R.I.P. Patrick Swayze

A sad day for the family and fans of Patrick Swayze. Only 57 years old with the battle of Pancreatic cancer of two years is over. The battle won once again by this insidious and horrible disease.

No words can describe the misery that this disease creates, or the losses it leaves. Cancer is evil, and the progress of a cure seems so far away. Tonight we mourn the loss of an extraordinary actor, husband, and friend.

Rest In Peace Patrick....the pain is no more.

Homemade Laundry Detergent and Fun

 Lying on his deathbed, the rich, miserly old man calls to his long-suffering wife. "I want to take all my money with me," he tells her. "So promise me you'll put it in the casket."

After the man dies, his widow attends the memorial service with her best friend. Just before the undertaker closes the coffin, she places a small metal box inside.

Her friend looks at her in horror. "Surely," she says, "you didn't put the money in there."

"I did promise him I would," the widow answers. "So I got it all together, deposited every penny in my account, and wrote him a check. If he can cash it, he can spend it."


So... we all have issues with having enough cash to go around. If you are anything like us the first thing to go down is the food budget. Spend a bit less on food, buy some generic items, find filling foods (yikes..sometimes those add so much weight), and just do with LESS!

Lookie Here There is MORE

Why Can't MY Dog Eat That?

So.... every now and then I hear someone say "Why can't my dog eat Avocado" or some other food that is common for us to eat. I thought I would address the "why nots" and then give you a great doggie treat recipe.

NEVER allow your canine friend any of the following;

Alcohol

No sharing your beer or gin and tonic with your dog. Alcohol is toxic to dogs. It can cause, vomiting, diarrhea difficulty breathing, tremors and depression of the central nervous system . It can also cause death.
I know I have heard the stories that it's "funny" to watch your stagger around, walk into walls, and in general make himself a pest. First, it CAN and DOES harm your dog. Secondly, what is so funny about seeing a dog drunk? Personally, I would much rather see a human drunk and weaving around a room than a dog. The human is much funnier as they might pee their pants, vomit and use "the good towels" clean it up, learn to dance... or do some karaoke. Dogs being drunk...isn't funny, it's cruel.

Avocados

Avocados contain a substance called Persin which is highly toxic in most animals, including dogs. Persin is a fungicidal toxin that is toxic to most if not all animals.

Chocolate

Your dog should never eat chocolate. Chocolate contains a stimulant diuretic called Theobromine which affects the central nervous system and cardiovascular systems of the dog. If you believe your dog has eaten chocolate you must seek veterinary advice immediately as ingestion of chocolate can cause death. Cooking chocolate contains the most Theobromine followed by dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate, YES even white chocolate!
Take all precautions and ensure that you do not leave chocolate lying around. Dogs love the taste!
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, hyperactivity muscle tremors, increased urination and increased heart rate. But you already knew that...right?


Coffee & Tea, Cola, Mountain Dew®

Caffeine affects the central nervous system and the heart. Symptoms of caffeine poisoning can include vomiting, a racing heart and in severe cases, death. So when little Pookie-Poo takes a few laps of your beverage you might just be hurting him/her.

Fat Trimmings (Especially Ham)

Never give your dog fat trimmings from meat and especially from ham as high fat consumption could lead to a bout of pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can range in severity from mild to life threatening and is an extremely painful condition. Turkey skin is also high in fat content.Vets see an increase in pancreatitis over Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Grapes Raisins and Sultanas

Grapes and the dried variety of grapes including raisins and sultanas can cause kidney damage.Deaths have been reported with large ingestions.Repeated vomiting and hyperactivity can be early signs of poisoning. 

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts have been known to cause tremors & muscle weakness in dogs. Plus they are so salty...more on that later.

Milk and Dairy Products

It has been reported that as many as 50% of dogs are lactose intolerant. Many dog's digestive systems do not handle milk or dairy products well. The usual symptom is severe diarrhea. So while 50% of dogs can have things like ice cream why take a chance? I have to admit that my dogs LOVE ice cream but I don't make it a habit.

Onions & Garlic

Onions and garlic contain a substance called Thiosulphate. Dogs can develop Hemolytic Anemia which causes destruction of the red blood cells.Sp no more onion rings for the dogs.

Potatoes that are Green or the Sprouts

This kind of potato contain Solanine Glycosides which can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, nervous system stimulation, depression, trembling, paralysis & cardiac arrest. 

Salty Foods

Avoid giving your dog too much salt. Too much is not good for us and it's not good for them. The same things that happen to us, high blood pressure, swelling, etc. happens to your dog.

 

Just remember...they will follow where ever you lead, and only eat what you allow them to have. Be kind and keep the bad foods away. 

Easey Peasey Dog Biscuits 

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 tablespoons water -- (8 to 10)
2 jars Babyfood, Meat, Beef, Strained --

Mix all ingredients together and knead for 3 min. Roll out to `/1 inch
thick. Use a dog bone shaped cookie cutter, and place biscuits on an
ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for
20 to 25 min.
MAKES approx. 2 dozen doggie biscuit

Use beef, chicken or lamb

Fun Money Making Day

So...what does it take to become a mystery shopper and do the job well? First, you have to be a good if not great, actor. To pull off a scenario of "truth" you must be believable. Second, those forms...yikes, they can be tricky and involved. Third, getting paid to actually tell people what your experience was is awesome. Lastly, the actual getting paid part.

Good acting skills are the  number one priority. Forget it if you can't remember your part or your lines. No leading the selling person. No matter how much you want them to either succeed or fail, NO leading the "interview". If you perform to the best of your ability, no one will suspect you as a "shopper".

The forms, OH MY GOSH! They can be so involved and tedious. Some are simple narratives, some are lengthy novels, it seems. Make sure all your facts match with your fill in sections.

You are actually helping the store or business become better at what they do, and in turn the business may compensate the good customer service employee.

The getting paid part can be long. Not all companies are created equal. The average shopper only make $5.00 to $10.00 per shop and expenses are compensated for as little as a dollar. While you won't get rich, you can add some splurge money or added food money.

Personally I LOVE the food shops...they pay for lunch/dinner etc. and a little bit of a commission which means my guest goes free and I go free.... WOO HOO! Who ever said there is NO free lunch was not a mystery shopper.

A good place to sign-up with is JobSlinger They have a forum board that can really pay off, if you read the boards on what companies pay the most, and what companies to stay away from.

Some days I dress to the nines to go do a shop, and other days...not so much :)

Stay tuned for a few more insider tips.....

Monsoons

After sitting at my computer all day I have noticed that my blogging is taking a back seat to photography and figuring out how to put this blog together.

Our monsoon season has been here but very little rain has fallen...we have been pretty much monsoon-less this year. Monsoons are the one respite from the hot summers here in Arizona. Our lakes are dying up and the water in them is HOT, last I looked the lake temperature was 94 degrees....OMG! We need rain and cooler weather but the horizon of weather looks pretty much the same as the past few weeks. H-O-T!

So....tonight is a sandwich night with all the fixins' and some homemade lemonade made from lemons from our neighbors.

Tomorrow is another day and hopefully the rain will come and I can go sliding my way to the horse pen and my dogs will be able to place their muddy paws all over the house.

Flip-Flops & Dessert

 So.... over the weekend we decided to partake of a decadent dessert at some fancy "spa" type restaurant. As we walked into the door the entire place was gleaming from head to foot...polished and spit-shined. I felt much like a mouse that need some where to hide.


People everywhere were smiling (ya know, that fake smile) at us...I happened to look down at my feet in my $10.00 Target flip-flops. I scanned the area and noticed that all the women also were wearing flip-flops (these are the shoes of choice in Arizona) I relaxed a bit. But some how there was a huge difference between mine and theirs... their flip-flops all had rhinestones, or cute little designs. I immediately knew that most of these flip-flops were NAME BRAND! Gucci, Chanel, Christian Dior, and the most popular HAVAIANAS. My goodness, I LOVE Havaianas, (they are comfy) although I must admit I knew nothing about brand name flip-flops until moving to Arizona. Weird how we fall into the trappings of where we live.

There is a enormous difference living in the Phoenix area when it comes to fashion, food, life. Somehow I think Phoenix thinks they are part of "Hollywood" and they need to keep up with the lifestyles of the rich and famous. 


But digress from my excursion. As I quickly scanned for the entrance of the restaurant,  I was greeted with another fake smiler, with that orangy tan of liquid tanning. She along with her implanted breasts, orange tan, and scrawny appendages asked me if she could help me find something. Honestly, I did not want to be helped, and I felt again like a mouse trying to dart away from a fake Cheshire cat who would rather dissect me rather than "help" me. I was polite and told her I didn't need any help (I had NO idea where I was going...) and moved along, my eyes darting back and forth searching for the restaurant. 


AH-HA.... there it is "THE" place we had heard so much about...with all the raving about taste and beauty of the food along with a decor that was to say the least GRAND. We waited to be seated for a few moments. A young women appeared with what looked like encyclopedias for menus. We were seated in a very nice booth with high backs so that all we could do is look out at the rest of the room and listen to the musings of other guests who were seated behind us.


We were asked for a beverage order and would we be having a appetizer. We explained that we were there for a decadent dessert and a glass of dessert wine. We ordered water with lemon and proceeded to find desserts within the encyclopedia.

The "wine steward" paid a visit to our table and asked if we had any questions about food pairings and our favorite wine...should I have told him that I love Arbor Mist Strawberry?   Surely, this man would NEVER understand that I really like Arbor Mist wines.


The wine steward rattled on about varietals, notes of this and that, (yawn) and what would we be having for lunch. First, I told them already that we would be having dessert and a glass of wine...no lunch. Second, I had not gotten a chance to find desserts in the menu, and lastly where is my water?


Not getting the response he desired, the wine steward excused himself and added that if we needed any "help" to let our server know and he would be happy to help us find the "right" wine. OK....if something tastes good to me, that does make it the right wine...correct? So what if  I like cheap wine or white wine with beef. So pretentious.





We actually did not end up ordering wine because I did not want to ask the "pro" about what to pair with our dessert. But we did have a most wonderful dessert that I have re-worked and placed below. Try it and pair it with any beverage you would like. No wine steward or name brand flip-flops necessary.

White Chocolate Vanilla Parfait Served With Strawberry Balsamic Basil Compote (UGH, there goes that snooty verbiage again!)

White OR Bittersweet Chocolate Vanilla Parfait
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups white chocolate (or use bittersweet chocolate)
4 cups heavy cream, whipped
3/4 cup egg yolks (save those egg whites, we can use them in other dishes)
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons corn syrup ( yeah, I know corn syrup...its BAD for ya!)
1 vanilla bean (vanilla beans are EXPENSIVE, so use a teaspoon of vanilla extract if desired)
4 tablespoons milk

Preparation:
Cook the sugar and corn syrup to 235°. Add it to the egg yolks while whisking (at this point you should temper the eggs, lest you come up with scrambled eggs and corn syrup*) continuously. Whisk the mixture until reaching room temperature. Bring the milk to a boil and add slit vanilla bean. Pour it over the chocolate and whisk until all chocolate dissolves.

Mix the chocolate with the yolk. Fold in the whipped heavy cream. Pour the mixture into parfait cups or molded rings. FREEZE, FREEZE, FREEZE!


Strawberry Balsamic Basil Compote (normal word for "compote" is stewed)

Ingredients:
12 strawberries, hulled and cut into halves (fresh is best)
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar (The kind that a bit pricey)
3 basil leaves, broken into pieces (buy or get some from the neighbor)
3 teaspoons sugar (your choice)

Prep:
Place the strawberries into a bowl and toss with the sugar. Add the green basil leaves and allow to sit for three-to-five minutes. Add the vinegar and toss gently again. Set aside to marinate for three minutes or more.

Plating:
Remove the parfait from the mold and place on the center of a plate. Spoon the strawberry compote around the parfait. Serve it with a dollop of whipped heavy cream.

*"Temper" the eggs is where you add a bit of the hot liquid to the eggs to warm them, a bit at a time so that the eggs do not cook as they are being whisked into a hotter liquid. Voila! No scrambled eggs in your dessert.

Salsa Chicken and me

Ya know I was looking in my pantry last night and thought...ya know "ol' Lady" you REALLY have to get to the store. I call myself "ol' Lady" because I have a nickname for everyone. Not that these names are very flattering but sometimes they just fit their personalities. More on that later... :)

I paced back and forth between the refrigerator and the pantry, back and forth, back and forth... nada..nothing! AH-HA! I thought, it's out for dinner for me! But then that old spend thrift me came creeping in, "you know that costs so much more money, and its a long way to town" and, and, and, and...

I search in the freezer, oh, I have a few chicken boobs.. I have some salsa...OH! there is a bit of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, ok..back to the pantry! Yep...I see it I have a small bag of white rice.

Of course I am lazy so I grab the rice and opened the jar of salsa...dumped it into a bowl added the rice raw, added some water to thin it out to a soupy mess but it sure smelled good.

Thinking about what kind of texture I wanted...I like my chicken DONE, DONE, DONE, yeah not very juicy...juicy chicken bleh...I found my 13X9 pan and sprayed with some vegetable spray.I think an 8X8 pan would make for a better product.

I dumped in the salsa, water, rice, mixture, then placed the chicken boobs ever so neatly in a line. OK, so it didn't look really pretty, at least not yet! I went to the spice cupboard...searching for a way to make this look pretty...I found parsley flakes, seasoned salt, cumin, and chili powder. I pondered a bit...then decided to sprinkle on parsley flakes and a bit of cumin and chili powder. AH-HA! Now that looks much better.

I started thinking that I should cover the pan with foil to keep in the steam so the rice would cook, so I went searching for foil...I found wax paper (where did THAT come from!), I found plastic wrap, I found parchment paper...and way in the back...I found foil! YEA!!!!!!!

I covered the pan and placed it in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, checked on it and it was done..WOO HOO! DINNER! OH NO...... the Monterey Jack cheese...I forgot it! I NEED cheese on everything so I again pondered, what should I do? I decided to take the cheese and uncover the pan and use the heat from the cooked "dinner" to melt the cheese. I have to say, it worked just wonderfully, but the sight of just melted Monterey Jack cheese kinda didn't look quite as good as I had hoped.

AGAIN, I pondered....AH-HA my torch....almost at a dead run in my "step-saver" kitchen, I found the kitchen torch that has only been used twice to brown a crust on Creme Brulee, I lit the torch fine tuning the flame to blue. I passed the flame over the cheese quickly making the cheese golden brown and bubbly. YUM! I am sure this could be done under a broiler.

The chicken was cooked perfectly...surprisingly the rice was done and the flavor was really GREAT! This dish is just easy-peasey, and very few ingredients. You could add some corn, peas, or a mixture of canned or frozen veggies if you don't want to hassle with a salad. Personally, I love salad so we had a pre-made salad with dressing of choice.

Dinner was wonderful, and actually I learned that even if you think you have nothing in the pantry...necessity if the mother of invention!

I messed up.... no photo..oops and sorry! NEXT TIME! But here is the recipe as I did it.

4- Chicken Boneless Skinless Breasts (boobs)
1- 16 oz. Jar Salsa (brand of your choice)
3/4 c. raw long grain white rice (cheap or expensive)
2/3 c. water (tap, bottled, or filtered)
1 c. cheese (real cheese, not cheese food)
1/2 t. chili powder (your choice)
1/2 t. cumin (your choice)
1 t. dried Parsley Flakes (your choice, fresh could be good too)
8X8 baking pan, unless you like "dry" chicken :)
Vegetable Spray or other lubricant (name brand not required)

Mix salsa and water together, add rice and mix well, set aside.
Spray your pan with vegetable spray. Pour rice, water, salsa mixture into prepared pan.
Lay chicken boobs on top of the mixture.
Mix spices together or just sprinkle willy-nilly over the top of the chicken boobs.
Cover tightly with foil and bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Uncover foil and add cheese. Let sit a few minutes to melt.
If browning is important for you, place under the broiler or use a kitchen torch to brown.
Let set about 5-10 minutes and serve with salad if desired.

If you make this let me know your variations, and how you liked it!

Food/Dessert

Today I will share with you a diet South Beach Phase 1 dessert, it satisfies the crave for creaminess but also the sweetness of a dessert.

1/3 cup low fat/non fat ricotta cheese
1 packet Splenda-type sweetener
Dash of Vanilla extract

Combine the three ingredients and serve COLD.

For those who are not on South Beach Diet, you may layer the above recipe with fresh fruit in a parfait glass, keep VERY cold...enjoy!

Dinner

Having dinner at Olive Garden. Yumm Never Ending Pasta Bowl!
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Blogging

Blogging is quite time intensive and I wonder how this blog will evolve. So far I know that photo tutorials and recipes from the home front are all in the running. But so far I am at a loss as to what else I can be blogging about.

I feel my mind spinning and the creativity filling my head but I do have some trepidation as to how to proceed. It appears that writing a blog is the easy part. The hard part is deciding how you want this laid out, how and why people should read your blog instead of or in addition to another. What will drive visitors to this blog where I don't even have a clue what this will turn into.

So here goes with my first post about why this blog! I dunno......

Barn Rules

So..... The first order of business is Barn Rules, isn't there always rules of some kind? I find these rules for the smooth running of a barn almost a snippet of how life should be. Wouldn't it be a great day if all our family could follow these rules?