Un-defeated! 16-0

There were so many records broken tonight:

Most points scored in a season: 589

Most TD in a season : 50

Most TD receptions in a season: 23

Victim # 1 = New York RATS
Victim # 2 = San Diego Chargers
Victim # 3 = Buffalo Bills
Victim # 4 = Cincinnati Bengals
Victim # 5 = Cleveland Browns
Victim # 6 = Dallas Cowboys
Victim # 7 = Miami Dolphins
Victim # 8 = Washington Redskins
Victim # 9 = Indianapolis Colts*
Victim #10 = Buffalo Bills
Victim #11 = Philadelphia Eagles
Victim #12 = Baltimore Ravens
Victim #13 = Pittsburgh Steelers
Victim #14 = New York RATS
Victim #15 = Miami Dolphins
Victim #16 = New York Giants

Bring on the play-offs!!

The kids are out of school...

until the 7th of January. Yay me.

Old Fezziwig Ale Bread

I am making this bread for the husband to eat while watching the Patriots/Giants game tonight. This will be accompanied by a brown sugar meat loaf and some nice baked potatoes and veggies.

1 bottle (12 fl oz) Old Fezziwig ale from Sam Adams (or any other beer you desire)
3 cups self-rising flour
3 tbs white sugar (I don't recommend a sugar substitute)

Mix the sugar and flour together in a large bowl, slowly pour in beer and continue to mix.
The batter will be sticky. Pour into a 9x5 in greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

The top will be crunchy and the insides will be soft. Tastes awesome topped with butter or a cheese spread.


About the beer:
Old Fezziwig® Ale is the Christmas cookie of beer. Bursting with spices of the season and a remarkably full body, it helps those long winter nights pass much quicker. The full body hits the palate first with a depth of malt character ranging from sweeter toffee and caramel notes to the more dark, roasty chocolate notes. Then come the spices in full force. Cinnamon, ginger and orange peel dance on the tongue bringing with them the celebratory spirit that goes hand in hand with the season. (see http://www.samueladams.com/world_of_beer.aspx)

Brocccoli-Apple- Bacon Waldorf Salad

The original Waldorf salad, created at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the 1890s, contained only apples, mayonnaise, and celery. It was later that walnuts became part of the dish.


4 c. fresh broccoli
1/2 c. uncooked raisins ( regular or Golden)
1 sm. onion, chopped (I use a purple/red just because I like the taste..use what ever you like)
1/2 c. crisp fried bacon about 1 lb. ( I usually just use real bacon bits...saves some time)
1 c. apples
1 c. walnuts, chopped
Coleslaw Dressing (to coat until desired consistency)

Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

This soup sounds so good! I love a good creamy soup on a cold winters day and we are expecting some of those soon. I will post and let you know how it turns out! -- Becky




1 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
3 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 c. skim milk

All you do:

1. Place cauliflower on baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes in a 375 degree-oven.
2. Heat remaining tbsp olive oil in a Dutch-oven. Add garlic and onion; sauté 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken broth and cauliflower. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
4. Puree until smooth.
5. Stir in milk and heat through.

Ginger-and-Pistachio-Crusted Pork Loin

Doesn't this sound like it would be divine with some Asian noodles or a nice rice bowl?


2 pound boneless pork loin
1/4 low-fat plain yogurt
1 tsp minced crystallized ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 pistachios, chopped

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place roast in a greased 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Stir together yogurt, ginger, salt and pepper. Spread mixture over roast.
2. Press pistachios over yogurt mixture. Cover. Bake 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

A recipe for my co-author Wendy

Free Form Harvest Apple Tart

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, divided

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Lemon Flavor Gelatin, divided

2 medium Golden Delicious apples (about 1 lb.), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup PLANTERS Sliced Almonds

PLACE flour, butter and half of the cream cheese in food processor; cover. Process, using pulsing action, until mixture is well blended and almost forms a ball. Shape dough into ball; wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Place pastry on lightly floured surface; roll out to 14x8-inch rectangle. Place on parchment paper-covered baking sheet; set aside. Mix remaining cream cheese and half of the dry gelatin mix until well blended. Spread onto pastry to within 2 inches of edge.

TOSS apples with the remaining dry gelatin mix, the cornstarch and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese filling. Fold edge of pastry over apples toward center of tart. (Apples in center of tart will remain exposed.) Sprinkle top with almonds. Bake, in lower third of oven, 35 min. or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Cool. Store leftover tart in refrigerator.

Easy Cheesy Frittata

As I sit here going through cookbooks that I received for Christmas, and trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight that is quick and easy and that will be easy on little tummy's that aren't quite feeling up to snuff, this easy frittata recipe comes to mind.


4 eggs

4 egg whites

2 Tbsp. water

1/2 cup chopped seeded tomatoes

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese, divided

2 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat eggs, egg whites and water in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended.

STIR in tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the bacon and basil. Pour into greased 9-inch pie plate.

BAKE 25 min. or until puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Been craving salads lately...

Usually, when I decide to make a salad I toss a bag of greens with dressing and call it a day. This one is amazing and doesn't really take that much more effort...


Ingredients
3 firm-ripe pears (Anjou or Bartlett)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Splenda® or sugar substitute
1 box prewashed arugula (about 7 oz)
1 small head frissee, core removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
½ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup vinaigrette, preferably balsamic or white-wine flavor

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F; set oven rack at lowest position. Place foil-line baking sheet in oven to warm. Peel, then halve each pear lengthwise. Remove core. Place cut-side down on counter; slice lengthwise into 5 long pieces. In a medium bowl, toss slices with oil and Splenda®. Place on a warmed baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Flip; bake 10 minutes longer.

2. In large serving bowl, toss arugula and frissee with vinaigrette. Add pomegranate and pears; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Do you cook FOR your kids or do you feed them what you eat?

It's a topic that's been on my mind a lot recently, with the new cookbooks out that advise you to disguise vegetables and the like into kid friendly food (http://www.thesneakychef.com/ and http://www.deceptivelydelicious.com/site/)Do you cook what you know your kids will eat, or do you cook what you want, and expect them to try new things?

I tend to cook what I want, and expect the kids to try new things. I have been cooking a variety of ethnic dishes since the day they started eating solid foods and I have never had a problem with them eating what ever we ate and they are alway willing to try new things. For example, my 7 year old, given the choice would rather eat Miso soup and Sushi over a hot dog and Mac and cheese anyday.


That being said this recipe was a major hit this weekend:

Thai Style Coconut Chicken Soup

Diced tomatoes and shredded chicken in a creamy coconut soup

Ingredients
1	can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1	can (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
1	cup shredded cooked chicken (1 cup = 4 oz)
1/2	cup water
2	tablespoons fish sauce
1	tablespoon chili garlic sauce
6	thin slices peeled fresh ginger
	Thinly sliced green onions, optional

Directions

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat 10 minutes, or until hot and flavors have blended, stirring occasionally. Divide soup between 4 bowls. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

A look back at 2007

It's been a year full of life:

Thinking about friends :
a new niece
being thankful for the love of my life
loving on the geek-dom
keeping busy in the summer
remembering the sacrifices that loved ones have made
wondering how people can't/don't read more often
the loss of creativity
a wedding
A trip home
a horrific tragedy
and a long-anticipated event

Best wishes to you and yours for a happy and healthy holiday season and many many heartfelt wishes that your next year is all that you hope for.

Much love to all of you--

Becky

Sesame Parmesan Twists

ingredients

2/3 cup (about 2-1/2 oz.) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup (1-oz. jar) sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crumbled
Kosher salt
2 sheets (about 18 oz. total) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten with a few drops water and a pinch of salt

how to make

Heat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, mix the Parmigiano, sesame seeds, cayenne, chili powder, thyme, and 1/2 tsp. salt. On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the pastry sheets to a 10x14-inch rectangle. Brush evenly with the egg wash and cut in half lengthwise to make two 5x14-inch strips. Distribute half of the cheese filling over one strip and lay the second strip on top, egg wash side down. Press the strips together with the rolling pin to fuse the two sheets. Cut the strip crosswise into 28 strips 1/2 inch wide. Lift a strip, twist it three times, and lay it on an ungreased baking sheet, pressing each end to keep the twists from unwinding during baking. Repeat with the second pastry sheet and the remaining filling.

Bake the twists until they're puffed, light brown, and dry looking throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Test one by biting it to make sure it isn't doughy in the center.

Let the twists cool on a rack and serve as soon as they're cool, or within a couple of hours if possible.

The Bell Jar--Sylvia Plath

I decided to pick up a book that I have often thought about reading, and which in fact has been in residence on my bookshelf for the past year or so -The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I read a book Prozac Nation-Young and Depressed in America : A Memoir and Girl, Interrupted because I liked them so much, the librarian recommended The Bell Jar as it deals with the same sort of issues and themes.

I’ve read some of Plath’s poetry, and in fact two of her poems are among my favorites *See them on my “Favorites” page*, so I don’t forsee any issues with Plath’s darkness and metaphorical style of writing.

Oh my god. This could be the best book that I have read all year. The clarity with which Plath describes Esther’s decent into into mental insanity is just amazing. You can tell that she was writing from personal experience.

To Jason:

Congratulations, you are a Lieutenant now. Everything you've worked for in the last ten years has finally come to fruition. You have no idea how proud I am of you..you've taught me the meaning of perserverance and working towards your dreams.

I love you and I can't tell you often enough how proud I am.

/salute

Hmmm

It's sad, really. I've been married for ten years and yet I still have no idea what to get the man for Christmas. I tend to spoil him throughout the year, so that when Christmas rolls around there is nothing really that he needs/wants.

Except for this little gem...

He wants a nose hair trimmer. WTF? Apparently, I am married to an 80 year old man, in a 30 year old body.

:)

Children's Hand Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 8 to 10 cookies

• FOR DOUGH
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, for decorating
• FOR DECORATING
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon water
• Sanding sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Add reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
4. Make cookie pattern and heart stencil while wrapped dough is chilling. For the pattern, have your child trace his or her hand on a manila file folder, and cut out the tracing. You will lay this on the dough and trace around it with the tip of a paring knife. For the heart stencil, cut a heart shape from a piece of parchment paper, discarding center.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a well-floured work surface, roll out cold dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out hand shapes. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Dough scraps may be re-rolled twice.
6. To decorate the cookies with sanding sugar hearts, lay the heart stencil over a cookie. Combine the egg white with the water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash in the heart, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Lift stencil and repeat with remaining cookies. Bake until edges just begin to brown lightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on pans for 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

May your families find peace in wake of this tragedy...

 

Gary Scharf, 48

John McDonald, 65

Angie Schuster, 36

Maggie Webb, 24

Janet Jorgenson, 66

Diane Trent, 53

Gary Joy, 56

Beverly Flynn, 47

Mall shooting in Omaha

I can't believe it. This isn't supposed to happen anywhere, let alone my "home"town. This is Omaha...we're in the middle of a cornfield, a sleepy little city--and now 9 families won't be seeing their loved ones again. 9 families have been torn apart, and countless others damaged.

This is about a 5 minute drive from my house, it's one of my favorite shopping places and now, I dont' know if I will ever be able to go back there, without thinking about this. Last week a grenade was found in this mall's parking lot, and now this. I don't know if it is related, but it's scary.

CNN coverage

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Wraps

All you need:
2 garden spinach herb wraps
1/4 c. light chive and onion cream cheese, divided
1 (6 oz) package smoked salmon, divided
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced, divided
1/4 c. shredded Asiago cheese, divided
2 romaine lettuce leaves, divided

All you do:

1. Spread each wrap with 2 tbsp cream cheese.
2. Top each with 1/4 cup salmon, 1/2 avocado slices, 2 tbsp cheese and 1 lettuce leaf.
3. Roll up tightly and slice diagonally in half to serve.

Savory Deviled Eggs

Makes: 24 pieces
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: at least 1 hour

Ingredients

* 12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
* 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon honey mustard
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/2 large pimiento-stuffed olives (about 8), chopped
* Parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise and spoon yolks into a bowl. Reserve whites. Mash yolks with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, honey mustard and black pepper.

2. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the chopped olives. Fold remaining chopped olives into yolk mixture.

3. Fill whites with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle reserved chopped olives over the tops of the eggs. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Note: Can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve pieces on a bed of parsley to prevent egg halves from rolling around on the platter.

Sugar cookies (From Eleni’s New York)

COOKING TIME

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 29 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
33⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1⁄2 cup colored sugar, for decoration

PREPARATION

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the heavy cream. Cover dough, and chill for 2 to 3 hours, until firm.

2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1⁄4-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 in. apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

4. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until bottoms and edges of cookies are light brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

SAUSAGE AND GOAT CHEESE RAVIOLI

Ingredients:

Sausage ( I used sausage patty’s crumbled up–about 5 of the big ones)

8-12 oz. goat cheese (depending on how cheese-y you want it)

Tomato-basil butter ( I picked up a small container of it at Walmart)

wanton wrappers

Marina sauce

freshly grated parmesan cheese

To make:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor, combine sausage, goat cheese, and tomato-basil butter until mixture is thoroughly combined.

Lay out raw wanton wrappers on your work surface. Take a tsp of the mixture, and place into the center of each wanton wrapper. Dip your finger in some water, and moisten the edges of half of the wanton. Seal dumpling/ravioli by folding wrapper over on itself - trapping the mixture in the center. Crimp edges with the tines of a fork/use a ravioli wheel. Place finished ravioli on a lightly floured surface, in a single layer so that they do not stick together. Repeat process until all of the filling is used up. (I got about 45 ravioli out this recipe.)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt water well. Gently drop each ravioli into the boiling water, and cook until the ravoili floats to the surface.

Once ravioli are finished boiling, layer them in a baking dish with marina sauce, sprinkle with parmesan and bake until cheese is bubbly!

Sirloin Steak Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

All you need:
1 (1 lb) top round sirloin steak
Monterey steak seasoning, to taste
2 (4 oz each) packaged mixed baby greens
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. light honey mustard salad dressing

All you do:

1. Sprinkle steak on all sides with seasoning. Heat skillet over medium heat until hot; add steak. Cook for 6 minutes; turn. Cook an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until desired doneness.
2. Remove steak from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice steak into thin slices.
3. On a large platter, layer greens, cranberries and dressing. Top with steak.

Gingerbread Coffee Sipper

All you need:
3 c. water, divided
6 tbsp Folgers™ ground coffee
1/2 c. sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp crystallized ginger
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 c. half-and-half
whipped topping, thawed, optional

All you do:

1. Brew coffee according to package directions using 2-1/2 cups water and ground coffee.
2. Meanwhile, in a small pan, combine remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Bring to a boil; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in half-and-half. Cook until heated through. Remove spices.
3. To serve, divide coffee among four mugs. Stir in half-and-half mixture. Top with whipped topping if desired.

Cranberry Pecan Cookies

All you need:
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange zest
3 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. pecan pieces

All you do:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in sour cream and egg. Stir in vanilla and orange zest.
2. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold in cranberries and pecans. Roll into 1-inch balls.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are beginning to turn golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Pats 27- Ravens 24

All I have to say is Holy fuggin' cow. My heart was in my throat the entire game!

Show us!

Show us your favorite winter clothing item.

It has to be my Pashmina scarf/shawl. It's a cheery, vibrant red that just pops! I love how warm it is and it's just so soft to have next to my skin! Normally, these things cost a ton, but I was lucky to find them in Iceland for a good deal and decided to spoil myself for once. I can't imagine ever using a regular scarf again.

4159tK6WLuL._AA280_

Ravioli was a sucess!

(RECIPE on the Recipe page!)

The kids don't like beets so I substituted sausage for the beets and added in a tomato-basil butter for the salt/pepper and left out the bread crumbs. After boiling the ravioli--I layered them with a marina sauce, covered it with Parmesan cheese and baked it for about 20 minutes until the cheese was nice and bubbly!

It turned out great!! For a kid who won't eat carrots or rice (normal things..), he really enjoyed a goat-cheese ravioli!

Uggh.

I hate waking up with a headache. It just doesn't bode well for the rest of the day. I have lots of stuff to do and don't want to deal with a headache while doing it...

I am going to be making up some homemade ravioli -- (See the recipe page for the recipe) for lunch and I think I am going to alter the recipe to have sausage and goat cheese rather than the beets (the kids won't eat beets) and trying my hand at coming up with a recipe for a butternut squash soup for dinner. (will post recipe if it works)

Some pics from our trip home for Thanksgiving...

Me and my little brother

Me and my Dad

My Parents

My Uncle Nicky and me.

My Mother, Medea and me

My mom and the Boys

Show us

Show us something you believe in.

JMC0085~Spirit-of-Giving-Posters

Not really "Santa Claus" per se..but the spirit of giving that he embodies. I don't mean the giving of material things, as not every one can do that, but the serving/helping of others in meaningful ways as part of our daily lives, ie. volunteering, kind acts, contributing to charities. I don't think this should be limited to the "holiday season" either, but should become a conscious effort from us every day, every week, every month, every year of our lives.

Show Us!

If you had the ability to teleport, where would you go right now?

Blue_lagoon-1

The Blue Lagoon-- Iceland's most unique and popular attraction. Guests enjoy bathing and relaxing in Blue Lagoon. In addition to bathing in the lagoon guests have access to a sauna with a view of the lagoon, a steam bath with white walls that resemble silica mud and a cosy steam bath carved into a lava cave. Guests can also stand beneath a Blue Lagoon waterfall for an energizing massage. Of course, guests bathing in the milky waters of the lagoon have easy access to the famous white silica mud, an essential part of the spa experience. A selection of Blue Lagoon in-water spa treatments and massages are available. They take place in the lagoon, and the fresh air and natural surroundings enhance the feeling of wellness. geothermal seawater, known for its positive effects on the skin. A visit to the spa promotes harmony between body, mind and spirit, and enables one to soak away the stresses of modern life. The spa's guests rekindle their relationship with nature, soak up the scenic beauty and enjoy breathing the clean, fresh air.

Doesn't that sound marvelous?

7 random and/or weird things about me

Yay! I was tagged by Mo to do this "7 random and/or weird things about me" meme....So we're off to the races...

1. My name is spelled "incorrectly" -- I am gonna steal this Mo, because mine is too!! My parent's spelled Rebecca with two B's making me the only REBBECCA in existence ( I'm pretty sure on this one!)

2. I read about 10 books a week..I know you won't think that is weird, Mo--But most people think it's odd.

3. I could eat rice and Furikake spice every day for the rest of my life and not get tired of it.

(Furikake spice)

4. I wear sunglasses whenever I go outside (even during rainy/overcast days) because I have very sensitive eyes.

5. If I never ate spaghetti with Meat Sauce or meat lasagna again..I wouldn't be sad. I love making them..but I am so burnt out on Italian red-sauces and meat.

6. I would prefer it to be 45 year round. It's the perfect temperature for me.

7. I am addicted to World of Warcraft. (Yep..I am a geek!)

(the rules)
1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs. (ehh...If you want to do it..go ahead--just commment and let me know so I can read your random/weird things!)
4. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog 

I love this quote!

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

--Sylvia Plath

I don't think I have ever laughed so hard at a football game in my life.

Sorry Peter but the Colts SUCKED last night, and I would like to personally thank the Pats fan that paid Adam off.

"Peyton Manning was poised to atone for those franchise-record six interceptions.

He'd moved the Indianapolis Colts well within Adam Vinatieri 's range with 1:31 left on a crazy, rainy night.

Snap, hold and ... miss!"

From Peyton's career high of 6 INT's, to Adam missing field goals from 42 and 29 yards, I just laughed each time I flipped back to the game from Iron Chef America (Bobby Flay and Giada vs. Mario Batalli and Rachel Ray (Team Ray FTW!)

Thanks for making my night fun, Peyton! HUGE thanks for the Pepsi through the nose laughing that came when you were sitting on the sidelines with a huge red and swollen forehead with that lovely little "Manning" face that you do, it was worth it.

Show us!

Show us a childhood hero.
Subitted by Eric's Page.

LeVarWithBooks

Levar Burton and the Reading Rainbow show. I loved watching it and learning about all different cultures, people and places. I used to go to the library and look for the books featured on the show. I remember the one about the Patchwork quilt especially well and it was brought back to my mind the other day when my daughter came home with the book (Patchwork Quilt-- Valerie Flournoy) and asked me to read it to her.

Peony In Love – Lisa See

Set in 17th-century China, See's fifth novel is a coming-of-age story, a ghost story, a family saga and a work of musical and social history. As Peony, the 15-year-old daughter of the wealthy Chen family, approaches an arranged marriage, she commits an unthinkable breach of etiquette when she accidentally comes upon a man who has entered the family garden. Unusually for a girl of her time, Peony has been educated and revels in studying The Peony Pavilion, a real opera published in 1598, as the repercussions of the meeting unfold. The novel's plot mirrors that of the opera, and eternal themes abound: an intelligent girl chafing against the restrictions of expected behavior; fiction's educative powers; the rocky path of love between lovers and in families. It figures into the plot that generations of young Chinese women, known as the lovesick maidens, became obsessed with The Peony Pavilion, and, in a Werther-like passion, many starved themselves to death. See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) offers meticulous depiction of women's roles in Qing and Ming dynasty China (including horrifying foot-binding scenes) and vivid descriptions of daily Qing life, festivals and rituals. Peony's vibrant voice, perfectly pitched between the novel's historical and passionate depths, carries her story beautifully—in life and afterlife.) I must say that I loved the first Lisa See novel that I read (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan) and had high hopes for this one, and was severely disappointed. It just rambled on and on (SPOILER) even after the main character dies. Uggh. After the beautiful writing of "Snow Flower", it was hard to read this-- it was simply missing too much - in terms of explanations, background details, character development, and tying together really choppy scenes, that it felt amateurish, trite and unmoving.

The Sleeping Doll -- Jeffrey Deaver

(Kathryn Dance, an investigator with the California Bureau of Investigation, returns from Deaver's The Cold Moon (where she was a secondary) in this post–prison break pulse-pounder. Dance is the lead cop handling the escape of psychopathic killer Daniel Pell, dubbed "Son of Manson" by the press for his "family" of young runaways and his most horrendous crime, the murders of computer engineer William Croyton, Croyton's wife and two of their three children. The only child left alive, nine-year-old Theresa, is known as the Sleeping Doll. Pell, charismatic and diabolically intelligent, continually eludes capture, but Dance, a specialist in interrogation and kinesics (or body language), is never more than a few suspenseful minutes behind. Dance is nicely detailed, and procedural scenes where she uses somatic cues to ferret out liars are fascinating. The book sags in its long middle, but toward the end Deaver digs into his bottomless bag of unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers wide-eyed with surprise, and leaving them looking forward to more of the perspicacious Dance.) Typical Deaver. He brought back a secondary character from his last novel and makes it work for the most part. I didn't think it moved as seamlessly as his Rhyme series but it's not bad for the first novel of a "spin-off" series that will be alternated with books about Rhyme and Sachs. If you like the Rhyme/Sachs series, you'll probably like this.

New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (24-20 final--Pats W)

Two simple thoughts....

A. The Colts are much better than I thought/hoped they were, and are right on par with us.
B. That was some of the worst officiating I've ever seen.

(Wes Welker --4-yard touchdown pass from Brady in the second quarter and a 55-yard non-touchdown bomb in the fourth quarter that ignited the comeback)

I love this little guy. He's really becoming a go-to for Tom when they positively need a quick good catch!

Visiting Life – Bridget Kinsella

--When a friend who taught creative writing at a maximum-security prison asked Bridget Kinsella to read the work of one of his best students, she readily agreed. As a publishing professional, Kinsella was used to getting manuscripts from all sorts of sources. Who knows? she told herself. Maybe I can help this talented inmate get his work published. She had no idea that her correspondence with a convicted murderer serving life without parole would lead to a relationship that would change her life forever. Why in the world would anyone get involved with a prison inmate?

In this beautifully written, brutally honest memoir, Kinsella shares how she stumbled into a relationship with a lifer and became part of a sorority she never thought she’d join. Over the course of three years, she spends time with and ultimately befriends the wives, girlfriends, and mothers of some inmates at Pelican Bay. On this unexpected journey, she learns of the hurdles, heartbreaks, and hopes they have for their relationships as she experiences a connection with someone who helps heal her own wounds. (It's not bad, kinda sappy and I hate that)

Helpless—Barbara Gowdy

-- Nine-year-old Rachel Fox has the face of an angel, a heart-stopping luminosity that strikes all who meet her. Her single mother, Celia, working at a video store by day and a piano bar by night, is not always around to shield her daughter from the attention—both benign and sinister—that her beauty draws. Attention from model agencies, for example, or from Ron, a small-appliance repairman who, having seen Rachel once, is driven to see her again and again.
When a summer blackout plunges the city into darkness and confusion, Rachel is taken from her home. A full-scale search begins, but days pass with no solid clues, only a phone call Celia receives from a woman whose voice she has heard before but cannot place. And as Celia fights her terror and Rachel starts to trust in her abductor’s kindness, the only other person who knows where she is wavers between loyalty to the captor and saving the child. Will Rachel be found before her abductor’s urge to protect and cherish turns to something altogether less innocent?
Tapping into the fear that lies just below the surface of contemporary city life, Barbara Gowdy draws on her trademark empathy and precision to create a portrait of love at its most consuming and ambiguous and to uncover the volatile point at which desire gives way to the unthinkable.(It was a good premise, but the ending was crap! Totally not plausible)

Yeah so sue me

I've been slacking on the posts lately.  Its not that I've been overly busy either, I mean seriously-- I found time to organize my spice drawer (yes, a full drawer--and not one of those wimpy small ones either..this is like dresser size!). I think it's just that I don't know what I want to write...do I want to write about the lameness of my day to day? The recipe I made for dessert?

Blah.

Bad Monkeys –Matt Ruff

-- "Jane Charlotte has been arrested for murder.

She tells police that she is a member of a secret organization devoted to fighting evil; her division is called the Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons—"Bad Monkeys" for short.

This confession earns Jane a trip to the jail's psychiatric wing, where
a doctor attempts to determine whether she is lying, crazy—or playing a different game altogether. What follows is one of the most clever and gripping novels you'll ever read." ( I loved this!! It was
twisty and turny and just made me want to keep reading until the very end, and even then I was like..I want more!! I am definitely going to pick up more of his stuff!)

Show us!

Show us a gadget you can't live without.

Hmm, one I CAN'T live without...

First my cell phone came to mind...then I realized I have no idea where it is anyway, so that's out.Then my hand held organizer was next....nope, the batteries died on that thing and I haven't replaced them yet....so not that either. Wait...the remote to the tv....no wait, that's missing/gone on vacation too. My camera?? No, the batteries are dead in that as well...

So, I decided to move on to my kitchen gadgets...my mixer? Maybe, I couldn't find the blades earlier this week...so I had to beat the whip cream into shape by hand..so nope, not that one either. My rice cooker? While it does make my life easier, I can still cook up a batch of sushi rice on the stove top so no...not that either.

On and on it went, going thru each of my "gadgets" trying to figure out which one I couldn't live with out. I guess I don't "need" any of my "gadgets" really.

Go Sox!!! 2007 World Series Champs!

By sweeping the Rockies with a 4-3 victory in Game 4, the Red Sox are champions of Major League Baseball for the second time in four seasons!!