Nothing like having a fresh loaf of fruit bread for breakfast. You can grab a slice and slather it with butter or cream cheese or toast it and go from there. A cup or hot coffee or tea and you are read to enjoy the morning paper or check on your e-mail. During the holidays in November and December, I always buy and extra bag of fresh cranberries and freeze them for treat like this during the years.
Fresh Cranberry Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup fresh or frozen orange juice
Freshly grated orange or lemon zest
1 large egg
1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Vegetable oil spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Mix togehter the dry ingredient. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the juice and egg to the dry ingredients and mix just to combine and moisten. Fold in the cranberries and nuts. Bake in prepared pan at 350 degrees for approximately one hour.
Another way to bake it is in muffins tins using either cupcake liners or sufficient vegetable oil spray to insure you get a clean release. Reduce the baking time for the smaller breads.
Feeling really creative? A drizzle of lemon or orange icing over a warm loaf or muffins never hurts!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
No Fish Eggs Caviar!
The same old dips and salsas can get boring which is why I'm always looking for something new and different for parties. I recently discovered this recipe and am looking forward to trying it. The ingredients are all healthy so less guilt over dipping tortilla chips into it or loading up on a crisp slice of sour dough toast!
No Fish Eggs Caviar!
1/2 pound black-eyed peas
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of peeled garlic, smashed and chopped
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup finely diced green or red bell pepper (or a combination of both!)
1/2 cup finely chopped green scallions
1 tablespoon finely diced peeled, fresh garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped Jalapeno chilies
1 cup your favorite Italian dressing
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Rinse and soak peas in cold water overnight. The next day, drain and rinse. Cover with fresh water, add the medium onion and four cloves of chopped garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until black-eyed peas are tender - approximately one hour. Be careful and do not overcook.
Drain, rinse, and place cooked peas, onion, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add red onion, bell pepper, scallions, fresh garlic, Jalapeno chilies, and dressing. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 cups.
No Fish Eggs Caviar!
1/2 pound black-eyed peas
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of peeled garlic, smashed and chopped
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup finely diced green or red bell pepper (or a combination of both!)
1/2 cup finely chopped green scallions
1 tablespoon finely diced peeled, fresh garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped Jalapeno chilies
1 cup your favorite Italian dressing
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Rinse and soak peas in cold water overnight. The next day, drain and rinse. Cover with fresh water, add the medium onion and four cloves of chopped garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until black-eyed peas are tender - approximately one hour. Be careful and do not overcook.
Drain, rinse, and place cooked peas, onion, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add red onion, bell pepper, scallions, fresh garlic, Jalapeno chilies, and dressing. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 cups.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
To Report or Not to Report, the Liberal Press is in Charge . . .
Unless you are up to date on what it happening in the pro-life world, many might not be aware of a major trial going on right now in the United States regarding abortion doctor, Kermit Gosnell. In the United States it is legal to abort the unborn babies and in specific cases to employ the partial birth abortion procedure. In Dr. Gosnell's case, he went above and beyond the 'call of duty' and delivered full-term, living babies and then stabbed them in the back of the neck and killed them. You would think this would be front page news and be on the world news circuit given the horrendous nature of the crime against human life. So why isn't it?
There are many trains of thoughts on why. My personal thought on the matter is that once you expose the actual brutality that is a part of the abortion mind set, you might jeopardize the legality of it. The news probably takes the excuse that it is too gruesome and gory to report, yet they will go into avid detail about 'real' murders and mayhem to sell a paper. What Dr. Gosnell has inadvertently done is expose the absolute horror of killing the unborn by allowing a baby to be born and then killing it. It blurs the line of 'difference' between what the pro choice people consider a baby and not a baby. It might start more people thinking if they realize the seconds between being a partially delivered baby having it brains sucked out and a full-term baby delivered and having it's spinal cord snapped.
But, is there a difference? No and that is why the media would rather not go that route and cause confusion in the legality of murdering our future.
I read an article about a woman doctor who was pregnant with her first child. She talked about aborting a baby that was just about the same age as the baby she was carrying. She said she was fascinated to see the fetus she was killing and observing first hand where her baby was in the gestation process. Even as she cut apart a living child, she was thinking ahead to when she would wrap her baby in a soft blanket and hold him or her to her heart. Her 'heart', however, seemingly had no compassion for the murder taking place at her hands.
Yes, if the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell was reported as it should, minds might be changed and the convenience of picking and choosing what 'fetus' you want to keep and turn into a baby would be gone. When you make atrocities like abortion legal, you open the door to people who harden their hearts to the awful nature of the procedure and, possibly, the medical respect that should be allowed to every human being no matter how small.
The reason the media isn't covering this news is fear that the unknown might become known and then they would have to report the real truth.
There are many trains of thoughts on why. My personal thought on the matter is that once you expose the actual brutality that is a part of the abortion mind set, you might jeopardize the legality of it. The news probably takes the excuse that it is too gruesome and gory to report, yet they will go into avid detail about 'real' murders and mayhem to sell a paper. What Dr. Gosnell has inadvertently done is expose the absolute horror of killing the unborn by allowing a baby to be born and then killing it. It blurs the line of 'difference' between what the pro choice people consider a baby and not a baby. It might start more people thinking if they realize the seconds between being a partially delivered baby having it brains sucked out and a full-term baby delivered and having it's spinal cord snapped.
But, is there a difference? No and that is why the media would rather not go that route and cause confusion in the legality of murdering our future.
I read an article about a woman doctor who was pregnant with her first child. She talked about aborting a baby that was just about the same age as the baby she was carrying. She said she was fascinated to see the fetus she was killing and observing first hand where her baby was in the gestation process. Even as she cut apart a living child, she was thinking ahead to when she would wrap her baby in a soft blanket and hold him or her to her heart. Her 'heart', however, seemingly had no compassion for the murder taking place at her hands.
Yes, if the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell was reported as it should, minds might be changed and the convenience of picking and choosing what 'fetus' you want to keep and turn into a baby would be gone. When you make atrocities like abortion legal, you open the door to people who harden their hearts to the awful nature of the procedure and, possibly, the medical respect that should be allowed to every human being no matter how small.
The reason the media isn't covering this news is fear that the unknown might become known and then they would have to report the real truth.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Battle of the Wills - the Cat Won!
The computer screen is behind the cat and the cat, as usual, has plans to bathe and sleep in front of said screen . . . even if I can't see the screen to do my work. After all . . . what is more important. Frustrated, as I did have letters to write and other work to do, I warned the cat that if she didn't move, I was going to get the camera and take her picture. Guess my threat fell on deaf cat ears and she didn't move but I got a couple of really great pictures of the cat.
Strawberry Poke Cake - Gluten-Free Style!
I'm a terrible mother. I have children with December birthdays within two days of each other and I just realized that we were so busy finishing off my daughter's December Birthday Cake that I forgot to make another one for my son . . . two days later. I have been much forgiven as we had fun having a very, very late birthday dinner and cake for him over the weekend. He is a good-natured kid and didn't even realize the omission himself! Strawberry Poke Cake was his choice and I even found a gluten-free cake recipe that turned out great even without the gluten. It was topped off with homemade whipped cream and my son managed to get two large slices down without a problem! Anyone was a recipe for an easy but very good gluten-free cake, let me know.How to Build a Pope - Embroidery Machine Style!
As I mentioned before, I discovered a great photo stitch design of the Pope for my embroidery machine. It takes six changes of thread color to complete and over two hours. Thought I'd show you the start to finish of what the process looks like. The first time I used this pattern, I was sort of worried by the fourth frame and wondered if it would, in fact, turn out to look anything like our Holy Father. As you can see, trust the pattern and the machine as it turns out with a very good likeness.Sunday, April 21, 2013
Summer Salad
Our first weekend of really warm weather has let us know the heat of summer is definitely on its way. In honor of the weather, I composed a cold grilled meat salad for dinner last night. Needing a third salad for the plate, I came up with this one and wanted to share. It was surprisingly good considering the ingredients were very simple.
Celery Apple Corn Salad
2 Gala apples (or your favorite!) diced
5 ribs of celery, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted and drained
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (lime is good, too)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Good pinch of dried Tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Just a dash of cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together to incorporate the mayonnaise and spices into the diced ingredients. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you make it ahead of time, the flavor meld together even better. Goes well with slices of cold, grilled chicken or beef.
Celery Apple Corn Salad
2 Gala apples (or your favorite!) diced
5 ribs of celery, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted and drained
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (lime is good, too)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Good pinch of dried Tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Just a dash of cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together to incorporate the mayonnaise and spices into the diced ingredients. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you make it ahead of time, the flavor meld together even better. Goes well with slices of cold, grilled chicken or beef.
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