the Calendar is a cake in the shape of a barn for this weekend......
Oh, and how much am I LOVING the new Canon?! LOOK at those close up! The detail! I love it!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Bath time

Here is my boy, who since birth has hated the bath. Bathing him consisted of one of us getting in the shower and the other standing outside the shower and cleaning him. Slippery, slithery, and thankfully, never dropped. I am glad to say those days are over. For some BIZARRE reason he suddenly loves it and asks about 50 times a day if he take one. Santa brought him some new bath toys, maybe they we enticing enough to warrant getting. My daughter is in the tub also, but she a a little older, so she's staying out of view...you can hear the commentary and my son using his new favorite words.....which I now hear 50 times a day also.....

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