- Robertson Davies
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Not uncommon . . .
The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a
return to the idealised past.
Serious work day . . .
No creative playing in the kitchen today for me. Cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning. First, I organized all my cooking magazines so I can easily go through them and pick out the recipes I've been meaning to try for months but could never remember where I saw them in the first place. Got rid of lots of ancient books the children have either outgrown or never liked in the first place. After ten-plus years, I don't think they are going to change their minds about them now. Going out of the used curriculum selling business on-line. Lots of room in my computer area and, probably, a lot of happy people when we take all the books down to the thrift store. If you can't use or sell something, you should put it out there for people who would enjoy them. It was a bit of a wrench at the heart strings to see some of the stuff go but a dear pastor once said that what is a treasure to us will be looked at as junk when we are gone and the family goes through our stuff. Hard to let go of some things but I hear say you can't take it with you! :-)
I'm going to put my daughters to work when they come home, too, clearing out their rooms. I could barely reach one's bed through the stacks of stuff she left when she went back to school in August.
Got really annoyed at the former speaker of the house again today. When the Catholic bishops don't agree with her on matters of Church rules, she calls them everything except correct in standing up for the Faith she purports to love. She is in favor of abortion yet claims she is a devout Catholic. Obviously, her training in the Catholic Faith was sadly lacking. The Church is pretty clear on this matter and the fact that our bishops object at our tax dollars going for abortion seems in line with the real Church . . . not the one the former speaker of the house would like to think it should be. She might do a little research into what is what with her 'devotion' to the Faith she 'loves' because publically being in favor or abortion and voting in favor of abortion could very well put her on the path to excommunicating herself from the Faith.
I just don't get it. If you don't like the rules, leave the 'club'. A priest told me once that people who think like our former speaker of the house don't want to be 'outside' of the organization as it is easier to cause trouble and damage from within.
I'm going to put my daughters to work when they come home, too, clearing out their rooms. I could barely reach one's bed through the stacks of stuff she left when she went back to school in August.
Got really annoyed at the former speaker of the house again today. When the Catholic bishops don't agree with her on matters of Church rules, she calls them everything except correct in standing up for the Faith she purports to love. She is in favor of abortion yet claims she is a devout Catholic. Obviously, her training in the Catholic Faith was sadly lacking. The Church is pretty clear on this matter and the fact that our bishops object at our tax dollars going for abortion seems in line with the real Church . . . not the one the former speaker of the house would like to think it should be. She might do a little research into what is what with her 'devotion' to the Faith she 'loves' because publically being in favor or abortion and voting in favor of abortion could very well put her on the path to excommunicating herself from the Faith.
I just don't get it. If you don't like the rules, leave the 'club'. A priest told me once that people who think like our former speaker of the house don't want to be 'outside' of the organization as it is easier to cause trouble and damage from within.
Christmas shopping thoughts . . .
Advertising may be described as the science of arresting human intelligence long
enough to get money from it.
All you ever wanted to know about mousse . . .!
Allrecipe never lets you down. Here is a link to the top 20 mousse recipes according to them. I did notice there was one for persimmons . . . ain't going to happen with my current stash of persimmons!
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/desserts/mousse/top.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/desserts/mousse/top.aspx
Catching up on stuff . . .
While my husband puts the finishing touches on his paint job in the bathroom, I notice there are a lot of check stubs and credit card receipts that need attention in my bookkeeping envelope! It is time to stop and do the bills to make sure the expenditures match the income!
I finished my Christmas list, yesterday, to make sure I would have cookies or a small gift for all the people in our lives. Still have a few orders to make and send as well as two, more shawls to finish crocheting. It's funny but crocheting isn't my favorite occupation but I seem to be doing a lot of it recently.
I've just about decided on the candy I will be making next week. I gave up on the idea for this week as we have a lot of other projects, like the bills (!), to get accomplished. Right now, I'm thinking of making peanut butter cups, peppermint bark, peanut butter crisp balls, almond bark, fudge (naturally!) and truffles. Be aware that this list could change at any moment!
I have to make sure I have the ingredients on hand to try that soft sugar cookie recipe tomorrow. Also, I have a friend's birthday coming up and need to come up with a special treat for that, too. Believe me, I'm not complaining as I will use any excuse to evolve new treats in the kitchen! I learned, long ago, that I can't possibly eat everything I make which is why sharing is so great.
Meanwhile, my poor quilt sits patiently on the sewing table awaiting those last few stitches. And, I have four quilt tops which would like to have any kind of attention. Too bad there isn't a market for my handiwork as I realized I have more than a few quilts on hand when they all fell down on me yesterday when I was trying to pull out just one of them.
I finished my Christmas list, yesterday, to make sure I would have cookies or a small gift for all the people in our lives. Still have a few orders to make and send as well as two, more shawls to finish crocheting. It's funny but crocheting isn't my favorite occupation but I seem to be doing a lot of it recently.
I've just about decided on the candy I will be making next week. I gave up on the idea for this week as we have a lot of other projects, like the bills (!), to get accomplished. Right now, I'm thinking of making peanut butter cups, peppermint bark, peanut butter crisp balls, almond bark, fudge (naturally!) and truffles. Be aware that this list could change at any moment!
I have to make sure I have the ingredients on hand to try that soft sugar cookie recipe tomorrow. Also, I have a friend's birthday coming up and need to come up with a special treat for that, too. Believe me, I'm not complaining as I will use any excuse to evolve new treats in the kitchen! I learned, long ago, that I can't possibly eat everything I make which is why sharing is so great.
Meanwhile, my poor quilt sits patiently on the sewing table awaiting those last few stitches. And, I have four quilt tops which would like to have any kind of attention. Too bad there isn't a market for my handiwork as I realized I have more than a few quilts on hand when they all fell down on me yesterday when I was trying to pull out just one of them.
Chocolate Mousse . . . first attempt!
Although I posted a recipe for this delightful way to eat chocolate a few months ago, I discovered that using cocoa powder just didn't the dessert that chocolate factor I wanted. I had promised my family a special dessert, last night, but with time escaping me and dinner to make, it looked like I'd have to put off fulfilling my promise. Then I decided to go quickly creative! I had some double-chocolate chips in the freezer and heavy cream in the refrigerator and it got me thinking . . . I put a generous cup of the chocolate chips in a pot along with a tablespoon of butter and a couple of tablespoons of the cream and very gently heated it up in order to turn it into a smooth, chocolate mixtures. Meanwhile, I put two cups of the cream in the mixing bowl with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and beat it until I have a stiff, whipped cream. Wondering how to incorporate the two without a disaster, I decided to put a heaping spoonful of the whipped cream into the chocolate and whisk it in thoroughly. Not only did it cool down the mixture, it seemed to 'sneak' in the new ingredient without seizing up the chocolate into nasty lumps. I did this serveral times until I had all the whipped cream blended into the chocolate. I quickly mixed in a couple tablespoons of coffee liquer, scooped the mixtures into small serving bowls, and put them in the refrigerator. It came out great much to the delight of my husband and son.
When I had time, later, I checked out a few recipes on-line and most of them either went with the cocoa powder or had some complicated way of using egg yolks and such. When we were on our vacation in May, we had chocolate mousse prepared by a chef at one of our hotel stops and my version was very close to taste and texture as his was so I'm calling my spur-of-the-moment efforts a success! Hey, you never know until you try!
When I had time, later, I checked out a few recipes on-line and most of them either went with the cocoa powder or had some complicated way of using egg yolks and such. When we were on our vacation in May, we had chocolate mousse prepared by a chef at one of our hotel stops and my version was very close to taste and texture as his was so I'm calling my spur-of-the-moment efforts a success! Hey, you never know until you try!
My continuing saga of the persimmons . . .
As I posted earlier, I had to wait four weeks for some beautiful persimmons to ripen. I ended up using the method posted on-line where in you put the persimmons in a plastic bag with an apple or banana and some kind of gases released by the other fruit will (eventually!) ripen the persimmons. The last one responded to the treatment and I happily consumed it yesterday.
My husband and I head over to Costco, our favorite warehouse store, and he sees that persimmons are still available. He goes to put a box of them in our cart and I hesitate, not wanting another month of bagged persimmons sitting on my counter . . . slowly, very slowly softening to the delectable eating stage. My husband agrees but when he gently squeezes one, he happily announces that it is already soft! I'm guessing that the produce people had been left with a lot of persimmons due to their unripened state but, lo and behold, all that sitting around has brought the persimmons around!
My family leaves the room when I eat a persimmon. The only respectable way to consume this mushy fruit is over the sink in the kitchen. I had two of them, last night, and actually preferred them to the chocolate mousse I had made for dessert.
When I was a young child, I remember a family friend who made the best persimmon cookies I had very tasted. My husband said I should make some of those cookies but I was aghast at his suggestion . . . use my persimmons in cookies? Nope, nope, nope! You can find me at the kitchen sink every evening after dinner until the remaining eight persimmons are eaten. And, no, I will not share. Fortunately, I'm the only one who likes them. God is good that way! :-)
My husband and I head over to Costco, our favorite warehouse store, and he sees that persimmons are still available. He goes to put a box of them in our cart and I hesitate, not wanting another month of bagged persimmons sitting on my counter . . . slowly, very slowly softening to the delectable eating stage. My husband agrees but when he gently squeezes one, he happily announces that it is already soft! I'm guessing that the produce people had been left with a lot of persimmons due to their unripened state but, lo and behold, all that sitting around has brought the persimmons around!
My family leaves the room when I eat a persimmon. The only respectable way to consume this mushy fruit is over the sink in the kitchen. I had two of them, last night, and actually preferred them to the chocolate mousse I had made for dessert.
When I was a young child, I remember a family friend who made the best persimmon cookies I had very tasted. My husband said I should make some of those cookies but I was aghast at his suggestion . . . use my persimmons in cookies? Nope, nope, nope! You can find me at the kitchen sink every evening after dinner until the remaining eight persimmons are eaten. And, no, I will not share. Fortunately, I'm the only one who likes them. God is good that way! :-)
Way to begin the morning . . .!
"We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the
road. They get run over."
-- Aneurin Bevan
-- Aneurin Bevan
"It is bad luck to be superstitious."
-- Andrew W. Mathis
-- Andrew W. Mathis
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