They say it's your birthday!

Wow, I can't believe I made it this far. today is my --th birthday. I should be a statistic, nut I'm not, I am a survivor. God has really carried me a long way from where I was. Some times I feel his presence in my life way more than others. Lately things have been going really well, I mean, I'm still fighting my old foe (fear) but I am plodding through, somebody is moving me. I have finally given in to His will and it feels fantastic. Yes there is a lot of work to be done but I'm on my way, lol! I was talking to a wise friend, I told her I felt like Jonah, running and trying to hide from God. Well she said "But Jonah wound up in the belly of a fish, and he still did what God said, you don't want to wind up in the belly of a fish, lol!" Well that was enough for me, and it's my new saying for life, lol! So here I am, -- years old and getting it done. In the next few years I need to accomplish a lot of personal goals, for one...get in shape...whatever it takes. Strengthen my personal relationships, and get rid of some bad habits...Whew that's a lot! But it's my birthday! I can do it, with Face Book I feel so loved, with a ll the birthday wishes, and I feel like a heel because I hardly ever wish other happy Birthday, lol! I haven't shared a recipe in awhile, so here's one for you...Asian Coleslaw,

Asian Inspired Slaw
1 bag coleslaw mix (so easy)
1 bunch cilantro washed leave stems chop finely
1/2 cup roasted and chopped peanuts

Dressing
3/4 cup mayo (or yogurt)
4 TB of rice vinegar
3 TB sugar (or acceptable substitute)
1 TB (sesame oil)
2 tsp black pepper or cayenne

Mix dressing ingredients in , if needed ad more vinegar to loosen, toss with coleslaw ingredients serve immediately. Can be made ahead and tossed at the picnic.

Parties!

Okay so it's been a minute, doesn't mean I have stopped cooking I have just been busy. I have also lost something in the kitchen...it's called motivation, lol! If I could just get someone to wash the dishes life would be fantastic! Lastly I have been planing a sweet sixteen and a family reunion. The 16 year old would like to have a Hawaiian themed cocktail party, really loungy and swankified if you know what I mean ; ). So we are going with a few passed hors devores and some signature mocktails.
The tentative menu is:
Spicy Thai chicken Satay
Coconut Chicken Fingers
Spam Musubi
Huli Huli chicken skewers
Ahi poki with a won ton crisp and Wasabi mayo
Okay so I have had all of these dishes before but I have never made them, some of them I will wing and others I will use a recipe for. The Spam dish being one of them. The mocktails will be two of my favorites. Today I will give you those recipes.

The Not a Colada Mocktail:
2 liters of Ginger ale
1 Frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1 can of Cream of coconut.

Directions:
Shake the coconut cream and add all of the ingredients to a punch bowl. The mixture will separate however a quick stir makes it delicious again. Served in martini glasses it is especially beautiful.

Mango Spritzer
1 bottle of Mango Nectar - cheapest in a Middle Eastern market
Soda Water
Mix soda water and mango nectar 2:1 for added interest you can float a teaspoon of rose water syrup in the glass.

No cook Pasta Sauce

So I haven't been on this blog in awhile, I'm getting better I swear. I actually can remember the password for this one! I will be teaching a cooking class on the 24th of November. One of the recipes I will be teaching them is an easy no cook pasta sauce. I will first give you the basic sauce then I will leave you with some add ins to use the sauce in various ways. One thing I have found about this sauce is that it can be changed with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

Basic Sauce

1. 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped roughly- if you can do a fine dice fine, if not do what you can.

(Tip to seed tomatoes cut them in half and roll the tomato cut side down between your palms the seeds will fall out)
2. 3 cloves garlic smashed to a paste, or use jarred garlic paste

3. salt to taste

4. pepper to taste

5. 1/4 -1/2 olive oil

Add ins:

1. Kalmata olives, feta cheese, and 1/2 basil -- family favorite with pasta, use more of less
olives and cheese to your taste.

2. Juice of 1 lemon, rind of 1 lemons, 2 t. capers, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup parsley ---
perfect for fish, fried, poached or baked

3. cilantro,1 seeded and chopped jalapeno whole garbanzos, lemon zest, 2 T lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cumin. perfect for
pita chips.

Whenever I can find great tomatoes I make these dishes for my family. Experiement with your own combos and post them here.

Lifestyle Gourmet

Create your lifestyle approach to all things gourmet and swankified. What do I mean by a lifestyle approach to gourmet? Well, we all want the gourmet lifestyle but time, relationships and finances often dictate what our approach looks like....so let the lifestyle dictate the approach! So let me show you how to swnakify even the leanest budgets, cheapest cuts of meat and seemingly most innocuous vegetables. Let me start with a story....Last week was co-op day, I received about 20lbs of seasonal vegetables and as part of my order I had about 5lbs of the most beautiful tomatoes you have ever seen. Folks, real tomatoes are red, they don't need to sit or be dressed up to disguise their anemia. So what does one do with 5lbs of Romas? Well, if you are like me you start with tomato sandwiches, a hearty roll, homemade mayo, choice tomato slices and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Whew, that takes care of 1/8 of a pound, now what?

Roasted Tomato Soup

Preheat oven to 425
Ingredients:

• 1/4 c olive oil

• 2 red onions, sliced thinly

• 12 -18 cloves garlic

• 3lbs tomatoes halved and seeded

• handful of cilantro

• Salt

• pepper

• 2 t. sugar

• 6 ounces ricotta, drained

Preparation:
In a large roaster placed on stove top, saute onions and garlic in 1/2 the olive oil for 5- 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and saute an additional 5 minutes. Place entire roaster in oven uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and puree. Adjust seasoning to taste and divide among six bowls, garnish with cheese, cilantro and final drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a crusty bread, homemade or store bought. Hey a girls gotta save time!

Pumpkin Bisque....I'm a baaaad mommy, lol!

So the other day I did something well.....some would say it was a bit cruel, I say it was delicious! My husband purchased a pumpkin for my children for Halloween, my 5 year old very excitedly said, "Heah are we going to carve that?" My immediate response was "No, we're going to cook it!" Yes, I know the stuff nightmares are made of. At any rate I had been saving a recipe for baked pumpkin for a long time, but because I live in a home with squash haters, I needed to take it up a notch, i.e, they were not going to eat baked squash. First, I cut the top of the approx. 3 lb gourd off and cleaned the inside. I then added, 1 quart of cream, I used fat free but full fat would have definitely been better, I then added about 4 tablespoons of butter, 3 cloves garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, all to my tastes scant 1/4 cup of brown sugar. I then popped the top back on placed it in a baking dish and roasted the recovering jack-o-lantern for 2.5- 3 hours on 375.

After baking I removed the gourd, and added the liquid and the flesh to a blender and blended till smooth. I adjusted the seasoning with salt, cayenne and nutmeg to my taste, delicious.....I don't think the children will hold it against me. By the way if I wasn't on a diet, I would have garnished with just a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of thyme.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients
1 2-3 pound pumpkin
1 quart cream or half and half
3 cloves garlic
4 Tablespoons garlic
salt
pepper
thyme
nutmeg
cayenne

I am tired of this whole mess......

Two viewpoints on the election, i love them both and agree with parts of both of them. I think we should all be able to say just about whatever we believe....even if its stupid.

y NanceGreggs (<---- This is the author! I'm not Nance Greggs-- I just love her work!)
Oct 23rd 2008

With all the vitriol I’ve been hearing from the right-wingers of late, I can’t help but recognize myself as the target of their obsessive hatred. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to out myself, just so they know who it is they’re spending so much time talking about.

Yes, I’m that American-hating broad who believes in life, liberty and equality for all Americans, not just those of a “socially acceptable” color, religion, address, pay scale or political affiliation.

I’m that baby-killer who thinks that every child should be a wanted child, and that the ultimate decision to give birth is the domain of the woman whose body is involved. I also believe that people who really care about saving babies might want to think about the ones who are already born – especially the ones born in places our government is currently blowing off the map, or might plan to in future.

I’m that godless whore who believes that if the government wants a say in how I conduct myself in my own bedroom, they’d better be prepared to lay down a lot of cold, hard cash – because if I’m going to screw according to someone else’s specifications, it’s only right that I be paid handsomely for satisfying the john.

I’m that infamous anti-Christian who actually believes that I am my Brother’s Keeper – and that includes supporting social safety-nets that provide food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, care for the sick – you know, all that yadda-yadda stuff that Christ used to preach about back when people who called themselves Christians had a passing familiarity with his teachings. I also believe that just because Christ was tortured to death doesn’t mean he was promoting the idea as something we are free to do with his approval.

I’m that unscrupulous libertine, apparently devoid of any morals whatsoever, who has deluded myself into thinking that if the gay couple down the street get married, they’re not going to destroy every heterosexual marriage in the neighborhood – and by the way, I’ve yet to hear a coherent argument as to how that would happen if they did.

I’m that unpatriotic bitch who thinks that sporting a flag pin in your lapel doesn’t mean shit if you’re wearing it while supporting pay-cuts for the troops, or budget cuts to veterans’ care – or, for that matter, calling anyone and everyone who disagrees with you “unpatriotic” because you really have nothing of substance to say, but just love the sound of your own meaningless rhetoric blasted over the airwaves.

I’m that blatant sexist who thinks that if someone like Sarah Palin has nothing more to offer than a pair of tits while seeking the office of the vice presidency, she’d damned well better have something more in her training bra than a wad of Kleenex – like actual knowledge of the responsibilities of the job, for starters.

I’m that socialist commie who thinks people should reap the financial rewards of their own hard work while the CEOs of the corporations they toil for share the resulting profits, rather than pocket them all while throwing crumbs to those whose labor created those profits in the first place. Yup, that’s me - another anti-capitalist, spouting my big mouth off when oil companies earning record profits get tax subsidies, as though they don’t deserve them.

I'm that big city chick, who couldn't possibly share the same values of the kid from the suburbs, or the mid-western farmer, or the small-town librarian - or anyone who, unlike me, was raised in the right pocket of Americana - wherever that may be.

I’m that no-good Bush-basher who had the gall to notice that an idiot who couldn’t string two words together without getting both of them wrong would inevitably lead this country into an unwinnable war (or two), financial ruin, complete moral failure, and global disgrace.

And while I’m at it, I may as well come completely clean – because, let’s face it, you’ve got me dead-to-rights: I’m also a tree-huggin’ environmentalist who believes in such outrageous ideas as upholding the Constitution, equal treatment under the law, and civil rights – and the hypocrisy of you people who call ME un-American makes me want to retch.

So now that you know who I am, please feel free to rant about me all you want. I’m proud of who I am, what I believe in, and what I stand for – a feeling you’ll never know.

But don’t be embarrassed by not recognizing me in a crowd – you see, there are tens of millions like me, and you know what they say: All those damned anti-Americans look alike. And we’re all about to vote alike – which means voting your asses out of office.

See ya around, chumps. And the next time you think about calling me or anyone like me anti-American, you might want to look back at what this election has been all about - and who the REAL Americans truly are.

Tags: nance greggs, election, real american

I’m the one you’re talking about – A reply from a gal who used to be liberal, but turned conservative.

With the angry liberal talking points of “war monger,” “bigot,” “self righteous.” I think I now is the time to out myself so they know who they are talking about.

Yep, I’m that proud-to-be-an-American broad who believes in life, liberty, and equality for all Americans, not just those of a minority, color, religion, address, pay scale or political affiliation.

I’m that Anti-choice woman-hater who thinks that for a woman who use abortion as a form of birth-control (as opposed to the under 5% who use it for cases of rape or serious health issues), “pro-choice” is a misnomer. I believe a woman who has actively chosen to have sex, has already chosen what to do with her uterus. I see that even foster kids, kids raised in poverty, etc are still glad they were born.

I’m that Christian wack-job who believes that modesty is a virtue and who is concerned with the double standards in protected free speech. Apparently I should be shut-up if I dare to say “God” or “Merry Christmas,” because I might offend someone, but when I find pervasive pornography offensive, I’m an enemy of free-speech.

I’m that selfish capitalist who thinks caring for one another is great, but the government frankly stinks at actually pulling it off. I prefer helping the needy through organizations that I know for sure will give 90-100% of my contributions to the needy.

I’m that redneck that “clings to my guns,” because shooting pop-cans is surprisingly fun, and I do crazy things like take the constitution seriously.

I’m that earth-hater who will cut down a tree if it means lighting a fire to warm a cold human.

I’m too old fashioned and outdated in that I’m worried about how our country is disregarding the basic family unit. I’m concerned about the high divorce rate, how any style family is great, how family dinner-time is disappearing, and how parents are wrong for not letting their kids “experiment” with liquor.

I’m that girl that grew up in a small town, and liked high school football games. And while I thought the cowboys kind of dressed funny, I loved how when they’d come into the little candy shop where I worked, they tipped their hats and called me “ma’am.”

I’m that woman who must be a “racist” since I won’t be voting for Obama because I don’t think his smooth-talking is really going to help this country much, and I don’t agree with his stance on the issues.

And while I’m at it, I’ll admit that I’m that woman who’s submitted to “male oppression” by choosing to be a stay-at-home mom. And I’ve never felt more free in my life than I do now that my efforts are focused on what I love most.

And finally, I am that person in the lower-class income bracket who doesn’t feel hopelessly stuck. I would personally benefit from “spreading the wealth,” but I want freedom to succeed more.

And yes, you can rant, and call me names. I won’t cuss back, I’ll respect your political speech, and I won’t ever refer to a politician’s body parts in discussion about their qualifications.

I am proud of what I believe in and what I stand for, and I will happily call any citizen who loves this country a “real American,” even if your beliefs are different from mine.

Peanut Pie

My father is from the south, Georgia to be exact. A place where three things are king when it comes to food, watermelon, rice and peanuts. I love watermelon and rice, I hate peanuts. Two out of three ain't bad. But because I know peanuts are relatively cheap I made sure my kids would love the ground nut. Today I will provide you with a recipe I have kept in my head for years. Let me say this recipe would be delicious with some dark chocolate ice cream, do not try to watch your weight with this one.

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 peanut butter
  
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 unbaked 9" deep dish pie shell

Preheat oven to 375º F, beat eggs, vanilla, sugar & salt. Add, peanut butter & syrup & mix in peanuts. Bake 40-45 minutes in pie shell.

Serve warm with chocolate ice cream.