Disappointed in the garden!

May I just say this... I have been so excited for some new fall and/or Halloween recipes. However, no one is entering my contest. Yes the Coffee Time Romance Crew last week posted some, and they'll all be in the drawing, but where is everyone else? Okay I'll be quiet now.

However, I am going to share something I found in the Salt Lake City Tribune. It was originally posted in The Associated Press.

Want a low-fat chowder? First, cut out the milk. Yup!

I bring you a recipe--big surprise LOL. I am going to try this the next time I go to the store. This sounds awesome.
Butternut squash and scallop chowder (4 servings)

2 cups peeled and diced butternut or other winter squash
2 cups medium or hot tomato salsa
1 (14 1/2 oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup crumbled reduced-fat corn tortilla chips
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound bay scallops
1 tablespoon lime juice
lime wedges for squeezing
In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine squash, salsa, broth and tortilla chips. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and cook until the squash is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn, oregano and cumin. Return the soup to a simmer, stir in scallops and cook until they are opaque at the center, 2 to 3 minutes more. stir in the lime juice. Serve with additional lime wedges for squeezing.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number)
Calories 258
Fat 3g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fats 0g
Cholesterol 37mg
Carbohydrate 35 g
Protein 23 g
Fiber 6 g
Sodium 1165 mg

Happy Chowder!

Kabob Tuesday in the Garden

Have you ever gone to a wine tasting BBQ? A couple of weeks ago we had one. It was at my house--of course so I needed to figure out the main course. My daughter suggested a kabob buffet. What I say? Well that's exactly what we did. It turned out awesome. The biggest challenge was for my husband. He was manning the grill and had to keep track of who's kabob was who's. Since there was 15 people and there were only 5 different colors on the toothpicks we found. I did pretty good. Anyway here's how it worked.

Meat cut into 1" squares
Beef marinated in a Chipolte Lime sauce (bottled - I'm not that inspired)
Pork marinated in Chipolte Lime sauce
Chicken marinated in Garlic Steak sauce
Shrimp marinated in lemon and fresh chopped garlic

Vegetables:
Whole Mushrooms
Large pieces of Red Bell Peppers
Large pieces of Green Bell Peppers
Large pieces of purple onion

Cherry tomatoes
1" squares of zuchinni

Had seasonings and spices out for people to flavor how they wanted.
And here are the wines that were the best:
White:
2008 Banfi Fumaio - Toscana, Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay blend
Red:
2008 Ruffino Helia - Chianti
2008 Catina tre serre Piemonte Barbera (Italia)

Enjoy!

Friday our last day in the garden with The Coffee Time Crew!

Friday, the last day the Coffee Time Reviewers are in the Garden. I hope all of you have enjoyed their company this week as much as I have. Today we’re talking hobbies and relaxation. Grab your coffee, remember to add a bit of Bailey’s or Kailua. Find a lawn chair or lounger and relax.

Mary: We’re here in a beautiful garden, I know a lot of people who enjoy working in the garden, do you? (I am so not one of them. I really enjoy my cyber Garden, no weeds)

Karenne: I am avid vegetable gardener.  I drool over seed catalogs in December and January to see what I need to try.  I sign up for heirloom seeds and will wait years to get the seeds.  Then I horde them, plant them, and baby them until they are out in the garden.  I always try a new plant or add something new to my garden every year.  I am always trying new veggies, techniques, or ideas of my own in the garden.  My hubby has recently started working in the garden with me.  It is lots of fun to share my experience and knowledge with him.

AzGaye: To some degree LOL. I always said I had a brown thumb and could kill silk flowers but I do like to putter around and try to grow some flowers and maybe veggies. When I had kids at home we did have some good sized gardens a few years and canned and froze a lot of stuff—hard work but you know it is good clean organic food.  My favorite flowers are roses and lilacs. I have had rose gardens and miss the one at my old house in Arizona that now belongs to my son—and he has about let them die  which makes me very sad!  Now I have some house plants and this summer my brother’s fiancee has grown squash, tomatoes and peppers and we are enjoying them. I helped a little bit LOL.

Venus: Sorry to say that I do not. I'm a girly girl who hates to get my fingers dirty and I do not like bugs. I prefer to enjoy my gardens in paintings or photos or admiring them through a window.

Kimberly: I have had so much fun here in your garden, Mary. It is positively beautiful here.  I like working in the garden as long as it’s a flower garden. I’m not big on veggie gardens, though this year I worked hard putting up the various veggies we had.

Danielle: Sorry to say but no I do not. And if you are smart you will keep me away from your garden as well. I will kill anything I try to plant. I swear. I am like….drumroll please…the Plant Assassin!

Kimberly: *snicker* Plant Assassin! I love it!

Maura:  I always love it at first, but tend to get busy in the summer and lose interest.  Yay perennials, and hydrangeas!!

Hollie: My mum loves her garden, I am learning to, we moved recently and I now have a garden large enough that I can have a veggy plot and still leave enough room for the boys/dogs and the trampoline. 

Lisa: Not a bit. Playing in the dirt does nothing for me.

Amy R: I love gardens, but alas I don’t have a green thumb. I kill things, even hardy plants. That and I don’t have the time with three kids. One day I hope to have a chance to garden.

Brenda: I love to garden and gardens.  I’m not big on the weeding though.  I grow vegetables, but I really want more flowers.  I just started adding them to my diet.  Yum.

Betty: The garden is work, not pleasure. For some strange reason, though, I’m addicted to Farmville.

Kellyann:  Like Karenne, I’m a big vegetable gardener: tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, beans, peas, lettuce, arugula.  That was this year.  Next year, I think I’ll branch out to potoatoes, garlic and carrots (have always been a bit spooked by the tubers, but I’m willing to try.)  And, of course, have to have the herb garden: Parsley, Rosemary, Tarragon, Mint.  Gardening for me is like writing in that once I get started, I get lost in the rhythm.  But you can’t eat books, so I find gardening very fulfilling for my stomach as well.

Mary: Lisa, I don’t like to play in the dirt either, but mostly I have a black thumb. Amy, if someone gives me plants, they die when they see me, just to save time and agony. Alas, I just threw a potted plant (A gift from someone who trusted me with a plant) away, today! They’d fare far better if they’d water themselves!

Do you have a hobby? If so what is it, and can you tell us a bit about it?

Karenne:  I love to do research.  I will find a topic or something that I want to know how to do and I will research it to death until I can do it.  I taught myself to sew, knit, crochet, quilt, bake, web design, coding…all from books.  Every year, I make a commitment to myself to learn something new.  I pick it out at the end of December and start working on ‘learning’ it in January until I am comfortable with it.  Side note…took 2 years for me to learn the knitting!  LOL

AzGaye: I say I have hobbies from A to Z, astronomy to zoology! And that is true. I own an 8” Celestron telescope and have enjoyed looking at planets and stars. My main interests though besides books are creative things. I sew, do  jewelry and other bead projects and fabric art, fiddle with artificial flowers and sketch and water color some. I also am a very amateur photographer—sunsets, flowers, and scenery mostly.  I am not a person who can sit idle so I have to be fiddling with something—plastic canvas, beads, color books (yes they do have some for grownups that are not all cartoony!) and things like that.

Kimberly: Grown up coloring books? Oh man! I buy the cartoony ones for the kids that visit our house from time to time. The only rule is: they cannot touch my special box of Crayolas. I keep them in the original order until they get too stubby. The stubby crayons are the ones the kids get. I’m a little particular in that sense.

Venus: It goes without saying that I love to read and write and have been doing both for as long as i can remember. I also enjoy knitting for my friends during the winter months, it helps keep me warm. I enjoy trivia and history. I also do some desktop publishing and graphic design. Plus I'm a big TV on DVD fan, and curling up with one of my furbabies and losing myself in a good mystery or comedy.

Kimberly: I have so many. I love to read, but scrapbooking is probably my favorite. When we got our first puppy, I started putting my pictures into scrapbooks and at this point, I have 6 scrapbooks with more to do. I also buy those ceramic village pieces you find in craft stores that need to be painted. It opens up my creativity and flows onto this beautiful blank piece, allowing me to express myself. It is especially gratifying when I put those pieces out at Yule.

Danielle: Honestly, I don’t have hobbies. I only read books lol. I don’t have time to do much else. Unless running the kids around to their different sports is a hobby. Or cleaning…or fixing dinner…or…lol. You get the picture. The only thing I do for myself other than this job is play Softball. But that isn’t a hobby. That is Competition and fun and a great time lol.

Maura:  Other than reading, I am relearning how to crochet.  My biggest passion though is training and showing my dogs in competitive obedience and rally.

Hollie: reading is my biggest hobby, but as I have mentioned we enjoy motorsport and spend most weekends during the summer getting cold and wet watching friends racing around a muddy field.

Lisa: My hobby is looking at Hugh Jackman. I devote as much time as possible to it.

Amy R: I love beading, scrapbooking and painting. Writing used to be a hobby, but that’s kind of turned into a full time job for me.

Brenda:  I needlepoint.  It is a wonderful pastime.  Unfortunately, the books often interfere.  I have done some crochet, but I need to practice.

Betty: I’ve been an amateur genealogist since 1990. My genealogy database currently contains over 60,000 names. I also like oil painting, and I’m going to tackle acrylics next.

Kellyann:  My hobby, like my craft, is writing.  When I need a break from writing, I write.  Call me obsessive…or just call me a writer.

Mary: Why am I not surprised most of you like to read and/or write? LOL When you’ve had a stressful day or week, what do you do to relax?

Karenne:  Sit outside, put my feet up, and gab with my best friend.  She always helps me put things in perspective.  (blows a kiss to Brenda)

AzGaye:  I like to sit in my comfy recliner with a small hands-on project (from the list above!) and listen to some fave music, maybe snuggle my dog, a purebred Australian Shepherd that I got thru Aussie Rescue because she has an auto-immune disorder and has to be on meds. She is the light of my life next to the grandkids and goes nearly everywhere I go!  Other times I will read or maybe watch a movie, a new one that interests me or an old fave—I have a fair collection of both videos and DVDs.

Venus: I love to swim or in the winter I like to curl up by the fireplace with a book.

Kimberly: I light some candles and meditate. After that, I turn on my choice of music at the time and read.

Danielle: Surprise surprise…I read. Or sometimes I will sit down with a Soduko puzzle. I love those.

Maura:  Read, play with my dogs, crochet, or take a walk on the beach.

Hollie: I either read so I can pretend I am someone else and somewhere else, or I organize something like a family BBQ so we are all together having fun and I can forget about my bad day.

Lisa: I blast monsters and aliens and various other nefarious villains on my Playstation. It really is quite therapeutic.

Amy R: Watch comedies. Especially British comedies like Vicar of Dibley or Blackadder. Laughter totally unwinds me.

Brenda:  Sits down in my chair and talks to my best friend on the telephone.  She makes me laugh!  (Air hugs to Karenne)

Betty: I mentioned Farmville already, right?

Kellyann:  If it’s hot, I swim.  And when we can coordinate our day, my husband and I go fishing with the kids.  He’s always been a fisherman, but I definitely have gotten more into it over the past 13 years (anniversary is next week…September 27th).  I could see myself spending more time streamside.

Mary: My final question, I find listening to music, going to a concert especially to be my favorite form of relaxation. Do you enjoy music to relax by? If so who’s your favorite artist or group?

Karenne: I love music.  I love everything from children’s songs to Opera.  I will listen to 70s music when I am designing or trying to be creative.  I will listen to country music when I have a ton of work to do that is not necessarily taxing on my mind.  If I am doing a lot of physical labor (rotor tilling, etc) I will listen to heavy metal.  Yes, my tastes are eclectic!

AzGaye:  I love music and like most things, have very eclectic tastes. My super favorites are folk and ethnic music, especially Celtic and Native American—Clannedd, Enya, the Chieftains, Cuzco, Robert Mirabal and R Carlos Nakai etc.  Also listen to early and soft rock and some country, classic and jazz. Some fave artists are Gordon Lightfoot, the Eagles, CCR,  Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Josh Groban, Bob Segar,  Rod Stewart, John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, Moody Blues--told you I have eclectic taste!! Not too into rap, hip-hop and such is about all!

Kimberly: It seems we all have the eclectic thing in common. I love it. AzGaye, you’ve got great taste in music. Bob Segar, Fleetwood Mac, Clannad, ahhh, the good stuff!

Venus: That is such a hard question. My favorite song changes with my moods. Currently my most played son is Vampire Heart by HIM but I love singing along to country songs and hits from the 80s, relaxing with Hindu Spiritual chants and classical music or soft jazz, I even listen to the Jonas Brothers but not as much as I used to listen to The New Kids On The Block.

Kimberly: LOL Venus! NKOTB 4-Ever! My best friend and I used to drool over whatever magazine they were in that week. I love cranking up the stereo and flowing with the music. It depends on how bad my day has been what type of music I listen to. If it has been mildly stressful day, then some Blackmore’s Night or Celtic Woman. A really bad day requires some Nickelback, Sick Puppies or Theory of a Deadman to make me unwind. I usually will start off with hard rock then mellow into my Celtic music. I listen to almost every type of music out there so a favorite group would be Nickelback, followed by Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, to Cher, and then lastly, Blackmore’s Night.

AzGaye: Oh yeah, my deceased kid brother turned me on to Blackmore’s Night—very cool! And Celtic Woman is good too. Anything Celtic will get to me really—I forgot to mention Alan Stivell and Dan Ar Bras—both from Brittany. Dan more rock fusion—love his earth’s lament song! AZG

Danielle: When I am writing my reviews or trying to write a story I love to listen to the Phantom of the Opera Soundtrack. The voices are so powerful. I don’t mean the volume. I mean the emotional quality in their voices.

Maura:  I love all kinds of music, except rap.  My friends laugh at the selection in my cars, they say it’s a bit schizophrenic (at any time you will find, opera, classical, rock, celtic, swing, jazz, punk, reggae, steel band, blues, and even instrumental surf music).  I love concerts, just this weekend I saw John Pizzarelli and Blondie(illustration of schizophrenic taste in music).  My favorite group would have to be the B-52’s.

Hollie: Music in this house tends to be the choice of the teenagers, I am allowed to say NO way turn that off, but I can’t say can we listen to some nice classical, we tend to compromise with some sort of Rock, not to hard and not to old that the kids sulk.

Lisa: I love jazz. I could listen to it every day and never get tired of it. There are so many greats, but if I had to choose one favorite I’d have to go with Charlie Parker.

Amy R: I love music. I have to write to music too and it totally depends on my mood what I want to listen too. My favourite musical artists are Breaking Benjamin, Prince, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland and Johnny Cash.

Brenda:  Anybody ever heard of Moody Blues?  That is music to relax to.  Now Alabama is music to make you smile.  Country Western has some wonderful music.

Betty: Classical and soft jazz are the most relaxing music. I just tune the TV to one of the Galaxie channels (all music, all the time) and chill.

Kellyann:  Loreena McKennitt is my absolute favorite artist.  I listen to her music while I write and relax.  But for the afternoon beat to increase the heart rate when I don’t want more caffeine, I listen to Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams www.slambovia.com.  Coinicidentally, the drummer is also my brother-in-law.  But that’s not why I listen, it’s just really good music.  My final top in the top three is the Idan Raichel Project, an incredible Israeli band.  Give them a listen, you won’t be sorry.

Thanks, Mary!  What a wonderful week of discussion and revelation in the Garden!


Mary: I’m actually a bigger Concert whore than I am a Travel whore, because obviously local concerts are cheaper. But I’d love almost everyone mentioned above. There were a few artists I wasn’t familiar with, I’ll be looking them up!

Thank you Coffee Time Reviewers crew for visiting with me this week in the garden. I’ve really had a good time, I hope you have. Please stop by and visit often!

Danielle: Thank you for inviting me. I had a blast. Now…do you think I can sneak away with the pool boy and the waiter without Mary noticing?

Kimberly: No way, I’ll tattle! *grin* Mary, this has been so much fun. It isn’t often we get to sit down as a group to chat, but when we have the opportunity, LOOK OUT!

AZG: I won’t tell if I can slip out with my cop and cowboy!

Thursday and it's sunny in the garden with The Coffee Time Crew

Let’s do Travel for Thursday in the garden. Welcome back everyone. As always grab your favorite drink and some food from the table and settle into a chair or pull up some grass to curl up on. This week we’re visiting with the Coffee Time Review crew.

Mary: One of my favorite things to do, travel.  Do you love to travel? If so, why? And if not, why?

Karenne:  When I was younger I used to love….road trips.  Now I won’t get on a plane to save my life.  I still have visions of September 11th and the twin towers.  I do not know if I will ever get over that one.  Still breaks my heart. 

Mary: I know exactly what you mean, Karenne, I remember exactly what I was doing at work when it all started to be announced. What a nightmare. I still travel though, and I love New York. I wished I’d gone earlier so I could have seen the Twin Towers. Now all I’ve seen is ground zero.

AzGaye: I enjoy going places and don’t even mind road trip by myself in my Mazda pickup “Red Hot Mama” (inside joke about that) but after about a week I get antsy to be home, especially if I have not taken my dog with me!  I love camping out in the mountains, on the beach, or in the desert in the winter and going exploring to old mining camps and ghost towns and following those 4-wheel drive tracks in the southwest! I enjoy the mountains like the Rockies in the summer but I am totally not a snow bunny! Love to get up high and take in the view though.

I have really not been out of the USA and I wish I could afford to go! I would love to visit the British Isles—but not on an organized tour so I could go where and when I wanted to and see the land of my ancestors. Australia fascinates me and maybe the Serengeti  in Africa for the animals and the Himalayas –they are just such awesome mountains and I love mountains. Maybe even the area in the middle east that is all torn up in wars now—I know it is not safe to go there anymore but it is interesting as the so called cradle of civilization and also a mountainous desert region which I feel a strong attachment toward. Maybe Spain too as I am interested in their culture and its impact on the new world, at least the part where I’ve lived a lot.

Venus: I enjoy travel as long as my creature comforts are taken care of. I refuse to go anywhere without proper indoor plumbing ;-)

Mary: ‘cuse me again. But I’m so with you about the indoor plumbing!

Kimberly: I’m with you there. No indoor plumbing? Not a vacation to me.

Venus: Although I do like to travel as I mentioned earlier in the week I love where I live. Here in Southern Ontario there are so many things to see and do that I feel as if I am spoiled. We have cottage country and the great lakes, we have Niagara Falls and the wine region. We have fantastic festivals and activities for any type of season. I truly am blessed to live in such a fantastic province.

Kimberly: I don’t think you can call what we do traveling. It’s more like moving. (wink) But we use my husband’s job as a way to see this beautiful country we live in. We get to really know the areas because we live there and absorb the cultures found in various states. I’d love to return to Pennsylvania.  It is just such a beautiful place. The people are friendly and really make you feel like you’ve come home. The landscape is breath-taking. We have been to Mexico (which I loved). Visiting my mom in Canada would be nice again, too. I could spend an entire afternoon just watching Niagara Falls.

Danielle: I love to travel. I don’t really have a favorite destination. What I do have is a favorite travelling memory. When we used to travel as kids, my dad would drive at night. He did this for the peace and quiet. With three kids in the back it was the best solution. I remember waking up to find my dad had parked in a truck stop to catch some zs. Anyway, waking up I could smell the diesel and truck stop food. There is nothing like eating breakfast at a truck stop. They always seemed to have the best foods. Sigh…

Maura:  I enjoy traveling and would more often if I didn’t have three dogs.  I would love to go back to Ireland.

Hollie: I’m a bit of a home girl at heart we don’t, travel often. Although we often camp in (muddy) fields at autograss meetings ~ a form of off road motorsport. We mainly watch although I met my husband through the sport and my daughter is following in her parent’s footsteps by learning to marshal as well as racing on the odd occasion. 

Lisa: I love, love, love to travel! My favorite place in the U.S. is definitely New Orleans. I loved it so much I ended up living there for five years!
Amy R: I do like traveling, but I haven’t done much because I am afraid to fly. Eeep. The furthest I’ve traveled would be the Bahamas on my honeymoon.
Brenda:  I used to like to travel.  Now, advanced age makes the thought of an airplane ride just plain painful.  I did get lots of travel in while in the Army.  Europe is beautiful.

Betty: I’m something of a nervous traveler. I rarely sleep well the night before a big trip and often have dreams about losing my ticket and/or passport. But I love to visit new places, so it’s just the price I pay.

Kellyann:  I love to travel; locally and globally.  I did more of it when I was in college.  But we made our first big international trip with the kids last October.  We all went to the West of Ireland for my cousin’s wedding.  I’d been there several times, but it was an unforgettable experience to share that mystical, magical land with my children and husband.

Mary: I’m such a huge travel whore, I want to go everywhere.
Where have you visited that you’d love to re-visit?

Karenne:  I got my hubby tickets to a concert in Las Vegas a couple of years ago.  We went and spent 4 wonderful days just goofing around (minus the kids) and we had a blast.  I would love to go and do that again….again minus the kids!  ROFL

Danielle: Oooh Karenne! Hubby and I went to Vegas for our honeymoon back in ’98. We stayed off the strip though. We stayed at The Rio. It was great. Still thinking about that food question earlier, they have The World Buffet. It is a restaurant with 13…yes I said 13 different settings and styles of food. They also have this great show they call the show in the sky. It really is a great place to visit.

AzGaye:  Las Vegas or Reno are fun for a fast stop—but soon the hectic pace gets too much. I’d like to go back to San Francisco and maybe to Washington DC again as I did not see nearly enough of the Smithsonian etc. when I was there years ago. I lived as a very small child near Boston for about a year –can’t remember it really--but would like to go there again for the history and all. And maybe Florida again for the really neat beaches and many friends I have there.

Venus: My favorite destination so far was Scotland and I'd love to re-visit. The Highlands seeped into my heart and I feel as if I left a piece of my soul in that beautiful country.

Kimberly: I’d love to return to Pennsylvania.  It is just such a beautiful place. The people are friendly and really make you feel like you’ve come home. The landscape is breath-taking. I’d love to return to Niagara Falls in Canada. My mom takes us there every time we go for a visit. It is one of those places where I could just sit forever and absorb the energy from the falls.


Danielle: Since I was born in England but left when I was 6 months old I would love to go back so I could see where I was born.

Maura:  Other than Ireland, the Adirondacks.  I used to go frequently for work and my husband loves it there too.

Danielle: Oh Maura! The Adirondacks are beautiful! I lived right around the corner from them when I lived in Northern New York.

Hollie: I was born in N.Ireland and I would love to go back, I also love Scotland we hope to take the kids next year after we get a caravan (I’ve had enough of tents). I have family in Wales my maternal grandmother is Welsh and it is a beautiful part of the country, it helps that it has a few Autograss clubs there as well, as does Ireland and Scotland.

Lisa: If I had to re-visit somewhere, I guess I would go back to Amsterdam. I had a really great time there.

Amy R: I went to San Francisco for RWA 2008, and I would love to go back there with my DH to see more of the City. It’s a fabulous place.

Brenda:  I was able to take a short trip to Paris when my mother visited me in Germany.  The allergy that I developed to bed bugs there made it rather uncomfortable.  I’d love to spend more time at the Louvre Museum.

Betty: I spent two weeks in Malta in July 1997. Absolute heaven. I don’t know if I’d go back, if only because there are still too many places left to see, but I’m looking forward to getting another taste of the Mediterranean.

Kellyann:  It’d be too obvious to say Ireland. I’d go back every year if I could.  But the next revisit stop will have to be Italy.  I’ve been there once.  I found Rome to be captivating—the evidence of layers of history side-by-side is awe inspiring.  I’d love to show it to my kids.

Mary: Where is the one place you’d love to visit if you had the money and time, and why? And where is the one place on earth you never want to visit, and why?

Karenne: I would love to go to Scotland or Australia.  I have a very good friend who has offered to show me around Australia.  She is the reason I would go.  Scotland, I would love to see the country because of the books I have read and enjoyed over the years.  Love the internet because I have an idea of what both places look like and what to expect.  Isn’t the internet a wonderful thing!

AzGaye:  I guess the British Isles would top my list. I really want to walk where the ancient Celts did and see Stonehenge and New Grange and the Hebrides and such. I feel like part of my soul is still tied there since the greater part of my ancestors came from that region although it was long ago since most were in the US before it was the US!  Actually most of Europe does not really draw me. I know everyone wants to go to Paris and Italy and stuff but I really do not care to. It would be way down my list if I could go anywhere I wanted to.

Venus: I have so many places I'd love to visit if money were no object as I have very high class taste and do not enjoy traveling coach on long flights ;-) I'm not sure that there is any place I would refuse to travel to if the opportunity were presented I'd like to think I would embrace the adventure. Although as I said earlier I love my comforts so i would not want to go anywhere with out my amenities.

Kimberly: I’d love to do a year in England, Ireland and Scotland. My family originally came from England, my husband’s came from Scotland. Ireland? Because it is there, so why not? For me, it would be more of an ancestral journey. One place I’d never visit? Probably, Africa. I’m not really big on hot, arid places.

Danielle: I really want to go to Scotland and Ireland. There are so many different books out there that bring the countryside alive. I swear I will get there one day. I really have no ambition to visit Antarctica. It is just way to cold!!!

Maura:  I would love to go to Italy.  I don’t know of any place in particular that I would never visit, but I do hate camping, tried it twice.  Ironically, I worked in a campground at a county park for most of college.

Hollie: Probably Greece, I love history and Greece has even more history the England. I don’t think there is anywhere I wouldn’t like to visit if money and time wasn’t a problem.

Lisa: That is a hard question. There are so many places I want to see! I think my number one choice for now is to go to Rio for Carnival. There isn’t anywhere I wouldn’t want to see. The world is a huge and wondrous place.

Amy R: It’s a tie between England/Scotland and Alaska/Yukon/NWT and Nunavut. I’m more drawn to cold places. Where I wouldn’t visit, hmm, that’s tricky because I want to see the entire world. I guess for arguments sake Antarctica is a place low on my list to visit.

Brenda:  I would like to visit the Alps.  I love mountains and they are majestic.  I have no interest in visiting China.  I just don’t like a lot of people crushed into one spot.

Betty: I’ve always fancied going to Ireland, but I doubt a week or two would be sufficient. I can’t think a particular place I wouldn’t go if given the chance, but I will always avoid any locale with “war torn” in the description.

Kellyann:  I’d love to go to Egypt or Israel.  As far as I’m concerned, both of those places are the seats of spiritual civilization.  Someday, perhaps.  Or, if I ever achieve transcendental meditation proficiency, I’ll whizz there in my dreams.  
I have absolutely no interest in China.  There certainly is a wealth of history and culture (and I love the cuisine) but, call me shallow, I’m a 6’2” woman and would not be comfortable with the small scale of the civilization.

Mary: Any takers? I’m serious about this—I say we all save and go to Italy. We could rent a farm house in Tuscany, explore all day and drink wine all night. How fun would that be? Hey I can dream can’t I?  Since I have no money! See you all tomorrow for our last day of discussion.

Kimberly: Oh, that would be heavenly. Good friends, great food and fantastic wine. But, I’m with you on the dreaming thing…no money makes it hard

Betty: I’m actually making plans to go to Torino, Italy, in July 2012, for a week-long convention. Since I’ll be turning 50 later that month, I’m hoping to follow up with my dream vacation—a Mediterranean cruise. If anyone wants to join me…

Wednesday hump day with The Coffee TIme Crew

Wednesday in the garden hump day. Welcome back everyone. Settle in grab a drink and snack. We’re visiting with the Coffee Time Crew and today we’re talking food. Mm…

Mary: Where does your favorite food come from? I mean by Country, is it American, Italian, etc.

Karenne: My favorite food(s) come from all over the world.  I love to try new recipes and new foods.  Over the years, my poor family has been subjected to things that cannot even be pronounced.  Not that they complain..snort I LOVE the internet just for that.  You can find people out there that have the same passion or who can explain exactly what an ingredient is so that you can find it in the store.  Big fun!


AzGaye:  Although I am a big fan of a good ole all American steak and chicken or pork barbecue on the grill  (my sister-in-law to be does great barbecue!!), I have a real liking for Mexican food, mainly the Sonoran style since it varies quite a lot by region. It’s spicy but not burn-out-the-taste buds hot.  Chile Rellenos, flat enchiladas, pork and green chile,  soft tacos, etc.  I didn’t get into this till I was grown as my mom was an old fashioned southern (Kentucky) style cook but I  got started on it  once I left home and my late hubby who had grown up right on the border in Arizona really got me hooked. Flat enchiladas with fried eggs on top, red menudo (definitely an acquired taste LOL) and rellenos, my absolute fave if done right—crispy coating over nice mild chiles stuffed with lots of cheese! With both Mexican and Italian you just can’t have too much cheese!!


Mary: AzGaye you sounds like you live at my house. Although I still have not acquired a taste for menudo!

AzGaye:  Menudo takes some getting used to; I prefer the red; white usually seems too greasy and the guy I learned the recipe from, a local Latino in SE AZ used pigs feet in it (major yuck—even worse than tripe!! LOL Don’t ask what is in ‘exotic dishes’ as you may not want to know!!  AZG

Venus: My favorite food is comfort food and as my parents are from the East Coast, namely Newfoundland, I love salt cod fish cakes.

Kimberly: Wow! That’s a tough one! I love Chinese food, Mexican food, but since homemade macaroni and cheese is my go to meal, I’ll say Italian (since that’s where I hear Thomas Jefferson first discovered it.)

Danielle: Oh boy! Can I have more than one favorite food? LOL. If I am preparing food it would have to be Italian because I make a lot of pasta. It is cheap and filling. I love to make Lasagna, spaghetti, or Goulash. If I am eating out it would have to be Chinese. I love Chinese food! Oh yum…although I do have to say I make a mean Beef Stir-Fry. Oh…and Gravy Almond Boneless Chicken…now I am hungry!!!

Maura:  Italian.


Mary: Italian? Maura, I love it too, so what’s your favorite?

Maura:  My favorite Italian food is my Dad's "gravy".  I had it with spaghetti tonight.  My grandmother was Italian so Dad did all of the cooking when I was growing up.  My Irish mother would make gray meat, brown gravy, mashed potatoes and veggies you could eat with a straw, so we really appreciated it when he took over-lol.

Hollie: BRITISH!!! There is nothing like Roast Beef with Yorkshire puddin’s and thick onion gravy, or Bacon, eggs, sausages, beans, tomatoes and fried bread most people add mushrooms and/or black puddin’ but I don’t like them.

Mary: Hollie, do I dare ask what is in black puddin’?

Lisa: That is a really, really difficult decision. I guess if I had to choose just one I’d go with French.

Amy R: My favourite food, currently, is a tie between a Lebanese Schwarma … oh my gosh I love those *drool* and a Canadian French fry treat known as a poutine. Poutines hail from Quebec and are French fries covered with gravy and topped with cheese curds. YUM!

Brenda:  My favorite food comes from the grocery store.  There are very few things I don’t like.

Betty: That’s a tough call, mostly because I enjoy all kinds of food, but the winner has to sushi from Japan. Maybe that’s because I don’t--and won’t--make it myself. If I can’t get to a good sushi restaurant, I’ll settle for the stuff from the grocery store.

Kellyann: My genie characters and I adore Middle Eastern food…what else.  I always enjoyed the textures of hummus, tahini, falafel, pita, but on the heels of all my Middle Eastern research, I’ve gone further into the exotic spices and juicy grilled meats. So many choices, I could eat it all day.

Mary: Do you have a favorite restaurant in your town where you love to dine? Is this the place for special occasions, if not where would you go for a birthday or anniversary?

Karenne:  Outback Steakhouse.  I love absolutely love those cheese fries! As a family though, we go out to eat for every birthday.  It is up to the person whose birthday it is to pick the restaurant.  When they were little, we went to Denny’s for birthdays.  It was the only way to keep both kids happy.  That is still a tradition even though they are adults.  Our son (the pasta king) always wants to go to Olive Garden.  Our daughter is always a surprise on where she wants to go.  She is the more adventurous one!


Mary: No way—Outback has the best sweet potato fires!

Danielle: I have never been to Outback Steakhouse. I have always wanted to try it though.

AzGaye: There’s a really nice place here in Colorado Springs on the west side called Amanda’s Fonda that we go to a lot (we is my brother, his fiancee and I) and a little fast food semi-drive-in called Monica’s on Fillmore and they both have great food. There was a little local café in Hurley, NM where I lived for a short while that was good but they changed hands and cooks and it is totally not the same now—so sad!!  So for special occasions it is Amada’s and the grab and run is Monica’s LOL. For a change there’s a neat Irish pub downtown, Jack Quinn’s, that has live music some evenings and it is the Special special go to place.

Mary:  Oh we have a great place called MacCools, my Hubby loves their Buffalo Sheppard’s pie and I love the Bangers and Mash.

Venus: My favorite restaurant is a Chinese place my family has enjoyed since I was a child. It has become a family tradition to get take out for everyone's birthdays. Even though we no longer live in the city, we call from our cell phone, place our order and drive it home. We love the food and it still tastes great even after the journey.

Kimberly: Yes, for both of our birthdays and our anniversary we go to a wonderful Mexican restaurant for dinner. It’s not dressy or fancy, but it is delicious food in a comfortable environment. If we have any reason to celebrate, we always head to this place.

Danielle: My favorite restaurant is about 30 miles away. That is the nearest “big town” where there are restaurants galore, Kmart, the nearest Wal-mart, nearest Meijer, etc. Anyway, that would be China One Buffet. The prices are fantastic and the food is fabulous. If I am talking here in my small town that would be Murray’s Bar and Grill. They have the best beer battered Shrimp.

Maura:  There are so many to choose from my favorite changes all the time.  But an old favorite is the Cooperage in Baiting Hollow, and a new one is The Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck.

Hollie: we don’t tend to do eating out unless it is McDonald’s drive through. My youngest doesn’t do well with new situations or people so we do more take- always then eating out and with there being 6 of us it works out loads cheaper as well. I’m a Yorkshire girl I don’t spend more than I have to 

Lisa: There’s this little French bistro in San Francisco that I go to every single time I’m there. They have this tomato soup that is, quite literally, an orgasm in a bowl. I love to visit my friends, but I sometimes think I go to San Francisco just to be able to have that soup again. 

Amy R: The DH and I like Michael on the Thames. It’s the special occasion place. The maître d there sings opera and the escargots are superb.

Brenda:  Amarillo has Green Chili Willie’s.  It’s not a formal place or a specific type of food, but the food is fabulous!

Betty: My all-time favorite local spot is a great little bistro call Epicurious Morsels in the historic Hydrostone Market. While I’m usually not much for eating alone, EM is always a cozy spot to sit with my journal and listen to soft jazz in the background. Delicious food and friendly staff make the whole experience a treat.

Kellyann:  I really love Macaroni Grill for a fun and reliable Italian food taste and ambiance.  This is a chain but I’m not sure where in the U.S. they are besides Pennsylvania.   I was just out to dinner in Philadelphia last week and went to an Israeli restaurant called Zahav.  It was amazing! I highly recommend it if you’re ever in the City of Brotherly Love.


Mary: What is the weirdest food you’ve ever tasted? And what is the one food you’d love to try if given the opportunity? Last what is the one food you’d never try in a million years?

Karenne: Squid is the weirdest food I have ever tasted….loved it, but it was just a little weird on the texture (grin)  The food that I would love to try if the opportunity presented itself….would have to be anything from my neighbors house.  She has her back screen door (in the kitchen) open all of the time and everything smells so good!  Last food, I would ever eat.. Hominy (shudders)

AzGaye:  Hmmm, I don’t think I have eaten anything too weird. I am not picky exactly but draw the line at a lot of odder stuff. Well, weirdest is probably stew some Apache Indians friends had when I was a kid that was rumored to have dog in it…I didn’t know till I ate some though!! Actually it wasn’t bad.  I’d like to try some more Chinese food; I have eaten the usual “Hong Kong buffet” stuff but would like to try more authentic and also more German food—love what I have tried! As for the never no way I guess Baloots—I think that is how it is spelled-- or winter Kimchee—two Oriental dishes I have heard very scary stuff about!!  And no monkey please, flying or otherwise.

Venus: I'm not adventurous enough to try weird food and I am probably one of the pickiest eaters in the world so there are too many things that I just will not try. I would love to travel to Tuscany and take in some of their flavorful dishes.

Kimberly: Weirdest? Shoofly pie in Pennsylvania (Delicious) I’d love to try either French or Thai, if I ever had the chance. I would never in a million years try squid or octopus. I’m not big on seafood.

Danielle: Weirdest food for me is Sushi. I tried it once. It wasn’t bad. But wasn’t much taste other than I felt like I was eating rubber. I would love to try a Chicago Style Pizza just because I have heard so much about it. I have a friend who lived overseas for a while. She had Monkey Brains one time. I would NEVER try it. Just sounds gross.

Kimberly: Oh. My. God. Deep Dish Chicago pizza. It is the best. I’ve lived in New York and their pizza is good, but Chicago pizza is my favorite. Great! Now, I’m hungry! LOL

Maura:  Sweet and sour kielbasa made with jelly, it was pretty good.  I am allergic to cheeses that are aged, so I miss out on a lot of food.  I will not eat bugs, squid, octopus, snails or frogs.

Hollie: I Live in Yorkshire and was raised by a Geordie and a Cockney, we have a selection of weird food of our own over here that most of you won’t have heard about: I’ve already mentioned Black Puddin’ and Yorkshire Puddin’s, but how about peas puddin’, roll mops, Tripe, jellied eels, bubble and squeek, cockles, spotted dick, brawn, Stottie cakes and tongue.

Kimberly: My great-great grandfather came from England and brought his love for the more…uhm…unusual foods with him. There’s actually a few of the things you listed, Hollie, that my grandma used to make. I think tongue and tripe were some of her favorites, though Yorkshire pudding ranked up there.

Lisa: The weirdest food I have ever tasted was probably horse meat tartar. It wasn’t bad, just kinda gamey. One of my ultimate goals in life is to try blowfish. Apparently there are only a few sushi chiefs in the world are qualified to serve it and if they do it right it is supposed to be quite a thrill. I’ve eaten everything from ostrich to squid ink to chocolate covered bacon, so there’s really nothing I won’t try.

Amy R:  Weirdest is probably conch or buffalo. I would love to try moose or caviar … more caviar than moose. I would never eat snake or something from the insect family. Yuck.

Mary: I can’t even comment on all the foods. My goodness what a variety, I agree I don’t think I ever want to try monkey. Those of you who do not want to try squid, calamari or escargot though are missing out big time!

Brenda:  When I heard what you find in haggis, I took it off my diet.  I love beef tartar, sushi, calamari, and escargot.  Everything else is subject to a taste test.

Betty: “Naked’ calamari. Hands down the weirdest sensation (and ugly to boot). Much more appealing when breaded (especially tempura). I think I’ve tried everything that ever called to me, but I doubt that haggis or chocolate cover ants will ever pass these lips.

Kellyann:  When I was in the Catalan region of the Pyrenees, I ate sheep brains.  They were prepared like hush puppies; little breaded balls with a creamy inner texture.  I spoke Spanish but had misread the menu because the dialect is so different.  Catalan is a combination of French and Spanish.  Once I figured out what I was eating, couldn’t bring myself to finish.
I would like to try buffalo.
I would never again eat brains.


Mary: Do you have a favorite recipe you can share with us?  Please!

Karenne:  This recipe is great for carnivores or herbivores:

Lettuce and Cashew Nut Wraps with Tahini Dressing (makes around 6)

6 large lettuce leaves (Cos, iceberg or oak leaf)
1 carrot (trimmed, peeled and cut into fine julienne strips)
1 red bell pepper (deseeded and finely sliced
2 Spring Onions (trimmed and finely sliced)
2 TBSP Chopped Red Onions
5 ½ TBSP Cashew nuts (roughly chopped)
¾ cup beansprouts
2 TBSP Tamari Sauce

Dressing:
3 TBSP Tahini
1 TBSP Cider Vinegar

-    Prepare the dressing by mixing the tahini and cider vinegar together with 3 tablespoons of cold water in a small mixing bowl
-    Arrange the salad leaves on a large platter
-    In a bowl, mix together all the other ingredients and divide between the lettuce leaves.  Spoon a little of the dressing over the filling.  Roll the leaves around the filling and secure with a toothpick
-    Serve the wraps with the remaining dressing to the side.


Not my personal recipe.  This is from Dr. Gillian McKeith, You are what you eat cookbook. This is a great way to clean out the veggies in the house!

Kimberly: Those sound so good, Karenne. Something healthy AND tasty. I’m going to try this one out of my hubby when we get moved.

AzGaye: Hmm, I gave up cooking for Lent the spring after my DH passed away and have not taken it back up.  I have one easy one though that I featured in one of my books (I am a writer as well as doing stuff here –confession time LOL.)

Mary: ‘scuse me a minute here, you gave up cooking for lent? I gave up chocolate once, and my boss went to France and brought back Godiva chocolates all of us in the office. My family really enjoyed them.

That was a lame joke, Mary! I say that about a lot of things LOL. AZG

Mary: Opps sorry!

Mercedes’ Dessert Taco-Salad

Take a medium size wheat flour  tortilla for each serving . Spray a large Pyrex custard cup or tortilla mold with non-stick spray and shape the tortilla into the dish, spray the tortilla on the inside too. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes until brown and crispy. Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar while warm.

Meanwhile blend in a large bowl: one med can mandarin orange slices, one medium can pineapple chunks or crushed, small jar of maraschino cherries, (drain all canned fruit of most of the juices) and 3-4 cups of fresh fruit, mix and match is fine!—strawberries, grapes, cut up peaches, cut up melon  etc, a cup of shredded coconut and ½ cup finely  chopped nuts if desired.

Fill each tortilla cup with fruit and top with cool whip or whipped cream. Basic recipe will serve about 6-8; double the fruit filling if more servings are needed!

This is a great finish to a Mexican style dinner or a barbeque—light but sweet and cool. Perfect for summer.  If you use ‘lite’ topping it is not even high calorie!

Venus:Fish 'n Brewis (pronounced "brews") is one of the oldest traditional dishes of Newfoundland.

Ingredients
4 loaves PURITY HARD BREAD
2 lbs salt cod fish bones removed
6 -8 peeled and roughly cubed potatoes
1 cup salt pork, finely diced

Directions
Break hardbread cakes into small pieces. In a large pot soak hard bread overnight in cold water.
Soak cod overnight in another large pot of water as well.
In the morning, drain water from cod, refill and continue soaking to remove excess salt.
Simmer cod gently until cooked (about 20-30 minutes) Remove from heat and drain. Using a fork flake fish pieces to ensure there are no bones, meanwhile heat hard bread slowly until it comes to a boil and drain. Boil potatoes at the same time, drain when cooked. Add flaked fish and potatoes into pot with drained hardbread and give a rough stir mixing the ingredients but not turning them to mush.

For the Scrunchins place salt pork in frying pan.
Heat over medium heat until grease is drawn from the salt pork. Do not discard grease use drippings as a sauce over the Fish 'n Brewis when served up in individual dishes. Top with crisp golden pieces of pork (scrunchions).

Kimberly:   We had friends coming for dinner and I was looking for something new to try. I found this recipe and it was a HUGE hit. Now, I make it at least once a month for family and friends. I bake and cook with my whole heart, but this is my most requested recipe. It tastes like a giant wet burrito.
Burrito Pie
 * 2 pounds ground beef
 * 1 onion, chopped
 * 2 teaspoons minced garlic
 * 1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
 * 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
 * 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
 * 1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
 * 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
 * 12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
 * 9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
   2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
   3. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
   4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Danielle: I love to bake. And I love to come up with new recipes. I make this cake I call Strawberry and French Vanilla pudding Cake.
Ingredients:
2 Small packages French Vanilla  Instant Pudding (can use sugar free)
1 Cup Milk
2 Cups Milk
2 Lbs. Strawberries (fresh only, not frozen)
8 ounces Cool Whip (or store brand) (Can use Sugar Free)
1 French Vanilla Cake (any brand)
Two 8 or 9 inch round or square pans.

Directions:

Bake the cake as directed for two 8 or 9 inch cake pans. I recommend you make the cake the night before.

For Frosting: 1 package pudding, mix with 1 cup milk and cool whip. Once whipped, add some sliced or crushed strawberries.  Set in fridge for at least 1 hr.

Mix second pudding as directed for pudding. Set in fridge for twenty minutes or so.

Taking one of the cakes, set on cake platter or plate flat side on bottom. Taking some of the pudding, spread a thin layer over top the first cake (you will have leftover pudding) . Add an even level amount of sliced strawberries. Add second cake, rounded side down. Frost using frosting (may have some left over. It makes a great treat all by itself). Add rest or most of the sliced strawberries on top and sides of cake. Enjoy!


Hollie: Toad in the Hole,

Mary: Toad in the hole? Is there a recipe for this? I’d love it.

Danielle: Hollie, isn’t that where you cut a small hole in a slice of bread and then put an egg inside the bread and cook it in the pan? I think I saw something like that on the inside of an egg carton.

Hollie: Toad in the hole is fried sausages cooked in Yorkshire pudding batter.

Mix: plain flour, milk water, eggs, salt and pepper into a fairly thin batter.

Place some lard in a shallow dish (about an inch deep) in a hot very oven until the lard is almost smoking hot.

Put the fried sausages in the dish, then poor over the batter and return to the oven until the batter has risen, browned and gone crispy.

Kimberly: I haven’t had those in years! Another one of those things my grandma used to make for us when we were kids.

Lisa: I’m sorry. I don’t cook.


Mary: Lisa what do you do when you don’t want to go out then? Just curious. LOL.


Lisa: This is exactly why I need a houseboy, Mary. I am horrible with all domestic duties. I need someone to take care of them properly. Preferably someone male who is hot and toned and mostly naked.

Amy R: This is a favourite in my house, and with 3 small children it’s fast and easy … which I love. Also cheap. I like cheap too.
TUSCAN CHICKEN SIMMER
What You Need
4 small Boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup  Pesto
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup  KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend
Make It
HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover. Cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until done (165ºF). Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.
ADD cream cheese, water, pesto and tomatoes to skillet. Cook, uncovered, on medium heat 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
RETURN chicken to skillet. Cook and stir 1 min. or until chicken is coated and heated through. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Brenda:  Steak, Potato, and Marinated Salad

2 cucumbers sliced thinly
5 tomatoes sliced thinly (7 if Roma)
1 green bell pepper sliced thinly
1 purple onion sliced thinly
1 bottle of Wishbone Italian Dressing

Layer vegetables starting with cucumbers then tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion.  You should be able to make two layers finishing with circles of purple onion.  Pour dressing on salad to allow plenty of coverage ( approx ½ - ¾ bottle).  May marinate for a short time or overnight.  Will keep in refrigerator for several days.

1 potato per person
Butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper
Cut off ends of potato and imperfections.  Wash.  Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour.

1 steak per person ¾ inch thickness
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Wave over hot fire until brown.  Serve.

Betty: I enjoy baking more than cooking. For special occasions and potluck dinners, I like making peanut butter cheesecake. The following recipe is my adaptation of one from kraftfoods.com.

Chocolate cookie crumbs (measure according to package directions)
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I like to “shake things up” by using crunchy)
3 eggs
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
MIX cookie crumbs and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add
sour cream and peanut butter; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just
until blended. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Pour over crust.
BAKE 50 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen
cake; cool before removing side of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in
refrigerator.

Kellyann:  see Martini recipe from Tuesday… LOL.
Seriously, I’m going to share with you my top-secret, generational, original Irish recipe for my dear Granny’s (God Rest Her Soul) Irish Soda Bread:
•    3 tblsp. Butter, softened
o    [save the butter wrappers.  I use those to rub over the bread when it comes out of the oven.]
•    2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
•    2 generous tblsp. Sugar
•    1 tsp. baking soda
•    1 tsp. baking powder
•    ½ tsp salt
•    1/3 cup raisins
•    ¾ cups buttermilk

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Cut softened margarine into powder until it resembles fine crumbs.
Stir in raisins and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough.
[basically means all the buttermilk, and you may have to add a splash more.]
Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Shape into round load, about 6½ inches in diameter.
Place on greased cookie sheet
Cut an X about ¼ through loaf with floured knife.
Bake in 375º oven until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush with butter.

[I usually double the recipe to start and make two loaves at a time because it’s so good.  You can freeze the 2nd….]

Kimberly: After reading these recipes, I think we all need to meet some central location for a potluck dinner.

Mary: Kimberly I think you’re right! Thanks for ALL the fun recipes. (You’re all entered into my recipe contest now!) Now I’m very hungry and I swear I’ve gained five pounds today. Off to go for a walk and burn some calories. See you tomorrow.

AzGaye: OMG almost makes me want to take up cooking again but my future SinL is great so I will leave most of it to her. I do spaghetti, chile, stew and a few other plain ole comfort foods mostly. Pillsbury Grand biscuits and I do make home made cornbread with corn flour as well as corn meal; sometimes add the canned corn  with peppers too!  Throw in some bacon bits and it is a meal by itself!!  AZG 

Tuesday in the Garden with the Coffee Time Crew

Welcome back to Tuesday at the garden with the Coffee Time Reviewers. Refill your glasses and grab a bagel or something. Pull up a chair or find a nice patch of lawn to curl up on. Today we’re going to start my favorite discussion, wine. Or in case you’re not a wine drinking your favorite beverage.


Mary: When you’re home relaxing or out to dinner, what is your favorite wine or cocktail? If you do neither, beer or pop?

Karenne: I LOVE Dr. Pepper.  If I was stranded on a desert island, I would need a lifetime supply of Dr. Pepper.  Do not need to eat!  Just my Dr. Pepper

Mary: You and my Dad would have hit it off, I can’t remember him without one in his hand.

AzGaye:   Hmm, I am not a big drinker but a nice rose or Merlot with a meal can be pleasant. I also have a secret weakness for Killian’s Red. I’m not normally into beer, at least American ones though and my fave soda is Dr. Pepper.

Danielle: My eye is twitching…I swear I think AzGaye is sucking up big time! Karenne loves Dr. Pepper, now AzGaye does to?! “snort”…yeah riggghhhht!

Venus: Ha Ha -- I'm so not a wine drinker and GASP! I don't drink coffee either. My beverage of choice is an ice cold Coca-Cola. It's followed a close second by Ice-Tea or water. I have enjoyed a few cocktails in my life ;-)

Kimberly:  You’re looking bright-eyed this morning, Mary. To answer your question: if I’m at home with friends, it is either soda or rum and Coke. If I’m out to dinner, it’s usually a margarita (on the rocks with salt).

Danielle: I have actually just found these wonderful drinks. I work in a grocery store so I kind of label things in weird ways. These drinks are individual alcoholic frozen drinks. You just pop in the freezer for a few hours. Take them out, crush them and they are ready. Alcohol is already in it. For a buck ninety nine you can’t really go wrong. I have been calling them Adult Juice Boxes lol. My favorite so far is Strawberry Daiquiri. I have yet to try the Lemonade or the Peach. They are next on my list.

Kimberly: I found those at a little wine and spirits shop when we lived in Pennsylvania. Ooh, were they ever delish!

Maura:  I love a good glass of Chardonnay.

Hollie: Usually beer, I don’t do wine very much or pop, but I do have a soft spot for Vodka there is sometimes ~ ok always a bottle in my freezer.

Lisa: My absolute favorite red wine is Chateauneuf du Pape. But for just sitting around in a lovely garden with friends I really love a nice, refreshing St. Germain cocktail. 

Amy R: I love Cosmopolitans, but because I am a cheap drunk (seriously 1 drink and I’m done) I tend to favour Diet Coke. 

Brenda:  I love German white wine.  Now is it fair that the doctors will not let me have any alcohol?  I guess I’ll stick to Dr Pepper.  It’s the state drink of Texas anyway.

Betty: My drink of choice depends on the circumstances. For dining or cocktails, I prefer a glass or two of Chardonnay. Riesling is great, too, but it’s not always available. My summer drink is Corona, and I love trying out the latest micro-brew beer at any time. And of course I can’t forget good ol’ “apple juice” (family code for Appleton Estate’s amber rum) and Coke.

Kellyann: I start my day at the keyboard with a cup of Starbucks’ Verona coffee taken black.  I drink water throughout the day and then a nice cold glass – beaded with condensation – of Chardonnay in the evening.  I’ve always favored this white…seems to have fallen out of favor over the years, but I love the buttery suppleness.  Friday night is Martini Night for me and hub.  We get the kids set up with pizza and a movie and we have our own date night in a warmly lit corner of the house.

Mary: I’m doing my happy dance, I have a new red wine to try. And My I love cosmos! Danielle, I live in Utah—No Alcohol in our stores! We have to go to a ‘special liquor’ store and it is closed on Sunday.

Danielle: Well Mary, doesn’t that make you feel “special”? LOL. We do sell alcohol on Sundays but not until noon. You would NOT believe all the people who complain about that law. I find it ridiculous that they actually complain! I mean…seriously, you need to have that pint of vodka at 7:30 in the morning? Couldn’t you have gotten the night before? Or can’t you wait until noon? Sorry…just a pet peeve of mine. One of many!

Kimberly: Funny enough, that’s how it is in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. That was a bit of a shock for us, moving from Michigan where you can buy liquor in the stores. In Pennsylvania, the liquor stores weren’t open on Sundays or national holidays.


Mary: This is probably a weird question, but how did you discover what you liked? Were you at a party, a winery, dinner?

Karenne:  My best friend introduced me to Dr. Pepper and I have never looked back because I would see how much of an expansion there was going on back there  (looks at my behind) due to the Dr. Pepper LOL

AzGaye:  I grew up a non-alcoholic home so had to experiment some when I got out on my own.  In college I went more for the sweet ‘kool aid’ wines—this was back in the hippie days LOL so I drank Boone’s Farm and Annie Greensprings and stuff (yuck, huh?) and gradually got to trying drier and slightly more sophisticated vintages! I do like a margarita (regular or frozen) now and then too—but it’s gotta be Jose Cuervo!  A friend had me try the Killian’s knowing I don’t care for beer and I was like, “Wow, where has this been all my life?”  It was at a trad Irish pub for my birthday a bit ago.

Venus: Ironically I do go on Niagara wine tours at least once a year however I just soak in the knowledge and the beauty and watch my fellow guests enjoy the beverages.

Kimberly: Not really a weird question as long as you don’t tell my parents. I partied a little when I was younger and found out I like hard liquor. I cannot stand beer. But it was actually my dad’s girlfriend who bought me my first margarita. I didn’t think I’d like it, but one sip and I was hooked.

Danielle: Mary that is not weird at all. I had so many customers buying the drinks that I decided I had to try it. So I bought some to take camping with us. Man was it good…and sometimes when I need to relax right before bed I will drink one and it puts me right to sleep lol. I am a cheap date.

Maura:  I live on the North Fork which is full of wineries.

Hollie: sipping friends drinks when I was a teenager ~ remembering we can drink here from 18, I wasn’t a bad girl …. Honest.

Lisa: I discovered the St. Germain cocktail last year when I was visiting friends in New York. It was the featured cocktail at a dinner party I was attending and I just fell in love with it. It is like drinking Spring in a glass.

Amy R: I just thought Cosmos looked good and thought I’d try one. They were so pretty and pink. I like pink, that and I’m a HUGE fan of Sex and the City.

Brenda:  The Army stationed me in Germany.  The Bachelor Quarters weren’t available so I lived in a little house across the driveway from my German landlady.  The wine seller came to her house for a wine tasting.  Fabulous!  The 1976 Kabinett was to die for.  I put in my order and they delivered it while I was a work one day.  It was outside my door with the bill tucked between the boxes.  I paid the bill at the post office and still wish I had some of that wonderful wine.  I like Dr Pepper because I grew up in Texas.

Betty: Chardonnay came about because I occasionally have a physical reaction (similar to an allergy) to wine. Trial and error taught me that Chardonnay is always safe. Credit for the amber rum goes to a distant cousin, who swore by the stuff and indoctrinated me during one of several genealogical road trips. Not 100% sure about Corona, but I think that started during an eight-week writing fellowship in New Mexico.

Kellyann:  Taste tests.  Lots of taste tests…. 

Mary: If your favorite beverage is a Cocktail, can you share the recipe? Or if it’s a wine, tell us about the winery where it’s from. For those who do not have a favorite wine or cocktail, do you have a recipe for a favorite holiday beverage, like Halloween or Christmas?

Karenne:  Coffee, Water and Dr. Pepper are about it for me.  Yes, boring…I also love taking naps!

Mary: Hey, nothing wrong with naps, all my grandkids take them! (My Dad used to also.)

AzGaye:  Surprisingly Arizona and New Mexico have some neat little wineries and I like some of their house brands mostly only sold locally. On the margarita, just the standard variety with lime and salt on the rim.

There is a cool variation of an old Swedish punch that I make near the holidays. Heat enough Dr. Pepper for a mug apiece for the company in a pot with raisins or some candied fruit in the bottom and add about a quarter cup of burgundy or other rich red wine per serving. Pull it off just before boiling and serve very warm. Yummy and not real alcoholic as the heat evaporates a bit of it. Simple but a nice end-of-the-evening drink after caroling or decorating.

Venus: I have a beverage that works great as a tropical summer drink as well as a great Halloween party cocktail.
Zombie

1 part white rum
1 part golden rum
1 part dark rum
1/2 part 151 proof rum
1 park apricot or cherry brandy
1 part pineapple or lemon juice
1 part papaya or orange juice
2 dashes grenadine

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well.
Strain into a glass with crushed ice and garnish with a cherry.

Another favorite is a big glass of milk and strawberry Nesquick syrup ;-)

Kimberly: I love hot apple cider both at Halloween and Yule. This isn’t a real recipe, it’s more a matter of taste. I put about a half a teaspoon of brown sugar in the bottom of a cappuccino mug; add a sprinkle of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Pour cider over that mix and stick it in the microwave until it gets hot. Stir and sip. (Spiced rum tastes wonderful in it if you want to add a little kick.)

Danielle: I don’t really do favorite beverage recipes. I do remember once drinking my aunt’s concoction at her house. Not sure what was all in it. She called it Purple Passion. I know it had two different liquors in it, one which was some blue liquor. It also had ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, and it was blended with a little milk. Made into a type of shake. It was sooo good!

AzGaye:  OMG, I forgot about Kalua Milk shakes!!  My late hubby introduced me to them—just blend up a regular vanilla milkshake in a blender and add Kalua to taste—somehow no other liquer has quite the same yummy flavor!!  AZG

Maura:  Right now my favorite is the Sherwood House 2007 Chardonnay.  It is the third use of the barrel and much smoother than the other uses.

Hollie: I’ll stick to the vodka thanks although I just tried real Irish Whiskey for the first time and I could learn to like that very easily

Lisa:

St. Germain Cocktail Recipe
1 ½ parts St. Germain
2 parts Prosecco or Cava
2 parts club soda or sparkling water

Stir ingredients in a tall ice-filled Collins glass, mixing completely.
Garnish with a lemon and lime.

Amy R:  Here’s my Cosmo recipe, which I think is pretty standard:
1 oz of Cointreau
3 oz of Cranberry Juice
½ oz of Lime Juice
1 slice of Lime
3 oz of Vodka.
Shake it up with some ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Serve with slice of lime.

Brenda:  I prefer not to mess with a good wine.  The same goes for Dr Pepper

Betty: I can’t believe I forgot about martinis! I absolutely adore chocolatinis. But I really like making up my own recipes from whatever’s available. Two that I thought worked out well enough to write down are “Struck by the Orange” and “Getting Peeled” (local expressions that mean, respectively, “love at first sight” and “getting lucky”). ;-)

Struck by the Orange

1 oz. Absolut Mandarin vodka
½ ox. Blue Curacao
½ oz. Kirsch
½ oz. Lemon juice

Getting Peeled

½ oz. Absolut Mandarin vodka
1 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Kirsch

For both, shake with ice and garnish with olives, cherries, or twist.

Kellyann:  Martini Friday martini:  chill the glasses/ Bombay Sapphire gin and just a wisp of Noilly Prat vermouth shaken over ice/ drop two stuffed Queen olives in the frosty glass and pour.  Cheers!

I love the wine from the North Fork of Long Island where my husband’s family is.  Some great vineyards out there are developing delicious whites.  My recent fave is Jason’s Vineyard’s Chardonnay.

Mary: Okay now I’m thirsty, I think I’ll go have a glass of red wine! How about you? See you all tomorrow.

The Coffee Time Crew is in the Garden all WEEK!

Good Morning and welcome, find a chair, or pull up a seat on the grass. We are going to spend the week with the Coffee Time Romance & More Coffee Crew. I’m really excited about this. Every day we’re going to talk about a different topic. First we’re going to introduce and get to know everyone. So grab your favorite beverage, and fill you plate with some awesome appetizers I have here on the table.

Mary: Welcome Coffee Time Reviewers, please tell all of us a bit about you. Where did you grow up? Where do you live now?

Karenne:  Good Morning Mary.  Thank you so much for inviting us to garden party!  I grew up as a military brat all over the world.  When we got done, what did I do….married a military man.  Even though I am a southerner at heart, we are currently living in California.  Culture shock!  lol

AzGaye:  I was born in Kansas City, MO but moved with my parents to Arizona when I was a toddler so call myself a “born again Arizona native”. Hey if John Denver could do it at 20 some in Colorado, why not? I’ve lived much of my life in Arizona (the Verde Valley and Cochise County) with shorter stays in Colorado, California and New Mexico. Right now I am in Colorado Springs for awhile but hope to get back farther south within a year or so.

Venus: I grew up in Southwestern Ontario and still call it home. I love it here! Ontario offers the best of so many things; food, culture, arts, entertainment, and nature.

Kimberly: I grew up on a dairy farm in southern Michigan. Yes, I was the farmer’s daughter (smile).At the present time, I am living in the same area, but my husband’s new job has us planning a move to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Danielle: Seriously? Oh my goodness that is right by me!!! You can visit me!!!

Kimberly: I spent four years in Pennsylvania and two years in Oklahoma all for his job.

Danielle: Hi Mary! Hello everyone. Thank you for inviting me. I just love being invited to a party on such a nice sunny day. Funny you should ask where I grew up…I can honestly say here and there with a straight face and mean it. I have been to 13 different schools. My dad was in the Air Force which makes me a brat…I heard you snicker Kimberly! I was born in London, England. At the tender age of 6 months we moved to Lubbock, Texas. At age 4 we moved to Nellis Air Force base on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. At age 8 we moved to a small town Keysville, New York. From there we kind of bumped around to different spots in northern New York. After my parents divorced my mother took us and moved us to a little town in northern Michigan. I have lived here in East Jordan, Michigan ever since. It is a very small town (one stop light). If you are looking at your left hand palm down, I live in the ring finger cuticle. LOL.

Kimberly: At least you live up to the title of brat, Danielle. *grin*

Maura:  I grew up in and live in Riverhead, a small town on the East End of Long Island.

Hollie: Hi Mary, thanks for having us, I’m the Brit in the Group, I was born in N. Ireland but I grow in West Yorkshire, I now live in a tiny village just south of York in the North Yorkshire countryside with my husband, 4 kids and 2 dogs.

Lisa: I grew up in New Rochelle, NY, a suburb about 40 minutes north of New York City. You might know it from the Dick Van Dyke show actually. For the moment, I live in Pittsburgh.

Amy R: I’m an author and I write for Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen Press, Eternal Press and Samhain Publishing. I grew up in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario known as Whitby, but now I currently reside in  London, Ontario … not England. I’m a Canadian through and through. 

Brenda:  I grew up in Texas with a detour to Washington state long enough to keep the accent to a minimum.  I graduated from high school in Amarillo, Texas, the first year the schools were integrated and went to college for a couple of years until they told me to take a break.  I did.  Spent 14 years in the Army and now I’m back on the farm in Dimmitt, Texas.

Betty: I grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada, and consider myself fortunate to be a lifelong resident. Up until my early working years, I lived in a number of small towns (Dad worked for the telephone company, so we moved as much as army brats), but since 1991, I’ve made my home in the capital city, Halifax.

Kellyann: I’m an author now and I’d have to say that I grew up in the neighborhoods and lands created by great authors like Jerzy Kinski (some quick growing up there), Kurt Vonnegut, Sir Walter Scott, Billy Shakespeare, Stephen King, Peter Benchley, George Eliot.   But my house was in Philadelphia, where I was born and raised, with a raucous, loving band of two brothers, three sisters, Irish-born Mom and Philly-born Dad, in an Irish Catholic neighborhood.

Mary: I love hearing about everyone! How did you find Coffee Time? And what made you join their crew? And what do you do, are you a reviewer or something else?

Karenne: Well I am the webmsitress, maker of rules, and Supreme Nag-O-Nator

Mary: Karenne, you a Nag-O-Nator? I just can’t picture it. LOL.

Karenne:  Awww, you know me so well!

Danielle: It really doesn’t take much to imagine Karenne as a Nag-O-Nator. I swear every time she cracks her whip I can hear theme music. It sounds very naggish!!! LOL.

Kimberly: She can wield a mean whip though when she needs to.

AzGaye: I honestly can’t recall how I first found Coffee Time or did they find  me? Naw, I’m not that infamous.  But it was not long after they opened their doors. I reviewed for them for two or three years and managed to meet Brenda M in Reno where I was crashing RWA National in about 2006 with a pal. Have yet to meet any of the others but we’re all good cyber pals. I dropped out for a bit and just came back to be a part-time live chat moderator and I’m taking over the revamped monthly Book Brew with the Coffee Crew event.

Mary: Hey, I was in Reno, that was my very first RWA!

Venus: I'm a reviewer for Coffee Time and I heard about this wonderful bunch of ladies from a fellow reviewer so I sent an email and before i knew it I was part of the coffee crew.

Kimberly: We had just moved to Oklahoma and I had my first computer with internet connection. I was cruising through Yasmine Galenorn’s site when I came across something talking about Coffee Time Romance so I checked it out. My husband had been bugging me for years to review books since I love to read as much as I do and I give people suggestions about what I liked about a book or didn’t like. I played around with the idea for about 2 months before I actually submitted a review. I joined because I am a homemaker had some time on my hands and you know what they say about idle hands. Karenne now keeps my hands busy with book reviews and coordinating contests.

Danielle: I actually came across Coffee Time through their newsletter. I can honestly say I have no idea how I became subscribed to the newsletter. But I remember there being a recommendation for Rhiannon Byrd’s harlequin paranormal series and I was impressed with their apt description. One day I was reading the newsletter and there was a mention about looking for more reviewers. So I used Jacquelyn Frank’s Jacob book and submitted a mock review to Karenne. From there it rolled pretty fast. I do book reviews, author interviews, help with the calendar, help keep the reviews from being duplicated, and just about everything else Karenne asks me to do in my spare time.

Maura:  I am a reviewer.  As a rabid reader, I was intrigued by the idea of writing reviews of the books I have read.  Coffee Time has such a great site, I couldn’t wait to join the staff.

Hollie: I found the Coffee Time Forum from Keri Arthur’s website, a while later Karenne invited me to be a forum moderator and it sort of went from there, I now co-ordinate the Readers Retreat and Coffee Write as well as reviewing.

Lisa: I knew about Coffee Time from back when I just a reader and not an author. When I heard they were looking for people to moderate the Yahoo chat groups I totally jumped at the opportunity! I am not a reviewer though. I host the Erotic and Chatters Yahoo groups on Fridays.

Amy R: I’ve always known about Coffee Time since selling my first book. I’m not a reviewer for CTR, I’m a Yahoo Loop Moderator. I decided to join the crew because I figured I was hanging out there so much anyways. LOL!

Brenda:  I’m not real sure I found Coffee Time.  It found me.  Karenne is my BFF.  She is also very persuasive.  I’m the Review Coordinator.  She is a Nag-O-Nator.  That’s how is came about.

Betty: I’m a chat moderator. I found the Crew by chance after I started editing romance titles for Virtual Tales.

Kellyann: I joined the Crew because I really enjoy the Coffee Time Romance site and the energy that Karenne creates for the whole crew.  I’m an author of paranormal romance so I can find a lot of camaraderie at CTR.

Mary: Tell us what your favorite part of working with Coffee Time Romance & More is?

Karenne:  My Coffee Crew staffers.  I love each and every one of them and feel blessed everyday to be able to be in their lives.  Plus... I love the creativeness of authors.  Always amazes me what kind of world and adventures come out of the mind of authors.

AzGaye: Sharing books and chat and fun with friends! I have loved books for longer than I care to admit being around and a chance to talk about them, compare notes and kid around with a great bunch of folks who I consider dear friends   is just too kewl to miss!

Venus: It's definitely a tie between the books and the other coffee crew members :-) I love to read and these ladies are wonderful to work with.

Kimberly: It has to be the people. We are all a little twisted in the head, but in a fun way. We are a family and as much as I move, I like being able to take my family with me inside my computer. I’ve met people from around the world who have become my friends. But the authors are another big plus. I have met and read some of the most incredible books that I wouldn’t have paid any attention to in the book store. It is an amazing experience.

Danielle: Definitely the books. Not so much that I get the chance to read books as the fact that my eyes have been opened to sooo many different genres. Things I would NEVER have considered reading before. And how much more in tune I seem to be with authors, their characters, and the emotions they are trying to portray. I have had to learn quite a bit about the process. There have been times I have not said something that is PC but the Jr. editors, Sr. editors, and Karenne are amazing support staff who really help out. When I wrote my first review I was so impressed with myself. That is until my Jr. editor  (wonder who that was??? LOL) came back with all of these red sentences in between my own. I thought I was going to cry. But once I sat back and read her notes, I knew that she made sense.

Maura:  The books of course and the crazily wonderful staff.

Danielle: Did you call me crazy Maura? Who have you been talking to? I thought those rumors stopped! Dang it!!! Kimberlyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!

Hollie: the best bit is the differences, between everyone we have people from very different places and backgrounds, but support each other not just with reviewing but also life, there is always someone about to chat to or whine at or generally have a good gossip with.

Lisa:  Meeting all the wonderful authors and readers!

Amy R: The people. The rest of the crew, the readers and the other authors are so much fun to chat with.

Brenda:  Books.  I Love to READ.  When you start reading by flashlight at 5 a.m. in the 4th Grade, you are a certified addict.

Betty: Besides a shared love of words, they’re all as crazy as I am. In a good way.

Kellyann:  It’s the books and the opinions and the insights and the laughs.

Thanks all for Monday, hope to see you back tomorrow! Everyone get a good night’s sleep because we have a lot more coming!